Don't forget to put your own in the Comments.
AL MVP: Joe Mauer
AL Cy: Zack Greinke
AL Rookie: Andrew Bailey
AL Manager: Joe Maddon
AL Fantasy Surprise: Ben Zobrist*
NL MVP: Albert Pujols
NL Cy: Tim Lincecum
NL Rookie: Colby Rasmus
NL Manager: Tony LaRussa
NL Fantasy Surprise: Pablo Sandoval*
* - No surprise, both Zobrist and Sandoval are on MY fantasy roster, which is in playoff contention for the first time in my decade-long fantasy baseball GM career. Beyond their unexpected success, how can you not love the triple-position-eligibility? That has huge value.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Varsity Dad: 3-Year-Old Takes Soccer Class? Fine. But What About Mixed Martial Arts?
New post up at Varsity Dad: I introduce my kid to soccer class, find myself toeing the waters of "THAT soccer parent" and ask if MMA classes will ever trickle down to the 4T set.
Friday 07/10 Quickie: UFC 100
MLB Awards, Boozer, Lincecum, More
I am not an MMA fan. Not because I dislike it, but simply because I haven't really gotten into it.
However, I do respect MMA, highly. I respect it for its growth curve, for the way it has attracted full-time sports-media attention and for its business plan.
Though I know nothing about MMA (similar to the way I know very little -- but respect very much -- NASCAR and even the NHL), I led today's SN column with an homage to UFC 100.
"UFC 100": The name alone delivers some sort of gravitas, doesn't it? Hell, the Super Bowl is only up to the 40s. Air Jordans only made it to 23 before ending the numbering convention.
I see "UFC 100" as shorthand for everything that MMA has done right in its brief, meteoric history (at least version 2.0 since Dana White took over):
*UFC is the dominant organization.
*They have reached 100 mega-events.
*Don't look for it on broadcast TV or even cable. It's PPV, all the way.
What a strategy -- it's not unique (that's how boxing did it and still does it, to the extent that boxing matters anymore), but it is so effective.
I thought MMA on CBS primetime would be a hit; the mistake was going with some lower-tier MMA outfit, rather than UFC. It would be like signing up the UFL and expecting NFL numbers.
I don't mean to write around the event itself, but -- for me, a non-fan but an admirer from afar -- the IDEA of "UFC 100" is impressive enough.
Complete column here, including:
*MLB Midseason Awards
*Boozer to the Bulls? Would be a great move.
*Spurs win the NBA offseason.
*Orlando Summer League MVP: Tyler Hansbrough!
*Latest source for Favre info: Drew Magary
*Brazil prez talks soccer smack to Obama
And a lot more. Complete column here. A few more posts later, then I'm on the road all weekend. I'll try to post tomorrow and Sunday but will likely be filing via Twitter (on the right).
-- D.S.
However, I do respect MMA, highly. I respect it for its growth curve, for the way it has attracted full-time sports-media attention and for its business plan.
Though I know nothing about MMA (similar to the way I know very little -- but respect very much -- NASCAR and even the NHL), I led today's SN column with an homage to UFC 100.
"UFC 100": The name alone delivers some sort of gravitas, doesn't it? Hell, the Super Bowl is only up to the 40s. Air Jordans only made it to 23 before ending the numbering convention.
I see "UFC 100" as shorthand for everything that MMA has done right in its brief, meteoric history (at least version 2.0 since Dana White took over):
*UFC is the dominant organization.
*They have reached 100 mega-events.
*Don't look for it on broadcast TV or even cable. It's PPV, all the way.
What a strategy -- it's not unique (that's how boxing did it and still does it, to the extent that boxing matters anymore), but it is so effective.
I thought MMA on CBS primetime would be a hit; the mistake was going with some lower-tier MMA outfit, rather than UFC. It would be like signing up the UFL and expecting NFL numbers.
I don't mean to write around the event itself, but -- for me, a non-fan but an admirer from afar -- the IDEA of "UFC 100" is impressive enough.
Complete column here, including:
*MLB Midseason Awards
*Boozer to the Bulls? Would be a great move.
*Spurs win the NBA offseason.
*Orlando Summer League MVP: Tyler Hansbrough!
*Latest source for Favre info: Drew Magary
*Brazil prez talks soccer smack to Obama
And a lot more. Complete column here. A few more posts later, then I'm on the road all weekend. I'll try to post tomorrow and Sunday but will likely be filing via Twitter (on the right).
-- D.S.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Varsity Dad: Best MLB Ballparks for Kids?
New post this week on Varsity Dad: What is your take on the best MLB ballparks to take your kid?
Which has the best transportation/parking? The best mid-game entertainment? The most convenient restrooms? The best prices? (Or are you better off forgetting MLB and sticking with minor-league games?)
Weigh in with a review of your favorite team's ballpark kid-friendliness.
-- D.S.
PS: There are a lot of new Varsity Dad posts to check out.
Which has the best transportation/parking? The best mid-game entertainment? The most convenient restrooms? The best prices? (Or are you better off forgetting MLB and sticking with minor-league games?)
Weigh in with a review of your favorite team's ballpark kid-friendliness.
-- D.S.
PS: There are a lot of new Varsity Dad posts to check out.
Mountain West: No Playoff, Just Payoff
And that color is green.
My favorite part of the latest BCS Mess news is the delicious irony that the same week the MWC goes crying to Congress about the unfairness of the BCS, they take the check from ESPN to remain in their subordinate state. Way to stand up for what you think is right!
If the Mountain West wanted to make a real stand -- and I mean get some serious traction -- they would secede from the BCS and say "If you won't have us, then we'll make our own championship."
It might sound ludicrous now, but it would get them more coverage -- and more positive press -- than they could ever get by trying to force change from within the system. (Like a BCS bowl would ignore an undefeated MWC champ.*)
But, of course, the MWC is as greedy as your average BCS conference.
