Saturday, August 18, 2012

8/18 (Very) Quickie

Last day in St. Augustine... then back to DC.

AP CFB Top 25: Wow, two dozen AP-sponsored "experts" really think that USC would beat either LSU or Alabama?

(Look, we all know where this is going: USC will run the table and play the SEC champ -- either LSU or Alabama -- in the national-title game, and get demolished. You're welcome.)

MLB: I can hate the Strasburg shut-down and still be giddy at the idea of the Nationals surging into the playoffs with a rotation that can win the NL pennant.

EPL: As it has been for the past decade or so, I continue to ride with Tottenham.

Paterno: From the early leaks, Posnanski's Paterno book isn't going to help Paterno's image. Things might shift from "benignly evil" to merely "doddering," but it won't help.

NFL: Jeff Demps goes to the Pats, playing for a coach that (a) loves Urban Meyer-coached freaks and (b) knows how to use them. Demps in space? If you didn't watch him at Florida, you have no idea.

NBA: Thunder sign Serge Ibaka to an extension. The big question: Can they afford to match the inevitable "max" offer James Harden will get from another team next summer? If they can, they can count on multiple rings over the next few years; if they can't, I'm not sure Westbrook-Durant-Ibaka is enough. (It could be, which says a lot more about those three guys than it does about Harden.)

Two weeks until college football starts.

-- D.S.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

8/16 (King Felix) Quickie




Here's What The Scorecard From Felix Hernandez's Perfect Game Looks Like
The scorecard of Mariners' broadcaster Dave Sims, tweeted out last night after King Felix's perfect game, the 23rd in MLB history and first for Hernandez, one of the great pitchers of the generation. (h/t: Deadspin's Erik Malinowski)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

8/14 (Very) Quickie

Happy 25th birthday, Tim Tebow. (Four years ago, I think I did a half-dozen posts on his b-day.)

The Jets are practicing the Wildcat with Tebow in media silence -- or, at the very least, Rex Ryan is screwing with everyone. But the better bet is that he's figuring out the arbitrage with NFL offensive orthodoxy to gain an advantage he'll exploit.

Strasburg Watch: I'm with Joe Sheehan -- even if you buy into an innings limit (and I don't), the Nats appear to have mis-managed that profoundly.

Olympic sprinter (and former Florida RB) Jeff Demps -- one of my favorite Florida players of all time -- is entering the NFL and a free agent. Would love to see him on the Jets.

Chad Johnson Watch: What a joke. (But I'll be watching Hard Knocks tonight, with the rest of you!)

Does it matter who the Big East hires as its new commissioner?

A tale of two knees: Brian Urlacher (that doesn't bode well) and Andrew Bynum (at least Bynum is going for the controversial -- and seemingly effective -- "German treatment.")

-- D.S.






Monday, August 13, 2012

08/13 (Very) Quickie

Made my Olympics "Best of..." picks yesterday, but Usain Bolt leads the way. In the end, the biggest winner was probably London, which did an admirable job of hosting.

Dolphins cut Chad Johnson: Best. Hard Knocks episode. Ever.

Rory wins PGA by a ton: Tiger might not be back, but Rory sure is.

The big battle at Penn State is clearly the folks inside the institution who accept the NCAA penalties versus the ones who hate the fact the school accepted them (even in the face that the alternative was a four-year "death penalty.")

NFL Preseason: Andrew Luck appears to be everything we thought he would be.

Plaxico Burress on the Patriots? Ha. I suppose anything could happen.

Varsity Dad: Yesterday, Gabe wanted to go through the Top 200 fantasy football rankings and try to name the team for each player -- it was funny to see which guy he knew immediately (Darren Sproles, really?) and which he was stumped by (Jay Cutler...hmm.)

More later.

-- D.S.


Sunday, August 12, 2012

08/12 (Very) Quickie

*The MVP of the 2012 Olympics is... Usain Bolt.
*Although it's hard not to love hometown hero Mo Farah.
*That said, my favorite athlete was McKayla Maroney.
*And yet the biggest U.S. "name" or "face" will be... Michael Phelps.
*USA women's hoops > USA men's hoops?
*Re Chad Johnson: "Hard Knocks" as the week's top NFL news source?
*Honey Badger: Can pick whichever 1-AA school he wants.
*Tiger: The Olympics hangover ends quick if he wins a PGA title.
*That's a ton of money for Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart.
*Derek Lowe in a Yankees jersey? Insult to injury for Sox fans.