I can let it die, with dignity

Over the weekend, an event happened that practically flew right under the radar, what with all the action in college football. The Atlanta Braves were officially eliminated from post-season contention. I never wanted to admit it. I hung on as long as I could without letting the thought enter my mind. And, as a fan of the team, why would I? Don't get me wrong....this wasn't like the teams of the mid to late 80's, where you knew going into the season that they weren't going to win. Back then, it was kind of like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You knew you weren't supposed to watch, but you just couldn't help but watch to see how they would lose the next game. People who claim to be Braves fans today more than likely jumped on the wagon during the run started in 1991. They don't really remember the "lean years", because they weren't fans then. You ask them about Joe Torre, and they'll swear that he never managed the team. Some don't even know who Dale Murphy is. At the end of the day, it's their loss. It's one thing to read up on the history of a team. It's another thing to live through some of the sorriest years in a franchise's history, then realize the dream as your team defeats, oh, say the Cleveland Indians in six games to win the World Series. So, if we look back to the 1991 season, we find that there is only a couple of people left from that club currently on the team: John Smoltz, Bobby Cox, and Pat Corrales. Most of the people on that team aren't even in baseball anymore. And while the members of the World Series winning team will always be remembered for their victory in 1995, to me, the 1991 team is just a bit more special, because they were the ones that shed years of losing and did what nobody thought could be done. I only hope that the Braves can find a way to sign Tom Glavine in free agency (if the Mets let him go), so he can win his 300th game in a Braves uniform.


Did anyone else see the sorriness that is the Miami Dolphins over the weekend? They squeaked by the Tennessee Titans and Kerry "The Quitter" Collins by a final score of 13-10. Once again, Daunte Culpepper is at the heart of my dismay here. Come on....if you can't light it up against the Titans, who can you light it up against? Now, we all knew they wouldn't get Matt Leinart or Vince Young. But, with Kellen Clemens, Charlie Whitehurst, Bruce Gradkowski, Brodie Croyle, and Stefan LeFors available in last year's draft, one might think the Dolphins could draft and groom a future QB. Well, so much for wishful thinking. Here's hoping that the Dolphins realize that Culpepper is not the answer, and at least give Joey Harrington a try. Heck, they're playing the Texans this weekend. It couldn't hurt.


To college football, where the number one team, Ohio State, had a time with Penn State before pulling away in the second half. Right now, the Buckeyes are on everyone's short list of teams that will be competing for the national title. But, with Iowa and Michigan still on OSU's schedule, can they make it to the BCS title game? I still like West Virginia, though I feel like they should have blown East Carolina off the field last Saturday. With the way this season is shaping up, it feels like the BCS title game will have at least one team with a loss on their record. West Virginia has the easiest schedule, save for Louisville at the end of the season. My prediction on 25 Sep is this: WVU will take on Michigan in the BCS title game. I included the date there, because I reserve the right to change my prediction at any time.


I know its not a lot, and I apologize. Next time, I'll try to do better. Hope everyone is well. Take care.


Till next time.....

Patrick

A few notes about football, so far.....and other stuff

How's everyone doing? Well, I have to say, if the Dolphins would play just a little better, I'd be feeling great. I mean, what is the deal with Daunte Culpepper? I'll tell you what it is.......HE STINKS! It just goes to show that Randy Moss made him as a quarterback. When you lose to a team whose quarterback throws for a whopping 86 yards and only one touchdown, you stink as a quarterback, period, end of story. The Dolphins have never had a real quarterback since Dan Marino. Look at it: Jay Fiedler, Sage Rosenfels, Gus Ferotte, and some other assorted bums have combined to make the entire city of Miami pine for the days of Marino, Duper, Clayton, Jackson, Cefalo, Rose, and Fryar. Most of the guys on that Miami team deserve better than Culpepper. Is Joey Harrington the answer? I really don't know. But, I do know that the Dolphins need a quarterback in the most desperate of ways. They got Culpepper because he's a local product (UCF, Vanguard High, Ocala). They could have had Drew Brees. Looks like the Saints got the better of that whole deal. I hear Oakland needs a quarterback. Maybe they'd take Culpepper off the Dolphins' hands, and reunite him with Moss. Davis loves that vertical passing game anyway.


Speaking of Miami, the Larry Coker watch is officially on. The Miami Hurricanes got blasted by Louisville this past Saturday. Had you made that statement eight to ten years ago, someone would have had you committed. But, it now seems that the wheels are officially off the Cane bandwagon, and they are returning to their thug-like ways. I mean, how classless is it that you feel the need to dance on the home team's mid-field logo? This team acts like the Miami team that set a Cotton Bowl record for penalties against Texas in the early nineties. They have no offense, their defense has more holes than a practice jersey, and all the firings they did on the coaching staff don't appear to be the answer. What will be the answer is that Cooker will be looking for a job when all this is done. Will Miami bring back Butch Davis? Who knows, especially after he said he never wanted to leave Miami, then took off for Cleveland. Miami doesn't have the appeal they once had. Their aura is now tainted, and it'll soon be time to clean house. We'll see who will be the (un)lucky guy to re-build the once-proud Hurricane program.


Staying in college football, that thud you heard late Saturday evening was Notre Dame's national title hopes being thrown out the door. But, if we leave it to Beano Cook, Notre Dame will be crowned the champion, Brady Quinn will win the Heisman (see:Powlus, Ron), and we can just stop the season right now. Trust me, folks, Notre Dame is nothing special. Like Miami, they've lost their aura. Plus, I can't respect a team who schedules some difficult games (USC, Michigan), but sandwiches them with patsies like Purdue and Navy. You want to impress me, ND? Play a full Big Ten schedule. You'd get smoked by Ohio State, Michigan (already happened), Iowa, Penn State and Michigan State (soon to happen). You don't want that? Play a full Big East schedule. West Virginia would blow you off the field. Louisville would run you ragged. These are the reasons that ND doesn't play in a conference. They'd get blitzed in regular conference play. If I were in charge at the NCAA, ND would be out of the BCS picture until they joined a conference. How fair is it to some team that might be more deserving for ND to have an almost automatic bid to the BCS payout? As if they really need the extra cash, right?

Still in college football, the PAC-10 officiating crew from the game in Oregon should have their credentials revoked. They blew two big calls that were even reviewed, leading to an Oregon win. I'm not a Sooner fan, and I'm almost glad they lost, but they lost a game that the officials completely blew. This is why we instituted replay.....to get calls right. Not to be blatantly blown by an inept crew.

College football, once again. To Jordan-Hare Stadium, where a great game ended on a head scratching play. To the LSU quarterback, here's a thought. If you're down four, with only two seconds left on the clock, how about throwing the ball into the end zone? Auburn wins a thriller, 7-3 over LSU.

To Tallahassee, where Bowden Bowl was decided on a play where the Florida State defense got caught, literally, with their pants down. While their front seven was trying to decide what scheme to line up in, Clemson snapped the ball, and ran James Davis all the way to the two. Clemson scored a TD two plays later, sealing the win. And, while I'm on this game, hey Clemson.....feel free to block for Jad Dean, your kicker.

Back to the NFL, here are some early surprises:

1. Chicago can actually keep Rex Grossman injury-free.
2. Minnesota hasn't gotten in trouble.
3. San Francisco looks like a decent team again.

Some same old-same olds from the NFL:

1. Oakland stinks!
2. Culpepper is a joke.
3. The rich get richer (Seattle acquiring Deion Branch).


I'll have more for everyone soon. Take care.


Patrick

Things that drive me completely insane.......

OK, I've been watching the world of sports recently, and I just want to scream. I hate the coddling, the sucking up, the whole bend-over-backwards attitude of some organizations and networks, and it really makes me sick. I mean, I do some radio coverage, and I try to maintain a professional attitude as much as possible (well, there was that little thing during the WTAMU game. If you see me one day, just ask). But, I'd like to think I don't call a player a "great" player, when he's really not fit to clean up the hot dog wrappers in the bleachers after the game. With that in mind, let's move on to what's really driving this article.



The British Open was completed recently, and instead of being on TNT and ABC, it might as well have been on K-TIGER Radio, or something to that equivalent. I mean, if I had to hear the phrase "an emotional Tiger Woods" one more time, I was seriously going to throw something through my TV or XM receiver. I mean, I'm sorry he lost his father. Yes, that is sad. But, at the end of the day, it's also a part of life. It's something we'll all have to go through, unfortunately. The guy that finished second, Chris DiMarco, had also lost a parent, and how much love from the networks did he get? None, compared to the syrup-laden comments Woods received. For a week, I had to endure seeing Woods' crying face all over my magazine covers, my favorite websites, my newspaper, etc. Come on , people, LET IT GO! The kowtowing the media gave Woods during this time is shameful, at best.

Another thing that is driving me nuts is pro football. Now, don't get me wrong.....I'm ready for the game to start. But, the draft took place in April, and some of these players haven't been signed yet? What are you waiting for....an invitation? I mean, these pro teams go through all of the mini camps during the summer, and you couldn't get something done during that time? Here's a tip, NFL front offices.......GET SOMETHING DONE!!! If they want to play bad enough, you'll get them in camp with a signed deal. REggie Bush basically held the New ORleans Saints hostage for a few days, because he wanted #1 money. Hey Reggie, you weren't the #1 pick, so you don't deserve #1 money. And who knows, maybe Bush needed the #1 money to pay for his parents' house in San Diego. Oh come on....like none of you were thinking the same thing. Speaking of athletes on the take, read on.

