On Monday night, whilst spending the few hours I had left with my family for the holidays, I stopped everything and hushed the room silent. Six seconds later, we are all still quiet watching one man be lifted by an entire city for an accomplishment he deemed "a group effort". New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees passed Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino as the single-season passing leader with 5,087 yards. A record that stood for 27 years finally fell.
"Awesome," were the first words anyone said. My dad, a solid sports guru but more a noble man, continued "Nicest guy, too. Awesome."
That sentiment was echoed on the ESPN broadcast, on Twitter/Facebook, and every media outlet there is.
"Nicest guy."
Drew Brees, who I personally feel is the most under appreciated GREAT player at his position in the NFL, is one of the few you can call a better person than a player. The man who was shipped out of San Diego like a broken toy, arrived in New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He and his family took part in the rebuilding process financially, physically, and in Super Bowl XLIV, he did it emotionally.
The man is a class act, never asking for the spotlight and always deflecting it to someone else. You can tell just how much his teammates, coaches, and fans love being near him. After his record-breaking touchdown pass to Darren Sproles (in another dominant win, by the way), his entire team rushed him, and the Superdome had never been louder.
In the locker room after he acknowledged the efforts of everyone else, from the line who blocked to the receivers/running backs who caught for him. From the defensive players who gave the ball back to the offense, to the coaches who called the plays. Brees wanted EVERYONE to know they were a part of the record, just like he wanted everyone in the city to know they were part of that Championship.
While he may not get the MVP talk he deserves like a Tom Brady or an Aaron Rodgers, nor the "best QB in the game" discussion like a Brady or a Peyton Manning, he couldn't care less. He wants a win for his team, a win for his city, and a chance to play the game.
Now Brady or Rodgers or maybe even Eli Manning could be the eventual single-season leader in passing yards, but time will remember it was Drew Brees who broke it the day after Christmas. Why? Because sometimes, the nice guy really does win, a lot.
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Thursday, December 29, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Make Room For One More: It's Tebow Time!
In a world where our sports athletes are more of a role model than mothers and fathers, its upsetting to see basketball players whining about not enough money, or not going to play in a certain city; football players constantly cursing on the sidelines or illegally hitting a player and showing no remorse. However, in the last two months, we have seen the public (myself included) berate one of these athletes for what seems to be no apparent reason.
Look, it's no secret that Denver Broncos second year Quarterback Tim Tebow is not your "typical" quarterback. His throwing motion is slow and the ball looks terrible on 60% of his passes. He doesn't have, and probably never will have, the dazzling stats of an Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Eli Manning. But one thing he does have over all, is his true being.
This is a man whose faith was instilled in him at a young age, and he didn't let the trials and tribulations of life deter him from it. The prodigal son has shown loyalty, intensity, devotion to excellence, and desire to perform all with an air of humility lost in professional sports. He is motivated by performance, and ridiculed by all. Exalted by many, tortured by more.
Sure, his games are ugly to watch for the first 45 minutes but when it matters, boy is he exciting. But it isn't just himself that's fun to watch, and it's not just fun for us on TV. When you see a Broncos game, watch the sidelines. Every defensive/special teams/reserve player is standing up watching to see what this kid will do next. Those same players will play their hearts out for this kid because they want to win just as much as he does, which almost seems impossible.
More importantly, he does all of this the right way. Watch his post game interviews. He credits everyone else. The defense, the coach, the running back, the kicker and of course, his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. It seems to be that part that irks people. And if it does, that's your own issue. I, for one, am jealous of a man who has that kind of faith because it must be a happier world when your believe is so strong. What grinds my gears is the fact that some folks continue to give all the credit to him, as if he is solely responsible for everything. As much as he makes everyone around him better, and make no mistake about it, he does; there is too much that goes on to give Tebow 100% of the reason for the credit.
That being said, his intangibles as a leader are unfathomable, his ability as a winner is almost, dare I say, Divine? The guy is 7-1 as a starter and has his team in first place. He may not be the ideal version of a signal caller, but he is the epitome of a role model. So I'm done criticizing him as a player because if I had a child, I'd want them to exhibit the same characteristics as Tim Tebow. After all, he is making an NFL Quarterbacks salary. Not bad for a Dad who will probably be struggling to make rent.
.
Look, it's no secret that Denver Broncos second year Quarterback Tim Tebow is not your "typical" quarterback. His throwing motion is slow and the ball looks terrible on 60% of his passes. He doesn't have, and probably never will have, the dazzling stats of an Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Eli Manning. But one thing he does have over all, is his true being.
This is a man whose faith was instilled in him at a young age, and he didn't let the trials and tribulations of life deter him from it. The prodigal son has shown loyalty, intensity, devotion to excellence, and desire to perform all with an air of humility lost in professional sports. He is motivated by performance, and ridiculed by all. Exalted by many, tortured by more.
Sure, his games are ugly to watch for the first 45 minutes but when it matters, boy is he exciting. But it isn't just himself that's fun to watch, and it's not just fun for us on TV. When you see a Broncos game, watch the sidelines. Every defensive/special teams/reserve player is standing up watching to see what this kid will do next. Those same players will play their hearts out for this kid because they want to win just as much as he does, which almost seems impossible.
More importantly, he does all of this the right way. Watch his post game interviews. He credits everyone else. The defense, the coach, the running back, the kicker and of course, his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. It seems to be that part that irks people. And if it does, that's your own issue. I, for one, am jealous of a man who has that kind of faith because it must be a happier world when your believe is so strong. What grinds my gears is the fact that some folks continue to give all the credit to him, as if he is solely responsible for everything. As much as he makes everyone around him better, and make no mistake about it, he does; there is too much that goes on to give Tebow 100% of the reason for the credit.
That being said, his intangibles as a leader are unfathomable, his ability as a winner is almost, dare I say, Divine? The guy is 7-1 as a starter and has his team in first place. He may not be the ideal version of a signal caller, but he is the epitome of a role model. So I'm done criticizing him as a player because if I had a child, I'd want them to exhibit the same characteristics as Tim Tebow. After all, he is making an NFL Quarterbacks salary. Not bad for a Dad who will probably be struggling to make rent.
.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The 2011 Heisman Trophy Winner is....
If Michigan Cornerback Charles Woodson beat out Tennessee Quarterback Peyton Manning for the 1997 Heisman Trophy, then LSU's Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu could easily edge Baylor's Robert Griffin, III, right?
Well, if you look at the numbers, Mathieu has had a better year than Woodson did; similarly, RG3 has had a better season than Manning. Fourteen years ago, Manning led the Volunteers with 3,819 yards with a 60.17 completion percentage to go along with 36 touchdowns to just 11 picks en route to an Orange Bowl loss against Nebraska. However, he also lost the best college football player award to a Wolverine who racked up only 44 tackles, 5 sacks, 11 pass breakups, and just four combined TD's (2 punts, 1 receiving, and 1 rushing) on the way to a Rose Bowl win and a share of the National Title.
In 2011, Mathieu has gone crazy leading the LSU Tigers in tackles (70) while also piling up 1.5 sacks, 7 pass breakups and 9 passes defended along with two picks, five forced fumbles, and four scores. BUT what has the Honey Badger on a plane to New York this Saturday is his outstanding play as a punt returner (he only returns punts) where he has 420 yards and two touchdowns, not to mention multiple jaw-dropping returns that didn't reach pay dirt. Something Woodson never really had that year. However, they both were on top teams in the NCAA.
As for RG3, the dude just burst on to the scene this year and has put up probably the best season any Baylor Bear has had. He has thrown for just shy of 4,000 yards (3,998) completing 72.4% of his passes for 36 TD's to just 6 INT's AND he has rushed 644 yards and nine more scores. But, he plays for a team ranked much lower, in a conference much worse off, and won't have a shot at winning the Coaches Trophy.
In a world where the MVP generally goes to the best player on the best team, Tyrann Mathieu would be a logical choice considering he is the face of a program that has no true steady hand on the offensive side of the ball and will probably win the rematch of the "Game of the Century" (more on that in a later post). However, as amazing as it would be to see a non-QB/RB win the Heisman, I can't see the voters truly going against the video game numbers and awe-inspiring moments the other three players have given us.
Andrew Luck, the Stanford QB and soon-to-be number 1 NFL draftee, has had one of the more remarkable two years we've seen in recent memory and he will translate in to the type of player a lot of folks are projecting him to be. Over 3,000 passing yards (3,170) and 35 throws to the end zone are probably not enough to overcome an embarrassing loss to Oregon and an 11-1 record. Especially when he was the favorite ever since losing it to Cam Newton last year.
Wisconsin running back Montee Ball went out and dominated a power hitting conference with a blend of Big 10 brash and SEC speed. He is fourth in the country in rushing yards per game at 135.3 and has 32 touchdowns, 12 more than the next closest guy. Yet, he will only be in the Rose Bowl after being unable to power the Badgers to an undefeated season. On a positive, he'll probably break Barry Sanders touchdown record with two more in the "Granddaddy of them All".
Another power-back, Alabama's Trent Richardson, was heard of two years ago when he backed up the Tide's first ever Heisman winner in Mark Ingram. This year, Richardson has racked up 1,583 rushing yards while shaking and baking his way home 20 times over the year giving 'Bama another shot at conference champion LSU in the national title game.
Say what you want about these five, and the fact the Matt Barkley isn't among them, but this is a tough decision despite what some "projections" have. Going based off of "best player on best team" then it is easily Tyrann Mathieu. If you want precedence and impressive stats, Luck or Ball is there. You want true value to the whole of the parts, Richardson. But the best player in the country is Baylor's Robert Griffin, III. He has been the most exciting guy to watch moving the Bears in to the top-15 at one point this year and three wins over top-25 teams on national TV. He is tops in the country in passer efficiency, and points responsibility, while being in the top five in total offense, touchdown passes, and completion percentage.
A lot of projections say it is a comfortable win for RG3, a lot of people say a guy who plays at a sub-par school shouldn't win it, but whatever they say, they will all say Robert Griffin, III is the 2011 Heisman Trophy Winner.
.
Well, if you look at the numbers, Mathieu has had a better year than Woodson did; similarly, RG3 has had a better season than Manning. Fourteen years ago, Manning led the Volunteers with 3,819 yards with a 60.17 completion percentage to go along with 36 touchdowns to just 11 picks en route to an Orange Bowl loss against Nebraska. However, he also lost the best college football player award to a Wolverine who racked up only 44 tackles, 5 sacks, 11 pass breakups, and just four combined TD's (2 punts, 1 receiving, and 1 rushing) on the way to a Rose Bowl win and a share of the National Title.
In 2011, Mathieu has gone crazy leading the LSU Tigers in tackles (70) while also piling up 1.5 sacks, 7 pass breakups and 9 passes defended along with two picks, five forced fumbles, and four scores. BUT what has the Honey Badger on a plane to New York this Saturday is his outstanding play as a punt returner (he only returns punts) where he has 420 yards and two touchdowns, not to mention multiple jaw-dropping returns that didn't reach pay dirt. Something Woodson never really had that year. However, they both were on top teams in the NCAA.
As for RG3, the dude just burst on to the scene this year and has put up probably the best season any Baylor Bear has had. He has thrown for just shy of 4,000 yards (3,998) completing 72.4% of his passes for 36 TD's to just 6 INT's AND he has rushed 644 yards and nine more scores. But, he plays for a team ranked much lower, in a conference much worse off, and won't have a shot at winning the Coaches Trophy.
In a world where the MVP generally goes to the best player on the best team, Tyrann Mathieu would be a logical choice considering he is the face of a program that has no true steady hand on the offensive side of the ball and will probably win the rematch of the "Game of the Century" (more on that in a later post). However, as amazing as it would be to see a non-QB/RB win the Heisman, I can't see the voters truly going against the video game numbers and awe-inspiring moments the other three players have given us.
Andrew Luck, the Stanford QB and soon-to-be number 1 NFL draftee, has had one of the more remarkable two years we've seen in recent memory and he will translate in to the type of player a lot of folks are projecting him to be. Over 3,000 passing yards (3,170) and 35 throws to the end zone are probably not enough to overcome an embarrassing loss to Oregon and an 11-1 record. Especially when he was the favorite ever since losing it to Cam Newton last year.
Wisconsin running back Montee Ball went out and dominated a power hitting conference with a blend of Big 10 brash and SEC speed. He is fourth in the country in rushing yards per game at 135.3 and has 32 touchdowns, 12 more than the next closest guy. Yet, he will only be in the Rose Bowl after being unable to power the Badgers to an undefeated season. On a positive, he'll probably break Barry Sanders touchdown record with two more in the "Granddaddy of them All".
Another power-back, Alabama's Trent Richardson, was heard of two years ago when he backed up the Tide's first ever Heisman winner in Mark Ingram. This year, Richardson has racked up 1,583 rushing yards while shaking and baking his way home 20 times over the year giving 'Bama another shot at conference champion LSU in the national title game.
Say what you want about these five, and the fact the Matt Barkley isn't among them, but this is a tough decision despite what some "projections" have. Going based off of "best player on best team" then it is easily Tyrann Mathieu. If you want precedence and impressive stats, Luck or Ball is there. You want true value to the whole of the parts, Richardson. But the best player in the country is Baylor's Robert Griffin, III. He has been the most exciting guy to watch moving the Bears in to the top-15 at one point this year and three wins over top-25 teams on national TV. He is tops in the country in passer efficiency, and points responsibility, while being in the top five in total offense, touchdown passes, and completion percentage.
A lot of projections say it is a comfortable win for RG3, a lot of people say a guy who plays at a sub-par school shouldn't win it, but whatever they say, they will all say Robert Griffin, III is the 2011 Heisman Trophy Winner.
.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Meyer, Liar; Did Retire (Sorta)
There is something extremely disingenuous about a person doing something for one reason and then making another decision that completely contradicts their first action. It’s quite another thing to go back on the original choice less than a year later. Of course, I’m talking about former Florida football coach Urban Meyer.
While in Gainesville, Meyer won two national championships (2006 & 2008), dominated the Southeastern Conference and had a pretty good record with a damn good quarterback, but you already know all of this. When Urban retired from the Gators at the end of last season, he said it was due to his poor health caused by the stress of his job and so he could spend more time with his wife and kids.
Instead, he joined the “Mother Ship” of sportscasting and became a color commentator for ESPN, traveling across the country every week calling college games. Now, being a sportscaster myself I can assure you the stresses of this job are nothing compared to that of a Division I football coach. However, the travel and time needed to do this at a high level can take away from that precious family time. That immediately made me question Coach Meyer’s truthfulness in retiring.
Yesterday it was announced that Urban Meyer would be the new head coach of the program formerly known as THE Ohio State University. Meyer had denied ever speaking with the Buckeyes in the weeks leading up to this announcement but everyone knew it to be true. Why? Cause once he put on a headset everyone knew he wasn’t quitting football for good and it certainly wasn’t to be with his family.
So the question now is, why did he leave Gainesville and a conference that is still the best in Division I football? Was it that he knew he could not win with Tim Tebow gone? Did he begin to lose his recruiting touch with the rise of Auburn and Alabama again? Did he see what was happening at Auburn with Cam Newton and decided to get the hell out of dodge before something bigger about Newton’s time at Florida came out? Or was it simply because he wanted an excuse to leave Florida and wait until another prolific program opened its doors?
Let’s be honest, if Meyer had stayed at Florida one more year and Jim Tressel was still dismissed from OSU, everyone would have pegged Urban to replace him. The guy is an Ohio native and was a Buckeyes assistant in the late ‘80s. At Utah he was Chris Peterson before there was a Chris Peterson. Nobody would have blamed him if he left the Swamp for the Horseshoe, nobody. Instead we question his methods and I, personally, have lost a lot of respect for what was a great man and still is a great coach.
Maybe I’m wrong. The guy is a miracle worker after all: He built the Utes into a BCS Buster, he birthed Tim Tebow, and apparently, he’s even cured all his stress related illnesses and watched his kids grow up just a year. Even that is impressive.
.
While in Gainesville, Meyer won two national championships (2006 & 2008), dominated the Southeastern Conference and had a pretty good record with a damn good quarterback, but you already know all of this. When Urban retired from the Gators at the end of last season, he said it was due to his poor health caused by the stress of his job and so he could spend more time with his wife and kids.
Instead, he joined the “Mother Ship” of sportscasting and became a color commentator for ESPN, traveling across the country every week calling college games. Now, being a sportscaster myself I can assure you the stresses of this job are nothing compared to that of a Division I football coach. However, the travel and time needed to do this at a high level can take away from that precious family time. That immediately made me question Coach Meyer’s truthfulness in retiring.
Yesterday it was announced that Urban Meyer would be the new head coach of the program formerly known as THE Ohio State University. Meyer had denied ever speaking with the Buckeyes in the weeks leading up to this announcement but everyone knew it to be true. Why? Cause once he put on a headset everyone knew he wasn’t quitting football for good and it certainly wasn’t to be with his family.
So the question now is, why did he leave Gainesville and a conference that is still the best in Division I football? Was it that he knew he could not win with Tim Tebow gone? Did he begin to lose his recruiting touch with the rise of Auburn and Alabama again? Did he see what was happening at Auburn with Cam Newton and decided to get the hell out of dodge before something bigger about Newton’s time at Florida came out? Or was it simply because he wanted an excuse to leave Florida and wait until another prolific program opened its doors?
