*Would be thrilled if you wanted to sign up for my new email newsletter, if you haven't yet. It's super-simple - it takes about 10 seconds. Sign up here.
*Today's must-see TV: Mo'Ne Davis pitching for Philadelphia in the Little League World Series at 3 pm on ESPN (or watching on your WatchESPN app).
*Rob Manfred is the new MLB Commissioner: As expected. Beyond the standard labor issues that pop up every decade or so, he will preside over an inevitable evolution of the sport.
*NFL Preseason: I don't know why the Jaguars are being so strict about keeping Blake Bortles on the shelf this season -- beyond his own development, he looked pretty good last night.
(It's not like the Jaguars are making the playoffs this year. Would it be such a bad outcome if Bortles led them to a 2-win season and they ended up with a great draft prospect or a haul of picks from trading the pick so someone else could take Jameis Winston?)
*The launch of the SEC Network last night was everything you could want it to be, right down to giving Tim Tebow a birthday cake.
*The single-best way you can spend $1 today or this weekend is to pick up the e-book version of Chris Brown's "Essential Smart Football." You will be a better (yes, smarter) fan for it. Buy it here.
*Chip Kelly Mania: Speaking of Brown, his piece on Chip Kelly yesterday in Grantland was awesome. Highly recommended. (Also highly recommended: Seth Wickersham on Kelly.)
*The best piece about Ferguson this week -- and one of the best things Grantland has ever published, period -- is Rembert Browne reporting from the scene.
*In a week of excellent reads, Paul Ford's piece "How to Be Polite" (published on Medium) has stuck with me. If you haven't read it, here you go.
-- D.S.
Friday, August 15, 2014
Thursday, August 14, 2014
8/14 Happy Birthday Tim Tebow Quickie
Reminder: Sign up for my new newsletter here!
It seems fitting that today is both the birth day of the new SEC Network and the birthday of Tim Tebow, the biggest star on the SEC Network.
It was just more than five summers ago that I launched TimTeblog.com, offering obsessive coverage of the Tim Tebow phenomenon.
The site was fascinating to produce -- there was obviously plenty of material around Tebow during his insane senior season at Florida, his insane NFL Draft process, his insane rookie year with the Broncos, the truly insane apex 2nd year in Denver, the modestly insane debacle in New York and the not-really-insane denouement in New England last August.
I can't help but think that the moment the lights officially go on for the SEC Network, with Tebow on-air live from Gainesville, the NFL chapter of Tebow's career will really be over.
I remain biased and mystified -- that no team will give him a shot, that QBs like Brady Quinn and Rex Grossman can land on rosters, that this really might be it.
I know he continues to train -- I actually believe him when he says that his skills have never been better. I am left with one lingering question:
Why doesn't he switch positions?
Yes, I understand that the day he lines up at anything but QB is the day that his dream of being an NFL QB is over, but -- from the looks of things -- his dream of being an NFL quarterback *IS ALREADY* over.
The implication: Wait, he would really rather remain a QB and never play in the NFL again than switch to anything-but-QB (fullback? tight end? the invented-just-now "T-back?") and get a shot to contribute on an NFL roster in some other way?
It's not like he wasn't willing to do whatever it took to help his teams previously: His rookie year with the Broncos, before he took over as starting QB, he lined up as a receiver. On the Jets, he eagerly accepted a role on special teams. Anything to help the team.
The irony is that if he was on a roster as a fullback, coaches might actually be willing to deploy him more innovatively (the way they should have when he was playing QB), in short-yardage situations or otherwise:
Four or five plays per game, what if you weren't sure if Tebow the T-back was going to plow you with a block, trample you with the ball tucked away, pitch to a running back or flip a toss over your head to a wide-open receiver?
If not a starting QB, Tebow's advantage to an NFL team has always been at the margins -- not marginalized: Helping secure the drive-sustaining or clock-killing first down, caroming in for the goal-line score, delivering the defense-distracting feint. He is a specialist at producing the handful of plays that become the difference between W and L.
The next phase of Tim Tebow's fascinating career begins today. He will be wildly successful and popular, because he has always been wildly successful and popular.
Look: I subscribe to the First Rule of Tim Tebow ("Just when you think it can't get any crazier, it does") and hold out that at least one more NFL opportunity will present itself (say, when Urban Meyer eventually takes over for Bill Belichick in New England).
Even with that faith, I can't help lamenting whether the previous phase -- Tebow's NFL career -- ends today, too.
-- D.S.
It seems fitting that today is both the birth day of the new SEC Network and the birthday of Tim Tebow, the biggest star on the SEC Network.
It was just more than five summers ago that I launched TimTeblog.com, offering obsessive coverage of the Tim Tebow phenomenon.
The site was fascinating to produce -- there was obviously plenty of material around Tebow during his insane senior season at Florida, his insane NFL Draft process, his insane rookie year with the Broncos, the truly insane apex 2nd year in Denver, the modestly insane debacle in New York and the not-really-insane denouement in New England last August.
I can't help but think that the moment the lights officially go on for the SEC Network, with Tebow on-air live from Gainesville, the NFL chapter of Tebow's career will really be over.
I remain biased and mystified -- that no team will give him a shot, that QBs like Brady Quinn and Rex Grossman can land on rosters, that this really might be it.
I know he continues to train -- I actually believe him when he says that his skills have never been better. I am left with one lingering question:
Why doesn't he switch positions?
Yes, I understand that the day he lines up at anything but QB is the day that his dream of being an NFL QB is over, but -- from the looks of things -- his dream of being an NFL quarterback *IS ALREADY* over.
The implication: Wait, he would really rather remain a QB and never play in the NFL again than switch to anything-but-QB (fullback? tight end? the invented-just-now "T-back?") and get a shot to contribute on an NFL roster in some other way?
