Happy Leap Day everybody! I originally was thinking of doing some sort of Leap Day-based topic, but I couldn't really think of anything that fun. Besides, I did my men's college basketball All-Americans the other day, and I'm always all about equal time when it comes to men's and women's college basketball. So, as a result, women's All-American selections it is.
Unlike the men's side, the best team and best player in women's college basketball are abundantly obvious. Baylor's Brittany Griner will be the Player of the Year. And she should be. Griner's clearly the best player in the country, and Baylor is clearly the best team. The Bears are undefeated, have been No. 1 all season, and are as overwhelming a favorite for the National Championship as there can possibly be. So, just how good is Brittany Griner? For starters, she leads the nation in blocks with 5.3 per game. She also second in the nation in field goal percentage (.611) and seventh in scoring (22.6 ppg). There's some room for improvement in her rebounding, though. She averages only 9.7 boards per game. Oh, and did I mention, that she's the only college player still in the running to be on the U.S. Olympic team that's favored for gold in London.
If any team has a shot of beating Baylor this season, it might be Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are Rafael Nadal to Baylor's Novak Djokovic. Notre Dame is the second-best team in the nation. Their star is Skylar Diggins. Her coming-out party came in last year's NCAA Tournament, when she led Notre Dame to the championship game. She's been just as good this year. Diggins averages 17.3 points and 5.9 assists per game. She also has the 13th-best assist-turnover ratio in the nation (2.26). Diggins is the best point guard in the country, and she's a big reason why Notre Dame ended UConn's reign atop the Big East.
Stanford's Ogwumike sisters (Nneka and Chiney) could easily both be on the All-American list. And they'd both be deserving selections. Frankly, I'd want to go up against one Ogwumike about as much as I'd want to go against Griner; I don't envy the Pac-12 teams that have to go against both of them on a nigthly basis. But I think Nneka is the better player (if ever so slightly), so she gets the edge. Nneka Ogwumike is an almost automatic double-double. She's had 14 of them in 26 games. In fact, she's averaging a double-double (21.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg). For good measure, Nneka's also on the national leaderboard in both field goal percentage (.536) and free throw percentage (.819). Nneka will probably be the Pac-12 Player of the Year.
If you didn't already know about Elena Delle Donne, the Sports Illustrated feature on her and her family brought national attention to her incredible story. Delle Donne signed with UConn, but was so homesick that she left the school after two days. She walked on to Delaware's volleyball team (and made the CAA All-Rookie Team), then decided to return to basketball after a year away from the game. This year, she's made it abundantly obvious why she'd be just as much of a star at UConn as she is at Delaware. Delle Donne leads the nation in scoring (28.3 ppg) and averages 10.4 rebounds per game. She's also sixth in the nation in free throw percentage (.893), 20th in blocks (2.6) and 28th in field goal percentage (.524). Yeah, she's THAT good. That could explain why Delaware's 26-1, nationally ranked for the first time in program history, and a lock for the NCAA Tournament.
After the four obvious ones, there are plenty of choices for First Team All-American No. 5. But I'm going with the best freshman in the country: Duke's Elizabeth Williams. Williams was the ACC Rookie of the Year and a First Team All-ACC selection. Her numbers aren't as staggering as some of the others', and she's benefitted by the presence of Chelsea Gray, but Williams is the difference-maker for that team. She's third in the nation with 3.6 blocks per game while also averaging 14.4 points and 8.4 rebounds. There have been 10 triple-doubles across women's Division I college basketball this season. Williams has one of them.
My list of Second and Third Team All-American candidates starts with Chiney Ogwumike, who could easily join her sister on the First Team. Likewise, if you only wanted to take one Duke player and you picked Chelsea Gray over Williams, you wouldn't get an argument from me. Odyssey Sims is Baylor's second-best player. When Brittany Griner's on your team, that's not a bad thing. Ohio State gives us a pair of choices in Tayler Hill and Samantha Prahalis. It's weird to not have anybody from UConn listed as one of the five best players in the nation, but that's the case this year. The Huskies' Tiffany Hayes will be on an All-American squad. It just won't be the First Team. Kelly Faris and Bria Hartley will also be in the discussion. Tennessee's best player? Shekinna Stricklen. Maryland's Alyssa Hawkins has had too good a year to ignore, too. You could easily make a case that Green Bay, not Delaware, is the nation's best mid-major team. Julie Wojta has led the Phoenix to a 25-1 mark so far. VCU's Courtney Hurt leads the nation in rebounding, which might get her some All-American votes.
As for National Player of the Year, there's no debate. Brittany Griner is as clear a selection as there can be. The only suspense left in Baylor's season is if they'll be undefeated National Champions. I wouldn't bet against it.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
2012 Men's All-Americans (My Choices)
As we approach March Madness and the start of conference tournaments, the National Player of the Year debate is about to come to the forefront. Last year, it was pretty clear that two guys--Jimmer Fredette and Jared Sullinger--were far and away the two best players in the nation. This year that's not the case. If you were to ask 10 different people who they thought was the Player of the Year, you'd probably get 10 different answers. And I'm not sure any of them would be "wrong." But as it is, there are still a couple players that stand out a little bit more than the others.
My All-American team begins with Kentucky forward Anthony Davis. The best player on the best team should obviously automatically be in the Player of the Year discussion, but it's almost unfair how good this guy is. Davis has 13 double-doubles in 29 games this season. In fact, he's almost averaging a double-double (14.3 points, 9.8 rebounds per game). He also leads the nation in blocks (4.8 per game) and ranks second in field goal percentage (.658). For good measure, he's also the team leader with 1.5 steals per game. Davis is a virtual lock for SEC Player of the Year. It wouldn't be a surprise if he's the National Player of the Year, too.
You want to talk double-doubles, how about Kansas forward Thomas Robinson? The guy's a double-double machine. 20 in 29 games. Robinson's averaging 17.8 points per game, and his 11.9 rebounds per outing are second in the nation. He's also among the top 50 nationally in field goal percentage (.537). Sure, a guy who gets to the line as much as he does should be better than a 70 percent free throw shooter, but, that my friends, is called nitpicking. Robinson's going to be the Big 12 Player of the Year, he's going to be a First Team All-American, and he very well might be the National Player of the Year.
Robinson might have some competition for Big 12 Player of the Year, though. Missouri guard Marcus Denmon is pretty damn good, too. Denmon's among the national leaders in six different categories, which has to put him under some serious All-American consideration. Denmon is fourth in the country in free throw percentage, shooting better than 90 percent at the line. His three-point percentage is also ridiculous (.410), and he sinks nearly three treys per game. Denmon's also on the national list in field goal percentage (.468) and steals (1.5 per game). Oh, and he's "only" averaging 5.1 rebounds a night to go along with 18.2 points per game.
The best player in the Big Ten is clearly Michigan State's Draymond Green. Like Robinson, he's averaging a double-double for the season (15.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg). He also leads the Spartans with 27 blocks and 44 steals (1.5 a night). In addition, Green's right there among the team leaders in assists, averaging 3.6 per game. As for the percentages--field goal: .449, three-point: .402, free throw: .713. Michigan State's always in the Final Four. If they get there again this year, Draymond Green will be a big reason why.
My final First Team All-American selection is a guy who was virtually unknown until a feature on him appeared in Sports Illustrated two weeks ago. That's what Doug McDermott gets for playing at Creighton. But if you want to know why Creighton's 25-5, nationally ranked, and a lock for the Tournament even if they don't win the Missouri Valley conference tournament, look no further than the coach's son. McDermott's third in the country in scoring (23.1 ppg), and he's led the team in scoring in 25 of its 30 games. And McDermott doesn't average 23 points per game because he takes a million shots. His .607 field goal percentage is the eighth-best in the nation. As for rebounding, McDermott's good at that, too. He grabs 8.1 per game.
So there you have it. If I'm filling out a ballot for the All-American team, those are the five guys at the top of my list. Of course, that's just the short list. There are three All-American teams. Some of the players I think will be in consideration for Second and Third Team All-American honors include Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor, Indiana's Kyle Zeller, the Lambs (Kentucky's Doron and UConn's Jeremy), Vanderbilt's John Jenkins, North Carolina's Harrison Barnes, Robbie Hummel of Purdue (how great is it that he's back?), Yale's Greg Mangano (seriously, the guy's a beast; best Ivy League player since Jeremy Lin), Isaiah Canaan of Murray State (he could even be a dark horse First Team candidate), Jared Sullinger of Ohio State, and Iona's Scott Machado (the national leader in assists).
As for Player of the Year, I think it comes down to Davis and Robinson. Neither one would be a bad selection. I think it's amazing that the best player on the best team is once again a freshman. The precedent's already been set. If the best player in the nation is a freshman, why not make him the National Player of the Year? But I think being a freshman worked against Sullinger last year, and it might work against Davis this year. Robinson is a junior. Regardless, I think Anthony Davis is the best player in the nation, so he'd get my vote for Player of the Year.
My All-American team begins with Kentucky forward Anthony Davis. The best player on the best team should obviously automatically be in the Player of the Year discussion, but it's almost unfair how good this guy is. Davis has 13 double-doubles in 29 games this season. In fact, he's almost averaging a double-double (14.3 points, 9.8 rebounds per game). He also leads the nation in blocks (4.8 per game) and ranks second in field goal percentage (.658). For good measure, he's also the team leader with 1.5 steals per game. Davis is a virtual lock for SEC Player of the Year. It wouldn't be a surprise if he's the National Player of the Year, too.
You want to talk double-doubles, how about Kansas forward Thomas Robinson? The guy's a double-double machine. 20 in 29 games. Robinson's averaging 17.8 points per game, and his 11.9 rebounds per outing are second in the nation. He's also among the top 50 nationally in field goal percentage (.537). Sure, a guy who gets to the line as much as he does should be better than a 70 percent free throw shooter, but, that my friends, is called nitpicking. Robinson's going to be the Big 12 Player of the Year, he's going to be a First Team All-American, and he very well might be the National Player of the Year.
Robinson might have some competition for Big 12 Player of the Year, though. Missouri guard Marcus Denmon is pretty damn good, too. Denmon's among the national leaders in six different categories, which has to put him under some serious All-American consideration. Denmon is fourth in the country in free throw percentage, shooting better than 90 percent at the line. His three-point percentage is also ridiculous (.410), and he sinks nearly three treys per game. Denmon's also on the national list in field goal percentage (.468) and steals (1.5 per game). Oh, and he's "only" averaging 5.1 rebounds a night to go along with 18.2 points per game.
The best player in the Big Ten is clearly Michigan State's Draymond Green. Like Robinson, he's averaging a double-double for the season (15.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg). He also leads the Spartans with 27 blocks and 44 steals (1.5 a night). In addition, Green's right there among the team leaders in assists, averaging 3.6 per game. As for the percentages--field goal: .449, three-point: .402, free throw: .713. Michigan State's always in the Final Four. If they get there again this year, Draymond Green will be a big reason why.
My final First Team All-American selection is a guy who was virtually unknown until a feature on him appeared in Sports Illustrated two weeks ago. That's what Doug McDermott gets for playing at Creighton. But if you want to know why Creighton's 25-5, nationally ranked, and a lock for the Tournament even if they don't win the Missouri Valley conference tournament, look no further than the coach's son. McDermott's third in the country in scoring (23.1 ppg), and he's led the team in scoring in 25 of its 30 games. And McDermott doesn't average 23 points per game because he takes a million shots. His .607 field goal percentage is the eighth-best in the nation. As for rebounding, McDermott's good at that, too. He grabs 8.1 per game.
So there you have it. If I'm filling out a ballot for the All-American team, those are the five guys at the top of my list. Of course, that's just the short list. There are three All-American teams. Some of the players I think will be in consideration for Second and Third Team All-American honors include Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor, Indiana's Kyle Zeller, the Lambs (Kentucky's Doron and UConn's Jeremy), Vanderbilt's John Jenkins, North Carolina's Harrison Barnes, Robbie Hummel of Purdue (how great is it that he's back?), Yale's Greg Mangano (seriously, the guy's a beast; best Ivy League player since Jeremy Lin), Isaiah Canaan of Murray State (he could even be a dark horse First Team candidate), Jared Sullinger of Ohio State, and Iona's Scott Machado (the national leader in assists).
As for Player of the Year, I think it comes down to Davis and Robinson. Neither one would be a bad selection. I think it's amazing that the best player on the best team is once again a freshman. The precedent's already been set. If the best player in the nation is a freshman, why not make him the National Player of the Year? But I think being a freshman worked against Sullinger last year, and it might work against Davis this year. Robinson is a junior. Regardless, I think Anthony Davis is the best player in the nation, so he'd get my vote for Player of the Year.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
NASCAR Season Preview
The Daytona 500 is tomorrow, which means we've arrived at a new NASCAR season. Of course, the biggest story in NASCAR this year will be Danica Patrick, as she makes the move from IndyCar to a full-time schedule in the Nationwide Series. Danica will also race in a handful of Cup races, starting with Daytona. I don't think the move was the best thing for her, both competitively and professionally. She was the face of IndyCar. In NASCAR, she'll be just another driver (although, she'll still be quite a draw). And I think her chances of sustained success in NASCAR aren't as good as they were in IndyCar. (I'd also be willing to bet that the IndyCar drivers probably aren't going to miss her that much.)
Anyway, I don't want this post to be all about Danica. Since she chose to officially enter the Nationwide Series, she's only eligible for that championship, and any points she earns in Cup races don't count. Among the drivers that are eligible for the Sprint Cup, I think there are several that have legitimate title hopes. And now that somebody was finally able to figure out how to stop Jimmie Johnson's domination of the Chase, we could actually get a pretty serious battle for the championship.
Tony Stewart was the man to stop Jimmie Johnson's string of five straight Sprint Cup titles, winning his third career points championship last season. His 2011 championship was made even more impressive because Stewart won the title as an owner-driver, becoming the first owner-driver to win the championship since the late Alan Kulwicki in 1992. Stewart has to be counted among the favorites to win the Sprint Cup this year, as well. He's remarkably consistent and a contender to win every week. In addition, he knows how to stay out of trouble on the track. Remarkably, he's never won the Daytona 500. He'll be starting third on Sunday, and a victory in the Great American Race would set him up nicely in his title defense.
