Houston Rockets rookie forward Royce White may never play in the NBA, and it has nothing to do with on-the-court issues. White has an anxiety disorder, and maintains that he will not do anything to jeopardize his mental health, even if that means retiring as a professional basketball player before he even gets started.
White and the Rockets have a unique dynamic right now. I'm hesitant to call it a skirmish, but there's certainly a disconnect between the two parties. White feels that the Rockets have not been accommodating toward his anxiety, and the Rockets continue to fine White for every day that he does not report to D-League practice and meet with a team-appointed therapist. While Houston has maintained that they will neither release nor trade White, it certainly would not be surprising to envision White no longer with the team. Will he be able to play for another team, though? It certainly seems doubtful, especially because White has been very public about his anxiety.
Despite the fact that nearly 18 percent of Americans, including myself, have some form of anxiety disorder, it is somewhat of a private disorder. There is a definite level of shame and stigma attached to anxiety, as it is not a visible disease and because it is often associated directly to simply being scared or nervous. For White to be so outspoken on a national level about his anxiety, then, is admirable. However, as someone who has been through some of the same issues as White, sometimes publicly and sometimes not, I wonder if there will come a time that he will regret speaking out.
Whether we like it or not, professional teams are not going to have a large amount of tolerance for White because they will view him as "problem child" with "character issues." Teams are supposed to be bigger than any one person, especially when that player is not a superstar. White wants to ride on buses or trains instead of flying long distances, something perfectly acceptable in general society, but gives off the idea of aloofness and egotistic in the context of team sports. At this juncture, White may feel that being public about his anxiety is the best course of action, but he may not always feel that way, and since he is such a public figure, there is no way to take back the things that he has said. I'm not saying that White has anything to be ashamed about, but there have been times when I have wanted to address a personal issue publicly before ultimately deciding that I should not to do so because I don't want to deal with the potential repercussions. I just hope that White's forthcoming nature does not result in his undoing.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The Worst Trade of All Time?
The Miami Marlins just traded five players, plus their dignity, to the Toronto Blue Jays for little more than salary relief. In all, the Blue Jays receive all-star shortstop Jose Reyes, ace Josh Johnson, durable pitcher Mark Buehrle, catcher John Buck, and super-utility man Emilio Bonifacio. The Marlins will receive shortstop Yunel Escobar, who is known primarily for his notoriously bad attitude, pitcher Henderson Alvarez, and prospects Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino, and Adeiny Hechavarria.
To say this is merely a salary dump is understating the absurdity of this trade. At least when the Boston Red Sox gave up Adrian Gonzalez, they made the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the albatross that is Carl Crawford and his contract. In this case, the Blue Jays instantly become contenders in the tough AL East without taking any bad contracts, while the Marlins entirely rebuild under owner/cheapskate Jeffrey Loria. Reyes is signed for five more years, and he's only 29 years old. Johnson, who when healthy is one of the best pitchers in the major leagues, is signed for one year at $13.5 million. Buehrle is signed for three more years, and has shown no signs of slowing down at 33. Bonifacio is only making 2.2 million dollars in 2013 and is incredibly speedy, and Buck is a catcher with power who is signed for a reasonable contract. So Toronto gains 5 assets and 0 liabilities.
If that isn't crazy enough, what did Toronto really have to give up? Escobar is solid defensively, but he hasn't hit well in three years, and infamously got suspended for writing a gay slur on his eye-black in September. Alvarez struck out an absurdly low 3.8 batters per nine innings, and if a pitcher can't miss any bats, he's simply not going to be effective no matter how effective his walk and ground ball rates are. Hechavarria is only 23, but he doesn't walk, has no power, and is not a good base stealer. Marsnick is a decent prospect, though he had a poor 2012 season after a very good 2011. Nicolino is probably the best player in this deal, as he's 21, struck out nearly a batter per inning, and had a 2.46 ERA in 2012. However, Nicolino has yet to play above A-ball, and he is by no means a guaranteed star. So even if I were being generous, the Marlins receive more question marks than true assets, while giving up every valuable player they have except for Giancarlo Stanton. After moving to a new ballpark, the Marlins look like they might actually spend to contend, but after one disastrous year, they seem content to simply help other teams do so.
To say this is merely a salary dump is understating the absurdity of this trade. At least when the Boston Red Sox gave up Adrian Gonzalez, they made the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the albatross that is Carl Crawford and his contract. In this case, the Blue Jays instantly become contenders in the tough AL East without taking any bad contracts, while the Marlins entirely rebuild under owner/cheapskate Jeffrey Loria. Reyes is signed for five more years, and he's only 29 years old. Johnson, who when healthy is one of the best pitchers in the major leagues, is signed for one year at $13.5 million. Buehrle is signed for three more years, and has shown no signs of slowing down at 33. Bonifacio is only making 2.2 million dollars in 2013 and is incredibly speedy, and Buck is a catcher with power who is signed for a reasonable contract. So Toronto gains 5 assets and 0 liabilities.
If that isn't crazy enough, what did Toronto really have to give up? Escobar is solid defensively, but he hasn't hit well in three years, and infamously got suspended for writing a gay slur on his eye-black in September. Alvarez struck out an absurdly low 3.8 batters per nine innings, and if a pitcher can't miss any bats, he's simply not going to be effective no matter how effective his walk and ground ball rates are. Hechavarria is only 23, but he doesn't walk, has no power, and is not a good base stealer. Marsnick is a decent prospect, though he had a poor 2012 season after a very good 2011. Nicolino is probably the best player in this deal, as he's 21, struck out nearly a batter per inning, and had a 2.46 ERA in 2012. However, Nicolino has yet to play above A-ball, and he is by no means a guaranteed star. So even if I were being generous, the Marlins receive more question marks than true assets, while giving up every valuable player they have except for Giancarlo Stanton. After moving to a new ballpark, the Marlins look like they might actually spend to contend, but after one disastrous year, they seem content to simply help other teams do so.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Lance Armstrong is not Satan
To say it's been a rough past couple of weeks for Lance Armstrong is a massive understatement. In addition to a scathing report from the U.S. anti-doping agency about him, Armstrong has lost nearly all of his sponsorships, stepped down as Chariman of the popular charity Livestrong, and has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. Pretty much, the world has decided that because Lance Armstrong used steroids, he no longer exists. Or at least, they're attempting to render amnesia upon everyone, but it's not possible.
Lance Armstrong doped, that's about as clear as can be, and indeed it's been clear for several years. Fourteen of his former teammates testified against him. FOURTEEN! As in, more than the number of victims that testified against Jerry Sandusky in his molestation trial. However, just because Lance Armstrong cheated in a sport where cheating is routine does not mean that we can just forget everything about him. Here's what happened: Lance Armstrong had testicular cancer. He came back from that cancer that severely threatened his life, went back to being a world-class athlete, and helped raise hundreds of million dollars to fight the world's most hated disease today. And because he doped, we can all act like we're better than he is? Yeah, right. I'm sure if you had the opportunity to have Armstrong's story again, you'd take it. We all would.
We all like to shake our heads and sigh when someone gets caught cheating, forgetting that we want to see the results no matter how it gets done. It was the same as the 1998 home run race, and USC football's 2005 championship. Erasing the titles is a meaningless cop-out. I'm not going to suddenly think to myself, "yeah, 1999-2005 cycling was so lame, I don't even know who won." Lance Armstrong got me to care about cycling. He got me to support Livestrong, he inspired me that you can come back from a near death-sentence and accomplish things that seem nearly impossible even when you're in peak physical strength. That hasn't changed, just because he took steroids. We're not living in a virtual reality here, and we can't choose which events we accept and which we don't.
Lance Armstrong doped, that's about as clear as can be, and indeed it's been clear for several years. Fourteen of his former teammates testified against him. FOURTEEN! As in, more than the number of victims that testified against Jerry Sandusky in his molestation trial. However, just because Lance Armstrong cheated in a sport where cheating is routine does not mean that we can just forget everything about him. Here's what happened: Lance Armstrong had testicular cancer. He came back from that cancer that severely threatened his life, went back to being a world-class athlete, and helped raise hundreds of million dollars to fight the world's most hated disease today. And because he doped, we can all act like we're better than he is? Yeah, right. I'm sure if you had the opportunity to have Armstrong's story again, you'd take it. We all would.
We all like to shake our heads and sigh when someone gets caught cheating, forgetting that we want to see the results no matter how it gets done. It was the same as the 1998 home run race, and USC football's 2005 championship. Erasing the titles is a meaningless cop-out. I'm not going to suddenly think to myself, "yeah, 1999-2005 cycling was so lame, I don't even know who won." Lance Armstrong got me to care about cycling. He got me to support Livestrong, he inspired me that you can come back from a near death-sentence and accomplish things that seem nearly impossible even when you're in peak physical strength. That hasn't changed, just because he took steroids. We're not living in a virtual reality here, and we can't choose which events we accept and which we don't.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
10 Reasons Why People Hate LeBron James
1. He signed with another team as a free agent in a free market.
2. He offered to take less money to play there so that the team would be able to sign other valuable players.
3. He joined the team that he believed would put him in the best position to win a championship.
4. He announced his decision in such a way that he was able to raise 2.5 million dollars for the Boys & Girls Club.
5. He promised cheering fans at a team rally that the team would win championships.
6. He has had two bad playoff games in his career, which are more important than every other game he has ever played.
7. He didn't choose to play for the team that you love.
8. He passes to his open teammates at the end of games instead of trying to take an off-balance 21-footer while being triple-teamed.
9. He's from Akron, which means he should stay in Cleveland, where his top sidekick was supposed to be Antawn Jamison, because everyone must play their entire careers in the state in which you were raised.
10. He thinks he's a great basketball player, whereas in reality he is merely a great basketball player.
2. He offered to take less money to play there so that the team would be able to sign other valuable players.
3. He joined the team that he believed would put him in the best position to win a championship.
4. He announced his decision in such a way that he was able to raise 2.5 million dollars for the Boys & Girls Club.
5. He promised cheering fans at a team rally that the team would win championships.
6. He has had two bad playoff games in his career, which are more important than every other game he has ever played.
7. He didn't choose to play for the team that you love.
8. He passes to his open teammates at the end of games instead of trying to take an off-balance 21-footer while being triple-teamed.
9. He's from Akron, which means he should stay in Cleveland, where his top sidekick was supposed to be Antawn Jamison, because everyone must play their entire careers in the state in which you were raised.
10. He thinks he's a great basketball player, whereas in reality he is merely a great basketball player.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
James clear 2011 - 2012 NBA MVP
The NBA regular season is nearly over, which means it is about that
time when everyone agonizes over the season’s awards. In particular,
fans and columnists alike are debating who should win the Most Valuable
Player.
Some columnists, such as Bill Simmons of Grantland, contend that this is one of those seasons when a player will win MVP by default. The argument goes as follows: it is a strike-shortened season, and the league’s quality of play has decreased, as we can see by the decrease in scoring.
Quite simply, I disagree: LeBron James is very clearly the MVP this year.
The media loves storylines, and as a result it sometimes creates its own. Last year, for instance, when Derrick Rose became one of the top players in the NBA as the Bulls came in first place in the Eastern Conference, the media, who vote on all NBA awards, decided that it was more interesting to name Rose the MVP than to give it to James, who had won the previous two seasons, despite James outplaying him statistically last season.
It is the same reason that Charles Barkley won the 1993 MVP and Karl Malone won the 1997 MVP, both instead of the more deserving Michael Jordan: it is much more interesting when different players win the MVP, and it creates a narrative that those who cover the NBA can use to their advantage. Even though Jordan deserved eight or nine MVPs, he “only” won five because other players needed to be rewarded by the media.
James is a strongly polarizing figure because he is considered a postseason “choker” and was widely derided for the way in which he left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010. Because of this, many NBA fans and observers refuse to recognize that James is not only the best player in the league, but also is the most valuable to his team in the regular season. Despite the fact that James’ best teammate, Dwyane Wade, missed thirteen games, and despite only two other players on the Heat besides James having an above average Player Efficiency Rating (PER), the Heat are 43-17 and in second place in the Eastern Conference. This Miami team does not have any depth, and does not even have a starting-caliber center.
