What the Broncos can learn from the Chiefs
As has been noted by a number of writers, Pat Bowlen was his own worst enemy in the Josh McDaniels debacle. He gave McDaniels total control, which he pledged not to do after the Mike Shanahan era stumbled to an end.
General manager Mike Shanahan was head coach Mike Shanahan's biggest problem. Now the same was true for Josh McDaniels (no need to recap the epic talent evaluation failures here. if you don't remember, see Smith, Alphonso). The Kansas City Chiefs made major changes the same offseason as the Broncos, with one major difference. They hired a rising star general manager in Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley with the understanding that they would have distinctly separate responsibilities. Haley coaches the team that Pioli assembles, and this had led to a first place (for now) Chiefs team with good, young, fast talent that they acquired largely through drafting well.
Pat Bowlen needs to recognize the success of his division foes and do what he said he would the first time around: pick a general manager, and then pick a head coach. They cannot be one in the same.
And for those of you salivating over some big name like Bill Cowher, that's not going to happen if Bowlen actually follows through with what he needs to do.
Rick Reilly just wrote an outstanding (if not depressing) take on the state of the Broncos.
Not going to say I told you so, but...
...Carmelo Anthony has taken the Nuggets hostage. The team is in limbo until he is traded, and fans struggle night in and night out to stay excited when they know the 'Melo man is detached and on his way out. If you want an example, see the Nuggets unexciting win over the Magic that should have been a bigger deal than it was. They were carried to the victory by 'Melo's huge showing, but because he so clearly does not care, fans don't know how to react. Except to be sad...which we are.
The Nuggets are pretty good, and it has not persuaded him one bit to sign his extension and stay. It is not the time for management to be stubborn. No matter how sickening it is to give in to 'Melo's demands, it is in the best interest of the franchise to get something (anything) for him.
Fans honestly want to remember the Carmelo Anthony era fondly; he rescued the franchise from irrelevance. That hope is tainted each day this is drawn out.
Take the pulse of the city, listen to your fans, and get this done.
Dave Krieger recently wrote about Carmelo and the Nuggets fans.
One other thing about Josh McDaniels
He proved that there can only be one Bill Belichick. McDaniels tried to pick "his guys," as in those players nobody has heard of, and succeed with a team-first mentality where every player knows and embraces his role. As we know, his attempt at applying this model was an unmitigated disaster from which it will take the Broncos years to recover.
There is only one coach who pulls this off successfully, and he is doing it this year in a big way.
There is no "Belichick model." It's just Belichick. He is winning with names like Danny Woodhead and Deion Branch and an underachieving defense. He's the only coach to succeed (by succeed, I mean rings) with these no-name groups, and there won't be another coach like him. It's just him.
Any new coaches should learn from Josh McDaniels and stay away from mimicking Bill Belichick.
(One more example: coaches should not try to copy Belichick's spygate tactics. In the end, that's what cost McKid his job. Also, it's cheating)
Troy Tulowitzki could not have had better timing
As Josh McDaniels disgraced the Broncos and Carmelo Anthony triggered the collective gag reflex of Nuggets fans, Tulo announced that he wanted to be a Rockie for life. This would have won the hearts of Colorado sports fans regardless, but his contract extension resonated that much more because of the stink from our other franchises.
Say it with me: Clap, Clap, Clap Clap Clap, Clap Clap Clap Clap, TULO
Watch the Avalanche
They are fast and they score a lot of goals (lead the NHL as of this posting). If Craig Anderson returns enough from injury to regain his 09-10 form, this will be a team to be reckoned with.
Also, Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny do something called the "Bang bang" dance after every victory. I only mention this to point out these players have a lot of personality and will be fun to follow as they push for a second consecutive playoff berth.
Rapids are MLS champions!
I'm kidding.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Thursday tidbits 10/14/10
Someday I'll get some stuff in between, but until then, here are more tidbits!
A Quote
Norv Turner came out with quite the gem in response to Tony Dungy's criticism of him after the Chargers lost to the Raiders last Sunday:
"You make a comment, and you see a team from afar, and I understand his comment and I can relate to him...It's probably how he felt when his players let Darren Sproles return a punt and a kick for a touchdown here on a Sunday night game or when Peyton threw six interceptions against us."
Wow, Norv. Nailed it! There's just one problem. Tony Dungy probably felt fine after the Darren Sproles game to which you referred. I bet he was bummed at first...and then he went home, saw his shiny Super Bowl ring, and felt OK again.
I know some people think Norv is more competent than I do (and to be clear, I do not think he is competent. I think he calls plays for a real football team like some of my friends call plays on Madden video games). Regardless, he should probably avoid trading barbs with (former) coaches who so trump him.
A Video
Or a series of them. Joe Posnanski gives us 32 great sports play-by-play calls, with many of the videos available right there on the page. Lots of goosebumps moments - I would only warn you that you should not start watching these if you have a 'to-do list,' because you'll be hooked after the first few. Vin Scully calling Dwight Clark's catch? Bob Costas calling Jordan's game-winning shot over the Jazz? Can't beat it.
My advice - make sure to watch the call of Jason Lezak's unreal comeback in the 4x100 in Beijing that kept Michael Phelps alive in his chase for a record eight gold medals. Awesome call that a lot of us probably did not hear at the time.
A Photo
Or a bunch of them. Probably my finest accomplishment this week was stumbling upon the greatest beards in sports history, as presented by SI.com. It was like Christmas in October.
Serious question - can anybody beat an NHL playoff beard? They are the standard to which we all aspire.
A Tweet
@jimrome: The fraternity for #NFL coaches who talk smack is now 2. #REXRYAN and Norv Turner. But Norv bumped his gums after a loss to the Raiders. 9am
A Quote
Norv Turner came out with quite the gem in response to Tony Dungy's criticism of him after the Chargers lost to the Raiders last Sunday:
"You make a comment, and you see a team from afar, and I understand his comment and I can relate to him...It's probably how he felt when his players let Darren Sproles return a punt and a kick for a touchdown here on a Sunday night game or when Peyton threw six interceptions against us."
Wow, Norv. Nailed it! There's just one problem. Tony Dungy probably felt fine after the Darren Sproles game to which you referred. I bet he was bummed at first...and then he went home, saw his shiny Super Bowl ring, and felt OK again.
I know some people think Norv is more competent than I do (and to be clear, I do not think he is competent. I think he calls plays for a real football team like some of my friends call plays on Madden video games). Regardless, he should probably avoid trading barbs with (former) coaches who so trump him.
A Video
Or a series of them. Joe Posnanski gives us 32 great sports play-by-play calls, with many of the videos available right there on the page. Lots of goosebumps moments - I would only warn you that you should not start watching these if you have a 'to-do list,' because you'll be hooked after the first few. Vin Scully calling Dwight Clark's catch? Bob Costas calling Jordan's game-winning shot over the Jazz? Can't beat it.
My advice - make sure to watch the call of Jason Lezak's unreal comeback in the 4x100 in Beijing that kept Michael Phelps alive in his chase for a record eight gold medals. Awesome call that a lot of us probably did not hear at the time.
A Photo
Or a bunch of them. Probably my finest accomplishment this week was stumbling upon the greatest beards in sports history, as presented by SI.com. It was like Christmas in October.
Serious question - can anybody beat an NHL playoff beard? They are the standard to which we all aspire.
A Tweet
@jimrome: The fraternity for #NFL coaches who talk smack is now 2. #REXRYAN and Norv Turner. But Norv bumped his gums after a loss to the Raiders. 9am
A Bonus Video!
Vanilla Ice has a new show on the DIY network. It's cleverly called: The Vanilla Ice Project. He's a "successful general contractor and a home improvement expert."
Vanilla Ice has a new show on the DIY network. It's cleverly called: The Vanilla Ice Project. He's a "successful general contractor and a home improvement expert."
Of course he is...
Another Bonus Video!
Jesse Ventura has a new show on truTV. It's called Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura. As you'll see, Jesse confidently announces that. "this is the show they don't want you to see."
Well, Jesse, I don't think they have much to worry about then...
A suggestion that (definitely) won't surprise you
Watch the Phillies v. Giants on Saturday night. Tim Lincecum and Roy Halladay.
Links
Jeff Passan writes about the number one starters in both the NLCS and ALCS. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AgOCt0O.JW9KuRv_SxM6Tk05nYcB?slug=jp-fouraces101410
Jeffri Chadiha writes about Houston Texans running back Arian Foster http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeffri&page=hotread05/ArianFoster
Peter King picks the week 6 NFL games http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/10/14/week.6.weekend.pickoff/index.html?eref=sihp
Friday, October 8, 2010
Thursday tidbits 10/7/10 (on Friday!)
A Quote
Add this to the hype machine for the upcoming Monday Night Football match-up between the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets. Darrelle Revis had this to say about Randy Moss:
“In the second half, you could tell he was kind of like putting his foot on the brake. But everybody knows that’s Randy: sometimes he plays 100 percent, sometimes he doesn’t.”
Do we really think these comments bothered Randy Moss that much? I feel like if we asked him, he would say, "Yea, that sounds about right."
Between the Randy Moss trade, these comments, Brett Favre returning to play against the Jets, the accusations that Favre sent inappropriate text messages to a reporter when he was a Jet, Rex Ryan...this might be too much for ESPN to take. I mean, Rachel Nichols can only be in one place at a time!
Don't get me wrong, because I am absolutely going to watch this game. But take my advice, and don't watch ESPN until the game itself, because the hype is going to be on a whole new level.
A Video
The Colorado Avalanche held a reunion for the 1996 Stanley Cup champion team before their season-opening victory over the Blackhawks last night. Unfortunately, the game was not on the Altitude networks, meaning fans at home did not get to see much of the ceremony. Here is a video of the players arriving for the reunion. It's very cool to see them together again.
(Spoiler: Patrick Roy doesn't punch anybody. I know, I was disappointed too)
A Photo
Check out this picture of Roy Halladay shortly after the final out of his NLDS no-hitter (from SI.com). It's nice for fans that the best pitcher in the game is also a class act. Even if he is a Phillie, it was incredible to see this accomplishment. The story of the playoffs thus far has been dominant pitching. Some of these were expected (Halladay, Tim Lincecum, Cliff Lee) and some were not (Andy Pettitte, C.J. Wilson). That's the beauty of baseball.
A Tweet
@TracyRingolsby: How big is starting pitching in post-season. Starting pitcher for winning team so far this year 6-0 with 1.22 ERA, 49 SO, 8 BB, 44 1/3 IP.
A story that made me go "Are you kidding???"
Remember Glen Coffee? Maybe you never even knew who he was. He was a running back at Alabama and then briefly for the San Francisco 49ers. His surprise retirement was a fairly big story during training camp. Coffee retired because he said God had called him to ministry. Regardless of your opinion on that decision, this headline ought to get your attention: Recently retired Glen Coffee arrested for having concealed weapon.
Sigh...
A suggestion that won't surprise you
Watch Michigan v. Michigan St. on Saturday. Denard Robinson is always must see TV, and coach Mark D'antonio for MSU will be back on the sidelines after suffering a heart attack a few weeks ago. MSU has looked tough offensively and Michigan doesn't play much defense, so this shapes up to be a high scoring and very entertaining game.
A suggestion that will surprise you
Watch the New Orleans Saints v. the Arizona Cardinals. Everybody is ready to call this a blow out, and maybe it will be. But the Cardinals have a ton of motivation to scratch out wins in a ghastly NFC West, they are at home, and undrafted rookie Max Hall is making his debut in what may become a feel good story. And the Saints have not blown the doors off of anybody this year, including an escape at home against the lowly Panthers last week. I've got this game as much closer than people think, and a possible upset special.
Links
I chose not to address the issue of replay in baseball, because I don't really know how I feel yet, but here is Joe Posnanski writing about the missed calls problem in baseball: http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/10/08/bad-calls-in-baseball/
Ken Rosenthal addresses replay and the problems with umpires: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Postseason-umpire-errors-prove-the-need-for-expanded-replay-in-mlb-100710
Bill Simmons on the Randy Moss trade: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmonsnfl2010/101008&sportCat=nfl
Mark Kiszla says the Avalanche are still in project mode: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16284825
Tom Verducci says that Roy Halladay is the Sandy Koufax of our generation: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/10/07/five.cuts.halladay/index.html
Add this to the hype machine for the upcoming Monday Night Football match-up between the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets. Darrelle Revis had this to say about Randy Moss:
“In the second half, you could tell he was kind of like putting his foot on the brake. But everybody knows that’s Randy: sometimes he plays 100 percent, sometimes he doesn’t.”
Do we really think these comments bothered Randy Moss that much? I feel like if we asked him, he would say, "Yea, that sounds about right."
Between the Randy Moss trade, these comments, Brett Favre returning to play against the Jets, the accusations that Favre sent inappropriate text messages to a reporter when he was a Jet, Rex Ryan...this might be too much for ESPN to take. I mean, Rachel Nichols can only be in one place at a time!
Don't get me wrong, because I am absolutely going to watch this game. But take my advice, and don't watch ESPN until the game itself, because the hype is going to be on a whole new level.
