Monday, August 31, 2009

Sunday Wrap Up

Just have some random thoughts going from Sunday, so let’s get to it!

The Game’s Quick Hits

- Heath “If ya Got ‘em” Slocum drained a 21-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to finish at 9-under par and win The Barclays by one shot over PGA heavyweights Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, and Steve Stricker. The shocking win by Slocum vaulted him from 124th in the FedEx Cup standings to 3rd and got the playoffs off to a riveting start. I watched coverage of the entire final round and thoroughly had a great time. As I stated yesterday, Tiger lurking near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday makes for great TV and there was certainly drama to be had. I predicted that Woods would not win the tournament yesterday and even though I was right, he tried damn hard to make me eat those words. That is one reason why Tiger makes things exciting even if you are only a casual fan of golf. Even though he might not be playing his best, he always finds a way to keep grinding and scoring and then by the end of the tournament, he is always right there at the end. Once Stricker and Slocum both found a fairway bunker with their drives on 18, I thought for sure there was going to be a 5 way playoff. But I have to give Slocum major credit for rising to the occasion and draining a huge pressure packed putt.

If you watched the final round, Tiger actually should have won the event and just could not make enough happen at the end. He had a cruel lip-out from under 3 feet on the 3rd hole which cost him a shot and then he shockingly missed a birdie that was within 10 feet on the 18th. Draining either one of those would have gotten him into a playoff and both would have given him the win outright. You could also blame his play on the par 5’s, where he was only able to birdie one of them. Or just blame his slow start and poor putting in the first two rounds. However you slice it, it is just amazing how Tiger’s “mediocre” game can be better than other player’s best efforts. There was a huge pack of players trying to get the lead on Sunday and the tournament went right down to the wire. I really appreciate the drama that is created and the skill of the players. I realize golf is not for everyone, but when the best players in the world are playing, I honestly believe that spending a Sunday afternoon watching a golf tournament is some of the best time that you can spend as a sports fan.

- According to a report on the Detroit Free Press’s website, several University of Michigan football players alleged that the program has been violating NCAA rules limiting the amount of time they can spend on training and practice sessions. The players claim that the amount of time they are asked to put in by the program is mandatory and greatly exceeds the limits. Of course, Coach Rich Rodriguez and the University deny this and say there is nothing for them to self-report. In my estimation, I would have to believe these players because there is no reason to talk if it wasn’t true. They must have a bone to pick with the football program and what they are asked to do and I would have no trouble believing that Rodriguez and his coaching staff are pushing these players to the limit and beyond. Football at the University of Michigan is an institution and the program has been down in recent years. The pressure on Rodriguez to produce results is immense and I guess he thinks more practice and workouts will bring better results. That is generally true, but the NCAA sets limits so the kids aren’t run into the ground and they need to be followed. I’m sure it would be hard for the NCAA to really come down on the University for this, but Michigan had better be careful. And in fact, it seems as if they will at least give the appearance that they are. It was reported later on Sunday that the University would be looking into the allegations of the players. I guess we will have to wait and see if anything comes of that and also if this increased workload on the players helps because Michigan will struggle to get to 7 wins and be bowl eligible.

- Reports indicate that free agent LW Alex Tanguay has agreed to a 1 year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. A division rival getting a good player like this is definitely not good news for the Capitals. Tanguay is still young at 29 and has been a very consistent scorer, logging 580 points in 659 games played. He was limited by a separated shoulder last year but still got 41 pts in 50 gms. Tanguay will join Vincent Lacavalier, Martin St. Louis, and rising star Steven Stamkos on a team that is starting to look up. If the Lightning can get some solid goaltending, they will start to be a force in the Southeast Division. I still expect the Caps to be the class of the division this year, but a healthy Tampa Bay lineup will make it tough for the Caps to take any game against them easy this year.

- Let’s take a trip around the NFL and look at some of the news from Sunday: The Cincinnati Bengals finally signed top draft pick, offensive lineman Andre Smith. The #6 pick in the draft and the Bengals had been unable to work out an agreement due to the fact that Cincinnati tried to pay Smith less than the #7 pick, Darrius Heyward-Bey of the Raiders. You see, this is why the Bengals can never get to the next level. They needed help on the offensive line and they tried to be cheapskates with Smith. I actually side with Smith on this one because the sliding salary scale for draft picks is what it is, so I blame the Bengals on this. The signing now leaves that idiot Michael Crabtree as the only unsigned 1st round draft pick…

There is still no word on the severity of the injury to Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel, who left Saturday’s preseason game with a leg injury and is undergoing medical tests. As if there would be any surprise, the Chiefs and their fans are now very concerned as the team seems to be staring at another disappointing season. I am looking forward to the Ravens crushing the Chiefs come week 1…

The Patriots are still being tight-lipped on the severity of Tom Brady’s shoulder injury, but they could have given everyone a clue by the surprise release of QB Kevin O’Connell. O’Connell was the front runner to be Brady’s backup and it seems really strange that the team would cut him after Brady went down. So obviously, the speculation is now that Brady’s shoulder may not be too bad…And in other Patriots news, it is being reported that LB Tedy Bruschi will announce his retirement tomorrow. That is fairly surprising, so I can only assume he believes that his body or mind is not up for the grind of an entire season. I give the guy a ton of credit for coming back after his heart problems and wish him well since he seems like he was a class act…

And now time for your daily dose of Michael Vick news…today it seems offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg came out and told the media that Vick will not disrupt the flow of the offense and that he will help the Eagles and not be a distraction. Well if you ask me, I will believe it when I see it. If anything, the media will try to make this into a big story, so sooner or later, Vick will have to produce on the field and as I stated before, the Eagles need to define a role and package of plays for Vick and stick to it.

- And finally, just want to send out congratulations to Chula Vista, CA for defeating Chinese Taipei 6-3 to win the 2009 Little League World Series. This is always a fun event to check out every year and the California team was damn impressive, hitting a LLWS record 19 home runs during the tournament.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Ready to Rave N Roll?

Well we’ve reached the third week of the preseason and that means things are getting serious for every NFL team. Typically, the 3rd preseason game is treated as a “dress rehearsal” for the regular season and each team takes it seriously as if the game counted. The starters usually play the first half and a series or two into the second half and the coaches are trying to make the final determinations as to who will be making the final 53 man roster. With that said, the Ravens had their 3rd preseason game last night against the Carolina Panthers, so what is the verdict after seeing their performance?

I have to say that I really liked what I saw in the Ravens 17-13 victory over the Panthers last night. On the defensive side of the ball, the Ravens continued to look in midseason form. During the first half, they only gave up 3 points and very few big plays down the field. The defensive prevented QB Jake Delhomme and the rest of the Panthers offense from getting into any type of rhythm. The Panthers first unit could not get anything going until the Ravens entire defense had the second unit in at the end of the third quarter. I do worry some if the injury bug starts to bite, but that is true of every team and the Ravens do have good depth to stand up to a few injuries. I was impressed with the play of new Ravens QB Dominique Foxworth. Foxworth was brought in to make the secondary a bit younger and faster, and he was able to make some good plays last night and seems to be picking up the defensive schemes. This bodes well heading into the regular season.

On the offensive side of things, I continued to be very impressed and encouraged in what I saw. Joe Flacco was extremely good in the first half as he completed 17 of 22 passes and threw his first touchdown of the preseason. What impresses me most is the development of his decision making. He is making smart plays and picking up when he needs to check down to his other receivers and also dump the ball off. Flacco also made some good down the field throws and I am hopeful that the downfield passing game will continue to improve. If it does, the Ravens will get more and more dangerous with the aerial attack. As an extra note, I noticed on Twitter that ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and CBS’s Pete Prisco both see the improvements in Flacco and are predicting good things ahead for him. I can dig that.

I was also impressed with the play of RB Ray Rice. Last season, everyone could see the speed and quickness of Rice and knew at the very least, he would be a good third down back and also a back that could give your starter a good rest every now and then. But now, Rice is starting to prove himself as capable of being a starter and carrying the offensive load when it comes to the run game. He continues to make strides when it comes to patience and he is getting better at picking his running lanes and openings and not trying to do too much. I also saw him make some good plays in the passing game, taking a few short passes from Flacco and turning them into good gains. This is a very good sign for Baltimore and again, CBS’s Prisco made mention on Twitter that he believes Rice will be a steal in fantasy football drafts this year. If Rice can handle the load and Willis McGahee stays healthy and can come in and continue pounding the ball, the Ravens offense may finally start to turn the corner.

It also seems as if Todd Heap is rounding back to form after dealing with injuries last season. He made a few nice catches and caught the TD pass from Flacco. Heap still has the ability to be extremely effective if he can stay on the field. A healthy year will give Flacco another weapon and allow him to work the middle of the field. WR Derrick Mason is also showing no signs of slowing down. He made a few nice grabs on deeper passes and the guy just knows how to get the job done.

So after seeing this performance tonight and watching all three preseason games, I have to say that the Ravens are looking more and more like legitimate contenders this season. I will still not get overly optimistic, but I will say that it will be a hell of a battle in the AFC North this year. The games against Pittsburgh should be off the hook and I will be glued to the TV for them. The Ravens don’t have a cupcake schedule by any means, but I think they can seriously challenge for the division title and if the offense keeps developing and the defense plays to its usual standard, the Ravens will have a shot this season.

