Lynn's Line

Source: Bulls have coach in mind

2010-04-30T06:26:00.003-04:00

Take it for what it's worth, if you don't want to believe me that's fine. Of course, keep in mind i knew about the first White Sox trade for Jake Peavy 10 hours before other national media outlets ran with the story.

Very early Friday morning a source of mine in the Bulls organization informed me that the top target to fill the coaching vacancy that will soon be left by Vinny Del Negro is none other than Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Now, this does not mean anything is certain. For all I know, Gar Forman and John Paxson can change course and retain Del Negro. This also certainly doesn't indicate that Coach K has any interest in the job.

HOWEVER... This does appear to be the perfect fit.

From the Bulls standpoint:
1) The franchise cannot afford to wait very long to find a new coach and risk being stuck with a candidate nobody really wants like the last time when they settled on Del Negro to replace Scott Skiles/Jim Boylan. Clearly, they have a guy in mind whose season is already over and can be approached immediately.

2) This is the high profile candidate they are looking for AND he has ties to many of this summer's key free agents having coached LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Each player had nothing but positive things to say about their experience with Krzyzewski.

From Krzyzewski's standpoint:
1) Money and contract length will speak louder than anything and the Bulls might have to outbid the New Jersey Nets, but a lengthy offer that makes him one of the highest paid coaches in the NBA has to warrant serious consideration.

2) Having just won his fourth National Championship--with arguably his best coaching job ever--there is truly nothing left for Coach K to prove in the college game. Maybe it's time to finally move on.

3) If so, what better place to go than back home? Krzyzewski was born and raised on Chicago's Northwest side and might embrace the challenge of bringing his city's professional basketball team back to prominence.

4) Finally, Krzyzewski has seemingly been tentative to make a jump to the NBA in the past and deal with veteran-laden teams loaded with egos he can't teach. The Bulls roster he would inherit has plenty of young talent still needing to be molded into solid NBA players. Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and James Johnson all have room for improvement. Even veteran Luol Deng--a former Coach K player--probably wouldn't have a problem with this hire and neither should any free agent that ends up signing the dotted line in a couple of months.

Again, take this for what it's worth. An anonymous source is never preferred and my source will not go on record at this time.

BIG THANKS TO BIG FRANK

2010-02-12T05:34:00.010-05:00

There’s no shock factor here, just a quiet goodbye to baseball. Probably the way it should be for Frank Thomas—the misunderstood, often controversial White Sox slugger.

Let’s get a few things straight: not every athlete can handle the media with the finesse of Michael Jordan. Not every athlete can be a saint to his city like Drew Brees or be as debonair as Derek Jeter. Frank was none of these things.

What Frank was is what all children dream of being—an artist with a baseball bat instead of a brush and a glorious diamond as his canvas. Frank lined balls into gaps, made outfielders sprint into corners, drove balls over walls and gracefully poked them into shallow right with such ease he seemed bored at times.

I first took notice of Frank at age nine—1993 to be exact. While sitting in front of a television at my grandparents’ house, it was impossible to miss the living giant in black and white. He was called “Big Hurt.” How could you miss this show?

At Comiskey Park, PA announcer Gene Honda announced Frank as if introducing a Greek God. Frank slowly strolled to the plate like he knew the opposing pitchers’ hand was starting to sweat. He kicked around dirt in his batters box to make it his home—after all Frank wasn’t a free-swinger, often working deep into counts and coaxing a base on balls. Then he’d glare at that pitcher like they were his worst enemy and wave his bat at them as if to make sure they understood he was about to inflict serious pain on their offering.

After winning the 1993 MVP award, Frank was on pace to win the AL Triple Crown in ’94. With a .353 batting average, 38 home runs and 101 RBI when the strike hit, he was robbed of the chance. But I had a hero for the game I loved to play.

I tried to emulate Frank in little league, in batting practice at the park and in pickup games on my block. On a family trip to Orlando, a sporting goods store had a massive sign of Frank promoting his new cleat; naturally I talked my father into buying them for me. Here was my hometown hero, making me proud over 1,000 miles from home.

Never getting credit for being fan-friendly, Frank managed to give me a thrill at a Cubs vs. White Sox interleague game at Wrigley Field in 1999. Hovering behind the visitor dugout in my prime autograph-collecting days, I was the only one with guts to ask the giant for his autograph. He kindly obliged sending me into a Carl Lewis-esque sprint back to my parents. Had Frank struck out four times, my smile still would have been ear-to-ear. He homered onto Waveland Avenue, I still smile every time I look at his faded signature on that ball.

The following season, Frank hit .328 with 43 home runs and 143 RBI leading the Sox to a surprising 95-win season. He would finish as runner-up for AL MVP to Jason Giambi of the Athletics—an award that would later prove to be tainted as a result of performance enhancing drugs.

By 2005, Frank’s tenure in a White Sox uniform was coming to an end. He managed to hit 12 home runs in 34 games while providing a mid-season spark for the eventual World Series champions. Ironically, the White Sox legend could only watch as his team ended their 88-year title drought. Many things I watched or read following the final out of the series brought tears to my eyes. None more than the image of Frank kissing the glorious, champagne-soaked trophy.

Frank would depart for Oakland, but I made sure I was in the stands to welcome him back to the south side upon his return. The standing ovation was deafening and Frank obliged, crushing two home runs into the left field seats where so many of his blasts landed in his 15 years with the Sox. I proudly stood and applauded for both.

With his body breaking down, Frank sacrificed his lofty batting average to reach the 500 home run milestone and secure his place among the greats of the game.

And he did it naturally, no substances to boost his statistics like so many of his counterparts in the “steroid era.” His achievements have taken on even greater significance. Frank advocated tougher drug-testing as far back as 1995 and was the only active player to volunteer to testify for the Mitchell Report. A true idol, a true legend.

Barry Bonds may have the home run records. Mark McGwire has a highway named after him in St. Louis and Sammy Sosa is a king in the Dominican Republic.

As was the case so many times throughout his career, Frank will have to settle for less. He’ll have to settle with having his number 35 retired at the stadium he helped build at 35th & Shields.

He’ll have to settle into his place as the greatest hitter Chicago has ever seen.

HAWKEY NIGHT IN AMERICA?

2009-11-13T20:45:00.011-05:00

While sifting through this week’s installment of NHL rumors that never come true, Peter Forsberg’s potential NHL return certainly made for interesting fodder. But there was one rumor devoid of trades or players that made me do a complete double take.

The suggestion was that Chicago Blackhawks president John McDonough could conceivably try to enter a contract agreement with ESPN for one Blackhawks game to be televised nationally each week—a contract that would certainly make Comcast (owners of Versus and possibly NBC in the near future) and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman anxious to declare war on the United Center.

Since the NHL lockout that cancelled the 2004-05 season ended, the relationship between the NHL and ESPN has been on thin ice…on Lake Michigan…in the middle of February.

Bettman turned down ESPN’s television offer– and the national publicity that accompanied it—for more money and a network nobody had heard of.

As a result, hockey lost mainstream status and ESPN discovered that their ratings dipped when hockey hit the screen. NHL-2-night went away and so did Gary Thorne with the best introduction to any sporting event on television.

ESPN, in turn, spent a few years only running hockey highlights under the following criteria: a) when a good boxing match breaks out, b) Sidney Crosby does something cool, c) Alex Ovechkin does something cool, d) the playoffs or e) a player takes a skate to the neck and bleeds all over profusely with a life threatening injury.
But let’s pretend for a minute that there is any truth to this rumor and McDonough was capable of such a drastic move. Could Bettman turn down the inevitable positive media and public relations that would accompany the beginning of a new era on ESPN?

I’m told McDonough’s research suggests the Blackhawks—with their history as an original 6 team and star-studded roster—could draw in the neighborhood of 10-14 million viewers more than they do on Versus.

If that’s remotely true—let’s say those numbers are even cut in half—could Bettman and the NHL resist the increase in exposure and the likelihood of a massive boom in merchandise sale not even a clearance sale on “Black Friday” could imagine?

While the Blackhawks might become the NHL’s “Team America,” with so much national exposure until more of the league shifts back to ESPN, they would bring with them a legitimate drawing card. Players like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa would be much more recognizable and fans in opposing cities will be more inclined to go see the hawks play when they’re in town.

The cash register bell must be ringing in Bettman’s head by now.

Should McDonough pull off this unprecedented move and essentially secede from the NHL’s current television contract, it would be like playing a big game of Russian roulette.

Would Comcast pull out of its current deal, thus leaving the NHL with zero television rights other than the hawks on ESPN? Not a chance.

The NHL is still the biggest draw on Versus—and it’s not even close. Filling the void with more rodeo events, sports from the Mountain Time zone and poker will surely lose ad revenue. Plus, once Notre Dame football is over NBC’s Saturday afternoons are wide open and in desperate need of a weekend sporting event to rival the NBA on ABC throughout the winter.

Chances are this is all speculation and the reality is McDonough will only explore the option as a mechanism to make Bettman realize it’s time to finally get the NHL back on ESPN—but a Blackhawks fan can dream, can’t he?

Hello out there! We’re on the air,
It’s Blackhawks Night tonight;
Excitement grows, the whistle blows,
And the Indian head sweaters speed down the ice.
The goalie stops, and Chelsea Dagger bumps,
And the Madhouse on Madison goes insane;
Someone roars, “Johnny Toews scores!”
At the good old Blackhawks game.
Oh! The good old hawks game, Is the best game you can name; And the best game you can name, Is the good old Hawks game!

BLACKHAWKS FIRE DALE TALLON

2009-07-14T02:51:00.002-04:00

Dale Tallon is out as general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks. Stan Bowman, son of legendary coach Scott Bowman, will replace him.

The writing has been on the wall for a while on this one as the new regime led by John McDonough is trying to completely clean house of anything left from the Bill Wirtz era.

I am thinking the signings of Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky were more Stan's than Tallon's. In the meantime, the franchise is still trying to rid themselves of the horrendous contracts handed out to defenseman Brian Campbell and goaltender Cristobal Huet.

Tallon's tenure started out rocky but the draft choices he made over the last few years--mainly Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews--along with trades for players such as Patrick Shark and Kris Versteeg helped turn the franchise around.

While Tallon won't be around to watch the Hawks hoist the cup either this coming season or in a few years, his contributions should not be forgotten.

NHL FINAL 4 PREVIEW

2009-05-15T18:57:00.008-04:00

Maybe it’s too early to suggest the NHL has regained its standing as one of the four major sports in America, but there is definitely reason to believe that a return into that group is near.

Last week in Chicago, friends that would normally only be focused on Chicago Cubs baseball were not only watching the Chicago Blackhawks resurgence and playoff success—home games on local television, mind you—they were texting me in jubilation after clutch goals.

The NHL playoffs are a fantastic time for hockey fans and this year has been a special treat. The second round brought three series that took all seven games to decide and one that featured the top two offensive players in the world going head-to-head in Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

So, with the excitement of the first two rounds in the books, what does the conference finals have in store?

How about the renewal of one of the greatest rivalries in the sport between the Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings with a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals on the line? These original-six teams are separated by one great lake and the red in both jerseys represents the bad blood that exists between their players and fans.

OFFENSE: There’s just as much skill on the ice here as there was in the aforementioned Capitals/Penguins series with a number of players capable of lighting the lamp. As a matter of fact, both the United Center and Joe Louis Arena better have extra light bulbs on hand for the red lights behind each goal.

Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg has always given the Hawks a problem. In 34 career games, he has 17 goals and 19 assists. And of course, there’s super-skilled Marian Hossa with his laser-quick wrister he can fire past a goalie at any time. Then, there’s prime playoff performer Johan Franzen, who continues to impress at the most important time of the year. Franzen has tallied 15 points (8 goals) in Detroit’s 11 games. The Hawks cannot let him get on a roll if they want to come out on top.

For Detroit, the real key will be the play of center Pavel Datsyuk. Nominated for three regular season awards, Datsyuk has had a disappointing playoff run thus far. After recording 32 goals and 65 assists in the regular season, he has tallied just one goal and four assists in the playoffs. Keeping him down is a big key in this series.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks counter with young and talented players of their own. This list is long but focuses on captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

Kane, in particular, is skating better than he has in months and just torched the supposed best goalie in the world—Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo—for six goals, including a hat trick in game six. Toews didn’t score all series until depositing two goals of his own in the clinching game. If one of the youngsters is hot, the Red Wings will have a problem, but if both are going well at the same time the Hawks can pull the upset.

The key for the Hawks will be the line of Martin Havlat, Andrew Ladd and Dave Bolland. Considered the team’s third line, there have been stretches when they have clicked like a legitimate top line. A testament to the outstanding depth of the Blackhawks, if this line is playing well the series could go the distance.

Dustin Byfuglien (Buff-LYNN) will need to do his best Tomas Holmstrom impression in front of the Detroit net and throw his weight around like he’s done since the playoffs began. If he reverts to his regular season play, the Red Wings should write him a “thank you” card when the series is over.

DEFENSE: Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom remains the best defenseman in the world and can shut down the opponents’ top line on any given night. The rest of the defense is as solid as they come with Brad Stuart, Niklas Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson.

Brian Rafalski could be the key to the entire series, however. Injured for much of the Anaheim series, Rafalski was able to play limited minutes in the final two games but failed to contribute very much. He loves to join the rush and is the quarterback on the power play. If the injury bug continues to be a problem, it would greatly benefit the Hawks. But if he returns to his regular season form (10 goals, 49 assists in 78 games) Detroit might score on every power play.

The big problem for Chicago is the fact that only one defensive pairing—Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook—are truly outstanding defenders. While his numbers don’t show it, Keith actually looks a bit tired— which is to be expected, as 25-30 minutes of ice time tend to take a toll by game no. 90. However, his partner has jumped into the elite d-man class this post-season, as Seabrook has been a beast on the blue line.

So the issue here is which talented Detroit line do they match up with? Calgary only had the Jarome Iginla line to fear, Vancouver only had the Sedin twins’ line. The Red Wings have two supremely talented combinations up front.

This means that either the defense pairing of Brian Campbell and Niklas Hjalmarsson or Cam Barker and Matt Walker needs to seriously step up their game.

The series will be lost if both pairings fail to focus on defense as opposed to joining the offensive fun.

GOALIES: This is about as evenly matched as you can get both in statistics and experience level. Chris Osgood and Nikolai Khabibulin are not in their prime and probably won’t be doing a decent Martin Brodeur impression during the series. Meanwhile, both netminders have won a Stanley Cup and know how to show up in big games.

Osgood hides behind a superb defense but can be beat. The young and speedy Hawks showed that great goalies are no problem having put a plethora of pucks past both Luongo and Miikka Kiprusoff. If this series falls on Osgood’s shoulders than the Wings are actually in some serious trouble.

Khabibulin has been far from spectacular in the playoffs but if one of these goalies is going to shine and carry a team on his back, it’s going to be the one that can morph into a wall. Two seasons ago Khabibulin owned Detroit, posting a 5-2 record and 2.69 goals against average against them. This year was an entirely different story and the numbers will need to more closely resemble the 2007-08 variety.

OFFICIAL PREDICTION: Don’t let the Blackhawks 2-2-2 regular season record against the Red Wings fool you. Both wins came at the end of the season when neither team had anything to play for. Detroit went as far as to rest both Lidstrom and Hossa, among others.

The fact of the matter here is that the Red Wings are the superior team in nearly all aspects. That’s no knock against the Hawks, and while upsets occur all the time in the NHL playoffs this one is hard to imagine.

Before the season, I said the Hawks would make the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed and maybe win a round. This season has far exceeded the expectations of any true fan or expert, but the magical ride comes to an end, as Chicago is still a year away from making a serious run at hockey’s holey grail.

RED WINGS WIN THE SERIES IN 7 GAMES.

EASTERN CONFERENCE: The Hurricanes have been the most clutch hockey team we may ever see. They’ve scored with 0.2 seconds remaining in the 3rd period to break a tie. They’ve scored twice in the final 80 seconds of a game 7 to beat Brodeur and the Devils and then won another game 7 in overtime to get to this point.

While it’s hard to overlook Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward and the fact that he has yet to lose a playoff series, he’s also never seen a player quite like Sidney Crosby.

Crosby seems to be on a mission much like LeBron James in the NBA. He proved he’s the best player in the world by eliminating Ovechkin’s Capitals and has 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points in only 13 games thus far.

This Penguins team is better than last year’s that went to the finals. They are tougher, more physical and have better leaders in trade acquisitions Chris Kunitz and Bill Guerin.

Oh yeah, and Crosby just seems unstoppable.

It will still be an entertaining series and pay close attention to Carolina center Eric Staal, one of the game’s premier skaters and a top-10 forward in his own right.

Nonetheless, we will have a rematch for the Cup.

PENGUINS WIN THE SERIES IN 6 GAMES.

Cutler deal is like an early Hanukkah (or Christmas) gift for Chicago

2009-04-11T17:18:00.007-04:00

Last time on “Lynn’s Line,” I practically begged Bears general manager Jerry Angelo to sign Terrell Owens to a 2-year deal.

He didn’t and I took a sabbatical to find a far away place and ponder why the great city of Chicago, with its loyal fans, get stuck with terrible GM’s and owners unwilling to commit money for success. Angelo was nearing the John Paxson realm of incompetence.

Then, on April 2nd, Angelo did the impossible. He did the unthinkable. He sent the city of Chicago into a weekend-long euphoric daze complete with dancing along Lake Shore Drive (much like the parade scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) and good vibrations as far as “The Wiener Circle.”

When the news wire crossed at ESPN, I must have missed it, as co-workers of all ages and sizes rushed over to offer their congratulations. I didn’t believe it, couldn’t believe it…wouldn’t believe it. After all, it was April Fool’s day only 24 hours earlier, and nobody had gotten me. I thought this was just a joke.

But low and behold, it was true. The Chicago Bears had agreed on a trade with the Denver Broncos that would land them 25-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler. Needless to say, I’d never been happier to be wrong in my entire life.

This is BIG. Not just Chicago big, I’m talking historic BIG. So big, the smile didn’t leave my face the rest of the night. At long last, the Bears finally had a quarterback. Depending on your outlook, their first real QB in nearly 60 years (23 if you considered Jim McMahon a star).

Assuming Cutler plays to his potential, Chicago will name a building after him. Forget the Sears Tower becoming Willis Tower—and rest assured, no true Chicagoan will call it the latter—Cutler Tower has an awfully nice ring to it.

If Cutler leads the Bears to a Super Bowl title, children ages 6-18 will be especially thrilled. Hello, new holiday off from school in observation of “Jay Cutler Day.” After all, at one time we did get a day off in honor of some guy named Kazimierz Pułaski.

Now, the Bears just need to find him a true receiving threat so Devin Hester can be the secondary threat he actually is. Won't it be fun watching Hester use his blazing speed in order to try catching up with the ball as opposed to the QB nearly throwing his arm out trying to reach Hester downfield?

However, lost in all the Bears newfound glory over the franchise QB was the national media reaction—particularly from NFL Live analysts Mark Schlereth and Trent Dilfer. Both of who went on TV the night of the trade and laid into the Bears, essentially saying the team was no better after the deal than they were before it.

What? Did I miss something here? Was a new memo recently drafted declaring that every first round pick will be a future Pro Bowler? The Bears got the better end of this deal and it’s not even close—right now. As with any deal involving draft picks, time will tell.

But it’s not like the Bears gave up two top-10 picks. They traded away pick No. 18 in this year’s draft as well as the first pick in the 2010 draft. Assuming they are playoff bound in '09, that makes next year’s pick somewhere in the 21-30 range—the area where collegiate superstars and combine freaks often don’t live up to the hype.

The Bears finally let their fans and the rest of the NFL know they really are committed to winning NOW, with the defense that quickly saw the word extra detach itself from ordinary.

Jay Cutler gives the Bears the best chance to do that despite his lack of maturity and ridiculous remarks. All Cutler has to do is win games and throw touchdowns to make winter fly by in the windy city.

Meanwhile…

I’m actually pleased with Pax…well, kinda.

The Bulls have performed very well since Paxson's flurry of trade deadline deals that shipped out a majority of the roster while bringing in Brad Miller and John Salmons from the Sacramento Kings.

Miller isn’t the player he once was, but he’s the most consistent post threat the team has had since Elton Brand and his presence has allowed Joakim Noah to strictly focus on rebounding while Tyrus Thomas uses his freakish athleticism to get to the basket.

Meanwhile, Salmons is exactly the kind of mid-range shooter and slasher Pax thought Luol Deng was. Salmons is a very nice piece to have in place while trying to convinice whichever 2010 free agent the Bulls target-- is the visa ready for Chris Bosh, yet?

Still, Salmons’ play makes Deng’s contract the absolute worst in the league after any of the ones handed out by the Knicks the last few years.

ALL HAIL HAVLAT

Baseball season is underway, which is great, except that it's the first time I can remember not spending the majority of my time watching the White Sox.

That’s because the Blackhawks will be in the playoffs and that’s far more important at this time of the year.

The entire team has given its fans a terrific season, especially oft-injured right-winger Martin Havlat who has stayed healthy all season—in his contract year to nobody’s surprise.

As a kid taking full advantage of my father’s season tickets, we often went to games knowing the Hawks would lose but just sitting back and admiring the skill level of players in their prime such as Jaromir Jagr, Paul Kariya, John LeClair and Keith Tkachuk. Their work with the puck, creativity and scoring ability often left my father and I shaking our heads in amazement.

No offense to Tony Amonte, but Havlat is the most skilled player to wear the Indian-head sweater since Jeremy Roenick circa 1993. He sees openings most players don’t and the puck seems like it stays on his stick due to some magnetic force. He’s been an absolute joy to watch, seemingly in his own stratosphere in many games.

For those that don’t know, Havlat is the one with the big No. 24 on the back of his jersey.

OFFICIAL PLAYOFF PREDICITION: While the Hawks won't know their first round opponent until later Saturday night, I believe they'll make it out of the first round. Then things get interesting. Unlike the NBA, the NHL re-seeds and upsets do occur. With that being said, barring a major upset I think the Hawks run into a wall and bow out in the 2nd round. The reality of the situation is that the young Hawks are ahead of schedule but still a year or two away from competing for a conference championship and Lord Stanley's Cup.

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

2009-03-07T18:17:00.010-05:00

The soap opera known as the Dallas Cowboys wrote off its Susan Lucci this week when they cut wide receiver Terrell Owens. And as is the case with any news surrounding T.O., the news received more than any other NFL off-season story thus far; falling right behind Alex Rodriguez admitting to steroid use and just ahead of Tiger Woods’ return.

So, in case Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo wasn’t aware that free agency had begun—and by all indications he was given the wrong date—it is okay to sign players to a contract to improve the team.

Am I suggesting Angelo sign Owens to an incentive-filled two-year contract? No, I’m demanding it.

I get all the downfalls to having a player like Owens in the locker room. He’s worn out his welcome in three cities and pissed off his quarterback at each stop. If the Bears inked him and someone handed him a shovel around week nine I would understand if there were a rumor that he wanted to bury Kyle Orton alive.

ESPN First Take’s Skip Bayless has trademarked the creative nickname for T.O. “team obliterator”—it’s fair and nothing more needs to be said to understand all the trouble he has caused in the past.

But what if there’s not much of a team for Owens to obliterate? Nothing much in place to actually ruin?

The Bears finished 9-7 last season, though two wins came against the Detroit Lions so for all intents and purposes they are a seven-win team. You say they only missed the playoffs by one game and could get in next year? I say I have some Cubs World Series tickets to sell you for $5,000 a pop.

In actuality, the Bears have gotten worse since they were basically handed a playoff spot on the last week of the season if they could have only beaten the Houston Texans.

Angelo, whose talent evaluation of receivers is only slightly better than Ben Bernanke’s economic insight, has left the Bears roster barren at the position.

After cutting ties with Bernard Berrian, Mushin Muhammed, current Titans No. 1 Justin Gage and Mark Bradley Angelo tried healing the wounds with Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd. Unfortunately, both band-aids are now gone and the current depth chart lists Earl Bennett of the zero catch club and two converted defensive backs—Rashied Davis and Devin Hester—ahead of him. Hester isn’t a No. 1 and Davis is barely a No. 4.

Owens would become the best receiving threat on the roster, the numbers don’t lie. And while there may not be a quarterback on the roster to get him the ball on a consistent basis, any offense with Matt Forte, Owens, Hester and Greg Olsen will score points.

The pattern with Owens is a nice honeymoon of good behavior in his first year with a new team followed by downward spiral in year two. The two-year deal here is perfect and should allow Orton to develop, the Bears to draft a QB and let him develop (hello, Graham Harrell) or a signing to compliment Owens before year two.

Worst-case scenario here is pretty simple: a below average team turns bad with “team obliterator” and wins five games instead of eight.

But if Angelo believes the Bears have the defense to win now then he needs to be all in on offense as well. Defensive stars Brian Urlacher (31 when the 2009 season begins), Charles Tillman (28), Alex Brown (30) and Lance Briggs (29 in November) aren’t getting any younger.

So, pick up the phone Mr. Angelo, free agency is underway. It’s okay. And remember, if T.O. steps out of line Olin Kreutz still controls the locker room.

In Chicago, they refer to him as “Jawbreaker.”

Speaking of criticizing general managers, I actually liked the trades Bulls GM John Paxson made at the deadline a couple weeks ago, somehow unloading half the roster and getting back decent talent and contracts in return.

Brad Miller is a decent low post presence whose contract comes off the books in time for the 2010 free agent class while John Salmons is a nice player signed to a very reasonable $5 million per year deal thru 2011.

Paxson says he has a definite plan for how to approach the summer of 2010—so do half the teams in the NBA. Forget LeBron James, for the Bulls Plan A involves Chris Bosh and Plan B involves Amare Stoudemire. If he fails to land either player then Mayor Daily needs to turn a blind eye to the tar & feathering that will take place next to the MJ statue.

The scary thing here is that I have no faith Paxson’s “plan” is the right one, do you?

Opening day is getting close and the best story out of the White Sox new spring training facility is the condition of senior citizen Jose Contreras. In all seriousness, he was supposed to be out until July after tearing his Achilles tendon last season—some feared it may have been career threatening. But he showed up in Glendale, Ariz., 25 pounds lighter and is already throwing in the bullpen. It’s possible that he will break camp on the 25-man roster. That’s terrific dedication and a great way to set the tone for the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, on the first day of Cubs camp a reporter asked Lou Piniella to name the president the last time the Cubs won the world series 100 years ago and he couldn’t. Can you? Give up? See the answer below.

The Missouri Tigers are having a tremendous season and will make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003. Not only is getting into March Madness a great accomplishment, but they could get a 3-or-4 seed. Hats off to head coach Mike Anderson and a group of hard working players who are refreshing to watch in the “40 minutes of hell" scheme.

Stat line to check: Dwyane Wade has been beyond ridiculous since the All-Star break, but has really been putting up MVP-type numbers all season. Do a quick comparison to LeBron and you will find some staggering results, mainly the fact that Wade is better in every category (points per game, assists per game, steals per game, blocks per game and field goal percentage). The one exception: rebounds per game.

***William Howard Taft was president when the Cubs last won the World Series in 1909.

With selection Sunday just one week away, be sure to check out Naismithlives.com before filling out your brackets!

WELCOME TO JP'S CHICAGO SPORTS AWARDS

2008-12-19T18:37:00.012-05:00

In many ways 2008 was like any other year for Chicago sports that didn’t fall in the 1990’s and wasn’t 2005. There were playoff berths with disappointing finishes, fired coaches, terrible player personnel decisions and numerous moments that made fans either jump out of their seats or shout “DOH!”

2008 saw Cubans, blow-up dolls and an alien named Swish invade the South Side while teenagers (Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews) united with senior citizens (Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita) to usher in a new era of Blackhawks hockey.

Lightning struck the Bulls and made a team reeking of dog pooh smell a bit more like a Rose. The Bears have overachieved—playoffs or not—yet still have more holes on offense than a victim of a machine-gun drive by.

Then there are the Cubbies, who led their fans on for 6 months like the blonde cheerleader in high school only to have normalcy settle in with the reminder that “we’re only friends.” Not even holy water and blessings in their dugout by a Greek orthodox priest could help.

So, let’s look back on the memories of 2008 with the “JP” Awards—which, of course, mean absolutely nothing other than the fact that I write my own blog and want to hand out some presents for Hanukkah.

BEST TEAM: The Cubs had this award locked up, the envelope was signed and sealed if only for an advancement to the NLCS. Check that, if only for a playoff victory. It’s often difficult to fault a team for making the playoffs, but as the best team in the NL for the majority of the season, their complete and utter failure in the playoffs disqualified them for the award.

Thus, the winner is: the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks spent the early portion of 2008 fighting for a playoff birth and while it didn’t come to fruition they gave their fans and the city a reason to be proud. In addition to their performance on ice, the Hawks’ marketing has been terrific and for the first time ever all of their games –home and away—are now on television.

At the moment, the Hawks are one of the best teams in the NHL as they ride a five-game winning streak and sit only seven points behind division-leading Detroit. They lead the league in goals per game (3.66) and rank 7th in goals against per game (2.55). Even better than that, fans are getting their money’s worth as the Hawks sport a 10-1-4 record at the United Center.

WORST TEAM: This award goes to the UC’s other inhabitants, the Chicago Bulls. Favored by many to win the eastern conference last season the Bulls were as big a disappointment as Britney Spears’ comeback. The team was never on the right track from day one and missed the playoffs altogether. Then, for the first time in recent memory, a coach QUIT on the team before he could be fired. Of course, the reported firing took place on Christmas Day, another bad move among many by general manager John Paxson. Currently, the Bulls are under .500 (12-13) yet find themselves clinging to the 8th seed in the deplorable eastern conference. What’s worse is that the Bulls sit only three games behind 15-10 Atlanta for the 5th seed. It cannot be overlooked that this conference boasts only four teams that score more points than they allow on average.

BEST MOMENT: White Sox fan Barack Obama being elected the 44th President of the United States gets strong consideration. So did Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model Marisa Miller throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley Field, but I’m trying to stick strictly to sports.

The best moment of the year came on March 7, 2008, when the Blackhawks held a special ceremony to honor legends Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita. No, this wasn’t a jersey retirement—which had been done long ago—this was more than that. This was an event that put to rest all the turmoil that had plagued the franchise for the better part of two decades. It was a chance for older Hawks fans and new Hawks fans to unite with the newfound fandom for a proud and special franchise. Adding to the atmosphere was the presence of former Hawks great Jeremy Roenick, who is now plays for the visiting San Jose Sharks—a shrewd move by the marketing department. In one evening, the organization brought together three generations and 50 years of Hawks fans. Awesome.

WORST MOMENT: NLDS—Game 1—Top of the 5th inning: Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney hits a grand slam into the third row of the Wrigley Field bleachers just left of center to give L.A. the 4-2 lead and literally suck the life out of Cubs nation.

Conventional wisdom would have you believe the worst moment had to have been the final out of game three to officially eliminate the Cubs, but by then the conclusion to the series was just a formality.