Carl Edwards lost the championship on a tiebreaker last year. He finished with the same number of points as Stewart, but won fewer races. That means Edwards had an average finish that was actually better than Stewart's in 2011. Everybody knows how talented Carl Edwards is. Coming so close to the championship last year only makes him want it that much more. I also think it'll make him a little more aggressive on the track and more willing to take risks. However, those risks can also be what lead to accidents, and accidents ruin championship chances. I'm also curious to see how Edwards will do focusing on just the Cup Series after so many years of racing the full Cup schedule and full Nationwide schedule. I hate "Buschwhacking" (I'll continue to use that term even thought it's not called the Busch Series anymore), but there's no disputing the fact that, as a Cup driver, Carl Edwards benefitted from driving in the Nationwide race every Saturday.
Talent-wise, Kyle Busch is one of the best drivers in the garage. But his immaturity has been holding him back. And everybody knows it. He was actually suspended for a Cup race last season for intentionally wrecking another driver in the truck series. Kyle Busch is going to contend for the win every week. He's also one of the top candidates to be involved in a wreck (that he'll probably cause, but blame somebody else for) every week. He needs to grow up in order to be taken seriously as a Cup contender. If that happens, he'll be among the favorites all season. Busch got off to a good start by winning the Budweiser Shootout.
Jimmie Johnson's dominant run of five straight Sprint Cup titles came to an end last season. He'd obviously consider 2011 to be a "down year," but I think it's just a sign that the new points system works. Johnson had 21 Top 10's last season (compared to 23 in 2010) and only had two DNF's (he had four DNF's in 2010). But he only had two wins, and winning is rewarded more under the new system. So, last season was really more of a lesson. Just settling for Top 10's isn't enough anymore. And it shouldn't be. Even still, Johnson's best tracks are the ones used in the Chase, so the key to beating him is building a big enough cushion during the 26-race "regular season." While he's not going to dominate NASCAR anymore, Johnson still has to be considered a title contender every season. Especially if he goes into the Chase within striking distance of the leader.
The fifth guy that I think is primed for a big season is Kevin Harvick. Harvick has emerged as one of the most consistent drivers on the series, and you can count on him to finish every race (he only has four DNF's in the last five years). Harvick also has seven wins in the last two seasons, and his average finish last year was a very impressive 11.5. He's finished third in points two years in a row and has one of the best owners in the sport in Richard Childress. It's only a matter of time before Kevin Harvick wins the Sprint Cup. He just needs to put everything together and get a little luck. He's already got the first part down. If the luck comes, he might be racing for a title at Homestead in November.
Those are the five drivers I'm keeping an eye on as favorites for the 2012 Sprint Cup, but the Chase includes 12 guys, and I expect a lot of the usual suspects to join them in the Chase. Jeff Gordon is still capable of winning races, but I don't think he's a championship contender anymore. Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne could be sleepers. Like his brother, Kurt Busch is supremely talented, but also extremely combustible. Matt Kenseth's a defending series champion, and he finished fourth in the points standings last year, so he can't be ignored. Clint Bowyer finished just out of the Chase last year, mainly because of some early-season bad luck. He could definitely be in the mix. I know there are a lot of people hoping that Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s results eventually measure up to his popularity. I don't think they ever will. He'll be lucky to get into the Chase. Trevor Bayne won Daytona last year, when he wasn't even competing on the Sprint Cup Series! He's running a full schedule and eligible for the championship this year, so he's got to at least be the preseason favorite for Rookie of the Year. And then there's always those one or two guys who come out of nowhere and qualify for the Chase, like David Reutimann last year.
The beauty of NASCAR is that there are 36 races, and a number of different drivers are capable of winning each week. But the Sprint Cup is a reward for consistency as much as winning. Wins are what it's all about, but the guy who's able to put together wins, luck and consistency will be the one that wins the title. And your guess as to who that's going to be is as good as mine.
Anyway, I don't want this post to be all about Danica. Since she chose to officially enter the Nationwide Series, she's only eligible for that championship, and any points she earns in Cup races don't count. Among the drivers that are eligible for the Sprint Cup, I think there are several that have legitimate title hopes. And now that somebody was finally able to figure out how to stop Jimmie Johnson's domination of the Chase, we could actually get a pretty serious battle for the championship.
Tony Stewart was the man to stop Jimmie Johnson's string of five straight Sprint Cup titles, winning his third career points championship last season. His 2011 championship was made even more impressive because Stewart won the title as an owner-driver, becoming the first owner-driver to win the championship since the late Alan Kulwicki in 1992. Stewart has to be counted among the favorites to win the Sprint Cup this year, as well. He's remarkably consistent and a contender to win every week. In addition, he knows how to stay out of trouble on the track. Remarkably, he's never won the Daytona 500. He'll be starting third on Sunday, and a victory in the Great American Race would set him up nicely in his title defense.
Carl Edwards lost the championship on a tiebreaker last year. He finished with the same number of points as Stewart, but won fewer races. That means Edwards had an average finish that was actually better than Stewart's in 2011. Everybody knows how talented Carl Edwards is. Coming so close to the championship last year only makes him want it that much more. I also think it'll make him a little more aggressive on the track and more willing to take risks. However, those risks can also be what lead to accidents, and accidents ruin championship chances. I'm also curious to see how Edwards will do focusing on just the Cup Series after so many years of racing the full Cup schedule and full Nationwide schedule. I hate "Buschwhacking" (I'll continue to use that term even thought it's not called the Busch Series anymore), but there's no disputing the fact that, as a Cup driver, Carl Edwards benefitted from driving in the Nationwide race every Saturday.
Talent-wise, Kyle Busch is one of the best drivers in the garage. But his immaturity has been holding him back. And everybody knows it. He was actually suspended for a Cup race last season for intentionally wrecking another driver in the truck series. Kyle Busch is going to contend for the win every week. He's also one of the top candidates to be involved in a wreck (that he'll probably cause, but blame somebody else for) every week. He needs to grow up in order to be taken seriously as a Cup contender. If that happens, he'll be among the favorites all season. Busch got off to a good start by winning the Budweiser Shootout.
Jimmie Johnson's dominant run of five straight Sprint Cup titles came to an end last season. He'd obviously consider 2011 to be a "down year," but I think it's just a sign that the new points system works. Johnson had 21 Top 10's last season (compared to 23 in 2010) and only had two DNF's (he had four DNF's in 2010). But he only had two wins, and winning is rewarded more under the new system. So, last season was really more of a lesson. Just settling for Top 10's isn't enough anymore. And it shouldn't be. Even still, Johnson's best tracks are the ones used in the Chase, so the key to beating him is building a big enough cushion during the 26-race "regular season." While he's not going to dominate NASCAR anymore, Johnson still has to be considered a title contender every season. Especially if he goes into the Chase within striking distance of the leader.
The fifth guy that I think is primed for a big season is Kevin Harvick. Harvick has emerged as one of the most consistent drivers on the series, and you can count on him to finish every race (he only has four DNF's in the last five years). Harvick also has seven wins in the last two seasons, and his average finish last year was a very impressive 11.5. He's finished third in points two years in a row and has one of the best owners in the sport in Richard Childress. It's only a matter of time before Kevin Harvick wins the Sprint Cup. He just needs to put everything together and get a little luck. He's already got the first part down. If the luck comes, he might be racing for a title at Homestead in November.
Those are the five drivers I'm keeping an eye on as favorites for the 2012 Sprint Cup, but the Chase includes 12 guys, and I expect a lot of the usual suspects to join them in the Chase. Jeff Gordon is still capable of winning races, but I don't think he's a championship contender anymore. Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne could be sleepers. Like his brother, Kurt Busch is supremely talented, but also extremely combustible. Matt Kenseth's a defending series champion, and he finished fourth in the points standings last year, so he can't be ignored. Clint Bowyer finished just out of the Chase last year, mainly because of some early-season bad luck. He could definitely be in the mix. I know there are a lot of people hoping that Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s results eventually measure up to his popularity. I don't think they ever will. He'll be lucky to get into the Chase. Trevor Bayne won Daytona last year, when he wasn't even competing on the Sprint Cup Series! He's running a full schedule and eligible for the championship this year, so he's got to at least be the preseason favorite for Rookie of the Year. And then there's always those one or two guys who come out of nowhere and qualify for the Chase, like David Reutimann last year.
The beauty of NASCAR is that there are 36 races, and a number of different drivers are capable of winning each week. But the Sprint Cup is a reward for consistency as much as winning. Wins are what it's all about, but the guy who's able to put together wins, luck and consistency will be the one that wins the title. And your guess as to who that's going to be is as good as mine.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
2012 Women's Tournament Projection
Yesterday I gave you a look at what teams I think will be in the men's NCAA Tournament field. Today, it's time for the women. Unlike the men's bracket, which is going to feature a bunch of mid-major teams receiving at-large bids, I think there will be very few at-large bids given to mid-major teams on the women's side. Now, teams like Delaware and Green Bay (and probably Florida Gulf Coast, too) are obviously going to be in the Tournament no matter what. But those teams are so dominant in their conferences that I find it extremely hard to believe they'll lose in their conference tournaments. The "bubble" teams in the BCS conferences have to be hoping the same thing. In fact, the only non-BCS at-large team I have on the women's side is Temple, which plays in the Atlantic 10, which isn't really a mid-major league (sidebar about Temple: today they started talks about joining the Big East; I said that the Big East should add Temple months ago).
Anyway, the four best women's team in the nation are clear. Baylor, Stanford, UConn and Notre Dame have already locked up the No. 1 seeds. It's really just a matter of who's the overall No. 2, 3 and 4 behind Baylor. Another note about my women's bracket before we proceed: I hate the tournament committee's insistence that teams go to the closest regional to where their school is, regardless of what other teams are there. Last year, Texas A&M had to play conference-rival Baylor (for the fourth time!) in a regional final. That shouldn't happen to the two best teams in the same conference. The two best teams in the Big East last season were UConn and Notre Dame. They played each other in the Final Four. That's where the top two teams in a conference should meet. The women really need to institute the men's rule where the top three teams in a conference are automatically placed in different regions.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest, time for some bracketology:
DES MOINES
Baton Rouge: 1-Baylor (1) vs. 16-Southern; 9-Iowa at 8-LSU
Little Rock: 4-Georgetown vs. 13-Florida Gulf Coast; 5-St. Bonaventure vs. 12-San Diego State
College Park: 14-Marist at 3-Maryland; 6-St. John's vs. 11-Princeton
Ames: 7-Nebraska at 10-Iowa State; 2-Kentucky vs. 15-Cal Poly
RALEIGH
Notre Dame: 16-Liberty at 1-Notre Dame (4); 8-Middle Tennessee vs. 9-Florida
Tallahassee: 4-Georgia Tech vs. 13-South Dakota State; 5-Kansas State vs. 12-UTEP
Bowling Green: 3-Penn State vs. 14-Toledo; 6-South Carolina vs. 11-West Virginia
Norfolk: 7-Louisville vs. 10-Temple; 2-Duke vs. 15-Eastern Illinois
FRESNO
Nashville: 1-Stanford (2) vs. 16-Florida A&M; 9-Michigan at 8-Vanderbilt
Chicago: 4-Delaware vs. 13-Missouri State; 12-Kansas at 5-DePaul
Spokane: 3-Ohio State vs. 14-Sacred Heart; 6-Arkansas at 11-Gonzaga
Norman: 10-Fresno State at 7-Oklahoma; 2-Miami vs. 15-Eastern Washington
KINGSTON
Bridgeport: 1-Connecticut (3) vs. 16-American; 8-Virginia vs. 9-California
West Lafayette: 4-Georgia vs. 13-Appalachian State; 12-Texas Tech at 5-Purdue
College Station: 14-Central Arkansas at 3-Texas A&M; 6-Green Bay vs. 11-Michigan State
Chapel Hill: 7-Rutgers at 10-North Carolina; 2-Tennessee vs. 15-Albany
And our matchups in the Final Four: DES MOINES vs. RALEIGH; FRESNO vs. KINGSTON
Anyway, the four best women's team in the nation are clear. Baylor, Stanford, UConn and Notre Dame have already locked up the No. 1 seeds. It's really just a matter of who's the overall No. 2, 3 and 4 behind Baylor. Another note about my women's bracket before we proceed: I hate the tournament committee's insistence that teams go to the closest regional to where their school is, regardless of what other teams are there. Last year, Texas A&M had to play conference-rival Baylor (for the fourth time!) in a regional final. That shouldn't happen to the two best teams in the same conference. The two best teams in the Big East last season were UConn and Notre Dame. They played each other in the Final Four. That's where the top two teams in a conference should meet. The women really need to institute the men's rule where the top three teams in a conference are automatically placed in different regions.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest, time for some bracketology:
DES MOINES
Baton Rouge: 1-Baylor (1) vs. 16-Southern; 9-Iowa at 8-LSU
Little Rock: 4-Georgetown vs. 13-Florida Gulf Coast; 5-St. Bonaventure vs. 12-San Diego State
College Park: 14-Marist at 3-Maryland; 6-St. John's vs. 11-Princeton
Ames: 7-Nebraska at 10-Iowa State; 2-Kentucky vs. 15-Cal Poly
RALEIGH
Notre Dame: 16-Liberty at 1-Notre Dame (4); 8-Middle Tennessee vs. 9-Florida
Tallahassee: 4-Georgia Tech vs. 13-South Dakota State; 5-Kansas State vs. 12-UTEP
