First of all, I'm going to get this out of my system for Sarah...J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets! The defense looked awesome again and I am excited to see how the season plays out. A few reactions from last week's picks: I have taken the lead over Sarah, whose picks can be found at her blog http://realwomenwatchfootball.blogspot.com, which might be the only time it happens all year long. The Titans, Redskins, and Packers were all severe disappointments for me, as I expected all to win their games handily, yet the former and latter lost, while the Redskins eked out a win over the hapless Rams. The theme of the week was riding the underdog, as the only favorites to cover were Minnesota, Atlanta, San Francisco, Buffalo, Denver, and Indianapolis, with an astonishing nine underdogs winning the game outright! Hmm, this competition gets tougher every single week. We know the teams better through two weeks, and know that some of them are desperate, so on to the picks, taken from here (my pick is bolded, as always):
Tennessee (+2.5) at New York Jets
I hate seeing these two teams play. It pits my favorite player (Chris Johnson) against my favorite team. Factor in that Chris Johnson leads my fantasy team into battle each week, and I want to see him have a big game. Yet, I'm rooting against the Titans so that the Jets can go to 3-0. Additionally, the Titans are one of those "desperate" teams, and an 0-3 hole could more or less end their season. The Jets are still riding high after an emotional (and it was emotional, ask Sarah) win over the Patriots, and I think they lose this one at home.
Jacksonville at Houston (-4)
The Cardinals were 0-5 last year in games played on the East Coast, losing by an average score of 40-20. Seeing as how the Jaguars hosted the Cardinals last week and essentially rolled over and died (a 31-17 loss, a game they trailed 31-3 at one point), I think they have given up already, which is fitting because their fan base gave up on them before the first home preseason game.
Kansas City (+9.5) at Philadelphia
I know, I know, Kansas City is very, very bad, and they're on the road. Crazy, right? Not necessarily, since Matt Cassel has had a week to play in the system, Philadelphia will almost assuredly be without Donovan McNabb again (Kevin Kolb hasn't looked great), and Kansas City, despite being 0-2, has been remarkably resilient and competitive.
Cleveland at Baltimore (-13.5)
The Ravens might be the AFC's best team. The Browns are still reeling after this. I'm 2-0 with the Ravens, so I'm sticking with them.
New York Giants (-6.5) at Tampa Bay
If I were to choose a lock of the week, this one would be it. The Giants are really, really good. The Buccaneers are just plain terrible, proving that by getting shellacked by the hapless Buffalo Bills. The Giants will get up by a lot early and coast to a 3-0 start.
Washington at Detroit (+6.5)
Which Washington team shows up? The one who played the Giants close in Week 1 or the one who nearly lost to the Rams in Week 2? I think the Lions have a legitimate shot to turn this guy back into his old self.
Green Bay (-6.5) at St. Louis
Well, either Green Bay is worse than we thought or the Bengals are better. More likely is a combination of both. Chad Ocho Cinco's celebration should light a fire under the Packers the way it did to the Green Bay fan who gave us all a very nice showing of his middle finger on national television. It doesn't hurt that they get to play the worst team in football either.
San Francisco (+7) at Minnesota
Yes, here I am picking against the great Adrian Peterson. I don't care what the numbers say, the 49ers are a pretty good football team. They are going to keep this game close and Peterson in check like they did back in 2007, when AP managed a whopping three yards on fourteen carries.
Atlanta (+4) at New England
Yeah, umm, the Patriots simply are not the same football team they have been in the past. Too man guys gone due to retirement, injury, trades, etc. The O-line is significantly worse than previous years, and Brady is understandably hesitant to put a ton of weight into his front leg when delivering a pass. Atlanta is also a surprisingly good team, and I think they're going to come into Foxborough/Gilette Stadium and win on Sunday.
Chicago (-2.5) at Seattle
With Matt Hasselbeck's health possibly keeping him out of this game, there is no way that Seattle wins, even if they have the home field advantage. Jay Cutler, as whiny as he may be, can lead a team to victories if need be. I think this will be a blowout win for the Bears.
New Orleans (-6) at Buffalo
The Bills beat the hapless Buccaneers last week, so I don't think any higher of them. New Orleans is one of the three best teams in the league right now. Remember what Tom Brady did to the Bills in the final five minutes on Monday night opening week? The Saints passing attack is better than the Patriots. Expect a LONG day for the Bills secondary.
Miami (+6) at San Diego
Miami could not have executed its game plan on Monday any better than it did. The only flaw was that Peyton Manning plays on the Colts. Philip Rivers is not Peyton Manning. He's not even close. I think the Dolphins come out fired up again and get their first W of the year.
Pittsburgh (-4) at Cincinnati
I toggled back and forth with this pick. Cincinnati is a decent football team. Pittsburgh can't run the ball, and Leon Hall is a phenomenal cover guy for the Bengals, so the Steelers passing attack versus the Bengals pass defense could be a key battle. The big problem for the Bengals, in my opinion, will be moving the ball on offense. Cedric Benson won't run as easily as he did in the first two weeks, so it'll be interesting to see how they get up and down the field.
Denver (-1.5) at Oakland
I recieved this letter from Josh McDaniels the other day:
"Dear Brian,
Your idiotic remark about us in Week 1 of this competition is now buletin board material in our locker room. Every day our players run on to the field thinking about proving you wrong. So far, the scoreboard is: Broncos 2-Brian 0. What do you have to say about that?
Go F Yourself,
Josh McDaniels"
Intriguing. I should probably point out that I was wrong twice, and you were right. I should also point out that one of your games was against the Browns, who are legitimately sucky, and I should have picked you. So here you go, Mr. McDaniels, I am aboard the Broncos train. Take me to the Promised Land, or trade me the F to Chicago where Jay Cutler and I can say mean things about you behind your back.
Indianapolis (+2.5) at Arizona
Peyton Manning is clutch, especially on national television. He's going to shred the Cardinals pass defense. Expect Dwight Freeney to hit Kurt Warner a few times and ring the old man's bell. Don't expect Kurt Warner to blame the Cardinals' loss on God though, since God gets credit for the Ws and no blame for the losses...sounds like a job I want.
Carolina (+9) at Dallas
For the second straight week, the Cowboys get to display their magnificent abode to the nation. For the second straight week, they're not going to cover. Carolina (and Jake Delhomme) looked astronomically better last week, while Tony Romo was less than spectacular. I just see a close game again.
So there you have it. I went 9-7 again last week, bringing my overall record to 18-14.
Last Week: Brian (9-7), Sarah (7-9)
Overall: Brian (18-14), Sarah (16-16)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Spread Picking Competition: Week 2
Ahh, one week is in the books and we know a bit more about the teams. The Colts looked less impressive than I expected. The Jets looked better than I thought they would be. The Rams, Lions, Broncos, and Bengals were who we thought they were. Alas, I should be a little better prepared to make these picks. First of all, a recap from last week:
I went 9-7. I picked nine of the first eleven games I had listed correctly, before going absolutely cold. The afternoon and Sunday and Monday night games were NOT kind to me. Aside from getting the 49ers-Cardinals game correct, I missed the Giants (won by 6, spread was 6.5), I don't want to talk about the Rams, Aaron Rodgers beat me with a late TD pass, and the Chargers and Pats struggled to beat crappy opponents and neither came close to covering. If you read the first week, you know this is a competition between myself and my girlfriend Sarah, whose blog can be found here. She also went 9-7, although her picks were different from mine, which goes to show you, it doesn't matter how you pick them, you can't be very successful. Anyway, on to this week's picks, lines taken from here (my picks are in bold):
Oakland (+3) at Kansas City
If you didn't see what I had to say about the Chiefs after their dismal performance last week, either scroll down to the next entry or click here. They just aren't very good, and the Raiders actually showed some promise.
Houston at Tennessee (-6.5)
Tennessee won't be happy after losing a nail biter to Pittsburgh, especially when Rob Bironas missed two field goals in regulation. Houston's offense sputtered at home against the Jets, and I think the Titans' defensive unit is stronger, plus the Texans don't play well on the road.
New England at New York Jets (+3.5)
This one is strictly done because I am a Jets fan and Sarah is a Pats fan. Also, the Jets looked good enough to merit me picking them. Their defense was stout and the offense is very solid, which works when the Patriots defense is terrible.
New Update: Apparently the Patriots only serviceable middle linebacker, Jerrod Mayo, is out 6-8 weeks with an MCL sprain. No Bruschi, no Vrabel, no Seymour, and no Mayo. Since Eric Mangold is a man at center, he should be able to contain Vince Wolfork well enough for the Jets RBs to get to the second level, where last year's starters (aside from Adalius Thomas) are all gone. I'm liking this pick even more now.
Cincinnati at Green Bay (-9)
The Packers defense looked great, and the Bungles couldn't move the ball on the hapless Broncos. Plus Green Bay gets to play at Lambeau.
Minnesota (-9.5) at Detroit
Let me break it down for you. It's this versus this.
