Back from the break for the Jewish holidays, but still in Gainesville...
First, a catch-up on the two biggest stories of the late-week:
"Belicheater" Scandal: The punishment struck me as pretty tame, but the far bigger "punishment" is that the Pats' (and Belichick's) accomplishments this decade are tainted.
Oden out for season: I feel bad for him and for Blazers fans. Feels like Portland shoulda/coulda seen this coming. I don't buy the "love he's such a good person" stuff from the GM.
The one bright side: Even if totally healthy, Oden was never going to lead Portland to the playoffs next year; instead, they'll collect another top Lottery pick -- that new frosh-phenom PG from Memphis would look awfully good in a Blazers uniform lined up with Roy in the backcourt.
Oh, and you can engrave that NBA ROY trophy now: Durant.
Now, on to today:
Yankees top Red Sox: Meh. Does anyone really care?
Cubs beat Cards: Any coincidence the Cards' free-fall timed with the Ankiel scandal?
Tiger shoots another 63, with some 20-something front 9.
USA Women's soccer wins: Wambach!
I'm late, but still: Noel Devine. Whoa.
O.J.: Heh.
College Football Today: While I'm in the Swamp for Florida-Tennessee, we're debating whether to tape Ohio State-Washington (my most intriguing game of the day) or Arkansas-Alabama (most intriguing SEC game of the day). Michigan-Notre Dame wasn't even considered; it's a punchline. (BTW: I'll be on the right side of your TV screen, down near the field by the 5-yard line. Apparently, it's a spot to get seen by TV cameras. We'll see.)
Last night: Wow, is there a more disappointing team than Oklahoma State? Routed by Troy last night. (Troy had been battle-tested with losses at Arkansas and at Florida.)
And no, I have not seen Tim Tebow in person (yet) this week, but I may have a sighting of EDSBS' Orson Swindle and/or SportsLine's Clay Travis.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Week 2 NFL Picks
Note: No posts on Thursday and Friday this week. In advance of Sunday, however, here are Week 2 NFL picks. Have a great rest of your work week everyone!
Bengals over at Browns
Colts over at Titans
Rams over 49ers
Packers over at Giants
Steelers over Bills
Saints over at Bucs
Texans over at Panthers
Jags over Falcons
Lions over Vikings
Cowboys over at Dolphins
Seahawks over at Cards
Bears over Chiefs
Broncos over Raiders
Ravens over Jets
Pats over Chargers
Eagles over Redskins
CFB Preview and Picks
Note: There will be no posts on Thursday and Friday this week. Have a great rest of your work week, everyone.
I think there's clearly a Top Game this weekend: No. 10 Ohio State at unranked
It goes without saying that the juxtaposition of Willingham beating a Top 10 team to run UW's record to 3-0 with Charlie Weis losing to Michigan to run Notre Dame's record to 0-3 would be insane.
I'm not saying that will happen, but merely for the POTENTIAL for that to happen makes this OSU-UW game a must-track. (That, and to see first-hand whether this RS freshman QB Jake Locker is the real deal.)
There are a couple other must-track games this weekend: Georgia Tech-BC, Florida-Tennessee, Arkansas-Alabama, Louisville-Kentucky. (Note: I don't include Michigan-Notre Dame.)More questions:
*Will USC be derailed at
*Is
*Could Andre Woodson be even better than Brian Brohm?
*Is Georgia Tech-BC the de facto ACC Championship game?
*Is a home game vs. McFadden a must-win for Saban?
*Who drops to 0-3: Michigack or Notre Done?
This Week's Picks:
USC (1) over at
LSU (2) over Middle
UCLA (11) over at
Penn St (12) over
Georgia Tech (15) over BC (21) (GAME OF WEEK 2)
Clemson (20) over Furman
BONUS:
Call Belichick, Pats What They Are: Cheaters
Wednesday Quickie directly below (or click here).
The Patriots are cheaters: Please stop using the phrase "violated league rules." The less formal, more accurate way of saying that is: "Cheated."
Cheaters. Yikes. Worst word in sports?
I'm surprised. It's a little like learning your favorite home run hitter uses steroids. Mainly: Why would a team as smart and well-run as the Patriots even NEED to cheat like this?
It remains to be seen whether this was some sort of chronic, recurring theme for the Pats – or even something that "every" team does, but simply never gets caught. Or something epidemic within the Pats organization, specifically.
Given the NFL's CIA-like Security department, you'd think they could go to the original NFL Films game tape and easily spot whether the Pats had employed this type of cheating in other games... say, in any of their Super Bowl victories that came down to a single play, in which stealing signs might have been the difference between winning and losing titles.
I'm not saying the Pats cheated to win their titles, but it certainly calls into question whether everything was on the level when they did. It's at least worth looking at the game tape, isn't it? (Or, Pats fans, are you afraid to see what you'll find?)
After all, if they're willing to brazenly cheat in Week 1, what lengths might a cheater go to to win in a championship game?
(Update: As you'd expect, rival coaches and execs from across the league are coming forward to talk about how this has been a Belichick tactic for years. Hmmm...)
The second-biggest question is: What type of punishment should they receive from the league for cheating? Consider that Roger Goodell has made "Get Tough" his mantra on the players who cheat. What kind of signal would it send if he didn't severely punish the teams who cheat?
The phrase being thrown around is "loss of multiple draft picks." I'm OK with that. But what does that mean? Are we talking about next year's first-rounder here? Second-rounder? Spread over multiple years?
If the punishment is too severe, Goodell is effectively punishing one of the men who employ him (Robert Kraft). If the punishment is too lenient, he makes the cost-benefit of cheating more appealing. This is a far tougher tightrope than the simple "player conduct" or "PED-related" suspensions. (As PFT pointed out: If Wade Wilson was suspended multiple games for using PEDS, what should a cheating head coach get?)
Finally, the usual question in any scandal: "What did Bill Belichick know and when did he know it?"
Given the particularly high level of control Belichick asserts over his team's operations, it seems unrealistic that this was the work of some rogue lackey. (It's the "A Few Good Men" scenario: It would be as if Kiefer Sutherland executed the "Code Red" himself, without Jack Nicholson's original command.)
Belichick's role is the most unseemly aspect of this entire cheating episode. In terms of potential punishments – and given his likely level of control over the cheating operation – a suspension shouldn't be out of the question.
The bottom line is that the entire episode calls into question the NFL's great dynasty of the last decade -- and arguably the greatest coach of all time. Again: Yikes.
But let's please call it what it is: Cheating. And it looks like not just cheating in one instance, but cheating as a recurring and preferred game tactic.
For Belichick, for the NFL and for Pats fans, I think this story gets a lot worse before it gets better.
