An incredible reign came to an end Sunday in Paris...as four time defending French Open champ Rafael Nadal fell in the fourth round to #23 Robin Soderling in five sets--ending his record 31 match winning streak at Roland Garros and perhaps providing a window of opportunity for second seed Roger Federer as well as #6 Andy Roddick. While the French Open remains the lone gem not in Federer's crown (his best performance being three straight losses in the Finals to Nadal)--Roddick finds himself in the fourth round for the first time in his career...despite being in the loaded half of the bracket (Federer and two other single digit seeds stand between Roddick and the finals).
Roddick is the lone remaining American in the tournament... as once again the U.S. players take a beating in Paris (in a city where Bergmann left Bogart, anything can happen). What is it about the clay court? Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras never even so much as reached a French Open final... while John McEnroe's lone foray into the finals saw him blow a two sets to none lead over Ivan Lendl.
It's hard to imagine that Americans took three of four French Open titles from 1989 to 1992--with Michael Chang's miracle in 1989 jumpstarting a tennis generation and Jim Courier's back to back titles solidified it. Throw into the mix back to back finals appearances by Andre Agassi and add runnerup finishes by Courier in '93 and Chang in '95-- you have a rare U.S. tennis occupation of Paris (keep in mind this came around the time that Greg LeMond was winning Tour de Frances--they must have loved us then).
Since then-virtually nothing. Yes, Andre Agassi won the French Open in 1999--but he did so against an upset-ridden field...as the top five seeds were all eliminated before the fourth round. The only seed Agassi needed to beat en route to the title was the defending Camp--#4 Carlos Moya. And that's the last time an American player reached the finals at Roland Garros.
It all begins with the surface. The clay court produces a high bounce and slows down the ball--negating the "power serve" boasted by the likes of Sampras and Roddick. While Americans grow up on hard courts-- European and South American clay court specialists focus on dominating that surface. And turnabout is fair play; it's been just as difficult for men of clay like two time winner Sergei Brugera and three time champ Gustavo Kuerten to fare well at other grand slam events. Making Rafael Nadal's rare double victory at the French Open and Wimbledon last year even more incredible (Nadal the first to accomplish that feat since Bjorn Borg in 1980).
A handful of college basketball observations--
Memphis Mess--new Kentucky coach John Calipari's left the Tigers just in time... SAT irregularities...recruiting shenanigans...and a possible vacating of a final four berth. Reminds you of the good old days at UMass, doesn't it? Meanwhile, Calipari's off scott-free in Lexington... collecting his paychecks and insulated from direct guilt--just as he's putting together a Wildcat winner. Only I wouldn't be too quick to coronate him. Calipari's been incredibly successful in his career at "tier-two" schools in non-BCS leagues by recruiting "tier-one" talent; many of his UMass recruits could have played at Big East schools...while more than a few of his kids at Memphis could have played anywhere in Division I. But look at the one time he was operating on a somewhat level playing field (although Kentucky has a plethora of advantages, there's actual competition as opposed to C-USA)...Calipari was 72-112 and was fired midway through his third season with New Jersey in the NBA. Lets see how he fares in conference rumbles where the other bullies have weapons, too.
Terrapin West? Maryland womens basketball player Dre Mingo will transfer to Purdue; and word is fellow Terp Marah Strickland may be headed to the Big Ten school as well. If she does become a Boilermaker, Strickland would be the third Terrapin to do so: two years ago, Kalika France after graduation from Maryland left for Purdue as well. I wasn't surprised Mingo left College Park--she'd been getting reduced minutes over the course of the ACC season and wasn't going to play a lot with Dee Liles and Lynetta Kizer manning the post positions next winter.
Strickland's departure was a bit of a stunner--she started virtually the moment she set foot on campus and was only going to be more prominent in the team's plans next season (with Kristi Toliver and Marissa Coleman both graduating). I liked her offensive aggressiveness and long-armed defensive abilties. Hopefully Strickland will be happy wherever she winds up; had she remained she'd likely have joined the Terps 1000-point career club...and maybe would have seen her number join the others in the rafters at Comcast. Now, wherever she goes--Strickland becomes a hired gun.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
New jobs for Jansen and Jordan...
An era ends in Ashburn as the Redskins release tackle Jon Jansen. The 1999 second round pick spent ten seasons with the Skins and was the longest tenured player with the team. Due to Salary Cap math the team will take a 6 million dollar hit--even though the veteran was costing just 1.35 million dollars this year. Age and injuries have caught up with the 33-year old; over his first five seasons Jansen started all 80 regular season games--while he's missed 34 games in the last five campaigns...and came off the bench for the first time in his career for three games in 2008. While he was named to just one all-pro squad (2nd team in 2005) during his Redskins career-- Jansen gave the team a sense of security over his tenure--with Chris Samuels (drafted a year later) the line had their bookends in place for most of this decade.
The Skins options for succession include Stephon Heyer (started three games at left tackle and four more at right tackle in 2008), 370 pound behemoth Mike Williams (last NFL appearance with Jacksonville in 2006) and seven year veteran Jeremy Bridges (has played three positions with three teams over his career).
Jansen wasted little time moving on; pending Monday's physical with Detroit the Michigan grad will sign a one year deal with the Lions worth reportedly ...he'll compete with 2009 first round pick Gosder Cherilus for playing time this fall.
Another longtime DC fixture has a change of address: former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan's slated to take the top job with the Philadelphia 76ers... a playoff team this past season that actually took a two games to one lead against Orlando in the first round. His new team boasts a pair of Andres in the backcourt (Miller and Iguodala combined to average 34 points a game) and an injured Elton in the post (Brand was limited to 29 regular season games this past winter due to a dislocated shoulder).
Jordan turned around a culture of losing in Washington earlier this decade--leading the Wizards to four straight playoff berths (they had made the postseason just once between 1988 and 2004). What wonders will he work up I-95? It's times like these that make me wish the Wizards were still in the Atlantic Division.
The Skins options for succession include Stephon Heyer (started three games at left tackle and four more at right tackle in 2008), 370 pound behemoth Mike Williams (last NFL appearance with Jacksonville in 2006) and seven year veteran Jeremy Bridges (has played three positions with three teams over his career).
Jansen wasted little time moving on; pending Monday's physical with Detroit the Michigan grad will sign a one year deal with the Lions worth reportedly ...he'll compete with 2009 first round pick Gosder Cherilus for playing time this fall.
