CAN AUBURN'S "D" DO ENOUGH, LIKE 2nd HALF VS. CRIMSON TIDE?

Following Auburn's torrid comeback from a 24-point deficit at Alabama last Friday, there is no doubt the Tigers' offense is national championship-worthy. But the question throughout all of the 2010 season has been can Auburn's defense hold up enough to give their offense a chance to win it.
As much as the huge comeback win over Alabama was attributed to the offense putting up 28 points to 'Bama's 3, the defense showed up in the second half, too.
Nick Fairley (#90 above) is a bona fide All-America candidate at defensive tackle. He disrupted things in the middle and ended the day posting two solo sacks and two tackles for loss, for a total of minus-30 yards (15 via sack, 15 via TFLs). The defensive front, which includes the linebackers, too, can be solid overall and they can also pressure the passer. Pass coverage has been the Tigers Achilles Heel, and that's where Alabama made the most of their opportunities in the first half. Fortunately for Auburn, the defense as a whole, and the pass defense in particular, pulled it together in the second half.
Alabama's passing game put up astronomical numbers in the first half en route to a 24-0 lead. QB Greg McElroy was 19 out of 23 for 335 yards. That's a great GAME for most people. In order to do that someone had to catch those passes. All-America WR Julio Jones was outrageous--seven receptions for 174 yards--again, a tremendous game total any receiver would be proud to have. RB Mark Ingram contributed big time in that first half with 91 receiving yards. Despite all of that, Auburn did manage to sack McElroy twice. But, the second half was as different as night and day.
If the first half was a dark time for Auburn's "D", the second half was bright sunshine. The Tigers limited to Alabama to just 67 total yards of offense in the second half compared 379 in the first. The Tide only clicked on 8 of 18 passing for a measly 42 yards in the second half and Auburn's defense came up with three more sacks of Alabama QBs. One was quite significant; McElroy, the outstanding senior, team leader, suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder when he was driven into the ground on a sack late in the fourth quarter. Jones was not blanked in the receiving department in the second half, but his three catches were for only 25 yards.
Cam Newton and the rest of the Auburn offense is exciting to watch and very explosive, but there has not been a team who has won the national championship with a shaky defense. The Tigers are yielding about 25 points per game and 363 yards of total offense (108 rush & 255 pass). That's good enough to beat most people given Auburn's offense. They are not a big INT defense; in fact, Auburn has only picked off opposing QBs eight times out of 441 attempts. As mentioned before, they can get after the QB a fair amount--30 sacks on the year. The key in the very near future will be for Auburn's "D" to play with the sense of urgency, tenacity, and execution they did the last 30 minutes against Alabama.
If Auburn gets past South Carolina in the SEC title game this Saturday, and Oregon takes care of business vs. rival Oregon State in their "Civil War", the bottom line is-- will the Tiger defense be good enough against the Ducks? If both teams hold form, we will have to wait until Jan. 10th to find out. That gives Auburn's defense a good month to get ready for Oregon's electric, scoring machine of an offense...but, it also gives the Ducks time to come up with a couple of new wrinkles, too.

SEC EAST TITLE AT STAKE SATURDAY IN THE SWAMP

As a former Florida quarterback, Heisman Trophy Award winner, and national champion head coach of the Gators, Steve Spurrier has his name among those in the ring of honor in "The Swamp", Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.  But, for about three hours this Saturday night Spurrier and his South Carolina Gamecocks will be the opponent as 90,000-plus Florida fans yell, cheer and scream for their Gators to beat Spurrier and, thus, capture the SEC eastern division crown.  The winner of this battle will go on to play for the SEC championship in Atlanta the first week of December.  If nothing changes between now and then Auburn would be the opposition, as they currently sit atop the western division.

As much as it makes for endless amounts of mediocre copy for a lot of writers this game isn't about Steve Spurrier and it's not about Gator Coach Urban Meyer.  But, IT IS all about the players on both teams who have prepared since last winter's off-season training to play for a shot at the SEC title.

 Florida uncharacteristically lost three games in a row before getting a bye week and then righting the ship to beat Georgia in overtime two weeks ago and Vanderbilt in a glorified scrimmage last week.  South Carolina is trying to avert another November swoon under Spurrier.  Last week they were out-played from the opening kickoff and rolled over by Arkansas, 41-20, at home.  They also stumbled a few weeks ago against a mediocre Kentucky team, the very next week after they had upset then #1-ranked Alabama! 

Florida's defense, although not as physically dominating as past editions, is still near the top of SEC defensive categories thanks to their overall athletic ability and speed to chase down opposing ball carriers.  They started the first half of the year gathering a bushel full of turnovers before slowing down slightly in that department, but they are very capable of taking the ball away, and that will be critical to help set up the Gator offense with good field position.  Florida's offense has gone through a re-birth, or maybe just a birth.  Despite chalking up four straight wins to start the year the Gator offense never looked smooth.  It sputtered along trying to find an identity in a world without Tim Tebow.  After losses to heavyweights Alabama and LSU, followed by a 10-7 punch in the gut loss to Miss. St. in Gainesville, it was back to the drawing board for Florida during a bye week.  The Gators rolled out an offense that featured three potential QBs all in the game at the same time, keeping defensive coaches guessing as to who would take the snap from center.  If it was John Brantley, the regular starter, chances are he would not run the ball, but he was a threat to pass or hand off.  If it was Trey Burton, there was slim chance of pass, but a heavy tendency for him to run the ball.  Then, add in Jordan Reed, a former QB-turned TE-turned part-time QB.  He did both incredibly well last week vs. Vandy, thus further muddying the waters for the opponent's defensive game plan.  If you haven't seen it, all three possible QBs are in the game and they shift in and out of the QB position just prior to the snap from center.  As gimmicky as it seems, it has worked, and that's all that matters when you are expected to compete for championships at Florida.

South Carolina was motoring along this year because Spurrier added a legitimate run threat in true freshman Marcus Lattimore.  That was exactly what the Gamecocks needed to keep people from gearing up to stop Spurrier's passing game.  With the threat of run, the ability to play-action off of that, and still use "the old ball coach's" deep passing playbook the Gamecocks had it rolling. The very gifted young Lattimore has been dinged up a bit lately and was held to less than 50 yards a week ago by Arkansas.  That puts more pressure on SC QB Stephen Garcia.  Garcia has turned it around this year by reducing his turnovers which used to cause Spurrier to fling his visor to the ground way too often.  Alshon Jeffery is an outstanding talent at wide receiver and a tough match-up for the Gator secondary.  The SC offensive tackles will have their hands full trying to handle Florida's pass rush, so they need to be able to create some running lanes to off-set that situation.

The Gamecocks are struggling in the defensive secondary.  Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson tried to simplify things a bit for Arkansas due to having to play some inexperienced people back there, but they still had issues against such a strong passing attack from Ryan Mallett and his Razorback crew.  Florida doesn't have the overall pass attack to worry about like Arkansas, but the multiple quarterback system, threat of option, and QBs who can both run and pass could cause the Gamecock defense to suffer breakdowns simply due to getting the right calls made, communicating it before the snap, then having to adjust on the fly.

This has the makings of an outstanding game and everyone can see it--ESPN 7:15 EST Saturday night.  If I were a betting man, and I am not, I have to go with the Gators, especially at home.  Enjoy the game.

Idiots Trying to Take Over; Sad State of Sportmanship Growing in Fan Behavior

I am not trying to conjure up stories passed down from generations ago, but do you remember the days when fans were passionate not just about the team they followed, but also the game itself? The whole package needs to be addressed at some point; I am mostly concerned with sportsmanship, respect for coaches and officials, as well as respect for other fans that happen to be within earshot.
The topic is much too large to be discussed in one writing here, but let’s take a look at parts of it. There were two different incidents that I witnessed within a week’s time that really caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand at attention in regard to sportsmanship and fan behavior.

The first incident was last Tuesday at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Anaheim, CA. The “Mid-Summer Classic”, as it is known, began in 1933. The game brings together the “best of the best.” Through the many years there have been different means by which players were selected for the prestigious honor. All-Stars have been picked by the fans, the coaches, the players, or some combination thereof.

One of the great traditions to open the All-Star Game is the introduction of the respective rosters—first the non-starters for both the American and National League teams, followed by the starting lineups and coaches for each. With the game being hosted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim there was a natural home field American League partisanship in attendance. Second to that was a Southern California bias for teams in the general neighborhood; aside from the Angels, there was a swell of applause heard for LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres players.

What stood out more than the natural and very much expected roar of support for the above teams was the incredible cast of loud boos for the Angels east coast competitors from New York and Boston, and to a lesser degree the Dodgers rival to the north, the SF Giants. The players from those teams who were the targets and victims of such poor sportsmanship don’t deserve treatment like that, yet it is commonly accepted today as a normal means of behavior at a ballgame.

