Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Tuesday A.M. Quickie:
Can We Stop the Torre Talk, Now?

OK, maybe this news will finally end what promises to be ceaseless hot-stove speculation about the future of the Yankees:

Joe Torre is coming back to the Yankees.

At least, that's what the NY Post says (of course, the NY Daily News was the one who said Sunday that Torre was as good as gone.)

Let's see:

Torre is coming back, presumably by the grace of George. And there's no way that the Boss will eject A-Rod, no matter how much that might bug Torre.

So after the last 72 hours of hysteria about the future of the Yankees, indications are that Torre will be back, A-Rod will be back, the Boss will be back -- and the Yanks will still have their pitching problems.

(Lou Piniella hasn't heard from the Boss, which is another good indicator that the Yankees have no interest in hiring him to replace Torre. Lou also let the Nats know he has no interest in managing them.)

ALCS Game 1: Speaking of pitching problems, the Tigers are dancing with the ones who brung 'em: Ineffective ALDS Game 1 starter Nate Robertson will get the start in Game 1 of the ALCS against Barry Zito, who I would imagine understands that every quality postseason start equals another $10 million or so on his upcoming free-agent contract.

(Who the hell am I to question Jim Leyland? He just ran the Yankees out of the playoffs; he can do what he wants.)

Cubs interview Joe Girardi: Here are a couple questions I might suggest: (1) Can you get along with a GM and ownership group? (2) What do you think Dusty Baker did MOST wrong? (Can you narrow it down?)

MNF: Broncos Beat Ravens in Ugly One. Given that the game was played at Denver and in horrible sloppy weather, I'm trying not to read too much into the Ravens' first loss of the season -- or another big Broncos win over a presumptive AFC contender.

More great news for the Dolphins: Daunte Culpepper might be out for the rest of the season. Nick Saban says he won't play again until he regains his "explosion," whatever that means.

Meanwhile, by default, that means that Joey Harrington is the Dolphins' QB of the present -- and future. Hard to believe that six weeks ago, so many people were touting the Fins as AFC contenders.

Bledsoe will remain the Cowboys QB, according to Bill Parcells, who has, oh, NEVER had a problem with detrimental decisions based on loyalty to "his" QBs. Come on: It's Romo Time, already!

Jags D remains cursed: JAX loses top tackler Peterson. How many more devastating injuries can a great defense have before it starts to take a toll? Coming off a shutout, the/my Jags D lost its top playmaker to a torn pec. Ouch.

Matt Leinart's job just got a lot harder: Larry Fitzgerald, who caught one of Leinart's 2 TD passes on Sunday, is out for a month (or more) with a bad hammy.

NBA Preseason: Raps top Wiz. Why concentrate on this game? Because it was the only one of the night, sure, but also because I'm ready to declare Gilbert Arenas the most intriguing player in the NBA right now.

How do I account for "most intriguing?" It's a combination of on-court skills and off-court personality. And right now, no one has more than "Agent Zero," who had 29 points last night. No word on how he did at his customary halftime game of online poker.

Top NBA Draft pick Andrea Bargnani had 8 points and 4 rebounds in 13 minutes (also notable for 5 fouls). Better preseason debut than Mario Williams in that OTHER league...

I'm hearing more and more about the NBA refs cracking down on excessive whining about calls. There's SUPPOSED to be a quicker T, but I'm waiting to see if "whine-over-calls" poster guy LeBron James earns any.

Crikey! Andrew Bogut is out 6-8 weeks with a leg sprain. So much for the breakthrough season, for him or the Bucks.

Why the hell would Louisville rush Brian Brohm back from his hand injury in time to play against... Cincinnati? Their offense will be fine without him for another week. Shouldn't they be totally focused on having him be as healthy as possible for the West Virginia game?

And since we have a few commenters who seem to care deeply about Michigan WR Mario Manningham, they might have to hold off on that Heisman campaign: He's likely to have surgery on his knee and could mis a few weeks.

Last thing: That story that emerged yesterday about Tom Candiotti getting Jeff Kent drilled by a pitch to help his fantasy team (this was a dozen years ago) is taking on a life of its own. As it should!

-- D.S.

34 comments:

FreKy J said...

Nice to see the Boss has some sense. Go back to grooming a talented farm system, and stop overpaying for bloated aged talent. The Yankees won their championships with a hot young crop of farm talent, with just enough hired mercenaries to fill the gaps. The further away the team has gotten from that philosophy, the further away they've gotten from actually winning the WS.

FreKy J said...