Another longtime DC fixture has a change of address: former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan's slated to take the top job with the Philadelphia 76ers... a playoff team this past season that actually took a two games to one lead against Orlando in the first round. His new team boasts a pair of Andres in the backcourt (Miller and Iguodala combined to average 34 points a game) and an injured Elton in the post (Brand was limited to 29 regular season games this past winter due to a dislocated shoulder).
Jordan turned around a culture of losing in Washington earlier this decade--leading the Wizards to four straight playoff berths (they had made the postseason just once between 1988 and 2004). What wonders will he work up I-95? It's times like these that make me wish the Wizards were still in the Atlantic Division.
"Kindergarden?"--are you serious??
You always think there will be another opportunity...the excitement of an improbable run often leads one to believe it's the beginning of something special--and I thought a certain final four appearance would be the beginning of a dynastic run. Unfortunately, sometimes you don't know when it's merely a one-shot deal.
Am I referring to the Denver Nuggets appearance in this years Western Conference finals? Georgia Tech's lethal weapon three in 1990? The Seattle Seahawks improbable run behind Curt Warner to the AFC Title game in 1983? Not exactly...I'm referring to my final four appearance in the Fifth Grade Spelling Bee.
The National Spelling Bee takes center stage this week...and just like athletics one has the thrill of victory (this years winning word for Kavya Shivashankar was "laodicean")...the agony of defeat ( "maecenas" was the word that eliminated second place finisher Tim Ruiter)... with stall tactics ("origin?"..."pronounciation?"..."root") that would make Dean Smith's four corner offense appear up-tempo--I was hoping a judge would simply reply "just spell the damn word!"
My one shining moment? In the fifth grade I somehow advanced to the final four at Memorial School in Bedford NH. The fact I even qualified for the finals was an upset in and of itself; similar to the era of one-bid conferences in the NCAA basketball tournament--there were only automatic bids for each homeroom... and in my class stood the UCLA of spellers--defending 4th grade champion Matt Butterick. Somehow he forgot a "c" in excited and I had a window of opportunity...(I don't know if there's any truth to the rumor his loss like Maryland's to NC State in 1974 spurred the inclusion of at-large qualifiers in future bees).
What followed instead of a glorious march to victory was an ugly battle of attrition...as runner up Mary Bradley and I kept misspelling words with the other unable to spell the next one correctly to wrap things up--like two punch-drunk fighters in the 14th round we staggered towards stupidity. Somehow I survived and advanced-- I was NC State two years before Jimmy V cut down the nets--I'm just thankful I didn't run around Miss Mullen's class looking for someone to hug.
The Finals would pit all nine home room winners during lunch recess...and like Syracuse playing the East regional in Albany I had somewhat of a home classroom advantage--the bee was held in Miss Maitland's room where I took social studies--right next door to Mullen's. I knew the feel of the carpet on my feet...the smell of the chalkboard...the acoustics of the room and how my voice echoed as I spelled words out...this was going to be the start of something special.
Slowly other automatic qualifiers were eliminated...and then there were four... Dennis Mays, Chris Poppenga, Dave Proulx and myself. Proulx drew "kindergarden" ...spelled it "kindergartan"--and the word came to me...I quickly slamdunked "-den" and was ready to make my move! Bring on vacuum and serendipity...I was ready...but wait! "Kindergarten"? It's spelled "Kindergarden"--right? What the hell's a "garten"? Years later I look back and realize I should have asked country of origin...
Postscript--Dennis Mays wound up winning on "shepherd"...and I turned into the Spelling Bee's version of the early 80's DePaul Blue Demons... big on regular season reputation while suffering ridiculous upset postseason losses in future years ("conferance", "onamatapea" and "Krzyzewski" my downfall)... so my advice to the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers--yes, you're both young and represent the future of the Eastern Conference as well as the league-- but you never know the size of your window of opportunity until its closed like the enrollment date to a private kindergarten.
Am I referring to the Denver Nuggets appearance in this years Western Conference finals? Georgia Tech's lethal weapon three in 1990? The Seattle Seahawks improbable run behind Curt Warner to the AFC Title game in 1983? Not exactly...I'm referring to my final four appearance in the Fifth Grade Spelling Bee.
The National Spelling Bee takes center stage this week...and just like athletics one has the thrill of victory (this years winning word for Kavya Shivashankar was "laodicean")...the agony of defeat ( "maecenas" was the word that eliminated second place finisher Tim Ruiter)... with stall tactics ("origin?"..."pronounciation?"..."root") that would make Dean Smith's four corner offense appear up-tempo--I was hoping a judge would simply reply "just spell the damn word!"
My one shining moment? In the fifth grade I somehow advanced to the final four at Memorial School in Bedford NH. The fact I even qualified for the finals was an upset in and of itself; similar to the era of one-bid conferences in the NCAA basketball tournament--there were only automatic bids for each homeroom... and in my class stood the UCLA of spellers--defending 4th grade champion Matt Butterick. Somehow he forgot a "c" in excited and I had a window of opportunity...(I don't know if there's any truth to the rumor his loss like Maryland's to NC State in 1974 spurred the inclusion of at-large qualifiers in future bees).
What followed instead of a glorious march to victory was an ugly battle of attrition...as runner up Mary Bradley and I kept misspelling words with the other unable to spell the next one correctly to wrap things up--like two punch-drunk fighters in the 14th round we staggered towards stupidity. Somehow I survived and advanced-- I was NC State two years before Jimmy V cut down the nets--I'm just thankful I didn't run around Miss Mullen's class looking for someone to hug.
The Finals would pit all nine home room winners during lunch recess...and like Syracuse playing the East regional in Albany I had somewhat of a home classroom advantage--the bee was held in Miss Maitland's room where I took social studies--right next door to Mullen's. I knew the feel of the carpet on my feet...the smell of the chalkboard...the acoustics of the room and how my voice echoed as I spelled words out...this was going to be the start of something special.
Slowly other automatic qualifiers were eliminated...and then there were four... Dennis Mays, Chris Poppenga, Dave Proulx and myself. Proulx drew "kindergarden" ...spelled it "kindergartan"--and the word came to me...I quickly slamdunked "-den" and was ready to make my move! Bring on vacuum and serendipity...I was ready...but wait! "Kindergarten"? It's spelled "Kindergarden"--right? What the hell's a "garten"? Years later I look back and realize I should have asked country of origin...