It's not like he wasn't willing to do whatever it took to help his teams previously: His rookie year with the Broncos, before he took over as starting QB, he lined up as a receiver. On the Jets, he eagerly accepted a role on special teams. Anything to help the team.
The irony is that if he was on a roster as a fullback, coaches might actually be willing to deploy him more innovatively (the way they should have when he was playing QB), in short-yardage situations or otherwise:
Four or five plays per game, what if you weren't sure if Tebow the T-back was going to plow you with a block, trample you with the ball tucked away, pitch to a running back or flip a toss over your head to a wide-open receiver?
If not a starting QB, Tebow's advantage to an NFL team has always been at the margins -- not marginalized: Helping secure the drive-sustaining or clock-killing first down, caroming in for the goal-line score, delivering the defense-distracting feint. He is a specialist at producing the handful of plays that become the difference between W and L.
The next phase of Tim Tebow's fascinating career begins today. He will be wildly successful and popular, because he has always been wildly successful and popular.
Look: I subscribe to the First Rule of Tim Tebow ("Just when you think it can't get any crazier, it does") and hold out that at least one more NFL opportunity will present itself (say, when Urban Meyer eventually takes over for Bill Belichick in New England).
Even with that faith, I can't help lamenting whether the previous phase -- Tebow's NFL career -- ends today, too.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
8/13 Wednesday Quickie
*Have you signed up for my new email newsletter yet? Sign up here. Launching soon.
*Ballmer takes over as Clippers owner: It's a new era -- and a much, much better one for Clippers fans and the NBA at large.
*Speaking of the NBA, the 2014-15 schedule is released today, and the headliner -- as always -- is who gets to play on Christmas. Cavs at Heat is the headliner -- how many weeks will Dwyane Wade have to rest in order to be ready to play 100% for that one? -- but how about my Wiz tipping things off at MSG?
*Josh Donaldson + Jon Lester isn't just the A's formula to beat the Royals last night; it feels like the A's formula to win at least 2 games per seven-game playoff series.
*I am getting so excited about college football. Over the weekend, I went through the entire schedule, week by week, and came up with a list of the most intriguing/important games. So many, especially with double the number of playoff spots this season. I'll post that next week.
*Only meaningful to me, apparently: I don't understand how Brady Quinn (Miami) and Rex Grossman (Cleveland) can get jobs on NFL rosters and Tim Tebow doesn't even get a sniff.
*Deadspin's Greg Howard is one of my favorite writers of 2014 (earlier this summer, his longread on Jason Whitlock was one of the best pieces of media criticism/analysis/reporting I have read in a while), and this essay on Ferguson will help you understand why.
*SXSW "Panel Picker" launches: In March at SXSW, I produced a great 1:1 conversation featuring Texas Tech head coach Kirk Kingsbury. We've got another panel up for SXSW '15 -- a 1:1 with Baylor's fascinating football coach Art Briles. Learn more (and vote for it?) here.
*One more SXSW panels: I'm moderating a panel featuring ESPN's Marie Donoghue (who runs Grantland and 538, among other things) and NBC Sports Network's Ron Wechsler (who just landed Men In Blazers, among other things), along with longtime industry observer John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. The topic is "The Near-Future of Sports TV," and it should be great. Learn more (and vote for it?) here.
*And one more: My colleague Mike Foss has put together a fascinating panel on the state of the out LGBT athlete in 2015, featuring Jason Collins, Megan Rapinoe and Brittney Griner. That should be a tremendous event. Learn more (and vote for it?) here.
*My USA TODAY Sports colleagues have launched two new fantasy-related products: A brand-new hub for fantasy news and FantasyScore, a new daily fantasy game. Very bullish on daily fantasy.
*Ballmer takes over as Clippers owner: It's a new era -- and a much, much better one for Clippers fans and the NBA at large.
*Speaking of the NBA, the 2014-15 schedule is released today, and the headliner -- as always -- is who gets to play on Christmas. Cavs at Heat is the headliner -- how many weeks will Dwyane Wade have to rest in order to be ready to play 100% for that one? -- but how about my Wiz tipping things off at MSG?
*Josh Donaldson + Jon Lester isn't just the A's formula to beat the Royals last night; it feels like the A's formula to win at least 2 games per seven-game playoff series.
*I am getting so excited about college football. Over the weekend, I went through the entire schedule, week by week, and came up with a list of the most intriguing/important games. So many, especially with double the number of playoff spots this season. I'll post that next week.
*Only meaningful to me, apparently: I don't understand how Brady Quinn (Miami) and Rex Grossman (Cleveland) can get jobs on NFL rosters and Tim Tebow doesn't even get a sniff.
*Deadspin's Greg Howard is one of my favorite writers of 2014 (earlier this summer, his longread on Jason Whitlock was one of the best pieces of media criticism/analysis/reporting I have read in a while), and this essay on Ferguson will help you understand why.
*SXSW "Panel Picker" launches: In March at SXSW, I produced a great 1:1 conversation featuring Texas Tech head coach Kirk Kingsbury. We've got another panel up for SXSW '15 -- a 1:1 with Baylor's fascinating football coach Art Briles. Learn more (and vote for it?) here.
*One more SXSW panels: I'm moderating a panel featuring ESPN's Marie Donoghue (who runs Grantland and 538, among other things) and NBC Sports Network's Ron Wechsler (who just landed Men In Blazers, among other things), along with longtime industry observer John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. The topic is "The Near-Future of Sports TV," and it should be great. Learn more (and vote for it?) here.
*And one more: My colleague Mike Foss has put together a fascinating panel on the state of the out LGBT athlete in 2015, featuring Jason Collins, Megan Rapinoe and Brittney Griner. That should be a tremendous event. Learn more (and vote for it?) here.
