For Yankee Fans, A Reason to Care

Let’s put the upcoming ALCS in the perspective of a typical Yankee fan. On the one hand you have Tampa Bay Rays, the former Yankee battering ram that decided the best way to assimilate to Major League Baseball was to play like an expansion team for the first 11 years of its existence. Usually playing the role of guppy to a hungry pinstriped shark trying to gobble up wins, the Rays have been more pavement than road block for the Yanks in their franchise’s history. Now they are on the cusp of the World Series.
On the other hand are the evil and dreaded Boston Red Sox. Since 2004, the Sox have gone from being the butt of Yankee fan’s jokes to supreme annoyance. A team that couldn’t win one championship in 86 years is now looking for its third in five years.
So where does a Yankee fan turn? To Los Angeles of course.
It’s almost impossible to root for a winner in the ALCS because inevitably it would become a Catch-22, damned if you, damned if you don’t outcome. Root for the Rays and accept the facts that the Yankees now fit in third in the AL East totem pole. Cheer for the Red Sox and you might as well hand in your membership in the Evil Empire. Let alone risk the chance of a Bleacher Creature beating you up if you’re within 2 mile radius of Yankee Stadium (new or old).
But out on the West Coast rests a team that can be the answer to all those problems. The Dodgers are the new bandwagon team. They were a team that looked like it would spend October lamenting over the fact that its strong pitching staff would once again be made irrelevant by its anemic offense. Then at 3:59pm Eastern Time on July 31, Manny Ramirez changed everything.
Since the trading deadline, Manny being Manny has taken the Dodgers to a new level. An NL West championship level, an NLCS level, maybe even a World Series level.
But it has also changed the complexion of the playoffs for those Yankee fans not too apathetic to care. It has given them a team to root for.
Rooting for the Dodgers means rooting for Joe Torre. Torre, who was systematically kicked out of the Bronx last winter and figuratively spit on by the new Yankee owners, is the manager of the Dodgers. He has done just as masterful a job in leading the team to this stage of the playoffs as he had in almost any of the years with the Yankees.
Torre has had to deal with an injury to the team’s best player PME (Pre-Manny Era) Rafael Furcal that left him out of the lineup for the majority of the year. He has had to overcome the loss of his stud closer, Takashi Saito, and dealt with the bullpen in a competent manner that belied his troubles doing the same in New York in his last few years.
And most importantly, the way Torre dealt with Hurricane Manny proved once again that while he may not be the game’s best manager, he is the best psychologist.
Torre managed to incorporate Ramirez into a clubhouse that fell apart last year after a lack of chemistry and in-house mumbling and grumbling. One that was already divided due to a schism between the team’s aging superstars and the youth movement on which the Dodgers had become predicated on.
And if that is not enough to make Yankee fans root for the Dodgers, then there is one final factor: The Manny factor.
Almost unequivocally, there is no more appealing story-line than seeing the Red Sox make it back to the World Series, trying to prove that it won its first two titles despite Ramirez not because of him. But the only force in between them and the ring was Ramirez himself. Talk about irony.
Ask Yankee fans to raise their hands if they would find it sweet to see Boston fall short because of the Revenge of Manny, and they would raise both hands at once. Feet too, if they counted in the voting.
So sure, this October maybe a little less boring than usual for Yankee fans. But if they need to find a way to follow the playoffs, they know exactly where to look. In the words of Horace Greeley: “Look West Yankee Fan:”

In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it Friday night, here is a link for a transcript and video of the first debate between the prospective presidents.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/president/debates/first-presidential-debate.html

