Today December 14, 2010, Ruben Amaro Jr redeemed himself and the New York Yankees were dealt a large dose of reality. Cliff Lee turned down an extra 28 million dollars NOT to play in the Yankee pinstripes. They recruited him, they allured him with riches beyond any other team, they even gave Lee a promise ring to officially declare their love and exclusivity. But in the end, none of the extra stuff was worth the price of Cliff Lee's integrity.
The Yankees offered Cliff Lee 7 years, 148 million dollars, a spot in the rotation next to his good buddy C.C. Sabbathia and a pretty much guaranteed playoff roster spot for the next 7 years. And yet all those extra incentives could not equalize or overcome the opportunity to win with the team with more losses than any other sports franchise in world history; the Philadelphia Phillies!!!
OK so that last one is beside the point but it sounded good so I wrote it. The underlying truth here is that Cliff Lee couldn't be bought and that the Yankee mystique that so many fans and writers talk about, now has been redefined and renewed under a much different guise . That mystique that began way back in the 1920's when Babe Ruth became a Yankee and that same feeling that occurred in 2009 when Mariano Rivera closed out the 27th championship; that feeling and that mystique are dead.
Yankee Stadium is gone. George Steinbrenner is gone. The curse of Babe Ruth died in 2004. And the current Yankee captain and hero had to beg the team that he helped win 5 World Series rings to give him what he felt he deserved in a contract. That beautiful Yankee mystique has slowly died over the years and has morphed into an aura of corporate arrogance and entitlement. Who wants to play for that? What kind of competitor wants to play for a team that is guaranteed a spot in the finals? What kind of baseball player wants to sell out the game itself for a few extra million and a ho hum ring that means absolutely nothing because it was supposed to happen?
Mark Texiera and CC Sabbathia did what Cliff Lee refused to do. They took the money and Lee took the Game. Cliff Lee may have also started a trend. He sent a message to the rest of the world that no longer do those pinstripes mean so much. The new reality for the Yankees is they are not Sinatra's Yankees. They are not Joe Torre's Yankees. The Boss is no longer barking orders and putting fear into managers and players. The Yankees are The Powers that Be and some Major League Baseball players out there still have souls like Cliff Lee.
Bottom Line is a championship for the New York Yankees means less than it does for any other sports franchise. Players with the real goods are starting to realize this. The trend is now to refute the offer. The trend is now to take less money. In this time of poor economies and reduced means, the trend is to NOT SELL OUT.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Michael Vick Reborn in Philadelphia
I can remeber only a year ago in 2009 when Mike Vick was released from prison and all the talk began about who would dare sign him. The backlash would be severe and whom ever had the gaul to venture the undertaking of Mike Vick's 2nd chance surely better have an exit strategy, otherwise they'd be the one taking the heave-ho out the door. I even remember driving home from the Jersey Shore with my sister arguing about the prospects of Michael Vick. She said he'd be starting and make an immediate impact. Obviously she doesn't know much about football. I said he would never see the field and that he would be someone's backup.
Now as me and my sister were having this conversation driving down the Skuykill highway, the Philadelphia Eagles had already signed Vick. My sister believed that Mike Vick would assume the starting role for the Eagles and that Vick was better than McNabb. I simply laughed in her face as any knowledgeable football fan would. 1st off, Vick had been in prison for 2 years. 2nd, Donovan McNabb is a pro-bowl quarterback who makes the playoffs almost annually. 3rd, Mike Vick even at his pinnacle was never better than McNabb. They met in the 2004 NFC Championship game at both players' peaks of ability, and McNabb and the Eagles won. Argument over. Or so I thought.
Cut to 2010, after one year of being McNabb's backup and an occassional wild-cat-play-offense- kick starter, McNabb was now with Washington and Kevin Kolb had assumed the Eagles starting quarterback role... that is until he got hurt in the first game against Green Bay. It was at that moment, September 12, 2010 in the 2nd quarter of the first game when Michael Vick got his first opportunity to run the Eagles offense solely by himself. WOW!!! Where did all of this come from. The Eagles were down 21 - 3 when Vick got in the game. When the game ended the final score was 27 - 20, the Packers held on for the win. However, the Packers winning was not the story of week 1 in the NFL.
Michael Vick astonished everyone with his performance, very nearly bringing the Eagles back from 18 points down to win. Many people including Vick himself in a quote after the game said "I believe we would have won if I'd have played all 4 quarters." Here's Vicks line for the game: 16-24, 175 yds, 1 TD, quarterback rating of 110 in 2 and a half quarters of play.
OK so those numbers are quite good, maybe not fantastic looking but Vick's performance against one of the better defenses in the NFL was visually outstanding and without compare. In the past Vick at his best would rush for 70 or so yards, pass for about 150 yds and maybe rush for a td or 2. But in this game Vick astonished everyone by being a pocket passer and the general of the Eagle offense. He ran the offense as if he'd been preparing everyday for 3 years, including his prison time, to play in that game against Green Bay. His throws were crisp and on target, he stayed in the pocket and only ran the ball a couple of times when the defensive pressure hurried him. This Michael Vick was one we had never seen before.
The Vick we knew was a very inaccurate passer. He was more of a check down passer or a runner than a true down field throwing quarterback. Even though Vick had made 3 pro-bowls, won a couple playoff games and was the crowd favorite in Atlanta pre-dogfighting scandal; the guy was still at best a rushing quarterback, with very limited passing skills and was probably past his prime after serving 2 years in prison.
It's clear to say now that I was wrong about Michael Vick and so were the majority of people. After spending 1 year with Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid and the rest of the Eagles, Vick has found his game. He has rededicated himself to football. It seems that prison actually did rehabilitate Mike Vick. Everything is now in perfect perspective for him. Where before with Atlanta, Vick was last to get to work and first to leave, now with Philadelphia he is 1st to work and last to leave. Him and Kevin Kolb are reported to be friends and co-quarterbacks as opposed to competitors for the same job.
Michael Vick is better now than he has ever been before and that is due to his own realization that playing quarterback in the NFL is more than just being talented and beloved. Its about studying the game, working with teammates and coaches and focusing on winning, not on extra-curriculars. Mike Vick gets it now. And he should be commended for that. He has repaid his debt to society and he has taken full advantage of his second chance. From age 22 to 27, Michael Vick was an athletic talent and a ego maniacal person. From age 3o to the future, who knows? Maybe he could be the greatest turnaround success story in NFL history. From the Dog Pound and Prison, to the NFL Hall of Fame.
Now as me and my sister were having this conversation driving down the Skuykill highway, the Philadelphia Eagles had already signed Vick. My sister believed that Mike Vick would assume the starting role for the Eagles and that Vick was better than McNabb. I simply laughed in her face as any knowledgeable football fan would. 1st off, Vick had been in prison for 2 years. 2nd, Donovan McNabb is a pro-bowl quarterback who makes the playoffs almost annually. 3rd, Mike Vick even at his pinnacle was never better than McNabb. They met in the 2004 NFC Championship game at both players' peaks of ability, and McNabb and the Eagles won. Argument over. Or so I thought.
Cut to 2010, after one year of being McNabb's backup and an occassional wild-cat-play-offense- kick starter, McNabb was now with Washington and Kevin Kolb had assumed the Eagles starting quarterback role... that is until he got hurt in the first game against Green Bay. It was at that moment, September 12, 2010 in the 2nd quarter of the first game when Michael Vick got his first opportunity to run the Eagles offense solely by himself. WOW!!! Where did all of this come from. The Eagles were down 21 - 3 when Vick got in the game. When the game ended the final score was 27 - 20, the Packers held on for the win. However, the Packers winning was not the story of week 1 in the NFL.
Michael Vick astonished everyone with his performance, very nearly bringing the Eagles back from 18 points down to win. Many people including Vick himself in a quote after the game said "I believe we would have won if I'd have played all 4 quarters." Here's Vicks line for the game: 16-24, 175 yds, 1 TD, quarterback rating of 110 in 2 and a half quarters of play.
OK so those numbers are quite good, maybe not fantastic looking but Vick's performance against one of the better defenses in the NFL was visually outstanding and without compare. In the past Vick at his best would rush for 70 or so yards, pass for about 150 yds and maybe rush for a td or 2. But in this game Vick astonished everyone by being a pocket passer and the general of the Eagle offense. He ran the offense as if he'd been preparing everyday for 3 years, including his prison time, to play in that game against Green Bay. His throws were crisp and on target, he stayed in the pocket and only ran the ball a couple of times when the defensive pressure hurried him. This Michael Vick was one we had never seen before.
The Vick we knew was a very inaccurate passer. He was more of a check down passer or a runner than a true down field throwing quarterback. Even though Vick had made 3 pro-bowls, won a couple playoff games and was the crowd favorite in Atlanta pre-dogfighting scandal; the guy was still at best a rushing quarterback, with very limited passing skills and was probably past his prime after serving 2 years in prison.
It's clear to say now that I was wrong about Michael Vick and so were the majority of people. After spending 1 year with Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid and the rest of the Eagles, Vick has found his game. He has rededicated himself to football. It seems that prison actually did rehabilitate Mike Vick. Everything is now in perfect perspective for him. Where before with Atlanta, Vick was last to get to work and first to leave, now with Philadelphia he is 1st to work and last to leave. Him and Kevin Kolb are reported to be friends and co-quarterbacks as opposed to competitors for the same job.