Bowling Green: 3-Penn State vs. 14-Toledo; 6-South Carolina vs. 11-West Virginia
Norfolk: 7-Louisville vs. 10-Temple; 2-Duke vs. 15-Eastern Illinois
FRESNO
Nashville: 1-Stanford (2) vs. 16-Florida A&M; 9-Michigan at 8-Vanderbilt
Chicago: 4-Delaware vs. 13-Missouri State; 12-Kansas at 5-DePaul
Spokane: 3-Ohio State vs. 14-Sacred Heart; 6-Arkansas at 11-Gonzaga
Norman: 10-Fresno State at 7-Oklahoma; 2-Miami vs. 15-Eastern Washington
KINGSTON
Bridgeport: 1-Connecticut (3) vs. 16-American; 8-Virginia vs. 9-California
West Lafayette: 4-Georgia vs. 13-Appalachian State; 12-Texas Tech at 5-Purdue
College Station: 14-Central Arkansas at 3-Texas A&M; 6-Green Bay vs. 11-Michigan State
Chapel Hill: 7-Rutgers at 10-North Carolina; 2-Tennessee vs. 15-Albany
And our matchups in the Final Four: DES MOINES vs. RALEIGH; FRESNO vs. KINGSTON
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
2012 Men's Tournament Projection
With Selection Sunday fast approaching, I figured today might be a good day to start looking at potential tourney teams. I think the four No. 1 seeds are pretty much set at the moment, although projecting the rest of the field is anybody's guess. But I'll give it a shot. Just like last year, I'm picking teams based on hypothetical conference tournament finishes. We all saw how much conference tournaments can effect seeding last year, when UConn went from the No. 9 seed in the Big East Tournament to a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and the National Champions. I also did the best I could choosing first/second round sites, keeping in mind that four teams have to get sent somewhere close to Dayton. With all that in mind, here we go:
SOUTH (Atlanta)
Louisville: 1-Kentucky (1) vs. 16-McNeese State; 8-West Virginia vs. 9-Iowa State
Portland: 4-Michigan vs. 13-Long Beach State; 5-Wichita State vs. 12-Xavier
Albuquerque: 3-Georgetown vs. 14-Akron; 6-Murray State vs. 11-Southern Miss
Greensboro: 2-Duke vs. 15-Davidson; 7-California vs. 10-Harvard
EAST (Boston)
Pittsburgh: 1-Syracuse (4) vs. 16-Stony Brook/Mississippi Valley State; 8-Memphis vs. 9-Virginia
Louisville: 4-Florida vs. 13-Iona; 5-Wisconsin vs. 12-Kansas State/Seton Hall
Albuquerque: 3-Baylor vs. 14-Nevada; 6-UNLV vs. 11-BYU
Greensboro: 2-North Carolina vs. 15-Lehigh; 7-Vanderbilt vs. 10-Cincinnati
MIDWEST (St. Louis)
Omaha: 1-Missouri (2) vs. 16-South Dakota State; 8-Creighton vs. 9-Saint Louis
Nashville: 4-Marquette vs. 13-Alabama/Drexel; 5-Indiana vs. 12-Arizona
Pittsburgh: 3-Ohio State vs. 14-Cleveland State; 6-Saint Mary's vs. 11-VCU
Louisville: 2-Notre Dame vs. 15-Wagner; 7-San Diego State vs. 10-Mississippi State
WEST (Phoenix)
Columbus: 1-Michigan State (3) vs. 16-UNC Asheville/Delaware State; 8-Gonzaga vs. 9-Texas
Portland: 4-Louisville vs. 13-Middle Tennessee; 5-Temple vs. 12-Northwestern
Nashville: 3-Florida State vs. 14-Belmont; 6-New Mexico vs. 11-Connecticut
Omaha: 2-Kansas vs. 15-Montana; 7-Purdue vs. 10-Washington
Final Four matchups: South vs. East; Midwest vs. West
SOUTH (Atlanta)
Louisville: 1-Kentucky (1) vs. 16-McNeese State; 8-West Virginia vs. 9-Iowa State
Portland: 4-Michigan vs. 13-Long Beach State; 5-Wichita State vs. 12-Xavier
Albuquerque: 3-Georgetown vs. 14-Akron; 6-Murray State vs. 11-Southern Miss
Greensboro: 2-Duke vs. 15-Davidson; 7-California vs. 10-Harvard
EAST (Boston)
Pittsburgh: 1-Syracuse (4) vs. 16-Stony Brook/Mississippi Valley State; 8-Memphis vs. 9-Virginia
Louisville: 4-Florida vs. 13-Iona; 5-Wisconsin vs. 12-Kansas State/Seton Hall
Albuquerque: 3-Baylor vs. 14-Nevada; 6-UNLV vs. 11-BYU
Greensboro: 2-North Carolina vs. 15-Lehigh; 7-Vanderbilt vs. 10-Cincinnati
MIDWEST (St. Louis)
Omaha: 1-Missouri (2) vs. 16-South Dakota State; 8-Creighton vs. 9-Saint Louis
Nashville: 4-Marquette vs. 13-Alabama/Drexel; 5-Indiana vs. 12-Arizona
Pittsburgh: 3-Ohio State vs. 14-Cleveland State; 6-Saint Mary's vs. 11-VCU
Louisville: 2-Notre Dame vs. 15-Wagner; 7-San Diego State vs. 10-Mississippi State
WEST (Phoenix)
Columbus: 1-Michigan State (3) vs. 16-UNC Asheville/Delaware State; 8-Gonzaga vs. 9-Texas
Portland: 4-Louisville vs. 13-Middle Tennessee; 5-Temple vs. 12-Northwestern
Nashville: 3-Florida State vs. 14-Belmont; 6-New Mexico vs. 11-Connecticut
Omaha: 2-Kansas vs. 15-Montana; 7-Purdue vs. 10-Washington
Final Four matchups: South vs. East; Midwest vs. West
Monday, February 20, 2012
Baseball's Best Offseason Moves
Baseball is in the air. With pitchers & catchers reporting this week, I figured what better time than now to bring "Joe Brackets" back to its bread and butter. I'm, of course, talking about a baseball post. So what's the post going to be about, you ask? Well, with all the significant movement that took place this offseason, I thought I'd take a look at some of the best. These are 10 player moves that have happened since the Cardinals sprayed champagne that I think are the most significant (guys re-signing with their own team don't count).
10. The Marco Scutaro trade: I don't really get this one. Boston traded its starting shortstop to Colorado for a prospect. Pending another move during Spring Training, Bobby Valentine is now forced to go with either Mike Aviles or Nick Punto at short in his first Opening Day as Red Sox manager. The Red Sox were allegedly trying to free up some room to make a run at a starting pitcher, but unless that happens, all they've done is weaken both their lineup and their defense at short. The Rockies, meanwhile, added Scutaro for some reason I'm still yet to figure out. They already have this stud named Troy Tulowitzki at short. I guess that means they'll insert Scutaro at second. I'm curious to see how that'll turn out, but the Rockies' lineup definitely got better, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a run at the NL West crown this season.
9. The Angel Pagan-Andres Torres trade: After they lost Jose Reyes, the Mets went and traded Angel Pagan, basically giving up any chance they might've had to be remoteley competitive in 2012. In fairness, the Wilpons need to clean up this Bernie Madoff mess, though, so trading away their best player might've been some sort of cost-saving move. More of those will be necessary before they can again make a splash in free agency. This trade makes a lot of sense for the Giants, though. San Francisco won the World Series two years ago, then missed the playoffs last season. In 2011, they didn't really have a leadoff hitter. Now they do. And they have an above-average center fielder, as well. With Buster Posey returning from his injury and the addition of Pagan to the lineup (not to mention that pitching staff), I think the Giants should contend.
8. The Yankees remake their rotation, trade A.J. Burnett: It's funny how a team that won 97 games and reached Game 5 of the Division Series last season did so with a six-man rotation that pretty much everybody agreed wasn't that good. Well, that rotation got a whole lot better with the additions (within a few hours of each other) of Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda. Suddenly they had too many starters. A.J. would've been left fighting with Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes for the No. 5 spot in that rotation. Like many, I still believe A.J. Burnett is an above-average Major League pitcher. If he wasn't getting No. 2-starter money, his numbers with the Yankees wouldn't have looked as bad. But his performance simply didn't match his contract. Regardless, everyone knew that A.J. was the Yankees' most tradeable starter, so it wasn't a surprise to see him get sent to the Pirates. If he puts up the same numbers in Pittsburgh, Pirates fans will be happy. Keep in mind, they aren't good. They were looking for a quality innings-eater that they can throw out there every five days. A.J. Burnett is just that. I'm glad he'll get a fresh start outside of the New York pressure cooker.
7. Carlos Beltran signs with the Cardinals: It's still hard to imagine the Cardinals without Albert, but I guess we're all going to have to make peace with it. After a tremendous 2011, Lance Berkman re-signed. Once life without Albert became a reality, Berkman was moved from the outfield to first. But the Cardinals still had to find a way to try and replace Albert's bat. Enter Carlos Beltran. Sure he wore out his welcome with the Mets (mostly because he didn't want to be there anymore), but Beltran proved that he's still a worthwhile commodity during the first few months of last season. His defense in center field isn't as good as it once was, which is why the Mets moved him to right, but I'm anticipating St. Louis playing him in center and Allen Craig in right. But his offense is going to be the real key. Beltran's not Albert. He doesn't need to be. But he needs to be the player he was in early 2011 and not the player he was from 2008-10.
6. The Rangers get Yu Darvish: Consider this: the Rangers went to their second straight World Series last season with a starting rotation that was nothing to write home about. Then their best pitcher, C.J. Wilson, up and signed with the division-rival Angels as a free agent. So what do the Rangers do? They win the bidding for Japanese star Yu Darvish, then sign him to a $51 millon contract. According to all the scouts who've seen him, Darvish is the real deal. If that's the case, he was worth every penny. Then there's the possibility he's the next Daisuke Matsuzaka. Texas needs him to be the guy they paid for. Otherwise, their lineup might need to score a whole lot of runs to make up for the pitching staff. Although, I do have to give the Rangers credit for opening up their checkbooks and making an effort to sustain their success. A few years ago, Texas never wouldn't have even entered the running for a guy like Darvish, let alone landed him.
5. The Michael Pineda-Jesus Montero trade: Yes, I already mentioned the Yankees' upgrading of their starting rotation. But this trade is worth its own mention because of how it helps both teams. When they were shopping Montero to Seattle for Cliff Lee, the Mariners asked the Yankees if there was anybody else they could theoretically get Montero for. The answer was: "Yes. Michael Pineda." So, instead of being the No. 2 starter on a bad Seattle team, Pineda will be the No. 3 starter for the Yankees this season. And instead of being the Yankees' starting DH, Montero will be the Mariners' starting catcher. Seattle's offense was anemic (to say the least) last season. Jesus Montero is a tremendous power hitter who can help those offensive problems. The Yankees weren't sold on Montero's catching ability. Catching every day in Seattle, he'll get a chance to improve defensively, as well. He wouldn't have gotten that opportunity with the Yankees. This is one of your classic win-win trades. The Yankees get a quality starter with dominant stuff. The Mariners get a good, young, power-hitting catcher who they can groom as a star in the middle of their lineup.
4. Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle sign with the Marlins: The Marlins had an eventful offseason. They got a new name, a new stadium, a new logo, new colors, a new manager. And a whole bunch of new players. Evidently somebody informed the Marlins front office that Miami isn't a small market, so they didn't need to act like a small-market team. As a result, the Miami Marlins did more in one offseason than the Florida Marlins ever did. First, they signed Jose Reyes away from the division-rival Mets. The opportunity to get one of the game's premier leadoff hitters in his prime doesn't come along very often. It was enough for the Marlins to convince Hanley Ramirez to move to third. As if Reyes wasn't enough, they got one of the best free agent pitchers on the market in Mark Buehrle, who'll be reunited with his former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen in Miami. With Buehrle and Josh Johnson, the Marlins have a formidable 1-2 punch at the front of their rotation. And putting Reyes at the top of that lineup sets this team up to be good for years in a very competitive NL East. Keep in mind, the Marlins have only tried to be good twice in their history. They won the World Series both times.
3. Jonathan Papelbon signs with the Phillies: We all know about the Phillies' rotation. Their signing of Cliff Lee was easily the biggest move of last offseason. But, after winning 100 games in the regular season, they got knocked out of the playoffs in the Division Series. Of course, Chris Carpenter was a big reason why, but it brought to light a bigger problem. That all-star rotation masked the fact that the Phillies didn't really have a closer last year. Brad Lidge hasn't been the same since the 2008 World Championship season, and Ryan Madson's simply better suited to be a set-up man. So they went and added Papelbon, the former Boston closer, to pitch the ninth inning. At the same time, losing Papelbon severely crippled the Red Sox' bullpen. Boston added Oakland's Andrew Bailey as a replacement, but Bailey's not as good as Papelbon. I'm curious to see how the closer situation in Boston is going to play out this season. I don't think they truly appreciated Papelbon's value.
2. Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson sign with the Angels: Albert leaving the Cardinals was completely unthinkable. Until it happened. The Angels came out of nowhere to land the game's biggest superstar to a monster 10-year deal. And with it, they just might've shifted the balance of power in the AL West back in their direction. Simply put, Albert's the best player in the game. Very few people (if any) would dispute that. One of the reasons the Rangers have become the team to beat in this division is because their lineup has been better, top to bottom. But I didn't see Texas adding a consistent 30 home run-100 RBI guy to the middle of its lineup. Albert made the entire Angels team better. Of course, they now have three first basemen and can only play two at a time, but that's small potatoes. They can always trade either Mark Trumbo or Kendrys Morales. Then to further cut into Texas' division domination, they went and added the Rangers' best pitcher to what was already the division's best rotation. With Jered Weaver, Ervin Santana and C.J. Wilson, as well as that Albert-led lineup, the Angels made a huge statement this offseason. They aren't just going to be contenders in the AL West. They're on the short list of teams that could be considered legitimate World Series contenders.
1. Prince Fielder signs with the Tigers: How badly does Mike Ilitch want to win the World Series? He proved that to his fans by making the only move of this offseason that could possibly trump Albert's going to Anaheim. Just days after finding out Victor Martinez was lost for the season, the Tigers went out and got the biggest name still available on the free agent market: Prince Fielder. And with that, they became the instant favorites to win the 2012 World Series. Tiger fans got their first glimpse of Prince when his dad, Cecil, starred for them in the early '90s. Now they'll get to see a whole lot of Prince over the next several years. The Tigers already had Miguel Cabrera at first. He's going to move to third, and Detroit has two of the best power hitters in the game. And they're both in their prime. That's as scary a 3-4 combination as any lineup in baseball. In 2013 when Martinez comes back, it'll become the scariest 3-4-5 in all of baseball. Everyone knew Prince was leaving Milwaukee. Nobody saw this coming, though. The Tigers were already good. Yet somehow, they found a way to get better. Look out, American League!