And a final tidbit for Ravens fans out there…the last time the team started 3-0 in the preseason was in the 2000 campaign, the year in which Baltimore won the Super Bowl. Just some food for thought…

The Game’s Quick Hits

- I would be remiss if I did not mention the funeral for Ted Kennedy which took place on Saturday. I watched the proceedings and thought that it was a great service. The eulogies delivered by his sons Ted Jr. and Patrick were very poignant and offered a glimpse at the type of man Ted Kennedy was and what he stood for and tried to instill in others. As always, President Obama eloquently delivered a tribute to a friend and mentor and spoke about trying to honor Kennedy’s memory by always moving forward and trying to do what we can to persevere and make the world a better place. It was cool to see the funeral procession and final ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery as it was the first time I really witnessed and sat down to watch a burial like that for a prominent national political figure. The scene on the steps of the Capitol was pretty remarkable and the spontaneous singing of “God Bless America” was touching. Truly Ted Kennedy left his mark on America and whether you agreed with his politics or not, he was a man to be respected for what he endured and tried to accomplish.

- In an attempt to bolster their roster and hold off the Texas Rangers in the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels acquired P Scott Kazmir from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for 2 minor leaguers. I definitely have to give credit to the Angels for getting this done and trying to do what they can to make their team stronger for the playoffs. Kazmir has been pretty effective when he has not been slowed by injuries and the guy also has playoff experience, having started Games 1 and 5 of the World Series last year. I think the Angels need all the help they can get when it comes to pitching because it seems like the Yankees, who won a 1 hit, 10-0 shutout over the White Sox yesterday for their league leading 81st win, are still pressing full speed ahead and they look like the team to beat come playoff time.

- Tiger Woods tried to make a move on Saturday at The Barclays, but his 4-under par round of 67 only was able to bring him to within 5 strokes of co-leaders Steve Marino and Paul Goydos. Again, Tiger was able to leapfrog higher up the leaderboard into a tie for seventh place, but he still has a daunting task in trying to win on Sunday. I watched a good bit of the 3rd round and Tiger finally got some putts to drop and he kept grinding away. Only because of what Tiger Woods is capable of will I be tuned into the final round tomorrow. I do not expect Tiger to win, but he has made comebacks before, so you just never know. Final round Sundays are always a good watch when he is on the front page of the leaderboard.

- Sources indicate Golden State Warriors forward Stephen Jackson is seeking to be traded to a contender. The 31 year old made statements saying that he only has about 4 or 5 years left and he wants to be traded to a team that consistently makes the playoffs and is in position to win a championship. I can’t recall hearing about this guy being a trouble maker or anything, so I can respect his position and where he is coming from. Golden State is one of those franchises in sports that just seem like they always will be mediocre and have nothing going for them. Constantly losing takes its toll, so I have no problem with a veteran player wanting to try and win a title. Jackson averaged a career high 20.7 points per game last season and is a career 15.4 ppg scorer over 9 NBA seasons. Obviously Jackson could help a contending team, but his production would also come with a decent price tag that I am not sure a contender is willing to pay.

- Back to more Michael Vick news…as if it was any surprise, head coach Andy Reid stated that Vick will play in the Eagles final preseason game against the New York Jets. Reid said that he felt Vick looked good and he could see a more extended period playing QB in the final preseason game. I really feel that the Eagles need to let him play at least a series or two and let him stay in at QB to see what he can do since this might be the last time they will see Vick for a few weeks. Roger Goodell will make a decision by week 6 on whether Vick will be fully reinstated, so the Eagles might as well get a good look in the last preseason game. My guess is that Vick will sit 2 to 4 more games before being reinstated and then the fun can begin.

- Another QB battle was settled on Saturday when Tampa Bay announced that QB Byron Leftwich would be the team’s starter come week 1. Coach Raheem Morris said that Leftwich had the edge on QB Luke McCown heading into camp and held it with steady play in the preseason. In my estimation, it really didn’t matter who the Bucs picked to be their started because I don’t think they will be a big contender this year and probably will struggle to have a shot at the playoffs. I don’t think Leftwich or McCown are that consistent or dynamic, so the Bucs will really have to rely on running the ball and defense this year if they hope to compete.

- Other football notes: Patriots coach Bill Belichick insisted that Tom Brady was pulled from Friday night’s preseason game because the plan was to evaluate the other QBs. Speculation is already running wild as to whether or not Brady has any sort of serious injury. We will be playing the waiting game on this because you know Belichick will not say a word…Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel left in the first quarter of the Chiefs preseason game against the Seahawks with an apparent leg injury. Reports indicated that the injury was not believed to be that serious, but one has to wonder why Cassel did not try to return then. That is definitely something Kansas City doesn’t need. They need all the help they can get, especially with a week 1 game against the Ravens…Starting USC WR Ronald Johnson broke his collarbone in a mock game on Saturday and will be out for 6-8 weeks. Coach Pete Carroll described the loss of Johnson as “just a crusher”. I would say it is. You don’t want to lose your #1 WR when you are starting a true freshman at QB. I am on record saying that USC will not be in the hunt for the National Championship and I still believe that because this injury does not help them at all…Alabama head coach Nick Saban signed a contract extension which will keep at the school until 2017. Good to see that he actually might want to stay put this time. He can dream of trying to become the next Bear Bryant, but don’t count on it.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

The "Diva" Wide Receiver

There seems to be a nagging problem that stalks around some of the teams in the NFL. And no, I am not talking about the gigantic scoreboard (which I will now dub “JerryTRON”) at the new Cowboys Stadium. I am talking about the “diva” wide receiver in the NFL. This topic has sprung to mind because of all the drama I am hearing about in Denver. On Friday morning it was announced that the Denver Broncos suspended WR Brandon Marshall for the remainder of the preseason for conduct detrimental to the team. The situation will be reassessed when the preseason ends. Now this seemingly has been a long time coming. To get you up to speed on this guy, take a look at what has gone on with him:

* He had charges against him and was accused of beating his girlfriend. He did get acquitted, but he still put himself in a bad situation that caused a distraction to the team and made him miss the first preseason game.
* He asked for a trade during the summer after the Broncos declined to rework his contract which will pay him $2.2 million this season.
* He claims the team misdiagnosed a hip injury which required offseason surgery
* He comes back and pulls a hamstring so he misses more time, but then when he returns to practice, he admits that he does not know the team’s playbook and therefore has to be relegated to the scout team and miss another preseason game.

Now all of this led up to the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, which occurred on Wednesday. Video cameras caught Marshall being insubordinate during practice. His actions included walking around while the rest of the team was running during warmups, swatting away a ball that was thrown to him when he should have been catching it, and punting a ball away that should have been handed to one of the team’s ball boys. Marshall claims that this was just frustration boiled over and not an attempt to force a trade due to insubordination. I have to ask, what the hell is wrong with this guy?

Displeasure over your contract is absolutely no excuse for acting like a petulant 10 year old child at your job. How Marshall thinks that his actions will get him anywhere is beyond me. He is proving himself not to be very professional and he is only poisoning the waters when he would try to go to another team as a free agent. If he wants big money, this is not the way to get it. The Broncos are in a tough spot though because if they just sit the guy, then they will be paying him for nothing. Marshall is extremely talented, and his presence on the field would be needed if the Broncos have any hope of trying to be competitive this year. Not only is Marshall hurting himself, he is hurting the whole team and it stinks in my opinion.

It seems like Brandon Marshall is trying to take the malcontented “diva” WR to a whole new level. The King of that position in recent years has been Bills WR Terrell Owens. I am sure most of you reading this know about Owens’ antics. He ruined his relationship with Jeff Garcia and the 49ers. Then he moved onto the Philadelphia Eagles and found a way to poison things with Donovan McNabb. Then it was good times with the Cowboys for a while, but it once again fell apart with Tony Romo. Now T.O. is up in Buffalo with Trent Edwards. How long do you think that will last before something happens? The sad part about Owens is that the guy is amazingly talented. He ranks 2nd in NFL history behind Jerry Rice in receiving TDs and yet he always complains about not getting the ball enough or not being featured enough in the offensive. That seems very odd considering his stats. Well here is a news flash for you T.O., you are not Superman and you can’t beat double teams with regularity. The defenses focus on you and your QB trying to force the ball to you all the time is no way to win games. I’m sure Owens would tell you that all this drama is just overblown and he is misunderstood, but you can’t ignore the pattern of what goes on. It has to be all about him because he is one of the “divas” out there.

There are plenty of other examples out there of this trend concerning wide receivers. Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco seems to continually run his mouth and be mad or upset about something. He is another guy who has a great deal of talent and finds a way to try and put the focus more on himself than the team. He claims he is more focused this season and is embarrassed by his performance last year, so I guess we will see if he can shut his mouth and produce. Patriots WR Randy Moss has had his issues in the past as well. He regularly had drama occurring in Minnesota and even had some dust ups with John Law. He was a total malcontent in Oakland and found his way out of there to New England. Since he has been with the Patriots though, Moss has been a model citizen. So I can give him credit on that and say maybe he just wanted to win so badly that his frustrations just couldn’t help but come out until he got into a situation like he has in New England.

Need more examples? How about WR Anquan Boldin in Arizona? He continues to complain about wanting out of Arizona and wanting more money. I can understand that he feels he should get more, but he keeps talking about wanting Larry Fitzgerald money. Sorry Anquan, you are good, but Fitzgerald is one of the elite WRs out there and you are a notch below. When Keyshawn Johnson played in the NFL, he was another good example of a “diva” and a guy who seemingly wanted more focus on himself than the team. If you remember, things got so bad in Tampa Bay that they paid him just to go and sit home. Let’s not even get into what has happened with former Giants WR Plaxico Burress. That is a whole other story, but he is another guy who showed flashes of “diva”. And the next crop of “divas” might be starting with 49ers rookie WR Michael Crabtree. I have already shared some thoughts on this guy, who is pissed that he is only due #10 pick money and thinks he should be getting more. Tough crap Crabtree, get your ass to the team and stop making it all about you.