New Orleans (+1.5) at Philadelphia
Donovan McNabb is hurt and most likely not playing. Drew Brees is really, really good. Drew Brees is not Jake Delhomme, meaning that the Eagles defense will not put up a similar effort to the one they had on Sunday (which nearly cost me a fantasy matchup). The Saints play just enough defense to win.
Carolina at Atlanta (-6)
Jake Delhomme has 11 turnovers in his last two non-preseason games. Jake Delhomme plays for the Panthers. The Panthers play in Carolina.
St. Louis at Washington (-9.5)
Until the Rams can score I won't pick them, especially since it burned me last week.
Arizona (+3) at Jacksonville
I know I said Arizona sucks, but this is my random road team covering pick.
Seattle at San Francisco (-1.5)
The 49ers respond to Mike Singletary because the players fear playing with ten players and getting penalized all the way and he wants winners (his opinion on losers couldn't be found). Also, Seattle on the road means it has no home-field advantage. Seriously, that is some sagacious stuff from me right there. The home-field advantage is important to them, that's what I was getting at.
Tampa Bay (+4.5) at Buffalo
Buffalo finds a way to lose games. At least they don't have to play on Monday Night Football again.
Cleveland (+3) at Denver
Both teams are awful. I have a feeling Denver would be an underdog in this game if not for their miracle Week 1 win.
Baltimore (+3) at San Diego
The offense looked great and will run all over San Diego. Plus Tomlinson is already hurt.
Pittsburgh (-3) at Chicago
Both teams are missing a defensive stud (Hair Polamalu for the Steelers and Brian Urlacher for the Bears). The Steelers prevail in this honor du-el since they can make up for the loss of Polamalu and will bait Cutler into throwing a few more INTs.
New York Giants at Dallas (-3)
Dallas has beaten the Giants four of the past six times in Big D, and they do it again behind Tony Romo's right arm.
Indianapolis (-3) at Miami
Yes, Miami gets the home crowd on Monday Night. I just don't think they're a very good team. I went with Indy last week at home and lost, but I think Peyton Manning lights up the Dolphins secondary and leaves Miami in an 0-2 hole and two games behind the division leader after the Pats and Jets tangle.
Hopefully I have a better week this time around.
Last Week: 9-7
Overall: 9-7
I went 9-7. I picked nine of the first eleven games I had listed correctly, before going absolutely cold. The afternoon and Sunday and Monday night games were NOT kind to me. Aside from getting the 49ers-Cardinals game correct, I missed the Giants (won by 6, spread was 6.5), I don't want to talk about the Rams, Aaron Rodgers beat me with a late TD pass, and the Chargers and Pats struggled to beat crappy opponents and neither came close to covering. If you read the first week, you know this is a competition between myself and my girlfriend Sarah, whose blog can be found here. She also went 9-7, although her picks were different from mine, which goes to show you, it doesn't matter how you pick them, you can't be very successful. Anyway, on to this week's picks, lines taken from here (my picks are in bold):
Oakland (+3) at Kansas City
If you didn't see what I had to say about the Chiefs after their dismal performance last week, either scroll down to the next entry or click here. They just aren't very good, and the Raiders actually showed some promise.
Houston at Tennessee (-6.5)
Tennessee won't be happy after losing a nail biter to Pittsburgh, especially when Rob Bironas missed two field goals in regulation. Houston's offense sputtered at home against the Jets, and I think the Titans' defensive unit is stronger, plus the Texans don't play well on the road.
New England at New York Jets (+3.5)
This one is strictly done because I am a Jets fan and Sarah is a Pats fan. Also, the Jets looked good enough to merit me picking them. Their defense was stout and the offense is very solid, which works when the Patriots defense is terrible.
New Update: Apparently the Patriots only serviceable middle linebacker, Jerrod Mayo, is out 6-8 weeks with an MCL sprain. No Bruschi, no Vrabel, no Seymour, and no Mayo. Since Eric Mangold is a man at center, he should be able to contain Vince Wolfork well enough for the Jets RBs to get to the second level, where last year's starters (aside from Adalius Thomas) are all gone. I'm liking this pick even more now.
Cincinnati at Green Bay (-9)
The Packers defense looked great, and the Bungles couldn't move the ball on the hapless Broncos. Plus Green Bay gets to play at Lambeau.
Minnesota (-9.5) at Detroit
Let me break it down for you. It's this versus this.
New Orleans (+1.5) at Philadelphia
Donovan McNabb is hurt and most likely not playing. Drew Brees is really, really good. Drew Brees is not Jake Delhomme, meaning that the Eagles defense will not put up a similar effort to the one they had on Sunday (which nearly cost me a fantasy matchup). The Saints play just enough defense to win.
Carolina at Atlanta (-6)
Jake Delhomme has 11 turnovers in his last two non-preseason games. Jake Delhomme plays for the Panthers. The Panthers play in Carolina.
St. Louis at Washington (-9.5)
Until the Rams can score I won't pick them, especially since it burned me last week.
Arizona (+3) at Jacksonville
I know I said Arizona sucks, but this is my random road team covering pick.
Seattle at San Francisco (-1.5)
The 49ers respond to Mike Singletary because the players fear playing with ten players and getting penalized all the way and he wants winners (his opinion on losers couldn't be found). Also, Seattle on the road means it has no home-field advantage. Seriously, that is some sagacious stuff from me right there. The home-field advantage is important to them, that's what I was getting at.
Tampa Bay (+4.5) at Buffalo
Buffalo finds a way to lose games. At least they don't have to play on Monday Night Football again.
Cleveland (+3) at Denver
Both teams are awful. I have a feeling Denver would be an underdog in this game if not for their miracle Week 1 win.
Baltimore (+3) at San Diego
The offense looked great and will run all over San Diego. Plus Tomlinson is already hurt.
Pittsburgh (-3) at Chicago
Both teams are missing a defensive stud (Hair Polamalu for the Steelers and Brian Urlacher for the Bears). The Steelers prevail in this honor du-el since they can make up for the loss of Polamalu and will bait Cutler into throwing a few more INTs.
New York Giants at Dallas (-3)
Dallas has beaten the Giants four of the past six times in Big D, and they do it again behind Tony Romo's right arm.
Indianapolis (-3) at Miami
Yes, Miami gets the home crowd on Monday Night. I just don't think they're a very good team. I went with Indy last week at home and lost, but I think Peyton Manning lights up the Dolphins secondary and leaves Miami in an 0-2 hole and two games behind the division leader after the Pats and Jets tangle.
Hopefully I have a better week this time around.
Last Week: 9-7
Overall: 9-7
NFL Week 1 in the Books
Ahh, the NFL hath arriveth and I couldn't be happier. To kick things off, my Jets looked PHENOMENAL. Not only did they silence everyone's darling pick in Houston, but they shut down that seemingly unstoppable offense in Houston, where the Texans are supposed to be good. Rex Ryan has worked wonders with that defense, even without starters Shaun Ellis and Calvin Pace in the lineup. Oh yeah, and there was a good-looking guy from USC who announced himself to the NFL. His stat line won't jump off the screen at you [18/31, 272 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (that's 12 fantasy points in a standard scoring league)], but what blew me away was his poise and pocket presence. He seemed to be able to sense the rush at all times and avoid it without actually seeing it, which led to the following exchange between myself and my college roommate Curly, a fellow Jets fan:
Me: I'm totally gay for Mark Sanchez...no homo.
Curly: Yeah, me too. He has some sexy hands and a delicious right arm.
Me: It's the way he moves his feet that makes me go from six to midnight, though.
The moral of the story: Mark Sanchez is going to be a stud in the NFL and already has Jets fans salivating.
OK, enough about how happy I am for this Jets season and the way it could turn out. On to other reactions:
Don't let the crazy ending to the Denver-Cincinnati game fool you...both teams are brutal, really, really brutal.
Despite having 31 first downs, 501 yards of total offense, and possessing the ball for just under 40 minutes, it took Baltimore until the 58-minute mark to take the lead for good against the Chiefs, whose comparative stats were: 9 first downs and 188 yards of total offense (with a paltry 29 yards on the ground). I can hear Kansas City fans praying for Matt Cassell's return to get the defeated Brodie Croyle (literally defeated, as in he's 0-9 as a starter in the NFL) off the field. It's going to be a long season in KC.
The Patriots and Chargers played awfully. Both should have lost the games they played, but were saved by the fact that they played teams that suck worse on a good day than either of those teams does on a bad day. I've always said that "good teams find ways to win games, but bad teams find ways to lose them." On Monday night, the latter was in full effect. Buffalo may not win more than 4 games all season and TO will struggle and whine in the cold weather...I'm excited. Also, as long as Al Davis is owning and operating the team in Oakland, I'm excited.
Calvin Johnson is awesome. But the Lions' defense is better at being bad than Johnson is at being good. Detroit is headed for another last place finish in the NFC North.
