The upcoming "All-Stars" will feature a little synopsis of their career, but because I'm too lazy to look up the career numbers for Candy Maldonado, you'll just have to sit and gaze at this sweet ass Topps baseball card
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Milk Carton All-Star of the Week
So, some of the best ideas come by accident. During a routine conversation between myself and Gabe, somehow the name "Chris Sabo" popped up. I couldn't explain to you why. I couldn't explain to you how. Regardless, the Sabo name drop lead to an hour-long back-and-forth of name-dropping non-descrept former baseball players. As an inside joke, and as the only consistant weekly post I could come up with, I decided that I(and I'm assuming eventually Gabe) will post what I like to call "The Milk Carton All-Star of the Week". The basic premise behind this is to showcase an obscure athlete who will make at least one of the 5 people reading this website to either a. chuckle or b. utter the words "Oh, shit, I remember him...". Leading off will be journeyman outfielder and Gabe Rodriguez Trump Card, Candy Maldonado.
The upcoming "All-Stars" will feature a little synopsis of their career, but because I'm too lazy to look up the career numbers for Candy Maldonado, you'll just have to sit and gaze at this sweet ass Topps baseball card
The upcoming "All-Stars" will feature a little synopsis of their career, but because I'm too lazy to look up the career numbers for Candy Maldonado, you'll just have to sit and gaze at this sweet ass Topps baseball card
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
My Mini Wrap-up
I had hoped to be writing this blog about the teams that I love, the New York Giants and the James Madison University Dukes.
Sadly (or with much delight if you're name is Dave), no JMU Dukes were taken in the draft or signed as a free agent afterwards. The fact that none were drafted does not surprise me. But I am surprised that no Duke was signed as a free agent, especially because a few were drawing some attention.
I considered analyzing my hometown team, the Virginia Cavaliers, and their players that were selected, but I can't even pretend to care enough.
So I'll move on and comment a little on what my New York Giants did at the draft.
Sadly (or with much delight if you're name is Dave), no JMU Dukes were taken in the draft or signed as a free agent afterwards. The fact that none were drafted does not surprise me. But I am surprised that no Duke was signed as a free agent, especially because a few were drawing some attention.
I considered analyzing my hometown team, the Virginia Cavaliers, and their players that were selected, but I can't even pretend to care enough.
So I'll move on and comment a little on what my New York Giants did at the draft.
(Blog intermission: I was in NYC during the weekend of the draft and I met the World Champion.
Yup, that's me and Judah Friedlander outside out Stand Up NY. According to him, he was an all world kicker for Devry. Thanks to my friends Henri and Erin and all of the great people at the club. My wife and I had a great time.)
Looking at the Giants picks as a whole it is clear they came into the draft looking to do a few things: One, find a replacement for Plaxico Burress. Two, round out their linebacking corps. Three, find a running back so they can continue to have a three headed backfield monster. Four, find a pass catching tight end.
With trying to find a great reciever in mind, the Giants took Hakeem Nicks in the first round. I was puzzled. I know he has all of the tools to be a no. 1 eventually, but he is no Plaxico. Plax was unique. I was even more puzzled with this pick when they took Ramses Barden (from football factory Cal-Poly) in the third round. He is built just like Plax. (6'6" 230lbs.) Obviously this is the guy they want to catch jump balls in the red zone.
Here is my problem with this. The Giants have spent many high draft picks in recent years on receivers: Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, David Tyree (although he was taken late). Super Bowl heroics aside, none of these guys have become great yet. It might be too early to tell with these guys, but many receivers breakout in their first three years. My point is, the best receiver the Giants have acquired in recent years was Plaxico, in a trade. Why didn't they do the same thing this year and trade their first rounder for Braylon Edwards? They could have still gotten the linebacker, running back, and other positions they needed.
All of that being said, the picks of TE Travis Beckum in the third round and Andre Brown in the fourth round were huge value picks. Taking a flyer on Rhett Bomar is not a bad move either. He could develop into a solid back-up for Eli Manning, if not something more.
The Giants did an above average job in my book. They made some puzzling moves with their first two picks, but got great value from then on. Maybe next year a Duke will be taken.
- Gabe
Monday, April 27, 2009
Post-Draft Thoughts
In years past, I've followed NFL Draft weekend with the typical "Winners and Losers" piece, in which I praise those I believe to have done well on the last week of April and blast those who I feel did not. I've come to realize that it's a bit premature because you're essentially grading a team's draft on three components: Name recognition of the players selected, where in the draft said players were taken, and who else was available at the time those players were selected. The problem with this is you're passing judgement on an unfinished project. It would be like doing a movie critique on a trailer. Last year, I took the Falcons to task for selecting Matt Ryan because I felt he was a bit overhyped and thought Atlanta would have been better off with LSU DT Glenn Dorsey. A year later, Ryan's the reigning Rookie of the Year and the Dorsey briefly found himself on the trading block after an uninspiring rookie season. So, this year, I'm going the safer route and giving you who and what I liked from this past weekend's Draft. Is it much different from a "Winners and Losers" column? Probably not, but it's not nearly as bad as eating crow.
Thumbs Up:
1. Cincinatti Bengals: At first glance, I was a bit skeptical of a team that has had so much trouble keeping players out of the police blotter using its first 3 picks on guys with an acute case of knucklehead disease. However, when you take a deeper look at Andre Smith, Rey Maualuga, and Michael Johnson(all 3 of whom, were 1st round picks in my mock draft), you'll realize that they're guys who just need a bit of coaching up rather than the usual need for a parole officer. The Bengals walked out of this draft with a potential 6 starters out of their 11 picks overall(Smith, Maualuga, Johnson, center Jon Luigs, tight end Chase Coffman and punter Kevin Huber) which isn't bad for a team not far removed from being playoff contenders.
2. Philadelphia Eagles: Andy Reid and Co. hushed the critics who believed he would ignore surrounding QB Donovan McNabb with more weapons and stick to building the defense and aging offensive line. Reid came out firing before the draft, sending a late round 1st to Buffalo for Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters. Big Red then kept up the aggression by moving up to get speedy wide reciever Jeremy Maclin(whom some pegged as the top wideout in this draft). In the 2nd round, he replaced Correll Buckhalter with the highly underrated RB LeSean "Shady" McCoy and came up even bigger with two steals: Pass-catching tight end Cornelius Ingram and cornerback/return man Victor "Macho" Harris. Philly also swung a deal for disgruntled corner Ellis Hobbs, who along with Harris, could spell the last days for the also disgruntled Sheldon Brown. The cherry on top, however, was the team adding 3rd and 5th round picks in next year's draft, which could be used to snag Denver Broncos TE Tony Scheffler.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Give the Jags credit for lessons learned. With all-world WR Michael Crabtree still on the board at # 8, the Jags(who have swung and missed on first round wideouts Reggie Williams, R.Jay Soward and Matt Jones in recent years) addressed another need by tabbing OT Eugene Monroe. The rich got richer in the 2nd round when the Jags selected Arizona OT Eben Britton, who comes in the league with a chip on his shoulder after being passed up in the 1st round. The Jags would address their need at reciever with some nice underrated late round picks like speedy Mike Thomas, record-breaker Jarrett Dillard, and my personal favorite, Rutgers WR Tiquan Underwood. All three will have the fortune of learning from a still-breathing Torry Holt, one of the finest route runners in the game.
4. New York Jets: Lost in the fact that they left this weekend with only three picks was the fact that Gang Green didn't really NEED much. They landed the QB they desperately wanted in USC's Mark Sanchez, whom some had rated higher than top pick Matt Stafford. They moved up again to take hard-charging Iowa RB Shonn Greene, who will inevitably spell the end for camp holdout Thomas Jones. The beauty of both trades was that they didn't have to sell the farm to move up, giving up only a few backups and a 2nd rounder for Sanchez and a couple late round picks for Greene. While the lack of picks over the years will hurt the Jets in the depth department, the team is built to win now, much like head coach Rex Ryan's former team, the Baltimore Ravens, were last year.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Speaking of win now, the Seahawks are another team that put themselves in position for a run. They ignored the hype of Sanchez and the temptation of Crabtree and snagged arguably the best player in this draft in Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry. They helped the O-line out with center/guard Max Unger and got a nice sleeper in WR Deon Butler out of Penn St. The biggest coup for Seattle though was snatching up Denver's 1st round pick next year for a 2nd rounder this year(which Denver used on undersized CB Alphonso Smith). Oh, and it doesn't hurt that they selected a couple of my boys in Rutgers QB Mike Teel(who I'll admit was a huge reach at the top of the 6th but I still believe he has the tools to be an adequate backup in this league) and S Courtney Greene(who is much better than his 7th round standing). While the team could have done more to get younger on the offensive line, the team hopes it can squeeze one more healthy year out of future Hall of Famer Walter Jones, as well as aging stars WR T.J. Houshmanzadeh and QB Matt Hassellback.
Thumbs Down:
1. Dallas Cowboys: This is normally the section where I eat my words, but come on! While props should be given that owner/GM Jerry Jones decided to do an about face from last year's strategy of picking stars out of the police blotter, Jones clearly thinks his team is better than they actually are. Already short-changed thanks to the bogus Roy Williams trade, the Cowboys foolishly opted out of Day 1 altogether, opting to go into Day 2 with 12 picks. Those picks, however, is where I'm a bit sour. Of those 12 selections, all appeared to be reaches and none seem like they'll be able to help the Cowboys in the immediate future. The most notable of the 12 is local product Stephen McGee, a QB out of Texas A & M, who doesn't have much of a chance of starting with Pro Bowl QB Tony Romo in front of him. The team's biggest needs, cornerback and wide reciever, weren't addressed until the final two picks with Cincy CB Mike Mickens and Okalahoma WR Manuel Johnson. Both of whom would be lucky to make the team.
2. Denver Broncos: You would think a guy who spent so many years under the tutleage of draft master Bill Belichick, you would think head coach Josh McDaniels would know a thing or two about building a team. After forcing his 25-year old franchise QB out of town by making googly-eyes at one of his former proteges, McDaniels ignored its huge holes on defense and used its first of two selections on Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno. While Moreno is a solid running back, his selection is a bit of a headscratcher given the fact that THE BRONCOS SIGNED THREE RUNNING BACKS PRIOR TO THE DRAFT! I know the team had some injury problems in the backfield, but clearly, that defense needed more immediate attention. Denver went defense with its 2nd pick in Tennesee DE/LB Robert Ayers, who has legit athleticism and pass-rushing ability....just like former first round flame-out Jarvis Moss. I'm not saying Ayers is going to be a bust, but the team might have been better served going with the significantly more athletic Brian Orakpo at 12, and then using thier 2nd pick on a guy like Rey Maualuga, who would have solidified the middle of that linebacking core. To top it off, the team traded one of its two 1st rounders next year for 5'9 cornerback Alphonso Smith, who, barring injury, will sit behind Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman to start the season. Not exactly a great start to the McDaniels Era.
3. Oakland Raiders: Man, where do I start? While I can understand the reluctance behind taking Texas Tech Micheal Crabtree(possibly slow 40, injured foot, pass happy system), someone is going to have to sit me down and explain to me how Darrius Heyward Bey is the 7th best player in this draft. Despite having guys on the board like Crabtree, OT Eugene Monroe, and DT B.J. Raji, GM/Owner Al Davis stuck with his obsession over 40 times and suprised everyone by taking DHB, who they probably could have traded back into the late first round to grab if they absolutely had to.(Well, not everyone, some mocks had DHB going here as a joke and even I hinted at it in my mock). That was just the start of it. Davis used a 2nd round pick on Ohio S Michael Mitchell, whom draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. had as the 73rd rated player at his position and whom some GMs had rated as an undrafted free agent. 73rd! I know Kiper isn't exactly Bill Parcells, but my God! The rest of the draft consisted of so many no-names, they could be casted for a Bring It On sequel.
4. Draft Time: Look, I love the NFL Draft. It's like Christmas multiplied by Thanksgiving for me, but even I don't believe it has any business running on prime-time...especially during the NBA playoffs. While last year's 3 p.m. start was brutal, the move to 4 p.m. was worse. The main problem with making the Draft so late isn't so much that it runs concurrent with other events(in the age of TiVo, there are ways to not miss an NBA playoff game or a Yankees-Red Sox showdown), it's that it's preceding by hours and hours of pre-draft hype inwhich the networks kill time by going over the same story lines over and over and over again. Where's Mark Sanchez going? Do we need a rookie wage scale? Who's trading up? Who's trading down? It's hyperbole overload. I've championed the idea of moving the draft a few weeks back for years, simply because all that down time leads to miniscule stories reaching the overblown level(particularly this year with all the rampant trade rumors and draft hypotheticals). If you want to keep the Draft in prime time, move it up to March and let it run as an opening act to baseball Opening Night. You can have Day 1 run from 12-8 and then go right into baseball's regular season debut. Otherwise, you'll just have more and more wasted time of talking heads spewing the same headlines over and over again, which brings me to....
5. Where's the sizzle?: Months of trade talk and the best you give me is Ellis Hobbs? What happened to Anquan going to the Eagles? Or Braylon to the Giants? All these "insiders" with their "near-certianties" and the best we got was a 3rd-string cornerback being dealt for a couple of late rounders nobody will remember. Sure, Boldin and Edwards and company could be dealt before the regular season, but after spending the last 12 weeks building up all this rampant talk that has fans salivating over the next big move, we ended up with an Acquisition Cold War. The only way the Draft Day trading scene could have been more disappointing would be if it was hosted by Nic Cage. Not only that, rather than trading their disgruntled stars, GMs decided to spite them as well as the fans by drafting their eventual replacements. The Eagles gave a huge middle finger to Sheldon Brown by trading for Hobbs and bringing in Macho Harris. The Jets brushed Thomas Jones off their shoulders by acquiring Shonn Greene. The Browns started preparing re-tape some new names over Brady Quinn and Braylon Edwards' lockers by drafting two recievers and trading for another quarterback. Worst of all were the Cardinals, who got Boldin more excited than Paula Abdul spotting a bowl full of Percocet by letting all this talk of an inevitable exit linger, only to turn their cell phones off over the weekend.
All in all, it was a respectable weekend. Despite the lack of star power at the top of the draft, teams made things interesting by swinging for the fences. Some teams whiffed and some teams put a few in the stands. While there's never any sure things following the last weekend of April, one thing I can say with great certianty is that the next five months til kickoff will be every bit as agonizing as the previous three were leading up to today.
--Dave
Thumbs Up:
1. Cincinatti Bengals: At first glance, I was a bit skeptical of a team that has had so much trouble keeping players out of the police blotter using its first 3 picks on guys with an acute case of knucklehead disease. However, when you take a deeper look at Andre Smith, Rey Maualuga, and Michael Johnson(all 3 of whom, were 1st round picks in my mock draft), you'll realize that they're guys who just need a bit of coaching up rather than the usual need for a parole officer. The Bengals walked out of this draft with a potential 6 starters out of their 11 picks overall(Smith, Maualuga, Johnson, center Jon Luigs, tight end Chase Coffman and punter Kevin Huber) which isn't bad for a team not far removed from being playoff contenders.
2. Philadelphia Eagles: Andy Reid and Co. hushed the critics who believed he would ignore surrounding QB Donovan McNabb with more weapons and stick to building the defense and aging offensive line. Reid came out firing before the draft, sending a late round 1st to Buffalo for Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters. Big Red then kept up the aggression by moving up to get speedy wide reciever Jeremy Maclin(whom some pegged as the top wideout in this draft). In the 2nd round, he replaced Correll Buckhalter with the highly underrated RB LeSean "Shady" McCoy and came up even bigger with two steals: Pass-catching tight end Cornelius Ingram and cornerback/return man Victor "Macho" Harris. Philly also swung a deal for disgruntled corner Ellis Hobbs, who along with Harris, could spell the last days for the also disgruntled Sheldon Brown. The cherry on top, however, was the team adding 3rd and 5th round picks in next year's draft, which could be used to snag Denver Broncos TE Tony Scheffler.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Give the Jags credit for lessons learned. With all-world WR Michael Crabtree still on the board at # 8, the Jags(who have swung and missed on first round wideouts Reggie Williams, R.Jay Soward and Matt Jones in recent years) addressed another need by tabbing OT Eugene Monroe. The rich got richer in the 2nd round when the Jags selected Arizona OT Eben Britton, who comes in the league with a chip on his shoulder after being passed up in the 1st round. The Jags would address their need at reciever with some nice underrated late round picks like speedy Mike Thomas, record-breaker Jarrett Dillard, and my personal favorite, Rutgers WR Tiquan Underwood. All three will have the fortune of learning from a still-breathing Torry Holt, one of the finest route runners in the game.
4. New York Jets: Lost in the fact that they left this weekend with only three picks was the fact that Gang Green didn't really NEED much. They landed the QB they desperately wanted in USC's Mark Sanchez, whom some had rated higher than top pick Matt Stafford. They moved up again to take hard-charging Iowa RB Shonn Greene, who will inevitably spell the end for camp holdout Thomas Jones. The beauty of both trades was that they didn't have to sell the farm to move up, giving up only a few backups and a 2nd rounder for Sanchez and a couple late round picks for Greene. While the lack of picks over the years will hurt the Jets in the depth department, the team is built to win now, much like head coach Rex Ryan's former team, the Baltimore Ravens, were last year.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Speaking of win now, the Seahawks are another team that put themselves in position for a run. They ignored the hype of Sanchez and the temptation of Crabtree and snagged arguably the best player in this draft in Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry. They helped the O-line out with center/guard Max Unger and got a nice sleeper in WR Deon Butler out of Penn St. The biggest coup for Seattle though was snatching up Denver's 1st round pick next year for a 2nd rounder this year(which Denver used on undersized CB Alphonso Smith). Oh, and it doesn't hurt that they selected a couple of my boys in Rutgers QB Mike Teel(who I'll admit was a huge reach at the top of the 6th but I still believe he has the tools to be an adequate backup in this league) and S Courtney Greene(who is much better than his 7th round standing). While the team could have done more to get younger on the offensive line, the team hopes it can squeeze one more healthy year out of future Hall of Famer Walter Jones, as well as aging stars WR T.J. Houshmanzadeh and QB Matt Hassellback.
Thumbs Down:
1. Dallas Cowboys: This is normally the section where I eat my words, but come on! While props should be given that owner/GM Jerry Jones decided to do an about face from last year's strategy of picking stars out of the police blotter, Jones clearly thinks his team is better than they actually are. Already short-changed thanks to the bogus Roy Williams trade, the Cowboys foolishly opted out of Day 1 altogether, opting to go into Day 2 with 12 picks. Those picks, however, is where I'm a bit sour. Of those 12 selections, all appeared to be reaches and none seem like they'll be able to help the Cowboys in the immediate future. The most notable of the 12 is local product Stephen McGee, a QB out of Texas A & M, who doesn't have much of a chance of starting with Pro Bowl QB Tony Romo in front of him. The team's biggest needs, cornerback and wide reciever, weren't addressed until the final two picks with Cincy CB Mike Mickens and Okalahoma WR Manuel Johnson. Both of whom would be lucky to make the team.
2. Denver Broncos: You would think a guy who spent so many years under the tutleage of draft master Bill Belichick, you would think head coach Josh McDaniels would know a thing or two about building a team. After forcing his 25-year old franchise QB out of town by making googly-eyes at one of his former proteges, McDaniels ignored its huge holes on defense and used its first of two selections on Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno. While Moreno is a solid running back, his selection is a bit of a headscratcher given the fact that THE BRONCOS SIGNED THREE RUNNING BACKS PRIOR TO THE DRAFT! I know the team had some injury problems in the backfield, but clearly, that defense needed more immediate attention. Denver went defense with its 2nd pick in Tennesee DE/LB Robert Ayers, who has legit athleticism and pass-rushing ability....just like former first round flame-out Jarvis Moss. I'm not saying Ayers is going to be a bust, but the team might have been better served going with the significantly more athletic Brian Orakpo at 12, and then using thier 2nd pick on a guy like Rey Maualuga, who would have solidified the middle of that linebacking core. To top it off, the team traded one of its two 1st rounders next year for 5'9 cornerback Alphonso Smith, who, barring injury, will sit behind Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman to start the season. Not exactly a great start to the McDaniels Era.