(That's why their proposed "playoff" plan was hubbed around one cynical component: Letting the Mountain West into the BCS cabal. They don't hate the BCS; they resent the money they're losing by being left out of it.)
As yesterday's announcement showed, the Mountain West doesn't care about a playoff as much as it does a payoff.
-- D.S.
(* - From at least one standpoint, the Mountain West IS in the BCS: If a MWC team goes unbeaten, it would surely be selected for a BCS bowl -- in fact, that is stipulated in the BCS bowl-selection deal. And with Utah's success, it is what fans want to see. And if a MWC team can't go undefeated? Well, they probably didn't deserve to be in a BCS bowl anyway. And there are plenty of other conferences -- say,BYU Boise St out of the WAC -- whose unbeaten champ would deserve a BCS spot ahead of a beaten MWC champ. And yet the MWC would like an automatic BCS bid.)
My favorite part of the latest BCS Mess news is the delicious irony that the same week the MWC goes crying to Congress about the unfairness of the BCS, they take the check from ESPN to remain in their subordinate state. Way to stand up for what you think is right!
If the Mountain West wanted to make a real stand -- and I mean get some serious traction -- they would secede from the BCS and say "If you won't have us, then we'll make our own championship."
It might sound ludicrous now, but it would get them more coverage -- and more positive press -- than they could ever get by trying to force change from within the system. (Like a BCS bowl would ignore an undefeated MWC champ.*)
But, of course, the MWC is as greedy as your average BCS conference.
(That's why their proposed "playoff" plan was hubbed around one cynical component: Letting the Mountain West into the BCS cabal. They don't hate the BCS; they resent the money they're losing by being left out of it.)
As yesterday's announcement showed, the Mountain West doesn't care about a playoff as much as it does a payoff.
-- D.S.
(* - From at least one standpoint, the Mountain West IS in the BCS: If a MWC team goes unbeaten, it would surely be selected for a BCS bowl -- in fact, that is stipulated in the BCS bowl-selection deal. And with Utah's success, it is what fans want to see. And if a MWC team can't go undefeated? Well, they probably didn't deserve to be in a BCS bowl anyway. And there are plenty of other conferences -- say,
My First (And Possibly Last) Cover Story
Is there a topic I might be remotely qualified to write as the cover story for a MAJOR NATIONAL BOOK RELEASE?
Why, yes. Yes, there is: Tim Tebow's place among all-time great college QBs.
I will not ruin the surprise ending, but I will note that this book -- like the editions for fans of Texas, Ohio State, Notre Dame and others -- is geared for a partisan audience.
That said: Spencer Hall (aka Orson Swindle of Every Day Should Be Saturday) has done a phenomenal job lining up contributors far more value-adding than me.
But only one got to make the case that, under the right conditions, Tim Tebow ends his career as the greatest QB in college football history.
Florida fans: Purchasing details here. The rest of you may now go rinse out your mouths, because that acid reflux taste must feel kind of gross right now.
-- D.S.
Why, yes. Yes, there is: Tim Tebow's place among all-time great college QBs.
I will not ruin the surprise ending, but I will note that this book -- like the editions for fans of Texas, Ohio State, Notre Dame and others -- is geared for a partisan audience.
That said: Spencer Hall (aka Orson Swindle of Every Day Should Be Saturday) has done a phenomenal job lining up contributors far more value-adding than me.
But only one got to make the case that, under the right conditions, Tim Tebow ends his career as the greatest QB in college football history.
Florida fans: Purchasing details here. The rest of you may now go rinse out your mouths, because that acid reflux taste must feel kind of gross right now.
-- D.S.
Thursday 07/09 Quickie: MLB Midseason,
LeBron, Marion, Zobrist, BCS, More
More new posts coming at 11 am, 1 pm and 3. Check back.
The annual baseball "midseason" stuff is always a bit of a moving target: Do you do it when most teams generally get to 81 games played? Do you do it the Friday before the All-Star Break? DURING the All-Star Break? You don't want to be premature; you don't want to be too late.
So I split the difference -- taking advantage of a relatively slow news morning -- and posted my Top 3 Storylines of MLB's 2nd Half as the lead of today's SN column. Here's the shorthand:
(1) AL East menage a WTF.
(2) Pujols vs. Maris (vs. Bonds/Sosa)
(3) Almost everyone's a contender in the NL
You can get the full work-up in the column, although I'd love to get your own 2nd Half Storylines to Watch in the Comments.
Meanwhile:
*McNair Murder: I guess that's closure, and Occam's Razor is in effect -- the most obvious answer to the mystery was the right answer. Doesn't make it any less sad.
*LeBron/"No Witness": For someone as media savvy as LeBron (and Nike), they really blew this one. They could have let the video go viral -- it would have humanized LeBron. Instead, the story is their control-freakishness and lack of transparency.
My first thought was that Nike would come to its senses and use the tape -- now in their possession -- to create their own ad, releasing the images from it but spinning it to LeBron's ultimate advantage. Now it seems like they're simply saying, contrary to original reports, "No one was supposed to be taping!" Everyone knows that is b.s. Where are Nike's marketing ninjas?
*Mavs get Matrix: If you read my "Two NBAs" post -- my unifying theory of the state of the NBA -- you know that I will think very highly of the Mavericks (part of the NBA that is playing to win a title NOW) making the moves to keep up with the top contenders. I wasn't all that high on the Kidd re-signing, but combined with bringing in Shawn Marion and the Mavs have as good of a quintet (Dirk, Kidd, Marion, Howard, Terry) as there is in the NBA.
*MLB Last Night: Zobrist! That is all.
Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
The annual baseball "midseason" stuff is always a bit of a moving target: Do you do it when most teams generally get to 81 games played? Do you do it the Friday before the All-Star Break? DURING the All-Star Break? You don't want to be premature; you don't want to be too late.
So I split the difference -- taking advantage of a relatively slow news morning -- and posted my Top 3 Storylines of MLB's 2nd Half as the lead of today's SN column. Here's the shorthand:
(1) AL East menage a WTF.
(2) Pujols vs. Maris (vs. Bonds/Sosa)
(3) Almost everyone's a contender in the NL
You can get the full work-up in the column, although I'd love to get your own 2nd Half Storylines to Watch in the Comments.
Meanwhile:
*McNair Murder: I guess that's closure, and Occam's Razor is in effect -- the most obvious answer to the mystery was the right answer. Doesn't make it any less sad.
*LeBron/"No Witness": For someone as media savvy as LeBron (and Nike), they really blew this one. They could have let the video go viral -- it would have humanized LeBron. Instead, the story is their control-freakishness and lack of transparency.
My first thought was that Nike would come to its senses and use the tape -- now in their possession -- to create their own ad, releasing the images from it but spinning it to LeBron's ultimate advantage. Now it seems like they're simply saying, contrary to original reports, "No one was supposed to be taping!" Everyone knows that is b.s. Where are Nike's marketing ninjas?
*Mavs get Matrix: If you read my "Two NBAs" post -- my unifying theory of the state of the NBA -- you know that I will think very highly of the Mavericks (part of the NBA that is playing to win a title NOW) making the moves to keep up with the top contenders. I wasn't all that high on the Kidd re-signing, but combined with bringing in Shawn Marion and the Mavs have as good of a quintet (Dirk, Kidd, Marion, Howard, Terry) as there is in the NBA.
*MLB Last Night: Zobrist! That is all.
Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
UFL Update: Leagues New Rules Lacking
So the UFL is trying to spice up its league by relaxing many of the starchy rules the NFL has in place.
OK, this is where I will say it YET AGAIN:
There is only one NFL "rule" that the UFL has to change that will guarantee (a) tons of attention, (b) tons of NFL-level talent and (c) defensible market position as a true "minor" league:
Allow in any player with at least one year of college football experience.
That means the UFL could draft players after their freshman year or sophomore year -- because the NFL won't let them in. Even if those players are clearly NFL-ready or NFL-worthy.
It's so simple. It's so freaking simple.
At the very least, I wish someone in the league would at least explain to me why they WON'T do it. At least show me that they have evaluated the idea -- but (inanely) rejected it.
-- D.S.
OK, this is where I will say it YET AGAIN:
There is only one NFL "rule" that the UFL has to change that will guarantee (a) tons of attention, (b) tons of NFL-level talent and (c) defensible market position as a true "minor" league:
Allow in any player with at least one year of college football experience.
That means the UFL could draft players after their freshman year or sophomore year -- because the NFL won't let them in. Even if those players are clearly NFL-ready or NFL-worthy.
It's so simple. It's so freaking simple.
At the very least, I wish someone in the league would at least explain to me why they WON'T do it. At least show me that they have evaluated the idea -- but (inanely) rejected it.
-- D.S.
Wednesday 07/08 Quickie:
More Wade, Coach K, Manny, Halladay
How is Dwyane Wade like Sarah Palin? Lots to cover in today's SN column, including a follow-up to yesterday's argument about how LeBron and Wade are screwing over their fans, either by not signing or declaring their intention to leave.
Here is a snippet of today's lead argument:
*Mets fans hate Mets more than Manny.
*Coach K likes Team USA more than Duke.
*Orrin Hatch likes the BCS more than America.
*Jays like saving more than Roy Halladay.
Lot more where that came from. Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Here is a snippet of today's lead argument:
I'm sure fans in Miami are thrilled that Dywane Wade signed his lucrative long-term contract extension with the Heat in the very first moments after midnight last night, the earliest he possibly could.More you'll find in today's column:
What a terrific signal to send to his fans and his franchise that he is committed to bringing a title back to Miami -- that it might not happen in 2010, but with him in place as the cornerstone, they can make a run at several of them.
And what a relief that he dropped the Palinesque "only quitters stick around" talking point that he wouldn't sign unless the team built a title contender around him right now, even though he previously hadn't committed to the team to staying around beyond next year.
Heat fans now avoid the rest of us snickering at them as they attempt to justify their cheering all next season for a player who so obviously would have disrespected and dismissed them by not declaring his reciprocal allegiance as soon as he could.
How awkward would it have been had Wade NOT signed last night, and spent the next season as some kind of lame-duck -- with fans cheering for him half-heartedly, knowing that NOT signing with the Heat sends the strongest signal he almost surely will be bolting for another city next summer.
Wow, it sure is great that Wade cleared that up.
*Mets fans hate Mets more than Manny.
*Coach K likes Team USA more than Duke.
*Orrin Hatch likes the BCS more than America.
*Jays like saving more than Roy Halladay.
Lot more where that came from. Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Losing Is The New Winning
Adapted from the "Last Word" section of my SN column this morning:
Losing is the new winning, if you believe the buzz about Andy Roddick's almost-win against Roger Federer (note: not the same as winning), which many are hailing as the best match Roddick has ever played -- and turning his rep around from bratty underachiever to lovable underdog.
This same past weekend, we have the approval of Anthony Kim for nearly beating Tiger Woods at Tiger's tournament in DC this weekend.
And that follows up the general approval of the Magic's "Hey-At-Least-They-Made-It-This-Far" run to the NBA Finals and the Cardinals' "Hey-Look!-It's-The-CARDS!-In-The-SUPER-BOWL!" near-miss in the Super Bowl.
And that was preceded by the Rays' Cinderella run to the World Series -- They didn't win? Who cares? They ALMOST won!