Let’s be honest, if Meyer had stayed at Florida one more year and Jim Tressel was still dismissed from OSU, everyone would have pegged Urban to replace him. The guy is an Ohio native and was a Buckeyes assistant in the late ‘80s. At Utah he was Chris Peterson before there was a Chris Peterson. Nobody would have blamed him if he left the Swamp for the Horseshoe, nobody. Instead we question his methods and I, personally, have lost a lot of respect for what was a great man and still is a great coach.
Maybe I’m wrong. The guy is a miracle worker after all: He built the Utes into a BCS Buster, he birthed Tim Tebow, and apparently, he’s even cured all his stress related illnesses and watched his kids grow up just a year. Even that is impressive.
.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
2011 CMA Predictions: The Greatest Music Show Not Named the Grammy's
So with all the terrible things happening in the world, I'm reminded of one of the better things in life: music. With music we can tell a story that reaches everyone and can change your mood for the better. And no style does that better than Country music. Tonight, the Country Music Association Awards will be showcased on ABC and I personally cannot wait to watch! Not only because it's some of the greatest musical talent there is, but also to gauge how much I still think I know about the industry with my picks:
Musical Event of the Year:
Nominees: As She's Walking Away (Zac Brown Band & Alan Jackson); Coal Miner's Daughter (Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert); Don't You Wanna Stay (Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson); Old Alabama (Brad Paisley featuring Alabama); You and Tequila (Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter)
Last Year's Winner: Hillbilly Bone (Blake Shelton ft. Trace Adkins)
Who Will Win? While "Coal Miner's Daughter" is an iconic song in the industry sung by three insanely big stars (including the original artist), and Zac Brown had arguably their biggest popularity year, Brad Paisley featuring Alabama will take this. You have a fun song that incorporates some great old-school rythym and guitar with probably the best guitarist in the business into a hit number one. Awesome stuff.
Song of the Year:
Nominees: Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band, Dirt Road Anthem - Brantley Gilbert & Colt Ford, If I Die Young - Kimberly Perry, Mean - Taylor Swift, You and Tequila - Matraca Berg & Deana Carter
Last Year's Winner: The House That Built Me
Who Will Win? Now, it is important to note this is an award based on song writing and not performance (hence why Jason Aldean is not listed with Dirt Road Anthem). Dirt Road Anthem is a career defining song for Aldean, but since it isn't up for Single of the Year he won't win. "If I Die Young" catapulted The Band Perry to new found fame and will not only win this award, but others tonight.
Album of the Year:
Nominees: All About Tonight - Blake Shelton, My Kinda Party - Jason Aldean, Speak Now - Taylor Swift, This Is Country Music - Brad Paisley, You Get What You Give - Zac Brown Band
Last Year's Winner: Revolution - Miranda Lambert
Who Will Win? Honestly, this will probably be the award I'm most disappointed in as a fan (a.k.a a guy). All of these albums were amazing in terms of the amount of hit songs produced from them. But only one has helped to keep a world-wide phenom at the top. Taylor Swift has the music world in a choke hold and although I will be upset if/when she accepts this award, it rightfully does belong to her.
Single of the Year:
Nominees: A Little Bit Stronger - Sara Evans, Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band, Don't You Wanna Stay - Jason Aldean w/ Kelly Clarkson, Honey Bee - Blake Shelton, If I Die Young - The Band Perry
Last Year's Winner: Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
Who Will Win? At this point, my buddy Goose has stopped reading because I once again am not picking ZBB. Blake Shelton had a great feel good up-tempo love song that was dominant this year. But Blake is also established in the industry. When a song takes you from "one-hit wonder" to "legitimate act" and gets you a gig opening for legend Alan Jackson, you got a special single. The Band Perry wins.
Vocal Duo of the Year:
Nominees: The Civil Wars, Montgomery Gentry, Steel Magnolia, Sugarland, Thompson Square
Last Year's Winner: Sugarland
Who Will Win? Well, they didn't really do much over the past year in terms of song output, but Kristian Bush and Jennifer Neddles were at the center of one of the most painful events of the summer when a stage at a state fair they were performing at, collapsed killing multiple people. That will have little to do with the award but hearing their acceptance speech will be very emotional given the circumstance.
Vocal Group of the Year:
Nominees: The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, Zac Brown Band
Last Year's Winner: Lady Antebellum
Who Will Win? Sometimes, in categories like this, I think the association just puts in groups to fill it up. The Band Perry has had a phenomenal year as already mentioned. Rascal Flatts is a powerhouse group that gets better every year. Little Big Town still has yet to become that "headline" act despite having almost a 10 year career. Lady A has been to vocal groups what Taylor Swift has been to solo artists, amazing. That being said, this is when the Zac Brown Band gets their due. They are an amazing group that blends old-time country meaning and music with new-age lyrics and tempo. It will not be long before they are nominated for, and win, multiple Entertainer of the Year awards.
New Artist of the Year:
Nominees: The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Thompson Square, Chris Young
Last Year's Winner: The Zac Brown Band
Who Will Win? This is the category that I can never understand. True country music fans will understand because only two of these artists are actually "new". Luke, Eric and Chris have been around for a few years (Chris Young won the original Nashville Star back in 2007). That being said, Luke has add a tremendous year and I will be holding on to my bias in rooting hard for him. Don't be surprised if Eric Church adds an award to his resume. Both are awesome but I'm rooting for the ACM New Artist of the Year in Luke Bryan.
Male Vocalist of the Year:
Nominees: Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban
Last Year's Winner: Blake Shelton
Who Will Win? It is no secret that I absolutely LOVE Kenny and he still is the best concert I've seen (saw him twice this year). He took a summer off last year which cost him quite a view awards including his reign as Entertainer of the Year. Keith is a great talent in both vocals and instrumentals but he's been on the back burner aside from the song "Without You". Blake once again had a great year professionally and personally while Brad is still the best SHOW I've ever seen. All that fails to match the year Jason Aldean had. If Taylor Swift did not have the year she did, he would win Album of the Year as well. This is a nice consolation though.
Female Vocalist of the Year:
Nominees: Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood
Last Year's Winner: Miranda Lambert
Who Will Win? Well the Champ has a great chance to repeat this year considering the career of her husband and herself were mirrors of one another. Sara had a strong showing but just one song, while Martina and Carrie continued to be the icons they are. However, with all the love I gave Taylor earlier, it should not be a surprise that she captures this title along with the previous honor.
Entertainer of the Year:
Nominees: Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban
Last Year's Winner: Brad Paisley
Who Will Win? Last year, Brad proved that it takes more than catchy songs and a good voice to be a true Entertainer knocking off Kenny. This year, Chesney isn't even nominated. For me it comes down to the Titan of Pop-Country in T-Swift and not the Male Vocalist of the Year in Mr. Aldean, but Mr. Miranda Lambert. Blake has come a long way since his mullet and cowboy hat singing songs like "The Baby" but he has always kept the edge you heard in "Ol' Red". This past year he matched that with some heart-felt love songs and a great showing on the hit TV program "The Voice". Though I have not seen his concert in about four years, and wasn't impressed, he has become very entertaining and very deserving as this year's Country King.
.
Musical Event of the Year:
Nominees: As She's Walking Away (Zac Brown Band & Alan Jackson); Coal Miner's Daughter (Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert); Don't You Wanna Stay (Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson); Old Alabama (Brad Paisley featuring Alabama); You and Tequila (Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter)
Last Year's Winner: Hillbilly Bone (Blake Shelton ft. Trace Adkins)
Who Will Win? While "Coal Miner's Daughter" is an iconic song in the industry sung by three insanely big stars (including the original artist), and Zac Brown had arguably their biggest popularity year, Brad Paisley featuring Alabama will take this. You have a fun song that incorporates some great old-school rythym and guitar with probably the best guitarist in the business into a hit number one. Awesome stuff.
Song of the Year:
Nominees: Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band, Dirt Road Anthem - Brantley Gilbert & Colt Ford, If I Die Young - Kimberly Perry, Mean - Taylor Swift, You and Tequila - Matraca Berg & Deana Carter
Last Year's Winner: The House That Built Me
Who Will Win? Now, it is important to note this is an award based on song writing and not performance (hence why Jason Aldean is not listed with Dirt Road Anthem). Dirt Road Anthem is a career defining song for Aldean, but since it isn't up for Single of the Year he won't win. "If I Die Young" catapulted The Band Perry to new found fame and will not only win this award, but others tonight.
Album of the Year:
Nominees: All About Tonight - Blake Shelton, My Kinda Party - Jason Aldean, Speak Now - Taylor Swift, This Is Country Music - Brad Paisley, You Get What You Give - Zac Brown Band
Last Year's Winner: Revolution - Miranda Lambert
Who Will Win? Honestly, this will probably be the award I'm most disappointed in as a fan (a.k.a a guy). All of these albums were amazing in terms of the amount of hit songs produced from them. But only one has helped to keep a world-wide phenom at the top. Taylor Swift has the music world in a choke hold and although I will be upset if/when she accepts this award, it rightfully does belong to her.
Single of the Year:
Nominees: A Little Bit Stronger - Sara Evans, Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band, Don't You Wanna Stay - Jason Aldean w/ Kelly Clarkson, Honey Bee - Blake Shelton, If I Die Young - The Band Perry
Last Year's Winner: Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
Who Will Win? At this point, my buddy Goose has stopped reading because I once again am not picking ZBB. Blake Shelton had a great feel good up-tempo love song that was dominant this year. But Blake is also established in the industry. When a song takes you from "one-hit wonder" to "legitimate act" and gets you a gig opening for legend Alan Jackson, you got a special single. The Band Perry wins.
Vocal Duo of the Year:
Nominees: The Civil Wars, Montgomery Gentry, Steel Magnolia, Sugarland, Thompson Square
Last Year's Winner: Sugarland
Who Will Win? Well, they didn't really do much over the past year in terms of song output, but Kristian Bush and Jennifer Neddles were at the center of one of the most painful events of the summer when a stage at a state fair they were performing at, collapsed killing multiple people. That will have little to do with the award but hearing their acceptance speech will be very emotional given the circumstance.
Vocal Group of the Year:
Nominees: The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, Zac Brown Band
Last Year's Winner: Lady Antebellum
Who Will Win? Sometimes, in categories like this, I think the association just puts in groups to fill it up. The Band Perry has had a phenomenal year as already mentioned. Rascal Flatts is a powerhouse group that gets better every year. Little Big Town still has yet to become that "headline" act despite having almost a 10 year career. Lady A has been to vocal groups what Taylor Swift has been to solo artists, amazing. That being said, this is when the Zac Brown Band gets their due. They are an amazing group that blends old-time country meaning and music with new-age lyrics and tempo. It will not be long before they are nominated for, and win, multiple Entertainer of the Year awards.
New Artist of the Year:
Nominees: The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Thompson Square, Chris Young
Last Year's Winner: The Zac Brown Band
Who Will Win? This is the category that I can never understand. True country music fans will understand because only two of these artists are actually "new". Luke, Eric and Chris have been around for a few years (Chris Young won the original Nashville Star back in 2007). That being said, Luke has add a tremendous year and I will be holding on to my bias in rooting hard for him. Don't be surprised if Eric Church adds an award to his resume. Both are awesome but I'm rooting for the ACM New Artist of the Year in Luke Bryan.
Male Vocalist of the Year:
Nominees: Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban
Last Year's Winner: Blake Shelton
Who Will Win? It is no secret that I absolutely LOVE Kenny and he still is the best concert I've seen (saw him twice this year). He took a summer off last year which cost him quite a view awards including his reign as Entertainer of the Year. Keith is a great talent in both vocals and instrumentals but he's been on the back burner aside from the song "Without You". Blake once again had a great year professionally and personally while Brad is still the best SHOW I've ever seen. All that fails to match the year Jason Aldean had. If Taylor Swift did not have the year she did, he would win Album of the Year as well. This is a nice consolation though.
Female Vocalist of the Year:
Nominees: Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood
Last Year's Winner: Miranda Lambert
Who Will Win? Well the Champ has a great chance to repeat this year considering the career of her husband and herself were mirrors of one another. Sara had a strong showing but just one song, while Martina and Carrie continued to be the icons they are. However, with all the love I gave Taylor earlier, it should not be a surprise that she captures this title along with the previous honor.
Entertainer of the Year:
Nominees: Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban
Last Year's Winner: Brad Paisley
Who Will Win? Last year, Brad proved that it takes more than catchy songs and a good voice to be a true Entertainer knocking off Kenny. This year, Chesney isn't even nominated. For me it comes down to the Titan of Pop-Country in T-Swift and not the Male Vocalist of the Year in Mr. Aldean, but Mr. Miranda Lambert. Blake has come a long way since his mullet and cowboy hat singing songs like "The Baby" but he has always kept the edge you heard in "Ol' Red". This past year he matched that with some heart-felt love songs and a great showing on the hit TV program "The Voice". Though I have not seen his concert in about four years, and wasn't impressed, he has become very entertaining and very deserving as this year's Country King.
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Friday, November 4, 2011
Richard Childress Proves, Again, that NASCAR is Built on Family
So I know it's been a while since something has come out of the fryer, but there have been a lot of other things on my mind lately. Family is something incredibly important and when you lose a piece of that it's a wound that Neosporin and a Band-aid won't easily fix. That being said, here is your newest deep-fried musing; centered around family.
In February of 2001 at Daytona International Speedway, race fans saw one of the greatest things in the sport happen. Dale Earnhardt, Sr., in his patented black #3 Cheverloet, was blocking the other drivers from passing him on the final lap of the Daytona 500. More amazing was that in front of him were his teammate and good friend Michael Waltrip and his son, Dale Jr. The man was giving up himself to let his friend and family fight for the greatest prize in NASCAR. Ultimately, the Intimidator gave up everything in a horrific crash in turn 3 on the final lap that claimed his life.
Still one of the saddest moments in history, it was only appropriate that the #3 be retired from the sport even it was only ceremoniously.
On Friday, Richard Childress (owner of Richard Childress Racing, a powerhouse in NASCAR) announced the #3 car would be back full-time on the Nationwide circuit for the first time since that fateful February evening next season with his grandson, Austin Dillon behind the wheel. Now before you go claiming Richard is using his stature in the sport to unearth the most well-known figure in NASCAR, or that the #3 should never be driven again, check this out.
In an ESPN article, Childress explained that his grandson has been racing in the Craftsman Truck Series (and dominating it) with the #3 plastered on the side and Dillon intends on moving up to NASCAR's "minor leagues" next season. He also made it a point to speak with Junior about seeing someone else drive a car with his fathers number.
"He has used the 3 predominantly throughout his career, and I for one am excited to know he'll be running it at the next level," said Earnhardt. "He's a sharp kid with a lot of potential. The respect he shows the sport and his competitors is a reflection of the family values that has molded him into the person he is today."
Family is something that runs deeper in NASCAR than any other sport in the country. It's such an important fiber in every racer, whether blood is shared or not. As evidenced by the reaction to Dan Wheldon's tragic death at Las Vegas a couple weeks ago.
It should also be noted that Childress drove the #3 for five seasons before Dale, Sr. made it famous. And has he notes towards the end of the piece, "I know (Earnhardt) would be proud."
He absolutely would. Not because of who is driving the #3, but because of why. It's a family thing. They said blood is thicker than water. In NASCAR, it's thicker than oil too. So go get 'em Dillon. Do that #3, and your family proud, like we know you all will.
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In February of 2001 at Daytona International Speedway, race fans saw one of the greatest things in the sport happen. Dale Earnhardt, Sr., in his patented black #3 Cheverloet, was blocking the other drivers from passing him on the final lap of the Daytona 500. More amazing was that in front of him were his teammate and good friend Michael Waltrip and his son, Dale Jr. The man was giving up himself to let his friend and family fight for the greatest prize in NASCAR. Ultimately, the Intimidator gave up everything in a horrific crash in turn 3 on the final lap that claimed his life.
Still one of the saddest moments in history, it was only appropriate that the #3 be retired from the sport even it was only ceremoniously.
On Friday, Richard Childress (owner of Richard Childress Racing, a powerhouse in NASCAR) announced the #3 car would be back full-time on the Nationwide circuit for the first time since that fateful February evening next season with his grandson, Austin Dillon behind the wheel. Now before you go claiming Richard is using his stature in the sport to unearth the most well-known figure in NASCAR, or that the #3 should never be driven again, check this out.
In an ESPN article, Childress explained that his grandson has been racing in the Craftsman Truck Series (and dominating it) with the #3 plastered on the side and Dillon intends on moving up to NASCAR's "minor leagues" next season. He also made it a point to speak with Junior about seeing someone else drive a car with his fathers number.
"He has used the 3 predominantly throughout his career, and I for one am excited to know he'll be running it at the next level," said Earnhardt. "He's a sharp kid with a lot of potential. The respect he shows the sport and his competitors is a reflection of the family values that has molded him into the person he is today."
Family is something that runs deeper in NASCAR than any other sport in the country. It's such an important fiber in every racer, whether blood is shared or not. As evidenced by the reaction to Dan Wheldon's tragic death at Las Vegas a couple weeks ago.
It should also be noted that Childress drove the #3 for five seasons before Dale, Sr. made it famous. And has he notes towards the end of the piece, "I know (Earnhardt) would be proud."
