The Army-Navy game. Why did I see a couple guys amongst the cadets and midshipmen in the stands with 3 stripes on their sleeves? Do the future shave tails and ensign Parkers (see Mchale's Navy) really need drill instructors to keep them in line while they're watching a football game? It's bad enough those poor students aren't allowed to sit down all day. The last thing they need is a few Sergeant Carters (see Gomer Pyle) barking stupid orders at them. Left face. Right face. Drop and give me 20. Shut up. It's a football game. Let the kids have at least a few hours of fun.
Congrats to Jameis Winston of Florida State on winning this year's Heisman trophy. A worthy selection indeed. But something not so funny happened along the way. I'm not talking about some crime he was rumored to have maybe committed a year ago. All that speculation by the typical knee-jerkers that, once they hear an allegation, despite the lack of evidence, think everybody is guilty, and the resulting legal mumbo-jumbo has been resolved. It's over. Winston remains innocent. No, something more sinister was obviously afoot.
Though Winston won by a huge margin, it is interesting to note that of the 900 voters that could cast Heisman ballots, while voting for 1st,2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th place, etc., a full 115 of them left Winston off their ballots entirely. Now there's no way these people could justify Winston not being amongst the top 5 college football players this past year. In other words, it was not an oversight on their part. They did this on purpose. Why? Because in their closed little minds, they still think a vague allegation is the equivalent of a conviction. And that's not only wrong -- it should be offensive to a society that considers itself even civilized, let alone open, impartial, and objective. These folks more likely belong voting in political primaries -- not on coveted sports awards. The Gang of 115 should have their voting credentials revoked, to be replaced by knowledgeable football people that can not only see straight -- but not be hindered by tunnel-vision blinders of their own making. In other words, we need new blood voting on an old award. The kind of people that are willing to look around and see the whole picture, rather than being obsessed with their own personal agendas -- which indeed oftentimes turn out to have no basis in fact.
Much Ado About Nothing Dept. The Detroit Lions square off against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night. Some Baltimore safety named Matt Elam let slip the remark that Lions' receiver Calvin Johnson was "pretty old". And oh my, did some Detroit area scribes run with that one. Nevermind that Johnson did, and continues to play it down as no big deal -- some scribes appear hell-bent on trying to start a fire with whatever scant kindling they can scrape up. In their desperation -- is this what it's come to in Detroit? The little yappy dogs attempting to get the big dogs riled up -- so the chihuahuas can sit back and write about how the pit bulls are tearing each other limb from limb on the field? Hey. Here's a clue. Stop with all the the "your mom wears army boots" 1st grade stuff. These guys are professionals. They study and practice all week long to prepare for their next opponents. Once the game starts, do you really think they care about what a player on the opposing team may have said a few days before? If that's still in their heads, they don't have them screwed on straight and will likely get beat.
Besides, Elam's 22. In his eyes, Calvin Johnson at 28, IS old. That's just the way fearless young kids think. And it's not like Elam came out and said he'd shut down the Megatron to zero catches and zero yards. He's a safety, not a cornerback. Johnson himself said the only time he would see Elam is when he runs by him going down the field. In and of itself, that's a little a cocky as well. Johnson might indeed run by him a couple times on the way to the end zone but, then again, Elam might just bust the Megatron's chops coming over the middle and send him limping off. Don't think for a second Elam isn't aware of how he's been played as a fool by some Detroit area scribes. Look at it this way. He's a starting safety on the defending Super Bowl champions for a reason. That means he's pretty good too. Unlike Calvin Johnson, a seasoned veteran who knows better, a young safety like Elam just might have it in the back of his mind somewhere that, if given the opportunity, he'll go out of his way to make a devastating hit on Johnson -- just to make a statement on MNF -- however misguided that may be. And if that happens -- guess where a large part of the fault should lie?
With the yappy little media dogs in Detroit that fanned the flames in the first place. Like the Lions' long-time starting center, and a certain receiver that can't stay healthy, must less be productive, they continue to bark away trying to get attention. Hey, HEY, HEY -- look at me, they continue to blather on. What they fail to comprehend is they also continue to be losers, and nobody outside the inner koolaid addicted circle much cares. They see it for what it is.
Maybe the Lions beat the Ravens on Monday night, and maybe not. Last time I looked, the puddy-tats were a 6 point favorite. Both teams come in with 7-6 records and playoff implications are definitely at stake. Baltimore started off the season bad, but has since gotten on a roll. Detroit started off the season fairly well, but has stumbled of late. Who will win this game? Beats me. One never knows which Lions will show up.
Well OK then. Glad I got those rants off my chest. On to the dumbest rule change I ever heard of --- next time. Working......
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Time-outs, fouls, and horsepuckey
Ever wonder why the last "two minutes" of some basketball games can drag on for a half hour, or more? Earlier watching Kentucky finally -- FINALLY -- accept the inevitable and go down to North Carolina was the perfect example.
There's a couple obvious reasons why such nonsense continues to happen, and one maybe not so obvious.
First, each team has 5 time-outs per half. That's a grand total of 20 -- count em -- TWENTY time-outs that can be used during the course of a game -- and often every last one of them is. Throw in the usual assortment of mandatory "commercial breaks", whereby the athletic participants have to bow down to the TV gods, and it comes as no surprise a game that should take roughly two hours sometimes stretches into 3 or more. Horsepuckey.
Second, any hoops fan has no doubt noticed that when a team is behind towards the end of a game, in desperation they will foul the players on the other team, sending them to the free throw line. This is in the hope the free-throw shooter will miss, the trailing team will quickly run down the floor to score 2 or 3 points, and then they'll do it again. And again. In the meantime, while the game clock has wound down maybe 20 seconds, the big hand on your wall clock has made a half orbit. Twenty seconds of game time has just become a half hour of real time. Horsepuckey.
Further, when these situations happen, players that would not normally be on the floor for the trailing team are put out there to commit these fouls, because they have them "to give". Of course, after such fouls are committed, the subs get rotated back off the floor, because, yep, there's yet another break in the action, which enables the coach of the losing team to bring his best players back in. Another time-out is usually called by one coach or the other, we'll see a few more commercials, and the big hand rotates another 45 degrees. Horsepuckey.
