Let's be clear: The NFL's condensed sprint for player moves was the best version of the NFL offseason (not the Draft, just the free-agency stuff) in the history of the league.
The "offseason champs" are, clearly, the Eagles: Nnamdi Asumugha was merely the capper to what was, overall, a spectacular haul of incoming talent.
(Again, it's unclear they have done enough to unseat the Packers as the ultimate Super Bowl favorites, but they will certainly make the season more interesting, especially if they keep calling themselves a "dream team" and comparing themselves to the Heat.)
Good inside scoop on the Asumugha deal in Peter King's MMQB column today, but there's another note tucked in the column:
ESPN is launching a new stat to replace the traditional (and mystifying) "QB Rating" called "Totall Quarterback Rating" that will be fascinating to see -- QB Rating was desperate for a refresh, and I love the idea of something new with a big platform to get fans to buy into.
MLB Trade Deadline: There seems to be a consensus of two big winners -- the Rangers added two top-flight middle relievers who will become lights-out if the Rangers take a lead past the 6th inning in the playoffs (which is the only reason to make these moves, right?) And the Braves didn't have to overpay to get a huge upgrade at CF in Michael Bourn, who gets huge thumbs-up from the more analytical folks out there. (Far more than Pence gets for the Phillies.)
The Yankees stood pat: This appears to be a problem. That said, unclear how many folks actually think the Yankees can win the AL pennant anyway. The Red Sox got Erik Bedard, and -- not unlike the Patriots -- you totally expect him to start dominating with his new team (even if his recent history shows that to be a sketchy thesis).
Tons more on Quickish today. Give it a look! (This weekend, we crossed 10,000 tips since launching in January. Fun milestone.)
-- D.S.
Monday, August 01, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
07/30 (Nnamdi) Quickie
I tweeted this last night: "My favorite part of Nnamdi-to-Philly: In an age where no deal goes spoiler-free, we can still get a genuine, where'd-that-come-from shock"
We can still regularly be surprised by things that happen on the field, but off the field, it's almost always telegraphed way in advance, broken by increasingly well-sourced reporting.
So when something like Asumugha going to the Eagles happens -- totally unexpected (Philly was never mentioned as a player) -- it is delightful, even if you're not an Eagles fan.
I think the Eagles were already a Super Bowl contender. I appreciate the "instant-history" being applied in arguing they are now the TOP contender to win it all, but I'll still take the Packers.
Meanwhile:
*I kind of love that the Eagles added Vince Young, too -- they have shown themselves to be excellent with (a) reclamation-project QBs and (b) developing back-ups QBs.
*MLB Trade Mania: Good for the Phillies, going after it by trading solid prospects for Hunter Pence, matching the Giants (with Beltran) stride-for-stride. Next up: Ubaldo to the Yanks or Sox?
*Lost in the flurry of NFL player signings: How awesome is it that the rookies are signing so easily? Cam Newton signed yesterday; when was the last time a No. 1 overall pick signed without ANY drama?
*Pujols gets 2000th hit: If he stays healthy (certainly an "if"), getting to 3000 hits in the next 6 years is almost assured, with 3,515 -- one more than Tris Speaker's spot at No. 5 in the Top 5 all-time -- absolutely reasonable. (Just looking over the MLB all-time hits list, I think I didn't recognize that Eddie Murray didn't just get 3,000 hits, but more than 3,200.)
Lots more from yesterday -- reactions to Asumugha and Pence deals, some great "longish" reads for your weekend -- over at Quickish. Give it a look!
-- D.S.
We can still regularly be surprised by things that happen on the field, but off the field, it's almost always telegraphed way in advance, broken by increasingly well-sourced reporting.
So when something like Asumugha going to the Eagles happens -- totally unexpected (Philly was never mentioned as a player) -- it is delightful, even if you're not an Eagles fan.
I think the Eagles were already a Super Bowl contender. I appreciate the "instant-history" being applied in arguing they are now the TOP contender to win it all, but I'll still take the Packers.
Meanwhile:
*I kind of love that the Eagles added Vince Young, too -- they have shown themselves to be excellent with (a) reclamation-project QBs and (b) developing back-ups QBs.
*MLB Trade Mania: Good for the Phillies, going after it by trading solid prospects for Hunter Pence, matching the Giants (with Beltran) stride-for-stride. Next up: Ubaldo to the Yanks or Sox?
*Lost in the flurry of NFL player signings: How awesome is it that the rookies are signing so easily? Cam Newton signed yesterday; when was the last time a No. 1 overall pick signed without ANY drama?
*Pujols gets 2000th hit: If he stays healthy (certainly an "if"), getting to 3000 hits in the next 6 years is almost assured, with 3,515 -- one more than Tris Speaker's spot at No. 5 in the Top 5 all-time -- absolutely reasonable. (Just looking over the MLB all-time hits list, I think I didn't recognize that Eddie Murray didn't just get 3,000 hits, but more than 3,200.)
Lots more from yesterday -- reactions to Asumugha and Pence deals, some great "longish" reads for your weekend -- over at Quickish. Give it a look!
-- D.S.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
07/28 (Frenzy) Quickie
Wow, it's been a whirlwind few days in sports. Yesterday, we started testing a dedicated NFL super-stream for Quickish -- you'll find more there than on the typical "main" stream, which is only for the biggest topics that "everyone" is thinking about. On the NFL stream, it's a bit more fast-n-furious -- but still doing the job of curating out the crap and only giving you the interesting analysis. Please check it out (or pass along to your NFL-crazed friends).
Anyway...
NFL Mania: Gotta love the Pats acquiring Albert Haynesworth for basically nothing - a flimsy low draft pick and not on the hook for much money, either. I'm a Belichick fanboy (if a Pats-hater), thus I am in the camp that thinks this works out amazingly for the Pats.
Dolphins get Reggie Bush: I mean, he's still kind of exciting, but I'd hardly call him a feature RB.
Vikings acquire Donovan McNabb: Putting "Flags fly forever" to the test -- McNabb fits the team's "win-now" mentality, but is McNabb the right QB? He is presumably better than rookie Christian Ponder (for now), and presumably more effective with Adrian Peterson keeping defenses honest than he is playing for the woeful Redskins. He'll outperform (admittedly low) expectations.
Seahawks acquire Sidney Rice: Things may be a bit bleak this season if you're a star WR without a decent QB to get you the ball, but just wait until they do poorly enough to bring in a talented rookie QB.
MLB Trade Mania!
*Giants trade for Carlos Beltran: "Flags fly forever." It's one of my favorite phrases in sports and perfectly captures the notion of going for it when you've got a window to win a championship, even if it means setting yourself back years from now. The Giants got better immediately, and it gives them a better shot at winning another title.
*Cards trade Colby Rasmus: A bit more curious -- Rasmus has huge upside, which the Jays will now enjoy. (The Jays and Rays don't deserve the fate of being in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox -- it is arguably the least-fair competitive set-up in all of sports.) Making it odder, it seems that Rasmus was jettisoned because Tony LaRussa simply didn't like him all that much, personally.