The moment Loney staked the Dodgers to that lead, they never looked back. Cubs’ fans showed their true colors, showering the team with a chorus of “Boos,” digging their face deep into their palms and shedding tears. No recollection of this only being the first game or having the last at-bats that being the best team for 162 games earned them. Really, the Cubs season ended right here and the fans did nothing to try and help rally the team.

BEST PLAY: Here is a link for your viewing pleasure: http://buzzcuts.uproxx.com/sports/2193

It was a hot and humid summer day on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 as the White Sox wrapped up a series with the Texas Rangers. With beads of sweat undoubtedly lining their eyes and many cold beers in their system the magical play by second baseman Alexei Ramirez may not have fully resonated with many fans in attendance. And it’s a true shame as it’s one of the best plays you’ll EVER see. So much so, it left Ken “Hawk” Harrelson speechless for a few seconds—no easy task unless the Sox are losing. A written description can’t possibly do the play justice, so just watch it by clicking the link if you haven’t already.

P.S. Just a bit of inside information, the play will be featured among the “Plays of the year” on SportsCenter’s “Year in Review” special airing later this month.

BEST DRAFT PICK: There’s no way to go against Derrick Rose, although I stand firm in my belief that Paxson deserves zero credit for this decision. Not only is Rose a future superstar, the highly unlikely chance that the Bulls wind up with the top pick makes the homecoming one of the best sports stories of the year as well.

WORST DRAFT PICK: The Chicago Bears selecting Vanderbilt offensive tackle Chris Williams with the 14th overall pick of the NFL Draft will go down as one of the worst errors by a medical staff in sports history.

I am still waiting to hear a logical explanation from GM Jerry Angelo as to what would possess him to draft an injured offensive lineman ahead of other lineman with similar skills in a deep draft at the position. Williams’ herniated disc has kept him off the field until the last couple of weeks. Thus, a team that Angelo has called a contender since training camp opened in August got zero help from its top pick—makes perfect sense.

If someone didn’t lose their job over this than Halas Hall should be getting resumes in droves. Come work for a company where you can blatantly not do your job…and not lose it, either!

COACH/MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Lou Piniella, Cubs. He began spring training by making two moves that made the biggest difference this season by inserting Ryan Dempster into the rotation and handing closing duties to Kerry Wood. Both players turned in All-Star seasons and made the pitching staff one of the best in baseball. His players seem to love him and his in-game management is among the best in baseball.

Unlike the rest of the team, Piniella doesn’t feel the wrath of the postseason collapse despite Dempster’s claim that the team wasn’t “prepared.” At some point, players need to prepare themselves to play quality baseball when it matters most. There is no excuse for a lack of preparation after 162 games with a giant cloud carrying 100 years of championship futility hanging over their heads. Not to mention getting swept out of the 2007 playoffs by the Arizona Diamondbacks should have made the team wake up to the realities of playoff baseball.

BEST NEW CONTRACT: Nope, it wasn’t the most recent signing of Felix Pie clone Joey Gathright, who might be able to beat Usain Bolt in a race but can’t get on base.

The Blackhawks win yet again for their signing of Brian Campbell to a massive contract. Campbell’s impact has been tremendous as he gives the Hawks a legitimate leader on the power play and has the speed and puck-handling skills to maneuver through the neutral zone and carry the puck over the opposing blue line.

The Hawks defensive corps is the most active in the league when it comes to chipping in on the offensive end, which is causing major problems for other teams. Campbell is at the forefront of this style of play and is only the pioneer in the Hawks’ new commitment to spending money on top-tier free agents.

WORST NEW CONTRACT: Paxson’s signing of small forward Luol Deng to a max deal looks worse and worse by the day. Deng is being paid star money to be the third option. He has lost the ability to get to the rim and the mid-range jump shot that became his signature over the last few seasons. Deng also claims to be lost in Vinny Del Negro’s offense.

Del Negro’s hiring comes in a close second, but since it doesn’t count against the salary cap it’s not quite as bad. The ridiculous amount of money being paid to Deng has left the franchise incapable of signing Carlos Boozer or another quality post presence in the upcoming off-season.

BEST TRADE: At the time it went completely unnoticed on the first day of last year’s winter meetings when Ken Williams sent minor league first baseman Chris Carter to the D’Backs in exchange for outfielder Carlos Quentin. Now, it’s possibly the steal of the decade.

Quentin did everything the Sox had hoped for and more. A silver slugger award winner in 2008, Quentin led the AL in home runs before missing the final month with a fractured wrist. Of more importance, Quentin was also leading the league in game-winning or tying RBI’s. Had he not gone down, there’s a very good chance Williams acquired the league MVP for a player that was never going to see time at the big league level as part of the White Sox organization. Barring another fluke injury, Quentin should be an offensive force for years to come.

BEST GENERAL MANAGER: Dale Tallon, Blackhawks. No, he’s not perfect and will likely be out of a job by the end of the season as Hawks president John McDonough brings in his choice for GM. Nevertheless, Tallon brought in Campbell and drafted Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane (thankfully avoiding the hype around Coyotes center Kyle Turris).

Sure, he has $12 million wrapped up in goaltending, but does it matter if both Nikolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet play at an elite level every night? Besides, when Khabibulin’s contract expires at season’s end, Tallon doesn’t need to panic and reach for another starter while investing the money elsewhere.

Meanwhile he parlayed the disappointing Tuomo Ruutu into Andrew Ladd and acquired another Rookie of the Year candidate in Kris Versteeg from the Boston Bruins for Brandon Bochenski. Tallon also scored Patrick Sharp and Ben Eager from the Philadelphia Flyers for unknown Matt Ellison and journeyman Jim Vandermeer.

The system is loaded with talented prospects thanks to great scouting in recent drafts and the franchise is close to joining the NHL’s elite teams.

CHICAGO SPORTS MVP: He has a weird mouth fixation kind of reminiscent to Michael Jordan’s wagging tongue. He’s playing in front of sold out crowds at the United Center on a regular basis and--at just over 20-years of age--is transforming a franchise right before our very eyes.

Okay, maybe the similarities are a bit of a stretch, but the 2008 MVP is none other than Patrick Kane, whose 37 points (14 goals) in 29 games have him on pace for nearly 100 points on a playoff bound team.

Kane is earning praise around the league for his playmaking skills, showcasing brilliant hands and terrific vision while chewing his mouth guard like a dog going to town on his favorite bone. His pinpoint accuracy and quick release on the wrist shot have made it a feared weapon around the league.

Earlier this season, Washington Capitals star Alexander Semin had this to say when comparing Kane to Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby:
"What's so special about (Crosby)?" Semin told Yahoo! Sports through a translator. "I don't see anything special there. Yes, he does skate well, has a good head, good pass. But there's nothing else. Even if you compare him to Patrick Kane from Chicago.(Kane) is a much more interesting player. The way he moves, his deking abilities, his thinking on the ice and his anticipation of the play is so superb."

Kane is also beginning to appear in local and national ads and currently holds the lead among western conference forwards in All-Star votes.

Yet, the best thing about Kane is his personality and down-to-earth nature. Still a kid in many ways, he’s always smiling and having fun playing the game he loves.

Kane is on his way to becoming a truly special player, the type of athlete Chicago has been longing for since that MJ guy called it quits one decade ago.

PLEASE PULL THE PLUG ON PAX

2008-12-05T17:12:00.005-05:00

As a displaced Chicago sports fan living in Connecticut, it’s hard to follow the teams or the media coverage as well as I did as a child. Sure, the Internet has made it possible to read the sports sections of the local newspapers. But, it’s impossible to watch Comcast SportsNet or listen to “670 the Score” for more than an hour each day.

So, maybe I am just missing something here. Maybe I’m just skimming over the stories or tuning out the media’s call for a new Bulls general manager.

I remember a time when the Chicago media had a spine and weren’t afraid to write columns demanding certain coaches or general managers get fired because a major city deserved better from its professional teams.

The Chicago media aided in the departure of one high profile sports entity recently—Jay Mariotti—and that’s it.

Sometimes an article will pop up criticizing Jerry Angelo—and rightfully so—aren’t 2nd and 3rd round picks from a year ago supposed to be contributing now, not filing for unemployment? (Hello, Dan Bazuin and Michael Okwo the line forms to the left).

For some reason White Sox GM Ken Williams still takes a lot of heat despite having a pretty good track record in trades and being the only general manager in Chicago to have held up a championship trophy.

Yet mysteriously, one name keeps escaping the slaughterhouse line: John Paxson. Listen, I loved Pax as a player and appreciate the role he played on the 1991, ’92 and ’93 championship teams. Who could forget the game-winning three in Phoenix?

But, let’s call a spade a spade and admit the guy isn’t very good at this whole making a good team thing.

Before calling me crazy, remove Derrick Rose from the equation. Rose has shown that he is a future superstar, deserving to be regarded with Chris Paul among the league’s elite point guards. But Paxson didn’t exercise a single skill to acquire him. Anyone could have been the GM and gotten Rose. It was pure luck, a crazy bounce of ping-pong balls. No trades or clever maneuvering required.

Much the same way Rod Thorn doesn’t get a lot of credit for drafting Michael Jordan when he fell into his lap with the 3rd pick in the 1984 draft, Paxson gets no credit for drafting Rose—he was guaranteed a future star no matter which player he chose.

In the meantime, the Bulls have fallen back into the world of irrelevant NBA teams, continuing to regress rather than improve. What’s worse is that the pathetic eastern conference might allow them to sneak into the playoffs—Hooray!

After failing to realize that Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon were nice players but not superstar material, Paxson failed to do what any good GM does and package the good pieces he’d developed to land said superstar.

Kevin Garnett? Apparently great defenders that can score in the post and lead teams to NBA titles aren’t as valuable as mediocre players.

Pau Gasol? Apparently Pax had a better offer on the table, but Memphis ownership just wanted a salary dump. Merely a failure to communicate on Paxson’s part or he could have offered similar, yet better garbage than the Lakers gave up.

Brandon Roy or Lamarcus Aldridge? It’s painful to watch the young Trail Blazers these days with two players the Bulls could have had. Paxson failed to realize Roy was an All-Star waiting to happen or that Aldridge was the answer to the post problems that currently plague the franchise. Instead, he traded Aldridge for a future Harlem Globetrotter capable of jumping into the upper deck. A nice show for some fans, but Tyrus Thomas throws up so many bricks he can build a mansion in Northbrook despite the bad housing market.

The rest of the roster is riddled with sub-par talent or bad contracts:

Hinrich? Has been on the decline since signing his massive extension and is nothing more than a worse version of Paxson—as a player. Regarded so poorly around the NBA, teams won’t even trade other bad contracts for him.

Deng? Being paid money worthy of a franchise player when--in reality--he’s a bad 2nd option or good 3rd option on a championship-caliber team. Deng claims he’s lost in the current offense or maybe it’s just that he’s lost his mid-range jump shot and the ability to get into the lane.

Gordon? Probably the guy that should have gotten the contract handed to Deng. Gordon has the best shooting touch on the team and the ability to create his own shot. When he’s on the court with Rose it has caused serious match up problems for the opposition--just ask Jason Terry and Jason Kidd. Meanwhile, he’ll most likely be gone next season after his one-year deal expires.

Andres Nocioni? Possibly the worst contract handed out by Paxson—so far. Nocioni is the type of player that would fit perfectly on a championship team as a hustler off the bench. But, he doesn’t do anything particularly well and is being paid like a starter. His contract is so bad, he’s another player teams won’t take unless he is packaged or in the final year of this ludicrous deal.

Thabo Sefolosha? Paxson’s rationale with this pick is that he needed a long, athletic guard to defend LeBron James. That’s all well and good except for two big problems: 1) the league doesn’t reward defense unless the entire team plays it--like the Spurs--and 2) there isn’t a single player in all of basketball capable of guarding “King James.” What’s more disturbing is the fact that Sefolosha’s offense doesn’t appear to have developed one bit.

Joakim Noah? Please just retire and go live in your parents’ French villa already. I knew he had no offensive abilities whatsoever, I didn’t know those deficiencies would make me want to bring Yinka Dare out of retirement. At the very least, he could provide the effort and rebounding on display at Florida but that’s been mysteriously absent as well. Like a game of horse, Noah is very close to completing the B-U-S-T, only he can’t make a shot to close it out.

Larry Hughes? Will be traded by the deadline or next off-season, but I am very surprised Paxson hasn’t paid him to just go sit at home much like he did with Tim Thomas.

Drew Gooden and Aaron Gray? Besides Gordon and Rose, these are the only other players on the roster worth their contract. With any help down low, Gooden might actually be a valuable component in the future. Gray’s skills are limited but every team has a slow, tall 7-footer on the roster.

Then there’s the wonderful signing of first-year coach Vinny Del Negro, who looks completely lost at times and clearly lacks the direction or knowledge to be a coach. It is becoming more evident with each passing game that this is actually Dell Harris’ team and Del Negro was hired to handle the press. Pax does not get a pass for simply putting “head coach” in front of the wrong Del.

Paxson has managed the salary cap so poorly; the Bulls were in no position to bring Elton Brand back this past off-season and will have no room to make a run at Carlos Boozer this coming off-season. Thrilling.

The entire league is gearing up for the LeBron sweepstakes in 2010, a free agent class that could also include Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Wouldn’t an all-Chi town backcourt of Wade and Rose look nice? Or maybe the signing of a legit post presence like Bosh to run the floor or set up a half court set with Rose?

As long as Paxson is still the GM, don’t hold your breath. It’s hard to have faith the right move is coming when so many prior moves have been wrong. If the Chicago media begins to resemble its old self, hopefully Pax will be thrown out of town before he has the chance to screw up the future as well.

Typical Missouri

2008-10-19T01:02:00.009-04:00

Throughout my four-and-a-half years at the University of Missouri, Tiger fans grew accustomed to dealing with athletic grief.

Mizzou athletics weren’t necessarily bad, in fact, most teams had a winning record and qualified for their sports version of a postseason. But, if I had a nickel for the amount of times that fans were left disappointed, upset or felt like knocking their head against a wall until a state of unconsciousness set in, I’d be able to buy a tank of gas.

My inner circle of friends and I dealt with the heartbreak and constant anxiety by putting on a sly grin, shaking our heads and uttering the following phrase: “Typical Missouri.”

Pathetic? Maybe. But, it was merely a product of buying into the enormous expectations placed on the programs by local media and the Missouri athletic department—easily the best hype machine in the country.

No team left a worse feeling in our mouths than the 2003-04 Missouri basketball team. With preseason All-Americans Arthur Johnson and Ricky Paulding, the Tigers were ranked among the top-5 teams in the country and a near-unanimous pick by “experts” to make a trip to the program’s first Final Four.

I entered the season thinking championship, and after defeating Indiana in Bloomington to improve to 6-0, I had no doubt that team was the best in the country. Then allegations of cheating haunted the team off the court and their play began to slide on it. A series of disappointing losses—including one to Belmont—left the team stumbling to 16-14 and a 1st round loss in the tournament…NIT, that is.

Now, thanks to consecutive losses to Oklahoma State and Texas the 2008 Missouri football team may surpass the aforementioned disaster (not taking into account the embarrassment that came with the NCAA investigation).

The Tigers entered the season with hopes of a national championship. A trip to my alma mater’s first BCS bowl was almost an afterthought. No doubt, winning the Big XII North for the second straight season was never even a question.

Suddenly, not even a rematch with the Longhorns in Kansas City for the Big XII championship is a lock anymore. What’s worse is that after looking totally unstoppable against opponents like Buffalo, Nevada and Illinois—a middling team in the horrendous Big Ten—Mizzou has more closely resembled Syracuse than Florida in losses to powerhouses in the mighty south division of the conference.

Last season, Mizzou’s success came as a great surprise to the fans. They were expected to be ranked and win a majority of their games. Nobody expected a week at No. 1 with only one win standing in the way of a shot at the crystal ball. Even a loss to Oklahoma in the conference championship couldn’t upset Tiger nation.

What’s taken place in the last nine excruciating days has left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth. Hopes of a national title are gone, but thanks to a terribly flawed system a BCS bowl is still reachable by winning the Big XII. Of course, nothing suggests this Mizzou squad is capable of upsetting Texas or OU.

The offensive and defensive lines have been manhandled and Chase Daniel will be lucky to make his way back to New York as a Heisman finalist. Clearly there’s a reason the Longhorns didn’t originally offer him a scholarship—or half of Missouri’s roster for that matter. Daniel is clearly a system quarterback and any future of playing on Sunday’s is probably gone.

Mizzou is currently at a crossroads. With their ultimate dreams squashed, they can either rally to give themselves one last chance at the BCS at the end of the season; or mail it in from here on out. For Gary Pinkel’s sake, it had better be the first option or Missouri should roll a red carpet out for him to walk from Columbia to Washington.

Missouri has taught their faithful fans an important lesson through all this—instead of buying into the hype; wait until a team accomplishes something. Then, the success is so much sweeter.

At least a lot of fans will maintain a healthy budget by hanging onto the money they had earmarked for whichever BCS bowl proved to be the ultimate destination during the first week of January.

Now, a late-December trip to the Holiday Bowl is a realistic possibility…

San Diego’s weather is great in December.

8 miles never seemed so far away

2008-10-06T21:59:00.004-04:00

Maybe a minute had gone by after Ken Griffey Jr. struck out to officially end the White Sox season before my phone buzzed. The text message must have been sent before the last out—either that, or I had better contact Comcast and complain about a bad delay.

The message, from a friend whose allegiance lies with the Chicago Cubs, read: “Hahahaha, you guys managed to last a whole 48 hours longer and now we’re both in the same place.”

My response: “If that’s what you need to tell yourself in order to snap out of your undoubted state of depression…go right ahead.”

The core of his statement is obviously true. The 2008 World Series will not be a “Crosstown Classic.” It won’t even feature one Chicago team. But the set of circumstances that surrounded each team’s ultimate demise are as different as a filet mignon and a Big Mac.

After failing to land one of the prizes on the free agent market, Ken Williams’ club was picked by most experts—including myself—to finish third in a tough AL Central division.

Meanwhile, the Cubs were heavy favorites to repeat as NL Central champions—even that preseason prediction I couldn’t be wrong about.

The White Sox were a maddeningly inconsistent team, never giving their fans the same feeling they had in 2005. One week they looked like the best team in baseball, the next they looked like the Washington Nationals were capable of sweeping them. Trying to figure them out was like trying to make sense of one of Sarah Palin’s run-on sentences.

Meanwhile, the Cubs were on cruise control all season. They held first place since the third game of the season and after sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park--or “Wrigley North” as Cubs fans like to call it—shortly after the All-Star break, the division title and a playoff berth were never in doubt.

Not to make excuses, but injuries eventually took their toll on the Sox. Their only All-Star representatives—MVP candidate Carlos Quentin and third baseman Joe Crede—couldn’t play the final month of the season. Jose Contreras—having a nice season after an atrocious 2007 campaign—came off the DL for 1.2 innings in August only to suffer a season-ending injury.

Injuries are a part of the game, but take Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez and Ted Lilly away from the Cubs and where does it put them? Well, I guess it puts them in basically the same place they’re in now.

After being swept by the Minnesota Twins in the Metrodome—or “that Hellhole,” as Sox fans affectionately refer to it—the Sox were left gasping for air. But, the Twins committed a baseball no-no. They let the Sox get up and continue to fight.
You don’t put a mass murderer on the electric chair and just before flipping the switch let him off on parole. So, the Sox did what anyone would do with a new lease on life. They battled and survived, doing something MLB had never seen by beating three different teams in three days—Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers and the aforementioned Twins—to make the playoffs. The team looked relieved just to get in, their pitchers running on fumes after each going on three days rest multiple times over the last two weeks of the season.

Meanwhile, the Cubs clinched the division with about 10 games left. They were able to get some nice R&R, set their playoff rotation and give the Tribune Company ample opportunity to promote its new book celebrating the inevitable championship season of the 2008 Chicago Cubs.

The White Sox won a game in their divisional series with the far superior Tampa Bay Rays, improving Ozzie Guillen’s playoff record to 13-4.

Despite a dugout blessed with Holy Water (by a Greek Orthodox priest), the Cubs watched their postseason losing streak reach nine games after getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were outscored 20-6 in the series and never led after jumping out to a 2-0 lead in game one. They got embarrassed and crumbled under the pressure that comes along with a century of futility.

Sox fans embraced the “Blackout” at the Cell and—with a World Series to fall back on—just went along for the ride. After a 90-loss season in 2007 left faithful Sox fans feeling ill, there are many reasons to look forward to 2009. Among them: the maturation of promising young hurlers Gavin Floyd and John Danks and the emergence of Quentin and “the Cuban Missile” Alexei Ramirez.

Following James Loney’s grand slam in game one, Cubs fans put their tails right between their legs. Their dreams had died right there and then. In the “Do or die” game two (thanks Mark DeRosa, no pressure at all), the tears began to flow ala 2003-post Steve Bartman. Way to have faith in the NL’s best team.

Most of the Cubs roster will return and they will be favorites to win the division yet again. Only how can fans get excited like they did in 2008? To borrow a song lyric by Green Day, all Cubs fans should do is say “Wake me up when September ends.”

In August, my father begged me to be fair and blog about the greatness of the 2008 Cubs. He explained that they do everything well and that there wasn’t a team in baseball that was capable of beating them in a short series. I promised that when they accomplished something, I would meet his request.

But, for the 100th consecutive season, the “Loveable losers” have nothing to be proud of. Their loyal fans continue to be let down in the most unimaginable ways.

White Sox fans have set the bar higher after 2005, but ultimately will look back on 2008 and realize it was a great success. Veterans regained their swagger and the youngsters provided terrific excitement. The team’s perseverance and fun-loving attitude made its fans proud.

*********************************************************************

So, now it’s officially football season and somehow, someway the Chicago Bears find themselves in first place. Every touchdown Kyle Orton throws and big run by Matt Forte leaves me in shock. My expectations were so low; the Bears would have to lose every remaining game to match my preseason prediction. The NFC North may be bad enough to allow the Bears come out on top.

My other football team, the Missouri Tigers, possess the best offense in the country. Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin are legitimate Heisman Trophy contenders and a 52-17 drubbing of Nebraska—in Lincoln for the first time in 30 years—was a definite statement.

Mizzou helped provide the stat of the week: Through 5 games, in drives started by Daniel, the offense has yet to go 3-and-out.

For the best NBA analysis and NCAA Basketball commentary, be sure to visit NaismithLives.com

Griffey, Bowman... Favre?

2008-07-31T18:51:00.009-04:00

Michael Jordan. Scottie Pippen. Bobby Hull. Stan Mikita. Walter Payton. Gale Sayers. Dick Butkus. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. Frank Thomas. Andre Dawson. Ernie Banks.

Chicago is not “TitleTown USA.”

But the “Second City” takes a backseat to no other location when it comes to great players that have called it home. Chicago would be the first choice to have a “Legend’s Lane” right near the “Magnificent Mile.”

On the last day of July, two more legends joined the list and a third may not be far behind.

Numerous text messages and voicemails vibrated my phone with news that the Chicago White Sox had acquired Ken Griffey Jr. in exchange for relief pitcher Nick Masset and minor league second baseman Danny Richar.

No, Junior Griffey is no longer an elite player but he’ll still look great in black and white. Hitting in the launching pad known as U.S. Cellular Field, Griffey could make a big difference in a tight division race.

Hitting at .245, Griffey can’t possibly be worse than the .214-hitting Paul Konerko. He will take over in center field, thus allowing Nick Swisher to move to first base. With Konerko still on the roster, Ozzie Guillen can give Griffey days off periodically and bring Brian Anderson in late as a defensive replacement.

Griffey also makes the lineup one of the most balanced in the league with three lefties and a switch-hitter. His desire to win a championship before he retires should fit in great with a focused but fun-loving group.

Sitting at 608 career home runs, Griffey will soon pass Sammy Sosa (609). Doing so with the Sox logo on his helmet will thrill fans.

The Chicago Blackhawks welcomed Scotty Bowman into the organization as Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations.

While the NHL’s all-time leader in coaching wins with 1,244 and playoff wins (223) won’t be adding to those totals, it is a great business move to have his name associated with the franchise.

Not only does Bowman know hockey talent, his name still holds great weight around the league. And who knows, should the team get off to a terrible start under Denis Savard, maybe he’ll have a desire to get back behind the bench.

With those Hall of Famers already relocating, another may be joining them.

According to the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel, the Green Bay Packers are warming to the idea of trading Brett Favre within the NFC North division. Most likely, this means the Minnesota Vikings or Chicago Bears.

I’m as sick of the Favre saga as anyone. Everyday at work for the last 3 weeks, I’ve had to make small 10-second clips of Favre called bumps; using some combination of the same video over-and-over-and-over-and-over-and-over… you get the point.

Now, it just got interesting.

My expectations for the Bears this season can’t be much worse. Somewhere between 2 and 6 wins, while making a serious run at the modern era record for fewest points scored in a season.

But Favre, even at the age of 39 when the season is in full swing, is better than Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton combined. He could potentially vault the Bears into the playoffs and give them a few quality seasons—something no QB has done since before World War II.

The real question for Jerry Angelo is how much better does Favre make the current roster? The team still has no legitimate running back and lacks quality wide receivers. Though it would be fun to see which gets down field faster—Devin Hester or a Favre Hail Mary?

If Angelo doesn’t believe Favre would make a drastic difference then it’s not worth the risk. If the Bears are one of the worst teams in the league, they can land Georgia’s Matthew Stafford or trade the pick for an established signal caller.

It would be very strange seeing Favre in a Bears uniform, but regardless of what transpires I just want the whole thing to end already. It’s no fault of the Packers; they offered Favre $2 million every year for a decade to watch games from his HD-TV at home.

QUICK NOTE: The Bulls currently lack a legend and will have another miserable season because their general manager has no idea what he’s doing. John Paxson overpaid to retain the above-average Luol Deng while the extremely athletic Josh Smith waits for a contract offer. Smith plays better defense and is more athletic than Deng, and appears ready to become a superstar and team leader.

FUNNY SIGHT: As I watched the White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins on FSN North I fell to the ground in laughter when Anderson, Jermaine Dye, A.J. Pierzynski and Jim Thome gave Konerko a standing ovation after a single late in Wednesday’s game to raise his average to .214. Anderson promptly got the ball from the umpire as Konerko stood at first while shaking his head with a smirk on his face. At least in the middle of a pennant race and a big series, they’re still having fun.

For great analysis on the NBA's off-season visit Naismithlives.com

DISAPPEARING ACT

2008-06-30T03:24:00.004-04:00

Sometimes, things happen that can only be described as “magical.”

Erasing a 24-point deficit to win a game in the NBA Finals might qualify. Sinking a birdie one-hop chip from the rough could be seen as an escape of Harry Houdini proportions.

But, these moments have more to do with supreme skill sprinkled with a bit of luck than some magic straight out of a David Copperfield book.

Leads—big and small—vanish within minutes. Reputations can be built or lost, while careers and statistics are altered on a constant basis—but everything in sports happens for a reason.

The NBA Finals saw the reputations of two of the leagues biggest stars undergo a permanent change.

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett removed his name from the list of great players never to win a championship. After early exits nearly every season with the Timberwolves, Garnett’s unselfish play and superb defense finally led him to the title he’s coveted for so long.

Anyone watching his first interview with Michelle Tafoya right after the final buzzer sounded could hear a grown man in a vulnerable emotional state. Garnett fought back tears and mistakenly uttered a few obscenities before making sure his fans in Minnesota and Chicago (where he attended high school) felt they were a part of it.

Garnett’s achievement wasn’t the product of mystical doing. It was the culmination of a career of hard work combined with phenomenal talent that came together at the right time.

Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant’s reputation as the NBA’s best player took a significant hit during the finals. Granted, his supporting cast abandoned him, but averaging a mere 25.7 points per game just doesn’t cut it. Bryant will still be regarded by many as the top dog in the game, but now it’s become extremely debatable.

What is no longer applicable to the Lakers star are comparisons to Michael Jordan. While Paul Pierce was being named Finals MVP, all the Bryant/Jordan talk melted away faster than the “Wicked Witch” in Wizard of Oz.

Jordan never lost a Finals series, Bryant has now lost twice. Jordan’s scoring output actually increased to 33.6 points per game when it mattered most. Bryant disappeared this time around. He failed to rise to the challenge, struggled to get to the basket and failed to put his team on his back and steal a game for them.

Jordan never would have lost the 2008 Finals. He was too good, too dominant. Jordan was far better than Kobe Bryant and always will be.

I’ve never watched an entire round of golf until the playoff of the U.S. Open. There was something so compelling about Rocco Mediate vs. Tiger Woods that it didn’t matter who won. It was a rare occurrence in sports where I found myself rooting for both sides.

However, for the sport of golf, it was better that Tiger captured his 14th major championship. That’s right, I used the word “sport” to describe golf.

You see, up until that weekend at Torrey Pines, I never considered golfers as athletes. I always argued that Tiger didn’t belong in the same category as Jordan, Muhammad Ali or Jerry Rice for that matter.

But, the way Woods played through unthinkable pain—basically on one leg—to finish with his name atop the leaderboard was one of the most impressive sports feats I’ve ever witnessed.

Again, no paranormal assistance needed, the word magic need not apply. Woods won by being the most skilled golfer ever to walk the face of the Earth. It also helps that on a clutch scale from 1-10 with 10 being “Out of his mind ridiculous,” Woods rates at infinity.

This performance compares favorably to Michael Jordan’s flu game vs. the Utah Jazz in game five of the 1997 NBA Finals. Jordan scored 38 points and hit a clutch shot to lead the Bulls to victory before being carried off the floor by Scottie Pippen. In the back of my mind, I think Tiger did it to prove a point. He laid it all on the line for 91 holes to prove that he’s simply the greatest ever.

Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo has let the offense fade into oblivion. The amazing stat guys at ESPN have confirmed that as the roster currently stands, the Bears will enter next season with the least amount of production from it’s top skill position players the season before. That’s right, no team in NFL history has had less offensive production on its current roster than the Bears currently possess.

Rookie running back Matt Forte has yet to carry the ball in the NFL and was a shockingly high draft choice. While he could turn into a terrific player, the odds are just as strong that he will go the way of most Bears running backs since Walter Payton—a list that includes Rashaan Salaam, Raymont Harris, Curtis Enis and now Cedric Benson.

Meanwhile, Rex Grossman (1,411 yards and 4 TD’s in 2007) remains the starting QB. He is expected to put up big numbers with Angelo’s key free agent signing Marty Booker (556 yards and 1 TD in 2007) as his primary target. Looks like punter Brad Maynard will compete with Devin Hester for team MVP.

Any offense the Bears had is gone, but again no magic here. Just the work of a bad general manager that expects the defense to hold teams to 10 points a game.

Want a tip? Take the under in every Bears game during the upcoming season.

For the best NBA Draft analysis, trade rumors and free agent reaction visit Naismithlives.com!