Big Win For Rutgers Not That Big

Maybe it speaks about the way that the Rutgers football season has gone so far or to the nature of Scarlet Knights fans that a loud, sarcastic sigh of relief could be heard from Piscataway following the team’s 38-0 win over Morgan State. But that’s about all that could be taken from the victory.
It does not reflect at all about the quality of team that this Rutgers squad may be. It was a game they were supposed to win, and would look immeasurably worse than ever if they lost. Sure, they didn’t have to rely on a last-minute touchdown to defeat a Football Championship Subdivision team like Arkansas did earlier this. And yes, it can be assumed that this team is still better than some of the bottom barrel BCS teams like Minnesota or Iowa State, but that’s about it. It just confirms that Rutgers can still pound a cupcake team when given the chance.
Don’t look too far into those stats. Mike Teel’s line looked mighty impressive, including those eight consecutive completions to start his day. But so what. That only means he could complete just three of his final ten throws. And for the second straight day, his last pass of the game was an interception. Not exactly a confidence builder, and a questionable decision by Greg Schiano to not let his senior leader back on the field for an opportunity to end the game on a high.
That running game didn’t look too impressive either. Yes, Mason Robinson and Jourdan Brooks combined for four touchdowns, but they also combined for a 3.46 yards-per-carry average. It may be nitpicking the small stuff in a largely irrelevant game, but when a team loses their first three to start the season, isn’t that what can help it build itself back up?
And what about the two players who had no effect on today’s game? What did Anthony Davis and Kenny Britt have to do to get themselves suspended. It better have been more egregious than maliciously hitting a teammate on national television. And what does it say about their frame of mind to do it when your team is winless?
The only good thing that came out of a day where Rutgers could do no right was the results of the other games on the docket. Last week’s loss to Navy looks more impressive now that the Midshipmen walked into Winston-Salem, ran all over No. 16 Wake Forest, and left with a 24-17 victory. The fact that Eric Kettani trampled all over the RU defense can now be seen in a different light after he topped himself against the Deamon Decons, and ran for 175 yards.
North Carolina hit the road as well, going to Miami to take on the frisky team from the U. They stole a win on a last second interception in the end zone. But a win is a win, no matter how you get it, and Rutgers would undoubtedly agree. Fresno State feels the same way after taking down UCLA in Pasadena. It’s still more than supposed SEC big dog Tennessee can say.
All that really matters for Rutgers after today is that the 2008 team finally put a crooked number in their win column. The first one is supposed to be the hardest, so that can only be positive foreshadowing for the rest of the season because that first win seemed impossible after last Saturday. Now they will have a few days to pat themselves on the back, maybe take a sigh of relief of their own. But they shouldn’t harp on it for too long. West Virginia is next and they’ve had a pretty tough season too. I bet they would like to take out some of that anxiety on someone too.

Links:
WWBD?
The Sports Guy's Take on the NFL
Maybe It's Time For Marbury to Go
If You Haven't Heard, That Johan Santana Is Good
Recapping the First Presidential Debate

One Heck of a Playoff Race

There is a reason baseball has the best playoff races and days like today back it up. Three games to go until the end of the regular season and three teams in the NL still don’t know what their plans will look like in a week. Will it be playoff baseball under the bright lights of October or drinking fruity drinks with umbrellas under the hot sun.
The National League has three teams that have been unable to lock up their playoff spots despite numerous chances and now are forced to tough it out in what will certainly be a hectic final weekend. The Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies will be battling it out for two spots, the NL East crown and the wildcard. And if you have passed third grade math class, you can see that one team won’t make it.
One month ago, everyone thought the Brewers would be where the Cubs are right now: resting their starters, lining up the playoff rotation and putting Bernie Brewer on bodyguard duty to make sure nothing happens to CC Sabathia and his golden left arm. Practically no one thought that the Brew Crew would be playing Chicago the final weekend, trying to lock down their first playoff appearance since 1982.
Practically everything that could have gone wrong for Milwaukee has in that time span. Their bats shut it down. They went on a drastic dry spell, losing 16 of 19 games starting September 1. Ben Sheets finally got hurt. Ned Yost was fired and replaced by a guy who is most famous for being one of the worst third base coaches in recent history. And Sabathia still couldn’t beat the Cubs. If it wasn’t for Prince Fielder’s bat and late-inning heroics, they might actually be out of the race right now. Shocking for a team that was four games up as of late August.
Now they face a crucial three-game series for their season. Since Milwaukee got hot in May, they have played at times like the best team in the NL. Their only kryptonite has been the Cubs, the actual best in the league. Their inability to beat Chicago has been drastically apparent, something even a 5-8 record cannot attest to. The Cubs just have their number. Look no further than Sabathia. Since joining the team, against the Cubs he is 0-1 with a 4.61 ERA in two starts, against everyone else 10-1 with a 1.42 era.
If the Brewers are going to make it then they will have to overcome their arch-nemesis. If not, expect a large spike in beer sales in the greater Milwaukee area.
But those fans won’t be the only ones in a drunken stupor, Mets fans have been that way for weeks already. That is the only way to make sense of what has been happening to the Metropolitans. In the middle of September it seemed the Mets were ready to overcome their epic failures of last year. Jerry Manuel was the new boss and brought with him a more care-free attitude that livened up the clubhouse and brought Jose Reyes back from his Willie-Randolph induced coma. They had even overcome their atrocious (and that is an understatement) bullpen to take a three and a half game lead. Yet, if 2007 taught the Mets anything, it’s that the first 145 games don’t really matter.
That lead lasted for five games before the Phillies once again overtook them. This time, New York did not melt down. The team pulled themselves up, led by the bats of Carlos Delgado and Reyes and the arm of Johan Santana. And if it wasn’t for those three, who knows where they would be today.
Santana has pitched masterfully in September, throwing himself into the Cy Young and MVP races. His start against the Cubs probably saved their season. Monday was a blowout loss to a team that fielded half of it’s Triple A lineup that could have deflated any postseason hopeful and Wednesday’s loss saw the bullpen once again blow a lead, while the offense could not bail them out despite having a runner on third with no one out and the heart of the order up to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning. If not for Santana winning the game in between those two, the Mets would have lost three-out-of-four to a team that looked more like the Iowa Cubs and put them a game back heading into the weekend.
Instead they have a weekend series against the Florida Marlins on deck. The Marlins are the same team that ruined 2007. They blasted Tom Glavine on the final day of the season, eliminating them from the playoffs. If the Mets are still in contention Sunday, don’t bet on that happening again. Manuel has lined up his rotation perfectly with Santana going that day.
That leaves only the Phillies. Philadelphia has been the quietest team of the three this September, despite making the most noise. They have taken back the lead of the East, seen an MVP develop and almost mutely become the second best team in the league.
Since overtaking the Mets about a weekend and a half ago, Philadelphia has shown that this team is not going to give it up. Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer have put in stellar pitching performances, one after another. Brett Myers, despite getting roughed up recently, developed into a second ace in the latter half of the season. Oh, and Ryan Howard might become the first MVP to hit below .250.
Howard has put up huge stats once again this year. While not as good as he did in 2006, when he won the award or even last year, he leads the NL with 47 homeruns and 142 rbi. Throw away his .248 average, its not important how often he gets a hit, only that when he does they always come at the right times. Combine that with the fact that he has yet to miss a game, important for a team that has had to deal with injuries and disappointing results from Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, and Howard should be at the top of most ballots.
The Phils have overcome all of that to have the best position going into tonight. They are the only one of those three teams to hold a lead in the race. The Brewers and Mets are tied for the wild card, but the Phils are a game up on NY in the East. They also have the easiest opponent as a final series against Washington awaits. And if Joe Blanton and Moyer can’t get it done the first two games, Hamels will be on the mound for Sunday’s game. In fact all three teams will have their aces going the final day, with Sabathia on three day’s rest.
If Sunday does work out with all three in the mix, it should be an exciting day of baseball. I’ll be sitting in front of the television all day watching everything go down. The only question remaining is, which team will be joining me on the couch for Game One on Wednesday?

