Good week to be the world's No. 1 player in any sport. Peyton dominates in the Colts' first game of the season.
Tiger Woods shot another freakin' 63 to win the BMW Championship and put him in the driver's seat (get it?) of the FedEx Cup Playoff Championship PGA Tour Thingie.
And - surprise surprise! - Roger Federer won the U.S. Open in straight sets.
I only watched about half of the match today, but I've seen enough of Roger over the past two weeks - and past couple years - to know that he's, um, good. It's truly an honor to be watching the best tennis player ever in his prime.
And that's why I love watching sports. It's incredible to think that mere mortals like myself can throw 50-yard bombs to Marvin Harrison, sink 30-foot par putts or smack forehand winners against a 20-year-old Serbian phenom. I could never do those things, so I do the next best thing: Watch guys who can do them on ESPN.
Which brings us to today's post. Here are my 10 favorite things to watch in all of sports.
10. Jose Reyes at shortstop. His defense is out of this world. No grounder is too tough for him to handle...and he makes them all look routine. A joy to watch.
9. LaDainian Tomlinson in an open field. His cuts are like ballet - or Barry Sanders. He can stiff-arm when he needs to, and he can outrun an entire field. It feels like poetry in motion when LDT's offensive line gives him space and lets him do his thing.
8. LeBron James with the ball. Something good is going to happen when BronBron has the rock. He can shoot a textbook-perfect jumper...or make a Magic Johnson-esque no-look pass...or slash to the basket and finish with his tomahawk slam. The mystery of wondering what he'll do is half of his allure. The other half? His talent.
7. Greg Maddux's ball control. I don't care if he's 41 or 21; the man can throw. He has pinpoint ball control and always hits his catcher's target. That could be why he has four Cy Young Awards.
6. Roger Federer's trickery. Roger can win so many different ways. Aces. Forehands. Backhands. Whatever. But he's the funnest to watch when he's making crazy trick shots - like the dropshots he hit against Novak or the lobs he hit against Roddick. It's a thing of beauty to see.
5. Marvin Harrison's concentration. And so begins my Colts bias. He's made so many circus catches in his career, and they all look routine. My favorites? The diving, one-handed grab in 2003 against the Titans and the juggling snag against the Patriots in the regular season game last year. You'd need an hour-long SportsCenter special to showcase them all.
4. Rafael Nadal's energy. I can't even describe why he's fun to watch...but he is. Rafa runs down every stray ball and covers the court better than anyone else in the game. His lefty serve has so much powerful, and his forehands are out of this world. I didn't love tennis until I started watching this guy play.
3. Tiger Woods' mental game. If I had to pick one part of his game, I'd go with Tiger's mind. He wills himself to make putts - like the 35-foot par save on 12 during the PGA Championship, or the 63 he shot today to all but seal his FedEx Cup title. It's also fun to watch him screw with other people's minds. Before the last day of the PGA Championship, Ernie Els said the tournament was already over because Tiger was in the lead. By the way, Els was only a few shots off the lead at the time...
2. Dwyane Wade being Dwayne Wade. His energy level is on par with Nadal's. His jumper is better than LeBron's. His defense is the best (for a guard) in the game. His ball-handling skills are the best for a pure point guard ever. And when he's on...he's on. My Pacers found that out the hard way in April when he exploded with two thunderous dunks in the fourth quarter to bury the boys from Indiana.
1. Peyton controlling the offense. Not only does he make perfect throws. Not only does he know how to find the open receiver. Not only does he know how to school defenses by staring down the wrong receiver. But he calls all of the plays at the line! Besides being the best passer in the game, he's also the smartest player and the best offensive coordinator in the league. I never get tired of watching him perform. I shake my head after every game and thank my lucky stars that I have the chance to watch one of the all-time greats at his best for 16+ Sundays a year.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Indianapolis Colts Season Opener: Live Blog
My white Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl Champion T-shirt is on - with my Peyton Manning jersey over it. My Colts socks are on, and my Colts blanket and fleece zip-up are nearby.
It's game day. Let's go.
7:01: The NFL decides to kick things off with Kelly Clarkson playing a song I've never heard of at Monument Circle in Indy. What a great way to start the season!
7:04: Rich Eisen tells us all about the great things heading our way - including a song performed by (Indiana legend) John Mellencamp. And there might be some football, too, from what I saw on ESPN. Eisen tops it off by quoting the "immortal" Ludicris. *sigh*
7:09: Mellencamp, from Seymour, Ind. - right down the road from my crib in Columbus - gets things goin' with "Small Town." Remember when kick-off shows used to talk about, um, football? But that's OK. I'm digging the sea of blue jerseys and the Colts horseshoe around the stage.
7:15: "Tonight is a celebration of the people of Indianapolis," Eisen tells us. What better way to celebrate than with Faith Hill singing a song that hasn't been popular in years, "This Kiss"? The best part about this song is the guitarist in the background with a mohawk. Because nothing says honky-tonk more than a mohawk.
7:19: Jim Irsay is introduced by none other than John Mellencamp himself. Clearly a special moment in Indiana history.
7:20: Not as special as them lifting Super Bowl champion banners and running onto the field through a replica of the Super Bowl ring. And the Super Bowl champion banner hanging from the rafters. I got chills. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen since the Lombardi Trophy.
7:24: New Peyton commercial. He's looking for an open receiver with the Dolphins' Jason Taylor coming at him. For some reason, Marvin Harrison has a bunch of sharks swimming around him. I think I'd rather hear Peyton talk about being 6-foot-5, 230 pounds with a laser-rocket arm.
7:27: "It's now time for football, people!" Eisen says. Good thing. I was beginning to think this was an American Idol concert.
7:34: The game hasn't even started, and I already want to shove a football down John Madden's throat to get him to shut up. So I'll ignore that now and run through a few quick predictions:
1. Manning throws for 300 yards.
2. Reggie Wayne has more catches and yards than Marvin Harrison.
3. The only time you notice that Tarik Glenn is gone is when the announcers mention it every two minutes.
4. Bob Sanders shows no signs of injury...but the defense struggles.
5. Reggie Bush has 150 yards of offense and two scores.
6. Drew Brees has a good game, too.
7. But not good enough. Colts 42 - Saints 38.
7:39: Kick-off - Good return and good field position.
7:40: Great. First play from scrimmage and Joseph Addai gets clocked by two Saints defenders. He's, uh, really important to us. Like, really important. Al Michaels says this is the worst start to a game, other than Manning going down. It's true. If we can't set up the run, we can't set up the pass - which makes things tougher on Peyton.
7:43: Just like Tarik Glenn, Tony Ugoh jumps the gun with a false start. Third and 3 becomes third and 8. Marvin drops a tough catch, so it's 3 and out. Even so, I'm OK with what I've seen so far.
7:44: What?! The Colts had great special teams coverage?!?! I'm speechless. Bob Sanders does his thing on the first play with a helluva hit. I love watching him play. Most underrated guy on the Colts (now that Glenn's gone).
7:48: Nice hit by Kelvin Hayden as Reggie Bush tried to cut back and pick up a first down. He was one of the unsung heroes of the Super Bowl with his interception return for a TD. Doesn't matter, because Bush picks up a first down on an endaround. They look good, as I thought they would.
