This is the time of year where the real stories start to unfold and we find out who's for real and who the pretenders are. This is also the time of year when commentators, analysts, writers, and bloggers, myself included, eat crow. No one is perfect. If we could accurately predict who's going to win the national championship, Superbowl, or World Series, we wouldn't be doing what we're doing. Most people are too pompous and arrogant to admit when they are wrong though. I'd be willing to be that Michael Wilbon still thinks the Big 10 is the best conference despite the fact that Michigan State, the #3 team in the conference is sitting at 8-8 in conference play. But it's a possibility that with Texas apparently self destructing again, the Big 10 could get 2 #1 seeds in the big dance. Ohio State is a given. But Purdue is playing pretty impressive basketball now. They have Illinois at home and at Iowa remaining. If they can win out, including winning the Big 10 tournament it's a good possibility they could be a #1 seed. A few weeks ago, the #1 seeds were pretty clear, but only a few weeks later it seems that no one wants to claim that precious top seed. For the third week in a row, the top ranked team as well as others in the top 10 have fallen. This weekend saw Duke, San Diego State, Texas, Pittsburgh, and Arizona taken down. After the past few weeks, it causes me to reavaluate a few teams.
I will start with Texas. Up until last weekend everyone, myself included was ready to make them the best team in the country. They were ready to take over the top spot in the polls until a visit to Lincoln. Then for the second Saturday in a row, they have blown a big lead, and lost the game. I have not gone back through every teams schedule yet, but I have looked over a few. One of the reasons everyone was ready to annoint Texas #1 was because of their non conference schedule. But, after most of the season has played out, some of those wins don't look quite as impressive. Illinois and Michigan State are not very big wins now. North Carolina was a good win, but their non conference schedule now consists of 3 ranked teams, and Texas is 1-2 against them. It is possible, that Texas could drop completely out of the Top 10. I don't think they will fall that far, but they are not top 8. That would make them a #3 seed. They had it made. As a #1 seed, Tulsa would be the farthest they would have to travel. At this point I don't think Texas could play their way into a #1 seed even if they win the Big 12 tournament.
Kansas is a touchy one. I have been given them a little respect. I believe they deserve to be where they are. I believe if you look back in my blogs I did say that it's a very good possibility that Kansas will be ranked #1 again before the end of the season. And now it appears that they will be given a second chance to defend that #1 ranking. They will probably be in the top spot in at least one of the polls. But their stay might be as short as the first time with Texas A&M coming to town, and traveling to Missouri, it will be a tough road. If I remember correctly, the last team to beat Kansas at the Phog before Texas this season was Texas A&M several years ago. While both teams are probably in, one loss could put them on the bubble. Another point I'd like to make is that I have never ruled Kansas out of winning the Big 12 regular season title. I didn't give them good odds, but I said it was definately a possibility, and here they are, tied with Texas with one week left in the regular season. Now for the hard part. My biggest criticism of Kansas has been their schedule. Now that the season is winding down it appears their schedule is a little tougher than I game them credit for. While Memphis doesn't appear to be as good of a win now, there are a few that look a little more impressive now. While Arizona is probably going to tumble due to back to back losses in LA this week, they are still a very impressive team on their way to a Pac 10 title. The very next game was UCLA and as of now, are tied with Arizona for the lead in the Pac 10 and put on a pretty impressive show yesterday in the last game at Pauley Pavillion. Another game that sticks out is Michigan. Michigan has come around and most analysts have Michigan in the tournament field. Arizona, UCLA, and Michigan are more impressive wins than Illinois and Michigan State. Those two teams are playing awful basketball right now, and appear like they are trying their hardest NOT to make the tournament. They will get in because they are in the prescious Big 10. A few more wins that I'm not quite ready to call impressive wins, but give them an advantage over other conference foes, i.e. Texas, Missouri, and Kansas State. Only two teams have won AT Lincoln this season, Kansas is one, Kansas State is the other. We will see what happens at Missouri later this week. Missouri has struggled on the road, but is undefeated in conference play at home. Kansas State split with them, and Texas played them in Austin. Then their's Colorado. Something tells me the Pac 10 is getting a good basketball team on the rise. They have some pretty big wins. They swept Kansas State, split with Missouri, and this weekend beat Texas. Well, Kansas swept them. In most seasons that would mean nothing, but Colorado is a very good and improved team this year. So, as it appears now, Kansas has proven they are the best team in the Big XII. Can they put an exclamation point on that, or will they stumble again. Missouri probably has the toughest schedule remaining, at lincoln and Kansas at home. They can not afford to loose both games. They will finish at 8-8 in conference play and might find themselves on the wrong side of the bubble.
I still refuse to give Duke the respect they are getting. Kansas State and Michigan State are not good wins. Both of them are bubble teams who didn't live up to expectations. I don't think they are worthy of a 1 seed.
Pittsburgh is the wild card. They play in the very EVEN Big East. They dropped another one today at Lousiville. They are a better team than their record shows. They will probably drop because of the loss, but strength of schedule should be factored in.
Ohio State is probably the only team that might take the top spot over Kansas. While they are a good team and deserving of that top spot, their schedule, not near as tough. The only good win in non conference play is against Florida. The Big Ten is not as good as people think they are. There will be 3, possibly 4 teams out of this conerence get in with sub .500 conference records. I've watched Michigan State and Illinois play recently, and they look, just bad. When they played each other, it looked like both teams were trying to loose the game, not win. Michigan State is 16-12 overall. They are barely above .500. How can you put them in??? Colorado is 18-11 and have better wins than MSU and deserve that spot more.
Should BYU or San Diego State get a #1 seed? Absolutely not. I don't want to take anything away from either team, but I'm sorry, the competition in the Mountain West is nothing like the Big East, Big 10, or Big XII. BYU only played 2 good teams in non conference beating Arizona, and loosing to UCLA. SDSU doesn't even have that and got swept by BYU. I just don't think either team has the resume to be a #1 seed.
I still think 3 of the 4 are still #1 seeds. Kansas, Ohio State, and Pittsburgh I still feel are worth of a #1 seed. That forth spot is still up for grabs.
I think it's safe to say the landscape of college basketball is completely different now than it was at the beginning of the season. Some teams have self destructed and other teams have rose to the occasion. It should make for an interesting last week of basketball, leading up to the conference tournaments.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Fan Experience - Part II
I've decided to write a sequel to my post about my experience at two basketball games. Since attending the Indiana Pacers game, I have now attended an event from all three major sports, NFL, NBA, and MLB. So I've decided to compare the three and come up with the best experience between the 3.
I will start with the NFL experience. I along with my father, brother, and cousin attended Texas Stadium to see the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. This is hard to compare to because this game took place in 1995. The Chiefs traveled to Dallas in what they hoped would be a Super Bowl preview. The Colts and Chiefs kicker Lin Elliot had the final say in the matter, but that was much later. I remember walking into the stadium and seeing the field for the first time. That "wow" feeling will remain with me forever. As kickoff approached, the stadium filled up. What was surprising to me is how well both teams were represented. Texas stadium had two levels. The lower level was mostly blue for the Cowboys, and the upper level was mostly red in support of the Chiefs. Our seats were VERY good. My uncle had got us four tickets from a friend of his. Problem was they were two tickets together in seperate locations. My brother and cousin sat in the lower level, on the Chiefs sideline towards the corner of the endzone. My dad and I sat in the lower level in the middle of the field on the Cowboys sideline. I remember sitting there surrounded by cowboys fans. I remember a small group of Chiefs fans sitting behind us that were, let's say, supporting their team. My dad and I sat quietly, thinking it wise to not say too much being surrounded by the blue. Another memory that stands out is the crowd chanting "MOOOOOOOOOSE" when Daryll "Moose" Johnston touched the ball or made a play. I remember Justin asking why the crowd was "BOO"ing him, as it did sound like that. But it was a good game, coming down to the wire. That is the only NFL game I have attended and that was over 15 years ago. Troy Aikman and Steve Bono were the quarterbacks. Jay Novacek was the tight end for the cowboys. While it was pretty amazing to see one of the greatest Cowboys teams in history, featuring Troy Aikman, Emmit Smith, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders. It was a long time ago, and left a very memorable impression on me. The NFL has come a long way since then. That was only one game. While it might be hard to find a better fan experience than Texas Stadium on Thanksgiving Day, I'm sure there are. Some people say the NFL best fan experience, and they may be right.
Last night in my blog I talked about attending an Indiana Pacers game versus the Detroit Pistons. What stood out in my mind more than anything was the magnificent venue, Conseco Fieldhouse. It's a very modern building nestled into the downtown landscape. Anyone wanting to build new stadiums often want to build in the downtown of the respective city. Well, the architects, designers, and planners got it right here. Every new facitlity should model itself after Conseco. My biggest fear with any downtown facility would be parking and coming and going. Conseco has a parking garage right across the street for a resonable rate you can part in an enclosed garage and walk across a a walkway into the Entry Pavillion without having to enter the elements, rain, snow, wind, etc. The other plus for me was the "Star Power". There were several players on both teams with big name players that you hear about all the time, watch on Sportscenter, and watched in college not to long ago. They put on a pretty impressive show. But the downside for me was the lack of attendance. Probably half the magnificent arena sat empty. So it's hard to judge this experience. I'm sure it would be a completely different and electrifying atmosphere if the Pacers were a top team and playing someone like the Knicks, Heat, Bulls, Lakers, etc. It was a good game, and very entertaining. And you don't get a much better ending than Brandon Rush taking a pass from Danny Granger and dunking it with authority taking back the lead with just a few seconds to go. But I would have to give it an incomplete because I know there are much better environments than this and would lead to a better grade.
The third is an MLB game. I have had the opportunity to attend two different venues, unlike the NFL and NBA. I have been to see the Kansas City Royals on many occasions. I have also been to Coors Field once, to see the Rockies take on the San Francisco Giants. I remember going to my first Royals game. We were kids and a good friend of the family got us tickets to see the Royals take on the Chicago White Sox. My brother was a White Sox fan at this time, so it would be pretty cool. We were all SO excited and couldn't wait to go. We wanted to get there early and get some autographs but we didn't get there in time. It was still a fun game. I remember getting a foul ball his right to us, and it his the concrete under one of our seats and bounced up and hit the bottom of the seat and rolled away. It's everyone's dream to get a foul ball hit to them. The ball rolled away and someone else got it, but that's the closest i've ever been to getting that precious foul ball. Some people go years without even getting close to a foul ball, and we got that close on our very first game as kids. I have been back to Kauffman stadium several times. Every time has left a lasting impression on me. My most recent visit was to see the Royals take on the Minnesota Twins. Luke Hochevar pitched a good game, and got out of a few jams. Still having plenty left, then Royals manager Hillman decided to pull him, and on the VERY next pitch, the relief pitcher gave up a 3 run homerun, tieing up the game. The Royals eventually lost in extra innings. But what I love most about going to a game is the electric environment. Every time I go, I just feel so alive and greatful to be there. It is hard to describe the feeling I get. It is a feeling I did not experience at the NFL or NBA game. The downside is the lack of support the Royals receive, much like the Pacers. I attended a game on Labor Day weekend several years ago. This was a Saturday night, and they were taking on the Chicago White Sox. The Sox were the defending champions, having won the World Series the year before. Our seats were behind the White Sox dugout on the 3rd base side, so we were around many other White Sox fans. During this game there were a handful of great plays by Royals fielders, worth of being and ESPN "Webgem". Yet there were more and louder cheers for the White Sox. The visiting team's fans supported their team better than the HOME team Royals fans did. As a deep down Royals fan this really bothered me. But it was still a pretty good game and an amazing feeling. I still got the wow feeling I can't explain despite all this. I have decided that if it feels this awesome and amazing to attend a Royals game at Kauffman Stadium, how would it feel to attend a Cubs game at Wrigley? A Red Sox game at Fenway? A Cardinals game at the Busch? A Giants game at Pac Bell? (yes, I know it's AT&T park now, but which name sounds better?!?!)? or a Dodgers game at Dodgers Stadium? If I felt that good about attending a Royals game, I can't imagine the feeling I would get walking onto the Wrigley Field Concourse. With my current location I am only 2.5 hours from Cincinnati and 3 hours from Chicago and St Louis. I am hoping before the summer to attend a few more games and get a better analysis, so stay tuned for that.
Those that know me, know about my passion for baseball. Between my passion for the game, the feeling I get, and my knowledge of the game, I feel pretty confident in saying my MLB experience was the best of the 3. I don't want to take anything away from the NBA or NFL. If I were offered tickets to Arrowhead Stadium to see the Chiefs, or Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks, I certainly wouldn't turn them down. But I still prefer the baseball experience. It's tought to beat.
