So much for the summertime slumber. NFL training camps begin this week and all eyes are on the "Redskins Experiment" brewing in Ashburn. What should we be looking for over the next month? What's A-1 priority and what can we back-burner until the opener September 12th?
Form a Line-- how well the offensive line comes together will be the most important aspect of this team's August. Especially with the loss of projected starting guard Mike Williams for the season. This turns Artis Hicks from reserve into a starter on a line where both starting tackles did not play a down in the NFL last year. And Trent Williams remains unsigned.
Is Haynesworth it after all-- the 100 million dollar man was in camp and reportedly 30 pounds lighter. Unfortunately #92 failed to pass the team's conditioning test--not a complete surprise to anyone who saw him get winded on a regular basis last fall. Haynesworth is the Ashburn equivalent of a referee-- the less one hears about him the better off everybody is.
Running back rotation-- the 2005 Fantasy Football trio of Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson and Willie Parker will get to compete over carries in the next month... as we get to see how coach Shanahan may maximize his backfield options. Is Portis fully recovered from his concussion and is he ready to become a "Shanahan-type" back? Do Johnson and Parker have anything left in the tank? And can these three pro-bowlers co-exist?
Tracking the triumvirate-- much was made of the lack of production regarding Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and Fred Davis in 2008. The three second round picks each made strides in their second season-- and now it's a question of producing in Shanahan's offense.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Will Soccer Fever Ever Kick In?
Well, the World Cup came, saw, conquered and just like that it's gone for four years. We're washing the sheets and towels it used and we're closing the door to the room it stayed in. Keep in mind, we'll still use it for storage from time to time-- but it's practical use is done: unlike members of the family who live under our sports roof like Football, Basketball and Baseball, this room is for our visiting guests like Swimming and Track & Field. It's amazing how for one month every four years soccer climbs into our sports consciousness and then disappears like Keyser Soze. Each time the extreme soccer fans say this is the tipping point... and each time they're proven differently.
I write this having played soccer as a kid. It was forced upon me (my dad played collegiately and then coached in our youth league) and I eventually grew to love the game and its nuances beyond my abilities. I even watched "Soccer Made In Germany" on public TV and was one of 7 people in the U.S. who subscribed to "The Globe Kicker" (pronounced by the announcers as "the glowb kickah"). I enjoyed its demand of speed and reorganization on the fly... the necessity for perfect execution of a perfect opportunity and its punishment for making the slightest error in judgement... its focus on team and its ability to make everybody feel as though they contributed to the greater good. In my mind's eye I can see the perfect cross coming off my foot and curving out right in front of the 18 yard mark; the header in traffic or the garbage goal off a weakside carom. It can truly be a beautiful game at all levels (even the 6-year olds who can only use their dominant foot and their massive stampede has its charm).
There are two major camps I cannot stand when it comes to soccer's discussion--the naysayers who complain how boring and how stupid soccer is ("yeah man, you can't even use your hands!") and how anyone who likes soccer has to have the IQ of a soccer score itself; and the firebrands who elevate the game as though it was invented on Mount Olympus itself and how anyone who doesn't completely love every single aspect is just not smart enough to understand its beauty. Neither side can be convinced that there could be any grain of truth in what either believes--and whatever merits their arguments may have are drowned out by both group's absolutism. Reminds me of when I was in high school and would argue with friends who thought Roger Moore was the better Bond.
Soccer is a great game and has many fantastic elements, but as constructed is not USA-TV-friendly. And there's no way FIFA will bend to American demands. But if they did have an open mind...what would make the game more entertaining to U.S. audiences?
Liberal substitution. I'm not saying let's turn this into hockey, but allow teams to substitute freely on goal kicks. It'll potentially make for a quicker game...no need to save yourself when you can take extended breaks on the sidelines... and create more offensive opportunities.
Moderately more TV timeouts. Give us quarter breaks-- there's nothing wrong with resetting midway through the half. Many times teams will be doing that at midfield anyway as they're continuously playing for 45 straight minutes. Oh, and it'll boost TV revenue which I hear is big in the states.
Stop stoppage time. Our nation is governed by the clock-- we are always wondering what time is it... and how much time is left-- I mean the beeping clock turned Kiefer Sutherland's career around! To have the ambiguous "stoppage time" at the end of every half is frustrating and lets air out of the balloon. Give us a stadium clock that governs when the half ends... and have time stopped when there's a "stretcher injury" (like when Pele was waylayed during "Victory"). Non-stretcher injured players can of course be replaced at the ensuing goal kick. It wont steal from the integrity of the game--did you know that during the NFL's dark ages time was kept by the officials on the field? It's time soccer follows suit.
Give us a name-- or at least a number. In every other pro sport when there's a penalty or a foul the official says what the infraction is and who the perpetrator is. No phantom calls like Slovenia. We're not going to be ashamed of a player if he trips someone else. We don't need to keep him in anonymity--let everyone be accountable.
Shorten the MLS Season. Did you know the Major League Soccer season begins before the NCAA Tournament and ends deep in football season? I love my country but completely recognize our lack of attention span--it's tough enough during baseball's dog days of August to be into a sport that was our national pastime... somehow we've got to stay in tune with a low-scoring sport while we crown NCAA, NHL, NBA, MLB as well as Masters, Wimbledon, British Open, French Open, both US Open and PGA Champions? Please remind me what I was talking about. Oh yes-- shorten the season to what the WNBA does: Memorial Day to Labor Day (with maybe a few weeks either way)-- get in...charm us with exciting play and intriguing races where every match is pivotal as opposed to a 20-date marathon with friendlies and sub-tournaments skimming suspense off the top.
Will this ever happen? Not likely. Unfortunately FIFA is bound by the tradition of a 19th century sport that does have wonderful merits... but doesn't have wonderful vision to maximize what makes it great.
The other question that gets bandied about every four years as the US improves and then sometimes disappoints on the World Cup Stage: will the US ever be a serious contender? I think Team USA will continue to improve... but if you look at where our best athletes are going (basketball/football/baseball) soccer's talent pool is diminished. Wouldn't it have been awesome to have had Ray Lewis as the defensive backbone against Ghana? Or Kobe Bryant crossing the ball across the goalmouth to Derek Jeter against England? I compare US soccer to Vanderbilt basketball. It's not as important and although they can develop a handful of quality players and good coaching, they're not in the same league as the Brazils/Kentuckys from a budget or student athlete pool standpoint. So while there will be excitement in future Cups... this nation is more Commodore than Wildcat. Or Connery than Moore--sorry, I still can't let that one go.
I write this having played soccer as a kid. It was forced upon me (my dad played collegiately and then coached in our youth league) and I eventually grew to love the game and its nuances beyond my abilities. I even watched "Soccer Made In Germany" on public TV and was one of 7 people in the U.S. who subscribed to "The Globe Kicker" (pronounced by the announcers as "the glowb kickah"). I enjoyed its demand of speed and reorganization on the fly... the necessity for perfect execution of a perfect opportunity and its punishment for making the slightest error in judgement... its focus on team and its ability to make everybody feel as though they contributed to the greater good. In my mind's eye I can see the perfect cross coming off my foot and curving out right in front of the 18 yard mark; the header in traffic or the garbage goal off a weakside carom. It can truly be a beautiful game at all levels (even the 6-year olds who can only use their dominant foot and their massive stampede has its charm).
There are two major camps I cannot stand when it comes to soccer's discussion--the naysayers who complain how boring and how stupid soccer is ("yeah man, you can't even use your hands!") and how anyone who likes soccer has to have the IQ of a soccer score itself; and the firebrands who elevate the game as though it was invented on Mount Olympus itself and how anyone who doesn't completely love every single aspect is just not smart enough to understand its beauty. Neither side can be convinced that there could be any grain of truth in what either believes--and whatever merits their arguments may have are drowned out by both group's absolutism. Reminds me of when I was in high school and would argue with friends who thought Roger Moore was the better Bond.
Soccer is a great game and has many fantastic elements, but as constructed is not USA-TV-friendly. And there's no way FIFA will bend to American demands. But if they did have an open mind...what would make the game more entertaining to U.S. audiences?
