Wednesday, January 30, 2008
YEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This past fall, down in Spring Training, we decided to head out to a game between the Mets and Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla., which featured Albert Pujols and a bunch of players I’ve never heard of (Endy Chavez was the best Met who made the trip). As we were sitting there in the very hot sun on some very hard bleachers, a Met pitcher starting warming up. About that time Esau turned to me and goes, “Who the hell is Mulvey?”
Well, apparently Mulvey is what it takes to land the best pitcher in baseball. I never thought the Mets would get Santana. I figured the Twins would bite on Phil Hughes and Cabrera from the Yankees, or some package built around Ellsbury from the Red Sox.
This is a great trade for the Mets. Carlos Gomez is absurdly fast but I thought he was a little over-matched last year and I’m not convinced he’ll ever be the five-tool player he’s being billed as. I think he’s going to be a very, very good major leaguer, but you have to give guys like that up to get a pitcher like Santana. As for the arms the Mets surrendered, I don’t see Humber or Mulvey being more than a No. 3 starter. The wild card is Guerra, who apparently has a huge upside. But he’s also a Single-A player. You never know how those guys are going to pan out.
The Mets gave up a good deal—their Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 7 prospects according to Baseball America—and if all four of the prospects hit their ceilings, it’s a great trade for the Twins. But Santana is not yet 29, with smooth mechanics that don’t indicate he’ll break down any time soon, and he’s the best pitcher in baseball. This was a no-brainer (plus the Mets kept their top prospect, Fernando Martinez). What was a mediocre rotation is now one of the better ones in the National League. As a 1-2-3, Pedro, John Maine and Oliver Perez may not look like much, but as a 2-3-4 they’re pretty good. Plus, El Duque takes over as the fifth starter and the Mets still have Mike Pelfrey to step in when Pedro and Duque get hurt (and they will, just hopefully not at the same time).
The Mets still have holes, but they now have to be the favorite in the NL. And with 20-something players in Beltran, Wright, Reyes, Santana, Maine and Perez, there is an excellent foundation for the future.
Well, apparently Mulvey is what it takes to land the best pitcher in baseball. I never thought the Mets would get Santana. I figured the Twins would bite on Phil Hughes and Cabrera from the Yankees, or some package built around Ellsbury from the Red Sox.
This is a great trade for the Mets. Carlos Gomez is absurdly fast but I thought he was a little over-matched last year and I’m not convinced he’ll ever be the five-tool player he’s being billed as. I think he’s going to be a very, very good major leaguer, but you have to give guys like that up to get a pitcher like Santana. As for the arms the Mets surrendered, I don’t see Humber or Mulvey being more than a No. 3 starter. The wild card is Guerra, who apparently has a huge upside. But he’s also a Single-A player. You never know how those guys are going to pan out.
The Mets gave up a good deal—their Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 7 prospects according to Baseball America—and if all four of the prospects hit their ceilings, it’s a great trade for the Twins. But Santana is not yet 29, with smooth mechanics that don’t indicate he’ll break down any time soon, and he’s the best pitcher in baseball. This was a no-brainer (plus the Mets kept their top prospect, Fernando Martinez). What was a mediocre rotation is now one of the better ones in the National League. As a 1-2-3, Pedro, John Maine and Oliver Perez may not look like much, but as a 2-3-4 they’re pretty good. Plus, El Duque takes over as the fifth starter and the Mets still have Mike Pelfrey to step in when Pedro and Duque get hurt (and they will, just hopefully not at the same time).
The Mets still have holes, but they now have to be the favorite in the NL. And with 20-something players in Beltran, Wright, Reyes, Santana, Maine and Perez, there is an excellent foundation for the future.
Monday, January 28, 2008
It All Comes Down to This
The football pool, started long ago in August 2007, is in its final throes and here's what we have:
Pick a Winner (10 points): N.Y. Giants vs. N.E. Patriots in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Against the Spread (5 points): The Pats are favored by 12.
Over/Under (5 points): 54
Now, to keep everyone honest, we're going to have the four still in contention for the title send their picks to an impartial observer (in this case, Big Thunder). Those four are Budds, myself, Joe and Maxipriest. Everyone else can also send their picks to Big Thunder if they wish, or can simply post them here. And hey, since it's a free country and it's an egalitarian blog, the top 4 can also post here if they so choose.
Pick a Winner (10 points): N.Y. Giants vs. N.E. Patriots in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Against the Spread (5 points): The Pats are favored by 12.