I will start with the NFL experience. I along with my father, brother, and cousin attended Texas Stadium to see the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. This is hard to compare to because this game took place in 1995. The Chiefs traveled to Dallas in what they hoped would be a Super Bowl preview. The Colts and Chiefs kicker Lin Elliot had the final say in the matter, but that was much later. I remember walking into the stadium and seeing the field for the first time. That "wow" feeling will remain with me forever. As kickoff approached, the stadium filled up. What was surprising to me is how well both teams were represented. Texas stadium had two levels. The lower level was mostly blue for the Cowboys, and the upper level was mostly red in support of the Chiefs. Our seats were VERY good. My uncle had got us four tickets from a friend of his. Problem was they were two tickets together in seperate locations. My brother and cousin sat in the lower level, on the Chiefs sideline towards the corner of the endzone. My dad and I sat in the lower level in the middle of the field on the Cowboys sideline. I remember sitting there surrounded by cowboys fans. I remember a small group of Chiefs fans sitting behind us that were, let's say, supporting their team. My dad and I sat quietly, thinking it wise to not say too much being surrounded by the blue. Another memory that stands out is the crowd chanting "MOOOOOOOOOSE" when Daryll "Moose" Johnston touched the ball or made a play. I remember Justin asking why the crowd was "BOO"ing him, as it did sound like that. But it was a good game, coming down to the wire. That is the only NFL game I have attended and that was over 15 years ago. Troy Aikman and Steve Bono were the quarterbacks. Jay Novacek was the tight end for the cowboys. While it was pretty amazing to see one of the greatest Cowboys teams in history, featuring Troy Aikman, Emmit Smith, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders. It was a long time ago, and left a very memorable impression on me. The NFL has come a long way since then. That was only one game. While it might be hard to find a better fan experience than Texas Stadium on Thanksgiving Day, I'm sure there are. Some people say the NFL best fan experience, and they may be right.
Last night in my blog I talked about attending an Indiana Pacers game versus the Detroit Pistons. What stood out in my mind more than anything was the magnificent venue, Conseco Fieldhouse. It's a very modern building nestled into the downtown landscape. Anyone wanting to build new stadiums often want to build in the downtown of the respective city. Well, the architects, designers, and planners got it right here. Every new facitlity should model itself after Conseco. My biggest fear with any downtown facility would be parking and coming and going. Conseco has a parking garage right across the street for a resonable rate you can part in an enclosed garage and walk across a a walkway into the Entry Pavillion without having to enter the elements, rain, snow, wind, etc. The other plus for me was the "Star Power". There were several players on both teams with big name players that you hear about all the time, watch on Sportscenter, and watched in college not to long ago. They put on a pretty impressive show. But the downside for me was the lack of attendance. Probably half the magnificent arena sat empty. So it's hard to judge this experience. I'm sure it would be a completely different and electrifying atmosphere if the Pacers were a top team and playing someone like the Knicks, Heat, Bulls, Lakers, etc. It was a good game, and very entertaining. And you don't get a much better ending than Brandon Rush taking a pass from Danny Granger and dunking it with authority taking back the lead with just a few seconds to go. But I would have to give it an incomplete because I know there are much better environments than this and would lead to a better grade.
The third is an MLB game. I have had the opportunity to attend two different venues, unlike the NFL and NBA. I have been to see the Kansas City Royals on many occasions. I have also been to Coors Field once, to see the Rockies take on the San Francisco Giants. I remember going to my first Royals game. We were kids and a good friend of the family got us tickets to see the Royals take on the Chicago White Sox. My brother was a White Sox fan at this time, so it would be pretty cool. We were all SO excited and couldn't wait to go. We wanted to get there early and get some autographs but we didn't get there in time. It was still a fun game. I remember getting a foul ball his right to us, and it his the concrete under one of our seats and bounced up and hit the bottom of the seat and rolled away. It's everyone's dream to get a foul ball hit to them. The ball rolled away and someone else got it, but that's the closest i've ever been to getting that precious foul ball. Some people go years without even getting close to a foul ball, and we got that close on our very first game as kids. I have been back to Kauffman stadium several times. Every time has left a lasting impression on me. My most recent visit was to see the Royals take on the Minnesota Twins. Luke Hochevar pitched a good game, and got out of a few jams. Still having plenty left, then Royals manager Hillman decided to pull him, and on the VERY next pitch, the relief pitcher gave up a 3 run homerun, tieing up the game. The Royals eventually lost in extra innings. But what I love most about going to a game is the electric environment. Every time I go, I just feel so alive and greatful to be there. It is hard to describe the feeling I get. It is a feeling I did not experience at the NFL or NBA game. The downside is the lack of support the Royals receive, much like the Pacers. I attended a game on Labor Day weekend several years ago. This was a Saturday night, and they were taking on the Chicago White Sox. The Sox were the defending champions, having won the World Series the year before. Our seats were behind the White Sox dugout on the 3rd base side, so we were around many other White Sox fans. During this game there were a handful of great plays by Royals fielders, worth of being and ESPN "Webgem". Yet there were more and louder cheers for the White Sox. The visiting team's fans supported their team better than the HOME team Royals fans did. As a deep down Royals fan this really bothered me. But it was still a pretty good game and an amazing feeling. I still got the wow feeling I can't explain despite all this. I have decided that if it feels this awesome and amazing to attend a Royals game at Kauffman Stadium, how would it feel to attend a Cubs game at Wrigley? A Red Sox game at Fenway? A Cardinals game at the Busch? A Giants game at Pac Bell? (yes, I know it's AT&T park now, but which name sounds better?!?!)? or a Dodgers game at Dodgers Stadium? If I felt that good about attending a Royals game, I can't imagine the feeling I would get walking onto the Wrigley Field Concourse. With my current location I am only 2.5 hours from Cincinnati and 3 hours from Chicago and St Louis. I am hoping before the summer to attend a few more games and get a better analysis, so stay tuned for that.
Those that know me, know about my passion for baseball. Between my passion for the game, the feeling I get, and my knowledge of the game, I feel pretty confident in saying my MLB experience was the best of the 3. I don't want to take anything away from the NBA or NFL. If I were offered tickets to Arrowhead Stadium to see the Chiefs, or Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks, I certainly wouldn't turn them down. But I still prefer the baseball experience. It's tought to beat.
Conclusion to "The Fan Experience"
I started this two part series last night about attending a small division III basketball game and the Indiana Pacers. I talked last night about the Wabash Little Giants and how awesome the experience was in the small high school like gymnasium. From the Chadwick Crazies to the well desciplined coaching style of the retiring coach, Mac Petty. He is what most coaches should aspire to be. He is firm but understanding. Disciplined, yet easy going. The players and fans love him. I wish I would have done more homework and attended a few more games.
Last night I had the opportunity to see the Indiana Pacers rematch against the Detroit Pistons. In the first matchup last week the Pistons won a close game in overtime. So, this was built up to be a good game. Would it live up to the hype??
And the answer is, not really. That's not to say it wasn't an entertaining game. Conseco Fieldhouse is a great venue. Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis just blocks away from the magnificent Lucas Oil Stadium. Coming into downtown on I-70 Lucas Oil Stadium, the host for Superbowl XLVI next year, sticks out like a sore thumb. That's not a very good way to put it, because it's a beautiful building. Driving by, you can't miss it. Conseco Fieldhouse kind of blends into downtown. It is what a downtown venue should be. It's nestled into the landscape, yet a beautiful building. Unlike Lucas Oil Stadium, you can't see it until you are right on top of it, then out of no where, WOW. After being in downtown Chicago the biggest drawback is parking. Some downtown venues don't figure parking into the occasion. We had to park over a mile away from Coors Field for a Rockies game. If you go to the Sears Tower in downtown Chicago, parking for one hour will cost you a whopping $22. The longer you take, the more it will cost you. Well, let's say parking at Conseco is a lot less of a headache. You can park in a garage, out of the weather and elements for only $12, and walk across a walkway above the street right into the Entry Pavillion. No fighting the rain, snow, wind, etc. The inside of Conseco is even more beautiful than the outside. As you enter the pavillion there are lots of people, and to someone like me that does NOT like crowds, it's kind of a scary feeling seeing all those people. But as you come down the steps they keep the people moving in a very efficient and painless manner. As you enter the main concourse you pass a small food court gift shops on your way to your seats. One of the most disappointing things for me was the lack of attendance and support. As is the case with most teams, when they are in a down year, people don't go out to support their team. A perfect example of that is the Kansas City Royals. As tip off grew near, over half the seats in the magnificent arena sat empty. That was probably the most disappointing thing for me. I bet when that place is full, it is an energetic, fun environment that's tough to beat. As I thumbed through the program we were given. Yes, given, did not have to pay for. Most places you have to pay over $5 for one. I recognized quite a few names just on the Pacers roster alone. Probably half the roster I remember whatching play in college not to long ago. The Pistons had a few recognizable names as well. Larry Bird has built a talented young team, and if he can find the right coach and get these guys to gel, they will be better than the Knicks, Bulls, Celtics or Heat. Next comes the starting lineups. The intro and starting lineup for the Bulls of the 90's is hard, if not impossible to top. The lights go out, the song "Sirius" comes over the PA, and the enthusiasm of the PA announcer, and I don't care how many stars you put on one team, it will never top the Chicago Bulls of the 90's. While it didn't come close to that, it was pretty impressive, and still gave you that "WOW" feeling. Most of the first quarter was pretty tight, but the Pacers took a commanding lead. During this run was a pretty impressive, behind the back dunk by forward Josh McRoberts. He had another pretty impressive one handed dunk late in the game. But what stood out the most to me was Tyler Hansbrough. I remember watching him play at North Carolina. He was one of the best college players of his time. Danny Granger is the core of the team, and the captain, but watching this kid was a real treat. My comment throughout the game was "that guy is EVERYWHERE." That comment is probably an understatement. Often he came from no where to get a rebound, or a steal. And this wasn't a few times. It was all the time, throughout the whole game. Through the middle of the fourth quarter the Pacers appeared to be on cruise control, avenging the loss the week before with ease. But the Pistons didn't go away without a fight, coming back and making it a tight game in the end. But the Brandon Rush of the Pacers had the final word taking a pass from Danny Granger and dunking it with authority. It was a nice statement to end the game with. Of all the "alley oops" and dunks in the game, that was probably the most impressive dunk of the game. While the game itself was pretty entertaining, the presentation left a little to be desired. It was too easy to get distracted. There was WAY too much going on. From the t-shirt launcher, to the Pacemates, to the trampoline dunking show, during every time out there was something to watch. It wasn't just during timeouts. Something was always going on, and you start watching then suddenly you look down and they've been playing for 30 seconds or so. Summing up, the "Star" factor, and the magnificent venue were a plus, but the lack of attendance and too much going on were a minus. All in all, it was a good experience. For what little I paid for the ticket, it was a very enjoyable experience and well worth the money.
The question is, if the Little Giants and Pacers were playing at the same time on the same night, which would I rather go to. That is a tough arguement to answer. It's not very often that you get to see star players like Darren Collison, Danny Granger, Brandon Rush, Tyler Hansbrough, Ben Wallace, Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, and Richard Hamilton. Conseco Fieldhouse is a great venue, and will probably be rocking in a few weeks when the Big 10 tournament comes to town. But it's hard to beat that "hometown team" in an old school gymnasium. Chawick court is a pretty impressive venue in it's own right, and is literally just up the street, within walking distance. I enjoyed myself at both games and it's hard to choose which is better. While they were both basketball games they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. But I would give the edge to the Wabash Little Giants. It was a great feel. It made me feel like I was watching a professional team in an "Old School" high school gymansium. I don't want to take anything away from the Pacers, but I think I would prefer to go up the street and support the local team. These programs may not have a Tyler Hansbrough, or a Tracy McGrady, but they have a different importance. It gives guys like that an opportunity to play the game they love, showcase themselves and hope that a scout sees something in them, while still able to get a good education. And at the end of the day, isn't that what's more important, education?? These smaller schools often offer a better education than you would get at a Purdue, or an Indiana. In the end though, both venues were a great experience for a fan.
Last night I had the opportunity to see the Indiana Pacers rematch against the Detroit Pistons. In the first matchup last week the Pistons won a close game in overtime. So, this was built up to be a good game. Would it live up to the hype??