In Norman, OK, the Sooner football season has been torpedoed by player greed and booster exuberance. Never mind the fact that Clemson is undefeated against OU, and that the Tigers are the team that sent Barry Switzer into that good night. But I get off-track. Back to the real story. QB Rhett Bomar and OL J.D. Quinn were kicked off the Oklahoma football team for taking illegal cash payments from an Oklahoma City car dealership. This was "compensation" for these players having a "job" at said dealership. Well, OU coach Bob Stoops reacted quickly, and dismissed both players from the team. Once again, it's a case of players who have always had their hands out during their careers meeting up with boosters who want to be "part of the team", or who are "friends of the program". Don't get me wrong. I've always said "You show me a program that follows every NCAA rule to the letter, I'll show you a program that's never won a game". But, at the end of the day, discretion should also be the better part of valor. Hey guys, I hope the money was worth it. Maybe you can use it to buy yourself a ticket to the Red River Shootout this season. That will be the only way you get to that game. And, guess what, more athletes on the take. Read on.


Maurice Clarett........do I really need to go on here? He's a regular for the Sports Hall of Shame. He's quickly becoming the player who gets enshrined in the section that houses former Nebraska RB Lawrence Phillips. Clarett, while awaiting trial on charges of brandishing a weapon and theft of a cell phone, led police on a chase last night before being dragged from his vehicle, maced, and led away in handcuffs. It's worth noting that the police Taser had no effect on Clarett, sine he was wearing a bulletproof vest. It should also be noted that, again, while out on bail, and awaiting trial, he was found with LOADED WEAPONS in his possession. I think I said it a long time ago when he filed that phony police report while he was still at Ohio State. Cut your ties with him and move on. Ohio State finally did it, and they are better for it. The Broncos finally did it, and they are better for it. And, if I'm not mistaken, this should be his third strike. Shouldn't he be called out by this time?


And, while I'm not a fan of their team, I will come to their defense. To all the people that call the New York Yankees cheaters for acquiring Bobby Abreu and others at the trade deadline, stop the whining. What are the Yankees doing that is not within the framework of the rules? Do they have a huge advantage as far as revenue streams go? Let's see: They are in the nation's number one media market, they have their own network, and their logo is recognized worldwide. OK, I see the advantages there. So, why do people cry when the Yankees go out and try to improve their team? Did they overspend for Abreu? Probably, especially since he'll be paid 15 million for next season. But, they did nothing illegal. If they want their payroll to go over the 175-200 million dollar mark, well, that's their problem. They are the ones cutting the check, at the end of the day. Besides, looking at the Yankee roster, it's a collection of guys that have seen their better days pass them by, so age will catch up them before its over. Are they buyin the championship? That remains to be seen. The last time someone tried to do that, it didn't work out so well (See also: Lakers, Los Angeles). I'm a Braves fan, and I still long for the days of Ted Turner, when he would go get whatever the team needed. I wish they would have traded Chipper Jones while he still had huge value. I'd rather see them trade a player one year too early than one year too late. Hopefully, they can flip Andruw Jones in the off-season, and get some young talent in return.


Well, that's about it for today. I feel much better, having gotten that off my chest. College football season is right aound the corner, so we can debate all of that in this forum as the season draws closer. I really like West Virginia this season. I don't think Ohio State will survive the heat of Austin in the second week of September. Never mind that Texas doesn't have Vince Young anymore. Mother Nature can be a heck of a teammate. Penn State lost a lot of people, so we'll see what they have. Miami looks like they are returning to their penitentiary ways. Florida State is an enigma. Florida won't make it past their tough SEC schedule. Neither will Tennessee or South Carolina. And, while I'm on that, who really gives the Gamecocks a shot at the title, even though they have Spurrier? Maybe in the late 90's, but I really thing the game passed Spurrier by during his stint in the NFL. USC is another question mark. Sift through all that, and you're really left with West Virginia with returning starters and riding a momentum high. There hasn't been this much hype in Morgantown since the days of Major Harris and Don Nehlen.


Till next time............


Patrick

Is it any wonder.......

Hello to everyone.


Is it any wonder that the NY Knicks are in the shape that they are in? OK, if you haven't heard this one before, I beg you to stop reading for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths, sit down, and maybe have a glass of water handy. OK, now that you've done all that, go ahead and read on. By now, everyone knows about the whole Larry Brown issue. He was hired away from the Pistons to coach a team that needs to be completely torn down more than it needs a title-winning coach. But, unfortunately for Knicks fans, their management doesn't recognize that. The Knicks think they have a team that can compete and win now, and that's just plain unrealistic. Let's take a look at the Knicks, shall we? They have two guys who are notorious "me first" players in Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis. They have Jamal Crawford and Eddy Curry, whom the Bulls are STILL laughing about unloading them on the Knicks. Jalen Rose.....career malcontent. Quentin Richardson......yet another guard, so where do you play him? I like Channing Frye, but I don't think a young center can get a fair shake in NY, due to the comparisons to Patrick Ewing. These items are not news. Everyone knows that the Knicks are not wisely put together. But, when you have some of these players going to the media and complaining about Brown's coaching style....come on! What have these guys done to earn the right to complain about a coach that has championships at both the college and pro levels. Here are the quotes from some of the NY players in a recent summer league game. From guard Nate Robinson "Coach Brown is so old-school. He wants things done just like this...not getting the crowd involved. isiah just wants to have fun. Coach Brown was trying to take my joy away. At the same time, I have people in my corner saying not to change." From forward David Lee "Torward the end of the season, it was so up and down, I just told myself to get on the floor and make the most of my opportunity, because I didn't really understand what was going on." OK, let me just say this" Number one, if you are a five foot nine inch player, and you have a job in the NBA, keep your trap shut, Nate Robinson! And, what is this about taking away your joy? Yeah, I'm quite sure your joy was taken away every two weeks when you backed up to that pay window, and robbed the Knicks of good money. You'd better be glad I'm not the GM in NY right now. Talk about taking away your joy....I'd take away your job, unless, of course, you wanted to sell hot dogs in the upper levels of Madison Square Garden. What is going on in sports right now that the players run the show, and not the coach? I don't get that. I appreciate a good pro game, in any sport, but situations like this are why I like the college game more. "He took away my joy...." GIVE ME A BREAK! What's next, are we going to have a suport group for NBA players from Portland, New York, Toronto and Orlando? I can see it now. Some therapist somewhere is dreaming this up right now. What? You play on a team that has NO chance to win in the NBA? It's OK. You just ignore your coach. Just play your game. Don't follow the "team" concept. There's a league for guys like that. It's called the And 1 Streetball Tour!


If anyone is a true NASCAR fan out there, you'll understand what I'm about to say. I was watching NASCAR when guys like Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Neil Bonnett, and other tough SOB's were driving. That was back when it was not a sport for sugarplums. I used to joke, although it wasn't that much of a joke as it was a reality, that, in order to pass from grade to grade in school back in South Carolina, we had to be able to identify what driver drove what car, who his sponsor was, and what make of car he drove. But, as it is with all things, change occurs. NASCAR went corporate, got away from its package with Bob Jenkins and ESPN, and went mainstream. Guys like Jeff Gordon walked right into multi-million dollar set-ups, rather than earning their stripes by driving sub-par cars for a few years to gain experience. And I bring up Gordon for last Sunday's example. Did he have the faster car at the end of the race? Sure, he did. He closed a huge gap on then-leader Matt Kenseth. When it seemed like Gordon would make a clean pass, what does he do? He intentionally spins Kenseth out exiting Turn 2 in Chicago, goes on to win the race, and NASCAR does nothing to its Golden Boy. If anyone else had done that to Gordon, they'd be either fined, suspended, or placed on probation. Kenseth and Gordon actually had a dust-up at Bristol earlier this season, and Kenseth went over to Gordon to apologize after the race. What does Gordon do? He takes a shot at Kenseth! Now, it should be noted here that Gordon took the shot while still wearing his helmet. Hey Jeff, you're such a tough guy, take that helmet off, and then take that shot. See what happens to that pretty-boy face of yours! As you can probably tell, I'm not a fan of Gordon's. Now, after Sunday, I'm much less of a NASCAR fan than I used to be. I'll still watch some of the races from time to time, but it seems now that NASCAR has its own agenda, and they intend on pushing it down our throats. I had a debate a few years ago with a friend that has stopped watching NASCAR. He said then that it was all becoming fixed, and that the fans don't know the difference. I'm now beginning to believe that friend of mine.


The All-Star Game is upon us, and I couldn't care less. That's pretty sad, coming from a baseball fan. But, when the fan vote takes center stage, it's time to devalue the game. I strongly disagree with the fan vote, because all it turns into is a popularity contest. Worthy guys are left off the roster (Liriano, MIN). I know he got added, but that was a last-minute thing. The home field advantage issue is a ploy thought up by Bud Selig to take the heat off of him for declaring the All-Star Game a tie when it was in his house in Milwaukee. Can't we just skip the All-Star Game, and keep the regular season games going? Again, that's a sad statement. Nothing will top the All-Star Game where they brought Ted Williams out in Fenway, and all the players surrounded him when he got to the mound. Butr, since then, the game has become a shell of its former self. I'm just waiting for Thursday, where real games begin again.


