I just wasn't ready to deliver Sunday. That's all there is to it. Besides, you wouldn't want me to pull an "Oakland/Randy Moss" and just go through the motions now, would you?
Super Bowl 42
I don’t know why folks were surprised with the early 14 point line on this game. It’s gone down some since (currently 12), but we assume that’s because Tom Brady isn’t 100%. We still like the Pats to win big and see no reason to change our mind.
Romeo Extended
RC got a two-year extension from the Browns. Congratulations to what seems like a very nice guy getting paid. We’ve stated several times we saw no need to extend so quickly – especially when you consider he’s been in town three years without a playoff appearance on his resume yet.
You can see with this extension how low the bar is set in Cleveland when it comes to what is considered success in NFL football terms.
Regardless, here’s hoping it works out for all concerned. Otherwise, the Lerner family will again be paying two head coaches at the same time by ’09 – something they unfortunately already have experience doing.
No Common Sense
We often harp on the lack of common sense in sports. Another case in point – Redskins’ owner Daniel Snyder recently hired a new offensive coordinator (Jim Zorn) –a former lefty Seahawk quarterback back when we were in our teens. The only problem is this – they (Redskins) don’t have a head coach.
How can you hire someone to run your offense when the head coach isn’t in place? Doesn’t it make sense that the new head coach might want his own guy calling plays?
Not in the NFL, not in 2008.
If I am an established NFL head coach, I wouldn’t go anywhere near a job where the owner already has chosen part of my staff. But of course, money talks, and everyone seems to have his price these days.
Jason Kidd
The word is Danny Ferry and company are back in pursuit of a sidekick for LJ. We’ve been here several times before. They came up short on Mike Bibby numerous times and failed to get KG in the off-season. Kidd has officially asked to be traded – so he’s probably finally headed out of NJ. The only question is where.
This observer would like to add Kidd obviously, he's a Hall of Famer, but there is a catch. He needs the ball in his hands to be effective. That would mean taking it out of LJ’s hands for much of the game. We have always felt James is at his best when he’s playing the Magic Johnson role – creating either for himself or for others. The problem is the "others' in Cleveland, more often than not, fail.
Magic thought pass first and shot second because he had other Hall fo Famers around him (i.e. Kareem & Worthy). James has to think shot first – especially down the stretch – because he has mediocre talent around him.
The point is this move (adding Kidd) would save some wear and tear on James and keep him fresh for games in May, and possibly beyond, since he would not have to initiate the offense all the time, but it wouldn’t utilize all his skills.
Secondly, Kidd can’t shoot. The team needs perimeter shooting and picking up Kidd does nothing to address that problem.
Regardless, we would support such a move because Kidd is unselfish, is a stat-sheet stuffer, makes others around him much better and is still one of the game’s 15 best players. We only hope the Cavaliers can keep AV out of any deal for Kidd. We love the energy Andy brings to the table every night. That's rare in the NBA these days.
What is intriguing is by adding Kidd, the Cavaliers would have two of the three best players in the NBA in terms of making others better – Kidd and James. The other is a Canadian who plays point guard for the Suns.
That’s not so bad - the supporting cast in Cleveland needs all the help they can get.
After all that, I don’t expect Ferry to pull anything this major off. His track record indicates he’s all talk and no go. We hope we’re wrong on this one. No one, I repeat, no one, has been pleading for the Cavaliers to get some REAL help for James longer and louder than this corner.
In the end, we think DF will end up tinkering with the roster instead of making us go WOW. We'll see.
The Best
Speaking of Steve Nash – pound for pound, he may be the best athlete in the world right now. If you agree with my thesis that NBA players are, as a group, arguably the best athletes in the world, then a two-time league MVP who is barely 6-0/180 pounds might qualify as the best athlete on the planet right now. He is amazing to watch.
Hot Stove Season
The Tribe recently signed R. Betancourt for two years and made CC an offer.
There is no way Betancourt can duplicate in ’08 what he did in ’07, but anything close to last year’s performance will mean he’s earned his money this summer. He was the best set-up man in baseball in ’07.
As for CC, it looks like a hometown discount will be around $17-18 million per – assuming he’d get at least $20 million a year on the open market. The sticking point may not be the yearly amount but the number of years on the deal.
Traditionally, large market teams overwhelm free agents with extra years on deals the hometown team can’t afford to match.
We look for CC and his people to wait to see what happens to the Twins’ Santana before ever signing on the dotted line. If Santana is dealt prior or during the ’08 season - which is a probability - then signs a huge deal with his new club, CC will use that deal as leverage.
Either way, we would be pleasantly stunned if CC signs with the Tribe this season without seeing what evolves with Santana first.
Remember - Pats 42 Giants 20
I won't watch any of the post-game however. Watching Bill B. raise yet another Super Bowl trophy would make me go into convulsions.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
NFL Conference Championship Sunday
Perfect Patriots
I hate to admit it, but we are truly watching something special as the Patriots are one win away from a historic 19-0 season.
In order to go undefeated, you have to catch a few breaks along the way, like the Ravens’ defensive coordinator calling an ill-advised timeout when the players had it under control on fourth and short, or San Diego’s best player (LT) having to watch from the sidelines nursing an injury in the AFC Championship game. But that aside, the Pats deserve kudos and will likely make history in two week in Arizona in Super Bowl XLII.
We were expecting Brett Favre and the Packers to face New England and have two of the game’s current three sure-fire first ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks on display. Unfortunately, Eli Manning and company spoiled that plan.
Giants
Speaking of Manning and the Giants, we called them a very "vanilla team" when the playoffs began. We still don’t see anything special there. In fact, we believe they will be a two-touchdown dog by the time kickoff rolls around in the desert.
However, this corner always gives credit when it is appropriate to do so. The Giants advanced in the playoffs because they have arguably the game’s best pass rush and because Eli Manning played mistake-free football at the helm.
When you can constantly drop seven in coverage and create pressure with just four, and your quarterback protects the ball and makes some plays along the way, you have a chance.
Heading into the Super Bowl, he (Manning) has yet to throw a pick in the post-season this year. Forget all the silly post-mortem playoff analysis you are about to hear, that’s why the Giants will be basking in the Arizona sun soon. He’s (Manning) thrown just four touchdown passes in the three games – none in today’s win over the Packers, but he has yet to throw it to the wrong jersey and thus throw away possible points in the red zone or shorten the field for the opposing offense deep in his end.
Prediction
It will take a “Giant” effort – pardon the pun - by the Giants’ pass rush and near perfect play from Manning and company on offense in two weeks for New York to defeat the Pats.
The Patriots went through the much stronger AFC spotless while the Giants survived the weaker NFC. Therefore, it should come as no surprise we like the Patriots to cover – 42-20.
But what do I know. Remember, I had the Broncos in the Super Bowl when the season began.
