Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Random Stuff as April Ends
It’s been a while so I thought I’d chime in on the four major sports. Please agree, disagree, start a new argument, etc., below. Anyway, here goes:
NFL Draft Thoughts:
All in all, a pretty boring draft. No big surprises, no Brady Quinn-like plummets down the first round. Still, I dig the draft. This has a lot to do with being a Jet fan, which means a) my team usually has a high pick and b) I’m looking for hope anywhere I can find it.
-) As to the Jets draft, they probably took the right player at No. 6 in Vernon Gholston, but I was really hoping Chris Long would fall to them. Also, workout wonders scare the crap out of me – which didn’t make me feel better about the Jets trading back into the first round for tight end Dustin Keller. They clearly thought the Giants might go for Keller and trade Shockey, but it obviously didn’t happen and the Jets probably could have stayed where they were and taken Keller. I do, however, like the pick of corner Dwight Lowery from San Jose State. (By the way, for that pick the Jets actually traded for their own selection. They originally traded out of No. 113 and, two deals later, ended up back there to pick Lowery. Odd.)
-) I know there are a lot of best draft debates going on, with most people picking the Chiefs. I’d make the argument, however, that trades you make factor into the draft you have, and while it was the right move to trade Jared Allen, he’s the reason they had so many picks. All that said, I’ll go with the Steelers, who got back-to-back steals in the draft’s best running back (Rashard Mendenhall, though I do like Jonathan Stewart a lot) and the best wideout (Limas Sweed, who I was hoping would be a Jet). Neither are locks for NFL success (Sweed catches the ball against his body too often) but they are two very good skill position players on an already very good team.
MLB Thoughts:
-) Not much here, except old players continue to get hurt because that’s what happens to old players. It’s why the Mets, the best collection of talent in the NL, won’t win the league but the Diamondbacks (very young) will. I do think, however, that the Mets can position themselves well for 2009 with a few moves – like putting Aaron Heilman in the rotation, promoting some power arms into the bullpen, handing the left-field job to Fernando Martinez. The big key will be replacing Carlos Delgado at first. Mark Teixiera would be perfect there but he’s going to command a lot of money (and the Yankees have a need at first as well).
NBA Thoughts:
-) I’ll bet the Mavs wished they had a guy like Devin Harris to defend Chris Paul in the playoffs. That was a bad trade from the get-go, though I can’t say I feel too bad for Jason Kidd, the most selfish un-selfish player I can think of.
-) On the flip side, I thought the Suns made the right move by trading for Shaq (though it clearly ignores my old player theory). I really thought that series would be closer – it seems I never learn my lesson by underestimating the Spurs.
NHL Thoughts:
-) I’m bummed the Caps lost, and that’s about all I have here. Otherwise, I pretty much root for the Canadian teams. I dig the Penguins, too. That team has too much history to leave Pittsburgh so any success will probably help. On that note, can the Stars move back to Minnesota? I know two professional teams in Minnesota seems counterintuitive, but this is hockey. No team from Texas should be competing for the Stanley Cup.
NFL Draft Thoughts:
All in all, a pretty boring draft. No big surprises, no Brady Quinn-like plummets down the first round. Still, I dig the draft. This has a lot to do with being a Jet fan, which means a) my team usually has a high pick and b) I’m looking for hope anywhere I can find it.
-) As to the Jets draft, they probably took the right player at No. 6 in Vernon Gholston, but I was really hoping Chris Long would fall to them. Also, workout wonders scare the crap out of me – which didn’t make me feel better about the Jets trading back into the first round for tight end Dustin Keller. They clearly thought the Giants might go for Keller and trade Shockey, but it obviously didn’t happen and the Jets probably could have stayed where they were and taken Keller. I do, however, like the pick of corner Dwight Lowery from San Jose State. (By the way, for that pick the Jets actually traded for their own selection. They originally traded out of No. 113 and, two deals later, ended up back there to pick Lowery. Odd.)
-) I know there are a lot of best draft debates going on, with most people picking the Chiefs. I’d make the argument, however, that trades you make factor into the draft you have, and while it was the right move to trade Jared Allen, he’s the reason they had so many picks. All that said, I’ll go with the Steelers, who got back-to-back steals in the draft’s best running back (Rashard Mendenhall, though I do like Jonathan Stewart a lot) and the best wideout (Limas Sweed, who I was hoping would be a Jet). Neither are locks for NFL success (Sweed catches the ball against his body too often) but they are two very good skill position players on an already very good team.
