Last night Varitek was scratched from the lineup late in favor Of Victor Martinez. When I heard this news, all I could think was "please god let Beckett pitch great so I dont have to listen to arguments about how Tek can call a great game". Of course, Beckett goes out and throws like shit so now everyone is saying its because Tek wasnt behind the plate calling a good game for him. Nevermind the fact that Beckett couldnt hit his spots to save his life last night, or the fact that the pitcher calls his own game by choosing his signs, the catcher just throws down suggestions. Varitek calling a good game is like Derek Jeter and his intangibles.
Varitek was a very effective catcher for a long time, but now he is just a hole in the lineup and making his living off his "can call a good game" reputation. Seriously, thats it. He cant hit, he cant play defense, all he can do is "call a good game" whatever that means. After last night, I knew I could rely on a boston paper to write a shitty article that talks about this phenomenon. John Tomase of the Boston Herald did not let me down.
If nothing else, the Red Sox need Jason Varitek just to catch Josh Beckett
Right, and make their already starting to resemble a national league lineup weaker. Makes sense to me.
The Red Sox captain was a late scratch last night, forcing Victor Martinez to move behind the plate to catch Beckett for the first time. The two had never so much as thrown a side session together, and it showed.
Not throwing a side session together does not mean that this forced Beckett to miss his spots as badly as he did. I dont think Varitek not being behind the plate was forcing Josh to have a nervous breakdown and completely miss his spots. He is a professional MLB pitcher, all he had to do was put the ball where V-Marts glove was and maybe he wouldnt have gotten smacked around as much as he did.
Martinez hastily huddled with Varitek before the game, and then did the same with Beckett, but it’s unfair to expect any catcher to walk right in and know how Beckett ticks. The staff ace has spoken in the past about how the get-to-know-you process with Varitek took much of his first season here in 2006.
So....the get to know you season lasted the entire 2006 season? Really? Thats why Josh Beckett sucked so bad? Because of a "get to know you" phase? Okay, being as I remember this pretty vividly. The reason he got smacked around so much was because he was relying too much on his fastball and not enough on his secondary pitches because a)he thought he could just blow away hitters with his fastball and b) he thought his breaking ball was causing his blisters so he was reluctant to throw it.
And as he told WEEI.com last week, he doesn’t spend a ton of time reading scouting reports, instead putting himself in the best position possible physically to have every pitch at his disposal, while relying on his backstop to know the ins and outs of opposing tendencies.
I'm pretty sure V-Mart knows the "ins and outs of opposing tendencies" being as he has spent his whole career in the AL. Oh, and by the way, he has caught the past 2 cy young award winners, so I would argue that he can call a pretty good game as well.
All of that said, Beckett was not about to pin last night’s miserable outing (5.1 IP, 7 ER) on Martinez.
That would have been a pretty dick thing to do if he did.
Vick did a great job. My stuff didn’t equal what he was doing,” said Beckett, who noted that Martinez caught Cy Young Award winners C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee in Cleveland, “so he must be doing something right.”
Hey! I just said that! Way to include that quote in there to undermine the point of your article.
Still, the numbers are hard to ignore. Beckett is 14-2 with a 2.52 ERA when Varitek is his catcher. When someone else catches him, Beckett is 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA. Consider the following three games.
The one thing he chooses to ignore is out of all of his starts, only 3 times has another catcher caught beckett, so say it with me now: Small sample size. Not to mention that at the end of May, Beckett was rocking a ERA over 6. Who was catching him then? Yup, Varitek.
Beckett admitted he had nothing last night and the Jays teed off on him for three home runs and the seven runs.
Way to undermine the point in your article Pt. 2.
After last night’s game, manager Terry Francona noted that Beckett is a creature of habit, and the absence of both Varitek and pitching coach John Farrell (family issue) disrupted his routine. Beckett is never going to pin the blame on anyone but himself when he pitches poorly, but last night made it pretty clear that Varitek is a partner in his success.
You have done nothing to convince me that without Varitek Beckett is nothing. You even undermined your point twice by having quotes of Beckett admitted he had nothing, and you yourself admitted he had nothing. The only thing Mr. Tomase gives to make his point is a sample size of 3 games. Color me not convinced.
Showing posts with label Varitek. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Varitek. Show all posts
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
22 comments Super Bowl Super Chat with Bill Simmons
LarryB (if that is his real name) at FireJay has already covered parts of this chat but I wanted to try and tackle the parts that he did not do. Basically, I don't want to cover the same ground he does but I really, really want to do a Bill Simmons chat, so I will. FireJay is like the evil corporation that has more people working for it, better writing, more people prefer it, and they offer just a better overall product, while this blog is a one man shop that is just barely staying a float because of loyal customers (defined as, "they keep forgetting to delete the link and putting it in their recycle bin") and good customer service (this being defined as, "I make mistakes my readers catch"), not to mention at one point J.S. at our blog hinted that Jamie Moyer may be on steroids and even put a tag up about it. That has to be worth something. This comparison really made more sense in my head and has gone downhill quite quickly. My point is that I try to not cover items that are already covered by other blogs that I link to, but I am making an exception for this one.
Alex (Olathe, KS): When your daughter makes the WNBA a legitimate sport, are you going to cover it as objectively as Larry Fitzgerald Sr. is handling the Super Bowl?
Since when has Bill Simmons covered anything objectively? The answer: Never. He would make out his daughter to be the greatest and most wonderful WNBA player since Lisa Leslie and then compare her to Larry Bird and make up a corollary about her.
Anthony (Solon, IA): Disagree about Mo Williams. I've added and dropped him from my fantasy team roster, and finally decided that he isn't worthy of a roster spot on my team. A guy who isn't good enough for my fantasy team isn't good enough for the All-Star game. My wife just added Williams to her fantasy team, which means he will never be on the waiver wire again. And yes, my wife plays fantasy hoops with me. Feel free to be jealous now.
Why would anyone be jealous that this guy's wife plays in his fantasy league? Do you think she tells her friends, "go ahead and be jealous of me that Anthony comes to the Tupperware meetings with me," I seriously doubt it. A woman being in the same fantasy league as her husband is cool...and also borderline controlling if she only does it to monitor his activity. You see a really cool girl and I see a woman who wants to control everything.
Everyone thinks their wife/significant other is cool. If they thought they sucked that person would not be with their significant other, unless they hated themselves or had a air tight pre-nuptial agreement that would cause a massive loss in income should a divorce arise.
Bill Simmons: See, this is why I hate arguing about All Star teams. I couldn't agree more with Kenny Smith - it's EASY to put up good stats on bad teams or mediocre teams.
You mean like Kevin Durant on the Oklahoma City Thunder???? I busted you Bill Simmons! If it is so easy to put up great numbers on a bad team then how the hell is Kevin Durant underrated?
The answer is that he is not and you are not smart. I own you now.
Paul (SF): Should the Red Sox put a clause in Varitek's contract that says he doesn't get paid if he hit less that .150?
Bill Simmons: So I think they appeal to his pride as a man and say, "We'll give you 10 million." But if you aren't hitting .220 at the All Star Break, you HAVE TO RETIRE.
Retire?...but Varitek is so good at handling a pitching staff and they trust him. Why would he retire when he is performing at such a high level? Can anyone else believe the Red Sox gave Varitek $5 million dollars and made him the 7th highest paid catcher in baseball? Look here.
If his name was Frank Griffin he would get a 2 year $3 million deal and back up some young guy coming up from the minors.
Conrad (Phila.): Sorry about the Dooze. As someone who watched his dog get run over by a car, losing a dog before they're supposed to is tough. Now that that's out of the way, you're an idiot -- Manny Ramirez is perfectly rated. He's just a nut case. That's why nobody wants him; nobody doesn't say he isn't like one of the top 10 hitters in baseball EVER . . .
Conrad, I don't like your name, but now that we have that out of the way, thanks for bringing this to Bill's attention.
Bill Simmons: But he's not! He is NOT properly rated! Here is a guy who got on base 24 of 36 times in the 2008 postseason and the fans of teams like Anaheim and Texas and San Fran aren't clamoring for their GM's to sign him.
Really? What about this and this?
It's a smear campaign. How could anyone NOT think this guy would produce for 3 years if you gave him $75 million... in a league that's given AJ Burnett and Barry Zito huge money? I am just flabbergasted by this whole thing. His teams have won everywhere he's gone. Without fail.
There is no question about whether Manny is a great hitter, no one doubts that, the question is whether he is worth $20+ million dollars. Also, his teams winning also have something to do with the other players on the team. It's not like you could throw him on the Texas Rangers and they would be in the World Series. Sometimes its like Bill doesn't even want to pay attention when he potentially could be wrong.
