SI ranks Jeffrey Loria at No. 4 on the Worst Owner in Baseball list. If having a "worst owner" meant my team won a freaking World Series -- like the Marlins did in Loria's second year -- I'd take it. (We have this debate all the time: Would you rather win 2 titles in 10 years but suck the other 8 -- like the Marlins -- or win zero titles in 10 years, but make the playoffs a bunch?)
As for the best owner, let's normalize the rankings so we can compare them dollar-for-dollar. How much of John Henry or George Steinbrenner's "best" come from merely spending $200 million a year? (Granted, I'll credit them for the willingness to spend it, even if they are starting from revenue platforms that allow them to spend that much without going broke.)
Give me Stuart Sternberg in Tampa, who does it on a fraction of the budget. I'd love to see what would happen to the Red Sox or Yankees if they could only spend $35 million a year.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Wednesday 06/03 A.M. Quickie:
Magic, Obama, Halladay, Big Unit, More
So last week I mentioned that it was the 5-year anniversary of my first appearance on Around the Horn. A few episodes later, the group was predicting the 2004 NBA Finals -- Lakers vs. Pistons.
No one gave the Pistons a chance. One guy said "Lakers in 7." One said "Lakers in 6." One said "Lakers in 5." That left me with a nice bold claim: "Lakers in 4." The Pistons didn't have a chance.
Until they did, clobbering the Lakers in 5 games.
That was what I was thinking about as I made my official prediction in today's SN column of the Magic winning in 5. No one is giving Orlando a chance. The entire ESPN panel -- except Abbott -- picked the Lakers. (This is the same group that uniformly picked the Cavs to beat the Magic, so there you go.)
The only thing that's throwing me off is the 2-3-2 format. But I think the Magic can win a game in L.A. -- maybe even tomorrow night's Game 1, then sweep all 3 games in Orlando.
The matchups favor the Magic, as they have all playoffs long -- even if the experts didn't recognize it. Who will guard Howard -- Andrew Bynum? And I keep hearing that Pau Gasol will guard Rashard Lewis -- where, by the 3-point line? Perhaps Ariza is the long athletic player to guard Hedo Turkoglu - then again, maybe he'll foul out trying to guard him.
Will Kobe get his? Of course. But we just saw LeBron dominate the Magic -- right up until his team was bounced out of the playoffs by them. The Lakers are a better team than the Cavs, but not that much better. And the Magic are playing out of their minds right now.
Obama picks the Lakers in 6, and he has been on a hot streak lately, in terms of sports predictions. But I remember the lessons of 2004, the last time "everyone" thought the Lakers would roll to a title past an overmatched team from the East. We know how that turned out.
Maybe my judgment is clouded by my enthusiasm over picking the Magic over the Cavs in 6 -- my best (perhaps only correct) prediction of the year. After all, I picked the Lakers to lose to the Nuggets in 6. But I think folks are sleeping on Orlando -- still, after the way they have dispatched both the defending champs and the team with the best record in the league. Still?
Magic in 5.
More you'll find in today's column:
*Jameer Nelson is Willis Reed 2.0
*Roy Halladay is the new Zack Greinke
*Big Unit goes for 300 -- last 300-winner ever?
*Memphis says: NO EVIDENCE, NCAA!
Plus a lot more. Complete column here. More later. Your Finals picks in the Comments.
-- D.S.
No one gave the Pistons a chance. One guy said "Lakers in 7." One said "Lakers in 6." One said "Lakers in 5." That left me with a nice bold claim: "Lakers in 4." The Pistons didn't have a chance.
Until they did, clobbering the Lakers in 5 games.
That was what I was thinking about as I made my official prediction in today's SN column of the Magic winning in 5. No one is giving Orlando a chance. The entire ESPN panel -- except Abbott -- picked the Lakers. (This is the same group that uniformly picked the Cavs to beat the Magic, so there you go.)
The only thing that's throwing me off is the 2-3-2 format. But I think the Magic can win a game in L.A. -- maybe even tomorrow night's Game 1, then sweep all 3 games in Orlando.
The matchups favor the Magic, as they have all playoffs long -- even if the experts didn't recognize it. Who will guard Howard -- Andrew Bynum? And I keep hearing that Pau Gasol will guard Rashard Lewis -- where, by the 3-point line? Perhaps Ariza is the long athletic player to guard Hedo Turkoglu - then again, maybe he'll foul out trying to guard him.
Will Kobe get his? Of course. But we just saw LeBron dominate the Magic -- right up until his team was bounced out of the playoffs by them. The Lakers are a better team than the Cavs, but not that much better. And the Magic are playing out of their minds right now.
Obama picks the Lakers in 6, and he has been on a hot streak lately, in terms of sports predictions. But I remember the lessons of 2004, the last time "everyone" thought the Lakers would roll to a title past an overmatched team from the East. We know how that turned out.
Maybe my judgment is clouded by my enthusiasm over picking the Magic over the Cavs in 6 -- my best (perhaps only correct) prediction of the year. After all, I picked the Lakers to lose to the Nuggets in 6. But I think folks are sleeping on Orlando -- still, after the way they have dispatched both the defending champs and the team with the best record in the league. Still?
Magic in 5.
More you'll find in today's column:
*Jameer Nelson is Willis Reed 2.0
*Roy Halladay is the new Zack Greinke
*Big Unit goes for 300 -- last 300-winner ever?
*Memphis says: NO EVIDENCE, NCAA!
Plus a lot more. Complete column here. More later. Your Finals picks in the Comments.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Henry Abbott: Dominating The NBA Playoffs
If I wrote a weekly column, this is the one I'd want to write. Except I wouldn't do nearly as good of a job as Leitch does. Although we can disagree on LeBron. (But agree on Henry Abbott!) It's one of the few "appointment" columns I look forward to each week.
(In other notable Deadspin news this week, it appears I get to maintain my commenting privileges -- and I do it under the handle "danshanoff," mostly because I'm not clever enough for a handle based on a pun of an obscure pop-culture reference -- at least for now!)
-- D.S.
