Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we're in such good shape that we never break a sweat during two-a-days.
Tomorrow night (already!) is the unofficial beginning of fall and the 2008-09 sports season, as high school football teams from across the area lace 'em up for the first game of the year. I look forward to this day every year, and it's not just because I'm a football TV announcer in Bloomington. We finally have something else to read about in the sports section besides the Lynx and offseason NFL news...
As a self-dubbed Lake Conference football expert, here's my preview for the upcoming season. Teams are ranked in the order that I pick them to finish.
1. Eden Prairie
The two-time defending state champs are a bit short on star power this year, and they have to replace nearly all of their starters. But they haven't lost in almost three years, and that's primarily because of their truly awesome depth. Eden Prairie will be there at the end...you can count on that.
2. Eastview
These guys went 11-2 and made it to the Dome last year, with both losses to Eden Prairie. Much of that team is back, and they're hungry.
3. Lakeville North
They went to state last year, and they have a good chunk of skill position players coming back. If there's one thing you can count on from Lakeville football teams, you can expect them to play 48 minutes of tough, hard-nosed football every time out. That will keep them in games, and now they have the talent to win them late.
4. Lakeville South
They have one of the best coaches in the state in Larry Thompson and a boatload of returning players from a middle-of-the-pack team. No real stars here, but the Cougars will do the little things right. The real travesty: the two Lakeville teams do not play each other this season. Not only is it a great crosstown rivalry in a big football city, but these two teams would have put on quite a show this year.
5. Apple Valley
They lost their first seven games last year, thanks partially to a bunch of players being suspended, but then won three in a row (including over 2-seed Kennedy) and ran to the section finals. A lot of the team is back, and with their late run last year, they think they can win. Keep an eye out for Varmah Sonie, a dynamite, lightning-fast corner who had 8 INTs and 2 TDs last year, not to mention several electrifying kick returns.
6. Bloomington Jefferson
They have a freak of nature athlete at QB, and he's committed to Minnesota for next year. But this is the year when he needs to put it all together and start playing like the top recruit he is. If he can do that on a consistent basis and emerge as a strong leader, this team could be one of the real sleepers in the metro.
7. Burnsville
This team has been down for a couple of seasons now, and knowing Burnsville football, you just can't keep them down for this long without them roaring back. They're bound to improve, but they just don't have the horses to reach the upper echelon yet.
8. Chaska
They're supposed to be good in the backfield and the wideouts, but what about the QB? And the defense? The jury's still out on this team.
9. Rosemount
These guys lost a heartbreaker to Apple Valley in last year's playoffs, and it seems their bumper crop of talent has been lost to graduation. Can they re-stock and surprise?
10. Bloomington Kennedy
No team, outside of Eden Prairie, lost more to graduation this year than the Eagles of Kennedy. They had their best team in 24 years last fall, and took third in this ultra-tough conference, but they fell hard in the playoffs and I don't think they can keep up the pace this year. They have some very talented players, but they don't have nearly the talent they did and they're not very experienced or deep. The hunch is they'll wear down over the course of the season.
11. Eagan
They've won just two games in the past two years, and this season doesn't figure to be any better. Eagan fans, be sure to catch some volleyball this fall...you may actually see some wins in the gym.
I don't think the 5A state champion will come out of the Lake this year (my money's on the Classic Lake, with Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina, etc.), but you have to think the conference will put 2-3 teams in the state tournament for the fourth year in a row. With this tough conference as a training ground, someone always makes a run at the end...the only question is who it will be.
And my first announcing game of the year: Eden Prairie at Jefferson. Oooh...I can't wait...
I'm out like the Twins' defense.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
USA...USA...
Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where our medal count is always on top.
It was a memorable Olympics in Beijing...so many wonderful performances by so many athletes. But I have to give special recognition in this space to the men's volleyball team. Of course, the heinous attack on the Bachmans has been well documented in this space and beyond. The emotional rollercoaster that the entire family, including that volleyball team's head coach, has been on has been incredibly sobering. And then the team goes out and navigates the Olympic tournament undefeated, winning the gold medal with style on the last day of competition. To quote John Popper and Blues Traveler, from the hit song "Runaround," "Hollywood's calling for the movie rights..."
In a crazy sort of way, I got real emotional when I saw that team win gold. I know the Bachmans, and I know them to be among the nicest and most philanthropic people I've ever known. They've had the worst two weeks anyone could imagine going through. Yet, in the end, one of their own has achieved the ultimate prize in their chosen course in life, overcoming all the obstacles along the way. What's more, Barb is recovering better than doctors envisioned, the family has rebounded, our community and my extended network has rallied and an overwhelming negative of international scale has somehow produced an optimistic ending. I've written before that it's just terrible when bad things happen to great people. Well, that happened in this case, but a very short time later some really great things have happened to the same really great people. What a beautiful yet bittersweet set of circumstances.
I hope to be at Todd Bachman's funeral this week, and I hope I get to give my support to his family, my friends, in their time of need. But I also hope to meet Hugh, say hello to Wiz and help the family celebrate its amazing triumph over evil; funerals also are celebrations of life, after all. Todd's life and accomplishments alone certainly are worthy of toasting, and I think the Bachman family has offered us all a poignant lesson (building on all the lessons I learned from Barb, Wiz and the others in my childhood) about what's possible in life, even when the chips are down. It's an inspiration and a comfort that I will keep with me for a long time to come.
I'm out like Beijing 2008.
It was a memorable Olympics in Beijing...so many wonderful performances by so many athletes. But I have to give special recognition in this space to the men's volleyball team. Of course, the heinous attack on the Bachmans has been well documented in this space and beyond. The emotional rollercoaster that the entire family, including that volleyball team's head coach, has been on has been incredibly sobering. And then the team goes out and navigates the Olympic tournament undefeated, winning the gold medal with style on the last day of competition. To quote John Popper and Blues Traveler, from the hit song "Runaround," "Hollywood's calling for the movie rights..."
In a crazy sort of way, I got real emotional when I saw that team win gold. I know the Bachmans, and I know them to be among the nicest and most philanthropic people I've ever known. They've had the worst two weeks anyone could imagine going through. Yet, in the end, one of their own has achieved the ultimate prize in their chosen course in life, overcoming all the obstacles along the way. What's more, Barb is recovering better than doctors envisioned, the family has rebounded, our community and my extended network has rallied and an overwhelming negative of international scale has somehow produced an optimistic ending. I've written before that it's just terrible when bad things happen to great people. Well, that happened in this case, but a very short time later some really great things have happened to the same really great people. What a beautiful yet bittersweet set of circumstances.
I hope to be at Todd Bachman's funeral this week, and I hope I get to give my support to his family, my friends, in their time of need. But I also hope to meet Hugh, say hello to Wiz and help the family celebrate its amazing triumph over evil; funerals also are celebrations of life, after all. Todd's life and accomplishments alone certainly are worthy of toasting, and I think the Bachman family has offered us all a poignant lesson (building on all the lessons I learned from Barb, Wiz and the others in my childhood) about what's possible in life, even when the chips are down. It's an inspiration and a comfort that I will keep with me for a long time to come.
I'm out like Beijing 2008.
Friday, August 15, 2008
An Olympic-Sized Update
Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where winning gold medals in world-record time is standard procedure.
It hasn't been that long since I posted (yes, it has...I'm sorry), but a lot has happened. Let's get caught up.
The Sports Ace has a new job! I'm now the Manager of Public Relations for a growing data storage/IT company based in the Twin Cities area. It's one heckuva opportunity that's bound to consume plenty of my time, so please understand if I don't get a new post up every day from now on. Employment + kids: no time.
Brett Favre is a Jet. One thing struck me about this development: it was the perfect ending to the perfect mess of a story. Seriously, the plot twisted every day for more than a month, and the ultimate twist came at the end when Favre moved to the Big City. TSA's guess: Favre plays one season in NYC and then brokers a trade to Minnesota for the 2009 season. Do you think he's really going to be happy in New York? He just needs some time to put space between him and Green Bay...and then he'll get right back on his righteous horse and manufacture his next move. It could happen.
Michael Phelps goes for eight gold medals this weekend, and he already has six. Congrats to him on a truly superior achievement, and to his relay teammates for their roles in his success. Two things bother me though: 1) his relay teammates are getting nowhere near the credit they deserve for their roles, especially Jason Lezak, who swam the best relay anchor leg in history to give the U.S. victory over France. And 2) Phelps is not necessarily the best Summer Olympian ever. He's won the most gold medals ever, and he's definitely earned a place in that debate. But that doesn't necessarily mean he's better than all those who dominated their sports but simply had fewer chances to medal. Jesse Owens? Mia Hamm? Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh? Carl Lewis, who won nine golds in a wider range of athletic disciplines than Phelps? Just a few of the other worthy candidates.
Back at training camp, the Vikes' biggest question mark for the upcoming season? Defensive end. Seriously, you can't make this up. After a whole offseason of Jared Allen talk and visions from media and team of the Vikings having the best D-line in football, one injury has made them thin at the position and worried about their prospects for success. Oh, how things can change in a hurry. To the Twin Cities football media: you should be ashamed of yourselves...you drank too much Kool-Aid. To the Vikings PR people: you've had a brilliant offseason and training camp.
Last but certainly not least, I know you've all heard about the attack in Beijing last Saturday on the Bachman family, known for its ties to U.S. volleyball. This one hit close to home for me - I grew up going to church with the entire Bachman family. I wasn't especially close with Todd, who was murdered, but knew him to be a stand-up guy who was a wonderful, giving CEO, father and person. I was - and still consider myself to be - friends with Barbara, the mother who was attacked while trying to save Todd, and her youngest daughter Wiz, who played for the U.S. team in 2004. Trust me when I say that you may never meet a nicer person than Barb Bachman...she directed me in church choir for several years, and just two weeks ago when I saw the entire Bachman family at a funeral, she had a big hug for me and couldn't wait to hear what I'd been up to. This is a profound tragedy, and it would be for anyone in any place, but one that has deeply affected a lot of people from my neck of the woods. I hope Todd is in a better place, that Barb keeps improving and makes a full recovery, and that the Bachman family and company can move on from this despicable act with the same spirit and generosity that has been their hallmark for decades. I'm one of the many who will line up to support them with anything they need when they return from China.