Postscript--Dennis Mays wound up winning on "shepherd"...and I turned into the Spelling Bee's version of the early 80's DePaul Blue Demons... big on regular season reputation while suffering ridiculous upset postseason losses in future years ("conferance", "onamatapea" and "Krzyzewski" my downfall)... so my advice to the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers--yes, you're both young and represent the future of the Eastern Conference as well as the league-- but you never know the size of your window of opportunity until its closed like the enrollment date to a private kindergarten.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Battle of the Beltway...and a promotion you won't believe.
The first half of the annual battle between Baltimore and Washington took place over Memorial Day weekend--and I've long maintained that with these two teams the Nats glass has been half-full while the O's glass has been half-empty (face it, both are rebuilding while competing in top-notch divisions). This year the roles are reversed--I know its like differentiating crayola crayons "Orange-Red" and "Red-Orange" when you're really looking for blue--but this year it's the O's who are looking up while the Nats are looking up for what might be falling on them next.
It all begins in the bullpen--the Orioles George Sherrill has 10 saves in 12 opportunities and an ERA of 2.75 while Brian Bass and Danys Baez haven't been completely awful in middle relief roles (each is 3-1; Baez is holding hitters to .165 while Bass has a 25 to 9 K to BB ratio)--and setup man Jim R. Johnson has gotten the job done in 16 of his 20 outings.
The Nationals Hot Mess has been well-documented--a 3-17 pen record with a 6.09 ERA and 13 blown saves has overshadowed what has turned out to be a pretty decent lineup: 6th in batting average and 11th in runs scored with pop in the middle of the order (Zimmerman and Dunn combining for 25 homers and 74 rbi).
Defensively, this year's team is a disaster as well-- the club has the worst fielding percentage in the majors and is the only big league team to average more than one error per game played (45 in 44). Poor pitching and despicable defense two seeem to feed off of one another--especially in the late innings.
The Nats are getting the reputation as the team that can't shoot straight--figuratively and perhaps literally. From last week's Washington Post: the teams latest promotion has gone awry--during every game the Nats mascot Screech fires t-shirts into the stands from the famed "T-Shirt Gun"... well, earlier this month the Nationals promotional staff thought to give fans some "added value" by placing a sausage sandwich in one of every ten t-shirt wraps-- thus, one has a one in ten chance of getting two prizes. Unfortunately, the physics of shooting a sausage sandwich wrapped in a t-shirt out of a gun caused the bread to disintegrate and sausage to explode and shower fans like shotgun pellets. Those "lucky" enough to catch a bonus prize t-shirt were greeted with a sausage casing inside and a soiled shirt ready-made for the washer.
Spare us the attendance spike--every year since interleague play began Major League Baseall has been quick to trot out attendance figures...and I'd like for them to stop insulting the fan's intelligence. Interleague play is here to stay--and although I wasn't an early proponent of it (like the wildcard) I understand it's been a boon. But by having the major interleague phase one take place during Memorial Day weekend and treating the attendance spike like breaking news--come on, everybody draws more during the holiday weekends. (MLB's first year of Interleague play saw games during Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends). So guess what--this past weekend's games drew more than last weeks!! Cool, lets move on.
Longest race becomes short-- rain washed out Sunday's Coca Cola 600 for the first time in the history of the NASCAR race. After a noon Monday start the clouds would not cooperate and they stopped the race several times before calling it a day after lap 227--David Reutimann capturing the soggy checkered flag. With 173 laps shaved off, shouldn't they re-title it the "Diet Coke 300?
Congrats to the Cavaliers--Virginia earned its way into the NCAA Tournament as the ACC champ...topping 13th ranked Clemson, 4th rated North Carolina and 7th ranked Florida State en route to the title. Their reward? A #7 ranking and a trip west to play in the Irvine, California Regional. Hello? Shouldn't we reward those who fare well in their conference tourneys? UVa's first round matchup will be against San Diego State and projected number one overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg. Good luck. (George Mason makes the field as an at large--and faces South Carolina in Greenville NC.)
It all begins in the bullpen--the Orioles George Sherrill has 10 saves in 12 opportunities and an ERA of 2.75 while Brian Bass and Danys Baez haven't been completely awful in middle relief roles (each is 3-1; Baez is holding hitters to .165 while Bass has a 25 to 9 K to BB ratio)--and setup man Jim R. Johnson has gotten the job done in 16 of his 20 outings.
The Nationals Hot Mess has been well-documented--a 3-17 pen record with a 6.09 ERA and 13 blown saves has overshadowed what has turned out to be a pretty decent lineup: 6th in batting average and 11th in runs scored with pop in the middle of the order (Zimmerman and Dunn combining for 25 homers and 74 rbi).
Defensively, this year's team is a disaster as well-- the club has the worst fielding percentage in the majors and is the only big league team to average more than one error per game played (45 in 44). Poor pitching and despicable defense two seeem to feed off of one another--especially in the late innings.
The Nats are getting the reputation as the team that can't shoot straight--figuratively and perhaps literally. From last week's Washington Post: the teams latest promotion has gone awry--during every game the Nats mascot Screech fires t-shirts into the stands from the famed "T-Shirt Gun"... well, earlier this month the Nationals promotional staff thought to give fans some "added value" by placing a sausage sandwich in one of every ten t-shirt wraps-- thus, one has a one in ten chance of getting two prizes. Unfortunately, the physics of shooting a sausage sandwich wrapped in a t-shirt out of a gun caused the bread to disintegrate and sausage to explode and shower fans like shotgun pellets. Those "lucky" enough to catch a bonus prize t-shirt were greeted with a sausage casing inside and a soiled shirt ready-made for the washer.
Spare us the attendance spike--every year since interleague play began Major League Baseall has been quick to trot out attendance figures...and I'd like for them to stop insulting the fan's intelligence. Interleague play is here to stay--and although I wasn't an early proponent of it (like the wildcard) I understand it's been a boon. But by having the major interleague phase one take place during Memorial Day weekend and treating the attendance spike like breaking news--come on, everybody draws more during the holiday weekends. (MLB's first year of Interleague play saw games during Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends). So guess what--this past weekend's games drew more than last weeks!! Cool, lets move on.
Longest race becomes short-- rain washed out Sunday's Coca Cola 600 for the first time in the history of the NASCAR race. After a noon Monday start the clouds would not cooperate and they stopped the race several times before calling it a day after lap 227--David Reutimann capturing the soggy checkered flag. With 173 laps shaved off, shouldn't they re-title it the "Diet Coke 300?
