Monday, October 25, 2010
Explaining Tex
So I took a LOT of heat for a recent comment I made that went a little something like this "I hope Mark Teixeira breaks or pulls something so I don't have to see him play again." My bombastic statement revolved around a key point that was lost in the shuffle. Robinson Cano is the Yankees best hitter and should bat third. That primary statement, backed by my other statement, brings things together. The most important thing, in my mind, is that there was no way Tex would drop in the order at this point in the season so the only way to move him from the third slot was for him to get hurt. He did, the Yanks lost anyway, and life goes on.
The Jeter Watch Begins
Many baseball fans are focused on that World Series event that is slated to begin Wednesday in San Francisco and while I think it should be a good Series (Rangers in 6), my heart and mind are in the Bronx as this proves to be a pivotal year. Lots of questions exist for Yankees fans but the one of supreme importance is "What will Derek Jeter make as a free agent?"
I've posed the question before and it is now front and center. What do you give Jeter, years and dollars? Joel Sherman raised some interesting points recently and they should surely be considered. Jeter is older. His production was his absolute worst this season, and he's got all those rings, hits, records in his favor as well.
Offering more than a 3 year deal at $12 per year is insane, but crazier things have happened so I'll throw out a 3 year, $42 million as where this thing will land and then start praying that he lives up to it because at some point, the money does matter and the intangibles lose their value.
I've posed the question before and it is now front and center. What do you give Jeter, years and dollars? Joel Sherman raised some interesting points recently and they should surely be considered. Jeter is older. His production was his absolute worst this season, and he's got all those rings, hits, records in his favor as well.
Offering more than a 3 year deal at $12 per year is insane, but crazier things have happened so I'll throw out a 3 year, $42 million as where this thing will land and then start praying that he lives up to it because at some point, the money does matter and the intangibles lose their value.
Friday, October 15, 2010
2010 ALCS Preview
The Yankees dodged a bullet as the other ALDS series was stretched to 5 games, forcing both teams to use their ace in the win to advance game, ultimately shoving Cliff Lee back to the 3rd game of the ALCS. You are kidding yourself if you do not recognize how well that plays in the favor of the Rangers. How? If you're the Yankees you are hoping to earn a split on the road, right? Right. If you're Texas and you settle for said split at home, you've got your ace in a pivotal game 3. That said, the Yankees have made the best move possible to combat Lee by starting Andy Pettitte in the home opener to shift the balance.
For the Rangers to win they must continue to exploit the Yankees' pitchers' and catchers' inability to throw out their base runners (8 SB and none caught stealing.) Game 1 starter, C.J. Wilson is no slouch (15 W, 3.35 ERA during the regular season but his line vs. the Bronx Bombers is checkered - 3 starts, 1 CG, 14.1 IP, 27 base-runners, and a 5.65 ERA.) Which C.J. Wilson will show up tonight? Interesting tid-bit, C.J. lives a straight-edge lifestyle which is interesting to hear about considering the debauchery that many of the pros partake in. Maybe I care a little more than most because of my life choices?
The bullpen. It's an understatement that Texas has a dominant bullpen but other than the ageless Darren Oliver (4G, 4+IP, 0.00 ERA, 7ks vs. Yankees) the rest have been hit and hit hard. Baseball fans know that the Yankees tend to struggle a bit with the plus fastball (who doesn't) but these are familiar arms that have walked their fair share vs the Bombers.
On offense, Kinsler is getting hot at the right time. The 2B had a torrid ALDS and is turning the corner towards getting healthy. Josh Hamilton missing almost all of September has been a step behind in the ALDS - we'll see how the extra time off impacts his healing. Nelson Cruz (3 HR during 2010 vs. Yankees) was a beast vs the Yankees and their best hitter was Jorge Cantu - who has been irrelevant of late so it will be interesting to see if Cantu sees significant action in this series.
For the Yankees, it starts with pitching and defense. The song that wins every WS trophy is a familiar tune in the Bronx for good reason. The starters, anchored by CC and Pettitte are as rock solid as it gets. Interestingly, the Yanks have placed Phil Hughes in the game 2 role. Hughes was impressive in his post season starting debut vs the Twins and starting the big righty in Texas makes perfect sense for three reasons
Offensively, the Yankees need to stick w/what works. Take pitches, work counts, and make the other pitcher labor more than he needs to. Robinson Cano has been the most stable force all season on both sides of the ball (3 errors? You read correctly) but he'll always be known for his offense. This year was no aberration and I look for him to continue his hot hitting as he is unphased at the plate. I also will predict now that Cano will be the #3 hitter next season, dropping Tex to #5.
All in, Yankees in 6. Lee getting only 2 starts and not starting until game 3 will severely hurt the Rangers chances of advancing and other than speed, this is not a matchup that favors the Rangers much, if at all. They've had a solid run but their marathon's just about over.
For the Rangers to win they must continue to exploit the Yankees' pitchers' and catchers' inability to throw out their base runners (8 SB and none caught stealing.) Game 1 starter, C.J. Wilson is no slouch (15 W, 3.35 ERA during the regular season but his line vs. the Bronx Bombers is checkered - 3 starts, 1 CG, 14.1 IP, 27 base-runners, and a 5.65 ERA.) Which C.J. Wilson will show up tonight? Interesting tid-bit, C.J. lives a straight-edge lifestyle which is interesting to hear about considering the debauchery that many of the pros partake in. Maybe I care a little more than most because of my life choices?
The bullpen. It's an understatement that Texas has a dominant bullpen but other than the ageless Darren Oliver (4G, 4+IP, 0.00 ERA, 7ks vs. Yankees) the rest have been hit and hit hard. Baseball fans know that the Yankees tend to struggle a bit with the plus fastball (who doesn't) but these are familiar arms that have walked their fair share vs the Bombers.
On offense, Kinsler is getting hot at the right time. The 2B had a torrid ALDS and is turning the corner towards getting healthy. Josh Hamilton missing almost all of September has been a step behind in the ALDS - we'll see how the extra time off impacts his healing. Nelson Cruz (3 HR during 2010 vs. Yankees) was a beast vs the Yankees and their best hitter was Jorge Cantu - who has been irrelevant of late so it will be interesting to see if Cantu sees significant action in this series.
For the Yankees, it starts with pitching and defense. The song that wins every WS trophy is a familiar tune in the Bronx for good reason. The starters, anchored by CC and Pettitte are as rock solid as it gets. Interestingly, the Yanks have placed Phil Hughes in the game 2 role. Hughes was impressive in his post season starting debut vs the Twins and starting the big righty in Texas makes perfect sense for three reasons
- Break up the lefties.
- Space out the starts between Hughes and Burnett - it's fair to assume that Sabathia and Pettitte will go very deep into their respective games. Hughes and Burnett will likely have shorter leashes so if Girardi needs to go to a long man in game 2, there's an off day + another game in between before Burnett takes the hill.
- The Rangers are power hitters, any time there's a righty starting at Yankee Stadium makes me leery of the HR ball w/the short RF fence.
Offensively, the Yankees need to stick w/what works. Take pitches, work counts, and make the other pitcher labor more than he needs to. Robinson Cano has been the most stable force all season on both sides of the ball (3 errors? You read correctly) but he'll always be known for his offense. This year was no aberration and I look for him to continue his hot hitting as he is unphased at the plate. I also will predict now that Cano will be the #3 hitter next season, dropping Tex to #5.
All in, Yankees in 6. Lee getting only 2 starts and not starting until game 3 will severely hurt the Rangers chances of advancing and other than speed, this is not a matchup that favors the Rangers much, if at all. They've had a solid run but their marathon's just about over.
2010 NLCS Preview
The money is on the "phavorite" here and the question truly is, do the Giants have a shot against the Phillies? If yes, then how? Well the answer is it's easier said than done but the Giants need to hang in there against the starters and hope to get into the Philly bullpen. The achilles heel for the Phils is their shaky bullpen led by Jose Contreras. Yes, you read correctly. Those who are not in the know have missed Contreras as the stablizing force for the Phils who even stepped in and closed games during one of Brad Lidge's disappearing acts.
Position by Position - does it really matter? There's no firepower in SF to match the right side of the Philly infield. SS is a virtual wash on both sides of the ball and 3B is virtually irrelevant to the argument. Defense is key and the Giants will not be afforded the luxury of Brooks Conrad in this series. The outfield is one that keeps me guessing, at least from the SF standpoint. They are loaded w/castoffs, some which have played over their head, but they all seem to contribute at the plate. OF defense, particularly Pat Burrell's (does anyone care about the story line of Pat the Bat returning to Philly? Maybe a little?) will be shaky but it's on par w/Raul Ibañez so there's a wash.
The focus is on the game 1 matchup of Halladay vs. Lincecum. It's hard to imagine either one replicating their first playoff start (no-hitter and two-hitter, respectively) but it is conceivable that these aces will take the bump deep into the game while being very stingy to the opposing team. The rest of the starting pitching is certainly noteworthy with the "other" Roy, Oswalt backing Halladay, followed by Hamels (2.23 ERA in the 2nd half!) Don't sleep on the Giants though, their starters can bring it. From Cain to Sanchez to rookie Madison Bumgarner the team is deep in their rotation.
The bullpens are iffy for both teams. Brian Wilson was so solid all season (led the league w/48 saves) and had a spotty NLDS to say the least. Wilson, however, is still more reliable than the aforementioned Brad Lidge, I think...If the starters falter, the focus will be on some middle men that have not been battle tested in October so that may come into play over the next week or so.
Lastly, the Phillies will likely run and test Buster Posey and the Giants' staff at holding them in place. The Giants are basically a station to station team and Carlos Ruiz is likely to not be tested too much behind the dish.
When it's all said and done, Philly takes this series in 5 games. My expectation is that Hamels will implode in game 3 and things will drag on for another game.
Position by Position - does it really matter? There's no firepower in SF to match the right side of the Philly infield. SS is a virtual wash on both sides of the ball and 3B is virtually irrelevant to the argument. Defense is key and the Giants will not be afforded the luxury of Brooks Conrad in this series. The outfield is one that keeps me guessing, at least from the SF standpoint. They are loaded w/castoffs, some which have played over their head, but they all seem to contribute at the plate. OF defense, particularly Pat Burrell's (does anyone care about the story line of Pat the Bat returning to Philly? Maybe a little?) will be shaky but it's on par w/Raul Ibañez so there's a wash.
The focus is on the game 1 matchup of Halladay vs. Lincecum. It's hard to imagine either one replicating their first playoff start (no-hitter and two-hitter, respectively) but it is conceivable that these aces will take the bump deep into the game while being very stingy to the opposing team. The rest of the starting pitching is certainly noteworthy with the "other" Roy, Oswalt backing Halladay, followed by Hamels (2.23 ERA in the 2nd half!) Don't sleep on the Giants though, their starters can bring it. From Cain to Sanchez to rookie Madison Bumgarner the team is deep in their rotation.
The bullpens are iffy for both teams. Brian Wilson was so solid all season (led the league w/48 saves) and had a spotty NLDS to say the least. Wilson, however, is still more reliable than the aforementioned Brad Lidge, I think...If the starters falter, the focus will be on some middle men that have not been battle tested in October so that may come into play over the next week or so.
Lastly, the Phillies will likely run and test Buster Posey and the Giants' staff at holding them in place. The Giants are basically a station to station team and Carlos Ruiz is likely to not be tested too much behind the dish.
When it's all said and done, Philly takes this series in 5 games. My expectation is that Hamels will implode in game 3 and things will drag on for another game.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
What Would You Do?
Always looking forward, I've come up with an idea for a column that I'd like to test out. It's title is evident and the premise is simple. The answer is rather difficult.
Here's the first question. If you're the NY Yankees, what contract (years and $) do you offer Derek Jeter? If you'd like to back up your argument with something quasi-intelligent that would help spark a more interesting debate.
Things to ponder - the Captain, 5 rings, all time hit leader, 36 years old (37 in June '11), currently at .268 (24 points lower than his all time low for a single season), etc. etc.