Absolutely Extraordinary... or not

2008-06-04T16:47:00.011-04:00

Americans are fascinated by professional sports for many reasons, and chief among them is the element of true surprise that takes place throughout the course of a game or due to newsworthy headlines off the playing surface.

People love to be amazed by things they see on “SportsCenter” that can only be described as unbelievable, mind-boggling, eye-popping, crazy and out-of-this-world. However, our shelling out of an emphatic “WOW!” is being used too loosely nowadays.

For instance, some events in sports over the past week were deemed appalling for no reason. Lets apply the Homeland Security Advisory System and rank some stories that occurred while your woman was having a “Girls night out” while seeing Sex and the City for the eighth time in five days.

SEVERE SHOCK LEVEL: Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers is making a legitimate run for the American League Triple Crown. Through Monday, Hamilton ranks second in batting average (.329 to Hideki Matsui’s .332) and first in home runs (17). Most impressive is Hamilton’s RBI total, 67, which far and away leads all of baseball. At his current pace, he would join Hack Wilson, Lou Gehrig and Hank Greenberg as the only players to drive in at least 180 runs in a season.

So, why is his success such a surprise? After being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 1999 by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Hamilton did everything he could to make sure he’d never put up these eye-popping statistics.

He sunk his $4 million signing bonus into alcohol and drugs, using more illegal substances at one point than Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. To this point, Hamilton still doesn’t carry more than $20 in his wallet at any given time due to fear that he’d relapse and have an urge to make a drug-related purchase.

After being released by the Rays and written off as a problem child and a bust, Hamilton made a comeback. The Chicago Cubs drafted him in the 2006 Rule 5 draft and promptly sold him to the Cincinnati Reds. Even a team mired in a 98-year slump wouldn’t take the risk.

After hitting .292 with 19 HR’s in 90 games for the Reds in 2007, Hamilton was sent packing to the Rangers for Edinson Volquez—a trade that’s worked out well for both teams if the Rangers had a legitimate No.1, 2 or 3 starter on their roster.

Athletes with exceptional talent make people take notice. Athletes that have overcome a rough childhood or an extremely bad event in their life provide a feel-good story that makes people want to see them succeed. Hamilton is the very rare case where both are in play and the sky is the limit for a super-talent many are beginning to call, “The Natural.”

HIGH SHOCK LEVEL: Michael Johnson, the American five-time gold medalist and double world-record holder announced he is voluntarily returning one of his gold medals from the Sydney Olympics because it is associated with a former team mate that has admitted to doping.

Johnson’s former relay partner Antonio Pettigrew recently admitted to using steroids and performance enhancing drugs during the 2000 Sydney Games at the Balco trial. Pettigrew’s use of banned substances is far from shocking. It’s simply become impossible for fans to think anyone in track & field is clean anymore—a sad, but true situation.

What is mind-boggling is that Johnson would simply hand over a piece of gold that still signifies his greatness and is something he worked so hard to achieve. Nobody asked him to do this, and without Pettigrew there’s a great chance the relay team still would have heard the “Star Spangled Banner” after the race.

Sure, Johnson still has plenty of gold to fall back on. He could wear a different one every day of the week. But, it’s the gesture that is so surprising and one of the most effective ways an athlete can show he is against the use of PED’s and never wants to be associated with them.

Now, if someone could just convince Jason Giambi to hand over the 2000 AL MVP award to Frank Thomas a true cleansing process in sports would be underway.

ELEVATED SHOCK LEVEL: Near the end of last week, rumors began to swirl about a potential trade where the Chicago Bulls would send the No. 1 pick and a package of players to the Miami Heat for the No. 2 pick and Dwyane Wade.

This surprise factor here is more personal than anything, as I blogged about this last time as more of an opinion than an actual rumor. Granted, I’d been told by my sources that it would be an intriguing option.

That entry appeared at least a week before any of these new rumors began. Therefore, I think it’s only right that I get credit for beginning the rumor mill on this one. It also marks the first time I wrote something in my “GM” mindset that really appears to have the potential to come true.

Hmmmmm, now I wonder if this blog has some famous viewers… maybe some in prominent roles with NBA franchises.

So, for all the best opinions, trade ideas, proposed free agent signings and sports commentary you’ve come to the right place!

(Hey, if Hillary Clinton can turn what was supposed to be a concession speech into a plug to visit hillaryclinton.com, why can’t I do some plugging of my own?)

GUARDED SHOCK LEVEL: Ozzie Guillen went on another tirade Sunday after the White Sox lost their third straight game against the Rays.

"Just be ready because I expect movement Tuesday," Guillen said after the Sox went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position in a loss capped by Gabe Gross' walk-off home run off Matt Thornton on an 0-2 count in the bottom of the 10th inning. "I expect (general manager) Kenny Williams to do something Tuesday, and if we don't do anything Tuesday, there are going to be a lot of lineup changes. That's all I'm going to say about the offense."

"It can be me. It can be (hitting coach) Greg Walker. It can be the players. It could be anybody," he said. "I'm sick and tired to watch this thing for a year and a half. I'm not protecting anybody anymore. [Bleep] it. If they can't get it done, Kenny should find someone to get it done."

Ozzie’s rants are great for radio talk shows and columnists that struggle to find compelling storylines. However, they hardly contain shock value anymore. They definitely shouldn’t be discussed as grounds for a firing on local and national television, either.

There are two things people need to get through their heads in regards to Ozzie:

1—He will continue to say what he wants when he wants because he doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Only White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Ken Williams’ opinions matter. As long as a microphone is in front of his face, Ozzie will give the quote other managers won’t. He’ll give his honest opinion laced with profanity, Williams will need to sit him down like a 3rd grader and explain that it wasn’t right to do that and then all will be forgiven.

2—Ozzie is usually right about what he says. His team has one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, yet the offense is still MIA. Before Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals, the Sox were hitting an anemic .177 with runners in scoring position and two outs. Future Hall of Famer Jim Thome, former All-Star and team captain Paul Konerko and key offseason acquisition Nick Swisher were all hitting under .215.

Despite being in first place, the Sox hold the worst division-leading record in baseball and have failed to build a comfortable cushion over the disappointing Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers. So, Ozzie sent a message by playing with the media—again. If the bats don’t wake up soon and Cleveland remembers how to hit or Detroit finds some capable pitchers, watch out.

Looks like the message may have worked. The Sox scored nine runs Tuesday, including a home run by Swisher. Managers should know their clubhouse better than anyone else. Ozzie has had a good handle on his since he got the job and with a World Series championship under his belt, won’t be going anywhere soon.

Only Greg Walker should have a legitimate gripe here and instead of media members calling for his head after every offbeat remark, relax and realize it’s simply “Ozzie being Ozzie.”

LOW SHOCK LEVEL: Many candidates for the least surprising sports story. Lakers vs. Celtics in the NBA Finals? Yawn. Chicago Cubs fans ready to purchase their World Series DVD’s at the beginning of June? Hilarious, yet not at all surprising.

The best non-headline headline comes courtesy of Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah. Noah has had issues staying out of trouble with the law recently. After being stopped by a police officer, he was found to be in possession of cannabis (marijuana).

Now, why is this not at all surprising? Play along for a minute.

Look at the picture to the right and pretend that you have no idea who this person is. Forget that you saw him win two national championships at Florida or become a lottery pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Heck, you don’t even know he’s seven-feet tall.

What is this person’s most likely occupation based on the picture?

A) Taco Bell cashier
B) High school dropout turned grocery store bagger
C) Janitor
D) A guy you saw on “Dirty Jobs”

What do most employees in these occupations have in common? They love to smoke grass.

Do you think John Paxson’s reaction to this story was a simple shoulder shrug and head-shaking laugh? This was only inevitable and I suppose the only element of surprise is that the arrest occurred in Gainesville, Fla.

I guess Noah wasn’t as recognizable as he thought.

For great NBA Draft previews and analysis visit NaismithLives.com

The Great Debate: Beasley or Rose?

2008-05-23T00:36:00.002-04:00

For the first time in months, I bought a lottery ticket Tuesday night. I figured if the Chicago Bulls could win the NBA draft lottery with 17 out of 1,000 ping pong balls; why can’t I win the lottery in the state of Connecticut—population: 3,504,809?

So, it appears there is no “Curse of Jordan” after all. It also appears that general manager John Paxson can’t screw this up—or at least, I don’t think he can.

The Bulls will definitely add one great player this offseason, but they’d better not stop there. Its current roster is a leading candidate for a new television show—Extreme Makeover: NBA Edition.

Between now and June 26—the night of the 2008 NBA Draft—there will be more mock drafts and debates over whom the Bulls should select than arguments between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

No matter which player Paxson decides is the right pick, it’s impossible to be upset. Both are phenomenal young talents and will most likely hold a permanent spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team for years to come.

Derrick Rose, the local product from Simeon high school, is drawing comparisons to Chris Paul and Deron Williams after a NCAA Tournament run that nearly resulted in a national championship for Memphis. At 6-3, 205 pounds, Rose has all the physical tools to dominate a game. He showed an above average jump shot, terrific poise and elite playmaking ability.

Meanwhile the 6-10, 235 pound Michael Beasley was the clear choice for much of the 2007-08 season. Beasley was absolutely dominant at Kansas State, averaging 26 points and 12 rebounds while bringing a losing program into the national spotlight.

No doubt it’s an extremely difficult decision. However, with the way the Bulls roster is currently constructed, Beasley is the right pick.

Over the last three seasons, the Bulls have lacked a dominant post presence and pure scorer. Not only can he play with his back to the basket and score in the post, he can go outside and get to the rim.

Beasley causes all sorts of match up problems for opponents. He can abuse a quick small forward in the post, but he can also torch a bigger power forward outside. A presence like Beasley will create open space for perimeter-oriented players like Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich to get better looks on their jump shots; while opening up bigger lanes for slashers Larry Hughes and Luol Deng.

If they draft Rose, the team still lacks a dominant scorer and the lane will still clog up like it currently does for every player on the current roster.

Yet, that’s only the tip of the iceberg and Beasley is only the correct choice if the roster is the same in 34 days. In the meantime, Paxson must be active in his efforts to secure another star before the draft. Any and all of the following players must be made available in a package for the right return: Gordon, Hinrich, Deng, Hughes, Joakim Noah, Drew Gooden, Tyrus Thomas and Andres Nocioni.

The possibilities are endless; so let’s have some fun with this.

First and foremost, Paxson should be on the phone with Pat Riley offering him two different scenarios.

Behind door #1: Paxson offers three or four of the above players for the 2nd pick of the draft. Riley comes away with young, talented players to compliment Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion, which should allow them to compete for the playoffs next season. In return, Chicago can draft both Rose and Beasley thus having two potentially great players to build around

Behind door #2: Paxson gets really bold (highly unlikely) and offers the top pick for Wade. The Heat will be in full rebuilding mode but have the same situation described above, while the Bulls get the superstar they’ve coveted since 1999.

Assuming neither scenario with Miami works, Paxson must add another great player via trade or free agency that addresses the need for a big man or at guard.

Maybe the Clippers would deal Elton Brand for a package of players. With a strong post presence in place, the Bulls would be free to draft Rose. Another intriguing option would be sending a package to the Denver Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony. Depending on which players are sent to Denver, the Bulls could then draft either player and instantly have two superstars in the starting lineup.

Should the trade market not yield decent return, Paxson could turn to the free agent pool and make a play for Antawn Jamison or Monta Ellis.

If you want to get really silly, look two years into the future. LeBron James becomes a free agent and there is a strong chance he’ll want out of Cleveland. Would the $30 million clause in his Nike contract plus the potential to play with the draft pick and another talented young player be enough to entice James into coming to the “Windy City?”

Sure, Rose or Beasley might not meet expectations. The statistics for Rose may be inflated by playing inferior competition in Conference USA. Meanwhile, Beasley’s attitude and work ethic have come into question leaving many to draw comparisons to Derrick Coleman.

Paxson has been given a second chance. After failing to land Pau Gasol or Kevin Garnett, he can redeem himself by not standing pat and merely settling for one outstanding addition courtesy of lucking into the No. 1 pick.

Somehow, Paxson must find a way to make this a 2-for-1 situation.

Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge made bold moves last offseason to give the C’s a great chance at a championship this season and next.

An easy choice at the top of the draft coupled with one bold move by Paxson should put the Bulls in championship contention for the next 5-10 years.

Last week, the Bulls were in the worst possible position for an NBA franchise: no shot at winning a championship, yet not bad enough to land an impact player to turn things around.

Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good.

EVERYTHING IS (BLEEPING) WRONG

2008-05-08T02:36:00.004-04:00

Maybe it’s four-dollar-per-gallon gas that leads to $100 fill-ups. Or maybe it’s simply the long-awaited arrival of summer. But the sanity of today’s American society is becoming a serious cause for concern.

In a country neck-deep in a recession, with unemployment rates soaring and a housing market without a market; with a presidential election featuring a woman or a black man that could be the most important in history only about six months away…

And in a world with millions of starving children and somewhere between 22,000-100,000 people’s lives taken from a massive cyclone in Myanmar…

Think Allen Iverson’s famous practice press conference when reading the next line: and we’re talking about two blow-up dolls in a major league clubhouse? Really, blow-up dolls? We’re talking about blow-up dolls, man?

Are you (bleeping) serious?

In a childish attempt to lighten the mood in their clubhouse and end a (bleeping) terrible hitting slump, Chicago White Sox players purchased two blow-up dolls during their recent road trip to Toronto. Then, they propped them up with baseball bats placed in certain areas and featured a sign reading, “You’ve got to keep pushing.”

An immature act by a group of “adults”? Abso(bleeping)lutely. Front-page material and a reason to fire the profanity-filled Ozzie Guillen? Absolutely not.

We’re talking about baseball players, here. Not congressmen. Not professors. Not doctors. Ballplayers have been known for far worse acts such as cocaine use; alcohol abuse and adultery just to name a few. Yet, we’re talking about blow-up dolls… really?

Let’s save the front-page space and national television and radio debates for real news. Events detailing a boating while influenced case by a running back bust qualify as a disaster for the spotlight. Or simply, whenever the (bleeping) Cubs finally win a World Series for the first time in 100 (or more) years.

A quick memo to some professional “journalists”: Before condemning a team and its manager, try covering them for something other than a World Series Championship first. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti thinks it’s okay to call for Guillen’s job and call the White Sox “Chicago’s embarrassment,” while his colleague, Carol Slezak, has no problem calling the Sox a classless organization. Both would be brand new faces in the Sox clubhouse and neither was in Toronto to witness “dollgate.” Their comments merely formed by reading details of the incident as described by others.

Journalists aren’t saints, either. Yet, Mariotti and Slezak think it’s perfectly okay to sit on their throne and criticize others. I’ve worked with many female reporters, most with minds just as dirty as their male counterparts and most that would probably have taken one look at the dolls, giggled and shook their heads at the childish act.

But, that’s the problem with society. A few bad apples will always be (bleeping) pissed about something. Let’s not discuss how Nick Swisher—the main suspect of the doll prank—grew his hair long last season only to cut it off and donate it to chemotherapy patients. And heaven forbid Chicago media give similar coverage to Swisher, John Danks, Toby Hall and Bobby Jenks painting their goatee’s pink to show their support for Breast Cancer on Mother’s Day.

I’ve been in the Sox clubhouse a handful of times over the last few seasons and find the majority of the players to be fun, kind and character-rich individuals. Admittedly, Guillen has his faults--as do most athletes—but I find it refreshing that he is willing to say what’s on his mind. Most of what he says—whether in Spanish, English, a combination of both or a rant filled with bleeps—holds truth.

But lets go ahead and let one questionable act put a permanent dark cloud over a model organization over the past few years.

(Bleeping) unbelievable!

Then, there’s PETA making complete fools of themselves by protesting the death of filly Eight Belles. The horse died a tragic death bringing grief to her breeder, owner, trainer and jockey and these people refuse to step off. If people are insane enough to raise hell over this, they will raise hell over anything.

PETA claims the filly didn’t belong racing with the men. Where are feminist groups raising hell over sexism? Didn’t the filly finish second, beating 18 males?

They blame the jockey, Gabriel Saez, for abusing the horse during the race. This is otherwise known as trying to win—a common practice among jockeys. Latino activist groups should be all over this one.

Let’s put PETA members, hardcore feminists and Latino activists in a “Steel Cage” protest to the death.

Eight Belles ran the race of her life and suffered a painful death immediately afterwards. Nobody is happy about it, but let it go already.

One can only wonder how much better America would be if crazy people focused their attention on more worthwhile issues than (bleeping) blow-up dolls and stopped trying to blame anyone for anything.

(BLEEP!)

A Baker's Dozen: After 13 years, Hawks have Hope

2008-04-18T16:45:00.011-04:00

The doors of the United Center closed on the night of April 13, when thousands of disappointed fans filed out after watching the ultra-disappointing Chicago Bulls fall to the Orlando Magic.

Nine days earlier, the last sheet of ice had melted on the Chicago Blackhawks season with a very similar result. No playoff hockey—again.

But that’s where the similarities between the two franchises came to an end in 2008.

While the Bulls made fans bury their face in their hands, the Hawks gave fans a reason to stand up and cheer. A new era of Blackhawks hockey is (finally) here!

IT ALL STARTS AT THE TOP

There was little doubt when Bill Wirtz passed away on Sept. 26, 2007, that the organization was going to change for the better. Nobody knew just how fast this would occur.

By leaving control of the organization to his son, Rocky, the elder Wirtz was making a statement. It had been widely assumed that another son, Peter, was likely to assume the post left by their father. Yet, Bill showed he still cared—sort of. Wirtz proved that he wasn’t necessarily as cheap as it appeared, merely stubborn.

Knowing Peter was waist deep in the same beliefs, he appointed the son he knew cared more about winning than principles or the almighty dollar. If Bill wasn’t going to be alive, what did he care how much of his money was going to a player?

Rocky immediately got home games televised—not all 41, but a decent amount in a short time to work out any television contract. For the first time in history, all 82 games will be available on television next season. Then, arguably his best move to date came on Nov. 20, 2007, when he lured longtime Chicago Cubs president John McDonough to the same position with the Blackhawks.

McDonough’s presence has already been felt with great ceremonies honoring former greats Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito—a brilliant maneuver to welcome back a past generation of fans and familiarize the new generation with the rich history of the organization. He has planned the first Blackhawks fan convention in mid-July, and in order to keep the positive vibes rolling, has entered into a partnership with the Chicago White Sox for a bit of publicity during the offseason.

Meanwhile, general manager Dale Tallon actually has a pulse on hockey talent—a far cry from Bob Pulford. His last two draft classes were ranked among the best in the NHL, netting future stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane as well as players many don’t know yet such as Billy Sweat, Maxime Tanguay and Akim Aliu.

He rolled the dice by signing Brent Sopel, who became one of the more steady blueliners on the team. He had the guts to trade “can’t miss” prospect Tuomo Ruutu for promising youngster Andrew Ladd, and began the goodwill process towards veteran players by trading Martin LaPointe to the Ottawa Senators in order to give him a chance at the Stanley Cup before his career comes to an end.

Tallon and Wirtz say they plan to add significant pieces during the offseason, possibly opening the checkbook for an elite power play quarterback like Brian Campbell and a quality second-line winger such as Ryan Malone of the Pittsburgh Penguins. A big-ticket free agent will certainly signify the dawning of a new era.

Head coach Denis Savard is learning on the fly, but seems to know when to push the right buttons and how to deal with a team full of young players. Savard is a more laid back, French-speaking Ozzie Guillen. After a lackluster performance in late-January, Savard reminded his team what it means to put on the Indian-head sweater every night and coined the phrase, “Commit to the Indian.” It has become the rally cry of the team and was instantly taken to heart by players and fans alike.

THESE KIDS CAN PLAY

The most talented player on the team (Martin Havlat) played in 35 games. The “All-World” goaltender (Nikolai Khabibulin) has been a miserable failure. Veteran signings Robert Lang, Yanic Perrault and Sergei Samsonov looked, at times, like they could barely skate anymore. Young players had to step up—and did they ever.

The Blackhawks have one of the best young defensive corps in hockey composed of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Cam Barker, Jordan Hendry and James Wisniewski. Keith, the lone All-Star last season, is a truly special player. Logging nearly 26 minutes of ice time per game, Keith finished at +30—second only to Nicklas Lidstrom, the best defender in the world. He also scored 12 goals just for good measure.

Then there’s Toews & Kane—the best thing to happen to Chicago hockey since Jeremy Roenick & Steve Larmer or Hull & Mikita. Longtime fans say there’s an eerie resemblance in comparing Toews to Hull and Kane to Mikita. Toews comes equipped with a Joe Sakic-like laser wrist shot and Kane has the puck seemingly on a string attached to his stick.

Toews is the future leader of the team, nearly given the “C” during his rookie campaign. Veterans and other young players say his attitude is infectious. Some longtime Chicago media members compare his attitude to Michael Jordan, citing the fact that he doesn’t simply “love to win,”—as all athletes do—but, he “HATES to lose.”

Toews plays hard on both ends of the ice and has unbelievable skills. This goal (copy and paste the link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=obp8G2JFgkM), against the Colorado Avalanche instantly became a youtube.com classic and was voted by fans as the top play of the year. In 64 games, Toews scored 24 goals and finished +11.

Meanwhile, Kane’s phenomenal talent overshadows his youth and size. Kane has quick hands, outstanding vision and a playmaker’s mentality. Down the stretch, with the playoffs in sight but still a pipedream, Kane put the team on his back and averaged over a point per game in the last dozen contests. Kane finished the season leading all rookies in points (72) and set the Blackhawks record for most assists as a rookie (51).

Most importantly, Toews & Kane are likable kids that fans of all ages can easily identify with. Toews is a quiet leader that simply goes about his business and plays the game hard every night. Kane, meanwhile, is funny and talkative. He is always flashing a big smile, making it easy to see how much he loves playing in the NHL at age 19.

PERFECT TIMING

A renaissance couldn’t have come at a better time, either. The aforementioned Bulls are in a miserable state. They lack a true superstar, their players have bad attitudes and two of the more likable players—Ben Gordon and Luol Deng—appear selfish after turning down huge contracts prior to the season.

The Chicago Bears followed up a Super Bowl appearance in 2007 by not even making the payoffs. Quarterback roulette continues, and outside of Devin Hester, there isn’t much to get excited about at Halas Hall right now.

Baseball season doesn’t compete against the NHL for more than a few days unless the playoffs are taking place. If the Cubs, White Sox or Blackhawks are in the playoffs at the tail end of their seasons, they deserve all the hype surrounding them anyhow.

The Blackhawks will make the playoffs in 2009 and are set to once again rule Chicago.

It’s been 47 years since the Blackhawks laid claim to Lord Stanley’s Cup. It appears the pieces are finally in place to be a serious contender for the greatest trophy in sports.

The Roar is back and fans of all ages are ready to witness quality hockey once again. When the doors to the United Center open up again in early-October the fans will be wide-eyed, fully committed to the Indian and ready to witness history.

Catching up...

2008-04-10T19:19:00.006-04:00

After taking six weeks to dissect every team in baseball, it’s time to backtrack a bit on major events in the sports world that have occurred during that time.

THE FINAL FOUR turned out to be a disaster on a personal level. My favorite team—UCLA—failed to win it all for the third straight year. While it’s great that being part of the final weekend is becoming an annual event, the only thing that matters at UCLA is championships. I only hope John Wooden will still be alive to see the Bruins win another one!

Then, my least favorite team—Kansas—winds up winning the whole thing. When Jim Nantz uttered, “It’s a Rock Chalk Championship!” as the final seconds ticked off the clock, I literally became violently ill. It was as though I had just consumed live cockroaches while standing in a pile of cow droppings (think Fear Factor).

I vividly remember my tour of the university back in 2001. They sit prospective Jayhawks in a room with their families where a slideshow begins with a history lesson on the basketball program. Not their academic prowess (because they have none) or their beautiful campus and student living facilities (because it’s ugly and their old)—but their basketball program. I’m sure many parents leave feeling comfortable about sending their kids into the middle of nowhere. But hey, at least for the first time in 20 years, their the best at something.

I noticed a disturbing trend during the tournament that has left no doubt in my mind that basketball has a major racial divide. North Carolina center Tyler Hansbrough is smart, ultra-aggressive and has a great motor. Meanwhile UCLA center Kevin Love is big, fundamental and well polished down low. Despite being highly regarded recruits and “potential” NBA lottery picks they apparently are NOT athletic, strong or physically gifted.

So, I can only wonder… if the color of their skin was different would they draw comparisons to Tim Duncan and Elton Brand? Greg Oden was a consensus No. 1 overall pick—and while he is a legitimate seven-footer—what did he prove in his half-season at Ohio State that Hansbrough and Love haven’t?

Early rounds of the tournament were infinitely better than in 2007, late rounds not so much. What’s the fun in seeing all No. 1 seeds advance? Better get used to it if the new NBA collective bargaining agreement goes through—and all indications are that it will. NBA commissioner David Stern has proposed a minimum of two years before players can declare for the NBA draft. While I love the idea, it means that powerhouse programs will continue to get the elite high school players and keep them for a longer amount of time. This means not only does their superior skill get to shine but they can also grow with their teammates.

Just imagine Kevin Durant on the 2008 Texas Longhorns…undefeated National Champions. Just sayin’.

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS are underway! Unfortunately, it still doesn’t appear that anyone cares.

Despite losing game 1 of their series with the Calgary Flames, the San Jose Sharks are a well-oiled machine and my pick to hoist the cup. After a nice comeback season, it would be great to see Jeremy Roenick win it all.

While the best teams reside in the western conference, the best talent is out east. I highly recommend watching the Pittsburgh Penguins for the rare hockey viewer. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa score more often than Kim Kardashian.

In addition, you can play a little drinking game with Washington Capitals’ 65-goal scorer Alex Ovechkin. The best player in the world takes 8-10 shots per game and each has a chance of finding the back of the net. Every time he shoots and there’s a save, take a shot of vodka (he’s Russian). Every time he scores, chug a beer.

It should make hockey much more entertaining for those that don’t currently appreciate it. In worst-case scenario, you’ll still find it boring but you’re drunk and ready to go out and have a good time.

THE WESTERN CONFERENCE race is the best thing to happen to the NBA since Michael Jordan. One night a team is in third place with home court advantage and the next night they’re in sixth and only one game from sitting at home during the playoffs.

Every team except the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs plays an entertaining brand of basketball, featuring a high-scoring offense and zero defense; which is exactly why the Spurs will win the conference yet again.

If the Dallas Mavericks fail to make the playoffs after acquiring Jason Kidd, does Avery Johnson get fired? Seeing the look on Mark Cuban’s face as he sits courtside and watches his franchise implode is priceless. It’s much how I’d imagine a man’s face would look if he was tied up and forced to watch his wife have an affair.

BRETT FAVRE says goodbye and I cried a bit when he began to breakdown during the press conference. That means I officially ran the gamut of emotions with Favre.

When he first began, I was pissed that he spelled his last name nothing like it was pronounced and commend Ben Stiller for addressing the issue in “There’s something about Mary.”

I hated Favre for torturing the Bears for my entire childhood. Seriously, there were Sunday’s where he picked the defense apart so bad that they may as well have not dressed for the game.

Then, Favre was a part of my first ever experience as a member of the media when I covered Bears vs. Packers on a Sunday night in 2000. Afterwards--in the Packers locker room—I kindly asked Favre if I could ask him a question (not realizing I unintentionally had already done so). Between bites of a sandwich he looked up and said, “sorry son, but if it was that important you could have asked me in the media session (after the game).” Good point and a lesson learned.

On the same night, Favre broke one of Dan Marino’s records: something about throwing for at least 3,000 yards for 10 straight seasons. It was then that I was ready to admit the he was pretty good and started to respect his greatness.

Later in his career, when he was clearly past his prime, I was thrilled that the Bears could finally sack him once a game. An event that never seemed to take place early in his career.

Then, when he retired, I realized that the greatest quarterback I’d ever seen was gone and a great part of the historic rivalry would no longer be a part of it.

Just for the record, I leave you with the list of Bears’ QB’s since Favre began his career with the Packers:

Since Brett Favre joined the Packers in 1992, the Bears have tried 21 different quarterbacks. While with the Bears, those 21 QBs have totaled 11,343 passing yards fewer than Favre's NFL-best mark of 61,405. A look at the 21, in order:

QUARTERBACK YARDS
Jim Harbaugh 3,818
Peter Tom Willis 1,261
Will Furrer 89
Steve Walsh 2,078
Erik Kramer 10,582
Dave Krieg 2,278
Shane Matthews 3,461
Steve Stenstrom 1,359
Rick Mirer 420
Moses Moreno 166
Cade McNown 3,111
Jim Miller 5,867
Chris Chandler 2,073
Henry Burris 207
Kordell Stewart 1,418
Rex Grossman 5,907
Chad Hutchinson 903
Craig Krenzel 718
Jonathan Quinn 413
Kyle Orton 2,053
Brian Griese 2,023
TOTAL: 50,062
Sources: nfl.com, profootball-reference.com

AL CENTRAL PREVIEW

2008-03-30T14:12:00.009-04:00

5—MINNESOTA TWINS: No team lost more talent and cornerstone pieces in the offseason than the Twins. Their ace, Johan Santana, was dealt to the Mets; while gold glove CF Torii Hunter took the money and ran to Anaheim.

The pitching rotation was left in shambles by the departure of Santana and Carlos Silva. Scott Baker (9-9, 4.26 ERA) and Boof Bonser (8-12, 5.10) are the only regular starters left from 2007. Livan Hernandez (11-11, 4.93) will eat innings but hardly pick up the slack left from the Santana trade. The rotation could get a huge boost if 24-year-old Francisco Liriano can find success near what he had in 2006 (12-3, 2.16) before an injury ended his season and forced him to miss all of ’07. Liriano has video-game type stuff but he paid a price for a violent motion. The Twins are banking that he can become the next Johan Santana. Luckily, Minnesota still has a terrific bullpen anchored by Joe Nathan (37 saves, 1.88 ERA). Matt Guerrier (2.35 ERA) and Pat Neshek (2.94 ERA) will play vital roles in holding onto any leads the Twins grab early in the game.

The lineup still features talented hitters such as catcher Joe Mauer (.293 average) and 2006 MVP Justin Morneau (31 home runs, 111 RBI). The Twins took a gamble when they sent talented young pitcher Matt Garza to Tampa Bay in exchange for LF Delmon Young (.288—13—93). Young has the potential to be a special talent at the plate and ease the loss of Hunter. Other regulars such as Mike Lamb, Adam Everett, Brendan Harris and Carlos Gomez won’t produce much offensively.

Minnesota got hit hard by their small market status and it might take a few years for them to contend in the top-heavy AL Central.

4—KANSAS CITY ROYALS: For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Royals appear headed in the right direction. While they still lost 93 games last season, they provided a headache for most teams and could no longer be circled on the opposition’s schedule as “vacation.”