Congrats to the Cavaliers--Virginia earned its way into the NCAA Tournament as the ACC champ...topping 13th ranked Clemson, 4th rated North Carolina and 7th ranked Florida State en route to the title. Their reward? A #7 ranking and a trip west to play in the Irvine, California Regional. Hello? Shouldn't we reward those who fare well in their conference tourneys? UVa's first round matchup will be against San Diego State and projected number one overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg. Good luck. (George Mason makes the field as an at large--and faces South Carolina in Greenville NC.)
Monday, May 18, 2009
BAUER POWER...and swapping horses mid-crown...
With game sevens in basketball and hockey taking center stage, the triple crown continuing in intriguing fashion baseball buzzing along--it's time for what's really important--another thrilling season of 24 wraps up Monday evening. My hope? I'd be happy if it isn't horrible. I've been into this show since day (or hour) one...and am amazed at how it has been able to reinvent itself--season four washed away a crappy season three (although Jack did chop off Chase's arm)...and the current season has been an upgrade over the CTU-90210 that took over in 2007. With season eight slated to take place in New York...I have just a few compliments as well as wishes...
Forget Jack Bauer...Aaron Pierce is the man. Glenn Morshower is the only other actor outside of Kiefer Sutherland to appear in every season of 24...and thank goodness he's much better behaved. Quietly courageous and a lot less dramatic while getting the job done--I'm hoping agent Pierce has one hell of a pension in store for him. This season he's had to deal with the President's daughter--more on her later.
Presidential Upgrade...Cherry Jones has done a solid job as President Allison Taylor-- a lot more believable than Wayne Palmer (?) in season six. She's showed quite a bit of grit as her family and her nation has crumbled around her.
First Family=worst family...I've seen Sherry Palmer and her Machiavellian moves... I've dealt with the massively incompetent Wayne Palmer as Chief of Staff and been caught up in Martha Logan's madness... but what's the deal with Olivia Taylor? Did we need the president's daughter (who had to resign for campaign shenanigans) to scheme her way into being an advisor before getting the Chief of Staff to resign? Was it fun to see her sleep with and blackmail a reporter? Keep in mind she took care of business with Aaron Pierce waiting in the hallway. Now she arranged a hit before calling it off in her head and now is covering her tracks. Good luck with Aaron Pierce aware of your little games, sister.
Bad Tony, Good Tony, Bad Tony, huh? It was a major shock that Tony Alameida was alive...and working for the bad guys. Until Jack turned him to the good side...before Tony went back. Everyone knows characters are allowed two turns at most! It would be cool if his new cohort was Michelle Dessler after massive plastic surgery though.
The never-ending villains... quick, who was the initial bad guy? That's the problem with 24-- each time Jack and company apprehend or kill the mastermind behind the latest plot... we're notified that "oh...there's somebody even more powerful who can do even more damage!" until he's caught and we repeat the process. It feels like a clown car--and a rather large clown car at that.
As always, I hope the season finale doesn't suck--here's to another year of shouting, shooting and obvious plot holes---OPEN THE GATE!
Two unlikely events happened at Pimlico this past weekend...the banning of alcohol and a filly winning the Preakness---both events hadn't occurred since the roaring 20's. Rachel Alexandra got a great jump although Mine that Bird almost caught her at the end--making one wonder what if Calvin Borel had stayed on his Kentucky Derby mount...and does Rachel Alexandra have what it takes to win a longer Belmont Stakes (although she'll have 3 weeks instead of 2 to rest up)? If he rides to victory at Belmont, how does Borel go down in history?--technically he won the Triple Crown, but still...
Forget Jack Bauer...Aaron Pierce is the man. Glenn Morshower is the only other actor outside of Kiefer Sutherland to appear in every season of 24...and thank goodness he's much better behaved. Quietly courageous and a lot less dramatic while getting the job done--I'm hoping agent Pierce has one hell of a pension in store for him. This season he's had to deal with the President's daughter--more on her later.
Presidential Upgrade...Cherry Jones has done a solid job as President Allison Taylor-- a lot more believable than Wayne Palmer (?) in season six. She's showed quite a bit of grit as her family and her nation has crumbled around her.
First Family=worst family...I've seen Sherry Palmer and her Machiavellian moves... I've dealt with the massively incompetent Wayne Palmer as Chief of Staff and been caught up in Martha Logan's madness... but what's the deal with Olivia Taylor? Did we need the president's daughter (who had to resign for campaign shenanigans) to scheme her way into being an advisor before getting the Chief of Staff to resign? Was it fun to see her sleep with and blackmail a reporter? Keep in mind she took care of business with Aaron Pierce waiting in the hallway. Now she arranged a hit before calling it off in her head and now is covering her tracks. Good luck with Aaron Pierce aware of your little games, sister.
Bad Tony, Good Tony, Bad Tony, huh? It was a major shock that Tony Alameida was alive...and working for the bad guys. Until Jack turned him to the good side...before Tony went back. Everyone knows characters are allowed two turns at most! It would be cool if his new cohort was Michelle Dessler after massive plastic surgery though.
The never-ending villains... quick, who was the initial bad guy? That's the problem with 24-- each time Jack and company apprehend or kill the mastermind behind the latest plot... we're notified that "oh...there's somebody even more powerful who can do even more damage!" until he's caught and we repeat the process. It feels like a clown car--and a rather large clown car at that.
As always, I hope the season finale doesn't suck--here's to another year of shouting, shooting and obvious plot holes---OPEN THE GATE!
Two unlikely events happened at Pimlico this past weekend...the banning of alcohol and a filly winning the Preakness---both events hadn't occurred since the roaring 20's. Rachel Alexandra got a great jump although Mine that Bird almost caught her at the end--making one wonder what if Calvin Borel had stayed on his Kentucky Derby mount...and does Rachel Alexandra have what it takes to win a longer Belmont Stakes (although she'll have 3 weeks instead of 2 to rest up)? If he rides to victory at Belmont, how does Borel go down in history?--technically he won the Triple Crown, but still...
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Caps crushed...plus owning the image...
What began as an evening of anticipation... a GAME SEVEN... a chance to reach the NHL's conference finals for the first time in over a decade... an opportunity to vanquish Ghosts of Capitals Past (Matthew Mcconaughey in discussions to drop first puck in Eastern Finals)... ended with a torrent of Pittsburgh shots... an early exit for Simeon Varlamov and the eventual elimination of the Capitals...with an offseason to think back and look ahead.
Pens pepper the pipes...sixteen shots in the first period led to a pair of early goals-- and then Pittsburgh added two more in the first three minutes of the second period...effectively burying a Caps team that had tallied five goals just twice in the posteason. Varlamov's goals against average for games 1 through 6: 3.33...game 7: 10.91.