UNC fires Butch Davis: Should have happened months ago, when they would have had the chance to hire a new coach before the recruiting cycle ended and send the program -- which isn't a terrible one -- in a new direction. Now? They're looking at a lost season, not to mention the longer-term damage from a lost recruiting year. (Why not hire a head-coach-in-waiting immediately to do nothing but work on recruiting?)
More later. Check out Quickish all day for the best takes on NFL deal-making, MLB trade mania and everything else that's keeping sports hopping this week.
-- D.S.
Anyway...
NFL Mania: Gotta love the Pats acquiring Albert Haynesworth for basically nothing - a flimsy low draft pick and not on the hook for much money, either. I'm a Belichick fanboy (if a Pats-hater), thus I am in the camp that thinks this works out amazingly for the Pats.
Dolphins get Reggie Bush: I mean, he's still kind of exciting, but I'd hardly call him a feature RB.
Vikings acquire Donovan McNabb: Putting "Flags fly forever" to the test -- McNabb fits the team's "win-now" mentality, but is McNabb the right QB? He is presumably better than rookie Christian Ponder (for now), and presumably more effective with Adrian Peterson keeping defenses honest than he is playing for the woeful Redskins. He'll outperform (admittedly low) expectations.
Seahawks acquire Sidney Rice: Things may be a bit bleak this season if you're a star WR without a decent QB to get you the ball, but just wait until they do poorly enough to bring in a talented rookie QB.
MLB Trade Mania!
*Giants trade for Carlos Beltran: "Flags fly forever." It's one of my favorite phrases in sports and perfectly captures the notion of going for it when you've got a window to win a championship, even if it means setting yourself back years from now. The Giants got better immediately, and it gives them a better shot at winning another title.
*Cards trade Colby Rasmus: A bit more curious -- Rasmus has huge upside, which the Jays will now enjoy. (The Jays and Rays don't deserve the fate of being in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox -- it is arguably the least-fair competitive set-up in all of sports.) Making it odder, it seems that Rasmus was jettisoned because Tony LaRussa simply didn't like him all that much, personally.
UNC fires Butch Davis: Should have happened months ago, when they would have had the chance to hire a new coach before the recruiting cycle ended and send the program -- which isn't a terrible one -- in a new direction. Now? They're looking at a lost season, not to mention the longer-term damage from a lost recruiting year. (Why not hire a head-coach-in-waiting immediately to do nothing but work on recruiting?)
More later. Check out Quickish all day for the best takes on NFL deal-making, MLB trade mania and everything else that's keeping sports hopping this week.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
07/27 (Pirates! Gah!) Quickie
Good golly: This was the worst baseball call I have ever seen -- it's even worse than Joyce blowing Galarraga's no-hitter last year, because this cost the Pirates an actual game. It is the newest evidence to support the my-god-isn't-it-obvious case that baseball needs a replay system.
NFL moves start getting made: QBs always get the glory -- Matt Hasselbeck is apparently going to Tennessee (giving 1st-round draft pick Jake Locker a season or possibly two to figure out life in the NFL). The Seahawks picked up Tarvaris Jackson (and possibly Matt Leinart) as a seat-warmer for whomever they draft next April. Still to come: Kevin Kolb to Arizona? (And, seemingly, Donovan McNabb to the Vikings? Again: Place-holder for rookie, Christian Ponder?)
Ryan Lochte beats Michael Phelps: It's not the same as beating Phelps in the Olympics, but it's a good start for the swimmer who would dethrone the king.
Just to clarify: Comparing Bryce Harper to Jackie Robinson is never going to go well. (And, as a nominal Nats fan, I like Harper and look forward to him making it to the Major Leagues. But these Nats execs did the kid no favors with this -- actually, of all the things in the Harper canon, this might instantly jump to the top of the list... and in the worst way possible.)
Andrew Luck has an amazing offseason beard: The biggest non-Florida player I'm most looking forward to watching this college football season. He is worth a non-contending NFL team tanking the entire season -- I'm talking 0-16 -- to draft next spring.
More MLB: What a start by CC Sabathia (and yet another loss -- 17th in a row -- for the Mariners). And yet Sabathia may only be the third-best pitcher in the AL, behind Justin Verlander and Jared Weaver, whose ERA is now 1.79.
"Quickish is the Best Thing To Happen to Sports Media in 2011." Someone else said it!
Check out Quickish anytime for the best takes on the biggest topics.
-- D.S.
NFL moves start getting made: QBs always get the glory -- Matt Hasselbeck is apparently going to Tennessee (giving 1st-round draft pick Jake Locker a season or possibly two to figure out life in the NFL). The Seahawks picked up Tarvaris Jackson (and possibly Matt Leinart) as a seat-warmer for whomever they draft next April. Still to come: Kevin Kolb to Arizona? (And, seemingly, Donovan McNabb to the Vikings? Again: Place-holder for rookie, Christian Ponder?)
Ryan Lochte beats Michael Phelps: It's not the same as beating Phelps in the Olympics, but it's a good start for the swimmer who would dethrone the king.
Just to clarify: Comparing Bryce Harper to Jackie Robinson is never going to go well. (And, as a nominal Nats fan, I like Harper and look forward to him making it to the Major Leagues. But these Nats execs did the kid no favors with this -- actually, of all the things in the Harper canon, this might instantly jump to the top of the list... and in the worst way possible.)
Andrew Luck has an amazing offseason beard: The biggest non-Florida player I'm most looking forward to watching this college football season. He is worth a non-contending NFL team tanking the entire season -- I'm talking 0-16 -- to draft next spring.
More MLB: What a start by CC Sabathia (and yet another loss -- 17th in a row -- for the Mariners). And yet Sabathia may only be the third-best pitcher in the AL, behind Justin Verlander and Jared Weaver, whose ERA is now 1.79.
"Quickish is the Best Thing To Happen to Sports Media in 2011." Someone else said it!
Check out Quickish anytime for the best takes on the biggest topics.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 25, 2011
07/25 (It's Over) Quickie
"Welcome back, football." That was the tweet from ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday night, and it couldn't have been any more breathtaking in its pithiness.
(It didn't matter that that lockout wasn't officially over -- it was like an expert political pundit "calling" an election; besides, he wouldn't have typed it if he wasn't 100% sure -- beyond that, he had the definitive report on Sunday of the lockout's impending end. The point is: It was a signal, a symbol. And an entirely welcome one.)
And now we get back to football -- the stuff that matters to us, like which free agents will my team sign and which returning players look good (and which don't) and who will break out this year and is it too early to get ready for my fantasy draft?
I actually love the condensed, speed-dating vibe of free-agency this year -- fans have never needed the weeks and weeks of drama and rumors and misdirection. Condensed into a few days, it's a glorious sprint that couldn't be more fan-friendly. Let's just get those deals done.
Teams have fewer weeks to install schemes or evaluate players. Some players will come back in great shape -- others might be out of shape enough that they are a red flag for injury. The limited contact in practices will also change the NFL -- almost entirely for the better.
