OK, so at this point, the question isn't whether Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time, but if Phelps will finish these Olympic Games as considered the greatest athlete of all time, period.
That's the lead of today's SN column, and I don't think the superlative is misplaced.
Meanwhile, Katie Hoff continues a string of disappointing finishes. Given that she finished 4th, waited an hour, then finished 4th again, is she too over-scheduled to compete at this level?
Speaking of this level, I can't get worked up over the underlying allegations that China is using underaged gymnasts -- underfed, yes. But underaged? Well, consider that plenty of folks questioned how old LeBron James and Greg Oden were when they were in high school. (Hmm: Nobody questioned Chris Drury's age. You connect the dots.)
Actually, if anything, I don't understand why it's OK for that 14-year-old British diver to compete, but it's not OK for a 14- or 15-year-old gymnast to compete. I say: If you're good enough to make the Olympics, it doesn't matter what age you are. (It's like the NBA: If you're good enough to play in the NBA at 18, you shouldn't be kept out by an age limit.) If nowhere else, shouldn't the Olympics be the ultimate meritocracy?
Meanwhile, you can see it coming: The Rays are on the precipice of folding (Longoria out with the broken wrist; Crawford out for the rest of the season), while the Red Sox are surging, winning games that can be labeled the wildest of the year in MLB. David Ortiz produces more points than Matt Cassel. I think we'll look back at yesterday as the Day the Rays Began Their Collapse. I hope I'm wrong.
Oh, and today is Madden 09 release day. I usually don't get too excited: I have a Wii and, historically, I'm atrocious at Madden. (I prefer the CFB '09 anyway, and the streamlined gameplay of Wii version is just my speed and highly recommended if you're a casual Wii gamer, like me.)
But I absolutely recognize that today has become, for many, a virtual sports national holiday -- in the Quickie two years ago (oh, in those glorious final-month throes before it ended), I argued that "Madden Day" was the biggest single sports weekday of the year, behind only the first two days of the NCAA Tournament. (New Year's Day, if it falls on a weekday, doesn't count.)
For those of you who care about Madden, enjoy the holiday.
Complete SN column here.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Do August Injuries Affect Preseason Top 25?
So given the injuries in the past week to USC QB Mark Sanchez and Georgia LT Trinton Sturdivant, it begs an interesting question:
If you create your Top 25 rankings based on who the best team is right now -- not who will be No. 1 at the end of the season -- do the coaches and media have to adjust their rankings to account for these injuries, even before a game is played?
Is USC really a Top 3 team without Sanchez? Probably not. Is Georgia the No. 1 team without a key O-lineman? Arguably not. How about Florida without an NFL-caliber TE? Potentially.
The fact is: Georgia is not the same team without Sturdivant; USC is not the same team without Sanchez. Even without knowing the severity of their injuries (but presuming they miss at least the first week of the season, as is presumed with Sanchez), you have to change your preseason poll.
It certainly highlights how ludicrous the preseason poll is. (I personally make my preseason poll based on how I think they'll end the season, then adjust it after the first week based on on-field performance.)
But it is intellectually bankrupt (a not-uncommon quality among the AP, Coaches and Harris pollsters) not to re-do their preseason poll. We don't know how the teams will perform on the field, but we know how important the injured players are.
If we're ranking based on what we know -- rather than what we project for the end of the season -- I think that Ohio State vaults both Georgia and USC as the No. 1 team in the country. Until we actually start seeing some games on the field -- or they suffer their own major preseason injury.
-- D.S.
If you create your Top 25 rankings based on who the best team is right now -- not who will be No. 1 at the end of the season -- do the coaches and media have to adjust their rankings to account for these injuries, even before a game is played?
Is USC really a Top 3 team without Sanchez? Probably not. Is Georgia the No. 1 team without a key O-lineman? Arguably not. How about Florida without an NFL-caliber TE? Potentially.
The fact is: Georgia is not the same team without Sturdivant; USC is not the same team without Sanchez. Even without knowing the severity of their injuries (but presuming they miss at least the first week of the season, as is presumed with Sanchez), you have to change your preseason poll.
It certainly highlights how ludicrous the preseason poll is. (I personally make my preseason poll based on how I think they'll end the season, then adjust it after the first week based on on-field performance.)
But it is intellectually bankrupt (a not-uncommon quality among the AP, Coaches and Harris pollsters) not to re-do their preseason poll. We don't know how the teams will perform on the field, but we know how important the injured players are.
If we're ranking based on what we know -- rather than what we project for the end of the season -- I think that Ohio State vaults both Georgia and USC as the No. 1 team in the country. Until we actually start seeing some games on the field -- or they suffer their own major preseason injury.
-- D.S.
Tuesday 08/12 A.M. Quickie:
Rodgers, Phelps, Coughlin, Piersol, More
Names you'll want to know today: Aaron Rodgers, Michael Phelps, Adam Dunn, Angola.
Aaron Rodgers preseason debut as "QB1" for the Packers was a nice change-of-pace from Favre Mania. And you know what? Rodgers wasn't bad. It's hard to account for preseason performances, but he didn't embarrass himself out there, which is the first step toward acceptance. The expectations were likely so low that anything better than "sucking" would be a good start.
Rodgers' debut actually bumped the Olympics and the Phelps Watch -- which is like the Favre Watch, only enjoyable -- in the lead of today's SN column.
But Phelps is no less captivating: His WR performance in the 200 free was astonishing, given his (and USA Swimming's) recent history in the event. He just crushed it.
More interesting was Natalie Coughlin's 100 back. I'm no expert, but I could still tell she was off to an amazing start -- she JUST held on, and her face showed it. It's like a Costanzan leave-em-on-a-high-note strategy: "Thanks for the gold, folks. I'm outta here!" (She'll compete more, but this one was the biggie, going against Coventry.)
Aaron Piersol was simply awesome: He's not enormous like Grevers or the Ultimate Swimming Machine like Phelps. He seems relatively normal. He's just the world's best backstroke swimmer.
All that pushes the Adam Dunn trade down, but it is no less interesting than if it had been made a few weeks ago. (It's interesting to see a trade involving a productive player like Dunn happening after the deadline. Where were the strategic waiver blocks? Someone explain that to me.)
Last thing to mention this morning: It remains to be seen how bad this injury is to Georgia's LT, Trinton Sturdivant, but given the strength of that O-line -- for Moreno and for Stafford -- it could be a BCS-breaker. Between that and the Sanchez injury, Ohio State is looking very very strong right now.
Hmm: More on that later today. Full SN column here.
-- D.S.
Aaron Rodgers preseason debut as "QB1" for the Packers was a nice change-of-pace from Favre Mania. And you know what? Rodgers wasn't bad. It's hard to account for preseason performances, but he didn't embarrass himself out there, which is the first step toward acceptance. The expectations were likely so low that anything better than "sucking" would be a good start.
Rodgers' debut actually bumped the Olympics and the Phelps Watch -- which is like the Favre Watch, only enjoyable -- in the lead of today's SN column.
But Phelps is no less captivating: His WR performance in the 200 free was astonishing, given his (and USA Swimming's) recent history in the event. He just crushed it.
More interesting was Natalie Coughlin's 100 back. I'm no expert, but I could still tell she was off to an amazing start -- she JUST held on, and her face showed it. It's like a Costanzan leave-em-on-a-high-note strategy: "Thanks for the gold, folks. I'm outta here!" (She'll compete more, but this one was the biggie, going against Coventry.)
Aaron Piersol was simply awesome: He's not enormous like Grevers or the Ultimate Swimming Machine like Phelps. He seems relatively normal. He's just the world's best backstroke swimmer.
All that pushes the Adam Dunn trade down, but it is no less interesting than if it had been made a few weeks ago. (It's interesting to see a trade involving a productive player like Dunn happening after the deadline. Where were the strategic waiver blocks? Someone explain that to me.)
Last thing to mention this morning: It remains to be seen how bad this injury is to Georgia's LT, Trinton Sturdivant, but given the strength of that O-line -- for Moreno and for Stafford -- it could be a BCS-breaker. Between that and the Sanchez injury, Ohio State is looking very very strong right now.
Hmm: More on that later today. Full SN column here.
-- D.S.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Mike Vick to Play in United Football League?
This Vick-to-UFL rumor has a lot of intrigue -- and it's an obvious fit for the UFL, if they want a single-star marketing hook to launch the league.
But let me reiterate that any "minor" pro football league that strives to be successful needs to have a single simple policy, doubling as a marketing hook: No age restrictions.
-- D.S.
But let me reiterate that any "minor" pro football league that strives to be successful needs to have a single simple policy, doubling as a marketing hook: No age restrictions.
-- D.S.
Monday 08/11 A.M. Quickie:
Phelps, 4x100, Rays, Ryan, More
Wow, that 4x100 freestyle final last night was just about the most exciting sports event I have ever experienced. You don't have to care about swimming to have appreciated it; you don't have to respect Michael Phelps to know his celebration was THE moment of the Olympics. (Today's SN column leads with that.)
Here are the various qualities that were in play, any one of which alone would have made this race notable: Rivalry, star power, uncertainty (even underdog status) going into it (along with trash-talk from the rival), dramatic comeback, insanely close finish, over-the-top emotional celebration, records smashed and history made.
Combined? Wow.
Everything else, by comparison, comes across as kind of ordinary: Katie Hoff's loss in the 400 free should have been huger (same with Brendan Hansen's humiliation in the 100 breast). USA Oops' romp over China was barely a blip. I cannot for the life of me understand gymnastics' scoring system. What makes swimming (and track) so universally appealing is that you've got competitors, a finite goal and a clock. It may not be enough to get folks to watch any more frequently than quadrennially, but when it comes up, it sure is fun.
Meanwhile, let's not overlook that the Rays set a franchise record for wins, and it's only August 11. (God, it's going to be deflating if they don't make the playoffs.) Brandon Webb moved to 17 wins; Cliff Lee advanced to 16.
In the NFL, let's talk less about Brett Favre's penalty lap and more about whether Matt Ryan is ready to take over as a starting QB for the Falcons right now.
And in college football, UCLA QB Ben Olson's injury (foot, two months) might be more drastic than USC QB Mark Sanchez (at least the 1st game, but I wouldn't put it past USC to keep his status VERY close to the vest, particularly with the OSU game coming in September).
More later; complete SN column here. My biggest question about the Olympics is: How do you top what happened in the 4x100 last night? For sheer value in the moment, I'm not sure it can be topped. Obviously, Phelps' quest for 8 golds will build over the next 6 days -- this race last night was the one most in question on that. But for jump-off-the-couch value, this was as good as it gets.
-- D.S.
Here are the various qualities that were in play, any one of which alone would have made this race notable: Rivalry, star power, uncertainty (even underdog status) going into it (along with trash-talk from the rival), dramatic comeback, insanely close finish, over-the-top emotional celebration, records smashed and history made.
Combined? Wow.
Everything else, by comparison, comes across as kind of ordinary: Katie Hoff's loss in the 400 free should have been huger (same with Brendan Hansen's humiliation in the 100 breast). USA Oops' romp over China was barely a blip. I cannot for the life of me understand gymnastics' scoring system. What makes swimming (and track) so universally appealing is that you've got competitors, a finite goal and a clock. It may not be enough to get folks to watch any more frequently than quadrennially, but when it comes up, it sure is fun.
Meanwhile, let's not overlook that the Rays set a franchise record for wins, and it's only August 11. (God, it's going to be deflating if they don't make the playoffs.) Brandon Webb moved to 17 wins; Cliff Lee advanced to 16.
In the NFL, let's talk less about Brett Favre's penalty lap and more about whether Matt Ryan is ready to take over as a starting QB for the Falcons right now.
And in college football, UCLA QB Ben Olson's injury (foot, two months) might be more drastic than USC QB Mark Sanchez (at least the 1st game, but I wouldn't put it past USC to keep his status VERY close to the vest, particularly with the OSU game coming in September).
More later; complete SN column here. My biggest question about the Olympics is: How do you top what happened in the 4x100 last night? For sheer value in the moment, I'm not sure it can be topped. Obviously, Phelps' quest for 8 golds will build over the next 6 days -- this race last night was the one most in question on that. But for jump-off-the-couch value, this was as good as it gets.
-- D.S.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sunday 08/10 (Very) Quickie
Olympics: Michael Phelps is absolutely ridiculous, as anyone who watched his WR-setting 400 IM would agree. (In the other must-see, Dara Torres helped the US 4x100 free group rally for silver.)
NFL: Matt Ryan's debut -- 9/15 for 113 yds and 1 TD... Favre Watch: Favre will start in the Jets' next game... Steelers eyeing Leftwich or Culpepper to replace Batch?
MLB Playoff-Worthy Weekend Results: Cards clock Cubs behind Glaus... Angels crush Yankees behind 8-run 8th... Dice-K earns 13th W with Red Sox W over White Sox (Twins win; move half-game up)... D-Rays keep pace with win in 11... Mets d. Marlins (keep pace with Phils)...
Hot rumor: Manny wants to sign with the Yankees this offseason, specifically so he can try to crush the Red Sox 19 games a year. I don't doubt it. But will he give the Yanks a hometown discount?
Barry Bonds returns to S.F.: "I haven't retired." Perhaps his warm reception by Giants fans will give a playoff team the permission necessary to do the competitively smart thing and sign him.
NBA: Dwyane Wade jumps on the "$50 Million to play in Europe" bandwagon. This is no longer an interesting story, because the question to every player is "Would you consider playing in Europe for $50 million?" and the answer, always, is "Who wouldn't?"
Then it's a "story" but it's really not, as it's not like $50 million European offers are there for everyone. (That said, China should make three separate $50 million offers to LeBron, Kobe and Wade, just to see what happens.)
CFB: Looks like USC QB Mark Sanchez won't be out for the season, but perhaps only a game. However, that Ohio State game comes quickly -- how much will it impact the Trojans to have a gimpy and/or out-of-practice QB?
-- D.S.
NFL: Matt Ryan's debut -- 9/15 for 113 yds and 1 TD... Favre Watch: Favre will start in the Jets' next game... Steelers eyeing Leftwich or Culpepper to replace Batch?
MLB Playoff-Worthy Weekend Results: Cards clock Cubs behind Glaus... Angels crush Yankees behind 8-run 8th... Dice-K earns 13th W with Red Sox W over White Sox (Twins win; move half-game up)... D-Rays keep pace with win in 11... Mets d. Marlins (keep pace with Phils)...
Hot rumor: Manny wants to sign with the Yankees this offseason, specifically so he can try to crush the Red Sox 19 games a year. I don't doubt it. But will he give the Yanks a hometown discount?
Barry Bonds returns to S.F.: "I haven't retired." Perhaps his warm reception by Giants fans will give a playoff team the permission necessary to do the competitively smart thing and sign him.
NBA: Dwyane Wade jumps on the "$50 Million to play in Europe" bandwagon. This is no longer an interesting story, because the question to every player is "Would you consider playing in Europe for $50 million?" and the answer, always, is "Who wouldn't?"
Then it's a "story" but it's really not, as it's not like $50 million European offers are there for everyone. (That said, China should make three separate $50 million offers to LeBron, Kobe and Wade, just to see what happens.)
CFB: Looks like USC QB Mark Sanchez won't be out for the season, but perhaps only a game. However, that Ohio State game comes quickly -- how much will it impact the Trojans to have a gimpy and/or out-of-practice QB?
-- D.S.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Saturday 08/09 (Very) Quickie
Olympics open: Wow, that was a jaw-dropping spectacle. Any more questions that China is going to own us all?
USC loses QB Mark Sanchez: Wow. Remains to be seen how bad the knee injury is, but if it's bad, it implodes an entire assumption system about how this season will go.
Hawks keep Josh Smith: Of course they did; the Grizz should have done this at the start of free agency. (I will say I was intrigued to see a Mayo-Gay-Smith troika in Memphis.)
Dolphins sign QB Chad Pennington: He's fragile, but he's better than anything else Miami has. And, wow, would you look at that -- the Fins play the Jets in Week 1.
MLB: Big night for series matching teams right in the playoff hunt. Mets beat Marlins...Cubs beat Cards...White Sox beat Red Sox...Angels beat Yankees.
The image of the Olympics so far: President Bush slapping Misty May-Treanor's tramp stamp.
More: US Women's Soccer gets a W... China gets its first of many gold medals... Phelps sets an O.R. in the 400 IM prelims (finals tonight)...
-- D.S.
USC loses QB Mark Sanchez: Wow. Remains to be seen how bad the knee injury is, but if it's bad, it implodes an entire assumption system about how this season will go.