7:52: Bout time we get a stop. Raheem Brock stuffs the run on third down and gets a loss of 2 or so to set up a 52-yard field goal kick. It's wide left. Still tied at 0. I feel sorry for Olindo Mare. He's one of the better kickers in Dolphins history, does nothing wrong and gets shipped to New Orleans.
7:55: Good to see Addai back in the game. Looks fine to me as he bursts up the middle for a gain of 4. Great protection from the line as Manning drills a pass to Dallas Clark for a third down conversion. Madden, who apparently is a bigger moron than I thought, called Clark the team's most important player in the postseason. Sorry...but without Peyton, our offense doesn't work. He's the team's best player and essentially the offensive coordinator, too. Without him, nothing.
8:00: TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful read by Peyton Manning, and great catch by Marvin Harrison. He made a nice juke and schooled (former Colt) Jason David. Just got behind the defense, and Manning found him. I never, EVER get tired of seeing Manning and Marvin hook up. They're the best couple in sports, outside of me and Maria Sharapova.
8:02: Let's take this commercial break to talk about Jason David and all of the other departed Colts. Am I sad they're gone? Of course. Do I miss them? Some of them (Cato June). But really, it's their loss. If they don't want to play for a great franchise in a great city with a shot at the Super Bowl every year, fine by me. We'll find people who will. You listening, Edgerrin James?
8:07: That was the weirdest play I've seen in a while. Raheem Brock knocks down a pass...right back to Brees, who runs for a yard or 2. Saints still have to punt and give the ball back to Indy.
8:10: End of the first quarter, and Indy's up 7-0. Here are my initial thoughts:
1. Addai...don't scare me like that. Thank God he looks fine - just got shaken up a bit. He's hitting holes fast...and the O-line is opening them up for him.
2. Ugoh looks fine. So far.
3. Bush scares the crap out of me. He's going to bust a big play soon...it's going to happen. He's too good not to.
4. Peyton looks good. So does Marvin. In other news, the sky is blue, and John Madden says stupid things.
5. Defense seems fine. I love our secondary, but I'm still iffy on the D-tackles and linebackers. We're hitting hard, which I like, but we're not plugging holes fast enough.
6. Special teams is playing well so far, but it's early. We'll see if we give up one big return, as we did EVERY game last year.
8:14: We've run Addai four straight plays, and I'm lovin it. If it ain't broke, why fix it? That said, I feel a play-action pass coming on.
8:16: So, uh, sorry about what I said about you, David. Wayne fights for a first down, but David strips the ball and takes it 50 yards for a TD. Not good.
8:22: Eventually I called the play-action pass, but Reggie Wayne drops a nice throw from Manning. Short gain by Addai on second, which sets up third and 7. Peyton's pass to rookie Anthony Gonzalez is too long...surprised we haven't heard Gonzalez's name before now.
8:24: Well, there's the big return. Hunter Smith blasts a punt 60something yards, but it gets ruined on a 30-yard return by Colston. Some things never change.
8:27: Thatta boy, Bob! Almost picks off a pass from Brees - he read the play perfectly to break it up. Too bad we can't stop the run...Hey, that sounds familiar! Like, I don't know, all of last year!
8:31: Ooh, Bush takes his eye off of the ball and drops a perfect swing pass on third down. 'Da Saints settle for a 34-yard field goal. I'll take it.
8:36: I love Tony Dungy as much as anyone...but this is a little much. Andrea Cramer compares Dungy winning the Super Bowl to the civil rights movement. Apparently getting a ring is like freeing the slaves.
8:37: Colts ball, and Wayne picks up a first down on a nice slant. Maybe his last two plays (fumble and dropped pass) are finally behind him. But the next two throws to Wayne are broken up. The O-line is playing well, but we're just not clicking at the moment. To make matters worse, Hunter the Punter's kick is short and out of bounds.
8:44: FUMBLE! I don't know how the Colts didn't come up with that....Bethea had it in his hands but lost it. We make up for it on the next play with a helluva tackle by Keiaho on Reggie Bush to set up fourth down. Colts have the ball with 2:24 left - plenty of time for a score.
8:46: Especially when you've got Joseph Addai for a 15-yard screen pass. Two-minute warning.
8:50: Bout freakin time. Manning finds Clark out of the slot for a nice 39-yard gain up the middle. That's what we needed. But, no matter what Madden says, DALLAS CLARK WAS NOT THE TEAM'S POSTSEASON MVP! Sorry.
8:52: Let's just keep giving the ball to Addai, shall we? On third down, Marvin and Manning have a miscue. I guess that's allowed to happen every now and then. Adam Vinatieri drills the FG, though. Tied at 10.
8:55: You wouldn't know it watching NBC's coverage, but Addai has 74 yards on 13 rushes so far. Madden and Michaels would much rather tell us about Kelly Clarkson's concert and such than, you know, the details of the football game we're watching.
8:58: Nice play by Dwight Freeney to force Brees to make a stupid illegal forward pass (illegal touch, whatever you want to call it). Great job of getting in Brees' face by one of the richest defensive players ever. And he's worth every penny, by the way.
9:00: And it's halftime, folks. We're tied at 10 on what's been an up-and-down 30 minutes. I'll be back after a pudding break with my thoughts.
9:31: So, uh, Blogger deleted my last several posts. We'll pick it up with 9:02 left in the third with the score 17-10 after a nice run up the gut by Joseph Addai - just like the AFC Championship.
9:32: Another big stop by the Colts thanks to a broken up pass that could have been picked off, a stuffed run up the middle and a false start penalty (heck yeah, crowd!).
9:35: Another underrated Colt: Ben Utecht. A buddy of mine looked for one of his jerseys last year but, sadly, could not find one. He's a nice change of pace and makes some good catches for us - like that 15-yarder. Joseph Addai reaches 100 yards on a nice rush up the middle to take us to the New Orleans 29. He's having a great game.
9:36: TOUCHDOWN!!!!!! Beautiful find by Manning to see Reggie Wayne in the endzone. He makes a pretty simple post pattern on Jason David. Dont' know what David saw and why he got burned so badly. Either way, it's a TD. Four plays, 69 yards on the Colts drive. 24-10, Indy. That's what I like to see.
9:40: First down, and the Colts mob Brees to force an incompletion. The crowd is loud, and I'm diggin' it. Except we still can't stop the run, as Deuce picks up 14.
9:45: For some reason, John Madden is still talking. I find it unfair that some great broadcast journalists with intelligence and good public speaking are out of work while a raving, senile lunatic like Madden gets to ramble on about driving to Dallas and how hard it is to decide to go for it on 4th and short.
9:46: Our defense is tackling really well tonight. Rob Morris comes out of nowhere to nab Deuce in the backfield for a solid loss. The Saints follow that with a false start ("It may be the smallest stadium in the league, but it could be the loudest," Michaels says)...
9:48: Cato Who? Keiaho makes a leaping pick!! He's having a whale of a game. Manning follows with a gorgeous pass to Wayne down to the 15. We're going for the kill, as it would seem. I like it.
9:49: End of the third quarter. My thoughts:
1. So, uh, about that offense struggling...we found our rhythm with the dink and dunk passes. Those - and Addai's great rushing - set up the pass. See: the great grab by Marvin and two long catches by Wayne (including that last one).