Only in basketball does this nonsense happen. Look around. In football, both teams get 3 time-outs per half. Granted, even those are too many, and we've often seen them used for frivolous reasons while the fans are the ones abused. I say cut them down to two time-outs and let's see how that works.
Obviously, baseball has built-in timeouts. At least 17 of them, as the teams rotate on and off the field every half inning. But that's just the nature of the game. Still, they're guilty of stall tactics as well sometimes. Case in point: See a pitching coach head to the mound to "talk" with a pitcher that's being lit up. See the infielders assemble on the mound -- as if they can do a damn thing to stop the other guys from banging the ball all over the park against their pitching teammate. They don't know anything about pitching. Yet they'll all stay huddled up on the mound accomplishing nothing until the home plate umpire walks out and tells them to break it up. We have a game to play here, fellas. Let's go.
And after all of that -- what typically happens next? Here comes the manager to change pitchers. That manager knew damn good and well that pitcher had thrown his last pitch -- so why wasn't he out there in the first place to yank him? A reliever in the bullpen needed time to warm up? Shut up. The guys in the bullpen -- all of them -- should be warmed up and ready to go from the first inning on. What else do they have to do out there? Play cards? Text their girlfriends? These guys are making millions. The least they can do is to be ready to actually, gasp, participate whenever they're called on. More horsepuckey.
Hockey has it right. Each team gets one time-out per game. Period. Many times they won't even use it. Now that's more like it.
But back to where this all started. Basketball, and the way they continue to drag games on and on. There's a couple ways to fix this.
In the last two minutes of a game, when a trailing team is already over the foul limit, and decide to foul anyway out of desperation -- let the other team not only have two uncontested free throws, ala technical foul shots, but retain possession of the ball. The current time-consuming horsepuckey would stop.
And ferchrissakes -- 20 time-outs, on top of the TV time-outs is TOTAL horsepuckey. Who do these guys think they are dragging things on this long while the people that are paying for it all twist in the wind? Congress? And how's their approval rating lately?
Cut them back down to 3 apiece per game and let's see how that works out as well. Six beats the hell out of 20. And maybe a few of the unfortunate souls that continue to actually die while all the current horsepuckey is dragging on -- will get to see the end of the game they tuned into. Whether their team wins or loses -- at least they had some closure before they met their maker. How can that not be a good thing? This purgatory horsepuckey needs to stop.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. The not so obvious thing mentioned above? It's all about the money, of course. More time-outs mean more commercials, which means more cha-chings for a lot of folks. Did I mention the TV gods?
If you're good with that -- fine. Enjoy the ducks, lizards, and washed-up actors hawking everything from insurance to credit cards.
But some of us would much rather see how the game turned out before we die.
There's a couple obvious reasons why such nonsense continues to happen, and one maybe not so obvious.
First, each team has 5 time-outs per half. That's a grand total of 20 -- count em -- TWENTY time-outs that can be used during the course of a game -- and often every last one of them is. Throw in the usual assortment of mandatory "commercial breaks", whereby the athletic participants have to bow down to the TV gods, and it comes as no surprise a game that should take roughly two hours sometimes stretches into 3 or more. Horsepuckey.
Second, any hoops fan has no doubt noticed that when a team is behind towards the end of a game, in desperation they will foul the players on the other team, sending them to the free throw line. This is in the hope the free-throw shooter will miss, the trailing team will quickly run down the floor to score 2 or 3 points, and then they'll do it again. And again. In the meantime, while the game clock has wound down maybe 20 seconds, the big hand on your wall clock has made a half orbit. Twenty seconds of game time has just become a half hour of real time. Horsepuckey.
Further, when these situations happen, players that would not normally be on the floor for the trailing team are put out there to commit these fouls, because they have them "to give". Of course, after such fouls are committed, the subs get rotated back off the floor, because, yep, there's yet another break in the action, which enables the coach of the losing team to bring his best players back in. Another time-out is usually called by one coach or the other, we'll see a few more commercials, and the big hand rotates another 45 degrees. Horsepuckey.
Only in basketball does this nonsense happen. Look around. In football, both teams get 3 time-outs per half. Granted, even those are too many, and we've often seen them used for frivolous reasons while the fans are the ones abused. I say cut them down to two time-outs and let's see how that works.
Obviously, baseball has built-in timeouts. At least 17 of them, as the teams rotate on and off the field every half inning. But that's just the nature of the game. Still, they're guilty of stall tactics as well sometimes. Case in point: See a pitching coach head to the mound to "talk" with a pitcher that's being lit up. See the infielders assemble on the mound -- as if they can do a damn thing to stop the other guys from banging the ball all over the park against their pitching teammate. They don't know anything about pitching. Yet they'll all stay huddled up on the mound accomplishing nothing until the home plate umpire walks out and tells them to break it up. We have a game to play here, fellas. Let's go.
And after all of that -- what typically happens next? Here comes the manager to change pitchers. That manager knew damn good and well that pitcher had thrown his last pitch -- so why wasn't he out there in the first place to yank him? A reliever in the bullpen needed time to warm up? Shut up. The guys in the bullpen -- all of them -- should be warmed up and ready to go from the first inning on. What else do they have to do out there? Play cards? Text their girlfriends? These guys are making millions. The least they can do is to be ready to actually, gasp, participate whenever they're called on. More horsepuckey.
Hockey has it right. Each team gets one time-out per game. Period. Many times they won't even use it. Now that's more like it.
But back to where this all started. Basketball, and the way they continue to drag games on and on. There's a couple ways to fix this.
In the last two minutes of a game, when a trailing team is already over the foul limit, and decide to foul anyway out of desperation -- let the other team not only have two uncontested free throws, ala technical foul shots, but retain possession of the ball. The current time-consuming horsepuckey would stop.
And ferchrissakes -- 20 time-outs, on top of the TV time-outs is TOTAL horsepuckey. Who do these guys think they are dragging things on this long while the people that are paying for it all twist in the wind? Congress? And how's their approval rating lately?
Cut them back down to 3 apiece per game and let's see how that works out as well. Six beats the hell out of 20. And maybe a few of the unfortunate souls that continue to actually die while all the current horsepuckey is dragging on -- will get to see the end of the game they tuned into. Whether their team wins or loses -- at least they had some closure before they met their maker. How can that not be a good thing? This purgatory horsepuckey needs to stop.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. The not so obvious thing mentioned above? It's all about the money, of course. More time-outs mean more commercials, which means more cha-chings for a lot of folks. Did I mention the TV gods?
