Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Diatribes, rants and random thoughts
Well, it appears we have the de rigueur excuse of the steroids era, and give Andy Pettitte credit for coming up with it. In a pathetic statement to the press—“If what I did was an error in judgment on my part, I apologize,” Pettitte said, ignoring the obvious fact that what he did WAS in fact an error in judgment, unless he meant that he planned on cheating all along—Pettitte said he used HGH to help recover from an injury but that he never used steroids.
Fernando Vina, who managed to be even more pathetic despite a fairly sympathetic interview on ESPN, which employs him, used the same excuse, though he became somewhat absent-minded when it came to all the checks he wrote to Radomski in the ensuing years. Gary Bennett, who I had no idea was still playing, used the excuse as well.
I think, at this point, I’m too jaded for all this, to the point where I’m no longer objective or fair. I have a hard time believing any of these guys because, frankly, they haven’t given me much reason to. When asked if he responded to George Mitchell, who apparently contacted Vina and his agent, Vina said he had heard something about Mitchell wanting to talk to him, but wanted to put it all behind him. My guess is that “something” was his agent saying, “Fernando, George Mitchell wants to talk to you.” He ignored this, borrowing a learned tool from the Mark McGwire School of Cowardice.
Nothing can change what’s been done. It’s nearly impossible to consider any baseball stat from 1995-2004 (give or take) to have much legitimacy. Roger Clemens’ name is all-but-erased from the argument of the best pitcher of all-time (because who knows how many Cy Youngs he deserved—by the way, why isn’t he talking?) and I will never consider Barry Bonds as the home run king.
Heroes and idols have become frauds in increasingly greater numbers. The more realistic approach is that everyone makes mistakes and no one likes owning up to those mistakes. I can understand that, so maybe I’m being unfair in asking for a little honesty at this point. Of course, maybe by now it’s too late anyway.
Other random thoughts from the weekend past:
-) The Pats will probably go 16-0, but it won’t be an easy road to the Super Bowl if they have to beat the Jaguars and Colts. That was an impressive win over the Steelers on Sunday. I think the Jags are right there with the Cowboys for the third-best team in the NFL.
-) The Jets are a mess. The O-line stinks despite drafting two linemen in the first round in 2006, they seem to lack a dynamic playmaker on offense (closest thing being Leon Washington), they have no deep threat at wideout and no clue who their QB is next week or next year. Oh, and they desperately need a pass rusher. I know teams can turn around quickly in the NFL, but I’m not encouraged.
-) It’s time to let Isaiah go. I guess he’s trying every motivational ploy by calling out his players, but he loses some right to bitch when he’s the one who assembled the team. Randolph and Curry clearly can’t play together, the starting 5 is all offense the three primary reserves mostly defense, which adds up to nothing good. This should have been done five years ago, but better late than never—tear down this team and start over. Perhaps by trading anyone on the roster for a point guard (perhaps T.J. Ford if Calderon is the guy in Toronto).
-) Great hire by Michigan. Rich Rodriguez is one of the best coaches in college football, an upgrade on Lloyd Carr and a better game coach than Les Miles. Michigan may have stumbled through this process pretty badly, but it (save the $4 mil they have to fork over in a buyout clause) came through as well as I could have possibly imagined.
-) Kudos to Budds on the below field hockey analogy. Apt and made me laugh out loud. Nice work!
Fernando Vina, who managed to be even more pathetic despite a fairly sympathetic interview on ESPN, which employs him, used the same excuse, though he became somewhat absent-minded when it came to all the checks he wrote to Radomski in the ensuing years. Gary Bennett, who I had no idea was still playing, used the excuse as well.
I think, at this point, I’m too jaded for all this, to the point where I’m no longer objective or fair. I have a hard time believing any of these guys because, frankly, they haven’t given me much reason to. When asked if he responded to George Mitchell, who apparently contacted Vina and his agent, Vina said he had heard something about Mitchell wanting to talk to him, but wanted to put it all behind him. My guess is that “something” was his agent saying, “Fernando, George Mitchell wants to talk to you.” He ignored this, borrowing a learned tool from the Mark McGwire School of Cowardice.
Nothing can change what’s been done. It’s nearly impossible to consider any baseball stat from 1995-2004 (give or take) to have much legitimacy. Roger Clemens’ name is all-but-erased from the argument of the best pitcher of all-time (because who knows how many Cy Youngs he deserved—by the way, why isn’t he talking?) and I will never consider Barry Bonds as the home run king.
Heroes and idols have become frauds in increasingly greater numbers. The more realistic approach is that everyone makes mistakes and no one likes owning up to those mistakes. I can understand that, so maybe I’m being unfair in asking for a little honesty at this point. Of course, maybe by now it’s too late anyway.
Other random thoughts from the weekend past:
-) The Pats will probably go 16-0, but it won’t be an easy road to the Super Bowl if they have to beat the Jaguars and Colts. That was an impressive win over the Steelers on Sunday. I think the Jags are right there with the Cowboys for the third-best team in the NFL.
