It's the Friday before the Kentucky Derby, so you know what that means: My bringing up that I successfully predicted Barbaro would win the Derby. But the larger service I'm trying to provide in my Sporting News column this morning is to help you pick your horse based on its name. What other criteria would you use?
Meanwhile, you might say that it's too early to read into the Cubs-Brewers and A's-Angels mid-week series results (Brewers 2-1, OAK-LAA split), but I say that come September, both teams will look back and wish the results were more in their favor. Meanwhile, look at Detroit: One game under .500 and only 1.5 games worse off than they were on April 1, if they want to win the division.
Of course the Pistons dispatched the Sixers, and my pre-playoff prediction that Detroit would/could/should beat the Celtics looks pretty good right now, even if Boston manages to finish off the Hawks in Atlanta tonight.
There's a lot more in the column today, so check it out.
Still trying to get a Bissinger-related meta-post out there, even if it was THE topic yesterday (perhaps run its course, with today's thoughts being stale, particularly for a blog that purports to be all about the instant history.)
-- D.S.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Thursday, May 01, 2008
New York Times Play Magazine Newsletter Lead Essay: BCS Is Damned Either Way
There's the pretty "front page" of the NYT Play newsletter, or you can go straight to the essay itself.
For DS.com regulars, this will be a familiar "SEC-ede" campaign -- now withmore any legitimacy!
For DS.com regulars, this will be a familiar "SEC-ede" campaign -- now with
More Fun With Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens now linked to John Daly's ex, Paulette Dean Daly? Clemens is the gift that keeps on giving.
Thursday 05/01 A.M. Quickie:
MLB Awards, Celtics, Wiz, BCS, More
Update: Gilbert Arenas done with blogging? Truly a "say it ain't so" moment for sports bloggers and fans.
Nothing captures the essence of "instant history" found in the baseball season like "awards" handed out after the first month of the season is over. Who wins my awards? You'll have to check out the lead of today's Sporting News column.
Meanwhile:
The Celtics may seem to have their series with the Hawks in hand, but the fact that it has taken THIS long means that the Hawks win, no matter what happens...
The Wizards just gave a big "f-u" to the Cavs, Cavs fans, the media and the NBA. DC will be rocking tomorrow night at the Verizon Center...
I wouldn't hire Avery Johnson, would you?
Cliff Lee. Max Scherzer. Ervin Santana. Geovany Soto. Micah Owings.
The BCS will stay as-is until 2014. The Plus-One was DOA (thankfully, because it's an idea I hate). If you want a playoff, perhaps you will now take my not-so-crazy idea seriously that the SEC lead a "SEC-ession" from the BCS to form a new playoff group. If you hate the current system, it cannot be a worse outcome.
Who bets on the Derby? Please remember that for all of my many many (many) predictive misses, I did pick Barbaro to win the Derby.
More later today. I worked on a "final thoughts" about the whole Bissinger thing, which I may or may not post later. (If you see Bissinger's quotes in the NY Times column about the Buzz-Blogs brouhaha, you will see that he is unrepentant and shows not even a smidgen of changed attitude about anything. How enlightened of him. Extremism, in any form and from any corner, is bad.)
-- D.S.
Nothing captures the essence of "instant history" found in the baseball season like "awards" handed out after the first month of the season is over. Who wins my awards? You'll have to check out the lead of today's Sporting News column.
Meanwhile:
The Celtics may seem to have their series with the Hawks in hand, but the fact that it has taken THIS long means that the Hawks win, no matter what happens...
The Wizards just gave a big "f-u" to the Cavs, Cavs fans, the media and the NBA. DC will be rocking tomorrow night at the Verizon Center...
I wouldn't hire Avery Johnson, would you?
Cliff Lee. Max Scherzer. Ervin Santana. Geovany Soto. Micah Owings.
The BCS will stay as-is until 2014. The Plus-One was DOA (thankfully, because it's an idea I hate). If you want a playoff, perhaps you will now take my not-so-crazy idea seriously that the SEC lead a "SEC-ession" from the BCS to form a new playoff group. If you hate the current system, it cannot be a worse outcome.
Who bets on the Derby? Please remember that for all of my many many (many) predictive misses, I did pick Barbaro to win the Derby.
More later today. I worked on a "final thoughts" about the whole Bissinger thing, which I may or may not post later. (If you see Bissinger's quotes in the NY Times column about the Buzz-Blogs brouhaha, you will see that he is unrepentant and shows not even a smidgen of changed attitude about anything. How enlightened of him. Extremism, in any form and from any corner, is bad.)
-- D.S.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Buzz Bissinger vs. Will Leitch: The Day After
Welcome Ball Don't Lie readers! (h/t Skeets)
The lead of the usual Quickie post was getting too unwieldy with Bissinger updates, so I am breaking it into its own post:
I should have led my Sporting News column today with the Buzz Bissinger thing, because that's all anyone who reads blogs is going to be hearing about or talking about this morning. I had this to say last night just after the segment was over, along with links to posts from Will Leitch himself, along with Brian from Awful Announcing.
UPDATE: Orson/Spencer from EDSBS has an amazing post-Bissinger post. What's amazing is that Bissinger isn't inducing outrage; he is inducing even more great work from bloggers (and, yes, some sense of solidarity). But, mostly, thoughtful reactions.
AJ Daulerio weighs in, on Deadspin.
Postman R had a comment on Will's Deadspin post that last night effectively ended the MSM-Blogger schism. I don't think so, though: See Will's point that many in the MSM (Costas, Albom, Wilbon) undoubtedly thought that Bissinger spoke for all of them. That's kind of scary.
UPDATE: Ken Tremendous/Michael Schur from Fire Joe Morgan (who was in the taped piece that ran before the live Bissinger self-immolation).
UPDATE 2: Bissinger is No. 58 on Google Trends' Top 100 most-searched terms at 9:30 a.m. ET. It is likely the highest he has ever been ranked. Tracking... He's up to No. 34 at 10:40 a.m.... He's No. 19 at 4:15, but he may have been higher earlier and I just missed it. (Correct: Apparently, he peaked between 11 and noon.)
More later.
UPDATE: Sporting Blog is doing something on the story, rounding up various thoughts. Here's what I threw in the mix:
UPDATE: Here's a prescient post -- from weeks ago -- by Cajun Boy I.T.C.
The lead of the usual Quickie post was getting too unwieldy with Bissinger updates, so I am breaking it into its own post:
I should have led my Sporting News column today with the Buzz Bissinger thing, because that's all anyone who reads blogs is going to be hearing about or talking about this morning. I had this to say last night just after the segment was over, along with links to posts from Will Leitch himself, along with Brian from Awful Announcing.
UPDATE: Orson/Spencer from EDSBS has an amazing post-Bissinger post. What's amazing is that Bissinger isn't inducing outrage; he is inducing even more great work from bloggers (and, yes, some sense of solidarity). But, mostly, thoughtful reactions.
AJ Daulerio weighs in, on Deadspin.
Postman R had a comment on Will's Deadspin post that last night effectively ended the MSM-Blogger schism. I don't think so, though: See Will's point that many in the MSM (Costas, Albom, Wilbon) undoubtedly thought that Bissinger spoke for all of them. That's kind of scary.
UPDATE: Ken Tremendous/Michael Schur from Fire Joe Morgan (who was in the taped piece that ran before the live Bissinger self-immolation).
UPDATE 2: Bissinger is No. 58 on Google Trends' Top 100 most-searched terms at 9:30 a.m. ET. It is likely the highest he has ever been ranked. Tracking... He's up to No. 34 at 10:40 a.m.... He's No. 19 at 4:15, but he may have been higher earlier and I just missed it. (Correct: Apparently, he peaked between 11 and noon.)
More later.
UPDATE: Sporting Blog is doing something on the story, rounding up various thoughts. Here's what I threw in the mix:
"In the end, the hostility -- like most hostility -- is rooted in insecurity. That's not unique to 50-year-olds. Instead of griping (or shouting), I encourage anyone -- professional, amateur or anything in-between -- to take advantage of the emerging platforms of sports media in the way that fits them best... and leave everyone to produce (or consume) as each sees fit."More later.
UPDATE: Here's a prescient post -- from weeks ago -- by Cajun Boy I.T.C.
Wednesday 04/30 A.M. Quickie:
Bissinger, Suns, Scherzer, BCS, More
I should have led my Sporting News column today with the Buzz Bissinger thing, because that's all anyone who reads blogs is going to be hearing about or talking about this morning. See the post just below this one for my take just after the segment was over, along with links to posts from Will Leitch himself, along with Brian from Awful Announcing.
UPDATE: Orson/Spencer from EDSBS has an amazing post-Bissinger post. What's amazing is that Bissinger isn't inducing outrage; he is inducing even more great work from bloggers (and, yes, some sense of solidarity). But, mostly, thoughtful reactions.
AJ Daulerio weighs in, on Deadspin.
Postman R had a comment on Will's Deadspin post that last night effectively ended the MSM-Blogger schism. I don't think so, though: See Will's point that many in the MSM (Costas, Albom, Wilbon) undoubtedly thought that Bissinger spoke for all of them. That's kind of scary.
UPDATE: Ken Tremendous/Michael Schur from Fire Joe Morgan (who was in the taped piece that ran before the live Bissinger self-immolation).
UPDATE 2: Bissinger is No. 58 on Google Trends' Top 100 most-searched terms at 9:30 a.m. ET. It is likely the highest he has ever been ranked. Tracking...
Meanwhile, the Suns should be imploded -- at least, if they want to win a title -- because the team as currently configured ain't beating the Spurs in the playoffs... ever. And they're likely to lose Mike D'Antoni to the Knicks anyway.
That goes double for the Mavs, who seem even further away from an NBA title -- even a West title (hell, even getting out of the first round) -- than the Suns. Trade/fire EVERYONE, Cubes.
Meanwhile, Max Scherzer: Whoa.
The BCS ain't getting solved anytime soon.
If you thought the NBA Playoffs were lame, check out the NHL Playoffs... even lamer. And that's in the conference semifinals.
And I compare Clemens to Ronaldo: They both got their troubles....
You can find it all in today's Sporting News column, with more here at DS.com later today.
-- D.S.
UPDATE: Orson/Spencer from EDSBS has an amazing post-Bissinger post. What's amazing is that Bissinger isn't inducing outrage; he is inducing even more great work from bloggers (and, yes, some sense of solidarity). But, mostly, thoughtful reactions.
AJ Daulerio weighs in, on Deadspin.
Postman R had a comment on Will's Deadspin post that last night effectively ended the MSM-Blogger schism. I don't think so, though: See Will's point that many in the MSM (Costas, Albom, Wilbon) undoubtedly thought that Bissinger spoke for all of them. That's kind of scary.
UPDATE: Ken Tremendous/Michael Schur from Fire Joe Morgan (who was in the taped piece that ran before the live Bissinger self-immolation).
UPDATE 2: Bissinger is No. 58 on Google Trends' Top 100 most-searched terms at 9:30 a.m. ET. It is likely the highest he has ever been ranked. Tracking...
Meanwhile, the Suns should be imploded -- at least, if they want to win a title -- because the team as currently configured ain't beating the Spurs in the playoffs... ever. And they're likely to lose Mike D'Antoni to the Knicks anyway.
That goes double for the Mavs, who seem even further away from an NBA title -- even a West title (hell, even getting out of the first round) -- than the Suns. Trade/fire EVERYONE, Cubes.
Meanwhile, Max Scherzer: Whoa.
The BCS ain't getting solved anytime soon.
If you thought the NBA Playoffs were lame, check out the NHL Playoffs... even lamer. And that's in the conference semifinals.
And I compare Clemens to Ronaldo: They both got their troubles....
You can find it all in today's Sporting News column, with more here at DS.com later today.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Buzz Bissinger Does Not Like Blogs
UPDATE: Will's apt post about the event.
Brian from Awful Announcing has a very poignant reaction, too.
That was clear during Buzz Bissinger's freak-out on Costas Now (just now), attacking Will Leitch. The irony is that Will came across as the thoughtful one, and Buzz Bissinger -- self-appointed savior of "old media" -- came across as the unhinged nut. Points to Big Daddy Drew (aka "Balls Deep") and AJ Daulerio for the name-checks. Any pub is good pub!
The other blog posts about it are rolling in: Here's one from MDS at Fanhouse.
The overarching emotion isn't outrage at Bissinger: It's pity for him.
Brian from Awful Announcing has a very poignant reaction, too.
That was clear during Buzz Bissinger's freak-out on Costas Now (just now), attacking Will Leitch. The irony is that Will came across as the thoughtful one, and Buzz Bissinger -- self-appointed savior of "old media" -- came across as the unhinged nut. Points to Big Daddy Drew (aka "Balls Deep") and AJ Daulerio for the name-checks. Any pub is good pub!
The other blog posts about it are rolling in: Here's one from MDS at Fanhouse.
The overarching emotion isn't outrage at Bissinger: It's pity for him.
Must-See TV Tonight: Leitch vs. Costas
Bob Costas his hosting a live "town hall" about sports and media, tonight at 10 on HBO. The most intriguing segment is the one where Will Leitch will take on blog-haters Buzz Bissinger and Braylon Edwards, along with Costas, who is no particularly big fan of technology. Expect a TON of infuriating, illogical and inane anti-blog ranting. Really: Is letting fans have a say THAT bad?
Oh Cripes: Is Launching a Pro Football Minor League REALLY That Hard?
Memo to Marvin Tomlin, CEO of the new UNFL, which is trying to position itself as a "minor league" development pipeline to the NFL:
Please see my post from Friday. There is only one competitive advantage your league can create: Recruit star college freshman, sophomores and juniors whom the NFL won't let in.
Period. That's it. Any other strategy is doomed for failure, starting with your league's very name. (Do you really think the NFL won't balk at a league that includes the letters "N-F-L").
-- D.S.
Please see my post from Friday. There is only one competitive advantage your league can create: Recruit star college freshman, sophomores and juniors whom the NFL won't let in.
Period. That's it. Any other strategy is doomed for failure, starting with your league's very name. (Do you really think the NFL won't balk at a league that includes the letters "N-F-L").
-- D.S.
Tuesday 04/29 A.M. Quickie:
Brown, Hawks, Clemens, Haren, More
Today's Sporting News column leads with a name familiar to anyone who has read the Quickie over the past few years:
Larry Brown, a man whose late-career talent for ruining franchises is only matched by the level of sanctimony with which he accomplishes it.
Michael Jordan -- perhaps the least talented active executive in the NBA -- hiring Larry Brown -- perhaps the universally worst fit to coach ANY team -- is destined to fail.
See what else I have to say about it in the column right here.
Meanwhile, how can you not love the spunky Hawks? I'm not saying they will oust the Celtics -- that would mean winning at least one game in Boston -- but they sure exposed the Celtics as...fire-free.
(And that's the problem with KG: There may not be a more passionate regular-season player in the history of the NBA. In the playoffs, though, his passion translates into something else.)
The Hawks are the antithesis of the Nuggets, by the way. If I was a Denver fan and was offered the chance to trade entire rosters, straight up, I would do it.
(I mention this at the end of the column: Is there a more intriguing 3-player core than Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford? You get versatility, toughness, youth. That is a trio that Atlanta can build around.)
Meanwhile, in MLB, the D'backs just got even better, with Dan Haren getting out of his flu-ish funk and joining Webb and Owings as the best 1-2-3 pitching combo in baseball.
How can you not love Frank Thomas?
I have more to say about yesterday's activity around Roger Clemens. What I didn't say was this:
I didn't think there was anything that could bump "cheater" from the top-line of Clemens' legacy, but "palling around with a 15-year-old girl" might just do it.
Also from the column: "A (Jump-)Shot at Love with Pat Summitt" may be one of my favorite concepts since I started the SN column. It's a throwaway line, but I love it.
As always, there's a ton more, so check it out here.
-- D.S.
Larry Brown, a man whose late-career talent for ruining franchises is only matched by the level of sanctimony with which he accomplishes it.
Michael Jordan -- perhaps the least talented active executive in the NBA -- hiring Larry Brown -- perhaps the universally worst fit to coach ANY team -- is destined to fail.
See what else I have to say about it in the column right here.
Meanwhile, how can you not love the spunky Hawks? I'm not saying they will oust the Celtics -- that would mean winning at least one game in Boston -- but they sure exposed the Celtics as...fire-free.