And the answer is, not really. That's not to say it wasn't an entertaining game. Conseco Fieldhouse is a great venue. Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis just blocks away from the magnificent Lucas Oil Stadium. Coming into downtown on I-70 Lucas Oil Stadium, the host for Superbowl XLVI next year, sticks out like a sore thumb. That's not a very good way to put it, because it's a beautiful building. Driving by, you can't miss it. Conseco Fieldhouse kind of blends into downtown. It is what a downtown venue should be. It's nestled into the landscape, yet a beautiful building. Unlike Lucas Oil Stadium, you can't see it until you are right on top of it, then out of no where, WOW. After being in downtown Chicago the biggest drawback is parking. Some downtown venues don't figure parking into the occasion. We had to park over a mile away from Coors Field for a Rockies game. If you go to the Sears Tower in downtown Chicago, parking for one hour will cost you a whopping $22. The longer you take, the more it will cost you. Well, let's say parking at Conseco is a lot less of a headache. You can park in a garage, out of the weather and elements for only $12, and walk across a walkway above the street right into the Entry Pavillion. No fighting the rain, snow, wind, etc. The inside of Conseco is even more beautiful than the outside. As you enter the pavillion there are lots of people, and to someone like me that does NOT like crowds, it's kind of a scary feeling seeing all those people. But as you come down the steps they keep the people moving in a very efficient and painless manner. As you enter the main concourse you pass a small food court gift shops on your way to your seats. One of the most disappointing things for me was the lack of attendance and support. As is the case with most teams, when they are in a down year, people don't go out to support their team. A perfect example of that is the Kansas City Royals. As tip off grew near, over half the seats in the magnificent arena sat empty. That was probably the most disappointing thing for me. I bet when that place is full, it is an energetic, fun environment that's tough to beat. As I thumbed through the program we were given. Yes, given, did not have to pay for. Most places you have to pay over $5 for one. I recognized quite a few names just on the Pacers roster alone. Probably half the roster I remember whatching play in college not to long ago. The Pistons had a few recognizable names as well. Larry Bird has built a talented young team, and if he can find the right coach and get these guys to gel, they will be better than the Knicks, Bulls, Celtics or Heat. Next comes the starting lineups. The intro and starting lineup for the Bulls of the 90's is hard, if not impossible to top. The lights go out, the song "Sirius" comes over the PA, and the enthusiasm of the PA announcer, and I don't care how many stars you put on one team, it will never top the Chicago Bulls of the 90's. While it didn't come close to that, it was pretty impressive, and still gave you that "WOW" feeling. Most of the first quarter was pretty tight, but the Pacers took a commanding lead. During this run was a pretty impressive, behind the back dunk by forward Josh McRoberts. He had another pretty impressive one handed dunk late in the game. But what stood out the most to me was Tyler Hansbrough. I remember watching him play at North Carolina. He was one of the best college players of his time. Danny Granger is the core of the team, and the captain, but watching this kid was a real treat. My comment throughout the game was "that guy is EVERYWHERE." That comment is probably an understatement. Often he came from no where to get a rebound, or a steal. And this wasn't a few times. It was all the time, throughout the whole game. Through the middle of the fourth quarter the Pacers appeared to be on cruise control, avenging the loss the week before with ease. But the Pistons didn't go away without a fight, coming back and making it a tight game in the end. But the Brandon Rush of the Pacers had the final word taking a pass from Danny Granger and dunking it with authority. It was a nice statement to end the game with. Of all the "alley oops" and dunks in the game, that was probably the most impressive dunk of the game. While the game itself was pretty entertaining, the presentation left a little to be desired. It was too easy to get distracted. There was WAY too much going on. From the t-shirt launcher, to the Pacemates, to the trampoline dunking show, during every time out there was something to watch. It wasn't just during timeouts. Something was always going on, and you start watching then suddenly you look down and they've been playing for 30 seconds or so. Summing up, the "Star" factor, and the magnificent venue were a plus, but the lack of attendance and too much going on were a minus. All in all, it was a good experience. For what little I paid for the ticket, it was a very enjoyable experience and well worth the money.
The question is, if the Little Giants and Pacers were playing at the same time on the same night, which would I rather go to. That is a tough arguement to answer. It's not very often that you get to see star players like Darren Collison, Danny Granger, Brandon Rush, Tyler Hansbrough, Ben Wallace, Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, and Richard Hamilton. Conseco Fieldhouse is a great venue, and will probably be rocking in a few weeks when the Big 10 tournament comes to town. But it's hard to beat that "hometown team" in an old school gymnasium. Chawick court is a pretty impressive venue in it's own right, and is literally just up the street, within walking distance. I enjoyed myself at both games and it's hard to choose which is better. While they were both basketball games they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. But I would give the edge to the Wabash Little Giants. It was a great feel. It made me feel like I was watching a professional team in an "Old School" high school gymansium. I don't want to take anything away from the Pacers, but I think I would prefer to go up the street and support the local team. These programs may not have a Tyler Hansbrough, or a Tracy McGrady, but they have a different importance. It gives guys like that an opportunity to play the game they love, showcase themselves and hope that a scout sees something in them, while still able to get a good education. And at the end of the day, isn't that what's more important, education?? These smaller schools often offer a better education than you would get at a Purdue, or an Indiana. In the end though, both venues were a great experience for a fan.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Fan Experience
The past 2 nights I have been treated from one end of the spectrum to the other. Tuesday night I went to watch a local small college game, and tonight went to see the Indiana Pacers rematch the Detroit Pistons. They both have their draws and setbacks. If both were on the same night and I had to choose between the two, I bet you'd be surprised by my choice.
Wabash College is a small men's school here in Crawfordsville. They compete in the NCAC (North Coast Athletic Conference) in Division III. The Wabash Little Giants are ranked #16 in men's division III. Wooster College is at the top of the NCAC and ranked #5 in the country. And the #2 seed Wittenberg, and Wabash's next opponent was ranked #17 but dropped from the rankings. At 19-5 the Little Giants are the 3 seed in the conference tournament. So this conference plays some pretty good basketball. I've been here for a few months now and had no idea what was going on literally up the street from me. While at a dinner the other night, a group of us were talking about college basketball, from the Kansas State upset of Kansas, to the Purdue/Indiana rivalry. Someone asked if I had been to watch Wabash play yet. He proceded to give me a little background, and it sounded interesting, so I decided to check it out. Wabash regular season games are free admission. They charged the other night because it was a conference tournament, but I was not disappointed. A little more background about the team, Mac Petty, their head coach of 35 years is calling it a career after this season is over. During that time he guided the 1981-82 team to a Division III National Title. At the final regular season game they payed tribute to him by renaming the court, "Petty Court". After attending the game, I could see why he was so well respected. The Wabash Little Giants squared off against the Kenyon Basketball Lords. Chadwick Court is very similar to a high school basketball court. It is small and you are right there close to the action. There isn't a bad seat in the house. They started off with a choir singing the National Anthem the way it's supposed to be sung. No extra, personalization of it. Those that know me, know that's a big pet peve of mine. Then it's right into the action. From the beginning of the game you could tell Mac Petty's footprint on this team. They were a very well disciplined team. They took good control of the ball. Several times in the opening half Kenyon just seemed out of control. They weren't as disciplined. But what impressed me the most about this team was their rebounding. They crashed the boards every single time. Kenyon RARELY got a second shot because Wabash dominated the boards. At one point in the second half Wabash kept possession of the ball for over a minute and a half, getting to the end of the shot clock twice, then crashing the boards. It's rare to see a team keep possession for the entire 35 seconds of the shot clock, let alone one minute and 30 seconds. It was a very impressive win, and made a statement how good this team can be. In this day in age, tv has taken over college and professional sports. TV has done wonderful things for sports, but after attending that game, can see why Phil Jackson thinks tv ruined basketball. It was refreshing to watch a game without having to cut away for a tv timeout. It was a good game in a great environment. The Chadwick Crazies were entertaining, from yelling their support, to their taunting the other team, to their "Ode to Mac Petty" song. Wabash basketball is a gem surrounded by bigger names and schools. In an area that is dominated by Purdue and Indiana, you don't here anything about this very good, nationally ranked team. I am disappointed that I just heard about it the other day, only able to attend one game. I wish now that I had done a little more homework and been able to soak in a little more of Wabash basketball.
To be continued...
Tune in tomorrow night for the conclusion of "The Fan Experience"
Wabash College is a small men's school here in Crawfordsville. They compete in the NCAC (North Coast Athletic Conference) in Division III. The Wabash Little Giants are ranked #16 in men's division III. Wooster College is at the top of the NCAC and ranked #5 in the country. And the #2 seed Wittenberg, and Wabash's next opponent was ranked #17 but dropped from the rankings. At 19-5 the Little Giants are the 3 seed in the conference tournament. So this conference plays some pretty good basketball. I've been here for a few months now and had no idea what was going on literally up the street from me. While at a dinner the other night, a group of us were talking about college basketball, from the Kansas State upset of Kansas, to the Purdue/Indiana rivalry. Someone asked if I had been to watch Wabash play yet. He proceded to give me a little background, and it sounded interesting, so I decided to check it out. Wabash regular season games are free admission. They charged the other night because it was a conference tournament, but I was not disappointed. A little more background about the team, Mac Petty, their head coach of 35 years is calling it a career after this season is over. During that time he guided the 1981-82 team to a Division III National Title. At the final regular season game they payed tribute to him by renaming the court, "Petty Court". After attending the game, I could see why he was so well respected. The Wabash Little Giants squared off against the Kenyon Basketball Lords. Chadwick Court is very similar to a high school basketball court. It is small and you are right there close to the action. There isn't a bad seat in the house. They started off with a choir singing the National Anthem the way it's supposed to be sung. No extra, personalization of it. Those that know me, know that's a big pet peve of mine. Then it's right into the action. From the beginning of the game you could tell Mac Petty's footprint on this team. They were a very well disciplined team. They took good control of the ball. Several times in the opening half Kenyon just seemed out of control. They weren't as disciplined. But what impressed me the most about this team was their rebounding. They crashed the boards every single time. Kenyon RARELY got a second shot because Wabash dominated the boards. At one point in the second half Wabash kept possession of the ball for over a minute and a half, getting to the end of the shot clock twice, then crashing the boards. It's rare to see a team keep possession for the entire 35 seconds of the shot clock, let alone one minute and 30 seconds. It was a very impressive win, and made a statement how good this team can be. In this day in age, tv has taken over college and professional sports. TV has done wonderful things for sports, but after attending that game, can see why Phil Jackson thinks tv ruined basketball. It was refreshing to watch a game without having to cut away for a tv timeout. It was a good game in a great environment. The Chadwick Crazies were entertaining, from yelling their support, to their taunting the other team, to their "Ode to Mac Petty" song. Wabash basketball is a gem surrounded by bigger names and schools. In an area that is dominated by Purdue and Indiana, you don't here anything about this very good, nationally ranked team. I am disappointed that I just heard about it the other day, only able to attend one game. I wish now that I had done a little more homework and been able to soak in a little more of Wabash basketball.
To be continued...
Tune in tomorrow night for the conclusion of "The Fan Experience"
Monday, February 21, 2011
Violence in sports
I've decided to write about a topic that is very touchy. This is something that no matter how you say it, it's probably gonna be bad or make you look bad. But I've decided to anyway. I've wanted to keep this clean but certain comments that have been made are anything but that so, oh well. Here goes...
I got on today to check the rankings to see if they put Duke #1, and sure enough. But another headline caught my eye. "Jayhawks suspend Taylor indefinately" Of course I had to see what that was all about. The only reason they would give was that he violated team rules. But as I got to the end of the article I read something very interesting that I was unaware of. Earlier in the season senior forward Mario Little was suspended for 6 games because of a "domestic disturbance" arrest. He was later reinstated after receiving a diversion for two misdomeaner battery charges. Now, what is usually the case in a domestic disturbance/battery case?? The subject is usually beating on a woman. In last off season Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisburger was accusted of rape. The woman dropped the charges and no charges were filed, but he was still suspended for the first four games of the regular season. Of course I'm referring to the comments that were made in regards to my Steelers and Roethlisburger vs Vick blogs. Everyone has a different point of view on things, but as far as I'm concerned, beating on a woman is just as bad as rape. I have no use for a man that beats on a woman. Domestic violence is a very serious issue and very offten not reported out of fear. If Roethlisburger should be in prison serving time and be banned from the game, etc. then so should Mario Little. He should not be on the basketball floor. But, knowing the person that made the comments, it's probably ok because he plays for Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks. Since Bill Self has taken over at Kansas there have been several instances from faking a HS transcript to bar fights, to domestic violence. I could be wrong, but when Roy Williams was at Kansas you never heard of his players doing crap like that. I don't want to start the Self vs Williams arguement, but self has to do something about this stuff. He gives them a slap on the wrist and lets them back on the court. If Roethlisburger should not be playing then neither should Little.