*My USA TODAY Sports colleagues have launched two new fantasy-related products: A brand-new hub for fantasy news and FantasyScore, a new daily fantasy game. Very bullish on daily fantasy.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
8/12 Tuesday Quickie
*RIP Robin Williams. As talented of a comedian as there has ever been. The scale and scope -- everyone has a favorite, and mine is Williams' classic performance at the Met.
Among movies, I have the most vivid memories of summer 27 years ago, as a 14-year-old away at summer camp, with me and my bunkmates playing and re-playing the "Good Morning, Vietnam" soundtrack cassette.
Depression is a horrible disease; if you are battling it, please continue to try to get help.
*It is August 12th and the Royals are in 1st place in the AL Central. Amazing.
*Best highlight of yesterday: The old Cubs fan not only reaches over the back of the Wrigley bleachers to snag a ball, but he has the presence of mind to switch the caught ball with a spare, so he can fulfill the "Throw-It-Back" mandate. Watch it here. He is an early contender for Winner of the Week.
*Still taking early-bird sign-ups for my upcoming new email newsletter. Sign up here. I'll be honest: I'm battling competing impulses to formulate it perfectly versus just launching and figuring it out along the way, even if the first (many) editions are a little rough around the edges. They will be anyway!
-- D.S.
Among movies, I have the most vivid memories of summer 27 years ago, as a 14-year-old away at summer camp, with me and my bunkmates playing and re-playing the "Good Morning, Vietnam" soundtrack cassette.
Depression is a horrible disease; if you are battling it, please continue to try to get help.
*It is August 12th and the Royals are in 1st place in the AL Central. Amazing.
*Best highlight of yesterday: The old Cubs fan not only reaches over the back of the Wrigley bleachers to snag a ball, but he has the presence of mind to switch the caught ball with a spare, so he can fulfill the "Throw-It-Back" mandate. Watch it here. He is an early contender for Winner of the Week.
*Still taking early-bird sign-ups for my upcoming new email newsletter. Sign up here. I'll be honest: I'm battling competing impulses to formulate it perfectly versus just launching and figuring it out along the way, even if the first (many) editions are a little rough around the edges. They will be anyway!
-- D.S.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Monday 8/11 Rory Buzzfeed Blazers Quickie
*If interested, please sign up for my soon-to-launch new email newsletter!
*Rory wins PGA Championship in the dark. Great quote from Rory to Tom Rinaldi (which I spotted in Sally Jenkins' Twitter feed):
We should all be so lucky to learn how to experience the "ugly" conditions but still succeed.
*Buzzfeed gets new $50M investment. At an $850M valuation. The bottom line is that this is a smart, aggressive, ambitious media company with an increasing war chest to do what it wants -- be an independent, public company.
*More media: Men In Blazers jump to NBC Sports. They hinted at it and you knew it was coming -- their leap during the World Cup was too big not to turn it into a bigger deal with a company that was more heavily invested in international soccer than ESPN (which should be credited for incubating -- maybe the more accurate word is accelerating -- MIB into the phenomenon it became). It's a perfect fit for NBC Sports, whose partnership/investment in BPL is a tentpole of its company. Congrats to Bennett and Davies; fwiw, ESPN will be fine.
-- D.S.
*Rory wins PGA Championship in the dark. Great quote from Rory to Tom Rinaldi (which I spotted in Sally Jenkins' Twitter feed):
"I learned I can win a major ugly."What a fabulous thing to learn, right? Especially if you are the most talented golfer in the world, sitting in their mid-20s and seemingly peaking at the perfect time.
We should all be so lucky to learn how to experience the "ugly" conditions but still succeed.
*Buzzfeed gets new $50M investment. At an $850M valuation. The bottom line is that this is a smart, aggressive, ambitious media company with an increasing war chest to do what it wants -- be an independent, public company.
*More media: Men In Blazers jump to NBC Sports. They hinted at it and you knew it was coming -- their leap during the World Cup was too big not to turn it into a bigger deal with a company that was more heavily invested in international soccer than ESPN (which should be credited for incubating -- maybe the more accurate word is accelerating -- MIB into the phenomenon it became). It's a perfect fit for NBC Sports, whose partnership/investment in BPL is a tentpole of its company. Congrats to Bennett and Davies; fwiw, ESPN will be fine.
-- D.S.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
8/10 Sunday Quickie
*Would love for you to sign up for my upcoming new email newsletter.
*This Tony Stewart story is tragic and awful -- and not even close to over.
*Johnny Manziel's debut: Not bad! Starter by Week - what? - 5?
*Jason Day's amazing par on the 500-yard No. 2 at the PGA Championship, in 5 GIFs.
*Katie Ledecky is ridiculously good. (She's from my hometown, so I'm partial to rooting for her, but she's quickly shooting up the list of "Greatest Maryland-Homegrown Athletes of All Time," which includes Michael Phelps, Cal Ripken, Kevin Durant, Travis Pastrana and Len Bias.)
*Sunday read: NYT's Michael Powell obliterates Deion Sanders' "charter school."
(My one quibble is Powell's judginess about players transferring schools. That's their prerogative, along with their parents. OTOH, I'm no fan of the cynical prep-hoops factories themselves.)
*Highlight of the night: Pujols walk-off HR in 19th.
-- D.S.
*This Tony Stewart story is tragic and awful -- and not even close to over.
*Johnny Manziel's debut: Not bad! Starter by Week - what? - 5?
*Jason Day's amazing par on the 500-yard No. 2 at the PGA Championship, in 5 GIFs.