Bill Simmons: Manny got manipulated by his agent. We know that much.
How the hell do we know that much? When I google "Manny manipulated by agent" up comes Bill's column first. We don't know that much simply because Bill Simmons is a first grade homer who has no inside information and lives 3,000 miles away from Boston and he says it is so.
The Sox did neither. They let him twist in the wind. Did he deserve that after giving them 7 HUGE years and helping them win two titles? I say no.
Twisting in the wind? Sort of what the Red Sox did this winter with Varitek and the "take or leave it" contract offer? Of course, Bill doesn't say anything about that and seems to actually agree with the position the Red Sox took with Variteak because it is not a question of treating a baseball player right, it is really a matter of production.
Pflug (Queens, NY): I am totally with you on Manny, I think he's going to absolutely rake wherever he winds up next year (crossing my fingers for the Mets to pony up the cash). If he stays in the NL for a full season, is there a chance of him hitting .400?
Who the hell is arguing that Manny will not rake wherever he goes next year? I want to meet this person that is furthering this myth because I am very tired of someone arguing this point in the "Is Manny overrated" argument.
Zo (Arlington, VA): So, you have started a new Hall of Fame: The Donovan McNabb Comedy Hall of Fame for athletes/entertainers who try to be funny in such an awkward manner that it is actually more creepy than anything. So, you have McNabb and Kobe. I would also throw in Superbowl Week with Kurt Warner as well. Who else joins the club?
(Spitting up bile on keyboard)
I just started a new Hall of Fame: The Bill Simmons' Same Stale Joke Reader Regurgitation Hall of Fame and Zo, you just made it! Congratulations, now go drink Drano and think about what a tool you are.
Tom (Meridian, Idaho): Bill. We haven't heard your thoughts on Jim Rice FINALLY making the Hall of Fame. What's the over/under on the length of his speech? 5 minutes, 10? My bet is he says thanks, then sits down and lets Ricky talk for the next hour.
Bill Simmons: Talked about it on a podcast a little. My thoughts go like this: If he wasn't a HOFer for 14 years, why is he one now?
Bill and I can agree on this together.
Sean (New York, NY): Speaking of books, What's your take on the new Joe Torre book?
Bill Simmons: I just don't think someone like Terry Francona would write a book throwing Sox players under the bus in 5 years. He has more respect for the job than that.
Terry Francona would not write a book throwing Red Sox players under the bus because that is Red Sox management's job. All I hear Bill talk about in regards to Manny Ramirez is how he got smeared by Red Sox management and now no one will sign him. Francona doesn't have to write a book because the front office is able to throw players under the bus just fine without his help.
Chris (Carson City, NV): Hey, has any "rivalry" over the past 10 years been as much of a one-sided beat down as Spurs/Suns? I almost feel bad for Nash and them. Almost.
Bill Simmons: Agreed. It's definitely "feud" and not a "rivalry."
You mean kind of like the Yankees and Red Sox were for almost 90 years before 2004? Yet, the "rivalry" was pumped up constantly by the media. This is not Bill's fault, but I felt the need to point out how much I hate the hype filled media again.
Ryan, Chapel HIll NC: If Kobe wins a ring without Shaq, where does he go down in NBA History? Is he in Bird and Magic's class (top 5-7 in history)?
Bill Simmons: He moves into the top-12. Not sure where. Definitely not higher than 8.
At that point he moves into the top 12. He will never surpass Bird or Magic because they are the best ever, even though it would be pretty impressive if Kobe won a title without another Hall of Fame type player on the team, which is something Magic and Bird never did.
Jamie, Milton, MA: The Bruins need you....
Does this sentence end with, "to stop hopping on the bandwagon, you bag of douche?"
Bill Simmons: I will be there in April. I can't start watching hockey until after March Madness. I am monitoring from afar and couldn't feel more proud for the long suffering fans. The bottom line is that the salary cap has eliminated the franchise's biggest obstacle for the last 30-plus years: The cheap-ass owner. So the B's actually have a shot at winning a Cup.
Bill can't cheer for a team unless the owner is able to spend more money than God to acquire players for the team. What's the point if you are only cheering for a team that can't outspend everyone, and the salary cap finally evened the playing field and now Bill is able to hop back on the bandwagon. This is one of the worst examples I have heard of a writer jumping off a bandwagon and then publicly jumping right back on the bandwagon. Basically this is like if I started cheering for the New Orleans Hornets.
Lino Viola (Boston, MA): Who wins in a seven game series- Last years Celtics or the '86 Celtics?
Do you know who loses on this question? The public when Bill creates an entire column around this premise. It is coming, just hold on and wait for it.
Daniel (Heidelberg, Germany): You've written before about the impact you believe the performers at halftime of the Super Bowl have had on the game. In light of that, which songs do you think Bruce is going to perform at the game, and which team will potentially benefit from those songs?
Bill Simmons: let's say the Cards are up 14-10 at halftime, the question would be, what would be the best Bruce song at halftime to make their fans believe that the impossible was about to happen (ala "Beautiful Day" for the 2001 Pats). For some reason I feel like it woulkd be "Badlands." It's a happy/energetic song but at the same time, the Cards franchise has really been the "Badlands." if he breaks that one out and Zona is in the game, I am banging Zona for the second half.
You have to be stupid or Bill Simmons to think the halftime music really makes a difference. Were the Giants pumped last year by hearing Tom Petty sing "Running Down a Dream" at halftime? Probably not, because they were so focused on the actual football game that was going to be played in 20 minutes. It is insane to think the fans can make a big difference in the outcome of the game. It is also ridiculous to think the music makes a difference. The fans may actually think something good will happen based on the music, but the fans have no bearing on the players and how they play in a football game, I saw that first hand earlier this January.
Brock (Idaho Falls, Id): So Pujols is lobbying to have the Cardinals offer Manny a contract. Now this is a long shot, no scratch that, a looooooooooong shot, but would that be the greatest 3-4 hitter combo in history?
Bill Simmons: If that is true, God help the National League. I do wonder though how these mid-market teams (like STL or Det) aren't going to get just murdered by the recession with their ticket sales this season.
I am not sure if Bill has heard, or he has his head too far up his ass, but the St. Louis Cardinals have a wonderful fan base that always support their team and show up for games religiously. I know the Red Sox have such a WONDERFUL fan base that is unique in that they are able to constantly acquire new fans through winning, but for baseball knowledge and loyalty to their team, I would put the Cardinals near the top. I don't think St. Louis is going to struggle too much. More on this in a few months, but Detroit could rebound this year, which means they would be a good team and may actually get fans to the stadium.
Bill posted a semi-decent pseudo hindsight 20/20 diary of the Super Bowl. It was not that bad but there were parts that annoyed me.
I spent most of my night talking to friends and having inane conversations such as when my friend Ace and I tried to figure out if there was a sports equivalent to Sondra Locke's career.
I am just amazed Bill has loser-ish friends that debate this type stuff with him. Does anyone have a friend named Ace who does not have a ponytail? Every Ace I can think of either had long hair or a ponytail.
9:03 -- Warner to Boldin for a first down. Madden attributes Warner's recent resurgence to the fact that he's playing with gloves and he's 22 pounds lighter than he once was.
I don't like it when quarterbacks play with gloves on their hands. It annoys me for some reason. Maybe it was the David Carr experiment. I still have nightmares of him and his long hair and white gloves dodging defensive tackles while he crouches in the pocket begging someone to just sack him.
9:19 -- Warner to Urban for 17 … and the Cards finally go no-huddle. That took only three quarters. (I mean, wasn't this the ideal no-huddle scenario? Safeties playing deep, veteran QB capable of calling his own plays, four-receiver shotgun --
I too thought the Cardinals should have done this much earlier, like the start of the game. Are w sure Todd Haley is a good offensive coordinator, that he is not actually bad? Are we really, really sure about this?
9:33 -- Well, MacGruber changed his name to "Pepsuber" and did a Super Bowl ad for Pepsi with the real MacGyver. And I enjoyed it. I continue to hate myself.
I am surprised to see Bill did not mention that Richard Dean Anderson, the real MacGyver, is overweight now and then make jokes about him using food to break out of situations. I am surprised but not necessarily sad he did not include this.
9:57 -- Here's where the ginormous Holmes play happens: Nice catch on an in route, quick pivot, defender falls, suddenly he's sprinting down the sideline and Al Michaels is going Gus Johnson on us. He's tackled at the Zona 7 … followed by Pittsburgh calling its last timeout. (Terrible. With 52 seconds left, why not hustle everyone down and run some clock off? You don't want to score too fast, right? So many bad coaching calls in this game.)
