The Nosebleeds

pedroia v. playstation

2009-05-24T11:15:00.002-04:00

keith day

2009-05-23T19:59:00.003-04:00

mvp: most valuable puppets

2009-05-22T16:52:00.000-04:00

hi johan

2009-05-10T15:46:00.001-04:00

michael cuddyer is a magician

2009-05-09T14:44:00.002-04:00

Here is a profile of Minnesota Twins' outfielder Michael Cuddyer by Tim Kurkjian, from ESPN the Magazine. He is a magician, but more importantly "'Cuddy is the nicest guy in the world,' infielder Nick Punto said, 'but he will try to kill you to break up the double play. He is an old-school guy. He's going to do the right thing all the time.'"

victorino pushes manuel into argument with ump

2009-05-08T14:01:00.009-04:00

Shane Victorino was called safe at second base on Thursday night against the Mets. While he was caught in a rundown between first and second base, Victorino seemed to run into Jose Reyes, who was chasing him down. The umpire, Bill Welke, saw the incident in Victorino's favor and called him safe because of obstruction. Jerry Manuel saw the play differently, as did the cameras. Manuel proceeded to argue with Welke, and "according to Welke, Manuel brushed his cap with the bill of his own cap as he screamed at the umpire." Manuel will most likely be suspended for what is believed to be minor incidental contact with the umpire. Victorino has been a nemesis of the Mets since he came to prominence with the Phillies. Now it seems he is trying to single handedly push the Mets out of the division race.

Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog writes:

…i know the Mets won the game, and they’re 3–1 against the Phillies this season… but, how long are the Mets going to let Victorino make fools of them… he taunts them on the field, he consistently clips infielders when sliding in to second, last year he actually stood flat foot and tall on home plate after scoring a run and did the double point in to their dugout, and then last night he shoves Reyes out of the way like George Costanza during a fire… not to mention, Clay Condrey nearly took David Wright’s head off with a fastball behind his batting helmet…

Erik Grissom of Philiesflow.com writes:

The Phillies don’t look ready to give it away. You can see it when a Condrey pitch sends David Wright looking for cover and Shane Victorino throws elbows at Mets’ infielders on the bases. Not sure I would have cared for either of those plays were I not a Phillies fan. A long time ago, I wrote that I was getting a little tired of seeing the Phils look like a bunch of swell guys who went down with a lot of character. I was ready to watch them take somebody’s lunch money. A lot has changed since then.

Josh Alper of NBC News writes:

There's a long history of ill will between Victorino and the Mets, and now he'd elbowed one of Manuel's players out of the way in a rundown. When two teams with bad blood play, the umpires will sometimes issue a warning after a close but otherwise innocuous pitch to head off a beanball war. They take history into account in those situations, and they should take history into account when making their determination on Manuel as well.

Of course the Mets did take both games from the Phillies in an abbreviated series at Citi Field. Now the Mets stand tied with the slumping Marlins only half a game back of the "fighting" Phils. And thanks to Victorino they are now literally the fighting Phils.

preakness weakness?

2009-05-03T23:47:00.007-04:00

Winner of the Kentucky Derby, Mine That Bird, may put an end to triple crown speculation before the press machine could get momentum. ESPN's Jay Privman reports "'The plan was that if he showed something here, to skip the Preakness and go to the Belmont, like his dad,' [Co-owner Mark] Allen said. Mine That Bird is a son of Birdstone, who won the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes in 2004." The last Derby winner to skip the Preakness was an injured Grindstone in 1996. The last healthy Derby winner to miss it was Spend A Buck in 1985.

Mine That Bird was a 51-1 shot at the 113th Kentucky Derby. A $103.20 return was the second most in Derby history (only a 1913 $184.90 by Donerail was larger). Mine That Bird represents the second biggest upset in all the runnings of the Derby's history. This is one of the biggest upsets in sports history. 3 year-old colt I Want Revenge, the favorite to win the race, was scratched the morning of after his trainer discovered a hot spot on his left ankle.

Now, instead of hyping another run for the triple crown at the Preakness Stakes, the press will have another quesiton to ask: will the triple crown even be possible? Only Mine That Bird, itself, can answer, writes Privman:

"We'll let the horse tell us," Allen, who owns Mine That Bird with Dr. Leonard Blach, said Sunday morning as a light rain fell at Churchill Downs. "We'll run some blood work on him, make sure it's where it should be."

Update 5/4/2009:
Mine That Bird will run the Preakness after a spirited jog this afternoon.

"He's not going to just jump up and be the favorite off one win," [Trainer Bennie] Woolley Jr. said. "But I'll bet he's not 50-1."

you can go home again

2009-05-02T21:20:00.049-04:00

Inspired by Alex K.'s clever experiment at Depressedfan.com.

Here is the All-Time Native New York Knicks Team:

PG - Bob Cousy (New York, NY)
SG - Lenny Wilkins (Brooklyn, NY)
SF - Julius Erving (Roosevelt, NY)
PF - Dolph Schayes (New York, NY)
C - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Inwood, NY)
6th - Billy Cunningham (Brooklyn, NY)

It is worth noting Michael Jordan was born in Brooklyn, but played high school basketball in North Carolina, so he was left off the team. 73 year old, blogger and life-long New Yorker Dan Cohen said, "While looking over the list of current local Knicks, I was surprised. As I remember, the great New York high school players were from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, not Queens and outside the five boroughs, especially Connecticut!" Other notable native New York players include: Nate "Tiny" Archibald (Bronx, NY), Bernard King (Brooklyn, NY), Max Zaslofsky (Brooklyn, NY), Connie Hawkins (Brooklyn, NY), and Chris Mullin (Brooklyn, NY).

Here are the rest of the All-Time Local Teams:

Philadelphia 76ers:
PG - "Pistol" Pete Maravich (Aliquippa, PA)
SG - Kobe Bryant (Philadelphia, PA)
SF - Paul Arizin (Philadelphia, PA)
PF - Rasheed Wallace (Philadelphia, PA)
C - Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia, PA)
6th - Earl Monroe (Philadelphia, PA)

Detroit Pistons:
PG – Magic Johnson (Lansing, MI)
SG – George Gervin (Detroit, MI)
SF – Chet Walker (Benton Harbor, MI)
PF – Dave DeBusschere (Detroit, MI)
C – Spencer Haywood (Detroit, MI)
6th – Glen Rice (Flint, MI)

Chicago Bulls:
PG – Isaiah Thomas (Chicago, IL)
SG – Cazzie Russell (Chicago, IL)
SF – Dwyane Wade (Chicago, IL)
PF – Dan Issel (Batavia, IL)
C – George Mikan (Joliet, IL)
6th – Maurice Cheeks (Chicago, IL)

Indiana Pacers:
PG – Oscar Robertson (Indianapolis, IN)
SG – Dick Barnett (Gary, IN)
SF – Larry Bird (West Baden, IN)
PF – Dave Cowens (Newport, KY)
C – Wes Unseld (Louisville, KY)
6th – George McGinnis (Indianapolis, IN)

Cleveland Cavaliers:
PG – Jerry West (Chelyan, WV)
SG – Hal Greer (Huntington, WV)
SF – LeBron James (Akron, OH)
PF – Jerry Lucas (Middletown, OH)
C – Nate Thurmond (Akron, OH)
6th – John Havlicek (Martins Ferry, OH)

Charlotte Bobcats:
PG – Sam Jones (Wilmington, NC)
SG – Michael Jordan (Wilmington, NC)
SF – James Worthy (Gastonia, NC)
PF – Kevin Garnett (Greenville, SC)
C – Bob McAdoo (Greensboro, NC)
6th – Dominique Wilkins (Washington, NC)

New Orleans Hornets:
PG – Joe Dumars (Shreveport, LA)
SG – Jimmy Jones (Tallulah, LA)
SF – Elvin Hayes (Rayville, LA)
PF – Bob Pettit (Baton Rouge, LA)
C – Willis Reed (Hico, LA)
6th – Karl Malone (Summerfield, LA)

Washington Wizards:
PG – Dave Bing (Washington DC)
SG – Allen Iverson (Hampton, VA)
SF – Elgin Baylor (Washington DC)
PF – Moses Malone (Petersburg, VA)
C – David Robinson (Manassas, VA)
6th – Adrian Dantley (Washington DC)

Golden State Warriors:
PG – Jason Kidd (Alameda, CA)
SG – Gary Payton (Oakland, CA)
SF – Willie Wise (San Francisco, CA)
PF – Paul Silas (Oakland, CA)
C – Bill Russell (Oakland, CA)
6th – Jim Pollard (Oakland, CA)

New Jersey Nets:
PG – Rory Sparrow (Paterson, NJ)
SG – Kelly Tripucka (Bloomfield, NJ)
SF – Rick Barry (Elizabeth, NJ)
PF – Tommy Heinsohn (Union City, NJ)
C – Billy Paultz (River Edge, NJ)
6th – Bob Verga (Belmar, NJ)

Los Angeles Lakers:
PG – Gail Goodrich (Los Angeles, CA)
SG – Reggie Miller (Riverside, CA)
SF – Paul Pierce (Inglewood, CA)
PF – Sidney Wicks (Los Angeles, CA)
C – Bill Laimbeer (Palos Verdes, CA)
6th – Bill Sharman (Porterville, CA)

Portland Trailblazers:
PG – John Stockton (Spokane, WA)
SG – Danny Ainge (Eugene, OR)
SF – Detlef Schrempf (Centralia, WA)
PF – AC Green (Portland, OR)
C – James Edwards (Seattle, WA)
6th – Jason Terry (Seattle, WA)

Denver Nuggets:
PG – Chauncey Billups (Denver, CO)
SG – Ron Boone (Omaha, NE)
SF – Scott Wedman (Denver, CO)
PF – Tom Chambers (Boulder, CO)
C – Joe Barry Carroll (Denver, CO)
6th – Bob Boozer (Omaha, NE)

Atlanta Hawks:
PG – Norm Nixon (Macon, GA)
SG – Walt “Clyde” Frazier (Atlanta, GA)
SF – Dale Ellis (Marietta, GA)
PF – Charles Barkley (Leeds, AL)
C – Artis Gilmore (Dothan, AL)
6th – Dwight Howard (Atlanta, GA)

Memphis Grizzlies:
PG – JoJo White (St. Louis, MO)
SG – Sidney Moncrief (Little Rock, AR)
SF – Scottie Pippen (Hamburg, AR)
PF – Bailey Howell (Middleton, TN)
C – Ed Macauley (St. Louis, MO)
6th – Shawn Marion (Clarksville, TN)

Miami Heat:
PG – Derek Harper (West Palm Beach, FL)
SG – Mitch Richmond (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
SF – Eddie Jones (Pompano Beach, FL)
PF – Otis Thorpe (Lake Worth, FL)
C – Tim Duncan (US Virgin Islands)
6th – Mychal Thompson (Miami, FL)

Los Angeles Clippers:
PG – Dennis Johnson (Compton, CA)
SG – Reggie Theus (Inglewood, CA)
SF – Marques Johnson (Los Angeles, CA)
PF – Kiki Vandeweghe (Pacific Palisades, CA)
C – Bill Walton (La Mesa, CA)
6th – George Yardley (Newport Beach, CA)