A Video
The Colorado Avalanche held a reunion for the 1996 Stanley Cup champion team before their season-opening victory over the Blackhawks last night. Unfortunately, the game was not on the Altitude networks, meaning fans at home did not get to see much of the ceremony. Here is a video of the players arriving for the reunion. It's very cool to see them together again.
(Spoiler: Patrick Roy doesn't punch anybody. I know, I was disappointed too)
A Photo
Check out this picture of Roy Halladay shortly after the final out of his NLDS no-hitter (from SI.com). It's nice for fans that the best pitcher in the game is also a class act. Even if he is a Phillie, it was incredible to see this accomplishment. The story of the playoffs thus far has been dominant pitching. Some of these were expected (Halladay, Tim Lincecum, Cliff Lee) and some were not (Andy Pettitte, C.J. Wilson). That's the beauty of baseball.
A Tweet
@TracyRingolsby: How big is starting pitching in post-season. Starting pitcher for winning team so far this year 6-0 with 1.22 ERA, 49 SO, 8 BB, 44 1/3 IP.
A story that made me go "Are you kidding???"
Remember Glen Coffee? Maybe you never even knew who he was. He was a running back at Alabama and then briefly for the San Francisco 49ers. His surprise retirement was a fairly big story during training camp. Coffee retired because he said God had called him to ministry. Regardless of your opinion on that decision, this headline ought to get your attention: Recently retired Glen Coffee arrested for having concealed weapon.
Sigh...
A suggestion that won't surprise you
Watch Michigan v. Michigan St. on Saturday. Denard Robinson is always must see TV, and coach Mark D'antonio for MSU will be back on the sidelines after suffering a heart attack a few weeks ago. MSU has looked tough offensively and Michigan doesn't play much defense, so this shapes up to be a high scoring and very entertaining game.
A suggestion that will surprise you
Watch the New Orleans Saints v. the Arizona Cardinals. Everybody is ready to call this a blow out, and maybe it will be. But the Cardinals have a ton of motivation to scratch out wins in a ghastly NFC West, they are at home, and undrafted rookie Max Hall is making his debut in what may become a feel good story. And the Saints have not blown the doors off of anybody this year, including an escape at home against the lowly Panthers last week. I've got this game as much closer than people think, and a possible upset special.
Links
I chose not to address the issue of replay in baseball, because I don't really know how I feel yet, but here is Joe Posnanski writing about the missed calls problem in baseball: http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/10/08/bad-calls-in-baseball/
Ken Rosenthal addresses replay and the problems with umpires: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Postseason-umpire-errors-prove-the-need-for-expanded-replay-in-mlb-100710
Bill Simmons on the Randy Moss trade: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmonsnfl2010/101008&sportCat=nfl
Mark Kiszla says the Avalanche are still in project mode: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16284825
Tom Verducci says that Roy Halladay is the Sandy Koufax of our generation: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/10/07/five.cuts.halladay/index.html
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
What I think I learned about the Rockies this season
These Rockies are not big believers in playing 'for pride'
When they were eliminated, things got ugly fast. One run in a 30 inning stretch in St. Louis and they dropped 13 of their last 14. One thing I found a bit baffling during this stretch was the fact that Melvin Mora and Todd Helton continued to log regular innings. Especially with the Toddfather - why put extra miles on that back in meaningless games? Sometimes we can at least enjoy the so-called "meaningless" games because it gives young players a chance to get experience. There was absolutely nothing to enjoy about the Rockies' final stretch.
Rockies fans relearned the importance of starting pitching
In their final gasp for a playoff berth, it seems the Rockies were in a 3-0 or 4-0 hole every game before they got to the 3rd inning. The inability of pitchers to pitch deep into games ran their bullpen into the ground and ultimately exposed it to a thrashing at the hands of the lowly Diamondbacks. This makes the signing of Jorge De La Rosa a top priority in the offseason (we hope), and Jhoulys Chacin is a key player entering next season. And how bizarre was Jason Hammel's dead arm? A weird tag on the end of a weird season.
This might be the time for the organization to make an exception when it comes to its dependence on home grown players
Because they need to go get more pop for this lineup. There are a lot of likable players who flat out did not get it done this year. Ian Stewart will (again) be a key player for the team next season, but this year he was (again) a huge disappointment between his inconsistency, his frightening strike-out streaks, and his injuries. Seth Smith reached a point where he was approaching what I like to call 'Peyton Hillis' status when it came to fans screaming for him to get more playing time. The difference is, instead of trading him, the Rockies gave Seth a chance to play every day and he was an absolute disaster. Enjoy pinch hitting, Seth.
(Note: If you don't know who Peyton Hillis is, ask the nearest Broncos fan. They will tell you he is a running back, and then they will use all the white football player cliches, like he has a 'good motor' and is a 'workhorse.' Whatever they say, they will conclude with "AND HE SHOULD HAVE PLAYED MORE LAST YEAR!" Denver traded him to the Browns, where he is playing well. This is a very sensitive issue for Broncos fans. Seth Smith was close to this status with Rockies fans, as in, "Seth Smith is so good, just imagine if he got to play every day?" Well, he batted something like .180 after the all-star break, so now we don't have to wonder).
Chris Iannetta is another home grown talent with all the raw power one could hope for, and all the inconsistencies to drive us crazy. It was inevitable that this team would fall short if nobody produced runs behind CarGo and Tulo. And nobody did.
They will need to go get more pop, whether in an outfielder who can start in the corner not occupied by CarGo or a first baseman to pair with Todd Helton. Even though he is a miserable fielder, these Victor Martinez grumblings are interesting.
They need more bullpen arms
But really, doesn't every team learn this every season?
It's a great time to be a Rockies fan
I know a lot of people are extra bummed because of the way they folded at the end, but we've now had a stretch of three out of four seasons where the Rockies have been relevant and playing meaningful games late into September. Remember the days of Royce Clayton? Denny Neagle? Jeff Cirillo? Jeffrey Hammonds? Bobby Estalella? Rodrigo Lopez? Jeromy Burnitz? (Want me to keep going?) Take any of the seasons where any of those names was an important Rockie, and you would find me and so many others dying to just watch a team who had a chance. Now we have that team.
I understand that this season is considered a failure. But how fun is it that we get to ask questions like "What pieces do they need to get over the top in the division?" instead of "How old is Ray King?" or "Did they seriously sign Jeromy Burnitz?"
Playoff Picks!
Divisional Series
Twins over Yankees in 4 - They will finally beat the Yankees in the divisional series. However, I predict they do it the non-traditional way (or what many call the "impossible way"). They will lose game 1 to CC, but will then win 3 straight slug fests, including beating a short-rested CC in game 4.
Rays over Rangers in 5 - I know the divisional series rarely comes down to a 5th game, but I think this one will and the Rays will benefit from their previous playoff experience and win it. Once again, don't expect low scoring nail-biters because neither team has much pitching these days.
Phillies over Reds in 3 - I really hope I'm wrong because the Reds are an easy team to cheer for. But like everybody else, I just don't see the Phillies losing many games on their way to the World Series.
Giants over Braves in 4 - The Giants are the only team besides the Phillies who actually have some starting pitchers they can ride deep into the playoffs. It will pay off here and the Braves will finally run out of gas and come up short in Bobby Cox's final season.
Championship Series
Rays Over Twins in 7 - if the Twins do make it this far, I'll be cheering hard for them, but the Rays are a more complete team and would edge them out in a long series.
Phillies over Giants in 6 - I would love to just say Phillies in 4, because I want the Giants to get housed by somebody after the whole humidor issue. But these will feel more like old fashioned playoff games, with some great pitching match-ups. The Phillies will come up with the timely hits to come out on top.
World Series!
Phillies over Rays in 5 - With Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels, the Phillies bring the World Series back to the National League. Ugh, I do not care for those Phillies fans, but I think they're going to get another one because that trio of starting pitchers is stupid good, and will stand out in a year where stud starting pitchers are notably absent in the playoffs.
Other, smarter guys writing about the playoffs...
Tom Verducci answers 10 questions about the playoffs http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/10/05/playoff.preview/index.html?eref=sircrc
Jerry Crasnick writes about Roy Halladay http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=5644528
Ken Rosenthal previews Rays v. Rangers http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Tampa-Bay-Rays-Texas-Rangers-ALDS-preview-100510
Jeff Passan on Derek Jeter's role for the Yankees in the playoffs http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkN_pEqjna3qf.lY08AmK8MRvLYF?slug=jp-jeter100510
When they were eliminated, things got ugly fast. One run in a 30 inning stretch in St. Louis and they dropped 13 of their last 14. One thing I found a bit baffling during this stretch was the fact that Melvin Mora and Todd Helton continued to log regular innings. Especially with the Toddfather - why put extra miles on that back in meaningless games? Sometimes we can at least enjoy the so-called "meaningless" games because it gives young players a chance to get experience. There was absolutely nothing to enjoy about the Rockies' final stretch.
Rockies fans relearned the importance of starting pitching
In their final gasp for a playoff berth, it seems the Rockies were in a 3-0 or 4-0 hole every game before they got to the 3rd inning. The inability of pitchers to pitch deep into games ran their bullpen into the ground and ultimately exposed it to a thrashing at the hands of the lowly Diamondbacks. This makes the signing of Jorge De La Rosa a top priority in the offseason (we hope), and Jhoulys Chacin is a key player entering next season. And how bizarre was Jason Hammel's dead arm? A weird tag on the end of a weird season.
This might be the time for the organization to make an exception when it comes to its dependence on home grown players
Because they need to go get more pop for this lineup. There are a lot of likable players who flat out did not get it done this year. Ian Stewart will (again) be a key player for the team next season, but this year he was (again) a huge disappointment between his inconsistency, his frightening strike-out streaks, and his injuries. Seth Smith reached a point where he was approaching what I like to call 'Peyton Hillis' status when it came to fans screaming for him to get more playing time. The difference is, instead of trading him, the Rockies gave Seth a chance to play every day and he was an absolute disaster. Enjoy pinch hitting, Seth.
(Note: If you don't know who Peyton Hillis is, ask the nearest Broncos fan. They will tell you he is a running back, and then they will use all the white football player cliches, like he has a 'good motor' and is a 'workhorse.' Whatever they say, they will conclude with "AND HE SHOULD HAVE PLAYED MORE LAST YEAR!" Denver traded him to the Browns, where he is playing well. This is a very sensitive issue for Broncos fans. Seth Smith was close to this status with Rockies fans, as in, "Seth Smith is so good, just imagine if he got to play every day?" Well, he batted something like .180 after the all-star break, so now we don't have to wonder).
Chris Iannetta is another home grown talent with all the raw power one could hope for, and all the inconsistencies to drive us crazy. It was inevitable that this team would fall short if nobody produced runs behind CarGo and Tulo. And nobody did.
They will need to go get more pop, whether in an outfielder who can start in the corner not occupied by CarGo or a first baseman to pair with Todd Helton. Even though he is a miserable fielder, these Victor Martinez grumblings are interesting.
They need more bullpen arms
But really, doesn't every team learn this every season?
It's a great time to be a Rockies fan
I know a lot of people are extra bummed because of the way they folded at the end, but we've now had a stretch of three out of four seasons where the Rockies have been relevant and playing meaningful games late into September. Remember the days of Royce Clayton? Denny Neagle? Jeff Cirillo? Jeffrey Hammonds? Bobby Estalella? Rodrigo Lopez? Jeromy Burnitz? (Want me to keep going?) Take any of the seasons where any of those names was an important Rockie, and you would find me and so many others dying to just watch a team who had a chance. Now we have that team.
I understand that this season is considered a failure. But how fun is it that we get to ask questions like "What pieces do they need to get over the top in the division?" instead of "How old is Ray King?" or "Did they seriously sign Jeromy Burnitz?"
Playoff Picks!
Divisional Series
Twins over Yankees in 4 - They will finally beat the Yankees in the divisional series. However, I predict they do it the non-traditional way (or what many call the "impossible way"). They will lose game 1 to CC, but will then win 3 straight slug fests, including beating a short-rested CC in game 4.
Rays over Rangers in 5 - I know the divisional series rarely comes down to a 5th game, but I think this one will and the Rays will benefit from their previous playoff experience and win it. Once again, don't expect low scoring nail-biters because neither team has much pitching these days.
Phillies over Reds in 3 - I really hope I'm wrong because the Reds are an easy team to cheer for. But like everybody else, I just don't see the Phillies losing many games on their way to the World Series.
Giants over Braves in 4 - The Giants are the only team besides the Phillies who actually have some starting pitchers they can ride deep into the playoffs. It will pay off here and the Braves will finally run out of gas and come up short in Bobby Cox's final season.
Championship Series
Rays Over Twins in 7 - if the Twins do make it this far, I'll be cheering hard for them, but the Rays are a more complete team and would edge them out in a long series.
Phillies over Giants in 6 - I would love to just say Phillies in 4, because I want the Giants to get housed by somebody after the whole humidor issue. But these will feel more like old fashioned playoff games, with some great pitching match-ups. The Phillies will come up with the timely hits to come out on top.
World Series!