I'm not saying this is a bad thing. If the only people who enjoyed a season was the league champs, sports would dissolve in fan frustration.
It's all about expectations. If you exceed expectations -- see Roddick or the Magic or the Cards or the Rays or the never-thought-we'd-make-it Final Four team -- the season is a huge success. Maybe expectations are adjusted for the next season, but still: It is expectations-based.
There is one sport left where "Hey, good try!" just doesn't cut it at the championship level: College football.
Oklahoma's great season was RUINED by their loss to Florida, just as Ohio State's season was ruined in the two seasons before that, just as the Buckeyes ruined Miami's season in 2002.
If you have championship aspirations in college football, anything less than a title is a failed season.
Or, alternatively, you could be Andy Roddick -- happy to claim the youth-league "Everyone's-a-winner!" trophy for almost beating Federer. Against the GOAT, 2nd place ain't bad at all.
-- D.S.
Losing is the new winning, if you believe the buzz about Andy Roddick's almost-win against Roger Federer (note: not the same as winning), which many are hailing as the best match Roddick has ever played -- and turning his rep around from bratty underachiever to lovable underdog.
This same past weekend, we have the approval of Anthony Kim for nearly beating Tiger Woods at Tiger's tournament in DC this weekend.
And that follows up the general approval of the Magic's "Hey-At-Least-They-Made-It-This-Far" run to the NBA Finals and the Cardinals' "Hey-Look!-It's-The-CARDS!-In-The-SUPER-BOWL!" near-miss in the Super Bowl.
And that was preceded by the Rays' Cinderella run to the World Series -- They didn't win? Who cares? They ALMOST won!
I'm not saying this is a bad thing. If the only people who enjoyed a season was the league champs, sports would dissolve in fan frustration.
It's all about expectations. If you exceed expectations -- see Roddick or the Magic or the Cards or the Rays or the never-thought-we'd-make-it Final Four team -- the season is a huge success. Maybe expectations are adjusted for the next season, but still: It is expectations-based.
There is one sport left where "Hey, good try!" just doesn't cut it at the championship level: College football.
Oklahoma's great season was RUINED by their loss to Florida, just as Ohio State's season was ruined in the two seasons before that, just as the Buckeyes ruined Miami's season in 2002.
If you have championship aspirations in college football, anything less than a title is a failed season.
Or, alternatively, you could be Andy Roddick -- happy to claim the youth-league "Everyone's-a-winner!" trophy for almost beating Federer. Against the GOAT, 2nd place ain't bad at all.
-- D.S.
Mediaite Launches: The Sports Rankings
Peter King: The 7th most influential columnist in print or online -- sports or otherwise? Bill Simmons: No. 21? Jason Whitlock ranked behind Will Leitch? Jason won't like that at all...
The new media-industry news-and-analysis site Mediaite launched yesterday, and by far its most buzz-worthy (and brilliant) feature is the "Power Grid," which ranks hundreds of people in media, based on category.
The rankings are algorithmically derived, based on things like audience size, Google Buzz, Twitter followers and more. For navel-gazey media types, this is basically like crack.
Of course, the first thing I looked for in the Power Grid was the sports-media folks on the list. (No, that's not true. The very first thing I did, of course, was look for my own name. Not there. D'oh!)
In the Top 100 of the grid for "Print/Online Columnists," here are your top-ranked names:
7. Peter King
"Coffeenerdness" was part of algorithm?
21. Bill Simmons
"Dunleavy Treatment" for 20 ahead of him?
35. Jon Heyman
43. Will Leitch
56. Rick Reilly
That's $60,000 per slot.
63. Joel Sherman
67. Selena Roberts
Bright side of 3 months of negative publicity!
74. Michael Wilbon
79. Jason Whitlock
Still hates Will Leitch. But ahead of Lupica!
87. Bob Ryan
92. Gary Smith
Columnist? Not quite.
93. Mike Lupica
Curses Whitlock. Curses them all!
98. Frank Deford
If "Print/Online" means "Radio/Pay Cable"
105. John Feinstein
110. Bill Plaschke
Renounces this list because it is based on an algorithm.
122. JA Adande
132. Sally Jenkins
142. Woody Paige
Oh, come on: List him under "TV Pundit!"
153. Mike Vaccaro
155. Mike Downey
156. Bill Madden
159. John Buccigross
Who says hockey doesn't sell?
162. "Mike" Wilbon
So big he's listed TWICE.
168. Ray Ratto
177. Patrick Hruby
Rare appearance for online-only writer.
180. Jackie MacMullen
185. William Rhoden
There were a handful of sports-media folks categorized under "Print/Online Reporter," although some of these folks are clearly columnists:
45. Dashiell Bennett
60. Dan Shaughnessy
Really?
107. Drew Magary
118. Tommy Craggs
One more data point he's killing it at Deadspin.
131. Ron Borges
133. Roger Angell
Can hear Drew now: "Suck it, Angell!"
161. Tony Massarotti
166. Bill Dwyre
186. Joe Drape
As you can see, the list is VERY heavy on print/"traditional media" folks, although the print folks' online presences are undoubtedly helping in the algorithm.
No, I'm not going to recheck the list every week for sports types -- well, maybe to see if I (finally) crack the list someday.
Otherwise, the rest of you may continue clicking through this page-view-driving engine to see who ranks where.
-- D.S.
The new media-industry news-and-analysis site Mediaite launched yesterday, and by far its most buzz-worthy (and brilliant) feature is the "Power Grid," which ranks hundreds of people in media, based on category.
The rankings are algorithmically derived, based on things like audience size, Google Buzz, Twitter followers and more. For navel-gazey media types, this is basically like crack.