If you're good with that -- fine. Enjoy the ducks, lizards, and washed-up actors hawking everything from insurance to credit cards.
But some of us would much rather see how the game turned out before we die.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Lamar Odom and Khloe K
It appears another "celebrity", and I use that term loosely, marriage is about to bite the dust. No big suprise there. Somewhere in la-la land, the glitter folks with way too many dollars and not nearly enough sense, seem to break up every -- well -- what time is it? Doesn't matter. Before the big hand goes around on the wall clock again, chances are good another such break-up will come along, and it will be big news to some. Personally, yours truly can normally sum up his reaction to such things in one word -- yawn. Or perhaps another five word phrase would be more appropriate. Who gives a rat's ass?
But this time I happened to read an on-line blurb about the imminent spousal demise of Lamar and Khloe, and besides finding it comical, yours truly got an urge to write about it. There's that, and I couldn't think of anything else. Soooooo, onward with even more stupidity, by my own hand.
Lamar Odom has been an NBA basketball player from 1999 to the present. He's earned millions and millions of dollars during his tenure with a few different teams over that period of time. While with the LA Lakers, he even hoisted a couple world championships. His last stop was where he started -- with the LA Clippers, who aren't too shabby themselves these days. Though now a free agent, Odom's only 34, and claims to be staying in shape hoping another team will give him a call. Could happen. The dude's 6-10, and he's been there, done that at the highest levels of the game. During the course of a long NBA season, with the usual assortment of injuries likely occurring, it's not much of a stretch to imagine some team might suddenly find the services of Odom to be attractive. And he'd get paid more millions.
On the other hand, his soon to be ex-wife Khloe Kardashian has carved out her niche in the annals (yes, that last word is spelled correctly -- two ens -- though a good case could be made for only one... hmmm, nevermind) of American lore by -- well -- that would seem to be a good question. A couple reality shows with her sisters? I tuned into one of those once called Keeping Up With the Kardashians. When it was mercifully over, yours truly thought it would be much more interesting, not to mention intellectually challenging, trying to keep up with the weeds that have a way of sprouting up in the garden. And if weeds could talk, scary thought, I have a strong hunch those conversations would be a lot more stimulating than what I saw on that show.
Like the Manchurian Candidate, and a few boy/girl bands that have been thrown together over the years, the K girls seem to be without any substance. A money-making creation by the powers-that-be, to prey on those of even feebler minds. Throw in the ever-present libido factor amongst the masses that will forever think with the wrong heads, and presto -- stars are born. It doesn't make any sense, yet it's very real. Pitiful, but real. But I digress.
Thing is, it appears Khloe won't be asking for any spousal support (as in a major cha-ching) from Lamar. Well, bless her little Armenian heart for small favors. Like him or not for personal reasons, Lamar Odom has pounded his way up and down NBA basketball courts for 14 years earning his money. As one of the K girls, his soon-to-be ex can claim exactly what? Besides the moronic reality shows -- having a fake sun tan product, a perfume, and a failed line of clothing in their names? And do you really think for one second anybody in that family had anything to do with mixing the chemicals or designing the outfits that they put their names on? Puh-leeze.
Lamar Odom may or may not find his way back onto an NBA basketball team somewhere. At 34, he's not exactly a youngster, but he's no geezer either. There's a lot of guys still playing at a high level that are older than he is.
But methinks poor Khloe, with the dreaded 30 knocking on her door next spring, will find herself put out to pasture in the whole scheme of things sooner than Lamar.
Like they say. It's a business, right?
But this time I happened to read an on-line blurb about the imminent spousal demise of Lamar and Khloe, and besides finding it comical, yours truly got an urge to write about it. There's that, and I couldn't think of anything else. Soooooo, onward with even more stupidity, by my own hand.
Lamar Odom has been an NBA basketball player from 1999 to the present. He's earned millions and millions of dollars during his tenure with a few different teams over that period of time. While with the LA Lakers, he even hoisted a couple world championships. His last stop was where he started -- with the LA Clippers, who aren't too shabby themselves these days. Though now a free agent, Odom's only 34, and claims to be staying in shape hoping another team will give him a call. Could happen. The dude's 6-10, and he's been there, done that at the highest levels of the game. During the course of a long NBA season, with the usual assortment of injuries likely occurring, it's not much of a stretch to imagine some team might suddenly find the services of Odom to be attractive. And he'd get paid more millions.
On the other hand, his soon to be ex-wife Khloe Kardashian has carved out her niche in the annals (yes, that last word is spelled correctly -- two ens -- though a good case could be made for only one... hmmm, nevermind) of American lore by -- well -- that would seem to be a good question. A couple reality shows with her sisters? I tuned into one of those once called Keeping Up With the Kardashians. When it was mercifully over, yours truly thought it would be much more interesting, not to mention intellectually challenging, trying to keep up with the weeds that have a way of sprouting up in the garden. And if weeds could talk, scary thought, I have a strong hunch those conversations would be a lot more stimulating than what I saw on that show.
Like the Manchurian Candidate, and a few boy/girl bands that have been thrown together over the years, the K girls seem to be without any substance. A money-making creation by the powers-that-be, to prey on those of even feebler minds. Throw in the ever-present libido factor amongst the masses that will forever think with the wrong heads, and presto -- stars are born. It doesn't make any sense, yet it's very real. Pitiful, but real. But I digress.
Thing is, it appears Khloe won't be asking for any spousal support (as in a major cha-ching) from Lamar. Well, bless her little Armenian heart for small favors. Like him or not for personal reasons, Lamar Odom has pounded his way up and down NBA basketball courts for 14 years earning his money. As one of the K girls, his soon-to-be ex can claim exactly what? Besides the moronic reality shows -- having a fake sun tan product, a perfume, and a failed line of clothing in their names? And do you really think for one second anybody in that family had anything to do with mixing the chemicals or designing the outfits that they put their names on? Puh-leeze.
Lamar Odom may or may not find his way back onto an NBA basketball team somewhere. At 34, he's not exactly a youngster, but he's no geezer either. There's a lot of guys still playing at a high level that are older than he is.
But methinks poor Khloe, with the dreaded 30 knocking on her door next spring, will find herself put out to pasture in the whole scheme of things sooner than Lamar.