The NFC West may be more miserable this year than it was last year. The Cardinals have proved that they do, in fact, suck. Their run to the Super Bowl was a product of the offense firing (not clicking, since that's not what a cylinder does) on all cylinders and the defense making enough stops to win. Oh, they also got to play against Jake Delhomme in the playoffs. They'll go 6-10 this year and Seattle or San Francisco will win the division at 8-8 and get crushed in the playoffs. Also the Rams will finish with the league's worst record.
I have some more reactions, but will end now so I can get to making my spread picks.
Me: I'm totally gay for Mark Sanchez...no homo.
Curly: Yeah, me too. He has some sexy hands and a delicious right arm.
Me: It's the way he moves his feet that makes me go from six to midnight, though.
The moral of the story: Mark Sanchez is going to be a stud in the NFL and already has Jets fans salivating.
OK, enough about how happy I am for this Jets season and the way it could turn out. On to other reactions:
Don't let the crazy ending to the Denver-Cincinnati game fool you...both teams are brutal, really, really brutal.
Despite having 31 first downs, 501 yards of total offense, and possessing the ball for just under 40 minutes, it took Baltimore until the 58-minute mark to take the lead for good against the Chiefs, whose comparative stats were: 9 first downs and 188 yards of total offense (with a paltry 29 yards on the ground). I can hear Kansas City fans praying for Matt Cassell's return to get the defeated Brodie Croyle (literally defeated, as in he's 0-9 as a starter in the NFL) off the field. It's going to be a long season in KC.
The Patriots and Chargers played awfully. Both should have lost the games they played, but were saved by the fact that they played teams that suck worse on a good day than either of those teams does on a bad day. I've always said that "good teams find ways to win games, but bad teams find ways to lose them." On Monday night, the latter was in full effect. Buffalo may not win more than 4 games all season and TO will struggle and whine in the cold weather...I'm excited. Also, as long as Al Davis is owning and operating the team in Oakland, I'm excited.
Calvin Johnson is awesome. But the Lions' defense is better at being bad than Johnson is at being good. Detroit is headed for another last place finish in the NFC North.
The NFC West may be more miserable this year than it was last year. The Cardinals have proved that they do, in fact, suck. Their run to the Super Bowl was a product of the offense firing (not clicking, since that's not what a cylinder does) on all cylinders and the defense making enough stops to win. Oh, they also got to play against Jake Delhomme in the playoffs. They'll go 6-10 this year and Seattle or San Francisco will win the division at 8-8 and get crushed in the playoffs. Also the Rams will finish with the league's worst record.
I have some more reactions, but will end now so I can get to making my spread picks.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Poor Ending
This blog was going to be devoted to how Serena Williams had transitioned to my second least favorite persona in women's tennis because Pam Shriver's antics at the US Open have just disgusted me, but now I am going to write about what just transpired that has Kim Clijsters one win away from a miraculous run to a US Open title after taking two years off to start a family.
I missed the first set and a half, picking it up where Kim Clijsters had a 6-4, 4-3 lead with Serena serving. Both held serve until it was 6-5 Clijsters (kudos to Serena for holding her serve at 4-5 to prolong the match). Three points were played in the twelfth game of the set, with Clijsters getting to 15-30 and just two points from the match. That's when all hell broke loose.
Serena's first serve missed, and then her second serve began one of the most controversial endings to a sporting event I have ever seen. She was called for a foot fault. Video replay does not confirm that there was a foot fault, which sent the announcers in an uproar, but a very minor outburst to what Serena displayed. She went completely off the deep end, going on a swearing tirade that was clearly directed at the official who made the call on her. Doing what is required of her as a referee, Serena's victim then reported what was said to her to the chair umpire, which sent Serena into another craze. When the tournament director came out, Serena's two incidents, combined with her previous warning for smashing her racquet, resulted in her incurring a penalty, which is the loss of the next point. Considering that the double fault put the score at 15-40 (double match point for Clijsters), the match was over, with Clijsters advancing and Serena going home. A few reactions I have to this:
First, the lineswoman was correct in her actions once Serena started swearing at her. She is supposed to report any behavior like that to the chairperson. The penalty handed down was deserved. The real question lies in whether or not the foot fault should have been called in the first place. I know that rules are rules and that they should apply to the game the same from start to finish, but that's not the case. I personally like to see the referees get less and less involved in the latter stages and let the players duke thinks out. Of course I don't want players to be allowed to get away with murder, but I hate seeing games decided by nit-picking refs (please NHL, stop calling penalties at such an alarming rate in your playoff OT games). Especially since it wasn't blatant, the foot fault shouldn't be called there.
Second, I feel AWFUL for Clijsters. Serena came across to Clijsters' side of the court to shake her hand, and you could see the anguish in her face. I can't read lips, but it almost seems like she was saying, "I'm sorry, that's not the way I wanted it to end." She played a great match and was supposedly the better ball striker this evening, but her great play and victory will be undermined by the way it came to fruition. I wish her best of luck in the finals against Caroline Wozniacki, since it'd be an amazing story.
I'm sure I will update the blog once videos and more information is available, but I wanted to share my initial thoughts immediately after it happened.
I missed the first set and a half, picking it up where Kim Clijsters had a 6-4, 4-3 lead with Serena serving. Both held serve until it was 6-5 Clijsters (kudos to Serena for holding her serve at 4-5 to prolong the match). Three points were played in the twelfth game of the set, with Clijsters getting to 15-30 and just two points from the match. That's when all hell broke loose.
Serena's first serve missed, and then her second serve began one of the most controversial endings to a sporting event I have ever seen. She was called for a foot fault. Video replay does not confirm that there was a foot fault, which sent the announcers in an uproar, but a very minor outburst to what Serena displayed. She went completely off the deep end, going on a swearing tirade that was clearly directed at the official who made the call on her. Doing what is required of her as a referee, Serena's victim then reported what was said to her to the chair umpire, which sent Serena into another craze. When the tournament director came out, Serena's two incidents, combined with her previous warning for smashing her racquet, resulted in her incurring a penalty, which is the loss of the next point. Considering that the double fault put the score at 15-40 (double match point for Clijsters), the match was over, with Clijsters advancing and Serena going home. A few reactions I have to this:
First, the lineswoman was correct in her actions once Serena started swearing at her. She is supposed to report any behavior like that to the chairperson. The penalty handed down was deserved. The real question lies in whether or not the foot fault should have been called in the first place. I know that rules are rules and that they should apply to the game the same from start to finish, but that's not the case. I personally like to see the referees get less and less involved in the latter stages and let the players duke thinks out. Of course I don't want players to be allowed to get away with murder, but I hate seeing games decided by nit-picking refs (please NHL, stop calling penalties at such an alarming rate in your playoff OT games). Especially since it wasn't blatant, the foot fault shouldn't be called there.
Second, I feel AWFUL for Clijsters. Serena came across to Clijsters' side of the court to shake her hand, and you could see the anguish in her face. I can't read lips, but it almost seems like she was saying, "I'm sorry, that's not the way I wanted it to end." She played a great match and was supposedly the better ball striker this evening, but her great play and victory will be undermined by the way it came to fruition. I wish her best of luck in the finals against Caroline Wozniacki, since it'd be an amazing story.
I'm sure I will update the blog once videos and more information is available, but I wanted to share my initial thoughts immediately after it happened.
Wait...Am I Allowed to Say This? A Red Sox Fan Giving some Love to the Yankees?
As a Red Sox fan, it is my duty to personally root against the Yankees at any and all ventures, as well as hate the entire roster. In the past, under Joe Torre when the team seemed to be a bunch of stoic, superstar individuals that were not allowed to grow facial hair that happened to be on the same team, that was an easy task. Guys like Paul O'Neill, Randy Johnson, Jason Giambi Chuck Knoblauch, and the likes made it terribly difficult to rationalize enjoying them as teammates and human beings. However, when I look at this year's team, I have trouble despising the individual players (I, of course, still hate the team). Let's take a look:
The one player who is universally despised in baseball is Alex Rodriguez (the torch was passed to him by either Clemens or Barry Bonds, take your pick). His own mother hates him, so it's OK that I do too. Aside from making Red Sox fans believe he'd be hitting balls over the Green Monster for many years to come not that long ago, his personal life off the field is bothersome, and the whole steroids and HGH thing only further villified him.
The other guy I really hate is Johnny Damon. However, that's pretty explicable, given that he jumped ship from a team who he had just won a World Series title with (the franchise's first in 86 years, nonetheless), where he was also one of the leaders of the self-proclaimed "idiots" on the Red Sox (oh yeah, he's got a book about it too), to the Evil Empire, which also happens to be the Red Sox greatest rival. Seeing him try to throw out runners with his glass arm from left field and struggle out there in general has brought great pleasure to me. The fact that Yankee Stadium is ideal for his swing and he's hit so many homeruns to the second deck that it's often dubbed "Damon's Deck," has not.