The pitching rotation still has problems at the back, but Gil Meche (9-13, 3.67) turned into a legit ace and should have won at least five more games than he did. Brian Bannister (12-9, 3.87) came out of nowhere to have a very solid season. After being rushed to the majors and dealing with some mental issues shortly after, Zack Grienke (7-7, 3.69) finally began to show his talent after the All-Star break in 2007.

Many of the talented young players that the organization has patiently waited for to develop started to make strides last season. 3B Alex Gordon finished with 15 HR’s and a .247 average after struggling to stay above .200 for the first half of his rookie campaign. DH Billy Butler (.292, 52 RBI in 92 games) and LF Mark Teahen showed promise as well. The lineup, sprinkled with a nice mix of veterans--Mark Grudzielanek, David DeJesus, Ross Gload and Jose Guillen—should produce far more runs than in year’s past.

Fans at Kaufman Stadium are still a long way from seeing the Royals compete for the division. There will still be plenty of games where the dancing waterfalls in the outfield are more entertaining than the team. But, things are starting to turn around and the team has quality young talent. The Royals still might only win 70 games, but moving up a spot in the toughest division in baseball is nothing to look down upon.

3—CHICAGO WHITE SOX: After winning 99 games in 2005 and 90 games in 2006, the Sox had a miserable 72-win season in 2007. General manager Ken Williams left key pieces intact, but did a substantial overhaul on the roster.

Stars in the middle of the lineup such as Jim Thome (.275—35—96), Paul Konerko (.251—31—90), Jermaine Dye (.254—28—78) and A.J. Pierzynski (.263) all had seasons well below their career averages. Williams believes that their drive to succeed will lead to substantial improvement. He also acquired high on-base percentage players such as Nick Swisher (.381 OBP, 22 HR, 78 RBI) and SS Orlando Cabrera (.301 average, .345 OBP) with the hope that more home runs will be hit with runners aboard. Cuban defector Alexei Ramirez has shined in spring training and drawn comparisons to Alfonso Soriano. Ramirez can play centerfield, shortstop or second base and be a sparkplug for the offense.

Behind ace Mark Buehrle (10-9, 3.63) and Javier Vazquez (15-8, 3.74 with 213 K’s) the rotation has major issues. John Danks and Gavin Floyd are unproven and inconsistent—at best. The key will be 36-year-old Jose Contreras. After a terrific 2005 and solid ’06, Contreras was atrocious in ’07, (10-17, 5.57). If he can’t rebound, three of every five games could be a disaster on the mound. Closer Bobby Jenks (40 saves, 2.77 ERA) has developed into one of the best closers in the game with a fastball in the high-90’s and a slurve that can be impossible to hit at times. The bullpen had problems getting the ball to Jenks in ’07, so Williams signed Scott Linebrink (3.55) and Octavio Dotel to lucrative deals. If flame-throwing Matt Thornton and former closer Mike MacDougal can bounce back, the bullpen could be outstanding.

There is no doubt the White Sox will be better then they were a year ago. The question is how much better? The Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers are two of the best teams in baseball and could each win over 100 games. A 30-game turn around might be a bit too much for the pale hose.

2—CLEVELAND INDIANS: One win away from the World Series and no significant departures have the Indians primed for another run at the pennant. Only one problem—they aren’t the best team in their own division.

CF Grady Sizemore (.277—24—78—33 stolen bases) continues to post terrific all-around numbers while Victor Martinez (.301—25—114) is the best hitting catcher in baseball. After struggling at the plate in 2007 (.266—24—100), expect a monster year from Travis Hafner. 1B Ryan Garko (.289, 21 HR’s) doesn’t have many holes in his swing, while 2B Asdrubal Cabrera and LF Franklin Gutierrez are exciting young players.

C.C. Sabathia (19-7, 3.21) is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. In a contract year, his numbers should be even better as he will win the AL Cy Young award. Paired with Fausto Carmona (19-8, 3.06), the top-2 in Cleveland’s rotation are absolutely dominant. But, the Indians need veterans Jake Westbrook (6-9) and Cliff Lee (5-8) to find some of the success they one enjoyed earlier in their careers. Closer Joe Borowski (45 saves, 5.07 ERA) is as shaky as they come at the back of the bullpen and is a prime candidate to blow crucial games that could come back to haunt the tribe.

The Indians will win over 100 games and compete for the division until the end. They’ll fall just short, but make the playoffs as the wild card.

1—DETROIT TIGERS: The Tigers had the best offseason of any team in baseball, and the additions to their offense may make them the most dominant lineup EVER. No exaggeration, this team can score 1,200 runs in 2008. Not possible you say? Take a look:

1—CF Curtis Granderson: Hit .302 with 23 HR’s, 74 RBI and 26 stolen bases in only his second season. So talented, his numbers should only improve.
2—2B Placido Polanco: Hit .341 and drove in 67 runs, he is widely considered the best No. 2 hitter in baseball. Polanco has terrific bat control and sprays the ball to all fields.
3—DH Gary Sheffield: Belted 25 HR’s and had 75 RBI despite showing signs of age. He’s getting older, but his wrists remain lightning quick.
4—RF Magglio Ordonez: Posted MVP-caliber numbers by hitting .363 with 28 HR’s and 139 RBI. As long as he is healthy, there’s no reason he won’t come close to doing that again.
5—3B Miguel Cabrera: One of the most talented hitters in baseball, he hit .320 with 34 HR’s and 119 RBI. It’s extremely possible he wins the Triple Crown award.
6—1B Carlos Guillen: The switch hitter adds balance to the lineup and should reset the table after the bases are cleared by the heart of the order. Usually an afterthought, Guillen hit .296 with 21 HR’s and 102 RBI.
7—SS Edgar Renteria: Lost in the blockbuster deal to land Cabrera was the acquisition of Renteria. He only hit .332 and drove in 57 runs last season.
8—C Ivan Rodriguez: Oh yeah, that guy! The former AL MVP isn’t the hitter he used to be, but hitting in the 8th slot, who cares? He still hit .281 and had 63 RBI in ’07.
9—LF Jacque Jones: No player experiences hot and cold streaks like Jones. But, when your No. 9 hitter is a veteran that hit .285 with 66 RBI it’s the stamp on a loaded lineup.

With that being said, the Tigers may need every one of those 1,200 runs. After Cy Young contender Justin Verlander (18-6, 3.66) there isn’t a sure thing on the staff. Kenny Rogers is 41 years old and injuries limited him to 11 games last season. After going 9-1 with a 3.48 ERA in the first half of ’07, Jeremy Bonderman fell off the table in the second half to the tune of 2-8 with a 7.38 ERA. He has yet to put together a full season of quality pitching. Meanwhile, Dontrelle Willis (10-15, 5.17) is coming off the worst season of his career and had an awful spring. It doesn’t help that he must face tougher lineups in the AL. The bullpen is in shambles as setup men Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney are both out with arm injuries. 40-year-old Todd Jones (38 saves, 4.26 ERA) isn’t a safe bet anymore, either.

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2008 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

NLDS: METS over DODGERS, CUBS over DIAMONDBACKS
ALDS: INDIANS over RED SOX, TIGERS over MARINERS

NLCS: METS over CUBS
ALCS: INDIANS over TIGERS

WORLD SERIES: INDIANS over METS

AL EAST PREVIEW

2008-03-23T13:22:00.006-04:00

5—BALTIMORE ORIOLES: The O’s will give the A’s a run for worst team in baseball as full rebuilding mode has begun after trades that sent Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard packing. Another trade that could send 2B Brian Roberts out the door could take place any day, and 3B Melvin Mora has expressed displeasure and dropped hints that he’d like to be moved as well.

CF Adam Jones is the key to the rebuilding process after coming over from Seattle in the Bedard deal. Jones is regarded as a 5-tool player and could be very special down the road. Paired with RF Nick Markakis (.300 average, 23 home runs, 112 RBI’s), and it appears the Orioles at least have some direction. Remaining veterans such as 1B Kevin Millar, catcher Ramon Hernandez and DH Aubrey Huff will help teach the youngsters the ropes until they are dealt for prospects down the road.

Jeremy Guthrie (7-5, 3.70 ERA) takes over the ace spot Bedard had held, but is far from an ace on a team looking to compete. Highly touted youngsters Adam Loewen and Garrett Olson will get every chance to prove their worth, and it would be nice if Daniel Cabrera (9-18, 5.55) would ever come close to meeting his potential. Nothing is more worthless than a good bullpen on a bad team, which is exactly the case in Baltimore. 30-year-old George Sherrill was named the closer for the first time in his career. Former closers Chris Ray and Danys Baez surround him, along with setup men Chad Bradford and Jamie Walker.

4—TAMPA BAY RAYS: The “Devil” is no longer haunting the Rays as a young, talented and exciting team will take the field in Tampa. For the first time in franchise history, the Rays will finish over .500—lets say at 84-78.

LF Carl Crawford (.315, 50 stolen bases) and CF B.J. Upton (.300—24—82—22 stolen bases) will propel the lineup to score plenty of runs , while making sure that many balls fail to find the ground in the outfield. Scouts believe 3B Evan Longoria is a special player. Meanwhile 1B Carlos Pena (46 HR, 121 RBI) appears to have finally tapped the unlimited talent Oakland GM Billy Beane saw when he thought Pena could easily replace Jason Giambi. Pena is already the best power hitter in franchise history and is the key to the Rays finding more offensive success then in year’s past.

Scott Kazmir (13-9, 3.48, 239 strikeouts) remains the ace, but he has help in the rotation for the first time. He also needs to decrease his pitch count and stop worrying about the strikeout. James Shields (12-8, 3.85) is the best young pitcher in baseball that nobody knows about. The acquisition of Matt Garza—from the Twins for Delmon Young—adds depth to the rotation. Andy Sonnanstine’s windup gives hitters headaches and he should improve on his 6-10 record with more experience. The bullpen still has question marks as Troy Percival was signed to close games after finding success with the Cardinals following a brief retirement in 2006. Al Reyes and Dan Wheeler are solid, yet inconsistent in the setup role, and the bullpen is missing a legitimate left-hander.

3—NEW YORK YANKEES: There’s a new acting owner (Hank Steinbrenner) and a new manager (Joe Girardi) in the Bronx. Yet, it continues to be the same story as it has been the last few seasons.

The Yanks have a great offense, with a former or current All-Star at nearly every position. 3B Alex Rodriguez, the 2007 AL MVP after posting a .314 average with 54 HR’s, 156 RBI, 24 stolen bases and 143 runs scored leads the way. Shortstop and team captain Derek Jeter continues to be one of the best pure hitters in baseball. Catcher Jorge Posada (.338—20—90) shows no signs of slowing down, and neither does RF Bobby Abreu, who still drove in 101 RBI and scored 123 runs despite only hitting 16 HR’s. Johnny Damon appears to be slowing down and will move to left field. But, talented youngsters such as Melky Cabrera and 2B Robinson Cano (.306—19—97) keep the lineup strong. No doubt about it, the “Bronx Bombers” will score plenty of runs.

However, not much was done to address the pitching staff. Chien-Ming Wang (19-7, 3.70) has developed into an ace as his sinker is the best in baseball. Andy Pettite (15-9, 4.05) and Mike Mussina (11-10, 5.15) are on their last legs and their numbers are inflated by winning slugfests. They can no longer be leaned on as heavily as in the past. 21-year-old Phil Hughes showed flashes of brilliance in ’07 and might be the key to the Yankees making the playoffs for the 14th straight season.

The bullpen will also be relied on quite a bit and closer Mariano Rivera began to show signs of age despite saving 30 games and finishing with a 3.15 ERA. Joba Chamberlain (0.38 ERA in 19 games) is phenomenal and will need to shoulder an even bigger workload in 2008. The bullpen lacks depth, as Kyle Farnsworth (4.80) is inconsistent and free agent acquisition LaTroy Hawkins couldn’t handle the pressure of Wrigley Field and surely won’t be able to deal with New York.

For the first time since 1994, the Yankees are sitting at home when the playoffs begin. In part because they aren’t as good as another team in their division and in part because of the quantity of great teams in the American League.

2—TORONTO BLUE JAYS: Offense hasn’t been the problem over the past few seasons north of the border. Pitching and defensive deficiency has kept the Jays from competing in the AL East. But that’s about to change.

Key moves in the offseason improved the defense, while adding character and leadership to a clubhouse lacking in both categories. LF Shannon Stewart, 3B Scott Rolen and SS David Eckstein all bring intangibles that will guide the Blue Jays to a better record. Anything they provide at the plate will be a bonus since the Blue Jays are already strong in that area.

It was clear that CF Vernon Wells (.245—16—80) put too much pressure on himself after signing a massive contract extension before the ’07 season. His numbers should return to near his career averages (.281—28—97). Meanwhile, RF Alex Rios (.297—24—85) has become a terrific young hitter. DH Frank Thomas (.277—26—95) is healthy and continues to hit. While he’s focused on the long ball each of the past two seasons to try reaching 500 for his career, he reunited with former hitting coach Walt Hriniak during the offseason. Hriniak helped Thomas win back-to-back MVP awards with the White Sox in the mid-90’s. Assuming he stays healthy, Thomas could post MVP-caliber numbers in 2008.

Roy Halladay (16-7, 3.71) is a legitimate Cy Young contender every season. A.J. Burnett still has nasty stuff but injuries have prevented him from reaching the 200-inning plateau since signing with Toronto in 2006. Youngsters Shaun Marcum (12-6) and Jesse Litsch got valuable experience last season and should only improve. Jeremy Accardo (30 saves) held down the fort after B.J. Ryan needed Tommy John surgery. Ryan is on the comeback trail, and upon his return will make the bullpen strong.

1—BOSTON RED SOX: The defending World Series champions may be better than last year after an infusion of young talent that provides an outstanding mix of youth and experience.

CF Jacoby Ellsbury showed off his talent and Michael Johnson-esque speed in the playoffs. He could realistically steal 75 bases in ’08. 3B Mike Lowell (.324—21—120) won’t put up the numbers he did last season. But, he won’t have to because LF Manny Ramirez (.296—20—88) will have a much better season with the possibility of a new contract in 2009. With a season under his belt in high-pressure Fenway Park, RF J.D. Drew will also hit better barring injury, of course. DH David Ortiz (.332—35—117) will once again post MVP-caliber numbers, while catcher Jason Varitek and 1B Kevin Youkilis provide consistent bats no matter where they hit in the lineup.

Josh Beckett (20-7, 3.27) always had the talent to win a Cy Young, and as long as he stays healthy there’s no reason to think he won’t post similar numbers. In limited action, Clay Buchholz showed why he could quickly become one of the best young pitchers in the game. With Curt Schilling likely lost for the season, Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-12, 4.40) will need to improve, while Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield keep the team in games and let the offense pull it out.

Jonathan Papelbon (37 saves, 1.85 ERA, 84 strikeouts in 58.1 innings) has become one of the best closers in baseball. LHP Hideki Okajiima had a terrific rookie season, but once hitters get past his deceptive motion, his success might be short-lived like many Japanese relievers. Veteran Mike Timlin and young flamethrower Manny Delcarmen help solidify the bullpen ahead of Papelbon.

Until somebody knocks them off their throne, the BoSox are the team to beat out East.

2008 AL WEST PREVIEW

2008-03-16T19:28:00.005-04:00

4—OAKLAND ATHLETICS: In typical Billy Beane fashion, a complete rebuilding phase is underway again in Oakland. Third baseman Eric Chavez remains and DH Jack Cust (26 home runs, 82 RBI) had a breakout year in 2007. The rest of the lineup is made up of youngsters (Travis Buck, Daric Barton, Chris Denorfia, Kurt Suzuki) who will be learning on the fly; or veterans (Emil Brown, Bobby Crosby, Mark Ellis) that will provide little offensively. The A’s won’t score many runs this season.

After trading Dan Haren, Joe Blanton (14-10, 3.95 ERA) becomes the new ace—that is, if he isn’t traded. Rumors have been swirling for months that teams such as the Dodgers and New York Yankees are interested in acquiring Blanton. Don’t be surprised if he is dealt by the trade deadline. It would be nice if Rich Harden could stay healthy for once—but that’s not a safe bet. The rotation has been left in such a bad state that key setup man Justin Duchscherer may be called upon to start for the first time since 2003, when he started a total of 3 times. An impressive spring by lefty Gio Gonzalez—acquired in the Nick Swisher trade—would be a huge bonus for the pitching staff.

Bottom line: The A’s are the worst team in baseball, but history says Beane’s team won’t stay like that for very long.

3—TEXAS RANGERS: It’s the same old story for the Rangers: Don’t mess with the Texas offense! Shortstop Michael Young (.315, 94 RBI) had a down year in 2007, but remains one of the best pure hitters in the game. His double play partner, 2B Ian Kinsler, hit .288 after the All-Star break and continues to look more comfortable at the plate. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, acquired in the Mark Teixeira trade, has incredible talent. Combined with feel-good story Josh Hamilton (.292, 19 HR’s) and a healthy Hank Blalock, the Rangers lineup could provide nightmares for opposing pitchers.

However, plenty of teams are going to mess with the Texas pitchers. After leading the AL in ERA in 2006, Kevin Millwood (10-14, 5.16) experienced the trouble of pitching in Arlington in the sweltering heat of summer. Vicente Padilla and Brandon McCarthy (5-10) both battled injuries last season. Free agent signing Jason Jennings (2-9) might eat innings but won’t provide many victories. It’s quite possible that no pitcher in the starting rotation finishes with a winning record, thus making the bullpen relatively worthless.

2—LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM: Perennial MVP candidate Vladimir Guerrero (.324—27—125) finally has some help in the batting order in the form of CF Torii Hunter. It couldn’t come at a better time, as Guerrero is 32 years old and showed some signs of slowing down in ’07. Hunter (.287—28—107) had the best season of his career last year—just in time to land a hefty contract. Second baseman Howie Kendrick (.322 average in 88 games) appears to be a special player and provides youth to a lineup that relies on aging veterans such as Garret Anderson (.297—16—80 in 108 games), Chone Figgins (.330, 31 stolen bases) and Gary Matthews.

The pitching depth will be put to the test early as injuries have already hit 2007 Cy Young candidates John Lackey (19-9, 3.01) and Kelvim Escobar (18-7, 3.40). Offseason acquisition Jon Garland is key to the success of the 2008 Angels. He has won 46 games over the last three seasons, but only 10 in 2007. As a third or fourth starter, he’s great but if injuries force him higher in the rotation he could struggle. Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana round out the deepest rotation in the AL and one could be dealt for an extra bat during the season.

The bullpen is also an area of strength with Justin Speier (2.88 ERA) and Scot Shields (3.86 ERA) setting up All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez (40 saves, 2.81 ERA, 90 strikeouts in 67.1 innings).

1—SEATTLE MARINERS: While the Angels have the most depth in their rotation, the Mariners have more quality. No team in baseball got as many wins from its starters in ‘07 as the Mariners have in their current rotation. Quality pitching wins games and will win the AL West.

The acquisition of Erik Bedard (13-5, 3.16 ERA, 221 K’s) catapulted Seattle to legit contender status. Teamed with young phenom Felix Hernandez (14-7, 3.92 ERA), and the Mariners may have the best 1-2 punch in baseball. But the rest of the rotation is solid as well. Jarrod Washburn (10 wins), Carlos Silva (13 wins) and Miguel Batista (16-11) each have playoff experience, will keep the team in most of their starts and pitch deep into games.

It would be one thing if the Mariners didn’t have the bullpen to back up their starters. But, they might have the deepest bullpen in the league as well. J.J. Putz (40 saves, 1.38 ERA) has developed into one of the best closers in baseball. In front of him our quality relievers Cha Seung Baek, Brandon Morrow, Sean Green and Ryan Rowland-Smith.

Ichiro (.351, 238 hits, 37 stolen bases) leads a balanced offense and shows no signs of slowing down. Raul Ibanez (105 RBI) is as consistent a run producer as there is. Catcher Kenji Johjima will hit close to .300 again and 3B Adrian Beltre (26 HR, 99 RBI) finally began to earn some of his big contract. Yuniesky Betancourt continues to improve at the plate and is already one of the best fielding shortstops in the AL. If Richie Sexson can provide more than his .205 average and 21 HR’s from a season ago, the lineup could make life rather easy for the pitchers.

NL WEST PREVIEW

2008-03-09T17:00:00.009-04:00

5—SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: The Giants are praying for the biggest case of addition by subtraction in the history of sports. The Barry Bonds era is over, leading to spring training full of happy faces and positive attitudes. There’s no longer a division in the locker room, but at the same time there’s no longer a consistent source of home runs.

Last season’s returning home run leader is Bengie Molina (19 HR). After failing to land a premium power bat in free agency, they settled on centerfielder Aaron Rowand, coming off the best season of his career (.309, 27 HR, 89 RBI). Rowand is the extreme opposite of Bonds when it comes to attitude, he also won’t strike fear into the heart of an opposing pitcher. Other than 1B Dan Ortmeier, the rest of the lineup is the oldest in the league as it features Dave Roberts, Randy Winn, Ray Durham, Omar Vizquel and Rich Aurilia. Expect the Giants to make a strong push for White Sox 3B Joe Crede before the season begins.

The Giants will play a load of close games because their rotation is strong. Only problem is that every team in the division boasts a strong rotation. Barry Zito (11-13, 4.53) had his second straight disappointing season and needs to be the Cy Young candidate many expected if the Giants hope to still be playing meaningful games in June. Matt Cain (7-16, 3.65) suffered more tough losses than anyone in baseball—a trend that should continue with their current offense. Tim Lincecum showed flashes of brilliance, and could be a future ace if he isn’t dealt for a bat. Meanwhile, Noah Lowry has arm problems that will sideline him for at least the first month of the season. The bullpen is young, but relatively irrelevant as there won’t be many leads to protect.

4—SAN DIEGO PADRES: One can only scratch their head when trying to figure out the offensive philosophy of the franchise. After realizing power hitters couldn’t put up good numbers in spacious PETCO Park, the goal was to bring in speed and gap hitters. However, the lineup seriously lacks speed.

They acquired Jim Edmonds from the Cardinals, but Edmonds (.252) won’t hit the gaps because he doesn’t hit much of anything these days. Brian Giles will hit the gaps, but should no longer be counted on to hit .300. 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff had an atrocious start to his rookie season but opened eyes with a .317 average after the All-Star break. He’ll need to carry that over if the Padres hope to play more than 162 games. Adrian Gonzalez had a down year and still hit 30 HR’s and drove in 100 runs. However, his average dipped 22 points (.304 in 2006 to .282 in ’07) and that needs to get back up.

Jake Peavy (19-6, 2.54, 240 K’s) should have won the NL Cy Young in 2007. If Chris Young can put together a full season of dominance, they might be the best 1-2 punch in the league. However, his numbers fell off the table in the second half. After going 8-3 with a 2.00 ERA, he only managed a 1-5 mark with a 4.80 ERA in an injury-riddled second half. After the top two, the rest of the rotation is full of question marks. Greg Maddux will be 42 on April 14 and is simply a .500 pitcher at this point. Randy Wolf and Mark Prior have spent more time in the doctor’s office throughout their career than on the mound. If the Padres get even three wins from Prior, it would be shocking. Trevor Hoffman is the best closer ever—unless it’s a big game.

3—COLORADO ROCKIES: There is a distinct difference between being “very good” and being “very hot.” During their remarkable run to the World Series last season, the Rockies made many forget that they weren’t that good for much of the year. They simply got real hot at the best possible time. In 2008, they’re going to have to be good right out of the gate to win the NL’s best division.

The lineup remains the best in the division led by the player that should have been NL MVP in ’07—Matt Holliday (.340—36—137). Brad Hawpe, Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins provide pop throughout the rest of the lineup. The Rockies can’t afford for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to encounter a sophomore slump. He’ll need to come close to his numbers from last season when he hit .291 with 24 HR’s and 99 RBI. The departure of 2B Kaz Matsui didn’t gain much attention, but it could have a negative impact. He was brilliant last season in the all-important No. 2 spot in the lineup. He hit for power when called upon and also got on base, stole bases and set the table for the pop in the middle.

It’s very disappointing that management didn’t do more to strengthen the starting rotation after seeing the effect that pitching deep into October had on prior World Series teams such as the 2005 White Sox, and 2006 Cardinals and Tigers. Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook are solid, but not spectacular at the front of the rotation. Flamethrower Ubaldo Jimenez may be the key to the success of the 2008 Rockies. Former closer Brian Fuentes took his demotion well and became a terrific setup man to Manny Corpas. The addition of workhorse Luis Vizcaino makes the bullpen one of the best in the league.

2—LOS ANGELES DODGERS: Ever since Tommy Lasorda left the dugout, a winning attitude has been missing in L.A. While managers are only as good as their players, the hiring of Joe Torre was pure genius. He’ll bring that championship attitude back and guide the Dodgers to the postseason.

The Dodgers finally got the big bat they’d been lacking with the signing of Andruw Jones. While his average may hover around .250, 30-40 home runs will help offset that. Juan Pierre (196 hits, 64 stolen bases) and Rafael Furcal (25 stolen bases in an injury riddled 2007) form an elite pair of table setters at the top of the lineup. Russell Martin (.293—19--87) is the best hitting catcher in the league. The continued development of terrific young talents such as Matt Kemp and James Loney could make the lineup a pain for opposing pitchers, especially if veterans Jeff Kent and Nomar Garciaparra can provide anything substantial.

Brad Penny has developed into a legitimate ace, but it will be impending free agent Derek Lowe (12-14, 3.88) that will have the big season. Nothing pushes a guy to perform at an outstanding level more than a big payday around the corner. Chad Billingsley (12-5, 3.31) provides depth to the rotation. Closer Takashi Saito (39 saves, 1.40 ERA) has made people forget about Eric Gagne real fast. If teams don’t have a lead on the Dodgers by the 6th inning, forget about it. Jonathan Broxton, Scott Proctor, Joe Beimel and a healthy Yhency Brazoban will slam the door shut until Saito enters.

1—ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: The D’Backs had an uncanny way of just finding ways to win games in 2007—and they did so down the stretch without All-Star 2B Orlando Hudson. A healthy Hudson and the continued development of their young stars make them the favorite to win the “Wild, Wild West.”

Arizona will count on centerfielder Chris Young to provide most of their pop. His 32 home runs during his rookie campaign were nice, but he needs to raise his .237 average and cut down on the 141 strikeouts from a year ago. A full season for phenom Justin Upton and 3B Mark Reynolds should help along with a healthy Chad Tracy. Don’t expect Eric Byrnes to come close to the all-around numbers (.286—21—83 with 50 stolen bases) he posted last season.

The offense just needs to be consistent—not outstanding—because the pitching staff is the best in the league from top to bottom. Reigning Cy Young Brandon Webb (18-10, 3.01) will be challenged for the award by key offseason acquisition Dan Haren (15-9, 3.07). Doug Davis (13-12) and Micah Owings will eat innings in the back of the rotation and give the team a chance to win most games they start. Of course, how can you forget about Randy Johnson? If he can provide anything, the rotation could have five pitchers reach double-digit wins. After trading closer Jose Valverde for setup man Chad Qualls, Brandon Lyon gets first crack in the closer role. He lacks dominant stuff, so expect Tony Pena to take over sometime around the All-Star break if not earlier.

NL EAST PREVIEW

2008-03-01T16:28:00.006-05:00

5—WASHINGTON NATIONALS: General manager Jim Bowden has brought a host of former Reds along with the team to their new digs of National Park. On paper, Bowden has put together a formidable lineup led by former Reds players Austin Kearns, Wily Mo Pena and Felipe Lopez. Another ex-Red, Aaron Boone, was brought in during the offseason with the hope that he can provide a boost. Another ex-Red, Dmitri Young, hopes to improve on the career-best .320 average he posted in 2007. Along with Young, 3B Ryan Zimmerman (.266, 24 home runs, 91 RBI) is the only consistent offensive force.

Lastings Milledge was an intriguing pick-up and has star potential. Bowden hopes a change of scenery will benefit him. The rest of the lineup is composed of veterans with inconsistent histories such as Nick Johnson, Paul Lo Duca, Cristian Guzman and Ronnie Belliard. If they can catch lightning in a bottle, the offense could be allright.

However, the starting rotation is composed of average pitchers—at best. That explains why Tim Redding has a shot at making the rotation when the Nationals break camp. Ace Shawn Hill posted a nice 3.42 ERA in an injury-shortened season; with only 25 games started in his career he is too inexperienced to lead a rotation.

4—FLORIDA MARLINS: Rebuilding mode is back in full force in south Florida after the team traded away Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis—the last remaining pieces from the 2003 World Series team.

The supremely talented Hanley Ramirez ushers in the new era, and he might just be the most talented player in baseball. Don’t believe me? Last season, Ramirez hit .332 with 29 HR’s, 81 RBI, 51 stolen bases, 48 doubles and six triples. At age 24, Ramirez finished just one homer and two doubles away from joining an elite club of players to hit at least 30 HR’s, swipe 50 bags and hit 50 doubles in the same season. How elite? He would be the founding member.

Up-and-coming players such as Josh Willingham, Dan Uggla, Mike Jacobs and Jeremy Hermida provide plenty of hope as their numbers improved from their rookie season. 20-year-old Cameron Maybin, the prized return from the Cabrera-Willis trade is considered a 5-tool player and could really shorten the transition years.

Scott Olsen (10-15, 5.81 ERA) has the stuff of an ace, but must show improved attitude to fulfill his maximum potential. Sergio Mitre also showed promising signs, posting a 2.85 ERA before the All-Star break. However, as he greatly surpassed his career-high innings pitched mark, his ERA jumped to 7.27 in the second half. Better conditioning and arm strength are a necessity. Another catch in the Cabrera-Willis deal, 6-foot-6-inch lefty Andrew Miller, has the potential to be the ace for years to come. Closer Kevin Gregg and relievers Justin Miller, Matt Lindstrom, Taylor Tankersley, Renyel Pinto and Lee Gardner each posted ERAs in the 3’s or lower.

3—ATLANTA BRAVES: A few weeks ago, Chipper Jones said he found it amusing that nobody was even giving them a shot to win the division. He has a good point. But, in order to do that, Jones, who turns 36 on April 24, will need to continue to approach 30 HR’s and 100 RBI. SS Yunel Escobar is very talented and will provide a great boost over a full season to a lineup that already includes Brian McCann and LF Matt Diaz (.338). Trade deadline 2007 acquisition Mark Teixeira has the ability to be a game-changer at the plate while Jeff Francoeur needs to keep improving on the .293 and 105 RBI he had in ’07.

John Smoltz (14-8, 3.11) and Tim Hudson (16-10, 3.33) are as good as it gets at the front of a rotation. While Tom Glavine’s homecoming is a feel-good story, it remains to be seen how much he’ll have left after turning 42 on May 25th. If he struggles, Chuck James, Mike Hampton or Jair Jurrjens needs to step up big time. The bullpen could be a huge problem as new closer Rafael Soriano only has 13 career saves.

