You've likely seen that macaroni and cheese commercial. Liquid gold, they call it. That's probably true -- for a 12 year old. But if a 50-some starts pounding that stuff down, liquid heart attack might be more appropriate.
So Miguel Cabrera just hit his 400th home run to become the all-time leader amongst Venezuelan players by passing Andres Gallaraga's 399. What has gone unnoticed is Miggy just eclipsed the same record of a former Tiger named Al Kaline. #6 had 399 career dingers as well.
The differences in the two? Cabrera is in his early 30s and could well approach the rarified career home run air of such notables as Mays, A-Rod, Ruth, etc, before he's done. Kaline is now 80, so a comeback to boost his stats seems unlikely. While Cabrera can no doubt hit, that's all he can do. He's slow, and a defensive liability. On the other hand, Kaline didn't have Cabrera's power, but he was a complete ball player. A Gold Glover with a rifle arm that could also steal a base here and there. And one more minor detail. Cabrera now makes more money per game than Kaline ever did in an entire season. By far. There's inflation, but c'mon now. And you wonder why ticket prices have gone through the roof?
Another TV ad that's currently airing. A delivery man slams the tailgate on his vehicle, but a couple pizzas are sticking out and in the way. The pepperoni specials wind up blowing out the rear window. Question: Just how hard is that pizza anyway? And what bonehead came up with that ad?
Speaking of boneheads, Jason Heyward of the StL Cardinals pulled a classic brain-lock earlier today in a game against the Detroit Tigers. After hitting a double, of course Heyward was on 2nd base. The following batter stroked a deep line drive to left-center field. The Tiger outfielders were racing back, back, back. Now any little leaguer knows that in such a situation, a baserunner must choose between two options. Either go "half-way" to third base and see what happens, or tag up in case the ball is caught. Heyward was looking right at it. He went half-way. Incredibly, after the ball fell in safely for another double, he would run back and tag up anyway. So instead of easily scoring, JH only wound up on third. He would be stranded there. Turns out, but for his boneheaded play, the Cardinals would have won the game. Instead, it went into extra innings and the Tigers prevailed.
One little letter can make a big difference Dept.
American Pharoah just won the Preakness Stakes. After winning the Kentucky Derby a couple weeks ago, said stallion becomes the latest to vie for the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes in three weeks, appropriately enough on the anniversary of D-Day, June 6. Something about that extra quarter mile at the Belmont seems to have made a big difference over the years. Not since 1978, 37 years ago, when a guy named Jimmy Carter sat in the Oval Office, has a horse (Affirmed) won the Triple Crown.
Bet you didn't notice the spelling, though. "Pharoah" is incorrect, at least if his namers dubbed him after an ancient Egyptian king. The proper spelling is Pharaoh. That's probably OK, because as Mr. Ed would have said, a horse is a horse, of course, of course -- and chances are they don't care much about how their name is spelled. But it could make a difference elsewhere. Consider:
OK, "Billary" is on purpose from their detractors. Even my feeble mind can comprehend that. Would it have made a difference if King James had been dubbed Leboon or Lebroy instead? Probably not, because nobody ever heard of a Lebron before anyway.
But I'd be willing to bet we wouldn't have had the same President for the last 6 years if one letter was different in his name. In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist fiasco, if Obama had been instead Osama -- well -- good luck with running for anything, let alone President.
How about the Detroit Lions GM and all-around, ahem, genius Martin Mayhew? Invert the last letter in his name and what do you have? Pretty much what the Lions have been for over a half century.
Get ready for it. Here comes my last bit of stupidity. (Hey, unlike some mentioned above -- as least yours truly freely admits he's a bonehead).
Another pizza commercial, of all things. This one boasts of putting THREE AND A HALF FEET of bacon on one of their whopper creations. Well, let's see. Your average slice of bacon is about 10 inches long. So that means they only threw in about 4 strips on or around a giant pizza. Make it three and a half YARDS and now we're talking bacon.
And what the heck, as long as we're on the subject of cruising for a thrombosis, why not top it off with a heaping helping of the above-mentioned "liquid gold"?
Yum.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015
NBA playoffs. Twists and turns
There was a time not long ago when many said the Houston Rockets had folded up their tent in their playoff match-up against the LA Clippers. They had tapped out and accepted the inevitable defeat that was sure to come. But then something strange happened. The Rockets have come roaring back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the series at 3 all, with the deciding game 7 to be held in Houston. Just last night, they blistered Steve Ballmer's $2 billion Clips in their own building. Perhaps somewhere, Donald Sterling chuckled.
Idle thought: Along the way, Clips guard Chris Paul was seen high-fiving the same Steve Ballmer after he had made a successful play. The TV announcer said CP3, or is that C3PO -- whatever -- was celebrating with his owner. Owner? An interesting analogy, considering Paul is black and Ballmer is white. One can't be too careful about such things these days, lest the media hounds go into a frenzy over some concocted "slavery" issue. Then again, Paul is making mega-millions of dollars a year between playing hoops and TV commercials, and the Staples Center isn't exactly a plantation.
Who will win Game 7? Good luck figuring that out until it happens. Both teams have shown they are capable of great and not-so-good play both at home and on the opponent's court. We'll find out in a couple days.
In the East, Lebron James and the Cavaliers finally dispatched the Chicago Bulls to move on to the conference finals. It's surprising and it's not. Surprising because the Cavs lost the services of Kevin Love a while back, but not-so-much considering the Bulls always seem to find a way to be underachievers despite their wealth of talent.
Bulls' head coach Tom Thibodeau is rumored to be a candidate for the same job in another city next year. Perhaps New Orleans or Orlando, where both recently fired their own head coaches. Though he still has two years remaining on his contract and the solid support of his players, TT's differences with the Bulls front office have been apparent for quite some time.
These days, it's not unheard of for a team to trade their head coach. And let's face it -- as Lebron and the rebuilt Cavs continue to gel more and more in the future, the odds of the Bulls conquering their neighbors to the east in the playoffs to get to the Finals will become longer and longer.