(And that's the problem with KG: There may not be a more passionate regular-season player in the history of the NBA. In the playoffs, though, his passion translates into something else.)
The Hawks are the antithesis of the Nuggets, by the way. If I was a Denver fan and was offered the chance to trade entire rosters, straight up, I would do it.
(I mention this at the end of the column: Is there a more intriguing 3-player core than Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford? You get versatility, toughness, youth. That is a trio that Atlanta can build around.)
Meanwhile, in MLB, the D'backs just got even better, with Dan Haren getting out of his flu-ish funk and joining Webb and Owings as the best 1-2-3 pitching combo in baseball.
How can you not love Frank Thomas?
I have more to say about yesterday's activity around Roger Clemens. What I didn't say was this:
I didn't think there was anything that could bump "cheater" from the top-line of Clemens' legacy, but "palling around with a 15-year-old girl" might just do it.
Also from the column: "A (Jump-)Shot at Love with Pat Summitt" may be one of my favorite concepts since I started the SN column. It's a throwaway line, but I love it.
As always, there's a ton more, so check it out here.
-- D.S.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday 04/28 A.M. Quickie:
Draft, NBA Duds, Clemens Scandal, More
Matt Ryan may turn out to be a fine NFL QB, but the Falcons took him for the wrong reasons, and I can't help thinking that, at least in part, they relate to -- and rhyme with -- "face."
That's the lead of my Sporting News column this morning, and I encourage you to check it out.
You'll also get my take on the Clemens "affair-with-a-15-year-old" scandal, which should go crazy today...
My take on the state of the NBA Playoffs, which is, to summarize: Brutal.
My take on the weekend in MLB, which basically insists that you jump on the Rays bandwagon...
My take on the lack of progress on BCS reform, where I can the Plus-One and float the "SEC-ession" plan...
My take on the fast-follower (no pun intended) to Danica Patrick...
And even a shout-out to the Brothers Mottram for the one time a year their blog is -- cough -- relevant.
Start your day with the column, and I'll be back around later today for sure with more.
-- D.S.
That's the lead of my Sporting News column this morning, and I encourage you to check it out.
You'll also get my take on the Clemens "affair-with-a-15-year-old" scandal, which should go crazy today...
My take on the state of the NBA Playoffs, which is, to summarize: Brutal.
My take on the weekend in MLB, which basically insists that you jump on the Rays bandwagon...
My take on the lack of progress on BCS reform, where I can the Plus-One and float the "SEC-ession" plan...
My take on the fast-follower (no pun intended) to Danica Patrick...
And even a shout-out to the Brothers Mottram for the one time a year their blog is -- cough -- relevant.
Start your day with the column, and I'll be back around later today for sure with more.
-- D.S.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sunday 04/27 (Very) Quickie
NFL Draft Mania: You can find most of my first-round gut-reaction analysis on my Twitter page here, with my favorite analysis being that the Falcons would have been better off with Glenn Dorsey and Brian Brohm than Matt Ryan and Curtis Lofton. Oh, and Darren McFadden's Raiders jersey will be the NFL's top seller for a rookie.
The 2nd Round Highlights: The first WR is taken (and I'll bet that NO experts predicted either that zero WRs would go in the first round or that Avery would be the first to get taken)... Skins get a steal in Devin Thomas... Brian Brohm wins the "Most Lost Money By Not Turning Pro Early When He Should Have" Award, going late in the 2nd to the Packers, who create an instant QB controversy... Chad Henne is the anti-Brohm, jumping into the late 2nd (just behind Brohm) and joining Michigan teammate Jake Long in Miami (though both Henne and Brohm dropped further than they were projected to go)... Jacksonville adds to the DE stockpile, getting Quentin Groves to go with Derrick Harvey... Loved the Ravens taking Ray Rice... Loved the Bucs taking App State's Dexter Jackson... more coming tomorrow, particularly when the later rounds finish up today.
Instant buzz over whether a team had a great or bad draft can not only impact them today and tomorrow, but all offseason: The Chiefs were the consensus big winners, with the Dolphins and Steelers joining them at the top. But KC was definitely the big winner (and, surprise surprise, it starts because they got Glenn Dorsey -- do you hear anyone saying that the Falcons were a Top 5 "winner" in the Draft? No. Thank you.)
NBA: Jazz and Magic both go up 3-1... did anyone see the Hawks winning a game vs. the Celtics? Well, they did.... The Lakers are about to sweep out the Nuggets... wasn't everyone saying that the West playoffs were going to be epic? This first round kind of sucks.
Let me be clear: The Bobcats hiring Larry Brown would be the biggest mistake in franchise history -- oh, besides letting Michael Jordan be the top exec with the decision-making power to actually hire Larry Brown.
Stanford hires Duke's Johnny Dawkins: Not bad, not exciting either.
More later.
-- D.S.
The 2nd Round Highlights: The first WR is taken (and I'll bet that NO experts predicted either that zero WRs would go in the first round or that Avery would be the first to get taken)... Skins get a steal in Devin Thomas... Brian Brohm wins the "Most Lost Money By Not Turning Pro Early When He Should Have" Award, going late in the 2nd to the Packers, who create an instant QB controversy... Chad Henne is the anti-Brohm, jumping into the late 2nd (just behind Brohm) and joining Michigan teammate Jake Long in Miami (though both Henne and Brohm dropped further than they were projected to go)... Jacksonville adds to the DE stockpile, getting Quentin Groves to go with Derrick Harvey... Loved the Ravens taking Ray Rice... Loved the Bucs taking App State's Dexter Jackson... more coming tomorrow, particularly when the later rounds finish up today.
Instant buzz over whether a team had a great or bad draft can not only impact them today and tomorrow, but all offseason: The Chiefs were the consensus big winners, with the Dolphins and Steelers joining them at the top. But KC was definitely the big winner (and, surprise surprise, it starts because they got Glenn Dorsey -- do you hear anyone saying that the Falcons were a Top 5 "winner" in the Draft? No. Thank you.)
NBA: Jazz and Magic both go up 3-1... did anyone see the Hawks winning a game vs. the Celtics? Well, they did.... The Lakers are about to sweep out the Nuggets... wasn't everyone saying that the West playoffs were going to be epic? This first round kind of sucks.
Let me be clear: The Bobcats hiring Larry Brown would be the biggest mistake in franchise history -- oh, besides letting Michael Jordan be the top exec with the decision-making power to actually hire Larry Brown.
Stanford hires Duke's Johnny Dawkins: Not bad, not exciting either.
More later.
-- D.S.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
NFL Draft Mania
My attempt to post this from my cell phone didn't work. Hopefully, you're following my comments on my Twitter page. What a fun draft so far -- lots of trades, some very intriguing picks. You can find my Twitter page here -- or just look in the "Twitter" area on the right side of this page.
Saturday 4/26 (Very) Quickie: Draft Day
Waiting on the start of the NFL Draft: Will Darren McFadden end up in New York City? Will Chad Henne skyrocket into the first round as some kind of poor man's Tom Brady? How will the "experts'" mock draft boards fall apart, as they most predictably will?
Who would have guessed that the lamest NBA West Playoff series would be Spurs-Suns? (Even the Mavs won once they got back home.)
I guess the Sixers were more legit than we thought.
I really really really wish Brett Favre would shut up finally and go away. If he didn't want to retire, he shouldn't have, but all this "look-at-me" teasing is insulting to the fans who sent him off with respect.
Wow: It's been a long time since we could say "Randy Johnson gets the win."
More later.
-- D.S.
Who would have guessed that the lamest NBA West Playoff series would be Spurs-Suns? (Even the Mavs won once they got back home.)
I guess the Sixers were more legit than we thought.
I really really really wish Brett Favre would shut up finally and go away. If he didn't want to retire, he shouldn't have, but all this "look-at-me" teasing is insulting to the fans who sent him off with respect.
Wow: It's been a long time since we could say "Randy Johnson gets the win."
More later.
-- D.S.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Suckiest Sports Blog? Perhaps This One!
It is hard work to be either (a) the best or (b) the worst. I accept this title with all the shallow, lazy, self-indulgent effort put into earning it that you have come to expect and appreciate.
(It is a worthy addition to my No. 1 regional seeding in the Hot Blogger Contest and Honorable Mention status from SI.com as "Best Non-Corporate Sports Blog of 2007.")
-- D.S.
Just to clarify, I did not guest-post on that guy's blog. He wrote a parody. Or, should I say, "parody." Not sure where he got "profitable book sales." There's not even a book, let alone sales. But perhaps with help like this post, it will one day come to be.
(It is a worthy addition to my No. 1 regional seeding in the Hot Blogger Contest and Honorable Mention status from SI.com as "Best Non-Corporate Sports Blog of 2007.")
-- D.S.
Just to clarify, I did not guest-post on that guy's blog. He wrote a parody. Or, should I say, "parody." Not sure where he got "profitable book sales." There's not even a book, let alone sales. But perhaps with help like this post, it will one day come to be.
How To Spend Your NFL Draft Day
Here's how I'm spending my NFL Draft day online:
Laugh: Following the Kissing Suzy Kolber live-blog.
Think: Relying on New Era Scouting to help me interpret.
Google Reader: To keep up on PFT and everywhere else.
Twitter: Me, obviously. (What? You're not following me there?)
Don't know NES? Here's the site. Here's their awesome draft guide -- the very latest version. (Hat-tip to NES head honcho Matt Miller and his crew for the help this spring on draft prep.)
-- D.S.
Update: Can I just throw something out there about the Falcons and Matt Ryan? They're picking the wrong Matt! Understanding that Matt Ryan seems overvalued in a weak QB class and that the Falcons will likely be bad enough next year to have a Top 3 pick again, why wouldn't they save their "Franchise QB" chip for the REAL superstar QB named Matt: Georgia's Matt Stafford, who after the 2008 season should be viewed as the Top NFL QB prospect in college football. OK, yes, I'm kind of geeked up for the Draft -- enough that I'm already thinking about '09.
Laugh: Following the Kissing Suzy Kolber live-blog.
Think: Relying on New Era Scouting to help me interpret.
Google Reader: To keep up on PFT and everywhere else.
Twitter: Me, obviously. (What? You're not following me there?)
Don't know NES? Here's the site. Here's their awesome draft guide -- the very latest version. (Hat-tip to NES head honcho Matt Miller and his crew for the help this spring on draft prep.)
-- D.S.
Update: Can I just throw something out there about the Falcons and Matt Ryan? They're picking the wrong Matt! Understanding that Matt Ryan seems overvalued in a weak QB class and that the Falcons will likely be bad enough next year to have a Top 3 pick again, why wouldn't they save their "Franchise QB" chip for the REAL superstar QB named Matt: Georgia's Matt Stafford, who after the 2008 season should be viewed as the Top NFL QB prospect in college football. OK, yes, I'm kind of geeked up for the Draft -- enough that I'm already thinking about '09.
New Pro Football (Minor) League?
Why the NFL Draft Holds The Key
PFT's Florio has some interesting ideas about what would make a second pro football league work. This "UNFL" league is not quite there, despite a clever positioning as a "minor league." (I thought that was Arena League's function?)
Still, I can't help but go back to my go-to strategy: The only alternative pro football league that can possibly succeed will allow -- and recruit -- players otherwise draft-ineligible by the NFL.
That means college freshmen and sophomores -- and I'd even argue that with the rise of prep recruiting as its own massive industry, they should recruit high school seniors (like Terrelle Pryor, already a household name to football fans) go to from prep-to-pro.
Otherwise, "minor league" football just means "players not good enough make the NFL" -- it's hardly appealing, particularly given that the NFL seems to have zero interest in making the UNFL (or any other league beyond the one whose acronym is "NCAA") their minor league, officially or otherwise.
Instead, a start-up league needs to feature players who absolutely would make the NFL, but the NFL simply restrains from allowing in. Sure, your minor league can have UFAs or taxi-squad veterans, too. But the marquee young college players -- the ones who get fans (and NFL scouts) to tune in -- will be the key.
And the NFL -- with its draconian draft-eligibility rules -- has created an incredible opportunity for a rival: There isn't much competitive room left for anyone else in pro football, but this is a known and exposed flaw of the NFL that is just ripe to be taken advantage of.
It would actually improve the NFL: By allowing super-talented draft-ineligible college players -- the ones who would absolutely be drafted, if only the NFL let teams have the chance -- to ignore things irrelevant to their pro potential... like, um, college requirements... those players could focus entirely on their NFL development, coached by coaches focused entirely on their NFL development.
It is a 1- or 2- or 3-year experience that would have the players more ready to contribute immediately at the NFL level than college allows them to, while paying them really well for that training, compensation that doesn't even begin to account for endorsement dollars that they would instantly be eligible to generate.
It is fine for these superstars to cycle in and out after 1 or 2 or 3 years -- there will be a steady pipeline behind them. And, make no mistake, they will forego college for this TRUE minor league. Maybe after 1 year, maybe after 2 or 3.
It won't hurt college football: Like the NBA's relationship with college hoops has shown, fans of college sports tune in for -- all together now -- the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.
Only the very best players will opt for this new pro league, because only the very best players will be given signals from the marketplace that it is worth their time and risk to do it. Maybe that signal comes after a freshman year -- or even after a sophomore year. Still: Freshman and sophomore players with draft-worthy NFL talent would be better off turning pro with a minor-league dedicated to their talent (and financial) development than playing another year or two of college football.
Meanwhile, college football will roll on; without the previous stars in front of them, new stars will emerge -- it is an inevitability. And some players will skip out on the pro option altogether, because they love the college environment. That's fine -- more power to them! It's not for everyone. But it should be out there as an option for some.
The NFL's insistence on artificially limiting the market forces of their player development creates -- like any artificial limits placed on anything -- a unique opportunity to capitalize on it, creating value for the players and, ultimately, the NFL and its fans.
Until any of these so-called "minor" or "alternative" leagues take advantage of this NFL-sanctioned (and tacitly encouraged) arbitrage opportunity and pursue the recruitment of players otherwise locked out of the NFL Draft process, I can't take them seriously.
-- D.S.
Update: Already got an email from someone agreeing with the premise. Here was my reply:
Still, I can't help but go back to my go-to strategy: The only alternative pro football league that can possibly succeed will allow -- and recruit -- players otherwise draft-ineligible by the NFL.
That means college freshmen and sophomores -- and I'd even argue that with the rise of prep recruiting as its own massive industry, they should recruit high school seniors (like Terrelle Pryor, already a household name to football fans) go to from prep-to-pro.
Otherwise, "minor league" football just means "players not good enough make the NFL" -- it's hardly appealing, particularly given that the NFL seems to have zero interest in making the UNFL (or any other league beyond the one whose acronym is "NCAA") their minor league, officially or otherwise.
Instead, a start-up league needs to feature players who absolutely would make the NFL, but the NFL simply restrains from allowing in. Sure, your minor league can have UFAs or taxi-squad veterans, too. But the marquee young college players -- the ones who get fans (and NFL scouts) to tune in -- will be the key.
And the NFL -- with its draconian draft-eligibility rules -- has created an incredible opportunity for a rival: There isn't much competitive room left for anyone else in pro football, but this is a known and exposed flaw of the NFL that is just ripe to be taken advantage of.
It would actually improve the NFL: By allowing super-talented draft-ineligible college players -- the ones who would absolutely be drafted, if only the NFL let teams have the chance -- to ignore things irrelevant to their pro potential... like, um, college requirements... those players could focus entirely on their NFL development, coached by coaches focused entirely on their NFL development.
It is a 1- or 2- or 3-year experience that would have the players more ready to contribute immediately at the NFL level than college allows them to, while paying them really well for that training, compensation that doesn't even begin to account for endorsement dollars that they would instantly be eligible to generate.
It is fine for these superstars to cycle in and out after 1 or 2 or 3 years -- there will be a steady pipeline behind them. And, make no mistake, they will forego college for this TRUE minor league. Maybe after 1 year, maybe after 2 or 3.
It won't hurt college football: Like the NBA's relationship with college hoops has shown, fans of college sports tune in for -- all together now -- the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.
