A world without tradition is but as shaky as a fiddler on the roof--what if the roof's retractable?
I'm not quite ready for the "improvements" at Wimbledon: I've always compared that tournament to golf's Masters (past is always present, colors take priority from green jackets to all whites) and a retractable roof just doesn't work with me. Part of the fun of Wimbledon every year is the massive rainouts that push play back to all weird hours...what's next, Strawberry Ice Cream instead of the Strawberries and Cream?
Thankfully, there are a few traditions that persist:
All in the Family in the Finals--Venus and Serena Williams are dominating the field as always and are on a finals collision course: Venus has lost just 18 games over five matches while Serena's had a tougher go of it (25 games lost and a 7-5 second set win over Nueza Silva in the first round).
The teenager tease tradition came in the form of 17-year old qualifier Melanie Oudin--the Marietta, Georgia native reached the fourth round after upsetting Jelena Jankovic. Roger Federer is on track to return to the finals again... despite a tough fourth round match from French Open finalist Robin Soderling.
The "does Andy Roddick have it all put together?" ritual is in full bloom again-- with a quarterfinal matchup against fellow one-time major champ Lleyton Hewitt pending. Much like the TV show Entourage, he's still trying to recover from having Mandy Moore as a guest star for half a season (I mean seriously--Aquaman?).
Last but not least, the "Britain's last hope" tradition is actually enjoying an extended run this summer... as third seed Andy Murray has the UK's hopes behind him. He goes against quite a bit of tradition--the last Brit to take Wimbledon was Fred Perry in 1937...and Bunny Austin's 1938 runnerup finish was the last time someone from GB reached the finals. Murray's a rich man's Tim Henman (4 semis between 1998 and 2002)... has momentum and matchups (Juan Carlos Ferrerro and Roddick/Hewitt are on his side of the bracket). This could be his finest hour...if he can only buck the Federer tradition thing.
Every offseason there are a few bad signings in baseball that are seen as ridiculous from the moment they're announced (Jose Offerman will replace Mo Vaughn's production? Really?)... this year's leader in the clubhouse is the Chicago Cubs inking Milton Bradley to a three year-30 million dollar contract. While Bradley's got plenty of upside the 30-year old has yet to produce a 25 homer or 75 RBI season...two minimum standards for a "slugger".
However, it's other factors that have him registered as a grease-fire. Last Friday after popping up in the sixth inning against the White Sox he threw a tantrum in the dugout, tossed helmets and proceeded to wail on a Gatorade machine...(by the way, what is it with Gatorade machines in dugouts becoming magnets for anger? The Cubs Carlos Zambrano attacked one last month)... before being benched by manager Lou Piniella. Bradley's already been suspended for bumping an umpire...and threw the ball into the stands thinking there were two outs instead of three earlier this year.
Did the Cubs not know what they were getting into? This is a man who tore his ACL while arguing with an umpire in 2007 ("the good news is he won't be suspended for bumping an umpire-- the bad news is he was so agitated he ripped up his knee") and tried to confront Royals TV announcer Ryan Lefebvre due to comments made about him during a broadcast. Just think--he could be playing in Washington. Yes--Bradley began his major league career with Montreal before being shipped off to Cleveland midway through the 2001 season. With everything that's happened in the district this year--misspelling Teddy Roosevelt's name on his bobblehead box, leaving out an "O" on Ryan Zimmerman's jersey, the Sausage T-Shirt Shotgun Shell...let's just say he'd be a perfect fit.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Farewell Farah, Michael and Ed...
They say celebrity deaths come in threes...I don't know if there's any actual evidence backing that assumption, but I was rather creeped out when MacLean Stevenson and Roger Bowen (TV and film portrayers of Henry Blake on MASH) died the same day. This past week saw the departure of three entertainment icons--Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson that represent a bygone era in each of their respective arenas.
Ed McMahon was the quintessential second banana on late night's version of the New York Yankees circa 1920-64... in the three channel era (with grainy independent stations here and there) of network entertainment--The Tonight Show was the center of the primetime universe. And Ed had the hapless vice presidential role-- always enhancing yet never upstaging Johnny Carson, always welcome on the set but always having to move over a seat when a guest dropped in. McMahon shined in his own right ("Star Search" and "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes") and received second wind being imitated by Phil Hartman ("YOU ARE CORRECT SIR!")- my favorite Phil as Ed sketch was at McMahon's wedding...YES!