Things are hopping at Quickish today, as they have been all weekend on the "End of the Lockout" beat. Pop by for only the most important lockout updates and best analysis of the situation -- not to mention the excitement of free agency and camps opening.
It's going to be a great week. And a great season.
And it's so nice to be able to say that, isn't it?
-- D.S.
(It didn't matter that that lockout wasn't officially over -- it was like an expert political pundit "calling" an election; besides, he wouldn't have typed it if he wasn't 100% sure -- beyond that, he had the definitive report on Sunday of the lockout's impending end. The point is: It was a signal, a symbol. And an entirely welcome one.)
And now we get back to football -- the stuff that matters to us, like which free agents will my team sign and which returning players look good (and which don't) and who will break out this year and is it too early to get ready for my fantasy draft?
I actually love the condensed, speed-dating vibe of free-agency this year -- fans have never needed the weeks and weeks of drama and rumors and misdirection. Condensed into a few days, it's a glorious sprint that couldn't be more fan-friendly. Let's just get those deals done.
Teams have fewer weeks to install schemes or evaluate players. Some players will come back in great shape -- others might be out of shape enough that they are a red flag for injury. The limited contact in practices will also change the NFL -- almost entirely for the better.
Things are hopping at Quickish today, as they have been all weekend on the "End of the Lockout" beat. Pop by for only the most important lockout updates and best analysis of the situation -- not to mention the excitement of free agency and camps opening.
It's going to be a great week. And a great season.
And it's so nice to be able to say that, isn't it?
-- D.S.
Friday, July 22, 2011
07/22 (Lockout End-Game) Quickie
I think it's reasonable to think the NFL Lockout ends today -- at the latest, over the weekend. Teams will open doors on Sunday; full-blown free-agent mania will start middle of next week.
Last night, the owners did what they were supposed to: They approved a deal -- before the players -- then sent it to the players with all the pressure in the world to simply sign it.
It's a bit of a bullying tactic and the players are right to be slightly skeptical. But De Smith would not have walked out of a meeting with Roger Goodell with a deal framework if he wasn't OK with the deal the owners were about to sign.
If Goodell materially changed the framework behind Smith's back, of course, the players should be mad. But I suspect that they will ultimately approve the deal.
It was one last turn of the screw by the owners -- it's who they are, they can't help themselves -- and the players will gripe (as they are entitled to), but then sign it and get back to the job.
The p.r. value of the owners' agreement last night is evident: Fans simply want football to return, and suddenly the owners are on the right side of that; the players aren't yet.
I hope the players carefully weigh the deal before agreeing to it, but it would be very odd if Smith created a framework the owners were fine with signing, then the deal was changed substantially.
The upshot is that despite a ripple of "uh-oh" last night, the players seem on track to vote on the deal today -- I presume they will approve. And football returns this weekend.
More on the radar:
*SEC Media Days: Alabama is the pick to win the league (no controversy there), and South Carolina is picked to win the East (no controversy there, either).
*Can we get some justice in the Bryan Stow case already? Let's hope they have the right perpetrators this time.
*Pistons hire Lawrence Frank: There is no job security like being in the NBA "fired-head-coaches" re-tread bin.
*James Shields > CC Sabathia. That the Rays continue to contend this season is overlooked by the Pirates' miraculous situation. But don't count out Tampa in the Wild Card race. As always, anyone without a different rooting interest in the AL East should be rooting for the Rays to knock out either the Red Sox or Yankees (it almost doesn't matter which).
*Tiger Woods' break-up with Steve Williams, cont'd: Should Tiger be concerned about Williams' purported "tell-all" book? It's not like Tiger can be any more humiliated than he already has been, right? (Even if Williams adds salacious details, that story has already been told.)
*I love that the Raiders were the only team to abstain from voting affirmatively on the new labor agreement. That team is the best.
The best takes on the NFL Lockout, in near-real-time, on Quickish today, along with the usual selection of terrific stories and best breaking analysis.
-- D.S.
Last night, the owners did what they were supposed to: They approved a deal -- before the players -- then sent it to the players with all the pressure in the world to simply sign it.
It's a bit of a bullying tactic and the players are right to be slightly skeptical. But De Smith would not have walked out of a meeting with Roger Goodell with a deal framework if he wasn't OK with the deal the owners were about to sign.
If Goodell materially changed the framework behind Smith's back, of course, the players should be mad. But I suspect that they will ultimately approve the deal.
It was one last turn of the screw by the owners -- it's who they are, they can't help themselves -- and the players will gripe (as they are entitled to), but then sign it and get back to the job.
The p.r. value of the owners' agreement last night is evident: Fans simply want football to return, and suddenly the owners are on the right side of that; the players aren't yet.
I hope the players carefully weigh the deal before agreeing to it, but it would be very odd if Smith created a framework the owners were fine with signing, then the deal was changed substantially.
The upshot is that despite a ripple of "uh-oh" last night, the players seem on track to vote on the deal today -- I presume they will approve. And football returns this weekend.
More on the radar:
*SEC Media Days: Alabama is the pick to win the league (no controversy there), and South Carolina is picked to win the East (no controversy there, either).
*Can we get some justice in the Bryan Stow case already? Let's hope they have the right perpetrators this time.
*Pistons hire Lawrence Frank: There is no job security like being in the NBA "fired-head-coaches" re-tread bin.
*James Shields > CC Sabathia. That the Rays continue to contend this season is overlooked by the Pirates' miraculous situation. But don't count out Tampa in the Wild Card race. As always, anyone without a different rooting interest in the AL East should be rooting for the Rays to knock out either the Red Sox or Yankees (it almost doesn't matter which).
*Tiger Woods' break-up with Steve Williams, cont'd: Should Tiger be concerned about Williams' purported "tell-all" book? It's not like Tiger can be any more humiliated than he already has been, right? (Even if Williams adds salacious details, that story has already been told.)
*I love that the Raiders were the only team to abstain from voting affirmatively on the new labor agreement. That team is the best.
The best takes on the NFL Lockout, in near-real-time, on Quickish today, along with the usual selection of terrific stories and best breaking analysis.
-- D.S.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
10 Years Ago Today: Best. Blind Date. Ever.
First published at FreeDarko.com on Feb. 14, 2007:
"He's Just Not That Into U-donis"
I'm not quite sure I can pinpoint exactly when I knew I WOULD marry my wife, but I'm quite sure I can pinpoint exactly when I knew I COULD:
The date: July 21, 2001
The setting: Our first date (a blind date, no less)
The place: West Village Italian restaurant
The context: 1.2 bottles of wine into dinner.
The topic on the table: The preeminent value of offensive rebounds in relation to (1) a basketball team's chances of success and (2) a basketball forward's worth as a player.
Let me clarify: My wife (then, the random woman I was on a blind date with) was making that argument. I was pretending to engage in the discussion. I was nodding. I may have even been responding.
All I know is that her voice was drowned out by the one in the back of my head:
Li'l Danny: "Are you listening to this? Are you listening?!"
