I spent the past weekend at the Reds Indians series so I was not able to watch as much sports on TV as I would have liked. However I will still offer up some thoughts about happenings of the weekend.
Interleague Play- Interleague play wrapped up this weekend with the AL winning again. While I am not the biggest fan of Interleague, it was a pretty good weekend of games, except of coarse in Cleveland where the closest game was 7-3. I wish there was a way to eliminate the less appealing match ups of Interleague and play the match ups that people really like to watch. If the MLB insists on continuing Interleague play they should set up the match ups based on geographical rivalaries and last years records. I know I get a little more excited when the Indians are playing the Reds, than when they are playing the Rockies. If the MLB would like to eliminate Interleague play, I would not be upset either.
USA loses heart breaker in the Confederations Cup- This was a tale of two halves. The first half the USA came out looking like the best team in the world. They were attacking in all 3 parts of the field, firing shots on goal, and grabbed a 2-0 lead. While Brazil had some moments of promise in the first half it seemed more than probable that the USA could pull it off. Then the 2nd half started and before you could even get your first "USA! USA! USA!" out Brazil had scored to make it 2-1. The rest as they say is history, and the USA lost 3-2. No matter the result this was a great moment for USA soccer. While it will not make it a main stream sport or even stay in many people's thoughts for more than a week, but it was a watershed moment because the USA played and beat some of the big boys of the world and this should give them confidence going into South Africa next summer. The key will lie with Bob Bradley to keep the team confident but motivated. The team should know that they can hang with anybody in the world but also be well aware that if they decide to just rest on their laurels than they will come crashing out early in the 2010 World Cup.
Wimbledon- Monday represents the 4th round for both men and women. Look for Federer, Murray, Djokovic, and Roddick to cruise on the men's side. On the woman's side, its the Williams sisters' tourney to win it is just a question of which one. The second week of Wimbledon is one of the greatest weeks in sports so I highly recommend you check out the coverage this week.
That's all for now. I promise to have a full week of posts this week.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Miracle in South Africa
All that was missing was Al Michaels counting down the time; 3, 2, 1 Do you believe in miracles?
USA 2 Spain 0. The USA team that a week ago looked like they did not even belong in the tournament, delivered the knockout punch to the #1 team in the world.
The USA came out early and played with passion and strategy. They knew that the only way to stop control Spain was to attack the midfield and try to score early and they did just that dominating the play in the first 3o minutes and getting the score on a brilliant move by Josie Altidore to get free and score. The goal signaled everything the USA needed. First they attacked in an odd man rush then Altidore made a great move to get in on goal. Finally the shot was partially saved by the Spanish keeper but still manged to catch the inside post and go in for the goal. This was a great break and great breaks never seem to go against the USA in big games.
Once the first goal was scored, the game was on. The giants from Spain realized this would be a dogfight and came out swinging. Tim Howard was breathtaking in the goal. He took a barrage a shots. The back line of the USA looked like hockey players laying out in front of shots to deflect them. As the game wore on and Spain kept pushing it seemed like it was impossible for the USA to hold them off. Then out of nowhere the USA was on the counter and Landon Donovan opted to pass instead of shoot, which seemed like a terrible decision but the deflection sat on Sergio Ramos foot for a second too long and Clint Dempsey put it home for an improbable 2nd goal. Now the win seemed possible. Despite and iffy red card on Michael Bradley in the 87th minute, the defense continued to protect the goal.
As the time ran out their was a sense of shock. I sat there in disbelief that it actually happened. I went into this game hoping that the USA could save face and keep it close. This was Spain the #1 team in the world, the defending EURO Champs, riding a world record 15 match winning streak, unbeaten in 35 games, and had yet to give up a goal in the entire tournament. The USA had backed their way into the semifinals. There was no way the USA was supposed to even compete in this game let alone win.
USA soccer is in a position to win a FIFA tournament for the first time ever. If they manage to beat Brazil/South Africa, it would be one of the most improbable turnarounds in soccer history. Regardless of the outcome the USA has found something that was severely lacking on the national team, confidence and pride. Next year the USA can show up to the World Cup and know that if they play with passion and strategy, they can hang with and beat anybody in the world.
What happens next is up to the 23 members of the national team and Bob Bradley, but for the first time in a long time I feel confident that the USA National Team is heading down the right path.
USA 2 Spain 0. The USA team that a week ago looked like they did not even belong in the tournament, delivered the knockout punch to the #1 team in the world.
The USA came out early and played with passion and strategy. They knew that the only way to stop control Spain was to attack the midfield and try to score early and they did just that dominating the play in the first 3o minutes and getting the score on a brilliant move by Josie Altidore to get free and score. The goal signaled everything the USA needed. First they attacked in an odd man rush then Altidore made a great move to get in on goal. Finally the shot was partially saved by the Spanish keeper but still manged to catch the inside post and go in for the goal. This was a great break and great breaks never seem to go against the USA in big games.
Once the first goal was scored, the game was on. The giants from Spain realized this would be a dogfight and came out swinging. Tim Howard was breathtaking in the goal. He took a barrage a shots. The back line of the USA looked like hockey players laying out in front of shots to deflect them. As the game wore on and Spain kept pushing it seemed like it was impossible for the USA to hold them off. Then out of nowhere the USA was on the counter and Landon Donovan opted to pass instead of shoot, which seemed like a terrible decision but the deflection sat on Sergio Ramos foot for a second too long and Clint Dempsey put it home for an improbable 2nd goal. Now the win seemed possible. Despite and iffy red card on Michael Bradley in the 87th minute, the defense continued to protect the goal.
As the time ran out their was a sense of shock. I sat there in disbelief that it actually happened. I went into this game hoping that the USA could save face and keep it close. This was Spain the #1 team in the world, the defending EURO Champs, riding a world record 15 match winning streak, unbeaten in 35 games, and had yet to give up a goal in the entire tournament. The USA had backed their way into the semifinals. There was no way the USA was supposed to even compete in this game let alone win.
USA soccer is in a position to win a FIFA tournament for the first time ever. If they manage to beat Brazil/South Africa, it would be one of the most improbable turnarounds in soccer history. Regardless of the outcome the USA has found something that was severely lacking on the national team, confidence and pride. Next year the USA can show up to the World Cup and know that if they play with passion and strategy, they can hang with and beat anybody in the world.
What happens next is up to the 23 members of the national team and Bob Bradley, but for the first time in a long time I feel confident that the USA National Team is heading down the right path.
Monday, June 22, 2009
USA Soccer Remix
So I do not know if anyone is even reading the blog but if you are then you surely saw that the USA pulled a rabbit out of their collective hat and served me some humble pie after my harsh critique of the team last week.
USA came out dominant and played with purpose and handed it to Egypt 3-0 and thanks to Italy failing to show up against Brazil, which was one of the most embarrassing performance in their storied history, the USA advanced to the semifinals.
While I was thoroughly pumped up about the win, I knew that the best team in the world, Spain, was waiting for the USA in the semifinals. Yes. I would love to see the USA pull of the biggest win in the program's history, but I am also a realist. Spain is currently ranked #1 in the world, they have a 15 match winning streak and a 35 game undefeated streak, and feature one of the most skilled teams in recent memory; so it is safe to say the USA will be a HUGE underdog.
However this is not a time for USA soccer to subscribe to the "Hey no one expected us to advance so who cares what happens in this game" mentality. This is a huge opportunity for the USA to show its not just a team that got lucky. I realize they probably cannot win this match up but it will depend on how they lose that will set the tone for the future. If USA losses 2-1 or 3-2 and gives Spain a test, then they will have sent a message to the world that they are for real. If USA comes out gives up 2 early goals and loses 3-0 or 4-1 than its back to square one. The USA needs a clutch performance even if it is a losing one because anything less means this tournament gave them nothing except a fluke win and some help from Brazil.
So please USA come out play with purpose, play with pride, and lets make sure we actually gain something from this tournament.
USA came out dominant and played with purpose and handed it to Egypt 3-0 and thanks to Italy failing to show up against Brazil, which was one of the most embarrassing performance in their storied history, the USA advanced to the semifinals.
While I was thoroughly pumped up about the win, I knew that the best team in the world, Spain, was waiting for the USA in the semifinals. Yes. I would love to see the USA pull of the biggest win in the program's history, but I am also a realist. Spain is currently ranked #1 in the world, they have a 15 match winning streak and a 35 game undefeated streak, and feature one of the most skilled teams in recent memory; so it is safe to say the USA will be a HUGE underdog.
However this is not a time for USA soccer to subscribe to the "Hey no one expected us to advance so who cares what happens in this game" mentality. This is a huge opportunity for the USA to show its not just a team that got lucky. I realize they probably cannot win this match up but it will depend on how they lose that will set the tone for the future. If USA losses 2-1 or 3-2 and gives Spain a test, then they will have sent a message to the world that they are for real. If USA comes out gives up 2 early goals and loses 3-0 or 4-1 than its back to square one. The USA needs a clutch performance even if it is a losing one because anything less means this tournament gave them nothing except a fluke win and some help from Brazil.
So please USA come out play with purpose, play with pride, and lets make sure we actually gain something from this tournament.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
USA Soccer
After the disappointing loss to Italy to start off the USA's campaign in South Africa for the Confederations Cup, I was excited for this morning's game vs Brazil. This was a chance for a motivated USA team to come out and take it to the greatest soccer country in history. Brazil had been tested by the African champions and if there was ever a chance for the USA to pull off the upset it was today. Much to my dismay the USA came out flat gave up 2 goals in the first 20 minutes and never really tested Brazil.