Football is right around the corner. Before long, we'll all hear the familiar sound of shoulder pads hitting each other, as they go through two-a-day practices. I'm really liking the early season schedule in college football, too. Ohio State at Texas will be a classic match-up. More games in the early season are starting to mean something. We're not getting something like Southern Cal versus Northwest South Dakota Tech. College football looks to be wide open, too, as both USC and Texas have lost their mega-stars, but they re-loaded in recruiting. How will they perform under pressure? Give it about a month or so, and we'll all find out.

Till next time.......


Patrick

NO KILLER INSTINCT, A Royal Mess, A New NL East

Good to be back again. OK, I'm going to say this to start this posting: I am pulling for the Mavs to win the NBA title. I am a Mavs fan. There.....I said it. But, when you have an opponent down 13 with six minutes and change to go in the game, you'd better damn well close the deal out, period! Michael Jordan's teams would have NEVER let something like that happen to them. Look at the NBA champions from 1991 up to now. The Bulls had Jordan, who was as money as they come in the Finals. The Rockets had Robert Horry, and to a lesser extent, Mario Elie. The Bulls, part 2, had....well..Jordan. Then, he Laker dynasty had Shaq, and as much as I hate to say it, Kobe. Remember the monumental meltdown of the Trailblazers against the Lakers during that era? The Spurs had Duncan and Robinson. The Pistons had Ben Wallace and Chauncey "Ice Water" Billups (good move trading him, Pitino). All of these guys had killer instincts. They had what it took to take the heart out of an opponent when it was time to drop the hammer. Dallas did not display that the other night, and as a result, now find themselves tied at two games apiece in the Finals. Plus, going into Game 5, I'm going to guess that Jerry Stackhouse will be suspended for the flagrant foul he delivered to O'Neal in Game 4. Bottom line is this: Mavs didn't close out Miami when they should have the other night, and if it costs them the series, they're going to be remembered along with the Cubs (Bartman game) and the Red Sox (Little leaving Pedro in one batter too many) as teams that got to the final turn, but couldn't cross the finish line. Game 5 is Sunday night in Miami.


So, the Kansas City Royals finally fired GM Allard Baird. Well, what took them so long? The Royals are owned by David Glass, formerly of the Wal-Mart empire. What he's done to the Royals is nothing short of pathetic. In his six year tenure, they have averaged 97 losses per season, and have had three seasons of over 100 losses. This is just sad for a franchise that is in such a loyal fan based town such as Kansas City. Glass's philosophy has been the Wal-Mart way: Cheap, inexpensive, and customer friendly. From what I hear, seats in Kansas City cost 7 bucks to get in the door. Try that just about anywhere else in baseball. But, there may be hope on the horizon, as they have hired Dayton Moore away from Atlanta to be the new GM. Moore's first act was to hire Dean Taylor away from Cincinnati to be the assistant GM. Taylor also spent time in Atlanta. Now, why do I include the references to Atlanta here? In 1990, former KC GM John Schuerholz was hired to rebuild the struggling Braves. In 1991......well, REAL Braves fans know what happened in 1991, and from that time since. Maybe it's time for Atlanta to repay that favor. By hiring guys who worked for an MLB Executive of the Year, KC is showing a little business sense here. My ultimate wish is that the team get bought by a group of investors, led by George Brett. Second, make more of a reference to two late Royals in Dick Howser and Dan Quisenberry. Those two are permanently etched into Royals lore, and there should be more of a reference to them. Let's see what KC can do now with new management in place. I'm sure trading Reggie Sanders will be on the list, as well as figuring out a way to get someone to take Matt Stairs off their hands. I'm staying on the Royal bandwagon, because they'll be back one day, and I want to be able to say I was there.
While I pull for the Royals, my all-time team is the Atlanta Braves. Fourteen straight division crowns, five league championships and a World Series title since 1991 is nothing to sneeze at. But, over time, the economics of baseball have turned to where the bigger media markets are taking over. Well, that's no shock. In 1996, when Ted Turner sold the Braves to Time-Warner, I knew that someday, the run would end. Under Turner, if the team needed a player, they went and got him, no questions asked, no matter what the cost. Now, under Time-Warner, it is run in a business-type fashion, where the bottom line is still the bottom line. They have cut up to 20 million off their payroll, watched Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Gary Sheffield, J.D. Drew, Russ Ortiz, Javy Lopez, and Rafael Furcal leave via free agency, and yet, they still have continued to win their division. Until this season. While I'm not throwing in the towel on the season due to the wild card, the Braves just can't get it going this season, and the NY Mets are absolutely running away and hiding with the NL East. It's an odd place for the Braves to be, too. They've never had to deal with as many problems as they are dealing with their pitching staff, and that's the whole reason behind the skid this year. The lineup is still pretty sound, but when you have a pitcher in the rotation that was cut from Tampa Bay (Jorge Sosa), that should tell you something. They're investing too much on John Thompson, Mike Hampton is out for the year, Kyle Davies just underwent surgery for a torn groin, and Horacio Ramirez is still being bothered by dizzy spells after taking a Lance Berkman line drive off his head. With all the starters banged up, you can probably guess the bullpen is in sad shape. Reitsma is likely headed to the DL, they've just about overused everyone else, and the Richmond pipeline is getting dry. I will never jump off this wagon. I just wish that I could have a more competitive team with which to remember my 25th season of being a Braves fan with. Go Braves! Win the Wild Card!!!


To the NFL, we close with the NFC West.
San Francisco- Is there anything more sad than this team? They signed Larry Allen away from Dallas, and for what? Are they going to compete in a bench press contest? Allen's best days are way behind him, and the Cowboys should have traded him long ago, when he still had value. I do like Coach Nolan's style of leadership there. A much more disciplined style than Dennis Erickson. Alex Smith is still a year away. By that time, given the right circumstances, the Niners might be able to rise to respectability, but I wouldn't go stand in line for 49ers playoff tickets any time soon.
Arizona- Love what they did in getting Matt Leinart and Edgerrin James. Add them to the reciever combo of Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, and you have an offense that can keep them in games. Here's hoping the defense can keep them in games as well. I predict that Leinart will be the starter before the season ends. This is due to the fact that Kurt Warner cannot play in a five step drop system. Warner is an Arena football QB, plain and simple. I know you're going to bring up his time in St. Louis, and to those that do, I say this: Look at that system back then. QB takes the snap, drops three steps, gets rid of the ball. It was all based on timing. Put him in a new system, (NY Giants, Arizona), and he's inept. Leinart is the future, and he's got a heck of a core around him to help his transition.
St. Louis- With the injuries to Marc Bulger and Marshall Faulk, many people are looking for the Rams to throw in the towel. RB Stephen Jackson might be ready to step up and carry the team like Faulk did years ago. But, with a new coacn comes a new system, and that sometimes spells trouble. Isaac Bruce is no spring chicken anymore, neither is Torry Holt. They lost SS Adam Archuleta to free agency, and that was a big blow. St. Louis might be able to compete for a wild card spot, but I see Arizona beating out the Rams for that.
Seattle- Filled the biggest need by re-signing RB Shaun Alexander. Lost OL Steve Hutchinson to a strange contract in Minnesota, but got WR Nate Burleson from Minnesota in free agency. This is a team that has tasted Super Bowl defeat, although, that kind of depends on what side of the country you are. Most of Seattle's key components are still in place. This team will win the NFC West, and just might be the number one seed in the NFC again this season. They are a strong team that will go deep in the playoffs again.



Well, that about covers it. Interleague play starts again this weekend. Add to that the U.S. Open, the World Cup, the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the NBA Finals, and it's a great time to be a sports fan. And, before we all know it, two-a-days will be starting. GOtta love the sports calendar. Always something going on.


Till next time..............


Patrick

Idiots, Mavericks, and the rest of sports

Good to be back after taking some time off to enjoy my birthday. And, I did it at the Ballpark. What's not to love about that? Oh, and a specal thanks to the rangers third base coach for throwing me that ball. I appreciate it. Now, on to the news.


Is there a bigger moron than Joe Theismann in the world today? If you missed it, here's a guy that went on a national sports talk radio station and absolutely blasted the Toronto Argonauts and the CFL for taking a flyer on Dolphins running back Ricky Williams. Now, we all know Ricky got the boot for a year from the NFL for failing another drug test. OK, nobody is questioning that. It's not like we all thought Ricky was a candidate for Mensa membership. But, for Theismann to go on air, in a public forum, and blast, not only the team that gave him his start in pro football, but Williams as well. Theismann is the guy that gave us the very entertaining quote of "There are no geniuses in football. A genius is someone like Norman Einstien." True story. I can't make that one up. Theismann is a guy who loves to hear himself talk, and his teams always did it "the right way". Hey Joe, last time I looked, your team was on the short end of a 38-9 beatdown in a Super Bowl game against the Raiders, and there were nothing but tears coming off your stupid looking one-bar helmet. Sorry about that one folks, but as I've said before, in this column, if someone needs to get told, then it's all fair game in the Soap Box! With Theismann now going to MNF, I guess I'm now thankful that I can't get cable where I work. That way, I don't have to hear the windbag drone on endlessly about how good a football player he was. I hope Kornheiser slaps him before the season is out.