Me: "Pipe down. She's trying to make a point about the pro potential of Udonis Haslem."
Li'l Danny: "The fat Florida center? He'll never make it!" [Ed.: This was 2001.]
Me: "Shh!"
Li'l Danny: "But here is a woman who not only loves basketball, but appreciates it for its subtle pleasures!"
Me: "Which *I'm* trying to appreciate, save for your yammering!"
Li'l Danny: "I think I'm in love. Go on: Say something smart that will make her respect you for your basketball knowledge!"
Me: "OK...wait: I'm blanking! I'm blanking!! It's all too much pressure! I'm smitten!"
Li'l Danny: "Plus-minus! Plus-minus!"
Me: "What the hell is 'plus-minus?'" [Again: It was 2001.]
Li'l Danny: "Nooooo! Damn your ignorance! You better switch topics to something more your speed... like pop culture."
Me: "So, uh, how about those...um...'Sex and the City' women?"
Li'l Danny: "D'oh!"
Fast-forward ten years, one marriage and two kids later: Her enthusiastic argument on behalf of offensive rebounds remains THE most -- if not only -- vivid detail of our entire first date.
And as we sit in our NYC apartment today watching hoops, she's still talking about offensive rebounds. And knowing the way offensive rebounding has, since that first date, been established as highly correlated to winning basketball, I couldn't love her more for it.
-END-
"He's Just Not That Into U-donis"
I'm not quite sure I can pinpoint exactly when I knew I WOULD marry my wife, but I'm quite sure I can pinpoint exactly when I knew I COULD:
The date: July 21, 2001
The setting: Our first date (a blind date, no less)
The place: West Village Italian restaurant
The context: 1.2 bottles of wine into dinner.
The topic on the table: The preeminent value of offensive rebounds in relation to (1) a basketball team's chances of success and (2) a basketball forward's worth as a player.
Let me clarify: My wife (then, the random woman I was on a blind date with) was making that argument. I was pretending to engage in the discussion. I was nodding. I may have even been responding.
All I know is that her voice was drowned out by the one in the back of my head:
Li'l Danny: "Are you listening to this? Are you listening?!"
Me: "Pipe down. She's trying to make a point about the pro potential of Udonis Haslem."
Li'l Danny: "The fat Florida center? He'll never make it!" [Ed.: This was 2001.]
Me: "Shh!"
Li'l Danny: "But here is a woman who not only loves basketball, but appreciates it for its subtle pleasures!"
Me: "Which *I'm* trying to appreciate, save for your yammering!"
Li'l Danny: "I think I'm in love. Go on: Say something smart that will make her respect you for your basketball knowledge!"
Me: "OK...wait: I'm blanking! I'm blanking!! It's all too much pressure! I'm smitten!"
Li'l Danny: "Plus-minus! Plus-minus!"
Me: "What the hell is 'plus-minus?'" [Again: It was 2001.]
Li'l Danny: "Nooooo! Damn your ignorance! You better switch topics to something more your speed... like pop culture."
Me: "So, uh, how about those...um...'Sex and the City' women?"
Li'l Danny: "D'oh!"
Fast-forward ten years, one marriage and two kids later: Her enthusiastic argument on behalf of offensive rebounds remains THE most -- if not only -- vivid detail of our entire first date.
And as we sit in our NYC apartment today watching hoops, she's still talking about offensive rebounds. And knowing the way offensive rebounding has, since that first date, been established as highly correlated to winning basketball, I couldn't love her more for it.
-END-
07/21 (Lockout Over Yet?) Quickie
At this point, I'm getting a little annoyed that the NFL lockout isn't over yet. That's irrational, because the ending has never been closer -- it could come today or tomorrow, certainly by the weekend.
Fortunately, there's a lot to keep us occupied. Most personally, today is the 10th anniversary of the first date (blind date!) with my wife. Longtime readers will remember this post from 2007 -- probably my favorite post in the history of the site -- but here is a revised version for new folks.
Oh, and today my kids return from being down in Florida with my in-laws for the past two weeks -- it's the longest I've ever been away from them by far, and I'm a bit giddy at seeing them again.
More on the radar:
*Tiger breaks up with caddie Steve Williams. This is a moment where "It's not you, it's me" feels fairly authentic.
*SEC Commish Mike Slive wants to reform college football: His plan is both common sensical and almost noble. He is the best commissioner in college sports and has the clout of running the best football league to pull it off. (Slive and the SEC's success is the reason I always claimed he could, if he hated the BCS enough, secede from the BCS and form his own playoff system.)
*Oklahoma and Texas A&M threatening to leave Big 12 because of Texas' "Longhorns Network?" Maybe it's posturing, but this made a lot of sense for A&M last summer during Realignment Mania -- it still makes sense. Texas doesn't need the Big 12 to make the LHN work; I've thought all along it makes sense for UT to go indie. A split would be wild, though.
*Bandwagons: Unless you root for another team in the NL Central, how can you not be rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates?
*Kobe to Turkey? Not seeing it. Great pub for the Turkish team (and Kobe), though.
*Bart Scott thinks the NFL going away from two-a-days is for wusses. He's a fool. (Meanwhile, kudos to the Ivy League for dramatically reducing the number of "full-contact" practices its football teams can have. Expect the rest of the country to follow in the next few years.
More later. Check out Quickish all day for the latest on the NFL Lockout and more.
-- D.S.
Fortunately, there's a lot to keep us occupied. Most personally, today is the 10th anniversary of the first date (blind date!) with my wife. Longtime readers will remember this post from 2007 -- probably my favorite post in the history of the site -- but here is a revised version for new folks.
Oh, and today my kids return from being down in Florida with my in-laws for the past two weeks -- it's the longest I've ever been away from them by far, and I'm a bit giddy at seeing them again.
More on the radar:
*Tiger breaks up with caddie Steve Williams. This is a moment where "It's not you, it's me" feels fairly authentic.
*SEC Commish Mike Slive wants to reform college football: His plan is both common sensical and almost noble. He is the best commissioner in college sports and has the clout of running the best football league to pull it off. (Slive and the SEC's success is the reason I always claimed he could, if he hated the BCS enough, secede from the BCS and form his own playoff system.)
*Oklahoma and Texas A&M threatening to leave Big 12 because of Texas' "Longhorns Network?" Maybe it's posturing, but this made a lot of sense for A&M last summer during Realignment Mania -- it still makes sense. Texas doesn't need the Big 12 to make the LHN work; I've thought all along it makes sense for UT to go indie. A split would be wild, though.
*Bandwagons: Unless you root for another team in the NL Central, how can you not be rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates?
*Kobe to Turkey? Not seeing it. Great pub for the Turkish team (and Kobe), though.
*Bart Scott thinks the NFL going away from two-a-days is for wusses. He's a fool. (Meanwhile, kudos to the Ivy League for dramatically reducing the number of "full-contact" practices its football teams can have. Expect the rest of the country to follow in the next few years.