10. The Marco Scutaro trade: I don't really get this one. Boston traded its starting shortstop to Colorado for a prospect. Pending another move during Spring Training, Bobby Valentine is now forced to go with either Mike Aviles or Nick Punto at short in his first Opening Day as Red Sox manager. The Red Sox were allegedly trying to free up some room to make a run at a starting pitcher, but unless that happens, all they've done is weaken both their lineup and their defense at short. The Rockies, meanwhile, added Scutaro for some reason I'm still yet to figure out. They already have this stud named Troy Tulowitzki at short. I guess that means they'll insert Scutaro at second. I'm curious to see how that'll turn out, but the Rockies' lineup definitely got better, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a run at the NL West crown this season.
9. The Angel Pagan-Andres Torres trade: After they lost Jose Reyes, the Mets went and traded Angel Pagan, basically giving up any chance they might've had to be remoteley competitive in 2012. In fairness, the Wilpons need to clean up this Bernie Madoff mess, though, so trading away their best player might've been some sort of cost-saving move. More of those will be necessary before they can again make a splash in free agency. This trade makes a lot of sense for the Giants, though. San Francisco won the World Series two years ago, then missed the playoffs last season. In 2011, they didn't really have a leadoff hitter. Now they do. And they have an above-average center fielder, as well. With Buster Posey returning from his injury and the addition of Pagan to the lineup (not to mention that pitching staff), I think the Giants should contend.
8. The Yankees remake their rotation, trade A.J. Burnett: It's funny how a team that won 97 games and reached Game 5 of the Division Series last season did so with a six-man rotation that pretty much everybody agreed wasn't that good. Well, that rotation got a whole lot better with the additions (within a few hours of each other) of Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda. Suddenly they had too many starters. A.J. would've been left fighting with Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes for the No. 5 spot in that rotation. Like many, I still believe A.J. Burnett is an above-average Major League pitcher. If he wasn't getting No. 2-starter money, his numbers with the Yankees wouldn't have looked as bad. But his performance simply didn't match his contract. Regardless, everyone knew that A.J. was the Yankees' most tradeable starter, so it wasn't a surprise to see him get sent to the Pirates. If he puts up the same numbers in Pittsburgh, Pirates fans will be happy. Keep in mind, they aren't good. They were looking for a quality innings-eater that they can throw out there every five days. A.J. Burnett is just that. I'm glad he'll get a fresh start outside of the New York pressure cooker.
7. Carlos Beltran signs with the Cardinals: It's still hard to imagine the Cardinals without Albert, but I guess we're all going to have to make peace with it. After a tremendous 2011, Lance Berkman re-signed. Once life without Albert became a reality, Berkman was moved from the outfield to first. But the Cardinals still had to find a way to try and replace Albert's bat. Enter Carlos Beltran. Sure he wore out his welcome with the Mets (mostly because he didn't want to be there anymore), but Beltran proved that he's still a worthwhile commodity during the first few months of last season. His defense in center field isn't as good as it once was, which is why the Mets moved him to right, but I'm anticipating St. Louis playing him in center and Allen Craig in right. But his offense is going to be the real key. Beltran's not Albert. He doesn't need to be. But he needs to be the player he was in early 2011 and not the player he was from 2008-10.
6. The Rangers get Yu Darvish: Consider this: the Rangers went to their second straight World Series last season with a starting rotation that was nothing to write home about. Then their best pitcher, C.J. Wilson, up and signed with the division-rival Angels as a free agent. So what do the Rangers do? They win the bidding for Japanese star Yu Darvish, then sign him to a $51 millon contract. According to all the scouts who've seen him, Darvish is the real deal. If that's the case, he was worth every penny. Then there's the possibility he's the next Daisuke Matsuzaka. Texas needs him to be the guy they paid for. Otherwise, their lineup might need to score a whole lot of runs to make up for the pitching staff. Although, I do have to give the Rangers credit for opening up their checkbooks and making an effort to sustain their success. A few years ago, Texas never wouldn't have even entered the running for a guy like Darvish, let alone landed him.
5. The Michael Pineda-Jesus Montero trade: Yes, I already mentioned the Yankees' upgrading of their starting rotation. But this trade is worth its own mention because of how it helps both teams. When they were shopping Montero to Seattle for Cliff Lee, the Mariners asked the Yankees if there was anybody else they could theoretically get Montero for. The answer was: "Yes. Michael Pineda." So, instead of being the No. 2 starter on a bad Seattle team, Pineda will be the No. 3 starter for the Yankees this season. And instead of being the Yankees' starting DH, Montero will be the Mariners' starting catcher. Seattle's offense was anemic (to say the least) last season. Jesus Montero is a tremendous power hitter who can help those offensive problems. The Yankees weren't sold on Montero's catching ability. Catching every day in Seattle, he'll get a chance to improve defensively, as well. He wouldn't have gotten that opportunity with the Yankees. This is one of your classic win-win trades. The Yankees get a quality starter with dominant stuff. The Mariners get a good, young, power-hitting catcher who they can groom as a star in the middle of their lineup.
4. Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle sign with the Marlins: The Marlins had an eventful offseason. They got a new name, a new stadium, a new logo, new colors, a new manager. And a whole bunch of new players. Evidently somebody informed the Marlins front office that Miami isn't a small market, so they didn't need to act like a small-market team. As a result, the Miami Marlins did more in one offseason than the Florida Marlins ever did. First, they signed Jose Reyes away from the division-rival Mets. The opportunity to get one of the game's premier leadoff hitters in his prime doesn't come along very often. It was enough for the Marlins to convince Hanley Ramirez to move to third. As if Reyes wasn't enough, they got one of the best free agent pitchers on the market in Mark Buehrle, who'll be reunited with his former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen in Miami. With Buehrle and Josh Johnson, the Marlins have a formidable 1-2 punch at the front of their rotation. And putting Reyes at the top of that lineup sets this team up to be good for years in a very competitive NL East. Keep in mind, the Marlins have only tried to be good twice in their history. They won the World Series both times.
3. Jonathan Papelbon signs with the Phillies: We all know about the Phillies' rotation. Their signing of Cliff Lee was easily the biggest move of last offseason. But, after winning 100 games in the regular season, they got knocked out of the playoffs in the Division Series. Of course, Chris Carpenter was a big reason why, but it brought to light a bigger problem. That all-star rotation masked the fact that the Phillies didn't really have a closer last year. Brad Lidge hasn't been the same since the 2008 World Championship season, and Ryan Madson's simply better suited to be a set-up man. So they went and added Papelbon, the former Boston closer, to pitch the ninth inning. At the same time, losing Papelbon severely crippled the Red Sox' bullpen. Boston added Oakland's Andrew Bailey as a replacement, but Bailey's not as good as Papelbon. I'm curious to see how the closer situation in Boston is going to play out this season. I don't think they truly appreciated Papelbon's value.
2. Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson sign with the Angels: Albert leaving the Cardinals was completely unthinkable. Until it happened. The Angels came out of nowhere to land the game's biggest superstar to a monster 10-year deal. And with it, they just might've shifted the balance of power in the AL West back in their direction. Simply put, Albert's the best player in the game. Very few people (if any) would dispute that. One of the reasons the Rangers have become the team to beat in this division is because their lineup has been better, top to bottom. But I didn't see Texas adding a consistent 30 home run-100 RBI guy to the middle of its lineup. Albert made the entire Angels team better. Of course, they now have three first basemen and can only play two at a time, but that's small potatoes. They can always trade either Mark Trumbo or Kendrys Morales. Then to further cut into Texas' division domination, they went and added the Rangers' best pitcher to what was already the division's best rotation. With Jered Weaver, Ervin Santana and C.J. Wilson, as well as that Albert-led lineup, the Angels made a huge statement this offseason. They aren't just going to be contenders in the AL West. They're on the short list of teams that could be considered legitimate World Series contenders.
1. Prince Fielder signs with the Tigers: How badly does Mike Ilitch want to win the World Series? He proved that to his fans by making the only move of this offseason that could possibly trump Albert's going to Anaheim. Just days after finding out Victor Martinez was lost for the season, the Tigers went out and got the biggest name still available on the free agent market: Prince Fielder. And with that, they became the instant favorites to win the 2012 World Series. Tiger fans got their first glimpse of Prince when his dad, Cecil, starred for them in the early '90s. Now they'll get to see a whole lot of Prince over the next several years. The Tigers already had Miguel Cabrera at first. He's going to move to third, and Detroit has two of the best power hitters in the game. And they're both in their prime. That's as scary a 3-4 combination as any lineup in baseball. In 2013 when Martinez comes back, it'll become the scariest 3-4-5 in all of baseball. Everyone knew Prince was leaving Milwaukee. Nobody saw this coming, though. The Tigers were already good. Yet somehow, they found a way to get better. Look out, American League!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Farewell to The Kid
A small part of me died today. When I was little, Gary Carter was my favorite baseball player. I had a Gary Carter poster in my bedroom. If I got a Gary Carter in my pack of baseball cards, there's no way I was trading that baby. In Little League, I wanted to be a catcher. I wanted to wear No. 8. In 2003, after a wait that was way too long, I made a pilgrimage to Cooperstown.
Sadly, once we found out last May that he had inoperable brain cancer, we knew this day was inevitable. That didn't make today's news any easier to hear. I think we were all holding out hope that "The Kid" would find some way to beat cancer. Baseball fans everywhere are sad today. The entire baseball world is sad today.
He spent most of his 19-year career with the Montreal Expos (12 seasons), but to me, Gary Carter will always be a New York Met. For a young kid growing up on Long Island in the late '80s, the Mets were rock stars. And Gary Carter was Ringo. He wasn't the lead singer, but any band worth anything has a great drummer. More than that, he was the first person I ever idolized. I always will. The first game I remember going to (in that I was aware I was at a baseball game) was a Mets game in 1988. I don't remember who they were playing. It doesn't matter. I wanted to see Gary Carter. And I did.
I was four years old in October of 1986, but I've seen the highlights and Mets Classics so many times that I "remember" it just as well as if was old enough to have the actual memories. The 16-inning game against the Astros in the NLCS. The two home runs in Game 4 in Fenway. Game 6. The two-out single that got everything started in the bottom of the 10th. All he wanted to do was avoid being the last out of the World Series. Little did anybody know. Then two nights later, a called third strike to Marty Barrett, Jesse Orosco's glove goes flying into the air, and Carter's the first guy to jump on him.
Carter was the last piece of the championship puzzle. When he came to the Mets in '85, all the stars were aligned for that magical 1986 season. He wasn't as supremely talented as Doc Gooden. Or as brash as Darryl Strawberry. Or as charismatic as Keith Hernandez. But he was exactly what the Mets needed. He was their heart and soul. They wouldn't have won that World Series without him. And they knew it.
He was a hard-nosed, blue-collar guy who fully appreciated the fact that his job was playing baseball. A kid's game. You never saw him without a smile on his face. That's why he was called "Kid." His enthusiasm and love of the game were infectious. And it rubbed off on his teammates. That's what made those Mets teams so fun to watch. That's what made him such a lovable player. Is there a single player that went against him that ever had a bad thing to say about Gary Carter? Is there a single fan who didn't like him, or at least respect the way he played the game? Even Cardinals fans appreciated the way he played.
Those will be my lasting images of the man who, in my opinion, is the greatest position player in the history of the New York Mets. I've said for a long time that No. 8 belongs on the wall at Citi Field. Hopefully the Mets come to their senses and retire his number soon. It would be a fitting tribute to one of the classiest men ever to play the game.
As I got older and grew to understand and appreciate baseball more and more, my admiration for Gary Carter grew. I'm proud to say that he was my first-ever favorite player. More than that, I'm proud to say that Gary Carter had a lot to do with my becoming a baseball fan. Rest in peace, Kid. We're gonna miss you.
Sadly, once we found out last May that he had inoperable brain cancer, we knew this day was inevitable. That didn't make today's news any easier to hear. I think we were all holding out hope that "The Kid" would find some way to beat cancer. Baseball fans everywhere are sad today. The entire baseball world is sad today.
He spent most of his 19-year career with the Montreal Expos (12 seasons), but to me, Gary Carter will always be a New York Met. For a young kid growing up on Long Island in the late '80s, the Mets were rock stars. And Gary Carter was Ringo. He wasn't the lead singer, but any band worth anything has a great drummer. More than that, he was the first person I ever idolized. I always will. The first game I remember going to (in that I was aware I was at a baseball game) was a Mets game in 1988. I don't remember who they were playing. It doesn't matter. I wanted to see Gary Carter. And I did.
I was four years old in October of 1986, but I've seen the highlights and Mets Classics so many times that I "remember" it just as well as if was old enough to have the actual memories. The 16-inning game against the Astros in the NLCS. The two home runs in Game 4 in Fenway. Game 6. The two-out single that got everything started in the bottom of the 10th. All he wanted to do was avoid being the last out of the World Series. Little did anybody know. Then two nights later, a called third strike to Marty Barrett, Jesse Orosco's glove goes flying into the air, and Carter's the first guy to jump on him.
Carter was the last piece of the championship puzzle. When he came to the Mets in '85, all the stars were aligned for that magical 1986 season. He wasn't as supremely talented as Doc Gooden. Or as brash as Darryl Strawberry. Or as charismatic as Keith Hernandez. But he was exactly what the Mets needed. He was their heart and soul. They wouldn't have won that World Series without him. And they knew it.
He was a hard-nosed, blue-collar guy who fully appreciated the fact that his job was playing baseball. A kid's game. You never saw him without a smile on his face. That's why he was called "Kid." His enthusiasm and love of the game were infectious. And it rubbed off on his teammates. That's what made those Mets teams so fun to watch. That's what made him such a lovable player. Is there a single player that went against him that ever had a bad thing to say about Gary Carter? Is there a single fan who didn't like him, or at least respect the way he played the game? Even Cardinals fans appreciated the way he played.
Those will be my lasting images of the man who, in my opinion, is the greatest position player in the history of the New York Mets. I've said for a long time that No. 8 belongs on the wall at Citi Field. Hopefully the Mets come to their senses and retire his number soon. It would be a fitting tribute to one of the classiest men ever to play the game.
As I got older and grew to understand and appreciate baseball more and more, my admiration for Gary Carter grew. I'm proud to say that he was my first-ever favorite player. More than that, I'm proud to say that Gary Carter had a lot to do with my becoming a baseball fan. Rest in peace, Kid. We're gonna miss you.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Great Sports Couples
I'm not one to embrace the whole Valentine's Day thing, but I was having trouble coming up with a topic today, so I decided to take the theme and run with it. It's always cool when athletes hook up, especially when they're both good. Here are some today's greatest sports couples, in no particular order:
There are plenty of other sports couples that I didn't mention here. Happy Valentine's Day to all of them, too.