Liberal substitution. I'm not saying let's turn this into hockey, but allow teams to substitute freely on goal kicks. It'll potentially make for a quicker game...no need to save yourself when you can take extended breaks on the sidelines... and create more offensive opportunities.
Moderately more TV timeouts. Give us quarter breaks-- there's nothing wrong with resetting midway through the half. Many times teams will be doing that at midfield anyway as they're continuously playing for 45 straight minutes. Oh, and it'll boost TV revenue which I hear is big in the states.
Stop stoppage time. Our nation is governed by the clock-- we are always wondering what time is it... and how much time is left-- I mean the beeping clock turned Kiefer Sutherland's career around! To have the ambiguous "stoppage time" at the end of every half is frustrating and lets air out of the balloon. Give us a stadium clock that governs when the half ends... and have time stopped when there's a "stretcher injury" (like when Pele was waylayed during "Victory"). Non-stretcher injured players can of course be replaced at the ensuing goal kick. It wont steal from the integrity of the game--did you know that during the NFL's dark ages time was kept by the officials on the field? It's time soccer follows suit.
Give us a name-- or at least a number. In every other pro sport when there's a penalty or a foul the official says what the infraction is and who the perpetrator is. No phantom calls like Slovenia. We're not going to be ashamed of a player if he trips someone else. We don't need to keep him in anonymity--let everyone be accountable.
Shorten the MLS Season. Did you know the Major League Soccer season begins before the NCAA Tournament and ends deep in football season? I love my country but completely recognize our lack of attention span--it's tough enough during baseball's dog days of August to be into a sport that was our national pastime... somehow we've got to stay in tune with a low-scoring sport while we crown NCAA, NHL, NBA, MLB as well as Masters, Wimbledon, British Open, French Open, both US Open and PGA Champions? Please remind me what I was talking about. Oh yes-- shorten the season to what the WNBA does: Memorial Day to Labor Day (with maybe a few weeks either way)-- get in...charm us with exciting play and intriguing races where every match is pivotal as opposed to a 20-date marathon with friendlies and sub-tournaments skimming suspense off the top.
Will this ever happen? Not likely. Unfortunately FIFA is bound by the tradition of a 19th century sport that does have wonderful merits... but doesn't have wonderful vision to maximize what makes it great.
The other question that gets bandied about every four years as the US improves and then sometimes disappoints on the World Cup Stage: will the US ever be a serious contender? I think Team USA will continue to improve... but if you look at where our best athletes are going (basketball/football/baseball) soccer's talent pool is diminished. Wouldn't it have been awesome to have had Ray Lewis as the defensive backbone against Ghana? Or Kobe Bryant crossing the ball across the goalmouth to Derek Jeter against England? I compare US soccer to Vanderbilt basketball. It's not as important and although they can develop a handful of quality players and good coaching, they're not in the same league as the Brazils/Kentuckys from a budget or student athlete pool standpoint. So while there will be excitement in future Cups... this nation is more Commodore than Wildcat. Or Connery than Moore--sorry, I still can't let that one go.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
One Wild Week--summer cleaning...
Sometimes summertime is a snooze-- but not this past week. Too much to get into and recover from...
World Cup thrills, chills and spills... From goals that should have counted to thrilling comebacks, Team USA went unbeaten in Group play only to fall in extra time to Ghana in the Round of Sixteen. It's a shame because the traditional heavyweights (Germany, Argentina, Brazil) were in the other half of the bracket; sometimes a nation needs a few breaks in its draw to make noise and it appeared as though the US had that break... instead they leave South Africa broken hearted.
It's a credit that they got so far with as little firepower (no goals from the forwards) and slow starts (allowing goals often early-- even Algeria had a great early chance in the first half of their match). These were sore points that would have eliminated a weaker team; and if nothing else Team USA will look at 2010 as the year of the comebacks.
Wacky Wimbledon-- one incredible turn after another this fortnight: from John Isner's Inna-Gadda-da-Vidda of matches against Nicolas Mahut (eleven hours and three days) to quality battles littered throughout the first few rounds-- Roger Federer's comeback from 2 sets back on opening day... Rafael Nadal's escape of upset over the weekend and the rash of womens upsets (with the consonants market cornered in the semifinals)... setting up two fantastic round of sixteen matches Monday-- Yen-Hsun Lu shocking Andy Roddick (4 of 5 sets went to tiebreaker) and Serena Williams outlasting Maria Sharapova (11-9 the first set finish). Of course with Venus Williams out and Andy Roddick headed home two of the four annual questions have been answered no: the "Will we see the Williams Sisters in the Finals?" and "Is this the year for Roddick?". It remains to be seen about the other two: "Another Federer-Nadal Clash for the Title?" and "Is this the year for a Brit (aka Andy Murray)?".
Murray aside-- it's interesting how Britain recycles best hopes like Bond actors... as Tim Henman's the original--I've yet to determine if Murray is Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan or Craig (although Andy Murray is Scottish like Sir Sean).
Strasburg support-- after taking winning his first two major league starts, Stephen Strasburg has pitched well but shows he can't field 8 positions or hit the other 8 spots in the batting order. Although the strikeouts have dropped off (from 11 per start to just under 9) so has his run support (one run in three games). Unfortunately, the rest of the rotation is starting to stagger-- and we aren't even at the all-star break yet.
World Cup thrills, chills and spills... From goals that should have counted to thrilling comebacks, Team USA went unbeaten in Group play only to fall in extra time to Ghana in the Round of Sixteen. It's a shame because the traditional heavyweights (Germany, Argentina, Brazil) were in the other half of the bracket; sometimes a nation needs a few breaks in its draw to make noise and it appeared as though the US had that break... instead they leave South Africa broken hearted.
It's a credit that they got so far with as little firepower (no goals from the forwards) and slow starts (allowing goals often early-- even Algeria had a great early chance in the first half of their match). These were sore points that would have eliminated a weaker team; and if nothing else Team USA will look at 2010 as the year of the comebacks.
Wacky Wimbledon-- one incredible turn after another this fortnight: from John Isner's Inna-Gadda-da-Vidda of matches against Nicolas Mahut (eleven hours and three days) to quality battles littered throughout the first few rounds-- Roger Federer's comeback from 2 sets back on opening day... Rafael Nadal's escape of upset over the weekend and the rash of womens upsets (with the consonants market cornered in the semifinals)... setting up two fantastic round of sixteen matches Monday-- Yen-Hsun Lu shocking Andy Roddick (4 of 5 sets went to tiebreaker) and Serena Williams outlasting Maria Sharapova (11-9 the first set finish). Of course with Venus Williams out and Andy Roddick headed home two of the four annual questions have been answered no: the "Will we see the Williams Sisters in the Finals?" and "Is this the year for Roddick?". It remains to be seen about the other two: "Another Federer-Nadal Clash for the Title?" and "Is this the year for a Brit (aka Andy Murray)?".
Murray aside-- it's interesting how Britain recycles best hopes like Bond actors... as Tim Henman's the original--I've yet to determine if Murray is Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan or Craig (although Andy Murray is Scottish like Sir Sean).
Strasburg support-- after taking winning his first two major league starts, Stephen Strasburg has pitched well but shows he can't field 8 positions or hit the other 8 spots in the batting order. Although the strikeouts have dropped off (from 11 per start to just under 9) so has his run support (one run in three games). Unfortunately, the rest of the rotation is starting to stagger-- and we aren't even at the all-star break yet.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Fading through the door...
Summer's a sneeze-- before you know it Labor Day will be on the horizon. Time to regroup, refresh and repair for a full fall of football. Book recommendations by friends for this summer range from Chuck Klosterman's Eating the Dinosaur to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (more on tattoos later)... and I'm still trying to work my way through Joseph Heller's God Knows.