MLB Thoughts:
-) Not much here, except old players continue to get hurt because that’s what happens to old players. It’s why the Mets, the best collection of talent in the NL, won’t win the league but the Diamondbacks (very young) will. I do think, however, that the Mets can position themselves well for 2009 with a few moves – like putting Aaron Heilman in the rotation, promoting some power arms into the bullpen, handing the left-field job to Fernando Martinez. The big key will be replacing Carlos Delgado at first. Mark Teixiera would be perfect there but he’s going to command a lot of money (and the Yankees have a need at first as well).
NBA Thoughts:
-) I’ll bet the Mavs wished they had a guy like Devin Harris to defend Chris Paul in the playoffs. That was a bad trade from the get-go, though I can’t say I feel too bad for Jason Kidd, the most selfish un-selfish player I can think of.
-) On the flip side, I thought the Suns made the right move by trading for Shaq (though it clearly ignores my old player theory). I really thought that series would be closer – it seems I never learn my lesson by underestimating the Spurs.
NHL Thoughts:
-) I’m bummed the Caps lost, and that’s about all I have here. Otherwise, I pretty much root for the Canadian teams. I dig the Penguins, too. That team has too much history to leave Pittsburgh so any success will probably help. On that note, can the Stars move back to Minnesota? I know two professional teams in Minnesota seems counterintuitive, but this is hockey. No team from Texas should be competing for the Stanley Cup.
# posted by EJ @ 2:04 PM 
Comments:
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I truly don't mean to be rude, but on what basis do you like the pick of Dwight Lowery? Stats from the combine? 5 highlight plays?
The draft is the most ridiculous sporting event of the year. People yell and scream about players who they have never seen play, have no idea what kind of competitor that person is, his work ethic, his toughness, his intelligence, etc.
And grading the draft one day later is also completely ridiculous. Nobody was saying last year that the Giants had a great draft (that I recall), but in the end, they had at least 4 draftees play major roles in a super bowl victory.
I don't mean offense, but I just think that watching and commenting on the NFL draft is nothing short of a complete waste of time.
And the suns shouldn't have traded for Shaq.
The draft is the most ridiculous sporting event of the year. People yell and scream about players who they have never seen play, have no idea what kind of competitor that person is, his work ethic, his toughness, his intelligence, etc.
And grading the draft one day later is also completely ridiculous. Nobody was saying last year that the Giants had a great draft (that I recall), but in the end, they had at least 4 draftees play major roles in a super bowl victory.
I don't mean offense, but I just think that watching and commenting on the NFL draft is nothing short of a complete waste of time.
And the suns shouldn't have traded for Shaq.
Lighten up, Thunder. I know the draft doesn’t have any great meaning – like most things in sports, including games, trades, rumors, etc., it’s a diversion. Can first-round picks be busts and sixth-round picks be stars? Absolutely. It’s an educated crap shoot and nearly impossible to evaluate immediately afterward. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t try. I think it’s fun to see who might go where, how that guy might help your team, etc. It’s like projecting a champion before the season – obviously the winner will for the most part (college football perhaps excepted) be decided on the field, and that preseason or even in-season rankings and projections are meaningless, but I still find them interesting. Doesn’t mean everyone does, but hey, it works for me.
As to Lowery, I saw him play once and was impressed. He filled a need, and I read a couple of interviews and he seemed like a good dude. So I liked the pick. Not to sound too hokey (sp?), but I like to be able to root for the guys on the teams I like. Nothing more to it than that.
As to Shaq and the Suns, you’re obviously proved correct. The loss of Marion was death to the Suns’ perimeter defense and Shaq never quite found his fountain of youth in Phoenix. (Though I did like the Shaq-tus campaign.) But D’Antoni apparently wanted the trade and I don’t blame the Suns for trying something new in an attempt to win a title. Plus, by most accounts I’ve read (who knows what the real truth is?), the players were none too sad to see Marion go.
The one thing that is too bad is that I loved to watch the Suns run, and Marion’s versatility made them more explosive in that regard. (In the very few games I saw, they just didn’t look like the same team with Shaq.) Who knows what will happen to them now? Shaq and Nash are pretty old, so Kerr might blow it up and try to rebuild around Stoudemire. Same goes for the Mavs. (Well, not the building around Stoudemire part, but you get the idea.)
As to Lowery, I saw him play once and was impressed. He filled a need, and I read a couple of interviews and he seemed like a good dude. So I liked the pick. Not to sound too hokey (sp?), but I like to be able to root for the guys on the teams I like. Nothing more to it than that.
As to Shaq and the Suns, you’re obviously proved correct. The loss of Marion was death to the Suns’ perimeter defense and Shaq never quite found his fountain of youth in Phoenix. (Though I did like the Shaq-tus campaign.) But D’Antoni apparently wanted the trade and I don’t blame the Suns for trying something new in an attempt to win a title. Plus, by most accounts I’ve read (who knows what the real truth is?), the players were none too sad to see Marion go.