(In other notable Deadspin news this week, it appears I get to maintain my commenting privileges -- and I do it under the handle "danshanoff," mostly because I'm not clever enough for a handle based on a pun of an obscure pop-culture reference -- at least for now!)
-- D.S.
Gator Notes: Jenkins Tasered, Tebow Tops
(1) Jenkins vs. Taser: Some of you pointed out that I neglected to mention that Florida CB Janoris Jenkins was arrested the other day, including a Taser -- WHICH HE GOT UP FROM AND CONTINUED TO RUN AWAY.
Jenkins stepped in as a true freshman last season and started at corner for the national champs -- he probably finished the season as one of the Top 10 CBs in college football (and, yet, still behind his fellow CB Joe Haden, a 2009 preseason 1st-team All-American and 2010 NFL Top 10 pick).
(2) Tebow vs. the Field: Meanwhile, Sporting News put out its list of the Top 25 players in college football heading into the '09 season. Yes, yes: Tim Tebow is No. 1 (hate all you want, but how could you pick anyone else?). The list is intriguing for a few other names, notably Tebow-lite Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli, who vaults in at No. 9.
Oh, and there was some closure to the mystery of how Tebow ended up in the arena for the Magic-Cavs Game 6: His mom bought him a ticket. Scandal! Occam's razor, folks. Undoubtedly, he was spotted by TV producers and escorted closer to the action so they could get him on camera. That's not an improper benefit -- that's TV.
I remain restrained about Florida and Tebow coverage this spring/summer, but will update as news merits. There are a TON of preview magazines coming out -- almost all picking Florida as the national champ, which is hardly unexpected -- and I will try not to qualify Tebow/Gator mentions in them as "news." OK, maybe sometimes.
-- D.S.
Jenkins stepped in as a true freshman last season and started at corner for the national champs -- he probably finished the season as one of the Top 10 CBs in college football (and, yet, still behind his fellow CB Joe Haden, a 2009 preseason 1st-team All-American and 2010 NFL Top 10 pick).
(2) Tebow vs. the Field: Meanwhile, Sporting News put out its list of the Top 25 players in college football heading into the '09 season. Yes, yes: Tim Tebow is No. 1 (hate all you want, but how could you pick anyone else?). The list is intriguing for a few other names, notably Tebow-lite Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli, who vaults in at No. 9.
Oh, and there was some closure to the mystery of how Tebow ended up in the arena for the Magic-Cavs Game 6: His mom bought him a ticket. Scandal! Occam's razor, folks. Undoubtedly, he was spotted by TV producers and escorted closer to the action so they could get him on camera. That's not an improper benefit -- that's TV.
I remain restrained about Florida and Tebow coverage this spring/summer, but will update as news merits. There are a TON of preview magazines coming out -- almost all picking Florida as the national champ, which is hardly unexpected -- and I will try not to qualify Tebow/Gator mentions in them as "news." OK, maybe sometimes.
-- D.S.
Tuesday 06/02 A.M. Quickie:
Lifelock, Finals, VY, Tebow, LeBron, More
When I first pitched the Quickie to ESPN, I made a point to emphasize that it was -- by its daypart (morning) and by its appointment-style scheduling (daily) -- promising for sponsor dollars.
I even went so far as to present the concept directly to the ESPN.com ad-sales team -- I may have been the first ESPN.com columnist (or any sports columnist) to do that. It's a point of pride for me, actually, because it actively acknowledged that you can have editorial integrity of creating a good, popular product AND try to make money from it.
There was regular sponsorship of the column -- the most notable was a McDonald's deal that promoted McD's breakfast offering, a pretty good fit.
I always thought that Starbucks would be ideal -- hell, that's what I was drinking in the morning as I wrote; I'd even throw in a mugshot of me holding up a Starbucks cup.
Then I read that MSNBC's "Morning Joe" just did a presenting sponsorship with Starbucks -- it's smart, for both the show and the sponsor.
And, yesterday, the NBA announced that the WNBA would be accepting sponsorships on jerseys, fully displacing "Phoenix" and "Mercury" for "Lifelock." Guess what: That's the future folks.
It's also the present, as I lead in today's SN column (which also subtly suggests that the sponsorship opportunities remain for me) -- look at international soccer. Those are the hardest-core fans in the world, and they have no problem with the jersey sponsorships.
More notably, don't kid yourself: College football and basketball have been showcasing sponsor branding for years -- and it has moved beyond jerseys and shorts/pants and shoes to armbands, bicep-bands, headbands, eyeblack and more.
Does it spoil baseball to have "GNC" on the front or back of the Yankees or Red Sox jerseys? Or the NFL? Or the NBA? Hardly. Your team is still your team -- they just make a little more money in a pretty crappy economy... and a sponsor gets to break through the clutter with a meaningful marketing connection with fans. (Just ask AIG and Manchester United!)
Anyway, the point is this: There is no meaningful difference between "Shanoff's Wake-Up Call" and "Starbucks Wake-Up Call," just as there is no meaningful difference between "The BS Report Presented by Subway," and swapping out the "Celtics" lettering on the Boston jersey replaced by "PapaJohns.com."
More you'll find in today's column:
*The best LeBron/Kobe puppet parody video you'll see.
*Tim Tebow: Best player in college football next season. Duh.
*Vince Young needs a new team that will use him selectively.
*Danica is as disingenuous in apologizing as LeBron.
Lot more where that came from. Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
I even went so far as to present the concept directly to the ESPN.com ad-sales team -- I may have been the first ESPN.com columnist (or any sports columnist) to do that. It's a point of pride for me, actually, because it actively acknowledged that you can have editorial integrity of creating a good, popular product AND try to make money from it.
There was regular sponsorship of the column -- the most notable was a McDonald's deal that promoted McD's breakfast offering, a pretty good fit.
I always thought that Starbucks would be ideal -- hell, that's what I was drinking in the morning as I wrote; I'd even throw in a mugshot of me holding up a Starbucks cup.
Then I read that MSNBC's "Morning Joe" just did a presenting sponsorship with Starbucks -- it's smart, for both the show and the sponsor.