Oklahoma City Thunder:
PG – Mark Price (Enid, OK)
SG – John Starks (Tulsa, OK)
SF – Danny Manning (Lawrence, KS)
PF – Wayman Tisdale (Tulsa, OK)
C – Alvan Adams (Warr Acres, OK)
6th – Lucius Allen (Kansas City, KS)

Milwaukee Bucks:
PG – Terry Porter (Milwaukee, WI)
SG – Fred Brown (Milwaukee, WI)
SF – Latrell Sprewell (Milwaukee, WI)
PF – John Johnson (Milwaukee, WI)
C – Jim Chones (Racine, WI)
6th – Caron Butler (Racine, WI)

Dallas Mavericks:
PG – Deron Williams (The Colony, TX)
SG – Ricky Pierce (Garland, TX)
SF – Larry Johnson (Dallas, TX)
PF – Dennis Rodman (Dallas, TX)
C – Chris Bosh (Dallas, TX)
6th – Mookie Blaylock (Garland, TX)

Houston Rockets:
PG – Slater Martin (Houston, TX)
SG – Clyde Drexler (Houston, TX)
SF – Rashard Lewis (Alief, TX)
PF – Emeka Okafor (Houston, TX)
C – Zelmo Beaty (Woodville, TX)
6th – Terry Teagle (Broaddus, TX)

Toronto Raptors:
PG – Steve Nash (Victoria, Canada)
SG – Larry Costello (Minoa, NY)
SF – Clifford Robinson (Buffalo, NY)
PF – Bob Houbregs (Vancouver, Canada)
C – Bob Lanier (Buffalo, NY)
6th – Rick Fox (Toronto, Canada)

Orlando Magic:
PG – Eddie Johnson (Summerfield, FL)
SG – Vince Carter (Daytona Beach, FL)
SF – Tracy McGrady (Bartow, FL)
PF – Truck Robinson (Jacksonville, FL)
C – Amare Stoudamire (Orlando, FL)
6th – Otis Birdsong (Winter Haven, FL)

Minnesota Timberwolves:
PG – Dick Garmaker (Hibbing, MN)
SG – Mark Olberding (Melrose, MN)
SF – Phil Jackson (Williston, ND)
PF – Kevin McHale (Hibbing, MN)
C – Vern Mikkelsen (Askov, MN)
6th – Mike Miller (Mitchell, SD)

Phoenix Suns:
PG – Mike Bibby (Phoenix, AZ)
SG – Fat Lever (Tucson, AZ)
SF – Sean Elliot (Tucson, AZ)
PF – Richard Jefferson (Phoenix, AZ)
C – Channing Frye (Phoenix, AZ)
6th – Arthur Becker (Phoenix, AZ)

Sacramento Kings:
PG – Kevin Johnson (Sacramento, CA)
SG – Ray Allen (Merced, CA)
SF – Darnell Hillman (Sacramento, CA)
PF – Jim Eakins (Sacramento, CA)
C – Bill Cartwright (Elk Grove, CA)
6th – James Donaldson (Sacramento, CA)

San Antonio Spurs:
PG – Devin Brown (San Antonio, TX)
SG – Robert Reid (Schertz, TX)
SF – Eduardo Najera (San Antonio, TX)
PF – Luke Jackson (San Marcos, TX)
C – Shaquille O’Neal (San Antonio, TX)
6th – Chris Mihm (Austin, TX)

Boston Celtics:
PG – Travis Best (Springfield, MA)
SG – Dana Barros (Westwood, MA)
SF – Francisco Garcia (Winchendon, MA)
PF – Marvin Barnes (Providence, RI)
C – Patrick Ewing (Cambridge, MA)
6th – James Bailey (Westwood, MA)

New York Jazz: (relocated from Utah)
PG – Nate “Tiny” Archibald (Bronx, NY)
SG – Max Zaslofsky (Brooklyn, NY)
SF – Bernard King (Brooklyn, NY)
PF – Fred Roberts (South Jordan, UT)
C – Shawn Bradley (Castle Dale, UT)
6th – World B. Free (Brooklyn, NY)

what if...

2009-05-01T15:59:00.010-04:00

NBA teams could only draft players from their geographical vicinity? This is the question Alex K. asked and answered at DepressedFan.com in February. His Hometown Heroes post goes through each NBA team and finds the current players who would be playing for that team in this fictional scenario. While cities such as Charlotte, Portland, and Dallas have very good teams, lesser-known metropolises like Salt Lake City, Toronto, and Oklahoma City have less talented squads. The big surprise is that the Boston Celtics are comprised of mostly D-League players like Demetris Nichols, Matt Bonner, and Courtney Sims and is anchored by center Marcus Camby.

The New York Knicks team puts this starting five on the floor: PG Ben Gordon (Mount Vernon, NY), SG Ron Artest (Queens, NY), SF Lamar Odom (South Jamaica, NY), PF Elton Brand (Peekskill, NY), and Center Charlie Villanueva (Queens, NY) with Ryan Gomes (Waterbury, CT) as the sixth man. Blogger Bashir G. has this to say about the New York locals, "This team has good talent all around with a lot of versatility and strong defense but no pg. So I could see this team using odom as their Point-Forward to bring up the ball. Gordon is most definitely a pure 2, always looking for his shot so he wouldn't work as the 1. This team has good shooters slashers and every player can create their own shot so this would be an effective team but their 3pt game outside of Gordon is a little suspect because Villanueva, artest and odom are inconsistent from 3." While Blogger Brian makes this suggestion, "I'd take Brand at center, Gomes at PF, bring Charlie V off the bench and hope the defense could hold up."

Would this Knicks team be able to best the 32-50 showing put up by the 2008-2009 Knickerbockers? Would Gordon be able to run the point, or would he make New Yorkers yearn for the days of Chris Duhon, who would be playing for the New Orleans Hornets? Would Starbury be motivated to play for his hometown team, this time if he had no choice? It's nice to think of a Knicks what if scenario that does not involve a certain King. At least this exercise in supposition provides a diversion until Knicks fans can wish for a Spaniard at the NBA lottery.

mocking mock drafts

2009-04-25T23:32:00.009-04:00

Thomas Neumann of ESPN's Page 2 has his take on historical fiction. Instead of printing just another mock draft, he took the NFL draft order and using the accepted "needs" of the each team to draft from a pool of every college player in history. That means guys like Illinois' Red Grange and Carlisle's Jim Thorpe were on the big board when the Detroit Lions found themselves on the clock. Their pick? Stanford prospect John Elway. However, Neumann reports he might play for the Yankees if he is not traded by a downtrodden Detroit Lions franchise. The New York Giants drafted Don Hutson to replace released receiver Plaxico Burress, but they passed on Keyshawn Johnson out of USC. Other notable picks were St. Louis picking tackle prospect Orlando Pace to replace the departed, Orlando Pace. Also the top hybrid prospect out of UNC, Lawrence Taylor went to Green Bay.

Wait, do you mean there was an actual draft today?

Here are the Giants selections so far:
Round 1: Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC
Round 2: Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia
Round 2: William Beatty, OT, Connecticut

ESPN's John Clayton says Hakeem Nicks has big shoes to fill this season:

No player in the draft will have more pressure on him than Hakeem Nicks of the New York Giants. He's going to be asked to be the instant replacement for Plaxico Burress, who was counted on for five catches and about 80 yards a game, particularly in the first month of the season. Give Giants GM Jerry Reese credit for being patient and getting a receiver as talented as Nicks at the 29th pick. But the Giants' season could depend on how quickly Nicks develops a receiving relationship with Eli Manning. The Giants elected not to trade a No. 1 pick to get Braylon Edwards from Cleveland.

Update 4/26/09:

New York Giants Draft:
Round 3: Ramses Barden, WR, Cal Poly
Round 3: Travis Beckum, TE, Wisconsin
Round 4: Andre Brown, RB, NC State
Round 5: Rhett Bomar, QB, Sam Houston St.
Round 6: DeAndre Wright, CB, New Mexico
Round 7: Stoney Woodson, CB, South Carolina

Michael Eisen from Giants.com highlights two players:
[Ramses] Barden is a wide receiver with several eye-popping attributes. At 6 feet, 6 inches, he was the most physically imposing receiver in the draft. He has an exceptionally long stride, jumping ability, strength, toughness and many impressive statistics...Perhaps the most important question Barden must answer is whether he can make a successful transition from the Great West Conference to the NFL. He did have six catches for 83 yards and a score against Wisconsin last season.

[Rhett] Bomar, 6-2, 224, started 11 games as a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma in 2005, when he threw for 2,018 yards and 10 touchdowns. But in May 2006, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of being a minor in possession of alcohol. Later that year, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops dismissed...Bomar from the team after an investigation revealed the young quarterback broke NCAA rules through his employment at a car dealership.Bomar enrolled at Sam Houston State, but the NCAA ruled him ineligible in 2006. He played the next two seasons for the Bearkats and completed 417 of 727 passes (57.4 percent) for 5,564 yards and 37 touchdowns. In 2008, he threw for 3,355 yards and 27 scores. Bomar passed for more than 300 yards eight times in 10 games, including a career-high 506 yards vs. Southeastern Louisiana

wardrobe malfunctions

2009-04-24T03:32:00.007-04:00

The 2009 baseball season is in its infancy, but the blooper reel is already looking mature.
Remember when Janet Jackson mistook the Super Bowl for a bachelor party? The Washington Nationals, however, mistook their team name for this...

Then on Wednesday, the Texas Rangers were so interested in getting newly acquired reliever Darren O'Day into the game they forgot to order him a jersey. So he pitched like this...

Unfortunately, for both teams the comedy of errors did not end with the wardrobe. The Washington Nationals are 3-11 to start the season, worst in the majors. And O'Day did not fair much better in his Rangers debut, completing an 8-7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto's Kevin Millar found the humor in O'Day borrowing Kason Gabbard's #30, "Gabbard I thought was a left-handed pitcher and he came in throwing sinkerballs, side-armed right-handed, so I was a little confused at first." Both O'Day and Millar can laugh, because at least their not Natinals!

citi field panorama

2009-04-19T01:05:00.002-04:00

sheffield of dreams

2009-04-18T15:01:00.005-04:00

The day after Gary Sheffield hit his 500th home run is the when the debate begins. Should Sheffield be inducted in the Hall of Fame after he retires? There are 25 players in the history of major league baseball who have hit 500 or more home runs. Ten of those players do not have plaques hanging in Cooperstown, but eight are still active and thus not eligible, and the other two are Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro. Both McGwire and Palmeiro have been embroiled in steroid controversy and that may keep them out of the Hall. 500 home runs almost amounts to a ticket to Cooperstown.

Sheffield has 500 home runs, but that is not the only statistic in his favor. He also has over 1,500 RBI and runs scored. Out of the 25 players to have all of these numbers 19 are in the Hall of Fame. Sheffield is also a member of an even more select statistical group. He has stolen 251 bases. There are only four players with 500 home runs and 251 stolen bases: Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, and Sheffield. Sheffield's statistical case is very solid. But as Tim Kurkjian, of ESPN, says "Sheffield's candidacy for Cooperstown has several issues -- some character and behavioral -- that could keep him out of the Hall in his first year of eligibility. Maybe his first five years. Maybe forever. But the statistics, the raw numbers, aren't an issue."