2. Defense is playing out of their minds. We'll see if they can keep it up and keep making the big plays.
3. O-Line is doing fine. Hey, that rhymes!
4. Somehow Manning is only 14-24...but you wouldn't tell by looking at him in the last quarter.
5. Next Colts jersey I buy will be Joseph Addai's.
9:53: Damn. After that great pass to Reggie, we stutter on three straight plays and settle for a 33-yard FG by Vinatieri. As an aside, I hope I don't have to hear every announcer say "Adam Vinatieri has not missed a kick in the RCA Dome..." for the rest of the season. I'll hurt my knuckles knocking on wood during every field goal and extra point. 27-10, Colts.
10:00: OK, getting bored with commercials...let's get back to the game, shall we?
10:02: I like listening to Peyton work. Props to NBC for giving it to us...as long as they don't let any secrets slip. Manning makes a good read on third and 3 and delivers a nice pass to Reg for the first down. We then head back to the ground with Addai to burn some clock.
10:04: TOUCHDOWN!!!!! So, uh, about Reggie Wayne having a crappy game? Not quite. Wayne gets burned as the defense predicts the run. David slows down for a split second, and it gives Reg enough time to streak to the endzone on the 45-yard play. 34-10, Colts!
10:07: The stats on Jason David as a defensive back: 9 balls thrown towards him. 7 catches by the offense. 147 yards. 3 TD. And some people thought we'd miss him in our secondary?
10:12: It's over. Robert Mathis gets to Brees, strips the ball and pounces on it. Beautiful. Mathis, by the way, is another unsung hero on the Colts. Freeney gets all the attention (rightfully so), but Mathis makes his share of plays.
10:23: Sigh. I hate garbage time, when the game's over, but there's still 3:17 left on the clock.
10:29: INT return for a TD by my boy Matt Giordano!!! Can you say "blow-out"?
10:33: Apparently Brees is having an astronimically awful game, averaging a mere 6.2 yards per completion - which would be the worst ever. So is he playing that poorly, or is the Indy defense playing that well? To be honest, I don't know. Our D-line got to Brees most of the night, and our secondary played out-of-their-mind good. The coverage was so good down the field that he had no one to throw to, so no completions went long. Our tackling was superb, and we hit hard and swarmed the ballcarrier.
10:37: Game over. Colts win in a 41-10 massacre!!!
Let's see how my predictions turned out:
1. Manning throws for 300 yards. Not quite. He had a mere 293 on 18-30 passing and 3 TDs. He struggled in the second quarter...but that was about it. His second half was absolutely incredible. He set up the run and then exploded with the pass, going for the kill with some nice throws to Reg and Marv. Speaking of which...
2. Reggie Wayne has more catches and yards than Marvin Harrison. Right on. Reg had 7 grabs for 120 yards and 2 TDs. Marv had 4 catches for 83 yards and 1 score. I didn't think Reg would come back after that fumble and then the dropped pass on the next throw...but he did. Big. This is the year he steps out of Marvin's shadow and becomes our No. 1 target.
3. The only time you notice that Tarik Glenn is gone is when the announcers mention it every two minutes. True. He gave up no sacks and had one silly holding penalty - not bad for a rookie starting against a tough defensive line. He even seemed just like Glenn when he had that false start penalty early.
4. Bob Sanders shows no signs of injury...but the defense struggles. Uhhh...so I was half-right. Sanders made a couple huge hits, but it was everyone else that was incredible. Bethea, Mathis, Freeney, Keiaho, Morris and Giordano all had big plays. And that's what made us successful tonight. Not that we played well for 60 minutes - just that we played well at the right times. We gave up yards, but we made stops when we needed to. And just when you think things were slipping away, Morris made a huge tackle or Freeney got some pressure on Brees. Props to the D.
5. Reggie Bush has 150 yards of offense and two scores. Not even close. He had about 40 yards(ESPN's box score is now incomplete) and no scores. It felt like our defense struggled against the run more than it actually did. As usual, we rolled with a bend, not break style. Give up some yards, but don't let them convert on third down or get into the endzone.
6. Drew Brees has a good game, too. Wrong! Brees had 192 yards and 2 picks...and no scores. Some of it wasn't his fault. The O-line collapsed on him at times, and the Colts' secondary didn't give them anyone to throw to.
7. But not good enough. Colts 42 - Saints 38. Just missed on the Colts' score, but our defense played much better than I thought. I give them all the credit in the world for giving up only a field goal all night. If this keeps going...well, we might get another banner in the rafters this time next year.
Peace out.
It's game day. Let's go.
7:01: The NFL decides to kick things off with Kelly Clarkson playing a song I've never heard of at Monument Circle in Indy. What a great way to start the season!
7:04: Rich Eisen tells us all about the great things heading our way - including a song performed by (Indiana legend) John Mellencamp. And there might be some football, too, from what I saw on ESPN. Eisen tops it off by quoting the "immortal" Ludicris. *sigh*
7:09: Mellencamp, from Seymour, Ind. - right down the road from my crib in Columbus - gets things goin' with "Small Town." Remember when kick-off shows used to talk about, um, football? But that's OK. I'm digging the sea of blue jerseys and the Colts horseshoe around the stage.
7:15: "Tonight is a celebration of the people of Indianapolis," Eisen tells us. What better way to celebrate than with Faith Hill singing a song that hasn't been popular in years, "This Kiss"? The best part about this song is the guitarist in the background with a mohawk. Because nothing says honky-tonk more than a mohawk.
7:19: Jim Irsay is introduced by none other than John Mellencamp himself. Clearly a special moment in Indiana history.
7:20: Not as special as them lifting Super Bowl champion banners and running onto the field through a replica of the Super Bowl ring. And the Super Bowl champion banner hanging from the rafters. I got chills. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen since the Lombardi Trophy.
7:24: New Peyton commercial. He's looking for an open receiver with the Dolphins' Jason Taylor coming at him. For some reason, Marvin Harrison has a bunch of sharks swimming around him. I think I'd rather hear Peyton talk about being 6-foot-5, 230 pounds with a laser-rocket arm.
7:27: "It's now time for football, people!" Eisen says. Good thing. I was beginning to think this was an American Idol concert.
7:34: The game hasn't even started, and I already want to shove a football down John Madden's throat to get him to shut up. So I'll ignore that now and run through a few quick predictions:
1. Manning throws for 300 yards.
2. Reggie Wayne has more catches and yards than Marvin Harrison.
3. The only time you notice that Tarik Glenn is gone is when the announcers mention it every two minutes.
4. Bob Sanders shows no signs of injury...but the defense struggles.
5. Reggie Bush has 150 yards of offense and two scores.
6. Drew Brees has a good game, too.
7. But not good enough. Colts 42 - Saints 38.
7:39: Kick-off - Good return and good field position.
7:40: Great. First play from scrimmage and Joseph Addai gets clocked by two Saints defenders. He's, uh, really important to us. Like, really important. Al Michaels says this is the worst start to a game, other than Manning going down. It's true. If we can't set up the run, we can't set up the pass - which makes things tougher on Peyton.
7:43: Just like Tarik Glenn, Tony Ugoh jumps the gun with a false start. Third and 3 becomes third and 8. Marvin drops a tough catch, so it's 3 and out. Even so, I'm OK with what I've seen so far.
7:44: What?! The Colts had great special teams coverage?!?! I'm speechless. Bob Sanders does his thing on the first play with a helluva hit. I love watching him play. Most underrated guy on the Colts (now that Glenn's gone).