James is the reason that the Heat is a serious contender to win the NBA championship; Chris Bosh more of a very good third wheel than he is a member of Miami “Big Three.”
Whether you choose to examine basic or advanced statistics, James is clearly the best player this season. In just under 38 minutes per game, James is averaging 27.1 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, and 6.3 assists per game. He also averages 1.9 steals per game and is shooting nearly 53 percent from the floor, despite taking more shots than nearly anybody else in the NBA.
In addition, James is first in the NBA with a 30.5 PER, first with 13.6 Win Shares, seventh in Offensive Rating, and eleventh in Defensive Rating. To sum all up all of those statistics, James has dominated both offensively and defensively on a level which no other player can match.
Some people may not like James, but they should at least respect that during the regular season, when the media votes on the awards, he is consistently both the best and most valuable player in the league, and it is not particularly close. Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and Kevin Love (before he got hurt) have all had great seasons of their own and should be recognized with selection to the All-NBA teams that also are voted upon after the regular season is completed.
However, just because James did not play well in an NBA Finals game last season does not mean that he should be penalized for MVP this season, just as some other player should not be undeservingly rewarded simply for not being James.
Some columnists, such as Bill Simmons of Grantland, contend that this is one of those seasons when a player will win MVP by default. The argument goes as follows: it is a strike-shortened season, and the league’s quality of play has decreased, as we can see by the decrease in scoring.
Quite simply, I disagree: LeBron James is very clearly the MVP this year.
The media loves storylines, and as a result it sometimes creates its own. Last year, for instance, when Derrick Rose became one of the top players in the NBA as the Bulls came in first place in the Eastern Conference, the media, who vote on all NBA awards, decided that it was more interesting to name Rose the MVP than to give it to James, who had won the previous two seasons, despite James outplaying him statistically last season.
It is the same reason that Charles Barkley won the 1993 MVP and Karl Malone won the 1997 MVP, both instead of the more deserving Michael Jordan: it is much more interesting when different players win the MVP, and it creates a narrative that those who cover the NBA can use to their advantage. Even though Jordan deserved eight or nine MVPs, he “only” won five because other players needed to be rewarded by the media.
James is a strongly polarizing figure because he is considered a postseason “choker” and was widely derided for the way in which he left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010. Because of this, many NBA fans and observers refuse to recognize that James is not only the best player in the league, but also is the most valuable to his team in the regular season. Despite the fact that James’ best teammate, Dwyane Wade, missed thirteen games, and despite only two other players on the Heat besides James having an above average Player Efficiency Rating (PER), the Heat are 43-17 and in second place in the Eastern Conference. This Miami team does not have any depth, and does not even have a starting-caliber center.
James is the reason that the Heat is a serious contender to win the NBA championship; Chris Bosh more of a very good third wheel than he is a member of Miami “Big Three.”
Whether you choose to examine basic or advanced statistics, James is clearly the best player this season. In just under 38 minutes per game, James is averaging 27.1 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, and 6.3 assists per game. He also averages 1.9 steals per game and is shooting nearly 53 percent from the floor, despite taking more shots than nearly anybody else in the NBA.
In addition, James is first in the NBA with a 30.5 PER, first with 13.6 Win Shares, seventh in Offensive Rating, and eleventh in Defensive Rating. To sum all up all of those statistics, James has dominated both offensively and defensively on a level which no other player can match.
Some people may not like James, but they should at least respect that during the regular season, when the media votes on the awards, he is consistently both the best and most valuable player in the league, and it is not particularly close. Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and Kevin Love (before he got hurt) have all had great seasons of their own and should be recognized with selection to the All-NBA teams that also are voted upon after the regular season is completed.
However, just because James did not play well in an NBA Finals game last season does not mean that he should be penalized for MVP this season, just as some other player should not be undeservingly rewarded simply for not being James.
Guillen’s suspension undeserved
How many times have you heard some variation of the following from a
baseball manager: “We just need to work hard and play solid, fundamental
baseball for nine innings, and then we’ll be in every game.” How cliché
and how boring, you think. Can’t a coach act more like a person than a
robot? Well, he certainly can, but why would he when he inevitably gets
punished directly for his statements?
Last week, in his typical stream-of-consciousness, Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen remarked: “I love Fidel Castro,” and went on to say that he “respect[s] Fidel Castro, you know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that motherfucker is still here.” Guillen could not have chosen a worse person to talk about: He is managing in Miami, which is full of immigrants from Cuba who despise Castro and consider him a brutal dictator. After public outcry among Latino-American groups in Miami, Guillen apologized for his remarks. The Marlins organization also suspended Guillen for five games for his comments.
But wait a minute, what exactly did Guillen do wrong? He voiced his opinion. It is a controversial opinion, certainly, but why should that matter? Every person has opinions. No matter what opinion you have, there will be many others who disagree with you, sometimes vehemently. However, that doesn’t mean that you should be discouraged from voicing them. It is much more dangerous for society to censor and excoriate unpopular opinions than it is for a person to actually utter such beliefs.
Ultimately, the Marlins’ decision to suspend Guillen is entirely business-related. If the organization did not punish the manager in some way, the Marlins would risk severely straining its relationship with much of the team’s fan base. And as a private organization, the Marlins have a legal right to suspend Guillen, but it does not mean that they were right for doing so.
Recently retired St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was arrested in 2002 for driving under the influence when he was found asleep in his car in the middle of an intersection. La Russa later pled guilty to the DUI charge. He was never suspended by the Cardinals or by Major League Baseball. In 1995, former Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox was accused of punching his wife and pulling her hair in a domestic dispute. Though the criminal charges were later dropped, Cox was ordered to complete violence counseling and an alcohol evaluation. Not only was no action taken by the Braves or the MLB, but Cox managed the team to a World Series victory that year, celebrating with the team as was traditional: with as much champagne as one can imagine.
However, maybe Guillen’s comments were worse than committing a crime that endangers others’ lives. Words can be hurtful, right? Imagine if Guillen said that “Sneaky goddamn Jews are all alike,” or that he banned his players from wearing earrings because “only fruits wear earrings.”
Those remarks would be hurtful and offensive to entire groups of people. I’m sure if someone uttered those remarks, he or she would be punished immediately. Oh wait, someone did say those exact things: former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott. She also made derogatory comments against African-Americans and Japanese people. However, she was able to stay owner for two years after making these remarks before Major League Baseball decided that she might not be in the league’s best interest and suspended her for a year. Of course, she was reinstated, continued to make derogatory and insensitive remarks, and fired her manager because he was living with his fiancé, all within the next three years.
Ozzie Guillen’s comments had no impact upon Fidel Castro’s leadership. He never endorsed violence nor did he insult a group of people. All Guillen did was casually voice his opinion that happened to make national headlines. Since when is that worthy of a suspension? When Guillen returns, don’t be surprised if he utters clichés about a “team” and “playing hard the whole game.” Because people aren’t allowed in a clubhouse anymore.
Last week, in his typical stream-of-consciousness, Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen remarked: “I love Fidel Castro,” and went on to say that he “respect[s] Fidel Castro, you know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that motherfucker is still here.” Guillen could not have chosen a worse person to talk about: He is managing in Miami, which is full of immigrants from Cuba who despise Castro and consider him a brutal dictator. After public outcry among Latino-American groups in Miami, Guillen apologized for his remarks. The Marlins organization also suspended Guillen for five games for his comments.
But wait a minute, what exactly did Guillen do wrong? He voiced his opinion. It is a controversial opinion, certainly, but why should that matter? Every person has opinions. No matter what opinion you have, there will be many others who disagree with you, sometimes vehemently. However, that doesn’t mean that you should be discouraged from voicing them. It is much more dangerous for society to censor and excoriate unpopular opinions than it is for a person to actually utter such beliefs.
Ultimately, the Marlins’ decision to suspend Guillen is entirely business-related. If the organization did not punish the manager in some way, the Marlins would risk severely straining its relationship with much of the team’s fan base. And as a private organization, the Marlins have a legal right to suspend Guillen, but it does not mean that they were right for doing so.
Recently retired St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was arrested in 2002 for driving under the influence when he was found asleep in his car in the middle of an intersection. La Russa later pled guilty to the DUI charge. He was never suspended by the Cardinals or by Major League Baseball. In 1995, former Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox was accused of punching his wife and pulling her hair in a domestic dispute. Though the criminal charges were later dropped, Cox was ordered to complete violence counseling and an alcohol evaluation. Not only was no action taken by the Braves or the MLB, but Cox managed the team to a World Series victory that year, celebrating with the team as was traditional: with as much champagne as one can imagine.
However, maybe Guillen’s comments were worse than committing a crime that endangers others’ lives. Words can be hurtful, right? Imagine if Guillen said that “Sneaky goddamn Jews are all alike,” or that he banned his players from wearing earrings because “only fruits wear earrings.”
Those remarks would be hurtful and offensive to entire groups of people. I’m sure if someone uttered those remarks, he or she would be punished immediately. Oh wait, someone did say those exact things: former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott. She also made derogatory comments against African-Americans and Japanese people. However, she was able to stay owner for two years after making these remarks before Major League Baseball decided that she might not be in the league’s best interest and suspended her for a year. Of course, she was reinstated, continued to make derogatory and insensitive remarks, and fired her manager because he was living with his fiancé, all within the next three years.
Ozzie Guillen’s comments had no impact upon Fidel Castro’s leadership. He never endorsed violence nor did he insult a group of people. All Guillen did was casually voice his opinion that happened to make national headlines. Since when is that worthy of a suspension? When Guillen returns, don’t be surprised if he utters clichés about a “team” and “playing hard the whole game.” Because people aren’t allowed in a clubhouse anymore.
With PGA win, Woods regains form
Last Sunday, Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando,
Fla. Three years ago, there would be no point in typing that previous
sentence: Woods was by far the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world, and
seemingly well on his way to becoming the greatest golfer who has ever
lived. However, as we all know now, appearances can deceive. When news
outlets first reported that Woods was involved in a car crash on
November 27, 2009, I remember being concerned about whether he was
physically injured. After all, Woods did tear his ACL the year before
and was still in somewhat of a recovery mode. While the car crash caused
only minor injuries for Woods, it was merely the first of many setbacks
that brought Tiger further down than we thought possible.
Under speculation that Elin Nordegren, Woods’ wife at the time, was chasing him with a golf club in anger right before he crashed, the media and tabloids began digging into Tiger’s personal history. Soon, mounting evidence appeared that Woods was involved in multiple extramarital affairs. For the first time in his life, Woods was a villain rather than a deity. As famous as he had been, he always had a true squeaky-clean image: Never did fans hear about him partying recklessly, saying anything controversial or doing anything that might antagonize anyone. On February 19, 2010, Woods publicly apologized for the pain he caused Nordegren and their two young children, and soon after entered rehabilitation for sexual addiction.
With its most marketable athlete out of the public eye, the PGA was somewhat of a side event for casual fans. People were just waiting for Woods to make a comeback. I think it’s fair to say that most golf fans wanted Woods to start dominating again, because people tend to appreciate greatness and believe in giving public figures second chances. Certainly, most people who followed golf believed Woods would come back with a vengeance; he was the proverbial machine, and nothing could rattle him. Yet, when he returned, Woods was shaky. “He’ll dominate soon enough,” we all thought. “He has just been away from the game for a couple months.”
Except that, for the most part, Woods continued to struggle. When he did happen to have a great round, he inevitably followed it up with a shaky performance. Woods’ trademark consistency appeared to be a thing of the past; his putting worsened rather dramatically from his peak, and other golfers were finally able to catch up. Indeed, on November 1, 2010, Woods relinquished his No. 1 ranking that he had had for the previous 281 weeks. No particular golfer rose to Woods’ level; instead Woods fell to that of his competitors. Three years ago, we all wondered when Woods would win his next major. Suddenly, we questioned if he would win at all.
As a result, the public’s interest in golf continued to fade. The only times casual fans followed the PGA were during the four Grand Slam tournaments and any tournament in which Tiger Woods was among the leaders. Yet no Sunday afternoon after November 2009 ended with Woods hoisting a trophy for his PGA victory—until last Sunday. Those who were rooting for the return of Woods finally got their wish, albeit far later than they would have hoped or expected.