Farah Fawcett was labeled in one of her tributes this past week as "the 70's girl next door"...and I had to pause--not in any zip code I'm familiar with! The original Charlie's Angel had the trademark feathery blond hair and legendary poster--how she never wound up in a James Bond movie I'll never know (cruel injustice had last-season Angel Tanya Roberts in A View to a Kill). She helped singlehandedly destroy "Black Sheep Squadron" (the Robert Conrad WWII drama about pilots in the South Pacific added nurses to keep pace with Charlie's Angels in season two). Plus, Farah was married to the Six Million Dollar Man! She later found happiness with Ryan O'Neal and showed her acting chops in "The Burning Bed"-- a seminal TV movie in the mid-80's that has been the blueprint for 80% of what you see on Lifetime. What's amazing is Fawcett left the show after one season (she guest-starred in a handful of episodes the next three years) and remains the first Angel anyone thinks of (sorry, Shelley Hack).
Peter Pan was the story of a boy who never grew up... Michael Jackson's story is he never had the chance to grow up. There may have been better singers and musicians--but nobody was a better performer. From "I Want You Back" with the Jackson Five to "Black or White" as a solo artist everything he touched shot up the charts...as he came of age when MTV began (and actually played videos). Remember how the channel would promote the next time you could see thriller? Who could forget how his videos were mini-cinematic extravaganzas (and fodder for Weird Al Yankovic)? Unfortunately his private life was a mess. Lawsuits, molestation charges, financial issues, family issues...the "King of Pop" had more than a few skeletons in his closet (and not just the Elephant Man's bones). After bringing so much happiness to his fans, Jackson's own success couldn't bring him the happiness and peace he sought.
Ed McMahon was the quintessential second banana on late night's version of the New York Yankees circa 1920-64... in the three channel era (with grainy independent stations here and there) of network entertainment--The Tonight Show was the center of the primetime universe. And Ed had the hapless vice presidential role-- always enhancing yet never upstaging Johnny Carson, always welcome on the set but always having to move over a seat when a guest dropped in. McMahon shined in his own right ("Star Search" and "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes") and received second wind being imitated by Phil Hartman ("YOU ARE CORRECT SIR!")- my favorite Phil as Ed sketch was at McMahon's wedding...YES!
Farah Fawcett was labeled in one of her tributes this past week as "the 70's girl next door"...and I had to pause--not in any zip code I'm familiar with! The original Charlie's Angel had the trademark feathery blond hair and legendary poster--how she never wound up in a James Bond movie I'll never know (cruel injustice had last-season Angel Tanya Roberts in A View to a Kill). She helped singlehandedly destroy "Black Sheep Squadron" (the Robert Conrad WWII drama about pilots in the South Pacific added nurses to keep pace with Charlie's Angels in season two). Plus, Farah was married to the Six Million Dollar Man! She later found happiness with Ryan O'Neal and showed her acting chops in "The Burning Bed"-- a seminal TV movie in the mid-80's that has been the blueprint for 80% of what you see on Lifetime. What's amazing is Fawcett left the show after one season (she guest-starred in a handful of episodes the next three years) and remains the first Angel anyone thinks of (sorry, Shelley Hack).
Peter Pan was the story of a boy who never grew up... Michael Jackson's story is he never had the chance to grow up. There may have been better singers and musicians--but nobody was a better performer. From "I Want You Back" with the Jackson Five to "Black or White" as a solo artist everything he touched shot up the charts...as he came of age when MTV began (and actually played videos). Remember how the channel would promote the next time you could see thriller? Who could forget how his videos were mini-cinematic extravaganzas (and fodder for Weird Al Yankovic)? Unfortunately his private life was a mess. Lawsuits, molestation charges, financial issues, family issues...the "King of Pop" had more than a few skeletons in his closet (and not just the Elephant Man's bones). After bringing so much happiness to his fans, Jackson's own success couldn't bring him the happiness and peace he sought.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wizards Big Deal...
And you thought the Redskins were the only ones who made headlines during draft week...
Instead of standing pat while holding a 13 (dealer has bust card), the Wizards reshuffled their lineup with a monster trade--shipping forwards Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov to Minnesota with the teams first round pick (5th overall) for Timberwolves guard Randy Foye and forward Mike Miller (the guy who hit the last-second runner to beat Butler in 2000's NCAA Tournament first round).
I like bringing in Foye...a natural point guard whose 16 points and 4 assists were career highs this past winter; his assists have risen each season. Hopefully he will bring balance to the backcourt if Gilbert Arenas comes back at full-strength. Miller is a nice acquisition because his $9.5 million dollar contract expires after next season. Two years ago he averaged career high 19 points... since then his production has declined to the point where he scored less than ten points a game last winter (although his rebounding has actually gotten better over the last five seasons). If Miller can bang off the bench, all the more power to the Wizards regarding this trade.
In trading Etan Thomas the Wizards lose a big who for whatever reason never became a full-time monster; Darius Songaila has been a third tier piece as of late and Pecherov is mainly a mystery. By getting rid of the #5 pick in a weak draft the club doesn't have to pay someone to sit or underachieve. One never knows exactly how trades will wind up-- especially one with as many moving pieces-- but with Ernie Grunfeld's track record you have to have faith in the Wizards' mindset.
