The Sports Freakers

Kobe's Turnover

2011-04-14T10:34:00.004-04:00

I dislike Kobe Bryant. I root against him when he is on the court. I think that he is a phony and only cares about himself. He's thrown teammates under a bus. He's thrown his family into the spotlight because of his own negative actions. In all sincerity, I am extremely biased against anything involving Bryant.

But I believe the outrage over Bryant's latest action is unjust.

Now someone might be thinking "Wait a minute, this is the perfect situation to completely rip the guy apart?"

Absolutely. He said a derogatory comment about gay people. He made the comment on the national stage. His comment has been seen millions of times on YouTube, blogs, televesion, etc. But I truly believe that it was all in the heat of the moment.

I'm not a professional athlete nor claim to be one. But I completey get it. You get frustrated. Your focus is on doing your best. And you say something out of pure emotion. Bryant just happened to say something that was way over the line.

My issue is that society takes things over the line. It was a mistake. It was in the moment. Had it screamed it in the locker room or into his towel, no one would have even known. But celebrities are always looked at under a microscope. Cameras are on them 24/7. They have to watch their every move. They can't make mistakes.

When a husband and wife are arguing and a husband goes "I hate you!" to his wife, does the husband mean that?

I am not justifying what was said. But rather than people be offended by every little thing, I think society needs to take a step back and understand that lapses are going to happen. He probably heard this type of language while he was growing up. It was engrained in his head. It doesn't mean he believes it, but this was in his upbringing.

And that is where the root of the issue lies. I think kids and young adults need to be further educated on what is right to say and what is not. Parents need to be the teachers. The education system needs to make it a focal point. Society should do what they can to eliminate offensive words.

Bryant was taught a hard lesson. But he should not try to take away from the emotions that have made him the (gulp) best player in the NBA.

My Favorite Ballpark Seats

2011-04-12T11:29:00.002-04:00

I love going to baseball games. As a fan, nothing excites me more than sitting down in my seat and taking it all in. Each time I go to a ballpark, it is a new experience for me.

Now, the average fan can’t afford to sit in the first row behind home plate. But there are plenty of great seats in a stadium, and I take a closer look into my favorite seats.

-The Right Field Bleachers

Most ballparks have some type of bleacher seats. Some are pretty deep in (Fenway Park) while others are really high up (Citi Field). But 85% of the excitement from these seats is catching a home run. I’ve never caught a home run before, but I feel like it would be an amazing achievement to do so. The key is to sit about 5-6 rows back in the bleachers, because you not only have the best chance to catching a long ball, but you also get an elevated perspective of the game. Another tip is to get to the ballpark about two hours before the game for batting practice, because you have a very good chance of getting balls hit your way.

-Field Level in between the foul polls and either first or third base.

Obviously any chance you get to sit Field Level is a golden one, but not every seat gets the job done. But if you are an autograph seeker or just enjoy watching warmups, this seat is for you. Most players don’t sign before games, but just being able to watch their interactions is a joy. I’d also use these seats to get to the ballpark about an hour before the game. Once you are in the Field Level, most teams let you roam around. So I’d highly recommend using this time to sneak down by the field and hopefully get your favorite player’s attention. And of course, once it is game time, you get an awesome perspective of the entire field.

-Third Deck right behind home plate

While being three decks up turns some away, this might be the best seat to watch a baseball game. You can see everything to perfection. No one is blocking up, you are elevated to the perfect height, and there is also a chance to catch a foul ball. These seats are normally one of the best values too. A Camden Yards, you can spend on average about $22 for one of these seats, as opposed to sitting in the second deck by the left field foul pole (A tough seat to see a game), spending $45.

-First row of field level, behind home plate

Fine, I had to throw this in here because I was lucky to sit in this seat for a game. There really is nothing like it. Forget about the fact that you are on the field. But you sit there with your jaw wide open, watching every single pitch as if it was Game 7 of the World Series. You can see the spin on the ball, the velocity of the pitches, and can feel the crack of the bat. When a foul ball comes to the back of the netting, you almost get whip lash from how hard it comes at you. Honestly, as weird as it sounds, you can’t even follow the actual game because you get completely caught up in everything else. But this seat is truly breath taking and completely changes your experience at a ballpark.

Stop Freaking!

2011-04-11T13:47:00.004-04:00

We live in a society of immediacy. People tweet, post on Facebook, carry around smart phones, and get all of their news even before news happens. We need to know everything before everyone else. And with that comes the immediate need for success.

So I want to give sports fans the best advice you'll ever hear. Stop freaking!

Tiger Woods will win eight more majors in the next decade. Just because he hasn’t won one in the last two years does not mean his skills have eroded. He was plagued with drama and had to completely change his life around. Yet he still finished in the Top 10 in back-to-back Masters. Woods will be fine, so stop freaking!

The Yankees and Red Sox will be fighting for the AL East come September. The Red Sox lose a few early games and they need to panic. The Yankees fall two out of three to the same Red Sox and they are old. Let’s be real here. The baseball season is just too long. There’s always this debate of “Are April games meaningless?” No, April games are not meaningless, but when there are 150 games left to play, everything evens out. The good teams win and the bad teams lose. Even if the Yankees lose their next game, its only one game, so stop freaking!

So where did this freaking come from? I definitely feel that the social networking world is part of the problem. Everyone has to magnify everything. A pitcher gives up a three-run homer, and we need to over analyze to pitch, the command, and the location. Soon enough, people get ingrained in their heads negativity and we then believe that the pitcher is now bad. You log onto Twitter, follow 35 fans and writers, and all you see flooding your page is posts on the three-run homer. Then you get involved in the discussion as well, and it completely blows up. One pitch does not make a season, so stop freaking!

I also think football is one of the roots of the issue. Football is the shortest of all of the seasons. It is also the most watched and elicits the most in-game attention. So when your team loses a game, you have to worry. One game is almost 6% of a season. And when football is over, the conditioning it gave us to be into every play carries over to the other sports. Football is unique in its length, but every other sport requires patience. And not every sport is football, so stop freaking!

Sorry to fantasy sports players (including myself), but we can throw that into the blame game. When your own money and pride is on the line, it makes you worry rather quickly. You smell that $5000 first prize, so every week needs to be near perfect. Brandon Phillips is doing to have a bad week. But you drafted him in the 5^th round and he’ll produce like a fifth rounder, so stop freaking!

There’s a time to worry, just give things time to settle. And stop freaking!

Party Like it's 1997

2011-04-11T09:58:00.003-04:00

When kids are brought up in a sports-loving household like I was, there comes a time when the indoctrination translates into actual fandom. Around the age of six or seven, you start having vivid memories of individual games or players. I remember the Jets getting knocked out of the 1991 playoffs by the Houston Oilers, for instance. I was six years old.

So, these are the formative years. Once you start understanding the game, its meaning, and its performers, you forge an unbreakable bond with the team. And you never forget the moments that made you the fan you are today.

I was fortunate enough during this part of my life, then, to experience a golden age of sorts in New York that did not revolve around the New York Yankees, who are responsible for almost all of this city's sports glory. From the late 1980's through 1997, the New York Rangers and New York Knicks were good enough to compete for championships almost every single year. Madison Square Garden rocked every spring, from April to May, and sometimes into June. It was not at all uncommon for Mark Messier and Patrick Ewing to trade the back pages of the tabloids on a daily basis.

Of course, this all peaked in 1994. On the hardwood, the Knicks had dealt with Michael Jordan-induced heartbreak in 1991, 1992 and 1993. But 1994 was the year MJ decided to give baseball a shot. On the ice, the 1992-1993 Rangers, one year removed from winning the President's Trophy with the league's best record, missed the playoffs after an absolutely epic collapse, losing their final seven regular season games.

So for both teams, 1994 represented a chance - the best chance - to right some previous wrongs. To give their starved fanbases the championship they'd been coveting for decades.

We know how it all turned out. For the Rangers, the captain delivered on his promise, the Rangers' first Stanley Cup in 54 years. For the Knicks, more heartbreak for their unquestioned leader (and the city he carried on his broad shoulders and failing knees) because his hardworking, loyal supporting cast came up just a little bit short in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

The years that followed brought more great playoff memories - think Wayne Gretzky's hat trick and Allan Houston's winner in Miami - however, even if there was no championship trophy ceremony at the end of the line.

And then, in 1998, things began to change. The bright lights of Madison Square Garden ever so slightly began to fade as the weather warmed in mid-April. Sure, the Knicks were still fielding strong teams, and made an unlikely run to the NBA Finals in 1999, but everyone knew that Patrick Ewing had entered the twilight of his career. Pretty soon, Ewing was unceremoniously traded and Isiah Thomas was manning the ship.

For the Rangers beginning in 1998, big-money signings turning in listless performances was a nightly occurrence at the World's Most Famous arena. The Garden became a retirement home, where players like Eric Lindros, Bobby Holik, Pavel Bure and Mark Messier II could show up for a leisurely twirl around the rink, and still collect a nice paycheck at the end of the night. The result: no playoffs from 1998-2004 (plus the lockout-cancelled 2004-05 season).

Since 1997, the Knicks and Rangers have appeared in the playoffs a combined total of nine times, and not once in the same season. Until now.

On Saturday night, the Rangers sat and watched coach John Tortorella's former team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, trash the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2, thereby securing the Eastern Conference's eighth and final playoff spot for the Blueshirts. Six days earlier, the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers at home to clinch their first playoff berth in seven seasons. For the first time in 14 years, there will be playoff hockey and playoff basketball at Madison Square Garden.

No one from either fanbase is naive enough to think that the Rangers or Knicks are serious contenders, but that's not really the point this season. The point is that this could be the first season in a run that may very well resemble what we witnessed in the late 80's and early 90's.

Think about it: The Rangers have one of the strongest foundations of any team in the NHL. They have spent the 2010-2011 season forging an identity behind, as cliche as it all sounds, hard work, selflessness and sacrifice. Look no further than Ryan Callahan throwing his body in front of a 104 MPH slap shot by Zdeno Chara to preserve a late-season victory against the Boston Bruins. They have a world class goaltender and are one or two high-skill players (Brad Richards anyone?) away from contending for a Stanley Cup every single year.

Meanwhile, the Knicks have spent the last three seasons gutting their roster to give themselves the cap flexibility to add superstar talent, which is the only route to a championship in the Association. When LeBron James chose the palm trees and fake tans in Miami, the Knicks went to a hell of a Plan B: Amar'e Stoudemire. While no one would ever mistake STAT for Patrick Ewing in the post or on the defensive end, his demeanor is fitting of a Knicks captain, and one that fans can embrace. Carmelo Anthony has come to New York and flamboyantly stolen the spotlight; and a few wins with some last-second heroics as well.

The Rangers are gearing up to square off against the Washington Capitals, starting Wednesday. The Knicks will begin a bloodbath with either Miami or the Boston Celtics next weekend. It's going to be fun, so it's time to settle in and cherish this, the first truly exciting spring at MSG in almost a decade and a half.

The lights are shining brightly on Broadway again. The playoffs are back in New York.

The Five Worst Hitters in Baseball

2011-04-08T16:10:00.001-04:00

The criteria: You have to be an active player having played at least five seasons in the majors. You also must have at least three seasons with at least 300 at-bats or more. Batting average and power will be equally taken into account, so even if you bat .230 but hit 30 HRs, you probably won’t be showing up on the list.

The reason: For some reason, I love seeing athletes fail. Maybe part of it is because I was never good enough to sniff any type of professional sport, so why not watch professionals stoop to my level.

5) Gerald Laird: Catchers are always fun to look up, because there are plenty of bad ones. Laird stands out because he is an overrated defensive catcher. Yes, he can throw out base runners (174 out of 458), but he’s also committed 42 career errors. But we need to take a closer look at the hitting. Where do we even begin? Should we start with a career .300 OBP? How about the .241 average? Laird is just a mess of a hitter, strike out about once every five at-bats. Laird is still 32, so he’s got a few more years of horrendous hitting left in him.

4) Craig Counsell: It’s tough to put Counsell on the list because by next year, he’ll probably be retired (He’s 40). Counsell though deserves not just a spot here, but a lifetime achievement award. In 4588 career ABs, Counsell has just 41 HRs and a .257 batting average. He’s never hit over .300 in seasons in which he has amassed over 300 at bats (6 in total), and his best year was in 2005 when he hit 9 HRs and knocked in 52 runs. Counsell’s batting stance is one of the most awkward in baseball history, and so are his numbers.

3) Jack Wilson: Wilson has always been a favorite of mine to watch, because there isn’t anything about his hitting that scares anyone. When he first came into the league, he was considered a decent prospect because of his glove. But people quickly realized that Wilsoncouldn’t do much more. He had two semi-decent seasons -- .308 average in 2004 and a .296 average in 2007—but unfortunately, Wilson could never build any type of momentum. He has a career average of .267 in over 4600 at-bats while hitting just 61 HRs. Wilson’s longevity is based around his fielding, but even that is starting to deteriorate. Wilson is still just 33, so maybe he has one more double-digit HR season in him (he’s had two).

2) Ronny Cedeno: Cedeno is such an enigma because he actually has some hitting skills. He had two minor-league season where he batted over .350 while amassing double-digit steals. But for some reason, Cedeno just can’t figure out major-league pitching. What separates Cedeno is his strikeouts (369 in 1732 career major-league at bats) along with a .245 career average. The pop is somewhat there (31 HRs), but he’s a complete mess at the plate. Cedeno somehow still has a job despite a 2010 season where he hit .256 with just 38 RBIs in over 450 at-bats.

1) Cesar Izturis: His ten-year career has been full of mediocrity. In over 4000 at-bats, Izturis has hit just 15 HRs while having a .256 career average. Izturis has some speed (109 career SBs, but I doubt any of his seven major league teams would want him up in a big spot. Izturis batted over .280 just once (2003), but has always been known more for his glove than his bat.

I Am Tired of....

2011-04-04T11:10:00.003-04:00

There are quite a few things that annoy me in sports. So why not list some of mine? I’m sure we all have our own, and hopefully you’ll agree and agree to disagree. So, I am tired of……

….hearing people think the Red Sox are going to win the World Series in 2011.

It’s not going to happen. Forget the fact that I am a diehard Yankee fan and I hate the Red Sox with a passion. But money doesn’t buy championships; we’ve seen it over and over again. And when teams buy players, it takes time to construct a team. The Red Sox have huge flaws that people are just overlooking.

a) They can’t pitch: Jon Lester is good, and Clay Bucholtz is solid, but they have no starting pitching beyond that (And stop with the “Josh Beckett will rebound” argument. Just stop)

b) They don’t have a bullpen: After Daniel Bard, who can be trusted?

c) Someone will get hurt: Adrian Gonzalez is coming off shoulder surgery, Kevin Youkilis is hurt every two months, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury were hurt last year. There’s no way they all stay healthy.

d) The competition is better: Whether people want to believe it or not, the Yankees are still the Yankees. The entire AL East is much better, and the White Sox, Athletics, Tigers, and Twins will all challenge for the Wild Card if they don’t win their divisions.

...the talk about expanding the the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

How many companies would kill for the popularity the NCAA has? Yet the NCAA needs to change that. I understand tweaking little things about the tournament, but to alter the structure that everyone has fallen in love with, I just don’t get it. We are heading towards a 96-team tournament, and then a 128-team tournament, and soon enough, every team will be in the tournament. I love doing my bracket exactly how it currently is (Isn’t that why 98.3% of Americans watch the tournament anyways?). And expanding the tourney will completely backfire in the face of the NCAA.

…seeing Tiger Woods suck.

Look, I get it. The guy cheated on his wife 9000 times. But we are not fans of athletes for what they do outside of their sports. We are fans of them once they step inside. And when he is on his game, Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer of all time. Golf fans are spoiled because few remember when we didn’t have Tiger Woods. The guys people were rooting for were Nick Faldo and Greg Norman. While they were solid golfers, people love to root for the best. And for a decade, Tiger Woods was the best. Imagine baseball where the best hitter is Torii Hunter, or football where the best QB is Matt Cassel. Would you really care then?

…when people try to talk to me when I am using my iPod

If you see me with my headphones on, just know that I am not going to hear you when you talk to me. And don’t roll your eyes at me if I can’t hear you. I know this has nothing to do with sports, but doesn’t everyone get annoyed by this?

…Geno Auriemma

Does anybody like this guy?

…sports not using technology to its advantage

It’s the year 2011. We carry around portable computers and can stream a movie while sitting in a local park. I can call someone in India for practically free. And yet, referees still spend 10 minutes wondering if a ball is fair or foul. Sports have a ton of money. Put it towards the game, not towards a player’s salary.

I love what tennis does. They use high-tech lasers and crazy computers, and within two seconds, you’ll know whether a ball is in or out. You think tennis has half the funds the MLB has? But we still can’t figure out safe or out, ball or strike. When there is so much on the line, the calls need to be right.

And the naysayers will say “Oh, but a sport needs that human element to it.” So you’d rather a call be wrong than right? It just never made any sense.

…the same college basketball coaches get a pass for poor performance

How many years will it take for Pittsburgh to suck before we can say Jamie Dixon is not a good coach? What about Kevin Stallings? Rick Pitino? The list goes on and on.

Teams should have one goal, to win the national championship. Yet every year, the same highly-ranked teams enter postseason play and completely falter. Stallings of Vanderbilt has coached 18 years, has a record of 358-210, has made seven NCAA tournaments. How many times has he made it to the Elite Eight? Zero.

Bill Self is another one. Yes, he won a National Championship, but that was his only Final Four appearance in eight years with Kansas. This is the same Kansas team that in that time period, never finished lower than second in their conference and has not lost double-digit games in a season. Yet Self continues to take his teams to the NCAA (teams that are probably Top five in most talented) and whiff in big spots.

Rick Barnes is my favorite example. 13 years with Texas, 199 games over .500, and not a single appearance in a championship game. This guy had Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustine and couldn’t get out of opening weekend.

Teams need to take a stand. Stop accepting mediocrity. Your players deserve better. So do your fans.

The Most Maddening March Madness Ever

2011-04-01T12:32:00.005-04:00

It's been a wild ride so far.

The first play-in team has made it past the first round.

All 4 Number 1 seeds have been sent packing.

Butler, again, has found a way to make it to the Final 4.

And now we're here- with only 3 games left to play until 1 team is crowned national champions.

How much crazier can it get? Here are your expert picks for this weekend. Bet wisely my friends, bet wisely:

Uconn +2.5

How on god's green earth can you bet against Kemba. Time and time again, since the beginning of the Big East tournament this guy has been unstoppable. Not only is he racking up massive amounts of points per game, but he's making his supporting cast ridiculous. I don't want to take anything away from Kentucky, they've been playing some amazing basketball, knocking off Ohio State and UNC respectively. Brandon Knight is playing out of his mind right now, but I still don't trust any team that comes out of the SEC, sorry guys, I'm from NJ, I live on Big East Basketball.

This game will be heartwrenchngly close (do you expect anything less?), thus the reason you have to take Uconn with the points. Calipari v Calhoun- I can't wait.

Final Score- Uconn 74 Kentucky 70

Butler ML

VCU what can you say about you?? You squeaked into the tournament with the new play-in style and knocked off powerhouses Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, and finally Kansas. Nobody in the country even knew who you were 2 weeks ago, and look at you now.

Now that I'm done praising VCU I'll explain why you pick Butler in this game.

Butler finds ways to win. Plain and simple. With pipsqueak coach Brad Stevens at the healm, this team has a good shot of winning the whole thing (see 2010 Duke v Butler championship game). This coach is a phenom- 2nd year Butler coach, and already 2 final 4s. I truly believe coaching is everything and I couldn't pick the VCU coach out of a lineup.

VCU has gone on amazing run, but it ends this weekend. The week off will hurt them and they will finally come down to earth.

I don't see how you can bet against Butler after seeing a repeat of what happened last year, although the spread is a bit scary. Spend the money-take the money line, you don't want to get screwed by a buzzer beater.

Final score Butler 71-VCU 69

Opening Day

2011-04-01T11:54:00.001-04:00

“The greatest figure the world of sport has ever known has passed from the field. Game called on account of darkness. Babe Ruth is dead. There have been mighty champions in their day and time from John L. Sullivan to Jack Dempsey – such stars as Bobby Jones, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, on and on, who walked along the pathway of fame. But there has been only one Babe Ruth – one Bambino, who caught and held the love and admiration of countless millions around the world.”

-Grantland Rice, 1948

I used to read baseball columns by Red Smith and Grantland Rice in my sportswriting class, mouth agape. Now, this was writing. They wrote great columns about other sports, too, but there’s just something about baseball that lends itself to flowery writing and beautiful imagery more than any other sport. It has a majestic quality about it. It just seems so much more important than any sport. Like this sport might actually matter.

Opening day is always a special time, too.

Perhaps it’s the fact that in April, everybody is .500. Every team is in the race and every team has hope. And who doesn’t love hope? Who doesn’t love new beginnings, fresh starts? Anything is possible.

Perhaps it’s the fact that baseball begins at the advent of spring. One of the best times of the year, it signifies that summer is just around the corner. And who doesn’t love summer? More importantly, who doesn’t love being at a baseball stadium during the summer? For three hours, there is nothing but the game.

Perhaps it’s the fact that this is America’s oldest sport. We have seen the pictures of people wearing another era’s clothing, top hats and suits, all at the ballpark to watch the greats. It’s amazing to think that Albert Pujols and Babe Ruth played the same sport. So much has changed and yet so much has stayed the same. No other sport had an opening day so long ago, in such a different time.

But, it’s something more than any of these things. It has to do with the actual game itself. The layout of the field. The gargantuan stadiums. The freshly cut grass, the hot dogs, the beer, the vendors, the everything.

So, what is it that’s so beautiful about baseball? What is it about this game that makes it seem like it’s more than a game? What’s so gorgeous about someone hurling a ball 90 feet towards a five-sided piece of rubber, hoping beyond all hope that someone holding a bat won’t hit the ball 450 feet over a fence into the dark night sky? What’s so magnificent about someone with a glove diving, contorting, sacrificing his body just so a ball scorched 6,000 miles an hour can land safely in his mitt, all to record a single out? What’s so glorious about someone hitting a ball deep into the corner of the outfield, running, running, hustling, hustling, just to make it to a square bag called third base, and sometimes, miraculously, back home where he started.

What’s so beautiful about baseball? Who knows. But there’s just something about it, something I’ll never place or be able to describe, that makes it the most visually gorgeous of all sports. All I know is I’m happy it started yesterday. I’m excited to see these things, these indescribable things on a baseball diamond, things that make me think, for three or so hours, that everything will be alright and that everything in this world is beautiful.

-Flying Murino

My Top 5...Players I Would Not Want my Team Playing Against

2009-01-08T12:36:00.000-05:00

I'll just go through each sport. Feel free to post your own lists.

MLB
5.Roy Halladay-Fearless pitcher.
4.Johan Satana
3.Mariano Rivera-Last season was one of his best.
2.Albert Pujols
1.Manny Ramirez-I hate how he plays the game, but I don't want to pitch to him in a big spot.