Look at it this way. If you're the one calling the shots in the Chicago front office -- what would you do? You can trade your coach to, say, the Pelicans and likely get a couple quality draft picks in return. Thibodeau's replacement at likely a lesser salary becomes almost a moot point. Chances are, you're going to play second fiddle to the Cavs for the next few years anyway -- so why not?
From Thibodeau's point of view it makes sense as well. If the Pelicans got him as their next head coach, they would honor the final two years of his former Chicago contract and likely tack on two or three more years in their OWN contract. Granted, given the brutal competition in the western conference, chances are slim to none the Pelicans would compete for an NBA title any year soon.
But if I'm a 57 year old TT, an east coast native (Connecticut), leaving Chicago to go to the warm sunny climes of someplace like New Orleans or Orlando with the next 5 years of my life guaranteeed at mega-bucks per annum certainly wouldn't be the worst scenario in the world. Especially considering the NBA season is mostly played during the winter months. Where would you rather spend most of your time in January? Chicago, the Big Easy, or down the road from Disneyworld? If you can't win a championship anyway, then why not go where the weather is infinitely nicer during the season? Win or lose, five more years at, say, $5 million a pop gets him to age 62. Even after taxes, that's a tidy little sum to have as a retirement nest egg. And then Social Security kicks in. Perfect.
Back to the match-ups. Despite their inept head coach, look for the Cavs to make the Finals. It's doubtful either Atlanta or Washington are capable of stopping them. Lebron's on another mission.
Whoever survives the Houston/LA roller coaster will likely have Golden State waiting for them. All three have different styles of play, and that series will be must see.
Idle thought II: Former Detroit Piston and 2004 NBA champion Chauncey Billups made an interesting point on the air recently. Mr. Big Shot stated that in order for a team to become champions, they must first have their hearts broken by getting oh-so-close, only to lose. They learn from it, get tougher, and come back even hungrier the next year. Thing is, consider the teams this year. Houston hasn't won a title in decades. Nor has Golden State. The Clips have never even made it to the Finals. The Cavs are a totally different team since Lebron's first go-round with them many moons ago, so that doesn't count. One way or the other, some "new blood" is going to claim the NBA title in a few weeks.
And wouldn't it be something if it was the Atlanta Hawks? Despite their outstanding record, they've flown under the radar all year and continue to do so in the playoffs. These guys are really good too.
How about the Memphis Grizzlies coming back to knock off Golden State?
Stranger things have happened. I think......
Nah.
Idle thought: Along the way, Clips guard Chris Paul was seen high-fiving the same Steve Ballmer after he had made a successful play. The TV announcer said CP3, or is that C3PO -- whatever -- was celebrating with his owner. Owner? An interesting analogy, considering Paul is black and Ballmer is white. One can't be too careful about such things these days, lest the media hounds go into a frenzy over some concocted "slavery" issue. Then again, Paul is making mega-millions of dollars a year between playing hoops and TV commercials, and the Staples Center isn't exactly a plantation.
Who will win Game 7? Good luck figuring that out until it happens. Both teams have shown they are capable of great and not-so-good play both at home and on the opponent's court. We'll find out in a couple days.
In the East, Lebron James and the Cavaliers finally dispatched the Chicago Bulls to move on to the conference finals. It's surprising and it's not. Surprising because the Cavs lost the services of Kevin Love a while back, but not-so-much considering the Bulls always seem to find a way to be underachievers despite their wealth of talent.
Bulls' head coach Tom Thibodeau is rumored to be a candidate for the same job in another city next year. Perhaps New Orleans or Orlando, where both recently fired their own head coaches. Though he still has two years remaining on his contract and the solid support of his players, TT's differences with the Bulls front office have been apparent for quite some time.
These days, it's not unheard of for a team to trade their head coach. And let's face it -- as Lebron and the rebuilt Cavs continue to gel more and more in the future, the odds of the Bulls conquering their neighbors to the east in the playoffs to get to the Finals will become longer and longer.
Look at it this way. If you're the one calling the shots in the Chicago front office -- what would you do? You can trade your coach to, say, the Pelicans and likely get a couple quality draft picks in return. Thibodeau's replacement at likely a lesser salary becomes almost a moot point. Chances are, you're going to play second fiddle to the Cavs for the next few years anyway -- so why not?
From Thibodeau's point of view it makes sense as well. If the Pelicans got him as their next head coach, they would honor the final two years of his former Chicago contract and likely tack on two or three more years in their OWN contract. Granted, given the brutal competition in the western conference, chances are slim to none the Pelicans would compete for an NBA title any year soon.
But if I'm a 57 year old TT, an east coast native (Connecticut), leaving Chicago to go to the warm sunny climes of someplace like New Orleans or Orlando with the next 5 years of my life guaranteeed at mega-bucks per annum certainly wouldn't be the worst scenario in the world. Especially considering the NBA season is mostly played during the winter months. Where would you rather spend most of your time in January? Chicago, the Big Easy, or down the road from Disneyworld? If you can't win a championship anyway, then why not go where the weather is infinitely nicer during the season? Win or lose, five more years at, say, $5 million a pop gets him to age 62. Even after taxes, that's a tidy little sum to have as a retirement nest egg. And then Social Security kicks in. Perfect.
Back to the match-ups. Despite their inept head coach, look for the Cavs to make the Finals. It's doubtful either Atlanta or Washington are capable of stopping them. Lebron's on another mission.
Whoever survives the Houston/LA roller coaster will likely have Golden State waiting for them. All three have different styles of play, and that series will be must see.
Idle thought II: Former Detroit Piston and 2004 NBA champion Chauncey Billups made an interesting point on the air recently. Mr. Big Shot stated that in order for a team to become champions, they must first have their hearts broken by getting oh-so-close, only to lose. They learn from it, get tougher, and come back even hungrier the next year. Thing is, consider the teams this year. Houston hasn't won a title in decades. Nor has Golden State. The Clips have never even made it to the Finals. The Cavs are a totally different team since Lebron's first go-round with them many moons ago, so that doesn't count. One way or the other, some "new blood" is going to claim the NBA title in a few weeks.