Don’t get me wrong, if an opposing player does something to or against my team that is classless, against the rules, or perceived to be bad sportsmanship I say let the boos rip…in fact, that goes for my team’s players, too. But, to shower All-Stars visiting your stadium just because their team may have beaten yours in recent years play-offs? Grow up. A strange twist on this is the fact that All-Star games now reward the winning team and league with home field advantage for the World Series. So, in effect, the Angels fans were booing their own “home team” members when they were booing the Yankees and Red Sox. Nice job folks. No wonder the AL lost to the NL for the first time since 1997. Congratulations.

I find it amazing that parents who watch their children play various organized youth sports—i.e. baseball, soccer, basketball to name a few—stand, applaud and smile as both youth teams perform the choreographed and mandatory lineup to exchange a shake of hands with the opponent at game’s end. These are the same people yelling profanity and booing with their kids alongside at the college and pro games. Maybe the kids can help straighten out the parents.
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The second incident that gave me a World Wrestling Federation kick to the solar plexus was just last night when the Chicago Cubs were hosting the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday Night Baseball.

The Cubs are struggling through another long season. They are 9.5 games out of first and playing just .452 baseball with a 42-51 mark. They were about to close out a win over the Phillies in the eighth inning when the Phils’ all-star first baseman, and one of top power hitters in the NL, Ryne Howard, lifted a home run into the left-centerfield bleachers. The ESPN cameras tracked the flight of the ball and showed it landing among a group of fans that included a younger middle-aged father and two cute sons, probably between 5-7 years of age, each of whom had their baseball gloves ready for such a lucky opportunity.

It was not clear if one of the youngsters actually caught the ball, but one of them did come up with the ball soon after it splashed down in the crowd. What happened next makes no sense and it is on par with the idiots in the above story.

For reasons that are foreign to me, though I am willing to listen to any sensible, well-grounded individual try to explain it, the youngster was enthusiastically prodded by the throng of Cubs’ fans near him to throw the ball back onto the field of play. As fans were cheering and wildly waving their arms, acting out the verbal message of “throw the ball back”, the little guy eventually fired it back onto the green lawn of the outfield which then sent the bleacher bums into ecstasy. Yes! We persuaded the 5 year old!

Now tell me, isn’t it most fans’ dream to come away from a major league baseball game with a legitimate souvenir? Foul balls are okay, but a home run ball is something special! If not, why is it that there are dozens of kids and young adults who patrol Sheffield and Waveland Avenues outside of Wrigley Field during games just for a chance to chase down a home run ball? Let me get this right, just because the home run was not hit by a Cub we are going to exhort this little kid to throw the ball back, basically saying—“Take that Ryne Howard; we don’t want your stinking home run.”

If that is me and my son there is no way that ball is going anywhere but home to be secured for special exhibitions, like a show and tell for the kid at school. In this case Ryne Howard is well on his way to a terrific career. He just signed the largest contract for a NL player and it is not inconceivable that he could continue to chart a path to the Hall of Fame.

This ridiculous idea of pressuring fans who, through luck or skill, come up with a major league home run to turn around the throw back onto the field is senseless. Did you ever see any old clips of anyone throwing home runs from Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Mickey Mantle back from the bleachers? Absolutely not.

For the poor kid, and even for the father of that youngster who jumped on the band-wagon and endorsed his son’s move, it will be a shame sometime later in life when there is a conversation about the great Ryne Howard of the Phillies. Then they can have an awkward exchange like this, “Oh, yea, we got one of his home runs at Wrigley Field. Really? You have a Ryne Howard home run ball? Well, not exactly; we did have it …but I threw it back. Hey, Dad, why did we throw that ball back?”

PLEASE OFFER YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC BY CLICKING BELOW HERE. I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE ELSE NEXT TIME AROUND.  WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP TURN THINGS AROUND.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS FROM THE STADIUM

Main Concourse Inside Stadium

NOTE--THIS POST FROM JULY 2010 WAS EDITED AND REPUBLSIHED. SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN. DO YOU NOTICE ANY OF THOSE THINGS?

For the second year in a row over the Fourth of July weekend I was able to watch the Yankees play in their new ball park vs. the Toronto Blue Jays.  Here are some sights and sounds that you might find interesting, not so interesting, and/or just a little strange, as I did.

 1.  Last year was the first year for New York in the "new Yankee Stadium".  This year I paid HALF the amount for tickets for exactly the same section and row of seats as I did a year ago. Do you think prices for the opening season at the new place were jacked up a bit?
 2.  I'm not a beer drinker, but would you pay $9.00 for a cold beer?
    3.  You know how every stadium, regardless of sport, has some variety of music playing at strategic points in the contest?  When Brett Gardner hit a grand slam and the crowd was jazzed up, the Stadium music director started blasting "The Venga Bus" and the 48,500 got even more juiced.  Who would have thought that song would do it?
    4.  Young kids were selling bottles of water outside the stadium for $1.  Stupid me, I didn't buy any and ended up paying $5 for just a little larger bottle inside the big house. I could have had five bottles instead of one.
5.  The game we saw was the second in a three-game series with Toronto and the visitors took the opening game.  Fortunately, the Yanks won the game we attended plus the final of the three to take the series, 3-2. How badly would a team named the Yankees feel if they lost their big holiday weekend series to a team from another country?  That wouldn't be very patriotic.
6.  One of the great things about being at a baseball game in New York is that it brings together so many different types of people.  There was a young couple (20s) in front of me and the guy had a big tattoo of "718" the length of his forearm, signifying either Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx or Staten Island, while behind us were two older couples from Canada, cheering for the visitors, and they had strong accents from "across the pond."  One lady kept asking the other throughout the game, "Now is this guy a designated hitter?"  I think she was trying to act like she was into it.  Lady, there is only one DH per team, OK?
7.  It seems like the tradition of the Yankees' ground crew stopping their freshening up of the infield to march in rhythm and execute shaping the letters to "YMCA" during the seventh inning stretch has lost its popularity.  We need to think of a new routine for them.
8.  On the other side of the coin, there is nothing like the original, scratchy recording of Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" to salute those who provide public service to NYC and our country in the middle of the seventh inning.
9.  When are we going to stop having idiots pop a surprise marriage proposal to their significant other over the big screen TV during games?  I'm waiting for one woman to reach back, slap the guy, and stomp on out.

Folks, as Harry Carey used to say, you just can't beat good old fun at the ballpark.

UGLY LATE JUNE CAUSES TB RAYS TO SLIDE TO THIRD IN AL EAST

The Tampa Bay Rays were the darlings of baseball for the first two-plus months of the season as they sported the best record in the game. With their thrifty $70 million payroll they were leading the charge for underdogs and little guys everywhere, fighting the battle to take down took the hated, ugly powers in the Northeast, the Yankees and Red Sox.  Make no mistake about it, the Rays are a talented team, deep in starting pitching, very solid defensively, but their offense has unexpectedly taken the last half of June off, thus causing a swoon.
Back in April the Rays were ringing up runs like a pin-ball machine.  In the last two weeks of that month they posted a sparkling 10-2 record, scored 10 or more runs 4 times, and averaged a beefy 7.75 runs in that span of a dozen games.  June is coming to a close, and for the Rays, they look forward to turning the calendar to July because since June 13 Tampa Bay is 4-9.  What's worse is that in just 13 games they scored one or no runs in six of those contests.  In another, they mustered two scores.  So, two or less runs in seven of the last 13 games...whew! 

Adding salt to the wound, a Rays' pitching cast-off, Edwin Jackson of the Arizona Diamondbacks, came back to Tropicana field to throw a complete game no-hitter/shutout against his old teammates--he did this while issuing eight walks!  How do you not score when someone puts eight of your batters on base for free?

Barring any serious injuries the Rays should still be in the hunt all the way through September.  The marathon season has a lot of highs and lows, and it's so long that there is still plenty of time for things to change.  Remember when people were writing off the Red Sox because of their horrible April and early May?  Guess who is just 1.5 games off the pace of the Yankees now?  David Ortiz struggling, washed up?  Not any more.

It's been argued that the American League East has the three best teams in baseball.  A week or so ago the records supported that opinion.  So, we won't be too quick to judge who is in it for good, or out of it for good, until about early September.  But those two week benders that often haunt even the best teams is sure hard on the loyal fans, and it seems like all teams go through it.

KEEP THOSE TUMS IN THE DUGOUT

Try to visualize the television broadcast shots as they pan baseball dugouts--at least the older ones--where the clubhouse man would have the benched stocked with big containers of David Sunflowers Seeds, Bubble Gum, and Tums.


At home, the Yankees have everything they need, and more, in their plush one-year old surroundings. My guess is that they still have all of those necessary game materials, and when AJ Burnett is pitching there is nothing more important than the giant container of Tums. How else would Joe Girardi and staff make it through a game without their insides being overcome with intense stomach acid and heartburn?

Would you rather have Mr. Electric/Nasty Stuff out there causing you to ride the emotional roller-coaster of each pitch, just hoping he can string together a few consistent innings, or someone with decent stuff and from whom you know what to expect when he takes the mound? Forget the fact that he was so mentally in the tank last night vs. the Phillies that he forgot to cover first base on a ball hit to the right side of the infield. As a high-priced hired hand ($16.5 million this year) Burnett needs both a mental and physical adjustment to get to where he should be. In my book he is "Mr. I"--Mr. Inconsistency. Whether it's the manager, the pitching coach, the bullpen coach, the team's sports psychologist, or some combination thereof--Burnett needs correction.