So basically, I am wondering why the WR position in the NFL seems to be so chock full of these types of guys. Don’t get me wrong here either. I am not saying that WRs are the only ones who act out or try to portray themselves as bigger than the team as a whole. But does a WR, more so than any other position, really need to believe that they are THAT good to be a dominant force? Maybe…but why should that be different than any other position? A pro athlete needs to have the mentality that they are the best and that they can get the job done at the highest level, but that doesn’t mean they need to act like children. These players are making damn good money playing a kid’s game, but they need to act like a professional. Jerry Rice did it the right way and that’s why he will always be considered the greatest of all-time (at least at this point and for the foreseeable future). As I stated above, I also believe that Larry Fitzgerald is cut from the same mold and he is doing things the right way. More young players need to pattern themselves after Rice and Fitzgerald and not try to be the next “superstar” like Terrell Owens.

I am not sure how this Brandon Marshall situation is going to play out, but it will most likely be full of drama. Marshall is making his choice to act out and it seems to be what he wants. If I were him, I would be very careful though. You are not truly great yet Mr. Marshall and you may never get the opportunity to be with your actions. Grow up and act like a man, not a child.

The Game’s Quick Hits

Friday Night Smackdown Thoughts: Well if you wanted proof that Smackdown is much better than Raw these days, then all you have to do is compare the first half hour of both shows this week. Raw wasted the time with a DX birthday “celebration” for Vince McMahon that dragged on too long and generally fell flat. Smackdown on the other hand featured another great promo from CM Punk, who rubbed his victory over Jeff Hardy in everyone’s face and continued his crusade of “straight edge means I’m better than you.” Jeff Hardy joined him in the ring and this led to a “loser leaves WWE” stipulation being added to their Steel Cage Championship match later in the evening. Hardy may not be that great on the mic, but his connection with the fans and energy he creates with them makes up for it. All of this was followed by a tag team match between Matt Hardy and John Morrison and the Hart Dynasty. Even though this match was short, it filled out the first half hour nicely and had some good action. I would like to see the Hart Dynasty make a run at the Unified Tag Titles to really cement them as players in the WWE. Maybe DX could beat JeriShow and then the Hart Dynasty comes along and beats DX...would love to see that but I am not optimistic WWE creative would make that happen.

I saw some other really good things on the show as well. Drew McIntyre debuted and beat up R Truth before the match even started. He was only on screen for about 60 seconds, but the guy has a good look and possibly a good gimmick as a mean British bastard. If he can perform in the ring, he could be a good one. Kane and Rey Mysterio had a decent match, but sadly The Great Khali made an appearance and it looks like his feud with Kane will continue. Chris Jericho and The Big Show also mixed it up with Cryme Tyme again and had a good match. Finally, the main event Steel Cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship was a great match. It had a great deal of drama throughout it and Hardy put in a great performance even though most people knew it was going to be his last match. I will miss the feud that Punk and Hardy had and we can only hope we get a good feud between Punk and The Undertaker.

- A ruling from the NFL came in on Friday about the JerryTRON in Cowboys Stadium. If a punt hits the video boards, the down will be replayed and the officials, along with the coaches, have the ability to initiate a booth review. This ruling is only good for this season and it can be reviewed in the future. Well score one for Jerry Jones, but I suspect that the NFL will make them raise the JerryTRON in the future. I still wonder who will pay for it and my vote is for Jerry himself since you know he is rolling in dough.

- In a mini update from a few days ago, the Lions have announced that QB Daunte Culpepper, not rookie QB Matthew Stafford, will start the team’s 3rd preseason game against the Colts. The QB competition is ongoing and a decision has not been made. It seems like Peyton Manning thinks Stafford should start week 1, while some former NFL coaches like Mike Martz and Steve Mariucci think he should be on the bench for a bit. As I stated earlier, I believe that Culpepper needs to start and get the Lions a win to take the pressure off the team. Stafford can come in sometime during the middle of the year and start gaining his experience.

- Tiger Woods continued to “struggle” at The Barclays, the first FedEx Cup Playoff event, shooting a 1-over par 72 on Friday to leave him at even par for the tournament and 8 strokes behind “Spider” Webb Simpson. Tiger has never really liked this course and has not played great golf on it and that looks to be continuing. The conditions were much tougher on Friday than they were on Thursday and Tiger was actually able to move up a few positions on the leaderboard, but not in relation to the amount of strokes behind the leader. Over the years I have usually been able to tell when Tiger is not “on” and it seems like this is one of those weeks. Going to take a miracle for him to win this weekend and I am not expecting it.

- The NBA has suspended Denver's J.R. Smith for 7 games without pay and Phoenix's Jason Richardson for 2 games without pay after both were recently convicted of driving offenses (Smith for reckless driving and past poor driving record and Richardson for drunken driving). Props to the NBA on this for penalizing bad behavior and poor decisions. I think the NFL should be the model for how to deal with these situations. These athletes live a good and privileged life, so they should strive to be role models and good citizens and they need to suffer the consequences for mistakes.

- NASCAR announced that qualifying for the 2010 Daytona 500 will be moved to Saturday, February 6 to avoid being on the same day as Super Bowl XLIV. Traditionally, Daytona 500 qualifying starts on the first Sunday of “Speedweeks”, but the whole NFL season was pushed back a week this season, creating the overlap. I have to say very smart move on NASCAR’s part. You need to bow to the King that is the NFL and the crown jewel of the Super Bowl.

- And on a final note…I watched the first half of the Redskins/Patriots preseason game and Tom Brady and Randy Moss looked like they were in midseason form. Barring more injuries, it looks like the Patriots could be back to reclaim their spot on the top of the AFC and maybe the whole league. And speaking of possible injuries…it was reported after the game that Brady had a sore throwing shoulder after being hit by Albert Haynesworth late in the first half of the game. Stay tuned…

Friday, August 28, 2009

As the Vick Turns

Since Michael Vick’s on field return to the NFL was scheduled for last night, it was probably pretty obvious as to what I would be discussing today. No other significant topic that I want to discuss and go into a fuller analysis about has crept into my mind, so how about we just do some quick hits today? Yeah, sounds good to me…

The Game’s Quick Hits

- Well without question, the top story from Thursday was Michael Vick. It seems like it is all Vick, all the time around here, but that’s how it goes with an intriguing story like this. On Thursday morning, Vick appeared in bankruptcy court in Newport News, VA. A judge approved Vick’s plan to repay creditors who are owed about $20 million and allow Vick to emerge from bankruptcy. Not surprisingly, all of the creditors and representatives in court supported the plan. Obviously they see that NFL money coming back to Vick and they want their piece. I don’t have much to comment on about this. Vick’s actions caused all of this mess and he still has to pay the piper. For his sake, his performance on the field had better be at a high level, or he won’t be getting millions in those contracts as his NFL career continues.

And speaking of on the field, Vick hopped a plane right after his court appearance to get back to Philadelphia for their preseason game against the Jaguars. It was reported earlier in the day that the game plan called for Vick to see action in the first quarter. He would play at QB for the most part and then be a part of Wildcat formations. Coach Andy Reid was most concerned about seeing how Vick would adjust to the speed and intensity of a live game and also if he could take care of the ball. So with all that said and all the hype leading up to his return, how did Vick look on the field?

The short answer: decent and passable. When Vick trotted onto the field during the Eagles first offensive series, he was met with a standing ovation for the most part…so much for all of those anti-Vick efforts. Vick was in the game for only 6 plays and was 4-4 for 19 yards and had one rush for one yard. Pretty pedestrian numbers, but it was what I expected. I said I would be shocked if Vick pulled off a game breaking type of play and indeed, that never even came close to happening. Vick displayed good arm strength and zip on his one down field pass that he threw and he did not look lost out there or shocked by the speed of the game. However, the Eagles looked sloppy and one can argue that Vick being in the game messed up the rhythm of the offense. I tend to agree and I feel the Eagles really need to develop a package of plays for Vick and stick to them. You will not have success in the NFL trying to do a QB rotation. Vick stated after the game that he is at about 70% of what he needs to be and he thinks the sky’s the limit when he gets back fully into game shape. Without question, this will continue to be a hot topic of discussion in the coming weeks.

- Very big news coming from WWE land. Current Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio has been suspended for 30 days due to violating the company’s wellness policy. I debated on whether to save this for tomorrow, but I really don’t feel I can offer a great deal of in depth analysis. I am certainly surprised to hear this news, but when I think about it, it is not THAT shocking. Rey has been flying around the ring for well over a decade now and has put his body through a great deal of punishment. He is also a small man, but you have to admit he is pretty muscular. So, I am left to speculate that either he was taking too many drugs to deal with some pain or he flat out got caught on some juice which he was using to try and keep his body going. The suspension is supposed to be effective next Wednesday, so be prepared to see Mysterio drop the IC Title to Dolph Ziggler at the Smackdown tapings on Tuesday. I am wondering if the WWE now regrets not giving Ziggler the win at Summerslam. I would if I were them…

- Former Kentucky men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie was arrested and charged with DUI after being pulled over by police early Thursday. They detected the smell of alcohol on him and his speech was slurred. This is now the third incident involving Gillispie and drunk driving. It seems like this is becoming a pattern now and maybe Billy needs to consider the possiblility that he has a problem here. I am all for having a few drinks and having a good time, but you can’t jump behind the wheel. It can be a tough thing to admit that you have a problem, but it seems like Mr. Gillispie might have one. Hopefully he can address the issue and get back on his feet. He was able to get the head coaching job at Kentucky, so I am sure that there is still a job out there somewhere for him in the future.