-- D.S.
Wednesday 09/12 A.M. Quickie:
Pats, Russell, Peavy, WVU, More!
Today's Names to Know: Bill Belichick vs. Roger Goodell, Kevin Everett, JaMarcus Russell, Jake Peavy, Pat White and Steve Slaton.
Please note: There will be no updates on the blog on Thursday or Friday and comments will be locked. The weekly CFB picks post and the NFL Week 2 picks post will be posted later today. Posts will return on Saturday.
I had started to write a lead item about the Patriots' cheating, but it got so big that I'm breaking it out into its own post, which is posted above.
Kevin Everett's recovery to the point where he might walk again would be the best news of the young NFL season.
JaMarcus Russell signs richest rookie deal ever: Was it worth the wait? Was he worth the dollars? We'll see... in 2008 and beyond.
NFL Trade: Seahawks get QB Charlie Frye for6th-round draft pick. Meh.
Speaking of QBs, who is bullish on Kellen Clemens?
MLB Stud, Player: Jake Peavy, who won his NL-best 17th. Presumptive NL Cy winner?
MLB Stud, Team: Brewers, who used more power (Prince Fielder: HR No. 44) to take the lead in the NL Central.
Kudos to MLB on a cool playoff twist: The AL team with the best record will have its choice of playoff format in the ALDS.
Up to one hour after the top team's final regular season game, it will have the chance to decide whether it wants to start its playoff series on Oct. 3 or Oct. 4. Starting the series on 10/3 means the chance of only one back-to-back series in 8 days; starting the series on 10/4 would mean 5 games in 7 days. Not unsubstantial as an incentive. "This Time It Counts," for real.
CFB Tonight:
More CFB:
NBA Rumormania: The Suns were apparently prepared to trade Shawn Marion for Andrei Kirilenko, who is expensive but not as pricey as the Matrix. I think playing on the Suns would have revitalized AK-47's career.
College Hoops: Ken Pomeroy is teaming up with Baseball Prospectus to give BP-style treatment to college hoops. Huzzah! "KenPom" will work with the great John "Big Ten Wonk" Gasaway on season preview content, too. (h/t: MDS at Fanhouse)
-- D.S.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Tuesday 09/11 A.M. Quickie:
MNFx2, JaMarcus, Eli, Pats Cheating, Links, More!
The first Monday after the first Sunday of NFL season should be recognized as some kind of national holiday. (Forget the official Thursday night opening game.) Because there is SO much to talk about:
Sunday's NFL results are king, of course. That's what changes everything. But then you layer in college football and MLB in mid-September, and it feels like the "new year" has begun. Happy new year.
49ers edge Cards, and it wasn't pretty: For the Niners, it was ugly, but one of those things where you simply say "1-0," and you're one step closer to the playoffs. For the Cards, you simply regret letting this easily winnable game go.
Bengals beat Ravens 27-20: You could say the story was, as usual, Chad Johnson's TD celebrations (see below), but the real story was
Pats spying on Jets, busted as cheaters: OK, this is the weirdest story of the new NFL season – did the Pats cheat by using video equipment to tape Jets coaches on the other sideline? What would be the point: Does the Genius really need that kind of illegal intel? (Not with Moss he doesn't.)
I'm sure the league reprimand won't be much, but it's pretty skeevy to think that the best team in the league thinks it has to cheat to find an advantage.
Actually, what's skeevier is that you know this wasn't some unique case; this was simply the first time the Pats were CAUGHT. It is improbable that this was the first time they had done this. (In fact, they apparently were caught – but not busted by the league – doing the same thing against the Packers last season.)
Eli Manning out: The team is saying he "might" not play against
Kevin Everett is going to be paralyzed: And what was otherwise a wonderful start to the season is hit with a terrible tragedy labeled as "catastrophic." His chances of a full recovery are listed as "dismal." Thoughts and prayers for Everett and his family.
Is JaMarcus Russell ready to sign? Yes? Great: It'll only take him another half-season to be in a position to contribute. Good thing the Raiders have nothing to do this season except get ready for next year's draft (ironically, stocked with exceptional QBs).
Speaking of rookie QBs: Is Brady Quinn going to start next week? He can't possibly be worse than Charlie Frye was in Week 1.
Fantasy Football: A few thoughts after Week 1. First, being in multiple leagues kind of sucks the fun out of fantasy, because you have so many players and so many add/drop/waivers to manage. You really have to work on compartmentalizing each.
Second, last season (in just one league), I was one of those saps who had the third-highest point total in the league, yet missed the playoffs. Flip-flop this year. Reminder: There's no shame in winning the week with the lowest point total in your league.
(Oh, and
More: So, who is the hottest pick-up in fantasy football? Brady Quinn at QB? Dedrick Ward at RB? Drew Carter at WR? Bengals D? Man, is there ANYONE left on the waiver wire these days? I guess it all depends on injuries (like Ward, who might get Jacobs' touches).
NFL Must-Read: MJD's Smorgasbord returns to Deadspin.
And here's a second must-read from Deadspin (which had an epic day yesterday, in terms of guest-posting): Friend of DS.com Stefan Fatsis on Jason Elam's game-winning kick.
Speaking of Deadspin guest-posts, did you catch my weekly college football post? Here it is.
(And here's Hirshey's on soccer.)
Lloyd Carr Watch: I have a new name to throw at you for a potential
On all things Michigan, I defer to MGoBlog's Brian Cook. He is pimping Jeff Tedford, whose track record at Cal can continue Michigan's storied tradition of developing seemingly good NFL QB prospects that end up being merely mediocre (aside from Tom Brady). Oh, and wouldn't Michigan fans be worried about a coach who annually can't win his "Big Game" (and I'm not talking about THE "Big Game" -- Stanford -- I'm talking about the "Big Game" vs. USC).
Meanwhile, Chad Henne's injured leg will keep him out of next week's game (if not longer). Maybe that's for the best, given the team's start. True frosh replacement Ryan Mallett is the new hotness.
More CFB Injuries: Let's stick with key injuries to RANKED teams.
Hokies Watch: Even though Virginia Tech is finished as a national title contender (as predicted here... yes, I'll continue to flagellate myself over picking them to win the NC), I will continue to track their progress. Perhaps 11-1 with their only loss being at LSU is reasonable. Anyway, freshman sensation QB Tyrod Taylor is beginning his Era. He is going to get the start this weekend over the disappointing Sean Glennon. Good thing it's "only" against
By the way, CFB fans, in addition to Every Day Should Be Saturday and Sunday Morning QB (and this little Deadspin column) every day, I hope you're reading the blog The Quad, by the college football staff of the New York Times, led by the inimitable Pete Thamel. It's the best/only must-read newspaper blog about college football. Thamel has his weekly "State of the Union" and caught my attention with this description of
MLB Stud: Scott Kazmir, who had 10 Ks in a Devil Rays win over the Red Sox. Got a great email from a reader yesterday insisting that the Devil Rays were a "buy-low" value for fans without allegiance (or for fans around the rest of the country who want an AL East team to feel good about). He's right. The new name and uniforms – the total rebranding of the team – will give them one window at making that case.
