What Are They Thinking?

Wow, what a bang up offseason so far for the Nuggets!  Not only have they done nothing to make the team better, they’ve actually gotten worse.  Last night at dinner I wasn’t sure I was seeing things correctly and was briefly wondering if I shouldn’t visit the eye doctor when I glanced at the TV on the other side of the restaurant.  Was that a headshot of Marcus Camby with the Clippers logo behind it?  Couldn’t have been, he’s not a free agent.  Before the idea of Camby as a Clipper sunk in, I saw the next graphic showing details of a trade: Clippers get Marcus Camby.  Nuggets get a second round pick in 2010.  What???  Not only that, but later i find the Nuggets simply got the rights to swap second round picks with the Clippers in 2010, they didn’t even get an extra pick!  This after the team already lost Eduardo Najera to New Jersey in free agency. 

So let me get this straight: a team that has been awful on defense gave away its one consistent good defender in Camby for essentially nothing.  They have also lost one of the few players on the team in Najera that consistently hustled and provided energy on the court.  It is obvious the team made this deal purely for financial reasons to try and avoid paying the luxury tax.  I get why they wouldn’t want to pay that for the results they’ve been garnering, but it is appalling that there don’t appear to be plans (at least at this point) to try and make the team any better.  It appears as though they are throwing away the 2008-09 season in hopes of trying to clear cap room and reshape the team for the following year.  While perhaps a sound strategy in the long run, it still doesn’t make any sense to get NOTHING in exchange for Camby.  This is a team that already has not achieved, losing in the first round for five straight years.  Instead of trying to make the team better, the Nuggets are worse today than they were they day they lost their final playoff game to the Lakers in early May.  I suppose you could say (and unfortunately it’s not a joke) that the team defense can be just as bad without Camby in the middle as it was with him, but I shudder to think of just how bad it will be without Camby’s shot blocking ability covering up for the lazy effort of Anthony and Iverson on the defensive end. 

The Nuggets are fooling themselves if they think they are among the elite in the Western Conference.  With the improvements made by the Warriors and Clippers this offseason, plus the potential emergence of other young teams, the Nuggets are squarely so far behind the elite of the conference they can’t even see their taillights.  Perhaps they’re trying to ride out the last year of Iverson’s contract to try and clear cap room to make a run next offseason.  Maybe I should give them the benefit of the doubt and see if there is something coming this offseason I’m unaware of.  Based on the track record though, it certainly doesn’t seem likely that any improvement for the team is coming this offseason.  Between management’s lack of effort in the offseason and leftover fallout from the referee scandal, I am continuing to sour more and more on the NBA.  Point is, I’m not planning to waste money on tickets anytime soon.  If the team isn’t going to try to improve, why should I finance the product on the court?

Speaking of which the call I got this morning was very comical: It was from a representative of the Nuggets front office asking if I was interested in purchasing advance tickets for the coming season.  Seriously, you give away a key player for nothing while simultaneously making a call asking me to buy tickets????  You have got to be kidding me.  There is about as much chance of me buying tickets to see the Nuggets this winter as there is the team winning a playoff series.  That is to say a zero percent chance.  That is, unless something dramatic happens to where the team actually has a semblance of a chance of putting together a solid product on the court.

Home Runs and All Stars

I have to give a tip of the cap to Josh Hamilton for his performance last night in the Home Run Derby.  I have generally thought in recent years the event has lost some of its luster compared to what it was in the late 90s, but last night Hamilton had me hooked.  It wasn’t just his 28 home runs in the first round, it wasn’t just that he set a single round record, it was the way it was happening.  Three of his blasts were over 500 feet, and as each home run was hit the event became more of the spectacle I used to remember.  The way the Yankee Stadium crowd was behind him only added to the aura. 

Watching Hamilton last night brought back memories of the Home Run Derby I was fortunate to attend at Coors Field in 1998.  At that time the big names would all participate, great home run hitters like Griffey and McGwire.  That was of course the season Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs, and while his derby performance was unimpressive overall (four home runs and a quick first round exit, although one was over 500 feet) it was the workout portion of the day that stood out for me.  I remember standing on the walkway above the left field bleachers amongst a packed crowd, watching McGwire and others hit ball after ball up onto and beyond the walkway.  I remember balls hitting off the scoreboard, flying into concession stands, one clearing the wall entirely into the parking lot beyond.  Perhaps most vividly and even comically, I remember seeing a full cup of beer fly into the air while a fan tried to catch one of the balls (he didn’t).  For a variety of seasons it seemed as though the event had started to decline in popularity and excitement.  Maybe it was because we were disgusted that steroids likely played a role in the colossal blasts of the late 90s and early 2000s, perhaps it was because more and more often the biggest stars would back out (see Alex Rodriguez last night in front of his home fans no less).  Hamilton’s effort last night reminded me of that day because for the first time in several years of Home Run Derbys there seemed to be something to get excited about.  It seemed as the participants were actually into the event and truly were enjoying being involved, actually giving the crowd their moneys worth.  Perhaps the only unfortunate thing was that Hamilton didn’t win, losing to the Twins’ Justin Morneau in the finals perhaps due to fatigue from his first round show.  It turns out this event did not need A-Rod, and maybe it was he who missed out by declining participation in his home ballpark.