Hawks keep Josh Smith: Of course they did; the Grizz should have done this at the start of free agency. (I will say I was intrigued to see a Mayo-Gay-Smith troika in Memphis.)
Dolphins sign QB Chad Pennington: He's fragile, but he's better than anything else Miami has. And, wow, would you look at that -- the Fins play the Jets in Week 1.
MLB: Big night for series matching teams right in the playoff hunt. Mets beat Marlins...Cubs beat Cards...White Sox beat Red Sox...Angels beat Yankees.
The image of the Olympics so far: President Bush slapping Misty May-Treanor's tramp stamp.
More: US Women's Soccer gets a W... China gets its first of many gold medals... Phelps sets an O.R. in the 400 IM prelims (finals tonight)...
-- D.S.
Friday, August 08, 2008
College Football Pick 'Em: DQ Readers!
It's that time of year: Sign up for the College Football Pick 'Em. As usual, the group name is Daily Quickie Readers and it's open to anyone. Sign up now!
LeBron, Kobe, Europe and the NBA's Future
Just testing a theory: So there's the LeBron/$50M/Greece meme. Now the Kobe/$50M/Italy meme (and a lot more plausible). It's not a joke; the idea of a true NBA superstar bolting for Europe (or China) WILL become a reality in the next few years. And the current NBA salary structure can't deal with it.
I wonder if the NBA will be forced to adopt an MLS-style "Beckham Rule," where one player (presumably the superstar) can be signed for any amount of money and would not count against the team's cap. (Or, alternatively, allowing for players to become part-owners.)
Sure, that favors the free-spending NBA owners and it blows the economics of salary management right out of the water, but it beats watching the stars not play in the NBA at all, right? Your reactions via the Comments.
-- D.S.
I wonder if the NBA will be forced to adopt an MLS-style "Beckham Rule," where one player (presumably the superstar) can be signed for any amount of money and would not count against the team's cap. (Or, alternatively, allowing for players to become part-owners.)
Sure, that favors the free-spending NBA owners and it blows the economics of salary management right out of the water, but it beats watching the stars not play in the NBA at all, right? Your reactions via the Comments.
-- D.S.
Friday 08/08 A.M. Quickie:
Olympics, NFL Preseason, Ibanez, More
Goodbye, Brett. Hello, Beijing. As you'll see in the lead of today's SN column, I'm a huge fan of the Summer Olympics, and I can't wait for things to get going, as early as tomorrow with some swimming finals.
There are a couple of non-athletic sidebars worth tracking:
(1) Protests, particularly by athletes. I remain unconvinced that NBC Sports' allegience to the IOC and their overlords in China won't trump their allegiance to a U.S. viewership that deserves to see all the athlete protests you know will happen.
(2) Pollution, specifically the athlete reaction to it by wearing masks that will be unavoidable on TV. Personally, I'd be wearing that thing 24/7 if I was an athlete. You shouldn't work for 4 years to get to this point, only to be derailed because you're too macho to recognize the debilitating effects of hyper-pollution on your body's finely tuned system.
Meanwhile, I like that other Brett who plays QB for the Jets. I'm not so sure about this Favre guy. This is a fling for him; for as much stake as he used to have in the Packers franchise, he has as little stake in the Jets. But let's reinforce the key point: As long as the Jets aren't going to make the playoffs (let alone the Super Bowl), at least Favre makes them relevant. That's the next best thing.
NFL Preseason last night: Wow, the Bears need another solution at QB... Reggie Bush is going to continue to not live up to his pre-draft hype... the Pats have now lost 2 straight (but Lamont Jordan is going to be a fantasy steal)... Darren McFadden begins the takeover tonight.
MLB: I think Raul Ibanez has locked up AL Player of the Month, and it's only August 8... Manny should be the leading contender for NL MVP... the Marlins aren't going away.
CFB: Does the season-ending (perhaps career-ending) injury to Florida TE Cornelius Ingram make me any less bullish on the Gators' chances of winning a national title? Perhaps a tad -- if they weren't so loaded with other weapons on offense. The question continues to be the D.
08-08-08: Should be a wild kick-off to the Olympics. More later today and, as usual, all weekend.
Full SN column here.
-- D.S.
There are a couple of non-athletic sidebars worth tracking:
(1) Protests, particularly by athletes. I remain unconvinced that NBC Sports' allegience to the IOC and their overlords in China won't trump their allegiance to a U.S. viewership that deserves to see all the athlete protests you know will happen.
(2) Pollution, specifically the athlete reaction to it by wearing masks that will be unavoidable on TV. Personally, I'd be wearing that thing 24/7 if I was an athlete. You shouldn't work for 4 years to get to this point, only to be derailed because you're too macho to recognize the debilitating effects of hyper-pollution on your body's finely tuned system.
Meanwhile, I like that other Brett who plays QB for the Jets. I'm not so sure about this Favre guy. This is a fling for him; for as much stake as he used to have in the Packers franchise, he has as little stake in the Jets. But let's reinforce the key point: As long as the Jets aren't going to make the playoffs (let alone the Super Bowl), at least Favre makes them relevant. That's the next best thing.
NFL Preseason last night: Wow, the Bears need another solution at QB... Reggie Bush is going to continue to not live up to his pre-draft hype... the Pats have now lost 2 straight (but Lamont Jordan is going to be a fantasy steal)... Darren McFadden begins the takeover tonight.
MLB: I think Raul Ibanez has locked up AL Player of the Month, and it's only August 8... Manny should be the leading contender for NL MVP... the Marlins aren't going away.
CFB: Does the season-ending (perhaps career-ending) injury to Florida TE Cornelius Ingram make me any less bullish on the Gators' chances of winning a national title? Perhaps a tad -- if they weren't so loaded with other weapons on offense. The question continues to be the D.
08-08-08: Should be a wild kick-off to the Olympics. More later today and, as usual, all weekend.
Full SN column here.
-- D.S.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
B.D. Drew's Guide to Fantasy Football
Definite must-read, and not just because he craps on me personally at the end, which is only a bonus. Apparently, participating in not one but TWO drafts with me a year ago was scarring. Here's how unprepared I am right now: I actually took the various players he mentions in the Deadspin post and jotted them down for future draft reference.
Must-Read: SMQ's Farewell Week
You know Sunday Morning QB is ending. You know CFB savant Matt Hinton is going to Yahoo Sports, in a coup for Jamie Mottram's blog unit. You know Hinton picked Florida to win the national title. You may not know that, this week, he is going out with a huge bang -- his long-form essays on the state of the game have been very very good. Just kick back, head to the site and read it all. Been a hell of a run -- with more to come. -- D.S.
Tonight in NYC: Varsity Letters Returns!
If you live in NYC, tonight at 8 at Happy Ending: Varsity Letters Reading Series returns, with a super lineup, including Stefan Fatsis and Aaron Schatz. I personally would like to ask Fatsis to demonstrate his Broncos-swooning kicking style -- and ask Schatz about his KUBIAK projections for Favre on the Jets. Should be a great event. And it's FREE. Complete details here.
Thursday 08/07 A.M. Quickie:
Favre, NFL Preseason, Olympics, More
Depending on your perspective, this Favre-to-the-Jets story -- which will assuredly dominate the day -- is either the blissful end of a grueling chapter of our fan experience this summer OR merely the start of the next grueling chapter. It was unavoidable that Favre would lead today's SN column. Here are a few non-column observations about Favre in New York:
Favre in New York is like media wish-fulfillment -- god, can you imagine what emotions Peter King is feeling right now? The Jets store already had Favre jerseys to sell (or pre-sell) when I checked at 6:30 this morning; by 8, the site was down, presumably overloaded with would-be buyers.
Packers fans had sort of frustrated me during this whole saga -- although polling this week made me feel better that at least half of the fans were sick of Favre, too -- but now that his departure to another team is real, I feel kind of bad for them.
It can't be easy to see your icon -- your favorite player -- in another team's jersey, with another team's fans now with more claim to root for him than you have.
The Jets now become the center of gravity in the NFL -- maybe not for the duration of the season, but certainly for the next month. That's a hell of a trick, given that they share a city and stadium with the defending champs and given that they share a division with a team that hasn't lost a regular season in a long time.
Of all the thoughts I have about this swirling around this morning, I think the one that resonates is the "KG Great Man" Theory: On at least a few superficial levels (stardom level, jersey color, Midwest-to-East-Coast relocation, crappy team), Favre is like KG last fall in his move to the Celtics.
But KG was in a title-or-bust situation: Anything less than an NBA title would have been an utter and conspicuous failure for Garnett.
With Favre -- with the NFL -- there is no one-man fix for the Jets. Given the vagaries of NFL success from year to year, the Jets' 4 wins from a year ago could easily become 8 or 9 -- that won't be enough for the playoffs in an AFC where 5 playoff spots seem locked up already.
But Favre is in a different situation than Garnett: KG had to win a title, simply had to. Favre is merely looking to finish up his career. Obviously, he'd like to go out a winner, but I don't think anyone has any expectations that can or will happen with the Jets.
For Favre, getting the Jets to .500 this season might just be enough to call the season a successful one. I appreciate the Jets' interest in "win now," although the chances of going from 4 wins to the Super Bowl on Brett Favre's back seems fantastical -- not fantastic.
I said this about the Wizards and Gilbert Arenas, and I think it applies to the Jets with Favre: As long as they're not winning a championship, they can at least be relevant. For a megomaniacal guy like Favre and a team that plays in a megomaniacal city like New York, that is probably all that matters at this point.
Complete SN column can be found here, including all sorts of other topics, like MLB Instant History, LeBron vs. David Beckham, BYU's chances of crashing the BCS, Olympics ramp-up and more.
More later.
-- D.S.
Favre in New York is like media wish-fulfillment -- god, can you imagine what emotions Peter King is feeling right now? The Jets store already had Favre jerseys to sell (or pre-sell) when I checked at 6:30 this morning; by 8, the site was down, presumably overloaded with would-be buyers.
Packers fans had sort of frustrated me during this whole saga -- although polling this week made me feel better that at least half of the fans were sick of Favre, too -- but now that his departure to another team is real, I feel kind of bad for them.
It can't be easy to see your icon -- your favorite player -- in another team's jersey, with another team's fans now with more claim to root for him than you have.
The Jets now become the center of gravity in the NFL -- maybe not for the duration of the season, but certainly for the next month. That's a hell of a trick, given that they share a city and stadium with the defending champs and given that they share a division with a team that hasn't lost a regular season in a long time.
Of all the thoughts I have about this swirling around this morning, I think the one that resonates is the "KG Great Man" Theory: On at least a few superficial levels (stardom level, jersey color, Midwest-to-East-Coast relocation, crappy team), Favre is like KG last fall in his move to the Celtics.
But KG was in a title-or-bust situation: Anything less than an NBA title would have been an utter and conspicuous failure for Garnett.
With Favre -- with the NFL -- there is no one-man fix for the Jets. Given the vagaries of NFL success from year to year, the Jets' 4 wins from a year ago could easily become 8 or 9 -- that won't be enough for the playoffs in an AFC where 5 playoff spots seem locked up already.
But Favre is in a different situation than Garnett: KG had to win a title, simply had to. Favre is merely looking to finish up his career. Obviously, he'd like to go out a winner, but I don't think anyone has any expectations that can or will happen with the Jets.
For Favre, getting the Jets to .500 this season might just be enough to call the season a successful one. I appreciate the Jets' interest in "win now," although the chances of going from 4 wins to the Super Bowl on Brett Favre's back seems fantastical -- not fantastic.
I said this about the Wizards and Gilbert Arenas, and I think it applies to the Jets with Favre: As long as they're not winning a championship, they can at least be relevant. For a megomaniacal guy like Favre and a team that plays in a megomaniacal city like New York, that is probably all that matters at this point.
Complete SN column can be found here, including all sorts of other topics, like MLB Instant History, LeBron vs. David Beckham, BYU's chances of crashing the BCS, Olympics ramp-up and more.
More later.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Wednesday 08/06 A.M. Quickie:
Favre, LeBron, Webb, Olympics, More
It's almost over. You can feel it. The Favre saga is almost over: Favre is over it. The Packers executives are over it. Packers fans seem to be ready for it to be over. (Check the SN column for a link to some very interesting local polling numbers.) The rest of us certainly cannot wait for this to be over. Bucs fans, presumably, are anxious to have things start.
Today's SN column leads, regrettably, with Favre -- but quickly gets into more interesting things!
*LeBron playing in Europe! (I say: Yes!)
*Brandon Webb vs. Dan Haren
*Nick Swisher vs. Raul Ibanez
*Olympic facemasks -- THE fashion accessory
*The Texas Tech bandwagon
*USA Oops: Not as great as they think
There is lots there -- not just Favre (mercifully, not just Favre). Check it out here.
PS: Will the Favre Bucs jersey be the NFL's hottest seller? Consider how many fans you saw wearing the Joe Montana Chiefs jersey. (Not many, if I recall...maybe in K.C., I guess.) The real question: Will Favre Packers jerseys hit the discount bin in Green Bay? Doubt it.
-- D.S.
Today's SN column leads, regrettably, with Favre -- but quickly gets into more interesting things!
*LeBron playing in Europe! (I say: Yes!)
*Brandon Webb vs. Dan Haren
*Nick Swisher vs. Raul Ibanez
*Olympic facemasks -- THE fashion accessory
*The Texas Tech bandwagon
*USA Oops: Not as great as they think
There is lots there -- not just Favre (mercifully, not just Favre). Check it out here.
PS: Will the Favre Bucs jersey be the NFL's hottest seller? Consider how many fans you saw wearing the Joe Montana Chiefs jersey. (Not many, if I recall...maybe in K.C., I guess.) The real question: Will Favre Packers jerseys hit the discount bin in Green Bay? Doubt it.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
SI Picks Georgia To Win the National Title
From SI: (1) UGA; (2) tOSU; (3) USC; (4) Mizzou; (5) Florida
This implies two things SI predicts: That Georgia will beat Florida and that Ohio State will win at USC. I think both of those suppositions are wrong; therefore, SI's ultimate predictions are wrong.
This implies two things SI predicts: That Georgia will beat Florida and that Ohio State will win at USC. I think both of those suppositions are wrong; therefore, SI's ultimate predictions are wrong.
One Last Time: Not. A. Story.
I hate Notre Dame as much as anyone, but college kids drinking just isn't a scandal. Period. (h/t: TBL)
Air Obama T-Shirt: Must Have One
It's no secret that I'm pretty obsessed with the Obama-basketball connection. Here is a new must-have T-shirt: Air Obama.
Catch Barca Playing 4-on-4 in NYC
If you live in NYC: Very cool event this afternoon at 5: An incredible exhibition involving Barca players at Chelsea Waterside Park (23rd St./12th Ave.) It's for a great cause (Malaria No More). Here is a link, but it doesn't explain much, unfortunately. All you need to know is that things kick off before 5, so get there early for good seats, the chance to take photos and win prizes, etc. -- D.S.
WePlay Gets $8.6 Million in New Funding:
Yes, But Will It Play In Pee-Wee Leagues?
WePlay is an interesting business: The "operating system of youth sports" is its positioning, with renewed interest in the wake of yesterday's news they raised another $8.6M in B-round funding.
There's a Yardbarker-type element to it: Its big p.r. draw is the inclusion of pro athletes. In YB's case, it's the athlete blogs being the consumer draw (ahead of its member blogs or, the backbone of the entire venture, its ad network roll-up of smaller sports blogs).
In WePlay's case, it is the A-list cachet of the B-round investors: LeBron. Jeter. Peyton.
The site is geared to pre-high school sports. It isn't a social network, but there are social network aspects to it: Hyper-localized mini-networks. It has a robust enough market potential, but I remain skeptical that hyperlocal content needs a universal aggregator. As with any platform, it's all in the utility of the tools. If they work, it could be a winner. But there are no network effects with local youth sports -- the T-ball team in Malibu doesn't need to be on the same system as the hoops league in Tampa. However, what they commonly need is an online system to organize themselves.
The well-funded WePlay can afford to build the best system -- one that would out-do any locally based system. (Yet another area where local newspapers totally blew an opportunity.)
The exit strategy seems simple enough: Become the youth-sports solution to a major sports media company's youth-sports need. The travel down the continuum is only getting younger.
Ideas like ESPNU and the CBS College Sports Network have begat the makings of "ESPN HS" -- signaled by ESPN's acquisition of Rise, in addition to its larger focus on the obsessive market for high school recruiting news and information.