7:48: Nice hit by Kelvin Hayden as Reggie Bush tried to cut back and pick up a first down. He was one of the unsung heroes of the Super Bowl with his interception return for a TD. Doesn't matter, because Bush picks up a first down on an endaround. They look good, as I thought they would.
7:52: Bout time we get a stop. Raheem Brock stuffs the run on third down and gets a loss of 2 or so to set up a 52-yard field goal kick. It's wide left. Still tied at 0. I feel sorry for Olindo Mare. He's one of the better kickers in Dolphins history, does nothing wrong and gets shipped to New Orleans.
7:55: Good to see Addai back in the game. Looks fine to me as he bursts up the middle for a gain of 4. Great protection from the line as Manning drills a pass to Dallas Clark for a third down conversion. Madden, who apparently is a bigger moron than I thought, called Clark the team's most important player in the postseason. Sorry...but without Peyton, our offense doesn't work. He's the team's best player and essentially the offensive coordinator, too. Without him, nothing.
8:00: TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful read by Peyton Manning, and great catch by Marvin Harrison. He made a nice juke and schooled (former Colt) Jason David. Just got behind the defense, and Manning found him. I never, EVER get tired of seeing Manning and Marvin hook up. They're the best couple in sports, outside of me and Maria Sharapova.
8:02: Let's take this commercial break to talk about Jason David and all of the other departed Colts. Am I sad they're gone? Of course. Do I miss them? Some of them (Cato June). But really, it's their loss. If they don't want to play for a great franchise in a great city with a shot at the Super Bowl every year, fine by me. We'll find people who will. You listening, Edgerrin James?
8:07: That was the weirdest play I've seen in a while. Raheem Brock knocks down a pass...right back to Brees, who runs for a yard or 2. Saints still have to punt and give the ball back to Indy.
8:10: End of the first quarter, and Indy's up 7-0. Here are my initial thoughts:
1. Addai...don't scare me like that. Thank God he looks fine - just got shaken up a bit. He's hitting holes fast...and the O-line is opening them up for him.
2. Ugoh looks fine. So far.
3. Bush scares the crap out of me. He's going to bust a big play soon...it's going to happen. He's too good not to.
4. Peyton looks good. So does Marvin. In other news, the sky is blue, and John Madden says stupid things.
5. Defense seems fine. I love our secondary, but I'm still iffy on the D-tackles and linebackers. We're hitting hard, which I like, but we're not plugging holes fast enough.
6. Special teams is playing well so far, but it's early. We'll see if we give up one big return, as we did EVERY game last year.
8:14: We've run Addai four straight plays, and I'm lovin it. If it ain't broke, why fix it? That said, I feel a play-action pass coming on.
8:16: So, uh, sorry about what I said about you, David. Wayne fights for a first down, but David strips the ball and takes it 50 yards for a TD. Not good.
8:22: Eventually I called the play-action pass, but Reggie Wayne drops a nice throw from Manning. Short gain by Addai on second, which sets up third and 7. Peyton's pass to rookie Anthony Gonzalez is too long...surprised we haven't heard Gonzalez's name before now.
8:24: Well, there's the big return. Hunter Smith blasts a punt 60something yards, but it gets ruined on a 30-yard return by Colston. Some things never change.
8:27: Thatta boy, Bob! Almost picks off a pass from Brees - he read the play perfectly to break it up. Too bad we can't stop the run...Hey, that sounds familiar! Like, I don't know, all of last year!
8:31: Ooh, Bush takes his eye off of the ball and drops a perfect swing pass on third down. 'Da Saints settle for a 34-yard field goal. I'll take it.
8:36: I love Tony Dungy as much as anyone...but this is a little much. Andrea Cramer compares Dungy winning the Super Bowl to the civil rights movement. Apparently getting a ring is like freeing the slaves.
8:37: Colts ball, and Wayne picks up a first down on a nice slant. Maybe his last two plays (fumble and dropped pass) are finally behind him. But the next two throws to Wayne are broken up. The O-line is playing well, but we're just not clicking at the moment. To make matters worse, Hunter the Punter's kick is short and out of bounds.
8:44: FUMBLE! I don't know how the Colts didn't come up with that....Bethea had it in his hands but lost it. We make up for it on the next play with a helluva tackle by Keiaho on Reggie Bush to set up fourth down. Colts have the ball with 2:24 left - plenty of time for a score.
8:46: Especially when you've got Joseph Addai for a 15-yard screen pass. Two-minute warning.
8:50: Bout freakin time. Manning finds Clark out of the slot for a nice 39-yard gain up the middle. That's what we needed. But, no matter what Madden says, DALLAS CLARK WAS NOT THE TEAM'S POSTSEASON MVP! Sorry.
8:52: Let's just keep giving the ball to Addai, shall we? On third down, Marvin and Manning have a miscue. I guess that's allowed to happen every now and then. Adam Vinatieri drills the FG, though. Tied at 10.
8:55: You wouldn't know it watching NBC's coverage, but Addai has 74 yards on 13 rushes so far. Madden and Michaels would much rather tell us about Kelly Clarkson's concert and such than, you know, the details of the football game we're watching.
8:58: Nice play by Dwight Freeney to force Brees to make a stupid illegal forward pass (illegal touch, whatever you want to call it). Great job of getting in Brees' face by one of the richest defensive players ever. And he's worth every penny, by the way.
9:00: And it's halftime, folks. We're tied at 10 on what's been an up-and-down 30 minutes. I'll be back after a pudding break with my thoughts.
9:31: So, uh, Blogger deleted my last several posts. We'll pick it up with 9:02 left in the third with the score 17-10 after a nice run up the gut by Joseph Addai - just like the AFC Championship.
9:32: Another big stop by the Colts thanks to a broken up pass that could have been picked off, a stuffed run up the middle and a false start penalty (heck yeah, crowd!).
9:35: Another underrated Colt: Ben Utecht. A buddy of mine looked for one of his jerseys last year but, sadly, could not find one. He's a nice change of pace and makes some good catches for us - like that 15-yarder. Joseph Addai reaches 100 yards on a nice rush up the middle to take us to the New Orleans 29. He's having a great game.
9:36: TOUCHDOWN!!!!!! Beautiful find by Manning to see Reggie Wayne in the endzone. He makes a pretty simple post pattern on Jason David. Dont' know what David saw and why he got burned so badly. Either way, it's a TD. Four plays, 69 yards on the Colts drive. 24-10, Indy. That's what I like to see.
9:40: First down, and the Colts mob Brees to force an incompletion. The crowd is loud, and I'm diggin' it. Except we still can't stop the run, as Deuce picks up 14.
9:45: For some reason, John Madden is still talking. I find it unfair that some great broadcast journalists with intelligence and good public speaking are out of work while a raving, senile lunatic like Madden gets to ramble on about driving to Dallas and how hard it is to decide to go for it on 4th and short.
9:46: Our defense is tackling really well tonight. Rob Morris comes out of nowhere to nab Deuce in the backfield for a solid loss. The Saints follow that with a false start ("It may be the smallest stadium in the league, but it could be the loudest," Michaels says)...
9:48: Cato Who? Keiaho makes a leaping pick!! He's having a whale of a game. Manning follows with a gorgeous pass to Wayne down to the 15. We're going for the kill, as it would seem. I like it.
9:49: End of the third quarter. My thoughts:
1. So, uh, about that offense struggling...we found our rhythm with the dink and dunk passes. Those - and Addai's great rushing - set up the pass. See: the great grab by Marvin and two long catches by Wayne (including that last one).