Only the very best players will opt for this new pro league, because only the very best players will be given signals from the marketplace that it is worth their time and risk to do it. Maybe that signal comes after a freshman year -- or even after a sophomore year. Still: Freshman and sophomore players with draft-worthy NFL talent would be better off turning pro with a minor-league dedicated to their talent (and financial) development than playing another year or two of college football.
Meanwhile, college football will roll on; without the previous stars in front of them, new stars will emerge -- it is an inevitability. And some players will skip out on the pro option altogether, because they love the college environment. That's fine -- more power to them! It's not for everyone. But it should be out there as an option for some.
The NFL's insistence on artificially limiting the market forces of their player development creates -- like any artificial limits placed on anything -- a unique opportunity to capitalize on it, creating value for the players and, ultimately, the NFL and its fans.
Until any of these so-called "minor" or "alternative" leagues take advantage of this NFL-sanctioned (and tacitly encouraged) arbitrage opportunity and pursue the recruitment of players otherwise locked out of the NFL Draft process, I can't take them seriously.
-- D.S.
Update: Already got an email from someone agreeing with the premise. Here was my reply:
Even if each team in a 4 or 6 or 8 team league had one "Beckham-rule"-style player, alongside a bunch of wannabes, why not?
Because here's the thing: You wouldn't just get a handful of early entrant players -- you'd probably get 15-20 (or more) in any given class. In a 4-team pro league, that's 5 guys per roster -- most college teams don't have 5 NFL-quality stars.
And as soon as you proved that players who go through the "development league" (or whatever) end up (a) making money immediately, (b) get drafted higher and (c) have better NFL careers faster, the best players would flood in.
I don't get why that isn't the first thing an alternative league promotes as a differentiator: We won't keep NFL-quality players out just because of their birthday. The key is to emphasize that these are NFL-quality players -- first-round material, future stars of the NFL that you can catch NOW, as they develop -- playing in the new league.
Friday 04/25 A.M. Quickie:
Draft, Wiz, Cliff Lee, Favre-Madden, More
I was putting together my SN column this morning and I included the annual "NFL Draft Buzzword Drinking Game" guide. I realized that this should be some sort of public wiki situation, where fans can create a massive and constantly updated list of buzzwords worthy of inclusion. Maybe next year.
Meanwhile, my lead is about the biggest impact player at the draft: The new 10-minute deadline between picks. Down from the endless 15-minute standard, I think this will make the draft a lot more enjoyable -- it would be even better if they made it 5 minutes.
And if they wanted to create the highest-rated sports-TV show in history, they would format the Draft to have 3 minutes per pick, with 2 minutes of on-screen advertising included in each 3-minute block -- almost all of the analysis can come after the first 90-minute first-round burst.
Minute 1: Analyze pick
Minute 2: Interview with athlete/GM/coach
Minute 3: Look-ahead to next pick.
If you've sat through the 15-minute (and even this new 10-minute) segment between picks (as I suspect almost all of you have), you know that there is about 1-2 minutes of good analysis, followed by fluff.
Meanwhile, which live-blogs will you be following? I'm going to try to post a small guide later today. (I won't be, but to the extent I can be sitting in front of the TV, I'm going to make it a Twitter-worthy event.)
Oh, KSK's surely makes my list.
More from today's column:
If every team was as insane as the Wizards, perhaps the NBA wouldn't be a niche sport... Cliff Lee is the first-month AL Cy Young winner... Frank Thomas will be awesome for the A's, just watch... Madden 09 having Brett Favre on the cover couldn't be more lame... Larry Brown is an idiot (but not as big of an idiot as any team that hires him)... T-Mac's effort in the 4th last night only silences his critics if the Rockets use last night's improbable win in Utah to springboard to an even more improbable series victory.
More tomorrow and Sunday, then back here Monday morning.
-- D.S.
Meanwhile, my lead is about the biggest impact player at the draft: The new 10-minute deadline between picks. Down from the endless 15-minute standard, I think this will make the draft a lot more enjoyable -- it would be even better if they made it 5 minutes.
And if they wanted to create the highest-rated sports-TV show in history, they would format the Draft to have 3 minutes per pick, with 2 minutes of on-screen advertising included in each 3-minute block -- almost all of the analysis can come after the first 90-minute first-round burst.
Minute 1: Analyze pick
Minute 2: Interview with athlete/GM/coach
Minute 3: Look-ahead to next pick.
If you've sat through the 15-minute (and even this new 10-minute) segment between picks (as I suspect almost all of you have), you know that there is about 1-2 minutes of good analysis, followed by fluff.
Meanwhile, which live-blogs will you be following? I'm going to try to post a small guide later today. (I won't be, but to the extent I can be sitting in front of the TV, I'm going to make it a Twitter-worthy event.)
Oh, KSK's surely makes my list.
More from today's column:
If every team was as insane as the Wizards, perhaps the NBA wouldn't be a niche sport... Cliff Lee is the first-month AL Cy Young winner... Frank Thomas will be awesome for the A's, just watch... Madden 09 having Brett Favre on the cover couldn't be more lame... Larry Brown is an idiot (but not as big of an idiot as any team that hires him)... T-Mac's effort in the 4th last night only silences his critics if the Rockets use last night's improbable win in Utah to springboard to an even more improbable series victory.
More tomorrow and Sunday, then back here Monday morning.
-- D.S.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
2008 Blogger NFL Draft
NBCSports.com's 2008 Blogger NFL Draft: I picked for the Jaguars at No. 26, but the whole thing is worth your time. (I am, by far, the least worthy person to be a part of this group, but I certainly enjoyed participating.)
Back at you: Who are your biggest Draft superstar locks (Darren McFadden, duh), "obvious" busts (Matt Ryan, duh) and sleepers? Put them in the Comments, and I'll update the Comments section all day long.
(Consider that this was a team's top blogger making their own pick for the team, regardless of reality. It's not a what-will-happen draft; it's a what-should-happen draft. BTW, "what-will-happen" mock drafts are even less accurate.)
-- D.S.
Back at you: Who are your biggest Draft superstar locks (Darren McFadden, duh), "obvious" busts (Matt Ryan, duh) and sleepers? Put them in the Comments, and I'll update the Comments section all day long.
(Consider that this was a team's top blogger making their own pick for the team, regardless of reality. It's not a what-will-happen draft; it's a what-should-happen draft. BTW, "what-will-happen" mock drafts are even less accurate.)
-- D.S.
Thursday 04/24 A.M. Quickie:
Lakers, Pac-Man, Walsh, Celtics, More
Oh wow, do red-eye flights suck. But enough complaining: Spencer Hall is pinch-hitting this morning for me at SportingNews.com, which I could never complain about.
Bleary-eyed and briefly:
Lakers beat Nuggets: I was watching this game at a sports bar in Denver, and you can feel the frustration from Nuggets fans about their team.
(But not nearly the frustration that they have in the Rockies' relief situation: I went to games the last two nights -- both blown saves. Ridiculous.)
Cowboys trade for Pac-Man Jones: Presumably, he will be taking the Michael Irvin Distinguished Professorship in Troublemaking.
Matt Walsh to talk with Roger Goodell, NFL: This will never happen, but they should stream the conversation live at NFL.com; it would set online-sports records for audience size.
NFL Draft: Are the Rams going to draft Glenn Dorsey? I hope they actually sign him before Saturday, and the "pre-draft" can continue to the Falcons.
Are the Packers going to sign Daunte Culpepper? That's a strong move.
Gee, thanks Trevor Hoffman: You blew Greg Maddux's shot at win No. 350. Speaking of milestone wins, Mike Mussina moved ahead of Bob Gibson on the career wins list.
(In 5-10 years, when it becomes obvious that Mussina will be the last pitcher ever to reach the 250-win plateau, will he make it to the Hall of Fame? Hell, 200 might be a stretch.)
Celtics, Pistons win in routs: The C's are on track for a sweep; the Pistons, obviously perturbed at the Game 1 result, might win in 5 after finding their focus.
Is Tony Stewart leaving Joe Gibbs Racing? That means the most charismatic (and interesting) NASCAR driver is up for grabs -- if I was an owner, I'd pay to get him.
CFB: Is there any greater sin than transferring from Michigan to Ohio State? Justin Boren will find out. I don't begrudge him for leaving Michigan -- Rich Rodriguez isn't everyone's taste -- but how could he go to Ohio State? That's not a transfer; that's an allergic reaction.
-- D.S.
Bleary-eyed and briefly:
Lakers beat Nuggets: I was watching this game at a sports bar in Denver, and you can feel the frustration from Nuggets fans about their team.
(But not nearly the frustration that they have in the Rockies' relief situation: I went to games the last two nights -- both blown saves. Ridiculous.)
Cowboys trade for Pac-Man Jones: Presumably, he will be taking the Michael Irvin Distinguished Professorship in Troublemaking.
Matt Walsh to talk with Roger Goodell, NFL: This will never happen, but they should stream the conversation live at NFL.com; it would set online-sports records for audience size.
NFL Draft: Are the Rams going to draft Glenn Dorsey? I hope they actually sign him before Saturday, and the "pre-draft" can continue to the Falcons.
Are the Packers going to sign Daunte Culpepper? That's a strong move.
Gee, thanks Trevor Hoffman: You blew Greg Maddux's shot at win No. 350. Speaking of milestone wins, Mike Mussina moved ahead of Bob Gibson on the career wins list.
(In 5-10 years, when it becomes obvious that Mussina will be the last pitcher ever to reach the 250-win plateau, will he make it to the Hall of Fame? Hell, 200 might be a stretch.)
Celtics, Pistons win in routs: The C's are on track for a sweep; the Pistons, obviously perturbed at the Game 1 result, might win in 5 after finding their focus.
Is Tony Stewart leaving Joe Gibbs Racing? That means the most charismatic (and interesting) NASCAR driver is up for grabs -- if I was an owner, I'd pay to get him.
CFB: Is there any greater sin than transferring from Michigan to Ohio State? Justin Boren will find out. I don't begrudge him for leaving Michigan -- Rich Rodriguez isn't everyone's taste -- but how could he go to Ohio State? That's not a transfer; that's an allergic reaction.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wednesday 04/23 A.M. Quickie:
Long, Spurs, CP3, Lupul, Vikings, More
Today's Names to Know in today's Sporting News column:
Jake Long, Spurs, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Joffrey Lupul, Jeremy Roenick, John Smoltz, Brandon Webb, Jacoby Ellsbury, Casey Blake, Frank Thomas, Cynthia Rodriguez, Kevin Garnett, Mike Bibby, Jared Allen, Chad Johnson, Shaun Alexander, Howard Schultz, John Arne Riise, Spencer Hall and More!
Including:
Why the NFL "Pre-Draft" trumps the real Draft...
What the Rams should do with the No. 2 pick...
Why Chris Paul is superior to Dwight Howard...
Why Joffrey Lopul gets free drinks on Broad St...
Why John Smoltz joins elite company...
Why Brandon Webb is part of the best 1-2 in MLB...
Why Cynthia Rodriguez is more clutch than A-Rod...
Why Kevin Garnett deserved the hardware...
Why Mike Bibby is only half-right about Boston fans...
Why Shaun Alexander his a has-been...
Why the Champions League is kind of awesome...
Why Spencer Hall is the new Dan Shanoff...
And a lot more... after the jump.
More later today: I'm curious for your take on the Bibby item in the column. Also, who would you take with the No. 2 pick if you were the Rams (if you use the pick at all...)
Oh: If you haven't seen this Steve Nash "$6 Million Man" take-off video, it's awesome. (The Amare and Raja cameos are the best part... just enough silly.) There: You've done your part for Earth Day (belatedly).
-- D.S.
Jake Long, Spurs, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Joffrey Lupul, Jeremy Roenick, John Smoltz, Brandon Webb, Jacoby Ellsbury, Casey Blake, Frank Thomas, Cynthia Rodriguez, Kevin Garnett, Mike Bibby, Jared Allen, Chad Johnson, Shaun Alexander, Howard Schultz, John Arne Riise, Spencer Hall and More!
Including:
Why the NFL "Pre-Draft" trumps the real Draft...
What the Rams should do with the No. 2 pick...
Why Chris Paul is superior to Dwight Howard...
Why Joffrey Lopul gets free drinks on Broad St...
Why John Smoltz joins elite company...
Why Brandon Webb is part of the best 1-2 in MLB...
Why Cynthia Rodriguez is more clutch than A-Rod...
Why Kevin Garnett deserved the hardware...
Why Mike Bibby is only half-right about Boston fans...
Why Shaun Alexander his a has-been...
Why the Champions League is kind of awesome...
Why Spencer Hall is the new Dan Shanoff...
And a lot more... after the jump.
More later today: I'm curious for your take on the Bibby item in the column. Also, who would you take with the No. 2 pick if you were the Rams (if you use the pick at all...)
Oh: If you haven't seen this Steve Nash "$6 Million Man" take-off video, it's awesome. (The Amare and Raja cameos are the best part... just enough silly.) There: You've done your part for Earth Day (belatedly).
-- D.S.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Tuesday 04/22 A.M. Quickie:
Jazz, Cavs, Ovie, NFL Draft, More
I figure 3-plus years is long enough self-imposed purgatory to break out the "series over" tag -- no one seriously gives the Rockets a chance to come back after losing 2 straight at home to the Jazz, do they? And, frankly, the Cavs seem to own the Wizards, too, after last night's record 30-point ass-kicking.
Still, stranger things have happened, like the Caps taking a 3-1 series deficit to Game 7 in D.C. tonight -- or trying to make sense of the misdirection at the top of the NFL Draft... or trying to make sense of Obama, Clinton and McCain doing WWE promos. It's all in today's Sporting News column, available by 9-ish. There's a ton more in there, too.
If you live in Pennsylvania, don't forget to vote. (As if you could.)
-- D.S.
Still, stranger things have happened, like the Caps taking a 3-1 series deficit to Game 7 in D.C. tonight -- or trying to make sense of the misdirection at the top of the NFL Draft... or trying to make sense of Obama, Clinton and McCain doing WWE promos. It's all in today's Sporting News column, available by 9-ish. There's a ton more in there, too.
If you live in Pennsylvania, don't forget to vote. (As if you could.)
-- D.S.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Monday 04/21 A.M. Quickie:
Gasol, Danica, Big Hurt, Draft, More
Today's Names to Know in today's Sporting News column:
Pau Gasol, Sixers, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Spurs-Suns, Danica Patrick, Habs-Bruins, Jared Allen, Jason Taylor, Eli Manning, Lorena Ochoa, Aaron Harang, Chase Utley, David Ortiz and More!
Including:
Pau Gasol IS the Lakers' missing ingredient...
The Sixers enjoy more than moral victory...
Chris Paul and Dwight Howard are even better now...
I'm no NHL fanatic, but I love NHL Game 7s...
Eli Manning is better prepped for marriage than most...
Why I am not making fun of Big Papi anymore...
And here's an interesting one: Danica Patrick may have had the best weekend of the year of any woman in sports, but Lorena Ochoa had the best weekend of the year in women's sports.
A lot more in the column, after the jump.
I'm traveling back from Gainesville to NYC this afternoon, so posting may be light. If you have way too much time on your hands, there's always my TMI interview from Friday with the Northwestern football blog, Lake The Posts.
-- D.S.
Pau Gasol, Sixers, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Spurs-Suns, Danica Patrick, Habs-Bruins, Jared Allen, Jason Taylor, Eli Manning, Lorena Ochoa, Aaron Harang, Chase Utley, David Ortiz and More!
Including:
Pau Gasol IS the Lakers' missing ingredient...
The Sixers enjoy more than moral victory...
Chris Paul and Dwight Howard are even better now...
I'm no NHL fanatic, but I love NHL Game 7s...
Eli Manning is better prepped for marriage than most...
Why I am not making fun of Big Papi anymore...
And here's an interesting one: Danica Patrick may have had the best weekend of the year of any woman in sports, but Lorena Ochoa had the best weekend of the year in women's sports.
A lot more in the column, after the jump.
I'm traveling back from Gainesville to NYC this afternoon, so posting may be light. If you have way too much time on your hands, there's always my TMI interview from Friday with the Northwestern football blog, Lake The Posts.
-- D.S.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sunday 04/20 (Very) Quickie
If yesterday's Spurs-Suns game was a Game 7 -- particularly a conference finals Game7 -- we would be talking about it as one of the greatest games in NBA history.