Here's the first question. If you're the NY Yankees, what contract (years and $) do you offer Derek Jeter? If you'd like to back up your argument with something quasi-intelligent that would help spark a more interesting debate.
Things to ponder - the Captain, 5 rings, all time hit leader, 36 years old (37 in June '11), currently at .268 (24 points lower than his all time low for a single season), etc. etc.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Eating Out:NYC
I know there are a lot of pet friendly areas in the Big Apple but little did I know that there are restaurants that are serving up the food of man's best friend. Ok, maybe that's false and my statement is a tad harsh but my trip to Daisy May's on Friday night, after a 5 year hiatus, was less than stellar. As usual, the sides steal the show however, the quality of the meats (main courses) was a HUGE disappointment.
My pulled pork was just a pile of mush that was drenched in BBQ sauce, a sauce that had no discernible taste. The ribs were rather tough, lacking flavor, and looked as if they could have just wandered out of a Chinese food restaurant (which would have meant a savings of nearly $15 for that order.) The BBQ brisket was another meat dish that was so sauce-heavy there was nothing to taste other than a mouthful of BBQ sauce.
As I mentioned, it's been a while since I've visited and it'll be even longer before I go back. If this is the best BBQ NY has to offer, a lot of NYers do not know what good BBQ is. A huge let-down that was only made better with a mason jar of sweet tea. At least they still do something right...sides, sweet tea, and bourbon peaches (which should be THE dessert but are on the sides menu.) Red velvet cupcakes at $4/per is insulting.
My pulled pork was just a pile of mush that was drenched in BBQ sauce, a sauce that had no discernible taste. The ribs were rather tough, lacking flavor, and looked as if they could have just wandered out of a Chinese food restaurant (which would have meant a savings of nearly $15 for that order.) The BBQ brisket was another meat dish that was so sauce-heavy there was nothing to taste other than a mouthful of BBQ sauce.
As I mentioned, it's been a while since I've visited and it'll be even longer before I go back. If this is the best BBQ NY has to offer, a lot of NYers do not know what good BBQ is. A huge let-down that was only made better with a mason jar of sweet tea. At least they still do something right...sides, sweet tea, and bourbon peaches (which should be THE dessert but are on the sides menu.) Red velvet cupcakes at $4/per is insulting.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
South Beach, South, South, Beach
The King James era is set to begin in Miami and LeBron has some friends in Dwayne Wade (who's staying) and Chris Bosh (who's joining the fray.)
Bosh and Wade were a given and served as old news (and a major indicator that the Cavs were losing their native son.) For the past couple of years, sports fans have heard that this was the free agent class to look out for - with some big market teams having some deep pockets to spend on some of the cream of the NBA's crop.
Add in some static with players opting out (Pierce and Nowitzki) and players re-upping (Durant) and it made for an interesting week. A week that ended with the most amazing sports spectacle I can recall. The Decision was aired for the world to see as LeBron set up shop in CT and was peppered with some soft questions that basically asked which toothpaste he used? Boxers or briefs? Grimace or the Hamburgler? And to confirm if he's truly a never nude?
The reaction generated, both before, during, and after the saga that was the decision was the perfect recipe for sites like Facebook and Twitter as a stream of LeBron based messages littered the boards - even if the message was sent by someone claiming the didn't care, it was evidence that they cared, at least a little.
The decision to join his pals Wade and Bosh in Miami, soon to be coached by the iconic Pat Riley, was surely a difficult one for LeBron. For starters, he was leaving home (which if you ask me is easy, stay in the dump that is Cleveland or relocate to South Beach? Hmmm, gimme about a minute to torch my mansion and we're on our way south.) Next, Bron Bron was leaving $30 mil on the table. That may seem like chump change to some but I'm sure he'll feel that somewhere along the line.
In reality, James is not a sellout. He is an athlete that wants to win. In sports, all athletes are judged as winners or losers and winning is the only vindication for one's career - ask A-Rod and then ask Jim Kelly. The big stats for James are back-burnered (fastest to scoring title, MVP, 15k points) until he wins. Leading his teams to the best record in the East, the playoffs, and the Finals are not enough. Nothing will ever be enough until he wins.
Kobe did not get vetted until the Lakers won without Shaq. Pippen never could get vetted because the Bulls didn't make it happen without Jordan. Patrick Ewing is vilified for never bringing the Knicks to a title. Charles Barkley. Karl Malone. And the list goes on and on. Putting yourself in a position to win is nothing new. Veteran players do it all the time, this time, the veteran is LeBron and he's taking less money and a more attractive situation to give it a go in Miami. We don't know the details of the deal yet but here's my guess, it's got an escape clause after a year or two so that he can jump ship if need be to a team that can truly win...If the Heat win it all, LeBron loses. If they don't win, he loses.
I guess the salary cap watch for 2012-13 should start now...
Bosh and Wade were a given and served as old news (and a major indicator that the Cavs were losing their native son.) For the past couple of years, sports fans have heard that this was the free agent class to look out for - with some big market teams having some deep pockets to spend on some of the cream of the NBA's crop.
Add in some static with players opting out (Pierce and Nowitzki) and players re-upping (Durant) and it made for an interesting week. A week that ended with the most amazing sports spectacle I can recall. The Decision was aired for the world to see as LeBron set up shop in CT and was peppered with some soft questions that basically asked which toothpaste he used? Boxers or briefs? Grimace or the Hamburgler? And to confirm if he's truly a never nude?
The reaction generated, both before, during, and after the saga that was the decision was the perfect recipe for sites like Facebook and Twitter as a stream of LeBron based messages littered the boards - even if the message was sent by someone claiming the didn't care, it was evidence that they cared, at least a little.
The decision to join his pals Wade and Bosh in Miami, soon to be coached by the iconic Pat Riley, was surely a difficult one for LeBron. For starters, he was leaving home (which if you ask me is easy, stay in the dump that is Cleveland or relocate to South Beach? Hmmm, gimme about a minute to torch my mansion and we're on our way south.) Next, Bron Bron was leaving $30 mil on the table. That may seem like chump change to some but I'm sure he'll feel that somewhere along the line.
In reality, James is not a sellout. He is an athlete that wants to win. In sports, all athletes are judged as winners or losers and winning is the only vindication for one's career - ask A-Rod and then ask Jim Kelly. The big stats for James are back-burnered (fastest to scoring title, MVP, 15k points) until he wins. Leading his teams to the best record in the East, the playoffs, and the Finals are not enough. Nothing will ever be enough until he wins.
Kobe did not get vetted until the Lakers won without Shaq. Pippen never could get vetted because the Bulls didn't make it happen without Jordan. Patrick Ewing is vilified for never bringing the Knicks to a title. Charles Barkley. Karl Malone. And the list goes on and on. Putting yourself in a position to win is nothing new. Veteran players do it all the time, this time, the veteran is LeBron and he's taking less money and a more attractive situation to give it a go in Miami. We don't know the details of the deal yet but here's my guess, it's got an escape clause after a year or two so that he can jump ship if need be to a team that can truly win...If the Heat win it all, LeBron loses. If they don't win, he loses.
I guess the salary cap watch for 2012-13 should start now...
The Nets Should be Outlawed
New owner! New arena! New coach! New big money contract for a not-so-talented basketball player! That's me paraphrasing the new marketing campaign for the once proud (maybe to their mama?) New Jersey, soon to be Brooklyn Nets.
To the tune of $35 mil over 5 years, the Nets got what's behind door #3 in the name of Travis Outlaw. Who? Right. Travis Outlaw. A forward that has seven years of experience (Portland wasted a first round pick (#23) on him in 2003. He has averaged 9.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 22 minutes/game. If that wasn't enough to convince you that he's worth his weight in Blintzes, he has shot .441 from the field and .363 from beyond the arc. His best season was in 2007-08, when he averaged 13.3 points and 4.6 rebounds so I guess his average numbers can improve slightly provided he plays more than 34 games like he did in 2009-10?
Let the consolation prizes start rolling in but you can't blame the Nyets, it's not like they could have signed Wade, Bosh, and LeBron. Oh wait...
To the tune of $35 mil over 5 years, the Nets got what's behind door #3 in the name of Travis Outlaw. Who? Right. Travis Outlaw. A forward that has seven years of experience (Portland wasted a first round pick (#23) on him in 2003. He has averaged 9.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 22 minutes/game. If that wasn't enough to convince you that he's worth his weight in Blintzes, he has shot .441 from the field and .363 from beyond the arc. His best season was in 2007-08, when he averaged 13.3 points and 4.6 rebounds so I guess his average numbers can improve slightly provided he plays more than 34 games like he did in 2009-10?
Let the consolation prizes start rolling in but you can't blame the Nyets, it's not like they could have signed Wade, Bosh, and LeBron. Oh wait...
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Free Agency - Part 1
While LJW (LeBron James Watch) is fully underway, I am not diverting any attention to the most overhyped basketball story of the new millennium. Ditto for D. Wade. And really, when did C. Bosh get that good?
Week 1 of Free Agency is nearing a close and there have been a handful of moves to date. For starters, let's look at the knee-jerk reactions by teams that "needed" to re-sign their own.
1. Joe Johnson (SG, Hawks) - Oh Atlanta! Just when you had hoop-heads convinced that you were turning a corner as a laughing stock franchise, you go out and give JJ a max deal? Really? Him. The pros and cons are fairly straight forward. Pro - solid scorer that is the team's leader. Con - 6 years and too much $ for a 29 year old guard that plays spotty D (at best.)
2. Rudy Gay (SG, Grizzlies) - Oh Memphis! (I really like that intro...) You'll never get it right, similar to the story of your franchise - basketball in Vancouver? Huh? Oh, that won't work but Memphis will! Huh? Where to from here? Wherever it is, I guarantee you'll be shackled w/Gay, the top scorer from a year ago that plays no D and GOT A MAX DEAL!?!?!
Two signings in and I'm seeing a trend. Push the panic button for the only player that can consistently drop points and hopefully fill some seats in the process. YIKES! Questionable business acumen by these two front offices.
3. Amar'e Stoudamire (PF, Knicks) - When a team signs a guy with bad knees and a bad eye, that's Amar'e! Plan A - Get LeBron (could still happen, but doubtful.) Plan B - Get D. Wade (could still happen, but more doubtful.) Plan C - Get C. Bosh (less likely w/Amar'e in the fold.) Plan Q - GET AMAR'E - nobody will notice that we're this far down on the checklist. Why Amar'e? He's a name that can generate some interest. Why not Amar'e? His injury history translates to a contract that can't be insured so the Knickerbockers are on the hook for all $100 mil that is due Mr. Stoudamire over the next five years. A dubious move from the "genius" that is Donnie Walsh, even worse when you combine that w/the fact that he and Knicks' coach Mike D'Antoni are not exactly BFF...At Coach D's pace, he'll be fired by season's end (at the latest.)
4. Dirk Nowitzki (PF, Mavericks) - the face of the franchise is back after dipping his toe in the free agent waters for about 4 minutes. When the terms are disclosed, we'll figure out if this move made sense.
5. Paul Pierce (SF, Celtics) - the face of the C's comes back w/a restructured deal (opting out of $21+ for next year and signing for $61 for the next 4. Sure it's a net positive for the Truth but it frees up significant money for the C's to retain players and retool an otherwise aging roster that has 7 free agents.
Week 1 of Free Agency is nearing a close and there have been a handful of moves to date. For starters, let's look at the knee-jerk reactions by teams that "needed" to re-sign their own.
1. Joe Johnson (SG, Hawks) - Oh Atlanta! Just when you had hoop-heads convinced that you were turning a corner as a laughing stock franchise, you go out and give JJ a max deal? Really? Him. The pros and cons are fairly straight forward. Pro - solid scorer that is the team's leader. Con - 6 years and too much $ for a 29 year old guard that plays spotty D (at best.)