3. Oakland Raiders: Man, where do I start? While I can understand the reluctance behind taking Texas Tech Micheal Crabtree(possibly slow 40, injured foot, pass happy system), someone is going to have to sit me down and explain to me how Darrius Heyward Bey is the 7th best player in this draft. Despite having guys on the board like Crabtree, OT Eugene Monroe, and DT B.J. Raji, GM/Owner Al Davis stuck with his obsession over 40 times and suprised everyone by taking DHB, who they probably could have traded back into the late first round to grab if they absolutely had to.(Well, not everyone, some mocks had DHB going here as a joke and even I hinted at it in my mock). That was just the start of it. Davis used a 2nd round pick on Ohio S Michael Mitchell, whom draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. had as the 73rd rated player at his position and whom some GMs had rated as an undrafted free agent. 73rd! I know Kiper isn't exactly Bill Parcells, but my God! The rest of the draft consisted of so many no-names, they could be casted for a Bring It On sequel.
4. Draft Time: Look, I love the NFL Draft. It's like Christmas multiplied by Thanksgiving for me, but even I don't believe it has any business running on prime-time...especially during the NBA playoffs. While last year's 3 p.m. start was brutal, the move to 4 p.m. was worse. The main problem with making the Draft so late isn't so much that it runs concurrent with other events(in the age of TiVo, there are ways to not miss an NBA playoff game or a Yankees-Red Sox showdown), it's that it's preceding by hours and hours of pre-draft hype inwhich the networks kill time by going over the same story lines over and over and over again. Where's Mark Sanchez going? Do we need a rookie wage scale? Who's trading up? Who's trading down? It's hyperbole overload. I've championed the idea of moving the draft a few weeks back for years, simply because all that down time leads to miniscule stories reaching the overblown level(particularly this year with all the rampant trade rumors and draft hypotheticals). If you want to keep the Draft in prime time, move it up to March and let it run as an opening act to baseball Opening Night. You can have Day 1 run from 12-8 and then go right into baseball's regular season debut. Otherwise, you'll just have more and more wasted time of talking heads spewing the same headlines over and over again, which brings me to....
5. Where's the sizzle?: Months of trade talk and the best you give me is Ellis Hobbs? What happened to Anquan going to the Eagles? Or Braylon to the Giants? All these "insiders" with their "near-certianties" and the best we got was a 3rd-string cornerback being dealt for a couple of late rounders nobody will remember. Sure, Boldin and Edwards and company could be dealt before the regular season, but after spending the last 12 weeks building up all this rampant talk that has fans salivating over the next big move, we ended up with an Acquisition Cold War. The only way the Draft Day trading scene could have been more disappointing would be if it was hosted by Nic Cage. Not only that, rather than trading their disgruntled stars, GMs decided to spite them as well as the fans by drafting their eventual replacements. The Eagles gave a huge middle finger to Sheldon Brown by trading for Hobbs and bringing in Macho Harris. The Jets brushed Thomas Jones off their shoulders by acquiring Shonn Greene. The Browns started preparing re-tape some new names over Brady Quinn and Braylon Edwards' lockers by drafting two recievers and trading for another quarterback. Worst of all were the Cardinals, who got Boldin more excited than Paula Abdul spotting a bowl full of Percocet by letting all this talk of an inevitable exit linger, only to turn their cell phones off over the weekend.
All in all, it was a respectable weekend. Despite the lack of star power at the top of the draft, teams made things interesting by swinging for the fences. Some teams whiffed and some teams put a few in the stands. While there's never any sure things following the last weekend of April, one thing I can say with great certianty is that the next five months til kickoff will be every bit as agonizing as the previous three were leading up to today.
--Dave
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Christmas Comes Early
If you're a nerd like me,(and chances are, you aren't), then this weekend's NFL Draft is the closest thing to a spring Christmas. No event is more responsible for more false hope than the NFL Draft. One by one, fans get bent out of shape over the acquisition of popular college enigmas in the hopes that these newcomers will lead them to the Promised Land. Another part of the great fun of Draft weekend is the slew of mock drafts that surface from every writer, fan, blogger, "expert" with a pulse. Mock drafts are thrilling because they are completely baseless educated guesses that turn out to be completely meaningless due to its inaccuracies by the end of the 1st round. So, despite the impossibility of a high success rate, I took it upon myself to write one anyway....because what's more fun than having a written excuse to put your foot in your mouth?
1. Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia. ESPN is already reporting that Stafford has agreed to a 6 year deal with nearly $42 million guarenteed, so any chance of a curveball at the top is now gone. With the suspense out of the way, Stafford now has all the time in the world to focus on turning around the worst sports franchise in the country and bringing hope to the most dilapidated city in America. No pressure, Matt.
2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor: (Draft Preface #1: Here is where everything is going to get interesting. After wowing scouts at his Pro Day, USC QB Mark Sanchez has a bunch of teams picking in the middle of the draft all googly-eyed over the idea of bringing him in as their QB of the future. The result has been weeks of smokescreens and trade rumors with contenders piling their chips in order to move up, while pretenders look to save money and fill more holes by moving down. So, really, the top 10 could be littered by some unexpected guests that will inevitably make everything I'm about to write moot. So while this mock has a no-trade policy, keep in mind that there could be, and more than likely will be, some shake-up at the top depending on how far Sanchez falls)-Reports have circulated recently that the Rams offered USC QB Mark Sanchez a plane ticket to St. Louis, which is either a harbinger that Sanchez will be the next Rams QB or a last ditch attempt at garnering interest in a deal. Assuming its the latter, I have the Rams addressing their biggest need, which is left tackle. The Rams pass protection has been abysmal over the last couple years, which has lead to the decline of stars like QB Marc Bulger, RB Stephen Jackson and ex-WR Torry Holt. Having honed his pass-blocking skills at pass happy Baylor, Smith would be an instant upgrade over current incumbant, Alex Barron.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU-As of a couple weeks ago, I was 99% sure this was going to be Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry. However, two things to consider. One, dating back to 2000 when he was with New England, current Chiefs GM Scott Pioli has used a first round pick on a LB once(last year's ROTY Jerod Mayo, whom the Pats traded down to take) so needless to say, Pioli doesn't covet linebackers, especially those who don't rush the passer, this high in the draft. Second, 3-4 ends like Jackson are rare breeds and there are some scouts who compare Jackson to a man Pioli was very familiar with in New England: Pro Bowl DE Richard Seymour. Is #3 a bit high for Jackson? Sure, but so is Curry, and if you're going to reach, you might as well take someone who fits. The perfect scenario for Kansas City would be to call up Redskins owner Dan Snyder and, assuming Mark Sanchez is still available, hope to work out a deal to move into the middle of the draft where they could still select Jackson and pay him less money. Either way, I would bet on Jackson over Curry.
4. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech-This pick is where I had the toughest time figuring things out. With possibilities like Curry, Sanchez, Crabtree and UVA OT Eugune Monroe all available, it's hard to make a solid case for one over the others. However, while QB Matt Hassellback is getting old and frail, he still has some game left in him and could be effective if they put a team around him. Could they use a replacement for Walter Jones at left tackle? Sure. Would it be nice to grab Sanchez here? Absolutely. Does Aaron Curry seem like a steal here after being projected to KC for so long? Definitely. However, we seem to forget that Crabtree is viewed by some to be the best player in this draft and, given the Seahawks' recieving woes last season, would be too good of a fit to pass up as an option opposite recent free-agent signing T.J. Houshmanzadeh.
5. Cleveland Browns: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest-With all the hoopla over trades for Braylon Edwards and Brady Quinn, the Browns can quell both fires considerably by selecting the best defensive player in the draft in Curry. While not used as a pass-rusher much at Wake Forest, Curry has the speed and athleticism to be a force in Eric Mangini's 3-4 scheme. While the Browns are hoping for Crabtree to fall to 5 and become Edwards' replacement, I'm sure they'll "settle" for Curry.
6. Cincinatti Bengals: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama-Lost in the running punchline that was the 2008 Bengals was the fact that their defense, which is traditionally horrible, wasn't too shabby last season. Now that they filled a hole in the middle with defensive tackle/Lord of War Tank Johnson, they can focus on their other big issue: offensive line. Much was made about Smith's not-so-flattering Combine, in which he showed up heavy and then left early, but there's no denying the kid can flat-out maul if you light a fire under his ass. With coach Marvin Lewis on the hot seat, I don't think he can pass up the most NFL-ready tackle in the draft if he falls to them.
7. Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri-With a reputation for more curveballs than Barry Zito, Raiders GM/owner Al Davis is always a tough nut to crack in terms of predicting just what he'll do on Draft Day. One thing's for sure, nobody is more obsessed with fast 40 times than Old Al. With 4.3 speed, decent size and a surplus of explosiveness, Maclin is the kind of talent that gets Davis all hot and bothered under his track suit....Of course, the same can be said about the slightly faster Darrius Heyward-Bey, whom Davis is supposedly infatuated with, so we'll see how this wild card plays out.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College(Draft Preface # 2: If Sanchez is still available when the Jags go on the clock, I give Jacksonville a 5% chance of staying at 8, given the desperation of teams like the Broncos at 12, the Redskins at 13 and the Jets at 17. If Sanchez is not available, watch out for the Patriots, who are reportedly interested in jumping into the top 10 and have the cavalcade of Day 1 picks to do it. Either way, don't be suprised if the Jags trade down.) With that being said, if the Jags stick at 8, it would be hard for them to pass up on the disruptive Raji. Having noticed the glaring hole inside after trading away DT Marcus Stroud last year, the Jags can pair Raji with the enormous John Henderson alongside last year's rookie DEs Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves. If Crabtree or Maclin slide, it will be interesting to see if the Jags go that route after being so unsuccessful taking WRs in the first round in years past.
9. Green Bay Packers: Brian Orakpo, DE/LB, Texas-After losing nearly half their games by a touchdown or less, the Packers come into this offseason with a new defensive philosophy(courtesy of Dom Capers and his 3-4 defense) and a new need: outside linebacker/pass rusher. Luckily for the Packers, The Orak Attack seems to be sliding a little, thanks to the emergence of Mark Sanchez. Word on the street is that Packers GM Ted Thompson has a huge man-crush for Orakpo following his workout last month and would be absolutely ecstatic to land him here. However, given the age of LT Chad Clifton and the possible non-return on Mark Tauscher on the right side, do not be suprised if the Packers go offensive line here.
10. San Francisco 49ers: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia-Head coach Mike Singletary is telling anyone that will listen he's fine with the two-headed monster of Alex Smith and Shaun Hill at QB and they have no interest in using this pick on Mark Sanchez or anyone other rookie signal caller(It should be noted that, while Sanchez is available here, the chances of him actually being available when the Niners go on the clock are slim-to-none). Monroe was once considered the top tackle in the draft before the emergence of Jason Smith and the unveiling of Monroe's creaky knees. While the Niners did sign Marvel Smith in the offseason, he's coming off back surgury and, thus, is a bit shaky to last the full season.
11. Buffalo Bills: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss-Having hit the jackpot by moving underpaid-yet-overrated LT Jason Peters to Philadelphia, the Bills were able to score a king's ransom, yet also open up a hole. While Oher's poor Combine and Pro Day has his stock falling from once a potential # 1 pick to the 10-20 range, the Bills can ill-afford that Oher or another OT of his caliber will be available when they go up again at 28. If a DE like Brian Orakpo were to fall to 11 though, that could change their mind. Another possibility is Oklahoma St. TE Brandon Pettigrew, whom the Bills are targeting with their 2nd pick.
12. Denver Broncos: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC-While I mentioned in blogs past that it would be foolish for Denver to tab Sanchez as their guy after acquring Kyle Orton in the Jay Cutler trade, the fact of the matter is, coach Josh McDaniels seems to have taken a liking to Sanchez. While I strongly doubt Sanchez falls to 12, the chances of him being a Bronco aren't too bad given the fact that the Broncos main competitors for Sanchez(Washington and the Jets) are less equipped to move up than Denver is. If Denver changes its mind or Sanchez is unavailable, expect them to go defense with both this and their pick from Chicago at 18.
13. Washington Redskins: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St.-I have a hard time believing that Dan Snyder won't offer the house to get Mark Sanchez. I'm not saying we could see a Ditka-Ricky Williams kind of deal occur, but it wouldn't suprise me given the fact that they all but torched the bridge with current QB Jason Campbell. However, hypotheticals aside, the Redskins need a pass rusher and Maybin has the most raw potential of any pass rusher in the draft. Only 21, Maybin bulked up prior to Pro Day and still exhibited the speed and athleticism that has him projected all over this draft. If the price to move up for Sanchez is too expensive(which, in Snyder Land, is unlikely), they could stay at home and tab Maybin or another DE here.
14. New Orleans Saints: Brian Cushing, LB, USC-The word out of N.O. is that this is a toss-up between Cushing and Ohio St. RB Chris "Beenie" Wells. While Wells would be the perfect power complement to the speedy Reggie Bush, the Saints might be reluctant to take another RB(an oft-injured one at that) with so many needs on defense and so little picks. If the team is sold on Beenie, there could be the possibility of moving down in the hopes of gaining another pick. As for Cushing, he's the rare type of 4-3 outside linebacker who can wreak havoc rushing the passer, something the Saints could use given its weakness in the secondary.
15. Houston Texans: Malcom Jenkins, CB/FS, Ohio St.-Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Had Jenkins came out last season, he was a sure-fire top 10 pick. Instead, he chased a title at Ohio St. and, like his Buckeye buddies, sees his draft stock plummet thanks to an underwhelming season and an even more disappointing workout at the Combine and Pro Day. However, Jenkins has to be considered a steal at 15 and would make a nice combo when paired with franchised CB Dunta Robinson and free-agent signing Eugene Wilson. While lacking in speed, Jenkins has great size(6'1, 210 lbs) and good instincts, which is a neccesity to a team playing Peyton Manning twice a year.
16. San Diego Chargers: Rey Maualuaga, ILB, USC-With the top OTs off the board, as well as the best 3-4 end in Tyson Jackson, this pick comes down to Maualuga and the Bolts' choice of the top RBs(Wells, Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown). Having signed LT for another 3 years(though my heart says he plays only 1 more in San Diego) and with Darren Sproles franchised, the Chargers could wait on a young back as opposed to taking an impact linebacker like Maualuga. With his freakish size and speed and his bone-jarring hits, Maualuga seems like the perfect fit on a team that already has the steroid-addled intensity of Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman. With no 2nd rounder, the Chargers could still opt to tab Wells or Moreno here, or more likely, trade down in hopes of picking up and an extra pick.
17. New York Jets: Chris "Beenie" Wells, RB, Ohio St.-While I generally have no clue what ANY of these teams are doing on Draft Day, the Jets in particular has me especially perplexed. With no real needs outside of QB, the Jets could choose to either go all-in and move up for USC's Mark Sanchez, strike a deal for veterans like Jason Campbell or Brady Quinn or stay put and take the best player available. The big wild card at this spot is Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman, who has the most upside but is still very raw and needs time to develop(something that's hard to do in the Metropolitan Area). With RB Thomas Jones turning 31 and heading for decline and backup Leon Washington better suited for 3rd down duty, the team could use a big bruiser like Wells to eventually supplant Jones and work as the Thunder to Washington's Lightning(ala Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne with the Giants nearly a decade ago...which still gives Gabe nightmares). Other options include Maryland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, UNC's Hakeem Nicks and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno.
18. Denver Broncos(from Chicago): Everette Brown, DE/LB, Florida St.-Having tabbed its QB of the future with Mark Sanchez, the Broncos can now focus on an actual need: defense. While Everette Brown performed well at the Combine and his Pro Day, he's hurt by both his lack of height(6'1) and the stigma of Florida St. defensive ends' lack of success in the NFL(Kamerion Wimbley, Jamal Reynolds, Andre Wadsworth). With most of the top pass rushers gone, Brown still represents value here, as he is still considered a possible top 10 pick by some. Other possibilities are Ole Miss DT Peria Jerry, USC LB Clay Matthews, and Tennesee DE Robert Ayers.
19. Tampa Bay Bucs: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss-Maybe it's just me, but I find the idea of the Bucs still possibly taking Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman after just signing Byron Leftwich a couple weeks ago just a wee bit confusing. Sure, Leftwich is not exactly a franchise QB at 28(and on his 4th team, no less) and certianly Freeman could sit out Leftwich 2-year deal and then take over when Leftwich is a free agent, but what happens if Leftwich succeeds? And why have Josh Johnson and Luke McCown on the roster if you're taking another QB? All these legit questions aside, I went with Jerry here because he fills a more immediate need. With the team lacking an inside presence since Warren Sapp left and having released most, if not all, of its stars on defense, the team can afford to bring in some new help.....that is, of course, if they don't squander this pick on Freeman.
20. Detroit Lions(from Dallas): Robert Ayers, DE, Tennesee-With Stafford signed, sealed and delivered, the Lions can now focus their attention on making that silly Roy Williams trade look even more lop-sided in their favor. While the Lions would love one of the top OT to fall here, they might have to settle for Ayers, whose stock is on the rise after a solid Pro Day and would fit in nicely in new coach Jim Schwartz's scheme.
21. Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St. (Draft Preface # 3: Two things to look out for at this point of the draft. First, if Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman is still available here, these next 6-7 picks could be trade bait for teams at the top of the 2nd looking to move back in to grab the last potential franchise QB. Secondly, the Cardinals are still actively shopping WR Anquan Boldin, and while its believed the price has dropped to a 2nd rounder and other late round considerations, it's not unlikely for a team to offer a 1st in an attempt to trump other offers)-With only two of the top WRs gone and only one top RB taken, you would think Andy Reid would use this pick to take a WR or RB.....and you would be wrong. Here are the facts. Reid's never taken a RB higher than the 3rd(and that includes current franchise back Brian Westbrook) and has taken a WR in the 1st once(the laughably horrible Freddie "FredEx" Mitchell). In fact, assuming that the Eagles would take Pettigrew is a stretch given the history of the team's unwillingness to use high picks to help out QB Donovan McNabb. The more likely scenario would be swapping with Buffalo or a team at the top of the 2nd round and taking Cal center Alex Mack. If, for some chance, the pick is Pettigrew, he has the type of size to be a factor over the middle for McNabb. Also, unlike predecessor L.J. Smith, Pettigrew has reliable hands and is a solid blocker.
22. Minnesota Vikings: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St.-While I'd find it more likely for the Vikes to take Huey Freeman than Josh Freeman, the fact remains that a. Freeman's the best player available and b. the Vikings need a QB(For further info into this topic, see Gabe's blog about Brad Childress from earlier this month). With Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels(whom the Vikes traded for and signed to a decent sized contract) on the roster, Freeman would be a longshot here, but he would be an upgrade. Like the proposed scenario in Tampa Bay, Freeman could stand to learn a thing or two by waiting out the incumbent's contract and then inevitably taking over when he's ready. While it's more likely Minnesota will go OT or maybe even WR, they could be a prime candidate in Draft Preface # 3. Another situation to watch will be the QBs that come available after the Mark Sanchez Sweepstakes is over.
23. New England Patriots: Larry English, DE/LB, Northern Illinois-Armed with 4 picks inside the first 60 selections, the Pats have made it known they're looking to move up to land a premier talent as opposed to a group of lesser worker bees. Could this mean a deal for disgruntled Panthers DE Julius Peppers? Doubtful, but it's something worth looking into. With nothing behind QB and playoff rally killer Jake Delhomme, the team could dangle Peppers with the hope of getting back into the first round to nab a guy like Josh Freeman if he's there. While Peppers would command the kind of big contract the Pats generally avoid, you'd have to believe Peppers' contract demands won't be much different than those of a top 10 pick. As for English, he would bring back the pass rush vacated by the departure of Mike Vrabel and is the type of raw talent that the Pats have molded into gold over the years.
24. Atlanta Falcons: Evander "Ziggy" Hood, DT, Missouri-Having addressed its need for a TE by stealing Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez from the Chiefs, the Falcons can focus on addressing their needs on defense, most importantly, on the defensive line. Having wisely passed up Glenn Dorsey for Matt Ryan last year, the Dirty Birds still have a gaping hole inside and Hood, whose stock is moving up, is the type of big body to fill it. Another option here could be UConn's Darius Butler and Illinois' Vontae Davis, both cornerbacks, who could fill the spot left by DeAngelo Hall and most recently, Dominique Foxworth.