Woods, at 36 years old, is no longer the young hotshot that he was for a decade. However, his issue was never age; rather, it was whether he could mentally recover from his personal life falling apart in the most public way possible. Winning isn’t everything, even for Woods, but you better believe that this was the best reward he could have expected. And, perhaps just as importantly, it was the best reward for us, too, because, for once, we no longer took an athlete’s dominance for granted.
Under speculation that Elin Nordegren, Woods’ wife at the time, was chasing him with a golf club in anger right before he crashed, the media and tabloids began digging into Tiger’s personal history. Soon, mounting evidence appeared that Woods was involved in multiple extramarital affairs. For the first time in his life, Woods was a villain rather than a deity. As famous as he had been, he always had a true squeaky-clean image: Never did fans hear about him partying recklessly, saying anything controversial or doing anything that might antagonize anyone. On February 19, 2010, Woods publicly apologized for the pain he caused Nordegren and their two young children, and soon after entered rehabilitation for sexual addiction.
With its most marketable athlete out of the public eye, the PGA was somewhat of a side event for casual fans. People were just waiting for Woods to make a comeback. I think it’s fair to say that most golf fans wanted Woods to start dominating again, because people tend to appreciate greatness and believe in giving public figures second chances. Certainly, most people who followed golf believed Woods would come back with a vengeance; he was the proverbial machine, and nothing could rattle him. Yet, when he returned, Woods was shaky. “He’ll dominate soon enough,” we all thought. “He has just been away from the game for a couple months.”
Except that, for the most part, Woods continued to struggle. When he did happen to have a great round, he inevitably followed it up with a shaky performance. Woods’ trademark consistency appeared to be a thing of the past; his putting worsened rather dramatically from his peak, and other golfers were finally able to catch up. Indeed, on November 1, 2010, Woods relinquished his No. 1 ranking that he had had for the previous 281 weeks. No particular golfer rose to Woods’ level; instead Woods fell to that of his competitors. Three years ago, we all wondered when Woods would win his next major. Suddenly, we questioned if he would win at all.
As a result, the public’s interest in golf continued to fade. The only times casual fans followed the PGA were during the four Grand Slam tournaments and any tournament in which Tiger Woods was among the leaders. Yet no Sunday afternoon after November 2009 ended with Woods hoisting a trophy for his PGA victory—until last Sunday. Those who were rooting for the return of Woods finally got their wish, albeit far later than they would have hoped or expected.
Woods, at 36 years old, is no longer the young hotshot that he was for a decade. However, his issue was never age; rather, it was whether he could mentally recover from his personal life falling apart in the most public way possible. Winning isn’t everything, even for Woods, but you better believe that this was the best reward he could have expected. And, perhaps just as importantly, it was the best reward for us, too, because, for once, we no longer took an athlete’s dominance for granted.
Unexpected Turn in Tebow Narrative
NOTE: I wrote this column just a day before Tebow was ultimately traded to the New York Jets.
On Monday afternoon, legendary quarterback Peyton Manning rocked the NFL world by telling his agent to negotiate a contract with the Denver Broncos. The next day, the Broncos held a press conference to announce they officially signed Manning to a five-year contract worth up to $96 million. Since Manning will be 36 years old by the start of the 2012 season and he missed all of last season due to multiple neck surgeries, this signing is the epitome of high-risk, high-reward. And while there are limitless storylines about how Peyton Manning’s arrival will affect Denver, I am most intrigued by how this whole situation impacts Tim Tebow.
Last season, “Tebow Time” was one of the rare instances in which an athlete transcends sports. In a season where quarterbacks threw for record numbers across the league, it was the quarterback who nearly always ran that received the most attention. Everyone had an opinion about Tebow, whether he or she was a sports fan or not. Now we know for sure what Broncos Hall-of-Fame quarterback-turned-executive John Elway thinks about him as well: that Tim Tebow is not a starting-caliber quarterback.
Now that Tebow will either be relegated to the Broncos’ bench or traded, I can safely say that never in my life have I witnessed this type of scenario. Let’s say that I pitched you a movie that went as follows: a hard-working, deeply religious quarterback, who had succeeded in all previous levels in which he had played even though nobody believed in him, kept winning at the highest level. Despite his skeptics, he quarterbacked a team that went from one of the worst in the league to one that won a game in the playoffs. So far, this doesn’t sound so far-fetched. However, what if I said that the movie ended with this quarterback, revered for his high character, getting flat-out rejected by his own front office in favor of a bigger-name player?
This is the key: Tebow’s story mirrors sports movies such as Rookie of the Year and Little Big League…until the end. Tebow does not get to retire into the sunset, for everyone to remember his glory, something that Elway himself was able to do when he won the Super Bowl in his final two seasons. Instead, Tebow gets replaced, and even worse, everyone who rooted for him last year in Denver has no qualms about it whatsoever. I am not insinuating that the fans or the Broncos’ management are wrong for signing Manning, who when healthy has been one of the single greatest quarterbacks of all time. Rather, Tebow’s predicament fascinates me simply because, by choice, Elway and his employees have ended their own feel-good story.
From my point of view, Tebow inevitably will be traded: how can Denver keep him just so he can hold a clipboard? After all, he will only be entering his third NFL season, and as a quarterback who showed a propensity for winning, whether it was truly to his credit or not, he will be desired by several smaller-market teams in need of both a quarterback and an attendance draw. Indeed, for the sake of Tim Tebow’s legend, he must be traded. Teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins are desperately looking for success on and off the field. Wouldn’t having Tebow not only compete for the starting quarterback position, but also further endear the team to its fans be a no-brainer decision? Since Denver has no true incentive to keep him, the asking price will most likely be fairly low.
People consistently perceive the NFL to take precedence over any individual player. That may be true, but no one challenges that perception as much as Tim Tebow does. For him to sit on the bench for an organization that does not have faith in his quarterbacking abilities would do both the NFL and its fans a disservice. I don’t want this story to end with a thud, and neither do you. It’s time for a sequel that actually lives up to expectations.
On Monday afternoon, legendary quarterback Peyton Manning rocked the NFL world by telling his agent to negotiate a contract with the Denver Broncos. The next day, the Broncos held a press conference to announce they officially signed Manning to a five-year contract worth up to $96 million. Since Manning will be 36 years old by the start of the 2012 season and he missed all of last season due to multiple neck surgeries, this signing is the epitome of high-risk, high-reward. And while there are limitless storylines about how Peyton Manning’s arrival will affect Denver, I am most intrigued by how this whole situation impacts Tim Tebow.
Last season, “Tebow Time” was one of the rare instances in which an athlete transcends sports. In a season where quarterbacks threw for record numbers across the league, it was the quarterback who nearly always ran that received the most attention. Everyone had an opinion about Tebow, whether he or she was a sports fan or not. Now we know for sure what Broncos Hall-of-Fame quarterback-turned-executive John Elway thinks about him as well: that Tim Tebow is not a starting-caliber quarterback.
Now that Tebow will either be relegated to the Broncos’ bench or traded, I can safely say that never in my life have I witnessed this type of scenario. Let’s say that I pitched you a movie that went as follows: a hard-working, deeply religious quarterback, who had succeeded in all previous levels in which he had played even though nobody believed in him, kept winning at the highest level. Despite his skeptics, he quarterbacked a team that went from one of the worst in the league to one that won a game in the playoffs. So far, this doesn’t sound so far-fetched. However, what if I said that the movie ended with this quarterback, revered for his high character, getting flat-out rejected by his own front office in favor of a bigger-name player?
This is the key: Tebow’s story mirrors sports movies such as Rookie of the Year and Little Big League…until the end. Tebow does not get to retire into the sunset, for everyone to remember his glory, something that Elway himself was able to do when he won the Super Bowl in his final two seasons. Instead, Tebow gets replaced, and even worse, everyone who rooted for him last year in Denver has no qualms about it whatsoever. I am not insinuating that the fans or the Broncos’ management are wrong for signing Manning, who when healthy has been one of the single greatest quarterbacks of all time. Rather, Tebow’s predicament fascinates me simply because, by choice, Elway and his employees have ended their own feel-good story.
From my point of view, Tebow inevitably will be traded: how can Denver keep him just so he can hold a clipboard? After all, he will only be entering his third NFL season, and as a quarterback who showed a propensity for winning, whether it was truly to his credit or not, he will be desired by several smaller-market teams in need of both a quarterback and an attendance draw. Indeed, for the sake of Tim Tebow’s legend, he must be traded. Teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Miami Dolphins are desperately looking for success on and off the field. Wouldn’t having Tebow not only compete for the starting quarterback position, but also further endear the team to its fans be a no-brainer decision? Since Denver has no true incentive to keep him, the asking price will most likely be fairly low.
People consistently perceive the NFL to take precedence over any individual player. That may be true, but no one challenges that perception as much as Tim Tebow does. For him to sit on the bench for an organization that does not have faith in his quarterbacking abilities would do both the NFL and its fans a disservice. I don’t want this story to end with a thud, and neither do you. It’s time for a sequel that actually lives up to expectations.
Spicing up NBA All-Star Weekend
The NBA All-Star Game will be played this Sunday, but it will be far
from the only NBA-related event of the weekend. The Slam Dunk Contest,
the Three-Point Shootout, the Skills Competition and the
Rookie-Sophomore game will all lead up to the main event. All things
considered, the weekend should be fun to follow, even for the casual
fan. However, that does not mean that I haven't been thinking of ways to
make All-Star weekend even more entertaining, only some of which
involve Jeremy Lin. If I become NBA commissioner for some reason, expect
to see the following events:
Croquet Competition: One of the main criticisms of the NBA All-Star Weekend is that there is not enough time for players to rest, which is particularly true in this condensed season. At the same time, we know athletes always want to stay competitive. Not only is croquet physically relaxing, it gives the potential for a commentator to legitimately say: "Kenyon Martin knocks Metta World Peace's ball through the third wicket!"
Capture the Flag: Everyone loved playing capture the flag as a child, only to somehow find themselves in college doing something called "homework." Imagine watching some of the very best athletes, who probably have not even thought about the game in 10 years, strategize how they can get to the other side without being thrown in jail. As a bonus, the "flags" will be J.J. Barea and Earl Boykins, who are small enough that they can be held in Dwight Howard's palm.
Trivial Pursuit: Did you ever wonder which NBA players knew the capital of Syria? If yes, then you are either: A. Me, or B. The perfect audience for the greatest intellectual competition of all-time (excluding every other intellectual competition). Jeremy Lin will be the judge in order to prevent the inevitable argument over which team the Harvard University graduate should play for.
Twenty Questions: Will LeBron James think of an animal, a vegetable or a mineral? Will Kobe Bryant deliberately answer "no" to a question where the answer clearly is "yes"? The suspense is already killing me!
Jeremy Lin Pun Contest: Players will be divided into three teams. The team that comes up with the most puns based on Jeremy Lin's last name gets to be immune from ever hearing any more "Lin" puns again.
Mario Kart: NBA players are known to play lots of video games in their free time, particularly other basketball-related games. However, I think it would be far more interesting to watch Lamar Odom try to navigate Yoshi through Bowser's Castle without falling in the water. Also, there will be a five-second penalty for each player that curses, so watch Kevin Garnett as he pleas that he actually said, "lass goal."
Telephone: I always wondered what locker-room conversations must be like between teammates that speak different languages, but now I will know the answer. Each team will be required to have at least three different foreign players, all of whom speak different languages. To boot, each phrase will be a tongue twister, in order to ensure the utmost wackiness.
Miss America: Male athletes have a reputation for trying to be as masculine as possible, but everyone has different sides to them. What lip-gloss will Chris Paul choose to match his dress? Does Dirk Nowitzki even need a wig? These are questions that must be answered at once.
Bingo: At some point, every player will be in retirement. The best way, nay the ONLY way, to prepare for this inevitability is to master the art of bingo. Each bingo board will also be made of candy, in order to tempt Eddy Curry and Baron Davis into eating them.
