Confronting Bill Simmons’s Worst Nightmare…and mine too

Here’s a brilliantly written piece by Bill Simmons (a Sox fan) of ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons%2F090507&sportCat=mlb

Simmons’s piece uses the same type of dialogue I used in my post: talking to his son. For once, I can actually agree with a Sox fan on something.

Yeah, we all know the players of this era cheated. But the fans WERE cheated. Several key members of the late 90’s and 2000 Yankee dynasty were named in the Mitchell Report. Does this tarnish the whole team? It’s a frightening thought that something that you cherished might not have been real…

At the risk of sounding like a heartbroken ex-boyfriend: “It was real to me!” That’s basically what baseball fans of players and teams that had a magical run have become. Heartbroken ex’s.

Anywho, I feel for Simmons, and all you Sox fans I constantly berate. Manny was the key to the Sox runs in ‘04 and ‘07, and luckily for me, the players nearest to my heart have yet to be named as suspected steroid users. But I’ll always wonder. And I’ll always have difficulty defining the era of baseball which I grew up in. I just hope that I can be left with the Griffey’s and Biggio’s of the world. Give me one steroid-free Hall of Famer that I can say I saw, and I’m cool with that.

Did you see that? It’s like the five stages of grief. The 90’s were denial, my previous post was anger, and now I’m bargaining?

That’s all for now.

Sorry, I’m in a ‘Roid Rage.

Since I was old enough to hold my plastic Fisher Price whiffle-ball bat, baseball has been a huge part of my life. I played in Little League for years, went to games with my Dad, watched on television, and any time there was a ball or glove within reach I’d be playing catch.

 

Now as the years passed by, as with most people my age, the (shockingly) sad realization that I’m not going pro has finally started to sink in. I’m not sure what gave it away, the fact that I have the hand-eye coordination of someone who just got off a Tilt-a-Whirl, or my need for a water break halfway through walking up a flight of stairs. Regardless of my less-than-Ruthian abilities, I still follow my Yankees every night on the YES (Yankee Entertainment and Sports) Network, and am so hooked on America’s pastime that I’ve decided that since I don’t have the tools to play professionally, I’d like to do the next best thing. When I complete college in a year, my goal is to begin working as a professional sportswriter. 

 

But lately, something about this game I love has been plaguing me. I’m really not sure what I’m going to tell my yet-to-be-born kids. One day, as we watch my beloved Bronx Bombers’ bullpen blow yet another game in the late innings, little Joe Torre Ferraro (bear with me) is going to ask me about the players from my generation. He’ll ask, “Who was the best player you ever saw, Dad?” And here’s what I’ll tell him.

 

“Well, the best outfielder I ever saw was probably Barry Bonds. But he had this whole steroid and human growth hormone scandal. Mark McGwire was probably the scariest right-handed hitter I’ve ever seen, but he preferred his steroids with a hint of androstenedione. Then there was this guy named Alex Rodriguez, and for the longest time, everyone always wondered why he was so good. He was the “savior of baseball,” the guy who would break Barry Bonds’ tainted home run records, and restore the game to its original legitimacy. Then one day we realized why he was so good; he was taking steroids straight out of high school.”

 

But that first question that little Joe asked me wasn’t the hard part. The hard part is the follow up question: “What about Babe Ruth? What steroid did he take?”

 

I’m really not sure what I’m going to tell him.

 

“Well, son, Babe used a very old-fashioned type of steroid. It was called HotdogsandBeer. It was real cheap, and you could take it orally.”

 

Just a few short weeks ago, New York Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield connected for his 500^th career home run. Joining the “500 Club” is the most prestigious honor for power hitters, as it requires both prolificacy and longevity. Sheffield was the 25^th major leaguer to hit 500 homers. He is the 10^th player in the last 11 years to do so. In the game’s previous 120 years, there were just 15 people to reach the 500 plateau. This sparks the question, “has reaching 500 home runs lost its prestige?” Sheffield is one of several players (Manny Ramirez tested positive today) within the 500 Club to either use or be suspected of using steroids or other performance enhancing drugs.

 

So why does this even matter? Let’s just make 600 the new barometer of whether someone has achieved home run hitting greatness. That’ll up the ante and thin out any mediocre members of The Club.

 

The problem with this idea is explained in one word: timelessness.

 

Sure, other sports have been around for decades, too. Other sports have a rich history, large followings, and multi-million dollar contracts just like baseball does. But, I dare you to look at statistics of football or basketball. In these sports, when we compare players, we usually compare them to other players within their generation. Wilt Chamberlain averaged over 50 points a game for a single season. As great as he is, how can Shaq compete with that? The answer is, he can’t. Does this mean he’s nowhere near on par with Wilt? Not necessarily. But when Wilt played, his opponents were nowhere near his 7 foot 1 stature.

