HSOs from a Bitter P1
A College Football Playoff
Nov/30/2008 06:48 PM | Permalink
Since it appears that this year my team is the one
that gets screwed by the BCS, I am drawn back the
grail-like search for a college football playoff.
For the record, I am one of those twisted people who has actually made peace with the BCS. I have actually come to enjoy the regular season, believing that, in a strange way, it functions as a "March Madness" that lasts from September to December. If you look at it that way, you can get a lot of enjoyment of college football, even with the flaws. I can say that, even with the news today that OU jumps over Texas to play Mizzou. (Despite the unbelievable truth that Texas beat Oklahoma AND Mizzou!!!)
Be that as it may, it IS a deeply flawed system. So, since I'm assuming that over the next few months, the whole world's going to throw out all sorts of plans, I figure why not jump in with my HSO?
As I look at it, there's a way to create a college football playoff system and only add ONE game to the current schedule for the eventual winner.
Sound interesting?
It would take a lot of "outside the box" thinking, but if I have your attention keep reading...
First, five assumptions to get to my proposal:
1) A playoff system must start with a 32-team bracket.
Only then will it create the kind of buzz/excitement that March Madness enjoys, and avoid the controversies of the current BSC system. Barack Obama --and many others apparently-- suggest an eight team playoff. With all due respect, that won't solve a thing.
Teams 9 through 25 will bitch about how they were left out or ripped off by poor ranking. Additionally, an eight team bracket will not build nearly the excitement of a 32-team bracket, or even as much as the current bowl system. No, a playoff system would have to include a 32-team bracket to avoid the charges of being too biases toward major teams/conferences.
Also, an added bonus: at 32 teams, almost every year would include some of the "Cinderella Teams" that make March Madness so cool.
The teams could be picked using the current BCS ranking system, expanded out to include the top thirty two. Or any other ranking system, really. To my mind, the system of ranking wouldn't matter nearly as much, since even if it's CLOSE to accurate, the playoff itself would help weed out any errors.
Number one would be seeded to play number 32, avoiding the charge that the seeding was unfair (If the top ten can't beat the bottom ten, they probably didn't deserve their seed, whether it was one, two or five...)
2) The Bowl System, as is, will have to go.
But the cities that host bowls could be incorporated into a playoff system. I've never understood why this wouldn't be a HUGE "win-win." If the playoff is as extensive as suggested here, there'd be plenty of games for even the most obscure bowl/city to be included in a playoff system. And, frankly, the less lucrative bowl cities would probably end up being the first tier playoff cities. It seems to me that it could end up a wash, or even a net PLUS for the more obscure bowls.
3) The Conference Championship Games would also have to go.
I'm not sure anybody believes they have any real purpose these days anyway. The competition is so UNeven from conference to conference that there's just no way to justify keeping them around. To my mind, this might be the most difficult hurdle of all the assumptions, but for the life of me I don't understand why.
4) The first two meaningless non-conference games would be repurposed to be part of the system.
Instead of playing these early Fall games, they would be added to the end of the season as two rounds of a playoff system. Yes, that would mean that not every team would get to play one of these games, but the payouts for the teams that DO make it would be HUGE. And wouldn't the college presidents, who are allegedly "so worried" about student athletes, find it hard to argue against a system that makes the season shorter for most teams?!
5) The "Rivalry Week" games would have to move a week earlier.
Actually, if everybody bitched, the truth is my proposal could be adjusted to avoid this. The reason would be to open up Thanksgiving Week for the first-round of the playoff system....capturing the holidays for this in a way that would be very cool. But, as I said, it if it can be worked out to move these games, over time the first round of a playoff starting Thanksgiving Weekend would be an amazing tradition that everyone would quickly embrace.
Having said all this, here's the plan:
Eric's Proposed NCAA Division 1A Playoff Schedule:
ROUND ONE:
When: Thanksgiving Weekend through the First Week of December (when Conference Championships are now played).
Who: 32 Teams.
The sixteen sites for these games would be pulled from bowls that currently take place in mid December and from Conference Championship sites. There are a lot of pretty meaningless bowls with dismal payouts out there. They would probably kill to be in the first round of an official playoff system.
Think of the excitement generated with a playoff that starts Thanksgiving Weekend with, say, eight games. Eight more could be played the following weekend, when the Conference Championships are currently played.
TWO TO THREE WEEK BREAK FOR FINAL EXAMS:
I keep hearing that final exams are a big concern for college presidents. OK, then... take several weeks off. You can do it and still make this schedule work!!!
ROUND TWO:
When: The week before Christmas.
Who: 16 Teams.
The eight sites for these games would be culled from the late December, Christmas Day, and week-after-Christmas bowl games. Again, think of the excitement of these games, as the holidays approach. Yes, a lot of bowls would have to change their current date. But take a look at how many there are right now....more than enough to fill an eight-site round of playoffs.
ROUND THREE
When: New Years Day.
Who: 8 Teams.
These four games would rotate among the current BCS bowl sites. Four games on New Year's Day, to satisfy everyone's endless thirst for college football on this day. It's clean. It's doable...and these games would be HUGE in terms of revenue.
ROUND FOUR: Semifinals
When: The Saturday before the Super Bowl.
Who: 4 Teams.
As everyone knows, the NFL takes that week off, in an attempt to build excitement. So, what if the college football "semi-finals" stepped in to fill the void? This would also allow the final four teams several weeks off for rest.
The sites would be determined by a rotation of current BCS bowl sites.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The Saturday of Super Bowl Sunday
Why not? What a cool weekend that would be.
The site determined by a rotation of current BCS bowl sites.
--------------------------------
That's it.
Note that if you assume the current champion currently plays two non-conference games, a conference championship, and a BCS bowl, this playoff system only means ONE additional game for the winner!!!!
It's also 31 total football games...more than enough to fold-in every bowl worth bringing along, assuming they would move to fit the schedule...and why wouldn't they?!
To get there, it DOES mean thinking very differently about the bowl system, about non-conference games, and conference championship games. It shifts the season later into January. But is that all bad when Pro Football is still going on? And do we REALLY care about those two early non-conference games? Get rid of them! Move them into the playoff system, and think of how much bigger they'd become!!
If we have to play football in early September, allow teams to schedule semi-official scrimmages with smaller schools. Or, if extending the season that late is a bad idea, then fine, don't take so many weeks off, and the season can still be done the second week of January. There are still enough spare weeks in there to take several weeks off for exams.
Can it be done?
Of course it can be done. It's college sports, for crying out loud, not a United Nations treaty. To do it RIGHT would involve shaking up a lot of the current assumptions. But the payoff --literally, the financial payoff-- could be HUGE.
It can be done. No question.
For the record, I am one of those twisted people who has actually made peace with the BCS. I have actually come to enjoy the regular season, believing that, in a strange way, it functions as a "March Madness" that lasts from September to December. If you look at it that way, you can get a lot of enjoyment of college football, even with the flaws. I can say that, even with the news today that OU jumps over Texas to play Mizzou. (Despite the unbelievable truth that Texas beat Oklahoma AND Mizzou!!!)
Be that as it may, it IS a deeply flawed system. So, since I'm assuming that over the next few months, the whole world's going to throw out all sorts of plans, I figure why not jump in with my HSO?
As I look at it, there's a way to create a college football playoff system and only add ONE game to the current schedule for the eventual winner.
Sound interesting?
It would take a lot of "outside the box" thinking, but if I have your attention keep reading...
First, five assumptions to get to my proposal:
1) A playoff system must start with a 32-team bracket.
Only then will it create the kind of buzz/excitement that March Madness enjoys, and avoid the controversies of the current BSC system. Barack Obama --and many others apparently-- suggest an eight team playoff. With all due respect, that won't solve a thing.
Teams 9 through 25 will bitch about how they were left out or ripped off by poor ranking. Additionally, an eight team bracket will not build nearly the excitement of a 32-team bracket, or even as much as the current bowl system. No, a playoff system would have to include a 32-team bracket to avoid the charges of being too biases toward major teams/conferences.
Also, an added bonus: at 32 teams, almost every year would include some of the "Cinderella Teams" that make March Madness so cool.