The next frontier is getting even younger: Think "ESPN Kids." The twist is that rather than covering youth sports as news -- like recruiting -- this is about facilitating participation. Any media company in the business of selling sports has a vested interest in facilitating -- and generating -- enthusiasm for sports among kids.
(One of the most trenchant pieces of analysis in Tom Farrey's must-read book "Game On" was the concept that kids who play become kids who are fans, not the other way around; kids who don't play don't become fans -- a concept that better have pro sports leagues thinking hard about the future.)
And so I could see the ultimate exit of WePlay being a beachhead for ESPN -- or any of its competitors -- in the must-have youth-sports market. That it plays -- at least theoretically -- in the hot "social media" space only makes it more appealing. (WePlay has raised $13 million; who knows what its valuation is at this point -- but it'll be pricey.)
Given the high-profile athlete backers, buzz for WePlay is there. Will the kids follow?
-- D.S.
There's a Yardbarker-type element to it: Its big p.r. draw is the inclusion of pro athletes. In YB's case, it's the athlete blogs being the consumer draw (ahead of its member blogs or, the backbone of the entire venture, its ad network roll-up of smaller sports blogs).
In WePlay's case, it is the A-list cachet of the B-round investors: LeBron. Jeter. Peyton.
The site is geared to pre-high school sports. It isn't a social network, but there are social network aspects to it: Hyper-localized mini-networks. It has a robust enough market potential, but I remain skeptical that hyperlocal content needs a universal aggregator. As with any platform, it's all in the utility of the tools. If they work, it could be a winner. But there are no network effects with local youth sports -- the T-ball team in Malibu doesn't need to be on the same system as the hoops league in Tampa. However, what they commonly need is an online system to organize themselves.
The well-funded WePlay can afford to build the best system -- one that would out-do any locally based system. (Yet another area where local newspapers totally blew an opportunity.)
The exit strategy seems simple enough: Become the youth-sports solution to a major sports media company's youth-sports need. The travel down the continuum is only getting younger.
Ideas like ESPNU and the CBS College Sports Network have begat the makings of "ESPN HS" -- signaled by ESPN's acquisition of Rise, in addition to its larger focus on the obsessive market for high school recruiting news and information.
The next frontier is getting even younger: Think "ESPN Kids." The twist is that rather than covering youth sports as news -- like recruiting -- this is about facilitating participation. Any media company in the business of selling sports has a vested interest in facilitating -- and generating -- enthusiasm for sports among kids.
(One of the most trenchant pieces of analysis in Tom Farrey's must-read book "Game On" was the concept that kids who play become kids who are fans, not the other way around; kids who don't play don't become fans -- a concept that better have pro sports leagues thinking hard about the future.)
And so I could see the ultimate exit of WePlay being a beachhead for ESPN -- or any of its competitors -- in the must-have youth-sports market. That it plays -- at least theoretically -- in the hot "social media" space only makes it more appealing. (WePlay has raised $13 million; who knows what its valuation is at this point -- but it'll be pricey.)
Given the high-profile athlete backers, buzz for WePlay is there. Will the kids follow?
-- D.S.
SMQ Picks Florida to Win the National Title
Validation? Hell yes. Between SMQ and Phil Steele, I no longer feel like I'll get crushed for picking Florida to win the national title this season.
Tuesday 08/05 A.M. Quickie:
Favre, Brewers, Olympics, CFB, More
It is the rallying cry of a nation of fans: Anything But Favre.
I know that many/most of you reached this point weeks ago, but I have felt compelled to continue to track this godforsaken story. In today's SN column, I try to back away.
Everyone has their own breaking point: Maybe it was the first day he announced his retirement. Maybe it was the first day of the comeback talk. Maybe it was the day the Packers offered him $20 million to stay retired. Maybe it was the day he arrived back in Wisconsin to go to camp.
Last night's non-news (McCarthy press conference cancelled because his talk with Favre went long!) might have been my own personal breaking point.
Especially when there is a ton of other things to cover: The Brewers are imploding -- in real-time!... Steve Smith is sorry -- but Ken Lucas isn't!... SMQ agrees with me that Florida will be national champs! (Yes, I know I posed about this earlier this morning.)
There is a ton of stuff in the column today -- including a bunch of random details that I'm pretty sure will hit the radar today (or maybe I'm just late to the party). Check it out here.
Couple of posts coming throughout the day.
-- D.S.
I know that many/most of you reached this point weeks ago, but I have felt compelled to continue to track this godforsaken story. In today's SN column, I try to back away.
Everyone has their own breaking point: Maybe it was the first day he announced his retirement. Maybe it was the first day of the comeback talk. Maybe it was the day the Packers offered him $20 million to stay retired. Maybe it was the day he arrived back in Wisconsin to go to camp.
Last night's non-news (McCarthy press conference cancelled because his talk with Favre went long!) might have been my own personal breaking point.
Especially when there is a ton of other things to cover: The Brewers are imploding -- in real-time!... Steve Smith is sorry -- but Ken Lucas isn't!... SMQ agrees with me that Florida will be national champs! (Yes, I know I posed about this earlier this morning.)
There is a ton of stuff in the column today -- including a bunch of random details that I'm pretty sure will hit the radar today (or maybe I'm just late to the party). Check it out here.
Couple of posts coming throughout the day.
-- D.S.
Real Story Behind the Erin Andrews Story
Leave it to Spencer Hall to apply the proper perspective: They're all a bunch of misogynists. (Um, I'm paraphrasing.)
Monday, August 04, 2008
Favre Watch: No Trade to Vikings?
Not that NFL coaches are known for their truthfulness in the face of media reports, but Brad Childress says the Vikings haven't talked to the Packers about Favre. (No, they've only talked with Favre directly about Favre...) That doesn't mean they won't, but it certainly takes some air out of today's hot rumor. Instead, the Packers can focus on getting Favre into camp and either letting him compete for the starting QB job -- or telling him that he'll be the backup...deal with it.
Monday 08/04 A.M. Quickie:
Favre a Viking, Manny a MVP and More
Sorry for the delay today. I guess I'm just overwhelmed by all of the raging ridiculousness packed into today's SN column. Check it out here.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Sunday 08/03 (Very) Quickie
Do you REALLY think Roger Goodell's Monday "deadline" to answer the Favre reinstatement question will change anything?
The CC-for-Cy campaign is back on!
Now: How about Manny for NL MVP?
More Trade-Deadline pay-off: Blanton earns first Phils win...
Nice to see the Angels finally play in a game where their competitor for the AL title doesn't completely cede the race to them...
Yeah: Go ahead and try to argue that Rafael Nadal still doesn't deserve to be No. 1...
Was Javon Walker ready to retire? Would you really care or notice if he did?
The Packers got at least one awkward situation fixed, and it wasn't the Favre thing: Ryan Grant was signed...
It's the four words Chiefs fans didn't want to hear: Glenn Dorsey. Knee injury.
-- D.S.
The CC-for-Cy campaign is back on!
Now: How about Manny for NL MVP?
More Trade-Deadline pay-off: Blanton earns first Phils win...
Nice to see the Angels finally play in a game where their competitor for the AL title doesn't completely cede the race to them...
Yeah: Go ahead and try to argue that Rafael Nadal still doesn't deserve to be No. 1...
Was Javon Walker ready to retire? Would you really care or notice if he did?
The Packers got at least one awkward situation fixed, and it wasn't the Favre thing: Ryan Grant was signed...
It's the four words Chiefs fans didn't want to hear: Glenn Dorsey. Knee injury.
-- D.S.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Saturday 08/02 (Very) Quickie
MLB Post-Trade Debuts: Manny, Dodgers lose critical one to D'backs; Jason Bay scores the GW run after hitting a triple in the 12th to lead BOS over OAK; Griffey leads White Sox over Royals (By the way, Manny is wearing No. 99, predictably "quirky")...
Will Brett Favre take the $20 million hush money today?
Steve Smith is good enough to get away with being in the middle of training camp brawls, right?...
Francisco Liriano is back (finally) with the Twins; Livan Hernandez is on the market after his release...
Josh Howard: Street racing? I guess he wants the fastest way out of Dallas. How did he turn into an NBA bad boy?
-- D.S.
Will Brett Favre take the $20 million hush money today?
Steve Smith is good enough to get away with being in the middle of training camp brawls, right?...
Francisco Liriano is back (finally) with the Twins; Livan Hernandez is on the market after his release...
Josh Howard: Street racing? I guess he wants the fastest way out of Dallas. How did he turn into an NBA bad boy?
-- D.S.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Coaches' Top 25 Poll: What Does It Mean?
The first/preseason Coaches' Top 25 poll was released, and it's important: The Coaches' poll is 1/3 of the BCS formula, and -- as we all know -- the No. 1 voting criteria is...
Inertia.
In other words: Where teams start is a built-in advantage.
If you keep winning, it's a hell of a lot easier to stay at the top than to start from the back. (Yes, ultimately, if you simply keep winning and never lose, you will probably get to the top spot. Probably. Maybe. You never know though.)
Georgia is No. 1, which presumably means that they are the favorite to win the national title. However, if you think that Florida will beat Georgia in Jacksonville on November 1 -- as I do -- then you can't have Georgia as your No. 1 team.
(Georgia would have been better off losing to Florida a year ago, then blitzing them this year with that everyone-celebrate-in-the-end-zone schtick; by pulling it out last year, all UGA did was motivate UF to beat them, which they will.)
The number seem to indicate that Georgia's run at No. 1 will end long before the Cocktail Party. As I noted in my SN column today, UGA's 22 first-place votes are less than the combined first-place votes of No. 2 USC and No.3 Ohio State.
It stands to reason that when USC and Ohio State play in September, the winner will immediately vault into the No. 1 spot, no matter how UGA has started (including what should be counted as an impressive win at Arizona State -- if the Bulldogs actually win).
Using inertia -- and baseless projection -- as your guide, you can see how this is going to play out:
The USC-Ohio State winner will have a damn-near-lock on one spot in the national championship. (There will be no subsequent Stanford or Illinois moment for the winner of that USC-tOSU game.)
The other spot appears to be reserved for the winner of the Georgia-Florida game, certainly if that winner stays unbeaten, running the table in the SEC. (LSU, ranked No. 6 by the coaches, could play the spoiler, but without a QB and with a road game in Gainesville -- another revenge game for the Gators -- I don't see it happening.) But going unbeaten via the SEC is still a hell of a thing: Would a 1-loss SEC champ trump an unbeaten champ of, say, the Big 12? I don't think so.
Oklahoma comes in at No. 4; Missouri comes in at No. 7. They don't play each other during the regular season, so each could get through the regular season unbeaten (OU has Texas in Dallas; MU has Texas in Austin), but something would have to give in the Big 12 title game.
West Virginia and Clemson are No. 8 and No. 9 and are the top-ranked teams from the less powerful BCS conferences -- neither is without problems, and I'm not sure that even if either/both go unbeaten, they don't lose the BCS selection battle to a one-loss SEC champ...
...Or even the loser of the USC-Ohio State. (You can shudder now.) I'll preview the talking points now:
*"Well, they got their only loss of the season out of the way in September," giving them plenty of time to go from the bottom of the Top 10 (as far as they'll fall) back up into the BCS mix, as teams ahead of them lose.
*"Well, their only loss was to the No. 1 ranked team in the country," which is complemented by this fallacy...
*"Well, give them credit for scheduling a title-killing game against a fellow heavyweight." If the game isn't going to be meaningful -- like, "Winner gets to play in the BCS title game, loser doesn't," then what's the point?
But count on this:
Provided the USC-tOSU winner runs the table and the loser sustains no other losses (racking up a conference title along the way) the hype for a USC-Ohio State rematch in BCS championship game will be the most powerful force in college football this year.
A perfect season out of the SEC champ will hold off that result. A perfect season out of the Big 12 champ will hold off that result. (If we get an unbeaten USC-tOSU winner, an unbeaten SEC champ and an unbeaten Big 12 champ, the Big 12 champ will be screwed, I am sure.)
The chances of perfection for any team are very low, even for the winner of the USC-tOSU game. However, simply (and, as always, baselessly) projecting from the preseason rankings, I think the other team that will play for the national title will come down to a debate between a 1-loss SEC champ versus the 1-loss USC-tOSU loser.
Who says preseason polls are meaningless? (By the way, mine won't be coming until way later in the month. But for now, the must-read among preseason polls is Sunday Morning QB's ballot. He is going 5 teams at a time, in reverse order, and through Friday morning, he's gone from 25-11.)
-- D.S.
Inertia.
In other words: Where teams start is a built-in advantage.
If you keep winning, it's a hell of a lot easier to stay at the top than to start from the back. (Yes, ultimately, if you simply keep winning and never lose, you will probably get to the top spot. Probably. Maybe. You never know though.)
Georgia is No. 1, which presumably means that they are the favorite to win the national title. However, if you think that Florida will beat Georgia in Jacksonville on November 1 -- as I do -- then you can't have Georgia as your No. 1 team.
(Georgia would have been better off losing to Florida a year ago, then blitzing them this year with that everyone-celebrate-in-the-end-zone schtick; by pulling it out last year, all UGA did was motivate UF to beat them, which they will.)
The number seem to indicate that Georgia's run at No. 1 will end long before the Cocktail Party. As I noted in my SN column today, UGA's 22 first-place votes are less than the combined first-place votes of No. 2 USC and No.3 Ohio State.
It stands to reason that when USC and Ohio State play in September, the winner will immediately vault into the No. 1 spot, no matter how UGA has started (including what should be counted as an impressive win at Arizona State -- if the Bulldogs actually win).
Using inertia -- and baseless projection -- as your guide, you can see how this is going to play out:
The USC-Ohio State winner will have a damn-near-lock on one spot in the national championship. (There will be no subsequent Stanford or Illinois moment for the winner of that USC-tOSU game.)
The other spot appears to be reserved for the winner of the Georgia-Florida game, certainly if that winner stays unbeaten, running the table in the SEC. (LSU, ranked No. 6 by the coaches, could play the spoiler, but without a QB and with a road game in Gainesville -- another revenge game for the Gators -- I don't see it happening.) But going unbeaten via the SEC is still a hell of a thing: Would a 1-loss SEC champ trump an unbeaten champ of, say, the Big 12? I don't think so.
Oklahoma comes in at No. 4; Missouri comes in at No. 7. They don't play each other during the regular season, so each could get through the regular season unbeaten (OU has Texas in Dallas; MU has Texas in Austin), but something would have to give in the Big 12 title game.
West Virginia and Clemson are No. 8 and No. 9 and are the top-ranked teams from the less powerful BCS conferences -- neither is without problems, and I'm not sure that even if either/both go unbeaten, they don't lose the BCS selection battle to a one-loss SEC champ...
...Or even the loser of the USC-Ohio State. (You can shudder now.) I'll preview the talking points now:
*"Well, they got their only loss of the season out of the way in September," giving them plenty of time to go from the bottom of the Top 10 (as far as they'll fall) back up into the BCS mix, as teams ahead of them lose.
*"Well, their only loss was to the No. 1 ranked team in the country," which is complemented by this fallacy...
*"Well, give them credit for scheduling a title-killing game against a fellow heavyweight." If the game isn't going to be meaningful -- like, "Winner gets to play in the BCS title game, loser doesn't," then what's the point?
But count on this:
Provided the USC-tOSU winner runs the table and the loser sustains no other losses (racking up a conference title along the way) the hype for a USC-Ohio State rematch in BCS championship game will be the most powerful force in college football this year.
A perfect season out of the SEC champ will hold off that result. A perfect season out of the Big 12 champ will hold off that result. (If we get an unbeaten USC-tOSU winner, an unbeaten SEC champ and an unbeaten Big 12 champ, the Big 12 champ will be screwed, I am sure.)
The chances of perfection for any team are very low, even for the winner of the USC-tOSU game. However, simply (and, as always, baselessly) projecting from the preseason rankings, I think the other team that will play for the national title will come down to a debate between a 1-loss SEC champ versus the 1-loss USC-tOSU loser.
Who says preseason polls are meaningless? (By the way, mine won't be coming until way later in the month. But for now, the must-read among preseason polls is Sunday Morning QB's ballot. He is going 5 teams at a time, in reverse order, and through Friday morning, he's gone from 25-11.)
-- D.S.
Friday 08/01 A.M. Quickie:
Manny, Bay, Favre, CFB Top 25, More
Tired of the Manny meme or the Favre overload? We may be turning the corner.