NFL
5.Ed Reed-All over the field
4.DeMarcus Ware
3.Adrian Peterson
2.Brian Westbrook-I pray he doesn't take a screen pass 70 yards.
1.Peyton Manning-I know he's gotten flack for some playoff losses. But he's still the best.

NBA
5.Paul Pierce-In the final two minutes, he takes over.
4.Chris Paul
3.Dewayne Wade
2.Kobe Bryant
1.Lebron James-He's done more then Kobe and with a lot less.

NHL
5.Mario Lemieux-Even if he came back, I still don't want to see him
4.Evgeni Malkin
3.Jarome Iginla
2.Sidney Crosby
1.Alex Ovechkin-How was he not an All-Star starter?

Soccer
5.Emmanuel Adebayor-He could probably play RB in the NFL.
4.Robinho-Has really taken his game to the next level.
3.Steven Gerrard
2.Fernando Torres
1.Cristiano Ronaldo-Yes, make that 5 Premier League players. But its the only league I watch. Who would not pick Ronaldo?

Looking in the Crystal Ball at 2009

2008-12-31T09:19:00.004-05:00

Reflecting upon the year in sports that was 2008, there were certainly some watershed moments, huge upsets, and also some disappointments (depending on who and what you root for). The following teams and names are ones that will always be synonymous with 2008 (in no particular order): Michael Phelps, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Celtics, Rocco Mediate, Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, Detroit Red Wings, Manchester United, Rafael Nadal. I could go on.

So here are the teams and athletes I predict will make waves in 2009. You might want to bookmark this post, so in a year from now you can either build me a monument for being such a genius, or point and laugh at my stupidity.

First, for my beloved teams (I have more than four, because soccer also exists in my sports world):

NEW YORK JETS - Man, this is tough. I still think Cowher is the frontrunner for the head coaching job, despite all of the conflicting reports about what he wants, but at this point, it's anyone's guess who the Jets will hire. So, I'll just say this: If the Jets hire an established coach with a winning pedigree, they will be competitive next year and will be contenders within 3 seasons. If they hire a rookie, it will be the same sad story with the same sad ending. Perhaps the only exception to this rule is if they hire Steve Spagnuolo.

2009 Record: 9-7, 3rd in AFC East

NEW YORK RANGERS - This is an easy one. The Rangers will make the playoffs, probably as a 4 or 5 seed, and will be eliminated either in the second round or the Eastern Conference Finals. It's a solid team with a world-class goaltender, but it lacks a consistent scoring winger and physical enough defensemen to be considered a true contender.

2009 Record: 44-29-9, 97 pts., 4th in Eastern Conference; Eliminated in 6 games from the playoffs by the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals

NEW YORK KNICKS - A team in rebuilding mode, the Knicks will challenge for the 8 seed because the NBA is bad like that. When 2009 hits, we'll only be 18 months or so from the summer of 2010, which is when Knicks fans can truly rejoice!

2009 Record: 35-47, 10th in Eastern Conference

NEW YORK YANKEES - One word: Dominant. Sorry baseball, they're due. And stop whining about the payroll.

2009 Record: 104-58, 1st in American League East; Winners of 2009 World Series over the Chicago Cubs

SOCCER - Fulham FC will finish in the top half of the English Premier Leauge which will be won by Chelsea; Inter Milan will win the UEFA Champions League; The United States Men's National Team will retain it's regional Gold Cup title and will also advance to the knockout phase of the FIFA Confederations Cup (out of a groups containing Brazil and Italy, no less), being held this summer in South Africa as a preview to the 2010 World Cup; The New York Red Bulls will be eliminated from the MLS Cup playoffs in the Eastern Conference Final by the Columbus Crew, but MLS Cup 2009 will be won by David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy.

YOUR 2009 CHAMPIONS:

NCAA Football - Oklahoma Sooners - I don't really know College Football, so this is basically like picking out of a hat for me.

NFL - Indianapolis Colts - They're the hottest football team on the planet right now. Will the victory be in a Manning/Manning Super Bowl? It wouldn't shock me.

NCAA Men's Basketball - University of Connecticut - I think they will be one of the most tested teams coming out of the ridiculously stacked Big East.

NHL - Detroit Red Wings - If you appreciate teamwork and dominance in sport, watch the Detroit Red Wings play hockey. It is a thing of absolute beauty because you can't take the puck away from them (which, for those of you not familiar with the game, is ludicrous in a fast sport like hockey). They have enough power to repeat. I suppose the only question is goaltending: Chris Osgood and Ty Conklin? But they have enough scoring to mask that inadequacy.

NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers - Agreed with what The Sherm said in a previous post. They are quietly one of the best teams in the league because all people want to talk about are the Celtics and the Lakers. Feels like it could be Cleveland's and LeBron's year.

MLB - New York Yankees - No analysis or reasoning needed, just read the names and weep silently to yourself: Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, Chamberlain, Hughes; Damon, Jeter, Teixeira, Rodriguez, Nady, Posada, Matsui, Cano; and let's not forget Mariano Rivera.

MLS - Los Angeles Galaxy - I HATE Bruce Arena with a passion. But if there's a guy who knows the ins and outs of American soccer both on and off the pitch, it's him. He will build his team around David Beckham, pull a fantastic trade for some good defenders, and the Galaxy will go from a joke to a champion. In MLS, the American sports league with the most parity because of the ridiculously low salary cap, this is possible. I'm actually somewhat rooting for it outside of supporting the Red Bulls, because the league needs Beckham and the Galaxy to WIN, in order to grow.

Sorry for the long-winded post. But those are my predictions for 2009. We'll see how I do 365 days from now.

The Sherm Says...

2008-12-29T10:28:00.003-05:00

-It was another great ending to the NFL season. There was drama, chokes, and some big Week 17 performances. I think the biggest shocker was the Tampa Bay loss. No, they had been playing like garbage the past few weeks. But you would think they could win at home against the Raiders. Mark this one down: I think Jon Gruden coaches his last season for the Bucs in 2009.

-The Jets should fire their coordinators and tell Brett Favre not to come back. There's 20 other QBs I'd rather have then Favre. That was a dismal, dismal performances, and the whole ending to the season is eerily reminiscent to the Mets 2008 season.

-The Cowboys can join the "Fire the Coach" club and get rid of Wade Phillips. I thought he was awful from Day One. If he does get fired, he can put some of the blame on Tony Romo. "Big Game Tony" was a real leader yesterday.

-I think the Lions win eight games next season. I can see them doing what the Falcons/Dolphins did: Bring in a good coach, some veteran players, and improve the defense. The offense isn't that bad (Calvin Johnson is a beast and Kevin Smith had 1,250 total yards).

-I think that all four away teams will win next week. Just look at the matchups. But the home team with the best chance is Minnesota, because I just do not trust the Eagles.

-The Top 3 NBA scorers are Wade/James/Bryant. No surprise there. But what about 5, 6 and 7? That belongs to Danny Granger, Kevin Durant, and Devin Harris. Bet no one thought those three would be near the Top 10.

-Speaking of James, the Cavs are a very quiet 26-4 this season. Everyone is talking "Lakers, Celtics, Lakers, Celtics", but the Cavs have plenty going for them. Mo Williams is at 16 ppg and an astounding 96% from the free-throw line. I have a hunch that this could be Lebron's year.

-But what about the Celtics? Ray Allen is 33. Kevin Garnett is 32. Paul Piece is 31. I just have a weird feeling that they might break down at season's end.

-Have a Happy New Year!

The Unofficial Fantasy Football Awards

2008-12-22T19:46:00.007-05:00

I took some of the tips from my colleagues, sprinkled in my own opinions, and give to you the unofficial fantasy football awards(Note: I don’t even look at Week 17, as 99% of leagues end after Week 16 anyway

Fantasy MVP - Matt Forte
-Consistency is what comes to mind. When you draft a player, you want him to produce week in and week out. Forte did just that. No matter what type of league you were in, Forte put up yards and TDs. There were no completely dominate players this season, but Forte was someone you plugged in and just knew what he was going to do

"Consistency is what wins in Fantasy and he has been consistently great all season long" –Pods

Honorable Mention: Drew Brees (Gave you stability and a ton of points at the QB position)

Fantasy Bust - Willis McGahee
-When I think of busts, injuries do not count(Sorry, Tom Brady was not considered). You have to play pretty much every Sunday, you have to be drafted in the first two rounds, and you have to stink. Well, McGahee did just that. Look, McGahee did have three good games. But in between, he threw up some clunkers. He had five games of 50 yards or less. He also had the dreaded DNP (He had two decent games in a row, was ruled active for Week 9, and didn’t even register a carry). McGahee was awful in every sense of the word.
Honorable Mention: Braylon Edwards (He played every game and had seven games under 40 yards receiving. I would have put Addai here, but he did sit out three games and DNP’d and was ruled a backup in a fourth, so you could have put in someone else then

Surprise of the Year - DeAngelo Williams
-This guy was probably on many "Do not Draft" lists. But a strong offensive line and the drafting of Jonathan Stewart lit a fire under Williams. I would have put him as the MVP, but he really didn’t pick things up until Week 8. Williams scored 16 of his 20 TDs from Weeks 8 through 16, so he was great when teams needed it the most.

"Couldn’t get on the field last year, DOMINATED this year." –Xavier Hutchinson

Honorable Mention: Antonio Bryant (I didn’t even think of Bryant until my colleague Flying Murino brought him up. But it makes sense, since he wasn’t even that great the first half of the season)

Stumbler of the Year(Player who started off great, but fell off) - Clinton Portis
-He was a beast at the beginning of the year, highlighted by five-straight games of 100+ rushing yards. But I don’t know if it was injuries or just plain being worn down, but Portis turned sour. From Weeks 11 through 16, Portis managed just one game of 100+ rushing yards and only one total TD. I did a double take when I saw those stats. Those who sold high are looking smart
Honorable Mention: Marion Barber(After his 11-catch game in Week 6, he had only 3 total TDs and two 100-yard games the rest of the way. He also had an 8-carry, 2-yard game in Week 15 and a 2-carry, 0-yard game in Week 16. Someone fell off the table rather quickly

Most frustrating player to own - Lee Evans
-He’s on this list every year. Every year he doesn’t disappoint. You will look at his stats and go "Pretty good season" but then you look at the game logs, and it’s ugly. Four games of 30 yards or less and four games of 100+ receiving yards is all that is needed to be said. You have to play him for the potential, but yet, you want to bench him for the duds. What a mess
Honorable Mention: Santana Moss (Here were some of his yardage totals..164, 145, 140…and…0, 14, 28, and 29. Nice work Santana)

Undrafted Player of the Year - Steve Slaton
-Slaton was a Matt Forte Jr. He had 45 receptions through the first 16 weeks and also totaled nine touchdowns. Once Ahman Green was declared out for the season, it was all Slaton, and he responded. Why is he the biggest surprise? Because how many people had him on their team at the beginning of the season? He stepped it up and saved some fantasy teams. Slaton will be a very nice back for years to come
Honorable Mention: Kurt Warner (Remember, Matt Leinart was considered the starter at one point), Antonio Bryant and Lance Moore

Player You Will Never Draft Again
"Lee Evans" - I can’t stand to own someone as inconsistent as he is" – Pods
"McGahee" – Xavier Hutchinson
"David Garrard" – Flying Murino
"Jeremy Shockey" – Turd
"Ryan Grant: He doesn’t catch any balls and I cannot stand seeing 13 carries for 35 yards." – The Sherm

Sleeper for Next Year to Watch
"Tyler Thigpen baby" – Flying Murino
"Deshan Jackson" – Turd Burglar
"Peyton Hillis" – Xavier Hutchinson
"Eddie Royal" – Pods
"I’ll give you three: Matt Schaub, Kevin Smith, and..gulp..Larry Johnson" – The Sherm

No. 1 Pick Next Year - Adrian Peterson
-No matter what league you play in. He is the man.

Obscure Athlete Watch: Clint Dempsey

2008-12-21T10:34:00.003-05:00

In an attempt to start a series of new articles here on SportsFreakers, I Xavier Hutchinson, frequent blogger of the niche sports, will attempt to introduce you to a great athlete you, the loyal and growing SportsFreakers readership, may never have heard of before. He or she might be a mid-major college basketball player, up and coming hockey player, or a young golfer. But today I will start with an athlete from the most polarizing yet fastest-growing sport in America: soccer.

I'll admit, I had never heard of Texas-born Clint Dempsey until the summer of 2006, when the United States was competing in its fifth straight World Cup. Dempsey was memorable for his goal in the USA's win-or-go-home contest vs. Ghana (they went home after a 2-1 loss due to some horrendous officiating and even worse coaching by Bruce Arena).

In addition to the goal, Dempsey impressed with both hard work and creative play. He's perhaps the most dangerous American-born player in the world when given the ball in open space. He's also willing to track back and defend, even when he's playing forward (ask Cristiano Ronaldo about defending and he will laugh in your face).

These characteristics led to a transfer from the New England Revolution of MLS to Fulham of the English Premier League. The transfer fee of $4 million was, at the time, the largest for an MLS exile.

So let's fast-forward. After a very solid season and a half with Fulham in which he scored numerous big goals and became a fan-favorite, Dempsey had struggled at the start of this season. Fulham's newest coach, Roy Hodgson, was not the man who engineered Dempsey's transfer, so he had begun to restock Fulham with new players in order to improve the Cottagers' chances of finishing higher than 17th place in the 20-team league as they did in 2007-2008 (just one spot above the relegation zone). It seemed that Dempsey did not fit in Hodgson's plans, as he was used mostly as a late-game substitute.

But the last two months have seen a return to form for Dempsey amidst rumors that he would be sold during the January transfer window. He's started in Fulham's last six games and has netted two goals, the latest coming yesterday at home against Middlesbrough in a 3-0 win.

So just like in American-based sports (see, soccer isn't that different!), it's clear that one of two things is happening. Dempsey is either back in the fold and will be a part of Fulham's future plans, or more likely, Fulham are showcasing him in hopes that they will be able to pull in big money by selling him to another club.

Whatever the case, Clint Dempsey has reasserted himself as the best American player plying his trade in Europe (excluding goalkeepers, where several Americans have already excelled and will continue to). Young Jozy Altidore and potentially Landon Donovan may challenge him for that honor, but Dempsey deserves some recognition. And SportsFreakers has given it to him.

Here are some places to go to learn more about Clint Dempsey:

Wikipedia
This is American Soccer
Yanks Abroad

My Holiday Sports Wish List

2008-12-19T14:10:00.001-05:00

The Holidays are upon us! Here's a sneak peak at my holiday gift list.

1) The Cowboys and Eagles get knocked out early in the playoffs: Is anyone else sick of both of these teams? I am sick of seeing Donovan McNabb do the same thing every single season. Wow, he goes on a midseason tear, only to lose in the playoffs. I am tired of seeing Tony Romo play great when the conditions are perfect, only to do something awful in the playoffs. Please, just get rid of these two fast.

2) Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds positive steroid test results: There are sealed documents somewhere revealing positive steroid tests. Unfortunately, these documents cannot be touched unless some judge allows it. Wouldn’t we all finally be at peace knowing these two truly cheated the game?

3) Manny Ramirez signs with nobody: He doesn’t play the game right. He’s in his upper 30s. He gave up on the Red Sox. Yes, he is a wonderful hitter, but I hate him.

4) Davidson wins the NCAA Tournament: Since my former school (Rutgers) has no chance of sniffing 10 wins this season, I am aboard the Davidson bandwagon. They made a deep run last year, and brought back the same team. Stephen Curry claims the award for “Best outside shot from the past decade.” The perfect scenario would be Davidson to upset UNC in the title game.

5) Tiger Woods comes back healthy: When Tiger plays, everyone watches. When he doesn’t, no one cares. It is unbelievable to watch him, and I pay attention when he is around. Let’s just hope that the most dominant athlete in our modern era comes back the same.

6) Darren McFadden gets 200 carries next year: Did we not forget the hype? He was suppose to be Marshall Faulk Jr. But two toe injuries killed his rookie season. I just hope Oakland doesn’t stick with Justin Fargas come next season. Either way, the Raiders will still stink.

7) That after Oklahoma beats Florida in the BCS title game, the committee creates a playoff system: So let me get this straight. Texas beats Oklahoma, they both have one loss each, and yet Oklahoma makes it? It’s a travesty. College football is so hung up on making money. Hello, a playoff system would double whatever revenue they are currently making. This stubbornness has to stop!

Best Bets: Week 16

2008-12-18T14:13:00.003-05:00

Hey hey. 3-1 last week! And almost got the Lions score right. Here is three games this week.

Chicago Bears (-4 ½) vs. Green Bay Packers
-I do not understand why this line isn’t more than seven. Maybe it was because Green Bay won by 34 last time against Chicago? Maybe it is because it is a division game? Either way, the Green Bay defense has given up on the season and Chicago needs to win to position itself in the playoff race. If Matt Forte struggles with his health (he suffered a toe injury last week), then this game will be much more even. But, I think Chicago will be too much on their home field.
Prediction: Bears 30, Packers 17

Dallas Cowboys (-5) vs. Baltimore Ravens
-The Cowboys are rolling at the perfect time. Romo is back, Owens is happy again, and they are coming off a big win against the Giants. The Dallas defense has been the biggest surprise, as it hasn’t allowed more then 22 points in the last five weeks. Not all is well in Cowboy land though. Marion Barber has been awful (yes, I know, he’s banged up). And Roy E. Williams has looked lost as well. I think the Cowboys will be too much for the Ravens.
Prediction: Cowboys 37, Ravens 13

San Francisco 49ers (-5) at St. Louis Rams
-I will not watch this game. I am sure nobody will. But, if you like to gamble, then you’ll be interested. I just always go by the thought that if two bad teams are playing, always pick the team getting points. Yes, the Niners have looked a little better of late, but the Rams have been okay at home. They are also a different team when Steven Jackson is healthy, and he is making one of those late “Yes, I will be dominant next year” runs. I think this game will be a three-point game either way.
Prediction: Rams 20, 49ers 17.

*******Bonus Bet*******

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2) at Tennessee Titans

-This line is confusing. The Titans are at home, the top seed in the NFL, and are coming off a bad loss. Wouldn't all signs point to a Titans win? Looking further, I see otherwise. I've read reports that Tennessee is looking towards the playoffs, resting key players so that they are healthy. Plus, I have had this secret mancrush on the Steelers for the whole season. I love their defense, and I think at some point, the offense will start to click. Maybe it will start this weekend

Prediction: Steelers 24, Titans 13

Murino's Musings

2008-12-17T14:27:00.003-05:00

• The BSC Championship will be broadcast in 3-D in 80 to 100 movie theaters across the nation. I don’t know what to think about this bit of absurdity. It’s pretty cool, I guess. Maybe a bit intense. I’m not sure what I would do if I saw a 350-pound lineman hurdling towards me, even it was just a hologram in a movie theater.

• Yesterday, I was asked which of my favorite teams, the Knicks, Mets, Jets, or Rangers, would win a championship first. I said the Knicks. It was a quick reaction and one, with adequate thought and reevaluation, I would probably change to the Mets or Rangers. The Mets, Rangers and even the Jets all have way more talent. The reason I instantly said the Knicks? They’re the least frustrating team I root for. They go out hard every single night and Mike D’Antoni is by far the best coach out of the four. The Jets don’t show up every game and neither do the Rangers. The Mets have been a joke the last two years. So, forgive me if I place my hopes in the free agent class of 2010, as irrational as it may be.

• How about those Knicks last night? They hung around with the Lakers. Wow. When Nate Robinson is on, he’s absolute unstoppable and he poured in 33. When it comes down to it, the Knicks just don’t know how to win games at the end, because they don’t have a true go-to guy. That was proven the last two nights, when Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant both took over the game at the end. The Knicks need someone to step up and hit that big shot – and it’ll be between Nate, Al Harrington and Wilson Chandler to see who takes that shot. Eventually, I think Chandler can be a star. But, he’s 21. He needs more seasoning.

• The Rangers played very well. They almost had another let down, giving up a great opportunity only seconds after scoring the game-leading goal with 3:16 left in the third period. But, they did not fold and let me just say – what a tying goal it was. Nigel Dawes has been in the doghouse all year, but it was impressive to see him just place the puck right out of reach of Pronger, then skate to the puck and shoot it in.

• Who’s the NFL MVP this season? It may seem like an open race, but I think Peyton Manning is the only candidate after overcoming a slow start. Drew Brees and Kurt Warner have to be in the conversation, but the Saints are an average team and honestly, so are the Cardinals. Other candidates? Adrian Peterson has to be considered. Matt Ryan, Chad Pennington and Kerry Collins have led their teams to surprising results, but do they have the numbers? I don’t think so. In the end, I think it comes down to Manning or A.P, with Manning winning it.

• How does Brett Favre make the Pro Bowl over Philip Rivers? That’s a joke. The Pro Bowl is an individual honor. Favre certainly made the Jets better this season. He put the Jets on the map, made them a relevant NFL franchise. There’s no way 7 Jets make the Pro Bowl without Favre being one of them. But, Rivers had the highest quarterback rating in the league and when it comes down to it, the Pro Bowl is a stats competition. You have to take Rivers’ 28 TD and 11 INT over Favre’s 21 TD and 17 INT.

• Is Joe Paterno seriously going to keep coaching another three years? Dude, you can’t even speak coherently at your press conferences and you expect me to believe you can still coach? I know Penn State was great this year, but c’mon Joe Pa. Retire. You’re 82. Spend some with the family. See France.

• Rafael Furcal has NOT signed with the Braves. Mike Cameron has NOT been traded to the Yankees. Congratulations, ESPN! Now, you’re even further away from being considered a legitimate news source that practices the principles of good journalism. I can’t just blame ESPN. It’s all about the gotcha moment in sports journalism – every site has their Jon Heyman, their Ken Rosenthal, their Buster Olney. And every site wants to report the news first. Too bad no one seems to care about getting it right. If a deal is simply close to being done, why the hell are you reporting it? It’s not done! That’s like reporting that the Mets lead the Phillies 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth.

A Letter to Fantasy Football

2008-12-16T12:53:00.004-05:00

Dear Fantasy Football Season,

Why do you have to cause stress, angst, and bring me headaches every single week? I draft a powerhouse team, but look up at the end of the season, and somehow find myself 6-7? I specifically would like to point out these following players.

Joseph Addai: Not only do I make a trade pre-draft to pick you, but I ignore drafting another running back for about six rounds because you will dominant. Now, 16 weeks later, I am begging the fantasy football gods that you are out for Week 16.

Braylon Edwards: So during my trading up to get Joseph Addai, I traded out of the 2nd round spot that I would have chosen you with. Luckily, you stink for half the season. I decide "Hey, lets buy Braylon Edwards while his value is low." So I trade for you. Now I say to myself "Hey, will you please not drop another 10 balls."

Santonio Holmes: Not many people have talked about you, but you have not been good. Should we blame it on your QB who has forgotten how to run? Or should we blame it on the fact that you decided to smoke pot and get caught during the season? No, I blame it on the fact that you have Braylon Edwards syndrome and you have yet to have a 100-yard game this season.