25. Miami Dolphins: Clay Matthews, LB, USC-While this would be a prime spot for the Phins to snag a reciever to pair with Ted Ginn Jr, the more likely scenario would be targeting two of Parcells' most coveted positions: linebacker and cornerback. Like his USC linebacker mates, Matthews is extremely athletic and would make a nice pair with aging Joey Porter. While it's possible a curveball like Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt could be the pick, the only other realistic option would a cornerback like Darius Butler or Alphonso Smith.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC-With the price tag on Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin decreased, it's possible the Ravens swing a deal for Boldin and use this pick to get younger on defense. However, with no deal on the table as of yet, the Ravens get their choice of Nicks, Rutgers' Kenny Britt and local boy Darrius Heyward Bey. With Derrick Mason aging and not much behind him and Mark Clayton, the need for a pass catcher has become a top priority. On a side note, my sole purpose for opting for Nicks over Britt is because the idea of my friend Carlos' Ravens acquring ANOTHER one of my beloved Scarlet Knights would sicken me to the point where I might not leave the bed til Christmas.
27. Indianapolis Colts: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland-The Colts can go a number of ways here. They could address the offensive line with guys like Arizona's Eban Britton, Oklahoma's Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson or Cal's Alex Mack. I went with DHB here because the Colts favor the 3 WR set and, without Marvin Harrison, they could use another speedy threat to add to Peyton Manning's arsenal. Also, in continuing to beat this scenario into the ground, keep an eye out for Josh Freeman, not just as trade bait, but as the possible heir apparent to Mr. Laser Rocket Arm.
28. Buffalo Bills(from Philadelphia): Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech-Best case scenario for the Bills is TE Brandon Pettigrew, whom they are considering at # 11, falling here. However, the team has needs on the defensive line. Unable to muster a pass rush outside of DE Aaron Schobel, the team needs an influx of quality lineman. While Johnson's rep for being somewhat lazy could drop him down to the late 2nd-early 3rd area, the Bills could use the extra pick here to snag a project with incredible upside. Johnson is 6'7, with a 4.4 40, and with the right push, could be the next Julius Peppers. This late in the round, he could be worth the gamble.
29. New York Giants: James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio St.-With Plaxico Burress gone, the team is searching a true # 1 WR to be a shot in the arm(or leg) for this team. However, the draft only has one true # 1 and that's Michael Crabtree, who needless to say will not be available at 29. It also should be mentioned that the Giants have stocked up on young WRs the last few drafts and while Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss and Dominik Hixon don't have the big play ability of Plax, they might be enough to usher Big Blue from taking a WR(at least, until they acquire Braylon Edwards from Cleveland). Laurinitis, like his teammate Malcom Jenkins, could have made himself some serious coin had he came out last year, but inevitiably stayed and killed his draft stock. With his athleticism and instinct, he could be a nice fit on the inside or outside for a Giants team still searching for another Jessie Armstead.
30. Tennesee Titans: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers- Every year, mock drafters like myself sucker ourselves into thinking the Titans will finally address their need at reciever by taking a wideout in the first frame. Every year, they make us into liars. While Britt would represent excellent value at this pick and has the best potential to be a # 1 WR of the group of guys not named Mike Crabtree, the fact is, this pick will probably not be Kenny Britt. The more likely scenario is the Titans taking an interior lineman like Alex Mack or Oregon St.'s Max Unger or continuing to irritate former ROTY Vince Young by taking another QB like, yup, you guessed it, Josh Freeman.
31. Arizona Cardinals: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia-Outside of Crabtree and my boy Kenny Britt, I think Knowshon Moreno might be among the best players in this draft. However, given last year's huge class of running backs and the lack of need this year, Moreno is somewhat of a draft enigma. On the one hand, he makes great sense for a team like Denver at 12, or San Diego at 16 or the Jets at 17, but the Mark Sanchez circus makes it hard for anyone to envision Moreno going to any of those places. With Edge James on the way out and Tim Hightower better suited for part-time duty, the Cards could use another weapon in their high octane offense. While Moreno doesn't possess outer-worldly speed, he has great vision and is dangerous in the open field. He's also a solid reciever out of the backfield, something QB Kurt Warner will need after Anquan Boldin is traded.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona-When you're the champs, you can pretty much go for the best player available. Lucky for the Steelers, Eban Britton represents both value and need. With their bookend tackles unsigned, the team could take advantage of a deep OT class to help keep Big Ben upright and avoid last year's turnstile O-Line. Another option is 6'3 Utah CB/S Sean Smith, who could replace departed CB Bryant McFadden opposite Ike Taylor or fill in for Troy Polamalu when he inevitably succumbs to The Madden Curse(Sorry, Sean).
---Dave
1. Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia. ESPN is already reporting that Stafford has agreed to a 6 year deal with nearly $42 million guarenteed, so any chance of a curveball at the top is now gone. With the suspense out of the way, Stafford now has all the time in the world to focus on turning around the worst sports franchise in the country and bringing hope to the most dilapidated city in America. No pressure, Matt.
2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor: (Draft Preface #1: Here is where everything is going to get interesting. After wowing scouts at his Pro Day, USC QB Mark Sanchez has a bunch of teams picking in the middle of the draft all googly-eyed over the idea of bringing him in as their QB of the future. The result has been weeks of smokescreens and trade rumors with contenders piling their chips in order to move up, while pretenders look to save money and fill more holes by moving down. So, really, the top 10 could be littered by some unexpected guests that will inevitably make everything I'm about to write moot. So while this mock has a no-trade policy, keep in mind that there could be, and more than likely will be, some shake-up at the top depending on how far Sanchez falls)-Reports have circulated recently that the Rams offered USC QB Mark Sanchez a plane ticket to St. Louis, which is either a harbinger that Sanchez will be the next Rams QB or a last ditch attempt at garnering interest in a deal. Assuming its the latter, I have the Rams addressing their biggest need, which is left tackle. The Rams pass protection has been abysmal over the last couple years, which has lead to the decline of stars like QB Marc Bulger, RB Stephen Jackson and ex-WR Torry Holt. Having honed his pass-blocking skills at pass happy Baylor, Smith would be an instant upgrade over current incumbant, Alex Barron.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU-As of a couple weeks ago, I was 99% sure this was going to be Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry. However, two things to consider. One, dating back to 2000 when he was with New England, current Chiefs GM Scott Pioli has used a first round pick on a LB once(last year's ROTY Jerod Mayo, whom the Pats traded down to take) so needless to say, Pioli doesn't covet linebackers, especially those who don't rush the passer, this high in the draft. Second, 3-4 ends like Jackson are rare breeds and there are some scouts who compare Jackson to a man Pioli was very familiar with in New England: Pro Bowl DE Richard Seymour. Is #3 a bit high for Jackson? Sure, but so is Curry, and if you're going to reach, you might as well take someone who fits. The perfect scenario for Kansas City would be to call up Redskins owner Dan Snyder and, assuming Mark Sanchez is still available, hope to work out a deal to move into the middle of the draft where they could still select Jackson and pay him less money. Either way, I would bet on Jackson over Curry.
4. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech-This pick is where I had the toughest time figuring things out. With possibilities like Curry, Sanchez, Crabtree and UVA OT Eugune Monroe all available, it's hard to make a solid case for one over the others. However, while QB Matt Hassellback is getting old and frail, he still has some game left in him and could be effective if they put a team around him. Could they use a replacement for Walter Jones at left tackle? Sure. Would it be nice to grab Sanchez here? Absolutely. Does Aaron Curry seem like a steal here after being projected to KC for so long? Definitely. However, we seem to forget that Crabtree is viewed by some to be the best player in this draft and, given the Seahawks' recieving woes last season, would be too good of a fit to pass up as an option opposite recent free-agent signing T.J. Houshmanzadeh.
5. Cleveland Browns: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest-With all the hoopla over trades for Braylon Edwards and Brady Quinn, the Browns can quell both fires considerably by selecting the best defensive player in the draft in Curry. While not used as a pass-rusher much at Wake Forest, Curry has the speed and athleticism to be a force in Eric Mangini's 3-4 scheme. While the Browns are hoping for Crabtree to fall to 5 and become Edwards' replacement, I'm sure they'll "settle" for Curry.
6. Cincinatti Bengals: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama-Lost in the running punchline that was the 2008 Bengals was the fact that their defense, which is traditionally horrible, wasn't too shabby last season. Now that they filled a hole in the middle with defensive tackle/Lord of War Tank Johnson, they can focus on their other big issue: offensive line. Much was made about Smith's not-so-flattering Combine, in which he showed up heavy and then left early, but there's no denying the kid can flat-out maul if you light a fire under his ass. With coach Marvin Lewis on the hot seat, I don't think he can pass up the most NFL-ready tackle in the draft if he falls to them.
7. Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri-With a reputation for more curveballs than Barry Zito, Raiders GM/owner Al Davis is always a tough nut to crack in terms of predicting just what he'll do on Draft Day. One thing's for sure, nobody is more obsessed with fast 40 times than Old Al. With 4.3 speed, decent size and a surplus of explosiveness, Maclin is the kind of talent that gets Davis all hot and bothered under his track suit....Of course, the same can be said about the slightly faster Darrius Heyward-Bey, whom Davis is supposedly infatuated with, so we'll see how this wild card plays out.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College(Draft Preface # 2: If Sanchez is still available when the Jags go on the clock, I give Jacksonville a 5% chance of staying at 8, given the desperation of teams like the Broncos at 12, the Redskins at 13 and the Jets at 17. If Sanchez is not available, watch out for the Patriots, who are reportedly interested in jumping into the top 10 and have the cavalcade of Day 1 picks to do it. Either way, don't be suprised if the Jags trade down.) With that being said, if the Jags stick at 8, it would be hard for them to pass up on the disruptive Raji. Having noticed the glaring hole inside after trading away DT Marcus Stroud last year, the Jags can pair Raji with the enormous John Henderson alongside last year's rookie DEs Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves. If Crabtree or Maclin slide, it will be interesting to see if the Jags go that route after being so unsuccessful taking WRs in the first round in years past.
9. Green Bay Packers: Brian Orakpo, DE/LB, Texas-After losing nearly half their games by a touchdown or less, the Packers come into this offseason with a new defensive philosophy(courtesy of Dom Capers and his 3-4 defense) and a new need: outside linebacker/pass rusher. Luckily for the Packers, The Orak Attack seems to be sliding a little, thanks to the emergence of Mark Sanchez. Word on the street is that Packers GM Ted Thompson has a huge man-crush for Orakpo following his workout last month and would be absolutely ecstatic to land him here. However, given the age of LT Chad Clifton and the possible non-return on Mark Tauscher on the right side, do not be suprised if the Packers go offensive line here.
10. San Francisco 49ers: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia-Head coach Mike Singletary is telling anyone that will listen he's fine with the two-headed monster of Alex Smith and Shaun Hill at QB and they have no interest in using this pick on Mark Sanchez or anyone other rookie signal caller(It should be noted that, while Sanchez is available here, the chances of him actually being available when the Niners go on the clock are slim-to-none). Monroe was once considered the top tackle in the draft before the emergence of Jason Smith and the unveiling of Monroe's creaky knees. While the Niners did sign Marvel Smith in the offseason, he's coming off back surgury and, thus, is a bit shaky to last the full season.
11. Buffalo Bills: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss-Having hit the jackpot by moving underpaid-yet-overrated LT Jason Peters to Philadelphia, the Bills were able to score a king's ransom, yet also open up a hole. While Oher's poor Combine and Pro Day has his stock falling from once a potential # 1 pick to the 10-20 range, the Bills can ill-afford that Oher or another OT of his caliber will be available when they go up again at 28. If a DE like Brian Orakpo were to fall to 11 though, that could change their mind. Another possibility is Oklahoma St. TE Brandon Pettigrew, whom the Bills are targeting with their 2nd pick.
12. Denver Broncos: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC-While I mentioned in blogs past that it would be foolish for Denver to tab Sanchez as their guy after acquring Kyle Orton in the Jay Cutler trade, the fact of the matter is, coach Josh McDaniels seems to have taken a liking to Sanchez. While I strongly doubt Sanchez falls to 12, the chances of him being a Bronco aren't too bad given the fact that the Broncos main competitors for Sanchez(Washington and the Jets) are less equipped to move up than Denver is. If Denver changes its mind or Sanchez is unavailable, expect them to go defense with both this and their pick from Chicago at 18.
13. Washington Redskins: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St.-I have a hard time believing that Dan Snyder won't offer the house to get Mark Sanchez. I'm not saying we could see a Ditka-Ricky Williams kind of deal occur, but it wouldn't suprise me given the fact that they all but torched the bridge with current QB Jason Campbell. However, hypotheticals aside, the Redskins need a pass rusher and Maybin has the most raw potential of any pass rusher in the draft. Only 21, Maybin bulked up prior to Pro Day and still exhibited the speed and athleticism that has him projected all over this draft. If the price to move up for Sanchez is too expensive(which, in Snyder Land, is unlikely), they could stay at home and tab Maybin or another DE here.
14. New Orleans Saints: Brian Cushing, LB, USC-The word out of N.O. is that this is a toss-up between Cushing and Ohio St. RB Chris "Beenie" Wells. While Wells would be the perfect power complement to the speedy Reggie Bush, the Saints might be reluctant to take another RB(an oft-injured one at that) with so many needs on defense and so little picks. If the team is sold on Beenie, there could be the possibility of moving down in the hopes of gaining another pick. As for Cushing, he's the rare type of 4-3 outside linebacker who can wreak havoc rushing the passer, something the Saints could use given its weakness in the secondary.
15. Houston Texans: Malcom Jenkins, CB/FS, Ohio St.-Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Had Jenkins came out last season, he was a sure-fire top 10 pick. Instead, he chased a title at Ohio St. and, like his Buckeye buddies, sees his draft stock plummet thanks to an underwhelming season and an even more disappointing workout at the Combine and Pro Day. However, Jenkins has to be considered a steal at 15 and would make a nice combo when paired with franchised CB Dunta Robinson and free-agent signing Eugene Wilson. While lacking in speed, Jenkins has great size(6'1, 210 lbs) and good instincts, which is a neccesity to a team playing Peyton Manning twice a year.
16. San Diego Chargers: Rey Maualuaga, ILB, USC-With the top OTs off the board, as well as the best 3-4 end in Tyson Jackson, this pick comes down to Maualuga and the Bolts' choice of the top RBs(Wells, Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown). Having signed LT for another 3 years(though my heart says he plays only 1 more in San Diego) and with Darren Sproles franchised, the Chargers could wait on a young back as opposed to taking an impact linebacker like Maualuga. With his freakish size and speed and his bone-jarring hits, Maualuga seems like the perfect fit on a team that already has the steroid-addled intensity of Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman. With no 2nd rounder, the Chargers could still opt to tab Wells or Moreno here, or more likely, trade down in hopes of picking up and an extra pick.
17. New York Jets: Chris "Beenie" Wells, RB, Ohio St.-While I generally have no clue what ANY of these teams are doing on Draft Day, the Jets in particular has me especially perplexed. With no real needs outside of QB, the Jets could choose to either go all-in and move up for USC's Mark Sanchez, strike a deal for veterans like Jason Campbell or Brady Quinn or stay put and take the best player available. The big wild card at this spot is Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman, who has the most upside but is still very raw and needs time to develop(something that's hard to do in the Metropolitan Area). With RB Thomas Jones turning 31 and heading for decline and backup Leon Washington better suited for 3rd down duty, the team could use a big bruiser like Wells to eventually supplant Jones and work as the Thunder to Washington's Lightning(ala Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne with the Giants nearly a decade ago...which still gives Gabe nightmares). Other options include Maryland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, UNC's Hakeem Nicks and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno.
18. Denver Broncos(from Chicago): Everette Brown, DE/LB, Florida St.-Having tabbed its QB of the future with Mark Sanchez, the Broncos can now focus on an actual need: defense. While Everette Brown performed well at the Combine and his Pro Day, he's hurt by both his lack of height(6'1) and the stigma of Florida St. defensive ends' lack of success in the NFL(Kamerion Wimbley, Jamal Reynolds, Andre Wadsworth). With most of the top pass rushers gone, Brown still represents value here, as he is still considered a possible top 10 pick by some. Other possibilities are Ole Miss DT Peria Jerry, USC LB Clay Matthews, and Tennesee DE Robert Ayers.
19. Tampa Bay Bucs: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss-Maybe it's just me, but I find the idea of the Bucs still possibly taking Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman after just signing Byron Leftwich a couple weeks ago just a wee bit confusing. Sure, Leftwich is not exactly a franchise QB at 28(and on his 4th team, no less) and certianly Freeman could sit out Leftwich 2-year deal and then take over when Leftwich is a free agent, but what happens if Leftwich succeeds? And why have Josh Johnson and Luke McCown on the roster if you're taking another QB? All these legit questions aside, I went with Jerry here because he fills a more immediate need. With the team lacking an inside presence since Warren Sapp left and having released most, if not all, of its stars on defense, the team can afford to bring in some new help.....that is, of course, if they don't squander this pick on Freeman.
20. Detroit Lions(from Dallas): Robert Ayers, DE, Tennesee-With Stafford signed, sealed and delivered, the Lions can now focus their attention on making that silly Roy Williams trade look even more lop-sided in their favor. While the Lions would love one of the top OT to fall here, they might have to settle for Ayers, whose stock is on the rise after a solid Pro Day and would fit in nicely in new coach Jim Schwartz's scheme.
21. Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St. (Draft Preface # 3: Two things to look out for at this point of the draft. First, if Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman is still available here, these next 6-7 picks could be trade bait for teams at the top of the 2nd looking to move back in to grab the last potential franchise QB. Secondly, the Cardinals are still actively shopping WR Anquan Boldin, and while its believed the price has dropped to a 2nd rounder and other late round considerations, it's not unlikely for a team to offer a 1st in an attempt to trump other offers)-With only two of the top WRs gone and only one top RB taken, you would think Andy Reid would use this pick to take a WR or RB.....and you would be wrong. Here are the facts. Reid's never taken a RB higher than the 3rd(and that includes current franchise back Brian Westbrook) and has taken a WR in the 1st once(the laughably horrible Freddie "FredEx" Mitchell). In fact, assuming that the Eagles would take Pettigrew is a stretch given the history of the team's unwillingness to use high picks to help out QB Donovan McNabb. The more likely scenario would be swapping with Buffalo or a team at the top of the 2nd round and taking Cal center Alex Mack. If, for some chance, the pick is Pettigrew, he has the type of size to be a factor over the middle for McNabb. Also, unlike predecessor L.J. Smith, Pettigrew has reliable hands and is a solid blocker.
22. Minnesota Vikings: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St.-While I'd find it more likely for the Vikes to take Huey Freeman than Josh Freeman, the fact remains that a. Freeman's the best player available and b. the Vikings need a QB(For further info into this topic, see Gabe's blog about Brad Childress from earlier this month). With Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels(whom the Vikes traded for and signed to a decent sized contract) on the roster, Freeman would be a longshot here, but he would be an upgrade. Like the proposed scenario in Tampa Bay, Freeman could stand to learn a thing or two by waiting out the incumbent's contract and then inevitably taking over when he's ready. While it's more likely Minnesota will go OT or maybe even WR, they could be a prime candidate in Draft Preface # 3. Another situation to watch will be the QBs that come available after the Mark Sanchez Sweepstakes is over.
23. New England Patriots: Larry English, DE/LB, Northern Illinois-Armed with 4 picks inside the first 60 selections, the Pats have made it known they're looking to move up to land a premier talent as opposed to a group of lesser worker bees. Could this mean a deal for disgruntled Panthers DE Julius Peppers? Doubtful, but it's something worth looking into. With nothing behind QB and playoff rally killer Jake Delhomme, the team could dangle Peppers with the hope of getting back into the first round to nab a guy like Josh Freeman if he's there. While Peppers would command the kind of big contract the Pats generally avoid, you'd have to believe Peppers' contract demands won't be much different than those of a top 10 pick. As for English, he would bring back the pass rush vacated by the departure of Mike Vrabel and is the type of raw talent that the Pats have molded into gold over the years.
24. Atlanta Falcons: Evander "Ziggy" Hood, DT, Missouri-Having addressed its need for a TE by stealing Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez from the Chiefs, the Falcons can focus on addressing their needs on defense, most importantly, on the defensive line. Having wisely passed up Glenn Dorsey for Matt Ryan last year, the Dirty Birds still have a gaping hole inside and Hood, whose stock is moving up, is the type of big body to fill it. Another option here could be UConn's Darius Butler and Illinois' Vontae Davis, both cornerbacks, who could fill the spot left by DeAngelo Hall and most recently, Dominique Foxworth.