The basketball playoffs are going on now, and I'll say this:When you have a team down three games to one, DO NOT let them back in the series. Finish them off. Apparently, this message hasn't filtered through the AAC, where the Dallas Mavericks just about lost out to San Antonio in the conference semi-finals. Great teams in NBA history have always displayed a killer instinct. The Bulls had it, the Lakers had it (Kareem-Magic's Lakers, not the other one), the Rockets had it, the Celtics had it. Utah didn't have it. That's why they don't have any banners hanging from the rafters of the Delta Center. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see the Mavs win it all. I'm from the old school of Mavs fans, at least, when I got to Texas in 1995. I've been through the Shawn Bradley's, the Greg Drieling's, the nine-player deal with New Jersey that did nothing for the team. I stuck with them through the Jim Cleamons era and the Samaki Walker draft. I just wish that the Mavs would show a bit more of a killer instinct now. If the Mavs can get to the Finals, it will erase the disappointing Stars season, and basically, take us right up to Cowboys training camp with the debut of TO. I want them to win, but more importantly, I want them to put opponents away with more of a surgical precision than with a win-it-at-the-buzzer mentality. Go Mavs.......but please go for the kill when it presents itself.


Roger Clemens is coming back. Big shock there. He's returning to the Astros. Once again, big shock there. His son is in the Astros organization, his best friend still plays there, and his family is close by. Nobody else could compete with that. I would have loved to see what he could have done at the Ballpark in Arlington (still can't get used to that new name), but now that the suspense is over, the watch is on for him to make his first start. Houston won't catch St. Louis in the Central division, but they have now made themselves a serious contender for the wild-card. I hope Houston has to fight it out with the Mets for that spot, since I want my Braves to win another division title!


Now, we look at the NFC South

Carolina- loved what they did with the drafting of DeAngelo WIlliams. The kid from Memphis made running the football look easy. And, while C-USA football is not the NFL, Williams gives the Panthers a fresh approach at the running back spot. Williams will be the understudy to DeShaun Foster. They also signed Keyshawn Johnson to take some heat off Steve Smith. Say what you want about Johnson, he's not araid to go across the middle, and he comes up with a big catch more often than not. They picked up a cornerback to replace Ricky Manning when they drafted Richard Marshall out of Fresno State. Add some more of their "depth" picks, and Carolina looks to have another strong season next year.
Tampa Bay-You'd think a team that won eleven games last year didn't need to add anything, but Tampa bay did a nice job of shoring up some weak spots on their roster. Most important, they got some pretection for QB Chris Simms. Their defense still has Derrick Brooks and Simeon Rice, who play as if every game will be their last. With Cadillac WIlliams in their backfield, and a young Simms running the show, Tampa Bay will be a problem for any team that faces them.
Atlanta- Now, people might think that I'm a Falcon fan, just because I pull for the Braves. But, the Falcons are one-dimensional, period, end of story. They did get a great CB in Jimmy Williams. He'll partner up with former VaTech teammate DeAngelo Hall. But, their draft was sparse, and the emphasis in the Georgia Dome will always be the same thing: Michael Vick is running the show. Warrick Dunn continues to have fine seasons for the Falcons, as well as Keith Brooking. They've added John Abraham from the Jets in the hopes he'll be able to give the team more of a defensive presence. In my opinion, until Atlanta gets a full supporting cast, it will continue to be the Michael Vick show, with sellout crowds, and a .500 record.
New Orleans-OK, they got Reggie Bush. Who saw that one coming? Anyway, they're going to need a lot more than Bush to help revive this moribund franchise. But, they will get to play in the Superdome, which is a step in the right direction. They got Drew Brees in free agency, which gives them a legitimate option at QB. Deuce McAlister is coming off a knee injury that took his season last year, and there's a new coaching staff in place. Not quite the bag-faced team of the 80's here, but I don't think anybody is going to look on their schedule this coming season and be afraid of what the Saints are bringing to the table. I don't see Sean Payton as a strong, leadership type guy to right this franchise. Who knows? In a few of years, we could be hearing...."With the first pick in the 2010 draft, the Los Angeles Saints select......" .


Before I close, my player of the week is Russ Springer. This is a guy that had the guts to plunk Barry Bonds with a pitch. His efforts got him tossed from the game. Lousy umps! Springer should have aimed for the ear hole, but I'll take him getting popped, nonetheless.

Take care, everybody. Good talking to you again.

Till next time....


Patrick

I have signed with a new team.......

Remember in my previous posts about me declaring myself an NFL team free agent? What with Dallas signing the "human cancerous tumor" in Terrell Owens, and Miami trading for "he of the shredded knee" Daunte Culpepper, I was at the end of my rope. The Dallas thing had been sometime in the making, and I still love the play of Roy Williams. But, when Dat Nguyen, who was my favorite player on the team, retired, I knew my days with them were numbered. I'll still keep my interest in them, which is a lot more than I could have said in the early 90's, but it's just not the same now in Dallas for me. South FLorida, as well, holds nothing but bad things right now, as a team I'll still have a soft spot for has now announced they will be inviting Marcus Vick to training camp. OK, follow me on this one. You have a player who was suspended to start his first year of college because of the infamous "team policy" voilation. Second, he misses an entire season due to the fact he was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor....well, you know the rest of THAT sordid affair. Third, he stomps the leg of a fallen player in the Gator Bowl, other team, of course. Then, while serving that suspension, he gets in trouble again, resulting in his dismissal from Virginia Tech. Now, he could have gone to Division 1-AA to play his final year, improve his draft stock, rehab his image, etc. But, no! He sees the lifestyle his brother enjoys, and he declares himself eligible for the NFL Draft. OK, big shock that he doesn't get taken. Miami is now reaching out to him by inviting him to camp, which tells me that the proposed Joey Harrington trade may be more complicated than it seems. So, in light of all that, I am now here to say that my team for the 2006-2007 NFL season will be..................

To be continued


If you're Charlie Casserly, how much do you just want to crawl into a hole if Reggie Bush goes on to be the next brightest star of the NFL? Instead of taking Bush with the number one pick, the Texans took DE Mario Williams from NC State. Now, I kind of understand the selection. Houston is deep at RB, with Dominick Davis and Vernand Morency. Also, Houston plays in a division where they have to face Peyton Manning twice a year. So, with those two in mind, I understand. But, when you have a chance to get a player like Bush, you take it...period. New Orleans jumped all over Bush at two, but they have Deuce McAlister at RB. He's coming off a torn ACL, so maybe its a safe bet to get a RB there. But, while I'm talking about all of this, would someone please remind me.......What happened to the last Heisman Trophy winning running back that went to New Orleans? That's right....he's out of the league now because he couldn't stay off the nickel bags. Let's hope Bush's fate is better, and that New Orleans doesn't heap the entire load on Bush's young shoulders too early.


We look at the NFC North now, and that's kind of a sad division. Let's begin.

Green Bay- OK, so Favre is coming back, and they've traded Javon Walker. They get A.J. Hawk in the draft, and improve at the wideout slot. Are these the answers? in a word....no. Favre should just ride off into the sunset. He has absolutely nothing to prove. The Arron Rodgers era should be this season, so this team can take their lumps, and improve over time. I like the pick of Abdul Hodge in the third round. He'll help to replace Na'il Diggs, who went to Carolina via free agency. Bottom line, the Pack might win six next year. Anything more than that will be a pleasant surprise for a new head coach in Mike McCarthy.
Chicago- Did what they had to do, and that's get help at the defensive back position. They got a great one in Danieal Manning from Abilene Christian. I've seen the guy play many times, and he's going to represent the Lone Star Conference well. Chicago also got Ricky Manning from the Panthers in free agency. For a team that got scorched in the play-offs by the pass, they went a long way in shoring that position up. Devin hester might have been a reach at #57 overall, but he can absolutely fly, which is what the Bears return game needs. DT Dusty Dvoracek might help, lining up alongside former teammate Tommie Harris, but remember, this is a guy that was suspended for almost beating a kid to death at Oklahoma following a night of drinking. Let's monitor him, shall we?
Detroit- Well, Ernie Sims will help at the OLB spot, but this team is still a ship without a rudder. It's run like a fantasy team, and their team president seems to be coated in teflon, since nothing sticks to him. I wonder if people up in Detroit aren't pining away for the days of Wayne Fontes now? This team stinks, plain and simple.
Minnesota- For a team whose biggest story from last season was the "Love Boat" cruise on Lake Minnetonka last year, there's nowhere to go but up. New coach Brad Childress looks a little like he fell off of the set of a Nick At Nite re-run, but that's another story for another day. But, they're putting their money on Brad Johnson at the QB spot, a guy whose best days are behind him. I love the pick of OLB Chad Greenway, and getting CB Cedric Griffin will certainly help this club. But, at the end of the day, Minnesota will stink, and this division will be won by Chicago.....almost by default. I guess its good to be Lovie Smith these days.


OK, two more divisions to go, and we'll cover those in later postings. Some teams did well over the weekend, and some teams acted like they were new to the whole process of drafting. Arizona, San Francisco, NY Jets, and Cleveland did very well in the draft, while Detroit and Buffalo really caused a lot of head scratching. Mini camps are coming up soon, so we'll see how these new picks will work out once they step up to the penultimate level of football.

Now, getting back to my new team to follow for the 2006-2007 NFL season, it can be summed up in very few letters.

J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets!