He absolutely would. Not because of who is driving the #3, but because of why. It's a family thing. They said blood is thicker than water. In NASCAR, it's thicker than oil too. So go get 'em Dillon. Do that #3, and your family proud, like we know you all will.
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Monday, October 10, 2011
Top 10 Sports-Themed Halloween Costumes of 2011
Alright, October means my favorite holiday of the year is fast approaching. Halloween. I love creative, funny, mean, politically-incorrect costumes. I was Martha Stewart one year (blonde wig and an orange jumpsuit) and the Met's starting lineup the year they all were hurt. So, with a little help from my good buddy Matty Naps, here is a top-10 list of sports-themed costumes for you to decide between in the next three weeks.
10. NBA/NFL Lockouts
Easily the most talked about stories of the last few months, arguably the two most exciting sports leagues in the country were close (one still is) to not actually having a season. The majority of Americans sat uneasy during June and July as the thought of no gridiron Sundays crept closer and closer to reality. Now, there may actually be a delay/cancellation of pro basketball in the US. Easy costume design here, just put on any NFL/NBA jersey and make sure you have handcuffs on. Or wear a suit with the keys around your belt. Either way, complain you aren’t making enough money the entire time.
9. CM Punk
In a “sport” that continues to have an insanely large fan-base, CM Punk has become one of the more recognizable names in WWE. Now, when I occassionnaly checked in on RAW or SmackDown, I learned that this guy was a “straight-edged” man trying to convince everyone to do the same. Whether that is still true, I’m not sure, but his storyline has grown to becoming a WWE champ. If you wanna give this a ride, throw on some spandex, continue to make him the most popular name in the biz and tell everyone how much better you are than them.
8. Alexandre Burrows
The bite felt round the world, was one of the biggest talking points in this year’s Stanley Cup Finals between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins. The Canucks winger actually went and tried to take a piece of Bruins Patrice Bergeron when the two got in a skirmish a la Holyfield-Tyson. To properly do this costume, buy a Burrows jersey and have part of a finger hanging out of your mouth. If you want to make fun of the whole city of Vancouver, just peacefully destroy everything at the party because you didn’t get what you came for.
7. Philadelphia Eagles “Dream Team”
Ok, once the NFL got going, the actual analysis of the sports and teams began. Experts continued to gawk at the signings made by the Eagles and dub them immediate contenders. Backup quarterback Vince Young took it another level and called his squad a “dream team” of sorts. Now, Philly is 1-4 after dropping a game to the Buffalo Bills this weekend. Without the Phillies or the 76ers (does Philly know they have an NBA team?) the Flyers look as the only hope in that city. To make this one work, just get all the Eagles sleepwear you can find and look like you’re about to go to bed. That’s the only way Eagles fans will their team in the Super Bowl.
6. Novak Djokovic (as Maria Sharapova)
If you have not seen this, here. Novak, who had probably the greatest season of any individual athlete since Tiger Woods in 2000, also proved he is very creative and funny by spoofing on the talented, and sexy, Maria Sharapova. Guys, your drag costume of the year is here. Just follow Novak’s lead and enjoy the Lady Gaga alternate of 2011.
5. BCS School
With all this talk of constant conference realignment, why not have a little fun with? Texas is in the SEC, TCU was going to the BIG EAST and is now going to the BIG 12, Colorado apparently belongs in the PAC-12, and now UCONN and PITT are on the Atlantic Coast. Just find any BCS school jersey and constantly change the conference logo patch on your shoulder claiming football would do better there. Just don’t go get a geography degree from any of those universities.
4. Lebron James
For the second straight year “King James” has made the list. Last year it was as simple as putting on his jersey and talking about going to Miami. This year it’s almost exactly the same. Buy a LeBron James Heat jersey, grow out a little scruff for your beard, and throw on your headband. You have to make sure that you leave all your rings at home, cause you’re LeBron, you don’t have any. Oh, and make sure you and your teammates leave three-quarters through the party.
3. Nevin Shapiro
Ah, yet another college story to make fun of. The University of Miami (The U), was caught for multiple players receiving benefits from a booster named Nevin Shapiro. Those benefits ranged from parties, to computers, to even prostitutes. So all you have to do, is rock a Miami football jersey, have a couple Charlie Sheen-esque goddesses on your arm and keep promising them to other people at the party if they come with you.
2. Brian Wilson’s Beard
The most glorious face-salad in sports since Rollie Fingers has taken on a legend of its own. Now, I hate that Mr. Wilson has to dye his beard black to keep it that way, but he makes up for it in camera attitude and character. Instead of going as Brian Wilson’s ESPY outfit, just go as the beard, it’s that famous anyway. Could get you an epic Head & Shoulders commercial too.
1. Red Sox/Braves
Who will ever forget, or let us forget, the fact that the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox simultaneously performed the greatest September collapse in baseball history. If you want to really be a star at your party, and piss off any friends who are fans of those teams, put on a Sox/Braves jersey, tape a pair of fake hands around your neck and paint your face blue. If you are a Sox or Braves fan, you can have just as much fun with this by putting on an Alex Rodriguez jersey.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
At The Quarter Poll, NFL Power Rankings
I wanted to do this yesterday but I spent the entirity of Tuesday helping out at a blood drive (yes, I even donated) to which the Baker quipped she thought I only had ice in my veins. Anyway, as we've reached the quarter poll in the 2011 NFL season there have been failed experiments, incredible comebacks, numerous injuries, and potential prophecies coming true. Here are my power rankings in the league as we reach our first bye weeks:
32. St. Louis Rams (0-4) - After missing the playoffs last year with rookie sensation Sam Bradford, the Gateway City is just hoping to close this year with a full roster. Injuries are devastating to a team, and when you have the worst record in the worst division, you deserve to be at the bottom.
31. Miami Dolphins (0-4) - Miami is like the Baltimore Orioles of football. They play in such a competitive division and you can see them trying to be good but they just aren't. Chad Henne is hurt, Reggie Bush doesn't even get the ball in blatant running situtation and Tony Sparano should be fired.
30. Minnesota Vikings (0-4) - Donovan McNabb was near his twilight in Washington last year, good thing he went to Minneapolis where he can Ponder just how good retirement looks right now. Not even Purple Jesus can save this team, especially when everyone else in the division is winning.
29. Denver Broncos (1-3) - Remember when Tim Tebow was the saving grace for this team? And then the media turned on him? Maybe it's time to see if the most overhyped Heisman winning QB since Eric Crouch can turn it around in the Mile High City.
28. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) - Matt Cassel has still yet to find that magic he did when replacing Tom Brady in New England and without a running game, this team can only go south. A dissappointing year for the defending AFC West Champions. At least they have decent BBQ.
27. Arizona Cardinals (1-3) - Despite almost upsetting the New York Giants at home, Kevin Kolb has been a subpar signal caller in the early going. Larry Fitzgerald and Early Doucet are great options for him, but Beanie Wells needs to be able to do what he did last week more often for this team to compete.
26. Indianapolis Colts (0-4) - Peyton Manning isn't coming back anytime soon. Joseph Addai can't carry the team this whole season and Curtis Painter still needs to mature a bit. I can guarantee they won't be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes in the draft, but I can also promise they won't finish .500.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) - I got to watch this team in person a few weeks ago and let me say this, David Garrad is still waiting for that apology. Blaine Gabbart is a smart guy, but there's a reason quarterbacks don't come out of Mizzou. What would MJD do? Try to finish the year healthy.
24. Seattle Seahawks (1-3) - Again, this a terrible division and Pete Carroll doesn't have the magic. Tavaris Jackson is not that good a quarterback which is why the Vikings let him leave in the first place. Eventually they have to win some games and in the NFC West, they will.
23. Carolina Panthers (1-3) - Similar to Miami, this is a team with some talent, and if they were in a less competitive division they would finish better. Cam Newton is the real deal. Now you need to build around your franchise player and challenge Brees and Ryan.
22. Cleveland Browns (2-2) - Colt McCoy was a very good QB in college and the Texas product will eventually become a fun guy to watch. With his arm and the legs of Peyton Hillis, there are only two things standing in the Browns way, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. O-H!
21. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) - I-O! Marvin Lewis made good on his prediction that the Bengals would defeat the Bills this weekend. Andy Dalton is looking like he may pan out in the NFL but I'm still not confident enough in that defense or their other offensive positions.
20. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) - Keep dreaming. Michael Vick is an outstanding talent and one of the most exciting players the sport has ever seen. However, speed is not enough to win in this league. You have to have composure, leadership, & defense. If the Eggles don't make the playoffs, this could (should) be it for Andy Reid.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) - Big Ben is one tough sonuvabitch. It's almost like tackling a brick wall, you'll likely get hurt more than him. Mike Wallace is a dynamic reciever and that defense will always be vaunted. However, if your QB doesn't have a foot to stand on, literally, then winning will be difficult.
18. Chicago Bears (2-2) - Somehow, I've forgotten they still play football up there since the 2006 season. Chicago still has a great defense and are an old-school, smash-mouth team. But, when Cutler is calling the plays, you're hoping Urlacher gets a few touchdowns.
17. Oakland Raiders (2-2) - Once again, this team is quietly going to challenge for a playoff spot. Jason Campbell was a solid guy in DC and is proving that in CA. The AFC West isn't a difficult division, the Raiders went 6-0 against them last year. And with Janikowski still kicking, points are always an option.
16. Dallas Cowboys (2-2) - This team could very easily be 4-0 or 0-4. Tony Romo is, as Sports Illustrated's Don Banks said, the Most Pivotal Player (MPP) in the NFL. If the injuries/inexperience of the offense gets shored up, they could be poised to make a run late in the year.
15. New York Jets (2-2) - For once, I understand what my buddy Greenie has always said about Mark Sanchez. He was AWFUL against Baltimore even given the excuse he has no center. If Rex Ryan wants "ground-and-pound" to make a comeback, he better start using it and stop throwing the ball to the Ravens.
14. Atlanta Falcons (2-2) - In a very tough division, the defense has to be better when facing guys like Drew Brees, Cam Newton, and yes, Josh Freeman. I love the Falcons, but Matty Ice can't do it all on his own as evident by the game against Green Bay on opening day.
13. San Francisco (3-1) - Aside from a heroic effort by Tony Romo, this team should be 4-0. Harbaugh is proving that this coaching family is here to stay in the NFL. And in what I truly believe is the worst devision in football, there is no excuse why the 49ers shouldn't already be printing their AFC West Championship T-shirts.
12. Buffalo Bills (3-1) - In the first three weeks we saw some amazing comebacks by the Bills including one over the heavily favored (and much better) New England Patriots. And then, we saw a let down in Cinci. Good teams don't let things like that happen. For now, the wagons stay out of the top ten.
11. Washington Redskins (3-1) - Talk about Detroit, Buffalo, and Tennessee as the surprises of the year, but in the NFC East, who would have thought keeping pace with the 'Skins would be neccessary? Grossman looks good and the RB Guru of Mike Shannahan found a solid backfield tandem in Ryan Torain and Tim Hightower.
10. Tennessee Titans (3-1) - With Chris Johnson holding out, all looked loss for the Titans. Then came Hassleback and things looked ok. But without Kenny Britt, the offense will falter. Unless Matt can truly right the ship. In a Peyton Manning-less AFC South, anything is possible.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) - Josh Freeman is a very good, very big, young quarterback. Raheem Morris is a smart mind, but their defensive is still struggling heavily. Unless Legarette Blount carries the ball at least 30 times a game, don't expect them to challenge for the division. Wild Card ain't out of the question though.
8. San Diego Chargers (3-1) - I've been on this bandwagon for years. Every season I feel as though they are gonna turn the corner and really make a run in the postseason but they still don't have the defense. We'll see how they do against Oakland this year. For now, I'm riding Phillip Rivers arm till it falls off.
7. New York Giants (3-1) - Ok, yes, Victor Cruz probably did fumble that ball, but great teams take advantage of the chances they get. That's what the Giants have done in the early going minus the second half in the season opener. Plus, imagine what will happen when Big Blue's defense is truly 100%?
6. Houston Texans (3-1) - As I was watching them play the Steelers on Sunday I thought, good teams know how to finish. The Texans finished that game when they should have. They are ready for a division crown, finally. Now if they can just survive the next three weeks without Andre Johnson...
5. Baltimore Ravens (3-1) - Joe Flacco (CAA product, SOO GOOOOD) didn't look that great against the Jets. But defense wins championships and as long as Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, and Ray Lewis still play on Sundays, this is the most dangerous defense in the NFL. Oh, and som Harbaugh guy is coaching them.
4. Detroit Lions (4-0) - I, for one, am not the least bit surprised by this team. Matthew Stafford is a top-tier quarterback and that defensive line is downright murderous. Calvin Johnson will catch anything and like Shannon Sharpe said Sunday, "He is Megatron and the NFL doesn't have an Optimus Prime."
3. New Orleans Saints (3-1) - Drew Brees is still one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL and the addition of Heisman winner Mark Ingram brings a power game to the Saints we aren't truly used to. Not to mention, they have one of the best young coaches in the game in Sean Payton, isn't that right Dallas?
2. New England Patriots (3-1) - If Tom Brady channel his inner Tony Romo/Brett Favre two weeks ago, they might be number one. The offense is stupid good. If Chad Johnson ever caught a pass this year, and the defense prevented a pass completion, they would run away with the AFC Crown and maybe a Super Bowl.
1. Green Bay Packers (4-0) - Is there really an argument here? Defending champs, GREAT defense, top of the line quarterback, solid ground game, and the ability to hide out in media market 189. This is the best team in football, until they lose. Maybe in Indy?
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32. St. Louis Rams (0-4) - After missing the playoffs last year with rookie sensation Sam Bradford, the Gateway City is just hoping to close this year with a full roster. Injuries are devastating to a team, and when you have the worst record in the worst division, you deserve to be at the bottom.
31. Miami Dolphins (0-4) - Miami is like the Baltimore Orioles of football. They play in such a competitive division and you can see them trying to be good but they just aren't. Chad Henne is hurt, Reggie Bush doesn't even get the ball in blatant running situtation and Tony Sparano should be fired.
30. Minnesota Vikings (0-4) - Donovan McNabb was near his twilight in Washington last year, good thing he went to Minneapolis where he can Ponder just how good retirement looks right now. Not even Purple Jesus can save this team, especially when everyone else in the division is winning.
29. Denver Broncos (1-3) - Remember when Tim Tebow was the saving grace for this team? And then the media turned on him? Maybe it's time to see if the most overhyped Heisman winning QB since Eric Crouch can turn it around in the Mile High City.
28. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) - Matt Cassel has still yet to find that magic he did when replacing Tom Brady in New England and without a running game, this team can only go south. A dissappointing year for the defending AFC West Champions. At least they have decent BBQ.
27. Arizona Cardinals (1-3) - Despite almost upsetting the New York Giants at home, Kevin Kolb has been a subpar signal caller in the early going. Larry Fitzgerald and Early Doucet are great options for him, but Beanie Wells needs to be able to do what he did last week more often for this team to compete.
26. Indianapolis Colts (0-4) - Peyton Manning isn't coming back anytime soon. Joseph Addai can't carry the team this whole season and Curtis Painter still needs to mature a bit. I can guarantee they won't be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes in the draft, but I can also promise they won't finish .500.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3) - I got to watch this team in person a few weeks ago and let me say this, David Garrad is still waiting for that apology. Blaine Gabbart is a smart guy, but there's a reason quarterbacks don't come out of Mizzou. What would MJD do? Try to finish the year healthy.
24. Seattle Seahawks (1-3) - Again, this a terrible division and Pete Carroll doesn't have the magic. Tavaris Jackson is not that good a quarterback which is why the Vikings let him leave in the first place. Eventually they have to win some games and in the NFC West, they will.
23. Carolina Panthers (1-3) - Similar to Miami, this is a team with some talent, and if they were in a less competitive division they would finish better. Cam Newton is the real deal. Now you need to build around your franchise player and challenge Brees and Ryan.
22. Cleveland Browns (2-2) - Colt McCoy was a very good QB in college and the Texas product will eventually become a fun guy to watch. With his arm and the legs of Peyton Hillis, there are only two things standing in the Browns way, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. O-H!
21. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) - I-O! Marvin Lewis made good on his prediction that the Bengals would defeat the Bills this weekend. Andy Dalton is looking like he may pan out in the NFL but I'm still not confident enough in that defense or their other offensive positions.
20. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) - Keep dreaming. Michael Vick is an outstanding talent and one of the most exciting players the sport has ever seen. However, speed is not enough to win in this league. You have to have composure, leadership, & defense. If the Eggles don't make the playoffs, this could (should) be it for Andy Reid.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) - Big Ben is one tough sonuvabitch. It's almost like tackling a brick wall, you'll likely get hurt more than him. Mike Wallace is a dynamic reciever and that defense will always be vaunted. However, if your QB doesn't have a foot to stand on, literally, then winning will be difficult.
18. Chicago Bears (2-2) - Somehow, I've forgotten they still play football up there since the 2006 season. Chicago still has a great defense and are an old-school, smash-mouth team. But, when Cutler is calling the plays, you're hoping Urlacher gets a few touchdowns.