MLB 2008: The Red Sox and A's will open in
Greg Oden to have exploratory knee surgery: Let this be the moment of foreshadowing when we realize his awesome potential was tempered by persistent knee problems for the rest of his career.
NBA Trade: Nuggets trade rebounding machine Reggie Evans to the Sixers for... well, basically cap relief.
Women's World Cup: So much for Team
This is a woefully trite statement, but I can't believe it has been six years since 9/11. I was just starting my second year of business school in
-- D.S.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Monday 09/10 A.M. Quickie:
Week 1 NFL, Week 2 CFB, A-Rod, 9.74, More!
I can't possibly do justice to analyzing yesterday's NFL action. I leave that to places like PFT, KSK, Deadspin or Fanhouse. But I CAN offer some shallow observations.
As usual, the first Sunday of the 2007 NFL season left more questions than answers. Ten of them, in fact:
(1) Will most of the games be this ugly or is it a Week 1 thing?
(2) Are the Pats already as unstoppable as they seem to be?
(3) What the hell happened to Steven Jackson and Larry Johnson?
(4) Will it always look that easy the Steelers offense?
(5) Should they just give Adrian Peterson his Rookie of the Year trophy now?
(6) Can the Packers really bootstrap their way to the playoffs?
(7) Will everyone please lay off Matt Schaub now?
(8) Will the rest of the Broncos catch up to Jay Cutler?
(9) Is the Lions offense really that good?
NFL Week 1 Stud, Player: Randy Moss, whose 9-catch, 183-yard, 1-TD game put him back on the map among the NFL's top superstars. (Runner-up: Chris Brown -- wow, where did THAT come from?)
NFL Week 1 Stud, Team: Minnesota. All of a sudden, my pick of the Vikings as an NFC Wild Card suddenly doesn't look so crack-smoking, does it? (Yes, it was against the Falcons, but still...)
NFL Week 1 Dud: Rex Grossman. I know the Chargers D is really good, but this game's result can't possibly help his cause. (Runner-up: Charlie Frye. Brady Quinn might not be ready, but he can't possibly earn a 10.0 QB game-rating.)
Oh, and one more Stud: The Kickers – Jason Elam, Mason Crosby and Scott Suisham, all of whom nailed game-winning field goals in their games' final seconds.
Here's wishing for a full recovery for Bills reserve tight end Kevin Everett, who suffered a spinal injury on a kickoff yesterday.
Monday Night Football doubleheader:
Ravens-Bengals: Which playoff contender gets the fast start?
49ers-Cards: Who is this year's breakout team?
CFB: LSU is the No. 1 team in the country, and I can't believe any voters would leave USC there after the Trojans spent the weekend battling that incredibly tough opponent, "Idle." (And, yet, 2/3 of them did.)
Here's my BlogPoll ballot for the week, and here's a link to the rest of my shallow commentary from Saturday's action.
Lloyd Carr Firing Watch: Michigan AD Bill Martin supports Carr. It's not that I think Martin should fire Carr; it's that I think Carr should resign on his own. Meanwhile, Martin can go with him; it's like the GM getting fired when the Coach quits. Aren't the two intertwined?
US Open: Federer wins... again. It's his 12th Grand Slam title. I think I said this nearly half-a-dozen Slam titles ago: We're watching the greatest tennis player of all time.
MLB Stud: A-Rod (What? Again?!), who had a HR for the 5th straight game. He has 52 HR, 140 RBI and the Yankees have a 4-game lead for the AL Wild Card, the clinching of which would all but assure A-Rod his AL MVP trophy, if he hasn't secured it already.
MLB PED Scandal: Jay Gibbons is the latest name to come out. If this outing is going to happen in dribs and drabs, it's going to be an ugly offseason for baseball. They really ought to consider leaking the entire list and diffusing the impact with volume.
Golf: Tiger shoots a 63 to win the BMW Championship. (Amazingly, even with that score, he only one by two shots over Aaron Baddeley, who shot a final-round 66.)
Soccer: Women's World Cup starting. I think this is an underrated event that will generate a little bit of buzz once the
World's Fastest Man: Asafa Powell sets a new world record in the 100m at 9.74.
-- D.S.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Sunday 09/09 A.M. (Very) Quickie:
I Was SO Wrong About VA Tech
Gainesville, FL -- First things first: I was SO wrong about Virginia Tech. They will not beat LSU at LSU. They will not win the national title. Not my Worst. Prediction. Ever., but an early-season K.O. on that particular front. Let's just get that out of the way now.
OK: LSU is the unquestioned No. 1 team in the country, until proven otherwise. I cannot understand how any voter will be able to continue to rank USC ahead of LSU this week. The Tigers are REALLY good.
(Don't look for me to deliver some kind of bullish pronouncement about Florida, after seeing them in person. It was a Tale of Two Halves: In the first half, they looked unstoppable. In the second half, they looked downright atrocious, particularly the young defense.)
Other shallow notes from yesterday:
It was reasonable for Michigan fans to think "It can't possibly get worse" than the loss to App State. Amazingly, it did.
I'm not in favor of firing Lloyd Carr. I'm in favor of Carr quitting. (Michigan should be rooting for LSU. If the Tigers win a national title, it would be that much easier for Les Miles to figure he can't possibly do any better and jump to Michigan.)
Notre Dame shouldn't be afraid of the word "rebuilding," because if you you only have 4-5 wins and you're NOT rebuilding, you have a serious marketing problem.
OK, so TCU is not this season's Boise State.
Big day for underrated "South" teams on the road against Top 25 opponents:
South Carolina: You have got to love that Spurrier went into Athens and came away with a win over a trendy-hot Georgia team. Get those Gamecocks in the Top 20, stat.
Same with South Florida, which went into Auburn and beat the Tigers, a jewel of a non-conference win for a Bulls team that has had signature wins over WVU and L'ville in the last two seasons.
Oklahoma is legit.
Nebraska is not.
Oregon is also for real, despite the easy reaction of saying, "Well, they only beat Michigan at Michigan," which suddenly has zero cachet.
Not only should Washington's win over Boise State get the Huskies ranked in the Top 25 (Top 20?), but it might have been the school's biggest "statement" win since the early 90s.
More tomorrow.