I'm out like baseball as an Olympic sport.
It hasn't been that long since I posted (yes, it has...I'm sorry), but a lot has happened. Let's get caught up.
The Sports Ace has a new job! I'm now the Manager of Public Relations for a growing data storage/IT company based in the Twin Cities area. It's one heckuva opportunity that's bound to consume plenty of my time, so please understand if I don't get a new post up every day from now on. Employment + kids: no time.
Brett Favre is a Jet. One thing struck me about this development: it was the perfect ending to the perfect mess of a story. Seriously, the plot twisted every day for more than a month, and the ultimate twist came at the end when Favre moved to the Big City. TSA's guess: Favre plays one season in NYC and then brokers a trade to Minnesota for the 2009 season. Do you think he's really going to be happy in New York? He just needs some time to put space between him and Green Bay...and then he'll get right back on his righteous horse and manufacture his next move. It could happen.
Michael Phelps goes for eight gold medals this weekend, and he already has six. Congrats to him on a truly superior achievement, and to his relay teammates for their roles in his success. Two things bother me though: 1) his relay teammates are getting nowhere near the credit they deserve for their roles, especially Jason Lezak, who swam the best relay anchor leg in history to give the U.S. victory over France. And 2) Phelps is not necessarily the best Summer Olympian ever. He's won the most gold medals ever, and he's definitely earned a place in that debate. But that doesn't necessarily mean he's better than all those who dominated their sports but simply had fewer chances to medal. Jesse Owens? Mia Hamm? Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh? Carl Lewis, who won nine golds in a wider range of athletic disciplines than Phelps? Just a few of the other worthy candidates.
Back at training camp, the Vikes' biggest question mark for the upcoming season? Defensive end. Seriously, you can't make this up. After a whole offseason of Jared Allen talk and visions from media and team of the Vikings having the best D-line in football, one injury has made them thin at the position and worried about their prospects for success. Oh, how things can change in a hurry. To the Twin Cities football media: you should be ashamed of yourselves...you drank too much Kool-Aid. To the Vikings PR people: you've had a brilliant offseason and training camp.
Last but certainly not least, I know you've all heard about the attack in Beijing last Saturday on the Bachman family, known for its ties to U.S. volleyball. This one hit close to home for me - I grew up going to church with the entire Bachman family. I wasn't especially close with Todd, who was murdered, but knew him to be a stand-up guy who was a wonderful, giving CEO, father and person. I was - and still consider myself to be - friends with Barbara, the mother who was attacked while trying to save Todd, and her youngest daughter Wiz, who played for the U.S. team in 2004. Trust me when I say that you may never meet a nicer person than Barb Bachman...she directed me in church choir for several years, and just two weeks ago when I saw the entire Bachman family at a funeral, she had a big hug for me and couldn't wait to hear what I'd been up to. This is a profound tragedy, and it would be for anyone in any place, but one that has deeply affected a lot of people from my neck of the woods. I hope Todd is in a better place, that Barb keeps improving and makes a full recovery, and that the Bachman family and company can move on from this despicable act with the same spirit and generosity that has been their hallmark for decades. I'm one of the many who will line up to support them with anything they need when they return from China.
I'm out like baseball as an Olympic sport.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Can't We All Just Get Along?
Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where opposing managers and coaches always can't seem to get enough of our squad.
In case you've been hiding under a rock, Twins fans were rather unruly in the 7th inning of last night's victory over the Pale Hose. Gardy was ejected for arguing a terrible call, and then punted his cap on his way off the field. Of course, being the followers that Minnesota sports fans are, a few donkeys threw their caps and baseballs on the field after Gardy left, causing a five-minute delay in the game and an evacuation of the field by the visiting team.
I was reminded immediately of the Chuck Knoblauch fiasco, and the national black eye that Twins fans took in the hours and days afterward. I was there...the brunt of the action happened just a couple of rows in front of me in the lower deck left field area. I promise you that what happened that night was much worse than the events of last night. There were more people throwing more dangerous items - I even feared for my own safety. This is not to say, however, that last night's festivities were somehow all right. They were absolutely not.
I'm not exactly sure what it is about the Minnesota sporting public that makes us snap like this. I'm sure the booze has something to do with it - well, maybe a lot to do with it. But maybe it's the fact that Twins fans want so badly for the team to win - because Minnesota fans haven't had a lot of other good teams to cheer for lately - that they almost have an edge about it. It's kind of like the Cubs/Bartman syndrome...the ultimate example of fans having an edge. The Cubbies were 5 outs from a pennant, and Bartman got in the way of Alou catching that foul ball, and now he's in hiding because of the threats he's faced ever since. Maybe it's the fact that Twins fans are nostalgic and can't ever seem to move on when things happen, as evidenced by the fact that A.J. Pierzynski still gets booed in every plate appearance in the Dome (come on people...he was a great Twin, and his departure was the best thing that he ever did for the team because it brought in Nathan, Liriano and - ahem - Bonser). Whatever it is...again, today, one of ESPN.com's top headlines calls out Twins fans for their idiocy.
I hate being embarrassed to be a die-hard Twins fan, and I hate donkeys that can't control themselves and cause us to take it on the chin. To the people out there who are guilty of last night's events: shame on you, and I hope you pay the appropriate price. There's nothing wrong with being a passionate fan. But there is a line we just can't cross, and because this has happened more than once now, I fear this isn't just a blip anymore...it's a trend. And the thing about trends...there's bound to be a next time.
On a brighter note, I got my first look this morning at the still-being-built TCF Bank Stadium. I have seen the future of Gopher football, and my oh my, it is going to be good.
I'm out like Jared Allen from last night's scrimmage.
In case you've been hiding under a rock, Twins fans were rather unruly in the 7th inning of last night's victory over the Pale Hose. Gardy was ejected for arguing a terrible call, and then punted his cap on his way off the field. Of course, being the followers that Minnesota sports fans are, a few donkeys threw their caps and baseballs on the field after Gardy left, causing a five-minute delay in the game and an evacuation of the field by the visiting team.
I was reminded immediately of the Chuck Knoblauch fiasco, and the national black eye that Twins fans took in the hours and days afterward. I was there...the brunt of the action happened just a couple of rows in front of me in the lower deck left field area. I promise you that what happened that night was much worse than the events of last night. There were more people throwing more dangerous items - I even feared for my own safety. This is not to say, however, that last night's festivities were somehow all right. They were absolutely not.
I'm not exactly sure what it is about the Minnesota sporting public that makes us snap like this. I'm sure the booze has something to do with it - well, maybe a lot to do with it. But maybe it's the fact that Twins fans want so badly for the team to win - because Minnesota fans haven't had a lot of other good teams to cheer for lately - that they almost have an edge about it. It's kind of like the Cubs/Bartman syndrome...the ultimate example of fans having an edge. The Cubbies were 5 outs from a pennant, and Bartman got in the way of Alou catching that foul ball, and now he's in hiding because of the threats he's faced ever since. Maybe it's the fact that Twins fans are nostalgic and can't ever seem to move on when things happen, as evidenced by the fact that A.J. Pierzynski still gets booed in every plate appearance in the Dome (come on people...he was a great Twin, and his departure was the best thing that he ever did for the team because it brought in Nathan, Liriano and - ahem - Bonser). Whatever it is...again, today, one of ESPN.com's top headlines calls out Twins fans for their idiocy.
I hate being embarrassed to be a die-hard Twins fan, and I hate donkeys that can't control themselves and cause us to take it on the chin. To the people out there who are guilty of last night's events: shame on you, and I hope you pay the appropriate price. There's nothing wrong with being a passionate fan. But there is a line we just can't cross, and because this has happened more than once now, I fear this isn't just a blip anymore...it's a trend. And the thing about trends...there's bound to be a next time.
On a brighter note, I got my first look this morning at the still-being-built TCF Bank Stadium. I have seen the future of Gopher football, and my oh my, it is going to be good.
I'm out like Jared Allen from last night's scrimmage.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
There's No Crying in Your Beer
Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where our Hall of Fame, ring-wearing quarterbacks are welcomed into the locker room with open arms.
Is there any place in the sporting world right now more miserable than Wisconsin? Let us consider the evidence:
--The Brewers, who were supposed to be in a tight playoff race with the arch-rival Cubs, got completely waxed in a four-game series at home against said Cubbies. I think they'll make a run at the playoffs, through the wild card, but for all intents and purposes, the NL Central race is over.
--Brett Favre. It's already bad for the loyal fans of the Cheese that they have to watch their legendary quarterback forced to the sidelines by the very team some of them own. Now, they also may see that legend jump ship and play for the arch-rival Vikings...because Brett wants to play in Minnesota more than he wants to return to Green Bay. Wow, I never saw that one coming. The only thing worse for packer fans: the eventual certainty of Favre throwing at least 3 TD passes on Opening Night (formerly Jersey Retirement Night) in Lambeau, beating them again in Minnesota and leading the Vikes to the Big Game. I'm not saying any of this is a certainty by any means, but seriously, this Favre thing is a nightmare any way you slice it in Sconnie land.
--The Bucks? Ha. Irrelevant.
--The badgers? Still in most preseason Top 25 lists thanks to a deep running back corps, and bound to stay there for a while thanks to their softer than Bounty schedule. But this team has the most question marks of any UW squad in at least a decade, and they all begin at QB. I'm not saying it will be a terrible year for them (I sure am hoping though...), but it sure looks like the toughest road in a long time.
Viewing this as a homer sports die-hard who's endured an awful lot of heartache over the years (Gary Anderson, 41-0, Kucek's dropped punt snap, 10/10/03, Northwestern on Homecoming in 2000, T'wolves in 2004, etc.), I think that cloud might finally be moving east across the St. Croix River. We're not out of the woods here ourselves yet, but the forecast calls for sunny skies.
I'm out like Manny Ramirez.