And wouldn't it be something if it was the Atlanta Hawks? Despite their outstanding record, they've flown under the radar all year and continue to do so in the playoffs. These guys are really good too.
How about the Memphis Grizzlies coming back to knock off Golden State?
Stranger things have happened. I think......
Nah.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
After Mayweather/Pacquiao
As we know, Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao by a unanimous decision several days ago. This was the "fight of the century", and the "greatest bout ever", according to the hypesters. At least until the next super-mega-extravaganza rolls around. Who's kidding who?
Yet questions linger involving both fighters.
For his part, Pacquiao claimed to be fighting with one hand due to a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. His claim might well be valid. The medical paper trail revealed Pacquiao had indeed been receiving treatments and injections for some time before the fight that were consistent with such an injury. Depending on the severity, torn rotator cuffs can be serious business. Typically they won't heal by themselves but require surgical repair and lengthy post-op rehab.
All this was no secret to the "powers that be" in the boxing world. They were not only aware that Pacquaio had been receiving cortisone/steroid injections in his shoulder for quite some time, but had signed off on them as being OK. This included the US Anti-Doping Administration, who has arguably the most stringent standards in the world when it comes to such things. Everybody was just fine with Manny getting his injections to treat his injury -- and then -- on the eve of the fight -- they weren't.
Though Pacquaio requested another treatment just before the fight, he was denied by the Nevada State Boxing Commission. They said the paperwork had arrived too late. Manny would have to go without. Given the Commission was aware of this problem all along, this was an absurd premise, of course.
Given the injury, it could be argued the fight should have been postponed weeks before it ever happened until Manny could undergo whatever procedures were necessary and return to being 100%. fit. The Pacquiao camp has to own some responsibility for this.
First, just because such an injury can be masked with medication doesn't mean it's not still there. They had no ethical business allowing their fighter to get in the ring against a world class opponent if he had a torn rotator cuff.
Secondly, if such paperwork is required for another "treatment", then how could they be so remiss in their duties as to not having submitted it "on time"?
But consider Pacquiao's options at that point. He basically only had two.
1) Tough it out, go through with the fight, bad shoulder and all, and hope for the best. (And BTW, collect well over $100 million). He did. He lost. He later brought up the injury issue that the insiders had known of all along.
2) Or call it off at the last second because he couldn't get the treatment just before the fight that he had been allowed all along in the weeks leading up to it. That would have been problematical on several fronts, to say the least.
Consider the people that had booked flights/hotels, and shelled out mega-bucks to sit in the stands at the MGM casino to watch it in person. Now it's off? How do you pay them back for their wasted time and money?
How about the sports bars that had ponied up thousands of bucks to get it on pay-per-view and expected to pack them in for the fight? Or the countless individuals that had coughed up a C-note to watch it at home on the same PPV? Would they be entitled to a refund?
It would have been a logistical nightmare all around.
And if Pacquiao had backed out, there was no guarantee the fight would EVER happen in the future. Do not pass go, do not collect over $100 million guaranteed today, and hope for the best a few months down the road. Good luck with that.
On top of that, the American media, and likely others would have ridiculed Pacquiao. He would have become the latest "no mas" poster child, ala Roberto Duran in his rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard. Whether Duran really had an abdominal injury never seemed to matter to the vultures. They painted him as a coward and a quitter when the going got tough. Duran's long and extremely impressive career in the ring, along with handily defeating the same Leonard in a previous match were quickly forgotten. He had "tapped out". Though one of the best pound for pound fighters of all time and an array of world championships to show for it -- the Panamanian with the hands of stone is remembered more for "no mas" than all his glorious career preceeding it. Few would doubt that legacy lingers to this day. It's not right, but it's real.
And then there's Floyd "Money" Mayweather. Yep, he won the fight fair and square on the judges' scorecards. But questions about him linger as well.
If this was the "fight of the century", then why was it held in Mayweather's back yard? Sure, Vegas is a high profile venue and all the celebrity schmucks that don't know a left hook from a left turn would surely show up in their limos and shell out ridicu-bucks to be there in person for a few photo ops. That's what makes the glitterati world go round, such as it is.
And yes, Mayweather is a control freak and usually gets his way. But holding such a fight in the champion's home town seemed to be a bit over the top when it came to being an unfair advantage.
True champions aren't afraid to fight in hostile environments. This is not to say the fight should have been held in Pacquaio's homeland of the Phillipines, but if Mayweather wanted to put an exclamation point on a victory, that's EXACTLY where he should have been willing to go.
At worst, such mega-bouts should be held at neutral sites. Harkon back to two of the most memorable fights in boxing history.
In their third match, after having split the first two, Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier travelled to the same Phillipines for the "Thrilla in Manilla".
Ali and George Foreman went to then Zaire, now Congo, for the "rumble in the jungle".
Floyd's apparently afraid to fight outside of his home town. Sure, more money is likely to be made in Vegas than in Asia, Africa, or other potential neutral and/or exotic venues, but if one wishes to be called "champion of the world", then dammit, get out around the globe to fight a tough bout when it arises.
Floyd Mayweather remains unbeaten at 48-0. Like him or not, his record in the ring speaks for itself. It's impressive.
The money man has mansions, a entire fleet of luxury and super-high priced sports cars he never drives, and it's probably a good bet he isn't exactly hard up for dates.
Yep, Floyd seems to have it all when it comes to the materialistic world.
But there's one thing he doesn't have yet amongst many, and may never get.
Aretha Franklin once had a hit song about it. Something about......
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Yet questions linger involving both fighters.
For his part, Pacquiao claimed to be fighting with one hand due to a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. His claim might well be valid. The medical paper trail revealed Pacquiao had indeed been receiving treatments and injections for some time before the fight that were consistent with such an injury. Depending on the severity, torn rotator cuffs can be serious business. Typically they won't heal by themselves but require surgical repair and lengthy post-op rehab.
All this was no secret to the "powers that be" in the boxing world. They were not only aware that Pacquaio had been receiving cortisone/steroid injections in his shoulder for quite some time, but had signed off on them as being OK. This included the US Anti-Doping Administration, who has arguably the most stringent standards in the world when it comes to such things. Everybody was just fine with Manny getting his injections to treat his injury -- and then -- on the eve of the fight -- they weren't.