Links:
A new look at the Stonehenge
Are you ready for the Ovechkin Era?
Hope the candidates did their homework for tonight's debate
Gentiles aren't the only ones hit hard by the recession
The Economist takes a look at the bailout plan
Should soccer add instant replay?
MVP and LVP for each baseball team

Say goodbye to Shea

Lost in the pomp and celebration for Yankee Stadium's final day is that across Flushing Bay, Shea Stadium is on its last legs as well. How apropos.

The 44-year old ballpark has always been in the shadow of its counterpart in the Bronx. Like a little brother trying to match his older sibling, Shea never got the attention it deserved. It could barely steal the headlines while Yankee Stadium always got stories to themselves.

Shea is the dumpy park with the kitschy Apple past centerfield, while Yankee Stadium is iconic, identified with everything from its famous façade to the overlapping "NY" insignia behind home plate. But now Shea has its chance to get the last laugh. Yankee Stadium went out on life support, with the last homestand leaving fans hoping Sunday night arrived with the their team not yet eliminated. The Mets get four days to prove they are a playoff team and so Shea can get a post-season sendoff.

If they do, it will be one of many memories that Mets fans will take with them to Citi Field. Sure, the stadium got off to a rocky start, as Philadelphia's Jim Bunning pitched a perfect game on Father's Day. But it was mostly uphill from there.

In 1969, the previously record-book-bad team turned into the Miracle Mets, clinching their first title in front of 57,397 fans. In 1973 with Yogi Berra managing and an over-the-hill Willie Mays roaming around the outfield, the Mets were in last place at the end of August. Then Tug McGraw uttered those words that Mets fans still haven't forgotten: "Ya Gotta Believe!" And they did, all the way to the World Series, overcoming the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS.

Then there was the magical summer of 1986. Dr. K and Darryl Strawberry led the Mets to a World Series, where they faced the Boston Red Sox. The Sox were ready to take the title in game six, before the ball went through Buckner's legs and the rest is history.

No memory may be more poignant than the still of Mike Piazza, bat over his shoulder, watching the ball disappear over the fence as the fans celebrate behind him in the first game after the terrorist attacks of September 11.
The Mets aren't the only ones to have some fond memories at Shea. The Yankees played there for two years while their stadium was being renovated, but could never make it feel like home as they missed the playoffs both years. The Jets spent 20 years at Shea, beating the Oakland Raiders there on the way to their only Super Bowl victory. The Giants spent a year there as well.

The Beatles made Shea famous in 1965, opening their North American tour and setting records while being the first band to hold a concert at a major Stadium. Billy Joel became the last in August. VH1 even named it the most hallowed arena in rock music.

With all its history, Shea will always hold a place in my heart as well. My first baseball game came in Queens, and it's one I still remember vividly. It was a warm May night and the Astros were in town, led by those Killer B's. Along with my father and sister, we sat in the upper deck along the left field foul line. A pinstripe fan walking into a sea of blue and orange, I was pleasantly surprised that I was not kicked out for daring to wear a Yankee hat. I cheered for the Mets that night, thankful just to see a game in person for the first time. It was the night I saw my first homerun, a blast by Derek Bell that found a spot in the left field bleachers.