17. Oakland Raiders (2-2) - Once again, this team is quietly going to challenge for a playoff spot. Jason Campbell was a solid guy in DC and is proving that in CA. The AFC West isn't a difficult division, the Raiders went 6-0 against them last year. And with Janikowski still kicking, points are always an option.
16. Dallas Cowboys (2-2) - This team could very easily be 4-0 or 0-4. Tony Romo is, as Sports Illustrated's Don Banks said, the Most Pivotal Player (MPP) in the NFL. If the injuries/inexperience of the offense gets shored up, they could be poised to make a run late in the year.
15. New York Jets (2-2) - For once, I understand what my buddy Greenie has always said about Mark Sanchez. He was AWFUL against Baltimore even given the excuse he has no center. If Rex Ryan wants "ground-and-pound" to make a comeback, he better start using it and stop throwing the ball to the Ravens.
14. Atlanta Falcons (2-2) - In a very tough division, the defense has to be better when facing guys like Drew Brees, Cam Newton, and yes, Josh Freeman. I love the Falcons, but Matty Ice can't do it all on his own as evident by the game against Green Bay on opening day.
13. San Francisco (3-1) - Aside from a heroic effort by Tony Romo, this team should be 4-0. Harbaugh is proving that this coaching family is here to stay in the NFL. And in what I truly believe is the worst devision in football, there is no excuse why the 49ers shouldn't already be printing their AFC West Championship T-shirts.
12. Buffalo Bills (3-1) - In the first three weeks we saw some amazing comebacks by the Bills including one over the heavily favored (and much better) New England Patriots. And then, we saw a let down in Cinci. Good teams don't let things like that happen. For now, the wagons stay out of the top ten.
11. Washington Redskins (3-1) - Talk about Detroit, Buffalo, and Tennessee as the surprises of the year, but in the NFC East, who would have thought keeping pace with the 'Skins would be neccessary? Grossman looks good and the RB Guru of Mike Shannahan found a solid backfield tandem in Ryan Torain and Tim Hightower.
10. Tennessee Titans (3-1) - With Chris Johnson holding out, all looked loss for the Titans. Then came Hassleback and things looked ok. But without Kenny Britt, the offense will falter. Unless Matt can truly right the ship. In a Peyton Manning-less AFC South, anything is possible.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) - Josh Freeman is a very good, very big, young quarterback. Raheem Morris is a smart mind, but their defensive is still struggling heavily. Unless Legarette Blount carries the ball at least 30 times a game, don't expect them to challenge for the division. Wild Card ain't out of the question though.
8. San Diego Chargers (3-1) - I've been on this bandwagon for years. Every season I feel as though they are gonna turn the corner and really make a run in the postseason but they still don't have the defense. We'll see how they do against Oakland this year. For now, I'm riding Phillip Rivers arm till it falls off.
7. New York Giants (3-1) - Ok, yes, Victor Cruz probably did fumble that ball, but great teams take advantage of the chances they get. That's what the Giants have done in the early going minus the second half in the season opener. Plus, imagine what will happen when Big Blue's defense is truly 100%?
6. Houston Texans (3-1) - As I was watching them play the Steelers on Sunday I thought, good teams know how to finish. The Texans finished that game when they should have. They are ready for a division crown, finally. Now if they can just survive the next three weeks without Andre Johnson...
5. Baltimore Ravens (3-1) - Joe Flacco (CAA product, SOO GOOOOD) didn't look that great against the Jets. But defense wins championships and as long as Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, and Ray Lewis still play on Sundays, this is the most dangerous defense in the NFL. Oh, and som Harbaugh guy is coaching them.
4. Detroit Lions (4-0) - I, for one, am not the least bit surprised by this team. Matthew Stafford is a top-tier quarterback and that defensive line is downright murderous. Calvin Johnson will catch anything and like Shannon Sharpe said Sunday, "He is Megatron and the NFL doesn't have an Optimus Prime."
3. New Orleans Saints (3-1) - Drew Brees is still one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL and the addition of Heisman winner Mark Ingram brings a power game to the Saints we aren't truly used to. Not to mention, they have one of the best young coaches in the game in Sean Payton, isn't that right Dallas?
2. New England Patriots (3-1) - If Tom Brady channel his inner Tony Romo/Brett Favre two weeks ago, they might be number one. The offense is stupid good. If Chad Johnson ever caught a pass this year, and the defense prevented a pass completion, they would run away with the AFC Crown and maybe a Super Bowl.
1. Green Bay Packers (4-0) - Is there really an argument here? Defending champs, GREAT defense, top of the line quarterback, solid ground game, and the ability to hide out in media market 189. This is the best team in football, until they lose. Maybe in Indy?
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Friday, September 30, 2011
The Season of "What The Hell Happened?"
Wednesday night was arguably the most incredibly, heart-wrenching, adrenaline-packed 30 minutes of baseball in the history of the sport. When the dust settled, probably the two greatest collapses in it's more than 100 year old history were completed. The Atlanta Braves blew an 8.5 game lead in the Wild Card giving the St. Louis Cardinals a chance to make some noise in October like some expected. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox, one time locks to win the AL East, stumbled over everything and gave away a nine game advantage over Tampa Bay in the Wild Card to turn what many dubbed the best team assembled into the greatest disappointment ever. But how did this happen? Since nobody outside of Atlanta will acknowledge the debacle at Turner Field (cause they aren't the high-profile team of the Sox), and because the Red Sox are the thing I love most, outside of family, let's look at how a promising New England domination turned into the Boston team of yore. Here is how I think it happened, who to blame, what to do about it:
Terry Francona: Look, as much as I love him, he has to be held at least a little bit accountable. In sports, it's the job of the head coach (manager) to get his team playing the right way. In the month of September, the Sox were God awful. They couldn't hit, couldn't pitch, and couldn't beat teams they had all summer. Tito's job is to manage the game. He did not do that well. He put in terrible lineups when you needed your best guys at the plate. He continuously went with Andrew Miller and Kyle Weiland instead of using Alfredo Aceves as a starter. He left Beckett, Lester, and Lackey in one inning too long on multiple occassions, envoking memories of Game 7 in the 2003 ALCS which ultimately led to the demise of Grady Little in Beantown. Terry was not a manager in September. When the team, and fan base, was panicking, he did the same instead of being a leader.
What to do about it: The easy answer would be to let Tito go and try to find someone new to take the reins, which may be what happens later today. My answer is no. Sure, he's gonna get the majority of the blame (because managers/head coaches always do) but who the hell are you gonna get? Is there honestly a manager-in-waiting that can handle the pressures of managing the second highest payroll in the bigs and do it in a baseball-crazed town like Boston? I don't really see one, unless you want to give Alex Cora his due or convince Jason Varitek his days of actually playing are over. Yes, the honeymoon period is over for Terry, but just because the best times are in the past doesn't mean you start looking for a new spouse. There's a loyalty aspect in baseball that's awesome and two World Series in 7 years for a franchise that was tortured for 86 seasons deserves some extra leash. Which brings me to...
The Players: As much as the manager/coach is going to get blamed for this epic embarrassment of a beautiful sport, it's ultimately up to the players to get it done. In the month of Spetember, the Sox top MVP candidate (Jacoby Ellsbury) disappeared for about two weeks. David Ortiz couldn't hit himself with a bat, epitomized by that weak grounder with runners on first and third Wednesday night. Carl Crawford proved his contract was third worst in baseball history (Still putting Barry Zito in SF and Diasuke ahead of him) by becoming a faster JD Drew swinging at every pitch in the dirt, never coming out of a slump, and overall being terrible. Marco Scutaro was your best player the entire month. MARCO SCUTARO!!! The guy every "expert" wanted to bench in favor of Jed "still haven't reached my potential despite years of investment oh hey Lars Anderson" Lowrie. Meanwhile, the pitching was atrocious. When Diasuke Matsuzaka got hurt I jokingly tweeted that it was best thing to happen to this staff. On second thought, it was our downfall. Say you want about the real life Fifel the Mouse, the guy gave you innings and was just as good at getting out of trouble as he was getting in to it. John Lackey couldn't figure out how to leave his personal life in the clubhouse and perform (that's all I'll say about him cause the guy has been through hell this year). Lester and Beckett were great, but couldn't find that extra gear when needed late. Not to mention the heir apparent, Daniel Bard, looked more like Nuke LaLoosh before Crash Davis showed up, and Paplebon blew two HUGE saves in a week against the Orioles after only blowing one save all year prior. When Kevin Youkilis got hurt, the guys behind him didn't do squat to fix it while Youk turned into a cynic and critic rather than a motivating force like Pedey did last year. Speaking of Pedroia, I love the guy, he's my idol. But he wasn't a leader. In sports, you always hear about "the leader of this team" and it's never the guy on the sidelines. It's the on the field/court/ice that motivates his guys to play better. Dustin didn't do that. America runs on Dunkin' and the Sox run on Dustin, but he was decaf all month.
What to do about it: I honestly don't know. You've spent too much money on Crawford, Gonzo, Lackey to justify cutting your losses this early. It's apparent players like Jed Lowrie and Josh Reddick aren't ready for the rigors of a 162 game season in the pros, but they do need to be there in case. What I think should happen is a focus on two things: player rehab and fiscal responsibility. Whatever it takes (within legal bounds) to get players healthy quick needs to be done. For two straight years, injuries have played some role in poor play. Without Clay Buchholz and Youk, the Sox couldn't find a rythym in the pen or at the plate. Not saying those two guys would have changed it all, but they would have helped. In 2012, Daisuke, Buchh, and Youk will all be back healthy. Whether that changes anything will depend on the other thing needed: Fiscal Responsibility. Oh yeah....
Theo Epstein: As the General Manager, it is your job to put a winning team on the field so that your manager can use them to win games. Theo, in February, did that. $400 million given to possibly the best guys at their position (Gonzo and Crawford) had the Sox poised. But, what Theo forgot is that baseball is 162 9-inning games long. You need players to be there for all 1,458 innings. That includes reliable bench players and strong relief pitchers. Both of which were forgotten about this year. Remember 2004, Theo? A really good defense with an incredible bullpen but only three "true" superstars (Manny, Pedro, Schilling). The rest of the team were role players. Orlando Cabrera, Mark Bellhorn, Kevin Millar, Alan Embree, Keith Foulke, Bronson Arroyo, Derek Lowe, CURTIS LESKANIC (yes, he was on that team). All of them weren't standouts at their positions/roles. Hell, some of them weren't top-10. But they played together. They got along, they had chemistry, and they wanted to play. Something that doesn't happen with $100 million contracts at every position. It's funny how money talks yet falls silent when asked to give back.
What to do about it: Get your head out of your ass. Stop trying to win arms races with the Yankees, Phillies, whoever. Look, the Sox have the best team in baseball (on paper). This issue, that best team is only good for about 7 innings. The sport is, and always has been, about pitching and defense. That's what truly wins championships. Theo, you need to stop spending millions on two high-profile "superstars" and use it to get 5 above-average relievers/defensive replacements that get the job done when called. Remember that whole "Moneyball" theme that you used in 2004? Get back to it. There's a reason I find Herb Brooks (1980 USA Hockey Coach) to be one of the top-3 coaches of all-time. On the first day of tryouts, Herb handed his final roster to his assistant. When his assistant said, "Herb, you don't even have some of the best players on here," Brooks responded with, "I'm not looking for the best players, I'm looking for the right ones." That's what you need Theo. Then again, I shouldn't be too mad, he was kind of baited in to getting the "best" players.
Boston Fans: Look guys, I get it. Winning is awesome. There wasn't a happier day in my life than October 27th, 2004. I cried that night and I cried again on Wednesday. I love this team more than anything. My life revolves around what those guys do for 8 months out of the year. That obsession has ruined relationships, friendships and my health (mental and physical). I didn't watch any sports show or go to any sports website yesterday because I didn't want to see confirmation that what happened actually happened. But you know what? We asked for it. We forgot who we really were. In 2003, there was one champion, the Patriots. Then came the Sox, pretty soon after the Celtics and then finally the Bruins. Boston became cocky. They became arrogant. We became...(gulp) the Yankees.
What to do about it: Stop acting like we deserve to win every year. I love winning, it's awesome. But I also like not being hated outside of New York. For Christs sake we had Oriole fans praying to ruin us like we were the Goddam Yankees!!! We became what we hated. And it began with that stupid ass ad slogan this year. "We Won't Rest". When I first saw that commerical I said to good friend Glista that we are asking for trouble. She, being the true fan she is (not a cynic realist like me) told me to shut up it's awesome. We Won't Rest, Until Every Base Is Stolen; Until Every Fly Ball is Caught; Until Every Strike Is Made; Until Order Is Restored. That last one got me most. Until order is restored. Remember, we were the laughing stock of baseball. The Curse, '75, Bucky Dent, Buckner, Aaron "Bleeping" Boone. Remember them? That's our history. Not championships. There is only one team in Boston that "deserves" to constantly win titles and that's the Celtics because that is their history. I'm convinced that in baseball, there is some sort of outside force that contributes to every season. Call it fate, destiny, luck, whatever. But this collapse was fate reminding us who we are, the hard luck losers. We were the losers who won it all and then became too big for our britches (sounding a little familiar, Philly? It will soon.) Until order is restored. Guess what Sox fans, order has been restored. In the words of Rob Schneider in Waterboy, "We suck again."
.
Terry Francona: Look, as much as I love him, he has to be held at least a little bit accountable. In sports, it's the job of the head coach (manager) to get his team playing the right way. In the month of September, the Sox were God awful. They couldn't hit, couldn't pitch, and couldn't beat teams they had all summer. Tito's job is to manage the game. He did not do that well. He put in terrible lineups when you needed your best guys at the plate. He continuously went with Andrew Miller and Kyle Weiland instead of using Alfredo Aceves as a starter. He left Beckett, Lester, and Lackey in one inning too long on multiple occassions, envoking memories of Game 7 in the 2003 ALCS which ultimately led to the demise of Grady Little in Beantown. Terry was not a manager in September. When the team, and fan base, was panicking, he did the same instead of being a leader.
What to do about it: The easy answer would be to let Tito go and try to find someone new to take the reins, which may be what happens later today. My answer is no. Sure, he's gonna get the majority of the blame (because managers/head coaches always do) but who the hell are you gonna get? Is there honestly a manager-in-waiting that can handle the pressures of managing the second highest payroll in the bigs and do it in a baseball-crazed town like Boston? I don't really see one, unless you want to give Alex Cora his due or convince Jason Varitek his days of actually playing are over. Yes, the honeymoon period is over for Terry, but just because the best times are in the past doesn't mean you start looking for a new spouse. There's a loyalty aspect in baseball that's awesome and two World Series in 7 years for a franchise that was tortured for 86 seasons deserves some extra leash. Which brings me to...
The Players: As much as the manager/coach is going to get blamed for this epic embarrassment of a beautiful sport, it's ultimately up to the players to get it done. In the month of Spetember, the Sox top MVP candidate (Jacoby Ellsbury) disappeared for about two weeks. David Ortiz couldn't hit himself with a bat, epitomized by that weak grounder with runners on first and third Wednesday night. Carl Crawford proved his contract was third worst in baseball history (Still putting Barry Zito in SF and Diasuke ahead of him) by becoming a faster JD Drew swinging at every pitch in the dirt, never coming out of a slump, and overall being terrible. Marco Scutaro was your best player the entire month. MARCO SCUTARO!!! The guy every "expert" wanted to bench in favor of Jed "still haven't reached my potential despite years of investment oh hey Lars Anderson" Lowrie. Meanwhile, the pitching was atrocious. When Diasuke Matsuzaka got hurt I jokingly tweeted that it was best thing to happen to this staff. On second thought, it was our downfall. Say you want about the real life Fifel the Mouse, the guy gave you innings and was just as good at getting out of trouble as he was getting in to it. John Lackey couldn't figure out how to leave his personal life in the clubhouse and perform (that's all I'll say about him cause the guy has been through hell this year). Lester and Beckett were great, but couldn't find that extra gear when needed late. Not to mention the heir apparent, Daniel Bard, looked more like Nuke LaLoosh before Crash Davis showed up, and Paplebon blew two HUGE saves in a week against the Orioles after only blowing one save all year prior. When Kevin Youkilis got hurt, the guys behind him didn't do squat to fix it while Youk turned into a cynic and critic rather than a motivating force like Pedey did last year. Speaking of Pedroia, I love the guy, he's my idol. But he wasn't a leader. In sports, you always hear about "the leader of this team" and it's never the guy on the sidelines. It's the on the field/court/ice that motivates his guys to play better. Dustin didn't do that. America runs on Dunkin' and the Sox run on Dustin, but he was decaf all month.
What to do about it: I honestly don't know. You've spent too much money on Crawford, Gonzo, Lackey to justify cutting your losses this early. It's apparent players like Jed Lowrie and Josh Reddick aren't ready for the rigors of a 162 game season in the pros, but they do need to be there in case. What I think should happen is a focus on two things: player rehab and fiscal responsibility. Whatever it takes (within legal bounds) to get players healthy quick needs to be done. For two straight years, injuries have played some role in poor play. Without Clay Buchholz and Youk, the Sox couldn't find a rythym in the pen or at the plate. Not saying those two guys would have changed it all, but they would have helped. In 2012, Daisuke, Buchh, and Youk will all be back healthy. Whether that changes anything will depend on the other thing needed: Fiscal Responsibility. Oh yeah....