Though Pacquaio requested another treatment just before the fight, he was denied by the Nevada State Boxing Commission. They said the paperwork had arrived too late. Manny would have to go without. Given the Commission was aware of this problem all along, this was an absurd premise, of course.
Given the injury, it could be argued the fight should have been postponed weeks before it ever happened until Manny could undergo whatever procedures were necessary and return to being 100%. fit. The Pacquiao camp has to own some responsibility for this.
First, just because such an injury can be masked with medication doesn't mean it's not still there. They had no ethical business allowing their fighter to get in the ring against a world class opponent if he had a torn rotator cuff.
Secondly, if such paperwork is required for another "treatment", then how could they be so remiss in their duties as to not having submitted it "on time"?
But consider Pacquiao's options at that point. He basically only had two.
1) Tough it out, go through with the fight, bad shoulder and all, and hope for the best. (And BTW, collect well over $100 million). He did. He lost. He later brought up the injury issue that the insiders had known of all along.
2) Or call it off at the last second because he couldn't get the treatment just before the fight that he had been allowed all along in the weeks leading up to it. That would have been problematical on several fronts, to say the least.
Consider the people that had booked flights/hotels, and shelled out mega-bucks to sit in the stands at the MGM casino to watch it in person. Now it's off? How do you pay them back for their wasted time and money?
How about the sports bars that had ponied up thousands of bucks to get it on pay-per-view and expected to pack them in for the fight? Or the countless individuals that had coughed up a C-note to watch it at home on the same PPV? Would they be entitled to a refund?
It would have been a logistical nightmare all around.
And if Pacquiao had backed out, there was no guarantee the fight would EVER happen in the future. Do not pass go, do not collect over $100 million guaranteed today, and hope for the best a few months down the road. Good luck with that.
On top of that, the American media, and likely others would have ridiculed Pacquiao. He would have become the latest "no mas" poster child, ala Roberto Duran in his rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard. Whether Duran really had an abdominal injury never seemed to matter to the vultures. They painted him as a coward and a quitter when the going got tough. Duran's long and extremely impressive career in the ring, along with handily defeating the same Leonard in a previous match were quickly forgotten. He had "tapped out". Though one of the best pound for pound fighters of all time and an array of world championships to show for it -- the Panamanian with the hands of stone is remembered more for "no mas" than all his glorious career preceeding it. Few would doubt that legacy lingers to this day. It's not right, but it's real.
And then there's Floyd "Money" Mayweather. Yep, he won the fight fair and square on the judges' scorecards. But questions about him linger as well.
If this was the "fight of the century", then why was it held in Mayweather's back yard? Sure, Vegas is a high profile venue and all the celebrity schmucks that don't know a left hook from a left turn would surely show up in their limos and shell out ridicu-bucks to be there in person for a few photo ops. That's what makes the glitterati world go round, such as it is.
And yes, Mayweather is a control freak and usually gets his way. But holding such a fight in the champion's home town seemed to be a bit over the top when it came to being an unfair advantage.
True champions aren't afraid to fight in hostile environments. This is not to say the fight should have been held in Pacquaio's homeland of the Phillipines, but if Mayweather wanted to put an exclamation point on a victory, that's EXACTLY where he should have been willing to go.
At worst, such mega-bouts should be held at neutral sites. Harkon back to two of the most memorable fights in boxing history.
In their third match, after having split the first two, Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier travelled to the same Phillipines for the "Thrilla in Manilla".
Ali and George Foreman went to then Zaire, now Congo, for the "rumble in the jungle".
Floyd's apparently afraid to fight outside of his home town. Sure, more money is likely to be made in Vegas than in Asia, Africa, or other potential neutral and/or exotic venues, but if one wishes to be called "champion of the world", then dammit, get out around the globe to fight a tough bout when it arises.
Floyd Mayweather remains unbeaten at 48-0. Like him or not, his record in the ring speaks for itself. It's impressive.
The money man has mansions, a entire fleet of luxury and super-high priced sports cars he never drives, and it's probably a good bet he isn't exactly hard up for dates.
Yep, Floyd seems to have it all when it comes to the materialistic world.
But there's one thing he doesn't have yet amongst many, and may never get.
Aretha Franklin once had a hit song about it. Something about......
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Detroit Tigers and KC Royals. Who's better?
Between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals, last year proved to be interesting. When all was said and done in the 2014 "regular season" the Tigers would nip the Royals by one measly game to claim the AL Central Division crown.
It was said the Tigers "owned" the Royals during their head to head match-ups, and that point was valid. Indeed, when facing each other, Detroit posted a 12-6 record over KC. Obviously, a 6 game differential.
But remembering the Tigers only finished one game ahead of the Royals means KC was 5 games better against all the rest of the competition over the year.
In the post-season, the Tigers would be quickly broomed by the Balimore Orioles, while the Royals would go on to the World Series, finally succumbing to the San Fran Giants in a back and forth thrilling seven game series.
Head to head results aside, there can be little doubt which team had the more successful season.
In 2014, the Tigers (and their media) boasted of Detroit having the "best starting rotation in baseball". Perhaps they did, though a few other teams likely disputed such a claim. The Tigers had a few sluggers that could pound the ball all over the park. Those were both good things.
But Detroit's defense was mediocre at best, they lacked team speed to say the least, and their bullpen was a definite liability. Those were all bad things.
Conversely, the Royals had decent starting pitching, lots of speed, their defense was stellar, and a "lights out" bullpen. Good things. Not an abundance of heavy hitters. A bad thing.
Fast forward to 2015. The Tigers lost Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to free agency, Justin Verlander is on the shelf with a mysterious injury, David Price has a tweaky hamstring issue, and a couple new guys they plugged into the rotation started off hot, but opposing hitters seem to be figuring them out more and more as the young season progresses.
In addition, Detroit has added a couple other new position players that few baseball fans were aware of before. But they play well defensively and have some speed. The bullpen? Well..... still pretty much a crapshoot.