The NBA got the next-best thing: As the kick-off to the playoff season, the NBA and its fans couldn't have gotten off to a more exciting start. Now, you can't possibly miss a Suns-Spurs game, for fear of missing something -- to use the cliche -- "amazing happening."
It was arguably the best game of the 2007-08 season. And as great as Ginobili was in OT (especially the second), that Tim Duncan 3 was the signature moment of the game -- perhaps the playoffs: Expect players to raise their games.
And Cavs-Wiz wasn't bad either: It was a little bit of an uglier game, but it featured a big performance by LeBron (for the final 3 quarters), including a dunk finish off an alley-oop that will probably go down as one of the Top 5 "signature" in-game dunks of LeBron's career. You didn't need to watch the game (though I did) to capture its essence in that dunk -- the ultimate response to the Wizards' pre-series trash-talk.
And just think: The Lakers don't even tip until later today.
(More: Huge wins for the Hornets -- off to the best start possible in their first-round series -- and the Jazz -- with a punch to the face to the Rockets in Houston, taking back home-court advantage...just like that.)
Danica Patrick breaks the "rubber-tire ceiling," becoming the first woman ever to win an IndyCar event.
You don't have to be a hockey fan to want/need to tune in for Canadiens-Bruins Game 7 tomorrow night.
MLB: Andy Sonnanstine! Tim Lincecum! 6th save for Gagne?! And David Ortiz is heating up with a vengeance...
-- D.S.
The NBA got the next-best thing: As the kick-off to the playoff season, the NBA and its fans couldn't have gotten off to a more exciting start. Now, you can't possibly miss a Suns-Spurs game, for fear of missing something -- to use the cliche -- "amazing happening."
It was arguably the best game of the 2007-08 season. And as great as Ginobili was in OT (especially the second), that Tim Duncan 3 was the signature moment of the game -- perhaps the playoffs: Expect players to raise their games.
And Cavs-Wiz wasn't bad either: It was a little bit of an uglier game, but it featured a big performance by LeBron (for the final 3 quarters), including a dunk finish off an alley-oop that will probably go down as one of the Top 5 "signature" in-game dunks of LeBron's career. You didn't need to watch the game (though I did) to capture its essence in that dunk -- the ultimate response to the Wizards' pre-series trash-talk.
And just think: The Lakers don't even tip until later today.
(More: Huge wins for the Hornets -- off to the best start possible in their first-round series -- and the Jazz -- with a punch to the face to the Rockets in Houston, taking back home-court advantage...just like that.)
Danica Patrick breaks the "rubber-tire ceiling," becoming the first woman ever to win an IndyCar event.
You don't have to be a hockey fan to want/need to tune in for Canadiens-Bruins Game 7 tomorrow night.
MLB: Andy Sonnanstine! Tim Lincecum! 6th save for Gagne?! And David Ortiz is heating up with a vengeance...
-- D.S.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Saturday 04/19 (Very) Quickie
Isiah Thomas is out as Knicks coach: Years late is better than never. The Knicks can begin to rebuild -- and restore -- their franchise, and I'm betting Mark Jackson is tabbed to coach the team. Memo to Donnie Walsh: Contrary to myth, Knicks fans aren't afraid of "rebuilding." Sure beats whatever they would call the last few years.
MLB Last Night: Chipper Jones hits 2 HR (again)... Johan Ks 10... Aha! Big Papi hits a grand slam; maybe this will bust him out of his slump (and raises his average to a whopping .134)... Tom Glavine on the DL? That's weird... Joe Saunders!...
NBA Playoffs start today: Wiz-Cavs leads it all off, with Spurs-Suns Game 1 as the headliner. Go Wiz. (And while I picked the Spurs to repeat -- ugh -- I would really like to see the Suns win. So much better for fans, the NBA, everything.)
NBA owners approve Sonics move to Oklahoma City: Of course they did. There but for the grace of Stern go they...
Chris Douglas-Roberts turning pro: Just after Derrick Rose, CDR had THE break-out performance of the NCAA Tournament. How could NBA scouts not love his length and finishing ability? (Free throws need some work, obviously.)
Luc Mbah a Moute turning pro, too: After he, Love, Collison and Westbrook all leave, you will see just how good Ben Howland is -- he will have a very similar problem to Billy Donovan, having to rebuild with a talented, but green, freshman class.
How big will that coin-toss putting the Knicks over the Clips and T'wolves over the Grizzlies end up factoring in the Draft? Assuming none make the Top 3 (which isn't a particularly solid assumption), the question is: Do the pairs of teams cross-over for draft needs? Example: The Grizz need frontcourt help to replace Gasol; the T'wolves already have Al Jefferson.
Broncos sign Darrell Jackson: And, as I'm in Gainesville this weekend, you know this is well-received. (Wow, no pun intended, and forgive it.)
-- D.S.
MLB Last Night: Chipper Jones hits 2 HR (again)... Johan Ks 10... Aha! Big Papi hits a grand slam; maybe this will bust him out of his slump (and raises his average to a whopping .134)... Tom Glavine on the DL? That's weird... Joe Saunders!...
NBA Playoffs start today: Wiz-Cavs leads it all off, with Spurs-Suns Game 1 as the headliner. Go Wiz. (And while I picked the Spurs to repeat -- ugh -- I would really like to see the Suns win. So much better for fans, the NBA, everything.)
NBA owners approve Sonics move to Oklahoma City: Of course they did. There but for the grace of Stern go they...
Chris Douglas-Roberts turning pro: Just after Derrick Rose, CDR had THE break-out performance of the NCAA Tournament. How could NBA scouts not love his length and finishing ability? (Free throws need some work, obviously.)
Luc Mbah a Moute turning pro, too: After he, Love, Collison and Westbrook all leave, you will see just how good Ben Howland is -- he will have a very similar problem to Billy Donovan, having to rebuild with a talented, but green, freshman class.
How big will that coin-toss putting the Knicks over the Clips and T'wolves over the Grizzlies end up factoring in the Draft? Assuming none make the Top 3 (which isn't a particularly solid assumption), the question is: Do the pairs of teams cross-over for draft needs? Example: The Grizz need frontcourt help to replace Gasol; the T'wolves already have Al Jefferson.
Broncos sign Darrell Jackson: And, as I'm in Gainesville this weekend, you know this is well-received. (Wow, no pun intended, and forgive it.)
-- D.S.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Friday Mania
Sorry for the late post - I've been traveling all morning, headed for Gainesville (where else?)
Head over to SportingNews.com for today's column, led by my NBA playoff picks and the tough "win-or-else" spot the Celtics are in.
Meanwhile, the Northwestern football blog Lake The Posts has a long Q and A with me, if you're curious. (Laketheposts.com).
More once I'm off the road. Someone text Tebow I'm coming to town...
- D.S.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Thursday, April 17, 2008
On Barack Obama, Politics and Sports Fans
UPDATE to yesterday's late post about ESPN cancelling a scheduled podcast interview between Barack Obama and Bill Simmons.
There's a theory that fans don't want to mix politics and sports. First of all, a conversation with Obama could/would have been entirely about basketball, because the interviewer is a basketball fan -- it is why Obama's hoops passion has been a popular meme for bloggers for the last year (or more).
Second, I disagree with that premise -- I'm a politics junkie AND a sports fan. And there is more interest in politics now -- among the public at large -- than there has been in a long time, and I presume that there are at least a few sports fans who also care about politics this year. Do fans want me to mix "David Ortiz is struggling" with "McCain's economic plan is sketchy?" Of course not.
But given Obama's passion for basketball (and sports more generally -- as a fan), I think talking about the intersection of Obama's interests (sports) and fans' interests (sports) is no more out of bounds than talking with Will Ferrell about his love of USC football while Ferrell is trying to promote his new movie. Everyone has an agenda -- it's up to the interviewer not to blindly play to it... and up to fans to recognize it.
(Last point: I haven't seen anyone else pick up on this, but please note that there was no apparent problem with "politics" when leveraging Obama's popularity by putting him at the beginning of that Monday Night Football broadcast back in the fall of 2006.)
-- D.S.
There's a theory that fans don't want to mix politics and sports. First of all, a conversation with Obama could/would have been entirely about basketball, because the interviewer is a basketball fan -- it is why Obama's hoops passion has been a popular meme for bloggers for the last year (or more).
Second, I disagree with that premise -- I'm a politics junkie AND a sports fan. And there is more interest in politics now -- among the public at large -- than there has been in a long time, and I presume that there are at least a few sports fans who also care about politics this year. Do fans want me to mix "David Ortiz is struggling" with "McCain's economic plan is sketchy?" Of course not.
But given Obama's passion for basketball (and sports more generally -- as a fan), I think talking about the intersection of Obama's interests (sports) and fans' interests (sports) is no more out of bounds than talking with Will Ferrell about his love of USC football while Ferrell is trying to promote his new movie. Everyone has an agenda -- it's up to the interviewer not to blindly play to it... and up to fans to recognize it.
(Last point: I haven't seen anyone else pick up on this, but please note that there was no apparent problem with "politics" when leveraging Obama's popularity by putting him at the beginning of that Monday Night Football broadcast back in the fall of 2006.)
-- D.S.
Why The NBA Is Backed Into The Corner
With Lakers-Celtics the only NBA Finals outcome that has a remote chance of having appeal with non-avid NBA fans nationwide, the NBA is in a bit of a tight spot:
Either they can reject the "history" angle and end up with TV ratings like last year's Finals or embrace the history and essentially say: "Remember how good the NBA used to be?"
Here's what I wrote in the SN column today:
-- D.S.
Either they can reject the "history" angle and end up with TV ratings like last year's Finals or embrace the history and essentially say: "Remember how good the NBA used to be?"
Here's what I wrote in the SN column today:
Nope: "Back to the Future" is the NBA's only option. And that's kind of pathetic, like the fan approaching 40 who can't get over their high school glory days.Thoughts on this? And please keep in mind that I'm not talking about avid NBA fan interest in the playoffs, which will be there no matter who is playing. I'm talking about reaching the casual fan -- particularly the younger casual fan.
It is a testament to the hollowness of the NBA's so-called revival this season that its best playoff outcome leans on fan nostalgia for the mid-1980s.
(And not even every fan -- if you're under 30, you have little or no recollection of why Lakers-Celtics is the NBA's best rivalry. And if you're over 30, no one under 30 wants to hear your pull-the-ladder-up-behind-you stories about how great the NBA used to be.)
"Where 1987 Happens" is not what I think the NBA had in mind as its 2008 playoff marketing slogan.
-- D.S.
Thursday 04/17 A.M. Quickie:
NBA Playoffs, MLB, Kevin Love, More
The NBA better hope for Lakers-Celtics in the Finals to be the outcome of this playoffs season.
(And that's kind of pathetic, don't you think?)
That's the gist of the lead item of my Sporting News column this morning.
Among other topics:
I give Al Horford NBA Rookie of the Year ahead of Kevin Durant (go ahead and act surprised)...
I praise Brandon Webb and bury Barry Zito...
I salute the Penguins...
I feel simultaneously good and bad about Kevin Love's decision to turn pro...
I question Mitch Mustain's decision-making ability...
I renew my offer to meet with Barack Obama...
Bonus Post on the Obama thing coming later today, btw.
-- D.S.
(And that's kind of pathetic, don't you think?)
That's the gist of the lead item of my Sporting News column this morning.
Among other topics:
I give Al Horford NBA Rookie of the Year ahead of Kevin Durant (go ahead and act surprised)...
I praise Brandon Webb and bury Barry Zito...
I salute the Penguins...
I feel simultaneously good and bad about Kevin Love's decision to turn pro...
I question Mitch Mustain's decision-making ability...
I renew my offer to meet with Barack Obama...
Bonus Post on the Obama thing coming later today, btw.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Barack Obama Is Free To Talk With Me
I mean, if Barack Obama has got this sudden hole in his media schedule, I'm quite sure I can get permission to talk with Obama, the nation's leading basketball junkie. (Barack: Call me!)
Wednesday 04/16 A.M. Quickie:
NFL Sked, NBA West, MLB Drama, More
Highlights from today's Sporting News column:
I'm sorry, I just can't get excited about the release of the NFL schedule...
Maybe Kobe deserved my MVP vote after all...
Is it the last day of Isiah's reign in New York?...
Pedro Feliz!
Randy Wolf!
David Wright!
Jason Varitek!
Micah Owings!
Tiger's knee surgery just ruined the next 4-6 weeks of golf...
Derrick Rose is the best PG prospect since Jason Kidd...
(Yes, that includes Chris Paul...)
(No, I'm not saying Rose is better than Chris Paul, but I am saying that coming out of college, Rose seems like the better NBA prospect than Paul was coming out of college...)
Joe Thornton!
And more... after the jump!
More later today.
-- D.S.
I'm sorry, I just can't get excited about the release of the NFL schedule...
Maybe Kobe deserved my MVP vote after all...
Is it the last day of Isiah's reign in New York?...
Pedro Feliz!
Randy Wolf!
David Wright!
Jason Varitek!
Micah Owings!
Tiger's knee surgery just ruined the next 4-6 weeks of golf...
Derrick Rose is the best PG prospect since Jason Kidd...
(Yes, that includes Chris Paul...)
(No, I'm not saying Rose is better than Chris Paul, but I am saying that coming out of college, Rose seems like the better NBA prospect than Paul was coming out of college...)
Joe Thornton!
And more... after the jump!
More later today.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Tuesday 04/15 A.M. Quickie:
NBA MVP, Melo, Ortiz, Greinke, Beasley
Today's Names to Know in today's Sporting News column:
Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, David Ortiz, Randy Johnson, Zack Greinke, Alex Rodriguez, Michael Beasley, Sean Avery, Atlanta Hawks and More!
Including:
Why Chris Paul is my NBA MVP ahead of Kobe...
(TAKE THE POLL ON THE RIGHT!)
Why Carmelo is an idiot...
Why David Ortiz is the new Mario Mendoza...
Why Randy Johnson is only "sort of" back...
Why Zack Greinke is the best of the AL...
Why A-Rod is already among immortals...
Why Michael Beasley is better than Kevin Durant...
Why Sean Avery is hockey's douchebag...
Why the Hawks fans are celebrating...
And more... after the jump!
If you haven't read it, yesterday afternoon, I posted a fairly long analysis of the ongoing transformation in the sports-media industry, siphoning influence from mainstream media opinion-makers. It's directly below this post.
More later.
-- D.S.
Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, David Ortiz, Randy Johnson, Zack Greinke, Alex Rodriguez, Michael Beasley, Sean Avery, Atlanta Hawks and More!
Including:
Why Chris Paul is my NBA MVP ahead of Kobe...
(TAKE THE POLL ON THE RIGHT!)
Why Carmelo is an idiot...
Why David Ortiz is the new Mario Mendoza...
Why Randy Johnson is only "sort of" back...
Why Zack Greinke is the best of the AL...
Why A-Rod is already among immortals...
Why Michael Beasley is better than Kevin Durant...
Why Sean Avery is hockey's douchebag...
Why the Hawks fans are celebrating...
And more... after the jump!
If you haven't read it, yesterday afternoon, I posted a fairly long analysis of the ongoing transformation in the sports-media industry, siphoning influence from mainstream media opinion-makers. It's directly below this post.
More later.
-- D.S.
Monday, April 14, 2008
On Rick Reilly, Big Daddy Drew and the Demise of the Newspaper Sports Columnist
So Big Daddy Drew had this post on Deadspin last week talking about Rick Reilly's rant against bloggers, among others. It's worth a read, and I wanted to add on a few thoughts that are by no means complete, but possibly pushing the discussion forward:
I used to think that sports reporting -- beat-writing -- had become commodified: As fast as a story could be "broken," I could have the story and my opinion about it on my blog.
Then I reminded myself that punditry everywhere -- on blogs, TV, the back of SI, whatever -- would be nowhere without that initial reporting. It is less valuable to the original source, but not commodified. Whether you are a mainstream sports columnist or a blogger, you really don't have much to say without that beat reporting.
No, where the real commodification exists is in sports opinion.
Platform no longer matters, really. It used to be that your local newspaper columnist had the authoritative say, if only because he was the only one with the platform.