That's definitely what you want to do when there is less than a minute left in the Super Bowl and your team is down 3 points and inside the 10 yard line, rush a play at the line of scrimmage where Roethlisberger could throw an interception or the ball could be snapped poorly because everyone is in a hurry. By the time the entire offensive line is down the field and everyone is set at the offensive line, there will be about 30 seconds left in the game, maximum. Then you get to hurry up and get a play off.
I am not sure at this point, leaving too much time on the clock is not a top priority for the Steelers since they do have the #1 defense in football. A timeout here allows the clock to stop and gives the Steelers a chance to plan a couple shots into the end zone. Do Steelers fans really want Roethlisberger at the line of scrimmage yelling out a play with the game clock running down? I don't think so.
because the NFL is officially as unpredictable as March Madness and that's just the way it is.
It's not March Madness, it is the NCAA Tournament, and stop talking about it because you literally know nothing about college basketball. Also, last year all #1 seeds made it to the Final Four, so the only thing that was not predictable was that all the best teams would make it to the Final Four. I don't know if the NFL is quite in the class of unpredictability the NCAA Tournament has.
I can't wait for college basketball to start. I think Bill Simmons is going to fall in love with a young man in college basketball and then serve as his personal PR rep for his entire NBA career. I can't figure out who it will be though. Maybe he will throw a change up on everyone and choose an "older" young man, Blake Griffin. I really thought it was going to be Jrue Holiday, B.J. Mullens, or DeMar Derozan, but I could be wrong. We'll all stay tuned to see which bandwagon Bill chooses to jump on.
Alex (Olathe, KS): When your daughter makes the WNBA a legitimate sport, are you going to cover it as objectively as Larry Fitzgerald Sr. is handling the Super Bowl?
Since when has Bill Simmons covered anything objectively? The answer: Never. He would make out his daughter to be the greatest and most wonderful WNBA player since Lisa Leslie and then compare her to Larry Bird and make up a corollary about her.
Anthony (Solon, IA): Disagree about Mo Williams. I've added and dropped him from my fantasy team roster, and finally decided that he isn't worthy of a roster spot on my team. A guy who isn't good enough for my fantasy team isn't good enough for the All-Star game. My wife just added Williams to her fantasy team, which means he will never be on the waiver wire again. And yes, my wife plays fantasy hoops with me. Feel free to be jealous now.
Why would anyone be jealous that this guy's wife plays in his fantasy league? Do you think she tells her friends, "go ahead and be jealous of me that Anthony comes to the Tupperware meetings with me," I seriously doubt it. A woman being in the same fantasy league as her husband is cool...and also borderline controlling if she only does it to monitor his activity. You see a really cool girl and I see a woman who wants to control everything.
Everyone thinks their wife/significant other is cool. If they thought they sucked that person would not be with their significant other, unless they hated themselves or had a air tight pre-nuptial agreement that would cause a massive loss in income should a divorce arise.
Bill Simmons: See, this is why I hate arguing about All Star teams. I couldn't agree more with Kenny Smith - it's EASY to put up good stats on bad teams or mediocre teams.
You mean like Kevin Durant on the Oklahoma City Thunder???? I busted you Bill Simmons! If it is so easy to put up great numbers on a bad team then how the hell is Kevin Durant underrated?
The answer is that he is not and you are not smart. I own you now.
Paul (SF): Should the Red Sox put a clause in Varitek's contract that says he doesn't get paid if he hit less that .150?
Bill Simmons: So I think they appeal to his pride as a man and say, "We'll give you 10 million." But if you aren't hitting .220 at the All Star Break, you HAVE TO RETIRE.
Retire?...but Varitek is so good at handling a pitching staff and they trust him. Why would he retire when he is performing at such a high level? Can anyone else believe the Red Sox gave Varitek $5 million dollars and made him the 7th highest paid catcher in baseball? Look here.
If his name was Frank Griffin he would get a 2 year $3 million deal and back up some young guy coming up from the minors.
Conrad (Phila.): Sorry about the Dooze. As someone who watched his dog get run over by a car, losing a dog before they're supposed to is tough. Now that that's out of the way, you're an idiot -- Manny Ramirez is perfectly rated. He's just a nut case. That's why nobody wants him; nobody doesn't say he isn't like one of the top 10 hitters in baseball EVER . . .
Conrad, I don't like your name, but now that we have that out of the way, thanks for bringing this to Bill's attention.
Bill Simmons: But he's not! He is NOT properly rated! Here is a guy who got on base 24 of 36 times in the 2008 postseason and the fans of teams like Anaheim and Texas and San Fran aren't clamoring for their GM's to sign him.
Really? What about this and this?
It's a smear campaign. How could anyone NOT think this guy would produce for 3 years if you gave him $75 million... in a league that's given AJ Burnett and Barry Zito huge money? I am just flabbergasted by this whole thing. His teams have won everywhere he's gone. Without fail.
There is no question about whether Manny is a great hitter, no one doubts that, the question is whether he is worth $20+ million dollars. Also, his teams winning also have something to do with the other players on the team. It's not like you could throw him on the Texas Rangers and they would be in the World Series. Sometimes its like Bill doesn't even want to pay attention when he potentially could be wrong.
Bill Simmons: Manny got manipulated by his agent. We know that much.
How the hell do we know that much? When I google "Manny manipulated by agent" up comes Bill's column first. We don't know that much simply because Bill Simmons is a first grade homer who has no inside information and lives 3,000 miles away from Boston and he says it is so.
The Sox did neither. They let him twist in the wind. Did he deserve that after giving them 7 HUGE years and helping them win two titles? I say no.
Twisting in the wind? Sort of what the Red Sox did this winter with Varitek and the "take or leave it" contract offer? Of course, Bill doesn't say anything about that and seems to actually agree with the position the Red Sox took with Variteak because it is not a question of treating a baseball player right, it is really a matter of production.
Pflug (Queens, NY): I am totally with you on Manny, I think he's going to absolutely rake wherever he winds up next year (crossing my fingers for the Mets to pony up the cash). If he stays in the NL for a full season, is there a chance of him hitting .400?
Who the hell is arguing that Manny will not rake wherever he goes next year? I want to meet this person that is furthering this myth because I am very tired of someone arguing this point in the "Is Manny overrated" argument.
Zo (Arlington, VA): So, you have started a new Hall of Fame: The Donovan McNabb Comedy Hall of Fame for athletes/entertainers who try to be funny in such an awkward manner that it is actually more creepy than anything. So, you have McNabb and Kobe. I would also throw in Superbowl Week with Kurt Warner as well. Who else joins the club?
(Spitting up bile on keyboard)
I just started a new Hall of Fame: The Bill Simmons' Same Stale Joke Reader Regurgitation Hall of Fame and Zo, you just made it! Congratulations, now go drink Drano and think about what a tool you are.
Tom (Meridian, Idaho): Bill. We haven't heard your thoughts on Jim Rice FINALLY making the Hall of Fame. What's the over/under on the length of his speech? 5 minutes, 10? My bet is he says thanks, then sits down and lets Ricky talk for the next hour.
Bill Simmons: Talked about it on a podcast a little. My thoughts go like this: If he wasn't a HOFer for 14 years, why is he one now?
Bill and I can agree on this together.
Sean (New York, NY): Speaking of books, What's your take on the new Joe Torre book?
Bill Simmons: I just don't think someone like Terry Francona would write a book throwing Sox players under the bus in 5 years. He has more respect for the job than that.
Terry Francona would not write a book throwing Red Sox players under the bus because that is Red Sox management's job. All I hear Bill talk about in regards to Manny Ramirez is how he got smeared by Red Sox management and now no one will sign him. Francona doesn't have to write a book because the front office is able to throw players under the bus just fine without his help.
Chris (Carson City, NV): Hey, has any "rivalry" over the past 10 years been as much of a one-sided beat down as Spurs/Suns? I almost feel bad for Nash and them. Almost.
Bill Simmons: Agreed. It's definitely "feud" and not a "rivalry."
You mean kind of like the Yankees and Red Sox were for almost 90 years before 2004? Yet, the "rivalry" was pumped up constantly by the media. This is not Bill's fault, but I felt the need to point out how much I hate the hype filled media again.
Ryan, Chapel HIll NC: If Kobe wins a ring without Shaq, where does he go down in NBA History? Is he in Bird and Magic's class (top 5-7 in history)?
Bill Simmons: He moves into the top-12. Not sure where. Definitely not higher than 8.