Over/Under (5 points): 54
Now, to keep everyone honest, we're going to have the four still in contention for the title send their picks to an impartial observer (in this case, Big Thunder). Those four are Budds, myself, Joe and Maxipriest. Everyone else can also send their picks to Big Thunder if they wish, or can simply post them here. And hey, since it's a free country and it's an egalitarian blog, the top 4 can also post here if they so choose.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Scene Four: The Investigation
This scene is the work of Big Thunder, and it's inspired by Phantom of the Opera. Also coming soon: Scene Three: The Confrontation, which finds our hero (or antihero) in a standoff with Mike Piazza.
Scene Four
[Flash forward to 2007. The investigator, George MITCHELL, wearing a mask covering half his face, lurks in the background of the Yankee clubhouse while MCNAMEE and ROGER are sitting on stools in the foreground]
MITCHELL: Needles, sharpened,
Injected in the buttocks
Can’t help pitchers
What a bunch of bollocks
Suddenly Tejada is hitting it much hard-a...
Slowly, gently,
Mac unfurled his products
Roger eyed them,
They would go in his butt
Turn away your face
Get a grip of your shoelaces
You alone can pitch till forty-five...
And win the Cy Young for a seventh time.
MCNAMEE: [while injecting ROGER's butt]
Close your eyes and surrender to the strongest juice,
Purge your thoughts of the hack you were before,
Just beware that your ass might get quite sore!
And you'll be the douche of baseball lore...
MITCHELL: Pettite, Knobloch,
Sheffield and Giambi,
Justice, Clemens
Who did they play for? See?
Clearly the Bronx Bombers
Cheat worse than Lance Armstrong
Its time to report to the Commish
The New York Yankees should be abolished!
[MITCHELL creeps offstage, jotting his observations on a notepad, eyes darting from side to side]
Scene Four
[Flash forward to 2007. The investigator, George MITCHELL, wearing a mask covering half his face, lurks in the background of the Yankee clubhouse while MCNAMEE and ROGER are sitting on stools in the foreground]
MITCHELL: Needles, sharpened,
Injected in the buttocks
Can’t help pitchers
What a bunch of bollocks
Suddenly Tejada is hitting it much hard-a...
Slowly, gently,
Mac unfurled his products
Roger eyed them,
They would go in his butt
Turn away your face
Get a grip of your shoelaces
You alone can pitch till forty-five...
And win the Cy Young for a seventh time.
MCNAMEE: [while injecting ROGER's butt]
Close your eyes and surrender to the strongest juice,
Purge your thoughts of the hack you were before,
Just beware that your ass might get quite sore!
And you'll be the douche of baseball lore...
MITCHELL: Pettite, Knobloch,
Sheffield and Giambi,
Justice, Clemens
Who did they play for? See?
Clearly the Bronx Bombers
Cheat worse than Lance Armstrong
Its time to report to the Commish
The New York Yankees should be abolished!
[MITCHELL creeps offstage, jotting his observations on a notepad, eyes darting from side to side]
Labels: Roger Clemens Musical
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Scene Two: The Injection
On Sportsmeat, as in movies, sequels rarely live up to expectations (see "Randy Wolf vs. Beowulf," the follow-up to my "Gil Meche vs. Gilgamesh" post). But with "Butt Shots," I think the story must go on. I can't just tease with an opening scene and then let it drop. So love it or hate it, the Broadway musical about Roger Clemens' alleged steroid use continues. Again, feedback is appreciated. For instance, does anyone know if "tookis" is the correct spelling? Grammar majors?
[The following day, ROGER sits in front of his locker as his teammates leave for batting practice. MCNAMEE stays behind.]
ROGER: (spoken) I've been thinking about what you said, you know, about the "mojo"---
MCNAMEE: (spoken) And?
ROGER: And I want to give it a ... SHOT! [jumps up from his chair, syringe in hand]
MCNAMEE: (spoken) I knew I could count on you. OK, OK, what's the plan? You wanna start right away?
ROGER: I'll start off with a double shot,
Or triple! What's the harm?
Now let me roll my sleeve up,
Then stick it in my arm!
MCNAMEE: [pauses, moves towards ROGER's left]
I think you are mistaken,
On where the needle goes---
ROGER: I pitch with my right arm,
As everybody knows...
MCNAMEE: We can't have needle markings,
Showing up on TV,
So we'll do the injection,
Where cameras cannot see.
ROGER: (spoken) Can't see? What do you mean?
[start dance routine]
MCNAMEE: The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
I promise you'll win 20 games
Now that you're on the juice.
ROGER: The tookis? The buttocks?
The rumpus or the rear?
It only takes a second?
It's nothing I should fear?
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
the gleuts or the caboose?
This sounds a little gay,
Not sure I want the juice--
MCNAMEE: Forget your rabbit's foot,
Or your four-leaf clover,
Stop being such a wuss,
And just be-nnnd over!