- Sanya Richards-Ross & Aaron Ross: She's a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the 2009 World Champion in the 400 meters. She'll be among the favorites this summer in London, where she'll hopefully take home her first career individual Olympic gold. He's a cornerback for the New York Giants and a two-time Super Bowl winner.
- Misty-May Treanor & Matt Treanor: Misty's clearly the more accomplished member of this couple. She's won back-to-back Olympic golds in beach volleyball and will go for No. 3 in London. She also appeared on Dancing With the Stars. He's actually had a decent Major League career as a backup catcher, and he's been to the last two World Series with the Rangers (although he didn't play against the Cardinals).
- Brooklyn Decker & Andy Roddick: Roddick's been the face of American men's tennis for a generation. He only has one Grand Slam title--the 2003 U.S. Open, but only because he keeps running into Roger. He's made four other Grand Slam finals, losing to Federer each time. She's technically not an athlete, but she's been on the cover of Sports Illustrated more than he has, so I think it counts.
- Maria Sharapova & Sasha Vujacic: Even though he's currently stuck playing in Turkey because he couldn't get out of his lockout contract, I think we can all agree Sasha Vujacic might be the luckiest guy in the world. He's engaged to Maria Sharapova. We all know about Maria. Three-time Grand Slam champion, former world No. 1, highest-earning female athlete in the world. He's won two World Championships with the Lakers, but, frankly, who really cares? I only know him as Maria's fiance.
- Candace Parker & Shelden Williams: Remember when Candace Parker was the best player in women's basketball? Well, she took a little break from the WNBA to have a baby. Now she's back, and I expect her to make her second Olympic team this summer. She won two NCAA titles at Tennessee. He won one at Duke. Williams went to the Knicks as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade and is now on the Nets.
- Julia Mancuso & Aksel Lund Svindal: You might not know who either of these two people are, but they're both professional skiers. Mancuso's American, and she's a three-time Olympic medalist, including a pair of silvers in Vancouver. Svindal is from Norway. He won one medal of each color at the Vancouver Olympics.
- Caroline Wozniacki & Rory McIlroy: These two used to have a wager going about who would win a major first. Rory won that bet, winning the 2011 U.S. Open (the golf version). Caroline's coming-out party was at the other U.S. Open in 2009, when she made the finals. She was No. 1 in the world for most of the past year, but is still looking for her first Grand Slam title.
- Shen Xue & Zhao Hongbo: These are Chinese figure skaters who've been pairs partners since 1992. They made their Olympic debut in 1998, then bronze in both 2002 and 2006. In 2002, they also won the World Championship, becoming the first Chinese team to win a gold medal at the World Championships. He proposed to her on the ice after their performance at the 2007 World Championships, and they promptly retired, only to return two years later. And in 2010, they capped their careers by winning Olympic gold, the first ever for China in figure skating.
- Steffi Graf & Andre Agassi: The two tennis champions have a combined 30 Grand Slam title and two Olympic gold medals between them. Steffi's on the short list of greatest women's players ever, contributing 22 of those Grand Slam titles, and she was No. 1 for a record 377 weeks. Andre's career was full of ups and downs, but there's no question about his place in tennis history, either. He was part of a Golden Era of American men's tennis, and his rivalry with Pete Sampras was Federer-Nadal before Federer-Nadal was. They've been married for 11 years and have two kids. Jaden and Jaz are going to be phenomenal tennis players.
- Mia Hamm & Nomar Garciaparra: Mia Hamm is probably the greatest women's soccer player ever. She played in a record 275 games for the U.S. National Team and scored 158 international goals, another record. The U.S. won two World Cups and two Olympic gold medals during her career. Nomar has one of the best names in baseball history. He was really good for a long time before injures derailed his career.
- Gabrielle Reece & Laird Hamilton: One of the first sports "power couples," these two got married in 1997. Reece was a beach volleyball pioneer, helping make the sport popular during its professional infancy in the mid-90s. Hamilton is one of the best big-wave surfers in history. He's also an actor. He does a lot of those crazy, big-budget water stunts in major movies.
There are plenty of other sports couples that I didn't mention here. Happy Valentine's Day to all of them, too.
Monday, February 13, 2012
The Forgotten First-Place Team
Is it possible for a team to be in first place, yet nobody in their home city seems to notice? Apparently, the answer is "Yes." Because in the aftermath of the Giants' Super Bowl title and in the midst of Linsanity, the Rangers have become New York's forgotten team. Oh by the way, the Rangers just happen to be the best team in the Eastern Conference.
First, let's talk about the ridiculousness that is Linsanity. I don't want to say anything bad about Jeremy Lin. I think his story is great. It was great when he was at Harvard, and it's great now. But he's a media creation. Isn't it ironic how Linsanity only started when Tebow Mania ended? Once Tim Tebow was eliminated from the playoffs, the media needed a new guy to obsess over and ram down our throats, like it or not. Enter Jeremy Lin. The fact that he plays in New York doesn't help, since the New York media immediately jumped all over it.
Some people are using the argument that Jeremy Lin is on the back page of the paper everyday because "New York's a Basketball Town." That's not even close to true. New York is first and foremost a baseball town. Always has been. Always will be. After the Yankees, the Giants are next in the pecking order, although Rex Ryan and his Island of Misfit Toys have done a nice job of stealing some of the football-based headlines. That means the Knicks are at best No. 3 in the hierarchy of New York sports. Regardless of the Knicks' status, it's pretty clear where the three hockey teams rank. I haven't seen the Rangers on the back page of the paper once this season. Not even during the NBA lockout. Not even when they were in the Winter Classic.
This isn't just the papers' fault, either. Knicks, Rangers, Devils and Islanders games are all broadcast on the MSG Networks. The Knicks and Rangers are primarily on MSG, while the Devils and Islanders are primarily on MSG+. When more than one team is playing at the same time, one of the games gets shifted to the other network. For example, if the Devils and Islanders are both playing, but the Knicks and Rangers aren't, one of the games moves from MSG+ to MSG. Ditto if the Knicks and Rangers are playing, but the Devils and Islanders aren't. When three of them are playing (or all four), one of the preview channels becomes MSG2. Whenever this happens, the Rangers are the one that gets the boot. Tomorrow night, the Rangers are playing the defending Stanley Cup Champion Bruins on MSG2 so that the Knicks-Raptors game can be shown on MSG. How about taking into account who each team is playing and put the more significant game on MSG? Or, at the very least, have them alternate.
Thankfully, Filip Bondy of the Daily News has noticed that the Rangers are pretty much completely ignored. He did an article in today's paper making that exact point. The Rangers beat the Flyers and Capitals over the weekend. Do they even get a mention on the local news? No. Even ESPN, which is more obsessed with the NBA than anyone, has begun to notice. On SportsCenter the other day they pretty much said that the Rangers are the best kept secret in New York.
The Rangers were so bad for so long that a lot of their fans lost interest. (Of course, the Knicks were even worse at the same time, but they at least had Isiah Thomas making headlines as he ran the franchise into the ground.) They won the Cup in 1994, so the "curse" is over. And every time they've been good in recent years, they ended up having a bad stretch that left them fighting for the final playoff spot. When they did actually make the playoffs, they were lucky to get out of the first round. All of these things might be reasons why the Rangers aren't as beloved as they once were. And who knows? Maybe fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop, so they find it harder to embrace the Rangers' success.
But, I've got news for you. This Rangers team is different. This is the best team they've had since 1994, and they look poised to make a deep playoff run. They've got legitimate stars. Marian Gaborik, Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi might not be Mark Messier, Adam Graves and Brian Leetch (who are three of the greatest Rangers ever, by the way), but that's the point. Instead of overpaying a superstar (see: Jagr, Jaromir) and having little else, this year's team has all the right pieces, and they fit together perfectly. And lest we forget that absolute stud in goal: Henrik Lundqvist. These Rangers aren't just good, they're fun to watch. And they win in so many different ways. Push the pace and win 5-3? Sure. Grind one out and rely on Hank to win 1-0? No problem. Shooutout? We can do that too. Want to mix it up? Bring it!
New York, take notice. 'Cause if they're raising a banner to the Garden rafters at the beginning of next season, it ain't gonna be for the Knicks. And if there's another championship parade down the Canyon of Heroes in June, it'll be for a certain hockey team that wears blue jerseys. (Although, it wouldn't surprise me at all if a Stanley Cup run brings all of these "fans" and media attention out of the woodwork, as if everybody cared all along.)
First, let's talk about the ridiculousness that is Linsanity. I don't want to say anything bad about Jeremy Lin. I think his story is great. It was great when he was at Harvard, and it's great now. But he's a media creation. Isn't it ironic how Linsanity only started when Tebow Mania ended? Once Tim Tebow was eliminated from the playoffs, the media needed a new guy to obsess over and ram down our throats, like it or not. Enter Jeremy Lin. The fact that he plays in New York doesn't help, since the New York media immediately jumped all over it.
Some people are using the argument that Jeremy Lin is on the back page of the paper everyday because "New York's a Basketball Town." That's not even close to true. New York is first and foremost a baseball town. Always has been. Always will be. After the Yankees, the Giants are next in the pecking order, although Rex Ryan and his Island of Misfit Toys have done a nice job of stealing some of the football-based headlines. That means the Knicks are at best No. 3 in the hierarchy of New York sports. Regardless of the Knicks' status, it's pretty clear where the three hockey teams rank. I haven't seen the Rangers on the back page of the paper once this season. Not even during the NBA lockout. Not even when they were in the Winter Classic.
This isn't just the papers' fault, either. Knicks, Rangers, Devils and Islanders games are all broadcast on the MSG Networks. The Knicks and Rangers are primarily on MSG, while the Devils and Islanders are primarily on MSG+. When more than one team is playing at the same time, one of the games gets shifted to the other network. For example, if the Devils and Islanders are both playing, but the Knicks and Rangers aren't, one of the games moves from MSG+ to MSG. Ditto if the Knicks and Rangers are playing, but the Devils and Islanders aren't. When three of them are playing (or all four), one of the preview channels becomes MSG2. Whenever this happens, the Rangers are the one that gets the boot. Tomorrow night, the Rangers are playing the defending Stanley Cup Champion Bruins on MSG2 so that the Knicks-Raptors game can be shown on MSG. How about taking into account who each team is playing and put the more significant game on MSG? Or, at the very least, have them alternate.
Thankfully, Filip Bondy of the Daily News has noticed that the Rangers are pretty much completely ignored. He did an article in today's paper making that exact point. The Rangers beat the Flyers and Capitals over the weekend. Do they even get a mention on the local news? No. Even ESPN, which is more obsessed with the NBA than anyone, has begun to notice. On SportsCenter the other day they pretty much said that the Rangers are the best kept secret in New York.
The Rangers were so bad for so long that a lot of their fans lost interest. (Of course, the Knicks were even worse at the same time, but they at least had Isiah Thomas making headlines as he ran the franchise into the ground.) They won the Cup in 1994, so the "curse" is over. And every time they've been good in recent years, they ended up having a bad stretch that left them fighting for the final playoff spot. When they did actually make the playoffs, they were lucky to get out of the first round. All of these things might be reasons why the Rangers aren't as beloved as they once were. And who knows? Maybe fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop, so they find it harder to embrace the Rangers' success.
But, I've got news for you. This Rangers team is different. This is the best team they've had since 1994, and they look poised to make a deep playoff run. They've got legitimate stars. Marian Gaborik, Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi might not be Mark Messier, Adam Graves and Brian Leetch (who are three of the greatest Rangers ever, by the way), but that's the point. Instead of overpaying a superstar (see: Jagr, Jaromir) and having little else, this year's team has all the right pieces, and they fit together perfectly. And lest we forget that absolute stud in goal: Henrik Lundqvist. These Rangers aren't just good, they're fun to watch. And they win in so many different ways. Push the pace and win 5-3? Sure. Grind one out and rely on Hank to win 1-0? No problem. Shooutout? We can do that too. Want to mix it up? Bring it!
New York, take notice. 'Cause if they're raising a banner to the Garden rafters at the beginning of next season, it ain't gonna be for the Knicks. And if there's another championship parade down the Canyon of Heroes in June, it'll be for a certain hockey team that wears blue jerseys. (Although, it wouldn't surprise me at all if a Stanley Cup run brings all of these "fans" and media attention out of the woodwork, as if everybody cared all along.)
Friday, February 10, 2012
Most Hated Athletes
Yesterday, Forbes released its annual list of the 10 most hated athletes in sports. I wasn't surprised to see some of the names that were on there, although I didn't agree with a bunch of them. Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress both made the list (Vick was No. 1), but in my opinion, they both paid the penalties for their crimes and deserve a second chance. Tiger Woods was No. 2, but I've got no issue with him. Tiger's personal life is none of my business and golf isn't a sport. Ndamukong Suh? Anger management issues, nothing more. How do you go from obscure to fifth-most-hated? Marry a Kardashian. Although, people hate the Kardashians, so I don't get why people hate Kris Humpheries when all he did was marry and divorce one. Kobe Bryant? Only because of his reputation. I respect Kobe's talent way too much. T.O.? Don't you have to be relevant? And as a Yankees fan, I'm contractually barred from disliking any member of the New York Yankees. I doubt I would hate Alex Rodriguez anyway, though.
The remaining two athletes on the Forbes list, LeBron James and Kurt Busch, absolutely qualify among my Top 10 Most Hated, as well. There are a number of professional athletes that I dislike, but I definitely dislike some more than others. Picking 10 was somewhat easy. Even after I limited the list to just athletes, letting guys like Roger Baddell and Jim Dolan off the hook. Also, since it would've been easy to simply name 10 members of the Boston Red Sux, I decided to share the wealth a little bit. As for the rest of the list, there were different criteria used. I can't really explain why I dislike some of these guys so passionately. I just do. For the rest of them, it's really easy to explain why I don't like them.
10. Kurt Busch-I considered giving the 10-spot to Jimmie Johnson, but Johnson hadn't really done anything to deserve a place on the list. I was just really tired of him winning every year. (Finally someone else won! Thank You Tony Stewart!) Kurt Busch, on the other hand, is a complete jackass. He gets into it with other drivers, his crew, owners, sponsors, the media, NASCAR, you name it. That's why he got fired at the end of last season. Kyle Busch isn't a saint, either, but Kyle's problems seem to stem more from anger management issues.