Those character issues are not minute, but are they condemning? They include: throwing a live ball into the stands during a game to garner a trade when he was a young player and a small involvement in the 2003 BALCO steroids case that has tarnished Barry Bonds' historic career and may keep him from the Hall of Fame.

Gary Sheffield's case for inclusion in baseball's greatest distinction is strong, but so is the case against him. Major League Baseball doesn't look highly upon the players who have done anything to damage the image of the game. Just ask Pete Rose! Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro may find this out soon as well. But has Gary Sheffield, himself, disgraced the game? No. Is he as great a hitter as Joe DiMaggio, Frank Robinson, or even Ken Griffey Jr.? No. But is he, however, a Hall of Famer? Yes he is.

citi field: san diego padres 6, new york mets 5

2009-04-17T23:44:00.013-04:00

As I walked into Citi Field for the first time, the first thing that came to my mind was "history." I thought of my personal history and the histories of Jackie Robinson, the Mets, and the game itself.

The Jackie Robinson Rotunda is the first gate fans see when they exit the 7 train on their way to Citi Field. The Ebbets Field inspired architecture is apparent, which leads fans' attention to a beautiful rotunda, the fantastic tribute to a great man. A friend recently said to me, "Its just luck that Jackie Robinson was the first black major leaguer, but he earned respect by being the man who endured being the first black major leaguer." This is so true. Robinson was one of many great Negro League ballplayers of the time, but he was the one man who crossed the barrier and faced the hatred and prejudice that resulted from his historic signing.

The Mets history is engrained in Citi Field because it is a new generation for the team. Citi Field is a beautiful new ballpark, which represents a higher class of baseball and the players can only benefit from its grandeur.

Citi Field represents baseball history for two reasons. First, because of its homage to Jackie Robinson. Second, for its architectural tribute to a revered ballpark of the past. Ebbets Field was the historic home of the Brooklyn Dodgers and was where Robinson broke into the big leagues. The loss of Ebbets Field was the inspiration for Frank Sinatra's song, "There Used To Be a Ballpark."

Lastly, my history is there, because this is my baseball stadium. I was at Citi Field's opening series versus the San Diego Padres April 13th-16th. It will forever hold a special place in my memory for that reason. It also represents a change for the Mets. Many Mets fans hope it is a change of fortune as the last two seasons have ended in disaster for the franchise. Citi Field is now a part of my history and hopefully later this season, so will a New York Mets' World Series championship.

scully on adenhart

2009-04-12T17:05:00.004-04:00

If I may speak for every member of the Dodger organization, our heartfelt and deepest sympathies to the mother and family of Nick Adenhart, and to every member in the Angels organization, for the untimely accident and death of young Nick last night at the tender age of twenty-two. Nick, from Maryland, had pitched six scoreless innings and was in a car with three friends, and a driver apparently went through a red light and T-boned the car, killing thee of the four, including Nick, and one other member is in critical condition. And if there is one thing I’ve learned in all my years — and I haven’t learned much — but the one thing I’ve learned: Don’t even waste your time trying to figure out life.

Ground ball through for Andre Ethier, and life continues for those who still have it. And with a leadoff single, Russell Martin will be coming up.

But I would say, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a moment and say a prayer in memory of Nick, especially for his parents. What a shock to lose a twenty-two-year-old.

Andre Ethier at first base, Russell Martin the batter, James Loney on deck, and the Dodgers try to strike in the second inning against Kevin Correia…

- VIN SCULLY (4.9.09)

One man at the pinnacle of his profession commenting on the loss of another man just reaching his potential. This is what sports broadcasting can and should be. Legendary Vin Scully has done play-by-play for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers since 1950.

african-americans on the pga tour (or tiger woods)

2009-04-11T18:24:00.010-04:00

With the Masters Golf Tournament highlighting this weekend's sports news, I think it is worth looking at the game itself and how far it has truly come from the elitist country club mentality it has adopted here on American greens.

Gary Player, one of the most successful golfers of all time and a South African, made a ceremonial putt when this year's Masters began. He was greeted on the green by several other South African golfers, as he has naturally become a role model among young South African golfers. The striking thing about this nice moment was that each of the younger South African golfers was white. Player has done a lot to develop youth golf in South Africa. In 1983, his foundation established Blair Atholl Schools in Johannesburg which has facilities for youth between K-8 grades.

But even though Player has hosted the Nelson Mandela invitational since 2000, how much have black golfers really gained over the years?

"Tiger [Woods] was the greatest gift ever for the PGA Tour," said Orin Starn, who heads the cultural anthropology program at Duke University. "With him as its face, the PGA Tour didn't have to deal with issues of diversity, or worrying about the tour looking like the rest of America. They could say, 'See, the problem is fixed. We have an African-American who is No. 1 in the world.'

"But the problem still exists," he said. "If anything, it's gotten worse."

In 1997, Tiger Woods became the first African-American to put on the green jacket, which represents winning the Masters Tournament. According to a timeline of African-American involvement in golf by Black Golfer Online, Woods' victory was 22 years after Lee Elder became the first black golfer to play in the Masters. In 1975, when Elder played in the Masters for the first time, there were eight black players on the tour. Now Woods stands alone, not only as the face of the PGA, but also its only African-American one.

David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan and Louisiana State Representative, has this to say about Woods' accomplishments:

Because of the emphasis many put on sports heroes, Woods ascendancy in the golf realm will simply add to myth that most Blacks are just like us. Given a certain set of circumstances, individual Blacks can excel. But society is made up not just individuals, but also of groups. The quality of the group as a whole ultimately determines the quality of the nation. A number of White men will be suckered in by a wave of admiration and emotion for one Black golf player into believing that the Black race can fit in and do well among the White race. That is simply untrue. Some individual Blacks obviously can. But, as a whole, the race cannot. For the mental abilities that go into the making and maintaining a civilization are not the same as the requirements for a great golf player. The qualities that account for the advancing and maintaining of a scientific and civilized society are simply not the same as the qualities to run a 100 meters under 10 seconds or dunk a basketball, or for that matter, break the Masters record as a rookie.

While Duke, an admitted racist, has ulterior motives to knock Woods as a racial pioneer in the sport, Woods himself has shied away from the claim as well:

Woods has coined the term "Cablanasian" to explain his racial heritage which includes African-American, Native-American, Asian and Caucasian ancestry. Duke University professor Orin Starn, who has written extensively about golf and race, calls Woods a racial visionary. "For Tiger to call himself 'Cablanasian,' he's not saying that he's not black," says Starn, who teaches cultural anthropology. "What he's saying is, 'Yes I am black and I'm proud to be the honorary grandson of Charlie Sifford, the Jackie Robinson of golf, but I'm not just black. I'm also white, and I'm also Asian, I'm also Native-American. All of these different things are a part of my ancestry.'"

Eddie Payton, Hall of Fame football player Walter Payton's older brother, has led the Jackson State University golf team for the past quarter of a century. ESPN refers to him as the Eddie Robinson of golf. Payton has had this message for Woods and his racial identity, "It would help any aspiring African-American golfer who has had to deal with stuff Tiger hasn't had to deal with. And he doesn't need to say he's proud to be an African-American golfer. What he needs to say is 'I am an African-American golfer.'"

Payton goes on to say, "It's a shame that the person who can do the most to bridge the gap says, 'I made it. Now you make it,' Instead he could say, 'Well this is what my daddy taught me. These are the drills.' I can't make him do what I feel I would do, but at some point he'll look and see no other blacks out there."

Woods' response is veiled in political correctness, "I reach out each and every day with my foundation," Woods said. "We don't focus on golf, because that's not the sole purpose of life. Life is not about hitting a high draw and a high fade. It's about being a better person each and every day and helping others. That's what life is all about. Is golf a part of people's lives? Yes, it's part of my life. But it's not the end of all things in my life."

While Woods may not be what Starn calls the "Magic Negro," a term that has also been attributed to President Barack Obama:

People have talked about this idea of Barack Obama as the so-called 'Magic Negro,' as a sort of black man who's expected to fix everything and to make everybody feel good about themselves with a magic wand to eliminate and make disappear the problems of racism, and poverty and conflict in America. And I think there's been this idea that Tiger should somehow be a kind of 'Magic Negro' for the PGA Tour, and that he should lift up his wand and somehow make golf into a more diverse and inclusive sport. I don't think this should be on him, at least exclusively.

But if Tiger Woods is not the man who is going to lead the way for African-Americans to be more involved in the game he has dominated, then there will remain the same amount of African-Americans in golf as there are in the Oval Office, one.

nick adenhart

2009-04-10T12:36:00.002-04:00

Angel on the mound
A passenger on the road
Too young to be

driving while black

2009-04-05T23:14:00.038-04:00

In our society, professional athletes get breaks. From OJ Simpson to Ray Lewis, and now Plaxico Burress, NFL players seem to believe they have a different law to live by. Then there are times when this belief works against an athlete, a man. This stereotype of professional athletes, fairly perpetuated by some, can cloud a police officer's view of a seemingly routine traffic stop. It shadows a truly tragic moment in someone's life to be just another athlete trying to run a red light. Sometimes we need to see professional athletes as people too. Sometimes its just not about sports.

Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats was driving to the Baylor Regional Medical Center. Hazard lights flashing Moats rushed to get his family to his wife, Tamishia's mother's deathbed. Joanetta Collinsworth was dying from advanced breast cancer. Moats probably didn't even notice that he had rolled through a red light in the middle of his dash to get Tamishia to be with her mother at the end.

Officer Robert Powell noticed, though. He pulled Moats over in the hospital parking lot and proceeded to issue Moats a ticket. Moats, through his grief, tried to get the officer to understand the severity of this situation, the following is sportswriter Dave Zirin's report of the encounter:

Tamishia jumped out of the car to rush to her mother , and Powell drew his gun, yelling, “Get in there! Let me see your hands!”

“My mom is dying,” she shouted back.

“I saw in his eyes that he really did not care,” Tamishia Moats said. Ms. Moats and her great-aunt ignored the officer and headed into the hospital. (Powell says he “merely” drew his gun, while Ms. Moats says it was pointed at her as she rushed in the facility. Ryan Moats has said that he feared for her life.)

Ryan Moats and his grandfather in law – the father of the dying Ms. Collinsworth, were then kept for 13 minutes. “You really want to go through this right now?” Moats pleaded. “My mother-in-law is dying. Right now!"

In that thirteen minutes Joanetta Collinsworth passed away. Ryan Moats tries to escape from the grasp of defenders every game. If only that night had been like a football game. Maybe he would have had an answer. Instead, Moats and Mrs. Collinsworth's father would not reach her bedside in time to say goodbye.

This story might have just fallen into obscurity if it weren't for Officer Powell's dashboard camera, meant to protect the police from false accusations. In this instance it would do the opposite.

"I am embarrassed and disappointed by the behavior of one of our police officers. His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, discretion, the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit." responded Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle at a press conference in the wake of the release of the dashboard video of the incident. "When we in the command staff reviewed the tapes," he went on to say, "we were embarrassed, disappointed – it's hard to find the right words and still be professional in my role as a police chief."