It's a sad commentary, but whether we like it or not this stuff happens all over the place. It happens a lot more than we hear about it. A famous columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times (Jay Mariotti) was arrested for domestic violence. It happens to all people from working class people like us, up to celebrities. Mel Gibson and David Hasselhoff have been in the news for drinking and domestic violence. One of the best coaches in the NCAA is infamous for drinking. Bob Huggins, in his one year stint at KSU could be seen any night down in Aggyville drinking and partying with the college kids. Who can forget Bob Knight throwing a chair accross the floor. We always say that these people get passes and special treatment because they are celebrities. Well, we can say that and complain about it all we want, but it's the truth and that's not going to change any time soon. If you really think about it we all have a role in giving them that pass. Those of you that go to the Jayhawks games are supporting him, and the same with the Steelers, Bengals, etc. In both cases most people don't report these crimes out of fear and shame. While what we hear in the news is bad enough, there are far more cases among famous people that we don't hear about.
Then you have people who think they can extort someone because they're famous. In the past week they sentenced a woman to prison for trying to extort Rick Pitino. The infamous Brett Favre texts were not brought up until this woman was out of a job and needing money. It's been over 2 years since Favre was with the Jets. I could understand not bringing this up while he was still with the team, but as soon as he was cut by the team 2 years ago, she could have brought up these accusations then. But no, she waits until she's without a job and needing money. I'm not excusing his text messages, or Roethlisburger's Little's behavior with the ladies. But we only hear about that because they are celebraties. If you or I beat on someone it's not going to make the naional news. The percentage of the general population that is guilty of something like this is probably a LOT higher than we would like for it to be. I still maintain that when judging someone's actions and play on the field of court, as hard and unfair as it is, should be kept seperate. Favre is one of the greatest quarterback's in NFL history, and when Roethlisburger's career is over, will probably be as well. Mario Little is not a standout star for the Jayhawks like the Morris twins, or Thomas Robinson, or Tyrell Reed, or Brady Morningstar, but his contribution is just as important. The Jayhawks are a good team. And a deep team. They will miss Taylor in his suspension. Over the next few weeks we will probably find out what the suspension was for, and Jayhawk nation will welcome him back with open arms as they did Mario Little. Their legacies will be stained by these actions, but we will forgive them, look the other way and welcome them back as we did with Roethlisburger and Vick.
In a perfect world everyone would be nice to each other, shake hands, be friendly, etc. We wouldn't have rape, domestic violence, murder, etc. But we don't live in a perfect world. This is the world we live in, and in the grand scheme of things my opinion on this subject is not going to change anything. Someone very wise and important to me always told me growing up, "Just keep your mouth shut, deal with it, go with the flow." I didn't always agree with that growing up, but here in the real world, we may not like it. We may not like what's going on, but it's best to just keep your mouth shut and deal with it. By saying something or making a fuss is not going to help much, or make things worse. Some people do live in a fairy tale world where everything is handed to them, and they don't have to work for what they get. I'm not one of those people. If I was, I would not be where I am today. But I would take this over being a spoiled brat any day. When you do achieve something or accomplish something it's a lot more special to you. My father is my hero. He was not handed anything. He has worked for everything he's got, and made a name for himself. He is who he is today because of his work ethic. Not because of his name or his parents.
That's my rant for the day. I got a few jabs in, and probably started World War III, but we all have our opinions. And those are mine.
I got on today to check the rankings to see if they put Duke #1, and sure enough. But another headline caught my eye. "Jayhawks suspend Taylor indefinately" Of course I had to see what that was all about. The only reason they would give was that he violated team rules. But as I got to the end of the article I read something very interesting that I was unaware of. Earlier in the season senior forward Mario Little was suspended for 6 games because of a "domestic disturbance" arrest. He was later reinstated after receiving a diversion for two misdomeaner battery charges. Now, what is usually the case in a domestic disturbance/battery case?? The subject is usually beating on a woman. In last off season Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisburger was accusted of rape. The woman dropped the charges and no charges were filed, but he was still suspended for the first four games of the regular season. Of course I'm referring to the comments that were made in regards to my Steelers and Roethlisburger vs Vick blogs. Everyone has a different point of view on things, but as far as I'm concerned, beating on a woman is just as bad as rape. I have no use for a man that beats on a woman. Domestic violence is a very serious issue and very offten not reported out of fear. If Roethlisburger should be in prison serving time and be banned from the game, etc. then so should Mario Little. He should not be on the basketball floor. But, knowing the person that made the comments, it's probably ok because he plays for Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks. Since Bill Self has taken over at Kansas there have been several instances from faking a HS transcript to bar fights, to domestic violence. I could be wrong, but when Roy Williams was at Kansas you never heard of his players doing crap like that. I don't want to start the Self vs Williams arguement, but self has to do something about this stuff. He gives them a slap on the wrist and lets them back on the court. If Roethlisburger should not be playing then neither should Little.
It's a sad commentary, but whether we like it or not this stuff happens all over the place. It happens a lot more than we hear about it. A famous columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times (Jay Mariotti) was arrested for domestic violence. It happens to all people from working class people like us, up to celebrities. Mel Gibson and David Hasselhoff have been in the news for drinking and domestic violence. One of the best coaches in the NCAA is infamous for drinking. Bob Huggins, in his one year stint at KSU could be seen any night down in Aggyville drinking and partying with the college kids. Who can forget Bob Knight throwing a chair accross the floor. We always say that these people get passes and special treatment because they are celebrities. Well, we can say that and complain about it all we want, but it's the truth and that's not going to change any time soon. If you really think about it we all have a role in giving them that pass. Those of you that go to the Jayhawks games are supporting him, and the same with the Steelers, Bengals, etc. In both cases most people don't report these crimes out of fear and shame. While what we hear in the news is bad enough, there are far more cases among famous people that we don't hear about.
Then you have people who think they can extort someone because they're famous. In the past week they sentenced a woman to prison for trying to extort Rick Pitino. The infamous Brett Favre texts were not brought up until this woman was out of a job and needing money. It's been over 2 years since Favre was with the Jets. I could understand not bringing this up while he was still with the team, but as soon as he was cut by the team 2 years ago, she could have brought up these accusations then. But no, she waits until she's without a job and needing money. I'm not excusing his text messages, or Roethlisburger's Little's behavior with the ladies. But we only hear about that because they are celebraties. If you or I beat on someone it's not going to make the naional news. The percentage of the general population that is guilty of something like this is probably a LOT higher than we would like for it to be. I still maintain that when judging someone's actions and play on the field of court, as hard and unfair as it is, should be kept seperate. Favre is one of the greatest quarterback's in NFL history, and when Roethlisburger's career is over, will probably be as well. Mario Little is not a standout star for the Jayhawks like the Morris twins, or Thomas Robinson, or Tyrell Reed, or Brady Morningstar, but his contribution is just as important. The Jayhawks are a good team. And a deep team. They will miss Taylor in his suspension. Over the next few weeks we will probably find out what the suspension was for, and Jayhawk nation will welcome him back with open arms as they did Mario Little. Their legacies will be stained by these actions, but we will forgive them, look the other way and welcome them back as we did with Roethlisburger and Vick.
In a perfect world everyone would be nice to each other, shake hands, be friendly, etc. We wouldn't have rape, domestic violence, murder, etc. But we don't live in a perfect world. This is the world we live in, and in the grand scheme of things my opinion on this subject is not going to change anything. Someone very wise and important to me always told me growing up, "Just keep your mouth shut, deal with it, go with the flow." I didn't always agree with that growing up, but here in the real world, we may not like it. We may not like what's going on, but it's best to just keep your mouth shut and deal with it. By saying something or making a fuss is not going to help much, or make things worse. Some people do live in a fairy tale world where everything is handed to them, and they don't have to work for what they get. I'm not one of those people. If I was, I would not be where I am today. But I would take this over being a spoiled brat any day. When you do achieve something or accomplish something it's a lot more special to you. My father is my hero. He was not handed anything. He has worked for everything he's got, and made a name for himself. He is who he is today because of his work ethic. Not because of his name or his parents.
That's my rant for the day. I got a few jabs in, and probably started World War III, but we all have our opinions. And those are mine.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Interesting predicament we have here...
It is going to be interesting to see what happens in the polls tomorrow. In the past week we saw the top 4 teams in the polls all loose. Then you have Duke who has played a VERY weak schedule in a conference that to say is in a down year is an understatement. I think the Colonial, Atlantic 10, and the Missouri Valley are tougher than the ACC this year. Who have they beat this year?? Kansas State? Michigan State? How are those teams doing now?? Yeah, that's right. They are on the wrong side of the bubble right now. Despite all of this the idiots that vote in the polls will make Duke the new #1 tomorrow. I would still put a 5 loss Kansas team ahead of a 1 or 2 loss Duke team. I would rank the top 4 like this: Kansas, Pittsburgh, Texas, and Ohio State. As was the case last week after Ohio State lost, all 4 teams deserve that spot. There is no real fair way to rank them at this point when they are all so equal. 3 of the 4 teams were beat by average teams in their conference, all on the road. Ohio State has a good arguement in that their loss was AT #11 Purdue. That was a loss I saw coming after the blowout in Columbus. Purdue is a much better team than Kansas State, Nebraska, and St John's. But it's still a loss. They don't give you a half-loss because the team's better. Purdue is undeafeted this season at Mackey Arena, Nebraska has only one loss, to Kansas, in the Devaney Center, the "Octagon of Doom" has become quite the home court advantage under Frank Martin, and St John's resume at MSG is pretty impressive as well. How do you rank one better or worse than the other. I don't think you can at this point in the season. All four teams deserve to be #1, so how do I rank them in that order? I decided to use the college football theory. In the college football polls, it's all about what have you done for me lately. If you loose early in the season, you can still play for a title. But if you go undefeated until the second to last game and loose, you're season is over. So, I ranked them in order of their loss. Kansas lost Monday night, while Texas and Pittsburgh lost on Saturday, and Ohio State on Sunday. I gave the tie-breaker to Pittsburgh because they beat Texas head to head.
I'm sure all the idiots that have a vote will put Duke #1, and hopefully Temple takes care of business and shows them just how stupid they are this week. But if they are able to get past Temple, and the easy, cupcake schedule they have they will probably finish the season in that spot. They don't play another good team until the last game of the year in Chapel Hill. Then they will be rewarded with an UNDESERVED one seed and probably the easiest bracket in NCAA history. But I guess it's inevitable anyway. All four teams will probably loose at least one more time, possibly two with the conference tournament because they play in tougher conferences. They say they will reward you for strength of schedule and such at selection time. That is the biggest load of crap i've ever heard. You are going to give Duke a #1 seed, and probably put teams like Maryland, Boston College and Virginia Tech in the tournament and leave out teams like Kansas State, Nebraska, Baylor, Michigan, and Minnesota who while probably don't deserve to be in, deserve it MUCH more than Maryland, BC, or VT.
On a more realistic note, while I am fighting for these 4 teams to be ranked in the top 4, I don't believe any of them will win the title. I believe it's going to be a team like Purdue, Arizona, UCLA, Georgetown, or Villanova that's going to win it all. Those are the best 4 teams in the country, but how many times has a #1 seed won it all?? Doesn't happen as often as you would think. Only time will tell.
I'm sure all the idiots that have a vote will put Duke #1, and hopefully Temple takes care of business and shows them just how stupid they are this week. But if they are able to get past Temple, and the easy, cupcake schedule they have they will probably finish the season in that spot. They don't play another good team until the last game of the year in Chapel Hill. Then they will be rewarded with an UNDESERVED one seed and probably the easiest bracket in NCAA history. But I guess it's inevitable anyway. All four teams will probably loose at least one more time, possibly two with the conference tournament because they play in tougher conferences. They say they will reward you for strength of schedule and such at selection time. That is the biggest load of crap i've ever heard. You are going to give Duke a #1 seed, and probably put teams like Maryland, Boston College and Virginia Tech in the tournament and leave out teams like Kansas State, Nebraska, Baylor, Michigan, and Minnesota who while probably don't deserve to be in, deserve it MUCH more than Maryland, BC, or VT.
On a more realistic note, while I am fighting for these 4 teams to be ranked in the top 4, I don't believe any of them will win the title. I believe it's going to be a team like Purdue, Arizona, UCLA, Georgetown, or Villanova that's going to win it all. Those are the best 4 teams in the country, but how many times has a #1 seed won it all?? Doesn't happen as often as you would think. Only time will tell.