More Manning
The New York media will now likely start talking about Ely Manning in the same breath as his brother Peyton. They can’t help themselves. Yes, he’s done more than “manage” the game to get them here. But let’s not get carried away yet. If he plays big against the undefeated Patriots, then he deserves the hype. Until then, let’s cool it a bit.
Regardless, good for him, he seems like a nice guy. In other words, he doesn’t seem like the type of guy you have to worry about showing up at some Phoenix Strip Club with his boys in tow at 1 a.m. looking for trouble two nights before the big game.
Any Pac Man sightings lately? I need my weekly fix.
Back on point - Remember, you have two East Coast teams in our country’s largest single sports extravaganza. The large market media will be in heaven. The rest of us will need barf bags the next two weeks to digest this.
We suggest you don’t watch any of the pre-game hype and just turn the game on when the kicker puts it down after the anthem.
Most of you sick freaks can’t help it though. I know.
I’ll be focusing on the presidential race as we approach “Super Tuesday” instead of paying attention to what is being said about the upcoming Super Bowl.
And I’m not going to explain what “Super Tuesday” is and the ramifications of it to you. It would take too long.
Rooting Interest
This one is tough. I can’t root for the Patriots. We all know Mr. Bill made a deal with the devil after he got canned as the Browns-Ravens coach back in the mid-90s. I don’t know what they were called then. I think the team was technically in limbo when he was booted. Yet, I can’t see myself supporting a New York team.
Okay, we’ll go with the lesser of two evils – the Giants. But no cheering will take place unless a Bill Belichick meltdown takes place or Tom Brady whines as he begs for an inteference call down 10 points late. Unfortunately, we don’t expect that to happen.
We wouldn’t mind seeing Michael Strahan get a ring though. This corner is fond of players who play their whole career with one team and excel. That doesn’t happen much in sports anymore.
Come on Michael, put Brady on his $#@! a few times.
Snap Count
Just a thought - it would be wise if quarterbacks change their snap counts more often. Some signal callers get lazy, giving the defensive linemen nearly a running start at times, as they fall into the trap of using the same snap count over and over again.
Overtime
We wanted to cover this earlier this season but didn’t get to it. But since the NFC Championship game went to overtime, we’ll cover it now.
I prefer an overtime that has you play a full quarter with the team leading at the end of the quarter winning the contest. In the regular season, if the teams are tied at the end of the extra period, then it is a tie. In the post-season, you keep playing full quarters until someone is winning of course.
It’s simple and seems fairer than the current system where you might never get to go on offense and lose.
This sudden-death concept where the first score wins has always bothered me. They don’t do it in baseball. Nor do they do it in basketball. You play extra innings with both teams getting at least a shot to score in MLB and a full five minute extra frame in the NBA. Why doesn’t the NFL wise up?
And no, we don’t like the mickey-mouse college rule of placing it on the 25 yard line with each team getting a touch. I never got that one and still don’t. Look for the college rule to be altered soon and the ball to be moved back even farther than the 25. They ought to just play an extra full period and if it's tied, so be it.
That's right, they can't. The presidents would complain that takes the sudent/athletes away from their studies for too long a stretch.
Kickers
I actually felt bad for the Giants’ place kicker after the second miss and wanted him to make that 47-yard game-winner at the end. See, I’m not that heartless.
And how about his coach’s reacting after he hooked the first miss. Nice.
I can see why players don’t like Tom Coughlin. Of course, since the Giants have reached the Super Bowl, we will now hear how “players have warmed up to him” or how “he is “communicating better.”
Winning solves just about everything and always will.
Tiki Barber
Think about it. The Giants lose arguably their MVP in Tiki Barber to retirement - their best offensive player to be sure. Yet, they reach the Super Bowl the following season. I doubt anyone was thinking Super Bowl when they were sitting with a .500 record 10 games in and you were hearing the usual grumblings of Coughlin possibly being canned at year's end.
That team obviously has some excellent locker room leadership. And yes, even Coughlin deserves credit.
I just wouldn't want to be his place-kicker.
I hate to admit it, but we are truly watching something special as the Patriots are one win away from a historic 19-0 season.
In order to go undefeated, you have to catch a few breaks along the way, like the Ravens’ defensive coordinator calling an ill-advised timeout when the players had it under control on fourth and short, or San Diego’s best player (LT) having to watch from the sidelines nursing an injury in the AFC Championship game. But that aside, the Pats deserve kudos and will likely make history in two week in Arizona in Super Bowl XLII.
We were expecting Brett Favre and the Packers to face New England and have two of the game’s current three sure-fire first ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks on display. Unfortunately, Eli Manning and company spoiled that plan.
Giants
Speaking of Manning and the Giants, we called them a very "vanilla team" when the playoffs began. We still don’t see anything special there. In fact, we believe they will be a two-touchdown dog by the time kickoff rolls around in the desert.
However, this corner always gives credit when it is appropriate to do so. The Giants advanced in the playoffs because they have arguably the game’s best pass rush and because Eli Manning played mistake-free football at the helm.
When you can constantly drop seven in coverage and create pressure with just four, and your quarterback protects the ball and makes some plays along the way, you have a chance.
Heading into the Super Bowl, he (Manning) has yet to throw a pick in the post-season this year. Forget all the silly post-mortem playoff analysis you are about to hear, that’s why the Giants will be basking in the Arizona sun soon. He’s (Manning) thrown just four touchdown passes in the three games – none in today’s win over the Packers, but he has yet to throw it to the wrong jersey and thus throw away possible points in the red zone or shorten the field for the opposing offense deep in his end.
Prediction
It will take a “Giant” effort – pardon the pun - by the Giants’ pass rush and near perfect play from Manning and company on offense in two weeks for New York to defeat the Pats.
The Patriots went through the much stronger AFC spotless while the Giants survived the weaker NFC. Therefore, it should come as no surprise we like the Patriots to cover – 42-20.
But what do I know. Remember, I had the Broncos in the Super Bowl when the season began.
More Manning
The New York media will now likely start talking about Ely Manning in the same breath as his brother Peyton. They can’t help themselves. Yes, he’s done more than “manage” the game to get them here. But let’s not get carried away yet. If he plays big against the undefeated Patriots, then he deserves the hype. Until then, let’s cool it a bit.
Regardless, good for him, he seems like a nice guy. In other words, he doesn’t seem like the type of guy you have to worry about showing up at some Phoenix Strip Club with his boys in tow at 1 a.m. looking for trouble two nights before the big game.
Any Pac Man sightings lately? I need my weekly fix.
Back on point - Remember, you have two East Coast teams in our country’s largest single sports extravaganza. The large market media will be in heaven. The rest of us will need barf bags the next two weeks to digest this.
We suggest you don’t watch any of the pre-game hype and just turn the game on when the kicker puts it down after the anthem.
Most of you sick freaks can’t help it though. I know.
I’ll be focusing on the presidential race as we approach “Super Tuesday” instead of paying attention to what is being said about the upcoming Super Bowl.
And I’m not going to explain what “Super Tuesday” is and the ramifications of it to you. It would take too long.