Police Chief Kunkle went on to commend Moats and his handling of the conflict with Officer Powell, "They exercised extraordinary patience, restraint, dealing with the behavior of our officer," he said. "At no time did Mr. Moats identify himself as an NFL football player or expect any kind of special consideration. He handled himself very, very well."

In a society where NFL players routinely expect that carrying an unregistered gun into a nightclub or not calling out of work one day is acceptable, Moats' behavior was out of the box. Ryan Moats was not a professional football player that night. He was a man trying his best to care for his wife. He was a man doing the best he could. Officer Powell, confused and wrong, was not.

Dave Zirin warns both sides in the wake of this tragedy, "This is also the latest of a series of high profile confrontations between cops and jocks. When you layer the 'driving while black' pandemic on top of the dynamic of pro athletes more comfortable on a pedestal than in a police car, you have a recipe for future tragedies. Let the Moats’ ordeal serve as a warning and not a harbinger. And let Officer Powell be compelled to find another line of work."

Powell has since apologized and been dismissed from the Dallas Police Department. Keeping a man, or anyone outside a hospital for 13 minutes while you write a traffic ticket is unforgivable. Especially after they have identified why the transgression took place and have accepted the ticket's validity. No one can answer why Officer Powell didn't let Moats into the hospital. Not even Powell, himself, "I don't know why I didn't," he said. "I should have."

I just hope that Moats' race was not it.

bye bye burress

2009-04-03T20:18:00.003-04:00

Jerry Reese:
“I am an optimist, and I believe most situations can be worked out, we hung in there as long as we could in hopes that there could be a resolution to this situation other than the decision we made today to release Plaxico. It wasn’t to be, so now we have to move on. Like everybody else here, we want nothing but the best for Plaxico, and we are appreciative of the contributions he made to this franchise.”

Tom Coughlin:
“Plaxico’s contribution to our championship season in 2007 can never be underestimated or undervalued, he displayed tremendous determination throughout that season. Having said that, I have always been as concerned about Plaxico as a man as I have been about him as a player, and my hope is that everything that has happened over the past several months represents a turning point. He is a young man with a family who has a whole lifetime ahead of him, and I personally wish him and his family well.”

citi field

2009-03-29T22:31:00.000-04:00

drew carey is not as dumb as he looks

2009-03-28T15:23:00.006-04:00

In an article for ESPN the Magazine, Austin Kelley wrote "Drew Carey, part comedian, part owner of the Seattle Sounders, said recently that his team would like to emulate FC Barcelona. As the MLS season starts tomorrow, with the Sounders hosting Red Bulls New York, American soccer fans must smile at such sentiments. Imagine the attacking panache of the Catalan side -- Messi's dazzling runs, Xavi's ingenious passing, Eto'o's sneaky finishing -- taking root in the Pacific Northwest.

But Carey wasn't talking about Barca's style of play. Nor was he talking about their commitment to charity (FC Barcelona's shirt sponsor is UNICEF. Sounders FC's is X-Box). Carey wants to copy the Spanish club's system of fan participation -- sort of. Sounders fans won't actually own the club like the Catalan fans (Carey & co. are taking care of that), but they will get to vote the general managers in and out, like Barca fans do."

Drew Carey's idea of having the leadership of a sports team in the hands of the fans who support the club is not an original one. Not only does FC Barcelona involve its fans, but Real Madrid, another world class Spanish league team, has also elected their team President in this fashion for years.

What if, the Detroit Lions fans got to elect who would take over their team? What if the millions and millions of Yankees fans got to elect who would control the future of the squad? It only takes a yearly fee to be a member of the FC Barcelona and Real Madrid election process. Drew Carey is looking to bring this interesting concept to American soccer with the Seattle Sounders.

Whats next? An American team paying a charity, like Unicef, to wear its logo on their shirts like FC Barcelona did in 2006.

this is pretty awesome...

2009-03-27T19:31:00.005-04:00

This is a handmade lego figurine of Keith Hernandez from the 1986 Championship team by Mike at Planet of the Geeks.

He has also made Boston Red Sox Kevin Youkilis and Jonathan Papelbon, New York Ranger Brandon Dubinsky, Jason Giambi as a Yankee, New York Mets David Wright and Carlos Delgado, and Former Green Bay Packer Brett Favre.

coach joKes

2009-03-22T23:10:00.009-04:00

Thursday was not only the first day of the 2009 NCAA tourney it was also when Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski broadened his coaching to politics as well as collegiate basketball players. Coach K, upon hearing President Barack Obama picked the University of North Carolina to win it all, responded by reminding our president that there are more important items on his agenda than filling out brackets, "Somebody said that we're not in President Obama's Final Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets."

President Obama followed Krzyzewski's criticism of his work in office with some b-ball analysis of his own, "Coach K, I think, is a great coach. And you know, Reggie Love, my assistant, played for Coach K. And so it's not surprising. I didn't pick him to go to the finals. Look he's a competitive guy, I just don't think they've got the inside game to go all the way. But I look forward to him proving me wrong."

Coach K relented finally, saying "Reggie texted back and said [Obama] wasn't offended," and then he iced the apology cake by continuing, "I love the guy, and I think he's going to be great."

Though the economy is still struggling, President Obama has only been in office for three months. It took George W. Bush eight years to get us into the mess we are in today. Its a good thing Coach K was only kidding, but its too bad that a lot of mainstream reporters and analysts are not, "The Obama administration clearly isn’t helping matters, given how markets have plummeted since Inauguration Day and continue to respond negatively to every so-called solution coming out of Washington," said Fox News' Noel Sheppard less than a week ago.

I, for one, can appreciate that taking five minutes to fill out an NCAA bracket won't hinder the President's work to correct the economy. And props to Coach K for knowing that too.

cinderella is a viking

2009-03-21T13:36:00.012-04:00

While watching the Cleveland St. Vikings play the Wake Forest Demon Deacons it was hard to tell who was the 4th seeded team in the Midwest region of the 2009 NCAA tournament. Wake Forest, once the #1 ranked team in the nation during the regular season, was that team. It wasn't the team that got out to a nine point lead in the first two minutes of the game. That team was Cleveland State. Finding the three-point jumper friendly early on, the Vikings found themselves 17 points ahead (29-12) with 7:48 left in the first half. But it was the three 3-pointers that the Vikings hit in the first two minutes that spelled the end for the heavily favored Demon Deacons.

Hitting two of those first 3-pointers was senior point guard and floor general, Cedric Jackson. Jackson, a New Jersey native, transfered from St. John's before the 07-08 season and started 35 games for the Red Storm. After the transfer, Vikings head coach Gary Waters moved Jackson to the point and he has since led them to the Horizon League championship and their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1986. In 1986, the Vikings made it to the sweet sixteen upsetting the East region 3rd seed Indiana Hoosiers and 6th seeded St. Joseph's Hawks, eventually losing in the final seconds to David Robinson led Navy.

Cleveland State continued their history of upsets when they received their bid to the NCAAs. Butler, 26-6, was heavily favored to win the Horizon League and be the only representative from this mid-major. Though when the Vikings upset Butler, which got the 9th seed in the South region, they assured that there would be two Horizon League teams in this year's field of 65.

One of three Vikings in the Horizon League all-tournament team, was Cleveland State leading scorer, J'Nathan Bullock. Senior forward Bullock is from Flint, Michigan. He has led the Vikings in scoring three straight seasons and the 6'5" Bullock also led the team in rebounds (7.0) during the Viking's regular season schedule. Bullock scored 10 of his 21 points in the second half holding off a Wake Forest comeback attempt, including three key free throws in the last 3 minutes of the game.

The Vikings held Wake Forest leading scorer, Jeff Teague, to only 10 points in the game and their defense led to 18 Demon Deacon turnovers, to Cleveland State's six. "We're not the best shooting team," Vikings center Chris Moore said. "But we're up there with any team in the country on defense. Because of that, we're in position to win any game."

Will it be Cleveland State's defense or Jackson, Bullock, and Norris Cole (who scored a game high 22 points) and their hot shooters that will lead them into the sweet sixteen against the 12th seeded Arizona Wildcats, who upset the 5th seeded Utah Utes earlier in the day. "We believed from the start of the game that we could play with [Wake Forest]," Cole said. I bet they believe they can beat the Wildcats too, just like in 1986.

obamadness!

2009-03-20T14:55:00.005-04:00

My Final Four:
Midwest - (1) Louisville
West - (2) Memphis
East - (1) Pittsburgh
South - (1) North Carolina

Key Upsets:
Midwest - (13) Cleveland St. def (4) Wake Forest
West - (11) Utah St. def (6) Marquette Marquette won
East - (11) VCU def (6) UCLA UCLA won
South - (12) W. Kentucky def (5) Illinois

syracuse's big east madness

2009-03-15T18:23:00.014-04:00

With selection Sunday upon us, it is time to begin looking towards NCAA March Madness. The conference tournaments were great previews of what is beginning to shape up as one of the maddest Marches we've had in years. Teams like North Carolina, UConn, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, and Michigan St. were all defeated prematurely in their conference tournaments.

There were a few surprise runs in these conference tournaments. One of the most surprising runs was Syracuse's Big East tournament showing. Going through Seton Hall, UConn, and West Virginia before losing to NCAA tournament #1 seed Louisville in the Big East final. Syracuse saw seven overtimes in the four games they played on their run through the Big East tournament. The highlight of the tournament was the six overtime instant classic between Syracuse and UConn.

The game's pivotal moment was a shot at the buzzer of regulation by Eric Devendorf, which was eventually ruled no good after extensive review. His fingertip was still touching the ball as the game clock expired. Through the numerous overtimes one player showed he was up to the challenge. Syracuse sophomore point guard Jonny Flynn was named the player of the tournament.

Six foot Flynn, who grew up in Niagara in upstate New York, had 17.5 points and 6.7 assists per game during Syracuse's regular schedule. These numbers increased to 19.75 points and 9.25 assists in the four games Syracuse played in the Big East tournament. The real statement, though, was Flynn's great leadership and clutch play in all of the close games throughout the tournament. He played 181 out of 195 total minutes in the Orange's four games. He also made 22 of 26 free throw attempts, going 16-16 in the UConn marathon game.

Cuse's Big East run has culminated in a #3 seed in the big dance. They are set to face the #14 seed Lumberjacks of Stephen F. Austin. Syracuse was obviously rewarded for their play in the Big East tournament. This is the Lumberjacks' first NCAA berth after winning the Southland tournament. Syracuse began their Big East run as the 6th ranked team. They leapfrogged Marquette who was ranked 5th in the Big East tournament and received a #6 seed in the NCAA tourney. Villanova, who was the 4th ranked team in the Big East tournament, is also a #3 seed.

With so many championship week upsets and such a prolific run in their conference tournament, Jonny Flynn and the Syracuse Orange will look to bring their March Madness to the NCAA tournament version.

charles barkley is not a role model

2009-03-14T20:31:00.001-04:00

baseball's march madness

2009-03-13T22:17:00.010-04:00

The 1980 Miracle on Ice, Appalachian State beats the University of Michigan, The New York Giants win Super Bowl XLII, now the Netherlands is moving on to the second round of the World Baseball Classic. After beating the Dominican Republic for the second time in pool play, the Sidney Ponson led dutch ball club are still alive.