Manny is officially out of Boston -- for better or worse. Bay is a fine replacement, but we'll see; meanwhile, the Dodgers get stronger, in a division where Manny might make the difference.
Manny and the various trade dramas leads today's SN column, but -- again, for better or far far worse -- the Favre story extends into its Nth day:
Is he taking the $20 million hush money? (That would be great for the Packers and anyone sick of the Favre story, but kind of offensive.)
Is he getting traded to the Jets? (That would be terrible for Packers fans -- as any trade would be -- and pretty bad for anyone who hates the Favre story. Favre in New York? Ugh.)
The only thing you can hope for is that the resolution comes tomorrow. Why? Because things that happen in sports on a Saturday tend to lose their momentum by Monday...
...Unless it's college football results. Speaking of which, the Coaches' Top 25 is out. It's important -- important enough for a stand-alone post later this morning.
Here is the complete SN column from today. More on the Coaches' Top 25 coming at 11 a.m. ET.
-- D.S.
Manny is officially out of Boston -- for better or worse. Bay is a fine replacement, but we'll see; meanwhile, the Dodgers get stronger, in a division where Manny might make the difference.
Manny and the various trade dramas leads today's SN column, but -- again, for better or far far worse -- the Favre story extends into its Nth day:
Is he taking the $20 million hush money? (That would be great for the Packers and anyone sick of the Favre story, but kind of offensive.)
Is he getting traded to the Jets? (That would be terrible for Packers fans -- as any trade would be -- and pretty bad for anyone who hates the Favre story. Favre in New York? Ugh.)
The only thing you can hope for is that the resolution comes tomorrow. Why? Because things that happen in sports on a Saturday tend to lose their momentum by Monday...
...Unless it's college football results. Speaking of which, the Coaches' Top 25 is out. It's important -- important enough for a stand-alone post later this morning.
Here is the complete SN column from today. More on the Coaches' Top 25 coming at 11 a.m. ET.
-- D.S.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Packers to Favre: $20M to NOT Play?
Just when I think the Packers can't respond any more stupidly to this Favre situation, they go and offer him $20 million NOT to play. The Packers are a case study in how NOT to manage crisis.
Thursday 07/31 A.M. Quickie:
Manny, Pudge, Angels, MJ, Favre
The Manny trade rumors might be as all-encompassing (and ultimately annoying) as the Favre story, but it feels like a blissful respite from Favre 24/7 to focus on Manny.
The potential/very real trade is the lead of my Sporting News column today.
I remain stunned that the Red Sox would bail on Manny -- I figured they were analytical-minded enough to see past the personality issues and focus on the numbers.
Then I read Pinto's VORP analysis, which posited that losing Manny wouldn't cost the Red Sox any wins. Maybe one. Of course, here's the thing about that:
One win may be the difference between making the playoffs and not, between winning a playoff series and not, between successfully defending the title and not.
There's a default "Trust Theo" in this situation, but if I was a Red Sox fan, I'd be more bummed than a Packers fan should be if the Packers let Favre go.
(And if I was a Yankees or Rays fan -- or Angels fan, more importantly -- I'd be thrilled. One of the Top 3 biggest bats in the AL will have been shipped out of the league.)
From the Marlins' perspective, I love it. Take that $22 million payroll and double-down on Manny, betting that two months of paying for Ramirez is worth it, given how close they are to the playoffs.
(I renew my long-standing theory about the Marlins: You can rip them all you want, but they have two World Series titles since 1997, so they must be doing something right.)
Amazingly, the Manny thing eclipses what should be a triumphal day for the Yankees and their fans: Nabbing Pudge, the linchpin of 2 World Series teams in the last 5 years.
Given the pace of the arms race here, I think it's just a matter of time before someone brings in Barry Bonds. Frankly, I don't know what any of them are waiting for.
(Bad PR? Please: Nothing cures a PR problem like winning. And the risk that acquiring Bonds would HURT an already successful team seems low.)
Full SN column can be found here. More here as the trade deadline winds down to 4 p.m. ET.
-- D.S.
The potential/very real trade is the lead of my Sporting News column today.
I remain stunned that the Red Sox would bail on Manny -- I figured they were analytical-minded enough to see past the personality issues and focus on the numbers.
Then I read Pinto's VORP analysis, which posited that losing Manny wouldn't cost the Red Sox any wins. Maybe one. Of course, here's the thing about that:
One win may be the difference between making the playoffs and not, between winning a playoff series and not, between successfully defending the title and not.
There's a default "Trust Theo" in this situation, but if I was a Red Sox fan, I'd be more bummed than a Packers fan should be if the Packers let Favre go.
(And if I was a Yankees or Rays fan -- or Angels fan, more importantly -- I'd be thrilled. One of the Top 3 biggest bats in the AL will have been shipped out of the league.)
From the Marlins' perspective, I love it. Take that $22 million payroll and double-down on Manny, betting that two months of paying for Ramirez is worth it, given how close they are to the playoffs.
(I renew my long-standing theory about the Marlins: You can rip them all you want, but they have two World Series titles since 1997, so they must be doing something right.)
Amazingly, the Manny thing eclipses what should be a triumphal day for the Yankees and their fans: Nabbing Pudge, the linchpin of 2 World Series teams in the last 5 years.
Given the pace of the arms race here, I think it's just a matter of time before someone brings in Barry Bonds. Frankly, I don't know what any of them are waiting for.
(Bad PR? Please: Nothing cures a PR problem like winning. And the risk that acquiring Bonds would HURT an already successful team seems low.)
Full SN column can be found here. More here as the trade deadline winds down to 4 p.m. ET.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
College Football Fantasy Football
Got an interesting email from CBSSports.com in my in-box on Monday: Their college football fantasy game will now include real names -- "Tim Tebow," not "Florida QB 15."
WSJ Sports expert Nando DiFino has a fast follow-up on the announcement, though two things confuse me:
(1) If the NCAA is going to let this go, then I believe it opens the door to all sorts of other products.
(2) Forcing people to include a minimum of two conferences in their league design is wack:
College football, more than any other sport, includes a level of care about conference play that is fantastic. But if I'm a huge fan of the SEC and I get a bunch of other huge fans of the SEC to play in a league with me, why should we have to include another league we know/care less about?
-- D.S.
WSJ Sports expert Nando DiFino has a fast follow-up on the announcement, though two things confuse me:
(1) If the NCAA is going to let this go, then I believe it opens the door to all sorts of other products.
(2) Forcing people to include a minimum of two conferences in their league design is wack:
College football, more than any other sport, includes a level of care about conference play that is fantastic. But if I'm a huge fan of the SEC and I get a bunch of other huge fans of the SEC to play in a league with me, why should we have to include another league we know/care less about?
-- D.S.
Wednesday 07/30 A.M. Quickie:
Favre, Artest, Angels, WVU, More
Let's skip the latest Favre development all together, shall we? Wouldn't it be amazing if people stopped covering it or fans stopped clicking on any links related to it (or turned off the TV or radio when it came on the air)?
There's a lot more to talk about in today's SN column. Wouldn't you rather talk about the Angels' power-play to affirm their status as the team to beat in baseball? Wasn't it enough to have MLB's best record? How about a 12-game division lead? How about a 7-game win streak against the defending champs?
You've got to respect "Title or bust," and the Angels are now in the same position as the Celtics in the NBA: Anything less than a World Series title at this point would be considered a failure. Mark Teixeira only sharpens that argument.
Meanwhile, the Rockets seem to have the same idea: In the West, it isn't enough to simply make the playoffs, only to lose before the conference semifinal round is over. You're either woefully out of it or you're a contender. With Yao and T-Mac, the Rockets weren't there; with Ron Artest, they are.
That's up there with Duncan/Parker/Ginobili and Bryant/Gasol/Bynum as the best "Big Three" in the West. Making it more interesting is Artest's versatility. I'd love to see the Rockets continue to retool, shopping T-Mac. But with Artest a free agent next summer, this is a one-shot-for-it-all deal for the Rockets. I like it.
Complete SN column here, including the proper homage to Carlos Zambrano.
Blog navel-gazing: Playingthefield.net launches, offering a platform and hub for some of the leading women sports bloggers. It's a little sad this has to exist, but -- then again -- it could be worse. Look at Fanhouse right now.
Meanwhile, speaking of blog-world navel-gazing, where is the coverage of the insanity going on over there at Fanhouse? Between the soft-core fantasy football video and the resulting insurrection among the contributors, AOL Sports is about to implode their very valuable property.
-- D.S.
There's a lot more to talk about in today's SN column. Wouldn't you rather talk about the Angels' power-play to affirm their status as the team to beat in baseball? Wasn't it enough to have MLB's best record? How about a 12-game division lead? How about a 7-game win streak against the defending champs?
You've got to respect "Title or bust," and the Angels are now in the same position as the Celtics in the NBA: Anything less than a World Series title at this point would be considered a failure. Mark Teixeira only sharpens that argument.
Meanwhile, the Rockets seem to have the same idea: In the West, it isn't enough to simply make the playoffs, only to lose before the conference semifinal round is over. You're either woefully out of it or you're a contender. With Yao and T-Mac, the Rockets weren't there; with Ron Artest, they are.
That's up there with Duncan/Parker/Ginobili and Bryant/Gasol/Bynum as the best "Big Three" in the West. Making it more interesting is Artest's versatility. I'd love to see the Rockets continue to retool, shopping T-Mac. But with Artest a free agent next summer, this is a one-shot-for-it-all deal for the Rockets. I like it.
Complete SN column here, including the proper homage to Carlos Zambrano.
Blog navel-gazing: Playingthefield.net launches, offering a platform and hub for some of the leading women sports bloggers. It's a little sad this has to exist, but -- then again -- it could be worse. Look at Fanhouse right now.
Meanwhile, speaking of blog-world navel-gazing, where is the coverage of the insanity going on over there at Fanhouse? Between the soft-core fantasy football video and the resulting insurrection among the contributors, AOL Sports is about to implode their very valuable property.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday 07/29 A.M. Quickie:
Sabathia, Manny, Rodgers, LeBron, More
It was a blow for all who love Instant History that CC Sabathia wasn't able to beat the Cubs last night -- it would have affirmed the "CC-for-NL-Cy-after-only-5-starts" movement.
That led today's SN column and led a trio of big series openers, including Angels-Red Sox (LAA still owns 'em, even at Fenway) and Twins-White Sox (um...WHO threw a CG SO?)
We're a little more than 48 hours from the trade deadline, and it appears Mark Teixeira is a lock to get moved, but AJ Burnett appears to be off the table. The Braves signal that they have given up on the season; the Jays, by contrast, want to battle in the hyper-competitive AL East. Which team's attitude respects their fans' intelligence more?
NFL Camping: Brett Favre doesn't even have to show up and he dominates training camp talk -- particularly at Packers camp. Packers fans can tell me whether they are ready to give (or already have given) Aaron Rodgers a break. Might take a while.
Meanwhile, USA Oops is top of mind for two reasons: (1) LeBron practiced on that gimpy ankle and (2) LeBron gave $20K to help Obama's campaign. It almost makes me like him more.
Lot more in the column. Full contents here.
More later.
-- D.S.
That led today's SN column and led a trio of big series openers, including Angels-Red Sox (LAA still owns 'em, even at Fenway) and Twins-White Sox (um...WHO threw a CG SO?)
We're a little more than 48 hours from the trade deadline, and it appears Mark Teixeira is a lock to get moved, but AJ Burnett appears to be off the table. The Braves signal that they have given up on the season; the Jays, by contrast, want to battle in the hyper-competitive AL East. Which team's attitude respects their fans' intelligence more?
NFL Camping: Brett Favre doesn't even have to show up and he dominates training camp talk -- particularly at Packers camp. Packers fans can tell me whether they are ready to give (or already have given) Aaron Rodgers a break. Might take a while.
Meanwhile, USA Oops is top of mind for two reasons: (1) LeBron practiced on that gimpy ankle and (2) LeBron gave $20K to help Obama's campaign. It almost makes me like him more.
Lot more in the column. Full contents here.
More later.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday 07/28 A.M. Quickie:
Manny, Favre, Sabathia, Camping, More
Today's Sporting News column starts with an absurd premise: Why not trade Brett Favre for Manny Ramirez?
That was my first reaction to hearing that Manny was open to (or insisting on) a trade, combined with the news that it looks like the Packers are zeroing in on shipping Favre out.
Then I couldn't help myself with the gimmick, using "first reaction to..." as the lens for all of the big headlines on the radar this morning:
CC Sabathia vs. the Cubs today.
Yankees-Red Sox...oh, make it stop.
Devin Hester signed; Ryan Grant unsigned.
T.O. vs. Pac-Man...PLEASE: Make it stop.
Warriors avoid Euro-itis.
Tour de Hunh?
Olympics ticket sell-out.
Here is the complete column, if you want to see the whole thing. More later.
Oh, this story was totally fascinating -- if entirely opaque. "Facebook for football?" The reporter knows how to create a catchy short-hand.
Also: I'm late on this (yet still prescient!), but congrats to Matt Hinton aka Sunday Morning QB for his move to Yahoo. It is an incredible coup for Y! Sports -- SMQ is the most interesting CFB blog in the sports-blog world (not "most hilarious," which would go to EDSBS). Given that SMQ's motif is a brilliant once-a-day post (not that there's anything wrong with that!), I will be curious and excited to see him move to Y! Sports' blog format of many many posts per day per blog.
- D.S.
That was my first reaction to hearing that Manny was open to (or insisting on) a trade, combined with the news that it looks like the Packers are zeroing in on shipping Favre out.
Then I couldn't help myself with the gimmick, using "first reaction to..." as the lens for all of the big headlines on the radar this morning:
CC Sabathia vs. the Cubs today.
Yankees-Red Sox...oh, make it stop.
Devin Hester signed; Ryan Grant unsigned.
T.O. vs. Pac-Man...PLEASE: Make it stop.
Warriors avoid Euro-itis.
Tour de Hunh?
Olympics ticket sell-out.
Here is the complete column, if you want to see the whole thing. More later.
Oh, this story was totally fascinating -- if entirely opaque. "Facebook for football?" The reporter knows how to create a catchy short-hand.
Also: I'm late on this (yet still prescient!), but congrats to Matt Hinton aka Sunday Morning QB for his move to Yahoo. It is an incredible coup for Y! Sports -- SMQ is the most interesting CFB blog in the sports-blog world (not "most hilarious," which would go to EDSBS). Given that SMQ's motif is a brilliant once-a-day post (not that there's anything wrong with that!), I will be curious and excited to see him move to Y! Sports' blog format of many many posts per day per blog.
- D.S.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Sunday 07/27 (Very Very) Quickie
Brett Favre a Packers camp no-show (for now): Bluffing?... Derek Lowe!... Torii Hunter!... Yankess over Red Sox (again)... Goose Gossage inducted into baseball HOF... Are the Hawks about to (sign-and-) trade Josh Smith?... Kyle Busch cannot be stopped... Brewers in tie for NL Central lead: Ryan Braun for NL MVP? -- D.S.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday 07/26 (Very) Quickie
NFL to stream 17 NBC games online - at both NFL.com and NBCSports.com. This is huge. Consider the league. Consider how carefully it guards its broadcast rights. Now this. Very big.
(And even if you were going to watch those games at home anyway, simply to dip their toe in the water of universal online broadcasting... wow. Now, the key question: Will the video player allow for me to watch the game via NFL.com or NBCSports.com on my iPhone or Blackberry?)
Favre to Jets?: I would rather see the awkwardness of Favre at Packers camp. Either way, has he even asked to be reinstated yet, let alone been reinstated?
Joba Rules: Shuts down the Red Sox in a 1-0 Yankees win. Yankees double-dip on good news by getting Xavier Nady from the Pirates.
Jermaine Dye hits the GW HR... Josh Hamilton racks up 100 RBI... Mets beat Cards, now have 3rd-best record in the NL...
D-Wade is apparently recovered: 20 points for USA Oops in an exhibition vs. Canada. Must be nice for him to play on a winning team after last season.
RIP, Randy Pausch: Anyone who has seen the "Last Lecture" knows what a critical role Randy's sports fandom played in his life -- and the Lecture itself. Condolences to his family, friends and many fans.
-- D.S.
(And even if you were going to watch those games at home anyway, simply to dip their toe in the water of universal online broadcasting... wow. Now, the key question: Will the video player allow for me to watch the game via NFL.com or NBCSports.com on my iPhone or Blackberry?)
Favre to Jets?: I would rather see the awkwardness of Favre at Packers camp. Either way, has he even asked to be reinstated yet, let alone been reinstated?