I love soccer and have been drinking the Kool-Aid that the US Soccer Federation has been serving since the teams incredible run to the Final 8 in the 2002 World Cup. When the team looked flat after the 2002 World Cup they said "We may be struggling because a new generation of players are coming up" and I believed that this generation would be the generation to take the USA to the next level. After the below par performance at the 2006 World Cup they said " We know we underachieved but we were in a brutal group and we tied the World Cup Champions in a great match". Although I was upset at the result, I believed them. When they went out on their tour of friendlies last summer with close loses to England, Spain, and a tie with Argentina. They said "Look how much better we are getting, we hung in with some of the best teams in the world". I was not overwhelmed by their performances against teams that were not at full strength, but still a believed them. As the team rolled through World Cup Qualifying, they said "Look we are the dominant team in CONCACF" and even though that was not saying much I believed them.
Then came this past month of qualifiers. An absolute beat down in Costa Rica, where they never looked into the game, and a win at home against Honduras, where they conceded an early goal and needed to rally late to win. Those last two performances had me doubting the actual ability of this USA team. So I was anxiously looking forward to the Confederations Cup knowing that they would face 3 very good teams in Italy, Brazil, and Egypt and there performance would serve as a barometer to see how much progress the team has really made.
Well after the last two performances against Italy and Brazil, I can safely say the USA has regressed under Bob Bradley and will be in for a very very disappointing World Cup in 2010 unless some things are changed quickly.
1. Fire Bob Bradley- I never like asking for a coach to be fired because I rarely think I can do better, but in this case I think it has to happen. The team is not responding to Bradley's coaching and the lack of effort on the field shows. They need to hire someone who will command respect in the locker room and will motivate both the young and old players to play with intensity.
2. Create a style identity- Look at the 3 premier teams in the Confederations Cup Brazil, Spain, and Italy. Spain is known for its dominance in the midfield and its ability to take over the possession of a game. Brazil is know for its wide open attacking style that puts pressure on every player in the midfield and back line. Italy is know for its lock down defense and the ability to strike quickly on the counter attack. What is the USA team identity? They are not know for their back line, their midfield play, or their scoring ability. The team seems to go into the game just hoping they catch some breaks maybe score a goal and hope Tim Howard can make it stand. It may take years to establish but the USA needs to create some sort of strategic game plan that they can excel playing.
3. Decide youth or experience- Currently the USA is a combination of either 7-8 year veterans or 1-2 year players. I realize you will never have all one or all the other but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the call-ups and team selections. If the USA wants to go with experience that is great but make the majority of the team veterans who have serious international experience. If they want to make this a youth movement, I love that idea too but lets really open the doors for young players to start and develop. There is no point in naming a lot of young players if they will only get minimal minutes or just training seasons.
4. Demand excellence on the national team level- When I watch the national team I get the feeling that some players are playing because they have to play not because they want to play. I feel that many of the players feel so secure in their spots on the team they do not bring their best effort for every game. Whoever the new coach is needs to be someone who demands excellence and pride in every game and if a player is failing to do that they sit the next game or do not get the call for the next international tournament. Playing for the national team is a privilege and I would much rather have a roster of 23 players who understand that than a team with more talented players who do not.
The US Soccer Federation has been trying to tell us for years that the Men's National Team is among the world's elite teams. Well I am not drinking the Kool-Aid anymore and I think majority of fans are coming around as well. Changes need to be made or else the USA is set up for disaster in 2010, which would be a huge blow to the efforts to grow the game in the USA.
I love soccer and have been drinking the Kool-Aid that the US Soccer Federation has been serving since the teams incredible run to the Final 8 in the 2002 World Cup. When the team looked flat after the 2002 World Cup they said "We may be struggling because a new generation of players are coming up" and I believed that this generation would be the generation to take the USA to the next level. After the below par performance at the 2006 World Cup they said " We know we underachieved but we were in a brutal group and we tied the World Cup Champions in a great match". Although I was upset at the result, I believed them. When they went out on their tour of friendlies last summer with close loses to England, Spain, and a tie with Argentina. They said "Look how much better we are getting, we hung in with some of the best teams in the world". I was not overwhelmed by their performances against teams that were not at full strength, but still a believed them. As the team rolled through World Cup Qualifying, they said "Look we are the dominant team in CONCACF" and even though that was not saying much I believed them.
Then came this past month of qualifiers. An absolute beat down in Costa Rica, where they never looked into the game, and a win at home against Honduras, where they conceded an early goal and needed to rally late to win. Those last two performances had me doubting the actual ability of this USA team. So I was anxiously looking forward to the Confederations Cup knowing that they would face 3 very good teams in Italy, Brazil, and Egypt and there performance would serve as a barometer to see how much progress the team has really made.
Well after the last two performances against Italy and Brazil, I can safely say the USA has regressed under Bob Bradley and will be in for a very very disappointing World Cup in 2010 unless some things are changed quickly.
1. Fire Bob Bradley- I never like asking for a coach to be fired because I rarely think I can do better, but in this case I think it has to happen. The team is not responding to Bradley's coaching and the lack of effort on the field shows. They need to hire someone who will command respect in the locker room and will motivate both the young and old players to play with intensity.
2. Create a style identity- Look at the 3 premier teams in the Confederations Cup Brazil, Spain, and Italy. Spain is known for its dominance in the midfield and its ability to take over the possession of a game. Brazil is know for its wide open attacking style that puts pressure on every player in the midfield and back line. Italy is know for its lock down defense and the ability to strike quickly on the counter attack. What is the USA team identity? They are not know for their back line, their midfield play, or their scoring ability. The team seems to go into the game just hoping they catch some breaks maybe score a goal and hope Tim Howard can make it stand. It may take years to establish but the USA needs to create some sort of strategic game plan that they can excel playing.
3. Decide youth or experience- Currently the USA is a combination of either 7-8 year veterans or 1-2 year players. I realize you will never have all one or all the other but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the call-ups and team selections. If the USA wants to go with experience that is great but make the majority of the team veterans who have serious international experience. If they want to make this a youth movement, I love that idea too but lets really open the doors for young players to start and develop. There is no point in naming a lot of young players if they will only get minimal minutes or just training seasons.
4. Demand excellence on the national team level- When I watch the national team I get the feeling that some players are playing because they have to play not because they want to play. I feel that many of the players feel so secure in their spots on the team they do not bring their best effort for every game. Whoever the new coach is needs to be someone who demands excellence and pride in every game and if a player is failing to do that they sit the next game or do not get the call for the next international tournament. Playing for the national team is a privilege and I would much rather have a roster of 23 players who understand that than a team with more talented players who do not.
The US Soccer Federation has been trying to tell us for years that the Men's National Team is among the world's elite teams. Well I am not drinking the Kool-Aid anymore and I think majority of fans are coming around as well. Changes need to be made or else the USA is set up for disaster in 2010, which would be a huge blow to the efforts to grow the game in the USA.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Vick vs Dante
In the current firestorm about Dante Stallworth's ridiculous 30 day sentence for DUI manslaughter many people have pointed out that Micheal Vick served almost 2 years for his role in a dogfighting ring and Dante Stallworth only got 30 days for killing a man. While I am disgusted that Stallworth will only be in jail for 24 days one important thing needs to be pointed out. You cannot compare the two crimes and the two prison sentences.
1. Vick's case was a federal case- Vick's dogfighting ring operated in multiple states which meant that the case was a federal case that would be tried in a federal courtroom with federal attorneys. Federal cases are very rarely settled by plea bargains so it most likely all or nothing. Not to mention the fact that it was a federal case meant that the FBI was using its full capability and resources to investigate the case. The evidence was damning against Vick and once his partners rolled on him there was no chance of avoiding a serious sentence for his crimes. Stallworth on the other hand was a local crime so it was investigate by local police and persecuted by local attorneys. This is not a condemnation of local police and attorneys but they are often swamped with multiple cases and have limited resources.
2. Media outcry- Right or wrong DUI manslaughter cases are not that uncommon even within athletes. Lenard Little was convicted of it in the past decade. Nick Adenheart was killed in an accident with a drunk driver this year, and Danny Heatley killed a teammate while driving drunk 5 years ago. Unfortunately these cases happen enough that they are not breaking news and there is little media outcry. However Vick's case was unique because how often do you about dogfighting rings, let alone dogfighting rings run by a franchise QB, who just signed a $120 million contract and had the highest selling jersey in the NFL. The media took this story and ran with it and by the time the case was going to court Vick was the most vilified man in America. Also the public outcry was for Vick to be punished to the highest extent of the law. Groups like PETA and other animal rights groups protested everywhere Vick went. Look back at the Stallworth story; I remember hearing about the accident, hearing that he was over the legal limit, and hearing about the prison sentence. There were not protests or media outcry until he was sentenced. Right or wrong our society reacts differently to crimes and in the case of DUI manslaughter it unfortunately happens so often that we quickly brush over the story and move on to the next story.
3. Stallworth did everything the right way- This sounds stupid but Stallworth's acted in the correct way from the minute the accident occurred. He stayed at the scene of the crime, admitted fault as soon as the police got there, and volunteered to have his blood tested for alcohol. He immediately said he was in the wrong and that he was sorry and settled for a cash settlement with the family. While this in no way absolves him of his crime, it at least made the judge view him favorably. Vick denied the claims and tried to fight it by all means necessary despite the damning evidence against him. Everyone knew Vick was guilty in some regard and his continual denials made him seem as if he thought he was untouchable and would walk away from the charges.