Instead of standing pat while holding a 13 (dealer has bust card), the Wizards reshuffled their lineup with a monster trade--shipping forwards Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov to Minnesota with the teams first round pick (5th overall) for Timberwolves guard Randy Foye and forward Mike Miller (the guy who hit the last-second runner to beat Butler in 2000's NCAA Tournament first round).
I like bringing in Foye...a natural point guard whose 16 points and 4 assists were career highs this past winter; his assists have risen each season. Hopefully he will bring balance to the backcourt if Gilbert Arenas comes back at full-strength. Miller is a nice acquisition because his $9.5 million dollar contract expires after next season. Two years ago he averaged career high 19 points... since then his production has declined to the point where he scored less than ten points a game last winter (although his rebounding has actually gotten better over the last five seasons). If Miller can bang off the bench, all the more power to the Wizards regarding this trade.
In trading Etan Thomas the Wizards lose a big who for whatever reason never became a full-time monster; Darius Songaila has been a third tier piece as of late and Pecherov is mainly a mystery. By getting rid of the #5 pick in a weak draft the club doesn't have to pay someone to sit or underachieve. One never knows exactly how trades will wind up-- especially one with as many moving pieces-- but with Ernie Grunfeld's track record you have to have faith in the Wizards' mindset.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Neverending Major... Phil's open and shut case... Manny as Rasputin?
After a weekend of rain, the U.S. Open finally wrapped up Monday with Lucas Glover (who?) triumphing by two shots at four under par. However, the compelling storylines were tied for second two shots back-- could Phil Mickelson rally despite playing minimal golf during a trying time for his family? Would David Duval (ranked 882nd in the world) come all the way back from obscurity? And could Ricky Barnes continue an incredible run at Bethpage Black?
All three had opportunities to win--but Barnes blew up on the front nine with back-to-back-to-back-to-back bogeys... Duval gave away four shots over the first three final round holes... and Phil bogeyed 15 and 17 while in position to take the title. Whither Tiger? Grinding out a 69 to finish even par for what will to him be a subpar weekend. Rocco? No sequel to last years golf version of Rocky-- Mr. Mediate was Clubber Langed by a third round (no birdies, nine bogeys with seven over his final ten holes to finish) 79.
Phil's near-miss continues his career heartbreak at the U.S. Open--his five runnerup finishes are the most all-time...and among those he was tied with for fourth, Mickelson was the only one not to have won the tournament at one point (Nicklaus having four titles). Perhaps he's just not meant to win this one--like Lee Trevino and the Masters, or Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson at the PGA. Granted, he still has to take the British--which I think works more to his let it all hang out game than the U.S.--and for now Phil's fixed at three.
You see, while he's not competing against Tiger as he'll never reach 14--Mickelson has a legitimate shot at entering Faldo/Ballesteros/Floyd territory as one of those guys who finished with 4-6 major titles but no career slam. While Tiger/Jack are the Boardwalk and Park Place of golf, there's no shame in residing at Pacific Avenue with Gary Player or Sam Snead. While 185 men have won at least one major and only 43 have taken three titles, just a select 25 have won four. Right now Phil/Ernie/Vijay are all stuck at St. James' Place--trying to turn the corner... Each has maybe one more major run in himself...conventional wisdom being Mickelson has two or three still out there before he's done. Your head says "yes, he has the ability-- he can clearly triumph again at the PGA or Masters and break through at the British"--but the gut says Phil might finish as the best three time major champ ever.
On the Nationals front--Grigori Rasputin was a Russian mystic at the dawn of the 20th century-- he advised the Royal family before being assassinated in 1916...after more than a few attempts that barely missed their mark. There were rumors that Rasputin was undead/immortal (only in pre-Communist Russia) before he was finally killed: poison, bullet in the back, more shots in the back, beaten to a pulp and then frozen/drowned in the icy river.
Manny Acta's demise was reported on Fox Sports over a week ago...and while he remains in charge the team has caught fire (four straight winning streak ending Sunday)-- perhaps the leaking of his firing was the best thing that happend to Manny.
All three had opportunities to win--but Barnes blew up on the front nine with back-to-back-to-back-to-back bogeys... Duval gave away four shots over the first three final round holes... and Phil bogeyed 15 and 17 while in position to take the title. Whither Tiger? Grinding out a 69 to finish even par for what will to him be a subpar weekend. Rocco? No sequel to last years golf version of Rocky-- Mr. Mediate was Clubber Langed by a third round (no birdies, nine bogeys with seven over his final ten holes to finish) 79.
Phil's near-miss continues his career heartbreak at the U.S. Open--his five runnerup finishes are the most all-time...and among those he was tied with for fourth, Mickelson was the only one not to have won the tournament at one point (Nicklaus having four titles). Perhaps he's just not meant to win this one--like Lee Trevino and the Masters, or Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson at the PGA. Granted, he still has to take the British--which I think works more to his let it all hang out game than the U.S.--and for now Phil's fixed at three.
