Count me as one of those Red Sox fans who was the last to give up on Manny Ramirez. I don’t mind putting up with bizarre behavior to root for a winner. I am totally selfish like that. Right up until Tuesday night I felt the best move for the team was to keep Manny through the season. However, he essentially acted like a child in doing everything he could to be traded in the past two weeks. I like to think he cost himself money by acting in such an unprofessional way, but probably not. He will loose money because of his numbers. The fact is, statistics show the 2008 version of Manny is not the 2004 version. He even projected himself as somebody who would actually sabotage the team for the rest of the season even as they fight for a playoff spot. This included going into a proverbial “slow down” mode the last few weeks. Not running out a ground ball when your team is being no hit at home in the seventh inning against the best team in the league was inexcusable to me. Despite his talent Manny negatively impacted the teams chances of winning. There was word his teammates were fed up. Like when Kilborn left the Daily Show, it is the end of an era and hopefully a case of addition by subtraction.
Without Manny the Sox loose a great hitter, but it also puts an end to the “Era of the Diva”. The club should now be a hustling machine, and hopefully the club can invest the 20 million wisely this offseason. I do not think this is a projected salary dump. I also think this move will allow Tito to live a few more years, which is important considering the health issues he is dealing with. Manny put Tito in an awful position, even after Tito had covered for him for years. This pissed me off as much as anything.
Unfortunately, this situation destroys Manny’s legacy in New England. He was a supreme talent who never grew up. He is going to play well in the NL for the Dodgers and for whoever overpays him this offseason, maybe the Yanks. I think the Sox are letting go at the right time. Manny’s bat will continue to slow down, thus not justifying his detrimental behavior. They survived the “Post Clemens Era”, the “Post Mo Period” the “Post Nomar Period”, and the “Post Pedro Period”. They are the reigning World Champions; something tells me they will be fine. Manny on the other hand will have to deal with the “Curse of Mo Vaughn”, and hope he can even play another healthy season. My advice to him, sign with Royals this offseason even if it means a massive paycut. This will alleviate the pressure that Manny rejects from an obsessive fan base and allow him to play baseball and be accepted as “goofy” instead of a “cancer”.
I spent the last two days in Foxboro at Patriots Training Camp. The team looks solid, even with Vrabel, Welker, and Ellis Hobbs on the PUP list. Here are a few observations….
-Rodney Harrison has this “training camp” thing down. He has this “go through the motions, lay a heavy lick on an unsuspecting special team’s player, make the coach think you are the hardest working/baddest mother#@$%# on the field” tactic down. And that was just his second day playing thus far.
-Watching Tom Brady sprint the assignment coaches to the next stations and run laps after screwing up was awesome.
-Belichek yelling “Run though the line Maroney” was the best moment of two days. Forget all the hits and great catches and bottles of water for $3.75. Having the lead RB get called out by the head coach on sprinting drills was why training camp exists. Classic Double B.
-I now support social segregation of fans based on interest in football. 90% of the fans go to the free practices to get autographs. They are like leeches. Of this large group of people, 75 percent were made up of kids under 12. I was looking for some Disney Pixar character to show up and try to block field goals. Losers like me who analyze the drills and watched the interactions between coaches and players to better understand the team as it gets prepared for 2009/2009 because we love football are forced to deal with “whose number 17?” or “wow, Tom Brady is wearing number 16 today”. I should have been given special access, like Mike Reiss.
-Larry Izzo looks short, until you realize he is made of pure steel.
-Jerod Mayo didn’t impress, although there was not a lot tackling overall. Shawn Crable on the other hand looks to have all the physical tools.
-The competition for backup QB is fierce. Kevin O’Donnell is the real deal, but Matt Cassel knows the system and is a Brady clone except for his performances during the regular season. Matt G is a dynamic player, very Jeff Garcia-esque. It will be interesting month as this thing hashes itself out. My thoughts? We should trade for Favre.
-My relationship with the sun remains a tenuous one. Two days of intense sun exposure has me feeling cooked.
The Superliga semi final was enjoyable. The Revs picked up a well deserved victory. Mexican club Atlante was a crushed team by the 70th minute despite only being down by 1 goal. Atlante later resorted to immature tactics and disgraceful professionalism after the final whistle. Revs Defender Jay Heaps picked up a red Card after the game during the post match brawl. It would be a shame if he was forced to miss the final Tuesday night against Houston. I think this tournament is great, with the exception of the intolerance shown by drunk Americans and Mexicans alike. This situation thus proved the fact that Ignorance is the one true nationality.