The rest of the team, however, has proven to be shockingly fun. They still have four Yankee staples in Jeter, Pettite, Posada, and Rivera, as well as a whole group of new guys. I've always respected Jeter because I think he does everything the right way, and am somewhat happy that if anyone were to have gone on to break past Yankee greats' records, it's him. He plays the game the right way and doesn't let anything he does off the field become public or a distraction. Given his dating record (found here in Rick Reilly's article, scroll down to the 3rd one titled, "People Much Better than Me"), that's no small feat.
Pettite has always, at least to me, been dependable and a team-oriented guy. He always sits in the dugout on his off-days, which, to me, conveys the message, "Hey guys, you're there for me every fifth day when I go out and start, so I'll be here for you the other four." I like that in a guy, since it shows that, to him, it's not just about solely about the paycheck, but about winning and having a good relationship with his teammates. Roger Clemens, in his later contracts, was not even required to travel on road trips where he wasn't scheduled to pitch. Hmm, seems like a really likable guy, huh?
Posada is just a silent, steady producer, who has done some hilarious ESPN commercials. I love that the Yankee fans say, "Hip, hip, Jorge!" every time he steps up to the plate. The fact that his knees have held up and he still does what he does with a bat in his hands amazes me.
Lastly, Rivera, while not the owner of an incedible personality and charm, just goes out there year after year and does what he does best, which is save games. It looked like he was cooked a year or so ago, but now he's back and scary again (plus it doesn't hurt that he routinely blows saves against the Red Sox).
Now, several of the new guys are hilarious too. Rumors out of the Yankees spring training were that Nick Swisher is one of the funniest guys in the league and made the clubhouse as a whole more relaxed. Every team needs a guy like this. Teams need to stay loose, because, at the end of the day, they're still playing the game they grew up playing because they enjoyed it, not because they were being paid.
I am still of the opinion that C.C. Sabathia only signed with the Yankees to appease the player's union so that other free agents in the off-season had a higher benchmark with which to work. That being said, he's sort of like the lovable fat guy that every group of friends have, only he's really, really good at baseball too. He bought a ton of the Yankees players tickets to an NBA playoff game (think it was a Cavaliers' game, but I can't remember), which lets you know he's another team-oriented guy.
The last guy that seems absolutely hilarious is AJ Burnett. While he seems angry on the mound, he's another guy who is in the dugout every day cheering on his team. Not to mention that he seems to have exclusive rights to shaving cream pie-ing team members who get walk-off hits since he himself can't get one. Those can be seen, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Granted a few of those are on A-Rod (who doesn't always look so pleased, unlike the rest of the guys), and I hate that A-Rod has gotten any walk-off hits, but the fact remains that Burnett has brought some pizzazz to the team (my personal favorite was #5 where he involved Joba as well).
Although I don't find him terribly funny, another guy I respect (and who I feared the most of all the free agent signings the Yankees made as soon as they signed him) is Mark Teixeira. To me he seems like the kind of player who plays his heart out every single day because he doesn't have the skill set to allow him to be lackadaisical, only he actually does have that skill set to complement the work ethic. I think the play that best defined his desire was when he scored from first when Luis Castillo dropped the pop-up during interleague play. How many guys run hard on that play and score? Maybe five or six in the entire league?
Anyway, now that I have written about how I respect and enjoy the new-look Yankees, I am going to inform you that I still wish an early playoff exit upon the team. I hope the Red Sox win the Wild Card (and beat the Angels, who they should just get a bye past anyway), the Yankees struggle past the pathetic AL Central winner, and the Red Sox just dominate the Yankees in the ALCS. I'm talking a sweep and outscoring them along the lines of 42-5 over the four games. I will still root against the Yankees with every fiber of my being, don't get me wrong and call me a traitor. It's just that the new-look Yankees are a more likable bunch than their predecessors.
The one player who is universally despised in baseball is Alex Rodriguez (the torch was passed to him by either Clemens or Barry Bonds, take your pick). His own mother hates him, so it's OK that I do too. Aside from making Red Sox fans believe he'd be hitting balls over the Green Monster for many years to come not that long ago, his personal life off the field is bothersome, and the whole steroids and HGH thing only further villified him.
The other guy I really hate is Johnny Damon. However, that's pretty explicable, given that he jumped ship from a team who he had just won a World Series title with (the franchise's first in 86 years, nonetheless), where he was also one of the leaders of the self-proclaimed "idiots" on the Red Sox (oh yeah, he's got a book about it too), to the Evil Empire, which also happens to be the Red Sox greatest rival. Seeing him try to throw out runners with his glass arm from left field and struggle out there in general has brought great pleasure to me. The fact that Yankee Stadium is ideal for his swing and he's hit so many homeruns to the second deck that it's often dubbed "Damon's Deck," has not.
The rest of the team, however, has proven to be shockingly fun. They still have four Yankee staples in Jeter, Pettite, Posada, and Rivera, as well as a whole group of new guys. I've always respected Jeter because I think he does everything the right way, and am somewhat happy that if anyone were to have gone on to break past Yankee greats' records, it's him. He plays the game the right way and doesn't let anything he does off the field become public or a distraction. Given his dating record (found here in Rick Reilly's article, scroll down to the 3rd one titled, "People Much Better than Me"), that's no small feat.
Pettite has always, at least to me, been dependable and a team-oriented guy. He always sits in the dugout on his off-days, which, to me, conveys the message, "Hey guys, you're there for me every fifth day when I go out and start, so I'll be here for you the other four." I like that in a guy, since it shows that, to him, it's not just about solely about the paycheck, but about winning and having a good relationship with his teammates. Roger Clemens, in his later contracts, was not even required to travel on road trips where he wasn't scheduled to pitch. Hmm, seems like a really likable guy, huh?
Posada is just a silent, steady producer, who has done some hilarious ESPN commercials. I love that the Yankee fans say, "Hip, hip, Jorge!" every time he steps up to the plate. The fact that his knees have held up and he still does what he does with a bat in his hands amazes me.
Lastly, Rivera, while not the owner of an incedible personality and charm, just goes out there year after year and does what he does best, which is save games. It looked like he was cooked a year or so ago, but now he's back and scary again (plus it doesn't hurt that he routinely blows saves against the Red Sox).
Now, several of the new guys are hilarious too. Rumors out of the Yankees spring training were that Nick Swisher is one of the funniest guys in the league and made the clubhouse as a whole more relaxed. Every team needs a guy like this. Teams need to stay loose, because, at the end of the day, they're still playing the game they grew up playing because they enjoyed it, not because they were being paid.
I am still of the opinion that C.C. Sabathia only signed with the Yankees to appease the player's union so that other free agents in the off-season had a higher benchmark with which to work. That being said, he's sort of like the lovable fat guy that every group of friends have, only he's really, really good at baseball too. He bought a ton of the Yankees players tickets to an NBA playoff game (think it was a Cavaliers' game, but I can't remember), which lets you know he's another team-oriented guy.
The last guy that seems absolutely hilarious is AJ Burnett. While he seems angry on the mound, he's another guy who is in the dugout every day cheering on his team. Not to mention that he seems to have exclusive rights to shaving cream pie-ing team members who get walk-off hits since he himself can't get one. Those can be seen, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Granted a few of those are on A-Rod (who doesn't always look so pleased, unlike the rest of the guys), and I hate that A-Rod has gotten any walk-off hits, but the fact remains that Burnett has brought some pizzazz to the team (my personal favorite was #5 where he involved Joba as well).
Although I don't find him terribly funny, another guy I respect (and who I feared the most of all the free agent signings the Yankees made as soon as they signed him) is Mark Teixeira. To me he seems like the kind of player who plays his heart out every single day because he doesn't have the skill set to allow him to be lackadaisical, only he actually does have that skill set to complement the work ethic. I think the play that best defined his desire was when he scored from first when Luis Castillo dropped the pop-up during interleague play. How many guys run hard on that play and score? Maybe five or six in the entire league?
Anyway, now that I have written about how I respect and enjoy the new-look Yankees, I am going to inform you that I still wish an early playoff exit upon the team. I hope the Red Sox win the Wild Card (and beat the Angels, who they should just get a bye past anyway), the Yankees struggle past the pathetic AL Central winner, and the Red Sox just dominate the Yankees in the ALCS. I'm talking a sweep and outscoring them along the lines of 42-5 over the four games. I will still root against the Yankees with every fiber of my being, don't get me wrong and call me a traitor. It's just that the new-look Yankees are a more likable bunch than their predecessors.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Spread Picking Competition: Week 1
This will be a year long competition between myself and my girlfriend, Sarah, whose blog can be found here: http://realwomenwatchfootball.blogspot.com/. Is this an idea borrowed from Bill Simmons and his wife's little competition? Yes. Is it different? Yes, it is. How so, you may ask? My girlfriend loves football and watches it religiously, while Bill Simmons' wife doesn't know the difference between a safety that awards two points and the two safeties that line up in the defensive backfield on every play. Starting next week, I shall give you all a running count of a who is in the lead in our competition. Without further ado, here we go (spreads are taken from http://www.footballlocks.com/nfl_point_spreads.shtml); my pick is bolded:
Tennessee (+6) at Pittsburgh
This should be a typical Steelers game. Ugly, low-scoring, and defensive minded. It also should have been the AFC Championship game last season, if not for a Chris Johnson injury and Alge Crumpler fumbles against Baltimore. I could see either team pulling this one out, but think Pittsburgh has just enough, winning 17-14, but still allowing Tennessee to cover.