Phillies over Rays in 5 - With Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels, the Phillies bring the World Series back to the National League. Ugh, I do not care for those Phillies fans, but I think they're going to get another one because that trio of starting pitchers is stupid good, and will stand out in a year where stud starting pitchers are notably absent in the playoffs.
Other, smarter guys writing about the playoffs...
Tom Verducci answers 10 questions about the playoffs http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/10/05/playoff.preview/index.html?eref=sircrc
Jerry Crasnick writes about Roy Halladay http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=5644528
Ken Rosenthal previews Rays v. Rangers http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Tampa-Bay-Rays-Texas-Rangers-ALDS-preview-100510
Jeff Passan on Derek Jeter's role for the Yankees in the playoffs http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkN_pEqjna3qf.lY08AmK8MRvLYF?slug=jp-jeter100510
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday tidbits 9/23/10 (on Friday!)
A Quote
Vikings quarterback Brett Favre had this to say about their stumbling offense after an 0-2 start:
"It's hard to be patient and try to get this puzzle pieced together, because we're doing it as we play."
Brett, remind us all why you're doing it "as you play?" That's right...because you used your 'will I or won't I retire' scam to miss training camp again. If you do that, you absolutely cannot make this excuse for your ineffectiveness. That is far too maddening for any fan base to accept, especially one as dedicated as the one in Minnesota. And there was a second result of you holding out (double meaning intended) on your decision. You got more money. That was even after you said it wasn't about the money.
These inconsistencies put extra pressure on old man Favre to perform, and he better worry about doing exactly that and keeping his mouth shut in the process.
A Video
Here is the link to a video of Marc Stein (ESPN) reporting on the latest developments regarding Carmelo Anothony. The supposedly serious rumor has the Nuggets getting Derrick Favors, Andrei Kirilenko, and multiple first round picks in a 4 team deal involving the Nets, Jazz, and Bobcats.
I hope it's true. Certainly it's a gamble, but what isn't when you're talking about dealing a player on the level of the 'Melo man? Favors is a raw and unproven commodity, but he projects out to be exactly the kind of big man the Nuggets sorely need. AK47 has pestered the Nuggets for years, and while he is fragile, he might be the kind of defensive-minded role player who can bring some balance to a shooter-happy roster. He also might take some of the pressure off Aaron Afflalo when it comes to guarding the other team's best guy night in and night out. As for the 1st round picks, I'm a Nuggets fan so I have no idea if that's good or bad. I don't remember what a 1st round pick looks like.
A Photo
If you need a laugh, check out this SI.com photo gallery of mascots fighting, inspired by "Rufus" from Ohio attacking Brutus Buckeye. I am not nearly as anti-mascot as some, but I see great potential if more of them physically attack each other. Also, I couldn't be prouder that Denver Nuggets mascot "Rocky" made two appearances in this gallery. But seriously, let's think about this: Dinger (the Rockies big purple dinosaur) jumping the Phillie Phanatic? The Stanford Cardinal Tree fist fighting Ralphie the Buffalo? Sign me up.
A Tweet
@SteveMartinToGo: Forced kid to take my autograph. He was crying. Idiot.
This has nothing to do with sports, but it makes me laugh every time. If it seems random, that's because it is. Following Steve Martin on twitter was probably the best decision I made this week.
A Fantasy Football Rant
Let's go back 3 weeks. Being the saavy veteran I am, I saw an opportunity to get one step ahead of my league. I stocked up early in my draft on running backs and receivers, and waited to draft a quarterback. The depth of productive quarterbacks combined with the pass-happy, spread offense nature of the league meant I could wait until late and still have a good quarterback. Filled out the rest of my starting lineup with studs, grabbed a solid QB late, and I had the most well-rounded and consistent fantasy team. Right?
I drafted Kevin Kolb and Matthew Stafford.
Shut up.
Vikings quarterback Brett Favre had this to say about their stumbling offense after an 0-2 start:
"It's hard to be patient and try to get this puzzle pieced together, because we're doing it as we play."
Brett, remind us all why you're doing it "as you play?" That's right...because you used your 'will I or won't I retire' scam to miss training camp again. If you do that, you absolutely cannot make this excuse for your ineffectiveness. That is far too maddening for any fan base to accept, especially one as dedicated as the one in Minnesota. And there was a second result of you holding out (double meaning intended) on your decision. You got more money. That was even after you said it wasn't about the money.
These inconsistencies put extra pressure on old man Favre to perform, and he better worry about doing exactly that and keeping his mouth shut in the process.
A Video
Here is the link to a video of Marc Stein (ESPN) reporting on the latest developments regarding Carmelo Anothony. The supposedly serious rumor has the Nuggets getting Derrick Favors, Andrei Kirilenko, and multiple first round picks in a 4 team deal involving the Nets, Jazz, and Bobcats.
I hope it's true. Certainly it's a gamble, but what isn't when you're talking about dealing a player on the level of the 'Melo man? Favors is a raw and unproven commodity, but he projects out to be exactly the kind of big man the Nuggets sorely need. AK47 has pestered the Nuggets for years, and while he is fragile, he might be the kind of defensive-minded role player who can bring some balance to a shooter-happy roster. He also might take some of the pressure off Aaron Afflalo when it comes to guarding the other team's best guy night in and night out. As for the 1st round picks, I'm a Nuggets fan so I have no idea if that's good or bad. I don't remember what a 1st round pick looks like.
A Photo
If you need a laugh, check out this SI.com photo gallery of mascots fighting, inspired by "Rufus" from Ohio attacking Brutus Buckeye. I am not nearly as anti-mascot as some, but I see great potential if more of them physically attack each other. Also, I couldn't be prouder that Denver Nuggets mascot "Rocky" made two appearances in this gallery. But seriously, let's think about this: Dinger (the Rockies big purple dinosaur) jumping the Phillie Phanatic? The Stanford Cardinal Tree fist fighting Ralphie the Buffalo? Sign me up.
A Tweet
@SteveMartinToGo: Forced kid to take my autograph. He was crying. Idiot.
This has nothing to do with sports, but it makes me laugh every time. If it seems random, that's because it is. Following Steve Martin on twitter was probably the best decision I made this week.
A Fantasy Football Rant
Let's go back 3 weeks. Being the saavy veteran I am, I saw an opportunity to get one step ahead of my league. I stocked up early in my draft on running backs and receivers, and waited to draft a quarterback. The depth of productive quarterbacks combined with the pass-happy, spread offense nature of the league meant I could wait until late and still have a good quarterback. Filled out the rest of my starting lineup with studs, grabbed a solid QB late, and I had the most well-rounded and consistent fantasy team. Right?
I drafted Kevin Kolb and Matthew Stafford.
Shut up.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sad Colorado sports fans should have seen it coming
It has been a rough week for Colorado sports fans. The Rockies lost a gut-wrencher to the mediocre Diamondbacks. It seems more definite that Carmelo will not be a Nugget for much longer. And remembering that being a fan is just for fun, it's important to recognize that out of all of these, the Broncos family is the only one dealing with something truly sad in the death of receiver Kenny McKinley.
Acknowledging the lack of segway from that note, I am writing today to point out that the disappointments concerning the Nuggets and the Rockies were all fairly predictable. Not that it makes it any easier to take...
The crash of our Rocktober dreams
Doesn't the loss tonight to the Diamondbacks and their less-than-pedestrian pitching staff just bring to culmination two problems that have plagued the Rockies all season? First off, their inability to win on the road, mostly because of a lack of offense. And secondly, they never figured out how to beat bad teams. Those two problems acted together tonight to make us all very gloomy, but we really had fair warning of the downfall that was coming. And remember, if they get our hopes up again, they would have to overcome both issues when they close the season with four games at the Cardinals and their potent pitching staff.
The Rockies are now a definite long shot to make the playoffs because they are running out of games, but we know better than to give up on this bunch. Having said that, I would advise those of you buying postseason tickets to not stress too much about the location of your seats.
The departure of the 'Melo man
As for the Carmelo Anthony situation, the writing has been on the wall for some time. Even if the immediacy of the trade rumors is new, Nuggets fans have had some time to adjust to the fact that the 'Melo man is not in for the long haul. I still think their best bet is to trade him now rather than delay the inevitable, but we will see how Nuggets management handles it.
And while we are talking 'Melo, can we quit pretending that he is an elite all-around player? I am not dissing him; I am forever grateful that he rescued us from the days of Voshon Leonard, Juwan Howard, and last place finishes and delivered a string of playoff runs. I will remember Carmelo fondly for saving this franchise. But he is not an elite player. He is an elite scorer. There is a significant difference.
When Kobe Bryant doesn't have his scoring chops, he finds other ways to will the Lakers to victories. When 'Melo isn't having his way scoring, he forces the issue, pouts, and makes the problem worse. Carmelo could be an outstanding all around player; we've seen him go beast mode on the boards, and on ever-so-rare occasions, we saw him lock it up on defense. But he has not shown a consistent interest in those areas of his game, especially on occasions when he should have turned it up to help his team win. If he goes to a franchise like the Knicks or the Nets, he is destined for a decorated career as far as scoring accolades, but one sorely lacking when it comes to the hardware that matters.
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post provided a short update on potential trade partners this morning.
Acknowledging the lack of segway from that note, I am writing today to point out that the disappointments concerning the Nuggets and the Rockies were all fairly predictable. Not that it makes it any easier to take...
 |
| Ubaldo struggled in a potentially season-killing loss Wednesday night |
Doesn't the loss tonight to the Diamondbacks and their less-than-pedestrian pitching staff just bring to culmination two problems that have plagued the Rockies all season? First off, their inability to win on the road, mostly because of a lack of offense. And secondly, they never figured out how to beat bad teams. Those two problems acted together tonight to make us all very gloomy, but we really had fair warning of the downfall that was coming. And remember, if they get our hopes up again, they would have to overcome both issues when they close the season with four games at the Cardinals and their potent pitching staff.
The Rockies are now a definite long shot to make the playoffs because they are running out of games, but we know better than to give up on this bunch. Having said that, I would advise those of you buying postseason tickets to not stress too much about the location of your seats.
The departure of the 'Melo man
As for the Carmelo Anthony situation, the writing has been on the wall for some time. Even if the immediacy of the trade rumors is new, Nuggets fans have had some time to adjust to the fact that the 'Melo man is not in for the long haul. I still think their best bet is to trade him now rather than delay the inevitable, but we will see how Nuggets management handles it.
And while we are talking 'Melo, can we quit pretending that he is an elite all-around player? I am not dissing him; I am forever grateful that he rescued us from the days of Voshon Leonard, Juwan Howard, and last place finishes and delivered a string of playoff runs. I will remember Carmelo fondly for saving this franchise. But he is not an elite player. He is an elite scorer. There is a significant difference.
 |
| Carmelo, you're making all of us sad - but really, we should have seen it coming. |
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post provided a short update on potential trade partners this morning.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Denver Broncos - choose your outlook for the 2010 season
Most Denver Broncos fans are ready to sound the alarm. Push the panic button. Call the season a lost cause. Tune into Denver sports talk and you'll hear any combination of, "McDaniels is an idiot," "I bet they wish they had Brandon Marshall now," "McDaniels has no idea about talent evaluation," and "This just shows that they NEVER should have traded Jay Cutler" Also, there is the continued (and perplexing) fascination with the "loss" of Peyton Hillis (former running back, now on the Browns). I know, you all thought he was the answer. Let it go.
Despite the doom and gloom in Bronco land, there were reasons for both positive and negative outlooks for the season on Sunday. So, whether you are looking for reasons to be excited about the orange and blue, or different ways to say "we're DOOMED," WTP has you covered.
Three reasons to be optimistic
1. This was Jacksonville's Super Bowl. The stadium was sold out, which is, to say the least, a rarity for a franchise that saw multiple games blacked out last year. Tebowmania had taken over with the chosen one coming home, and the Jaguars were, in a sense, playing to try and create some sort of fan base. As a result of this combination of factors, the Jags wanted this game bad. The stats do not necessarily point to an "all-in" effort, but they capitalized on the Broncos' costly penalties and turnovers and got it done. Here's thinking Jaguar fans might be in for a letdown when these factors aren't there to create extra urgency.
2. Kyle Orton legtimately looks good. Some may tire of hearing about Orton's improvement, but he is gradually shedding his previous label of "game manager." Given the proper protection and continued progress in the running game, Orton can be a difference maker and the guy who wins the games. The return of Ryan Harris (RT) will make a big difference.
3. The defense had its moments. Certainly, they did not dominate the game. But they came up with some stops, namely on 4th and inches to set up a 3rd quarter scoring drive for the offense.
People will call me crazy for this one. All I'm saying is that the story might have been different if they hadn't had to defend short fields all game. And they also suffered on one drive because of the actions of one bone-head when Ryan McBean had back to back facemask penalties. It's not as if they got dominated; they surrendered points to an efficient and opportunistic Jaguar offense.
Three reasons to be pessimistic
1. The defense still has no pass rush. There's a reason David Garrard managed a 138.9 QB rating. The Broncos sacked him only once and hardly bothered him the rest of the game. This is a constant issue, and a predictable one given Elvis Dumervil's injury. Those old men in the secondary are pretty darn good, but only if they can get some help from the guys up front. Robert Ayers needs to show his improvement in leaps and bounds to make a difference for this team.