2. Defense is playing out of their minds. We'll see if they can keep it up and keep making the big plays.
3. O-Line is doing fine. Hey, that rhymes!
4. Somehow Manning is only 14-24...but you wouldn't tell by looking at him in the last quarter.
5. Next Colts jersey I buy will be Joseph Addai's.
9:53: Damn. After that great pass to Reggie, we stutter on three straight plays and settle for a 33-yard FG by Vinatieri. As an aside, I hope I don't have to hear every announcer say "Adam Vinatieri has not missed a kick in the RCA Dome..." for the rest of the season. I'll hurt my knuckles knocking on wood during every field goal and extra point. 27-10, Colts.
10:00: OK, getting bored with commercials...let's get back to the game, shall we?
10:02: I like listening to Peyton work. Props to NBC for giving it to us...as long as they don't let any secrets slip. Manning makes a good read on third and 3 and delivers a nice pass to Reg for the first down. We then head back to the ground with Addai to burn some clock.
10:04: TOUCHDOWN!!!!! So, uh, about Reggie Wayne having a crappy game? Not quite. Wayne gets burned as the defense predicts the run. David slows down for a split second, and it gives Reg enough time to streak to the endzone on the 45-yard play. 34-10, Colts!
10:07: The stats on Jason David as a defensive back: 9 balls thrown towards him. 7 catches by the offense. 147 yards. 3 TD. And some people thought we'd miss him in our secondary?
10:12: It's over. Robert Mathis gets to Brees, strips the ball and pounces on it. Beautiful. Mathis, by the way, is another unsung hero on the Colts. Freeney gets all the attention (rightfully so), but Mathis makes his share of plays.
10:23: Sigh. I hate garbage time, when the game's over, but there's still 3:17 left on the clock.
10:29: INT return for a TD by my boy Matt Giordano!!! Can you say "blow-out"?
10:33: Apparently Brees is having an astronimically awful game, averaging a mere 6.2 yards per completion - which would be the worst ever. So is he playing that poorly, or is the Indy defense playing that well? To be honest, I don't know. Our D-line got to Brees most of the night, and our secondary played out-of-their-mind good. The coverage was so good down the field that he had no one to throw to, so no completions went long. Our tackling was superb, and we hit hard and swarmed the ballcarrier.
10:37: Game over. Colts win in a 41-10 massacre!!!
Let's see how my predictions turned out:
1. Manning throws for 300 yards. Not quite. He had a mere 293 on 18-30 passing and 3 TDs. He struggled in the second quarter...but that was about it. His second half was absolutely incredible. He set up the run and then exploded with the pass, going for the kill with some nice throws to Reg and Marv. Speaking of which...
2. Reggie Wayne has more catches and yards than Marvin Harrison. Right on. Reg had 7 grabs for 120 yards and 2 TDs. Marv had 4 catches for 83 yards and 1 score. I didn't think Reg would come back after that fumble and then the dropped pass on the next throw...but he did. Big. This is the year he steps out of Marvin's shadow and becomes our No. 1 target.
3. The only time you notice that Tarik Glenn is gone is when the announcers mention it every two minutes. True. He gave up no sacks and had one silly holding penalty - not bad for a rookie starting against a tough defensive line. He even seemed just like Glenn when he had that false start penalty early.
4. Bob Sanders shows no signs of injury...but the defense struggles. Uhhh...so I was half-right. Sanders made a couple huge hits, but it was everyone else that was incredible. Bethea, Mathis, Freeney, Keiaho, Morris and Giordano all had big plays. And that's what made us successful tonight. Not that we played well for 60 minutes - just that we played well at the right times. We gave up yards, but we made stops when we needed to. And just when you think things were slipping away, Morris made a huge tackle or Freeney got some pressure on Brees. Props to the D.
5. Reggie Bush has 150 yards of offense and two scores. Not even close. He had about 40 yards(ESPN's box score is now incomplete) and no scores. It felt like our defense struggled against the run more than it actually did. As usual, we rolled with a bend, not break style. Give up some yards, but don't let them convert on third down or get into the endzone.
6. Drew Brees has a good game, too. Wrong! Brees had 192 yards and 2 picks...and no scores. Some of it wasn't his fault. The O-line collapsed on him at times, and the Colts' secondary didn't give them anyone to throw to.
7. But not good enough. Colts 42 - Saints 38. Just missed on the Colts' score, but our defense played much better than I thought. I give them all the credit in the world for giving up only a field goal all night. If this keeps going...well, we might get another banner in the rafters this time next year.
Peace out.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Busiest Day Ever?
So, um, the past day has been kind of crazy in the sports world. Where to start?
I guess I'll kick it off with the PGA Championship, since that's consumed my life this week. Tiger Woods' press conference was interesting in that the room was packed and he was his usual charming self. I thought Phil Mickelson was comical, pitied Sergio Garcia for being haunted by the British Open and enjoyed chatting with Retief Goosen, David Toms and my boy Fred Funk. I'm excited for the tourney to start tomorrow...but that's a story for another day.
The big news in my world is Reggie Miller is reportedly considering coming out of retirement. In a related story, the sky is falling and my world is collapsing. Today's not the day to comment on speculation, so I'll save that for later...
...Because I want to talk about Barry Bonds, who became the home run king by belting No. 756 to right field last night. I've been watching his at-bats periodically but was content to ignore it yesterday (I was physically tired and tired of the whole HR watch). So I started brushing my teeth to head to bed early and turned on the TV for some background noise. Five seconds later, Bonds hit No. 756. Good timing, eh?
I've said repeatedly that I think Bonds did steroids. I can't prove it, but a quick read of "Game of Shadows" should convince you, if the size of his muscles, his ability to seemingly reverse the aging process and his expanding head don't do it for you.
But does that taint his record?
I think so. It's pretty simple, actually. Bonds cheated. If you break the rules, you don't deserve the record. Period.
Bonds supporters claim everyone has cheated. Pitchers Bonds faced used steroids, too. Ty Cobb tried to hurt opponents by digging his cleats into them. Gaylord Perry pitched spitballs that were unfair to hitters.
There's another wrinkle to things. Other professions use performance-enhancing drugs. Pain-killers for sore football players. Everyone uses coffee to stay awake. And, frankly, I'd be lost this week at the PGA Championship without Starbucks, Pepsi and an afternoon ice cream (sugar) break.
But there's a big difference between caffeine and HGH. Caffeine is legal. Steroids are not. There's a reason the feds shut down BALCO, and it has nothing to do with preserving the sanctity of baseball.
Bonds would not have broken the record had he not used steroids. He doesn't deserve the record. But we can't change the past (as Mark McGwire taught us). We technically can't prove that he broke any rules (or laws), so we can't add an * next to his record. It stands.
So what's the solution here?
A couple of options: 1) Prove Bonds did steroids, either through drug testing, grand jury testimony or a federal indictment. 2) Put an * next to the whole era and leave it at that. 3) Pray A-Rod breaks the record soon.
Not great options. Here's the best: Stop caring about the past.
Baseball is the only major sport that puts an extreme emphasis on records. Who's scored the most touchdowns in NFL history? How many points has Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored? How many KOs did Ali have? Who has the most shutouts in NHL history? Few fans (or reporters) know those answers, but most know about Dimaggio's 56-game hitting streak, Ted Williams' .406 season or Bonds' 756 homers.