Miami at Atlanta (-4)
These are two playoff teams from last year who I don't see returning to promised land this year. I think Miami didn't get much better, and cannot stay as healthy as they did last year while Atlanta just has too much firepower for them at home.
Kansas City at Baltimore (-13)
I just don't think Kansas City is quite there yet, plus I don't think Cassell with be playing. The combination of a relatively inexperienced quarterback (probably Brodie Croyle) against a vicious Baltimore D, at home, means this one could get ugly.
Philadelphia (-1) at Carolina
While I hate Michael Vick, I also think that Philadelphia is that good, while the NFC South as a whole is mediocre. Just about any Philly win covers this one, so I think they're a safe pick.
Denver at Cincinnati (-4.5)
Is it unreasonable to think that I may never pick Denver to cover this entire season? The team has been in disarray since Josh McDaniels took over, and their shifting from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and not having the personnel to pull it off means things could get uglier this season than they currently are.
Minnesota (-4) at Cleveland
Since so many NFL players use Twitter nowadays, I'd think that if Eric Mangini told his players who would be the starting QB, we'd have found out. That leads me to believe that the team doesn't know, which means that they probably won't fare very well in Week 1, even if the Williamses aren't allowed to play.
New York Jets (+4.5) at Houston
OK, this is a bit of a homer pick on my part. I know Houston plays well at home and the Jets are starting a rookie QB, but Rex Ryan has revamped this defensive unit. Additionally, the Jets are going to run, run, and run some more, and Houston's defensive tackles aren't exactly world beaters.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis (-7.5)
I just can't pick against Peyton Manning at home, especially when Maurice Jones-Drew is nursing a tender ankle right now and Jacksonville's offense revolves around him.
Detroit at New Orleans (-13)
That's a ton of points to give, but Detroit was terrible on defense last year, and didn't do much to address it in the draft, as it used both of its first rounders on offensive players. While New Orleans doesn't have a great defense either, Matthew Stafford, the Lions' newly appointed starter, hasn't blown me away in the pre-season. Couple that with the fact that the Superdome gets loud, and we could have another blowout.
Dallas (-6) at Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is rebuilding, Dallas just got rid of its biggest headache, Terrell Owens. I like the offense to explode in Big D this year, starting with a romping of a 4-12 bound Buccaneers team.
San Francisco (+6.5) at Arizona
This is a matchup that San Francisco should have won on Monday Night Football last year. Mike Singletary, despite being a bit quirky, can motivate his group of players. I don't think Arizona can do what it did last season, and that harsh reality kicks in during Week 1.
Washington at New York Giants (-6.5)
Until the Redskins figure out how to utilize Jason Campbell's strong arm (Santana Moss has become somewhat useless in this offense, but should mesh well with Campbell), I don't trust them to put up big points. Couple that with a stout Giants defense, and the Giants win by 10.
St. Louis (+8.5) at Seattle
Seattle was maybe the unluckiest team in the NFL last year in terms of injuries. While they will probably win this division this year, I like a healthy Steven Jackson (is that an oxymoron?) and an upgraded O-line to help St. Louis keep this one under the spread.
Chicago (+3.5) at Green Bay
I just like the Bears this year. I don't know why. I like them to surprise Green Bay on Sunday night in Lambeau.
Buffalo at New England (-10.5)
Let's see...one of these starting offenses managed only three points during the preseason. The other is just one year removed from being the highest scoring offense in NFL history. Oh yeah, the team that can put up the points is at home. This one's easy.
San Diego (-9.5) at Oakland
San Diego is a popular pick to win the Super Bowl this year. It doesn't matter that Oakland is at home. Al Davis is still the owner, and they're still not very good.
So there you have it...Week 1's matchups all picked. I ended up going with 5 underdogs to cover, and a majority of road teams (nine, versus seven home teams) to cover. I also went with two road underdogs to cover, so we shall see how it all turns out.
Note: This spreads were taken earlier in the week and some have changed since then, so the link provided will have some different spreads than what I used here.
Tennessee (+6) at Pittsburgh
This should be a typical Steelers game. Ugly, low-scoring, and defensive minded. It also should have been the AFC Championship game last season, if not for a Chris Johnson injury and Alge Crumpler fumbles against Baltimore. I could see either team pulling this one out, but think Pittsburgh has just enough, winning 17-14, but still allowing Tennessee to cover.
Miami at Atlanta (-4)
These are two playoff teams from last year who I don't see returning to promised land this year. I think Miami didn't get much better, and cannot stay as healthy as they did last year while Atlanta just has too much firepower for them at home.
Kansas City at Baltimore (-13)
I just don't think Kansas City is quite there yet, plus I don't think Cassell with be playing. The combination of a relatively inexperienced quarterback (probably Brodie Croyle) against a vicious Baltimore D, at home, means this one could get ugly.
Philadelphia (-1) at Carolina
While I hate Michael Vick, I also think that Philadelphia is that good, while the NFC South as a whole is mediocre. Just about any Philly win covers this one, so I think they're a safe pick.
Denver at Cincinnati (-4.5)
Is it unreasonable to think that I may never pick Denver to cover this entire season? The team has been in disarray since Josh McDaniels took over, and their shifting from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and not having the personnel to pull it off means things could get uglier this season than they currently are.
Minnesota (-4) at Cleveland
Since so many NFL players use Twitter nowadays, I'd think that if Eric Mangini told his players who would be the starting QB, we'd have found out. That leads me to believe that the team doesn't know, which means that they probably won't fare very well in Week 1, even if the Williamses aren't allowed to play.
New York Jets (+4.5) at Houston
OK, this is a bit of a homer pick on my part. I know Houston plays well at home and the Jets are starting a rookie QB, but Rex Ryan has revamped this defensive unit. Additionally, the Jets are going to run, run, and run some more, and Houston's defensive tackles aren't exactly world beaters.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis (-7.5)
I just can't pick against Peyton Manning at home, especially when Maurice Jones-Drew is nursing a tender ankle right now and Jacksonville's offense revolves around him.
Detroit at New Orleans (-13)
That's a ton of points to give, but Detroit was terrible on defense last year, and didn't do much to address it in the draft, as it used both of its first rounders on offensive players. While New Orleans doesn't have a great defense either, Matthew Stafford, the Lions' newly appointed starter, hasn't blown me away in the pre-season. Couple that with the fact that the Superdome gets loud, and we could have another blowout.
Dallas (-6) at Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is rebuilding, Dallas just got rid of its biggest headache, Terrell Owens. I like the offense to explode in Big D this year, starting with a romping of a 4-12 bound Buccaneers team.
San Francisco (+6.5) at Arizona
This is a matchup that San Francisco should have won on Monday Night Football last year. Mike Singletary, despite being a bit quirky, can motivate his group of players. I don't think Arizona can do what it did last season, and that harsh reality kicks in during Week 1.
Washington at New York Giants (-6.5)
Until the Redskins figure out how to utilize Jason Campbell's strong arm (Santana Moss has become somewhat useless in this offense, but should mesh well with Campbell), I don't trust them to put up big points. Couple that with a stout Giants defense, and the Giants win by 10.
St. Louis (+8.5) at Seattle
Seattle was maybe the unluckiest team in the NFL last year in terms of injuries. While they will probably win this division this year, I like a healthy Steven Jackson (is that an oxymoron?) and an upgraded O-line to help St. Louis keep this one under the spread.
Chicago (+3.5) at Green Bay
I just like the Bears this year. I don't know why. I like them to surprise Green Bay on Sunday night in Lambeau.
Buffalo at New England (-10.5)
Let's see...one of these starting offenses managed only three points during the preseason. The other is just one year removed from being the highest scoring offense in NFL history. Oh yeah, the team that can put up the points is at home. This one's easy.
San Diego (-9.5) at Oakland
San Diego is a popular pick to win the Super Bowl this year. It doesn't matter that Oakland is at home. Al Davis is still the owner, and they're still not very good.
So there you have it...Week 1's matchups all picked. I ended up going with 5 underdogs to cover, and a majority of road teams (nine, versus seven home teams) to cover. I also went with two road underdogs to cover, so we shall see how it all turns out.
Note: This spreads were taken earlier in the week and some have changed since then, so the link provided will have some different spreads than what I used here.
Sign Creation at Sporting Events
OK, while there are many things that bother me about sports, there are several things that bother me about fans as well. This post is going to be my outlining rules for what is an acceptable sign.