First Serve-- don't be fooled by the fine trim, mandatory white outfits and strict diet of strawberries and cream at Wimbledon... this is one wild major. Past is present, tradition is everywhere... the annual drama (will a Brit win) now features Andy Murray instead of Tim Henman (much like a Bond actor recast this happens every ten years or so)... the wondering if Andy Roddick will get it done (he's tennis' version of Phil Mickelson)... and the apparent collision course between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Wide US Open-- did Graeme McDowell win the US Open as much as Tiger, Phil and Ernie failed to take it? Credit his calm and cool demeanor while others failed to make charges and third round leader Dustin Johnson imploded Sunday. I also heard somewhere that Phil Mickelson is a father-- could we get more on that please?
Hold the Line-- the Redskins trade for a former pro bowler and he's not a running back? Jammal Brown comes to Ashburn with a Super Bowl ring he had little to do with... missing all of last season with the Saints due to sports hernia and hip injury. Previously he started 58 of 64 career games, earning Pro Bowl berths in 2006 and 2008. Best case he provides another bookend to go with Trent Williams and Donovan McNabb stays upright this fall; worst case he stays hobbled all season and contributes to a decaying locker room.
NBA Finals-- legend has it my mother gave me three key pieces of advice when I turned 18: never drink milk out of the carton, just because your date has a cross tattooed on her back doesn't mean she goes to church, and defense doesn't end until you get the rebound. As is usually the case my mother was proven right in the Lakers seventh game win over Boston... LA beat the Celtics on the glass by 13 and took the title. Credit the Lakers for playing more persistent and physical than they did two years ago (shades of '85)... and the winner of each game was the one who had the most rebounds. Although Kobe took the MVP trophy, I thought Pau Gasol had the better series (19 points and 18 rebounds in Game Seven.
Personal aside, or this one's gonna leave a mark. Growing up in New Hampshire... I convinced myself not to fall for this current Celtic team. A 27-27 finish with losses to New Jersey and Washington? Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce aging exponentially? I'm so glad I guarded my heart against the Green. And then they blew past Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. Still not sold, I told myself-- they may be able to take a game from Cleveland, but look at Game 3's 29 point debacle (at home no less). But I should have known better that to count them out. And I should have known better than to think I wouldn't leapfrog completely into their postseason run. I'll be much smarter at guarding myself against the Red Sox as they heat up, following the results every day. Did you say Clay Buchholtz won his tenth last night? Oh no. Something always happens and I'm head over heels.
First Serve-- don't be fooled by the fine trim, mandatory white outfits and strict diet of strawberries and cream at Wimbledon... this is one wild major. Past is present, tradition is everywhere... the annual drama (will a Brit win) now features Andy Murray instead of Tim Henman (much like a Bond actor recast this happens every ten years or so)... the wondering if Andy Roddick will get it done (he's tennis' version of Phil Mickelson)... and the apparent collision course between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Wide US Open-- did Graeme McDowell win the US Open as much as Tiger, Phil and Ernie failed to take it? Credit his calm and cool demeanor while others failed to make charges and third round leader Dustin Johnson imploded Sunday. I also heard somewhere that Phil Mickelson is a father-- could we get more on that please?
Hold the Line-- the Redskins trade for a former pro bowler and he's not a running back? Jammal Brown comes to Ashburn with a Super Bowl ring he had little to do with... missing all of last season with the Saints due to sports hernia and hip injury. Previously he started 58 of 64 career games, earning Pro Bowl berths in 2006 and 2008. Best case he provides another bookend to go with Trent Williams and Donovan McNabb stays upright this fall; worst case he stays hobbled all season and contributes to a decaying locker room.
NBA Finals-- legend has it my mother gave me three key pieces of advice when I turned 18: never drink milk out of the carton, just because your date has a cross tattooed on her back doesn't mean she goes to church, and defense doesn't end until you get the rebound. As is usually the case my mother was proven right in the Lakers seventh game win over Boston... LA beat the Celtics on the glass by 13 and took the title. Credit the Lakers for playing more persistent and physical than they did two years ago (shades of '85)... and the winner of each game was the one who had the most rebounds. Although Kobe took the MVP trophy, I thought Pau Gasol had the better series (19 points and 18 rebounds in Game Seven.
Personal aside, or this one's gonna leave a mark. Growing up in New Hampshire... I convinced myself not to fall for this current Celtic team. A 27-27 finish with losses to New Jersey and Washington? Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce aging exponentially? I'm so glad I guarded my heart against the Green. And then they blew past Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. Still not sold, I told myself-- they may be able to take a game from Cleveland, but look at Game 3's 29 point debacle (at home no less). But I should have known better that to count them out. And I should have known better than to think I wouldn't leapfrog completely into their postseason run. I'll be much smarter at guarding myself against the Red Sox as they heat up, following the results every day. Did you say Clay Buchholtz won his tenth last night? Oh no. Something always happens and I'm head over heels.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tradition when it suits them...
Tradition. College football and basketball revel in it. Tradition is a calling card extraordinaire. Homecoming. Alumni tailgating. Tradition. The backbone of college sports is tradition-- where long-tenured coaches are often the rule. Name a pro sport where multiple mentors last more than two decades consistently. Tradition. And while fall Saturdays continue to be the most relevant regular season in sports, March Madness remains sports best postseason... giving fans a marathon and a sprint in their respective sports. Tradition. From the Texas State Fair in Dallas being the centerpiece to Oklahoma-Texas to Alabama facing Tennessee on the third Saturday of October to Ohio State meeting Michigan the Saturday before Thanksgiving, major matchups aren't just set in stone--they're formed in bedrock. Tradition.
What did Teyva say--"A world without tradition is but as shaky as a fiddler on the roof"? Welcome to the college conference landscape-- a roof with an entire orchestra of brass, woodwinds and percussion (must have the kettle drums).
We begin with a change of numbers but not names... Nebraska bolting for the Big Ten (until Northwestern gets the hint) gives that league 12 schools, while the departure of Colorado to the Pac Ten (until Washington State joins the WAC) leaves the Big 12 with ten universities. Can't we just be gentlemanly and swap titles? After taking the Cornhuskers, it would be the chivalrous thing to do.
How the schools and leagues benefit:
Nebraska-- a football factory that has trouble not just winning its conference but beating Kansas and Missouri to take the weaker division in the Big 12 is now potentially set up for success. If they break the Big Ten up into East and West divisions, the Huskers face Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern and either Indiana or Purdue. Quality programs from time to time, but no worldbeaters-- like the Big 12 North. Nebraska also gets a bigger check from the TV and cable networks and they're not so far out of place with the other land-grant universities in the league. The Big Ten gets a name school to anchor it's western wing footballwise and a patsy for basketball season-- did you know the Cornhuskers are one of the few BCS schools to have never won an NCAA Tournament game?
Colorado-- long a stepchild in the Texas-centric Big 12, the Buffaloes will be able to tap better into west coast talent with annual visits to LA and San Francisco. And there are fewer monsters on the gridiron and the court. Instead of a football slate that features Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma-- CU gets a probation ravaged USC, a rebuilding UCLA and the Oregon/Washington schools plus two universities where academics are really big (Cal and Stanford-- like having Vanderbilt and Northwestern in the same league). Instead of Kansas and Texas (with a quality second tier in K-State, Oklahoma State and Scott Drew-led Baylor) in hoops, the Buffs have a probation ravaged USC (is there a running theme here?), a rebuilding USC and Arizona plus the Washington/Oregon schools and Cal/Stanford. The league gets the Denver market.
If I were the Big Ten: I'd stop at a dozen. We've seen unwieldy 16-school conferences topple under their own weight (the WAC) or bludgeon it's basketball teams from monster regular seasons (Big East), rendering them toothless for the tournament.
If I were the Pac Ten: I'd recruit another California school (San Diego State?) to give me a dozen and another Golden State market.
If I were the Big 12: I'd get back to my original number by recruiting Memphis (the guy who owns Fed Ex reportedly is offering 10 million dollars a year to any BCS conference that takes the Tigers) and Texas-El Paso. Neither school will destroy the league from a football standpoint and both programs have hoops history on their side; although while UTEP has historical significance (the 1966 title against all-white Kentucky), Memphis has infamy (two vacated final fours).
