Sports October 17, 2011

How about the Cardinals? A few weeks ago, most people thought they were done. Now, they're going to play in the World Series. How about that? The Cardinals run this year is a testamate to the baseball postseason system. In other sports, a lowly wild card team has little or no shot at all at going anywhere. In basketball and hockey, the lowest seeded team most often has a losing record. Even that team wins Game 1, the low seed has to win 3 out of 6 games, something that they failed to do consistently over the season. Plus, the odds are stacked against them against a team that is much deeper than they are. Football is different in that the lower seeds can have success and the one game, do or die makes it more possible for that team to thrive. However, recent postseasons have shown that the wild card teams in the NFL, the 5th and 6th seeds, are actually good teams that play in the same division as a 1st or 2nd seeded team and has competed with those teams for most of the year. The true low seed in the NFL is the 4th seed. When was the last time a 4th seed won the Super Bowl? Baseball, however, is a lot different. Only having 4 teams in the postseason makes a huge difference. Any team then can have a shot at only having to win 2 games, no matter how lowly they were seeded. A wild card making the World Series happens all the time. The Cardinals postseason run is therefore not as surprising as their regular season run. Even then, in the regular season, the Cards made the playoffs because the Braves collapsed. Sometimes, its better to be lucky than good.

I know the Texans are a lowly 3-3, but I think they are a much better team than that and still are my favorite to win the AFC South. I say this because the best toughest part of their schedule is behind them. Going 1-3 in the last 4 weeks having played the Saints, Steelers, Raiders, and Ravens is quite an accomplishment. Their schedule eases up after this, and the only real tests until the end of the season are against the Titans. True, a championship caliber team would probably fair better against other teams they could be competing against in the playoffs, beating any team is a confidence boost. Don't be surprised in the Texans finish the season 13-3, their schedule allows for it, and they definitely do have the potential. You never know, they can even ride it all the way to the Super Bowl.

There was a lot of hype about the Jets entering this season, and yes they beat the winless Dolphins, but they really don't look like the championship them they were billed as. Frankly, there is very little they can do. Against some of the good teams they have played, the Ravens, Raiders, and Patriots, they could do hardly anything. The Raiders pounded what was supposed to be an elite defense for 200+ yards, and the ground and pound took another hit when they couldn't run for over 40 yards against the Ravens. Their passing game did not fair well against the Ravens either. Their pass defense is good, but that isn't how they Jets want to win games. Of course, their Special Teams has been outstanding, but I no team has ever won on Special Teams alone. The Jets need to find answers, and quickly before this season falls out of control.

Sports September 20, 2011

Apparently the Dolphins found out that Reggie Bush isn't exactly an every down back in the NFL the hard way. My question is why. Anyone, including me, could have told you that Reggie Bush isn't the best back going between the tackles. Don't get me wrong, Reggie Bush is an explosive players with big play potential that can help any team, but he isn't the standard back in the NFL. In New Orleans, Bush had the most success as a third down back making big plays in space. In my opinion, Reggie Bush might be more suited to play wide receiver in the NFL, and make big plays that way. Devin Hester is another fast explosive player who became a wide receiver in the NFL and has become a legitimate deep threat in Chicago. Percy Harvin, who used to be a running back, also became a wide receiver, and can use his explosiveness to make plays at that position. Brad Smith also became a wide receiver, and the list goes on. Reggie Bush can be a successful player at that position, as he catches many passes out of the backfield anyway.

How about Cam Newton. So much for not being NFL ready as many experts said. Newton has thrown for 400+ yards in his first two games in the NFL, breaking a rookie record, then breaking it again. True, one of those games was against a Cardinals defense that just lost its best corner, but accomplishing that feat against the Super Bowl champion Packers was especially impressive. The Packers last season had a nack for takeaways and a shut down secondary. True Newton did have 2 interceptions, but he still managed to make plays against the Packers for big yardage. The only problem in Carolina is that the Panthers have lost both games, but it would be unfair to blame Cam Newton.