Cracking down on the whining really isn't a solution to the problem. The league created this problem by allowing the referees to be wildly inconsistent on their calls. Sometimes if the air you breathe ruffles the jersey of another player you get called for a foul, and other times you have to club another player over the head to get a foul. Make the calls consistent, and THEN you really can crack down on the whining.

LaziestMovieCriticofAllTime said...

I said a few posts ago that Baltimore was a fraud because they have no offense and that McNair is now overrated. Last night will be the first of many low scoring losses for the Ravens.

Brave Sir Robin said...

I'm sorry, the players should be allowed to complain as much as they want. I saw the Finals where Dwayne Wade was somehow fouled on just about every possession. Heck, one play he PUNCHED Nowitzki and Nowitzki got called for a foul. Yeah, whine it up guys (I do wish Lebron would stop though).

Brave Sir Robin said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
John Paul Manahan said...

1. with that being settled already,

the Boss should focus on what ails this team...

a. pitching
b. prospects

2. girardi: the question is when he'll be settled.

3. broncos: maybe one of the most underrated teams right now. all eyes focused on when shanahan plucks plummer and inserts cutler, but look at that defense.

4. dolphins: maybe brady quinn or chris leak is the answer...

5. gilbert arenas: who does not love his antics. the most competitive player in the nba.

6. brohm: i guess after auburn's loss, petrino wants to make sure that his best players are ready and waiting... hopefully, he does not have to use them.

Anonymous said...

jesus christ you recognized the manningham kids, now you know their OCD will fuel them to post incessantly about it.

Once again the media blows up about something that is a non-story (see T.O.'s O.D.) and Torre isn't being fired. I have to say I am surprised, this is the exact knee jerk reaction that I expected from the franchise that signed Shef&Pavano over Vlad&Beltran.

If the NBA wants to fix things, Stern should consider dropping the number of personal fouls allowed to 5, or make it like soccer and make T's carry over to the next game(s). I bet Ra-sheed would stop acting like a Ra-tard if he went into the first minutes of a game carrying a technical from last week.

Cubs&Girardi, we all knew it was going to happen, it goes together like drinking and nightswimming. Are they going to actually spend money on the team to help their new manager? These are not the marlins who have repeatedly fleeced hot young prospects from the other MLB teams year in and out for their vets, the cupboard is looking a little bare on the north side, I hope they don't expect miracles unless they are willing to open up the checkbook.

Worst MNF game since...the Pit/Jax one a few weeks back. Looked like Purdue v. Michigan 1995.

Culpepper shouldn't have played this season to begin with, you always read that it takes 2 yrs to come back from a knee injury (though somehow Deuce is back and looking good this year...thought I heard something about a new surgical technique though) Wonder if the fish wish they'd made more of a push at Drew Brees?

I'm sure manningham will be fine by 11/18, that's all that matters anyway, besides if #86 won the heisman then Desmond H. would lose his claim to fame (last WR to win it)

Maybe Petrino found a little cache of crazy left by John L. ? Only reason I could see them playing Brohm before the WVU game, unless they are that paranoid about him being rusty and costing them the WVU game.

john (east lansing, mi) said...

chris, dear,

I'm telling you, it's just one crazy guy. Look at the timing of "their" posts. Yes, I'm proud to have him on my side.


NBA -
Yes, please. Start T-ing up BronBron as quickly as you T up Rasheed. I'm not gonna complain about what Rasheed brings on himself, but I would love to see officials start to treat all players more equally.

Boomhauertjs said...

Maybe LeBron wouldn't have to complain to the refs if he would actually get some calls. I watch every Cavs game and it's amazing the number of times LeBron gets hammered, but doesn't get the call because he's so strong that he still gets the shot up. Meanwhile, a defender puts a hand on D-Wade and he's going to the line.

FreKy J said...

All your points go back to my point of make the calls consistent, and THEN you can crack down on whining.

Brian in Oxford said...

I always wondered what an NBA game would be like if players just "called their own" like you do down at the playground.

"RESPECT THE CALL!!!"

Would there be more calls, fewer calls? Or just wanton violence....

TBender said...

Calling their own...

Great, turn the league into an And 1 mixtape.

TBender said...

Reason #1093239 why I hate the Yankees.

They've been eliminated and what's everyone talking about? Not the LCS's...

Thank you New York, thank you ECMB.


And for the record:
Manningham < C. Johnson

Unknown said...

I'll be a bleeding heart here..
Dan, if that other Aussie who was 'injured' is Steve Irwin..that's a bit tasteless, considering the man died from his 'injury'. Even if you crossed it out.
If you meant some other Aussie, nevermind.