We can't change Bonds' record. Or the fact that he probably juiced. Or the fact that he's a jerk.
But we can change our attitudes towards the record. By devaluing his accomplishments, we deprive him of the one thing he craves: Attention.
How's that for karma?
I guess I'll kick it off with the PGA Championship, since that's consumed my life this week. Tiger Woods' press conference was interesting in that the room was packed and he was his usual charming self. I thought Phil Mickelson was comical, pitied Sergio Garcia for being haunted by the British Open and enjoyed chatting with Retief Goosen, David Toms and my boy Fred Funk. I'm excited for the tourney to start tomorrow...but that's a story for another day.
The big news in my world is Reggie Miller is reportedly considering coming out of retirement. In a related story, the sky is falling and my world is collapsing. Today's not the day to comment on speculation, so I'll save that for later...
...Because I want to talk about Barry Bonds, who became the home run king by belting No. 756 to right field last night. I've been watching his at-bats periodically but was content to ignore it yesterday (I was physically tired and tired of the whole HR watch). So I started brushing my teeth to head to bed early and turned on the TV for some background noise. Five seconds later, Bonds hit No. 756. Good timing, eh?
I've said repeatedly that I think Bonds did steroids. I can't prove it, but a quick read of "Game of Shadows" should convince you, if the size of his muscles, his ability to seemingly reverse the aging process and his expanding head don't do it for you.
But does that taint his record?
I think so. It's pretty simple, actually. Bonds cheated. If you break the rules, you don't deserve the record. Period.
Bonds supporters claim everyone has cheated. Pitchers Bonds faced used steroids, too. Ty Cobb tried to hurt opponents by digging his cleats into them. Gaylord Perry pitched spitballs that were unfair to hitters.
There's another wrinkle to things. Other professions use performance-enhancing drugs. Pain-killers for sore football players. Everyone uses coffee to stay awake. And, frankly, I'd be lost this week at the PGA Championship without Starbucks, Pepsi and an afternoon ice cream (sugar) break.
But there's a big difference between caffeine and HGH. Caffeine is legal. Steroids are not. There's a reason the feds shut down BALCO, and it has nothing to do with preserving the sanctity of baseball.
Bonds would not have broken the record had he not used steroids. He doesn't deserve the record. But we can't change the past (as Mark McGwire taught us). We technically can't prove that he broke any rules (or laws), so we can't add an * next to his record. It stands.
So what's the solution here?
A couple of options: 1) Prove Bonds did steroids, either through drug testing, grand jury testimony or a federal indictment. 2) Put an * next to the whole era and leave it at that. 3) Pray A-Rod breaks the record soon.
Not great options. Here's the best: Stop caring about the past.
Baseball is the only major sport that puts an extreme emphasis on records. Who's scored the most touchdowns in NFL history? How many points has Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored? How many KOs did Ali have? Who has the most shutouts in NHL history? Few fans (or reporters) know those answers, but most know about Dimaggio's 56-game hitting streak, Ted Williams' .406 season or Bonds' 756 homers.
We can't change Bonds' record. Or the fact that he probably juiced. Or the fact that he's a jerk.
But we can change our attitudes towards the record. By devaluing his accomplishments, we deprive him of the one thing he craves: Attention.
How's that for karma?
Monday, August 6, 2007
Tiger and Co. in Tulsa
So as I might have mentioned, I'm covering this week's PGA Championship at Southern Hills here in Tulsa. The first day of practice rounds went down today. Here are my reflections:
* Tiger Woods is magnetic. He teed off around 6:20 a.m. with a crowd of four watching. By hole No. 4, that number skyrocketed. And by 18, there were hundreds cheering as he drilled a 30-foot putt. I watched him for a couple holes, and, well, he's good. If you saw him play in Akron, you saw a remarkable performance that led to an 8-stroke win and what should have been 7 or 8 birdies through the first 10 holes. He's the most dominant athlete in the world (but that's another post). He showed his awesomeness on a couple sweet shots and long tee drives.
Here's the other thing about Tiger: He's so charming, you can't hate him. About a dozen local media members camped out to talk to Tiger when he came off 18. This was our one time to get him before the national media comes....just us and the greatest golfer in the world. Instead, he walked off, saying, "Tomorrow, guys." We could have been mad because we waited around for a long time in the hot sun...but we didn't. We said, "Thanks, Tiger," and that was that. And then he smiled. His smile looks 1,000 times better in person than on TV. And yes, I'm still straight.
* This year's Masters winner, Zach Johnson, is no one-hit wonder. He kicked some tail today, including nailing a 100-yard shot on 15 within two feet of the cup, plus two of three chip shots from the bunker on 16 within one foot. Plus, he's a nice guy: he signed autographs for the 50 or so fans following him on every hole at the end of the day.
* My Northwestern homedawg, Luke Donald, is a nice guy. I talked to him for a minute or two after 18. He's my darkhorse pick to win this sucker.
* But Fred Funk was the most fun of the day. He juggled a ball with his driver, but then quipped to fans that the real trick shot is a 300-yard drive - something he said he has yet to master. He then tried to chip a ball into the tractor that picks up golf balls on the driving range. To top it off, I talked to him afterwards about his favorite 18th hole. He said he doesn't have one - but he has plenty of favorite 19th holes...
* It's freakin' hot out, dude. Today was in the upper 90s, and it's supposed to be 99 tomorrow. I'm going to melt.
* Gameplan for tomorrow includes getting there at 7 a.m. to stalk...err, follow...Tiger Woods for a few holes, talk to Angel Cabrera and round up some random quotes - hopefully from Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and company. Now I will collapse.
* Tiger Woods is magnetic. He teed off around 6:20 a.m. with a crowd of four watching. By hole No. 4, that number skyrocketed. And by 18, there were hundreds cheering as he drilled a 30-foot putt. I watched him for a couple holes, and, well, he's good. If you saw him play in Akron, you saw a remarkable performance that led to an 8-stroke win and what should have been 7 or 8 birdies through the first 10 holes. He's the most dominant athlete in the world (but that's another post). He showed his awesomeness on a couple sweet shots and long tee drives.
Here's the other thing about Tiger: He's so charming, you can't hate him. About a dozen local media members camped out to talk to Tiger when he came off 18. This was our one time to get him before the national media comes....just us and the greatest golfer in the world. Instead, he walked off, saying, "Tomorrow, guys." We could have been mad because we waited around for a long time in the hot sun...but we didn't. We said, "Thanks, Tiger," and that was that. And then he smiled. His smile looks 1,000 times better in person than on TV. And yes, I'm still straight.
* This year's Masters winner, Zach Johnson, is no one-hit wonder. He kicked some tail today, including nailing a 100-yard shot on 15 within two feet of the cup, plus two of three chip shots from the bunker on 16 within one foot. Plus, he's a nice guy: he signed autographs for the 50 or so fans following him on every hole at the end of the day.
* My Northwestern homedawg, Luke Donald, is a nice guy. I talked to him for a minute or two after 18. He's my darkhorse pick to win this sucker.
* But Fred Funk was the most fun of the day. He juggled a ball with his driver, but then quipped to fans that the real trick shot is a 300-yard drive - something he said he has yet to master. He then tried to chip a ball into the tractor that picks up golf balls on the driving range. To top it off, I talked to him afterwards about his favorite 18th hole. He said he doesn't have one - but he has plenty of favorite 19th holes...