Theo Epstein: As the General Manager, it is your job to put a winning team on the field so that your manager can use them to win games. Theo, in February, did that. $400 million given to possibly the best guys at their position (Gonzo and Crawford) had the Sox poised. But, what Theo forgot is that baseball is 162 9-inning games long. You need players to be there for all 1,458 innings. That includes reliable bench players and strong relief pitchers. Both of which were forgotten about this year. Remember 2004, Theo? A really good defense with an incredible bullpen but only three "true" superstars (Manny, Pedro, Schilling). The rest of the team were role players. Orlando Cabrera, Mark Bellhorn, Kevin Millar, Alan Embree, Keith Foulke, Bronson Arroyo, Derek Lowe, CURTIS LESKANIC (yes, he was on that team). All of them weren't standouts at their positions/roles. Hell, some of them weren't top-10. But they played together. They got along, they had chemistry, and they wanted to play. Something that doesn't happen with $100 million contracts at every position. It's funny how money talks yet falls silent when asked to give back.
What to do about it: Get your head out of your ass. Stop trying to win arms races with the Yankees, Phillies, whoever. Look, the Sox have the best team in baseball (on paper). This issue, that best team is only good for about 7 innings. The sport is, and always has been, about pitching and defense. That's what truly wins championships. Theo, you need to stop spending millions on two high-profile "superstars" and use it to get 5 above-average relievers/defensive replacements that get the job done when called. Remember that whole "Moneyball" theme that you used in 2004? Get back to it. There's a reason I find Herb Brooks (1980 USA Hockey Coach) to be one of the top-3 coaches of all-time. On the first day of tryouts, Herb handed his final roster to his assistant. When his assistant said, "Herb, you don't even have some of the best players on here," Brooks responded with, "I'm not looking for the best players, I'm looking for the right ones." That's what you need Theo. Then again, I shouldn't be too mad, he was kind of baited in to getting the "best" players.
Boston Fans: Look guys, I get it. Winning is awesome. There wasn't a happier day in my life than October 27th, 2004. I cried that night and I cried again on Wednesday. I love this team more than anything. My life revolves around what those guys do for 8 months out of the year. That obsession has ruined relationships, friendships and my health (mental and physical). I didn't watch any sports show or go to any sports website yesterday because I didn't want to see confirmation that what happened actually happened. But you know what? We asked for it. We forgot who we really were. In 2003, there was one champion, the Patriots. Then came the Sox, pretty soon after the Celtics and then finally the Bruins. Boston became cocky. They became arrogant. We became...(gulp) the Yankees.
What to do about it: Stop acting like we deserve to win every year. I love winning, it's awesome. But I also like not being hated outside of New York. For Christs sake we had Oriole fans praying to ruin us like we were the Goddam Yankees!!! We became what we hated. And it began with that stupid ass ad slogan this year. "We Won't Rest". When I first saw that commerical I said to good friend Glista that we are asking for trouble. She, being the true fan she is (not a cynic realist like me) told me to shut up it's awesome. We Won't Rest, Until Every Base Is Stolen; Until Every Fly Ball is Caught; Until Every Strike Is Made; Until Order Is Restored. That last one got me most. Until order is restored. Remember, we were the laughing stock of baseball. The Curse, '75, Bucky Dent, Buckner, Aaron "Bleeping" Boone. Remember them? That's our history. Not championships. There is only one team in Boston that "deserves" to constantly win titles and that's the Celtics because that is their history. I'm convinced that in baseball, there is some sort of outside force that contributes to every season. Call it fate, destiny, luck, whatever. But this collapse was fate reminding us who we are, the hard luck losers. We were the losers who won it all and then became too big for our britches (sounding a little familiar, Philly? It will soon.) Until order is restored. Guess what Sox fans, order has been restored. In the words of Rob Schneider in Waterboy, "We suck again."
.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Moneyball is Just That, Money.
So I'm not anything close to a movie expert, but I do know a little bit about sports and I like movies so when the two converge, I feel like I can adequately dissect and analyze what I've just witnessed on the screen like I would a game. This past weekend I went to see a movie I was more excited about than any other film since Star Wars Episode II (which eventually ruined that attempted prequel franchise). Moneyball is the screen adaptation of the book Michael Lewis' book about how the 2002 Oakland Athletics utilized a new style of player recruiting and development, founded by Bill James, that attempted to turn the sport of baseball on its head.
In the film, Brad Pitt plays Oakland General Manager Billy Beane; a 40-something former MLB bust turned executive in a small market team that has a payroll nearly $70 million dollars less than that of the AL Champion New York Yankees. After falling to the Bombers in the 2001 ALDS, the A's lose their three best players in Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and Jason Isringhausen to free agency because they cannot compete financially with teams like Boston and New York.
In the off season, Beane travels to Cleveland to try and work on a trade to better his squad. During the conversation, Mark Shapiro (Indians GM) constantly shakes off any attempted deal because of a look his advisor gives him. The advisor, is really being advised by Peter Brand (played by Jonah Hill). Brand, is a 24 year old Economics Major from Yale who has developed a style of player evaluation that helps the Indians base a player's worth on stats other than Homers and Batting Average. Beane eventually tracks down Brand before "buying" him from the Indians to come to Oakland.
There, Beane and Brand go into a meeting with Oakland's scouts to figure out how to replace their top players. Beane decides they will in turn sign bottom barrel free agents like Scott Hatterberg, Jeremy Giambi, and Chad Bradford because of stats and things not usually evaluated by typical scouts. After a rough couple first months of his manager Art Howe (played by Philip Seymour-Hoffman) not playing along, Beane shakes things up to ensure the team he has assembled is played the way he wants. The Athletics go on to win an American League record 20 straight games, the Western Division and a trip to the playoffs with the best record in the league. Only to lose in the opening round, again, to Minnesota.
Now that you understand the movie, as if true sports fans didn't already know it, here's what I felt about it. Brad Pitt once again shows his full range and ability on the screen. The man is able to brilliantly capture every aspect of Billy Beane's life, from a man struggling to keep a strong relationship with his estranged daughter, to fighting his own demons of being a wash-out and trying to complete this self-fulfilling prophecy of a new style of baseball, Pitt is able to make you feel the pains and torments of a GM in a small-market city.
More over, what Pitt did in preparation shows his vast devotion to the role he plays. Pitt went and read Moneyball so many times, spoke with Beane personally on multiple accounts, that he actually was sighting passages from the book in production meetings. He wanted to fully portray the man that is Billy Beane and he knocked it out of the park (had to use at least one pun).
Jonah Hill is also a very good actor in this movie. Going in, I kept hearing how good he was, that this was a defining role in his career, I even heard a small murmur of Oscar talk. All that aside, I was still waiting for a random, hilarious outburst from the once large comedic teddy-bear we loved in Superbad. Maybe that's unfair to him as a stigma but it's how I felt. When I was able to put aside my desire to see him scream about some "Seth's Own Dressing", I saw a wonderful performance that again captured the essence that was his character.
Peter Brand was portrayed in ever light I expected. A bright kid with love for sports but who looked incredibly out of place in his shirt and tie amongst the sweatpants and track suits of a professional ball club. There was a wonderful scene where Brand is forced to tell rookie sensation Carlos Pena that he has been traded to the Detroit Tigers. After this exchange, you can see the tense look on Hill's face as if his character is about to get launched threw a window. Once Pena leaves the room, a massive sigh of relief is let out and you see the comfort level of dealing with players rise in Brand. A spot-on depiction of his transformation into a sound MLB executive.
What made the movie for me, however, was not the acting prowess of Pitt, the subtle nuance that is Seymour-Hoffman, or the career growth of Hill. It was the writing of Aaron Sorkin and the direction of Bennett Miller. The two, along with writer Steven Zaillian, are able to capture exactly how a season of Major League Baseball is played out off the field. We as fans see the nine or more innings that are played, the post-game interviews, and the headlines the following morning. What we don't see are the deadline deals being made between clubs, the conversations between Manager and GM, GM and Owner, GM and player.
It's a very well-versed portrayal of a man battling with demons, trying to prove the world wrong, all while taking criticism from every place under the sun. For anyone who ever thought the role of a GM was easy, this will change that. I was extremely pleased with the multiple scenes of Beane driving in his pick-up truck listening to talk-show hosts (and fans) completely ridicule his every move then giving credit to the manager and not him. Also, the random drop-ins of baseball experts like Bob Costas, Tim McCarver, added an outside view of what baseball was seeing happening in Oakland.
In the final 15-20 minutes of the movie, after being unable to "win the last game of the season", Beane takes a trip to Boston where he meets with Red Sox owner John Henry. Henry is infatuated with the style of roster management employed by the A's and wants to bring Beane to Fenway and be the new GM. There is a point before this revelation, where Beane tells Brand that if the A's don't win it all, their experiment will be considered a failure and Oakland will be a laughing stock once again. This meeting with Henry is the completion of the self-fulfilling prophecy. His method has changed the way the game is played, and now a team that has the finances to compete with the big boys, can use the evaluation style of a team that won as many games as the Yankees with tens of billions of dollars less.
Overall, this movie was wonderful. It was brilliantly written, produced, and portrayed. It opens a door inside the world of roster maintenance in the bigs. I personally enjoyed seeing names of guys I emulated in little league on the field again, watching the Kansas City Royals play in their old purple pinstriped jersey, and of course, the film session about Kevin Youkilis and discussion with the Sox. While it will be one of the best movies of the year, I don't see much Oscar buzz coming out of it. Yes, the acting is great and the film is a lot of fun to watch, it's not a "life-changer". You don't feel as if you're watching something special on the screen. Just a very well told story about an eventual loser that finds a way to win elsewhere. But that's baseball, and that's what is great about Moneyball. As Billy Beane says in the film, "How can you not be romantic about baseball?"
Oh, and for those who don't know the end of the story, Beane turns down a $12.5 million dollar offer from Boston (which would make him the highest paid GM in sports, at that time) to stay in Oakland and continue what he started. What the movie failed to mention was that Beane actually suggested Henry hire Theo Epstein, who was also helping to implement the same style in San Diego. Two years later, with a few big names and an island of misfit toys, the Red Sox snapped the 86-year old Curse of the Bambino and won the World Series. Again, how can you not be romantic about baseball?
.
In the film, Brad Pitt plays Oakland General Manager Billy Beane; a 40-something former MLB bust turned executive in a small market team that has a payroll nearly $70 million dollars less than that of the AL Champion New York Yankees. After falling to the Bombers in the 2001 ALDS, the A's lose their three best players in Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and Jason Isringhausen to free agency because they cannot compete financially with teams like Boston and New York.
In the off season, Beane travels to Cleveland to try and work on a trade to better his squad. During the conversation, Mark Shapiro (Indians GM) constantly shakes off any attempted deal because of a look his advisor gives him. The advisor, is really being advised by Peter Brand (played by Jonah Hill). Brand, is a 24 year old Economics Major from Yale who has developed a style of player evaluation that helps the Indians base a player's worth on stats other than Homers and Batting Average. Beane eventually tracks down Brand before "buying" him from the Indians to come to Oakland.
There, Beane and Brand go into a meeting with Oakland's scouts to figure out how to replace their top players. Beane decides they will in turn sign bottom barrel free agents like Scott Hatterberg, Jeremy Giambi, and Chad Bradford because of stats and things not usually evaluated by typical scouts. After a rough couple first months of his manager Art Howe (played by Philip Seymour-Hoffman) not playing along, Beane shakes things up to ensure the team he has assembled is played the way he wants. The Athletics go on to win an American League record 20 straight games, the Western Division and a trip to the playoffs with the best record in the league. Only to lose in the opening round, again, to Minnesota.
Now that you understand the movie, as if true sports fans didn't already know it, here's what I felt about it. Brad Pitt once again shows his full range and ability on the screen. The man is able to brilliantly capture every aspect of Billy Beane's life, from a man struggling to keep a strong relationship with his estranged daughter, to fighting his own demons of being a wash-out and trying to complete this self-fulfilling prophecy of a new style of baseball, Pitt is able to make you feel the pains and torments of a GM in a small-market city.
More over, what Pitt did in preparation shows his vast devotion to the role he plays. Pitt went and read Moneyball so many times, spoke with Beane personally on multiple accounts, that he actually was sighting passages from the book in production meetings. He wanted to fully portray the man that is Billy Beane and he knocked it out of the park (had to use at least one pun).
Jonah Hill is also a very good actor in this movie. Going in, I kept hearing how good he was, that this was a defining role in his career, I even heard a small murmur of Oscar talk. All that aside, I was still waiting for a random, hilarious outburst from the once large comedic teddy-bear we loved in Superbad. Maybe that's unfair to him as a stigma but it's how I felt. When I was able to put aside my desire to see him scream about some "Seth's Own Dressing", I saw a wonderful performance that again captured the essence that was his character.
Peter Brand was portrayed in ever light I expected. A bright kid with love for sports but who looked incredibly out of place in his shirt and tie amongst the sweatpants and track suits of a professional ball club. There was a wonderful scene where Brand is forced to tell rookie sensation Carlos Pena that he has been traded to the Detroit Tigers. After this exchange, you can see the tense look on Hill's face as if his character is about to get launched threw a window. Once Pena leaves the room, a massive sigh of relief is let out and you see the comfort level of dealing with players rise in Brand. A spot-on depiction of his transformation into a sound MLB executive.
What made the movie for me, however, was not the acting prowess of Pitt, the subtle nuance that is Seymour-Hoffman, or the career growth of Hill. It was the writing of Aaron Sorkin and the direction of Bennett Miller. The two, along with writer Steven Zaillian, are able to capture exactly how a season of Major League Baseball is played out off the field. We as fans see the nine or more innings that are played, the post-game interviews, and the headlines the following morning. What we don't see are the deadline deals being made between clubs, the conversations between Manager and GM, GM and Owner, GM and player.
It's a very well-versed portrayal of a man battling with demons, trying to prove the world wrong, all while taking criticism from every place under the sun. For anyone who ever thought the role of a GM was easy, this will change that. I was extremely pleased with the multiple scenes of Beane driving in his pick-up truck listening to talk-show hosts (and fans) completely ridicule his every move then giving credit to the manager and not him. Also, the random drop-ins of baseball experts like Bob Costas, Tim McCarver, added an outside view of what baseball was seeing happening in Oakland.
In the final 15-20 minutes of the movie, after being unable to "win the last game of the season", Beane takes a trip to Boston where he meets with Red Sox owner John Henry. Henry is infatuated with the style of roster management employed by the A's and wants to bring Beane to Fenway and be the new GM. There is a point before this revelation, where Beane tells Brand that if the A's don't win it all, their experiment will be considered a failure and Oakland will be a laughing stock once again. This meeting with Henry is the completion of the self-fulfilling prophecy. His method has changed the way the game is played, and now a team that has the finances to compete with the big boys, can use the evaluation style of a team that won as many games as the Yankees with tens of billions of dollars less.
Overall, this movie was wonderful. It was brilliantly written, produced, and portrayed. It opens a door inside the world of roster maintenance in the bigs. I personally enjoyed seeing names of guys I emulated in little league on the field again, watching the Kansas City Royals play in their old purple pinstriped jersey, and of course, the film session about Kevin Youkilis and discussion with the Sox. While it will be one of the best movies of the year, I don't see much Oscar buzz coming out of it. Yes, the acting is great and the film is a lot of fun to watch, it's not a "life-changer". You don't feel as if you're watching something special on the screen. Just a very well told story about an eventual loser that finds a way to win elsewhere. But that's baseball, and that's what is great about Moneyball. As Billy Beane says in the film, "How can you not be romantic about baseball?"
Oh, and for those who don't know the end of the story, Beane turns down a $12.5 million dollar offer from Boston (which would make him the highest paid GM in sports, at that time) to stay in Oakland and continue what he started. What the movie failed to mention was that Beane actually suggested Henry hire Theo Epstein, who was also helping to implement the same style in San Diego. Two years later, with a few big names and an island of misfit toys, the Red Sox snapped the 86-year old Curse of the Bambino and won the World Series. Again, how can you not be romantic about baseball?
.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
How "Money" Mayweather is Bankrupting Boxing
Alllllllllrighty then. So there was apparently this big boxing match on Saturday night. How do I know? Because when I woke up this morning, my Facebook and twitter feeds were going crazy with other people just finding out about this incredible phenomenon. It showcased an undefeated champion, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr., putting his belt on the line against a (from what I hear) hard hitting Victor Ortiz. However,
what stole the spotlight was how the bout ended and what took place after.
In the fourth round of this title match, Ortiz seemed to be turning the tide a little bit after Mayweather was in complete control. As the two danced into the corner, Ortiz continued with a flurry before landing a headbutt to the chin and face of the champion. This, of course, is illegal, so the referee rightly stops the fight to penalize the challenger. What happened next was appalling. As Ortiz looked for a friendly, and apologetic, embrace and glove touch, Mayweather rocked him with a left hook before finishing the fight with a straight right hand
moving to 42-0 with 26 knockouts and retaining his title.