2—PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: Finally, the Phillies lived up to there potential and made the postseason in 2007. Or did they? An 89-73 record isn’t exactly earth shattering, and it took a collapse of epic proportions by the New York Mets just to reach the playoffs.

The lineup is anchored by reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins and MVP candidate Ryan Howard—the youngest player ever to reach 100 home runs. But, is the rest of the lineup all that good? LF Pat Burrell needs to find consistency with his swing. A drastic slump ala the .215 average and 11 homers he posted before the All-Star break in 2007 could spell disaster. Meanwhile, losing the attitude and consistent bat of Aaron Rowand could have a negative impact similar to what the Chicago White Sox experienced in 2006. Shane Victorino can help offset that if he continues to improve, but don’t expect much from 33-year-old Geoff Jenkins. New 3B Pedro Feliz should see a spike in power in hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park.

Cole Hamels (15-5, 3.39) gets some help at the top of the rotation as Brett Myers rejoins the rotation. But, the key will be the progress of 2nd year starter Kyle Kendrick. Kendrick shocked many by going 10-4 with a 3.87 ERA after being called up mid-season. Jamie Moyer and Adam Eaton can’t be counted on to provide much at the back end. Terrible luck already struck the bullpen when newly acquired closer Brad Lidge caught his spike in the mound on his first pitch of spring training and required surgery on his right knee. Assuming he returns healthy, the bullpen is strong with Tom Gordon and Ryan Madson in the setup role.

1—NEW YORK METS: It was their division to lose in ’07—and they did just that. Well, it’s theirs to lose again in 2008, only this time they will provide Shea Stadium with a happy ending in its final season.

Any lineup with three legitimate MVP candidates in David Wright (.325—30—107 and 34 stolen bases for good measure), Jose Reyes (78 stolen bases) and Carlos Beltran (33 HR’s, 112 RBI and 24 stolen bases) must be considered a divisional favorite. If Carlos Delgado can rebound from the worst season of his career (he still hit 24 HR’s), this lineup is downright scary.

Omar Minaya made the best move of the offseason by acquiring Johan Santana. The Mets had a glaring weakness in their rotation and he addressed it in the best possible way, by landing the best pitcher in the game. Shifting to a league with weaker lineups and getting to face pitchers instead of designated hitters should be a huge boost. Don’t be surprised if Santana wins 25-30 games and strikes out over 300 hitters. John Maine (15-10, 3.91), Oliver Perez (15-10, 3.56) and Orlando Hernandez (9-5, 3.92) all slide down into more natural places in the rotation. But, the real beneficiary and the piece that can turn the Mets from good to great is Pedro Martinez. If he is healthy, he and Santana could be as dominant as Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling with the Diamondbacks circa 2001. A healthy Duaner Sanchez—who missed all of 2007—will go a long way towards turning the Achilles heel of last year’s squad into a positive piece this season.

2008 NL CENTRAL PREVIEW

2008-02-21T17:39:00.009-05:00

6—PITTSBURGH PIRATES: In a normal division, they’re still a long way from competing; in the NL Central they aren’t too far off. That is, as long as they don’t trade outfielders Jason Bay and Xavier Nady for nothing. Combined with Adam LaRoche and Freddy Sanchez, who recently signed a long-term deal, the lineup is the best its been since the days of Bobby Bonilla and pre-steroid Barry Bonds.

Tom Gorzelanny and Ian Snell head a young rotation—besides Matt Morris, though he’ll eat innings-- that might surprise people. If Zach Duke ever lives up to the promise following his brief 2005 stint (8-2, 1.81), the Pirates might at least make life miserable for one of the division’s front-runners. However, beyond lefty specialist Damaso Marte, the bullpen is atrocious and will squander most leads.

5—CINCINNATI REDS: Second baseman Brandon Phillips finally lived up to the hype when he dubbed himself “The Franchise” as a star prospect in the Cleveland Indians organization. In 2007, he hit .288 with 30 HR’s, 32 stolen bases and 94 RBI. In a lineup that still includes future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., and Adam Dunn, runs shouldn’t be a problem.

While Aaron Harang (16-6, 3.73) is the best pitcher in the NL nobody cares about, the rest of the staff contains pitchers no one should care about. Bronson Arroyo backed up consecutive 14-win seasons with a 9-15 campaign in 2007 and needs to improve for the Reds to have a chance. Prized prospect Homer Bailey will finally get a chance to prove his worth. After years of closer by (bad) committee, the Reds finally stabilized the position by breaking the bank for Francisco Cordero, coming off a 44-save season with the Milwaukee Brewers.

4—ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: Albert Pujols and Troy Glaus will hit 40-50 home runs, but that’s where the production stops. Left fielder Chris Duncan hit 21 home runs last season, but essentially gives all his run production right back by being the worst defensive outfielder in the league. It’s worth the price of admission just to watch this guy attempt to take a normal route on a fly ball. The question then becomes, are opposing pitchers supposed to worry about a lineup that includes Skip Schumaker, Yadier Molina, Cesar Izturis and Adam Kennedy?

When fans are ready to riot over the failure to re-sign the 7-17 Kip Wells, pitching is a problem. Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper went a combined 26-24 last season and head the rotation. They are followed by Joel Piniero (7-5, 4.33), Matt Clement—who missed all of 2007 and Anthony Reyes. Reyes should improve on his 2-14 record, however.

If Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder can return to their winning ways whenever they attempt a comeback, the season could be far better than it seems right now. Otherwise, fans at Busch Stadium are going to be reaching into their wallets to purchase all-to-many $12 Budweiser’s.

3—HOUSTON ASTROS: The Astros will be the measuring stick in terms of just how bad the NL Central truly is in 2008. They quietly have put together one of the best lineups in the NL—especially when taking into account the short porch in left field. While manager Cecil Cooper has stated that he won’t set a lineup until just before the start of the season, take a look at one possibility:
1- Michael Bourn (CF) posted a .348 OBP in 119 at bats while stealing 18 of 19 bases for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007.
2- Kaz Matsui (2B) thrived in the 2-hole for the Colorado Rockies in 2007, batting .288 with 32 stolen bases.
3- Lance Berkman (1B) is a .300 career hitter. While the average dipped to .278 last season, he still belted 34 homers and had 102 RBI.
4- Carlos Lee (LF) continues to improve and should post MVP-caliber numbers. Taking advantage of the short porch in Houston as well as playing roughly 30 additional games in hitter-friendly parks such as Wrigley Field, Miller Park and Great American Ball Park should lead to better numbers than the .303 average, 32 HR’s and 119 RBI he posted in 2007.
5- Hunter Pence (RF) was hitting .342 until a wrist injury in July sidelined him for a month—a perfect guy to restart the offense after Berkman and Lee clear the bases.
6- Miguel Tejada (SS) is an unbelievable upgrade over Adam Everett. Sure, he’s no longer on the juice, but he’ll still hit around .300, with 20 or more homers and around 100 RBI.
7- Ty Wigginton (3B) hit 22 home runs and drove in 67 last season. Not too shabby for a guy in the lower third of the order.
8- J.R. Towles (C) hit a robust .375 after a September call-up, albeit in 40 at bats. No, he’s not that good a hitter. But, he is going to post a far better average than the .235 by Brad Ausmus.

So, what’s the problem? General Manager Ed Wade forgot to address his pitching staff after perennial Cy Young contender Roy Oswalt. Wandy Rodriguez (9-13) is slated as the No. 2. A bounce back season from Brandon Backe would greatly help, especially with 41-year-old Woody Williams (8-15) behind him. Trading for closer Jose Valverde was a nice move, but how many high-scoring affairs will he really have a chance to save?

2—MILWAUKEE BREWERS: The Brewers appear set for a run of good baseball and should only improve in 2008, but will it be enough to make the playoffs? Probably not. The only significant addition to the lineup came in the form of CF Mike Cameron, and whatever he brings to the plate is a bonus. His gold glove-caliber defense allows Bill Hall to move to third base and Ryan Braun to move to left field. Prince Fielder is a legitimate MVP candidate and should easily belt 50 homers again. While Braun may not go .324—34—97 over a full season, 2B Rickie Weeks probably won’t hit .235 again, either.

Milwaukee is overflowing with pitchers, with eight guys that can make the rotation. Ben Sheets’ health is always an issue, but unlike previous years, the Brewers shouldn’t collapse if he spends a significant amount of time on the DL. Youngsters Yovany Gallardo, Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra showed flashes of brilliance in 2007. Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush and Claudio Vargas are solid innings eaters. The wild card is Chris Capuano (5-12), who failed to win a game after the All-Star break after being regarded as the No. 2 in the rotation. A return to 2005 form, where he went 18-12 could push the Brewers into the postseason. If Eric Gagne reverts back to the way he pitched with the Texas Rangers, he’ll help offset the departure of Francisco Cordero. However, if he resembles the pitcher with the Boston Red Sox after being traded, there could be issues.

1—CHICAGO CUBS: 100 years of losing come to an end in 2008. No, the Cubs aren’t going to win the World Series. But, they will make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time in a century.

The lineup will please the “bleacher bums” at Wrigley by sending plenty of balls into the seats. With Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez in the middle of the order there should be no issue scoring runs. With that being said, there are questions at other spots. Is uber-prospect Felix Pie finally ready to hold down the leadoff spot in the order? If he can’t improve on the .271 OBP he posted in 177 at bats in 2007, the Cubs will be seriously void of speed in their lineup. Kosuke Fukudome appears to be legit and could make a seamless transition like Hideki Matsui, but what if his first few seasons go the way of Kaz? Finally, Geovany Soto showed a good bat at the end of ‘07, but can he do it over a full season?

Behind Carlos Zambrano, the Cubs rotation still isn’t intimidating on paper and really doesn’t match up well with the Brewers’ rotation. Ted Lilly had far and away his best season in 2007 (15-8, 3.83), but while it could signal that he has turned the corner it could also be an aberration. Even if it’s the latter, the NL is just so weak; it should be hard for Lilly’s numbers to decrease significantly. Rich Hill and Sean Marshall need to hold down the back of the rotation, because if any combination of Ryan Dempster, Jon Lieber and Jason Marquis are pitching back-to-back there could be unforeseen issues. Carlos Marmol (1.43, 96 K’s in 69.1 innings) is going to be an electrifying closer. Bob Howry and a healthy Kerry Wood could make the bullpen one of the best in the league.

Liar, Liar

2008-02-14T16:42:00.003-05:00

Let me get this out there right off the bat: I was NEVER a fan of Roger Clemens. But, much like Brett Favre, I respected his accomplishments and always included him in a conversation about the greatest pitchers of all-time.

Notice the use of past tense in that paragraph.

Now, let me also make it perfectly clear that I think Clemens is a steroid user. I think his numbers are tainted the same way I think Barry Bonds should still be somewhere around 647 career home runs.

Clemens is as guilty as (new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl) Marisa Miller is hot.

I don’t necessarily hate him for that, however; I hate him because he’s wasting my time and yours.

Since the Mitchell Report was released on Dec. 13, Clemens has vehemently denied that he used steroids and performance enhancing drugs by:
‡issuing a formal statement
‡releasing a video statement on his web site
‡doing an interview on 60 minutes
‡holding his own press conference to play a recorded phone conversation between himself and his accuser, Brian McNamee
‡releasing a statistical analysis with scientific data to prove his career didn’t take an unnatural curve at the end, and
‡meeting with members of congress one-on-one and sitting before congress on Feb. 13.

Sorry, but when some of your best seasons occur between the ages of 40-45, I’d call that just a tad bit out of the ordinary. Players not hiked up on HGH and steroids don’t do that. It’s called aging, and that is natural.

By my count, that’s roughly 6 hours of my life that could have been spent doing better things—like cleaning my apartment or organizing my photo albums into alphabetical order.

Clemens cares so much about public opinion--despite claiming that he doesn’t give a “rat’s ass” about the Hall of Fame—that it makes me sick. Now, I think Clemens is also one of the dumbest people alive. It’s been proven time and time again that all the public wants is the truth and an apology and it will all go away.

Does anyone outside Colorado still hate Kobe Bryant for committing adultery—and probably raping that woman? No, because he apologized and cried his way out of it.

Is Jason Giambi still being booed in stadiums across the country? No, because he apologized. Although we still can’t be entirely sure what for.

Are people making as big a deal over Andy Pettite’s admitted use of HGH? No, because he came out right away and admitted to it and apologized for it.

To me, Pettite and Chuck Knoblauch’s admissions are all I need to know about Clemens’ reported use. By no means is McNamee a saint, and his credibility certainly came into question at the congressional hearings.

With that being said, the one thing he seems to have a firm grip on is whom he did and did not inject with illegal substances. Even Roger’s wife, Debbie, says McNamee is telling the truth about her use of HGH before a photo shoot that had her posing in a bikini.

So, McNamee is a cool 3-for-3. I seriously doubt the only one he lied about is Roger Clemens. If it wasn’t true, why put his name in with the rest in the first place?

When Clemens’ best support to date comes from Jose Canseco with regards to not being present at a BBQ where McNamee claims the two discussed steroid use, I can’t help but laugh. One thing we can be sure of is that Canseco will write and say anything to be put in the public eye, especially if there’s some benefit for him (monetarily or otherwise).

If Clemens and Canseco were, in fact, present at a social gathering should we really expect Canseco to remember years later? His body was filled with so many illegal things, who knows where his mind was at any point--especially when he could be enjoying a fine cigar and taking down some alcohol on top of that. Besides, Canseco never struck me as the brightest candle on the Menorah.

As I’ve stated many times in the past, this is all just the start to the fallout of a dark era of baseball—the Steroid Era. Yet, I find it fitting that the two players that benefited most and the two that catapulted themselves into debates regarding their all-time status—Bonds and Clemens—are the two in the most serious trouble.

For the last 20 years, children had posters of these two hanging on their walls. I feel sorry for them. Their idols are cheaters, liars and arrogant jerks. I won’t feel sorry for Bonds or Clemens, both of whom may wind up behind bars in the future. Perjury charges have already been brought against Bonds and may be against Clemens as well since either he or McNamee must have lied under oath.

Now that would make for a great photo on the cover of a magazine. The best power hitter and the best pitcher of their generation in a jail cell.

Lets conveniently place their posters on the wall to give the cell a more homey feeling.

NEXT WEEK I’ll begin my 2008 MLB Preview with a division-by-division rundown going from baseball’s worst division to its best!

2007 New England Patriots: 18-1 Failures

2008-02-08T17:22:00.000-05:00

An epic upset and the greatest play in Super Bowl history, a Hall of Fame center gets traded, a Hall of Fame head coach resigns and a Hall of Fame pitcher used steroids.

What a week in sports.

While it might seem that all I do at ESPN is watch a game every night and make the highlights for that game; there’s actually other things I do. For instance, right now I begin each day in one of the studios prompting “Outside the Lines” with Bob Ley.

This leads me to reason #161 why I love my job: As I was driving to work Wednesday, I called my father for the first time in a few days. As I walked into the building, we were discussing the Eli Manning to David Tyree play in Super Bowl XLII and why I thought it was the greatest play in Super Bowl history. No longer than 90 seconds had passed after our conversation ended, when I walked onto the set and they were filming a segment for the show. There, on set, Bob Ley is sitting next to—and interviewing—none other than David Tyree.

What other job can someone casually talk about the Super Bowl during a phone conversation and then see a hero from the game minutes later? Awesome things.

Back to the game, I was shocked like most of the country that the Giants won. They were definitely the better team. That being said, I can’t even begin to imagine how Patriots fans must feel. For 5 months, their team was in a different galaxy than the rest of the NFL. Every story written inevitably discussed their place in history as the greatest team ever. All along, they knew it would come down to 1 game—it did, and they lost. The undefeated Miami Dolphins and 1985 Chicago Bears re-enter the picture as the greatest teams of all-time because they won the game that mattered most.

I imagine I’d know the empty feeling inside Patriots fans if a similar thing had happened to the Chicago Bulls during the 90’s. But, there’s the difference and another example of why Michael Jordan is the greatest athlete of all-time. Everyone knew the Bulls were the best team, everyone knew they were going to win the championship—and they did. They never failed to live up to the hype on the grandest stage.

Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and Randy Moss failed in Super Bowl XLII—and that’s what will be remembered about the 2007 New England Patriots.

‡ Does anyone else find it somewhat amusing and rather ridiculous that it took roughly 23 hours for the Miami Heat to trade Shaquille O’Neal yet took nearly 2 weeks for the Baltimore Orioles to trade Erik Bedard?

At first, I didn’t understand this trade for the Phoenix Suns. But after days to analyze, it’s a terrific move. Suns’ general manager Steve Kerr has the right mindset, one similar to White Sox GM Ken Williams—to win NOW. The window of brilliance for Steve Nash is closing, either the Suns go for it all now or they risk rebuilding without ever really trying to win it all.

Shawn Marion was bolting at season’s end and the “fifth gear” offense hadn’t gotten the team to the NBA Finals the last few seasons anyhow. Shaq can rest for a while, and as long as he is in decent shape when the playoffs come around, the trade will be seen as a good move.

Possible playoff opponents will feature elite big men such as Tim Duncan, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, Carlos Boozer and David West. The Suns have trouble with elite big men (see Al Jefferson’s splits vs. the Suns this season). Add it all up and the Suns added a unique dimension to their high-octane style. It’s a dimension that brings solid defense and the capability to settle into a half-court game, which will undoubtedly occur in the playoffs.

‡ Speaking of Gasol, I must hand it to John Paxson yet again for failing to make a splash via trade. Clearly he’s content sitting at 20-29, with no true stars. Then again, at 9-games under .500 the Bulls are currently in the playoffs in the JV (Eastern) Conference. If somebody—anybody—has any idea what Pax’s plan is for making the Bulls a championship contender once again please let me know. I am completely dumbfounded by his lack of aggressiveness and my patience is paper-thin.

‡ The Chicago Bears off season got started in tremendous fashion, here is an excerpt from Steve Rosenbloom’s latest blog on Chicagosports.com:

Brian Urlacher underwent neck surgery. This will do nothing to help the arthritis in his back. That's apparently hopeless. The Bears aren't saying anything. Maybe they're too afraid. Understandable, because this news goes along with Lance Briggs' expected exit in a month. Worse, Adam Archuleta is still here. Same goes for Fred Miller. Who knows what planet Cedric Benson is on? And the coach is fine with returning all three quarterbacks from one of the worse offensive seasons in captivity. Be the first kid on your block to write off next season.

‡ Finally, I’ve had to come to grips with the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks will miss the playoffs yet again. Injuries took their toll around the All-Star break, the youngsters finally slowed down and some veterans lack of commitment began to show. I echo Denis Savard’s plea to his players to “Commit to the Indian” and take great pride in the rich tradition the Indian-head sweater represents.

While their season will come to an end after 82 games—again—there is finally promise in the organization. Former greats Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito have returned to the Hawks family as ambassadors and the crop of youngsters Dale Tallon has complied show real promise. Now if he can only fix the gaping hole between the pipes that they call the “Bulin Wall.” If Nikolai Khabibulin is a wall, he’s made out of glass—not brick. Frozen rubber will shatter—and go through—glass when traveling at high speeds.

‡ The Cubs still haven’t won a World Series in 100 years, a streak of epic proportions. If they should happen to win one in October maybe I’ll blog about them. In the meantime, I won’t waste my time on the biggest losers in sports history.

Weekly Quick Hits-- Super Bowl edition

2008-02-01T16:23:00.000-05:00

‡ Bill Belichick is a genius, you can hate him but you also must admit that. I firmly believe he had Tom Brady wear the boot so that it would capture the media spotlight and take the focus off of the Patriots quest of perfection. Brady handles the media better than any athlete since Michael Jordan and had no problem playing the game. Meanwhile, the rest of the team avoided constant hounding about going 19-0. To quote the scientists in the Guinness Beer commercial, “Brilliant!”

Official Super Bowl prediction: Patriots win 35-20, Wes Welker wins MVP.

With that being said, Matt Walsh, a former Patriots video assistant has suggested to ESPN that he has information that could have exposed the Patriots prior to the Jets' allegations which ended up with the record fines. He says this information could be “embarrassing for the NFL and the Patriots.”

If Walsh chooses to speak, get ready for a wild ride akin to the steroids issue in baseball. Remember the Ty Law pick-6 in Super Bowl XXXVI? Let’s just say you’d be seeing plenty of replays of that for a while.

‡ Finally, an NL team decides they want to join the elite contenders club with the Yankees, Red Sox, Indians, Tigers, Angels and Seattle Mariners (after the Erik Bedard trade becomes official. Congratulations to Omar Minaya and the New York Mets for becoming the only team in the inferior league with a slight chance of winning the World Series in 2008.

On a personal note, I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled I am that the White Sox won’t have to see Johan Santana anymore. He consistently goes 5-1 or 4-1 with a no decision against the Sox each season. By my count, this should equal at least 3 more wins since I don’t see the Sox doing worse than .500 in the games he’d normally start against them. Somewhere, Paul Konerko is throwing a party for the Twins front office.

‡ Memphis is the only undefeated team left in the country and will hold the No. 1 spot in the polls until they lose in the NCAA Tournament. With the exception of beating Georgetown at home, which win is supposed to impress me? Victories over unranked USC, Arizona, Oklahoma or Gonzaga? Not quite making me jump out of my seat. At the end of the season, the win over UCONN will look nice, but the Huskies were still figuring themselves out when they played on a neutral site back in mid-November. My bad, wins over conference opponents such as East Carolina, Marshall, Tulsa and Houston really do get my heart racing.

Sure, Memphis is talented. At least three of their players will be on an NBA roster next season. The problem is three members of the starting five for their conference opposition will be sitting at a desk or working in the fast food industry next season.

While other elite teams like Kansas, North Carolina and UCLA face tough games nearly every night within their conference; Memphis cakewalks to a 1-seed. But, are they really battle tested? After blowing everyone out, who exactly is going to have the mental strength and intestinal fortitude to hit a clutch shot in the tournament? I know I’ll have them bowing out before the Final Four in my pool.

‡ I got a treat at work the other night when I was assigned the Golden State Warriors v. New Orleans Hornets highlights. These teams are fun to watch. Chris Paul is the best true point guard in the NBA while the Warriors--led by one of my favorite players, Baron Davis—score points like they’re trying to see if the scoreboard really goes that high. Davis can get into the lane at will and hit shots from anywhere on the floor, literally. He went 5-for-7 from behind the arc, including one fading away in the corner and another right in front of Byron Scott—who was standing a few feet behind the time line.

While the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak was snapped, I do think they are a legit contender as any team would be with Paul. David West is a legit scoring big man, while Tyson Chandler rebounds and blocks shot like Ben Wallace used to in Detroit. Meanwhile, Peja Stojakovic (remember him?) and Morris Peterson stretch defenses with their lethal shooting. Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo provide a spark off the bench.

Meanwhile, Don Nelson must be having a mid-life crisis. How does he expect Chris Webber to help the run-and-gun, can’t shoot enough 3-pointers Warriors? Forget the fact Webber is one of the most non-clutch players ever—remember when Peja and Mike Bibby were always called upon to take the last shot in Sacramento instead of their perennial “All-Star?”

Last seen with the Pistons, Webber could barely run and just camped out around the free throw line. Maybe he can be a mentor for rookie Brandan Wright, but that would require he teach boxing out and I don’t recall ever seeing Webber do that, either.

‡ Finally, I also got to make the highlights for the NHL Skills Competition this past week. I was thrilled seeing as how I have watched this event every year since I was 6 that there wasn’t a lockout. This year was pretty boring, I must admit.

The new speed-skating competition was a miserable failure as players that crossed the line first somehow had worse times than their opponent. The breakaway challenge was fun and could gain the same popularity as the dunk contest. However, after trying difficult moves, the players still need to put the puck past an All-Star goaltender and they had trouble doing that. Thus, it was void of real electricity. At least on bad dunks, the ball goes through the net most of the time.

The Young Stars game was a 3-on-3 goal-scoring frenzy. The two sides combined for 13 goals in 12 minutes… with a running clock! There was some talk that commissioner Gary Bettman is thinking about going to a 3-on-3 overtime if a shootout ends in a tie. While I am all for change and increased goal scoring, this is a bit excessive. Imagine if Bud Selig decided that if a game goes into the 15th inning each team could only use one outfielder.

**** I promise I’ll try to update more frequently. Please leave feedback and story ideas in the comments section. If this weekly update is enjoyed, I will continue to do them.***

MIZZ-ERY and Outrage

2007-12-02T22:19:00.000-05:00

The last time I saw the Kansas Jayhawks football team, they were walking off the field at Arrowhead Stadium as the losers of the “Border War” to Missouri.

The last time I saw Kansas QB Todd Reesing, he had a giant chunk of grass and dirt stuck in his helmet after being sacked in the endzone of Arrowhead Stadium for a safety by a few Missouri defensive lineman.

That evening, Missouri proved to the nation that they were the better football team. Missouri won the Big XII North and earned the right to play Oklahoma in the Big XII Championship game in San Antonio on Saturday night.

As it turns out, “earned” isn’t the right verb for the victory.

Either the BCS committee enjoyed watching Kansas sitting on their couches so much, they forgot to pay attention to the Big XII Championship, or they all have a severe case of dyslexia and misread the final score of the game only nine days ago.

Regardless, the decision to award Kansas a spot in the FedEx Orange Bowl while dropping Missouri out of the BCS is one of the worst injustices in the history of collegiate athletics.

Just for a moment, let’s forget about the fact that the current system will once again rob fans of a true champion. Let’s also forget that 3-loss Illinois (another team Missouri beat) will be playing in the Rose Bowl.

Somebody from the Big XII conference, the NCAA or the BCS needs to explain how Missouri got robbed of a spot on the national stage by losing to a top-10 team in their conference championship game—a game Kansas didn’t make.

Somebody needs to explain how a team like Kansas, who played nobody all season until they faced Missouri—and lost—is awarded a BCS game. And while they’re at it, they should try explaining how that same team is ranked lower in the final BCS standings and still gets into the BCS.

It is absolutely mind-boggling that teams can sit at home and watch others battle for a conference championship and be rewarded. It’s basically putting a positive spin on playing one less quality opponent.

I imagine it would be a lot like if somebody just took a week off of work—no sick calls, no vacation time, no personal leave—then strolled into their boss’s office the following Monday, asked for a raise, and got it!

Your head spinning yet? So is mine.

I’ve never been a big college football fan to begin with. I suppose this stems from my childhood when the Chicago region was forced to watch boring Big Ten football. I just have a problem with any sport that leaves the question of “Who’s champion?” unanswered. That’s essentially what takes place every year and will continue to happen until a playoff system is put in place. But that’s an argument for another day.

Today, I vow to never again watch a college football game for entertainment purposes. I will only do so if I am being paid—either by my current employer to make a highlight or to cover a game in person.

That starts now, and will include the consolation prize for my alma mater—a spot in the Cotton Bowl. Forgive me for not being excited after coming so close to a birth in the BCS “National Championship” game. Who really cares if Missouri is better than Arkansas or where they finish among the top-15?

I wish Missouri would have boycotted the bowl altogether and really stuck it to the NCAA and the Big XII so that they wouldn’t collect a paycheck. I guarantee every student-athlete on the Missouri football team is plenty pissed right now as well. Hopefully, they’ll only be using DHL or UPS to send packages home from now on.

Finally, part of me hopes Missouri takes this opportunity to gain sympathy around the country and stick it to the Big XII conference. Somebody-perhaps the commissioner-should have gone to bat for them to the BCS committee and failed to do so.

I say the long-standing rumor becomes a reality: Missouri heads to the Big Ten giving them 12 teams and forcing that pathetic excuse for a "power" conferences to have a conference championship game. Maybe the Big XII will then reel in Memphis, though I really don’t care at this point.

Heads need to roll.

Yesterday, I was upset about failing to capitalize on the opportunity of a lifetime and about seeing a dream week with the No. 1 in front of Missouri come to an end. Now, I just feel like somebody took a piss in my bowl of Frosted Flakes.

If BCS headquarters is all over the news tomorrow due to a phoned in bomb threat, I’ll gladly take the blame.

Time to play GM

2007-10-30T12:56:00.000-04:00

Let’s forget about one rumor right away.

Alex Rodriguez is not coming to Chicago—North side or South side—but for very different reasons.

With Cubs ownership in a state of flux, they can’t offer him the $30 million annual salary he will seek. The partial ownership idea served better as a joke of the day then an actual solution that would have put him at Wrigley Field for 81 games. Explain this: how would a franchise that is having trouble identifying a true owner at this time offer partial ownership to a player? That’s a head-scratcher.

Meanwhile, the White Sox won’t sign A-Rod. I’d love to see him playing at Comiskey as much as anyone, but Jerry Reinsdorf isn’t going to fork over that kind of money for anyone—period, end of discussion.

As for what the White Sox might do in free agency to rebound from their dreadful 2007 campaign:

• I’ve been told by a very good source at ESPN that Aaron Rowand will be brought back. This as before he priced himself out of consideration for the Phillies by starting the bidding at 6 years, $84 million. I believe that to be merely posturing on Rowand’s part. Now, he can take a bit less (lets say 4 years, $40-44 million) to return to the Sox. One thing is for certain; I want no part of Torii Hunter. There’s no “I” in team, but there are 2 in Torii. I can’t stand it when a player has far and away his best big league season in a contract year.

• That still doesn’t address the leadoff situation where Coco Crisp’s name seems to be popping up. I just don’t see where Crisp is a better solution than Jerry Owens. If that is really the best move, then Ken Williams might as well just let Owens continue to progress. Owens seemed to really come along at the end of the season. Over a full year, he could steal 75 bases and his bunting and slap hitting should only improve during instructional winter ball and spring training.

• Jose Contreras will hopefully be moved. Another World Series hero it’s time to cut ties with. I am sure if KW can get a box of major league baseballs for him that’ll do the trick. No fake balls though, that’s why Contreras wasn’t dealt at the deadline.

• That being said, a trade of Jon Garland might be more likely. Garland will be entering the final year of his contract and I don’t see the Sox giving another pitcher similar money to the $14 million they gave Mark Buehrle. Garland is near the top of baseball in wins over the past 3 years (46) and he is only 28 years old. He also has a World Series championship and came up big in those playoffs. He can net a major-league position player like Wily Taveras from the Rockies, a major-league reliever and a top prospect in return. Or I’ll just take Carl Crawford from the Tampa Bay Rays (they dropped the Devil).

• Finally, another big name probably needs to move. Will any team take a chance on Joe Crede before seeing him play in spring training? If not, is there an American League team interested in Jim Thome? KW will have to wait for the dominos to fall on the A-Rod situation before looking into this. My sources say A-Rod is bound for Los Angeles to do his best Shaquille O’Neal impression and own Hollywood; but whether it will be the Angels or the Dodgers is a mystery. Both teams just coincidentally happen to need a third baseman AND a power hitter (cue Twilight Zone music).