2. Special Teams. A 53 yard kick-off return by Tiquan Underwood to set up a score was the lowlight of a dismal special teams showing. Coach McDaniels emphasized the need for improvement on the coverage teams seemingly throughout the preseason. Clearly, the improvement isn't there yet.
3. No running game. No matter how much Kyle Orton improves, he will never be able to fling it all game with the likes of Drew Brees or Peyton Manning. He will only thrive in an offense where the opponent has to be at least a little bit afraid of the run. Knowshon Moreno continues to be underwhelming, but to be fair, he is still recovering from a knee injury. Coach McDaniels blamed both the backs and the offensive line for some missed opportunities in the running game on Sunday.
The nay-sayers would probably tell me that they could list a lot more than these three reasons for why the Broncos looked like a bad team on Sunday. And they would be right.
But it's only one game, and holding out hope (irrationally or otherwise) that your team can still be great this year is one of the best parts about being a fan. Right?
Other links about the state of the Broncos
http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_16059941 Woody Paige says that Denver "passed up" the right call
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16068122 Mike Klis reports that the defense wants more turnovers.
http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Deep-Impact/2a2d2f5d-a79d-450d-9036-78fa4b099be2 Gabe Hiatt looks at Brandon Lloyd's big showing in Week 1.
Despite the doom and gloom in Bronco land, there were reasons for both positive and negative outlooks for the season on Sunday. So, whether you are looking for reasons to be excited about the orange and blue, or different ways to say "we're DOOMED," WTP has you covered.
Three reasons to be optimistic
1. This was Jacksonville's Super Bowl. The stadium was sold out, which is, to say the least, a rarity for a franchise that saw multiple games blacked out last year. Tebowmania had taken over with the chosen one coming home, and the Jaguars were, in a sense, playing to try and create some sort of fan base. As a result of this combination of factors, the Jags wanted this game bad. The stats do not necessarily point to an "all-in" effort, but they capitalized on the Broncos' costly penalties and turnovers and got it done. Here's thinking Jaguar fans might be in for a letdown when these factors aren't there to create extra urgency.
2. Kyle Orton legtimately looks good. Some may tire of hearing about Orton's improvement, but he is gradually shedding his previous label of "game manager." Given the proper protection and continued progress in the running game, Orton can be a difference maker and the guy who wins the games. The return of Ryan Harris (RT) will make a big difference.
3. The defense had its moments. Certainly, they did not dominate the game. But they came up with some stops, namely on 4th and inches to set up a 3rd quarter scoring drive for the offense.
People will call me crazy for this one. All I'm saying is that the story might have been different if they hadn't had to defend short fields all game. And they also suffered on one drive because of the actions of one bone-head when Ryan McBean had back to back facemask penalties. It's not as if they got dominated; they surrendered points to an efficient and opportunistic Jaguar offense.
Three reasons to be pessimistic
1. The defense still has no pass rush. There's a reason David Garrard managed a 138.9 QB rating. The Broncos sacked him only once and hardly bothered him the rest of the game. This is a constant issue, and a predictable one given Elvis Dumervil's injury. Those old men in the secondary are pretty darn good, but only if they can get some help from the guys up front. Robert Ayers needs to show his improvement in leaps and bounds to make a difference for this team.
2. Special Teams. A 53 yard kick-off return by Tiquan Underwood to set up a score was the lowlight of a dismal special teams showing. Coach McDaniels emphasized the need for improvement on the coverage teams seemingly throughout the preseason. Clearly, the improvement isn't there yet.
3. No running game. No matter how much Kyle Orton improves, he will never be able to fling it all game with the likes of Drew Brees or Peyton Manning. He will only thrive in an offense where the opponent has to be at least a little bit afraid of the run. Knowshon Moreno continues to be underwhelming, but to be fair, he is still recovering from a knee injury. Coach McDaniels blamed both the backs and the offensive line for some missed opportunities in the running game on Sunday.
The nay-sayers would probably tell me that they could list a lot more than these three reasons for why the Broncos looked like a bad team on Sunday. And they would be right.
But it's only one game, and holding out hope (irrationally or otherwise) that your team can still be great this year is one of the best parts about being a fan. Right?
Other links about the state of the Broncos
http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_16059941 Woody Paige says that Denver "passed up" the right call
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16068122 Mike Klis reports that the defense wants more turnovers.
http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Deep-Impact/2a2d2f5d-a79d-450d-9036-78fa4b099be2 Gabe Hiatt looks at Brandon Lloyd's big showing in Week 1.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
NFL Preview Extravaganza!
After taking three weeks to get settled into being a graduate student, Warning Track Power is back and better than ever (well...I'm back, at least). I had settled into a routine of doing a Rockies week in review on Sunday nights...but they've won 10 straight with me not doing that, so I'm not going there.
Yes, I realize that most of the slate of games for week 1 has already been completed, but here are my picks for the upcoming NFL season (not tainted by the results today...much)
AFC
North: Pittsburgh Steelers. Big Ben is a gross human being, but his off-season conduct threw everybody off the scent. For some reason, we all stopped talking about their terrifying defense, especially with a healthy Troy Polamalu. They'll do fine to tread water until Ben returns, and even though he's a major scum bag, the guy can play. Give me the Steelers over the over-hyped Baltimore Ravens (not enough defense) and the 'scene-of-inevitable-drama' Cincinnati Bengals in a stacked division. And then there's the Browns...
South: Indianapolis Colts. Lots of excited Houston Texans people today. And rightfully so - they looked tough. More important than Arian Foster's breakout was the play of that defensive front - if Mario Williams and co. rush the passer like that all year, they will stay relevant. Having said all of that, it's still Peyton Manning. The Tennessee Titans will be a tough match-up for anybody, but will ultimately come up short. Jacksonville will be a punching bag (not sure what that says about the Broncos week 1 loss to them...)
East: New England Patriots. Once again, I think a few too many people forgot about them in the midst of the New York Jets off-season adventures. They have a healthy and rich Tom Brady, and while there are some questions about personnel on the defensive side of the ball, Bill Belichick's scheming should prove to be enough. And how excited do we think Belichick is to be the underdog? The Miami Dolphins, a popular sleeper pick, are at least a year away from contending but will be pesky, especially down the stretch. Buffalo Bills: see entry for Jaguars.
West: San Diego Chargers. No homer pick here. The Chargers will win as this division will continue to achieve new heights in mediocrity. I've got everybody in the division between 7 and 9 wins, with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders being moderately improved and the Broncos being about the same. The Chargers won't have the same punch offensively, and will be average on defense, but Philip Rivers should be enough for them to stumble to another division title.
Wild card teams: Houston Texans and New York Jets. Many assume two playoff teams will come out of the north, but I think the Bengals are a collection of talented but mismatched parts and the Ravens won't have enough defense (yes, I said defense), especially with a big question mark about when and if Ed Reed will return to health. The Jets hype is annoying, but that defense with Rex Ryan calling the shots will get them a second wild card berth in a row, and the Texans will finally get over the hump into the playoffs.
NFC
North: Green Bay Packers. I have lots of Minnesota friends who will not be happy with that pick (if they read this), but Aaron Rodgers is a flat out stud, and they have enough playmakers on defense with the likes of Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson to win this division. Also, need I remind any bitter Vikings fans who their coach is? Brad Childress is an absolute dope (with a contract extension...oops), and he will lose control of this team by mid-season to a bitter and hobbling Brett Favre. As for the Chicago Bears, the combination of Jay Cutler and Mike Martz will be wildly entertaining and may result in a single season interception record, but they are not built for the playoffs. The Detroit Lions will score points and not do much else. In short, this division will be a 3-ring circus, but the Packers are built to make a deep run.
South: New Orleans Saints. They have Drew Brees, a great head coach in Sean Payton, and a defense that has gone from "opportunistic" last year to legitimately stingy this year. The Atlanta Falcons will hang around, especially with their pack of young defenders improving and a cool customer in Matt Ryan. The Carolina Panthers have such a great trio of playmakers in DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and Steve Smith. But Matt Moore is predictably average (and now has a concussion), and the cries for Jimmy Clausen will magnify the lack of success for this team. And Tampa Bay....oh Tampa Bay. Nice win today?
East: Dallas Cowboys. The division we will surely hear the most about. In the midst of all the Washington Redskin attention, the New York Giants flew mostly under the radar. The Cowboys will ultimately win because of their depth on both sides of the ball, but will not win in the playoffs with poor Wade Phillips running things. The Giants will be right there, with a rebounding defense and the emergence of Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks to help Eli Manning. The Redskins will be entertaining, but won't contend until Mike Shanahan can clear out the players from Dan Snyder's many attempts to buy an NFL super team. As for the Philadelphia Eagles, they showed a lot of grit in their loss to the Packers, but they will end up in the bottom half of the division as Andy Reid deals with too much youth on offense and a headache as the psychotic fans start shouting for Michael Vick.
West: San Francisco 49ers. They looked like absolute garbage against the Seattle Seahawks today, but I believe it was an aberration. Give me Coach Singletary and a defense that will improve on a poor week 1 showing over anything else in this division. I'm not going to waste much time on the other three teams in the division. The honeymoon will be over soon with Pete Carroll in Seattle. I don't have a football reason why - it just can't work out, can it? The Arizona Cardinals are depleted and Derek Anderson, who got released by the BROWNS, is playing quarterback. And I like Sam Bradford, so I am just cheering for him to survive in St. Louis.
Wild card teams: Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. For all the mean things I had to say about Brad Childress and Brett Favre, the defense in Minnesota is nasty and they still have Adrian Peterson (just need somebody to remind Childress of that). The Giants are quietly well rounded and have a good head coach in Tom Coughlin.
How the Playoffs will happen: AFC
Wild card round: Colts over Jets, Texans over Chargers.
Divisional round: Steelers over Texans, Patriots over Colts.
Conference championship: Patriots over Steelers. By my playoff tree, this is the 2 over the 1. It's two teams who seem to be there year after year but are undervalued this season. This just feels like the perfect setting for the Belichick and Brady combo to make another run (Look, I'm not happy about my prediction. I hope I'm wrong. They've both been there before and are not likable. But it's what I think will happen).
How the Playoffs will happen: NFC
Wild card round: Giants over Packers, Vikings over 49ers
Divisional round: Saints over Giants, Cowboys over Vikings
Conference championship: Saints over Cowboys. The two teams with the most talent on both sides of the ball get there as the 1 and 2 seeds. The Saints win because it's Drew Brees and Sean Payton versus Tony Romo and Wade Phillips.
SUPER BOWL!
Saints over Patriots. As everybody but the obnoxious fans in New England cheers for the Saints, they repeat and the best fans in the league get to party once again.
Awards
MVP: Drew Brees
Defensive player of the year: Troy Polamalu
Offensive player of the year: Chris Johnson
Offensive rookie of the year: C.J. Spiller
Defensive rookie of the year: Eric Berry
Coach of the year: Gary Kubiak
Fantasy Football Thoughts
I'll keep it quick, since I'm not a fantasy football expert and there are roughly 50,000 magazines out there with sleepers, busts, etc...
...people are way too excited about Ryan Mathews (RB, San Diego). Yes, LaDainian Tomlinson's skills are declining, but head coach Norv Turner was a big part of the problem because he never figured out how to use him. If he didn't know how to use LT, why should we think he'll know how to use Ryan Mathews...
...Adrian Peterson will still score points, but will continue to suffer from the same problem with Brad Childress, see the ONE carry he had in the 4th quarter of a one-possession game...
...if you're in need of QB help, go get Kyle Orton. Whether the Broncos are bottom dwellers or not, he looks sharp and will score fantasy points...
...if your league overlooked Clinton Portis (RB, Washington), keep an eye on him. There is always the big "if" with his health, but he should be more productive now that he's reunited with Mike Shanahan.
Yes, I realize that most of the slate of games for week 1 has already been completed, but here are my picks for the upcoming NFL season (not tainted by the results today...much)
AFC
North: Pittsburgh Steelers. Big Ben is a gross human being, but his off-season conduct threw everybody off the scent. For some reason, we all stopped talking about their terrifying defense, especially with a healthy Troy Polamalu. They'll do fine to tread water until Ben returns, and even though he's a major scum bag, the guy can play. Give me the Steelers over the over-hyped Baltimore Ravens (not enough defense) and the 'scene-of-inevitable-drama' Cincinnati Bengals in a stacked division. And then there's the Browns...
South: Indianapolis Colts. Lots of excited Houston Texans people today. And rightfully so - they looked tough. More important than Arian Foster's breakout was the play of that defensive front - if Mario Williams and co. rush the passer like that all year, they will stay relevant. Having said all of that, it's still Peyton Manning. The Tennessee Titans will be a tough match-up for anybody, but will ultimately come up short. Jacksonville will be a punching bag (not sure what that says about the Broncos week 1 loss to them...)
East: New England Patriots. Once again, I think a few too many people forgot about them in the midst of the New York Jets off-season adventures. They have a healthy and rich Tom Brady, and while there are some questions about personnel on the defensive side of the ball, Bill Belichick's scheming should prove to be enough. And how excited do we think Belichick is to be the underdog? The Miami Dolphins, a popular sleeper pick, are at least a year away from contending but will be pesky, especially down the stretch. Buffalo Bills: see entry for Jaguars.