Is there any place in the sporting world right now more miserable than Wisconsin? Let us consider the evidence:
--The Brewers, who were supposed to be in a tight playoff race with the arch-rival Cubs, got completely waxed in a four-game series at home against said Cubbies. I think they'll make a run at the playoffs, through the wild card, but for all intents and purposes, the NL Central race is over.
--Brett Favre. It's already bad for the loyal fans of the Cheese that they have to watch their legendary quarterback forced to the sidelines by the very team some of them own. Now, they also may see that legend jump ship and play for the arch-rival Vikings...because Brett wants to play in Minnesota more than he wants to return to Green Bay. Wow, I never saw that one coming. The only thing worse for packer fans: the eventual certainty of Favre throwing at least 3 TD passes on Opening Night (formerly Jersey Retirement Night) in Lambeau, beating them again in Minnesota and leading the Vikes to the Big Game. I'm not saying any of this is a certainty by any means, but seriously, this Favre thing is a nightmare any way you slice it in Sconnie land.
--The Bucks? Ha. Irrelevant.
--The badgers? Still in most preseason Top 25 lists thanks to a deep running back corps, and bound to stay there for a while thanks to their softer than Bounty schedule. But this team has the most question marks of any UW squad in at least a decade, and they all begin at QB. I'm not saying it will be a terrible year for them (I sure am hoping though...), but it sure looks like the toughest road in a long time.
Viewing this as a homer sports die-hard who's endured an awful lot of heartache over the years (Gary Anderson, 41-0, Kucek's dropped punt snap, 10/10/03, Northwestern on Homecoming in 2000, T'wolves in 2004, etc.), I think that cloud might finally be moving east across the St. Croix River. We're not out of the woods here ourselves yet, but the forecast calls for sunny skies.
I'm out like Manny Ramirez.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
I Think I Tore a Thumb Ligament
Seriously...if one more Twin goes on the DL because of a hand injury this year...
Sorry it's been a while. The Sports Ace has had a couple of funerals and some other personal crises to deal with.
The local nine sure are making things interesting again this year. A win tonight, and they taste first place since the early part of the season. If they can keep pitching and hitting well with RISP, I like their chances. One thing's for sure...I think the wild card's going to be out of reach, and that the Twins will have to win the division to make the playoffs.
Oh yes...T-minus one month until the Gopher football season kicks off. Ski U Mah. And less than one month until the high school football season kicks off. My preseason predictions coming soon...
I'm out like those two Penn State defensive linemen.
Sorry it's been a while. The Sports Ace has had a couple of funerals and some other personal crises to deal with.
The local nine sure are making things interesting again this year. A win tonight, and they taste first place since the early part of the season. If they can keep pitching and hitting well with RISP, I like their chances. One thing's for sure...I think the wild card's going to be out of reach, and that the Twins will have to win the division to make the playoffs.
Oh yes...T-minus one month until the Gopher football season kicks off. Ski U Mah. And less than one month until the high school football season kicks off. My preseason predictions coming soon...
I'm out like those two Penn State defensive linemen.
Monday, July 21, 2008
1-0 Losses
Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where we never lose a ballgame by a 1-0 score.
Congrats to the Burnsville Blaze, the state champions of Senior Babe Ruth baseball. Look for these achievers at a varsity level near you in the next few years.
Greg Norman couldn't quite get it done on the golf course in the British Open, but he thrilled us all anyways with the thought that he could still win a major. Let's hope he was at least able to get it done in other ways while he was on his honeymoon.
The Twins have lost FOUR 1-0 games this year. One or two is a lot, but four?? TSA's pats on the back today go to Scott Baker, who's been on the hill for three of those four 1-0 games. All three of his losses this year have been in 1-0 games...that just sucks for him. Seriously...you get him any run support at all and he's a 9-0 pitcher. Plus, the Twins would be in the race for homefield advantage throughout, not 1/2 game behind the White Sox in the division. Ugh.
Also, the Twins are at the Yankees for three games starting tonight. Will they have that east coast bias at play, as I've talked about before? Who knows. I'll personally be watching for a few of my buddies who will be in the House that Ruth Built tonight to personally witness the action. If you see three crazies with Circle Me Bert signs, chances are it's them.
I'm out like John Daly.
Congrats to the Burnsville Blaze, the state champions of Senior Babe Ruth baseball. Look for these achievers at a varsity level near you in the next few years.
Greg Norman couldn't quite get it done on the golf course in the British Open, but he thrilled us all anyways with the thought that he could still win a major. Let's hope he was at least able to get it done in other ways while he was on his honeymoon.
The Twins have lost FOUR 1-0 games this year. One or two is a lot, but four?? TSA's pats on the back today go to Scott Baker, who's been on the hill for three of those four 1-0 games. All three of his losses this year have been in 1-0 games...that just sucks for him. Seriously...you get him any run support at all and he's a 9-0 pitcher. Plus, the Twins would be in the race for homefield advantage throughout, not 1/2 game behind the White Sox in the division. Ugh.
Also, the Twins are at the Yankees for three games starting tonight. Will they have that east coast bias at play, as I've talked about before? Who knows. I'll personally be watching for a few of my buddies who will be in the House that Ruth Built tonight to personally witness the action. If you see three crazies with Circle Me Bert signs, chances are it's them.
I'm out like John Daly.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
To Favre, or Not to Favre
Seriously, I'm as burnt out as anyone on this whole Favre thing, and I hope people can find something else to talk about soon. And Brett, let it go.
But I heard a rumor yesterday that made me think fresh thoughts about the whole scenario: Brett Favre WANTS to be a VIKING. It may sound crazy, but you know, it really isn't that farfetched. Darren Bevell, Vikings coordinator, is a good friend of Brett. There are some former Packers on the roster, including Darren Sharper. They play in a domed stadium, and the closest thing the Vikes have to a cold-weather game this year is October 19 at Chicago, so Brett would be able to play in favorable conditions pretty much all year. And the Vikes have a very real shot to win the NFC this year and get back to the Super Bowl.
At first, I thought that there's no way the Vikings would want to sack up with a player who has burned the franchise and its fans so many times. But he's a Hall of Famer coming off a great year, and he would firm up the team's QB position - really, the one glaring question mark right now on the entire team. The thought that the Vikings and Favre could be mutually interested in one another actually makes a lot of sense. As Tarvaris himself said, what team wouldn't be interested in adding Brett Favre? And as such, what fans wouldn't be excited to root for him? Of course, the Packers will keep him and eat his salary before they let him go to Minnesota. But it's an interesting twist to the story...I think it makes more sense than Tampa Bay does.
I'm out like Alex Rodriguez from the All-Star Game.
But I heard a rumor yesterday that made me think fresh thoughts about the whole scenario: Brett Favre WANTS to be a VIKING. It may sound crazy, but you know, it really isn't that farfetched. Darren Bevell, Vikings coordinator, is a good friend of Brett. There are some former Packers on the roster, including Darren Sharper. They play in a domed stadium, and the closest thing the Vikes have to a cold-weather game this year is October 19 at Chicago, so Brett would be able to play in favorable conditions pretty much all year. And the Vikes have a very real shot to win the NFC this year and get back to the Super Bowl.
At first, I thought that there's no way the Vikings would want to sack up with a player who has burned the franchise and its fans so many times. But he's a Hall of Famer coming off a great year, and he would firm up the team's QB position - really, the one glaring question mark right now on the entire team. The thought that the Vikings and Favre could be mutually interested in one another actually makes a lot of sense. As Tarvaris himself said, what team wouldn't be interested in adding Brett Favre? And as such, what fans wouldn't be excited to root for him? Of course, the Packers will keep him and eat his salary before they let him go to Minnesota. But it's an interesting twist to the story...I think it makes more sense than Tampa Bay does.
I'm out like Alex Rodriguez from the All-Star Game.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
PR Pitching
I invite you to take a look at the public relations pitch at the link below:
http://executivesuite.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/pr-pitch-of-the-month-or-maybe-the-decade/
My guess is that anyone with half a brain will be able to see why this is a poor pitch. It's not necessarily that the PR person makes controversial connections between societal trends and issues and her client's product, although their validity certainly is debatable. It's more about the fact she could have used simpler language and edited out at least 100 words and still said the same exact thing. And this was written by a VP-level practitioner who's supposed to know how to write and how the media work. Not good at all.
In PR terms, this is a bad pitch because the reporter could read this three times and still not understand what the news is and why it's important - and the media simply don't have the time to figure it out. There's a myth in PR today that longer and "hipper" is better. But the "pros" who operate this way fail to recognize that what media truly want - and need - is a concise, relevant and unbiased news hook, with supplemental materials available upon request. This pitch clearly doesn't fit that description, and in fact works against the ultimate objective of placing a client or idea placement in the media. Said another way, it doesn't serve the best interests of the client. If I paid this person for this work, I'd demand my money back.
I'm out like Jesse Ventura.
http://executivesuite.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/pr-pitch-of-the-month-or-maybe-the-decade/
My guess is that anyone with half a brain will be able to see why this is a poor pitch. It's not necessarily that the PR person makes controversial connections between societal trends and issues and her client's product, although their validity certainly is debatable. It's more about the fact she could have used simpler language and edited out at least 100 words and still said the same exact thing. And this was written by a VP-level practitioner who's supposed to know how to write and how the media work. Not good at all.
In PR terms, this is a bad pitch because the reporter could read this three times and still not understand what the news is and why it's important - and the media simply don't have the time to figure it out. There's a myth in PR today that longer and "hipper" is better. But the "pros" who operate this way fail to recognize that what media truly want - and need - is a concise, relevant and unbiased news hook, with supplemental materials available upon request. This pitch clearly doesn't fit that description, and in fact works against the ultimate objective of placing a client or idea placement in the media. Said another way, it doesn't serve the best interests of the client. If I paid this person for this work, I'd demand my money back.
I'm out like Jesse Ventura.
All-Star Sigh of Relief
Rumor has it that Bud Selig himself was loosening his tie, throwing on his cleats and heading to the bullpen to warm up last night. He would have volunteered himself to be all-time pitcher to avoid what would have been a PR catastrophe for his sport.