Rooting Interest
This one is tough. I can’t root for the Patriots. We all know Mr. Bill made a deal with the devil after he got canned as the Browns-Ravens coach back in the mid-90s. I don’t know what they were called then. I think the team was technically in limbo when he was booted. Yet, I can’t see myself supporting a New York team.
Okay, we’ll go with the lesser of two evils – the Giants. But no cheering will take place unless a Bill Belichick meltdown takes place or Tom Brady whines as he begs for an inteference call down 10 points late. Unfortunately, we don’t expect that to happen.
We wouldn’t mind seeing Michael Strahan get a ring though. This corner is fond of players who play their whole career with one team and excel. That doesn’t happen much in sports anymore.
Come on Michael, put Brady on his $#@! a few times.
Snap Count
Just a thought - it would be wise if quarterbacks change their snap counts more often. Some signal callers get lazy, giving the defensive linemen nearly a running start at times, as they fall into the trap of using the same snap count over and over again.
Overtime
We wanted to cover this earlier this season but didn’t get to it. But since the NFC Championship game went to overtime, we’ll cover it now.
I prefer an overtime that has you play a full quarter with the team leading at the end of the quarter winning the contest. In the regular season, if the teams are tied at the end of the extra period, then it is a tie. In the post-season, you keep playing full quarters until someone is winning of course.
It’s simple and seems fairer than the current system where you might never get to go on offense and lose.
This sudden-death concept where the first score wins has always bothered me. They don’t do it in baseball. Nor do they do it in basketball. You play extra innings with both teams getting at least a shot to score in MLB and a full five minute extra frame in the NBA. Why doesn’t the NFL wise up?
And no, we don’t like the mickey-mouse college rule of placing it on the 25 yard line with each team getting a touch. I never got that one and still don’t. Look for the college rule to be altered soon and the ball to be moved back even farther than the 25. They ought to just play an extra full period and if it's tied, so be it.
That's right, they can't. The presidents would complain that takes the sudent/athletes away from their studies for too long a stretch.
Kickers
I actually felt bad for the Giants’ place kicker after the second miss and wanted him to make that 47-yard game-winner at the end. See, I’m not that heartless.
And how about his coach’s reacting after he hooked the first miss. Nice.
I can see why players don’t like Tom Coughlin. Of course, since the Giants have reached the Super Bowl, we will now hear how “players have warmed up to him” or how “he is “communicating better.”
Winning solves just about everything and always will.
Tiki Barber
Think about it. The Giants lose arguably their MVP in Tiki Barber to retirement - their best offensive player to be sure. Yet, they reach the Super Bowl the following season. I doubt anyone was thinking Super Bowl when they were sitting with a .500 record 10 games in and you were hearing the usual grumblings of Coughlin possibly being canned at year's end.
That team obviously has some excellent locker room leadership. And yes, even Coughlin deserves credit.
I just wouldn't want to be his place-kicker.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Pac Man & Politics
Pac Man
The problem is this guy has a rare affliction. He is addicted to Strip Clubs.
It strikes approximately one in every 20 males across the U.S. It can be an expensive addiction and leads to other issues we won’t get into at this time.
It tends to hit 21-30 year olds the most but can afflict married older men who have wives that would rather go to bridge club instead of a weekend trip with the hubby to Vegas.
There are three known cures – old age, death or a perky/young new trophy wife.
Back to Pac Man - it could be worse. He could be addicted to cocaine. The poor guy can’t even catch a break. He allegedly not only struck a female recently in one of these fine establishments, but she was a female lawyer as well. Ouch.
Let’s hope for Pac Man’s sake, she’s not a man-hating female lawyer.
What some creative NFL team needs to do is add him to the roster and build Pac Man a new house right next door to a Gentlemen’s Club. That way, if the NFL asks, he can just say he went to his neighbor’s for coffee. They do serve coffee at Strip Clubs, don’t they?
I have to be honest – I can’t get enough Pac Man news. I wonder if he can still run a 4.3 and cover. Unfortunately, we may never find out.
D-Cutt
Just when I congratulated him for making a nice grab late in Jacksonville’s first playoff game two weeks ago, Dennis Northcutt drops a big one against the Patriots this past weekend. Nice.
The video tape of his one-man show in Pittsburgh, when he dropped four passes at the tail end of the ’06 season in poor weather conditions as a member of the Cleveland Browns, must not have made its way to the Jacksonville GM this past off-season.
Yea, I know he had a good year for the Jaguars. Stop it. This is the NFL of 2008. You can’t touch the receivers if you are a defensive back. You can’t come near the quarterback without the possibility of a flag being thrown. The rules are so one-sided in terms of favoring the offense, it’s almost like Arena Football now in terms of the numbers good quarterbacks and receivers are putting up week to week.
Don’t insult my intelligence with “he had a good year.” He is a third receiver being paid starter’s money who should thank his lucky stars his agent convinced someone to pay him. I would have cut him after that Pittsburgh debacle or at least asked him to donate some of that check to his favorite charity.
Tony Romo
Perception is reality but Tony Romo doesn’t seem to get it.
I know he has a right to do it. I know he wasn’t hurting anyone. I know he’s a grown man and can live his life anyway he chooses as long as it is not hurting anyone else.
However, someone close to Romo, who has stones, needed to tell him going on a mini-vacation with a hot blonde (Jessica Simpson) before a playoff game was a BAD idea.
Nothing good comes out of it. If your team loses and you don’t throw three or four touchdowns in the process, you will be ridiculed for not preparing properly. That’s just the way it is. If you win, people still joke about it.
Is it fair? No. But quarterbacks are different. They get paid the most, get the most credit when the team wins, even if they don’t deserve it, and get the most blame when the team loses, even if they don’t deserve it.
Now would be a good time for Tony (Romo) to take Jessica out of town on a beach somewhere. He has a lot of free time on his hands now.
OSU Players
I’m told most of the Ohio State underclassmen that were eligible to enter the 2008 NFL draft opted to come back to school. Bad idea.
This isn’t baseball, where the contracts are guaranteed and if you keep yourself in good shape, you can play forever – especially if you are a left handed pitcher or a mediocre hitting catcher who can handle a staff. And it isn’t the NBA, where some guys just aren’t ready and a little more grooming in college might help.
This is the NFL, where the life expectancy is 3 1/2 years and contracts don’t mean anything beyond the signing bonuses and that year in question.
If I had a son who was slotted to be a first or second round pick in the upcoming NFL draft, I would advise him to turn pro. The risk of injury is too great and you are costing yourself one year’s worth of paychecks you will never make up by going back to school. Besides, you can always complete your degree in the off-season.
And please don’t tell me the kids go back to get their degree. Many of the players that go back to play their senior season stop going to class the following spring semester to train for the draft anyway. In fact, many players stop going to class in the fall if they can get away with it and still be eligible to play in one of the wonderful 32 bowl games jammed down our collected throats come the holidays.