At that point he moves into the top 12. He will never surpass Bird or Magic because they are the best ever, even though it would be pretty impressive if Kobe won a title without another Hall of Fame type player on the team, which is something Magic and Bird never did.
Jamie, Milton, MA: The Bruins need you....
Does this sentence end with, "to stop hopping on the bandwagon, you bag of douche?"
Bill Simmons: I will be there in April. I can't start watching hockey until after March Madness. I am monitoring from afar and couldn't feel more proud for the long suffering fans. The bottom line is that the salary cap has eliminated the franchise's biggest obstacle for the last 30-plus years: The cheap-ass owner. So the B's actually have a shot at winning a Cup.
Bill can't cheer for a team unless the owner is able to spend more money than God to acquire players for the team. What's the point if you are only cheering for a team that can't outspend everyone, and the salary cap finally evened the playing field and now Bill is able to hop back on the bandwagon. This is one of the worst examples I have heard of a writer jumping off a bandwagon and then publicly jumping right back on the bandwagon. Basically this is like if I started cheering for the New Orleans Hornets.
Lino Viola (Boston, MA): Who wins in a seven game series- Last years Celtics or the '86 Celtics?
Do you know who loses on this question? The public when Bill creates an entire column around this premise. It is coming, just hold on and wait for it.
Daniel (Heidelberg, Germany): You've written before about the impact you believe the performers at halftime of the Super Bowl have had on the game. In light of that, which songs do you think Bruce is going to perform at the game, and which team will potentially benefit from those songs?
Bill Simmons: let's say the Cards are up 14-10 at halftime, the question would be, what would be the best Bruce song at halftime to make their fans believe that the impossible was about to happen (ala "Beautiful Day" for the 2001 Pats). For some reason I feel like it woulkd be "Badlands." It's a happy/energetic song but at the same time, the Cards franchise has really been the "Badlands." if he breaks that one out and Zona is in the game, I am banging Zona for the second half.
You have to be stupid or Bill Simmons to think the halftime music really makes a difference. Were the Giants pumped last year by hearing Tom Petty sing "Running Down a Dream" at halftime? Probably not, because they were so focused on the actual football game that was going to be played in 20 minutes. It is insane to think the fans can make a big difference in the outcome of the game. It is also ridiculous to think the music makes a difference. The fans may actually think something good will happen based on the music, but the fans have no bearing on the players and how they play in a football game, I saw that first hand earlier this January.
Brock (Idaho Falls, Id): So Pujols is lobbying to have the Cardinals offer Manny a contract. Now this is a long shot, no scratch that, a looooooooooong shot, but would that be the greatest 3-4 hitter combo in history?
Bill Simmons: If that is true, God help the National League. I do wonder though how these mid-market teams (like STL or Det) aren't going to get just murdered by the recession with their ticket sales this season.
I am not sure if Bill has heard, or he has his head too far up his ass, but the St. Louis Cardinals have a wonderful fan base that always support their team and show up for games religiously. I know the Red Sox have such a WONDERFUL fan base that is unique in that they are able to constantly acquire new fans through winning, but for baseball knowledge and loyalty to their team, I would put the Cardinals near the top. I don't think St. Louis is going to struggle too much. More on this in a few months, but Detroit could rebound this year, which means they would be a good team and may actually get fans to the stadium.
Bill posted a semi-decent pseudo hindsight 20/20 diary of the Super Bowl. It was not that bad but there were parts that annoyed me.
I spent most of my night talking to friends and having inane conversations such as when my friend Ace and I tried to figure out if there was a sports equivalent to Sondra Locke's career.
I am just amazed Bill has loser-ish friends that debate this type stuff with him. Does anyone have a friend named Ace who does not have a ponytail? Every Ace I can think of either had long hair or a ponytail.
9:03 -- Warner to Boldin for a first down. Madden attributes Warner's recent resurgence to the fact that he's playing with gloves and he's 22 pounds lighter than he once was.
I don't like it when quarterbacks play with gloves on their hands. It annoys me for some reason. Maybe it was the David Carr experiment. I still have nightmares of him and his long hair and white gloves dodging defensive tackles while he crouches in the pocket begging someone to just sack him.
9:19 -- Warner to Urban for 17 … and the Cards finally go no-huddle. That took only three quarters. (I mean, wasn't this the ideal no-huddle scenario? Safeties playing deep, veteran QB capable of calling his own plays, four-receiver shotgun --
I too thought the Cardinals should have done this much earlier, like the start of the game. Are w sure Todd Haley is a good offensive coordinator, that he is not actually bad? Are we really, really sure about this?
9:33 -- Well, MacGruber changed his name to "Pepsuber" and did a Super Bowl ad for Pepsi with the real MacGyver. And I enjoyed it. I continue to hate myself.
I am surprised to see Bill did not mention that Richard Dean Anderson, the real MacGyver, is overweight now and then make jokes about him using food to break out of situations. I am surprised but not necessarily sad he did not include this.
9:57 -- Here's where the ginormous Holmes play happens: Nice catch on an in route, quick pivot, defender falls, suddenly he's sprinting down the sideline and Al Michaels is going Gus Johnson on us. He's tackled at the Zona 7 … followed by Pittsburgh calling its last timeout. (Terrible. With 52 seconds left, why not hustle everyone down and run some clock off? You don't want to score too fast, right? So many bad coaching calls in this game.)
That's definitely what you want to do when there is less than a minute left in the Super Bowl and your team is down 3 points and inside the 10 yard line, rush a play at the line of scrimmage where Roethlisberger could throw an interception or the ball could be snapped poorly because everyone is in a hurry. By the time the entire offensive line is down the field and everyone is set at the offensive line, there will be about 30 seconds left in the game, maximum. Then you get to hurry up and get a play off.
I am not sure at this point, leaving too much time on the clock is not a top priority for the Steelers since they do have the #1 defense in football. A timeout here allows the clock to stop and gives the Steelers a chance to plan a couple shots into the end zone. Do Steelers fans really want Roethlisberger at the line of scrimmage yelling out a play with the game clock running down? I don't think so.
because the NFL is officially as unpredictable as March Madness and that's just the way it is.
It's not March Madness, it is the NCAA Tournament, and stop talking about it because you literally know nothing about college basketball. Also, last year all #1 seeds made it to the Final Four, so the only thing that was not predictable was that all the best teams would make it to the Final Four. I don't know if the NFL is quite in the class of unpredictability the NCAA Tournament has.
I can't wait for college basketball to start. I think Bill Simmons is going to fall in love with a young man in college basketball and then serve as his personal PR rep for his entire NBA career. I can't figure out who it will be though. Maybe he will throw a change up on everyone and choose an "older" young man, Blake Griffin. I really thought it was going to be Jrue Holiday, B.J. Mullens, or DeMar Derozan, but I could be wrong. We'll all stay tuned to see which bandwagon Bill chooses to jump on.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
2 comments Ten Things I Think I Think Peter King Has Not Thought Of: Tuesday Edition
Maybe I have just lost my touch, but I can't find a single article on the Al Gore invented Internet to mock. Work is also insane around the holidays and there is just a lot going on, but unlike Fire Joe Morgan, I am not going to quit. I guess we will have to stick to some quick hits.
I did not mean for that to rhyme.
1. Peter King continues to worship at the feet of Northeast teams.
There were six actual questions this week Peter picked to answer:
The beginning of the article was about the Redskins, who are located in the Northeast part of the United States then:
• SUDDENLY, IT'S A QUESTION ON A LOT OF MINDS. From Scott Zabinsky, of Elkridge, Md.: "What will the NFL do if both the Giants and Jets host the conference championship games?''
• CHAD'S CERTAINLY A GLASS-HALF-FULL GUY. From Chad, of Honolulu: "Did anybody lose with the Brett Favre trade? Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay are doing well. Favre and the Jets are doing well. Chad Pennington and Miami are doing well. This might be remembered as the most mutually beneficial trade of all time.''
• WHO KNOWS? From Adam Allred, of San Jose, Calif.: "Looking ahead to 2009, you mentioned that Josh McDaniels will be a head coach next year. Isn't the most likely scenario for him to end up in San Francisco and to take Matt Cassel with him? I can't think of a better fit for both of them anywhere else. And since we're talking reunions, could you see Donovan McNabb signing with Minnesota to reunite with Brad Childress? I don't think any other team would bring him in to be the starter.''
• NOW HERE'S A STUNNING DEVELOPMENT: I WAS WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING. From David Smith, of Coral Springs, Fla.: "Peter, In the offseason you mentioned that the Bears should pursue Donovan McNabb. Are you willing to say that they are better off having stayed put with Kyle Orton?''