Of course, the first thing I looked for in the Power Grid was the sports-media folks on the list. (No, that's not true. The very first thing I did, of course, was look for my own name. Not there. D'oh!)
In the Top 100 of the grid for "Print/Online Columnists," here are your top-ranked names:
7. Peter King
"Coffeenerdness" was part of algorithm?
21. Bill Simmons
"Dunleavy Treatment" for 20 ahead of him?
35. Jon Heyman
43. Will Leitch
56. Rick Reilly
That's $60,000 per slot.
63. Joel Sherman
67. Selena Roberts
Bright side of 3 months of negative publicity!
74. Michael Wilbon
79. Jason Whitlock
Still hates Will Leitch. But ahead of Lupica!
87. Bob Ryan
92. Gary Smith
Columnist? Not quite.
93. Mike Lupica
Curses Whitlock. Curses them all!
98. Frank Deford
If "Print/Online" means "Radio/Pay Cable"
105. John Feinstein
110. Bill Plaschke
Renounces this list because it is based on an algorithm.
122. JA Adande
132. Sally Jenkins
142. Woody Paige
Oh, come on: List him under "TV Pundit!"
153. Mike Vaccaro
155. Mike Downey
156. Bill Madden
159. John Buccigross
Who says hockey doesn't sell?
162. "Mike" Wilbon
So big he's listed TWICE.
168. Ray Ratto
177. Patrick Hruby
Rare appearance for online-only writer.
180. Jackie MacMullen
185. William Rhoden
There were a handful of sports-media folks categorized under "Print/Online Reporter," although some of these folks are clearly columnists:
45. Dashiell Bennett
60. Dan Shaughnessy
Really?
107. Drew Magary
118. Tommy Craggs
One more data point he's killing it at Deadspin.
131. Ron Borges
133. Roger Angell
Can hear Drew now: "Suck it, Angell!"
161. Tony Massarotti
166. Bill Dwyre
186. Joe Drape
As you can see, the list is VERY heavy on print/"traditional media" folks, although the print folks' online presences are undoubtedly helping in the algorithm.
No, I'm not going to recheck the list every week for sports types -- well, maybe to see if I (finally) crack the list someday.
Otherwise, the rest of you may continue clicking through this page-view-driving engine to see who ranks where.
-- D.S.
Tuesday 07/07 Quickie:
LeBron, Wade and the 2010 Myth
LeBron was B.S.'ing Trevor Ariza. Ariza detected it, which is why he sidestepped the lure/myth of "playing with LeBron" for a REAL long-term plan in Houston.
My issue with fans in Cleveland and Miami is that your biggest stars -- LeBron and Dwyane Wade -- obviously don't want to play for you. Yet you continue to support them.
Maybe there's the "as long as they're on my team, I'll root for them." Which is fine, to a point. But nothing suggests these players have any loyalty to your team. So why support them?
If they really wanted to stay, they could simply re-sign -- tomorrow -- and lock in their careers with their current teams. Let their current teams build title contenders around them.
Instead, they are playing coy -- Wade went so far as to preemptively frame his leaving as the Heat's fault for not building a contender around him (they WON a title building around him...you'd think he would give them a little credit for that).
There is nothing enjoyable about basketball's two biggest stars playing out lame-duck years in cities they appear to have every intention of bailing on, come next summer.
I recognize that if fans turn on them now, the players are definitely gone. But that would be buying into the player-generated myth that they are considering sticking around to begin with.
I guess the only thing left for Cavs and Heat fans is to enjoy this one final year of watching brilliant players up close. There is some consolation in that -- better one last year than nothing.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
My issue with fans in Cleveland and Miami is that your biggest stars -- LeBron and Dwyane Wade -- obviously don't want to play for you. Yet you continue to support them.
Maybe there's the "as long as they're on my team, I'll root for them." Which is fine, to a point. But nothing suggests these players have any loyalty to your team. So why support them?
If they really wanted to stay, they could simply re-sign -- tomorrow -- and lock in their careers with their current teams. Let their current teams build title contenders around them.
Instead, they are playing coy -- Wade went so far as to preemptively frame his leaving as the Heat's fault for not building a contender around him (they WON a title building around him...you'd think he would give them a little credit for that).
There is nothing enjoyable about basketball's two biggest stars playing out lame-duck years in cities they appear to have every intention of bailing on, come next summer.
I recognize that if fans turn on them now, the players are definitely gone. But that would be buying into the player-generated myth that they are considering sticking around to begin with.
I guess the only thing left for Cavs and Heat fans is to enjoy this one final year of watching brilliant players up close. There is some consolation in that -- better one last year than nothing.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Agenda For Yahoo Sports Bloggers Summit
Apparently, the Yahoo Sports Bloggers are all convening on California this week -- not being a Y!SB mafia member, I only hear about these things offhand through Twitter.
I'm sure they will have much to discuss and celebrate: After all, as a group they put out one of the most well-produced, well-written and well-read products in sports media, online or off.
YSB's template -- as engineered by Jamie Mottram (who adapted the model he built at Fanhouse, which sort of makes him the Bill Parcells of the sports-blog universe) -- is a range of vertically oriented, single-sport blogs, managed and largely written by absolutely outstanding, best-in-their-sport editors. (Disclosure: Count many of these folks as my friends.)
This strategy allows for complete coverage of virtually every topic that fans may want to read about, regardless of team allegiance. (Intentionally, they leave deep team-by-team analysis to individual independent bloggers and partners like SB Nation.) This dovetails nicely with Yahoo's competitive advantage of driving tens of millions of readers through Yahoo's front door at Yahoo.com -- then directing it to the best of their own content. A compelling blog post that runs on Yahoo's front page can earn millions of page views in an hour.