*Katie Ledecky is ridiculously good. (She's from my hometown, so I'm partial to rooting for her, but she's quickly shooting up the list of "Greatest Maryland-Homegrown Athletes of All Time," which includes Michael Phelps, Cal Ripken, Kevin Durant, Travis Pastrana and Len Bias.)
*Sunday read: NYT's Michael Powell obliterates Deion Sanders' "charter school."
(My one quibble is Powell's judginess about players transferring schools. That's their prerogative, along with their parents. OTOH, I'm no fan of the cynical prep-hoops factories themselves.)
*Highlight of the night: Pujols walk-off HR in 19th.
-- D.S.
Friday, August 08, 2014
8/8 Weekend Quickie
First: Sign up for my new email newsletter!
*Last summer, NBC Sports' "Ted Lasso" campaign was the single-best promo spot of the year in sports. This year's edition is even better:
*Kevin Durant drops out of USA Basketball's World Cup team. As always, it's his prerogative. But for a hoops-obsessive like Durant, it is a fascinating development (almost as fascinating as his reported $300M deal with Under Armour).
*NFL Preseason: Washington RB Lache Seastrunk showed just enough to make him an intriguing late-round fantasy flier. Same with Chiefs TE Travis Kelce. Hard to get too excited. However: Michael Sam's debut tonight is worthy of national news.
*Jon Lester: 3-hit complete game? Yeah, that's why Oakland paid big.
*"Power Five": This was inevitable -- hard to begrudge the Power Five their... um... power. The lower-end D1 schools will go along, because without the Power Five, the lower-end D1 schools might as well shut down football and save the money. It'll be interesting to see what the Power Five do with their newfound... power.
Sign up for the newsletter! It takes about 10 seconds. I'd love to have you be a part of it.
-- D.S.
*Last summer, NBC Sports' "Ted Lasso" campaign was the single-best promo spot of the year in sports. This year's edition is even better:
*Kevin Durant drops out of USA Basketball's World Cup team. As always, it's his prerogative. But for a hoops-obsessive like Durant, it is a fascinating development (almost as fascinating as his reported $300M deal with Under Armour).
*NFL Preseason: Washington RB Lache Seastrunk showed just enough to make him an intriguing late-round fantasy flier. Same with Chiefs TE Travis Kelce. Hard to get too excited. However: Michael Sam's debut tonight is worthy of national news.
*Jon Lester: 3-hit complete game? Yeah, that's why Oakland paid big.
*"Power Five": This was inevitable -- hard to begrudge the Power Five their... um... power. The lower-end D1 schools will go along, because without the Power Five, the lower-end D1 schools might as well shut down football and save the money. It'll be interesting to see what the Power Five do with their newfound... power.
Sign up for the newsletter! It takes about 10 seconds. I'd love to have you be a part of it.
-- D.S.
Thursday, August 07, 2014
8/7 Newletter Quickie
So many things have my attention this morning...
*Announcing a new newsletter: For starters, before I promote it on Twitter, I wanted to let you know that I'm launching an email newsletter -- nothing fancy or formal. Just a place to meander, and hopefully a lot more convenient for you than having to come to this site. Sign up is super-simple. Do it here:
http://tinyletter.com/danshanoff
I'll probably start next week -- perhaps a little later in the month. Give it a try. (I certainly will!)
*Love to Cavs: You can go right ahead and pencil in the Cavs as Eastern Conference champs. It remains to be seen how Love will perform in the playoffs, but he'll have plenty of chances now. (BTW: The T'wolves did just about as well as they could -- Wiggins has superstar upside and, in the short-term, will be so fun to watch catching lobs from Ricky Rubio. Anthony Bennett has very solid upside -- and probably will benefit from a new environment. The future 1st-round pick is a bonus. Minnesota is a swingman away from fielding a very competitive starting five.)
*NFL Now: The NFL launched its new quick-hit video app. The free version is good, but they offer quite a bit for the $2/month upcharge -- if you pay it from September through December ($8 total), you'll get Red Zone (with ability to Airplay it to your TV via Apple TV) and real-time in-game highlights, which feels like a bargain.
*Tilt partners with ESPN: I love this deal. When Venmo first launched, the very first thing I thought of was: "Wow, you could build an entire business on top of Venmo just on friends paying each other fantasy league dues." Naturally, ESPN's brilliant product honcho Ryan Spoon made this happen. Mobile payments were already taking over everything -- you probably paid your dues through PayPal already. This kind of deep integration with ESPN and its huge base of fantasy players/leagues is massive.
*Casper Sleep FTW: Last week, I asked if anyone had any experience with Casper Sleep, the start-up trying to disrupt the mattress industry, sort of the way Warby Parker did with glasses. I liked what I had heard about the company, so we ordered the mattress -- frankly, the biggest move was that after 10 years of marriage, we were finally going from a Queen to a King. It came yesterday and we slept on it last night -- really happy with it. And the price point ($950 for a King) is incredible. I have no relationship with the company -- I'm just a fan. If you want to check it out, feel free to use this link, and if you end up buying, you get a discount and I get a referral. Anyway, then I wake up to a news story that the company just raised $13 million. Excited to watch them grow.
OK, so please sign up for the newsletter if you're interested -- I cannot promise you anything except, as always, I'll try to make it worth your time investment.
-- D.S.
*Announcing a new newsletter: For starters, before I promote it on Twitter, I wanted to let you know that I'm launching an email newsletter -- nothing fancy or formal. Just a place to meander, and hopefully a lot more convenient for you than having to come to this site. Sign up is super-simple. Do it here:
http://tinyletter.com/danshanoff
I'll probably start next week -- perhaps a little later in the month. Give it a try. (I certainly will!)