Being Jeremy Lin: Only Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow are allowed to enter, and everyone around the world must watch by law.
Croquet Competition: One of the main criticisms of the NBA All-Star Weekend is that there is not enough time for players to rest, which is particularly true in this condensed season. At the same time, we know athletes always want to stay competitive. Not only is croquet physically relaxing, it gives the potential for a commentator to legitimately say: "Kenyon Martin knocks Metta World Peace's ball through the third wicket!"
Capture the Flag: Everyone loved playing capture the flag as a child, only to somehow find themselves in college doing something called "homework." Imagine watching some of the very best athletes, who probably have not even thought about the game in 10 years, strategize how they can get to the other side without being thrown in jail. As a bonus, the "flags" will be J.J. Barea and Earl Boykins, who are small enough that they can be held in Dwight Howard's palm.
Trivial Pursuit: Did you ever wonder which NBA players knew the capital of Syria? If yes, then you are either: A. Me, or B. The perfect audience for the greatest intellectual competition of all-time (excluding every other intellectual competition). Jeremy Lin will be the judge in order to prevent the inevitable argument over which team the Harvard University graduate should play for.
Twenty Questions: Will LeBron James think of an animal, a vegetable or a mineral? Will Kobe Bryant deliberately answer "no" to a question where the answer clearly is "yes"? The suspense is already killing me!
Jeremy Lin Pun Contest: Players will be divided into three teams. The team that comes up with the most puns based on Jeremy Lin's last name gets to be immune from ever hearing any more "Lin" puns again.
Mario Kart: NBA players are known to play lots of video games in their free time, particularly other basketball-related games. However, I think it would be far more interesting to watch Lamar Odom try to navigate Yoshi through Bowser's Castle without falling in the water. Also, there will be a five-second penalty for each player that curses, so watch Kevin Garnett as he pleas that he actually said, "lass goal."
Telephone: I always wondered what locker-room conversations must be like between teammates that speak different languages, but now I will know the answer. Each team will be required to have at least three different foreign players, all of whom speak different languages. To boot, each phrase will be a tongue twister, in order to ensure the utmost wackiness.
Miss America: Male athletes have a reputation for trying to be as masculine as possible, but everyone has different sides to them. What lip-gloss will Chris Paul choose to match his dress? Does Dirk Nowitzki even need a wig? These are questions that must be answered at once.
Bingo: At some point, every player will be in retirement. The best way, nay the ONLY way, to prepare for this inevitability is to master the art of bingo. Each bingo board will also be made of candy, in order to tempt Eddy Curry and Baron Davis into eating them.
Being Jeremy Lin: Only Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow are allowed to enter, and everyone around the world must watch by law.
Pros deserve a relaxing offseason
After last week's devastating Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants,
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and tackle Matt Light were
photographed dancing at a club and having a good time. Three days
later, former Patriots safety (and now NFL analyst) Rodney Harrison
remarked, "I guarantee you this, if [former Patriots] Willie McGinest,
Tedy Bruschi, Larry Izzo, Richard Seymour or myself had been at that
party, [Gronkowski] probably would have got his head rung. There's no
reason for that to happen." Gronkowski in particular received criticism
from Harrison, both because of his historic season and that his sprained
ankle limited him in the Super Bowl.
But none of this should matter at all. Just because Gronkowski and Light decided to go out and have fun instead of sulking in a corner after the game does not mean that they should be ostracized. People react to losses differently. And that's the key that Harrison overlooks: Athletes are people. They are not machines, despite what we fans often project them to be. Every time that a tragedy happens in the sporting world, we all pontificate that "everything is kept in perspective," and that "in the scheme of things, sports don't really matter." However, we forget this time and time again, and expect athletes to start working out for five straight months as soon as their season is over.
Does anyone legitimately think that Gronkowski faked or exaggerated his injury, that he did not try his absolute hardest in the biggest game of his life, just so he could save his energy so that he could dance in a club? Gronkowski and Light, along with the other 51 members of the Patriots roster worked their behinds off throughout the entire season. No one went clubbing the night before the Super Bowl: By late Sunday night, the season was over. Acting as if these two players betrayed their teammates is absurd.
On Friday, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick was spotted at the Pebble Beach Pro Am, a golf tournament in California. Nobody has more of a reputation as a hard worker than Belichick, and he managed to find himself playing golf at a beautiful resort. Why? Because it's the offseason, and even the most dedicated to their jobs deserve some time off. The five-day window makes no difference; there is no "too soon" in starting one's vacation from his vocation. Just as much as anyone, Belichick earned some time away from his job, and he has every right to enjoy himself.
Do you know what is wrong, though? Using Human Growth Hormone (HGH) to play football, despite it being a banned substance in the NFL. Gronkowski and Light never have tested positive for HGH, but Harrison did, in 2007. Harrison was subsequently suspended for four games, or a quarter of the regular season. Isn't breaking NFL rules and missing a large chunk of your season much more of a betrayal to your teammates than simply going out during the offseason?
It is so easy to judge others from a distance. The logic is as follows: If I am upset about my favorite team losing and am not really in the mood to go out, then why should those players be able to do so? However, Gronkowski, Light and every professional athlete who has ever lived happen to be humans that play a sport for a living. It's true, I swear. They are incredible physical specimens, but they are still just like anyone else. This may sound obvious, but it is actually rather inexplicable how often we forget.
If Harrison says that he would never go out after a loss, I have no reason not to believe him. And, of course, that is perfectly acceptable. However, he needs to get down from his proverbial soapbox and accept that these are young men who may want to simply celebrate how far they came this year and how hard they worked to get there.
But none of this should matter at all. Just because Gronkowski and Light decided to go out and have fun instead of sulking in a corner after the game does not mean that they should be ostracized. People react to losses differently. And that's the key that Harrison overlooks: Athletes are people. They are not machines, despite what we fans often project them to be. Every time that a tragedy happens in the sporting world, we all pontificate that "everything is kept in perspective," and that "in the scheme of things, sports don't really matter." However, we forget this time and time again, and expect athletes to start working out for five straight months as soon as their season is over.
Does anyone legitimately think that Gronkowski faked or exaggerated his injury, that he did not try his absolute hardest in the biggest game of his life, just so he could save his energy so that he could dance in a club? Gronkowski and Light, along with the other 51 members of the Patriots roster worked their behinds off throughout the entire season. No one went clubbing the night before the Super Bowl: By late Sunday night, the season was over. Acting as if these two players betrayed their teammates is absurd.
On Friday, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick was spotted at the Pebble Beach Pro Am, a golf tournament in California. Nobody has more of a reputation as a hard worker than Belichick, and he managed to find himself playing golf at a beautiful resort. Why? Because it's the offseason, and even the most dedicated to their jobs deserve some time off. The five-day window makes no difference; there is no "too soon" in starting one's vacation from his vocation. Just as much as anyone, Belichick earned some time away from his job, and he has every right to enjoy himself.
Do you know what is wrong, though? Using Human Growth Hormone (HGH) to play football, despite it being a banned substance in the NFL. Gronkowski and Light never have tested positive for HGH, but Harrison did, in 2007. Harrison was subsequently suspended for four games, or a quarter of the regular season. Isn't breaking NFL rules and missing a large chunk of your season much more of a betrayal to your teammates than simply going out during the offseason?
It is so easy to judge others from a distance. The logic is as follows: If I am upset about my favorite team losing and am not really in the mood to go out, then why should those players be able to do so? However, Gronkowski, Light and every professional athlete who has ever lived happen to be humans that play a sport for a living. It's true, I swear. They are incredible physical specimens, but they are still just like anyone else. This may sound obvious, but it is actually rather inexplicable how often we forget.
If Harrison says that he would never go out after a loss, I have no reason not to believe him. And, of course, that is perfectly acceptable. However, he needs to get down from his proverbial soapbox and accept that these are young men who may want to simply celebrate how far they came this year and how hard they worked to get there.
Guide to Super Bowl prop bets
This Sunday, millions of people around the country will be watching Super Bowl XLVI.
Some want to see the rematch of the Super Bowl four years prior, when
the New York Giants shocked the previously undefeated New England
Patriots. Others are interested in the new commercials that are set to
debut during the game. I, however, will be focusing much of my attention
on prop bets, or bets that don't directly involve the final outcome of
the game. I don't actually wager anything, mind you, but I do love
coming up with bets befitting the spectacle that is the Super Bowl.
Without further ado, in caps are my predictions on some interesting prop
bets with odds in parentheses. Some of these bets are real, and others I
came up with on my own.
Over/under 94 seconds for Kelly Clarkson to perform the National Anthem: OVER (-120). When a female singer known for her range performs the "Star Spangled Banner," the rendition can last forever. This is not a Billy Joel situation, where he sped through the Anthem in a largely traditional fashion. Clarkson will belt, hold her notes and potentially cry if she catches a glimpse at Eli Manning standing awkwardly on the sidelines.
What color will Madonna's hair be during the Super Bowl Halftime Show? ANY COLOR BESIDES BLONDE (+250). There's a good reason that Madonna and Dennis Rodman once were in a relationship with one another: They each constantly change their look. I expect Madonna, who has been a blonde for a relatively long time, to dye her hair at least seven times during her 10-15 minute set, and then shave her head as she duets with Sinead O'Connor. Nothing would compare to that.
Over/under one time that David Tyree's 2008 Super Bowl catch will be shown be shown on TV during the game (halftime does not count): OVER (-150). This is easy money. Tyree's famous helmet grab helped lead the Giants to their win over the Patriots four years earlier. Eli Manning is still the Giants' QB, and broadcasting booths love showing the same footage repeatedly if it helps establish a narrative. The bet should have been over/under three million Patriots fans cursing every time they watch the catch (OVER).
What color will Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick wear during the game? GRAY (OFF). All right, I made this one up. Still, there's no way he wears anything other than the blandest color possible, right? Belichick's goal is to remain unseen by the hundreds of millions of people who will be paying attention, in part, precisely to him. Bonus points if, in a public acknowledgement that he is actually the spawn of Satan, Belichick wears all red.
Who will score the first touchdown of the Super Bowl? BENJARVIS GREEN-ELLIS (+900). Both of these teams are very pass-happy, but Green-Ellis is locked in as the goal line running back for New England, and with zero fumbles in his NFL career, he's someone that Belichick can trust. A passing touchdown could go to any number of players, and the Giants split Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw in goal-line situations at running back. Of course, if you don't think any touchdowns will be scored during the entire game, you can bet on that too (+50000(!)).
Over/Under 3.5 times that Patriots owner Robert Kraft is shown on TV during the game (live pictures only): OVER (-140). The only way Kraft is not shown is if the Patriots get blown out. I don't see that happening since New England's offense is far too explosive. Every time New England scores a touchdown or gets an interception, NBC will show Kraft celebrating in the press box. This also gives the network an excuse to show you what the owner's box in the Super Bowl looks like so you can feel even more ashamed that you're watching the game on a 15-inch, black-and-white television.
Who will be named Super Bowl MVP? TIM TEBOW (No odds because he does not approve of your gambling). In fact, Tebow very well might perform in the halftime show and sing the National Anthem. But then, there are some things that even prop bets cannot cover.
Over/under 94 seconds for Kelly Clarkson to perform the National Anthem: OVER (-120). When a female singer known for her range performs the "Star Spangled Banner," the rendition can last forever. This is not a Billy Joel situation, where he sped through the Anthem in a largely traditional fashion. Clarkson will belt, hold her notes and potentially cry if she catches a glimpse at Eli Manning standing awkwardly on the sidelines.
What color will Madonna's hair be during the Super Bowl Halftime Show? ANY COLOR BESIDES BLONDE (+250). There's a good reason that Madonna and Dennis Rodman once were in a relationship with one another: They each constantly change their look. I expect Madonna, who has been a blonde for a relatively long time, to dye her hair at least seven times during her 10-15 minute set, and then shave her head as she duets with Sinead O'Connor. Nothing would compare to that.