Kellen Winslow: Ahh, I thought you would be a steal. At a position with not much depth, getting you in the later rounds was a gift. How many tight ends can give me 25-point fantasy games? Maybe two? And then you decide to talk out against your organization, hurt your shoulder, sprain your ankle, and pretty much end your season. And to think you would be a model citizen whose injuries were behind him.

Chad Johnson: I think the best thing would be to just not say anything at all about him. "Ocho Cinco" stands for your total fantasy points this season.

You look at this team preseason and go "Hey, there's some potential there." But alas, it was a complete and utter mess. I should have been like 3-10. I won one week on a late touchdown by Wes Welker(one of only two TDs from him all season) and possibly won because my opponent thought that Tony Scheffler was active even though he wasn't. And to top it all off, I lost to my own girlfriend(Yes, she plays fantasy football. I guess you can mark that as a positive)

But somehow, I find myself in the championship. Maybe I will give credit to Welker, Kurt Warner, and Dwayne Bowe for picking my team up. Or for two big games from Dominic Rhodes after the fantasy gods answered my prayers and magically gave Addai further injuries.

In my own arrogant way, I would like to think I made some brilliant decisions and used my fantasy expertize to navigate my way to a championship game(Hey, I've made four straight-fantasy football title games, two with my current league and two with my former league. I left that league after I was never paid my fantasy winnings).

But alas, however you look at it, however much stress you give me, I love fantasy sports. And I hope to get headaches from it for years to come.

Sincerely,

Richard Belding(Yes, that is my team name)

Bet of the Night: Toronto Raptors over the NJ Nets

2008-12-15T17:49:00.002-05:00

It's been a long while since the bet of the night was posted, but here we go again!

Take out some cash from the ATM
Write a check
Barter your clothes

Do whatever you have to do in order to put this bet in:

Toronto Raptors ML -175

The Nets sit at 11-11, currently on a 3 game losing streak. After getting massacred by Toronto on Friday, they blew a nice lead on Saturday to the perennial average Chicago Bulls. After a saddening day off, NJ moseyed on over to Canada for a Monday night matchup. Look for Bosh to go off for about 30 points tonight on a struggling NJ defense. Although the Raptors have their flaws, they love to beat up on weak teams. Even after a tough loss at home last night vs. the Hornets, I see a bounce back game in their sights.

Good luck!

NFL Week 15: What We Learned

2008-12-15T17:29:00.003-05:00

• The Jets continue to find new ways to struggle. Now it’s their run defense. Paging Kris Jenkins: How do you go from being an MVP candidate to a player that is no longer doubled on every play? He looks slow and tired and it seems as if he’s trying to do too much and is therefore doing absolutely nothing. The defense as a whole was atrocious. It’s unacceptable to tackle that poorly in Week 15.

• The Jets coaching staff can’t be blamed for everything. The players were dismal yesterday. But they can be blamed for a lot. While leading in the 4th quarter, backed up near their own endzone, Thomas Jones could not get one carry. Leon Washington has an electric touchdown run. He could not get one more carry. The Jets really need to go back to the run-first, play action offense.

• The Giants need Brandon Jacobs back. Not having Plaxico will be tough enough. He just draws so much coverage and even if he wasn’t playing that well this season, his presence on the field was critical. I do think they can live without Plax, but not having two of their top offensive players is crippling. Ward and Bradshaw are very good, but they’re not the players Jacobs is.

• Chad Pennington is just a consummate leader and a great player. He’s leading the Dolphins on a run that reminds me a lot of the run the Jets made two years ago. No one expected the Jets to do a damn thing and Chad comes back from his injury and proves everyone wrong. Unfortunately, I still don’t think he can carry a team very far in the playoffs without an elite team and I just don’t think the Dolphins are very good. He still scares the hell out of me for the Week 17 game at Giants Stadium against the Jets.

• The AFC West is the worst division in football history, because the Chargers, who barely got by the Chiefs yesterday, are still in the playoff hunt.

• The Packers are awful, but don’t blame Aaron Rodgers. That defense has completely fallen apart. Rodgers has been steady all season and I really like what I see out of him. He has a solid enough arm, is very accurate and can run pretty well. He needs to grow up a bit more, but he's a keeper and I think the Packers knew what they were doing. If Favre's there this year, they probably wouldn't be in much better shape.

• My Super Bowl pick is still the Colts versus the Giants, but that is subject to change every week and within the hour.

• The Titans may not get the top seed after all. Kerry Collins just isn’t very good and when their running game isn’t going, then they are ridiculous beatable. Their defense is scary, but now with Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Van Den Bosch both injured, they could be in trouble. Both will be back for the playoffs, but will they be healthy? Plus they may have lost all their momentum by then.

• So, the Chargers really ARE awful?

• Wait, the Falcons really ARE good?

• If Matt Ryan doesn’t win Rookie of the Year, something’s wrong. He just wins games. And Michael Turner has completely proven me wrong. The guy is a beast.

• The Vikings/Cardinals game was a case of two teams going in opposite directions. Vikings are peaking at the right time, while the Cardinals may have peaked too soon.

• The Cowboys may be peaking at the right time, too. For some reason, though, I have a feeling something might go wrong for this team. I don’t know why. That’s one big, harmonious and happy family right there.

• Next week is going to be huge. Not only are the Panthers playing the Giants for home field in the playoffs, but the Steelers are facing the Titans. This season is turning out to be an absolute gem and one of the best in recent memory. I think I say that every year, though.

Where are you Going: MLB Free Agents?

2008-12-15T16:35:00.001-05:00

I took a look at some of the big names in free agency. Here's my predictions on where they will go.

1) Mark Teixiera: He is as consistent as you can get. If you can handle his April swoons, Teixiera is a Top-7 First Basement. But is there anyone out there willing to give him the $25 million he wants? I think someone will step up and give him the money. The Red Sox need another big bat with David Ortiz/Mike Lowell starting to fall. The Orioles and (gulp) the Nationals are also in the mix. Maybe even the Yankees even jump in? I think the only logical place is where he was last year, in Los Angeles(or Anaheim, whatever it calls itself).
Prediction: Angels sign him after the holidays.

2) Manny Ramirez: Your guess is as good as mine. No one knows how much he wants, how long he wants it for, or where he wants to play. There's a number of teams who would love to stick Manny in the middle of their order, but could you even trust him? What if he takes a big deal and just stops playing? There is so many ways this situation could play out. I think the Dodgers make the most sense, because the city loved him and he ignited them into a postseason birth last year. It seemed like the situation just fit. But, do they want to give him a long-term deal?
Prediction: Manny signs a three-year deal and ends his career as a Dodger.

3) Adam Dunn: I love Adam Dunn. I know he strikes out a ton and I know the .245 batting average looks ugly, but he gets on base all the time and hits 40 homers every season. What I like about Dunn even more is the fact that he produces when it counts. But there doesn't seem to be much interest in him. He might need to take down his asking price just a tad.
Prediction: Reunites with former GM Jim Bowden and becomes a National

4) Pat Burrell: He's another tough one to gauge and I feel like the down economy has hurt his value. But you can pencil Burrell in for 30 HRs, 90 RBIs every season. It's just a matter of withstanding the streaks and slumps. I think he'll be one of those guys that are the last to sign (It won't be with the Phillies though). Will the Mets step up and grab him? How about the Braves? I'm going to go with a wild card on this one
Prediction: The White Sox pay up for him. They got rid of Griffey, Swisher, and almost Dye. And Ken Williams love big home run hitters.

5) Derek Lowe: Many teams would covet one of the more underrated starters in baseball, but I think it will come down to a battle between the Red Sox, Mets, and Yankees. Ironically, these are the three teams that have the most money in baseball. The Yankees have already spent a ton this offseason, so they might be set at pitching. The Mets are going to have to sign a starter sometime, because they have two spots to fill. But I don't see Lowe going there. I think he goes back to Boston. He won 21 games one year with them! It seems like a good fit at this time.
Prediction: Boston offers a similar contract to the Mets, but Lowe chooses his former team.

Others:
Ben Sheets-I think he winds up a Met. But I'm also going to throw the Cubs out there. They always pluck these type of guys from free agency.
Oliver Perez-He'll be one of the last standing. How about the Braves?
Bobby Abreu-White Sox want him, but I am going to go a different direction and say he joins the Braves.
Brian Fuentes-No, he won't be a Met. With the Cubs losing Kerry Wood, I think Fuentes winds up in that bullpen.

Best Bets: Week 15

2008-12-13T12:37:00.001-05:00

I’m not a gambling man, but if I were, these are my best bets for the NFL games this weekend.

New England (-7) at Oakland

-Patriots need this one. Three weeks left in the season and a three-team tie for first in the NFL East. Matt Cassell is a concern because of his father’s death coupled with some missed practices. I can see him having a bad game. But, Oakland is miserable, and no matter who its QB is, they are done.

Prediction: New England 31, Oakland 10

Miami (-6 ½) vs. San Francisco

-See New England above. Miami needs this one. I like this game because San Francisco is pretty much done, yet has to fly cross country to play. Chad Pennington has been great this year, and Ricky Williams has been a surprise spark. I think the Niners come down from the high of beating the Jets last week. Also, did you know, five of the Dolphins wins have been by nine or more points.

Prediction: Miami 27, San Francisco 13

Tennessee (-3) at Houston

-This game has trap written all over it. How could a one-loss team only give three points? I’ve learned to go against the favorite in these type of games. Plus, the Texans have gone on a late-season run, winning three in a row. Matt Schaub is back too, and the offense is much better with him at the helm. I haven’t like the Titans all season, so maybe there is some bias. I just think they peaked too early and are going to fall apart towards the end.

Prediction: Houston 24, Tennessee 20.

Indianapolis (-17) vs. Detroit

-Detroit still needs a win, and I think they are a different team with Dan Orlovsky starting. From weeks 5 though 9, with Orlovsky under center, Detroit lost four of five games by less than ten points. Clearly he can move the ball, it’s just that the rest of the team is so bad. I think Indy struggles early in this game (Detroit has weird games where they go up early only to blow it). In the end though, Indy wins, Detroit covers.

Prediction: Indianapolis 30, Detroit 20.

An Open Letter to the Content Editors of ESPN.com

2008-12-12T14:15:00.016-05:00

To Whom it May Concern:

As a frequent visitor to your website, ESPN.com, I have noticed a disconcerting trend over the course of the last few weeks.

When my web browser loads your homepage, instead of seeing a notable news item, or "top story" in upper left-hand corner of the page, I am instead confronted by a large, nonsensical picture with the words "Mayne Street" scribbled across it. It appears to be a promotional piece of some sort.

Surely, this must be an error. You wouldn't shamelessly promote yourself in the space that is reserved for the most important story of the day, right?

This would, after all, be akin to leading off your flagship news program, "SportsCenter," with an anchor - let's use Stan Verrett as an example - saying: "Our top story tonight on SportsCenter...ESPN is the Worldwide Leader in Sports," wouldn't it?

After all, EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS that you are the Worldwide Leader in Sports. You dominate the sports media landscape. Without doing much research, I can tell you that a large majority of sports fans turn to you first for sports news and information.

My advice, as a concerned customer, is that you fix this "Mayne Street" blunder as soon as possible, at the risk of people not logging onto your website due to the frustration this has caused. I can tell you that personally I will not be visiting your website again until this problem is addressed.

Thank you for your time.

A concerned sports enthusiast,
Xavier Hutchinson

P.S. You suck at covering sports

(Visit SportsFreakers.BlogSpot.com)

Murino's Musings

2008-12-11T13:32:00.007-05:00

New York Sports

• As a Mets fan, I couldn’t be more thrilled with the Putz trade. To have this guy as an 8th inning guy is just spectacular. I guess you have to worry about his injuries, but he should be fine. Putz is a top 3 set-up man. Before an injury-plauged 2008, Putz had 2 seasons of at least 36 saves, an ERA 2.30 or under and a WHIP under 1.00!

• On the other hand, it’s tough to lose the defense of Endy Chavez. It’s extremely valuable to have a 4th outfielder you can go to in the late innings of a game you’re winning who you know will make all the plays in the field. Joe Smith is also a very, very good pitcher. But, this is a risk the Mets had to make.

• As for Sabathia, that’s an interesting deal. The player option after three years makes me nervous, if I’m a Yankee fan. Does C.C. really hate New York THAT much? Is he nervous he’ll just be itching to get out of there in three years? Again, though, I think this is a risk the Yankees had to make. He’s an incredible pitcher, and although many have concerns about his future health because of weight problems, he hasn’t broken down yet.

• Also on the Yankees front, it looks like they are the frontrunners for Burnett. Don’t like the move. He’s a good pitcher, but he’s never on the field. And I don’t consider him elite and therefore not worth the 5 years and $80 million it’s being reported he was offered. Also, even when he is on the field, he is extremely inconsistent.

• I haven’t had this much fun watching the Knicks since Latrell Sprewell was a star on the team. For the first time in years, it seems as if the team genuinely cares about basketball. And even after the trades, which supposedly mailed in the season for the Knicks, and the injuries, which are piling up faster than a Michael Crabtree 40, they have continued to fight hard. David Lee is the latest injury. We’ll see how they respond, but I give all the credit in the world to Mike D’Antoni, who has been even better than anyone could have imagined. He’s the best coach the Knicks have had since Van Gundy and Riley.

National Sports

• Interesting NBA trade. Suns get Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley and a 2nd round pick. Bobcats get Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and Sean Singletary. Suns improve offensively, while Bobcats improve defensively. I really like Diaw. I think if he is used well, he can be a very good NBA player. He has regressed in recent seasons, but he has definite talent. And Raja Bell is a shutdown-defender, which every championship team needs. Richardson is a scorer. Plain and simple. I think the Bobcats actually get the slightly better end of the deal because they get two useful players. I don’t consider Jared Dudley useful as anything but an 8th man type. Overall, an interesting and pretty even trade.

• I must agree with my colleague, The Sherm, in that Lebron may be the best player in the NBA right now. I argued Kobe last year, and it’s still really close, but Lebron seems to be much more of a team player and is infinitely better at keeping his teammates involved and interested. Lebron’s numbers are slightly down this year because he’s playing five less minutes a game. He doesn’t need to play 40 mins a game anymore, with the addition of Mo Williams, the steady play of Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the emergence of Delonte West as a solid 4th option.

• How bout Carmelo pouring in 33 last night for the Nuggets, tying the record for points in a quarter? He can play, too. Right now, the Nuggets are my pick to play the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Chauncey Billups makes that team for real.

Top 11…Random Predictions for the rest of the NFL season (and beyond)

2008-12-10T19:14:00.005-05:00

The Steelers and Giants will play in the Super Bowl - The Giants are the easiest of the picks. They have been far and away the best team in the NFL this season and have all the tools needed to make the run: Experience, running game, dominant up front, and a QB that knows how to win.Meanwhile, the Steelers are not as obvious. The AFC is wide open, as any one of five teams could make it. But Pittsburgh is on track to gain the No. 2 seed and I wouldn’t want to play them at Heinz Field. The Steelers have the best defense in the league and their offense hasn’t even played all that well. Their wins against the Pats and Cowboys convinced me that Pittsburgh is the AFC pick.

LaDainian Tomlinson stinks, so much that he will be out of the NFL in three seasons - I never really cared for him. I always thought he was a product of fantasy football. When everything is right, he’ll score his four TDs and gain 200 total yards. But bring on a tough defense, cold weather, and the playoffs, and he folds up. This year, age is finally catching up to him. He’s 29 years old! Tack on three years, and he will be 32. By then, the Chargers will have moved on…and no one will want him.

The following coaches will be fired between now and the beginning of next year’s training camp - Norv Turner, Romeo Crennel, Rod Marinelli, Marvin Lewis, Eric Mangini, and the biggest one….Wade Phillips.

Bill Cowher will not coach any of those teams with vacant coaching positions - He's done coaching, so stop convincing him to come back.

Matt Ryan will win Rookie of the Year, with Chris Johnson, Joe Flacco, and Matt Forte following him in that order - I loveeeeeeeeee Matt Ryan. Loved him right out of college. He has everything you need out of a QB: Great arm, outstanding instincts, and a knack for winning. Plus, the Falcons were in the dumpster after Michael Vick was jailed. Ryan deserves the award, and he will be a franchise QB for the next 15 years. Johnson has done more with less time. He’s hit 1,000+ rushing yards on just 222 carries (4.9 average). He’s also given a lift to an otherwise dismal offense. Personally, he’s had a better season then Forte. Yes, Forte has had a billion catches, but when has Forte had a game-clinching or signature run?

Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech will be the best player to come out this year and win the 2009 Rookie of the Year – Sorry Tim Tebow, who won’t even be drafted in the first three rounds, or Sam Bradford, who will be an erratic NFL QB. Crabtree is one of the best open-field receivers to come out in a while. He’s 6’3, can run a 4.4, and catches pretty much anything thrown his way.

I will throw my remote through the television.....if I have to see five-dollar footlongs, hear that loser from UPS, or listen to that irritating Verizon Fios guy again.

The Jets will either not make the playoffs or lose in the first round – They peaked too early. Brett Favre is close to 40. The pass defense looks lost. The receivers look lost. The coaching staff is horrendous. And oh yea, Brett Favre is close to 40.

Matt Cassel will be given a huge contract by the Jets….and fail miserably.

The Texans will finally make the playoffs…next season – I love Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton. I really like Matt Schaub when he is healthy. And don’t look now, but Houston has won three in a row to pull to 6-7. Look, it is going to come down to defense with this team. But Mario Williams is a beast, so they have a starting point. If they can bring in some secondary help, and this team will get there. But, if you ask my friends, I have made that same prediction every season since the Texans existence.

This NFL season has been one of the best in years...and will end with a John Carney game-winning field goal to give the Giants a 20-17 win and a second consecutive championship.

We're Backkkkkk

2008-12-10T15:49:00.004-05:00

We pulled a reverse Brett Favre. We said we were returning. We never did.

Expect daily articles and random musings along with our usually unfunny banter. Let the games begin.

We Will Be Back

2008-05-20T17:45:00.002-04:00

We are temporarily on hiatus. I would love to say it is due to some made up cool and fun reason, but in fact, we are just lazy.

But when we come back, expect big things to come.

Cliff Notes: Monday, May 12 2008

2008-05-12T09:15:00.005-04:00

The Winners

-The Jazz, Spurs, Penguins, Red Wings

The Important Stuff

-Utah and San Antonio both take two games at home.
My Take: I really like Utah more than San Antonio, because Utah has changed it up a bit and are playing really well. Plus, Kobe Bryant looks pretty hurt, and back spasms tend to linger. San Antonio looked more like a team that took full advantage of being at home. I see New Orleans rebounding and finding a way to take the series.

-Manchester United wins its 10th Premier League title.
My Take: As a decently casual follower of the Premier League, it was pretty intense Sunday. Man U and Chelsea were deadlocked in points with one game to play. Man U held the tiebreaker, so Chelsea needed Man U to falter. Instead, it was Man U coming out on top (thanks to goals by Ronaldo and Giggs) while Chelsea stumbled in the closing minutes. Man U clearly is the most talented team and was also the one that stumbled the least throughout the season.

-The Marlins win their 7th straight.
My Take: Florida clearly has some hitting. Hanley Ramirez is the best player no one talks about while Dan Uggla and Jeremy Hermida consistently hit. Obviously the biggest question mark is their hitting, but the Marlins are a pesky team. I see them hanging around for a little while, and at best, finish the season in the 70-75 win range(which would be remarkable considering their payroll).

The Stupid Stuff

-O.J. Mayo reportedly accepted gifts and money.
My Take: ESPN did this whole Outside The Lines thing, and can up with these receipts and money exchanges from some agency. You think Mayo is the only one this happens to? I am willing to bet that out of the 60 or so players that are drafted every year, 20-25% of them are involved in similar activity. How do you put a stop to it? I'm really not sure.

-O.J. Simpson reportedly admits to killing his ex-wife and her boyfriend.
My Take: Can someone please lock this guy up for life? Just put him away. Can't America vote to exile him off of the island?

The List

-Rather then do some awards, the demotions of Jason Isringhausen and Eric Gagne got me thinking about the next five closers to lose their jobs (Note: These must be pitchers which started the season as their team's closers)

5) Brad Lidge (Replacement: Tom Gordon)
4) Trevor Hoffman (Replacement: Heath Bell)
3) Kerry Wood (Replacement: Carlos Marmol)
2) Kevin Gregg (Replacement: Matt Lindstrom)
1) Huston Street (Replacement: Santiago Casilla)

What to Watch for

-You have the usual playoffs (I think the Celtics finally win on the road tonight at Cleveland). And I guess you have to keep an eye on Cliff Lee going for 7-0 tonight. Can someone finally hit this guy and shut everyone up about him?

The Irony of a Baseball Brawl...

2008-05-09T12:52:00.006-04:00

It was a random summer baseball game in the magical season of 1998. Bernie Williams had just hit one of his billion clutch homeruns. The next batter was one of my favorite all time players, Tino Martinez. Armando Benitez, clearly miffed at the fact that he sucks, drilled Tino square between the shoulder blades with a 98 mph fastball. Tino immediately looked up at Benitez and then it happened; a HUGE fight broke out between the Orioles and the Yankees. Darryl Strawberry jumped into the Baltimore dugout and started throwing punches. Graham Lloyd tackled like 6 players.

I was reminded of this classic Yankees brawl when I woke up this morning to see highlights of Richie Sexson going nuts about pitch the was “too high.” It reminded me that no matter how stupid fights are in baseball, they make incredible highlights. I love baseball brawls.

The moment when the ball leaves the pitchers hand when you know its going to be up and in, the reaction of the player when he’s hit, the hitter charging the mound, the catcher running after him, the pitcher throwing his glove down, clenching his fists, and getting into a stance to brace himself. The five seconds or so between the hitter sprinting and reaching the pitcher are some of the tensest seconds in sports. The dugouts emptying, the bullpen guys running in, random players fighting each other for no reason at all, it’s fantastic!

The fight last night also made me realize the irony in that perhaps the most individualistic of all sports, baseball, has the most team oriented fights…

Hockey by far has the most fights of any professional sport; there are usually at least two a game. The game stops and players look on as two guys punch the crap out of each other until the refs finally stop it. Hockey is a team sport. You can’t win without your teammates and yet rarely do you see other players step in during a fight. Players let the two guys go at it like men; it’s been this way for years. Hockey fights end with each guy going to the penalty box for a few minutes and then playing again.

Basketball is as much of a team, if not more, than hockey, and fights are very rare. The NBA has rules that constitute instant suspensions as soon as a player leaves the bench during a fight. Because of this, even the rare fights that do happen are usually between 2 or 3 guys. For the most part, players would rather let the two guys fight, than lose the money they would get fined for leaving the bench.

Football is the most ironic of all. Football is the roughest, most physical, and the most team oriented of all sports. Yet, there is almost never a fight in football. The NFL has the lowest class of athlete of all sports, but they are satisfied with tackling instead of fighting. There are countless incidences where players “talk shit,” but nothing ever happens.