25. Miami Dolphins: Clay Matthews, LB, USC-While this would be a prime spot for the Phins to snag a reciever to pair with Ted Ginn Jr, the more likely scenario would be targeting two of Parcells' most coveted positions: linebacker and cornerback. Like his USC linebacker mates, Matthews is extremely athletic and would make a nice pair with aging Joey Porter. While it's possible a curveball like Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt could be the pick, the only other realistic option would a cornerback like Darius Butler or Alphonso Smith.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC-With the price tag on Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin decreased, it's possible the Ravens swing a deal for Boldin and use this pick to get younger on defense. However, with no deal on the table as of yet, the Ravens get their choice of Nicks, Rutgers' Kenny Britt and local boy Darrius Heyward Bey. With Derrick Mason aging and not much behind him and Mark Clayton, the need for a pass catcher has become a top priority. On a side note, my sole purpose for opting for Nicks over Britt is because the idea of my friend Carlos' Ravens acquring ANOTHER one of my beloved Scarlet Knights would sicken me to the point where I might not leave the bed til Christmas.
27. Indianapolis Colts: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland-The Colts can go a number of ways here. They could address the offensive line with guys like Arizona's Eban Britton, Oklahoma's Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson or Cal's Alex Mack. I went with DHB here because the Colts favor the 3 WR set and, without Marvin Harrison, they could use another speedy threat to add to Peyton Manning's arsenal. Also, in continuing to beat this scenario into the ground, keep an eye out for Josh Freeman, not just as trade bait, but as the possible heir apparent to Mr. Laser Rocket Arm.
28. Buffalo Bills(from Philadelphia): Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech-Best case scenario for the Bills is TE Brandon Pettigrew, whom they are considering at # 11, falling here. However, the team has needs on the defensive line. Unable to muster a pass rush outside of DE Aaron Schobel, the team needs an influx of quality lineman. While Johnson's rep for being somewhat lazy could drop him down to the late 2nd-early 3rd area, the Bills could use the extra pick here to snag a project with incredible upside. Johnson is 6'7, with a 4.4 40, and with the right push, could be the next Julius Peppers. This late in the round, he could be worth the gamble.
29. New York Giants: James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio St.-With Plaxico Burress gone, the team is searching a true # 1 WR to be a shot in the arm(or leg) for this team. However, the draft only has one true # 1 and that's Michael Crabtree, who needless to say will not be available at 29. It also should be mentioned that the Giants have stocked up on young WRs the last few drafts and while Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss and Dominik Hixon don't have the big play ability of Plax, they might be enough to usher Big Blue from taking a WR(at least, until they acquire Braylon Edwards from Cleveland). Laurinitis, like his teammate Malcom Jenkins, could have made himself some serious coin had he came out last year, but inevitiably stayed and killed his draft stock. With his athleticism and instinct, he could be a nice fit on the inside or outside for a Giants team still searching for another Jessie Armstead.
30. Tennesee Titans: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers- Every year, mock drafters like myself sucker ourselves into thinking the Titans will finally address their need at reciever by taking a wideout in the first frame. Every year, they make us into liars. While Britt would represent excellent value at this pick and has the best potential to be a # 1 WR of the group of guys not named Mike Crabtree, the fact is, this pick will probably not be Kenny Britt. The more likely scenario is the Titans taking an interior lineman like Alex Mack or Oregon St.'s Max Unger or continuing to irritate former ROTY Vince Young by taking another QB like, yup, you guessed it, Josh Freeman.
31. Arizona Cardinals: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia-Outside of Crabtree and my boy Kenny Britt, I think Knowshon Moreno might be among the best players in this draft. However, given last year's huge class of running backs and the lack of need this year, Moreno is somewhat of a draft enigma. On the one hand, he makes great sense for a team like Denver at 12, or San Diego at 16 or the Jets at 17, but the Mark Sanchez circus makes it hard for anyone to envision Moreno going to any of those places. With Edge James on the way out and Tim Hightower better suited for part-time duty, the Cards could use another weapon in their high octane offense. While Moreno doesn't possess outer-worldly speed, he has great vision and is dangerous in the open field. He's also a solid reciever out of the backfield, something QB Kurt Warner will need after Anquan Boldin is traded.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona-When you're the champs, you can pretty much go for the best player available. Lucky for the Steelers, Eban Britton represents both value and need. With their bookend tackles unsigned, the team could take advantage of a deep OT class to help keep Big Ben upright and avoid last year's turnstile O-Line. Another option is 6'3 Utah CB/S Sean Smith, who could replace departed CB Bryant McFadden opposite Ike Taylor or fill in for Troy Polamalu when he inevitably succumbs to The Madden Curse(Sorry, Sean).
---Dave
Thursday, April 23, 2009
NBA Playoff update and Nats wrap-up [Edit]
I have beaten the latest Nats scandals into the ground in this blog. So for everyone's sake I will not say anything more until their next great embarrassing failure. As a wrap-up, everyone should check out the Washington Post Talking Points with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. On the April 20th and 21st editions (especially the 21st) they go off and light up the Nationals in a way I wish I could. There, done.
On to the Association.
The NBA playoffs are well under way now and all of the series are two games deep. The Lakers, Nuggets, and Cavaliers are all up 2-0 in their respective series. That's not really a surprise considering they are the two one-seeds and a number two. All of the rest of the series are tied at 1-1.
The two series that have grabbed me are Celtics/Bulls and Spurs/Mavs. They both look like they are going to be long and hard fought.
The Celtics/Bulls series has been so much fun to watch, and I think the Celtics are in trouble. The Bulls are averaging 110 points a game in the series. In each game the Celts have let one Bull score over 35 points in each game (Derrick Rose in game one, Ben Gordon in game two). Paul Pierce isn't playing well. If it wasn't for Ray Allen having the second half of his life the Celtics would be down 0-2.
On the bad side for the Bulls, there is no excuse not to have a time-out at the end of each game. With the way Ben Gordon was shooting the ball at the end of game 2, he would have hit a 40-footer if he needed to, provided they had a time out to call a play and inbound the ball at half court. I know Vinny Del Negro is a rookie head coach and things slip, but he has Bernie Bickerstaff and Del Harris on his bench, two coaches who have been there before.
I think the Spurs/Mavs is shaping up to be a great back and forth and compelling series. That being said, Eric Dampier is a dope. What kind of idiot says he is going to keep Tony Parker on his back in the next game? Even if you think you need to knock Tony Parker on his ass, don't say it publicly. Say it in the locker room. Knock him down in the next game without saying anything. Or better yet, feel free to step in front of him and knock him down when he is busy running by your entire team on the way to scoring 38 points. The Mavs are not now, nor have they ever been tough. Now it looks like they are slow too. No one can keep up with Parker. If Manu Ginobili were in this series the Mavs would be toast.
- Gabe
EDIT: The Bulls and Spurs got smoked last night. So much for the competitive series.
On to the Association.
The NBA playoffs are well under way now and all of the series are two games deep. The Lakers, Nuggets, and Cavaliers are all up 2-0 in their respective series. That's not really a surprise considering they are the two one-seeds and a number two. All of the rest of the series are tied at 1-1.
The two series that have grabbed me are Celtics/Bulls and Spurs/Mavs. They both look like they are going to be long and hard fought.
The Celtics/Bulls series has been so much fun to watch, and I think the Celtics are in trouble. The Bulls are averaging 110 points a game in the series. In each game the Celts have let one Bull score over 35 points in each game (Derrick Rose in game one, Ben Gordon in game two). Paul Pierce isn't playing well. If it wasn't for Ray Allen having the second half of his life the Celtics would be down 0-2.
On the bad side for the Bulls, there is no excuse not to have a time-out at the end of each game. With the way Ben Gordon was shooting the ball at the end of game 2, he would have hit a 40-footer if he needed to, provided they had a time out to call a play and inbound the ball at half court. I know Vinny Del Negro is a rookie head coach and things slip, but he has Bernie Bickerstaff and Del Harris on his bench, two coaches who have been there before.
I think the Spurs/Mavs is shaping up to be a great back and forth and compelling series. That being said, Eric Dampier is a dope. What kind of idiot says he is going to keep Tony Parker on his back in the next game? Even if you think you need to knock Tony Parker on his ass, don't say it publicly. Say it in the locker room. Knock him down in the next game without saying anything. Or better yet, feel free to step in front of him and knock him down when he is busy running by your entire team on the way to scoring 38 points. The Mavs are not now, nor have they ever been tough. Now it looks like they are slow too. No one can keep up with Parker. If Manu Ginobili were in this series the Mavs would be toast.
- Gabe
EDIT: The Bulls and Spurs got smoked last night. So much for the competitive series.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Nats, Mets, and other embarrasments
To wrap up what was posted in this space the other day:
The company that manufactured the "Natinals" jerseys has come out and apologized. This doesn't help the situation. To me this makes it even more pathetic because now we know there is another chain of people who should have seen this mistake. Doesn't that company have a QC department? Shouldn't all major league jerseys have one of those "inspected by #17" stickers on them?
It seems the parents of the little league team to whom Elijah Dukes was volunteering his time are going to have a fundraiser to put together the ridiculous $500 fine he has been given. If the Nationals organization accepts the money then they will go from being overly harsh to downright shameful. The Nats need to do the right thing and eat the $500.
Also, on April 20, 2009 the Nats finally got their first save of the year, becoming the last MLB team to do so. What a joke.
Now, onto my beloved Mets. So, Mets legend and all around good guy (sarcasm) Dwight Gooden was at one of the bars in the Citi Field and at the encouragement of some employees he signed the wall. Why would Mets fans want Doc to sign the wall? Cuz he good!! (Shameless Boondocks reference there. Thank you Dave for reminding me.) The team got mad because they couldn't believe someone would do that, an appropriate reaction. Then the fans jumped in and the team bowed to their pressure and has now stated that there will be a specified place in the stadium where former and current Mets can sign the wall.
When did the Mets become Spanky's? (Point of reference: Spanky's was a chain of sandwich shops in Virginia that existed when I was in college [sub-point of reference: late 90's and early 00's] that had funny names for their sandwiches and really awful kitschy decor (like canoes and hockey sticks on the walls). Most of them were shut down for ABC violations or not paying their bills, employees, taxes, etc. But, they let you write on the walls at the booths.)
This is another example of why the Mets are a step-child in baseball, and won't be taken seriously no matter how much they win. Grown-up, big boy teams don't have mascots. They don't have the silly home run apple in the outfield (which sadly made it's way from Shea to Citi.) They don't have silly patches on their uniform that make you think the 'Noid is around the corner:
Sometimes it's like I'm rooting for a minor league team. I half expect them to start having goofy promotions, like a game where no fan is allowed in until after the 5th inning, or advertising for Modell's and Ray Catena Mercedes on the right field wall. (How's that for a north Jersey reference?)
God, it's like watching the movie Major League sometimes.
- Gabe
The company that manufactured the "Natinals" jerseys has come out and apologized. This doesn't help the situation. To me this makes it even more pathetic because now we know there is another chain of people who should have seen this mistake. Doesn't that company have a QC department? Shouldn't all major league jerseys have one of those "inspected by #17" stickers on them?
It seems the parents of the little league team to whom Elijah Dukes was volunteering his time are going to have a fundraiser to put together the ridiculous $500 fine he has been given. If the Nationals organization accepts the money then they will go from being overly harsh to downright shameful. The Nats need to do the right thing and eat the $500.
Also, on April 20, 2009 the Nats finally got their first save of the year, becoming the last MLB team to do so. What a joke.
Now, onto my beloved Mets. So, Mets legend and all around good guy (sarcasm) Dwight Gooden was at one of the bars in the Citi Field and at the encouragement of some employees he signed the wall. Why would Mets fans want Doc to sign the wall? Cuz he good!! (Shameless Boondocks reference there. Thank you Dave for reminding me.) The team got mad because they couldn't believe someone would do that, an appropriate reaction. Then the fans jumped in and the team bowed to their pressure and has now stated that there will be a specified place in the stadium where former and current Mets can sign the wall.
When did the Mets become Spanky's? (Point of reference: Spanky's was a chain of sandwich shops in Virginia that existed when I was in college [sub-point of reference: late 90's and early 00's] that had funny names for their sandwiches and really awful kitschy decor (like canoes and hockey sticks on the walls). Most of them were shut down for ABC violations or not paying their bills, employees, taxes, etc. But, they let you write on the walls at the booths.)
This is another example of why the Mets are a step-child in baseball, and won't be taken seriously no matter how much they win. Grown-up, big boy teams don't have mascots. They don't have the silly home run apple in the outfield (which sadly made it's way from Shea to Citi.) They don't have silly patches on their uniform that make you think the 'Noid is around the corner:
Sometimes it's like I'm rooting for a minor league team. I half expect them to start having goofy promotions, like a game where no fan is allowed in until after the 5th inning, or advertising for Modell's and Ray Catena Mercedes on the right field wall. (How's that for a north Jersey reference?)
God, it's like watching the movie Major League sometimes.
- Gabe
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Enough Already!
The excitement of the NFL's offseason can be bittersweet. Thanks to the overabundance of media coverage on 24/7 sports channels, the internet, and the blogosphere, the otherwise ho-hum downtime of America's new favorite pasttime has transformed into Rumor Central. Now, rather than taking a break from a chaotic five months of football, we get trade speculation, free agency and draft hyperbole jammed down our throat on a non-stop basis. The biggest problem with all this is that all the speculation leads to nothing, leaving ravenous fan bases with the worst case of blue balls this side of the Smurf Village. Last year, Bengals wideout Chad Johnson did everything short of tying two Dixie cups together with a string to get word out that he wanted to trade out of Cincinatti. The buzz led to a cocophony of trade rumors and ficticious deals proposed by beat writers and bloggers and inevitably culminated in a Godfather offer of two first round picks from Washington......which Cincinatti foolishly turned down. The result was Ocho Cinco trotting out on the field annoyed and uninspired, like the feeling your dog gets when you taunt him with a leash on a nice spring afternoon, only to slam the door in his face as he charges toward you.
This year, we have more of the same. As NFL GMs sit on their hands waiting for the ultimate offer, the sports media has been forced to kill time with a mind-numbing array of "What Ifs" in hopes that the buzz will spark a fire under a team's ass. With a draft chock full of good-but-not-great prospects, focus has shifted from this year's crop of rookies to disgruntled stars like Cardinals' WR Anquan Boldin, Chiefs RB Larry Johnson, Browns' "stars" Brady Quinn and Braylon Edwards and, our returning champion, Mr. Ocho Cinco himself.
(uses Stephen A. Smith voice)....How-EVA!, we here at Boom Roasted Sports fancy ourselves as The People's Website and if it's closure you people seek on these here trade embargos, then wait no further. I took it upon myself to conjure up the best deals I could think of in a final attempt to end this Acquisition Cold War. So here goes:
1. The Browns trade WR Braylon Edwards AND QB Brady Quinn to the 49ers in exhange for San Francisco's 1st round pick(10th overall).
Why it works for Cleveland: If you tab someone as your "QB of the future" and, three years into selecting him, he's entering an open competition with a guy who did everything he could to lose his job the year before, then it doesn't say much for your "QB of the future". Alas, that's the story of Brady Quinn, who spent 5 hours on Draft Day waiting for someone to want him only to come full circle three years later and wait for a seal of approval from his hometown team. Edwards, on the other hand, was never really excepted by the Dawg Pound because of his stone hands and Michigan roots. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Edwards has less of a chance of returning to Cleveland than Manny Ramirez. While you can probably get some nice booty in seperate deals, the Browns can get a bigger prize if they just package them together. If Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree falls to the Browns at 5(a solid possibility, given the hype surrounding USC QB Mark Sanchez), they could use the pick from San Francisco on a top defensive stud like LSU's Tyson Jackson or Penn St's Aaron Maybin. Crabtree would replace Edwards as the Browns # 1 option and Cleveland already has Derek Anderson, who would have beaten out Quinn in training camp anyway. Sure, the price of two top 10 picks is a bit high, but isn't it worth it to relieve yourself of two headaches?
Why it works for San Francisco: While head coach Mike Singletary will try to tell you he's content with the two-headed monster of Alex Smith and Shaun Hill at QB, the truth is, he could use an upgrade. The Niners were aggressive in their pursuit of aging two-time MVP Kurt Warner at the beginning of free agency, and you had to believe they had their eyes on Sanchez, who played college ball an hour away at USC. While Quinn is unproven, he has the tools to be a star if he can just get some backing by his higher-ups. By pairing him with a target he's familiar with in Edwards, it makes things a bit easier on Quinn. Edwards, of course, will require a new contract at the end of the season, but the price for a wideout who once grabbed 16 TDs not too long ago will probably be cheaper than taking an unproven rookie in a not-so-deep draft class and paying him top 10 money.
2. Bengals trade WR Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson to Raiders for RB Darren McFadden
Why it works for the Bengals: My tag team partner, Gabe, proposed a three-way trade to me three weeks ago that would have sent D-Mac to Cincy, Ocho Cinco to the Giants and Plaxico Burress to Oakland. I loved it then, and even though Plax and the Giants are no longer in the equation, I love it now. The Bengals RB situation is currently being manned by former Bears bust Cedric Benson, who has proven to be unable to withstand both a 16 game workload and a policeman's pepper spray. While McFadden didn't set the world on fire like many hoped last year, he still showed flashes of being a dominant running back with his great size and greater speed. By combining D-Mac and Benson, the Bengals could focus more on being a grind-it-out running team instead of attempting to air it out behind that pourous offensive line. Also, there's the old addage of "addition by subtraction" and while Ocho Cinco isn't the type of locker room cancer that a T.O. or Plaxico was, it goes without saying that the Bengals would be a bit relieved without his whining.
Why it works for Oakland: It might be early to give up on McFadden after only one injury-riddled season, but the Raiders currently have Michael Bush and Justin Fargas on the roster and GM Al Davis is more likely to attract a good offer with an unproven star with upside like D-Mac than he would with the oft-injured Fargas and Bush. It also goes without saying that the Raiders haven't had much success finding a legit wideout since Tim Brown left. Acquring Randy Moss flamed out, as did signing Javon Walker and the draft hasn't yeilded anyone of note. While Johnson can be a Grade A pain in the ass, here's something that keeps getting left out of his resume: He's really good. While it will be tough for Johnson to get motivated in a black hole(pun intended) like Oakland, a change of scenary to a weaker division could do him some good. If the Raiders do go through with using the 7th pick on Maryland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey(whom Al Davis supposedly is in love with), the pairing of Johnson and DHB could make things interesting in the AFC West.
3. The Chiefs trade RB Larry Johnson to the Texans for a 3rd round pick(77th overall)
Why it works for Kansas City: There's a new regime in KC and they aren't respecting any old arrangements. GM Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley wasted no time in bringing in a new face of the franchise(QB Matt Cassell) and the revamping will not stop there. After going from Dick Vermiel's doghouse to the top of the running back food chain and then to the back of a squad car, LJ has become and unwanted man in Kansas City, despite his best efforts to bring peace by actually showing up for OTAs. The Chiefs seem content with trotting out last year's 2nd rounder Jamaal Charles as their new guy at running back and are supposedly finally serious about giving LJ what he used to want, which is to get out of town. While it's hard to get a good offer for a RB with a lot of mileage and nearly as many arrests, the Chiefs can take advantage of a draft that has a dearth in power backs such as Johnson. With that additional pick, Pioli could look to find Grandmama's replacement amongst guys like Pitt's LeSean McCoy, Iowa's Shonn Greene or Clemson's James Davis.
Why it works for Houston: It's no secret the Texans are looking for a big back to complement speedy sophomore Steve Slaton, who was outstanding as the starter last year but lacks the bulk to be an every-down back. They could tab Ohio St's Chris "Beanie" Wells as their guy with the 15th pick or try for someone later in the draft. However, there isn't many big backs in the draft with the reputation(both bad and good) and skills of LJ. Having spent the first couple of years warming the bench, Johnson still has enough left in him to be an effective short-yardage/goal-line back for an emerging Texans team. While Johnson's contract will no doubt require some restructuring, but the combination of speed and power with Slaton and Johnson on top of continuing to build through the draft would make the Texans a sexy pick next season.