This might be a slight exaggeration, but we should all be incredibly relieved that we didn't see or hear our favorite Bud last night until he handed the MVP trophy to J.D. Drew. He was seriously exposed last night for the latest failure of his tenure as commissioner: neglecting to come up with a contingency plan for how to resolve the All-Star Game. If only he would have learned something from the 2002 game, in which Torii Hunter robbed Barry Bonds and the game ended in a tie.
The MLB All-Star Game remains the greatest exhibition game in sports, but it needs some serious reform to avoid nightmares like what nearly happened last night. I propose two changes:
--Make the game a true exhibition again, and not the determining factor in anything important like home-field advantage in the World Series. Or at the very least, lower the stakes. Bud and his clan gave the game this weight a few years back to encourage the mega-stars not to skip it for the extra time off. But just ask any manager or any NL team - it isn't working. The game isn't structured appropriately to decide such a matter - you need bigger rosters to avoid emptying benches, or at the very least you need a fair and merciful way to end it if we have a marathon like last night. Terry Francona and Clint Hurdle did a helluva job last night, considering the circumstances.
--Regardless of what you do with the implications of the game, come up with a way to end the game in true exhibition style, if necessary. I propose that if the game is tied after x number of innings (maybe 11, to give the players time to try to decide it on the field) that there be a All-Star Game Home Run Derby. Each team sends five players to the plate, and they each get just one out. Their own pitchers - or coaches - throw to them. The league whose team hits the most HRs wins. Wow, what an ending that would be...fans might root every season for a tie. There would be a clear winner at the end of the night, sort of like there is now in the NHL. Plus, the game would be decided in a showy style, bringing in elements of drama, power and grandeur.
The health/safety of the players and the integrity of the sport are the two most important things to consider and preserve in making any changes. It's my opinion these two ideas maximize both. If a couple of stars choose not to participate, well, it's their loss, public reputation and ultimately earning power on the line. I think the vast majority of players will still consider it a great honor to play in this great game.
I'm out like Billy Packer.
This might be a slight exaggeration, but we should all be incredibly relieved that we didn't see or hear our favorite Bud last night until he handed the MVP trophy to J.D. Drew. He was seriously exposed last night for the latest failure of his tenure as commissioner: neglecting to come up with a contingency plan for how to resolve the All-Star Game. If only he would have learned something from the 2002 game, in which Torii Hunter robbed Barry Bonds and the game ended in a tie.
The MLB All-Star Game remains the greatest exhibition game in sports, but it needs some serious reform to avoid nightmares like what nearly happened last night. I propose two changes:
--Make the game a true exhibition again, and not the determining factor in anything important like home-field advantage in the World Series. Or at the very least, lower the stakes. Bud and his clan gave the game this weight a few years back to encourage the mega-stars not to skip it for the extra time off. But just ask any manager or any NL team - it isn't working. The game isn't structured appropriately to decide such a matter - you need bigger rosters to avoid emptying benches, or at the very least you need a fair and merciful way to end it if we have a marathon like last night. Terry Francona and Clint Hurdle did a helluva job last night, considering the circumstances.
--Regardless of what you do with the implications of the game, come up with a way to end the game in true exhibition style, if necessary. I propose that if the game is tied after x number of innings (maybe 11, to give the players time to try to decide it on the field) that there be a All-Star Game Home Run Derby. Each team sends five players to the plate, and they each get just one out. Their own pitchers - or coaches - throw to them. The league whose team hits the most HRs wins. Wow, what an ending that would be...fans might root every season for a tie. There would be a clear winner at the end of the night, sort of like there is now in the NHL. Plus, the game would be decided in a showy style, bringing in elements of drama, power and grandeur.
The health/safety of the players and the integrity of the sport are the two most important things to consider and preserve in making any changes. It's my opinion these two ideas maximize both. If a couple of stars choose not to participate, well, it's their loss, public reputation and ultimately earning power on the line. I think the vast majority of players will still consider it a great honor to play in this great game.
I'm out like Billy Packer.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Nightmares of Fenway
If you're a good Twins fan like me, you hated to see the team get swept in Boston. They played all right the first two nights, yet lost both games by one run. Of course, then they got blown out.
You know, I hate to say it, but it seems like our Twins have an East Coast bias of their own. You know how the media (ESPN especially) seem to give the Yankees and Red Sox more air time, coverage, analysis, etc...well, that all would lead an impartial observer to believe that those teams are better or more important than the others. And I think the Twins are picking up on that to some extent. Every once in a while, you catch a glimpse that they might seem to be intimidated by the big-market teams, especially in their home stadiums. Now granted, the Red Sox are just plain lights out at Fenway this year, and the Yanks seem to be improving as they always do this time of year. But I worry that our team gets psyched out a little bit, and that the deck is slightly stacked against the Twins before the first pitch is even thrown. It's just a perception of mine...
But wow, what a game and comeback today. The bullpen righted the ship, and Morneau had a career day, capped off by the game-winning homer in the 11th.
Finally, the Lynx continued their collapse, falling under .500 last night by blowing an 18-point lead at home against a previously 1-17 team. Does it get any worse than that?
I'm out like afore-mentioned Lynx.
You know, I hate to say it, but it seems like our Twins have an East Coast bias of their own. You know how the media (ESPN especially) seem to give the Yankees and Red Sox more air time, coverage, analysis, etc...well, that all would lead an impartial observer to believe that those teams are better or more important than the others. And I think the Twins are picking up on that to some extent. Every once in a while, you catch a glimpse that they might seem to be intimidated by the big-market teams, especially in their home stadiums. Now granted, the Red Sox are just plain lights out at Fenway this year, and the Yanks seem to be improving as they always do this time of year. But I worry that our team gets psyched out a little bit, and that the deck is slightly stacked against the Twins before the first pitch is even thrown. It's just a perception of mine...
But wow, what a game and comeback today. The bullpen righted the ship, and Morneau had a career day, capped off by the game-winning homer in the 11th.
Finally, the Lynx continued their collapse, falling under .500 last night by blowing an 18-point lead at home against a previously 1-17 team. Does it get any worse than that?
I'm out like afore-mentioned Lynx.
Monday, July 07, 2008
A Dog-off, a Classic and some Domination
What a Fourth of July weekend it was...
On Coney Island, a dog-off was needed for Joey Chestnut to keep his hot dog eating title belt. You can't make this stuff up. Truly, starving children in Africa are crying their eyes out...if Nathan's wanted some good PR, why wouldn't they donate as many hot dogs as are used in the competition to some poor area halfway across the world. And only in America can a man eat 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes - one nearly every 10 seconds - and have it not be enough. Granted, it's kind of interesting to watch people eat that fast, but it is the ultimate in gluttony.
Across the pond, Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in what may have been the greatest tennis match of all time. Here's hoping ESPN replays it in its entirety, rain delays edited out, as soon as possible. But seriously, how great was that match...
And in local sports, those Twins keep right on winning. But how about the Eden Prairie American Legion baseball team? Those kids won a major national tournament in Tennessee this week, beating a team from Tennessee in the quarters and again in the finals to polish it off. All of a sudden, after a less-than-stellar varsity baseball season, those kids from EP have figured it out again. Just win, baby.
I'm out like the Cleveland Indians.
On Coney Island, a dog-off was needed for Joey Chestnut to keep his hot dog eating title belt. You can't make this stuff up. Truly, starving children in Africa are crying their eyes out...if Nathan's wanted some good PR, why wouldn't they donate as many hot dogs as are used in the competition to some poor area halfway across the world. And only in America can a man eat 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes - one nearly every 10 seconds - and have it not be enough. Granted, it's kind of interesting to watch people eat that fast, but it is the ultimate in gluttony.
Across the pond, Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in what may have been the greatest tennis match of all time. Here's hoping ESPN replays it in its entirety, rain delays edited out, as soon as possible. But seriously, how great was that match...
And in local sports, those Twins keep right on winning. But how about the Eden Prairie American Legion baseball team? Those kids won a major national tournament in Tennessee this week, beating a team from Tennessee in the quarters and again in the finals to polish it off. All of a sudden, after a less-than-stellar varsity baseball season, those kids from EP have figured it out again. Just win, baby.
I'm out like the Cleveland Indians.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Olympics Marketing Mania
It's not rocket science to expect that over the next two months you'll see a LOT more ads and marketing campaigns featuring Olympic athletes, especially members of the gymnastics team and track and field. The marriage between Olympic sports and business has been a long and happy one, and it only figures to grow this year and in future Olympics.
Rarely, however, do you see Olympic stars transcend their "window" of fame and become full-fledged celebrities with staying endorsement power. You could argue people like Mary Lou Retton, Nancy Kerrigan and Brandi Chastain were able to make the jump, but it doesn't happen often...it takes a certain level of accomplishment, luck, charisma and intangibles to make someone a good marketing investment over the long haul. Of all the athletes that will head to Beijing next month, I believe the strongest candidate to transcend his window will be none other than swimmer Michael Phelps.
Let's consider the assets. All the experts believe he will win enough gold medals in Beijing to make him the single most decorated Olympic athlete ever, making him the bar-setter for excellence - a great brand builder for any company. He's young and successful (23 years old), making him attractive to the groups with quite possibly the most available spending money: millennials, teens and tweens. Yet he's extremely eloquent and well educated and (let's face it) carries enough sex appeal to appeal to women and older demographics. He's humble, crediting his mother, training partners and everyone else around him for his success - that adds to his "likeability factor." Plus, he's not done after the 2008 Games; the experts also believe he'll make another run to participate in the 2012 Games in London, even if he doesn't qualify in as many events. That means that any company willing to strike a deal with him now would position itself for success in another four years, when Michael Mania is in full swing again. It would behoove them to invest in him over the middle years to build his profile in anticipation of 2012, most notably at any number of international competitions on the schedule that will make him relevant on the sports scene and give him a platform to represent a company and its interests.
Best Buy, Apple and Visa, take note. Michael Phelps is available, but likely not for long.