Baseball doesn’t have fights, they have brawls. This is because if two players do start to scuffle, the dugouts and bullpens empty. EVERY player gets involved. In last night’s fight, why was Felix Hernandez running around like an idiot when he was not involved in the fight at all? In the 1998 Yankees brawl, why was Darryl Strawberry throwing punches in the Orioles dug out? Why do baseball fights always involve every player? Is it because baseball players are bored, and any type of drama excites them? Baseball, the most individualistic of all sports, has the most team oriented fights. Go figure.

Either way, I love to watch baseball brawls. I can’t wait for some random pitcher to throw inside at Melky Cabrera…because you know that Shelley Duncan will power bomb the other team’s left fielder!

Freakout: Richie Sexson

2008-05-09T10:19:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry, but if I had my own Clown of the Year article, Richie Sexson wins it hands down. That pitch wasn't even inside! Plus, look at the score Richie! Your team is trailing and putting up another stinker.

I'm glad Sexson was able to hit something when he charged the mound. He has trouble hitting anything else that comes his way.

Cliff Notes: Friday, May 9 2008

2008-05-09T09:07:00.002-04:00

If you live on the East Coast, this question will make sense to you: Why does it always rain on Friday and Saturday? And if you watch Lost, this question will always make sense to you: What the hell is going on?

The Winners

-Spurs, Celtics, Red Wings, Haters of Lebron James

The Important Stuff

-Spurs and Celtics start slow, but take care of business in victories.

My Take: The Spurs obviously needed the win. They let Chris Paul do what he wanted, but limited Peja Stojakovic to eight points. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili each scored 31. It's a series again. As for the Celtics, they are clearly better than the Cavs. If Lebron is off, Cleveland has no chance (and he's been very off). Game 3 is a must win for the Cavs.

-Brandon Webb improves to 8-0.

My Take: When the game's top pitchers are talked about, I hear names like Santana and Peavy more often than Webb. But with Webb, Arizona has an absolute bull that can go nine innings. With Webb, Haren, Owings, Johnson, and now Scherzer, the Diamondbacks are the team to beat not just in the National League, but in the major leagues.

The Stupid Stuff

-The Dallas Cowboys will be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks, a series that depicts what an NFL Training Camp is like.

My Take: I love this show. It takes you through the difficulties of making it through NFL Training Camp. But if you are the Cowboys, and you've had situations like the Tony Romo/Jessica Simpson and anyhing Terrell Owens does, why put yourselves in the spotlight again? Plus, teams that appear on this show have tended to underachieve(i.e. Last year's Kansas City Chiefs).

The Awards

-The "Most Added Pitchers to Fantasy Teams" award goes to both Edwin Jackson and Daniel Cabrera. The two combined to allow one run in 17 innings. Cabrera allowed only three hits in a complete game victory while Jackson went eight scoreless but didn't get the decision. These two are the same exact pitcher. When they are on, they will dominant, but more often then not, they will walk the ball park.

-The "Cheap Win" award goes to Manny Acosta, who threw all of three pitches and ended up in the victory column. The Braves used six pitchers before him, but somehow, Acosta was the one who came away with the victory.

What to Watch For Tonight

-Utah looks to pull within a game against the Lakers. And I didn't even realize hockey was on, so Flyers/Penguins it is. And of course, the return of Kei Igawa! Yes!

Random Classic WWF Moment...

2008-05-08T14:57:00.004-04:00

I know wrestling isn't real, but remember when it was really cool?

Here are some highlights from the late 90's brutal Hell in The Cell match between The Undertaker and Mankind...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wAQgz_AmPQQ&feature=related

NHL > NBA?

2008-05-08T12:34:00.004-04:00

I will always love basketball more than hockey. Basketball is my favorite sport to play and one of my favorites to watch. So, I never thought I’d be saying this, but:

Thank god the hockey playoffs are starting up again tonight, because the NBA playoffs have been just awful. As for hockey? Incredible.

The Sharks-Stars 4OT masterpiece was probably the best hockey game I’ve ever seen and, logically, Marty Turco and Evgeni Nabokov put in two of the best goaltending performances I’ve ever seen. I can’t even imagine going out there for the 4th overtime and being able to walk, let alone ice skate with any urgency!

Yes, my favorite team, the New York Rangers, failed to advance to this round. This definitely puts a damper on the rest of the playoffs, but you have to realize – I haven’t been this big into hockey for about ten years. When the Rangers started going downhill in the late 90s, I lost interest and I was always more of a basketball fan anyway.

But, there’s one thing that can’t be denied. The NHL playoffs this year have blown the NBA playoffs out of the water.

I didn’t see this coming at all, with how competitive the Western Conference was this year. But, the conference's first round was an absolute bore, with the higher seeds toppling the lower ones easily. Same with the Eastern Conference, although surprisingly, the Celtics and Pistons were pushed a bit. The games themselves have been downhill since Game 1 of the Spurs-Suns series, in which players hit a series of clutch shots, including Tim Duncan nailing his first three of the season to put it into a second overtime.

The second round has been more of the same. Every home game has won. Yawnnnnnnn.
Not the case in the NHL.

There was the drama of Sean Avery’s stick-wielding antics in front of nemesis Martin Brodeur. And the brilliant 7 game series between the Flyers and Capitals, decided in overtime no less. And, of course, the valiant comebacks by the Rangers and Sharks, only to fall short. The best part about the NHL playoffs? They’ve been unpredictable.

Look at the first round. The 6th seeded Avalanche beat the 3rd seeded Wilds. The 7th seeded Flames pushed the 2nd seeded Sharks to 7. The 8th seeded Bruins did the same to the top seeded Canadiens. The 6th seeded Flyers toppled the 3rd seeded Capitals.

And now, the Eastern Conference Finals features a 2 vs. a 6 and the Western Conference Finals is a 1 vs.5 matchup. Hardly what anyone saw coming.

My final point is a simple one: nothing beats hockey playoffs. Nothing beats the intensity that comes with one shot of the puck, or one freak play, defining an entire team’s fate.

I’ll still be watching Kobe, Paul and Garnett go at it. But, for some reason, I think Crosby, Franzen and Turco may provide the better entertainment.

When a Video Game is More Than a Video Game

2008-05-08T12:15:00.006-04:00

We all played them growing up. Whether it was on Sega Genesis, Dreamcast, Game Gear, Playstation, XBox, whatever. Sports games were a part of our lives. The thrill of rushing home to start up the new release of a game was a feeling like no other. All of us didn't just play the game. We lived the game. There were two in particular that set the video game bar in my life.

The NHL Series (The Sega Genesis): If you watched the movie Swingers, you have an even better understand of why these games were great (Especially NHL '94 and '96). What was better than playing on ice that was too small and with players that were too quick?

The best features of this game were the little ones. I loved the Spin-O-Rama move that they instituted later on(I think in 1995, dont quote me). I found it hilarious that you can do a little ballerina twirl and get by three players. Best of all, the Spin-O-Rama was the Start button. How stupid is that? Somehow, it worked. And what also worked was the wrap-around goal. You can have a player go behind the net, come around and score. The goalies were always too slow to react to this. They did make it a little harder in NHL '96 to pull the move off, but if you were down 4-3 with 5 minutes left, it was your best bet.

Now I don't know if this was just a glitch or it was just my game, but anytime I popped in my game after a long period of not playing and tried to load up my season as the Rangers, it would always vanish. It was like the game was punishing me for not playing. It was telling me "You ignored me for so long? You will pay for this!"

I just loved getting a quick game with my buddies and just playing to see who allowed the most goals. I can go three years without playing it, pop in my Sega Genesis, and my night is fulfilled. It was simple and to the point. It was money and everyone knew it.

The Madden Series (Any system): You could spend a whole post just on the Madden series by itself. I went from Sega to Playstation, with a little Dreamcast and XBox thrown in there. But Madden was not just a game, it was a franchise. I don't know one male under the age of 25 who did not have a Franchise mode that lasted less than three seasons. Not only could you play a season, but you could draft and scout players, building them up into future superstars. Your team was not just a team, part of your favorite teams.

One of my favorite all-time athletes (Right below Derek Jeter and Patrick Ewing) was my RB in Madden '02, Doug Hamilton. He was an absolute beast and was about 90% of my offense. With Ogden Traylor manning the QB position, my team would dominate any level (Yes, his name was Ogden. A hilarious feature of Madden is the made-up player names, which would just shuffle first and last names of existing players). The Madden series was so amazing that you would feel a little sad getting the game the next year, because that meant you had to start a new franchise.

I was also one of those losers who played online when if first came out (PS2 in 2004 or 2005, forgot the year). You could pop in your game and play against someone from another country. My ultimate goal was to beat the top players. If I lost, it actually affected me for a good half hour. My claim to fame was beating the 20th player in the world. I felt proud of it.

I also loved the players that were great in Madden but awful in real life. I could make a list of guys who had 98 Speed or 95 Throwing Accuracy but were fourth stringers rotting on the bench of a real team. Trung Candidate had the skills of Barry Sanders. Michael Bishop had a cannon of an arm. Jerome Mathis STILL can be put in at WR and go for 1,300 yards in a season.

Were there plenty of bugs? Of course there were. You could run the same curl route with a big WR and he'll catch it 9 out of 10 times. When Michael Vick was on the cover, you could run around with him all day and he'd find a way to get 20 yards. You can kick a 59-yard FG as if you had the leg of Pele. But that's what made the game unique. Madden became its own sport.

This was part of my life growing up. Unfortunately, when you grow up, you are too busy to play video games. But there's always that one rainy Sunday afternoon when you can pop in that old video game and remember the days of your childhood.

Everyone had a franchise that lost the Super Bowl two years in a row or a Jari Curri which scored 65 goals in your season. If you could go back in time to play one more season as the St. Louis Rams, you'd do it in a heartbeat. Everyone has a story.

But now the most pressing question. Do I draft Pete Welker or Hardy Barnes with my first-round pick?

Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee

2008-05-08T11:45:00.002-04:00

Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee,
Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee,
We're talkin' f***in' Lee.
I had a friend named Lee,
He cast a spell a spell on me.

Jack Black and Tenacious D sang it, and I am feeling it. Cliff Lee has in fact cast a spell on me! Another seven innings, 0 run, 0 walk performance from the man named Clifton Phifor Lee.

Only this time, it wasn’t against the lowly Twins, the fluky Oakland A’s, or the “can’t hit their way out of a paper bag” Seattle Mariners. It was against my New York Yankees, out-dueling the Taiwanese heart throb, Chien-Ming Wang.

If you’re like me, you picked up Cliff Lee on your Fantasy Baseball team because he pitched a great game or two and you were desperate for pitching. If you’re like me, you also didn’t honestly think he would still be pitching this well. I mean he was pretty good in 2005 with a 18-5 record and an ERA under 4, but he was atrocious the last 2 years, between 2006-2007, he was 19-19 with an ERA well over 5! He was also in the minors as the Indians almost made the World Series last year. I know its still very early, but every pitcher since the divisional era started in the late 60’s that has started 6-0 with an ERA under 1 has gone on to win the Cy Young. By the way, some of the pitchers include Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, and Pedro Martinez.

So herein lies the dilemma…if you currently have Cliff Lee on your Fantasy Baseball team, what do you do with him? The way I see it, you have three options:

1) Trade him: Lee’s value is sky high right now. There has to be someone in your league that is desperate for pitching who believes that Cliff will be, at the very least, an improvement on what they have now. Test the waters and gauge how much confidence the others in your league have that he will continue his dominance. If you have needs, use Lee to fill them.

2) Keep him: What if you trade Lee and he actually does go on to win the AL Cy Young Award? It’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility. The most impressive thing about him early on is the fact that he isn’t walking ANYONE. His K/BB ratio is an absolutely absurd 39/2 through 44.2 innings! His ERA won’t remain under 1 for too much longer, but it appears that Lee can remain a valuable fantasy pitcher for awhile.

3) Drop him: Get rid of him. Forget you ever had him. Let him tease someone else with his amazingness. Forget you and Cliff Lee were ever connected in anyway. Ok, so this is a terrible option, but it is just that, an option.

So, what will you do with Clifton Phifor Lee? What will I do with Clifton Phifor Lee? I guess only time will tell…

Cliff Notes: Thursday, May 8 2008

2008-05-08T09:02:00.005-04:00

Time to make some changes to the format. Ch, Ch, Changessssss.

The Winners

-Lakers, Magic

The Important Stuff

-Kobe Bryant scores 34 points as the Lakers in 120-110 over Utah.

My Take: Lakers are clearly the more talented team. They have set themselves up beautifully, as they only need to win one of the next two games at Utah to gain full advantage. Utah can't let Los Angeles jump out to a 15-point first quarter lead. The Lakers are tought o comeback against to begin with, but Utah doesn't strike me as a team that can comeback. 30 personal fouls doesn't help the Jazz's cause.

-The Magic make it a series, defeating the Pistons 111-86.

My Take: Rashard Lewis scores 33 points as Orlando started the game well and closed the game out. Lewis has the ability to put up points and needs to take control like he did last night. It helps to shoot 45% from 3-point land as well. Billups hurts his hammy, and if he is out for any length of time, the advantage has to go to Orlando (especially Game 4 at home).

-Former Patriot employee Matt Walsh sends the NFL video of the Patriots taping other teams' signals between 2000 and 2002.

My Take: I mean, I don't know what the NFL is going to do if it finds anymore wrongdoing. Can you dock more draft picks? Can you fine them anymore money? It's a real bad situation for both the league and the Patriots. They didn't even have to do any of that, because they were clearly the best team in those years.

-Joey Votto homers three times while Carlos Gomez hits for the cycle

My Take: Votto is going to be a big-time power hitter and could even hit 25 HRs this year. Gomez is going to have his up-and-down games. If he develops like the Twins think he could, they have a keeper.

The Stupid Stuff

-Barry Zito falls to 0-7

My Take: Allowing two runs in five innings shouldn't be considered a "step in the right direction." He was still lobbing the ball over the plate. I don't know what you can do with this guy. He's awful.

The Awards

-The "Maybe they are better than we thought" award goes to Cliff Lee, Edinson Volquez, Shaun Marcum, Livan Hernandez, and Zack Grienke, who all dominated in victories last night.

-The "Todd Jones" award goes to Jonathan Papelbon, who suffered a blown save in a 10-9 loss to the Tigers. Detroit blew an 8-4 lead themselves, but find a way to win. Ironically, Jones got the win in the game.

What to Watch For Tonight

-Cleveland and Boston should be good. Hopefully one of these teams can score over 50 points tonight. Beckett/Verlander hook up to see who breaks the radar gun.

Separated at Birth?

2008-05-07T23:37:00.004-04:00

Today, a source extremely close to Sportsfreakers announced that New York Yankees lead-off man is related to golf champion Trevor Immelman. Both players and every other news source in the world have denied the announcement.

Pick of the Night

2008-05-07T15:18:00.003-04:00

Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Lakers

10:35pm TNT

Lakers -7.5

This bet seems simple to me. The Jazz are perennial road losers, and although they won a couple in the last series, they are now up against, in my opinion, the best team in the NBA. Look for the Lakers to pull away sometime in the 4th quarter for the win, and for Kobe to dominate as usual.

Final Score: 114-102 Lakers

Adios Julio Franco

2008-05-07T15:14:00.003-04:00

After 8,000 years playing Major League Baseball, Julio Franco has announced his retirement. Here's a nice little tribute to the man they once called old.

Man Crush of the Week #2 - Sean Avery

2008-05-07T14:35:00.003-04:00

From my seat in Row A of Section 414 at Madison Square Garden, I can see almost everything that happens during the course of a Rangers game. Stationed centrally behind the net at the 8th Ave. end (where the Rangers attack in the 1st and 3rd periods), I get a full view of the ice, and most of the time I watch the puck and the play, like most people would.

But when a certain Ranger hits the ice, I’m transfixed on only him.

He’s unpredictable. He’s fast. He’s a good scorer, a deft passer. He’s a hitter and a fighter. He’s annoying as hell.

He’s Sean Avery.

When Avery became a Ranger on February 6th last season, I knew very little about him. Because Avery played in Los Angeles and the NHL has pretty much zero west-coast TV coverage, he was basically an unknown commodity. I think this was the case for a lot of people.

But since his arrival in New York, I have absolutely fallen in love with Sean Avery…in a totally non-sexual way, of course (come on, I’d have no shot anyway, this guy dated Elisha Cuthbert!), and so has most of New York.

Avery actually makes me laugh out loud when I watch the Rangers, partly because of the way he goes about getting under his opponent’s skin (yapping away from behind his infamous black mouth guard, throwing well-timed body checks, and of course face-washing players during post-whistle get-togethers), but mostly because he’s actually a terrific hockey player. It truly is a joy to watch the guy play the game. Most people can’t get past the agitation factor to recognize this, and that quite frankly is their loss.

Avery is the player that everyone – including even some Ranger fans – loves to hate. His language on the ice is crude, he’s brutally honest during interviews (“I guess fatso there forgot to shake my hand…”) and his goal celebrations are a bit over the top (though I think scoring a goal in the NHL would fire anyone up and I like the expression of emotion).

But I also think that the NHL’s resident bad boy fulfills the cliché, “Women want him and men want to be him.” After all, Avery isn’t just a hockey player…he’s a renaissance man. When he’s not at the rink, he claims he really doesn’t pay much attention to the hockey world and would rather talk about art than sports. His interests include high fashion and indie music. This summer, he’s interning at Vogue Magazine. Guy’s got a pretty cool life, no?

What I think a lot of people, especially over at NHL Headquarters on 6th Ave., are missing is that Avery has become one of the league’s most marketable stars. And in typical NHL fashion, Gary Bettman and Co. have shunned him. In a league that is struggling not only to garner more attention but also to promote its stars, Avery is a lightning rod for attention. He plays the part of the villain perfectly.

Now, many hockey pundits would tell me that the league is trying to clean up its image, that a “villain” is the last thing it needs. They’ll say the NHL is sick of the Todd Bertuzzi/Marty McSorely/Chris Simon moments that seem to happen yearly and give hockey an endless stream of bad press.

My argument is this: Sean Avery is not a goon. He doesn’t hit from behind. He doesn’t swing his stick at people’s heads. He doesn’t engage in slew-footing like Evgeni Malkin did in pathetic sore-loser fashion at the end of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Rather, Avery is a modern agitator with an old-school edge. And he’s a good interview because he’s articulate and will say a thing or two that catches everyone off-guard. He also has a personality off the ice.

I watched the Rangers playoffs with a few people who are not hardcore hockey fans like me and even they were interested in Sean Avery. Say what you will about his questionable screening tactics on Martin Brodeur…it made headlines, didn’t it? The national media was talking quite a bit about hockey the next day, weren’t they? I rest my case.

I’ll say this before I go. A lot of people have accused Avery of being selfish, especially when February rolled around and Avery met with the Rangers brass to discuss extending his contract, a one-year deal that expires on June 30th. SHOCKER: Avery asked for too much money. Go figure that…a pro athlete acting like, well, a pro athlete.

The thing is that Avery has proven his worth. The Rangers were 33-14-10 this past season when Avery played and 9-13-3 when he didn’t. And then came this gem from New York Post writer Larry Brooks, who scored an exclusive interview with Avery when he was released from the hospital earlier this week after beginning his recovery from a lacerated spleen.

Avery bleeds Ranger blue.

That’s good enough for me. But even if he leaves the Rangers, I will always have a soft-spot in my heart for Sean Avery, this week’s Sports Freakers Man Crush of the Week.

Bye Bye Barry...

2008-05-07T12:56:00.005-04:00

Jeff Borris, Barry Bond’s agent says, "No team has made me an offer for any amount at any time since Barry became a free agent."

First of all, Jeff Borris is a douche bag… Secondly, why would any team with any respect for itself want to sign a 44 year old, steroid freak, media circus?

Now, the MLBPA has launched some cockamamie investigation into the Major League Baseball Owners, to see if they are colluding to not sign free agents like Barry Bonds, Kenny Lofton, and Sammy Sosa. This is pretty hilarious. Does the players association REALLY think the owners are colluding against Barry Bonds? Or, are they just doing this because Bonds is in a union, and they just have to? I mean, Bonds can still hit: 28 homers in 340 at bats is actually really good. But, it doesn’t take an idiot to realize that no team is going to sign Bonds for $15 million a year to play DH. He can’t play the field anymore, so that eliminates the entire National League, but I decided to go through a few teams that may actually take chance on the all time home run king…

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners are off to a very slow start in ’08 and really don’t have that much pop in their lineup. Ichiro is a fantastic player but has no power, and outside of Adrian Beltre Raul Ibanez and maybe Richie Sexon, they don’t have any hitters that pitchers fear. They don’t have a DH, and could absolutely use a left handed power bat. The only thing stopping them from signing him (besides the absolute media circus he brings), is the money that Bonds and Borris will demand. Ichiro, Sexon, Beltre, Carlos Silva, Ibanez, and Erik Bedard make almost $100million combined. The Mariners are a fairly small market team, and unless he comes at an extreme discount (doubtful!), I don’t see the Mariners signing Bonds. However, if they are 10 games out of first in a month or two and continue to not score runs, it is possible we could see Barry Lamar Bonds in Seattle.

Chance they sign Bonds: 45%

Detroit Tigers

Everyone’s favorite pick to win it all before the season has been very up and down so far this year. Their pitching is bad, and their supposedly amazing offense has been very inconsistent. If they want to shake things up with this team, signing Bonds might make sense. Plus, their DH, Gary Sheffield looks like he might be nearing the end of his career. Truth is, this team should be trying to improve their pitching instead of signing Bonds, but desperate times come for desperate measures.
- Chance they sign Bonds: 40%

Oakland Athletics

Despite their hot start, the A’s lineup does not scare me at all. Emil Brown is a fraud, Daric Barton is too young, Kurt Suzuki might bat .300 but he’ll have 5 homers, Bobby Crosby will get hurt, and Jack Cust stopped using roids. Also, Oakland’s proximity to San Francisco would be good for Barry because the fans would actually like him. However, the A’s did just sign Frank Thomas to be a DH and the A’s are actually winning. Who knows with Billy Beane and his stupid Money Ball tactics though? He LOVES Barry Bonds!

Chances they sign Bonds: 35%

Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

No one really thinks this team can stay in contention for too long, so adding a big bat like Bonds might make sense in the short run. Their DH, Cliff Floyd is hurt (like always), and the middle of their lineup is void of any real power threat not named Carlos Pena. Signing Bonds might actually allow this team to contend for a little bit, and will give them the national attention that they sorely lack. However, in the long run, signing Bonds is a BAD idea for this team. He would immediately be the highest paid player on the team, and would ruin the team chemistry that seems to be growing with them every year. I doubt young stars like BJ Upton and Carl Crawford want to be answering questions about Barry after every game.