West: San Diego Chargers. No homer pick here. The Chargers will win as this division will continue to achieve new heights in mediocrity. I've got everybody in the division between 7 and 9 wins, with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders being moderately improved and the Broncos being about the same. The Chargers won't have the same punch offensively, and will be average on defense, but Philip Rivers should be enough for them to stumble to another division title.
Wild card teams: Houston Texans and New York Jets. Many assume two playoff teams will come out of the north, but I think the Bengals are a collection of talented but mismatched parts and the Ravens won't have enough defense (yes, I said defense), especially with a big question mark about when and if Ed Reed will return to health. The Jets hype is annoying, but that defense with Rex Ryan calling the shots will get them a second wild card berth in a row, and the Texans will finally get over the hump into the playoffs.
NFC
North: Green Bay Packers. I have lots of Minnesota friends who will not be happy with that pick (if they read this), but Aaron Rodgers is a flat out stud, and they have enough playmakers on defense with the likes of Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson to win this division. Also, need I remind any bitter Vikings fans who their coach is? Brad Childress is an absolute dope (with a contract extension...oops), and he will lose control of this team by mid-season to a bitter and hobbling Brett Favre. As for the Chicago Bears, the combination of Jay Cutler and Mike Martz will be wildly entertaining and may result in a single season interception record, but they are not built for the playoffs. The Detroit Lions will score points and not do much else. In short, this division will be a 3-ring circus, but the Packers are built to make a deep run.
South: New Orleans Saints. They have Drew Brees, a great head coach in Sean Payton, and a defense that has gone from "opportunistic" last year to legitimately stingy this year. The Atlanta Falcons will hang around, especially with their pack of young defenders improving and a cool customer in Matt Ryan. The Carolina Panthers have such a great trio of playmakers in DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and Steve Smith. But Matt Moore is predictably average (and now has a concussion), and the cries for Jimmy Clausen will magnify the lack of success for this team. And Tampa Bay....oh Tampa Bay. Nice win today?
East: Dallas Cowboys. The division we will surely hear the most about. In the midst of all the Washington Redskin attention, the New York Giants flew mostly under the radar. The Cowboys will ultimately win because of their depth on both sides of the ball, but will not win in the playoffs with poor Wade Phillips running things. The Giants will be right there, with a rebounding defense and the emergence of Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks to help Eli Manning. The Redskins will be entertaining, but won't contend until Mike Shanahan can clear out the players from Dan Snyder's many attempts to buy an NFL super team. As for the Philadelphia Eagles, they showed a lot of grit in their loss to the Packers, but they will end up in the bottom half of the division as Andy Reid deals with too much youth on offense and a headache as the psychotic fans start shouting for Michael Vick.
West: San Francisco 49ers. They looked like absolute garbage against the Seattle Seahawks today, but I believe it was an aberration. Give me Coach Singletary and a defense that will improve on a poor week 1 showing over anything else in this division. I'm not going to waste much time on the other three teams in the division. The honeymoon will be over soon with Pete Carroll in Seattle. I don't have a football reason why - it just can't work out, can it? The Arizona Cardinals are depleted and Derek Anderson, who got released by the BROWNS, is playing quarterback. And I like Sam Bradford, so I am just cheering for him to survive in St. Louis.
Wild card teams: Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. For all the mean things I had to say about Brad Childress and Brett Favre, the defense in Minnesota is nasty and they still have Adrian Peterson (just need somebody to remind Childress of that). The Giants are quietly well rounded and have a good head coach in Tom Coughlin.
How the Playoffs will happen: AFC
Wild card round: Colts over Jets, Texans over Chargers.
Divisional round: Steelers over Texans, Patriots over Colts.
Conference championship: Patriots over Steelers. By my playoff tree, this is the 2 over the 1. It's two teams who seem to be there year after year but are undervalued this season. This just feels like the perfect setting for the Belichick and Brady combo to make another run (Look, I'm not happy about my prediction. I hope I'm wrong. They've both been there before and are not likable. But it's what I think will happen).
How the Playoffs will happen: NFC
Wild card round: Giants over Packers, Vikings over 49ers
Divisional round: Saints over Giants, Cowboys over Vikings
Conference championship: Saints over Cowboys. The two teams with the most talent on both sides of the ball get there as the 1 and 2 seeds. The Saints win because it's Drew Brees and Sean Payton versus Tony Romo and Wade Phillips.
SUPER BOWL!
Saints over Patriots. As everybody but the obnoxious fans in New England cheers for the Saints, they repeat and the best fans in the league get to party once again.
Awards
MVP: Drew Brees
Defensive player of the year: Troy Polamalu
Offensive player of the year: Chris Johnson
Offensive rookie of the year: C.J. Spiller
Defensive rookie of the year: Eric Berry
Coach of the year: Gary Kubiak
Fantasy Football Thoughts
I'll keep it quick, since I'm not a fantasy football expert and there are roughly 50,000 magazines out there with sleepers, busts, etc...
...people are way too excited about Ryan Mathews (RB, San Diego). Yes, LaDainian Tomlinson's skills are declining, but head coach Norv Turner was a big part of the problem because he never figured out how to use him. If he didn't know how to use LT, why should we think he'll know how to use Ryan Mathews...
...Adrian Peterson will still score points, but will continue to suffer from the same problem with Brad Childress, see the ONE carry he had in the 4th quarter of a one-possession game...
...if you're in need of QB help, go get Kyle Orton. Whether the Broncos are bottom dwellers or not, he looks sharp and will score fantasy points...
...if your league overlooked Clinton Portis (RB, Washington), keep an eye on him. There is always the big "if" with his health, but he should be more productive now that he's reunited with Mike Shanahan.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Rockies Week in Review (8/16-8/22)
What happened:
Another underwhelming road trip, as the Rockies went 2-4 for the week. The offense continued to make pedestrian starters look like all stars, striking out too much and leaving runners on base. They played 6 road games and scored 8 runs total.
What went right:
1. Eric Young Jr. and Dexter Fowler were consistently on base and disrupting opposing pitchers. E.Y. did a nice job of working the count and making good contact, and Dexter's situational hitting was outstanding. He moved E.Y. from 2nd to 3rd more than once by pushing the ball to the right side of the field, then took advantage of an RBI opportunity to drive in the winning run today against Arizona. They also both shined defensively, each with plays that appeared as 'Web gems.' If they can sustain their production, it should give the rest of the hitters plenty of chances to work out of their respective funks.
2. The starting pitching was mostly solid once again, leaving the Rockies with plenty of chances to win close, low-scoring games in Los Angeles and Arizona. Jorge De La Rosa was a tough luck loser when the team was shut out by Ted Lilly and Ubaldo Jimenez once again pitched well but could not get the required help to get his 18th win. Esmil Rogers ended up with a no decision after working a career high 6.2 innings and striking out a career high 6 batters on Friday night, and Jhoulys Chacin rounded out the week with a gem, pitching 8 shutout innings. If Chacin and Rogers can continue to eat up innings, they can be difference makers. Chacin especially can have an impact for a team needing a jolt; when he has his fastball command, he has devastating swing-and-miss stuff. Here's the game summary from Sunday's victory.
What went wrong:
1. The Rockies continue to be pathetic on the road. Their record away from Coors Field now stands at 25-40. With only 16 road games remaining, they would have to run the table to finish above .500 on the road. We can still hold out hope for a big run, but it's hard to imagine a playoff team that plays below .500, and for that matter well below .500, in away games. The hitters strike out way too much in general, but especially on the road. See the 11 strikeouts against Ted Lilly, a good but not overpowering pitcher, or the 9 strikeouts recorded by Daniel Hudson, an unproven pitcher. Even Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki got in on the mediocrity, stranding Eric Young Jr. on 3rd with less than two outs twice in the same game Tuesday night.
2. Huston Street. It's now just a matter of trying to find different ways to say the same thing: he is in a bad place. In the heartbreaking loss Friday night, Street's inability to put hitters away was magnified. He had 2 strikes on every hitter, including Miguel Montero when he hit the game tying 2-run double. Street did record the save in today's victory, but it is hard to understand how a pitcher can continue to work ahead 0-2 and 1-2, placing all the pressure on the hitter, and still surrender crucial hits and walks. Going into Sunday's appearance, Street's ERA in August was 7.83. Jim Tracy insists Street will stay the closer.
What's next:
A 6 game homestand, with the Braves in town for 3 games followed by the Dodgers over the weekend. The stumbling offense faces tough tests early in the week, with Cy Young hopeful Tim Hudson going Monday and Derek Lowe Tuesday for Atlanta.
Division update:
San Diego Padres - They continue to show they belong in first place. The Padres started the week with a 4 game sweep in Wrigley Field against the Cubs, and salvaged one game against the pesky Brewers to go 5-2 for the week. They will take their 6 game division lead home for 3 games against the Diamondbacks and an engaging weekend match-up with the Philadelphia Phillies.
San Francisco Giants - The Gigantes got bloodied up a bit this week, dropping road series against the Phillies and the Cardinals. They were able to mostly tread water, as they now sit 2 games back in the wild card, but the gap between them and the first place Padres looks more and more daunting by the day. Perhaps most concerning was the struggles of their rotation's big 3: Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito, and Matt Cain went a combined 0-4. The Giants come home for a tough 3 game series against the first place Cincinnati Reds followed by 3 at home against the Diamondbacks.
For what it's worth, the Rockies sit 11 back of the Padres (it's about time to call that out of reach) and 7 back of the wild card leading Phillies.
Other thoughts...
...is Clint Barmes next? The Rockies have not waived the white flag (yet), but they certainly appear to be transitioning the focus to getting their younger players experience. With Jonathan Herrera taking the roster spot vacated by Randy Flores, it is worth watching whether the Rockies bring up another arm. Fans might have to suffer through more Franklin Morales adventures if the team falls any further out of contention, and with Barmes being a veteran guy who could help teams at SS and 2B, he would seem to be the natural fit to make space. It would also free up at-bats for both E.Y. Jr. and Herrera. Troy Renck points to the Cardinals and Braves as teams that would be a fit. @TroyRenck: As I write in blog, teams like Braves and Cards waiting for Barmes to be placed on waivers. He could get claimed and traded. No doubt
...it will be a lot easier to cheer for Brad Hawpe if he lands somewhere like the Texas Rangers. It's a team with fun personalities, including Clint Hurdle as the hitting coach. Also, they are far away from any conflict of interest for Rockies fans. The idea of Hawpe on the Phillies or Giants is hard to stomach. Maybe the Padres would be OK...
...if the Rockies are going to make another Rocktober type run, it will be riding the momentum of Jason Giambi's mustache. That is a professional 'stache. If I was his teammate, I would be inspired.
...no more tantrums? It's hard to get a read on Lou Piniella's status, as he says he is now retired after the Cubs got blown up 16-5 by the Atlanta Braves. It feels a bit like he's not necessarily done for good and is just running out of a burning building, but I have no evidence to back that theory. Regardless, enjoy this shot of a classic ejection in honor of Lou.
The week's links
http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_15782965?source=rss
http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_15854094
http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=col
http://twitter.com/EYJr
Another underwhelming road trip, as the Rockies went 2-4 for the week. The offense continued to make pedestrian starters look like all stars, striking out too much and leaving runners on base. They played 6 road games and scored 8 runs total.
What went right:
1. Eric Young Jr. and Dexter Fowler were consistently on base and disrupting opposing pitchers. E.Y. did a nice job of working the count and making good contact, and Dexter's situational hitting was outstanding. He moved E.Y. from 2nd to 3rd more than once by pushing the ball to the right side of the field, then took advantage of an RBI opportunity to drive in the winning run today against Arizona. They also both shined defensively, each with plays that appeared as 'Web gems.' If they can sustain their production, it should give the rest of the hitters plenty of chances to work out of their respective funks.
2. The starting pitching was mostly solid once again, leaving the Rockies with plenty of chances to win close, low-scoring games in Los Angeles and Arizona. Jorge De La Rosa was a tough luck loser when the team was shut out by Ted Lilly and Ubaldo Jimenez once again pitched well but could not get the required help to get his 18th win. Esmil Rogers ended up with a no decision after working a career high 6.2 innings and striking out a career high 6 batters on Friday night, and Jhoulys Chacin rounded out the week with a gem, pitching 8 shutout innings. If Chacin and Rogers can continue to eat up innings, they can be difference makers. Chacin especially can have an impact for a team needing a jolt; when he has his fastball command, he has devastating swing-and-miss stuff. Here's the game summary from Sunday's victory.
 |
| The Rockies will come home hoping to string together wins. |
1. The Rockies continue to be pathetic on the road. Their record away from Coors Field now stands at 25-40. With only 16 road games remaining, they would have to run the table to finish above .500 on the road. We can still hold out hope for a big run, but it's hard to imagine a playoff team that plays below .500, and for that matter well below .500, in away games. The hitters strike out way too much in general, but especially on the road. See the 11 strikeouts against Ted Lilly, a good but not overpowering pitcher, or the 9 strikeouts recorded by Daniel Hudson, an unproven pitcher. Even Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki got in on the mediocrity, stranding Eric Young Jr. on 3rd with less than two outs twice in the same game Tuesday night.