Like they say. It's a business, right?
Thursday, December 12, 2013
There's execution, and then there's execution
This just in: North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un has had his #2 executed for acting the wrong way and saying dumb things? And the dude was his own uncle? Wow. Methinks Joe Biden under appreciates just how lucky he is to be the veep in the US, instead of North Korea. There's a big difference between running on a ticket, and having that ticket punched later by the head man in a final sort of way, when he deems his underling to be a nuisance. But enough about that. Onward.
Sometimes, when it comes to the Detroit Lions, it gets to be downright comical. Yeah, the team itself still provides a few yuks here and there with some of their bone-headed antics, but I'm referring more to those that continue to be the snake-oil salespeople peddling their Honolulu blue and silver magic tonic. No matter what ails the team, or more specifically Lions' fans for that matter, keep swigging their miracle elixir and you'll feel better in the morning. Step right up and drop a few more house payments cheering your team on. The kids will be OK without college and ramen noodles aren't so bad after a while. But no matter what, keep believing the glass is eternally half full and will overflow any year now. Yes, I'm talking about some of the Lions' local scribes.
They seem to be kind of like stereotypical used car salespeople. They'll offer you a vehicle that's been all spiffed up and looks great. What they won't tell you is underneath the Turtle wax, the motor and tranny have more mileage on them than your average Kardashian, the brakes are iffy, front wheels out of alignment, and sometimes various things such as the power steering/brakes/windows and heater/AC work -- and sometimes they don't. But they'll sell it to you anyway, while padding their own pockets. I understand local scribes following any team have a job to do, and it's no doubt in their best interest to put a positive spin on things. Start ripping the home team, and they might find some of the "inner access" doors that were once open to them -- have been mysteriously closed. I get that.
But still, what price should be put on objectivity? After all, telling it like it is should be their prime mission. Then again, perhaps some of these people actually believe in what they write and say. A couple years ago, some had the belief and temerity to suggest the Lions were upwardly mobile, and a Super Bowl was in sight in the near future. The lemmings were quick to line up on the cliff again. Of course the Lions promptly did yet another of their age-old death-spirals to go 4-12 last year, quickly quashing such Pollyanna-esque folly.
So here's what I consider to be an interesting question: How do you think such scribes and talking heads would fare if they were hooked up to a polygraph and asked some pointed questions about just how good they think the Lions REALLY are? Lie-detectors aren't admissable evidence, you say? True enough. But consider this -- they've been around since at least the 1950s, before computers, smart phones, the internet, space flight, etc. Given the leaps and bounds made in the technology of all that -- how reliable do you think polygraphs are these days? Folks have been quietly improving that sort of technology as well too, you know. Trust me, the modern versions are deathly accurate. Nobody beats them any more. The only reason they aren't put in play is because a lot of lawyers would find themselves as obsolete as rotary phones and 8-track tape players. And we couldn't have that now, could we?
Nevertheless, I can think of a few local Lions' media folks that I would dearly love to see wired up to see how they fared when asked if they really believed in what they've been preaching about that team over the years.
If they passed the test -- let them write and talk on.
But if they were proven to be liars, having knowingly misled so many gullible fans for so many years, then they have failed to properly execute their sworn journalistic, much less ethical duties.
Their punishment? Send them over to North Korea to interview for a job in the "sports ministry" with Dennis Rodman's buddy.
Now THAT'S a man that takes proper execution seriously.
Sometimes, when it comes to the Detroit Lions, it gets to be downright comical. Yeah, the team itself still provides a few yuks here and there with some of their bone-headed antics, but I'm referring more to those that continue to be the snake-oil salespeople peddling their Honolulu blue and silver magic tonic. No matter what ails the team, or more specifically Lions' fans for that matter, keep swigging their miracle elixir and you'll feel better in the morning. Step right up and drop a few more house payments cheering your team on. The kids will be OK without college and ramen noodles aren't so bad after a while. But no matter what, keep believing the glass is eternally half full and will overflow any year now. Yes, I'm talking about some of the Lions' local scribes.
They seem to be kind of like stereotypical used car salespeople. They'll offer you a vehicle that's been all spiffed up and looks great. What they won't tell you is underneath the Turtle wax, the motor and tranny have more mileage on them than your average Kardashian, the brakes are iffy, front wheels out of alignment, and sometimes various things such as the power steering/brakes/windows and heater/AC work -- and sometimes they don't. But they'll sell it to you anyway, while padding their own pockets. I understand local scribes following any team have a job to do, and it's no doubt in their best interest to put a positive spin on things. Start ripping the home team, and they might find some of the "inner access" doors that were once open to them -- have been mysteriously closed. I get that.
But still, what price should be put on objectivity? After all, telling it like it is should be their prime mission. Then again, perhaps some of these people actually believe in what they write and say. A couple years ago, some had the belief and temerity to suggest the Lions were upwardly mobile, and a Super Bowl was in sight in the near future. The lemmings were quick to line up on the cliff again. Of course the Lions promptly did yet another of their age-old death-spirals to go 4-12 last year, quickly quashing such Pollyanna-esque folly.
So here's what I consider to be an interesting question: How do you think such scribes and talking heads would fare if they were hooked up to a polygraph and asked some pointed questions about just how good they think the Lions REALLY are? Lie-detectors aren't admissable evidence, you say? True enough. But consider this -- they've been around since at least the 1950s, before computers, smart phones, the internet, space flight, etc. Given the leaps and bounds made in the technology of all that -- how reliable do you think polygraphs are these days? Folks have been quietly improving that sort of technology as well too, you know. Trust me, the modern versions are deathly accurate. Nobody beats them any more. The only reason they aren't put in play is because a lot of lawyers would find themselves as obsolete as rotary phones and 8-track tape players. And we couldn't have that now, could we?
Nevertheless, I can think of a few local Lions' media folks that I would dearly love to see wired up to see how they fared when asked if they really believed in what they've been preaching about that team over the years.
If they passed the test -- let them write and talk on.
But if they were proven to be liars, having knowingly misled so many gullible fans for so many years, then they have failed to properly execute their sworn journalistic, much less ethical duties.
Their punishment? Send them over to North Korea to interview for a job in the "sports ministry" with Dennis Rodman's buddy.