Chances they sign Bonds: 25%

New York Yankees

With Arod and Posada out, the Yankees lineup is really short right now. If these two guys miss any real length of time, and the Yankees are hovering around .500 at the all star break, Hank Steinbrenner might freak out and become his father. Back in the day, George probably would have signed Bonds already. But, with this being the last year at Yankees Stadium and the Yankees already aging, it is doubtful that Barry will ever be in pinstripes.

Chances they sign Bonds: 10%

Where in the World is Lebron James?

2008-05-07T10:27:00.010-04:00

I'm just going to get this out in the open.

Last night's Cavs-Celts game was the worst basketball game I have ever seen. EVER.

It was by far the must frustrating offensive, or lack of offensive, game I have ever sat through. Neither team could go on a run to put the other away, and there was absolutely no flow throughout. The game began with an easy layup from who else but Lebron James. He wouldn't hit another field goal until the 4th quarter. Which poses the question...

Where in the world is Lebron James?

Let's forget that he went 2-18 last night from the field, but focus on the fact that he had 10 turnovers, in his worst playoff game ever. Actually, it's the 2nd worst turnover rate by a player in a playoff game, of all time! (11 is the most). What was wrong with Lebron? Early round jitters? Doubtful. Injured? No. Out drinking last night? Probably. Which poses another question...

Where in the world is Paul Pierce and Ray Allen?

They must have been out with Lebron. Ray Allen had 0 points, the first time in 852 games. Pierce finished 2-14. The only 2 players who actually had great games were Garnett and Ilgauskas, with 28 points and 20 points respectively. If these players didn't put up big numbers, the final score might have been 52-48.

I sincerely hope that this isn't the bar set for this highly anticipated series. Hopefully in Game 2 we see the dominating Lebron we're used to, and a higher scoring game.

Doc Rivers said this after the game. "This is gonna be Knicks-Heat, or Knicks-Bulls."

Don't forget DOC, if that is your real name, you guys won 17 games last year. I can't wait until Lebron turns it on. Because when that happens you are all in big, big trouble.

Cliff Notes: Wednesday, May 7 2008

2008-05-07T09:06:00.003-04:00

The Winners

-Celtics, Sidney Ponson

The Important Stuff

-The Celtics/Cavs game was ugly, but Boston eeked out a 76-72 win. In lieu of running away with our poll question, Lebron James celebrated by having his worst game of the playoffs (12 pts, 10 TOs).

-Rick Carlisle to the Mavericks? Mike D'Antoni to the Bulls? Why is no one interviewing Herb Williams?

-The altered Cedric Benson report details him being drunk and confused. That's how most Giants fans get after a Barry Zito start.

-The shocker: Joba Chamberlain blows a game! Joba allowed a three-run go-ahead HR as the Indians defeat the Yankees 5-3. Joba now joins this list of players who have blown games:

1) Every relief pitcher who has ever played Major League Baseball.

The Stupid Stuff

-The horse that died at the Kentucky Derby (Eight Bells) has been accused of taking steroids. It's trainer demands a drug test be taken. Let me get this straight. It's more urgent to test a horse for steroids than it is to have tested Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa for steroids.

The Awards

-The "I was a complete mental case last year, but now I am a great pitcher" award goes to Scott Olsen, who threw 8 2/3 innings of two-hit ball to improve to 4-1.

-The "I'm king of the world!" award goes to David Delucci, who was the lucky one to have homered off of Joba Chamberlain.

-The "Let's just mail it in the rest of the season" award goes to the Detroit Tigers.

What to Watch for Tonight

-I guess the Pistons' and Lakers' games are watchable. Although why watch something that you know the ending to?

No More War (ESPECIALLY Over Sports)

2008-05-06T14:00:00.003-04:00

This is a moment of stupidity I will never forget.

I was standing in the parking lot of Giants Stadium last October before an MLS playoff game between the New York Red Bulls and New England Revolution. It was a typical scene, really: a bunch of friends and acquaintances, enjoying some decent beer and grilled food, talking about the world of soccer, of which there are endless subjects to discuss.

One of the participants in this discussion was a friend-of-a-friend, someone who I was not terribly familiar with, but who had played the game and was a big fan of A.S. Roma of Italy’s top league, the Serie A.

He felt that Italy’s league was the best in the world. Okay, that’s your opinion.

He felt that Francesco Totti was the best striker in the world. Being a Roma fan, you’d expect this from him. Fine.

He generally prefers the defensive Italian style of soccer. Whatever man, whatever floats your boat.

Then the subject of hooliganism and soccer-related violence came up.

“I think that’s f---in’ awesome man., they’re so passionate.”

This is where I lost all respect for this person and came very close to smashing my bottle of Heineken over his head (thus making me a hypocrite in this discussion, though really, this guy deserved it…but I digress).

Most people have some idea about the problems in many countries around world involving soccer-related violence. They are still very much an issue today.

Well, I’m here to say that, contrary to what my colleague from the Giants Stadium parking lot believes, THERE IS NOTHING “F---ING AWESOME” ABOUT SPORTS-RELATED VIOLENCE.

For most people around the world, soccer is everything. Everything.

But that does not make it okay for people to riot before and after matches. There is no reason that fans wearing opposing colors should engage in a gang-like street fight. There is no reason whatsoever for policemen to die.

Wake up, people. It’s just a game. A damn game. Why in the world are people dying over it?

The sad thing is, and the reason for this article today, is that even in America, we are not immune to this sort of thing.

Now, we certainly love our sports in America, probably as much as people love soccer abroad. Europeans and South Americans always describe America as a “sports-crazed country.” Normally, we’re able to keep emotions in check over here though, and I’m proud of that. People don’t need to fear for their lives going to an opposing stadium to cheer their team on. Sure, you might be the victim of some verbal jabs, but if you’re not obnoxious, usually you’ll leave the arena unscathed. Sometimes there are fights, but these are usually broken up quickly by the security staff.

So that explains my absolute shock when I read this article yesterday on ESPN.

First of all, you can tell by the picture that this woman isn’t exactly a first-class citizen. But the fact that she drove her car into a crowd of people over a Yankees/Red Sox argument shows what a true psychopath she actually is.

Yes, Yankees/Red Sox is probably the most contentious rivalry in American sports, though at this point it is more heated off the field than on. There are usually fist-fights at games. It is a known rule that you will be spat on, insulted, etc. if you’re caught wearing a Yankee hat in Fenway or vice-versa, especially when the two teams aren’t playing each other.

But I don’t care if an opposing fan insults your spouse, children and mother in the most appalling way you can think of, you do not, DO NOT, do anything that could seriously injure or even kill that person. There is no justifiable situation. Never under any circumstance.

Hey, Ms. Hernandez. Life is more important than the New York Yankees. That guy Matthew Beaudoin you killed? Yeah, he had a family. He had goals. He was 29 years old. He was drunk and told you he thought the Yankees sucked. So what?

Well, now he’s dead because you ran him over with your car. Despicable.

This isn’t an indictment of Yankee fans (I am a Yankee fan and this woman is a disgrace to us all) or anyone in particular, really. It’s more of a call to realize that this situation of sports-related violence, which many Americans scoff at, is a real issue, even here in our hemisphere.

Passion is good. Passion fuels fans and athletes alike. It makes sports the pulsating spectacle that we know and love. But violence has no place inside, or outside of the stadium.

Top 5...Trades that Need to Happen

2008-05-06T12:06:00.014-04:00

Everyone's loves a good trade. While these five probably won't happen, they should for the good of the teams involved.

5) The Yankees trade Ian Kennedy and Jose Tabata to the Reds for Adam Dunn

Why: Everyone complains about the Yankees pitching, but if you look at their hitting, it has gotten old fast. Dunn becomes a free agent at the end of the season, and the Reds figure to fall out quickly. I know the Yankees were reluctant to move their young pitching in the offseason, but Dunn would be the perfect fit. He's got plenty of power(40+ HRs from 2004-2007) and is relatively young (28). As nice of a pitcher as Kennedy is, the Yankee farm system has plenty of youth. And if I recall, Brandon Claussen had plenty of hype before the Yankees traded him to the Reds a few years ago. Claussen never panned out. All I know is that right field porch at Yankee Stadium looks mighty nice for Dunn.

Result: Dunn hits 40 HRs and bats .260, injecting the Yankees with some life. Jason Giambi is put on the bench and sparingly pinch hits. The Yankees sign Dunn to a big contract in the offseason and he becomes a big bat for the Yankees for the next six years. Kennedy comes up late in the year and shows some promise. He winds up having an up-and-down career but never the Mike Mussina-clone that people expected. Tabata struggles and never sees a full season in the majors.

4) The Rockies trade Brian Fuentes to the Tigers for Yorman Bazardo and Clete Thomas

Why: The Rockies are falling fast, and Fuentes has been one of the most touted trade candidates. The Tigers are in desperate need of bullpen help, with Joel Zumaya out a while and Todd Jones being 40. The Tigers have the lineup, but need that one guy that they can trust in their bullpen. Bazardo has talent, but the jury is out on where he will fit in. Thomas was solid in his early callup this year, but Curtis Granderson figures to man center field for the next decade. The Rockies can get younger and the Tigers can get more stable.

Result: Fuentes thrives in Detriot, posting a 2.50 ERA. He never becomes the closer, but becomes the best left-handed setup man in the league. Bazardo is moved to the closer's role in 2009 and never quite dominates, but is a servicable closer. Thomas is a solid role player who is better than his numbers say.

3) The Cardinals trade Branden Looper and Jason Isringhausen to the Mariners for Wladimir Balentien.

Why: Looper and Isringhausen are both free agents at the end of the season and don't figure to be in the team's future plans. Looper has quickly grown into a decent SP that can eat up some innings. Isringhausen has been slipping the past few years, blowing some big saves and keeping fans on the edge of their seats. The Mariners could use some arms, especially with the volitility of their bullpen. I also think that despite their early season falters, the Mariners make a midseason charge and jump back into the division race, prompting this trade. Remember, J.J. Putz and Erik Bedard were both hurt in April, so the Mariners were clearly not at 100%. They aren't going to just give up just yet. Balentien has brought some power to the Mariners' farm system and projects to be a solid power hitter.

Result: Looper and Isringhausen give the Mariners an extra boost, but it's not enough as the Angels win the division. At season's end, Looper is re-signed while Isringhausen is let go. Balentien has Wily Mo Pena syndrome, as he becomes known as a .240, 25 HR hitter.

2) The Nationals trade Jon Rauch and Odalis Perez to the Indians for Ben Francisco

Why: I think Perez becomes somewhat of a decent trade item. He's throwing better and is mechanically much smoother. But he's a free agent and the end of the season, and is going to want more money than his worth. Rauch will be a free agent at the end of 2009, and he's going to want to be paid like a top reliever. Plus, Chad Cordero has no trade value anymore with his arm troubles, so the Nationals will be stuck with him (meaning Rauch is the expendable one). Francisco has never found a role with Cleveland, but has been an impressive bat when given the chance.

Result: Perez is the 5th starter for the 2nd half of the year, but struggles in the AL. Rauch is a key piece to the Indians bullpen and is eventually re-signed at the end of the season. The Nationals cut loose Wily Mo Pena and Francisco has some solid power years(Think .280, 23 HRs, 80 RBIs).

1) The White Sox trade Joe Crede, Jerry Owens, and Jack Egbert to the Phillies for Pat Burrell and Tom Gordon

Why: The Phillies aren't a lock to hang around the playoff picture. I just feel like they are going to the be the odd team out by June, meaning they will become sellers. I don't think they will keep Burrell or Gordon at season's end, so they can let them go. Crede makes sense for the Phillies, because Pedro Feliz is awful. Owens has a ton of speed and will eventually mean the end of Geoff Jenkins. Egbert has been a top prospect, but feels like the right young trading piece for the White Sox to deal. The Phillies need to get rid of age and potentially big contracts. Gordon probably retires at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Burrell can jump into a playoff race and possibly re-sign with the White Sox. Chicago is going to hang around in the AL Central and have not been afraid to make moves.

Result: Josh Fields finally comes up for Chicago and is a solid contributor to the lineup. Burrell explodes in the AL and is a big clutch hitter, but it is not enough as Chicago loses out on the division and the Wild Card. The Phillies re-sign Crede to a much less deal than they would have for Burrell. Owens is a 30-40 SB player, while Egbert develops into a back-of-the-rotation pitcher.

CLOWN OF THE WEEK...ROGER CLEMENS

2008-05-06T10:11:00.016-04:00

On June 13^th, 2003, I sat in the left field bleachers of Yankees Stadium and watched you strike out Edgar Renteria for your 4000^th K. On June 13^th, 2003, I watched you pitch 6.2 strong innings against the St. Louis Cardinals to win your 300^th game. On June 13^th, 2003, I watched you make history. Roger Clemens, you used to be a legend, you used to be an icon, you used to be one of the greatest pitchers to ever touch a baseball.

Times change…

Congratulations Roger Clemens, you are now, the 2^nd Ever Sports Freakers CLOWN OF THE WEEK!!!

Your first CLOWNY move was when you put yourself above the game last May. By sitting in Steinbrenner’s box and announcing you were“coming back” for the 307^th time, you were telling everyone that “I’m the man. I’m better than the Yankees. Love me!” Only, you weren’t good last year. You went 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA in only 18 starts, and you looked worse than Kei Igawa in the playoffs.

But, your descension into true CLOWNHOOD began on the afternoon of December, 13, 2007. It’s the day that will forever live in infamy in the world of Major League Baseball. Senator George Mitchell released the Mitchell Report detailing 85 players’ use of steroids and HGH in Major League Baseball. They should have just called it the Clemens Report.

While other named players with far less notoriety and evidence against them were admitting the truth behind Mitchell’s report, you sat on your fat ass and said nothing for days. Then after you and Mike Wallace stopped fellating each other, you went on 60 Minutes and told the world that the only shots you took were Vitamin B-12 and Lidocaine. Hey, guess what Rog…NO ONE BELIEVED YOU!!! Seriously, NO ONE! If you want vitamins, take a supplement you idiot! You also said that if you had taken roids you would have a 3^rd ear growing out of your forehead. A 3^RD EAR!?!?! Yea, Roger, that’s what Steroids do. Yep.

The next day, you air a tape of your former trainer and everyone’s favorite rat, Brian McNamee. You sat there and let him cry to you about his dying son, and aired it on national television. Do you have a soul Mr. Clemens…NO?!? You heartless bastard! On top of that, you walked out of the press conference that YOU CALLED! Are you kidding me Roger!?!

Then there was probably the worst day in sports history when you sat and got your ass handed to you by congress. I would describe what happened, but I uhh seem to have “misremembered” the details.

Hey, Roger, can you tell me what a Vegan is? No? Idiot!

Now, Roger, you’ve become nothing more than tabloid fodder. Every day it’s something else. Truth is, no one really cares if you had sex with a 15 year old country singer, or if you had an affair with your nanny, your waitress from the corner deli, an African-American male stripper, Paris Hilton or the Fabulous Moolah.

The fact is Roger, that you are not only the CLOWN OF THE WEEK, you are a liar, a cheater, an adulterer and a fool! I hate you Roger Clemens. The world hates you Roger Clemens. NO ONE likes you or respects you. I believe I speak for everyone when I say this…

ROGER CLEMENS…KILL YOURSELF!!!!
(Click The Sports Freakers to read more good stuff.)

Cliff Notes: Tuesday, May 6 2008

2008-05-06T09:05:00.016-04:00

Hillary and Barack battle for 189 delegates tonight. I say they settle it in a Best-of-3 Scrabble competition. Is Lewinsky a valid word?

The Winners

-Pistons, Hornets

The Important Stuff

-What is wrong with the Spurs? After getting beaten again, San Antonio is now down 2-0 to the Hornets. I think we should consider electing Chris Paul as our President. He certainly knows how to be a leader.

-Did you really think the Magic had a chance?

-Dice-K walked eight batters and still found a way to lead Boston to a 6-3 win over Detroit. After the game, Hideki Irabu was seen taking off a Matsuzaka jersey.

-Speaking of Detroit, it shook things up by getting rid of Jacque Jones. Raise your hand if you knew Jacque Jones was still in the majors. Anyone?

The Stupid Stuff

-Jamie Moyer out duels Max Scherzer. Hahahahhaha.

The Awards

-The "Rob Deer" award goes to Richie Sexson, who hit his 7th HR this season. It's good to see Sexson back to his 35 HRs and .215 batting average.

What to Watch for Tonight

-The Celtics/Cavs series is a must see. So is the Cubs/Reds, where Zambrano and Harang duel it out. I'm also curious to see Sidney Ponson act like he's a good pitcher.

I hate you Mr. Baseball-Man

2008-05-05T15:05:00.029-04:00

Crump Man: Carlos Zambrano- because he punched Michael Barrett in the face for calling a bad game behind the plate, causing him to get traded.

Xavier Hutchinson: Kevin Youkilis- "Hey Youk, your team is up 11-2, no reason to slam your helmet into the ground and go into a 'roid rage because you're 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts and a GIDP."

The Flying Murino: AJ Pierzynski- just because he seems like a douchebag

The Sherm- Any Red Sox player

Turd Burglar- Jay Buhner Because he's bald, ugly, and he looks like John Malkovich.

Pods- Pat Burrell- because he kills the Mets

Favorite Chris Berman Nicknames

2008-05-05T13:12:00.002-04:00

Chris Berman. He’s fat, he’s old, and he doesn’t really know much about sports. But, his clever and colorful player nicknames do provide the countless ESPN viewers with much amusement. I asked my fellow Freakers what their favorite “Bermanisms” were from past and present…

Xavier Hutchinson:
Eric "Sleeping With" Bieniemy

The Sherm:
Bert "Be Home" Blyleven

Pods:
Scott "Supercalifragilisticexpiali" Brosius

Crump Man:
Damion "It didn't come" Easley
Albert "Winnie the" Pujols

The Flying Murino:
Jermaine "Live and Let" Dye

Turd Burglar:
Bernard “Innocent Until Proven” Gilkey
Eddie "eat, drink and be" Murray

Feel free to comment with some of your favorites. A detailed list can be found HERE.

Top 10...Signs You're a Fantasy Baseball Addict.

2008-05-05T12:09:00.009-04:00

1) Your draft day has more buildup than your birthday. You countdown until the day when you can sit by your computer and click your mouse 25 times. You buy beer, order food, and get goosebumps as the draft begins.

2) You talk about your team as if they were your own sons, referring to your players as "My boys." You also talk about your players to other people that ignore 90% of what you say.

3) April 1st, Alex Rodriguez goes 0-for-4. April 2nd, you trade Alex Rodriguez.

4) April 1st, Paul Bako goes 4-for-4 with a HR. April 2nd, you trade Alex Rodriguez for Paul Bako.

5) You tell your friends you cant hang out because you're busy. You're really sitting home watching your pitcher pitch.

6) When you're watching that pitcher pitch, you are really watching the CBS Sportsline Scoreboard and ESPN Scoreboard while reading FantasyBaseballGenerals.com. After your pitcher throws a strike to start the game, you give a little fist pump.

7) You start dating your girlfriend at the beginning of May. After your team falls from 2nd to 5th within the next four weeks, you proceed to breakup with your girlfriend.

8) You can rattle off Greg Zaun's season-by-season stats from 2004-2008.

9) Your fantasy staff ace Roy Halladay is facing your favorite team, the Boston Red Sox. Halladay allows a grand slam to David Ortiz. You stand up and scream out "Damnit", then look around and make sure no one heard you.

10) After the season ends, you shed tears reflecting on the journey that was.

(Click The Sports Freakers to read more good stuff.)

What Makes a Sport a Sport?

2008-05-05T10:55:00.003-04:00

This debate came about with a couple of friends on one very drunken night. We were flipping channels on the TV and came across a poker tournament being shown on ESPN. Us, being avid poker players and fans of the game, decided to watch some of the tournament. One of my friends said something to the extent of “Poker is always being shown on ESPN, but does anyone actually consider it a sport?” To this, I quickly replied “Hell no!” And that was the start of said debate.

So, how does one define a sport? What truly makes the games that we have come to love a sport? Everyone can easily classify “The Big 4” as sports, but what about other activities such as skateboarding and surfing? And what about golf and bowling?? Are those truly sports?

To help us identify which of the above really are sports, let’s go over a few main points that are absolutely necessary for a game or activity to be considered a sport:

1) Athletic/Physical Ability – A sport must require some sort of physical aspect. No ifs, ands, or buts. If you aren’t getting up off your ass and applying some sort of physical ability, then you simply are not involved in a sport.

2) A Level of Competition – This is another requirement, but the rules can get a little sticky here. A sport must have some sort of level of competition involved. Whether it be a 1 on 1 street basketball game, or a spring training MLB game, there must be competition. “But, what if I go out and play a round of golf on my own??” you say. Settle down, I’ll get to that.

3) The Human Factor – What I mean by this is that no humans are perfect. No athletes are perfect either. A major league baseball player who does his job 1/3rd of the time at the plate is considered an amazing hitter. A basketball player who nails 50% of his shots from the field is considered to be one of the best. So there must be some sort of element of error involved in a sport. When I sit down to play chess, I know that for every single move my opponent makes, there is a “best” move I can use to counter his move. Physical abilities aside, that right there would take away any chance chess may have of being considered a sport.

With that said, now let’s take a look at some activities/games up for debate:

Golf – Athletic/physical ability? Check. The Human Factor? Absolutely check. Competition? Well, when you are in a golf tournament, you are competing against other golfers. You may not be up in their face playing defense trying to distract them from sinking a birdie, but you are sure as hell competing against their score. When you are golfing on your own, you are definitely competing as well. You are competing against yourself, trying to beat a previous score, which is definitely still considered competition. Golf is a sport, no doubt.

Bowling – Like golf, everything that makes an activity a sport is there. You have the physical ability, even though it may not be as noticeable as other sports. You clearly have the human factor, unless you can show me a guy who bowls 300 every time he bowls. And the competition is the same type of competition that is involved with golf. Bowling is definitely a sport.

Poker – There is competition. There is even a human factor (or maybe more of a luck factor…). But unless someone proves to me that the harder you shove chips in the pot, or the faster you pick up your cards, helps you to win a tournament, I don’t think there is any athletic ability involved with the game. Sorry ESPN, poker is not a sport. You can now spend some more time covering actual sports, like hockey maybe?

The debate can go on forever, naming every game out there (can a video game be considered a sport??), so please, contribute to this debate. What other factors go into a game to make it be considered a sport?

This is STILL funny...

2008-05-05T10:46:00.002-04:00

http://youtube.com/watch?v=j4PSc_8jwes&feature=related

A Response: Top 10...Ways to Save Major League Soccer (Part 2)

2008-05-05T10:42:00.007-04:00

Last week, I carried on the discussion started by The Sherm on Major League Soccer and its current status on the sports landscape. The title of The Sherm’s post was Top 10…Ways to Save Major League Soccer, and my immediate response was, well, soccer certainly doesn’t need “saving” in this country. Perhaps as little as seven or eight years ago that would have been the case, but it is not so now.

