Friday, December 28, 2007

Magical Land of New England....... For Now

You have to give it up to New England. When has there ever been a city where EVERY single sports team has been so good? Never might cover that answer. Everything seems set up for perhaps the best year for a single city in the history of history. The Celtics are 24-3, the pats are undefeated, and both are challenging for the best single season ever had in terms of victories and other stats by any team. O, before we forget those Red Sox happen to be the World Series Champs. What could go wrong?



The first sign came with Boston College. BC was undefeated poised to be in the BCS championship game, even if they lost one of their final five games. They possessed an extremely good QB, perhaps the best seen in Boston College sports since some guy named Doug Flutie. But alas, BC fell, and fell hard. 2-3 hard. A record thats is unacceptable in any conference, even the SEC or PAC-10, let alone in the Big East. Now they are playing in a bowl, but a meganingless bowl, played even before the New Year has passed.



Now let us look at the remaining teams, with the patriots up first since their season is closer to finishing. True, their 15-0 season has been historic, and they have areally good shot at being the first team in the history of the NFL to go 16-0. Granted they have a all-world Q in Tom Brady and a WR core that is probably the best ever assembeled. But there is indeed a blueprinted, revealed by Jimmie Johnson, that shows potential. The Ravens, the same team that gave the Dolphins their first win, came eve so close to defeating the Patriots. How did tehy do it? Pressure on Tom Brady and iwth a solid running game. the Jags and the Colts both possess the ability to duplicate that style and thus have the potential to defeat the pats. They are both physical in the front [Especially now with the lack of the more finesse but al-world DE Dwight Freeney] and quick and physical in the Secondary. They have the ability to shut down the run and to keep up with Randy Moss and the rest of the wide reievers. Yes, the Colts did defeat to the Patriots, but who wouldnt with Ryan Morehead as their second WR. Even if Marvin Harrison is not fully healed and fully himself, the development to Anthony Gonzalez should be more than enough to supply Peyton Manning with a solid target on top of the Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne. As for the Jags, they possess a QB that makes LESS mistakes than Brady, and the best running tandem in the NFL. With the older front seven of the pats, their running game night indeed end up being the Kryptonite to the Pats. So dont make plans for the Super Bowl parade yet New England. I doubt that would be wise.



Next, let us examine the Boston Celtics. They have the best trio in the NBA today with one of the most versatile playes in KG, one of the better scorers in Paul Pierce as well as perhaps the best pure shooter in Ray Allen. They have a great offense yet also possess an incedibly good defense and have an amazing muti digit point differential. But they have yet to beat a healthy San Antonio Spurs or their own nemesis in the weakly east (Where Atlanta is in the fourth Seed), The Detroit Pistons. I doubt that unless the Pistons collapse again, as they did to LeBron last year, taht Boston would even make it to play for the NBA Championship let alone win it. Now assuming that they make it such point, there existsno guarentee that they can defeat the team coming out of the west. San Antonio looks like a better version of Detroit, with more shooters and possesses the defensive prowess to slow the Big 3 and make Paul Pierce go into the Simmons defined Hero Complex thus causing all kinds of problems for Boston. Another team, that can defeat the Celts in the rejuvinated Lakers, especially with the gargantuan improvement with Andrew Bynum. Sunday marks a big mathc between these two long time rivals and may be a guage for how things may transpire.



But for now, I wouldnt buy copious amounts of Champagne if I were one of the Boston teams.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

NBA part 1: The Good

Now that I have finished my freshman post, lets move on to a new topic in a new sport.

The Good


Portland Trailblazers

What has happened in portland is nothing short of a culmination of exceptional coaching and hard work by the players themselves. Remember when everyone was verating Nate McMillian on walking on his franchise, the Sonics to coach the then Jailblazers? Just a couple of years later, he looks like the coach of the year. Their winnings treak has been impressive to say the least. Brilliant play from all players, especially Brandon Roy, looking like a poor man's Kobe at this point, has helped. But ultimately the recognition has to be given to the staff for turning around what looking like another trip to New Yotk for the lottery.