4. The evidence in the case- The man Stallworth hit was running at full speed across the street, and was not at a crosswalk. This made the case much more difficult for the attorneys because they knew that Stallworth's attorneys would try to claim that the pedestrian put himself in harms way and even sober Stallworth would not be able to avoid hitting him. While this seems implausible, attorneys never know how a jury will react. The district attorneys were faced with a distinct possibility that Stallworth could be found innocent. The attorneys figured better to get something over nothing so the plea bargain was offered. In Vick's case the evidence was overwhelmingly against him, and it would have taken a miracle that no lawyer would have felt confident about. The federal prosecutors knew they had Vick between a rock and a hard place and could push as hard as they want.
5. Motive- This is black and white issue to me. Vick and his colleagues planned this dogfighting ring from start to finish. They knowingly set up arenas for dogfighting coordinated with other dog owners to set up the fights, and were willing to execute dogs in the most inhumane way possible. While Stallworth's crime was awful it was an accident. Yes he caused it by drinking and driving but he was not out to commit murder. Hence the reason he is charged with manslaughter and not homicide. While it does not excuse Stallworth for the crime, it shows there was no motive and in the criminal world motive is what drives sentences to the more severe level.
At the end of the day, I am disgusted that Stallworth got off so easily. I think he deserves to be behind bars for at least 3-5 years for his crime. If he gets to play football this upcoming year I think his whole salary should be donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving or some charity similar to that. I know he will be forced to live with the knowledge that he took a man's life something that I cannot even comprehend, but I still do not believe that is punishment enough.
People have a million reasons to be outraged about the embarrassment that was the legal system on Tuesday but the one reason you cannot be outraged is that Stallworth got less time than Vick. They are both criminals but their crimes were different crimes and committed under different circumstances and therefore the punishments were different. I am furious that Stallworth got off so easily just not because Vick had a longer sentence.
1. Vick's case was a federal case- Vick's dogfighting ring operated in multiple states which meant that the case was a federal case that would be tried in a federal courtroom with federal attorneys. Federal cases are very rarely settled by plea bargains so it most likely all or nothing. Not to mention the fact that it was a federal case meant that the FBI was using its full capability and resources to investigate the case. The evidence was damning against Vick and once his partners rolled on him there was no chance of avoiding a serious sentence for his crimes. Stallworth on the other hand was a local crime so it was investigate by local police and persecuted by local attorneys. This is not a condemnation of local police and attorneys but they are often swamped with multiple cases and have limited resources.
2. Media outcry- Right or wrong DUI manslaughter cases are not that uncommon even within athletes. Lenard Little was convicted of it in the past decade. Nick Adenheart was killed in an accident with a drunk driver this year, and Danny Heatley killed a teammate while driving drunk 5 years ago. Unfortunately these cases happen enough that they are not breaking news and there is little media outcry. However Vick's case was unique because how often do you about dogfighting rings, let alone dogfighting rings run by a franchise QB, who just signed a $120 million contract and had the highest selling jersey in the NFL. The media took this story and ran with it and by the time the case was going to court Vick was the most vilified man in America. Also the public outcry was for Vick to be punished to the highest extent of the law. Groups like PETA and other animal rights groups protested everywhere Vick went. Look back at the Stallworth story; I remember hearing about the accident, hearing that he was over the legal limit, and hearing about the prison sentence. There were not protests or media outcry until he was sentenced. Right or wrong our society reacts differently to crimes and in the case of DUI manslaughter it unfortunately happens so often that we quickly brush over the story and move on to the next story.
3. Stallworth did everything the right way- This sounds stupid but Stallworth's acted in the correct way from the minute the accident occurred. He stayed at the scene of the crime, admitted fault as soon as the police got there, and volunteered to have his blood tested for alcohol. He immediately said he was in the wrong and that he was sorry and settled for a cash settlement with the family. While this in no way absolves him of his crime, it at least made the judge view him favorably. Vick denied the claims and tried to fight it by all means necessary despite the damning evidence against him. Everyone knew Vick was guilty in some regard and his continual denials made him seem as if he thought he was untouchable and would walk away from the charges.
4. The evidence in the case- The man Stallworth hit was running at full speed across the street, and was not at a crosswalk. This made the case much more difficult for the attorneys because they knew that Stallworth's attorneys would try to claim that the pedestrian put himself in harms way and even sober Stallworth would not be able to avoid hitting him. While this seems implausible, attorneys never know how a jury will react. The district attorneys were faced with a distinct possibility that Stallworth could be found innocent. The attorneys figured better to get something over nothing so the plea bargain was offered. In Vick's case the evidence was overwhelmingly against him, and it would have taken a miracle that no lawyer would have felt confident about. The federal prosecutors knew they had Vick between a rock and a hard place and could push as hard as they want.
5. Motive- This is black and white issue to me. Vick and his colleagues planned this dogfighting ring from start to finish. They knowingly set up arenas for dogfighting coordinated with other dog owners to set up the fights, and were willing to execute dogs in the most inhumane way possible. While Stallworth's crime was awful it was an accident. Yes he caused it by drinking and driving but he was not out to commit murder. Hence the reason he is charged with manslaughter and not homicide. While it does not excuse Stallworth for the crime, it shows there was no motive and in the criminal world motive is what drives sentences to the more severe level.
At the end of the day, I am disgusted that Stallworth got off so easily. I think he deserves to be behind bars for at least 3-5 years for his crime. If he gets to play football this upcoming year I think his whole salary should be donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving or some charity similar to that. I know he will be forced to live with the knowledge that he took a man's life something that I cannot even comprehend, but I still do not believe that is punishment enough.
People have a million reasons to be outraged about the embarrassment that was the legal system on Tuesday but the one reason you cannot be outraged is that Stallworth got less time than Vick. They are both criminals but their crimes were different crimes and committed under different circumstances and therefore the punishments were different. I am furious that Stallworth got off so easily just not because Vick had a longer sentence.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The problem with relievers
I was watching the Indians-Brewers game Monday night and watched as both bullpens faltered especially the Indians bullpen as they gave up 6 runs in the 8th inning. As I was picking up the pieces from my remote after Rafael Perez gave up a grand slam to Prince Fielder to officially blow the lead, I started wondering why there are so few good relievers in the MLB. I came up with a few reasons and I think they may shed some light on why even though so many games are in won or lost in the 7th, 8th, and 9th; teams continually fail to address the problems with today's bullpen set up.
1. Starters are less durable- Through the first 75 some odd years off baseball starters were horses. Pitchers went into the 7th almost every start regardless of the score. Most went 8 or 9 unless they were really being shelled. In the past 25 years though managers have begun to control pitchers more and more which has hurt the pitchers endurance. Now most pitchers are done by the 7th inning unless they have a gem going, which means more innings for the bullpen and by the law of averages the more innings for the bullpen the more often then bullpen will blow a game.
2. Hitters are too good- Whether it is all natural or by some "scientific" means hitters are getting better and better. They spend more time training in the winter and have technology unlike any previous generation. Hitters can have a bad at bat in the 4th inning go look at the video immediately and start making changes that could pay off by the 8th. Not to mention hitters can use video to study every pitcher on a team before a series starts. Hitters are too good for mediocre pitchers to get through and unfortunately today's bullpens are filled with mediocre pitchers
3. The overvalue of closers- In today's game teams have made the mistake of overpaying and overvaluing the role of closers. Realistically though the game can be blown in any inning and the system is so illogical that the follows scenario happens often. The 3-4-5 hitters coming up in the 8th in a one or two run game, and yet even though these are the hitters who are the biggest risk to scoring runs managers will trot out the set up man who 90% of the time has worse stuff than the closer. How does that make sense? Why because teams and closers are too focused on the save statistic. Without the save statistic managers would bring out their best relief pitchers to face the best hitters, whether its the 7th, 8th or 9th inning.
4. The rush to make every effective pitcher a starter or closer- Most teams have pitching prospects with pitches effective enough to be a reliever in the big leagues, yet the best prospects are pigeonholed into being the starter of the future or the closer of the future. Look at David Price or Joba Chamberlain for example. Both of these young pitchers have electric stuff and were lights out as late inning relievers, but both have made the move to the starting rotation. I am not saying those two will fail as starters but as they say "if it ain't broke don't fix it". There are plenty of average starters that can fill the 3, 4, and 5 pitcher so why force a young guy who is an effective reliever to be the 3rd pitcher in the rotation?
These are just a few thoughts but just know if I was a major league manager I will be bringing my best pitcher in to face the heart of the order in the 8th. My young pitchers will start as late relievers and if they succeed in that role they will be a reliever until the day I get fired, which will be never because I will have the most effective bullpen in the MLB.
1. Starters are less durable- Through the first 75 some odd years off baseball starters were horses. Pitchers went into the 7th almost every start regardless of the score. Most went 8 or 9 unless they were really being shelled. In the past 25 years though managers have begun to control pitchers more and more which has hurt the pitchers endurance. Now most pitchers are done by the 7th inning unless they have a gem going, which means more innings for the bullpen and by the law of averages the more innings for the bullpen the more often then bullpen will blow a game.