If I were big into college sports (and I am): I'd wonder why schools can uproot for other leagues but we can't have a football playoff. I'd wonder why the NCAA feels it's okay to think about adding 31 schools to a near-perfect tournament field of 64 yet can't find a way to get a 4-team gridiron bracket. I'd wonder why I'm being force-fed how the football regular season means more than any other sport and then being given a dreck-filled, near tradition free postseason. Tradition? Bring on the fiddlers.
What did Teyva say--"A world without tradition is but as shaky as a fiddler on the roof"? Welcome to the college conference landscape-- a roof with an entire orchestra of brass, woodwinds and percussion (must have the kettle drums).
We begin with a change of numbers but not names... Nebraska bolting for the Big Ten (until Northwestern gets the hint) gives that league 12 schools, while the departure of Colorado to the Pac Ten (until Washington State joins the WAC) leaves the Big 12 with ten universities. Can't we just be gentlemanly and swap titles? After taking the Cornhuskers, it would be the chivalrous thing to do.
How the schools and leagues benefit:
Nebraska-- a football factory that has trouble not just winning its conference but beating Kansas and Missouri to take the weaker division in the Big 12 is now potentially set up for success. If they break the Big Ten up into East and West divisions, the Huskers face Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern and either Indiana or Purdue. Quality programs from time to time, but no worldbeaters-- like the Big 12 North. Nebraska also gets a bigger check from the TV and cable networks and they're not so far out of place with the other land-grant universities in the league. The Big Ten gets a name school to anchor it's western wing footballwise and a patsy for basketball season-- did you know the Cornhuskers are one of the few BCS schools to have never won an NCAA Tournament game?
Colorado-- long a stepchild in the Texas-centric Big 12, the Buffaloes will be able to tap better into west coast talent with annual visits to LA and San Francisco. And there are fewer monsters on the gridiron and the court. Instead of a football slate that features Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma-- CU gets a probation ravaged USC, a rebuilding UCLA and the Oregon/Washington schools plus two universities where academics are really big (Cal and Stanford-- like having Vanderbilt and Northwestern in the same league). Instead of Kansas and Texas (with a quality second tier in K-State, Oklahoma State and Scott Drew-led Baylor) in hoops, the Buffs have a probation ravaged USC (is there a running theme here?), a rebuilding USC and Arizona plus the Washington/Oregon schools and Cal/Stanford. The league gets the Denver market.
If I were the Big Ten: I'd stop at a dozen. We've seen unwieldy 16-school conferences topple under their own weight (the WAC) or bludgeon it's basketball teams from monster regular seasons (Big East), rendering them toothless for the tournament.
If I were the Pac Ten: I'd recruit another California school (San Diego State?) to give me a dozen and another Golden State market.
If I were the Big 12: I'd get back to my original number by recruiting Memphis (the guy who owns Fed Ex reportedly is offering 10 million dollars a year to any BCS conference that takes the Tigers) and Texas-El Paso. Neither school will destroy the league from a football standpoint and both programs have hoops history on their side; although while UTEP has historical significance (the 1966 title against all-white Kentucky), Memphis has infamy (two vacated final fours).
If I were big into college sports (and I am): I'd wonder why schools can uproot for other leagues but we can't have a football playoff. I'd wonder why the NCAA feels it's okay to think about adding 31 schools to a near-perfect tournament field of 64 yet can't find a way to get a 4-team gridiron bracket. I'd wonder why I'm being force-fed how the football regular season means more than any other sport and then being given a dreck-filled, near tradition free postseason. Tradition? Bring on the fiddlers.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Nats Future is Wow...
There have been many levels of the return of baseball to DC. First the Nationals debut at RFK. Then the Sunday night affair against Atlanta to open the new ballpark in 2008. Now the arrival of the franchise is complete-- its first bonafide star (Ryan Zimmerman's a very good player, but not on the star level). And the product was better than the promotion. "It's better to travel hopefully than actually arrive" has been a sad reality in the DC area over the last two decades: Heath Shuler, Chris Webber, Kwame Brown, Jaromir Jagr, Joe Gibbs II, the Caps in the Playoffs... Stephen Strasburg had more than a few examples of hype turned bad to look at before he took the mound in his major league debut.
And what a debut... 14 strikeouts (although it was Pittsburgh- technically they're still major-leaguers)... no walks... and four hits scattered over seven innings. Meanwhile, the middle of the order produced with home runs by Zimmerman, Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham- and the bullpen shut the door effectively to give Strasburg the victory.
I could think of two other spectacular debuts on the Strasburg level: Magic Johnson either assisted on or hit the buzzer-beating shot in his first NBA game and hugged Kareem like they just won the title... and Archie Manning ran for the game-winning touchdown against the Rams in his first game quarterbacking the Saints. I'm sure there are others, but those are the two that came to mind first: heavily hyped athlete comes through in the clutch to lead his team to victory. Feel free to email me your favorite debut.
The best part about Strasburg's first start? The framework appears to be in place for a contending team. Zimmerman, Dunn and Willingham are all on pace to hit 30 home runs... Ian Desmond looks to be another long term infield solution... and the relief corps has a slew of young arms from Drew Storen to Matt Capps (the closer is just 26). Strasburg's emergence as a #1 means everybody can slide down one spot in the rotation; in theory he'll eat up innings (6 to 7 per start) so there will be less pressure on the bullpen as well.
Could this merely be a June mirage? Conventional wisdom says Strasburg will run into problems once he's gone through the league a couple of times as opponents will be able to effectively scout him. Even so, the makings of a consistent 15 to 20 game winner were on display. We're not used to dreaming about baseball greatness in Washington. But that was before the kid lived up to the hype.
And what a debut... 14 strikeouts (although it was Pittsburgh- technically they're still major-leaguers)... no walks... and four hits scattered over seven innings. Meanwhile, the middle of the order produced with home runs by Zimmerman, Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham- and the bullpen shut the door effectively to give Strasburg the victory.
I could think of two other spectacular debuts on the Strasburg level: Magic Johnson either assisted on or hit the buzzer-beating shot in his first NBA game and hugged Kareem like they just won the title... and Archie Manning ran for the game-winning touchdown against the Rams in his first game quarterbacking the Saints. I'm sure there are others, but those are the two that came to mind first: heavily hyped athlete comes through in the clutch to lead his team to victory. Feel free to email me your favorite debut.
The best part about Strasburg's first start? The framework appears to be in place for a contending team. Zimmerman, Dunn and Willingham are all on pace to hit 30 home runs... Ian Desmond looks to be another long term infield solution... and the relief corps has a slew of young arms from Drew Storen to Matt Capps (the closer is just 26). Strasburg's emergence as a #1 means everybody can slide down one spot in the rotation; in theory he'll eat up innings (6 to 7 per start) so there will be less pressure on the bullpen as well.
Could this merely be a June mirage? Conventional wisdom says Strasburg will run into problems once he's gone through the league a couple of times as opponents will be able to effectively scout him. Even so, the makings of a consistent 15 to 20 game winner were on display. We're not used to dreaming about baseball greatness in Washington. But that was before the kid lived up to the hype.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Summer Fun... Finals, Firings, and Foals.
There are many signposts to summer... while the actual day the season begins is June 21st, Memorial Day and the final day of school are summertime's virtual kickoffs. So much and so little to do...
First things first-- I'm proposing throwing practice for all of the kids in my apartment complex who use the pool... they've shown the accuracy of Jamarcus Russell when throwing those nerf-like pool balls that exude water on impact. I have no problem getting splashed-- I mean it's the pool... water's expected in the equation-- but kids need to try to keep the ball in play and not on my lawn chair.
The NBA Finals reunites royalty-- Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers have combined to win more than 50% of their league championships and have met for the title more often (12) than any other pair of teams in any other sport. They represent the same (excellence) and different (LA flash vs Boston grit) virtues. Incredible theater all around. Game one saw the Lakers defend and rebound the life out of a Celtic team that looked as though it was aging rapidly by the minute (Kevin Garnett doing his best Greg Kite impersonation on back to back layup misses). It all comes back to a game two as pivotal as the one in 1984 and 1985 where the winner of that tilt and not the series opener took the title.