[ROGER winces and sticks out his butt; MACNAMEE injects; Fireworks go off, and ROGER stands and flexes with newfound strength]
[Enter chorus of TEAMMATES, dancing with bats, ala Danny Kaye with cane]
TEAMMATES: The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
We're going to the World Series,
now that you're on the juice.
MUSCULAR, POWER-HITTING TEAMMATE: [deep baritone]
The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
I was a middle infielder
before I found the juice.
TEAMMATES: The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
We're in the clear, so have no fear,
they don't test for the juice.
ROGER: The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
I'll play another 20 yearrrrrrrs,
now that I've found the juice!
[ROGER, MACNAMEE, and TEAMMATES enthusiastically run out of the clubhouse]
[The following day, ROGER sits in front of his locker as his teammates leave for batting practice. MCNAMEE stays behind.]
ROGER: (spoken) I've been thinking about what you said, you know, about the "mojo"---
MCNAMEE: (spoken) And?
ROGER: And I want to give it a ... SHOT! [jumps up from his chair, syringe in hand]
MCNAMEE: (spoken) I knew I could count on you. OK, OK, what's the plan? You wanna start right away?
ROGER: I'll start off with a double shot,
Or triple! What's the harm?
Now let me roll my sleeve up,
Then stick it in my arm!
MCNAMEE: [pauses, moves towards ROGER's left]
I think you are mistaken,
On where the needle goes---
ROGER: I pitch with my right arm,
As everybody knows...
MCNAMEE: We can't have needle markings,
Showing up on TV,
So we'll do the injection,
Where cameras cannot see.
ROGER: (spoken) Can't see? What do you mean?
[start dance routine]
MCNAMEE: The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
I promise you'll win 20 games
Now that you're on the juice.
ROGER: The tookis? The buttocks?
The rumpus or the rear?
It only takes a second?
It's nothing I should fear?
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
the gleuts or the caboose?
This sounds a little gay,
Not sure I want the juice--
MCNAMEE: Forget your rabbit's foot,
Or your four-leaf clover,
Stop being such a wuss,
And just be-nnnd over!
[ROGER winces and sticks out his butt; MACNAMEE injects; Fireworks go off, and ROGER stands and flexes with newfound strength]
[Enter chorus of TEAMMATES, dancing with bats, ala Danny Kaye with cane]
TEAMMATES: The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
We're going to the World Series,
now that you're on the juice.
MUSCULAR, POWER-HITTING TEAMMATE: [deep baritone]
The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
I was a middle infielder
before I found the juice.
TEAMMATES: The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
We're in the clear, so have no fear,
they don't test for the juice.
ROGER: The tookis, the buttocks,
The rumpus or the rear,
It only takes a second,
It's nothing you should fear.
The butt-the-bum-the-bottom,
The gleuts or the caboose,
I'll play another 20 yearrrrrrrs,
now that I've found the juice!
[ROGER, MACNAMEE, and TEAMMATES enthusiastically run out of the clubhouse]
Labels: Roger Clemens Musical
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Down the Stretch They Come
Many strategies were tried. Budds, Snoop and myself took the safe route and picked the favorites, while Big Thunder and Maxipriest took the risky route and took the underdogs. The result was a 1-1 week for all five, opening the door for Dave Law and Joe, who posted 2-0 weeks to make strides with one week left in the season.
As to the Super Bowl, we'll open it up for 20 points - 10 to pick the winner, 5 for the spread and 5 on the over/under. Sticking with our recent political vibe, that leaves four people still in the running, with Maxipriest playing the Dennis Kucinich part with a major long-shot to overtake the three in front of him. Budds being the incumbent winner earns the Hillary Clinton nod, whereas I represent a change in possible champion (Barack Obama), while Joe is still in the running but needs help (John Edwards). Is this fair? No, but I didn't want to be Hillary so I stuck Budds with it.
Below are the updated standings:
EJ - 207 points (5 this past weekend)
Budds - 205 (5)
Joe - 201 (10)
Maxipriest - 187 (5)
Dave Law - 126.5 (10)
Big Thunder - 122 (5)
Snoop - 111 (5)
Y.A. Shoes - 35 (0)
As to the Super Bowl, we'll open it up for 20 points - 10 to pick the winner, 5 for the spread and 5 on the over/under. Sticking with our recent political vibe, that leaves four people still in the running, with Maxipriest playing the Dennis Kucinich part with a major long-shot to overtake the three in front of him. Budds being the incumbent winner earns the Hillary Clinton nod, whereas I represent a change in possible champion (Barack Obama), while Joe is still in the running but needs help (John Edwards). Is this fair? No, but I didn't want to be Hillary so I stuck Budds with it.