The Home Run Derby is of course a prelude to the All-Star Game, which will take place tonight.  It will of course be the final one at fabled Yankee Stadium, so that adds to the lure of the game.  There is a certain amount of irony that the American League will be managed by Terry Francona of the hated Red Sox, a reward for Boston winning the World Series last year, and that three members of the hated Red Sox will be in the starting lineup for the “home” American League.  It is also somewhat ironic that the NL will be managed by the Rockies’ Clint Hurdle, by virtue of the Rockies’ World Series appearance last year.  As bad a season as the Rockies have had, it seems somewhat odd to see Hurdle managing the National League in this event.  Regardless of this, the MLB All-Star Game is clearly the best in sports.  It is the only one where the players actually seem interested in winning the game, quite the contrast to the Pro Bowl where everyone wants to be selected to the game but no one wants to play.  The players will play hard, unlike the NBA where defense is optional anyway especially in an  all-star game, and unlike the NHL where the midseason exhibition has more scoring but lacks the hitting and physical play.  While I’m not exactly a fan of the World Series being influenced by an exhibition (the league that wins tonight will have home field advantage for the World Series), it definitely adds to the event that both teams will try to win. 

As a side note, I am intrigued by tonight’s starting pitchers, the Indians’ Cliff Lee for the AL and Milwaukee’s Ben Sheets for the NL.  If I was making the pick, I think it should be the Blue Jays’ Roy Halladay for the AL and San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum for the NL.  Of course, every pitcher that has been selected to the game is worthy of being there, and it is hard to argue against Lee or Sheets.  I am just hoping the National League can actually win one of these: the AL has won every one of these since 1996, not including the infamous tie in 2002.  Regardless, the MLB All-Star Game is always a fun event and a must see.

Favre or no Favre?

I don’t know any more about the nuances of the rumors surrounding a possible return to the NFL by Brett Favre than the man in the moon.  I don’t know if Favre is really feeling the itch to return just months after an emotional retirement press conference, or if this is just being fueled by the media to fill up time when they have nothing else to talk about.  I don’t know what Packers management is thinking on this.  What I do know is that if Favre does want to return, and the Packers say no thanks, than they had better be prepared for it to backfire.  There is not a good track record in NFL history for replacing legend quarterbacks.  In fact, it is about as close to guarantee for failure as there is in the sport.  Nothing against Aaron Rodgers, who played well against Dallas last year when Favre was injured, but if the Packers really think they’re better off with Rodgers than they would be if Favre came back, they are probably in trouble.

The list of quarterbacks that have tried to follow legends in NFL history is a rather dubious one.  By the nature of it, trying to follow a Hall of Famer is not an easy task anyway, particularly when a young signal caller is trying to replace a guy who’s an icon, like Favre is in Green Bay.  Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowls in the 1970s with Pittsburgh, but it wasn’t until Ben Roethlisberger in 2005 that the Steelers really had any stability at the position after Bradshaw’s retirement.  Bradshaw was followed by among others Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, David Woodley, Scott Campbell, Bubby Brister, Neil O’Donnell and Kordell Stewart.  The Steelers had a number of good teams between Bradshaw’s retirement and their Super Bowl win in ‘05, even making the Super Bowl in 1995 with O’Donnell, but all of those guys had to play in Bradshaw’s shadow.  How about guys who have followed John Elway in Denver?  Try Brian Griese, Gus Frerotte and Jake Plummer.  The Broncos went 6-10 in 1999 the first year without Elway, and this was with a team that won back to back Super Bowls in ‘97 and ‘98.  There is no doubt that the Broncos would not have been near that bad in ‘99 if Elway had returned to play for another season.  As a side note, you could even make the argument (however thin) that Terrell Davis never would have torn his ACL had Elway returned.  See, that happened on a play where Griese threw an interception into double coverage that Elway never would have thrown, and Davis got injured trying to make the tackle.  How about the Miami Dolphins post Marino?  Again you’ll find Brian Griese’s name among the replacements, and actually Frerotte’s as well, in addition to Jay Fiedler, Damon Huard, Joey Harrington, Cleo Lemon, A.J. Feeley and Sage Rosenfels.  Miami STILL has no stability at QB since Dan Marino retired in 1999.  There is no doubt that Miami fans would have gladly taken one more season with Marino at the helm in 2000, if nothing else for one more shot at a run before the inevitable rebuilding process.

The point of all this is not to say that Aaron Rodgers will fail.  Truth is, we have no idea how he will do.  It is reasonable to say however that being quarterback of the Packers for a full season is quite different than coming in as an injury replacement for one game.  The point is that if the Packers are that fast to say goodbye to Favre, and are ready to take their chances with Rodgers, they should be prepared for the team to struggle.  In fact, history shows they are likely to miss the playoffs with Rodgers at quarterback based on the track record of teams the season following the retirement of a legend quarterback, particularly when that quarterback is the face of the franchise.  If Favre wants to come back and play one more season, the Packers should welcome him back with open arms, period.  Favre had one of his best seasons last year, and there is no reason to think he can’t still play at a high level if he wants to.  Can you imagine Mike Shanahan in 1999 if Elway said he wanted to return a week before camp, even in the wake of his retirement press conference?  Can you imagine Shanahan telling Elway, “no I think we’re set with Brian Griese, thanks”?  Me neither.