I realize I am being very, very nitpicky here but he answers two questions about Donovan McNabb playing for another team next year, which is not even relevant right now. I know the Northeast teams are "where it is at" right now, but I find it hard to believe there were not questions about the Cardinals or any other team in the NFL that plays anywhere else in the country other than the Northeast. I find it hard to believe people ask him questions based completely on what he wrote in his MMQB as well. There have to be some questions that are about a team/topic not mentioned in MMQB.
There is only so much Matt Cassel, Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb, Jets/Giants/Patriots talk I can handle and I am beyond my breaking point.
2. Gregg Easterbrook brings up a similar point to me in his TMQ. The end of the world is nigh'.
Although Cassel is playing well, the New England rebound isn't about him. What's happening is the resurgence of a team and its system. Considering how rapidly Cassel has become effective, in retrospect, maybe it was never about Tom Brady, either.
I will never argue Matt Cassel is better than Tom Brady but I do find it is similar to the Broncos running back situation where it seems as if they always can find someone who will be successful at the position. Or they have done it twice, it could be a coincidence.
But unless Matt Cassel is one of the most gifted athletic prodigies of all time (and probabilities say he is not), the system he's in is causing him to succeed, rather than it being the other way around. How quickly we forget that just nine months ago, the New England Patriots were 35 seconds away from perfection! Then Brady got hurt and the New England system hiccupped. Now that's over, and the Patriots have adjusted, allowing their previously stellar performance level to return. From the start of the 2003 season until the first game of this season, when Brady was injured, the Patriots were 78-17 with two Super Bowl rings and a third title oh so close. This doesn't happen without excellent team players, top coaches and a well-run system.
I have vowed never to agree with anything Gregg Easterbrook says. So I will not agree with this...I will merely leave it there for you to read.
Brady is a superb athlete, but right now he may be at some supermodel's Mediterranean seaside villa wincing, because Cassel is demonstrating that Brady was not essential for the Patriots to win.
I am not jumping off the Brady bandwagon because I was never on the Tom Brady bandwagon. Every year some sportswriters act as if it is new and wonderful information to learn a superior offensive line, defense (above average), and great receivers in conjunction with a quarterback who knows the offense can help a team win games.
This is not shocking but you will continue to read articles by Peter King and others describing how great Matt Cassel is. Last year Tom Brady could have eaten lunch in the pocket or perhaps even done some online shopping for Gisele a Christmas present, he was so well protected. Why does everyone think he could throw long bombs to Moss or wait for Welker to cross the middle? He had all the time in the world. You rarely see Brady having to scramble around in the pocket and make a play out of nothing because no one ever got near him. Then the Giants get pressure on Brady and everyone acts like they are geniuses for doing this and sportswriters are writing how important defensive lineman are again. Even though they never went away and have always been important.
3. This is the first line of Woody Paige's article for The Denver Post.
Mike Shanahan lost to The Cable Guy.
He is referring to Tom Cable, the Raiders head coach. I did not have the energy or patience to read the rest of the column closely. Ok, one comment about Woody's idiocy.
The former Colorado assistant and career offensive line coach had announced he, not his coordinator, would call the plays against the Broncos. His calls were superior to the Broncos' calls.
The play calls of Oakland were superior to the Broncos' calls? Incorrect. How about the Raiders execution of the play calls were superior to the Broncos' execution of their play calls. That makes a lot of sense. It is not like there is an official who hears each team's play call, decides which coach called a better play and then awards yardage based on how the play would have done theoretically.
4. Jemele Hill thinks Congress needs to bail out car companies because of its impact on sports.
Her columns usually start with a wrong premise, then she goes into misunderstanding the cause and effect of the fake problem she has just created and ends with her refuting her own argument. Let's see how this goes:
With so many people having lost their jobs because of the Big Three's mismanagement and financial problems, I know it doesn't seem like an appropriate time to worry about sports.
A correct premise! What to do now?
But no matter what Rich Rodriguez may think, sports still matter during crises.
Ba-da-boom. Not funny. So now she is going to ignore a correct premise so she can shit out a horrible article. Good for her.
Let's see if she understands cause and effect. The problem is that there is a lack of fan support for Michigan teams. Jemele thinks the cause is the lack of corporate support, let's see what we think.
Besides, in Detroit, the major sports teams already are at the mercy of the economy.
In every city, the major sports teams are at the mercy of the economy, but that is not necessarily why fans are staying away and this has NOTHING to do with a bailout for the car companies.
The Lions will be blacked out for the third straight home game on Sunday. Detroit's 0-10 record doesn't help, but given the economic climate, it seems unlikely that any of the Lions' three remaining home games will be viewed locally.
No, no, no. The economic climate has nothing to do with the games being blacked out. Neither does the cooling of the earth, climate changes, or anything else that has anything to do with the words climate or bailout. The Lions are 0-10...I have sat in the crowd in 2001 when a team was 1-13. There was no one at these games. It was December 2001, so Bush had not had a chance to fuck the economy up yet and the nation had a ton of pride after 9/11. The economy was in good shape considering...There was NO ONE at the game because the team was 1-13, not because of anything with the economy. Same thing with the Lions. Shut up.
The Tigers were a hot pick to go to the World Series in 2008, but finished last in their division. They were third in attendance in the American League, but with lowered expectations in 2009, who could blame the fans for not eagerly returning to the ballpark?
The Tigers have an underachieving, expensive team, and as Jemele said, expectations are lowered, so what does this have to do with the bailout of car companies again? You can't explain current attendance problems on future events that may/may not happen.
Some people argue the automakers deserve this fate. But the city and its sports fans don't deserve to be dragged down with them.
Lower ticket prices then. That's not going to happen, of course, but if a team is successful then people will attend games. This is a fact. (Based on nothing, but I think it is an understood fact)
Detroit hosted Super Bowl XL in 2006, the NCAA regionals last season and the 2009 Final Four will be played at Ford Field. That would be the same Ford family that built automobiles for 105 years.
And the same Ford family that has mismanaged the Lions for 40 years now. They deserve to suffer for that maybe? Counterpoint bitch!
5. Bill Simmons is pussy footing around whether he quit the B.S. Report or not. He gives passive aggressive a bad name. I actually hope Simmons quits ESPN and strikes out on his own. I wonder if his columns would be any worse? He probably would include profanity and use references that would make him seem cooler to the kids. He is almost 40 by the way. If he went out on his own, I would probably never have to write anything about any other writer, I would have enough to write about him.
6. I am going to be honest, all expensive free agents scare the shit out of me. Even trading for one does as well. I am not for trading another huge package of prospects for Jake Peavy. The Cubs and the Braves are being smart by making Kevin Towers sweat it out. They are asking way too much for a pitcher who has recently gotten injured and has a fucked up looking delivery. The Padres have to get rid of Peavy, and yet they still want a king's ransom in return. I know one of these teams will cave, I just wonder how much they will give up.
7. The Angels will do anything to not upgrade their offense.
I mentioned above I am not for trading prospects for players but the Angels have hung on to Edwin Santana, Brandon Wood, and every other top prospect so long, they almost have no value now. I have read those names in trade rumors for years now.
The Angels appear reluctant to guarantee more than seven years in a contract for Teixeira, said a source familiar with the club's thinking. They appear more likely at this time to pursue Sabathia, with an offer in the range of Johan Santana's six-year, $137.5-million contract with the New York Mets.
They won't give Tex more than seven years but are willing to give an overweight pitcher whose arm is going to fall off soon six years? Even with Sabathia the Angels still have to find some offense. They have been coasting in the AL West for the past couple of years and I think this may be a year the A's try and catch up with them a little bit. How many first round exits does one team have to endure without actually figuring out they need more offense?
8. The Red Sox need to find a way to make Jason Varitek disappear.
Isn't what made the Red Sox so successful, and put them in the position they are in today with having good young players, is the fact they were able to separate their emotions from players? Derek Lowe, Pedro, Johnny Damon, and Mark Bellhorn were all let go. Why can't they do this with Jason Varitek? It's not like they don't have the players to trade for an above average catcher. That's all they need...especially if they sign Tex.
Of course handling a pitching staff is also important, but Varitek can't do that forever.
9. Gregg Doyel thinks Myron Rolle should win the Heisman.
He and his sexual predator picture need to really, really think about what they write. I agree Rolle is what we want all student-athletes to be, and it is great he was up for the Rhodes Scholarship, but this is not even close to a reason he should get the Heisman. I think Doyel just picks fights with his readers.
Your Turn: Reader Rip
suitntie: I agree that this is what we hope our youth aspire to, but the Heisman is not meant to award the scholar part of college football. For you to imply that this outatanding acheivement has been overlooked just goes to show that you live in your own self important world.