Rarely, however, do you see Olympic stars transcend their "window" of fame and become full-fledged celebrities with staying endorsement power. You could argue people like Mary Lou Retton, Nancy Kerrigan and Brandi Chastain were able to make the jump, but it doesn't happen often...it takes a certain level of accomplishment, luck, charisma and intangibles to make someone a good marketing investment over the long haul. Of all the athletes that will head to Beijing next month, I believe the strongest candidate to transcend his window will be none other than swimmer Michael Phelps.
Let's consider the assets. All the experts believe he will win enough gold medals in Beijing to make him the single most decorated Olympic athlete ever, making him the bar-setter for excellence - a great brand builder for any company. He's young and successful (23 years old), making him attractive to the groups with quite possibly the most available spending money: millennials, teens and tweens. Yet he's extremely eloquent and well educated and (let's face it) carries enough sex appeal to appeal to women and older demographics. He's humble, crediting his mother, training partners and everyone else around him for his success - that adds to his "likeability factor." Plus, he's not done after the 2008 Games; the experts also believe he'll make another run to participate in the 2012 Games in London, even if he doesn't qualify in as many events. That means that any company willing to strike a deal with him now would position itself for success in another four years, when Michael Mania is in full swing again. It would behoove them to invest in him over the middle years to build his profile in anticipation of 2012, most notably at any number of international competitions on the schedule that will make him relevant on the sports scene and give him a platform to represent a company and its interests.
Best Buy, Apple and Visa, take note. Michael Phelps is available, but likely not for long.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Scott Ullger is no Ron Gardenhire
I can't blame Gardy for doing what he did last night, going after the ump for a poor warning decision and sticking up for Mauer. What bothers me is the way his back-up manager navigates the late innings.
Let's look at last night, for example (there have been other suspect games in past years). Glen Perkins is rolling along in the 7th, and gave up a harmless single with one out. Ullger gets out the quick hook, pulling Perkins for Crain. Reyes and Guerrier also come in - in the seventh inning - to face hitters. Breslow and Bass also pitch in the ninth. If you're counting, that's five relief pitchers used to get eight outs...with four runs (three earned) given up in that span.
Now, this argument is slightly irrelevant because of the recent lights-out nature of the Twins bullpen. You wouldn't think they would all suck like last night. But when your starter is rolling along, why don't you let him go a while? I didn't see anything to suggest Perkins was starting to tank. Don't go to your bullpen just because it's there...go to it when you need to.
Plus, I know matchups are important, but I've never been a fan of using that many pitchers in that short a span. They're just getting going, especially after so many days off. Maybe they'd do better if they got more than one hitter. Who knows.
Gardy can have a quick hook with starters sometimes, but I think he manages his bullpen well - and he's improved since his early years. Personally, I think Scotty has more learning to do...and that his quick decisions last night might have contributed to the loss in some small way.
I'm out like Interlachen Country Club.
Let's look at last night, for example (there have been other suspect games in past years). Glen Perkins is rolling along in the 7th, and gave up a harmless single with one out. Ullger gets out the quick hook, pulling Perkins for Crain. Reyes and Guerrier also come in - in the seventh inning - to face hitters. Breslow and Bass also pitch in the ninth. If you're counting, that's five relief pitchers used to get eight outs...with four runs (three earned) given up in that span.
Now, this argument is slightly irrelevant because of the recent lights-out nature of the Twins bullpen. You wouldn't think they would all suck like last night. But when your starter is rolling along, why don't you let him go a while? I didn't see anything to suggest Perkins was starting to tank. Don't go to your bullpen just because it's there...go to it when you need to.
Plus, I know matchups are important, but I've never been a fan of using that many pitchers in that short a span. They're just getting going, especially after so many days off. Maybe they'd do better if they got more than one hitter. Who knows.
Gardy can have a quick hook with starters sometimes, but I think he manages his bullpen well - and he's improved since his early years. Personally, I think Scotty has more learning to do...and that his quick decisions last night might have contributed to the loss in some small way.
I'm out like Interlachen Country Club.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Baseball...
So...a few more things to get off my chest today...
Lost in the Twins' win streak is the fact they have the second-best interleague record (10-3) in the majors. The best, you might ask? None other than the Kansas City Royals (11-3). No kidding. But the last time the Twins had a record that good in interleague play? 2006, when they went 16-2. And we all know how that season ended up...
Secondly, one of my preferred sports blogs, RandBall, started an interesting discussion today that I think we should piggyback onto: if you could have at-bat theme music, what song would you choose? We've heard some great ones with Twins players over the years...Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, Corey Koskie, etc. What would you pick? The Sports Ace's selection: "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve. Backups, if that's taken, include "My Humps" of Black Eyed Peas fame (sidesplitting laughs every time when this song comes on Michael's cell phone on "The Office"), "Going the Distance" by Cake and "Song 2" by Blur. Let's go now...let me hear you out there.
I'm out like Novak Djokovic.
Lost in the Twins' win streak is the fact they have the second-best interleague record (10-3) in the majors. The best, you might ask? None other than the Kansas City Royals (11-3). No kidding. But the last time the Twins had a record that good in interleague play? 2006, when they went 16-2. And we all know how that season ended up...
Secondly, one of my preferred sports blogs, RandBall, started an interesting discussion today that I think we should piggyback onto: if you could have at-bat theme music, what song would you choose? We've heard some great ones with Twins players over the years...Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, Corey Koskie, etc. What would you pick? The Sports Ace's selection: "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve. Backups, if that's taken, include "My Humps" of Black Eyed Peas fame (sidesplitting laughs every time when this song comes on Michael's cell phone on "The Office"), "Going the Distance" by Cake and "Song 2" by Blur. Let's go now...let me hear you out there.
I'm out like Novak Djokovic.
Kazaam
When I saw Shaq rapping about Kobe the other day, I couldn't help my brain from flashing back to one of the true low-lights in entertainment history: Kazaam.
And, you may not have noticed, but the Twins have won SEVEN in a row and won games against the top two pitchers in the National League (Webb and Peavy) and baseball's all-time saves leader (Hoffman) in that stretch! But Gardy, why do you pull Kevin Slowey after six scoreless innings? If a guy's dominating, and he can take pressure off your bullpen, why not let him go? Maybe he knows something I don't, but come on...give the rookie a shot at a complete game shutout. Or at least a win...he didn't even get that last night.
I'm out like Pavol Demitra.
Yes, when Shaq decided to take a break from his day job (and I don't mean the time he became a Miami cop), he made this extremely smelly piece of crap thinking he was a good actor. I found myself thinking again the other day that he should just stick to dunking on people, huffing and puffing up and down the court and missing free throws. I mean, he was a platinum-selling rap artist, but he was overrated there too. Way overrated. Did you actually ever listen to his music? I did, and I lost a little bit of myself in the process.
And, you may not have noticed, but the Twins have won SEVEN in a row and won games against the top two pitchers in the National League (Webb and Peavy) and baseball's all-time saves leader (Hoffman) in that stretch! But Gardy, why do you pull Kevin Slowey after six scoreless innings? If a guy's dominating, and he can take pressure off your bullpen, why not let him go? Maybe he knows something I don't, but come on...give the rookie a shot at a complete game shutout. Or at least a win...he didn't even get that last night.
I'm out like Pavol Demitra.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Sensational Sportscasting
Two things are starting to really bug me about sports and TV nowadays...
1. "The best/greatest/...in history"
I fear this is a growing trend. How many times did we hear the guy calling the NBA Finals say that someone/something was "the greatest in NBA/NBA Finals history"? Yes, there were some remarkable and memorable performances, but I think ABC/ESPN's announcing crew gets near-failing marks for their blatant sensationalism of the series. Not everything has to be a historical comparison, and let's be honest: there have been better series in the last 10-15 years than this one. So let's put some integrity back into sportscasting, for the good of sports. Don't get me wrong - I applaud efforts to add perspective to sporting events. I do that myself as an announcer. But I don't do it just to do it...a play or a game would truly have to rank up there before I'd say so.
2. Players posing with trophies
NBA players/coaches holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy for ads. NFL players celebrate with the Lombardi Trophy before they play the Super Bowl. NCAA athletes in a lot of sports (softball, basketball, etc) clutching the NCAA title trophy before they win it. I don't think most of these are Photoshop illustrations...the inherent problem here: THEY HAVEN'T WON THE TROPHIES YET. Isn't it a bit of a problem to get so comfortable with the greatest prize in your sport before you win it? I would say yes.
Let's borrow from the NHL for a minute...players have so much respect for the trophies of the game, especially the Stanley Cup, that they won't even touch the trophies until they win them. They won't touch lesser trophies, because it stokes the fire within to win the big one. They sure as hell wouldn't be seen dead gripping the Cup before they win it, for fear of throwing away their chance to win it and facing stigma and backlash from teammates and fans. Personally, I think it would be the worst kind of tease to get comfortable on film/photo with a championship trophy and then not win it. Why would you do that to yourself? The networks do it to promote the game...but I think the athletes sell themselves out by participating in it. I'd err on the side of respecting the game, my team and the trophy I'm striving to win and decline the photo op.
Of course, these things are driven by trying to make an event seem bigger than it really is, which in turn leads to higher ratings, more ad and sponsorship dollars, etc. It's all about money. But why isn't it enough anymore to simply appreciate these contests and the players in them? Maybe it's an unrealistic utopian sports vision I have, but I just don't get why tomorrow's games always have to one-up today's.
I'm out like 2001 World Series co-MVPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.
1. "The best/greatest/...in history"
I fear this is a growing trend. How many times did we hear the guy calling the NBA Finals say that someone/something was "the greatest in NBA/NBA Finals history"? Yes, there were some remarkable and memorable performances, but I think ABC/ESPN's announcing crew gets near-failing marks for their blatant sensationalism of the series. Not everything has to be a historical comparison, and let's be honest: there have been better series in the last 10-15 years than this one. So let's put some integrity back into sportscasting, for the good of sports. Don't get me wrong - I applaud efforts to add perspective to sporting events. I do that myself as an announcer. But I don't do it just to do it...a play or a game would truly have to rank up there before I'd say so.