2. Rudy Gay (SG, Grizzlies) - Oh Memphis! (I really like that intro...) You'll never get it right, similar to the story of your franchise - basketball in Vancouver? Huh? Oh, that won't work but Memphis will! Huh? Where to from here? Wherever it is, I guarantee you'll be shackled w/Gay, the top scorer from a year ago that plays no D and GOT A MAX DEAL!?!?!
Two signings in and I'm seeing a trend. Push the panic button for the only player that can consistently drop points and hopefully fill some seats in the process. YIKES! Questionable business acumen by these two front offices.
3. Amar'e Stoudamire (PF, Knicks) - When a team signs a guy with bad knees and a bad eye, that's Amar'e! Plan A - Get LeBron (could still happen, but doubtful.) Plan B - Get D. Wade (could still happen, but more doubtful.) Plan C - Get C. Bosh (less likely w/Amar'e in the fold.) Plan Q - GET AMAR'E - nobody will notice that we're this far down on the checklist. Why Amar'e? He's a name that can generate some interest. Why not Amar'e? His injury history translates to a contract that can't be insured so the Knickerbockers are on the hook for all $100 mil that is due Mr. Stoudamire over the next five years. A dubious move from the "genius" that is Donnie Walsh, even worse when you combine that w/the fact that he and Knicks' coach Mike D'Antoni are not exactly BFF...At Coach D's pace, he'll be fired by season's end (at the latest.)
4. Dirk Nowitzki (PF, Mavericks) - the face of the franchise is back after dipping his toe in the free agent waters for about 4 minutes. When the terms are disclosed, we'll figure out if this move made sense.
5. Paul Pierce (SF, Celtics) - the face of the C's comes back w/a restructured deal (opting out of $21+ for next year and signing for $61 for the next 4. Sure it's a net positive for the Truth but it frees up significant money for the C's to retain players and retool an otherwise aging roster that has 7 free agents.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Get "KINECT"ed
From the nerdery that is video game land, the major announcement made by the folks at Microsoft is that their new motion captured product will now be called "KINECT" dropping the development monicker "NADAL."
But should you care? The answer is, it depends. On what? Well, if you're like me and have been playing your Nintendo Wii for the past 4 years, then this announcement may do little to move you. Sure, the Kinect is supposed to capture the motion better and open up a slew more Microsoft only games but does it really matter? Do you really need to spend an additional $150 (rumored price) to play DDR on your XBOX via Kinect? Or what about the Biggest Loser, which is already a loser, on Wii?
It amazes me that the so called "fan boys" who trash Wii and/or PS3 but blindly praise Microsoft are jumping behind this. Wii has done it for years, with varied results and mixed reviews. "Not for hardcore gamers" is often heard from the XBOX/PS3 crowd. Through Kinect and/or Move, Sony's mo-cap project, in front of them and it's perfect! Revolutionary! And ready to push their console over the edge. If said edge was laid out 4 year prior. Want edgy? Check this out.
But should you care? The answer is, it depends. On what? Well, if you're like me and have been playing your Nintendo Wii for the past 4 years, then this announcement may do little to move you. Sure, the Kinect is supposed to capture the motion better and open up a slew more Microsoft only games but does it really matter? Do you really need to spend an additional $150 (rumored price) to play DDR on your XBOX via Kinect? Or what about the Biggest Loser, which is already a loser, on Wii?
It amazes me that the so called "fan boys" who trash Wii and/or PS3 but blindly praise Microsoft are jumping behind this. Wii has done it for years, with varied results and mixed reviews. "Not for hardcore gamers" is often heard from the XBOX/PS3 crowd. Through Kinect and/or Move, Sony's mo-cap project, in front of them and it's perfect! Revolutionary! And ready to push their console over the edge. If said edge was laid out 4 year prior. Want edgy? Check this out.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Game 5 Recap
I will say it until I am purple in the face, the Lakers cannot beat the Celtics without significant minutes from Andrew Bynum. Anyone that does not realize that he is the difference maker for LA is either ignorant to the game of basketball or seriously thinks that he is easily replaceable.
In the last two games, the Celtics have been able to finally do two things that the could not do - drive to the basket and hoard offensive rebounds. These things are much harder to do with someone of Bynum's width and length in the paint. Interestingly enough, the plan before the Finals began was to play the big young C for roughly 24 minutes a night, half a game, surely spreading out his minutes to guarantee time on the floor during the stretch runs in the 4th would make sense. Instead, Bynum logged 29 minutes (not bad) in game 1 and was dominant. He logged 39 minutes, for no good reason, in game 2 and the Lake Show lost. He tallied 29 minutes in game 3's win and again controlled the paint. In the game 4 loss, his knee was shot and he played a meaningless 12 minutes. In the game 5 loss, he hobbled around, logged 31 minutes but had 0 impact on defense and did not play down the stretch. That was with an extra day of rest. Now the teams are flying cross-country, have only Monday off, and Bynum needs to get better or the height/length/paint advantage shifts to the Green/White.
In the last two games, the Celtics have been able to finally do two things that the could not do - drive to the basket and hoard offensive rebounds. These things are much harder to do with someone of Bynum's width and length in the paint. Interestingly enough, the plan before the Finals began was to play the big young C for roughly 24 minutes a night, half a game, surely spreading out his minutes to guarantee time on the floor during the stretch runs in the 4th would make sense. Instead, Bynum logged 29 minutes (not bad) in game 1 and was dominant. He logged 39 minutes, for no good reason, in game 2 and the Lake Show lost. He tallied 29 minutes in game 3's win and again controlled the paint. In the game 4 loss, his knee was shot and he played a meaningless 12 minutes. In the game 5 loss, he hobbled around, logged 31 minutes but had 0 impact on defense and did not play down the stretch. That was with an extra day of rest. Now the teams are flying cross-country, have only Monday off, and Bynum needs to get better or the height/length/paint advantage shifts to the Green/White.
Kissing Your Sister
A tie in a hockey game was all but phased out after the last lockout/strike/CBA re-negotiation/ticket price hike, and it's for the best. In the old days, ties were referred to as "kissing your sister" which is likely some bizarro custom from North of the Border. Ties, in the here and now are generally a gift for dads on father's day (coming Sunday, thank me for the heads up and go buy a tie).
With World Cup fever at a nauseating level, the US of A engaged in a tie with former big sister, England, 1-1. The riveting excitement of watching 22 men drone around a massive patch of grass for 90 minutes while scoring two times in the process is enough to make me want to, well, kiss my sister. Now it's all making sense.
With World Cup fever at a nauseating level, the US of A engaged in a tie with former big sister, England, 1-1. The riveting excitement of watching 22 men drone around a massive patch of grass for 90 minutes while scoring two times in the process is enough to make me want to, well, kiss my sister. Now it's all making sense.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Deuce
Stealing from the tennis terminology, the NBA Finals are locked at 1-1 with the series shifting to Beantown. For the LA fans that are crying "foul" take note that all the Boston big men were at 4 fouls in the 3rd quarter. Kobe's 5 fouls? The only questionable one is the foul called as Rondo was falling out of bounds? Don't think the shoulder/head butt on Ray Allen was a charge? Watch the video and you can see that Sugar Ray's mouth was bleeding afterwards - cats usually don't bleed from not being hit.
As I've said time and again, the best PG in the NBA (and the only PG w/a car named after him) controlled the game. He was erratic at times but when Rondo pushes the ball the team wins. Throw in his rebounds and the random 3 ball he hit and he just brings that much more to the table beyond his court control, vision, and defense.
Also, credit goes to Andrew Bynum who just won't get any credit that he deserves. He's the difference maker for LA and the reason they were even able to hover around in game 2. It's interesting to see how the extended minutes, plus travel, plus games on Tuesday and Thursday (as close to consecutive as you can get in the Finals) will affect him.
For Lakers' fans that thought Ray Ray fell off, just remember that He Got Game
Friday, June 4, 2010
It's One Game People
Naturally, Lakers fans are rejoicing after their game 1 triumph and rightfully so. The thinking out there that Gasol and Kobe were the difference makers are just plain wrong. That, to me, is evidence of a person that looked at the stat lines but didn't watch the game. The game was over before the half was done, largely because Andrew Bynum clogged the middle and utilized his size to dominate the area around the hoop on the defensive end. There were no clear paths to the basket and as a result, Gasol blocked a number of shots, the C's took a number of bad shots from the perimeter, and had no rhythm on the offensive end.
Kobe is Kobe and he'll do all the things that the best player in the game should do but he was not a difference maker last night. Gasol's passing gave the Lakers an inside-out game that is crucial in the triangle, but it was the play of big Andrew Bynum that set the Lakers apart on the defensive end last night.
Kobe is Kobe and he'll do all the things that the best player in the game should do but he was not a difference maker last night. Gasol's passing gave the Lakers an inside-out game that is crucial in the triangle, but it was the play of big Andrew Bynum that set the Lakers apart on the defensive end last night.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
NBA Finals - Lakers vs. Celtics
On the eve of the NBA Finals, in a match-up that conspiracy theorists are eating up, the Celtics and Lakers are ready to lock horns for the 12th time in Finals history. The rivalry is the biggest in basketball and I'll say it's the biggest in sports. Why? They've got a video game named after their rivalry - take that Yankees-Red Sox! The reality of the situation is pretty straight forward, everyone expected the Lakers to be here, they are of the elite class in the league, let alone the West. The Celtics on the other hand were marred with injury all season long and they took the long road here, beating the Heat, Cavaliers, and Magic in the process.For starters, the Lakers have not been tested all season, let alone all playoffs. Do not, however, let that diminish their accomplishments or cloud your view of their ability. They have not been challenged because night in, night out they are the cream of the crop in the NBA. They come into the Finals fairly well rested and in relatively good shape (Bynum's knee issue notwithstanding.)
The Celtics have been scrapping all season - on the court, off the court, in the locker room. This team was in shambles during the season as the injury fairy struck down Garnett, Pierce, Davis, and T. Allen. Health, excluding Davis' recent concussion, is a non-factor for the C's and the series should start with both teams right where they want to be in terms of rest and health.
What the Lakers need to do to win - the Best of the West are favored to take home their 16th title and rightfully so. To do this, a couple of things need to happen. We all know what Kobe Bryant can do, ditto for Pau Gasol and it's fair for LA fans to expect the best from these two elite players. Gasol has especially shown that he can rise to the occasion and really step up in a big game.
- Ron Artest - his lock-down defense on Paul Pierce (who averaged 13ppg in 2 games against LA this year) must continue for the duration of this series.
- Andrew Bynum - has been giving LA solid minutes during the playoffs despite his knee injury. Knee was recently drained and a tear was discovered so we'll keep an eye on Bynum throughout.
- Bench - often a non-factor throughout the playoffs and dramatically overshadowed by the Suns' backups
- Allen and Allen - the D starts here on Kobe and the two Allens must keep Kobe in check as much as humanly possible.
- Perkins - don't lose sight of the big man's T issue. One more and he's bumped for a game. Attitude must stay in check so that he can keep Andrew Bynum at bay.
- KG - the glue to the C's tenacious D must stop Gasol. This is the matchup that should get the most attention once the series starts.
The benches for both teams are rather short - the C's are basically playing an 8 man rotation (Davis, Allen, and 'Sheed are the only non-starters that see meaningful minutes), while the Lakers are essentially going 8 as well (the Bynum factor can come into play here.) LA fans are surely wondering which Vujacic will show up, considering his perimeter game vanished during the 2008 Finals.
Prediction - When it's all said and done, the Celtics will win their unprecedented 18th banner in 6 games. While the Lakers pose the most formidable threat to date, the Cs have already stopped the best big man (Howard), the best forward (LeBron), and arguably the best guard (D. Wade) in succession. Taking on a team that has the best combo of big man and forward (Gasol/Kobe) will be a formidable threat but there's just not enough depth for the Lake-show to take home #16.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Last Team Standing Gets to Hold a Giant, Silver Cereal Bowl! I'm Sold!