The WBC has been waiting for a story like this since its inception in 2006. The Netherlands have suddenly brought a little bit of March Madness to Baseball's international tournament. A group of wily veterans like Sir Sidney and Eugene Kingsale and young A ball players like LA Dodgers catcher Kenley Jansen and Seattle Mariners outfielder Greg Halman have shocked the baseball world by downing a Dominican Republic team making nearly $83 million more dollars in the major leagues in 2008 than their dutch counterparts. That didn't stop the dutch team sporting only one major leaguer, Florida pitcher Rick Vandenhurk.

In the team's first meeting the Netherlands won what was widely considered a fluke in a 3-2 victory in the tournament's opening game. It was a brilliantly pitched game by Ponson and dutch professional Rob Cordemans, who together held the vaunted Dominican lineup to only two runs. Then Tuesday night it all came crashing down around the favored Dominican team as reliever Leon Boyd and Washington Nationals second basemen Yurendell DeCaster, who last played in the major leagues in 2006, led the dutch to an unexpected victory.

This is exactly the kind of buzz that can bring the World Baseball Classic to the sports strata it aspires to be. Baseball people had hoped when the WBC began that it would bring the kind of global involvement to baseball that the World Cup brings to football. It is victories and stories like this that can make those ambitions a reality.

We will see how long the Netherlands can wear the glass slipper when the take on Venezuela tomorrow at 1 PM. Maybe the the World Baseball Classic has finally found its Cinderella. But dutch pitching coach and major league legend Bert Blyleven likens it to a different classic tale, "Now we look at this round, and hopefully, the same David-and-Goliath theory will continue, and good things will happen for us."

izod center: nets 106, knicks 101

2009-03-08T22:16:00.016-04:00

The New Jersey Nets outlasted the New York Knicks in a great game between two struggling franchises. New Jersey stated its case for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They trail the current eighth seed, Chicago Bulls, by one game. The New York Knicks fell to 25-37. In a rebuilding year by the Knicks maybe it is time to begin paying attention to who is available in the lottery of this year's draft. Devin Harris led all scorers with 35 points and 10 assists. David Lee paced D'Antoni's Knicks with 19 points and 14 boards.

Though the real story was new Knick Larry Hughes missing an open 3-point jumper with less than 30 seconds left to tie the game. Hughes was able to solidify the New Jersey lead by turning the ball over to Devin Harris for an uncontested layup, then clunked the potential tying shot. Hughes, who came to the Knicks for almost nothing (Jerome James, Anthony Roberson, and Tim Thomas) showed his value by earning a new nickname, "Cap Relief" (coined by my friend, Sasha).

On a positive note for the Knickerbokers, Danilo Gallinari had a nice game. He hit two clutch 3-point jumpers towards the end of the game. He finished with 15 points, going 3-4 from beyond the arc. Though Gallinari's solid performance was overshadowed by the Knicks' awful ball control. 5 of their 19 turnovers came in the last five minutes of the game.

lasorda wants you (to support usa baseball)

2009-03-07T12:17:00.005-05:00

Being an underdog and making it as far as they can is fine for the United States in one world sport tournament. For Tommy Lasorda, the World Baseball Classic is not that tournament. The United States always surprises in the World Cup and continues to improve to the point where they can contend every four years. Lasorda, though, maintains that the World Baseball Classic should be won every three years by the American team.

Lasorda, quoted by AP, lets the American public that they have a duty when it comes to the World Baseball Classic, "Remember one thing: In your hearts, you better pull for the USA or you may not get into heaven."

Even though at the Summer Olympics, which is the only other international baseball tournament, the United States has won only one gold medal. The most dominant team in that tournament is Cuba, which has won 3 gold and 2 silver medals in five summers. The United States has a total of 3 medals, adding 2 bronze medals to the one gold. Japan, defending World Baseball Classic champion, has amassed one silver and two bronze medals.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, puts pressure on the USA team in the World Baseball Classic to make this tournament different from the Summer Olympics, "It's our game. Baseball is America's game. It doesn't belong to the Italians or the Cubans or the Koreans or the Japanese," he said. "It's our game, and we're not going to let them beat us." He went on to talk about the one gold medal the USA won against Cuba in the Olympics, "When I took the Olympic team to Australia, everybody said to me, 'You've got no chance. Cuba has never, ever lost a tournament.' And I said, 'Did they ever lose a game?' 'Oh, yeah.' 'Then, they're going to lose one here in Australia.' "

Lasorda obviously believes that the Olympics is a barometer for who is the best baseball team in the world. His emotional response to this baseball tournament and his desire for the USA to win the World Baseball Classic, proves that he is disappointed in the less than dominant showing the USA team has brought to the Olympics year after year.

One might say the World Baseball Classic has major leaguers and is a better showcase of the true levels of talent in each country. While this may be true, it is also true for other countries and obviously helped the Japanese, South Korean, and Dominican teams who placed 1st, 3rd, and 4th respectively in the World Baseball Classic three years ago. The Cuban team, runners up in 2006, most likely fielded the same level team they have in the Olympics.

Tommy Lasorda wants the USA to show that with a full team of major leaguers they can be the best team in the World. He wants the Olympics to no longer be the barometer. He wants "to win this thing. And we've got to bear down and believe and be proud that you're wearing the uniform of their greatest country in the world."

From atop the Empire State Building, 81 year-old Lasorda may have blown more hot air than anything else that high in the sky.

are you smarter than a pro football player, pt. 2

2009-03-06T18:09:00.007-05:00

To read: are you smarter than a pro football player, pt. 1

Jonah Lehrer takes on the Wonderlic Personnel Test from a neuroscience perspective. In his book, How We Decide, he devotes a chapter to Tom Brady's decision-making skills that led to winning Super Bowl XXXVI over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams, also known as the "Greatest Show on Turf."

The 199th pick in the 2000 draft and backup to Drew Bledsoe, Brady was facing an uphill battle as he led his team into the Super Bowl in 2002. With about a minute remaining in the game, Brady was looking at a championship if he could successfully decide which receivers to throw the ball to to get his team into field goal territory.

Brady made those decisions correctly in that minute and the rest has led to what looks like a future hall of fame career for Brady. Lehrer goes on to say that though Brady's draft profile had doubts about his physical prowess, his decision-making abilities were unquestioned playing his college career at the University of Michigan against the top competition in the nation.

Lehrer goes on to say the way NFL scouts measure a quarterback's decision-making abilities is the Wonderlic:

The underlying thesis of the Wonderlic test is that players who are better at math and logic problems will make better decisions in the pocket. At first glance, this seems like a reasonable assumption. No other position in sports requires such extreme cognitive talents. Successful quarterbacks need to memorize hundreds of offensive plays and dozens of different defensive formations. They need to spend hours studying game tape of their opponents and be able to put that knowledge to use on the field. in many instances, quarterbacks are even responsible for changing plays at the line of scrimmage. They are like coaches with shoulder pads.

The average score on the Wonderlic for a quarterback is 25. Though Wonderlic scores are not a concrete barometer of a quarterback's success in the NFL. Lehrer continues by saying vince Young reportedly scored a 6 on the Wonderlic and was successful at the time of Lehrer writing his book, before his breakdowns. Though there is a history of famously successful quarterbacks with below average Wonderlic scores which includes: Brett Favre with a 22, Dan Marino with a 14, and Terry Bradshaw at a 15. Lehrer also notes that Alex Smith and Matt Leinart both socred above 35 and have yet to make a name for themselves in the league so far in their careers.

Lehrer's point is that the Wonderlic does not address the kind of intelligence it requires to be a successful quarterback in the NFL:

The reason there is virtually no correlation between the results of the Wonderlic and the success of quarterbacks in the NFL is that finding the open man involves a very different set of decision-making skills than solving an algebra problem...The Wonderlic measures a specific kind of thought process, but the best quarterbacks don't think in the pocket. There isn't time.

Thus the NFL scouts that a wary of players who score low on the Wonderlic may miss out on the next Dan Marino or end up drafting a player based on an IQ score and not their football knowledge or decision-making ability.

But the Wonderlic is still a fun way for fans to measure their own intelligence versus their favorite football players.

law & order: new york giants

2009-03-01T18:58:00.010-05:00

After a season of strife and disappointment dealing with Plaxico Burress and his constant legal troubles and distractions, the Giants made a move to fortify their line up of usual suspects, by signing two defensive players with histories of legal woes of their own.

Former Atlanta Falcon, Michael Boley was signed to solidify the Giants perceived weakness in the linebacking corp. Defensive Tackle Rocky Bernard was signed to give depth to a defensive line now boasting two starters who had surgery this offseason. This all sounds like the Giants have identified their weaknesses and addressed them quickly in free agency. Then one reads the last paragraph of the New York Times article detailing the signings:

Boley and Bernard have been arrested in the past year — Bernard in April for investigation of domestic violence and Boley in May for battery after the police were called to his home by his wife.

In an offseason where the New York Giant itinerary includes deciding what to do with talented problem child Burress, the Giants have seemingly abandoned their reputation as a team with no room for players with checkered pasts or futures. Boley and Bernard both fill needs, but one of the areas has already been filled spectacularly by Burress. Burress' legal troubles continue says Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann:

Assuming that the criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree charge against him is proven --and based on the purported information about what happened at the nightclub, his prospects for a defense seem limited -- a judge will have to sentence Burress to at least three and a half years in prison under mandatory sentencing. If Burress is cooperative and apologetic, prosecutors could elect to seek lighter charges against him. If he fights the charges and can somehow offer reasonable doubt that he wasn't in possession of the gun, then he would be vindicated. Bottom line: If the purported information is correct, Burress is poised to serve time.

Thus Giants fans have to hope that Boley and Bernard are reformed as Jerry Reese must. Winning the Super Bowl in his first season as GM has afforded Reese some leeway in his support from fans, but if Boley and Bernard end up at a night club with Plaxico Burress, then Reese may regret not learning from Burress' mistakes.

Update (3/2/09):
Jerry Reese has responded to these worries by signing DE Chris Canty, formerly a Dallas Cowboy. With Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Mathias Kiwanuka already roaming the edge, Canty will be moved inside where the Giants still lack depth and now have a seemingly overloaded rotation: Canty, Barry Cofield, Bernard, and Fred Robbins. (Robbins has been mentioned as a candidate to be traded or cut.) If the Giants do keep Robbins, which I believe they should do, this rotation would likely be able to keep all those involved healthy and playing down the stretch when Robbins and Cofield broke down last season.

But most importantly, according to Matt Mosely of ESPN, Canty's a good character guy.

And over the past four years, he's proved to be a high character guy for the Cowboys. I've spoken with his parents in the past. His mother is a Methodist minister in Charlotte, N.C., and Canty used to sing in her church's choir.

With a bunch of guys straight from central booking, its good to see a new addition having a close relationship with the Big Blue fan in the sky.