However, MLS is at what a lot of people see as a make or break juncture in its existence. David Beckham is in good form with the Los Angeles Galaxy and regularly drawing sell-out crowds. D.C. United just signed a front-of-jersey sponsorship deal with Volkswagen which will enable the team to rake in around $3.7 million annually and will make Volkswagen MLS’ major auto sponsor. These major steps forward must carry the league to the next plateau.

The Sherm’s Top 10 list was very interesting. For someone who has a familiarity with the game and the league but isn’t a die-hard like myself, some of the ideas were eye-opening, while others were downright implausible. Here is my response to his Top 10 and some of my ideas as well.

1. Reality TV show – This has already been done in a Spanish-language format. The show is called “Sueno MLS”, which translates to “MLS Dream.” While I think this is a good idea, you have to consider it this way. With MLS trying to gain credibility on the world stage (which many feel will attract more fans at home), how does it look if one of Chivas USA’s Starting XI won his spot through a reality show? A little “Mickey Mouse,” no?

2. Market Individual Players – Agreed here. MLS must do a better job of this. There are some very marketable, young American players in this league and you don’t really hear about anyone other than David Beckham. Some names: Jozy Altidore, Sacha Kljestan, Stuart Holden.

3. MLS teams vs. Premier League Teams – This has been tried and will continue into the foreseeable future. The problem here is that these are exhibition games and usually the Premier Leauge team is just starting their pre-season training. Plus, people come to the games to see the world-renown clubs and couldn't care less about the MLS team. It doesn’t do well for the league, even if the MLS team wins.

4. Bring Known Players to the League – Definitely a major focus of the league and something they should continue to pursue. The idea here is to get them while they can still play at a high level. At this point, a guy like Zinedine Zidane is 35…too old.

5. Bring a European-Based Team to MLS – Interesting theory, definitely displaying some “out of the box thinking” by The Sherm, but it would never work. Logistically it’s a nightmare. How many transatlantic flights would that team have to make?

6. Have a Community-Owned Team – While this probably won’t happen in the near future, the spirit of the idea is what’s important here. Get the fans involved! Make them feel like an important part of their clubs.

7. Make Soccer a One Day Event – This is very important. Other than ESPN’s Prime Time Thursday game, every MLS game should be played on Saturday night. Other than the odd baseball game here and there, Saturday night is the least congested sports night of the summer. Usually the Sunday afternoon and other mid-week games are very poorly attended.

8. Make Tickets Cheaper – When all teams are in their own stadiums, they will be better able to control prices. But teams like New York and New England, who pay handsomely just to use the football stadiums they play in, need to keep prices at a certain level so they don’t lose millions upon millions of dollars.

9. Player Meetings Before Games – Great idea here. A lot of teams are pimping out their players and should continue to do so.

10. Mic Up Players/Coaches/Refs – A very good idea, though ESPN usually overdoes this sort of thing and ruins the game. They can barely get sideline reporting right. I can’t tell you how many times they’ve gone to a useless report or interview and a goal has been scored or a penalty kick awarded. These moments are what make soccer the beautiful, tense game it is! 99% of a broadcast’s focus needs to be on the game and the game only. Look at telecasts from England, Spain, Italy. Nothing on the periphery. Just soccer, how it should be.

So there are my responses to The Sherm’s ideas. Here are two of mine, very quick.

Promote the U.S. Open Cup – And the crowd goes, “Huh?! What in God’s name is the U.S. Open Cup?” This is where I direct you to Wikipedia. Yes, MLS’ main focus should be its own league, but this tournament should be seen as a big asset. Every European league, and most leagues in the world, have “Cup Competitions” that take place during the season outside of league competition. The most well-known international competition is the UEFA Champions League, and the oldest domestic Cup Competition is England’s Football Association (FA) Cup. The U.S. Open Cup could really become soccer’s NCAA tournament. People in America love upsets and the U.S. Open Cup provides them.

Increase the Salary Cap – The league has seen marginal improvement of the quality of play over the last few years, but this has been hamstrung by the ridiculously low salary cap (around $2.3 million this year). Give MLS teams the resources to compete for players on the open market. Enable them to bring in young players in their primes, not just aging stars or unproven kids. Many players in Europe have expressed interest in coming to America (Thierry Henry and Didier Drogba among them), but the money keeps many of them away.

Sorry for the long post. With the Rangers eliminated from the playoffs, you can expect continuing soccer talk from me on the blog in the future. Til then, happy freaking!

Cliff Notes: Monday, May 5 2008

2008-05-05T08:34:00.009-04:00

I'm so glad it's Monday. I'd rather be sleeping than writing this, just to let you know. Let's get to the weekend events.

The Big Winners

Celtics, Hornets, Penguins, Flyers

The Important Stuff

-I'd like to welcome Mr. Kevin Garnett to the 2nd round of the playoffs! The Celtics rolled to a 99-65 win over the Hawks. Did someone tell Atlanta that it was Game 7 and it could've pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NBA History?

-The Hornets were dominant, winning Game 1 against the Spurs 101-82. Chris Paul had 17 points. Wait, Chris Paul only had 17?

-Cedric Benson failed a sobriety test while boating over the weekend. He was also pepper sprayed and dragged to shore after resisting arrest. I guess no one told police that the easiest way to get Benson to the ground is to just give him a football.

-The whole Marvin Harrison situation is just weird. He was involved in a shooting of some sort. Hey Marvin, stop hanging with Ray Lewis. And Pacman Jones.

-The Stars and Sharks took 4 OTs, but Dallas advanced with a 2-1 win. They should've settled things the way they did in the 2002 MLB All-Star Game.

The Awards

-The "I stole Phil Hughes' stuff" award goes to Darrell Rasner, for allowing only two runs in an 8-2 win over Seattle.

-The "Damnit Toronto, stop stealing B.J. Ryan's saves" award goes to Scott Downs, for registering his third save Sunday for the Blue Jays.

-The "Former NY Governor Spitzer" award goes to soccer star Ronaldo. I shouldn't even have to explain why he gets the honor.

What to Watch For Tonight

-The Diamondbacks start everyone's favorite new fantasy baseball pitcher, Max Scherzer. I predict two innings, seven runs allowed. Finally, Oliver Perez and Chad Billingsley race to see who will be the first to walk ten batters.

Ouchie at the Derby

2008-05-04T23:15:00.005-04:00

It was a hot day in Barcelona 1992. The day of the big race. Derek Redmond had traveled halfway across the world with his father in order to participate in his fist summer Olympics. He had been training his entire life for this.

175 meters left in the race Redmond felt his hamstring explode. He collapsed. His father and best friend jumped out of the stands, picked him up, and helped him cross the finish line, shooing away the stretchers.

As the two cross the finish line they embrace and shed some tears. Thousands of fans cheer in the background.

A doctor then appears almost out of nowhere. He is holding a large needle. Redmond says his goodbyes to his father and goes toward the doctor. The needle punctures Derek's skin and Redmond quietly passes away...

Okay, only about half of this story is true.

But this isn't that much of a fantasy story. This weekend at the biggest horse racing event of the year, runner-up Eight Belles was "euthanized" right on the track after breaking both her ankles soon after she finished.

Does anyone else find this funny???

Well maybe not 'haha' funny, but ironic funny. In what other sport do you see a living thing being killed on the track after it breaks a bone? Would they do it to humans? Other animals?

I mean I know the horse was in a lot of pain and would probably never race again, but I'm sure they could have found SOME use for her in the future. Hauling a plow, rides at a carnival, re-enacting old episodes of Mr. Ed, or even being used as a very solid punching bag, are 4 great suggestions.

After the race trainer Larry Jones (also the winner of the generic name award), said that he doesn't blame the sport for this, even though this is the third death of a popular horse in the past 3 years! Seeing a trend here? I am.

Horse racing is clearly dangerous to, well, horses. Until very recently giving steroids to horses was LEGAL in horse racing. Obviously these steroids are not good for the health of the horse, making the upper body too large, but the legs too weak.

Do these animals have a say in this? What if they don't want to be race horses and want to other things with their lives? My dad wanted me to be a lawyer, I said no, and the conversation was over. I guess horses aren't so lucky.

The on-call vet who performed the killing, said that this injury is uncommon. He then noted that he was traveling straight to Game 1 of the Cavs game in case Lebron goes down next.

Fantasy Does Not Equal Reality

2008-05-02T16:49:00.004-04:00

The next time I say Fausto Carmona has great stuff and someone replies with, “But, he doesn’t strike enough guys out,” I am going to throw up in my mouth and then spit it on that person.

Too harsh? I don’t care. This is a FREAKOUT.

Fantasy baseball is ruining sports. People ignore the key word. FANTASY. Per dictionary.com:

Fantasy (n) – imagination, especially when extravagant and unrestrained.

In other words: fake, irrelevant and meaningless.

Now, I love fantasy sports. It's just that you have to be able to separate fantasy from reality.

I first began to realize the absurdity of the situation when an unnamed brother of a fellow SportsFreaker said that Nomar Garciaparra was a better player than Derek Jeter.

Looking at the statistics, he just might have a case. Their career batting averages are similar, .317 for Jeter and .315 for Nomar. Nomar has the clear advantage in power. His numbers usually were closer to the stereotypical 30 HR, 100 RBI power season than Jeter, who usually hit between 15 and 20 HR and closer to 80 RBIs.

Good thing stats don’t mean anything. How about we take into account the fact that if I had one at-bat to save the world from ambiguously evil aliens, I would probably choose Derek Jeter in his prime. Did anyone ever get this guy out in the clutch?

What about intangibles? What about the fact that Jeter was the face and leader of one of the greatest dynasties in sports and yet never seemed to relent and bow down to the pressure.

I’m not taking away anything from Garciaparra. He’s a fantastic player. But, he's not as good as Derek Jeter.

Another thing that is never taken into account in fantasy sports is defense! That’s half of the player’s worth! Defense is incredibly important in all sports and baseball is no exception. If a pitcher has a bad defense behind him, he will have no real shot to succeed, unless he is Joba Chamberlain, who strikes everyone out on two pitches. But for groundball pitchers, especially, defense is vital.

Which brings me back to my original point: the strikeout. Perhaps this is just my personal baseball opinion, but I don’t care how a pitcher gets someone out. If Fausto Carmona or Chien-Ming Wang get people out on groundball outs, so be it.

And don’t even get me started on the merits of “wins” or “saves” as an indicator of a pitcher’s performance.

When it comes right down to it, my main point is this: athletes are human beings, not numbers. Let’s take into account everything they do on the field.

One Sentence to describe...The Kentucky Derby

2008-05-02T15:09:00.007-04:00

Does anyone really care about The Kentucky Derby? Or do people care about getting drunk and gambling?

I asked our esteemed panel of writers to describe The Kentucky Derby in one sentence. Here's what they came up.

The Flying Murino

"Nascar featuring horses and short guys with whiny voices."

Xavier Hutchinson

"Oh, shit, we have to cover horse racing like it's actually a big deal!"

Pods

"The Kentucky Derby is not worth writing a sentence about."

Turd Burglar (Editors Note: He gave me two responses because he knew neither would be funny, so he figured a 1/2 laugh each would suffice. Sure enough, neither were funny)

"Its like the Home Run Derby only it has Horses and no Home Runs."
"Kentucky derby...only slightly better than the roller derby."

Crump Man

"The only time when a midget can be a sports star."

Video of the Week

2008-05-02T14:25:00.001-04:00

One of my favorites. Enjoy the memories.

Phil Hughes Injured? I Guess So...

2008-05-02T10:48:00.006-04:00

OK, so Phil Hughes is actually injured; a stress fracture in the 9^th rib. Apparently he won’t be back until July, which really means he won’t be back until August. Yesterday, I said I would bet my left nut that he wasn’t really hurt. Thankfully, that was only a figure of speech!

This is terrible news for the New York Yankees, especially when Ian Kennedy continues to look overmatched by major league hitters. Darrell Rasner or Kei Igawa will be starters for the next few months. Awesome!

Last night, on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight, Buster Olney said that Hughes might have broke his rib coughing. Coughing?!? Seriously, who breaks their rib by coughing? Look, Hughes is far too young and hasn’t pitched long enough to be labeled “injury prone.” He’s only 21, and his body is probably still developing. But at the beginning stages of his career, he’s already started traveling down a dangerous path, a path paved by oft injured players as Ben Sheets, Rich Harden, Ken Griffey Jr. in the 2^nd half of his career, and Carl Pavano since he signed with the Yankees.

In Peter Abraham’s blog, http://yankees.lhblogs.com/, he wrote about Hughes’s injury plagued young career:

2004: Made only three starts for the GCL Yankees because of a fractured toe on his left foot.
2005: Had two stints on the DL with shoulder inflammation.
2006: Only healthy season. Went 12-6 with a 2.16 ERA.
2007: Tore left hamstring on May 1 and did not return until Aug. 4.
2008: Stress fracture in rib cage.

5 years…4 injuries…not the best way to start off a young career.

To all Yankees fans who are worried about their team thus far: Fear Not! The Yankees have been in 3^rd or worse at this point of the season 5 out of the last 5 years. How many times did they make the playoffs in those 5 years?

5 times!

Cliff Notes: Friday, May 2 2008

2008-05-02T09:11:00.002-04:00

The Winners

-Pistons clobber the Sixers

-NY Rangers extend the series to Game 5

-Red Wings annihilate Colorado

The Stories

-The Tigers don't suck! After sweeping the Yankees, Detroit is not 14-15. Word to the idiots out there. If you draw conclusions two weeks into the baseball season, you should be hit with a bat (Although if Jason Giambi were swinging, he'd probably miss you)

-Phil Hughes is actually hurt! After many believed that his team was crying wolf, Hughes revealed to the world that he has a more severe rib injury. This is his second big injury in as many years. Someone tell Hughes to stop hanging out with Carl Pavano.

-Tough break for the Rockies as Troy Tulowitski is out until the All-Star break. I'm thrilled that the Rockies are bad this year. Nothing gave me more of a headache last October then seeing a bunch of white towels waved around while the fans sung that stupid dance song.

-The "How the hell did this guy win a game" award goes to Sidney Ponson. After the game, I heard the Yankees were thinking of offering Ian Kennedy, Melky Cabrera, and $3 million in cash for Ponson's services.

-The "Why is this guy still in baseball and hitting HRs" award goes to Richie Sexson, who homered off some Japanese guy in extra innings.

What to watch for today: I will be in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium, watching my Yankees get shutout by Erik Bedard. I would also recommend seeing only the first two innings of the Tigers game tonight. Facing Livan Hernandez, the Tigers should score about 16 runs in the first half hour.

The Blueshirts Live to See Another Day

2008-05-02T08:55:00.004-04:00

After giving up 12 goals in the first 3 games to the Penguins, the Rangers fell into a massive hole. The Penguins quickly gained a 3-0 series lead and it was all but over for the Rangers.

But the Rangers, who earlier this season went on an incredible 13 game run where they gained a point in each outing, are not quick to give up on anything.

They came out to a blisteringly loud crowd at the Garden last night with the intensions of satisfying their fans at least one more time this season. If anything, they were not going to lose this series on home ice. Easier said than done, of course. The Penguins are good. They are exceptionally good. Perhaps the best in the entire NHL.

Henrik Lundqvist, who has been very shaky in games 1 and 3, needed to be stellar if they were going to survive this do-or-die match. He needed to be perfect. Well, perfect he was, saving all 29 shots that came his way, including a penalty shot from the intimidating Evgeni Malkin, to record his 2nd career playoff shutout.

The young rookie (and soon to be superstar) Brandon Dubinsky, scored his 4th goal of the playoffs on a power play early on in the 3rd period. He also recorded his 4th assist of the playoffs in the 2nd period.

But if there was one player who truly played like it could be the final game for the Blueshirts, it was none other than Jaromir Jagr...well, because, it might not have only been his final game for the season, but his final game in the NHL. Jagr, who will likely be ending his hall of fame career at the end of this season to pursue a league in Russia, was the star of the night. He scored the first goal of the game midway through the 2nd period to give the Rangers the boost they needed. He also assisted on Dubinsky's goal, and finished the night off with an empty net goal with 14 seconds left in the game. It was inspiring, to say the least, hearing loud roars from the crowd "JAGR, JAGR, JAGR"

The game was intense. It was exciting. It was beautiful.

The Rangers may or may not end up pulling off a miraculous comeback, but at the very least, they played their hearts out last night at MSG and will be going off in style. All I know is that the last team to blow a 3-0 lead in the playoffs were none other than the Penguins back in 1975. So who's to say history won't repeat itself? I can only hope.

LET'S GO RANGERS!

Picks of the Night

2008-05-02T07:02:00.004-04:00

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards
ESPN2 7:00pm

Cleveland Cavaliers+4.5

I just have 1 word for this pick. Lebron. This is a gut bet. I really feel that Lebron is pissed off at allowing the Cavs blow a 5 point lead with a 1:30 left and letting the Wizards steal Game 5. Let's face it, these are two average teams, either of which will probably lose in the next round. I just have a huge man-crush on Lebron and feel that it is over tonight. This game is going to be extremely close, but I think the Cavs will pull it out, or at least cover the spread.

Final Score: 104-98 Cavs

Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks
ESPN 8:00pm

Boston Celtics -8

Okay joke's over. Yes the Hawks won their home games (the main reason this spread is so low) but the Celts have seen the light and are going to blow out the Hawks. Remember, this is a Hawks team who finished the season 37-45. The last time this team was even .500 was when they were 18-18. The only thing that might get in the Celt's way is Josh Childress' afro. Other than that, this is going to be a blowout.

Final Score: 102-84 Celts

Houston Rockets @ Utah Jazz
ESPN 10:30pm

Houston +7.5

I think this is going to be the best game of the series. T-Mac, a perennial 1st round exiter, is going to have a big game. Since losing their star center, this team has shown a lot of heart, especially down the stretch. Granted, they are playing the Jazz in SLC, a place that no team in the NBA can win at, but I think their pride is at stake. This is a very weird bet because I think the Rockets are still going to lose. Utah is too strong and too good, and being at home just gives them a huge advantage.

I just feel that this game is going down to the wire, with the better team finishing off the series at home. I have a gut feeling that the game is going to come down to a final shot. However that shot rolls, is in the hands of God.

Final Score: 94-91 Utah

A Worthy Captain

2008-05-02T05:36:00.004-04:00

It was a stunning moment. A brilliant moment. A moment that only a great captain playing world-class hockey could produce.

With his team's season hanging in the balance, the Rangers already facing the unenviable task of coming back from a 3 games to none deficit against the juggernaut that is the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jaromir Jagr made sure the Rangers season, and perhaps his NHL career, would not be killed off last night.

With about 7:20 remaining in the 2nd period of a 0-0 game, he took a pass from Brandon Dubinsky in full stride, streaking down his less-preferred left wing. Ranger fans have seen this before. Jagr would keep skating to the outside. He would continue into the corner, behind the net, and look to pass to a teammate, or perhaps attempt a wraparound shot. Right?

Not last night. Jagr, who has unfairly developed a reputation in some circles as a "soft" player who shies away from contact, made a quick toe-drag move and cut towards the middle. He fired a screaming wrist-shot through the legs of Marc-Andre Fleury, and as he did so, was absolutely leveled by Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik, who had come across the ice to check Jagr. Certainly a clean hit, but Jagr was down and not moving and the raucous Garden crowd was buzzing nervously rather than belting out the bombastic "Heys!" of the Rangers Goal Song.

But when Jagr got back to his feet, the roar was deafening and the crowd began to chant his name. The chants continued on and off all night until the Rangers had won the game by a 3-0 score, Jagr assisting on the second goal and scoring the third into an empty net.

After nearly four seasons in which he has helped return the Rangers to contender status, Jaromir Jagr finally had his signature moment. That it came in a series the Rangers will probably eventually lose is inconsequential. Jagr played with pride for his team, his city, his fans.

Sam Weinman, a Rangers beat writer who furiously updates his blog Rangers Report wrote this piece about Jagr's tenure as a Ranger before last night's game. For those of you unfamiliar with the situation, Jagr did not meet the requirements to trigger a 1-year, $8.6 million option on his Rangers contract. If the Rangers do not re-sign Jagr, he will probably play his last NHL game this season. And with the Rangers down 3-1 in their series with Pittsburgh, last night could have been his final skate at Madison Square Garden.

He is not a perfect man. He is sometimes too emotional and too honest, like this past week when he admitted to "saving it" for the playoffs and not always going all-out during the regular season. The truth is that most players do this, especially at the age of 36, but many sports fans live in a fantasy world where their athletes aren't supposed to be affected by the limitations of the human body over the course of a grueling 6-month season.

Regardless of Jagr's shortcomings, however, he should be remembered in only a positive light by Ranger fans. In a nearly impossible situation, succeeding Mark Messier as Rangers captain, Jaromir Jagr has done so honorably. He has done everything from score goals - setting the Rangers single-season record of 54 two seasons ago, lest we forget - to help young Rangers such as Petr Prucha and Brandon Dubinsky develop both on and off the ice.

Last night's cheers were long overdue. Jaromir Jagr has been a great Ranger.

Pick of The Night

2008-05-01T17:16:00.001-04:00

Hey Y'all,

Once we organize the site better the sports betting aspect of this blog will be in full effect and have it's own section. Until then bet away and make some moolah!!!

Detroit Pistons -5.5

The 76ers have run their course. They picked up 2 fluke wins, and now the series is about to end. The fact that the 76ers have home court is meaningless. After the 17 point shalacking on Tuesday, the time off only helped to build the confidence of Detroit. The 76ers lack of defensive players will not be able to stop the all-around talent that the Pistons incur.

Final score: 92-81 Detroit

8pm TNT

Dream Scenario: Who would you choose to start your NBA Franchise?

2008-05-01T15:25:00.001-04:00

The NBA decided to start over and have a draft. Every player is put into the draft pool.

Your the GM of the New York Knicks. David Stern does one of those stupid lotteries with those extra large envelopes that look like a UFO. He puts his hand in the extra large box with the extra large envelopes, and bam, the Knicks are given the first pick. All hell breaks loose. The city of New York goes into one big frenzy.

But who the hell do you start your franchise with? Here's the possibilities...

Players who are sitting right outside the Top 5: Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant.

5) Dwight Howard: He's far and away the best young big man in the NBA today. He quickly became one of the best rebounders and is an absolute beast. He ignites a crowd with his thunderous dunks. He's also really young (23). Unfortunately, Howard is not going to be the guy you rely on with 2 minutes left in a game. Howard needs to be the compliment to a great guard. But I could not see myself taking him.

4) Dirk Nowitzki: One of the best mid-range shooters in the business. He does everything and them some. Anytime a big man can hit a 3, it causes huge matchup problems. But, Nowitzki has never won anything before. His defense is extremely questionable and he tends to dissapear when you need someone to pick your team up. If Nowitzki leads your team, don't expect to win a championship.

3) Chris Paul: Excellent passer who can make other guys better. He's also the best scoring PG not named Steve Nash. He's fast, agile and can lift a team up when they are down. I personally think when it is all said and done, we will remember him as a Top 5 PG of all time. Yes, of all time. I am that confident in him. But another iffy defensive player. To top it off, Paul has yet to be down 2-0 in a series or given you that "Wow, did he just have that game" moment.

