Friday, December 31, 2004

2004

With 2005 just hours away, the sports world has witnessed another year nothing short of amazing. Some of the highlights...Boston winning its first World Series since 1918, with arguably the greatest comeback (and collapse Yankee fans) in sports history. The Olympics returned to its home in Athens and the Americans were dominant....basketball notwithstanding (embarassment)....The Patriots won another Superbowl and Tom Brady took home another Superbowl MVP...but no such Hollywood ending in LA. The soap opera that was Shaq and Kobe could not even bring home another title ...collapsing in front of the Pistons in the NBA championship and eventually going their seperate ways...Shaq to what looks to be a contender in the East in Miami and Kobe staying in LA with a team that could struggle to make the playoffs.....And just as one of baseball's best postseasons wrapped up the horizon looked bright for the MLB but then the dark cloud of Steroids reared its ugly head again. This time, one of baseball's most dominant player, Barry Bonds, caught in the middle. In what seems to be a pretty shady don't ask, don't tell agreement with his personal trainer, Bonds claimed he unknowingly used two steroids, the cream and the clear. His average, and discipline at the plate....unmatched....his home runs...questionable to say the least.....Lance Armstrong overcame a fall and won his 6th straight Tour de France...Right now it stands as one of the greatest stories and sports achievements/comebacks of all time ....amid rumors of doping and steroid use...but as for now Armstrong is clean, never tested positive, and stands as a Sports Hero...as he should unless proven otherwise....Phil Mickelson finally ousting his demon's and taking home his first green jacket and major which had always avoided him by the slightest of margins.... College Basketball...another heartstopping season...St. Joe's and Stanford both taking undefeated seasons to the end....but Stanford losing right before the postseason...and SJU losing in the A-10 tourney. SJU then making it to the Elite 8 in a run many found suprising before losing to Oklahoma State in a heartbreaker. And Okafor and Gordon leading UCONN to the NCAA title....The last quarter of '04 saw a record breaking quarterback in Indy, a rookie QB in the Steel city leading Pittsburg to the top of the
AFC, and TO helping the Eagles dominate a pathetic NFC reminiscent of the NBA East, before getting injured and making the road to the Superbowl tougher for the NFC championship-game-plagued Birds....The last few days have witnessed the passing of one of the greatest men to ever step onto a football field in Reggie White. On the field a feared defensive end...off the field a compassionate and loving family man and minister....And up to the ball drop there have continued to be sports moves with Randy Johnson days, maybe hours away from a possible trip to the Big Apple and a pinstriped Yankee uniform. Its been a roller coaster ride....Have a good new year and check back for the Orange Bowl report from the 50 yard line.

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Billy Beane is at it Again

Winter means another baseball offseason, and the general manager of the Oakland Athletics has wasted no time in making some big moves. Three days after breaking up Oakland's "Big Three" pitching staff, sending Tim Hudson to Atlanta, Beane dealt ace Mark Mulder to St. Louis. This leaves only Barry Zito in Oakland and for how long is anyone's guess. The A's got reliever Juan Cruz, outfielder Charles Thomas, and pitcher Dan Meyer from the Braves for Hudson. Not a bad deal, and with Oakland's small payroll it is likely they would not have competed for Hudson when he became a free agent after next season. Meyer is close to being major league ready, and will likely have spot in the rotation not too far into next season. Thomas is your typical Billy Beane player....not a big name player yet...played in slightly more than 80 games last year as a rookie...he hit .288 and had an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .813. He's quick, a great defensive player and will make a name for himself in Oakland. He still needs to become more disciplined at the plate...45 strikeouts to 21 walks, but doesn't appear to be a free-swinging Miguel Tejada type player - a good thing. Beane will be able to keep Thomas for a some time at a low cost and it would not be suprising to see Thomas start daily early in the season. Cruz gives the A's a solid middle reliever, he held a 2.75 ERA in 72.0 IP and will improve a bullpen that held an ERA right at 4.00 last season. But one could argue that all of these players are unproven especially when compared to Hudson, lifetime 92-39 3.30 ERA. Beane, however, has been manipulating the market for years, always signing unknown talented players who eventually blossom in the yellow and green. Mulder was traded to the Cardinals, also for no big name. The A's got pitchers Danny Haren and Kiko Calero and catcher Daric Barton for Mulder. WHO??? This is a guy who was the favorite to win the AL Cy Young going into August. But again, Mulder is not a guy the A's were going to be able to pay anymore. He's a career 81-42 with an ERA just under 4.00. With the 2 of the Big Three (possibly all 3) on the way out Anaheim will be next season's favorite in the AL West. The A's won 65% of the games Zito, Mulder, and Hudson pitched last season and make no mistake, their pitching will drop a few levels. But don't look for Oakland to drop off the charts in the next few years while they rebuild. Beane has done this before and to the shock and dismay of GM's around the league, it works. Granted, the A's stumble in the playoffs every year, but a few years back the team with the lowest payroll in the league was a spectacular Derek Jeter play away from beating the top in league's payroll....the Yankees....and Posada still hasn't tagged Giambi. Losing two of the top pitchers in the league...no question...but look for the other guys in these trades to show up in the next few years.