This is not to discount the millions and millions coming through sports.yahoo.com (by many publically available metrics, the largest audience in online sports): Many from the Yahoo front page; many from folks coming for their fantasy leagues but staying for the quality sports content; many to Y! Sports directly, because Yahoo Sports' interface is clean, simple and effective; and many because they have learned that the blogs are so damn good.
(Yahoo Sports blogs have been so successful that I think they have eclipsed two other very strong areas of Yahoo's sports coverage: (1) Original reporting that regularly creates "national-discussion" storylines, and (2) traditional -- but no less high-quality -- "newspaper"-style columnists like Wetzel, Wojnaroski and Silver. Once you layer in the bloggers, then pound-for-pound, the relatively small group punches big at the highest weight class.)
Triumphalism aside, as the Y! Sports bloggers gather to talk, what should they REALLY be talking about? What should the agenda include?
(1) Social media. I love Y!S's simple yet wildly effective 4-legged stool of fantasy, blog network, original reporting and traditional columns. How can this group -- particularly the bloggers -- incorporate social media beyond tweeting links to their latest posts? How does "passed" media fit into the strategy, with the bloggers both as benefactors of and, yes, benefiting from the link economy?
(2) The Yahoo firehose. Obviously, a link on the front page of Yahoo is gold -- but every content department at Yahoo understands that. What can the bloggers learn about how that front-page process works to earn more links there for their work? (Equally, can bloggers work both from an absolute traffic count and an "effective" traffic count that discounts one-time placement surges to best think about growing their traffic? And, yes, they should be thinking about that.)
(3) Increasing blogger profiles. Again, the Y! Sports bloggers are among -- if not the best -- bloggers in their sport. They may be the best commentators in their sport, period -- in new or traditional media. Through p.r. outreach, grassroots bootstrapping or larger distribution deals, how can the group become bigger "names," both as individuals and to increase the profile of Y! Sports? Should this include investing time and resources in more "traditional" media like audio (creating their own podcasts, which some do) and/or online video?
(4) Revenue. I am not suggesting the bloggers participate in ad sales (although I would say that, generally, editorial folks have amazingly creative ideas about how editorial and advertising can work together to maintain editorial integrity and best serve the consumer, while creating value for the marketer -- there's no shame in a brainstorming meeting). I am suggesting that it behooves everyone to have even a basic understanding of the economics of both the Y! Sports business and Yahoo's business as a whole. Ignorance isn't integrity, and great writers won't lose their effectiveness if they understand how the business that pays their bills happens to work. (I guess what would really make sense is having a basic understanding of the business realities, and the metrics that drive them -- which the bloggers have substantial control over. Then, specifically, a tactical-level understanding of analytics: Where it comes from, why and how.)
(5) Bargain collectively. Whatever they're paying you -- and it is impossible to discount the correlation between great product and security of a full-time income stream -- it ain't enough. (Kidding. Sort of.)
Commenters: I'm sure most of you consume Y! Sports in some way -- fantasy, blogs, news headlines, front page of Yahoo, etc. If you do read Y! Sports blogs, what's your evaluation and where do you think they need to focus their efforts?
-- D.S.
I'm sure they will have much to discuss and celebrate: After all, as a group they put out one of the most well-produced, well-written and well-read products in sports media, online or off.
YSB's template -- as engineered by Jamie Mottram (who adapted the model he built at Fanhouse, which sort of makes him the Bill Parcells of the sports-blog universe) -- is a range of vertically oriented, single-sport blogs, managed and largely written by absolutely outstanding, best-in-their-sport editors. (Disclosure: Count many of these folks as my friends.)
This strategy allows for complete coverage of virtually every topic that fans may want to read about, regardless of team allegiance. (Intentionally, they leave deep team-by-team analysis to individual independent bloggers and partners like SB Nation.) This dovetails nicely with Yahoo's competitive advantage of driving tens of millions of readers through Yahoo's front door at Yahoo.com -- then directing it to the best of their own content. A compelling blog post that runs on Yahoo's front page can earn millions of page views in an hour.
This is not to discount the millions and millions coming through sports.yahoo.com (by many publically available metrics, the largest audience in online sports): Many from the Yahoo front page; many from folks coming for their fantasy leagues but staying for the quality sports content; many to Y! Sports directly, because Yahoo Sports' interface is clean, simple and effective; and many because they have learned that the blogs are so damn good.
(Yahoo Sports blogs have been so successful that I think they have eclipsed two other very strong areas of Yahoo's sports coverage: (1) Original reporting that regularly creates "national-discussion" storylines, and (2) traditional -- but no less high-quality -- "newspaper"-style columnists like Wetzel, Wojnaroski and Silver. Once you layer in the bloggers, then pound-for-pound, the relatively small group punches big at the highest weight class.)
Triumphalism aside, as the Y! Sports bloggers gather to talk, what should they REALLY be talking about? What should the agenda include?
(1) Social media. I love Y!S's simple yet wildly effective 4-legged stool of fantasy, blog network, original reporting and traditional columns. How can this group -- particularly the bloggers -- incorporate social media beyond tweeting links to their latest posts? How does "passed" media fit into the strategy, with the bloggers both as benefactors of and, yes, benefiting from the link economy?
(2) The Yahoo firehose. Obviously, a link on the front page of Yahoo is gold -- but every content department at Yahoo understands that. What can the bloggers learn about how that front-page process works to earn more links there for their work? (Equally, can bloggers work both from an absolute traffic count and an "effective" traffic count that discounts one-time placement surges to best think about growing their traffic? And, yes, they should be thinking about that.)
(3) Increasing blogger profiles. Again, the Y! Sports bloggers are among -- if not the best -- bloggers in their sport. They may be the best commentators in their sport, period -- in new or traditional media. Through p.r. outreach, grassroots bootstrapping or larger distribution deals, how can the group become bigger "names," both as individuals and to increase the profile of Y! Sports? Should this include investing time and resources in more "traditional" media like audio (creating their own podcasts, which some do) and/or online video?