His line last night was 3-1/3 innings, 87 pitches, 4 walks and his obligatory hit batsman, not to mention another adventurous night for the catcher trying to block balls bouncing in the dirt. No matter who the catcher is, the poor guy has little to no chance of throwing out runners with Burnett on the mound. Did I hear that the stealing percentage against Burnett is the highest in baseball? Raul Ibanez, at age 38, stealing? You've got to be kidding.

Yanks manager Girardi is a health freak in terms of workouts and diet, and he has not been around that long for his insides to have a lot of wear and tear. That's why you don't see the drawn face, nor do we feel the severe heartburn pain that Joe Torre wore on his face. When Joe rode the emotional roller-coaster through Yankees’ ups and downs in his day he sucked on his peach pit while staring blankly out on the field. I bet sometimes he may have had a cheek full of Tums instead.

Back to Burnett, if he stays healthy he is due to make about 18 more regulars season starts. For Girardi and staff, keep those Tums handy. It’s a long season.

LONGHORNS BROKER DEAL ALLOWING BIG 12 SHIP TO STAY AFLOAT

These past two weeks in college athletics have been a super-condensed equivalent of the volatile financial markets and world economy of the last two years—an emotional roller-coaster, rumors of break-ups, takeovers, distress, panic, uncertainty, the potential loss of things held dear for so many years that was earned through hard work, sweat and tears.

When the Big Ten Conference set out to acquire at least one more high profile team to give them an even dozen (despite the misnomer, they had 11 teams) and first pursued Notre Dame, then others, the wheels were set in motion for every other major conference, as well as the conference member schools, to look out for themselves. The dust has now settled and the world of college athletics is just slightly different than it was a short while ago, but not without a lot of anxiety and consternation.

The PAC-10 had hopes of beating others to the punch by creating a super-conference of 16 teams, which would certainly have caused a chain-reaction that would turn the conference world upside-down. In order to do so they poured their efforts into recruiting some heavyweights from the Big 12. AS recent as late last week it looked like that conference was dead man walking as Nebraska accepted the Big Ten’s offer to become their 12th team. Also, Colorado decided to join the PAC-10, giving them 11 schools, while the likes of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State, were rumored to be headed west, too, with the lure of more money stemming from the prospects of a soon-to-be PAC-10 Conference television network, ala the Big Ten’s. The key to all of this happening was Texas.

Folks, there are a couple of famous sayings in the Lone Star State—“Don’t Mess with Texas” and another, “As Big as Texas.” After developments that leaked out Monday night, as Texas essentially saved the Big 12 Conference, we now have a better appreciation of those two expressions.

Texas spurned the PAC-10’s offer and pledged their support to maintaining the remaining Big 12 because the PAC-10 would not allow Texas to keep their local television rights (Don’t mess with Texas). The Longhorns are now planning to have their own network (As Big as Texas), as well as share in what is promised to be more conference television revenue based upon the Big 12 negotiating a new lucrative contract among several suitors. The ‘Horns felt the Big 12 gave them a chance to have their cake and eat it, too. For that, the schools who were about to be orphaned—Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri and Baylor—are thankful. Yet, they and the other member schools fully realize who calls the shots in the conference, and who will be poised to be the boss for years to come, on and off the field.

So, as it stands now, with Nebraska joining ranks the Big Ten has 12 teams. Minus the Cornhuskers and Colorado the Big 12 is down to 10. The PAC-10 has 11 and needs to recruit one more (hello, Utah) to get their twelfth, thus providing a conference championship game. OK now, anyone want to play the “Name That Conference Name Game”?

What had the potential to be, and was feared to be, a period in our lives that would bring total restructuring of the college football landscape—all because of the need to grow bigger conferences for TV revenues—has now passed, at least for the short term. Stay tuned, fans.

YANKS NEED SLUGGER IN THE 3-HOLE

A-Rod is obviously stumped by Tex's troubles, too.
Photo by Stephanie Quartaro

The Yankees need a slugger in the three-hole.  I am a Mark Teixeira fan, and want nothing more than for him to find his stroke.  But, until someone invents a GPS to track down such a thing, or hitting coach Kevin Long and Tex combine to find a solution, it's increasingly harder to watch what is happening with The Bronx Bombers’ third-place hitter.

I'm fully aware stats can be spun any way you like to make them work in support of an argument you are trying to make. Extreme example--if NY wanted to put their top two batting average guys in the lineup, strictly based on stats, they'd have pitcher CC Sabathia, who is hitting .500, and minor league/temp fill-in Greg Golson at .400.  Of course, that's ridiculous. So, please hang with me.

Shouldn't sluggers have a decent slugging percentage? Slugging percentage is a simple, yet meaningful stat, which takes the total numbers of bases and divides it by the number of official at-bats—in other words, how productive a hitter is per plate appearance.  As you might expect, Robinson Cano, who is 4th in the AL in slugging percentage, is leading the Yankees with a lofty .611 mark.  Citing stats for just the regular players, all of whom have 100+ at-bats, the following in order are: Jorge Posada (.542), Nick Swisher (.532), Alex Rodriguez (.491), Derek Jeter (.433), Brett Gardner (.421) and Curtis Granderson is at .420 before we finally get to Tex.

In putting a yellow highlighter through his .363 slugging percentage, Tex is just .013 ahead of Francisco Cervelli's .350....and Cervi has a bagel in the HR column!  How's that for a slugger?  You know what I am getting at. In all fairness, despite the extremely low batting average (.212), Tex has still managed to drive in 34 runs, which tie him with Yankee lead-off hitter, Derek Jeter.  Feel free to interpret that as you like...your lead-off man and #3 hitter with the same amount of RBI.

In the super long marathon of a baseball season there are still 95 games to go.  But for those residents of Pinstripe Land, the sooner the three-hole hitter gets those slugging and batting average numbers up, the better they’ll sleep at night.

WHERE IS WALDO? WHAT ABOUT UBALDO?

Everyone knows Waldo from the "Where Is" fame.  But, what about Ubaldo?

Ubaldo Jimenez is a 26-year old right-handed pitcher for the Colorado Rockies. Maybe that's why he doesn't sound familiar.  Well, start taking note because the talented hurler is putting up the most impressive pitching stats this side of Bob Gibson in the late 60's.  Early this season, in just his second start, Jimenez fired the first no-hitter of the 2010 season vs. Atlanta.  But that achievement just fits in nicely with the rest of the staggering numbers, evidence of his total dominance.

Coming into this season Ubaldo's career win-loss mark was a respectable 36-28.  Pitching in hitter friendly Denver can be most pitchers' nightmare, but this season the Dominican Republic product isn't buying that theory at all.  He has yielded only one home run.

Just like you should act when you are served your favorite delicious meal--take your time, chew slowly, enjoy and digest these delicious stats.  Games Started: 11. Record; 10-1. Earned Run Average: 0.78.  Innings Pitched: 80.1  Hits: 46. Opponent Batting Avg: .172.  Strikeouts: 70.  Walks: 26.  His WHIP, average of how many base-runners reach via walk or hit per inning, is a paltry 0.90.  Unheard of in this modern age.

If you don't know Ubaldo, get to know him.  He is one of the greatest stories of 2010.  Where is Ubaldo?  He's on the mound in Denver, CO.

YANKEE CAPTAIN INSPIRED BY SPORTS SAUSAGE

Derek Jeter was uncharacteristically bumbling around about 3 weeks ago and looked nothing like “The Captain” we had come to expect. Obviously, Jeter was inspired by the blog post below (Is Father Time Catching Up With Yankee Captain, May 13th) and has returned to form.



Jeter was striking out, dribbling weak ground balls to the infield, and hitting soft fly balls as he saw his average plummet from a healthy .330 at the end of April. As of May 13, after completing a very mediocre series at Detroit, Jeter was in the .260’s. But, the last three weeks Jeter has returned to driving the ball in the gaps, hitting it hard up the middle, and through the right side at about a .500 clip to raise his average back up and over the .300 mark.


We’re glad to know that the Sports Sausage is so widely read and that it helped serve as a catalyst to Jeter’s resurgence. If anyone else needs a kick-start out there, let us know and we’ll get it done.

NO TRIPLE CROWN WINNER THIS YEAR; COSTAS RELATES TO JOCKEYS BY HEIGHT

Horse Racing, aka “the sport of kings”, was on center stage on Saturday with the second leg of the famed Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, being run at Pimlico Racetrack in Baltimore.


Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver just didn’t have it, while the Derby favorite two weeks ago, Lookin’ At Lucky, rebounded at the Belmont to win by two heads. The most significant note coming out of this race is the fact that for the 33rd straight year there will not be a Triple Crown winner. For those of us old enough to remember (yes, I do), the last super horse to sweep all three races was Affirmed in 1978.