9. Alexander Ovechkin-Alexander Ovechkin is a supreme talent. He also might be the most overrated player in sports. Ovechkin thinks he's better than he is, so he complains about every call that goes against him. And the officials give him every call! In my opinion, Ovechkin's also a dirty player. And, once again, he gets away with it.
8. Shaun White-This one might seem weird, but I've never embraced Shaun White the way most of America has. He's a little too laid-back for me. Dude, you're a professional athlete (in two sports). I know they're both "alternative" sports, but couldn't you at least pretend to care, at least sometimes? It might just be the hair. He really needs to cut it. I can't get past that.
7. Tim Thomas-I don't think there are many people that hate Tim Thomas, but I'm one of them. I've always thought Thomas was overrated, but this intense dislike only started pretty recently. And it all has to do with his decision not to go to the White House. Even if you disagree with the President's politics, when your team is invited to the White House, you go. Especially if you're the only American on the team. It's about celebrating your championship, nothing else. Not going just made Thomas look like a jerk. Besides, he plays in Boston, which is an automatic deduction.
6. Floyd Mayweather-Mayweather makes the list because he's a straight-up punk. He's spent two years ducking Manny Pacquiao, yet now is talking all this crap like Pacquiao's been the one avoiding him. When they finally fight (which seems inevitable now), I hope Pacquiao knocks him into last week. Just shut up, jackass. If you think you're better than Pacquiao, fight him and prove it!
5. LeBron James-Two words: "The Decision." If he was finding a way to make as many people as possible all start to dislike him at the time, I'd say "The Decision" was a tremendous success. LeBron, get over yourself, dude. It takes about a second to say "Miami." We don't need an hour. And you don't need to completely screw over Cleveland in the process. ESPN, with its complete obsession with all things NBA and their collective belief that we all care about the NBA as much as they do, deserves an equal share of the blame for "The Decision," but LeBron hasn't really done anything to make himself any more likeable in the year and a half since.
4. Tom Brady-Raise your hand if you've also had enough of the New England Patriots. Pretty boy Brady is obviously their poster child, and I'm sick of seeing him everywhere (as well as hearing all the constant talk about how wonderful he is). As an unapologetic Peyton fan, when it came time to pick a side, I obviously took the Colts. That makes rooting against the Patriots a rule (although I'd probably do that anyway, seeing as they play in Boston). Liking Peyton better is strike one, playing for the Patriots is strike two, the media not being able to shut up about him is strike three.
3. Tim Tebow-I don't get the obsession with this guy. He isn't good! And I'm tired of hearing about what a great guy he is. He's religious. I get it! You don't need to tell me that every time you do a story about him. P.S., they didn't suddenly start winning because of divine intervention. ESPN deserves much of the blame for this one, too, but I'm not going to be jumping on the Tebow bandwagon anytime soon.
2. Dustin Pedroia-Pedroia gets the nod as the Red Suk I despise the most. He reminds me of that scrawny, obnoxious smart ass in high school who doesn't know when to shut up and doesn't get the message after repeatedly getting his ass kicked. Every time I see him on TV I just want to punch him. Plus I'm still pissed about him winning the MVP over Derek Jeter in 2008. And Ian Kinsler getting screwed out of starting the All-Star Game (Pedroia went from third to first in the online-only voting over the last couple of days) a few years ago.
1. Rafael Nadal-There's no athlete I despise more than Rafael Nadal. There are some people who claim to like both Nadal and Roger Federer. They're full of crap. Whether they want to admit it or not, everybody likes one more than the other. I chose my side years ago and have never wavered. I'm a Roger guy. Simple as that. I don't like Nadal. Never have. He always beats Roger, so I don't like him for that reason. It's really annoying to watch him play, too. His matches never end! I also don't respect the way Nadal got to the top. John McEnroe's man-crush on him that's bordering on obsession doesn't help, either.
So, there you have it. I understand that my dislike for the 10 athletes on this list isn't shared by all. Sure my personal biases came into play, but that's part of the fun of it. That's part of the fun of sports.
The remaining two athletes on the Forbes list, LeBron James and Kurt Busch, absolutely qualify among my Top 10 Most Hated, as well. There are a number of professional athletes that I dislike, but I definitely dislike some more than others. Picking 10 was somewhat easy. Even after I limited the list to just athletes, letting guys like Roger Baddell and Jim Dolan off the hook. Also, since it would've been easy to simply name 10 members of the Boston Red Sux, I decided to share the wealth a little bit. As for the rest of the list, there were different criteria used. I can't really explain why I dislike some of these guys so passionately. I just do. For the rest of them, it's really easy to explain why I don't like them.
10. Kurt Busch-I considered giving the 10-spot to Jimmie Johnson, but Johnson hadn't really done anything to deserve a place on the list. I was just really tired of him winning every year. (Finally someone else won! Thank You Tony Stewart!) Kurt Busch, on the other hand, is a complete jackass. He gets into it with other drivers, his crew, owners, sponsors, the media, NASCAR, you name it. That's why he got fired at the end of last season. Kyle Busch isn't a saint, either, but Kyle's problems seem to stem more from anger management issues.
9. Alexander Ovechkin-Alexander Ovechkin is a supreme talent. He also might be the most overrated player in sports. Ovechkin thinks he's better than he is, so he complains about every call that goes against him. And the officials give him every call! In my opinion, Ovechkin's also a dirty player. And, once again, he gets away with it.
8. Shaun White-This one might seem weird, but I've never embraced Shaun White the way most of America has. He's a little too laid-back for me. Dude, you're a professional athlete (in two sports). I know they're both "alternative" sports, but couldn't you at least pretend to care, at least sometimes? It might just be the hair. He really needs to cut it. I can't get past that.
7. Tim Thomas-I don't think there are many people that hate Tim Thomas, but I'm one of them. I've always thought Thomas was overrated, but this intense dislike only started pretty recently. And it all has to do with his decision not to go to the White House. Even if you disagree with the President's politics, when your team is invited to the White House, you go. Especially if you're the only American on the team. It's about celebrating your championship, nothing else. Not going just made Thomas look like a jerk. Besides, he plays in Boston, which is an automatic deduction.
6. Floyd Mayweather-Mayweather makes the list because he's a straight-up punk. He's spent two years ducking Manny Pacquiao, yet now is talking all this crap like Pacquiao's been the one avoiding him. When they finally fight (which seems inevitable now), I hope Pacquiao knocks him into last week. Just shut up, jackass. If you think you're better than Pacquiao, fight him and prove it!
5. LeBron James-Two words: "The Decision." If he was finding a way to make as many people as possible all start to dislike him at the time, I'd say "The Decision" was a tremendous success. LeBron, get over yourself, dude. It takes about a second to say "Miami." We don't need an hour. And you don't need to completely screw over Cleveland in the process. ESPN, with its complete obsession with all things NBA and their collective belief that we all care about the NBA as much as they do, deserves an equal share of the blame for "The Decision," but LeBron hasn't really done anything to make himself any more likeable in the year and a half since.
4. Tom Brady-Raise your hand if you've also had enough of the New England Patriots. Pretty boy Brady is obviously their poster child, and I'm sick of seeing him everywhere (as well as hearing all the constant talk about how wonderful he is). As an unapologetic Peyton fan, when it came time to pick a side, I obviously took the Colts. That makes rooting against the Patriots a rule (although I'd probably do that anyway, seeing as they play in Boston). Liking Peyton better is strike one, playing for the Patriots is strike two, the media not being able to shut up about him is strike three.
3. Tim Tebow-I don't get the obsession with this guy. He isn't good! And I'm tired of hearing about what a great guy he is. He's religious. I get it! You don't need to tell me that every time you do a story about him. P.S., they didn't suddenly start winning because of divine intervention. ESPN deserves much of the blame for this one, too, but I'm not going to be jumping on the Tebow bandwagon anytime soon.
2. Dustin Pedroia-Pedroia gets the nod as the Red Suk I despise the most. He reminds me of that scrawny, obnoxious smart ass in high school who doesn't know when to shut up and doesn't get the message after repeatedly getting his ass kicked. Every time I see him on TV I just want to punch him. Plus I'm still pissed about him winning the MVP over Derek Jeter in 2008. And Ian Kinsler getting screwed out of starting the All-Star Game (Pedroia went from third to first in the online-only voting over the last couple of days) a few years ago.
1. Rafael Nadal-There's no athlete I despise more than Rafael Nadal. There are some people who claim to like both Nadal and Roger Federer. They're full of crap. Whether they want to admit it or not, everybody likes one more than the other. I chose my side years ago and have never wavered. I'm a Roger guy. Simple as that. I don't like Nadal. Never have. He always beats Roger, so I don't like him for that reason. It's really annoying to watch him play, too. His matches never end! I also don't respect the way Nadal got to the top. John McEnroe's man-crush on him that's bordering on obsession doesn't help, either.
So, there you have it. I understand that my dislike for the 10 athletes on this list isn't shared by all. Sure my personal biases came into play, but that's part of the fun of it. That's part of the fun of sports.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Scenes From the Super Bowl Parade
Today I made a little trip down to lower Manhattan along with about a million of my closest friends to celebrate the Super Bowl XLVI Champion New York Football Giants! For those of you who weren't able to join us, here's what the parade looked like from my vantage point on Worth Street:
We've gotten to do this twice in five seasons. And it certainly hasn't gotten old. I could definitely get used to this. Maybe even more than once a year. See you in June for the Rangers Stanley Cup parade.
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| That would be my brother-in-law Dave White on top of a bus stop post. |
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| Chase Blackburn in the blue. |
We've gotten to do this twice in five seasons. And it certainly hasn't gotten old. I could definitely get used to this. Maybe even more than once a year. See you in June for the Rangers Stanley Cup parade.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Greatest Super Bowls Ever
I've now had a day to recover from that exhilarating game last night and the incredible feeling of knowing that the Giants are the Super Bowl Champions. The game was outstanding. That's been a common theme in recent Super Bowls. Since the NFC dominance ended in the mid-90s, there have only been about one or two clunkers. Last night's game was great, but was it the greatest Super Bowl ever? I don't think so. Here's my Top 10:
10. Super Bowl X: Steelers 21, Cowboys 17-I could've gone with either Steelers-Cowboys Super Bowl from the '70s, but X was better than XIII, so that one gets the nod. The Cowboys led 10-7 after three quarters before two Pittsburgh field goals made it 15-10 Steelers. After a Dallas three-and-out, Terry Bradshaw hit Lynn Swann for a 64-yard touchdown pass to increase the Steelers' lead to 21-10 (Roy Gerela missed the extra point). Dallas went 80 yards in five plays to get within four. Pittsburgh recovered the onsides kick, but the Cowboys got the ball back with 1:22 left. The comeback was not to be, though, as the Steelers won their second straight Super Bowl.
9. Super Bowl III: Jets 16, Colts 7-This game is on there more for its historical significance than its quality. After the Packers won the first two Super Bowls, everyone pretty much agreed that the NFL was far superior to the AFL. Joe Namath was sick of hearing about how badly the Colts were going to beat the Jets and "guaranteed" a victory. He backed it up, as the Jets rolled out to a 16-0 lead before a meaningless late Colts touchdown. One of the greatest upsets in sports history, Super Bowl III validated the AFL and established the Super Bowl as America's premier sporting event.
8. Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23-Trailing 10-7, the Cardinals were driving for what would at worst be a tying field goal at the end of the first half when James Harrison's 100-yard pick-six on the final play of the half instead made it 17-7 Pittsburgh. The Steelers increased their lead to 20-7 before Arizona rallied all the way back. The Cardinals scored 16 points in a span of 1:20 in the fourth quarter, taking the lead on Kurt Warner's 64-yard TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 2:37 left. However, that was plenty of time for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers, and Big Ben found Santonio Holmes in the back corner of the end zone to give Pittsburgh its second title in four seasons, 27-23.
7. Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20, Bengals 16-Of the 49ers' five Super Bowl victories, this is the only one that was even close. It was 6-6 before Cincinnati's Stanford Jennings scored the game's first touchdown on a kickoff return. A Jerry Rice touchdown tied it at 13-13, but the Bengals went back in front on a Jim Breech field goal with 3:20 left. After a penalty on the kickoff, the 49ers got the ball on their own 8-yard line. That's when Joe Montana took over, engineering the defining drive of his career. Montana marched his team down the field in 11 plays, and he hit John Taylor with the game-winning TD pass with 34 seconds remaining to cap the most famous drive in Super Bowl history.
6. Super Bowl XLVI: Giants 21, Patriots 17-This year's classic comes in at No. 6 on the list. The first points came on a safety, then an Eli Manning-Victor Cruz touchdown pass made it 9-0 Giants. Tom Brady engineered a 96-yard TD drive to give New England a 10-9 lead at halftime, and the Patriots then scored on the first drive of the second half to increase their lead to 17-9. The Giants kicked a pair of field goals in the third quarter to get back within two, then a Chase Blackburn interception ended a New England drive at the Giants 8 early in the fourth. The Giants still trailed 17-15 when they took over at their own 12 with 3:46 remaining. A 38-yard pass to Mario Manningham brought the ball to midfield, and the Giants eventually drove down to the New England 6 with 1:03 left. The Patriots let Ahmad Bradshaw score the go-ahead touchdown to give themselves time, but New England's Hail Mary on the final play fell short.
5. Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams 23, Titans 16-One of the unlikeliest Super Bowls in history ended up as one of the best. It was also almost the first one to go to overtime. The Rams scored the first 16 points of the game before the Titans rallied for 16 straight points of their own to tie it with 2:12 remaining. It wouldn't stay tied for long, as Kurt Warner hit Isaac Bruce on a 73-yard TD pass that put the Rams back in front, 23-16. The Titans took over at their own 12 with 1:48 left, and Tennessee drove all the way down to the St. Louis 10 with six seconds to go. However, on the final play, Tennessee's Kevin Dyson was stopped one-yard short of the end zone and the Rams were Super Bowl Champions.