My memory is like those held by millions of others who have walked through the same turnstiles I have. And anyone who can still remember how they felt that day they first took their trip to Flushing, by car or seven train, will tune in and say goodbye. With the Mets still having something to play for, the nation will have its eyes on Shea as well. It is about time.

Goodbye Yankee Stadium

How terribly ironic it is that the House that Ruth built and made Lou Gehrig feel “like the luckiest man on the face of the earth” says its goodbye with Derek Jeter being the last Yankee at the plate. Jeter, one of the greatest winners of all time, giving the country’s most revered sports arena a warm goodbye on chill September night.
It was a night that will be remembered in the annals of baseball history. One that paid tribute to Yankees from the past and the memories that made the place so iconic. Ruth, Berra, Ford, Munson, and Maris; all were present or represented by family. Bernie Williams made his first return to 161st and River since being unceremoniously let go in 2006.
Like usual, no one was more prepared to describe all of the evening’s events so perfectly than the current Yankee captain.
"It was a perfect evening," Jeter said.
Jeter sent the stadium off right, standing on the mound and addressing the crowd before leading the team on one last victory lap. It was a moment that gave fans goosebumps and was reminiscent of the celebratory laps players would take after clinching one of the organizations record 26 titles.
The Stadium, of course, made its name in October. It has hosted 21 percent of all World Series games, seen 40 Fall Classics played on its lush green grass. Been there for the Yankees winning 26 of them. But the stadium was never one to share the spotlight, it created as many names as well. Too many to count.
Don Larsen went from fourth starter to October’s only perfect man on that afternoon in 1956 when he leaped into Yogi’s arms. Reggie Jackson, after swatting three homeruns on three straight pitches in 1977, became Mr. October. Derek Jeter made November his own when he went deep in Game 5 in 2001 after the clock turned midnight in the first baseball game ever played past Halloween.
Jose Molina was only the latest victim of the Stadium’s ability to make the most irrelevant players historic. He hit the last home run ever in Yankee Stadium’s 85 years, ironic that it came from a player who has only gone deep 19 times in nine seasons. But it should make fans remember other famous homeruns in years past.
Of course it was the player for whom the Stadium was built that hit the first one. Babe Ruth went deep on the very first opening day back in 1923, fulfilling a goal he was so desperate to reach that he told reporters he would give up a year of his life to put one in the seats that day.
38 seasons later, on October 1, Roger Maris hit his 61st homer of the season to break Ruth’s single season record. Mickey Mantle hit his 500th there on May 14, 1967. And Tino Martinez turned on a pitch from Mark Langston, that ended up in the right field upper deck, giving the home team the momentum it needed to finish off that magical 1998 season.
All these moments added up to shift the perception of the stadium from any other park to a secular temple. There were those that dared to fight the sometimes unworldly pull of the Stadium, but they all were proven wrong. During the 2001 World Series, Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling famously said that mystique and aura were more likely to be found at your local gentlemen’s club than in the Bronx. Arizona lost all three games to the Yankees, with the last two coming in astonishing and historic fashion. It was as if the Stadium had a mind of its own.
So to see it fall short of the only baseball playing month that ever mattered in New York is a travesty.
But its last few days are still ones that fans will never forget. A highlight reel catch by brett gardner friday night brought back memories of when Joe D, Williams and the Mick used to roam center field. Jeter set the all-time hits record at the Stadium, taking away a record that Lou Gehrig had owned for almost 70 years.
When Mariano Rivera entered the game in the ninth inning, it was finally time to take one last look. As has been the case for the last 12 years, the opening chords of “Enter Sandman” meant that the night would soon end. The greatest closer of all time went through the Orioles’ lineup 1-2-3, as automatic as he as always been.
Then that familiar voice of Frank Sinatra once again started booming from the speakers. Usually reserved for wins, this time it was to serenade the biggest winner New York has ever seen.
And it was a night so grand, only baseball’s greatest witticist could wrap it all up.
"This time when it's over, it's over," Berra said.