 

Take football – no one even blinked an eye when San Diego Chargers’ Shawne Merriman shattered the sacks record before testing positive for steroids. Why do we hold baseball to a higher standard?

 

I’m not sure, but hopefully by the time little Joe is able to ask me that, I’ll have come up with a good answer. In the meantime, as I still try to wrap my brain around the idea that I won’t be going pro, I can reflect on “what could have been.” Maybe if I pulled an A-Rod I wouldn’t be writing this article, but been being written about instead. I’ll take note of that when little Joe needs an edge when he tries out for his Little League All-Star team.

March Madness Prediction

It’s that time of year again. A time when dreams are realized, hopes are dashed, and everyone you speak to believes himself to be the foremost knowledge on college hoops. It’s March Madness season; time to bust out your bracket for your office pool, and pick who you think will be the next NCAA champions.
This is as tough a year as any to pick a championship team; there is no clear favorite, as all four number one seeds have had key losses. Connecticut lost twice to Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh lost to Louisville, and Louisville lost to Connecticut. Each of those three teams has lost to a number one seeded team. North Carolina is the only exception, but they lost to a Maryland team which is seeded tenth in the west bracket. So, all this kept in mind, here are my picks for the 2009 NCAA Final Four:
Midwest: Louisville Cardinals
West: Memphis Tigers
East: Pittsburgh Panthers
South: North Carolina Tar Heels
Louisville’s biggest competitions in their bracket are Kansas and Michigan St. The good news? Kansas and Michigan St. will have to play each other, so only one of these teams will stand in the way of the Cardinals. Louisville is also 7-1 in games against top 25 ranked teams, so they have great success against the top teams in the country. Another dangerous potential opponent for Louisville is Wake Forest, but they play Cleveland St. in the first round, a team that has a good chance to upset them. Cleveland St. plays a stifling defense which could cause nightmares for a team like Wake Forest which struggles in the half court offense. If Cleveland St. comes away with the win, it’ll make an easier opponent for Louisville. Because of its potential schedule and its tremendous success against the NCAA’s best, I think Louisville has what it takes to get to the Final Four.
Memphis comes out of a weaker conference (C-USA), but their 31 wins are nothing to frown at. Memphis has a great chance to do some damage in the West since the number one seeded Connecticut is without star Jerome Dyson. The Tigers play great defense, only allowing 56.8 points per game. Also, they’re red hot of late, winning each of their last 12 games. I think Memphis will carry that momentum right into the tournament.
Pittsburgh is an extremely well-balanced team led by DeJuan Blair, a menace in the paint. The only speed bump Pittsburgh could face is Villanova, who has already beaten them this season. But, for Pittsburgh to even face Villanova, Villanova would have to beat UCLA: a team that can light it up from three-point land on any given night. Duke doesn’t have the guard talent to stop Levance Fields, a terrific playmaker. Overall, the Panthers have enough all-around talent to make it to the Final Four.
North Carolina’s only major obstacle is the injured toe of Ty Lawson. They have an unbelievable offensive attack, and expect senior Tyler Hansbrough to give everything he has in his final shot at winning a championship. Lawson’s injury should be healed by the time they face more dangerous opponents. North Carolina, averaging over 90 points a game, is a smart choice to make it to the final four.
The Semifinals:
Louisville over Memphis
Although Memphis is a tremendously talented team, they were just 1-2 in games against the nation’s top 25. I believe the tough defense of Rick Pitino’s Cardinals will be enough to hold off the Tigers.
UNC over Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is big and strong, but they can’t run with the Tar Heels. Ty Lawson is a machine, and Tyler Hansbrough will cause match-up problems for Pittsburgh, who will fall short in this one.
The Championship:
Louisville over UNC
Louisville’s twin towers: Samardo Samuels and Earl Clark will be able to hold off North Carolina’s high-scoring attack. Rick Pitino has sculpted his team’s defense to perfection, and the axiom “defense wins championships” will be evident.

Senior, ehem Senior Citizen Student Athlete Flunks Spanish; Costs Team a Game

Crazy college kids need to learn some responsibility…

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/73-year-old-Ken-Mink-is-just-another-apathetic-c?urn=ncaab,143362

For Darius McNeal, Missed Free Throws Something to be Proud of

With the steroid problem in baseball lingering, and the NFL with its Vicks and Pacmans, finally something to feel good about in the world of sports:

http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=914609

Super Bowl Prediction

As the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers take the field this Sunday, it will mark the first time since Super Bowl 18 that two quarterbacks who already have a Super Bowl ring to their name will compete for another. The Raiders’ Jim Plunkett and the Redskins’ Joe Theismann were the first to do so, and now the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger and the Cardinals’ Kurt Warner will have that honor come Sunday.