(4) Revenue. I am not suggesting the bloggers participate in ad sales (although I would say that, generally, editorial folks have amazingly creative ideas about how editorial and advertising can work together to maintain editorial integrity and best serve the consumer, while creating value for the marketer -- there's no shame in a brainstorming meeting). I am suggesting that it behooves everyone to have even a basic understanding of the economics of both the Y! Sports business and Yahoo's business as a whole. Ignorance isn't integrity, and great writers won't lose their effectiveness if they understand how the business that pays their bills happens to work. (I guess what would really make sense is having a basic understanding of the business realities, and the metrics that drive them -- which the bloggers have substantial control over. Then, specifically, a tactical-level understanding of analytics: Where it comes from, why and how.)
(5) Bargain collectively. Whatever they're paying you -- and it is impossible to discount the correlation between great product and security of a full-time income stream -- it ain't enough. (Kidding. Sort of.)
Commenters: I'm sure most of you consume Y! Sports in some way -- fantasy, blogs, news headlines, front page of Yahoo, etc. If you do read Y! Sports blogs, what's your evaluation and where do you think they need to focus their efforts?
-- D.S.
On Steve McNair
Steve McNair and I were born two days apart. We were in college at the same time. His career, family -- even retirement -- was something I tracked, if only because it was so easy to relate.
Like everyone else, I admired McNair for his toughness and his leadership in the NFL. It is hard not to imagine what his career had been like had he not played for just-win Jeff Fisher. (I don't want to also nick him for playing in a small market like Nashville, because great NFL careers usually transcend their market size.)
Maybe McNair would not have had the team success he had -- an NFL career really crystallized by that one-yard-short play in the Super Bowl -- without Fisher. But what if he played for a more wide-open offense? McNair was arguably the most physically gifted QB in NFL history.
I define that in a couple different ways: He had as good of an arm as anyone ever. He could run, when necessary -- again, he could have redefined the position if he had a coach with more imagination. And he was the toughest QB to ever play the position -- yes, including Favre. Especially Favre. McNair was the anti-Favre: He didn't need to advertise his toughness.
(Vince Young is a comparably skilled player, at least as it relates to physical talents -- McNair worked with Fisher a lot better than VY has, obviously. Here's the thing: McNair was a father-figure to Young; I cannot imagine how hard Young is taking this -- where Young goes from this moment will be the defining pivot of HIS career.)
But let's go back to Alcorn State, because when I was in college, I was as blown away by McNair as everyone else. That he was able to leap from 1-AA to the top of the NFL Draft says as much about his talent as anything. His senior season was ridiculous: 6,000 yards rushing and passing, with 53 TDs.
The greatest insult was that McNair finished third in Heisman voting, behind Rashan Salaam and Ki-Jana Carter -- no, really -- when he was clearly the most talented player in college football that year. We should hold this against sportswriters who vote for the Heisman for the rest of their careers. Those voters should still feel shamed by that vote.
(I suppose that it is as much of a testament to his skill as anything that in the pre-Internet era, he was able to earn 3rd with a bunch of sportswriters who undoubtedly held his 1-AA status against him -- as much as they were blinded by Salaam's 2,000-yard season or Carter's status as a Penn State player.)
I will now cop to my own astounding mistake: For an upcoming book, I recently worked on a long analysis of Tim Tebow's place among all-time college QBs. I have no problem placing him near the top of the list now -- and at the very top, depending on what happens next season.
But I left Steve McNair out of my all-time Top 5, which was a huge mistake. I feel as bad about that as those Heisman voters should feel about their vote in '94. McNair was as good of a QB as ever played college football -- I wish we had gotten to see him play against top 1-A comp. Regardless, when the book comes out in a few weeks -- I only wrote the one essay, btw -- and I promote it, I will have to add an asterisk to everything, caveating my snub of McNair.
(I actually think that McNair isn't a bad comp for Tebow. Obviously, McNair had a much better -- and more accurate -- arm, but their size and toughness and leadership and results on the field and in the stats column are comparable, at least at the college level.)
We did get to see McNair play against the best in the world, in the NFL. And he was a winner there, too -- again, despite a system that converted his brilliance into convention, but translated into wins, which is all anyone should care about when it comes to McNair's record in the NFL. That, and the fact that he played through pain and injury as well as anyone ever.
As he was retired, his loss won't be felt as acutely as if he was still playing. But as he was recently retired, with a slew of thirtysomething and fortysomething fans controlling sports media and blogs, we all remember his college and pro career so vividly, it is stunning that he is gone.
-- D.S.
Like everyone else, I admired McNair for his toughness and his leadership in the NFL. It is hard not to imagine what his career had been like had he not played for just-win Jeff Fisher. (I don't want to also nick him for playing in a small market like Nashville, because great NFL careers usually transcend their market size.)
Maybe McNair would not have had the team success he had -- an NFL career really crystallized by that one-yard-short play in the Super Bowl -- without Fisher. But what if he played for a more wide-open offense? McNair was arguably the most physically gifted QB in NFL history.
I define that in a couple different ways: He had as good of an arm as anyone ever. He could run, when necessary -- again, he could have redefined the position if he had a coach with more imagination. And he was the toughest QB to ever play the position -- yes, including Favre. Especially Favre. McNair was the anti-Favre: He didn't need to advertise his toughness.
(Vince Young is a comparably skilled player, at least as it relates to physical talents -- McNair worked with Fisher a lot better than VY has, obviously. Here's the thing: McNair was a father-figure to Young; I cannot imagine how hard Young is taking this -- where Young goes from this moment will be the defining pivot of HIS career.)