Another Sour Saturday

For three quarters, it looked the Rutgers football team brought back all of the ingredients that made for such a special recipe in 2006 and 2007. A big special teams play, a great running game, a solid defense, and a quarterback who could manage the game.
Scratch those last two. And cross out that win in RU's win column, after a game most thought would be a gimme.
The Scarlet Knights came so close, but the fourth quarter proved to be their downfall. Rutgers took a 21-20 lead when surprise starting running back Jourdan Brooks scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. That was with 7:38 remaining. Navy would not need the entire clock to go 63 yards down the field from the ensuing kickoff and re-take the lead, a 23-21 advantage that would last.
Left with essentially a two-minute drive to win the game, it only took Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel 30 seconds to put that thought to rest.
On the second play of the drive Teel dropped back to pass, looked right and thought he had Britt down the sideline for a first down. Instead Navy lineback Ross Pospisil jumped the pass and made the interception. Game over.
The interception was the sixth of the season for the senior, to only one touchdown. Once again, an offense that was expected to be explosive could not make a play when needed most. The Knights have now been held to 13 points-per-game after averaging almost 33 last year. The 20 points scored are a season high.
Of course, the game-saving drive would not have been necessary if the defense, the lynchpin of prior Greg Schiano teams and how the coach made his name, could have made a crucial stop. Instead the Midshipmen ran their patented triple-option to perfection. Eric Kettani picked up 40 yards on the drive, before kicker Matt Harmon nailed a 24-yard field goal through the uprights to put his team up 23-21.
More proof arose that the recipe Rutgers used so many times to win big games over the last three years may need to be torn out of the cookbook, especially if two of the ingredients go sour. Unfortunately for the Knights, this was a huge game that the team could not win, as struggling Rutgers dropped to 0-3. It is the first time the school has lost its first three games to start a season since 1997, with the third loss also coming at Navy. That team went on to finish 0-11. An unfathomable thought for Rutgers fans, yet remarkable for a program that seemed to be on the rise.
The lone bright spot for Rutgers on the day came from its backfield. No, not that it took Teel over 58 minutes to make his first mistake, but the running backs. Brooks received his first career collegiate start and made the most out of it. He rushed for 134 yards on 22 carries, a 6.1 yards-per-carry average, and twice got into the endzone. The red-shirt freshman showed speed, power and vision, adding a dynamic aspect to a stagnant offense.
Joe Martinek received time as his backup and was also impressive. New Jersey's all-time leading rusher gained 61 yards on only eight carries and scored RU's first touchdown of the game, tying the game up at seven in the first quarter.
Now Rutgers heads back to Piscataway, beaten and winless. A weekend that was supposed to include an easy win that lost to Duke only a week ago, instead ends dourly.
It maybe time for a new recipe.

Santana Provides Insurance

Back when the New York Mets acquired Johan Santana, they knew they were getting an ace. A former two-time Cy Young winner and the owner of the game’s nastiest change-up. Arguably the game’s best pitcher. But there was more impetus behind that trade then the point-blank. When the Mets gave up four prospects and $137 million, they were buying assurance.
Nights like Thursday’s show why sometimes that can be priceless.
The baseball season is a long one, and games in July have a what have you done for me so-far feel. What you did today is just as important as what you did a week ago. But as soon as the calendar turns to September, it’s all about what you have done lately.
And on a September night when the Mets were in a position they never could have imagined themselves to be again. Again fighting for their playoff lives, looking to prove that choke does not even exist in their vocabulary. By now, all signs for the Heimlich maneuver have probably been banished from the clubhouse just so nobody even gets the thought in their head.
That is why going into their game against the Washington Nationals, the Mets were once again under the microscope. After blowing a seven game lead with 17 games remaining last year, they rang up a three-and-a-half game lead with the same amount of season left. This time it only took them six days and five games to blow it. Cynicism is alive and well with Mets fans, who had spent all season telling themselves that this year is different.
It is, because this year they have Santana. He is the assurance that the Mets were missing last year. They got him to guarantee wins in September. He hasn’t disappointed.
In three starts this month Santana has a 2.66 era and averaging a strike-out an inning. A seven inning, one run, 8K game to beat the gNats was just another run of the mill dominant performance for him. The Mets have won eight of his last nine starts and will need to win his remaining two starts to make the playoffs.
Last year, when the team ERA was over six during that infamous stretch, the Mets never knew what they were getting from their pitching. Not even future Hall-of-Famers like Tom Glavine could be counted on.
The Phillies beat them at their own game, with a worse rotation they allowed four runs per game. Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and even struggling Brett Myers all threw gems and won important games when they needed to. The Mets had to rely on Glavine and a barely back from injury Pedro Martinez to provide balance. That’s how a team that spent 140 days in first place spends October trying to bare Joe Buck like the rest of us.
Santana is that insurance plan that was missing in 2007, that even when the team goes on a run of losses they can rely on him to go out there every fifth day and provide the line he did last night.
It’s great to have an insurance plan, takes all the worries away.

Links:
Hamlet if Shakespeare had Facebook
Where has the real John McCain gone?
Who is Sarah Palin?
It's not a good thing if your coach is mentioned on this
Funny what happiness does for an image
Probably not going to help the poll numbers
Oprah is omnipresent

Checking Out the NFC South

Nothing like a nice Monday afternoon to make time for a new entry. Also nothing like a mild Monday afternoon to start previewing the upcoming NFL season. Here is my Ms. Cleo impression for the NFC South division in expected order of finish.