Whether Favre actually plays this season or not will be interesting to see.  It will more interesting if he wants to play and the Packers wave him off.  If that were the case, the Packers would have to either release him, allowing him to play for another team, or they would have to trade him, neither of which would be an easy pill to swallow for Green Bay fans.  If the thought of Favre in another uniform makes a Packer fan want to throw up, than imagine Favre playing for arguably the one contending team that is missing a quarterback.  The one team in the league that is set at pretty much every position except for quarterback.  A team that made a big splash in the offseason bringing in Jared Allen (arguably the league’s top defensive lineman) and a good receiver in Bernard Berrian.  A team with one of the NFL’s top rushing attacks and a team that in recent years has been amazingly stingy defensively against the run.  A team who’s current top QB is very young, inexperienced, and could use a year under Favre.  A team that as currently constructed has been picked to win the Super Bowl by Sports Illustrated’s Paul Zimmerman.  That would be the Minnesota Vikings, prime division rival of the Packers.  If the Packers are that sure they would rather take their chances with Aaron Rodgers, they should envision this scenario: Week one, Monday night at Lambeau Field, Packers-Vikings, Favre coming out of the tunnel in Vikings purple.  It should be enough to make any Packer fan want to throw up.  That is, until they envision Favre holding the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season in a Vikings hat, after the Packers have suffered through a 6-10 season under Rodgers.

Rocktober is a Distant Memory

This year’s Rockies beg the following question: has a team ever hit this rock bottom the season after making a World Series?  I’m not counting the 1998 Marlins because ownership blew up the roster in the interest of saving money after they won the World Series in 1997.  The Rockies are back in last place after last night’s collapse against San Diego.  They somehow managed to turn an 8-3 sixth inning lead into a 15-8 loss that had my head spinning by the bottom of the 9th.  At 32-51 the Rockies have the worst record in not just the NL West but all of Major League Baseball, behind doormats such as Washington, Seattle and Kansas City.  A casual look at the standings shows the Rockies 10 games back of Arizona in the NL West, which team officials claim still puts them in striking distance if they can make a run.  A closer look at the picture reveals that the Rockies would be 19 games back of Tampa Bay if they were playing in the AL East, and would face similar deficits if they were in any other division but their own.  This season for all intents and purposes is over.  The Rockies were a team that caught lightning in a bottle last year and had everything go right.  This year they’ve become the official team of Murphy’s Law, where everything that can possibly go wrong has gone wrong.

It’s hard to fathom that the Rockies are 1-9 since the return of Troy Tulowitzki.  This is not to say the skid is his fault, in fact he has actually been swinging the bat better the past few games, hitting a home run in Detroit Sunday and getting a big RBI last night that gave a Rockies what turned out to be a short lived lead.  It’s very ironic the team has hit the skids since his return because they were actually picking it up prior to his arrival.  The Rockies had actually won five consecutive series without him, including two on the road.  There is no question that Tulo was in many ways the heart and soul of the team last year.  For whatever reason, it hasn’t been the case this year when he’s been in the lineup.  His numbers don’t seem correct (.161 BA, 2 HR, just 14 RBI) especially compared to last season (.291-24-99).  Again Tulo is not solely responsible for the team’s funk by any means, this is just a reflection of how different things have been for the Rockies this year.  I love Tulowitzki’s game, and I am still convinced he’ll turn it around before the end of the year. 

The pitching especially has not been the same.  While Aaron Cook has actually had a much better year than last year, and should get a nod to the All-Star Game next week, the rest of the staff has been, well less than terrific.  Jeff Francis won 17 games last year and was clearly the staff ace.  This year Francis is 3-7 with an ERA of 5.67, compared to 4.16 last year.  Manny Corpas was terrific as the closer last year, posting 19 saves after taking over the role midway through the season.  The Rockies rewarded him with a new contract over the winter, and saw him save just four games before losing the closer’s job with four straight blown saves in late April.  Corpas’ ERA has ballooned to 5.77 after it was just 2.08 last year.  Don’t even get me started on Brian Fuentes, who actually lost the closer job last year with a similar meltdown in June before settling in and doing a great job in the setup role toward the end of last year.  Fuentes reclaimed the closer job in April after Corpas lost it, and did ok for awhile, but he still lacks the resolve to consistently get the job done.  Fuentes actually has 13 saves this season, but also has an ungodly five blown saves already.  His overall numbers actually aren’t bad, but he has spectacularly blown up in his last two appearances, blowing a ninth inning lead Saturday in Detroit after the offense came back to take the lead, and giving up 5 runs in just a third of an inning in what had been a tie game last night against San Diego. 

The expectations that were placed on the Rockies prior to the season were interesting considering many just assumed they would be able to get back to the playoffs and the World Series.  It seemed as though no one noticed that other teams made an effort to get better during the offseason, while also forgetting to take into account the extraordinary circumstances that allowed the Rockies to make their run last year.  Sure they got hot, but their making the playoffs also required big time collapses by the Mets and the Padres to allow them to have a shot at the wild card.  It goes to show that every season is different.  I still think there is a lot of potential on this Rockies roster, but I’m still not convinced ownership and management are committed to consistently putting forth the effort, especially financially, to maintain a good product.  With Matt Holliday due big money, I will be curious to see if ownership steps up to the plate to retain him, rather than allowing him to cash in with a big market club.  There are rumors he could even be dealt before the trading deadline because ownership doesn’t want to lose him for nothing.  If they don’t keep Holliday, there isn’t much hope for ownership ever making the commitment to keep up with the rest of the league.