-- D.S.
OK: LSU is the unquestioned No. 1 team in the country, until proven otherwise. I cannot understand how any voter will be able to continue to rank USC ahead of LSU this week. The Tigers are REALLY good.
(Don't look for me to deliver some kind of bullish pronouncement about Florida, after seeing them in person. It was a Tale of Two Halves: In the first half, they looked unstoppable. In the second half, they looked downright atrocious, particularly the young defense.)
Other shallow notes from yesterday:
It was reasonable for Michigan fans to think "It can't possibly get worse" than the loss to App State. Amazingly, it did.
I'm not in favor of firing Lloyd Carr. I'm in favor of Carr quitting. (Michigan should be rooting for LSU. If the Tigers win a national title, it would be that much easier for Les Miles to figure he can't possibly do any better and jump to Michigan.)
Notre Dame shouldn't be afraid of the word "rebuilding," because if you you only have 4-5 wins and you're NOT rebuilding, you have a serious marketing problem.
OK, so TCU is not this season's Boise State.
Big day for underrated "South" teams on the road against Top 25 opponents:
South Carolina: You have got to love that Spurrier went into Athens and came away with a win over a trendy-hot Georgia team. Get those Gamecocks in the Top 20, stat.
Same with South Florida, which went into Auburn and beat the Tigers, a jewel of a non-conference win for a Bulls team that has had signature wins over WVU and L'ville in the last two seasons.
Oklahoma is legit.
Nebraska is not.
Oregon is also for real, despite the easy reaction of saying, "Well, they only beat Michigan at Michigan," which suddenly has zero cachet.
Not only should Washington's win over Boise State get the Huskies ranked in the Top 25 (Top 20?), but it might have been the school's biggest "statement" win since the early 90s.
More tomorrow.
-- D.S.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Saturday 09/08 (Very) Quickie
Full CFB Preview here.
Full NFL Week 1 Preview here.
Rutgers, Rice roll: No matter what happens today, Ray Rice (175 yards rushing, 3 TDs) will be in my Top 3 Heisman ranking, along with Brian Brohm.
(Speaking of "no matter what happens today," no matter what happens today, the winner of LSU-Virginia Tech will be be No. 1 in my Top 25 on Sunday.)
I meant to post about this earlier, but ProTrade's college football "rankings" (market valuations, really) has become one of my new go-to sources of authority. Take a look.
MLB Stud: Curtis Granderson, who hit his 20th HR, to go with his 20 triples and 20 doubles, putting him in elite company -- just five other players, none since George Brett in 1979, since 1900. That's a hell of a milestone.
MLB will be allowed to do background checks on minor-league umps. (Wait: They weren't before?)
US Open: Justine beats Venus. (I think Henin has earned first-name treatment.)
Troy Glaus' connection to HGH just doesn't bother me nearly as much as Rick Ankiel's.
More Ankiel: He insists the HGH was legally prescribed by a doctor. I can't speak for everyone else, but my disappointment is not based on legal/illegal or within the rules/against the rules, though those are important nuances to ensure we all remember: As far as we know, he did nothing against MLB rules or against the law. But that's not really the point.
It's just disappointment over the idea that "The Natural" is even a little un-natural. Maybe I was being naive, and maybe that's why this bothered me so much. (Meanwhile, Ankiel should have come clean on this way earlier. I guess he thought -- probably rightly -- that admitting it would derail his MLB comeback.)
After a day to really think about it, here's where I stand on Rick Ankiel, and it's probably the sentiment/phrasing/nostalgia that captures it best: Ankiel is the "Say it ain't so" guy of our era.
That said, let me make a prediction: He'll weather it. Cards fans will be forgiving, predictably (just as Giants fans are forgiving of Barry Bonds), and most MLB fans will be forgiving, too. Put in the context of "The Comeback," it's easy to rationalize a few years after the fact.
-- D.S.
Full NFL Week 1 Preview here.
Rutgers, Rice roll: No matter what happens today, Ray Rice (175 yards rushing, 3 TDs) will be in my Top 3 Heisman ranking, along with Brian Brohm.
(Speaking of "no matter what happens today," no matter what happens today, the winner of LSU-Virginia Tech will be be No. 1 in my Top 25 on Sunday.)
I meant to post about this earlier, but ProTrade's college football "rankings" (market valuations, really) has become one of my new go-to sources of authority. Take a look.
MLB Stud: Curtis Granderson, who hit his 20th HR, to go with his 20 triples and 20 doubles, putting him in elite company -- just five other players, none since George Brett in 1979, since 1900. That's a hell of a milestone.
MLB will be allowed to do background checks on minor-league umps. (Wait: They weren't before?)
US Open: Justine beats Venus. (I think Henin has earned first-name treatment.)
Troy Glaus' connection to HGH just doesn't bother me nearly as much as Rick Ankiel's.
More Ankiel: He insists the HGH was legally prescribed by a doctor. I can't speak for everyone else, but my disappointment is not based on legal/illegal or within the rules/against the rules, though those are important nuances to ensure we all remember: As far as we know, he did nothing against MLB rules or against the law. But that's not really the point.
It's just disappointment over the idea that "The Natural" is even a little un-natural. Maybe I was being naive, and maybe that's why this bothered me so much. (Meanwhile, Ankiel should have come clean on this way earlier. I guess he thought -- probably rightly -- that admitting it would derail his MLB comeback.)
After a day to really think about it, here's where I stand on Rick Ankiel, and it's probably the sentiment/phrasing/nostalgia that captures it best: Ankiel is the "Say it ain't so" guy of our era.
That said, let me make a prediction: He'll weather it. Cards fans will be forgiving, predictably (just as Giants fans are forgiving of Barry Bonds), and most MLB fans will be forgiving, too. Put in the context of "The Comeback," it's easy to rationalize a few years after the fact.
-- D.S.
Friday, September 07, 2007
NFL Week 1 Preview and Picks
Week 1 Picks: Well, I'm already 0-1 on the week (and season) from missing the Saints over the Colts. That just means I have nowhere to go but up. As usual, all picks made regardless of spread.
Broncos over at Bills
I'm in the bag for Jay Cutler.
Steelers over at Browns
SUICIDE/ELIMINATOR POOL PICK.
Eagles over at Packers
McNabb > Favre.
at Texans over Chiefs
Schaub Era begins with W.
at Jags over Titans
MJD trumps VY.
at Vikings over Falcons
Atlanta on Brohm Tank Watch!
Pats over at Jets
Genius tops Mangenius.
at Rams over Panthers
Steven Jackson Show?
at Redskins over Dolphins
Janky Spanky is back.