I assume the main reason the OSU players came back is because they have a shot at a National Championship. I wish them luck but I still think it was the wrong move.
Politics
For those of you who don’t know it, I am a political wiz as well. In fact, I would much rather watch a presidential political debate than the Steelers – Bengals. So here is what you can expect to happen over the course of the next year in terms of the race for president.
Look for a McCain-Guliani or Guliani-McCain ticket in the fall on the Republican side while we still have Hillary Clinton winning the Democratic nomination over Barack Obama. We aren’t sure who she will choose as her running mate, but we don’t think it will be Obama.
Why these choices. In the end, the Republicans will go with who is likely to be strongest in terms of defending the nation against terrorism. As for the Dems, Clinton’s political machine should eventually wear down the Obama hype. In football terms, she’s stronger up front and the size and strength she possesses should take over in the fourth quarter.
As for the general election, we see a Republican win in the White House by 3-4% if one of the top two listed above heads the ticket. Americans, I believe, are ready to elect a female president, but not this one.
I know – you sick freaks don’t care about what is going on around you unless it is thrown, shot or caught. You would much rather hear my thoughts on who is going to play leftfield for the ’08 Tribe.
Some sort of platoon of course.
The problem is this guy has a rare affliction. He is addicted to Strip Clubs.
It strikes approximately one in every 20 males across the U.S. It can be an expensive addiction and leads to other issues we won’t get into at this time.
It tends to hit 21-30 year olds the most but can afflict married older men who have wives that would rather go to bridge club instead of a weekend trip with the hubby to Vegas.
There are three known cures – old age, death or a perky/young new trophy wife.
Back to Pac Man - it could be worse. He could be addicted to cocaine. The poor guy can’t even catch a break. He allegedly not only struck a female recently in one of these fine establishments, but she was a female lawyer as well. Ouch.
Let’s hope for Pac Man’s sake, she’s not a man-hating female lawyer.
What some creative NFL team needs to do is add him to the roster and build Pac Man a new house right next door to a Gentlemen’s Club. That way, if the NFL asks, he can just say he went to his neighbor’s for coffee. They do serve coffee at Strip Clubs, don’t they?
I have to be honest – I can’t get enough Pac Man news. I wonder if he can still run a 4.3 and cover. Unfortunately, we may never find out.
D-Cutt
Just when I congratulated him for making a nice grab late in Jacksonville’s first playoff game two weeks ago, Dennis Northcutt drops a big one against the Patriots this past weekend. Nice.
The video tape of his one-man show in Pittsburgh, when he dropped four passes at the tail end of the ’06 season in poor weather conditions as a member of the Cleveland Browns, must not have made its way to the Jacksonville GM this past off-season.
Yea, I know he had a good year for the Jaguars. Stop it. This is the NFL of 2008. You can’t touch the receivers if you are a defensive back. You can’t come near the quarterback without the possibility of a flag being thrown. The rules are so one-sided in terms of favoring the offense, it’s almost like Arena Football now in terms of the numbers good quarterbacks and receivers are putting up week to week.
Don’t insult my intelligence with “he had a good year.” He is a third receiver being paid starter’s money who should thank his lucky stars his agent convinced someone to pay him. I would have cut him after that Pittsburgh debacle or at least asked him to donate some of that check to his favorite charity.
Tony Romo
Perception is reality but Tony Romo doesn’t seem to get it.
I know he has a right to do it. I know he wasn’t hurting anyone. I know he’s a grown man and can live his life anyway he chooses as long as it is not hurting anyone else.
However, someone close to Romo, who has stones, needed to tell him going on a mini-vacation with a hot blonde (Jessica Simpson) before a playoff game was a BAD idea.
Nothing good comes out of it. If your team loses and you don’t throw three or four touchdowns in the process, you will be ridiculed for not preparing properly. That’s just the way it is. If you win, people still joke about it.
Is it fair? No. But quarterbacks are different. They get paid the most, get the most credit when the team wins, even if they don’t deserve it, and get the most blame when the team loses, even if they don’t deserve it.
Now would be a good time for Tony (Romo) to take Jessica out of town on a beach somewhere. He has a lot of free time on his hands now.
OSU Players
I’m told most of the Ohio State underclassmen that were eligible to enter the 2008 NFL draft opted to come back to school. Bad idea.
This isn’t baseball, where the contracts are guaranteed and if you keep yourself in good shape, you can play forever – especially if you are a left handed pitcher or a mediocre hitting catcher who can handle a staff. And it isn’t the NBA, where some guys just aren’t ready and a little more grooming in college might help.
This is the NFL, where the life expectancy is 3 1/2 years and contracts don’t mean anything beyond the signing bonuses and that year in question.
If I had a son who was slotted to be a first or second round pick in the upcoming NFL draft, I would advise him to turn pro. The risk of injury is too great and you are costing yourself one year’s worth of paychecks you will never make up by going back to school. Besides, you can always complete your degree in the off-season.
And please don’t tell me the kids go back to get their degree. Many of the players that go back to play their senior season stop going to class the following spring semester to train for the draft anyway. In fact, many players stop going to class in the fall if they can get away with it and still be eligible to play in one of the wonderful 32 bowl games jammed down our collected throats come the holidays.
I assume the main reason the OSU players came back is because they have a shot at a National Championship. I wish them luck but I still think it was the wrong move.
Politics
For those of you who don’t know it, I am a political wiz as well. In fact, I would much rather watch a presidential political debate than the Steelers – Bengals. So here is what you can expect to happen over the course of the next year in terms of the race for president.
Look for a McCain-Guliani or Guliani-McCain ticket in the fall on the Republican side while we still have Hillary Clinton winning the Democratic nomination over Barack Obama. We aren’t sure who she will choose as her running mate, but we don’t think it will be Obama.
Why these choices. In the end, the Republicans will go with who is likely to be strongest in terms of defending the nation against terrorism. As for the Dems, Clinton’s political machine should eventually wear down the Obama hype. In football terms, she’s stronger up front and the size and strength she possesses should take over in the fourth quarter.
As for the general election, we see a Republican win in the White House by 3-4% if one of the top two listed above heads the ticket. Americans, I believe, are ready to elect a female president, but not this one.
I know – you sick freaks don’t care about what is going on around you unless it is thrown, shot or caught. You would much rather hear my thoughts on who is going to play leftfield for the ’08 Tribe.
Some sort of platoon of course.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Watershed Moments
There are watershed moments for sports franchises.
For the Browns back in the early-mid eighties, they had theirs when Head Coach Sam Rutigliano decided to go with Paul McDonald at quarterback after allowing Brian Sipe go elsewhere.
He was wrong and it quickly cost Rutigliano his job.
For the Indians, that watershed moment came in 1997 after underachieving in the regular season (86-76), but getting hot in the post-season and coming within a Jose Mesa meltdown of winning the title that fall.
Instead of going out and finishing the puzzle by acquiring an available true #1 (read: Pedro), the Indians decided to keep Colon, Wright, Giles and company, believing they could develop a horse from within to win the title.