Update (3/3/09):
In a press conference with reporters, Jerry Reese responded to a question about the histories of Boley and Bernard:

That’s always a concern for us. We always look at character. There were a couple of isolated issues that are pretty much resolved. We did our homework on them. We’re pretty pleased with the answers we’ve got. We’re not afraid of what we’ve brought to the table with these two guys.

tears of a clown

2009-02-28T14:32:00.007-05:00

Instead of commenting on the Manny Ramirez-LA Dodgers freak show, The Onion has an article that says more about the situation than any current events article could say:

WASHINGTON—After a series of closed-door talks, Scott Boras, the agent known for representing the highest-paid players in baseball, set another record for the game's largest contract when he finalized Manny Ramirez's $20 billion agreement with the United States federal government on Thursday. "Manny's .396 batting average last season with the Dodgers, as well as his playoff performance, proved that he is as important to this country as infrastructure projects, health care, and renewable energy development," Boras said during an interview, adding that Ramirez is especially satisfied with the indefinite length of the contract. "He's promised to cut 47 hours of antics this year and to make necessary attitude adjustments in order to remain solvent. Any criticism Manny receives for this contract is simply what comes with getting a huge amount of money from the government during a time of crisis." A clause in the contract states Ramirez could receive an additional $6 billion if he successfully saves the American auto industry.

Scott Boras is doing his best to destroy what we all love about the national pastime. It is surprising that one of the most prolific hitters of our time could only manage to garner a two-year deal, though if he signs with the Dodgers he will be the second highest paid player (only to A-Rod) in baseball, getting $25 Million next season.

The Onion puts Manny's tears into the perspective of our current economic climate. Boras and Ramirez are trying to bleed every last dollar out of the Dodgers while normal Americans struggle to find jobs to make minimum wage and support their families. Though the Dodgers are not a victim here either. The true victim is the American public who has to endure this story on a daily basis, just to enjoy the game that provides a brief escape from the grindstone that is the American economy.

are you smarter than a pro football player?

2009-02-27T13:37:00.005-05:00

Every year NFL prospects play in showcase games like the Senior Bowl, they go through the meat market known as the Combine, and they meet with endless amounts of NFL executives. In these meetings one of the ways the teams try to gauge the prospect's intelligence is the Wonderlic Personnel Test.

The Wonderlic amounts to an IQ test given by employers to judge the mental capacity of potential employees. It has been given to potential journalists, bank tellers, and security guards. But the most famous job candidates to take the Wonderlic are professional football players.

Sometimes players can raise or lower their draft stock with their Wonderlic scores. Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver, Kevin Curtis holds the highest score among active players at a 48 out of a possible 50. While New York Giants wide receiver, Mario Manningham, fell from a potential first round pick to the third with a score of 6.

So the real question is: are you smarter than a pro football player? Here is a sample test. Take it and score yourself against Curtis, Manningham, and these quarterbacks (Eli Manning/39, Aaron Rodgers/39, Tom Brady/33, Tony Romo/30, Ben Roethlisberger/25, Michael Vick/20, David Garrard/14)

nate robinson: dunk champion

2009-02-15T13:18:00.004-05:00

first family of american soccer

2009-02-13T16:42:00.008-05:00

In the US National team's 2-nil victory over a struggling Mexico side, 21 year-old midfielder Michael Bradley contributed the US brace. Bradley, who plays for German Bundesliga side, Borussia Mönchengladbach, also holds another distinction. He is the son of US national team coach Bob Bradley.

Fathers and sons have played baseball together, Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr for the Seattle Mariners; they have driven together, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jr.; and they have skated together, Gordie and Mark Howe; now Michael and Bob Bradley join the list as a father and son tandem at their sports highest level.

Michael Bradley was born in Princeton, NJ then spent a soccer brat youth following his father's soccer manager career. Bradley never considered another profession signing with MLS at the age of 16 and entering the 2004 MLS super draft, selected 36th by the Metrostars. In 2008, he signed a 4 year contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach. Michael Bradley's international career began in 2006 when he was picked to train with the US national team in the build up to the 2006 World Cup.

Bob Bradley born in Montclair, NJ in 1958 holds the record for most wins in MLS history. His MLS coaching career spanned nine seasons and three clubs (Chicago Fire, Metrostars, and Chivas USA). The current coach of the US national side, he built a record of 12-1-5 in his first year in that post. Bradley had taken over for Bruce Arena, who had led the US national team in their last two World Cup campaigns.

Bob and Michael Bradley and first team regulars such as Landon Donovan, DeMarcus Beasley, Clint Dempsey, and Freddie Hejduk beat the Sven-Goran Eriksson led Mexican side in a 2010 World Cup qualifying match on Wednesday night. Mexican captain Rafa Marquez received a red card in the match and will miss Mexico's next World Cup qualifying match against Coasta Rica. Marquez saw red for his violent, studs first challenge on American keeper Tim Howard.

This win over Mexico is a positive beginning to the Bradley era of United States World Cup play. Mexico has consistently been the barometer for US success on the international stage. Jack Bell, of the New York Times Goal blog, writes "The seminal win for the United States came on June 17, 2002, in the second round of the World Cup in Jeonju, South Korea. Goals by Landon Donovan and Brian McBride eliminated Mexico, 2-0. The United States advanced to the quarterfinals, where it lost to Germany, 1-0. Since then, the United States has lost only once to Mexico." This may rank on the list of wins over Mexico, as the US side dominated the game from beginning to end. Mexico had made it out of the first round in the 2006 World Cup losing in extra-time to international powerhouse, Argentina. They are currently ranked 24th in the world by FIFA.

The Bradley led US national team currently holds the 20th place in FIFA's world rankings above former World Cup champion Uruguay and a Norweign side, who recently upset 2nd ranked Germany. 21 year old Michael and rookie international coach Bob certainly show sign of an American side ready to charge up the rankings in South Africa in 2010.

josh gibson

2009-02-12T21:36:00.007-05:00

A lot has been written about Alex Rodriguez his involvement with steroids. Many have put in their two cents as to what implications this has on the legacy of Rodriguez and baseball itself. It is truly dark days ahead for baseball and one of its most revered players, but this problem is not the first baseball has overcome.

Years ago baseball was mired in even more bone chilling controversy. That of the color barrier. Until 1947 black baseball players were kept out of major league baseball. Until Jackie Robinson's bravery many African-Americans played in separate and unequal conditions. Until the Brooklyn Dodgers and Branch Rickey there were victims of racism far more cheated than any clean modern baseball player, like Roy Oswalt. One of these was Josh Gibson.

Instead of writing about Alex Rodriguez or steroids or Roy Oswalt or even the game's future, I'd like to share with you a bit of the game's past. A bit of history that may put our current events into perspective. This is the story of Josh Gibson:

The stage was set. It was the sixth game of a nine-game playoff for the Negro League Championship in 1930 being played in Yankee Stadium. The Homestead Grays were leading the series three games to two over the New York Lincoln Giants. “Broadway” Connie Rector, who had relieved starter, Red Farrell, was on the mound for the Giants. Earlier in the game Giants’ shortstop Bill Yancey had begged Farrell not to let the Gray’s young catcher hit the ball on the ground. “What are you afraid of?" Farrell asked. "You're 90 feet away; I'm only 60 feet away!” (5). When the Gray’s catcher came up to bat the first time Yancey was playing left field. Rector’s pitching arsenal consisted of three basic pitches, all of which were change-ups. They ranged from slow to crawlingly slow. Rector, the previous year, had won 20 games and lost only two. He had been brought in to face the feared catcher of the Grays. The catcher launched a shot that teammate, Judy Johnson, said cleared the entire stadium. Two Giants players, who may have had better looks at the home run, said it missed clearing the stadium by what looked like only two feet. Whether the home run went out of “The House That Ruth Built” or not, it was still considered the longest home run in Yankee Stadium’s history at an estimated length of 580 feet from home plate. The young catcher’s name was Josh Gibson.

Gibson played in the Negro Leagues from 1930 to his death in 1947 at the age of 36. The Negro Leagues were where black players could play ball in the pre-integrated era of baseball history. The Negro Leagues Committee elected Gibson to Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1972. He played along side Negro League greats who are also now enshrined in the Hall of Fame, like Satchel Paige, Oscar Charleston, Buck Leonard, Cool Papa Bell, and Smokey Joe Williams. During the depression age, black ballplayers would pass around a hat at games to pay for gas to get to the next game. The leftovers would be shared by the team. Negro League teams would do what is known as barn storming. They would go from town to town and play anyone who could field a team. Sometimes these teams would consist of white major leaguers. Records were poorly kept for these players, and all of the information about them comes from the players who are still alive to tell their stories. One such story is Josh Gibson’s. Gibson may have been the greatest home run hitter in the history of baseball. He is often referred to as the “black Babe Ruth”.

Babe Ruth is widely considered the greatest baseball player of all-time. Ruth’s greatest attribute in his baseball repertoire was hitting majestic, towering home runs that awed the crowd. For decades, Ruth held both the single season and career home run records, both of which have since been surpassed. Babe Ruth was the star of the most famous team in baseball history, the New York Yankees. Yankee Stadium is nicknamed “The House That Ruth Built”. Ruth was the first of the home run hitters, and he was the only one for many years. Well, at least in the major leagues.

Josh Gibson hit that home run in September of 1930; farther than any Ruth ever did in the stadium he built. Gibson seemed as though he was a man among boys, because of the way he hit the ball. Unfortunately, the commissioner of baseball at the time, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, would only let the “boys” who played against Gibson be black, and thus shrouding Gibson’s statistics in mystery and doubt. Had Gibson played in the major leagues, he may have broken Ruth’s single season home run record in around a decade. Had he played in the major leagues, Josh Gibson may now be considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, baseball players of all-time.

Babe Ruth’s single season home run record was 60 in 1927. This is the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s account of that day:

On September 30th, in the second to last game of the season, New York and Washington were tied 2-2 as the Yankees came to bat in the bottom of the eighth. With Yankee Mark Koenig on third, Ruth stepped in against Washington's southpaw hurler, Tom Zachary. Ruth sent a drive into the right field stands, putting the Yanks ahead by two and setting a new standard with 60 home runs in a single season. In what would be his final major league appearance, Hall-of-Famer Walter Johnson pinch-hit for Zachary in the bottom of the ninth, but the future Hall-of-Famer failed to reach base and the Yankees garnered their 109th victory of 1927. The next day, while the Yanks won the final game of their much-celebrated season of 1927, Ruth was held homerless and thus the single-season mark remained at 60 (3).

This was the jewel in Babe Ruth’s crown atop the kingdom of baseball, until Roger Maris broke the record with 61 home runs in 1961. Ruth’s record stood for 34 years, making it all the more prestigious. However, according to Washington D.C. editor, Allan R. Andrews, and confirmed by Tom Singer of MLB.com, Josh Gibson hit 84 home runs in 1936 in the Negro National League. This would have obliterated Ruth’s record within 11 years, leaving Ruth only a memory in the shadow of Josh Gibson’s legacy.