Who would have thought the Redskins would be winning the NFC East after Week 2? Not only have they managed to jump out to a lead, the Redskin's lead looks keepable. To start with, Mike Shanahan has won more Super Bowls as a head coach than any other coach in that division. Rex Grossman has also led a team to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl, although it is arguable that he rode the Bears' formidable defense for most of that season. But most importantly, the Redskins are healthy. A good portion of the Giants' defense is injured, and a bunch of players will miss this season. The Giants also have key injuries at the receiver position, something that won't help reduce the drops or interceptions. Tony Romo, Felix Jones, and Miles Austin are also all injured for the Cowboys, not to mention Dez Bryant limping in the game against the Jets. Injuries to those 4 players can cripple the Cowboys' offense. Michael Vick suffered a concussion against the Falcons on Sunday, and backup Vince Young is already out. Jeremy Maclin had a big game on Sunday, but he took a beating. Even if Vick does come back to play next week, his vulnerability will be exposed, especially against a pressure happy Giants' defense that knocked 4 quarterbacks out of games last season. However, there are 2 NFC East games next week, so all of this could turn very quickly...

Sports September 13, 2011

What happened to the Red Sox? A few weeks ago, they looked in place to win the AL East, or at least the Wild Card. Now, they appear to have lost the division to the Yankees, and the Wild Card spot they seemed so destined to win as a consolation is know being contested by the Rays. I know I predicted a potential apocalypse in Red Sox nation when Beckett went down, but that seems to be a minor injury. Yet, even with eminent return of their ace, the Red Sox seem to have run into disaster anyway. Yet, this pattern has been relatively common for the Red Sox over the last few years. With the exception of 2007, the only year since 1998 (the start of the Yankees winning 8 straight division titles and 10 out of the last 13) they've never won the AL East (2007 was the one year they did, and low and behold, they won a World Series that year). Other than that, the Red Sox have come out strong in the middle part of the season, only to fall short and lose the division at the end. The curse of the Bambino might be over, but the Red Sox still do have problems finishing seasons off.

What about the New York Giants defense? I know they lost on sunday, but a good portion of the Redskins' 28 points can be blamed on the offense. Despite several key injuries, and arguably the 3 best Giants defenders out, they still managed to make a few plays. One big play was made by Jason Pierre- Paul. I know I doubted that pick when it was made, but it has turned out to help the Giants. Despite their 2 sack leaders from a year ago missing the game, Pierre- Paul still managed to get pressure on the quarterback. On one play, he forced a key turnover that could have helped the Giants win the game. Unfortunately, the offense spoiled the opportunity, but Pierre- Paul still made a big time play worthy of recognition.

The Ravens finally broke through against the Steelers with Ben Roethlisberger. The Ravens have had their difficulties in recent years in recent years beating the Steelers with Roethlisberger, but have done fine when he was away. The Ravens also seemed to fall short every time they played Roethlisberger as well. But Sunday was a completely different story. The Ravens were all over the Steelers, both offensively and defensively. For at least one game, they appear to be the team that will win the AFC North.

Sports September 5, 2011

So the NFL season is about to start, and apparently Tiki Barber is going to have to cut his comeback attempt short and sit the season out. I found this to be of little surprise. What I did find surprising about this whole ordeal is why everyone else is. To start with, not many teams are willing to take chances on veteran running backs, especially if he hasn't played in few years. With players like Clinton Portis who have played the last few available, why take a shot at Tiki. Sure, Tiki was a great player, but that was 5 years ago. Times have changed, especially because passing games are becoming more relevant. Running backs at his age who have played the entire time tend to not whether seasons so well. Plus, Tiki took cheap shots at his former team in the broadcast booth, only to have them win the Super Bowl. On a side note, the Giants won the Super Bowl the year after Tiki left.

If you think Josh Beckett's injury isn't going to have any impact on the pennant race this year, I think your mistaken. Beckett, up to this point, was the Red Sox best pitcher and a possible Cy Young candidate (that is if Verland slips badly). Any injury at this point in the season can have a huge impact, especially one to a player of Beckett's caliber. The Red Sox can ill afford to lose him. Jon Lester has been their only other consistant starter this season. John Lackey and Tim Wakefield have struggled, and Clay Buchholz is already out. Erik Bedard has been good since he was acquired, but can he really be counted on in the postseason. The Red Sox seem to be a lock for the Post Season, but with Beckett lost, their chances seem to be slipping. They've fallen to 2.5 games behind the Yankees in the AL East. If they do lose the division, they might get stuck to playing the Rangers on the road, a team they've struggled against. If Beckett cannot make it, then they might have to pitch Lester on 3 days rest, a daunting task for anyone. I don't like their chances against the Rangers period, especially on the road without Beckett. Then again, I'm a Yankees fan, what do I care.