They were wrong, and although the team continued to be very competitive for several more years, the Indians lacked that horse on the mound necessary to claim the mantle as the world’s best baseball team.
For the Cavaliers, that watershed moment came several years ago when Carlos Boozer bolted town for greener pastures (read: more money). The Gund family was betrayed, taken advantage of and embarrassed publicly by Boozer’s actions.
So what?
Instead of thinking long-term and matching the offer the Jazz made, the Cavaliers compounded the mistake of trusting Boozer by not matching the offer.
How much better would the Cavaliers be today if Boozer, a 20-10 player, were still LJ's sidekick? Batman woukld have his Robin.
The organization instead decided not to match and they extended Z the following year.
Again, a watershed moment comes and goes with a Cleveland team dropping the ball.
And now, another watershed moment is potentially at hand with the Browns.
At his season-in-review press conference, Browns’ general manager Phil Savage said all the right things about his quarterback and head coach.
What did you expect him to say?
We already stated the Browns should be in no hurry to extend Romeo Crennel’s deal. When you are in year three of a five year deal and have yet to reach the playoffs, there’s no reason to extend.
What happens if he extends RC’s deal, add several more years, and the Browns finish 8-8 with a 2008 schedule that features seven current playoff teams? What then?
Savage also stated DA has earned going into the 2008 season as the starter, describing him as a "home run hitter."
What Savage didn’t do is describe what kind of home run hitter he has in DA. Is he Manny Ramirez, who also has a career .300+ batting average (read: consistent), or Russell Branyan, who is capable of hitting back-to-back bombs (i.e. six touchdown passes versus Cincy in Game #1) and fanning four times in one game (four picks in game #2 against the Bengals). The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.
Regardless, Savage gets paid to make the right decision. We have already stated what we would do. If he (Savage) plays it safe and succeeds, I will be the first to acknowledge it.
In sports, you have a certain window of opportunity to reach the summit. The Browns’ climb next fall will likely be a higher one. The schedule, at first glance, appears much harder. They won’t be able to sneak up on anyone anymore and the injury-bug could resurface.
A watershed moment is here.
Savage gets paid to make the right decisions. He can play it safe by keeping the status quo or step out on a limb and shoot for the moon.
Let’s hope a Cleveland franchise gets it right for once.
For the Browns back in the early-mid eighties, they had theirs when Head Coach Sam Rutigliano decided to go with Paul McDonald at quarterback after allowing Brian Sipe go elsewhere.
He was wrong and it quickly cost Rutigliano his job.
For the Indians, that watershed moment came in 1997 after underachieving in the regular season (86-76), but getting hot in the post-season and coming within a Jose Mesa meltdown of winning the title that fall.
Instead of going out and finishing the puzzle by acquiring an available true #1 (read: Pedro), the Indians decided to keep Colon, Wright, Giles and company, believing they could develop a horse from within to win the title.
They were wrong, and although the team continued to be very competitive for several more years, the Indians lacked that horse on the mound necessary to claim the mantle as the world’s best baseball team.
For the Cavaliers, that watershed moment came several years ago when Carlos Boozer bolted town for greener pastures (read: more money). The Gund family was betrayed, taken advantage of and embarrassed publicly by Boozer’s actions.
So what?
Instead of thinking long-term and matching the offer the Jazz made, the Cavaliers compounded the mistake of trusting Boozer by not matching the offer.
How much better would the Cavaliers be today if Boozer, a 20-10 player, were still LJ's sidekick? Batman woukld have his Robin.
The organization instead decided not to match and they extended Z the following year.
Again, a watershed moment comes and goes with a Cleveland team dropping the ball.
And now, another watershed moment is potentially at hand with the Browns.
At his season-in-review press conference, Browns’ general manager Phil Savage said all the right things about his quarterback and head coach.
What did you expect him to say?
We already stated the Browns should be in no hurry to extend Romeo Crennel’s deal. When you are in year three of a five year deal and have yet to reach the playoffs, there’s no reason to extend.
What happens if he extends RC’s deal, add several more years, and the Browns finish 8-8 with a 2008 schedule that features seven current playoff teams? What then?
Savage also stated DA has earned going into the 2008 season as the starter, describing him as a "home run hitter."
What Savage didn’t do is describe what kind of home run hitter he has in DA. Is he Manny Ramirez, who also has a career .300+ batting average (read: consistent), or Russell Branyan, who is capable of hitting back-to-back bombs (i.e. six touchdown passes versus Cincy in Game #1) and fanning four times in one game (four picks in game #2 against the Bengals). The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.
Regardless, Savage gets paid to make the right decision. We have already stated what we would do. If he (Savage) plays it safe and succeeds, I will be the first to acknowledge it.
In sports, you have a certain window of opportunity to reach the summit. The Browns’ climb next fall will likely be a higher one. The schedule, at first glance, appears much harder. They won’t be able to sneak up on anyone anymore and the injury-bug could resurface.
A watershed moment is here.
Savage gets paid to make the right decisions. He can play it safe by keeping the status quo or step out on a limb and shoot for the moon.
Let’s hope a Cleveland franchise gets it right for once.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Football Playoff Weekend
Ben Blows Up Early
I was able to actually watch some the first round of post-season NFL play this weekend. Here are some observations.
It is very hard to win, even if you are playing at home, if your quarterback throws three first half picks. Yea I know - that's not a bulletin.
Such was the case with the Steelers losing to the Jaguars on Saturday. Big Ben had a horrible first half. He bounced back nicely in the second half, but the Jaguars are a playoff caliber team - obviously. That second half comeback could have worked against a lesser opponents, not this one. In the end, Ben's horrible first half was the difference.
Secondly, the QB draw call by Jacksonville when needing two yards to keep the game-winning drive alive was outstanding.
By the same token, the third and six call by the Steelers on their last possession let the world know they were playing not to lose. A first down there literally puts the game away. I hate when teams don’t give themselves a chance to pick it up.
Get the ball to your best receiver – whoever you deem deserves that honor. Instead, they (Steelers) went to the back pages of their playbook and dusted off a loser.
Yes, they were both quarterback keepers. The difference was this - the Steelers’ defense was thinking pass on the Garrod draw while the Jaguars were expecting run on Ben’s nimble maneuver. One call had the element of surprise and one didn’t.
D-Cutt
Hey, did you notice who caught a late fourth quarterback third down pass against the Steelers for the Jaguars? That’s right – Dennis Northcutt. The same guy who dropped a huge one thrown by Kelly Holcomb in the Browns only playoff appearance since 1999.
That catch brought back memories - bad ones.
Garcia & Young
Two of my favorite quaterbacks went "one and out" in the post-season.
Jeff Garcia was harassed all day by the Giants’ defensive front and couldn’t make plays because of it. The difference in that game – like most games – was up front where the Giants’ front four dominated while Ely Manning had much more time to find open receivers.