Joba Rules: Shuts down the Red Sox in a 1-0 Yankees win. Yankees double-dip on good news by getting Xavier Nady from the Pirates.
Jermaine Dye hits the GW HR... Josh Hamilton racks up 100 RBI... Mets beat Cards, now have 3rd-best record in the NL...
D-Wade is apparently recovered: 20 points for USA Oops in an exhibition vs. Canada. Must be nice for him to play on a winning team after last season.
RIP, Randy Pausch: Anyone who has seen the "Last Lecture" knows what a critical role Randy's sports fandom played in his life -- and the Lecture itself. Condolences to his family, friends and many fans.
-- D.S.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Can't Blame Me For Picking Florida:
SEC Media Pick Florida to Win Title
Does this count as a logical proof: If the SEC media thinks that Florida will win the SEC Championship and if the SEC Champion not only has a damn-near-automatic claim to play for the national title, but also a track record that gives them the best chance to win that title, then is it THAT crazy to pick Florida to win the national title this year? Hell, the SEC media -- most of whom probably despise Florida -- support the theory.
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
NBA: Oklahoma City Misspellings?
The NBA didn't like that everyone figured out that the Oklahoma City team name is the Thunder, so they went and registered 5 other names: Barons, Bison, Energy, Marshalls and Wind.
Barons is OK, if not sympathetic in tough economic times.
Bison is regionally appropriate, but lame.
Energy is trendy, but falls flat. ("Alternative Energy" would have been awesome.)
Wind is the worst name I have ever heard for a major pro sports team.
As for Marshalls? Let's hope the AP simply had a typo, because otherwise, the NBA registered a misspelling. It would be "Marshals," if they meant like the old lawmen of the Dust Bowl. "Marshalls" would be if they were naming the team after a famous Supreme Court Chief Justice or a down-market department store.
-- D.S.
Barons is OK, if not sympathetic in tough economic times.
Bison is regionally appropriate, but lame.
Energy is trendy, but falls flat. ("Alternative Energy" would have been awesome.)
Wind is the worst name I have ever heard for a major pro sports team.
As for Marshalls? Let's hope the AP simply had a typo, because otherwise, the NBA registered a misspelling. It would be "Marshals," if they meant like the old lawmen of the Dust Bowl. "Marshalls" would be if they were naming the team after a famous Supreme Court Chief Justice or a down-market department store.
-- D.S.
The A-11 Offense: I'm a Little Obsessed
How long before Michael Lewis does the definitive work on this? (h/t Chandler at Deadspin, Fanhouse)
Favre to Jets: Really Really?
Remember when I had this on the site a few days ago, but took it down after a few hours? Apparently, there was something to it. Favre in New York? Yikes: And you thought the media overkill was bad before...
John Hodgman vs. Drew Magary
There is John Hodgman's brilliant list of hobo names.
And then there is Drew Magary's brilliant list of fantasy football team names ('08 edition).
As JH would say: That is all.
-- D.S.
And then there is Drew Magary's brilliant list of fantasy football team names ('08 edition).
As JH would say: That is all.
-- D.S.
Friday 07/29 A.M. Quickie:
Brawls, NFL Camping, CFB Media Days
You already saw today's big crossover-to-the-mainstream hit in the post below. Brawls are the new Josh Childress, I guess. You can see today's complete column here.
What's inside?
Mocking Nancy Lieberman.
Not mocking Ryan Braun.
Mocking Devin Hester.
Not mocking Carlos Zambrano.
Mocking Phil Fulmer.
Not mocking Ohio State.
Mocking sports-TV wannabes.
Not mocking Childress wannabes.
Everything found here.
More posts all weekend.
-- D.S.
What's inside?
Mocking Nancy Lieberman.
Not mocking Ryan Braun.
Mocking Devin Hester.
Not mocking Carlos Zambrano.
Mocking Phil Fulmer.
Not mocking Ohio State.
Mocking sports-TV wannabes.
Not mocking Childress wannabes.
Everything found here.
More posts all weekend.
-- D.S.
Column Lead Today: Minor-League Brawl
More in a bit. This can help pass the time. It'll be everywhere, shortly enough...
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Sunday Morning QB Features Northwestern
I know popular belief is that I have abandoned NU fandom for Florida -- that's just not the case. I certainly celebrate when NU cracks the privileged ranks of Sunday Morning QB analysis. (And I guarantee that it had nothing to do with my laudatory post about SMQ from a couple days ago.) Between this and the program's very own full-time unaffiliated blogger (not to mention a shot at 8 wins), it truly is banner times for my alma mater. -- D.S.
07/24 Thursday A.M. Quickie:
Sabathia, Favre, Tebow, NFL Camps, More
I don't think it's unreasonable... to argue that CC Sabathia is now the front-runner for the NL Cy Young award. That's at the top of today's Sporting News column.
...To keep covering the Brett Favre story if it's going to continue having weird plot twists like Roger Goodell stepping in and Donovan McNabb getting involved.
...For Josh Childress to escape the Hawks and flee to the sunny money in Greece.
...To put Tim Tebow atop my list of the athletes who appear to handle off-field pressure jaw-droppingly... graciously.
...To question why the Army would let Caleb Campbell think that making an NFL team could allow him to defer his dream of service to our country for his dream of playing in the NFL.
...To mock LeBron's guarantee that U.S.A. Oops would win gold in Beijing. Kobe can say that (though he never would); LeBron -- and Team USA -- has no standing to make the claim.
...To celebrate the September-quality pennant-race style action at the top of both the NL East and NL Central (Hell, and NL West and AL East).
...To wait with fascination for the NBA/WNBA to come down on the folks involved in Tuesday's brawl -- especially assistant coach Rick Mahorn.
Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
...To keep covering the Brett Favre story if it's going to continue having weird plot twists like Roger Goodell stepping in and Donovan McNabb getting involved.
...For Josh Childress to escape the Hawks and flee to the sunny money in Greece.
...To put Tim Tebow atop my list of the athletes who appear to handle off-field pressure jaw-droppingly... graciously.
...To question why the Army would let Caleb Campbell think that making an NFL team could allow him to defer his dream of service to our country for his dream of playing in the NFL.
...To mock LeBron's guarantee that U.S.A. Oops would win gold in Beijing. Kobe can say that (though he never would); LeBron -- and Team USA -- has no standing to make the claim.
...To celebrate the September-quality pennant-race style action at the top of both the NL East and NL Central (Hell, and NL West and AL East).
...To wait with fascination for the NBA/WNBA to come down on the folks involved in Tuesday's brawl -- especially assistant coach Rick Mahorn.
Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Wednesday 07/23 A.M. Quickie:
WNBA, Favre, SEC Media Day, Phils, More
Wow, it's not every random, slow summer day that you encounter the defining moment for a sports league. It certainly livens up my Sporting News column today.
But, congratulations, WNBA: You are now a league defined by a brawl involving your biggest superstars, national-TV exposure and a coach pushing a player in the middle of a melee. It's the trifecta of worst-case scenario.
Thankfully for many of you, that YouTube moment -- which will transcend the sports page and make its way to non-sports mainstream media coverage, you just watch -- eclipsed a few things I'm sure you are already sick of:
(1) Brett Favre Watch: So the Packers ARE trying to trade him? I just don't get it. The fans will be so much more irate than if the team either kept him on the bench or bullied him into staying retired.
(2) SEC Media Day, Day 1: Undoubtedly, the last thing most of you want to hear is more about Tebow Tebow Tebow. I, however, can't get enough. I will try to spare you -- for now, obviously. (But how amazing is it that CFB conference media days across the country have become the signal that the new season is here. Between this, the "preview" season, the regular season, the bowl season, the recruiting season and the spring-ball season, CFB has basically become a 10-month-of-the-year sport. That's taking a page from the NFL.)
(3) And New York-centric baseball stories: The Mets collapse to the Phillies (again!) The Yankees win their 9th straight at Yankee Stadium! Yada yada yada... how about this: The Cubs are freaking impotent offensively right now. Or that the trade deadline is coming, and don't think that the Mets loss last night won't inspire them to play for today by trading the farm for Huston Street, Matt Holliday or both.
Prediction: This new urine test for HGH will have more impact in sports over the next few years than anything else. Can you imagine what would happen if we actually had a complete accounting of how many athletes -- NFL and MLB especially -- were using HGH because they knew there wasn't an available test for it?
Not in the SN column (but should have been): Josh Childress bolts the NBA for Greece. Offended by the Hawks, wooed by Greece money, he did what few thought he'd actually go through with: He abandoned the NBA for a better deal. Harbinger or exception?
Complete SN column here, including NFL camping, USA Oops and more.
-- D.S.
But, congratulations, WNBA: You are now a league defined by a brawl involving your biggest superstars, national-TV exposure and a coach pushing a player in the middle of a melee. It's the trifecta of worst-case scenario.
Thankfully for many of you, that YouTube moment -- which will transcend the sports page and make its way to non-sports mainstream media coverage, you just watch -- eclipsed a few things I'm sure you are already sick of:
(1) Brett Favre Watch: So the Packers ARE trying to trade him? I just don't get it. The fans will be so much more irate than if the team either kept him on the bench or bullied him into staying retired.
(2) SEC Media Day, Day 1: Undoubtedly, the last thing most of you want to hear is more about Tebow Tebow Tebow. I, however, can't get enough. I will try to spare you -- for now, obviously. (But how amazing is it that CFB conference media days across the country have become the signal that the new season is here. Between this, the "preview" season, the regular season, the bowl season, the recruiting season and the spring-ball season, CFB has basically become a 10-month-of-the-year sport. That's taking a page from the NFL.)
(3) And New York-centric baseball stories: The Mets collapse to the Phillies (again!) The Yankees win their 9th straight at Yankee Stadium! Yada yada yada... how about this: The Cubs are freaking impotent offensively right now. Or that the trade deadline is coming, and don't think that the Mets loss last night won't inspire them to play for today by trading the farm for Huston Street, Matt Holliday or both.
Prediction: This new urine test for HGH will have more impact in sports over the next few years than anything else. Can you imagine what would happen if we actually had a complete accounting of how many athletes -- NFL and MLB especially -- were using HGH because they knew there wasn't an available test for it?
Not in the SN column (but should have been): Josh Childress bolts the NBA for Greece. Offended by the Hawks, wooed by Greece money, he did what few thought he'd actually go through with: He abandoned the NBA for a better deal. Harbinger or exception?
Complete SN column here, including NFL camping, USA Oops and more.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Will You Read a Blog About the NFC East?
UPDATE: Now, a new search application? You've got my attention.
ORIGINAL: Blogging by division? Hmm.
In my experience, fans consume sports blogs about a particular sport one of two ways: Hyper-locally (blogs about their team) and hyper-nationally (blogs about the sport at large). Oh, there is a third way I don't mean to diminish: Fantasy info, but that's a separate category.
I don't know if a Cowboys fan cares about the rest of the NFC East. I think they care about the Cowboys and about the NFL and about their fantasy team. Are they best-served in a division-by-division approach?
What is interesting is that this just might work for college football, which I didn't buy until a friend who runs a team-specific CFB blog convinced me otherwise, based on Rittenberg's solid work on ESPN.com's Big Ten blog so far. College football fans have a much greater interest in conference-level news -- but it's not at all comparable to division-level news for NFL fans.
In fact, in the CFB blog landscape, blogs that cover an entire conference are actually filling an existing need in the marketplace. I'm not seeing that same need for division-by-division NFL coverage. I would have been intrigued to see this approached in a "let's-win-this" way: Individual blogs for all 32 NFL teams, hosted entirely through ESPN.com.
Tangent: Why did the erstwhile Hashmarks not work where TrueHoop succeeded? Three big reasons: (1) TrueHoop was the most established and credible voice in the NBA blogosphere; Hashmarks was created from scratch. (2) Henry Abbott had a lot more experience in the blog format than Matt Mosley. (3) The NBA blogosphere was/is much more robust than the NFL blogosphere. (Hashmarks obviously also didn't fit in the new division-by-division model.)
I think fans -- certainly bloggers -- will be watching Factor No. 2 carefully: As MDS pointed out on PFT, it remains to be seen whether these print reporters can make the transition to blogging. It is very different. Hey, perhaps it will give them a greater appreciation for the form. And, god knows, mainstream media folks who "get" blogs are welcome. More than welcome -- necessary.
-- D.S.
ORIGINAL: Blogging by division? Hmm.
In my experience, fans consume sports blogs about a particular sport one of two ways: Hyper-locally (blogs about their team) and hyper-nationally (blogs about the sport at large). Oh, there is a third way I don't mean to diminish: Fantasy info, but that's a separate category.
I don't know if a Cowboys fan cares about the rest of the NFC East. I think they care about the Cowboys and about the NFL and about their fantasy team. Are they best-served in a division-by-division approach?
What is interesting is that this just might work for college football, which I didn't buy until a friend who runs a team-specific CFB blog convinced me otherwise, based on Rittenberg's solid work on ESPN.com's Big Ten blog so far. College football fans have a much greater interest in conference-level news -- but it's not at all comparable to division-level news for NFL fans.
In fact, in the CFB blog landscape, blogs that cover an entire conference are actually filling an existing need in the marketplace. I'm not seeing that same need for division-by-division NFL coverage. I would have been intrigued to see this approached in a "let's-win-this" way: Individual blogs for all 32 NFL teams, hosted entirely through ESPN.com.
Tangent: Why did the erstwhile Hashmarks not work where TrueHoop succeeded? Three big reasons: (1) TrueHoop was the most established and credible voice in the NBA blogosphere; Hashmarks was created from scratch. (2) Henry Abbott had a lot more experience in the blog format than Matt Mosley. (3) The NBA blogosphere was/is much more robust than the NFL blogosphere. (Hashmarks obviously also didn't fit in the new division-by-division model.)
I think fans -- certainly bloggers -- will be watching Factor No. 2 carefully: As MDS pointed out on PFT, it remains to be seen whether these print reporters can make the transition to blogging. It is very different. Hey, perhaps it will give them a greater appreciation for the form. And, god knows, mainstream media folks who "get" blogs are welcome. More than welcome -- necessary.
-- D.S.
Tuesday 07/22 A.M. Quickie:
Jackson, Favre, Posada, CFB Media, More
Why talk about Brett when you can talk about breasts? Yesterday's FCC ruling was a great reminder that Janet Jackson's Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction" was arguably the single most memorable moment in NFL history. That leads today's SN column.
Wouldn't you rather re-visit that one last time -- call it closure -- than talk about this rumor that Brett Favre might be ending his comeback bid, because the teams the Packers were willing to trade him to were -- gasp! -- probably not contenders.
(Wait: Favre would rather NOT play than play for the Packers in anything but a guaranteed-starter role. Wow, what a team-first icon worthy of Wisconsin fans' idolation.)
Meanwhile, I love college football media days: The ACC and Big 12 picked it up yesterday, allowing for discussion of the "trendy" picks like Clemson and Texas Tech. Can you imagine a Clemson-Texas Tech BCS national title game? No? How about them in the Orange Bowl? (Miami also hosts the BCS national title game a week later.)
Ron Artest to the Pistons? It's like the Pacers-Pistons brawl at the Palace never happened. Amazing.
Jeremy Shockey to the Saints? Over-under on his first Bourbon Street incident: 4 weeks.
I'm with Black Heart Gold Pants: Iowa's Kirk Ferentz must resign -- or be fired. Immediately. And he can take the AD down with him.
Full column here, including a dip into MLB's big storylines -- Matt Holliday becomes "Met" Holliday? Hmm...
-- D.S.
Wouldn't you rather re-visit that one last time -- call it closure -- than talk about this rumor that Brett Favre might be ending his comeback bid, because the teams the Packers were willing to trade him to were -- gasp! -- probably not contenders.
(Wait: Favre would rather NOT play than play for the Packers in anything but a guaranteed-starter role. Wow, what a team-first icon worthy of Wisconsin fans' idolation.)
Meanwhile, I love college football media days: The ACC and Big 12 picked it up yesterday, allowing for discussion of the "trendy" picks like Clemson and Texas Tech. Can you imagine a Clemson-Texas Tech BCS national title game? No? How about them in the Orange Bowl? (Miami also hosts the BCS national title game a week later.)
Ron Artest to the Pistons? It's like the Pacers-Pistons brawl at the Palace never happened. Amazing.
Jeremy Shockey to the Saints? Over-under on his first Bourbon Street incident: 4 weeks.