On the other hand, the Royals have added some punch to their batting lineup. They can still play "small ball" but now they have a little more "meat" in their lineup. They're still relatively fast, better than average defensively, and the bullpen? Well.... pretty much still reliable.
Some teams will be better than others every year, but no team ever " has it all". Great starting pitching, sluggers galore, team speed, outstanding defense and a shut-down bullpen have their mutually exclusive limits. A guy like Miguel Cabrera is fearsome with a bat in his hands, but he's slow on the basepaths and won't be winning a Golden Glove any year soon. A trade-off. Besides, if all the players were THAT good, despite the technical lack of a salary cap (and that pesky cha-ching luxury tax for going over the "threshold"), the owners couldn't or wouldn't pay them the whopping salaries they would command to stay on the team. Add in free agency and other suitors offering big bucks and something's got to give.
It's interesting when one thinks about it. The typically old school Tigers have tried to "modernize" their roster a bit. Given they haven't won a World Series in over 30 years, it probably couldn't hurt. They even hired a manager last year, one Brad Ausmus, with zero previous experience running a club.
The Royals went out and got a couple sluggers, but likely sacrificed some defensive prowess while doing so.
So far this year, the Tigers and Royals are neck and neck in their division, with the Royals having won 4 out of 7 in head-to-head matchups.
Back to the original title question. Who's the best team overall?
Answer. Forget winning the division. Like last year, it doesn't mean squat as long as both teams qualify for the post-season.
Bottom line answer to who's better. We'll all find out in October when it matters.
It was said the Tigers "owned" the Royals during their head to head match-ups, and that point was valid. Indeed, when facing each other, Detroit posted a 12-6 record over KC. Obviously, a 6 game differential.
But remembering the Tigers only finished one game ahead of the Royals means KC was 5 games better against all the rest of the competition over the year.
In the post-season, the Tigers would be quickly broomed by the Balimore Orioles, while the Royals would go on to the World Series, finally succumbing to the San Fran Giants in a back and forth thrilling seven game series.
Head to head results aside, there can be little doubt which team had the more successful season.
In 2014, the Tigers (and their media) boasted of Detroit having the "best starting rotation in baseball". Perhaps they did, though a few other teams likely disputed such a claim. The Tigers had a few sluggers that could pound the ball all over the park. Those were both good things.
But Detroit's defense was mediocre at best, they lacked team speed to say the least, and their bullpen was a definite liability. Those were all bad things.
Conversely, the Royals had decent starting pitching, lots of speed, their defense was stellar, and a "lights out" bullpen. Good things. Not an abundance of heavy hitters. A bad thing.
Fast forward to 2015. The Tigers lost Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to free agency, Justin Verlander is on the shelf with a mysterious injury, David Price has a tweaky hamstring issue, and a couple new guys they plugged into the rotation started off hot, but opposing hitters seem to be figuring them out more and more as the young season progresses.
In addition, Detroit has added a couple other new position players that few baseball fans were aware of before. But they play well defensively and have some speed. The bullpen? Well..... still pretty much a crapshoot.
On the other hand, the Royals have added some punch to their batting lineup. They can still play "small ball" but now they have a little more "meat" in their lineup. They're still relatively fast, better than average defensively, and the bullpen? Well.... pretty much still reliable.
Some teams will be better than others every year, but no team ever " has it all". Great starting pitching, sluggers galore, team speed, outstanding defense and a shut-down bullpen have their mutually exclusive limits. A guy like Miguel Cabrera is fearsome with a bat in his hands, but he's slow on the basepaths and won't be winning a Golden Glove any year soon. A trade-off. Besides, if all the players were THAT good, despite the technical lack of a salary cap (and that pesky cha-ching luxury tax for going over the "threshold"), the owners couldn't or wouldn't pay them the whopping salaries they would command to stay on the team. Add in free agency and other suitors offering big bucks and something's got to give.
It's interesting when one thinks about it. The typically old school Tigers have tried to "modernize" their roster a bit. Given they haven't won a World Series in over 30 years, it probably couldn't hurt. They even hired a manager last year, one Brad Ausmus, with zero previous experience running a club.
The Royals went out and got a couple sluggers, but likely sacrificed some defensive prowess while doing so.
So far this year, the Tigers and Royals are neck and neck in their division, with the Royals having won 4 out of 7 in head-to-head matchups.
Back to the original title question. Who's the best team overall?
Answer. Forget winning the division. Like last year, it doesn't mean squat as long as both teams qualify for the post-season.
Bottom line answer to who's better. We'll all find out in October when it matters.
Monday, May 11, 2015
Aaron Hernandez. Beating a dead horse
Let's say you have a pot roast or a ham you're getting ready to cook. Would you shoot them again to make sure the cow or pig was dead? Probably not. Somebody else already took care of that before you purchased that hunk of meat at the market. Whatever those animals were before, they most certainly don't pose a threat in one's kitchen anymore.
Such would seem to be the case with the latest goings on in the Aaron Hernandez debacle. We all know the former New England Patriots star was convicted of first degree murder and is serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole. Basically, barring successful appeals, which appear unlikely, it's over. He's not getting out. Ever. Like the above-mentioned cow or pig, he's not coming back either. Done is done.
So why -- somebody please tell me WHY -- is some prosecutor in his/her infinite wisdom considering charging Hernandez with jury tampering and dragging his butt out of the penitentiary back to court for another trial? Are they on a mission to waste taxpayer dollars to beat a horse that was put down a couple weeks ago?
More ridiculous yet, some lady has come forward and claimed Hernandez acted threateningly towards her in a bar. Gee, will that mean still ANOTHER trial?
Hey, the dude's already doing life, so what's the point? Give him a few more years on top of it? How utterly futile is that?
Aaron Hernandez was convicted of taking a life and now has to serve the rest of his behind bars for what he did.
The people that are trying to pile on might want to consider "getting a life".
Perhaps these are the sort of folks that would empty a clip into their pot roasts and hams just to make sure they're dead before popping them into the oven.
But like they say, sometimes there just ain't no fixing stupid.