2. Huston Street. It's now just a matter of trying to find different ways to say the same thing: he is in a bad place. In the heartbreaking loss Friday night, Street's inability to put hitters away was magnified. He had 2 strikes on every hitter, including Miguel Montero when he hit the game tying 2-run double. Street did record the save in today's victory, but it is hard to understand how a pitcher can continue to work ahead 0-2 and 1-2, placing all the pressure on the hitter, and still surrender crucial hits and walks. Going into Sunday's appearance, Street's ERA in August was 7.83. Jim Tracy insists Street will stay the closer.
What's next:
A 6 game homestand, with the Braves in town for 3 games followed by the Dodgers over the weekend. The stumbling offense faces tough tests early in the week, with Cy Young hopeful Tim Hudson going Monday and Derek Lowe Tuesday for Atlanta.
Division update:
San Diego Padres - They continue to show they belong in first place. The Padres started the week with a 4 game sweep in Wrigley Field against the Cubs, and salvaged one game against the pesky Brewers to go 5-2 for the week. They will take their 6 game division lead home for 3 games against the Diamondbacks and an engaging weekend match-up with the Philadelphia Phillies.
San Francisco Giants - The Gigantes got bloodied up a bit this week, dropping road series against the Phillies and the Cardinals. They were able to mostly tread water, as they now sit 2 games back in the wild card, but the gap between them and the first place Padres looks more and more daunting by the day. Perhaps most concerning was the struggles of their rotation's big 3: Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito, and Matt Cain went a combined 0-4. The Giants come home for a tough 3 game series against the first place Cincinnati Reds followed by 3 at home against the Diamondbacks.
For what it's worth, the Rockies sit 11 back of the Padres (it's about time to call that out of reach) and 7 back of the wild card leading Phillies.
Other thoughts...
...is Clint Barmes next? The Rockies have not waived the white flag (yet), but they certainly appear to be transitioning the focus to getting their younger players experience. With Jonathan Herrera taking the roster spot vacated by Randy Flores, it is worth watching whether the Rockies bring up another arm. Fans might have to suffer through more Franklin Morales adventures if the team falls any further out of contention, and with Barmes being a veteran guy who could help teams at SS and 2B, he would seem to be the natural fit to make space. It would also free up at-bats for both E.Y. Jr. and Herrera. Troy Renck points to the Cardinals and Braves as teams that would be a fit. @TroyRenck: As I write in blog, teams like Braves and Cards waiting for Barmes to be placed on waivers. He could get claimed and traded. No doubt
...it will be a lot easier to cheer for Brad Hawpe if he lands somewhere like the Texas Rangers. It's a team with fun personalities, including Clint Hurdle as the hitting coach. Also, they are far away from any conflict of interest for Rockies fans. The idea of Hawpe on the Phillies or Giants is hard to stomach. Maybe the Padres would be OK...
...if the Rockies are going to make another Rocktober type run, it will be riding the momentum of Jason Giambi's mustache. That is a professional 'stache. If I was his teammate, I would be inspired.
...no more tantrums? It's hard to get a read on Lou Piniella's status, as he says he is now retired after the Cubs got blown up 16-5 by the Atlanta Braves. It feels a bit like he's not necessarily done for good and is just running out of a burning building, but I have no evidence to back that theory. Regardless, enjoy this shot of a classic ejection in honor of Lou.
 |
| Farewell, Randy Flores. You won't be missed. |
http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_15782965?source=rss
http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_15854094
http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=col
http://twitter.com/EYJr
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thursday Tidbits 8/19/10
A Quote
Recently, LeBron James said he was taking note of anybody who "took shots at him." As it often happens, Charles Barkley said what it seems a lot of people were thinking (quoted here in the Huffington Post):
"I want him to make sure he puts my name on that list. I thought that his little one hour special was a punk move."
Charles also called the WWE-esque introduction of the Miami Heat's big three a "punk move." This is refreshing because others who covered this saga, especially ESPN, have not been straight-forward with their criticism of LeBron. They will happily acknowledge that the one hour special "The Decision" was not the best way to handle things, but they will not call it what it is: a punk move. It seems to me that they don't want to be that blunt with their comments because they have a stake in James. He is constantly going to be the story, so they want to play nice so that he does not shut them out later.
It's the same reason they tiptoe when they criticize Tiger Woods or Brett Favre. It's not that they say only positive things about these figures; however, they leave themselves a significant buffer by using blanket statements and vague criticisms. So hat's off to Sir Charles. He may step in it now and then with his mouth, but he got this one right.
A Video
Eric Young Jr. made a sweet play Wednesday night, and showed us the excitement that he can bring with his athleticism and speed. The time may be coming soon where we watch the Rockies for these flashes from the organization's young players, as the playoffs look all but out of reach. Check out E.Y.'s play here: Behind the back.
A Photo
Oh, Roger. Mr. Clemens was indicted for allegedly lying to Congress when he testified in 2008. But he seemed so sincere when he said, "Let me be clear. I have never taken steroids or HGH." He had to be telling the truth, right? Regardless of the outcome, he's a slimy guy and now we all see him as such. Here's a fitting picture of Clemens, courtesy of SI.com. Also, here is their full Clemens story.
A Tweet
Courtesy of the Dan Patrick show: @dpshow: Which do you believe was a last minute decision...LeBron choosing to take his talents to Miami or Favre taking his cargo shorts to Minnesota
If you want intelligent talk from guys who always remember that sports are supposed to be fun, tune into the DP show. They're the best show going.
Recently, LeBron James said he was taking note of anybody who "took shots at him." As it often happens, Charles Barkley said what it seems a lot of people were thinking (quoted here in the Huffington Post):
"I want him to make sure he puts my name on that list. I thought that his little one hour special was a punk move."
Charles also called the WWE-esque introduction of the Miami Heat's big three a "punk move." This is refreshing because others who covered this saga, especially ESPN, have not been straight-forward with their criticism of LeBron. They will happily acknowledge that the one hour special "The Decision" was not the best way to handle things, but they will not call it what it is: a punk move. It seems to me that they don't want to be that blunt with their comments because they have a stake in James. He is constantly going to be the story, so they want to play nice so that he does not shut them out later.
It's the same reason they tiptoe when they criticize Tiger Woods or Brett Favre. It's not that they say only positive things about these figures; however, they leave themselves a significant buffer by using blanket statements and vague criticisms. So hat's off to Sir Charles. He may step in it now and then with his mouth, but he got this one right.
A Video
Eric Young Jr. made a sweet play Wednesday night, and showed us the excitement that he can bring with his athleticism and speed. The time may be coming soon where we watch the Rockies for these flashes from the organization's young players, as the playoffs look all but out of reach. Check out E.Y.'s play here: Behind the back.
A Photo
Oh, Roger. Mr. Clemens was indicted for allegedly lying to Congress when he testified in 2008. But he seemed so sincere when he said, "Let me be clear. I have never taken steroids or HGH." He had to be telling the truth, right? Regardless of the outcome, he's a slimy guy and now we all see him as such. Here's a fitting picture of Clemens, courtesy of SI.com. Also, here is their full Clemens story.
A Tweet
Courtesy of the Dan Patrick show: @dpshow: Which do you believe was a last minute decision...LeBron choosing to take his talents to Miami or Favre taking his cargo shorts to Minnesota
If you want intelligent talk from guys who always remember that sports are supposed to be fun, tune into the DP show. They're the best show going.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A welcome change from Coach McDaniels
As the cries to fire Josh McDaniels added up last year, one of the big criticisms was that he was trying to be Bill Belichick Jr. These observations were valid ones; presumably Josh had seen Bill Belichick's methods work in New England, and tried to bring all of it with him. As Broncos fans, we should be happy to see some of these similarities.
While the results have not come yet, we should be happy that McDaniels looks for "system" players, who have good attitudes and play for the team first. Tom Brady and a bunch of no-names won three rings, and meanwhile the Cowboys are always entertaining but have no recent results to show for it. As hard as it was to stomach at times, McDaniels has been very consistent in showing that no player is bigger than the team, and if one thinks he's bigger than the team, he's gone. Not everybody agrees, but to many analysts, coaches, etc, that is the way to win in today's NFL. Hopefully McDaniels finds some success with those methods that he learned in New England.
It's all the other Belichick stuff that needed to go. It was the secrecy of injuries, simply listing a player as out with a "lower extremity" or "upper extremity" injury. It was all the short, curt "I don't know" or "I can't comment on that situation" answers. It was interrupting reporters, talking to them like they were stupid, and guarding every last bit of information to seemingly not give anything away to other teams. That was how he truly alienated himself from fans and reporters. Bill Belichick gets a pass for being a jerk because he's a "genius" and he's just kind of quirky. Nobody else is going to get that pass, and it was extra frustrating from McDaniels because you got the sense it wasn't who he really is. One example of this was his interview after a Brandon Marshall dust-up last training camp. He blitzes reporters with "I don't know" answers, and even says to one, "even if I did (know), I wouldn't tell you." McDaniels interview 8/2/09.
Now McDaniels seems to be showing some of his own, genuine personality. It is a welcome change, and he may prove to be an engaging coach when he's himself. We saw somewhat of a transition out of the Belichick Jr. behavior when he celebrated a victory over the Patriots last season by pumping his fist up and down the sidelines and high-fiving fans. As training camp continues this year, McDaniels is much more open and candid, and in doing so, he is not completely shutting out reporters and fans. In this interview after yesterday's practice, he explained that special teams coverage would be a point of emphasis in the coming practices because of the over pursuit in the Bengals preseason game. He then went through the wide receivers, referring to each by name, and said what they do best. McDaniels described Jabar Gaffney as crisp and efficient, Brandon Lloyd as smoothe and sneaky fast (if you say so, Josh) and Eddie Royal as great in the slot and quick. What is perhaps the most noteworthy is that he has ditched the "what a stupid question" tone in his answers.
To compare, Bill Belichick gave this interview after a recent Patriots practice. To be fair, he is much more friendly with the local media than he is national reporters in interviews we see on ESPN during the season. But the answers are still blanket answers that make the reporter look stupid for asking in the first place. When asked about an emphasis in practice, Belichick cut off the reporter and said "Just trying to get better. Every phase of the game." He later answered a question about Wes Welker, who is coming off a very serious knee injury, by simply saying "Wes is here. Yep. Wes is here."
There are those of us who have always been on the Josh McDaniels bandwagon. For others, there have been a number of reasons to shout, join facebook groups or create websites about why McDaniels should be shown the door. Whether those fans are right that McDaniels is a bad coach remains to be seen (one season isn't enough. Sorry). Regardless of where you stand on McDaniels with x's and o's, we should all find his departure from the Bill Belichick persona refreshing. Now he just needs to lose that hoodie.
Please just trade him
Here's hoping the Nuggets don't let themselves get jerked around by Carmelo Anthony like the Raptors and Cavaliers just did by Chris Bosh and Lebron James. The Cavs were especially naive in thinking that one great season with a run at the title would persuade Lebron to stay. He clearly was going to take his talents to South Beach all along. If Carmelo does not sign his extension, and if he starts giving the same elusive answers we saw from the free agents of this past summer, he's gone. He's an east coast boy and it appears he has always wanted to move closer to home. If he plays out this last season in Denver before his free agency summer, it does not matter how far the Nuggets go; he will leave. And by the way, this Nuggets team is not going anywhere. Al Harrington doesn't answer any questions unless you're asking "who else can we get who shoots first and worries about defense and rebounding later (or never)?"
None of us should be fooled by Carmelo's half answers. These guys are PR saavy enough to know that they cannot say outright "I'm leaving." Anything short of 'Melo signing his extension and saying "I'm a Nugget for life" means he's gone, sooner or later. So please, make it sooner and get something for him.
Favre Watch!
Not. He's back. Whatever.
Links to good reads around the Web
1. Don't be fooled by Ric Bucher. He may have "confirmed" the rumblings about Carmelo Anthony, but Chris Dempsey had the story first for the Denver Post: http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_15790008
2. Mark Kiszla on how the Nuggets should approach the 'Melo situation: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_15800179
3. Dave Krieger with another Carmelo take (hey, it's the news in CO right now): http://www.denverpost.com/krieger/ci_15810611
4. Tom Verducci says that Josh Hamilton is the best all-around player...since Mickey Mantle (!): http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/08/17/josh.hamilton/index.html
5. Jeff Passan from Yahoo! on concussions: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AqpoSN2MIVcRiVq_8hyQnZ45nYcB?slug=jp-concussions081710
While the results have not come yet, we should be happy that McDaniels looks for "system" players, who have good attitudes and play for the team first. Tom Brady and a bunch of no-names won three rings, and meanwhile the Cowboys are always entertaining but have no recent results to show for it. As hard as it was to stomach at times, McDaniels has been very consistent in showing that no player is bigger than the team, and if one thinks he's bigger than the team, he's gone. Not everybody agrees, but to many analysts, coaches, etc, that is the way to win in today's NFL. Hopefully McDaniels finds some success with those methods that he learned in New England.