I'm with Black Heart Gold Pants: Iowa's Kirk Ferentz must resign -- or be fired. Immediately. And he can take the AD down with him.
Full column here, including a dip into MLB's big storylines -- Matt Holliday becomes "Met" Holliday? Hmm...
-- D.S.
Monday, July 21, 2008
"Wardrobe Malfunction" Was No Big Deal
That's what the courts decided today, and it takes me back to Monday, February 2, 2004. I went back to look at what I wrote in the Quickie about Janet Jackson, but found a classic example of the "instant history" that defined the column:
In fact, I believe I was the first one -- at least the first I could find at the time -- that was willing to label the Patriots a "dynasty" after their 2 titles in 3 years. Folks would follow my lead only later -- some much later.
-- D.S.
"Best Ever?" After 2004? Wow: Remember the days when I didn't hate the Patriots?Two Words for You: Breast. Ever?
We may never see another one like that again. (I'm talking about the freshly minted Pats dynasty; what are you talking about -- JJ's freshly flashed mammary moment? Wait: You never un-paused the TiVo after the halftime show, did you?)
That's right: I said "dynasty." In our current NFL era, winning two titles in three years is more than enough of a qualifier, given the crippling salary restrictions, hyper-media scrutiny and ever-increasing league emphasis on parity.
The Pats have accomplished something a lot more impressive than the 1960s Packers, 1970s Steelers or the 1980s 49ers.
And while I'm tossing around the heresy like Tom Brady tosses clutch passes, the current 15-game winning streak -- adjusted for competitive inflation -- should be put on a pedestal to "W's" a notch above those '73 Dolphins.
In fact, I believe I was the first one -- at least the first I could find at the time -- that was willing to label the Patriots a "dynasty" after their 2 titles in 3 years. Folks would follow my lead only later -- some much later.
-- D.S.
Sunday Morning QB Giveth Another Lesson
This is a fantastic example of why Matt from Sunday Morning QB is the best and brightest. SMQ and EDSBS are the best one-two punch in any sport, whether mainstream or bloggish.
Selfishly, I would hate to see SMQ Matt get scooped up by a mainstream sports site, because I love his indie vibe (even if it is through SB Nation).
That said, if I possess any credibility with any number of the various mainstream sports sites where I had/have relationships: FOR GOD'S SAKE, SIGN THIS KID TO WRITE FOR YOU.
(Orson/Spencer has that cush gig at Sporting News already, making SMQ *the* top talent available out there, if you want someone to write uber-smartly about college football on a national scale.)
ESPN.com is loaded with CFB content already, yet they would be way better off if they had him. Meanwhile, what's everyone else's excuse?
I already noted that SI.com signed up CHFF to write about the NFL; it would be entirely in line with deals like that for SI.com to do the same thing with SMQ.
That said: He's out there for any of 'em -- FoxSports.com (which only has a massive-million-dollar vested interest in college football); Yahoo Sports (not an ideal fit, strategically, but doable); CBSSports.com (they can't JUST rely on hey-look-at-me-I'm-not-just-contrarian-but-a-d'bag-to-boot! columnists, and they too have a cross-platform investment in CFB).
Mainstream online sports media has done a really good job in the last year or so of plucking out fresh talent from the sports-blog universe. It astounds me that SMQ doesn't have a full-time deal yet.
-- D.S.
Selfishly, I would hate to see SMQ Matt get scooped up by a mainstream sports site, because I love his indie vibe (even if it is through SB Nation).
That said, if I possess any credibility with any number of the various mainstream sports sites where I had/have relationships: FOR GOD'S SAKE, SIGN THIS KID TO WRITE FOR YOU.
(Orson/Spencer has that cush gig at Sporting News already, making SMQ *the* top talent available out there, if you want someone to write uber-smartly about college football on a national scale.)
ESPN.com is loaded with CFB content already, yet they would be way better off if they had him. Meanwhile, what's everyone else's excuse?
I already noted that SI.com signed up CHFF to write about the NFL; it would be entirely in line with deals like that for SI.com to do the same thing with SMQ.
That said: He's out there for any of 'em -- FoxSports.com (which only has a massive-million-dollar vested interest in college football); Yahoo Sports (not an ideal fit, strategically, but doable); CBSSports.com (they can't JUST rely on hey-look-at-me-I'm-not-just-contrarian-but-a-d'bag-to-boot! columnists, and they too have a cross-platform investment in CFB).
Mainstream online sports media has done a really good job in the last year or so of plucking out fresh talent from the sports-blog universe. It astounds me that SMQ doesn't have a full-time deal yet.
-- D.S.
Cold Hard Football Facts Debuts on SI.com
Congrats to Kerry Byrne and the Cold Hard Football Facts crew for their new content deal with SI.com. Here is the first piece, and it is right in CHFF's wheelhouse. CHFF has always been one of the best NFL sites out there, and it's a really good deal for them to extend their visibility and authority.
Meanwhile, I just got a copy of Pro Football Prospectus (and it's only mid-July!), which I can't wait to dig into. I'm sure I'll promote as we get closer to the start of the NFL season, but based on their previous must-read work (book AND, obviously, the FootballOutsiders site), it has to be considered a must-have for any fan (and available now... in mid-July!)
So, let's see: If you're an NFL fan, you've got KSK, MJD's Shutdown Corner at Yahoo, Drew's weekly at Deadspin, CHFF, FO, PFT, MDS at Fanhouse and whatever site(s) you use for your local fandom. Who needs mainstream NFL media opinion commentary again?*
-- D.S.
(* - I obviously exclude mainstream beat writers from this. Without their original reporting, the commentariat -- mainstream, blog or in-between -- are stuck with little... well, little besides what we actually perceive on the field for ourselves without mediation, which isn't insubstantial.)
Meanwhile, I just got a copy of Pro Football Prospectus (and it's only mid-July!), which I can't wait to dig into. I'm sure I'll promote as we get closer to the start of the NFL season, but based on their previous must-read work (book AND, obviously, the FootballOutsiders site), it has to be considered a must-have for any fan (and available now... in mid-July!)
So, let's see: If you're an NFL fan, you've got KSK, MJD's Shutdown Corner at Yahoo, Drew's weekly at Deadspin, CHFF, FO, PFT, MDS at Fanhouse and whatever site(s) you use for your local fandom. Who needs mainstream NFL media opinion commentary again?*
-- D.S.
(* - I obviously exclude mainstream beat writers from this. Without their original reporting, the commentariat -- mainstream, blog or in-between -- are stuck with little... well, little besides what we actually perceive on the field for ourselves without mediation, which isn't insubstantial.)
Monday 07/21 A.M. Quickie:
Norman, Taylor, Angels, NL East, More
If you were playing Family Feud and the category was "Reasons People Watch Sports on TV," I would imagine that "novelty" and "nostalgia" would both rank pretty high.
Given the hoopla around Greg Norman's surge to Sunday (and ultimate failure to win...insert obligatory "again"), the latter was in full effect -- the former, not so far off.
Norman leads today's Sporting News column, though I'm still fleshing out the depth of this "novelty"/"nostalgia" thing -- it's huge, but I'm just not sure how huge.
Meanwhile, nothing spices up the start of NFL Training Camps like a fairly noteworthy trade: Jason Taylor -- now known more for his interest in an off-field career in entertainment than his interest in on-field destruction -- to the Redskins.
The deal robs us of the awkward relationship between Parcells and Taylor in Miami -- on the other hand, it provides a marquee stage for the Taylor saga in one of the NFL's most intense markets.
In MLB, I was torn between leading with the compelling stuff at the top of the NL East (Mets gain a tie with the Phillies! Marlins right behind them!) and the compelling stuff at the top of the AL (Angels sweep Red Sox...meaning...nothing as it relates to October!) Of course, I end up inserting the Yankees' winning streak -- meh.
I'm sort of bummed that the NBA Summer League in Vegas is over, although if they're retiring jerseys for summer-league play (Nate Robinson), I think we've all overstayed the welcome. Jerryd Bayless was MVP for his uncanny scoring ability; Kevin Love wins my MVP -- he had way more to prove here than Bayless did.
Oklahoma City Thunder? OK: It could have been much worse.
That and so much more in today's SN column, found here.
More later. (Oh, and Orson over at EDSBS succinctly wraps up the s--tstorm brewing at Iowa. Something is very wrong if Ferentz and the AD aren't fired over this.)
-- D.S.
Given the hoopla around Greg Norman's surge to Sunday (and ultimate failure to win...insert obligatory "again"), the latter was in full effect -- the former, not so far off.
Norman leads today's Sporting News column, though I'm still fleshing out the depth of this "novelty"/"nostalgia" thing -- it's huge, but I'm just not sure how huge.
Meanwhile, nothing spices up the start of NFL Training Camps like a fairly noteworthy trade: Jason Taylor -- now known more for his interest in an off-field career in entertainment than his interest in on-field destruction -- to the Redskins.
The deal robs us of the awkward relationship between Parcells and Taylor in Miami -- on the other hand, it provides a marquee stage for the Taylor saga in one of the NFL's most intense markets.
In MLB, I was torn between leading with the compelling stuff at the top of the NL East (Mets gain a tie with the Phillies! Marlins right behind them!) and the compelling stuff at the top of the AL (Angels sweep Red Sox...meaning...nothing as it relates to October!) Of course, I end up inserting the Yankees' winning streak -- meh.
I'm sort of bummed that the NBA Summer League in Vegas is over, although if they're retiring jerseys for summer-league play (Nate Robinson), I think we've all overstayed the welcome. Jerryd Bayless was MVP for his uncanny scoring ability; Kevin Love wins my MVP -- he had way more to prove here than Bayless did.
Oklahoma City Thunder? OK: It could have been much worse.
That and so much more in today's SN column, found here.
More later. (Oh, and Orson over at EDSBS succinctly wraps up the s--tstorm brewing at Iowa. Something is very wrong if Ferentz and the AD aren't fired over this.)
-- D.S.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sunday 07/20 (Very) Quickie
All eyes on Greg Norman: Story of the day. What makes it especially great is that there are only two very dramatic outcomes: Norman wins (OMG) or Norman loses (yet again).
If he loses, Norman will be given credit merely for making it interesting at this point of his career, when he hasn't been relevant for more than a decade. On the other hand, what does it say about the state of golf in a world without Tiger when the only thing that can ratchet the drama is to lean on nostalgia for a guy who hasn't been a factor in 15 years. (Golf in 2008: It's all about... 1986! Cripes: It's like the NBA.)
With the time difference, it's odd that this will be decided by early afternoon, rather than the usual East Coast bias of having Sunday sports culminate in the late afternoon.
MLB Studs: Marlins/Phillies as series of the weekend? FLA staves off 2 Burrell HR to close with 2 G of NL East lead... Dan Haren beats the Dodgers... Are the Rays back? 2 straight wins, yesterday over Halladay (thanks to Garza and Longoria)...
NFL: Redskins camp opens. Zorn will be analyzed like a presidential candidate...
Favre Watch: If there was awkwardness at that banquet last night where both Favre and Ted Thompson were in attendance, there isn't much to report about it...
Rams agree to a deal with 1st-round draftee Chris Long...
NBA Summer: Jerryd Bayless owns Vegas (36 pts)... Kevin Love limited to 10/9 in limited minutes...
-- D.S.
If he loses, Norman will be given credit merely for making it interesting at this point of his career, when he hasn't been relevant for more than a decade. On the other hand, what does it say about the state of golf in a world without Tiger when the only thing that can ratchet the drama is to lean on nostalgia for a guy who hasn't been a factor in 15 years. (Golf in 2008: It's all about... 1986! Cripes: It's like the NBA.)
With the time difference, it's odd that this will be decided by early afternoon, rather than the usual East Coast bias of having Sunday sports culminate in the late afternoon.
MLB Studs: Marlins/Phillies as series of the weekend? FLA staves off 2 Burrell HR to close with 2 G of NL East lead... Dan Haren beats the Dodgers... Are the Rays back? 2 straight wins, yesterday over Halladay (thanks to Garza and Longoria)...
NFL: Redskins camp opens. Zorn will be analyzed like a presidential candidate...
Favre Watch: If there was awkwardness at that banquet last night where both Favre and Ted Thompson were in attendance, there isn't much to report about it...
Rams agree to a deal with 1st-round draftee Chris Long...
NBA Summer: Jerryd Bayless owns Vegas (36 pts)... Kevin Love limited to 10/9 in limited minutes...
-- D.S.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Can I Still Invest In Brandon Jennings?
Fascinating article in the New York Times today about Brazilian entrepreneurs who invest in young soccer talent, then earn returns based on future earnings (mainly transfer fees).
It makes me wish that I had advanced that theory on behalf of Brandon Jennings.
Jennings should have found a couple of high-net worth investors to fund his year between high school and the NBA, in exchange for an equity stake in his all-but-certain future earnings.
The finance jocks can help me with my math here, but let's just throw some numbers on this concept: Jennings signed a deal with that Italian team for a reported $600,000.
Here's another option: I would have offered him $250,000 for a 10 percent stake of all future earnings in his first 4 years of the NBA, not including shoe deals or other endorsements (which could be big, per Rovell). That gives Jennings a sort of "post-money valuation" of $2.5 million. Not bad for a player who has yet to play a single minute of college or pro basketball.
Assuming that in his year off -- funded by my $250,000 (plus any other equity stakes he might sell off) -- he trains exclusively for the NBA and rightfully ascends to a Top 5 pick (let's say No. 5).
Now, Jennings would earn $10.5M over his first 4 years (first 3 guaranteed, 4th as an option). My $250,000 investment for my 10 percent stake would yield me roughly $1M, a tidy 4X return on my original investment.
Meanwhile, Jennings gets to keep $9M of his salary, plus all of his endorsement money PLUS any contract he signs after his first 4-year deal, which -- if he turns out to be the star I think he will be -- would be huge.
Why would Jennings sell me a stake of his equity? Because for him during this year off, perhaps that $250,000 up front as financial security -- among other things, to finance his NBA training in the U.S. -- might be more appealing to him than spending it in European exile.
If he is as good as he presumably thinks he'll be -- and that I, as the investor, think he'll be -- then it's a great deal for both of us.
(By the way, I originally thought about offering the $250K using more onerous VC-style terms, particularly given that I was willing to give up endorsement income and any income beyond the first 4 years of his NBA career: I would invest $250K not for a 10 percent stake, but a 25 percent stake, which would have yielded a 10x return on my original investment. As an intellectual exercise, I'm modest in my ROI expectations.)
If Jennings really wanted to break the mold, he wouldn't have simply just made it about skipping college to train for the NBA Draft abroad, but he would have made it a very legitimate opportunity to sell equity in his NBA future. Hmm: Maybe one of the players next year...
-- D.S.
It makes me wish that I had advanced that theory on behalf of Brandon Jennings.
Jennings should have found a couple of high-net worth investors to fund his year between high school and the NBA, in exchange for an equity stake in his all-but-certain future earnings.
The finance jocks can help me with my math here, but let's just throw some numbers on this concept: Jennings signed a deal with that Italian team for a reported $600,000.
Here's another option: I would have offered him $250,000 for a 10 percent stake of all future earnings in his first 4 years of the NBA, not including shoe deals or other endorsements (which could be big, per Rovell). That gives Jennings a sort of "post-money valuation" of $2.5 million. Not bad for a player who has yet to play a single minute of college or pro basketball.
Assuming that in his year off -- funded by my $250,000 (plus any other equity stakes he might sell off) -- he trains exclusively for the NBA and rightfully ascends to a Top 5 pick (let's say No. 5).
Now, Jennings would earn $10.5M over his first 4 years (first 3 guaranteed, 4th as an option). My $250,000 investment for my 10 percent stake would yield me roughly $1M, a tidy 4X return on my original investment.
Meanwhile, Jennings gets to keep $9M of his salary, plus all of his endorsement money PLUS any contract he signs after his first 4-year deal, which -- if he turns out to be the star I think he will be -- would be huge.
Why would Jennings sell me a stake of his equity? Because for him during this year off, perhaps that $250,000 up front as financial security -- among other things, to finance his NBA training in the U.S. -- might be more appealing to him than spending it in European exile.
If he is as good as he presumably thinks he'll be -- and that I, as the investor, think he'll be -- then it's a great deal for both of us.
(By the way, I originally thought about offering the $250K using more onerous VC-style terms, particularly given that I was willing to give up endorsement income and any income beyond the first 4 years of his NBA career: I would invest $250K not for a 10 percent stake, but a 25 percent stake, which would have yielded a 10x return on my original investment. As an intellectual exercise, I'm modest in my ROI expectations.)