Sleepers and Cinderella's
The words "sleeper" and "Cinderella" are two words that I've always hated when it comes to the NCAA tournament. Teams like Butler, Northern Iowa, Bucknell, Cleveland State, and George Mason are called Cinderella teams if they win a few games in the tournament. While these teams play in sub par, or "Mid-Major" conferences they don't deserve to have their accomplishments deminished by that. These teams probably have a harder road to the tournament that other teams belonging to the "Power 6" conferences. These teams have to win their conference tournament to get in. A few of the better "Mid-Majors" such as the Missouri Valley, Colonial, Horizon, West Coast, Conerence USA, Mountain West, WAC, and the Atlantic 10 get more than one team in. The team that wins the regular season crown is usually rewarded with an invite as well as the team that wins the tournament. Let's use Wichita State as an example. They are tied with Missouri State for the Missouri Valley conference title. They might still might get in, but they have to win their conference to assure a birth. If they don't win the Valley Tournament, then it's very possible they don't make the field. Up until this season the committee handed out 34 at-large births. Michigan State goes back on forth from being one of the last four in to the first four out. I don't think a team like Michigan State or Illinois would win the Missouri Valley conference yet they could get in where Wichita State could be watching the tournament from home. Now, let's say Michigan State and Wichita State both get in, and win a few games. After watching the way Illinois and MSU played tonight, both teams will probably get into the tournament because of blowhards like Michael Wilbon, but it's VERY unlikely that either of these teams will win a single game in the tournament. But, for argument sake if they both make it to the Elite 8, Wichita State will be considered a "Cinderella" team even though they are a better team than MSU. Michigan State will be "finally living up to their expectations" or "coming together at the right time" or something along those lines. MSU should be called a Cinderella team if they even win one game!
I think this will be a tournament for the underdogs. The past week has made me believe this even more. There is no arguement who the best 4 teams in the country are right now. So far this week we have been shown that all 4 of these teams are human. I've said it before that while I agree these are the 4 best teams, that none of those 4 will win the National Championship. This is going to be a year where we hear that dreaded word (Cinderella) a lot. I think teams like Utah State, San Diego State, BYU and Temple are going to make deep runs into the tournament. There are also teams in the Power 6 conference to watch out for. Arizona is one that comes to mind. They are in control of the Pac 10 and quietly sneaking up in the rankings. North Carolina is another. They had a rough start to the season but despite blowing a big lead at Duke, appear to be coming together. Florida is another team that's quietly taking care of business leading the SEC East. I don't see UNC or Florida doing well in the tournament but I could see Arizona surprising a lot of people and making it to the Final Four.
The Selection Committee has a tough decision on their hands this year. They have given themselves 3 more spots to fill by expanding the field to 68 teams, but that's not going to make it any easier. All of the Power 6 conferences have a LOT of average teams. Teams like Michigan State, Illinois, Kansas State, Baylor, and Marquette are sitting at .500 in conference play. 4 of those had very high expectations at the beginning of the season, but have under-performed. Then you have a few Mid-Majors that have more than one deserving team. You have Xavier, Temple, and Richmond in the Atlantic 10. You have UTEP, Southern Miss, and Memphis in Conference USA. You have George Mason, Old Dominion, and Virginia Commonwealth in the Colonial. You have Missouri State and Wichita State in the Missouri Valley. You have San Diego State and BYU in the Mountain West. And finally you have St Mary's and Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference. Only one of those teams from each conference get in automatically. But do teams such as Illinois, MSU, KSU, Baylor deserve to be in the field of 68 more than Missouri State or VA Commonwealth?? Is mediocrity in a Power 6 Conference better than superiority in a Mid-Major. When they announce the bracket there will be people upset about who got in and who didn't. But, those guys have a VERY tough job ahead of them and I don't envy them one bit. But, whatch out for the 'dogs. It's gonna be that kinda year.
I think this will be a tournament for the underdogs. The past week has made me believe this even more. There is no arguement who the best 4 teams in the country are right now. So far this week we have been shown that all 4 of these teams are human. I've said it before that while I agree these are the 4 best teams, that none of those 4 will win the National Championship. This is going to be a year where we hear that dreaded word (Cinderella) a lot. I think teams like Utah State, San Diego State, BYU and Temple are going to make deep runs into the tournament. There are also teams in the Power 6 conference to watch out for. Arizona is one that comes to mind. They are in control of the Pac 10 and quietly sneaking up in the rankings. North Carolina is another. They had a rough start to the season but despite blowing a big lead at Duke, appear to be coming together. Florida is another team that's quietly taking care of business leading the SEC East. I don't see UNC or Florida doing well in the tournament but I could see Arizona surprising a lot of people and making it to the Final Four.
The Selection Committee has a tough decision on their hands this year. They have given themselves 3 more spots to fill by expanding the field to 68 teams, but that's not going to make it any easier. All of the Power 6 conferences have a LOT of average teams. Teams like Michigan State, Illinois, Kansas State, Baylor, and Marquette are sitting at .500 in conference play. 4 of those had very high expectations at the beginning of the season, but have under-performed. Then you have a few Mid-Majors that have more than one deserving team. You have Xavier, Temple, and Richmond in the Atlantic 10. You have UTEP, Southern Miss, and Memphis in Conference USA. You have George Mason, Old Dominion, and Virginia Commonwealth in the Colonial. You have Missouri State and Wichita State in the Missouri Valley. You have San Diego State and BYU in the Mountain West. And finally you have St Mary's and Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference. Only one of those teams from each conference get in automatically. But do teams such as Illinois, MSU, KSU, Baylor deserve to be in the field of 68 more than Missouri State or VA Commonwealth?? Is mediocrity in a Power 6 Conference better than superiority in a Mid-Major. When they announce the bracket there will be people upset about who got in and who didn't. But, those guys have a VERY tough job ahead of them and I don't envy them one bit. But, whatch out for the 'dogs. It's gonna be that kinda year.
Monday, February 14, 2011
What did we learn today??
In the style of the great Dan Patrick, i've decided to do, "What have we learned today?" We learned a lot, yet very little.
I've always believed that that loosing could be a good thing is a complete load of crap. Now, you can learn a lot from a loss, and that is good. So, I suppose that if you learn a lesson, or learn something about yourself it could be a good thing. Of course i'm referring to the whipping that K-State handed Kansas tonight. And yes, for all you Jayhawk fans, I can say that. You can not tell me there was even one moment in that game where it looked like KU would win. Bob Knight commented early in the first half about "human error" Meaning that KU came into this game with a big head, after being ranked #1 and manhandling the wildcats in Lawrence. When he first made the comment I didn't believe it. Bill Self is too good of a coach to let his team think and act that way. I also thought KU was better disciplined and a better team than that. But as the game went on, the play and actions of the Jayhawks made me believe this to be the case. Frank Martin and the Wildcats came off a heartbreaking loss at Colorado just 2 nights ago to completely outplay and embarrass the Jayhawks. The only lead Kansas had all night was 3-0 at the very beginning of the game. Jacob Pullen took over and put the team on his back. KU is a very good team and despite how well K-State was playing there was always that worry in the back of my mind that KU would heat up, come back and win. But any time the Jayhawks even though about it, the wildcats had an answer. As Bob Knight said, there was not one moment in that game that looked like KU would come back and win. They took KU out of their element and they didn't know how to respond. The Morris twins were virtually non-existant. The "Shermanator" (Tyrel Reed) was the loan bright spot for the Jayhawks. K-State's aggressive defense kept KU from starting a run. The Morris twins weren't able to get going, and Reed and Morningstar weren't able to get hot from the outside. What surprised me most of all in this game was the lack of composure showed by the Jayhawks. From throwing an elbow, getting T'd up for taunting after a dunk, to poubting on the bench. This is something I never expected to see from a Bill Self coached Kansas team. Basically they acted like "sore loosers." Those of you who know me know that I LOVE to see the Jayhawks loose. For it to be to K-State and for them to act like they did is a dream.
I myself preferred to listen to Brent Musburger and Bob Knight over Dick Vitale. They were had both criticism and praise for both teams, and that's what an analyst is supposed to do. But part of me wonders how Dicky V would have handled this game with his beloved Jayhawks and the Morris twins getting manhandled and embarrased by the disappointing and underachieving Wildcats.
Ok, all jabs aside, this is not a bad thing for Kansas. They found out that even they could be humbled and beat. I have no doubt that Bill Self and the Jayhawks learned a VERY important lesson from this loss. This very likely will be the last Jayhawk loss this season. Not only that it's better to learn this lesson now than to a team like Northern Iowa in the NCAA tournament. While it will cost them their #1 ranking, it really isn't that costly of a loss. They are still one of the top 4 teams in the nation, and will still be a #1 seed in the tournament. The Jayhawks are still a great team and will still be picked by a lot of analysts and coaches to win it all. The most costly thing of the night could be their chances at a Big XII regular season title. But it's the Jayhawks, so it's still possible. So in the grand scheme of things, it's just a bump in the road for the Jayhawks. Bill Self will rally his troops as he always does.
I'm interested thought to see where K-State goes from here. When the season is over KSU will have played 3 #1 teams this season. (Duke, Kansas, and Texas) That's assuming Texas is ranked #1 next week. That may not happen, who knows. They showed tonight that they can be great. They played as close to a perfect game as you can play. Had they played like this all season, they would be where everyone predicted them to be. They showed tonight that those predictions weren't far off. So, can they still become that team and make a run at, and deep into the NCAA tournament?? Or is this a one game wonder?? They still have Missouri at home and at Texas. I agree with Bob Knight completely. While this is a great win, they need to not dwell on it. Instead of celebrating this win, ask why they haven't been playing this way all season long. In an ideal world, KU and K-State would do well the rest of the season and in the tournament, but this isn't an ideal world. KU is still the team to beat, and K-State has dug a VERY deep whole for themselves, and it's going to be hard to dig themselves out. This win is helpful, but didn't get them into the tournament yet.
I've always believed that that loosing could be a good thing is a complete load of crap. Now, you can learn a lot from a loss, and that is good. So, I suppose that if you learn a lesson, or learn something about yourself it could be a good thing. Of course i'm referring to the whipping that K-State handed Kansas tonight. And yes, for all you Jayhawk fans, I can say that. You can not tell me there was even one moment in that game where it looked like KU would win. Bob Knight commented early in the first half about "human error" Meaning that KU came into this game with a big head, after being ranked #1 and manhandling the wildcats in Lawrence. When he first made the comment I didn't believe it. Bill Self is too good of a coach to let his team think and act that way. I also thought KU was better disciplined and a better team than that. But as the game went on, the play and actions of the Jayhawks made me believe this to be the case. Frank Martin and the Wildcats came off a heartbreaking loss at Colorado just 2 nights ago to completely outplay and embarrass the Jayhawks. The only lead Kansas had all night was 3-0 at the very beginning of the game. Jacob Pullen took over and put the team on his back. KU is a very good team and despite how well K-State was playing there was always that worry in the back of my mind that KU would heat up, come back and win. But any time the Jayhawks even though about it, the wildcats had an answer. As Bob Knight said, there was not one moment in that game that looked like KU would come back and win. They took KU out of their element and they didn't know how to respond. The Morris twins were virtually non-existant. The "Shermanator" (Tyrel Reed) was the loan bright spot for the Jayhawks. K-State's aggressive defense kept KU from starting a run. The Morris twins weren't able to get going, and Reed and Morningstar weren't able to get hot from the outside. What surprised me most of all in this game was the lack of composure showed by the Jayhawks. From throwing an elbow, getting T'd up for taunting after a dunk, to poubting on the bench. This is something I never expected to see from a Bill Self coached Kansas team. Basically they acted like "sore loosers." Those of you who know me know that I LOVE to see the Jayhawks loose. For it to be to K-State and for them to act like they did is a dream.
I myself preferred to listen to Brent Musburger and Bob Knight over Dick Vitale. They were had both criticism and praise for both teams, and that's what an analyst is supposed to do. But part of me wonders how Dicky V would have handled this game with his beloved Jayhawks and the Morris twins getting manhandled and embarrased by the disappointing and underachieving Wildcats.
Ok, all jabs aside, this is not a bad thing for Kansas. They found out that even they could be humbled and beat. I have no doubt that Bill Self and the Jayhawks learned a VERY important lesson from this loss. This very likely will be the last Jayhawk loss this season. Not only that it's better to learn this lesson now than to a team like Northern Iowa in the NCAA tournament. While it will cost them their #1 ranking, it really isn't that costly of a loss. They are still one of the top 4 teams in the nation, and will still be a #1 seed in the tournament. The Jayhawks are still a great team and will still be picked by a lot of analysts and coaches to win it all. The most costly thing of the night could be their chances at a Big XII regular season title. But it's the Jayhawks, so it's still possible. So in the grand scheme of things, it's just a bump in the road for the Jayhawks. Bill Self will rally his troops as he always does.