Michael Vick is better now than he has ever been before and that is due to his own realization that playing quarterback in the NFL is more than just being talented and beloved. Its about studying the game, working with teammates and coaches and focusing on winning, not on extra-curriculars. Mike Vick gets it now. And he should be commended for that. He has repaid his debt to society and he has taken full advantage of his second chance. From age 22 to 27, Michael Vick was an athletic talent and a ego maniacal person. From age 3o to the future, who knows? Maybe he could be the greatest turnaround success story in NFL history. From the Dog Pound and Prison, to the NFL Hall of Fame.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Once is an Accident, Twice is a Pattern
At the end of the 2009 MLB season, while the New York Yankees were celebrating another championship, the Philadelphia Phillies were dismayed by their own lackluster play in the World Series. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins was especially dissappointed being that before the Fall Classic began he predicted victory for his Phillies. Following their defeat, Rollins like most of his teammates was positive that if given another opportunity his team would excel and that in the coming year they would prove the 2009 outcome to be the exception, and the 2008 outcome the rule. I think Jimmy Rollins should stop making predictions.
The Phillies came up short again in 2010, this time failing to make it out of the National League. The San Francisco Giants played spoiler in a series marked by outstanding pitching, timely and untimely hitting, and an almost David vs Goliath backdrop that once again left Phils fans dejected. This was a classic case of the best team being outplayed by the over achieving underdog.
The 2010 Phillies were stacked! Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels were their top starters. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins were all back again for another title shot.
The 2010 Giants also bolstered a top notch pitching staff, however with much less post season experience, with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez. The Giants lineup, uuuhhh??? They had Cody Ross, Buster Posey and Aubrey Huff. I know. Not quite a fair fight. But, therein lies the answer to the riddle. The Phillies are not as good as we all thought or expected.
If you followed the Phillies this year you'd know that before the all star break, they were basically a .500 ballclub. Clearly underachieving and contemplating the future of the franchise, Phils General Manager Rueben Amaro Jr. later admitted that he and his ownership group talked about blowing up the team and only keeping their nucleus of young talent. But due to the fact that the Phillies are a notorious second-half team and that Amaro knew he could acquire more talent for another playoff run, they decided to stick with it. Amaro scooped up Roy Oswalt from Houston at the trade deadline and from July 20 on the Phillies went a ridiculous 53 and 28. They had done it again.
Well, come post season it seemed the first half club was the one that showed up. Despite sweeping the Reds 3 games to none the Phils could not hit with runners in scoring position. They were hitting about .100 in such situations but their pitching was so good that it didn't matter. Well, in the Giants Series the offense was going to matter. You figured the pitching for both sides would be stellar and that the team with the better offense would prevail. Being that the Giants were a team of has-beens, mid level players and young talent, they were figured to be outmatched and outclassed. Of course now we know it was the Phillies offense that was highly overrated and the Giants offense was clutch.
Players like series MVP Cody Ross, Buster Posey, Juan Uribe, Freddy Sanchez and Andres Torres came up with huge hits. While Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard all failed in the most crucial at-bats with runners on base. The Giants executed on cue whenever runners reached second base with no outs. Bruce Bochy deserves credit as a manager who knows the strengths and weaknesses of his team better than any other manager. He also knew exactly when to pull his pitchers and exactly whom to replace them with.
On the other team, Charlie Manuel was exposed as most insiders know him to be; a strategically weak manager who relies on his high power offense to nullify any opportunity to outwit his opponent. Manuel's glaring defeat was in game 4 when he left his bullpen pitchers in spots where they should not have been. And throughout the entire series Manuel refused to play small ball. Repeatedly the Phillies got men on base with nobody out and they would fail to capitalize. Manuel didn't make the adjustment till it was already too late. He sacrificed Carlos Ruiz in game 6 to get a runner to third with 1 out, but yet again the Phillies failed to get that run home. That was the second time in that game the Phillies had a man at 2nd with no outs and failed to score. The Giants had 1 situation in game 6 with runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs. Freddy Sanchez, one of their leading hitters, laid down a sacrifice bunt to make it 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. Both runners eventually scored.
BOTTOM LINE: Bruce Bochy out managed Charlie Manuel. The Giants outplayed the Phillies in every facet of the game. Jayson Werth played well but will be gone. Jimmy Rollins may have played his last game as a Phillie. Next year Charlie Manuel better adapt his ballclub to become a 'National League style team' instead of a slugging reliant team that can't hang in October when pitching rules. Players like Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins if he's back will need to go back to the fundamentals of baseball. Sacrifice Bunting, hitting behind runners, hitting sacrifice flies and learning to hit the ball to the opposite field and pulling the ball when necessary!!!!!!!!!!
The Phillies came up short again in 2010, this time failing to make it out of the National League. The San Francisco Giants played spoiler in a series marked by outstanding pitching, timely and untimely hitting, and an almost David vs Goliath backdrop that once again left Phils fans dejected. This was a classic case of the best team being outplayed by the over achieving underdog.
The 2010 Phillies were stacked! Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels were their top starters. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins were all back again for another title shot.
The 2010 Giants also bolstered a top notch pitching staff, however with much less post season experience, with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez. The Giants lineup, uuuhhh??? They had Cody Ross, Buster Posey and Aubrey Huff. I know. Not quite a fair fight. But, therein lies the answer to the riddle. The Phillies are not as good as we all thought or expected.
If you followed the Phillies this year you'd know that before the all star break, they were basically a .500 ballclub. Clearly underachieving and contemplating the future of the franchise, Phils General Manager Rueben Amaro Jr. later admitted that he and his ownership group talked about blowing up the team and only keeping their nucleus of young talent. But due to the fact that the Phillies are a notorious second-half team and that Amaro knew he could acquire more talent for another playoff run, they decided to stick with it. Amaro scooped up Roy Oswalt from Houston at the trade deadline and from July 20 on the Phillies went a ridiculous 53 and 28. They had done it again.
Well, come post season it seemed the first half club was the one that showed up. Despite sweeping the Reds 3 games to none the Phils could not hit with runners in scoring position. They were hitting about .100 in such situations but their pitching was so good that it didn't matter. Well, in the Giants Series the offense was going to matter. You figured the pitching for both sides would be stellar and that the team with the better offense would prevail. Being that the Giants were a team of has-beens, mid level players and young talent, they were figured to be outmatched and outclassed. Of course now we know it was the Phillies offense that was highly overrated and the Giants offense was clutch.
Players like series MVP Cody Ross, Buster Posey, Juan Uribe, Freddy Sanchez and Andres Torres came up with huge hits. While Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard all failed in the most crucial at-bats with runners on base. The Giants executed on cue whenever runners reached second base with no outs. Bruce Bochy deserves credit as a manager who knows the strengths and weaknesses of his team better than any other manager. He also knew exactly when to pull his pitchers and exactly whom to replace them with.
On the other team, Charlie Manuel was exposed as most insiders know him to be; a strategically weak manager who relies on his high power offense to nullify any opportunity to outwit his opponent. Manuel's glaring defeat was in game 4 when he left his bullpen pitchers in spots where they should not have been. And throughout the entire series Manuel refused to play small ball. Repeatedly the Phillies got men on base with nobody out and they would fail to capitalize. Manuel didn't make the adjustment till it was already too late. He sacrificed Carlos Ruiz in game 6 to get a runner to third with 1 out, but yet again the Phillies failed to get that run home. That was the second time in that game the Phillies had a man at 2nd with no outs and failed to score. The Giants had 1 situation in game 6 with runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs. Freddy Sanchez, one of their leading hitters, laid down a sacrifice bunt to make it 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. Both runners eventually scored.
BOTTOM LINE: Bruce Bochy out managed Charlie Manuel. The Giants outplayed the Phillies in every facet of the game. Jayson Werth played well but will be gone. Jimmy Rollins may have played his last game as a Phillie. Next year Charlie Manuel better adapt his ballclub to become a 'National League style team' instead of a slugging reliant team that can't hang in October when pitching rules. Players like Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins if he's back will need to go back to the fundamentals of baseball. Sacrifice Bunting, hitting behind runners, hitting sacrifice flies and learning to hit the ball to the opposite field and pulling the ball when necessary!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Eagles Ownership Over-ride Reid Decision
Last week after Michael Vick ran an offensive clinic against the Green Bay Packers, almost overcoming a 17 point deficit, Andy Reid insisted to the media that once Kevin Kolb became healthy again he would be the starter. Cut to this week after Vick torched the Detroit Lions for 284 yards passing with 2 touchdowns, no picks and 37 more rushing yards leading the Eagles to their first win of the 2010 season. After the game once again Reid insists that Kolb will be the quarterback next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
OK now its Tuesday, two days later September 21st and a huge announcement is made that Michael Vick, not Kevin Kolb, will be the Eagles starting quarterback against Jacksonville. SAY WHAT? I sense an instance of team management stepping in.
Kevin Kolb got hurt against the Packers because he couldn't escape the pressure. The Eagles offensive line cannot protect him. Even Vick has been sacked and knocked down way too much. In fact, the tables will probably turn again in Kolb's favor once Vick takes one too many hits. But as I was saying, the offensive line is not good enough to allow Kolb to succeed whereas Vick's elusiveness and his new-found accurracy make him the perfect weapon for this Eagles offense. Vick has always been able to escape the rush, except now he has found his passing touch allowing him to rack up yards and thereby winning himself the starting job.