Josh Gibson was a physical marvel. Not only did he hit “Ruthian home runs”, but he was a good fielder as well. In an article written by ESPN.com’s Rob Neyer, about the greatest catchers of all-time, in a side note he stated, “While remembering, in the backs of our minds, that Josh Gibson was both an awesome power hitter and a good fielder in the Negro Leagues” (6). This is an amazing feat, because the position of catcher is not ordinarily where both of these skills are featured. For instance, in current Major League Baseball (circa: 2001), the two best catchers are Ivan Rodriguez and Mike Piazza; Rodriguez, of the defensive catching ilk, and Piazza, a pure slugger. Neyer says of the two contemporary catchers:

And finally, what of the current crop? As great as Ivan Rodriguez is, I don't see him breaking into the top five, all-time. Not unless he adds ‘hitting more home runs’ to his long list of other skills. Yes, Pudgy's got the greatest arm we've seen. But there's more to catching than throwing, my friends. And Piazza? He is, quite simply, on track to be the best-hitting catcher of all time. Remember that RC/27 chart from above? Piazza blows everybody away, with a 1.73 ratio. So should he actually play the position for another five or six years, he has to be considered a candidate for Greatest Ever. I'll make you a deal, too...if and when that happens, then we'll talk about Mr. Mike's glove (6).

Gibson’s hall of fame teammate, Cool Papa Bell said this of Gibson’s fielding prowess: “[He] was a good catcher, had a strong arm and was a good handler of pitchers but had difficulty on pop fouls” (7). His troubles locating pop fouls not withstanding, all of these attributes would have made him a very good fielder, and a very well rounded baseball player.

His baseball abilities, however, did not help him break the Major League Baseball color barrier, which was broken by Jackie Robinson only three months after Gibson’s death. Gibson was widely considered the best the Negro Leagues had to offer. Hall of Fame pitcher, and the greatest right handed pitcher of all-time according to Neyer’s calculations, Walter Johnson said this of Gibson: “There is a catcher that any big-league club would like to buy….His name is Gibson...he can do anything. He hits the ball a mile. And he catches so easy he might as well be in a rocking chair. Throws like a rifle...Too bad this Gibson is a colored fellow” (9). Until Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to be the first black major leaguer, no major league front office wanted to be the first to do so. Washington Senator’s owner, Clark Griffith, who saw Gibson and teammate Buck Leonard play in his team’s stadium, once called the two greats into his office. He asked them if they thought they could make it in the big leagues, they answered positively. Unfortunately Griffith’s bottom line was this, “Nobody wants to be the first. That’s the problem” (4). To this day, some still believe Gibson died of a broken heart when he was continually not allowed to play in the big leagues.

One criticism of Gibson was that Negro League records are more often than not unreliable. This is not a criticism of his abilities as a baseball player, which has never been disputed by anyone. This is a knock against Gibson’s claims to Babe Ruth’s baseball throne. Ruth’s place is safe, as baseball’s greatest player, because of Gibson’s exclusion from Major League Baseball. However, baseball lovers have to salivate at the possibilities a Ruth and Gibson home run derby would have had.

Another criticism of Gibson is that the competition he faced in the Negro Leagues was not of the caliber of the major leagues. This is a racist argument. Saying that only white ballplayers were good competition in the 1920’s and 30’s is ridiculous. Satchel Paige, elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, was one of the greatest pitchers in the Negro Leagues; some think he is the greatest ever and faced the same racial historical problems as Gibson. Also Gibson “barnstormed” against some hall of fame major leaguers, like Dizzy Dean as well as 60 recorded at-bats against major league pitching, in which Gibson batted .426.

Josh Gibson was one of the greatest players in Negro League history. The only thing standing in Gibson’s path to baseball royalty was the color of his skin. His National Baseball Hall of Fame plaque says that he hit around 800 home runs in his career, and his 84 home runs in 1936, would have put his plaque at least next to Ruth as kings of baseball. Unlike the Bambino, Gibson had no nicknames. He was a stoic, business-like ballplayer. He stood tall and never even spoke out against the racial barrier that kept him from immortality. Struck with bouts of depression that may have been caused by this barrier, his only release was pounding little white baseballs miles away. When Gibson was elected into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, February 8, 2003, James A. Riley, Director of Research at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, said: “Josh Gibson is the greatest catcher in the history of baseball. He played at a time when baseball was separated by a color line. Josh was called the ‘Black Babe Ruth’ and like the Babe, he hit long, towering, majestic home runs. His power was legendary. You can go to any ballpark in the hemisphere where Josh played and someone will point to the most distant part of the park and say, ‘Josh hit one out there’” (4). Maybe the next time Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa hits a home run the announcer should cry, “Wow, that was a Gibsonian blast!”

Bibliography:
1. Andrews, Allen R. “The Apocryphal Home-Run Hitter”. The American Reporter. http://www.toad.net/~andrews/josh.html. Online Meanderings '99. September 24, 1998.
2. Baseballhalloffame.org. “Josh Gibson”. http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/gibson_josh.htm. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. (No date).
3. Baseballhalloffame.org. “A Short History of the Single-Season Home Run Record”. http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/exhibits/online%5Fexhibits/ss%5Fhome%5Frun/ruth_4.htm. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. 2000.
4. Blackbaseball.com. “Josh Gibson Inducted into Georgia Sports Hall of Fame”. http://www.blackbaseball.com/updates/news.htm. TK Publishers & Blackbaseball.com. 1998-2002.
5. Holway, John B. “Great Moments in Blackball History: Gibson’s Yankee Stadium Blow”. Baseballguru.com. http://baseballguru.com/jholway/analysisjholway01.html. Baseballguru.com. (No date).
6. Neyer, Rob. “The Men in the Masks”. ESPN.com. http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/neyer.htm. Chuck Rosciam. 1997-2003.
7. Schwartz, Larry. “No Joshing About Gibson’s Talents”. ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016050.html. ESPN Internet Ventures. 2003.
8. Singer, Tom. “Powerful Bat: Gibson the Best Home Run Hitter in Negro Leagues”. MLB.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/history/mlb_negro_leagues_profile.jsp?player=gibson_josh. MLB Advanced Media, L.P. 2003.
9. Wichterman, Larry. “Josh Gibson: Baseball Superstar”. Pennsylvania Hall of Fame. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/4547/gibson.html. Larry Wichterman. 2003.

its david beckham's world and we're just living in it

2009-02-08T01:01:00.003-05:00

David Beckham recently admitted that he’d like to remain at AC Milan after his loan spell is set to end on March 8th. Beckham joined the LA Galaxy, of the MLS, in a multi-million dollar 2007 transfer. He signed a $250 million contract with LA, which was suppose to bring one of football’s brightest lights to shine on American soil. But by all accounts the marriage has only soiled Beckham’s international prospects and LA’s 2008 season.

With Beckham struggling to make it into England’s first eleven and LA failing to make it to the 2008 MLS finals, both sides seemed ripe for a trial separation. Enter AC Milan. One of Europe’s most storied clubs, Beckham gladly went on a three month loan to the San Siro. Beckham, now, is so happy with his new girlfriend (sorry Victoria, its only a metaphor!) he wants to divorce LA, to continue his Italian romance.

This is big news in the football world, because anything David Beckham does is well, big news. But it is big news here in the states for a different reason. David Beckham’s signing was meant to signal a new day in American soccer. It was the beginning of the MLS becoming an internationally known league. It was when the US finally got on board with the most popular game in the world.

Beckham, however, begs to differ. “At the moment Milan is more important than money. I want to think about football before everything else. I said in a clear manner what I think, I want to stay at Milan because I’ve rediscovered myself as a football player,” he told an Italian newspaper.

America was where his passion for the game had gone to die and in Italy he rediscovered why he loved the game. Beckham’s claim that his move away from LA Galaxy to AC Milan is not about the money, says more than a ridiculously wealthy person saying he’d take less money to play for the passion. It is a statement about the MLS, and by extension United States football.

According to Beckham, he can only glean his love of the game away from US pitches. The big money American contracts are not enough for Beckham, and he needs an actual challenge. He needs the competition of Italian football to regain his inclusion in his beloved England national team. He needs to escape LA.

What does this say to other prominent European footballers about the MLS? It says, don’t come here unless you’re prepared to essentially end your career. What does it say to young American footballers like Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore? You need to go overseas to truly find out how good you are. What does it say to American-raised footballers with duel citizenship, like Giuseppe Rossi? Why represent the US, when there are greener pitches out there.

Thank you David Beckham. At one point you were going to advance US soccer to where it strives to be, among its European and South American counterparts. Now you’ve just sent it spiraling back to years before you even thought about crossing the Atlantic.

is this jackie's legacy?

2009-02-07T00:01:00.009-05:00

Some athletes transcend their sport. Some become heroes for their on-field accomplishments. Some swim, ride, throw, or hit their way into our hearts. Some smoke pot. Some use performance enhancing steroids. Some break our hearts and leave us wondering why we loved them in the first place. And sometimes they are the same athletes. Lance Armstrong, Michael Phelps, Michael Vick, and Barry Bonds are such athletes, but there is one clear distinction. Armstrong and Phelps achieved feats no one ever thought possible and are still revered, their transgressions forgiven. Bonds and Vick broke records in their respective sports, but each now finds himself mired in ongoing investigations into their own offenses. What separates these four athletes? The same thing that Jackie Robinson battled in 1947: racial discrimination.

Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France seven consecutive times. No one had ever won more than five until he peddled his way into history. Armstrong not only beat cyclists but also beat cancer and is now respected as one of the foremost figures in the fight to find a cure to the disease that almost kept him from his cycling destiny. However, few recall when Armstrong was accused of doping. In 2006 friends of Armstrong testified that he had answered in the affirmative when asked if he had ever used performance enhancing drugs. Only the word of colleagues tainted Armstrong's name. But the public and press were able to forgive him because as the Washington Post said, he gives us hope:

That's the compact we have with Lance Armstrong that we don't have with Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds or Jose Canseco. Those guys are massive and superhuman. What could we possibly have in common with them? We're invested psychologically in Lance Armstrong in ways we can never be invested in them. They're about power. He's about hope. He gives us hope against our darkest fear, the fear of death. That's why so many of us hope Lance Armstrong doesn't cheat, even as we fully expect the others to.

The Post refers to other athletes in which the public can't find common ground. One of them is Barry Bonds. Bonds has set and now holds the records that filled the dreams of every little leaguer who picked up a bat and wished to be Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron. He is the career and single season leader in home runs (762 and 73, respectively). He also has won more MVP awards, seven, than any other player and at one time won four in a row. Bonds, now, is known not for his famous hitting, but for the infamous BALCO steroids case. Bonds' inclusion in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame is jeopardized as his legacy becomes more and more soiled in steroid controversy. Bonds' key accuser was a former trainer who claimed to have supplied the slugger with steroids. Bonds claimed if he had, it was without his knowledge. In 2007, Bonds was charged with perjury stemming from the BALCO case.

This leaves us with just two men. Both record setting athletes, both cast in a shadow of performance enhancing doubt. One is white and continues to successfully market his Livestrong clothing line and give the nation "hope," while the other is black and faces charges of perjury, obstruction of justice and may not be enshrined in his sport's pantheon.