I'm interested thought to see where K-State goes from here. When the season is over KSU will have played 3 #1 teams this season. (Duke, Kansas, and Texas) That's assuming Texas is ranked #1 next week. That may not happen, who knows. They showed tonight that they can be great. They played as close to a perfect game as you can play. Had they played like this all season, they would be where everyone predicted them to be. They showed tonight that those predictions weren't far off. So, can they still become that team and make a run at, and deep into the NCAA tournament?? Or is this a one game wonder?? They still have Missouri at home and at Texas. I agree with Bob Knight completely. While this is a great win, they need to not dwell on it. Instead of celebrating this win, ask why they haven't been playing this way all season long. In an ideal world, KU and K-State would do well the rest of the season and in the tournament, but this isn't an ideal world. KU is still the team to beat, and K-State has dug a VERY deep whole for themselves, and it's going to be hard to dig themselves out. This win is helpful, but didn't get them into the tournament yet.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Who will be #1?
Ohio State lost to Wisconsin today, starting the argument of who will be #1 on Monday. I think it's a given that it will be Kansas. Ohio State will probably drop to #4, with Kansas, Texas, and Pittsburgh moving up one spot respectively. But, who deserves it more?? All 4 teams deserve to be #1. Let's make the argument for each team.
I will start with Pittsburgh. They are 32-2 overall and 11-1 in conference play. Their biggest argument is that they have only 1 loss in the Big East conference. Most analysts say that the Big East is the toughest and deepest conference in basketball. I don't think anyone would argue that the Big East, Big 10, and Big XII Conferences are the top 3. But I don't think there is a clear conference to declare the best. There are 1 or 2 teams ahead of the pack and then 6 to 8 teams all bunched up together within few games of each other. The overall picture of all 3 conferences look the same. In the Big East you have Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, then 9 teams bunched up. In the Big 10 you have Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Purdue and 5 teams bunched up together. Then in the Big XII you have Kansas and Texas, then 8 teams bunched up. With each conference pretty equal, how do you decide who's tops? The top 2 teams in each conference wil be in the top 10 on Monday, but the Big XII will be #1 and #2 in the country. Pittsburgh has some pretty impressive wins, probably the toughest schedule of the 4 teams, and only 1 loss in the Big East. While that is a compelling arguement and deserve to be #1, it's just not enough.
Kansas will be #1 on Monday, but of the 4 teams, I think they are the least deserving. While they do deserve to be #1 just like the other 3, the other 3 deserve it more. Kansas' main arguement is that they have only 1 loss. They have a weak schedule and have 1 signature win against Missouri earlier this week. Memphis is in the middle of Conference USA and probably not even going to make the NCAA tournament, so you can't call that a good win. They are 1-1 against top 25 teams, and the one loss came on their home floor to Texas. They aren't even #1 in their own conference. Everyone said Nebraska didn't deserve to play Miami for the national championship in football because they didn't win the Big XII Conference. When all is said and done, Kansas will probably win or share the Big XII, but until then they shouldn't be #1.
Ohio State suffered their first loss of the season AT Wisconsin. They still have the same number of losses as Kansas, and fewer losses than Texas or Pittsburgh. So why should they even drop. I'm sure their's been a situation where it's happened, but I don't remember anyone loosing and retaining the #1 ranking the next week. Their one loss was on the road, where Kansas lost on their home court. It's like the argument in college football where loosing early is no big deal, but loosing late can cost you dearly. It's not fair, but it's the way it works. Same case here. It's not right, but the loss will cause them to drop.
Texas has the most compelling arguement for #1. First of all they beat Kansas head to head, AT Kansas. Second, they are undefeated (in conference play) and the #1 team in the Big XII Conference. Third they have played a MUCH tougher schedule than Kansas or Ohio State. That schedule includes non-conference wins against Illinois, AT Michigan State, and AT North Carolina. Their 3 losses are what's costing them, but 2 of those losses are a 2 point loss to Pittsburgh and a 1 point loss in overtime against UCONN. Texas appears to be heading into their easiest part of the schedule where Kansas is heading into their toughest part. But Texas has to be careful because their final two games are Kansas State at home and at Baylor. Both teams are disappointing, playing poorly and as of this moment out of the NCAA tournament. If by some miracle they get things together, they could be trying to play their way into the tournament. Both could be trap games for Texas and could allow Kansas to steal their umpteenth in a row conference title.
Duke doesn't really deserve to be mentioned. While they only have 2 losses, the ACC is VERY weak this year. There are probably only 3 or 4 teams deserving tournament births. Their 2 losses are to Florida State and St Johns who are average teams in the middle pack in their conferences. Their only impressive win is over North Carolina at home. I don't think they should even be in the #1 discussion.
If I had a vote, I would rank the top 5 in this order. Texas, Kansas, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and Duke. Their is no argument Texas, Kansas, Ohio State, and Pittsburgh will be #1 seeds come March. They all deserve to be ranked #1 on Monday, and each has a compelling arguement for and against. They will probably all move up one spot making Kansas #1 and Ohio State will fall in behind Pittsburgh. Whoever the polls put #1 will deserve that ranking. Whether it's Texas or Kansas at #1, the Big XII will be hold the top 2 spots in the country.
I will start with Pittsburgh. They are 32-2 overall and 11-1 in conference play. Their biggest argument is that they have only 1 loss in the Big East conference. Most analysts say that the Big East is the toughest and deepest conference in basketball. I don't think anyone would argue that the Big East, Big 10, and Big XII Conferences are the top 3. But I don't think there is a clear conference to declare the best. There are 1 or 2 teams ahead of the pack and then 6 to 8 teams all bunched up together within few games of each other. The overall picture of all 3 conferences look the same. In the Big East you have Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, then 9 teams bunched up. In the Big 10 you have Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Purdue and 5 teams bunched up together. Then in the Big XII you have Kansas and Texas, then 8 teams bunched up. With each conference pretty equal, how do you decide who's tops? The top 2 teams in each conference wil be in the top 10 on Monday, but the Big XII will be #1 and #2 in the country. Pittsburgh has some pretty impressive wins, probably the toughest schedule of the 4 teams, and only 1 loss in the Big East. While that is a compelling arguement and deserve to be #1, it's just not enough.
Kansas will be #1 on Monday, but of the 4 teams, I think they are the least deserving. While they do deserve to be #1 just like the other 3, the other 3 deserve it more. Kansas' main arguement is that they have only 1 loss. They have a weak schedule and have 1 signature win against Missouri earlier this week. Memphis is in the middle of Conference USA and probably not even going to make the NCAA tournament, so you can't call that a good win. They are 1-1 against top 25 teams, and the one loss came on their home floor to Texas. They aren't even #1 in their own conference. Everyone said Nebraska didn't deserve to play Miami for the national championship in football because they didn't win the Big XII Conference. When all is said and done, Kansas will probably win or share the Big XII, but until then they shouldn't be #1.
Ohio State suffered their first loss of the season AT Wisconsin. They still have the same number of losses as Kansas, and fewer losses than Texas or Pittsburgh. So why should they even drop. I'm sure their's been a situation where it's happened, but I don't remember anyone loosing and retaining the #1 ranking the next week. Their one loss was on the road, where Kansas lost on their home court. It's like the argument in college football where loosing early is no big deal, but loosing late can cost you dearly. It's not fair, but it's the way it works. Same case here. It's not right, but the loss will cause them to drop.
Texas has the most compelling arguement for #1. First of all they beat Kansas head to head, AT Kansas. Second, they are undefeated (in conference play) and the #1 team in the Big XII Conference. Third they have played a MUCH tougher schedule than Kansas or Ohio State. That schedule includes non-conference wins against Illinois, AT Michigan State, and AT North Carolina. Their 3 losses are what's costing them, but 2 of those losses are a 2 point loss to Pittsburgh and a 1 point loss in overtime against UCONN. Texas appears to be heading into their easiest part of the schedule where Kansas is heading into their toughest part. But Texas has to be careful because their final two games are Kansas State at home and at Baylor. Both teams are disappointing, playing poorly and as of this moment out of the NCAA tournament. If by some miracle they get things together, they could be trying to play their way into the tournament. Both could be trap games for Texas and could allow Kansas to steal their umpteenth in a row conference title.
Duke doesn't really deserve to be mentioned. While they only have 2 losses, the ACC is VERY weak this year. There are probably only 3 or 4 teams deserving tournament births. Their 2 losses are to Florida State and St Johns who are average teams in the middle pack in their conferences. Their only impressive win is over North Carolina at home. I don't think they should even be in the #1 discussion.
If I had a vote, I would rank the top 5 in this order. Texas, Kansas, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and Duke. Their is no argument Texas, Kansas, Ohio State, and Pittsburgh will be #1 seeds come March. They all deserve to be ranked #1 on Monday, and each has a compelling arguement for and against. They will probably all move up one spot making Kansas #1 and Ohio State will fall in behind Pittsburgh. Whoever the polls put #1 will deserve that ranking. Whether it's Texas or Kansas at #1, the Big XII will be hold the top 2 spots in the country.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Panic Button
The question looming on baseball fan's minds as spring training fastly approaches is, "Should Cardinals fans hit the panic button?" This is in reference Albert Pujols' imposed deadline for a contract extension. He told the Cardinals that if they do not reach a deadline by this date, he will test the free agent market next fall. With this date approaching and apparently nowhere near an agreement. I think this is another one of those subjects that's being blown way out of proportion. I think Cardinals fans have nothing to worry about.
Albert Pujols is the best player in baseball, period. He is playing for the national league version of the New York Yankees. He is the man in St Louis. There are teams that would LOVE nothing more than to add him to their roster. First of all their are very few teams that could afford a contract to his demands. Big market teams such as the Mets or Yankees, Dodgers or Angels, Cubs or White Sox, Red Sox, or the Phillies are the only ones that could afford him.
Albert Pujols going to another team would be like Peyton Manning leaving the Colts, Emmit Smith leaving the Cowboys, Elway leaving the Broncos, Marino leaving the Dolphins. You get the idea.
The Cardinals are the ones who can screw this up. They are one of the most successful franchises in professional sports, let alone baseball. They are in the playoff discussion every year. They got along fine before Pujols, and they will get along just fine after Pujols. As far as the organization is concerned they have the most dangerous bargaining chip that they don't really need him. And they don't.
But there's more to Pujols than just himself. He is very modest. He doesn't call attention to himself. He doesn't command attention. He's not selfish. He's active in the community. He has roots in the community deeper than the Cardinals organization. He's something that's rare in baseball these days. He's a team player. He knows that the other 8 guys are just as important as he is. What happens when an NFL player doesn't like his contract or wants an extension before training camp?? He holds out. He doesn't participate at all until his demands are met. What does Pujols do? He's reporting for spring training days before the rest of the team, as he always does.
I think this deadline that he imposed goes along those lines. What happens when a star player goes into the last year of his contract with no extension in the future. There are non stop questions about it until a deal is reached. He imposed this deadline to avoid this distraction. He doesn't want this to be a distraction towards the end of the season when the Cardinals are contending for a World Series. While his intentions are good, it's not going to work. There will still be questions.
Does this mean there can't be any contract talks after this deadline?? Absolutely not. There will still be conversations and talks between his agent and the Cardinals. Pujols doesn't want to be bothered with it. He doesn't want the distraction, he just wants to concentrate on and play baseball. Most of the talks will be with his agent, all Albert has to say is yes or no.
Most players reason for leaving a team is money or to win a championship. But is the grass really gonna be greener on the other side in this situation?? The Mets or Yankees aren't really gonna pay him much more than the Cardinals. Not only that while this may be about money, I can't see Pujols going somewhere else just for the money. He's not materialistic like Alex Rodriguez. If he goes somewhere else, it's the opposite. He's going to be watching up as the Cardinals win another without him.
Then there's the issue that most free agents don't have the luxury of. His teammates, most recently Matt Holliday have offered to renegotiate their contract to free up some money for him. This team wants him back and are willing to pay for it. That's unheard of in the NFL.
There are VERY few players in professional sports that I will say this about, but he deserves to be the highest player in baseball. Albert Pujols is truely a class act and deserves what he will get. I think both sides realize what is at steak here. When all is said and done, Albert Pujols will be the highest player in baseball, and deserves it.
It's no secret I don't care for the Cardinals. I despise them almost as much as the Yankees. While part of me would love to see the Cardinals screw this up, I think it would be a big tragedy for the Cardinals to let him go. And not for the Cardinals but for the people of St Louis. I truely hope both sides come to an agreement because Albert Pujols deserves to be the highest player in baseball, and he deserves to retire as a Cardinal.
Albert Pujols is the best player in baseball, period. He is playing for the national league version of the New York Yankees. He is the man in St Louis. There are teams that would LOVE nothing more than to add him to their roster. First of all their are very few teams that could afford a contract to his demands. Big market teams such as the Mets or Yankees, Dodgers or Angels, Cubs or White Sox, Red Sox, or the Phillies are the only ones that could afford him.