I love what they did in the draft, with D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold for the O-line. I love what I've seen of Kellen Clemens, out of Oregon. Let me tell you something about this guy. He breaks his ankle in a game last season, and rather than go to the locker room, he insists on going back out on the field on a cart, so he can call signals to the backup quarterback. The guy is in pain, and all he's thinking of is helping his team. Gutsy!!! Schlegel out of Ohio State will complement Jonathan Vilma at the LB position. The X factor could be Brad Smith out of Missouri. He played QB at Mizzou, but NY took him as a WR. Didn't everyone laugh at Pittsburgh for taking a guy that played QB in college and making him a WR in the NFL? How did that work out? Watch Super Bowl XL. There's your answer. So, with all that in mind, I'm jumping on the Jets bandwagon. In a division with New England, they'll have to compete for a wild card spot. But, with Miami and Buffalo in their division, and playing a last-place schedule, they'll be a much better team this season.


That's all for now. Talk to all of you soon.

Patrick

Mea culpa, mea culpa

OK, I apologize for not keeping up lately, but it just hasn't been that good of a sports time. Oh, I'm sure people will say that it's playoff time, etc, etc. Come on now....let's all be honest: Who's really keeping up with the last couple of weeks of the seasons, especially if you're a Knicks fan. Oh, ok, if you're a Knicks fan, you stopped caring at Thanksgiving, and you can't even look forward to a good lottery pick. You traded it away to the Bulls. But anyway, garbage time in professional sports can really be a bore. So, with that in mind, let's get to ripping those in sports who need it most.

Kieth Hernandez, please pick up the nearest white courtesy phone. Of course, you'd just call it a phone. For those that don't know, Hernandez publically ripped, on the air, I might add, a massage therapist for the San Diego Padres for being in the dugout during a game, and congratulating Mike Piazza for hitting a home run. I should add the therapist is a woman. Hernandez said the woman had no place in the dugout. Wake up, Kieth. Look at all the women involved in professional sports now. I dare say that ESPN's Suzy Kolber could more than hold her own in an NFL discussion with a room full of guys. She'd probably embarrass more than a few of them. That's just the way things are now. Hernandez is a caveman from a bygone era of professional sports. I will say this, though. If a guy doing a WNBA telecast popped off about women, he'd be out of a job before the broadcast was over. Hernandez was a pro baseball player, so he'll probably get a hall pass. Where's the equality?

The NBA playoffs have gotten underway, and I'll probably be eligible to draw my retirement before the first round is over. The first round of the NBA playoffs is akin to getting a root canal without any kind of pain medication. It used to be a five game series, and it was more exciting then (See also: Denver upsetting Seattle, 1994). Now, with TV dictating the pace of the playoffs, baseball will be talking about who's starting in the All-Star game before we get to their conference finals.
And, staying with the NBA, is there any franchise more pathetic (ok, don't count the Knicks) than the Portland Trailblazers? Here's a hint for the NBA: When one of America's richest men can't make the thing work, it's not happening. Again, sports is a constantly evolving being (see:Hernandez, Keith, above), and where a team once made it work might not be feasible today. Portland is for sale, but with their reputation of recent years, who knows what they'll be able to get for an owner? They should either move the team to another city.......wait a minute, nobody wants them. OK, blow the whole thing up, and let that be the end of it in Portland.

In baseball, and I must send out apologies to my friend Emil right here, if the Texas Rangers don't get a closer who is a true "fireman", and not a guy who comes out there with a gas can, The Ballpark will be a lonely place for the Rangers come Spetember. Rangers closer Francisco Cordero, the last holdover from the Juan Gonzalez trade, blew another save against Tampa Bay (yes, that's right, I did say Tampa Bay) Saturday night by giving up a three-run homer to right. Forget the fact that the Rangers won it in the bottom of the ninth, Cordero isn't fooling anyone. He has one pitch, and it's coming straight down Randol Mill Road. Time it right, and it's going to go a long way in the other direction. Before the trade deadline, Rangers GM Jon Daniels had better beat the bushes for someone who can actually close games. I hear Billy Koch is looking for work. Heck, while you're at it, audition John Wetteland, Jeff Russell, and Jeff Zimmerman. Any one of those guys can do a better job than Cordero is doing now.


To the NFC East now, and this will be fun, since Big D is in this division. We'll start with them.

Dallas-They signed T.O., and then went on to sign a couple of offensive linemen, and a kicker. FOr the first time I can remember, they won't have to scour the waiver wire for a kicker on the day before the season. Owens will end up destroying Valley Ranch, if not Texas Stadium as well. I've seen the spot where the new Cowboys stadium is going. Maybe this is all by design. If the Cowboys don't get it done this season, they're done! Parcells won't be staying around to catch the latest edition of the T.O. circus, and I don't blame him. But, come Saturday, I'd love to see Dallas pick up Winston Moss, offensive lineman out of USC. If he's not available, hopefully saftey Michael Huff out of Texas will be there.
New York-Media circus heaven. Eli Manning seems to enjoy it there. They just picked up the highest priced, least productive linebacker in LaVar Arrington. When the Redskins bench you, that's saying something. But, not just anyone can play for the Giants. It takes someone with some mental toughness. That's why I look for someone from a high profile program to get drafted there. If they take, say, someone from Idaho, he'll either crumble under the microscope, or gewt swept up in the New York scene. Seriously, New York needs just to add depth at a few positions, and they'll make a solid run for the division title next season.
Washington-Normally, I'd do nothing but rip their owner here, but it's almost lost its punch. Snyder collects players like he berates team employees. But, on the flip side, he must be doing something right. His team is securely in first place in revenue generated. They got Super Bowl hero Antwan Randle-El in free agency, but he can't do it all. QB Patrick Ramsey won't be there for long, and backup Jason Campbell has never taken an NFL snap. They really need some help at corner, because I think they regret the Champ Bailey trade. This draft has some good corners, and I see Washington going after someone like Marcus Maxey out of Miami, since they have no first rounder, and they'll be looking for gems in the later rounds. They might get back to the play-offs, but it will only take a good hit on Mark Brunell to derail the whole wagon. Joe Gibbs should return the NASCAR.
Philadelphia-With the whole T.O. thing behind them, they will be looking to rebound from a year where it seemed they got five years' worth of bad luck in one season. Donovan McNabb went down with an injury, and the season quickly headed south. They lost a game on Monday night last season they had absolutely NO business losing (Dallas), and, as is the custom in Philly, got booed from their own home fans. They'll look to upgrade at WR, and Florida's Chad jackson should be available to them at 14. Where they'll get healthy is on day two, where they have three 4th round picks, and two 5th rounders. Usually, teams can get really good on day two, and Philly is primed for it. Keep McNabb healthy, and they'll return to the playoffs.


Again, apologies for the tardiness. Watch the draft this weekend. Things will really get going Thursday, right up until the whole thing kicks off. I'm stoked for this. TIll next time.....