The teams could be picked using the current BCS ranking system, expanded out to include the top thirty two. Or any other ranking system, really. To my mind, the system of ranking wouldn't matter nearly as much, since even if it's CLOSE to accurate, the playoff itself would help weed out any errors.
Number one would be seeded to play number 32, avoiding the charge that the seeding was unfair (If the top ten can't beat the bottom ten, they probably didn't deserve their seed, whether it was one, two or five...)
2) The Bowl System, as is, will have to go.
But the cities that host bowls could be incorporated into a playoff system. I've never understood why this wouldn't be a HUGE "win-win." If the playoff is as extensive as suggested here, there'd be plenty of games for even the most obscure bowl/city to be included in a playoff system. And, frankly, the less lucrative bowl cities would probably end up being the first tier playoff cities. It seems to me that it could end up a wash, or even a net PLUS for the more obscure bowls.
3) The Conference Championship Games would also have to go.
I'm not sure anybody believes they have any real purpose these days anyway. The competition is so UNeven from conference to conference that there's just no way to justify keeping them around. To my mind, this might be the most difficult hurdle of all the assumptions, but for the life of me I don't understand why.
4) The first two meaningless non-conference games would be repurposed to be part of the system.
Instead of playing these early Fall games, they would be added to the end of the season as two rounds of a playoff system. Yes, that would mean that not every team would get to play one of these games, but the payouts for the teams that DO make it would be HUGE. And wouldn't the college presidents, who are allegedly "so worried" about student athletes, find it hard to argue against a system that makes the season shorter for most teams?!
5) The "Rivalry Week" games would have to move a week earlier.
Actually, if everybody bitched, the truth is my proposal could be adjusted to avoid this. The reason would be to open up Thanksgiving Week for the first-round of the playoff system....capturing the holidays for this in a way that would be very cool. But, as I said, it if it can be worked out to move these games, over time the first round of a playoff starting Thanksgiving Weekend would be an amazing tradition that everyone would quickly embrace.
Having said all this, here's the plan:
Eric's Proposed NCAA Division 1A Playoff Schedule:
ROUND ONE:
When: Thanksgiving Weekend through the First Week of December (when Conference Championships are now played).
Who: 32 Teams.
The sixteen sites for these games would be pulled from bowls that currently take place in mid December and from Conference Championship sites. There are a lot of pretty meaningless bowls with dismal payouts out there. They would probably kill to be in the first round of an official playoff system.
Think of the excitement generated with a playoff that starts Thanksgiving Weekend with, say, eight games. Eight more could be played the following weekend, when the Conference Championships are currently played.
TWO TO THREE WEEK BREAK FOR FINAL EXAMS:
I keep hearing that final exams are a big concern for college presidents. OK, then... take several weeks off. You can do it and still make this schedule work!!!
ROUND TWO:
When: The week before Christmas.
Who: 16 Teams.
The eight sites for these games would be culled from the late December, Christmas Day, and week-after-Christmas bowl games. Again, think of the excitement of these games, as the holidays approach. Yes, a lot of bowls would have to change their current date. But take a look at how many there are right now....more than enough to fill an eight-site round of playoffs.
ROUND THREE
When: New Years Day.
Who: 8 Teams.
These four games would rotate among the current BCS bowl sites. Four games on New Year's Day, to satisfy everyone's endless thirst for college football on this day. It's clean. It's doable...and these games would be HUGE in terms of revenue.
ROUND FOUR: Semifinals
When: The Saturday before the Super Bowl.
Who: 4 Teams.
As everyone knows, the NFL takes that week off, in an attempt to build excitement. So, what if the college football "semi-finals" stepped in to fill the void? This would also allow the final four teams several weeks off for rest.
The sites would be determined by a rotation of current BCS bowl sites.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The Saturday of Super Bowl Sunday
Why not? What a cool weekend that would be.
The site determined by a rotation of current BCS bowl sites.
--------------------------------
That's it.
Note that if you assume the current champion currently plays two non-conference games, a conference championship, and a BCS bowl, this playoff system only means ONE additional game for the winner!!!!
It's also 31 total football games...more than enough to fold-in every bowl worth bringing along, assuming they would move to fit the schedule...and why wouldn't they?!
To get there, it DOES mean thinking very differently about the bowl system, about non-conference games, and conference championship games. It shifts the season later into January. But is that all bad when Pro Football is still going on? And do we REALLY care about those two early non-conference games? Get rid of them! Move them into the playoff system, and think of how much bigger they'd become!!
If we have to play football in early September, allow teams to schedule semi-official scrimmages with smaller schools. Or, if extending the season that late is a bad idea, then fine, don't take so many weeks off, and the season can still be done the second week of January. There are still enough spare weeks in there to take several weeks off for exams.
Can it be done?
Of course it can be done. It's college sports, for crying out loud, not a United Nations treaty. To do it RIGHT would involve shaking up a lot of the current assumptions. But the payoff --literally, the financial payoff-- could be HUGE.
It can be done. No question.
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So, Should We Believe Donaghy?
Jun/14/2008 09:43 PM | Permalink
Donaghy, as you'll recall, is the incredibly crooked ref who's been busted for throwing, and betting on, NBA games.
Donaghy chose NBA Finals week, no doubt timed for maximum exposure/explosion, to come out with charges that refs routinely fix games and favor certain teams. There are now rumblings that other investigations of refs may be in the works, including investigations by the FBI.
Heck, even Ralph Nader is jumping on the bandwagon.
So, I don't know whether or not to believe Donaghy or not. But I do know this: the NBA's credibility on this issue is tattered. Guys like Mark Cuban look more sane all the time.
And the video of those fouls that got me called "bitter" are still out there for the world to see.
It didn't look good then. To some of us, it looks even worse now.
(BTW, in an erie bit of timing, the day Donaghy made his most recent charges about game-fixing was the day Eliot Asinof died. Who is Eliot Asinof, you ask? The guy who wrote the definitive book on America's most notorious game-fixing scandal, "Eight Men Out.")
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"Oh this is sure stirring up some ghosts for me..."
Jun/14/2008 12:09 PM | Permalink
I would submit to you that poor season tickets sales, a lack of wins, and a "history" of eight losing seasons, are all symptoms of a long-term, debilitating, disease that afflicts this team. Like Type 2 Diabetes, it doesn't kill you on day one. It doesn't even change your life that much. But year after year, the symptoms become more pronounced, certain conditions become irreversible, and eventually you lose the patient.
The Song Remains the Same
A few years back, I wrote a blog called "Why I Can't Afford to Love the Rangers." In fact, almost two years exactly. Nothing has fundamentally changed since then.
Well, that's not entirely true. The names have changed. The new, exciting players are now named "Bradley" and "Hamilton." But it's the same old story: Great hitting. No pitching.
Year after year after year...after year...after year...it's the SAME story.
Jeez, this is not rocket science. Attendance is down, season ticket sales are down, because the Rangers are genuinely losing fans. They are losing some of them forever. Heck, as I wrote two years ago, they've pretty much lost me.
When I wrote two years ago, Kevin Sherrington was the DMN staff writer, bemoaning the fact that Ranger fans were not falling in love with Michael Young.
The gist of his story then was: What does Young have to do for you to love him like you loved Pudge, Rusty, and Raffy?
The answer for me was: there nothing Young can do because it's not about him. It's about one, very simple problem, that the Rangers had then....that the Rangers had a decade before that...and that the Rangers have now:
PITCHING, PITCHING, PITCHING!!!!
Sorry for shouting.
It's just that we've been here before. The incredible bats. The amazing offense. Come-from-behind heroics. Young, exciting offensive and defensive players that, cruelly, offer hope to the weary fan.
We were here two years ago. We were here four years ago. We were here a DECADE ago.
It's the same damn story. Year after year after year.
So, nothing has changed and I still can't afford to love the Rangers. They've broken my heart for 30 years. They know what they have to do to make it better and they still haven't done it.
So, I'm no longer going to show up at the park. I broke my string of attending "Opening Day" games back in 2007. I have not been to a single game since I wrote that blog in July of 2006.
I know that many other fans will slam this decision as impatient or fair-weather.
But look...this SAME ISSUE has been THE issue for a DECADE (probably longer...). It's THE issue.
So, it seems to me that my reaction is not impatient. In fact, I would argue that to continue to go to support this team --knowing that the same issue is still THE issue-- makes me a masochist.