Clearly Andy Reid was going to stick to his guns. Afterall, this is the coach who insists on passing the ball 70 percent of the time and running the ball only when the Eagles have a big lead. His coaching style and leadership has produced the best regular season record in the NFL since his tenor began. However, Reid playoff failures in the big games are well documented. It seems when the pressure is on in the big moments of the biggest games Andy Reid screws up. And it's not just in the big games, every now and then Reid will call a stupid time-out or make a terrible play call. Well Marty Morninghweg is calling the plays now, but Reid still has the say to make judgement calls and throw in a play or 2 of his own.
Bottom Line: Finally Eagles management has stepped in, pulled back the reigns and said, 'This is our team Andy, not yours.' The Eagles should have manned-up and fired Reid when his contract was up like every Eagle fan thought they would. Instead they went against their gut and went with the numbers. How can you fire a coach who wins 10 games every year. It's easy. You look in the mirror and ask yourselves, should we have won more? With the talent we've had, could we have won more? Andy Reid should be a general manager or a coordinator, not a head coach. Mike Holmgrem he is not. Bill Walsh he is not. George Seifert he is not. All these guys Reid worked under but he attained none of their capabilities when it comes to the number one thing: WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
OK now its Tuesday, two days later September 21st and a huge announcement is made that Michael Vick, not Kevin Kolb, will be the Eagles starting quarterback against Jacksonville. SAY WHAT? I sense an instance of team management stepping in.
Kevin Kolb got hurt against the Packers because he couldn't escape the pressure. The Eagles offensive line cannot protect him. Even Vick has been sacked and knocked down way too much. In fact, the tables will probably turn again in Kolb's favor once Vick takes one too many hits. But as I was saying, the offensive line is not good enough to allow Kolb to succeed whereas Vick's elusiveness and his new-found accurracy make him the perfect weapon for this Eagles offense. Vick has always been able to escape the rush, except now he has found his passing touch allowing him to rack up yards and thereby winning himself the starting job.
Clearly Andy Reid was going to stick to his guns. Afterall, this is the coach who insists on passing the ball 70 percent of the time and running the ball only when the Eagles have a big lead. His coaching style and leadership has produced the best regular season record in the NFL since his tenor began. However, Reid playoff failures in the big games are well documented. It seems when the pressure is on in the big moments of the biggest games Andy Reid screws up. And it's not just in the big games, every now and then Reid will call a stupid time-out or make a terrible play call. Well Marty Morninghweg is calling the plays now, but Reid still has the say to make judgement calls and throw in a play or 2 of his own.
Bottom Line: Finally Eagles management has stepped in, pulled back the reigns and said, 'This is our team Andy, not yours.' The Eagles should have manned-up and fired Reid when his contract was up like every Eagle fan thought they would. Instead they went against their gut and went with the numbers. How can you fire a coach who wins 10 games every year. It's easy. You look in the mirror and ask yourselves, should we have won more? With the talent we've had, could we have won more? Andy Reid should be a general manager or a coordinator, not a head coach. Mike Holmgrem he is not. Bill Walsh he is not. George Seifert he is not. All these guys Reid worked under but he attained none of their capabilities when it comes to the number one thing: WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Reggie Bush forfeits his Heisman
This story is a joke, therefore it's very easy to write about.
Reggie Bush was a star running-back in college at the University of Southern California. In 2005 his final year, he won the acclaimed Heisman trophy over Vince Young and his teammates Matt Leinart and Lendale White. The subsequent investigations into Bush's dealings with professional sports agents procured findings that Bush received moneys nearing $200,000 for himself and his family. These reports surfaced shortly after Bush's final season at USC, but the credibility of the story didn't become official until recently.
Now the NCAA is in an uproar, an NFL running back is having to explain the mistakes of his college days and the sports world is having a hey day calling for Bush to give back his Heisman. Well, Reggie finally gave in to the NCAA's and the National Media pressure. He 'forfeit' the prestigious trophy today, September 14, 2010.
In the grand scheme of world stories and happenings, this is not a tragedy nor a important historic event. However, it is the first time ever that a Heisman trophy winner has officially forfeit the award. The important issue at the heart of this story is the idea of college athletes being paid. For almost 10 years now, the NCAA has been in litigation with various factions, including former UCLA Basketball star Ed O'Bannon, for the usage of college athlete's names and likenesses in everything from jersey's in campus stores to video games sold around the world.
Presently, Reggie Bush is a highly paid star running back and kick returner for the current Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. But back at USC, Reggie was just another college kid struggling to make a few dollars, get his school work done and fulfill his duty as a student athlete. OK he wasn't a typical college kid. He wasn't paying tuition, he probably wasn't having trouble with his school work and I'm sure his plate was never lacking in size or quantity(Have you seen the modern college athlete. They weigh 200 to 300 lbs. Do you know how much you have to eat to get that big?).
So what are the facts and determining circumstances of this story. We know Reggie took money. Is that a crime? No. Does it violate current NCAA regulations? Yes. Is the NCAA a joke? Yes. Do college athletes deserve some compensation for their work as athletes? If their work as athletes contributes in any way to the financial betterment of their institution, then HELL YES they do.
Reggie Bush did nothing wrong or different than most other logical human beings would do in the exact same situation. He and his family were struggling to make ends meet so a couple of sports agents lured them in, knowing that eventually Reggie would be a Pro Athlete of high accord. They gave them some money probably for the promise of future agent and promoting services that would occur once Reggie was drafted into the NFL.
Did taking money affect Reggie's play on the field? Of course not. I'm sure it improved his piece of mind and his families' living conditions though. AND WHO WOULDN'T DO THAT FOR LOVED ONES??? I wouldn't like anyone whom would choose to not better their families lives.
The Bottom Line is Reggie Bush is the 2005 Heisman Trophy Winner and he always will be. The fact that the NCAA are an organization of hypocrites make them the losers in this story. They take all the money that these "college athletes" earn on the fields and then they say it is unethical for a student-athlete to receive money. That in itself is laughable. If I were Reggie Bush, I would be all over the news saying things like, "Yeah I took money. So What? Did I take drugs? No. Did I cheat? No. All I did was improve the lives of my family in a time of need and for that I am being looked at and reported as a criminal. I am and always will be a Heisman trophy winner. And I know that I am not the only college kid who ever took money from an agent. I am just the only one who's won the Heisman and got caught.
Reggie Bush was a star running-back in college at the University of Southern California. In 2005 his final year, he won the acclaimed Heisman trophy over Vince Young and his teammates Matt Leinart and Lendale White. The subsequent investigations into Bush's dealings with professional sports agents procured findings that Bush received moneys nearing $200,000 for himself and his family. These reports surfaced shortly after Bush's final season at USC, but the credibility of the story didn't become official until recently.
Now the NCAA is in an uproar, an NFL running back is having to explain the mistakes of his college days and the sports world is having a hey day calling for Bush to give back his Heisman. Well, Reggie finally gave in to the NCAA's and the National Media pressure. He 'forfeit' the prestigious trophy today, September 14, 2010.
In the grand scheme of world stories and happenings, this is not a tragedy nor a important historic event. However, it is the first time ever that a Heisman trophy winner has officially forfeit the award. The important issue at the heart of this story is the idea of college athletes being paid. For almost 10 years now, the NCAA has been in litigation with various factions, including former UCLA Basketball star Ed O'Bannon, for the usage of college athlete's names and likenesses in everything from jersey's in campus stores to video games sold around the world.
Presently, Reggie Bush is a highly paid star running back and kick returner for the current Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. But back at USC, Reggie was just another college kid struggling to make a few dollars, get his school work done and fulfill his duty as a student athlete. OK he wasn't a typical college kid. He wasn't paying tuition, he probably wasn't having trouble with his school work and I'm sure his plate was never lacking in size or quantity(Have you seen the modern college athlete. They weigh 200 to 300 lbs. Do you know how much you have to eat to get that big?).
So what are the facts and determining circumstances of this story. We know Reggie took money. Is that a crime? No. Does it violate current NCAA regulations? Yes. Is the NCAA a joke? Yes. Do college athletes deserve some compensation for their work as athletes? If their work as athletes contributes in any way to the financial betterment of their institution, then HELL YES they do.
Reggie Bush did nothing wrong or different than most other logical human beings would do in the exact same situation. He and his family were struggling to make ends meet so a couple of sports agents lured them in, knowing that eventually Reggie would be a Pro Athlete of high accord. They gave them some money probably for the promise of future agent and promoting services that would occur once Reggie was drafted into the NFL.
Did taking money affect Reggie's play on the field? Of course not. I'm sure it improved his piece of mind and his families' living conditions though. AND WHO WOULDN'T DO THAT FOR LOVED ONES??? I wouldn't like anyone whom would choose to not better their families lives.
The Bottom Line is Reggie Bush is the 2005 Heisman Trophy Winner and he always will be. The fact that the NCAA are an organization of hypocrites make them the losers in this story. They take all the money that these "college athletes" earn on the fields and then they say it is unethical for a student-athlete to receive money. That in itself is laughable. If I were Reggie Bush, I would be all over the news saying things like, "Yeah I took money. So What? Did I take drugs? No. Did I cheat? No. All I did was improve the lives of my family in a time of need and for that I am being looked at and reported as a criminal. I am and always will be a Heisman trophy winner. And I know that I am not the only college kid who ever took money from an agent. I am just the only one who's won the Heisman and got caught.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Derek Jeter wants A-Rod money?