Over/under one time that David Tyree's 2008 Super Bowl catch will be shown be shown on TV during the game (halftime does not count): OVER (-150). This is easy money. Tyree's famous helmet grab helped lead the Giants to their win over the Patriots four years earlier. Eli Manning is still the Giants' QB, and broadcasting booths love showing the same footage repeatedly if it helps establish a narrative. The bet should have been over/under three million Patriots fans cursing every time they watch the catch (OVER).
What color will Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick wear during the game? GRAY (OFF). All right, I made this one up. Still, there's no way he wears anything other than the blandest color possible, right? Belichick's goal is to remain unseen by the hundreds of millions of people who will be paying attention, in part, precisely to him. Bonus points if, in a public acknowledgement that he is actually the spawn of Satan, Belichick wears all red.
Who will score the first touchdown of the Super Bowl? BENJARVIS GREEN-ELLIS (+900). Both of these teams are very pass-happy, but Green-Ellis is locked in as the goal line running back for New England, and with zero fumbles in his NFL career, he's someone that Belichick can trust. A passing touchdown could go to any number of players, and the Giants split Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw in goal-line situations at running back. Of course, if you don't think any touchdowns will be scored during the entire game, you can bet on that too (+50000(!)).
Over/Under 3.5 times that Patriots owner Robert Kraft is shown on TV during the game (live pictures only): OVER (-140). The only way Kraft is not shown is if the Patriots get blown out. I don't see that happening since New England's offense is far too explosive. Every time New England scores a touchdown or gets an interception, NBC will show Kraft celebrating in the press box. This also gives the network an excuse to show you what the owner's box in the Super Bowl looks like so you can feel even more ashamed that you're watching the game on a 15-inch, black-and-white television.
Who will be named Super Bowl MVP? TIM TEBOW (No odds because he does not approve of your gambling). In fact, Tebow very well might perform in the halftime show and sing the National Anthem. But then, there are some things that even prop bets cannot cover.
Peyton still the better Manning
Now that the New York Giants are a game away from winning their second
Super Bowl in five years, sportswriters such as Bill Simmons and Rick
Reilly have brought up the possibility that perhaps Giants quarterback
Eli Manning will end up having a better career than his older brother,
Peyton. The argument in favor of Eli goes along these lines: The 35-year
old Peyton Manning, who missed the entire 2011 season due to his third
neck surgery in two years, has not ruled out retirement. Meanwhile, Eli
Manning, who just turned 31, is completely healthy, was elected to the
Pro Bowl this season and is one victory away from having won more Super
Bowls than Peyton. However, any examination that lasts for more than 15
seconds makes it abundantly clear that while Eli Manning is a very good
quarterback, Peyton Manning is one of the greatest of all time.
The idea that Eli could eclipse Peyton represents a classic case of "What have you done for me lately?" Since Peyton did not play all season and his Indianapolis Colts were the worst team in the NFL, it is easy to minimize the 13 seasons before, when he never missed a game and put up positively legendary numbers each season. Since Peyton began his career six years before Eli, it makes more sense to compare their statistics versus their peers rather than merely against one another.
In each of Eli's first four seasons, he posted a below-average passer rating, yards per attempt and completion percentage. Only in his past four seasons can he be viewed as an above-average starting quarterback. Upon examination of the elder Manning, however, we get a different picture entirely. For 12 consecutive full seasons of work, Peyton amassed an above-average number of adjusted yards per attempt, completion percentage, touchdown percentage and passer rating, while throwing interceptions and getting sacked less than an average quarterback. That is dominance of which we see only among the elite quarterbacks, such as Tom Brady and Joe Montana.
However, the regular season is only part of the comparison, and Eli's supporters will happily point out Peyton's perceived struggles in the playoffs in contrast to the two times Eli has willed his inferior team to the Super Bowl thus far in his career. How true are either of these claims, however? In 10 career playoff games, Eli Manning has thrown for 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 59.8 percent completion rating and 222 yards per game. Conversely, in Peyton Manning's 18 career playoff games, he has thrown for 28 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, completing 62.9 percent of his passes and averaging 287 passing yards per game. Those playoff numbers are comparable.
The idea that Eli Manning should be the only person recognized for taking two perceived underdog teams to the Super Bowl is far overblown. Yes, Eli certainly had a positive impact on the Giants in both postseasons, but he is not the reason that they won. For both of the New York Giants teams that have made the Super Bowl under Eli Manning, they had an elite pass rush on defense that helped them rattle opposing quarterbacks. The idea that, if the Giants defeat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, Eli Manning will have "won" more Super Bowls than his older brother may technically be true but is also highly misleading. It takes away from the efforts of the other 52 players on the roster.
Any athlete in a team sport's success should be viewed from the prism of how much he or she helped the team try to win. Another Super Bowl victory for Eli Manning does not make up for eight seasons of far superior play by his older brother when viewing the two against one another. The idea that we can project greatness from an active player in his peak makes us forget those who have actually achieved that greatness for an extended period of time.
The idea that Eli could eclipse Peyton represents a classic case of "What have you done for me lately?" Since Peyton did not play all season and his Indianapolis Colts were the worst team in the NFL, it is easy to minimize the 13 seasons before, when he never missed a game and put up positively legendary numbers each season. Since Peyton began his career six years before Eli, it makes more sense to compare their statistics versus their peers rather than merely against one another.
In each of Eli's first four seasons, he posted a below-average passer rating, yards per attempt and completion percentage. Only in his past four seasons can he be viewed as an above-average starting quarterback. Upon examination of the elder Manning, however, we get a different picture entirely. For 12 consecutive full seasons of work, Peyton amassed an above-average number of adjusted yards per attempt, completion percentage, touchdown percentage and passer rating, while throwing interceptions and getting sacked less than an average quarterback. That is dominance of which we see only among the elite quarterbacks, such as Tom Brady and Joe Montana.
However, the regular season is only part of the comparison, and Eli's supporters will happily point out Peyton's perceived struggles in the playoffs in contrast to the two times Eli has willed his inferior team to the Super Bowl thus far in his career. How true are either of these claims, however? In 10 career playoff games, Eli Manning has thrown for 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 59.8 percent completion rating and 222 yards per game. Conversely, in Peyton Manning's 18 career playoff games, he has thrown for 28 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, completing 62.9 percent of his passes and averaging 287 passing yards per game. Those playoff numbers are comparable.
The idea that Eli Manning should be the only person recognized for taking two perceived underdog teams to the Super Bowl is far overblown. Yes, Eli certainly had a positive impact on the Giants in both postseasons, but he is not the reason that they won. For both of the New York Giants teams that have made the Super Bowl under Eli Manning, they had an elite pass rush on defense that helped them rattle opposing quarterbacks. The idea that, if the Giants defeat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, Eli Manning will have "won" more Super Bowls than his older brother may technically be true but is also highly misleading. It takes away from the efforts of the other 52 players on the roster.
Any athlete in a team sport's success should be viewed from the prism of how much he or she helped the team try to win. Another Super Bowl victory for Eli Manning does not make up for eight seasons of far superior play by his older brother when viewing the two against one another. The idea that we can project greatness from an active player in his peak makes us forget those who have actually achieved that greatness for an extended period of time.
Miami Marlins flushed with cash, ardor
These are not the Florida Marlins you know. First of all, the MLB team
which was previously known as the Florida Marlins is moving to a
state-of-the-art stadium in Miami next season, and as a result recently
changed its official name to the alliterative "Miami Marlins."
More importantly, however, the 2012 Marlins appear to be willing to spend significantly more on its team than ever before. The Marlins, coming on the heels of a 70-92 season last year, have already signed free agent closer Heath Bell to a three-year, $27-million deal and gave All-Star free agent shortstop Jose Reyes a six-year, $106-million contract during this offseason. Last season, the Marlins had the seventh lowest payroll in MLB, spending less than $57 million on contracts for the 25-man roster, which was actually a modest increase from the team's payroll in 2010.
Now, seemingly out of nowhere, the Marlins appear to not only have money but are also willing to spend in order to build a long-term contender. While it is true that the Marlins had one of the largest payrolls in 1997, the year they won their first World Series title, their strategy involved spending more only on a short-term basis. That way, the team could truly contend for a year and then have a fire sale the next season (which is exactly what it did: the Marlins went from seventh in payroll in 1997 to 28th the next season and rebuilt essentially from scratch.) This offseason appears to be different, though. The Marlins are not only offering large sums of money to elite free agents, they are also offering multiple years in each instance, including a whopping 10-year offer to superstar free-agent first baseman Albert Pujols. (At press time, the Marlins had an outstanding offer to Pujols of 10 years in excess of $200 million.)
So, what has led to this drastic philosophical change? As any real estate agent worth his or her weight in salt will tell you, it comes down to three key variables: location, location and location. Not only do the Marlins have a new stadium to show off to their fans, it is located in downtown Miami, 20 minutes south of the old Sun Life Stadium. Whereas the Marlins constantly had attendance problems in their previous stadium, a cutting-edge ballpark in the middle of a heavily populated city should alleviate at least some of those problems. With higher attendance, the Marlins' revenue will increase, leading to more money to spend on Reyes, Bell, potentially Pujols and free-agent starting pitcher Mark Buehrle.
Jeffrey Loria, the Marlins' owner since 2002, has always been infamous for his (relative) frugality. Before purchasing the Marlins from previous owner John Henry, Loria owned the small-market Montreal Expos from 1999-2001. In both situations, Loria pressed for a new, taxpayer-funded stadium—only in Montreal, he was unsuccessful. By 2005, the Expos, who had virtually no fans, had moved to Washington D.C. to become the Nationals. Were it not for the New Marlins Ballpark in Miami, for which the team had to contribute 155 million dollars, the Marlins very well could have reached a similar fate.
Filling up the stadium and fully rejuvenating interest in the team, however, requires more than just a change in name and location. The Marlins cannot and need not remain a small-market franchise; Loria has claimed that he wants to be the next George Steinbrenner, but to do so he must spend effectively every year. At first in the offseason, no one took the previously spendthrift Marlins seriously when their front office remarked that it had serious interest in this free-agent class. Now that Bell and Reyes have become the two of the highest paid players on the Marlins in a matter of days, the Marlins must be taken seriously. With the Philadelphia Phillies aging and the New York Mets having unprecedented money troubles, combined with the extra wild card spot added in both leagues, the Marlins have a real chance to build around a talented nucleus of Reyes, Mike Stanton, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson. The Miami Heat dominated the NBA's free agency last year, and now it appears time for the newest Miami franchise to make its big splash.
More importantly, however, the 2012 Marlins appear to be willing to spend significantly more on its team than ever before. The Marlins, coming on the heels of a 70-92 season last year, have already signed free agent closer Heath Bell to a three-year, $27-million deal and gave All-Star free agent shortstop Jose Reyes a six-year, $106-million contract during this offseason. Last season, the Marlins had the seventh lowest payroll in MLB, spending less than $57 million on contracts for the 25-man roster, which was actually a modest increase from the team's payroll in 2010.
Now, seemingly out of nowhere, the Marlins appear to not only have money but are also willing to spend in order to build a long-term contender. While it is true that the Marlins had one of the largest payrolls in 1997, the year they won their first World Series title, their strategy involved spending more only on a short-term basis. That way, the team could truly contend for a year and then have a fire sale the next season (which is exactly what it did: the Marlins went from seventh in payroll in 1997 to 28th the next season and rebuilt essentially from scratch.) This offseason appears to be different, though. The Marlins are not only offering large sums of money to elite free agents, they are also offering multiple years in each instance, including a whopping 10-year offer to superstar free-agent first baseman Albert Pujols. (At press time, the Marlins had an outstanding offer to Pujols of 10 years in excess of $200 million.)
So, what has led to this drastic philosophical change? As any real estate agent worth his or her weight in salt will tell you, it comes down to three key variables: location, location and location. Not only do the Marlins have a new stadium to show off to their fans, it is located in downtown Miami, 20 minutes south of the old Sun Life Stadium. Whereas the Marlins constantly had attendance problems in their previous stadium, a cutting-edge ballpark in the middle of a heavily populated city should alleviate at least some of those problems. With higher attendance, the Marlins' revenue will increase, leading to more money to spend on Reyes, Bell, potentially Pujols and free-agent starting pitcher Mark Buehrle.