You see, while he's not competing against Tiger as he'll never reach 14--Mickelson has a legitimate shot at entering Faldo/Ballesteros/Floyd territory as one of those guys who finished with 4-6 major titles but no career slam. While Tiger/Jack are the Boardwalk and Park Place of golf, there's no shame in residing at Pacific Avenue with Gary Player or Sam Snead. While 185 men have won at least one major and only 43 have taken three titles, just a select 25 have won four. Right now Phil/Ernie/Vijay are all stuck at St. James' Place--trying to turn the corner... Each has maybe one more major run in himself...conventional wisdom being Mickelson has two or three still out there before he's done. Your head says "yes, he has the ability-- he can clearly triumph again at the PGA or Masters and break through at the British"--but the gut says Phil might finish as the best three time major champ ever.
On the Nationals front--Grigori Rasputin was a Russian mystic at the dawn of the 20th century-- he advised the Royal family before being assassinated in 1916...after more than a few attempts that barely missed their mark. There were rumors that Rasputin was undead/immortal (only in pre-Communist Russia) before he was finally killed: poison, bullet in the back, more shots in the back, beaten to a pulp and then frozen/drowned in the icy river.
Manny Acta's demise was reported on Fox Sports over a week ago...and while he remains in charge the team has caught fire (four straight winning streak ending Sunday)-- perhaps the leaking of his firing was the best thing that happend to Manny.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Good Greivis!---plus a massive re-shuffle...
Terrapin Nation can stop holding its collective breath... junior guard Greivis Vasquez will return for his senior season...eschewing the NBA Draft (one website had the 6-6 Venezuelan going 58th). Vasquez is fresh off a historic season--becoming the first Terp to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists (he's just the 6th in ACC history to do so). He also provides quite a bit of intangibles-- not only is he the most talented player on this roster, he's also the most dynamic-- your eyes can't leave him when he's on the court.
Vasquez' return means a major piece stays on the chessboard for coach Gary Williams-- instead of having to replace roughly 25% of his offense he now has 7 of his top 8 scorers returning...with Dave Neal the only player averaging more than 10 minutes a game not coming back to College Park. With the added size of incoming freshmen power forwards Jordan Williams and James Padgett (the one achilles heel of last winters team)-- Maryland's mindset goes from "maybe" to "definitely maybe". Whereas last fall there were hopes of finishing .500 in the ACC and stealing an NCAA Tournament berth-- this veteran bunch will be expected to contend in the conference and get to the tournament's second weekend (Maryland hasn't reached the sweet sixteen since 2003).
One last Greivis note--his name is one of the more ambiguous I've dealt with... pronounced by coach Williams and his teammates as "GRAY-vous" and "GRIEVE-us" alternately. Takes me back to when I covered Division II NH College and "Barish/Boris Kachar/Karcar"...
On the womens front--an offseason of transition hits the coaching ranks... assistant Daron Park takes the associate head coaching job at Louisiana Tech. Park was the interim gameday coach during the latter stages of Brenda Frese's pregnancy in 2008...and acquitted himself rather well as an x's and o's man over his two years in College Park-- he was a class act who will be missed. Erica Floyd also departs (leaving the profession entirely) after having been a part of coach Frese's staff since 2002--as the point-person in recruiting, I can only imagine the frequent flyer miles Erica's racked up.
Marlin Chinn and David Atkins join the program; with second-year assistant Tina Langley the only assistant to remain. Much is made about chemistry on the court...I think the chemistry on a coaching staff is just as important. For seven seasons Erica Floyd knew the type of player Brenda Frese wanted and how best to work with in tandem to recruit such players; one can only think there will be a learning curve for Chinn and Atkins as they assimilate themselves into the program that Brenda's built.
With the graduations of four-year starters Marissa Coleman and Kristi Tolliver there was already going to be quite a different world this upcoming season... now add in the coaching moves and the transfers of starter Marah Strickland (to South Carolina) and Dre Mingo (to Purdue)... there's going to be a completely different feel next winter at Comcast.
Vasquez' return means a major piece stays on the chessboard for coach Gary Williams-- instead of having to replace roughly 25% of his offense he now has 7 of his top 8 scorers returning...with Dave Neal the only player averaging more than 10 minutes a game not coming back to College Park. With the added size of incoming freshmen power forwards Jordan Williams and James Padgett (the one achilles heel of last winters team)-- Maryland's mindset goes from "maybe" to "definitely maybe". Whereas last fall there were hopes of finishing .500 in the ACC and stealing an NCAA Tournament berth-- this veteran bunch will be expected to contend in the conference and get to the tournament's second weekend (Maryland hasn't reached the sweet sixteen since 2003).