Now THAT'S a man that takes proper execution seriously.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Detroit Tigers. Prohibitive favorites?
You gotta hand it to Tigers' Prez and GM Dave Dombrowski. Lately, he's been pretty shrewd in filling some needs for the pizza man's ball club.
Signing free agent closer Joe Nathan was quite a coup. Few would doubt the closer role for the Tigers has pretty much been a clusterXXXX in recent years. See former manager Jim Leyland summon his closer flavor of the month, or week, or day, to protect a slim lead. See Tiger fans close their eyes and say a prayer. Not exactly the best scenario. If Nathan still has the same stuff he used to, never a guarantee, this was a very smart move.
Shedding the salary cap/dismal playoff performance albatross that Prince Fielder had become for the likes of Ian Kinsler was a no-brainer. Kinsler might well be the best all-around 2nd baseman in the league not named Robinson Cano, though Dustin Pedroia might take issue with that. At any rate, Kinsler does everything fairly well, including adding a little much needed speed to the Tiger line-up. Another nice move by DD. Though one is left to wonder -- what could they possibly be thinking down in Texas to agree to this deal? Oil wells, rodeos, bimbos, and a couple ex-Presidents only go so far. Earth to Nolan Ryan. Detroit thanks you, but are you nuts?
Then again, it was the same DD that put a serious dent in the pizza man's wallet when he signed the albatross to a ridiculous long-term contract to begin with. That resulted in Miguel Cabrera being made a 3rd baseman, because Fielder couldn't play any other position besides first. Cabrera at third base might be summed up by a boxing analogy of yore. Still hit like Mike Tyson. But defensively, more like Roberto Duran. Hands of stone. But hey, nobody gets them all right.
Just recently, the D man signed free agent outfielder Rajai Davis to help plug another hole -- left field. No disrespect to Andy Dirks, but he was sporadic with his play, and had a hard time staying healthy to boot. At 33, Davis is no youngster, and he's certainly been around the block a few times, having had stints with Pittsburgh, San Fran, Oakland, and recently in Toronto. Hitting-wise, he's no big deal, with a career average of .268. But he fields his position very well and, more importantly, brings even more speed into the Tigers' line-up. While not exactly Lou Brock or Rickey Henderson, Davis stole a very respectable 45 bases last year. That was 10 more than all the rest of the Tigers had -- combined. In 2013, the Tigers could hit, and they had a pretty decent starting pitching staff. But when it came to speed on the basepaths -- oftentimes a difference maker in a close game -- the Tigers more closely resembled molasses in the Yukon.
A couple closing thoughts......
So far, it appears Dombrowski, which is exactly the same name a former flame of mine would refer to me as when I did something dumb (which was often, but go figure), has made all the right moves to better the Tigers as a ball club.
Because as close as the Tigers were last year, they should be much better in 2014. "Prohibitive favorites" is a term that really doesn't apply to major league baseball. When the playoffs start, any team can beat another in a 5 or 7 game series. But if there's a "better" team going into 2014 than the Tigers, yours truly is at a loss as to who they are.
Secondly, given these transactions, I'm thinking somewhere Jim Leyland is also reflecting on whether he should have stuck around for just one more year. It was there for the taking -- but he quit. And how do you think the Marlboro Man will feel if a former back-up catcher and rookie manager (Brad Ausmus) winds up leading the Tigers to their first World Series championship in 30 years?
Arrgh. If the press thought Leyland was a tough interview before, good luck with the ornery old coot if THAT happens.
Signing free agent closer Joe Nathan was quite a coup. Few would doubt the closer role for the Tigers has pretty much been a clusterXXXX in recent years. See former manager Jim Leyland summon his closer flavor of the month, or week, or day, to protect a slim lead. See Tiger fans close their eyes and say a prayer. Not exactly the best scenario. If Nathan still has the same stuff he used to, never a guarantee, this was a very smart move.
Shedding the salary cap/dismal playoff performance albatross that Prince Fielder had become for the likes of Ian Kinsler was a no-brainer. Kinsler might well be the best all-around 2nd baseman in the league not named Robinson Cano, though Dustin Pedroia might take issue with that. At any rate, Kinsler does everything fairly well, including adding a little much needed speed to the Tiger line-up. Another nice move by DD. Though one is left to wonder -- what could they possibly be thinking down in Texas to agree to this deal? Oil wells, rodeos, bimbos, and a couple ex-Presidents only go so far. Earth to Nolan Ryan. Detroit thanks you, but are you nuts?
Then again, it was the same DD that put a serious dent in the pizza man's wallet when he signed the albatross to a ridiculous long-term contract to begin with. That resulted in Miguel Cabrera being made a 3rd baseman, because Fielder couldn't play any other position besides first. Cabrera at third base might be summed up by a boxing analogy of yore. Still hit like Mike Tyson. But defensively, more like Roberto Duran. Hands of stone. But hey, nobody gets them all right.
Just recently, the D man signed free agent outfielder Rajai Davis to help plug another hole -- left field. No disrespect to Andy Dirks, but he was sporadic with his play, and had a hard time staying healthy to boot. At 33, Davis is no youngster, and he's certainly been around the block a few times, having had stints with Pittsburgh, San Fran, Oakland, and recently in Toronto. Hitting-wise, he's no big deal, with a career average of .268. But he fields his position very well and, more importantly, brings even more speed into the Tigers' line-up. While not exactly Lou Brock or Rickey Henderson, Davis stole a very respectable 45 bases last year. That was 10 more than all the rest of the Tigers had -- combined. In 2013, the Tigers could hit, and they had a pretty decent starting pitching staff. But when it came to speed on the basepaths -- oftentimes a difference maker in a close game -- the Tigers more closely resembled molasses in the Yukon.
A couple closing thoughts......
So far, it appears Dombrowski, which is exactly the same name a former flame of mine would refer to me as when I did something dumb (which was often, but go figure), has made all the right moves to better the Tigers as a ball club.
Because as close as the Tigers were last year, they should be much better in 2014. "Prohibitive favorites" is a term that really doesn't apply to major league baseball. When the playoffs start, any team can beat another in a 5 or 7 game series. But if there's a "better" team going into 2014 than the Tigers, yours truly is at a loss as to who they are.