And, yesterday, the NBA announced that the WNBA would be accepting sponsorships on jerseys, fully displacing "Phoenix" and "Mercury" for "Lifelock." Guess what: That's the future folks.
It's also the present, as I lead in today's SN column (which also subtly suggests that the sponsorship opportunities remain for me) -- look at international soccer. Those are the hardest-core fans in the world, and they have no problem with the jersey sponsorships.
More notably, don't kid yourself: College football and basketball have been showcasing sponsor branding for years -- and it has moved beyond jerseys and shorts/pants and shoes to armbands, bicep-bands, headbands, eyeblack and more.
Does it spoil baseball to have "GNC" on the front or back of the Yankees or Red Sox jerseys? Or the NFL? Or the NBA? Hardly. Your team is still your team -- they just make a little more money in a pretty crappy economy... and a sponsor gets to break through the clutter with a meaningful marketing connection with fans. (Just ask AIG and Manchester United!)
Anyway, the point is this: There is no meaningful difference between "Shanoff's Wake-Up Call" and "Starbucks Wake-Up Call," just as there is no meaningful difference between "The BS Report Presented by Subway," and swapping out the "Celtics" lettering on the Boston jersey replaced by "PapaJohns.com."
More you'll find in today's column:
*The best LeBron/Kobe puppet parody video you'll see.
*Tim Tebow: Best player in college football next season. Duh.
*Vince Young needs a new team that will use him selectively.
*Danica is as disingenuous in apologizing as LeBron.
Lot more where that came from. Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Monday, June 01, 2009
A Little More on MeBron
The irony of LeBron's ending to the NBA playoffs is that he has worked so hard -- harder than he ever has on basketball -- on becoming a global brand.
In fact, you have to ask whether becoming a billion-dollar global brand is LeBron's No. 1 goal. Ahead of winning a championship (although that helps the goal). Certainly ahead of Ohio pride.
It makes it all the more fascinating that LeBron the Brand Manager would allow himself to mess up so royally by not shaking hands or facing the media after the Cavs' ouster.
Maybe it is a symbol of JUST HOW BAD LeBron wanted to win. But maybe it was more calculated manipulation. And maybe it was just a rare peek into the world of "MeBron."
For "MeBron," LeBron will always come first. Ahead of the Cavs. Ahead of Ohio, even Akron. Ahead of the NBA. Ahead of "the game of basketball" (ugh).
This is why I feel bad for Cavs fans who think that LeBron will stay in Cleveland -- or think he cares at all what the folks in Cleveland think. He will do what is best for LeBrand.
Perhaps why he was disappointed was because it feeds the LeBron brand that he -- the Chosen One -- would be the one to deliver a championship to long-blighted Cleveland.
But that's not about Cleveland or Cleveland fans -- once again, it's about LeBron advancing LeBron's place in the world.
It's funny how one small moment -- a snubbed handshake, an inability to answer questions about your role in a fairly sizeable defeat -- can do so much to erode the best brand in basketball.
While I will continue to marvel at LeBron's skills, I can't help but have this Saturday night thing change the way I think he should be viewed.
Obviously, in a few years it will be long-forgotten -- presuming he eventually wins an NBA title or few. But for now, it is more career-defining than anything else he has done.
-- D.S.
In fact, you have to ask whether becoming a billion-dollar global brand is LeBron's No. 1 goal. Ahead of winning a championship (although that helps the goal). Certainly ahead of Ohio pride.
It makes it all the more fascinating that LeBron the Brand Manager would allow himself to mess up so royally by not shaking hands or facing the media after the Cavs' ouster.
Maybe it is a symbol of JUST HOW BAD LeBron wanted to win. But maybe it was more calculated manipulation. And maybe it was just a rare peek into the world of "MeBron."
For "MeBron," LeBron will always come first. Ahead of the Cavs. Ahead of Ohio, even Akron. Ahead of the NBA. Ahead of "the game of basketball" (ugh).
This is why I feel bad for Cavs fans who think that LeBron will stay in Cleveland -- or think he cares at all what the folks in Cleveland think. He will do what is best for LeBrand.
Perhaps why he was disappointed was because it feeds the LeBron brand that he -- the Chosen One -- would be the one to deliver a championship to long-blighted Cleveland.
But that's not about Cleveland or Cleveland fans -- once again, it's about LeBron advancing LeBron's place in the world.
It's funny how one small moment -- a snubbed handshake, an inability to answer questions about your role in a fairly sizeable defeat -- can do so much to erode the best brand in basketball.
While I will continue to marvel at LeBron's skills, I can't help but have this Saturday night thing change the way I think he should be viewed.
Obviously, in a few years it will be long-forgotten -- presuming he eventually wins an NBA title or few. But for now, it is more career-defining than anything else he has done.
-- D.S.
My Pick of the Year: Magic Over Cavs in 6
I'll caveat all of this with the notion that I hate "Told you so" in sports prognosticating. There is nothing more worthless than your/my/anyone's correct predictions -- except perhaps the prediction itself in the first place. Cheapest currency in sports.
Anyway: What does it say that my really good predictions are rare enough that I feel compelled to make note of them when they happen?
That said: There weren't many folks before the Magic-Cavs series who were picking the Magic in 6 to beat the Cavs, like I did. In fact, none of the ESPN experts picked the Magic. Not one. (Then again, I also picked the Nuggets in 6, so there you go.)
Making my pick slightly more valid is that way back in October in my NBA season preview, I picked the Magic to win the East. (Then again, I picked the Rockets to win it all.)
No, "Magic over Cavs in 6" doesn't make up for my worst-ever NCAA Tournament picks. Doesn't even come close.
I will, however, be doubling down on Orlando: Unless I come to my senses between now and the middle of next week, I'll take the Magic in 5 over the Lakers. (And the fact that, of the ESPN experts, only one -- Henry Abbott -- has the Magic makes me feel even better about it.)
Playoff predictions should be like an elimination pool: If you get the winning team wrong (let's set aside how many games it takes), you shouldn't get to pick in the next round. Hell, I'm willing to abide by those rules.
-- D.S.