- Tiger Woods returned to the PGA tour yesterday with an underwhelming 1-under par 70 at The Barclays, the first FedEx Cup Playoff event. This put him 5 strokes off the lead shared by Paul Goydos, Steve “Don’t Call Me Dan” Marino, and Sergio Garcia. Well those guys certainly are not powerhouses (and yes I include Sergio because of his inconsistency) and Tiger, most of the time, gets off to slow starts and builds momentum, so it should be fun to see what happens this weekend. I love watching Tiger and I enjoy how skilled he is and how dominant he can be. If he is near the top of the leaderboard this weekend, you can bet I will be tuning in. He probably needs to make a move on Friday though if he wants to win this tournament because you have a great field in this event and they are trying to move on to the next playoff event.

- Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane escaped jail time by pleading guilty to a noncriminal charge of disorderly conduct after he and his cousin were accused of assaulting a cab driver over 20 cents. Kane was ordered to send an apology to the man and he will avoid any other penalties if he stays out of trouble for 1 year and sends the apology. No question Kane should apologize to this guy, but he should also apologize for his sheer stupidity. Now I can see how Kane and his cousin could be a bit scared and uneasy when the cabbie locked them in the car. But after they paid the guy, for them to rough him up over not getting 20 cents back is just idiotic. Kane is a star athlete, a role model, and is making millions of dollars. He should not be putting himself in a dumb situation over 20 cents. I haven’t read anything about him being drunk (and that is a good thing since he is only 20 years old), so I don’t know what he was thinking. Let’s hope he learns from the situation.

- The Boston Red Sox released P Brad Penny late Wednesday night after he has struggled this season going 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA. Sources indicate that 3 NL teams, the Rockies, Giants, and Marlins, immediately had interest. Because of the way his contract is structured, it is unlikely he will be picked up off waivers (that could cost a team almost $2.5 million if he pitched 50 more innings this year and he sure as hell isn’t worth that), but if he clears them, he would only cost a team about $100,000. Considering that Penny has a healthy arm and is a veteran who has had success in the big leagues, he would probably be worth the pickup. Now will he be effective? No one knows. But Cliff Lee and John Smoltz have benefited from moving to the NL from the AL, so maybe Penny can follow suit. Just some more intrigue as we head toward the home stretch of the season.

- Lou Piniella has offered himself up to critics looking to blame somebody for the Chicago Cubs' disappointing season. "You want to blame me? Take your shots. It doesn't bother me one bit, OK?" Well OK Lou, I’ll jump on the bandwagon then! You suck and you and the Cubs are cursed, CURSED I SAY! BWAHAHAHA! Ahem, sorry about that. Seriously though, you have to feel a little bit for the fans of the Cubs because it is just disappointment after disappointment. As an outsider though and a fan who has seen plenty of woes from hometown teams, I don’t have a great deal of sympathy and it is nice knowing some other franchises and fans have it worse. LOL

- Other football notes: Vikings QB Brett Favre did some talking yesterday and said that it is a “work in progress” trying to integrate himself into the Vikings locker room. When asked about the “schism” reports, Favre blew it off and said that he doesn’t even know what it means. As I stated yesterday, the only way Favre will truly win over his teammates is by leading them to victories and I believe Favre is well aware of that…Bills WR Terrell Owens is inching closer to recovering from a sprained toe. He was able to work out and catch passes in individual drills yesterday and Bills coach Dick Jauron was encouraged by the progress. He could be cleared to return to full practice next week. Well let’s hope T.O. recovers fully so he can get on the field and cause drama when QB Trent Edwards doesn’t get him the ball…Cowboys WR Roy Williams left practice after colliding with a teammate and injuring his shoulder. Sources are saying that Williams is done for the preseason, but there is no announcement yet on how severe the injury is. I hope for the Cowboys’ sake it is not that serious because Williams is being counted on to replace Terrell Owens. Owens even chimed in on Twitter saying that the pressure is building after he heard about the injury. Indeed it is…True freshman Matt Barkley was named the starting QB for the #4 USC Trojans yesterday. Coach Pete Carroll said that Barkley has exceeded expectations and is ready for the role. I don’t know anything about this guy, but it seems like he was the most sought after recruit last year, so the guy must have potential. I will be very interested to see how he performs when I get a chance to catch a USC game.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Start or Sit: The Rookie QB Dilemma

The excitement of a new NFL season is starting to build and I have an interesting topic today that I wanted to talk a little bit about. It centers around one of the classic football debates out there: rookie QBs…should they start right away or should they ride the pine for a while? This sprang to mind for me after learning that the Jets named Mark Sanchez their starting QB (more on that later). There are some who will say that there is no better way to learn the position, or any other way for that matter, than to be thrown right into the fire and start right away. Others will tell you that it is best for a QB to sit back and learn what it takes to be successful in the NFL. The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle and in my opinion, each situation is unique and there is no truly correct answer.

First and foremost, the talent needs to be there before you throw a rookie QB into the starting lineup week 1. The QB in question needs to be able to make all the throws, understand the offense, and effectively be able to execute the offense. Now of course there will be struggles and setbacks, but effectively managing the offense means that you generally make good decisions and do not look lost out there. Not every QB who is drafted in the first round, even in the top 10, deserves to be slotted into the starter’s role. Just ask Bengals fans about Akili Smith for example.

I think the most important determining factor is maturity. A rookie QB needs to be able to step onto an NFL field and take charge of the team. They need to take control and earn the respect of the players around them. This can be a daunting task for a 22 year old kid, but those who can do it will have taken the first step toward success. A successful rookie QB will also have a short term memory and be able to handle adversity and bounce back from mistakes. Mistakes are a 100% guarantee for a rookie QB…how they handle those errors and adjust their play will determine first year success.

Last season, Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco and Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan seemed to break the mold for rookie QBs. Both stepped right into action week 1 and they lasted all season, guiding their teams to success and the playoffs. But make no mistake, these two are the exception, not the rule. Joe Flacco was ready for the job due to his physical tools and also his calm demeanor. As I talked about above, he was able to combine a rocket arm with good decision making to achieve success. Flacco managed the game well and while he did not produce eye popping stats, he did not kill the Ravens with costly turnovers. The same can be said for Matt Ryan. The consensus was that Ryan was one of the most polished QBs to come out of college in a long while and he was ready to start right away. Those predictions rang true as Ryan showed a great deal of talent and did the same thing that Flacco did. He managed the game well, made some plays, and recovered from the few mistakes that he did make. That is how a rookie QB can be successful.

Before Flacco and Ryan, the last rookie QB to make that big of an impact was Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning. But as we all know, Manning is a once in a lifetime type of QB and a sure fire Hall of Famer. He had a great rookie season, but again, he was ready and almost no other rookie would have his pedigree and skills coming out of college. For every Peyton Manning, there are numerous Ryan Leaf’s who will be a bust. For those who end up not cutting it in the NFL, it would not make a different whether they started right away or were held back. Truly, these things need to be decided on a case by case basis.

If you draft a rookie QB very high in the draft and pay him tons of money, then I would suspect you consider him a franchise player and want to get him into the starting lineup right away. This is the situation with the Jets and Mark Sanchez. The Jets traded up to get Sanchez at #5 this year and are paying the guy $50 million dollars. That is a huge investment and you don’t want him just sitting on the bench. However, all reports indicate that Sanchez has the physical skills PLUS the maturity to handle the role. Now as I mentioned a few days ago, the Ravens defense made Sanchez look like a rookie in the first quarter of their preseason game. However, Sanchez was able to bounce back and he threw a touchdown pass to end the final series that he played. This shows a good short term memory and the ability to shake off mistakes. When you throw in the fact that QB Kellen Clemens will not set the world on fire and that the Jets have a decent amount of talent spread throughout the whole team, it is easy to see why the Jets went with Sanchez as their starter. Based on what I have talked about, I agree with the move and think it was the right choice.

On the other hand, it is a different story in Detroit. The Lions took QB Matthew Stafford with the first pick in the draft, so you would think he would be anointed the started right away. Not so fast. I have been hearing reports that Stafford does look good in practice and has earned the respect of the team, but he really struggled in the last preseason game when he got the start. Let’s face it; the Lions still have a long way to go to even be respectable. They are not loaded with talent and the team is desperate to just win a game. Veteran QB Daunte Culpepper has come into this season motivated and in the best shape of his career. He is still not that old, has some good skills, and has tasted success before in the NFL. I believe that the Lions should start Culpepper week 1 and let Stafford wait a little while. Culpepper gives the Lions the best chance to win a game or two and then when that monkey is off their backs, they can put in Stafford.

So while it might seem like a cop out in this debate to say that there is no right answer, I believe it really rings true. Teams need to be smart with young players because there is always the chance of ruining a good thing. I think QB David Carr is a prime example. The expansion Houston Texans took him at #1 and threw him to the wolves. The result: he was pounded into the ground behind a porous offensive line and he struggled badly. Now I am not saying that David Carr would have become an elite level QB. In retrospect however, the Texans may have been better served to try and develop him more slowly and put in a veteran QB. Carr has shown flashes of skill and ability, but the beating he took may have ruined his confidence and chance to develop into something more.