Such would seem to be the case with the latest goings on in the Aaron Hernandez debacle. We all know the former New England Patriots star was convicted of first degree murder and is serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole. Basically, barring successful appeals, which appear unlikely, it's over. He's not getting out. Ever. Like the above-mentioned cow or pig, he's not coming back either. Done is done.
So why -- somebody please tell me WHY -- is some prosecutor in his/her infinite wisdom considering charging Hernandez with jury tampering and dragging his butt out of the penitentiary back to court for another trial? Are they on a mission to waste taxpayer dollars to beat a horse that was put down a couple weeks ago?
More ridiculous yet, some lady has come forward and claimed Hernandez acted threateningly towards her in a bar. Gee, will that mean still ANOTHER trial?
Hey, the dude's already doing life, so what's the point? Give him a few more years on top of it? How utterly futile is that?
Aaron Hernandez was convicted of taking a life and now has to serve the rest of his behind bars for what he did.
The people that are trying to pile on might want to consider "getting a life".
Perhaps these are the sort of folks that would empty a clip into their pot roasts and hams just to make sure they're dead before popping them into the oven.
But like they say, sometimes there just ain't no fixing stupid.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Roger Goodell = Big Brother running amok. Again
The late George Orwell was absolutely prophetic when he penned his classic novel "Nineteen Eighty Four" back in 1949. Though Orwell himself was a Brit and the work was set in England, everything he "predicted" of a futuristic society has come true -- in the USA. And more.
Orwell's term was "Newspeak". Today we call it political correctness. Same thing. Example: There are no more bald, short, or fat people. They are follicly, vertically, or nutritionally challenged.
Orwell foresaw cameras everywhere closely monitoring the actions of all citizens. Is there any doubt these days?
Orwell imagined independent thinking would be quashed by Big Brother and people daring to do so would be held responsible for "thoughtcrimes". Do the words "thought police" ring a bell in modern times? They're out there and getting stronger and more oppressive every day. From politics to social issues, and more, how DARE you think independently!! Either toe the party line like a good little droid or be labelled some sort of "radical extremist" not only by Big Brother, but the "mainstream" lemmings, and find yourself cast away into societal purgatory.
Did I mention secret courts? Oh my, the Founding Fathers would have been so proud.
In other words, things have become bass-ackwards in the "land of the free and the home of the brave". It's gotten to the point where anybody standing up for their rights will be painted as being "unpatriotic". They must be guilty of SOMETHING, so let's punish them. It's insanity, but it's happening.
Enter Roger Goodell, Tom Brady, and Deflategate.
What happened or not with the footballs in the New England vs Indianapolis NFL playoff game a few months back, and who was responsible and/or complicit, will likely never be known for sure. For their own self-serving reasons, many will be accusers or defenders of the parties involved in the process, even if they be totally ignorant of any hard facts. Some people love Brady and all things Patriots. Others hate them. It's just human nature and fandom, and that's fine.
But what NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently stated about the reasons he's going to suspend Tom Brady are decidedly NOT fine. Even Orwellian.
Let's remember that the Wells report was tailor made to fit the recent language Goodell himself had imposed as a standard of determining future guilt -- hence punishment. There were a lot of "likelys", "probablys", and a preponderance here and there that Wells submitted after over 3 months of investigation. Basically, he had no smoking gun, witnesses, or video to offer up as evidence. In fact an, GASP, independent thinker might still have a few doubts as to whether a crime was ever committed at all. But Big Brother, the media, and their hordes of dutiful, if mindless lemmings say one was, so it must have happened -- right?
On to the punishment phase, where Emperor Goodell can rule at his whim. "Off with the head of that super-model dating, Super Bowl winning, smug SOB Brady. Or at least suspend him", the masses are clamoring.
And Roger has said he will. A (sound the trumpets) proclamation from His Highness is expected to be handed down within the next couple weeks. It might be a couple games. Maybe 4. Or 6. Or 8. Or maybe the entire 2015 season. But it certainly appears Brady's going to have to do a little NFL Gitmo time courtesy of the Commish.
There are two things wrong with this, both of which are Goodell's reasons to hand down such a punishment. One is a stretch and the other positively Orwellian.
Goodell has said he will suspend Brady for his complicity in the Deflategate affair, though #12 has yet to be proven culpable. Well OK, that's sort of how it's become twisted around these days. Once an allegation has been made, guilty until proven innocent has become the way many people consider such matters in modern times. It flies in the face of how the jurisprudence system in this country was originally set up to guarantee individual rights -- but there is no doubt it has happened in a large way in recent years. Everybody's a prosecutor and hang em high, as long as it's happening to somebody else, especially a player or team they are jealous of.
But Roger's other reason for deciding to hammer Brady sets a precedent that is scary, if it holds up. He maintained Brady must be guilty because he refused to release all his phone records to the NFL. Think about that for a second.
A burden of proof warranting punishment has been established because one doesn't wish for their employer and the rest of the world to know who they talk with on the phone? Who in their right mind would willingly sign off on such an outrageous intrusion into their private affairs? I don't know how others may feel regarding such things, but yours truly would adamantly say "It's none of your damn business who I talk to on the phone."
Sure, back in 1949, even Orwell couldn't have foreseen cell phones, texts, tweets, the satellites required, and the routine warrantless wire-tapping and data mining that goes on these days by Big Brother regarding the same. But I dare say doing all this in the name of "national security" on everyday citizens would have dovetailed nicely into another chapter of 1984.
Bottom line? Hopefully the NFL Players Union will hotly contest any suspension given to Brady by Goodell. And well they should.
If THEY sign off and let one of their own get zapped over probablys and likelys, by a guy who was hired by the NFL in the first place to write a report to their liking, and accept that giving up the right of privacy to one's own phone conversations is an indicator of guilt -- well -- they might as well fold up their tent and let the Commish completely run amok at his whim. It's over. The already flickering candle of any sense of fairness and true justice in the future of the NFL will have finally been extinguished.
Orwell's term was "Newspeak". Today we call it political correctness. Same thing. Example: There are no more bald, short, or fat people. They are follicly, vertically, or nutritionally challenged.