Regardless of all this, I love baseball and will continue to follow the Rockies and root for them until the day I die.  I remember what it was like to grow up in this town without Major League Baseball.  The Rockies didn’t come into extistence until I was a seventh grader, so I will always appreciate the opportunity to go see games here and to have a team to root for.  In that sense, it is important to keep that perspective.  That being said, I do expect the team to make an effort to put a good product on the field.  For them to sport MLB’s worst record the year after making the World Series is not acceptable.  There really isn’t a magic answer for this year as far back as they are, but I hope they take steps to make sure this isn’t repeated in 2009. 

Big Year for Shanahan?

I know, football season is still way off in the distance.  We’re only halfway through the baseball season and the NBA draft just concluded.  The way I see it though, we have only one month to go before the start of training camp, and it is impossible not to get excited about a new NFL season.  No matter how the previous season went, I always find myself drooling with anticipation over the start of the next season.  I am optimistic about the Broncos prospects in 2008, even if the realistic side me worries there are more holes on the roster than there are in Swiss cheese.  I can see anything from 12-4 and competing for a division title to heaven forbid a team that will struggle to win even a handful of games.  Mike Shanahan has run out of excuses this year, for he has gotten rid of virtually everyone around him.  I think this season is extremely important for the future of the franchise because Shanahan has to prove that the decisions he made are correct.  If the Broncos miss the playoffs again this year, it will definitely be time to take a look at Shanahan’s future.

There are certainly plenty of positives.  Jay Cutler posted very good numbers last year for being in his first full year as a starter, and now that we know he was battling diabetes and didn’t know it, it makes his season seem impressive.  I expect Cutler to have a big year, if nothing else because it will be his third season in Shanahan’s offense and he should be even more comfortable running it.  I really think Cutler started to develop a chemistry with Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler last year, and if they are both healthy (and in Marshall’s case not suspended, more on that in the negatives), then the offense should put up big numbers.  I like the additions of Keary Colbert and Darrell Jackson, both solid veterans who can get open.  The team should also be in better shape on the offensive line.  Tom Nalen and Ben Hamilton will be healthy, and I think Ryan Clady is a brilliant draft pick at left tackle.  Plus, the running game is always solid under Shanahan, especially with Daniel Graham, arguably the best blocking tight end in football, returning. 

Defensively, there is really nowhere to go but up.  With a third defensive coordinator in three years, there are bound to be some growing pains, but the team can’t possibly be any worse against the run than it was last year.  D.J. Williams will move back to outside linebacker after manning the middle last year, and that will give him a much better chance to make plays.  The defensive line will be in better shape with Jarvis Moss and Ebenezer Ekuban returning from injury, plus Elvis Dumervil remains a solid pass rusher.  The addition of Dewayne Robertson from the Jets could help if his knee holds up, and of course Champ Bailey remains the top cornerback in the NFL.  If the defense can return to the form it showed in 2005 and the first half of 2006, things could definitely be looking up again for the Broncos.

Unfortunately there are concerns heading into the season, highlighted by the offseason behavior of Marshall.  There is talk the NFL could suspend Marshall based on his three arrests in a one year calendar period, stemming from recent reports of a domestic dispute involving Marshall in March.  If Marshall is suspended for the start of the regular season, it would disrupt his chemistry with Cutler and have a trickle down effect on the rest of the receiving corps.  Marshall has all kind of potential, catching 102 passes in his first full season last year.  He has the potential to be a real team leader with his skills, but if his off the field behavior keeps getting the way, it will hamper his progress.  Marshall expects to be ready for camp after suffering serious arm injuries while roughhousing with his family last spring, but it remains to seen if that will impact him at any point this season.  The running game is pretty much banking on the fact that Shanahan has always had success, but can Selvin Young be an every down back?  Or will rookie Ryan Torian be the answer?  Those are definitely questions to be answered in camp.  There is also some slight concern about the secondary despite the presence of Bailey.  John Lynch is definitely not getting any younger and Dre’ Bly has a tendency to be gambler.  These concerns don’t even take into account what may be the biggest hole on the roster, the absence of a proven kicker.  I have a hard time figuring out why they Broncos didn’t retain Jason Elam, and I’ve never heard of the kicker that is currently on the roster.  Elam has been one of the best clutch kickers in the NFL for 15 years, and whoever tried to replace him will be filling some very big shoes.  It almost seems inevitable that Elam’s replacement will miss a key field goal at some point this season, potentially costing the Broncos a game. 

It’s funny really.  Last year’s team could have easily been 10-6 if not for one blown coverage against Green Bay, a blown fourth quarter lead in Chicago, and red zone execution against Jacksonville.  They also could easily have been 4-12 if not for last second field goals by Elam against Buffalo, Oakland and Pittsburgh.  There frankly isn’t much difference between the top of the league and the bottom, and there are so many things that go into determining a team’s fate.  I certainly hope the Broncos will be successful this year, and the fact that there is a grey area about how good they’re going to be only makes the season even more intriguing. 

Is the NBA’s Image in Jeopardy?

For a variety of reasons my interest in the NBA has gradually waned over the last few years.  There have been several recent NBA Finals where I watched little to none of the action, including last year’s Spurs-Cavaliers series.  This year I have to admit I have watched at least 90 percent of the series so far between the Lakers and Celtics.  I even have to admit that last night’s game four was an absolute thriller, with the Celtics erasing a 24 point deficit to win at the Staples Center.  During this series, and even during the regular season this year, I have started to see something that the league had been missing: real, genuine defense.  Make no mistake about it, it was the Celtics intensity on defense that allowed them to make that comeback.  As excited as I am to see at least some semblance of defense return to the NBA, my increased interest may be short lived if it turns out that ex-referee Tim Donaghy is even remotely accurate in his allegations against the league. 