Every NFL team is looking for that franchise QB who can lead the team to glory. When you think you have one, you will always be faced with the start or sit dilemma. Without question, the teams who make the right choices and do the right things will be on a quicker path to success and the ones who don’t will just have to keep searching.

The Game’s Quick Hits

- Sources are saying that Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre is now threatening to ruin team chemistry and that a “schism” is forming in the locker room. People with knowledge of the Vikings locker room are saying Favre has “little support” and there are groups who believe either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels gives the team a better chance to win. Is this really a surprise to anyone? Of course people will be resentful because Favre just breezed in the door and did not suffer through training camp with the rest of the players. There is only one solution to this and that is Favre winning games for Minnesota. As I have speculated though, there might be too much pressure on the team and I think the Vikings will not make it all the way to the Super Bowl. I think they need to give Favre some more slack, but he better produce or it will get ugly in Minnesota, especially for Brad Childress.

- Louisville head basketball coach Rick Pitino lashed out at the media yesterday and said the ordeal he has been going through has been “pure hell” for his family. His angry comments came out after police released a video interview of the woman who claimed Pitino raped her and who also is accused of trying to extort him. You know…this kind of thing makes me angry. What the hell does Pitino expect? He had sex with a woman in a restaurant while his assistant coach looked out and then he gave her $3000 for “health insurance” when he most likely knew she would be getting an abortion…and this is a religious and married man here folks. Sorry Rick, but you are the one who did this to your family and now you have to suffer the consequences based on your celebrity and juiciness of the story. You have no one to blame but yourself and I can’t have much sympathy for you.

- Reports are out saying that Ricky Rubio’s intent to play in Spain next season is not a done deal yet. It seems like deep pocketed European clubs are going after him and the Minnesota Timberwolves would need to buyout his contract and they can only contribute $500,000, which seems like it would not nearly be enough. You know, I could care less about this drama they are trying to make. I think the Timberwolves are destined to be closer to the cellar than a championship after they could not get the job done with Kevin Garnett and traded him away. I am not sure why they drafted the guy and took on this mess, but at least they were smart enough to draft Jonny Flynn as well, so maybe they expected it.

- I thought that I could possibly get away from no Michael Vick news, but nope, not going to happen LOL. Today’s news is something I agree with though. Local civil rights groups, including the NAACP, are planning a demonstration and march around Lincoln Financial Field prior to tomorrow night’s preseason game. "We believe Michael Vick has served his time, paid his debt to society and deserves a second chance and the animal rights groups want to hold him hostage for the rest of his life," J. Whyatt Mondesire, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, said Wednesday. "We think that's patently unfair. It denies Michael Vick's basic civil rights, denies him his ability to make a living." Kudos to this man for saying that. I have stated in this blog before that Vick deserves a shot to resume his life and make amends and he should only be criticized and protested on if he drops the ball on what he has said he will do.

- A federal appeals court has ruled that investigators were wrong to seize a list of 104 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during the 2003 season. The court stated that they only had the right to seize information on the 10 people listed in their search warrant. Well, it is nice to see a ruling like that which makes sense, but the damage is already done. That list got into the wrong hands and people will continue to leak names every so often so they can get their hands on some money. The entire list needs to come out because every time a name is leaked, it distracts from the play on the field.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

R.I.P. Ted Kennedy

I am not really a political junkie by any means and I do not want this blog to be a place for angry political debate. But I wanted to share a few thoughts on the passing of Ted Kennedy. Without question, the Kennedy name and family is one of the most famous in American history and Ted Kennedy will go down in history as one of the greatest Senators this nation has had. You may not agree with his political ideology, but no one can dispute that Kennedy worked hard in his career in the Senate and he did what he could to try and help even the playing field when he saw injustice out there.

He was well liked and very much respected, even by his Republican opponents. Many say that Kennedy was the most effective Senator and if you needed to get legislation passed and needed an ally, then Kennedy was the person to turn to. I believe Kennedy is to be respected and admired for his service and also for carrying on the mantle of his family after his brothers were assassinated. He was also a key figure in helping to get President Obama elected. His endorsement and support gave weight and credibility to Obama. It was a passing of the torch and Ted Kennedy saw the potential in Obama to be a great leader.

I supported Obama's candidacy for president because I felt this country needed to go in a new direction after the George Bush years. Maybe it will not turn out for the better, but that is the way things go in the political world. Ideas run their course and new ones need to come in. Sometimes the solutions and agendas are not for the best, but it stirs debate and things move forward in time. I believe Ted Kennedy subscribed to this theory and hopefully his feelings about President Obama will ring true in time and Obama will become a very good President.

It is unfortunate though that Ted Kennedy will not get to see new health care legislation get passed. He dedicated his life to the issue and it has been a long time coming in trying to come up with better solutions. I realize that health care is a seriously complicated issue and the debate is fierce, but I do feel that health care should be a right and not a privilege. Hopefully, a workable system and solution can be found. The opponents of these ideas will fight tooth and nail and Obama and the Democrats have lost a great ally in the fight. But Ted Kennedy's ideas and what he stood for will live on and the lion will still roar. Condolences to his family and friends. R.I.P. Ted Kennedy.

A Rose Not in Bloom

The Hall of Fame. Truly it is the final stop for any athlete who dominated his sport for years and it is the final recognition that you were one of the best and your legacy is cemented. It seems as if there has been a great deal of talk these past few months about the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. And this past weekend, I couldn’t help but be drawn into a story on ESPN about Pete Rose. It has been 20 years since Commissioner Bart Giamatti banned Rose for life due to his betting on baseball. It is my opinion that even though Pete Rose has generally been a buffoon in all this, he still deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Without question, Pete Rose was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. To this day, he is still baseball’s all-time hit king and the mark may never be broken. Pete Rose was Charlie Hustle. He gave it his all on the field and he played with reckless abandon and passion. Unfortunately for Pete though, he also took that passion and applied it to sports gambling. I don’t need to retell Rose’s story of betting on games while he was managing the Reds. He screwed up and received a lifetime ban from MLB and he is still paying the price to this day. To me however, it seems wrong to not have Rose in the Hall of Fame based on his on field accomplishments.

It is my opinion that Pete Rose never did anything on the baseball field as a player that jeopardized the integrity of the game. In fact, the way Rose played is how every player should strive to play the game. His accomplishments deserve to be recognized in the Hall. Now Rose is no saint, but the Hall of Fame is not meant to be for people you nominate for Sainthood. I understand that Rose compromised the game with his betting and he screwed up by lying about the whole ordeal for so long. But again, none of this has to do with what he did as a player for all those years.

Rose’s good friends Joe Morgan and Mike Schmidt feel that Pete has suffered enough. I tend to agree. Murderers and rapists get less time in jail for their actions. Now I am not naïve here thinking that is a straight up comparison, but Rose has basically been in jail for 20 years in baseball terms and at this point, I think time has been served.

However, former MLB Commissioner (and deputy commissioner at the time of Rose’s ban) Fay Vincent said in the ESPN piece that it is not about whether Rose has suffered enough. He claimed that again, the integrity of the game needed to be upheld and he said something to the effect of, we need to show that what Rose did will not be treated lightly as an example to future players. Really? So let me get this straight. Is Joe Schmo out there going to decide that he wants to bet on baseball and take the risk and if he gets caught, he will just chill out for 20 years and be able to come back? Are you telling me some young player wants to throw away their playing career and then assume he can come back when he is 45 and maybe manage? Come on, let’s be serious. No one is going to choose to go down that road because they think Pete Rose got a “light” sentence.

Now make no mistake, I don’t particularly have any love for Pete Rose and I certainly do not condone his gambling or his lying for all those years. Like everyone, Rose obviously has his flaws and faults and he should not just expect to be shown mercy or given chance after chance, especially when he will not help himself. But again the fact remains, Rose never compromised the game as a player and his on field performance is deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame.

After seeing the story and reading a few articles though, it seems Rose will never get his induction day. Truly, it seems like the ship has sailed and Pete will have to live out his days in baseball exile. I truly hope that if MLB is determined to stick to their guns, then they do make it stick forever. I think it would be pretty disgraceful if they put the man in after he dies. In theory, it would be Rose’s lifetime and he would be eligible again right? That may sound cold, but I think it would be cold on MLB’s part to do something like that. Who knows what will happen, but it is just another sad tale in the great American pastime.

I, for one, have grown weary of all the steroid talk and the leaking of names from the infamous “survey testing” back in 2003. This also continues to be a sad tale when it comes to the Steroid Era. And in talking about the Hall of Fame, I think it will be sad that some other players get held out of the Hall. Let’s take baseball’s all-time home run king Barry Bonds. Sure, everyone knows he was on the juice. But if you look back on his career, you can argue that he was a lock for the Hall of Fame before he started with performance enhancers. I believe he had around 400 homers, along with multiple gold gloves and all-star appearances. He would have made the Hall without steroids. Alex Rodriguez could be in the same boat. Even before 2003, the guy was cruising toward 500 homers and was considered one of the best all-around players in the game. Now, the taint of steroids might keep him out. Add Roger Clemens to the list. He will take it to the grave that he never did anything, but the evidence seems to be there. And before he would have ever used PEDs, he was worth of induction.