Insanity, as Einstein once said, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. The Rangers organization appears to be insane, and I will no longer help them if they will not help themselves. Haven't we learned, from Hamilton's story this year, that an addict must sometimes hit rock bottom before they get help? People who go to these games are simply enabling Tom Hicks.
The second claim --that it's being "fairweather" to stay away from games-- is also bogus.
Look, ultimately the only power a fan has is the power of the pocketbook. Sure, we can boo lustily at a game or two. But so what? The only thing that really gets an organization's attention is the almighty dollar.
So, Rangers Fans: Join me.
Stay home. Stay home until management finally gets the depth of this crisis. Stay home until management realize that this is why season ticket sales are off. Stay home because hitting management in the pocketbook is the only real leverage you have.
In spite of how very cool the Josh Hamilton story is, the whole organization is based on a kind of insanity that has not changed in decades.
And until it does, I still can't afford to love the Rangers.
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Um...one caveat...
Jan/13/2008 08:35 PM | Permalink
When I talked about the game yesterday, I should have
noted that there was one additional caveat to my
prediction...
That if Tony Romo throws the ball to his wide recievers, THEY HAVE TO CATCH IT!!!!
( Yes, I know I'm shouting...)
That if Tony Romo throws the ball to his wide recievers, THEY HAVE TO CATCH IT!!!!
( Yes, I know I'm shouting...)
What I Love About College Football
Nov/14/2007 08:16 AM | Permalink
What a bizarre season for college football.
Seems like nobody but Kansas has a chance at being undefeated. How strange is that? Two "number ones" have lost, about six or seven "number twos" have lost, and I'm not even sure anybody knows how many "top tens" have gone down. How strange is that?!!
On any given Saturday, it's at least theoretically possible that the best team in the land might lose to somebody nobody's heard of. (Can anybody say "South Florida?")
That's one thing I love about college football.
Another thing I love about college football is the passion. As much fun as the NFL is to watch, there is a...well...professionalism at that level that often lacks passion. Parenthetically, I think that's why folks love the Cowboys these days: because they actually seem to play with emotion. (Are you listening, Bill Parcells?)
In college football, the emotion of a crowd can actually change the course of a game. Like the Aggies say, crowds really are the 12th person. (Work with me here on the language...) In college football, one key turnover, one long pass or run, can change the momentum of a game long before the score does. In other words, there are intangibles that always keep you on your toes as a fan.
That's another thing I love about college football.
A third thing I love about college football is that so many other people love it. It's such a unifying cultural experience. Take away the big schools for a moment. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the "Austin Peay's" of the world. I'm talking about the "Colgate's"
Every Saturday, as you watch the scores scroll across across on SportsCenter, the names of tiny little schools nobody's ever heard of will flash by...
...Furman vs. Wofford
...Samford (no, not Stanford) vs. South East Missouri State
...Butler vs. Valpairiso
I just listed six schools I know nothing about. Couldn't begin to tell you what town's they're in. And I'm only confident about the state for one of them. But as those scores scroll, you get the sense that thousands of people in these tiny little towns have turned out to stadiums nobody's heard of, to scream at the top of their lungs at games nobody else will remember.
It really is not whether we win or lose, it's that we all play the game. We're all in this together on those Saturday afternoons, cheering on our teams, big and small, hoping against hope that this year will be "our year."
College football is a unifying experience that is not just about the "Top 25." It's about everybody else too. And that's another thing I love about it.
But the thing I love most about college football is that only in college football do things like the video clip below happen. Maybe you have seen this clip already, but maybe what you saw was the sideline camera. The clip below is an end zone shot, and I find it even more amazing.
As long as you live, you may never see another play like this. Check it out:
THIS is what I love about college football.
Seems like nobody but Kansas has a chance at being undefeated. How strange is that? Two "number ones" have lost, about six or seven "number twos" have lost, and I'm not even sure anybody knows how many "top tens" have gone down. How strange is that?!!
On any given Saturday, it's at least theoretically possible that the best team in the land might lose to somebody nobody's heard of. (Can anybody say "South Florida?")
That's one thing I love about college football.
Another thing I love about college football is the passion. As much fun as the NFL is to watch, there is a...well...professionalism at that level that often lacks passion. Parenthetically, I think that's why folks love the Cowboys these days: because they actually seem to play with emotion. (Are you listening, Bill Parcells?)
In college football, the emotion of a crowd can actually change the course of a game. Like the Aggies say, crowds really are the 12th person. (Work with me here on the language...) In college football, one key turnover, one long pass or run, can change the momentum of a game long before the score does. In other words, there are intangibles that always keep you on your toes as a fan.
That's another thing I love about college football.
A third thing I love about college football is that so many other people love it. It's such a unifying cultural experience. Take away the big schools for a moment. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the "Austin Peay's" of the world. I'm talking about the "Colgate's"
Every Saturday, as you watch the scores scroll across across on SportsCenter, the names of tiny little schools nobody's ever heard of will flash by...
...Furman vs. Wofford
...Samford (no, not Stanford) vs. South East Missouri State
...Butler vs. Valpairiso
I just listed six schools I know nothing about. Couldn't begin to tell you what town's they're in. And I'm only confident about the state for one of them. But as those scores scroll, you get the sense that thousands of people in these tiny little towns have turned out to stadiums nobody's heard of, to scream at the top of their lungs at games nobody else will remember.
It really is not whether we win or lose, it's that we all play the game. We're all in this together on those Saturday afternoons, cheering on our teams, big and small, hoping against hope that this year will be "our year."
College football is a unifying experience that is not just about the "Top 25." It's about everybody else too. And that's another thing I love about it.
But the thing I love most about college football is that only in college football do things like the video clip below happen. Maybe you have seen this clip already, but maybe what you saw was the sideline camera. The clip below is an end zone shot, and I find it even more amazing.
As long as you live, you may never see another play like this. Check it out:
THIS is what I love about college football.
Just So We're Clear...
Jul/13/2007 07:58 AM | Permalink
There is a guy who, in the coming weeks, will break
one of baseball's most hallowed records. I wrote
about him before in a blog entry you can still
find
here.
The closer we get to the date he will break that record, the less I am paying attention. I am turning off media reports that mention his name. (Note how I haven't mentioned it here...) Truthfully, I'm really not paying attention to baseball news at all right now, and part of it is precisely because I don't want to hear one word about this guy.
I don't want to know how close he is to the record right now (I am pleased to say that at this moment, I really do not know...) and I hope to not hear about it on the day he "breaks" it.
As I wrote before, he doesn't deserve the honor, the attention, or the accolades. I felt that when I wrote before, and nothing has changed about my feelings since.
As I understand, he stands a good chance of being booed on that day he "breaks" the record. Were I in the crowd that day --and I would hope as many people as possible will just stay home-- I'd try to boo louder than anyone.
So undeserving is he of this honor, such a great travesty of baseball history his "record" will be, that I hope to never mention his name again.
Therefore, when I fail to say a word about it down the road, please do not misinterpret my silence as forgetfulness or even tacit approval. I am not accidentally ignorant to this story, I am intentionally so.
Just so we're clear.
The closer we get to the date he will break that record, the less I am paying attention. I am turning off media reports that mention his name. (Note how I haven't mentioned it here...) Truthfully, I'm really not paying attention to baseball news at all right now, and part of it is precisely because I don't want to hear one word about this guy.
I don't want to know how close he is to the record right now (I am pleased to say that at this moment, I really do not know...) and I hope to not hear about it on the day he "breaks" it.
As I wrote before, he doesn't deserve the honor, the attention, or the accolades. I felt that when I wrote before, and nothing has changed about my feelings since.
As I understand, he stands a good chance of being booed on that day he "breaks" the record. Were I in the crowd that day --and I would hope as many people as possible will just stay home-- I'd try to boo louder than anyone.
So undeserving is he of this honor, such a great travesty of baseball history his "record" will be, that I hope to never mention his name again.
Therefore, when I fail to say a word about it down the road, please do not misinterpret my silence as forgetfulness or even tacit approval. I am not accidentally ignorant to this story, I am intentionally so.
Just so we're clear.