I paid under $4.00 a gallon in both Mass and RI. Tell Shaq my ass tastes like the sour injustice of $4.23 a gallon in CT. Exxon can take that 11 Billion in the 2nd quarter and shove it. And M and O are talking about Paris Hilton. And I get stuck with Joe Lieberman. At this point I would prefer Matrix-esque mechanical overlords....
96 days out. Can you feel it?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
My goodness....
First a fight in the WNBA and then in a Single A baseball game. In these troubled times, It is great that sports fans can enjoy the civility of NFL Training camp. With that said, if the world of science has actually created a piss test for HGH, get ready for the NFL to regress into the 1960's.....Just another reason to watch soccer....
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Livin' it up in Hard Hittin'
The U.S. Open Cup is the worst marketed professional athletic contest in America, and maybe the world.
The competition allows soccer teams from various levels to compete for the Lamar Hunt Trophy. It is one of the oldest actively participated soccer tournaments in the world. Yet like most multi-league “in country” tournaments, the U.S. Cup takes a back seat for most clubs in our top league, Major League Soccer. Coaches routinely go with inexperienced players, and players coming back from injury. Tuesday nights match between the MLS' New England Revolution and the USL's Crystal Palace-Baltimore was no different.
The match was played in New Britain, Connecticut, and only 2900 people showed up. 2900 people wouldn’t fill Morrone Stadium, on the campus of the University of Connecticut Huskies, let alone Veterans Stadium at Willowbrook. Thus, New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol only had two starters in his lineup Tuesday night against low level club and heavy underdog Crystal Palace-Baltimore. If there was to be a criticism of the match, it was that U.S. Soccer/MLS does not do enough to get the word out when U.S. Open Cup games at all, let alone matches played at these neutral sites. Yes, the fact that the New York Red Bulls lost to CPB last week did dampen excitement for the match. However, the story of a USL second division team playing an MLS powerhouse should have been enough to get 5,000 people to the stadium.
The Revolution regulars who took the pitch were Taylor Twellman and Khano Smith. Each had a frustrating night. Despite jumping out to a 1-0 after 6 minutes, the Revs were unprepared for CPB’s chippiness and tenacity. The scrappy underdogs didn’t fold...to my delight. They tied the game just 15 minutes later. CPB’s left sided attack tore up the Revs, particularly defender Rob Valentino. Khano Smith proved once again he has million dollar talent but a 10 cent brain. Drifting in an out of play, he was a non factor in the 2nd half, only to be substituted for his lackluster effort. Twellman was scrappy, but was undone by an organize CPB back four.
As a major upset grew more and more a possibility, I started rooting for CPB. Their dreadlocked forward Gary Brooks was a joy to watch, especially once taken off as he bantered with fans in my section. The game went into overtime, with each club having good opportunities to break through. In the 120th minute CPB substitute midfielder Sergio Flores was sent off. Seconds later Nicol amazingly took Twellman off after playing the entire match. It seemed inexplicable to most in the crowd, …..why in the world would he take off his best scorer on the verge of penalty kicks?
Of coarse Nicol said afterwards it was all about giving the young guys a chance. But if he really wanted to win, why not put Matt Reis into the match late in overtime? I figure on some level the US Open Cup games become a burden for a team that has lost four consecutive MLS Cups. It didn’t end up making a difference, as Revs back up goal keeper Doug Warren made a huge save with the PK score 4-3 in favor of the Revs. Warren had played pretty well to overcome some difficulties in controlling the box earlier in the match. Mauricio Castro closed the match with a cheeky chip shot PK that had CPB’s keeper headed the wrong direction.
It was an interesting match. The inexperienced members of the Revs showed quality poise in overtime and in PK's. I have officially jumped on ESPN's Brian Kenny's idea to take players off the field during overtime. going 8v8 in overtime would be an exciting way to end the game in the flow of game action, not by the even more contrived notion of PK's. CPB played great, and diserved a better opportunity to win in the flow of game action.
Like most sporting events in CT, the kid to adult ratio was 2:1. The vodka for sale was an interesting touch. In the end, it was premium American soccer at a discounted price in a relic of a venue. It was as good as it gets for New Britain. Next year the games should be promoted for real and held at one of the local university stadiums. I mean my goodness, Marrone Stadium was recently named the 4th best stadium to watch soccer in the country.
The competition allows soccer teams from various levels to compete for the Lamar Hunt Trophy. It is one of the oldest actively participated soccer tournaments in the world. Yet like most multi-league “in country” tournaments, the U.S. Cup takes a back seat for most clubs in our top league, Major League Soccer. Coaches routinely go with inexperienced players, and players coming back from injury. Tuesday nights match between the MLS' New England Revolution and the USL's Crystal Palace-Baltimore was no different.
