Sunday's Random Thoughts

ARod
He opted out of a contract that paid him $25 million a year for a deal that pays him $27.5 million a year. Of course, he got a new 10-year deal in the process. Many in the media are congratulating ARod and his agent for this move.

Here’s what I say – ARod is the greediest professional team athlete I have ever seen. He just came off another choke job in the post-season – not his first. Then he opts out and re-signs with the only team that likely offered him a raise. Why else do you think he went crawling back to the Yankees so quickly? The Yankees were probably bidding against themselves.

The last time I checked, the post-season in any sport is when great players step up. The $25 million man didn’t - again. Dirk N. (aka - charmin), of the Mavericks, got hammered by the media for his NBA playoff collapse. He was deserving of the criticism. Could you imagine the public reaction if DN could and would opt out for more $ and more years after his 2007 playoff performance?

Yet, ARod is lauded for his brilliance. Why?

Here’s why boys and girls - He’s given a pass for his greedy act because the New York (East Coast) media want him in their backyard. He’s a great talent, he makes for great copy and the arrogant talking heads and scribes out east want to witness first-hand ARod break Bonds’ home run record as a Yankee.

Why else would ESPN spend so much time on his signing the same day Bonds was indicted?

ARod’s image would have been better served had he not opted out. And it would have been enhanced had he donated some of his paycheck after another playoff flame out.

Of course, that’s unheard of, right? Why should he give money back? He needs every penny of that original $250 million deal. In fact, he needs a new 10-year deal right now after performing poorly at the most important time of the year.

Only in America!


Barry Bonds

When the feds want you, they’ll get you. Bonds is the biggest fish in the pond, so he’s in real trouble. They will make an example of him. And I don’t care whether baseball decides to put an asterisk next to his record or if they don’t vote him in the HOF on the first ballot.

Everyone is missing the real story - again.

The fault doesn’t sit with Barry Bonds and the other juice-heads (allegedly) who pumped themselves full of chemicals that added distance to their bombs. The fault sits with MLB for watching it first-hand and not stopping it 10 years ago when records were falling by the wayside and baseball scores looked like finals from a good weekend softball beer league.

They knew what was going on but decided to bury their collected heads in the sand. Money was being made and baseball had the nation’s attention – again.

Shame on them.

And the same goes for the media that also turned its back on reality. Either the reporters that covered the game were too ignorant to know what was going on or they didn’t have the stones to speak up.

When a guy who normally hits 10 bombs a year now hits 25 and is driving pitches down and away over the right field fence on a fairly regular basis, something stinks. Hell, guys were breaking bats and hitting balls off the walls or over them.

We said it then, and we say it again now – it’s not ALL the players’ fault for taking advantage. They have a short life span and are in the most competitive business in the world – pro sports.

It’s MLB’s fault for not stepping in sooner and the media’s fault for not exposing what was obvious. Instead, the focus was on the “juiced ball.” Remember?

They got it half right – something was juiced, but it wasn’t the ball.

Danny Ferry On The Clock
I am giving him until the trading deadline to improve the Cavaliers’ roster. If he does not, he should be relieved of his duties as the team’s GM the day the deadline passes.

Why?

He has not improved the roster the past two years – wasting #23’s super human efforts. He has not been able to come to terms with Anderson V. – the team’s energizer bunny. He overpaid an injury-prone Larry Hughes.

And he recently admitted his #1 pick of two years ago can’t play (Shannon Brown). The Cavaliers decided NOT pick up the third year of Brown’s contract – an unprecedented act. It would have cost the team less that $2 million. That’s peanuts. Either Brown is a total bust or the Cavaliers have no clue. Either way it’s bad.

I would have played the kid some to see what he can do. But this organization, from top to bottom (GM & Head Coach), is obviously in agreement on Brown. The young man can’t get off the bench and it’s not like he has perennial all-stars ahead of him.

I repeat my mantra – this team has won 50 games the past two years despite Ferry’s efforts. He has done more to harm the team’s on-court efforts than to help The only reason this team wins 50 is because James is the best player in the league – along with Steve Nash - at making teammates look a lot better than they are.

In my book, DF has three months in my book to get this right.

Browns - Ravens
They’d better win in Baltimore. The Browns are better going in when you look at two of the three phases of the game – offense and special teams. That means they should come away with a victory. If they don’t, they will be a mediocre 5-5 with six remaining.

Romeo or Chud
Quick question – who would you rather keep next year – RC or the ‘O” coordinator (CHUD)?

Think about it. Chud has transformed this offense into one of the most potent in the league. Granted, he has an offensive line to work with, but you can tell the scheme he’s using works. Meanwhile, RC, a defensive-minded coach, has one of the worst defenses in the NFL in his third year at the helm, and his in-game management abilities have been seriously questioned.

If this team does not make the playoffs with this cake-walk of a schedule, the Browns should look long and hard at keeping Chud and replacing RC. They won’t though. The organization will not can RC if they finish at 8-8.

I’m not asking them to name CHUD the head coach, I’m asking them to sweeten his deal and bring in Cowher or Marty - again. I couldn’t see either of those head coaches having such an awful defenses in year #3 of their regime. Could you?

Indians
I hear the Indians are making a real effort at signing CC and that he is receptive to coming back. I’ll believe it when I see it. If they can re-sign the big fella, it will be the most important signing in the franchise’s history - by far. I don’t see it happening however in today’s market.

If they can’t, remember what we said – they have to deal him in spring training. If they do it right, they could get a great deal of young talent that could sustain their run several more years.

Just like signing him would be a HUGE achievement, allowing him to walk would be the worse move this current regime (Shapiro) has ever made.