I don't know if it's true, but it's been reported that Derek Jeter wants his upcoming contract to equal or top that of Alex Rodriguez'. Considering Jeter is 36 years old, having the worst year of his career and is clearly on the decline, most fans and media find this matter laughable. However, a closer look at the situation offers quite a reasonable yet sad explanation.
Assuming the report is true, if Derek Jeter played for any other team in the world his demands would be absolutely preposterous. Jeter and his agent, Creative Artists Agency's Casey Close(gimme a break), would be laughed out of the room. But we're talking New York here. The team with unlimited funds; the Yankees. They basically control the MLB free agent market. They can out-bid every other team as well as sell every player on the idea of playing with 5 to 10 all star teammates annually.
This is why Jeter is demanding top dollar. Derek Jeter knows he's not worth 25 or 30 million a year. Hell, he knows he ain't worth 5 million a year at this point. But the town and the team are of a different ilk. It's fitting that Jeter is represented by a marketing firm geared toward the celebrity rock star or hot model-actor. He will be negotiating this contract based on his star-power, not his hitting power. His argument for the dollars is completely contingent upon his marketability and his meaning to the Yankees franchise. The perspective and insight into the Yankees franchise is completely on display here. It is the perfect picture to explain why the Yankees are one of the few things wrong with baseball. Jeter will make his case for his contract not on baseball skills and talent, but on his marketing prowess and celebrity status. The funny thing about the whole deal is Derek Jeter will be 100 percent RIGHT!!!!!
In New York, he is worth 30 million a year. In New York, he is a rockstar/model/actor/ballplayer. For the Yankees Jeter is a money maker, heart breaker and seat filler. For any other team Jeter would be either on the bench, DH'ing or platooning. He would be a starter on a last place team with no winning prospects. But the New York Yankees don't operate on MLB's market, they function on a market all their own.
It is worth mentioning Derek Jeter's lifetime stats and historic impact on baseball. Jeter has a .314 lifetime batting average. He is an 11-time all star and a 4-time gold glove winner. Next year barring injury Jeter will surpass 3000 hits. He has 234 homeruns and 320 stolen bases. And what so many people point out, Jeter has 5 championship rings so he is a winner. His post season performances are also very good. He has basically played 1 extra full season of baseball in post season play. Those numbers are as follows. Hits: 175 BA: .313 HR: 20 Runs: 99 RBI: 55. Jeter also has contributed as a key defensive player in his team's championship runs. He has quite a few highlight reel plays in the most important pressure-packed games.
Assuming the report is true, if Derek Jeter played for any other team in the world his demands would be absolutely preposterous. Jeter and his agent, Creative Artists Agency's Casey Close(gimme a break), would be laughed out of the room. But we're talking New York here. The team with unlimited funds; the Yankees. They basically control the MLB free agent market. They can out-bid every other team as well as sell every player on the idea of playing with 5 to 10 all star teammates annually.
This is why Jeter is demanding top dollar. Derek Jeter knows he's not worth 25 or 30 million a year. Hell, he knows he ain't worth 5 million a year at this point. But the town and the team are of a different ilk. It's fitting that Jeter is represented by a marketing firm geared toward the celebrity rock star or hot model-actor. He will be negotiating this contract based on his star-power, not his hitting power. His argument for the dollars is completely contingent upon his marketability and his meaning to the Yankees franchise. The perspective and insight into the Yankees franchise is completely on display here. It is the perfect picture to explain why the Yankees are one of the few things wrong with baseball. Jeter will make his case for his contract not on baseball skills and talent, but on his marketing prowess and celebrity status. The funny thing about the whole deal is Derek Jeter will be 100 percent RIGHT!!!!!
In New York, he is worth 30 million a year. In New York, he is a rockstar/model/actor/ballplayer. For the Yankees Jeter is a money maker, heart breaker and seat filler. For any other team Jeter would be either on the bench, DH'ing or platooning. He would be a starter on a last place team with no winning prospects. But the New York Yankees don't operate on MLB's market, they function on a market all their own.
It is worth mentioning Derek Jeter's lifetime stats and historic impact on baseball. Jeter has a .314 lifetime batting average. He is an 11-time all star and a 4-time gold glove winner. Next year barring injury Jeter will surpass 3000 hits. He has 234 homeruns and 320 stolen bases. And what so many people point out, Jeter has 5 championship rings so he is a winner. His post season performances are also very good. He has basically played 1 extra full season of baseball in post season play. Those numbers are as follows. Hits: 175 BA: .313 HR: 20 Runs: 99 RBI: 55. Jeter also has contributed as a key defensive player in his team's championship runs. He has quite a few highlight reel plays in the most important pressure-packed games.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
PHILLIES All-Stars break the curse!!!!!
Half the damn team came from Philly LOL!!!!!! And in the year of the pitcher, the arms ruled the day. And think about this. In his entire career, Derek Jeter had never lost an all star game. And Albert Pujols, an all star every year of his career except for 2002 when he won the MVP award, had never won an all star game. Almost every player in that game last night with the exception of freakin' Arthur Rhodes who's 40, were all in grade school the last time the National League won an all star game.
So with a collective sigh of relief for fans and a resounding chest pound for Charlie Manuel, the NL will finally bring the bacon home for the World Series(I think thats how the saying goes?). It was reported that Charlie gave a 'gipper' speech before the game to fire up his players and let them know that this would be the game that would end the streak. OK, so he didn't actually dedicate the game to a dying loved one or even give a speech that fired everyone up. He actually said "We came here to do one thing; win the game." Yeah so Manuel is no Rockney or Hemingway, big shocker. The players actually laughed when Manuel made the serious comment but I think they still got the message(Its kind of hard to take Charlie Manuel serious when you don't know him personally so I can understand the players' reaction).
Oh yeah, and lets re-cap the NL Phillie All Star roster. Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Michael Bourn, Scott Rolen and Marlon Byrd. Obviously the latter 3 are former Phillies and Chase Utley wasn't there due to injury but it almost felt like a collective Phillie team from the last 10 years or so. All they needed was Kruk and Daulton and it would've been a 20 year team.
And it bears repeating that the skipper of the National League team to break the streak of All Star game losses is Charlie Manuel. Personally, I thought last year was going to be the year that the streak ended but this year it seems so much more sweet. With Phillies from the present and years past, the rest of the National League's best and the player's manager Manuel leading them on, it almost felt like a true playoff game victory. And maybe it was. Streaks like that aren't supposed to happen. I do remember hearing of a similar streak in the 60s, 70s and early 80s but I don't think it was thirteen in a row. Oh it was from Municipal Stadium at Cleveland in 1963 to Olympic Stadium in Montreal in 1982, the National League won 19 of those 20 all star games. The National League won 8 in a row, lost at Tiger's Stadium in Detroit in 1971, and then won the next 11 in a row till 1983 at Comiskey Park in Chicago(How's that for dropping some KNOWLEDGE!!! Class dismissed). Well not yet.
Bottom Line: In the year of the pitcher, the NL reigns supreme. A theme that will continue into the playoffs. Trust me
So with a collective sigh of relief for fans and a resounding chest pound for Charlie Manuel, the NL will finally bring the bacon home for the World Series(I think thats how the saying goes?). It was reported that Charlie gave a 'gipper' speech before the game to fire up his players and let them know that this would be the game that would end the streak. OK, so he didn't actually dedicate the game to a dying loved one or even give a speech that fired everyone up. He actually said "We came here to do one thing; win the game." Yeah so Manuel is no Rockney or Hemingway, big shocker. The players actually laughed when Manuel made the serious comment but I think they still got the message(Its kind of hard to take Charlie Manuel serious when you don't know him personally so I can understand the players' reaction).
Oh yeah, and lets re-cap the NL Phillie All Star roster. Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Michael Bourn, Scott Rolen and Marlon Byrd. Obviously the latter 3 are former Phillies and Chase Utley wasn't there due to injury but it almost felt like a collective Phillie team from the last 10 years or so. All they needed was Kruk and Daulton and it would've been a 20 year team.
And it bears repeating that the skipper of the National League team to break the streak of All Star game losses is Charlie Manuel. Personally, I thought last year was going to be the year that the streak ended but this year it seems so much more sweet. With Phillies from the present and years past, the rest of the National League's best and the player's manager Manuel leading them on, it almost felt like a true playoff game victory. And maybe it was. Streaks like that aren't supposed to happen. I do remember hearing of a similar streak in the 60s, 70s and early 80s but I don't think it was thirteen in a row. Oh it was from Municipal Stadium at Cleveland in 1963 to Olympic Stadium in Montreal in 1982, the National League won 19 of those 20 all star games. The National League won 8 in a row, lost at Tiger's Stadium in Detroit in 1971, and then won the next 11 in a row till 1983 at Comiskey Park in Chicago(How's that for dropping some KNOWLEDGE!!! Class dismissed). Well not yet.
Bottom Line: In the year of the pitcher, the NL reigns supreme. A theme that will continue into the playoffs. Trust me
Thursday, July 8, 2010
LEBRON WANTS TO WIN IN MIAMI
Later on in the day July 7th, it was widely speculated and reported that Lebron James would be signing with his friend Dwayne Wade and new friend Chris Bosh in Miami. When 9:20 PM rolled around on the 8th and Lebron was talking to Jim Gray, James confirmed that he was 'taking his talents to South Beach.'