Once the dust settles with Mr. Rodriguez, KW should approach the loser of the sweepstakes and offer Crede (if it’s the Dodgers) or Thome (if it’s the Angels). Each should be able to land either a position player with some speed like Rafael Furcal, Chone Figgins, Howie Kendrick, Kenyi Morales or Mike Wood; or a relief pitcher such as Jonathan Broxton or Scott Shields.

Last but not least, let me address the Kobe Bryant to the Chicago Bulls rumor:

If John Paxson pulls the trigger on this one after watching an Eastern Conference rival load up with Kevin Garnett, I am going to be pounding my head against a wall for quite some time.

First and foremost, he can’t include both Ben Gordon and Luol Deng in a trade. Second, the Bulls are one missing puzzle piece away from winning and that is a scoring big man. Lastly, trading so much for Bryant would seem to be more of a rebuilding than continuous building. There’s a difference.

A very good source told me the real reason Kobe wants out of LA is because his wife is ready to file for divorce and California state laws are the most strict in the country. No matter what city he is traded to, the ruling on a divorce case will probably guarantee he keeps more of his money and assets than if it were handled in Cali.

That’s exactly the kind of player the Bulls need. A guy more concerned with his personal life than the game. Bryant is selfish, a bad teammate and hasn’t won a single playoff series since losing Shaq. His talent is undeniable and it’ll be great seeing him score 40-60 points in 10 games—albeit while throwing up 45 shots. Heck, he might even score 100 once. But, he’s not the right fit for the Bulls.

I got the perfect trade:

The Denver Nuggets just lost their starting point guard, Chucky Atkins for a considerable period of time and are desperate for help at the position. So, the Bulls send them Chris Duhon, Victor Khryapa, Joakim Noah, a future draft pick and cash for Nene (Hilario, though last name doesn’t apply for him) and my good pal Linas Kleiza.

Then, Pax fills the backup point guard role by signing Earl Boykins who remains a free agent. The Nuggets get their point guard in Duhon, a tall guy who can run the floor and play good defense next to Marcus Camby in Noah and a bench-filler with Khryapa who only has to stay out of Iverson and Carmelo’s way.

Has there ever been a GM in numerous sports at once? Where can I apply for that job?

P.S. Did it shock anyone that the Red Sox swept the Rockies to win their second World Series title in 4 years? The layoff killed Colorado as I predicted. More importantly, the AL just flexed its muscle and proved once again how big of a discrepancy there is between the two leagues.

One final stat to chew on: For the first time since the wild card round began, all 4 NL teams got swept out of the playoffs. Read that again if need be. It’s truly mind-boggling.

Here’s the breakdown:
NLDS: Cubs lose to Diamondbacks 3-0, Phillies lose to Rockies 3-0
NLCS: Diamondbacks lose to Rockies 4-0
World Series: Rockies lose to Red Sox 4-0

This speaks volumes ladies and gentleman….

A night in the life of... ME... at work...

2007-10-16T15:07:00.000-04:00

In an effort to provide more insight as to what I am doing for “The Worldwide Leader…” let me fill you in on my evening last night. I was scheduled from 5pm (ET) until 2 am (ET) although I didn’t leave until about 3am.

I was assigned two games: the 7pm (ET) Toronto Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres game and the 10:18pm (ET) Arizona Diamondbacks @ Colorado Rockies NLCS Game 4. I was entrusted to cut highlights for both games for ESPNEWS.

Here’s a look at what took place:

Game 1: The Maple Leafs entered the third period with a 2-0 lead. My 30-35 second highlight was basically planned already. It began with an iso shot of Sabres’ defenseman Brian Campbell since he is the leading scorer among NHL defenseman right now and his team had scored 13 goals in their last two games.

That was followed by a shot of an unbelievable save by Leafs’ goalie Andrew Raycroft on Sabres’ forward Drew Stafford at point blank range (see above). I decided to show a replay for dramatic effect. This was truly “a glove save… and a beauty” to quote our anchors. I’ve seen a lot of great saves and this ranks right up there with the best of them. It was one of those that make you question whether NHL goalies are that good and have that great hand-eye coordination or whether Raycroft merely got in decent position, said a quick prayer and the puck luckily found his glove rather than the huge net behind him.

The rest of the highlight would be the other Leafs’ goals as they cruised to victory. A 30-35 second highlight? No problem.

Then they dropped the puck to start the third period and all hell broke loose. In an eight-minute span, the two teams combined for 6 goals. The score went from 2-0 Leafs… to 2-2…to 3-2 Leafs… to 3-3… to 4-3 Leafs… to 4-4… to OVERTIME. One player on each team scored a pair of goals in a single three-minute span. Literally, each time I started changing my shot sheet (the script for the anchor) and having the editor lay down a new play, another goal was scored. It was surreal.

Of course, we got bumped to 1 minute of highlight time to accommodate the action, chose to run the save, the 4-3 goal by Toronto and the tying goal by Buffalo and waited for the game-winner in OT or the shootout.

Sure enough, the Sabres scored with 5 seconds left in OT and the goal required a replay because it clearly went in the Toronto net only after TORONTO defenseman Bryan McCabe knocked it in (see above).

WOW…. Okay, onto game 2 of the night…

Has there ever been a team hotter than the Colorado Rockies? Ever? With their win last night they have now won 21 of 22 games and joined the Cincinnati Reds as the only NL teams ever to begin a postseason 7-0. We basically knew they were going to win and had 1 minute, 15 seconds of time to play with. This had to include celebration shots at the end.

So, imagine our shock when the Diamondbacks jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 3rd inning. When the Rockies didn’t score in the bottom half, it marked only the 4th inning of 59 postseason innings that the Rockies had been trailing. So, we had to include that.

But, shortly after--in the bottom of the 4th inning to be exact—the Rockies put up that normal 6-spot that playoff teams light up the scoreboard with on a regular basis. This was capped by a 3-run bomb to center off the bat of NL MVP Matt Holliday. On a side note, seriously, if this guy isn’t the MVP I won’t care about the steroid issue anymore because we’ll need to take urine samples of all the voters to make sure they weren’t high on something when they filled out their ballot.

The Holliday homer was clearly the play of the game and I wanted to go SOT FULL. That means instead of the anchor talking over it, I wanted to put in the play-by-play call from the game. At first, it only made sense to use Chip Caray’s call on the TBS broadcast. However, I must have forgotten how poor Chip is at actually doing his job and after the ball cleared the centerfield fence he went dead silent meaning his call was no good.

We plugged ESPN Radio’s Dan Shulman into the highlight and ran that version once before finding out we could get in trouble with Major League Baseball because we didn’t have the rights to use our radio call over TBS video. Go figure…

All was good until the top of the eighth inning rolled around and D’Backs catcher Chris Snyder hit a 3-run HR down the left field line to cut the lead to 6-4. Replays showed that this ball was so close to being foul you couldn’t throw it up there any better. Centimeters—not inches—to the left and it hits the pole. Inches left and it is truly foul.

The rest of the eighth and the ninth I am sitting on the edge of my seat praying Colorado closer Manny Corpas can navigate through the rest of the Arizona lineup without allowing the tying runs to score or else I basically have to remake my entire highlight except for the Holliday homer. Outside of Denver, I was probably the biggest Rockies fan in the country for all of 28 minutes until the final out was recorded.

Being as opinionated as I am, I must offer my opinion of the Rockies real fast. Sweeping was arguably the worst thing they could have done. Didn’t they see what happened to the Detroit Tigers last year? A hot team needs to continue to play—and win—every day. Taking too much time off can only hurt. Tigers’ pitchers forgot how to throw to the bases last year and lost the World Series because of it. Yes, I am still on that. They lost the 2006 Series, the St. Louis Cardinals DID NOT WIN IT!!!

It probably wouldn’t matter though. Once again the AL is just so far superior to the NL (quadruple-A) that the winner of the Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox series will beat the Rockies anyways.

Well, I hope you enjoyed that look into my evening at work. Yes, work. That is what makes this job beautiful. Was it stressful? Sure. But, was it fun? Hell Yeah! I would have been watching NLCS game 4 anyhow. I would have loved to watch a great hockey game like that, but probably wouldn’t have been able to if I hadn’t been working there. The best part is I get paid for this. I feel like I’m ripping Mickey off.

I just don’t think too many people in the world can say that their day at work on Monday, October 15, 2007 was like that….

Best duo ever?

2007-10-03T13:57:00.000-04:00

It's going to be hard for Randy Moss and Tom Brady to replace Joe Montana/Steve Young and Jerry Rice as the best QB/WR tandem in NFL history. But, while it's only four games into their time together, the possibility is very real.

Prior to the season, I posed the following age old question to many of my friends: "Does a great QB make his receivers better or does a great receiver make his QB better?"

I always side with the receiver. Not to take anything away from Brady, but he wasn't putting up these kind of gaudy numbers with such big names as Deion Branch, David Patten, David Givens, Troy brown and Jabar Gaffney. Granted, he has three Super Bowl rings, but those could be attributed to many other factors of the Patriots' system.

Now, with Moss, Wes Welker and Donte Stallworth in the mix, Brady is on pace to break Peyton Manning's record for TD pass in a season (49). Brady has 13 thus far. It'll be hard to do because he'll be playing in the frigid winter conditions in Foxboro come November as opposted to the comfort of a dome, but it's still a possibility.

Meanwhile, Randy Moss has decided that it's okay to play football again now that he's out of Oakland--the NFL's version of hell. I don't necessarily agree with his attitude. When athletes are being paid as much as they are, they should give 110 percent at all times no matter where they're playing. But, it's nice to see that he's gotten his career back on track.

For my avid readers, you're probably asking why I am writing about the New England Patriots. Did I jump ship on the Chicago Bears? No. Did I jump on their bandwagon? No, not really. I simply have a great deal of respect for Tom Brady and enjoy watching Randy Moss make opposing CB's look like they don't even exist.

Oh yeah, and somehow the other 11 guys in my fantasy league let me wind up with both Brady and Moss on my fantasy team. To quote Borat, "Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiccccccccccccceeeeeeeeeee!"

One final note: Through 4 games, has their ever been a better line for a Wide Receiver? Moss currently has an eye-popping 31 catches for 505 yards and 7 TD's. If he stays remotely close to those numbers this trade--the Pats' gave up only a single 4th round draft pick for him--will go down as the greatest trade in sports history.

Why can't the Bears ever luck into a Brady type at QB? Why can't they ever pull off a trade for a guy like Moss?

Ding Dong! The Wicked Wirtz is Dead!

2007-09-26T17:46:00.000-04:00

The morning of Sept. 26 began like any other morning. I finally succumbed to the sun beating through the blinds at 12:30 and staggered out of bed. It didn’t feel any different from any other day. However, in so many ways it turned out to be.

Not because I did laundry, which only happens when I run out of boxers and not a day sooner. And it wasn’t because it was a scorching 88 degrees only a few days before we flip the page on the calendar to October.

It became a strange day shortly after I turned on my computer and began my routine of checking web site for the latest updates. This process begins at ESPN.com as I browse the headlines on the right side of the page. Every now and then, a headline will make me upset or angry. It’s even more rare for one to bring me utter jubilation. And about as frequently as I exercise—the last time was high school by the way—will a headline make my jaw drop and force me to sit, stare and re-read it.

All of those things happened to me on Sept. 26. The headline read: “Blackhawks owner Wirtz dies of cancer at age 77.”

As I sat there shell-shocked and a bit of drool made its way down my chin (my jaw was still open and I’d just awoken, okay); angel Jeremy and devil Jeremy appeared on my shoulders.

The angel immediately pointed out that this is the death of a human being, something that should never be celebrated or make one go into a state of gaiety as the case may be. I muted the angel real fast. The devil reminded me of the drastic fall of the Chicago Blackhawks organization. From a once proud team that saw its diehard fans pack Chicago Stadium and make the walls shake to the worst organization in professional sports, it’s been a difficult time wearing either of my Indian-head sweaters proudly over the last decade.

No, I am not a heartless person; though, Bill Wirtz might have been. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement expressing sympathy to the Wirtz family and the Blackhawks organization. He talked about the numerous great things Wirtz did for the NHL. Though I imagine he did the latter while flipping vigorously through the Wirtz file in search of the positives and with every toe and finger crossed.

Sure, my condolences go out to his family. I can’t imagine he was that big of a jerk that he alienated his own family. Though as a lifelong Blackhawks fan and citizen of Chicago I am rejoicing in the passing of Mr. William Wirtz. In today’s society, we have grown used to celebrating one’s life upon their death. That isn’t possible with this one.

Mr. Wirtz robbed me of a childhood of great hockey that my relatives witnessed throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s and early 90s. As television contracts and player contracts continued to rise well into the multi-million dollar range, Wirtz continued to show his true colors. He wouldn’t televise home games, believing if people wanted to watch his team they’d come to the stadium. Sure, so they can pay for parking, tickets, food and beverages and each game would cost a father $200 to take his son, and that’s with seats in the highest level.

I should know. My father had season’s tickets for the Blackhawks for three straight seasons in the mid-90s. I like to look back and refer to those years as the transition years. The Hawks weren’t as good as they used to be, yet were far from hitting rock bottom. It was during these years that Wirtz refused to pay his players fair market value and shipped them off for pieces that didn’t cost him anything.

Trade #1: All-Star goalie Ed Belfour to the San Jose Sharks for a backup goalie not important enough to remember, Mikael Sykora (a big defensman that did little more than take up space) and Ulf Dahlen (who was way past his prime, but would have been a good catch 4 years earlier). Keep in mind this was after the organization had traded away a guy by the name of Dominik Hasek. Belfour, of course, would go on to win a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars.

Trade #2: Fan favorite Jeremy Roenick to the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes for Alexei Zhamnov. Roenick went on to have numerous All-Star seasons and remained one of the elite goal scorers in the league. Zhamnov was one of the laziest players I ever saw. He had all the potential in the world, yet only chose to play once a week. I suppose this one sticks with me the most because I still have a Roenick autographed jersey in my bedroom and thus began my hatred of Wirtz.

Trade #3: Chris Chelios to the Detroit Red Wings for Anders Ericksson. Ericksson was such an irrelevant factor I can’t even remember if he spent more than one season as a Blackhawk. Chelios, a Chicago native, was another fan favorite and perennial All-Star defensman. He cried upon leaving Chicago, especially to join the hated Red Wings. This was the ultimate “F*** You!” to the fans and sent the message that winning no longer mattered, it was just about the almighty dollar.

Our years of season tickets became reduced to selling most games and going to the games that featured a star player from another team. Sure, I went nuts the two times the Hawks managed to score a goal each game, but the thrill was gone. Though I did get to see Gretzky, Lemieux, Jagr and Messier among others.

During that time with season’s tickets, the organization opened the doors to the United Center for season ticket holders to come in and walk around the concourse to have items signed by any member of the team. The big names were Tony Amonte, Bob Probert and Jeff Hacket. We really got our money’s worth.

As I was walking, I spotted Mr. Wirtz strolling the building with a few bodyguards and taking it all in. A gutsy move for a man so loathed by the fans that they went out of their way to shower him with “Boo’s” on a celebratory night for the jersey retirement for Denis Savard.

I grabbed the jersey we were having signed out of my dad’s hands and ran up to him seeking an autograph. His bodyguards nearly tackled me. My 100-pound body at the age of 12 could have done Wirtz a lot of damage. He reluctantly signed my jersey and told me to stop running. He also reeked of something. At the time I had no idea what. But I’ve learned with time it was alcohol. That whole sequence sums up Bill Wirtz.

Over the last decade, my dad and I constantly laughed at what the organization has become. My solution was that Wirtz needed to sell the team. Every time I suggested this, my Dad cut me off. “He’ll never sell, we’re just going to have to wait until he dies.”

Hallelujah! The day has come! I can only equate this feeling to how the Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz felt when the Wicked Witch died.

My Dad saw the Hawks hoist the most beautiful trophy in sports when he was a kid, which was 47 years ago. I still dream about seeing it with my own eyes. Now, that dream is a realistic possibility.
It wasn’t while Bill Wirtz was alive.

No Shining Moments

2007-04-03T14:36:00.000-04:00

March Madness is Christmas for sports fans, yet this year I felt like Santa left a giant pile of horse manure under the tree.

I couldn’t even get excited for the terrific CBS video montage “One Shining Moment,” following the title game Monday night.

Maybe I’m a little bitter, but I don’t think that’s the reason. I usually have pretty good success in all of my tournament pools, finishing in first place and collecting a nice payday. This year, my hopes of placing top-three in my pools came to a screeching halt when North Carolina forgot that the orange ball is supposed to go through the orange rim on the thing they call a basket.

But the problem is that I had a hard time finding other entertaining moments of the tournament. The best “buzzer-beater” came in a 11-6 game in the first round when VCU defeated Duke, and since I don’t hate Duke I didn’t care as much that the mighty Krzyzewski’s fell early.

Technically, that shot wasn’t even a true “buzzer beater.” Duke still had a chance for a miracle heave at the end. There were exactly zero game-winning shots made as the clock reached 0.0. No players running off the court ala Drew Nicholas of Maryland in the 2003 tournament, experiencing a level of adrenaline and excitement very few will ever feel in their lives.

There were no monumental upsets, either. No. 2 Wisconsin losing before the Sweet 16 should only have been a shock to Wisconsin alum and pool entrants that made their picks solely based on which number is higher in each game.

That method of picking worked this year though. This was almost a completely “chalk” tournament that my 79-year-old grandmother could have won and she doesn’t know Florida won in 2006 or that UCLA has 11 national championship banners hanging from its rafters.

I don’t consider terrible overall officiating, Greg Oden’s foul troubles or Lon Kruger’s son getting an extra year of eligibility as compelling storylines. The only entertainment value was seeing the Gators do something that hadn’t been done in 15 years by winning back-to-back NCAA championships.

While I respect what the Gainesville athletic factory has accomplished in the past 12 months, it bores me terribly. I have nothing against their athletic programs, except the fact that Joakim Noah is the face of their team. He belongs on display in a zoo somewhere right next to the chimpanzees and hyenas.

Noah is the weak link of the Florida attack yet has no problem shouting after blocked shots or dunks and pounding his chest to display his manhood. That won’t fly at the next level. If he does that near Rasheed Wallace or Kevin Garnett, they’ll knock him on his behind. Oden dominated Noah in the title game, a preview of things to come for Noah in the NBA.

Florida has earned respect but the 2007 NCAA Tournament didn’t. Sorry if this column was boring, but there was very little to write about after a tournament that was as bland as the white rice I got with my Chinese food Sunday night.

Will the Cubs be Good... Enough?

2007-03-30T16:18:00.000-04:00

Cubs’ general manager Jim Hendry went on a $300 million shopping spree this winter, hoping to solve many of the problems that his club has encountered since the “Bartman tragedy” of 2003.

Logically, one would think that money would have helped answer many questions surrounding the franchise. One would be wrong. Preseason predictions by the so-called experts show the Cubs finishing anywhere from first-to-fourth in the National League’s Central Division. As is the case with the other 29 teams in baseball the overall projection suggests that the Cubs might—or might not—make the playoffs. Bold predictions abound.

I can’t say I blame them though. For everything they know, there is something they don’t and that makes it really tough to figure out if the 2007 Cubs will actually be good. For instance:

I know that the bleacher bums shouldn’t get too intoxicated this year. Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, Michael Barrett and Aramis Ramirez might combine for 150 home runs and nearly 500 runs batted in. The bleachers will be a dangerous place this season if you can’t catch a ball because you’ve consumed a few too many alcoholic beverages.

I don’t know what to expect from the other spots in the lineup. Will Mark DeRosa come remotely close to the .296 batting average he posted last season in his contract year, or will he fall back to the .273 career average he owns? Will Cesar Izturis’ legs ever again allow him to beat out anything he slaps into the infield grass? Will Jacque Jones ever figure out how to protect the plate with two strikes? Was Matt Murton’s first full season at the major league level simply an aberration or is he capable of improving upon his team-best .365 on base percentage?

I know the 2007 Chicago Cubs have a realistic chance to break the 1945 Philadelphia Phillies' modern era single-season record of 234 errors. Seriously, this team will have a blooper DVD all to itself. Every time I see the letters CF next to Soriano’s name I just begin to laugh like I’m watching a Dane Cook stand-up special.

Whose idea was it to put a poor fielding leftfielder in the most important outfield position in a difficult ballpark to judge fly balls? The entertainment value of seeing Soriano’s goofs will be worth the price of admission alone.

Of course, Ramirez still stars as Edward Scissorhands at third base, though Lee’s outstanding glove has made Ramirez a tolerable fielder. Meanwhile, Barrett remains one of the worst defensive catchers. He calls a terrible game and doesn’t like the head-on collisions on plays at the plate. Good thing he can hit.

I don’t know that Fred McGriff will give this video his “full endorsement,” but it would serve as good viewing material to teach youngsters what NOT to do. Maybe Tom Emanski would agree to help Lou Piniella teach the basic fundamentals of the game. Then the Cubs could be come back-to-back-to-back AAU National Champions!

I know Carlos Zambrano is the best pitcher in baseball not named Johan. He’s a fierce competitor, a true workhorse and a legit Cy Young candidate.

I don’t know that Hendry’s spending really helped the rest of the rotation behind Zambrano. Rich Hill finally showed why he’d been so successful in the minor leagues, but he didn’t do so until the pressure was off and “Wait ‘til next year” was back in vogue. Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis earned big paydays for winning as many games as they lose. When the wind blows out at Wrigley Field opposing hitters will treat them like Home Run Derby pitchers. Let’s just see how long Wade Miller lasts before he joins Kerry Wood and Mark Prior on the disabled list.

I know that Hendry at least brought in healthy bodies so the Cubs wouldn’t rely so heavily on Wood and Prior. I also know that they should pick a day during spring training to make “annual DL day.” It could be like Academy Awards night. Wood and Prior will show up in their Russell Athletic uniforms, walk down the sand base paths and be presented with a towel to use when they throw bullpen sessions. These guys will go down in baseball history as the best simulated game pitchers of this era.

In all seriousness, I think Kerry Wood needs to think about retirement soon. His “golden” right arm is so screwed up and I’m afraid he’s a few injuries away from never being able to play a simple game of catch with his kids.

I don’t know what the problem is with Prior, but I think the Cubs have to find out fast. Either it’s mental, and he is just afraid to uncork the heat because he doesn’t want another arm injury, or it’s physical. Physical as in steroids helped add extra mph on the fastball and he’s now off the roids. I still would like to hear an explanation as to where his elephant-sized calves have gone. Maybe he was stuffing his socks.

I know that Bob Howry and Scott Eyre are great at bridging the gap to the closer.

I don’t know that Ryan Dempster can close out games, thus leaving a gaping hole in the ninth inning. It’s kind of equivalent to a long wooden bridge. Piniella will make it nearly all the way across and then the last wooden plank will collapse and he’ll plummet to a painful loss.

I know “Sweet’ Lou will get thrown out of games.

I don’t know the time frame of his famous press conference quote “we’re going to win here.” Eventually, you’d think so. The drought can’t go on for another 100 years, can it?

I know the Cubs will finish third in the NL Central.

I don’t know which two teams they’ll finish behind. The Cardinals proved to the world that you could be a bad baseball team for 162 games, make the playoffs, become slightly above average and win a World Series. Since they bring back Albert Pujols and Cris Carpenter I suppose they’ve got a legit chance at going back-to-back. That being said, the inscription on their championship rings should read: “biggest fluke in sports history.”

The Milwaukee Brewers should have the best pitching rotation in the division if Ben Sheets can stay healthy. Chris Capuano, Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush and Claudio Vargas are each capable of winning 10-15 games as well.

The Houston Astros added the big bat they’ve waited so long for. Call me crazy, but I believe Carlos Lee might be the first player to hit 65 home runs without steroids. Think about it, he gets to play 81 games in the juice box where lazy pop flies can reach the left field seats. Then, he gets to play another 45 games in the other NL Central parks he terrorized the last two seasons. Once Roger Clemens joins Roy Oswalt and Jason Jennings, the rotation will rival the Brewers.

I know the real question for the Cubs is whether they will be GOOD ENOUGH. The winner of their division doesn’t have to be good because the National League is somewhere between AAA and the major leagues (lets call it AAAA). Unfortunately, it still gets four teams into the postseason with the same chance to win it all.

I don’t know when the Cubs will finally win a World Series.

I know it won’t be in 2007.

BIG TEN is most overrated conference EVER

2007-03-13T17:43:00.000-04:00

This is a small part of ESPN page 2 columnist Bill Simmons' column from Monday, March 12. Simmons claims the Pac-10 and Big Ten are the two most overrated conferences in America. I think the Pac-10 is one of the best in the country, so I respectfully disagree with him on that. However, he couldn't be more correct on the conference with 1 good team and 10 or bad teams:

"As for the Big Ten, its second-best team (Wisconsin) isn't as good as Kansas, Texas or Texas A&M, and I wasn't even remotely impressed by Purdue (a No. 9 seed), Indiana (No. 7) or Illinois (No. 12), although I do think Michigan State (No. 11) has a chance to crack the Sweet 16 because of Tom Izzo and Drew Neitzel."

"Regardless, how did the Big Ten send six teams to the tournament when most of its games had the same disjointed, scrappy, uncomfortable flow of a woman's basketball game? Did you ever watch a Big Ten game that didn't involve OSU and think to yourself, "Wow, this is some high-caliber hoops!" Oklahoma State would have been the third-best team in that conference and it's headed to the NIT. Same for Kansas State. And Syracuse."

"Final note: Anyone who toggled between the OSU-Wisconsin and Texas-Kansas games knows which conference was better this season. That Texas-Kansas game was the most hard-fought basketball game I've seen since the Heat-Mavs NBA Finals last June ... and Texas was running on fumes. Meanwhile, OSU and Wisconsin were having the basketball equivalent of a rock fight on CBS. Gimme a break. The Big Ten is awful. Don't say I didn't warn you."

NO TRADES

2007-02-22T17:41:00.000-05:00

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone and John Paxson stood pat. Not only did he fail to land a legit post presence, he didn't even feel a minor move was necessary to improve his extremely average junior varsity conference team.

So, it looks like it will be another year of exiting the playoffs with a first round loss. The Bulls will not catch the Detroit Pistons for the division lead and thus wind up with a seed somewhere between No. 4 and 6. Out of the other teams positioned in that group, the only team they can beat in a series is probably the red-hot Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately, they would fall to the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic or Cleveland Cavaliers.

The door has been open to make a run to the NBA Finals and a possible championship, but it is slowly closing. Paxson can't hang on to all four of his young talents when they become free agents and Ben Wallace's final three seasons will just see him continue to physcially decline.

I sure hope Paxson knows what he's doing and the upcoming off-season nets the Bulls Kevin Garnett, Zach Randolph or Pau Gasol. Bulls fans want to win big and they want to do it now. Slightly above-averge seasons with early playoff exits won't cut it that much longer.

A Plea to Pax

2007-02-20T14:28:00.000-05:00

With the trade deadline right around the corner, I really don’t envy any general manager in the NBA. While journalists can throw around trade rumors by playing with their trading cards, it’s the GM’s around the league that have to deal with the actual players and the affect it will have on their team.

This season, the GM I least admire is the Bulls’ John Paxson. Paxson has done a tremendous job turning the organization around since Jerry Krause ran it into the ground when the Jordan era came to an end. He’s drafted talented players, hired a smart coach in Scott Skiles and stockpiled tradable parts in the form of young players, draft picks and expiring contracts.

Now, he is at a crossroads however; at 29-25 the Bulls stand sixth in the eastern conference and there haven’t really been any signs they are better than their record suggests. Two years in a row, they’ve been knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, and barring a change it’s quite possible that will happen again.

So, Paxson must now decide which of his young players he should continue to build around and which are expendable in a trade for the final piece of the puzzle: a legit big man who can post-up and score with his back to the basket.

At this point, Kevin Garnett seems like nothing more than a dream. Despite the fact that the Timberwolves are barely hanging on to the eighth seed in the west and appear to have no overall direction, GM Kevin McHale seems unwilling to trade the “Big Ticket.” There’s no point to dwell on this anymore, as the reasons continue to grow as to how a trade would benefit the TWolves. But, McHale continues to prove that he doesn’t have the mental capacity to build a winning team.

A few rumblings suggest that Portland might be willing to move Zach Randolph, but at the moment none seem to be substantial. However, Randolph would be the best fit for the Bulls and would probably come relatively cheap.

The rumor that refuses to go away revolves around Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Pau Gasol. The 26-year-old from Barcelona carries career averages of 18.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game. Yet, in 12 chances he has yet to win a single playoff game.

Grizzlies’ GM Jerry West won’t just trade Gasol for spare parts. His initial request from the Bulls asked for both Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, the only two players the Bulls appear completely unwilling to part with.

Deng continues to improve each season, and at the age of 21 he can really turn into a Josh Howard type of player. Meanwhile, Gordon is the one guy Paxson absolutely cannot trade. He is a pure scorer who continues to improve and genuinely enjoys being in Chicago. While his game seemed relatively one dimensional as a pure shooter before this season, he has shown the willingness to drive to the basket by creating his own shot. Often times, he takes a mugging and goes to the free throw line where he shoots around 90 percent.

This is where the beauty of Paxson’s roster and assets should come into play, if he can only get West to listen.

The fact of the matter is that in order to get a legit star big in the NBA, you’ve got to give something up. If that isn’t going to be Deng or Gordon, then it will have to be the other two of the Bulls’ four young talents. While Bulls fans have grown to love Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni, they are expendable in this situation.

Hinrich is a legit point guard, but he has serious flaws in his game. His shot is incredibly inconsistent and when it’s not falling, it becomes awfully hard for the Bulls to win. He tends to dribble too much and run around in circles on the offensive end. Meanwhile, a common misperception is that Hinrich is one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the league. In fact, Hinrich does play a solid defense, but he is also slow when moving side-to-side. Quicker point guards tend to blow past Hinrich rather easily, leading to defensive breakdowns for the entire team.

Nocioni would even be more difficult to part with than Hinrich. Nocioni has raw talent and is still developing. Some nights he resembles Dirk Nowitzki, while others he looks like Dino Radja’s twin brother. Yet, no matter which part of his game is functioning, “Chapu” plays extremely hard each game. He is constantly drawing charges, playing tough defense and diving for loose balls. Those components are essential on any team with championship aspirations.

Beyond Hinrich and Nocioni, the Grizzlies could still ask for a bit more. If that’s the case, give them the choice between Tyrus Thomas and the first-round draft pick the Bulls will receive from the New York Knicks. While the Knicks are playing better this season, it should still be somewhere from the middle to end of the lottery, thus netting one of the ten big men in next year’s exceptionally deep draft class.

Thomas is still extremely raw and isn’t ready to help a team that wants to win now. The only element he brings to the floor is his ability to block shots, but Gasol brings the same attribute and so much more.