For those of you who don’t know about Tim Donaghy, here is the background.  In a nutshell, he has basically admitted that he wagered on games that he officiated.  As if that’s not bad enough that a referee would actually wager on a game he’s working (no conflict of interest there!), check this out.  If his suggestion that the league was going to any lengths to make sure a series got extended to seven games, or (gasp!) make sure No. 2 TV market Los Angeles would be in the finals instead of Sacramento, well there would be zero difference between the NBA and the WWE.  If, and I emphasis IF, for there is no proof yet, the NBA has truly made any attempt to fix even one game, ever, than there is absolutely nothing legit about the league.  While Donaghy’s official letter doesn’t specifically mention any games, it’s not difficult at all to deduce that he’s referring to the Lakers-Kings series in 2002, and specifically game six of the series, won by the Lakers 106-102.  Sacramento fans are still fired up over mention of that game, which had the Kings won would have earned them their first ever trip to the NBA Finals.  This video courtesy of KOVR TV in Sacramento shows why: Check out Mike Bibby getting elbowed in the face by Kobe Bryant without a call.  Just the fact that the Lakers shot 27 free throws in the fourth quarter alone is enough to make you go hmmm…..was something out of whack here?  For years there has been a belief that stars get preferential treatment from the league, but even with that consideration it seems ridiculous that Shaquille O’Neal would get called for just four fouls (especially after seeing some highlights of his action in the paint that night) while those guarding him (Vlade Divac, Scot Pollard, Chris Webber and Lawrence Funderburke) got called for a combined 20. 

There is another game that I recall vividly that looking back may have been the beginning of my gradually waning NBA interest: game six of the 1998 Finals between the Bulls and Jazz, won by Chicago 98-97 for their sixth title in eight seasons.  This game is famous for Michael Jordan’s winning shot which turned out to be his last as a Bull.  Thing is, Jordan clearly pushed off on the play.  The video is a little grainy, but you can see for yourself his push off on Bryon Russell here.  Now, I am generally for refs swallowing their whistles at the end of a game and allowing players to decide things, but this was a very blatant push off and gave Jordan a tremendous advantage.  That aside, there were two other plays in that game that at the very least can be described as referee incompetence, and at worst a blatant attempt to slant the game in favor of Chicago.  The first was a 3 pointer by Utah’s Howard Eisley in the second quarter that clearly beat the shot clock but was waved off by referee Dick Bavetta.  (Is it a coincidence that Bavetta is named by Donaghy in his written statement in regards to the Lakers-Kings game? Maybe, maybe not).  Had the three counted, Utah would have taken a seven point lead.  Instead the Jazz were up four.  Fast forward to the fourth quarter, Jazz up 79-77, and this time it’s Chicago’s Ron Harper that beats the shot clock with a jumper.  Or did he?  The replay clearly shows the ball still Harper’s hand with the shot clock at :00, and yet this time the refs count the basket.  So, the game at this point is tied at 79 with roughly four minutes to go, where the Jazz should have been up by five (assuming they count Eisley’s three and disallow Harper’s jumper).  Had these calls been correct the game would never have come down to Jordan’s shot at the end.  Full disclosure: I was rooting for the Jazz, mainly because I wanted to see Karl Malone and John Stockton win a title together, but I also generally root for the underdog if my favorite team is out.  That being said, I clearly felt the referees stole that game from the Jazz, and maybe the series.  Utah would have had home court advantage for game seven.  In this case, we’re not talking about subjective foul calls, we’re talking about whether or not a shot beat the shot clock and should have counted or not.  There shouldn’t be anything subjective whatsoever about that. 

Now, all this being said it does go with the territory that referee error is a part of sports and especially in the NBA, where definition of what is and isn’t a foul is subjective at best.  Then again, that’s probably what bothers me most about the NBA: it is obvious that games are not officiated the same in the fourth quarter as they are in the first quarter, and it is blatantly obvious that superstars do receive special treatment.  If, and again I emphasis IF, in fact it is true that there has even been the slightest attempt by the league or its officials to manipulate games, than the NBA will have been exposed as a complete joke in every way.  If, again keyword IF, the allegations by Tim Donaghy are somehow proven true, which will be certainly be difficult, you can mark it down that I will never watch an NBA game again, ever.  If it is true, and again the key word is IF, I would expect ESPN to dump the NBA like a hot potato, for if the NBA has indeed manipulated, or dare I say fixed games at any point, than there is no point in watching a game that is not legit.  Frankly, I have been skeptical about the league’s refereeing over the years but have yet to go as far as to say there was blatant game fixing.  It is still difficult to say definitely what indeed happened in these or any other games, but it is enough to be skeptical at the very least.  If Donaghy turns out to be right, well maybe there is still hope people will pay attention to another winter league that frankly is more exciting in just about every way: the NHL. 

The Best Place in Sports

Over the years I have had the opportunity to witness games in a variety of stadiums around the country.  Granted, there are many that I have not been to, but I have been to quite a few.  Of all the places I have watched a game, not one of them comes even close to matching the experience at Wrigley Field.  Last weekend I had the privilege of attending my sixth game in what is known as the friendly confines, and it was every bit as special as the first one 10 years ago.  This despite the fact that my Rockies managed to lose their sixth straight and looked nothing like the NL champions from a year ago. 