Aside from the exciting, highly competitive horse race which was run in ideal conditions in Baltimore, another note became apparent to me. It was during the lead up to post-time, when NBC was running several different feature stories and interviews. In the area near the jockeys’ quarters NBC’s Bob Costas was interviewing jockey Kent Desormeaux. Jockeys are not big people. In fact, they are rather diminutive. I really like Bob Costas and have always enjoyed his work. I also know that he isn’t a man of large physical stature. But, unless jockey Desormeaux was wearing lifts in his riding boots, or 1970’s disco platform-style shoes, he and Costas were looking at each other eye to eye. You could have balanced a 2 x 4 level across their heads. I couldn’t believe it!

All 12 Belmont Stakes jockeys weighed in around 126 pounds. Not that Costas is heavy, by any means, and even though he may have jockey height, he doesn’t appear to tip the scales as low as 126. So, Bob will have to stick to announcing, which he does exceptionally well, and for which he is very well-compensated. But, he doesn't get to wear those cool, colorful silky jockey uniforms.

Is Father Time Catching Up With The Yankee Captain?

The New York Yankees' captain, Derek Jeter, is looking his age. Turning age 36 in June, he is looking like all of that and maybe more.  Just 34 games into the 2010 season Jeter has seen his performance slide in the month of May.  He finished April hitting a healthy .330 and was leading the team in RBI.  Now, after a brutally quiet four-game series in Detroit, where New York was hardly the Bronx Bombers while being shutout twice, Jeter's average stood at a pedestrian .269.  There is no greater representative for who and what the Yankee pinstripes are all about.  But, it's obvious Jeter is slipping. Despite a rigid, disciplined off-season training regiment and Jeter possessing the mental focus and will to be the best he can be, Father Time just might be closing in on the Captain.

Patriots' Brady Telling It Like It Is, Players Need to Listen to Belichick

In the first half of the new decade of the 2000s, the New England Patriots were the kings of the NFL.  With Bill Belichick captaining the ship and all-pro QB Tom Brady at the controls the Patriots won three of four Super Bowls from 2001- 2004.

In 2007 they rattled off 16 straight regular season wins, then added a pair of play-off wins, but were eventually upset in their quest for another Lombardi Trophy by the surging New York Giants as they finished the season 18-1.

The last two years have not been, as we have come to expect, very Patriot-like.  2008 brought a bit of history, albeit negative.  New England became the first 11-win team to not make the play-offs.  They sat at home as Miami won the automatic post-season bid as the AFC East champs, and the Pats were eliminated from a possible wild card berth by a confusing league formula which determines such things.  Last year New England posted another double-digit win season, 10-6 (going 8-0 at home, but just 2-6 on the road). Unfortunately, the home field comfort of Gillette Stadium ran out in the first round of the play-offs as the Baltimore Ravens jumped out to a 24-0 lead and never looked back on their way to a 33-14 victory.

Narrowly missing the play-offs two years ago, and then being bounced in the first round while playing in their own building last year, brings some interesting quotes from Brady.  In an article published on Sporting News’ , “The Trenches”, Brady is quoted as saying, "We've got to start listening more to coach Belichick," Brady told Sports Illustrated. "We've got young kids who are good players. We've got the best football coach of all time. He's got the answers. We as a team have to take the teaching and the coaching we're being given.

"Teams change in this league every year, and ours is no exception. Last year was pretty disappointing in a lot of ways, obviously. Losing to Baltimore the way we lost in the playoffs, losing leads late, losing on the road. Every year is so different, and the way we approach this year will be extremely important. We need to see the toughness. We need to see the commitment. Can we take the coaching?"

There is a lot to ponder when reviewing Brady’s quotes.  When the Pats were rolling along so merrily they had a great blend of veterans who set the proper example, as well as expectations, and they were at the top of their game.  The Pats also had young guys who would learn from these vets. New England also had a good amount of continuity in their coaching and front office staffs.  But, the great success of their organization spawned new opportunities for some of these staff members to leave for more responsibility elsewhere.  That’s natural.  They held the blue-print for New England’s success.  The veteran players who helped carry the Patriots through their hay-day began getting a little long in the tooth.  Some remained and were less productive than what they were before, while others were dealt for new acquisitions.

The nugget I mined when reading into Brady’s quotes is that this roster of players might be talented, but they may not be ready and willing to do what it takes. They may not have the intrinsic values, the make-up, that those ultimate winners had. It starts with belief and trust in the coaching staff and the offensive, defensive and special teams systems they have in place.  Even at the NFL level players need coaching; they need reminding and they need motivation.  They aren’t robots who can just go out and play at a high level play after play, game after game.  Just as soon as they think they know it all, have seen it all, and they stop listening to coaches, they run the risk of getting exposed and embarrassed.

There’s a lot that goes into winning.  Talent is one key ingredient.  Great character is another. As Brady pointed out, toughness and commitment are critical. In reading Brady’s quotes it sounds like the Pats of not so long ago, the ones who won Super Bowls three out of four straight years, and then went 18-1 in 2007, had the stuff of which winners were made.  It sounds like the most recent rosters may have the necessary physical talent, but it’s what is in their mind and in their heart that will determine their true fate.  Football is a complicated game.  Over the course of a 16-game regular season every player on the 53-man active roster has to be on the same page and pulling together in the same direction—as a lot of coaches often say, “…playing with one heartbeat.” Let’s see if Brady’s comments are taken to heart by teammates as they begin their preparation for the 2010 campaign and where it might lead by season’s end.

Baseball World Suffers Loss of Two Hall of Famers

Baseball lost two Hall of Famers this past week with the passing of legendary radio announcer Ernie Harwell and the dominant pitcher of the early 50’s, Robin Roberts.  Harwell was 92 and Roberts 83.

Harwell was the only non-player to ever be part of a baseball trade when in 1948 Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey engineered a deal involving a Dodger catcher going to the minor league Atlanta Crackers for Harwell.   At the microphone he had a soothing, folksy, down-home type of delivery and he made everyone feel like they were a part of his game.  Like so many other legendary broadcasters of the “pre-baseball on TV era” Harwell could paint the word picture and make you feel like you were at the ballpark seeing , feeling and smelling everything he was experiencing.  As voice of the Tigers for 42 of his 55 years in the business, one of the many great characteristics of Harwell’s play-by-play was him congratulating fans in Tiger Stadium when they came up with a foul ball.  “Hey, that’s a great catch down their along the right field line. I think that's Bill from Dearborn.  Way to go.”  Of course, it wasn’t Bill from Dearborn—just Harwell’s way of making the game more personal and connecting with his legion of loyal listeners.  He was ushered into baseball’s hall in 1981 as winner of the Ford C. Frick Award.

Roberts, inducted into Cooperstown in 1976, strung together six consecutive 20+ winning seasons in the early-mid 50’s for the Phillies.  On his way to 286 career wins he was the ultimate workhorse.  The most astounding statistic, which points special attention to how the game has changed today with specialty relief pitchers and lack of strong starting pitching, is Roberts’ complete games numbers.  He started 609 games and finished 305.  In fact, Roberts had more complete games in his entire career than the Phillies organization has had in the last 25 years! Roberts was a control freak.  Hurling huge numbers of innings as he did, Roberts issued an average of just 1.3 walks per game over his 19-year career.  Incredible.

This did come back to bite him a bit.  Because he was always around the plate, and the fact he was on the mound eating up innings like an Over-eaters Anonymous member on a binge, Roberts yielded an all-time record 505 career home runs.  Ironically, current Phillie Jamie Moyer, 47 years young, is next in line when it comes to career gopher balls.  He is less than 10 behind.

It was just a few years ago that former NBC newsman Tom Brokaw authored a best-selling biography about "The Greatest Generation."  If you took the sports version of that same era in American history you'd find Ernie Harwell and Robin Roberts.

HOW ABOUT A LITTLE CHIN MUSIC?

Here’s an item that pretty much flew under the radar recently. Last Thursday night as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated Oakland, their catcher John Buck, as his manager Cito Gaston said, “… had a night that you can only dream of as a kid: three home runs in a ballgame.”


For someone with Bucks’ career numbers, Gaston’s comment could easily be called a gross understatement. Buck is a prime example that catching, like a lot of other specialty assignments (i.e. left-handed relief pitching), is always looking for good help.  He is 6’3, 210 playing in his seventh season in the big leagues, but has always been just a guy, nothing special—decent defensively, probably below average offensively. 


Prior to joining Toronto this year Buck toiled in Kansas City.  Over the course of six previous seasons his best home run output was 18 in 2007.  For his career to this point he only averages one home run every 26.67 times at bat.  A threat to any kind of home run record he is not.


When I first heard of this outstanding feat by Buck, three homers in one game, my first questions was, “How about a little chin music?”  The oddity is that Buck hit his round-trippers off of three different pitchers!  Maybe I am a little old-school in thinking, but if I am the third pitcher coming into the game and this career .234 avg. hitter, who only hits a home run every 27 at the plate has already hit two home runs, I’m thinking about buzzing the tower, providing a little chin music, or brushing him back off the plate (insert your favorite choice here).  There’s no way John Buck gets to settle into the batter’s box and be so comfortable that he has even the slimmest of chances to smack his third home run in this game.