2 months ago I said Lebron would go to New Jersey, eventually Brooklyn, along with another big name free agent to take over the world. I also said that if I were the one making the choice, Miami would've been my pick. So, I had the right ideas but I picked the wrong destination. The Nets owner Mikhail Prokorovh gave a great explanation and breakdown of the decision making process as if he were Lebron himself. He exclaimed the Clippers are in LA, Kobe's town so that wouldn't work. The Bulls being probably the best choice to win a championship are in Chicago and that's Michael Jordan's franchise. Prokorov then explained that the Miami Heat with the addition of Chris Bosh would be a great choice to go and win a bunch of NBA titles, but Lebron's Brand would be diminished due to the fact that he would be playing alongside 2 other superstars. The Nets, Prokorovh continued, were the clear-cut choice for James to win in a year or so, continue to expand his brand 'Globally', and to be the #1 star of the NBA. He also talked about Lebron's buddy Jay-Z and the numerous possibilities that lay ahead for them both. Prokorovh also guaranteed he would eventually sign Chris Paul next year away from New Orleans, quite an impressive pitch.
In the end, Lebron said he couldn't pass up the opportunity to play with Bosh and Wade in Miami. He feels they can win this year and for many years to come and that's the number one goal for King James. He wants to win so bad he's willing to become HATED. The city of Cleveland is in an uproar over Lebron's decision. The ESPN broadcast of Lebron's Decision even showed some fans burning a James' Cavaliers jersey.
For me, Lebron scored big time with his decision. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity as Lebron put it in his interview on ESPN. Everything fell into place as if it was meant to be, Lebron explained. They, referring to Bosh, Wade and James all came into the league together in the same draft, all were lottery picks and each of them have risen to the top of the league for their respective franchises and statistical positions. Lebron said his family and his management team all gave him their opinions but that at the end of the day he had to live with the decision and therefore he should do whatever would make him happy; Great advice and good to know Lebron has such a great support system around him.
James gave some impressive history knowledge about the NBA and the championship teams of the last 30 years. The only squad he left out were the Houston Rockets with Akheem, Horry, Cassell, Smith and Ellie, pretty fitting though because almost everyone forgets about that team. He mentioned the Spurs with Duncan and Robinson, also with Ginobili and Parker. He remembered the Pistons with Thomas, Dumars, Laimbeer and Rodman. Of course he mentioned his childhood favorite Bulls with Michael, Scottie, Horace and Kucok and Rodman again. He talked about Lakers of the 80's with Magic, Kareem and Worthy and the Celtics from the same era with Bird, McHale and DJ. And the present squads with Kobe's Lakers and the Celtics Big 3.
When Lebron mentioned the present Celtics and the Big 3, that is when he started the comparison to what his new situation would be with the Heat. James said, 'No one believed in Rajon Rondo or Kendrick Perkins' and that the Big 3 wouldn't be able to accomplish their winning goals. He expects the same pessimism to exist with the Heat but that it doesn't bother him.
BOTTOM LINE: Lebron James is ready to win NOW!!!!! He doesn't care about being the number one guy. He's not worried about an NBA Legacy that is solely based on a singular ownership of multiple titles that are of his own creation. Lebron isn't going to dwell on the backlash and hate from Cleveland fans that choose to ridicule him based on the future and refuse to acknowledge the great times of the previous 7 years. King James should be renamed, to his credit, Le-Determination for his lack of regard for money, his brand, his city and for everyone telling him what he should do. No-longer-a-free agent-Lebron James chose the Miami Heat for himself, for Dwayne Wade, for Chris Bosh and for the true Lebron Fans of the world. Go get that Championship Lebron.
2 months ago I said Lebron would go to New Jersey, eventually Brooklyn, along with another big name free agent to take over the world. I also said that if I were the one making the choice, Miami would've been my pick. So, I had the right ideas but I picked the wrong destination. The Nets owner Mikhail Prokorovh gave a great explanation and breakdown of the decision making process as if he were Lebron himself. He exclaimed the Clippers are in LA, Kobe's town so that wouldn't work. The Bulls being probably the best choice to win a championship are in Chicago and that's Michael Jordan's franchise. Prokorov then explained that the Miami Heat with the addition of Chris Bosh would be a great choice to go and win a bunch of NBA titles, but Lebron's Brand would be diminished due to the fact that he would be playing alongside 2 other superstars. The Nets, Prokorovh continued, were the clear-cut choice for James to win in a year or so, continue to expand his brand 'Globally', and to be the #1 star of the NBA. He also talked about Lebron's buddy Jay-Z and the numerous possibilities that lay ahead for them both. Prokorovh also guaranteed he would eventually sign Chris Paul next year away from New Orleans, quite an impressive pitch.
In the end, Lebron said he couldn't pass up the opportunity to play with Bosh and Wade in Miami. He feels they can win this year and for many years to come and that's the number one goal for King James. He wants to win so bad he's willing to become HATED. The city of Cleveland is in an uproar over Lebron's decision. The ESPN broadcast of Lebron's Decision even showed some fans burning a James' Cavaliers jersey.
For me, Lebron scored big time with his decision. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity as Lebron put it in his interview on ESPN. Everything fell into place as if it was meant to be, Lebron explained. They, referring to Bosh, Wade and James all came into the league together in the same draft, all were lottery picks and each of them have risen to the top of the league for their respective franchises and statistical positions. Lebron said his family and his management team all gave him their opinions but that at the end of the day he had to live with the decision and therefore he should do whatever would make him happy; Great advice and good to know Lebron has such a great support system around him.
James gave some impressive history knowledge about the NBA and the championship teams of the last 30 years. The only squad he left out were the Houston Rockets with Akheem, Horry, Cassell, Smith and Ellie, pretty fitting though because almost everyone forgets about that team. He mentioned the Spurs with Duncan and Robinson, also with Ginobili and Parker. He remembered the Pistons with Thomas, Dumars, Laimbeer and Rodman. Of course he mentioned his childhood favorite Bulls with Michael, Scottie, Horace and Kucok and Rodman again. He talked about Lakers of the 80's with Magic, Kareem and Worthy and the Celtics from the same era with Bird, McHale and DJ. And the present squads with Kobe's Lakers and the Celtics Big 3.
When Lebron mentioned the present Celtics and the Big 3, that is when he started the comparison to what his new situation would be with the Heat. James said, 'No one believed in Rajon Rondo or Kendrick Perkins' and that the Big 3 wouldn't be able to accomplish their winning goals. He expects the same pessimism to exist with the Heat but that it doesn't bother him.
BOTTOM LINE: Lebron James is ready to win NOW!!!!! He doesn't care about being the number one guy. He's not worried about an NBA Legacy that is solely based on a singular ownership of multiple titles that are of his own creation. Lebron isn't going to dwell on the backlash and hate from Cleveland fans that choose to ridicule him based on the future and refuse to acknowledge the great times of the previous 7 years. King James should be renamed, to his credit, Le-Determination for his lack of regard for money, his brand, his city and for everyone telling him what he should do. No-longer-a-free agent-Lebron James chose the Miami Heat for himself, for Dwayne Wade, for Chris Bosh and for the true Lebron Fans of the world. Go get that Championship Lebron.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
COLE HAMELS is not what we think
As a longtime Phillie fan I maintain my yearly routine of watching their games and analyzing their play. Every die-hard fan loves to play general manager and coach for their team from a distance, vicariously. And last night I decided to make an assessment of a popular player whom is adored by the fans and media.
Cole Hamels is a California guy with a World Series MVP award, a beautiful wife and family, an honest-to-a-fault tongue and expectations that normal people just can't understand. Since 2006, Hamels has endured the Philadelphia scrutiny and expectations like a true professional should. Although at times Cole is known for putting his foot in his mouth, fans and media really appreciate his honesty and fresh perspective on the game.
Last year in 2009, Hamels experienced an up and down year that frustrated fans and himself to the very end. Coming off of a World Series Championship in '08 and a list of endorsements and public appearances, the excuse we all came up with was Cole was tired and run-down. He admitted to reporters that his off-season conditioning got a very late start after the Phillies brought home the title. Hamels '09 was inconsistent and at times below average. The Media and fans wondered, "When is Cole going to break out of his slump?"
We figured that this past off-season was going to bring out the new and improved Cole Hamels. He would be in shape and his curveball would be sharper. His fastball would be back in the low 90s and his change-up would be as devastating as ever. Now 2010 is not even at the half way point and Cole Hamels is still only 26 years old, but I have a statement to make about him.
Cole Hamels is not a #1 starter. He is not the go-to-guy whom we all thought. And due to extremely high expectations up to this point and time, Hamels is quite honestly underachieving despite the Championship ring and World Series MVP. I think we all have to lower our expectations of Cole and make an honest assessment of what kind of player he is.
Cole Hamels has a career ERA of 3.71 and a win-loss record of 53-38. Those numbers are good but they are certainly not stellar. In 2007, Hamels had a break-out year where he won 14 games and led the Phillies to their first playoff birth since the 1993 team. In the playoff against Colorado, the Phils got swept and Hamels only appearance in game 1 was below average giving up 5 runs and walking quite a few batters in only 5 innings. Of course the next year Hamels dazzled the baseball world with great performances throughout the playoffs. He led the Phils to the Championship and captured all our hearts with his MVP play in the World Series. Looking back though we must realize that Hamels was still a new pitcher to many of his opponents including the Dodgers whom Cole dominated in the NLCS. The Tampa Bay Rays were also completely befuddled by Hamels in both games he pitched in the Fall Classic.