Wrigley Field has been around since 1914, so that alone makes it unique on the sports landscape amidst all the luxury boxes and club level seating and suites that adorn the sports landscape today.  Among the features of this venerable park are the manual operated scoreboard above the center field bleachers.  Just the sight of this scoreboard makes me realize I am in baseball heaven.  The linescore of every game is on the board, so fans won’t miss a thing going on around baseball.  Above the scoreboard one will find a flag representing every team in the National League, arranged in order of the current standings.  After the game, these are replaced with a “W” or “L” depending on the fate of the Cubs of that day.  The outfield walls are lined with ivy, another feature unique to the park and one that makes it the most beautiful outfield in the Major Leagues.  Then there is the fact that every seat, even in the nosebleed sections, is close to the action, giving the ballpark an intimate feel, hence the name friendly confines. 

During the game fans aren’t subjected to annoying jukebox promotions, scoreboard races featuring trash trucks or who knows what, or any of the extra fluff that takes away from the fact you’re at a baseball game.  The only music comes from the organist, and particularly during a day game adds to the charm of the experience.  The place is a shrine to baseball, and there is nothing extra curricular going on to take you away from the game you’re there to see.  The seventh inning stretch rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame is without a doubt the best in baseball, for it is still the only place I’ve been to where 40,000 people actually join in and sing.  The fans are also always into the game, with one of the more notable behaviors being the throwing back of opposing team home run balls onto the field. 

It’s not just the inside of the ballpark that makes Wrigley special.  The old neighborhood around Wrigley adds to the ballpark’s charm.  Take a pregame walk outside and you’ll find more sports bars than you’ve ever seen in your life, many with creative signage to lend support to the Cubs or promote fan spirit.  A walk around the outside of Wrigley Field also allows fans to really take in the unique charm of the ballpark.  Fans driving by or walking on Waveland or Sheffield Avenues can easily see the manual scoreboard and peak into the ballpark.  The home plate entrance features the signature red sign “Wrigley Field Home of Chicago Cubs.”  Everything from the vendors selling t-shirts to the statues of Ernie Banks and Harry Caray screams baseball.  Throw in the fact that the Cubs are one of the most loveable teams in baseball, a team virtually everyone wants to see do well since they haven’t won a World Series since 1908, and you have a truly unique baseball gameday atmosphere. 

To be frank, my descriptions here really can’t do it justice.  If you’ve been to Wrigley, you know what I’m talking about.  If you haven’t, you need to go.  Immediately.  No sooner had i sat down in my seat on Saturday and looked around, taking in the atmosphere, did I think about when I could get back, and that was BEFORE they had even announced the starting lineups.  Wrigley Field is baseball as it should be, and that’s reason enough to rank it the top stadium in sports.  Frankly it’s not even close. 

Hockey anyone?

How many of you out there know that the Stanley Cup Finals begin tomorrow?  Is anyone out there aware that this could be as exciting a series to decide hockey’s champion in quite some time?  There is no question that hockey has been an afterthought on the sports landscape for quite some time, particularly since the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season.  It is hard for the game to get exposure when the national telecasts are relegated to Versus instead of being on ESPN, especially when many fans still have a hard time finding Versus on their cable system, or in some cases still haven’t heard of the channel.  ESPN is much more interested in pumping the NBA on Sportscenter, making a big show of the NBA playoffs while giving the NHL a tiny fraction of time, even with the Finals being on the horizon.  In some ways I can’t blame them, of course they’re going to promote games that they broadcast.  That being said, the lack of coverage given to the NHL is downright alarming sometimes.  I have a hard time finding just a simple highlight many times during the regular season.  The networks say this is because hockey ratings are low, but I say it’s a two way street.  Ratings are going to be low if people are not familiar with the product.  Blame of course falls on the league marketing department as well, but it can’t help the NHL that it’s listed below NASCAR and golf on ESPN.com.  As a fan of the game, I want to see it given the treatment of the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball in terms of national coverage.  It is my hope that this Stanley Cup Finals matching the Red Wings and the Penguins, a matchup with considerably more sex appeal than the previous three combined (Ducks-Senators, Hurricanes-Oilers and Lightning-Flames before the lockout), will be a kick start of sorts for the league.  I believe this matchup is quite a bit more entertaining than the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Pistons and Celtics, and will be compelling enough that the casual sports fan will want to at the very least take a look.  If nothing else I have two words that makes this series a must see: Sidney Crosby.

In short, Crosby is by far the best player in the league.  He’s already in his third season with the Penguins despite being just 20 years old, and has already scored 99 regular season goals in his young career.  He is arguably the best player the game has seen since Wayne Gretzky.  I got the chance to seem him in person in November when the Penguins made an early season visit to the Pepsi Center to play the Avalanche, and needless to say he lived up to the hype, scoring two goals, both in spectacular fashion.  If the NHL were smart, they would be promoting his presence in the Finals everywhere because if they can get people to watch this series which is guaranteed to be exciting, the league just might be able to actually take some positive momentum into next season.  The fact that he and the Penguins are going against the best team in the league in Detroit makes the series even more compelling.  The Red Wings have plowed their way through the playoffs, and as one of the league’s Original Six franchises carry a lot of cachet to the series themselves.  This is not a ho hummer matchup folks, this will be a series that will be exciting because of the players on the ice, but also because it matches two of the more popular franchises in the league, two teams with a lot of tradition who have large fan followings compared to other teams. 