I am not trying to give these guys a pass for stupid actions, but it is what it is and I still believe these players proved enough when there was no steroid cloud over them. To me, it just becomes sad how great players can ruin their legacies. This is all just my opinion though and I have no problem with baseball purists out there who would NEVER give these guys consideration because of steroids. I just think that they clearly proved they were the best of their era before the “steroid portion” of their careers. If you do cast these players aside, history may tell us that Ken Griffey, Jr., Frank Thomas, and Jim Thome were the best sluggers of this era. If injuries didn’t get to Griffey, I believe he would easily be challenging Bonds’ home run record. And with every cloud there is a silver lining and his name is Albert Pujols. He may end up being the very best of all and surpass all of these guys when he is done.

So those are my thoughts of the day. Like your parents teach you, it is best to own up to your mistakes and not lie about them. Unfortunately for Pete Rose, it seems like he didn’t learn that lesson and instead, he has to remain in exile and he will most likely never get his day in the Hall of Fame sun. Sadly, he looks like he might not be alone.

The Game’s Quick Hits

ECW Thoughts: I thought that last night’s ECW was a decent show, but nothing to write home about. The best parts of the show were the beginning and the end, which conveniently featured ECW Champion Christian and William Regal. As expected, the feud between these two will continue after Regal pinned Christian in the main event match (with a little help from Vladimir Kozlov) to earn a future Championship match. The opening promo between the two was very good and the match had some solid wrestling and action, so kudos to the WWE on that one. The middle portion of the show was pretty pedestrian with nothing that exciting happening. I was happy that Abraham Washington did not grace my screen this week and I wish I could have said the same about Tyler Reks. Unless Washington has some great wrestling ability, the guy is a waste. I don’t think he is that great on the mic and his delivery is too whacked in my opinion. And Reks’ bland surfer dude persona just does nothing for me. Unless he really starts to pull off some moves in the ring, he just will remain boring and not get over with the audience.

- P Billy Wagner was traded from the Mets to the Red Sox for 2 players to be named later just under the final deadline after Wagner decided to “throw caution to the wind” and waive his no-trade clause. Well I guess at this point, Boston will take any help that they can get even though I think they need more help on the offensive side of things. As I have already said, the Yankees should cruise to the AL East title and Boston will have to fight for the Wild Card spot. It will be interesting to see what Wagner has left and he probably made a smart decision to get the hell away from the Mets and go to pitch in a pennant race. He is only 11 months removed from Tommy John surgery and he can only pitch every few days, but he did hit 96 mph on the gun recently. Intriguing indeed…

- Speaking of the Mets, P Johan Santana is now out for the season after opting for surgery to clear out bone chips in his left elbow. Damn, the Mets are cursed by the injury bug this season. This was a smart move to shut him down and get it fixed before something more serious happens to the guy. This is just a lost season for the Mets and they can only hope their ace pitcher recovers for next season. Probably won’t help though and they will still choke it up next year!

- Time for your daily dose of Michael Vick news…as expected, Eagles coach Andy Reid confirmed that Vick will play in Thursday’s preseason game. Reid says that Vick looks good in practice and he wants to see how he will respond to the speed of the game after 2 years away. Well now that it is confirmed, it should be an absolute show in Philly come Thursday night. I expect Vick to look decent and not embarrass himself, but I would be shocked to see some game breaking, jaw dropping play. On the animal rights front, the meeting between Eagles officials and local animal rights groups seems to have gone well. Of course these groups are still skeptical and they are “demanding” the Eagles donate a match of Vick’s salary to local charities. Ahhh, got to love that try at extortion LOL. Like I said before, these groups should be happy to try and work for solutions. They don’t need to “hug” Vick and become his best friend, but they should not be so critical when people want to reach out and try to help.

- Roger Federer and Dinara Safina were named the #1 seeds for the 2009 U.S. Open which begins Monday. American Andy Roddick was seeded #5, while Serena Williams and Venus Williams were #2 and #3 respectively. Roger looks to be in fine form and deserving of the seeding, but someone needs to look at these women’s rankings because Safina continues to get pounded at the Grand Slam tournaments. How she is STILL ahead of Venus and Serena is beyond me. I always like checking out the Grand Slam tennis tournaments so I am hoping for some good and compelling matches.

- Quick notes from the NFL injury front…Bills WR Terrell Owens will miss this Saturday’s preseason game against Pittsburgh, while Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will be back in action after reportedly coming back to practice and showing no ill effects from his foot injury last week. At this point, Buffalo needs to hope that Owens can be ready for the regular season because this toe injury seems like it was fairly serious. And I guess the Ravens and the rest of the AFC North catch no break with Big Ben *sigh* LOL

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Raven Mad and Ready for Football!

Football is a big passion of mine. I love the game and I enjoy kicking back on the weekend and watching as many college and pro games as I possibly can. I am from the Baltimore area so naturally, the Baltimore Ravens are my favorite NFL team. I was way too young to feel the hurt that people in Baltimore felt when the Colts rode out of town in those Mayflower vans in the winter of 1984. However, by the time Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1995, I was ready to embrace them as the hometown team.

For the most part, it has been good to be a Baltimore Ravens fan for the past decade. The team was able to build itself into a winner by the 2000 season and won Super Bowl XXXV 34-7 over the New York Giants. That team featured quite possibly the greatest defense in the history of the game and throughout the years, the Ravens have been built on a strong defensive foundation. In the seasons following the Super Bowl win, Baltimore was able to stay competitive and make the playoffs, but they could not recapture the glory of that year. The defense stayed tough and stifling, but for the most part, the offensive side of things dropped the ball.

Now Brian Billick was supposed to be an “offensive guru”, but that never really materialized. Granted, the Ravens go by the philosophy that defense wins championships and the bigger bulk of salary cap space has been dedicated to the defense. But Billick and the team had no luck it seemed trying to build a better offense through the draft or find pieces that could work in free agency. The Ravens became very stagnant under Billick and the team was no longer buying his “brand”. A change needed to be made…enter John Harbaugh.

At the time, not many people knew if it was a good move bringing in the defensive backs coach from the Philadelphia Eagles and installing him as the head coach. The guy was young and had no head coaching experience at any level. But the Ravens’ front office was impressed enough to make the hire and it quickly paid off. Along with the drafting of Delaware QB Joe Flacco, the Ravens quickly jumped back into the elite level of the NFL last year. Unfortunately, the Ravens could not figure out how to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and they fell 1 game short of making it to the Super Bowl. So now the question becomes, what is in store for the Ravens on the road to Super Bowl XLIV?

In my opinion, there is reason to be optimistic this year, but I am not willing to take a full plunge and say that I expect the Ravens to make the Super Bowl and possibly win it. I have never been a blind homer who touts his team as the best and expects them to go out and have an amazing season every year. I think that the Ravens can make a run again and if they are able to figure out how to beat Pittsburgh, then maybe something special could happen. I fully expect a trip to the playoffs and it should be very fun to watch.

On the defensive side of the ball, there are some questions this year. How will the team cope with the departure of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, who is now the head coach of the New York Jets? Can someone step up and effectively replace Bart Scott, who also followed Ryan to New York and who was developing into an elite level linebacker? How much does Ray Lewis still have in the tank? I am fairly confident that the Ravens will indeed have answers to these questions and the defensive will still remain as one of the top units in the NFL.

The defensive does have some good depth even with the departures from last year and the Ravens have developed a system that works and they have proven over the years that they know how to develop players into stars on the defensive side of the ball. I believe that Ray Lewis still has enough in the tank to get the job done for the next 3 years that he signed for. His passion, dedication, work ethic, and leadership are unquestioned. He knows what it takes to win and he can will his teammates to victory. He also will be able to guide younger players and make them better. The defensive core of Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, and Haloti Ngata will keep the defensive ship sailing smoothly and will continue to give opposing offenses headaches this season.

As always, it seems that the offensive could still be what holds Baltimore back this year from true greatness. The 2000 defensive unit was a true once in a lifetime group and this year’s version will need more help from Flacco and company. Flacco had a great year last season by rookie QB standards. He was able to effectively manage the game, make a few good plays each time out, and not kill the team with costly turnovers. Of course that finally caught up to him in the AFC Championship game, but none the less, he played well enough to give the Ravens a shot in that game. The reports out of training camp this season have been promising. Flacco seems to be more comfortable with the offense and he has been doing a better job of spreading the ball around and not locking onto one or two receivers. This was evident in the first preseason game against the Redskins as Flacco hit 6 different receivers in very limited action. Truly, it seems as if Flacco will be the franchise QB the Ravens have been searching for.

But even if Flacco takes some steps forward, he is still inexperienced and the Ravens did not get him any help in the offseason at the receiver position. Thankfully, Derrick Mason decided to end his short retirement and return to the team. If Mason left, then the Ravens’ task of even making it back to the AFC Title game would have become much tougher. Mason is not an elite game breaking WR, but he knows how to get the job done and will be a dependable security blanket for Flacco. The other receivers are young and they will have to step up and contribute for the Ravens to go further this year.

The running game should hopefully help out Flacco. The Ravens have three dependable runners in Ron Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le’Ron McClain. McClain will be playing more fullback this year and hopefully will be opening up those running lanes for Rice and McGahee. Talk in camp is that Rice has shown great improvement and his pass catching ability has helped him move past McGahee for the starting job. Willis is responding with a good effort though and showing that he still has gas left in the tank. If all three can stay healthy this season, then that greatly helps and will set Baltimore up to make a serious run.