4. Chiefs trade TE Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons for a 2nd round pick(55th overall)
Why it works for Kansas City: OK, so this trade has been rumored for weeks and only really needs Tony G's seal of approval, but one way or the other, I can't see Gonzalez still a Chief by Monday. The Chiefs want to get younger and Gonzalez wants a ring, which is he's not getting in KC anytime soon. Having dealt it's 2nd rounder to New England for Cassell, the Chiefs could take advantage of Atlanta's desperation for a tight end(Reportedly, they wanted Gonzo bad last year and are supposedly really interested in Okalahoma St's Brandon Pettigrew) to get back in the 2nd frame, where they could fill any number of holes as they continue to rebuild.
Why it works for Atlanta: They don't have many recieving options behind WR Roddy White. Michael Jenkins has been inconsistant and, while they have drafted a reciever the last couple years, none seem ready for prime time. Besides being one of the best ever at his position, Gonzalez is also a great leader and big-time community guy(which is huge, in the wake of the Mike Vick fiasco). His presence as a safety valve for ROTY Matt Ryan only makes the Falcons' chances of going back to the postseason stronger, which will help Gonzalez shake off any reluctance he used to have about being Falcon(Apparently, Atlanta isn't exactly what he had in mind when Gonzalez said he wanted a chance to win a ring).
5. The Cardinals trade WR Anquan Boldin to the Giants for their 1st round pick(29th overall) and a 3rd round pick(91st overall)
Why it works for Arizona: Beyond the obvious "addition by subtraction" which is pretty much the theme in all of these trades, removing Boldin helps in a more fiscal sense. With the defending NFC champs only $2 million or so under the cap, it goes without saying that they need to shed some payroll if they hope to re-sign franchised LB Karlos Dansby to a long-term deal. The first rounder is only a couple of spots ahead of 'Zona's own top pick(31st overall) but it becomes more valuable if Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman is somehow still on the board. As the signal QB with the biggest upside, Freeman is bound to draw interest from a team like, say, Carolina, who want to jump back into the first round to snag their QB of the future. If the Cards can parlay Boldin into either later round picks this year or, better yet, a first rounder next year, it would be looked at as a significant score for a player they had no plans on paying anyway. Boldin's spot would be filled by Steve Breaston, who went for 1,000 yards last year while Boldin was busy getting his face rearranged like Castor Troy.
Why it works for the Giants: Picking at the bottom of the 1st round doesn't offer much hope in terms of finding a viable replacement for ex-Giant-turned-professional-leg-shooter Plaxico Burress. Faced with unproven prospects like Hakeem Nicks, Percy Harvin and local star Kenny Britt, the Giants would benefit better by taking Boldin off Arizona's hands. With two 2nd rounders and two 3rd rounders, the Giants could afford to package some picks if they felt they will get a more proven commodity. While Braylon Edwards is the name more commonly linked with Big Blue, Boldin would be the better option simply because, well, his hands aren't made of concrete. Making this trade also helps the Giants significantly just by keeping Boldin out of Philadelphia, who also have a huge interest in the disgruntled Cardinal.
Quick closing note: Of the guys mentioned here, I expect maybe two of them to actually be dealt either before or during this weekend's draft: Tony Gonzalez and Anquan Boldin. Gonzalez has done enough in Kansas City to earn the right to pursue a championship elsewhere. As for Boldin, the Cardinals will attempt to get some cap relief with the inevitable release of Edgerin James, but the notoriously cheap Bidwells know that they inevitably have to get rid of Boldin and soon. As for the others, I give Edwards a 50-50 shot of being dealt, only if they can snag Crabtree at # 5. The Brown will probably hold on to Quinn to either raise his trade stock for next year or push Anderson in camp. The Chiefs will probably cut Johnson if they can't deal him by the end of the draft. As for Chad Johnson, head coach Marvin Lewis has been come out recently to announce that the team has no plans to move its star reciever now or ever, thus leading us to yet another year of headlines in the spring's never ending circus.
This year, we have more of the same. As NFL GMs sit on their hands waiting for the ultimate offer, the sports media has been forced to kill time with a mind-numbing array of "What Ifs" in hopes that the buzz will spark a fire under a team's ass. With a draft chock full of good-but-not-great prospects, focus has shifted from this year's crop of rookies to disgruntled stars like Cardinals' WR Anquan Boldin, Chiefs RB Larry Johnson, Browns' "stars" Brady Quinn and Braylon Edwards and, our returning champion, Mr. Ocho Cinco himself.
(uses Stephen A. Smith voice)....How-EVA!, we here at Boom Roasted Sports fancy ourselves as The People's Website and if it's closure you people seek on these here trade embargos, then wait no further. I took it upon myself to conjure up the best deals I could think of in a final attempt to end this Acquisition Cold War. So here goes:
1. The Browns trade WR Braylon Edwards AND QB Brady Quinn to the 49ers in exhange for San Francisco's 1st round pick(10th overall).
Why it works for Cleveland: If you tab someone as your "QB of the future" and, three years into selecting him, he's entering an open competition with a guy who did everything he could to lose his job the year before, then it doesn't say much for your "QB of the future". Alas, that's the story of Brady Quinn, who spent 5 hours on Draft Day waiting for someone to want him only to come full circle three years later and wait for a seal of approval from his hometown team. Edwards, on the other hand, was never really excepted by the Dawg Pound because of his stone hands and Michigan roots. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Edwards has less of a chance of returning to Cleveland than Manny Ramirez. While you can probably get some nice booty in seperate deals, the Browns can get a bigger prize if they just package them together. If Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree falls to the Browns at 5(a solid possibility, given the hype surrounding USC QB Mark Sanchez), they could use the pick from San Francisco on a top defensive stud like LSU's Tyson Jackson or Penn St's Aaron Maybin. Crabtree would replace Edwards as the Browns # 1 option and Cleveland already has Derek Anderson, who would have beaten out Quinn in training camp anyway. Sure, the price of two top 10 picks is a bit high, but isn't it worth it to relieve yourself of two headaches?
Why it works for San Francisco: While head coach Mike Singletary will try to tell you he's content with the two-headed monster of Alex Smith and Shaun Hill at QB, the truth is, he could use an upgrade. The Niners were aggressive in their pursuit of aging two-time MVP Kurt Warner at the beginning of free agency, and you had to believe they had their eyes on Sanchez, who played college ball an hour away at USC. While Quinn is unproven, he has the tools to be a star if he can just get some backing by his higher-ups. By pairing him with a target he's familiar with in Edwards, it makes things a bit easier on Quinn. Edwards, of course, will require a new contract at the end of the season, but the price for a wideout who once grabbed 16 TDs not too long ago will probably be cheaper than taking an unproven rookie in a not-so-deep draft class and paying him top 10 money.
2. Bengals trade WR Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson to Raiders for RB Darren McFadden
Why it works for the Bengals: My tag team partner, Gabe, proposed a three-way trade to me three weeks ago that would have sent D-Mac to Cincy, Ocho Cinco to the Giants and Plaxico Burress to Oakland. I loved it then, and even though Plax and the Giants are no longer in the equation, I love it now. The Bengals RB situation is currently being manned by former Bears bust Cedric Benson, who has proven to be unable to withstand both a 16 game workload and a policeman's pepper spray. While McFadden didn't set the world on fire like many hoped last year, he still showed flashes of being a dominant running back with his great size and greater speed. By combining D-Mac and Benson, the Bengals could focus more on being a grind-it-out running team instead of attempting to air it out behind that pourous offensive line. Also, there's the old addage of "addition by subtraction" and while Ocho Cinco isn't the type of locker room cancer that a T.O. or Plaxico was, it goes without saying that the Bengals would be a bit relieved without his whining.
Why it works for Oakland: It might be early to give up on McFadden after only one injury-riddled season, but the Raiders currently have Michael Bush and Justin Fargas on the roster and GM Al Davis is more likely to attract a good offer with an unproven star with upside like D-Mac than he would with the oft-injured Fargas and Bush. It also goes without saying that the Raiders haven't had much success finding a legit wideout since Tim Brown left. Acquring Randy Moss flamed out, as did signing Javon Walker and the draft hasn't yeilded anyone of note. While Johnson can be a Grade A pain in the ass, here's something that keeps getting left out of his resume: He's really good. While it will be tough for Johnson to get motivated in a black hole(pun intended) like Oakland, a change of scenary to a weaker division could do him some good. If the Raiders do go through with using the 7th pick on Maryland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey(whom Al Davis supposedly is in love with), the pairing of Johnson and DHB could make things interesting in the AFC West.
3. The Chiefs trade RB Larry Johnson to the Texans for a 3rd round pick(77th overall)
Why it works for Kansas City: There's a new regime in KC and they aren't respecting any old arrangements. GM Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley wasted no time in bringing in a new face of the franchise(QB Matt Cassell) and the revamping will not stop there. After going from Dick Vermiel's doghouse to the top of the running back food chain and then to the back of a squad car, LJ has become and unwanted man in Kansas City, despite his best efforts to bring peace by actually showing up for OTAs. The Chiefs seem content with trotting out last year's 2nd rounder Jamaal Charles as their new guy at running back and are supposedly finally serious about giving LJ what he used to want, which is to get out of town. While it's hard to get a good offer for a RB with a lot of mileage and nearly as many arrests, the Chiefs can take advantage of a draft that has a dearth in power backs such as Johnson. With that additional pick, Pioli could look to find Grandmama's replacement amongst guys like Pitt's LeSean McCoy, Iowa's Shonn Greene or Clemson's James Davis.
Why it works for Houston: It's no secret the Texans are looking for a big back to complement speedy sophomore Steve Slaton, who was outstanding as the starter last year but lacks the bulk to be an every-down back. They could tab Ohio St's Chris "Beanie" Wells as their guy with the 15th pick or try for someone later in the draft. However, there isn't many big backs in the draft with the reputation(both bad and good) and skills of LJ. Having spent the first couple of years warming the bench, Johnson still has enough left in him to be an effective short-yardage/goal-line back for an emerging Texans team. While Johnson's contract will no doubt require some restructuring, but the combination of speed and power with Slaton and Johnson on top of continuing to build through the draft would make the Texans a sexy pick next season.
4. Chiefs trade TE Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons for a 2nd round pick(55th overall)
Why it works for Kansas City: OK, so this trade has been rumored for weeks and only really needs Tony G's seal of approval, but one way or the other, I can't see Gonzalez still a Chief by Monday. The Chiefs want to get younger and Gonzalez wants a ring, which is he's not getting in KC anytime soon. Having dealt it's 2nd rounder to New England for Cassell, the Chiefs could take advantage of Atlanta's desperation for a tight end(Reportedly, they wanted Gonzo bad last year and are supposedly really interested in Okalahoma St's Brandon Pettigrew) to get back in the 2nd frame, where they could fill any number of holes as they continue to rebuild.
Why it works for Atlanta: They don't have many recieving options behind WR Roddy White. Michael Jenkins has been inconsistant and, while they have drafted a reciever the last couple years, none seem ready for prime time. Besides being one of the best ever at his position, Gonzalez is also a great leader and big-time community guy(which is huge, in the wake of the Mike Vick fiasco). His presence as a safety valve for ROTY Matt Ryan only makes the Falcons' chances of going back to the postseason stronger, which will help Gonzalez shake off any reluctance he used to have about being Falcon(Apparently, Atlanta isn't exactly what he had in mind when Gonzalez said he wanted a chance to win a ring).
5. The Cardinals trade WR Anquan Boldin to the Giants for their 1st round pick(29th overall) and a 3rd round pick(91st overall)
Why it works for Arizona: Beyond the obvious "addition by subtraction" which is pretty much the theme in all of these trades, removing Boldin helps in a more fiscal sense. With the defending NFC champs only $2 million or so under the cap, it goes without saying that they need to shed some payroll if they hope to re-sign franchised LB Karlos Dansby to a long-term deal. The first rounder is only a couple of spots ahead of 'Zona's own top pick(31st overall) but it becomes more valuable if Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman is somehow still on the board. As the signal QB with the biggest upside, Freeman is bound to draw interest from a team like, say, Carolina, who want to jump back into the first round to snag their QB of the future. If the Cards can parlay Boldin into either later round picks this year or, better yet, a first rounder next year, it would be looked at as a significant score for a player they had no plans on paying anyway. Boldin's spot would be filled by Steve Breaston, who went for 1,000 yards last year while Boldin was busy getting his face rearranged like Castor Troy.
Why it works for the Giants: Picking at the bottom of the 1st round doesn't offer much hope in terms of finding a viable replacement for ex-Giant-turned-professional-leg-shooter Plaxico Burress. Faced with unproven prospects like Hakeem Nicks, Percy Harvin and local star Kenny Britt, the Giants would benefit better by taking Boldin off Arizona's hands. With two 2nd rounders and two 3rd rounders, the Giants could afford to package some picks if they felt they will get a more proven commodity. While Braylon Edwards is the name more commonly linked with Big Blue, Boldin would be the better option simply because, well, his hands aren't made of concrete. Making this trade also helps the Giants significantly just by keeping Boldin out of Philadelphia, who also have a huge interest in the disgruntled Cardinal.
Quick closing note: Of the guys mentioned here, I expect maybe two of them to actually be dealt either before or during this weekend's draft: Tony Gonzalez and Anquan Boldin. Gonzalez has done enough in Kansas City to earn the right to pursue a championship elsewhere. As for Boldin, the Cardinals will attempt to get some cap relief with the inevitable release of Edgerin James, but the notoriously cheap Bidwells know that they inevitably have to get rid of Boldin and soon. As for the others, I give Edwards a 50-50 shot of being dealt, only if they can snag Crabtree at # 5. The Brown will probably hold on to Quinn to either raise his trade stock for next year or push Anderson in camp. The Chiefs will probably cut Johnson if they can't deal him by the end of the draft. As for Chad Johnson, head coach Marvin Lewis has been come out recently to announce that the team has no plans to move its star reciever now or ever, thus leading us to yet another year of headlines in the spring's never ending circus.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
How bad can the Nats get?
Ok, we all know the Nats are by far the worst team in the MLB on the field. They might lose 120 games this year.
Two things happened this week that show they are not just bad on the field, but that they are bad in every aspect of the organization. They are just a joke.
First there was this:
That's right. Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman took the field on Friday with jerseys that said "NATINALS." This was first reported by the Washington Post. I want to know when replica "Natinals" jerseys are going to be available at mlbshop.com. C'mon. Hire a seamstress and get it together.
Then, on Saturday, they fine Elijah Dukes $500, bench him, and threaten to send him to the minors because he was five minutes late reporting to the ballpark for that day's game. Seems a little harsh. It seems a little more harsh when you factor in the fact that he is batting .323 and has 2 homers and 6 RBI in nine games for a 1-9 team. Seems even more harsh when you consider that he was late because he was doing charity work for a local Little League! Now I know the rules are there and everyone is supposed to be subject to rules and same penalties, but c'mon, that's not the world we live in. In the real world, if you perform then you get leeway. If you're getting it done on the field and are doing charity work off the field then five minutes is ok in my book. Hell, when I worked at Sears we were allowed six minutes, by rule.
Two things happened this week that show they are not just bad on the field, but that they are bad in every aspect of the organization. They are just a joke.
First there was this:
That's right. Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman took the field on Friday with jerseys that said "NATINALS." This was first reported by the Washington Post. I want to know when replica "Natinals" jerseys are going to be available at mlbshop.com. C'mon. Hire a seamstress and get it together.
Then, on Saturday, they fine Elijah Dukes $500, bench him, and threaten to send him to the minors because he was five minutes late reporting to the ballpark for that day's game. Seems a little harsh. It seems a little more harsh when you factor in the fact that he is batting .323 and has 2 homers and 6 RBI in nine games for a 1-9 team. Seems even more harsh when you consider that he was late because he was doing charity work for a local Little League! Now I know the rules are there and everyone is supposed to be subject to rules and same penalties, but c'mon, that's not the world we live in. In the real world, if you perform then you get leeway. If you're getting it done on the field and are doing charity work off the field then five minutes is ok in my book. Hell, when I worked at Sears we were allowed six minutes, by rule.
Add all of this to the flap over the statues outside the stadium (the weird look, the historical inaccuracies), and the prospect who had his age falsified (leading to Jim Bowden's firing) and you can see how much of a joke this organziation is.
Some say D.C. should feel good to have baseball again. Well, Washingtonians weren't pining for this. The city got by without major league baseball for 40 years. It's a shame that these days they only see major league caliber performances from the visitors to Nationals Park.
Boom. Roasted.
- Gabe
Quick Hits
Some quick thoughts from Saturday in the world of sports and elsewhere:
1. The Celtics are done. They have no chance without Kevin Garnett. They Baby Bulls might not beat them, but Orlando should and Cleveland definitely would. What else did I learn from this game? The Baby Bulls will be for real in a few years. Also, and most importantly, Derrick Rose needs to be kept away from the mic. Man is he hard to listen too. It's a good thing dude can ball because he sure doesn't have a grip on coherently answering questions.
2. The Yankees won their first game at the new Yankee Stadium and who hits the go ahead home run? Derek Jeter of course. That swing of the bat is just another instance in a long line of things that make sure he will never pay for a drink in NYC. While A-Rod is busy being aloof, kissing himself in a mirror, and not hitting in the playoffs, Jeter is making himself more and more beloved, even now in the twilight of his career.
3. I caught an airing of Sportscenter from the new ESPN studio in L.A. It was great. The guys are loose and easy going. The whole thing seems fresh and new. At the same time it reminded me of the old days of Sportscenter. The glory days of Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, Craig Kilborn, Bob Ley, etc. when there was a seat-of-your-pants attitude to the broadcasts. Too many times nowadays Sportscenter is a little too ironic, cynical, and loaded that jaded east coast sensibility. Don't get me wrong, I truly understand and gravitate toward that point of view. I have spent almost all of my life living in the East Coast "Megalopolis" (a fascinating idea, check it out), and I am a card-carrying member of the "East Coast Bias." (I put in quotes because reporters from the mid-west and west coast refer to it like it's an organization, or building that's walking around and doing shit.) All of that being said, I repeat, the west coast Sportscenter was loose and cool and fresh. I loved it.
- Gabe
1. The Celtics are done. They have no chance without Kevin Garnett. They Baby Bulls might not beat them, but Orlando should and Cleveland definitely would. What else did I learn from this game? The Baby Bulls will be for real in a few years. Also, and most importantly, Derrick Rose needs to be kept away from the mic. Man is he hard to listen too. It's a good thing dude can ball because he sure doesn't have a grip on coherently answering questions.
2. The Yankees won their first game at the new Yankee Stadium and who hits the go ahead home run? Derek Jeter of course. That swing of the bat is just another instance in a long line of things that make sure he will never pay for a drink in NYC. While A-Rod is busy being aloof, kissing himself in a mirror, and not hitting in the playoffs, Jeter is making himself more and more beloved, even now in the twilight of his career.
3. I caught an airing of Sportscenter from the new ESPN studio in L.A. It was great. The guys are loose and easy going. The whole thing seems fresh and new. At the same time it reminded me of the old days of Sportscenter. The glory days of Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, Craig Kilborn, Bob Ley, etc. when there was a seat-of-your-pants attitude to the broadcasts. Too many times nowadays Sportscenter is a little too ironic, cynical, and loaded that jaded east coast sensibility. Don't get me wrong, I truly understand and gravitate toward that point of view. I have spent almost all of my life living in the East Coast "Megalopolis" (a fascinating idea, check it out), and I am a card-carrying member of the "East Coast Bias." (I put in quotes because reporters from the mid-west and west coast refer to it like it's an organization, or building that's walking around and doing shit.) All of that being said, I repeat, the west coast Sportscenter was loose and cool and fresh. I loved it.
- Gabe
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Ace Hardware Guy Calls It Quits
....Don't mind if I do. The first thought I had this morning upon hearing of John Madden's "retirement" (and I use the quotes because time has taught me that the only time anyone ever retires is when they're buried beneath six feet of dirt), were hypothetical candidates to replace Mr. Tough Actin' Tinactin as the Batman to Al Micheals' Robin. This was despite the fact that even Scott McIntyre could see that Cris Collinsworth was going to be Madden's successor. (For those not in the know, McIntyre is the blind kid who got voted off American Idol. Try to keep up.) After about an hour I came up with about three logical candidates and another group candidate, if for some reason Micheals chose to follow Madden out the door. I will get to that in a minute, but first some thoughts on the end of an era.