As for Vince Young, he tried to make plays strictly with his arm and not his legs against the Chargers. That’s not his game. Perhaps he wasn’t healthy enough going in. If that was the case, he should not have played.
Unlike immobile quarterbacks who can play with an injury that limits mobility, Young needs his legs to be effective. In order to win that game, Young needed to be able to pick up big chunks of territory with his feet. He didn’t. And he didn’t make plays with his arm either.
Again, the Chargers’ pass rush had something to do with that as well. But the facts are the facts.
A footnote – it would be nice if the Titans’ front office get him (Young) some talent at wide receiver and some speed in the backfield this coming off-season. They set him up to fail in year #2 by not improving the talent around him. We saw this coming on draft day.
If the Titans improve their offensive personnel in year #3, we should get a much better read on Young and his ability. I am still extremely high on him - unlike others who will jump ship at the first sign of water.
On this day, he was clearly not good enough.
Offensive Line
I say probably 10 quarters of pro football this weekend – which is a lot for me, and came away with this thought – I saw more quarterbacks hit in those 10 quarters than I saw DA hit all year in Cleveland.
I know this gets old hearing it from me for some of you, but I can’t help it. The Browns’ offensive line performance in pass blocking in 2007 – post week #1 - was absolutely amazing. We may never see that again in Cleveland – 19 sacks allowed all year long.
I wonder if the NFL keeps statistics on what teams allowed the fewest quarterback hits? That would be an interesting stat to keep and would also be very revealing.
Romeo’s Agent
You have to love agents. Romeo Crennel just completed his third year of a five year deal with the Browns. He has a losing record over that period and has not taken any of his teams to the playoffs to date. Those are the facts. Yet, his agent is using the media to try to get the Browns to negotiate an extension.
Let’s hope the Browns don’t fall for it. How about the Browns reach the post-season in year #4 before we talk extension. Does that sound unreasonable? Of course not.
Expect Romeo’s agent to try again as long as the Dolphins are without a head coach. That’s his job. We just think it's comical.
West Virginia
Why is West Virginia getting kudos from the national media for hiring their new head coach from within after winning their bowl game?
My question is this – had the Mountaineers lost that game against the Sooners, would he still have gotten the job? No.
If he clearly was the guy they wanted to run their team for the next several years, why not name him the head coach BEFORE the game?
I know it makes a good story from a PR standpoint – longtime assistant takes over late, leads team to huge bowl win, then gets named head coach. The problem is this -that isn’t the way it should be done.
Another object lessons boys and girls - just like you do not evaluate player talent based on one game, you do not choose a new coach based on the same criteria either. There is simply too much at stake.
That is clearly what WVU did. That is the only conclusion you can come to since they did not name him the full-time coach before the win. Hell, I don’t even know the guy’s name and am too lazy to google it.
That doesn’t make him unqualified, it just reinforces what I said. The powers that be at West Virginia know this man very well. He's been on their payroll a long time. If he deserves the job, give it to him.
Don’t give him a one-time/60 minute audition using someone else’s talent. That’s juts dead wrong any way you look at it. It's not fair to him, the players, the alums, the program, etc.
Trust me, the same media that is lauding this move will be the first ones to run down the program and this decision if the Mountaineers underachieve next fall.
I was able to actually watch some the first round of post-season NFL play this weekend. Here are some observations.
It is very hard to win, even if you are playing at home, if your quarterback throws three first half picks. Yea I know - that's not a bulletin.
Such was the case with the Steelers losing to the Jaguars on Saturday. Big Ben had a horrible first half. He bounced back nicely in the second half, but the Jaguars are a playoff caliber team - obviously. That second half comeback could have worked against a lesser opponents, not this one. In the end, Ben's horrible first half was the difference.
Secondly, the QB draw call by Jacksonville when needing two yards to keep the game-winning drive alive was outstanding.
By the same token, the third and six call by the Steelers on their last possession let the world know they were playing not to lose. A first down there literally puts the game away. I hate when teams don’t give themselves a chance to pick it up.
Get the ball to your best receiver – whoever you deem deserves that honor. Instead, they (Steelers) went to the back pages of their playbook and dusted off a loser.
Yes, they were both quarterback keepers. The difference was this - the Steelers’ defense was thinking pass on the Garrod draw while the Jaguars were expecting run on Ben’s nimble maneuver. One call had the element of surprise and one didn’t.
D-Cutt
Hey, did you notice who caught a late fourth quarterback third down pass against the Steelers for the Jaguars? That’s right – Dennis Northcutt. The same guy who dropped a huge one thrown by Kelly Holcomb in the Browns only playoff appearance since 1999.
That catch brought back memories - bad ones.
Garcia & Young
Two of my favorite quaterbacks went "one and out" in the post-season.
Jeff Garcia was harassed all day by the Giants’ defensive front and couldn’t make plays because of it. The difference in that game – like most games – was up front where the Giants’ front four dominated while Ely Manning had much more time to find open receivers.
As for Vince Young, he tried to make plays strictly with his arm and not his legs against the Chargers. That’s not his game. Perhaps he wasn’t healthy enough going in. If that was the case, he should not have played.
Unlike immobile quarterbacks who can play with an injury that limits mobility, Young needs his legs to be effective. In order to win that game, Young needed to be able to pick up big chunks of territory with his feet. He didn’t. And he didn’t make plays with his arm either.
Again, the Chargers’ pass rush had something to do with that as well. But the facts are the facts.
A footnote – it would be nice if the Titans’ front office get him (Young) some talent at wide receiver and some speed in the backfield this coming off-season. They set him up to fail in year #2 by not improving the talent around him. We saw this coming on draft day.
If the Titans improve their offensive personnel in year #3, we should get a much better read on Young and his ability. I am still extremely high on him - unlike others who will jump ship at the first sign of water.
On this day, he was clearly not good enough.
Offensive Line
I say probably 10 quarters of pro football this weekend – which is a lot for me, and came away with this thought – I saw more quarterbacks hit in those 10 quarters than I saw DA hit all year in Cleveland.
I know this gets old hearing it from me for some of you, but I can’t help it. The Browns’ offensive line performance in pass blocking in 2007 – post week #1 - was absolutely amazing. We may never see that again in Cleveland – 19 sacks allowed all year long.
I wonder if the NFL keeps statistics on what teams allowed the fewest quarterback hits? That would be an interesting stat to keep and would also be very revealing.
Romeo’s Agent
You have to love agents. Romeo Crennel just completed his third year of a five year deal with the Browns. He has a losing record over that period and has not taken any of his teams to the playoffs to date. Those are the facts. Yet, his agent is using the media to try to get the Browns to negotiate an extension.
Let’s hope the Browns don’t fall for it. How about the Browns reach the post-season in year #4 before we talk extension. Does that sound unreasonable? Of course not.
Expect Romeo’s agent to try again as long as the Dolphins are without a head coach. That’s his job. We just think it's comical.
West Virginia
Why is West Virginia getting kudos from the national media for hiring their new head coach from within after winning their bowl game?