Anyway: What does it say that my really good predictions are rare enough that I feel compelled to make note of them when they happen?
That said: There weren't many folks before the Magic-Cavs series who were picking the Magic in 6 to beat the Cavs, like I did. In fact, none of the ESPN experts picked the Magic. Not one. (Then again, I also picked the Nuggets in 6, so there you go.)
Making my pick slightly more valid is that way back in October in my NBA season preview, I picked the Magic to win the East. (Then again, I picked the Rockets to win it all.)
No, "Magic over Cavs in 6" doesn't make up for my worst-ever NCAA Tournament picks. Doesn't even come close.
I will, however, be doubling down on Orlando: Unless I come to my senses between now and the middle of next week, I'll take the Magic in 5 over the Lakers. (And the fact that, of the ESPN experts, only one -- Henry Abbott -- has the Magic makes me feel even better about it.)
Playoff predictions should be like an elimination pool: If you get the winning team wrong (let's set aside how many games it takes), you shouldn't get to pick in the next round. Hell, I'm willing to abide by those rules.
-- D.S.
Monday 06/01 A.M. Quickie:
LeBron, Magic, Nadal, Greinke, Vick, Moyer
So I was hoping to come up with a Theory of Everything related to LeBron, the Cavs' loss, the Magic's win, etc.
Mainly, I found myself totally unimpressed with the way LeBron handled himself after the series ended: No handshake? Silent treatment for the media?
That's not how a self-described "winner" acts. That's not how a champion acts. I'm sure he was disappointed -- although his Cavs were thoroughly outplayed by the Magic all series long.
What a cop-out. The handshake thing was reminiscent of the Pistons in 1991 after their reign was ended by Jordan's Bulls -- but at least Detroit was two-time defending champs; LeBron has won nothing.
The media silence was complete b.s. He made his teammates shoulder the burden of explaining the series loss. Maybe his teammates failed him; maybe that's just LeBron mythology and -- in reality -- he didn't make them THAT much better; how else to explain how a team with the NBA's best record got flattened? Whatever: A real leader would have taken responsibility. Instead, LeBron looked like a selfish prima donna -- "MeBron."
Not just a bad loser, but an even bigger loser than the series had turned him into. The fact remains: This will be remembered as one of LeBron's best chances -- perhaps his best chance -- at a ring. Best record in the NBA. Home-court advantage. 8-0 start to the playoffs. A tired opponent. Yet the Cavs were soundly beaten, not just in Game 6 but throughout the series. How will things be different next year? Maybe the Magic will lose Hedo -- the glue to this Finals run -- but they will get Jameer Nelson back. And don't expect quick success in New York in 2010, presuming he goes there.
Maybe, instead of the max contract, he should think about taking the league minimum and teaming up with Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis in Orlando. It's not like LeBron can't make up the difference in endorsement deals. And it's not like the Magic aren't -- at least for now -- the better team than whatever team LeBron is on.
Meanwhile, as you'll see in today's SN column, the Magic win was a validation on a bunch of levels: For building around a top-tier post player -- inside-out, rather than outside-in. For paying the max for a complimentary player. For Hedo Turkoglu (not Dirk Nowitzki) as the real fulfillment of the NBA's European invasion. For Otis Smith as a terrific GM.
More on the Finals as we get closer to Thursday.
More you'll find in today's column:
*Nadal loses: Biggest upset ever?
*Greinke's no-decision: 3 earned runs? (7K/0BB, though)
*Vick to Rams: Why not?
*Harvin as Wildcat: Unstoppable.
*Ohio State baseball: Humiliated!
*Stephen Strasburg: Overrated!
Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Mainly, I found myself totally unimpressed with the way LeBron handled himself after the series ended: No handshake? Silent treatment for the media?
That's not how a self-described "winner" acts. That's not how a champion acts. I'm sure he was disappointed -- although his Cavs were thoroughly outplayed by the Magic all series long.
What a cop-out. The handshake thing was reminiscent of the Pistons in 1991 after their reign was ended by Jordan's Bulls -- but at least Detroit was two-time defending champs; LeBron has won nothing.
The media silence was complete b.s. He made his teammates shoulder the burden of explaining the series loss. Maybe his teammates failed him; maybe that's just LeBron mythology and -- in reality -- he didn't make them THAT much better; how else to explain how a team with the NBA's best record got flattened? Whatever: A real leader would have taken responsibility. Instead, LeBron looked like a selfish prima donna -- "MeBron."
Not just a bad loser, but an even bigger loser than the series had turned him into. The fact remains: This will be remembered as one of LeBron's best chances -- perhaps his best chance -- at a ring. Best record in the NBA. Home-court advantage. 8-0 start to the playoffs. A tired opponent. Yet the Cavs were soundly beaten, not just in Game 6 but throughout the series. How will things be different next year? Maybe the Magic will lose Hedo -- the glue to this Finals run -- but they will get Jameer Nelson back. And don't expect quick success in New York in 2010, presuming he goes there.
Maybe, instead of the max contract, he should think about taking the league minimum and teaming up with Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis in Orlando. It's not like LeBron can't make up the difference in endorsement deals. And it's not like the Magic aren't -- at least for now -- the better team than whatever team LeBron is on.
Meanwhile, as you'll see in today's SN column, the Magic win was a validation on a bunch of levels: For building around a top-tier post player -- inside-out, rather than outside-in. For paying the max for a complimentary player. For Hedo Turkoglu (not Dirk Nowitzki) as the real fulfillment of the NBA's European invasion. For Otis Smith as a terrific GM.
More on the Finals as we get closer to Thursday.
More you'll find in today's column:
*Nadal loses: Biggest upset ever?
*Greinke's no-decision: 3 earned runs? (7K/0BB, though)
*Vick to Rams: Why not?
*Harvin as Wildcat: Unstoppable.
*Ohio State baseball: Humiliated!
*Stephen Strasburg: Overrated!
Complete column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
So what was I supposed to be Witnessing, again?
Oh, that's right: The NBA's best player -- leading the team with the NBA's best regular-season record -- getting bounced out of the playoffs, decisively.