I thought Peter King, in his article about Madden's retirement on SI.com this morning, said it best when he asked the question: In our lifetime, has anyone managed to do three things at an iconic level? He was referring to Madden's legendary status as a Hall of Fame coach, TV broadcaster and video game pioneer....and the answer to his question is noone...or at least noone other than John Madden. To most of the nation's youth, John Madden is the guy whose namesake is entrenched on the greatest video game franchise this side of Mario, EA Sports' Madden NFL Football. The irony of Madden's legacy as a video game icon is that the game's popularity reached its zenith over the last few years as it made its transition to the next gen systems(XBOX 360, Wii, Playstation 3), which happen to be the games that feature Madden the least(with the exception of last year, where Big John appeared as a hologram during the Madden IQ test, of which everyone except losers like me, skipped through).
To relatively older people like myself and Gabe, he was the voice of the NFL. Baseball had Bob Costas and John Buck. Basketball had Marv Albert and Chick Hearn. Football had Madden and Summerall. I always considered Pat Summerall as the Pippen to Madden's Jordan. During their stint together at CBS and FOX, they were the perfect balance of knowledge, chemistry, and entertainment. Madden was the big man with the loud, booming voice. While Summerall was the calm, cool, smooth play-by-play guy. They brought an element to the game that made fans not just interested in what was going on on the field, but what was being said in the booth.
Then, there was Madden the coach. As head coach of the Raiders during the 70s, Madden finished with the highest winning percentage of ANY coach to ever pace the sidelines. ANY coach. This from a guy known best for gimmicky paroadies, foot cream, and turducken. The Jordan analogy is apt in the sense that, like Jordan, Madden's prime came during the mid to late 90s where he and Summerall stood head and shoulders over the broadcasting world. Then, when Summerall got sick and had to leave the booth, Madden went through his Washington Wizards phase with Micheals at ABC and NBC. It wasn't the same as the FOX days, but every now and then you got flashes of the good ol' days(Like Madden's final broadcast this past Feburary at the Super Bowl.) Of course, you sometimes got gems like this from Madden: "A seperated shoulder is when the shoulder seperates". That was used to describe Clinton Portis' shoulder injury following a preseason tackle a couple years back. While everything you'll read today on Madden will sound more like a eulogy than a final farewell, Madden's spirit is not dead. There's a small part of me that believes we'll see Madden back in the booth after he's had his time away.
Unfortunately for us, that Madden-less lull will be filled by the annoying, nasal-ly voice of NFL broadcasting whore, Cris Collinsworth. Look, I have nothing personal against Collinsworth, but how many different paychecks is this man collecting? He's on Showtime's Inside The NFL(of which, he was on the HBO broadcast before it was cancelled). He's on NBC's pregame show. He was NFL Network's A-team broadcaster during the second half of the last two seasons when NFL-N aired regular season games. He's even on Madden's video game as the color guy. Right now, there's a pick-up touch football game somewhere in a snowy suburb in Maine, and Collinsworth is in a zipped-up parka breaking down how Little Jimmy was able to hit Bobby by the streetlight on 3rd and 5. Sometimes, it can be too much. How can we expect other analysts to cut their teeth in big spots if all the big spots are going to Collinsworth? Despite the fact that I knew Collinsworth was getting the gig(long before it was announced this afternoon), I still comprised a list of guys I'd want to see alongside Micheals' on Sunday nights...and here they are:
1. John Elway: On a personal level, I still despise Elway for the '98 Super Bowl, inwhich he got off the snide and won his first ring at the expense of my Green Bay Packers. Personal dislike aside, Elway's articulate(having went to school at Stanford), knowledgeable(having spent nearly 2 decades in the NFL) and he's really not doing anything else(His son, Jack, quit Arizona St's football program, leaving John with a whole slew of free weekends). Sure, he doesn't have much experience in the booth, but wouldn't be worth breaking him in as opposed to hearing Collinsworth use the phrase "Gee, golly" for the 1,000th time?
2. Bill Parcells: I know, I know, he's currently employed by the Dolphins, but when has the Tuna ever been known for his employment longevity? Like Madden, Parcells has been around the game forever and is well-versed in even the most minute aspects of the game. He's a whiz at line play, an expert in special teams, and one of the premier teachers of the 3-4 defense that is dominating the league. Plus, he has the type of big personality that would mesh well with Micheals(The fact that Parcells is from Jersey and Micheals is from New York helps, too, I imagine). Again, yes, he's currently the War Room guru for Miami, but inevitably Parcells will get bored(which, given his history, will be sooner rather than later) and want to take a less demanding and stressful job, much like he did when he worked for ESPN before taking the Cowboys job. Admit it, you want Parcells covering the next Bills-Jets tilt so you can see if he refers to T.O. as Terrell Owens or "The Player".
3. Brett Favre: The fact that Madden and The Riverboat Gambler's retirement came within months of each other should not be seen as a coincidence. Everyone knows that Favre was Madden's # 1 man-crush and everyone also knows that Favre has a harder time leaving football than Rihanna has leaving Chris Brown. In fact, the fact that Favre doesn't have a gig lined up at either NBC, ESPN or the NFL Network has to rank among 2009's biggest suprises. Like Elway, Favre has been around the game forever and having just retired, he's well-schooled in the many eras of the NFL. Also, who better to break down the X's and O's of today's young quarterbacks than the all-time record holder in touchdown passes and interceptions. If you think Parcells covering T.O. will be fun to watch, wait til Favre stammers to find something good to say about Aaron Rodgers or lights up the Unintentional Comedy Scale by chastising Tony Romo's poor decision making after a back-breaking interception. Besides, if anything will lure Madden out of a Laz-E-Boy sofa, it's got to be the oppurtunity to call a game with his long lost love. It will be like watching Kevin Costner play catch with his father in Field of Dreams.
So those are my top three candidates, but I also brainstormed about who would make the perfect duo to take over the booth if Al Micheals, like myself, finds the idea of a full season with Collinsworth in the booth unbearable....and here's what I came up with:
1. Chris Berman and Tom Jackson: Yes, I know they work for ESPN and Sunday Night Football is on NBC. You forget that ESPN's Monday Night Football crew isn't exactly lighting up the Nielsen ratings and ESPN could easily trade Boomer and TJ for the return of Micheals if it felt it would help out the numbers on its prime-time prize. Let's just look at Berman and Jackson as a combo, without the specifics of where they would end up. With the exception of Madden and Summerall, no two men have spent more time covering football together than Berman and Jackson. There's the 2 hours every Sunday morning during the pre-game show. There was their stint together during the NFL Primetime highlight show on Sunday nights(which, while I love NFL Gameday on NFL Network, is sorely missed, even if it did become a bit tired). There was the 8 hours of side-by-side NFL Draft coverage, back when the Draft took an entire day's work. No two men have better chemistry covering the game of football than these two men. Is Berman a bit gimmicky with his constant nicknames and catchphrases? Absolutely. Has YouTube made him look like a surly, lewd, sexist pig in recent years? Definitely. Would I lose my shit the first time Boomer says the words Mark "Dirty" Sanchez? You're damn right I will! Sure, TJ doesn't have much experience in the booth(especially in comparison to Berman, who covered baseball telecasts for a while alongside being Mr. Baseball Tonight), but that's my point. We won't know who's good and who's not until we put them behind the mic. It's the chance you take. Sometimes, you get Marshall Faulk's suprising charm and wit and sometimes you get Emmitt Smith's continued difficulty with the English language(Side note: Darko Milicic doesn't struggle with the English language the way Emmitt Smith does. Watching him speaking is the audible equivalent of the pain that German lady endured when she was mauled by that polar bear.)
So I plead with you, NBC, ABC, ESPN, CBS, NFL Network, Telemundo or anyone covering NFL football....let's get some new blood out there. Just because we lost a jack-of-all-trades, doesn't mean we should replace him with a jackass.......Boom. Roasted.
Signing off,
The Internet's Greatest Unsigned Hype....Dave Leonardis.
I thought Peter King, in his article about Madden's retirement on SI.com this morning, said it best when he asked the question: In our lifetime, has anyone managed to do three things at an iconic level? He was referring to Madden's legendary status as a Hall of Fame coach, TV broadcaster and video game pioneer....and the answer to his question is noone...or at least noone other than John Madden. To most of the nation's youth, John Madden is the guy whose namesake is entrenched on the greatest video game franchise this side of Mario, EA Sports' Madden NFL Football. The irony of Madden's legacy as a video game icon is that the game's popularity reached its zenith over the last few years as it made its transition to the next gen systems(XBOX 360, Wii, Playstation 3), which happen to be the games that feature Madden the least(with the exception of last year, where Big John appeared as a hologram during the Madden IQ test, of which everyone except losers like me, skipped through).
To relatively older people like myself and Gabe, he was the voice of the NFL. Baseball had Bob Costas and John Buck. Basketball had Marv Albert and Chick Hearn. Football had Madden and Summerall. I always considered Pat Summerall as the Pippen to Madden's Jordan. During their stint together at CBS and FOX, they were the perfect balance of knowledge, chemistry, and entertainment. Madden was the big man with the loud, booming voice. While Summerall was the calm, cool, smooth play-by-play guy. They brought an element to the game that made fans not just interested in what was going on on the field, but what was being said in the booth.
Then, there was Madden the coach. As head coach of the Raiders during the 70s, Madden finished with the highest winning percentage of ANY coach to ever pace the sidelines. ANY coach. This from a guy known best for gimmicky paroadies, foot cream, and turducken. The Jordan analogy is apt in the sense that, like Jordan, Madden's prime came during the mid to late 90s where he and Summerall stood head and shoulders over the broadcasting world. Then, when Summerall got sick and had to leave the booth, Madden went through his Washington Wizards phase with Micheals at ABC and NBC. It wasn't the same as the FOX days, but every now and then you got flashes of the good ol' days(Like Madden's final broadcast this past Feburary at the Super Bowl.) Of course, you sometimes got gems like this from Madden: "A seperated shoulder is when the shoulder seperates". That was used to describe Clinton Portis' shoulder injury following a preseason tackle a couple years back. While everything you'll read today on Madden will sound more like a eulogy than a final farewell, Madden's spirit is not dead. There's a small part of me that believes we'll see Madden back in the booth after he's had his time away.
Unfortunately for us, that Madden-less lull will be filled by the annoying, nasal-ly voice of NFL broadcasting whore, Cris Collinsworth. Look, I have nothing personal against Collinsworth, but how many different paychecks is this man collecting? He's on Showtime's Inside The NFL(of which, he was on the HBO broadcast before it was cancelled). He's on NBC's pregame show. He was NFL Network's A-team broadcaster during the second half of the last two seasons when NFL-N aired regular season games. He's even on Madden's video game as the color guy. Right now, there's a pick-up touch football game somewhere in a snowy suburb in Maine, and Collinsworth is in a zipped-up parka breaking down how Little Jimmy was able to hit Bobby by the streetlight on 3rd and 5. Sometimes, it can be too much. How can we expect other analysts to cut their teeth in big spots if all the big spots are going to Collinsworth? Despite the fact that I knew Collinsworth was getting the gig(long before it was announced this afternoon), I still comprised a list of guys I'd want to see alongside Micheals' on Sunday nights...and here they are:
1. John Elway: On a personal level, I still despise Elway for the '98 Super Bowl, inwhich he got off the snide and won his first ring at the expense of my Green Bay Packers. Personal dislike aside, Elway's articulate(having went to school at Stanford), knowledgeable(having spent nearly 2 decades in the NFL) and he's really not doing anything else(His son, Jack, quit Arizona St's football program, leaving John with a whole slew of free weekends). Sure, he doesn't have much experience in the booth, but wouldn't be worth breaking him in as opposed to hearing Collinsworth use the phrase "Gee, golly" for the 1,000th time?
2. Bill Parcells: I know, I know, he's currently employed by the Dolphins, but when has the Tuna ever been known for his employment longevity? Like Madden, Parcells has been around the game forever and is well-versed in even the most minute aspects of the game. He's a whiz at line play, an expert in special teams, and one of the premier teachers of the 3-4 defense that is dominating the league. Plus, he has the type of big personality that would mesh well with Micheals(The fact that Parcells is from Jersey and Micheals is from New York helps, too, I imagine). Again, yes, he's currently the War Room guru for Miami, but inevitably Parcells will get bored(which, given his history, will be sooner rather than later) and want to take a less demanding and stressful job, much like he did when he worked for ESPN before taking the Cowboys job. Admit it, you want Parcells covering the next Bills-Jets tilt so you can see if he refers to T.O. as Terrell Owens or "The Player".
3. Brett Favre: The fact that Madden and The Riverboat Gambler's retirement came within months of each other should not be seen as a coincidence. Everyone knows that Favre was Madden's # 1 man-crush and everyone also knows that Favre has a harder time leaving football than Rihanna has leaving Chris Brown. In fact, the fact that Favre doesn't have a gig lined up at either NBC, ESPN or the NFL Network has to rank among 2009's biggest suprises. Like Elway, Favre has been around the game forever and having just retired, he's well-schooled in the many eras of the NFL. Also, who better to break down the X's and O's of today's young quarterbacks than the all-time record holder in touchdown passes and interceptions. If you think Parcells covering T.O. will be fun to watch, wait til Favre stammers to find something good to say about Aaron Rodgers or lights up the Unintentional Comedy Scale by chastising Tony Romo's poor decision making after a back-breaking interception. Besides, if anything will lure Madden out of a Laz-E-Boy sofa, it's got to be the oppurtunity to call a game with his long lost love. It will be like watching Kevin Costner play catch with his father in Field of Dreams.
So those are my top three candidates, but I also brainstormed about who would make the perfect duo to take over the booth if Al Micheals, like myself, finds the idea of a full season with Collinsworth in the booth unbearable....and here's what I came up with:
1. Chris Berman and Tom Jackson: Yes, I know they work for ESPN and Sunday Night Football is on NBC. You forget that ESPN's Monday Night Football crew isn't exactly lighting up the Nielsen ratings and ESPN could easily trade Boomer and TJ for the return of Micheals if it felt it would help out the numbers on its prime-time prize. Let's just look at Berman and Jackson as a combo, without the specifics of where they would end up. With the exception of Madden and Summerall, no two men have spent more time covering football together than Berman and Jackson. There's the 2 hours every Sunday morning during the pre-game show. There was their stint together during the NFL Primetime highlight show on Sunday nights(which, while I love NFL Gameday on NFL Network, is sorely missed, even if it did become a bit tired). There was the 8 hours of side-by-side NFL Draft coverage, back when the Draft took an entire day's work. No two men have better chemistry covering the game of football than these two men. Is Berman a bit gimmicky with his constant nicknames and catchphrases? Absolutely. Has YouTube made him look like a surly, lewd, sexist pig in recent years? Definitely. Would I lose my shit the first time Boomer says the words Mark "Dirty" Sanchez? You're damn right I will! Sure, TJ doesn't have much experience in the booth(especially in comparison to Berman, who covered baseball telecasts for a while alongside being Mr. Baseball Tonight), but that's my point. We won't know who's good and who's not until we put them behind the mic. It's the chance you take. Sometimes, you get Marshall Faulk's suprising charm and wit and sometimes you get Emmitt Smith's continued difficulty with the English language(Side note: Darko Milicic doesn't struggle with the English language the way Emmitt Smith does. Watching him speaking is the audible equivalent of the pain that German lady endured when she was mauled by that polar bear.)
So I plead with you, NBC, ABC, ESPN, CBS, NFL Network, Telemundo or anyone covering NFL football....let's get some new blood out there. Just because we lost a jack-of-all-trades, doesn't mean we should replace him with a jackass.......Boom. Roasted.
Signing off,
The Internet's Greatest Unsigned Hype....Dave Leonardis.
John Madden Retires
John Madden announced his retirement today.
Although he is well known for some of his antics (The Madden Cruiser, The All-Madden Team, Tinactin and Ace Hardware commercials), Madden is one of the most important men in football history.
For people who are a few years older than me, Madden is known mainly as a Super Bowl winning coach of the Oakland Raiders. For people a few years younger than me he is known mainly as the face of the most successful sports video game franchise of all time. But for football fans my age, Madden was the voice of the NFL. We grew up listening to Madden call games. I learned just as much about the game of football, and watching the game of football, from listening to John Madden as I did from playing the game in high school. It was from him that I learned to watch the game from the inside out. Watch the offensive line at the start of a play and then move out from there. Ninety-percent of the time I am able to pick out the offender of a false start before the ref confirms it (a fact my wife can attest to). This is because of what I learned from him. Madden had a unique combination of technical football knowledge, accessibility, and humanity that made everyone like him.
Madden will have a legacy for a long time because of his videogame. But for people like me he will always be the voice of football, and he will be missed.
America, John Madden has retired. Boom. Roasted.
- Gabe
(Dave, feel free to agree or rebut.)
Note: I somehow got through this without mentioning Frank Caliendo. Until now. Damn.
Although he is well known for some of his antics (The Madden Cruiser, The All-Madden Team, Tinactin and Ace Hardware commercials), Madden is one of the most important men in football history.
For people who are a few years older than me, Madden is known mainly as a Super Bowl winning coach of the Oakland Raiders. For people a few years younger than me he is known mainly as the face of the most successful sports video game franchise of all time. But for football fans my age, Madden was the voice of the NFL. We grew up listening to Madden call games. I learned just as much about the game of football, and watching the game of football, from listening to John Madden as I did from playing the game in high school. It was from him that I learned to watch the game from the inside out. Watch the offensive line at the start of a play and then move out from there. Ninety-percent of the time I am able to pick out the offender of a false start before the ref confirms it (a fact my wife can attest to). This is because of what I learned from him. Madden had a unique combination of technical football knowledge, accessibility, and humanity that made everyone like him.
Madden will have a legacy for a long time because of his videogame. But for people like me he will always be the voice of football, and he will be missed.
America, John Madden has retired. Boom. Roasted.
- Gabe
(Dave, feel free to agree or rebut.)
Note: I somehow got through this without mentioning Frank Caliendo. Until now. Damn.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Beer of the Week Special
Sam Adams Brewery Tour
Beer of the Week took in on the road last weekend and visited the Sam Adams Brewery in Boston. Here is a little recap and review of their facility.
The first place you walk into at the Sam Adams complex is a very cool lobby area. They have displays showing many things, including history of the brewery, awards they have won, and history of beer brewing in Boston. They also have a counter with free copies of many different beer brewing newsletters and Beer Advocate magazine (a Beer of the Week favorite). One immediately sees that the people who run Sam Adams care about great beer, not just their own product.
So after milling around the lobby for a few minutes the tour begins. First, you walk through a huge old glass lined beer barrel. You walk through the working brewery and into a little room. In this room the tour guide gives some history and then passes around barley for you to smell (and eat if you choose) and hops. She told us to crush the hops in our hand and smell it, just like their founder Jim Koch (pronounced "Cook", not as if it rhymes with "watch" like I thought) does in all of the Sam Adams commercials.
Then you walk into the working part of the brewery. This facility brews everything but the Boston Lager. My only complaint of the tour was that this room is loud, probably because of the working brewery happening around you. The tour guide explains the beer brewing process while in this room.
You then proceed to the part of the tour everyone waits for, the tasting room. Everyone of age is given a seven ounce glass with the Sam Adams logo and sits down at long banquet style tables. The first thing they do is explain the five things to evaluate when tasting and judging beer: 1. Color and opacity, 2. Aroma, 3. Mouthfeel and sweetness, 4. Bitterness, and 5. Overall appeal. They then pass pitchers of three different beers down the tables for everyone to sample. The first sample is always Boston Lager (the best Boston Lager I've ever had, by the way). The next sample is always the current seasonal brew, in this case the Summer Ale which is just now hitting stores. The third sample is always different and could be any one of the almost three dozen other beers Sam Adams brews. In this case we had a Pilsner that is not commercially available. They said it has a spicy aroma and nice flavor but after many samples (I may have filled my glass when the pitchers were coming and going) on an empty stomach, I couldn't tell.
Because the third sample is always different it is worth making multiple trips to the brewery.
The tour is free, a $2 donation for charity is suggested. There is the requisite overpriced gift shop (although I did buy a "Perfect Pint" glass). The brewery is very easy to get to, either by driving or taking the T. They maintain a fun and welcoming atmosphere and you learn a lot about the brewery, the company, the Koch family (for instance, the Boston Lager recipe was Koch's great-grandfather's and he found it in an attic. Koch won a major award at the Great American Beer Festival a year after brewing the first batch in his kitchen), and the history of beer (much more than I could get into here). I had a great time and would go back again. I would highly suggest that everyone visit.