2. Players posing with trophies
NBA players/coaches holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy for ads. NFL players celebrate with the Lombardi Trophy before they play the Super Bowl. NCAA athletes in a lot of sports (softball, basketball, etc) clutching the NCAA title trophy before they win it. I don't think most of these are Photoshop illustrations...the inherent problem here: THEY HAVEN'T WON THE TROPHIES YET. Isn't it a bit of a problem to get so comfortable with the greatest prize in your sport before you win it? I would say yes.
Let's borrow from the NHL for a minute...players have so much respect for the trophies of the game, especially the Stanley Cup, that they won't even touch the trophies until they win them. They won't touch lesser trophies, because it stokes the fire within to win the big one. They sure as hell wouldn't be seen dead gripping the Cup before they win it, for fear of throwing away their chance to win it and facing stigma and backlash from teammates and fans. Personally, I think it would be the worst kind of tease to get comfortable on film/photo with a championship trophy and then not win it. Why would you do that to yourself? The networks do it to promote the game...but I think the athletes sell themselves out by participating in it. I'd err on the side of respecting the game, my team and the trophy I'm striving to win and decline the photo op.
Of course, these things are driven by trying to make an event seem bigger than it really is, which in turn leads to higher ratings, more ad and sponsorship dollars, etc. It's all about money. But why isn't it enough anymore to simply appreciate these contests and the players in them? Maybe it's an unrealistic utopian sports vision I have, but I just don't get why tomorrow's games always have to one-up today's.
I'm out like 2001 World Series co-MVPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The West is Best - and It's Not Even Close
Seriously, Tiger won the US Open on a torn ACL? His performance was already legendary...now it's just downright sick. The sickest part though: although he's going to be out until 2009, it was almost worth it. Until he comes back, all we're ever going to talk about is how amazing his US Open run was. And he played three majors on that injury - two wins and a second. He's the best of all time. Get over it.
There's a great debate all of a sudden about whether the Eastern Conference of the NBA is better than the West. Boston is the champion, and Detroit had a great year too. But let me say emphatically: NO, YOU STUPID IDIOTS, the West is WAY better. You measure a conference top to bottom, not just by its best teams. The East may definitely have had the two best teams in the league this year, there's no doubt, but the dropoff from there was significant. Let's get real here...the West is clearly superior.
Let's compare the #8 seeds. The Denver Nuggets barely made the playoffs with a 50-32 record, one of the best records ever by a #8 seed (Golden State stayed home with a 48-34 record). On the other hand, Atlanta stormed in with a head of steam and pushed the Celtics to the brink despite a 37-45 regular season. For all you non-math majors out there, that's a 26-GAME DIFFERENCE with respect to .500 in records, from Denver being 18 games above .500 to Atlanta's 8 games below. The West had EIGHT teams with 50 or more wins, and the East had only three. The worst record in the West was five games better than the East's worst record. Only three East teams had winning records against the West: Boston, Detroit and Cleveland, but 10 West teams had winning records against the East. And, most definitively, the East sucked head-to-head against the West this year, going 192-258. That's a winning percentage of just .427.
Seriously people. Rumors of the West's decline have been greatly exaggerated.
I'm out like Tiger Woods.
There's a great debate all of a sudden about whether the Eastern Conference of the NBA is better than the West. Boston is the champion, and Detroit had a great year too. But let me say emphatically: NO, YOU STUPID IDIOTS, the West is WAY better. You measure a conference top to bottom, not just by its best teams. The East may definitely have had the two best teams in the league this year, there's no doubt, but the dropoff from there was significant. Let's get real here...the West is clearly superior.
Let's compare the #8 seeds. The Denver Nuggets barely made the playoffs with a 50-32 record, one of the best records ever by a #8 seed (Golden State stayed home with a 48-34 record). On the other hand, Atlanta stormed in with a head of steam and pushed the Celtics to the brink despite a 37-45 regular season. For all you non-math majors out there, that's a 26-GAME DIFFERENCE with respect to .500 in records, from Denver being 18 games above .500 to Atlanta's 8 games below. The West had EIGHT teams with 50 or more wins, and the East had only three. The worst record in the West was five games better than the East's worst record. Only three East teams had winning records against the West: Boston, Detroit and Cleveland, but 10 West teams had winning records against the East. And, most definitively, the East sucked head-to-head against the West this year, going 192-258. That's a winning percentage of just .427.
Seriously people. Rumors of the West's decline have been greatly exaggerated.
I'm out like Tiger Woods.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Remembering Tim Russert
We lost another journalistic legend late last week, when Tim Russert collapsed at NBC's Washington bureau.
You only need to look as far as CNN, ABC, NBC, etc. to appreciate how huge he was: those networks broke their own news coverage plans and devoted several hours to a man from the competition. That alone tells you he was the best and most respected political newsman of his time. Personally, I followed him closely...I own and have read his first book, and when I was in DC last year, and I got off the bus outside St. Albans School (by the National Cathedral, where his son Luke went), I felt more awestruck than when I was on the National Mall. I was a great admirer.
The worst part of this, aside from the tremendous void among his family, friends and colleagues, is that the American people won't have the benefit of his letter-perfect analysis, opinion and coverage of the 2008 election and beyond. We would have been a better-equipped public with him at the desk.
Rest in peace, Tim.
You only need to look as far as CNN, ABC, NBC, etc. to appreciate how huge he was: those networks broke their own news coverage plans and devoted several hours to a man from the competition. That alone tells you he was the best and most respected political newsman of his time. Personally, I followed him closely...I own and have read his first book, and when I was in DC last year, and I got off the bus outside St. Albans School (by the National Cathedral, where his son Luke went), I felt more awestruck than when I was on the National Mall. I was a great admirer.
The worst part of this, aside from the tremendous void among his family, friends and colleagues, is that the American people won't have the benefit of his letter-perfect analysis, opinion and coverage of the 2008 election and beyond. We would have been a better-equipped public with him at the desk.
Rest in peace, Tim.
The Weekend (My First Father's Day Edition)
What a weekend, for so many reasons...
--Yes, yesterday was my first Father's Day. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but it really was a special day. I took TLSA to the park, and we played on the swing. We watched the ducks at the pond. I took him with me to get my dad his gift, and his face lit up in wonderment when he entered a Best Buy store for the first time in his young life. And then he reached out and grabbed a Zeppelin CD...already he knows good music when he sees it. The beer was cold and tasty, and my home-grilled steak was perfect, as was the day of sports on TV. A round of golf may have topped the day off, but it was pretty darn good as it was. And the best part: it started all over again this morning, when my son woke up and I got him from his crib. As Bill Walton so sappily said on the NBA telecast last night, every day truly is Father's Day.
--My 10-year high school reunion was Friday and Saturday night, and I have to say that it was way better than expected. There were a few of the so-called "popular" people from my class that sort of kept to themselves, but for the most part everyone mixed very well. Several people I never talked to came up to me and said hello, and it was so fun to catch up and see how everyone was doing. I think it's a real credit to the Lakeville High School Class of 1998 that we all mixed so well. After all, we're truly all on the same team...good to see we acted like it. It didn't hurt either that I got a lot of oohs, ahhs and wows from everyone when they saw me!
--Tiger Woods. Can you even believe this guy? I think this was the weekend that he proved definitively that he's the best ever, regardless of whether or not he wins or loses the playoff today. Can you imagine playing 72 holes on a still-weak left knee, no less shooting 1-under at the US Open? Can you imagine sinking a 12-footer with your back up against the wall on hole 72? Can you imagine shooting 30 on Friday and two eagles on Saturday on the back nine - and that doesn't even account for the one-hop plop shot on 17? It was nothing short of a legendary performance, one we'll tell our grandkids about someday.
I know a lot of people that root for Tiger simply because they want to be on the side of the winning guy. That's boring. I watch him closely because I think he's the most unique talent in sports today, and I can't wait to see what he'll do next. I'll admit: when the putt fell yesterday, I did a fist-pump, Tiger style.
I'm out like Lee Westwood.
--Yes, yesterday was my first Father's Day. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but it really was a special day. I took TLSA to the park, and we played on the swing. We watched the ducks at the pond. I took him with me to get my dad his gift, and his face lit up in wonderment when he entered a Best Buy store for the first time in his young life. And then he reached out and grabbed a Zeppelin CD...already he knows good music when he sees it. The beer was cold and tasty, and my home-grilled steak was perfect, as was the day of sports on TV. A round of golf may have topped the day off, but it was pretty darn good as it was. And the best part: it started all over again this morning, when my son woke up and I got him from his crib. As Bill Walton so sappily said on the NBA telecast last night, every day truly is Father's Day.
--My 10-year high school reunion was Friday and Saturday night, and I have to say that it was way better than expected. There were a few of the so-called "popular" people from my class that sort of kept to themselves, but for the most part everyone mixed very well. Several people I never talked to came up to me and said hello, and it was so fun to catch up and see how everyone was doing. I think it's a real credit to the Lakeville High School Class of 1998 that we all mixed so well. After all, we're truly all on the same team...good to see we acted like it. It didn't hurt either that I got a lot of oohs, ahhs and wows from everyone when they saw me!
--Tiger Woods. Can you even believe this guy? I think this was the weekend that he proved definitively that he's the best ever, regardless of whether or not he wins or loses the playoff today. Can you imagine playing 72 holes on a still-weak left knee, no less shooting 1-under at the US Open? Can you imagine sinking a 12-footer with your back up against the wall on hole 72? Can you imagine shooting 30 on Friday and two eagles on Saturday on the back nine - and that doesn't even account for the one-hop plop shot on 17? It was nothing short of a legendary performance, one we'll tell our grandkids about someday.
I know a lot of people that root for Tiger simply because they want to be on the side of the winning guy. That's boring. I watch him closely because I think he's the most unique talent in sports today, and I can't wait to see what he'll do next. I'll admit: when the putt fell yesterday, I did a fist-pump, Tiger style.
I'm out like Lee Westwood.