Writer Retort
Gregg Doyel: Until I came along, only the eggheads knew about this award. Congratulations, egghead. But now that I've opened the doors of Cool to this thing, the rest of society -- the hip among us -- can celebrate Myron Rolle along with geeks such as yourself, suitntie.
This is journalism? Again, I say bloggers are doing nothing to destroy the spirit of journalism, the mainstream media, like Gregg, have already beaten us to the punch. This is awful.
10. I am serious, Kansas is going to be better in college basketball than people think. Granted, they have not played anyone yet but there is a good team out there. UCLA is Duke East in that they have no established center presence, but I think they will still make the Sweet Sixteen this year. I know people are freaking out about the loss to Michigan.
I love UNC fans. I had a gentleman who is a "big" UNC fan come in my office yesterday and tell me how injuries were hurting the team. (Typical UNC excuses are injuries, the other team was hitting everything they shot, or officiating was lopsided...they just rotate them for each loss). Then he started complaining they lost Ty Zeller for the year to a broken hand. Except, he said this, "Losing that Tyrone---Taylor, or what's his name, the tall guy, that really is going to hurt us now."
Yes, that guy you don't even know his name, that sounds like a real big loss. UNC fans don't even need to know what they are making excuses about to make excuses. Plus, they have the best team in the nation so they have no reason to complain. No UNC bashing this year I promise...just that one.
I did not mean for that to rhyme.
1. Peter King continues to worship at the feet of Northeast teams.
There were six actual questions this week Peter picked to answer:
The beginning of the article was about the Redskins, who are located in the Northeast part of the United States then:
• SUDDENLY, IT'S A QUESTION ON A LOT OF MINDS. From Scott Zabinsky, of Elkridge, Md.: "What will the NFL do if both the Giants and Jets host the conference championship games?''
• CHAD'S CERTAINLY A GLASS-HALF-FULL GUY. From Chad, of Honolulu: "Did anybody lose with the Brett Favre trade? Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay are doing well. Favre and the Jets are doing well. Chad Pennington and Miami are doing well. This might be remembered as the most mutually beneficial trade of all time.''
• WHO KNOWS? From Adam Allred, of San Jose, Calif.: "Looking ahead to 2009, you mentioned that Josh McDaniels will be a head coach next year. Isn't the most likely scenario for him to end up in San Francisco and to take Matt Cassel with him? I can't think of a better fit for both of them anywhere else. And since we're talking reunions, could you see Donovan McNabb signing with Minnesota to reunite with Brad Childress? I don't think any other team would bring him in to be the starter.''
• NOW HERE'S A STUNNING DEVELOPMENT: I WAS WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING. From David Smith, of Coral Springs, Fla.: "Peter, In the offseason you mentioned that the Bears should pursue Donovan McNabb. Are you willing to say that they are better off having stayed put with Kyle Orton?''
I realize I am being very, very nitpicky here but he answers two questions about Donovan McNabb playing for another team next year, which is not even relevant right now. I know the Northeast teams are "where it is at" right now, but I find it hard to believe there were not questions about the Cardinals or any other team in the NFL that plays anywhere else in the country other than the Northeast. I find it hard to believe people ask him questions based completely on what he wrote in his MMQB as well. There have to be some questions that are about a team/topic not mentioned in MMQB.
There is only so much Matt Cassel, Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb, Jets/Giants/Patriots talk I can handle and I am beyond my breaking point.
2. Gregg Easterbrook brings up a similar point to me in his TMQ. The end of the world is nigh'.
Although Cassel is playing well, the New England rebound isn't about him. What's happening is the resurgence of a team and its system. Considering how rapidly Cassel has become effective, in retrospect, maybe it was never about Tom Brady, either.
I will never argue Matt Cassel is better than Tom Brady but I do find it is similar to the Broncos running back situation where it seems as if they always can find someone who will be successful at the position. Or they have done it twice, it could be a coincidence.
But unless Matt Cassel is one of the most gifted athletic prodigies of all time (and probabilities say he is not), the system he's in is causing him to succeed, rather than it being the other way around. How quickly we forget that just nine months ago, the New England Patriots were 35 seconds away from perfection! Then Brady got hurt and the New England system hiccupped. Now that's over, and the Patriots have adjusted, allowing their previously stellar performance level to return. From the start of the 2003 season until the first game of this season, when Brady was injured, the Patriots were 78-17 with two Super Bowl rings and a third title oh so close. This doesn't happen without excellent team players, top coaches and a well-run system.
I have vowed never to agree with anything Gregg Easterbrook says. So I will not agree with this...I will merely leave it there for you to read.
Brady is a superb athlete, but right now he may be at some supermodel's Mediterranean seaside villa wincing, because Cassel is demonstrating that Brady was not essential for the Patriots to win.
I am not jumping off the Brady bandwagon because I was never on the Tom Brady bandwagon. Every year some sportswriters act as if it is new and wonderful information to learn a superior offensive line, defense (above average), and great receivers in conjunction with a quarterback who knows the offense can help a team win games.
This is not shocking but you will continue to read articles by Peter King and others describing how great Matt Cassel is. Last year Tom Brady could have eaten lunch in the pocket or perhaps even done some online shopping for Gisele a Christmas present, he was so well protected. Why does everyone think he could throw long bombs to Moss or wait for Welker to cross the middle? He had all the time in the world. You rarely see Brady having to scramble around in the pocket and make a play out of nothing because no one ever got near him. Then the Giants get pressure on Brady and everyone acts like they are geniuses for doing this and sportswriters are writing how important defensive lineman are again. Even though they never went away and have always been important.
3. This is the first line of Woody Paige's article for The Denver Post.
Mike Shanahan lost to The Cable Guy.
He is referring to Tom Cable, the Raiders head coach. I did not have the energy or patience to read the rest of the column closely. Ok, one comment about Woody's idiocy.
The former Colorado assistant and career offensive line coach had announced he, not his coordinator, would call the plays against the Broncos. His calls were superior to the Broncos' calls.
The play calls of Oakland were superior to the Broncos' calls? Incorrect. How about the Raiders execution of the play calls were superior to the Broncos' execution of their play calls. That makes a lot of sense. It is not like there is an official who hears each team's play call, decides which coach called a better play and then awards yardage based on how the play would have done theoretically.
4. Jemele Hill thinks Congress needs to bail out car companies because of its impact on sports.
Her columns usually start with a wrong premise, then she goes into misunderstanding the cause and effect of the fake problem she has just created and ends with her refuting her own argument. Let's see how this goes:
With so many people having lost their jobs because of the Big Three's mismanagement and financial problems, I know it doesn't seem like an appropriate time to worry about sports.
A correct premise! What to do now?
But no matter what Rich Rodriguez may think, sports still matter during crises.
Ba-da-boom. Not funny. So now she is going to ignore a correct premise so she can shit out a horrible article. Good for her.
Let's see if she understands cause and effect. The problem is that there is a lack of fan support for Michigan teams. Jemele thinks the cause is the lack of corporate support, let's see what we think.
Besides, in Detroit, the major sports teams already are at the mercy of the economy.
In every city, the major sports teams are at the mercy of the economy, but that is not necessarily why fans are staying away and this has NOTHING to do with a bailout for the car companies.
The Lions will be blacked out for the third straight home game on Sunday. Detroit's 0-10 record doesn't help, but given the economic climate, it seems unlikely that any of the Lions' three remaining home games will be viewed locally.
No, no, no. The economic climate has nothing to do with the games being blacked out. Neither does the cooling of the earth, climate changes, or anything else that has anything to do with the words climate or bailout. The Lions are 0-10...I have sat in the crowd in 2001 when a team was 1-13. There was no one at these games. It was December 2001, so Bush had not had a chance to fuck the economy up yet and the nation had a ton of pride after 9/11. The economy was in good shape considering...There was NO ONE at the game because the team was 1-13, not because of anything with the economy. Same thing with the Lions. Shut up.
The Tigers were a hot pick to go to the World Series in 2008, but finished last in their division. They were third in attendance in the American League, but with lowered expectations in 2009, who could blame the fans for not eagerly returning to the ballpark?
The Tigers have an underachieving, expensive team, and as Jemele said, expectations are lowered, so what does this have to do with the bailout of car companies again? You can't explain current attendance problems on future events that may/may not happen.
Some people argue the automakers deserve this fate. But the city and its sports fans don't deserve to be dragged down with them.
Lower ticket prices then. That's not going to happen, of course, but if a team is successful then people will attend games. This is a fact. (Based on nothing, but I think it is an understood fact)
Detroit hosted Super Bowl XL in 2006, the NCAA regionals last season and the 2009 Final Four will be played at Ford Field. That would be the same Ford family that built automobiles for 105 years.