If Jennings really wanted to break the mold, he wouldn't have simply just made it about skipping college to train for the NBA Draft abroad, but he would have made it a very legitimate opportunity to sell equity in his NBA future. Hmm: Maybe one of the players next year...
-- D.S.
Saturday 07/19 (Very) Quickie
Choi vaults Norman for lead at British Open: Norman is THE story there; worth tracking today...
Favre Watch: Packers prez Mark Murphy backs McCarthy and Thompson. Like he was going to side with Favre? It would be nice if the Packers management would just say, "We won't trade him. Period." Then let Favre react. Meanwhile, Favre and Thompson are supposed to be at the same banquet tonight: Awk-waaaard!
MLB Studs: CC Sabathia (CG 4-hitter, 1 ER, 10 Ks -- um, that's his 2nd straight CG W)... Garrett Anderson (HR, 5 RBI in LAA W over BOS)... Bronson Arroyo (8 IP in Reds W over Mets, snapping NYM 10-G W streak)... Why are the Cardinals in the NL playoff chase? Partly because Ryan Ludwick has 22 HR (and Rick Ankiel does, too)... Rays finally end L streak...
NBA: Jazz lock up Deron Williams. (Of course they did -- he's only the 2nd-best PG in the NBA)
NBA Summer: I think Wilson Chandler (31 pts) is going to like it in Mike D'Antoni's offense... Joey Dorsey (22 and 13) outshines Donte Greene... Jason Thompson: 20 and 10...
More NFL: New Jags WR Jerry Porter will be out for the entire preseason with a hammy injury; let's take bets now how gimpy this makes him for the regular season.
-- D.S.
Favre Watch: Packers prez Mark Murphy backs McCarthy and Thompson. Like he was going to side with Favre? It would be nice if the Packers management would just say, "We won't trade him. Period." Then let Favre react. Meanwhile, Favre and Thompson are supposed to be at the same banquet tonight: Awk-waaaard!
MLB Studs: CC Sabathia (CG 4-hitter, 1 ER, 10 Ks -- um, that's his 2nd straight CG W)... Garrett Anderson (HR, 5 RBI in LAA W over BOS)... Bronson Arroyo (8 IP in Reds W over Mets, snapping NYM 10-G W streak)... Why are the Cardinals in the NL playoff chase? Partly because Ryan Ludwick has 22 HR (and Rick Ankiel does, too)... Rays finally end L streak...
NBA: Jazz lock up Deron Williams. (Of course they did -- he's only the 2nd-best PG in the NBA)
NBA Summer: I think Wilson Chandler (31 pts) is going to like it in Mike D'Antoni's offense... Joey Dorsey (22 and 13) outshines Donte Greene... Jason Thompson: 20 and 10...
More NFL: New Jags WR Jerry Porter will be out for the entire preseason with a hammy injury; let's take bets now how gimpy this makes him for the regular season.
-- D.S.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Greg Norman Leads The British Open?
This would qualify as the most unlikely event of the season in sports -- and that's just him leading through 2 rounds, let alone winning the thing.
Let's not get carried away here: Even if Norman wins the British Open, it wouldn't eclipse the Giants beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl. (It would eclipse Tiger winning the US Open.)
Middle-aged sportswriters and pundits freaking out over this, please consider that when Norman last won the British Open, any sports fan under the age of 25 would have no recollection.
-- D.S.
Let's not get carried away here: Even if Norman wins the British Open, it wouldn't eclipse the Giants beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl. (It would eclipse Tiger winning the US Open.)
Middle-aged sportswriters and pundits freaking out over this, please consider that when Norman last won the British Open, any sports fan under the age of 25 would have no recollection.
-- D.S.
Newest Obsession: Wordle
Friday 07/18 A.M. Quickie:
Mets, Skins, Love, MMA, More
Blitzed this morning trying to get out the door. Here is the link to today's SN column. More later. -- D.S.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Thursday 07/17 A.M. Quickie:
Slow, Favre, MLB, Love, Tiger, More
Between yesterday morning's post-ASG/Favre/Clemens storylines and this morning, very little happened. The Wednesday after the MLB All-Star Game is, regularly, among the slowest sports days of the year -- if not THE slowest.
I have written a daily sports column for five and a half years; it was never particularly lacking for material. I always looked to this day -- rather than the obvious, "big" days -- as the true test of the "daily" gimmick: Is there enough to fill a column?
You can see today's results here. (No, I couldn't bring myself to go back and find the URLs for every preceding year from the Quickie on the day after the MLB All-Star Game.) Are there items that might not necessarily make the cut on other days? Totally. Did it still generate a good 10-15 storylines on the radar this morning? Absolutely.
It's either a good thing or a horribly bad thing that the Favre story continues to be top of the headlines, the latest being this "Vikings tamper" charge. As I write in the column, at some point, Packers fans need to have the self-respect to turn on Favre: He was openly talking with the O.C. of your rival about bolting the Pack and joining the Vikings.
Meanwhile, it will be hard for MLB's 2nd half to be much better than its 1st half; I'd be happy with the status quo being sustained through October.
And here's the story from the NBA Summer League in Vegas: Kevin Love is the real deal -- by far the best rebounder in the Summer League, and -- quite possibly -- ready to become one of the best rebounders in the NBA, immediately.
Full column here. More later.
-- D.S.
I have written a daily sports column for five and a half years; it was never particularly lacking for material. I always looked to this day -- rather than the obvious, "big" days -- as the true test of the "daily" gimmick: Is there enough to fill a column?
You can see today's results here. (No, I couldn't bring myself to go back and find the URLs for every preceding year from the Quickie on the day after the MLB All-Star Game.) Are there items that might not necessarily make the cut on other days? Totally. Did it still generate a good 10-15 storylines on the radar this morning? Absolutely.
It's either a good thing or a horribly bad thing that the Favre story continues to be top of the headlines, the latest being this "Vikings tamper" charge. As I write in the column, at some point, Packers fans need to have the self-respect to turn on Favre: He was openly talking with the O.C. of your rival about bolting the Pack and joining the Vikings.
Meanwhile, it will be hard for MLB's 2nd half to be much better than its 1st half; I'd be happy with the status quo being sustained through October.
And here's the story from the NBA Summer League in Vegas: Kevin Love is the real deal -- by far the best rebounder in the Summer League, and -- quite possibly -- ready to become one of the best rebounders in the NBA, immediately.
Full column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Obligatory 2008 ESPY Picks
Some habits die hard...
Male Athlete: Kobe Bryant (What, no Tebow?)
UPDATE: It was Tiger, obviously.
Female Athlete: Candace Parker
Team: New York Giants
Championship Performance: Tiger at 2008 US Open
Breakthrough Athlete: Stephen Curry
Record-Breaking Performance: Barry Bonds
Upset: Giants over Pats
Moment: Softball sportsmanship
Game: Super Bowl XLII
Play: Manning-to-Tyree
Sports Movie: Not voting (Protest)
Coach: Tom Coughlin
Finish: Western Kentucky
NFL Player: Tom Brady
NBA Player: Kobe Bryant
MLB Player: A-Rod
NHL Player: Alex Ovechkin
Male College Athlete: Tim Tebow
Female College Athlete: Candace Parker
Finding a nominee list is a p.i.t.a. Submit your picks in the Comments.
-- D.S.
Male Athlete: Kobe Bryant (What, no Tebow?)
UPDATE: It was Tiger, obviously.
Female Athlete: Candace Parker
Team: New York Giants
Championship Performance: Tiger at 2008 US Open
Breakthrough Athlete: Stephen Curry
Record-Breaking Performance: Barry Bonds
Upset: Giants over Pats
Moment: Softball sportsmanship
Game: Super Bowl XLII
Play: Manning-to-Tyree
Sports Movie: Not voting (Protest)
Coach: Tom Coughlin
Finish: Western Kentucky
NFL Player: Tom Brady
NBA Player: Kobe Bryant
MLB Player: A-Rod
NHL Player: Alex Ovechkin
Male College Athlete: Tim Tebow
Female College Athlete: Candace Parker
Finding a nominee list is a p.i.t.a. Submit your picks in the Comments.
-- D.S.
Wednesday 07/16 A.M. Quickie:
ASG, Clemens, Favre, Bonds, Camby, More
It truly is a remarkably grim day in sports (even in my always-perky SN column) when the headlines are dominated by the Big Three of Can't-We-Stop-Talking-About-This:
Roger Clemens: Had HGH delivered to his house, and Kirk Radomski has the receipts to prove it. Not sure why this is coming out now, but it doesn't look good for Rocket. At all.
Brett Favre: Hates Packers management and seems to think threats of attending minicamp should scare them. As long as the Packers don't blink, Favre should be scared.
Barry Bonds: As a Yankee?!?! (Here's the thing: The Yankees should totally do it. In fact, they are complete idiots if they don't do it. Like they'll be fazed by a media circus?)
See: All three are designed for maximum annoying over-coverage. This is our problem today, friends. They're all in today's Sporting News column, but subordinated to MLB:
It would have been a lot easier if the All-Star Game had ended before freaking 1:30 a.m. ET. Did you stay up for the finish? Because I sure as hell didn't. At least it wasn't a tie.
Meanwhile, in the NBA, you can mock all sorts of fan bases for having teams that have basically decided to phone it in this season -- but you have to feel for Nuggets fans.
Denver gave away Marcus Camby for the Clippers' $10 million trade exception. If it wasn't for the thrill of watching AI, this team has just given its fans nothing to bother rooting for.
I appreciate the bold move by the Clippers to shore up their post play; I'm slightly confused how Camby and Kaman will play together, but it has to be better than the alternative.
Belated congrats to the Ballhype team of Jason and Erin Gurney, who sold their site to Future US, who will take Ballhype's traffic and turn it into advertising revenue.
Ballhype is arguably the greatest start-from-scratch entrepreneurial success story of the sports-blog world. Enjoy that reported $3M purchase price, Gurneys. You've earned it.
-- D.S.
Roger Clemens: Had HGH delivered to his house, and Kirk Radomski has the receipts to prove it. Not sure why this is coming out now, but it doesn't look good for Rocket. At all.
Brett Favre: Hates Packers management and seems to think threats of attending minicamp should scare them. As long as the Packers don't blink, Favre should be scared.
Barry Bonds: As a Yankee?!?! (Here's the thing: The Yankees should totally do it. In fact, they are complete idiots if they don't do it. Like they'll be fazed by a media circus?)
See: All three are designed for maximum annoying over-coverage. This is our problem today, friends. They're all in today's Sporting News column, but subordinated to MLB:
It would have been a lot easier if the All-Star Game had ended before freaking 1:30 a.m. ET. Did you stay up for the finish? Because I sure as hell didn't. At least it wasn't a tie.
Meanwhile, in the NBA, you can mock all sorts of fan bases for having teams that have basically decided to phone it in this season -- but you have to feel for Nuggets fans.
Denver gave away Marcus Camby for the Clippers' $10 million trade exception. If it wasn't for the thrill of watching AI, this team has just given its fans nothing to bother rooting for.
I appreciate the bold move by the Clippers to shore up their post play; I'm slightly confused how Camby and Kaman will play together, but it has to be better than the alternative.
Belated congrats to the Ballhype team of Jason and Erin Gurney, who sold their site to Future US, who will take Ballhype's traffic and turn it into advertising revenue.
Ballhype is arguably the greatest start-from-scratch entrepreneurial success story of the sports-blog world. Enjoy that reported $3M purchase price, Gurneys. You've earned it.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Michael Wilbon. Dan Shanoff. Billy Packer.
Michael Wilbon. Dan Shanoff. Billy Packer. Let's go.
Start with this: Everyone is entitled to like or dislike a sports-TV analyst. That’s an inalienable right of fandom. We all have the analyst who we don’t mind as much as others. That said, there are some analysts for whom there is a near-universal dislike.
Michael Wilbon likes listening to Billy Packer; the rest of us, not so much.
Caveat: I like Michael Wilbon’s work (although I think even he would admit that his columns have changed since he started doing full-time TV work). In fact, I grew up on his Washington Post columns; I would call Wilbon’s work influential on me as a wee would-be journalist. I even followed Wilbon to Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, from which we are both extremely proud alums. During my erstwhile Around the Horn career a few years ago, I even sat in Wilbon’s chair – the exhilarating symbolism of the moment wasn’t lost on me.
In fact, it was a nice little thrill for me that in his Washington Post column today, Wilbon quoted from my Sporting News column yesterday about Billy Packer. Here is the part he quoted, that Packer:
That said, I believe most fans agree with me. A 70-year-old called me to congratulate me on the mention – and agree with me. It probably won’t surprise you that tons of 20- and 30-something bloggers posted and readers emailed, agreeing with me, too.
In fact, when I wrote it, it hardly seemed like a controversial position. So, faced with Wilbon’s alternative argument, I did want to give him the respect of an acknowledgement and engage in an interactive response to his argument.
Strangely (or perhaps appropriately), Wilbon opens up with the litany of reasons that Packer was entirely “excrutiating” to listen to:
*Packer made implicitly and explicitly racist comments (which Wilbon fairly points out that Packer appeared to have worked on later in his career);
*Packer was an open misogynist (which Packer didn’t appear to feel the need to change and Wilbon side-stepped with all but a superficial mention);
*Packer hated Cinderella (seriously: how can you live college hoops and hate small-conference teams and unlikely winners?);
*Packer hated the NBA (not unconscionable, but rarely backed up by anything but spite).
That’s not my analysis, mind you -- that’s Wilbon’s acknowledgement. And other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
Wilbon then delivered a series of qualitatively derived (and entirely arguable) findings, a few of which I wanted to point out (with an obligatory nod to Fire Joe Morgan, which pioneered and perfected this style of commentary):
“Nobody has been as good at explaining and analyzing a college basketball game.”
On straight analysis, particularly in making it accessible, I would take Jay Bilas over Billy Packer. I would take Bill Raftery over Billy Packer. I would take Doris Burke over Billy Packer. It was often hard to understand his analysis through the loathing.
“His very presence at a game lifted its importance.”
I’m pretty sure that the Final Four or even the weekly NBC or CBS “Game of the Week” would be an “important” game without Packer being there. That’s called correlation without causation.
“You knew he loved college basketball but he didn't come to the microphone with pom-poms.”
Wilbon is obviously talking about Dick Vitale here, which is a totally separate issue. Although it is very possible that Packer came to view himself as a one-man campaign to correct – or over-correct, as it were – to the see-no-evil boosterism of Vitale, who eclipsed Packer as the presumptive authority of the sport.
Because of that, Packer was entirely about seeing evil: Every play was second-guessed, whether a coach or a player. Almost every issue -- happy or not -- earned an Edward G. Robinson/Chief Clancy Wiggum-style: “Nyah!”
But here’s the crux of my problem with Packer: No, in fact you DIDN’T know he loved college basketball. At all.
In fact, if you were new to the game, you might watch him and ask, “Why is that man so angry?” That’s why rather than go with the instantly marginalized descriptor: “Sucks,” I went with “Joyless.”
Because Packer’s joylessness was at the root of why so many fans didn’t like him. You can be imperious in your analysis yet still exude even the slightest sense that you actually love the game. Wilbon and I can disagree, but I just didn’t see that love of the game from Packer, and many more fans likely agree with my perspective.
It was probably most on display in 2006, when Packer went nutjob irate during the Selection Show over the number of mid-major teams included – including… wait for it... George Mason. He then spent the next two weeks using his platform to continue to rip the selections; even his eventual, forced compliments were back-handed, begrudging.
Cripes: How can you love college basketball but hate Cinderella? (Answer: You can’t.)
“When it came to X's and O's, timeouts, strategies, philosophies, what coaches should do next, Packer was a bit Hubie Brown, an insider who simplified every situation for the viewer with authority.”
If talking down to the viewer and projecting an unceasing “I-know-more-than-the-coaches-or-players” attitude counts as “authority.” (And, by the way, the flip side of Packer’s 33-year broadcasting career is that he was hardly an "insider" in the mold of Hubie. He was a career TV analyst – his college career was eons ago, his coaching career…um, hunh?)
“I'd gladly put up with all of Packer's agendas and his affiliations because when he sat to call a game he threw himself into it and made the experience better for anybody who cared about the game.”
Nice try: The implication here is that if you didn’t like Packer’s style, you didn’t really care about the game. Two can play at that game, Wilbon: I’d argue that if you didn’t recognize how insufferable he was – how little joy he brought to the experience – you didn’t really care about the game.