Patrick

Patriot games & Cross another team off the list

Take that, UConn! Yesterday, George Mason erased a little of the pent up hostility I have against the UConn Huskies for 1990. Let me take you back in time to the Meadowlands, Sweet Sixteen, 1990. Clemson about to go to the Elite Eight, being led by Elden Campbell and Dale Davis, They were the regular season ACC champions. But, when Tate George hit that shot (3 pointer) at the buzzer off an improbable in-bound play, I almost fainted. Mostly, what I remember after that shot is that stupid Huskie mascot running on the floor, almost knocking over some of the Clemson players. Well, yesterday, that Husky didn't have a chance to do a stupid floor dance. George Mason sent the tournament's number one seed home yesterday with an 86-84 OT victory, sending a 11 seed to the Final Four. Last time an 11 was in the Final Four, was 1986 with LSU. Speaking of LSU, guess who is also going to Indianapolis? LSU dominated Duke, spoiling CBS' dream match-up of a Duke-UConn final. UCLA, who had NO business beating Gonzaga the other night, is the third team going to Indy, while Florida completes the Final Four. I hope Florida doesn't win it, just for Joakim Noah wearing his hat the way he was yesterday. Plus.....it's FLorida. I'm an FSU fan. I can't pull for the Gators. They'd rescind my Florida citizenship.
In my last posting, I said I was a free agent looking for an NFL team to pair up with for next season. Cross off Dallas. After the signing of Terrell Owens, it pretty much made my decision easier. I mean, this is a guy who: Called his former QB gay (Jeff Garcia), criticized his other QB for not having heart in the Super Bowl (Donavan McNabb), had run-ins with coaches (insert any name fron San Francisco-Philadelphia here), and got kicked off his own NFL team when he griped about a contract that he signed! Anyway, Jerry Jones thinks he is the man that can control TO. If I'm Bill Parcells, I fax my resignation into Valley Ranch and to Jean-Jacques Taylor at the Dallas Morning News. I don't even have a conference. I'm gone. At this stage of Parcells' career, he doesn't need the hassle. Look what happened to Antonio Bryant when he tried to throw attitude towards Parcells. Now, I'm not comparing Bryant to Owens, because that's not even a fair fight. But, Parcells has two rings. His place in NFL lore is secure. With nobody on the current Cowboys roster to remind Owens of his place in the world (save for Roy Williams, who should just tackle him from behind again), TO will destroy the Cowboys. And, tops on my list of questions with this signing is this: Why would you sign a guy who disrespected the star at mid-field? At least they Cowboys got rid of Larry Allen, the guy who can lift a house, but can't run a wind sprint to save his life. I've been saying it for a long time now that they should have traded Allen while he still had some worth, but I wasn't consulted on personnel decisions by the club. Now, I know what some people are going to say: Larry Allen was an All-Pro. He did this, he did that....etc. You know what? If I'm 350-375 pounds, and can bench press over 750, I'll win whatever battle I'm in on the offensive line. That's a no-brainer. What he did was take up space for someone that could do a better job. I'm not saying he wasn't a fine player. I'm saying this move came far too late for Dallas to benefit from it. In this day and age, you can't fall in love with a player, just because he's a link to the "glory years". If that's the case, Tom Glavine would still be in Atlanta, and do NOT get me started on that subject.
Memo to the IRL- You guys are classless. When a guy dies, as one did yesterday at Homestead, you don't go ahead and hold the race. Have some respect. You're better than that!
Today, we take a look at the AFC West
Kansas City- First thing they need is a coach who won't cry like a little girl every time a microphone is placed in front of him. Oh wait, they got that. They'll definitely need to look at a QB, cause Trent Green is no spring chicken, and his coach is gone. They should cut Priest Holmes today. Larry Johnson proved he can tote the rock, and with Holmes' concussion history, he's damaged goods. Keeping Will Shields was a plus for them. They'll probably tweak the defense some more, since their defense has really stunk up the joint the past few seasons. Herman Edwards will have this team knocking on the door of the play-offs within a season.
Denver- Well, I would say they need a running back, with the loss of Anderson, but it doesn't seem to matter in Denver. Tatum Bell looks to be the next man up in the Denver running system. They'll need an upgrade at wideout, with Rod Smith getting on in years, and Ashley Lelie is not the answer. Since they moved way up in the first round, I look for them to take a WR, possibly Santonio Holmes out of Ohio State. Denver went deep in the playoffs, so some fine tuning is all they need.
Oakland- Come on. I don't have the time to list all that's wrong with them. Remember the days of Oakland stretching the field with the vertical game? So does Al Davis. Trouble is, he thinks he can revive those days. Anyway, all I know about the Raiders now is Robert Gallery, and he's an offensive lineman. When a lineman is your most recognizeable player, you have problems. They rid themselves of Kerry "The Quitter" Collins, so that was a good move. They brought back Art Shell. Not because they really wanted him, but because he was the only person who would actually take on this type of rebuilding project under the meddlesome eye of Davis. Oakland is sad. plain and simple.
Seattle- First, they need a crying towel for their coach. Were they the first team to lose a game because of questionable officiating? ANyway, they keep Shaun Alexander, so that solves the running back problem. They lose Steve Hutchinson from their offensive line to free agency, so he'll need to be replaced. Can it be done from within, or will they take someone in the draft? They'll have a lot of time to think about it, since they pick near the bottom of the pile in the upcoming draft. Will Winston Justice from USC still be there when they pick? And will they finally get the whole 12th Man issue settled with Texas A&M? Seattle could make another strong run next season.


There it is. Fresh off the presses. Baseball starts in less than a week. Will the Yankees be another momumentally expensive failure? Will the Red Sox re-capture some of their World Seris magic? Will the White Sox be able to defend their title? Will someone throw at Barry Bonds (I know I would....right in his earhole!)? Can the Braves pitching be near as good without Mazzone? Can St. Louis finally bring home a title? And, can we just go ahead and move the Marlins somewhere else? Joe Girardi doesn't deserve to be given a glorified team of minor leaguers. And, while we're asking all of these questions, will this finally be the year that someone tells Tim McCarver to shut up?


See you next time.

Patrick

Does anyone else see something wrong here???

OK, let the debate begin right now. Am I too much of a stickler, or is it my prior military background? Here's my beef today. John Chaney stepped down as the coach of the Temple Owls yesterday to much fanfare and much applause. However, I have a huge problem with this. Isn't this the guy who once threatened to "kill" another coach in a post-game press conference? Isn't this the guy who admittedly sent a goon into a game to hard foul a St. Jospeh's player? Forget for just a second that the guy that was fouled was a senior, had his arm broken, missed the NCAA tourney, etc. This is a guy whose retirement should have been five years ago, and now, all of the sudden, we are praising a guy whose behavior is no worse than Bob Knight's in his last days at Indiana. Say what you want about that last comment.....Miles Brand was president at Indiana when he instituted the "zero-tolerance" policy, and thus, spelled the end for Knight in Bloomington. But, years later, it's OK for Chaney to act like a moron, embarrass Temple by admitting to the thug incident, and basically rant and rave like a crazy man? Where is the equal treatment? Don't give me the argument that's coming out right now....the "Well, he helped inner city kids from Philadelphia become men.." . Don't even try to sell that one here. Chaney will surely leave his mark on the game. Heck, he's a Hall of Famer. But, again, I think he hung on five years too long, and tarnished his legacy with the thug incident. Should we celebrate him? I don't think so. I think Temple will be better off by upgrading at its coaching position. Now, maybe they won't lose so many recruits to Villanova, St. Joseph's, or other area schools. Temple is finally stepping into the 21st century.
As of this posting, I am seriously considering becoming an NFL free agent fan. The Miami Dolphins today sent a second round pick to the minnesota Vikings for QB Daunte Culpepper. It's a homecoming, of sorts, for Culpepper, who played his college ball at UCF, and his high school ball at Vanguard (Ocala). But, to spend that high a pick on a QB whose knee was literally shreeded during last season is too much, in my opinion. Keep the pick, and gamble on a QB being there, like a Charlie Whitehurst, or a Corey Bramlet. Give Miami credit, though. They were very thorough ni testing Brees' injured shoulder. They were also unwilling to meet Brees' demands of guaranteed money. I guess it was a good dream while it lasted. If you're Brees, though, what are you thinking? The Saints? A new head coach, a team still in flux following the storm, and a team with absolutely NO chance to win. Plus, what does this do to the upcoming draft? I'll tell you. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. New Orleans was never going to take Leinart with the second pick. He'll go to Tennessee to reunite with Norm Chow. When it happens, remember where you read it, OK? Young now drops due to the fact he didn't want to do full workouts at the combine. Does Vince Young end up in NY with the Jets? Who knows? Gosh knows they need so much more than just a QB. I think the Saints are now sitting in a decent spot, being that they could trade out of #2 for a boatload of selections, or they could take D'Brickashaw Ferguson or Mario Williams, and address needs on their club. For Young, here's where it all shakes out now. At noe, REggie Bush to Houston. New Orleans now is the wild card at two, Leinart to Tennessee at three, and then it gets interesting. Unless the Jets take him, and i really can't see that they will, Young could slip out of the top 10. Following the Jets would be Green Bay (Arron Rodgers), San Francisco (Alex Smith), Oakland (relying too much on the deep ball that Young hasn't proven he can throw consistently), Buffalo (JP Losman), and Detroit (Joey Harrington, Jeff Garcia, and now, Jon Kitna) and Arizona (Kurt Warner) to close out the top 10. This makes the debate for Young a lot more interesting. Before people jump on me for saying Young isn't a top 10 QB, consider two things: 1. He can ride the Rose Bowl wave for only so long, then he has to come back down to earth, and 2. The last time a hyped QB dropped out of the top 10, it was a guy named Roethlisberger. How is he doing in the NFL nowadays? Last time I checked, he was hoisting a big trophy with the name Lombardi on it.
Real quick, and I don't want to spend too much time on it, lest I get called in front of Congress (as if they don't have more important things to be doing), read the latest Sports Illustrated article on Barry Bonds, and it will all but prove that he's been on the sauce for a long time. I remember Bonds from his Pittsburgh days when he played against the Braves. Nowhere near as big as he is now. Now, comes new allegations in a different book that Bonds was quoted as saying he was going to take hard-core performance enhancers? Face it, Bonds fans. He got caught. If we had any kind of a commissioner in baseball with some real backbone, Bonds would be tossed from the league. Why won't he? Because he's a huge B.I.T.S. factor (butts in the seats). That's what Selig is looking at. And why not? He is a salesman. But, I say this.....toss Bonds out on his ear, wipe his records from 1998 to present day off the books, and get the whole thing done. I was right, people, about Pete Rose......I'll be right about this one.
We'll look at the AFC South today, starting with the Indianapolis Colts. They now need a franchise running back, with the departure of Edgerrin James. De'Angelo Williams from Memphis will surely be gone by the time they pick. They'll probably go second round to take a Maurice Drew. They'll tweak other positions, like kicker and linebacker, and add depth at others, but they'll still be a tough team to beat in the coming season.
Houston- We all know they are going to take Reggie Bush, but what else do they need? We don't have time to cover that question. Obviously, the big need is offensive line help. Carr spent too much time running for his life last year, and he's getting paid way too much money not to be a productive player by this point in his career. Houston is still a few years away from contention.
Jacksonville- Get a new RB to replace Fred (The Human Infirmary) Taylor. Upgrade at wide receiver, and add depth all around on the defensive side of the ball. Jacksonville made the playoffs last season, and with a good draft, they'll be a solid wild-card team in the AFC.
Tennessee- Get Matt Leinart, put him with Chow, re-create the magic. McNair has another year to go, so let Leinart hold a clipboard a la Carson Palmer, then work him into the mix. They upgraded at center today with the addition of former Jet Kevin Mawae, and got better at the wideout, by adding David Givens from the Patriots. If Adam Jones can keep his head on straight next year, he'll be the presence on defense that the Titans need him to be. With Jeff Fisher at coach, Tennessee could make things interesting next season, but more than likely, they're probably 2 seasons away from returning to the play-offs.