Meet the new boss, with the same problems as the old boss-- who thinks Dave Trembley's firing will completely change the mess that is the Baltimore Orioles? And didn't this happen three years ago with the Sam Perlozzo purging? The O's own the worst record in the majors and the offense has been reduced to a crawl during their current nine game losing streak (just 14 runs scored). The pitching has been porous... from Kevin Millwood's 0-6 mark to Chris Tillman getting roasted for four runs over an inning and a third last night. In theory, Juan Samuel will finish out the season and then Andy MacPhail will bring in one of his own men to manage the ballclub. The long Oriole nightmare continues.
Belmont Stakes...aka racing not well done-- the Triple Crown wraps up today with the running of the Belmont Stakes. Neither the Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver nor Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky will be running today, making the race even more irrelevant. Wake up, Horse Racing before it's completely too late! Push back the Preakness a two or three weeks (I'm ideally hoping for the first weekend in June, but I'd settle for the last weekend in May) and do likewise with the Belmont (first week of July in a perfect world) to allow the thoroughbreds the proper time to recover and then be in peak condition for the next race. Otherwise, your sport's going to the glue factory.
First things first-- I'm proposing throwing practice for all of the kids in my apartment complex who use the pool... they've shown the accuracy of Jamarcus Russell when throwing those nerf-like pool balls that exude water on impact. I have no problem getting splashed-- I mean it's the pool... water's expected in the equation-- but kids need to try to keep the ball in play and not on my lawn chair.
The NBA Finals reunites royalty-- Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers have combined to win more than 50% of their league championships and have met for the title more often (12) than any other pair of teams in any other sport. They represent the same (excellence) and different (LA flash vs Boston grit) virtues. Incredible theater all around. Game one saw the Lakers defend and rebound the life out of a Celtic team that looked as though it was aging rapidly by the minute (Kevin Garnett doing his best Greg Kite impersonation on back to back layup misses). It all comes back to a game two as pivotal as the one in 1984 and 1985 where the winner of that tilt and not the series opener took the title.
Meet the new boss, with the same problems as the old boss-- who thinks Dave Trembley's firing will completely change the mess that is the Baltimore Orioles? And didn't this happen three years ago with the Sam Perlozzo purging? The O's own the worst record in the majors and the offense has been reduced to a crawl during their current nine game losing streak (just 14 runs scored). The pitching has been porous... from Kevin Millwood's 0-6 mark to Chris Tillman getting roasted for four runs over an inning and a third last night. In theory, Juan Samuel will finish out the season and then Andy MacPhail will bring in one of his own men to manage the ballclub. The long Oriole nightmare continues.
Belmont Stakes...aka racing not well done-- the Triple Crown wraps up today with the running of the Belmont Stakes. Neither the Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver nor Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky will be running today, making the race even more irrelevant. Wake up, Horse Racing before it's completely too late! Push back the Preakness a two or three weeks (I'm ideally hoping for the first weekend in June, but I'd settle for the last weekend in May) and do likewise with the Belmont (first week of July in a perfect world) to allow the thoroughbreds the proper time to recover and then be in peak condition for the next race. Otherwise, your sport's going to the glue factory.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Clock Finally Stops.
The curtain has to come down on all dynasties at some point. Greatness is born... nurtured and then recognized. After ups and downs and reaching the pinnacle-- most reigning champs eventually begin their decline until finally being phased out. This May will represent the passing of the proverbial torch... as 24 calls it a day (actually-- eight days and two hours... let's not forget the two hour Redemption movie).
I remember reading the Washington Post Style Section in the fall of 2001 and discovering this new show with Kiefer Sutherland that would try to be in "real time"... I'm always intrigued when a movie, show or book plays with form-- that's why Memento and The Cloud Atlas continue to attract me years after watching and reading them. 24 seemed like a different deal. I had no idea exactly how different it would be.
1. Constant Threat to the USA-- from a presidential candidate's assassination attempt to disrupting the Middle East peace process... nothing was safe over the last eight-plus years. Eventually as a viewer you get burned out-- it becomes a "what's left?" kind of thing-- but the show had a certain internal tension you couldn't find anywhere else.
2. People can't be trusted-- there are moles everywhere. At CTU. FBI. Inside the White House. Inside your own family. In today's world of trust no one... the theory of nobody is as they seem rings true.
3. The Violence-- Season one was kind of tame... yes there was stabbing and shooting but nothing to prepare us for Jack using a hacksaw on a dead witness or the bad guys using a Deli Slicer as torture. Just a few episodes ago Jack gutted a Russian who had swallowed a cellphone chip... hey he unearthed a computer chip from a criminal in year two.
4. Imperfect people-- Jack Bauer for all of his heroic deeds is trying to patch up a broken marriage... with no control over his daughter. David Palmer despite being a straight arrow can't escape the fact he's married to a conniving Lady Macbeth wannabe. Chloe's great at saving Jack's hide but has no personality whatsoever. Tony drinks beer out of a Cubs mug. 24 gave us so many flawed heroes- making their triumphs all the more enjoyable.
5. Authority figures suck-- from CTU middle managers to White House incompetents, it's tough to have confidence. George Mason, Ryan Chappelle, Bubba from Forrest Gump, Chad Lowe, several VPs... many people out there think their boss has no clue what they're doing. Here's documented proof.
6. Twists and turns are the norm instead of the exception-- brides kill their fiancees on their Wedding Day. Amnesia and pregnancies are all in a days work. What was thought to be the location for the bombs is now just the push-off point. Jack's friend is now his enemy. The mole in CTU has really been working on a CTU project all along and is really good. You think Lost had your head spinning? Try eight days in our seat.
7. Split-screens-- for the realtime concept to work, there always needed to be multiple goings-on (I mean, do we want to see characters drive or wait in line?). The split-screen coming out of breaks acted as a refresher course--resetting the stage and letting you know where each storyline was going.
8. Jack is one worn out pin-cushion-- he's been shot multiple times, stabbed multiple times, drugged, been addicted to heroin, experienced heart attacks, died twice literally Shanghaied and had his library card revoked-- next to Kelly Taylor on 90210 no TV character's had a rougher run and still survived.
9. Bad decisions everywhere-- I could pinpoint Kim Bauer... and we know going to a furniture store at midnight to meet strangers is the beginning of a Lifetime Movie ("He Was Bad News")... but poor choices runs rampant on the program. Which ties into characters being imperfect-- instead of the chance of somebody doing the right thing, in the 24 world somebody usually tries to do the right thing when in actuality it's the worst possible thing.
10. Better to have loved and lost-- pity the woman who involves herself with Jack Bauer. His wife is killed by his former mistress (don't worry, he kills the ex-mistress in season three). The drug lord's girlfriend he has a fling with is killed (after setting a TV record for pouty lips per episode). Another girlfriend is kidnapped by the Chinese and drugged into oblivion. And yet another paramour is killed immediately after having sex with Jack. Tell me how Kate Warner (season 2) survived-please.
11. A Very Volatile Oval Office-- at the beginning of season one, Senator David Palmer is running for President...wins and is in charge during seasons two and three (despite the Cabinet voting him out in season two briefly). The season four President becomes incapacitated in a plane crash which elevates Charles Logan. Logan has to resign in season five. The new President either doesn't run or loses to Wayne Palmer (try not to laugh) who's in charge during season six before a bomb goes off at his podium. The Powers Boothe-played VP takes over yet loses to Allison Taylor before season seven. She tells Jack she's going to resign at the end of season eight. All tolled-- eight (!) chief executives over roughly fourteen years. Three invokings of the 25th Amendment (2 successful) and two non-medical resignations. One ex-President assassinated and other dead by suicide. Talk about your unstable republics.
(In real life the most presidents over a 14 year period was 7... Van Buren- Harrison- Tyler- Polk- Taylor- Fillmore- Pierce from 1840-54)
12. Disposable characters-- and you thought the Oval Office had a hot seat? Characters on 24 should have all been fitted with red shirts from Star Trek. I've seen characters introduced only to have them killed later that very hour. Screen time is fleeting on 24.