Below are the updated standings:
EJ - 207 points (5 this past weekend)
Budds - 205 (5)
Joe - 201 (10)
Maxipriest - 187 (5)
Dave Law - 126.5 (10)
Big Thunder - 122 (5)
Snoop - 111 (5)
Y.A. Shoes - 35 (0)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Scene One: The Temptation
I was kicking this idea around while painting last weekend and looking at the ads for Broadway shows on my newsprint dropcloth. So here goes nothing -- Part one of a new Sportsmeat poetry corner feature: Excerpts from "Butt Shots," the new Broadway musical about Roger Clemens' alleged steroid use. Co-writers and editors welcome.
Opening scene
[ROGER is tossing and turning in bed alone. He sits up and stares out the window at the night sky…]
ROGER: They say that every star,
Eventually must dim,
And the star cannot protest,
When it’s happening to him.
Yes, I used to be a hero,
Fanned twenty in a game.
Now I’m wallowing in Canada,
Where they barely know my name.
Oh sure, I’m still an ace,
But an aging one at that.
A has-been who can’t quite come through,
A Casey at the bat.
I need a dose of mojo,
I need, I need it pronto,
Until then I will forever beeeeeeee…
… Sleepless in Toronto.
[Enter MCNAMEE, in corner of stage, lit with red spotlight]
MCNAMEE: (spoken) Maybe I can help.
ROGER: (spoken) Mac? What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?
MCNAMEE: I was locking up the gym,
And heard your sad melody,
So I came up to deliver
A most useful remedy… [pulls out syringe]
ROGER: (spoken) Steroids? You’re not serious…
MCNAMEE: Do you think I would be joking,
With a needle in my pocket?
If you want, we’ll call it “mojo,”
Designed to fuel a Rocket.
ROGER: But won’t it shrink my peanuts,
Or make my head look fat---
MCNAMEE: No, no, don’t even worry,
There’s another pill for that.
ROGER: But does it work for pitchers?
Or just for home-run sluggers?
MCNAMEE: Why don’t you ask your teammates?
Half of them now are druggers.
ROGER: What would the children think?
My hometown cheering section?
Nolan Ryan just used Advil,
Never needed an injection---
MCNAMEE: This is just one man’s opinion
You can call my morals loose,
But if Cy Young would have had the chance,
He would have tried the juice.
[ROGER grabs the syringe, holds it up in the moonlight, and ponders the decision before him. Fade to darkness.]
Opening scene
[ROGER is tossing and turning in bed alone. He sits up and stares out the window at the night sky…]
ROGER: They say that every star,
Eventually must dim,
And the star cannot protest,
When it’s happening to him.
Yes, I used to be a hero,
Fanned twenty in a game.
Now I’m wallowing in Canada,
Where they barely know my name.
Oh sure, I’m still an ace,
But an aging one at that.
A has-been who can’t quite come through,
A Casey at the bat.
I need a dose of mojo,
I need, I need it pronto,
Until then I will forever beeeeeeee…
… Sleepless in Toronto.
[Enter MCNAMEE, in corner of stage, lit with red spotlight]
MCNAMEE: (spoken) Maybe I can help.
ROGER: (spoken) Mac? What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?
MCNAMEE: I was locking up the gym,
And heard your sad melody,
So I came up to deliver
A most useful remedy… [pulls out syringe]
ROGER: (spoken) Steroids? You’re not serious…
MCNAMEE: Do you think I would be joking,
With a needle in my pocket?
If you want, we’ll call it “mojo,”
Designed to fuel a Rocket.
ROGER: But won’t it shrink my peanuts,
Or make my head look fat---
MCNAMEE: No, no, don’t even worry,
There’s another pill for that.
ROGER: But does it work for pitchers?
Or just for home-run sluggers?
MCNAMEE: Why don’t you ask your teammates?
Half of them now are druggers.
ROGER: What would the children think?
My hometown cheering section?
Nolan Ryan just used Advil,
Never needed an injection---
MCNAMEE: This is just one man’s opinion
You can call my morals loose,
But if Cy Young would have had the chance,
He would have tried the juice.
[ROGER grabs the syringe, holds it up in the moonlight, and ponders the decision before him. Fade to darkness.]
Labels: Roger Clemens Musical
Friday, January 18, 2008
That's the ticket
I heard a recent story on the radio debating the merits of “political futures” markets as a predictor of this year’s presidential primaries. The idea is that while polls measure the past, futures markets gauge the future. But the futures markets have been a pretty cloudy crystal ball, as the Marketplace story explained:
During the primaries this year, the markets seem to be more reactive than prophetic. So maybe futures are not so good for betting politics. But what about sports?