*Love to Cavs: You can go right ahead and pencil in the Cavs as Eastern Conference champs. It remains to be seen how Love will perform in the playoffs, but he'll have plenty of chances now. (BTW: The T'wolves did just about as well as they could -- Wiggins has superstar upside and, in the short-term, will be so fun to watch catching lobs from Ricky Rubio. Anthony Bennett has very solid upside -- and probably will benefit from a new environment. The future 1st-round pick is a bonus. Minnesota is a swingman away from fielding a very competitive starting five.)
*NFL Now: The NFL launched its new quick-hit video app. The free version is good, but they offer quite a bit for the $2/month upcharge -- if you pay it from September through December ($8 total), you'll get Red Zone (with ability to Airplay it to your TV via Apple TV) and real-time in-game highlights, which feels like a bargain.
*Tilt partners with ESPN: I love this deal. When Venmo first launched, the very first thing I thought of was: "Wow, you could build an entire business on top of Venmo just on friends paying each other fantasy league dues." Naturally, ESPN's brilliant product honcho Ryan Spoon made this happen. Mobile payments were already taking over everything -- you probably paid your dues through PayPal already. This kind of deep integration with ESPN and its huge base of fantasy players/leagues is massive.
*Casper Sleep FTW: Last week, I asked if anyone had any experience with Casper Sleep, the start-up trying to disrupt the mattress industry, sort of the way Warby Parker did with glasses. I liked what I had heard about the company, so we ordered the mattress -- frankly, the biggest move was that after 10 years of marriage, we were finally going from a Queen to a King. It came yesterday and we slept on it last night -- really happy with it. And the price point ($950 for a King) is incredible. I have no relationship with the company -- I'm just a fan. If you want to check it out, feel free to use this link, and if you end up buying, you get a discount and I get a referral. Anyway, then I wake up to a news story that the company just raised $13 million. Excited to watch them grow.
OK, so please sign up for the newsletter if you're interested -- I cannot promise you anything except, as always, I'll try to make it worth your time investment.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, August 06, 2014
8/6 Wednesday Hammon Quickie
*The Spurs adding Becky Hammon as a coach is the best sports story of the summer.
#HotSportsTip: She will eventually become the first woman head coach in the NBA.
*NFL Preseason: MMQB has a great profile on the next great NFL head coach, Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
#HotSportsTip: This time next year, he will be head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
*Adam Dunn pitched last night, which is amazing.
#HotSportsTip: Follow @70MPHFastball on Twitter, the best way to follow those glorious moments of "position players pitching."
*New MLB commish next week?
#HotSportsTip: Hard not to see it being current MLB COO Rob Manfred.
*I love a good bracket. ESPN.com's "Best Individual College Football Season Ever" bracket is amazing.
#HotSportsTip: I'm partial to Tebow '07, of course, but I'll accept Cam Newton '10 and Barry Sanders '88. (Tebow didn't make it out of the first round, after a rough match-up with Herschel Walker '80.)
-- D.S.
#HotSportsTip: She will eventually become the first woman head coach in the NBA.
*NFL Preseason: MMQB has a great profile on the next great NFL head coach, Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
#HotSportsTip: This time next year, he will be head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
*Adam Dunn pitched last night, which is amazing.
#HotSportsTip: Follow @70MPHFastball on Twitter, the best way to follow those glorious moments of "position players pitching."
*New MLB commish next week?
#HotSportsTip: Hard not to see it being current MLB COO Rob Manfred.
*I love a good bracket. ESPN.com's "Best Individual College Football Season Ever" bracket is amazing.
#HotSportsTip: I'm partial to Tebow '07, of course, but I'll accept Cam Newton '10 and Barry Sanders '88. (Tebow didn't make it out of the first round, after a rough match-up with Herschel Walker '80.)
-- D.S.
Monday, August 04, 2014
8/4 Monday Quickie
*Took my 2-year-old daughter Lucy to her first-ever MLB game on Saturday night, Nats vs. Phillies at Nats Park. A few notes:
(1) We lucked into seats in the first row behind first base; she became the section mascot.
(2) Phillies 1B coach Juan Samuel threw Gabe a foul ball, which was nice (one of the T-shirt spirit folks also threw him a T-shirt -- sitting in the front is absurd.)
(3) Lucy loved the walk-up songs - early on, she perked up when they played a song she recognized ("Problem") for Ryan Howard.
(4) First in a lifetime of games attended in person for her, I hope.
*Paul George: Just awful. I'm in the "could happen anywhere/anytime" camp, although there is something to be said about USA Basketball's negligence in using a basket stanchion two feet closer to the baseline than typical NBA stanchions (at least in the context of elite NBA players using it).
I think the Pacers have a combination of zero chance of contending and a sympathetic, rabid fan base that allows them to follow a strategy of tanking for a high draft pick, who can combine with George and Hibbert in 2016 and beyond to return the Pacers to "East elite" status.
*Football HOF: To the point I was making about Derrick Brooks on Friday, Spencer Hall does it better.
*Looking ahead to next year's HOF: I personally think Kurt Warner should be a lock 1st-ballot Hall member, but the initial read is that he'll have to wait. Fits his narrative, certainly.
*Brett Favre: Did you think the Packers wouldn't retire his No. 4? Even with his exile at the end, it's one of the most iconic, franchise-defining NFL jerseys of the past 20 years.
*Tiger's back: Getting old sucks.
*Andrew Wiggins: He's going to be so much better off in Minnesota, where the fans will love him and Ricky Rubio will be throwing him lobs.
*Mattress mania: Friday, I tweeted out that I was in the market for a new king-size mattress (heading into our 10-year wedding anniversary, time to finally upgrade from a queen) and was intrigued by Casper, a start-up that wants to do for mattresses what Warby Parker did for glasses (Warby is probably my favorite start-up ever). I ended up making a purchase; it arrives this week. Will keep you updated, but the ordering and customer service so far have been fantastic.