Friday, June 13, 2008
The NBA
Hey, congrats out there to the Bloomington Jefferson baseball team, who will play in the state championship game this afternoon at Midway Stadium. They've had a remarkable run, and having covered several kids on the team in other sports, I personally think they've got what it takes to win one more. Good luck today.
On the NBA, I must come out and say that I'm nowhere near as big a NBA fan as I used to be. The game, in my opinion, has become too much of a me-first game where ballhogs jack up fadeaway 3-pointers instead of setting screens and executing bounce passes. Plus, the integrity of the game is in serious question (can I get just one traveling call some year?). That said, I always enjoy this time of year because it always seems that the best TEAMS get to the Finals. Basketball is a team game, not an individual game, and I think the game is at its best when you have 10 capable players on a court giving their all for 48 minutes. That's what you get to see this time of year.
I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist (yet), given all the Donaghy discussion, but try this one on: whenever a team gets a big lead in a game, at any time in the game, they never seem to hold it. They may not lose the game, but they never seem to be able to preserve their lead throughout. It happened to the Celtics in Game 2, and it happened to the Lakers last night. Call it poor floor leadership or coaching, or just the human let-up response that occurs when you get up by 20 points. But I find it slightly amusing that when I see a team get up by 20, I can count on the losing squad being in the ballgame in the last four minutes. Of course, TV executives don't want to see prolonged blowouts...then people tune out later in the game. They want to see tight, memorable finishes. They want to see the blowups and emotion when a team loses a huge lead and when a team comes back from the brink. It just never fails...and to me, it's very interesting that this happens much more regularly than one would think it would.
That's all for now. I'm out like the Minnesota Lynx's streak of relevance.
On the NBA, I must come out and say that I'm nowhere near as big a NBA fan as I used to be. The game, in my opinion, has become too much of a me-first game where ballhogs jack up fadeaway 3-pointers instead of setting screens and executing bounce passes. Plus, the integrity of the game is in serious question (can I get just one traveling call some year?). That said, I always enjoy this time of year because it always seems that the best TEAMS get to the Finals. Basketball is a team game, not an individual game, and I think the game is at its best when you have 10 capable players on a court giving their all for 48 minutes. That's what you get to see this time of year.
I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist (yet), given all the Donaghy discussion, but try this one on: whenever a team gets a big lead in a game, at any time in the game, they never seem to hold it. They may not lose the game, but they never seem to be able to preserve their lead throughout. It happened to the Celtics in Game 2, and it happened to the Lakers last night. Call it poor floor leadership or coaching, or just the human let-up response that occurs when you get up by 20 points. But I find it slightly amusing that when I see a team get up by 20, I can count on the losing squad being in the ballgame in the last four minutes. Of course, TV executives don't want to see prolonged blowouts...then people tune out later in the game. They want to see tight, memorable finishes. They want to see the blowups and emotion when a team loses a huge lead and when a team comes back from the brink. It just never fails...and to me, it's very interesting that this happens much more regularly than one would think it would.
That's all for now. I'm out like the Minnesota Lynx's streak of relevance.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Local Sports Marketing Trends
A couple of the latest sports marketing trends making waves in the Twin Cities area:
--A few Sundays ago, the St. Paul Saints did a promotion where they gave "bobblefoot dolls" away to the first few thousand fans. Instead of a bobblehead, they spoofed the Larry Craig sex solicitation incident at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, making the leg underneath the bathroom stall divider shake. This was met by scores of people who said it was over the top and in bad taste. To those people, I just want to say: get a life, and a sense of humor. The Saints are known for over-the-top, irreverent promotions that completely entertain and satisfy their core fan base, and this fits right in with what they've done all along. The same people that complained about this are not the ones most likely to sit outside for 3-6 hours on a rainy day and watch a minor-league baseball game. Not only do I believe this was a brilliant promotion, and extremely funny, but it's more evidence that the Saints know their audience, and they continue to deliver the goods. And just guess how many tickets they sold that day.
--The Minnesota Twins recently had two games in which they sold upper-deck seats along with all-you-can-eat concession coupons. These, apparently, were such huge successes that they are expanding the promotion to six more home games still this year - a rarity in the business today.
I'm not sure what it says about our society that people want to stuff themselves silly at a ballgame, or spend the majority of the game waiting in line where they can't see the game in the Metrodome's pathetically terrible concourses. Personally, when I go to a game, I actually like to sit in my seat and watch the game. But you have to tip your cap again to the Twins marketing team, the same folks who brought the bobblehead craze back to the sporting world several years ago. They've come up with another brilliant way of making their product relevant to the masses and creating an "enjoyable" game-day experience. And it's helping them making the best of a bad situation with the Metrodome and the 2008 edition of the team.
I dare you to find another sports market in this country with the top-to-bottom quality of team marketing and promotions that we have in the Twin Cities. You just don't hear of intelligent stuff like this happening in other places; on the flip side, for example, we heard all about the "19-0" plans made in Boston...we all know how well that worked out for the Patriots.
I'm out like Juan Rincon.
--A few Sundays ago, the St. Paul Saints did a promotion where they gave "bobblefoot dolls" away to the first few thousand fans. Instead of a bobblehead, they spoofed the Larry Craig sex solicitation incident at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, making the leg underneath the bathroom stall divider shake. This was met by scores of people who said it was over the top and in bad taste. To those people, I just want to say: get a life, and a sense of humor. The Saints are known for over-the-top, irreverent promotions that completely entertain and satisfy their core fan base, and this fits right in with what they've done all along. The same people that complained about this are not the ones most likely to sit outside for 3-6 hours on a rainy day and watch a minor-league baseball game. Not only do I believe this was a brilliant promotion, and extremely funny, but it's more evidence that the Saints know their audience, and they continue to deliver the goods. And just guess how many tickets they sold that day.
--The Minnesota Twins recently had two games in which they sold upper-deck seats along with all-you-can-eat concession coupons. These, apparently, were such huge successes that they are expanding the promotion to six more home games still this year - a rarity in the business today.
I'm not sure what it says about our society that people want to stuff themselves silly at a ballgame, or spend the majority of the game waiting in line where they can't see the game in the Metrodome's pathetically terrible concourses. Personally, when I go to a game, I actually like to sit in my seat and watch the game. But you have to tip your cap again to the Twins marketing team, the same folks who brought the bobblehead craze back to the sporting world several years ago. They've come up with another brilliant way of making their product relevant to the masses and creating an "enjoyable" game-day experience. And it's helping them making the best of a bad situation with the Metrodome and the 2008 edition of the team.
I dare you to find another sports market in this country with the top-to-bottom quality of team marketing and promotions that we have in the Twin Cities. You just don't hear of intelligent stuff like this happening in other places; on the flip side, for example, we heard all about the "19-0" plans made in Boston...we all know how well that worked out for the Patriots.
I'm out like Juan Rincon.
Monday, June 09, 2008
TSA's Weekend
So, a few thoughts from the weekend that was:
--In a weird sort of way, I'm glad Big Brown didn't win the Belmont. I'm not sure I could have listened to his cocky trainer gloat about him if he did. And you can just imagine the UPS ads that thankfully won't be airing now. Anyone else think the trainer is acting like a sore loser? No press interviews or anything? No doubt the Donald isn't happy about it...yes, the trainer wore a Trump cap in the stands - you would have seen it shortly before post time. I'm sure Trump paid for that privilege...and he can't be pleased that his horse came in last.
--Wow, is Rafael Nadal good or what? That was one amazing display of tennis against Federer.
Like you, I tuned in for a classic and ended up watching a rout of historic proportions. There's no doubt Federer is suffering (let's keep it in perspective, people...he's still #1 in the world) through his worst year in recent memory, but he's still the man to beat at Wimbledon. There's no doubt though about this: Federer/Nadal is the most intriguing thing to happen to men's tennis since Sampras/Agassi.
--Celtics/Lakers...ho hum. It was impressive how the Celts built their big lead in Game 2, but even more impressive how they managed to let the Lakers back into the game late. Wow, what a letdown in leadership by Doc Rivers and Paul Pierce...they got the win, but they may have awoken a sleeping giant.
Best sports you're not watching: the NCAA baseball super-regionals. Those kids sure are playing some entertaining baseball...there have been more plot twists than a I highly recommend you catch the remaining game today and then the College World Series starting Saturday.
I'm out like the Twins pitching staff.
--In a weird sort of way, I'm glad Big Brown didn't win the Belmont. I'm not sure I could have listened to his cocky trainer gloat about him if he did. And you can just imagine the UPS ads that thankfully won't be airing now. Anyone else think the trainer is acting like a sore loser? No press interviews or anything? No doubt the Donald isn't happy about it...yes, the trainer wore a Trump cap in the stands - you would have seen it shortly before post time. I'm sure Trump paid for that privilege...and he can't be pleased that his horse came in last.
--Wow, is Rafael Nadal good or what? That was one amazing display of tennis against Federer.
Like you, I tuned in for a classic and ended up watching a rout of historic proportions. There's no doubt Federer is suffering (let's keep it in perspective, people...he's still #1 in the world) through his worst year in recent memory, but he's still the man to beat at Wimbledon. There's no doubt though about this: Federer/Nadal is the most intriguing thing to happen to men's tennis since Sampras/Agassi.
--Celtics/Lakers...ho hum. It was impressive how the Celts built their big lead in Game 2, but even more impressive how they managed to let the Lakers back into the game late. Wow, what a letdown in leadership by Doc Rivers and Paul Pierce...they got the win, but they may have awoken a sleeping giant.
Best sports you're not watching: the NCAA baseball super-regionals. Those kids sure are playing some entertaining baseball...there have been more plot twists than a I highly recommend you catch the remaining game today and then the College World Series starting Saturday.
I'm out like the Twins pitching staff.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
A Broadcasting Legend Passes
I was saddened to hear the news of Jim McKay's passing today. As a sports broadcaster myself, I feel he's one of the few that I'd tell an up-and-comer to strive to be like - he always seemed to have the right words at the right time, but he never tried too hard to have them at the ready...he just told it like it was. He let the sports do the talking, not his ego. He told not just the bad stories, but the good and inspirational ones too. And off the air, he was as good a man (from the stories I'm reading) as there was. It's no coincidence the greatest of today (Costas and Michaels) called him a mentor and friend.