It’s 2010 and the game of baseball has not changed terribly much from how we all knew it was played decades ago.  But, to some degree it is a kinder, gentler game—as evidenced by Oakland letting John Buck have a shot at his third home run in one game.  Buck’s batting average after that game, by virtue of a 3-4 night, rose to a “lofty” .194 and his season’s HR total from 1 to 4.

Some Former Yankees Celebrate Facial Hair Freedom

As traditional as the pinstripes are to the New York Yankee uniform and their identity, so is the policy on facial hair. Mustaches are allowed, but anything that begins to resemble a beard, goatee, or anything in between--those are just not allowed. When players join the Yankees, either by working their way up in the farm system or being acquired via free agency or trade, they all know the policy is just part of the tradition and the way it is done in New York.

It was just last fall that the Yankees captured their 27th World Series championship. As is common in today's game, the winter, or off-season, brought about a little re-tooling and shuffling of that winning roster. The former Yankee with the longest tenure, Hideki Matsui, went to the California Angels. Regular contributors in the outfield, Johnny Damon and Melky Cabrera, now play for Detroit and Atlanta, respectively. While valuable back-up catcher and great defensive player, Jose Molina, now is with the Blue Jays.

It's interesting to observe former Yankees when they leave the Bronx Bombers and have the freedom to express themselves, not being restricted by other teams when it comes to facial hair. The most curious is Damon. Before coming to New York Damon played for the Yanks arch-rival, Boston. There, he caught national baseball attention by wearing long hair and growing a full beard, hence garnering a new nickname--"the cave man"--similar to those Geiko commercials. Of course, Damon cleaned up in New York and so far, is still clean-shaven in Detroit.

Matsui, who is as humble and unassuming as anyone to ever play for New York, looks exactly the same, albeit strange in that Angels uniform with "double nickels" on the back.

The two who have busted out and are enjoying facial hair freedom are Molina and Cabrera. Molina has the well-trimmed full beard working as a Blue Jay, while Melky has opted for the latest baseball rage, the minimalist style of goatee, which is akin to the shell of a chocolate dipped ice cream cone on his chin.

You wonder if that was something they always wanted to do, but were too restricted in New York, or was it just such a surge of independence that they felt they had to express themselves now that they were no longer Yankees? It's kind of analogous to a teenager who transfers from a private school to public school and can shed the uniform for whatever is stylish and cool with his new schoolmates.

Facial hair isn't a bad thing, unless you have a graying old mustache with a wild variety of hairs in it, like me. But, for Molina and Cabrera, whatever version of a beard or goatee they wear isn't bad either. It just signifies that they are no longer New York Yankees.

Turning Back the Clock on D-backs Manager and Yours Truly

One of the emotional challenges of advancing through middle age is trying to steer clear of things that make you feel old, or at least avoid the elements that cause you to ask, “Was it really that long ago?”

Something happened this past week that caused me to pause and ponder. The major league baseball season is well-underway. Reality hit me in the face when I was channel-surfing through the MLB Extra Innings package and I saw the young manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks on the top step of the team dugout focused on the ineffectiveness of his starting pitcher.

Last May Arizona fired then manager Bob Melvin and replaced him with A.J. Hinch. At that time Hinch became the major’s youngest manager ever at age 34 and 357 days.

Flashing back, it was the spring of 1991, and then again in the fall and winter of the same year, when I was recruiting for the Kansas State Wildcats football program in the greater Oklahoma City area. There was an intelligent, hard-nosed, athletic quarterback with a strong arm at Midwest City High School. The head coach told me he thought he could play Division I football, but he was also a heck of a catcher in baseball. But, depending on where he might project in the baseball draft, he might still consider football. I carried on the recruiting process and when the prospect and I spoke personally about how much we would like to have him in our program, yada-yada-yada, it was hard to avoid talking baseball because we were both as passionate about that as we were football.

A.J. Hinch went on to play baseball at Stanford, he earned a degree in psychology, got drafted in the third round by Oakland, and won a bronze medal playing for the U.S. Olympic team. His professional career lasted eight years before he opted to move into minor league operations and eventually director of player development for the Diamondbacks. Then came his quick ascent into the manager’s position.

It’s hard to believe the personable, dark-haired two-sport star I began to know 18 years ago is the skipper of a major league baseball team. I can still vividly remember sitting in the high school coach’s office with my gray V-neck Wildcat coaches’ sweater, admittedly with a lot more dark hair on my head and in my mustache, engaged in great conversation with A.J. Hinch.

I guess I am getting old when I have former athletes, or recruiting prospects, running a professional team. I wonder how he would have worked out as our quarterback? Good luck to A.J.; the D-backs are off to a bit of a slow start.

PLENTY OF ROOM FOR FANS TO NEST AT ORIOLES PARK

I know it’s early in the baseball season and MLB ballparks are not as full on a spring weeknight as they will be on a weekend, or even more so, once summer is in full swing. But, is there any reason that the wonderful setting for baseball in Baltimore, Orioles Park at Camden Yards, had just 9,129 people in attendance for a Monday night game this week against Eastern Division rival Tampa Bay?

Folks, there were 9,129 people rattling around in a stadium that holds 48,262. Elementary math tells me that’s 39,133 empty seats for a game that was played on a comfortable 60-degree spring evening. Is that an indictment of the Orioles, the lack of a draw in the person of the opposing Rays, or both? That's awfully sad for a baseball-rich city like Baltimore to have less than a 5-digit attendance figure for any game.

20-Year Look of Griffey, Jr. Fading Away

Ken Griffey, Jr. was the first pick in the 1987 amateur baseball draft. He broke into major league baseball with the Seattle Mariners in 1989 as a 19-year old star in the making. He, of course, has gone on to a laundry list of great accomplishments, among them: 13-time All-Star, 10-time Golden Glove winner, 7-time Silver Slugger Award winner, named to MLB All-Century team, and he is fifth all-time on the career home run list. But, perhaps the most unsung aspect of Griffey’s legend is influencing an entire generation to wear their baseball caps, and any other type of ball-cap for that matter, backwards. As Griffey was building his reputation, stats, and celebrity, the more he was seen hanging out prior to games along with doing thousands of interviews with his hat turned around, whether he knew it or not, he was becoming a model for the youth of America and around the world.

Griffey had his name and, more importantly, his smiling face on baseball video games, the Wheaties box, and he starred in Nike commercials promoting his signature line of shoes—all very much deserved for the performance and highlights he generated while wreaking havoc on the American League in the 1990’s. With Griffey as its poster boy, the turned-around hat flourished throughout the 90’s and first decade of the 2000's. But, as a keen observer of a lot of meaningless things, I really believe this trend and style is finally fading away.

Perhaps it's running a course parallel to Junior's career as he winds it down. As I carefully eye Little League kids, high school youth and young men on college campuses, the hat-on-backwards is losing its popularity. Personally, I never liked it on anyone except Griffey, but if kids were doing it to emulate him, I was OK with that. As for the middle-aged guy with a tank top, beer gut, and high-top sneakers--uh,not so much.

Baseball fashion ebbs and flows in changes through the years in terms of the length of the pants, how the brim of the hat is worn, baggy vs. snug-fitting, etc. But, when it comes to an athlete influencing the social fashion of a generation of people who were not even playing the game of baseball, no one had more effect than Ken Griffey, Jr.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION, TALK ABOUT THE QB--TALK ABOUT GATOR'S BRANTLEY

With college spring football coming to a close and the NFL draft around the corner, chatter about the upcoming seasons is growing each day. Regardless of the level of play, there is always one subject that gets more than its fair share of attention—the quarterback.

Are the guys that play this position worthy of all the attention they receive? In some cases the answer is yes. For quite a few it’s a maybe, and for a lot of others, absolutely not. Not all QBs are created equal, therefore, not all QBs truly carry the full burden of the team’s wins and losses on their shoulders. By nature of the offensive system and team philosophy some quarterbacks are just facilitators—they manage the game, take care of the football and provide on the field leadership. Others are called upon to routinely audibilize (check their offense in and out of plays at the line of scrimmage), pass the ball efficiently, often more than 40 times/game, and create plays by making good things happen when tucking the ball away and running.

When casual sports fans want to be a part of a football conversation all they need is a half-way reasonable comment about the QB; that’s their ticket in. Even if they don’t know anything else, by chiming in with a sensible statement referencing the QB, casual fan gets his/her card punched and they are accepted.

The guy receiving the snap from center has been romanticized throughout time. Wasn’t it the cute cheerleader who was the envy of all girls when she ended up with the studly QB to end a fictional story or movie? Odds are the two might even show up as king and queen at Homecoming ceremonies. Well, now there is a new quarterback on the scene who will inherently draw a full, steady flow of attention, and he’s ready for it.