One last Greivis note--his name is one of the more ambiguous I've dealt with... pronounced by coach Williams and his teammates as "GRAY-vous" and "GRIEVE-us" alternately. Takes me back to when I covered Division II NH College and "Barish/Boris Kachar/Karcar"...
On the womens front--an offseason of transition hits the coaching ranks... assistant Daron Park takes the associate head coaching job at Louisiana Tech. Park was the interim gameday coach during the latter stages of Brenda Frese's pregnancy in 2008...and acquitted himself rather well as an x's and o's man over his two years in College Park-- he was a class act who will be missed. Erica Floyd also departs (leaving the profession entirely) after having been a part of coach Frese's staff since 2002--as the point-person in recruiting, I can only imagine the frequent flyer miles Erica's racked up.
Marlin Chinn and David Atkins join the program; with second-year assistant Tina Langley the only assistant to remain. Much is made about chemistry on the court...I think the chemistry on a coaching staff is just as important. For seven seasons Erica Floyd knew the type of player Brenda Frese wanted and how best to work with in tandem to recruit such players; one can only think there will be a learning curve for Chinn and Atkins as they assimilate themselves into the program that Brenda's built.
With the graduations of four-year starters Marissa Coleman and Kristi Tolliver there was already going to be quite a different world this upcoming season... now add in the coaching moves and the transfers of starter Marah Strickland (to South Carolina) and Dre Mingo (to Purdue)... there's going to be a completely different feel next winter at Comcast.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Does Kobe is belong in Jordan's rarefied air?
The instant gratification--twitter ADD world we live in demands constant re-evaluation... and naturally when the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up the NBA title with a 99-86 victory over Orlando the talking heads were trying to find immediate perspective on how GREAT Kobe and Phil are...
Slow down! Do they not realize there are more than a few days before the next NBA season?
(by the way I'm doing a poll on the first paragraph--did it say too much or too little? email me now!)
First let's discuss Phil...with ten NBA championships he's now the winningest coach in pro basketball-- or any other north American pro sport (although John Wooden does have 10 NCAA titles to his credit). Is he the greatest coach ever?
The case against Jackson has always been the fact that he's been blessed with talent. Michael Jordan is one of the all-time five best players easily...and Shaquille O'Neal is one of the top four centers in league history--Phil had both at their prime...and Kobe Bryant during his peak years as well. Meanwhile, Auerbach had a ridiculous amount of hall of famers at his disposal--including eight on his roster in one season-- specifically Russell, Cousy, Heinsohn and Havilicek. What might give Red an advantage is he acquired all of his players--whereas Phil benefited by Jerry Krause, Jerry West (best GM in the modern era) and Mitch Kupchak's efforts. I have no problem placing Phil on the same level as Red-- but the two coached in completely different eras...and while Auerbach's Celtics played fewer playoff series to win titles, Jackson's Bulls and Lakers competed in a watered down league (less legitimate competition in the first and second round giving him easier early victories to pad his total). Not to take the easy way out-- but here it is: Phil is the greatest pure coach in the history of the game. Red is the greatest coach/general manager in league history.
Now for the Kobe lovefest...I was shocked to hear the question about Kobe Bryant's legacy and where he fit in-- if this title puts him in Jordan's class...hello? While Kobe is the best player in the game today (although Lebron James is doing more with less around him) he doesn't belong in the same class as Jordan...or Magic Johnson...or even Oscar Robertson. Kobe's place in my all-time world is right next to Jerry West... both extremely talented off guards who could take over games. And what's wrong being the equal of the league logo?
For all the accolades Kobe will get for winning a title without Shaq... this was far from a one-man show: Pau Gasol was probably the most consistent Laker in the finals (wrapping up with 14 points and 15 boards in game five) while Lamar Odom was the gamechanger when he decided to play. Derek Fisher's threes in game four turned what could have been a nip and tuck series into a walkover. What a difference 18 months make--Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak went from being the guy who traded Caron Butler for Kwame Brown to being a championship architect...
Slow down! Do they not realize there are more than a few days before the next NBA season?
(by the way I'm doing a poll on the first paragraph--did it say too much or too little? email me now!)
First let's discuss Phil...with ten NBA championships he's now the winningest coach in pro basketball-- or any other north American pro sport (although John Wooden does have 10 NCAA titles to his credit). Is he the greatest coach ever?