May Jim rest in peace.
May Jim rest in peace.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Seasons Ending
I've been getting some comments recently from loyal TSA readers encouraging me to drop in some of my expert perspective on public relations/marketing (my career) and its intersection with sports. I'll get to work on this, and fold it in as I can.
As a first foray into this realm, if you haven't yet seen Bob Costas' recent 90-minute special on HBO about sports and the media, you are missing out. The hottest issues in sports and media today (social media/bloggers, fantasy sports, talk radio, etc.) get a thorough look in this show, and the panel discussions are riveting beyond imagination. It was easily the best 90 minutes of TV I watched in the month of May, and that includes the season finale of The Office. Check it out: http://www.hbo.com/costasnow/
On other matters, next week will be one of the more depressing weeks of the year. The NHL is over for the year (congrats, Red Wings), and high school sports are wrapping up with state tournaments this week. The NBA Finals and Twins are going, but not much else. That means, of course, that the volume of reading material in the local sports section will drop considerably by next week. I love reading about the Twins as much as anyone, but it will be three more months until football season pulls us out of this funk. The countdown is on.
Speaking of endings, there was a high school tennis match this morning between rivals Wyatt McCoy of Mounds View and Michael Sicora of Buffalo in the state semifinals. These guys have played each other hard at state the last few years, and the winner eventually won the state title. So their final match in their storied high school careers...started at 8 a.m. today. Seriously, what a buzzkill. By the time I read the paper, the match was already underway, and that's one I might have driven the half-hour to the U of M to watch. Who schedules these things anyways...
And the oddest thing I've seen in a long time: Kevin Slowey, pinch-running for Mike Redmond?
That's all for now. I'm out like 2007 Rallykiller Nick Punto.
As a first foray into this realm, if you haven't yet seen Bob Costas' recent 90-minute special on HBO about sports and the media, you are missing out. The hottest issues in sports and media today (social media/bloggers, fantasy sports, talk radio, etc.) get a thorough look in this show, and the panel discussions are riveting beyond imagination. It was easily the best 90 minutes of TV I watched in the month of May, and that includes the season finale of The Office. Check it out: http://www.hbo.com/costasnow/
On other matters, next week will be one of the more depressing weeks of the year. The NHL is over for the year (congrats, Red Wings), and high school sports are wrapping up with state tournaments this week. The NBA Finals and Twins are going, but not much else. That means, of course, that the volume of reading material in the local sports section will drop considerably by next week. I love reading about the Twins as much as anyone, but it will be three more months until football season pulls us out of this funk. The countdown is on.
Speaking of endings, there was a high school tennis match this morning between rivals Wyatt McCoy of Mounds View and Michael Sicora of Buffalo in the state semifinals. These guys have played each other hard at state the last few years, and the winner eventually won the state title. So their final match in their storied high school careers...started at 8 a.m. today. Seriously, what a buzzkill. By the time I read the paper, the match was already underway, and that's one I might have driven the half-hour to the U of M to watch. Who schedules these things anyways...
And the oddest thing I've seen in a long time: Kevin Slowey, pinch-running for Mike Redmond?
That's all for now. I'm out like 2007 Rallykiller Nick Punto.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Rallykiller, Introducing The Little Sports Ace
Wow, what a hockey game last night. I might be one of the few that stayed up to the end...Fleury was amazing in goal, and how about the Penguins tying it with less than a minute in regulation! The Red Wings reminded me a bit of the 1998 Vikings...so close to winning, yet so far. They'll either bounce back strong and dominate Game 6, or they'll get blown out. Hard to say what their emotions will do, but if I had to pick it, I say Detroit bounces back in a big way, takes Game 6 4-1 and wins the Cup.
No doubt some of you are familiar with my concept of Rallykiller. I love my Twins, but there's always one regular player whose performance seems consistently less than stellar...grounding into double plays in key spots, failing to take extra bases, etc. So I bestow the unfortunate honor of "Rallykiller" to those people. A Rallykiller can earn their way out of the title, if they play well, but they generally hold the title for a while...Nick Punto, Luis Rivas, etc. are former Rallykillers. Thus far this season, Mike Lamb held the title for a while, but Delmon Young took it over in early May.
The Twins and Yankees played a remarkable game last night, and Delmon Young did have three RBI doubles. That, along with Cuddy and Mauer's first homer, are promising signs. But, just for a minute, let's focus on Young's misplay in the 8th. On that double, it seemed he could have tried to stretch it into a triple. Instead, he stayed at second and was caught stealing in the next at-bat by Brendan Harris. The Twins won by one anyway, but Harris' at-bat would have scored Young if he were on third and produced a key insurance run. Delmon, despite showing signs of improvement, still appears a bit timid out there...unwilling or afraid to swing for the fences and do the little things to help the team win. In honor of his 8th inning, Young still, at least for a little while longer, is hereby dubbed Rallykiller.
If you didn't know, I am the proud father of a happy, healthy little boy. The Little Sports Ace (TLSA), as I'll call him herein going forward, turned 9 months old on Sunday and had his latest physical yesterday. 21 pounds, 9 ounces (74th percentile) and just under 30 inches long (94th percentile). He's getting to be a big, strong kid...right on schedule to being a first-overall draft pick someday. (Not seriously of course...I won't put any pressure on him to play sports. But, if it makes him happy, what dad wouldn't like to see his son earn a scholarship and play in the big leagues!)
I'm out like Boof Bonser.
No doubt some of you are familiar with my concept of Rallykiller. I love my Twins, but there's always one regular player whose performance seems consistently less than stellar...grounding into double plays in key spots, failing to take extra bases, etc. So I bestow the unfortunate honor of "Rallykiller" to those people. A Rallykiller can earn their way out of the title, if they play well, but they generally hold the title for a while...Nick Punto, Luis Rivas, etc. are former Rallykillers. Thus far this season, Mike Lamb held the title for a while, but Delmon Young took it over in early May.
The Twins and Yankees played a remarkable game last night, and Delmon Young did have three RBI doubles. That, along with Cuddy and Mauer's first homer, are promising signs. But, just for a minute, let's focus on Young's misplay in the 8th. On that double, it seemed he could have tried to stretch it into a triple. Instead, he stayed at second and was caught stealing in the next at-bat by Brendan Harris. The Twins won by one anyway, but Harris' at-bat would have scored Young if he were on third and produced a key insurance run. Delmon, despite showing signs of improvement, still appears a bit timid out there...unwilling or afraid to swing for the fences and do the little things to help the team win. In honor of his 8th inning, Young still, at least for a little while longer, is hereby dubbed Rallykiller.
If you didn't know, I am the proud father of a happy, healthy little boy. The Little Sports Ace (TLSA), as I'll call him herein going forward, turned 9 months old on Sunday and had his latest physical yesterday. 21 pounds, 9 ounces (74th percentile) and just under 30 inches long (94th percentile). He's getting to be a big, strong kid...right on schedule to being a first-overall draft pick someday. (Not seriously of course...I won't put any pressure on him to play sports. But, if it makes him happy, what dad wouldn't like to see his son earn a scholarship and play in the big leagues!)
I'm out like Boof Bonser.
Monday, June 02, 2008
My Own Welcome Back
Well, hello everyone...
Now that I've been laid off from my last job, I find myself with just a bit of extra time. So I figured I might re-visit my contribution to the online world and weigh in.
First thing's first: I hope Nick Blackburn is all right. What a shot he took yesterday...
Is anyone else excited about the Vikings' chances for 2008-09?
This just in: the Timberwolves still suck.
And I hope Doug Risebrough doesn't go off signing goons anytime soon, like he did with Chris Simon. That one really worked out for the Wild.
The coming Chanhassen High School has been placed in the Lake Conference, giving the league 12 schools starting in the fall of 2009. I think that's great, as the league has had an odd number of teams for years now. Next, the Lake needs to form two six-team divisions and get rid of that annoying rotating schedule it uses in just about every sport.
And I really don't have much sympathy for the Classic Lake Conference. Yes, it would be good if it had more than five teams, but there's got to be a reason why schools have left them in the past and no one will join them now. Personally, I think they should go after schools like Maple Grove, Shakopee, Prior Lake and Holy Angels. Wouldn't you love to see Edina and Holy Angels play at least two hockey games every season? Sign me up.
Also, I need to publicly apologize to Star Tribune preps reporter Jim Paulsen for a rant I put on him last fall, after a playoff football game. Jim, and the rest of the team there, you do a fabulous job, and it's a primary reason I subscribe to your paper and not the other one in town (despite the fact my wife works at the other one). Keep it up.
I'm out like Flip Saunders.
Now that I've been laid off from my last job, I find myself with just a bit of extra time. So I figured I might re-visit my contribution to the online world and weigh in.
First thing's first: I hope Nick Blackburn is all right. What a shot he took yesterday...
Is anyone else excited about the Vikings' chances for 2008-09?
This just in: the Timberwolves still suck.
And I hope Doug Risebrough doesn't go off signing goons anytime soon, like he did with Chris Simon. That one really worked out for the Wild.
The coming Chanhassen High School has been placed in the Lake Conference, giving the league 12 schools starting in the fall of 2009. I think that's great, as the league has had an odd number of teams for years now. Next, the Lake needs to form two six-team divisions and get rid of that annoying rotating schedule it uses in just about every sport.
And I really don't have much sympathy for the Classic Lake Conference. Yes, it would be good if it had more than five teams, but there's got to be a reason why schools have left them in the past and no one will join them now. Personally, I think they should go after schools like Maple Grove, Shakopee, Prior Lake and Holy Angels. Wouldn't you love to see Edina and Holy Angels play at least two hockey games every season? Sign me up.
Also, I need to publicly apologize to Star Tribune preps reporter Jim Paulsen for a rant I put on him last fall, after a playoff football game. Jim, and the rest of the team there, you do a fabulous job, and it's a primary reason I subscribe to your paper and not the other one in town (despite the fact my wife works at the other one). Keep it up.
I'm out like Flip Saunders.
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