Now, not only does anyone have a platform, but the best opinion on any given subject is better than what the traditional columnists will put out. The numbers won't let it happen: The more participants, the more entries at BOTH ends of the spectrum:
Obviously, some blog sports opinion is terrible. (As has been pointed out, just like some traditional media sports opinion is terrible.)
But when you find the best, it is better than anything coming from a single mainstream sports voice -- particularly when that single voice is addicted to suckling the teats of either conventional wisdom or kneejerk contrarianism.
Back to my original point: Finding great sports commentary is really really hard. (For a real treat, try transcribing any argument made on TV by a sports pundit -- then remember that sports punditry on TV is typically about entertainment, not smart.)
What is great? Fresh helps (although I build my Quickie franchise on being first, but the decision to be shallow totally undercut that effort).
But "fresh" is more than first: It's a new way of looking at a story -- and it only gets harder as more voices join the cacaphony.
(I love PTI as much as everyone else, but that show is really about the relationship between the hosts; it almost doesn't matter WHAT they say. Consider the last time they advanced something where you said, "Hadn't heard THAT before!")
Within the mainstream sports media opinion world, the emphasis on TV has been on being entertaining, not being interesting or thought-provoking; the emphasis in newspapers has been, let's face it, on trying to get on TV.
Even within blogs, the emphasis mostly has been on being fast or first -- I appreciate that helps to become (or drive) the conversation (and it might even help a site's traffic), but it doesn't necessarily lend itself to consistently great posts.
(It's funny: In the same way that the best blog posts on a particular topic are better than the average mainstream local sports columnist on a particular topic, the best blog comments are regularly better than the best blog post itself -- why great "comments" sections create as much value for a site as the original posts themselves.)
Here is why sports columnists are the ones who rip bloggers: It is THEIR job -- way more than the beat reporter's job -- that is being obliterated by the open-access platforms like blogging. Those columnists are, as they should be, freaked.
They are highly paid -- often the highest-paid people in the sports department. Their ability to drive readers or sales or advertising dollars is, at best, sketchy (if not mythical altogether). Most have one eye on the TV camera or radio deal (which has always made me consider the paradox of the sports-TV pundit who doubles as a full-time newspaper columnist: Either they are phoning in their column now that their time is spent on TV or they were phoning it in before they went on TV -- which was it? It has to be one.)
The best newspapers get it: They let the beat reporters blog, injecting their constant reports with as much opinion (and often clever insights) as their otherwise stodgy editors will allow. It's actually a fantastic model: Give the guys with their ear closest to the ground the additional opportunity to offer opinion -- why do you need a columnist?
(Now, granted, newspaper sports sections are still mostly run by change-averse drones who have little grasp of the power of new-media platforms. However, the newspapers doing this best are REALLY doing great work. One example: The Washington Post's experiments with a beat guy like Svrluga. It takes a reporter who has the time, effort and confidence to pull it off.)
Either that, or finally admit that the 800-word column is dead: 90 percent of the time, the columnist is filling the space with extraneous filler. The "Quickie" style may be TOO shallow, but the reason its brevity connected with so many consumers is because they recognized that, in the end, if you can't make your point in 50 words or less, it ain't worth making. The only reason mainstream sports columnists can't get away with that now is because they and their editors somehow equate length with quality (and, presumably, length with compensation).
That, and the fact that an almighty mainstream sports columnist writing 50-word opinions would be exposed as... just another mediocre blogger.
And why should fans bother to read the mediocre ones when they have so many better choices right now?
That's what should scare columnists about their future: As more people enter the punditry game, the existing players move further and further from the top Nth percentile. When they were the only game in town, that place was theirs exclusively; now that they aren't, they slide down the scale -- decreased column quality because of their TV and radio gigs doesn't help.
But even if they were at the very top of their game, the best of the new voices would provide an equal -- if not more compelling -- alternative.
Big Daddy Drew's post -- a take-down of the quintessential sports columnist of the last quarter-century, in addition to the system that he represents -- was more symbolic than Drew probably intended, and it reinforces what we have seen coming for the last few years. With apologies to John Lennon:
The Era of the Mainstream Sports Columnist is Over. (If you want it to be.) Every time you find a better take on a story from a blogger than the one proffered by your local sports columnist -- or national TV pundit -- you contribute to it.
-- D.S.
I used to think that sports reporting -- beat-writing -- had become commodified: As fast as a story could be "broken," I could have the story and my opinion about it on my blog.
Then I reminded myself that punditry everywhere -- on blogs, TV, the back of SI, whatever -- would be nowhere without that initial reporting. It is less valuable to the original source, but not commodified. Whether you are a mainstream sports columnist or a blogger, you really don't have much to say without that beat reporting.
No, where the real commodification exists is in sports opinion.
Platform no longer matters, really. It used to be that your local newspaper columnist had the authoritative say, if only because he was the only one with the platform.
Now, not only does anyone have a platform, but the best opinion on any given subject is better than what the traditional columnists will put out. The numbers won't let it happen: The more participants, the more entries at BOTH ends of the spectrum:
Obviously, some blog sports opinion is terrible. (As has been pointed out, just like some traditional media sports opinion is terrible.)
But when you find the best, it is better than anything coming from a single mainstream sports voice -- particularly when that single voice is addicted to suckling the teats of either conventional wisdom or kneejerk contrarianism.
Back to my original point: Finding great sports commentary is really really hard. (For a real treat, try transcribing any argument made on TV by a sports pundit -- then remember that sports punditry on TV is typically about entertainment, not smart.)
What is great? Fresh helps (although I build my Quickie franchise on being first, but the decision to be shallow totally undercut that effort).
But "fresh" is more than first: It's a new way of looking at a story -- and it only gets harder as more voices join the cacaphony.
(I love PTI as much as everyone else, but that show is really about the relationship between the hosts; it almost doesn't matter WHAT they say. Consider the last time they advanced something where you said, "Hadn't heard THAT before!")
Within the mainstream sports media opinion world, the emphasis on TV has been on being entertaining, not being interesting or thought-provoking; the emphasis in newspapers has been, let's face it, on trying to get on TV.
Even within blogs, the emphasis mostly has been on being fast or first -- I appreciate that helps to become (or drive) the conversation (and it might even help a site's traffic), but it doesn't necessarily lend itself to consistently great posts.
(It's funny: In the same way that the best blog posts on a particular topic are better than the average mainstream local sports columnist on a particular topic, the best blog comments are regularly better than the best blog post itself -- why great "comments" sections create as much value for a site as the original posts themselves.)
Here is why sports columnists are the ones who rip bloggers: It is THEIR job -- way more than the beat reporter's job -- that is being obliterated by the open-access platforms like blogging. Those columnists are, as they should be, freaked.
They are highly paid -- often the highest-paid people in the sports department. Their ability to drive readers or sales or advertising dollars is, at best, sketchy (if not mythical altogether). Most have one eye on the TV camera or radio deal (which has always made me consider the paradox of the sports-TV pundit who doubles as a full-time newspaper columnist: Either they are phoning in their column now that their time is spent on TV or they were phoning it in before they went on TV -- which was it? It has to be one.)
The best newspapers get it: They let the beat reporters blog, injecting their constant reports with as much opinion (and often clever insights) as their otherwise stodgy editors will allow. It's actually a fantastic model: Give the guys with their ear closest to the ground the additional opportunity to offer opinion -- why do you need a columnist?
(Now, granted, newspaper sports sections are still mostly run by change-averse drones who have little grasp of the power of new-media platforms. However, the newspapers doing this best are REALLY doing great work. One example: The Washington Post's experiments with a beat guy like Svrluga. It takes a reporter who has the time, effort and confidence to pull it off.)
Either that, or finally admit that the 800-word column is dead: 90 percent of the time, the columnist is filling the space with extraneous filler. The "Quickie" style may be TOO shallow, but the reason its brevity connected with so many consumers is because they recognized that, in the end, if you can't make your point in 50 words or less, it ain't worth making. The only reason mainstream sports columnists can't get away with that now is because they and their editors somehow equate length with quality (and, presumably, length with compensation).
That, and the fact that an almighty mainstream sports columnist writing 50-word opinions would be exposed as... just another mediocre blogger.
And why should fans bother to read the mediocre ones when they have so many better choices right now?
That's what should scare columnists about their future: As more people enter the punditry game, the existing players move further and further from the top Nth percentile. When they were the only game in town, that place was theirs exclusively; now that they aren't, they slide down the scale -- decreased column quality because of their TV and radio gigs doesn't help.
But even if they were at the very top of their game, the best of the new voices would provide an equal -- if not more compelling -- alternative.
Big Daddy Drew's post -- a take-down of the quintessential sports columnist of the last quarter-century, in addition to the system that he represents -- was more symbolic than Drew probably intended, and it reinforces what we have seen coming for the last few years. With apologies to John Lennon:
The Era of the Mainstream Sports Columnist is Over. (If you want it to be.) Every time you find a better take on a story from a blogger than the one proffered by your local sports columnist -- or national TV pundit -- you contribute to it.
-- D.S.
Monday 04/14 A.M. Quickie:
Immelman, Lakers, Kapler, Beasley, More
Today's Names to Know in today's Sporting News column:
Trevor Immelman, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, David Ortiz, Francisco Liriano, Brian Bannister, Tim Lincecum, Javier Vazquez, Greg Maddux, Jeff Neimann, Michael Beasley, Pac-Man Jones, Percy Harvin, Seattle Sonics, Calgary Flames and More!
Including:
Why it was "The Meh-sters"...
Why the "Anyone But Tiger" camp won...
Why the Lakers sealed the deal...
Why the Nuggets did too...
Why Cavs-Wiz will be epic...
Why Francisco Liriano ain't the same...
Why Brian Bannister is the new Greg Maddux...
Why Greg Maddux is the old Greg Maddux...
Why Jeff Neimann is the new Evan Longoria...
Why Michael Beasley is obviously going pro...
Why the Gators' offense just got even better...
Why the Calgary Flames are clutch...
Why Seattle NBA fans rule...
And more... after the jump!
More later today. Don't forget to scroll down to see what you missed from the weekend (including a full-on admission that Saturday's Florida Spring Game couldn't possibly have been interesting to anyone but Gator fans). Also, there's a new Varsity Dad post up, for those of you who follow that blog.
-- D.S.
Trevor Immelman, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, David Ortiz, Francisco Liriano, Brian Bannister, Tim Lincecum, Javier Vazquez, Greg Maddux, Jeff Neimann, Michael Beasley, Pac-Man Jones, Percy Harvin, Seattle Sonics, Calgary Flames and More!
Including:
Why it was "The Meh-sters"...
Why the "Anyone But Tiger" camp won...
Why the Lakers sealed the deal...
Why the Nuggets did too...
Why Cavs-Wiz will be epic...
Why Francisco Liriano ain't the same...
Why Brian Bannister is the new Greg Maddux...
Why Greg Maddux is the old Greg Maddux...
Why Jeff Neimann is the new Evan Longoria...
Why Michael Beasley is obviously going pro...
Why the Gators' offense just got even better...
Why the Calgary Flames are clutch...
Why Seattle NBA fans rule...
And more... after the jump!
More later today. Don't forget to scroll down to see what you missed from the weekend (including a full-on admission that Saturday's Florida Spring Game couldn't possibly have been interesting to anyone but Gator fans). Also, there's a new Varsity Dad post up, for those of you who follow that blog.
-- D.S.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Sunday 04/13 (Very) Quickie
Masters: Tiger is six shots behind Trevor Immelman; seems to me he's got him right where he wants him.
NBA: That was fast -- the Nuggets lost their hold on 8th in the West, losing at Utah while the Warriors beat the Clippers in Oakland. Two games to play for each... The Hornets lost in Sacto, putting them in a tie for first in the West with the Lakers, who play the Spurs today.
MLB: Jeff Francoeur... Gavin Floyd... Justin Upton... Carlos Silva... Bill Hall (and Gabe Kapler!)... Yankees-Red Sox? Still can't get into it...
Frozen Four: B.C. wins the title!
"Revelations" of steroid use in the track world simply don't faze me anymore: Marion Jones? Maurice Greene? Can't we just assume the entire sport is tainted and leave it there?
NFL: Pac-Man Jones wants back in, and he'll re-apply for admission Tuesday. I think Roger Goodell will let him in, but with a quick hook in place.
CFB Spring Games: I happily watched ESPN's love-fest in Gainesville yesterday, but I found myself wondering why any other CFB fan -- no matter how jonesing for college football you might be -- would want to watch. They poured a lot of Florida down viewers' throats.
Tebow looked OK -- he was under the weather; but the real stars were Chris "Poor Man's Percy Harvin" Rainey and USC transfer RB Emmanuel Moody. Kirk Herbstreit, who historically is no fan of Florida, said they had the best offense in the country. We'll see.
There was a lot of talk about the SEC; wow, the SEC is going to be tough. They spent some time going over Georgia's schedule -- it is brutal; UGA could be the best team in the country, but one mistake could cost them a shot at a national title (just like last year).
-- D.S.
NBA: That was fast -- the Nuggets lost their hold on 8th in the West, losing at Utah while the Warriors beat the Clippers in Oakland. Two games to play for each... The Hornets lost in Sacto, putting them in a tie for first in the West with the Lakers, who play the Spurs today.
MLB: Jeff Francoeur... Gavin Floyd... Justin Upton... Carlos Silva... Bill Hall (and Gabe Kapler!)... Yankees-Red Sox? Still can't get into it...
Frozen Four: B.C. wins the title!
"Revelations" of steroid use in the track world simply don't faze me anymore: Marion Jones? Maurice Greene? Can't we just assume the entire sport is tainted and leave it there?
NFL: Pac-Man Jones wants back in, and he'll re-apply for admission Tuesday. I think Roger Goodell will let him in, but with a quick hook in place.
CFB Spring Games: I happily watched ESPN's love-fest in Gainesville yesterday, but I found myself wondering why any other CFB fan -- no matter how jonesing for college football you might be -- would want to watch. They poured a lot of Florida down viewers' throats.
Tebow looked OK -- he was under the weather; but the real stars were Chris "Poor Man's Percy Harvin" Rainey and USC transfer RB Emmanuel Moody. Kirk Herbstreit, who historically is no fan of Florida, said they had the best offense in the country. We'll see.
There was a lot of talk about the SEC; wow, the SEC is going to be tough. They spent some time going over Georgia's schedule -- it is brutal; UGA could be the best team in the country, but one mistake could cost them a shot at a national title (just like last year).
-- D.S.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Saturday 04/12 A.M. Quickie:
Lakers, Tiger, Mizzou, Peavy, More
NBA: Lakers beat Hornets in LA, clinch HCA in the first round and sit .5 GB New Orleans for the No. 1 spot in the West with 2 to play (for LA). One of those is San Antonio on Sunday.
Tiger is 7 back: Exactly where he wants to be for his standard Saturday sprint.
Alexander Ovechkin!
MLB: Jake Peavy owns Brad Penny... the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry just doesn't move the needle anymore (or at least in April)... Was Sabathia getting shelled a subtle protest against Carmona's new deal and his lack of one?... The Rays scored 8 in the 7th and 8th to come back on the O's... ANOTHER home run for Mike Jacobs?... the D'backs are on fire (7 straight Ws)... Who needs Johan Santana: Livan Hernandez is 3-0 for the Twins...
Name to Know: Jacob Priday, the Missouri baseball player who hit 4 HR in a 31-12 (31-12?!?!?) route of Texas. Mizzou's prolific football offense has a high bar for their game with Texas this fall.
I know you'll all be joining me in watching Florida's Spring Football Game on ESPN this afternoon, right? It might just be Twitter-worthy...
-- D.S.
Tiger is 7 back: Exactly where he wants to be for his standard Saturday sprint.
Alexander Ovechkin!
MLB: Jake Peavy owns Brad Penny... the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry just doesn't move the needle anymore (or at least in April)... Was Sabathia getting shelled a subtle protest against Carmona's new deal and his lack of one?... The Rays scored 8 in the 7th and 8th to come back on the O's... ANOTHER home run for Mike Jacobs?... the D'backs are on fire (7 straight Ws)... Who needs Johan Santana: Livan Hernandez is 3-0 for the Twins...
Name to Know: Jacob Priday, the Missouri baseball player who hit 4 HR in a 31-12 (31-12?!?!?) route of Texas. Mizzou's prolific football offense has a high bar for their game with Texas this fall.