Jeffrey Loria, the Marlins' owner since 2002, has always been infamous for his (relative) frugality. Before purchasing the Marlins from previous owner John Henry, Loria owned the small-market Montreal Expos from 1999-2001. In both situations, Loria pressed for a new, taxpayer-funded stadium—only in Montreal, he was unsuccessful. By 2005, the Expos, who had virtually no fans, had moved to Washington D.C. to become the Nationals. Were it not for the New Marlins Ballpark in Miami, for which the team had to contribute 155 million dollars, the Marlins very well could have reached a similar fate.
Filling up the stadium and fully rejuvenating interest in the team, however, requires more than just a change in name and location. The Marlins cannot and need not remain a small-market franchise; Loria has claimed that he wants to be the next George Steinbrenner, but to do so he must spend effectively every year. At first in the offseason, no one took the previously spendthrift Marlins seriously when their front office remarked that it had serious interest in this free-agent class. Now that Bell and Reyes have become the two of the highest paid players on the Marlins in a matter of days, the Marlins must be taken seriously. With the Philadelphia Phillies aging and the New York Mets having unprecedented money troubles, combined with the extra wild card spot added in both leagues, the Marlins have a real chance to build around a talented nucleus of Reyes, Mike Stanton, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson. The Miami Heat dominated the NBA's free agency last year, and now it appears time for the newest Miami franchise to make its big splash.
Questions about NBA’s return answered
After several secret meetings between players and owners, both sides
finally reached an agreement to end the NBA lockout that dragged on for
over four months. Since so much time has already been missed, the NBA is
speeding up the process of exhibition games and free agency so that a
shortened 66-game season can begin on Christmas Day. With so much going
on in such a short time, here are the answers to some frequently asked
questions about teams, players and personnel.
Can the Dallas Mavericks repeat as NBA Champions this season? As long as Dirk Nowitzki stays healthy, the Mavericks are always at the very least a solid playoff team. The major thing to look out for over the next four weeks is the landing spot of Tyson Chandler, who after starting at center for Dallas last year is now a free agent. Chandler and Jason Terry were Nowitzki's most important sidekicks last year, and it should be imperative that Dallas does everything it can to lock up Chandler going forward. Otherwise, we are likely looking at yet another Dallas playoff exit of which we had become so familiar.
Who will be released under the new Amnesty Provision? One major result of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is an "Amnesty Provision," which allows each team to release one player over the next two years and not have it count against its salary cap. While there are numerous ill-advised contracts that teams would love to get rid of, don't expect each NBA team to cut someone, especially not right away. Some teams want to wait to use the Amnesty Provision to see if one contract becomes particularly onerous or to shed salary cap space during the 2012 free agency class, which is significantly more impressive than this year's group. One player who will almost certainly be released at once, however, is Washington Wizards forward Rashard Lewis, who is set to earn almost $44 million over the next two years even though, at this point in his career, he is merely a role player. Also keep in mind that even though the salaries of the released players do not count against the salary cap, the teams still need to buy out the contracts, so don't expect Gilbert Arenas and his horrible contract to be bought out just yet, since the Orlando Magic would be spending so much money for dead weight (yes, you and I know that Arenas is dead weight even when he plays, but they didn't trade for him for just this past season).
Will LeBron James continue to be the most polarizing player in the NBA this season? Unless James sings a heartfelt apology song to Cleveland while curing cancer and kissing 10,000 orphans, yes. Even then, he would be no lower than the third most polarizing player.
Where will free-agents-to-be Dwight Howard and Chris Paul play this year and next? While Howard and Paul are under contract to play with the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Hornets, respectively, for the next season, it is clear that both players want to change scenery sooner rather than later. This is particularly true for Paul, whose Hornets are currently owned and operated by the NBA because of the team's financial problems. Paul's best teammate, David West, is a free agent and unlikely to re-sign with New Orleans this year, leaving Paul with a rather depleted team with little money in a smaller market. Due to the Hornets' unique ownership situation, it is not as likely that Paul will be able to "pull a Carmelo Anthony" and force a trade to a larger market in the middle of this season. However, if the New York Knicks can create enough salary cap flexibility, they would almost certainly be Paul's first choice as a free agent next season.
As for Howard, his situation is more similar to James' when he still played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Magic has been willing to spend money in an attempt to convince Howard to stay, but has not done so efficiently, and now have the worst salary cap situation in the NBA. Howard, who is one of the biggest personalities in professional sports, will almost certainly look at either of the Los Angeles franchises and the Brooklyn Nets as soon as he is a free agent, to expand his popularity and his marketability.
How will Kobe Bryant handle more back-to-back games? While Bryant continues to be a top player in the NBA, it is no secret that he has a ton of mileage on his body, as he has essentially played 100-game seasons for the past decade without much rest. Even though there are fewer games this season than usual, there will be more games played on back-to-back nights, where Bryant will not have the recovery time that his knees are used to. Since the Lakers are so talented, new Head Coach Mike Brown should be able to limit Bryant's minutes in the regular season and still make the playoffs rather easily. However, Commissioner David Stern has announced that, unlike in previous seasons, there will be back-to-back games once for each series in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Lakers clearly need Bryant healthy and ready to go come playoff time, but can his legs continue to hold on?
Will the rookies make any impact this season? There are two primary reasons to argue that this rookie class will not be particularly successful this season: The class has been considered weak since leading up to the draft, and a shortened training camp could mean that coaches are more willing to put their trust in more veteran players. However, coaches may also have little choice but to play many of these rookies, since some players signed in Europe or Asia this season and do not necessarily have a buyout planned.
Am I ready for some basketball? I couldn't be more ready.
Can the Dallas Mavericks repeat as NBA Champions this season? As long as Dirk Nowitzki stays healthy, the Mavericks are always at the very least a solid playoff team. The major thing to look out for over the next four weeks is the landing spot of Tyson Chandler, who after starting at center for Dallas last year is now a free agent. Chandler and Jason Terry were Nowitzki's most important sidekicks last year, and it should be imperative that Dallas does everything it can to lock up Chandler going forward. Otherwise, we are likely looking at yet another Dallas playoff exit of which we had become so familiar.
Who will be released under the new Amnesty Provision? One major result of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is an "Amnesty Provision," which allows each team to release one player over the next two years and not have it count against its salary cap. While there are numerous ill-advised contracts that teams would love to get rid of, don't expect each NBA team to cut someone, especially not right away. Some teams want to wait to use the Amnesty Provision to see if one contract becomes particularly onerous or to shed salary cap space during the 2012 free agency class, which is significantly more impressive than this year's group. One player who will almost certainly be released at once, however, is Washington Wizards forward Rashard Lewis, who is set to earn almost $44 million over the next two years even though, at this point in his career, he is merely a role player. Also keep in mind that even though the salaries of the released players do not count against the salary cap, the teams still need to buy out the contracts, so don't expect Gilbert Arenas and his horrible contract to be bought out just yet, since the Orlando Magic would be spending so much money for dead weight (yes, you and I know that Arenas is dead weight even when he plays, but they didn't trade for him for just this past season).
Will LeBron James continue to be the most polarizing player in the NBA this season? Unless James sings a heartfelt apology song to Cleveland while curing cancer and kissing 10,000 orphans, yes. Even then, he would be no lower than the third most polarizing player.
Where will free-agents-to-be Dwight Howard and Chris Paul play this year and next? While Howard and Paul are under contract to play with the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Hornets, respectively, for the next season, it is clear that both players want to change scenery sooner rather than later. This is particularly true for Paul, whose Hornets are currently owned and operated by the NBA because of the team's financial problems. Paul's best teammate, David West, is a free agent and unlikely to re-sign with New Orleans this year, leaving Paul with a rather depleted team with little money in a smaller market. Due to the Hornets' unique ownership situation, it is not as likely that Paul will be able to "pull a Carmelo Anthony" and force a trade to a larger market in the middle of this season. However, if the New York Knicks can create enough salary cap flexibility, they would almost certainly be Paul's first choice as a free agent next season.
As for Howard, his situation is more similar to James' when he still played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Magic has been willing to spend money in an attempt to convince Howard to stay, but has not done so efficiently, and now have the worst salary cap situation in the NBA. Howard, who is one of the biggest personalities in professional sports, will almost certainly look at either of the Los Angeles franchises and the Brooklyn Nets as soon as he is a free agent, to expand his popularity and his marketability.
How will Kobe Bryant handle more back-to-back games? While Bryant continues to be a top player in the NBA, it is no secret that he has a ton of mileage on his body, as he has essentially played 100-game seasons for the past decade without much rest. Even though there are fewer games this season than usual, there will be more games played on back-to-back nights, where Bryant will not have the recovery time that his knees are used to. Since the Lakers are so talented, new Head Coach Mike Brown should be able to limit Bryant's minutes in the regular season and still make the playoffs rather easily. However, Commissioner David Stern has announced that, unlike in previous seasons, there will be back-to-back games once for each series in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Lakers clearly need Bryant healthy and ready to go come playoff time, but can his legs continue to hold on?
Will the rookies make any impact this season? There are two primary reasons to argue that this rookie class will not be particularly successful this season: The class has been considered weak since leading up to the draft, and a shortened training camp could mean that coaches are more willing to put their trust in more veteran players. However, coaches may also have little choice but to play many of these rookies, since some players signed in Europe or Asia this season and do not necessarily have a buyout planned.
Am I ready for some basketball? I couldn't be more ready.
A mid-season review of the 2011 NFL competitive lineup
Now that we are just past the midway point of the NFL regular season, it is time to hand out midseason awards to teams and players. Not all awards are positive, because, let's be honest, not everybody is a winner.
Best Team: Green Bay Packers, and it's not even close.
MVP: Aaron Rodgers, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Not since Tom Brady in 2007 has there been such an obvious choice for the most valuable player. In a year of unprecedented pass offense, Rodgers has still managed to stand out with incredible numbers: 2869 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, only three interceptions. His passer rating of 130.7, if it stands, would demolish the previous best passer rating (Peyton Manning had a 121.1 in 2004).
Best team no one took seriously going into the year: San Francisco 49ers. With the usually moribund Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills playing above .500, this award has a great deal of competition. In the end, though, the 49ers have the second best record in the NFL at 8-1, and are on a seven game winning streak. Last year, the 49ers were unable to even win the historically awful NFC West, finishing 6-10, and firing their then-Head Coach Mike Singletary at the end of the season. However, new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has inherited a supreme defense that, unlike last year, has been able to stay healthy. With quarterback Alex Smith making very few mistakes and running back Frank Gore continuing to run well, this is a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Most disappointing team: Philadelphia Eagles. Remember when media pundits referred to the Eagles as the "Dream Team"? Well, they're 3-6 after quarterback Michael Vick has badly regressed and their linebackers might be the worst in all of football. Suddenly, longtime Head Coach Andy Reid's job is no longer safe. There is still some time to sneak into the playoffs, but it will take a virtually perfect second half to do so. Keep in mind, this team just lost to the lowly Arizona Cardinals at home.
Defensive player of the year: Jared Allen, defensive end of the Minnesota Vikings. Yes, the Vikings, at 2-7, are going nowhere near the playoffs this season. Don't blame Allen, however, as he has contributed about as much as any one defensive player can to his team. Through nine games, with Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield missing five of them, Allen has registered 41 tackles (32 solo), 13.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. If the Vikings had not been starting Donovan McNabb at quarterback for so long, maybe Minnesota could have actually won some games and been able to reward Allen's excellence this year.
Tanking award: Indianapolis Colts. The Colts lost star quarterback Peyton Manning for the season due to his third neck surgery in two years, certainly a devastating blow to the team. However, the Colts should not be THIS bad. Not only is the team 0-10 so far, they have given up a staggering 169 more points than they have scored this year. After competing at least a bit towards the beginning of the season, the Colts have clearly not given their all in recent weeks, including a truly embarrassing 55-point loss to the New Orleans Saints in prime time. Clearly, the Colts are only thinking about selecting star college quarterback Andrew Luck in next year's draft, as this season is long gone for them.