* It's freakin' hot out, dude. Today was in the upper 90s, and it's supposed to be 99 tomorrow. I'm going to melt.
* Gameplan for tomorrow includes getting there at 7 a.m. to stalk...err, follow...Tiger Woods for a few holes, talk to Angel Cabrera and round up some random quotes - hopefully from Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and company. Now I will collapse.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
...What if the real world were like the sports world?
Today's story that Raiders No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell is expected to hold out for a long time got me thinking: What if I held out on my first job?
So The Indianapolis Star drafts me with the No. 1 pick (And why wouldn't they? I have a news background, multimedia knowledge and Web experience...Any takers? Anyone???). Even though there are only, let's say, 95 sports writers with my beat in the country, and even though being a sports writer is my dream, and even though there are thousands of people working their tails off who would love to have my job...I decide to hold out. You're only offering me $30,000 a year for four years?! Yeah right. Call me when you get serious.
What would the Star do?
They'd kick my tail into Meridian Street so fast it'd make my head spin like one of Russell's spirals. The editors wouldn't wait a day before yelling, "Next!" for the next young gun to come in and snatch the position.
And that would be that.
But things are different in pro sports - specifically the NFL. Somehow, the young guy has all of the power - or thinks he does. "Dude...you guys were 2-14 last year," Russell must be telling Al Davis and Co., "and your current starter is a washed-up 30-year-old on his third team and ready for his third knee surgery. You need me. Pay me like it."
While Russell (and Brady Quinn in Cleveland) have a point, here's what I don't get: Just about all of the NBA draft picks are signed, including Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. The NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement is set up to minimize holdouts: it's pretty much set in stone how much players get based on when they were drafted. Not the NFL, where you have a No. 22 pick who wants to get paid like a No. 2 pick.
This whole thing makes even less sense when you consider how hard it is to learn an NFL offense - especially as a QB. You can jump from college basketball to the NBA and be fine (See: Carmelo Anthony or Allen Iverson). The game is more or less the same, though faster and with better athletes.
But the NFL is a different beast. The schemes are harder to learn, the game is much, much faster and the players are bigger, stronger and much better. To memorize a playbook, learn how to decipher defenses and adjust to the speed takes months. Why waste weeks holding out for a few extra million?
The NFL needs to adopt the approach of the rest of the world. Give the power to the teams and the league to figure out contracts, so the players can do what they do what they (eventually) get paid to do: play.
So The Indianapolis Star drafts me with the No. 1 pick (And why wouldn't they? I have a news background, multimedia knowledge and Web experience...Any takers? Anyone???). Even though there are only, let's say, 95 sports writers with my beat in the country, and even though being a sports writer is my dream, and even though there are thousands of people working their tails off who would love to have my job...I decide to hold out. You're only offering me $30,000 a year for four years?! Yeah right. Call me when you get serious.
What would the Star do?
They'd kick my tail into Meridian Street so fast it'd make my head spin like one of Russell's spirals. The editors wouldn't wait a day before yelling, "Next!" for the next young gun to come in and snatch the position.
And that would be that.
But things are different in pro sports - specifically the NFL. Somehow, the young guy has all of the power - or thinks he does. "Dude...you guys were 2-14 last year," Russell must be telling Al Davis and Co., "and your current starter is a washed-up 30-year-old on his third team and ready for his third knee surgery. You need me. Pay me like it."
While Russell (and Brady Quinn in Cleveland) have a point, here's what I don't get: Just about all of the NBA draft picks are signed, including Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. The NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement is set up to minimize holdouts: it's pretty much set in stone how much players get based on when they were drafted. Not the NFL, where you have a No. 22 pick who wants to get paid like a No. 2 pick.
This whole thing makes even less sense when you consider how hard it is to learn an NFL offense - especially as a QB. You can jump from college basketball to the NBA and be fine (See: Carmelo Anthony or Allen Iverson). The game is more or less the same, though faster and with better athletes.
But the NFL is a different beast. The schemes are harder to learn, the game is much, much faster and the players are bigger, stronger and much better. To memorize a playbook, learn how to decipher defenses and adjust to the speed takes months. Why waste weeks holding out for a few extra million?
The NFL needs to adopt the approach of the rest of the world. Give the power to the teams and the league to figure out contracts, so the players can do what they do what they (eventually) get paid to do: play.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
The week that was
1. Apparently today was the day of the home run. A-Rod hit No. 500 earlier today, and Barry Bonds just tied Hank Aaron with No. 755. A-Rod's milestone is impressive - sort of. The awe comes from the fact that he did it so young (32 years old), not that he hit 500. After all, an ape on The Cream can hit 500 nowadays.
Or 755. I'll write more on Bonds another day (when he gets 756), but I just want to touch on how lame this whole "chase" has been. Feels much more like a slow, funereal drudge through a cemetary than a chase, doesn't it? And here's the part that really gets me: I've been watching parts of the Giants games that have been on TV the last week or so, in case he does hit it. The kicker is that I'm not enjoying it. I'd rather not watch it, frankly, but it's like a deathwatch: You can't look away, for fear you'll miss something happen...even though what actually happens is a lot less dramatic than you thought it'd be. Hope that makes sense; it's been a long week.
2. The Colts cut former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon. Chalk this one up as a stroke of bad luck. When we signed Simon, it seemed as if we had the big DT we needed to stuff the run, add a sack or two and put our defense on par with the offense. Simon did OK, but injuries cut his time with us short. Sad that it happened, but the Colts were right to move on.
3. I spent the last couple days bouncing from college football media day to college football media day. I pulled the Oklahoma trifecta: University of Tulsa on Thursday, University of Oklahoma on Friday and Oklahoma State today. The differences between the players was astounding. The TU guys were genuine and intelligent - much more likely to mention their major and career plans in my short Q&As. OU players were definitely the most dedicated and most focused (and least talkative). The OSU guys were the friendliest and most open with me. No point here; just sayin'...
4. Still awaiting word on whether my hometown of Columbus, Ind. will have another parade to honor Tony Stewart's victory at the Brickyard. As lame as it sounds, it's also kind of cool. Normally parades are reserved for championships or Super Bowl victories. Think Bonds will get a parade in San Francisco? Or Tiger Woods will get one in Cypress, Calif. if he wins the upcoming PGA Championship?
5. Speaking of PGA Championship, that's coming to Tulsa soon, or something. Woods was in town Monday night/Tuesday morning for a practice round, and the local media did a great job of getting completely useless (but hilarious) details. Flew in Monday on his private jet. Spent the night at the Renaissance Hotel. Didn't putt in on the last hole - just got a feel for the greens. And, most importantly, ate dinner at Fuddruckers. Apparently he wore a backwards cap and sunglasses...AND NO ONE RECOGNIZED HIM! Come now. He's one of the most recognizable people in the world, one of the five biggest celebrities in America and one of the five biggest sports icons ever...but sunglasses and a backwards cap make him a normal guy? It's just like Superman/Clark Kent - how can a pair of spectacles matter that much? As a glasses/contact wearer, I can tell you the difference isn't that big...
6. Tony Dungy's book, "Quiet Strength," is set to become No. 1 on the New York Times' Best-sellers list this week. It's sitting on my bookshelf right now, but I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet. I'll get on that ASAP and post a review...but I extend my congratulations to Dungy for this honor. it couldn't go to a nicer, more deserving guy.