However, despite this one coincidence, each respective team has very little in common. On one hand there’s the return of the Steel Curtain defense for Pittsburgh, led by pro-bowl linebacker James Harrison, and on the other, the high flying, Cinderella story Cardinals, led by one of the great comeback stories in NFL history. Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback, Kurt Warner, a 2-time NFL MVP, was thought to be washed up by many a couple of years ago. A division title and 3 playoff wins later, Warner has responded to doubters.

So with such different teams, how will this game play out? What are the keys to success for each team? The weather should play a huge factor. Warner is a warm-weather quarterback; he’s seen his most success when playing in a controlled environment: in the Arena Football League playing indoors, in the Edward Jones Dome with the Rams, and now in the warm state of Arizona with the Cardinals. If the weather is comfortable, look for the underdog Cardinals to have a solid chance.

Another important factor to keep in mind Sunday is whether Arizona’s wide receiver Anquan Boldin is healthy. Though Boldin hasn’t been a big factor this postseason due to injury, a healthy Boldin may prevent the Steelers from maintaining double-coverage on Larry Fitzgerald, who is having arguably the greatest postseason of any wide receiver in NFL history. He has 419 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns thus far.

Finally, another important factor in Sunday’s game should be the Steelers’ defensive line. When they penetrate the offensive line, it opens up opportunities for Harrison and the linebackers, as well as Troy Polamalu and the secondary to make big plays. Also, if the defensive line is able to slow the Cardinals’ much improved rushing game, it will force Warner to throw more often, making him more vulnerable to blitzes and may prevent him from getting into a rhythm.

Overall, I believe that if the Cardinals’ offensive line can hold their blocks, and allow Warner to strike early through the air, they’ll have the ability to ride that momentum to victory. If there is one team that could achieve an upset of this magnitude, it’s the Arizona Cardinals, who despite having a much weaker defense and ground game, always have a puncher’s chance with the talent of Warner and his two top-notch receivers.

Final Prediction: Cardinals 24, Steelers 16

References:

news.yahoo.com/s/sn/20090119/sp_sn/10packsuperbowledition

profootball-reference.com

superbowl.com

steelers.com

azcardinals.com

Editor’s…er blogger’s note(s)

In response to my Nov. 25th post:

- Okay, maybe Subway Super Bowl was a little much…but come on – the Jets were 8-3 despite some mediocre first-half of the season performances. Since then, they’ve managed a 1-3 record, and have watched in amazement as Chad Pennington puts together an MVP-caliber season. The Dolphins are 10-5, and have their foot on the throats of the Jets’ season. If they can come away with a win next week, or get some help from the Patriots – they’re in the playoffs.

- As for Big Blue, after some Plaxico drama and a couple of hiccups the last two weeks, they came away with a HUGE win against Carolina Sunday night. The G-men rushed for an insane 301 yards (thanks in part to the return of Brandon Jacobs, as well as Derrick Ward turning in the greatest game of his career.) More importantly, they picked apart the Panthers on their final drive in OT, with a couple of huge gains on the ground from Ward, and Jacobs finishing the job for the game-winning TD. This win gives the Giants home-field advantage for the playoffs, and secures them as the team to beat in the NFC, and possibly the entire NFL.

A note about my Oct. 28th post:

Since I just mentioned my good friend Plaxico Burress in  the above paragraph, why not take a look and see what he’s up to? We know he’s been suspended from the team, but what’s he been doing with his new-found spare time?

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/spo?guid=20081222/494f1ed0_3ca6_15526200812221282790355

Plax. Behind on your insurance premiums? I’m sure you couldn’t afford to pay – what with your $7 million per year salary (not to mention millions in bonuses you would’ve been awarded).

Just another example of what I had referred to in my post…not a DUI, but something just as (if not more) foolish… 

In response to my December 18th post:

I stand corrected, the Knicks cant just not close games…they can’t start them either. New York got off to a slow start against the Bucks, en route to a home loss Friday night. Then, they trailed Boston by 19 at the end of the first quarter Sunday night, but bounced back time and time again, cutting the lead to single digits on multiple occasions. I will say this: the Knicks gave the Western Conference champs (in their building)  all they could handle, and also made several runs against the defending-champion Celtics before slipping away late in the game.