Ticket futures provide a pretty accurate reflection of the conventional wisdom of fans. At Yoonew.com, which sells futures contracts on Super Bowl tickets, the price differences heading into this week’s championship games are stark. The asking price for a New England contract for a top-notch Super Bowl seat (lower level, between the 30-yard-lines) is about $6,500 as I write this. Asking price for the same seat for San Diego is just over $1,000. In the NFC, top-notch Green Bay contracts are available for $5,100, roughly twice the price of a Giants contract. The cheapest (and riskiest) way to get that primo seat for the Super Bowl is to bet on the two underdogs on a joint New York-San Diego contract. Price tag: $361.
So that's the conventional wisdom. But is it predictive? Like the oddsmakers, ticket speculators had the Colts as a heavy favorite last weekend. On the other hand, the gap between the Giants and Cowboys was not as wide as one might have guessed (I can't access the exact figure on the yoonew site, but I think the Cowboys price was a little less than double the Giants. And I don't think that's a New York bias shining through -- if any team would be likely to have a price inflated by its broad fan base, it would be Dallas.)
Anyway, for the gamblers and economists in 'Meat nation, this may warrant more investigation. At the very least, it's something to think about on a Friday afternoon.
"On Election Day in 2004 the Iowa Electronic Market priced John Kerry as the likely winner. On Election Day in 2006 Intrade put an 85 percent probability on the Republicans holding the Senate."
During the primaries this year, the markets seem to be more reactive than prophetic. So maybe futures are not so good for betting politics. But what about sports?
Ticket futures provide a pretty accurate reflection of the conventional wisdom of fans. At Yoonew.com, which sells futures contracts on Super Bowl tickets, the price differences heading into this week’s championship games are stark. The asking price for a New England contract for a top-notch Super Bowl seat (lower level, between the 30-yard-lines) is about $6,500 as I write this. Asking price for the same seat for San Diego is just over $1,000. In the NFC, top-notch Green Bay contracts are available for $5,100, roughly twice the price of a Giants contract. The cheapest (and riskiest) way to get that primo seat for the Super Bowl is to bet on the two underdogs on a joint New York-San Diego contract. Price tag: $361.
So that's the conventional wisdom. But is it predictive? Like the oddsmakers, ticket speculators had the Colts as a heavy favorite last weekend. On the other hand, the gap between the Giants and Cowboys was not as wide as one might have guessed (I can't access the exact figure on the yoonew site, but I think the Cowboys price was a little less than double the Giants. And I don't think that's a New York bias shining through -- if any team would be likely to have a price inflated by its broad fan base, it would be Dallas.)
Anyway, for the gamblers and economists in 'Meat nation, this may warrant more investigation. At the very least, it's something to think about on a Friday afternoon.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
NFL Picks - Championship Game Weekend
The Sportsmeat 2007-08 Football Pool is winding down with four people still in the running for the top spot. As we enter the penultimate weekend, I have a tenuous two-point lead over Budds, with Joe trailing by 11 points and Maxipriest by 20. There will be 10 points on the line this weekend, with each championship game worth 10 points.
The picks are straight up (no spread involved) and the games are:
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. New England Patriots
NFC: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers
Choose wisely.
The picks are straight up (no spread involved) and the games are:
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. New England Patriots
NFC: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers
Choose wisely.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Politicomeat: A modest proposal
Last weekend, a few of the loyal 'Meaters gathered sidled up to the bar and tipped back a few pints as we watched the Saturday games. But surprisingly, the topic du jour was politics, not sports. E.J. mentioned that he has at least one political post in the works, and I thought I'd start things off with my two ideas for reshuffling the primaries.
With all due respect to Snoop and his fellow Live-Free-or-Die-ers, this whole Iowa-New Hampshire nonsense must end. Yes, every state deserves to have a voice, but shouldn't first dibs be given to a few states that are more representative of the country as a whole? My proposal is to kick off the primary season with a joint Florida-Illinois primary day. Florida and Illinois are both relatively large states in the electoral college, their race and ethnicity demographics mirror the United States as a whole, and they're fairly "purple" states, with a good mix of Republican and Democratic interest. Florida and Illinois would give a more accurate measure of the country as a whole. Plus, having two states kicking off the season would help to cushion the advantage of a favorite son like Obama in Illinois.
Don't like that one? OK, how about this: Set five primary dates, 10 states per day, two weeks between each, and rotate them with each presidential election. Every state would be guaranteed to be in a kickoff primary every 20 years. That's fair, no? Or maybe the best thing is to have everyone vote on the same day. Or have people watch the candidates on a reality TV show and then phone in their votes. Or, or... eh, you've all stopped reading by now.
By the bye, my two cents on the T.O. pic: It's sort of a combination of Isaac Hayes and Rod Tidwell.