Lions over at Raiders
Calvin Johnson Era begins.
at Chargers over Bears
GAME OF THE WEEK.
at Seahawks over Bucs
Overlooking Seattle?
at Cowboys over Giants
Just keep Tiki quiet.
at Bengals over Ravens
Great MNF Opener
at 49ers over Cards
Breakout year for Alex Smith?
Last week: n/a. Season: 0-1
Broncos over at Bills
I'm in the bag for Jay Cutler.
Steelers over at Browns
SUICIDE/ELIMINATOR POOL PICK.
Eagles over at Packers
McNabb > Favre.
at Texans over Chiefs
Schaub Era begins with W.
at Jags over Titans
MJD trumps VY.
at Vikings over Falcons
Atlanta on Brohm Tank Watch!
Pats over at Jets
Genius tops Mangenius.
at Rams over Panthers
Steven Jackson Show?
at Redskins over Dolphins
Janky Spanky is back.
Lions over at Raiders
Calvin Johnson Era begins.
at Chargers over Bears
GAME OF THE WEEK.
at Seahawks over Bucs
Overlooking Seattle?
at Cowboys over Giants
Just keep Tiki quiet.
at Bengals over Ravens
Great MNF Opener
at 49ers over Cards
Breakout year for Alex Smith?
Last week: n/a. Season: 0-1
CFB Weekend Preview: Huge Beyond VT-LSU
This is a spectacular weekend of college football, particularly given that it's only Week 2. If last week's App State-Michigan upset eclipsed every other story, this week offers plenty of storylines beyond VT-LSU:
TCU will beat
Is No. 5 Oklahoma for real? Underrated
Now that I'm respecting
Yes, Notre Dame IS that bad: And when they get waxed by
As I mentioned in my Deadspin column this week, if you said in the mid-90s that
And, finally, can
The Picks:
9
3 WVU over at
4
5
19 TCU over at 7
10
11
12
13 UCLA over BYU
14 Penn State over Notre Dame (Heh)
20
21
22
23
24
25 Clemson over LA-Monroe
-- D.S.
College Football Preview: Virginia Tech vs. LSU!
Virginia Tech at LSU: Why is this the biggest college football game of the year, not just of the first two weeks, but potentially of the entire season?
If favored LSU wins, they will have notched the "best" win of the season. And with their next-toughest game being a home grudge-match against
Now, if Virginia Tech wins (as I have predicted they will as the most important part of my "Why Virginia Tech will win the national title" argument), they will instantly rack up the single-best win of the season in the nation, with any other potential outcomes the rest of the season running second. They will have a straight shot at running the table. And they will instantly have a national bandwagon.
The bottom line why this game is so huge? The winner can be (and SHOULD be) the No. 1 team in the country on Monday, with the inside track on a spot in the national-title game.
Because I think this game is so big (and because I cannot possibly do it enough justice myself), I brought in two guest-posters from each side. Representing Virginia Tech, the immensely talented Nick Dallamora of The Dugout. And representing LSU, the immensely talented Josh Levin of Slate.
From Nick Dallamora:
The first week of college football produces what is arguably the messiest display of arguments and number swapping this side of a mathematical proofs class. We're given our first chance to dig into some teams and see how their new lineups shaped out, but these games can be quite deceiving, as was the case with Virginia Tech. Playing a weak ECU team was an almost guaranteed win, but a mere 17-7 from #9? As usual, there's more going into this Saturday. Here are 5 reasons why Tech can beat LSU Saturday night:
5. Anyone can win in a low scoring game
I don't think anyone is expecting to see more than 21 points on the board, so either team should be within striking distance at any point in the game.
4. VT's defense is just as likely to score as their offense
The ability strike on D keeps the game within reach on both sides of the ball. LSU's spread offense will have to be contained to force Matt Flynn into making rushed passes.
3. Sean Glennon didn't suck as bad as usual
Sure, first pass for a pick Saturday, but that was his only one and he completed 2/3 of his passes. Potential upswing here.
2. A great receiving core
LSU's defense is not going to give up much, but when they do it's going to cost them. Royal, Morgan, and Hyman are big deep threats.
1. Beamer and Bud
I'm convinced Frank Beamer and Bud Foster have a terrific game plan saved up for this game. Didn't it seem like Eddie Royal had the day off last week?
From Josh Levin:
Dan has asked me to say a few words about why the Tigers are going to stomp the Hokies on Saturday night. Since I'm an extremely neurotic sports fan, the best I can do is explain why LSU should win if they don't screw up.
First off, the defense is really really good. The linebackers are a bit overrated, but they're all speedy and they're all returning starters. The defensive line is as good as everyone says, with both stars (DT Glenn Dorsey, DE Tyson Jackson) and depth.
And even though the line gets all the publicity, the secondary is LSU's greatest strength—Jonathan Zenon and Chevis Jackson can man up on anyone and Craig Steltz and Danny McCray are both (forgive the blasphemy) way better than insta-legend LaRon Landry in pass coverage. Virginia Tech QB Sean Glennon has gotten rattled in big games before. If he gets 1/10 as discombobulated as
Matt Flynn, on the other hand, has shown the ability (albeit in a brief career) to run his way out of trouble and avoid stupid mistakes. For LSU to win, Flynn has to keep up the stupidity-avoidance. More important, the right side of the Tigers' o-line—particularly Carnell Stewart, who got abused by MSU's Titus Brown last week—must play tougher this week and give Flynn some time to operate.
But LSU's biggest question mark this year is this: Against a top defense like Virginia Tech's (and in the absence of first rounders Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis), who's going to take the pressure off Early Doucet? If Terrance Tolliver, Brandon LaFell, or some other untested receiver doesn't have a big day, the Tigers might struggle to move the ball.
And now I'm out of space. But don't forget about Keiland Williams. And don't sleep on Richard Murphy ... Final score: LSU 20, Virginia Tech 9
****
Shanoff's pick: VT 12, LSU 10
-- D.S.
Rick Ankiel Is a Cheater: He's Worse Than Bonds
A.M. Quickie below or here. And be sure to read all the way down on this post for Updates.
Rick Ankiel is a cheater?! No!! I am surprised at how crushed I feel by this news that in 2004, Rick Ankiel got a year's supply of HGH.
I'm so disappointed. (Cripes: I can only imagine how Will Leitch feels. Or lead Bonds-basher and Cards fan Bob Costas. UPDATE: Here's Will's take, which has all the depth and nuance and, yes, mixed emotions you could ever want from an analysis of this story.)
This is WORSE than Barry Bonds. Yes: Worse.
Why? Because everyone already thought Bonds was juicing. It was already built in to our definition of him. Bonds' pain for fans was a dull chronic one; Ankiel's is a shattering career-ender.