John Brantley is a 6’3, 218 pound red-shirt junior at the University of Florida. For the most part he has sat behind, or more realistically, has been prepping for his turn to take control of the Gator offense from recently departed local legend Tim Tebow. Everyone knows Tim Tebow, an almost larger than life figure during his college career in Gainesville. In the face of the stiffest of challenges Tebow had the uncanny ability to make a play or will his teammates to doing something special. Combine Tebow’s infectious personality with incredible leadership skills, God-given size and talent, and a passion to win…well, that’s a lot to replace. It allowed Tebow to attain All-America status, win a Heisman Trophy and two national football championships in his four years while playing in The Swamp.

Now, John Brantley is fully prepared to make sure that the Gator offense doesn't miss a beat. Upon arriving in Gainesville three falls ago Brantley brought with him an impressive resume’ of work from his prep days at Trinity High School in Ocala, FL. He was chosen as a U.S. Army All-American and the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2006. He owned a 27-1 record as a starter and broke the state record for career touchdown passes with 99, topping the total of 98 shared by UF quarterback Tim Tebow and Florida State signal-caller Xavier Lee. Scout.com named him a 5-star passer and he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp.

Brantley had been patiently working as the #2 guy the previous two years and, when combining his red-shirt year as a true freshman, he has three years of quarterback meetings and classroom tutorials to serve as a sturdy foundation of knowledge. He also experienced live game action over the last two years when he enjoyed more than just a little bit of success. Completing 54 out of 76 passes for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns versus one interception is not too shabby.

I had the good fortune of being able to get up close and personal by being around the Gators in meetings and on the practice field a week prior to this past Saturday’s spring game. My impression is that JB, as he is known to those around him, is an intelligent guy who knows the offensive system inside-out. He conducts himself with a quiet confidence and is working to become more vocal, although all of the Gators will tell you he is the man in charge on the field. As vocal as Tebow, neither he nor anyone else will ever be. He has a quick, effective release, good arm strength, and is extremely accurate. He is certainly a passer rather than a runner, but he is athletic enough to help himself get out of trouble. The real key is that the offense rallies around him and they believe in him.

Brantley closed out his first spring as the top Gator QB with an impressive performance, 15 out of 19 for 201 yards and 2 TDs in the Blue & Orange spring game.

Keep an eye on Brantley as the Gators work to keep their program among the nation’s elite. As the Gator offensive system continues to evolve and be tweaked to fit this year's talent, the UF faithful should feel good that their fortunes for 2010 are in good hands with Brantley.

So, there you go. If you need fuel for your pre-season football conversation, feel free to borrow some of this when the topic is, “Who is that guy replacing Tebow at Florida?”

LET’S TAKE 5: BRIEF BUT LUCID THOUGHTS ON 5 TOPICS

Please review and consider this actual, unaltered photograph caption that I saw in the local newspaper today—“Tiger Woods walks with swing coach Hank Haney during a practice round prior to the Masters Monday in Augusta, Ga.” Given Tiger’s reported infidelity and sexual indiscretions should we not put some of the blame on the guy who teaches him how to “swing”? How does he get off the hook? If Haney gets credit when Tiger swings successfully he must also be taken to task when the swinging takes Tiger out of bounds.

Regardless of what happens tonight in the NCAA men's basketball title game the Butler Bulldog basketball program is a wonderful story. What really strikes a chord for me is the fact when Butler’s home court, Hinkle Fieldhouse, was built in 1928 it had a capacity of 15,000 and was the largest college facility in the nation for 20 years. Heck, the private school’s enrollment is just over 4,000. What does that tell you about the state of Indiana and their feelings toward the sport of basketball? They love it. As football is to Texas, basketball is to Indiana. You may know that the much-acclaimed 1987 sports movie “Hoosiers”, starring Gene Hackman, was filmed in Hinkle Fieldhouse because the historic game upon which the movie was written was actually played there in 1954. The Indiana state high school championships were held there for decades. The Hoosier state is steeped in tradition and great history and so, too, is Butler.

After enjoying the hoops action of March Madness on the court, yet having to endure mind-numbing, copy-cat announcing, let’s have a contest to solicit a replacement for the now very tired basketball expression “he knocks down the trey.” Basketball aficionados know the five-word phrase translates to “he makes the three-point shot.” From where “knocks down” ever came, and how it became the standard description for such a play over the last decade, I don’t know. But, it’s time to move on. Also, is “trey” really that much more cool than the three? For some reason every play-by-play announcer and game analyst uses the same line. What happened to individuality and style? Suggestions?

I love baseball. Aside from having made a living working for 30 years in football, baseball always was and still is my first love (apologies to my wife). That being said, I was disappointed that in a “made for TV maneuver”, the New York Yankees played at Boston Sunday night on ESPN2. Why? For decades the Cincinnati Reds hosted and played the first game of the season, usually on a sunny but chilly weekday afternoon along the banks of the Ohio River. It’s silly to argue against MLB & ESPN’s agreement to put the best rivalry in baseball out there as the lone game on Sunday night to kickoff the season.

But, what is silly and easy to argue is why those same two ball clubs had to sit around Monday with an off-day, not playing the second game of their three-game series as we would all expect, and then having to resume play Tuesday and Wednesday. Does that make any sense? Later in the season, when the teams have been trudging on through their marathon season and could really use an off-day, they’ll be thinking back to that second day of the season when they sat around the clubhouse or hotel playing cards instead of baseball.

If you have a couple of extra bucks and want to play a long-shot to win the World Series in 2010 you can cash in big with one of these choices—Washington Nationals 150-1, Pittsburgh Pirates 125-1, Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles both 100-1. The Yankees are 3-1 while both Boston and Philadelphia are 6-1. Despite it being 102 years since the Cubs pulled off this feat, the Northsiders are a respectable 18-1 shot, pretty good when you have that much history stacked up against you. Certainly not a reach in my opinion, it’s worth tossing a little spare change on the Tampa Bay Rays at 22-1.

You heard it here first.

Pitchers Impressive For Both Teams in Yanks-Phils Spring Tilt

Counting the remaining spring training games and the regular season schedule to come there are "only" about 170 games until the first round of American and National League playoffs. At that point we will not have even gotten to the World Series. But, last night's spring match-up of the reigning world champion Yankees and their foe from just south on I-95, the Phillies, gave a glimpse of what could be, again.

Pitching was the name of the game. MLB bio says Phillies veteran lefty Jamie Moyer was born 11/18/62. You do the math. To say Moyer has been around a long time is a bit understated. Moyer is the definition of a crafty southpaw. His fastball, if he really muscles up and tries extra hard, might crack 82 mph. But, his ability to change speeds with his off-speed pitches, then spot an occasional "fast ball" (relative terms) with impeccable precision keeps betters off-balance. That's the name of the game.

To see him in-person is even more impressive. The Yankees lineup facing him was legitimate. The only non-starter hitting against Moyer was back-up catcher Francisco Cervelli. Other than that, Moyer stared down the 27-time World Champions and set them down quietly. He twirled 6-2/3 innings, grudgingly giving up just a first inning single,issued no walks while striking out six. If the Yankees did get a piece of he ball the southpaw's finesse induced soft fly balls from power hitters Mark Teixeirea and Alex Rodriguez and routine infield grounders from everyone else.

Just a day prior to this ballgame the Yanks announced that young righty Phil Hughes would fill the last remaining starting pitching slot which was hotly contested throughout spring among four NY hopefuls, including Job Chamberlain. Hughes came out strong throwing all hard stuff, moving it in and out while doing a good job of keeping it down in the strike-zone. In just three innings of work Hughes struck out five. In addition to whiffing Rollins a second time, Hughes also mowed down all-stars Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jason Werth. He gave up one earned run and yielded two hits. The only stat to mar a good performance was his four bases on balls. Strangely, Hughes wasn't wild; he was just missing and the Phillies exhibited good patience and plate discipline. The fact Hughes only gave up one run in spite of four bases on balls showed he pitched aggressively and got a strikeout or key ground ball when he needed it.

The oddity of spring training baseball is that for both the manager and the players these games are still basically a practice. Evidence was Yankee closer supreme, Mariano Rivera, who came in to work the sixth inning. Usually Rivera is still in the bullpen spitting sunflower seeds until warming up in the eighth inning. But, Girardi wanted to let Mo get some good work in against the middle of the Phils lineup while their starters were still in the game. Rivera responded with a perfect inning including one strikeout while throwing just 10 pitches. Efficient and sharp was Rivera.

All in all, for a spring training game, it was a great game to watch. We had the two starting pitchers, with 20-some years difference between their ages, pitching with completely different styles, and doing so very well. Then we see one of the game's greatest relief pitchers on display doing his thing and doing so against the best possible competition, the heart of the NL champions line-up, and he just did his job as we have come to expect.

You can't beat fun at the old ballpark.

When I watched the Yankee infield toss the ball around and get it back to the pitcher in-between innings I couldn't help but think how many times Cano, Jeter and A-Rod will do this over and over again as the marathon of the baseball season plays out. Only 170 games until the post-season.

NCAA Hoops: We Should All Believe Enough to Practice What We Preach

The most exciting long weekend in the college basketball season just wrapped up as the NCAA Men's National Tournament quickly whittled its field of 65 hopefuls down to the "Sweet Sixteen."