13. Can you imagine the 24 standing for days instead of hours?-- that was almost the case. FOX thought about bringing 24 back for season two with a twist-- each episode instead of covering one hour would tackle one day (pretty much what the first season of Lost did). One twist I was for... having Kim Bauer work undercover for CTU at a UCLA sorority house-- and the only way for her to find the evidence she's looking for would be to engage the other girls in a pillow fight that would last several episodes. Alas, neither came to pass.
14. Idolized-- 24 had modest ratings its first few years but got a major boost when it was moved to Monday nights and followed American Idol... for those TV snobs who scorn "reality TV" (and I'm one of them), it was a tough pill to swallow knowing that a singing contest was propping up viewership numbers of my favorite show.
15. The Haters-- from the beginning of the series there were as many people complaining about the various inaccuracies... from driving around rush hour LA to Jack having every President's number on his phone to Kim and the Mountain Lion. My response-- it's fantasy. And I'd rather be fed a diet of shooting, shouting and implausible plot points than be fed Grey's Anatomy or Two and a Half Men. Haters-- enjoy what you enjoy... and let me dine on 24.
16. Some Scenes May be Unsuitable for Some Viewers-- 24 was a boon to "Viewer Discretion": hacksawed heads, two guttings (one for a computer chip the other for a cellphone memory card), ear-biting, shock-therapy, Freddie Prinze Jr's "acting"... the show was not for the faint of heart or stomach.
17. The Community-- during season two there were about 5 to 7 of us at work who watched the show... and we would tape it for each other on a weekly basis. The "did you see it yet" was a highlight of the week-- and as a group we all watched more than a few seasons together. We'd get together for the season premieres and finales- cursing Chappelle, rooting for Tony, falling in love with Michelle, wondering why Audrey's husband calls her "Ordrey". The friends I shared the show with added heavily to my enjoyment of 24.
18. Favorite Season-- has to be #2. Jack's life is a bunch of loose threads... he's inactive from CTU, has no relationship with his daughter and owns a Grizzly Adams beard. The impossible situation (nuke going off in USA) gives him a chance at redemption... and he gets it done. The tried and true plot twists are fairly new and there aren't that many core characters who have gotten killed off yet (RIP George Mason). Although I enjoyed the first season, #2 won me lock, stock and barrel.
19. Least Enjoyable Season-- #6 without a doubt. Way to come off winning an Emmy, kids. What could have been a season of possibilities turned into the same old tricks... with CTU 90210 (Ricky Schroeder triangle)... an After School Specialesque alcoholic (Miles chugging by the dumpster)... and Jack's evil as all get out dad. Season #6 was so bad the writer's strike felt like a blessing.
20. For those scoring at home-- I go Season #2, #4 (Mia Kirshner as Mandy makes this possible), #1 (the original template), #5 (the Emmy-winning season), #8 (if this were another show I would have stopped watching), #3 (the first proof that this could be a bad show if handled wrongly) and #6.
21. Dave's dynasties-- So for those scoring at home, my #1 shows have been: Happy Days (1975-80): nothing cooler until Fonzie jumped the Shark, Richie started balding and Potsie wouldn't stop singing. Dallas (1980-85): Who Shot JR stole my imagination-- at least until they killed Bobby (it wasn't all a dream). Cheers (1985-89): I still root for Sam and Diane to get together, and still root for Kirstie Alley to disappear. Simpsons (1989-92): First great era gave me Troy McClure adn Lionel Hutz. Seinfeld (1992-98): Not that there's anything wrong with that. Simpsons (1998-2001) I still cry laughing everytime I see Frank Grimes. Yvan Eht Nioj! 24: (2001-06): Even Jack's torture can't make me look past season 6. The Office (2006-present): wins over How I Met Your Mother because I haven't met the mother yet.
22. Kiefer makeover-- the biggest winner of the show has been its lead actor... keeping the tabloid-magnet gainfully employed and giving him an iconic character-- I mean in '01 he was the guy from Young Guns and the Lost Boys. Well played, Mr. Sutherland.
23. Movie-- I don't know how they're going to transform the excitement and the format into a theatrical film... and I don't know what they can do with Jack's character after everything that has happened in 8-plus seasons nonstop ticking. Do I even have the strength to get excited about more Jack Bauer adventures? Still, I'll go watch-- I mean it can't be worse than Sex and the City, can it?
24. That damn clock and the beeping... much like the instrumental transition on Law & Order, the commercial break countdown (or silent countdown for deaths of major characters) gave viewers a little zinger into the break or into a week wondering what's coming next... and now there is no next. Except in the theaters.
I remember reading the Washington Post Style Section in the fall of 2001 and discovering this new show with Kiefer Sutherland that would try to be in "real time"... I'm always intrigued when a movie, show or book plays with form-- that's why Memento and The Cloud Atlas continue to attract me years after watching and reading them. 24 seemed like a different deal. I had no idea exactly how different it would be.
1. Constant Threat to the USA-- from a presidential candidate's assassination attempt to disrupting the Middle East peace process... nothing was safe over the last eight-plus years. Eventually as a viewer you get burned out-- it becomes a "what's left?" kind of thing-- but the show had a certain internal tension you couldn't find anywhere else.
2. People can't be trusted-- there are moles everywhere. At CTU. FBI. Inside the White House. Inside your own family. In today's world of trust no one... the theory of nobody is as they seem rings true.
3. The Violence-- Season one was kind of tame... yes there was stabbing and shooting but nothing to prepare us for Jack using a hacksaw on a dead witness or the bad guys using a Deli Slicer as torture. Just a few episodes ago Jack gutted a Russian who had swallowed a cellphone chip... hey he unearthed a computer chip from a criminal in year two.
4. Imperfect people-- Jack Bauer for all of his heroic deeds is trying to patch up a broken marriage... with no control over his daughter. David Palmer despite being a straight arrow can't escape the fact he's married to a conniving Lady Macbeth wannabe. Chloe's great at saving Jack's hide but has no personality whatsoever. Tony drinks beer out of a Cubs mug. 24 gave us so many flawed heroes- making their triumphs all the more enjoyable.
5. Authority figures suck-- from CTU middle managers to White House incompetents, it's tough to have confidence. George Mason, Ryan Chappelle, Bubba from Forrest Gump, Chad Lowe, several VPs... many people out there think their boss has no clue what they're doing. Here's documented proof.
6. Twists and turns are the norm instead of the exception-- brides kill their fiancees on their Wedding Day. Amnesia and pregnancies are all in a days work. What was thought to be the location for the bombs is now just the push-off point. Jack's friend is now his enemy. The mole in CTU has really been working on a CTU project all along and is really good. You think Lost had your head spinning? Try eight days in our seat.
7. Split-screens-- for the realtime concept to work, there always needed to be multiple goings-on (I mean, do we want to see characters drive or wait in line?). The split-screen coming out of breaks acted as a refresher course--resetting the stage and letting you know where each storyline was going.
8. Jack is one worn out pin-cushion-- he's been shot multiple times, stabbed multiple times, drugged, been addicted to heroin, experienced heart attacks, died twice literally Shanghaied and had his library card revoked-- next to Kelly Taylor on 90210 no TV character's had a rougher run and still survived.
9. Bad decisions everywhere-- I could pinpoint Kim Bauer... and we know going to a furniture store at midnight to meet strangers is the beginning of a Lifetime Movie ("He Was Bad News")... but poor choices runs rampant on the program. Which ties into characters being imperfect-- instead of the chance of somebody doing the right thing, in the 24 world somebody usually tries to do the right thing when in actuality it's the worst possible thing.
10. Better to have loved and lost-- pity the woman who involves herself with Jack Bauer. His wife is killed by his former mistress (don't worry, he kills the ex-mistress in season three). The drug lord's girlfriend he has a fling with is killed (after setting a TV record for pouty lips per episode). Another girlfriend is kidnapped by the Chinese and drugged into oblivion. And yet another paramour is killed immediately after having sex with Jack. Tell me how Kate Warner (season 2) survived-please.