What I found most disappointing about this action was that a fighter, who moments later claimed nobody gave him his fair shake, gave everybody a reason not to. There is an unwritten rule in the world of boxing, and even MMA, that if a violation occurs you go hug it out, touch gloves, whatever, and then step back and get ready to get back to fighting. Ortiz did this. And after a half-hearted hug between the two, Mayweather did not give his challenger any chance to compose himself again before delivering a massive cheap shot.
Then, in the post-fight interview, he had the nerve to say it’s “protect yourself at all times” in the ring and that Ortiz didn’t do that. You could clearly see in the replay that, after the left hook, Ortiz had this look of “Are you kidding me, Floyd?” like he couldn’t believe that shot was just delivered. This was all before Mayweather went Mike Gundy on 80 year old interviewer Larry Merchant. Now, give credit to Merchant who said an edited version of what everyone watching that interview wanted to say, but Mayweather has to show some class. He defended his title, and was being asked an honest question that any semi-fan wanted to know. You don’t have to start bitching and moaning about not “getting a fair shake” from anybody. Especially when you haven’t given a fair shake to the one guy that could really challenge you for the title.
Floyd Mayweather has been dancing around facing arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world in Manny Pacquiao. Whether it’s with demanding drug testing, money, or just straight talk, the champ has continuously denied the public the title fight that has the best chance of saving the sport of boxing.
I am admittedly not a huge boxing fan nor anything close of an expert. But I do know this, the sport of Mixed Martial Arts is continuing its meteoric rise to the mainstream in terms of fans and revenue, leaving boxing as an “ancient” form of physical sport. When you talk about boxing, you bring up names like Ali, Frasier, Foreman and Rocky (because, let’s be honest, the first three movies are awesome) and talk about those being the glory days of the sport. Now, you hear about a guy who keeps running his mouth but won’t take on the guy who has the best chance at shutting it, that guy who could shut it, and the guys that the guy who could shut that other guy’s mouth keeps beating.
I have watched one boxing match live, Pacquiao-Hatton, in which Pacman knocked out Hatton in the second round and before that looked like he was toying with the Englishman. Again, I’m not an expert on the sport, but Pacquiao looks like a great fighter. One worthy of a title shot, yet the champ seems too afraid to fight him but constantly taking on guys he dismantles.
There is a reason I love MMA more than boxing, it’s much more fast-paced, includes multiple aspects of hand-to-hand combat, and the commentators are much more fun to listen to. However, the biggest reason is that the amount of respect between the fighters is IMMENSE. Yes, there is trash talk before a fight as there is in any sport. But when something goes wrong, when the fight is over, both fighters embrace and show a sign of respect for the amount of talent each has and the preparation the two have gone through to reach that point.
Of course there are loudmouths (Rampage) and guys who sometimes toy with their opponent (Silva, once) but the majority of these incredible athletes are even better human beings. Boxing is a sport that lives through memories long forgotten by their fans and never had by the current generations. However, there is one fight that could bring the memories back and we would all want to witness. Pacquiao-Mayweather. But we may not get that because I feel the champ is scared. And frankly, after what happened last night, I don’t want to see how he would disgrace himself if and when he loses the belt. So I guess Floyd Money was right when he said protect yourself at all times. But I think he was talking to those who watch the sport, rather than those who participate.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Five Things We Learned About the NFL: Week 1
After a day of recovering from an incredibly emotional weekend, and a full day of digesting the opening weekend of the 2011 National Football League regular season, it’s amazing what took place on the field across the country. We saw some incredible plays, witnessed some brilliant performances, and learned some valuable things:
5. The Lockout Cost Some Teams. Or Did It?
Before the season began, a lot was made about what teams did or didn’t do while the labor dispute was going on. On opening Thursday night, there was no better comparison than the New Orleans Saints (which held full team workouts during the offseason dispute the lockout) and the Green Bay Packers who met just once to receive their Super Bowl rings.
What ended up happening was a display that says team chemistry can be carried over from the previous season. The Saints were mixing in a lot of new faces, with some old, while the Pack played for longer last year and picked up right where they left off. Now, this isn’t to say that the lockout didn’t hurt teams. Because Peyton Manning couldn’t work with his team and get the help needed from Colts doctors, his consecutive games played streak ended, his season may be over and his career may be in jeopardy.
This labor dispute affected numerous people in multiple ways, but the majority was off the field. What this lockout taught me is that the level of talent on the field can be molded quickly when there is a winning environment and the right tools are easily accessible. For those that don’t have that, the process takes a lot longer. It also showed me that these athletes may not stay in the best of shape in the offseason. So many injuries across the board this weekend can’t all be chalked up to freak incidents right? The best players stay in the best shape all of the time.
4. Cam Newton May Be the Real Deal
So, the Country Baker (my better half), has constantly joked that one of my posts should be about her. Well this is what she’s getting for now. Yes, her beloved Carolina Panthers have been a shell of their 2003 selves and their list of quarterback hopefuls range from Steve Beuerlein and Florida State great Chris Weinke to Jake Delhomme and Jimmy Heisman, but Sunday was an incredible day for that franchise. Cam Newton, Heisman winner & National Champion, threw for a rookie debut record 422 yards in a losing effort.
Yes the defense failed the Panthers down the stretch, and maybe the rest of the year losing Jon Beason for the year, but Newton flashed his talent in a BIG way. He threw dump passes, checked off linebackers, broke down a (simple) defense, and made plays. Everyone called Cam the next Tim Tebow as in a player with loads of ability but even more hype. Cam is not Tim Tebow. I’m not anointing him the savior in Charlotte, but the future for that team is as bright as their franchise player’s smile.
3. The Patriots Are On A Mission
Last night I watched something that not only upset me, but downright freaked me out. The inability of a team to play defense was appalling, and its not like the Dolphins were the only squad convicted of that felony. But more importantly, watching a coach, a quarterback, and a team dismantle a squad like that was scary. I mean damn near horrifying! Tom Brady threw for 517 yards on 38 completions and four touchdowns. “FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN YARDS?!?! “– as Tim Kirkjian would say.
We’ve known that Brady is good, top-3 in the game even, but what he and his coach did to Miami was the blueprint of how championships are won. Ever since their loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl, New England almost became forgotten. A team that couldn’t make it back to the Promised Land. Relentless Bill Bellichick, Hall of Fame Great Tom Brady, and the right pieces wearing that uniform, this team will be back this year and they will be back with a vengeance. I’m not gonna say they are a mortal lock to play in The Oil Drum in February, but if they can convince on October 9 (vs. NYJ) and again on November 13 (@ NYJ) Brady will match another famous QB in Montana; and everyone will once again swoon over the one-time Michigan back-up. Which reminds me…
2. The Tom Brady Love Affair Grows
Look, I get it. The guy’s amazing looking. He’s got reassuring eyes, broad shoulders, huge hands, and powerful legs. But c’mon folks, just because Peyton Manning’s not around to dissect defenses and send opposing coaches in to mental institutes, doesn’t mean we have to place “Tommy Terrific” up on a golden pedestal.
When all is said and done, Brady will probably be statistically and unequivocally one of the top five signal callers to ever play the game. Right up there with Unitas, Montana, Favre and yes, Peyton. That being said, the guy has everything, a gorgeous wife, good looks, great talent, and a gorgeous baby’s mama. Do we have to ogle over him on the football field and on national television? I’m lookin’ at you Jon Gruden!
Yes, he’s awesome at his sport but what is really important to note with him is that he’s a team player. He understands that it takes 10 other guys on offense, 11 guys on defense, 11 guys on special teams and a whole coaching staff preparing every week to put together a championship team. He always finds a way to give credit at others and deflect it away from himself. I love that he does that, it’s something amazing to listen to even when I’m gazing at those wonderfully reassuring eyes. Oh God, it’s happening to me! Let’s move on…
1. Sports Can Heal All
Ten years ago this past Sunday I was sitting in Old Mill Middle School North, going through the normal routine of a new school year. I remember walking past the teacher’s lounge and seeing this smoke coming from a building on TV. I thought it was just a movie or something. As the day went on and kids kept going home early, with no explanation, you began to wonder. Was something wrong? This many kids didn’t have doctor’s appointments. Why wasn’t I being taken out?
When I got home I could see on my mother’s face that something was wrong. 50 miles south of our house, the building that my Dad had recent trips to on a daily basis was hit by a plane in a terrorist attack. We didn’t hear from him until he walked in the door that night. I’ve known kids who lost family and friends on that day, I was fortunate. The effects however, have had tolls on me. I’ve lost friends in these conflicts, seen family members leave for unknown amounts of time, and witnessed the destruction of war on the frontlines here at home.
This past weekend, I felt it proper to return to the DC area to pay my respects to all those who lost their lives that day and in the subsequent wars. While there, I went to FedEx Field and watch the Giants-Redskins game. Now, these aren’t the two bitterest of rivals in the NFC East, but they aren’t best friends either. Prior to the game, there was no trash talk. No vulgar outbursts or physical confrontations, because everyone understood that until kickoff, that day was about one thing.
Before the national anthem was sang, Taps was played. A somber song that signifies the honor of life and those that have given it. I felt myself welling up. As I looked around, I saw others doing the same. When life attempted to return to a sense of normalcy after the attacks of 9/11, it was sports that allowed us to get there. Allowed us to forget the hardships and terror we had all seen.
Ten years later, we remembered, we cried, and we united once again. Then, after the coin flip and first snap, we returned to normal. With sports rightly at the front.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The Ironman's Legacy: Untarnished, Undisputed, and Unbreakable
Meant to post this yesterday, on the actual anniversary, but better late than never, right?
Sixteen years ago, I sat in my living room glued to my television. I was only six years old, and had never been to a baseball game before. Long before I saw the mystique of the Green Monster, knew of the talent of Mo Vaughn and Pedro Martinez, or even prior to the hatred of those in pinstripes, I witnessed the greatest baseball record fall, and, in turn, fell in love with the sport.
There I was, sitting on my living room floor, with my father and brothers (four and two at the time) watching this guy walk around this field I had never seen before, being applauded by thousands upon thousands of screaming people, and a silent sportscaster. For twenty minutes, Baltimore reached out gave it’s prodigal son the ovation he never wanted, but fully deserved. Cal Ripken Jr. had just become the “Ironman”. I didn’t fully understand what it meant then, but I knew it was special.
In the decade and a half since September 7th, 1995 we have seen the revelation of the steroid era, the emergence of the “Core Four”, and the destruction of the Curse of the Bambino. All of that, as amazing a spectacle as they were, fail in comparison to what that late summer’s eve meant to a city, and to a sport.
Cal was an icon, played every game of his career in one uniform, never wanted to leave, and still doesn’t. He never was a lightning rod for the media, and very rarely complained. When I eventually moved to Baltimore in the fall of 1998, my biggest goal was to see him play in person. And I did, more than 20 times. As the streak continued, it was iconic to watch him play and be amazed that someone could go out and do that every day, without skipping a beat.
When Barry Bonds was on the cusp of surpassing Hammerin’ Hank on the All-Time Homeruns list*, I remember sitting in my freshman orientation at Hofstra University boasting about how I wanted to be a sports expert to all the other newcomers. One night a few guys were sitting around the TV watching ESPN when someone mentioned that Bonds was about to break the greatest record in sports. I couldn’t control my laughter.
Let’s get real, the “greatest record in sports” is quite a title to give something that will be in dispute for the remainder of time, number one. Number two, how many games did the members of the 700 club miss in their careers? The 600 club? I’m willing to bet their total number of “off days” would equal that the streak Ripken put together.
Ripken’s streak is remarkable, unfathomable, and almost God-like. He showed up to work, every day, and excelled, for 2, 632 straight days. How many people, not in baseball, do that? That’s 16 MLB seasons, 7 plus years (with weekends), and just over 10 years with Saturday & Sunday off. No sick days, no injuries, no “mental health” days. Just wake up, go to work, and go home after.
Now, this streak is not without dispute, of course everyone will talk about the night the lights went out in Camden. But whether that is true or not, the fact of the matter is the man represented the right way to do things. You didn’t complain, and you didn’t whine. You showed up and you did what was asked of you. In this day and age of multi-million dollar contracts, obligated off-days, and super agents, not a single athlete, in any sport, (not named Peyton Manning) would even attempt that.
What I found more incredible about his streak, was that it helped to keep a city alive when the Yankees and Red Sox were finding ways to knock Baltimore back down. Everybody talks about having athletes as role models. Big strong guys like Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Griffey, and A-Rod. When I was kid, I wanted to be like Cal. I wanted to wake up and play baseball everyday. I didn’t care if I was sick, hurt, or tired. I just wanted to go play. And that’s what he did.
When the streak ended, at 2, 632 on his own accord, Ripken placed his name among Cy Young, Joe DiMaggio, and maybe Pete Rose, as owning a record that will never be broken. He was amazing, his career was awe-inspiring, and I just wish today’s athletes would look back at the Ironman and try to be like him, instead of guys like Jose Canseco.
More importantly, his streak represented the greatest achievement in sports to man who revolutionized it. He turned the shortstop into a power hitting position. It wasn’t about being fast and having a solid glove. Now, tall guys, with big powerful swings could man the middle infield. Ripken hit homeruns in both the game that tied the streak and the one that broke it; something I think brings his career full circle. He won the World Series in his third year, and then went on to break the greatest record in sports. And he didn’t need a needle to help him get there, just a nice cup of coffee and a lunch pail.
Sixteen years ago, I sat in my living room glued to my television. I was only six years old, and had never been to a baseball game before. Long before I saw the mystique of the Green Monster, knew of the talent of Mo Vaughn and Pedro Martinez, or even prior to the hatred of those in pinstripes, I witnessed the greatest baseball record fall, and, in turn, fell in love with the sport.
There I was, sitting on my living room floor, with my father and brothers (four and two at the time) watching this guy walk around this field I had never seen before, being applauded by thousands upon thousands of screaming people, and a silent sportscaster. For twenty minutes, Baltimore reached out gave it’s prodigal son the ovation he never wanted, but fully deserved. Cal Ripken Jr. had just become the “Ironman”. I didn’t fully understand what it meant then, but I knew it was special.
In the decade and a half since September 7th, 1995 we have seen the revelation of the steroid era, the emergence of the “Core Four”, and the destruction of the Curse of the Bambino. All of that, as amazing a spectacle as they were, fail in comparison to what that late summer’s eve meant to a city, and to a sport.
Cal was an icon, played every game of his career in one uniform, never wanted to leave, and still doesn’t. He never was a lightning rod for the media, and very rarely complained. When I eventually moved to Baltimore in the fall of 1998, my biggest goal was to see him play in person. And I did, more than 20 times. As the streak continued, it was iconic to watch him play and be amazed that someone could go out and do that every day, without skipping a beat.
When Barry Bonds was on the cusp of surpassing Hammerin’ Hank on the All-Time Homeruns list*, I remember sitting in my freshman orientation at Hofstra University boasting about how I wanted to be a sports expert to all the other newcomers. One night a few guys were sitting around the TV watching ESPN when someone mentioned that Bonds was about to break the greatest record in sports. I couldn’t control my laughter.
Let’s get real, the “greatest record in sports” is quite a title to give something that will be in dispute for the remainder of time, number one. Number two, how many games did the members of the 700 club miss in their careers? The 600 club? I’m willing to bet their total number of “off days” would equal that the streak Ripken put together.
Ripken’s streak is remarkable, unfathomable, and almost God-like. He showed up to work, every day, and excelled, for 2, 632 straight days. How many people, not in baseball, do that? That’s 16 MLB seasons, 7 plus years (with weekends), and just over 10 years with Saturday & Sunday off. No sick days, no injuries, no “mental health” days. Just wake up, go to work, and go home after.
Now, this streak is not without dispute, of course everyone will talk about the night the lights went out in Camden. But whether that is true or not, the fact of the matter is the man represented the right way to do things. You didn’t complain, and you didn’t whine. You showed up and you did what was asked of you. In this day and age of multi-million dollar contracts, obligated off-days, and super agents, not a single athlete, in any sport, (not named Peyton Manning) would even attempt that.
What I found more incredible about his streak, was that it helped to keep a city alive when the Yankees and Red Sox were finding ways to knock Baltimore back down. Everybody talks about having athletes as role models. Big strong guys like Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Griffey, and A-Rod. When I was kid, I wanted to be like Cal. I wanted to wake up and play baseball everyday. I didn’t care if I was sick, hurt, or tired. I just wanted to go play. And that’s what he did.
When the streak ended, at 2, 632 on his own accord, Ripken placed his name among Cy Young, Joe DiMaggio, and maybe Pete Rose, as owning a record that will never be broken. He was amazing, his career was awe-inspiring, and I just wish today’s athletes would look back at the Ironman and try to be like him, instead of guys like Jose Canseco.