With Ankiel, it is truly heart-breaking: His comeback story was one of the best of the year/decade/era, in a year where we needed it. He was a restore-your-faith-in-the-game poster guy.
But yet his instant legend is as performance-enhanced as the rest of them. (Honestly? Damn you, Rick Ankiel, for obliterating what was left of my sincere faith in the sport.)
I've been thinking a lot about the "worst" player names that could emerge from this scandal. It says a lot that I didn't even CONSIDER Ankiel, but -- as it turns out -- he's up there high on the list.
It's one thing to be an established or aging superstar be a cheater; it's another thing to have your phenom – your "Natural" – be a cheater. Cripes: It's like finding out that Roy Hobbs juiced.
Should we have suspected, given the magnitude of his transition from pitcher to super-hitting outfielder? Probably.
But it seemed like we all completely suspended our disbelief -- our natural cynicism -- because we *wanted* to believe in Ankiel's story.
That's what makes the news so much more painful. Yeah, in hindsight, we probably should have suspected.
But we didn't, and so this news seems to be shattering what little faith I had left in baseball.
It's made all the more ironic by the fact that Ankiel had his best day yet: 2 HR and 7 RBI in a Cards win. Hey: Ankiel IS "The Natural Unnatural."
UPDATE: As I begin to move through fan stages of shock, then anger (leading to saying things like "This is more distressing than Barry Bonds," I'm now quickly heading into resignation.
Technically, I understand that Ankiel wasn't cheating. (Was he even playing then?) HGH wasn't against the rules. Everyone does it. There's no evidence he is using PEDs now (or recently), only assumption and speculation. Yada yada yada.
It's just so damn... disappointing. That's all: Pure disappointment, from a normally cynical fan who enjoyed believing in a great story (for once).
Unfortunately, my net feeling ends up being: It was SUCH an amazing story, it was too good to be true...and it was...as it usually is. (Boo: Cynicism wins...again.)
UPDATE 2: In re-reading Will Leitch's take for the third time -- admiring its level of nuance (which some might call sympathy, which is totally reasonable given the writer's relationship to the subject) -- it lends itself to the question: Have you ever willfully turned a blind eye to a serious -- even fatal -- flaw of a sports hero of yours? I'm going to think about that this weekend, because it's an amazing concept and one of the biggest stories at the heart of this Ankiel story, given that it's more about disappointment than anything else. (h/t: Jamie "Mr. Irrelevant" Mottram, with whom a morning IM about this subject helped articulate this particular angle.)
Update 3: Blog reader Gerry came up with a terrific example of willful fan blind spots: Mickey Mantle. But that gets into an era -- a long era -- where fans knew NOTHING about their heroes, beyond the myths that the media -- speaking of turning a blind eye! -- kept hidden.
-- D.S
Friday 09/07 A.M. Quickie:
Colts Cruise, Brohm Biggie, AP Hearts Appy, More!
Breaking: Rick Ankiel is a cheater. Surprisingly, I feel absolutely crushed by this. More in a moment.
Big day today. Huge day. So big, in fact, that I'll have five posts today: This one, the first, the usual "A.M. Quickie." Then one on Ankiel. The next one is dedicated to what is arguably the biggest college football game of the season. The third one will be dedicated to tomorrow's college football slate. The fourth will be dedicated to Sunday's NFL openers. (Including picks, of course.) So check back often!
Colts 41, Saints 10: Peyton had 3 TDs and fantasy rising star Joseph Addai had 1. Yup: Sounds about right for Indy. The shocker was that the Indy D shut down the vaunted Saints offense. Maybe we're all overlooking the defending champs as repeat contenders.
(Predictions debacle: Between missing the game prediction, having my pick of the Saints as NFC Champs look iffy and my pick of Drew Brees look even iffier, it was a three-strikes night for me and my predictions.)
Brian Brohm will be my No. 1 Heisman contender on Sunday, no matter what happens on Saturday around the country.
Brohm threw for 5 TDs and a career-high 401 yards, and – amazingly – his team needed every one of them in a 58-42 win over Middle Tennessee.
Not to put too much pressure on him, but Brohm could be the next Peyton Manning. He's certainly the most gifted QB to come out of college football since Manning (and I include Carson Palmer in that). Brohm would look awfully good in a Falcons uniform playing for his old college coach Bobby Petrino, if
(As I leapfrog Brohm up my Heisman rankings, I am going to drop
AP Poll to include 1-AA teams, if they're worthy: Well, well, well... I am surprised and delighted again by the otherwise flawed AP poll. They will let 1-AA teams in if they are voted in.
Now, they might as well call this the "
Because the questions are: Where would you have ranked them this week and how long would you keep them in the rankings once they start playing lower-division teams exclusively?
I would have ranked
Still, I'm sure many AP voters will give App State Top 25 votes this week. It will be a week too late, but still... it's something.
Tonight's Top 25 CFB:
Cards: Honus Wagner card sells for a record $2.8M, just months after it sold for a record $2.35M. How ironic that one of the baseball legends is best-known for his status as the greatest trading-card icon?
Vick Watch: I wasn't so sure about the $3,000 bid for the dog-chewed Vick football cards, but I think the $10,000 bid for Vick's apology press-conference crib sheet is a damn interesting artifact of our time.
MLB Stud: Rick Ankiel, who had 2 HR and 7 RBI. Isn't that ironic?
MLB Dud: The Cubs, who blew a late lead and were stunned by a 9th-inning pinch-hit 3-run HR by Andre Ethier.
Varsity Dad: Sunday NFL Countdown will include a segment with a 5th-grader. (It's only a matter of time before College GameDay comes calling me about featuring my own kid, I can feel it!)
All together now: STFU, Tiki!
-- D.S.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Thursday 09/06 A.M. Quickie:
NFL Opening! Playoff Picks! NFL! NFL!
Update: Shoot, I forgot to mention Louisville beating Middle Tennessee tonight, just for the record. Last week, I correctly stuck a "7" in front of my prediction of a double-digit point total for the Cardinals. I'm less bullish this week: They'll put up a number in the 60s. Full CFB preview/picks tomorrow.
The new NFL season is here. Two words: Thank god. (This KSK post just about sums it up.)
How can you not love the Opening Night matchup: Colts-Saints. The "finally" team coming off a championship season against a franchise considered the NFL's most historically hapless, but now finds itself as the hot pick to win the NFC and get to the Super Bowl.
For those of you who were paying attention a year ago (or heard me mention it 100 times in January and February), last season I made my Greatest Pick Ever: Predicting the Colts would beat the Bears in the Super Bowl... back in August 2006.
Now, that qualifies me to have one year – the immediate following year – when what I have to say has some credibility (even though we all know that if I got it exactly right a year ago, I won't come close this year).