So in my final analysis, I think the Ravens will be very good this season but most likely will fall short of being super. My prediction is that they will fall one game short of winning the division and have to settle for a wild card spot again. In 2000 they won the Super Bowl as a wild card and that doesn’t seem to be a daunting task anymore. Will history repeat itself? Only time will tell, but my feeling is that the Ravens are still a year or two away from a possible Super Bowl win. If the defense remains strong and they can somehow add more offense for a developing Flacco, then Baltimore might have reason to celebrate within the next 3 years.

The Game’s Quick Hits

Monday Night Football Thoughts: As you can guess, my main thoughts for today were about the Ravens since they battled the Jets on Monday Night Football. The Ravens came away with a 24-23 victory and I have to say that once again, the first string defense and offense looked great. The Ravens’ D looked to be in midseason form and they made Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez look like a rookie. Flacco looked good again, displaying his rocket arm and hitting some nice deep throws. If they are able to stretch the field, good things will be ahead for the Ravens. The second unit and beyond did look a bit shaky tonight, but that is what you get in the preseason. Troy Smith made a few mistakes, but all in all, another solid effort for Baltimore as we inch toward the regular season.

Monday Night RAWind: I will also try to give some quick thoughts in this section about the events of Monday Night Raw every week. This will not be a long recap, just some comments on what stood out to me. And unfortunately, not much did stand out last night and the show seemed like it fell flat and did not carry a great deal of momentum out of Summerslam. The 25 minute opening segment with DX ran too long. It was standard and classic DX shenanigans and the live crowd enjoyed it, but that doesn’t always transfer to TV land. Legacy crashed the party to set up the main event, which seems to kill the idea that some people had of DX moving on to challenge Jericho and Show for the Tag Titles. As predicted, Vince McMahon announced an “I Quit” match between Cena and Orton at Breaking Point for the WWE Championship. And since John Cena always says he never gives up and he never quits, it seems like Orton’s title reign has about 3 weeks left. I was happy to see The Miz continue on his quest to get a shot at Kofi Kingston for the United States Title. Miz has done some great stuff recently and I feel he should win that title and hopefully keep moving up the ladder. Floyd Mayweather’s involvement tonight was minimal and that was a good thing. He played a part in helping to shape a Unified Tag Team Title match at Breaking Point between JeriShow and MVP/Mark Henry. Nothing else stood out to me that is worth mentioning except for a Smackdown commercial which advertised CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy for the World Heavyweight Championship inside a steel cage this Friday. So there is your answer to the Matt Hardy Twitter mystery…yes, Jeff will be around after Summerslam, but it will just be 1 more show it seems. Let’s hope the match is a great one on Friday.

- News broke late Sunday night after Summerslam that ROH star “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson has agreed to a contract with the WWE. Now I have to say that I really don’t know much about ROH or Danielson due to the fact that I do not get HD Net and I also do not have the finances to buy ROH DVDs religiously and follow the promotion. However, I do know that Danielson is one of the best in-ring performers in the world (and nicknamed “Best in the World” by ROH faithful) and he could be a great addition to the WWE. But the WWE does have a tendency to ruin performers, so it remains to be seen if they will try to stick Danielson with a stupid gimmick and not allow him to showcase his skills. Without question, he has the ability to get over with his in-ring work, but will the WWE try to hold him down from that and not let him just be himself? I will be extremely interested in seeing what happens and I hope Danielson will bring some great wresting to my TV screen. For more thoughts on this, check out my friend’s blog at http://pureathlete89.blogspot.com. He is a huge ROH and Danielson fan and offers more insights than I can.

- Another day, more Michael Vick news. The New York Post ran a photo this weekend of Vick drinking vodka and pineapple juice at a Philadelphia airport bar. This prompted Vick’s mentor Tony Dungy to tell Vick “you can’t do that.” There is speculation that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated that alcohol was prohibited for Vick, but an Eagles spokesman said that was not the case. In my opinion, as long as Goodell did not specifically put any restrictions on Vick, then the guy should be able to enjoy a drink if he wants. But I guess after what Vick has done, he is going to get this type of scrutiny. I say let the guy drink because it is his funeral if he screws up after drinking too much alcohol. On the field, reports indicate that Vick’s teammates say he looks ready to participate in game action. I am still looking forward to seeing what happens this Thursday night.

-Reports indicate that San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers has signed a 6-year, $92 million contract extension. I have to give credit to the Chargers for this move. Rivers has improved every year and he is starting to move up into the elite levels of NFL QBs. This signing will ensure continuity with the leader of the offense, prevent Rivers from testing the free agent waters next offseason, and allow the club to save its franchise tag. With the nucleus of the team in place, San Diego should remain a contender for the foreseeable future and they have a shot to be in the mix come January for a chance to make the Super Bowl. Also in other signing news, the Seahawks signed RB Edgerrin James to a 1 year contract. I suppose he will help a little bit, but I don’t expect him making a huge impact for Seattle.

- Miami Heat PF and #2 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft Michael Beasley has reportedly entered a rehab center in Houston. Details at this point aren’t that clear and no one knows the full story. Reports indicate that he is being treated for various issues, including depression. I don’t have too much to comment on here and I just hope that Beasley is able to get help. Depression is not understood by many people, but I know first hand that it really is a terrible condition that can have very bad consequences.

- A federal appeals court ruled that sports gambling in Delaware would violate a previous ban on wagering, so this seems to halt the state’s plan to allow it next month. This seems pretty bogus to me and I say if people want to gamble, let them gamble! I don’t buy into the notion that gambling would destroy the neighborhood around where the action is taking place or that young people would just get corrupted by it. No one wants to take responsibility for their own actions and I guess people don’t have enough self control. If someone is willing to take risks to ruin their life, then that is their choice. There is way too much that goes on in society where the actions of a few ruin things for the majority. Let people gamble away the money that they earned and let freedom ring…this is still America right?

Monday, August 24, 2009

Celebrating Summerfest: WWE Summerslam Review

The WWE had its “biggest event of the summer”, Summerslam, last night and the big question is how did my predictions do? Right? Ok, no, the big question is how did the event come off and did it deliver as a big time show and Pay Per View? In my opinion I have to say that Summerslam did in fact bring the goods and it was an excellent show. I feel that it was the best overall PPV since Wrestlemania 25. The crowd was hyped all night and was extremely excited and involved. The in-ring action was solid to great throughout the evening and I thought there was a great deal of exciting wrestling and drama. There were also some really good booking decisions and they generally outweighed the ones that could be considered questionable. So the bottom line leads me to give the show a thumbs up and recommend a DVD purchase when it is released in a few weeks. Let’s take a match by match review and compare the outcomes to my predictions shall we?

Intercontinental title match: Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
My prediction: Ziggler (New IC Champ)
Actual result: Mysterio via pinfall (retains IC title)
The match got off to a very quick start and it was full of fast paced action which saw Mysterio flying around and Ziggler trying to keep up with him and gain an advantage with a few power moves. Ziggler was indeed finally able to gain the advantage in the middle of the match and was trying to use his size advantage to wear down Rey and work on his neck. The match then started to really build with some great back and forth action. There were plenty of near falls and the crowd was very hot for the opening match. In the end, it appeared as if Ziggler was going to get the win but Mysterio was able to get a quick pinfall and retain the IC title. In my opinion, this was not the right move. It was extremely clear that Ziggler has the potential to be a star and on a big stage like Summerslam, I felt that he could have been seriously elevated with a victory. I score this as a missed opportunity by the WWE and wonder how they will justify Ziggler getting yet another rematch. He still seems destined for the title, but when will the trigger be pulled?

Jack Swagger vs. MVP
My prediction: Swagger
Actual result: MVP via pinfall
This match was preceded by a very nice promo/interaction between MVP and Swagger. They jawed back and forth with Swagger putting over his all-American persona and contrasting it to MVP’s past and the fact that he is an ex-con. This match had a pretty good start but was at a slower pace than the IC title match. Swagger was able to gain a small advantage and went to work on MVP’s body with moves like an abdominal stretch. The crowd was still very into the action and vocal throughout. The wrestling in this match was pretty good but it was not overly exciting or any sort of technical masterpiece. MVP was able to hit a solid chain of moves in quick succession, including the Playmaker, to get the pinfall victory. So again, I got the result of this match wrong and started the night 0 for 2. This does not seem like any sort of blow off for the feud and I would expect Swagger to get a measure of revenge somehow. Maybe I misinterpreted things and expected the heel to get the win since Swagger seems in line for more of a push. But, if this feud continues, then it stands to reason that Swagger gets the final victory of the feud before moving on. We’ll see in time…

Unified Tag Team Championship: Chris Jericho/Big Show (c) vs. Cryme Tyme
My prediction: Jericho/Show
Actual result: Jericho/Show via pinfall (retains titles)
You have to love Jericho on the mic giving it to the crowd before the start of the match. This match was basically what you would expect. The wrestling was perfectly acceptable, especially when Big Show was in. He was in there in the beginning portions of the match and it was pretty slow and plodding. Again the crowd was to be praised for staying into the action and trying to help Cryme Tyme. They did have a good showing in there and Jericho was solid as always. Show was able to deliver a knock out shot at the opportune time to allow the Unified Tag Champs to retain their titles. This match went exactly as I expected and was nothing special. It was just another solid showing for JeriShow as they kept plugging along and get me on the board with a correct prediction.