I wonder if we'll look back and realize that this team was LeBron's best shot at a title for the next half-decade or longer. Or maybe it will be framed as the "setback" portion of his myth, before the titles come.
What we know is that they won't be coming in 2009.
-- D.S.
Oh, that's right: The NBA's best player -- leading the team with the NBA's best regular-season record -- getting bounced out of the playoffs, decisively.
I wonder if we'll look back and realize that this team was LeBron's best shot at a title for the next half-decade or longer. Or maybe it will be framed as the "setback" portion of his myth, before the titles come.
What we know is that they won't be coming in 2009.
-- D.S.
Saturday 05/30 (Very) Quickie
Lakers advance to Finals: Wow, remember when the Nuggets actually looked like they had a chance against the Lakers? The Lakers are SO much better when Kobe focuses on distributing (10 assists, to go with his 35 pts).
Stephen Strasburg: Umm, so what's the big deal again? He can't even beat UVA; how's he going to beat the NL Central?
Speaking of phenoms, Matt Wieters made his MLB debut -- and was 0/4 with a K and 3 LOB. But Luke Scott had 2 HR, at least...
Rockies fire Clint Hurdle, then promptly win without him: He shouldn't take that personally.
Sixers hire Eddie Jordan: How will Princeton philosophy mesh with Iguodala, Young, Speights, etc?
Getting ready for Cavs-Magic Game 6 in Orlando. Should be a wild game. Win or bust for LeBron.
-- D.S.
Stephen Strasburg: Umm, so what's the big deal again? He can't even beat UVA; how's he going to beat the NL Central?
Speaking of phenoms, Matt Wieters made his MLB debut -- and was 0/4 with a K and 3 LOB. But Luke Scott had 2 HR, at least...
Rockies fire Clint Hurdle, then promptly win without him: He shouldn't take that personally.
Sixers hire Eddie Jordan: How will Princeton philosophy mesh with Iguodala, Young, Speights, etc?
Getting ready for Cavs-Magic Game 6 in Orlando. Should be a wild game. Win or bust for LeBron.
-- D.S.
Friday, May 29, 2009
NBA Age Limit Sucks, Cont'd: Case of Rose
TNR's Jason Zengerle connects the dots between the Derrick Rose fiasco at Memphis and the NBA's ridiculous age-limit rules.
As you are sitting there oohing and ahhing about LeBron's 4th quarter last night, let's remember that the NBA now thinks LeBron would be unacceptable for the NBA as an 18-year-old. Right.
LeBron. Kobe. Dwight Howard. Rashard Lewis. These are not exceptions that prove the rule. These are the reasons why the age-limit rule is absurd.
-- D.S.
As you are sitting there oohing and ahhing about LeBron's 4th quarter last night, let's remember that the NBA now thinks LeBron would be unacceptable for the NBA as an 18-year-old. Right.
LeBron. Kobe. Dwight Howard. Rashard Lewis. These are not exceptions that prove the rule. These are the reasons why the age-limit rule is absurd.
-- D.S.
Friday 05/29 A.M. Quickie:
Kavya, LeBron, Kobe, Calipari, More
For all of his amazing exploits on the court, let's all remember that LeBron is no champion. (Sure, the judges will allow: "Not yet.")
And there's a good chance that despite his who-didn't-see-it-coming triple-double last night, the Cavs will lose Game 6 in Orlando and get humiliatingly bounced from the playoffs.
Maybe we need a puppet of Kavya Shivashankar, the 2009 Bee champ. She has more championship bonafides than LeBron (and, until Kobe wins one without Shaq, more than Kobe, too).
Kavya was everything we want LeBron to be: Confident, dominating, unstoppable. LeBron is everything but the last one: Sure, he is individually unstoppable, but his team? Very stoppable.
Kavya leads today's SN column, tied into LeBron and Kobe -- who both head into weekends that will define their careers more than any previous moment.
Dive into the rest of the column here. More later.
-- D.S.
And there's a good chance that despite his who-didn't-see-it-coming triple-double last night, the Cavs will lose Game 6 in Orlando and get humiliatingly bounced from the playoffs.
Maybe we need a puppet of Kavya Shivashankar, the 2009 Bee champ. She has more championship bonafides than LeBron (and, until Kobe wins one without Shaq, more than Kobe, too).
Kavya was everything we want LeBron to be: Confident, dominating, unstoppable. LeBron is everything but the last one: Sure, he is individually unstoppable, but his team? Very stoppable.
Kavya leads today's SN column, tied into LeBron and Kobe -- who both head into weekends that will define their careers more than any previous moment.
Dive into the rest of the column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday 05/28 A.M. Quickie:
Kobe, Calipari, Cavs, Barca, Bee, More
I led today's SN column with Kobe's transformation into...Chauncey Billups and how that correlates to the Lakers playing much much better. Considering my allergy to John Calipari, perhaps I should have led with this scandal brewing at Memphis that Cal left behind:
This is why college basketball is, at its essence, a cesspool:
John Calipari allegedly uses fraudulent SAT scores to land the most valuable player in college basketball for the 2007-2008 season. They go to the national-title game.
Said player -- and that the alleged scandal involves this player is only an educated guess at this point -- goes very very very high in the subsequent NBA draft.
Coach leverages the Final Four run into a brand spanking new gig at the most historically prestigious program in the country, in turn generating a recruiting class that is so good that his new team is immediately installed as the team to beat next season.
Meanwhile, his OLD school is about to get destroyed by the NCAA.
But John Calipari? Will get off scot-free, along with his new program.
In an ideal world, if Calipari indeed was involved in this eligibility fraud, the punishment would follow him to Kentucky -- Cal punished individually, UK punished for hiring him.
And wouldn't that be something, if his brand-new team -- with basically a one-and-done shot at a national title -- was ineligible for the postseason next season?
But that's not going to happen, and that's why college basketball is so effed up.
"Kobe doin' work" was not getting it done for the Lakers. So instead, they went with "Kobe doin' his best Chauncey Billups impression." And because of that, the Lakers finally looked like the better team, at least for one quarter -- the 4th, the one that mattered last night.