Secondly, given these transactions, I'm thinking somewhere Jim Leyland is also reflecting on whether he should have stuck around for just one more year. It was there for the taking -- but he quit. And how do you think the Marlboro Man will feel if a former back-up catcher and rookie manager (Brad Ausmus) winds up leading the Tigers to their first World Series championship in 30 years?
Arrgh. If the press thought Leyland was a tough interview before, good luck with the ornery old coot if THAT happens.
Why the Detroit Lions can't win
Following up on the last post, some think the Ford ownership of the Lions is somehow responsible for their losing ways over the last half century. The time frame certainly fits, but does anybody really believe that some sort of curse is involved? A commenter suggested that because the original Henry Ford was allegedly anti-Semitic, the team would be forever doomed to failure.
That's as good as any theory yours truly can come up with to explain so many decades of ongoing futility -- but I'm not sure I buy it. After all, old Henry passed away in April of 1947, and his grandson William Clay Ford wouldn't purchase the team until 16 and a half years later, in November of 1963. Henry knew about assembly lines and painting cars black, but never has it been suggested (to my knowledge) he had the slightest inkling about, or interest in professional football. What we now know as the mighty NFL was in it's infancy back then.
Odd fact: Strangely enough, William Clay Ford purchased a controlling interest in the Lions on the exact same day former President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Make of that what you will.
On to the modern day Lions. Much fanfare has been made (at least in the Detroit area) over quarterback Matthew Stafford throwing for 5000 yards and receiver Calvin (Megatron) Johnson racking up 2000 receiving yards during the course of a season. But you know what? It doesn't matter.
Stafford and Johnson can rack up all the personal gaudy stats they want year after year, and they might well get them into the Hall of Fame someday -- but as a team, the Lions are nowhere close to being Super Bowl caliber. Never have been, and don't look to be any year soon.
Here's a fair question for Lions' fans: Consider Dan Marino. As the long-time QB of the Miami Dolphins -- a Hall of Famer himself -- Marino set all kinds of NFL passing records. But he never won a Super Bowl. Do you think Stafford is currently better than he was? If you answer yes, yours truly would disagree.
Thing is, to run the gaunlet of the playoffs and win a Super Bowl takes a whole lot more than a hot-shot QB, one receiver, and a couple defensive linemen that flip back and forth between making good plays and gooning it up with stupid penalties.
And let's get real. What else do the Lions really have going for them? A retooled offensive line, with a loud-mouthed career loser anchoring it. Reggie Bush was a nice addition to their running game, until one considers they didn't HAVE a running game until he showed up. At that, it's understandable the Saints would let him walk, because they've become a good team and didn't need him anymore -- but the Dolphins? While being heralded as some sort of savior in Detroit, Bush is still fumble and injury prone, and quite likely wouldn't even make the roster of many other NFL teams.
Besides Calvin Johnson, the rest of the Lions' receiver corps isn't even mediocre. Nate Burleson, in the twilight of his career, likes to yap to the press, but he can't stay healthy either. They have a feature tight end that still can't catch (Pettigrew), and another rookie (Fauria) that thought he became some sort of rock star with a dancing routine after making his first touchdown catch. Please.
The linebacking corps is a bunch of guys nobody ever heard of, and the patchwork secondary, which can't seem to stay healthy either, isn't exactly noted for their cover abilities on opposing receivers. When they aren't committing stupid penalties themselves -- they routinely get burned for big plays.
True, it's the NFL and any team can beat any other on any given game day. The Lions still think they let one get away in Pittsburgh a while back. Pittsburgh fans would say their Steelers won it fair and square. The Lions nipped the Cowboys on the final play of the game with a surprise quarterback sneak. Lions fans would say they drove the field and luck had nothing to do with it. Cowboys fans no doubt still think they had the game in the bag and, but for a quirk of fate, should have won it. It all depends who's looking at it.
The Lions are capable of going on the road and beating a very good team. But they're also capable of getting beat by a bad team in their own back yard. Remember Tampa Bay a couple weeks back?
The Lions depend WAY too much on the Matthew to Calvin show. Mostly Calvin. Any QB could heave it in his direction, and chances are good the Megatron will find a way to catch it. But when that's taken away, like it was in Philadelphia, due to inclement weather, the Lions all of a sudden become decidedly not-so-good. Johnson had 3 catches for 49 yards in that game. The Lions lost by two touchdowns. Had it not been for a punt and kickoff returned for touchdowns -- in 6-8 inches of snow -- by a Lion player nobody had heard of before either, they could easily have been walloped by 30 points in the City of Brotherly Love.
But in the NFL, a win is a win, and a loss is a loss. It doesn't matter whether they were by 1 point or 30, or even if they were "lucky". Stuff happens every week. Sometimes the unexpected, both ways.
Until it gets to be playoff time. Sure, occasionally upsets even happen then. Who would have guessed the Baltimore Ravens would go into Denver and beat Peyton Manning and his Broncos last year on their way to winning the Super Bowl?
But for the most part, the playoffs have a way of of exposing the pretenders while the solidly built teams march on.
And the Lions are not solidly built. They may well indeed win the woeful NFC north, largely due to the fact that a guy named Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collar bone a few weeks back. Like the Lions depend on Calvin, the Packers are nowhere without Rodgers.
But the Super Bowl for the Lions? Forget that. It ain't gonna happen. Right now they're just about smack dab mediocre when it comes to the NFC. A few teams worse, but a few teams a lot better too.
Even if they back into the playoffs, does any Lion fan really think their team can go into New Orleans, San Fran, or even the upstart Carolina Panthers -- and win? And if it comes to Seattle, they might as well save the jet fuel and other expenses by staying home. A forfeit might be a first in the NFL, but what's the point in travelling all the way across the country to a slaugherhouse? That would get seriously ugly.
So hey, Lions fans. Enjoy the koolaid high while it lasts, but brace yourselves for the inevitable crash. Because it's going to happen -- and down deep you already know that. Your team may be capable of occasional flashes of brilliance, but from the head coach on down to the last guy on the special teams depth chart -- they're also capable of being bone heads.
Ah heck. It's just another year. After so many, what's one more on top of the pile? Like the commenter I cited above said -- maybe old Henry was anti-Semitic and somehow his bloodline was cursed. Or maybe there was a second shooter in Dallas. Beats me. Some things we will likely never know for sure.