Stanley Cup Final: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Philadelphia Flyers
We hockey fans have been blessed with fantastic Stanley Cup Final matchups over the past few seasons, dating back to the post-lockout classic between Carolina and Edmonton. Well, the generosity of the hockey gods continues as they have seen fit to provide us another. Detroit and Pittsburgh decided against the Stanley Cup rubber match to make way for another awesome matchup between two hockey-crazy markets. A normal preview wouldn’t do this series justice, so we are gonna dig deep here. I’m talking hand down my pants on a hot July day-scratching deep. Don’t act like you don’t know. Without further ado: The Stanley Cup Final, 2010.
Center vs. Center, Captain vs.Captain
You’d be hard pressed to find two better centers than Mike Richards and Jonathan Toews in the National Hockey League. The Olympic teammates are inspirational leaders that do their talking on the ice and set an example for their teammates with every shift. Take into account that these men both wear the honored “C” on their sweater (yup, I said sweater) while barely being old enough to drink and it makes their accomplishments, leadership, ability and pure will all the more astonishing. As it stands right now, these two will be lining up against each other the majority of the series. Strength vs. strength. Top line vs. top line. Not to mention these are the two strongest Conn Smyth candidates for both teams heading into the series. This is an epic matchup. These two are so serious and hell-bent on winning, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a Vinny Lecavalier-Jarome Iginla flashback this series. One could only hope. Their intensity is palpable.
The Bluelines
We are going to see two fantastic defenses in this series. Human eraser Chris Pronger and his partner Kimmo Timonen have been as instrumental in the defensive lockdown taking place in Philly as goalies Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton. Pronger plays as nasty as anyone in the history of the league and skating into his slot and around his crease is the ultimate test of a player. He will literally murder you. He is that tough, that intimidating and that effective. Shame on everyone who considered him done at the Olympics (yeah I know I was one of them). He and Timonen keep everything to the outside so secondary scoring chances are few and far between. And Pronger has absolutely brought it on offense as well. He is as much of a Conn Smyth candidate at this point as the two captains. He goes to Edmonton, they reach the finals. He goes to Anaheim, they win The Cup. Now he’s in Philly and they reach the finals in the most improbable of playoff runs. Winner much? Yeah, nuff said.
On the Chicago side is the tandem of Duncan Keith and Brett Seabrook. Quite simply, there isn’t a better defensive pair out there right now. They are the equivalent of the two bitchy, snobby, usually fat chicks that protect the hot friend at the bar from being hit on by you and your skeevy friends. You can’t penetrate that wall. And Keith has the offense to go with it. He is a whiz. He’s like the one that insults your shoes while simultaneously suggesting that you are too fat to date her, let alone her friend. Ok, getting off-topic here. Keith is an incredibly effective defensive player, and the entire Chicago power-play and breakout runs through the magic on his stick blade. He got his teeth knocked out in the deciding game of the West Finals and came back a few minutes later to set up the go ahead goal. Yeah, so there’s that. Seabrook has some offensive chops too, but he is the straight man who can shut you down and shred you in the corners while Keith goes off gallivanting and using his offensive creativity to light up the opposing goaltender. To put it in layman’s terms, He’s the Murtagh to Keith’s Riggs.
The Unstoppable Force vs. The Immovable Object
Yeah I understand that every media outlet in North America is using that headline, but you know what? It’s 100% true. In the West Finals, Dustin Byfuglien parked his 6’5, 267 lb frame in front of San Jose’s Evgeni Nabokov and that was it. Nobody had the size or ability to move him. He scored at will. Over and over and over again. Three game-winners. After every goal he had a shit-eating grin on his face because he KNEW they couldn’t stop him. You almost felt bad for the Sharks because it really wasn’t fair. This guy is a defensive lineman who plays exceptional ice hockey. He was so distracting in front of that net that Jonathan Toews and the electric Patrick Kane (who is quietly having a sensational post season in his own right) were free to roam the offensive zone and create offense that Byfuglien usually converted into goals. Well, Dustin, you had no trouble parking yourself in front of the Sharks’ net like you were on a recliner watching a Cubs game, but we have a troubling wake-up call for you. Yup, you guessed it: Chris Pronger. The two nastiest players in the series are going to match up and determine who owns that five feet patch of ice in front of the Flyer net. The battle is going to be intense, nasty, and dirty and there is a high probability of blood and/or physical injury happening right off the bat. And Pronger is the dirtiest marquee player of this generation so we have that to look forward to!
The Breakdown
The goaltending is even with two neophytes (Michael Leighton, Phi and Antti Niemi, Chi) between the pipes. The special teams are even with Chicago owning the superior PP and the Flyers owning the stronger PK. The coaching is even. The defense is even. Where the separation occurs is in the forwards. The Flyers have two fantastic lines with serviceable third and fourth lines made up of grinders and checkers who get the job done. On the flip side, Chicago has three amazing lines who score and play the two-way game and a fourth line that is more reminiscent of a third line. This is where the speed and skill of the Blackhawks is going to wear the Flyers down. They just keep skating, keep forechecking, keep creating. It doesn’t stop. I am not sure the Flyers can combat this for an entire series. And this is with the understanding that Marian Hossa isn’t doing a Goddamn thing offensively. God forbid he wakes up and chips in some offense this series if you’re a Flyer fan.
Also…
The Flyers are still playing with house money. As I explained in the Montreal series, how can you beat a team that stared death right in the face? Making the playoffs on the final day of the season in a shootout AND coming back from an 0-3 hole in a span of one month? Yeah, I would be walking like I had an 11-inch wang too if I broke through those obstacles.
For Chicago, this team simply does not lose on the road. The Flyers’ best chance to take this series is to beat Chicago at home where they have been nothing super spectacular. If the Hawks continue their road dominance, this series ends in Philly in game six. Although, when you think about it, it would be hilarious if Marian Hossa lost three straight Stanley Cup Finals. Nobody would touch him with a ten-foot pole (a.k.a. Zdeno Chara’s hockey stick). Talk about curses…
The Prediction
This one is incredibly tough to call because of how good both of these teams are and how locked-in they both seem at the moment. But if I have to pick, I have to go with the team with the most speed that absolutely owns the road. They seemed like a team on a mission from day one of the regular season and they are four wins away from eliminating the longest Stanley Cup drought in the league. The Flyers had a good run and will be back next year, but the Chicago Blackhawks are bringing home Lord Stanley for the first time since 1961. The transformation of this franchise is complete. Chicago Blackhawks in six.
Image Courtesy of The Hockey News Online
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Clock Strikes 00:00:00 on Jack Bauer and 24
I feel as if part of me is being canceled, not just a television show. After nine years, and eight seasons, my favorite show has come to an end. Millions of Lost fans felt this last night and now I am feeling to today. After countless acts of heroism/justifiable barbarism from Jack Bauer, a staggering series bodycount, the surprising deaths (and rebirths) of friends and enemies alike and more double-crosses, enemy moles and political intrigue than you can shake a SIG Sauer 9mm at, the clock finally struck midnight on everyone’s favorite network espionage thriller, 24 last night.
While there have been peaks and valleys for the show as a whole, this final season itself deserves an A-. After a decent beginning, a glacial-slow middle portion and an absolute rollercoaster of a third act, the season provided fans with drama that hasn’t been present since the series’ apex run from seasons three through five. The finale, however, is tougher to judge. As far as season finales go, this was a solid yet unspectacular ending. As far as series finales go? I, personally, can’t help but feel a little disappointed.
24 was in the unenviable position of having the hammer drop on the series midway through the final season. While the producers accurately predicted the series’ demise during the break between seasons seven and eight, the official word wasn’t handed down until the entire eighth season was completely fleshed out and the majority of it filmed. Any deviations in plot or attempts at a more appropriate series ending at that point would have resulted in a disjointed narrative and forced resolutions reminiscent of the universally-panned season six. So while the producers were correct in staying the course, the end result felt more like the end of a season as opposed to the final time we will ever see Jack Bauer (on television at least).
This isn’t more evident than in the major plotlines from the season’s final arc. Considering that the fallout of the Hassan murder-conspiracy would have likely been revisited next season, we are left hanging in the respect that there won’t be any real impact of the actions of President Taylor, President Suvarov and President Logan. We won’t see how Dana’s betrayal and the utter destruction of Cole’s personal life during season eight will affect him as a person or agent in the future. Unfortunately, these plotlines are far too convoluted to be included in a two hour feature film so we are probably left to wonder ourselves.
That, in a nutshell, is where the Lost finale succeeded and the 24 finale sort of fizzled out. ABC would have locked Lost up for the next five seasons, but the producers and creators had a plan for the show from the beginning with a definite beginning, middle and end. Everything was leading up to the finale and that was that. 24 is a different animal entirely. While key characters and plotlines carry over from season to season, the majority of Jack Bauer’s adventures are confined to one particular day and encapsulated within unlike a show such as Lost. It’s hard enough to write a fitting finality piece for a show like that as it is. It’s nearly impossible to do so when the end isn’t announced until it’s, basically, too late to change anything with that season’s story.
All in all, though, it’s been a good run and you can’t argue with a fantastic final season, regardless of how the ending makes us feel considering the circumstances. Considering that the producers were in limbo and Jack is (thankfully, hopefully) destined for a new frontier on the silver screen, we can forgive the soft landing of an ending and look forward to brighter (and more violent) days ahead. Not every show is lucky enough or popular enough to make the transition from televisions to multiplexes. We are all in for a treat when the series makes its way to the big screen and an “R” rating. One thing is indisputable, however, and it comes from the lips of a friend of mine. Sorry to all the Lost fanatics: Jack Bauer doesn’t send people to purgatory. He sends them straight to hell. No truer words have ever been said. Farewell, for now Jack.
A Visit From the Coach
This week's "Baseball Notes" from the Coach over at CaptainandCoach.blogspot.com (used with permission)
a.Thursday's SunTrust Business Fan special made for a wild afternoon at The Ted. In the Braves history they have played 19,935 games dating back to 1876 and according to the Elias Sports Bureau Thursday afternoon marked just the second time they have won a game which they have trailed by six or more runs in the ninth inning or later.
b. Conrad became the first rookie to hit a walk off grand slam since Cleveland's Ron Lolich on April 22, 1973. Conrad also became the seventh different Brave to hit a game-winner in eight final at-bat victories this season.
c. On Saturday, the Mets scored more runs (5) against the Yankees than they had scored in the previous 5 Subway Series games combined (4).
d. There were a couple crazy plays at Nationals Ballpark this week. For one on Wednesday night when the Mets were in town the team from Flushing had both an inside the park home run and turned a triple play. Then on Saturday Adam Jones hit another inside the park home run. Thus, the Nationals are the first team to allow 2 inside-the-park HRs in the same week since the Rays on 8/1/2003 & 8/3/2003.
e. The inside the park home run for Angel Pagan was the 26th inside the park Home Run in Mets' history. Pagan has the last two (also 8/23/09 vs. Phi). Adam Jones hit the first inside-the-park HR by an Orioles player since David Newhan on 7/21/2004.
f. There was an ugly situation this week in Florida after Hanley Ramirez dogged a play in the outfield he was pulled by manager Freddi Gonzalez. Which in return Ramirez ripped the manager and his other 24 teammates.