For the record, most experts are picking Detroit in a runaway.  I am picking the Penguins in seven, not because I just want to go against the grain, but because I think people are taking the Penguins for granted.  Sure, they’re young, but no one so far has had an answer for not only Crosby, but also for Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal.  The Red Wings have dominated this postseason no question about it, and have all kinds of firepower themselves with Henrik Zetterberg leading the way.  I do believe that they would have had a tougher second round matchup against Colorado had the Avalanche not had half their team (literally) sidelined with various injuries and ailments (Full disclosure: I am an Avs fan, and while I don’t think they necessarily would have won the series, it would have been minimum six games had the Avs been healthy).  The player that really tore up the Avs, Johan Franzen, is out for the first two games against Pittsburgh and maybe more with an injury, so the Wings will be down one of their top playoff scorers.  Granted, the Wings rolled through the Dallas Stars without him, but the Stars don’t have near the offensive prowess the Penguins do.  The Penguins have rolled through their competition too and so far their so called playoff inexperience has not been a problem.  I see no reason why it would suddenly affect them in the Finals. 

Seriously, do yourself a favor and watch this series.  It might just make you (and the networks) realize that hockey belongs with the major sports.  Anyone who knows me knows I watch and follow the NFL, NBA, and MLB very regularly, and I love each of those leagues.  I just don’t feel that any of them are infinitely more exciting than the NHL to the point where hockey should be considered second tier.  To me, the NBA and NHL should be equal in coverage based on the time of year each league plays.  Particularly if the NBA Finals is Spurs-Pistons and the boring brand of basketball that comes with those team’s styles, it shouldn’t be a mystery to any sports fan why Wings-Penguins would be more exciting.  If the Penguins can win this series, perhaps Sidney Crosby can lead the NHL renaissance. 

More Random Thoughts

Sometimes I wonder if the national networks realize there are other baseball teams we might want to watch besides the Red Sox and the Yankees.  ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball game last night featured the Red Sox and the Twins, which is fine, it’s a good matchup.  Thing is, ESPN is showing that matchup AGAIN this evening, despite several other good games on the schedule.  It is not in any way a shock that next week’s Sunday night game will feature the Yankees and Mets.  The TBS Sunday afternoon schedule has been similar so far.  Of the first eight games on their schedule in April and May, five involve either Boston or the Yankees.  It is fairly obvious why the networks like big market teams, among the chief reasons being that a game involving two large market clubs is likely to garner a larger audience and therefore more advertising dollars.  Still, it seems appalling to me that my Colorado Rockies have been shown on national TV exactly ZERO times so far this year the season following a World Series appearance.  Now, clearly their start this season hasn’t been worthy of much national air time, but a World Series appearance should guarantee at least some national exposure during the first month of the following season.  With the exception of one Saturday regional broadcast on Fox that was shown to less than a third of the country, the Rockies have not been shown any respect by the national MLB broadcast partners, while they continue to shove the same teams down our throat every week.  I realize that some teams have more sex appeal than others, and it goes without saying that certain teams will receive more exposure than others.  That being said, as a true fan of the game I want to see the best teams, not the ones with the most tradition or star power.  It might surprise you who has the best record in the National League right now.  I’ll give you a hint, it’s a franchise that’s won two World Series since 1997, but they’ve also had exactly zero national tv appearances this year and aren’t scheduled for any in the future.  Go ahead and guess, I’ll wait.

The answer would be the Florida Marlins, who are 23-14 and have a three game lead in the NL East, better than the mighty Mets, Phillies and Braves, all of whom are loaded with national TV appearances this year.  Now, as a fan of the game, I just might want to actually watch a Marlins game once in awhile if they really are that good.  Thing is, I have no idea because I haven’t had a chance to see them.  Yet I’ve been saddled with a number of games involving the Detroit Tigers, who made a big splash in terms of offseason spending and currently sit in last place in the AL Central, behind the mighty Kansas City Royals.  It might also surprise you to learn that Tampa Bay is 21-16, only a game and a half behind Boston in the AL East.  Or how about the Oakland A’s, pretty much coming out of nowhere to lead the AL West at 23-16?  Again, I don’t know much about either team except for the stats that I see because they’re never on TV either.  It was quite amusing actually to watch the national announcers embarrass themselves last October trying to announce the Rockies’ games as they made their run to the World Series.  It was clear some of them weren’t at all prepared and hadn’t watched the team play all year, even though they proved to be a legit playoff team.  It will be amusing if the networks find themselves in the same position again this year.  I just wish the networks would vary the teams they show on occasion.  I would imagine most fans would agree they don’t always want to be stuck watching the same teams every night.

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ESPN.com has released it’s NFL power rankings based on where they feel the teams currently stand after the draft and other acquisitions.  I find it inexcusable that the Giants are down to number six after they won the Super Bowl.  To me, they should be number one at least until they play a real game in September, unless they were to completely blow up the roster, which they haven’t.  It also interesting they have the Colts at number two, ahead of the Chargers at three, even though the Chargers beat the Colts on the road in the playoffs last year.  Strangely enough, I’m not that surprised they have my Broncos at 23, because on paper it does seem like there are questions regarding multiple parts of the roster.  Many national folks don’t seem to be big fans of the team’s draft, although i think they did a good job filling roster needs, even if it’s impossible to actually evaluate the draft until these guys have played multiple seasons.  Frankly, the power rankings are fun to talk about, particularly for someone like me who is constantly in football withdrawal during the offseason, but they really mean nothing.  There will be several teams that will end up better than advertised and there will be several that will be worse than advertised.  Still, it does provide for some interesting discussion, nothing more. 