-- D.S.
(1) We lucked into seats in the first row behind first base; she became the section mascot.
(2) Phillies 1B coach Juan Samuel threw Gabe a foul ball, which was nice (one of the T-shirt spirit folks also threw him a T-shirt -- sitting in the front is absurd.)
(3) Lucy loved the walk-up songs - early on, she perked up when they played a song she recognized ("Problem") for Ryan Howard.
(4) First in a lifetime of games attended in person for her, I hope.
*Paul George: Just awful. I'm in the "could happen anywhere/anytime" camp, although there is something to be said about USA Basketball's negligence in using a basket stanchion two feet closer to the baseline than typical NBA stanchions (at least in the context of elite NBA players using it).
I think the Pacers have a combination of zero chance of contending and a sympathetic, rabid fan base that allows them to follow a strategy of tanking for a high draft pick, who can combine with George and Hibbert in 2016 and beyond to return the Pacers to "East elite" status.
*Football HOF: To the point I was making about Derrick Brooks on Friday, Spencer Hall does it better.
*Looking ahead to next year's HOF: I personally think Kurt Warner should be a lock 1st-ballot Hall member, but the initial read is that he'll have to wait. Fits his narrative, certainly.
*Brett Favre: Did you think the Packers wouldn't retire his No. 4? Even with his exile at the end, it's one of the most iconic, franchise-defining NFL jerseys of the past 20 years.
*Tiger's back: Getting old sucks.
*Andrew Wiggins: He's going to be so much better off in Minnesota, where the fans will love him and Ricky Rubio will be throwing him lobs.
*Mattress mania: Friday, I tweeted out that I was in the market for a new king-size mattress (heading into our 10-year wedding anniversary, time to finally upgrade from a queen) and was intrigued by Casper, a start-up that wants to do for mattresses what Warby Parker did for glasses (Warby is probably my favorite start-up ever). I ended up making a purchase; it arrives this week. Will keep you updated, but the ordering and customer service so far have been fantastic.
-- D.S.
Friday, August 01, 2014
8/1 August Kickoff Quickie
By the end of the month, you'll have your fantasy football team(s), college football season will have kicked off and perhaps some vacation. Not bad...
*MLB Trade Deadline: Love the moves by the Tigers and A's. Win while you can, especially for two teams qualified by (a) a very old owner and (b) a GM who knows the variance of the postseason.
*Clayton Kershaw is so good that he's probably worth MLB splicing off a "Kershaw pass" on MLB.tv/MLB At Bat to let fans pay to watch his starts. I would.
*Most intriguing MLB game of the weekend: Lester's first start for Oakland, on Saturday.
*Pro Football Hall of Fame: The New Class. Derrick Brooks might be the best college football defensive player I have ever seen. Michael Strahan has been as successful in transitioning to post-career life as any NFL player ever. Ray Guy was long overdue. Andre Reed is very interesting -- he's almost a proxy for the log-jam of worthy receivers who are still waiting to get in.
*Bills-Giants kick off NFL friendlies: Worth tuning into just to see how Sammy Watkins does.
Speaking of friendlies, there's USA Basketball scrimmage tonight at 9 on ESPN, if you need a fix.
-- D.S.
*MLB Trade Deadline: Love the moves by the Tigers and A's. Win while you can, especially for two teams qualified by (a) a very old owner and (b) a GM who knows the variance of the postseason.
*Clayton Kershaw is so good that he's probably worth MLB splicing off a "Kershaw pass" on MLB.tv/MLB At Bat to let fans pay to watch his starts. I would.
*Most intriguing MLB game of the weekend: Lester's first start for Oakland, on Saturday.
*Pro Football Hall of Fame: The New Class. Derrick Brooks might be the best college football defensive player I have ever seen. Michael Strahan has been as successful in transitioning to post-career life as any NFL player ever. Ray Guy was long overdue. Andre Reed is very interesting -- he's almost a proxy for the log-jam of worthy receivers who are still waiting to get in.
*Bills-Giants kick off NFL friendlies: Worth tuning into just to see how Sammy Watkins does.
Speaking of friendlies, there's USA Basketball scrimmage tonight at 9 on ESPN, if you need a fix.
-- D.S.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
7/31 End of July Quickie
A few notes as I catch up from a brief vacation...
*Wow, the "Kevin Durant to DC" meme went from funny thing on #WizardsTwitter to Real Thing. I think he ends up in DC, fwiw -- I'm not sure any athlete (including LeBron) loves his hometown more than Durant does -- but it's a LONG way off. The take to read is Grantland's Andrew Sharp, and also this FAQ from SB Nation's Mike Prada.
*A's trade for Jon Lester: Cespedes feels like a LOT to give up, doesn't it? Gotta love "championship or fail" by the A's. Flags fly forever, y'all.
*I didn't watch "Sharknado 2" last night, but I did follow the hysteria on Twitter and it allowed me to relate an anecdote from my vacation, about the moment when my two boys were in the water and a shark cruised by, between them and the beach. Unnerving, to say the least!
-- D.S.
*Wow, the "Kevin Durant to DC" meme went from funny thing on #WizardsTwitter to Real Thing. I think he ends up in DC, fwiw -- I'm not sure any athlete (including LeBron) loves his hometown more than Durant does -- but it's a LONG way off. The take to read is Grantland's Andrew Sharp, and also this FAQ from SB Nation's Mike Prada.
*A's trade for Jon Lester: Cespedes feels like a LOT to give up, doesn't it? Gotta love "championship or fail" by the A's. Flags fly forever, y'all.