Taking the Penguins to seven games was an achievement in an of itself-- over the series Pittsburgh outshot the Capitals by an average of 37-26 and had 16 more power play opportunities...over a game or two a grittier team can make up those differences with drop-dead penalty killing and timely shots--but over seven games water and more opportunities find their own level.
Sid the Kid takes round one--the highly anticipated first playoff meeting between two of the NHL's top players went Mr. Crosby's way...although he and Alex Ovechkin both scored eight goals and Ovechkin tallied one more assist (4 to 3) during the series. It seemed as though a lot of Crosby's shots were from right in front of the net while Ovie had to work for more angled shots through traffic. Perhaps this becomes hockey's version of Bird-Magic; no matter what--this year's meeting was well worth the wait...and one can only hope the two draw each other next May.
Ownership...like perception...is everything. Teams are corporations owned by individuals, groups or limited partners. Throughout the postseason Caps Owner Ted Leonsis was often captured on the Verizon Center camera--to the applause of the Red Faithful. Can you imagine the reaction towards other area owners? Regardless of whether or not his team turns a profit (he says they won't this year) or how far they advance towards a Stanley Cup title (the Rangers series was the first one they won since he bought the team) he currently has cornered most-favored owner status in the District.
Can you imagine Dan Snyder wearing a Skins jersey in the stands? Would you ever envision Abe Pollin blogging about the Wizards' rotation? Could you comprehend Ted Lerner paying his rent and scouts during the same month? Perception is reality...and Leonsis despite his millions has cultivated a "man of the people" image...(perhaps its the goatee) he's the owner who lives and dies with the team's fortunes but lets the experts he's hired do their jobs.
A sports franchise is more than simply an entertainment entity. Leonsis recognizes the Caps are a public trust: he technically owns the franchise but acts like more of a steward...providing the capital financing while allowing the fans to "finance the Capitals" with their dreams. Don't get me wrong: a man with his means did not get where he was by not caring about revenue streams and profit margins, but he's not perceived as an intruding owner who's primary goal is pocket change over championships--and perception is a huge part of the public relations battle.
Pens pepper the pipes...sixteen shots in the first period led to a pair of early goals-- and then Pittsburgh added two more in the first three minutes of the second period...effectively burying a Caps team that had tallied five goals just twice in the posteason. Varlamov's goals against average for games 1 through 6: 3.33...game 7: 10.91.
Taking the Penguins to seven games was an achievement in an of itself-- over the series Pittsburgh outshot the Capitals by an average of 37-26 and had 16 more power play opportunities...over a game or two a grittier team can make up those differences with drop-dead penalty killing and timely shots--but over seven games water and more opportunities find their own level.
Sid the Kid takes round one--the highly anticipated first playoff meeting between two of the NHL's top players went Mr. Crosby's way...although he and Alex Ovechkin both scored eight goals and Ovechkin tallied one more assist (4 to 3) during the series. It seemed as though a lot of Crosby's shots were from right in front of the net while Ovie had to work for more angled shots through traffic. Perhaps this becomes hockey's version of Bird-Magic; no matter what--this year's meeting was well worth the wait...and one can only hope the two draw each other next May.
Ownership...like perception...is everything. Teams are corporations owned by individuals, groups or limited partners. Throughout the postseason Caps Owner Ted Leonsis was often captured on the Verizon Center camera--to the applause of the Red Faithful. Can you imagine the reaction towards other area owners? Regardless of whether or not his team turns a profit (he says they won't this year) or how far they advance towards a Stanley Cup title (the Rangers series was the first one they won since he bought the team) he currently has cornered most-favored owner status in the District.
Can you imagine Dan Snyder wearing a Skins jersey in the stands? Would you ever envision Abe Pollin blogging about the Wizards' rotation? Could you comprehend Ted Lerner paying his rent and scouts during the same month? Perception is reality...and Leonsis despite his millions has cultivated a "man of the people" image...(perhaps its the goatee) he's the owner who lives and dies with the team's fortunes but lets the experts he's hired do their jobs.
A sports franchise is more than simply an entertainment entity. Leonsis recognizes the Caps are a public trust: he technically owns the franchise but acts like more of a steward...providing the capital financing while allowing the fans to "finance the Capitals" with their dreams. Don't get me wrong: a man with his means did not get where he was by not caring about revenue streams and profit margins, but he's not perceived as an intruding owner who's primary goal is pocket change over championships--and perception is a huge part of the public relations battle.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Seventh heaven--a Cavalier attitude--Zim can't save season...
Postseason hoops and hockey is a wonderful payoff for 7+ months of loyalty... and Capitals fans have a chance to squeak into another playoff tier Wednesday as Pittsburgh visits the Verizon Center. Now much has been made about the Caps being 1-6 against the Penguins in the playoffs all-time; one can turn those numbers around and see the club is 6-1 in elimination games under coach Bruce Boudreau (the only loss coming after a soft penalty gave Philly a power play last year). One wonders how long the Caps can consistently be outshot (226 to 160 over the six games thus far) and be outmanned (Penguins with 30 power play opportunities to the Caps 19)... while surviving.
We know Ovechkin and Crosby will have their moments, as will Green and Malkin will have opportunities to shine...but the difference maker often is a second or third tier player--and David Steckel has been absolutely huge in this series. The cliche is "does the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet"-- well Steckel's been doing the little and big things (from his game one rebound shot to his OT goal in game six) all series long. Here's to one more moment--CAPS 3, PENGUINS 2.
The NBA Playoffs are just as entertaining this May-- with Boston scraping by thanks to duct tape and rubber bands as well as surprising performances (Glenn Davis and Rajon Rondo grew up this postseason)...while the Los Angeles Lakers are the proverbial riddle wrapped inside a mystery... consistently inconsistent with surprising losses (game one) while being well-rested, jaw-dropping blowouts both ways (what a twist from game four to five)... and despite back to back sweeps Cleveland is comfortably under the radar-- just quietly taking care of business (granted Detroit was a grease-fire and Atlanta is a year away). How dominant has Lebron James been? He's led the Cavs in scoring all eight games, led them in rebounding six times and been their top assist man five times.
Baseball's regular season doesn't really gel until Memorial Day; it takes a while for schedules to even out (thus the Marlins April Mirage after going 6-0 against the Nationals) and everyone to get into their rhythms. At least the Nationals have something to look forward to every day with Ryan Zimmerman's hitting streak reaching thirty. The presence of a healthy Nick Johnson in front of him and protection from Adam Dunn and Elijah Dukes gives Zimmerman better pitches to hit; now if only the Nats bullpen can recover from early season struggles that include a 1-10 record (worst bullpen mark in either league), nine blown saves (second most in the majors-surprisingly Houston has ten) and an ERA of 6.02 (only the Los Angeles Angels are worse). The back end of the staff has been a garbled mess since day one--and will only continue to get more frustrating until manager Manny Acta finds a stopper.