Vote For Manny deserves to be THE sensation of baseball for the next month, and all pranksters out there -- Howard Stern, TJ Simers, Tony Kornheiser -- who enjoy, say, "Vote for the Worst" on Idol should be pushing fans to vote Manny into the starting lineup of the NL All-Star team.
Barca wins! How did you ever doubt them?
Bee finals tonight! One of the great sporting spectacles of the year.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
This is why college basketball is, at its essence, a cesspool:
John Calipari allegedly uses fraudulent SAT scores to land the most valuable player in college basketball for the 2007-2008 season. They go to the national-title game.
Said player -- and that the alleged scandal involves this player is only an educated guess at this point -- goes very very very high in the subsequent NBA draft.
Coach leverages the Final Four run into a brand spanking new gig at the most historically prestigious program in the country, in turn generating a recruiting class that is so good that his new team is immediately installed as the team to beat next season.
Meanwhile, his OLD school is about to get destroyed by the NCAA.
But John Calipari? Will get off scot-free, along with his new program.
In an ideal world, if Calipari indeed was involved in this eligibility fraud, the punishment would follow him to Kentucky -- Cal punished individually, UK punished for hiring him.
And wouldn't that be something, if his brand-new team -- with basically a one-and-done shot at a national title -- was ineligible for the postseason next season?
But that's not going to happen, and that's why college basketball is so effed up.
"Kobe doin' work" was not getting it done for the Lakers. So instead, they went with "Kobe doin' his best Chauncey Billups impression." And because of that, the Lakers finally looked like the better team, at least for one quarter -- the 4th, the one that mattered last night.
Vote For Manny deserves to be THE sensation of baseball for the next month, and all pranksters out there -- Howard Stern, TJ Simers, Tony Kornheiser -- who enjoy, say, "Vote for the Worst" on Idol should be pushing fans to vote Manny into the starting lineup of the NL All-Star team.
Barca wins! How did you ever doubt them?
Bee finals tonight! One of the great sporting spectacles of the year.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Brian Grey: Comparing Baseball Talent Scouting With Business Talent Scouting
Brian Grey is one of the most influential folks in online sports media. Among other things, he ran Yahoo! Sports, then jumped over to Fox Interactive to run FoxSports.com.
At both stops, success followed his arrival. Now he's an Executive-in-Residence at Polaris Venture Partners, a top-tier VC firm (I actually have a buddy from business school who is a General Partner there, an association which is about as close as I personally could get to actually working there.) E-i-R has to be one of the coolest jobs you can have -- evaluating and working with young companies and helping them position themselves for growth.
Anyway, PaidContent published a post by Grey today where he compares baseball talent evaluation to business talent evaluation. If you're in the market for a new job -- or, say, any job -- it is a great read. (And if you're in the market to hire? Well, obviously you should ping me first.)
-- D.S.
At both stops, success followed his arrival. Now he's an Executive-in-Residence at Polaris Venture Partners, a top-tier VC firm (I actually have a buddy from business school who is a General Partner there, an association which is about as close as I personally could get to actually working there.) E-i-R has to be one of the coolest jobs you can have -- evaluating and working with young companies and helping them position themselves for growth.
Anyway, PaidContent published a post by Grey today where he compares baseball talent evaluation to business talent evaluation. If you're in the market for a new job -- or, say, any job -- it is a great read. (And if you're in the market to hire? Well, obviously you should ping me first.)
-- D.S.
Obama As NBA Draft Guru: Tyreke Evans?
Apparently, Barack Obama loves Tyreke Evans, even as high as No. 4 to the Kings. I love that the President loves hoops so much he can have an opinion about who the Kings should draft.
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Sports and Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Cont'd
Tommy Craggs with another must-read: Evaluating new SCOTU nominee Sonia Sotomayor's sports-related rulings. Craggs' own ruling: MLB strike? Good. NFL draft age-limit rules? Bad.
(In my enthusiasm to throw out the talking point that she "saved baseball," I neglected to discuss her part in the Clarett reversal. You all know how I feel about the NFL age restrictions. Terrible...)
-- D.S.
(In my enthusiasm to throw out the talking point that she "saved baseball," I neglected to discuss her part in the Clarett reversal. You all know how I feel about the NFL age restrictions. Terrible...)
-- D.S.
Wednesday 05/27 A.M. Quickie:
Magic, LeBron, Barca, Greinke, Bee
You are more than within your rights to want to see a Kobe-LeBron NBA Finals. But you would be considered more of a fan of entertainment than the NBA.
Because Kobe-LeBron wouldn't be a match-up of the two best teams in the NBA.
I don't know who will survive the Nuggets-Lakers series, but it is pretty clear at this point that the Cavs are NOT the best team in the East -- that would be the Magic.
Sure, the Cavs are two missed buzzer-beaters from being up 3-1, but then again, they are one made buzzer-beater from being swept 4-0. The point is that they are being out-played... and exposed.
Those much-lauded offseason moves? Mo Williams is hardly emerging as 1B to LeBron's 1A. It has been Bron-Bron-Bron for Cleveland -- enjoy the upside (44 pts)... lament the down (8 TO).
Meanwhile, as you'll see in today's SN column lead, the Magic have it all: Superior post presence, superior depth, superior coaching.
Orlando is not up 3-1 by some kind of fluke -- they are up 3-1 because they are the better team, the best team in the East.
More you'll find in today's column:
*If you only follow soccer one day a year, make it today: Champions League final. If you can, get to a soccer-crazy sports bar in the mid-afternoon to take in the scene.
*But, wait! What about the Bee! Longtime readers know that I am a HUGE fan of the Spelling Bee. No athletes perform under more pressure than these middle-school kids.
(So my big question is: How do I find a sports bar that will let me watch both the Champions League final AND the Bee on different screens?)
*It MUST be a good day in sports when a sick Zack Greinke start is bounced below the fold. He only pitched a complete-game 5-hitter with 8 Ks and zero BBs. Absurd.
*You all know how I feel about the coaches' college football poll -- corrupt to the core, with the lead evidence generated every season with the release of the coaches' final (BCS) ballots.