I look at Cole Hamels now and I see the exact same pitcher as I did in 2008. He still relies on his changeup, tries to throw his fastball away and his curveball is quite frankly regressing. Look at the Tampa Bay Rays team now and tell me they would still struggle against Hamels the same way they did in '08.
Bottom Line: Cole Hamels isn't a great pitcher. He is a good pitcher with potential for greatness. We've seen Cole's greatness, but we've also seen a lot of inconsistency and much more of the latter. And that is where my point lies. Hamels performance has been good for his career so far, not great. We should stop wondering when Cole is going to be King Cole again. Hamels should look to a player like Tom Glavine whom also endured great success and then endured some bad years only to overcome his woes and succeed again. Glavine was a very similar pitcher to Cole. Relied on a fastball away, great changeup and curveball. However, Glavine's curveball was a very good pitch. He could locate it and it had sharp enough break to fool hitters. Glavine also had pin point control. His fastball usually topped out at 89 or 90, but he could hit his spot all the time.
Hamels control has been poor half the time he pitches. He leaves his fastball up a lot, his curveball just flutters and stays up. Hitters are beginning to sit on his change up and they have been hitting it hard frequently. Hamels needs to re-evaluate his approach. He needs to do like Glavine did and start pitching inside with his fastball. However Cole must first get his pitch control where it needs to be. Right now Cole Hamels is not at the level of Tom Glavine, a hall of famer. Hamels is a #2 starter and that is exactly what he is. He is not an ace. He is a good pitcher who has much more to learn and develop.
Oh and I don't want to leave out the fact that Hamels is not a 'gamer.' I decided to write this blog after watching the Phillies play a game againt the Braves in which there was a rain delay for 1 hour. Tim Hudson took the ball after the delay and continued to pitch, whereas Cole Hamels was done. In an important division game, having only pitched 1 inning Cole Hamels quit. Tim Hudson didn't quit. That said more to me about Hamels than any statistic ever could. The guy is weak. He is not mentally tough. He has all the ability in the world to be great but his mental make-up will always hold him back . Cole Hamels is a good pitcher, not a great one.
Cole Hamels is a California guy with a World Series MVP award, a beautiful wife and family, an honest-to-a-fault tongue and expectations that normal people just can't understand. Since 2006, Hamels has endured the Philadelphia scrutiny and expectations like a true professional should. Although at times Cole is known for putting his foot in his mouth, fans and media really appreciate his honesty and fresh perspective on the game.
Last year in 2009, Hamels experienced an up and down year that frustrated fans and himself to the very end. Coming off of a World Series Championship in '08 and a list of endorsements and public appearances, the excuse we all came up with was Cole was tired and run-down. He admitted to reporters that his off-season conditioning got a very late start after the Phillies brought home the title. Hamels '09 was inconsistent and at times below average. The Media and fans wondered, "When is Cole going to break out of his slump?"
We figured that this past off-season was going to bring out the new and improved Cole Hamels. He would be in shape and his curveball would be sharper. His fastball would be back in the low 90s and his change-up would be as devastating as ever. Now 2010 is not even at the half way point and Cole Hamels is still only 26 years old, but I have a statement to make about him.
Cole Hamels is not a #1 starter. He is not the go-to-guy whom we all thought. And due to extremely high expectations up to this point and time, Hamels is quite honestly underachieving despite the Championship ring and World Series MVP. I think we all have to lower our expectations of Cole and make an honest assessment of what kind of player he is.
Cole Hamels has a career ERA of 3.71 and a win-loss record of 53-38. Those numbers are good but they are certainly not stellar. In 2007, Hamels had a break-out year where he won 14 games and led the Phillies to their first playoff birth since the 1993 team. In the playoff against Colorado, the Phils got swept and Hamels only appearance in game 1 was below average giving up 5 runs and walking quite a few batters in only 5 innings. Of course the next year Hamels dazzled the baseball world with great performances throughout the playoffs. He led the Phils to the Championship and captured all our hearts with his MVP play in the World Series. Looking back though we must realize that Hamels was still a new pitcher to many of his opponents including the Dodgers whom Cole dominated in the NLCS. The Tampa Bay Rays were also completely befuddled by Hamels in both games he pitched in the Fall Classic.
I look at Cole Hamels now and I see the exact same pitcher as I did in 2008. He still relies on his changeup, tries to throw his fastball away and his curveball is quite frankly regressing. Look at the Tampa Bay Rays team now and tell me they would still struggle against Hamels the same way they did in '08.
Bottom Line: Cole Hamels isn't a great pitcher. He is a good pitcher with potential for greatness. We've seen Cole's greatness, but we've also seen a lot of inconsistency and much more of the latter. And that is where my point lies. Hamels performance has been good for his career so far, not great. We should stop wondering when Cole is going to be King Cole again. Hamels should look to a player like Tom Glavine whom also endured great success and then endured some bad years only to overcome his woes and succeed again. Glavine was a very similar pitcher to Cole. Relied on a fastball away, great changeup and curveball. However, Glavine's curveball was a very good pitch. He could locate it and it had sharp enough break to fool hitters. Glavine also had pin point control. His fastball usually topped out at 89 or 90, but he could hit his spot all the time.
Hamels control has been poor half the time he pitches. He leaves his fastball up a lot, his curveball just flutters and stays up. Hitters are beginning to sit on his change up and they have been hitting it hard frequently. Hamels needs to re-evaluate his approach. He needs to do like Glavine did and start pitching inside with his fastball. However Cole must first get his pitch control where it needs to be. Right now Cole Hamels is not at the level of Tom Glavine, a hall of famer. Hamels is a #2 starter and that is exactly what he is. He is not an ace. He is a good pitcher who has much more to learn and develop.
Oh and I don't want to leave out the fact that Hamels is not a 'gamer.' I decided to write this blog after watching the Phillies play a game againt the Braves in which there was a rain delay for 1 hour. Tim Hudson took the ball after the delay and continued to pitch, whereas Cole Hamels was done. In an important division game, having only pitched 1 inning Cole Hamels quit. Tim Hudson didn't quit. That said more to me about Hamels than any statistic ever could. The guy is weak. He is not mentally tough. He has all the ability in the world to be great but his mental make-up will always hold him back . Cole Hamels is a good pitcher, not a great one.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
LEBRON goes to....... New Jersey!!!
The Cleveland Cavaliers are officially back to where they were in 2003 before they drafted Lebron James; absolutely nowhere. After losing to the Celtics 4 games to 2, Lebron is once again extremely dissappointed about the result of a high expectation laden season. It was championship or bust and the city of Cleveland and the Cavalier franchise are now exactly that; BUSTED.
Next year, if King James actually decided to come back to his beloved city and hometown, he would be doing so expecting another rebuilding season. Shaq is just about done. Mo Williams is too small and ill equipped. Antawn Jamison is... well, certainly not the answer. Point being for Lebron: Winning for Cleveland just got pushed back another 3 or 4 years at the least.
I don't think he wants to wait any longer. The cities of bright lights, money and prosperous ventures are calling and Lebron James is now listening. His maiden voyage into professional basketball began in his hometown and now Lebron is ready to move on to bigger and better things.
Will it be Chicago? Will it be New York? Or maybe South Beach, Miami? The latter would most certainly be my pick but Lebron James is not worried about nice weather and beautiful women(the guy got married and had kids at the age of 21). King James is all about the possibility of riches. Not just money riches, but Basketball Greatness/Cultural Influence/World Exposure kind of riches. Which is why after all the information is disclosed and everything is laid out for Lebron, he will inevitably choose NEW JERSEY.
The city that never.....no. The bright lights of......no. Madison Square......no. The brick city? Newark? Actually, yes. REALLY??? Are you Serious?
The New Jersey Nets are the up-and-coming franchise that have a future as gleaming as Lebron's game. They have a new billionaire owner along with a partial owner whom is a personal friend of Lebron's. Ever hear of Jay-Z? They have young, talented players like Brook Lopez and Devon Harris. They also have a ton of salary cap space, enough to sign not only Lebron but maybe even another big name like Joe Johnson or Amare Stoudemire or my personal favorite free agent Dirk Nowitzski.
Yes, the possibility that is New Jersey/Brooklyn is in fact no big secret. The story was reported nationally 3 years ago when Lebron signed his last contract. Lebron James made a very shrewd business saavy move when he signed a short-term contract that would allow him the opportunity to become a free agent again if his team failed to achieve as he saw fit. Guess what, the Cavs did exactly that. Now Lebron due to his great foresight can go play for a team that has endless possibilities. A franchise that is young, has no expectations and can be resurrected by the King. Did I say resurrected? I meant rebron'd or reborn. The Nets have no legacy. They have no winning history other than 2 finals appearances in the early 2000's. The Nets are looking to relocate to Brooklyn, New York. Imagine the new mecca of basketball in Brooklyn. If Lebron King James is playing in Brooklyn and the Knicks are playing in MSG, which venue would you choose?
The choice is yours Lebron. Do you want to play at the old mecca where history has been made and written? Or would you like to write your own history, just across town, still in the Big City? Maybe Avery Johnson could be the coach and Dirk Nowitzski your new teammate? The East Coast is looking good for the King and as for the city of Cleveland, well, Lebron will always be your native son so when he wins that title in 2011 or 12, 13, 14 and 15 you can always brag that he visits there sometimes....
Next year, if King James actually decided to come back to his beloved city and hometown, he would be doing so expecting another rebuilding season. Shaq is just about done. Mo Williams is too small and ill equipped. Antawn Jamison is... well, certainly not the answer. Point being for Lebron: Winning for Cleveland just got pushed back another 3 or 4 years at the least.