But when I was a little boy, I do seem to have a recollection of my grandpa saying he always wanted a red car when he was a young man himself -- but that dastardly Henry Ford only offered them in one color -- black.
Nowadays, his heirs have seemed to only offer their football team in one variety as well.
Losers.
That's as good as any theory yours truly can come up with to explain so many decades of ongoing futility -- but I'm not sure I buy it. After all, old Henry passed away in April of 1947, and his grandson William Clay Ford wouldn't purchase the team until 16 and a half years later, in November of 1963. Henry knew about assembly lines and painting cars black, but never has it been suggested (to my knowledge) he had the slightest inkling about, or interest in professional football. What we now know as the mighty NFL was in it's infancy back then.
Odd fact: Strangely enough, William Clay Ford purchased a controlling interest in the Lions on the exact same day former President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Make of that what you will.
On to the modern day Lions. Much fanfare has been made (at least in the Detroit area) over quarterback Matthew Stafford throwing for 5000 yards and receiver Calvin (Megatron) Johnson racking up 2000 receiving yards during the course of a season. But you know what? It doesn't matter.
Stafford and Johnson can rack up all the personal gaudy stats they want year after year, and they might well get them into the Hall of Fame someday -- but as a team, the Lions are nowhere close to being Super Bowl caliber. Never have been, and don't look to be any year soon.
Here's a fair question for Lions' fans: Consider Dan Marino. As the long-time QB of the Miami Dolphins -- a Hall of Famer himself -- Marino set all kinds of NFL passing records. But he never won a Super Bowl. Do you think Stafford is currently better than he was? If you answer yes, yours truly would disagree.
Thing is, to run the gaunlet of the playoffs and win a Super Bowl takes a whole lot more than a hot-shot QB, one receiver, and a couple defensive linemen that flip back and forth between making good plays and gooning it up with stupid penalties.
And let's get real. What else do the Lions really have going for them? A retooled offensive line, with a loud-mouthed career loser anchoring it. Reggie Bush was a nice addition to their running game, until one considers they didn't HAVE a running game until he showed up. At that, it's understandable the Saints would let him walk, because they've become a good team and didn't need him anymore -- but the Dolphins? While being heralded as some sort of savior in Detroit, Bush is still fumble and injury prone, and quite likely wouldn't even make the roster of many other NFL teams.
Besides Calvin Johnson, the rest of the Lions' receiver corps isn't even mediocre. Nate Burleson, in the twilight of his career, likes to yap to the press, but he can't stay healthy either. They have a feature tight end that still can't catch (Pettigrew), and another rookie (Fauria) that thought he became some sort of rock star with a dancing routine after making his first touchdown catch. Please.
The linebacking corps is a bunch of guys nobody ever heard of, and the patchwork secondary, which can't seem to stay healthy either, isn't exactly noted for their cover abilities on opposing receivers. When they aren't committing stupid penalties themselves -- they routinely get burned for big plays.
True, it's the NFL and any team can beat any other on any given game day. The Lions still think they let one get away in Pittsburgh a while back. Pittsburgh fans would say their Steelers won it fair and square. The Lions nipped the Cowboys on the final play of the game with a surprise quarterback sneak. Lions fans would say they drove the field and luck had nothing to do with it. Cowboys fans no doubt still think they had the game in the bag and, but for a quirk of fate, should have won it. It all depends who's looking at it.
The Lions are capable of going on the road and beating a very good team. But they're also capable of getting beat by a bad team in their own back yard. Remember Tampa Bay a couple weeks back?
The Lions depend WAY too much on the Matthew to Calvin show. Mostly Calvin. Any QB could heave it in his direction, and chances are good the Megatron will find a way to catch it. But when that's taken away, like it was in Philadelphia, due to inclement weather, the Lions all of a sudden become decidedly not-so-good. Johnson had 3 catches for 49 yards in that game. The Lions lost by two touchdowns. Had it not been for a punt and kickoff returned for touchdowns -- in 6-8 inches of snow -- by a Lion player nobody had heard of before either, they could easily have been walloped by 30 points in the City of Brotherly Love.
But in the NFL, a win is a win, and a loss is a loss. It doesn't matter whether they were by 1 point or 30, or even if they were "lucky". Stuff happens every week. Sometimes the unexpected, both ways.
Until it gets to be playoff time. Sure, occasionally upsets even happen then. Who would have guessed the Baltimore Ravens would go into Denver and beat Peyton Manning and his Broncos last year on their way to winning the Super Bowl?
But for the most part, the playoffs have a way of of exposing the pretenders while the solidly built teams march on.
And the Lions are not solidly built. They may well indeed win the woeful NFC north, largely due to the fact that a guy named Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collar bone a few weeks back. Like the Lions depend on Calvin, the Packers are nowhere without Rodgers.
But the Super Bowl for the Lions? Forget that. It ain't gonna happen. Right now they're just about smack dab mediocre when it comes to the NFC. A few teams worse, but a few teams a lot better too.
Even if they back into the playoffs, does any Lion fan really think their team can go into New Orleans, San Fran, or even the upstart Carolina Panthers -- and win? And if it comes to Seattle, they might as well save the jet fuel and other expenses by staying home. A forfeit might be a first in the NFL, but what's the point in travelling all the way across the country to a slaugherhouse? That would get seriously ugly.
So hey, Lions fans. Enjoy the koolaid high while it lasts, but brace yourselves for the inevitable crash. Because it's going to happen -- and down deep you already know that. Your team may be capable of occasional flashes of brilliance, but from the head coach on down to the last guy on the special teams depth chart -- they're also capable of being bone heads.
Ah heck. It's just another year. After so many, what's one more on top of the pile? Like the commenter I cited above said -- maybe old Henry was anti-Semitic and somehow his bloodline was cursed. Or maybe there was a second shooter in Dallas. Beats me. Some things we will likely never know for sure.
But when I was a little boy, I do seem to have a recollection of my grandpa saying he always wanted a red car when he was a young man himself -- but that dastardly Henry Ford only offered them in one color -- black.
Nowadays, his heirs have seemed to only offer their football team in one variety as well.
Losers.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Detroit Lions. The beat goes on
No disrespect intended, but I had to laugh after the snow bowl game in Philly. Particularly when I read a certain noted columnist looking for a reason -- any reason -- for Detroit Lions' fans not to start screaming HERE WE GO AGAIN. Too much koolaid, but that seems to have long been the norm amongst Lions' fans, and their local scribes that report on them. Once addicted, there are few that kick the habit. Yours truly was one of the fortunate ones.