During Ramirez’s rant, he said he didn’t respect Gonzalez because Gonzalez never played in the major leagues. Ramirez might like to know there have been 117 managers in the big leagues, including Gonzalez, who never played in the big leagues. The list not only includes current managers Jim Leyland of Detroit, Jim Riggleman of Washington and Joe Maddon of Tampa Bay, but also Hall of Famers Joe McCarthy, Earl Weaver and Frank Selee.g. Am I the only surprised that the list of managers who did not play in the big leagues is that large?
h. Coming into Sunday's action both Derek Jeter and Dustin Pedroia were both hitting .267.
i. I knew Andre Ethier was leading the NL in batting average, home runs and RBI's but I had no idea he was hitting .392. Ethier who is currently on the DL with a broken pinkie hopefully returns soon to make a run at .400 and the triple crown.
j. Interesting note: Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes allowed 41 foul balls against the Mets Saturday -- the most in almost five years(Jon Garland vs. Twins,'05, 42). When did they start keeping track of this stat?
k. The next time I complain about the Braves hitting into double plays remind me that the Orioles have hit into 50 double plays while their opponents have only hit into 28 dp's.
l. This weekend marked the 14th (really 14 years already) year of Interleague play. An idea I absolutely love as seeing new teams at Turner Field is always fun. However, interleague play can create some schedule oddities that are pretty interesting.
m. The Orioles play 12 games against the NL East (Nationals, Mets, Marlins), while the Blue Jays play only three against the East (Phillies). The Braves play just three games against the AL East (Rays), while the Phillies play 12.
n. How about the Dodgers interleague schedule? The Dodgers play 12 of their 15 interleague games against teams that made the playoffs last year (Yankees, Red Sox, Angels) -- and the other three games against a team (the Tigers) that didn't get knocked out until the 163rd game. It has to be noted that the Padres play no teams that were in the playoffs last season.
o. On the other end of the spectrum; The Reds dodge the entire 2009 playoff field, and their five interleague series are against teams (Cleveland, Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland) that are a combined 30 games under .500.
p. I really like this stat: The Phillies play 12 games against last year's playoff teams, 15 games against teams that currently have a winning record and nine games against the Red Sox (six) and Yankees (three), while three of the other four teams in their division play no games against those two teams.
q.The Yankees were the last team to win a one-run game this season when they beat the Mets Friday night, 2-1. They are now 1-4 in one-run games this season after going 22-16 in one-runners last year.
r. Last season for the Nationals only John Lannon (9-13) won more than five games. This season, reliever Tyler Clippard is 7-1 with a 1.80 ERA pitching for the Nationals in part because he’s allowed 12 of 23 inherited runners to score (55%).
s. We received sad news Sunday morning when news broke that former Astro Jose Lima died of a massive heart attack. It is hard to believe Jose Lima was only the only Dodger pitcher with a playoff win from 1989-2007.
t. I remember a trip to Turner Field that Ben, Brice, Les and myself took in high school when we were able to get box seats. Ben went down to the Astros dugout and got a picture taken with Lima and Lima also signed a towel for Mr. Ross. Good times.
u. Monday marks this 75th anniversary of MLB's first night game.
w. Trevor Hoffman has now appeared in 1,000 career games. Not bad for a former SS who couldn't hit in A-ball and tried pitching out of desperation.
x. Sunday in Philly Tim Wakefield pitched eight shutout innings while picking up his first victory since July 8, 2009. He was an all-star last season right?
y. Joe Posnanski gives us a great look at Jose Lima and Lima Time. What a great personality.
a.Thursday's SunTrust Business Fan special made for a wild afternoon at The Ted. In the Braves history they have played 19,935 games dating back to 1876 and according to the Elias Sports Bureau Thursday afternoon marked just the second time they have won a game which they have trailed by six or more runs in the ninth inning or later.
b. Conrad became the first rookie to hit a walk off grand slam since Cleveland's Ron Lolich on April 22, 1973. Conrad also became the seventh different Brave to hit a game-winner in eight final at-bat victories this season.
c. On Saturday, the Mets scored more runs (5) against the Yankees than they had scored in the previous 5 Subway Series games combined (4).
d. There were a couple crazy plays at Nationals Ballpark this week. For one on Wednesday night when the Mets were in town the team from Flushing had both an inside the park home run and turned a triple play. Then on Saturday Adam Jones hit another inside the park home run. Thus, the Nationals are the first team to allow 2 inside-the-park HRs in the same week since the Rays on 8/1/2003 & 8/3/2003.
e. The inside the park home run for Angel Pagan was the 26th inside the park Home Run in Mets' history. Pagan has the last two (also 8/23/09 vs. Phi). Adam Jones hit the first inside-the-park HR by an Orioles player since David Newhan on 7/21/2004.
f. There was an ugly situation this week in Florida after Hanley Ramirez dogged a play in the outfield he was pulled by manager Freddi Gonzalez. Which in return Ramirez ripped the manager and his other 24 teammates.
During Ramirez’s rant, he said he didn’t respect Gonzalez because Gonzalez never played in the major leagues. Ramirez might like to know there have been 117 managers in the big leagues, including Gonzalez, who never played in the big leagues. The list not only includes current managers Jim Leyland of Detroit, Jim Riggleman of Washington and Joe Maddon of Tampa Bay, but also Hall of Famers Joe McCarthy, Earl Weaver and Frank Selee.g. Am I the only surprised that the list of managers who did not play in the big leagues is that large?
h. Coming into Sunday's action both Derek Jeter and Dustin Pedroia were both hitting .267.
i. I knew Andre Ethier was leading the NL in batting average, home runs and RBI's but I had no idea he was hitting .392. Ethier who is currently on the DL with a broken pinkie hopefully returns soon to make a run at .400 and the triple crown.
j. Interesting note: Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes allowed 41 foul balls against the Mets Saturday -- the most in almost five years(Jon Garland vs. Twins,'05, 42). When did they start keeping track of this stat?
k. The next time I complain about the Braves hitting into double plays remind me that the Orioles have hit into 50 double plays while their opponents have only hit into 28 dp's.
l. This weekend marked the 14th (really 14 years already) year of Interleague play. An idea I absolutely love as seeing new teams at Turner Field is always fun. However, interleague play can create some schedule oddities that are pretty interesting.
m. The Orioles play 12 games against the NL East (Nationals, Mets, Marlins), while the Blue Jays play only three against the East (Phillies). The Braves play just three games against the AL East (Rays), while the Phillies play 12.
n. How about the Dodgers interleague schedule? The Dodgers play 12 of their 15 interleague games against teams that made the playoffs last year (Yankees, Red Sox, Angels) -- and the other three games against a team (the Tigers) that didn't get knocked out until the 163rd game. It has to be noted that the Padres play no teams that were in the playoffs last season.
o. On the other end of the spectrum; The Reds dodge the entire 2009 playoff field, and their five interleague series are against teams (Cleveland, Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland) that are a combined 30 games under .500.
p. I really like this stat: The Phillies play 12 games against last year's playoff teams, 15 games against teams that currently have a winning record and nine games against the Red Sox (six) and Yankees (three), while three of the other four teams in their division play no games against those two teams.
q.The Yankees were the last team to win a one-run game this season when they beat the Mets Friday night, 2-1. They are now 1-4 in one-run games this season after going 22-16 in one-runners last year.
r. Last season for the Nationals only John Lannon (9-13) won more than five games. This season, reliever Tyler Clippard is 7-1 with a 1.80 ERA pitching for the Nationals in part because he’s allowed 12 of 23 inherited runners to score (55%).
s. We received sad news Sunday morning when news broke that former Astro Jose Lima died of a massive heart attack. It is hard to believe Jose Lima was only the only Dodger pitcher with a playoff win from 1989-2007.
t. I remember a trip to Turner Field that Ben, Brice, Les and myself took in high school when we were able to get box seats. Ben went down to the Astros dugout and got a picture taken with Lima and Lima also signed a towel for Mr. Ross. Good times.
u. Monday marks this 75th anniversary of MLB's first night game.
w. Trevor Hoffman has now appeared in 1,000 career games. Not bad for a former SS who couldn't hit in A-ball and tried pitching out of desperation.
x. Sunday in Philly Tim Wakefield pitched eight shutout innings while picking up his first victory since July 8, 2009. He was an all-star last season right?
y. Joe Posnanski gives us a great look at Jose Lima and Lima Time. What a great personality.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The NHL Conference Finals: Let's Crank This Shit to 11 and GET. IT. ON.
Eastern Conference Finals
(8) Montreal Canadiens vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers
Players to Watch:
Mike Cammalleri, LW, Canadiens - Amazingly, the diminutive speedster is “rocketing” (get it? Maurice Richard? No? Ok.) up the Canadiens’ all-time playoff scoring charts as he scores goal after goal to keep this Cinderella train rolling. He better keep it up against the best and most intimidating back end left in the playoffs or it’s pumpkin time for the bleu, blanc et rouge.
Chris Pronger, D, Flyers - Mike Cammalleri, meet Chris Pronger. Just as Cammalleri is the key to the Canadiens offense, Pronger is the key to the Philly defense because his job is to stop Cammalleri. If Pronger can bring his trademark nastiness and physicality against the tiny Montreal wingers while continuing to be a point per game presence from the blueline, the Flyers are headed to the finals.
How I See It
It’s tough to call a series between two teams who absolutely nobody saw meeting in the conference finals. Both teams have been scoring at opportune times as the Canadiens gutted out a tough series against the defending champs and the Flyers fought back from an 0-3 deficit against Boston to become only the third team in NHL history to win a series in that fashion. The Habs have the obvious advantage in goal with the living legend Jaroslav Halak coming off another fantastic series. But the way the Flyers crash the net and unload shots from all angles off the offensive zone, will his heroics be enough? The way Danny Briere is piling up goals and points for Philly, it probably won’t be. Speaking of Danny, where are all the folks who called him a bust and a bad signing now? Thought so. Both teams have excellent special teams, but the Flyers physicality and refusal to quit seems to be the difference here. That’s tough to say when Montreal has shown an incredible amount of fight in this postseason as well. The difference is that while both teams are playing with house money, how can Montreal be anything but spent after going to distance against the two biggest titans of the Eastern Conference? Simply put, the Habs are running out of fuel and the Flyers are playing without a shred of fear. After looking death in the eyes and rebounding from an 0-3 hole, I have a hard time picking anyone to beat them at this point. Flyers in six.
Western Conference Finals
(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (2) Chicago Blackhawks
Players to Watch:
Jonathan Toews, C, Blackhawks - With 20 points thus far in the playoffs, the Toews legend continues to grow. “Captain Serious” as he is called in the Windy City, is putting on a virtuoso performance that would make everyone from Steve Yzerman to Mark Messier proud. It doesn’t matter if it’s a divisional game, the Olympics or the Stanley Cup playoffs; Toews is the definition of a big game player and there isn’t anything to suggest that is going to change this round.
Joe Thornton, C, Sharks - It’s tough to call Thornton a playoff bust after his second round performance against Detroit. He scored, he assisted, he played both ways and he was incredibly physical which is what a player of his size and skill set should be every game. He is the key cog to the San Jose offense and they won’t be able to get past Chicago without a fantastic performance. It’s really that cut and dry. Let’s see if he’s up to the task.
How I See It
As the two “worst” teams in the eastern playoff picture battle it out, the exact opposite is taking place in the west as the Sharks and Blackhawks finally realized the dream Western Conference Finals matchup that pundits were hoping for all year. This is extremely tough to call, just as the other series is. That’s what’s making these playoffs so memorable and exciting. Each series has been extremely close from the opening drop of the puck. It’s been truly compelling to watch. What a year for hockey. What strikes me right from the get-go is that both of these teams are puck-possession monsters. The best way to prevent the other team from scoring is to hold onto the puck and routinely deposit it into the opposition’s net. The team who controls the play, the puck and the flow most effectively and most often will win this series. Both of these teams are bursting with offensive depth, defensive chops and a puck-controlling mindset. The Hawks have nine fantastic forwards as opposed to six for San Jose, but I still see a back and forth series that will go the distance. Take a look at their prior series and their rosters. How can it not? There will be plenty of speed, creativity and sacrifice in this series and one team is going to skate away bitterly heartbroken. Honestly, you can’t go wrong picking either one of these teams. Here it goes; after seven extremely entertaining, fantastic games, Chicago heads to the dance to face the Philadelphia Flyers.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Coming to NY?
The natural hype surrounding the big name free agents to be always include rumors that they are coming to New York. With the Cavs recently being bounced from the playoff picture, the biggest rumor, that hasn't died after 2+ years of hype, is that LeBron is virtually free to come to NY and the Knicks are waiting. Or is it the Nets? Or is anyone crazy enough to think this will actually happen? Naturally, the loud-mouthed mayor of NYC has chimed in here.