Albert Pujols going to another team would be like Peyton Manning leaving the Colts, Emmit Smith leaving the Cowboys, Elway leaving the Broncos, Marino leaving the Dolphins. You get the idea.
The Cardinals are the ones who can screw this up. They are one of the most successful franchises in professional sports, let alone baseball. They are in the playoff discussion every year. They got along fine before Pujols, and they will get along just fine after Pujols. As far as the organization is concerned they have the most dangerous bargaining chip that they don't really need him. And they don't.
But there's more to Pujols than just himself. He is very modest. He doesn't call attention to himself. He doesn't command attention. He's not selfish. He's active in the community. He has roots in the community deeper than the Cardinals organization. He's something that's rare in baseball these days. He's a team player. He knows that the other 8 guys are just as important as he is. What happens when an NFL player doesn't like his contract or wants an extension before training camp?? He holds out. He doesn't participate at all until his demands are met. What does Pujols do? He's reporting for spring training days before the rest of the team, as he always does.
I think this deadline that he imposed goes along those lines. What happens when a star player goes into the last year of his contract with no extension in the future. There are non stop questions about it until a deal is reached. He imposed this deadline to avoid this distraction. He doesn't want this to be a distraction towards the end of the season when the Cardinals are contending for a World Series. While his intentions are good, it's not going to work. There will still be questions.
Does this mean there can't be any contract talks after this deadline?? Absolutely not. There will still be conversations and talks between his agent and the Cardinals. Pujols doesn't want to be bothered with it. He doesn't want the distraction, he just wants to concentrate on and play baseball. Most of the talks will be with his agent, all Albert has to say is yes or no.
Most players reason for leaving a team is money or to win a championship. But is the grass really gonna be greener on the other side in this situation?? The Mets or Yankees aren't really gonna pay him much more than the Cardinals. Not only that while this may be about money, I can't see Pujols going somewhere else just for the money. He's not materialistic like Alex Rodriguez. If he goes somewhere else, it's the opposite. He's going to be watching up as the Cardinals win another without him.
Then there's the issue that most free agents don't have the luxury of. His teammates, most recently Matt Holliday have offered to renegotiate their contract to free up some money for him. This team wants him back and are willing to pay for it. That's unheard of in the NFL.
There are VERY few players in professional sports that I will say this about, but he deserves to be the highest player in baseball. Albert Pujols is truely a class act and deserves what he will get. I think both sides realize what is at steak here. When all is said and done, Albert Pujols will be the highest player in baseball, and deserves it.
It's no secret I don't care for the Cardinals. I despise them almost as much as the Yankees. While part of me would love to see the Cardinals screw this up, I think it would be a big tragedy for the Cardinals to let him go. And not for the Cardinals but for the people of St Louis. I truely hope both sides come to an agreement because Albert Pujols deserves to be the highest player in baseball, and he deserves to retire as a Cardinal.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Good way to close the season
First off, Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers. They did everything they had to to win that game. I did get a few predictions right, I just had the teams flip flopped. It was a high scoring game. The game was also not as close as the score makes it look. When the Steelers were trying to come back, the Packers had an answer every time. Late in the third quarter the Packers nerves were starting to show, yet they still pushed through and held on. The Steelers might have been in the game by the score, but there wasn't much of a chance of them winning that game. I am happy for Aaron Rodgers and his success and the whole Brett Favre issue. While he was a deserving candidate for the MVP, my vote goes to Jordy Nelson.
Now i'm going to be pessimistic and hate. I'm going to start with the play by play of Troy Aikman. He has been watching too much Dick Vitale. He said 2 positive things about the Steelers all night. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers could do no wrong.
I am very traditional when it comes to the National Anthem. I think there is a certain way for it to be sang, and that's it. Just listen to how the military plays it or sings it. I can't explain it in a blog, but everyone likes to add their own little twist to it. Christina Aguilera definately added her own twist to it, messing up the lines. It's hard to top a military version of the National Anthem followed by a flyover.
The haltime show was so/so. I don't care for that type of music much so I wasn't impressed, but I did like him calling out Obama. Bringing in Slash was a nice touch too. No one will be please with the halftime show because of the broad audience watching it. If you have a country/western show, then fans of rock, or that don't like it. Country and rock fans don't want to see Kanye West. Someone will always be unhappy with it. You can't please everyone. That being said, while i didn't care much for the show or the type of music, it was FAR FAR FAR better then last year's show. Roger Daughtry should have staying in retirement. Thanks to Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction we will probably never see a good half time show again. Here's an idea. Have a big competition for the best college marching band and let them perform at halftime of the superbowl. Isn't that how it's supposed to be?? Would certainly be better than what we've seen over the last 10 years.
On a separate note, the NFL announced the recipient of the MVP award today. I don't like Tom Brady, but I think it's hilarious that Michael Vick didn't get a single vote. Brady was the unanimous pick for MVP, receiving ALL 50 votes. I know Kevin Kolb wants traded and I don't blame him, but my advice to him is to hang in there. While Vick was in Atlanta the backup QB was the favorite person on the team. Matt Schaub is starting in Houston because of this. Eagle fans are just like Falcon fans. Michael Vick is no different now than he was in Atlanta. He can be the best of the best, and the next week, be the worst of the worst. He was having a good run, proclaiming himself the MVP until the Vikings, one of the worst teams in the league figured out how to beat him. As they always do with Michael Vick, things went south in a hurry. Andy Reid benched McNabb in the past for similar performances. This time next year the Eagles organization will be a mess.
Will there be a new labor deal in place. They have a little less than a month to get one done. I think the NFL and the owners realize how much is at stake here. I think the NFL has a loyal enough fan base to withstand a lockout, and if that happens, and when it's over they will be just as popular as they are not and probably not miss a beat. But that doesn't mean fans won't be upset. They won't be happy, but it won't take a commissioner to overlook steroids to get fans back. I think they need to back off the 18 games schedule for now. There are too many details to be worked out to throw it in now. The scheduling itself would be a nightmare. It may be better to take your time and work it in. The Jerry Jones and Al Davis of the league don't like revenue sharing, but that's what made the league what it is today. A deal will get done, it's just a matter of time.
I'm all for a Superbowl in a cold city. Any city that has a team in the NFL deserves to have a superbowl. Football was made to be played in the elements. The "Ice Bowl" is one of the most famous games. I'd like to see a Superbowl played in Arrowhead Stadium, or Soldier Field, or Mile High Stadium. 99% of America will be watching the game from their recliners or a sports bar, so most of them won't care anyway. Let's make it happen!
With that, another season comes to a close. It was a good season, and am looking forward to next year. But for now, it's on with baseball. Let's Play Ball!!
Now i'm going to be pessimistic and hate. I'm going to start with the play by play of Troy Aikman. He has been watching too much Dick Vitale. He said 2 positive things about the Steelers all night. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers could do no wrong.
I am very traditional when it comes to the National Anthem. I think there is a certain way for it to be sang, and that's it. Just listen to how the military plays it or sings it. I can't explain it in a blog, but everyone likes to add their own little twist to it. Christina Aguilera definately added her own twist to it, messing up the lines. It's hard to top a military version of the National Anthem followed by a flyover.
The haltime show was so/so. I don't care for that type of music much so I wasn't impressed, but I did like him calling out Obama. Bringing in Slash was a nice touch too. No one will be please with the halftime show because of the broad audience watching it. If you have a country/western show, then fans of rock, or that don't like it. Country and rock fans don't want to see Kanye West. Someone will always be unhappy with it. You can't please everyone. That being said, while i didn't care much for the show or the type of music, it was FAR FAR FAR better then last year's show. Roger Daughtry should have staying in retirement. Thanks to Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction we will probably never see a good half time show again. Here's an idea. Have a big competition for the best college marching band and let them perform at halftime of the superbowl. Isn't that how it's supposed to be?? Would certainly be better than what we've seen over the last 10 years.
On a separate note, the NFL announced the recipient of the MVP award today. I don't like Tom Brady, but I think it's hilarious that Michael Vick didn't get a single vote. Brady was the unanimous pick for MVP, receiving ALL 50 votes. I know Kevin Kolb wants traded and I don't blame him, but my advice to him is to hang in there. While Vick was in Atlanta the backup QB was the favorite person on the team. Matt Schaub is starting in Houston because of this. Eagle fans are just like Falcon fans. Michael Vick is no different now than he was in Atlanta. He can be the best of the best, and the next week, be the worst of the worst. He was having a good run, proclaiming himself the MVP until the Vikings, one of the worst teams in the league figured out how to beat him. As they always do with Michael Vick, things went south in a hurry. Andy Reid benched McNabb in the past for similar performances. This time next year the Eagles organization will be a mess.
Will there be a new labor deal in place. They have a little less than a month to get one done. I think the NFL and the owners realize how much is at stake here. I think the NFL has a loyal enough fan base to withstand a lockout, and if that happens, and when it's over they will be just as popular as they are not and probably not miss a beat. But that doesn't mean fans won't be upset. They won't be happy, but it won't take a commissioner to overlook steroids to get fans back. I think they need to back off the 18 games schedule for now. There are too many details to be worked out to throw it in now. The scheduling itself would be a nightmare. It may be better to take your time and work it in. The Jerry Jones and Al Davis of the league don't like revenue sharing, but that's what made the league what it is today. A deal will get done, it's just a matter of time.
I'm all for a Superbowl in a cold city. Any city that has a team in the NFL deserves to have a superbowl. Football was made to be played in the elements. The "Ice Bowl" is one of the most famous games. I'd like to see a Superbowl played in Arrowhead Stadium, or Soldier Field, or Mile High Stadium. 99% of America will be watching the game from their recliners or a sports bar, so most of them won't care anyway. Let's make it happen!
With that, another season comes to a close. It was a good season, and am looking forward to next year. But for now, it's on with baseball. Let's Play Ball!!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Prognostication
Superbowl XLV is only a few days away now. The big story this week has been the weather. Really?? The game is indoors. Both teams are practicing indoors. Why is the weather a factor? It's a factor because of all the media and having to deal with it. Dan Patrick broadcasting in a make-shift man cave with a stocking cap and breath smoke. Mike and Mike broadcasting in their winter coats. The weather is a story because it's an inconvenience for the media. In a few years when the Superbowl is in Giants Stadium, we can talk about the weather, but it's not a factor now so let's drop it. Another story blown out of proportion was the story about Roethlisberger taking his linemen out for a meal. Why was this a big deal? It is a superbowl tradition for him to treat his linemen to a meal and some fun. No one was hurt, no rules or laws were broken, they were back before curfew, so why is this an issue? Maybe if it were on Friday or Saturday night I could see it being a problem, but on a Tuesday?? Tony Dungy said this morning that when the Colts went, he gave his team Monday night off. He told them they could do anything they want, no curfew as long as they didn't get in trouble with the law. He didn't see any problem with it, apparently Mike Tomlin didn't have a problem with it, so it's not a big deal.
We found out more information in the Jay Cutler story yesterday. A source inside the Bears organization told the Sun-Times that the coaches planned on playing the second half with-OUT Cutler because of his sprained MCL. He convinced the coaches to let him try a pain shot and play in the second half. If he were a quitter like he's being made out to be, he'd have come out of that locker room in street clothes instead of playing another series in the second half.
My next question is, Why are the Steelers 2 1/2 point dogs in the Superbowl?? Really?? They have been tougher teams on their way to the big game. They were the second seed in the AFC while Green Bay was a six seed. Everyone is talking about how great the Packers are. How they are a team of destiny. How they are the best team in the NFL. Green Bay is not the great amazing team that everyone is saying they are. If they were this team, they would be higher than a #6 seed. Look at the facts. Pittsburgh beat a VERY talented and equal team, in dominating fashion. They followed that with a convincing win over the AFC's hottest team. They Packers beat a struggling Eagles team with a quarterback who was just humbled. Then they beat a very overrated Falcons team and a temperamental Bears team. The Chiefs are overrated because they didn't play anyone this season. Well, the Packers are overrated in the playoffs because they didn't play anyone. The Chiefs could get to the superbowl with that schedule.
I am happy for Aaron Rodgers and his success. There has been no "legend hangover" in Green Bay. Some teams are still having "legend hangover." The Broncos are still trying to replace Elway, the Dolphins trying to replace Marino, the Bills trying to replace Kelly, and the 49ers replacing Steve Young to name a few. Some have found their replacements but not without some growing pains. The Cowboys found Romo (i'm still not convinced he's that good) the Colts found Manning, the Chargers found Rivers, the Jets found Sanchez, the Giants found the younger Manning, and of course, the Steelers found Roethlisberger. The Favre to Rodgers transition was a little awkward, but it never affected the Packers on the field. Rodgers stepped in where Favre left off, gained the support of Packer Nation immediately, and in only a few years brought the Packers back to the Superbowl.