There you have it.......you heard it here first. The tournament is starting this week, and we're about three weeks from Opening Day. If I ever get elected to Congress (God forbid), Opening Day will become a national holiday. More to come again soon. Thanks for reading.


Patrick

Sad day in sports

"And we'll see you.......tomorrow night!!!"


When the late Jack Buck uttered those words, I sat and started at the TV, stunned. Go back in time.....Game 6, 1991 World Series. "Worst to First" teams Atlanta and Minnesota locked into a series that still ranks as the greatest series ever played. Both teams had battled each other to an almost standstill, exhausting their benches in the process. With Atlanta leading the Series three games to two, they were in place to claim baseball's biggest prize, and cap one of the most improbable seasons in baseball. That is, until Kirby Puckett showed up. Puckett's snare of a long drive to left-center off the bat of Atlanta's Ronnie Gant got the Metrodome crowd on their feet in the 11th inning. If people thought that was the end of it.....well, here comes Mr. Puckett again.

"Here's the 1-0 pitch from Liebrandt......change up down and away...swing, and there's a drive to left-center field...way back....and we'll see you tomorrow night!" Jack Buck 1991 World Series, CBS Sports

Little did I know then that I was watching a series that would still be revered by so many in sports. As I drove through Atlanta after the 1-0 Game 7 loss, I was shocked to see the city bereft of the traffic and bustle that usually identifies with the city. I-85 through the city was an easy drive, compared to what it usually is. Atlanta would finally claim a World Series title in 1995, but Kirby Puckett had left his mark on the World Series, on the nation, heck, on the entire sports-watching world.
Puckett passed away at the age of 45 yesterday due to complications from a stroke. His baseball career was cut short due to glaucoma in his right eye. He was a first-time-eligible inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame. While every baseball fan at the time might not have been a Twins fan, everyone knew who Puckett was. The man, who was only five foot eight, had the stubby biceps peeking out from under his uniform, and always smiled, no matter what happened, was a fan favorite throughout the league. He led Minnesota to two championships in five years (1987 and 1991). While it will always be debated just how good a player he might have turned out to be, one thing will always remail clear: Puckett gave his all in a sport where so many just give some, back up to the pay window, and complain about not being respected like the players of old are. Puckett's #34 was retired by the Twins on 25 May 97, joining Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, Kent Hrbek, and Tony Oliva in Twins lore.


Is anyone else sick about how the NFL is about to kill the golden goose? In a nut shell, here it is. The players feel they deserve a bigger slice of the money pie. After all, they are the ones doing the lion's share of the work, they are he ones putting their careers on the line each week for our entertainment, and they are the ones who make the NFL the biggest money making machine in sports. The owners see it pretty much the same way the players do, and if this were the key sticking point, a deal would already be in place. Ah, but therein lies the rub. The key here is revenue sharing, something that makes the NFL unlike any other league. The late Wellington Mara, of the NY Giants, said that for the NFL to succeed, each club must equally share the revenue pie. He really must be turning over in his grave now. The NFLPA wants all NFL money to be thrown into one pot, and their union get a sizeable chunk out of it. The owners contend that if all money is to be lumped together (ie- TV money, merchandising sales, etc. ), then the players should get less, since it's a significant increase from the first pot of money. The fly in the ointment becomes revenue sharing. Here's how it stands right now: Why should a team with worldwide appeal, like Dallas, New York, Washington, or Pittsburgh equally share with a team with considerably less appeal, like Jacksonville or Arizona? The answer....To keep the league afloat, you morons. I really don't understand the stance here. The owners are meeting today to decide if they want to accept the latest players union proposal. If they don't accpet, the new league year starts, and you'll see household names on the waiver wire as teams try to get under the salary cap. If the owners kill the golden goose, they'll have nobody to blame but themselves.


Tournament time is upon is, and while everyone is wonderg about who the number one seeds will be, I keep asking myself this: Who will the next small school be that makes a name for itself in the Tournament? From Bucknell to Valpo, Weber State to Santa Clara, some small school jumps up around this time of year and knocks one of college basketball's big boys out of the dance. I think its great, especially if it happens to a team that is a media darling. Some of basketball's smaller conferences have already crowned their champion. The big conference tournaments get underway this weekend, with the whole bracket revealed this Sunday afternoon. This is really a great time of the year. While I hate to see the cold temperatures go away, once we crown a national champion in college basketball, it's Opening Day! Pardon me while I shed a tear of happiness.


The last time I left off, I covered what the AFC East should be looking for in the upcoming draft/free agency period. Today, we'll cover the AFC North.
Baltimore-quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. I still can't bring myself to call Trent Dilfer a Super Bowl winning quarterback. That said, I don't think anyone is calling Kyle Boller a world beater, either. But, the fact still remains that the Ravens need a QB, as well as someone to replace Jamal Lewis. Face it, Ravens fans, he's gone. Chester Taylor might be a suitable replacement, but you're going to tell me you'd rather have Taylor than someone like DeAngelo Williams? I thought so. Baltimore also needs to find some depth for the defensive side, as they found out in season-ending injuries to Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. A MLB wouldn't hurt, since Lewis won't be there forever.
Cincinnati- While their rise to the playoffs was inspiring, it was costly. They lost franchise QB Carson Palmer to a knee injury, and were never really the same team. So, do they spend a little to keep Jon Kitna and continuity, or search the waiver wire for a replacement? Among their cuts will be an unnamed player who supposedly leaked locker room events to a member of the media, a serious breach of sports etiquette. While I think the Bengals should just tweak, their QB situation bears watching as mini camps start to get underway.
Cleveland- Wow, where do I start? I mean, we are talking about the franchise that has one of the most loyal fan bases in the league, but still can't seem to shake the "expansion" blues. They need help all across the board, soup to nuts. They'll get it. because no team in the NFL really stays down for long. Oops, sorry about that, New Orleans. I like Charlie Frye, the second year QB, I like Braylon Edwards, their star reciever, who will be coming off a major injury. Speaking of Browns coming off injury, it remains to be seen how Kellen Winslow, Jr. will handle NFL pressure. If he's half the player his old man was, the Browns will be a few pieces away from respectability.
Pittsburgh- What can you say about a team that won it all? Well, for starters, this: Keep Randle-El. His ability to make the trick play keeps Pittsburgh a threat to win each week. While they'll miss Jerome Bettins, they'll be more than happy wilt Willie Parker. Same as Cincinnati here.....tweak the roster to fill in some depth, and pick up a decent back-up for their starting QB, Ben Roethlisberger.


Well, that about puts the ribbon on the package. Hope everyone is well. Talk to you soon.

Patrick

Guess who's back......

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with the times. I got a little busy, things got sidetracked, etc. Anyway, I'm back, and it's time to rip some people!