Glad for Jerry, Sad for Dallas
May/27/2007 08:33 PM | Permalink
As news of the Cowboy's winning bid for the
2011
Super Bowl
filtered out this week, I can't help but feel happy
for Jerry Jones, and sad for my city. And I find
myself having totally flip-flopped in my view of both
Jerry Jones and the new stadium.
You gotta give Jerry Jones some credit these days. The man works hard and clearly loves his team. Concerning the stadium deal, Jerry Jones just did what any person in business would do: he made the best deal he could for his team.
I used to hate this guy. I can remember when he bought the team how little respect I --and just about everyone else in this town-- gave him.
But, he's shown --through the way he spends on players, and the funds he's shelling out of this new new facility-- that he really does want to win. You gotta give the guy some props.
What I would give for the Rangers to have that kind of owner!! In fact, the only good reason to have the stadium in Arlington is that it will shine the bright light of contrast on the Cowboys and Rangers.
The Cowboys have an owner who is always looking forward, who really cares about his team, and who reinvests in his franchise constantly. The fans believe he wants to win, and they've changed their minds about him.
And the Rangers? Do they even have an owner? Do they have anybody over there who gives a flip?
Get ready Tom Hicks. Here comes Jerry. He's going to make you look bad. Real bad.
So, my thoughts about Jerry Jones have changed and I am surprised by this. I'm glad for him. He deserves every kudo he gets.
I am even more surprised, however, to find that my thoughts about the new stadium have changed too. In the beginning, I wouldn't say that I was against it. I was sort of agnostic about it.
I heard the arguments from those who said it would be the best thing to happen to Dallas since central heating and air. And I heard those who said it would be the worst thing to happen here since the Kennedy assassination.
OK, nobody said either of those things. But that was their level of passion. People either seemed to believe that it would be the greatest economic engine, or the worst tax-and-resource-drain, we've ever seen.
As I said, I was mostly agnostic. I probably leaned toward the "against it" side. After all, with so many looming city problems, how can you justify putting that kind of resources into a stadium?
Well, as I said, I have jumped off the fence, and into the camp of those who now believe that losing the stadium to Arlington is the single worst business move in Dallas' history.
And I base that change of heart on what I see happening down at the AAC.
Wow, is that area booming. Wow, is it completely awe-inspiring to see the new development, the new nightlife, and the new people who now populate that part of town! If you haven't been down that way for a year or so, do yourself a favor and just drive around some evening soon.
Between "Victory," the new "W," and the spankin' new "House of Blues," that part of town is hopping. Dozens of area restaurants sponsor nightly shuttle buses to take folks back and forth to the games. (both from downtown and Uptown...)
For a look at how that area has been transformed, click here to see some pictures of the construction over the past few years.
And having gone to a fair number of Maverick's games these past few years, you can't help but get swept up in it. Then, it dawns on you that this excitement is not just for Maverick games, but also for Dallas Stars' games, and for all the other concerts/events that the AAC hosts.
That arena has saved downtown. No question about it.
And it begs a really horrible question: just how desolate would downtown be right now WITHOUT that new arena? Would any of the development I just mentioned have happened?
Doubtful.
Now, I realize a football stadium is different. There are not nearly the total number of games each year. But, there are other events. Events like...oh I don't know...the SUPER BOWL!!! Throw in the Cotton Bowl, Texas-OU, the BCS Championship, and ten or twelve concerts a year (I'm probably low-balling here...) and you've got another huge economic engine. It's probably fewer total events. But you could argue it might end up being about the same total number of people.
Imagine all those people, streaming into downtown Dallas...
What a loss.
But! I have a theory, and it's a theory I'd like to see some research on. There are lots of studies claiming that stadiums are drain on local economies. But have they studied downtown stadiums as a subset?
You see, my theory is that --like any realtor will tell you-- only three things matter: location, location, location.
My theory is that stadiums are only great economic engines when they are located downtown or in a dense urban area. (Not even near downtown...right in the heart of downtown...)
My theory is that when they are too far out in the middle of nowhere (like the Ballpark and the new Cowboys stadium) there is not nearly the economic boom there would be otherwise.
I mean, there are some restaurants in Arlington, but there are no new hotels, and certainly no Victory-like development. Look at the area around the Texas Motor Speedway. A few hotels, here and there. But mostly, it's still cow pasture there. Did Irving see a dramatic number of new places popping up around Texas Stadium? Nope. Just UD.
It seems to me that for a stadium to be an economic engine, it has to be around other stuff people want to be near...like downtown, where there is pre-existing infrastructure and such.
So, that's my stadium construction theory. And I'd love to see some actual expert probe the difference not between "stadium-or-no-stadium," but between downtown stadiums and suburban ones. Because my hunch is that downtown ones are true powerhouses.
Which is why I am so sad for Dallas right now. Because when you see the energy around the AAC, when you see the great plans the Jones family has for the new Cowboys stadium, you can't help but feel a HUGE wave of regret that Dallas has missed a very big boat. Perhaps even an Ark.
Our Dallas City/County officials struck such a "take it or leave it" attitude about the whole thing, apparently assuming that it made no real difference one way or the other. In fact, they barely disguised their distaste for the whole process.
What a loss. It's a loss of a forty-to-fifty year opportunity. It will never come again in my lifetime. You don't get to go back and call "do over" on this one.
It still remains to be seen whether the new stadium will transform Arlington. I personally doubt it, for the reasons I've mentioned above. But I think it could have helped save downtown Dallas. All you have to do is see what the AAC is doing to its neighborhood, to feel the wave of regret for what will now never be in another part of downtown.
So, in this week when the Super Bowl selection is announced, when we begin to see just the first of many events that will move to Arlington, I can't help but be glad for Jerry Jones, and terribly, terribly sad for my city.
filtered out this week, I can't help but feel happy
for Jerry Jones, and sad for my city. And I find
myself having totally flip-flopped in my view of both
Jerry Jones and the new stadium.
You gotta give Jerry Jones some credit these days. The man works hard and clearly loves his team. Concerning the stadium deal, Jerry Jones just did what any person in business would do: he made the best deal he could for his team.
I used to hate this guy. I can remember when he bought the team how little respect I --and just about everyone else in this town-- gave him.
But, he's shown --through the way he spends on players, and the funds he's shelling out of this new new facility-- that he really does want to win. You gotta give the guy some props.
What I would give for the Rangers to have that kind of owner!! In fact, the only good reason to have the stadium in Arlington is that it will shine the bright light of contrast on the Cowboys and Rangers.
The Cowboys have an owner who is always looking forward, who really cares about his team, and who reinvests in his franchise constantly. The fans believe he wants to win, and they've changed their minds about him.
And the Rangers? Do they even have an owner? Do they have anybody over there who gives a flip?
Get ready Tom Hicks. Here comes Jerry. He's going to make you look bad. Real bad.
So, my thoughts about Jerry Jones have changed and I am surprised by this. I'm glad for him. He deserves every kudo he gets.
I am even more surprised, however, to find that my thoughts about the new stadium have changed too. In the beginning, I wouldn't say that I was against it. I was sort of agnostic about it.
I heard the arguments from those who said it would be the best thing to happen to Dallas since central heating and air. And I heard those who said it would be the worst thing to happen here since the Kennedy assassination.
OK, nobody said either of those things. But that was their level of passion. People either seemed to believe that it would be the greatest economic engine, or the worst tax-and-resource-drain, we've ever seen.
As I said, I was mostly agnostic. I probably leaned toward the "against it" side. After all, with so many looming city problems, how can you justify putting that kind of resources into a stadium?
Well, as I said, I have jumped off the fence, and into the camp of those who now believe that losing the stadium to Arlington is the single worst business move in Dallas' history.
And I base that change of heart on what I see happening down at the AAC.
Wow, is that area booming. Wow, is it completely awe-inspiring to see the new development, the new nightlife, and the new people who now populate that part of town! If you haven't been down that way for a year or so, do yourself a favor and just drive around some evening soon.
Between "Victory," the new "W," and the spankin' new "House of Blues," that part of town is hopping. Dozens of area restaurants sponsor nightly shuttle buses to take folks back and forth to the games. (both from downtown and Uptown...)
For a look at how that area has been transformed, click here to see some pictures of the construction over the past few years.