Meanwhile, the draft pick will not bring either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. While there are other talented players available, it’s likely that four of the 10 will be a bust or be slow to develop. The Bulls simply don’t want to wait any longer. Assuming, Oden and Durant find early success that means four of the remaining eight will struggle early or forever, thus making the Bulls pick a complete crapshoot.

Throw in the expiring contract of P.J. Brown, who has anticipated a trade for months and you’ve got a deal. Maybe the Grizzlies would even throw in point guard Chucky Atkins, whom they are desperately trying to trade.

So, the trade becomes Nocioni, Hinrich, Brown and Thomas or the draft pick for Gasol and Atkins.

The Bulls keep their top two players while adding the low-post presence they have needed for two years. Gasol not only improves the offense by becoming the go-to scorer, he also opens up more shots for Deng on the wing and Gordon behind the arc.

Gasol also helps Ben Wallace block shots and pull more rebounds underneath the basket. Chris Duhon is plenty capable of running the point and distributing the ball. In this new offense, he shouldn’t have to shoot more than a few times each game.

As for the Grizzlies, they add Hinrich to the mix as the veteran floor general to lead a talented group that includes Nocioni, Mike Miller, Hakim Warrick and Rudy Gay. Due to Brown’s expiring contract coming off the books at season’s end, the Grizzlies can add another player. They would also have two lottery picks next summer as well.

They are squarely in the running for Oden and Durant with their own pick and could pick up another big man such as UNC’s Tyler Hansbrough or Nevada’s Nick Fazekas with the pick they’d get from the Bulls. They instantly become a team with the potential to wreak havoc in the superior western conference for years to come.

It’s truly a win-win situation, the way every trade should be. Come on Pax, pick up the phone and make it happen.

SUPER BOWL DEPRESSION

2007-02-05T18:25:00.000-05:00

Normally, I always pick up the local newspapers and read the daily articles on various sports sites. Today was different, mainly because the Bears loss in Super Bowl XLI has me really depressed. That being said, here are a few impressions from Super Sunday:

1—Peyton Manning is now officially the greatest quarterback in NFL history. The debates can finally end. Unless Manning breaks his leg and never returns to his current form, he finally has the ring to back him up. While Brett Favre will most likely break many of Dan Marino’s records in 2007, Manning will break Favre’s down the road. He is the QB that will be featured on “how to” tapes for Pop-Warner league QB’s in the future. His name can be penciled in along with Walter Payton and Jerry Rice as the best offensive players the NFL has ever seen.

2—While fans began wishing all forms of torture upon Rex Grossman only minutes following the game, he didn’t perform much different from what many experts, including myself, expected. First and foremost, after two mistake-free games, “Bad Rex” was due back. It had been too long (a full month) since we’d last seen him. Grossman wasn’t that terrible really, although the interception return for a TD was the gamebreaker. Bottom line is that after the first six games of the season, Grossman stopped doing his Manning impression and morphed into Heath Shuler. In order for him not to throw the ball away five times per game, the offense had to be "dumbed down" for him not to lose the game instead of to win the game. That’s not how the QB position needs to be played.

3—That being said, Grossman cannot take all of the blame. More of the blame for the loss should be blamed on the defensive line. Outside of Tank Johnson wrapping his arm around Manning in the first quarter, (which prompted Manning to throw a bomb to Reggie Wayne for a TD) they weren't close enough to smell Manning if he had bathed in a pile of duck droppings. Did Alex Brown, Adewale Ogunleye or Ian Scott even make the trip to Miami? If it wasn’t for a meaningless sack in the fourth quarter, the same question could be asked for Mark Anderson. Even when the Colts lost starting tackle Ryan Diem in the first half, it didn’t matter.

One thing is for certain: the Bears vaunted defense was NEVER the same after Tommie Harris went out for the season. While Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs are All-Pro linebackers and among the top-5 in the NFL at their position, it is crystal clear that Harris is the key to the defense for the Bears. He requires a double team on every play, thus allowing his fellow defensive line mates to get better pressure on the opposing QB. With him the line was the best in the league and possibly one of the best of all time, without him they were merely average and the Bears needed to blitz more frequently to get pressure.

4—Barring injury, Devin Hester will go down as the greatest kickoff/punt returner in the history of the league. He is so dangerous; teams simply cannot kick to him, which constantly ensures the Bears outstanding field position. Should the opposing team really mess up and give him a chance, he can change the game in the blink of an eye. He is as close to a guarantee on returns as there has ever been. If the kick coverage is poor, he will find the end zone and there is no argument about it. All he needs is the narrowest of holes and he won’t be caught. Hester will have a negative affect on concession sales for the rest of his career, as you simply can’t afford to get a beverage following a touchdown anymore. You would most likely miss the most exciting play of the game.

5—Finally, the Bears will be back and make a run at Super Bowls for the foreseeable future. They are relatively young and talented at every position. This off-season, the only real concern is the contract of Briggs, who will become a free agent. Even if they can’t reach an agreement, the Bears can still use the franchise tag on him. Briggs has said he wants to stay, so he should return for at least another year. General Manager Jerry Angelo has proven to be great at evaluating talent, having drafted Anderson, Hester, Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher and Alex Brown in addition to many others. He has also been shrewd in his spending with contracts going to unlikely stars such as John Tait, Thomas Jones, Desmond Clark and Robbie Gould. Under his construction and Lovie Smith’s development, a new dynasty might take Chicago by storm.

CHICAGO DUMBFOUNDED BY REX

2007-01-30T03:09:00.000-05:00

It’s impossible to go anywhere in Chicago without seeing some form of Chicago Bears pride. Flags are hanging from car windows, signs of support are finding their way onto snow-covered front lawns and people have even resorted to using stuffed bear heads as winter hats.

Yet, the most shocking show of support has come in the form of a jersey with the No. 8 on the front, the initials “GSH” on each sleeve and the name GROSSMAN in capital letters across the back. This isn’t shocking because it’s specifically a Rex Grossman’s jersey; it is simply the fact that it’s the jersey of a Chicago Bears quarterback being worn proudly by Chicagoans.

The last time that happened must have been in 1988 when Jim McMahon took his No. 9 uniform and left to join the Chargers.
Since McMahon’s departure, the Bears’ futility at the position has been well documented. Henry Burris, Moses Moreno, Rick Mirer, Craig Krenzel, Chad Hutchinson, Cade McNown, Jonathan Quinn, Kyle Orton, Steve Stenstrom, Dave Krieg and Kordell Stewart have each taken snaps from center.

My personal favorite was Steve Walsh, even though the tandem of Shane Matthews and Jim Miller guided the Bears to a 13-3 record and playoff birth in 2001.

Since Brett Favre took the reigns in Green Bay, Bears fans have been eager for a quarterback to arrive and stabilize the franchise’s downfall.

Now, I won’t lie to you, I did not agree with Jerry Angelo’s selection of Grossman in the first round of the 2003 draft. I am still not a Grossman supporter, and I spent most of the season criticizing Lovie Smith for not handing the offense over to Brian Griese.

Though I still don’t like his style, Grossman has grown on me during the Bears’ playoff victories. While he threw too many interceptions during the regular season, he’s still a young QB adjusting to NFL defenses.

Due to injuries suffered during his first few seasons, Grossman never lost his gunslinger mentality he brought with him from “the swamp” in Gainesville. He never saw the field enough to realize the NFL is full of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball and if he just tosses the ball around bad things will happen. This aspect of his game will only get better with experience.

What compacted the problem for “Bad Rex” is the mentality of Bears fans and the Chicago media. With decades gone by since the Bears had a QB that could lead an aerial offense, what Grossman was doing through the first six games of the season was a brand new spectacle to a new generation of fans and media members. As it is with any passing game, the reward is great but the risk can be lethal and Grossman is no Favre—yet.

More touchdowns will occur like they did 23 times this season but so will more interceptions. That’s just a basic fact of the game. But Bears fans spent years seeing the Orton style playbook, which involves a lot of running with a few short-yardage passes that my mother could complete sprinkled in. Past QB’s didn’t throw so many balls to the other team because they barely threw…at all.

What really hit Chicago was the shock factor that came along with both “Good Rex” and “Bad Rex.” It was kind of like a child getting their first puppy, it’s so cute yet so destructive at the same time.

Chicago was in awe at the new offensive attack that Grossman could provide, yet unwilling to accept the element of failure that comes along with it. The QB many have yearned for has finally arrived, yet people are afraid to leave the comfort zone created by the numerous QB’s that never should have seen an NFL field in the first place.

Finally, it’s okay for stores to stock up with the jersey of a Bears QB.

Hesitating to extend Lovie could prove costly

2007-01-24T14:49:00.000-05:00

No sooner did the Gatorade dry from Lovie Smith’s jacket following the NFC Championship celebration at Soldier Field, did the rumors start swirling about his future in the Windy City.

While Monday should have been a day of reflection and acknowledgement towards Smith and Tony Dungy for breaking the Super Bowl’s head coaching color barrier, Bill Parcells and his ego dominated the headlines.

Parcells realized the game had passed him by and that he wasn’t living up to his end of the bargain after winning a total of zero playoff games in four seasons. He’s lost his fire and his players had thoughts of going Latrell Sprewell—P.J. Carlesimo on him. But his decision could have waited at least one more day out of respect to his colleagues.

Now that the dominoes have fallen following his departure, the Chicago Bears are looking at a potentially serious problem. It’s no secret that Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones won’t hesitate to throw outrageous money at a big name coach that he feels can guide his franchise back to glory, and there is no bigger name right now than Lovie Smith.

On the field, Smith took the leftover liabilities he inherited from Dick Jauron’s staff and incorporated them into a winning brand of football. Granted, two of those players happened to be All-World center Olin Kreutz and linebacker Brian Urlacher. Beyond that, he has shown a knack for developing young talent such as Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian, Tommie Harris and Nathan Vasher.

Off the field, Smith is extremely focused and detail-oriented. The day after the Bears were thumped by the Green Bay Packers in the last game of the regular season Smith handed each player a calendar with the day-by-day schedule leading up to Super Bowl XLI. He has the respect and love of his players and won’t tolerate a lack of focus on the biggest stage.

In 2006, he showed that he isn’t afraid to take risks or listen to scrutiny. He stuck by Grossman in the same manner whether he was playing like Brett Favre or Jonathan Quinn.

Smith hails from Big Sandy, Texas, not far from Dallas. He grew up a Cowboys fan and his mother had dreams of seeing her son coaching the Cowboys one day.

Now that Mae’s boy has taken his team to a Super Bowl as the lowest paid coach in the league, he’s due for a substantial raise. Consider that Parcells walked away from a contract where he was making roughly four times that of Smith.

Bears’ president Ted Phillips insists that he has met with Smith’s agent, Frank Bauer, and discussions are under way. However, there seems to be a mutual agreement to put off negotiations until after the big show in Miami. This could be a costly mistake for Phillips and the Bears organization.

Why wait for two weeks to come and go? Why subject the team and its coach to the same questions from the media and the national distraction day after day when they should be preparing for the biggest game of their lives without this sideshow?

Phillips and general manager Jerry Angelo should extend Smith’s contract on Sunday, January 28, one week before he attempts to join Mike Ditka in Chicago immortality. During the two-week hype fest leading up to the big game, players either get bored or get overanxious to finally take the field. When many feel they should be playing in one week’s time, the Bears should make the headlines and give the team something to rally around before they migrate south.

The real mistake would be waiting to see if Smith’s heart leads him back home. His departure would have a crippling affect on a franchise primed for sustained success.

Show Lovie the money and show him now.

Na,Na, Na, Na... Hey, Hey, Hey... Goodbye, Frank

2005-12-07T01:34:00.000-05:00

I love Frank Thomas the same way I love Michael Jordan. I'll miss Frank Thomas the same way I miss high school-- loved the memories, wished certain things could have gone differently but thrilled with the ending.

No. 35 ironically made his home as one of the greatest hitters in baseball history on 35th Street. He was by far the best hitter I've ever seen in person.

He was the White Sox for 15 years, basically the entire time I can actually remember watching baseball.

KEY WORD=WAS

As hard as it will be to see him trying on a different jersey in a few days--after agreeing with the Oakland Athletics or (as I vomit) the Minnesota Twins--it was harder having watch the White Sox suffer to make up for his injuries over the past few seasons.

If you want further proof as to how great of a job Ken Williams has done since taking over as GM, consider that he basically made the White Sox a champion and a potential dominant force for years DESPITE Frank Thomas.

The White Sox are a healthy and blossoming franchise with a talented farm system, increased national attention and a bigger fan base. But that's because of players Williams has brought in recently and his manager as opposed to a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Arguing Thomas' Hall of Fame credentials isn't worth it. The man was a two-time MVP for a reason and should have won a third in 2000. For the early part of his career, his numbers compared favorably with none other than Ted Williams. Best of all, Thomas apparently laid off steroids, playing on pure talent and ability while losing the spotlight while others hit 60-73 homeruns by cheating.

Still don't believe me? I recommend this article by John Brattain of "The Hardball Times."
hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-truth-hurts/

Plain and simple, it was time for both sides to move on. Frank's 12 HR's were great last season but he didn't have a big hand in the magical championship run in 2005. A White Sox team without the "Big Hurt Frank Thomas" won a World Series.

Now that's just a sad, weird, mean thing to say.

For White Sox fans all around the country, the sight of Thomas sporting another jersey is going to sting. It'll look weird and hurt their eyes. They'll cry when Frank returns to get his championship ring and so will he, they'll cry when he hits No. 500 and so will he. But then they'll get over it and so will he...

.... Until he goes into the Hall wearing a White Sox hat and finds his mural on the outfield walls of of his old stomping grounds they called Comiskey. His head will grace the fences that his homers made look like little league boundaries and where his linedrive doubles came to a sudden stop.

It was also weird to see the ESPN.com headline "Konerko re-signs with Champs." Sox fans can live with that.

STILL THE KING

2005-11-29T19:45:00.001-05:00

Enough already.

Enough about who will be the next “Michael Jordan” because there simply won’t be one.

Call me spoiled, but after watching the best basketball player of all-time, it’s hard to get excited about any young superstar that the NBA forces its fans to watch these days.

Albeit, the NBA has done a fantastic job of hyping so many players as “next,” they’ve been able to keep league-wide attendance high while marketing an entirely new stable of horses.

By creating many new stars for NBA fans to latch onto, the loss of “Air Jordan” hasn’t been nearly as bad as originally thought. But the truth needs to be told sooner or later, and the bottom line is that not a single player in today’s NBA is as good as Michael Jordan.

Every NBA fan, even the casual NBA fan, knows that Jordan averaged 31.5 points per game (ppg) after his second retirement in 1998. That average dipped to 30.1 ppg after to sub-par seasons with the Washington Wizards, but is still a NBA record.

It’s the statistics Jordan compiled in other areas of the game that put him in a completely different universe than today’s NBA stars.

As a rookie, Jordan averaged a mere 28.2 points per game to go along with 6.5 rebounds per game (rpg) and 5.9 assists per game (apg). Two years later, he averaged—averaged—37.1 ppg. Are you kidding me? The leading scorer in the NBA usually struggles to average 30.

For those who think Jordan was nothing more than a ball hog, think again. Jordan averaged 5.3 assists per game throughout his career to go along with his 6.2 rebounds every night. Scottie Pippen aside, there is a reason that teams consisting of Bill Cartwright, Luc Longley, Bobby Hansen, Bill Wennington, Jud Buchler, Dickey Simpkins and Craig Hodges tasted such success.

The laundry list of names you’ve never heard of is much longer and there’s a reason none of the players tasted such success wearing anything other than a Chicago Bulls uniform. Horace Grant came close with the mid-90’s Orlando Magic and finally won another championship with the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers, but didn’t play a major role. Steve Kerr also received another championship ring with the 1999 San Antonio Spurs while averaging just over eight minutes a game.

What truly set Jordan apart from the frauds around the league right now were his defensive attributes. As a 6-foot-6-inch guard, he averaged .83 blocks per game in his career as well as 2.35 steals each game. Jordan was named to nine all-defensive first teams and was the 1988 defensive player of the year when he averaged 3.16 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.
The usual suspects that the public was told would make them forget about Jordan began with Kobe Bryant and currently rest with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

Bryant has had a fine career and is arguably the closest to reaching Jordan’s level. He is already halfway to Jordan in terms of championships with three. Yet, Bryant had a little help in his championship runs in the form of Shaquille O’Neal. Centers are the most dominant forces in basketball and O’Neal might be the most dominating of them all. Bryant was merely a sidekick. In addition, Bryant has only had one season averaging 30 points a game, which was 2002-03 when he averaged exactly 30. Jordan had eight such seasons.

Where Bryant loses in the battle with Jordan is in the playoffs. During crunch time, when all athletes need to perform at their best, Bryant’s career averages remain remarkably similar to his regular season numbers. Meanwhile, Jordan’s statistics increased across the board to 33.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.

Bryant’s real test has just begun as he is trying to run the Lakers with the same system head coach Phil Jackson used with the Bulls. Bryant is scoring more (34.2 ppg) but dishing out fewer assists. Meanwhile, his team is limping along at 5-7 and will most likely miss the playoffs for the second straight season.

LeBron James came into the NBA as arguably the most hyped player in history and there is no doubting his talents. He had a terrific rookie season, though not as good as Jordan’s, averaging 20.9 points per game. James is slightly better in the rebounding and assist categories but it hasn’t paid off for the Cleveland Cavaliers just yet. In his third NBA season, James has yet to play beyond the 82-game mark. What’s even more staggering is that in a league lacking true centers, James has a legit man in the middle with 7-foot-3-inch Zydrunas Ilgauskas and still can’t find his way into the playoffs amidst a weak eastern conference. Comparison to Jordan can’t even legitimately begin until James leads his team deep into the postseason. When he does and when he earns his first championship ring then bring the debate to the table.

The player that reminds me the most of Jordan in today’s NBA world is ironically the player that doesn’t want the comparisons. Dwyane Wade is a proven leader with the talent to hit a midrange jumper and take the ball to the hole. He explodes at the basket like a young Jordan and has even shown glimpses of coming through in the clutch the way Jordan used to.

But Wade is also a smart basketball player; he grew up in Chicago and watched Jordan play during his entire childhood. He knows that nobody will ever be Jordan and he doesn’t want the added pressure. He simply wants to be D-Wade.

It’s unfair to ask anybody to be something they’re not and the fact of the matter is that nobody is Michael Jordan. Nobody will ever be Michael Jordan and that’s the bottom line.

If the NBA were smart, they’d run a weeklong special before the season begins each year. Like Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” it would be simply called “His Airness: a tribute to the best basketball player ever.” They could replay some of his best games; show highlight reels and documentaries about Jordan’s remarkable career.

Something must be done to inform the new generation of the player for all generations. But it’ll never happen, that would be essentially the same thing as sitting down Bryant, James, Wade and any other superstar that has drawn comparisons to Jordan and telling them, “You aren’t that good.”

Now, that’s the truth.

For complete statistics on Michael Jordan's career, visit http://www.nba.com/history/players/jordan_stats.html

SIMPLY THE BEST

2005-11-15T16:29:00.000-05:00

I would have loved to provide a link to a national story on Brad Smith's record-setting career but I couldn't find one, which troubles me greatly. Has our society really been so brainwashed that all sports fans care about are the best teams, highlight-reel plays and controversial happenings in the world of sports?

I'm afraid so. I caught ESPN's highlights of Missouri's game against Baylor. They lasted for about 35 seconds and afterwards there was no special screen displaying the accomplishments of MU Quarterback Brad Smith. If ESPN was truly the worldwide leader in sports, a graphic including the following information would have been displayed:

* On Saturday, Nov. 5, during Mizzou's game at Colorado, Smith passed Indiana's Antwaan Randle-El as the all-time leading quarterback rusher in NCAA history as he finished that game with 3,907 yards.

* On Saturday, Nov. 12, during Mizzou's game against Baylor, Smith went on to set the following records:

✪ –In leading the Tigers to the 31-16 win, Smith became the first player in Division I-A history
to reach the 8,000-yard passing and 4,000-yard rushing threshold, as his 161 yards on the day
pushed his career rushing total to 4,068 yards (he has 8,269 passing yards after Saturday). He is
already the D-IA career record holder for rushing yards by a QB...

✪ – Smith also broke the Big 12 Conference career total offense record with his 233-yard day
(161 rush/72 passing), giving him 12,337 yards for his career. That broke the old record of 12,263
held by Texas Tech’s Kliff Kingsbury (1999-2002). Smith now stands ranked No. 6 alltime on the
NCAA D-IA career total offense charts, and is 395 yards shy of moving to 4th place on the alltime
list...

✪ – Smith broke the MU career scoring record with his 3 TDs on the day, giving him 260
career points. That surpassed the old standard of 252 set by former TB Zack Abron (2000-03).
Smith also broke Abron’s career record for rushing TDs (Smith now has 41 – Abron had 40) and
he tied Abron’s career mark for total TDs scored, at 42...

Smith's storied career as the greatest offensive player in University of Missouri history saw its final home game on Saturday. After his knee grazed the Faurot Field turf to send the Tigers home with the win to make the team Bowl eligible, this journalist's eyes couldn't help but tear up. Between crying for the White Sox world series and now this, maybe I'm becoming too sentimental.

But Saturday marked the end of a once-in-a-lifetime career. Smith's accomplishments might never be broken, as the only legit way would be for a QB to take the reigns his freshman year and post consistently outstanding statistics for four straight seasons.

When I made my way to Mizzou in 2002, I had no expectations for MU football. It's never been a great program and there was no reason to get my hopes up. But, of course, the sports fan in me had to know what to expect. I knew about Justin Gage and Kirk Farmer and that was it. And then, something weird happened--the senior QB (Farmer) had lost his job to some freshman named Bradley Smith. I figured the program was just starting from scratch and shook my head in disappointment.

That all changed with his first game back on Aug. 31, 2002 when Smith lead an unranked Missouri team to a 33-20 win over Illinois at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. Smith accounted for 290 yards of total offense in his debut, but didn't find the end zone on this day, an act he'd make routine over the rest of his career.

His real coming out party came later that season when the Tigers hosted No. 1 Oklahoma and their No. 3-ranked defense. In his first chance to shine in the spotlight, Smith rushed for 213 yards and accounted for three TD's as MU nearly defeated the Sooners. His coming out party earned him some high praise.

"Brad Smith, just an incredible performance," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "He really was exceptional in his play and what he did tonight. As a team and as a head coach, I feel very fortunate - lucky - to have been able to have fought through this and won."

Smith would go onto be named to the Freshman All-American team and set the stage for an outstanding sophomore campaign in which he would lead the Tigers to an appearance in the Independence Bowl. He would accomplish two more outstanding feats during the 2003 season.

First, Smith lead the Tigers to their first victory over Nebraska in 24 years with a 41-24 win on Oct. 11. Smith's 4 touchdowns made this Saturday night one which Mizzou fans and alum will never forget.

Smith wasn't done there though. Two weeks later on Oct. 25, Smith would set the NCAA D-IA record for rushing yards in a game with 291 yards and 5 TD's in a 62-31 Tigers' bashing of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Smith's junior and senior seasons haven't been filled with as many memorable moments, largely due to the stupidity of the MU coaching staff. Nonetheless, Smith has given MU fans enough memorable moments to last a lifetime. I, for one, can take pride in knowing that I saw roughly 98% of Smith's current 4,068 yards on the ground and I made it a point to be in attendance as he broke the QB rushing record in Boulder.

I'm left wondering why more Missouri fans wouldn't show at Faurot on Saturday to send Smith out with the standing ovation he so rightfully deserved. Through all the problems with the coaching staff and the talent that surrounded Smith during his time at MU, there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Smith gave 110% on each and every play.

For all of Smith's playing accomplishments, he might have been better off the field. He is the most down-to-earth, genuinely nice and caring athlete I have ever spoken with and that list includes some amazing names (if you want a list, I'll gladly provide one upon request). Smith is a genuine role model and is the posterboy for everything that we wish more athletes would be like today.

Smith made a modest victory lap after the field began to clear on Saturday, high-fiving the roughly 200 fans who cared enough to give Smith a fond farewell. As I watched him walk back into the Missouri locker room for the final time, I couldn't help but wish that Faurot Field isn't the last place he calls home.

His future in football is a giant question mark. He lacks the throwing ability to play QB at the next level and his draft stock will strictly depend on how teams view him as an overall athlete as they will undoubtably try to convert him to a wide receiver.

That's all too far into the future. It's important that time is taken to reflect on a truly remarkable career. It's unfortunate that not many people outside of Columbia know about "Sweet 16" BD. SMITH. But that's okay, it's just the way he would want it.

Brad-- I thank you for everything you gave on the field, for the outstanding memories you've provided everyone wearing black and gold on Saturday's and most importantly, for being a complete class act when so many others choose to be whatevr the opposite of that is called. You will be missed but your legacy to Missouri, the Big 12 and even the NCAA will never be forgotten.

2005-11-11T13:35:00.000-05:00

Congratulations Mr. Palmeiro, you won't be spending any amount of time behind bars, serving as a lover to some oversized man that other inmates affectionately refer to as "The Tank."

Now get up, walk away and disappear. Go spend the rest of your life with your wife and kids in one of your mansions and leave the sports society alone. Don't try to come back and embarrass yourself and America's pastime. Nobody wants you stepping into the batter's box anymore.

You successfully managed to cheat yourself, major league baseball and its traditions, your teams and most importantly-- your fans.

The problem with steroids being used by major leaguers isn't what it could do to their bodies and their health later on in life. Already, Ken Caminiti, a former All-Star, died due to the suspected effects of steroids. Forgive baseball fans outside of Houston and San Diego for not shedding a tear. Why should anyone have sympathy or compassion for grown men who are well aware of the risks that come along with injecting their bodies with performance enhancing drugs.

The problem is much, much bigger than that. It's about the damage that using steroids does to the mental psyche of the baseball fan. Growing up, children and their father's watch baseball because they admire how easy the players can make it look to hit a ball 400 feet. Their talent and level of hand-eye coordination makes them elite.

But once steroids is found to have been involved, the player's career dies faster than the goldfish a child wins at the local carnival. It's completely possible that this was the first--and only-- time Palmeiro took steroids, but nobody will ever know. And after he sat before congress and waved his finger in defiance towards the notion that he had taken them, why should we ever believe him?

Growing up playing baseball for the first 16 years of my life, I admired baseball players for different reasons. Palmeiro was no exception. On a wall of my room, I have a collage of photos detailing the batting stances and swings of different players. Palmeiro was front and center as I regarded him to have the most pure and sweet swing in the league.

The man was a live textbook of the fundamental baseball swing. His head stayed firmly planted on the ball throughout the entire swing, the balance in his legs was uncanny and oh, that swing-- that swing was so fast, so pure, so effortless-- no wonder why opposing pitchers would shake in fear when he'd step to the plate. That swing allowed him to be one of the most consistent hitters of the era and a rare member of the 3,000 hit-500 homerun club.

It's entirely possible that Palmeiro is telling the truth now. That he only took them once. Heck, it would even make perfect sense for a 41-year-old to try something so drastic just to continue playing the game he loves. Then again, it's entirely possible that he had been taking them throughout his entire career and that the steroids made the difference between having 469 career HR's (he has 569) and 685 doubles (he has 585).

We'll never know if Palmeiro took steroids just once and we'll never know what kind of role they played in turning him into an All-Star for over a decade. But it never should have come to this--mostly for his fans and the people who paid their hard earned money to watch him play.

Years of following a player's career and having nothing but respect were washed away the second the needle broke the skin and for all parties involved it's just a damn shame. I wish Palmeiro the best in the rest of his life, but again I beg of him, don't return to the baseball diamonds you have disgraced and don't hit anymore homeruns.

For each homerun you hit, Mr. Palmeiro, another innocent mind becomes a fan of yours. They pick up your jersey, want your autograph and collect your baseball cards. They just don't deserve the deep embedded pain in their heart that comes with being the fan of a steroid user.

TOP 10 LIST

2005-11-08T19:26:00.000-05:00

Now that the White Sox are done putting my entire sports life on hold, it's time to play some catch up and hit a bunch of topics from around the world of sports:

10-- TERRELL OWENS WILL NOT PLAY FOR THE EAGLES AGAIN IN 2005: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2217740

I have been a big supporter of Owens since he began his NFL career in San Francisco, but it is getting increasingly harder to defend him. He's easily the best wide receiver in the game and therefore has a right to run his mouth to a certain extent. His track record clearly shows that he is capable of being the difference between a team that plays 16 games and one that goes into the playoffs. But, now his attitude is becoming more of a factor than his physical attributes.
With Eagles QB Donovan McNabb needing surgery at some point, the Eagles season is in jeopardy. Instead of continuing the ongoing Owens soap opera they made a wise decision and will demand major value in a potential trade before the end of this season or during the offseason. If Owens can learn from his stupidity and take his arrogance level down a notch he will still be highly beneficial to many NFL teams such as the Baltimore Ravens or Atlanta Falcons.

9-- NBA RETURNS: http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-2005nba_eastpreview,1,6301106.story?coll=cs-bulls-utility........ http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-2005nba_westpreview,1,5898710.story?coll=cs-bulls-utility (LINKS TO EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEWS)

The NBA is a week into the 2005-06 season and it's good to have basketball back. The Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs are the favorites in each conference as they should be. Both rosters are sick as the Heat added Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, Gary Payton, James Posey and rookie Wayne Simien to compement Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade. Meanwhile, the Spurs kept their championship roster intact and added Michael Finley and Nick Van Exel to strengthen their bench.
As good as LeBron James is, the best player in the league is Wade. He plays the game the way Michael Jordan used to. He has a great work ethic, and displays class off the court. His midrange jumper is as good as it gets and he explodes at the rim unlike any other player in the game right now. But what seperates Wade is his ability to make everyone around him better and his defensive intensity. On another side note, the New York Knicks will not be much improved with Larry Brown as their head coach. Every great coach has had great talent; Red Auerbach had Bill Russell, Phil Jackson had Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen plus Shaq and Kobe Bryant. The Knicks group of Quentin Richardson, Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford don't exectly strike fear into the hearts of their opponents.

8-- BASEBALL HOT STOVE SEASON IS UNDERWAY: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/scorecard/11/08/truth.rumors.mlb/index.html

Some people actually enjoy this time of baseball more than the regular season. Trade rumors and discussions of free agent signings are wild as fans are hopeful that their team's big move could make them the last team standing in October. The biggest rumor thus far involves Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez. He has asked for a trade and GM Theo Epstein is no longer with the organization meaning that "Manny being Manny" could land him in another uniform.
White Sox first basemen Paul Konerko has rocketed to the top of many team's wishlist. It is believed by many that he will stay on the south side. But if the Angels, BoSox or Dodgers come in with a Carlos Beltran-type offer he could be gone. No fears though, GM Ken Williams has many alternate plans in mind. Those include resigning a healthy Frank Thomas, exploring options with Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui (who wants to join Tadahito Iguchi) and making a run at an intriguing hitter such as Alfonso Soriano or Carlos Delgado should Konerko depart. Either way, the Sox should be poised to potentially repeat as their starting rotation and bullpen are locked into place for the forseeable future which includes next season.