Atlanta Hawks

With the magical ride happening to the trail blazers, Atlanta is perhaps the most overlooked team in the NBA. Atlanta has been a surprise, with the play of Marvin Williams being a pleasant surprise. I doubt fans will forget that the Hawks passed on Deron Williams and CP3, but atm, thing do not look too ad for the Hawks. They are fourth, yes FOURTH, in the east, albeit a weak conference, while boasting a respectable 15-12 mark. This team may not make the news considering what is happening in Portland, but they deserve their recognition. Mike Woodson and his staff have to be in the COY running. Again, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are possible all stars taht wont get the cal due to them playing for the Hawks, but they too deserve recognition. I for one intent to give them their recognition.

Los Angeles Lakers

A dynamic young player coupled with an established great veteran. Ring a bell? While this version of Superman and Robin may have the big man as Robin, the story is looking promising in Los Angeles. Andrew Bynum is playing like a young Shaq, terrorizing the interior with his ability to finish with punishing strength while boasting the ever important length. As Bynum develops more post moves and utilizes them more he'll probably be the best center in the west. O before I forget Kobe is playing great basketball,and is actually trusting his teammates. The lakers are perhaps the most dangerous team in the west atm, and if the bench plays as well as they've been playing, we could see a rematch of some classic 80's matchups in the final.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

A Useless "Truth": Mitchell Report, Thoughts and Comments

Now that the Mitchell report is out, as expected, there will be repercussions to the names of many of the athletes mentioned. While the accusations are bad, especially in their implications as a model, to what extend is punishment necessary? Why should one just give Major League Baseball a pass for just arbitrarily deciding to now drill back to the past, and punish for previous deeds, when their policy has been they want to move on. Honestly, it seems clear what the motivation for MLB is in this situation. They want to look like the ones that have been trying as they can to stop the epidemic while those nasty players and their union do not want to stop it. Please. Where was drug testing during this so called era? Lets examine a statement made by the commissioner Selig during the era. “If baseball has a problem, I must say candidly that we were not aware of it." So Why did it take the commisioner a full eight years before he accepted steriod use?

Money


Yes, that one inevitable reason, the so called root of evil is probably the reason behind the mess. I do not believe the executives cared much about the situation as long as they were getting their yearly dose of revenue increase. And viola it worked. Billions poured in. The stain of a strike was forgotten by the new popularized long ball. Commercials popularized the notion. McGuire and Sosa were heroes, albeit with McGuire getting more endorsements from what can possible be seen as a racial issue inherently present within the fabric of the games, but alas, that is for another post. Reports of Andro being found in a certain Cardinal slugger's locker were dismissed. No one seemed to care. The best result possible for MLB.

However, good things do not last for ever. Baseball learned this the hard way with controversy caused by players such as Jose Canseco This prompter that infamous day at capital hill, where people didnt want to talk about the past, didnt speak English, and absolutely under no circumstances did steroids. The later became a instant hero, first ballot hall fame worth. Just one problem. Just six weeks later, he was positive. On another unrelated note, why they didnt go after Rafael Palmero yet they went so vigorously after Barry Bonds has always been a mystery to me. Racial Implications anyone? Or, record implications? Or a combination of both? So now baseball has to have a steroids policy and they do. Yet further outrage, constant, combined inevitably with one Barry Bonds, precipitated, what brings us here today; the Mitchell investigation.

There are several problems I have with this report. First, to base things on hearsay to tarnish the name of someone is ridiculous. Any lawyer, or those that watch court shows, knows hearsay is a reasonable base for an objection that is likely sure to be sustained. If ESPN reporters can figure this out, imagine the ammunition this gives for the always strong lawyers of the player's union. Furtehrmore, are we not in America, innocent till proven guilty. Proven. Hearsay is not proof, just a statement. The use of such low item simply to get names is disgusting, appalling. Finally, one can question the motives of the attendants and trainers that were the base of this report. They are probably facing long long sentences and would probably like those sentences to be shorter or even non existent. Does it not look like a good offer to fabricate some things?

I for one am skeptical of the effects of this investigation. How will this do any good for baseball? How is this any better than simply creating a portrait of this as the steroid era but allow all the records and monuments done within the frame. Why penalize people for doing something that was not even in the rules? I for one would vote for Barry Bonds for the Hall of Fame. Who knows how many pitchers were using steroids. Every era has something that goes along with it, and for our era it happens to be steroids. Lets just allow and accept what has occurred and move on. I do propose a synopsis of this era being presented but an asterisk is not proper. What precedent shall this set? Its time to forgive and forget and move on.