*I didn't watch "Sharknado 2" last night, but I did follow the hysteria on Twitter and it allowed me to relate an anecdote from my vacation, about the moment when my two boys were in the water and a shark cruised by, between them and the beach. Unnerving, to say the least!
-- D.S.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Sunday 7/27 Hall of Fame Quickie
I informally keep a running list of my favorite players of all-time, by sport.
In baseball, the list is topped by Ryne Sandberg, then Cal Ripken.
No. 3 is Greg Maddux, who goes into the Hall of Fame today.
"Peak Maddux" is the most remarkable pitcher I have watched in my lifetime ("Peak Pedro" is close, but I hate the Red Sox, so.)
Peak Maddux is what I imagine it was like watching Peak Koufax or Peak Walter Johnson. That is the level Maddux is/was at (although he was better, longer than Koufax by a wide margin.)
A huge part of Maddux's appeal was his average size. He wasn't some kind of hulk like Clemens or giant like Randy Johnson.
Maddux was relatable. He dominated with approach. Typically, "guile" is associated with marginal nibblers - crafty average. Maddux was "power guile," which is just about the best combination you could ask for.
He was brilliant. But he also came across as totally cool - he didn't ooze intensity; it felt natural, as if befuddling hitters and pinpoint mastery of the strike zone was you in the backyard.
Among the highest compliments you can pay a player is that thy were the best of their generation. That's Maddux.
There are other power pitchers, obviously. (In wondering whether we'd see a pitcher as good as Maddux again, King Felix - currently still in his peak -comes to mind.)
But no one combined a mortal look with immortal results like Maddux.
- D.S.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
7/22 Tuesday Quickie
*"Cheating pays": Does that count institutions like the Big 12 cheating players out of fair value for their service?
*Tim Tebow's comeback: You know how I feel about this -- he deserves a shot on a team, hysteria be damned. The best fit? Honestly? Cleveland, where the hysteria can't get much more nuts.
*The Orioles affirm that they are for real: Adam Jones.
-- D.S.
*Tim Tebow's comeback: You know how I feel about this -- he deserves a shot on a team, hysteria be damned. The best fit? Honestly? Cleveland, where the hysteria can't get much more nuts.
*The Orioles affirm that they are for real: Adam Jones.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 21, 2014
7/21 Monday Quickie
*Rory McIlroy: The best detail about his win is that 10 years ago, his dad put down a bet that he'd win a (British) Open title within 10 years.
*Jameis Winston: Does a disservice to every college football player who isn't destined to be a Top 5 NFL pick by insisting that the college scholarship is enough.
*Dota 2: Don't overlook e-sports' entry into the mainstream, with the Dota 2 finals being broadcast on ESPN3/WatchESPN at noon today. Huge potential for ESPN.
*NBA Summer League: As a Wizards fan, I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Beating the Spurs in the playoffs (in triple OT), putting two players on the 1st-team all-Summer (Otto Porter and Glen Rice Jr) and having GRJR win Summer League MVP is as good as it gets for a Wiz fan.
*Carmelo Anthony is a VC: When I founded Quickish in 2010, I was obsessed with the idea of having Steve Nash's VC firm (co-led by the fantastic Mike Duda) invest.
(FWIW: Quickish wasn't the right fit for Nash/Duda's investment thesis, one that I admire, but getting to know the firm was a highlight of the Quickish experience.)
*13 years ago today: First date with Mrs. Quickie. Also recognized as the date my Florida fandom began. So: Not insubstantial, on two fronts!
-- D.S.
*Jameis Winston: Does a disservice to every college football player who isn't destined to be a Top 5 NFL pick by insisting that the college scholarship is enough.
*Dota 2: Don't overlook e-sports' entry into the mainstream, with the Dota 2 finals being broadcast on ESPN3/WatchESPN at noon today. Huge potential for ESPN.
*NBA Summer League: As a Wizards fan, I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Beating the Spurs in the playoffs (in triple OT), putting two players on the 1st-team all-Summer (Otto Porter and Glen Rice Jr) and having GRJR win Summer League MVP is as good as it gets for a Wiz fan.
*Carmelo Anthony is a VC: When I founded Quickish in 2010, I was obsessed with the idea of having Steve Nash's VC firm (co-led by the fantastic Mike Duda) invest.
(FWIW: Quickish wasn't the right fit for Nash/Duda's investment thesis, one that I admire, but getting to know the firm was a highlight of the Quickish experience.)
*13 years ago today: First date with Mrs. Quickie. Also recognized as the date my Florida fandom began. So: Not insubstantial, on two fronts!
-- D.S.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Friday 7/18 Weekend Quickie
The Slowest Week of the Sports Year is nearly over...
*Love for Wiggins? Yes, for both sides.
*NFL Draft anywhere but NY? Chicago, please.
*Weekend read: The legend of Tom Emanski.
*Must-see: Kershaw on Sunday night at 8 on ESPN.
-- D.S.
*Love for Wiggins? Yes, for both sides.
*NFL Draft anywhere but NY? Chicago, please.
*Weekend read: The legend of Tom Emanski.
*Must-see: Kershaw on Sunday night at 8 on ESPN.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Wednesday 7/16 All-Star Hangover Quickie
*The "Pipe-Shot" Scandal/Non-scandal: Did Adam Wainwright groove that pitch to Derek Jeter in Jeter's 1st All-Star at-bat that he smacked for a satisfying double?
The correct answer is: So what if he did?
Let's give the last word to Jeter: "If he grooved it, thank you. You still have to hit it. I appreciate if that's what he did, thank you."
*NBA Summer League Playoffs: Did you enter your bracket into the office pool yet?
*ESPYs: Auburn's "Kick-Six" should win everything.
-- D.S.
The correct answer is: So what if he did?