Speaking of rotations, weren't the Yankees supposed to have the question marks in their pitching staff. Granted, behind CC, there is no guaranteed Yankee's second starter, but the two rotations, that is if the Red Sox lose Becket, will have strikingly similar rotations: a dominant ace ahead to several question marks. Yet, in that situation, I think I would have to say advantage Yankees. The Yankees have the better bullpen, which is why they made no moves at the deadline to acquire pitching. The Yankees can afford to have their starters, other than CC, pitch only 5 innings because their bullpen can close out the last four. Don't forget that in recent games, the Yankees starters have done well. Also keep in mind that Ian Nova has won 15 games this season and hasn't lost in a long time. Both offenses can score, but the Yankees are more dynamic in their ability to steal bases. Head- to- head, the Red Sox are better, but the Yankees are better against other teams and took 2 of 3 in the last series at Fenway. If the Yankees and Red Sox are on a collision course for the ALCS, a series that should be promising, I would have to say the Yankees hold the slim edge at the moment.

However, none of this will matter if the Rangers and Tigers have their say. The Yankees and Red Sox might be the best teams in the AL, but underdogs seem to have good seasons these days. The Rangers have an explosive offense themselves and did ride it to the World Series last year. C.J. Wilson of the Rangers has also proven to be a good starter, and not many would want to face him. The Tigers also have an ace of their own. No one, and I mean no one, wants to face Justin Verlander in Game 1 of any series against any pitcher. The Tigers rotation does seem less ferocious after him, but don't count out Doug Fister, Rick Porcello, or Max Scherzer who are all solid starters in their own right. In the chance that the Rangers do lose the AL West and the Angels win it, something that seems unprobable but is very possible, no one would want to face their fearsome rotation in any series. If the Yankees and Red Sox are going to play in the ALCS, they'll have their work cut out for them.

Sports July 31, 2011

Is it just me, or every year do people always talk about how so many teams are competing and how not very many players will be traded? And then, when the deadline does roll around, a bunch of players that can potentially change some races are dealt. If Carlos Beltran can give the Giants any offensive production at all, they could end up running away with the NL West. However, he will have his work cut out for him as he will need base runners to drive in runs, something the Giants lack. Hunter Pence, who the Phillies acquired from Houston in response to the Giants acquisition, could be the right handed bat need to put the Braves away in the NL East. I think Pence is better than Beltran, as he is much younger and still has good legs. Pence, in my opinion, will do a better job than Beltran because of the offense around him, the ball park he will play in, and his age. Ubaldo Jimenez, going to Cleveland, can make an impact in the AL Central. The Indians aren't the best team on paper, but Ubaldo does give them star power, has pitched in a postseason game, and, if he is on top is game, is an ace on almost any pitching staff. And after all of that, you still want to tell me no one got moved?

What about Verlander vs. Weaver? I think they are the two best pitchers in the AL, and are definitely going to finish 1 and 2 in the Cy Young voting. The question is who? When they went toe to toe today, I think the question was answered. Justin Verlander threw 7 and 2/3 no hit innings on his way to victory, while Weaver, who pitched well, was ejected. Even though statistics can indicate a lot of things, there is also the big game aspect to a player. It may only be July, but against another pitcher of his caliber, Verlander shined. At this point, unless there is a massive turnaround, Justin Verlander is in line for the Cy Young award. Before this matchup, I had thought the pick should be Jered Weaver, who started the All Star game for the AL and has been dominant all year long. But head to head, Verlander won straight out.