The match was played in New Britain, Connecticut, and only 2900 people showed up. 2900 people wouldn’t fill Morrone Stadium, on the campus of the University of Connecticut Huskies, let alone Veterans Stadium at Willowbrook. Thus, New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol only had two starters in his lineup Tuesday night against low level club and heavy underdog Crystal Palace-Baltimore. If there was to be a criticism of the match, it was that U.S. Soccer/MLS does not do enough to get the word out when U.S. Open Cup games at all, let alone matches played at these neutral sites. Yes, the fact that the New York Red Bulls lost to CPB last week did dampen excitement for the match. However, the story of a USL second division team playing an MLS powerhouse should have been enough to get 5,000 people to the stadium.
The Revolution regulars who took the pitch were Taylor Twellman and Khano Smith. Each had a frustrating night. Despite jumping out to a 1-0 after 6 minutes, the Revs were unprepared for CPB’s chippiness and tenacity. The scrappy underdogs didn’t fold...to my delight. They tied the game just 15 minutes later. CPB’s left sided attack tore up the Revs, particularly defender Rob Valentino. Khano Smith proved once again he has million dollar talent but a 10 cent brain. Drifting in an out of play, he was a non factor in the 2nd half, only to be substituted for his lackluster effort. Twellman was scrappy, but was undone by an organize CPB back four.
As a major upset grew more and more a possibility, I started rooting for CPB. Their dreadlocked forward Gary Brooks was a joy to watch, especially once taken off as he bantered with fans in my section. The game went into overtime, with each club having good opportunities to break through. In the 120th minute CPB substitute midfielder Sergio Flores was sent off. Seconds later Nicol amazingly took Twellman off after playing the entire match. It seemed inexplicable to most in the crowd, …..why in the world would he take off his best scorer on the verge of penalty kicks?
Of coarse Nicol said afterwards it was all about giving the young guys a chance. But if he really wanted to win, why not put Matt Reis into the match late in overtime? I figure on some level the US Open Cup games become a burden for a team that has lost four consecutive MLS Cups. It didn’t end up making a difference, as Revs back up goal keeper Doug Warren made a huge save with the PK score 4-3 in favor of the Revs. Warren had played pretty well to overcome some difficulties in controlling the box earlier in the match. Mauricio Castro closed the match with a cheeky chip shot PK that had CPB’s keeper headed the wrong direction.
It was an interesting match. The inexperienced members of the Revs showed quality poise in overtime and in PK's. I have officially jumped on ESPN's Brian Kenny's idea to take players off the field during overtime. going 8v8 in overtime would be an exciting way to end the game in the flow of game action, not by the even more contrived notion of PK's. CPB played great, and diserved a better opportunity to win in the flow of game action.
Like most sporting events in CT, the kid to adult ratio was 2:1. The vodka for sale was an interesting touch. In the end, it was premium American soccer at a discounted price in a relic of a venue. It was as good as it gets for New Britain. Next year the games should be promoted for real and held at one of the local university stadiums. I mean my goodness, Marrone Stadium was recently named the 4th best stadium to watch soccer in the country.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
A New Age in Baseball
The Tampa Bay Rays are for real. The Yanks and Sox age is showing bigtime. I know its July, but I will say this...
Jason Varitek is done for all intents and purposes as an offensive player. He has become Tony Pena. I wont bore you with the mind numbing stats, but its time to call up George K to get some AB's and push the Captain until the end of the season.
The Yankees offense looks like the Lakers at the end of game four of the NBA finals. Even with todays 2-1 win, I have never felt better about having a rookie Sox picther face the "heart" of the Yanks batting order, this includes the Mel Hall years....
The Sox offense scored more runs without Ortiz.....actually the rest of that statement is insane. They need him bad.
All of MLB is transitioning big time. Former Sox prospect Hanley Ramirez is the leagues best player....Edison Volquez is most exciting pitcher......A-Rod is getting a divorce...I mean, what else will this season bring?
After the god awful Pete Vesey Podcast, Simmons went huge with the great Rob Stone. I've talked to Stone at the great Morrone Stadium on the campus of the University of Connecticut Huskies, and at the PBA tour stop in Norwich. He's the man. totally down to earth, and the only reason I would ever watch bowling,.... let alone drive to Norwich.