More later. Check out Quickish all day for the latest on the NFL Lockout and more.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
07/20 (Media Daze) Quickie
Still a little curious why no one has "called" the NFL Lockout over by now, given that it is all-but-over. That said, the moment when the news breaks today (or, I guess, tomorrow) "The players have agreed to the deal," with the owners on deck tomorrow will be a fun one. The NFL will be back.
It's not just "when, not if" but "hours, not days."
Meanwhile, today kicks off the grandaddy of all college football media days -- the SEC Media Days, which take up three full days and include 900 credentialed media folks.
I remember two years ago, I launched TimTeblog.com just before SEC Media Days, because I knew they would be insane. Indeed, Clay Travis asked Tim Tebow if he was a virgin, and that question became the defining moment of SEC Media Days insanity (as well as one of the most memorable moments of the Tebow Phenomena).
It seems appropriate, then, that Travis is launching his own new site today: OutkickTheCoverage.com, with a focus on college football (and SEC football, specifically, although not exclusively). It goes without saying that I support anyone starting their own business -- it's not easy (god knows), but hopefully he will find it satisfying (to help offset the "harrowing" feeling).
Anyway, for college football fans, today is a great day -- even if you aren't an SEC fan (or even hate the SEC), because the next three days include all of the circus you've come to love about college football. (As a Florida fan -- and I celebrate the 10th anniversary of the start of my Florida fandom tomorrow -- I am giddy with anticipation.)
Two things to recommend for you, while you wait for the NFL lockout to end or you wait for the SEC to stop preening:
*SBNation's Spencer Hall spent 8 hours fishing with Mike Leach. Great story.
*SI's Joe Posnanski spent a week on the road trying to figure out why people still love baseball. If you already love baseball, you'll really like it. If you don't like baseball, it's still a good read.
Pop by Quickish all day for real-time(-ish) updates on the end-game of the NFL Lockout, reports from SEC Media Days and recommendations to the best takes on the biggest topics.
-- D.S.
It's not just "when, not if" but "hours, not days."
Meanwhile, today kicks off the grandaddy of all college football media days -- the SEC Media Days, which take up three full days and include 900 credentialed media folks.
I remember two years ago, I launched TimTeblog.com just before SEC Media Days, because I knew they would be insane. Indeed, Clay Travis asked Tim Tebow if he was a virgin, and that question became the defining moment of SEC Media Days insanity (as well as one of the most memorable moments of the Tebow Phenomena).
It seems appropriate, then, that Travis is launching his own new site today: OutkickTheCoverage.com, with a focus on college football (and SEC football, specifically, although not exclusively). It goes without saying that I support anyone starting their own business -- it's not easy (god knows), but hopefully he will find it satisfying (to help offset the "harrowing" feeling).
Anyway, for college football fans, today is a great day -- even if you aren't an SEC fan (or even hate the SEC), because the next three days include all of the circus you've come to love about college football. (As a Florida fan -- and I celebrate the 10th anniversary of the start of my Florida fandom tomorrow -- I am giddy with anticipation.)
Two things to recommend for you, while you wait for the NFL lockout to end or you wait for the SEC to stop preening:
*SBNation's Spencer Hall spent 8 hours fishing with Mike Leach. Great story.
*SI's Joe Posnanski spent a week on the road trying to figure out why people still love baseball. If you already love baseball, you'll really like it. If you don't like baseball, it's still a good read.
Pop by Quickish all day for real-time(-ish) updates on the end-game of the NFL Lockout, reports from SEC Media Days and recommendations to the best takes on the biggest topics.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
07/19 (Choke or No Choke?) Quickie
A lot of smart folks I respect seem to really dislike the idea that others labeled a "choke" what the US women's national soccer team did on Sunday in the Women's World Cup final.
Somehow, the "choke" label is simplistic, talk-radio-ish, no-real-fan-would-say-that bunk. Normally, I'm inclined to agree with smart folks -- in this case, I disagree.
Oh, I think that some largely soccer-ignorant fools in sports media are using "choke" like a blunt instrument. But I think that chokery is one of the most compelling things in sports.
It's no shame to choke -- it is perhaps the most human of any result you'll find in sports, even more than championship efforts by an underdog.
Among the anti-choke camp, hidden behind the pretentious "there's-no-nuance-in-choke-analysis" attitude is a weird paternalism, as if people want to protect the team from critical analysis of how they played -- analysis that absolutely can and should include the notion that the team unraveled at the end, with victory almost assuredly in hand.
"Pressure Makes Us" was a wonderful ad campaign for the team -- I suspect they would want to be held to no less of a standard than "championship or failure."
If we can't have an intelligent discussion about the totality of the USWNT's efforts -- from the "never-say-die" attitude to the late-game chokery -- then we do them and us a disservice.
-- D.S.
Somehow, the "choke" label is simplistic, talk-radio-ish, no-real-fan-would-say-that bunk. Normally, I'm inclined to agree with smart folks -- in this case, I disagree.
Oh, I think that some largely soccer-ignorant fools in sports media are using "choke" like a blunt instrument. But I think that chokery is one of the most compelling things in sports.
It's no shame to choke -- it is perhaps the most human of any result you'll find in sports, even more than championship efforts by an underdog.
Among the anti-choke camp, hidden behind the pretentious "there's-no-nuance-in-choke-analysis" attitude is a weird paternalism, as if people want to protect the team from critical analysis of how they played -- analysis that absolutely can and should include the notion that the team unraveled at the end, with victory almost assuredly in hand.
"Pressure Makes Us" was a wonderful ad campaign for the team -- I suspect they would want to be held to no less of a standard than "championship or failure."
If we can't have an intelligent discussion about the totality of the USWNT's efforts -- from the "never-say-die" attitude to the late-game chokery -- then we do them and us a disservice.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 18, 2011
From the Archives: July 18, 1996
Wrote something up about a very important anniversary today from 15 years ago. The story (and a few lessons for anyone looking for a dream job) is here. The supporting illustration is below -- it's not my finest bit of writing ever, but it certainly had an impact.
07/18 (USWNT Stunner) Quickie
Count me among the cohort that argues progress in sports is that, on the merits, we can say the US women's soccer team choked yet still appreciate their overall verve and the tournament's drama.
It is condescending to the players as competitors to ignore how yesterday's game ended -- I would expect extreme competitors like the team members themselves would agree.
Here is an interesting counter-factual: Imagine it was Japan that dominated the game and the US with the miracle equalizer at 81', then an even more miracle goal at 117' (the beauty and technical difficulty of Sawa's shot without hundreds of replays will be underrated in history), then the win in PKs. We would be talking about it as one of the great games in US sports history and this team as even more memorable than the '99ers. In reality, Japan's pluck was that spectacular.
The reality is that in the waning moments of the biggest game in any of these players' careers, the USWNT choked.
It's not a value judgment about them -- their bonafides as competitors have long since been established.
But it is a judgment that they were able to move the conversation in sports from one with blind, possibly patronizing allegiance ("love the gals!") to one that iswilling to engage these athletes on their merits, not their gender.