With all due respect to Snoop and his fellow Live-Free-or-Die-ers, this whole Iowa-New Hampshire nonsense must end. Yes, every state deserves to have a voice, but shouldn't first dibs be given to a few states that are more representative of the country as a whole? My proposal is to kick off the primary season with a joint Florida-Illinois primary day. Florida and Illinois are both relatively large states in the electoral college, their race and ethnicity demographics mirror the United States as a whole, and they're fairly "purple" states, with a good mix of Republican and Democratic interest. Florida and Illinois would give a more accurate measure of the country as a whole. Plus, having two states kicking off the season would help to cushion the advantage of a favorite son like Obama in Illinois.
Don't like that one? OK, how about this: Set five primary dates, 10 states per day, two weeks between each, and rotate them with each presidential election. Every state would be guaranteed to be in a kickoff primary every 20 years. That's fair, no? Or maybe the best thing is to have everyone vote on the same day. Or have people watch the candidates on a reality TV show and then phone in their votes. Or, or... eh, you've all stopped reading by now.
By the bye, my two cents on the T.O. pic: It's sort of a combination of Isaac Hayes and Rod Tidwell.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Mea Culpa
When Tom Coughlin decided to play his starters in an otherwise meaningless game against the Patriots, I thought he was an idiot. As it turns out, it was an inspired decision. The Giants (who I thought were a 6-10 team going into the season) are in the NFC Championship game and it appears that the teams that played out the regular season have fared far better in the playoffs than the teams who rested.
The Pats and Giants both played a tough last game, while the Packers played hard and won their last game (and won three of their last four) and the Chargers won their last six in a row. Meanwhile, the Bucs rested for their last two games and lost both, the Colts rested in their regular season finale and lost, and the Cowboys closed by losing two of three, including their finale. What do these teams have in common? All were one-and-done.
I have to say the one shocker to me was the Chargers beating the Colts. I didn’t think this one would be close. Of course, I forgot (or chose to ignore, either way I was wrong) that the Chargers have played the Colts tough in the dome in the past, and I allowed last season’s Super Bowl run to wipe away the fact that the Colts typically struggle in the playoffs. Take away last year (which, I grant you, isn’t fair but works for this exercise) and Peyton Manning is 3-5 in the postseason and 2-2 at home, and in his career (including last season) he is 7-5 with 20 TDs and 17 INTs. Not bad overall, but also not representative of what he’s accomplished in the regular season. Tony Dungy, meanwhile, is 9-9 in the playoffs (again, with four of those wins coming last season).
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In the standings, Budds closed the gap to a mere two points by taking the Chargers and putting the 2008 Sportsmeat football title up for grabs. Big Thunder and Snoop took the Giants for their 3-1 week. All games were three points last week and will be five points this upcoming weekend.
Below are the updated standings:
EJ - 202 points (6 this past weekend)
Budds - 200 (9)
Joe - 191 (3)
Maxipriest - 182 (6)
Big Thunder - 117 (9)
Dave Law - 116.5 (0)
Snoop - 106 (9)
Y.A. Shoes - 35 (0)
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Is it just me, or does T.O. look a little like Isaac Hayes in the photo below?
The Pats and Giants both played a tough last game, while the Packers played hard and won their last game (and won three of their last four) and the Chargers won their last six in a row. Meanwhile, the Bucs rested for their last two games and lost both, the Colts rested in their regular season finale and lost, and the Cowboys closed by losing two of three, including their finale. What do these teams have in common? All were one-and-done.
I have to say the one shocker to me was the Chargers beating the Colts. I didn’t think this one would be close. Of course, I forgot (or chose to ignore, either way I was wrong) that the Chargers have played the Colts tough in the dome in the past, and I allowed last season’s Super Bowl run to wipe away the fact that the Colts typically struggle in the playoffs. Take away last year (which, I grant you, isn’t fair but works for this exercise) and Peyton Manning is 3-5 in the postseason and 2-2 at home, and in his career (including last season) he is 7-5 with 20 TDs and 17 INTs. Not bad overall, but also not representative of what he’s accomplished in the regular season. Tony Dungy, meanwhile, is 9-9 in the playoffs (again, with four of those wins coming last season).
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In the standings, Budds closed the gap to a mere two points by taking the Chargers and putting the 2008 Sportsmeat football title up for grabs. Big Thunder and Snoop took the Giants for their 3-1 week. All games were three points last week and will be five points this upcoming weekend.
Below are the updated standings:
EJ - 202 points (6 this past weekend)
Budds - 200 (9)
Joe - 191 (3)
Maxipriest - 182 (6)
Big Thunder - 117 (9)
Dave Law - 116.5 (0)
Snoop - 106 (9)
Y.A. Shoes - 35 (0)
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Is it just me, or does T.O. look a little like Isaac Hayes in the photo below?