I don't want to say I told you so, but...I told you so. If you scroll down about three posts before this, or click the link for archives on the right, "Knockin' On Hoops Heaven Door" you'll see the advice that was offered on this blog way back on March 9th. In a nutshell it said that this year's NCAA tournament was not as strong overall, aside from a few of the #1 seeded teams it lacked the great depth and quality of teams, and for these reasons there really wasn't any surprise win that would be considered a major upset amongst all of the teams seeded between 3 and 14.

So, where do we stand now? Beginning last Thursday and finishing up on Sunday night we were treated to great athletic entertainment thanks to CBS' wall to wall coverage. The end result has four teams that were seeded 9th or higher among the 16 teams still dancing. The four vying for permanent ownership of Cinderella's slipper are #9 Northern Iowa, #10 St. Mary's of California, #11 Washington, and #12 Cornell University. The Ivy League Big Red handled Temple in round one and Big Ten rough-houser Wisconsin in the second round to advance.

Members in the count of heavy casualties are #1 seeded Kansas, #2 Villanova, and three #3 seeds--New Mexico, Georgetown and Pittsburgh. The KU Jayhawks fell to Northern Iowa in the second round, Villanova tumbled to St. Mary's also in round two, as did New Mexico drop at the hands of Washington while Georgetown was ousted in the opening round by Ohio.

In all honesty, I had Kansas going all the way and Georgetown and Villanova getting to the Elite Eight. So much for me believing what I put our here in public. Maybe I need to listen to myself and practice what I preached. Any chance we can begin new brackets starting with the Sweet Sixteen?

Oregon Ducks' Promise for 2010 FB Season Headed South

There’s an old English proverb that says, “An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.” For University of Oregon star quarterback Jeremiah Mesoli his brain could not have even been idling recently. Maybe the ignition was completely turned off.

Last season Mesoli led the Ducks to their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1995. As a celebrated dual-threat QB he passed for 2,147 yards and 15 touchdowns while also rushing for 668 yards and 13 touchdowns. There was even some talk of Mesoli being part of the Heisman Trophy conversation based on the promise of a great 2010 season. If you take Mesoli out of Oregon’s prolific “Quack Attack” offense it can barely chirp.

But, now the Ducks will be looking for a new man to take the helm for 2010 despite Mesoli still having another year of eligibility. Last Friday Oregon head coach Chip Kelly suspended his top signal-caller for the entire 2010 season after Mesoli pleaded guilty to second- degree burglary in the theft of a pair of laptop computers and a guitar from a campus fraternity. Masoli pleaded guilty as part of a deal that reduced his charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. His partner-in-crime, literally, was receiver Garrett Embry, who pleaded to the same charge. Both will serve 12 months of probation, 140 hours of community service and pay $5,000 in restitution. Was it really worth it for Mesoli to throw away everything that he had going for him to illegally acquire a couple of laptops and a guitar?

It’s no secret that the off-season, that part of a college athlete’s school year when he is not going through a full regiment of practices and/or games, most lends itself to players finding their way into trouble. Oregon may be on pace to set a new record for players being sentenced to some degree of probation, or being suspended, or dismissed from the team.

From personal experience I can attest to the fact that assistant football coaches and head coaches are much more sensitive to getting phone calls at odd hours during the winter and summer months because their players have much more free time. If someone had the time and resources to compile stats on the number of scrapes with a the law that occur during the fall season, or even during spring ball, compared to true off-seasons like winter and summer, the number would shock you. You are all familiar with the “police blotter” report in local newspapers—drunk driving, assault, burglary. Well, you’ll find the same thing permeating sports pages thanks to the off-season adventures of a small percentage of college players.

Masoli and the rest of the out of bounds Ducks prove a great point that some kids, or whatever name you want to hang on these 18-22 year olds, need structure. Yes, they need to mature, handle responsibility and do all of the things that should happen when living their own lives away from their homes. But, for those who argue that some college football coaches are too demanding, too structured, too over-bearing on their players, just Google recent news stories on Oregon football and be prepared to spend some time there. It is certainly not a quick-read. Given the tremendous amount of notoriety at stake when players misrepresent their college athletic program and university, it’s no wonder coaches work incessantly to drive home important values and discipline. Coaches can’t be 24/7 baby-sitters.

Great Player, Even Better Person--Fearsome Foursome's Olsen Passes On

I was really saddened when I learned of the news of Merlin Olsen’s death on Thursday, March 11th. Olsen died from a cancer of the lung, mesothelioma, which is traced to his exposure to asbestos while he worked as a youth and young adult on construction sites.

Olsen, 69, was one of the players I most enjoyed watching back in the day when there were just two networks televising NFL games. There weren’t many regionally broadcast games, just an Eastern Time zone game and one later for the west coast. So, when the Rams were on it was a treat to watch him and his fellow “Fearsome Foursome” defensive linemen.

My basis for writing this, I really believe if Merlin Olsen played in this era of “24/7 sports” his popularity and legend would be off the charts. Because of the incredibly vast amount of video highlights, analysis, sports talk radio--you name it; today’s NFL players are often over-hyped relative to their actual abilities. After all, we have to have some “wow” factor, even if it is a little inflated in order to help keep highlights reels rolling and people tuning in throughout the day.

Merlin Olsen was as highly a decorated defensive lineman as there was when he played collegiately at Utah State and then in his 15-year NFL career with the Rams. Friends who knew him best often referred to him as being “larger than life” because his personality and character off the field was as admired and respected as his intensity and skill on the field. Olsen was a consensus All-American at Utah State and he won the 1961 Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation's best interior lineman. That’s no small feat coming out of a school like Utah State. The Rams drafted him third overall in 1962 and he spent the next 15 years with the team. He is still the franchise's career leader in tackles with 915. He was selected to an amazing string of 14 straight Pro Bowls, a streak that began with his rookie year.

The storied "Fearsome Foursome" Rams defensive line, Olsen along with Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier, was known for either stopping or turning back most offenses it faced. The Rams set an NFL record for the fewest yards ever allowed during a 14-game season in 1968.

Olsen’s laundry list of accolades is too long to mention in entirety, but some of the highlights of accomplishments and individual recognition he earned are: being voted NFC defensive lineman of the year in 1973, MVP of the entire league in 1974, and being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982. Another remarkable achievement for a big man who played in the trenches every single snap of the football game, Olsen missed just two, yes two, games in his entire career.

A bright guy who graduated Utah State summa cum laude, Olsen’s post-football career was unlike any other star defensive lineman. He did color commentary for NFL games on NBC and was teamed with their #1 broadcast team. He went into acting and played alongside Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert in “Little House on the Prairie” and then his own show, “Father Murphy.” But, the thing I remember most—and it is a testament to his terrific mass appeal—Olsen was the main pitchman for FTD florists for years. How many defensive linemen today do you see promoting a florist for your Mother’s Day needs? Olsen did because he was a big, believable, sincere man.

Combine Merlin Olsen’s superior ability as a professional football player, his high level of intelligence and the ability to verbalize effectively as a broadcaster and actor, and team that with his gentle giant persona in his personal life—he was one of a kind. I’ll never forget #74 of the Rams.

Knockin' On Hoops Heaven Door & Theater of Absurd Comes to NYC

With the playing of this week’s conference championship tournaments, leading up to the NCAA basketball's “Selection Sunday”, the next few weeks is often termed one of the greatest segments in the yearly sports calendar. By Sunday night we will know which teams’ names will be plotted on the millions of NCAA Tournament brackets posted on kitchen refrigerators, office walls, cubicle bulletin boards and college dorm room walls.

The consistent message from college hoop insiders and analysts is that this year’s tournament field is not nearly as deep and strong as some in the past. To that point, when addressing the top of the ladder Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas, Bob Knight and others who study this for a living all seem to agree that Kansas, Syracuse and Kentucky will nail down three of the four #1 seeds. The fourth top spot is still to be determined this weekend. Barring an unfortunate stumble Duke appears to be the leader for that slot.

Several experts believe that once you get past the top two seeds in the four regions, there is great parity among the rest. This leads to the thinking that when Casual Fan fills out his/her brackets for their pool entries they can no longer just rely on picking the higher seeded team and feeling as though they have a real good chance of being right. The insiders believe that from seeds 3 through 14 there may not be anything that would truly fall into the major upset category because of the lack of overall strength and depth throughout the field. So, you are fore-warned. Maybe take a shot at some of those seeds with bigger numbers next to their name. After all, that’s what eventually determines different bracket point totals. Someone has to pick a surprise winner or two to shake things up.

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When you think of great theater in New York you think of Broadway, “The Great White Way.” But, from the theater of the absurd New York’s Yankee Stadium brings you its inaugural Pinstripe Bowl, a college football bowl game to be played this Dec. 30 and televised by ESPN.

The game will match the No. 3 team in the Big East and the No. 6 school in the Big 12, excluding Bowl Championship Series participants.