There is no shame in being a world finalist in anything. Upsets happen -- more often than not, we love them. In this case, less so, although as so many have pointed out, if the US had to lose to anyone, losing to Japan in a crazy upset is as reasonable as it gets.
Let's not showcase a lesson that we should hold back on sports' nastiest "C-word" -- choker -- simply because they are women athletes.
Ironically, it is a glorious moment in US sports history that we can (and should) label this group "chokers" while simultaneously (a) lamenting their fate and (b) celebrating their run.
-- D.S.
It is condescending to the players as competitors to ignore how yesterday's game ended -- I would expect extreme competitors like the team members themselves would agree.
Here is an interesting counter-factual: Imagine it was Japan that dominated the game and the US with the miracle equalizer at 81', then an even more miracle goal at 117' (the beauty and technical difficulty of Sawa's shot without hundreds of replays will be underrated in history), then the win in PKs. We would be talking about it as one of the great games in US sports history and this team as even more memorable than the '99ers. In reality, Japan's pluck was that spectacular.
The reality is that in the waning moments of the biggest game in any of these players' careers, the USWNT choked.
It's not a value judgment about them -- their bonafides as competitors have long since been established.
But it is a judgment that they were able to move the conversation in sports from one with blind, possibly patronizing allegiance ("love the gals!") to one that iswilling to engage these athletes on their merits, not their gender.
There is no shame in being a world finalist in anything. Upsets happen -- more often than not, we love them. In this case, less so, although as so many have pointed out, if the US had to lose to anyone, losing to Japan in a crazy upset is as reasonable as it gets.
Let's not showcase a lesson that we should hold back on sports' nastiest "C-word" -- choker -- simply because they are women athletes.
Ironically, it is a glorious moment in US sports history that we can (and should) label this group "chokers" while simultaneously (a) lamenting their fate and (b) celebrating their run.
-- D.S.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
7/16 (Very) Quickie
The "Friday Night Lights" finale last night was very very well done, particularly the last 8-10 minutes. No spoilers here. But both a satisfying conclusion -- and, for fans, closure.
(Oh, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place on July 16 -- congrats, Pirates fans.)
-- D.S.
(Oh, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place on July 16 -- congrats, Pirates fans.)
-- D.S.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Two Years of TimTeblog (Already?)
Want to read something really earnest about the two-year anniversary of the launch of TimTeblog.com? Of course you do.
07/15 (FNL) Quickie
No NFL deal yet, but it sure feels inevitable -- now that they're this far, it's in everyone's best interests to get this settled soon enough (within a week) to get the teams in camps and going.
What I'm watching this weekend: The Women's World Cup final -- US vs. Japan.
What I'm watching tonight: The "Friday Night Lights" series finale. I'm among those who think it's a terrific show. I don't think there has been a TV mom in history played more skillfully than Connie Britton's "Tami Taylor." She, not Kyle Chandler's Coach Eric Taylor, is the true center of the show, and their relationship -- not the football stuff -- is the show's soul. I'm bummed the show is ending but grateful that it was given this final season to find some closure.
Anniversaries: Two years ago today, I launched TimTeblog.com, which from July 2009 through April 2010 (and particularly that July-January final college football season) was one of the most interesting experiences of my life -- as a writer, as a media-industry wonk and as a fan. The blog is still around -- nearly 1,000 posts later -- and the light posting is more a function of limited news about Tebow than a lack of interest in keeping it going. But for that first year: Wow, a lot of fun.
Quickish is rolling all day (and all weekend) with the latest on the NFL Lockout developments, coverage of the Women's World Cup final, great recommendations and so much more. Check it out!
-- D.S.
What I'm watching this weekend: The Women's World Cup final -- US vs. Japan.
What I'm watching tonight: The "Friday Night Lights" series finale. I'm among those who think it's a terrific show. I don't think there has been a TV mom in history played more skillfully than Connie Britton's "Tami Taylor." She, not Kyle Chandler's Coach Eric Taylor, is the true center of the show, and their relationship -- not the football stuff -- is the show's soul. I'm bummed the show is ending but grateful that it was given this final season to find some closure.
Anniversaries: Two years ago today, I launched TimTeblog.com, which from July 2009 through April 2010 (and particularly that July-January final college football season) was one of the most interesting experiences of my life -- as a writer, as a media-industry wonk and as a fan. The blog is still around -- nearly 1,000 posts later -- and the light posting is more a function of limited news about Tebow than a lack of interest in keeping it going. But for that first year: Wow, a lot of fun.
Quickish is rolling all day (and all weekend) with the latest on the NFL Lockout developments, coverage of the Women's World Cup final, great recommendations and so much more. Check it out!
-- D.S.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
07/14 (Clemens Mistrial) Quickie
Honestly, there was a very good chance that today would be the slowest day of the sports year. And then, of course, Roger Clemens had a mistrial. And all of a sudden it's yet another Big Story.
They just keep on coming. Tomorrow, it could be a handshake deal to end the NFL Lockout. Then the Women's World Cup Final, then college football media days.
Of course, the end to the NFL lockout would be huge news from now 'til... well, from now 'til, period. But really: Just when you think that the sports world can't top itself, it does.
I love that I get to watch all this up close and that we all get to watch it up close together. Full lockout coverage coming all day Friday on Quickish, for sure. Light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel time.
-- D.S.
They just keep on coming. Tomorrow, it could be a handshake deal to end the NFL Lockout. Then the Women's World Cup Final, then college football media days.
Of course, the end to the NFL lockout would be huge news from now 'til... well, from now 'til, period. But really: Just when you think that the sports world can't top itself, it does.
I love that I get to watch all this up close and that we all get to watch it up close together. Full lockout coverage coming all day Friday on Quickish, for sure. Light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel time.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
07/13 (USWNT!) Quickie
Slow on the draw today but now immersed in watching the USWNT in the Women's World Cup semi vs. France...
You know the MLB All-Star Game is bad when the top highlight is Justin Timberlake being interviewed by Mark Grace was the most memorable moment. (OK: Prince Fielder's HR.)
A quick note about Joe Buck: I'm not going to rip him like most, but I do think that if his voice wasn't up to his usual standards -- and it wasn't -- he shouldn't have called the game. I appreciate he battled back from a throat virus, but it wasn't in the best interests of fans the way he was.
Typically, the day after the MLB All-Star Game IS the slowest day of the sports year, but the Women's World Cup has changed that completely, giving the day a real national anchor.
Oh, and James Harrison's quotes in Men's Journal about Roger Goodell. Harrison is kind of insane and most definitely a fool. The retribution from the league (and perhaps his team) this fall will be harsh and swift. But let's agree that if we're at the point the league can punish players -- because, y'know, we've got a labor deal -- that's a good thing.
This made me smile this morning: Video of John Wall last night at a pro-am summer league game in Raleigh, just destroying Julius Hodge. These gonzo videos of NBA players slumming it in summer leagues is helping feed the jones during the lockout.
More later. Enjoy the game and the day.
-- D.S.
You know the MLB All-Star Game is bad when the top highlight is Justin Timberlake being interviewed by Mark Grace was the most memorable moment. (OK: Prince Fielder's HR.)