Monday, January 14, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Best Weekend in Football
The Sportsmeat Football Pool is moving toward conclusion, with only three weeks left. This week it's the divisional games, which break down as follows:
AFC - Jacksonville at New England; San Diego at Indianapolis
NFC - N.Y. Giants at Dallas; Seattle at Green Bay
We're picking the games straight up and each game is worth three points.
AFC - Jacksonville at New England; San Diego at Indianapolis
NFC - N.Y. Giants at Dallas; Seattle at Green Bay
We're picking the games straight up and each game is worth three points.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Sportsmeat Trivia
A little trivia for Wednesday:
1. Only one player has ever won three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. Who is he?
2. Only one player has won the Defensive Player of the Year award with two different teams. Name him.
3. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson currently are 1-2 in the world golf rankings. Who is No. 3?
4. Of the eight quarterbacks left in the playoffs, six of the eight finished in the Top 8 in the passer efficiency ratings. Which two did not?
5. Who's lying - Brian McNamee or Roger Clemens?
Also, here are the updated standings for the playoff pool (with college bowl series points in parentheses):
EJ - 196 (83.5)
Budds - 191 points (65)
Joe - 188 (85)
Maxipriest - 176 (70.5)
Dave Law - 116.5 (39)
Big Thunder - 108 (30)
Snoop - 97 (0)
Y.A. Shoes - 35 (0)
1. Only one player has ever won three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. Who is he?
2. Only one player has won the Defensive Player of the Year award with two different teams. Name him.
3. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson currently are 1-2 in the world golf rankings. Who is No. 3?
4. Of the eight quarterbacks left in the playoffs, six of the eight finished in the Top 8 in the passer efficiency ratings. Which two did not?
5. Who's lying - Brian McNamee or Roger Clemens?
Also, here are the updated standings for the playoff pool (with college bowl series points in parentheses):
EJ - 196 (83.5)
Budds - 191 points (65)
Joe - 188 (85)
Maxipriest - 176 (70.5)
Dave Law - 116.5 (39)
Big Thunder - 108 (30)
Snoop - 97 (0)
Y.A. Shoes - 35 (0)
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Share and share alike
Or more proof that the Knicks are a bad team
I'm certainly not the first person to notice that, in addition to being a bunch of losers, the Knicks are enormously selfish and unwilling to share the ball. But I never imagined that the statistics would make this point so remarkably clear. Among the NBA's 30 teams, New York is the only one that has assists on less than half of its field goals this year. The top 10 teams in this category include the league's four best teams and only two with losing records (the Bulls and Clippers). The complete rankings:
Percentage of field goals assisted
New Jersey Nets 70.1%
Phoenix Suns 66.3%
Utah Jazz 64.3%
Detroit Pistons 63.4%
Boston Celtics 62.6%
Los Angeles Clippers 62.1%
Los Angeles Lakers 61.5%
Chicago Bulls 61.2%
San Antonio Spurs 60.9%
Denver Nuggets 60.7%
Portland Trail Blazers 60.6%
Indiana Pacers 60.5%
Toronto Raptors 59.9%
Charlotte Bobcats 59.9%
Atlanta Hawks 58.8%
Milwaukee Bucks 58.6%
Houston Rockets 57.5%
Dallas Mavericks 57.1%
Golden State Warriors 56.9%
Orlando Magic 56.4%
Memphis Grizzlies 56.1%
Philadelphia 76ers 55.6%
Seattle SuperSonics 55.5%
Miami Heat 55.5%
New Orleans Hornets 55.1%
Cleveland Cavaliers 53.8%
Washington Wizards 53.6%
Minnesota Timberwolves 51.0%
Sacramento Kings 50.7%
New York Knicks 48.4%
I'm certainly not the first person to notice that, in addition to being a bunch of losers, the Knicks are enormously selfish and unwilling to share the ball. But I never imagined that the statistics would make this point so remarkably clear. Among the NBA's 30 teams, New York is the only one that has assists on less than half of its field goals this year. The top 10 teams in this category include the league's four best teams and only two with losing records (the Bulls and Clippers). The complete rankings:
Percentage of field goals assisted
New Jersey Nets 70.1%
Phoenix Suns 66.3%
Utah Jazz 64.3%
Detroit Pistons 63.4%
Boston Celtics 62.6%
Los Angeles Clippers 62.1%
Los Angeles Lakers 61.5%
Chicago Bulls 61.2%
San Antonio Spurs 60.9%
Denver Nuggets 60.7%
Portland Trail Blazers 60.6%
Indiana Pacers 60.5%
Toronto Raptors 59.9%
Charlotte Bobcats 59.9%
Atlanta Hawks 58.8%
Milwaukee Bucks 58.6%
Houston Rockets 57.5%
Dallas Mavericks 57.1%
Golden State Warriors 56.9%
Orlando Magic 56.4%
Memphis Grizzlies 56.1%
Philadelphia 76ers 55.6%
Seattle SuperSonics 55.5%
Miami Heat 55.5%
New Orleans Hornets 55.1%
Cleveland Cavaliers 53.8%
Washington Wizards 53.6%
Minnesota Timberwolves 51.0%
Sacramento Kings 50.7%
New York Knicks 48.4%
Monday, January 07, 2008
Bowl Series Champion - LSU? Ohio State? Try Joe
It was a mighty good weekend for Joe, who wrapped up the Second Sportsmeat Bowl Series title when Rutgers blew out Ball State, and then proceeded to post the Meat's only 4-0 wild-card weekend.