2. Hitters are too good- Whether it is all natural or by some "scientific" means hitters are getting better and better. They spend more time training in the winter and have technology unlike any previous generation. Hitters can have a bad at bat in the 4th inning go look at the video immediately and start making changes that could pay off by the 8th. Not to mention hitters can use video to study every pitcher on a team before a series starts. Hitters are too good for mediocre pitchers to get through and unfortunately today's bullpens are filled with mediocre pitchers
3. The overvalue of closers- In today's game teams have made the mistake of overpaying and overvaluing the role of closers. Realistically though the game can be blown in any inning and the system is so illogical that the follows scenario happens often. The 3-4-5 hitters coming up in the 8th in a one or two run game, and yet even though these are the hitters who are the biggest risk to scoring runs managers will trot out the set up man who 90% of the time has worse stuff than the closer. How does that make sense? Why because teams and closers are too focused on the save statistic. Without the save statistic managers would bring out their best relief pitchers to face the best hitters, whether its the 7th, 8th or 9th inning.
4. The rush to make every effective pitcher a starter or closer- Most teams have pitching prospects with pitches effective enough to be a reliever in the big leagues, yet the best prospects are pigeonholed into being the starter of the future or the closer of the future. Look at David Price or Joba Chamberlain for example. Both of these young pitchers have electric stuff and were lights out as late inning relievers, but both have made the move to the starting rotation. I am not saying those two will fail as starters but as they say "if it ain't broke don't fix it". There are plenty of average starters that can fill the 3, 4, and 5 pitcher so why force a young guy who is an effective reliever to be the 3rd pitcher in the rotation?
These are just a few thoughts but just know if I was a major league manager I will be bringing my best pitcher in to face the heart of the order in the 8th. My young pitchers will start as late relievers and if they succeed in that role they will be a reliever until the day I get fired, which will be never because I will have the most effective bullpen in the MLB.
Monday, June 15, 2009
NBA 2010 Preview
Seeing that the Lakers closed the Finals out in five (as you heard here), I figured the the best thing to do was to forget this season and offer you a preview for next season.
I realize there may be some serious trades (Shaq to Cleveland) some big free agent moves (Turkoglu leaving Orlando for more money) and a sleeper rookie pick (Rubio to Oklahoma City). However this is a pre pre-season prediction.
Let me preface by saying this by saying this has the potential to be one of the most exciting seasons in NBA history. Just some of the story lines.
The last ride of Duncan and the Spurs- Duncan has one more year as a dominant post player in the NBA. With Manu coming off surgery and Parker exploding as one of the most underrated stars in the league, this will probably be the last season the Spurs big 3 will contend for a title. Can Manu and Timmy stay healthy for one more year? If so the road to the Finals may go through San Antonio.
Boston's Big 3 part duex- With the injury to Kevin Garnett the Celtics were never really a factor in the playoffs. However, the Big 3 return at full strength and with the development of Rajon Rando, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis, and this could make them the outright favorite for the title.
Kobe Quest for Repeat- Kobe got his 4th ring, and has cemented himself as one of the Top Ten players in history. So he will probably just settle to enjoy the rest of his career and relax. I just cannot see that happening. Not to mention the Lakers could return with their entire nucleus back from a team that dominated the Finals.
Lebron- Will he stay or will he go? Will the Cavs get over the hump? What moves will be made to make Lebron believe they are a contender? Can Lebron repeat as MVP after one of the best statistical seasons in recent memories? Its a season of questions for Cleveland and yet I think everyone expects them to be a 60 win team.
60 wins- We could legitimately see 6 teams win 60 games this season. Lakers (lock for 60), Cavs (lock), Celtics (lock), and the Magic and Spurs could easily get above 60 wins themselves. The Nuggets could even be near that number as well.
Young Talented Teams trying to break through- Blazers, Bulls, Thunder, and Hawks. 4 teams that are loaded with young players and have the talent to be in the mix very deep into the postseason.
So my pre pre-season predictions
MVP: Lebron James
Coach of the Year- Greg Poppovich
Defensive Player of the Year- Dwight Howard
Rookie of the Year- Ricky Rubio
6th Man of the year- Manu (unfair because he is really a starter)
1st Team All NBA 2nd Team All NBA
G-Rajon Rondo G- Steve Nash
G- Kobe Bryant G- Dwayne Wade
F- Lebron James F- Kevin Durant
F- Dirk Nowitzki F- Paul Pierce
C- Dwight Howard C- Tim Duncan
Playoffs:
East:
1. Celtics
2. Cavs
3. Magic
4. Bulls
5. Heat
6. Hawks
7. 76ers
8. Pacers
9. Raptors
West:
1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Nuggets
4. Blazers
5. Rockets
6. Mavericks
7. Jazz (if Boozer returns)
8. Thunder
9. Suns
Round 1-
West: East:
Lakers over Thunder in 5 Celtics over Pacers in 4
Spurs over Jazz in 6 Cavs over 76ers in 5
Mavericks over Nuggets in 6 Magic over Hawks in 7
Blazers over Rockets in 7 Bulls over Heat in 6
Round 2:
Lakers over Blazers in 6 Celtics over Bulls in 6
Spurs over Mavericks in 7 Cavs over Magic in 7
Conference Finals
Spurs over Lakers in 6 Celtics over Cavs in 7
NBA Finals:
Spurs over Celtics in 6
So there is my pre pre-season review. We will check back in on these before the season and at the end of next year.
I realize there may be some serious trades (Shaq to Cleveland) some big free agent moves (Turkoglu leaving Orlando for more money) and a sleeper rookie pick (Rubio to Oklahoma City). However this is a pre pre-season prediction.
Let me preface by saying this by saying this has the potential to be one of the most exciting seasons in NBA history. Just some of the story lines.
The last ride of Duncan and the Spurs- Duncan has one more year as a dominant post player in the NBA. With Manu coming off surgery and Parker exploding as one of the most underrated stars in the league, this will probably be the last season the Spurs big 3 will contend for a title. Can Manu and Timmy stay healthy for one more year? If so the road to the Finals may go through San Antonio.
Boston's Big 3 part duex- With the injury to Kevin Garnett the Celtics were never really a factor in the playoffs. However, the Big 3 return at full strength and with the development of Rajon Rando, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis, and this could make them the outright favorite for the title.
Kobe Quest for Repeat- Kobe got his 4th ring, and has cemented himself as one of the Top Ten players in history. So he will probably just settle to enjoy the rest of his career and relax. I just cannot see that happening. Not to mention the Lakers could return with their entire nucleus back from a team that dominated the Finals.
Lebron- Will he stay or will he go? Will the Cavs get over the hump? What moves will be made to make Lebron believe they are a contender? Can Lebron repeat as MVP after one of the best statistical seasons in recent memories? Its a season of questions for Cleveland and yet I think everyone expects them to be a 60 win team.
60 wins- We could legitimately see 6 teams win 60 games this season. Lakers (lock for 60), Cavs (lock), Celtics (lock), and the Magic and Spurs could easily get above 60 wins themselves. The Nuggets could even be near that number as well.
Young Talented Teams trying to break through- Blazers, Bulls, Thunder, and Hawks. 4 teams that are loaded with young players and have the talent to be in the mix very deep into the postseason.
So my pre pre-season predictions
MVP: Lebron James
Coach of the Year- Greg Poppovich
Defensive Player of the Year- Dwight Howard
Rookie of the Year- Ricky Rubio
6th Man of the year- Manu (unfair because he is really a starter)
1st Team All NBA 2nd Team All NBA
G-Rajon Rondo G- Steve Nash
G- Kobe Bryant G- Dwayne Wade
F- Lebron James F- Kevin Durant
F- Dirk Nowitzki F- Paul Pierce
C- Dwight Howard C- Tim Duncan
Playoffs:
East:
1. Celtics
2. Cavs
3. Magic
4. Bulls
5. Heat
6. Hawks
7. 76ers
8. Pacers
9. Raptors
West:
1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Nuggets
4. Blazers
5. Rockets
6. Mavericks
7. Jazz (if Boozer returns)
8. Thunder
9. Suns
Round 1-
West: East:
Lakers over Thunder in 5 Celtics over Pacers in 4
Spurs over Jazz in 6 Cavs over 76ers in 5
Mavericks over Nuggets in 6 Magic over Hawks in 7
Blazers over Rockets in 7 Bulls over Heat in 6
Round 2:
Lakers over Blazers in 6 Celtics over Bulls in 6
Spurs over Mavericks in 7 Cavs over Magic in 7
Conference Finals
Spurs over Lakers in 6 Celtics over Cavs in 7
NBA Finals:
Spurs over Celtics in 6
So there is my pre pre-season review. We will check back in on these before the season and at the end of next year.
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Greatest Spectacle in Sports
While I would love to write a 50,000 word post about how the Orlando Magic choked away the NBA Finals last night to the Lakers, I will instead focus on the the positives of the sports world. Tonight features the greatest moment in sports, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
As I have posted before I think the NHL playoffs are the greatest playoffs in sports due to the grueling games and the physical abuse that a team must go through in order to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. The best event in any sport is a Game 7 so naturally when the you get a Game 7 to decide the Stanley Cup Finals, it could easily be considered the best event in all of sports.
I am downright giddy at the prospects of this game. You have the old guard Red Wings trying to add another Cup to their dynasty. On the other hand you have the never say die, young guns Pittsburgh Penguins trying to establish themselves as the new team to beat. You have a series that the home team has held serve throughout the series going back to one of the greatest hockey atmospheres left in the NHL.