“That he wasn't a warm and fuzzy creature probably shouldn't count against Packer ultimately.”
Why not? Isn’t part of the role of the analyst to make the game accessible? And doesn’t accessibility, in part, derive from an emotional connection to the viewer?
So, now, let me try to make sense of this, because there does seem to be a schism between the Wilbons (and other industry and media insiders) and everyone else, particularly younger viewers, which turns out to be the key:
The disconnect feels generational.
Wilbon grew up on the legendary college hoops TV team of Billy Packer, Dick Enberg and Al McGuire. I have only seen a handful of clips and clip shows, but it feels like McGuire -- perhaps the greatest college hoops analyst of all time, the perfect combination of insight and pathos – was the perfect counterbalance to Packer’s joylessness.
McGuire masked -- or at least mitigated -- Packer's essential nature. (In fact, Packer was most human and humane when he talked about McGuire.)
I suspect that Wilbon remembers THAT Packer in a different light than the rest of us, who merely knew him as the stand-alone analyst, unchecked in his pronouncements and increasingly curmudgeonly as the landscape beneath him shifted from his supreme rule to a Vitalicized world to the universe of opinions we have now.
(It is worth noting that Packer would have never survived his “tough monkey” moment in the mid-90s if it had happened today. It remains as unforgivable now as it was then, and – whether you choose to remember Packer fondly, as Wilbon does, or not, like me, “tough monkey” will be Packer’s lasting legacy, along with "George Mason?!?!")
Again, Wilbon and I can agree to disagree. I suspect that more people agree with me, by a wide margin, and I am glad Wilbon gave my perspective a mention in his column, because I think more people read it and said, “Yes, he WAS totally joyless!” than they will be won over by Wilbon’s more sympathetic take.
At least Wilbon and I can agree that Northwestern football is due for a fun bowl season this year. I'll meet you at the bowl game, Mike, and the first toast is on me. Just don't expect me to toast Billy Packer's career -- unless we're talking about its conclusion.
-- D.S.
Start with this: Everyone is entitled to like or dislike a sports-TV analyst. That’s an inalienable right of fandom. We all have the analyst who we don’t mind as much as others. That said, there are some analysts for whom there is a near-universal dislike.
Michael Wilbon likes listening to Billy Packer; the rest of us, not so much.
Caveat: I like Michael Wilbon’s work (although I think even he would admit that his columns have changed since he started doing full-time TV work). In fact, I grew up on his Washington Post columns; I would call Wilbon’s work influential on me as a wee would-be journalist. I even followed Wilbon to Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, from which we are both extremely proud alums. During my erstwhile Around the Horn career a few years ago, I even sat in Wilbon’s chair – the exhilarating symbolism of the moment wasn’t lost on me.
In fact, it was a nice little thrill for me that in his Washington Post column today, Wilbon quoted from my Sporting News column yesterday about Billy Packer. Here is the part he quoted, that Packer:
“[W]asn't just a curmudgeon; he was joyless, which made listening to him excruciating. His ouster is a great day for college hoops fans."Wilbon disagrees with me, emphatically. Again, on matters of sports-TV taste, we can all disagree.
That said, I believe most fans agree with me. A 70-year-old called me to congratulate me on the mention – and agree with me. It probably won’t surprise you that tons of 20- and 30-something bloggers posted and readers emailed, agreeing with me, too.
In fact, when I wrote it, it hardly seemed like a controversial position. So, faced with Wilbon’s alternative argument, I did want to give him the respect of an acknowledgement and engage in an interactive response to his argument.
Strangely (or perhaps appropriately), Wilbon opens up with the litany of reasons that Packer was entirely “excrutiating” to listen to:
*Packer made implicitly and explicitly racist comments (which Wilbon fairly points out that Packer appeared to have worked on later in his career);
*Packer was an open misogynist (which Packer didn’t appear to feel the need to change and Wilbon side-stepped with all but a superficial mention);
*Packer hated Cinderella (seriously: how can you live college hoops and hate small-conference teams and unlikely winners?);
*Packer hated the NBA (not unconscionable, but rarely backed up by anything but spite).
That’s not my analysis, mind you -- that’s Wilbon’s acknowledgement. And other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
Wilbon then delivered a series of qualitatively derived (and entirely arguable) findings, a few of which I wanted to point out (with an obligatory nod to Fire Joe Morgan, which pioneered and perfected this style of commentary):
“Nobody has been as good at explaining and analyzing a college basketball game.”
On straight analysis, particularly in making it accessible, I would take Jay Bilas over Billy Packer. I would take Bill Raftery over Billy Packer. I would take Doris Burke over Billy Packer. It was often hard to understand his analysis through the loathing.
“His very presence at a game lifted its importance.”
I’m pretty sure that the Final Four or even the weekly NBC or CBS “Game of the Week” would be an “important” game without Packer being there. That’s called correlation without causation.
“You knew he loved college basketball but he didn't come to the microphone with pom-poms.”
Wilbon is obviously talking about Dick Vitale here, which is a totally separate issue. Although it is very possible that Packer came to view himself as a one-man campaign to correct – or over-correct, as it were – to the see-no-evil boosterism of Vitale, who eclipsed Packer as the presumptive authority of the sport.
Because of that, Packer was entirely about seeing evil: Every play was second-guessed, whether a coach or a player. Almost every issue -- happy or not -- earned an Edward G. Robinson/Chief Clancy Wiggum-style: “Nyah!”
But here’s the crux of my problem with Packer: No, in fact you DIDN’T know he loved college basketball. At all.
In fact, if you were new to the game, you might watch him and ask, “Why is that man so angry?” That’s why rather than go with the instantly marginalized descriptor: “Sucks,” I went with “Joyless.”
Because Packer’s joylessness was at the root of why so many fans didn’t like him. You can be imperious in your analysis yet still exude even the slightest sense that you actually love the game. Wilbon and I can disagree, but I just didn’t see that love of the game from Packer, and many more fans likely agree with my perspective.
It was probably most on display in 2006, when Packer went nutjob irate during the Selection Show over the number of mid-major teams included – including… wait for it... George Mason. He then spent the next two weeks using his platform to continue to rip the selections; even his eventual, forced compliments were back-handed, begrudging.
Cripes: How can you love college basketball but hate Cinderella? (Answer: You can’t.)
“When it came to X's and O's, timeouts, strategies, philosophies, what coaches should do next, Packer was a bit Hubie Brown, an insider who simplified every situation for the viewer with authority.”
If talking down to the viewer and projecting an unceasing “I-know-more-than-the-coaches-or-players” attitude counts as “authority.” (And, by the way, the flip side of Packer’s 33-year broadcasting career is that he was hardly an "insider" in the mold of Hubie. He was a career TV analyst – his college career was eons ago, his coaching career…um, hunh?)
“I'd gladly put up with all of Packer's agendas and his affiliations because when he sat to call a game he threw himself into it and made the experience better for anybody who cared about the game.”
Nice try: The implication here is that if you didn’t like Packer’s style, you didn’t really care about the game. Two can play at that game, Wilbon: I’d argue that if you didn’t recognize how insufferable he was – how little joy he brought to the experience – you didn’t really care about the game.
“That he wasn't a warm and fuzzy creature probably shouldn't count against Packer ultimately.”
Why not? Isn’t part of the role of the analyst to make the game accessible? And doesn’t accessibility, in part, derive from an emotional connection to the viewer?
So, now, let me try to make sense of this, because there does seem to be a schism between the Wilbons (and other industry and media insiders) and everyone else, particularly younger viewers, which turns out to be the key:
The disconnect feels generational.
Wilbon grew up on the legendary college hoops TV team of Billy Packer, Dick Enberg and Al McGuire. I have only seen a handful of clips and clip shows, but it feels like McGuire -- perhaps the greatest college hoops analyst of all time, the perfect combination of insight and pathos – was the perfect counterbalance to Packer’s joylessness.
McGuire masked -- or at least mitigated -- Packer's essential nature. (In fact, Packer was most human and humane when he talked about McGuire.)
I suspect that Wilbon remembers THAT Packer in a different light than the rest of us, who merely knew him as the stand-alone analyst, unchecked in his pronouncements and increasingly curmudgeonly as the landscape beneath him shifted from his supreme rule to a Vitalicized world to the universe of opinions we have now.
(It is worth noting that Packer would have never survived his “tough monkey” moment in the mid-90s if it had happened today. It remains as unforgivable now as it was then, and – whether you choose to remember Packer fondly, as Wilbon does, or not, like me, “tough monkey” will be Packer’s lasting legacy, along with "George Mason?!?!")
Again, Wilbon and I can agree to disagree. I suspect that more people agree with me, by a wide margin, and I am glad Wilbon gave my perspective a mention in his column, because I think more people read it and said, “Yes, he WAS totally joyless!” than they will be won over by Wilbon’s more sympathetic take.
At least Wilbon and I can agree that Northwestern football is due for a fun bowl season this year. I'll meet you at the bowl game, Mike, and the first toast is on me. Just don't expect me to toast Billy Packer's career -- unless we're talking about its conclusion.
-- D.S.
Tuesday 07/15 A.M. Quickie:
Hamilton, Morneau, Favre, Packer, More
The "eh-it-wasn't-THAT-great" backlash has already begun this morning, but I stand by last night's instant reaction that Hamilton's Round of 28 was totally thrilling -- not just for the 28 HRs themselves, but the context of the moment. Cripes, even Yankees fans were cheering for him. That is a true signal of a transcendent, unifying moment in sports that maintain their memorability.
Hamilton, of course, leads today's Sporting News column, but there's a lot more:
*Why Justin Morneau got the shaft.
*Why Van Susteren is the new Mortenson.
*Why Packer's ouster isn't ALL good news.
*Why Donte Greene is the new OJ Mayo.
*Why sports bloggers get depressed.
There's a lot more, including a Last Word about the new MLB campaign to promote their playoffs, featuring some actor pretending to be a...blogger.
It's nice recognition, obviously, but they got a bunch of details wrong, including the lack of obvious self-loathing, the lack of any reference to Erin Andrews and the lack of the blast email saying, "LINK TO ME!"
More later, because if you're going to get name-checked in a Michael Wilbon column on one of the slowest days of the sports year, a response is more than appropriate. Coming later.
-- D.S.
Hamilton, of course, leads today's Sporting News column, but there's a lot more:
*Why Justin Morneau got the shaft.
*Why Van Susteren is the new Mortenson.
*Why Packer's ouster isn't ALL good news.
*Why Donte Greene is the new OJ Mayo.
*Why sports bloggers get depressed.
There's a lot more, including a Last Word about the new MLB campaign to promote their playoffs, featuring some actor pretending to be a...blogger.
It's nice recognition, obviously, but they got a bunch of details wrong, including the lack of obvious self-loathing, the lack of any reference to Erin Andrews and the lack of the blast email saying, "LINK TO ME!"
More later, because if you're going to get name-checked in a Michael Wilbon column on one of the slowest days of the sports year, a response is more than appropriate. Coming later.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Josh Hamilton is ABSURD
28 home runs in the 1st round of the HR Derby (on 54 pitches by the ageless 71-year-old Clay Counsil) in one of the most thrilling live sports moments I have witnessed in a long time. Utterly amazing. -- D.S.
Monday 07/14 A.M. Quickie:
Favre, All-Stars, Derby, Packer, More
In theory, this Brett Favre story should be a fun one to follow. In reality -- like many of these "all-hands-on-deck, 24/7" stories -- it is dragging the fan experience down.
In the lead item of today's Sporting News column, I laid out what I think is my final answer:
*Favre has every right to come back.
*The Packers should welcome him back.
*The Packers shouldn't trade him for anything.
*Let Favre sit on the bench... or stay retired.
*To re-emphasize: The Pack should NOT trade him.
With that out of the way, I'm going to try to avoid the Favre story as much as is reasonable -- especially when there is such a juicy other story to revel in:
Billy Packer is out at CBS. This is huge: The guy was there forever -- too long, actually. My biggest problem with him, as I said in the column and have said for a while, is that he is utterly joyless. I'm not asking that he act like Dick Vitale; I'm only asking he not act like he hates the game and everyone participating in it.
Meanwhile, we've hit the MLB All-Star Break. Oh, how a few weeks changes things: The Rays have lost 7 straight and have fallen out of 1st in the AL East -- terrible timing, with the break to think about it; the Mets have won 9 straight and are .5 GB the NL East lead -- terrible timing, with the break to think about it.
Count me among those who enjoy the HR Derby -- although I watch it with the DVR, not live. And on mute, for obvious reasons. I'm rooting for Braun; I wouldn't mind seeing Hamilton win; I suspect that Chase Utley WILL win. How's that for hedging?
Full SN column here. More coming later.
-- D.S.
In the lead item of today's Sporting News column, I laid out what I think is my final answer:
*Favre has every right to come back.
*The Packers should welcome him back.
*The Packers shouldn't trade him for anything.
*Let Favre sit on the bench... or stay retired.
*To re-emphasize: The Pack should NOT trade him.
With that out of the way, I'm going to try to avoid the Favre story as much as is reasonable -- especially when there is such a juicy other story to revel in:
Billy Packer is out at CBS. This is huge: The guy was there forever -- too long, actually. My biggest problem with him, as I said in the column and have said for a while, is that he is utterly joyless. I'm not asking that he act like Dick Vitale; I'm only asking he not act like he hates the game and everyone participating in it.
Meanwhile, we've hit the MLB All-Star Break. Oh, how a few weeks changes things: The Rays have lost 7 straight and have fallen out of 1st in the AL East -- terrible timing, with the break to think about it; the Mets have won 9 straight and are .5 GB the NL East lead -- terrible timing, with the break to think about it.
Count me among those who enjoy the HR Derby -- although I watch it with the DVR, not live. And on mute, for obvious reasons. I'm rooting for Braun; I wouldn't mind seeing Hamilton win; I suspect that Chase Utley WILL win. How's that for hedging?
Full SN column here. More coming later.
-- D.S.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sunday 07/13 (Very) Quickie
Advantage: Packers. OK, Brett, you can un-retire. But we won't release you, and we won't start you. Enjoy the scout team, MF'er.
It's a good strategy -- their only strategy. Keep him on the team and make HIM look like the asshole for wanting to abandon the team to start somewhere.
In fact, I don't know why the Packers would ever decide to trade Favre, rather than keep him on the bench. (1) The fans will mutiny. (2) Even a 3rd-round pick in return isn't worth that kind of grief. (3) Isn't it fair to guess that Rodgers just might get hurt during the season?
So I keep hearing all this talk about them not releasing him, but considering trading him. And I say: Why in the world would they do that?
MLB: Harden's debut a gem -- 5 IP, 10 K, Cubs win (eventually)... A-Rod: More career HRs than Mantle... Shane Victorio: Where were those 2 HR when I needed them in fantasy earlier this season... Ervin Santana: 10K shutout... Who had Ryan Ludwick with 20+ HR at the All-Star Break?
Matt Jones: Not my coke! (Right.)
NBA Summer Rookies:
Stud: OJ Mayo: 26 pts (9/19 FG)
DJ Augustin: 14 pts, 2 ast
Eric Gordon: 15 pts (4/10 FG)
Sonny Weems: 17 pts
Marreese Speights: 14 pts, 5 reb
Dud: Joe Alexander: 7 pts (2/13 FG)
-- D.S.
It's a good strategy -- their only strategy. Keep him on the team and make HIM look like the asshole for wanting to abandon the team to start somewhere.
In fact, I don't know why the Packers would ever decide to trade Favre, rather than keep him on the bench. (1) The fans will mutiny. (2) Even a 3rd-round pick in return isn't worth that kind of grief. (3) Isn't it fair to guess that Rodgers just might get hurt during the season?
So I keep hearing all this talk about them not releasing him, but considering trading him. And I say: Why in the world would they do that?
MLB: Harden's debut a gem -- 5 IP, 10 K, Cubs win (eventually)... A-Rod: More career HRs than Mantle... Shane Victorio: Where were those 2 HR when I needed them in fantasy earlier this season... Ervin Santana: 10K shutout... Who had Ryan Ludwick with 20+ HR at the All-Star Break?
Matt Jones: Not my coke! (Right.)
NBA Summer Rookies:
Stud: OJ Mayo: 26 pts (9/19 FG)
DJ Augustin: 14 pts, 2 ast
Eric Gordon: 15 pts (4/10 FG)
Sonny Weems: 17 pts
Marreese Speights: 14 pts, 5 reb
Dud: Joe Alexander: 7 pts (2/13 FG)
-- D.S.
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