Below are the updated standings as well as standings for the bowl series. Tonight's pride points on the line are as follows:
LSU - Dave Law (5), EJ (10), Joe (5), Maxipriest (5)
Ohio State - Big Thunder (5), Budds (5),
Sportsmeat Football Pool
(Not including bowl series points) - (this week's NFL playoff points in parentheses):
Budds - 126 points (6)
EJ - 112.5 (6)
Maxipriest - 105.5 (4)
Joe - 103 (8)
Snoop - 97 (0)
Dave Law - 77.5 (0)
Big Thunder - 78 (4)
Y.A. Shoes - 35 (4)
Bowl Series Points:
Joe - 80 (5 possible points remaining) (85 best-case)
EJ - 73.5 points (10) (83.5)
Maxipriest - 65.5 (5) (70.5)
Budds - 65 (5) (70)
Dave Law - 34 (5) (39)
Big Thunder - 30 (5) (35)
Below are the updated standings as well as standings for the bowl series. Tonight's pride points on the line are as follows:
LSU - Dave Law (5), EJ (10), Joe (5), Maxipriest (5)
Ohio State - Big Thunder (5), Budds (5),
Sportsmeat Football Pool
(Not including bowl series points) - (this week's NFL playoff points in parentheses):
Budds - 126 points (6)
EJ - 112.5 (6)
Maxipriest - 105.5 (4)
Joe - 103 (8)
Snoop - 97 (0)
Dave Law - 77.5 (0)
Big Thunder - 78 (4)
Y.A. Shoes - 35 (4)
Bowl Series Points:
Joe - 80 (5 possible points remaining) (85 best-case)
EJ - 73.5 points (10) (83.5)
Maxipriest - 65.5 (5) (70.5)
Budds - 65 (5) (70)
Dave Law - 34 (5) (39)
Big Thunder - 30 (5) (35)
Friday, January 04, 2008
End of the lines
Time is short, our heels are dragging, and Wild Card Weekend is a day away. So here's the deal: For Pride Points in the NFL playoffs, we'll pick winners only (no lines). Games are worth two points in the first week, three in the second, five in the third, and 10 for the Super Bowl. This week:
Washington at Seattle
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
NY Giants at Tampa Bay
Tennessee at San Diego
Washington at Seattle
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
NY Giants at Tampa Bay
Tennessee at San Diego
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Bowl Tourney Update - Jan. 3, 2008
There are four bowl games remaining, so Snoop and Y.A. Shoes still have a chance to join the fray, at least partially, but as it currently stands, we're looking at a two-man race for the second Sportsmeat bowl series title.
Joe controls his own destiny but has a lot riding on Rutgers (27 points); incidentally, everyone else but Dave Law has five points riding on the Scarlet Knights. As to the overall bowl winner, only Joe and I are still in contention.
Below are the current standings, with points remaining and highest possible score in parentheses. Also coming soon: The NFL Playoffs.
EJ - 68.5 points (15 possible points remaining) (83.5 best score)
Maxipriest - 60.5 (15) (75.5)
Budds - 60 (10) (70)
Joe - 53 (32) (85)
Dave Law - 34 (5) (39)
Big Thunder - 25 (10) (35)
Joe controls his own destiny but has a lot riding on Rutgers (27 points); incidentally, everyone else but Dave Law has five points riding on the Scarlet Knights. As to the overall bowl winner, only Joe and I are still in contention.
Below are the current standings, with points remaining and highest possible score in parentheses. Also coming soon: The NFL Playoffs.
EJ - 68.5 points (15 possible points remaining) (83.5 best score)
Maxipriest - 60.5 (15) (75.5)
Budds - 60 (10) (70)
Joe - 53 (32) (85)
Dave Law - 34 (5) (39)
Big Thunder - 25 (10) (35)