You have two great sports cities vying for a title. The downtrodden city of Detroit who has suffered so much economy wise, infrastructure wise, and sports wise. A Red Wings title will not fix their problems but will take some sting out of the Pistons collapse and the 0-16 Lions season. You have Pittsburgh who is trying to continue one of the greatest sports seasons in the city's history. A Steelers Super Bowl win, and University of Pittsburgh run in the NCAA tournament add a Stanley Cup Title and maybe the Pirates season does not look as bad.
You have some of the greatest players in the league taking the ice tonight. Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk. You have Marion Hossa who left the Pens after last year's defeat to go to the Red Wings just because he wanted to win a Cup. You have two goalies trying to prove themselves for different reasons. Chris Osgood, who is looking for his 3rd Cup as the starting goalie, which would elevate him to HOF status and eliminate the questions about his ability. Marc Andre Fleury, who is trying to win his first Cup, and wants to firmly establish himself as a premier goalie in the league.
Finally, there is the great unknown of Game 7 in the NHL, which is that anyone can be the hero. It could be the 3rd line winger or the 2nd line defense man. This is why Game 7's in the NHL are so amazing. There is not tomorrow so every player will be going for broke on every shift. If we are really lucky it will be tied going into the last 8 minutes and that's when the real fun begins. Every shot could be the shot that wins the Cup.
In the greatest of scenarios we could see overtime, and at that point everything goes out the window. You will see stars double shifting and role players delivering huge hits and any bounce or deflection could lift either city to total jubilation while plummeting the other into a crushing defeat.
My prediction Red Wings win 3-2 in overtime. Detroit needs this badly and I am just hoping for a great game.
As I have posted before I think the NHL playoffs are the greatest playoffs in sports due to the grueling games and the physical abuse that a team must go through in order to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. The best event in any sport is a Game 7 so naturally when the you get a Game 7 to decide the Stanley Cup Finals, it could easily be considered the best event in all of sports.
I am downright giddy at the prospects of this game. You have the old guard Red Wings trying to add another Cup to their dynasty. On the other hand you have the never say die, young guns Pittsburgh Penguins trying to establish themselves as the new team to beat. You have a series that the home team has held serve throughout the series going back to one of the greatest hockey atmospheres left in the NHL.
You have two great sports cities vying for a title. The downtrodden city of Detroit who has suffered so much economy wise, infrastructure wise, and sports wise. A Red Wings title will not fix their problems but will take some sting out of the Pistons collapse and the 0-16 Lions season. You have Pittsburgh who is trying to continue one of the greatest sports seasons in the city's history. A Steelers Super Bowl win, and University of Pittsburgh run in the NCAA tournament add a Stanley Cup Title and maybe the Pirates season does not look as bad.
You have some of the greatest players in the league taking the ice tonight. Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk. You have Marion Hossa who left the Pens after last year's defeat to go to the Red Wings just because he wanted to win a Cup. You have two goalies trying to prove themselves for different reasons. Chris Osgood, who is looking for his 3rd Cup as the starting goalie, which would elevate him to HOF status and eliminate the questions about his ability. Marc Andre Fleury, who is trying to win his first Cup, and wants to firmly establish himself as a premier goalie in the league.
Finally, there is the great unknown of Game 7 in the NHL, which is that anyone can be the hero. It could be the 3rd line winger or the 2nd line defense man. This is why Game 7's in the NHL are so amazing. There is not tomorrow so every player will be going for broke on every shift. If we are really lucky it will be tied going into the last 8 minutes and that's when the real fun begins. Every shot could be the shot that wins the Cup.
In the greatest of scenarios we could see overtime, and at that point everything goes out the window. You will see stars double shifting and role players delivering huge hits and any bounce or deflection could lift either city to total jubilation while plummeting the other into a crushing defeat.
My prediction Red Wings win 3-2 in overtime. Detroit needs this badly and I am just hoping for a great game.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Random Thoughts for the Day
No specific column today just some overall thoughts on sports.
Kobe is not tired he just had a bad game- Listen, even MJ had games where he could not pull it out. Kobe owned up and said that he was off, so lets stop with this Kobe is exhausted story. Kobe does not want or need excuses for Game 3.
Most underrated story from Game 3- The Magic set an NBA record for field goal percentage. Kobe had an awful 4th quarter. Still the Lakers had a chance to win that game, if I am an Orlando Magic fan I am very worried about winning another game in this series.
Kareem says Dwight Howard's game is predictable- File this in the "Someone famous makes an incredibly obvious conclusion and people are intrigued". Listen everyone who has watched the Magic play can see that Dwight Howard is still has a lot of work to do if he wants to be an all time great post player. Even Dwight has admitted this so frankly I would have rather Kareem give us some real insight rather than just stating the obvious.
Alonzo Morning says Phil Jackson is not doing anything but calling timeouts- This is such a ridiculous statement it really should not even be a story. Zo, I appreciate you giving us some insight but seriously if you are going to bash a coach I would recommend not a coach with 9 rings.
Real Madrid pay $131 million to get Ronaldo from Manchester United- This is probably the biggest story in the world of sports. For Americans who hate soccer, Ill paraphrase in terms you will understand. This is like the Bulls selling Jordan to the Pistons, in the early 90's. The world's best player just defected from one of the greatest clubs in Europe to maybe the only club that rivals Man U's legacy. The ripple effects of this move will be felt in European soccer for the next decade.
Mike Brown could be on the hot seat- Despite Mike Brown pulling a choke job in the in the Eastern Conference Finals, he is still the coach of the year. He has improved by leaps and bounds every year so lets give him one more year to learn from his mistakes. If the Cavs do not win the title next year than he will really be on the hot seat. Although the one person in Cleveland who should be on the hot seat is Danny Ferry. He is about to embark on the most important post season in Cleveland since the beginning of Major League 2, and if he does not bring in the players who will elevate the Cavs to the next level, than I would not be surprised to see him gone before the season begins.
My pick for tonight. Lakers win a close one in Orlando to ice this series and crush the good feelings in Orlando
Kobe is not tired he just had a bad game- Listen, even MJ had games where he could not pull it out. Kobe owned up and said that he was off, so lets stop with this Kobe is exhausted story. Kobe does not want or need excuses for Game 3.
Most underrated story from Game 3- The Magic set an NBA record for field goal percentage. Kobe had an awful 4th quarter. Still the Lakers had a chance to win that game, if I am an Orlando Magic fan I am very worried about winning another game in this series.
Kareem says Dwight Howard's game is predictable- File this in the "Someone famous makes an incredibly obvious conclusion and people are intrigued". Listen everyone who has watched the Magic play can see that Dwight Howard is still has a lot of work to do if he wants to be an all time great post player. Even Dwight has admitted this so frankly I would have rather Kareem give us some real insight rather than just stating the obvious.
Alonzo Morning says Phil Jackson is not doing anything but calling timeouts- This is such a ridiculous statement it really should not even be a story. Zo, I appreciate you giving us some insight but seriously if you are going to bash a coach I would recommend not a coach with 9 rings.
Real Madrid pay $131 million to get Ronaldo from Manchester United- This is probably the biggest story in the world of sports. For Americans who hate soccer, Ill paraphrase in terms you will understand. This is like the Bulls selling Jordan to the Pistons, in the early 90's. The world's best player just defected from one of the greatest clubs in Europe to maybe the only club that rivals Man U's legacy. The ripple effects of this move will be felt in European soccer for the next decade.
Mike Brown could be on the hot seat- Despite Mike Brown pulling a choke job in the in the Eastern Conference Finals, he is still the coach of the year. He has improved by leaps and bounds every year so lets give him one more year to learn from his mistakes. If the Cavs do not win the title next year than he will really be on the hot seat. Although the one person in Cleveland who should be on the hot seat is Danny Ferry. He is about to embark on the most important post season in Cleveland since the beginning of Major League 2, and if he does not bring in the players who will elevate the Cavs to the next level, than I would not be surprised to see him gone before the season begins.
My pick for tonight. Lakers win a close one in Orlando to ice this series and crush the good feelings in Orlando
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Lebron vs Kobe
Everyone can agree that there are 2 players who stand above everyone else in the NBA these days. So naturally the head to head comparisons are going to flow between the two, however there is something that everyone needs to understand. Kobe success does take away from Lebron and vice versa.
Lebron won the MVP this season and Kobe was the runner up. This does not mean Kobe is not in the same league as Lebron it just means Lebron meant more to his team. Just like last year Kobe was the MVP and Lebron was 4th. Did that mean that Lebron was that far behind Kobe in talent? No it meant Kobe meant more to his teams success than Lebron did.
Kobe's Lakers took 7 games to knock out the Rockets in the second round and Lebron's Cavs swept the Hawks. Yet this has no bearing on who is the better player, just who had a tougher series.
Lebron was knocked out in the Conference Finals and Kobe advanced to the Finals. This does not disparage Lebron James performance in the series or his ability in relation to Kobe Bryant's ability.
Kobe should win a title this year while Lebron and his puppet are sitting at home. While this title will establish Kobe as a top 10 player all time, it does not mean Lebron James is not an all time talent.
Too often people who are pro-Kobe or pro-Lebron uses either of the two accomplishments to tear down the other one. This cannot be the case. Their two accomplishments are separate from one another. If Kobe scores 50 in Game 4 that does not mean Lebron James sucks. If Lebron goes out and wins another MVP and a title next year and averages 40, 10, and 10 (not an actual prediction but just for argument's sake) it does not mean Kobe sucks.