We know Ovechkin and Crosby will have their moments, as will Green and Malkin will have opportunities to shine...but the difference maker often is a second or third tier player--and David Steckel has been absolutely huge in this series. The cliche is "does the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet"-- well Steckel's been doing the little and big things (from his game one rebound shot to his OT goal in game six) all series long. Here's to one more moment--CAPS 3, PENGUINS 2.
The NBA Playoffs are just as entertaining this May-- with Boston scraping by thanks to duct tape and rubber bands as well as surprising performances (Glenn Davis and Rajon Rondo grew up this postseason)...while the Los Angeles Lakers are the proverbial riddle wrapped inside a mystery... consistently inconsistent with surprising losses (game one) while being well-rested, jaw-dropping blowouts both ways (what a twist from game four to five)... and despite back to back sweeps Cleveland is comfortably under the radar-- just quietly taking care of business (granted Detroit was a grease-fire and Atlanta is a year away). How dominant has Lebron James been? He's led the Cavs in scoring all eight games, led them in rebounding six times and been their top assist man five times.
Baseball's regular season doesn't really gel until Memorial Day; it takes a while for schedules to even out (thus the Marlins April Mirage after going 6-0 against the Nationals) and everyone to get into their rhythms. At least the Nationals have something to look forward to every day with Ryan Zimmerman's hitting streak reaching thirty. The presence of a healthy Nick Johnson in front of him and protection from Adam Dunn and Elijah Dukes gives Zimmerman better pitches to hit; now if only the Nats bullpen can recover from early season struggles that include a 1-10 record (worst bullpen mark in either league), nine blown saves (second most in the majors-surprisingly Houston has ten) and an ERA of 6.02 (only the Los Angeles Angels are worse). The back end of the staff has been a garbled mess since day one--and will only continue to get more frustrating until manager Manny Acta finds a stopper.
AL BEAST-- Jason Bay has been absolutely huge for Boston this season (9 homers and 35 RBI)... a nice payoff to getting Manny out of town. Toronto and Tampa Bay are both looking good as well (although the Rays are 15-19 they have a +13 run differential)... while the New York Yankees probably wish they had saved some of their Burnett/Texiera money for bullpen help (6.02 ERA ties them with the Nationals for 28th in MLB). Unfortunately for Baltimore fans, the Orioles appear destined to enjoy another season of irrelevance.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Overtime hockey...been workin', so hard...
OVERTIME PLAYOFF HOCKEY. It either leads to absolute elation or complete despair....after the initial thrill or agony one lets out a "WOW"... then five minutes figuring out what exactly happened... then a half hour trying to guess where you go from there. Wednesday was disappointing but not deadly for the Capitals. Despite being outshot 34 to 18 in regulation the Caps were able to get a late power play goal and force OT...the fact that they had barely half the shots the Penguins had was somewhat troubling...and GM George McPhee expressed his displeasure in the officiating (7 power plays for Pittsburgh and only 2 for Washington in game three and a 17-9 advantage over the series for the Penguins).
LETS HEAR IT FOR THE BOY!--Simeon Varlamov's magical postseason continues, especially when you consider the rookie played only 5 regular season games for the team. He's already surpassed that in postseason starts, something not seen since 1971 when Ken Dryden guided Montreal to the Stanley Cup after starting just six regular season games for the Habs. I'm not saying the 21-year old is the next Dryden...but he's a primary factor in the Caps playoff run and a nice piece of the future's foundation in DC.
Footloose aside--my uncle and aunt from Seattle were in town the other week and somehow we touched upon the topic of Kevin Bacon...so naturally I responded with quips ranging from "yeah, he's been working so hard" to referring to Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's marriage as "almost paradise--how could they ask for more". I kept waiting for either of them to call me out but each thought I was being serious...up to and including "maybe he's no Romeo, but he's her lovin' one man show...". I wanted to stop, but they kept on treating my lyric ripoffs as actual thoughts (I drew the line at "where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?")... Needless to say, my cousin's husband was doubled over in the next room. Hey, we all need a hero...
STECKEL SHINES--despite Alex Ovechkin's hat-trick in game two and five goals overall the Caps most impressive skater this series has to be David Steckel. Years ago at minor league Hershey he garnered a reputation as a solid regular season player who upped his game bigtime during the postseason. Not only has he lit the lamp twice during the Pittsburgh series--he's been a solid faceoff man (61% in game three) and has made the Penguins work extra during every one of his shifts.
BACK TO BACK--WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY? The Caps and Penguins play Friday and Saturday night... making things even more intriguing. Can the loser get off the mat quickly and refocus? If game four goes to overtime, how dead will the legs be Saturday at Verizon? Last year the Caps won a game six in Philadelphia before falling in overtime the next night. There we go again--it all comes back to OVERTIME PLAYOFF HOCKEY.
MANNY OUT, AROD IN...baseball's soap opera carousel takes another turn as Alex Rodriguez' return to the Yankee lineup loses a bit of its thunder as Manny Ramirez gets a 50-game suspension for violating the game's anti-drug policy. Evidently the drug he was given by his doctor deals with estrogen...estrogen?
It took me a while to welcome Manny to the fold after he demanded to wear #24...Dwight Evans-the epitome of class and dignity wore that number proudly in his tenure and I was upset to see the number so quickly passed out to a hired gun. Manny begrudgingly earned my trust and respect as a prolific hitter, delivered two cherished world titles-- only to waste a lot of it last summer when he decided he wanted out. My reaction to his suspension? He took at least fifty games off last year while playing for the Red Sox.
LETS HEAR IT FOR THE BOY!--Simeon Varlamov's magical postseason continues, especially when you consider the rookie played only 5 regular season games for the team. He's already surpassed that in postseason starts, something not seen since 1971 when Ken Dryden guided Montreal to the Stanley Cup after starting just six regular season games for the Habs. I'm not saying the 21-year old is the next Dryden...but he's a primary factor in the Caps playoff run and a nice piece of the future's foundation in DC.