Rule #1: The sign cannot be anything vile about an opposing player that isn't true. Several years ago a Maryland basketball fan held a sign (on national television, nonetheless) that read, "Hey JJ, I raped your little sister last night." This is so far out of bounds that I don't even want to touch it. It's not even close to being allowed, and I hope the fan's parents saw what their son had done and pulled him out of school and had him re-evaluate his own life.
Rule #2: Signs must be legible. Do not scrawl your chicken scratch on a sign so that nobody can read it. The writing must be clear so that a long-lens camera can display it on TV.
Rule #3: In the event that you make an acrostic sign, whether it be with a school's abbreviation or the network the game is airing on, you MUST start each line/word with the first letter of whichever acronym you are using. I saw a sign during tonight's Florida State/Miami game (on ESPN) that read:
HurricanE
SeaSon
Postponed
For Now
These types of signs are so dumb that I want to reach through the television and punch the person holding it in the face. You can essentially make it say anything you want, since you've allowed yourself the freedom to utilize the letters wherever you'd like in a word. An example of a good one that I remember is one that was made for my cousin, Sam Swank, who is the former Wake Forest kicker/punter. Using his last name, it read:
Secret
Weapon
All-Purpose
NFL Bound
Kicker
That is creative, funny, and clearly stays within the boundaries of only using the letters of the acronym/name to begin each line, plus it's relevant to the topic at hand.
Rule #4: No spelling mistakes. Simply inexcusable, and your sign should be seized and burned.
Rule #5: Objects are most definitely allowed. The combination of the letter "D" and a picket fence to symbolize "Defense" is so classic and awesome that I encourage it to be at every football game.
Rule #6: The only thing better than a sign and a "Defense" combo is a replica Stanley Cup made out of tin foil.
Rule #1: The sign cannot be anything vile about an opposing player that isn't true. Several years ago a Maryland basketball fan held a sign (on national television, nonetheless) that read, "Hey JJ, I raped your little sister last night." This is so far out of bounds that I don't even want to touch it. It's not even close to being allowed, and I hope the fan's parents saw what their son had done and pulled him out of school and had him re-evaluate his own life.
Rule #2: Signs must be legible. Do not scrawl your chicken scratch on a sign so that nobody can read it. The writing must be clear so that a long-lens camera can display it on TV.
Rule #3: In the event that you make an acrostic sign, whether it be with a school's abbreviation or the network the game is airing on, you MUST start each line/word with the first letter of whichever acronym you are using. I saw a sign during tonight's Florida State/Miami game (on ESPN) that read:
HurricanE
SeaSon
Postponed
For Now
These types of signs are so dumb that I want to reach through the television and punch the person holding it in the face. You can essentially make it say anything you want, since you've allowed yourself the freedom to utilize the letters wherever you'd like in a word. An example of a good one that I remember is one that was made for my cousin, Sam Swank, who is the former Wake Forest kicker/punter. Using his last name, it read:
Secret
Weapon
All-Purpose
NFL Bound
Kicker
That is creative, funny, and clearly stays within the boundaries of only using the letters of the acronym/name to begin each line, plus it's relevant to the topic at hand.
Rule #4: No spelling mistakes. Simply inexcusable, and your sign should be seized and burned.
Rule #5: Objects are most definitely allowed. The combination of the letter "D" and a picket fence to symbolize "Defense" is so classic and awesome that I encourage it to be at every football game.
Rule #6: The only thing better than a sign and a "Defense" combo is a replica Stanley Cup made out of tin foil.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Road to Williamsport
While I would rather eat my own foot than listen to Ziggy Marley's "Walk Tall" (this year's theme song to the Little League World Series) again, I figured there were three ways I could avoid listening to the song. First, I could mute the television while watching the LLWS, but I enjoy the commentary that Gary Thorne, Brent Musberger, Orel Hersheiser, and Orestes Destrada provide. Second, I could not watch the LLWS period, but, because I've watched religiously ever since Toms River, NJ won in 1998, I won't do that either. However, option #3 is clearly superior to both, because it entails my actually going to South Williamsport, PA and watching the LLWS in person. Despite my being a HUGE LLWS and living just about three hours away, I had never been to the complex in person until last week. Along with my mom, dad, and younger brother (and my grandparents, who we met there), I made the trek to the Mecca of Little League Baseball and enjoyed one of the most incredible experiences you can have as a fan of America's Pasttime.
For those who either don't care or don't watch the LLWS, there are two stadiums. The main building is the expansive Lamade Stadium, which seats an astonishing 10,000 people, not including the HUGE hill all around the outfield, which can easily (and almost always does in the later stages of the tournament) seat another 20,000+ eager fans. With half the seating capacity (and far less comfortable seats...bleachers as opposed to seats with armrests), Volunteer Stadium is equally as beautiful. I cannot even fathom the number of man hours put into getting these fields ready for play, and maintaining them as well. Kudos to whomever organizes that effort. Along with the gorgeous stadiums, there is also a gift store (chock full of T-shirts, hats with both team and LLWS logos on them), bathrooms (clean facilities, always a plus at a sporting event), and, of course, a snack bar.
While the souvenirs were priced similarly to those you might find at any professional sporting event ($22 for a hat), the admission and parking were slightly less. Like all the way less. That's right, you can park and enter the complex without ever opening your wallet! While you cannot bring any food or drink in with you, the purhase of refreshments won't break the bank either. We were able to buy lunch for all six of us (food and drink) for $39. For you non-math majors out there, that's $6.50 per person, or less than a bottle of beer in almost any pro stadium (speaking of which, no alcohol or tobacco on the premises).
Anyway, now that I've explained the general layout and the affordability of the LLWS, I shall tell you about the scheduling and the games. We decided to go on a day of pool play when there were five games scheduled so we could get maximum value from our free tickets. The games start every two hours beginning at noon, and they alternate the fields on which they're played, so that the fields can be prepared for the next game. The first scheduled game was the Latin American champion, Venezuela, versus the MEA, or Middle East/Asia representative, Saudi Arabia. I know what you're thinking, "Saudi Arabia? They play baseball there?" Fear not, I have the answer for you, "Children (yes, not just male children, for there was a female member on this roster) of American military personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia play baseball." The US National anthem was played for the Saudi Arabia squad since every player was American. Speaking of national anthems, I thought (not to be rude), that the Venezuelan one sounded like something you'd hear while walking through the game section of a carnival. We were able to see both teams warm up (these kids are GOOD...their fundamentals are so technically sound that I wish I had their work ethic as a kid while I was still playing baseball) before the national anthems, as well as hear a player and the coach of each team recite the player and coach pledges of Little League Baseball, which can be found here: http://www.littleleague.org/Learn_More/About_Our_Organization/pledge.htm, and here: http://www.littleleague.org/parents/parentorientation/Parent_Volunteer_Pledge.htm, respectively. Since we got there early enough, we were able to get seats almost right behind home plate, which let us see the whole field quite well. Saudi Arabia's pitcher was about 6'4", or a full four inches shorter than his older brother was when he played at Williamsport three years ago (he's now 6'10" and he was there...he's HUGE), who threw in the low 70s, which I don't think I can hit now at age 22. He was able to surrender only one run in the top of the 1st. Saudi Arabia then was able to scratch across 5 runs on one hit (tons of passed balls, walks, and hit batsmen, as well as a great bunt by the aforementioned female player) off of four, yes, four Venezuelan pitchers, of which the first three managed one out. While this inning proved to be the only offense for Saudi Arabia, they made it hold up, as Venezuela scored once more in both the second and third innings, but was shut down afterward. So, my first game there and I had already seen what I considered a pretty big upset. It was nice to see two teams play hard, despite the fact that they had both been eliminated from pool play already. The last thing I want to point out from this game (and it was a common theme throughout) was how much fun the kids had. Dugout, the LLWS mascot, dances with both teams and high-fives all of the kids before the games. Even though these kids have put in a ton of work to get to where they are, it's still a bunch of 11-13 year olds playing a game and they don't lose sight of that here.
Game #2 on the slate was another international affair, between our neighbors to the north and some of our brethren overseas, another team of Americans whose parents are stationed at Ramstein AFB in Germany. This was a 2pm start time in Volunteer Stadium and the game was underway when we got there, so I missed the Canadian national anthem (which I love), as well as my own country's again. It was 3-0 Canada when we got there (only my dad, brother and I went since my mom and grandparents wanted to keep seats at Lamade for the 4pm game between Massachusetts and Kentucky, and we didn't stay long, which was our loss. We wanted to see the Germany team score (they had been shut out in their first two games, and, along with Canada, had already been eliminated from pool play), and we saw them get their first run in the bottom of the 3rd. However, Canada appeared to open up the game, as they scored six in the top of the 4th to open up a 9-1 lead, and we decided to head back and watch some warmups between two more teams who had been eliminated and get situated. Well, we missed Germany, being down 14-2 going into the bottom of the 6th and final inning, mounting a furious comeback effort that saw them fall just short in a 14-13 loss. I applaud their effort and wish the families (five of them were being relocated following the tournament) best of luck in their future endeavors and want to thank them for their services for our country. Those kids should hold their heads high.