2) Kobe Bryant: He will take the last shot. He will thrive in the final minutes of games. He will do everything he can to pull your team down from 20. You know he's going to be the guy. My problems with him? There's still this weird cloud hanging over him. Maybe it's his arrogance, maybe it is that whole situation he had in Colorado a few years ago. I want my fans to love my star player, not feel like they have to love him. He's also going to be 30, which is old next to my No. 1.

1) Lebron James: The King does everything. You can surround him with 4 versions of Lucious Harris and he will still lead you to the playoffs. He sells tickets, jerseys, foam fingers, and anything else with his face on it. He does the scoring, the rebounding, the passing, and sometimes all in one single play. He's built like a football player yet flies like a jet. He is the best player in the NBA, and is everything you want in your franchise player. This is the guy I want.

"Starting for the Knicks...Shooting Guard...Number 23, Lebronnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Jamessssssssssssssssss!"

Phil Hughes Injured? No Chance!

2008-05-01T12:53:00.001-04:00

“I thought I saw something different than what he put down,” Hughes said. “The sequence [of signals] made me think curveball, but he called for a fastball,” Phil Hughes said after his 3.2 innings, 8 hit, 6 run performance on Tuesday, April 29th. Anthony McCarron of The New York Daily News then reported that, "Hughes says he has had his eyes checked several times recently and while he has "above-average" eyesight, he experiences some blurriness during night games in certain stadiums because of the glare from the lights."

Are you serious Philip?!?

After the game, when GM Brian Cashman was asked about the possibility of sending the 21 year old righty back the minors, he said, "The question's been asked (internally). If we decide to do something, we'll talk to the player first. But I think it's fair for us to discuss it."

Then, last night, in the middle of the game vs. The Detroit Tigers, the Yankees announced that Phil Hughes was placed on the 15 day DL with a strained oblique muscle. First of all, what the hell is an oblique muscle?!? Second of all, I'm willing to bet my left nut that the only thing hurting Phil Hughes is his psyche.

Now I'm not against this move at all. Claiming Phil Hughes has a strained "whatever" is a very good move by the Yankees. Essentially, what they did was send him back to the minors to rework himself and figure out why he's been pitching so poorly. Now the Yankees can say hes "rehabbing" his injury, and Philip doesn't have to suffer the embarrassment of being sent down. They can keep him there for as long as they want and just keep saying hes not healthy yet. The New York media is tough, and babying Hughes is the right way to go about it. After all, he doesn't even turn 22 until late June!

Either way, hopefully this "injury" fixes whatever is wrong with Phil Hughes. Whether he needs new contact lenses, needs to fix his mechanics, or needs to regain his confidence, the Yankees need Hughes to be effective. Good or Bad, he will always be the guy the Yankees DIDN'T trade for Johan Santana.

However, if his minor league numbers and the way he pitched in September are any indication of Hughes's future, I'm pretty sure he'll eventually be ok.

And if not, wouldn't C.C. Sabathia look pretty nice as the Yankees opening day starter next year?

Poor Avery Johnson

2008-05-01T10:58:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week, exceptional coach Avery Johnson was unfairly fired by constantly outspoken Mark Cuban and others from the Dallas Mavericks orginization.

Why?

Johnson, who coached 3 full seasons for the Mavs took them to the playoffs all 3 years and boasted a 178-68 record in those 3 years. This included a franchise-best record in the 06-07 season with a 67-15 record, and a trip to the NBA finals. Yes, they had an extremely disappointing loss in the first round to the below-average Golden State Warriors, but come on it's just one series.

This year, with another early exit to the playoffs, a series where they were plainly overmatched and outskilled, was again not Avery's fault. It was the lack of effort on the court, and the terrible signing of Jason Kidd during the season. Also that him and Josh Howard smoked too much pot before the series.

Avery Johnson was not happy with his firing, as most coaches are not. And he shouldn't be. As one of the better coaches in the NBA in the past few years, the Mavs orginization made another blunder for their team. As a Mark Cuban fan, I think he is majorly screwing up this team, and possibly devastating a franchise that just recently pulled itself out of the gutter.

Avery Johnson is the best option to coach the Mavs next year, and there are no other coaches available right now that could do a better job.

Unless of course they hire Pat Riley.

A response: Top 10...Ways to Save MLS (Part 1)

2008-05-01T10:06:00.004-04:00

Above: Toronto FC's home stadium, BMO Field, packed to the rafters. Toronto sells out every home game and when the home team scores, the atmosphere is akin to a Premier League game. No joke.

My esteemed colleague The Sherm posted some very interesting ideas in his first Top 10 posting on how to save America's fledgling soccer league, MLS. I'm here to tell you that MLS certainly does not need "saving."

Now, does MLS need to get its act together and capitalize on the burst of popularity of soccer in this country that has been going on basically since the U.S. National Team's storied 2002 World Cup run to the Quarterfinals? A burst which has been bolstered by a growing immigrant population that is largely Hispanic and soccer-mad? Absolutely. But, it has already taken steps to do that. Growth has been slow and steady, and that is exactly what MLS Commissioner Don Garber wants.

In 2007, MLS instituted its "Game First" initiatives. This included improving everything from pre-game presentation (teams walking on to the pitch side-by-side in single files, no flashy introductions, to a league anthem), to team images (no more sponsorship on uniforms unless it is front-of-jersey sponsorship, i.e. no more ridiculous looking SPRITE logo on the New England Revolution's shorts) to monitoring of referees to make sure the game is called consistently. The goal of "Game First" was to make MLS look more traditional. To get it in line with the world's top leagues. It was designed to bring in more traditional fans, rather than cater to the typical American fan or the soccer mom and family crowd. To some extent, it has worked.

The other alteration that the league made was to its salary structure, by adding the Designated Player rule (the Beckham Rule, as it were), enabling teams to bring in one player at a high salary but only have a fraction of it count against the salary cap. Since the institution of the rule, world-renowned players such as David Beckham, Juan Pablo Angel, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Claudio Lopez have brought some credibility to the league.

Another sign that the league is moving in the right direction is the recent trend of expansion. Seattle will get an MLS team in 2009 and already has sold 12,000 season tickets (years ago, 12,000 was some teams' average attendance). Philadelphia will play in 2010 and have plans to build an 18,000 seat stadium which will probably be sold out for every home game.

MLS, in its teen years (2008 marks the league's 13th season), is still going through puberty however. The Kansas City Wizards and the expansion San Jose Earthquakes play their home games in former minor league baseball stadiums. Teams like the New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake and New England Revolution are using football stadiums and fans often have to deal with the aesthetic nightmare that is playing soccer on a field marked for American football (though NY and RSL have soccer-specific stadiums currently under construction...RSL's opens later this year, NY's sometime in 2009). The salary cap stands at a paltry $2.3 million, hamstringing every team in terms of depth and the ability to bring in more than one premier player. Often, people around the world, especially in elitist Europe look at MLS as a Mickey Mouse league. It has done well to fight that perception, and certainly the improved quality of play says otherwise, but it still has quite a way to go.

In Part 2 of this post, I'll respond directly to The Sherm's Top 10 and also list my ideas for how to market the league. One thing is for sure, though. American soccer isn't going anywhere.

Click for Part 2...

(Click The Sports Freakers for more good stuff)

Cliff Notes: Thursday, May 1 2008

2008-05-01T09:42:00.001-04:00

Happy May everyone. Only 4 more months until Brett Favre comes back and John Madden has a heart attack.

-And the Celtics shut up everyone. With a convincing victory over the Hawks, Boston is in a great position to advance to the next round. I wonder if ESPN will still have their "We want Boston to win, but we have to act like Atlanta has a chance to create drama" segments

-The Wizards made it a series, squeaking out a one-point win over the Cavs. Lebron took the last shot and they lost. Last game, he didn't take the last shot and they won. It's funny, because this time last year, there was some game where Lebron passed it to Damon Jones who missed a buzzer 3. Everyone was getting on him for that. Where's the uproar this time around?

-Since the Yankees put Phil Hughes on the DL for a strained whatever, they now have an excuse for him sucking. No word yet on what they will put Jason Giambi on the DL for.

-The most important question on everyone's mind this morning: "Does Micah Owings home run count for my fantasy stats?" In all seriousness, imagine if he stunk as a pitcher, and was switched midseason to an outfielder or something. What would fantasy leagues do? Or what if they decide to have him play a position during non-pitching days? Would his hitting stats count then? With the economy in a recession, this is the garbage I am thinking about.

-In one of the scarier stories, Sean Avery was sent to the hospital after lacerating his spleen following the Rangers Game 3 loss to the Penguins. In a related story, the NHL met to impose a rule giving players a four-minute penalty for lacerating their spleen.

-I am very glad Liverpool lost to Chelsea in the Champions League. I have Liverpool.

-What to watch for tonight: Nate Robertson and Ian Kennedy battle it out in the "Damnit, we both could be good, but we both suck" game. And the NHL must love that they have two Game 4's that feature 3-0 series leads.

Four Questions....on Fantasy Baseball

2008-04-30T16:01:00.003-04:00

With the Fantasy Baseball season a month old, I think it is time to answer some glaring fantasy baseball questions.

1) If you had to do the first round of a draft over again, what do you think would be different?

*Well, I still think A-Rod is the first pick in the draft. He's going to hit 40 HRs. But, I can see Hanley Ramirez entering the argument. Reyes would have to drop, because of his streakyness and low average. I wouldn't drop him more than 6th or 7th though. Obviously Rollins would fall out, and I would slip Carl Crawford or B.J. Upton in there. And Johan Santana belongs there as well. He usually sucks in April, but he's been quite great.

2) Is (fill in the blank) for real?

*Well let's go through some of them.
-Pat Burrell will hit 35 HRs.

-Emil Brown will be lucky to reach 70 RBIs

-Xavier Nady hits 20 HRs, nothing more.

-Joe Crede is benched by August.

-Nate McLouth Hits 25 HRs, steals 25 bases.

-Mark Reynolds just misses 30 HRs, eclipses 100 RBIs

-Cliff Lee won't be in the rotation by September. Neither will Carlos Silva.

-Adam Wainwright becomes a Top 15 pitcher.

-Todd Wellemeyer has a 4.00 ERA, and strikes out 150.

-Johnny Cueto will be a roller coaster, while Edison Volquez will walk a lot of batters but win 15.

3) Out of the early season strugglers, who are you most concerned with?

*Besides your DL guys, there's a few that jump out at me. I am worried about David Ortiz, because he seems to be aging pretty fast. I would try to trade him if I could. I think Gary Sheffield is near done. And he doesn't have much trade value to begin with. Andrew Jones is slow, fat, and not motivated. I also think that Carlos Beltran will be more of a headache than a performer.

*As for pitchers, Roy Oswalt has steadily been declining. He doesn't look right to me. A.J. Burnett has talent, but I just sense inconsistency or a few DL trips. Trevor Hoffman's ERA will stay in Todd Jones territory the whole season

4) Who should I pick up off my free agent wire?

*Here's a list of free agents in most leagues who will be better than servicable the rest of the year

C-Chris Snyder

1B-Lyle Overbay

2B-Eugenio Velez

SS-Erik Aybar

3B-Pedro Feliz

OF-Mike Cameron, Fred Lewis

SP-Aaron Cook, Nick Blackburn

RP-Heath Bell

An Introduction to the Man Crush

2008-04-30T13:46:00.003-04:00

Beads of sweat trickled down my face as I searched and searched and searched. My mom called me for dinner. I told her to go to hell, of course. This was not a laughing matter, you see. This was serious. Very serious.

It was fantasy baseball draft time and it was the 16th round. And I was choosing between Josh Hamilton and Michael Cuddyer to fill my final OF slot. Now, everyone knows Hamilton has talent. I mean, he hit .292, with 19 HR and 47 RBI in just 90 games with the Reds last year. Cuddyer is a solid player, as well.

But, he just didn’t have the upside that Hamilton did, so I took Josh. Little did I know this was the start of an intense man-crush, a man-crush so intense that it threatened to overtake my man-crush for Kobe Bryant, the best basketball player on earth.

Josh Hamilton is currently hitting .336 with 5 HR and 28 RBI. Whoa. I loved Hamilton’s swing and I knew he was a top prospect from before his druggie days. But, how could I have expected this? I mean, the guy is absolutely tearing it up. How could I not develop a man-crush on him? Going 2/5 with 2 RBIs seemingly every night will do that to a fella.

Fantasy sports is one way you develop a man crush. You develop a relationship with these players. You check on them every day, you develop a bond with them. These are your players. You are free to bench them if they go 0-4 and start them if they rip one out.

I’ve also developed man crushes on players from my favorite teams. Chad Pennington, Laveranues Coles, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Patrick Ewing and John Starks come to mind. I went to war with these players, watched their every game and cheered for them.

Finally, there’s the man-crush on the player that just absolutely awes you with their skill. Kobe Bryant comes to mind instantly. The guy is just unbelievable. He can fly like Jordan, shoot the lights out of the ball, take it to the hoop and defend with passion. Plus, I think Kobe is a pretty good guy despite the crap he did to his wife. At least he came out and admitted it, though. Brett Favre and Ken Griffey, Jr. are other ones. Great guys, amazing players.

A man crush is something different than just liking a player, though. It’s indescribable. When you see this player, you just smile and laugh, because you hope he succeeds in every way possible.

With that, here’s introducing a new weekly feature: Man-Crush of the Week. Josh Hamilton leads it off. Does he overtake Kobe on my man-crush status meter? Not quite. Hamilton has a bit of an advantage because he’s on my fantasy team, but Kobe is one of the best players in history. I make it a point to watch Kobe. However, if Joshie (yes, I call him Joshie now) keeps going 2/5 with 2 RBIs every game, he may just make the move to #1.

(Click The Sports Freakers to visit our home page for other good stuff.)

Meaningless April Baseball Awards Part 2...

2008-04-30T12:28:00.002-04:00

I'm back for the National League version of the Meaningless April Baseball Awards. Not meaningless in that the stats and performances don't count, just meaningless in that the players/teams in this list will most likely change next month, and every month thereafter as the season progresses. With that being said, the meaningless National League awards were a bit harder to decide, mainly because there were a lot more standout good (and bad) performances in the month of April. But, because these awards are in fact, meaningless, I guess it doesn't really matter who I pick anyway. So, without further ado...

Best Team - Arizona Diamondbacks

I don't think their 19-8 record is an April fluke. The Diamondbacks are for real. They have fantastic pitching with two bona fide aces in Brandon Webb and Danny Haren, a possible breakout in Micah Owings, a lefty legend in Randy Johnson (if he can stay healthy), and some prospect named Max that may or may not be the second coming of Jesus himself. If you look at their offensive lineup, its littered with very good young stars in Justin Upton, Conor Jackson, Mark Reynolds, Chris Young, and Stephen Drew. Their only potential problem was the back end of their bullpen, but they have been pretty steady thus far. We'll see what happens, but I do believe they are the best team in baseball, not just the National League

Runners Up: Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals

Worst Team - Washington Nationals

They spent millions of dollars on a brand new ball park, but I guess they forgot that if you don't have a good team to sell, it doesn't matter how nice the stadium is. The Nationals started off great with a walk off home run by Ryan Zimmerman, but ended up only winning nine more games after that. Truth is, outside of Zimmerman and maybe Nick Johnson (who I bet will break his leg or something sooner or later) I really don't see any legit talent on this team. They have a couple of decent young pitchers, but nothing that is even going to come close to competing in the already crowded NL East. 100 losses is likely for the lowly Nationals.

Runners Up: Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres

MVP - Hanley Ramirez

There are a few well deserving candidates for this one, but I decided to give it to this 24 year old stud because of what team he's on. While the other candidates are all on good teams with other good hitters, Hanley is on the Marlins, who have far exceeded anyone's expectations in the early season. With 8 homers, 18 RBIs, 9 steals, and a .336 batting average, Ramirez seems right on track to set career numbers in every stat. The fact that hes putting up these types of numbers without Miguel Cabrera as protection, makes it even more impressive.

Runners Up: Chase Utley, Derrek Lee, Chipper Jones

LVP - Ryan Howard

What do you get what you have a .177 batting average, 5 home runs, and only 12 RBIs? You get a typical Ryan Howard April. He's a career .237 hitter in the first month of the season. With his ridiculously long, uppercut swing, it just takes this slugger a little while to get going. Still, his 38 strikeouts in 96 at bats means hes whiffing in more than 1/3 of his at bats so far, and he's even admitted that he's not "seeing the ball right." Either way, unless he's hurt, if you don't think that Ryan Howard will have 40-50 homers and around 130 RBIs this year, you simply don't know baseball.

Runners Up: Andruw Jones, Carlos Delgado, Kahlil Greene

Cy Young - Brandon Webb

The Cy Young winner of 2006 is back with a vengeance right now. 6-0, 1.98 ERA, 1.05 Whip! Webb is pitching out of his mind right now. He also out dueled the Cy Young winner of last year, Jake Peavy. Considering how good the Diamondbacks are, I wouldn't be surprised to see Webb's first 20 win season. His 34/14 K to walk ratio in 41 innings isn't half bad either.

Runners Up: Jake Peavy, Edinson Volquez, Carlos Zambrano

Lame Duck - Barry Zito

When the Giants signed him to the absurd contract of $126 Million for 7 years, I'm pretty sure they were looking for a little better than 0-6, a 7.53 ERA, 15 Ks, and 11 walks with a whip of almost 2! Barry's awful month was capped off wih a one way ticket to middle relief. What happened to this pitcher that went 23-5 in 2002? Is he self conscious about the contract, injured, a former steroid user? I guess we'll never truly know.

Runners Up? Ublado Jimenez, Tom Gorzelanny, Aaron Heilman

See ya in a month for The Only Slightly Less Meaningless May Baseball Awards...

Cliff Notes: Wednesday April 30, 2008

2008-04-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

While 90% of you were finding bugs on the new Grand Theft Auto game and 9% of you were watching American Idol, very little went on in the world of sports.

-I guess Shaq did a lot for the Suns, who got bounced from the playoffs. Let's face it, the Spurs never get talked about and they always stroll along. Maybe the Suns will finally realize that defense will get you somewhere. A little ironic that to get Shaq though, they traded their best defensive player (Shawn Marion).

-Chris Paul is sick. A triple double? What? Are you serious? And he led his team to the next round, taking out the Mavericks. Let's take the modern day PGs for a second(1990-now). In their prime, how would you rank them? Here's how I put them:

1) Steve Nash: He's Chris Paul except a better scorer and as clutch as you can be. Never won a championship though, but I would argue that his team's were vastly overrated)

2) Chris Paul: Funny thing is that he isn't even near his peak! But he's insane to watch, and his speed and scoring ability is unreal.

3) John Stockton: He was a better scorer than even I give him credit for. But I don't know, something about him just couldn't have me put him over Paul.

4) Gary Payton: He will shut you down. He had a very stellar all-around game.

5) Jason Kidd: I think he peaked about 4 times. When you thought he was down and out, he'd do something to wow you.

-Now do you believe the Sixers have a chance? That's the sound of the bangwagon crashing.

-Oh yea, and the Rockets decided to make it a series with a win against the Jazz.

-My fellow bloggers will probably be furiously posting about the Rangers loss last night. My only comment is this: I know everyone loves the goalie (Hendrik Lundqvist, doubtful I spelt it correctly), but after allowing 22 goals in 5 games, maybe its time to stop drinking the love juice for him. See you next year Rangers, cause your not coming back.

-Okay, so Yankee land has learned that Posada is out for a little less than what they thought and A-Rod is out a little longer than what they thought. Look, I never thought you should give an upper 30's catcher a four-year deal, but this is what your going to get. This was the first time Posada was on the DL, and this won't be the last. As for A-Rod, he's had the most mirage of a season.You look at his stats and go "Okay, he's been solid." But if you watch the games, you know otherwise. But he's still A-Rod, and he will still ht 40 HRs. Enjoy Morgan Ensberg!

-Damn you John Smoltz! I trade a good outfielder for a closer in my fantasy baseball league, and now you might come back form the disabled list as a closer. Damn you and making me draft you thinking that your a young 40! Sorry, had to rant.

-The "Why the hell is this pitcher still playing baseball yet doing well" award for today goes to Joel Piniero. You have no business with an ERA under 10.

-The "Why the hell is this pitcher still in the majors and getting saves" award goes to Eric Gagne, who somehow has 8 saves. Shave your stupid beard Gagne!

-What to watch for tonight: I'll give you two. Hawks visit the Celtics. If the Hawks win, I might buy a Mookie Blaylock jersey. And second, Dana Eveland and Ervin Santana square off in a "Loser will be dropped by everyone who was stupid enough to pick them up in fantasy baseball" matchup.

Meaningless April Baseball Awards

2008-04-29T14:17:00.001-04:00

If Baseball ended today the four American League playoff teams would be non other than The Chicago White Sox, the Oakland Athletics, The Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays, and The Baltimore Orioles?!? If Baseball ended today the four National League Playoff Teams would be The Arizona Diamondbacks, The Chicago Cubs, The St. Louis Cardinals, and The Florida Marlins?!?

April generally means very little in the grand scheme of an entire baseball season. But, since the first month of the 2008 baseball season is coming to a close in the next couple of days, I figured I would give my input on the highs and lows of the meaningless month known as April.

Now April Baseball isn't necessarily meaningless per say. I mean every game won in April counts the same as it does in July and September, same with every home run hit, and base stolen. However, the stats accumulated either at ridiculously fast paces or obscenely slow paces do not usually represent the stats a player will have at the end of a season. So, take these rewards with a grain of salt because next month they will likely be completely different, and by the end of the season, likely mean nothing at all.

April American League Awards

Best Team - Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays

I could have said The Oakland Athletics because they have the best record, but the Rays are ending the month on a six game winning streak and a sweep of everyone's favorite team, The Boston Red Sawx. This team is young, fast and talented. They have up and coming stars in BJ Upton, Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria, and James Shields. They have an experienced and rejuvenated closer in Troy Percival. And, they are in first place without their staff Ace Scott Kazmir, American League strike out champ of last year. Realistically, by the end of May, they will likely be closer to third or 4th in the AL East, but the Rays definetly have potential to compete in the future.

Runners up: Oakland A's, Baltimore Orioles

Worst Team - Detroit Tigers

They started off losing 10 of their first 12 games. They rebounded pretty well from this especially with the return of Curtis Granderson, but I give them the worst team award because everyone picked them to win like 120 games this year, and their pitching as already shown its weaknesses. Tigers will compete for a playoff spot, but they are also very overrated.

Runner Up: Texas Rangers

MVP - Manny Ramirez

He may be playing for a contract, but for now he's playing for the Sox. As much as I hate this guy, he is one of the best right handed hitters of all time. Read this SI article to see why: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/tom_verducci/04/22/manny/index.html. Manny will be in discussion for the year's MVP when its all said and done.