Steroids are not the only drug prevalent among athletes. Marijuana use is not only illegal in sports, but against the law. Two athletes named Michael have been compared recently because of their marijuana use. Michael Phelps is a 14-time Olympic gold medalist, including eight in the 2008 Beijing games. Michael Vick was the first player selected in the 2001 NFL draft and holds many NFL records for rushing by a Quarterback. Each has been caught or tested positive for smoking weed, and both have been suspended by their sport's governing bodies, though one remains a forgiven role-model and the other has gone on to further criminal charges and jail time.

Phelps has now been twice forgiven for his "youthful transgressions". The first was an underage DUI after the 2004 Olympics and now he was photographed diving into a bong and not a pool. Phelps, however, has retained some of his lucrative endorsements and has been suspended for only three months, which does not come close to the next summer Olympics in 2012. Writers like ESPN's Pat Forde claim that they feel let down by his actions, but that it is something that can help teach their kids a lesson about athletes, "This is a perfect opportunity to teach kids that people put on pedestals sometimes fall off. That heroes have foibles. That foibles are understandable, even if they're not laudable." It is widely believed this will not effect his involvement in the 2012 summer games.

Michael Vick, however, has reached the lowest low of them all. Beyond his positive tests for marijuana use, he has been tried and convicted of funding a dogfighting syndicate. Vick has clearly joined the likes of OJ Simpson and Ray Lewis, though even those players were acquitted of the charges they faced. Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Vick's NFL team, has said Vick "betrayed the trust of many people," which of course he did. But is dogfighting that much more reprehensible than drunk driving? Dogfighting is sure to kill dogs, but drunk driving leads to an even higher cost, doesn't it?

Vick now faces up to five years in prison for his violation and Phelps will probably end up in the next movie starring Seth Rogan and James Franco. Again, what separates these two men? Skin-color.

America has reached a new plateau of racial equality. Barack Obama has shown that the United States can look beyond race when electing its highest office. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech has been referred to as having come to fruition. But as two black athletes struggle to maintain their reputations through controversy, and two white athletes remain in the public's hearts following transgressions, I ask have we really come that far from the days of Jackie Robinson's courage? Is Dr. King's dream a reality? Not yet. But it will be someday, and the 44th President of the United States is just the beginning.

what really matters

2009-02-06T01:13:00.005-05:00

Tom Coughlin Retires From Family To Spend More Time With Team

should he stay or should he go

2009-02-05T18:11:00.001-05:00

Over the past two seasons, the New York Football Giants have been at the precipice of the NFL landscape. Following one Super Bowl and a #1 playoff seed the following season, the G-Men are now touted as a year in and year out Super Bowl contender. In this vein Giants' general manager, Jerry Reese, is attempting to sign cornerstones such as quarterback Eli Manning and running back Brandon Jacobs to long term contracts. The Manning contract is in the works and every pundit agrees that Jacobs should be the Giants #1 off season priority. This is good news for Giants fans looking forward to an extended period of championship contention.

There is, however, one fly in the Giants honey jar! This fly's name is Plaxico Burress. Burress is the Giants go-to receiver. Famous for catching the Super Bowl XLII winning touchdown, Burress remains a major component of the Big Blue offense. Case and point, the Giants were a dismal 2-4 when Plaxico shot himself in the leg at a New York nightclub this season. It is easy to make the connection between the Giants' season coming to an early end and the end of Plaxico's season.

The question now on the minds of New York Giants players, front office, and fans alike is, what to do with Mr. Burress in their plans for the coming season. There is no doubt that a player of Burress' caliber would be at the top of most team's wish lists if he hit the trading block. He would also bring a hefty return to the Giants if they did ship their "problem child" elsewhere, which they have a history of doing.

The most recent case of the Giants cutting dead public relations weight was just before last season when the Giants traded Jeremy Shockey to the New Orleans Saints for second and fifth round draft picks in this year's draft. Shockey was popular in New York, but for having an attitude that extended off the football field, and the emergence of Kevin Boss precipitated Shockey's Broadway curtain call.

Now, let me bring this back to Plax. He certainly did not do himself any PR favors this season, by missing practice and not calling (which surprised me, because any "civilian" who doesn't go to work for any reason always calls in, its procedure, and apparently its the same in pro football). Burress was suspended by the team for this infraction for two weeks, one of which was a bye week. Then came the coup de grace was his self-inflicted leg wound towards the end of what had been a very promising Super Bowl defense. Burress showed the Giants that he was not a good soldier, but the Giants record without him also proved they are different battalion when he is in the MASH unit.

This leads us again to our question, and in the words of The Clash, should he stay or should he go? My answer is, he should stay. Wide receivers have always been head cases. From Michael Irvin and Andre Rison to TO and Ocho Cinco. Burress is just one in a long line of diva receivers. Of course a team could get lucky with choir boys like Larry Fitzgerald, but more than likely they end up with a headache, like Anquan Boldin. The real question here is what is more important, some hangups or production? My answer is production which Burress clearly provides. He has 33 touchdowns and has averaged over 900 yards over his four seasons with the Giants and I am counting 2008 where he missed 7 games. Burress brings it, and the Giants miss it. Unfortunately, it is victories.

Jerry Reese has a very tough decision to make this off-season, does he continue on the Giants current course of ridding their team of perceived distractions, or does he remember what it felt like to win a Super Bowl and keep one of their most productive offensive players in recent memory? I remember what it was like after Super Bowl XLII, and I wasn't even on the field, hopefully Jerry Reese remembers too.

stadium tour

2009-02-01T17:00:00.001-05:00

Shea Stadium (w/ Hannah & Paul)

2009-02-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

Michigan Stadium (w/ Sasha & Lucy)

2009-02-01T16:49:00.001-05:00

Stamford Bridge (w/ Jimmy & Jack)

the hand of argentina

2009-01-31T11:59:00.001-05:00

Legendary Argentinian footballer, Diego Maradona, has recently been appointed the manager of the Argentina National Football team. Maradona is known for his "Hand of God" goal to win the 1986 World Cup for his country. He is equally famous for his club going and drug-addled off-pitch lifestyle. Or one might say infamous.

Diego Maradona is now the leader of his national team off the pitch, mirroring his role as a 91 capped player on it. Maradona is to Argentinian and European football what Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Roger Federer have been to their sports. He is an iconic figure, both revered and beloved worldwide.

Though Terry Butcher, former England international and current Scotland national team manager, said he would not shake the legend's hand at the end of their upcoming friendly, the same hand, allegedly, responsible for the goal that lost the cup for a win-starved England. The controversial goal looks in retrospect that Maradona touched the ball with his hand as it touched the back of the net sealing the victory for the South American side.

Butcher is not doing a struggling England side any favors from a PR standpoint. By holding a grudge for over 22 years and well beyond their playing days, it does not reflect well on a bruised national side. After failing to qualify for the 2008 Euros, English football should be looking for ways to increase positivity and not ways to dredge up old, tired and negative memories. Thanks Terry Butcher!

I want to bring up Diego Maradona and his recent battle with what seems like a dim-witted, Butcher, because imagine if Kevin McHale refused to make a trade with Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats because Jordan won an NBA Championship instead of McHale's Celtics. This is the level of foolishness that Butcher is perpetrating and the quality of Maradona's legacy.

Diego Maradona is a representative of how beautiful the beautiful game can be, but he is also a symbol of what can be most destructive in the world's most popular game. His skill is cherished and his vices are villainized. But to not hold out your hand after a hard fought match because of sour grapes, well Terry Butcher, you take the cake. The sour grapes cake!

ITALIAN-american

2009-01-30T13:45:00.000-05:00

Giuseppe Rossi was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, a New York City suburb of just under 40,000 residents. New Jersey also happens to be the birthplace of another important American in football, Bob Bradley, the head coach of the US National Team. Rossi is the son of two Italian immigrants who met in America. Both of his parents worked at Clifton High School, where Rossi was raised. Giuseppe Rossi, however, felt that his allegiance was to the country of his ancestry and not the country of his birth. This is why Rossi chose to play for the Italian National team and not the United States.

Rossi's age, experience, and performance have made him one of the most sought after footballers in Europe. Rossi has played for Serie A's Parma, English Premier League sides Manchester United and Newcastle, and is currently playing for La Liga's Villarreal, where another young American is trying to make a name for himself across the pond, former New York Red Bull Jozy Altidore. But unlike Altidore, Rossi is not trying to gain experience at a higher level to add to his ability to play well for the US National Team.

Instead, the 21 year-old Rossi chose to challenge the likes of Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino for a spot as a first team striker on the reigning World Cup Champion Italian side. Rossi had gone through the ranks of the Italian National Team, playing for the Italian under-16, under-17, under-18, and under-21 teams. He has cemented his commitment to his newly adopted nationality by gaining his first international cap (which denotes when a player plays for his national team). Rossi made his debut for the Italian senior team on October 11, 2008 against Bulgaria making him all but ineligible to play for the country of his birth.

This is one of the reasons why soccer seemingly will never be as popular on this side of the Atlantic as it is where Rossi decided to hang his "cap". If American born players choose to represent the countries of their ancestry and not the country where they were born (and in Rossi's case, where he would be the first name on the team-sheet) the sport will continue to flounder on US soil. No amount of David Beckhams or Juan Pablo Angels can change the fortunes of this wonderful game in America. It is the Jozy Altidores and the Clint Dempseys and, in a perfect world, the Giuseppe Rossis who would lead this game into American's hearts. The only way to do it is through the World Cup, and not just hosting it like in 1994, but making news on the pitch. Altidore, Dempsey, Landon Donovan, and Freddy Adu must lead the US National side deep into the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. That is how to make Americans pay attention to the most popular sport in the world, not with flashy imported stars like Beckham.

Then maybe a future young Italian-American will chose the country on the other side of the hyphen to represent after he scores his first goal.

the boy who cried wolf

2009-01-29T19:36:00.000-05:00

Who is the best free agent starting pitcher available?

This is a question fans of any team, maybe not Yankees, should be considering. After CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Ryan Dempster, of the next four best starting pitchers: Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez, Jon Garland, and Randy Wolf, who should your team sign?

I believe Wolf to be the best value.

Here are the pitcher's specs:
Derek Lowe (36, 221 inn, 3.24 ERA, 6.27 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 14 HRs)
Oliver Perez (27, 194 inn, 4.22 ERA, 8.35 K/9, 4.87 BB/9, 24 HRs)
Jon Garland (29, 196.7 inn, 4.90 ERA, 4.12 K/9, 2.70 BB/9, 23 HRs)
Randy Wolf (32, 190.3 inn, 4.30 ERA, 7.66 K/9, 3.36 BB/9, 21 HRs)

Lowe was obviously the most productive, but he was also the oldest. Perez threw the most heat, but he was also the most inconsistent, based on K/9 and BB/9. Garland played for the best team, but was the least productive, individually. Wolf, however, is younger than Lowe, more consistent than Perez, and played well for two average teams (Padres and Astros). Also I believe Wolf would be cheaper than Lowe or Perez, leaving more money for other areas of need.

Randy Wolf would provide a solid second, third, or fourth starter on any team. He's not an ace, a quality which I believe Derek Lowe lacks as well, but he will be more consistent and cheaper than the alternatives left on the market.

The buzz is that he will sign with the Dodgers in the near future. So, LA fans will have something to take their minds of the "Dread-locked One."