The case against Jackson has always been the fact that he's been blessed with talent. Michael Jordan is one of the all-time five best players easily...and Shaquille O'Neal is one of the top four centers in league history--Phil had both at their prime...and Kobe Bryant during his peak years as well. Meanwhile, Auerbach had a ridiculous amount of hall of famers at his disposal--including eight on his roster in one season-- specifically Russell, Cousy, Heinsohn and Havilicek. What might give Red an advantage is he acquired all of his players--whereas Phil benefited by Jerry Krause, Jerry West (best GM in the modern era) and Mitch Kupchak's efforts. I have no problem placing Phil on the same level as Red-- but the two coached in completely different eras...and while Auerbach's Celtics played fewer playoff series to win titles, Jackson's Bulls and Lakers competed in a watered down league (less legitimate competition in the first and second round giving him easier early victories to pad his total). Not to take the easy way out-- but here it is: Phil is the greatest pure coach in the history of the game. Red is the greatest coach/general manager in league history.
Now for the Kobe lovefest...I was shocked to hear the question about Kobe Bryant's legacy and where he fit in-- if this title puts him in Jordan's class...hello? While Kobe is the best player in the game today (although Lebron James is doing more with less around him) he doesn't belong in the same class as Jordan...or Magic Johnson...or even Oscar Robertson. Kobe's place in my all-time world is right next to Jerry West... both extremely talented off guards who could take over games. And what's wrong being the equal of the league logo?
For all the accolades Kobe will get for winning a title without Shaq... this was far from a one-man show: Pau Gasol was probably the most consistent Laker in the finals (wrapping up with 14 points and 15 boards in game five) while Lamar Odom was the gamechanger when he decided to play. Derek Fisher's threes in game four turned what could have been a nip and tuck series into a walkover. What a difference 18 months make--Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak went from being the guy who traded Caron Butler for Kwame Brown to being a championship architect...
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Manny deserved better...
Nationals manager Manny Acta's tenure in the dugout is nearing its end...according to Fox Sports baseball insider Ken Rosenthal the Nats skipper will be replaced by bench coach Jim Riggelman in the near future--(unfortunately Rosenthal's clairvoyance did not involve an exact timetable). The eventual end will be unfortunate but necessary at the same time...
Lets lead off by saying the current situation is not entirely Acta's fault. He was betrayed by a front office that let its most dynamic player (Alfonso Soriano) depart the winter before he took over and seemed interested in keeping ex-Reds employed (Wily Mo Pena, Austin Kearns). Even when correct moves were made they were unable to compensate for other weaknesses: Adam Dunn's acquisition unfortunately has been whitewashed by a bullpen that is hands down one of the worst in recent memory (15 blown saves leads the big leagues).
A relief corps can often be compared to a combination lock: quality bullpens plan for two innings from a long-reliever...followed by an eighth inning setup man...followed by a closer for the ninth (although some teams will have the closer pitch the last out of the eighth). If everything clicks and turns correctly, you have a saved game. But if you go clockwise instead of counter clockwise... stop too soon or go too far... there's no opening the safe. Manny's tried a slew of combinations-- and nothing's really worked.
The leaky pen's not helped by a deficient defense...the Nats fielders lead the majors with 60 errors (Christian Guzman the leader with 8--and three are tied with 7) and make a slew of other fielding mistakes that result in hits--sometimes the Nats have the look of the Chico's Bail Bonds Bears before Kelly Leak joined up.
Baseball managers are hired to be fired and have a limited shelf-life (see the Orioles)--even in massive rebuilding movements (which this franchise has been in since they played games in San Juan). Randy St. Claire's departure at the beginning of the month was the first shot fired in the final days of the Acta regime...and the Nats are 3-8 since then. Acta's been a class act in DC and will easily find employment as somebody's third-base coach...while the new brain trust will shake things up with a new plan. Time only knows if this will be the start of something special as opposed to another ride on the managerial merry-go-round...but Manny Acta's tenure has reached its conclusion.
Lets lead off by saying the current situation is not entirely Acta's fault. He was betrayed by a front office that let its most dynamic player (Alfonso Soriano) depart the winter before he took over and seemed interested in keeping ex-Reds employed (Wily Mo Pena, Austin Kearns). Even when correct moves were made they were unable to compensate for other weaknesses: Adam Dunn's acquisition unfortunately has been whitewashed by a bullpen that is hands down one of the worst in recent memory (15 blown saves leads the big leagues).
A relief corps can often be compared to a combination lock: quality bullpens plan for two innings from a long-reliever...followed by an eighth inning setup man...followed by a closer for the ninth (although some teams will have the closer pitch the last out of the eighth). If everything clicks and turns correctly, you have a saved game. But if you go clockwise instead of counter clockwise... stop too soon or go too far... there's no opening the safe. Manny's tried a slew of combinations-- and nothing's really worked.
The leaky pen's not helped by a deficient defense...the Nats fielders lead the majors with 60 errors (Christian Guzman the leader with 8--and three are tied with 7) and make a slew of other fielding mistakes that result in hits--sometimes the Nats have the look of the Chico's Bail Bonds Bears before Kelly Leak joined up.