Game #3 was pretty uneventful. Kentucky, much like Germany, had been shutout in its first two games, but was able to score its first run and earn some well deserved applause from the crowd. However, that elation was short lived, as Massachusetts opened up the flood gates and was able to put double digit runs on the board and win via the mercy rule.
Game #4 was where things got really, really interesting. My younger brother had been rooting for the Asia-Pacific team (Chinese Taipei) from the outset of the tournament, and had wanted nothing more than to purchase a team hat. Unfortunately the store was sold out (they also had no more Curacao hats, which was what I wanted), so he settled on a Southwest (Texas) hat while I grabbed the store's last Midwest (Iowa) hat, which we donned immediately after purchasing them. Quick sidebar: These hats are everywhere. It's no wonder that we couldn't buy the hats we wanted on Day #5 of the tournament, as it seemed like every other person we saw was also sporting a team hat. Anyway, we got to Volunteer Stadium early, and got seats directly behind the Chinese Taipei fans. Directly means we were in Row 3, and the first two rows were reserved for fans with special credentials that were essentially parents of the children. Chinese Taipei's opponent for this game was Mexico. Both teams were 2-0 in pool play, so the winner would get to play Japan in the international semifinals, while the loser would draw Curacao. I will quickly go over the game, because the real action took place in the stands. Mexico hit solo homeruns in the first, second, and fourth to open up a 3-0 lead while their pitcher no-hit Chinese Taipei through 4 1/3 innings, when he had to be taken out because he had reached the 85-pitch limit enforced by Little League to avoid kids throwing out and injuring their arms. Chinese Taipei was able to get two runs off of a solo homer and a towering flyball to center that was misplayed, then a throwing error on the same play that allowed the batter to come all the way around. While the effort ultimately fell short in a 3-2 loss, the fans were unlike anything I have ever seen. Both sides were incedibly vocal (the fans from the previous six teams didn't hold a candle to either of these bases), and my brother and I were not to be shorted. Despite the fact that neither of us has ever been to mainland China or Taiwan, nor do we know a single word of Mandarin or Cantonese, we did what any clueless, energetic fan would do, we screamed what we thought they were saying. Six innings of non-stop cheers (these people must have the world's best lung capacity, seriously, synchronized swimmers should train by cheering for Taiwan's little league team) was enough get us on ESPN several times (I had called home and asked my sister to record the game, which she did), and messages from friends asking, "What are you doing at the LLWS?" This was one of the best times I have ever had at a sporting event, hands down.
8:00pm was supposed to be another marquee matchup between two more 2-0 teams playing for the top seed in their pool, Texas and California, but we had simply just run out of steam. Aside from my brother and I who had gone crazy rooting for Taiwan, my mother was the ultimate trouper. She had worked the night shift the previous night (7pm-7am), gotten maybe two hours of sleep in the car, and then sat and watched four games. Coupled with the fact that there was a 3-hour drive looming, we decided that 12+ hours of Little League baseball was enough for us. We did take in Lamade Stadium under the lights from the hill before we left, but missed Texas pulling a big upset over eventual tournament champion California.
We got home around 11:45, meaning our day had taken about 16 hours, but it was well worth it. I highly recommend going to the LLWS at least once in your life if you can make it. You simply cannot have a bad time at South Williamsport. Whether or not you want to watch one game or stay for the whole day, you're going to have a blast. I for one know that I'll be going back again next year...who knows, perhaps Chinese-Taipei will be there again looking for two pasty-white red-heads to back them.
For those who either don't care or don't watch the LLWS, there are two stadiums. The main building is the expansive Lamade Stadium, which seats an astonishing 10,000 people, not including the HUGE hill all around the outfield, which can easily (and almost always does in the later stages of the tournament) seat another 20,000+ eager fans. With half the seating capacity (and far less comfortable seats...bleachers as opposed to seats with armrests), Volunteer Stadium is equally as beautiful. I cannot even fathom the number of man hours put into getting these fields ready for play, and maintaining them as well. Kudos to whomever organizes that effort. Along with the gorgeous stadiums, there is also a gift store (chock full of T-shirts, hats with both team and LLWS logos on them), bathrooms (clean facilities, always a plus at a sporting event), and, of course, a snack bar.
While the souvenirs were priced similarly to those you might find at any professional sporting event ($22 for a hat), the admission and parking were slightly less. Like all the way less. That's right, you can park and enter the complex without ever opening your wallet! While you cannot bring any food or drink in with you, the purhase of refreshments won't break the bank either. We were able to buy lunch for all six of us (food and drink) for $39. For you non-math majors out there, that's $6.50 per person, or less than a bottle of beer in almost any pro stadium (speaking of which, no alcohol or tobacco on the premises).
Anyway, now that I've explained the general layout and the affordability of the LLWS, I shall tell you about the scheduling and the games. We decided to go on a day of pool play when there were five games scheduled so we could get maximum value from our free tickets. The games start every two hours beginning at noon, and they alternate the fields on which they're played, so that the fields can be prepared for the next game. The first scheduled game was the Latin American champion, Venezuela, versus the MEA, or Middle East/Asia representative, Saudi Arabia. I know what you're thinking, "Saudi Arabia? They play baseball there?" Fear not, I have the answer for you, "Children (yes, not just male children, for there was a female member on this roster) of American military personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia play baseball." The US National anthem was played for the Saudi Arabia squad since every player was American. Speaking of national anthems, I thought (not to be rude), that the Venezuelan one sounded like something you'd hear while walking through the game section of a carnival. We were able to see both teams warm up (these kids are GOOD...their fundamentals are so technically sound that I wish I had their work ethic as a kid while I was still playing baseball) before the national anthems, as well as hear a player and the coach of each team recite the player and coach pledges of Little League Baseball, which can be found here: http://www.littleleague.org/Learn_More/About_Our_Organization/pledge.htm, and here: http://www.littleleague.org/parents/parentorientation/Parent_Volunteer_Pledge.htm, respectively. Since we got there early enough, we were able to get seats almost right behind home plate, which let us see the whole field quite well. Saudi Arabia's pitcher was about 6'4", or a full four inches shorter than his older brother was when he played at Williamsport three years ago (he's now 6'10" and he was there...he's HUGE), who threw in the low 70s, which I don't think I can hit now at age 22. He was able to surrender only one run in the top of the 1st. Saudi Arabia then was able to scratch across 5 runs on one hit (tons of passed balls, walks, and hit batsmen, as well as a great bunt by the aforementioned female player) off of four, yes, four Venezuelan pitchers, of which the first three managed one out. While this inning proved to be the only offense for Saudi Arabia, they made it hold up, as Venezuela scored once more in both the second and third innings, but was shut down afterward. So, my first game there and I had already seen what I considered a pretty big upset. It was nice to see two teams play hard, despite the fact that they had both been eliminated from pool play already. The last thing I want to point out from this game (and it was a common theme throughout) was how much fun the kids had. Dugout, the LLWS mascot, dances with both teams and high-fives all of the kids before the games. Even though these kids have put in a ton of work to get to where they are, it's still a bunch of 11-13 year olds playing a game and they don't lose sight of that here.
Game #2 on the slate was another international affair, between our neighbors to the north and some of our brethren overseas, another team of Americans whose parents are stationed at Ramstein AFB in Germany. This was a 2pm start time in Volunteer Stadium and the game was underway when we got there, so I missed the Canadian national anthem (which I love), as well as my own country's again. It was 3-0 Canada when we got there (only my dad, brother and I went since my mom and grandparents wanted to keep seats at Lamade for the 4pm game between Massachusetts and Kentucky, and we didn't stay long, which was our loss. We wanted to see the Germany team score (they had been shut out in their first two games, and, along with Canada, had already been eliminated from pool play), and we saw them get their first run in the bottom of the 3rd. However, Canada appeared to open up the game, as they scored six in the top of the 4th to open up a 9-1 lead, and we decided to head back and watch some warmups between two more teams who had been eliminated and get situated. Well, we missed Germany, being down 14-2 going into the bottom of the 6th and final inning, mounting a furious comeback effort that saw them fall just short in a 14-13 loss. I applaud their effort and wish the families (five of them were being relocated following the tournament) best of luck in their future endeavors and want to thank them for their services for our country. Those kids should hold their heads high.
Game #3 was pretty uneventful. Kentucky, much like Germany, had been shutout in its first two games, but was able to score its first run and earn some well deserved applause from the crowd. However, that elation was short lived, as Massachusetts opened up the flood gates and was able to put double digit runs on the board and win via the mercy rule.