Monday, December 13, 2004

Recap week 14

0-4. all time 3-7-1. The Colts looked good early with Peyton throwing to quick TD's but credit the Texan defense for stepping up and making a game of it. The Eagles, struggled but pulled out a close one thanks in part to a Brian Dawkins INT in the endzone with less than 2 minutes left. With Patrick Ramsey at quarterback, really, what do Washington expect? The Jets kept it close at the half but Pittsburgh emerged in the 2nd half to continue powering their way to 12-1. Neither quarterback had a game to brag about. And the Bengals stuck with the Pats but came up a TD short in Foxboro.

Sunday, December 05, 2004

Recap Week 13

Ok I've had better weeks, but not a complete disaster ...3-4-1. But when I was wrong, man was I off. First the Ugly....The Falcons performance sure makes it tough for anyone believe they will be a threat in the playoffs....Mike Vick 4 turnovers and a big fat goose egg. The Texans looked good at the half but thats why they play two...getting smoked in the 2nd by the Jets. The Pats I believe I said "hardly ever blow anyone out..." well leave it to them to put up 42 against the Browns, I sit humbly corrected. And the Giants just keep falling, not even giving a game to the Redskins. Now the good....Eagles never a doubt smokin the Packers...with MacKenzie gone, and he's been gone for a while, the GB secondary is hurtin against any team that has a deep threat like TO.....Al Harris? Please that bum was good for a 15 yd PI call and awful coverage every game when he was on the Eagles. The Broncos pushed losing by 3 to the Chargers...Was that not one of the dumbest play calls on the last play of the game? If you're gona run a square out on 4th and 10 and no timeouts make sure u break at the first down marker so when u have a chance to get out of bounds you are able to and have the first down. The Bengals pulled one out against the Ravens 27-26. I was surprised to see them win but not surprised that it was as close as it was. And the Bills yes they covered the spread despite the Dolphin offense showing up for the first half. Buffalo continued its long shot push at a playoff spot which they more than likely will have to win out to get...... So more or less a so-so week. More picks next week.

Saturday, December 04, 2004

Aspan's NFL picks 12/5

Aight here we go with the first week of NFL picks....I'm on a roll the last two weeks so I'm due for a big fall but here it goes....

Eagles -6.5 Over Packers
4th and 26 nuff said

Broncos +3 Over Chargers
Chargers are hot but Denver is gonna rebound from the snow bowl debacle and make its push for a playoff spot

Giants +2.5 Over Redskins
The formerly second best NFC team will pull this one out but neither of these teams will make the playoffs

Falcons +1 Over Bucs
Why exactly are the Falcons an underdog?

Bills -4 over Dolphins
I liked it better when they were -3, but lets face it, the Dolphins don't have an offense and the Bills record doesn't do them justice. They'd be the second best team in the NFC.

Ok I really was gonna stop at 5 but there are a few i just can't let go.

Browns +11.5 Over Pats
The Pats hardly ever blow teams out, they just always find a way to win. And its in Cleveland

Bengals +7 Over Ravens
With Jamal Lewis out, I don't see the Ravens winning by more than a TD

Texans +7 over Jets
Penningtons first game back. The Jets will win but the Texans proved last week they can hang even when they're down big early.

Friday, December 03, 2004

Say it ain't so Barry

San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds reportedly told a grand jury that he unknowingly used steroids provided to him by his trainer Greg Anderson. The two steroids Bonds admitted to using were "the cream" and "the clear." Bonds said he trusted Anderson and therefore didn't question him when he provided the substances to him. Last night's revelation came not so much as a shock but more of a disappointment. It was easy to believe Bonds had used steroids...look at a picture of him from his early days on the Pittsburgh Pirates and look at him now. But despite these tell-tale signs, I had Barry's back. Why? Because he had never been injured. Look at the guys who have admitted to taking steroids or human growth hormones. Mark McGwire - chronic back problems, Ken Caminiti - injury plagued seasons following his MVP campaign in 1996, Jose Canseco- like anyone didn't know this guy was juiced...but again an injury plagued career. Bonds has remained healthy the last few years, fooling everyone. Now that its clear that he took steroids, its hard to validate anything he has accomplished. Do steroids enhance the extreme coordination that is necessary to be a good hitter? Absolutely not. But as far as home runs are concerned...the validity of his 73 season and his ongoing chase of Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron have to be brought into question. Steroids DO enhance strength and so while there is no doubt that over the years Bonds has developed into one of the best pure hitters of all time ( in terms of average etc...it is almost impossible to get this guy out and steroids don't help you to become the disciplined hitter that Bonds is) his home runs ARE aided by his steroid use. And it is fully Bonds' fault for not questioning the substances Anderson was providing to him. The way he has described the relationship appears to be a pretty shady don't ask, don't tell. As for comparing Bonds' tainting of the game to others such as Pete Rose they are not even in the same category, but for different reasons than ESPN's Tim Kurkijan will tell you. Kurkijan says Bonds' use of steroids doesn't even come close to the tainting of baseball as Rose's betting on baseball does. I fully disagree. Rose bet on baseball but he never bet against his own team. Dispicable yes...enough to keep possibly the greatest hitter of all time out of the Hall of fame...no way. If Rose is out, and Shoeless Joe Jackson is out, Bonds has no place in the Hall. Jackson took money from bookies during the 1919 "Black Sox" World Series but posted the best average in the series. Jackson's transgression, while not condoning it, did not affect his play in the series. Bonds' actions directly affected his production as far as home runs are concerned. If Rose and Jackson are out Bonds is out.