Unless they played each other for every single game of the next season, you cannot judge one by the others accomplishment. I mean what if they both went for 50, 10, and 10 in a head to head game and the Lakers won, does that mean Lebron is not in the same league as Kobe? If the Cavs won does that mean Lebron is way above Kobe? NO!
Lets just admit they are both all time great players, and by the time they are retired we could be looking at two of the top players in NBA history. Lets just enjoy the ride and remember that just because one succeeds doesn't mean the other is a failure.
Lebron won the MVP this season and Kobe was the runner up. This does not mean Kobe is not in the same league as Lebron it just means Lebron meant more to his team. Just like last year Kobe was the MVP and Lebron was 4th. Did that mean that Lebron was that far behind Kobe in talent? No it meant Kobe meant more to his teams success than Lebron did.
Kobe's Lakers took 7 games to knock out the Rockets in the second round and Lebron's Cavs swept the Hawks. Yet this has no bearing on who is the better player, just who had a tougher series.
Lebron was knocked out in the Conference Finals and Kobe advanced to the Finals. This does not disparage Lebron James performance in the series or his ability in relation to Kobe Bryant's ability.
Kobe should win a title this year while Lebron and his puppet are sitting at home. While this title will establish Kobe as a top 10 player all time, it does not mean Lebron James is not an all time talent.
Too often people who are pro-Kobe or pro-Lebron uses either of the two accomplishments to tear down the other one. This cannot be the case. Their two accomplishments are separate from one another. If Kobe scores 50 in Game 4 that does not mean Lebron James sucks. If Lebron goes out and wins another MVP and a title next year and averages 40, 10, and 10 (not an actual prediction but just for argument's sake) it does not mean Kobe sucks.
Unless they played each other for every single game of the next season, you cannot judge one by the others accomplishment. I mean what if they both went for 50, 10, and 10 in a head to head game and the Lakers won, does that mean Lebron is not in the same league as Kobe? If the Cavs won does that mean Lebron is way above Kobe? NO!
Lets just admit they are both all time great players, and by the time they are retired we could be looking at two of the top players in NBA history. Lets just enjoy the ride and remember that just because one succeeds doesn't mean the other is a failure.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Why Graduate?
The NBA draft is quickly approaching and after looking through the top prospects an interesting trend appeared. There are almost no college seniors in the top 50 or so prospects. This bothers me because it seems like a contradiction on the NBA stance on making players go to college.
I never had a problem with high school players making the leap straight to the NBA via the draft. Look at the NBA landscape and the 3 players who were the most hyped, Kobe, Lebron and Dwight Howard, all of which came into the league directly from high school. So it is clear to me that there are high school seniors who are ready for the NBA, and with the never ending prep season where players start AAU tournaments almost as soon as the high school state finals end, high school players today are more experienced in high level competition than college players of 15- 20 years ago. The major problem with the high school to NBA jump was a problem in quantity not quality. Too many high school players were leaving early and ended up not being ready for the NBA and had their life's ruined. The appeal of the big money and SportsCenter highlights lured kids into to culture and lifestyle that they were clearly not ready to experience.
So the NBA introduced the one year clause, which said a player must be at least a year out of high school in order to be drafted. The goal being that kids would go to college and get more experience as well as an education. Plus this meant the college game would be better off because more talented players would be at big time programs.
Only a funny thing happened, NBA teams went global and teams wanted to secure foreign players earlier. Suddenly the second round of the NBA draft turned into a foreign affair and teams were taking 7 foot centers from the Sedan who had only played basketball for two years and had no real experience just so that they could have his rights if he panned out.
This had a ripple effect on the college game because college players saw this and got the message, whether its true or not, "its better to be young and full of potential than older and have a polished game." So freshman and sophomores and college start believing that it is detrimental for them to stay 3 or 4 years because NBA teams do not want 23 and 24 year old rookies but 19 and 20 year old rookies.
So now we have the same problem that existed when the draft was high school eligible. Players leave early with no regard to if they are ready or not but because the culture of the draft says we want young potential above everything else.
It has almost become a stereotype for college seniors. It seems that if you had to play in college 4 years than you obviously are not good enough for the NBA. Reread that sentence and just let it sink in about how ridiculous it sounds. Players who spend four years in college trying to improve and get a degree are being penalized because they did not leave the first second an agent whispered in their ear "Hey you could be a first round pick".
The NBA is the hardest league to make it in because there are only 12 spots on each team and really only 7-8 guys get to play on a regular basis. The odds of having a full 10 year career in the NBA are highly against any player. Even the cant miss prospects still miss and with so few roster spots the NBA teams can cut the cord easier knowing that there are 100's of good to great players playing in the D-League or Euro League.
So now we have a system that leads players to believe the longer you stay in college the worse your lottery chances are, and a league that has the fewest amount of open roster spots than any other professional sports. This is a recipe for disaster and the worst part about it is that the kids suffer. Now the kid from Big State University who played as the 6th man as a freshman is leaving with about a semesters worth of college education and a year of not even playing in the starting 5 to go to league that will most likely chew him up and spit him out in less than 3 years before the player can actually make any significant money.
This needs to change, and to be honest I don't know how. Obviously you cannot force players to stay all for years in college because the truly gifted players will feel cheated out of 2-3 of NBA pay. You could go back to high school players are eligible but you will still have the same problems.
In my opinion there are only two solutions. 1. Make it a two year waiting period for high school players. This will require players to get at least a year and half of college education and give scouts more time to watch them grow as a player. 2. Make it like the MLB draft but modified. Which means you can make yourself eligible for the draft out of high school, but if you choose not to you are required to play at least 3 years of college ball.
Is either solution perfect no, but it at least is a start in the right direction.
I never had a problem with high school players making the leap straight to the NBA via the draft. Look at the NBA landscape and the 3 players who were the most hyped, Kobe, Lebron and Dwight Howard, all of which came into the league directly from high school. So it is clear to me that there are high school seniors who are ready for the NBA, and with the never ending prep season where players start AAU tournaments almost as soon as the high school state finals end, high school players today are more experienced in high level competition than college players of 15- 20 years ago. The major problem with the high school to NBA jump was a problem in quantity not quality. Too many high school players were leaving early and ended up not being ready for the NBA and had their life's ruined. The appeal of the big money and SportsCenter highlights lured kids into to culture and lifestyle that they were clearly not ready to experience.
So the NBA introduced the one year clause, which said a player must be at least a year out of high school in order to be drafted. The goal being that kids would go to college and get more experience as well as an education. Plus this meant the college game would be better off because more talented players would be at big time programs.
Only a funny thing happened, NBA teams went global and teams wanted to secure foreign players earlier. Suddenly the second round of the NBA draft turned into a foreign affair and teams were taking 7 foot centers from the Sedan who had only played basketball for two years and had no real experience just so that they could have his rights if he panned out.
This had a ripple effect on the college game because college players saw this and got the message, whether its true or not, "its better to be young and full of potential than older and have a polished game." So freshman and sophomores and college start believing that it is detrimental for them to stay 3 or 4 years because NBA teams do not want 23 and 24 year old rookies but 19 and 20 year old rookies.
So now we have the same problem that existed when the draft was high school eligible. Players leave early with no regard to if they are ready or not but because the culture of the draft says we want young potential above everything else.
It has almost become a stereotype for college seniors. It seems that if you had to play in college 4 years than you obviously are not good enough for the NBA. Reread that sentence and just let it sink in about how ridiculous it sounds. Players who spend four years in college trying to improve and get a degree are being penalized because they did not leave the first second an agent whispered in their ear "Hey you could be a first round pick".
The NBA is the hardest league to make it in because there are only 12 spots on each team and really only 7-8 guys get to play on a regular basis. The odds of having a full 10 year career in the NBA are highly against any player. Even the cant miss prospects still miss and with so few roster spots the NBA teams can cut the cord easier knowing that there are 100's of good to great players playing in the D-League or Euro League.
So now we have a system that leads players to believe the longer you stay in college the worse your lottery chances are, and a league that has the fewest amount of open roster spots than any other professional sports. This is a recipe for disaster and the worst part about it is that the kids suffer. Now the kid from Big State University who played as the 6th man as a freshman is leaving with about a semesters worth of college education and a year of not even playing in the starting 5 to go to league that will most likely chew him up and spit him out in less than 3 years before the player can actually make any significant money.
This needs to change, and to be honest I don't know how. Obviously you cannot force players to stay all for years in college because the truly gifted players will feel cheated out of 2-3 of NBA pay. You could go back to high school players are eligible but you will still have the same problems.
In my opinion there are only two solutions. 1. Make it a two year waiting period for high school players. This will require players to get at least a year and half of college education and give scouts more time to watch them grow as a player. 2. Make it like the MLB draft but modified. Which means you can make yourself eligible for the draft out of high school, but if you choose not to you are required to play at least 3 years of college ball.
Is either solution perfect no, but it at least is a start in the right direction.
Monday, June 8, 2009
King Roger
I am not a huge tennis fan. I tend to watch the Finals of majors and try to get tickets when the ATP is in town but as a whole I am not constantly checking scores. However, when Rafa Nadal was bounced out in the 4th round of the French Open I became fully invested in the tournament. I like everyone else knew this was Roger Federer's chance for greatness. I was watching all his matches online and even watching the replay on ESPN 2. So on Sunday I made sure I was awake and had my DVR on to watch History. Roger did not disappoint as he dominated the Final and when that last ball went into the net and Federer fell to his knees, I could feel his joy all the way from Paris. As many people have said this win may have cemented Roger as the greatest player of all time and I have to agree that he is the greatest of all time.