11. A Very Volatile Oval Office-- at the beginning of season one, Senator David Palmer is running for President...wins and is in charge during seasons two and three (despite the Cabinet voting him out in season two briefly). The season four President becomes incapacitated in a plane crash which elevates Charles Logan. Logan has to resign in season five. The new President either doesn't run or loses to Wayne Palmer (try not to laugh) who's in charge during season six before a bomb goes off at his podium. The Powers Boothe-played VP takes over yet loses to Allison Taylor before season seven. She tells Jack she's going to resign at the end of season eight. All tolled-- eight (!) chief executives over roughly fourteen years. Three invokings of the 25th Amendment (2 successful) and two non-medical resignations. One ex-President assassinated and other dead by suicide. Talk about your unstable republics.
(In real life the most presidents over a 14 year period was 7... Van Buren- Harrison- Tyler- Polk- Taylor- Fillmore- Pierce from 1840-54)
12. Disposable characters-- and you thought the Oval Office had a hot seat? Characters on 24 should have all been fitted with red shirts from Star Trek. I've seen characters introduced only to have them killed later that very hour. Screen time is fleeting on 24.
13. Can you imagine the 24 standing for days instead of hours?-- that was almost the case. FOX thought about bringing 24 back for season two with a twist-- each episode instead of covering one hour would tackle one day (pretty much what the first season of Lost did). One twist I was for... having Kim Bauer work undercover for CTU at a UCLA sorority house-- and the only way for her to find the evidence she's looking for would be to engage the other girls in a pillow fight that would last several episodes. Alas, neither came to pass.
14. Idolized-- 24 had modest ratings its first few years but got a major boost when it was moved to Monday nights and followed American Idol... for those TV snobs who scorn "reality TV" (and I'm one of them), it was a tough pill to swallow knowing that a singing contest was propping up viewership numbers of my favorite show.
15. The Haters-- from the beginning of the series there were as many people complaining about the various inaccuracies... from driving around rush hour LA to Jack having every President's number on his phone to Kim and the Mountain Lion. My response-- it's fantasy. And I'd rather be fed a diet of shooting, shouting and implausible plot points than be fed Grey's Anatomy or Two and a Half Men. Haters-- enjoy what you enjoy... and let me dine on 24.
16. Some Scenes May be Unsuitable for Some Viewers-- 24 was a boon to "Viewer Discretion": hacksawed heads, two guttings (one for a computer chip the other for a cellphone memory card), ear-biting, shock-therapy, Freddie Prinze Jr's "acting"... the show was not for the faint of heart or stomach.
17. The Community-- during season two there were about 5 to 7 of us at work who watched the show... and we would tape it for each other on a weekly basis. The "did you see it yet" was a highlight of the week-- and as a group we all watched more than a few seasons together. We'd get together for the season premieres and finales- cursing Chappelle, rooting for Tony, falling in love with Michelle, wondering why Audrey's husband calls her "Ordrey". The friends I shared the show with added heavily to my enjoyment of 24.
18. Favorite Season-- has to be #2. Jack's life is a bunch of loose threads... he's inactive from CTU, has no relationship with his daughter and owns a Grizzly Adams beard. The impossible situation (nuke going off in USA) gives him a chance at redemption... and he gets it done. The tried and true plot twists are fairly new and there aren't that many core characters who have gotten killed off yet (RIP George Mason). Although I enjoyed the first season, #2 won me lock, stock and barrel.
19. Least Enjoyable Season-- #6 without a doubt. Way to come off winning an Emmy, kids. What could have been a season of possibilities turned into the same old tricks... with CTU 90210 (Ricky Schroeder triangle)... an After School Specialesque alcoholic (Miles chugging by the dumpster)... and Jack's evil as all get out dad. Season #6 was so bad the writer's strike felt like a blessing.
20. For those scoring at home-- I go Season #2, #4 (Mia Kirshner as Mandy makes this possible), #1 (the original template), #5 (the Emmy-winning season), #8 (if this were another show I would have stopped watching), #3 (the first proof that this could be a bad show if handled wrongly) and #6.
21. Dave's dynasties-- So for those scoring at home, my #1 shows have been: Happy Days (1975-80): nothing cooler until Fonzie jumped the Shark, Richie started balding and Potsie wouldn't stop singing. Dallas (1980-85): Who Shot JR stole my imagination-- at least until they killed Bobby (it wasn't all a dream). Cheers (1985-89): I still root for Sam and Diane to get together, and still root for Kirstie Alley to disappear. Simpsons (1989-92): First great era gave me Troy McClure adn Lionel Hutz. Seinfeld (1992-98): Not that there's anything wrong with that. Simpsons (1998-2001) I still cry laughing everytime I see Frank Grimes. Yvan Eht Nioj! 24: (2001-06): Even Jack's torture can't make me look past season 6. The Office (2006-present): wins over How I Met Your Mother because I haven't met the mother yet.
22. Kiefer makeover-- the biggest winner of the show has been its lead actor... keeping the tabloid-magnet gainfully employed and giving him an iconic character-- I mean in '01 he was the guy from Young Guns and the Lost Boys. Well played, Mr. Sutherland.
23. Movie-- I don't know how they're going to transform the excitement and the format into a theatrical film... and I don't know what they can do with Jack's character after everything that has happened in 8-plus seasons nonstop ticking. Do I even have the strength to get excited about more Jack Bauer adventures? Still, I'll go watch-- I mean it can't be worse than Sex and the City, can it?
24. That damn clock and the beeping... much like the instrumental transition on Law & Order, the commercial break countdown (or silent countdown for deaths of major characters) gave viewers a little zinger into the break or into a week wondering what's coming next... and now there is no next. Except in the theaters.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Wizards hit the lotto- and somebody has to lose.
Guess who the biggest loser is with the Wizards hitting the Lottery? I say the Capitals. They go from being the best-run franchise in the region last summer to the NHL's usual place in most markets. Instead of VinnyZorn, the Redskins are being run by the son of George Allen and a two-time Super Bowl winning coach. Instead of "Natinals" and "flying sausage sandwiches" the Nats are actually playing good baseball with a pitching phenom in Stephen Strasberg warming up in Triple A. And instead of constant Gilbert-talk, Wizards fans will avidly await the arrival of a #1 draft pick-- who unless he turns into Kwame Brown/LaRue Martin will mean the start of the next era.
The Caps had a window of opportunity to become a more prominent player in DC (and they still are)... armed with home ice in the Eastern Conference playoffs they should still be playing and gathering headlines. Instead, it's wait for the draft and toughen up for next spring (we know Bruce Boudreau's bunch can win the fall and winter). When they come back this Labor Day, there will be a completely different landscape than last September.
The Wizards have the task of not messing up this windfall; most have them choosing between Ohio State's Evan Turner or Kentucky's John Wall. In today's guards game, you almost can't pass up a point-man like Wall... although Turner's one heck of a building block. And he hasn't been coached by John Calipari.
Speaking of the current Kentucky coach, what is with the rumor mill that has him headed to Chicago as a package deal with LeBron James? Unfortunately most NBA brain trusts think that the ideal pro coach is one who either excels in a shorter-season sample with a completely different method for acquiring talent or somebody who sounds good on TV (Doug Collins/Mike Fratello corollary).
I will admit it-- TV sucks this year. We say goodbye to 24, Lost, and Law & Order-- three of my favorite shows. And they're not going out gracefully. 24 has given us a full season of moles, women making bad life decisions and Freddie Prinze Jr. Lost has made me yearn for the streamlined straight-ahead feel of 24. And L&O's plug gets pulled without even a farewell episode-- I mean who wouldn't watch Jack McCoy's retirement party? The only other shows on network TV I'm readily into have been sagging as well. How I Met Your Mother forced a Barney-Robin duo that was tough to stomach... and then broke the pair up as soon as I bought the two of them together. The highlight was the faux movie "The Wedding Bride" (please Youtube the trailer)... funnier than the actual TV show it appears in. Meanwhile, The Office has given us a baby... and in Andy's pursuit of Erin a rehash of Jim's courting of Pam. Thanks for getting me back into reading, idiot-box.