I know you'll all be joining me in watching Florida's Spring Football Game on ESPN this afternoon, right? It might just be Twitter-worthy...
-- D.S.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Friday 04/11 A.M. Quickie:
NBA West, Bill Self, Masters, Draft, More
Lots to cover in today's Sporting News column:
You can still get in on it too, in your own free league. If you're of a certain age, it's pretty awesome; if you're younger than a certain age, you'll be kind of freaked to manage players from before you had any memory of sports (or were even born). Here's the link.
More later.
-- D.S.
- The state of the NBA West: Nuggets vs. Warriors...
- If Bill Self wants to be at Kansas, I'm fine with that...
- Thursday is when the freaks take over the Masters...
- Wow, what happened to the Orioles?
- Wow, what happened to the Giants?
- Who's the leverage: Jake Long or Vernon Gholston?
- Joe Paterno won't be coaching in 2009 (I think)
- How can you not be excited for Florida's Spring Game on ESPN tomorrow?
You can still get in on it too, in your own free league. If you're of a certain age, it's pretty awesome; if you're younger than a certain age, you'll be kind of freaked to manage players from before you had any memory of sports (or were even born). Here's the link.
More later.
-- D.S.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Thursday 04/10 A.M. Quickie:
Tiger, Favre, (Jake) Long, Tigers, More
The Sporting Blog has launched a new look: Check out this morning's column here.
What will you find today?
Another Masters, another argument over whether the "Tiger vs. the Field" situation is good or bad for golf...
Calling it right now that Brett Favre will TOTALLY be playing for the Packers when (not if) Aaron Rodgers gets injured...
Applauding the Dolphins' starting to negotiate with Jake Long to be the No. 1 overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft...
Arguing that the Tigers HAD to win sometime, that Albert Pujols isn't just back (but he never left), that the Royals are the story of the season so far and that Ryan Spilborghs rules...
Pointing out that the Warriors-Nuggets game tonight is playoff-ish...
Explaining why OJ Mayo got screwed by the NBA's age limit (and why Dante Greene might want to have waited a year)...
Briefly mentioning the NHL Playoffs(!)...
And a lot more, including Candace Parker, the Olympics, Kevin Love, Trent Johnson and more... all after this jump.
Hopefully a Bonus Post or two later today, too.
-- D.S.
What will you find today?
Another Masters, another argument over whether the "Tiger vs. the Field" situation is good or bad for golf...
Calling it right now that Brett Favre will TOTALLY be playing for the Packers when (not if) Aaron Rodgers gets injured...
Applauding the Dolphins' starting to negotiate with Jake Long to be the No. 1 overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft...
Arguing that the Tigers HAD to win sometime, that Albert Pujols isn't just back (but he never left), that the Royals are the story of the season so far and that Ryan Spilborghs rules...
Pointing out that the Warriors-Nuggets game tonight is playoff-ish...
Explaining why OJ Mayo got screwed by the NBA's age limit (and why Dante Greene might want to have waited a year)...
Briefly mentioning the NHL Playoffs(!)...
And a lot more, including Candace Parker, the Olympics, Kevin Love, Trent Johnson and more... all after this jump.
Hopefully a Bonus Post or two later today, too.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Wednesday 04/09 A.M. Quickie:
Self, Parker, Buckner, A-Rod, Love, More!
Today's Names to Know in today's Sporting News column:
Bill Self, T. Boone Pickens, Billy Donovan, Candace Parker, Candice Wiggins, Pat Summitt, Doug Davis, Bengie Molina, A-Rod, Travis Hafner, Aubrey Huff, Chris Paul, Brandon Roy, Carmelo Anthony, Baron Davis, Kevin Love, Anthony Randolph, Chase Budinger, Matt Stover, Gene Upshaw, San Francisco, NHL.com, Aqib Talib and More!
Including:
Why Kansas should let Bill Self walk...
Why Candace Parker is the best ever...
Why Doug Davis deserves your standing-O...
Why the Orioles are still stunning...
Why the Hornets' loss wasn't THAT bad...
Why the NBA Draft is taking shape...
Why dope is no biggie in the NFL Draft...
Why NHL.com is a good move for the NHL...
Why the NFLPA power play is intriguing...
Why all eyes are on San Francisco today...
And more... after the jump!
-- D.S.
Bill Self, T. Boone Pickens, Billy Donovan, Candace Parker, Candice Wiggins, Pat Summitt, Doug Davis, Bengie Molina, A-Rod, Travis Hafner, Aubrey Huff, Chris Paul, Brandon Roy, Carmelo Anthony, Baron Davis, Kevin Love, Anthony Randolph, Chase Budinger, Matt Stover, Gene Upshaw, San Francisco, NHL.com, Aqib Talib and More!
Including:
Why Kansas should let Bill Self walk...
Why Candace Parker is the best ever...
Why Doug Davis deserves your standing-O...
Why the Orioles are still stunning...
Why the Hornets' loss wasn't THAT bad...
Why the NBA Draft is taking shape...
Why dope is no biggie in the NFL Draft...
Why NHL.com is a good move for the NHL...
Why the NFLPA power play is intriguing...
Why all eyes are on San Francisco today...
And more... after the jump!
-- D.S.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Tuesday 04/08 A.M. Quickie:
Kansas Komeback, Memphis Choke, More!
Here's today's Sporting News column, and you can imagine the superlatives being tossed around (all specifically in the context of the NCAA Tournament Title Game, not NCAA Tournament all-time and certainly not all-sports, all-time):
*Best Comeback Ever?
(*Biggest Choke Ever?)
*Best Game Ever?
*Best Clutch Shot Ever?
Again, we are just talking superlatives in the context of NCAA Tournament championship games. Because this one was a doozy, an instant classic. You could not care about either team in the title game (and most probably didn't) and still be enthralled by the ending.
Best Comeback/Biggest Choke? Up 9 with 2 minutes to play, and up 2 in the final 20 seconds with 4 chances at the free-throw line to ice it? Absolutely. DS digression:
Best Clutch Shot Ever? It wasn't a game-winner, but it might as well have been, given the momentum it gave KU heading into OT. Bigger than Keith Smart's jumper? Bigger than Rumeal Robinson's free throws? I'd certainly put Mario Chalmers' 3 in the mix: He wins on degree-of-difficulty, for sure.
I generally default to superlatives. In this case, I'm totally satisfied with an exciting finish, no matter where it ranks historically. I don't need a "Best" or "Biggest" to be able to say, "Wow."
Meanwhile, huge congrats to "B. Majores," whose "Baby Boilers" entry finished first out of 695 entries in the Daily Quickie Readers tournament challenge group (99.7 percentile overall). He wins the glory of winning one of the largest (and thus one of the most competitive) NCAA Tournament pools in the country -- and a guest-post right here! (Email me, B. Majores.)
If you used the National Bracket, you would have out-performed about 70 percent of the country.
Speaking of superlatives, I completed my Worst. NCAA Predictions. Ever., finishing in the 19th percentile. 19th! Cripes! What makes it all the more pathetic was that I was TRYING.
More things you'll find in today's Sporting News column: How Bill Self is trying to ruin the greatest moment of his career... Torii Hunter earns his fat paycheck... How David Garrard's new contract is linked to Tim Tebow's future... Memories of NASL... Looking ahead to tonight's NBA West action... More MLB instant history from Monday... and more! Check it out here.
-- D.S.
*Best Comeback Ever?
(*Biggest Choke Ever?)
*Best Game Ever?
*Best Clutch Shot Ever?
Again, we are just talking superlatives in the context of NCAA Tournament championship games. Because this one was a doozy, an instant classic. You could not care about either team in the title game (and most probably didn't) and still be enthralled by the ending.
Best Comeback/Biggest Choke? Up 9 with 2 minutes to play, and up 2 in the final 20 seconds with 4 chances at the free-throw line to ice it? Absolutely. DS digression:
Beyond the free-throws, which you could see coming despite Memphis' solid FT percentage in the rest of the tournament -- it's called "regression to the mean" -- many fans are talking about John Calipari's tactical blunder in not calling for his team to foul Kansas before Chalmers' game-tying shot.Best Game Ever? I'm not even sure it's the best Kansas game ever in the national-title game (would old-school KU fans really rank this ahead of 1988?) So: No.
I think some of that had to do with Kansas not having a time-out after Rose's make, which would have presumably allowed Calipari to set up his strategy. But he could have easily called it out from the sidelines. There is no answer for the blunder, beyond the fact that Cal simply isn't a great game or "Xs and Os" coach.
I also think this was an example of the obvious downside of the much-lauded "letting players play" coaching strategy that gained so much traction on Sunday and Monday. Letting players play cost Memphis the championship.
That said, that "strategy" also won KU the game: If Self had had a time-out to use after Rose's free throw, I'm quite sure he would have used it... and I'm not sure Chalmers hits that shot if Memphis has a chance to set up a defensive strategy.
Now THAT is a lesson for coaches everywhere: Get your team ready for game-ending scenarios BEFORE the game. Last-second time-outs to set up a last-gasp play are overrated, at least when you have 10 seconds to get a shot off.
Best Clutch Shot Ever? It wasn't a game-winner, but it might as well have been, given the momentum it gave KU heading into OT. Bigger than Keith Smart's jumper? Bigger than Rumeal Robinson's free throws? I'd certainly put Mario Chalmers' 3 in the mix: He wins on degree-of-difficulty, for sure.
I generally default to superlatives. In this case, I'm totally satisfied with an exciting finish, no matter where it ranks historically. I don't need a "Best" or "Biggest" to be able to say, "Wow."
Meanwhile, huge congrats to "B. Majores," whose "Baby Boilers" entry finished first out of 695 entries in the Daily Quickie Readers tournament challenge group (99.7 percentile overall). He wins the glory of winning one of the largest (and thus one of the most competitive) NCAA Tournament pools in the country -- and a guest-post right here! (Email me, B. Majores.)
If you used the National Bracket, you would have out-performed about 70 percent of the country.
Speaking of superlatives, I completed my Worst. NCAA Predictions. Ever., finishing in the 19th percentile. 19th! Cripes! What makes it all the more pathetic was that I was TRYING.
More things you'll find in today's Sporting News column: How Bill Self is trying to ruin the greatest moment of his career... Torii Hunter earns his fat paycheck... How David Garrard's new contract is linked to Tim Tebow's future... Memories of NASL... Looking ahead to tonight's NBA West action... More MLB instant history from Monday... and more! Check it out here.
-- D.S.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Monday 04/07 A.M. Quickie:
Memphis, Kansas, Candace, Candice, MLB
Here's today's Sporting News column, and it is led by something between resignation and a flip-flop:
I simply can't sustain any more hostility or indignation toward John Calipari and Memphis.
Is he smarmy? Yes. Does he break out that "We're SO underrated!" too much? Yes. Is there something totally sketchy going on between him and China and Worldwide Wes? Hmm...
But is his team a stiletto heel of hoops destruction? Absolutely.
Memphis took a team I thought would win the national title -- UCLA -- and made them look foolish. They have done that virtually the entire season. They played the toughest non-conference schedule anyone can remember and ran through it like a buzzsaw, the perfect preparation for tonight.
I think they will win. I think they should win. (That said: Personnel-wise, Kansas is by far Memphis' toughest matchup yet: Lots of guards, deep guards, long guards and depth of size up-front to give Joey Dorsey fits. Oh, and they love to run as much as Memphis does.)
But there's something about this Memphis team this year: It's Calipari's time. If Memphis wins, Derrick Rose will lay claim to being arguably the greatest freshman point guard of all time (even better than Mike Bibby, who set the standard). Chris Douglas-Roberts might vault himself into the NBA Draft Lottery (and, based on Saturday, he should be there). And the haters can stop hating for a little while.
Meanwhile, the women's Final Four is arguably even more exciting than the men's...
MLB: The Tigers are 0-6 and there are some unlikely division leaders, like Baltimore (?!?!) and St. Louis... Jake Peavy did NOT cheat... Ben Sheets is the Week 1 NL Cy Young winner... Johan with a good effort, but ultimately a loss, against the Mets' biggest division rival... How can you NOT root for Gabe Kapler?...
Don't forget to pick up your copy of Rob Neyer's new book, "Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends," a fantastic coffee-table addition for any baseball fan, casual or avid.
The NBA West had some intrigue yesterday: The Warriors lost to the Hornets and the Nuggets seemed poised to seize the 8-spot for themselves... right up until they lost to Kevin Durant and the Sonics in 2OT. It's hard to justify the Nuggets deserving a playoff spot if they lose to the Sonics. (Did Durant seal up the ROY ahead of Al Horford with that performance?)
There's a ton more in the column today, so check it out. More later, hopefully.
-- D.S.
I simply can't sustain any more hostility or indignation toward John Calipari and Memphis.
Is he smarmy? Yes. Does he break out that "We're SO underrated!" too much? Yes. Is there something totally sketchy going on between him and China and Worldwide Wes? Hmm...
But is his team a stiletto heel of hoops destruction? Absolutely.
Memphis took a team I thought would win the national title -- UCLA -- and made them look foolish. They have done that virtually the entire season. They played the toughest non-conference schedule anyone can remember and ran through it like a buzzsaw, the perfect preparation for tonight.
I think they will win. I think they should win. (That said: Personnel-wise, Kansas is by far Memphis' toughest matchup yet: Lots of guards, deep guards, long guards and depth of size up-front to give Joey Dorsey fits. Oh, and they love to run as much as Memphis does.)
But there's something about this Memphis team this year: It's Calipari's time. If Memphis wins, Derrick Rose will lay claim to being arguably the greatest freshman point guard of all time (even better than Mike Bibby, who set the standard). Chris Douglas-Roberts might vault himself into the NBA Draft Lottery (and, based on Saturday, he should be there). And the haters can stop hating for a little while.
Meanwhile, the women's Final Four is arguably even more exciting than the men's...
MLB: The Tigers are 0-6 and there are some unlikely division leaders, like Baltimore (?!?!) and St. Louis... Jake Peavy did NOT cheat... Ben Sheets is the Week 1 NL Cy Young winner... Johan with a good effort, but ultimately a loss, against the Mets' biggest division rival... How can you NOT root for Gabe Kapler?...
Don't forget to pick up your copy of Rob Neyer's new book, "Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends," a fantastic coffee-table addition for any baseball fan, casual or avid.
The NBA West had some intrigue yesterday: The Warriors lost to the Hornets and the Nuggets seemed poised to seize the 8-spot for themselves... right up until they lost to Kevin Durant and the Sonics in 2OT. It's hard to justify the Nuggets deserving a playoff spot if they lose to the Sonics. (Did Durant seal up the ROY ahead of Al Horford with that performance?)
There's a ton more in the column today, so check it out. More later, hopefully.
-- D.S.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Sunday 04/06 (Very) Quickie: Kansas, Memphis Deliver Decisive Knockouts
Kansas, Memphis advance to national title game: Both did it impressively, truly proving their worthiness to compete for a national title tomorrow night.
Kansas beats UNC: That first 13 minutes was one of the biggest ass-kickings I have ever seen, nevermind that KU did it against the team purported to be the best in the country.
(They actually delivered TWO decisive runs: One in the first half, to go up by 60 -- it was 26, but felt like 60 -- and one in the second half, when UNC closed the lead to 5 with 9 minutes to play, but then KU extended the lead to its final 18-point margin by the end. The former was breath-taking; the latter was champion-like.)
Memphis beats UCLA: OK, I believe. Finally. After two straight Final Fours, UCLA was as ready as any team in the country this season to win the national title; Memphis rocked them.
NBA West: The Nuggets lost a must-win against the Kings despite Melo's 47...
Meanwhile, whee: The Celtics clinch HCA throughout the East playoffs. Expect to see as little effort at the end of this season as they produced a year ago.
MLB: Peavy 2-hits Dodgers... Wow, the Tigers are STILL winless... I'm trying not to read too much passing-of-guard symbolism of the Rays beating the Yankees (remember a few years ago when the otherwise-hapless Rays owned NYY?)... Fukudome!... Weren't the Cardinals supposed to not be very good this season?... Fantasy Must-Have: Manny Parra...
NBA Draft: Arizona's Jerryd Bayless, who will likely be the second overall guard taken after Derrick Rose (and a consensus Top 5 pick) goes pro, as does Louisville's Earl Clark, who had a very good NCAA Tournament.