Footloose aside--my uncle and aunt from Seattle were in town the other week and somehow we touched upon the topic of Kevin Bacon...so naturally I responded with quips ranging from "yeah, he's been working so hard" to referring to Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick's marriage as "almost paradise--how could they ask for more". I kept waiting for either of them to call me out but each thought I was being serious...up to and including "maybe he's no Romeo, but he's her lovin' one man show...". I wanted to stop, but they kept on treating my lyric ripoffs as actual thoughts (I drew the line at "where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?")... Needless to say, my cousin's husband was doubled over in the next room. Hey, we all need a hero...
STECKEL SHINES--despite Alex Ovechkin's hat-trick in game two and five goals overall the Caps most impressive skater this series has to be David Steckel. Years ago at minor league Hershey he garnered a reputation as a solid regular season player who upped his game bigtime during the postseason. Not only has he lit the lamp twice during the Pittsburgh series--he's been a solid faceoff man (61% in game three) and has made the Penguins work extra during every one of his shifts.
BACK TO BACK--WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY? The Caps and Penguins play Friday and Saturday night... making things even more intriguing. Can the loser get off the mat quickly and refocus? If game four goes to overtime, how dead will the legs be Saturday at Verizon? Last year the Caps won a game six in Philadelphia before falling in overtime the next night. There we go again--it all comes back to OVERTIME PLAYOFF HOCKEY.
MANNY OUT, AROD IN...baseball's soap opera carousel takes another turn as Alex Rodriguez' return to the Yankee lineup loses a bit of its thunder as Manny Ramirez gets a 50-game suspension for violating the game's anti-drug policy. Evidently the drug he was given by his doctor deals with estrogen...estrogen?
It took me a while to welcome Manny to the fold after he demanded to wear #24...Dwight Evans-the epitome of class and dignity wore that number proudly in his tenure and I was upset to see the number so quickly passed out to a hired gun. Manny begrudgingly earned my trust and respect as a prolific hitter, delivered two cherished world titles-- only to waste a lot of it last summer when he decided he wanted out. My reaction to his suspension? He took at least fifty games off last year while playing for the Red Sox.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
One spectacular Saturday...one amazingly long diary...
Sports is an interesting animal... sometimes there are down days and sometimes there are Saturday's packed tighter than a Tom Jones jumpsuit. The first Saturday of May always presents logistical problems-- will one go to Gold Cup or a Derby Party? Are there conflicts between the NBA and NHL Playoffs? And what food and freaks would be at my friend's Cinquo de Mayo party?
6am--wakeup for XM Radio Shift at the Baseball Channel...breakfast consisting of Granola with cranberry/grapefruit the post-cereal juice of choice. Tough to see the Red Sox lose again to the Rays (this time thanks to a grand slam by Evan Longoria)...took the customary break at 10am to get McDonalds orange juice (a highly underrated menu item).
12:30pm--XM shift complete...time to race down NY Ave to the Verizon Center for Caps-Penguins...a series that has NBC jumping up and down. Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are the sport's two up and coming stars--and have been labeled as hockey's Bird and Magic. Although four years into their respective careers, Larry and Earvin had combined for three NBA titles while Alex and Sidney...not exactly. It's a matchup between the tradition of a Canadian home-grown superstar and a flashy Russian with intriguing celebration antics (don't know about the "lighting his stick on fire", but hey I used to play air guitar in high school). It's also a battle between old-school Patrick Division rivals (hockey's biggest mistake in the 90's was to do away with the divisional playoff system and division names in favor of a homogenized just-like-the-NBA system...thanks Gary Bettman). Seven times these teams have met in the postseason-- with the Penguins advancing six times (although the Caps are 6-1 in game ones...go figure).
A sluggish start by the Caps resulted in an early Sidney Crosby goal...and rest assured after a few minutes one could see this round would be nothing like the Caps series with the Rangers: incredible up and down the ice movement...wide open attacking...and more than one shot every ten minutes. Two first period goals by the Caps highlighted their depth (David Steckel off a rebound) and starpower (Alex Ovechkin lighting the lamp on a 5-on-3 power play).
The second period saw the worst and best of 21-year old Simeon Varlamov...the rookie allowed a soft goal off a deflection before posting an incredible behind-the-back one inch away from the goal line grab that his teammates said sparked them on to victory.
Tomas Fleischman tallied the gamewinner early in the final stanza...and the Caps special teams (5 for 5 on penalty killing) helped ice an intense game one. It's nice sometimes to see the game live up to the hype.
The food lived up to the hype as well--instead of the sitdown meal downstairs near the interview rooms...I went straight upstairs to the press box and was greeted by hot dogs (with sauerkraut as an option!)...nothing beats a dog or three (for the record, I treat dog 1 as my shock troops--hitting the beach with just a little bit of mustard before I bring in the artillery of relish and kraut and fullblown mustard before the "mop-up" mustard/onion dog). Dessert was an oatmeal raisin cookie...the perfect combination of healthy (Wilford Brimley's huge on how good for you oatmeal is and raisins are "nature's candy") and fun (it's a cookie for heaven's sake!) .
4:30pm--raced from NY Ave to Mass Ave to Wisconsin Ave to Idaho Ave with interviews on tape...I'm a loyal viewer of 24 and with this season taking place in DC I have no idea how Jack Bauer and company are able to get around the city as quickly... perhaps I should be shouting as I drive ("LEFT TURN IS A YIELD TURN! WE'RE WASTING TIME!).
6:25pm--after editing interview audio at WTOP...time to head over to my friend Lee's Kentucky Derby Party...and I'm unable to make it in time-listening to the race on my car radio. I know, showing up to a Derby party after the actual race is over isn't ideal...but I've done much worse on the first Saturday in May (Gold Cup 2007 is a story in and of itself). A muddy track at Churchill Downs plus the scratching of favorite I Want Revenge set up an intriguing afternoon...with 50-to-1 longshot Mine that Bird going from worst to first after a slow start under jockey Calvin Borel. This was Borel's second Derby win in three years-- he rode Street Sense to a first place finish in 2007 and was overcome by emotions, his high pitched voice and Cajun dialect... I swore after thanking his family he said something along the lines of "chang-chong a jibba jab".
Unfortunately, Mine that Bird is a question mark for May 16th's Preakness...perhaps lending more credibility to my proposal that they move the Preakness back to the first Saturday in June and the Belmont to the first Saturday in July. Today's horses are bred, raised, engineered and trained in such a manner that three races within a little over a month is too much for most three-year olds to handle. In recent years, we've seen injuries and scratches rise... with no Triple Crown winner since 1978. The moving back of the second and third legs would help the horses recover better and thus generate stronger fields for those races. Looking at the big picture, what's the point in having the second leg of the Triple Crown minus the Derby winner--or the final leg minus the Derby and/or Preakness winner?