Why is this absurd? Let’s remember, people, that bowl games were born as a means of providing a post-season get-away for teams and their fans to go somewhere warm to play a game in the dead of winter. Weather stats tell us that the average temperature for late December in New York is just above freezing at 35 degrees. I bet those Big 12 Conference schools are fired up for this one. How about all of you Texas schools...interested? About the only schools that might see NYC as being warmer than their home climate would be Nebraska (who is not destined to finish low enough to qualify for this bowl) and Iowa State (whose fans would probably show up in short sleeves compared to their normal dress for the near zero wind chills of central Iowa).

There is no doubt that the week leading up to the bowl game would be enjoyable. Holiday time in NYC for those who haven’t experience it is magical. But, keep in mind, if you attend the game at Yankee Stadium you won’t be able to pop into any one of the thousands of coffee shops, restaurants, or department stores to warm-up like you can when strolling and shopping the avenues of the Big Apple. You’ll be in the Bronx, baby, and there’s nothing for you to do but sit bundled up in your baseball stadium seat clutching a lukewarm cup of previously hot chocolate.

The only bowl games played in such a northern climate are indoors in Detroit and Toronto. When I attended a baseball game in the "new" Yankee Stadium last year I don't remember seeing a roof, nor did I hear rumors of one being added. Hmmm.

Shorts Shots On: Super Bowl Winner, Curse of Billy Goat & Tebow's Challenge

Here it is only about a month after the Super Bowl and, for me, the short-lived glow of a very good game has been long gone. It really jarred me when I was on the SI.com website (one of my favorite sports news/features sites) and I saw their promo ad for all of the Super Bowl winning team souvenir stuff they pedal if you sign-up for a new magazine subscription. You know, the team’s Super Bowl DVD, a painted up football, and the commemorative hardbound book. I did a double-take because it was all New Orleans Saints.

Then, after taking brief pause it occurred to me that, yes, it was the Saints who toppled the Indianapolis Colts and brought the Vince Lombardi Trophy home to their beloved “Crescent City.” (I like that moniker a lot better than “the Big Easy”…something just a little disturbing about that term)

The Saints had a great year, no question. But aside from the loyal fans down on the bayou, once the Super Bowl was over their flame on a national level went from blazing, to flicker, to out in a hurry. It’s no one’s fault. Coach Sean Payton, Drew Brees and everyone tied to the Saints are to be given every accolade we can bestow on them. The fact that the Saints were not so long ago the “Aints” should make their story one for the ages. It was just that in December, January and early February. Now, for whatever reason, I had to be reminded that they actually reached the summit that every NFL employee strives to achieve. Sorry, Saints. I still applaud you. Great season—great job.

Baseball spring training camps are in full swing. OK Chicago Cubs fans, this is your year! I have been hearing that for about 50 years, less than half of the total years since your last World Series title which was over a century ago in 1908. How about last World Series appearance? 1945, you say? Correct.

*In Game 4 of the 1945 Series, the “Curse of the Billy Goat” was allegedly laid upon the Cubs when owner P.K. Wrigley ejected Billy Sianis, who had come to Game 4 with two box seat tickets, one for him and one for his goat. They paraded around for a few innings, but Wrigley demanded the goat leave the park due to its unpleasant odor. Upon his ejection, Mr. Sianis uttered, "The Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more." The Cubs lost Game 4, lost the Series, and have not been back since. (*Thanks to Wikipedia).

As QB at the University of Florida, Tim Tebow led his Gators to unparalleled success in his four years at the helm. He accounted for 88 touchdowns, threw only 16 career interceptions and completed 66% of his passes. He earned a Heisman Trophy as a sophomore and the led the Gators to their 2008 national championship.

Now he is facing incredible scrutiny by the NFL personnel offices as they evaluate his once less-than classic throwing motion, and even more his commitment to re-make his motion with the help of many recognized former NFL coaches. Every coach with whom Tebow has worked to develop a more consistent, quicker, efficient delivery has remarked how greatly impressed they are by Tebow’s passion, coach-ability, work ethic, and willingness to do whatever it takes to improve. Just as the former Gator signal-caller provided the intangibles for him and his teammates to raise their individual and collective performances, the ex-pro coaches all believe Tebow will overcome this new challenge, too. For an ultimate competitor like Tebow, who also possesses a great deal of natural athletic ability, telling him he can’t do something, or can’t be something is all he needs to step up, meet and defeat the challenge.

See What You Haven't Seen Before at Winter Olympics

2/24/10--The end to the 2010 Winter Olympics is beginning to come into view and I'm curious if some of my observations sync up with yours.

Who knew that skater dudes had such an impact on the world, and the world of sports? It's amazing that what once began innocently on residential neighborhood sidewalks and driveways, then grew in popularity such that community rec departments built skate parks, has now crept its way into an Olympic version of the sport which is played out in an icy "half-pipe". Are these kids, who perform incredible acrobatic moves 20-feet above the side of the half-pipe while their feet remain attached to their board, talented? Absolutely! Are they courageous thrill-seekers risking serious injury while attempting these death defying acrobatics? Indeed. Are they traditional athletes, like the various competitors from around the world who train for four years to chase an Olympic medal in other sports...cardio training, strength training, long hours in the gym, diet...? Uh, not that I am not impressed, but no, I don't think so. Admit it though; they are entertaining.

On the surface, what might be sillier than the winter biathlon? In America, when we hear of triathlon we conjure up warriors who torture themselves while competing in a continuous chain of events--swimming, biking and running, all in warmer temps. The Winter Olympics biathlon is composed of cross-country skiing and riflery! Why do we want cross country skiers running around the the snowy, wooded mountain areas with weapons strapped on their backs? When you boil it down, seriously, this event is brutally tough. Skiers navigate their way on a cross-country course up and down challenging inclines only to settle at one of several shooting stations along the way where they step up to fire five shots at a target about the size of a grapefruit at 50 yards. The ability to aim a gun steadily, while their body's muscles are crying out with burning fatigue, cannot be appreciated until you see them. It's not just who is the master of the course as a cross-country skier. It's a strange combination of being an incredibly well-conditioned athlete with exceptional technique on skis, who can focus his attention attempting to steady his shaking body, and fire five accurate shots at the target before hitting the trail again. I have new-found respect for these guys just like I do the skater dudes, although in a much different way.

The classic ice skating/ice dancing competition has always been revered as a top winter attraction. Even in non-Olympic years our TV networks offer various world competitions to whet our appetite for the next edition of the Winter Olympics. Can I stay glued to all of the skating--men's, women's, pairs...short, long, free-style, etc.? No, but I do try to catch the finals, the best of the best.

Although it may not be totally strange, one thing that I did find a little hard to watch was the pairs competition when two Scottish skaters representing Great Britain skated through their routines. They are good, very good skaters who sell their character portrayal better than most others. I think we all agree that, to a large degree, pairs skating inherently projects some kind of a male-female relationship. I understand that not all skating pairs are actually "a pair", but some are and the others project that relationship as they skate, hoping to dance their way into the judges' hearts. Back to the Scotties. Their last name is Kerr, and as I said, they are very good. They are so good that unless you pay attention to wealth of background info on all of these skaters you would never sense that they are brother and sister. But, when you are educated to this fact, and you watch them work together as if they were not siblings, though fully knowing that they are...it's a little weird. They have to be very good skaters and even better thespians to pull that off, and for the most part, they do.

Tiger's Media Inferno Firing Up Again

2/18/10--Everyone get ready. The Tiger Woods media inferno, after calming down just a bit in the last couple of weeks, will be burning full blast again as we head into his “gathering” Friday, Feb. 19. It will burn well beyond that date with the extensive media over-play of whatever he chooses to communicate.

This is not a press conference. His agent, Mark Steinberg , and other PR handlers have crafted a way for Woods to tell us some things, hold back a whole lot more, and to make it a one-way communication. There will be no questions. The only attendees will be Woods and few close associates. A very small, select group of media members will be there just to take notes as Woods speaks publicly for the first time in months. A “pool” TV camera will provide a feed to outlets choosing to air this appearance.

The buzz in the media and around water coolers seems to be centering on speculation of Woods issuing an apology. Who said he is apologizing? If he does, to whom does he owe an apology and why? In this writer’s opinion the only people owed an apology are Tiger’s family members, who have been shamed, and business associates that have contributed to his bank account throughout his career. I don’t know Tiger; we don’t have any kind of relationship. Therefore, he owes me nothing. If some people feel they have been cheated because he encouraged them to buy products he has endorsed, then they are silly for making the purchase based on the idea some popular athlete thought it was a good idea for them to do so.

The Tiger saga began a couple of months ago. But, it struck me recently, and the light bulb really illuminated, when I heard of this public statement occurring Friday. Where have Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, Jr. been all this time? Don’t they always pop up in front of TV cameras when there is some fabulous story about someone being wronged or a crusade to which they would like to attach themselves?

I got it. If Tiger’s handlers really wanted to begin the road to public image recovery they should have hooked up with Lionel Ritchie and Quincy Jones. That way the world’s best golfer could be seen belting out a few lines in the newly re-made version of “We Are the World” music video benefitting the victims in Haiti. Can’t you see Tiger, golf cap crunched on top because of the recording studio head-phones, laying down a couple of solo lines of the ballad alongside Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand and Wyclef Jean?

Too bad. He missed a great opportunity.