Well, now the coaches don't want to reveal their votes anymore, so they won't. And I say: Fine -- remove yourselves from the BCS equation. (Of course, they won't.)
The BCS is screwed up enough without stripping what little transparency there is out of the process.
*PED bust in Central Florida: So apparently the dealer supplied the Capitals and Nationals. Wouldn't it be insane if Ovie -- the NHL's best player -- turned out to be a PED user? Let's assume he isn't. More insane: The Nats use PEDs, yet still suck so badly.
Complete SN column here. Go Barca. Go Kavya.
-- D.S.
Because Kobe-LeBron wouldn't be a match-up of the two best teams in the NBA.
I don't know who will survive the Nuggets-Lakers series, but it is pretty clear at this point that the Cavs are NOT the best team in the East -- that would be the Magic.
Sure, the Cavs are two missed buzzer-beaters from being up 3-1, but then again, they are one made buzzer-beater from being swept 4-0. The point is that they are being out-played... and exposed.
Those much-lauded offseason moves? Mo Williams is hardly emerging as 1B to LeBron's 1A. It has been Bron-Bron-Bron for Cleveland -- enjoy the upside (44 pts)... lament the down (8 TO).
Meanwhile, as you'll see in today's SN column lead, the Magic have it all: Superior post presence, superior depth, superior coaching.
Orlando is not up 3-1 by some kind of fluke -- they are up 3-1 because they are the better team, the best team in the East.
More you'll find in today's column:
*If you only follow soccer one day a year, make it today: Champions League final. If you can, get to a soccer-crazy sports bar in the mid-afternoon to take in the scene.
*But, wait! What about the Bee! Longtime readers know that I am a HUGE fan of the Spelling Bee. No athletes perform under more pressure than these middle-school kids.
(So my big question is: How do I find a sports bar that will let me watch both the Champions League final AND the Bee on different screens?)
*It MUST be a good day in sports when a sick Zack Greinke start is bounced below the fold. He only pitched a complete-game 5-hitter with 8 Ks and zero BBs. Absurd.
*You all know how I feel about the coaches' college football poll -- corrupt to the core, with the lead evidence generated every season with the release of the coaches' final (BCS) ballots.
Well, now the coaches don't want to reveal their votes anymore, so they won't. And I say: Fine -- remove yourselves from the BCS equation. (Of course, they won't.)
The BCS is screwed up enough without stripping what little transparency there is out of the process.
*PED bust in Central Florida: So apparently the dealer supplied the Capitals and Nationals. Wouldn't it be insane if Ovie -- the NHL's best player -- turned out to be a PED user? Let's assume he isn't. More insane: The Nats use PEDs, yet still suck so badly.
Complete SN column here. Go Barca. Go Kavya.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday 05/26 A.M. Quickie:
LeBron Is Staying In Cleveland in 2010
LeBron James is going to lose the battle but win the war.
It's a fair question: What will come first -- LeBron winning a title or becoming the first billion-dollar athlete in history, which is his main goal?
There's no question: It's a lot easier to fulfill the latter if he completes the former.
So the bigger news out of Cleveland is not that LeBron and the Cavs losing the East finals -- which they will, because the Magic are the superior team (and that's without Jameer Nelson).
It is that the Cavs are doing this deal with Chinese business interests to give them a stake in the team. Because there isn't anything the Knicks can throw at LeBron -- fortune, fame, the country's biggest media market -- that can compete with the power of China.
I'm calling it now: With the team's new partnership in China, LeBron stays in Cleveland in 2010. I don't even think it will be a debate.
And with the special backing of these Chinese interests, is there any question that LeBron has an advantaged entry into the market -- even with the NBA, even with Nike helping him? -- that will get him a lot closer to that billion-dollar valuation, a lot faster?
Now, whether he can win titles is another story. I think that right now, the Magic look like the better team -- in fact, they look like the best team in the playoffs. (Undoubtedly, they will choke tonight, as a result of that, but no matter...)
Weren't the Cavs supposed to be so much better thanks to the moves by "Executive of the Year," Danny Ferry? All Mo Williams looks like right now is a punching bag with a flapping yap, not the Robin to LeBron's Batman.
Besides: Two stars -- even when one of the stars is LeBron -- can't top the Magic's 3 stars (Howard, Lewis, Turkoglu), plus superior role players.
The same situation is happening in the Lakers-Nuggets series: As I lead in today's SN column, imagine Kobe having a night like Carmelo had last night. Think the Lakers would win? The Lakers would be a Lottery team.
The Nuggets absorbed a terrible night for Melo -- and won by 20. Gasol vs. K-Mart/Nene/Birdman is a rout. JR Smith looked unguardable. Billups was Billups.
All this talk about "Kobe vs. LeBron" in the NBA Finals proves the point: If you're going to rely on individual stars, you're going to lose when faced with a more top-to-bottom talented team.
More you'll find in today's column:
*This Mike Tyson daughter story is horrific.
*Syracuse pulls off one of the greatest comebacks in LAX history.
*Of yesterday's MLB performances, I'll take the 10-run comeback (but if I have to limit myself to a single player, I'll take Carpenter).
Complete SN column here. More later and all day on Twitter, as usual.
-- D.S.
It's a fair question: What will come first -- LeBron winning a title or becoming the first billion-dollar athlete in history, which is his main goal?
There's no question: It's a lot easier to fulfill the latter if he completes the former.
So the bigger news out of Cleveland is not that LeBron and the Cavs losing the East finals -- which they will, because the Magic are the superior team (and that's without Jameer Nelson).
It is that the Cavs are doing this deal with Chinese business interests to give them a stake in the team. Because there isn't anything the Knicks can throw at LeBron -- fortune, fame, the country's biggest media market -- that can compete with the power of China.
I'm calling it now: With the team's new partnership in China, LeBron stays in Cleveland in 2010. I don't even think it will be a debate.
And with the special backing of these Chinese interests, is there any question that LeBron has an advantaged entry into the market -- even with the NBA, even with Nike helping him? -- that will get him a lot closer to that billion-dollar valuation, a lot faster?