Game #4 was where things got really, really interesting. My younger brother had been rooting for the Asia-Pacific team (Chinese Taipei) from the outset of the tournament, and had wanted nothing more than to purchase a team hat. Unfortunately the store was sold out (they also had no more Curacao hats, which was what I wanted), so he settled on a Southwest (Texas) hat while I grabbed the store's last Midwest (Iowa) hat, which we donned immediately after purchasing them. Quick sidebar: These hats are everywhere. It's no wonder that we couldn't buy the hats we wanted on Day #5 of the tournament, as it seemed like every other person we saw was also sporting a team hat. Anyway, we got to Volunteer Stadium early, and got seats directly behind the Chinese Taipei fans. Directly means we were in Row 3, and the first two rows were reserved for fans with special credentials that were essentially parents of the children. Chinese Taipei's opponent for this game was Mexico. Both teams were 2-0 in pool play, so the winner would get to play Japan in the international semifinals, while the loser would draw Curacao. I will quickly go over the game, because the real action took place in the stands. Mexico hit solo homeruns in the first, second, and fourth to open up a 3-0 lead while their pitcher no-hit Chinese Taipei through 4 1/3 innings, when he had to be taken out because he had reached the 85-pitch limit enforced by Little League to avoid kids throwing out and injuring their arms. Chinese Taipei was able to get two runs off of a solo homer and a towering flyball to center that was misplayed, then a throwing error on the same play that allowed the batter to come all the way around. While the effort ultimately fell short in a 3-2 loss, the fans were unlike anything I have ever seen. Both sides were incedibly vocal (the fans from the previous six teams didn't hold a candle to either of these bases), and my brother and I were not to be shorted. Despite the fact that neither of us has ever been to mainland China or Taiwan, nor do we know a single word of Mandarin or Cantonese, we did what any clueless, energetic fan would do, we screamed what we thought they were saying. Six innings of non-stop cheers (these people must have the world's best lung capacity, seriously, synchronized swimmers should train by cheering for Taiwan's little league team) was enough get us on ESPN several times (I had called home and asked my sister to record the game, which she did), and messages from friends asking, "What are you doing at the LLWS?" This was one of the best times I have ever had at a sporting event, hands down.
8:00pm was supposed to be another marquee matchup between two more 2-0 teams playing for the top seed in their pool, Texas and California, but we had simply just run out of steam. Aside from my brother and I who had gone crazy rooting for Taiwan, my mother was the ultimate trouper. She had worked the night shift the previous night (7pm-7am), gotten maybe two hours of sleep in the car, and then sat and watched four games. Coupled with the fact that there was a 3-hour drive looming, we decided that 12+ hours of Little League baseball was enough for us. We did take in Lamade Stadium under the lights from the hill before we left, but missed Texas pulling a big upset over eventual tournament champion California.
We got home around 11:45, meaning our day had taken about 16 hours, but it was well worth it. I highly recommend going to the LLWS at least once in your life if you can make it. You simply cannot have a bad time at South Williamsport. Whether or not you want to watch one game or stay for the whole day, you're going to have a blast. I for one know that I'll be going back again next year...who knows, perhaps Chinese-Taipei will be there again looking for two pasty-white red-heads to back them.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Beginning...
This is a blog much like many before it. It will center around sports, but it will be far superior to everyone else's for several reasons. First, it won't be riddled with grammatical errors and typos, thus making it easier on you, the reader, to enjoy the content without wanting to rip out your hair. Second, I'm covering a VAST range of sports. As much as I love Bill Simmons, I'm going to outdo him. Last, and most important, it'll be better because I will be the one writing it. Nobody else can say that about his or her blog.
To show you that I am not kidding about the range of sports I will be writing about, this first entry will discuss the mainstream sport of women's tennis. This is an easy topic to discuss since I am sitting and watching Venus Williams play a woman named "Mattek-Sands" at the US Open as I write. There are three things I would like to talk about regarding women's tennis: Grunting, Serena Williams, and Dinara Safina. That's a nice order to talk about them too, since the first involves the second (and third), and the hottest debate topic in the WTA is who should be the #1 ranked player, Williams or Safina?
Thus, let's continue to grunting. Not only do I consider it unnecessary, but it's incredibly annoying. Monica Seles began this practice many years ago, and it has unfortunately caught on. I play tennis quite often, and find that grunting has no impact whatsoever on my game when I strike the ball. Is it OK every now and then when you go for a little extra on a serve or big forehand? Absolutely. I also have no problem with players yelling after the point, whether it be a happy scream or an angry one. But during the point? With each stroke? I'm putting the television on mute and rooting against you. This has gotten to the point where yesterday's greats (Chris Evert) have made public statements about how out of hand it has become. I only hope that the new generation of players forgoes this habit and we can usher in an era of ball meeting strings being unaccompanied by an orgasmic shriek.
My next issue is with Serena Williams. She is easily one of, if not my least, favorite athlete in any sport alive today. Her arrogance continues to amaze me with each press conference. Please don't accuse me of anything; she is, without a doubt, the best female tennis player alive today (I will discuss this more in the next topic), but she is also the most annoying. I have yet to hear her praise an opponent when she loses. Look at Andy Roddick at Wimbledon this year and Roger Federer at the Australian Open. Both, despite being disheartened at having come so close to winning a major (Roddick especially), were gracious in defeat and didn't hesitate to discuss the accolades of their respective opponents. Serena's continuous statement is, "I'm my own biggest opponent." Last I checked, there's another player on the other side of the net hitting balls back at you. She has the ability to make you play poorly Serena. Much like Justine Henin confounded you many times and Maria Sharapova blasted you off of Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2004, your opponents deserve some credit when they beat you. Please step off of your high horse and recognize that.
The last thing I want to talk about is the ongoing debate about who should be #1. The ranking system currently in place makes sense, since it rewards players for playing more events (and excelling in them). This is done so the WTA can protect itself by having the top players play in as many events as possible. Even though the four majors count more points-wise, a consistent player can shoot up in the rankings despite lackluster performances in the majors. In the case of Williams v. Safina, there is no doubt that Williams has had far better performances in the majors (she currently holds the US Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon titles), but she not only doesn't play much outside of the majors, but she also does very poorly there. I understand that she has other interests outside of tennis and pursues them, but she cannot be upset that she currently sits at #2 in the world when she understands the ranking system and still chooses to play the limited schedule she does. Is Safina the best player in the world? No, Williams is. Does Safina deserve to be ranked #1 based on the system they have in place? Without a doubt.
To show you that I am not kidding about the range of sports I will be writing about, this first entry will discuss the mainstream sport of women's tennis. This is an easy topic to discuss since I am sitting and watching Venus Williams play a woman named "Mattek-Sands" at the US Open as I write. There are three things I would like to talk about regarding women's tennis: Grunting, Serena Williams, and Dinara Safina. That's a nice order to talk about them too, since the first involves the second (and third), and the hottest debate topic in the WTA is who should be the #1 ranked player, Williams or Safina?
Thus, let's continue to grunting. Not only do I consider it unnecessary, but it's incredibly annoying. Monica Seles began this practice many years ago, and it has unfortunately caught on. I play tennis quite often, and find that grunting has no impact whatsoever on my game when I strike the ball. Is it OK every now and then when you go for a little extra on a serve or big forehand? Absolutely. I also have no problem with players yelling after the point, whether it be a happy scream or an angry one. But during the point? With each stroke? I'm putting the television on mute and rooting against you. This has gotten to the point where yesterday's greats (Chris Evert) have made public statements about how out of hand it has become. I only hope that the new generation of players forgoes this habit and we can usher in an era of ball meeting strings being unaccompanied by an orgasmic shriek.
My next issue is with Serena Williams. She is easily one of, if not my least, favorite athlete in any sport alive today. Her arrogance continues to amaze me with each press conference. Please don't accuse me of anything; she is, without a doubt, the best female tennis player alive today (I will discuss this more in the next topic), but she is also the most annoying. I have yet to hear her praise an opponent when she loses. Look at Andy Roddick at Wimbledon this year and Roger Federer at the Australian Open. Both, despite being disheartened at having come so close to winning a major (Roddick especially), were gracious in defeat and didn't hesitate to discuss the accolades of their respective opponents. Serena's continuous statement is, "I'm my own biggest opponent." Last I checked, there's another player on the other side of the net hitting balls back at you. She has the ability to make you play poorly Serena. Much like Justine Henin confounded you many times and Maria Sharapova blasted you off of Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2004, your opponents deserve some credit when they beat you. Please step off of your high horse and recognize that.
The last thing I want to talk about is the ongoing debate about who should be #1. The ranking system currently in place makes sense, since it rewards players for playing more events (and excelling in them). This is done so the WTA can protect itself by having the top players play in as many events as possible. Even though the four majors count more points-wise, a consistent player can shoot up in the rankings despite lackluster performances in the majors. In the case of Williams v. Safina, there is no doubt that Williams has had far better performances in the majors (she currently holds the US Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon titles), but she not only doesn't play much outside of the majors, but she also does very poorly there. I understand that she has other interests outside of tennis and pursues them, but she cannot be upset that she currently sits at #2 in the world when she understands the ranking system and still chooses to play the limited schedule she does. Is Safina the best player in the world? No, Williams is. Does Safina deserve to be ranked #1 based on the system they have in place? Without a doubt.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)