With the NBA salary cap, there's only a handful of teams that can currently offer Bron Bron the max, Knicks and Nets among them, but who cares? Cleveland can offer the max + so if money is the motivator, he won't get more anywhere other than Cleveland.
If money is not the motivator, let's consider winning. If the knock on James is that he has not won a title in Cleveland why would you take two-to-three steps back and go to two of the worst teams in the league? Look at super-coach Phil Jackson, when his run in Chicago was done where did he go? And why did he go there? To win. Sure, the public Jackson talks about loving the LA lifestyle and blah blah blah but let's be real, Jackson saw the easiest path to winning. The zen master was recently asked about coaching for Michael Jordan in Charlotte if he does not renew his deal in LA and Phil said, "no." Jackson is known as a winner but he's always positioned himself on teams that can win and going to Charlotte is not the path to doing that. Back to LeBron, Chicago is another rumor du-jour and while that makes some sense, James does not put them over the top. They're a marginal playoff team as it is and bringing in one of the top players will not put them over the top.
If winning is the motivator, do the smart thing. Look at the top NBA teams and go there, e.g. the Lakers, the Celtics, the Magic, the Spurs. If you want to win, don't just win, go out and dominate.
With the NBA salary cap, there's only a handful of teams that can currently offer Bron Bron the max, Knicks and Nets among them, but who cares? Cleveland can offer the max + so if money is the motivator, he won't get more anywhere other than Cleveland.
If money is not the motivator, let's consider winning. If the knock on James is that he has not won a title in Cleveland why would you take two-to-three steps back and go to two of the worst teams in the league? Look at super-coach Phil Jackson, when his run in Chicago was done where did he go? And why did he go there? To win. Sure, the public Jackson talks about loving the LA lifestyle and blah blah blah but let's be real, Jackson saw the easiest path to winning. The zen master was recently asked about coaching for Michael Jordan in Charlotte if he does not renew his deal in LA and Phil said, "no." Jackson is known as a winner but he's always positioned himself on teams that can win and going to Charlotte is not the path to doing that. Back to LeBron, Chicago is another rumor du-jour and while that makes some sense, James does not put them over the top. They're a marginal playoff team as it is and bringing in one of the top players will not put them over the top.
If winning is the motivator, do the smart thing. Look at the top NBA teams and go there, e.g. the Lakers, the Celtics, the Magic, the Spurs. If you want to win, don't just win, go out and dominate.
Friday, May 14, 2010
NBA East Preview - Magic vs. Celtics
Last year, everyone declared that the torch had been passed as the Magic dismantled the Celtics and the C's mini-run was now done. Seemingly forgotten during the playoffs of last year, was the fact that KG was out. The critics still say, "he's old" but using that as a crutch only denies the man's ability to alter a game both offensively and more importantly, defensively. To underestimate KG's defensive ability is egregious and he is ready to make a statement this year - as if the series vs. the Cavs was not enough.
Can the Magic win? Sure but I wouldn't bet on it. Can the Celtics win? Sure buy I wouldn't bet on that either. This is going to be a tight series, possibly even pushing 7 games. Ironically, the Cavs got Shaq for the same reason I thought the Celtics should have pursued, need someone to handle Dwight Howard in the battle of Steel vs. Superman.
Magic - they're well rested and ready to roll. All of the natural dents and dings have had some extra time to heal and the team is poised for their next opponent. There were really two factors that led to the Magic advancing last year - the C's had nobody to stop D. Howard and conversely could not stop M. Pietrus. Lewis hit some big shots last year and he's bound to do his usual damage from beyond the arc, minimizing that is the key.
The Magic spent their offseason re-tooling, bringing in Vince Carter to replace Courtney Lee and that works in the favor of Boston. Carter is not the high-octane offensive machine he's been relied upon to be throughout his career and plays no defense - read, Ray Allen and/or Paul Pierce will exploit that and force Pietrus to play more minutes. Pietrus can score so there's not much of a loss there and he fits into the overall offensive scheme better since he can play the role player (3rd-4th option) better than VC. A healthy Jameer Nelson gives the Magic a real, solid PG that can distribute and play defense.
Celtics - minimizing Howard is key here. The weapon to do this is not in the form of KG, Perkins, or Glen Davis but Rasheed Wallace. Nope, 'Sheed is not going to stop Howard but he will be out there to be inside the young man's head. His ferocity will translate to some stupid fouls by Dwight and could keep Howard off kilter. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out early since Howard is averaging nearly 5 fouls per game thus far in the playoffs.
Back to KG though, he will guard Superman in a combo effort with Perkins and/or Davis. He's as tall, as long, and as quick as any forward. Soon to be 34, Garnett has been around the block a few times and is ready for this collision. He needs another title to seal his legacy and will be leaving it all out there to win another ring. If needed, Garnett can back away from Howard and play the wing, keeping Lewis in check since he has a distinct height advantage on the C's perimeter players (the Allens can't work their magic, pardon the pun, here like they did on King James.) Collectively, the trio of Allen, Allen, and Pierce will put a stranglehold on the trio of Carter, Pietrus, and Barnes.
Rondo vs. Nelson will be an interesting match-up considering Nelson's a better defender than Rondo's seen to date in the playoffs. Nelson is broad shouldered and stronger than many PGs in the league so this will be the matchup to watch. Edge is Rondo because of quickness and ball-wizardry because when you're as good as Rondo w/the ball, it's beyond ball-handling.
In the end, my money's on the C's to return to the Finals, taking the Magic out in 6.
Can the Magic win? Sure but I wouldn't bet on it. Can the Celtics win? Sure buy I wouldn't bet on that either. This is going to be a tight series, possibly even pushing 7 games. Ironically, the Cavs got Shaq for the same reason I thought the Celtics should have pursued, need someone to handle Dwight Howard in the battle of Steel vs. Superman.
Magic - they're well rested and ready to roll. All of the natural dents and dings have had some extra time to heal and the team is poised for their next opponent. There were really two factors that led to the Magic advancing last year - the C's had nobody to stop D. Howard and conversely could not stop M. Pietrus. Lewis hit some big shots last year and he's bound to do his usual damage from beyond the arc, minimizing that is the key.
The Magic spent their offseason re-tooling, bringing in Vince Carter to replace Courtney Lee and that works in the favor of Boston. Carter is not the high-octane offensive machine he's been relied upon to be throughout his career and plays no defense - read, Ray Allen and/or Paul Pierce will exploit that and force Pietrus to play more minutes. Pietrus can score so there's not much of a loss there and he fits into the overall offensive scheme better since he can play the role player (3rd-4th option) better than VC. A healthy Jameer Nelson gives the Magic a real, solid PG that can distribute and play defense.
Celtics - minimizing Howard is key here. The weapon to do this is not in the form of KG, Perkins, or Glen Davis but Rasheed Wallace. Nope, 'Sheed is not going to stop Howard but he will be out there to be inside the young man's head. His ferocity will translate to some stupid fouls by Dwight and could keep Howard off kilter. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out early since Howard is averaging nearly 5 fouls per game thus far in the playoffs.
Back to KG though, he will guard Superman in a combo effort with Perkins and/or Davis. He's as tall, as long, and as quick as any forward. Soon to be 34, Garnett has been around the block a few times and is ready for this collision. He needs another title to seal his legacy and will be leaving it all out there to win another ring. If needed, Garnett can back away from Howard and play the wing, keeping Lewis in check since he has a distinct height advantage on the C's perimeter players (the Allens can't work their magic, pardon the pun, here like they did on King James.) Collectively, the trio of Allen, Allen, and Pierce will put a stranglehold on the trio of Carter, Pietrus, and Barnes.
Rondo vs. Nelson will be an interesting match-up considering Nelson's a better defender than Rondo's seen to date in the playoffs. Nelson is broad shouldered and stronger than many PGs in the league so this will be the matchup to watch. Edge is Rondo because of quickness and ball-wizardry because when you're as good as Rondo w/the ball, it's beyond ball-handling.
In the end, my money's on the C's to return to the Finals, taking the Magic out in 6.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Coach Talks Baseball
We're borrowing this segment from the gang at "Captain and Coach" for the full read, click here. In the meantime, enjoy these baseball nuggets from the coach:
a. I was watching some of the Mets-Giants game Friday Night at the house and the great Gary Cohen said that no Met had hit three home runs at Shea Stadium or Citi Field. How can this be accurate?
b. Thru games of May 5, the Yankees have scored in 37.1% of innings the highest in MLB, while the Astros have scored in 19.2%, the lowest.
c. Here is another 3 home run in a game stat that relates to a New York team. On Saturday, Mark Teixeira became the second Yankees player all-time to hit 3+ HR vs. the Red Sox in a single game (Lou Gehrig - 6/23/1927).As many times as these teams have played each other, I am shocked this has only happened twice.
d. With a win on Saturday over the Marlins, the Nationals are now 10-5 in games decided by 2 runs or less. In 2009, the Nats were 33-46 in such games.
e. Barry Zito needs some credit for the turnaround he has had over the last year and a half. Zito was 31-43 in his first three seasons with San Francisco and even started 0-8 in 2008, when he was sent to the bullpen for a while. This season he is 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA.
f. How similar have the careers of Ozzie Guillen and Terry Francona been? Francona managed his 1,000th game for Boston Wednesday, a day after Guillen managed his 1,000th for Chicago. Francona’s record was 579-421, while Guillen was 523-477. Francona won two pennants and two World Series, Guillen one pennant and one World Series. Francona was the 22d player taken in the 1980 draft. Guillen was signed as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela in the summer of 1980.
g. They both have ties to the Atlanta Braves as Ozzie played for the Braves during the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Francona's dad played for the Braves for parts of three seasons in 1967, 1968, and 1969.
h. On Sunday Dallas Braden threw the 19th perfect game in MLB history against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Tampa Bay Rays have now been on the receiving ends of back to back perfect games.
i. How special was Braden's perfect game? Factoring in inflation, the average salary of the last 6 perfect game pitchers before today was $9.43 million. Braden 2010 salary? $420,000. The $420,000 is less than the gamer in Alabama will receive when he threw a perfect game playing XBOX and received $1 million.
j. Braden since start of 2009: 29 GS, 21 quality starts, 17 games 2 ER or fewer, 24 of 3 ER or fewer. 2.41 BB/9, 3.74 ERA, 1.26 WHIP.
k. Through Thursday, in Manny Acta’s last 162 games managing the Nationals and the Indians, his record was 53-109 (.327)
l. More than half of the Brewers runs this season (87) have come in just 6 games-those 6 games of runs are more than the Astros have all season.
m. Cubs rookie Starlin Castro got off to an impressive start in his first game homerung in his first AB, the first Cub player to do so since Jim Bullinger in 1992. Castro's first 4 career hits came in this order: HR, triple, double, single.
n. Adrian Beltre is now batting .533 (8 for 15) on 0 and 2 counts. Beltre entered the game leading the AL in 2-strike hitting with a .347 average, and third in MLB behind Ryan Hanigan of Reds and one Manny Ramirez.
o. More Perfect Game talk...Dallas Braden pitched the third Perfect Game on Mother's Day. The other two Charlie Lea for Montreal in 1981 against the Giants and Hod Eller for the Reds in 1919 against the Cardinals.
p. Even more special for Braden throwing the perfect game on Mother's Day is that his mom died of skin cancer hen Braden was a senior in high school. The embrace he shared with his grandmother was pretty cool.
q. Jerry Crasnick with a good read on the character that is Dallas Braden.
r. Joe Posnanski has an even better read on Braden and the perfect game. He tells this awesome story, there has now been 19 Perfect Games pitched in MLB history and for some reason these always include two thrown in 1880 (five days apart, no less) when it took eight balls to walk somebody, the mound was 50 feet from home plate and pitchers were still supposed to throw underhand.
s. It has been said before and will be said again, no sport cherishes its past like Baseball.
t. One more decent Sunday read is on an Employee who has worked 48 years for the New York Yankees.