Orwell foresaw cameras everywhere closely monitoring the actions of all citizens. Is there any doubt these days?
Orwell imagined independent thinking would be quashed by Big Brother and people daring to do so would be held responsible for "thoughtcrimes". Do the words "thought police" ring a bell in modern times? They're out there and getting stronger and more oppressive every day. From politics to social issues, and more, how DARE you think independently!! Either toe the party line like a good little droid or be labelled some sort of "radical extremist" not only by Big Brother, but the "mainstream" lemmings, and find yourself cast away into societal purgatory.
Did I mention secret courts? Oh my, the Founding Fathers would have been so proud.
In other words, things have become bass-ackwards in the "land of the free and the home of the brave". It's gotten to the point where anybody standing up for their rights will be painted as being "unpatriotic". They must be guilty of SOMETHING, so let's punish them. It's insanity, but it's happening.
Enter Roger Goodell, Tom Brady, and Deflategate.
What happened or not with the footballs in the New England vs Indianapolis NFL playoff game a few months back, and who was responsible and/or complicit, will likely never be known for sure. For their own self-serving reasons, many will be accusers or defenders of the parties involved in the process, even if they be totally ignorant of any hard facts. Some people love Brady and all things Patriots. Others hate them. It's just human nature and fandom, and that's fine.
But what NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently stated about the reasons he's going to suspend Tom Brady are decidedly NOT fine. Even Orwellian.
Let's remember that the Wells report was tailor made to fit the recent language Goodell himself had imposed as a standard of determining future guilt -- hence punishment. There were a lot of "likelys", "probablys", and a preponderance here and there that Wells submitted after over 3 months of investigation. Basically, he had no smoking gun, witnesses, or video to offer up as evidence. In fact an, GASP, independent thinker might still have a few doubts as to whether a crime was ever committed at all. But Big Brother, the media, and their hordes of dutiful, if mindless lemmings say one was, so it must have happened -- right?
On to the punishment phase, where Emperor Goodell can rule at his whim. "Off with the head of that super-model dating, Super Bowl winning, smug SOB Brady. Or at least suspend him", the masses are clamoring.
And Roger has said he will. A (sound the trumpets) proclamation from His Highness is expected to be handed down within the next couple weeks. It might be a couple games. Maybe 4. Or 6. Or 8. Or maybe the entire 2015 season. But it certainly appears Brady's going to have to do a little NFL Gitmo time courtesy of the Commish.
There are two things wrong with this, both of which are Goodell's reasons to hand down such a punishment. One is a stretch and the other positively Orwellian.
Goodell has said he will suspend Brady for his complicity in the Deflategate affair, though #12 has yet to be proven culpable. Well OK, that's sort of how it's become twisted around these days. Once an allegation has been made, guilty until proven innocent has become the way many people consider such matters in modern times. It flies in the face of how the jurisprudence system in this country was originally set up to guarantee individual rights -- but there is no doubt it has happened in a large way in recent years. Everybody's a prosecutor and hang em high, as long as it's happening to somebody else, especially a player or team they are jealous of.
But Roger's other reason for deciding to hammer Brady sets a precedent that is scary, if it holds up. He maintained Brady must be guilty because he refused to release all his phone records to the NFL. Think about that for a second.
A burden of proof warranting punishment has been established because one doesn't wish for their employer and the rest of the world to know who they talk with on the phone? Who in their right mind would willingly sign off on such an outrageous intrusion into their private affairs? I don't know how others may feel regarding such things, but yours truly would adamantly say "It's none of your damn business who I talk to on the phone."
Sure, back in 1949, even Orwell couldn't have foreseen cell phones, texts, tweets, the satellites required, and the routine warrantless wire-tapping and data mining that goes on these days by Big Brother regarding the same. But I dare say doing all this in the name of "national security" on everyday citizens would have dovetailed nicely into another chapter of 1984.
Bottom line? Hopefully the NFL Players Union will hotly contest any suspension given to Brady by Goodell. And well they should.
If THEY sign off and let one of their own get zapped over probablys and likelys, by a guy who was hired by the NFL in the first place to write a report to their liking, and accept that giving up the right of privacy to one's own phone conversations is an indicator of guilt -- well -- they might as well fold up their tent and let the Commish completely run amok at his whim. It's over. The already flickering candle of any sense of fairness and true justice in the future of the NFL will have finally been extinguished.
The TPC and crazy 17th hole
The Sawgrass course in Ponte Vedra Beach, outside of Jacksonville, Fla., features arguably the most famous golf hole in the world. The 17th, sometimes called the "island hole". Though it's not a true island, it sure looks like one to golfers standing on the tee. Water all around, with only a thin strip of land in the back connecting it to the "mainland".
A true island green would be problematic. As in, how would the golfers get to it to putt? Kayaks? Swim, while holding the "flat stick" in their mouths? Though it conjures up an interesting scenario, that probably wouldn't work out so well.
This course hosts the Tournament Players Championship every year and, though it's not officially a "major", it might as well be. Like any major, all the big boys are there and they consider winning the TPC to be a very prestigious accomplishment indeed.
The 17th hole itself is very mysterious. Some estimates say over 100,000 golf balls a year are hit into the water surrounding the green between the pros, club members and tourists. Yessiree, it takes BALLS to play the 17th at Sawgrass. Sorry. Ahem.
But for the professionals it really shouldn't be that dificult. Consider:
It's actually quite a short par 3, by PGA standards. From the tee to the middle of the green is only about 140 yards. And it's hardly a "postage stamp" green. The putting surface itself is over 20 yards deep and 30 yards wide. This is a HUGE target area for the best players in the world to shoot at, especially when most use mere pitching wedges off the tee. You'd think the best players in the world couldn't miss it. But they do, lots of them. Maybe it's a mental thing that affects some of them.
Consider poor Aaron Baddeley. He held the all-time record for hitting the most balls in the water on this hole over the years. Twenty eight of them. In the second round of this year's tourney, AB put two more into the drink to widen his dubious lead. Let's just say Aaron has a way of playing the island hole, um, quite baddeley. But hey, a record is a record. Might as well pad the stats when one gets a chance -- right?