1. He has tied the all time record for majors with 14 titles- I realize that Roger is not in his prime anymore but lets consider as badly as he has played, by his standards, he has won 2 of the last 3 majors and lost in 5 sets in the finals of the other. So to think that he will not get one more major title to eclipse the record would be naive.
2. He has a career Grand Slam- This French Open title was the one that always alluded him and he finally got it. He now is one of only 6 players to ever complete the career Grand Slam and has the most major titles in of all the members of this elite club. Not too mention his dominance is spread throughout the venues he has 5 Wimbledon titles, 5 US Open Titles, 3 Australian Open Titles and 1 French Open Titles.
3. He is arguably the 3rd best clay court player in tennis history- Sounds crazy because he only has 1 French Open Titles but its not his fault he is in the same era as the greatest clay court player in history. Since 2004, Federer is undefeated against players not named Nadal. he has reached 5 straight semifinals there and 4 straight finals at Roland Garros. Not to mention he has twice been the player who has ended Nadal's clay court winning streaks. Once at Hamburg and once at Madrid. If Rafa Nadal does not come around Federer could have as many as 5 titles at the French Open.
4. He has reached 20 straight Grand Slam Semifinals- Just let that sink in. That is 5 years of Grand Slams that have had Roger in the final four. That is video game like dominance! The previous record was 10 he has doubled it. Not only that he has reached 15 of the last 16 Grand Slam finals. This French Opened only further proved how amazing this stat is. Nadal, Djokovic, and Murry all lost before the semifinals, and yet Roger just calmly moved through the draw as he has done so many times.
5. The competition- Many people will say he has dominated because the competition has not been great but I look at it the other way similar to to Tiger Woods. The competition does not look great because Roger dominates it so thoroughly. Nadal has 6 major titles and is the greatest clay court player of all time. Djokovic has 1 major title and has been a a favorite in many tournament. Murray has been a top 4 player for over two years and is continually mentioned as one of the best players on tour. If you eliminate Roger who knows how many titles these 3 combine to win.
6. The Nadal factor- People point to Nadal's dominance over Federer as to why Roger cannot be considered the best. First, Rafa is hitting his prime as Roger is on the end of his career. Rafa did not Roger on surfaces not clay until last year. I agree Nadal is the better player at this time but he was not a factor outside the French Open until Federer started to slip. Secondly, Rafa has a long way to go to be in this conversation. He has 6 major titles and only 2 are on surfaces not clay. Not to mention the way Rafa plays is wearing on the body and we are already hearing rumors he may be out for Wimbledon because of a knee injury. If Nadal continues and ties Federer major titles than yes the head to head record will be a deciding factor but only in that case does it matter. Their primes were at least 2-3 years apart which means the head to head is skewed.
So for now, and that is a big for now because Rafa potential is still wide open, Roger Federer is king of tennis. Lets enjoy these next couple of years and see how far this run can go.
1. He has tied the all time record for majors with 14 titles- I realize that Roger is not in his prime anymore but lets consider as badly as he has played, by his standards, he has won 2 of the last 3 majors and lost in 5 sets in the finals of the other. So to think that he will not get one more major title to eclipse the record would be naive.
2. He has a career Grand Slam- This French Open title was the one that always alluded him and he finally got it. He now is one of only 6 players to ever complete the career Grand Slam and has the most major titles in of all the members of this elite club. Not too mention his dominance is spread throughout the venues he has 5 Wimbledon titles, 5 US Open Titles, 3 Australian Open Titles and 1 French Open Titles.
3. He is arguably the 3rd best clay court player in tennis history- Sounds crazy because he only has 1 French Open Titles but its not his fault he is in the same era as the greatest clay court player in history. Since 2004, Federer is undefeated against players not named Nadal. he has reached 5 straight semifinals there and 4 straight finals at Roland Garros. Not to mention he has twice been the player who has ended Nadal's clay court winning streaks. Once at Hamburg and once at Madrid. If Rafa Nadal does not come around Federer could have as many as 5 titles at the French Open.
4. He has reached 20 straight Grand Slam Semifinals- Just let that sink in. That is 5 years of Grand Slams that have had Roger in the final four. That is video game like dominance! The previous record was 10 he has doubled it. Not only that he has reached 15 of the last 16 Grand Slam finals. This French Opened only further proved how amazing this stat is. Nadal, Djokovic, and Murry all lost before the semifinals, and yet Roger just calmly moved through the draw as he has done so many times.
5. The competition- Many people will say he has dominated because the competition has not been great but I look at it the other way similar to to Tiger Woods. The competition does not look great because Roger dominates it so thoroughly. Nadal has 6 major titles and is the greatest clay court player of all time. Djokovic has 1 major title and has been a a favorite in many tournament. Murray has been a top 4 player for over two years and is continually mentioned as one of the best players on tour. If you eliminate Roger who knows how many titles these 3 combine to win.
6. The Nadal factor- People point to Nadal's dominance over Federer as to why Roger cannot be considered the best. First, Rafa is hitting his prime as Roger is on the end of his career. Rafa did not Roger on surfaces not clay until last year. I agree Nadal is the better player at this time but he was not a factor outside the French Open until Federer started to slip. Secondly, Rafa has a long way to go to be in this conversation. He has 6 major titles and only 2 are on surfaces not clay. Not to mention the way Rafa plays is wearing on the body and we are already hearing rumors he may be out for Wimbledon because of a knee injury. If Nadal continues and ties Federer major titles than yes the head to head record will be a deciding factor but only in that case does it matter. Their primes were at least 2-3 years apart which means the head to head is skewed.
So for now, and that is a big for now because Rafa potential is still wide open, Roger Federer is king of tennis. Lets enjoy these next couple of years and see how far this run can go.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Why the Lakers will Roll
This Finals is as good as over before it even starts. As much as I would like to see a good series or would love to see the Magic win a title to show how good the East really was this year. It is not going to happen.
1. The Lakers have Kobe- Now I firmly believe Lebron has surpassed Kobe as the best player on the world, but I also believe we will see Kobe play his best basketball ever in this Finals. He has too take this series and use it as his showcase. Kobe is getting near 1300 career games and you could already see it in this regular season his body is starting to break down. This realistically could be his last finals as the alpha dog of the team. Kobe has downplayed this angle but if he dominates and wins another title, then you can put him down in permanent marker as a top 10 player of all time and without a doubt one of the Top 3 guards in NBA history. He will seize the spotlight and will put forth a breathtaking performance.
2. The Lakers have a much much better team- Listen Lebron carried the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals and if Delonte makes a 3 from the corner in Game 1 and if Delonte tracks down that rebound instead of knocking it out of bounds in Game 4, its a whole different series. The Lakers have a much better supporting cast than the Cavs. The Magic have to respect the other weapons on LA, which means Kobe gets one on one and means he can get his points whenever he wants. If the Magic adjust Kobe plays the facilitator and his teammates take over. The Magic will not hold the Lakers under 100 in any game of this series and you can count on that.
3. The Magic starting point guard is Rafer Alston- I know he played out of his mind against the Cavs but lets be real for a second. Rafer Alston is a career role player for a reason, he is unpredictable and has the attitude that he should be the star. If I am Phil Jackson, I say let Rafer Alston shoot all day long from 3. If he goes for 30 he will have to shoot at least 15 to 20 shots and that is way too many for a role player.
4. The Lakers actually score and defend in the post- The Lakers will never ever have to double Dwight Howard. They have quality big men who can give at least 24 fouls on Howard. So again make Dwight Howard beat you by scoring 40 a night and shooting 20 free throws. On the other end Gasol and Bynum can get Howard in to foul trouble because he as great as he is off the ball defending he still can be taken advantage of in one on one post defense. Expect a steady diet of post possessions for the Lakers
5. The Magic cannot keep shooting 3s at a 42% clip- I know everyone says they lived by the 3 all year so it can carry over, but there is no way it continues for two reasons. One the Lakers will not double Howard which means the amount of wide open looks the Magic got against Cleveland will drastically drop and two they are defying the laws of averages at the rate the Magic are currently shooting. Their luck will run out and when it does it will get ugly.
6. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant- He will dominate this series. If you need a reason to watch its Kobe. This will be one of our last chances to watch him show his greatness on the big stage. Watch it, Savor it, and when you see him hold the World Title and MVP trophy remember that you are watching one of the ten greatest players of all time.
Prediction: Lakers in 5. Blowouts in Games 1 and 2. Magic get hot for game 3 and the Lakers win Game 4 in the only competitive game in this series, and Kobe carries the Lakers to the Title in Game 5.
1. The Lakers have Kobe- Now I firmly believe Lebron has surpassed Kobe as the best player on the world, but I also believe we will see Kobe play his best basketball ever in this Finals. He has too take this series and use it as his showcase. Kobe is getting near 1300 career games and you could already see it in this regular season his body is starting to break down. This realistically could be his last finals as the alpha dog of the team. Kobe has downplayed this angle but if he dominates and wins another title, then you can put him down in permanent marker as a top 10 player of all time and without a doubt one of the Top 3 guards in NBA history. He will seize the spotlight and will put forth a breathtaking performance.
2. The Lakers have a much much better team- Listen Lebron carried the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals and if Delonte makes a 3 from the corner in Game 1 and if Delonte tracks down that rebound instead of knocking it out of bounds in Game 4, its a whole different series. The Lakers have a much better supporting cast than the Cavs. The Magic have to respect the other weapons on LA, which means Kobe gets one on one and means he can get his points whenever he wants. If the Magic adjust Kobe plays the facilitator and his teammates take over. The Magic will not hold the Lakers under 100 in any game of this series and you can count on that.