8:15pm--five barbecued chicken wings and one Mint Julep later I'm off to my friend's Cinquo de Mayo party...unfortunately one of Kim's friends decided she'd bring 4 strangers she watched the Derby with over to the house--a decision right out of the SNL "Bad Idea Jeans" sketch ("we've been drinking a lot-- I've just met you people... want to come over to my friend's house where there's more alcohol?")... and there's nothing quite like going to a Cinquo de Mayo party wearing Kentucky Derby party gear. I must have a sombrero and baja shirt to change into next year.
11pm--Four magical words: Barbecued Bacon Wrapped Shrimp. Somehow fantastic finger foods make really drunk and irritating people tolerable. Finished watching the Celtics advance to the second round-- what a series...perhaps the most memorable first round affair ever. (I recall a double-whammy of Knicks-Pistons and Nets-Sixers in 1984)...I'm not a huge fan of first round series being best of sevens...but they're here to stay. Cab has been called for our four new friends and another magical sports Saturday is finished. Just as soon as I knock out some of this seven layer dip.
6am--wakeup for XM Radio Shift at the Baseball Channel...breakfast consisting of Granola with cranberry/grapefruit the post-cereal juice of choice. Tough to see the Red Sox lose again to the Rays (this time thanks to a grand slam by Evan Longoria)...took the customary break at 10am to get McDonalds orange juice (a highly underrated menu item).
12:30pm--XM shift complete...time to race down NY Ave to the Verizon Center for Caps-Penguins...a series that has NBC jumping up and down. Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are the sport's two up and coming stars--and have been labeled as hockey's Bird and Magic. Although four years into their respective careers, Larry and Earvin had combined for three NBA titles while Alex and Sidney...not exactly. It's a matchup between the tradition of a Canadian home-grown superstar and a flashy Russian with intriguing celebration antics (don't know about the "lighting his stick on fire", but hey I used to play air guitar in high school). It's also a battle between old-school Patrick Division rivals (hockey's biggest mistake in the 90's was to do away with the divisional playoff system and division names in favor of a homogenized just-like-the-NBA system...thanks Gary Bettman). Seven times these teams have met in the postseason-- with the Penguins advancing six times (although the Caps are 6-1 in game ones...go figure).
A sluggish start by the Caps resulted in an early Sidney Crosby goal...and rest assured after a few minutes one could see this round would be nothing like the Caps series with the Rangers: incredible up and down the ice movement...wide open attacking...and more than one shot every ten minutes. Two first period goals by the Caps highlighted their depth (David Steckel off a rebound) and starpower (Alex Ovechkin lighting the lamp on a 5-on-3 power play).
The second period saw the worst and best of 21-year old Simeon Varlamov...the rookie allowed a soft goal off a deflection before posting an incredible behind-the-back one inch away from the goal line grab that his teammates said sparked them on to victory.
Tomas Fleischman tallied the gamewinner early in the final stanza...and the Caps special teams (5 for 5 on penalty killing) helped ice an intense game one. It's nice sometimes to see the game live up to the hype.
The food lived up to the hype as well--instead of the sitdown meal downstairs near the interview rooms...I went straight upstairs to the press box and was greeted by hot dogs (with sauerkraut as an option!)...nothing beats a dog or three (for the record, I treat dog 1 as my shock troops--hitting the beach with just a little bit of mustard before I bring in the artillery of relish and kraut and fullblown mustard before the "mop-up" mustard/onion dog). Dessert was an oatmeal raisin cookie...the perfect combination of healthy (Wilford Brimley's huge on how good for you oatmeal is and raisins are "nature's candy") and fun (it's a cookie for heaven's sake!) .
4:30pm--raced from NY Ave to Mass Ave to Wisconsin Ave to Idaho Ave with interviews on tape...I'm a loyal viewer of 24 and with this season taking place in DC I have no idea how Jack Bauer and company are able to get around the city as quickly... perhaps I should be shouting as I drive ("LEFT TURN IS A YIELD TURN! WE'RE WASTING TIME!).
6:25pm--after editing interview audio at WTOP...time to head over to my friend Lee's Kentucky Derby Party...and I'm unable to make it in time-listening to the race on my car radio. I know, showing up to a Derby party after the actual race is over isn't ideal...but I've done much worse on the first Saturday in May (Gold Cup 2007 is a story in and of itself). A muddy track at Churchill Downs plus the scratching of favorite I Want Revenge set up an intriguing afternoon...with 50-to-1 longshot Mine that Bird going from worst to first after a slow start under jockey Calvin Borel. This was Borel's second Derby win in three years-- he rode Street Sense to a first place finish in 2007 and was overcome by emotions, his high pitched voice and Cajun dialect... I swore after thanking his family he said something along the lines of "chang-chong a jibba jab".
Unfortunately, Mine that Bird is a question mark for May 16th's Preakness...perhaps lending more credibility to my proposal that they move the Preakness back to the first Saturday in June and the Belmont to the first Saturday in July. Today's horses are bred, raised, engineered and trained in such a manner that three races within a little over a month is too much for most three-year olds to handle. In recent years, we've seen injuries and scratches rise... with no Triple Crown winner since 1978. The moving back of the second and third legs would help the horses recover better and thus generate stronger fields for those races. Looking at the big picture, what's the point in having the second leg of the Triple Crown minus the Derby winner--or the final leg minus the Derby and/or Preakness winner?
8:15pm--five barbecued chicken wings and one Mint Julep later I'm off to my friend's Cinquo de Mayo party...unfortunately one of Kim's friends decided she'd bring 4 strangers she watched the Derby with over to the house--a decision right out of the SNL "Bad Idea Jeans" sketch ("we've been drinking a lot-- I've just met you people... want to come over to my friend's house where there's more alcohol?")... and there's nothing quite like going to a Cinquo de Mayo party wearing Kentucky Derby party gear. I must have a sombrero and baja shirt to change into next year.
11pm--Four magical words: Barbecued Bacon Wrapped Shrimp. Somehow fantastic finger foods make really drunk and irritating people tolerable. Finished watching the Celtics advance to the second round-- what a series...perhaps the most memorable first round affair ever. (I recall a double-whammy of Knicks-Pistons and Nets-Sixers in 1984)...I'm not a huge fan of first round series being best of sevens...but they're here to stay. Cab has been called for our four new friends and another magical sports Saturday is finished. Just as soon as I knock out some of this seven layer dip.
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