More importantly, his streak represented the greatest achievement in sports to man who revolutionized it. He turned the shortstop into a power hitting position. It wasn’t about being fast and having a solid glove. Now, tall guys, with big powerful swings could man the middle infield. Ripken hit homeruns in both the game that tied the streak and the one that broke it; something I think brings his career full circle. He won the World Series in his third year, and then went on to break the greatest record in sports. And he didn’t need a needle to help him get there, just a nice cup of coffee and a lunch pail.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Top Five Things to Watch in the 2011 College Football Season
With so much attention drawn to the campus gridiron since Auburn defeated Oregon for the National Championship, the pigskin is finally ready to fly. Thursday night saw a total of 15 FBS games played across the country as the majority of the nation returned to the desired American pastime of screaming at college kids while drunkenly ogling at the girls in the stands and on the sidelines (America, the beautiful). So without further ado, here are the five things I will be looking at between the beers and the girls:
5. Conference Changes
The Big 12 is now the Big 10 while the Big Ten has become the Big Twelve with Nebraska and Colorado both jumping ship. This creates a very interesting, and complex, divisional discourse within the Big Ten conference as the Huskers now join the likes of Ohio State, Minnesota and Michigan in a very smash mouth, run-the-football-down-your-throat style of football. I love this change because it also pits Bo Pellini (who led Nebraska to prominence in the 90’s) against the ever immortal Joe Paterno. Also, the Husker-Badger rivalry will be fun. Coaching changes across the scene also make for an interesting season. However, these two aren’t the only adjustments that have to be made in the conference media guides as the newly christened Pac-12 begins play with the additions of Colorado and Utah. Now, I don’t realistically see either of these teams competing for a bid to the Rose Bowl immediately, but Utah was once a BCS buster and has set the trend for teams like Boise State and TCU, who will move to the Big East shortly. Make no mistake, Andrew Luck and Stanford will compete with Oregon State and maybe UCLA and USC but this change could be very fun to watch in years to come.
4. Is This the Last Shot for Boise State?
The Broncos have been the darlings of FCS football ever since shocking Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl in 2007, and watching Ian Johnson propose to his cheerleader girlfriend on national TV. However, that class was led by a group of veterans who were able to put it all together in their senior season and shock the world. This time around, another group of veterans who have become accustomed to the lifestyle their predecessors built for them will try and make another BCS Bowl Game and continue to lead the fight for a playoff system as the best non-AQ school in the country. Kellen Moore is back, along with the majority of his offensive weapons and one of the best defenses in the country. Boise is also ranked #5 in the preseason polls and will realistically have to drop two games to be “out” of the running for the national title. That feat, by the way, would double the amount of losses for the Class of 2012 who is 38-2 in their career. My answer, this is NOT the last shot Boise State will have at truly busting the BCS and playing for a national title. Coach Chris Peterson has developed a great program and he will have more guys wanting to go play “underdog” for years to come. However, this is their last BEST shot for the next few years. After this, you lose 14 players including soon to be two-time Heisman finalist Kellen Moore, and two top tier talents in lineman Nate Potter and running back Doug Martin. This will be a great season for the Broncos, and of course, all playoff dreamers will be rooting for them.
3. Effects of Off-Field Scandals on Play
First it was Terrelle Pryor at Ohio State, then (and still) it’s Miami (again) and now, even Boise State will lose three players due to eligibility review. This is becoming a scary trend in college football. It seems as though recruiting isn’t pure anymore. I mean, between boosters paying for sex for players, players signing memorabilia in exchange for free tattoos and the likes, and coaches violating recruiting standards, who can tell which players made their decisions without bribes? But, ya know what, they play football really good and that makes the boosters happy and brings in more money so I guess we’ll put Nick Shapiro on a pedestal at the U and let Jim Tressel become the AD for the Buckeyes in three years. Look, players will play the game at a high level if they have the ability to do it. The way this takes away from on the field accomplishments is if it disrupts the everyday flow of preparation. What I mean is if it forces a coach, or player, to leave mid-season. Cam Newton’s scandal didn’t bother Auburn because they didn’t lose Newton. I would be worried if I was a fan of the ‘Canes or a resident of the Horseshoe because you have lost things, or could potentially lose them. But it doesn’t matter because neither of those schools will really challenge for a title this year anyway.
2. Can the Big 12 Be Saved?
As mentioned earlier, both Nebraska and Colorado have jumped ship, leaving a once proud conference pondering what their future will be. Now, before you go screaming that I’m over-sensationalizing this, I’m not suggesting that the Big 12 will fold ever, it’s “too big to fail”. What I am saying is that they need to find a way to turn this conference around. Former Big 8 power Nebraska use to be the savior when Oklahoma and Texas continuously dominated. And for the last three years, it looked as though the Blackshirts were back to take on the two big boys. But with them leaving, Texas A&M wanting out, and the Longhorns starting their own TV Network, what’s next for Commissioner Dan Beebe? Well, you need to figure out a new marketing plan. Find a way to get the majority of your remaining team’s national exposure. Who wouldn’t want to see Baylor play Iowa State? Also, understand that the Big 12 has “niche” schools in “niche” sports. In football, it’s Boomer Sooner and Hook ‘em Horns. For basketball, you have Rock Chalk and the occasional EMAW. In baseball (which is NOT a revenue sport nationwide) it’s back to the horns. There has to be better recruiting for all schools in those other sports so you can have a shot at becoming a Florida, USC or Maryland that can compete in a multitude of sports. Finally, get SMU in to the conference. A storied school that had a rich history of very good football players deserves to be in a BCS conference. If the Pac-12 can have every California team, why can’t you have every Texas team? Besides, if you can’t get the Mustangs to play, what’s your other option? BYU?
1. Is Notre Dame Truly Back?
Ok, so maybe it’s number one ranking is a bit biased due to my (and the entire medias) love affair with the Irish, but think about it. Every season one of the biggest questions is can the Irish get back to glory? Ever since Ty Willingham was run out of his exorbitant deal, many Notre Dame boosters have lost faith in Touchdown Jesus. A failed experiment with one of the great offensive minds in the NFL and the terrible disappointment of both Brady Quinn and Jimmy “Heisman” Clausen brought even the most doubting Catholics to church on Friday’s in prayer for the Blue and Gold. This year, you have Brian Kelly, a good ol’ Irish Catholic boy back after going 8-5 and getting a victory over both rival USC and a Sun Bowl victory. With a schedule that boasts key matchups at home (Michigan State, USC, Navy, BC) and a veteran team led by quarterback Dayne Crist, it’s not inconceivable to think the top-20 Irish can make a bid for the a BCS bowl. Besides, with a last name like Crist (I know it’s not pronounced Christ, but the headlines are awesome), how can you not think they have a legitimate shot? Just like Barry Pepper is credited with saying in Saving Private Ryan, “If God’s on our side, who could be on theirs?”
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The Rest Is The Easy Part
"The hardest part of leaving is picking up the keys and finding the nerve to start that car." - The Easy Part by Chuck Wicks
So I know I promised that I would post this yesterday but, as is my life, there's a delay. People have given me crap (even in my own family) as to being a Cowboy. No I never lived on a ranch or owned a horse. Yes, I graduated from a high school south of Baltimore, Maryland. But the Cowboy identity is a mindset. A mindset of never being satisfied and always moving on. Never being tied down but always finding a reason to return. Being honorable and charitable, working with what the Good Lord gave me and never complaining when things don't go my way. Anyway, I've finally figured out why there's been a delay in this. It's because I've been subconsciously putting this off. You see, as a military brat you learn how to say goodbye and leave things behind. Over my first 18 years of my life I became immune to the idea of severing ties. However, in the last 4 years I have found something that I'm actually afraid to leave. Since the fall of freshman year in 2007 I have been a part of 88.7 FM, Radio Hofstra University. This past Sunday I hosted my final Locker Room, the symbolic end to my career here. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to thank all the people that I wanted to or to the extent that they deserved so here it is:
To the administrators of WRHU: Bruce Avery, John Mullen, & Ed Ingles. The three of you have been the cornerstone of my ability. Ed, when I came here as a senior in high school I looked at you and said "I want to be a sportscaster," and you replied to me with "If you bust your ass, you'll be on air your freshman year." That was all I needed to hear, I was sold. Since then you have continued to mentor me and helped groom to where I am today. John, you are always there to get some legitimate advice in this industry and if I ever need anything you'll be one of the first ones I call. Bruce, I can't thank you for everything you've done for me. After the unspeakable acts of October 2009, I asked you if that would alter my potential to move into a managers role at this station. You told me it wouldn't and two months later you gave me a vote of confidence to be the first "sports department" member to become Station Manager. Since then, I've learned how to be a manager, and a leader, and for that I thank you tremendously.
To the WRHU Sports Department: Everything I said at my final meeting is true. Everyone of you has the potential to be the best person at this station and make our department the best in the country. I implore all of you to continue competing with each other to continue growing and don't ever get complacent. To the seniors of this department; Mitch Merman, Gabe Diamond, Kyle Geesaman, Alex Santiago, Jeff Mills, Ray Rotella, and Pat O'Brien, there isn't a group I'd rather leave with. We've made such an indelible mark on this department that it will forever be remembered. More specifically to Mitch, you know how much I owe to you and ever award I've ever garnered, any job I ever get and any compliment I ever receive is one to you as well. Without you forcing me to join this station and do what it takes to be better than you, none of this would happen. Just know that I would much rather both of us get the accolades than just me. Also, to Ryan. Dude, you've been one of my best friends in such a short amount of time. I know you're going through some tough times but if I can ever be of help to you, personally, or professionally, I will always be there. I can't imagine ending my broadcasting career in any other way than with you on the broadcast with me.
To the Alums of WRHU Sports: You all, from Todd Ant and Marc Ernay to Mike Leslie and Jon Lauder, have paved a road for all of us not only here but in the real world. Thank you so much for doing everything you have that allows us to be what we want to for the rest of our lives. Specifically to Matt Shortis, thank you for taking the interest in me as a senior in high school and seeing it that I get here to do this. To Jon, you've been like a brother to me and our friendship is something that I will value more than any job or award I ever receive. To Mike Leslie, what you said to me on Sunday night was the first sign of tears. I am truly honored that someone is making their path in the professional world would think that I am going to surpass you and all the others. Thank you for setting a bar for me to reach and I hope I do that. To Siddique Farooqi, you are my mentor, my big brother, and my icon. When I was a senior in high school you took an interest in me and when I arrived at WRHU you convinced me to stick to you like glue. Without your guidance I would not be the well-rounded broadcaster I like to think I am. Thank you for everything, I'm going to miss you the most.
To my other RHU'ers: You all work at the greatest college radio station in America, bar none. I've enjoyed every second of every hour I've put into this place. You all have a special place in my heart and I will never forget you. Mainly to Veronica Kennedy and Lindsay Clark. The two have you have been rocks in my time here. Lindsay, we haven't always had the best light shed on our relationship but I've loved being able to call you a friend and am honored to keep doing that. Veronica, we've known each other for all four years here at Hofstra and I'm so happy you finally joined this station. I'm confident that you are going to have a great life, both personally and professionally.
To the other RHU alums: Joe Kuczynski, thanks for being one of the more fun people I met here. You were the first guy I tracked with and I'm proud I was able to take the reigns of country music on Long Island and run with it. To Sam Manning and Jen Joas, some of my favorite times here were anchoring Newsline with you. You two loved goofing off just as much as I did and we always were able to have a great time on the air and off. To Kathleen Shortis, my wonderful teacher and SM, thanks for being wonderful. I hope I performed the job to same level you did.
To my two Training Classes: I hope that you all learned one thing from me in your class more than anything else: passionate fun. Please, be passionate in what you do and have fun while doing it. Without that you won't be able to stand yourself or the jobs you end up with. You all have an incredible amount of talent and potential, and know I'll be watching when you finally reach it.
To my other College Friends: My roommate of three years Matt Landis. You were the force that kept me grounded for three years and I don't know where I would be if you weren't there for me. I love you so much and I missed you more than you will ever know this past year. You were one of my best friends and I can't wait to see you again. To Kelly Glista, Sarah Ciopyk, Jill Andrews, Caroline Kirkwood and Erin Carr, you five were always a way to brighten up the room and escape from the troubles of WRHU. Kelly, Erin and Sarah, I love you all and I'm so happy our friendship has continued as strongly as it has past your graduation. To the girls of Lib/Rep, mainly Katie Metz, Jaime Hoerbelt, Alana Glaubiger and Jennie Brill. Katie, you are the only person at Hofstra who truly knows me and I can't thank you enough for being there when I needed you and being one of my dearest friends ever. Jaime, you and I were just as close as Katie and I and I thank you for putting up with everything and staying with me. Alana, you are (and always will be) my sister. You could always put a smile on my face and make me realize what was needed even when I didn't want to. Jennie, I know we haven't had the strongest of relationships, but I hope you know that I cherished every moment we had together. I'm sorry that I couldn't be the better person I know you saw in me, but you stuck with me as long as you could and I don't blame you for what happened between us.
To my High School Friends: Old Mill High School was a place I couldn't stand and couldn't wait to leave. That being said, Forrest Corry and Patrick Benjamin, you two will always be my two best friends and I'm so happy I have a place to return to if I ever want to. Lorinda Lukenbach and Nora Ellenes, you two are the happiest people I have ever met and I'm so happy I will always have you there by my side if I need you. To Don and Ashley White, thank you for letting me be a part of your son's life. The thought of being some form of importance to a child is incredibly rewarding. I hope I can be to Joey what you two are. To AshLee Rempfer and Jen Berry, you two were my rocks my senior year and the summer that followed. AshLee, you're still one of my best friends and JJ, just know that I will always love you.
To my Housemates: Guys, this past year was LEGEND.....wait for it...wait for it!.....DARY! Seriously, I couldn't imagine living with a better group of guys. Whether it was just hanging out watching football on Sundays, drinking on any given night, watching "Whose Line?" or the many parties we had, I can't imagine a better ending to my college career. George, we've known each other since freshman year and having you in the house makes life so much better. Gabe, something about you just makes things funnier and helps to put everything in perspective. Butters, when you actually come out of your room the conversation always becomes more lively. Matt, dude, this has been awesome mainly because of the stupid things you have done and the free-living lifestyle you have. Kyle, for the second straight summer (and even longer) I got to live with you. I'll be honest, this year wasn't as awesome as that summer, but the school year ruins that. Thanks for being who you are though and don't change that. Pat, man, all I can say is without you, I never would have had the greatest night of my life and I'm honored to be a part of how your birthday began. Thank you all so much for making this what it was.
To the Hofstra Athletic Department: Athletic Director Jack Hayes, thank you for allowing us at WRHU to do what we love doing. You could easily sign a professional broadcast but you don't and I think I speak for all of us at WRHU Sports, past present and future when I say thank you. In the athletic communication office, Jim Sheehan, Jeremy Kniffin, Len Skoros, Brian Bohl and Stephen Gorchov. I have gotten to know you all very well over the last four years and I am so happy that I got that chance. Stephen, I can't count the memories you and I have had on road trips and I truly thank you for helping me grow more than you realize. Len, it's a been a blast this past season working on baseball and I hope you give every guy after me the same hard time you gave me.
To the Hofstra Coaches: Every single one of you is so generous with your time to us at WRHU and I can't thank you enough for that. To Pat Anderson, Skip, this has been one of the greatest joys of my life and I hope I made it fun for you. My biggest goal when I came here was to call Hofstra Pride baseball and I'm so happy to see you have the program going in the right direction. To Richard Nuttal, it was so much fun working with you in the fall and the previous three years of my career. You've been very gracious with everything and I truly do thank you. To Simon Riddiough, you are one of the best people to talk to off the field and off the mic because you have a personality that is just infectious. Finally, to John Russo. Coach, as a graduating senior I can't thank you enough for relieving the primal fear of being unemployed. My life's dream is call baseball games and this summer you have taken a chance and given me the opportunity to do that. Thank you, so much.
To Hofstra Men's Basketball: Coach Mo Cassara and the rest of the staff, thank you so much for making covering Men's Basketball enjoyable. That isn't to say it wasn't before, but you guys made it that much more fun. Coach, you're a great guy to talk with and always willing to have a good time and that certainly makes me more comfortable. To the players I've had the opportunity to know, namely Charles Jenkins, Greg Washington, Brad Kelleher, Antoine Agudio, Miklos Szabo, Mike Moore and David Imes; you guys have been awesome. You were always willing to talk to us and gave us some great insight. Charles, I'm honored to be able to call a soon to be NBA player a friend. Greg and Brad, I'm beyond honored to walk out the door with you guys as seniors. Mike and David, you guys have this program ready to rock next year and it was fun covering you this year. Thanks.
To Hofstra Women's Basketball: Anyone who knows me knows I can't leave this program out. Coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey, you are beyond incredible. The last three years of covering this team made me enjoy this industry more than I ever could have imagined. You enjoy our coverage more than any coach I had the pleasure of working with. You always loved seeing us there and you always gave me information that made my broadcasts better. I will forever remember the trip to Texas last December, our trip to the WNIT and beating Penn State and getting ice cream and of course the incredible win at Drexel. Your staff has always been amazing as well. From Shalon Pillow and Danielle Santos to Faisal Kahn, Jess Manetti, Bill Ferrara and Tanika Price. You all follow the mold that I've come to know and love of the Hofstra Pride coaching staff. I wish I could stay here and cover this team forever. To the players, all the way from Natty Fripp and Nikki Williams to Kate Loper and Annie Payton. Y'all are my favorite group of people I've ever been around. Your personalities are tremendous and your love for the game is even higher. I have made three great friends within this team: Sam Brigham, Nicole Capurso, and Candice Bellochio. The three of you are hilarious, talented and amazing. Sam, last year was awesome. From sitting in the Houston airport watching Boondock Saints to discovering your mom's cookies, I'm glad I got the chance to know you. Nicole and Candice, I can't believe the level to which you two have helped bring this program to. Candice, I remember watching you in Richmond with a broken arm trying to match Chuck in his trick shots and thinking this was the attitude of the team and I love it. Nicole, we got to be closer friends this semester in class and yes, that post-game after Drexel was intense. To anyone reading this, please go support this team and this program. They deserve so much fan support that it's almost criminal they don't. In my opinion they have the last two Rookies of the Year in the CAA in Shante Evans and Kate Loper. Not to mention an incredible group of veterans and coaches. Please go watch them, they deserve more than anyone. I can truly say the only greater joy I had than being a fan of this team, was being a reporter covering them.