And the same Ford family that has mismanaged the Lions for 40 years now. They deserve to suffer for that maybe? Counterpoint bitch!
5. Bill Simmons is pussy footing around whether he quit the B.S. Report or not. He gives passive aggressive a bad name. I actually hope Simmons quits ESPN and strikes out on his own. I wonder if his columns would be any worse? He probably would include profanity and use references that would make him seem cooler to the kids. He is almost 40 by the way. If he went out on his own, I would probably never have to write anything about any other writer, I would have enough to write about him.
6. I am going to be honest, all expensive free agents scare the shit out of me. Even trading for one does as well. I am not for trading another huge package of prospects for Jake Peavy. The Cubs and the Braves are being smart by making Kevin Towers sweat it out. They are asking way too much for a pitcher who has recently gotten injured and has a fucked up looking delivery. The Padres have to get rid of Peavy, and yet they still want a king's ransom in return. I know one of these teams will cave, I just wonder how much they will give up.
7. The Angels will do anything to not upgrade their offense.
I mentioned above I am not for trading prospects for players but the Angels have hung on to Edwin Santana, Brandon Wood, and every other top prospect so long, they almost have no value now. I have read those names in trade rumors for years now.
The Angels appear reluctant to guarantee more than seven years in a contract for Teixeira, said a source familiar with the club's thinking. They appear more likely at this time to pursue Sabathia, with an offer in the range of Johan Santana's six-year, $137.5-million contract with the New York Mets.
They won't give Tex more than seven years but are willing to give an overweight pitcher whose arm is going to fall off soon six years? Even with Sabathia the Angels still have to find some offense. They have been coasting in the AL West for the past couple of years and I think this may be a year the A's try and catch up with them a little bit. How many first round exits does one team have to endure without actually figuring out they need more offense?
8. The Red Sox need to find a way to make Jason Varitek disappear.
Isn't what made the Red Sox so successful, and put them in the position they are in today with having good young players, is the fact they were able to separate their emotions from players? Derek Lowe, Pedro, Johnny Damon, and Mark Bellhorn were all let go. Why can't they do this with Jason Varitek? It's not like they don't have the players to trade for an above average catcher. That's all they need...especially if they sign Tex.
Of course handling a pitching staff is also important, but Varitek can't do that forever.
9. Gregg Doyel thinks Myron Rolle should win the Heisman.
He and his sexual predator picture need to really, really think about what they write. I agree Rolle is what we want all student-athletes to be, and it is great he was up for the Rhodes Scholarship, but this is not even close to a reason he should get the Heisman. I think Doyel just picks fights with his readers.
Your Turn: Reader Rip
suitntie: I agree that this is what we hope our youth aspire to, but the Heisman is not meant to award the scholar part of college football. For you to imply that this outatanding acheivement has been overlooked just goes to show that you live in your own self important world.
Writer Retort
Gregg Doyel: Until I came along, only the eggheads knew about this award. Congratulations, egghead. But now that I've opened the doors of Cool to this thing, the rest of society -- the hip among us -- can celebrate Myron Rolle along with geeks such as yourself, suitntie.
This is journalism? Again, I say bloggers are doing nothing to destroy the spirit of journalism, the mainstream media, like Gregg, have already beaten us to the punch. This is awful.
10. I am serious, Kansas is going to be better in college basketball than people think. Granted, they have not played anyone yet but there is a good team out there. UCLA is Duke East in that they have no established center presence, but I think they will still make the Sweet Sixteen this year. I know people are freaking out about the loss to Michigan.
I love UNC fans. I had a gentleman who is a "big" UNC fan come in my office yesterday and tell me how injuries were hurting the team. (Typical UNC excuses are injuries, the other team was hitting everything they shot, or officiating was lopsided...they just rotate them for each loss). Then he started complaining they lost Ty Zeller for the year to a broken hand. Except, he said this, "Losing that Tyrone---Taylor, or what's his name, the tall guy, that really is going to hurt us now."
Yes, that guy you don't even know his name, that sounds like a real big loss. UNC fans don't even need to know what they are making excuses about to make excuses. Plus, they have the best team in the nation so they have no reason to complain. No UNC bashing this year I promise...just that one.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
0 comments Tek Check
Couldn't let this slide, in reference to my commentary on Varitek about a week ago. Et tu Francona?
Francona said before Sunday's game that he wasn't aware of the ESPNdeportes interview. And he didn't know whether Ramirez was in a good mood.
"I'm not sure that matters," Francona said. "I'd take a guy that's hitting .500 that's miserable as opposed to a guy that hands out bouquets to his teammates and is hitting a buck 45. ... You move on. The goal is to get better from it. I think we've done a good job of that here."
Francona woke up in a cold sweat 14 hours later at 2am and yelled "FUCK! I made it too obvious!"
Jason Varitek .218/.302/.358. Still in bouquet saving territory, but only just.
Francona said before Sunday's game that he wasn't aware of the ESPNdeportes interview. And he didn't know whether Ramirez was in a good mood.
"I'm not sure that matters," Francona said. "I'd take a guy that's hitting .500 that's miserable as opposed to a guy that hands out bouquets to his teammates and is hitting a buck 45. ... You move on. The goal is to get better from it. I think we've done a good job of that here."
Francona woke up in a cold sweat 14 hours later at 2am and yelled "FUCK! I made it too obvious!"
Jason Varitek .218/.302/.358. Still in bouquet saving territory, but only just.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
1 comments Too Much Varitek Is Barely Enough
Hello all. I have been invited to post here by Ben, so I guess a few particulars are customary.
First, I'm an Australian but please, if you are going to comment about the fact that I live in Australia and ergo don't know anything about American sports, at least do me the service of avoiding the word "kangaroo". I worked as a bookie for two years, specialising in MLB and NFL, essentially as an advisor. The agency was small so it was more like a betting team, we didn't have the clientel to do much bookmaking so to speak. I'm 24 and may even post the occasional rant about cricket or rugby if I find the content general enough to appeal to everyone and the offense to logic particulary egregious. One example that comes to mind is that I once was watching a rugby game where the announcer (Ben Ikin) said "they were out there left, right and centre out on the right". This has since become something of a mantra for public and sporting related displays of stupidity between me and my friends.
Anyway, any other details are probably unnecessary - I don't really follow teams, I kind of adopt them here and there, but when that team gets good I feel guilty for being a bandwagon rider and immediately trade down to a lower version. Currently these teams are the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Brewers (might have to jet on them soon) and Washington Redskins. My favourite American sport is baseball, I love the crazy setup of 162 games and the races coming down to September, following a baseball season is such a unique experience. I have no time and general contempt for, college sports.
Discussions with Ben suggest that there may be times of debate and discussion of various issues and points of view between him and I, hopefully providing entertainment and provoking thought. We shall see. I wasn't actually going to post today but Richard Justice, in all his arrogant, belligerent, megalomaniacal glory, practically insisted with the following colum, available at the Sporting News.
No offense, but Boston needs Jason Varitek
First, I'm an Australian but please, if you are going to comment about the fact that I live in Australia and ergo don't know anything about American sports, at least do me the service of avoiding the word "kangaroo". I worked as a bookie for two years, specialising in MLB and NFL, essentially as an advisor. The agency was small so it was more like a betting team, we didn't have the clientel to do much bookmaking so to speak. I'm 24 and may even post the occasional rant about cricket or rugby if I find the content general enough to appeal to everyone and the offense to logic particulary egregious. One example that comes to mind is that I once was watching a rugby game where the announcer (Ben Ikin) said "they were out there left, right and centre out on the right". This has since become something of a mantra for public and sporting related displays of stupidity between me and my friends.
Anyway, any other details are probably unnecessary - I don't really follow teams, I kind of adopt them here and there, but when that team gets good I feel guilty for being a bandwagon rider and immediately trade down to a lower version. Currently these teams are the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Brewers (might have to jet on them soon) and Washington Redskins. My favourite American sport is baseball, I love the crazy setup of 162 games and the races coming down to September, following a baseball season is such a unique experience. I have no time and general contempt for, college sports.
Discussions with Ben suggest that there may be times of debate and discussion of various issues and points of view between him and I, hopefully providing entertainment and provoking thought. We shall see. I wasn't actually going to post today but Richard Justice, in all his arrogant, belligerent, megalomaniacal glory, practically insisted with the following colum, available at the Sporting News.
No offense, but Boston needs Jason Varitek
very witty
Can you imagine Jason Varitek wearing any other uniform? Can't do it, can you?