- Gabe
Beer of the Week took in on the road last weekend and visited the Sam Adams Brewery in Boston. Here is a little recap and review of their facility.
The first place you walk into at the Sam Adams complex is a very cool lobby area. They have displays showing many things, including history of the brewery, awards they have won, and history of beer brewing in Boston. They also have a counter with free copies of many different beer brewing newsletters and Beer Advocate magazine (a Beer of the Week favorite). One immediately sees that the people who run Sam Adams care about great beer, not just their own product.
So after milling around the lobby for a few minutes the tour begins. First, you walk through a huge old glass lined beer barrel. You walk through the working brewery and into a little room. In this room the tour guide gives some history and then passes around barley for you to smell (and eat if you choose) and hops. She told us to crush the hops in our hand and smell it, just like their founder Jim Koch (pronounced "Cook", not as if it rhymes with "watch" like I thought) does in all of the Sam Adams commercials.
Then you walk into the working part of the brewery. This facility brews everything but the Boston Lager. My only complaint of the tour was that this room is loud, probably because of the working brewery happening around you. The tour guide explains the beer brewing process while in this room.
You then proceed to the part of the tour everyone waits for, the tasting room. Everyone of age is given a seven ounce glass with the Sam Adams logo and sits down at long banquet style tables. The first thing they do is explain the five things to evaluate when tasting and judging beer: 1. Color and opacity, 2. Aroma, 3. Mouthfeel and sweetness, 4. Bitterness, and 5. Overall appeal. They then pass pitchers of three different beers down the tables for everyone to sample. The first sample is always Boston Lager (the best Boston Lager I've ever had, by the way). The next sample is always the current seasonal brew, in this case the Summer Ale which is just now hitting stores. The third sample is always different and could be any one of the almost three dozen other beers Sam Adams brews. In this case we had a Pilsner that is not commercially available. They said it has a spicy aroma and nice flavor but after many samples (I may have filled my glass when the pitchers were coming and going) on an empty stomach, I couldn't tell.
Because the third sample is always different it is worth making multiple trips to the brewery.
The tour is free, a $2 donation for charity is suggested. There is the requisite overpriced gift shop (although I did buy a "Perfect Pint" glass). The brewery is very easy to get to, either by driving or taking the T. They maintain a fun and welcoming atmosphere and you learn a lot about the brewery, the company, the Koch family (for instance, the Boston Lager recipe was Koch's great-grandfather's and he found it in an attic. Koch won a major award at the Great American Beer Festival a year after brewing the first batch in his kitchen), and the history of beer (much more than I could get into here). I had a great time and would go back again. I would highly suggest that everyone visit.
- Gabe
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Random Thoughts
A couple of random rants going on inside my brain.....
1. So, I watched the clip of Josh Beckett throwing at Bobby Abreu and it led me to two thoughts. One, how the hell does the ump call time in the middle of Beckett's windup? How can you expect Beckett to maintain control of the ball if, a half-second from the release of the pitch, action is halted and Abreu's stepping out of the box. Secondly, isn't the idea of bench-clearing brawls a bit overrated? I'm not saying that players, in the heat of the moment, shouldn't settle their frustrations on the field if things come to that, but do Abreu and Beckett really need 20 people a piece to seperate them from each other. Let's think about this in a non-sports scenario: You're in a packed nightclub on a Friday night. A younger, slightly more muscular gentleman bumrushes his way to the bar and bumps you aside without apologizing. Now, if you choose to go upside this guy's head, do you really see the other bar patrons dividing into two large groups and blocking off the two of you from going at it? No. Now, back to baseball, if Abreu gets pissed and wants to slug Beckett in the face, does it really take 20 people to hold back 35-year-old Bobby Abreu? What does adding another 30-40 bodies onto the field do to the situation that sending, let's say 3, players a piece can't, other than escalating the fiasco into a full-fledged battle royal? Look, I love baseball brawls. If someone threw a 90 mph fastball at my head and I lived to talk about it, I'd be looking for blood too, but do we really need every confrontation to turn into a scene out of West Side Story? My answer would be no.
2. I'm trying to wrap my head around the logic of the Browns trading Braylon Edwards. I know he's in the last year of his deal and his chances of re-signing at the end of the year are pretty slim, but let's take a long look at the Browns' offense at the moment. Their prized free agent signing from a couple years ago, Joe Jureviscius, was never healthy and, thus, was released. Last year's big prized acquisition, Donte Stallworth, is facing DUI manslaughter charges and has about as much of a chance at continuing his NFL career as Rich Kotite. They just traded your #2 option, Kellen Winslow, to Tampa Bay. Their starting running back, Jamal Lewis, has more miles on him than a '86 Pinto. They have no clue whether their starting QB will be Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn or Bernie Kosar and now you want to entertain offers for your only offensive threat with no replacement in place?
Now, before you say that the Edwards-to-the-Giants rumors as well as other trade scenarios are just speculation, keep in mind that Cleveland hasn't tried to shoot these rumors down, nor have they negotiated a long-term deal with Edwards. So let's not be so naive as to think that if a team is desperate enough to meet the Browns' price(believed to be a first and a third), that Edwards won't be on the first thing smoking out of town. My problem with this is, if you trade Edwards, a. what kind of message do you send to your fans, who had high hopes after your promising breakout season two years ago and b. who's catching passes from Quinn/Anderson/Couch/Holcomb/Kosar if you don't get a wideout back?
The Giants supposedly offered a 2nd rounder and either Steve Smith or Sinorce Moss, which the Browns wisely pish-poshed. However, let's assume Cleveland takes that deal, or better yet, let's say the Giants agree to the Browns' demands and trade their first and third AND Steve Smith(which, I know, is a bit steep, but humor me here). The Giants get Edwards, who despite his stone hands is probably better than any of the wideouts available at the bottom of the first round(Save for Kenny Britt, who is the next Jerry Rice.........(awkward silence)......sorry, Rutgers homer moment). What about the Browns though? Unless Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree is available when the Browns go on the clock at 5(which is unlikely, but not unrealistic), the Browns will be picking again at #29 staring at a wide reciever group of possibly Britt, UNC's Hakeem Nicks, Florida's Percy Harvin, and Maryland's Darius Heyward-Bey. None of those options have the # 1 potential of Edwards(Again, except for Britt, who has his ticket to Canton punched already.......OK, I'm done). So the Browns would deal Edwards for a combination of, let's say Nicks, at 29, Smith and whomever they'd take in the 3rd round(For the sake of completing the hypothetical situation, let's say Ohio St. LB Marvin Freeman). Does that strike you as a fair deal for a guy in his prime and who is just two years removed from a Pro Bowl season? Look on the bright side, Cleveland fans, losing Edwards next season won't be nearly as bad as when LeBron's a Knick in 2010. Just sayin'.
3. Final thought....and it's a brief one(since Gabe already tackled the NBA playoff preview), this is shaping up to be one boring NBA playoff. First of all, as Gabe mentioned, there is nobody standing in the way of the Lakers out West(though, if you're a Lakers fan, the Jazz as an 8 seed has to scare you a little if they stroll out Boozer, Deron, and Millsap against the soft Showtime frontcourt). The Spurs are old and beat up. The Rockets don't have a go-to guy besides Yao(and don't give me Ron Artest. His best chance of breaking out in the playoffs is if someone soft-tosses a cup of Bud Light at his dome) The others are just happy to be there. As for the East, there's really nothing stopping the Cavs. The Celtics are spent and the Magic are a one-man show. Granted, this gives us the LeBron vs. Kobe Finals we all hoped for, but with the way the playoff TV schedule is spaced out, will we even care by then?
Signing off,
Your Favorite Blogger's Favorite Blogger, Dave Leonardis.
1. So, I watched the clip of Josh Beckett throwing at Bobby Abreu and it led me to two thoughts. One, how the hell does the ump call time in the middle of Beckett's windup? How can you expect Beckett to maintain control of the ball if, a half-second from the release of the pitch, action is halted and Abreu's stepping out of the box. Secondly, isn't the idea of bench-clearing brawls a bit overrated? I'm not saying that players, in the heat of the moment, shouldn't settle their frustrations on the field if things come to that, but do Abreu and Beckett really need 20 people a piece to seperate them from each other. Let's think about this in a non-sports scenario: You're in a packed nightclub on a Friday night. A younger, slightly more muscular gentleman bumrushes his way to the bar and bumps you aside without apologizing. Now, if you choose to go upside this guy's head, do you really see the other bar patrons dividing into two large groups and blocking off the two of you from going at it? No. Now, back to baseball, if Abreu gets pissed and wants to slug Beckett in the face, does it really take 20 people to hold back 35-year-old Bobby Abreu? What does adding another 30-40 bodies onto the field do to the situation that sending, let's say 3, players a piece can't, other than escalating the fiasco into a full-fledged battle royal? Look, I love baseball brawls. If someone threw a 90 mph fastball at my head and I lived to talk about it, I'd be looking for blood too, but do we really need every confrontation to turn into a scene out of West Side Story? My answer would be no.
2. I'm trying to wrap my head around the logic of the Browns trading Braylon Edwards. I know he's in the last year of his deal and his chances of re-signing at the end of the year are pretty slim, but let's take a long look at the Browns' offense at the moment. Their prized free agent signing from a couple years ago, Joe Jureviscius, was never healthy and, thus, was released. Last year's big prized acquisition, Donte Stallworth, is facing DUI manslaughter charges and has about as much of a chance at continuing his NFL career as Rich Kotite. They just traded your #2 option, Kellen Winslow, to Tampa Bay. Their starting running back, Jamal Lewis, has more miles on him than a '86 Pinto. They have no clue whether their starting QB will be Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn or Bernie Kosar and now you want to entertain offers for your only offensive threat with no replacement in place?
Now, before you say that the Edwards-to-the-Giants rumors as well as other trade scenarios are just speculation, keep in mind that Cleveland hasn't tried to shoot these rumors down, nor have they negotiated a long-term deal with Edwards. So let's not be so naive as to think that if a team is desperate enough to meet the Browns' price(believed to be a first and a third), that Edwards won't be on the first thing smoking out of town. My problem with this is, if you trade Edwards, a. what kind of message do you send to your fans, who had high hopes after your promising breakout season two years ago and b. who's catching passes from Quinn/Anderson/Couch/Holcomb/Kosar if you don't get a wideout back?
The Giants supposedly offered a 2nd rounder and either Steve Smith or Sinorce Moss, which the Browns wisely pish-poshed. However, let's assume Cleveland takes that deal, or better yet, let's say the Giants agree to the Browns' demands and trade their first and third AND Steve Smith(which, I know, is a bit steep, but humor me here). The Giants get Edwards, who despite his stone hands is probably better than any of the wideouts available at the bottom of the first round(Save for Kenny Britt, who is the next Jerry Rice.........(awkward silence)......sorry, Rutgers homer moment). What about the Browns though? Unless Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree is available when the Browns go on the clock at 5(which is unlikely, but not unrealistic), the Browns will be picking again at #29 staring at a wide reciever group of possibly Britt, UNC's Hakeem Nicks, Florida's Percy Harvin, and Maryland's Darius Heyward-Bey. None of those options have the # 1 potential of Edwards(Again, except for Britt, who has his ticket to Canton punched already.......OK, I'm done). So the Browns would deal Edwards for a combination of, let's say Nicks, at 29, Smith and whomever they'd take in the 3rd round(For the sake of completing the hypothetical situation, let's say Ohio St. LB Marvin Freeman). Does that strike you as a fair deal for a guy in his prime and who is just two years removed from a Pro Bowl season? Look on the bright side, Cleveland fans, losing Edwards next season won't be nearly as bad as when LeBron's a Knick in 2010. Just sayin'.
3. Final thought....and it's a brief one(since Gabe already tackled the NBA playoff preview), this is shaping up to be one boring NBA playoff. First of all, as Gabe mentioned, there is nobody standing in the way of the Lakers out West(though, if you're a Lakers fan, the Jazz as an 8 seed has to scare you a little if they stroll out Boozer, Deron, and Millsap against the soft Showtime frontcourt). The Spurs are old and beat up. The Rockets don't have a go-to guy besides Yao(and don't give me Ron Artest. His best chance of breaking out in the playoffs is if someone soft-tosses a cup of Bud Light at his dome) The others are just happy to be there. As for the East, there's really nothing stopping the Cavs. The Celtics are spent and the Magic are a one-man show. Granted, this gives us the LeBron vs. Kobe Finals we all hoped for, but with the way the playoff TV schedule is spaced out, will we even care by then?
Signing off,
Your Favorite Blogger's Favorite Blogger, Dave Leonardis.
Monday, April 13, 2009
NBA Playoff Preview
Every team in the NBA has two games or fewer left in their regular seasons. The field is set and the playoffs get underway in about a week (and will probably finish just in time to open training camp.)
Let me start off by saying that to me, the NBA playoffs are the premier basketball playoffs. Sorry college basketball guy, but the NBA has a better product and bigger stars. Colin Cowherd said it best when he said college basketball is like a Christmas decoration. You hang it up, give it attention for five or six weeks, and then pack it away for the next ten and a half months. I couldn't agree more. Give me Lebron, Kobe, D-Wade, and Dwight Howard over Tyler Hansborough, Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, and a bunch of 6'6" "big men."
Let me start off by saying that to me, the NBA playoffs are the premier basketball playoffs. Sorry college basketball guy, but the NBA has a better product and bigger stars. Colin Cowherd said it best when he said college basketball is like a Christmas decoration. You hang it up, give it attention for five or six weeks, and then pack it away for the next ten and a half months. I couldn't agree more. Give me Lebron, Kobe, D-Wade, and Dwight Howard over Tyler Hansborough, Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, and a bunch of 6'6" "big men."
So let's look at the West first because, well, it's pretty simple.
The Lakers will represent the West in the NBA Finals. L.A. scores more points than any team in the playoffs. Their oppponents score less than 100 points per game against them. Let's not forget that they always have the best player on the court too.
The only legitimate threat to the Lakers went down when Manu Giniobili hurt his ankle. The Spurs may be able to pull it off, but it is a long shot. They have loads of experience. They also have Bruce Bowen, the most tenacious defender not named Ron Artest. Bowen has a history of giving Kobe fits, but if there is anyone who can elevate his game, it's Kobe. The Spurs would have to play four of their best games to beat L.A.
The Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and Portland Trailblazers are all either a game up or tied with San Antonio in the standings right now. The Blazers are too young and inexperienced. They need a few more years. Houston is also not playoff tested. Tracy McGrady has famously never been past the first round. The Nuggets are good, but Carmelo hasn't led a team deep into the playoffs since he left Syracuse. They haven't made it to the second round of the playoffs since 1994.
Remember, success in the NBA is built on stars and experience. Each team will only go as far as their biggest star can lead them. Every team has to pay their dues and be tested before they can win.
(Blog intermission, Norman Chad style - Did you see that Al Franken was declared the winner in the Senate race in Minnesota? Let's look deeper into the fact that voters in Minnesota have voted a pro wrestler into the governor's mansion and a comic to the Senate. Both times the person who lost the race was Norm Coleman.
Uhhh, Norm? How do I say this? Maybe politics ain't your game dog. It's probably time to open a bakery.)
Now let's look at the Eastern Conference. This situation is a little more complicated, but not by much. This is a three team race. Everyone from Atlanta (locked in at the 4 seed) down; thanks for playing. Better luck next year.
Boston is playing well right now, winning eight of their last ten, but they will eventually lose because Kevin Garnett is not 100%. He may return for the last game before the playoffs, but he will be rusty. Without Garnett at full strength they can't win. Orlando is too young. They will cut their teeth this year and be a legit threat in the future.
In my mind the Cleveland Cavaliers will meet the Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Cavs are playing lights out right now. They also have home court advantage throughout the playoffs (Finals included provided they don't lose their last two games and L.A. wins theirs). This is huge because they are currently 39-1 at home and one game away from tying an NBA record by going 40-1.
So, Lakers and Cavs in the Finals. I know I just got done arguing for Cleveland and their home dominance, but the 1 in their 39-1? A ten point loss to the Lakers in February. All the Lakers have to do is win one in Cleveland and the take care of business at home. Also, the Lakers have an easier road to the Finals. Theoretically, the Cavs will have to battle through either Boston or Orlando just to get to the Finals. They'll be tired.
Give me the Lakers in seven.
- Gabe
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Beer of the Week 8 - Clipper City Marzhon
Clipper City Marzhon
Some Facts: Clipper City Marzhon is produced by the Clipper City Brewery in Baltimore, MD. It is a marzen style lager. I hate to admit this, but I first heard of Clipper City when watching the movie He's Just Not That Into You (It was Valentine's Day and I was taking my wife to see it. Besides, the book the movie is based on was co-written by Greg Behrendt, one of the coolest men on the planet, so back off.) The movie is set in Baltimore and the characters were always drinking Clipper City. The brewery is also responsible for a line of beers called "Heavy Seas." More information on the brewery and their beers can be found at their website, http://www.ccbeer.com/.
I didn't know what a marzen beer is until I tried this one, and it is too much to explain here. Check out the Wikipedia article on marzen.
5.8% ABV
What They Say: The beer has an average score of 3.09 out of 5.0 at RateBeer.com, putting it in the 51st percentile overall on the site. At BeerAdvocate.com the beer has a rating of 3.63 out of 5.0 giving it an overall grade of B. This rating is from the users. The brothers have not rated the beer.
What I say: I poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass. The beer has a nice rich brown color. It has a small head that dissipates quickly. It has a very nice, sweet, floral aroma. The taste is very similar. It is sweet and floral with a little fruity and citrus character. It has a faint strange aftertaste. It has a nice mouthfeel. It is slightly sparkly at first with a smooth finish. Because of the light and fruity flavor this a great summer beer. A perfect "porch beer."
Final Rating: 3.5 out of 6 pints.
- Gabe
Note - Beer of the Week is taking it on the road this week. I will be visiting the Sam Adam's Brewery in Boston and doing a special Beer of the Week update this weekend. This will be the first in a series of brewery visits. Plans for this year include: Starr Hill in Crozet, VA, Flying Dog in Frederick, MD, and the big one, the World Beer Festival in Durham, NC, in October.
Some Facts: Clipper City Marzhon is produced by the Clipper City Brewery in Baltimore, MD. It is a marzen style lager. I hate to admit this, but I first heard of Clipper City when watching the movie He's Just Not That Into You (It was Valentine's Day and I was taking my wife to see it. Besides, the book the movie is based on was co-written by Greg Behrendt, one of the coolest men on the planet, so back off.) The movie is set in Baltimore and the characters were always drinking Clipper City. The brewery is also responsible for a line of beers called "Heavy Seas." More information on the brewery and their beers can be found at their website, http://www.ccbeer.com/.
I didn't know what a marzen beer is until I tried this one, and it is too much to explain here. Check out the Wikipedia article on marzen.
5.8% ABV
What They Say: The beer has an average score of 3.09 out of 5.0 at RateBeer.com, putting it in the 51st percentile overall on the site. At BeerAdvocate.com the beer has a rating of 3.63 out of 5.0 giving it an overall grade of B. This rating is from the users. The brothers have not rated the beer.
What I say: I poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass. The beer has a nice rich brown color. It has a small head that dissipates quickly. It has a very nice, sweet, floral aroma. The taste is very similar. It is sweet and floral with a little fruity and citrus character. It has a faint strange aftertaste. It has a nice mouthfeel. It is slightly sparkly at first with a smooth finish. Because of the light and fruity flavor this a great summer beer. A perfect "porch beer."
Final Rating: 3.5 out of 6 pints.
- Gabe
Note - Beer of the Week is taking it on the road this week. I will be visiting the Sam Adam's Brewery in Boston and doing a special Beer of the Week update this weekend. This will be the first in a series of brewery visits. Plans for this year include: Starr Hill in Crozet, VA, Flying Dog in Frederick, MD, and the big one, the World Beer Festival in Durham, NC, in October.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Indulgent Homer Blog of the Week
One of my goals is to write about teams other than those I am a fan of, most of the time. Every now and then I'm going to focus on my teams.