The Eagles have been busy in free agency and trades and have acquired several good defensive players. Maybe its because I'm a Giants fan, but I somehow don't see all these moves paying off for the Eagles. I do think the Eagles will be a factor in the NFC, they will compete for the Super Bowl, but I think they will fall short. After all, acquiring big names in free agency doesn't always translate to winning a Super Bowl; if it did, the Redskins would have won the last five Super Bowls. Instead, the Redskins, despite all their big name acquisitions, have suffered through years where they did not have the draft picks to acquire new talent. The other reason I believe the Eagles will fall short is depth. When looking at all the great defenses in recent memory, like that of the Steelers, Ravens, Patriots, the Giants team that won the Super Bowl, and even last year's Packers, they all had depth. True, all those teams did have Pro Bowl playmakers, but they also had depth. When their starters went down (which will invariably happen) or were subbed out, there was always another guy who could take his place, and the team wouldn't miss a beat. Last year's Packers are a prime example. Several of the Packer's starters went down last season, yet they simply put another guy in, and the team still clicked. Several undrafted rookies came in and did an outstanding job for the Packers. The Eagles may have that depth, and may still acquire it, but 5 players don't make up a defense.

Sports July 17, 2011

The all star break has come and gone and you know what that means, its time for trades. Baseball is unique in that at the trade deadline, a significant number of big name players get moved. Sure there are blockbuster deals in other sports, but most of them happen in the offseason and don't happen nearly as often. Some trades with only one big name player may seem insignificant. Francisco Rodriguez, who went from the Mets to the Brewers, is definitely a significant player to have been traded so far. He happens to be the man who holds the single season saves record and is still very young. Yet, that trade will almost definitely be dwarfed by other trades. Jose Reyes, for example, getting traded will create so much buzz, the Rodriguez trade will definitely seem insignificant. But thats the excitement of it all. The magnitude of trades make some very important trades seem unimportant.

The team Rodriguez got traded to, the Brewers, always seems to be an enigma to me. They do have a solid team, and have been in recent years, yet it always seems to have a glaring weakness. The offensive production has always been there, but other factors are more inconsistent. One year they might lack pitching, and the next relievers. This year, despite all of the good starting pitchers they have, they are 21st overall in ERA. That's not good, but its not the worst of their problems. At home, the Brewers are one of the best teams in the league. On the road, the Brewers are one of the worst. The Brewers inability to win on the road will, in my opinion, be their undoing. It may prevent them from winning the NL Central. Even if they do win it and do make the postseason, I doubt they will win the wild card with 2 very good teams in the East, they will have their hands full playing most of the series on the road. They will more than likely end up playing the Phillies, where they will get killed by the best team in the league. It win the NL Central, but I doubt they can make a World Series run unless they can win on the road.

Sports April 3, 2011

The Yankees were caught "cheating" the other day because they had a coach in the stands relaying information to hitters at the plate. However, the Yankees were very open about the situation and told baseball officials they only had a man behind the plate to relaying information that would be on the scoreboard anyway (the scoreboard had broken down). Baseball officials seem fine with that and have decided not to punish the Yankees in any way. But does it really matter. Teams get to use 1st and 3rd base coaches to relay information and can use signs from the dugout. How is having someone behind the plate that different? Teams pickoff each others' signs anyway, but you don't see a game won or lost because one team used more signs or could read the other team's signs. Baseball games are won on execution, and no matter how many coaches you have relaying signs, someone still has to make a play to win a game.

The Heat are a good team, but they are far from great. They might have three of the most talented players in the league, but that doesn't automatically make you the best team in the league. Yes the Celtics did have a big 3, were the best regular season team, and won a championship all in the same year, but that was with a remarkable supporting cast. The Heat are a solid team and will have a decent playoff run, but that is a far cry from what they were expected to do. They will not win 70 games, they are not the best team in the NBA let alone the Eastern Conference, and Lebron isn't the leading candidate for MVP, I believe that honor belongs to Derrick Rose. They also have not played very well against the better teams. They will steamroll through the first round, but I think they will be done after that.

There is always one team that makes a big splash and makes big moves. Some times, like the '09 Yankees, the team goes on to win a World Series. Other teams, like the '08 Tigers, miss the playoffs completely. This years team is the Red Sox. So far however, their moves don't seem to be paying off. It might be too early to tell, but they just got pounded in a three game sweep by the Rangers. And by pounded, the Rangers were hitting Home Runs everywhere. Unless they can get that part figured out, the Red Sox might be in for another long season.