But let's go back to Alcorn State, because when I was in college, I was as blown away by McNair as everyone else. That he was able to leap from 1-AA to the top of the NFL Draft says as much about his talent as anything. His senior season was ridiculous: 6,000 yards rushing and passing, with 53 TDs.
The greatest insult was that McNair finished third in Heisman voting, behind Rashan Salaam and Ki-Jana Carter -- no, really -- when he was clearly the most talented player in college football that year. We should hold this against sportswriters who vote for the Heisman for the rest of their careers. Those voters should still feel shamed by that vote.
(I suppose that it is as much of a testament to his skill as anything that in the pre-Internet era, he was able to earn 3rd with a bunch of sportswriters who undoubtedly held his 1-AA status against him -- as much as they were blinded by Salaam's 2,000-yard season or Carter's status as a Penn State player.)
I will now cop to my own astounding mistake: For an upcoming book, I recently worked on a long analysis of Tim Tebow's place among all-time college QBs. I have no problem placing him near the top of the list now -- and at the very top, depending on what happens next season.
But I left Steve McNair out of my all-time Top 5, which was a huge mistake. I feel as bad about that as those Heisman voters should feel about their vote in '94. McNair was as good of a QB as ever played college football -- I wish we had gotten to see him play against top 1-A comp. Regardless, when the book comes out in a few weeks -- I only wrote the one essay, btw -- and I promote it, I will have to add an asterisk to everything, caveating my snub of McNair.
(I actually think that McNair isn't a bad comp for Tebow. Obviously, McNair had a much better -- and more accurate -- arm, but their size and toughness and leadership and results on the field and in the stats column are comparable, at least at the college level.)
We did get to see McNair play against the best in the world, in the NFL. And he was a winner there, too -- again, despite a system that converted his brilliance into convention, but translated into wins, which is all anyone should care about when it comes to McNair's record in the NFL. That, and the fact that he played through pain and injury as well as anyone ever.
As he was retired, his loss won't be felt as acutely as if he was still playing. But as he was recently retired, with a slew of thirtysomething and fortysomething fans controlling sports media and blogs, we all remember his college and pro career so vividly, it is stunning that he is gone.
-- D.S.
Monday 07/06 A.M. Quickie:
MLB All-Stars, McNair, Federer, Sheed
There's a lot to like about the MLB All-Star teams, as I lead in today's SN column:
*Love Pujols as the leading vote-getter.
*Love Tim Wakefield making his first ASG at 42.
*Love King Felix making his first ASG at 23.
*Love Ben Zobrist making the AL roster.
There's a lot to be annoyed about:
*Josh Hamilton. I know a lot of voting is popularity, but fans have a great track record of voting in the deserving. Hamilton did not deserve to start the game this year.
*I know Aaron Hill is having a great season, but Ian Kinsler could have been the starting 2B. Now he's relegated to "Final Vote"; respect the people's wishes and vote him in.
*I know Mark Reynolds strikes out a lot. And I know Pablo Sandoval isn't a big name (but he is in fantasy circles!) But I had both on my NL starting ballot -- both are Final Vote guys.
Still: We're talking MLB, and MLB All-Star selections remain the most interesting of any sports league's all-star results. And, as I have said for years, Final Vote is genius.
Meanwhile:
*Roger Federer. What I love is all the folks who said that last year's Federer-Nadal Wimbledon final was the best tennis match ever. Umm...what happens when the very next year, the Wimbledon final is just as good? (BTW: Federer GOAT, in case you still had doubts.)
*I'm not sold on Rasheed Wallace being the missing ingredient for the Celtics. I don't see him containing Dwight Howard, unless he can take him out to the 3-point line. I do like his veteran/championship experience, but it's not like the Celtics were short on that before.
*Love that Hedo Turkoglu pulled a Boozer by saying yes to the Blazers, then turned around and signed with the Raptors -- mainly because his wife likes Toronto more than Portland. Toronto is NBA exile (sorry, Skeets and Melas) and Hedo just went from in-mind to outta sight.
*Steve McNair. I remain incredibly troubled by his murder. More on this later, in its own post.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
*Love Pujols as the leading vote-getter.
*Love Tim Wakefield making his first ASG at 42.
*Love King Felix making his first ASG at 23.
*Love Ben Zobrist making the AL roster.
There's a lot to be annoyed about:
*Josh Hamilton. I know a lot of voting is popularity, but fans have a great track record of voting in the deserving. Hamilton did not deserve to start the game this year.
*I know Aaron Hill is having a great season, but Ian Kinsler could have been the starting 2B. Now he's relegated to "Final Vote"; respect the people's wishes and vote him in.
*I know Mark Reynolds strikes out a lot. And I know Pablo Sandoval isn't a big name (but he is in fantasy circles!) But I had both on my NL starting ballot -- both are Final Vote guys.
Still: We're talking MLB, and MLB All-Star selections remain the most interesting of any sports league's all-star results. And, as I have said for years, Final Vote is genius.
Meanwhile:
*Roger Federer. What I love is all the folks who said that last year's Federer-Nadal Wimbledon final was the best tennis match ever. Umm...what happens when the very next year, the Wimbledon final is just as good? (BTW: Federer GOAT, in case you still had doubts.)
*I'm not sold on Rasheed Wallace being the missing ingredient for the Celtics. I don't see him containing Dwight Howard, unless he can take him out to the 3-point line. I do like his veteran/championship experience, but it's not like the Celtics were short on that before.
*Love that Hedo Turkoglu pulled a Boozer by saying yes to the Blazers, then turned around and signed with the Raptors -- mainly because his wife likes Toronto more than Portland. Toronto is NBA exile (sorry, Skeets and Melas) and Hedo just went from in-mind to outta sight.
*Steve McNair. I remain incredibly troubled by his murder. More on this later, in its own post.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
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