"That would be hard," Derek Jeter said.
How about you, Mariano Rivera?
"He's their captain," he said. "That tells you what he means to them."
Indeed.
this is some vapid fucking sportswriting here people. I dunno, maybe I give Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera too much credit, but I would love to see the looks on their faces when Richard Justice sidled on up to them and asked them "can you imagine Jason Varitek in another uniform?". Surely there must be better questions you can ask. I mean, think about it, the abuse of position this entails. Put yourself in Richard Justice's shoes, here they are, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, you get a precious few minutes with them to pick their brain on a topic of your choosing, and this is what he comes up with. Breathtaking.
"When you think of the Red Sox, he's one of the people that comes to mind," Joe Torre said.
probably because he plays for them, thank you for that Joe.
Wait, there's more.
I would certainly hope so Richard, this has been...less than impressive so far.
For a decade, Varitek has represented the Red Sox with grace and grit. He might be the poster boy for some of the best years the franchise has ever had -- six playoff appearances, including two championships, in 10 seasons.
grit alert.
He has helped changed the way people perceive the Red Sox. Once lovable losers, they're now widely respected both for winning and for doing it the right way.
I dunno man. Like, if "the right way" means the cunning trades and savvy positioning in the market, surely that's Theo Epstein right? Even if you mean the emphasis on defense and stuff, that was basically put in motion by the Nomar trade, that's my understanding. Seems Epstein pretty much coincided with this period of success in Red Sox history. He would seem to be the "poster boy" if you're asking me, and quite frankly, I think he was more responsible for whats happened to this team than Varitek. I know I'm in dangerous GM vs guys who actually play territory here, but I'm just saying, if it's about the appearance and attitude of the Red Sox, maybe we're overstating the case of Varitek.
I also dispute this "lovable losers" tag. I mean, they were pretty damn good, they had like the best pitcher on the planet, a scary offense, sold out every game and were involved in some of the best playoff series of all time. To suggest they were "cute" or "quaint" is not only disrespectful to a very successful franchise with a storied history but also a gross misrepresentation.
That "C" on Varitek's jersey speaks volumes. He's the Red Sox captain in every sense of the word.
Recently, when he briefly snapped out of a terrible slump with a hit, the Red Sox celebrated as if they'd won another championship.
oh come on! Come on! I mean why go so ridiculously over the top like this? They were happy for him, awesome. Again, maybe I am giving baseball players too much credit, but I'd like to think they have enough perspective to act proportionately when a player gets a fucking base hit. Also, how would that make Varitek feel if they actually did celebrate like this? Like he was a nine year old who was there because of the "Make a Wish Foundation", that's how. I'm sure Jason Varitek doesn't want to be condescended to, and to be honest, I think he was probably a little embarrassed to be at the all-star game with a line of .216/.297/.351.
My God that's bad.
Varitek's future with the Red Sox has become a hot topic on Boston sports radio at a time when he's hitting .218 and sometimes looking overmatched at the plate.
sometimes? I'd suggest most of the time. Maybe even all of the time. And Varitek has hit .240/.331/.396 over the past three years. This season is indicative of a trend. Some may say a typical, easily identifiable trend that correlates strongly with the end of a career. He's also 36. He also plays catcher. He is also off contract at the end of this season so the Red Sox will have to address these very issues head on. These discussions seem warranted.
Because he is 36 years old, because he is unsigned after this season and because the Red Sox have had acquiring a catcher on their to-do list for more than a year, the previously unthinkable has become thinkable.
right.
Money could become an issue. Varitek is represented by Scott Boras, and rumors have Boras seeking a four-year contract for Varitek.
I think the bigger issue is that .218, no wait .216 average right? I mean, if the Red Sox don't sign him, exactly who will? He probably will get offers precisely because of people like Richard Justice but I don't think Jason Varitek is bargaining from a position of strength here, and I think unless Theo Epstein is replaced by an evil twin, that four year contract Scott Boras is supposedly coveting exists only in his dreams.
Varitek's value could change depending on how the second half of the season goes, who the Red Sox acquire and how the season plays out.
but most important, he has to hit right? I mean this is patently unacceptable. And I mean, short of him inventing a time machine, the liklihood is, as unfortunate as it may be, that that will not happen.
To anyone Red Sox fan ready to throw Varitek off the bus: Be careful what you wish for.
the case in favour for reckless wishing in this instance does indeed appear to be a strong one, even for "anyone Red Sox fan", let's see what you have.
When the Red Sox trailed the Cleveland Indians 3-1 in the American League Championship Series last fall, Varitek was one of the guys who set a relentless one-game-at-a-time tone in the clubhouse.
Had you walked into the Boston clubhouse before Game 5, you might have thought the Red Sox were preparing for a June game with the Mariners. That's because they play the game one way -- and Varitek is partly responsible for that.
what did he expect? Looting, molotov cocktails and violent sobbing? They play the game to win. They want to win. They plan and prepare to win. That is the extent of "playing the game one way" and every team does it. These are professional baseball players. They are here because they have played in a lot of big games, at every level, and know how to handle it. I'm not really sure what the alternative would be...these people are professionals.
Richard...I just have no idea what you are trying to say.
There's no debating his offensive season. It has been terrible. Varitek's .218 batting average is 46 points below his career average.
but only 22 points below his average the past three years.
He's hitting just .184 on the road and .192 with runners in scoring position. He has put together back-to-back tough months -- a .122 average in June, a .188 average in July.
well yeah, he's been bad. I think ".218" is sufficient, I don't need the situationals. ".218" isn't nuanced like that, it's what is called absolutely terrible. We're not splitting hairs here.
And yet at this point in his career, considering the makeup of this club, offense isn't his primary responsibility.
yeah, and if he was hitting like .250/.330/.390 this might be a good argument. But he's not. Jason Varitek has wet dreams about hitting .250 right now. Primary responsibility is one thing, destructive agent of hitting death is quite another. Again, there's no room to look "deeper" here, it's .218 (.216 at the time of writing). Terrible. Indefensible. It's that simple.
Even with Varitek not hitting, the Red Sox are second in the American League in runs, first in on-base percentage and third in home runs.
With J.D.Drew having a career year, with Dustin Pedroia becoming an impact player and with David Ortiz due back from the disabled list next weekend, Boston's concerns are mostly with middle relief and the back of the rotation.
I hope this isn't the pitch Boras is taking to the Red Sox for his bid for a fanciful contract - "you need better pitchers". I don't particulary think it should be your argument either, considering you're strongly implying he helps the pitching staff so much, and that that pitching staff is actually a pronounced weakness. Logic dictates then, that Jason Varitek has not been particulary benificial to said staff.
Also, Pedroia is basically as good as last year, not getting on base as much, more power, much of a muchness. I don't think he's "become" anything this year, he's still a pretty awesome second basemen (I'm not particulary informed on the prowess of his defense, seems adequate) but yeah, let's not pretend there are all these extra toys to a team that won the World Series here. Finally, the Red Sox aren't in first place, unlike last year, and haven't been for most of the year, I don't think they are in a position to easily carry a .216 hitter.
As for Varitek, it might be impossible for an outsider to understand his impact in the clubhouse.
He keeps charts on every Red Sox pitcher and studies scouting reports and video before each game. He picks the brains of scouts, coaches and anyone he thinks can help with that day's game.
isn't the stuff about scouting reports, video and charts pretty standard for catchers? I don't know maybe not. But .218...that is my response to this statement, a number that Richard Justice cannot rationalise his way out of, as difficult as it may be to understand the famed "Varitek aura".
Whether I'm hitting or not, I can influence other parts of the game," he said.
you're missing the point Jason, it's not that you can't influence other parts of the game, it's that you're fucking disgraceful at one very important part. Even if it isn't your "primary responsibility". Your ability to influence other parts of the game isn't in dispute...except by Richard Justice because the bullpen and half of the rotation are bad, apparently.
But what about the offensive struggles? He continues his workaholic ways, hoping to find a way out.
you paint a sad and tragic picture Justice, because it's almost definately not going to happen. There will be no happy ending to this story, as desperately as Varitek practises.
What Varitek mainly does is set a tone for everyone else. When his peers voted him onto the American League All-Star team, he was asked over and over if he felt bad about going when he's hitting so little.
"No," he said. "That's a pretty good honor, to be sent by the players."
oh. I guess I was wrong, you weren't embarrassed as much as oblivious.
Sometimes Francona seems to know the questions are coming before they're asked.
"That is from the players around the league," he said. "That's how they feel about him."
As Pedroia told the Boston Globe, "He's all about us. He'll sacrifice himself for the team every time."
.216/.297/.351
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