Did anyone else think the whole US speed skating was given WAY too much media coverage? Come on , NBC, let it go already! So Davis and Hedrick don't get along, big stinking deal! So Davis wanted to focus on his event rather than do the team pursuit, big deal. Sounds to me like Hedrick was counting on riding the coattails of his teammates through some of the Olympic events. At the end of the day, they both won medals, and isn't that the ultimate goal? US athletes went to Turin, and won some hardware. Big congrats to them, pats on the back, high fives, etc. If they don't like each other, who cares? Someone should tell NBC to leave the soap opera business to Days of Our Lives, and not the Olympic games.
While we're calling people on the carpet, would someone tell Bode Miller to pick up the nearest white courtesy phone. It's Dan and Dave of Reebok decathlon fame.......or shame. I've never seen such a build-up of an athlete since the Dan or Dave campaign, and, just like that build-up long ago, Miller fell flat on his face. Well, not exactly fell, but to be a World Cup champion, you'd think he'd know how to get around a slalom gate. All he did was go to Italy, and stink up the joint. Someone from the USOC should ask for reimbursement for the plane fare! Bode Miller......get him off of my TV!
Did anyone else see the action in Minnesota last night? To paraphrase, the T-Wolves Kevin Garnett gets a double tech, and gets tossed. Well, before getting tossed, he throws a ball into the stands. The ball actually creams a guy sitting courtside, and they come get this guy out of the arena ON A STRETCHER, PEOPLE!!!!! Come on, doesn't the ticket warn people with seats so close to the action to be ready for something? You can just smell the potential lawsuit on this one. I mean, a guy in Chicago threatened a million dollar lawsuit on then-Knick Antonio davis because Davis went into the stands to defend his wife. Some words were passed, yadda, yadda. If I, as a fan, go up to an NBAer's wife, and harrass her, I deserve what I get, especially if it's her husband rushing into the stands to defend his wife. And, I know what you're asking: What about the Malice at the Palace incident? Two TOTALLY different things. For one, people didn't rush the floor, thinking it was "Challenge an NBA Player To A Fight" night. For another, this one was rather compact, in that Davis went to where his wife was sitting, security showed, and it was done. The other incident had, well, you all saw it. David Stern should still have Artest out of the league, but Jackson should be right there with him. If anyone has a right to be upset, it's that kid on the cover of SI right after the incident. Look it up. You'll see what I'm talking about.
While I'm on the NBA, is there anyone out there more disgruntled, more of a malcontent than Steve Francis? Go back to the night he was drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies. What did he do, and on national TV, no less? He pouted like a third grader, told Craig Sager he didn't want to go to Vancouver, and forced a trade out to Houston. Anyway, he gets to Houston, and what does he do? Just like most NBA guards today, he hogs the ball. See also: Bryant, Kobe, Iverson, Allen, Marbury, Stephon. It ends up getting the Rockets a whole lot of nothing, so he gets traded to Orlando. Same song, different city. Then, and here's the puzzling thing: He gets traded to the Knicks, where he's in the same backcourt with Stephon Marbury! In his press conference, what was Francis doing? You guessed it: pouting like a third grader. I know the real reason Marbury and Francis won't get along. It's an ACC thing. Marbury from Georgia Tech, Francis from Maryland. Would someone please release these me first players and go on about the business with people that want to be team players. If Stevie is "The Franchise", then that franchise will go down the tubes in a hurry, trust me on that one.
I'll leave you with this.....what NFL teams need to go get in the upcoming draft/free agency market. If you're not paying attention, this might all be tossed out without a labor agreement in the NFL, so this is all subject to change. Anyway, we;ll look at the AFC East.
Miami- needs a starting QB (Brees would look great in coral and aqua). Upgrade the defense- Thomas and Taylor aren't getting younger. Get some WR help. Quick, name me three of the Dolphins WR's. And, of course, wahs your hands of that waste of a career Ricky Williams.
New England- re-sign Vinatieri. He's the guy responsible for two of those shiny tophies. Upgrade their LB corp. Bruschi probably shouldn't be playing, but that's my opinion. Get help in secondary. Law is available again. And, for their sake, skip training camp altogether. The Pats were a walking MASH unit by the end of the season.
New York- Where do I start? A shorter list would be to name what's right with them. Jonathan Vilma. There it is. These guys are sad in the worst way. They need help everywhere, and without it, J-E-T-S will again stand for Just End The Season!
Buffalo- Come on.....if you bring Marv Levy away from the Early Bird special in South Beach to run the franchise, you've got more problems than you realize. The Buffalo owner, Ralph Wilson, is hoping Levy can capture some of the old Bills magic. Well, last I checked, Jim Kelly, Don Beebe, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith weren't walking through the door, so that's out. Mularkey was smart to jump ship when he did. And, though some might not think this way.....if you're Thurman Thomas, what does it say about your legacy as a Bill when you try to squeeze one more year out of the NFL with the Bills' nemesis, the Miami Dolphins? I can think of two words for it: Sell Out! Buffalo is in a tailspin. Pity Takeo Spikes, too. He leaves Cincinnati to "join a winner", as he puts it, and what happens? Bufalo stinks, and Cincy went to the play-offs. Take that as you will.

I'll see you all soon.


Patrick

Torino, NHL, Get Him Outta Here!!!!!!

How's everyone doing? Starting off, the Winter Olympics are finally underway from Torino. The USA team is already off to an arousing start, what with suspending their skeleton coach and finally firing him over a sexual harrassment scandal. They also lost their best slider, skeleton event, due to a failed drug test. Now, I know what you're thinking: What kind of drug do you have to take to be good at sliding down a hill? Well, for my money, it would be something that makes your grip tighter, since these skeleton sleds reach speeds over 90 MPH. But the drug that has gotten our guy suspended is a hair loss drug. The IOC claims that this drug is also used as a masking agent, defending their decision to suspend our best slider. That's a kick in the teeth, isn't it? I mean, you spend countless hours training for a particular event, only to get busted on something that you can pick up at any corner drugstore. My advice to any future Olympians out there is this: Once you begin your training, and you start competing in these national events, if you get sick.......chicken soup and orange juice.....that's it! It's not worth the risk to throw so many years of training down the tubes.
Speaking of throwing a career down the tubes, a grand jury has chosen to indict Maurice Clarett on charges of robbing two people behind a bar and carryng a concealed weapon. You remember Clartee from such fiascos as challenging the NFL over eligibility rules, filing a false police report at Ohio State concerning a car that was broken into (provided by a booster, of course), and failing to disclose information to investigators from the NCAA who decided to look into the Ohio State athletic program a little further. Oh, by the way, then-AD Andy Geiger suddenly resigned around that time, saying he wanted to pursue other opportunities. Remember that analogy about rats leaving a sinking ship? Anyway, Clarett is now behind bars, and I, for one, say good riddance. I keep hearing how sad a story this is, and I'll admit it's sad, but Clarett did all this to himself. He showed up at the NFL combine out of shape one year. He milked a hamstring injury when Denver took a flyer on him, and subsequently released him. Come on, how many shots do you give a guy? Don't give me that he had a tough childhood. Don't give me that he didn't have a chance in life. He had a full ride to a prestigious NCAA institution, and he threw it all away because he had too many people in his ear, and had his hand out for far too long. Put his name on the pile along with Lawrence Phillips, Cecil Collins, and J.R.Rider. Use this case as an example to future athletes. Maybe one of them will pay close attention as to what happens when you choose the wrong path. As for Clarett, we all have to pay the piper sometime. Coaches always talk about accountability, well Clarett is going to learn a hard lesson in accountability.
With the recent NHL gambling incident, one question comes to mind: Would this really be as big of a deal as it is now if the name Gretzky weren't involved? I mean, come on......when the story broke, and every news agency was reporting the name Rick Tocchet, nobody outside of die-hard hockey circles picked up on it. But now, add the name Gretzky to the mix, and now you have yourself a story! For those that don't know, here's the condensed version: Gretzky coaches the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL. Tocchet is one of his assistants. Tocchet is under investigation in New Jersey for being involved in a gambling ring. The ring is not all that large, but now when it involves an assistant coach, plus the Gretzky name, everyone is on board. The big question now is were any NHL games fixed during this ring to cover someone's bets. If they were, the NHL can close its doors. Gretzky's wife, Janet, is reported to have made bets in this circle. The perception there is that she's making wagers for her husband, so none of this will stick to him when it all hits the fan. And, for those of you out there who think I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, stop it! Baseball has CLEAR, WRITTEN RULES on every clubhouse door about betting on baseball. And when there is evidence that bets were made from the manager's office, there's your case! This is totally different from the Pete Rose deal, which, by the way, he's not going into the Hall, so that's a happy day for me. Anyway, with the NHL coming off the season-long strike, and them doing their best to try to win fans, this may knock a large hole into he bridge of goodwill that was being built between hockey and fans.

Enjoy the Olympics. More to come soon.

Patrick

Super Bowl Letdown

Did you feel as cheated as I did last night? We didn't even get that good of a commercial set, although the FedEx commercial and the streaking sheep spot were pretty funny. Back to what I was saying, though. The NFL should take a lesson from last night's game and stop scheduling the Super Bowl two weeks after the AFC/NFC title games. All we got this year was a HUGE letdown. I mean, if you're a Steelers fan, you loved it. Any other football fan looked at it like it was a Week 2 game. You can't tell me that a coach that has won a title before couldn't manage the clock any better than he did in that game. You can't tell me that an offense that was the best in red zone scoring this season suddenly couldn't find the end zone. And would someone please tell Jerramy Stevens that its OK for him to remove his foot from his mouth now. That is, if he can get a good grip on it. With all the butter on his hands, he might have a hard time ermoving said foot.
Jerome Bettis rides off with a title. Good for him. But, is he really a Hall of Fame running back? Yes, he is popular. Yes, he is an icon in Pittsburgh, though many forget, he started with the L.A. Rams out of Notre Dame (his choice of colleges is another reason for me to keep him out of the Hall, but that's another story for another day). He's amassed a LOT of yards since coming into this league (over 13,000 to be exact), but I just sometimes question if he's worthy of the Hall. From the position he played, and gaining that many yards, he'll probably make it. After all, longevity is something the voters take into consideration (see also: Davis, Terrell). We'll see in five years if he makes the cut.
Take a look at list night's winner. They join Dallas and San Francisco as the only five-time winners of the NFL's big game. If you look back, only a handful of teams can say they've won Lombardi's trophy. Between the aforementioned teams, that's fifteen trophies. Add to that Green Bay (3), New England (3), Washington (3), and Oakland (3), that makes twelve more trophies, taking us up to twenty-seven. Add the two-time winners of Denver, NY Giants, and Miami, that takes us up to thirty-three. Throw in Tampa Bay, Chicago, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City, St. Louis, NY Jets, and the Baltimore Colts, that gives you the forty titles. I know I mentioned Baltimore twice, but I'm from the old school. Looking back at it, its not a lot of teams that can lay claim to the title. I know parity is important in this league, and if you look at the early years, teams could actually build dynasties. Now, in the salary cap era of the NFL, that's almost impossible.
With another season in the books, it's time to make some predictions for next year's NFL season. In the AFC, I like New England in the East, Pittsburgh in the North, Indy in the South and Denver in the West, with Miami and Kansas City as the wild cards. In the NFC, I like New York in the East, Carolina in the South, Chicago in the North, and Seattle in the West, with Philadelphia and Washington as the wild cards. That all may change as the off-season rolls along. The draft is coming, and free agency is just around the bend. Plus, with some teams having players come back from injuries, I reserve the right to change said picks right up until the season opener this fall.

See you next time.

Patrick