The Caps had a window of opportunity to become a more prominent player in DC (and they still are)... armed with home ice in the Eastern Conference playoffs they should still be playing and gathering headlines. Instead, it's wait for the draft and toughen up for next spring (we know Bruce Boudreau's bunch can win the fall and winter). When they come back this Labor Day, there will be a completely different landscape than last September.
The Wizards have the task of not messing up this windfall; most have them choosing between Ohio State's Evan Turner or Kentucky's John Wall. In today's guards game, you almost can't pass up a point-man like Wall... although Turner's one heck of a building block. And he hasn't been coached by John Calipari.
Speaking of the current Kentucky coach, what is with the rumor mill that has him headed to Chicago as a package deal with LeBron James? Unfortunately most NBA brain trusts think that the ideal pro coach is one who either excels in a shorter-season sample with a completely different method for acquiring talent or somebody who sounds good on TV (Doug Collins/Mike Fratello corollary).
I will admit it-- TV sucks this year. We say goodbye to 24, Lost, and Law & Order-- three of my favorite shows. And they're not going out gracefully. 24 has given us a full season of moles, women making bad life decisions and Freddie Prinze Jr. Lost has made me yearn for the streamlined straight-ahead feel of 24. And L&O's plug gets pulled without even a farewell episode-- I mean who wouldn't watch Jack McCoy's retirement party? The only other shows on network TV I'm readily into have been sagging as well. How I Met Your Mother forced a Barney-Robin duo that was tough to stomach... and then broke the pair up as soon as I bought the two of them together. The highlight was the faux movie "The Wedding Bride" (please Youtube the trailer)... funnier than the actual TV show it appears in. Meanwhile, The Office has given us a baby... and in Andy's pursuit of Erin a rehash of Jim's courting of Pam. Thanks for getting me back into reading, idiot-box.
Monday, May 17, 2010
May malaise... Horse Sense... Conference Carousel...
Midmay. Still enough April showers in the mix with 90 degree days but the pool remains closed. The Derby and Preakness are in our rear-view mirror yet there's no reason to look forward to the Belmont Stakes. The NBA Playoffs turn from an every-night affair to a sporadic TV occasion. Hockey's playoffs become completely unexplainable- but even more difficult to find (on Versus unless there's a James Bond Movie Marathon). NBC cancels Law & Order but keeps the Marriage Ref. And I'm deprived of Chicken Wings. Midmay-- neither spring nor summer; simply in the way.
Orange ending-- Syracuse Lacrosse's two-year reign as National Champs came to an end with a stunning 9-8 double overtime loss to Army in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Carrier Dome. The high-octane offense netted just four goals in the final three periods. The denying defense allowed a momentum-changing score by the Black Knights with one second remaining in the first half. SU was crushed on faceoffs as well; if you don't have the ball you can't control the tempo, score or both. I should have known when I couldn't order chicken wings at my alumni group's gamewatching location-- seriously, no chicken wings? You're a bar! Showing sports on TV! Really, no wings? I'm holding the bar responsible for the SU loss.
Goin' to the Glue Factory-- "Lookin at Lucky" rode to victory at the Preakness... meaning there will be no Triple Crown winner again this year (Seattle Slew and Carl Yastrzemski remain the trivia answers). And guess what? We won't even have "Lookin at Lucky" (for heaven's sake at least throw in a g or an apostrophe--do you think you're Splenda or something?) or Derby winner "Super Saver" in the Belmont Stakes. That means instead of little buzz there will be no buzz whatsoever at the Belmont next month... and horse racing will go back into hibernation until next May (with the brief Breeder's Cup wakeup this fall).
My proposal to make horse racing relevant again: let's recognize that today's horses are different-- the way they've been bred (and inbred), their training methods (chemical assistance included), etc-- and recognize that you can't run a three year old three times in five weeks and expect optimum performance without ruining the horse. Move the Preakness to the first Saturday in June. Move the Belmont to the First Saturday in July. Let the horses regain their steam before trotting them out again to face poor performance or injury. Create some buzz about your sport. Yes, horse racing is all about tradition. And a world without tradition is as shaky as a fiddler on the roof-- but you're house is about to be bulldozed in the new-look sports neighborhood. Your tradition was set in the 19th century-- please join us in the 21st!
Orange ending-- Syracuse Lacrosse's two-year reign as National Champs came to an end with a stunning 9-8 double overtime loss to Army in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Carrier Dome. The high-octane offense netted just four goals in the final three periods. The denying defense allowed a momentum-changing score by the Black Knights with one second remaining in the first half. SU was crushed on faceoffs as well; if you don't have the ball you can't control the tempo, score or both. I should have known when I couldn't order chicken wings at my alumni group's gamewatching location-- seriously, no chicken wings? You're a bar! Showing sports on TV! Really, no wings? I'm holding the bar responsible for the SU loss.
Goin' to the Glue Factory-- "Lookin at Lucky" rode to victory at the Preakness... meaning there will be no Triple Crown winner again this year (Seattle Slew and Carl Yastrzemski remain the trivia answers). And guess what? We won't even have "Lookin at Lucky" (for heaven's sake at least throw in a g or an apostrophe--do you think you're Splenda or something?) or Derby winner "Super Saver" in the Belmont Stakes. That means instead of little buzz there will be no buzz whatsoever at the Belmont next month... and horse racing will go back into hibernation until next May (with the brief Breeder's Cup wakeup this fall).
My proposal to make horse racing relevant again: let's recognize that today's horses are different-- the way they've been bred (and inbred), their training methods (chemical assistance included), etc-- and recognize that you can't run a three year old three times in five weeks and expect optimum performance without ruining the horse. Move the Preakness to the first Saturday in June. Move the Belmont to the First Saturday in July. Let the horses regain their steam before trotting them out again to face poor performance or injury. Create some buzz about your sport. Yes, horse racing is all about tradition. And a world without tradition is as shaky as a fiddler on the roof-- but you're house is about to be bulldozed in the new-look sports neighborhood. Your tradition was set in the 19th century-- please join us in the 21st!
Will they become the Terrific Twelve or the Super Sixteen? The Big Ten looks to expand... and the league is sizing up Notre Dame (natural midwest fit but too snooty to join a conference), Missouri (completes western wing of states aka Iowa-Missouri), Pitt (close to Ohio State and Penn State), Nebraska (tapping into that underrated Omaha TV market) and Rutgers (technically in the New York market, but really?). Other names in the mix include Syracuse and Maryland-- I won't even get into that. Perfect world-Notre Dame joins up and the Big Ten Plus Two stays at an even dozen-- any more than 12 schools and the league becomes unwieldy, especially for football. Also, the expense drain on non-revenue sports can't be minimal.
Hoops Heaven-- could we have another Celtic-Laker Finals? Both teams looked solid in winning their respective game ones. Conspiracy Theorists will pore over every 50-50 call... and focus on how the league wants no part of a Suns-Magic matchup. The problem with a four tier playoff system is the conference finals get stretched out so the Finals can begin on a certain date. Thus, we have three and four days off between games... just when we're getting the pro basketball buzz it fades away.
Hockey Hell-- the NHL Playoffs always are a rather contrarian affair; how can you explain the Eastern Conference Finals between 7th seeded Philadelphia and 8th place Montreal? Not only did the Canadiens dispose of the defending champs and annointed ones-- they rallied to win series in the grasps of both the Penguins and Capitals. This of course is small potatoes compared to what Philadelphia did-- rallying from a 3-0 series hole to beat Boston. It happened in the 1940's (Toronto topping Detroit) and the 1970's (Islanders over Pittsburgh)... and the Bruins turn whatever karma the rest of the hub had to offer (Sox, Celts and Pats 6 titles) into compost. Out west San Jose faces Chicago in the biggest week for the Sharks since Chino shot Tony.
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