Let's give the last word to Jeter: "If he grooved it, thank you. You still have to hit it. I appreciate if that's what he did, thank you."
*NBA Summer League Playoffs: Did you enter your bracket into the office pool yet?
*ESPYs: Auburn's "Kick-Six" should win everything.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Tuesday 7/15 All-Star Lull Quickie
*MLB All-Star: I'll tune in for Jeter's lead-off at-bat, but that's about it. Maybe that's enough.
*Home Run Derby: Similarly, I watched Stanton's jaw-dropping first round, then dropped out. (Yoenis Cespedes is clearly great, but I'll take Jose Abreu, People's Champ.)
*Emmanuel Mudiay skipping college: More power to him. He'll be a Top 3 pick next June whether he spends next year at SMU, in Slovakia or training with Tim Grover.
*Jimmy Graham returns to the Saints: The league's most exciting tight end where he should be.
*SEC Media Day, Day 2: It's the annual highlight -- Steve Spurrier at the podium.
*Chandler Parsons was "offended" by the Rockets: For what? Pursuing Carmelo or Chris Bosh as an upgrade to him, no matter how talented he might be? Faux-outrage.
*World Cup hangover: Would it surprise you to know the Brazil coach is out? I'm surprised it took this long.
*NBA Summer League: If there was a re-draft of the entire league and you were starting a franchise today, the Greek Freak would be a Top 20 pick -- maybe Top 10.
*"Men In Blazers" watch: Not only are they starting a new newsletter, but it has a sponsor, which is a unicorn for newsletters. (The most notable one I know with a sponsor is Mike Allen's Playbook.)
*Last night I took the kids to see our local high school hoops team in a summer league tournament, and Gheorge Muresan was hanging out there. He's the best.
-- D.S.
*Home Run Derby: Similarly, I watched Stanton's jaw-dropping first round, then dropped out. (Yoenis Cespedes is clearly great, but I'll take Jose Abreu, People's Champ.)
*Emmanuel Mudiay skipping college: More power to him. He'll be a Top 3 pick next June whether he spends next year at SMU, in Slovakia or training with Tim Grover.
*Jimmy Graham returns to the Saints: The league's most exciting tight end where he should be.
*SEC Media Day, Day 2: It's the annual highlight -- Steve Spurrier at the podium.
*Chandler Parsons was "offended" by the Rockets: For what? Pursuing Carmelo or Chris Bosh as an upgrade to him, no matter how talented he might be? Faux-outrage.
*World Cup hangover: Would it surprise you to know the Brazil coach is out? I'm surprised it took this long.
*NBA Summer League: If there was a re-draft of the entire league and you were starting a franchise today, the Greek Freak would be a Top 20 pick -- maybe Top 10.
*"Men In Blazers" watch: Not only are they starting a new newsletter, but it has a sponsor, which is a unicorn for newsletters. (The most notable one I know with a sponsor is Mike Allen's Playbook.)
*Last night I took the kids to see our local high school hoops team in a summer league tournament, and Gheorge Muresan was hanging out there. He's the best.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 14, 2014
7/14 Post-World Cup Quickie
*Germany is a worthy World Cup champ. That winner by Gotze was superb.
Don't miss this awesome "One Shining Moment"-style kicker from ESPN:
*Looking ahead to 2018: Gedion Zelalem.
*The unexpected hangover from LeBron's decision to return to Cleveland is that he has almost entirely stayed off the radar, with the SI message being his only thing.
*NBA Summer League: The blueprint for Doug McDermott in the NBA was on display last night -- a bevy of 3s, plus 100% shooting on a dozen FTs.
*Still processing that my Wiz picked up Paul Pierce. The rest of the league really seems to like it, and -- more importantly -- it takes "KD to DC in '16" to the mainstream.
*Home Run Derby pick: Yasiel Puig.
-- D.S.
Don't miss this awesome "One Shining Moment"-style kicker from ESPN:
*Looking ahead to 2018: Gedion Zelalem.
*The unexpected hangover from LeBron's decision to return to Cleveland is that he has almost entirely stayed off the radar, with the SI message being his only thing.
*NBA Summer League: The blueprint for Doug McDermott in the NBA was on display last night -- a bevy of 3s, plus 100% shooting on a dozen FTs.
*Still processing that my Wiz picked up Paul Pierce. The rest of the league really seems to like it, and -- more importantly -- it takes "KD to DC in '16" to the mainstream.
*Home Run Derby pick: Yasiel Puig.
-- D.S.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Extra! Extra! LeBron Returning to Cleveland
*This essay from LeBron -- breaking the news, mind you -- was wonderful. "Pitch perfect" comes to mind.
*"I’m not promising a championship." Thank you. It's not a guarantee, but he'll try. To wit...
*"My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio."
Think about that for a second, because it's absolutely spot-on: In LeBron's case, the legacy isn't "more rings than Jordan." It's "rings where they haven't been in forever." Good for him.
*Aside from the fact that the Cavs stand in the way of my Wizards winning the East, it is very easy to root for LeBron and root for a fascinating way this challenge plays itself out.
*And if it inspires Kevin Durant to return to his own hometown in two years to try to bring home a championship, all the better.
*Still:
-- D.S.
*"I’m not promising a championship." Thank you. It's not a guarantee, but he'll try. To wit...
*"My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio."
Think about that for a second, because it's absolutely spot-on: In LeBron's case, the legacy isn't "more rings than Jordan." It's "rings where they haven't been in forever." Good for him.
*Aside from the fact that the Cavs stand in the way of my Wizards winning the East, it is very easy to root for LeBron and root for a fascinating way this challenge plays itself out.
*And if it inspires Kevin Durant to return to his own hometown in two years to try to bring home a championship, all the better.
*Still:
-- D.S.
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