-) The Jets are a mess. The O-line stinks despite drafting two linemen in the first round in 2006, they seem to lack a dynamic playmaker on offense (closest thing being Leon Washington), they have no deep threat at wideout and no clue who their QB is next week or next year. Oh, and they desperately need a pass rusher. I know teams can turn around quickly in the NFL, but I’m not encouraged.
-) It’s time to let Isaiah go. I guess he’s trying every motivational ploy by calling out his players, but he loses some right to bitch when he’s the one who assembled the team. Randolph and Curry clearly can’t play together, the starting 5 is all offense the three primary reserves mostly defense, which adds up to nothing good. This should have been done five years ago, but better late than never—tear down this team and start over. Perhaps by trading anyone on the roster for a point guard (perhaps T.J. Ford if Calderon is the guy in Toronto).
-) Great hire by Michigan. Rich Rodriguez is one of the best coaches in college football, an upgrade on Lloyd Carr and a better game coach than Les Miles. Michigan may have stumbled through this process pretty badly, but it (save the $4 mil they have to fork over in a buyout clause) came through as well as I could have possibly imagined.
-) Kudos to Budds on the below field hockey analogy. Apt and made me laugh out loud. Nice work!
# posted by EJ @ 2:19 PM 
Comments:
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1) The fallout to date seems to be that the Mitchell report is pretty much dead on. Despite the various excuses, most of the players seem to be confirming the main facts of his report. That is, of course, except for Clemens, who denied everything. Clemens said that he thinks he should get the benefit of the doubt due to his "25 years in public life." Is he confusing public "life" with public "service?" Has he been moonlighting for the Red Cross on the side? What in the last 25 years would make us more likely to give him the benefit of the doubt? I can't think of a single thing. Thank God this dildo never played for the Mets.
2) If, when you say "it's time to let Isaiah go," you mean "it has been time to let Isaiah go for the last 12 to 18 months," then I agree with you. He's simply a coach with no credibility. The Knicks are quite literally the laughingstock of the league.
3) I agree with your praise for Buddha. Nice use of Caitlin!
2) If, when you say "it's time to let Isaiah go," you mean "it has been time to let Isaiah go for the last 12 to 18 months," then I agree with you. He's simply a coach with no credibility. The Knicks are quite literally the laughingstock of the league.
3) I agree with your praise for Buddha. Nice use of Caitlin!
1) Yeah, that kills me with Clemens. You'd think he has a P.R. guy who would differentiate between life and service. In fact, based on TO's previous P.R. and a few others, there must be a dearth of good sports P.R. folks out there. Or perhaps there are plenty and they just don't want to work with assholes.
2) I actually thought the Knicks improved last year and was curious to see what Isiah would do with the disaster of a team he built. It goes without saying the dude should never have gotten the job in the first place (and by the job I mean any job with authority), but it's gone from bad to embarassing. Of course, for that reason, I wouldn't be too sad if he hangs around all season.
3) And yeah, Caitlin was a nice touch.
2) I actually thought the Knicks improved last year and was curious to see what Isiah would do with the disaster of a team he built. It goes without saying the dude should never have gotten the job in the first place (and by the job I mean any job with authority), but it's gone from bad to embarassing. Of course, for that reason, I wouldn't be too sad if he hangs around all season.
3) And yeah, Caitlin was a nice touch.
1) As bad as the Clemens stuff is, Pettitte bothers me almost as much. "If" what I did is an error in judgment? IF? Okay everyone, here's what happened. I took an illegal drug to enhance my performance, violating both the spirit and the rules of the game. If that's so wrong, then EXCUSE ME for not being PERFECT. Gosh. And we're supposed to just accept that Pettitte only used the stuff twice? I mean, on COPS, when they ask the swerving driver what he had to drink and he says two beers, do they say, oh, well, at least he's being straight with us -- go on home and get some rest?
2) Just a hunch, but I think the Dolans will keep Isiah around for the rest of the season just to inflict more pain and suffering on Knick fans. Then they'll give him some sort of phony promotion, hire a new crappy GM, another clueless coach, and trade away all draft picks through 2013.
3) Thanks.
2) Just a hunch, but I think the Dolans will keep Isiah around for the rest of the season just to inflict more pain and suffering on Knick fans. Then they'll give him some sort of phony promotion, hire a new crappy GM, another clueless coach, and trade away all draft picks through 2013.
3) Thanks.
That's exactly it -- now Brian Roberts is saying he used steroids once. I don't know a ton about roids, but I'm guessing you need to take a cycle of some kind to get any results. Like, say, when Roberts hit something like 10 homers in the first 20 games of 2005.
And Clemens denial just means he's getting hauled in front of Congress. Wonder if he'll ask for an interpreter?
And Clemens denial just means he's getting hauled in front of Congress. Wonder if he'll ask for an interpreter?
I agree that the "I only used them once" crowd is growing larger and less credible. However, for some reason when Wally Joyner says that he only used them once, I tend to believe him. Perhaps it was his three years of public life. It makes me give him the benefit of the doubt.
I suspect that the Dolans are going to stick with him too, in a show of stubbornness.
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I suspect that the Dolans are going to stick with him too, in a show of stubbornness.
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