Still, I wish I could be inspired about this as I was taking the Bears a year ago, but instead I'm sadly rather conventional. Here is my prediction for how the season will play out, through the Super Bowl:
NFC
East: Eagles
North: Bears
South: Saints
West: Seahawks
Wild Cards: Vikings, 49ers (Eh, yes: I dis the Cowboys. Probably stupidly.)
NFC Champ: Saints
AFC
East: Patriots
North: Steelers
South: Colts
West: Chargers
Wild Cards: Ravens, Broncos
AFC Champ: Patriots
PSA: Don't forget to set your fantasy rosters.
Tonight: Colts-Saints. Chance to see my preseason pick for NFL MVP, Drew Brees, against the NFL's gold standard for QBs. One of the best Opening Games ever, based on a combination of team backstories and potential. I'll have my entire slate of NFL picks tomorrow (sign up for the Daily Quickie Readers Pick 'Em using the link on the right). For now, the pick is:
Saints over Colts.
(Other picks coming Friday.)
More NFL: So who, exactly, is the starting QB in
MLB Steroids: Investigators want to talk to 45 current and former players. Good luck with that, but that's a big number. (h/t: NY Times)
MLB Stud: A-Rod, who seemed like a candidate for a DNP-Injury, but once he was in the lineup, ended up hitting 2 HR... in the same inning.
MLB Stud Team: Braves, who rallied for 3 runs in the 9th to beat/stun the Phillies, in the type of loss that can crush a team with just a month to go in the season and every win mattering.
MLB Dud: Jake Peavy (rarity as a Dud!), who gave up 8 runs to the D'backs.
The Indians swept the Twins... again.
Vernon Wells' HR means that the Red Sox are 6 games up on the Yankees with 22 games to play. Not that the Yankees should be concerned with the division, as opposed to the Wild Card.
As the
In the NL playoff race, the "good" Brewers are back. They clubbed a ton of home runs, have won 2 in a row and are a half-game behind the Cubs in the Central. The NL West might be underrated as a dramatic September storyline, but the NL Central is where the glamour action is.
Which AP pollsters put
NBA: Interesting rule tweak. The league will let refs use instant replay to review flagrant fouls and altercations. Smart.
PGA Playoffs Dud, Cont'd: Tiger and Ernie are joining Phil in dissing the Playoffs. Quite the success story for the PGA!
-- D.S.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Wednesday 09/05 A.M. Quickie:
Michigan, CFB Top 25, Shaq, NFL Awards Picks!
So my weekly CFB guest-post on Deadspin was published yesterday morning, anticipating that the AP or Coaches' pollsters would keep
I have never been happier to be wrong: Both the AP and the coaches booted
Sure, I could quibble: One-third of the coaches had
But, in general, I am unusually at peace with the pollsters -- both the media and coaches showed remarkable and rare common sense.
(It remains to be seen how long the exile will last. If
Now, as to the actual teams that were ranked, a few thoughts:
(1) I'm trying to figure out how Clemson could beat a ranked (if overrated)
(2) Classic voter inertia: USC is still No. 1, despite anything but a performance by a top-ranked team against
(3) I'm a
(4) Nice to see pollsters drop underperforming
(5)
Last thought on
They are a team BUILT to pull an upset precisely like the one they did -- opening weekend, no injuries, no "book" on the 2007 team yet, surprise/overlook factor -- but over the course of a season-long slog against BCS-conference teams, they would be worn down by 1-A depth of size and speed. I'm not saying they couldn't make their way to bowl-eligibility; the fact that I'd even CONTEMPLATE 7-8 1-A wins for this particular
Shaq is getting divorced: Forget helping out the fat kids, now "Shaq the Bachelor" is a must-see reality TV show.
US Open: Two less reasons to keep following it. Justine Henin dispatches Serena in straight sets (Justine owns Serena in Slam quarters). And Rafa Nadal is out, too.
Clemens getting a cortisone shot in his elbow: Will presumably be a nice respite from the HGH. (Seriously, though: Is Clemens' career over? Maybe he'll grit through it to pitch again this season -- he owes the Yankees every last drop of gas in the tank -- but can he reasonably think he could come back again next year? I think these final few weeks of the 2007 season will be Rockets' last go-round.)
Carlos Zambrano apologizes to Cubs fans for ripping them for booing him. Zam knows: The customer is always right. "They have the right to boo people," he said. And he's completely right:
Fans absolutely have the right to boo -- at any/all times they want to. Now, there are times when other fans will look at you askew and go, "Really? Booing? Why?" But you, as a fan, still possess the inalienable right to boo. It is one of the most fundamental rights of fandom.
Best MLB division race: How about the NL West? Totally underrated.
Buchholz Watch: If Red Sox rookie sensation Clay Buchholz, who threw a no-hitter in his second MLB game, throws 9 straight hitless innings while coming out of the bullpen, does he get credit for two straight no-hitters?
More Red Sox Pitching: Beckett wins 17th. As long as he continues to lead MLB pitchers in wins, he'll be a front-runner for AL Cy. (No guarantees, but it'll keep him on the very short list.)
Mickelson to skip BMW Championship: One more indication that there's just so much passion for this Playoffs thing among golfers.
Fantasy Football Watch: One week, you think all the good RBs are gone. The next, Selvin Young is the most-added player in the universe.
Meanwhile, anyone else have Larry Johnson and staring at the first 2-3 weeks of the season without their No. 1 player? Craaaaap.
Jimmy Clausen to start at QB for Notre Dame this weekend: Sure, he was the No. 1 prep QB a year ago. My question is: What does Charlie Weis do when
(I had this conversation with someone yesterday: How can a "great" coach in Year 3 manage to run such a crappy team? Basically, Weis won the last two years with Willingham's players. I thought he was supposed to have done a really good job recruiting. Yet with his own recruits, he can't coach his way out of a paper bag.)
Women's pro soccer league is returning: Now, I could be cynical and say, "Over-under on the league folding: One-third the time it took the last one." Instead, I'll say that they won't even make it to the projected league start date of 2009. But I wish them well.
TONIGHT IN NYC! The latest Varsity Letters Reading Series, featuring Frank Deford, Scott Price and Neal Thompson. 8 p.m. at Happy Ending (302 Broome). And it's FREE. Be there!
NFL 2007 Preview: Awards Picks
MVP: Drew Brees
COY: Norv Turner
Coming tomorrow: Playoff picks
-- D.S.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Tuesday 09/04 A.M. Quickie:
App State, Clemson, Pedro 3KK, NFL Kickoff Week, More!