And having gone to a fair number of Maverick's games these past few years, you can't help but get swept up in it. Then, it dawns on you that this excitement is not just for Maverick games, but also for Dallas Stars' games, and for all the other concerts/events that the AAC hosts.
That arena has saved downtown. No question about it.
And it begs a really horrible question: just how desolate would downtown be right now WITHOUT that new arena? Would any of the development I just mentioned have happened?
Doubtful.
Now, I realize a football stadium is different. There are not nearly the total number of games each year. But, there are other events. Events like...oh I don't know...the SUPER BOWL!!! Throw in the Cotton Bowl, Texas-OU, the BCS Championship, and ten or twelve concerts a year (I'm probably low-balling here...) and you've got another huge economic engine. It's probably fewer total events. But you could argue it might end up being about the same total number of people.
Imagine all those people, streaming into downtown Dallas...
What a loss.
But! I have a theory, and it's a theory I'd like to see some research on. There are lots of studies claiming that stadiums are drain on local economies. But have they studied downtown stadiums as a subset?
You see, my theory is that --like any realtor will tell you-- only three things matter: location, location, location.
My theory is that stadiums are only great economic engines when they are located downtown or in a dense urban area. (Not even near downtown...right in the heart of downtown...)
My theory is that when they are too far out in the middle of nowhere (like the Ballpark and the new Cowboys stadium) there is not nearly the economic boom there would be otherwise.
I mean, there are some restaurants in Arlington, but there are no new hotels, and certainly no Victory-like development. Look at the area around the Texas Motor Speedway. A few hotels, here and there. But mostly, it's still cow pasture there. Did Irving see a dramatic number of new places popping up around Texas Stadium? Nope. Just UD.
It seems to me that for a stadium to be an economic engine, it has to be around other stuff people want to be near...like downtown, where there is pre-existing infrastructure and such.
So, that's my stadium construction theory. And I'd love to see some actual expert probe the difference not between "stadium-or-no-stadium," but between downtown stadiums and suburban ones. Because my hunch is that downtown ones are true powerhouses.
Which is why I am so sad for Dallas right now. Because when you see the energy around the AAC, when you see the great plans the Jones family has for the new Cowboys stadium, you can't help but feel a HUGE wave of regret that Dallas has missed a very big boat. Perhaps even an Ark.
Our Dallas City/County officials struck such a "take it or leave it" attitude about the whole thing, apparently assuming that it made no real difference one way or the other. In fact, they barely disguised their distaste for the whole process.
What a loss. It's a loss of a forty-to-fifty year opportunity. It will never come again in my lifetime. You don't get to go back and call "do over" on this one.
It still remains to be seen whether the new stadium will transform Arlington. I personally doubt it, for the reasons I've mentioned above. But I think it could have helped save downtown Dallas. All you have to do is see what the AAC is doing to its neighborhood, to feel the wave of regret for what will now never be in another part of downtown.
So, in this week when the Super Bowl selection is announced, when we begin to see just the first of many events that will move to Arlington, I can't help but be glad for Jerry Jones, and terribly, terribly sad for my city.
Not Robbed This Time
May/04/2007 03:34 PM | Permalink
A year ago on this blog, I started something of a
mini-internet sensation with my allegation that the
Dallas Mavericks were robbed of the NBA Championship
by sorry officiating and the Oscar-worthy acting
skills of Dwyane Wayde. You can read the original
post
here.
An amazing number of people still stumble on that blog post each month, even a year later now. That amazes me. An occasional visitor will still even leave an angry comment. That amazes me even more. And concerns me a little. Because I moved on a long time ago. I left my anger and "bitterness" behind. I embraced the possibility of a bright future.
And this year's Mavericks did everything in their power to prove that they had forgotten about it too. They blazed an ember-hot trail through the NBA, finishing first in the division acclaimed by everyone to be the most difficult, and earning the number one seed in this year's playoffs. I even wrote about it earlier this year, when they won sixteen in a row, and became the fastest sporting team to get to 51 wins within 56 games. (Not NBA team, but "professional sports team" Period. In other words: no sports team in the history of professional team sports has ever done this...)
Things were looking great for my Mavs.
But the playoffs ended for the Mavs last night. So after twelve or so hours to get over the shock, I feel the need to make one thing perfectly clear:
The Mavs Were Not Robbed This Time.
Not even close. Nobody, not even a "homer" like me, would be so bold as to claim otherwise.
No, this is much sadder and more pathetic story. The Mavs completely folded. They choked. They failed to fight back. They got off their game. They looked whipped and confused. Golden State played with heart, energy, and passion. Dallas played with....well, were they really playing?
Hear me when I say it: they deserved to lose.
If I'm going to allege that they were robbed last year, then I have to own up to a time when they completely crash and burn. And that's exactly what they did this past week. They failed to play anywhere close to the level of the team I saw with my own eyes several times this year.
Here's what folks are saying around town today:
-- This team seems to have no guts.
-- They seem to have some psychological issues with pressures of playoff basketball.
-- The man who might still be named MVP of the league this year (irony, huh?) completely choked. He looked like Shawn Bradley out there.
-- The bench, which everyone claimed as "the deepest in the NBA," was no help at all. (Save, Stackhouse)
-- And finally, they inexplicably got away from the game that got them all the way through this year, and allowed Golden State to play theirs.
That's what folks are saying here today. And it's hard to argue with any of that.
And so, now what do I do with myself? All of us around here assumed we'd be in these playoffs for a while. What do we do now?
I've already written about how I can't love the Rangers anymore. It's months from football season. And that didn't end too well of us around here either. What's a guy to do?
Sigh...
Well, just needed to say what needed to be said, so there will be no confusion whatsoever:
The Mavs didn't deserve to win.
Nuff said.
An amazing number of people still stumble on that blog post each month, even a year later now. That amazes me. An occasional visitor will still even leave an angry comment. That amazes me even more. And concerns me a little. Because I moved on a long time ago. I left my anger and "bitterness" behind. I embraced the possibility of a bright future.
And this year's Mavericks did everything in their power to prove that they had forgotten about it too. They blazed an ember-hot trail through the NBA, finishing first in the division acclaimed by everyone to be the most difficult, and earning the number one seed in this year's playoffs. I even wrote about it earlier this year, when they won sixteen in a row, and became the fastest sporting team to get to 51 wins within 56 games. (Not NBA team, but "professional sports team" Period. In other words: no sports team in the history of professional team sports has ever done this...)
Things were looking great for my Mavs.
But the playoffs ended for the Mavs last night. So after twelve or so hours to get over the shock, I feel the need to make one thing perfectly clear:
The Mavs Were Not Robbed This Time.
Not even close. Nobody, not even a "homer" like me, would be so bold as to claim otherwise.
No, this is much sadder and more pathetic story. The Mavs completely folded. They choked. They failed to fight back. They got off their game. They looked whipped and confused. Golden State played with heart, energy, and passion. Dallas played with....well, were they really playing?
Hear me when I say it: they deserved to lose.
If I'm going to allege that they were robbed last year, then I have to own up to a time when they completely crash and burn. And that's exactly what they did this past week. They failed to play anywhere close to the level of the team I saw with my own eyes several times this year.
Here's what folks are saying around town today:
-- This team seems to have no guts.
-- They seem to have some psychological issues with pressures of playoff basketball.
-- The man who might still be named MVP of the league this year (irony, huh?) completely choked. He looked like Shawn Bradley out there.
-- The bench, which everyone claimed as "the deepest in the NBA," was no help at all. (Save, Stackhouse)
-- And finally, they inexplicably got away from the game that got them all the way through this year, and allowed Golden State to play theirs.
That's what folks are saying here today. And it's hard to argue with any of that.
And so, now what do I do with myself? All of us around here assumed we'd be in these playoffs for a while. What do we do now?
I've already written about how I can't love the Rangers anymore. It's months from football season. And that didn't end too well of us around here either. What's a guy to do?
Sigh...
Well, just needed to say what needed to be said, so there will be no confusion whatsoever:
The Mavs didn't deserve to win.
Nuff said.
Sweet Sixteen
Mar/08/2007 07:21 AM | Permalink
There's lots of time left in the season, but it's
still nice to pause and consider what these Dallas
Mavericks have accomplished so far.