Baseball managers are hired to be fired and have a limited shelf-life (see the Orioles)--even in massive rebuilding movements (which this franchise has been in since they played games in San Juan). Randy St. Claire's departure at the beginning of the month was the first shot fired in the final days of the Acta regime...and the Nats are 3-8 since then. Acta's been a class act in DC and will easily find employment as somebody's third-base coach...while the new brain trust will shake things up with a new plan. Time only knows if this will be the start of something special as opposed to another ride on the managerial merry-go-round...but Manny Acta's tenure has reached its conclusion.
Friday, June 12, 2009
OTA's...and a toothless NCAA...
The Redskins wrapped up Organized Team Activities with a splash-- with a a long lost cast member returning for the series finale (like C-Note on Prison Break). LaRon Landry after being unreachable by phone for most of the sessions showed up for the final workout-- evidently coach Jim Zorn had the wrong phone number to contact him--good for coach...usually when I'm given an incorrect number-- the person in question doesn't wind up running around in shorts at my place of employment.
Landry dismissed rumors that he might be unhappy in DC and would want a trade... allowing whatever storm there may have been to blow over for the moment. Other intriguing tidbits to come out of Ashburn include how Jason Campbell's continuing to progress... offensive tackle Mike Williams was held out of Thursday's practice with an injured quad... wide receiver James Thrash may go on the Physically Unable to Perform List (neck)...
The two biggest offseason additions to the team are still finding their way-- free agent defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth mentioned this defense involves more blitzing than the one he played with in Tennessee...while first round pick Brian Orakpo's dealing with playing linebacker as well as defensive end. This is where coordinator Greg Blache will earn his keep; Haynesworth and Orakpo can take this defense to another level if both are integrated well into the system. If they're still learning what it is they need to do in September--what was a major strength last year could be a frustrating weakness.
Not even a slap--Alabama football gets bagged for cheating again...this time a textbook scandal hits the Crimson Tide-- erasing 21 victories yet not taking away any scholarships... once again letting everyone know the NCAA is an impotent paper tiger with plenty of bark to take down the mid-majors and non-revenue sports--but toothless when it comes to a major university's breadwinner. I wonder what will happen to USC now that the Tim Floyd situation has blown up.
Landry dismissed rumors that he might be unhappy in DC and would want a trade... allowing whatever storm there may have been to blow over for the moment. Other intriguing tidbits to come out of Ashburn include how Jason Campbell's continuing to progress... offensive tackle Mike Williams was held out of Thursday's practice with an injured quad... wide receiver James Thrash may go on the Physically Unable to Perform List (neck)...
The two biggest offseason additions to the team are still finding their way-- free agent defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth mentioned this defense involves more blitzing than the one he played with in Tennessee...while first round pick Brian Orakpo's dealing with playing linebacker as well as defensive end. This is where coordinator Greg Blache will earn his keep; Haynesworth and Orakpo can take this defense to another level if both are integrated well into the system. If they're still learning what it is they need to do in September--what was a major strength last year could be a frustrating weakness.
Not even a slap--Alabama football gets bagged for cheating again...this time a textbook scandal hits the Crimson Tide-- erasing 21 victories yet not taking away any scholarships... once again letting everyone know the NCAA is an impotent paper tiger with plenty of bark to take down the mid-majors and non-revenue sports--but toothless when it comes to a major university's breadwinner. I wonder what will happen to USC now that the Tim Floyd situation has blown up.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Federer Finds Favor...Borel gets the Bird... plus Skins... Nats and... Mystics?
After a week away that saw little sunburn...hearbreak...heartburn or sunbreak...:
He'll always have Paris...Roger Federer had already punched his ticket to tennis immortality--now he simply sits up in first class with a better view. Federer's French Open finals triumph over Robin Soderling gives him 14 major championships--tying him with Pete Sampras--but the magnitude of the win is it gives Federer a career grandslam that only five others have accomplished (although Rafael Nadal needs just the US to join the group).
Tennis in the open era is dominated by specialists: hardcourt (US Open), grass (Wimbledon), clay (French) and being in shape after Christmas (Australian). It's very tough to succeed on one surface--let alone three--especially against specialists whose games are tailored to those respective surfaces (Gustavo Kuerten and Pat Cash, anyone?). There have been plenty of great players over the years who have won 5+ majors while dominating the game--but each has had an Achilles heel: Bjorn Borg somehow could never win on the hard stuff while Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander saw their unbridled dominance come under control on grass. Clay has been the biggest humbler of great players: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker and Pete Sampras could never maximize their abilities at the French Open...and for Federer to break through puts him on a higher plane (Andre Agassi's Achilles heel? Barbra Streisand--but that's for another day).