1 New Orleans (11-5): The Saints were the darlings of the league two years due to Drew Brees' almost MVP season. 2007 was about the same for Brees, but completely different. You can't put the Saints' 7-9 season on his rocket arm completely, but the QB deserves a good amount of the blame.

Despite seeing his TD total increase by two, Brees' QB rating fell by seven points, completion percentage dropped three points, and most importantly his interceptions went up by seven. But there are two statistics that were more explanatory of how his struggles affected his teams.

In New Orleans' first four games Brees threw one touchdown to nine interceptions. Those resulted in four losses. The first four game of 2006 resulted to a more reasonable 4-2 ratio for Brees and a 3-1 record for his team.

Even more alarming was the QB's performance in losses and wins. In his team's seven wins, he threw 19 TDs and two picks. In their nine losses, it was a much more Rick Mirer like 9-16 ratio.

In spite of Brees' struggles, the biggest problem for NO was their 25th ranked scoring defense. They gave up 24.3 points per game and needed to vastly improve. Of course their biggest offseason addition was tight end Jeremy Shockey. Doesn't make much sense. Or does it?

With a defense that bad, it can't be revamped overnight. So adding a Pro-Bowl player who will add another dimension to an offense that was fourth in yards per game and 12th in points will help New Orleans in football's ultimate goal of scoring more points than your opponent. They might give up 21 points per game, but they should score 27.

To be fair, Sean Payton gets a big addition to his defense in defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. He should shore up the interior defensive line, creating better matchups for pass rushers and helping the defensive backfield.

2 Carolina (9-7): This prediction is more on a hunch than anything empirical. In 2007, the Panthers were mediocre defensively and bottom third bad offense. So what would make me predict a jump to a winning record and potentially a playoff spot? Three things.

First is a healthy Jake Delhomme. Before he was hurt and lost for the year, the QB had a 8-1 TD-Int ratio. His three replacements had a not so good 11-16 ratio. See the difference?

Dellhomme should be healthy -- John Fox has been playing with his voodoo doll to ensure this -- and when healthy, Delhomme is a good to very good player. His quarterback rating has steadied between 80.6 to 88.1 in his four full season (avg season: 22 TD-14 Int). A team plays much better when they have confidence in their QB and I doubt the Panthers offensive players could say that last year when Vinny Testaverde, Matt Moore, or David Carr was under center.

Secondly, there is no way Julius Peppers is a 2.5 sack a season player, which is what he was last year. The defensive end is too fast, too strong, too talented to repeat such a putrid season. Before last year, he had double figure QB kills in four of his first five seasons. A resurgence from Peppers should reinvigorate the pass rush and improve the defense. Something very important for a team with no player racking up more than 3.5 sacks last year.

Lastly, Deshaun Foster no longer gets phone calls in the 704 area code. The running back had 247 carries at a 3.5 yards per carry clip last season. That's not too good. His back-up, DeAngelo Williams, had 144 for a 5.0 ypc. Much better. Williams won't get all the carries, first round pick Jonathon Stewart should get his share as well. Either way, Carolina fans should expect a better running game and more than last year's 16.7 ppg.

3 Tampa Bay (7-9): I went fishing today, for fluke. And for some reason the Buccaneers came to mind.

Their second ranked defense was impressive last year, but it is getting old quickly. And we all know in the NFL, Father Time waits for no one. I expect to see a drop off this year, because I'm not sure how much first round pick Aqib Talib can help take the place of some of the old timers in the secondary (cough Ronde Barber cough).

On offense, Jeff Garcia was an oldie but a goodie last year but even his coach isn't sure he can repeat his performance in 2008. That is a troubling sign for an offense that was already mediocre last year (18th in the league). Joey Galloway being 36 also doesn't help.

And despite Fantasy Hall-of-Famer Earnest Graham's hilarious commercials for a rival website, past his touchdowns, he was mediocre as well with just a 4.0 ypc.

So it all comes down to the defense again this year. If they put up, I'll shut up. But I sure do like to talk.

4 Atlanta (4-12): O Falcons fans, this is going to be another lean year. Last year's troubles are well documented. In fact nightmares of Michael Vick, dogfighting, Chris Redman and Joey Harrington at quarterback may still haunt the dreams of those in the 404.

Sorry to say, this year will be just as bad record wise, but much better in terms of morale. Matt Ryan is now the cornerstone and something to look forward to. Enjoy him struggling this year because at least the future is here. Michael "Burner" Turner is a big name addition and should be interesting to watch. Jerious Norwood is the sleeper in the backfield and I expect stats just the same as Turner's.

Other than that, I don't think Xanax is too hard to get.

Links:

Olympics Bring Out Patriotism Apparently

News on Peyton Manning's (Bursa) Sac

New American Olympic Stars to Cheer For

Apparently the First Amendment Doesn't Apply in China

The Answer to an Important Question

Bolt of Lightning Hits Beijing

Michael Phelps Who?

Typing this just moments after Phelps' won his record eighth gold medal, the day's biggest story had already happened about 10 hours earlier.