Charles and Mary
invited us to the game Tuesday night, which we knew
going in could be history-making in one respect. But
we didn't know at the time just how history making
the night would end up being.
Here, Dirk sinks one of his 22 points. This is the camera-phone view of Dirk's signature shot from our amazing seats. More and more all the time, heseems Bird-esque. Anyone else besides me think that's the best comparison? Maybe it's the closest, but Dirk is such a unique player (size/skill-wise) that it still doesn't quite capture all he can do. By the time Dirk is done, we may end up saying that Larry Bird was "Dirk-esque."
The game ended the way most Mavs games do this year: another victory. This time, it was a trouncing of the New Jersey Nets. Final score: 102-89. What was most amazing is that even when the Nets got close at one point in the third, it hardly seemed like a real threat. You got the feeling the Mavs were playing with them, like a cat with a chew toy. There was never any real sense of danger, or a feeling in the AAC that the Mavs might lose.
Check out this cell phone video from our great seats (sorry for the poor sound quality...):
Note how much this team passes around, and hustles for the offensive rebound, before going in for the kill.
This
is a team with swagger...a confidence that I
have not seen in them before. Dirk seems
supremely confident. But the person I noticed it
from the most was Erik Dampier, who was just
dominating. I used to detect a slight tinge of
fear in his eyes. When plays didn't go his way,
he'd let out a dejected sigh. Tuesday night, he
was defiant, and he had one of his best games of
the season. (12 points, 13 rebounds).
These Mavs spread it around. Even though they have several genuine superstars, as the video shows, they play like a TEAM. Tuesday night, they had five players with double digit scoring. But as amazing as all this is, none of this gets to the three records they set Tuesday night.
First, they won number sixteen in a row. That's a franchise record.
Second, they are now the first team assured of a place in the NBA playoffs. From what I can tell, that means they could actually lose every remaining game and still be assured of a playoff birth.
Finally, however, the most amazing stat of all...
With Tuesday night's win, the Mavs become the fastest sports team to ever reach 51 wins within 56 consecutive games. That right, not fastest basketball team, but fastest sports team. Ever.
According to ESPN, not only has no basketball team ever done this, but no NHL team and no Major League Baseball team, either. And, even though it's theoretically possible over several seasons, no NFL team has come close to a streak this long.
Gives you pause, doesn't it?
This is a very, very, VERY good team. A dominating team.
And it's fun to watch history being made before our eyes.
Here, Dirk sinks one of his 22 points. This is the camera-phone view of Dirk's signature shot from our amazing seats. More and more all the time, heseems Bird-esque. Anyone else besides me think that's the best comparison? Maybe it's the closest, but Dirk is such a unique player (size/skill-wise) that it still doesn't quite capture all he can do. By the time Dirk is done, we may end up saying that Larry Bird was "Dirk-esque."
The game ended the way most Mavs games do this year: another victory. This time, it was a trouncing of the New Jersey Nets. Final score: 102-89. What was most amazing is that even when the Nets got close at one point in the third, it hardly seemed like a real threat. You got the feeling the Mavs were playing with them, like a cat with a chew toy. There was never any real sense of danger, or a feeling in the AAC that the Mavs might lose.
Check out this cell phone video from our great seats (sorry for the poor sound quality...):
Note how much this team passes around, and hustles for the offensive rebound, before going in for the kill.
This
is a team with swagger...a confidence that I
have not seen in them before. Dirk seems
supremely confident. But the person I noticed it
from the most was Erik Dampier, who was just
dominating. I used to detect a slight tinge of
fear in his eyes. When plays didn't go his way,
he'd let out a dejected sigh. Tuesday night, he
was defiant, and he had one of his best games of
the season. (12 points, 13 rebounds).
These Mavs spread it around. Even though they have several genuine superstars, as the video shows, they play like a TEAM. Tuesday night, they had five players with double digit scoring. But as amazing as all this is, none of this gets to the three records they set Tuesday night.
First, they won number sixteen in a row. That's a franchise record.
Second, they are now the first team assured of a place in the NBA playoffs. From what I can tell, that means they could actually lose every remaining game and still be assured of a playoff birth.
Finally, however, the most amazing stat of all...
With Tuesday night's win, the Mavs become the fastest sports team to ever reach 51 wins within 56 consecutive games. That right, not fastest basketball team, but fastest sports team. Ever.
According to ESPN, not only has no basketball team ever done this, but no NHL team and no Major League Baseball team, either. And, even though it's theoretically possible over several seasons, no NFL team has come close to a streak this long.
Gives you pause, doesn't it?
This is a very, very, VERY good team. A dominating team.
And it's fun to watch history being made before our eyes.
Romomentum
Dec/05/2006 05:40 PM | Permalink
Six games into this season, who woulda thunk-it?
Who would've dreamed --given their horrible start-- that the Dallas Cowboys would be atop the NFC East; with a record of 8-4, and a two game lead over the nearest competition?
Who could've imagined that this coming Sunday they'd be playing another 8-4 NFC team; and that the name of that team would be the New Orleans Saints?
Are you kidding me?!
And, most amazing of all, who even thought, just a few weeks back, that the guy who would lead them is this would be an undrafted quarterback who had never started in the NFL?
Although there are many factors that have led to the Cowboy's mid-season turnaround, there is no single factor touted more by the sport-punditocracy (feel free to use this fine new word) than the leadership of Tony Romo.
The Cowboys are 5-1 since Romo took over. And the "1" was the freakiest last-second loss you'll ever see. The punditocracy has gone from proclaiming the Cowboys' season over, to seriously suggesting they might end up in the Super Bowl.
Are you kidding me?!
Look around the NFC, and you'd be hard pressed to rule that out. In fact, just today, ESPN has released their "Power Rankings" for the NFL for Week 14. The first two teams are from the AFC. The top-rated NFC team?
The Dallas Cowboys.
Here in Big D, we're still pinching ourselves and rubbing our eyes about all this. We're knocking the side of our head, checking our ears for wax, and reading the sport pages twice, just to be sure. But it's all there, and it's all real. This team is hot. This team is on a roll.
And all eyes are on Romo.
What's been fun is to hear the old Cowboys--the wise, retired, generation-- talk about this young kid. I have now heard Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, and Charlie Waters all say that they think Romo is the real deal. During the radio broadcast of the last game, Waters said Romo's confidence reminded him a lot of Staubach.
And he said something else that I've felt while watching the last few games: even if the Cowboys are down, even if it's late in the game, with Romo in there you have the feeling that they still might come back and they still might have a shot. That's what we fans remember about the Aikman and Staubach years.
Romo is able to scramble in the pocket; which,
overnight, has made the offensive line look like
they're playing better. But it seems to me they
are
playing better. It seems to me that Romo's attitude
has made the team
want
to play better. Heck, even T.O. is giving him
compliments. And I don't remember T.O.
ever
being real happy with his quarterbacks. Romo's
Quarterback Rating is a stunningly high 102.4. In
addition to the talk of the Cowboys making the Super
Bowl, the puditocracy is seriously mentioning his
name in connection with the Pro Bowl too. It's a lot
to take in.
So as you might imagine would be the case, there have been numerous stories written about Tony Romo the past two months. Lot's has been made of the fact that he was undrafted out of college. (Where is Eastern Illinois?!) Lot's has been written about his confidence as a player. There's even been the rumor that he's dating Richardson-native, Jessica Simpson. (Seems she could've used his confidence at the Kennedy Center Honors last two nights ago...)
But of all the factoids put out there in the past two months, the one that caught my eye was a story about his heritage. Setting aside the awkward jokes of Michael Irvin, the real truth is actually pretty interesting: Tony Romo is the grandson of Mexican immigrants.
Baptized "Antonio Ramiro Romo," raised in California and Wisconsin, and like many other Dallasites, Romo's family roots trace back through Texas and into Mexico. The best story on this is from the San Antonio Express-News, and ran just after Romo's first start a few weeks back. Here's some of what it said:
Romo's grandfather was born in Mexico in 1933 and came to Texas as a teenager. After five years in San Antonio, he ended up in Racine, Wisconsin. It was there that he met and married Tony's grandmother. Like many other grandsons/daughters of Mexican immigrants, the story points out that "Tony" has become quite assimilated into American life. It says:
So, in a year when a Dallas suburb passed laws against undocumented immigrants, in a year of Dallas' (and Texas') single largest protest ever --a protest of immigration policies that drew half a million people-- it's at least worth musing on how the new Cowboys' QB is a second-generation Mexican-American.