It's all the other Belichick stuff that needed to go. It was the secrecy of injuries, simply listing a player as out with a "lower extremity" or "upper extremity" injury. It was all the short, curt "I don't know" or "I can't comment on that situation" answers. It was interrupting reporters, talking to them like they were stupid, and guarding every last bit of information to seemingly not give anything away to other teams. That was how he truly alienated himself from fans and reporters. Bill Belichick gets a pass for being a jerk because he's a "genius" and he's just kind of quirky. Nobody else is going to get that pass, and it was extra frustrating from McDaniels because you got the sense it wasn't who he really is. One example of this was his interview after a Brandon Marshall dust-up last training camp. He blitzes reporters with "I don't know" answers, and even says to one, "even if I did (know), I wouldn't tell you." McDaniels interview 8/2/09.
Now McDaniels seems to be showing some of his own, genuine personality. It is a welcome change, and he may prove to be an engaging coach when he's himself. We saw somewhat of a transition out of the Belichick Jr. behavior when he celebrated a victory over the Patriots last season by pumping his fist up and down the sidelines and high-fiving fans. As training camp continues this year, McDaniels is much more open and candid, and in doing so, he is not completely shutting out reporters and fans. In this interview after yesterday's practice, he explained that special teams coverage would be a point of emphasis in the coming practices because of the over pursuit in the Bengals preseason game. He then went through the wide receivers, referring to each by name, and said what they do best. McDaniels described Jabar Gaffney as crisp and efficient, Brandon Lloyd as smoothe and sneaky fast (if you say so, Josh) and Eddie Royal as great in the slot and quick. What is perhaps the most noteworthy is that he has ditched the "what a stupid question" tone in his answers.
To compare, Bill Belichick gave this interview after a recent Patriots practice. To be fair, he is much more friendly with the local media than he is national reporters in interviews we see on ESPN during the season. But the answers are still blanket answers that make the reporter look stupid for asking in the first place. When asked about an emphasis in practice, Belichick cut off the reporter and said "Just trying to get better. Every phase of the game." He later answered a question about Wes Welker, who is coming off a very serious knee injury, by simply saying "Wes is here. Yep. Wes is here."
There are those of us who have always been on the Josh McDaniels bandwagon. For others, there have been a number of reasons to shout, join facebook groups or create websites about why McDaniels should be shown the door. Whether those fans are right that McDaniels is a bad coach remains to be seen (one season isn't enough. Sorry). Regardless of where you stand on McDaniels with x's and o's, we should all find his departure from the Bill Belichick persona refreshing. Now he just needs to lose that hoodie.
Please just trade him
Here's hoping the Nuggets don't let themselves get jerked around by Carmelo Anthony like the Raptors and Cavaliers just did by Chris Bosh and Lebron James. The Cavs were especially naive in thinking that one great season with a run at the title would persuade Lebron to stay. He clearly was going to take his talents to South Beach all along. If Carmelo does not sign his extension, and if he starts giving the same elusive answers we saw from the free agents of this past summer, he's gone. He's an east coast boy and it appears he has always wanted to move closer to home. If he plays out this last season in Denver before his free agency summer, it does not matter how far the Nuggets go; he will leave. And by the way, this Nuggets team is not going anywhere. Al Harrington doesn't answer any questions unless you're asking "who else can we get who shoots first and worries about defense and rebounding later (or never)?"
None of us should be fooled by Carmelo's half answers. These guys are PR saavy enough to know that they cannot say outright "I'm leaving." Anything short of 'Melo signing his extension and saying "I'm a Nugget for life" means he's gone, sooner or later. So please, make it sooner and get something for him.
Favre Watch!
Not. He's back. Whatever.
Links to good reads around the Web
1. Don't be fooled by Ric Bucher. He may have "confirmed" the rumblings about Carmelo Anthony, but Chris Dempsey had the story first for the Denver Post: http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_15790008
2. Mark Kiszla on how the Nuggets should approach the 'Melo situation: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_15800179
3. Dave Krieger with another Carmelo take (hey, it's the news in CO right now): http://www.denverpost.com/krieger/ci_15810611
4. Tom Verducci says that Josh Hamilton is the best all-around player...since Mickey Mantle (!): http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/08/17/josh.hamilton/index.html
5. Jeff Passan from Yahoo! on concussions: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AqpoSN2MIVcRiVq_8hyQnZ45nYcB?slug=jp-concussions081710
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Rockies Week in Review (8/9-8/15)
What happened:
The offense continued to disappoint on the road, and the team had to scratch out a series win against the Brewers at home for a 3-3 mark on the week.
What went right:
1. Starting Pitching. It was not by any means dominant, but the starters kept the Rockies in every game. Of their three losses, two were by one run and the other was a 4-0 shutout at the hands of a brilliant Johan Santana. Jim Tracy recently pointed to the starting staff as a part of the team that must be more consistent (article by Jim Armstrong in the Denver Post), but if their job is to give the team a chance to win, they were solid for the week that just passed. Their efforts were book-ended by two brilliant outings from Ubaldo Jimenez. Sadly, neither start got him a franchise record 18th win.
2. Tulo. For the second week in a row, Tulo raked from the clean-up spot and continued to thrive batting behind CarGo. One could argue that he single-handedly salvaged the week for the club; his 3-run home run in the 8th inning off Kameron Loe on Friday night was the difference in a 5-4 victory, and he had a walk-off single to bail out Clint Barmes and Huston Street on Sunday (more on this later).
3. Rafael Betancourt and Matt Belisle. The duo of set-up men combined for 0 earned runs for the week, all in high pressure appearances. Belisle's only run was unearned, and Betancourt worked a scoreless week. Betancourt came up especially big on Sunday, striking out Ryan Braun with men on the corners to end a disastrous top of the 9th and set up Tulo's walk-off single.
What went wrong:
1. Huston Street. Again. His command issues continue, and he has become a real question mark as time continues to run out on the Rox. He was the losing pitcher in the 10 inning loss to the Brewers, and was a train wreck again on Sunday. To run down the series of events: Dexter Fowler robbed Chris Dickerson of a home run to lead off the inning with a loud out. Huston then had 2 outs and a 1-2 count on George Kottaras (.195 BA) and surrendered a single. With 2 strikes on former Sky Sox great Craig Counsell, he issued a walk. With 2 strikes on Ricky Weeks, he hit him. Street appeared to be out of the inning when Clint Barmes inexplicably missed a fly ball. But the point is this: with all of those 2 strike counts, they should never have been in that position in the first place. He has no command and cannot put away hitters. It's easy to say the Rockies need to make a change at closer; it's a lot harder to say who, because seemingly everybody tried to close games and failed when Street was on the DL.
2. Road offense: Mike Pelfrey had allowed 5 runs in consecutive starts and was almost pulled from the Mets rotation before his start against the Rockies Tuesday night. He outdueled Ubaldo and threw 7 shut-out innings. Johan Santana had a filthy change-up on Thursday afternoon, so it's harder to be critical of that hapless offensive effort. However, the Rockies scored 6 runs the entire Mets series, all in two innings Wednesday night. That is, quite frankly, pathetic.
3. Seth Smith. He is hitless in August, so this is more an observation of his month than this week alone. His struggles against left handed pitching are becoming more glaring, and his lack of production has led to a series of starts for Ryan Spilborghs and even one in left field for Eric Young, Jr.
What's next:
The Rockies head west to play three at the Dodgers, a thought that should make any fan cringe since they seemingly never score when they play at Chavez Ravine. They then travel to Arizona to play 3 at the Diamondbacks. At this point in this season, they must win both series to stay relevant.
Division update:
San Diego Padres - Their torrid play continued, as they swept the Pirates and took 2 of 3 at the Giants. Remember how huge it was for the Rockies that all 5 starters finished with 10 wins or more a year ago? The Padres are mirroring that success, with Kevin Correia winning his 10th and Wade LeBlanc sitting at a somewhat misleading 7-10 (3.46 ERA) and still having a realistic chance at 10. The Fathers play 4 at the Cubs (already won the opener) followed by 3 at the Brewers. They are 4 games up in the division and have a chance to run and hide this week.
San Francisco Giants - They took 3 of 4 from the Cubs and dropped 2 of 3 to the Padres, leaving them 4-3 on their homestand. Maybe Jonathan Sanchez should keep his mouth shut next time. His smack talking ("...we're going to beat them three times. If we get first place, we're not going to look back") did not appear to provide any kind of spark for the Giants, and the Padres continued to quietly win games and play good baseball. The Giants were active in acquiring help for the stretch run as they added middle infielder Mike Fontenot and troublesome slugger Jose Guillen. The Gigantes head out on a brutal road trip this week, playing 3 at Philadelphia and 3 at the Cardinals. They are currently in a 3 way jostle for the wild card with the Phillies and Cardinals, so their games this week are huge.
The Rockies sit a staggering 9 games back of the Padres in the division and 5 back of the bunch at the top of the wild card standings.
Other thoughts...
...what about Jonathan Herrera? Eric Young Jr. is going to get a long look as lead-off hitter to try and spark the offense as the team embarks on its road trip. Clearly the difference here is E.Y.'s game-changing, electric speed. But Jonny still seems to have been slighted, as he was a consistent contact hitter on a team that continues to strike out too much.
...for now, the roles of the Rockies catchers need to be reversed. Miguel Olivo, to a fan's eye, looks so uncomfortable at the plate that it's uncomfortable to watch. Iannetta, for now, is a steadier presence who works longer at-bats, and he came up with two situational RBI's this week: a sacrifice fly on Wednesday night and a hard groundball on Saturday night. We aren't going to pretend those are season changing moments, but they are the kind of situational at-bats this team needs if they're going to score more runs on the road.
...it will be sad to see Brad Hawpe go, but it's time. The Rockies placed him on waivers, where he will presumably go unclaimed. Whether they work a trade for him now or buy him out in the offseason (rather than pick up his $10 million club option), he seems to be on his way out. Fans who remember his heroics during Rocktober and at stretches last year cannot help but feel an attachment to Hawpe. But 7 home runs and 37 RBI's from a guy who plays power positions won't cut it.
...tune into Clemson football this year. The Rockies agreed to terms with Kyle Parker, the Clemson QB, who will still play for the Tigers this season. So watch to cheer for his success and for an injury-free season. The terms of the contract do protect the Rockies if he injures himself playing football. Parker is not considered a "can't miss" prospect, but he may be able to bring some much needed power in the years to come. They drafted him in the first round for a reason...right?
The week's links
http://www.denverpost.com/rockies?source=nav_ins_sports
http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/clem-m-footbl-body.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/col/schedule
http://twitter.com/TracyRingolsby
http://www.insidetherockies.com/category/write-em-cowboy/
The offense continued to disappoint on the road, and the team had to scratch out a series win against the Brewers at home for a 3-3 mark on the week.
What went right:
1. Starting Pitching. It was not by any means dominant, but the starters kept the Rockies in every game. Of their three losses, two were by one run and the other was a 4-0 shutout at the hands of a brilliant Johan Santana. Jim Tracy recently pointed to the starting staff as a part of the team that must be more consistent (article by Jim Armstrong in the Denver Post), but if their job is to give the team a chance to win, they were solid for the week that just passed. Their efforts were book-ended by two brilliant outings from Ubaldo Jimenez. Sadly, neither start got him a franchise record 18th win.
2. Tulo. For the second week in a row, Tulo raked from the clean-up spot and continued to thrive batting behind CarGo. One could argue that he single-handedly salvaged the week for the club; his 3-run home run in the 8th inning off Kameron Loe on Friday night was the difference in a 5-4 victory, and he had a walk-off single to bail out Clint Barmes and Huston Street on Sunday (more on this later).
3. Rafael Betancourt and Matt Belisle. The duo of set-up men combined for 0 earned runs for the week, all in high pressure appearances. Belisle's only run was unearned, and Betancourt worked a scoreless week. Betancourt came up especially big on Sunday, striking out Ryan Braun with men on the corners to end a disastrous top of the 9th and set up Tulo's walk-off single.
What went wrong:
1. Huston Street. Again. His command issues continue, and he has become a real question mark as time continues to run out on the Rox. He was the losing pitcher in the 10 inning loss to the Brewers, and was a train wreck again on Sunday. To run down the series of events: Dexter Fowler robbed Chris Dickerson of a home run to lead off the inning with a loud out. Huston then had 2 outs and a 1-2 count on George Kottaras (.195 BA) and surrendered a single. With 2 strikes on former Sky Sox great Craig Counsell, he issued a walk. With 2 strikes on Ricky Weeks, he hit him. Street appeared to be out of the inning when Clint Barmes inexplicably missed a fly ball. But the point is this: with all of those 2 strike counts, they should never have been in that position in the first place. He has no command and cannot put away hitters. It's easy to say the Rockies need to make a change at closer; it's a lot harder to say who, because seemingly everybody tried to close games and failed when Street was on the DL.