A quick note about Joe Buck: I'm not going to rip him like most, but I do think that if his voice wasn't up to his usual standards -- and it wasn't -- he shouldn't have called the game. I appreciate he battled back from a throat virus, but it wasn't in the best interests of fans the way he was.
Typically, the day after the MLB All-Star Game IS the slowest day of the sports year, but the Women's World Cup has changed that completely, giving the day a real national anchor.
Oh, and James Harrison's quotes in Men's Journal about Roger Goodell. Harrison is kind of insane and most definitely a fool. The retribution from the league (and perhaps his team) this fall will be harsh and swift. But let's agree that if we're at the point the league can punish players -- because, y'know, we've got a labor deal -- that's a good thing.
This made me smile this morning: Video of John Wall last night at a pro-am summer league game in Raleigh, just destroying Julius Hodge. These gonzo videos of NBA players slumming it in summer leagues is helping feed the jones during the lockout.
More later. Enjoy the game and the day.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
07/12 (Cano) Quickie
Another moment for "parents and kids" in sports. If last week's tragedy of Shannon and Cooper Stone was just about the worst thing I could possibly imagine, then last night's moment between Robinson Cano and his dad Jose was up near the best.
Robinson had his dad -- an erstwhile Major Leaguer years ago -- pitch to him in the Home Run Derby, and Cano crushed it (both of 'em). Robinson had 32 home runs to win the event, including a record-setting 12 in the finals. His home runs were spectacular.
Even better was the joyful hug shared between the parent and kid when Cano secured the Derby title. It shares a link with every parent who has ever softly pitched a ball to their kid -- earlier this year, I started doing that with my own kids; it's a wonderful moment.
****
Two other notable things about last night's Derby:
(1) The guy who caught a ball while jumping from the edge of the pool in the outfield into the water -- while still holding his beer with the lip of the cup just barely over the water line. It was spectacular -- frankly, I think it is the Web Gem of the season. Check it out here.
(2) The freaking moron who stood on a table in the outfield, then fell over it trying to catch a Prince Fielder ball. He needed his family and fans standing next to him to grab his ankles to keep him from plunging 20 feet below. To try something like that isn't just dangerous -- it is spitting in the face of everyone grieving for Shannon Stone. What a jerk/dope. Get more on that here.
***
MLB All-Star Game tonight: "It counts," so there's that. But otherwise, it feels more notable for the storyline about the number of players NOT playing than the ones who are. I will inevitably tune in, because who doesn't want to see Roy Halladay pitch to Jose Bautista, among other intriguing pitching matchups? I'm calling a low-scoring game, taut 'til the finish. (It would be nice if Fox at least mentioned the SB 1070 controversy -- I'm not holding my breath.)
(Meanwhile, Derek Jeter might be "exhausted" enough to skip the game, but I think that he owes it to the fans to at least show up. A lot of folks are pinning this on MLB for not escorting Jeter to the event, but it would be nice if Jeter took some initiative, too. BTW, speaking of Jeter: I would like to see the Yankees offer to pay the 3,000-hit guy's outstanding college loans -- roughly $100,000, which is easily what he could have gotten had he kept the ball and auctioned it off. It's a drop in the bucket for the team; if you appreciated the simple niceness of the fan, it would be great to see the team follow his lead.)
USWNT play France at 11:30 a.m. ET tomorrow on ESPN: The mid-day, mid-week major sports event (the epitome of which is, of course, the first two days of the NCAA Tournament) is one of my favorite moments of the sports calendar. If you can't watch, we'll try to make sure Quickish keeps you updated. (Twitter is a good bet, too.)
NFL labor deal by July 21? I think it happens. What a fun sprint until Labor Day that will be.
More later. Please pop by Quickish throughout the day for the best takes on the biggest topics, plus recommendations to other great stuff.
-- D.S.
Robinson had his dad -- an erstwhile Major Leaguer years ago -- pitch to him in the Home Run Derby, and Cano crushed it (both of 'em). Robinson had 32 home runs to win the event, including a record-setting 12 in the finals. His home runs were spectacular.
Even better was the joyful hug shared between the parent and kid when Cano secured the Derby title. It shares a link with every parent who has ever softly pitched a ball to their kid -- earlier this year, I started doing that with my own kids; it's a wonderful moment.
****
Two other notable things about last night's Derby:
(1) The guy who caught a ball while jumping from the edge of the pool in the outfield into the water -- while still holding his beer with the lip of the cup just barely over the water line. It was spectacular -- frankly, I think it is the Web Gem of the season. Check it out here.
(2) The freaking moron who stood on a table in the outfield, then fell over it trying to catch a Prince Fielder ball. He needed his family and fans standing next to him to grab his ankles to keep him from plunging 20 feet below. To try something like that isn't just dangerous -- it is spitting in the face of everyone grieving for Shannon Stone. What a jerk/dope. Get more on that here.
***
MLB All-Star Game tonight: "It counts," so there's that. But otherwise, it feels more notable for the storyline about the number of players NOT playing than the ones who are. I will inevitably tune in, because who doesn't want to see Roy Halladay pitch to Jose Bautista, among other intriguing pitching matchups? I'm calling a low-scoring game, taut 'til the finish. (It would be nice if Fox at least mentioned the SB 1070 controversy -- I'm not holding my breath.)
(Meanwhile, Derek Jeter might be "exhausted" enough to skip the game, but I think that he owes it to the fans to at least show up. A lot of folks are pinning this on MLB for not escorting Jeter to the event, but it would be nice if Jeter took some initiative, too. BTW, speaking of Jeter: I would like to see the Yankees offer to pay the 3,000-hit guy's outstanding college loans -- roughly $100,000, which is easily what he could have gotten had he kept the ball and auctioned it off. It's a drop in the bucket for the team; if you appreciated the simple niceness of the fan, it would be great to see the team follow his lead.)
USWNT play France at 11:30 a.m. ET tomorrow on ESPN: The mid-day, mid-week major sports event (the epitome of which is, of course, the first two days of the NCAA Tournament) is one of my favorite moments of the sports calendar. If you can't watch, we'll try to make sure Quickish keeps you updated. (Twitter is a good bet, too.)
NFL labor deal by July 21? I think it happens. What a fun sprint until Labor Day that will be.
More later. Please pop by Quickish throughout the day for the best takes on the biggest topics, plus recommendations to other great stuff.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 11, 2011
07/11 (USWNT!!!) Quickie
Super-proud of the Quickish coverage of the US women's soccer World Cup win from yesterday, masterfully curated by Michael Katz. Please check it out.
So that was one of the most exciting finishes I can remember in sports. Playing 10-on-11 (for an hour!), down a goal -- not just the last minute of an extended overtime, but the last minute of stoppage time after a Brazil player faked an injury, tacking on a few extra minutes to OT.
Analogues are unfair and unnecessary, but this wasn't like a Hail Mary touchdown in football or a buzzer-beater in hoops. This was like being down 25 with two minutes to play and winning. The closest thing I can think of is a baseball analogy -- it was like being down 8 or 9 runs with two outs in the 9th, against an All-Star closer, with your pitcher coming up to bat -- and winning.