To my Second Family: Victoria Rossi. Sweetheart, I remember telling you as you drove me to the ER to get my dislocated finger that I have a conundrum with relationships that sometimes ends them. You looked passed that and 2 1/2 years later, I couldn't be happier you did. I'm so proud of you and what you have accomplished and I love you more than I could ever admit, just because that's who I am. To Bill and Deborah Rossi, thank you for letting her be a part of my life and giving me another spot to call "home". Bill, sir, I truly do mean what I said on Sunday night. I wish I could have met her mother and I know that I can never love Victoria more than you do, but I hope that I can at least make you and her mother proud of the fact that she is with me. Tina, you're a crazy one, but I love you all the same. I'm sorry I couldn't be around more with your sister gone but know that every night I came over and got to be a part of your life, I truly enjoyed it.
To my Extended Family: On my mother's side, thank you all for understanding why I wanted to break the chain of our family going to Norwich University and supporting me in what I've accomplished here. On my father's side, thank you for being a place I can go to whenever I need to get back to family or just away from the stresses of college. I hope I make you all proud one day.
To my Family: My younger brother Brandon. I said this Sunday night, but seriously kid, please get your head together. You have all the potential in the world to be someone great and once you realize that you'll reach that potential quicker than you could ever imagine. To my youngest brother Mikey, you have the best parts of Brandon and I. You have his raw talent and my work ethic. These two qualities will make you the most successful of the three of us. I wish you would have stayed with baseball because those five years as your coach were the best five years of my life. To my mother, who is the strongest woman I know, thank you. Thank you for letting me leave home and be the man you want me to be. I miss you every day and I'm sorry I can't be there more when the boys give you fits or you need a hug from your son. I'm a true Momma's boy (I'm actually tearing up as I write this part), and you always be my first love. To my father, since I can remember, everyday of my life has been a pursuit to make you proud. Whether it was being more involved in Church, wrestling in high school or whatever, I just wanted to live up to the level of respect and admiration others have for you. We've come a long way since that recruiter was sitting in our living room talking about the nice office in Kuwait City I was going to sit in. Hearing you say you're proud of me is one of the greatest accomplishments I've ever had and I hope I continue to do that. I love you all very much.
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One of the things I've always preached is that college is $40,000 a year to learn time management. My best times were managed in the walls of WRHU. While my diploma may say "Hofstra University" my education came in a studio, on a team bus, in the field reporting, or just in the main office goofing around. This place is the hardest place to leave. But, as a man who truly has been all over the place, this is one of the few places I will always call home. Thank you everyone so much. It has been a fabulous ride and I can't imagine changing anything.
So I know I promised that I would post this yesterday but, as is my life, there's a delay. People have given me crap (even in my own family) as to being a Cowboy. No I never lived on a ranch or owned a horse. Yes, I graduated from a high school south of Baltimore, Maryland. But the Cowboy identity is a mindset. A mindset of never being satisfied and always moving on. Never being tied down but always finding a reason to return. Being honorable and charitable, working with what the Good Lord gave me and never complaining when things don't go my way. Anyway, I've finally figured out why there's been a delay in this. It's because I've been subconsciously putting this off. You see, as a military brat you learn how to say goodbye and leave things behind. Over my first 18 years of my life I became immune to the idea of severing ties. However, in the last 4 years I have found something that I'm actually afraid to leave. Since the fall of freshman year in 2007 I have been a part of 88.7 FM, Radio Hofstra University. This past Sunday I hosted my final Locker Room, the symbolic end to my career here. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to thank all the people that I wanted to or to the extent that they deserved so here it is:
To the administrators of WRHU: Bruce Avery, John Mullen, & Ed Ingles. The three of you have been the cornerstone of my ability. Ed, when I came here as a senior in high school I looked at you and said "I want to be a sportscaster," and you replied to me with "If you bust your ass, you'll be on air your freshman year." That was all I needed to hear, I was sold. Since then you have continued to mentor me and helped groom to where I am today. John, you are always there to get some legitimate advice in this industry and if I ever need anything you'll be one of the first ones I call. Bruce, I can't thank you for everything you've done for me. After the unspeakable acts of October 2009, I asked you if that would alter my potential to move into a managers role at this station. You told me it wouldn't and two months later you gave me a vote of confidence to be the first "sports department" member to become Station Manager. Since then, I've learned how to be a manager, and a leader, and for that I thank you tremendously.
To the WRHU Sports Department: Everything I said at my final meeting is true. Everyone of you has the potential to be the best person at this station and make our department the best in the country. I implore all of you to continue competing with each other to continue growing and don't ever get complacent. To the seniors of this department; Mitch Merman, Gabe Diamond, Kyle Geesaman, Alex Santiago, Jeff Mills, Ray Rotella, and Pat O'Brien, there isn't a group I'd rather leave with. We've made such an indelible mark on this department that it will forever be remembered. More specifically to Mitch, you know how much I owe to you and ever award I've ever garnered, any job I ever get and any compliment I ever receive is one to you as well. Without you forcing me to join this station and do what it takes to be better than you, none of this would happen. Just know that I would much rather both of us get the accolades than just me. Also, to Ryan. Dude, you've been one of my best friends in such a short amount of time. I know you're going through some tough times but if I can ever be of help to you, personally, or professionally, I will always be there. I can't imagine ending my broadcasting career in any other way than with you on the broadcast with me.
To the Alums of WRHU Sports: You all, from Todd Ant and Marc Ernay to Mike Leslie and Jon Lauder, have paved a road for all of us not only here but in the real world. Thank you so much for doing everything you have that allows us to be what we want to for the rest of our lives. Specifically to Matt Shortis, thank you for taking the interest in me as a senior in high school and seeing it that I get here to do this. To Jon, you've been like a brother to me and our friendship is something that I will value more than any job or award I ever receive. To Mike Leslie, what you said to me on Sunday night was the first sign of tears. I am truly honored that someone is making their path in the professional world would think that I am going to surpass you and all the others. Thank you for setting a bar for me to reach and I hope I do that. To Siddique Farooqi, you are my mentor, my big brother, and my icon. When I was a senior in high school you took an interest in me and when I arrived at WRHU you convinced me to stick to you like glue. Without your guidance I would not be the well-rounded broadcaster I like to think I am. Thank you for everything, I'm going to miss you the most.
To my other RHU'ers: You all work at the greatest college radio station in America, bar none. I've enjoyed every second of every hour I've put into this place. You all have a special place in my heart and I will never forget you. Mainly to Veronica Kennedy and Lindsay Clark. The two have you have been rocks in my time here. Lindsay, we haven't always had the best light shed on our relationship but I've loved being able to call you a friend and am honored to keep doing that. Veronica, we've known each other for all four years here at Hofstra and I'm so happy you finally joined this station. I'm confident that you are going to have a great life, both personally and professionally.
To the other RHU alums: Joe Kuczynski, thanks for being one of the more fun people I met here. You were the first guy I tracked with and I'm proud I was able to take the reigns of country music on Long Island and run with it. To Sam Manning and Jen Joas, some of my favorite times here were anchoring Newsline with you. You two loved goofing off just as much as I did and we always were able to have a great time on the air and off. To Kathleen Shortis, my wonderful teacher and SM, thanks for being wonderful. I hope I performed the job to same level you did.
To my two Training Classes: I hope that you all learned one thing from me in your class more than anything else: passionate fun. Please, be passionate in what you do and have fun while doing it. Without that you won't be able to stand yourself or the jobs you end up with. You all have an incredible amount of talent and potential, and know I'll be watching when you finally reach it.
To my other College Friends: My roommate of three years Matt Landis. You were the force that kept me grounded for three years and I don't know where I would be if you weren't there for me. I love you so much and I missed you more than you will ever know this past year. You were one of my best friends and I can't wait to see you again. To Kelly Glista, Sarah Ciopyk, Jill Andrews, Caroline Kirkwood and Erin Carr, you five were always a way to brighten up the room and escape from the troubles of WRHU. Kelly, Erin and Sarah, I love you all and I'm so happy our friendship has continued as strongly as it has past your graduation. To the girls of Lib/Rep, mainly Katie Metz, Jaime Hoerbelt, Alana Glaubiger and Jennie Brill. Katie, you are the only person at Hofstra who truly knows me and I can't thank you enough for being there when I needed you and being one of my dearest friends ever. Jaime, you and I were just as close as Katie and I and I thank you for putting up with everything and staying with me. Alana, you are (and always will be) my sister. You could always put a smile on my face and make me realize what was needed even when I didn't want to. Jennie, I know we haven't had the strongest of relationships, but I hope you know that I cherished every moment we had together. I'm sorry that I couldn't be the better person I know you saw in me, but you stuck with me as long as you could and I don't blame you for what happened between us.
To my High School Friends: Old Mill High School was a place I couldn't stand and couldn't wait to leave. That being said, Forrest Corry and Patrick Benjamin, you two will always be my two best friends and I'm so happy I have a place to return to if I ever want to. Lorinda Lukenbach and Nora Ellenes, you two are the happiest people I have ever met and I'm so happy I will always have you there by my side if I need you. To Don and Ashley White, thank you for letting me be a part of your son's life. The thought of being some form of importance to a child is incredibly rewarding. I hope I can be to Joey what you two are. To AshLee Rempfer and Jen Berry, you two were my rocks my senior year and the summer that followed. AshLee, you're still one of my best friends and JJ, just know that I will always love you.
To my Housemates: Guys, this past year was LEGEND.....wait for it...wait for it!.....DARY! Seriously, I couldn't imagine living with a better group of guys. Whether it was just hanging out watching football on Sundays, drinking on any given night, watching "Whose Line?" or the many parties we had, I can't imagine a better ending to my college career. George, we've known each other since freshman year and having you in the house makes life so much better. Gabe, something about you just makes things funnier and helps to put everything in perspective. Butters, when you actually come out of your room the conversation always becomes more lively. Matt, dude, this has been awesome mainly because of the stupid things you have done and the free-living lifestyle you have. Kyle, for the second straight summer (and even longer) I got to live with you. I'll be honest, this year wasn't as awesome as that summer, but the school year ruins that. Thanks for being who you are though and don't change that. Pat, man, all I can say is without you, I never would have had the greatest night of my life and I'm honored to be a part of how your birthday began. Thank you all so much for making this what it was.
To the Hofstra Athletic Department: Athletic Director Jack Hayes, thank you for allowing us at WRHU to do what we love doing. You could easily sign a professional broadcast but you don't and I think I speak for all of us at WRHU Sports, past present and future when I say thank you. In the athletic communication office, Jim Sheehan, Jeremy Kniffin, Len Skoros, Brian Bohl and Stephen Gorchov. I have gotten to know you all very well over the last four years and I am so happy that I got that chance. Stephen, I can't count the memories you and I have had on road trips and I truly thank you for helping me grow more than you realize. Len, it's a been a blast this past season working on baseball and I hope you give every guy after me the same hard time you gave me.
To the Hofstra Coaches: Every single one of you is so generous with your time to us at WRHU and I can't thank you enough for that. To Pat Anderson, Skip, this has been one of the greatest joys of my life and I hope I made it fun for you. My biggest goal when I came here was to call Hofstra Pride baseball and I'm so happy to see you have the program going in the right direction. To Richard Nuttal, it was so much fun working with you in the fall and the previous three years of my career. You've been very gracious with everything and I truly do thank you. To Simon Riddiough, you are one of the best people to talk to off the field and off the mic because you have a personality that is just infectious. Finally, to John Russo. Coach, as a graduating senior I can't thank you enough for relieving the primal fear of being unemployed. My life's dream is call baseball games and this summer you have taken a chance and given me the opportunity to do that. Thank you, so much.
To Hofstra Men's Basketball: Coach Mo Cassara and the rest of the staff, thank you so much for making covering Men's Basketball enjoyable. That isn't to say it wasn't before, but you guys made it that much more fun. Coach, you're a great guy to talk with and always willing to have a good time and that certainly makes me more comfortable. To the players I've had the opportunity to know, namely Charles Jenkins, Greg Washington, Brad Kelleher, Antoine Agudio, Miklos Szabo, Mike Moore and David Imes; you guys have been awesome. You were always willing to talk to us and gave us some great insight. Charles, I'm honored to be able to call a soon to be NBA player a friend. Greg and Brad, I'm beyond honored to walk out the door with you guys as seniors. Mike and David, you guys have this program ready to rock next year and it was fun covering you this year. Thanks.
To Hofstra Women's Basketball: Anyone who knows me knows I can't leave this program out. Coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey, you are beyond incredible. The last three years of covering this team made me enjoy this industry more than I ever could have imagined. You enjoy our coverage more than any coach I had the pleasure of working with. You always loved seeing us there and you always gave me information that made my broadcasts better. I will forever remember the trip to Texas last December, our trip to the WNIT and beating Penn State and getting ice cream and of course the incredible win at Drexel. Your staff has always been amazing as well. From Shalon Pillow and Danielle Santos to Faisal Kahn, Jess Manetti, Bill Ferrara and Tanika Price. You all follow the mold that I've come to know and love of the Hofstra Pride coaching staff. I wish I could stay here and cover this team forever. To the players, all the way from Natty Fripp and Nikki Williams to Kate Loper and Annie Payton. Y'all are my favorite group of people I've ever been around. Your personalities are tremendous and your love for the game is even higher. I have made three great friends within this team: Sam Brigham, Nicole Capurso, and Candice Bellochio. The three of you are hilarious, talented and amazing. Sam, last year was awesome. From sitting in the Houston airport watching Boondock Saints to discovering your mom's cookies, I'm glad I got the chance to know you. Nicole and Candice, I can't believe the level to which you two have helped bring this program to. Candice, I remember watching you in Richmond with a broken arm trying to match Chuck in his trick shots and thinking this was the attitude of the team and I love it. Nicole, we got to be closer friends this semester in class and yes, that post-game after Drexel was intense. To anyone reading this, please go support this team and this program. They deserve so much fan support that it's almost criminal they don't. In my opinion they have the last two Rookies of the Year in the CAA in Shante Evans and Kate Loper. Not to mention an incredible group of veterans and coaches. Please go watch them, they deserve more than anyone. I can truly say the only greater joy I had than being a fan of this team, was being a reporter covering them.
To my Second Family: Victoria Rossi. Sweetheart, I remember telling you as you drove me to the ER to get my dislocated finger that I have a conundrum with relationships that sometimes ends them. You looked passed that and 2 1/2 years later, I couldn't be happier you did. I'm so proud of you and what you have accomplished and I love you more than I could ever admit, just because that's who I am. To Bill and Deborah Rossi, thank you for letting her be a part of my life and giving me another spot to call "home". Bill, sir, I truly do mean what I said on Sunday night. I wish I could have met her mother and I know that I can never love Victoria more than you do, but I hope that I can at least make you and her mother proud of the fact that she is with me. Tina, you're a crazy one, but I love you all the same. I'm sorry I couldn't be around more with your sister gone but know that every night I came over and got to be a part of your life, I truly enjoyed it.
To my Extended Family: On my mother's side, thank you all for understanding why I wanted to break the chain of our family going to Norwich University and supporting me in what I've accomplished here. On my father's side, thank you for being a place I can go to whenever I need to get back to family or just away from the stresses of college. I hope I make you all proud one day.
To my Family: My younger brother Brandon. I said this Sunday night, but seriously kid, please get your head together. You have all the potential in the world to be someone great and once you realize that you'll reach that potential quicker than you could ever imagine. To my youngest brother Mikey, you have the best parts of Brandon and I. You have his raw talent and my work ethic. These two qualities will make you the most successful of the three of us. I wish you would have stayed with baseball because those five years as your coach were the best five years of my life. To my mother, who is the strongest woman I know, thank you. Thank you for letting me leave home and be the man you want me to be. I miss you every day and I'm sorry I can't be there more when the boys give you fits or you need a hug from your son. I'm a true Momma's boy (I'm actually tearing up as I write this part), and you always be my first love. To my father, since I can remember, everyday of my life has been a pursuit to make you proud. Whether it was being more involved in Church, wrestling in high school or whatever, I just wanted to live up to the level of respect and admiration others have for you. We've come a long way since that recruiter was sitting in our living room talking about the nice office in Kuwait City I was going to sit in. Hearing you say you're proud of me is one of the greatest accomplishments I've ever had and I hope I continue to do that. I love you all very much.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the things I've always preached is that college is $40,000 a year to learn time management. My best times were managed in the walls of WRHU. While my diploma may say "Hofstra University" my education came in a studio, on a team bus, in the field reporting, or just in the main office goofing around. This place is the hardest place to leave. But, as a man who truly has been all over the place, this is one of the few places I will always call home. Thank you everyone so much. It has been a fabulous ride and I can't imagine changing anything.
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