4. Super Bowl XXV: Giants 20, Bills 19-Imagine how different things would've been for the Buffalo Bills franchise if Scott Norwood's kick hadn't sailed wide right. This was the first of four straight Super Bowl appearances for the heavily-favored Bills, who led 12-3 before the Giants got a touchdown with 25 seconds left in the first half. The Giants then received the second half kickoff and took 9:29 off the clock with an epic 14-play, 74-yard drive. Ottis Anderson capped the march with the go-ahead touchdown, but a Thurman Thomas TD on the first play of the fourth quarter made it 19-17 Buffalo. The exhausted Bills defense then had to go back out there, and the Giants took another 7:32 off the clock before Matt Bahr kicked the go-ahead field goal. The Bills got the ball back with 2:16 left, but, with eight seconds left, the most famous missed field goal in Super Bowl history gave the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the Giants.
3. Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20, Rams 17-Back before Bradicheck was incredibly annoying, the Patriots were America's Team playing in the first Super Bowl post-9/11. The Patriots led 17-3 before Kurt Warner engineered a pair of touchdown drives to tie the game with 1:30 left. New England didn't have any timeouts left, but played for the win instead of overtime. That's when that unknown backup Tom Brady showed the first glimpse of the quarterback we know him to be today. Five quick completions brought the ball to the Rams 30, and he got up and spiked it with seven seconds left, setting up Adam Vinatieri's game-winning 48-yard field goal on the final play. It was the first Super Bowl decided on the final play, and one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history.
2. Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos 31, Packers 24-This one has always ranked as one of my favorites, and I think how great this game actually was has gotten lost in the shuffle of all the great Super Bowls in recent years. John Elway was back in the Super Bowl after three losses in the 80s, and he was going against Brett Favre and the defending champion Packers. This was one of the most evenly-matched Super Bowls in memory, as each score was immediately countered. With the score tied 24-24, Terrell Davis literally ran through the Packers defense, and he capped the drive with his third TD of the game, a go-ahead 1-yard scamper with 1:45 left. On the ensuing Green Bay drive, the Packers got down to the Denver 35, but Favre threw incompletions on third and fourth down. Elway took a knee and was finally a Super Bowl Champion.
1. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17, Patriots 14-18 wins. 1 Giant upset. All the talk going into the game was the Patriots' pursuit of perfection. With a win, they would've completed the first 19-0 season in NFL history and had a legitimate claim to the title "Greatest Team Ever." Instead, Super Bowl XLII was perhaps the greatest upset in Super Bowl history. An incredibly competitive matchup between the teams in the final game of the regular season proved to the Giants that they could play with the Patriots, and they rode that momentum all the way to Arizona. Defense dominated the rematch, as New England took a 7-3 lead on the first play of the second quarter, and the score would stay that way until the fourth. David Tyree made his second-most-important catch of the game to give the Giants a 10-7 lead with 11:05 left. The Patriots got what looked like the game-winner when Brady found Randy Moss for a 6-yard TD pass, but the Giants still had 2:42 to play with. The game-winning drive was kept alive by Tyree's sensational 32-yard catch against his helmet on 3rd-and-5 from the Giants 44 (when Eli avoided a sack like three different times before getting the pass off) and capped by Eli's 13-yard pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds remaining. This time, Brady didn't have a comeback in him, and the perfect season was no more.
10. Super Bowl X: Steelers 21, Cowboys 17-I could've gone with either Steelers-Cowboys Super Bowl from the '70s, but X was better than XIII, so that one gets the nod. The Cowboys led 10-7 after three quarters before two Pittsburgh field goals made it 15-10 Steelers. After a Dallas three-and-out, Terry Bradshaw hit Lynn Swann for a 64-yard touchdown pass to increase the Steelers' lead to 21-10 (Roy Gerela missed the extra point). Dallas went 80 yards in five plays to get within four. Pittsburgh recovered the onsides kick, but the Cowboys got the ball back with 1:22 left. The comeback was not to be, though, as the Steelers won their second straight Super Bowl.
9. Super Bowl III: Jets 16, Colts 7-This game is on there more for its historical significance than its quality. After the Packers won the first two Super Bowls, everyone pretty much agreed that the NFL was far superior to the AFL. Joe Namath was sick of hearing about how badly the Colts were going to beat the Jets and "guaranteed" a victory. He backed it up, as the Jets rolled out to a 16-0 lead before a meaningless late Colts touchdown. One of the greatest upsets in sports history, Super Bowl III validated the AFL and established the Super Bowl as America's premier sporting event.
8. Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23-Trailing 10-7, the Cardinals were driving for what would at worst be a tying field goal at the end of the first half when James Harrison's 100-yard pick-six on the final play of the half instead made it 17-7 Pittsburgh. The Steelers increased their lead to 20-7 before Arizona rallied all the way back. The Cardinals scored 16 points in a span of 1:20 in the fourth quarter, taking the lead on Kurt Warner's 64-yard TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 2:37 left. However, that was plenty of time for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers, and Big Ben found Santonio Holmes in the back corner of the end zone to give Pittsburgh its second title in four seasons, 27-23.
7. Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20, Bengals 16-Of the 49ers' five Super Bowl victories, this is the only one that was even close. It was 6-6 before Cincinnati's Stanford Jennings scored the game's first touchdown on a kickoff return. A Jerry Rice touchdown tied it at 13-13, but the Bengals went back in front on a Jim Breech field goal with 3:20 left. After a penalty on the kickoff, the 49ers got the ball on their own 8-yard line. That's when Joe Montana took over, engineering the defining drive of his career. Montana marched his team down the field in 11 plays, and he hit John Taylor with the game-winning TD pass with 34 seconds remaining to cap the most famous drive in Super Bowl history.
6. Super Bowl XLVI: Giants 21, Patriots 17-This year's classic comes in at No. 6 on the list. The first points came on a safety, then an Eli Manning-Victor Cruz touchdown pass made it 9-0 Giants. Tom Brady engineered a 96-yard TD drive to give New England a 10-9 lead at halftime, and the Patriots then scored on the first drive of the second half to increase their lead to 17-9. The Giants kicked a pair of field goals in the third quarter to get back within two, then a Chase Blackburn interception ended a New England drive at the Giants 8 early in the fourth. The Giants still trailed 17-15 when they took over at their own 12 with 3:46 remaining. A 38-yard pass to Mario Manningham brought the ball to midfield, and the Giants eventually drove down to the New England 6 with 1:03 left. The Patriots let Ahmad Bradshaw score the go-ahead touchdown to give themselves time, but New England's Hail Mary on the final play fell short.
5. Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams 23, Titans 16-One of the unlikeliest Super Bowls in history ended up as one of the best. It was also almost the first one to go to overtime. The Rams scored the first 16 points of the game before the Titans rallied for 16 straight points of their own to tie it with 2:12 remaining. It wouldn't stay tied for long, as Kurt Warner hit Isaac Bruce on a 73-yard TD pass that put the Rams back in front, 23-16. The Titans took over at their own 12 with 1:48 left, and Tennessee drove all the way down to the St. Louis 10 with six seconds to go. However, on the final play, Tennessee's Kevin Dyson was stopped one-yard short of the end zone and the Rams were Super Bowl Champions.
4. Super Bowl XXV: Giants 20, Bills 19-Imagine how different things would've been for the Buffalo Bills franchise if Scott Norwood's kick hadn't sailed wide right. This was the first of four straight Super Bowl appearances for the heavily-favored Bills, who led 12-3 before the Giants got a touchdown with 25 seconds left in the first half. The Giants then received the second half kickoff and took 9:29 off the clock with an epic 14-play, 74-yard drive. Ottis Anderson capped the march with the go-ahead touchdown, but a Thurman Thomas TD on the first play of the fourth quarter made it 19-17 Buffalo. The exhausted Bills defense then had to go back out there, and the Giants took another 7:32 off the clock before Matt Bahr kicked the go-ahead field goal. The Bills got the ball back with 2:16 left, but, with eight seconds left, the most famous missed field goal in Super Bowl history gave the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the Giants.
3. Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20, Rams 17-Back before Bradicheck was incredibly annoying, the Patriots were America's Team playing in the first Super Bowl post-9/11. The Patriots led 17-3 before Kurt Warner engineered a pair of touchdown drives to tie the game with 1:30 left. New England didn't have any timeouts left, but played for the win instead of overtime. That's when that unknown backup Tom Brady showed the first glimpse of the quarterback we know him to be today. Five quick completions brought the ball to the Rams 30, and he got up and spiked it with seven seconds left, setting up Adam Vinatieri's game-winning 48-yard field goal on the final play. It was the first Super Bowl decided on the final play, and one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history.
2. Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos 31, Packers 24-This one has always ranked as one of my favorites, and I think how great this game actually was has gotten lost in the shuffle of all the great Super Bowls in recent years. John Elway was back in the Super Bowl after three losses in the 80s, and he was going against Brett Favre and the defending champion Packers. This was one of the most evenly-matched Super Bowls in memory, as each score was immediately countered. With the score tied 24-24, Terrell Davis literally ran through the Packers defense, and he capped the drive with his third TD of the game, a go-ahead 1-yard scamper with 1:45 left. On the ensuing Green Bay drive, the Packers got down to the Denver 35, but Favre threw incompletions on third and fourth down. Elway took a knee and was finally a Super Bowl Champion.
1. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17, Patriots 14-18 wins. 1 Giant upset. All the talk going into the game was the Patriots' pursuit of perfection. With a win, they would've completed the first 19-0 season in NFL history and had a legitimate claim to the title "Greatest Team Ever." Instead, Super Bowl XLII was perhaps the greatest upset in Super Bowl history. An incredibly competitive matchup between the teams in the final game of the regular season proved to the Giants that they could play with the Patriots, and they rode that momentum all the way to Arizona. Defense dominated the rematch, as New England took a 7-3 lead on the first play of the second quarter, and the score would stay that way until the fourth. David Tyree made his second-most-important catch of the game to give the Giants a 10-7 lead with 11:05 left. The Patriots got what looked like the game-winner when Brady found Randy Moss for a 6-yard TD pass, but the Giants still had 2:42 to play with. The game-winning drive was kept alive by Tyree's sensational 32-yard catch against his helmet on 3rd-and-5 from the Giants 44 (when Eli avoided a sack like three different times before getting the pass off) and capped by Eli's 13-yard pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds remaining. This time, Brady didn't have a comeback in him, and the perfect season was no more.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Super Bowl XLVI Prediction
After two weeks of hype and endless talk, we're finally here. We've arrived at Super Bowl Sunday. Or, as I prefer to call it "the Giant game." If you that's been said/written is true, than it's impossible for either team to lose. The Giants are a team of destiny AND the Patriots are going to get revenge for four years ago. Eli's going to step out of Peyton's shadow and become a full-fledged member of the quarterbacking elite AND Brady's going to become a full-fledged legend by doing what only Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw have done before. Both cities are going to hold a parade.
Of course, one of them has to lose. By 10:30 on Sunday night, either the Giants or Patriots will be celebrating a fourth Super Bowl title, while the other will just be heading home. This much we do know for sure, though: it's going to be a much different game than four years ago. The Giants are much better. Some people say the Patriots are better, too, but this Patriots team isn't going into the Super Bowl undefeated, so I'm not one of them.
Last time, all the talk was about the Patriots' quest for perfection and their dominating offense. Four years later, the key to New England's success is still Tom Brady and that offense. The Patriots' big thing this year has been the success of their two tight ends. Rob Gronkowski had perhaps the best season ever for a tight end, and Aaron Hernandez's numbers were also stellar. Both of them are in there most of the time, and they're both used more as receivers than as blockers. Defenses have to honor the tight ends, which allows that annoying little runt Wes Welker (think Dustin Pedroia in a football uniform) to run all over the field. Personally, I don't think Welker's that good. I think Brady makes him good. But that's not the point. Chad Johnson is on the Patriots and will be making his first appearance. I felt the need to point that out because it's not like anybody ever notices when he's on the field. The running game is virtually nonexistent, but Benjarvus Green-Ellis has an awesome name.
It's funny that Bill Belichick was considered a defensive genius before "defensive" was dropped from that expression. I thought all year that the defense would be what prevented the Patriots from reaching the Super Bowl. I was wrong, but the defense is clearly this team's weakness, and it's not like it suddenly turned into a strength over the last two weeks. The Patriots ranked 31st in passing defense this season. While I hate the defensive rankings and don't agree with the way they're figured out, 31st is still pretty bad. Quarterbacks have been able to throw the ball all over the field against that secondary all season.
As for the New York Football Giants (yes Chris Christie, they play in New Jersey; ha-ha, we get it; you're funny), they entered the playoffs as the hottest team in the NFL, and that hasn't changed. Eli Manning might get all the headlines, but a lot of his success is due to Victor Cruz's breakout season and the contributions of Hakeem Nicks (when he's not dropping balls). Plus, the Giants both a solid 1-2 punch in the running game. It's rare to see Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs both have a bad game. They get the added benefit of running behind one of the best offensive lines in football.
But the bread and butter of this Giants team is that incredible defense. More specifically, that defensive front. Jason Pierre-Paul is a beast. So is Justin Tuck. And Osi Umenyoira doesn't even start! This pass defense is scary. The Patriots' offensive line will have to be on its toes to give Brady the protection he needs to make things happen. The linebacking corps got better as the season went on and everybody got healthy, and that secondary is extremely underrated.
So how do I see the game playing out? For starters, I don't see Brady having two bad games in a row. He'll be better than he was against the Ravens. How much better? I don't know. That depends on the offensive line. If Brady doesn't have the time to hit his receivers, the Patriots might need to rely on their run game, which could be a scary proposition for New England. I also wouldn't be surprised to see the Giants let Gronkowski and Welker do their thing across the middle of the field while holding the safeties back to prevent the big play. The Patriots' defense HAS TO prevent the big play. With that porous secondary and Victor Cruz's big play ability, the Giants could easily take advantage of that matchup and set him free. It's almost a catch-22 for the New England defense, because if they try to take away the receivers, that could make them very vulnerable to the run. That's where the game is going to be won or lost. I think whichever team is able to establish the running game will be the one that hoists the Lombardi Trophy.
I can envision this game playing out in so many different ways, and I can easily see either team winning it. Both teams have said they expect to win. I freakin' hope so. Otherwise, why are you there? In other words, I take no credence to these statements. Everybody and their mother is picking the Giants. This makes me a little weary. I have this feeling that their confidence might be turning into overconfidence. But I do think that right now the Giants are a better team than the Patriots. I also think they're a little more versatile and will be able to adapt to different situations better.