2. Road offense: Mike Pelfrey had allowed 5 runs in consecutive starts and was almost pulled from the Mets rotation before his start against the Rockies Tuesday night. He outdueled Ubaldo and threw 7 shut-out innings. Johan Santana had a filthy change-up on Thursday afternoon, so it's harder to be critical of that hapless offensive effort. However, the Rockies scored 6 runs the entire Mets series, all in two innings Wednesday night. That is, quite frankly, pathetic.
3. Seth Smith. He is hitless in August, so this is more an observation of his month than this week alone. His struggles against left handed pitching are becoming more glaring, and his lack of production has led to a series of starts for Ryan Spilborghs and even one in left field for Eric Young, Jr.
What's next:
The Rockies head west to play three at the Dodgers, a thought that should make any fan cringe since they seemingly never score when they play at Chavez Ravine. They then travel to Arizona to play 3 at the Diamondbacks. At this point in this season, they must win both series to stay relevant.
Division update:
San Diego Padres - Their torrid play continued, as they swept the Pirates and took 2 of 3 at the Giants. Remember how huge it was for the Rockies that all 5 starters finished with 10 wins or more a year ago? The Padres are mirroring that success, with Kevin Correia winning his 10th and Wade LeBlanc sitting at a somewhat misleading 7-10 (3.46 ERA) and still having a realistic chance at 10. The Fathers play 4 at the Cubs (already won the opener) followed by 3 at the Brewers. They are 4 games up in the division and have a chance to run and hide this week.
San Francisco Giants - They took 3 of 4 from the Cubs and dropped 2 of 3 to the Padres, leaving them 4-3 on their homestand. Maybe Jonathan Sanchez should keep his mouth shut next time. His smack talking ("...we're going to beat them three times. If we get first place, we're not going to look back") did not appear to provide any kind of spark for the Giants, and the Padres continued to quietly win games and play good baseball. The Giants were active in acquiring help for the stretch run as they added middle infielder Mike Fontenot and troublesome slugger Jose Guillen. The Gigantes head out on a brutal road trip this week, playing 3 at Philadelphia and 3 at the Cardinals. They are currently in a 3 way jostle for the wild card with the Phillies and Cardinals, so their games this week are huge.
The Rockies sit a staggering 9 games back of the Padres in the division and 5 back of the bunch at the top of the wild card standings.
Other thoughts...
...what about Jonathan Herrera? Eric Young Jr. is going to get a long look as lead-off hitter to try and spark the offense as the team embarks on its road trip. Clearly the difference here is E.Y.'s game-changing, electric speed. But Jonny still seems to have been slighted, as he was a consistent contact hitter on a team that continues to strike out too much.
...for now, the roles of the Rockies catchers need to be reversed. Miguel Olivo, to a fan's eye, looks so uncomfortable at the plate that it's uncomfortable to watch. Iannetta, for now, is a steadier presence who works longer at-bats, and he came up with two situational RBI's this week: a sacrifice fly on Wednesday night and a hard groundball on Saturday night. We aren't going to pretend those are season changing moments, but they are the kind of situational at-bats this team needs if they're going to score more runs on the road.
...it will be sad to see Brad Hawpe go, but it's time. The Rockies placed him on waivers, where he will presumably go unclaimed. Whether they work a trade for him now or buy him out in the offseason (rather than pick up his $10 million club option), he seems to be on his way out. Fans who remember his heroics during Rocktober and at stretches last year cannot help but feel an attachment to Hawpe. But 7 home runs and 37 RBI's from a guy who plays power positions won't cut it.
...tune into Clemson football this year. The Rockies agreed to terms with Kyle Parker, the Clemson QB, who will still play for the Tigers this season. So watch to cheer for his success and for an injury-free season. The terms of the contract do protect the Rockies if he injures himself playing football. Parker is not considered a "can't miss" prospect, but he may be able to bring some much needed power in the years to come. They drafted him in the first round for a reason...right?
The week's links
http://www.denverpost.com/rockies?source=nav_ins_sports
http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/clem-m-footbl-body.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/col/schedule
http://twitter.com/TracyRingolsby
http://www.insidetherockies.com/category/write-em-cowboy/
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Thursday Tidbits 8/12/10
A Quote
Brandon Marshall announced that he will pursue an NBA career if there is an NFL lockout one year from now. His first choice would be the Denver Nuggets, and his second choice would be the Miami Heat. Here is the quote, as seen in an ESPN.com article:
"I'm going to be on an NBA team. Seriously...My first team will be the (Denver) Nuggets and my second team will be the (Miami) Heat. There's not going to be any football. If there's a lockout, I have to find a job. I figure the Nuggets will be a better choice because of the welcome home cheer I'll get -- a couple boos at first. I'm gonna get with a basketball coach and get to work, prepare for the lockout."
No matter how "serious" Marshall is, here's guessing that he won't be able to just hand pick his NBA team, be a starter, and get paid (really out on the limb with that one). As for him playing for the Nuggets? If he'll actually rebound and play defense, they might want to consider it. Otherwise he'll take his talents to South Beach (whether they want him or not, apparently).
A Video
Melvin Mora shocked the world (or at least Rockies fans) by popping a hanging slider into the left field seats for a game-saving grand slam on Wednesday night. Although the stats tell us we shouldn't have been that surprised; Mora is by far the most productive Rockie with the bases loaded this year, notching 14 RBI's in 6 bases loaded at bats.
Follow the link here to watch the video on the Rockies site. Melvin Mora grand slam.
A Photo
Broncos' veterans have set a new standard when it comes to creativity in rookie hazing. The friar/halo haircut on Tim Tebow was hilarious (dubbed a "hair-lo" by Dan Patrick). Timbo, continuing to seem too good to be true, said it was just a "really fun," "team-building," "chemistry exercise." Either the guy never ever slips, or he is actually the prince he makes himself out to be. Consider me on the Tim Tebow bandwagon now; he's an easy guy to cheer for, and we will all love him when he's picking up that elusive 3rd and 1 for the orange and blue this season.
Check out a photo of the cut here: Tim Tebow hazing.
A Tweet
@Troy Renck: They already had him in one Glendon Rusch RT @mark_rinehart: Would the club consider signing Kenny Powers for the stretch run?
Ask a Twitter saavy friend if you don't understand the format. Ask any Rockies or Cubs fan if you don't understand why the Glendon Rusch reference is hilarious.
A Couple "Are you Kidding me???" Moments
1. Omar Quintanilla tested positive for performance enhancing drugs? Huh? Little Omar Quintanilla? The jokes are endless, but ultimately it's just kind of sad that he was a journeyman infielder with no offensive pop, and this likely will be the last we hear from him, good or bad.
Omar provided this statement for the Denver Post.
2. This last one is a doozy, especially for any Cheyenne Mountain grads out there. I'm not one to throw anybody under the bus directly. However, I am more than happy to do it indirectly. So all I will say is follow this link. Hopefully it's the only TMZ link that ever appears on Warning Track Power.
Brandon Marshall announced that he will pursue an NBA career if there is an NFL lockout one year from now. His first choice would be the Denver Nuggets, and his second choice would be the Miami Heat. Here is the quote, as seen in an ESPN.com article:
"I'm going to be on an NBA team. Seriously...My first team will be the (Denver) Nuggets and my second team will be the (Miami) Heat. There's not going to be any football. If there's a lockout, I have to find a job. I figure the Nuggets will be a better choice because of the welcome home cheer I'll get -- a couple boos at first. I'm gonna get with a basketball coach and get to work, prepare for the lockout."
No matter how "serious" Marshall is, here's guessing that he won't be able to just hand pick his NBA team, be a starter, and get paid (really out on the limb with that one). As for him playing for the Nuggets? If he'll actually rebound and play defense, they might want to consider it. Otherwise he'll take his talents to South Beach (whether they want him or not, apparently).
A Video
Melvin Mora shocked the world (or at least Rockies fans) by popping a hanging slider into the left field seats for a game-saving grand slam on Wednesday night. Although the stats tell us we shouldn't have been that surprised; Mora is by far the most productive Rockie with the bases loaded this year, notching 14 RBI's in 6 bases loaded at bats.
Follow the link here to watch the video on the Rockies site. Melvin Mora grand slam.
A Photo
Broncos' veterans have set a new standard when it comes to creativity in rookie hazing. The friar/halo haircut on Tim Tebow was hilarious (dubbed a "hair-lo" by Dan Patrick). Timbo, continuing to seem too good to be true, said it was just a "really fun," "team-building," "chemistry exercise." Either the guy never ever slips, or he is actually the prince he makes himself out to be. Consider me on the Tim Tebow bandwagon now; he's an easy guy to cheer for, and we will all love him when he's picking up that elusive 3rd and 1 for the orange and blue this season.
Check out a photo of the cut here: Tim Tebow hazing.
A Tweet
@Troy Renck: They already had him in one Glendon Rusch RT @mark_rinehart: Would the club consider signing Kenny Powers for the stretch run?
Ask a Twitter saavy friend if you don't understand the format. Ask any Rockies or Cubs fan if you don't understand why the Glendon Rusch reference is hilarious.
A Couple "Are you Kidding me???" Moments
1. Omar Quintanilla tested positive for performance enhancing drugs? Huh? Little Omar Quintanilla? The jokes are endless, but ultimately it's just kind of sad that he was a journeyman infielder with no offensive pop, and this likely will be the last we hear from him, good or bad.
Omar provided this statement for the Denver Post.
2. This last one is a doozy, especially for any Cheyenne Mountain grads out there. I'm not one to throw anybody under the bus directly. However, I am more than happy to do it indirectly. So all I will say is follow this link. Hopefully it's the only TMZ link that ever appears on Warning Track Power.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Tiger can't have it both ways
When Tiger Woods told reporters that he was not surprised at how poorly he performed over the weekend at the Bridgestone Invitational, they wanted to then know about his mind set. He offered a simple explanation: "It's been a long year." Without making it more than it is, we can safely interpret that to be an allusion to more than his inconsistent golf game.
Tiger Woods is always going to be the story, and he knows that. On Golf.com, there is a tab dedicated to "Tiger Woods News." The problem is he still wants everything on his terms. When he first returned to Augusta in April, he could not emphasize enough how anxious he was to compete again, how good it felt to be out there again, and he was sure to shift all of the attention to golf itself. No outside factors, and as little an acknowledgment of his personal life's relevance to his game as he could muster. It was just about golf. He included the other players in that sentiment as well, saying he hoped, "the players can be left alone to focus on the Masters, not only this week, but going forward as well." But now that he has played to his worst career finish, he is more than willing to make it bigger than the game itself. Which is it?
He interrupts reporters and acts annoyed. He makes excuses, having blamed his equipment (switched putters for the Open Championship), his caddy (after the U.S. Open), and now his personal life. To be fair, he has taken ownership of his off-the-course behavior by saying he let fans and his family down. However, he did not learn the most important lesson from the whole ordeal: he cannot have complete control.
Whether in regards to just his golf game or other issues, Tiger can't change how he's covered or how he's perceived by making demands. He can do it by consistently being accountable and changing his behavior.
Shame on Brandon Phillips
His comments about his hatred for the Cardinals laid the ground work for one of the uglier brawls in recent memory. The visual of the fans leaning back in their seats because the players were smashed up against the backstop netting should make anybody who remembers Ron Artest and the 'Malice at the Palace' squirm. Clearly this was not as serious, but an unruly Reds fan absolutely could have punched a Cardinal player in the head (or worse). We should not pretend that's such a reach.
There is gamesmanship and there is trash talk. Phillips' comments were centered around the "moaning and complaining" of the Cardinals, an allusion to Tony LaRussa accusing the Reds of doctoring slick baseballs and then having the umpires check Bronson Arroyo's cap for a sticky substance. That is gamesmanship, and it happens in baseball. Phillips could have responded with some real trash talk, and any Reds fan would likely have been happy to have somebody call out the Cardinals coaches. But let's be clear: to repeatedly say "I hate them" makes him sound like a 7 year old, and to call them all "b*tches" is "trash talk" more suited for a high school locker room. Read his full comments here.
Many reporters and sports talking heads think that baseball needs this kind of rivalry: one where the teams truly hate each other, because it makes for great drama. There is no denying the excitement and great moments that can come from a true rivalry. Just not like this.
The 'Big Shamrock' comes through again
Who else is excited for Shaquille O'Neal to be a commentator after his career is over? Shaq himself alluded to his future career in talk radio after announcing his new nickname: "The Big Shamrock." Add that to the list of great self-given nicknames for the Diesel. Pair him with a fairly centered personality, like TNT has done with Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, and it should be great entertainment. In the mean time, who knows how much he's got left in the (large) tank? One thing is for certain. The Celtics have two stand-outs on the 'all cheeseburger team' with him and Glen 'Big Baby' Davis.
Links to good reads around the Web
1. Patting myself on the back for this one: http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_15725606
2. Broncos Training Camp postcard: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/08/10/broncos.postcard/index.html?eref=sihp
3. A closer look at the Silva v. Sonnen battle from UFC 117: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/josh_gross/08/10/ufc.117.notes/index.html?eref=sihp
4. Rick Reilly checks in from the World Sauna Championships: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=5451867
5. Thoughts on the Ole' Miss signing of Jeremiah Masoli: http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/NCAA-investigations-border-on-hypocrisy
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