- Let's start with the New York football Giants. They cut Plaxico Burress last week. I am conflicted over this move. Part of me says good riddance. If you shoot yourself in the leg and, in a separate incident, yell at a cop, then you deserve to have people question your decision making. The other part of me is going to miss him on the field. The Giants played much worse without him. Their offense stagnated. He was Eli's security blanket. Of course, a 6-5 receiver would be anyone's security blanket. It reminds me of the 2001 NBA Finals when the Knicks' Larry Johnson tried to guard the Spurs' Tim Duncan. Plax and Duncan allowed you to just chuck the ball in the air to them and watch them work their magic.
- Speaking of my beloved San Antonio Spurs, Manu Ginobili is out for the remainder of the season. The Spurs are done. That's it. That's the list.
The Spurs have clinched a playoff berth, but I'll surprised if they win one round. Ginobili is the most dynamic player on the Spurs roster. He plays everywhere on the floor. He can go to the rack with either hand. There are few players like him in the league. Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill, the rookie from IUPUI (ooey-pooey) will be filling in for Ginobili. They hardly instill confidence. I say it again, this year, the Spurs are done.
The bigger problem facing San Antonio is that their window to win another title may be closing. Tim Duncan is getting old and has knee problems. Ginobili is 32 years old and oft-injured. They aren't yet close to rebuilding, but they are past the years in which they are elite. They are still good. They will still make the playoffs for a few more years, but that isn't saying much in a league where 16 teams make the post-season and 14 do not.
- How about some good news? The Mets won a one-run game yesterday. It looks like adding J.J. Putz and K-Rod is going to work. At least for now. For the last few years when the Mets had a one run lead going into the ninth, it was scary. Billy Wagner was good but he always made me sweat. Last year they had garbage trying to close out games. This year things are looking up.
- Gabe
- Let's start with the New York football Giants. They cut Plaxico Burress last week. I am conflicted over this move. Part of me says good riddance. If you shoot yourself in the leg and, in a separate incident, yell at a cop, then you deserve to have people question your decision making. The other part of me is going to miss him on the field. The Giants played much worse without him. Their offense stagnated. He was Eli's security blanket. Of course, a 6-5 receiver would be anyone's security blanket. It reminds me of the 2001 NBA Finals when the Knicks' Larry Johnson tried to guard the Spurs' Tim Duncan. Plax and Duncan allowed you to just chuck the ball in the air to them and watch them work their magic.
- Speaking of my beloved San Antonio Spurs, Manu Ginobili is out for the remainder of the season. The Spurs are done. That's it. That's the list.
The Spurs have clinched a playoff berth, but I'll surprised if they win one round. Ginobili is the most dynamic player on the Spurs roster. He plays everywhere on the floor. He can go to the rack with either hand. There are few players like him in the league. Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill, the rookie from IUPUI (ooey-pooey) will be filling in for Ginobili. They hardly instill confidence. I say it again, this year, the Spurs are done.
The bigger problem facing San Antonio is that their window to win another title may be closing. Tim Duncan is getting old and has knee problems. Ginobili is 32 years old and oft-injured. They aren't yet close to rebuilding, but they are past the years in which they are elite. They are still good. They will still make the playoffs for a few more years, but that isn't saying much in a league where 16 teams make the post-season and 14 do not.
- How about some good news? The Mets won a one-run game yesterday. It looks like adding J.J. Putz and K-Rod is going to work. At least for now. For the last few years when the Mets had a one run lead going into the ninth, it was scary. Billy Wagner was good but he always made me sweat. Last year they had garbage trying to close out games. This year things are looking up.
- Gabe
Monday, April 6, 2009
Yeah, I Said It
With baseball's Opening Day officially underway literally as I type this, here are some things I forsee happening over the course of the ongoing MLB season:
1. Stadium attendance will be the worst we've seen in decades. This might seem like stating the obvious, as MLB money men already expect at least a 10% decline in ticket sales, but I predict that that number is wishful thinking. The reasons behind my theory are two-fold: For one, the combination of a dismal economy and team owners trying to recoup lost money by raising ticket prices will blow up in their faces. Tickets for the Orioles' home opener started at 60 bucks...and that was to sit in the nosebleeds. Granted, it's Opening Day and they were facing the Yankees, baseball's hottest draw, but it seems awfully bold to ask for 60 bones to watch a team with no proven commodity that lost 93 games last season. Your average fan can hit up the local sports bar and watch the game in HD and have a closer experience than paying top dollar to sit in what is supposed to be the "cheap seats". Another factor is that most teams, like the Orioles, lack star power. You think Royals fans are going to buy tickets to see CoCo Crisp? Is Nate McLouth really putting butts in seats? No. The fact of the matter is, unless big market teams with All-Star lineups like the Yankees or Red Sox are visiting, there's just no compelling reason to put out the scratch to attend a baseball game which, for someone who loves baseball live, is a bit disheartening.
2. The Yankees will have a solid April without A-Rod, which will lead the New York media to start pumping out "Trade A-Rod" articles. Today's loss to the afforementioned O's notwithstanding, the Yankees know they need to start out hot in the early going to justify the big money they threw out this offseason to pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett as well as slugger Mark Teixeira. After missing the playoffs last year, manager Joe Girardi finds himself on the hot seat and the only way to keep his head off the chopping block would be to jump ahead of the hated Red Sox and the upstart Rays. As for A-Rod, his bad PR 2009 will only get worse if a. the team plays well without him b.he takes longer than needed to come back from a bum hip and/or c. he doesn't start off strong once he does return to the lineup. As the most hated Yankee in the Bronx since Roger Maris, A-Rod is already on thin ice in the Big Apple and he can ill-afford to aggitate a crowd thirsty for controversy and a ring.
3. The term "This year's Rays" will be tossed around by unoriginal TV analysts and broadcasters ad nauseum until at least the All-Star break. Every year, thanks to the emergence of parity in baseball, a team goes from worst to first, causing "experts" who normally spend their down time gushing over the big market teams to orgasm in unison over whomever the small market underdog du jour appears to be. The Kansas City Royals, longtime doormats because of their bad drafting and thrifty spending, have already been mentioned quite a few times as the sexy small market pick amongst columnists, thanks to their young core of up-and-comers like pitcher Zach Grienke, outfielder CoCo Crisp and corner boys Alex Gordon and Mike Jacobs. While the success of the Rays(and the Detroit Tigers a couple years before them) has shown that small-market teams can go the distance past July, don't be surprised if this year's playoffs have a bit more of a big-market feel to them as the declining economy and ticket revenue will cause small market teams to inevitably sell off their goods to their big city counterparts in an attempt to stay in the black. Which leads me to.....
4. The Tigers will continue their snide and go on a Wayne Huzeinga-esque fire sale that will inevitably end with a Miguel Cabrera to Boston mega deal in next year's offseason. The financial woes in the city of Detroit have been well-documented over the past few months and that struggle will inevitably strike the once-beloved Tigers. The Tigers, last year's sexy pick to make the Series thanks to their blockbuster acquisition of Cabrera and pitcher Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins, face the daunting task of competing in not only a tough American League, but a suddenly wide-open Central division with a rotation that is lackluster to say the least. Outfielder Gary Sheffield was the first big money acquisition to get his walking papers, as he was released last week. Soon to be following him out the door will be outfielder Magglio Ordonez, utilityman Brandon Inge, third baseman Carlos Guillen and, although unlikely, Willis(who is owed $22 million over the next two seasons but thanks to control issues will almost certianly fail to find takers.) Cabrera, who the Tigers hoped would be the cornerstone of their resurgence, has battled weight issues and some in the front office might want to save face by moving him sooner rather than paying him later.
5. Marlins' starter Ricky Nolasco will continue his role as the best pitcher you've never heard of. In the final three months of last season, Nolasco had 119 strikeouts to just 13 walks and was one of the key reasons the Marlins had a winning record over division heavyweights Philadelphia and New York over the second half of the season. As the ace to a team busting at the seams with young talent, don't be surprised if Nolasco makes a run at the NL Cy Young this season. In fact, with fellow young starters Josh Johnson, Chris Volstad and Andrew Miller, don't be shocked if the Marlins make a run at the NL East crown. They have enough young stars to be this year's......nope, not gonna do it.
6. The Oakland Athletics will lead the AL West going into the All-Star break. One thing that has stayed consistent has been GM Billy Beane's ability to find solid young pitching and build around a core of lesser known talent. This year, Beane went out and made some aggressive moves in an attempt to win now. Beane made a splash at the winter meetings by acquiring perennial 30-30 threat Matt Holliday and proceeded to protect Holliday by bringing back former AL MVP Jason Giambi and signing underrated shortstop Orlando Cabrera. With the Rangers in desperate need of pitching, the Mariners rebuilding and the Angels without their top two pitchers for the first 5 weeks of the season, it's not unthinkable to think the A's can ride their big bats and young pitching to an early lead in the division.
7. You WILL hear the name Barry Bonds mentioned around the trade deadline. As has been mentioned before, there is expected to be some major moves made at the deadline as teams scramble to stay in the black. The Toronto Blue Jays have already been rumored to be auctioning off outfielders Alex Rios and Vernon Wells in an attempt to save money to keep ace Roy Halladay. However, teams that want to contend but don't want to deal prized prospects for rent-a-players might feel inclined to dial up Major League Baseball's home run czar. Bonds, out of baseball all of last year as he awaited trial for perjury charges along with playing his role of baseball's black sheep to a tee, has not officially retired and could perk up the ears of a team needing his big bat for a stretch run. While Bonds has always been the surly, locker room cancer type, the same could be said for Gary Sheffield, who signed with the Mets days ago after his release from the Tigers.
8. The San Francisco Giants will emerge as the best crappy team to watch. Lost in their lack of name recognition is the fact that the Giants' starting rotation currently has 3 Cy Young winners on it(ace Tim Lincecum, aging Randy Johnson, and overpaid Barry Zito). San Fran's lineup lacks pop but with some solid pitching from its award winning arms and fellow young guns Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez, they could make things interesting in a relatively weak NL West.
9. After acquring Jake Peavy at the deadline, the Cubs will carry on their long-standing tradition of teasing fans with the threat of breaking their World Series drought. The Cubs have already been crowned the sheek pick to represent the NL in the Fall Classic and there's no doubt this team is talented enough already to win the Central going away. However, the Cubs have been legendary for being unable to get over the hump and if the team couldn't win a ring riding young workhorses Kerry Wood and Mark Prior(in their one and only healthy season together), I find it hard to imagine it would happen even with the acquisition of Peavy or any other frontline ace.
10. Of course, what would be a prognostications blog without, well, some prognostications...so here goes, my division winners, award grabbers, and a World Series pick sure to fail:
NL East: Mets-You can't read much into one game, but if the Phillies are without Cole Hamels for any stretch of time this season, they might not have the fortune of another collapse in Queens to save them this time.
NL Central: Cubs-Though the Cards could threaten if Chris Carpenter's healthy.
NL West: Dodgers-Manny will be Manny....for at least 110 games...causing Boston fans to bust a nut with "I told you sos"
NL Wild Card: Cardinals-After turning a season-threatening elbow injury into an MVP season, I believe in Albert Pujols
AL East: Yankees-Because 3/4 of a billion dollars should buy you something worthwhile.
AL Central: Twins-Sorry, I just don't believe in the Indians like everyone else does.
AL West: Angels-As I said before, be on the lookout for the A's.
AL Wild Card: Red Sox-They're aging and beat up but they just have too much talent to not make the postseason
NL MVP: Albert Pujols-See NL Wild Card
AL MVP: Matt Holliday-I know, how can you give a MVP to a guy you don't have in the playoffs? Trust me on this one. Or don't.
NL Cy Young: Ricky Nolasco-Again. Trust me on this one.
AL Cy Young: Francisco Liriano-I think CC will be good, just not Cy Young good and the Twins have always proven to be able to pull an ace from their sleeve
NL Rookie of the Year: Jordan Schafer, Braves-Because I'm a homer.
AL Rookie of the Year: David Price-Because the Rays' playoff hopes ride on his golden arm
World Series: Dodgers over Yankees in 6-Because, deep down, you want to see Torre stick it to New York and Manny win a ring outside of Beantown....or you don't.
--Dave
1. Stadium attendance will be the worst we've seen in decades. This might seem like stating the obvious, as MLB money men already expect at least a 10% decline in ticket sales, but I predict that that number is wishful thinking. The reasons behind my theory are two-fold: For one, the combination of a dismal economy and team owners trying to recoup lost money by raising ticket prices will blow up in their faces. Tickets for the Orioles' home opener started at 60 bucks...and that was to sit in the nosebleeds. Granted, it's Opening Day and they were facing the Yankees, baseball's hottest draw, but it seems awfully bold to ask for 60 bones to watch a team with no proven commodity that lost 93 games last season. Your average fan can hit up the local sports bar and watch the game in HD and have a closer experience than paying top dollar to sit in what is supposed to be the "cheap seats". Another factor is that most teams, like the Orioles, lack star power. You think Royals fans are going to buy tickets to see CoCo Crisp? Is Nate McLouth really putting butts in seats? No. The fact of the matter is, unless big market teams with All-Star lineups like the Yankees or Red Sox are visiting, there's just no compelling reason to put out the scratch to attend a baseball game which, for someone who loves baseball live, is a bit disheartening.
2. The Yankees will have a solid April without A-Rod, which will lead the New York media to start pumping out "Trade A-Rod" articles. Today's loss to the afforementioned O's notwithstanding, the Yankees know they need to start out hot in the early going to justify the big money they threw out this offseason to pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett as well as slugger Mark Teixeira. After missing the playoffs last year, manager Joe Girardi finds himself on the hot seat and the only way to keep his head off the chopping block would be to jump ahead of the hated Red Sox and the upstart Rays. As for A-Rod, his bad PR 2009 will only get worse if a. the team plays well without him b.he takes longer than needed to come back from a bum hip and/or c. he doesn't start off strong once he does return to the lineup. As the most hated Yankee in the Bronx since Roger Maris, A-Rod is already on thin ice in the Big Apple and he can ill-afford to aggitate a crowd thirsty for controversy and a ring.
3. The term "This year's Rays" will be tossed around by unoriginal TV analysts and broadcasters ad nauseum until at least the All-Star break. Every year, thanks to the emergence of parity in baseball, a team goes from worst to first, causing "experts" who normally spend their down time gushing over the big market teams to orgasm in unison over whomever the small market underdog du jour appears to be. The Kansas City Royals, longtime doormats because of their bad drafting and thrifty spending, have already been mentioned quite a few times as the sexy small market pick amongst columnists, thanks to their young core of up-and-comers like pitcher Zach Grienke, outfielder CoCo Crisp and corner boys Alex Gordon and Mike Jacobs. While the success of the Rays(and the Detroit Tigers a couple years before them) has shown that small-market teams can go the distance past July, don't be surprised if this year's playoffs have a bit more of a big-market feel to them as the declining economy and ticket revenue will cause small market teams to inevitably sell off their goods to their big city counterparts in an attempt to stay in the black. Which leads me to.....
4. The Tigers will continue their snide and go on a Wayne Huzeinga-esque fire sale that will inevitably end with a Miguel Cabrera to Boston mega deal in next year's offseason. The financial woes in the city of Detroit have been well-documented over the past few months and that struggle will inevitably strike the once-beloved Tigers. The Tigers, last year's sexy pick to make the Series thanks to their blockbuster acquisition of Cabrera and pitcher Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins, face the daunting task of competing in not only a tough American League, but a suddenly wide-open Central division with a rotation that is lackluster to say the least. Outfielder Gary Sheffield was the first big money acquisition to get his walking papers, as he was released last week. Soon to be following him out the door will be outfielder Magglio Ordonez, utilityman Brandon Inge, third baseman Carlos Guillen and, although unlikely, Willis(who is owed $22 million over the next two seasons but thanks to control issues will almost certianly fail to find takers.) Cabrera, who the Tigers hoped would be the cornerstone of their resurgence, has battled weight issues and some in the front office might want to save face by moving him sooner rather than paying him later.
5. Marlins' starter Ricky Nolasco will continue his role as the best pitcher you've never heard of. In the final three months of last season, Nolasco had 119 strikeouts to just 13 walks and was one of the key reasons the Marlins had a winning record over division heavyweights Philadelphia and New York over the second half of the season. As the ace to a team busting at the seams with young talent, don't be surprised if Nolasco makes a run at the NL Cy Young this season. In fact, with fellow young starters Josh Johnson, Chris Volstad and Andrew Miller, don't be shocked if the Marlins make a run at the NL East crown. They have enough young stars to be this year's......nope, not gonna do it.
6. The Oakland Athletics will lead the AL West going into the All-Star break. One thing that has stayed consistent has been GM Billy Beane's ability to find solid young pitching and build around a core of lesser known talent. This year, Beane went out and made some aggressive moves in an attempt to win now. Beane made a splash at the winter meetings by acquiring perennial 30-30 threat Matt Holliday and proceeded to protect Holliday by bringing back former AL MVP Jason Giambi and signing underrated shortstop Orlando Cabrera. With the Rangers in desperate need of pitching, the Mariners rebuilding and the Angels without their top two pitchers for the first 5 weeks of the season, it's not unthinkable to think the A's can ride their big bats and young pitching to an early lead in the division.
7. You WILL hear the name Barry Bonds mentioned around the trade deadline. As has been mentioned before, there is expected to be some major moves made at the deadline as teams scramble to stay in the black. The Toronto Blue Jays have already been rumored to be auctioning off outfielders Alex Rios and Vernon Wells in an attempt to save money to keep ace Roy Halladay. However, teams that want to contend but don't want to deal prized prospects for rent-a-players might feel inclined to dial up Major League Baseball's home run czar. Bonds, out of baseball all of last year as he awaited trial for perjury charges along with playing his role of baseball's black sheep to a tee, has not officially retired and could perk up the ears of a team needing his big bat for a stretch run. While Bonds has always been the surly, locker room cancer type, the same could be said for Gary Sheffield, who signed with the Mets days ago after his release from the Tigers.
8. The San Francisco Giants will emerge as the best crappy team to watch. Lost in their lack of name recognition is the fact that the Giants' starting rotation currently has 3 Cy Young winners on it(ace Tim Lincecum, aging Randy Johnson, and overpaid Barry Zito). San Fran's lineup lacks pop but with some solid pitching from its award winning arms and fellow young guns Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez, they could make things interesting in a relatively weak NL West.
9. After acquring Jake Peavy at the deadline, the Cubs will carry on their long-standing tradition of teasing fans with the threat of breaking their World Series drought. The Cubs have already been crowned the sheek pick to represent the NL in the Fall Classic and there's no doubt this team is talented enough already to win the Central going away. However, the Cubs have been legendary for being unable to get over the hump and if the team couldn't win a ring riding young workhorses Kerry Wood and Mark Prior(in their one and only healthy season together), I find it hard to imagine it would happen even with the acquisition of Peavy or any other frontline ace.
10. Of course, what would be a prognostications blog without, well, some prognostications...so here goes, my division winners, award grabbers, and a World Series pick sure to fail:
NL East: Mets-You can't read much into one game, but if the Phillies are without Cole Hamels for any stretch of time this season, they might not have the fortune of another collapse in Queens to save them this time.
NL Central: Cubs-Though the Cards could threaten if Chris Carpenter's healthy.
NL West: Dodgers-Manny will be Manny....for at least 110 games...causing Boston fans to bust a nut with "I told you sos"
NL Wild Card: Cardinals-After turning a season-threatening elbow injury into an MVP season, I believe in Albert Pujols
AL East: Yankees-Because 3/4 of a billion dollars should buy you something worthwhile.
AL Central: Twins-Sorry, I just don't believe in the Indians like everyone else does.
AL West: Angels-As I said before, be on the lookout for the A's.
AL Wild Card: Red Sox-They're aging and beat up but they just have too much talent to not make the postseason
NL MVP: Albert Pujols-See NL Wild Card
AL MVP: Matt Holliday-I know, how can you give a MVP to a guy you don't have in the playoffs? Trust me on this one. Or don't.
NL Cy Young: Ricky Nolasco-Again. Trust me on this one.
AL Cy Young: Francisco Liriano-I think CC will be good, just not Cy Young good and the Twins have always proven to be able to pull an ace from their sleeve
NL Rookie of the Year: Jordan Schafer, Braves-Because I'm a homer.
AL Rookie of the Year: David Price-Because the Rays' playoff hopes ride on his golden arm
World Series: Dodgers over Yankees in 6-Because, deep down, you want to see Torre stick it to New York and Manny win a ring outside of Beantown....or you don't.
--Dave
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