To me, it speaks to the enduring legacy of the American dream. To others, I hope knowing this might help them see the truth of what myself and many others often say: that immigrants always assimilate into America. It may take a generation. Sometimes it takes two. But, given a level...ahem....playing field, the children and grandchildren of Mexican immigrants can grow to do great things.
They can even grow up to quarterback "America's Team."
As you might imagine, Tony's grandparents --who now live back here in Texas-- are truly moved by their grandson's achievements:
Yes, only in America.
Who would've dreamed --given their horrible start-- that the Dallas Cowboys would be atop the NFC East; with a record of 8-4, and a two game lead over the nearest competition?
Who could've imagined that this coming Sunday they'd be playing another 8-4 NFC team; and that the name of that team would be the New Orleans Saints?
Are you kidding me?!
And, most amazing of all, who even thought, just a few weeks back, that the guy who would lead them is this would be an undrafted quarterback who had never started in the NFL?
Although there are many factors that have led to the Cowboy's mid-season turnaround, there is no single factor touted more by the sport-punditocracy (feel free to use this fine new word) than the leadership of Tony Romo.
The Cowboys are 5-1 since Romo took over. And the "1" was the freakiest last-second loss you'll ever see. The punditocracy has gone from proclaiming the Cowboys' season over, to seriously suggesting they might end up in the Super Bowl.
Are you kidding me?!
Look around the NFC, and you'd be hard pressed to rule that out. In fact, just today, ESPN has released their "Power Rankings" for the NFL for Week 14. The first two teams are from the AFC. The top-rated NFC team?
The Dallas Cowboys.
Here in Big D, we're still pinching ourselves and rubbing our eyes about all this. We're knocking the side of our head, checking our ears for wax, and reading the sport pages twice, just to be sure. But it's all there, and it's all real. This team is hot. This team is on a roll.
And all eyes are on Romo.
What's been fun is to hear the old Cowboys--the wise, retired, generation-- talk about this young kid. I have now heard Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, and Charlie Waters all say that they think Romo is the real deal. During the radio broadcast of the last game, Waters said Romo's confidence reminded him a lot of Staubach.
And he said something else that I've felt while watching the last few games: even if the Cowboys are down, even if it's late in the game, with Romo in there you have the feeling that they still might come back and they still might have a shot. That's what we fans remember about the Aikman and Staubach years.
So as you might imagine would be the case, there have been numerous stories written about Tony Romo the past two months. Lot's has been made of the fact that he was undrafted out of college. (Where is Eastern Illinois?!) Lot's has been written about his confidence as a player. There's even been the rumor that he's dating Richardson-native, Jessica Simpson. (Seems she could've used his confidence at the Kennedy Center Honors last two nights ago...)
But of all the factoids put out there in the past two months, the one that caught my eye was a story about his heritage. Setting aside the awkward jokes of Michael Irvin, the real truth is actually pretty interesting: Tony Romo is the grandson of Mexican immigrants.
Baptized "Antonio Ramiro Romo," raised in California and Wisconsin, and like many other Dallasites, Romo's family roots trace back through Texas and into Mexico. The best story on this is from the San Antonio Express-News, and ran just after Romo's first start a few weeks back. Here's some of what it said:
"Tony Romo's paternal grandparents sat in front of their TV alone Sunday night, holding hands.
Ramiro and Felicita Romo knew watching their grandson make his debut as the Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback would be emotional, and they wanted to share the moment in solitude.
"There were some tears," Felicita Romo said. "No, a lot of tears."
It was a like a sueño, a dream, for the Romos, who lived in San Antonio for three years before moving to the East Texas town of Crockett in 1989.
But the image of No. 9 walking up to the line of scrimmage to take his first snap confirmed what they had known for days: Their nieto, grandson, was quarterbacking the team with the star on the helmet.
"I thought of how far we've come, not only as a family, but as a people," Ramiro, 73, said in Spanish this week via phone. "I remembered the hard times in Mexico and how I struggled when I first got here. It's like coming from zero to where we are today. All of that went through my mind." "
Romo's grandfather was born in Mexico in 1933 and came to Texas as a teenager. After five years in San Antonio, he ended up in Racine, Wisconsin. It was there that he met and married Tony's grandmother. Like many other grandsons/daughters of Mexican immigrants, the story points out that "Tony" has become quite assimilated into American life. It says:
"Although Tony speaks very little Spanish — he can sing "La Bamba" with his grandfather accompanying him on the guitar — his abuelos and father said he takes pride in his ethnicity.
"That's a topic we've talked about a number of times," Ramiro Jr. said. "I've told Tony that there are some bad people out there who sometimes judge you, or get a certain perspective of you, by your name. But you shouldn't be ashamed of who you are.
"Tony is fiercely proud of being an Hispanic and carrying the Romo name. I've always told him, 'Be who you are and be proud of it.'"
So, in a year when a Dallas suburb passed laws against undocumented immigrants, in a year of Dallas' (and Texas') single largest protest ever --a protest of immigration policies that drew half a million people-- it's at least worth musing on how the new Cowboys' QB is a second-generation Mexican-American.
To me, it speaks to the enduring legacy of the American dream. To others, I hope knowing this might help them see the truth of what myself and many others often say: that immigrants always assimilate into America. It may take a generation. Sometimes it takes two. But, given a level...ahem....playing field, the children and grandchildren of Mexican immigrants can grow to do great things.
They can even grow up to quarterback "America's Team."
As you might imagine, Tony's grandparents --who now live back here in Texas-- are truly moved by their grandson's achievements:
"That a Mexican immigrant would someday have a grandson quarterbacking one of the most glamorous teams in pro sports, Ramiro and Felicita said, is a testament to the power of the American dream.
"I've always said this is a country of opportunities," Ramiro said. "If you don't get a job or an education, it's because you don't want to."
His parents' humble background, Ramiro Romo Jr. said, has made Tony's success more gratifying.
"Only in America," he said.""
Yes, only in America.
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Rest in Peace, Buck...
Oct/19/2006 08:06 AM | Permalink
For all of
those who are regular readers of my blog, you may be
worried that I've fallen off the planet or something.
Nothing of the sort. But, with the election looming,
now eighteen-days-away, things are little hectic
around our household.
Every spare moment I have these past few weeks has been devoted to working Dennise's campaign. As such, I've been unable to post on a whole host of delicious news stories:
The death of Ann Richards...
T.O. Owens' "accidental" overdose...
The Mark Foley scandal...
The continuing war in Iraq...
The upcoming World Series...
And probably many other things that I'm forgetting off the top of my head right now.
But the thing I've been most eager to write about, believe it or not, is the death of Buck O'Neil. Buck died about two weeks ago now, and since that time I've had several hundred folks stop by to read my blog entry about Buck from last year. I'll refer you there, should you have no idea who Buck O'Neil is.
And all I can say right now is that Buck's death makes me extremely sad. Sad because now an injustice can never be corrected...at least not the way it should be.
Last year, Major League Baseball corrected one great injustice, but created another, when it voted to welcome many of the most famous Negro League figures into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The injustice that was created is that Buck O'Neil wasn't on the list.
I supposed that the special committee responsible for inducting the figures from the Negro League days might still get together and vote Buck in. But Buck deserved to be there in the first place, and he lived long enough to deserve to see it too.
Rest in peace, Buck. Millions of us are deeply saddened that you never got the honors you deserved.
Every spare moment I have these past few weeks has been devoted to working Dennise's campaign. As such, I've been unable to post on a whole host of delicious news stories:
The death of Ann Richards...
T.O. Owens' "accidental" overdose...
The Mark Foley scandal...
The continuing war in Iraq...
The upcoming World Series...
And probably many other things that I'm forgetting off the top of my head right now.
But the thing I've been most eager to write about, believe it or not, is the death of Buck O'Neil. Buck died about two weeks ago now, and since that time I've had several hundred folks stop by to read my blog entry about Buck from last year. I'll refer you there, should you have no idea who Buck O'Neil is.