How can they take their game to the next level and get back into playoff contention? Stop living and dying with the 3-pointer. While hitting 3’s kept the Knicks in the game against Boston, it was Rajon Rondo’s ability to attack the basket which proved to be too much for the Knicks. They need to look to the low post on occasion; David Lee has become so solid down low, it boggles my mind why they don’t give him more looks. The man has an excellent field goal percentage, and it’s not from chucking up 3’s. He does what no other Knick will do, and that’s fight for offensive Leebounds and wreak havok in the paint. New York would also improve if Al Harrington can work on a post-up turn-around J, something he’s got the agility and size to do, but rarely puts into action. The man is in love with the 3, and too often is either hot or cold, and that’s that. The Knicks need consistency out of Harrington if they’re going to have any chance at making a run as the season continues….

- Thanks for reading; more to come soon.

P.F.

Knicks hang tough, but fall short against Lakers

It came down to a last second hail mary 3-point attempt by Chris Duhon, but the Knicks couldn’t quite hold off the Laker’s second half comeback.
The Knicks led 65-50 at halftime, but weren’t able to hold off Kobe who finished with 28 points.
Though New York struggled closing out the win, they showed remarkable fight, and the ability to hang with one of the top teams in the league.
Watching the game, it became apparent what the Knicks are lacking in the post-Crawford/Randolph era. With no go-to scorer, the Knicks looked to the hot hand of Nate Robinson late.
Though Nate Rob was on fire, at his undersized 5′9, he’s not the premiere late game option the Knicks are going to need to win big games.
Al Harrington looked to be that guy as he earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors last week, but Harrington has to shoot a lot to maintain his stroke. He was a non-factor last night.
The Knicks played well on their road trip, and return to the Garden Friday against the mediocre Bucks. Don;t be surprised to see New York continue their strong play against Milwakee, but their real test will come Sunday against the defending champion Celtics. Look for Al Harrington to be the deciding factor if they’re going to make some noise against the East’s top team.

“Til death due us part” not enough for some fans…

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/15/opinion/15mon3.html

I’ve always said I’ll be a Yankee fan ’til the day I die.

I’ve been one-upped.

As you’ll read in the NY Times article titled “Pondering the Ultimate Sky Box,” Major League Baseball has set no boundaries as to their marketing possiblities, and the scary thing is – people will actually buy the stuff.

You can now purchase your officially licensed MLB casket, featuring the logo of your favorite team. The caskets first went on sale at the Branch Funeral Home in Smithtown, Long Island. They go for about $5,000 – about 20% more than the regular model.

Don’t be surprised to see the NFL, NHL, and NBA follow suit.

My favorite part of the article:

“The first baseball coffin was reported sold, prepaid by a Mets fan. He told a sports writer at The Daily News that it was only appropriate because “they’re going to drive me to my grave.”

I’ve always loved sports, and always will…but I have to say I was truly taken aback by this one. That’s about all for this entry – more to come soon, and thanks for reading…

Subway….Super Bowl???

Okay, so you wouldn’t actually need your Metrocards. In fact the game wouldn’t even be played at the Meadowlands, but as a New York football fan, one can’t ignore the types of seasons that the Jets and Giants are having.

The Giants improved to 10-1 Sunday, but even more impressive was the Jets absolute dismantling of the Tennesee Titans. A lopsided 34-13 win handed the Titans their first loss of the season, and the Jets with their biggest win.

For the Jets, Sunday’s win made it five in a row, and none of the wins were small.

We begin in week 8, in which the Jets were stuck at .500, and had just come off a heartbreaking loss to a team they should’ve beat, the Raiders. The Jets gutted out a win against the Chiefs to go above .500.

The next week, they beat their division rivals, the Buffalo Bills, handly. The Jets followed that with a 44 point win over St. Louis.

With the whole country watching on a Thursday night, they picked up a grueling OT win against the defending AFC champions, the Patriots.

This brings us to last week – as the Jets took on the undefeated Titans, and won by three touchdowns.

As for the G-Men, they’ve quietly gone a spectacular 10-1.

Both of these teams are for real. We know about the Giants, and they’ve actually played better this season than in their Super Bowl season last year. But the Jets are for real. They have the most experienced quarterback every to grace the gridiron leading them, and he has a solid receiving core to throw to.

As for the running backs, Leon Washington is the best playmaker in the NFL this season. He had a 61 yard touchdown run Sunday. The Jets’ starting RB, Thomas Jones has been an old-school bruiser this year. He has 9 touchdowns, and is the Jets’ “between the tackles” back.

Throw in Kris Jenkins, and a solid defense, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Folks, it’s 4:22 p.m. on November 25, and I’m calling it now. The first ever Jets vs. Giants Super Bowl. Not because I’m a Jet fan, or even because I’m a New Yorker. Because these are the two best football teams in the NFL right now.

Sources:

www.jets.com

www.giants.com