The 08 version of the Stephan A Smith draft clip was fantastic. I couldn't go this year, and with the C's winning the world championship it was not a top priority...
Jason Varitek is done for all intents and purposes as an offensive player. He has become Tony Pena. I wont bore you with the mind numbing stats, but its time to call up George K to get some AB's and push the Captain until the end of the season.
The Yankees offense looks like the Lakers at the end of game four of the NBA finals. Even with todays 2-1 win, I have never felt better about having a rookie Sox picther face the "heart" of the Yanks batting order, this includes the Mel Hall years....
The Sox offense scored more runs without Ortiz.....actually the rest of that statement is insane. They need him bad.
All of MLB is transitioning big time. Former Sox prospect Hanley Ramirez is the leagues best player....Edison Volquez is most exciting pitcher......A-Rod is getting a divorce...I mean, what else will this season bring?
After the god awful Pete Vesey Podcast, Simmons went huge with the great Rob Stone. I've talked to Stone at the great Morrone Stadium on the campus of the University of Connecticut Huskies, and at the PBA tour stop in Norwich. He's the man. totally down to earth, and the only reason I would ever watch bowling,.... let alone drive to Norwich.
The 08 version of the Stephan A Smith draft clip was fantastic. I couldn't go this year, and with the C's winning the world championship it was not a top priority...
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Summer Movie Series
So I have been sitting around enjoying my new Comcast Digital Package. This afternoon I watched one of the most epic sports films of all time, the original Bad News Bears circa 1976. This movie had everything, comedy, drama, gambling, baseball, high brow art, low brow art, classical music, and a drunk hanging around kids.....all in the same film. I had a student named "Tanner" this year. Watching this film on cable for the first time in years lead me to the following conclusions....
Why does Buttermaker only have Rudy Stein as the only alternative pitcher? This is Mindboggling. What an idiot.
The wife of Coach Turner was smokin’….That guy was a giant D-bag.
The perfectly executed relay by the Yankee’s in the bottom of the 6th of the championship game was totally the blueprint for the Tom Emanski's defensive drills video.
Miguel Agular’s at bat in the bottom of the 6th was a precursor to Kevin Millar in game 4 versus New York in 2004.
"Chico’s Bail Bonds" has become one of the top 5 fantasy sports team names ever…
I am naming my first child Ahmed
Many people today are often shocked by the language, alcoholism, and child abuse exhibited in the film. I think it did wonders for breaking millions of gen X'ers out of the isolated shells of their suburban existence. Thus, it wasn't The Empire Strikes Back. Klosterman was wrong. What did I get when I was in need for such realism? the formulaic ridiculouslness of Growing Pains and Family Matters...
The new Costas show comes out this month with a show on Baseball. I know, this is the groundbreaking originality we have come to expect from HBO. I think the biggest problem with baseball today is the amount of time spent taking about the improvements needed in the game. It would be foolish to pin point any one area, with the exception of domestic development. Like the country, the game of baseball must transition smoothy in the next few years away from its recent drug related troubles. No Sport should be looked at as "pure", unless your 7. However, there is so much enterainment out there that the powers that be in MLB better start thinking progressively. The MLS is on the rise.....
Why does Buttermaker only have Rudy Stein as the only alternative pitcher? This is Mindboggling. What an idiot.
The wife of Coach Turner was smokin’….That guy was a giant D-bag.
The perfectly executed relay by the Yankee’s in the bottom of the 6th of the championship game was totally the blueprint for the Tom Emanski's defensive drills video.
Miguel Agular’s at bat in the bottom of the 6th was a precursor to Kevin Millar in game 4 versus New York in 2004.
"Chico’s Bail Bonds" has become one of the top 5 fantasy sports team names ever…
I am naming my first child Ahmed
Many people today are often shocked by the language, alcoholism, and child abuse exhibited in the film. I think it did wonders for breaking millions of gen X'ers out of the isolated shells of their suburban existence. Thus, it wasn't The Empire Strikes Back. Klosterman was wrong. What did I get when I was in need for such realism? the formulaic ridiculouslness of Growing Pains and Family Matters...
The new Costas show comes out this month with a show on Baseball. I know, this is the groundbreaking originality we have come to expect from HBO. I think the biggest problem with baseball today is the amount of time spent taking about the improvements needed in the game. It would be foolish to pin point any one area, with the exception of domestic development. Like the country, the game of baseball must transition smoothy in the next few years away from its recent drug related troubles. No Sport should be looked at as "pure", unless your 7. However, there is so much enterainment out there that the powers that be in MLB better start thinking progressively. The MLS is on the rise.....
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