"Calvin Crown" gets the (Summer) Bird...while on milestone was met--another bid came up short as Summer Bird raced past Mine that Bird at the Belmont Stakes...Calvin Borel's bid to become the first jockey to capture a triple crown while on two horses (I guess akin to winning baseball's triple crown while spending part of the season with a different team) had legs...but not enough to last the full length at Belmont. It's a shame Rachel Alexandra didn't run in either the Derby or the Belmont--and once again I'll push for the Preakness in June and the Belmont in July to allow the elite horses to heal and regroup for another run.
Skins offseason hits OTA gear--again. Sometimes it seems the preparing for preparation takes longer than the actual season they're preparing for. Notable developments include defensive back LaRon Landry absent...Jason Campbell regrouping and both lines works in progress. I'll be out at Redskins Park in Ashburn later this week--stay tuned for my impressions (or at least my impressions of what they tell me).
No Salvation for Saint... Nationals Manager Manny Acta is officially on the clock with last week's firing of pitching coach Randy St. Claire. The team owns the worst record and ERA in the bigs while the bullpen has been butchered on a regular basis...despite revamping the relief corps and re-writing roles all season. Acta has been a solid manager in DC with the material (or lack thereof) he's been given...and he'll likely have no trouble finding employment elsewhere...but conventional wisdom is that there needs to be somewhat of a turnaround--or he'll be turned out.
Break up the Mystics! A 2-0 start has women's basketball fans wondering what exactly is going on here? My interest in following this team is a player I covered for four years while she shined at Maryland--rookie Marissa Coleman. The guard/forward possesses all the tools to succeed as a pro--and has a game that translates better than any of her former Terp teammates to the WNBA. As she's been brought off the bench the first weekend, it looks as though the Mystics are bringing her along surely if slowly. With an increasingly crowded sports marketplace (Washington Freedom, anyone?), women's hoops needs whatever edge it can get--and a winning team led by a dynamic local standout might just be what's needed...by the way has anyone seen Byron Leftwich?
He'll always have Paris...Roger Federer had already punched his ticket to tennis immortality--now he simply sits up in first class with a better view. Federer's French Open finals triumph over Robin Soderling gives him 14 major championships--tying him with Pete Sampras--but the magnitude of the win is it gives Federer a career grandslam that only five others have accomplished (although Rafael Nadal needs just the US to join the group).
Tennis in the open era is dominated by specialists: hardcourt (US Open), grass (Wimbledon), clay (French) and being in shape after Christmas (Australian). It's very tough to succeed on one surface--let alone three--especially against specialists whose games are tailored to those respective surfaces (Gustavo Kuerten and Pat Cash, anyone?). There have been plenty of great players over the years who have won 5+ majors while dominating the game--but each has had an Achilles heel: Bjorn Borg somehow could never win on the hard stuff while Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander saw their unbridled dominance come under control on grass. Clay has been the biggest humbler of great players: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker and Pete Sampras could never maximize their abilities at the French Open...and for Federer to break through puts him on a higher plane (Andre Agassi's Achilles heel? Barbra Streisand--but that's for another day).
"Calvin Crown" gets the (Summer) Bird...while on milestone was met--another bid came up short as Summer Bird raced past Mine that Bird at the Belmont Stakes...Calvin Borel's bid to become the first jockey to capture a triple crown while on two horses (I guess akin to winning baseball's triple crown while spending part of the season with a different team) had legs...but not enough to last the full length at Belmont. It's a shame Rachel Alexandra didn't run in either the Derby or the Belmont--and once again I'll push for the Preakness in June and the Belmont in July to allow the elite horses to heal and regroup for another run.
Skins offseason hits OTA gear--again. Sometimes it seems the preparing for preparation takes longer than the actual season they're preparing for. Notable developments include defensive back LaRon Landry absent...Jason Campbell regrouping and both lines works in progress. I'll be out at Redskins Park in Ashburn later this week--stay tuned for my impressions (or at least my impressions of what they tell me).
No Salvation for Saint... Nationals Manager Manny Acta is officially on the clock with last week's firing of pitching coach Randy St. Claire. The team owns the worst record and ERA in the bigs while the bullpen has been butchered on a regular basis...despite revamping the relief corps and re-writing roles all season. Acta has been a solid manager in DC with the material (or lack thereof) he's been given...and he'll likely have no trouble finding employment elsewhere...but conventional wisdom is that there needs to be somewhat of a turnaround--or he'll be turned out.
Break up the Mystics! A 2-0 start has women's basketball fans wondering what exactly is going on here? My interest in following this team is a player I covered for four years while she shined at Maryland--rookie Marissa Coleman. The guard/forward possesses all the tools to succeed as a pro--and has a game that translates better than any of her former Terp teammates to the WNBA. As she's been brought off the bench the first weekend, it looks as though the Mystics are bringing her along surely if slowly. With an increasingly crowded sports marketplace (Washington Freedom, anyone?), women's hoops needs whatever edge it can get--and a winning team led by a dynamic local standout might just be what's needed...by the way has anyone seen Byron Leftwich?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