The one thing that is too bad is that I loved to watch the Suns run, and Marion’s versatility made them more explosive in that regard. (In the very few games I saw, they just didn’t look like the same team with Shaq.) Who knows what will happen to them now? Shaq and Nash are pretty old, so Kerr might blow it up and try to rebuild around Stoudemire. Same goes for the Mavs. (Well, not the building around Stoudemire part, but you get the idea.)
Yeah, I read that back and it came off as more serious than I meant to be. I just totally don't get the draft. The fact that it is somehow a major sporting event is completely perplexing to me. Maybe its just that I don't watch as much college football as a lot of people... I don't know.
Anyhow, the Shaq trade didn't make sense to me then and it doesn't make sense now. Adding an old, slow shaq isn't going to miraculously turn them into a better halfcourt team. He's not a guy that you can just throw to in the post on offense, and he doesn't alter nearly as many shots as he used to on defense. Marion, on the other hand, was a key component of the Suns entire system.
The fact is that the suns don't need to play halfcourt in the playoffs. While it is admittedly harder to win playoff series with their style, they at least have a chance of winning in the playoffs with the up tempo game. They had no chance with shaq in a slowed down game (especially when they drew the team that is going to win it all).
Anyhow, the Shaq trade didn't make sense to me then and it doesn't make sense now. Adding an old, slow shaq isn't going to miraculously turn them into a better halfcourt team. He's not a guy that you can just throw to in the post on offense, and he doesn't alter nearly as many shots as he used to on defense. Marion, on the other hand, was a key component of the Suns entire system.
The fact is that the suns don't need to play halfcourt in the playoffs. While it is admittedly harder to win playoff series with their style, they at least have a chance of winning in the playoffs with the up tempo game. They had no chance with shaq in a slowed down game (especially when they drew the team that is going to win it all).
The Suns definitely got unlucky. I was hoping they would get up to the No. 5 seed so they could avoid the Spurs this early. Because they would have beaten either the Jazz or Rockets. They also really suffered after losing that first game; it seemed to have a hangover effect.
As to Shaq, the real problem now is that he has two years and $40 mil on his contract -- and no one is going to take that on now that Isiah is out of power in New York. I really think their best move is to ride it out with Nash, Shaq and Stoudemire and see if a new coach can't make a difference (or Tim Duncan retires and Parker, distraught after he and Eva break up, goes back to France).
It could be worse. They could be the Knicks, who have the same problems but not nearly the talent.
As to Shaq, the real problem now is that he has two years and $40 mil on his contract -- and no one is going to take that on now that Isiah is out of power in New York. I really think their best move is to ride it out with Nash, Shaq and Stoudemire and see if a new coach can't make a difference (or Tim Duncan retires and Parker, distraught after he and Eva break up, goes back to France).
It could be worse. They could be the Knicks, who have the same problems but not nearly the talent.
Great to see back to back hockey posts. Agree with Perm on the Caps. Ovechkin would have been great to watch and would have been great for hockey. Stupid Flyers.
Again agree on the Habs. Was really pulling for them to do some damage, yet again stupid Flyers. No worries though, they are about ready for their post season colapse.
Thank god the rangers lost. I now know what you yankee haters feel. I will route for the pens. Good young team. Bring some attention to the sport which is good. Tierd of the ranger fans whinning. Pens were just a better team. Malkin is a monster. Love to have him on the Devils. Big Lou had better make a move for some offense. Hossa would look great in the red and black.
Not much thought on the west. But NBC has got to be dying for a Det-Pitt finale.
Again agree on the Habs. Was really pulling for them to do some damage, yet again stupid Flyers. No worries though, they are about ready for their post season colapse.
Thank god the rangers lost. I now know what you yankee haters feel. I will route for the pens. Good young team. Bring some attention to the sport which is good. Tierd of the ranger fans whinning. Pens were just a better team. Malkin is a monster. Love to have him on the Devils. Big Lou had better make a move for some offense. Hossa would look great in the red and black.
Not much thought on the west. But NBC has got to be dying for a Det-Pitt finale.
I'm rooting for Penguins-Red Wings. I've always disliked the Red Wings (completely irrationally, since I generally don't feel too strongly on hockey teams) but I feel like people in Detroit will care a lot more than people in Dallas.
And no questions the Penguins are good for hockey -- great young stars in Malkin and Crosby and just a good story with how close they've come to folding (on at least two occasions).
And no questions the Penguins are good for hockey -- great young stars in Malkin and Crosby and just a good story with how close they've come to folding (on at least two occasions).
Well, that solves it. If it saves the game of hockey, you'd have to put your money on a Penguins/Red Wings final. Essentially, isn't that what baseball did to get fans back in the late 90s by turning their back on the steroid issue after the '94 strike?
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