Runners up: Carl Crawford, Joe Crede

LVP - Robinson Cano

Everyone projected big things from the 4th year Yankees 2B who put up career highs in Home Runs and RBIs last year. He still will probably have a very good year, but for now hes just 15/98 batting a sparkling .153 with 1 HR and 5 RBIs. Perhaps his worst number is his .217 on base percentage. The encouraging thing is that he only has 12 strikeouts in 98 at bats which means hes making contact. I expect Cano to break out any time now, but for April, he was the LVP.

Runners up: Kenji Johjima, Jack Cust

Cy Young - Cliff Lee

Sure he went 18-5 in 2005, but no one expected the kind of start Cliff Lee has had. 4-0, 31.2 innings, 11 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 29 strike outs, 0.28 ERA, 0.41 whip. That is the best statistical start to a season since Roger Clemens in 1991. Opponents are hitting .109 off him! Sure, hes faced Oakland twice, but they have the best record in the American League right now. Yes, he faced Kansas City and Minnesota, but he still has only walked TWO guys. Everyone knows Cliff Lee isn't REALLY this good, but he definitely earns the April Cy Young.

Runners Up: Chien-Ming Wang, Zack Greinke, Felix Hernandez

Lame Duck - Phil Hughes

This pains me to write, but Phil Hughes has had an April to forget. He's 0-3, has only 18 innings pitched, 26 hits, 17 runs, 10 walks, 11 Ks, and an ERA of 7.85. He's 21, and you can tell that hes one good start away from turning himself around, but he had to be rewarded the Lame Duck of April. I still think he can win 15 games this year.

Runners Up: Gil Meche, Nate Robertson

I'll be back tomorrow with the April National League Awards...

Top 10...Ways to save Major League Soccer (MLS)

2008-04-29T13:35:00.000-04:00

So a few weeks ago, I was called upon to come up with ideas to save Major League Soccer. Why not take my ideas and post them. Please note that 90% of these ideas are unrealistic and downright dumb.

1) Reality Tv Show- Soccer players vie for an MLS contract. Series of skill tests. Bring on MLS stars to teach the players.

2) Market individual platers-Except for David Beckham, no one really knows any other players. Young stars like Jozy Altidore and Taylor Twellman aren't known outside of the hardcore fan

3) Have an MLS team face a Premier League team- It can be a three-game series or just one game. But putting MLS against Man U, Arsenal, etc. would bring some credibility

4) Bring known players into MLS- Theirry Henry, Zidane, Ronaldinho, C. Ronaldo, Droga, Adebayor are all big stars around the world. The first four are very marketable. Billboards, player interviews, etc. To follow along with this, utilize blogs, television, radio as ways of getting their name out. If Beckham can double his team's ticket revenue from one year, imagine what bringing more players in can do.

5) Bring a European team into the MLS- Most likely make it an expansion team, but imagine having a small team from England competing in the MLS? It would definitely bring International exposure and bring more of an "Us against them" mentality.

6) Have a community-owned team- Currently on the Internet, a community of people literally donated money to a website and bought a team. The website votes on lineups, transactions, etc. http://www.myfootballclub.co.uk/. Even if a community can't own a team, I think having the fans vote for lineups and decisions would bring much more involvement.

7) Make soccer a one-day event- They spread the games out way too much. If you want to do a gimmicky thing and have a Thursday night special every few weeks, fine. But people are confused with when games are.

8) Make games cheaper- There's plenty of empty seats in stadiums. Figure out what seats are consistently empty and slash those ticket prices. I'd rather 0 people sit in the upper deck at $30 a seat than 10 people sit in the Upper Deck at $10 a seat.

9) Talk to players before games- Pick two players a game and have them sign autographs in the parking lot or by the stadium for a 1/2 hour before games. How many times can a sport say they do that?

10) Mic up the players/coaches/referee- AFL(Arena Football) does this and it helped them immensely. Have the viewer feel like he is in the game.

THE CLOWN OF THE WEEK AWARD

2008-04-29T13:22:00.001-04:00

This is a new award ceremony which will be updated weekly where we commemorate the biggest 'clown' of the week.

This week we honor the biggest cry baby in the NBA:

Jason Kidd

Over the years we've seen Mr. Kidd earn more triple doubles then anyone. We have also seen him cry and complain all the live long day.

We could give him the award for that.

We could also give the award to him for being part of a spouse abuse scandal. Once in 2001 where he beat his wife, and was arrested for it, and the other last year where his wife beat him!! Yes, that's right, Mr. Kidd is a battered husband. What a lovely home that is.

We could also give the award to him for comments made right before being traded from the Nets:

"It used to be if I got a triple-double, that was an automatic win," he said. "That's just not the case now. "

WOW, you are the man, Mr. Kidd. I mean you could be the greatest athlete of all time, you fucking pompous prick.

We could also give this award to Mr. Kidd for bringing a high-flying Mavericks team (35-18 before the trade) to an extremely average club (16-13 after the trade), 3 days from being knocked out of the first round.

But we're not.

We are giving this weekly prestigious award to Mr. Kidd for his flagrant 2 foul on Jannero Pargo in Game 4 with 7:16 left in the game, and down by 13. Clearly out of frustration, this clown not only grabs the ball but the entire head of Pargo slamming him onto the floor. His comment after...

"I just tried to foul Pargo, I wasn't trying to hurt him and they called a flagrant two. ... I was just trying to stop him from getting an easy layup."

Stop the layup?! You grabbed his head, you moron. I know both are round, but one is orange and one is black. You knew what you were doing, you scumbag. Mr. Kidd, just be happy you aren't suspended for Game 5.

And congratulations for receiving this award. I hope you get hit by a car on your way to pick it up.

Xavier's the name, hockey's the game

2008-04-29T09:28:00.001-04:00

Before I jump into the world of "sports freaking," as it were, I want to sort of set the stage for what you'll be getting out of my particular posts.

I am a huge sports fan...as big a sports fan as any of the other five contributors on this blog. We all have slightly varying interests, some different favorite teams (though we're all from the New York Metro area, so figure it out), and different feelings about what goes on in the modern world of sports. However, I consider myself particularly passionate about a couple of sports that fall to the periphery of the spectrum for most American sports fans: hockey and soccer. Later on, I'll rant about the latter...but with the Rangers biggest game of the season looming tonight, I'll stick to the ice.

Now, I was brought up on hockey. I played, coached and refereed the game. The first championship I experienced was the New York Rangers winning the Stanley Cup in 1994. I have been a season ticket holder at Madison Square Garden since the early 2000's when, pardon my French, the team was a collection of absolute shit and was missing the playoffs for seven straight seasons. I sing the Goal Song that we Ranger fans adore and our rival fans despise as loud as humanly possible when a Blueshirt puts the puck in the net. From the months of October to June (hopefully), the Rangers and the NHL are my life.

And even though I am well aware - well aware - that hockey simply doesn't "do it" for a lot of people in this country, particularly in regions which don't experience much cold weather, I still get irked when ESPN decides that the NFL Scouting Combine is a more important story than the NHL playoff race. Hmmm, actual sporting events with outcomes and ramifications vs. MEANINGLESS EVALUATIONS OF COLLEGE PLAYERS RUNNING NON-FOOTBALL DRILLS? What seems more important on the surface? ESPN sets the sports agenda, and quite frankly, they generally do an awful job of it. And by the way, I know why they don't show hockey highlights, but this being a more philosophical discussion, that's simply not the point.

Perhaps what is more frustrating is this. Being in Manhattan everyday, I am afforded the privilege of seeing the back pages of New York City's finest rags, the Daily News and the Post. While both of these are poor excuses for newspapers, they are renown for their sports sections. Some of the best sportswriters in the country contribute to these newspapers. This winter was certainly eventful, but when the dust settled after such happenings as the A-Rod opt-out, the Giants Super Bowl win and the Roger Clemens steroid freak show, you would think the Rangers would receive top-billing in NYC right?

I mean, the Knicks were awful (the Rangers had better local TV ratings than them), and honestly what happens in February in baseball? Phil Hughes threw 40 pitches off the mound (maybe he should have thrown a few more...) before spring training began? How about the Rangers torrid run post All-Star break to seal their 3rd straight post-season berth? Or them blowing a 5-0 lead in Montreal on Feb. 19 but then posting a 7-0-1 record immediately thereafter? Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, the Rangers big splash summer free-agent signings, emerging as the leaders they were expected to be? Henrik Lundqvist receiving a contract extension, playing through distraction while his father in Sweden recovered from a brain aneurysm, and securing his third straight Vezina Trophy (award given to the league's outstanding goaltender) nomination? In a world where the Knicks were sadly disappearing from the consciousness of New York sports fans, the Rangers provided plenty of top-story fodder. At least that's how I see it.

But I am somewhat resigned to the fact that ESPN and the back pages will rarely lead with hockey. Maybe it's better that way. I do know that if the Rangers win the Stanley Cup, they will be the toast of the town here in New York...and damn rightfully so.

Cliff Notes: Tuesday April 29th, 2008

2008-04-29T08:57:00.001-04:00

Everyday(or every other day, whenever I have time), I'll give an abbreviated version of yesterday's sports events. Will I talk about everything? Probably not. But I'll pick and choose the nuggets you need to know about. And if I make an error, oh well.

The Notes

-Did you ever get something stuck in your tooth, and you try to get it out, but you just can't? Well, The Atlanta Hawks have become the popcorn kernel. With their victory over the Boston Celtics, the Hawks have evened the series at two games a piece. The Hawks still have about a 20% chance of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. But they sure seem to be playing with a lot of confidence. Game 5 should be fun.

-No surprises with the Lakers and Magic both win their series. If I am the Nuggets, I seriously consider moving Carmelo Anthony in the offseason. I feel like he brings a headache when you least need it. Plus, he's never done anything in the playoffs.

-Here we go again with Larry Brown coming back to the NBA. Why are you going back to a bad team Larry? Didn't we go through this with the Knicks. And while Larry comes back, Pat Riley has left. I personally hate Pat Riley. He recognized the Heat were going to be good, so he gets rid of Stan Van Gundy. He takes Van Gundy's team to a championship, and then they suck. So what does he do? He runs away like a little girl. Don't hit yourself on the way out Pat.

-Barry Zito sucks, we know that. The Giants decided that he sucked, and moved him to the bullpen. I guess when your fastball isn't fast and your curveball doesn't curve, your going to be moved. The question I pose to myself is would you rather pat a billion dollars to a guy who will suck for the next 4 years or would you rather pay for a guy who gets hurt and barely pitches for 4 years? I'll tell you this much. I wouldn't want Barry Zito.

-Yankees win and A-Rod gets hurt. He's got the quietest 4 HRs and whatever RBIs this season. Maybe he needs to sit a few games. He's been a lot worse than the stats say.

-And the funniest story of the year goes to Roger Clemens and Mindy McCready. First of all, who is Mindy McCready? Secondly, maybe Mindy was the supplier of the HGH? And thirdly, do you think Roger Clemens will come back this season? Clemens is a complete moron, and if he's never seen in the public again, the world would be a better place.

-If Baltimore and Chicago play a 13 inning game, and its suspended until a later date, do I get Javier Vasquez's fantasy stats from yesterday? Do I have to wait to get it until that later date? Can I trade for Vasquez and get his stats once the game is complete? I bet this is on the mind's of about 800,000 baseball fans.

What to watch for today: The Champions League is today! That's a soccer event they play between the best team's in the world. What does it mean for the casual soccer fan? Henry and Ronaldinho face Ronaldo and Rooney. I think Manchester United(Ronaldo and Rooney) wins 4-2. And no, thats not the same Ronaldo that had the headline "Ronaldo has run in with prostitutes." Always nice to wake up to that.

The End of a Dynasty

2008-04-28T16:12:00.001-04:00

Twenty-six World Championships plus 40 American League pennants. That is what the New York Yankees have provided since 1903, when they completed their first season of play. After finishing 17-games back of first place, few realized that the franchise would become one of the great teams in the history of sports.

Fast forward to 1996 through 2000; the Yankees were the most-dominant modern force that baseball had ever seen.

But things aren’t what they used to be, and in a time where parity has slowly hit the shores of Major League Baseball, the Yankees have had their share of problems in the past few years. Is the greatest dynasty in modern baseball history fading away?

Remember the infamous Jim Leyritz home run in the 1996 World Series? Paul O’Neil’s gut and grit while his back deteriorated in the last few years of his career? Wade Boggs galloping around Yankee Stadium with every fan in their home was standing in approval? David Cone, and one of the great flyouts ever produced off the bat of Mike Piazza? Those are the lasting images that fans remember of those great Yankees teams. The list goes on and on.

The core nucleus of players during "The Yankee Dynasty" was like none other. Every name brings up a story in a daily conversation among Yankee fans.

But team has taken a turn for the worst with the acquisitions of "stars" such as Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, etc. What is wrong with the New York Yankees?

The problem lies in the fact that Major League Baseball lives in the world of free agency and enormous contracts. The "home-grown" player is no longer an option. The minor leagues should change their name to the Kansas City Royals and the Florida Marlins.

Players are drafted and groomed on those teams, and after they become too expensive, players wait for the highest bidder. That is all fine, but when a pitcher who can’t go more than three innings is added (Kevin Brown?), there is a big problem. That is the type of player that the Yankees have filled their roster with since 2000, the year of their last World Series victory.

2005-2007 have been arguably the most laughable seasons any young Yankee fan has experienced. Jason Giambi went from a machine to a shadow of his former self. If you thought Tim Redding was the name of your local train company, you’re incorrect, because he actually was the starting pitcher of a Yankee game (coincidentally, it was a loss). Two guys who made less money than Alex Rodriguez was given per swing, Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon, were the reason the Yankees were in the 2005 playoffs. That is what this team has become. A guessing game.

Some of the blame game can be put on Joe Torre. He was an outstanding manager during the prime years, making the clutch decisions that were necessary in winning championships. But he also was masked behind a truly remarkable team of chemistry and players who knew exactly what their role was. The past few seasons, it seemed as if Torre decided to manage innings 1, 2, 8, and 9, while taking off the other five innings.

Then there is "The Boss", Owner George Steinbrenner. As payrolls increased and the stakes grew higher, Steinbrenner went away from the Yankee system of building players up from the minor leagues and went to buying them from other teams. If something didn’t go right during a season, not to worry, because he would trade for new blood. And now that The Boss is gone, we get The Boss's son. Judging by his early moments, Little Steinbrenner needs to keep his mouth shut and learn how to run a team.

On paper, the team has brought in plenty of talent in the past few years. The resurrection attempt includes some intriguing names such as Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu. But isn’t it a problem when one of the best players brought in was not only on the Boston Red Sox, the Yankee’s mortal enemy, but also was someone who once said that he would never play for the Yankees?

They also re-tooled a pitching staff that has been the biggest cause of concern the past seasons. Mariano Rivera has been the great closer he has always been, but he needs help. And then there's Kyle Farnsworth. Considering Farnsworth can’t pitch more than one inning and allows a home run every other batter, things really looked up.

But have no fear, as Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and a man they call Joba have come to save the day. But their ages combined is younger than Jamie Moyer.

Every time spring rolls around, Yankee fans are fed the false confidence that "this will be the year." But it’s the same story that has been written for six years. Struggle in April and May, make a run in June and July, clinch the division in August, take a month off, and then lose to an inferior team in the playoffs because the giant forgot to wake up. Enough is enough.

There’s no argument that every other franchise in Major League Baseball would sign right now to have the type of run the Yankees have had. But, isn’t having expectations of greatness what makes the Yankees... The Yankees ?

Is it finally time to write on the tombstone? Is it over? I hope not. If Cecil Fielder is signed midseason, then all bets are off.

When is it Acceptable to Boo a Player?

2008-04-28T16:11:00.001-04:00

Let me start by saying I am a die hard Mets fan. Especially over the past few years with great young talent such as David Wright and Jose Reyes who have already become superstars in such a short period of time.

The Mets also have their fair share of (very) old talent with guys like Carlos Delgado and Moises Alou who have been playing the game since I started following the sport way back when.

With age and experience also come expectations of players. Guys like A-Rod are expected to bat .320 and knock in 45 HRs a year. Guys like Johan Santana are expected to win 18 games and record 220 SOs a year. And what happens when these guys don't do what they are expected to do? Yeah, you guessed right - stupid sports fans (myself included) harass the player with a barrage of boos.

Get real folks - the point of a sport is that NOTHING is guaranteed. But unfortunately, expectations play such a large role in just about everything in life that it is hard NOT to be influenced by an expectation of a certain player. And when that player "underperforms" (which of course is just a word that is based upon expectations), it is hard NOT to be upset and boo them.

But is booing acceptable?? Does it even make sense??

Every baseball fan witnessed A-Rod's "disappointing" 2006 season. He was greeted with a series of boos every time he stepped up to the plate at Yankee Stadium that year. Did anything good come out of it? Did booing help him break out of his "slump"? No. Nothing good came out of booing the best hitter in baseball. It only made things worse. And by the way, taking a look at his 2006 season right now, he had a hell of a year that most baseball players would kill to have. But ah, those damn expectations come into play, and suddenly a fantastic season looks drab compared to what he was supposed to do.

The overall point of this is that not even a full month into this season, I, as a Mets fan, have already witnessed 3 players get booed. Johan Santana, Aaron Heilman, and most of all, Carlos Delgado, have gotten booed on at least 1 occasion. Regardless of whether or not these guys have been off to a good start this season, booing them won't help matters. I, for one, honestly think Aaron Heilman is going to have a mental breakdown everytime he comes out to pitch. And booing Johan Santana is just plain wrong. I would have been embarassed if I was one of the fans in the stadium that day when he got booed after giving up 4 runs in 6.2 innings.

Expectations of a players performance are inevitable. We are all going to look at the top players and expect a lot from them. But when they "underperform", just realize they are human, and what makes sports so great is inconsistencies of it. Stop the crying and the booing, because it ain't gonna help.

Go New York Go New York Go

2008-04-28T16:05:00.001-04:00

It really doesn't feel like too long ago that those seven words sung by the infamous Jesse Jaymes meant so much to a team and a city. In 1994, This stupid little song mixed by a rapper most known for his song "Shake It (Like a White Girl)" blared over radio stations and Madison Square Garden. It became an anthem for the New York Knicks I used to love.

I'm not talking about Isiah Thomas and James Dolan's Knicks. Not the team that has collectively gone 214-360 since 2001. Not the team that has wasted countless millions on fantastic players such as Jerome James, Eddy Curry, Quentin Richardson, and Stephon Marbury. Not the team that has essentially alienated an entire fan base and has become the laughing stock of the NBA. Not the team that had a coach that was SO guilty of sexual harassment, the plaintiff won $2.5 Million more than she sued for. And not even the team that hires a new president, fires said head coach yet for some reason keeps him on the payroll as an "advisor." What the hell is that all about anyway?

I'm talking about the New York Knicks I grew up with. The Team that I can honsetly say was the first sports team I was ever a die hard fan of. I'm talking about the team that had Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy as their coach. The team that had players that actually tried such as Charles Oakley, John Starks, Anthony Mason, Derrek Harper, Marc Jackon, and later on Allan Houston, Larry Johnson, and Charlie Ward. I'm talking about Patrick Ewing's New York Knickerbockers.

I will always remember the dog fights in the playoff with the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, and the Indiana Pacers. I cried when every year the brilliant Michael Jordan beat them every year. I jumped when John Starks flew through the air and dunked over the entire Chicago Bulls team. I watched in awe as Patrick Ewing faced off against Hakeem Olajuwon. I laughed when Jeff Van Gundy hung on to Alonzo Morning's leg. I wanted to kill Reggie Miller as he held his hands over his throat. I stared in disbelief and as Larry Johnson hit his four point play, and I even put my arms in his retarded LJ sign (who didn't?).

The point of this trip down memory lane is that The New York Knicks were a staple of my childhood. The Knicks have to be good eventually again, right? Hopefully, the hiring of Donnie Walsh and the subsequent "firing" of Isiah Thomas will steer the Knicks back in the right direction. Disallowing Thomas from talking to the players is a clearly a good move (but again, why not just give him the boot altogether?!?). Perhaps the best thing to happen to the team is James Dolan's claim that he will take on a MUCH smaller role within the team's management.

Donnie Walsh has the undisirable task of hiring a new coach for a team that both Lennie Wilkens AND Larry Brown couldn't coach. He then has to shred millions of dollars of wasted salary on bad basketball players. But the only way the Knicks will ever be relevant again is to have a big star on the team. In other words, sell your soul to sign Lebron James in 2009 or 2010 or whenever he can leave the ghetto of Cleveland.

Look, I know the Knicks will never have Patrick Ewing again. They will never have Jeff Van Gundy as an assistant coach to the legendary Pat Riley, but I do believe that the Knicks WILL be good one day. It just might not be for the next two, or three, or seven years...

Where have all the great sports movies gone?

2008-04-28T14:51:00.001-04:00

I used to live in a place where sports movies were great. Where a trip to the movies was an exciting and entertaining time. And popping a VHS provided 120 minutes of laughter, sadness, or triumph. Sometimes all of the above.

Then it was over.

For many decades movies depicting real life events, biographies of famed athletes, and even fictional incidents were the threshold into how great sports really are. Through the years, us moviegoers have experienced so many emotions at the local movie theater.

Then it was over.

For me, it began as a wide eyed boy at Easy Video. Browsing through the aisles looking for something to accomodate my need for entertainment. I landed on Major League as a young lad and instantly fell in love. The brash and bold depiction of major league baseball and the exaggeration that followed was gold. From then on, I went before my time and rented as many sports movies as I could find. The Bad News Bears, Slapshot, and Caddyshack instantly jumped on my top lists. After renting all the comedic sports movies that were listed as classic, I went to the dramatic ones. Field of Dreams, Rudy, The Program.

As I was renting these movies every weekend, more great movies were appearing in the theater. Even no-talent actors such as Adam Sandler, Kevin Costner, even Michael Jordon were creating great sports movies, each in their own way.

Then it was over.

As time went on and the 90s, the best decade for sports movies in this bloggers opinion, ended, so did ideas for sports movies. There was no explanation for this lack of creativity or even research for old sports stories. It just ended. Abruptly. I mean come on, a great movie was created about Jamaican bobsledders! And suddenly there are no more ideas?? Instead we are left with a story about a retarded boy working on a college football team.

Even when great ideas for movies arise, such as the tragic events of Marshall University, we are left with Hollywood garbage, ruined by hacks such as McG or Richard Tollin.

Even when we take big name actors such as Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson and put them in a basketball movie about the ABA, it turns into garbage.

No, not every sports movie in the past few years has been bad. We have been blessed with such gems as Miracle, Cinderella Man, and Ali.

But why did these movies underachieve at the box office? Has the movie-goer lost interest in the sports genre? Has Hollywood put out too many busts in the past 10 years that people think its over?

I certainly hope not.

Welcome

2008-04-28T14:45:00.000-04:00

Welcome to The Sports Freakers. In the coming weeks, we will give you our take on the world of sports. Look out for columns, analysis, and plenty of freakouts. What's the difference between us and everyone else? We think we are funnier.