7-- MISSOURI BASKETBALL SET FOR SECOND SEASON AT MIZZOU ARENA: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/specials/preview/2005/teams/missouri.html

Missouri basketball, which used to bring high expectations into each season, is upon us again. But the expectations are gone. That's what happens when a program fails to win even a single NIT game in 2 years. Especially after carrying a top-5 preseason ranking into one of those seasons.
The Tigers have a plethora of talented wings including the inconsistent Thomas Gardner and unproven Marshall Brown. Jason Horton now has a season of work under his belt and should be much more capable of leading the attack. However, these Tigers are thin inside. Kevin Young and Kalen Grimes are both extremely raw talents and can't be counted on for much at the offensive end. Freshman Leo Lyons can put the ball in the hole, but much like Linas Kleiza, prefers to put the ball on the floor as opposed to playing with his back to the basket. The real key is the play of Jimmy McKinney. McKinney is in danger of being regarded as one of the most disappointing players every to wear a Mizzou uniform. While he showes flashes of offensive brillaince, he often times looks like a player on a playstation game after a wrong button is pushed on the control. If he can finally follow through on the expectations he came here with, the Tigers might not be as bad as most think.

6-- NHL IS BACK, BUT DOES ANYONE NOTICE? http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?id=2212618

For true hockey fans, the new NHL is a great thing to watch. The scoring is back, the highly skilled players are showing their immense amount of talent and the game is entertaining. However, too many penalties and goals are making scoring too easy. Pucks are going into the net at such a high rate, it sometimes forces you to take a second glance and make sure their is actually a goalie in between the pipes. The scoring will most likely drop as the season goes on, as teams adjust to the new rules and defenseman get back into playing shape.
The biggest bright spot is the play of 18-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Sidney Crosby. In his first 15 games he has scored 5 goals to go along with 14 assists. The kid has the talent and the smarts to be one of the best of all time and as the NHL gets back into the national consciousness, he has the potential to be "King Crosby."

5-- NFL STANDINGS REFLECT SURREAL BALANCE: http://www.nfl.com/standings

If there was any doubt before, there shouldn't be anymore. The NFL is by far the sports league with the most balance as reflected by the standings. First of all, the Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks all lead their divisions. As do the reigning Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots with a 4-4 record. So far, the Indianapolis Colts appear to be the best team with an 8-0 record. But with many teams just two games worse, the trophy with the silver football can go to any team early in 2006.

4-- STEROIDS... AGAIN: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2217361

For those sick of reading about steroids in professional sports, specifically baseball, sorry. This is a major topic that is not just going to go away. Numerous reports, books and suspended players are going to pop-up as the topic gets hotter as every week goes by.
It's easy to see what took place during the middle and late 90's. After the strike in 1994, baseball needed its fans back. The easiest way was to hit more homeruns, MLB's version of an 80-yard touchdown. Comissioner Bud Selig, as well as many players, coaches and general managers slid all the evidence under a rug and ignored it until it was impossible to do so anymore. It benefitted the game, the revenue and the performance and nobody seemed to care. Hopefully, it will also benefit the future of the sport as attention turns back toward playing the game the way it was meant to be played: good pitching, good fielding, timely hitting and good baserunining.
At the same time, I can only hope that the media punished those who cheated by not voting them into the Hall of Fame. If the 1919 Black Sox can get banned for cheating, why shouldn't any player who has cheated by taking steroids? It won't matter if you ban Rafael Palmeiro or Mark McGwire as their careers are over. But holding them out of Cooperstown would open the eyes of the entire country.

3-- THE SPORTING NEWS NAMES INDIANS GM MARK SHAPIRO EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

Are you kidding me? Is that a complete joke? You see, there's this man sitting in Chicago right now named Ken Williams. The same man who brought in 11 new players this season and won a World Series. The same man who lost Carlos Lee, Magglio Ordonez and then Frank Thomas (due to injury) and replaced them with castoffs (players that other teams didn't want in case your vocabulary is short).

This is the same man who brought in Jose Contreras (for Esteban Loaiza)... Juan Uribe (for Aaron Miles, and I don't mean the former Jayhawk PG either).... held onto Neal Cotts.... signed Bobby Jenks when no one else would... Took a shot on Orlando Hernandez, AJ Pierzynski, the oft-injured Jermaine Dye, a player he'd only seen on video (Tadahito Iguchi) and acquired Freddy Garcia as well as World Series hero Geoff Blum...

But that's okay.... KW is sitting somewhere right now laughing at TSN and its sports writers as he holds the only award that really matters, the 2005 World Series trophy. Hopefully when Williams reads the magazine he quickly uses it to replace the toilet paper in his bathroom.

There's a reason nobody reads TSN, and maybe it's because their so-called "experts" really have no clue what they're talking about, maybe they didn't know the following stats:

The White Sox won the World Series and the Indians didn't make the playoffs... The White Sox went 7-0 at Jacobs Field in the second half and by completeing a 3-game sweep during the last weekend of the season, single-handedly eliminated the Indians from playoff contention.... The White Sox bench, comprised of players Williams has either drafted or acquired in trades, beat the Indians during the series.... Most importantly, THE INDIANS WERE NEVER IN FIRST PLACE AT ANY TIME DURING THE REGULAR SEASON!

And one more thing: In the same time that Shapiro has had the job in Cleveland, Kenny Williams' White Sox teams have finished ahead of them EVERY SEASON... Shapiro couldn't hold Williams' jockstrap.

2-- MISSOURI FALLS TO COLORADO WITH BIG 12 NORTH TITLE ON THE LINE: http://mutigers.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/110505aaa.html

First and foremost, congratulations to Brad Smith for becoming the All-Time leading rusher for a QB in NCAA history. His 3,907 rushing yards leave him just 93 shy of becoming the only QB in NCAA history to throw for over 8,000 and rush for over 4,000 yards in a career.
There's the positive, now for the negative. The Tigers have talent, no doubt. So what is really their problem? Two words: Gary Pinkel and his coaching staff. Their offense isn't working and hasn't for 2 weeks now. They just played one of the worst pass defenses in all of college football and managed a repulsive 217 yards.
I'm sick of seeing Pinkel get outcoached. Gary Barnett embarassed Pinkel Saturday and for three straight years Mark Mangino has done the same at Kansas. Pinkel's complete unwillingness to make adjustments throughout the course of a game is nothing more than a stubborn coach afraid to admit that he's wrong. His play calling is abysmal and should Missouri be trailing at halftime, fans should just go home and continue their tailgating plans because Pinkel is incapable of making the proper adjustments to comeback as his 3-23 record when trailing at halftime while at Mizzou indicates.
There's so much more wrong with his scheming, I am afraid I'll run out of room with which to type. But if I see another screen pass go for 9 yards on first down and our cornerback continue to play 7 yards off the receiver I am going to throw something. Colorado did that to our defense all game and not a single adjustment was made, beggind the question as to whether or not our coaches are even watching the game? No matter how much time the coaches spend in meetings and during practice working on plays, they are judged by the product on the field during each game and that product stinks.
Athletic director Mike Alden made a big mistake by giving Pinkel a 5-year contract extension in 2003. It would be a bigger mistake not to fire him when this season is over. And if simply making some crap bowl game is good enough to keep him around, it is a significant sign that the MU football program will NEVER be among the elite in the country.

1-- GARY BARNETT STILL ROAMS THE SIDELINES IN BOULDER

Finally, something really got underneath my skin as I sat in the stands in Boulder, Colorado on Saturday. Directly across the field I could see Gary Barnett with his visor and headset on watching his team win the Big 12 North title. I couldn't help but wonder how this man is still allowed to coach a team when he should really be behind bars.
Is our society that messed up that success in sports means it's okay for women to be raped? I understand Barnett didn't have anything to do with the sex parties or rapings, he wasn't even there. However, they are his players and the parties took place under his watch. He is the head coach and the leader of that program and should be held accountable for what happens. A zoo is required to have staff to control their animals, I find myself wondering why Barnett wasn't required to control his animals as well? All I know is that the longer he sports the CU and is leading the Buffaloes, the less respect I have for an otherwise beautiful and classy institution. The women that were raped need some form or justice and watching that coach and his animals take the field every Saturday is a travesty to the NCAA, the University of Colorado, sports as a whole and even our country.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX: 2005 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

2005-10-30T14:10:00.000-05:00

The above sentence is the greatest thing I've ever typed. Since 1998, when the Chicago Bulls won their 6th NBA Championship, I said that I'd trade them all for 1 World Series, and now I've got it! Well, the White Sox have it. It needs to go on record that as I write this, I am not an aspiring sports journalist.

I am a proud fan of the Chicago White Sox organization, as I have been since I was old enough to understand baseball. I fell in love with the 1993 team that came close to the World Series but never got there. I was a fan through all the heartache and sorrow that typically comes with being a White Sox fan. I defended them until I could no longer talk to many Cubs fans who, for reasons I'll never understand, insist that the pathetic franchise up North is better. And, I'm not embarrassed to admit, I cried at some point from Wednesday thru Saturday, letting out 21 years of emotion as my team etched their names into baseball history.

Before I get into the real emotional part of this article, the historical aspect of the 2005 White Sox needs to be accurately displayed. ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons said immediately following game 4 that the 2005 Sox need to be talked about as one of the top 3 teams in the HISTORY of baseball. I didn't occur to me why this was until recently, but consider these stats:

* The 2005 White Sox set a record for leading at some point in 37 straight games to start a season. That means not a single team was capable of beating the Sox for an entire 9 innings until game number 38. Nearly a quarter of the season had elapsed.

* The 2005 White Sox went 99-63 and 52-29 on the road. Both dominating records. They might not have come close to the Mariners record-setting 116 wins, but 99 isn't too shabby. They were also 35-19 in one-run games, which paid big dividends later.

* The 2005 White Sox only had one month below the .500 mark (August). And really, when you look back at the schedule, this team only had one bad week ALL SEASON. It was a really bad one, when they lost seven straight. But it was never their poor play that was the reason that a 15-game lead shrunk faster than the children in the disney classic, "Honey, I shrunk the kids." It was the Indians amazing sprint to the finish that made things close.

* The 2005 White Sox, including the playoffs, went 16-1 in their last 17 games and 19-3 in their last 22 games. All 3 losses came by a combined 3 runs. When you stop to think about that, they were merely 3 runs shy of winning 22 straight games to end the season.

* The 2005 White Sox dominated their opposition in the playoffs, which is the place where the truly great teams make a name for themselves. They swept the defending World Series champion, Boston Red Sox. They beat the Angels 4-1 behind four straight complete games. They then swept the Houston Astros to win it all. Their 11-1 record in the playoffs is eqaled only by the 1998 Yankees.

* Finally, the 2005 White Sox are one of only 3 teams in MLB history to be in first place wire-to-wire during the regular season and then sweep a World Series. The other two being the 1970 Cincinnati Reds "Big Red Machine" and the immortal 1927 Yankees. Now, that's some nice company.

Baseball is America's Pastime. A game passed down from generation to generation. A game, where the best moments come with a good game of catch with your father as seen in "Field of Dreams." There's nothing sweeter than the feeling in your hands when the bat makes solid contact with the ball. There's nothing like standing on the mound, by yourself, and pumping strikes down the heart of the plate. There's nothing like sliding for a groundball, jumping to your feet and gunning the runner down at first. That's why there's nothing sweeter than becoming the World Series champions and that's why many in Chicago started to wonder if the city would ever get to see the accompishment take place.

When GM Ken Williams made it known that the makeup of the team would change, everyone had questions. But all Williams kept talking about was 1917 (the last year the Sox won a World Series). He never lost focus on what that number meant. He knew that turning games into homerun derby had to stop and real baseball had to take place.

For the last 10 years, whether it be due to steroids or not, baseball fans across America fell in love with watching the ball fly over the fence 325-400 feet away from home plate. They forgot that baseball wasn't meant to be a homerun hitters game.

Real baseball, true baseball was meant to be played with great pitching, great defense, great baserunning and timely hitting. That's why the 2005 White Sox are World Series champions. They played the game the right way. The pitchers would keep the team in the game and manufactured runs would keep it close until the offense could come through with the big hit.

But playing that type of baseball can't be done unless the team is as selfless as these Sox were. They had no superstars, no Alex Rodriguez or Barry Bonds, but that is okay. Their guys played as one, sacrificing themselves for the better good of the team. Why was Tadahito Iguchi team-MVP? Because he would stand at the plate and take strikes that he was capable of hitting hard, but waited for Scott Podsednik to steal second base and maybe even third. Then he'd drop down a bunt or hit a roller to the right side to advance the runner.

Doubted all season by local and national media, the Sox seemed to play with a chip on their shoulder. They were picked to finish third in their own division, their hot start was considered a fluke, they were called chokers in September, they were never given a chance to do any damage in the playoffs. Yet, when the dust settled and out No. 27 was recorded in game No. 174... it was the White Sox as the last team standing, mobbing one another in the middle of the field.

The Sox epitomized Chicago, especially the South Side. They were a group of hard working guys that other teams didn't want, didn't NEED. They came together to prove that they were capable of standing at the top of the world. The single element that defines this team is HEART. Like the Journey song, "Don't stop believin'" it was hard to not believe that something special as in the air during the summer of 2005. The Sox just never knew how to quit. No matter what the situation and how many runs they trailed by, no one would ever leave U.S. Cellular field early or turn off a road game before the final out. It was always a sense of belief that they could squeak out a win.

This team gave 110 percent every game because that's what manager Ozzie Guillen demanded of them. And they always followed one simple rule: It doesn't matter what happened yesterday, win or lose, go out there today and play to WIN that game.

I will never forget the summer and playoff run of 2005. I have never been happier as a sports fan or felt so fulfilled by a team. The season is over and I am still upset. Upset because I know I may never see this particular group doing such fantastic things again. But the memories I will forever have of this team can last me a lifetime.

No longer will the preseason question of "Dude, what if we win the World Series?" be answered with a laugh and a sarcastic comment such as "Yeah right, maybe sometime in during our lives but not this year."

As Sox fans rushed to the U.S. Cellular field parking lot hugging one another regardless of race or religion, and danced their emotion away, they waved White Sox banners high into the sky. The Chicago baseball Civil War had been won and all suffering Sox fans, ridiculed by Cubs fans for decades proclaimed Chicago to be their own. It's now a White Sox city, as they have found the Holy Grail.

No author, movie producer or sports journalist could have made the story of the 2005 White Sox any better than it was. It was a story for the youth of the country who want to learn how to play TEAM baseball. It was a story for our country and how the melting pot of Asians, Americans from all different backgrounds, Latinos and African-Americans can unite for a common goal.

Ozzie is now the King of Chicago and the White Sox are the toast of the town. So much more can be said, so much more will be said. White Sox fans young and old have seen the unbelievable, have seen their dream come true. The baseball part of their lives is now complete and all of those who couldn't live to see it can now rest peacefully.

For the first time in 88 long years, 2006 will have a simple goal in mind: to defend the WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

2005 WORLD SERIES

2005-10-21T16:52:00.000-04:00

I was wrong for the first time all playoffs when the Cardinals lost to the Astros 4-2, but I did pick the Sox right on to beat the Angels 4-1. Here is a link to a story by Chicago Tribune baseball writer Phil Rogers, it is the official world series preview:

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-051020soxastrosedge,1,1380109.story?coll=cs-whitesox-headlines

Now, for my take....

Overall, this series has the potential to be one of the best ever. It features some of the best pitching in all of baseball and great defense. Each game should come down to the wire, which greatly favors a White Sox team that went 35-19 in one-run games this season.

PITCHING: Astros' ace Roy Oswalt has been nearly unhittable in the playoffs and Andy Pettite (14 career postseason wins) is as clutch as they come. Roger Clemens might be the best pitcher in the history of baseball, he's already got the championships, he's second all-time in strikeouts, over 300 wins and the most Cy Young awards ever including one in each league. Brandon Backe is the other starter, and will battle Freddy Garcia in a critical game 4 matchup. That looks to be the one game where the pitching clearly favors the Sox.

But, it's hard not to give the edge to the White Sox here as their 4 horses ( Jose Contreras, Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland and Freddy Garcia) each just threw complete games in a row to help the Sox knock off the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. With extra rest that doesn't normally happen this time of the year, each starter should be ready to go when they take the mound.

The bullpen for the Astros has been very good lately, despite the homerun that closer Brad Lidge allowed to Albert Pujols. Lidge has a great fastball and nasty slider but might be starting to get fatigued as he has logged more innings than any other time in his career. Chad Qualls and Dan Wheeler have been getting the job done when called upon to bridge the gap from the starters to Lidge.

The White Sox bullpen is a mystery. Bobby Jenks, Cliff Politte, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and Neal Cotts combined to throw 2/3 of an inning for a total of 7 pitches in the ALCS, and it was all done by Cotts. Meaning, they've had nearly 2 weeks off and might show signs of rust. Or they could be throwing the ball harder than they have all season. If Jenks can reach 100 mph normally, he might get to 103 now.

DEFENSE: The White Sox have been flashing some leather since the playoffs began. The infielders (Joe Crede, Juan Uribe, Tadahito Iguchi and Paul Konerko) have been making the diving stops look routine. Not much gets down in the outfield with Scott Podsednik, Aaron Rowand and Jermaine Dye out there.

Meanwhile, the Astros defense is slightly above average. Brad Ausmus calls a good game behind the plate and Adam Everett is good at shortstop, but the rest of the guys in the field are nothing to write home about. Even former gold glove second basemen Craig Biggio has lost some of his range.

HITTING: The Astros offense has been downright awful for the majority of the season. Their biggest threat is Lance Berkman, who pales in comparison to David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez or Vladimir Guerrero, whom the Sox have already seen and conquered. If White Sox pitching can make powerful lineups like the Angels and Red Sox look like they don't belong in the batters box, they will make Houston hitters look downright foolish. The short porch in left field at Minute Maid might not make a difference when groundball pitchers Garland and Garcia take the mound for games 3 and 4.

This is where the White Sox have a major advantage. Their lineup is balancd 1-9 and Konerko, Podsednik, Crede and Uribe are all seeing the ball really well right now. Having the latter two hitting in the 8 and 9 spots in the lineup speaks volumes for what the Sox offense is capable of.

The X-factor is playing in the NL park, where the White Sox will lose designated hitter Carl Everett. Luckily, Everett's contributions have been few and far between in the playoffs. But, he does strengthen the bench in that case. The short porch in left field means Sox hitters could have an easy time hitting homers. Sox manager Ozzie Guillen played his bench guys plenty all season in order to prepare them for this exact possibility and it should pay great dividends when they hit the road.

Ozzie Guillen said earlier in the season that the greatest moment of his career was when he coached for the Florida Marlins when they won the 2003 World Series. In particular, it was before the start of game 1, when the jets to the flyover after the National Anthem. Well, for the first time inn 46 years, that will happen on the south side of Chicago.

The Astros haven't been to a World Series in their 44-year existence, but Sox fans are looking for the World Series trophy that has eluded them since 1917. The Sox had four 8-game winning streaks this season but could never get over that mark. After losing game 1 of the ALCS, I proclaimed that it would be fitting if they went on another 8-gamer to close out the season by winning the World Series, thus never having the chance to go for 9 straight. Well, they're half way there and Houston-- you've got a problem!

OFFICIAL PREDICTION: Each game will be close but I like the Sox in a clean sweep 4-0...

"THE DROP THIRD STRIKE"

2005-10-13T02:57:00.001-04:00

I felt the need to update now, as game 2 of this series was marked by a controversial call. With the Angels leading the series 1-0, here is a link to catch up on the situation and what occurred:

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/cs-051012soxgamer,1,5316774.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

Now, here is my point of view:

Think back to playing little league baseball and what coaches said about a drop third strike situation.

Ok, now let's assume that the ball hit the dirt or that it was trapped because that was the call on the field and there is no evidence to rule otherwise.

The umpire used the closed fist as a symbol for a swinging strike 3 all night, but not necessarily an out.

Josh Paul and AJ Pierzynski both admit they never heard him say "OUT" and the ump (Eddings) admits to not having said it. As a little leaguer, catchers are instructed to listen for the out call in that situation and if it isn't said react.

Pierzynski, who had been catching for the Sox all game didn't hear it then and didn't hear it earlier in the game when he tagged one of the "dancing" Molina brothers out in a similar situation. So, he did what any smart/fundamental baseball player would do and take a chance on running to first. Batters do this frequently and 99% of the time it doesn't work, but this 1% time, it did.

Eddings knew he never said out and clearly made up his mind on the situation as he followed the ball and the Angels to see what they were doing and quickly called Pierzynski safe on the play.

In the meantime, the entire controversy could have been avoided if Paul tags Pierzynski or simply throws down to first base. But don't just blame Paul, what about the other 8 Angels fielders who could have had the baseball smarts of say, Pierzynski, to ventrue more towards being safe than sorry.

Credit is still due to Pablo Ozuna for stealing second base and to Joe Crede for coming through on a clutch double. After all, a pop-up to the second baseman would have sent the game to extras and made the call irrelevant.

A couple of closing notes:

1) Lost in the controversy of the call is the fact that Mark Buehrle pitches a magnificent game when the Sox needed it most. With their bats down, they rode Buehrle the entire game and would have into extras. He was lights out and made a statement as a big game pitcher.

2) Mike Scioscia is a great manager and a class act. In his post-game interview, he gives the White Sox full credit for winning the game and playing good baseball. He also credits Buehrle. Some managers would have blamed the play entirely.

3) Finally, AJ Pierzynski has a lot of heart and guts. His baseball IQ us overlooked, he is a real smart ballplayer out there. As I've had the plesure of watching him all 162 games this year, I have no doubt that he knew what he was doing that entire time and took 2 steps back towards the dugout before turning around. Then, the second Paul's arm came forward to throw the ball back to the mound he took off knowing it couldn't hurt to try and he'd catch the Angels off guard. As the Guiness beer guys would say, "BRILLIANT!"

"THE DROP THIRD STRIKE"

2005-10-13T02:57:00.000-04:00

League Championship Series

2005-10-11T14:41:00.000-04:00

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2005/columns/story?columnist=caple_jim&id=2186974

I didn't want to post a link to any kind of "expert" analysis. After all, in my first update I successfully predicted all 4 teams to make it to the next round. Granted, I was off on the number of games each series would go. While I don't think the professional media people at ESPN or any other publication know more than I, the above link still gives you, the reader, a chance to check out what somebody else has to say.

Without further wait, here are my predicitons for the 2005 League Championship Series:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Chicago White Sox

After sweeping the defending world champion Boston Red Sox, the White Sox had a great 3-day rest period to heal their bumps and bruises and set up their starting pitching rotation. All signs from the layoff are that the Sox are extremely well-rested, confident and relaxed.

The Angels might be the complete opposite. They made a crosscountry flight after game 4 on Sunday night and then made a long flight into Chicago following their game 5 win. They are tired, jet-lagged and emotionally drained.

The pitching clearly favors the Sox in this match. They set up their rotation exactly how they chose as the Angels will run into a well-rested Jose Contreras and Mark Buehrle in games 1 and 2, respectively. In game 3, Jon Garland on 12 days of rest will pitch and be followed by Freddy Garcia before the rotation turns over. The Sox' bullpen didn't allow a single run in the Boston series. Cliff Politte and Neal Cotts were terrific, as usual, and new closer Bobby Jenks looked untouchable. The biggest key might be Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. His postseason experience gave him the confidence to come in with the bases loaded and nobody out in game 3 and get the White Sox out of the jam, without a run crossing the plate.

In the meantime, the Angels rotation is tired and hurt. Their ace, 21-game-winner Bartolo Colon, was supposed to pitch game 5 on Monday night but had to leave after a short time in the second inning with pain in his shoulder. His status remains uncertain, but he most likely won't be able to pitch until at least game 4. Jarrod Washburn is sick and John Lackey just pitched on three days rest Sunday night. With Colon going down, rookie Ervin Santana had to pick up the slack and pitch five strong innings. Needless to say, their rotation is in shambles right now. However, the Angels bullpen might be better than the Sox. Scott Shields, Brendan Donnelly, Kelvim Escobar and Francisco Rodriguez each have electrifying stuff. However, they were overworked in the last series.

The offenses are mirror images of one another. Each post a big power bat in the middle of the order (Paul Konerko and Vladimir Guerrero) and a speedster at the top (Scott Podsednik and Chone Figgins). While the Angels have the name power of Orlando Cabrera, Garret Anderson, Steve Finley and Darin Erstad they weren't too much better than the White Sox offense in terms of total runs scored. The White Sox hold the edge in home runs and have been clicking on all cylinders over the past week.

The biggest problem for the White Sox might be the managerial moves. While Ozzie Guillen has been terrific all year and managed a near-perfect division series, he admits that Angels manager Mike Scioscia gives him fits. Scioscia is a very good in-game manager and isn't afraid to do all the little things to win a game.

The Angels and White Sox are carbon copies of one another. They can each beat you a lot of different ways, and when healthy, can beat you with good pitching as well. The problem is that the Angels aren't healthy. If ever a game 1 meant so much it does in this series. If the White Sox allow the Angels to steal tonight's contest while they are so tired, the momentum can turn real fast. I just don't see it happening and I don't see the Angels knocking off the Sox. I smell the first trip to the World Series on the south side since 1959.

OFFICIAL PREDICTION: White Sox 4-1

Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals

In a rematch of last year's NLCS, the Astros have revenge on their minds. But this is a much different Astros team then last year's without Jeff Kent and Carlos Beltran who played huge roles in last year's postseason run. However, the Astros do have a healthy Andy Pettite and he has been lights out since the All-Star break. Anytime a team can throw Pettite, Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens at you, you've got to like their chances.

But the Cardinals have been the best team in baseball this year and have the pitching and the defense to combat Houston's outstanding pitching. This series should be extremely competitive and come right down to the wire. But an "I-55" White Sox/Cardinals World Series has seemed inevitable since mid-summer.

OFFICIAL PREDICTION: Cardinals 4-3

2005 MLB Playoff Preview

2005-10-03T20:41:00.000-04:00

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051002&content_id=1235591&vkey=news_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2005/columns/story?columnist=caple_jim&id=2179555

Above are the links to 2 different stories regarding the first round playoff matchup between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. The first is a story from the White Sox web site that breaks down the series position-by-position. The second one is from ESPN.com and is one of their columnists opinion on what might take place in the series.

Now, for the real "expert" opinion on this exciting first round series:

Over the past 7 years, one constant element has remained true: good pitching beats good hitting. If that remains true again, then the White Sox should come away victorious. This series is trule a battle between the best offense in the league and the best pitching in the league.

Boston's David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez might be the best hitting duo of all-time. Their numbers are simply mind-boggling and both are MVP candidates. Johnny Damon does a terrific job of setting the table at the top of the order and Edgar Renteria's bat has been coming around as of late. Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon and Tony Graffanino are all solid hitters as well.

White Sox first basemen Paul Konerko may not be Ortiz or Ramirez, but his 40 HR's and 100 RBI's aren't too shabby, either. The Sox have proven all season that they can play fundamental, station-to-station baseball or pound the ball when it calls for it. After the speedy Scott Podsednik at the top of the order, the other 8 guys each reached double-figures in homeruns. There is some cause for concern due to the fact that the Sox have had trouble bringing in baserunners in the past month and have no true No. 3 hitter. As their play-by-play man Ken "Hawk" Harrelson would say, "They're leaving too many ducks on the pond."

In the meantime, the White Sox should hold all the cards because their pitching is much better than the Red Sox. Game 1 starter Jose Contreras won AL pitcher of the month in September after going 6-0 with a 1.99 ERA. He completely carried the pitching staff down the stretch. Mark Buehrle (game 2 starter) and Jon Garland (game 4 starter) each won the award in earlier in the season. Freddy Garcia (game 3 starter) has the most playoff experience of the group and would be a No. 2 starter on most teams. The White Sox bullpen was also stingy this year as Neal Cotts, Dustin Hermanson, Cliff Politte and Bobby Jenks have done a fantastic job of limiting runs and getting out of jams.

This is where the Red Sox are at a disadvantage. Their starting pitching is nowhere near as deep as they will send Matt Clement to the hill in game 1. He's struggle the entire second half. Following Clement will be David Wells, who isn't getting any younger and the still injured Curt Schilling. The Red Sox bullpen is also a joke right now as closer Keith Foulke went down with an injury. That forced manager Terry Francona to move setup man Mike Timlin back into the closer roll and put rookie John Papelbon as the setup man.

The White Sox will have to overcome the fact that they haven't won a playoff series since 1917, while trying to knock the reigning champions off their throne. Manager Ozzie Guillen seems to thrive in pressure situations by maintaining a loose clubhouse attitude. He'll have his team ready to go.

PREDICTION: White Sox win series 3-2

NEW YORK YANKEES vs. ANAHEIM ANGELS

The Angels may be the most complete team in baseball with good pitching and good hitting. They are a veteran group who won the World Series in 2002 and have Vladimir Guerrero and Bartolo Colon to fall back on. The Yankees coasted the majority of the year and despite the fact that they can put up 15 runs on any given day, lack the pitching and defense to win this series.

PREDICTION: Angels win series 3-1

NL

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS vs. SAN DIEGO PADRES

The Padres only stand a chance in this series if Jake Peavy can dominate the tough Cardinals lineup. The Padres are a mediocre team, at best, and wouldn't be in the playoffs if they played in any other division in baseball. It just so happens that they were lucky enough to play in the worst division in MLB history. The Cardinals are poised to make another run to the World Series with a terrific offense and better starting pitching than last year. It's Peavy or bust for the Padres.

PREDICTION: Cardinals win series 3-1

HOUSTON ASTROS vs. ATLANTA BRAVES

This is the toughest series to call by far. The Braves just continue to get the job done by winning their 14th straight division championships. Andruw Jones should win NL MVP, but their lineup doesn't have much punch beyond him. Tim Hudson and John Smoltz have the talent and the playoff experience every team would love to have but they will have to meet Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite, who aren't that far off. The wild card here is that the Astros also have Roy Oswalt, although that might not matter if their anemic offense can't find a way to score some runs.

PREDICTION: Astros win series 3-2

WELCOME!

2005-09-20T01:06:00.000-04:00

Hello, and welcome to Jeremy Lynn's blog,

My blog will be catered to my strongest areas of knowledge within the sports world.

First and foremost, the most recent update on my blog will be a link to my archived stories that were published by Pro Football Weekly magazine. I believe it is necessary to esablish a base of credibility with my audience.

I will begin with weekly updates about the University of Missouri women's volleyball and football teams. I work with each team and should be able to give an interesting perspective.

I will also be doing weekly updates of the Chicago Bears and analysis of the week's NFL football games.

After the ball starts rolling, I will dive into more frequent updates with the MLB playoffs with updates on the Chicago White Sox and the rest of the playoffs.

That's me

2005-08-27T04:53:00.000-04:00