There are others the hole doesn't seem to bother at all. Robert Allenby has played it 45 straight times and never made a sploosh. Ricky Fowler just made it 15 times in a row without having to take the walk of shame to the kiddie tee for a third shot. Alas, given the same huge green to shoot at, Aaron got another one wet from from the duffer relief area -- well less than 100 yards away. As Charles Barkley would say -- turrible. And given HIS golf swing, wouldn't it be interesting to see Sir Chucklehead take a few whacks from the tee at the 17th? But I digress.
Granted, yours truly has never set foot on the Ponte Vedra Sawgrass TPC course, so I wouldn't know what it feels like to tee off on 17, much less in front of thousands of people, TV cameras, and the huge pressure that comes with playing in such a tournament. However, in my younger years I was indeed a PGA member of a slightly different sort. Pretty Godawful Amateur.
It will be interesting to see how things shake out on the weekend. Instead of the usual 10 shot cut margin -- there's over 70 players crammed within 8 of each other. A lot can happen, up or down, with a lot of players, and likely will. But you just know that in the final round on Sunday, the top couple guys will feel a few butterflies when they stand in the tee box of the 17th hole. Put one in the drink, and likely lose a million bucks and a title. No pressure. But still, given the short hole and the size of the green, it shouldn't be that hard for a top pro to land one safely on the putting surface.
Closing thought: 100,000 balls a year in the water around that single hole? That's a bunch. You just know they retrieve them because they have value for resale or charitable purposes, but how? Do they have a scuba diver on the grounds crew? A custom made shop vac with a long tube where a guy on the surface in a rowboat can suck them up?
Thing is, every golf fan knows all about the island hole and all the water surrounding it. Thousands of golf balls are hit into the water and sink to the bottom. What we DON'T know is what becomes of them.
A theory. You don't build a ritzy golf course like Sawgrass without some serious planning and forward thinking. Maybe the bottom of the pond surrounding 17 is shaped like a steep funnel. Any ball sinking to the bottom will quickly roll into a pre-designed conveyor system beneath the green itself and, presto, pop out on the other end in the pro shop. Isn't that sort of what happens on your average putt-putt course? The ball goes into the 18th hole, disappears, and before you can walk back to return your putter, they already have it ready to go for the next guy?
Now THAT would be planning.
A true island green would be problematic. As in, how would the golfers get to it to putt? Kayaks? Swim, while holding the "flat stick" in their mouths? Though it conjures up an interesting scenario, that probably wouldn't work out so well.
This course hosts the Tournament Players Championship every year and, though it's not officially a "major", it might as well be. Like any major, all the big boys are there and they consider winning the TPC to be a very prestigious accomplishment indeed.
The 17th hole itself is very mysterious. Some estimates say over 100,000 golf balls a year are hit into the water surrounding the green between the pros, club members and tourists. Yessiree, it takes BALLS to play the 17th at Sawgrass. Sorry. Ahem.
But for the professionals it really shouldn't be that dificult. Consider:
It's actually quite a short par 3, by PGA standards. From the tee to the middle of the green is only about 140 yards. And it's hardly a "postage stamp" green. The putting surface itself is over 20 yards deep and 30 yards wide. This is a HUGE target area for the best players in the world to shoot at, especially when most use mere pitching wedges off the tee. You'd think the best players in the world couldn't miss it. But they do, lots of them. Maybe it's a mental thing that affects some of them.
Consider poor Aaron Baddeley. He held the all-time record for hitting the most balls in the water on this hole over the years. Twenty eight of them. In the second round of this year's tourney, AB put two more into the drink to widen his dubious lead. Let's just say Aaron has a way of playing the island hole, um, quite baddeley. But hey, a record is a record. Might as well pad the stats when one gets a chance -- right?
There are others the hole doesn't seem to bother at all. Robert Allenby has played it 45 straight times and never made a sploosh. Ricky Fowler just made it 15 times in a row without having to take the walk of shame to the kiddie tee for a third shot. Alas, given the same huge green to shoot at, Aaron got another one wet from from the duffer relief area -- well less than 100 yards away. As Charles Barkley would say -- turrible. And given HIS golf swing, wouldn't it be interesting to see Sir Chucklehead take a few whacks from the tee at the 17th? But I digress.
Granted, yours truly has never set foot on the Ponte Vedra Sawgrass TPC course, so I wouldn't know what it feels like to tee off on 17, much less in front of thousands of people, TV cameras, and the huge pressure that comes with playing in such a tournament. However, in my younger years I was indeed a PGA member of a slightly different sort. Pretty Godawful Amateur.
It will be interesting to see how things shake out on the weekend. Instead of the usual 10 shot cut margin -- there's over 70 players crammed within 8 of each other. A lot can happen, up or down, with a lot of players, and likely will. But you just know that in the final round on Sunday, the top couple guys will feel a few butterflies when they stand in the tee box of the 17th hole. Put one in the drink, and likely lose a million bucks and a title. No pressure. But still, given the short hole and the size of the green, it shouldn't be that hard for a top pro to land one safely on the putting surface.
Closing thought: 100,000 balls a year in the water around that single hole? That's a bunch. You just know they retrieve them because they have value for resale or charitable purposes, but how? Do they have a scuba diver on the grounds crew? A custom made shop vac with a long tube where a guy on the surface in a rowboat can suck them up?
Thing is, every golf fan knows all about the island hole and all the water surrounding it. Thousands of golf balls are hit into the water and sink to the bottom. What we DON'T know is what becomes of them.
A theory. You don't build a ritzy golf course like Sawgrass without some serious planning and forward thinking. Maybe the bottom of the pond surrounding 17 is shaped like a steep funnel. Any ball sinking to the bottom will quickly roll into a pre-designed conveyor system beneath the green itself and, presto, pop out on the other end in the pro shop. Isn't that sort of what happens on your average putt-putt course? The ball goes into the 18th hole, disappears, and before you can walk back to return your putter, they already have it ready to go for the next guy?
Now THAT would be planning.
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