Now, whether he can win titles is another story. I think that right now, the Magic look like the better team -- in fact, they look like the best team in the playoffs. (Undoubtedly, they will choke tonight, as a result of that, but no matter...)
Weren't the Cavs supposed to be so much better thanks to the moves by "Executive of the Year," Danny Ferry? All Mo Williams looks like right now is a punching bag with a flapping yap, not the Robin to LeBron's Batman.
Besides: Two stars -- even when one of the stars is LeBron -- can't top the Magic's 3 stars (Howard, Lewis, Turkoglu), plus superior role players.
The same situation is happening in the Lakers-Nuggets series: As I lead in today's SN column, imagine Kobe having a night like Carmelo had last night. Think the Lakers would win? The Lakers would be a Lottery team.
The Nuggets absorbed a terrible night for Melo -- and won by 20. Gasol vs. K-Mart/Nene/Birdman is a rout. JR Smith looked unguardable. Billups was Billups.
All this talk about "Kobe vs. LeBron" in the NBA Finals proves the point: If you're going to rely on individual stars, you're going to lose when faced with a more top-to-bottom talented team.
More you'll find in today's column:
*This Mike Tyson daughter story is horrific.
*Syracuse pulls off one of the greatest comebacks in LAX history.
*Of yesterday's MLB performances, I'll take the 10-run comeback (but if I have to limit myself to a single player, I'll take Carpenter).
Complete SN column here. More later and all day on Twitter, as usual.
-- D.S.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday 05/25 Quickie: New SN Column
Happy Memorial Day -- a moment to offer thanks and deep appreciation to everyone who died in service to the country, as well as their families.
I also filed a new SN column this morning, and it was a perfect opportunity to step away from the seemingly daily NBA lead items and tackle this question:
Who is the best team in American sports today?
The answer is: Northwestern women's lacrosse, which just won its 5th straight national title (capping an undefeated year, no less).
Not bad for a Midwestern team whose varsity wasn't around a decade ago, consistently routing well-established programs in the East.
Meanwhile, let's be clear: LeShot means LeZilch if LeCavs don't win LeSeries. And, right now, they're not going to; the Magic are the better team -- even if LeBron is the best player on the court.
And in your MLB must-track today: David Price was called up by the Rays and will start today. (He's already claimed in your fantasy league, don't bother looking.)
Complete column here.
-- D.S.
I also filed a new SN column this morning, and it was a perfect opportunity to step away from the seemingly daily NBA lead items and tackle this question:
Who is the best team in American sports today?
The answer is: Northwestern women's lacrosse, which just won its 5th straight national title (capping an undefeated year, no less).
Not bad for a Midwestern team whose varsity wasn't around a decade ago, consistently routing well-established programs in the East.
Meanwhile, let's be clear: LeShot means LeZilch if LeCavs don't win LeSeries. And, right now, they're not going to; the Magic are the better team -- even if LeBron is the best player on the court.
And in your MLB must-track today: David Price was called up by the Rays and will start today. (He's already claimed in your fantasy league, don't bother looking.)
Complete column here.
-- D.S.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Sunday 05/24 (Very) Quickie
Eh: Suddenly, Nuggets in 6 doesn't look very good. Last night felt like the old Nuggets, the ones who were consistently owned by the Lakers in years "B.C." (Before Chauncey) Another game, another botched inbounds pass.
Kobe's 41 felt like a "Remember me?" to all the LeBron fans out there still freaking out over his Game 3 finisher, whose value will really be determined tonight. If the Cavs win, reclaiming HCA and momentum in the series, it was huge; if the Cavs lose, they are still series 'dogs.
(Speaking of LeBron, do not underestimate the strategic importance of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert selling a big stake in the Cavs to Chinese business interests, as it relates to LeBron staying with the team. If the Cavs become China's adopted favorite team, that trumps New York's appeal.)
NBA Draft: Nick Calathes is staying pro...in Greece(?!) He signed a 3-year deal with the Euro champs, committed to at least next year, with an option to go to the NBA in 2010.
(Actually, this might make him a 1st-round lock in the 2009 NBA Draft: The team that signs him wouldn't have to have him on the roster this season, would not have to pay a buy-out to get him back from Europe, and get a player with a year of extra seasoning at Europe's top level. UPDATE: Apparently, he wouldn't be eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft, which makes no sense to me.)
MLB:
Walk-off walk for Dodgers over Angels.
Yet another walk-off win for the Yankees.
Milestones: Jason Giambi joins 400 HR Club.
Stud: Kyle Lohse. Cards pitching continues to impress.
NCAA LAX: Wow, go Cornell! Crashes title game with shocking upset of UVA. Will lose to Cuse, which throttled Duke.
-- D.S.
Kobe's 41 felt like a "Remember me?" to all the LeBron fans out there still freaking out over his Game 3 finisher, whose value will really be determined tonight. If the Cavs win, reclaiming HCA and momentum in the series, it was huge; if the Cavs lose, they are still series 'dogs.
(Speaking of LeBron, do not underestimate the strategic importance of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert selling a big stake in the Cavs to Chinese business interests, as it relates to LeBron staying with the team. If the Cavs become China's adopted favorite team, that trumps New York's appeal.)
NBA Draft: Nick Calathes is staying pro...in Greece(?!) He signed a 3-year deal with the Euro champs, committed to at least next year, with an option to go to the NBA in 2010.
(Actually, this might make him a 1st-round lock in the 2009 NBA Draft: The team that signs him wouldn't have to have him on the roster this season, would not have to pay a buy-out to get him back from Europe, and get a player with a year of extra seasoning at Europe's top level. UPDATE: Apparently, he wouldn't be eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft, which makes no sense to me.)
MLB:
Walk-off walk for Dodgers over Angels.
Yet another walk-off win for the Yankees.
Milestones: Jason Giambi joins 400 HR Club.
Stud: Kyle Lohse. Cards pitching continues to impress.
NCAA LAX: Wow, go Cornell! Crashes title game with shocking upset of UVA. Will lose to Cuse, which throttled Duke.
-- D.S.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