Island Hopping
According to the Associated Press, New York Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon has talked to New York Islanders owner Charles Wang about building an arena for the NHL team near Citi Field.
Wilpon told Newsday for its Wednesday editions that he spoke to Wang about trying to develop something "synergistic with Citi Field and a hockey arena." Wilpon says he also talked to Wang about the possibility of buying the team. With the inability of the Islanders to secure a new arena on their own and their frustration with Nassau County for being virtually unresponsive regarding their proposals, Charles Wang seems to be honoring his word when he said he would explore relocation.
Let’s take a look at this. As the majority of baseball fans and Bernie Madoff can both attest, the Wilpons aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer. But compared to Charles Wang (Rick DiPietro-15 years-nuff said), the Wilpons have the sports-business acumen of Dana White. An ownership, or at the very least partnership, with the Mets would be an incredible boost for the Islanders both financially and structurally.
The obvious financial and logistical hurdles aside, at first glance this seems like an absolute no-brainer. A new arena for the team that would keep them in New York, numerous potential partnerships with the Mets (which will instantly increase the strength of their brand), and a move from Long Island to within city limits gives them a little more juice when it comes to press, sponsors and being viewed as a legitimate player in the New York-metropolitan sports landscape. The Nassau Coliseum is the worst arena in America. Fans hate it. Players hate it. It smells. It’s falling apart. It’s not suitable for circuses, concerts, wrestling or job fairs let alone professional sporting events. For the good of everyone associated with the team, a new arena for the Islanders is vital. Without a new building, the team is on borrowed time and is destined to be jettisoned to a city like Hamilton or Winnipeg in the very near future. In regards to the actual relocation of the franchise to approximately 20 miles west and its impact on fans, we’re talking about a minor issue. The majority of Mets fans reside on Long Island as does practically every Islander fan. The drive out to Queens is far from a backbreaker for them and the prospect of a new arena would be enough to convert even the staunchest of non-commuters.
The Islander dynasty of the early 80’s was arguably the greatest hockey team ever assembled. The rich history of this team has been stuffed away in mothballs, up in some attic in Uniondale. Only for a brief period in the early part of the decade and just recently with the adoption of a youth movement has the team or its fan base registered anything higher than a whisper in the sports or hockey world. The big move to Queens along with the partnership (and possible ownership) via the Wilpons is something that will save the franchise and spare the NHL of losing an essential piece of its history. Make the deal work. Fire up the U-Hauls. Let the Wilpons save the Islanders so I and many others can really start hating them again.
Image courtesy of Getty Images
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
"And then there were eight" part three: Better Late Than Never
I know, I know. This series is already two games old and in favor of Boston. Listen, you're all lucky you're seeing it period so how about we stop the crying, wash away the tears and get down to some good ol' fashioned predictin'!
(6) Boston Bruins vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers
Players to Watch:
Marc Savard, C, Bruins- For a team that finished dead last in scoring during the regular season, the reappearance of Marc Savard will give the Bruins a much-needed offensive boost on the power play and at even strength. As Saturday’s OT goal proved, the puck sometimes just finds itself on the stick of the best players when the game is on the line. If Savard stops whining about his concussion (ok, he really isn’t whining at all) and is able to get back into full-swing by the midway point of the series, you gotta love the B’s chances.
Mike Richards, C, Flyers- The majority of the Flyers’ regular season was dismal because of a fractured locker room. There were two camps in Philly’s dressing room: the Pronger camp and the Richards camp. Pronger was outspoken and took the team over from the get go which didn’t sit well with Richards nor his supporters, but Mike Richards should probably thank Chris Pronger. That lit a fire under Captain Cheap Shot Artist’s ass and he began to lead and carry the team as a captain should. In the playoffs, the ascension has continued. Richards is a force on absolutely every shift. Scoring, hitting, defense, forechecking. If he can keep his Yzermanian (sounds better than Messierian) effort up, the Flyers will keep rolling along.
How I see It:
This is a tough series to call and all signs point to Philly taking this. They have a more talented offensive core and defense and are riding high after dispatching a supremely talented Devils squad. But look beneath the surface; they have been devastated by injuries. They might run out of steam at any moment. Brian Boucher is their goalie and that is the proverbial other shoe that is just aching to drop. Combine all of that with the Bruins’ special teams humming, Marc Savard returning and Tuuka Rask being the hottest goalie left in the playoffs. See? Just like Transformers, there is more than meets the eye on this one. On paper and on the surface, this seems to be Philly’s to lose, but once you dig deeper, try being convinced. In my opinion, the Bruins are hitting their stride and in addition to the goalie nod with Rask, they are lining up three great centers who can all score and put Philly’s defense to the test. Especially with the man advantage. Combine that with their size and speed advantage and the return of Marc Savard and I see the B’s atoning for last season and heading to the conference finals. Boston in Six
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Monday, May 3, 2010
Eating Out: New Roc City
Always on the hunt for a good meal, my travels recently took me to New Rochelle to find Don Coqui (www.doncoqui.com) Their tag line is "The Shortcut to Puerto Rico" and it's true. Food, music, atmosphere, karaoke, salsa lessons, cooking classes, this place literally has it all.
Where Don Coqui will shine is the food. The portions are no joke and the quality of the food, ingredients, flavor, presentation, are all to be envied by any restaurant. Getting quality food, in extra large portions, at a good price is always a great thing. Dress up the presentation like DC does and they bring the whole experience to another level. Find yourself in New Roc on a Tuesday? Well, you're in luck because at 9pm the karaoke party begins. Have a big meal, some drinks at the full service bar, or just chill in their lounge and listen to the wanna-be singers try their hand on the mic.
But back to the food for a minute, why do so many restaurants forget that we eat with our eyes? Pile a load of good food on a plate and call it my supper doesn't do the trick. If I want a casually loaded plate that looks like slop, just point me in the direction of a buffet and that's how I make my plates. Start by pleasing my eyes and the rest will fall into place.
I've had a variety of food here but the Pernil and Paella really stand out. From what others in my party said, you really could not go wrong. I'll be going again shortly and pictures will follow along with a more extensive food review.
Where Don Coqui will shine is the food. The portions are no joke and the quality of the food, ingredients, flavor, presentation, are all to be envied by any restaurant. Getting quality food, in extra large portions, at a good price is always a great thing. Dress up the presentation like DC does and they bring the whole experience to another level. Find yourself in New Roc on a Tuesday? Well, you're in luck because at 9pm the karaoke party begins. Have a big meal, some drinks at the full service bar, or just chill in their lounge and listen to the wanna-be singers try their hand on the mic.
But back to the food for a minute, why do so many restaurants forget that we eat with our eyes? Pile a load of good food on a plate and call it my supper doesn't do the trick. If I want a casually loaded plate that looks like slop, just point me in the direction of a buffet and that's how I make my plates. Start by pleasing my eyes and the rest will fall into place.
I've had a variety of food here but the Pernil and Paella really stand out. From what others in my party said, you really could not go wrong. I'll be going again shortly and pictures will follow along with a more extensive food review.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Round 2 Preview - Cavs vs. Celtics
What Cleveland Must Do To Win:
I expect a lot of give and gos to Shaq early in most games, get him going, get Perkins in foul trouble, and control the game from there. LeBron will dominate the ball late in games and in the middle, Mo Williams will find Jamison, West, Varejao, Parker, and Jemario Moon. Under-appreciated, though overpaid, Daniel Gibson who can bomb 3s if given the chance and Leon Powe may even re-surface at some point to play spoilers depending on how the foul situation plays out.
What the Celtics Must Do To Win:
All that said, series will go 7 games and I'm picking the Cs to win it in Cleveland.
- Outscore the Celtics
- Out rebound the Celtics
- Oh wait, this is a real preview, not the normal stuff you'll see from the "sports experts"
I expect a lot of give and gos to Shaq early in most games, get him going, get Perkins in foul trouble, and control the game from there. LeBron will dominate the ball late in games and in the middle, Mo Williams will find Jamison, West, Varejao, Parker, and Jemario Moon. Under-appreciated, though overpaid, Daniel Gibson who can bomb 3s if given the chance and Leon Powe may even re-surface at some point to play spoilers depending on how the foul situation plays out.
What the Celtics Must Do To Win:
- Control the boards - they're bigger, stronger, and tougher on the interior, even if Varejao is playing since Wallace and Davis should off-set his rebounding off the bench.
- Rajon Rondo - The best PG on all playoff teams must dominate by dishing when needed and driving to the hoop to create havoc for the defenders.
- The Allens - Ray is THE hottest hand has been hitting 3s like they are free throws. If he's hot, Cs are in great shape. Tony is shut down defense and can keep LeBron in check when on the floor - I'd expect his minutes to bump up during this series.
All that said, series will go 7 games and I'm picking the Cs to win it in Cleveland.
Friday, April 30, 2010
"And then there were eight" part two: Sid vs. Cinderella
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens
Players to Watch:
Sidney Crosby, C, Penguins- With all due respect to Mikael Samuelsson and Joe Pavelski, Sidney Crosby was the first round’s best player among skaters. He looked like a man among boys as he seemingly scored, skated and passed at will. After the performance this next guy put up in the first round, Crosby needs to keep it up and set the tone for this series like he did for his teammates in the last round.
Jaroslav Halak, G, Canadiens- Wow. What do you say about this guy? Stopping 131 of 134 shots over the last three games against the most powerful team since Iceland in The Mighty Ducks II? That’s legendary stuff. Unfortunately for Halak, he might have to be as good as he was against the Crapitals for the Habs to have a chance to dethrone Pittsburgh. A little under two weeks ago, Alex Ovechkin said that he saw Halak shaking after the Capitals repeatedly lit the lamp in a stunning all-out blitzkrieg on the Montreal net. Well the only thing Halak was shaking on Wednesday was that Russian creep’s hand after he eliminated his ass. Let’s see if he can shut down a few more offensive titans in numbers 87 and 71.
How I see It:
After a flat first game, the Penguins pretty much took it to Ottawa for the duration of their first round series. Sidney Crosby led the way; scoring, assisting, skating through traffic like some sort of possessed demon, driving the zamboni, making the team’s travel arrangements, piloting the team plane, etc. He was a monster force and things will be looking dire for Montreal if he continues this type of production into the second round. We all know he can. For Montreal, they just came off of a HUGE upset against Washington and should be riding high on emotion heading into round two. In other sports that emotion might be deemed overrated or insignificant, and correctly so. But in hockey, emotion can be the great equalizer. This is a heart and soul game and will goes a long, long way; especially in the Stanley Cup playoffs. When looking at this series, we see a lot of reasons to expect it to go the distance. Montreal has the advantage in goal with Jaroslav Halak over the shaky (and horrendously ugly) Marc-Andre Fleury for Pittsburgh. The Pens have the obvious advantages in forwards (we all know how absolutely lethal they are) and on the backline. But where this series can be won for Montreal is in special teams. The Canadiens PP and PK’s are substantially better than those of Pittsburgh. Watching the Captials’ devastating powerplay be crushed to powder by Montreal’s incredible PK and shot blocking shows that Montreal can stay in this if they win the special teams battle. Will it be enough? Can Halak and his teammates reincarnate the heroics of the Cinderella 1993 version of the bleu, blanc et rouge? Anything is possible, but Crosby, Malkin and the gang seem ready to gear it up a notch and show the hockey world that the Eastern Conference and the Stanley Cup still go through the Steel City. Pittsburgh in Seven
Does "Kick-Ass" kick ass? You bet your ass.
Over the past decade, comic book movies have saturated the movie landscape. For better or worse, they are immense money-makers and are here to stay (unless Hollywood runs out of people in tights to make movies out of). We’ve seen the good (Spider-Man, Iron Man), the bad (Daredevil, Fantastic Four), the polarizing (Watchmen) and the Oscar-worthy (The Dark Knight). Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass definitely belongs in the “good” category, but make no mistake; this film is not for the kiddies as the comic was definitely not for anyone under the age of, oh I don’t know, 25? This isn’t Spidey. This is a hard-R, folks. We’re talking granite hard.