What happened in college football this weekend? Check out my CFB wrap-up post from Sunday, which breaks it all down, including – of course –
Clemson beat
Meanwhile, I know Clemson was playing with huge emotion at home on a Monday night in a season opener (the perfect moment to pull an upset... although it wasn't an upset if you didn't have FSU ranked to begin with). But they're legit. The Tigers have those spectacular RBs, but new QB Cullen Harper did just enough passing to keep FSU honest.
New CFB Rules: More yards, more points, more clock. It stands to reason that changing (back) the clock rules (in addition to the new kickoff rules) would add more time – and, consequently, more plays, yards and points to games. College games were up 56 yards and 3 points, on average, over last year's season openers (h/t:
Appalachian State Upset Hangover: In this week's Blog Poll, I refuse to rank
I did, however, radically change my Top 25 now that we actually have real performance data to use. Virginia Tech is out of the No. 1 spot, pending next week's result at LSU. Instead, I have
More: I didn't have
Here's my full Week 3 ballot (which I'm allowed to revise through late tonight, but don't necessarily plan to).
NFL Kickoff: Thursday. It's coming. In the meantime, get those last-minute tweaks to your fantasy team done and start lining up your predictions for the season. We'll do playoff picks tomorrow and individual awards on Wednesday.
More NFL: Leftwich Watch. Could the ex-Jags QB end up near his DC hometown? Sounds like the Ravens are interested, among others.
Simeon Rice to the Broncos: Can only help, right?
How revamped are the Patriots on offense? Enough that they could release their leading WR from 2006. "Leading" is relative, of course.
MLB Milestones 1: Pedro Martinez gets 3000 Ks. That's not an unexclusive club. Only 14 other pitchers are in it, making it more exclusive than 3000 hits and 500 homers. It is one of those clubs that won't be joined anytime soon. Man, has this been a year for MLB Milestones or what?
It was also Pedro's MLB return from injury. If he can be moderately effective, it's like picking up a quasi-quality SP for the September stretch run, without giving up anything (um, except that big contract they owe him).
MLB Milestones 2: Ichiro reached the 200-hit mark for the 7th straight season, tying an
MLB Studs: The Indians own Johan Santana. Not many – if any – other teams can say that. But wow, they do.
MLB Dud: What happened to the Phillies' charge in the NL East?
Mickelson gets mouthy after win: It takes a tough (or tired) player to win one of these PGA "Playoff" events then threaten to skip the next week's event. But that's what Phil Mickelson did.
US Open: Roddick to quarters. Meh: No one is beating Federer anyway. (Meanwhile, James Blake's ouster is one less reason to watch anyway.)
Sports Media: Didn't see the
Varsity Dad: This is hilarious. (h/t: Fanhouse, Ballhype, Card Chronicle)
-- D.S.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Monday 09/03 (Very) Quickie: No Labor Here
Looking for a college football wrap? See the next post down...
U.S. routs Argentina to rule hoops in this hemisphere: LeBron scored a team-record 31, capping a terrific tournament fo rhim. Team USA vanquished its rival (and the world's reigning top dog). And Team USA declared itself to be the favorite in Beijing in '08. That's good and bad: It's where they SHOULD be, yet it's back to the old standard: Anything less than gold is a failure.
CFB Today: Florida State at Clemson. I have Clemson winning in an upset, because I need to see FSU's "new" "offense" first-hand before I can possibly believe in it.
MLB Stud: Jacoby Ellsbury. You all know it pains me to have two Red Sox players as Studs for two days in a row -- rookies no less. But they keep trotting them out there, and the rookies keep delivering. It's refreshing that both the Yankees and Red Sox are getting clutch performances from cheap home-grown rookies, rather than the usual high-priced veteran mercenaries.
-- D.S.
U.S. routs Argentina to rule hoops in this hemisphere: LeBron scored a team-record 31, capping a terrific tournament fo rhim. Team USA vanquished its rival (and the world's reigning top dog). And Team USA declared itself to be the favorite in Beijing in '08. That's good and bad: It's where they SHOULD be, yet it's back to the old standard: Anything less than gold is a failure.
CFB Today: Florida State at Clemson. I have Clemson winning in an upset, because I need to see FSU's "new" "offense" first-hand before I can possibly believe in it.
MLB Stud: Jacoby Ellsbury. You all know it pains me to have two Red Sox players as Studs for two days in a row -- rookies no less. But they keep trotting them out there, and the rookies keep delivering. It's refreshing that both the Yankees and Red Sox are getting clutch performances from cheap home-grown rookies, rather than the usual high-priced veteran mercenaries.
-- D.S.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Sunday 09/02 (Very) Quickie: CFB Wrap-Up!
Quick(ie)-hit thoughts from yesterday's CFB opening Saturday:
y
(Think these will become popular? Wait: Just heard that Miss Teen South Carolina, known for her map skills, is going to Appy. In one week, they've gone from national laughingstock to national Cinderella. Has there ever been a bigger one-week turnaround? Add it to Appy's "ever" list!)
I want to see y
Virginia Tech: The healing continues. If only the offense could deliver in a way to give me more confidence heading into
Notre Dame sucks: 'Nuff said. (And it will only get worse next week, when they face a
USC didn't win that impressively. Certainly not impressively enough to merit their being No. 1 simply because they were No. 1 a week ago, based on nothing but preseason guessing.
McFadden Time was already here: Carrying over from last year, D-Mac ran for 151 yards and threw a 42-yard TD pass for good measure. Unlike USC, McFadden DID retain his preseason No. 1 status – as Heisman favorite.
Speaking of "than thought": I didn't have
BC's Matt Ryan should be a Top 5 Heisman contender, at least after Week 1. 400-plus yards and 4 TDs in a big game will do that for a guy.
(Oh, so if Matt Ryan was impressive, what about Colt Brennan, who threw for 400-plus yards and 6 TDs... in the first half.)
Heisman Watch:
1. Darren McFadden
2a. Pat White
2b. Steve Slaton
3. Colt Brennan
4. Brian Brohm
5. Ray Rice
Rising: Matt Ryan, Tim Tebow
Falling: Booty, McCoy
Out: Henne, Hart
(Yes, Hart had a good game. But simply put: No voter will be able to separate the player from the stunning upset loss.)
Looking ahead to next week: A crazy batch of games, including a season-definer for both VA Tech and LSU, a TCU upset-special over
Non-CFB: What is a COACH doing with PEDs? Seriously.
Clay Buchholz pitches a no-hitter... in his second MLB start. A
Sharapova out at US Open. One less reason to watch.
Jags release Byron Leftwich: My favorite player on the team and one of my top "I'm in the bag for him (even though he's not great)" NFL players. Maybe he'll find a place in... KC?
-- D.S.
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