Usain Bolt came, he saw, he conquered. He set a new world record.

Running in just his eighth ever 100-meter final, the Jamaican turned the track at the Bird's Nest his personal play-pen. Nothing else could explain how easily he toyed with his competition.

A 9.92 in the preliminary heat, despite putting on the breaks about 60 meters into the race. 9.85 in the semifinal. Both times run rather easily, showing that Bolt still had something left in the tank.

But damn!

Bolt won the gold medal in a new world record 9.69 seconds and he could have gone faster. The World's Fastest Man started cooling down with about 15 meters still to go, leaving some wondering what the new record could really have been. Silver medalist Richard Thompson threw out 9.54 seconds.

And to think Bolt is by nature a 200-meter runner. The 6'5" wunderkind only started running the 100 as a speed workout. When he started breaking records, he knew he had something.

Now the whole world knows he is something else.

More Olympic Chatter

I watched the first quarter of the Spain-US men's basketball game this morning. That's all I needed to see. From the get-go you could see that the Redeem Team was on a mission and five Spaniards weren't going to get in there way. But don't take too much from this game. The squads know they'll see each other later on (hint: in the gold medal game) and probably didn't want to give up too many secrets.

Another disappointing Olympic outing for Paula Radcliffe. Despite holding the world record in the marathon and being world renowned, the British runner does not have any Olympic golds to her profile. In Athens she dropped out during the race and this year was almost the same case. She continued running after taking a quick break but was nowhere near the medal stage.

Paging Asafa Powell. World records are great, Olympic medals are better.

Links

A Better Account of Bolt's Dominance

For Those That Vote Based on Divine Stewardship

If You Don't Like NBC, at Least You're Not in China

The First College Football Poll is Out

The Best Political Cartoons of the Week

Long Distance Running in America

Making an Olympic Run

I am just like you. You. And you, and you, and you. I am a dream jock. As a failed athlete, I have dreams of performing amazing feats in front of large crowds that I know will never be realized. Some spend hours wishing they can hit one out of Yankee Stadium or catch the game winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. My never-will-happen ambition occurs five out of seven days a week, every time I go running. Each stride hopefully longer, each kick wishfully stronger, and each finish faster.
Nothing brings that out more than Olympic Track. Crossing the line first, in front of 60,000 fans all screaming for you. Basketball, baseball, football; all of those take drowning out the crowd for supreme concentration. Ask many athletes about the crowd and they'll respond that they don't even know it's there. Running means building off of the noise, using it to propel you down the track along the last turn. Giving the final boost on the last straightaway, because sometimes 100 mile weeks sometimes aren't enough. And pushing you across the tape first despite all the times you practiced finishes and lunges. Sometimes sprinters win by a nose, sometimes by a pitch.

These Olympics are not short on compelling races and running events.

100 Meters- The most exciting and highly awaited race is easly the 100 meter dash. The final should have the three fastest men on the planet.

Jamaican Asafa Powell is the former world record holder who at one point seemed unbeatable in the event and seemed destined to put his career in the memory books as one of the best ever. But injuries and a penchent for choking on the big stage slowed down the runner with a best time of 9.74 seconds.

Fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt came out of nowhere to set the world record in the 100 with a time of 9.72 seconds in New York. Formally a 200 runner, Bolt was using the race as speed workout. Now Bolt has a world record and is the prohibitive favorite in Beijing. I have never seen a sprinter make it look so easy. Money may not grow on trees, but in Jamaica, 100 meter runners do.

American Tyson Gay seemed ready to pounce on Powell's claim as best in the world. While Powell was recovering, Gay was making his move. But just as it seemed Gay would be hitting his stride, he was outgunned in May by Bolt. Then during the US Olympic Trials Gay barely made it out of the pre-final heats. He made up for it by running a wind-aided 9.68, the fastest ever but not a world record. Unfortunately Gay will only be running the 100 in Beijing despite being a better 200 meter runner as he injured his hamstring during the 200 meters qualifying races and has not raced since.

200 Meters- The time is now for Allyson Felix. She is the new American "It Girl" in track and field. She won the silver medal in this event in Athens as a 18 year old and now comes back this year as the favorite. Commercials and World Championship medals will only get you so far. In track, notoriety and names are made with Olympic Gold.

1500 Meters- Bernard Lagat is the main story here. The former Kenyan, now US citizen, is trying to get a third Olympic medal and his first gold. The previous two were won for Kenya. He won this race at the World Championships but we'll see how he does here under the bright lights.

Steeplechase- This is easily the most enjoyable race to watch. As if running 3000 meters at an Olympic speed isn't painful enough, having to hurdle and jump over puddles makes it hell. This is a race for the true warriors and sadists.

Links

It Seems the Candidates Have Less Time Than We Think

A Quick Premier League Preview

The Cold War is Over?