3. The Magic starting point guard is Rafer Alston- I know he played out of his mind against the Cavs but lets be real for a second. Rafer Alston is a career role player for a reason, he is unpredictable and has the attitude that he should be the star. If I am Phil Jackson, I say let Rafer Alston shoot all day long from 3. If he goes for 30 he will have to shoot at least 15 to 20 shots and that is way too many for a role player.
4. The Lakers actually score and defend in the post- The Lakers will never ever have to double Dwight Howard. They have quality big men who can give at least 24 fouls on Howard. So again make Dwight Howard beat you by scoring 40 a night and shooting 20 free throws. On the other end Gasol and Bynum can get Howard in to foul trouble because he as great as he is off the ball defending he still can be taken advantage of in one on one post defense. Expect a steady diet of post possessions for the Lakers
5. The Magic cannot keep shooting 3s at a 42% clip- I know everyone says they lived by the 3 all year so it can carry over, but there is no way it continues for two reasons. One the Lakers will not double Howard which means the amount of wide open looks the Magic got against Cleveland will drastically drop and two they are defying the laws of averages at the rate the Magic are currently shooting. Their luck will run out and when it does it will get ugly.
6. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant- He will dominate this series. If you need a reason to watch its Kobe. This will be one of our last chances to watch him show his greatness on the big stage. Watch it, Savor it, and when you see him hold the World Title and MVP trophy remember that you are watching one of the ten greatest players of all time.
Prediction: Lakers in 5. Blowouts in Games 1 and 2. Magic get hot for game 3 and the Lakers win Game 4 in the only competitive game in this series, and Kobe carries the Lakers to the Title in Game 5.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
My Contract Hold Out
It seems like everyday on NFL Live I see a story about a player holding out for a new contract. It usually goes along the lines of "Yes I realize I still have 4 years left on my multimillion year contract but I feel I am undervalued and plus that dude on the Cowboys is way worse than me and he is making more than me" OK so the last part usually does not happen but I know behind closed doors agents and players are saying similar things. The amazing thing is that the players often win these debates or get traded to another team willing to restructure their contract. I figured since it works in the NFL for players why would it not work for me in my job. So I kept a daily journal of my hold out for you to read.
Day 1- I looked around the business world and realized that I was not getting paid as much as some other employees and felt this was unfair so I called my agent (Drew Rosenhaus) and he said I should hold out. So I decided to not go to work and let my employer sweat a little bit.
Day 2- I was enraged to find out that I was charged with a vacation day for my hold out. Well in order to straighten things out, I went into the office walked into our COO (the GM of the business world) and laid out my demands. He looked at me and said "What are you talking about you signed a contract with us to work at this salary". I stormed out and said "Until I get a new salary, I will not be attending any meetings, conferences call or employee training."
Day 3- I stayed home again to show my employers that I was serious about this hold out. Much to my surprise the Media was not outside or calling me for my quotes on the situation. I figured this would be a big deal for them because when Anquan Boldin and Thomas Jones were holding out the media was talking to them daily.
Day 4- I made an appearance at the office but just to check my email, I stopped by my COO office to see if he was willing to talk new contract. He looked and me awkwardly and said "No, now please go back to you desk you are almost a week behind on your assignments." Sensing that he was growing agitated, I demanded a trade to another company that would compensate me accordingly. This rattled him as he yelled for me to get out of his office. Perfect I had management right where I wanted them.
Day 5- I again came into the office to make an appearance and show that I want to be here but I have kids to feed. (Thanks for that advice Latrell). I am beginning to think the other workers resent me for thinking I am above contracts but I think they are just upset they did not think of it first.
Day 6 and 7- The weekend came and yet still no media coverage. I am thinking that the company is reeling from my hold out, and should be caving any day now.
Day 8- I showed up to work to again check my mail and show that I really want to be a part of this team. Much to my disappointment my whole week of hold out was charged as vacation days, I cannot believe they do not have a time code for contract hold out! Well much to my chagrin the bosses final called me in to talk. I walked with a sense of pride knowing that I had stood my ground and showed those fat cats that I was not going to cave to their desires to keep paying me at the current contract. We sat down in the office and I was promptly fired...
I don't get it. If NFL players can skip work to demand out of one multi-million dollar contract in order to get a better one, why can't I do the same. I beginning to think NFL players have a skewed sense of reality.
Day 1- I looked around the business world and realized that I was not getting paid as much as some other employees and felt this was unfair so I called my agent (Drew Rosenhaus) and he said I should hold out. So I decided to not go to work and let my employer sweat a little bit.
Day 2- I was enraged to find out that I was charged with a vacation day for my hold out. Well in order to straighten things out, I went into the office walked into our COO (the GM of the business world) and laid out my demands. He looked at me and said "What are you talking about you signed a contract with us to work at this salary". I stormed out and said "Until I get a new salary, I will not be attending any meetings, conferences call or employee training."
Day 3- I stayed home again to show my employers that I was serious about this hold out. Much to my surprise the Media was not outside or calling me for my quotes on the situation. I figured this would be a big deal for them because when Anquan Boldin and Thomas Jones were holding out the media was talking to them daily.
Day 4- I made an appearance at the office but just to check my email, I stopped by my COO office to see if he was willing to talk new contract. He looked and me awkwardly and said "No, now please go back to you desk you are almost a week behind on your assignments." Sensing that he was growing agitated, I demanded a trade to another company that would compensate me accordingly. This rattled him as he yelled for me to get out of his office. Perfect I had management right where I wanted them.
Day 5- I again came into the office to make an appearance and show that I want to be here but I have kids to feed. (Thanks for that advice Latrell). I am beginning to think the other workers resent me for thinking I am above contracts but I think they are just upset they did not think of it first.
Day 6 and 7- The weekend came and yet still no media coverage. I am thinking that the company is reeling from my hold out, and should be caving any day now.
Day 8- I showed up to work to again check my mail and show that I really want to be a part of this team. Much to my disappointment my whole week of hold out was charged as vacation days, I cannot believe they do not have a time code for contract hold out! Well much to my chagrin the bosses final called me in to talk. I walked with a sense of pride knowing that I had stood my ground and showed those fat cats that I was not going to cave to their desires to keep paying me at the current contract. We sat down in the office and I was promptly fired...
I don't get it. If NFL players can skip work to demand out of one multi-million dollar contract in order to get a better one, why can't I do the same. I beginning to think NFL players have a skewed sense of reality.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Weathering the Storm
The skies are dark in Cleveland right now and it has nothing to do with pollution, the lake or any other global warming related problem. This cloud is entirely sports related after the Cavs meltdown in the Eastern Conference Finals the sports scene in Cleveland could not look any bleaker. The Cavs have an off season filled with questions of how to get a better supporting cast to Lebron. The Indians are currently sitting in last place in the AL Central and Grady Sizemore just went to the DL. The Browns look to be starting what seeems like their 7th rebuilding season since they came back in 1999.
So how is a Clevelander supposed to weather this storm, by the same way we have persevered for the past 50 years, stay strong and believe. Stay strong as the rumors of Lebron departing in 2010 fly relentlessly for the next year. Believe that the Indians bullpen will get it together and maybe make a late season charge once everyone gets healthy. Have faith that the Browns are moving in the right direction and will hopefully be around 500 this season and be set up for 2010.
Cleveland sports fan have gone through more heartbreak than probably any other city. True Cleveland sports fan had the sinking feeling that the Cavs would find a way to lose the title experts had christened them before the season started.
I know that I am still reeling from Game 6 and have had trouble even watching ESPN or listening to sports radio because the Lebron bashing has already begun. Luckily for me I have been hardened by past Cleveland failures and will stomach this loss and prepare for next year.
Cleveland must look to the future for hope. The Cavs still have the best player in the NBA and can hopefully add a Kendrick Perkins, Shaq, or Vince Carter in order to keep Lebron in Cleveland. The Indians are still loaded with young players and have one of the best farm systems in the MLB. The Browns still have a solid foundation and can hopefully settle on a QB and move forward.
As awful as the sports scene seems in Cleveland right now it will get better. Remember the sky is darkest before the sun rises...
So how is a Clevelander supposed to weather this storm, by the same way we have persevered for the past 50 years, stay strong and believe. Stay strong as the rumors of Lebron departing in 2010 fly relentlessly for the next year. Believe that the Indians bullpen will get it together and maybe make a late season charge once everyone gets healthy. Have faith that the Browns are moving in the right direction and will hopefully be around 500 this season and be set up for 2010.
Cleveland sports fan have gone through more heartbreak than probably any other city. True Cleveland sports fan had the sinking feeling that the Cavs would find a way to lose the title experts had christened them before the season started.
I know that I am still reeling from Game 6 and have had trouble even watching ESPN or listening to sports radio because the Lebron bashing has already begun. Luckily for me I have been hardened by past Cleveland failures and will stomach this loss and prepare for next year.
Cleveland must look to the future for hope. The Cavs still have the best player in the NBA and can hopefully add a Kendrick Perkins, Shaq, or Vince Carter in order to keep Lebron in Cleveland. The Indians are still loaded with young players and have one of the best farm systems in the MLB. The Browns still have a solid foundation and can hopefully settle on a QB and move forward.
As awful as the sports scene seems in Cleveland right now it will get better. Remember the sky is darkest before the sun rises...
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