Why is Alexander Ovechkin the NHL MVP? Aside from his scoring brilliance, there is no way the Caps even sniff the playoffs -- let alone a division title -- without him.
Jacque Rogge says the weather in Beijing isn't a threat to athletes? I think there are many scientists related to the USOC who would strongly disagree with him, and any athlete who DOESN'T wear a mask from the second they land in China until the second before they compete is hurting themselves.
-- D.S.
Kansas beats UNC: That first 13 minutes was one of the biggest ass-kickings I have ever seen, nevermind that KU did it against the team purported to be the best in the country.
(They actually delivered TWO decisive runs: One in the first half, to go up by 60 -- it was 26, but felt like 60 -- and one in the second half, when UNC closed the lead to 5 with 9 minutes to play, but then KU extended the lead to its final 18-point margin by the end. The former was breath-taking; the latter was champion-like.)
Memphis beats UCLA: OK, I believe. Finally. After two straight Final Fours, UCLA was as ready as any team in the country this season to win the national title; Memphis rocked them.
NBA West: The Nuggets lost a must-win against the Kings despite Melo's 47...
Meanwhile, whee: The Celtics clinch HCA throughout the East playoffs. Expect to see as little effort at the end of this season as they produced a year ago.
MLB: Peavy 2-hits Dodgers... Wow, the Tigers are STILL winless... I'm trying not to read too much passing-of-guard symbolism of the Rays beating the Yankees (remember a few years ago when the otherwise-hapless Rays owned NYY?)... Fukudome!... Weren't the Cardinals supposed to not be very good this season?... Fantasy Must-Have: Manny Parra...
NBA Draft: Arizona's Jerryd Bayless, who will likely be the second overall guard taken after Derrick Rose (and a consensus Top 5 pick) goes pro, as does Louisville's Earl Clark, who had a very good NCAA Tournament.
Why is Alexander Ovechkin the NHL MVP? Aside from his scoring brilliance, there is no way the Caps even sniff the playoffs -- let alone a division title -- without him.
Jacque Rogge says the weather in Beijing isn't a threat to athletes? I think there are many scientists related to the USOC who would strongly disagree with him, and any athlete who DOESN'T wear a mask from the second they land in China until the second before they compete is hurting themselves.
-- D.S.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
"This Game Is Ovah": Billy Packer?!?
"This game is ovah." That is what Billy Packer just muttered... at the 7:32 mark of the first half of the UNC-Kansas game, with Kansas up a hundred. OK, it only feels like a hundred. It's 26.
I'm no Packer fan, but that was just about the awesomest thing I have ever heard a TV analyst say this early in a broadcast. It was so... definitive. And so early.
Normally, they are encouraged not to say things like that, because of -- you know -- the whole "TV ratings" thing... generally not a good idea to give people a reason to turn it off.
But Packer said it. Packer said exactly what everyone in the country was thinking -- including Packer -- when Rush hit that bombs-away 3 (nothing but net) to put KU up 26.
"This game is over." The smartest, ballsiest and awesomest thing Billy Packer has ever said.
(By the way, Kansas is putting on a clinic -- against the purported best team in the country. In 20 years of watching the Tournament avidly, I have never seen this kind of ass-kicking in a Final Four game, particularly against the "better" team. Maybe UNLV over Duke in '90. We'll have to see how the rest of this game plays out. But for a first half? Absolutely.)
-- D.S.
I'm no Packer fan, but that was just about the awesomest thing I have ever heard a TV analyst say this early in a broadcast. It was so... definitive. And so early.
Normally, they are encouraged not to say things like that, because of -- you know -- the whole "TV ratings" thing... generally not a good idea to give people a reason to turn it off.
But Packer said it. Packer said exactly what everyone in the country was thinking -- including Packer -- when Rush hit that bombs-away 3 (nothing but net) to put KU up 26.
"This game is over." The smartest, ballsiest and awesomest thing Billy Packer has ever said.
(By the way, Kansas is putting on a clinic -- against the purported best team in the country. In 20 years of watching the Tournament avidly, I have never seen this kind of ass-kicking in a Final Four game, particularly against the "better" team. Maybe UNLV over Duke in '90. We'll have to see how the rest of this game plays out. But for a first half? Absolutely.)
-- D.S.
Saturday 04/05 (Very) Quickie
Waiting for... the Final Four!
Tigers drop to 0-4: This is getting ridiculous.
Studs: Chase Utley and Bill Hall each mash 2 HR
Hiroki Kuroda's MLB debut: Solid. 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 W.
NBA West: Lakers beat Mavs, Warriors beat Grizzlies. GSW now within .5 games of Denver, which is within .5 games of Dallas. The battle between these three teams for two spots should go down to the season's final game.
Hornets first in West to clinch a playoff spot: Does that alone cap their turnaround season, or do they have to win a playoff series? More than one playoff series? (Meanwhile, congrats to the Sixers on making the playoffs -- did anyone see that coming? Raptors and Wizards clinch, too.)
More NBA: Jazz beat Spurs, ending SA's 8-game W streak, but also reminding you that the West playoffs will be totally unpredictable.
Tyler Hansbrough is AP College Hoops Player of the Year: I'll stick with Kevin Love.
Cal hires Mike Montgomery: After his long and successful tenure at Stanford, this is huge to return to the Bay Area. It would be like Jim Tressel going to coach Michigan football. Cal will be much better.
Eric Gordon jumping to the NBA: He's a proven scorer, but can he play PG in the NBA, or is he just an undersized 2-guard, sort of like another Gordon (Ben)? He will have to be in the right situation, next to a larger point guard.
Of the teams likely to pick in the 4-10 range where Gordon will be taken, both the Nets (Devin Harris) and the Knicks (Jamal Crawford) seem to fit that description, though both could always use more size ahead of another guy looking to jack shots. Looking at those other Lottery teams, I'm not sure where Gordon would fit with them. He is no Derrick Rose, and he could end up sliding (or just being an overvalued pick).
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Tigers drop to 0-4: This is getting ridiculous.
Studs: Chase Utley and Bill Hall each mash 2 HR
Hiroki Kuroda's MLB debut: Solid. 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 W.
NBA West: Lakers beat Mavs, Warriors beat Grizzlies. GSW now within .5 games of Denver, which is within .5 games of Dallas. The battle between these three teams for two spots should go down to the season's final game.
Hornets first in West to clinch a playoff spot: Does that alone cap their turnaround season, or do they have to win a playoff series? More than one playoff series? (Meanwhile, congrats to the Sixers on making the playoffs -- did anyone see that coming? Raptors and Wizards clinch, too.)
More NBA: Jazz beat Spurs, ending SA's 8-game W streak, but also reminding you that the West playoffs will be totally unpredictable.
Tyler Hansbrough is AP College Hoops Player of the Year: I'll stick with Kevin Love.
Cal hires Mike Montgomery: After his long and successful tenure at Stanford, this is huge to return to the Bay Area. It would be like Jim Tressel going to coach Michigan football. Cal will be much better.
Eric Gordon jumping to the NBA: He's a proven scorer, but can he play PG in the NBA, or is he just an undersized 2-guard, sort of like another Gordon (Ben)? He will have to be in the right situation, next to a larger point guard.
Of the teams likely to pick in the 4-10 range where Gordon will be taken, both the Nets (Devin Harris) and the Knicks (Jamal Crawford) seem to fit that description, though both could always use more size ahead of another guy looking to jack shots. Looking at those other Lottery teams, I'm not sure where Gordon would fit with them. He is no Derrick Rose, and he could end up sliding (or just being an overvalued pick).
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Friday 04/04 A.M. Quickie:
Final Four, Favre, NBA West, Cueto Mania!
Today's Sporting News column found here.
So, the only question is: Do YOU think Brett Favre will (or even would) unretire? I think he would; his retirement press conference had few absolutes, and you KNOW he thinks he can still play at a high level -- with the right team. It's a delicate balance: If he comes back -- but not with the Packers -- he sullies his legacy, not to mention opens himself up to mockery that his "retirement" was simply the largest yet of a career of Hall of Fame narcissism. I kind of want to see him do it, if only to see the craziness that ensues.
Meanwhile, we've got the Final Four tomorrow: You all know I'm all about UCLA. I appreciate the UCLA-Memphis subplots; the contrasts are fantastic: Love vs. Rose, Defense vs. Offense, Howland vs. Calipari, Final Four experience vs. Final Four first-timer. (UNC-Kansas? Meh: As long as UNC was going to win anyway -- which they are -- wouldn't you have rather seen Davidson one more time?)
MLB? Two words: Johnny Cueto. If not for the Final Four and the Favre thing, the Cueto story would have made a terrific lead item -- about the nature of sick debuts by phenoms that tantalize with the prospects of a great rookie year (even if Dusty Baker is going to pitch him until his arm falls off, which is too bad).
I have been tracking the day-to-day machinations of the NBA West, but -- honestly -- it will be a week before we really get down to the nitty-gritty and placement for playoff seeding begins to fall into place. On the line: Home-court advantage, up and down the line -- from the first round to the finals. Oh, and that 8-seed. In other years, we might discount the 8-seed, but after last season's Warriors amazingness, how can you overlook that team, whoever they may be?
There's a lot more in today's column. Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'll be blogging all weekend -- hopefully, with a Bonus Post later today, too.
-- D.S.
So, the only question is: Do YOU think Brett Favre will (or even would) unretire? I think he would; his retirement press conference had few absolutes, and you KNOW he thinks he can still play at a high level -- with the right team. It's a delicate balance: If he comes back -- but not with the Packers -- he sullies his legacy, not to mention opens himself up to mockery that his "retirement" was simply the largest yet of a career of Hall of Fame narcissism. I kind of want to see him do it, if only to see the craziness that ensues.
Meanwhile, we've got the Final Four tomorrow: You all know I'm all about UCLA. I appreciate the UCLA-Memphis subplots; the contrasts are fantastic: Love vs. Rose, Defense vs. Offense, Howland vs. Calipari, Final Four experience vs. Final Four first-timer. (UNC-Kansas? Meh: As long as UNC was going to win anyway -- which they are -- wouldn't you have rather seen Davidson one more time?)
MLB? Two words: Johnny Cueto. If not for the Final Four and the Favre thing, the Cueto story would have made a terrific lead item -- about the nature of sick debuts by phenoms that tantalize with the prospects of a great rookie year (even if Dusty Baker is going to pitch him until his arm falls off, which is too bad).
I have been tracking the day-to-day machinations of the NBA West, but -- honestly -- it will be a week before we really get down to the nitty-gritty and placement for playoff seeding begins to fall into place. On the line: Home-court advantage, up and down the line -- from the first round to the finals. Oh, and that 8-seed. In other years, we might discount the 8-seed, but after last season's Warriors amazingness, how can you overlook that team, whoever they may be?
There's a lot more in today's column. Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'll be blogging all weekend -- hopefully, with a Bonus Post later today, too.
-- D.S.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Thursday 04/03 A.M. Quickie:
MLB Day 3, NBA West, NFL Draft, More!
So I was working on today's column this morning, and I started writing a lead item that was just your basic snark: Look at these idiots!
Then I was hit by this weird sensation: After a 2007 that was arguably the Worst Sports Year Ever, I was... totally satisfied with the state of sports -- at least TODAY's state.
MLB is totally intriguing: It is early enough that the novelty of unlikely performances, late-game heroics, free-agent payoffs and everything else are fascinating.
The NBA West is night-in-night-out amazing (ugh: "amazing.") I'm perhaps a little wired from a midnight email I sent to a leading stats-minded blogger who had criticized my "NBA-is-niche-sport" argument from last week. But in constructing that email, I made sure to point out that I can think the NBA is "niche" yet still be a big fan and enjoy this season.
And, come on: It's the Final Four this weekend! And, yes, I have come to terms with Monday's "Final Four is ruined" argument -- I appreciate both the novelty of the all-1-seed situation and the level of talent on the court (even if I think both semis will be decisively won).
All in all (despite stuff like Chris Henry or Arthur Blank or Isiah Thomas still having a job), it's a great day to be a sports fan. I'd like to think that despite my cynical filter, I have always been an optimist -- if definitely not a purist -- about sports.
I think that sensation I felt this morning wasn't as much about reminding myself how good things are in sports this week as much as remind me how bad things were a year ago. I think this week -- not last year -- is closer to the natural state of fandom.
I'm quite sure I will be back to the usual myopic, instant-hysteria perspective tomorrow. Thank you for indulging my trip to 10,000 feet this morning.
Here's a link to today's Sporting News column.
-- D.S.
Then I was hit by this weird sensation: After a 2007 that was arguably the Worst Sports Year Ever, I was... totally satisfied with the state of sports -- at least TODAY's state.
MLB is totally intriguing: It is early enough that the novelty of unlikely performances, late-game heroics, free-agent payoffs and everything else are fascinating.
The NBA West is night-in-night-out amazing (ugh: "amazing.") I'm perhaps a little wired from a midnight email I sent to a leading stats-minded blogger who had criticized my "NBA-is-niche-sport" argument from last week. But in constructing that email, I made sure to point out that I can think the NBA is "niche" yet still be a big fan and enjoy this season.
And, come on: It's the Final Four this weekend! And, yes, I have come to terms with Monday's "Final Four is ruined" argument -- I appreciate both the novelty of the all-1-seed situation and the level of talent on the court (even if I think both semis will be decisively won).
All in all (despite stuff like Chris Henry or Arthur Blank or Isiah Thomas still having a job), it's a great day to be a sports fan. I'd like to think that despite my cynical filter, I have always been an optimist -- if definitely not a purist -- about sports.
I think that sensation I felt this morning wasn't as much about reminding myself how good things are in sports this week as much as remind me how bad things were a year ago. I think this week -- not last year -- is closer to the natural state of fandom.
I'm quite sure I will be back to the usual myopic, instant-hysteria perspective tomorrow. Thank you for indulging my trip to 10,000 feet this morning.
Here's a link to today's Sporting News column.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Bill James Meets Freakonomics
Great interview with Bill James on the NYT Freakonomics blog. (Wow, between Neyer yesterday and James today, I'm all about the O.G. statistically driven baseball analysts.)
Varsity Letters NYC Tonight: Fatsis Mania!
Great Varsity Letters lineup at Happy Ending tonight at 8, if you live in NYC. It's the Baseball Night, headlined by Stefan Fatsis, Cait Murphy and Jonathan Mayo. (Fatsis is one of my favorites -- he wrote "Word Freak" and is publishing a book this fall about the life of the kicker in the NFL -- and I'm not just saying that because he name-checked me on NPR during one of his weekly segments a few months back. But I'm just saying, that mention basically legitimized my blogging to my family.) Carl Bialik will host the VL event tonight, as always. Sure to be a great one. -- D.S.
Wednesday 04/02 A.M. Quickie:
Isiah, Walsh, Pedro, Dice-K, Crean, More!
Is the Knicks fans' nightmare almost over?
Is Pedro going to de-rail the Mets' chances?
Is Trevor Hoffman back?
Is Josh Hamilton a one-year wonder?
Is Tom Crean the answer for Indiana?
Is Bill Self the hope for Oklahoma State?
Is the NBA West any closer to being settled?
Is Tim Tebow the best amateur athlete?
All that and a lot more in today's Sporting News column.
Meanwhile, two things:
(1) Don't forget to check out my post about Rob Neyer's new book. (Or skip it and just get the book.)
(2) Those of you who totally disagreed with my "The Final Four is ruined" opinion from Monday -- lamenting the first time the Final Four was all 1-seeds -- will be pleased to know I was absolutely shellacked in an argument on local Alabama sports radio yesterday afternoon. The host echoed a lot of your arguments from the Comments on Monday, and I had no real answer for them. You got the best of me this time, Alabama!
I'm aiming to have a Bonus Post later this morning expanding on a point I made in the lead item of the SN column about Walsh and Isiah, about why "rebuilding" shouldn't be some sort of taboo concept -- for the Knicks or ANY team that perennially sucks.
-- D.S.
Is Pedro going to de-rail the Mets' chances?
Is Trevor Hoffman back?
Is Josh Hamilton a one-year wonder?
Is Tom Crean the answer for Indiana?
Is Bill Self the hope for Oklahoma State?