I picked the Tigers v the Cards for the Series...I'm still looking good. Leyland does what he wants.

Also..how about those Columbus Blue Jackets!! 5 out of a possible 6 points already! Best team in hockey, IH!

TJ said...

Maybe LeBron wouldn't have to complain to the refs if he would actually get some calls.

I'm sorry--were you in a coma during the playoffs?

CYGNUS003 said...

virgil said...

Well let me say it is refreshing being from Cleveland and reading/hearing the jealousy pointed at LeBron, instead of constantly being the jealous ones. In his defense, he is hardly the only one guilty of this "so-called whining", he wasn't the first, and he won't be the last. Hell he is not even the worst. People seem to forget that "Superstar Treatment", has been around for a very longtime, longer than LeBron has been on this Earth. But to all of you critics, by all means keep your "whining" going, it will be sweet music as we hoist the The Trophy this year.

Brave Sir Robin said...

Troy,
Those playoff calls were just beginning to make up for the times LeBron got CLOCKED during the regular season and there wasn't a call.

jhawkjjm said...

I think that maher has it about playing Brohm. If you want him for the WVU game, then you need to make sure he sees some game action before then to get some of the rust off. Or it could be as simple as seeing IF he can play in the WVU game. Find out beforehand so you aren't left scrambling during the WVU game and forced to play a backup who hasn't practiced much with the first team.

And Dan, unless I missed it, how could you not include Buck O'Neil in your Monday wrap up.

Ingrid and Jim said...

Dude that's a bit cold about the Croc Hunter. He was a nutjob but he did good work.

john (east lansing, mi) said...

Chad Johnson > Manningham? I don't even know how that entered the conversation!


Oh, you meant a different C. Johnson, who is getting far more Heisman respect already, even though he has 11 more catches than Manningham, but only 25 more yards, not to mention one fewer touchdown.

Well, maybe if C.J. had caught 3 against ND like Mario did, Georgia Tech would be undefeated and looking pretty good right now. Oh, but no. That's right.

I don't know what you're whining about anyway. Johnson is already way up in the Heisman watch (I suspect preseason overrate-ment + inertia, although I've hardly heard of the guy), despite Manningham's better production. Plus, Manningham seems to be injured, so it's not like anybody's pushing that Heisman train very hard anymore.

Unknown said...

mike, since you brought up the NASCAR talk I figured I'd run with it. I'm a pretty big Jr. fan seeing as how my father works for Budweiser and I loved his father so much but the Junior fans who flipped out over Vickers are crazy. At first sight I got upset but let's face it - Junior bumps guys in the corner all the time. As a matter of fact with like 20 to go he bumped Kurt Busch to make a pass in the corner which got a bunch of people upset.

I think what happened was when Johnson slide to the bottom he lost some speed from losing the air so Vickers was just going to fast and he slide Jimmy back up the track.

I thought it was a really good race and that's the kind of stupid stuff that happens on those restrictor plate tracks

Brian in Oxford said...

NASCAR "teammates" would make more sense if it were set up with a baton you pass out the window. Now THAT would be kinda cool.

Anonymous said...

CJ plays for GT. #86 has a much better team around him, no?

Unknown said...

manningham showed up for what..4 games?
Calvin Johnson did was a stud last year and has been good this year.

SOmething about overrated and Wolverine WRs seems to go well together...

Anonymous said...

CJ *should* have won the biletnikoff last year.

TBender said...

CJ's been making plays since he was a true freshman. Check out his catch vs. NCSU on YouTube. Best. Hands. Ever.

And while CJ > Mario, the second half of the proof is Ball < Henne.

TJ said...

C Johnson is a tool. He wanted to come to Michigan but they didn't want him.

And Maryland didn't want Steve Slaton. Urban Meyer didn't want Ryan Smith. Nobody wanted Tom Brady. What's your point?

john (east lansing, mi) said...

Jesus.

SF said...

It is not time for the one and only Carl Tabb to break out and save the day for Big Blue vs. Penn State. Either that or Mike Hart will continue his brilliance.

And, by the way, Mario is awesome, and coming back in 3 weeks, and making Ted Ginn look like a cripple in the Shoe in November.

HART for Heisman...

SF said...

I meant NOW time for Crl Tabb...not NOT time -- my bad

go blue!!!

Steve said...

The worst part of living in Indiana is....





Being next to Michigan.

Unknown said...

What's with the Michigan fans all of a sudden?

TBender said...

You know, I think I'm starting to hate Michigan.

Wonder why...

Unknown said...

aahhhhh

SPAMMERS!