But I expect the Packers to have the same amount of success that the Chiefs had in the playoffs. Between their lack of competition leading up to the game, the Steelers experience in this game, and the Packers lack of a running game, I can't see them winning this game. It is supposed to be a defensive battle. Those kinda games are usually very high scoring and I think this will be the same kind of game and I think the Steelers win a shootout. The score will make it seem closer than it really is.
Go Steelers!!
We found out more information in the Jay Cutler story yesterday. A source inside the Bears organization told the Sun-Times that the coaches planned on playing the second half with-OUT Cutler because of his sprained MCL. He convinced the coaches to let him try a pain shot and play in the second half. If he were a quitter like he's being made out to be, he'd have come out of that locker room in street clothes instead of playing another series in the second half.
My next question is, Why are the Steelers 2 1/2 point dogs in the Superbowl?? Really?? They have been tougher teams on their way to the big game. They were the second seed in the AFC while Green Bay was a six seed. Everyone is talking about how great the Packers are. How they are a team of destiny. How they are the best team in the NFL. Green Bay is not the great amazing team that everyone is saying they are. If they were this team, they would be higher than a #6 seed. Look at the facts. Pittsburgh beat a VERY talented and equal team, in dominating fashion. They followed that with a convincing win over the AFC's hottest team. They Packers beat a struggling Eagles team with a quarterback who was just humbled. Then they beat a very overrated Falcons team and a temperamental Bears team. The Chiefs are overrated because they didn't play anyone this season. Well, the Packers are overrated in the playoffs because they didn't play anyone. The Chiefs could get to the superbowl with that schedule.
I am happy for Aaron Rodgers and his success. There has been no "legend hangover" in Green Bay. Some teams are still having "legend hangover." The Broncos are still trying to replace Elway, the Dolphins trying to replace Marino, the Bills trying to replace Kelly, and the 49ers replacing Steve Young to name a few. Some have found their replacements but not without some growing pains. The Cowboys found Romo (i'm still not convinced he's that good) the Colts found Manning, the Chargers found Rivers, the Jets found Sanchez, the Giants found the younger Manning, and of course, the Steelers found Roethlisberger. The Favre to Rodgers transition was a little awkward, but it never affected the Packers on the field. Rodgers stepped in where Favre left off, gained the support of Packer Nation immediately, and in only a few years brought the Packers back to the Superbowl.
But I expect the Packers to have the same amount of success that the Chiefs had in the playoffs. Between their lack of competition leading up to the game, the Steelers experience in this game, and the Packers lack of a running game, I can't see them winning this game. It is supposed to be a defensive battle. Those kinda games are usually very high scoring and I think this will be the same kind of game and I think the Steelers win a shootout. The score will make it seem closer than it really is.
Go Steelers!!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Baseball can't come soon enough...
It's the beginning of February and soon teams will be reporting to spring training. While I enjoy basketball and football, baseball is my passion. I have my favorite teams, but I enjoy baseball in general. I could watch just about any game that's on tv. I don't care if it's the Royals against the Twins, or the Pirates against the Padres. If there is a baseball game on tv, I'm good. I am interested to see how things play out this season. There have been a few teams that have made some noise, and other teams that have laid low. Most of the excitement came from the National League and the majority of that came from the NL Central.
The NL Central is probably going to be the toughest division. But, what else is new. The biggest surprise of last season was the Reds winning the division. They have not made any blockbuster deals, choosing to stay with most of the team that won the division from last year along with the Cardinals who came up a few games short of the wild card last season. The Brewers and Cubs have made the most noise, hoping to compete with the Reds and Cardinals this season. I think the face of the division will remain the same this season. The only realistic change I see happening is maybe the Reds and Cardinals swapping positions at the top. The Cardinals are the Yankees of the National League. Reguardless of what happens in the off season you can always count on them being in contention for the Central division title. The Reds have chosen to make few changes and keep the team chemisty they developed last season. This may seem like a bad move, after the Brewers and Cubs went after a few key players hoping to change the face of the division. But there is a lot to be said for team chemistry. It's going to take more than a few good pitchers to overcome 2 better teams. The NL Central will come down to the Reds and Birds again.
The NL East had their share of headlines this off season. The most blockbuster signing belongs to the Phillies landing Cliff Lee. The Nationals added a few free agents, but management dating back to their Expos days in Montreal have a history of not caring or spending money. So I don't forsee much change to the NL East either. I don't think landing Cliff Lee will change the Phillies as much as everyone says. I believe it will be a close race between the Braves and the Phillies.
The NL West is probably the weakest link in the National League. Yes, I realize the World Series champions came from that division, but with the good teams getting better I don't see a repeat happening. I believe the Padres will win the west this season.
I don't see much change in the landscape of the Americal League either. Probably the biggest shocker of the off season was the Yankees getting outbid on a few key free agents. I was happy to see this. Hopefully that trend continues into the season and years to come. While it was nice to see them get turned down for a change, I don't think it's going to change much. It will be a toss up between the Yankees, Red Sox, and the Rays who just added a few big names to their roster.
The AL Central probably saw the most change with the White Sox adding several key players to an already talented roster. The Royals proved to the league that they are a farm team to the league's bigger teams. They had the league's best pitcher and traded him away to the Brewers. They have the most top prospects of any team in the league. All they do is develop these players for the bigger market teams. You can watch the playoffs every season and find several players playing that were developed by the Royals organization. If they would keep just a few of these players they would be in contention year in and year out. But the Royals passed away with their owner, Ewing Kauffman. Dayton Moore has good intentions, but with an owner that could care less because he can't make a profit from the Royals, the only way they will ever achieve anything is if they have several of these prospects develop at the same time and that's not likely to happen. I would love to see good things happen for the Royals, but realisticly it looks like another season in the basement. The Central Division will come down to the White Sox and the Twins as normal and I think the White Sox off season acquisitions will give them the extra boost to take the division.
The AL West saw a different champion last year as the Rangers came from years of mediocrity to take the division away from the Angels. The Angels made a few acquisitions of their own hoping to reclaim the division title and bring it back to Anaheim. Between this and the Rangers loosing the bidding war over Cliff Lee, it should even up the division race. The Angels will be back in it, there's no doubt, so it depends on how the Rangers deal with loosing their Ace. That's going to be a tough one to call.
So, in general I don't see a lot of change in the over all picture of the Major Leagues. A few teams might swap places, but in the grand scheme of things I think the same teams will compete for their divisions. Starting with the NL East, I think the acquisition of Cliff Lee will give them the extra boost they need and will edge out the Braves in a close race. I think the Central will come down to the Reds and Cardinals. I also believe whoever finishes second in this division will take the wild card in the National League. I see the Giants having a world series hangover and the Padres capitalizing on it.
On the American League side I think the Yankees loosing the bidding wars won't have a drastic effect on the Yankees and their winning ways, but I think it will have enough of an effect to cost them a playoff birth. I think the East will be between the Red Sox and the Rays. The White Sox will take the Central pretty easily. The West is going to be the hardest to call. I think the experience of the Angels will play to their advantage allowing them to edge the Rangers and the A's to reclaim the West. What I'm curious to see is how the Wild Card will play out. Will the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays beat each other up enough to allow the Twins to take the Wild Card? I think the bottom of the East is better than the bottom of the Central. That and only 2 teams instead of 3 in the east, I think that's what will happen.
While the playoffs may have most of the same faces, I think the World Series will have 2 new, yet older faces. I think the World Series will see two teams from the recent past. I believe the White Sox and Phillies will compete in one of the most memorable world series in recent history.
I am excited for the season to get started. Opening Day can't come soon enough for me. I'm interested to see what kind of curve ball we will be thrown this year. Can the Nationals and Royals overcome their bad history to become competitve? Will the big acquisitions do more harm than good? My predictions may be all wrong. Whatever happens, I'm happy, as long as there is baseball to watch. Let's "Play Ball"!!!
The NL Central is probably going to be the toughest division. But, what else is new. The biggest surprise of last season was the Reds winning the division. They have not made any blockbuster deals, choosing to stay with most of the team that won the division from last year along with the Cardinals who came up a few games short of the wild card last season. The Brewers and Cubs have made the most noise, hoping to compete with the Reds and Cardinals this season. I think the face of the division will remain the same this season. The only realistic change I see happening is maybe the Reds and Cardinals swapping positions at the top. The Cardinals are the Yankees of the National League. Reguardless of what happens in the off season you can always count on them being in contention for the Central division title. The Reds have chosen to make few changes and keep the team chemisty they developed last season. This may seem like a bad move, after the Brewers and Cubs went after a few key players hoping to change the face of the division. But there is a lot to be said for team chemistry. It's going to take more than a few good pitchers to overcome 2 better teams. The NL Central will come down to the Reds and Birds again.
The NL East had their share of headlines this off season. The most blockbuster signing belongs to the Phillies landing Cliff Lee. The Nationals added a few free agents, but management dating back to their Expos days in Montreal have a history of not caring or spending money. So I don't forsee much change to the NL East either. I don't think landing Cliff Lee will change the Phillies as much as everyone says. I believe it will be a close race between the Braves and the Phillies.
The NL West is probably the weakest link in the National League. Yes, I realize the World Series champions came from that division, but with the good teams getting better I don't see a repeat happening. I believe the Padres will win the west this season.
I don't see much change in the landscape of the Americal League either. Probably the biggest shocker of the off season was the Yankees getting outbid on a few key free agents. I was happy to see this. Hopefully that trend continues into the season and years to come. While it was nice to see them get turned down for a change, I don't think it's going to change much. It will be a toss up between the Yankees, Red Sox, and the Rays who just added a few big names to their roster.
The AL Central probably saw the most change with the White Sox adding several key players to an already talented roster. The Royals proved to the league that they are a farm team to the league's bigger teams. They had the league's best pitcher and traded him away to the Brewers. They have the most top prospects of any team in the league. All they do is develop these players for the bigger market teams. You can watch the playoffs every season and find several players playing that were developed by the Royals organization. If they would keep just a few of these players they would be in contention year in and year out. But the Royals passed away with their owner, Ewing Kauffman. Dayton Moore has good intentions, but with an owner that could care less because he can't make a profit from the Royals, the only way they will ever achieve anything is if they have several of these prospects develop at the same time and that's not likely to happen. I would love to see good things happen for the Royals, but realisticly it looks like another season in the basement. The Central Division will come down to the White Sox and the Twins as normal and I think the White Sox off season acquisitions will give them the extra boost to take the division.
The AL West saw a different champion last year as the Rangers came from years of mediocrity to take the division away from the Angels. The Angels made a few acquisitions of their own hoping to reclaim the division title and bring it back to Anaheim. Between this and the Rangers loosing the bidding war over Cliff Lee, it should even up the division race. The Angels will be back in it, there's no doubt, so it depends on how the Rangers deal with loosing their Ace. That's going to be a tough one to call.
So, in general I don't see a lot of change in the over all picture of the Major Leagues. A few teams might swap places, but in the grand scheme of things I think the same teams will compete for their divisions. Starting with the NL East, I think the acquisition of Cliff Lee will give them the extra boost they need and will edge out the Braves in a close race. I think the Central will come down to the Reds and Cardinals. I also believe whoever finishes second in this division will take the wild card in the National League. I see the Giants having a world series hangover and the Padres capitalizing on it.
On the American League side I think the Yankees loosing the bidding wars won't have a drastic effect on the Yankees and their winning ways, but I think it will have enough of an effect to cost them a playoff birth. I think the East will be between the Red Sox and the Rays. The White Sox will take the Central pretty easily. The West is going to be the hardest to call. I think the experience of the Angels will play to their advantage allowing them to edge the Rangers and the A's to reclaim the West. What I'm curious to see is how the Wild Card will play out. Will the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays beat each other up enough to allow the Twins to take the Wild Card? I think the bottom of the East is better than the bottom of the Central. That and only 2 teams instead of 3 in the east, I think that's what will happen.
While the playoffs may have most of the same faces, I think the World Series will have 2 new, yet older faces. I think the World Series will see two teams from the recent past. I believe the White Sox and Phillies will compete in one of the most memorable world series in recent history.
I am excited for the season to get started. Opening Day can't come soon enough for me. I'm interested to see what kind of curve ball we will be thrown this year. Can the Nationals and Royals overcome their bad history to become competitve? Will the big acquisitions do more harm than good? My predictions may be all wrong. Whatever happens, I'm happy, as long as there is baseball to watch. Let's "Play Ball"!!!
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