An Unforseen MVP Pick

They Found Bigfoot

Apparently Winning the Presidential Election Is a Simple 6 Step Process

A Great Blog Keeping Track of Rutgers Football

Mark Spitz Maybe a Bit Conceited

Sunday, Crazy, Sunday

I woke up today expecting a nice, easy Sunday filled with wide array of games, all interesting but nothing extraordinary. How silly do I look now?

The biggest story coming from today was obviously the reinstatement of Brett Favre. The quarterback/legend/flip-flopper is officially a Packer again once after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell accepted his letter asking to end his retirement. Now the fun begins.
The first word out of Wisconsin is that Packer management will allow No. 4 to battle for the starting job with Aaron Rodgers. Call me cynical if you like, but I don't think that will be the final resolution. If in fact Favre plans to report to camp tomorrow afternoon as he says, then a quarterback battle is the last thing we will get.
To me this most logically points to a trade. The Packers cannot go back on their summer-long edict that Rodgers is their QB. And since he won't be a starter then he won't be a Packer which means he has to end up elsewhere. Because Green Bay doesn't want to start a media and fan firestorm at camp, they will want to get rid of Favre quickly. This should rule out a trade to any division rival.
The Bears and Vikings will not just offer up a reasonable trade (say a 2nd rounder) right off the bat. If they know GB wants to get rid of Favre quickly, then they are within their rights to start with a lowball offers. Trades within the division are not made quickly under any circumstances. Especially when both teams would be doing the Packers a favor by offering fair value right away.
This opens up the possibility of other teams coming into the fray. The teams that make the most sense are the ones mentioned all along. The Jets, Bucs, and Redskins make the most sense.
But as been often reported the Packers don't want to trade to a team on their schedule. Goodbye Tampa Bay.
This leaves the Redskins as the leader. Although Dan Snyder is still their owner, I see a change in organizational philosophy in their future. Jim Zorn is a brand new coach. He is going to need time to learn the job. This doesn't spell immediate success. He and QB Jason Campbell will grow and learn together. Their acquisition of Jason Taylor is not contradictory to this because they had a gaping hole at defensive end with the injury to Phillip Daniels that needed to be filled. And filling an open DE spot does not have as much effect on the long term prospects of a team as putting your franchise QB on the bench for two years.
This, of course, leaves the New York Jets. But Favre does not want to play in New York. Won't even take their phone calls. So what does this all mean?
That we are right back where we started from. To me, if anything, his reinstatement helps the Jets in their hopes to get Favre. But I wouldn't put my money on it.

Trades Pay off for Yankees:
Jason Bay had the upper hand in the Former Pirate Making the Biggest Impact in the AL East battle after scoring the winning run for Boston in Friday night's 12 inning win over the Athletics and hitting the go-ahead three run HR in Saturday's win. Xavier Nady showed Sunday why he was being clamored for at the trade-deadline as well.
Nady totalled four hits, six RBI and two huge hits against the Angels. His two-run ground rule double in the sixth shortened the four Yankee deficit to 5-3, inching them closer before NY tied it in the seventh. A three-run HR in the seventh gave the Yankees an 8-5 lead.
Although LA of A would come back to take the lead, it showed that Nady belongs in the Big City.
It also keyed an extremely huge victory for the Yankees. Getting a split against a team that has tormented them since 2002 was huge, especially when it looked like a sweep was inevitable after the Angels 1-0 win Friday night. It helps keep the Yankees close in the AL playoff race. After looking like the favorites for at least the wildcard after series victory in Boston, the team struggled and Boston flourished despite the trade of Manny Ramirez.
For Anaheim, Mark Texiera hit the grand slam that gave them the lead in eighth inning. It was a big hit for a player thrown into a winning situation and playoff-atmosphere for the first time ever.
Texiera has never made the playoffs since making his debut in 2003 and to me questions must be raised about he will play in these conditions. Although its almost a given that the Angels will make the playoffs, they still have something to play for. Getting home-field advantage in the playoffs is important and that is what they will be playing for these last two months. But his biggest impact will be seen in October. How he fares then will determine whether the trade was a success. Till then it's all an extended try-out. But just in case anyone thinks it doesn't matter, they have to remember: practice makes perfect.

Links:
The Story of a Runner from Sudan Trying to Outrun More Than the Competition
Steve Nash and Baron Davis Make a Movie. And its Hilarious!
In the Rash of Attacks on Obama, Somebody has to Stand Up for Him
Hannah Montana May Have her Own Lifestyle
Can Sports Be Made Even More Lucrative?
Is This Hypocrisy?
I Shouldn't Have Thrown Out My Baseball Cards

What To Look For:
(Preseason Football) Indianapolis vs Washington 8pm NBC- If preseason football can be any worse, Peyton Manning won't play because of his hurt (bursa) sac.
Philadelphia at St. Louis- Two playoff contenders square up. The Cards need to take this one to keep up in the NL Central race