I don't think he wants to wait any longer. The cities of bright lights, money and prosperous ventures are calling and Lebron James is now listening. His maiden voyage into professional basketball began in his hometown and now Lebron is ready to move on to bigger and better things.
Will it be Chicago? Will it be New York? Or maybe South Beach, Miami? The latter would most certainly be my pick but Lebron James is not worried about nice weather and beautiful women(the guy got married and had kids at the age of 21). King James is all about the possibility of riches. Not just money riches, but Basketball Greatness/Cultural Influence/World Exposure kind of riches. Which is why after all the information is disclosed and everything is laid out for Lebron, he will inevitably choose NEW JERSEY.
The city that never.....no. The bright lights of......no. Madison Square......no. The brick city? Newark? Actually, yes. REALLY??? Are you Serious?
The New Jersey Nets are the up-and-coming franchise that have a future as gleaming as Lebron's game. They have a new billionaire owner along with a partial owner whom is a personal friend of Lebron's. Ever hear of Jay-Z? They have young, talented players like Brook Lopez and Devon Harris. They also have a ton of salary cap space, enough to sign not only Lebron but maybe even another big name like Joe Johnson or Amare Stoudemire or my personal favorite free agent Dirk Nowitzski.
Yes, the possibility that is New Jersey/Brooklyn is in fact no big secret. The story was reported nationally 3 years ago when Lebron signed his last contract. Lebron James made a very shrewd business saavy move when he signed a short-term contract that would allow him the opportunity to become a free agent again if his team failed to achieve as he saw fit. Guess what, the Cavs did exactly that. Now Lebron due to his great foresight can go play for a team that has endless possibilities. A franchise that is young, has no expectations and can be resurrected by the King. Did I say resurrected? I meant rebron'd or reborn. The Nets have no legacy. They have no winning history other than 2 finals appearances in the early 2000's. The Nets are looking to relocate to Brooklyn, New York. Imagine the new mecca of basketball in Brooklyn. If Lebron King James is playing in Brooklyn and the Knicks are playing in MSG, which venue would you choose?
The choice is yours Lebron. Do you want to play at the old mecca where history has been made and written? Or would you like to write your own history, just across town, still in the Big City? Maybe Avery Johnson could be the coach and Dirk Nowitzski your new teammate? The East Coast is looking good for the King and as for the city of Cleveland, well, Lebron will always be your native son so when he wins that title in 2011 or 12, 13, 14 and 15 you can always brag that he visits there sometimes....
Monday, April 5, 2010
DUKE holds off BUTLER and the referees
The Duke BlueDevils just won their 4th National Championship under Coach Mike Kryzewski. They held off a game Butler team who came within a 40-foot buzzer beater of pulling off one of the greatest cinderella stories ever.
The entire game was a back and forth match, both teams scoring and leads changing. Duke led 33-32 at the half. The score was true to form. Both teams went into half-time feeling like they could play better to win the game in the final twenty minutes.
The Second half was ugly but very fun to watch. Duke was composed, running their plays, moving the ball around nicely and maintaining a 4 point lead for the majority of the final half. Butler was quite the opposite. They weren't running plays, but they were putting the ball in their best player's hands, Gordon Heyward. Funnily enough, Heyward didn't make a single basket for about the last 11 minutes of the game. Although he did have 10 points in the second half, all coming from the free throw line. Butler's shots were not falling, but their players certainly were. Every time 'baby-face Heyward' drove near the basket, the referees were anticipating blowing the whistle and they nearly blew Butler into an NCAA Title, but the Devils were just too damn confident, too damn composed and very well coached.
It shouldn't be a big shocker that the team that is notorious for getting the benefit of the referees' whistles all the time got a little taste of their own medicine from the true home team Bulldogs, who's campus is 5 miles away from the arena. I counted at least 4 obvious calls in the 2nd half that were either fouls committed against Duke where the whistle was silent or plays that require jump ball possession arrow calls. In one instance Duke blocked a Butler shot in which the player went up for a basket but was denied. The Bulldog player maintained possession the entire time and came down with the ball as he was blocked therefore making it a jump ball. No whistle, play kept going. The other joke play was when a Duke player flat out fell on the basketball to get a steal, then the Butler player jumps on top of him, no where near having any possession of the ball but the referee blew the whistle with two thumbs up.
Bottom Line is Butler got all the calls, played their game plan to perfection, held Duke to 61 points, but they still couldn't beat the Duke BlueDevils. Hats off to Coach K and the Duke players for going out and winning this tournament.
The entire game was a back and forth match, both teams scoring and leads changing. Duke led 33-32 at the half. The score was true to form. Both teams went into half-time feeling like they could play better to win the game in the final twenty minutes.
The Second half was ugly but very fun to watch. Duke was composed, running their plays, moving the ball around nicely and maintaining a 4 point lead for the majority of the final half. Butler was quite the opposite. They weren't running plays, but they were putting the ball in their best player's hands, Gordon Heyward. Funnily enough, Heyward didn't make a single basket for about the last 11 minutes of the game. Although he did have 10 points in the second half, all coming from the free throw line. Butler's shots were not falling, but their players certainly were. Every time 'baby-face Heyward' drove near the basket, the referees were anticipating blowing the whistle and they nearly blew Butler into an NCAA Title, but the Devils were just too damn confident, too damn composed and very well coached.
It shouldn't be a big shocker that the team that is notorious for getting the benefit of the referees' whistles all the time got a little taste of their own medicine from the true home team Bulldogs, who's campus is 5 miles away from the arena. I counted at least 4 obvious calls in the 2nd half that were either fouls committed against Duke where the whistle was silent or plays that require jump ball possession arrow calls. In one instance Duke blocked a Butler shot in which the player went up for a basket but was denied. The Bulldog player maintained possession the entire time and came down with the ball as he was blocked therefore making it a jump ball. No whistle, play kept going. The other joke play was when a Duke player flat out fell on the basketball to get a steal, then the Butler player jumps on top of him, no where near having any possession of the ball but the referee blew the whistle with two thumbs up.
Bottom Line is Butler got all the calls, played their game plan to perfection, held Duke to 61 points, but they still couldn't beat the Duke BlueDevils. Hats off to Coach K and the Duke players for going out and winning this tournament.
Philadelphia: The Place to Be
McNabb shipped to FedEx field, Washington D.C. Doc Halladay debuts in the same exact place. Did you know Philadelphia even has a Union? The soccer team that is. And Tiger Woods signs a deal with the Benjamin Franklin Museum to have his own physics exhibit.
Ok so the last one I completely made up, but considering the BUZZ in Philadelphia Sports right now, who would be surprised if that actually happened. The front pages are covered with Donovan McNabb, the back pages with Phillie red. The city and the media of Philadelphia are finally giving Donovan his due by questioning the move, but also praising the trade exclaiming that now is the time for the change to be made. If they don't want McNabb anymore, then I say good for Donovan. He deserves to be somewhere where he can be appreciated. Although it will be very much the same story all over again for McNabb in Washington. He will again have a below average receiving core and if anyone watched any Redskins' games last year you know they have some growing to do. I think if you're Donovan though, you take the fresh start over the status quo. And even if this new squad will be lucky to finish above .500, don't forget the fact that you will have at least 2 chances to stick it to your former mates. Rest assured, those dates will be marked in Eagle Green on Donovan McNabb's calendar.
In Baseball news the Phillies blew out the Nationals 11-1. Roy Halladay pitched 7 innings giving up just one run......YAWN. The only reason I say that is because that is what Roy does. We can get accustomed to seeing that line in Halladay's stat sheet. The Phils Offense provided all the fireworks with homeruns by Polanco and Howard. President Barack Obama threw out the first pitch and from there for the Nationals it was all down hill. After the game a reporter for the Nationals asked Ryan Zimmerman how he felt about today's performance. All I could do was fantasize about switching places with Zimmerman at that moment just so I could smirk at that reporter and say "Next Question!!!"
Ok so the last one I completely made up, but considering the BUZZ in Philadelphia Sports right now, who would be surprised if that actually happened. The front pages are covered with Donovan McNabb, the back pages with Phillie red. The city and the media of Philadelphia are finally giving Donovan his due by questioning the move, but also praising the trade exclaiming that now is the time for the change to be made. If they don't want McNabb anymore, then I say good for Donovan. He deserves to be somewhere where he can be appreciated. Although it will be very much the same story all over again for McNabb in Washington. He will again have a below average receiving core and if anyone watched any Redskins' games last year you know they have some growing to do. I think if you're Donovan though, you take the fresh start over the status quo. And even if this new squad will be lucky to finish above .500, don't forget the fact that you will have at least 2 chances to stick it to your former mates. Rest assured, those dates will be marked in Eagle Green on Donovan McNabb's calendar.
In Baseball news the Phillies blew out the Nationals 11-1. Roy Halladay pitched 7 innings giving up just one run......YAWN. The only reason I say that is because that is what Roy does. We can get accustomed to seeing that line in Halladay's stat sheet. The Phils Offense provided all the fireworks with homeruns by Polanco and Howard. President Barack Obama threw out the first pitch and from there for the Nationals it was all down hill. After the game a reporter for the Nationals asked Ryan Zimmerman how he felt about today's performance. All I could do was fantasize about switching places with Zimmerman at that moment just so I could smirk at that reporter and say "Next Question!!!"