Adapted from a miniseries created by comic book heavies Mark Millar (who also penned Wanted before it was adapted for the screen and murdered by Angelina Jolie) and John Romita Jr., Kick-Ass tells the story of high school student Dave Lizewski. Dave isn’t a nerd or a jock. Much like the rest of us, Dave simply exists, invisible to most, drifting from day to day, class to class only garnering attention when staring hopelessly and longingly at his teacher’s cleavage or engaging in an awkward exchange with the class hottie. He spends his nights on comic books, video games and incessant masturbating. Oh to be a teenager again. One day, Dave and his friends are gathered at a local comic book store when Dave wonders aloud why nobody has ever tried to be a super hero before? Good question, Dave. Enter Kick-Ass, Dave’s costumed vigilante alter-ego that accepts jobs through MySpace and is featured on YouTube fighting criminals in a scuba suit-err superhero costume ordered online.
Dave’s journey is often painful and bloody as he quickly realizes why no one has ever tried being a super hero before; it sucks and you usually get the shit beaten out of you. The action is visceral and bloody while the plot and consistent laughs keep the audience engaged and invested while swimming in a sea of violence. The movie stays pretty true to the comic (so good, no need to change things around), save for a few small discrepancies here and there. The third act that was largely revamped for the screen, but the spirit is the same and the payoff is just as enjoyable. More importantly the changes have struck the balance between movie goers’ mainstream interest and fanboy loyalty which generally makes everyone pretty much content when it comes to comic book movies.
The story definitely picks up upon the introduction of father-daughter crime fighting duo Big Daddy and Hit Girl; two real-deal vigilantes that make Kick-Ass look like the amateur that he is. This is primarily because Hit Girl, Chloe Moretz, 13, is an absolute scene-stealer. In the comics, she is described as “John Rambo meets Polly Pocket.” In the film, the rendition is dead-on and destined to be talked about for years.
Also appearing, and making another incremental departure from the American icon that is McLovin, is Christopher Mintz-Plasse. He is great in the role of Chris D’Amico/Red Mist and shows a darker, grittier side than most are use to seeing with him.
All in all, Vaughn nailed it with the most entertaining movie of the year thus far. The story is great while staying true to the master work and the characters are engaging and layered. And as previously mentioned, Chloe Moretz provides a performance that will be talked about for years to come (as well as impersonated for the next five Halloweens). The moral is simple: when people put on masks and decide to fight crime in the real world, there might not be anybody saving your ass in the next issue.
Photo courtesy: Universal Pictures
Thursday, April 29, 2010
"And then there were eight" part one: Wings-Sharks
The first round of the NHL playoffs is in the books and the second round is ready to go starting tonight with Detroit visiting San Jose. I went 6-8 for the first round and as far as predictions go, that’s not bad. Don’t fret though, there are three more rounds of potential jinxes for me to provoke. Let’s get round two started with a preview of the series beginning tonight.
(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings
Players to Watch:
The Entire First Line, Sharks- If it weren’t for the heroics of “the other Joe,” Joe Pavelski, and his inspired play during the first round, we’d probably be talking about another San Jose choke job. But as we saw, J-Pav came through big time and it turned out that the Capitals had dibs on the first round pants-shitting anyway, so the Sharks head into round two. But, if Dany Heatley isn’t healthy, Patrick Marleau continues to play like he is skating with an erection and Joe Thornton continues to look like he is attempting to play with Marleau’s erection, the Wings are going to have a field day. Hey guys, the playoffs started.
Nicklas Lidstrom, D, Red Wings- After the first few games of the Phoenix series, pundits were wondering if Lidstrom was finally slowing down. His play was erratic and lacking the laser-sharp focus we have come to take for granted with him. For the first time in his career, he was being questioned openly. Well all those questions lasted long didn’t they? A few short hours before Lidstrom turned 40 years old, he did his part in bringing the Coyotes to their knees with a dominating performance in game seven. The regal defender is back in form which means the plight of the Sharks’ top scorers isn’t getting any easier.
How I see It:
After a scary first round series against the Avalanche, the Sharks have the aura of a team that said to itself, “we survived! WE MADE IT!” Well, guys you did. Here’s your reward: a Detroit Red Wings team hitting its stride after a nice, healthy first round test against Phoenix. For all intents and purposes, this series looks like it could be a classic. On paper, it’s the most entertaining potential matchup left in the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Sharks rarely come through when we need and or want them to (use any comparison you want: dead beat dad, hottest girl in high school who you are devastated to learn is horrible at INSERT VERB HERE, Mr. Belding’s brother Rod from “Saved By the Bell”) so this series is probably going to disappoint you if you are expecting a seven-game, multiple overtime classic. Both teams have evenly matched special teams, forwards and defense. On top of that, both goalies are a question mark. The pieces are indeed here. But judging by past history and by what we saw in the first round, I don’t see the Sharks big three competing with a Wings team that’s getting that look back in its eyes. Especially not when Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are doing shit like this. Get the golf clubs ready, San Jose! Wings in six.
Image courtesy of Getty Images
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Movie Minute - 4/27/10
It's been a while since the last movie minute and you know what that means, right? Lots of quick reviews to tell you what's worth seeing and worth skipping.
The Blind Side
- Initially I did not want to see this movie. I had no idea why. Maybe it was Sandra Bullock's fault? Who knows. Glad I saw it and I'd say it's got a little somethin' somethin' for everyone to like. It's the true story of Baltimore Ravens' left tackle, Michael Oher, and it's a pretty good story.
Staten Island
- Having spent 14 years living on SI, I had to give this movie a shot (me and the rest of my Island peeps are probably the only ones.) Where did this go wrong? Subject matter? Not really, a story that focuses on a quirky mob boss on SI might make for a good film. Setting? Nah, Island guy directs a movie about his home town, I can dig that. Actors? Vincent D'Onofrio, Ethan Hawke, and Seymour Cassel headline and those are solid names. So what was it? Oh yeah, the writing. Awful. I'm not going to delve into film-making technique but they tried to do some cool stuff here but the stuff just didn't come across as such. Skip it unless you are from SI or have a particular affinity for the 5th boro. One more thing, why did Ethan Hawke play such a similar character to the Hank Hanson (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead).
Rubin and Ed - flick from 1991 that's pretty hard to hunt down (VHS only) but worth a look if you can find it. Features a young Crispin Glover in drag...yeah, it's quirky. It's a must for Howard Hesseman fans! For more, check out the wiki.
The Goods
- Live Hard, Sell Hard. That's the tag line for this somewhat disappointing comedy. There were a handful of laughs in here and it was obviously a comedy that kept trying to push the envelope further. I am trying to recall the first comedy I can remember featuring some type of singing/karaoke scene and "Tommy Boy" comes to mind, now that's a comedy movie staple and naturally it happens here, on multiple occasions. A must for fans of The Ving Rhames!
In Closing
Blind Side - A-
Staten Island - C-
Rubin and Ed - B+
The Goods - B
The Blind Side
- Initially I did not want to see this movie. I had no idea why. Maybe it was Sandra Bullock's fault? Who knows. Glad I saw it and I'd say it's got a little somethin' somethin' for everyone to like. It's the true story of Baltimore Ravens' left tackle, Michael Oher, and it's a pretty good story.Staten Island
- Having spent 14 years living on SI, I had to give this movie a shot (me and the rest of my Island peeps are probably the only ones.) Where did this go wrong? Subject matter? Not really, a story that focuses on a quirky mob boss on SI might make for a good film. Setting? Nah, Island guy directs a movie about his home town, I can dig that. Actors? Vincent D'Onofrio, Ethan Hawke, and Seymour Cassel headline and those are solid names. So what was it? Oh yeah, the writing. Awful. I'm not going to delve into film-making technique but they tried to do some cool stuff here but the stuff just didn't come across as such. Skip it unless you are from SI or have a particular affinity for the 5th boro. One more thing, why did Ethan Hawke play such a similar character to the Hank Hanson (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead).Rubin and Ed - flick from 1991 that's pretty hard to hunt down (VHS only) but worth a look if you can find it. Features a young Crispin Glover in drag...yeah, it's quirky. It's a must for Howard Hesseman fans! For more, check out the wiki.
The Goods
- Live Hard, Sell Hard. That's the tag line for this somewhat disappointing comedy. There were a handful of laughs in here and it was obviously a comedy that kept trying to push the envelope further. I am trying to recall the first comedy I can remember featuring some type of singing/karaoke scene and "Tommy Boy" comes to mind, now that's a comedy movie staple and naturally it happens here, on multiple occasions. A must for fans of The Ving Rhames!In Closing
Blind Side - A-
Staten Island - C-
Rubin and Ed - B+
The Goods - B
Monday, April 26, 2010
Eating Out: New Jersey
Oh the Garden State, I don't even know where to begin with you but instead of taking cheap shots at New York's little brother, I'll concede the fact that you are loaded with great eateries. Kicking things off is Jose Tejas and even though there are two (Woodbridge and Fairfield) I choose the Woodbridge version.
For starters, the place looks like it belongs on the set of Once Upon a Time in Mexico as the exterior looks like it was dropped in from the southwest. But if the exterior's not enough to convince you to give the place a try, perhaps the giant, neon sign that reads EAT with an arrow pointing to the restaurant is?
I have literally eaten every item on the menu, some more than a handful of times, and nothing has ever disappointed. Serving a mix of Cajun and Tex-Mex treats, J. Tejas has something to satisfy everyone. For starters, I wholly recommend the Tejas Chicken (think of it as a buffalo wing on a stick), Blackened Chicken Fingers (also an entreé but I go for the app. here), and the Chorizo Flambado. Trust me when I tell you that you really cannot go wrong here.
Since I've started going here, some 15 years ago, I've lost faith in the tortillas w/salsa (salsa is fresh and home made but the tortillas leave something to be desired and used to be better.)
Now that I got the negativity out of the way, back to the goods. The entreés are always hot, fresh, and delicious. It makes me wonder how many cooks there are since the place is generally always picked and the food is served so fast! Two of my favorites are the Filet Mignon Jim Bowie Style and the Chimichurri Steak. Don't sleep on the Creole Chicken. If you're less daring, the Fajitas are a great, safe bet.
The next time you find yourself in the Central Jersey region (or up North on 46) hit up Jose Tejas and be prepared for a great meal, but be warned that if you get there anywhere around supper time you will be waiting a while to get your table. Want to find your way to Tejas? Click here and enter your address for directions to the location on Route 1 in Woodbridge. Want a preview of the fine foods offered at Tejas? Click here! And please remember, if you are planning a visit as a result of reading this, don't forget to invite me.
I have literally eaten every item on the menu, some more than a handful of times, and nothing has ever disappointed. Serving a mix of Cajun and Tex-Mex treats, J. Tejas has something to satisfy everyone. For starters, I wholly recommend the Tejas Chicken (think of it as a buffalo wing on a stick), Blackened Chicken Fingers (also an entreé but I go for the app. here), and the Chorizo Flambado. Trust me when I tell you that you really cannot go wrong here.
Since I've started going here, some 15 years ago, I've lost faith in the tortillas w/salsa (salsa is fresh and home made but the tortillas leave something to be desired and used to be better.)
Now that I got the negativity out of the way, back to the goods. The entreés are always hot, fresh, and delicious. It makes me wonder how many cooks there are since the place is generally always picked and the food is served so fast! Two of my favorites are the Filet Mignon Jim Bowie Style and the Chimichurri Steak. Don't sleep on the Creole Chicken. If you're less daring, the Fajitas are a great, safe bet.
The next time you find yourself in the Central Jersey region (or up North on 46) hit up Jose Tejas and be prepared for a great meal, but be warned that if you get there anywhere around supper time you will be waiting a while to get your table. Want to find your way to Tejas? Click here and enter your address for directions to the location on Route 1 in Woodbridge. Want a preview of the fine foods offered at Tejas? Click here! And please remember, if you are planning a visit as a result of reading this, don't forget to invite me.
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