Most underwhelming individual performance: Chris Johnson, running back for the Tennessee Titans. Two years ago, Johnson set an NFL record with 2509 yards from scrimmage in a season, including running for 2006 yards in 2009. This year has been a completely different story, though. Even after his best game of the season against the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday, Johnson is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry, and has under 500 rushing yards in nine games played. For someone with his incredible speed, Johnson has had great difficulty breaking through the first line of defenders, with a season-long rush of only 25 yards.
Breakout player of the year: Jimmy Graham, tight end for the New Orleans Saints. Graham, who took over for the departed Jeremy Shockey, is having one of the best seasons by a tight end ever, yet very few even knew his name before the season began. Graham has 62 catches for 873 yards and 6 touchdowns in just 10 games. For a wide receiver, those numbers are phenomenal. For a tight end, they are simply historic.
Best Team: Green Bay Packers, and it's not even close.
MVP: Aaron Rodgers, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Not since Tom Brady in 2007 has there been such an obvious choice for the most valuable player. In a year of unprecedented pass offense, Rodgers has still managed to stand out with incredible numbers: 2869 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, only three interceptions. His passer rating of 130.7, if it stands, would demolish the previous best passer rating (Peyton Manning had a 121.1 in 2004).
Best team no one took seriously going into the year: San Francisco 49ers. With the usually moribund Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills playing above .500, this award has a great deal of competition. In the end, though, the 49ers have the second best record in the NFL at 8-1, and are on a seven game winning streak. Last year, the 49ers were unable to even win the historically awful NFC West, finishing 6-10, and firing their then-Head Coach Mike Singletary at the end of the season. However, new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has inherited a supreme defense that, unlike last year, has been able to stay healthy. With quarterback Alex Smith making very few mistakes and running back Frank Gore continuing to run well, this is a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Most disappointing team: Philadelphia Eagles. Remember when media pundits referred to the Eagles as the "Dream Team"? Well, they're 3-6 after quarterback Michael Vick has badly regressed and their linebackers might be the worst in all of football. Suddenly, longtime Head Coach Andy Reid's job is no longer safe. There is still some time to sneak into the playoffs, but it will take a virtually perfect second half to do so. Keep in mind, this team just lost to the lowly Arizona Cardinals at home.
Defensive player of the year: Jared Allen, defensive end of the Minnesota Vikings. Yes, the Vikings, at 2-7, are going nowhere near the playoffs this season. Don't blame Allen, however, as he has contributed about as much as any one defensive player can to his team. Through nine games, with Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield missing five of them, Allen has registered 41 tackles (32 solo), 13.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. If the Vikings had not been starting Donovan McNabb at quarterback for so long, maybe Minnesota could have actually won some games and been able to reward Allen's excellence this year.
Tanking award: Indianapolis Colts. The Colts lost star quarterback Peyton Manning for the season due to his third neck surgery in two years, certainly a devastating blow to the team. However, the Colts should not be THIS bad. Not only is the team 0-10 so far, they have given up a staggering 169 more points than they have scored this year. After competing at least a bit towards the beginning of the season, the Colts have clearly not given their all in recent weeks, including a truly embarrassing 55-point loss to the New Orleans Saints in prime time. Clearly, the Colts are only thinking about selecting star college quarterback Andrew Luck in next year's draft, as this season is long gone for them.
Most underwhelming individual performance: Chris Johnson, running back for the Tennessee Titans. Two years ago, Johnson set an NFL record with 2509 yards from scrimmage in a season, including running for 2006 yards in 2009. This year has been a completely different story, though. Even after his best game of the season against the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday, Johnson is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry, and has under 500 rushing yards in nine games played. For someone with his incredible speed, Johnson has had great difficulty breaking through the first line of defenders, with a season-long rush of only 25 yards.
Breakout player of the year: Jimmy Graham, tight end for the New Orleans Saints. Graham, who took over for the departed Jeremy Shockey, is having one of the best seasons by a tight end ever, yet very few even knew his name before the season began. Graham has 62 catches for 873 yards and 6 touchdowns in just 10 games. For a wide receiver, those numbers are phenomenal. For a tight end, they are simply historic.
How NBA stars might use free time
I hope you're enjoying the NBA lockout, everybody! With little progress
being made towards a deal that will begin the season, players have to
find a backup plan to occupy themselves. Here's a look at what some pros
are doing, and what they should be doing.
The plan: Star New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Wiliams signed a contract with the Turkish basketball team Besiktas and is currently averaging 20 points and eight assists per game playing against competition that even Williams has probably never heard of.
My (better) suggestion: Williams should travel across Europe, looking for the tallest people, and force them to join him on the Nets so the team can finally get more than two rebounds per game.
The plan: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, last year's leading rebounder, participated in the Manhattan Beach Volleyball Open this summer. He and a partner lost easily to two Olympic hopefuls in straight sets.
My (better) suggestion: If Love wants to try another sport so badly, why doesn't he just play dodgeball? He can throw his outlet passes directly at the competition's knees and give them celebratory noogies. You know, because he's so much taller than everyone else.
The plan: Reigning Rookie of the Year and slam-dunk champion Blake Griffin is interning for the comedy website Funny or Die, writing and appearing in multiple videos. The Los Angeles Clipper is staying in Hollywood, where Funny or Die is located.
My (better) suggestion: Yes, Griffin is funny, but I'm pretty sure he could be saving the world with his magical jumping powers. Is there a cat stuck in a tree? Blake Griffin to the rescue! Did Clippers' owner Donald Sterling take children's Halloween candy and hide it in a tree just because he can? Blake Griffin to the rescue!
The plan: Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton was hired to be an assistant coach for the University of Memphis basketball team. Once the NBA lockout ends, Walton is free to join the Lakers again, even if it is during the Tigers' season.
My (better) suggestion: Stay in Memphis. Not because Walton is necessarily a good coach, but because every time Walton sits at the end of the bench in a 30-point Lakers win, Adam Morrison sheds a single tear.
The plan: Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Baron Davis is taking classes at University of California, Los Angeles, the school which he attended through sophomore year before declaring for the NBA Draft 12 years ago.
My (better) suggestion: Judging by Davis' extra weight and lack of conditioning, it would seem reasonable for me to write that he should be working out extra hard while he has the time and few distractions. However, I think he should go in the opposite direction and enter competitive eating competitions throughout the country. Is there a pizza challenge in a fourth grade class in Iowa? You better watch out kids, Davis is showing up, and he likes his pizza.
The plan: Troubled Boston Celtics guard Delonte West announced via Twitter that he is now working for Regency Furniture, located in the Washington D.C. area.
My (better) suggestion: Since West pled guilty to multiple weapons charges last year, it's probably not the best idea for him to be near the nation's capital. Perhaps West could serve as a role model for the impressionable youth of today: They can learn that whatever West does, it is advisable to do the exact opposite.
The plan: The famous (or is it infamous?) Ron Artest has been extremely busy during his NBA downtime, changing his name to Metta World Peace, participating in Dancing with the Stars and even spending time with singer Celene Dion in Las Vegas.
My (better) suggestion: What do you think I am, some sort of career genius? I can't possibly top Peace's brilliance. Maybe Vassar could hire him to work in its Career Development Office.
The plan: Star New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Wiliams signed a contract with the Turkish basketball team Besiktas and is currently averaging 20 points and eight assists per game playing against competition that even Williams has probably never heard of.
My (better) suggestion: Williams should travel across Europe, looking for the tallest people, and force them to join him on the Nets so the team can finally get more than two rebounds per game.
The plan: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, last year's leading rebounder, participated in the Manhattan Beach Volleyball Open this summer. He and a partner lost easily to two Olympic hopefuls in straight sets.
My (better) suggestion: If Love wants to try another sport so badly, why doesn't he just play dodgeball? He can throw his outlet passes directly at the competition's knees and give them celebratory noogies. You know, because he's so much taller than everyone else.
The plan: Reigning Rookie of the Year and slam-dunk champion Blake Griffin is interning for the comedy website Funny or Die, writing and appearing in multiple videos. The Los Angeles Clipper is staying in Hollywood, where Funny or Die is located.
My (better) suggestion: Yes, Griffin is funny, but I'm pretty sure he could be saving the world with his magical jumping powers. Is there a cat stuck in a tree? Blake Griffin to the rescue! Did Clippers' owner Donald Sterling take children's Halloween candy and hide it in a tree just because he can? Blake Griffin to the rescue!
The plan: Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton was hired to be an assistant coach for the University of Memphis basketball team. Once the NBA lockout ends, Walton is free to join the Lakers again, even if it is during the Tigers' season.
My (better) suggestion: Stay in Memphis. Not because Walton is necessarily a good coach, but because every time Walton sits at the end of the bench in a 30-point Lakers win, Adam Morrison sheds a single tear.
The plan: Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Baron Davis is taking classes at University of California, Los Angeles, the school which he attended through sophomore year before declaring for the NBA Draft 12 years ago.
My (better) suggestion: Judging by Davis' extra weight and lack of conditioning, it would seem reasonable for me to write that he should be working out extra hard while he has the time and few distractions. However, I think he should go in the opposite direction and enter competitive eating competitions throughout the country. Is there a pizza challenge in a fourth grade class in Iowa? You better watch out kids, Davis is showing up, and he likes his pizza.
The plan: Troubled Boston Celtics guard Delonte West announced via Twitter that he is now working for Regency Furniture, located in the Washington D.C. area.
My (better) suggestion: Since West pled guilty to multiple weapons charges last year, it's probably not the best idea for him to be near the nation's capital. Perhaps West could serve as a role model for the impressionable youth of today: They can learn that whatever West does, it is advisable to do the exact opposite.
The plan: The famous (or is it infamous?) Ron Artest has been extremely busy during his NBA downtime, changing his name to Metta World Peace, participating in Dancing with the Stars and even spending time with singer Celene Dion in Las Vegas.
My (better) suggestion: What do you think I am, some sort of career genius? I can't possibly top Peace's brilliance. Maybe Vassar could hire him to work in its Career Development Office.
NCAA Teams Inexplicably Change Leagues
There are some
things in this world that, no matter how smart you are, you’ll never fully
understand. What is dark
matter? Who shot Tupac and Biggie? How many licks does it take to get to
the center of a tootsie pop? And
of course, which school is in which conference for football? Realignment began to take place in earnest
a year ago, but now virtually no team is guaranteed to remain in the conference
they are currently apart of.
Here
is a primer as to the moves that have been officially announced or
possibilities reported by major news outlets, because quite frankly I know I
could use a list and I’m sure others would appreciate it too. Keep in mind that as this article goes
to print, rumors continue to swirl, and we are most certainly not done with
realignment.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC):
Let’s start out with a conference that is relatively cut and dry. Currently, the ACC has twelve schools,
and none of them are currently seriously considering leaving the
conference. In addition, both the
University of Pittsburgh and the University of Syracuse have officially
declared that they will be leaving the Big East for the ACC as soon as they are
able. The ACC has said while it is pleased with its new 14 team league, it also
would not be opposed to expanding even further to 16 teams. Specifically, both Rutgers University
and the University of Connecticut have reportedly expressed interest in defecting
from the Big East to join the ACC if they are approved.
My Thoughts: Remember when Maryland was considered
the northern limit for the ACC? I
half expect the Toronto Argonauts to join because, hey, they’ve heard of the
Atlantic too.
Big Ten: Believe it or not, as of now the Big Ten
does not plan to gain or lose any schools in the next few years. The conference already added the
University of Nebraska last year to gain its twelfth team, and consequently is
now eligible to host a conference championship game.
My Thoughts: I’m just happy that the winner of the Big
Ten conference title still has the opportunity of a lifetime: to lose to an SEC
school by 40 points in the national title game.
Big East: Oh, boy. I’ll try to keep this as concise as possible. As I mentioned before, Pittsburgh and
Syracuse are definitely leaving, and Connecticut and Rutgers both want to
leave. Also, West Virginia
announced last week that it was joining the Big 12. If the Big East had 16 football teams like they do basketball
teams, they could afford to lose 3-5 schools and still have a legitimate
conference without replacing any of those teams. However, only eight of the 16 schools that are currently a
part of the conference have football teams, meaning that an already weak
football conference would be utterly decimated unless it adds at least as many
teams as its losing. Thus, the Big
East has reportedly invited Boise State, Navy, and Air Force to join the conference
only for football, as well as Southern Methodist, Houston, and Central Florida
for all sports. Assuming that all
these schools accept their respective invitations and only the schools
guaranteed to leave defect, the Big East will have 11 football teams, still one
short of being able to have a championship game. The conference is reportedly considering adding Temple
and/or Memphis as well.