Monday, March 29, 2010
Brittney Griner and the Baylor Bears
Brittney Griner first caught my attention as well as the attention of the National Media when she punched another player in the face. The other player from Texas Tech hooked Griner around the arm and swung Griner with all her weight by her arm and shoulder. The manuever could easily have seriously injured Griner. It could have broken her arm or dislocated her shoulder and that is why Griner reacted accordingly. She had taken punishment the whole year from smaller players and referees who think because you're bigger you need to be fouled much harder to get a call. Enough was enough and Griner punched that girl real good right in the face(if you've seen the highlight and know anything about basketball, then you know the other player had it coming).
Even so, many people including myself thought that Griner was going to be suspended the rest of the year. She only got 2 games LOL!!! Hell I'm glad. She is the only reason I'd even watch a women's basketball game but thats beside the point.
The Baylor Bears are now the top story in the Women's Tourney due to their upset of #1 seed Pat Summit's Tennessee Volunteers and last night's victory over 2 seed Duke. The Bears, who are quite similar in age and experience to the men's Kentucky squad, are predominately freshman and sophomore's. Yet they have been behind quite late in these last two games and still managed to win. Tennessee was up by like 10 with 10 minutes left, then Baylor exploded and blew them out by 15. Against Duke, the Devils were up 4 with 2 minutes to go, then Baylor scores, steals an inbound pass, scores again and from there sunk all their free throws to win the game.
Kim Mulkey, the head coach of the Baylor Bears is doing her best coaching ever with this team. Mulkey is a former national champion as a player and a coach. She is firey and in your face on the sideline, almost as if she is playing or is ready to come in off the bench. Mulkey's personality seems to fit her squad perfectly. They are young so they need someone to get their attention and sometimes that requires some yelling and screaming.
Anyway, I'm sorry to say that I've never watched a woman's NCAA game for more than 3 minutes. Until now that is. I watched most of the Tennessee game and most of the Duke game. The Baylor Bears play well together and Brittney Griner is worth the time to watch. She got my respect when standing up for herself and now she has my respect for being a great team player, helping Baylor advance to the Final Four. Bottom Line is Brittney Griner is much more than just a tough player and the Baylor Bears are no flash in the pan(Connecticut, watch that winning streak cuz it might end).
Even so, many people including myself thought that Griner was going to be suspended the rest of the year. She only got 2 games LOL!!! Hell I'm glad. She is the only reason I'd even watch a women's basketball game but thats beside the point.
The Baylor Bears are now the top story in the Women's Tourney due to their upset of #1 seed Pat Summit's Tennessee Volunteers and last night's victory over 2 seed Duke. The Bears, who are quite similar in age and experience to the men's Kentucky squad, are predominately freshman and sophomore's. Yet they have been behind quite late in these last two games and still managed to win. Tennessee was up by like 10 with 10 minutes left, then Baylor exploded and blew them out by 15. Against Duke, the Devils were up 4 with 2 minutes to go, then Baylor scores, steals an inbound pass, scores again and from there sunk all their free throws to win the game.
Kim Mulkey, the head coach of the Baylor Bears is doing her best coaching ever with this team. Mulkey is a former national champion as a player and a coach. She is firey and in your face on the sideline, almost as if she is playing or is ready to come in off the bench. Mulkey's personality seems to fit her squad perfectly. They are young so they need someone to get their attention and sometimes that requires some yelling and screaming.
Anyway, I'm sorry to say that I've never watched a woman's NCAA game for more than 3 minutes. Until now that is. I watched most of the Tennessee game and most of the Duke game. The Baylor Bears play well together and Brittney Griner is worth the time to watch. She got my respect when standing up for herself and now she has my respect for being a great team player, helping Baylor advance to the Final Four. Bottom Line is Brittney Griner is much more than just a tough player and the Baylor Bears are no flash in the pan(Connecticut, watch that winning streak cuz it might end).
Friday, March 26, 2010
Brett Myers, you won't be forgotten
Brett Myers started a spring training game against his former team the Phillies yesterday. Myers, now with the Astros, was a key player in the 2008 playoffs and eventual championship for the Phillies. Though Brett Myers' skills have declined over the years as well as his reputation, he will never be forgotten in the hearts and minds of Philadelphia fans.
Myers has always been a player who either did real well or really struggled. In his latter years with the Phils, he could never maintain a level of consistency which would allow him to solidify his role. This is what swayed Charlie Manuel to move Myers to the bullpen in 2007 when Billy Wagner got hurt. Myers always had the bulldog mentality and a style of pitching that led many to believe that closing could be his real calling, which I still believe to this day. (He shouldn't be starting, he should be a closer)
Myers spoke to the media and said that he did miss being around his former teammates and manager. Video foottage before Myers' start showed him mingling with the Phillies with everyone smiling and talking. You can tell they still love Brett, as do we the Phillies fans.
We will never forget Brett. We will always respect him and what he did for the Phils franchise. Some of the standout moments include the winning strikeout in 2007 when he wiffed the last batter of the regular season for the Phillies to clinch their first division title since '93. And of course the best moment, probably of Myers' entire career, the at bat against C.C. Sabathia in the 2008 division series against Milwaukee. The 10-pitch at bat where Brett Myers took the heart out of Sabathia and the Brewers altogether. Myers worked the count from 1-2 and then he fouled off about 5 or 6 pitches that electrified the Philadelphia crowd after each ball was hit. You could see the frustration on Sabathia's face and you could feel the heart of the Brewers dying as Myers worked the walk. No walk in Philadelphia Philly history, or possibly even Major League history, will ever match the magnitude of that walk. And no at-bat of a pitcher will ever electrify 50,000 fans the way that Brett Myers did that day. It was a perfect illustration of what kind of teammate Brett Myers was and is. Thank you Brett
Myers has always been a player who either did real well or really struggled. In his latter years with the Phils, he could never maintain a level of consistency which would allow him to solidify his role. This is what swayed Charlie Manuel to move Myers to the bullpen in 2007 when Billy Wagner got hurt. Myers always had the bulldog mentality and a style of pitching that led many to believe that closing could be his real calling, which I still believe to this day. (He shouldn't be starting, he should be a closer)
Myers spoke to the media and said that he did miss being around his former teammates and manager. Video foottage before Myers' start showed him mingling with the Phillies with everyone smiling and talking. You can tell they still love Brett, as do we the Phillies fans.
We will never forget Brett. We will always respect him and what he did for the Phils franchise. Some of the standout moments include the winning strikeout in 2007 when he wiffed the last batter of the regular season for the Phillies to clinch their first division title since '93. And of course the best moment, probably of Myers' entire career, the at bat against C.C. Sabathia in the 2008 division series against Milwaukee. The 10-pitch at bat where Brett Myers took the heart out of Sabathia and the Brewers altogether. Myers worked the count from 1-2 and then he fouled off about 5 or 6 pitches that electrified the Philadelphia crowd after each ball was hit. You could see the frustration on Sabathia's face and you could feel the heart of the Brewers dying as Myers worked the walk. No walk in Philadelphia Philly history, or possibly even Major League history, will ever match the magnitude of that walk. And no at-bat of a pitcher will ever electrify 50,000 fans the way that Brett Myers did that day. It was a perfect illustration of what kind of teammate Brett Myers was and is. Thank you Brett
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Intro to HITTERZ!!!!!!
HITTERZ is dedicated to everyone in sports and pop culture doing things BIG. I love Baseball so I might just write more about that then anything else. The Phillies are my team and Chase Utley YOU ARE THE MAN!!! We miss you Harry.
This blog will also cover the hot button issues of the day like Donovan McNabb. McNabb's legacy in Philadelphia should be that he was a great quarterback that never got his due, from his organization and his coach. The Eagles never surrounded McNabb, till now, with a quality receiving core. They had one solid running attack when it was Deuce, Buck and Westbrook and T.O. was the only quality receiver Donovan could throw to in 10 years till just this past year.
Andy Reid always backs up Donovan in the media, but never on the actual playing field. McNabb gets the blame from the Philly media, but the truth is that Reid is the one to blame for the failures in the playoffs. The Super Bowl against the Patriots was a classic Andy Reid game where Donovan had to do all the work. He threw the ball like 60 times in that game and almost had 400 yards passing. I think the Eagles ran the ball 12 times in that game and of course everyone remembers that final Eagles drive where they ran a 2 minute offense that was comparable to a Pee-Wee squad. Bottom Line is McNabb is a winner, but Reid is not. He is the most overrated coach in sports.
This blog will also cover the hot button issues of the day like Donovan McNabb. McNabb's legacy in Philadelphia should be that he was a great quarterback that never got his due, from his organization and his coach. The Eagles never surrounded McNabb, till now, with a quality receiving core. They had one solid running attack when it was Deuce, Buck and Westbrook and T.O. was the only quality receiver Donovan could throw to in 10 years till just this past year.
Andy Reid always backs up Donovan in the media, but never on the actual playing field. McNabb gets the blame from the Philly media, but the truth is that Reid is the one to blame for the failures in the playoffs. The Super Bowl against the Patriots was a classic Andy Reid game where Donovan had to do all the work. He threw the ball like 60 times in that game and almost had 400 yards passing. I think the Eagles ran the ball 12 times in that game and of course everyone remembers that final Eagles drive where they ran a 2 minute offense that was comparable to a Pee-Wee squad. Bottom Line is McNabb is a winner, but Reid is not. He is the most overrated coach in sports.
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