The Glass is Half Full

I guess it’s not really a surprise that things came to such an abrupt end for the Nuggets and Avalanche this week.  The Nuggets at least gave something resembling effort in their final game on Monday night, and even though they didn’t win at least they seemed to have a desire to not go down quietly.  I still stand by what I said that changes need to be made in the offseason, although I am somewhat encouraged by George Karl saying he’s going to change his approach next season and be more demanding.  It will be interesting to see what direction the Nuggets take as they try to take that next step.  As much I want them to start by unloading Kenyon Martin, it is also realistic to say that no other team will want to absorb his ridiculous contract.  While the team’s quick exit is disappointing, it is better than the 11-71 days.  Hopefully with Karl’s new approach they can figure out what it takes to win a playoff series. 

On the surface it may seem like the Avalanche gave up last night as they got swept by Detroit.  To think I had (only very very briefly) contemplated shelling out $100 a seat last week to see the renewal of the Avs-Wings rivalry.  The Avs do get a pass in many respects for their quick exit against Detroit because they were after all missing half their team in game four.  Heck, just the Avs scratches on Thursday night would be a pretty darn good team.  I don’t think it’s at all a stretch to say that the series could have easily turned out differently if the Avs had a healthy Forsberg, Stastny, Smyth, Wolski and Svatos.  None of them were anywhere near the ice last night because of injuries.  It is also fair to say that Jose Theodore trying to play game one while battling the flu did nothing for his confidence the rest of the series.  That being said, the Avs were clearly not in the same league as Detroit.  The Red Wings were clearly the best team in the Western Conference all season and that has not changed in the playoffs.  It will be interesting to see what roster moves the Avs make this offseason, starting with Theodore, who does have a big contract.  It is hard to say whether or not he is the answer in goal because he did such a fabulous job in the first round against Minnesota and then did a complete 180 against Detroit.  I also hope that Joe Sakic elects not to retire and comes back for another season because he still is a terrific player and has a lot of hockey left in him.  The Avs took a step forward this season after missing the playoffs last year, and hopefully next year with a healthier roster they can take another step. 

I had promised some thoughts on the NFL Draft.  The pessimistic side of me is slightly annoyed that the rival Chiefs and Raiders seemed to clean up.  The Raiders scored a terrific running back in Darren McFadden, but it will be interesting to see if he actually helps them win more games.  The Raiders have certainly made a big splash with a number of their offseason moves, but it remains to be seen whether they have the leadership to make things work.  I still say the game has passed Al Davis by and that somehow all of their flashy new pieces will not fit together to make a puzzle.  As for the Chiefs, I am still trying to figure out how Glenn Dorsey fell into their lap at number five.  Dorsey seemed to be the unanimous choice for best player available, a defensive tackle who dominated the line of scrimmage at LSU and is expected to make an immediate impact in the NFL.  That steal highlighted what many seem to think is a great draft for the Chiefs.  As for the Broncos, most of the so called experts don’t seem to think they did as well.  While it may not have been a flashy draft, I think they did a good job drafting for need and filling holes.  Mike Shanahan seemed genuinely excited about this draft class, and while of course every coach is going to say they got the guys they wanted all along, Shanahan’s statements somehow seemed more believable this time.  For him to declare Ryan Clady the starter at left tackle from day one is unusual.  Shanahan is typically of the ”let them come in and compete” mode.  That right there tells you how much Shanahan is sky high on Clady.  The pick made tremendous sense in the first round because the Broncos need to replace the retired Matt Lepsis at left tackle.  Not to mention Lepsis had a down year last year, so the Broncos want to be sure their franchise QB is protected.  Their second pick also made a lot of sense in Virginia Tech wideout Eddie Royal.  While the Broncos signed Keary Colbert and Darrell Jackson in the offseason and seem crowded at the position, Royal is a great pick because has the speed to make an impact as a kick returner.  The Broncos’ dead last ranking in starting field position had as much as anything to do with their 7-9 record last year.  Now, I’m not saying Royal is going to be Devin Hester, but if he can help the Broncos improve in that area, it will go a long way toward making them a better team.  I also love the selection of Arizona State running back Ryan Torian in the fifth round.  Torian slipped because of health issues, but if he can get healthy, he is the perfect fit the Broncos’ running scheme.  He’s a no nonsense runner and isn’t afraid to get tough yards late in a game.  With Mike Shanahan’s track record at finding running backs, there is no reason to suspect that Torian couldn’t be a huge steal in this draft.  

Truth be told though, the bottom line when trying to evaluate a draft is you can’t.  It will be minimum three years before we can go back and really evaluate how good or bad the Broncos or any other team did in this draft.  I remember hearing great things about Marcus Nash when the Broncos took him in 98, or hearing how George Foster was supposed to be the anchor at left tackle, or how Willie Middlebrooks was supposed to be the cornerback the Broncos were missing.   The draft is a small part in the overall picture of building a championship team, although it is becoming and more important to be able to find guys that will fit into your plans for many years so you don’t have to fill all those holes through free agency.  Call me crazy, but I am starting to get optimistic about the Broncos’ prospects in 2008, even if they still do need to find a kicker.