7. The X-Games suffered a scary moment when skateboarder Jake Brown fell a good 30 feet in the Big Air event. He suffered a collapsed lung and was in the hospital for a couple days...but is somehow OK. I don't want to link to the video because it's...intense. YouTube if you wish. I mention this whole event only because it serves as a reminder of where sports really rank in life. They're fun and all that...but when a guy nearly dies in a tough hit, it's a wake-up call.
Or 755. I'll write more on Bonds another day (when he gets 756), but I just want to touch on how lame this whole "chase" has been. Feels much more like a slow, funereal drudge through a cemetary than a chase, doesn't it? And here's the part that really gets me: I've been watching parts of the Giants games that have been on TV the last week or so, in case he does hit it. The kicker is that I'm not enjoying it. I'd rather not watch it, frankly, but it's like a deathwatch: You can't look away, for fear you'll miss something happen...even though what actually happens is a lot less dramatic than you thought it'd be. Hope that makes sense; it's been a long week.
2. The Colts cut former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon. Chalk this one up as a stroke of bad luck. When we signed Simon, it seemed as if we had the big DT we needed to stuff the run, add a sack or two and put our defense on par with the offense. Simon did OK, but injuries cut his time with us short. Sad that it happened, but the Colts were right to move on.
3. I spent the last couple days bouncing from college football media day to college football media day. I pulled the Oklahoma trifecta: University of Tulsa on Thursday, University of Oklahoma on Friday and Oklahoma State today. The differences between the players was astounding. The TU guys were genuine and intelligent - much more likely to mention their major and career plans in my short Q&As. OU players were definitely the most dedicated and most focused (and least talkative). The OSU guys were the friendliest and most open with me. No point here; just sayin'...
4. Still awaiting word on whether my hometown of Columbus, Ind. will have another parade to honor Tony Stewart's victory at the Brickyard. As lame as it sounds, it's also kind of cool. Normally parades are reserved for championships or Super Bowl victories. Think Bonds will get a parade in San Francisco? Or Tiger Woods will get one in Cypress, Calif. if he wins the upcoming PGA Championship?
5. Speaking of PGA Championship, that's coming to Tulsa soon, or something. Woods was in town Monday night/Tuesday morning for a practice round, and the local media did a great job of getting completely useless (but hilarious) details. Flew in Monday on his private jet. Spent the night at the Renaissance Hotel. Didn't putt in on the last hole - just got a feel for the greens. And, most importantly, ate dinner at Fuddruckers. Apparently he wore a backwards cap and sunglasses...AND NO ONE RECOGNIZED HIM! Come now. He's one of the most recognizable people in the world, one of the five biggest celebrities in America and one of the five biggest sports icons ever...but sunglasses and a backwards cap make him a normal guy? It's just like Superman/Clark Kent - how can a pair of spectacles matter that much? As a glasses/contact wearer, I can tell you the difference isn't that big...
6. Tony Dungy's book, "Quiet Strength," is set to become No. 1 on the New York Times' Best-sellers list this week. It's sitting on my bookshelf right now, but I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet. I'll get on that ASAP and post a review...but I extend my congratulations to Dungy for this honor. it couldn't go to a nicer, more deserving guy.
7. The X-Games suffered a scary moment when skateboarder Jake Brown fell a good 30 feet in the Big Air event. He suffered a collapsed lung and was in the hospital for a couple days...but is somehow OK. I don't want to link to the video because it's...intense. YouTube if you wish. I mention this whole event only because it serves as a reminder of where sports really rank in life. They're fun and all that...but when a guy nearly dies in a tough hit, it's a wake-up call.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
KG is a Celtic - at long last
So the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes has expired, and Boston landed the big ticket.
That sucks.
First of all, the specifics: Minnesota sent KG to Boston in exchange for Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, two future first-round picks, possible cash considerations and a partridge in a pear tree.
GREAT deal for the Celtics. Their Big 3 - KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen - is the most high-powered line-up of big names in the NBA (over Nash, Amare and Marion in Phoenix) and the second best set or triplets in sport today (behind the Colts' Peyton, Marvin and Addai). They immediately become contenders in the East and could give Phoenix, Dallas or San Antonio a tough match in the Finals.
For the rest of the league? Not so good.
I don't like the deal for Minnesota...but I understand it. They finally decided to re-build, so they get a few decent young guys (I like Jefferson and Green), two draft picks and a fat expiring contract. That said, I still don't understand why they didn't try to build around KG instead of dealing him.
They had one of the best players of his generation, and they never gave him a team that could contend. You have to give them credit for knowing when to fold the cards, but I still don't know if this was the best deal for them.
Two other teams that got screwed over here, but no one seems to have mentioned yet:
The Lakers. Remember how Kobe Bryant said he wanted KG on his team, or he wanted out? Well, uh, it's clear that he ain't gettin' one of those. Nor will he likely get the other one.
The Suns. Phoenix wanted to team KG with Nash and Amare (or Marion) to be the hands-on favorite to win the NBA title next year. Didn't happen. It doesn't make sense for the Suns to try and work a deal with the Lakers - who would they want from LA - so they're stuck with the team that got their tails kicked by the Spurs.
There was one other winner today: my Pacers. Indiana's been trying to send Jermaine O'Neal to Tinsel Town for Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, but LA hasn't been biting. If Kobe stays unhappy (which, if we know anything about Kobe, he will be), he'll want the Lakers to do something. Adding his good buddy (and All-Star) J.O. fits the bill. With KG out of the picture, this could (God willing) lead to Jermaine getting out of town and the Pacers starting over.
That sucks.
First of all, the specifics: Minnesota sent KG to Boston in exchange for Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, two future first-round picks, possible cash considerations and a partridge in a pear tree.
GREAT deal for the Celtics. Their Big 3 - KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen - is the most high-powered line-up of big names in the NBA (over Nash, Amare and Marion in Phoenix) and the second best set or triplets in sport today (behind the Colts' Peyton, Marvin and Addai). They immediately become contenders in the East and could give Phoenix, Dallas or San Antonio a tough match in the Finals.
For the rest of the league? Not so good.
I don't like the deal for Minnesota...but I understand it. They finally decided to re-build, so they get a few decent young guys (I like Jefferson and Green), two draft picks and a fat expiring contract. That said, I still don't understand why they didn't try to build around KG instead of dealing him.
They had one of the best players of his generation, and they never gave him a team that could contend. You have to give them credit for knowing when to fold the cards, but I still don't know if this was the best deal for them.
Two other teams that got screwed over here, but no one seems to have mentioned yet:
The Lakers. Remember how Kobe Bryant said he wanted KG on his team, or he wanted out? Well, uh, it's clear that he ain't gettin' one of those. Nor will he likely get the other one.
The Suns. Phoenix wanted to team KG with Nash and Amare (or Marion) to be the hands-on favorite to win the NBA title next year. Didn't happen. It doesn't make sense for the Suns to try and work a deal with the Lakers - who would they want from LA - so they're stuck with the team that got their tails kicked by the Spurs.
There was one other winner today: my Pacers. Indiana's been trying to send Jermaine O'Neal to Tinsel Town for Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, but LA hasn't been biting. If Kobe stays unhappy (which, if we know anything about Kobe, he will be), he'll want the Lakers to do something. Adding his good buddy (and All-Star) J.O. fits the bill. With KG out of the picture, this could (God willing) lead to Jermaine getting out of town and the Pacers starting over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)