Why the Lions have bumbled their way through the NFL for the last half century remains a mystery indeed. Some might call them a "storied" franchise. No doubt they are. (Umpteen million stories have been written about them over the years.) So are the Chicago Cubs. For that matter, lets include the Washington Generals, the age-old foil of the Harlem Globetrotters. One can always count on the Cubs, Generals, and Lions to find a way to ultimately lose in the end. Like the sun sets in the west, or my ex would find a way to criticize me -- one way or the other -- it's going to happen before the day is done. Count on it.
Of course, there are those that think the Globetrotter/General games were scripted. These are the same fools that still maintain the outcome of professional wrestling matches was predetermined before world-class athletes such as Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant ever climbed into the ring. Sacrilege, I tell ya. Off with the heads of such infidels.
Playing a different sport notwithstanding, between the Lions and Cubs, there are similarities and differences. The Cubs haven't won a World Series since Ty Cobb was in his hey-day, or roughly about the same time yours truly last got "lucky". Yet they continue to be known as lovable losers. Like Sara Lee, nobody doesn't like the Cubs.
The Lions, on the other hand, have never even been to a Super Bowl, much less won it. Outside of the Detroit area, they've never enjoyed the same huggy, toasty, feel good no matter what treatment that the Cubs have. In fact, the Honolulu blue and silver puddy-tats are often held up as objects of ridicule. Amongst others, late night talk show hosts have teed off on them for decades. Much like the crowds once roared at such places as Tiger Stadium, the Pontiac Silverdome, and currently Ford Field, the studio audiences and millions of viewers at home also roar. But for a different reason. Laughter. To be sure, there's nothing lovable about a few of the current Lions' players, that have become known for cheap shots here and there. And their head coach likely doesn't have a future in international diplomacy himself. Let's just say the Lions aren't exactly helping their own cause when it comes to public perception.
But half a century of futility, sometimes bordering on the absurd, would seem to be way too much for coincidence. How can it be that one team can be that bad for that long?
Some have suggested it's the ownership of the Ford family. The time line fits, and the Fords have always been "hands-off" owners, delegating running the football team to others they deemed more knowledgeable. Sure, there's been umpteen generations of players, head coaches and their staffs, and even the "front office" personnel has undergone a few turnovers, but nothing seems to change. Could it be that the Fords will own the Lions in perpetuity, which seems likely, but have been cursed by Divine decree for their team to forever remain in purgatory? Well, there was the Pinto and the Edsel, and that bit about exploding tires a while back, but c'mon. Methinks the Big Guy upstairs wouldn't hold that against them for THIS long.
Yet, with the Lions, like Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say -- it's always something. If there's a way to screw it up -- they'll find it. Hey, I've got 50 years worth of stats to back me up on this.
Oops. Gotta go. One of my yorkies just threw up on the bed. Not good. And he's not even a Lions' fan, far as I know know. Or maybe he is. Come to think of it, he was watching me type this for a while, then ran off and vomited. Huh. Funny, or maybe not why those things happen. But I gotta make sure the little rascal is OK and clean up the mess anyway. Following up next time......
Why the Lions have bumbled their way through the NFL for the last half century remains a mystery indeed. Some might call them a "storied" franchise. No doubt they are. (Umpteen million stories have been written about them over the years.) So are the Chicago Cubs. For that matter, lets include the Washington Generals, the age-old foil of the Harlem Globetrotters. One can always count on the Cubs, Generals, and Lions to find a way to ultimately lose in the end. Like the sun sets in the west, or my ex would find a way to criticize me -- one way or the other -- it's going to happen before the day is done. Count on it.
Of course, there are those that think the Globetrotter/General games were scripted. These are the same fools that still maintain the outcome of professional wrestling matches was predetermined before world-class athletes such as Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant ever climbed into the ring. Sacrilege, I tell ya. Off with the heads of such infidels.
Playing a different sport notwithstanding, between the Lions and Cubs, there are similarities and differences. The Cubs haven't won a World Series since Ty Cobb was in his hey-day, or roughly about the same time yours truly last got "lucky". Yet they continue to be known as lovable losers. Like Sara Lee, nobody doesn't like the Cubs.
The Lions, on the other hand, have never even been to a Super Bowl, much less won it. Outside of the Detroit area, they've never enjoyed the same huggy, toasty, feel good no matter what treatment that the Cubs have. In fact, the Honolulu blue and silver puddy-tats are often held up as objects of ridicule. Amongst others, late night talk show hosts have teed off on them for decades. Much like the crowds once roared at such places as Tiger Stadium, the Pontiac Silverdome, and currently Ford Field, the studio audiences and millions of viewers at home also roar. But for a different reason. Laughter. To be sure, there's nothing lovable about a few of the current Lions' players, that have become known for cheap shots here and there. And their head coach likely doesn't have a future in international diplomacy himself. Let's just say the Lions aren't exactly helping their own cause when it comes to public perception.
But half a century of futility, sometimes bordering on the absurd, would seem to be way too much for coincidence. How can it be that one team can be that bad for that long?
Some have suggested it's the ownership of the Ford family. The time line fits, and the Fords have always been "hands-off" owners, delegating running the football team to others they deemed more knowledgeable. Sure, there's been umpteen generations of players, head coaches and their staffs, and even the "front office" personnel has undergone a few turnovers, but nothing seems to change. Could it be that the Fords will own the Lions in perpetuity, which seems likely, but have been cursed by Divine decree for their team to forever remain in purgatory? Well, there was the Pinto and the Edsel, and that bit about exploding tires a while back, but c'mon. Methinks the Big Guy upstairs wouldn't hold that against them for THIS long.
Yet, with the Lions, like Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say -- it's always something. If there's a way to screw it up -- they'll find it. Hey, I've got 50 years worth of stats to back me up on this.
Oops. Gotta go. One of my yorkies just threw up on the bed. Not good. And he's not even a Lions' fan, far as I know know. Or maybe he is. Come to think of it, he was watching me type this for a while, then ran off and vomited. Huh. Funny, or maybe not why those things happen. But I gotta make sure the little rascal is OK and clean up the mess anyway. Following up next time......
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