My question is this – had the Mountaineers lost that game against the Sooners, would he still have gotten the job? No.
If he clearly was the guy they wanted to run their team for the next several years, why not name him the head coach BEFORE the game?
I know it makes a good story from a PR standpoint – longtime assistant takes over late, leads team to huge bowl win, then gets named head coach. The problem is this -that isn’t the way it should be done.
Another object lessons boys and girls - just like you do not evaluate player talent based on one game, you do not choose a new coach based on the same criteria either. There is simply too much at stake.
That is clearly what WVU did. That is the only conclusion you can come to since they did not name him the full-time coach before the win. Hell, I don’t even know the guy’s name and am too lazy to google it.
That doesn’t make him unqualified, it just reinforces what I said. The powers that be at West Virginia know this man very well. He's been on their payroll a long time. If he deserves the job, give it to him.
Don’t give him a one-time/60 minute audition using someone else’s talent. That’s juts dead wrong any way you look at it. It's not fair to him, the players, the alums, the program, etc.
Trust me, the same media that is lauding this move will be the first ones to run down the program and this decision if the Mountaineers underachieve next fall.
Friday, January 4, 2008
First New Year Take
Friday Special
Super Bowl Picks
Let’s cut through all the fog and pick the Pats to take on Green Bay in Super Bowl XLII.
Why?
It’s hard to pick against an undefeated team and I believe Brett Favre will outplay Tony Romo in the post-season. Part of me is using his head in going with the Pats, and part of me his heart, in choosing the Pack, when making these picks.
I would love to see Favre and Peyton Manning go at it in the Super Bowl, but it is hard going against New England – although, like most of us who know evil when we see it, I will be rooting against the Pats.
I wonder if the NFL will change playoff policy and allow N.E. special sideline camera privileges this month. My guess is no. There’s nothing like having a Super Bowl contender every year and cheating at the same time.
Cavs Backcourt
Mike Brown has gone to the backcourt that helped him win 50 games and got him deep into the post-season in 2007 – with Sasha Pavlovic and Larry Hughes teaming up again as starters. This gives the Cavaliers size, length and athleticism. Brown and company are hoping both players will shake off season-long shooting slumps in the process.
We see Hughes being dealt before the trading deadline. It just has not been a good fit with him in Cleveland. There are numerous reasons why, but the bottom line is the Cavaliers have not gotten their money’s worth with Hughes. He’s been hurt again and again, as is his history, he has played below expectations and he whines, or worse, lets others whine for him. The problem is finding someone to take that huge salary.
His old team – Washington – is a possibility, or an up temp Western Conference team. But dealing him will not be easy. However, think positive - if that franchise was able to dump Shawn Kemp, dealing Hughes should be much easier.
Pavlovic has looked lost since ending his holdout and signing.
He’s a teaser – a player that has the tools you look for in a big guard – size, athleticism, shooting range, etc… But he isn’t consistent enough to be counted on, night in night out. Plus, he has a very low basketball IQ, as we’ve pointed out before. That low basketball IQ is one of the main reasons he’s been unproductive since his return. He came in late and hasn’t caught up yet.
Trade Suggestion
We don’t like making trade proposals here unless they have some merit. So for what it’s worth, we would like to see the Cavaliers go after Shane Battier before the trading deadline. He has a high basketball IQ, is a solid defender who can cover most threes and some fours, and can stretch the defense with his outside shot. He would not come at a high price and would be a good fit with this frontcourt.
The Cavaliers need to improve their overall basketball IQ. Only James and Snow truly understand how to play the game the right way – and Snow is at the tail end of his career. The reason many on the roster are so inconsistent is because they don’t play smart basketball.
Roger The Dodger
Okay, now Roger Clemens admits to being injected, but it wasn’t steroids. And, his first interview will be with 60 Minutes this Sunday, and father time (Mike Wallace) throwing the softballs.
Question - Who will wake Wallace from his sleep during the interview and remind him he is talking to Roger Clemens not Samuel Clements, who Wallace went to school with? That’s a Mark Twain reference for the borderline illiterates in the crowd.
He (Clemens) would be better served if he just admitted it and moved on.
Think about it, the arguably the best position player of the past 30 years (Barry Bonds) and best pitcher from the same era (Roger Clemens) will likely not be first ballot Hall of Famers because of the stigma that surrounds them.
Steelers’ Turf
Can anyone explain why the Steelers, arguably an $850 million franchise or more, have a high school playing surface – and a bad one at that? This has been a problem since they moved from Three Rivers Stadium. Guys, there’s turf available now that looks like grass, plays like grass and doesn’t cause injuries.
For the cost of a decent special teams performer ($1 million), the Steelers can solve the problem. It's amazing how an organization considered a model for what an NFL franchise should look like would be so tone deaf when it comes to this issue. I don't get it.
Getting On Record
A friend recently made contact and reminded me he picked Adrian Peterson to win the Rookie of the Year Award before the '07 draft. Feels good doesn't it when you nail one? Good for you. I reminded him the formula involves having the stones to get on record early and having a high batting average to pack up that spine.
Remember - anyone can state the obvious, or what everyone else sees in the moment. A quality observer of this silliness sees what others don't see and has long-term vision instead of short-term thoughts.
NFL 07 Revisited
Dumbest move of the year - the Raiders not signing the #1 pick early and then compounding the mistake by not playing him more once they were out of it - which was very early (September).
Biggest Surprise - Patriots going 16-0. Let's face it, it's only been done twice in regular season history.
Best Player in '07 - Tom Brady had a regular season for ther ages. Now the pressure mounts even more. Since the 1972 Dolphins, mo team has entered the post-season with more pressure on it than the Pats.
Biggest Flop in '07 - The #1 pick overall in the draft, playing on a team coming off a winless season, should make some sort of impact. For whatever reason, he didn't.
Best moment in '07 - Seeing Ed Reed on thefield pleading with the coaches on the sideline to let the players play and stay out of the way after the defensive coordinator of the Ravens called timeout saving the Pats'perfect season just after the fourth down conversion attempt failed.
Best Game in '07 - See above. It had everything, including old warriors (Ravens' defense) making one last stand in trying to stop perfection.
Biggest Off-season Blunder - The Chiefs dumping Trent Green. That was the start of a downhile cycle.
Best off-season acquisition - No brainer. Moss for a #4.
Luckiest man in the NFL - Marvin Lewis of Cincinnati. His teams don't win and they embarrass the organization and city off the field on a consistent basis. The only thing I can think of is the organization is so cheap, he must have years left on his deal and they don't want to pay him to stay home and golf while paying another coach to fix the mess.
Biggest mystery in 2007 - How the Jaguars can make the post-season, have no player earn Pro Bowl honors and their coach (Jack Del Rio) not be listed in the top tier in Coach of the Year voting.