My Thoughts: The Big East is such a pathetic football
conference that the region “East” is considering changing its name.
Pac 12: Similarly to the Big Ten, the Pac 12 just expanded this
year, adding Utah and Colorado, and reportedly is satisfied with the twelve
teams they have right now. Despite
rumors of interest from Texas and Oklahoma, among others, the conference is not
ready to further expand.
My Thoughts: Oh, I see, Pac 12. You’re just so easygoing and mellow
that you’re not looking for any more schools. That’s such a typical laid-back west coast attitude to have. Surf’s up, bro!
Big 12: Yes, the Big 12 now has ten teams and the Big Ten has
twelve teams. Good, I’m glad we
got that out of the way. Last
season, the Big 12 was the big loser, when both Nebraska and Colorado defected,
and the developments this year seem no more promising. Despite the incoming arrival of West
Virginia and Texas Christian, the Big 12 will definitely be losing Texas
A&M and most likely Missouri to the SEC. Combine that with Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech looking
for bigger paydays, and you get the Big 12 continuing to hold on.
My Thoughts: The strange thing about the Big 12 is
either it will be the second-best football conference or it will cease to
exist, as we know it. There is no
in between,
Southeastern Conference (SEC): The best football conference virtually
every year has nothing to be concerned about. In fact, it has already added Texas A&M and is most
likely going to add Missouri, as the conference’s official website briefly
reported before being taken down. The
SEC is a lock to have at least 14 teams within the next 2-3 years.
My Thoughts: The SEC is looking to move into the NFL,
with the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins being relegated to Division III.
Mountain West/Conference USA: Could there be a seventh major football conference in the
coming years? Since last month,
there have been multiple reports that the two mid-major conferences are
considering merging just for football, giving them a mega-conference. As of now, there would be twenty teams,
but considering that the Big East looks to poach at least four of these
schools, don’t expect too big of a
conference even if the two decide to join forces
My Thoughts: This is an excellent, original way for
an undefeated team in a non-BCS conference to continue to have no shot at a
national title.
So
what have we learned today? I
still don’t know who Carly Simon thinks is “so vain”, but at least we can say
we understand the possible ramifications of major realignment across the NCAA.
Maybe.
NBA lockout detrimental to long-term league viability
With every hour that passes by, there is an increasing chance that
there will be no 2011-2012 NBA season. At the very least, it will be a
virtual certainty that a severely shortened season, due to a
disagreement between the owners and players over how to split $4 billion
in revenue, will take place. Over the past several days, the owners and
NBA Player Association representatives have stated that they are
working long hours to try to reach an agreement, yet the sides are only
marginally closer than they were before. Rather than inundate you with
the specific numbers, however, I want to express my immense frustration
with everyone involved in the negotiations.
The 2010-11 NBA season was, from the beginning of the offseason to the end of the NBA Finals, the most entertaining season I have witnessed as a sports fan. The fact that I do not even have a team that I consistently support in the league says all one needs to know about the quality of play and storylines that took place last year. We all know about LeBron James' now-infamous "Decision," which, to his shock, made his Miami Heat public enemy number one. The Los Angeles Lakers looked to have a real chance to win three straight championships, with Kobe Bryant on the precipice of tying Michael Jordan's six NBA titles, only to be swept by the previously much-maligned Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls transformed from a very good young point guard into an MVP, and led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since Jordan was their shooting guard. Even the bad teams had players to root for, such as the Minnesota Timberwolves power forward and NBA rebounding leader Kevin Love. In short, it truly was a banner year for the league, and clearly a springboard to an even more compelling season this year.
Alas, the fans do not run the NBA, and really we have no say in the goings on of these labor negotiations. We are pawns that continue to buy merchandise and season tickets and watch games on television—a means to an end.
Owners want shorter contracts, a harder salary cap and a larger percentage of the revenue than they received in the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement so that the rules prevent them from making foolish signings that they clearly would continue to do otherwise. Meanwhile, players are upset that the owners are punishing them for choosing to sign them for exorbitant amounts of money, and have little interest in giving up any financial progress they have made in the past decade. Add in Commissioner David Stern doing his best to play hardball on behalf of the owners, and agents discussing decertification, and we are left where the NFL was in April—only that was five months before the regular season was scheduled to start.
Since there has been no sense of urgency until last week, the NBA has far too much ground to make up for a timely solution to take place. Thus, all the momentum the league has built up over the decade will entirely disappear. So I hope the league is happy, when they will inevitably come to an agreement and both sides force smiles and claim victory, because in the end everyone loses. The NBA: Where League-razing Happens.
The 2010-11 NBA season was, from the beginning of the offseason to the end of the NBA Finals, the most entertaining season I have witnessed as a sports fan. The fact that I do not even have a team that I consistently support in the league says all one needs to know about the quality of play and storylines that took place last year. We all know about LeBron James' now-infamous "Decision," which, to his shock, made his Miami Heat public enemy number one. The Los Angeles Lakers looked to have a real chance to win three straight championships, with Kobe Bryant on the precipice of tying Michael Jordan's six NBA titles, only to be swept by the previously much-maligned Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls transformed from a very good young point guard into an MVP, and led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since Jordan was their shooting guard. Even the bad teams had players to root for, such as the Minnesota Timberwolves power forward and NBA rebounding leader Kevin Love. In short, it truly was a banner year for the league, and clearly a springboard to an even more compelling season this year.
Alas, the fans do not run the NBA, and really we have no say in the goings on of these labor negotiations. We are pawns that continue to buy merchandise and season tickets and watch games on television—a means to an end.
Owners want shorter contracts, a harder salary cap and a larger percentage of the revenue than they received in the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement so that the rules prevent them from making foolish signings that they clearly would continue to do otherwise. Meanwhile, players are upset that the owners are punishing them for choosing to sign them for exorbitant amounts of money, and have little interest in giving up any financial progress they have made in the past decade. Add in Commissioner David Stern doing his best to play hardball on behalf of the owners, and agents discussing decertification, and we are left where the NFL was in April—only that was five months before the regular season was scheduled to start.
Since there has been no sense of urgency until last week, the NBA has far too much ground to make up for a timely solution to take place. Thus, all the momentum the league has built up over the decade will entirely disappear. So I hope the league is happy, when they will inevitably come to an agreement and both sides force smiles and claim victory, because in the end everyone loses. The NBA: Where League-razing Happens.
The case for Jacoby Ellsbury for American League MVP
Despite playing in Boston, one of the biggest baseball markets in the country, Jacoby Ellsbury has actually flown slightly under the radar this season. The Red Sox centerfielder
has bounced back from a rocky 2010, when he was injured most of the
season, to put up career-best power and defensive numbers. Yet, with the
high-profile offseason acquisitions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl
Crawford combined with Boston's favorites, David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis, it is somewhat easy to overlook Ellsbury's fantastic season and why he should be the American League MVP.
To put it simply, Ellsbury is without a significant weakness. In the past, he was fast and an above-average defender, but did not hit for significant power. However, this season (as of Sept. 26) Ellsbury has 31 home runs in 156 games, whereas in the first 349 games of his career he hit only 20. Not only that, he also has 46 doubles and five triples, culminating in a .552 slugging percentage. In any context, these are excellent numbers, but consider that offense in baseball is at its lowest level since 1992, right before the so-called "steroid era" began. Consequently, Ellsbury ranks eighth in MLB in weighted on-base average, which combines a player's on-base and slugging contributions to his team.
That's only the beginning of Ellsbury's immense impact on the Red Sox. He stole 38 bases out in 53 attempts and only grounded out into eight double plays all season, thus rating as an above-average baserunner. This is hardly surprising considering that Ellsbury's fantastic speed has historically been his calling card. As the primary leadoff hitter for the Red Sox, Ellsbury has given the team a great power hitter and a speed threat in over 700 plate appearances this season.
While Ellsbury's hitting and baserunning by themselves give him an excellent case of winning the MVP, what sets him apart is his well above-average defense in centerfield, the but why most important position in the outfield. Fangraphs, a highly touted website focusing on baseball statistics, rates Ellsbury as having prevented 16 more runs defensively than the average centerfielder, best among centerfielders in the major leagues. Even with a slightly below-average arm, Ellsbury uses his speed and instincts to get to a high percentage of baseballs in his direction, and he has yet to commit an error this entire season.
All of Ellsbury's positive contributions give him, per Fangraphs, a total WAR (wins above replacement) of 9.7, meaning that the Red Sox won about 10 more games than they would have been expected to with a replacement-level centerfielder playing everyday. No one else in baseball has a higher WAR than 8.4, and only seven other American Leaguers have a WAR of at least seven. Even if we say that the defensive metrics that Fangraphs use overestimate his value, he has still been the best player not only in the American League but also throughout baseball. Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays has had a better offensive season than Ellsbury and had the best first half in all of baseball, but he has been unable to keep the same pace after the All-Star break and is not even remotely in the same class as a defender.
Detroit Tigers starter Justin Verlander has certainly pitched fantastically, and the New York Yankees' Curtis Granderson and Tigers' Miguel Cabrera had remarkable offensive seasons as well. No one, however, has played a more complete and consistent game than Ellsbury has for the Boston Red Sox. I hope the fans and the media will no longer overlook him when everyone steps back to appreciate the historic season that he has achieved.
To put it simply, Ellsbury is without a significant weakness. In the past, he was fast and an above-average defender, but did not hit for significant power. However, this season (as of Sept. 26) Ellsbury has 31 home runs in 156 games, whereas in the first 349 games of his career he hit only 20. Not only that, he also has 46 doubles and five triples, culminating in a .552 slugging percentage. In any context, these are excellent numbers, but consider that offense in baseball is at its lowest level since 1992, right before the so-called "steroid era" began. Consequently, Ellsbury ranks eighth in MLB in weighted on-base average, which combines a player's on-base and slugging contributions to his team.
That's only the beginning of Ellsbury's immense impact on the Red Sox. He stole 38 bases out in 53 attempts and only grounded out into eight double plays all season, thus rating as an above-average baserunner. This is hardly surprising considering that Ellsbury's fantastic speed has historically been his calling card. As the primary leadoff hitter for the Red Sox, Ellsbury has given the team a great power hitter and a speed threat in over 700 plate appearances this season.
While Ellsbury's hitting and baserunning by themselves give him an excellent case of winning the MVP, what sets him apart is his well above-average defense in centerfield, the but why most important position in the outfield. Fangraphs, a highly touted website focusing on baseball statistics, rates Ellsbury as having prevented 16 more runs defensively than the average centerfielder, best among centerfielders in the major leagues. Even with a slightly below-average arm, Ellsbury uses his speed and instincts to get to a high percentage of baseballs in his direction, and he has yet to commit an error this entire season.
All of Ellsbury's positive contributions give him, per Fangraphs, a total WAR (wins above replacement) of 9.7, meaning that the Red Sox won about 10 more games than they would have been expected to with a replacement-level centerfielder playing everyday. No one else in baseball has a higher WAR than 8.4, and only seven other American Leaguers have a WAR of at least seven. Even if we say that the defensive metrics that Fangraphs use overestimate his value, he has still been the best player not only in the American League but also throughout baseball. Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays has had a better offensive season than Ellsbury and had the best first half in all of baseball, but he has been unable to keep the same pace after the All-Star break and is not even remotely in the same class as a defender.
Detroit Tigers starter Justin Verlander has certainly pitched fantastically, and the New York Yankees' Curtis Granderson and Tigers' Miguel Cabrera had remarkable offensive seasons as well. No one, however, has played a more complete and consistent game than Ellsbury has for the Boston Red Sox. I hope the fans and the media will no longer overlook him when everyone steps back to appreciate the historic season that he has achieved.
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