"This is why we love sports" is so cliche -- but so universal and true. It is certainly at the heart of why I personally love sports. It was as remarkable of a finish of a game as I can remember.
(My only regret -- and this is fairly meta-media stuff, so forgive me -- is that as I surveyed the sports-news landscape last night and this morning for compelling takes on the game, there was such a dearth that I almost couldn't believe it. Hoping for more as the day progresses.)
It was a hell of a weekend in sports -- just when you think Derek Jeter reaching 3,000 career hits on a home run is the most dramatic thing that could happen this weekend, the USWNT tops it. (And, as amazing as Jeter's performance on Saturday was, it was topped on Sunday by the women.)
I remain utterly saddened by the tragedy of Shannon Stone's death in Texas. As jaw-dropping as Jeter's 3,000th hit was or as jubilant as Abby Wambach's header was, I just can't shake how crushed I am about Stone and his family's loss.
I hope people don't lose sight of him as the sports world moves on, as it always does: First Jeter, then the US women's soccer team. This morning brings optimism about an NFL labor deal perhaps as early as 10 days from now. Tonight is the Home Run Derby; tomorrow is the MLB All-Star Game -- no matter who pulls out of it, still a great midsummer event. The ESPYs are mid-week -- is it too late to write-in Wambach's goal as the Play of the Year? We're near college football "media days," which -- at least in the SEC -- is an event unto itself.
I have been covering all sports on a daily basis for nearly 9 years -- there is this notion that mid-July is the "slowest moment of the sports year." (This year, that was supposed to be compounded by NFL and NBA lockouts.) Sure doesn't feel like it.
In fact, on an early-July Sunday that is supposed to be as slow as it gets, we got the most electrifying moment of the sports year. Not bad.
-- D.S.
So that was one of the most exciting finishes I can remember in sports. Playing 10-on-11 (for an hour!), down a goal -- not just the last minute of an extended overtime, but the last minute of stoppage time after a Brazil player faked an injury, tacking on a few extra minutes to OT.
Analogues are unfair and unnecessary, but this wasn't like a Hail Mary touchdown in football or a buzzer-beater in hoops. This was like being down 25 with two minutes to play and winning. The closest thing I can think of is a baseball analogy -- it was like being down 8 or 9 runs with two outs in the 9th, against an All-Star closer, with your pitcher coming up to bat -- and winning.
"This is why we love sports" is so cliche -- but so universal and true. It is certainly at the heart of why I personally love sports. It was as remarkable of a finish of a game as I can remember.
(My only regret -- and this is fairly meta-media stuff, so forgive me -- is that as I surveyed the sports-news landscape last night and this morning for compelling takes on the game, there was such a dearth that I almost couldn't believe it. Hoping for more as the day progresses.)
It was a hell of a weekend in sports -- just when you think Derek Jeter reaching 3,000 career hits on a home run is the most dramatic thing that could happen this weekend, the USWNT tops it. (And, as amazing as Jeter's performance on Saturday was, it was topped on Sunday by the women.)
I remain utterly saddened by the tragedy of Shannon Stone's death in Texas. As jaw-dropping as Jeter's 3,000th hit was or as jubilant as Abby Wambach's header was, I just can't shake how crushed I am about Stone and his family's loss.
I hope people don't lose sight of him as the sports world moves on, as it always does: First Jeter, then the US women's soccer team. This morning brings optimism about an NFL labor deal perhaps as early as 10 days from now. Tonight is the Home Run Derby; tomorrow is the MLB All-Star Game -- no matter who pulls out of it, still a great midsummer event. The ESPYs are mid-week -- is it too late to write-in Wambach's goal as the Play of the Year? We're near college football "media days," which -- at least in the SEC -- is an event unto itself.
I have been covering all sports on a daily basis for nearly 9 years -- there is this notion that mid-July is the "slowest moment of the sports year." (This year, that was supposed to be compounded by NFL and NBA lockouts.) Sure doesn't feel like it.
In fact, on an early-July Sunday that is supposed to be as slow as it gets, we got the most electrifying moment of the sports year. Not bad.
-- D.S.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sunday 7/10 (Jeter 3,000) Quickie
Well, hard to add a whole lot to what happened yesterday -- or what has been said since:
Derek Jeter crossed the 3,000-hit threshold in just about the most dramatic way possible -- on a home run, part of a 5-for-5 day (including the game-winning hit), in front of a frenzied crowd.
You can hate the Yankees and/or you can loathe the drenching love in the media for Jeter, but it's hard to begrudge his career, his accomplishments and -- frankly -- how he goes about his business.
Joe Sheehan said this in his newsletter yesterday about Jeter: When we look back, Jeter will be the poster player of this generation -- not Bonds or Pujols or anything related to steroids.
That's probably a good thing. In Jeter, we have a guy who put up great stats, won a lot of games, won a lot of important games and conducted himself with self-respect and respect for the game and its fans.
My 5-year-old son -- only discovering his sports fandom in the past few months -- recently proclaimed the Yankees are his favorite team. It's not an outrageous idea, given that we live in New York and he is surrounded by Yankees iconography, propaganda and fans.
As a Yankees-hater, that wounds me a bit. But my kid could do a lot worse than rooting for Derek Jeter, even if by the time he is 8 -- let alone a teenager -- Jeter is a distant memory.
For now, it seems reasonable that watching Jeter's 3,000th hit live and having it be as dramatic as it was will be a very acute memory for me for a very long time.
Recommended reading: SI.com's Joe Posnanski on the moment when Jeter hit No. 3,000 and what it means.
-- D.S.
Derek Jeter crossed the 3,000-hit threshold in just about the most dramatic way possible -- on a home run, part of a 5-for-5 day (including the game-winning hit), in front of a frenzied crowd.
You can hate the Yankees and/or you can loathe the drenching love in the media for Jeter, but it's hard to begrudge his career, his accomplishments and -- frankly -- how he goes about his business.
Joe Sheehan said this in his newsletter yesterday about Jeter: When we look back, Jeter will be the poster player of this generation -- not Bonds or Pujols or anything related to steroids.
That's probably a good thing. In Jeter, we have a guy who put up great stats, won a lot of games, won a lot of important games and conducted himself with self-respect and respect for the game and its fans.
My 5-year-old son -- only discovering his sports fandom in the past few months -- recently proclaimed the Yankees are his favorite team. It's not an outrageous idea, given that we live in New York and he is surrounded by Yankees iconography, propaganda and fans.
As a Yankees-hater, that wounds me a bit. But my kid could do a lot worse than rooting for Derek Jeter, even if by the time he is 8 -- let alone a teenager -- Jeter is a distant memory.
For now, it seems reasonable that watching Jeter's 3,000th hit live and having it be as dramatic as it was will be a very acute memory for me for a very long time.
Recommended reading: SI.com's Joe Posnanski on the moment when Jeter hit No. 3,000 and what it means.
-- D.S.
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