I think it's more likely the Giants pass rush stops Brady and his receivers than the Patriots secondary controls the Giants' passing game. In a game where the littlest things might make the biggest difference, that might be the biggest difference of all. That's why I'm taking the Giants. It'll be close, though. All four of Bradicheck's previous Super Bowl appearances have been decided by a field goal. This one will be, too. 27-24 G-Men.
Conference Championships: 1-1
Playoffs: 8-2
Season: 175-91
Of course, one of them has to lose. By 10:30 on Sunday night, either the Giants or Patriots will be celebrating a fourth Super Bowl title, while the other will just be heading home. This much we do know for sure, though: it's going to be a much different game than four years ago. The Giants are much better. Some people say the Patriots are better, too, but this Patriots team isn't going into the Super Bowl undefeated, so I'm not one of them.
Last time, all the talk was about the Patriots' quest for perfection and their dominating offense. Four years later, the key to New England's success is still Tom Brady and that offense. The Patriots' big thing this year has been the success of their two tight ends. Rob Gronkowski had perhaps the best season ever for a tight end, and Aaron Hernandez's numbers were also stellar. Both of them are in there most of the time, and they're both used more as receivers than as blockers. Defenses have to honor the tight ends, which allows that annoying little runt Wes Welker (think Dustin Pedroia in a football uniform) to run all over the field. Personally, I don't think Welker's that good. I think Brady makes him good. But that's not the point. Chad Johnson is on the Patriots and will be making his first appearance. I felt the need to point that out because it's not like anybody ever notices when he's on the field. The running game is virtually nonexistent, but Benjarvus Green-Ellis has an awesome name.
It's funny that Bill Belichick was considered a defensive genius before "defensive" was dropped from that expression. I thought all year that the defense would be what prevented the Patriots from reaching the Super Bowl. I was wrong, but the defense is clearly this team's weakness, and it's not like it suddenly turned into a strength over the last two weeks. The Patriots ranked 31st in passing defense this season. While I hate the defensive rankings and don't agree with the way they're figured out, 31st is still pretty bad. Quarterbacks have been able to throw the ball all over the field against that secondary all season.
As for the New York Football Giants (yes Chris Christie, they play in New Jersey; ha-ha, we get it; you're funny), they entered the playoffs as the hottest team in the NFL, and that hasn't changed. Eli Manning might get all the headlines, but a lot of his success is due to Victor Cruz's breakout season and the contributions of Hakeem Nicks (when he's not dropping balls). Plus, the Giants both a solid 1-2 punch in the running game. It's rare to see Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs both have a bad game. They get the added benefit of running behind one of the best offensive lines in football.
But the bread and butter of this Giants team is that incredible defense. More specifically, that defensive front. Jason Pierre-Paul is a beast. So is Justin Tuck. And Osi Umenyoira doesn't even start! This pass defense is scary. The Patriots' offensive line will have to be on its toes to give Brady the protection he needs to make things happen. The linebacking corps got better as the season went on and everybody got healthy, and that secondary is extremely underrated.
So how do I see the game playing out? For starters, I don't see Brady having two bad games in a row. He'll be better than he was against the Ravens. How much better? I don't know. That depends on the offensive line. If Brady doesn't have the time to hit his receivers, the Patriots might need to rely on their run game, which could be a scary proposition for New England. I also wouldn't be surprised to see the Giants let Gronkowski and Welker do their thing across the middle of the field while holding the safeties back to prevent the big play. The Patriots' defense HAS TO prevent the big play. With that porous secondary and Victor Cruz's big play ability, the Giants could easily take advantage of that matchup and set him free. It's almost a catch-22 for the New England defense, because if they try to take away the receivers, that could make them very vulnerable to the run. That's where the game is going to be won or lost. I think whichever team is able to establish the running game will be the one that hoists the Lombardi Trophy.
I can envision this game playing out in so many different ways, and I can easily see either team winning it. Both teams have said they expect to win. I freakin' hope so. Otherwise, why are you there? In other words, I take no credence to these statements. Everybody and their mother is picking the Giants. This makes me a little weary. I have this feeling that their confidence might be turning into overconfidence. But I do think that right now the Giants are a better team than the Patriots. I also think they're a little more versatile and will be able to adapt to different situations better.
I think it's more likely the Giants pass rush stops Brady and his receivers than the Patriots secondary controls the Giants' passing game. In a game where the littlest things might make the biggest difference, that might be the biggest difference of all. That's why I'm taking the Giants. It'll be close, though. All four of Bradicheck's previous Super Bowl appearances have been decided by a field goal. This one will be, too. 27-24 G-Men.
Conference Championships: 1-1
Playoffs: 8-2
Season: 175-91
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
My Football Hall of Fame Vote
One of the highlights of Super Bowl Week comes on Saturday, when they announce the latest Hall of Fame class. Unlike the Baseball Hall of Fame vote, the football vote is very secretive. It's a 44-member committee that picks the nominees, whittles down the finalists, then chooses the new Hall of Famers out of that group. There's no transparency in the process (which I think is a problem), and these guys definitely seem to play favorites. As a result, outside of the abundantly obvious first-ballot guys, it's impossible to predict who's going to be elected to the Football Hall of Fame in any given year. But if I were a voter, these would be my selections:
Cris Carter, Wide Receiver (1987-89 Eagles; 1990-2001 Vikings; 2002 Dolphins)-It still boggles my mind that Cris Carter isn't in the Hall of Fame yet. He's been eligible for five years! For some reason, the voters seem to hold the ridiculous passing numbers of the '80s and '90s against the receivers, but not the quarterbacks. Somebody has to catch the passes! Anyway, I've "voted" for Cris Carter every year he's been eligible. 1100 receptions, 130 touchdowns, eight 1000-yard seasons, eight Pro Bowls. Seriously!? I can understand waiting until Jerry Rice was in, but all the years since make absolutely no sense. Hopefully the voters finally come to their senses regarding Cris Carter this year.
Charles Haley, Defensive End/Linebacker (1986-91, 1999 49ers; 1992-96 Cowboys)-He's the only player in history to win five Super Bowls. Of course, being on both the 49ers' and Cowboys' dynasties helped, but Haley was freakin' good. He was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-Pro (at two different positions). Haley led the 49ers in sacks all six seasons as a linebacker, then moved to defensive end when he was traded to the Cowboys...and was still awesome! He ended up with 100.5 career sacks. In addition to the Super Bowl wins, Haley played in six NFC Championship Games in seven seasons, and his team won its division 10 times in his 12-year career.
Bill Parcells, Coach (1983-90 Giants; 1993-96 Patriots; 1997-99 Jets; 2003-06 Cowboys)-In the past, coaches just had to be retired to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. They recently changed the rules that the coaches have to wait the same five years that the players do. Parcells un-retiring to take over as coach of the Cowboys was one of the reasons why they changed the rule. He was a finalist twice before going to Dallas, but under the new rules is considered a "first-year" candidate. The only coach to take four different teams to the playoffs, he turned around all four franchises he coached. Parcells won two Super Bowls with the Giants (XXI and XXV), then took New England to Super Bowl XXXI and the Jets to the 1998 AFC Championship Game (they were 1-15 in 1996). He was also a two-time NFL Coach of the Year.
Willie Roaf, Tackle (1993-2001 Saints; 2002-05 Chiefs)-Considering how much the voters love offensive linemen (I think it's an unwritten rule that at least one offensive lineman has to get in every year), I'm surprised Roaf didn't get in last year. In fact, I thought he should've gotten in last year. I might not get the whole offensive linemen obsession, but I was shocked Roaf wasn't a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I certainly thought he was. Roaf made 11 Pro Bowls in 13 seasons and was a First Team All-Pro seven times. He was also a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1990s.
Aeneas Williams, Cornerback/Safety (1991-2000 Cardinals; 2001-04 Rams)-Aeneas Williams was one of the greatest defensive backs ever. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler at cornerback, then went to another one as a safety. He finished tied for the NFC lead with six interceptions as a rookie en route to 1991 NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Williams had at least one interception every year except his last, including five seasons with six or more. He finished with 55 career interceptions and returned nine of them for touchdowns. Williams also had a 104-yard fumble return (which used to be the NFL record) and was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team for the 1990s.
Dick Stanfel, Guard (1952-55 Lions; 1956-58 Redskins)-Just like there's evidently some rule that they have to put in an offensive lineman every year, there seems to be an unofficial rule that at least one of the two "veteran" finalists has to get in. (They certainly set it up that way.) Stanfel fits both categories. He was a First Team All-Pro five times in his seven-year career and was named to the All-Decade Team for the '50s. Stanfel won back-to-back World Championships with the Lions in 1952-53. He was also the Lions' team MVP in 1953, an honor that rarely goes to offensive linemen. Stanfel retired while still in his prime to become a coach, and he later had a long NFL coaching career.
The rules stipulate that between five and seven people will be inducted each year, depending on whether the two senior candidates are elected. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing that number increased, though, because there are so many deserving candidates that are finalists this year. Cris Carter should already be in, that's why I give him the edge over fellow finalists Tim Brown and Andre Reed. Only one of the receivers, if any, is going to get in. Likewise, Haley should get in before Chris Doleman and Cortez Kennedy and Roaf deserves to get in before Will Shields and Dermontti Dawson. And I didn't even mention the two running backs (Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin). Just like the wide receivers, both running backs aren't getting in.
This potential class is loaded. Of the 15 modern-era finalists, I can comfortably say I'd vote for 13 of them to be in the Hall of Fame. Among others (Ray Guy). That's why they need to expand the number of guys who can get elected each year. There's already a logjam, and it's only going to get worse. As more obvious Hall of Famers retire, it'll become even harder to get in. Obviously some of these deserving candidates are going to get a bust in Canton this summer. Hopefully the rest of them do eventually.
Cris Carter, Wide Receiver (1987-89 Eagles; 1990-2001 Vikings; 2002 Dolphins)-It still boggles my mind that Cris Carter isn't in the Hall of Fame yet. He's been eligible for five years! For some reason, the voters seem to hold the ridiculous passing numbers of the '80s and '90s against the receivers, but not the quarterbacks. Somebody has to catch the passes! Anyway, I've "voted" for Cris Carter every year he's been eligible. 1100 receptions, 130 touchdowns, eight 1000-yard seasons, eight Pro Bowls. Seriously!? I can understand waiting until Jerry Rice was in, but all the years since make absolutely no sense. Hopefully the voters finally come to their senses regarding Cris Carter this year.
Charles Haley, Defensive End/Linebacker (1986-91, 1999 49ers; 1992-96 Cowboys)-He's the only player in history to win five Super Bowls. Of course, being on both the 49ers' and Cowboys' dynasties helped, but Haley was freakin' good. He was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-Pro (at two different positions). Haley led the 49ers in sacks all six seasons as a linebacker, then moved to defensive end when he was traded to the Cowboys...and was still awesome! He ended up with 100.5 career sacks. In addition to the Super Bowl wins, Haley played in six NFC Championship Games in seven seasons, and his team won its division 10 times in his 12-year career.
Bill Parcells, Coach (1983-90 Giants; 1993-96 Patriots; 1997-99 Jets; 2003-06 Cowboys)-In the past, coaches just had to be retired to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. They recently changed the rules that the coaches have to wait the same five years that the players do. Parcells un-retiring to take over as coach of the Cowboys was one of the reasons why they changed the rule. He was a finalist twice before going to Dallas, but under the new rules is considered a "first-year" candidate. The only coach to take four different teams to the playoffs, he turned around all four franchises he coached. Parcells won two Super Bowls with the Giants (XXI and XXV), then took New England to Super Bowl XXXI and the Jets to the 1998 AFC Championship Game (they were 1-15 in 1996). He was also a two-time NFL Coach of the Year.
Willie Roaf, Tackle (1993-2001 Saints; 2002-05 Chiefs)-Considering how much the voters love offensive linemen (I think it's an unwritten rule that at least one offensive lineman has to get in every year), I'm surprised Roaf didn't get in last year. In fact, I thought he should've gotten in last year. I might not get the whole offensive linemen obsession, but I was shocked Roaf wasn't a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I certainly thought he was. Roaf made 11 Pro Bowls in 13 seasons and was a First Team All-Pro seven times. He was also a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1990s.
Aeneas Williams, Cornerback/Safety (1991-2000 Cardinals; 2001-04 Rams)-Aeneas Williams was one of the greatest defensive backs ever. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler at cornerback, then went to another one as a safety. He finished tied for the NFC lead with six interceptions as a rookie en route to 1991 NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Williams had at least one interception every year except his last, including five seasons with six or more. He finished with 55 career interceptions and returned nine of them for touchdowns. Williams also had a 104-yard fumble return (which used to be the NFL record) and was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team for the 1990s.
Dick Stanfel, Guard (1952-55 Lions; 1956-58 Redskins)-Just like there's evidently some rule that they have to put in an offensive lineman every year, there seems to be an unofficial rule that at least one of the two "veteran" finalists has to get in. (They certainly set it up that way.) Stanfel fits both categories. He was a First Team All-Pro five times in his seven-year career and was named to the All-Decade Team for the '50s. Stanfel won back-to-back World Championships with the Lions in 1952-53. He was also the Lions' team MVP in 1953, an honor that rarely goes to offensive linemen. Stanfel retired while still in his prime to become a coach, and he later had a long NFL coaching career.
The rules stipulate that between five and seven people will be inducted each year, depending on whether the two senior candidates are elected. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing that number increased, though, because there are so many deserving candidates that are finalists this year. Cris Carter should already be in, that's why I give him the edge over fellow finalists Tim Brown and Andre Reed. Only one of the receivers, if any, is going to get in. Likewise, Haley should get in before Chris Doleman and Cortez Kennedy and Roaf deserves to get in before Will Shields and Dermontti Dawson. And I didn't even mention the two running backs (Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin). Just like the wide receivers, both running backs aren't getting in.
This potential class is loaded. Of the 15 modern-era finalists, I can comfortably say I'd vote for 13 of them to be in the Hall of Fame. Among others (Ray Guy). That's why they need to expand the number of guys who can get elected each year. There's already a logjam, and it's only going to get worse. As more obvious Hall of Famers retire, it'll become even harder to get in. Obviously some of these deserving candidates are going to get a bust in Canton this summer. Hopefully the rest of them do eventually.
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