Most Over-Hyped Team - The Giants. They are a decent team with no pizzazz but they get a ton of air time nationally. Can you say big market/New York bias? Who cares about the Giants. If they were located anywhere else, hardly anyone would notice. The same goes for their quarterback (Ely Manning). Someone remind the New York press, he's not named Peyton.
Worse Draft Move - The woeful Dolphins taking Ted Gynn out of Ohio State. We say this one coming years ago when OSU nation ridiculed us when we stated he was not going to be an impact pro. The Dolphins obviously disagreed.
You have to work hard to go 1-15, including making numerous personnel blunders. Count this one among them -atleast after year one. Gynn gets to show he can play in year #2. The guys who drafted him and coached him don't. Such is the business.
Super Bowl Picks
Let’s cut through all the fog and pick the Pats to take on Green Bay in Super Bowl XLII.
Why?
It’s hard to pick against an undefeated team and I believe Brett Favre will outplay Tony Romo in the post-season. Part of me is using his head in going with the Pats, and part of me his heart, in choosing the Pack, when making these picks.
I would love to see Favre and Peyton Manning go at it in the Super Bowl, but it is hard going against New England – although, like most of us who know evil when we see it, I will be rooting against the Pats.
I wonder if the NFL will change playoff policy and allow N.E. special sideline camera privileges this month. My guess is no. There’s nothing like having a Super Bowl contender every year and cheating at the same time.
Cavs Backcourt
Mike Brown has gone to the backcourt that helped him win 50 games and got him deep into the post-season in 2007 – with Sasha Pavlovic and Larry Hughes teaming up again as starters. This gives the Cavaliers size, length and athleticism. Brown and company are hoping both players will shake off season-long shooting slumps in the process.
We see Hughes being dealt before the trading deadline. It just has not been a good fit with him in Cleveland. There are numerous reasons why, but the bottom line is the Cavaliers have not gotten their money’s worth with Hughes. He’s been hurt again and again, as is his history, he has played below expectations and he whines, or worse, lets others whine for him. The problem is finding someone to take that huge salary.
His old team – Washington – is a possibility, or an up temp Western Conference team. But dealing him will not be easy. However, think positive - if that franchise was able to dump Shawn Kemp, dealing Hughes should be much easier.
Pavlovic has looked lost since ending his holdout and signing.
He’s a teaser – a player that has the tools you look for in a big guard – size, athleticism, shooting range, etc… But he isn’t consistent enough to be counted on, night in night out. Plus, he has a very low basketball IQ, as we’ve pointed out before. That low basketball IQ is one of the main reasons he’s been unproductive since his return. He came in late and hasn’t caught up yet.
Trade Suggestion
We don’t like making trade proposals here unless they have some merit. So for what it’s worth, we would like to see the Cavaliers go after Shane Battier before the trading deadline. He has a high basketball IQ, is a solid defender who can cover most threes and some fours, and can stretch the defense with his outside shot. He would not come at a high price and would be a good fit with this frontcourt.
The Cavaliers need to improve their overall basketball IQ. Only James and Snow truly understand how to play the game the right way – and Snow is at the tail end of his career. The reason many on the roster are so inconsistent is because they don’t play smart basketball.
Roger The Dodger
Okay, now Roger Clemens admits to being injected, but it wasn’t steroids. And, his first interview will be with 60 Minutes this Sunday, and father time (Mike Wallace) throwing the softballs.
Question - Who will wake Wallace from his sleep during the interview and remind him he is talking to Roger Clemens not Samuel Clements, who Wallace went to school with? That’s a Mark Twain reference for the borderline illiterates in the crowd.
He (Clemens) would be better served if he just admitted it and moved on.
Think about it, the arguably the best position player of the past 30 years (Barry Bonds) and best pitcher from the same era (Roger Clemens) will likely not be first ballot Hall of Famers because of the stigma that surrounds them.
Steelers’ Turf
Can anyone explain why the Steelers, arguably an $850 million franchise or more, have a high school playing surface – and a bad one at that? This has been a problem since they moved from Three Rivers Stadium. Guys, there’s turf available now that looks like grass, plays like grass and doesn’t cause injuries.
For the cost of a decent special teams performer ($1 million), the Steelers can solve the problem. It's amazing how an organization considered a model for what an NFL franchise should look like would be so tone deaf when it comes to this issue. I don't get it.
Getting On Record
A friend recently made contact and reminded me he picked Adrian Peterson to win the Rookie of the Year Award before the '07 draft. Feels good doesn't it when you nail one? Good for you. I reminded him the formula involves having the stones to get on record early and having a high batting average to pack up that spine.
Remember - anyone can state the obvious, or what everyone else sees in the moment. A quality observer of this silliness sees what others don't see and has long-term vision instead of short-term thoughts.
NFL 07 Revisited
Dumbest move of the year - the Raiders not signing the #1 pick early and then compounding the mistake by not playing him more once they were out of it - which was very early (September).
Biggest Surprise - Patriots going 16-0. Let's face it, it's only been done twice in regular season history.
Best Player in '07 - Tom Brady had a regular season for ther ages. Now the pressure mounts even more. Since the 1972 Dolphins, mo team has entered the post-season with more pressure on it than the Pats.
Biggest Flop in '07 - The #1 pick overall in the draft, playing on a team coming off a winless season, should make some sort of impact. For whatever reason, he didn't.
Best moment in '07 - Seeing Ed Reed on thefield pleading with the coaches on the sideline to let the players play and stay out of the way after the defensive coordinator of the Ravens called timeout saving the Pats'perfect season just after the fourth down conversion attempt failed.
Best Game in '07 - See above. It had everything, including old warriors (Ravens' defense) making one last stand in trying to stop perfection.
Biggest Off-season Blunder - The Chiefs dumping Trent Green. That was the start of a downhile cycle.
Best off-season acquisition - No brainer. Moss for a #4.
Luckiest man in the NFL - Marvin Lewis of Cincinnati. His teams don't win and they embarrass the organization and city off the field on a consistent basis. The only thing I can think of is the organization is so cheap, he must have years left on his deal and they don't want to pay him to stay home and golf while paying another coach to fix the mess.
Biggest mystery in 2007 - How the Jaguars can make the post-season, have no player earn Pro Bowl honors and their coach (Jack Del Rio) not be listed in the top tier in Coach of the Year voting.
Most Over-Hyped Team - The Giants. They are a decent team with no pizzazz but they get a ton of air time nationally. Can you say big market/New York bias? Who cares about the Giants. If they were located anywhere else, hardly anyone would notice. The same goes for their quarterback (Ely Manning). Someone remind the New York press, he's not named Peyton.
Worse Draft Move - The woeful Dolphins taking Ted Gynn out of Ohio State. We say this one coming years ago when OSU nation ridiculed us when we stated he was not going to be an impact pro. The Dolphins obviously disagreed.
You have to work hard to go 1-15, including making numerous personnel blunders. Count this one among them -atleast after year one. Gynn gets to show he can play in year #2. The guys who drafted him and coached him don't. Such is the business.
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