Is the NBA West any closer to being settled?
Is Tim Tebow the best amateur athlete?
All that and a lot more in today's Sporting News column.
Meanwhile, two things:
(1) Don't forget to check out my post about Rob Neyer's new book. (Or skip it and just get the book.)
(2) Those of you who totally disagreed with my "The Final Four is ruined" opinion from Monday -- lamenting the first time the Final Four was all 1-seeds -- will be pleased to know I was absolutely shellacked in an argument on local Alabama sports radio yesterday afternoon. The host echoed a lot of your arguments from the Comments on Monday, and I had no real answer for them. You got the best of me this time, Alabama!
I'm aiming to have a Bonus Post later this morning expanding on a point I made in the lead item of the SN column about Walsh and Isiah, about why "rebuilding" shouldn't be some sort of taboo concept -- for the Knicks or ANY team that perennially sucks.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Your 2008 Baseball Must-Read: Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends
Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends by Rob Neyer. Out TODAY.
Rob Neyer is the single most influential online-sports columnist of all time. Probably because he was the first. At least: The Web's first Web-spawned sports columnist to find -- and grow -- a national audience. I'm not sure it is fully appreciated the level to which he opened doors for everyone who has found a job writing a column for a mainstream sports site online. Rob would never say anything; I don't mind saying it.
I met Rob in the fall of 1996, when I started working as an editor at ESPN.com (then "ESPNet SportsZone" -- yes, really). Rob had THE dream job: He was a full-fledged columnist.
Back then, he dabbled in more than just baseball -- although that was obviously his specialty. But I remember getting him to write some college hoops stuff for me, and it was amazing.
Rob has always grasped a couple of key concepts about writing for an online audience: (1) Be accessible, (2) Be timely, (3) Embrace numbers. Oh, and he's a really nice, genuine guy, too.
I am biased, but I would argue that Rob Neyer and his ESPN.com MLB editor at the time, David Schoenfield, did as much (or more) to advance the fans' acceptance of stats in baseball than "Moneyball." Because they were doing it on the sport's biggest platform -- ESPN.com.
Since then, Rob has continued to amaze me with his fantastic and insightful writing -- both for ESPN.com and in his "Big Book" series, which I have highly recommended since they started.
The latest was released today: Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends. It is a fantastic -- and controversial -- premise: Go back and examine the biggest (and not-so-biggest) legends in baseball history and actually determine if they were as legendary as their legend would have it.
I have had the book for a week or so now, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It's not something you read cover-to-cover, but something you can pick up and enjoy in short bursts. It is right up there with his other "Big Books" (plus his excellent book on pitchers with Bill James).
Even if I didn't consider Rob a friend, I would recommend this for any baseball fan -- avid or casual. (And, check out that Amazon price: $11?! That's a bargain.) Here's a link to his site.
-- D.S.
Rob Neyer is the single most influential online-sports columnist of all time. Probably because he was the first. At least: The Web's first Web-spawned sports columnist to find -- and grow -- a national audience. I'm not sure it is fully appreciated the level to which he opened doors for everyone who has found a job writing a column for a mainstream sports site online. Rob would never say anything; I don't mind saying it.
I met Rob in the fall of 1996, when I started working as an editor at ESPN.com (then "ESPNet SportsZone" -- yes, really). Rob had THE dream job: He was a full-fledged columnist.
Back then, he dabbled in more than just baseball -- although that was obviously his specialty. But I remember getting him to write some college hoops stuff for me, and it was amazing.
Rob has always grasped a couple of key concepts about writing for an online audience: (1) Be accessible, (2) Be timely, (3) Embrace numbers. Oh, and he's a really nice, genuine guy, too.
I am biased, but I would argue that Rob Neyer and his ESPN.com MLB editor at the time, David Schoenfield, did as much (or more) to advance the fans' acceptance of stats in baseball than "Moneyball." Because they were doing it on the sport's biggest platform -- ESPN.com.
Since then, Rob has continued to amaze me with his fantastic and insightful writing -- both for ESPN.com and in his "Big Book" series, which I have highly recommended since they started.
The latest was released today: Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends. It is a fantastic -- and controversial -- premise: Go back and examine the biggest (and not-so-biggest) legends in baseball history and actually determine if they were as legendary as their legend would have it.
I have had the book for a week or so now, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It's not something you read cover-to-cover, but something you can pick up and enjoy in short bursts. It is right up there with his other "Big Books" (plus his excellent book on pitchers with Bill James).
Even if I didn't consider Rob a friend, I would recommend this for any baseball fan -- avid or casual. (And, check out that Amazon price: $11?! That's a bargain.) Here's a link to his site.
-- D.S.
Tuesday 04/01 A.M. Quickie:
MLB Opening Day Instant History!
(I deleted the previous Pitino post, out of humiliation at being fooled. I have to say: I actually kind of enjoy being snookered. It's a fun feeling being had. I'm not being sarcastic. It's kind of hilarious... if you're willing to be the jerk who gets fooled, as I am.)
Kosuke Fukudome for NL Rookie of the Year!
Johan Santana for NL Cy Young!
Xavier Nady for NL MVP!
Joe Torre for NL Manager of the Year!
The Rays will win the AL East!
The Tigers will be a flop!
Torii Hunter is a bust!
Victor Martinez's injury kills the Indians!
Ahh: That sweet taste in your mouth is the Instant History that is unique to MLB Opening Day. Call it the "Tuffy Rhodes Factor," and that Instant History (or Hysteria) is the lead of my Sporting News column today.
All kidding aside, it is obvious that Fukudome is the real deal.
Also to be found in the column: Why the Nuggets are hating life... why AP All-American voters suck... why the women's Elite Eight is kind of awesome... why Stephen Curry is a lock for Player of the Year in college hoops next season... why I don't like April Fool's Day... and more!
Really: It's April already? Yikes.
-- D.S.
Kosuke Fukudome for NL Rookie of the Year!
Johan Santana for NL Cy Young!
Xavier Nady for NL MVP!
Joe Torre for NL Manager of the Year!
The Rays will win the AL East!
The Tigers will be a flop!
Torii Hunter is a bust!
Victor Martinez's injury kills the Indians!
Ahh: That sweet taste in your mouth is the Instant History that is unique to MLB Opening Day. Call it the "Tuffy Rhodes Factor," and that Instant History (or Hysteria) is the lead of my Sporting News column today.
All kidding aside, it is obvious that Fukudome is the real deal.
Also to be found in the column: Why the Nuggets are hating life... why AP All-American voters suck... why the women's Elite Eight is kind of awesome... why Stephen Curry is a lock for Player of the Year in college hoops next season... why I don't like April Fool's Day... and more!
Really: It's April already? Yikes.
-- D.S.
Monday, March 31, 2008
NCAA Touranment National Bracket Update
If you went by the "National Bracket" on ESPN.com -- the aggregate of all 3.6 million individual brackets submitted -- you would be in the 92nd percentile right now out of all of those nearly 4 million brackets.
That's right: You would be outperforming 92 percent of the country. Amazingly, you would be tied for 34th place out of nearly 700 participants in the Daily Quickie Readers pool. Not bad at all. (Certainly better than 661 other participants.)
Granted, all four 1-seeds making the Final Four -- a perennial plurality of the National Bracket, which inevitably brings down the percentile performance -- helped a ton. But still...
On the home front, things still look awful for me on my bracket. And Mrs. Quickie's high-flying start peaked after the UNC and Xavier wins on Thursday night, when she was in the 99th percentile of the DQR pool -- tied for 5th place overall. Once she lost Tennessee, things spiraled down from there. The two hours she spent in 5th were her/my One Shining Moment of the 2008 Tournament.
Anyway: Congratulations if you were smart enough to follow the wisdom of the crowds this year. You might not be winning your pool with the National Bracket picks (please let me know if you are), but you are out-performing almost everyone else for bragging rights. Amazing.
If it matters, the National Bracket picks UNC over UCLA in the national-title game.
-- D.S.
That's right: You would be outperforming 92 percent of the country. Amazingly, you would be tied for 34th place out of nearly 700 participants in the Daily Quickie Readers pool. Not bad at all. (Certainly better than 661 other participants.)
Granted, all four 1-seeds making the Final Four -- a perennial plurality of the National Bracket, which inevitably brings down the percentile performance -- helped a ton. But still...
On the home front, things still look awful for me on my bracket. And Mrs. Quickie's high-flying start peaked after the UNC and Xavier wins on Thursday night, when she was in the 99th percentile of the DQR pool -- tied for 5th place overall. Once she lost Tennessee, things spiraled down from there. The two hours she spent in 5th were her/my One Shining Moment of the 2008 Tournament.
Anyway: Congratulations if you were smart enough to follow the wisdom of the crowds this year. You might not be winning your pool with the National Bracket picks (please let me know if you are), but you are out-performing almost everyone else for bragging rights. Amazing.
If it matters, the National Bracket picks UNC over UCLA in the national-title game.
-- D.S.
Monday 03/31 A.M. Quickie:
Final Four, MLB Openers, Zany NBA, More!
So my position that the first-ever all-1-seed Final Four ruins the Final Four has provoked a bunch of very good comments, found in the post below.
(UPDATE: Commenters continue to make very strong points on this.)
We can agree to disagree -- and many of you make good points -- but I think it is one of the better arguments we will see this year:
Is an uber-predictable Final Four made up of all the teams that were expected to make it -- for the first time in Tournament history -- a good thing... or a bad thing?
I argue in the lead of today's Sporting News column that I think it is a bad thing.
Not that any of the teams themselves are inherently bad, but simply that if nothing else, the NCAA Tournament's appeal is in its unpredictability -- and this outcome is entirely predictable.
(UPDATE: As some Commenters have pointed out, the more "predictable" outcome would have been all four 1-seeds NOT making the Final Four. Great point.)
Longtime readers know that I appreciate and honor the concept of "novelty" (or, its sibling, "superlative") more than any other quality in sports. It is the lens I view sports through.
So please know that the novelty of this being the first time all four No. 1 seeds have reached the Final Four appeals to my deep appreciation of novelty.
Something just strikes me wrong about it.
I don't feel this way about the NFL or MLB or the NBA or college football or even the women's NCAA Tournament (for which I argue in the column that an all 1-vs-2 Elite Eight is a VERY good thing for women's hoops).
The NCAA Tournament is my favorite sports event of the year. The NCAA Tournament, for me, is defined much in part for rejection of any sense of "inevitable" success for the favorites.
So please allow me at least a 24-hour period to have an allergic reaction to the shattering of that definition. It had to happen at some point, I guess. But I don't think it's a good thing.
More from today's Sporting News column: MLB Opening Night was a huge success for MLB and the Nats and Nationals Park and Ryan Zimmerman... MLB Opening Day is filled with ace-heavy storylines... the NBA West is must-track on a daily basis... Isiah Thomas to Indiana University?... and more... after the jump!
Unrelated: I participated in my first-ever fantasy baseball "auction" draft on Friday afternoon, and I think it will be hard for me to go back to straight snake-drafts. It was a ton of fun -- even if my lack of experience led me to some atrocious choices early, middle and late. (I did, however, spend more than Average Auction Value for Ryan Zimmerman... for one morning, at least, I feel like I did something right.)
-- D.S.
(UPDATE: Commenters continue to make very strong points on this.)
We can agree to disagree -- and many of you make good points -- but I think it is one of the better arguments we will see this year:
Is an uber-predictable Final Four made up of all the teams that were expected to make it -- for the first time in Tournament history -- a good thing... or a bad thing?
I argue in the lead of today's Sporting News column that I think it is a bad thing.
Not that any of the teams themselves are inherently bad, but simply that if nothing else, the NCAA Tournament's appeal is in its unpredictability -- and this outcome is entirely predictable.
(UPDATE: As some Commenters have pointed out, the more "predictable" outcome would have been all four 1-seeds NOT making the Final Four. Great point.)
Longtime readers know that I appreciate and honor the concept of "novelty" (or, its sibling, "superlative") more than any other quality in sports. It is the lens I view sports through.
So please know that the novelty of this being the first time all four No. 1 seeds have reached the Final Four appeals to my deep appreciation of novelty.
Something just strikes me wrong about it.
I don't feel this way about the NFL or MLB or the NBA or college football or even the women's NCAA Tournament (for which I argue in the column that an all 1-vs-2 Elite Eight is a VERY good thing for women's hoops).
The NCAA Tournament is my favorite sports event of the year. The NCAA Tournament, for me, is defined much in part for rejection of any sense of "inevitable" success for the favorites.
So please allow me at least a 24-hour period to have an allergic reaction to the shattering of that definition. It had to happen at some point, I guess. But I don't think it's a good thing.
More from today's Sporting News column: MLB Opening Night was a huge success for MLB and the Nats and Nationals Park and Ryan Zimmerman... MLB Opening Day is filled with ace-heavy storylines... the NBA West is must-track on a daily basis... Isiah Thomas to Indiana University?... and more... after the jump!
Unrelated: I participated in my first-ever fantasy baseball "auction" draft on Friday afternoon, and I think it will be hard for me to go back to straight snake-drafts. It was a ton of fun -- even if my lack of experience led me to some atrocious choices early, middle and late. (I did, however, spend more than Average Auction Value for Ryan Zimmerman... for one morning, at least, I feel like I did something right.)
-- D.S.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
1-Seeds Sweep: The Final Four Is Ruined
The Final Four has been ruined.
More tomorrow morning. (But you know you agree with me.)
-- D.S.
More tomorrow morning. (But you know you agree with me.)
-- D.S.
Sunday 03/30 (Very) Quickie
Two down, two to go: Fans are wins by Kansas and Memphis away from college basketball's one-and-only doomsday scenario: All 4 1-seeds making the Final Four.
Be honest: These regional games have not been particularly fun or satisfying. Xavier? Sure. Davidson? Absolutely. The rest? Lame throttlings. (Yes, Louisville made a game of it in the second half, but you just knew Hansbrough wouldn't let UNC lose -- and I usually loathe psycho-babble constructs like that.)
UCLA and UNC were no exception. UNC looks amazing; the only team I could see stopping them (if anyone can stop them) is UCLA. Congrats to Tyler Hansbrough: After two disappointing tournament exits, he finally gets his Final Four, thanks to those 20 2nd-half points.
As for today, you are not a fan (or are a fan of Kansas) if you aren't rooting for Davidson. Alternatively, I am rooting hard for Texas -- not just to avert the "doomsday" scenario, but because I love seeing Memphis and John Calipari fall just short in a regional final... again.
Meanwhile, it's MLB Opening Night! And the opening of Nationals Park! And tomorrow is full-blown Opening Day!
Loved the Dodgers and Red Sox in the L.A. Coliseum last night, if only for its Biggest. Attendance. Ever. novelty. 115K+ in attendance!
NBA: Nuggets beat Warriors head-to-head to take over the 8-spot in the West... The Suns aren't cooked yet: They are in a tie for the Pacific lead with the Lakers... Rookie Al Thornton led all scorers yesterday across the NBA with a career-high 39.
Be honest: These regional games have not been particularly fun or satisfying. Xavier? Sure. Davidson? Absolutely. The rest? Lame throttlings. (Yes, Louisville made a game of it in the second half, but you just knew Hansbrough wouldn't let UNC lose -- and I usually loathe psycho-babble constructs like that.)
UCLA and UNC were no exception. UNC looks amazing; the only team I could see stopping them (if anyone can stop them) is UCLA. Congrats to Tyler Hansbrough: After two disappointing tournament exits, he finally gets his Final Four, thanks to those 20 2nd-half points.
As for today, you are not a fan (or are a fan of Kansas) if you aren't rooting for Davidson. Alternatively, I am rooting hard for Texas -- not just to avert the "doomsday" scenario, but because I love seeing Memphis and John Calipari fall just short in a regional final... again.
Meanwhile, it's MLB Opening Night! And the opening of Nationals Park! And tomorrow is full-blown Opening Day!
Loved the Dodgers and Red Sox in the L.A. Coliseum last night, if only for its Biggest. Attendance. Ever. novelty. 115K+ in attendance!
NBA: Nuggets beat Warriors head-to-head to take over the 8-spot in the West... The Suns aren't cooked yet: They are in a tie for the Pacific lead with the Lakers... Rookie Al Thornton led all scorers yesterday across the NBA with a career-high 39.
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