Kane vs. The Great Khali
My prediction: Kane
Actual result: Kane via pinfall
Well there wasn’t too much to say about this match. It was your standard big man match and again I give props to the crowd for staying into the action. Kane looked pretty good and did the best he could to carry Khali to a decent showing. That is about what Khali was too, decent. This match also ended up going as I expected with a clean win for Kane. I am not sure where these two will go from here, but I don’t really think people would want to see too many rematches. Kane should slowly move back up the card and possibly try to help put over some new talent.

D-Generation X vs. Legacy
My prediction: DX
Actual result: DX via pinfall
Wow…that really was one hell of an entrance and production for DX’s return to PPV. It kind of looked like something out of Call of Duty if you ask me. And without question, the grand fanfare of it all should have told you who was going to win the match. The start of the match was pretty slow and was standard tag team formula. Even so, the crowd was very hot and extremely behind DX and booing the hell out of Legacy. The action did start to slowly build and there was some solid tag team wrestling going on. Legacy was able to gain control and slow the match down, really working on Triple H and getting the crowd salivating for a hot tag. This paid off as the action really started to get hot toward the end and the build up to the finish was great. Shawn Michaels was able to hit some Sweet Chin Music at the end and as expected, DX picks up the win and sent me to 3-2 for the night so far. Now I fully expected DX to get the win and one can argue that HHH and Michaels put in a great performance to make Legacy look good and make them look like a threat. Some people would say this is great and they helped to elevate them. However, I fall to the other side of the fence and say that it is all well and good, but Dibiase and Rhodes fell short and didn’t win, bottom line. I feel like a Legacy win through shenanigans would have done wonders for them. They could have gotten major heat from it and it also would have given them bragging rights. I suppose this feud could have legs and maybe they will pick up a big win in the future. But Summerslam is a major PPV where you can make a statement and unfortunately, Legacy was left to fall short.

ECW Championship: Christian (c) vs. William Regal
My prediction: Christian (or possible DQ)
Actual result: Christian via pinfall (retains ECW title)
Now when I saw Regal walking down to the ring with Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson, I thought for sure that it was going to end in a DQ. However, the bell rings, Regal turns to take off his robe, and Christian hits him with a Killswitch to get the pinfall in about 10 seconds. Very quickly afterwards though, Kozlov and Jackson hit the ring and the newly named “Ruthless Roundtable” do a good beat down on the ECW Champ. So obviously this match turned into an angle advancement segment. My thoughts were correct though since Christian retained and it looks like Kozlov and Jackson stand to be elevated and possibly in line for a shot at the title. Of course, we could always get a future match where Kozlov and Jackson blatantly cheat to help Regal win the belt. Guess we will just have to tune in to ECW and find out.

WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena
My prediction: John Cena (new WWE Champion)
Actual result: Eventually…Randy Orton via pinfall (retains WWE Title)
Wow, what a crazy match this turned out to be and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to be wrong. The crowd sounded about 60/40 against Cena for this one and I really think a majority wanted to see Orton retain. It was a slow and cautious start by both competitors and it eventually led to Orton gaining control and trying to wear down Cena. The crowd was molten for this match with dueling chants going back and forth and the excitement was just off the charts it seemed. Cena was able to make a small comeback, only to be stopped by Orton who got back in control of things. As expected though, Cena “hulked up” and was looking like Superman (to the increasing displeasure of the crowd), but Randy pulled a classic heel tactic and hit the referee for the DQ. Oh but this was only the beginning. Vince McMahon seemed to magically phone down to Lillian Garcia and the match was restarted with the stipulation that if Orton was DQ’d again, he would lose the belt. I seriously thought this totally choreographed a Cena win, but not so fast. Orton goes and gets counted out. And again, Vince rings the magic phone and restarts the match and now if Orton gets counted out again, he loses the belt. Orton runs back into the ring, ducks a shot from Cena, and then rolls him up with his feet on the ropes for a three count. Finally, this match is over. But here comes another ref who says that Orton’s feet were on the ropes and the match is restarted AGAIN. Are you kidding me? So the match continues and Cena has Orton locked in the STF in the middle of the ring. Match is over right? Again, not so fast. It seems as if a “fan” bum rushed the ring and jumped on the ref! Now I put “fan” in quotes because I believe it was a plant. Time will reveal if it was or not, but since the camera followed the guy being taken away up the ramp, I felt it was a dead giveaway that it was planned (this seems to be confirmed now and the "fan" was 21 year old Brett Dibiase). So finally after the confusion, Orton is able to able to drop Cena’s neck on the middle rope, slide in the ring, and hit an RKO for the victory. Now some people will say this was an overbooked mess, but I will lean more toward saying that it was cool to see the match end up being crazy and unpredictable. I will happily enjoy at least a few more weeks of Orton as champion, even thought it seems like Cena will be getting another shot somehow and will eventually take the belt from Orton.

World Heavyweight Championship (TLC Match): Jeff Hardy (c) vs. CM Punk
My prediction: CM Punk (new W.H.C.)
Actual result: CM Punk (new W.H.C.)
So it was time for the main event and this one started out slowly and continued to build throughout. Both Punk and Hardy were pulling out some really stiff shots with the “toys” they were given to play with. The bumps that they were taking were pretty good and the hot crowd continued. The match went back and forth fairly well. Punk got in some great chair shots and was able to dump Hardy off the ladder. Hardy was able to send Punk flying down through a table outside the ring and got in some stiff chair shots of his own. The match finally built up to the highlight and signature spot of the match. Hardy was able to use a TV monitor to lay out Punk on one of the announce tables. He then set up a ladder that had to be close to 30 feet I would say and he climbed to the top and hit a picture perfect Swanton right onto Punk. Medical personnel rushed down to the ringside area and tried to take them away, but Punk struggled back into the ring and Hardy soon followed. They both scaled the ladder and in the end, Punk was able to punch Hardy off of it and unhook the belt to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. This was a great match that deserved the main event spot and these two delivered. As predicted, Punk reclaimed the belt. As a final surprise, Punk was standing over a beaten Jeff Hardy when the lights went out and the gong rang through the arena. When the lights came back on, the Undertaker had replaced Jeff Hardy underneath the triumphant Punk and he ate a chokeslam to end the evening. So it seems like Jeff will be taking his break and the Undertaker will be the next challenger for the World Title.

Final thoughts: So at the end of the night, I finished 5-3 on my predictions. I thought that overall, the 2009 version of Summerslam did end up having a big show feel and for the most part, the action delivered. The crowd was great the entire evening and the wrestling was pretty good. I am very interested to see where things go from here and let’s hope that the WWE can build some momentum.

The Game’s Quick Hits

- Reports are saying now that Michael Vick is showing little rust as he returns to the NFL after 2 seasons. Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said that Vick looks “pretty good” in the offensive and says that things are progressing. They are working with Vick to try and fine tune the small details that help win games and a final decision about whether Vick will play in Thursday’s preseason game should be made on Tuesday. Well if all this is true and if Vick provides an impact this year, the Eagles could become a big favorite to get to the Super Bowl and I bet the anger over his signing will subside quickly. Now reports are also saying that Vick is scheduled to appear at bankruptcy court in Newport News, VA Thursday morning at 9:30 am. He would have to then fly back to Philadelphia to make that evening’s preseason game. Sounds like a fun day for Mr. Vick…

- Roger Federer easily beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, to win the Cincinnati Masters title. It appears that Federer is back in top form and deserving of the #1 ranking heading into the U.S. Open next week. With Nadal still trying to get his legs back under him, I think Roger is the heavy favorite to win his 16th grand slam championship. I definitely would not mind seeing Andy Roddick get another shot at him though after their epic Wimbledon final in July.

- The United States defeated Europe to retain the Solheim Cup for the 8th time and 3rd straight time overall. I am not a huge fan of woman’s golf nor do I really follow it, but I do have to give some respect and congratulations to the U.S. women for doing our country proud and winning this competition.

- Michigan Wolverine head football coach Rich Rodriquez was quoted yesterday saying that the team would use 3 different QBs in the season opener against Western Michigan on September 5. That seems like a pretty odd strategy unless the guy really doesn’t know what he has yet or unless he truly believes that he can utilize the talents of all 3 in different situations. Michigan football has been struggling to rebuild for a few years now and I don’t think this seems like a good move. I would think Rodriquez would want to try and develop one QB and hopefully have the whole team elevate with him this season and in seasons to come. The key to any successful offense is repetition and rhythm and I don’t see how you get that with 3 different QBs. But who knows, maybe this is just an early sign of more struggles to come or maybe he knows something everyone else doesn’t.

- Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Eric Bruntlett turned an unassisted triple play to end the game and preserve a 9-7 win over the New York Mets. He caught a line drive up the middle and then was able to touch 2nd base to double up one man and then tag the runner coming from 1st base as a double steal was on. It was only the 15th unassisted triple play in major league history and only the 2nd to end a game. The win improved Pedro Martinez’s record to 2-0 as well. Pretty cool feat to witness, so big props to Bruntlett as the Phils look like they are headed back to another NL East Division title and a shot at defending their World Series title.

- John Smoltz won his debut with the Cardinals, pitching 5 scoreless innings and striking out 9 in the 5-2 victory. Well, well, well…maybe I spoke too soon writing him off. If he can keep this up until the end of the season and help the Cards get into the playoffs and then transfer to the bullpen as the rotation shrinks for postseason play, then maybe St. Louis will look like geniuses for picking him up. The reward could be a trip to the World Series if all pans out well, but Smoltz will still need to prove he can consistently get people out.