And all I can say right now is that Buck's death makes me extremely sad. Sad because now an injustice can never be corrected...at least not the way it should be.
Last year, Major League Baseball corrected one great injustice, but created another, when it voted to welcome many of the most famous Negro League figures into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The injustice that was created is that Buck O'Neil wasn't on the list.
I supposed that the special committee responsible for inducting the figures from the Negro League days might still get together and vote Buck in. But Buck deserved to be there in the first place, and he lived long enough to deserve to see it too.
Rest in peace, Buck. Millions of us are deeply saddened that you never got the honors you deserved.
Oh Yezz....Oh Yezz....Oh Yezzz...Time for some
College Football!!
Sep/09/2006 10:54 AM | Permalink
I LOVE
college football. Next to pro-baseball, it's probably
my favorite sport. And, given my disdain for the
Rangers these days, I could
easily argue that I even love it more than
baseball these days.
There is just something about the pageantry, the emotion, the excess of it. Pro football feels too, well, professional for me. It's like the difference between a passionate street performer, juggling knives down in the West End, and clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus....the performers of the latter are all really talented people, but it always feels a little too...dare I say....scripted?
I mean, be honest, in most years the day the pro season starts, you can name the five to ten teams that will compete at the end of the year. And, sure enough, you'll be right on three to seven of your picks by years end. But in college ball? Most years anything can happen. Most years, anything does. Most years there's a big game way before the playoffs start.
In fact, Dale Hansen argues (and I can't believe I'm quoting Hansen here...) that in college ball every week is a playoff week. That's really true. Every week, for the true fan, there's a make-or-break game on somewhere. Every week, there's a bitter rival playing a bitter rival. Every week, a team everyone thinks is incredibly and should go all the way may get knocked off and have it all come crashing down around them.
It doesn't hurt that I've always been a UT fan, and it doesn't hurt that they are one of the marque programs in the country and defending national champions. Yes, my usual yearly excitement is a little higher than usual. But, even if they weren't contending this year, there's just something about college ball and how emotional, passionate, and unpredictable it is. It feels more honest and real than pro ball.
Having said that, I am looking forward to tonight's game between Ohio State and Texas. As I just mentioned, every week there's a big game. And this week, there's no game bigger than this. Tragically, one of these two great teams will find its run for the national championship seriously wounded at the end of the night. That's really a shame this early in the year.
On the other hand, it's often easier to get back in hunt later in the year, if you lose early...so, we'll see.
Lot's of folks are picking Ohio State for this one. They're pointing to the fact that last year, time after time, it was Vince Young who bailed out the Longhorns. Can't argue with that. I've waxed about Young so often that you all know I believed that was true last year. I think the reason a UT National Championship surprised so many folks was that they underestimated the incredible talent of Vince Young.
But, we should realize that Texas is an incredibly talented team even without him. I think Colt McCoy should do OK this year. We'll know a lot more after tonight on that. But the rest of the team is so quick, so strong, and so talented. And Vince's superhero talents sometimes overshadowed that fact.
So, with trepidation, here are my keys to the game:
Home Field: Advantage UT...and in college ball, this is a huge advantage...
Quarterback: Advantage OSU...and one of the things folks are predicting about this game is that Troy Smith shows us what a big star he is...we'll see.
Offense: Tie: they are both explosive.
Defense: Advantage UT....look at last week...a weak opponent didn't score much against OSU, but they ran up lots of yards. UT's defense crushed North Texas. People keep talking about how Young's loss hurts Texas, but they fail to admit how many losses OSU has had on defense. They could step up tonight, so I don't want to overstate this...but it would not surprise me for them to be weaker than folks think.
Overall depth: Advantage UT...do not underestimate this...
Secret Weapons: Advantage UT....OSU has one great reciever in Ginn. UT has four outstanding ones. But, I'm going to keep saying this name, as I did just after the last national championship game: watch out for Jamaal Charles. The dude slices through defenders just like VY did. If he has a break out game tonight, folks may forget all about VY. (assuming he has a break out game and doesn't drop the ball...)
The point of all this is that I can't say for certain Texas will win. But I don't expect Texas to get crushed, and will not be as surprised as others if we pull of the win, for all the reasons I've listed above.
One thing's for certain: I am still so pumped about last year that I really don't think I'll be crushed if UT loses. If we lose to OU...well, that's another story. But nobody can take last year away from us. And writers are still talking about how great it was.
Even if we lose tonight, we're still the national champs...
There is just something about the pageantry, the emotion, the excess of it. Pro football feels too, well, professional for me. It's like the difference between a passionate street performer, juggling knives down in the West End, and clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus....the performers of the latter are all really talented people, but it always feels a little too...dare I say....scripted?
I mean, be honest, in most years the day the pro season starts, you can name the five to ten teams that will compete at the end of the year. And, sure enough, you'll be right on three to seven of your picks by years end. But in college ball? Most years anything can happen. Most years, anything does. Most years there's a big game way before the playoffs start.
In fact, Dale Hansen argues (and I can't believe I'm quoting Hansen here...) that in college ball every week is a playoff week. That's really true. Every week, for the true fan, there's a make-or-break game on somewhere. Every week, there's a bitter rival playing a bitter rival. Every week, a team everyone thinks is incredibly and should go all the way may get knocked off and have it all come crashing down around them.
It doesn't hurt that I've always been a UT fan, and it doesn't hurt that they are one of the marque programs in the country and defending national champions. Yes, my usual yearly excitement is a little higher than usual. But, even if they weren't contending this year, there's just something about college ball and how emotional, passionate, and unpredictable it is. It feels more honest and real than pro ball.
Having said that, I am looking forward to tonight's game between Ohio State and Texas. As I just mentioned, every week there's a big game. And this week, there's no game bigger than this. Tragically, one of these two great teams will find its run for the national championship seriously wounded at the end of the night. That's really a shame this early in the year.
On the other hand, it's often easier to get back in hunt later in the year, if you lose early...so, we'll see.
Lot's of folks are picking Ohio State for this one. They're pointing to the fact that last year, time after time, it was Vince Young who bailed out the Longhorns. Can't argue with that. I've waxed about Young so often that you all know I believed that was true last year. I think the reason a UT National Championship surprised so many folks was that they underestimated the incredible talent of Vince Young.
But, we should realize that Texas is an incredibly talented team even without him. I think Colt McCoy should do OK this year. We'll know a lot more after tonight on that. But the rest of the team is so quick, so strong, and so talented. And Vince's superhero talents sometimes overshadowed that fact.
So, with trepidation, here are my keys to the game:
Home Field: Advantage UT...and in college ball, this is a huge advantage...
Quarterback: Advantage OSU...and one of the things folks are predicting about this game is that Troy Smith shows us what a big star he is...we'll see.
Offense: Tie: they are both explosive.
Defense: Advantage UT....look at last week...a weak opponent didn't score much against OSU, but they ran up lots of yards. UT's defense crushed North Texas. People keep talking about how Young's loss hurts Texas, but they fail to admit how many losses OSU has had on defense. They could step up tonight, so I don't want to overstate this...but it would not surprise me for them to be weaker than folks think.
Overall depth: Advantage UT...do not underestimate this...
Secret Weapons: Advantage UT....OSU has one great reciever in Ginn. UT has four outstanding ones. But, I'm going to keep saying this name, as I did just after the last national championship game: watch out for Jamaal Charles. The dude slices through defenders just like VY did. If he has a break out game tonight, folks may forget all about VY. (assuming he has a break out game and doesn't drop the ball...)
The point of all this is that I can't say for certain Texas will win. But I don't expect Texas to get crushed, and will not be as surprised as others if we pull of the win, for all the reasons I've listed above.
One thing's for certain: I am still so pumped about last year that I really don't think I'll be crushed if UT loses. If we lose to OU...well, that's another story. But nobody can take last year away from us. And writers are still talking about how great it was.
Even if we lose tonight, we're still the national champs...
Why I Can't Afford to Love the Rangers
Jul/06/2006 08:37 AM | Permalink
I've been there beside this miserable team since the very beginning. It's not just that I've been attached to players like Pudge Rodriguez. It's that I've been attached to players like David Clyde. I've been attached to Jeff Burroughs (Had a poster of him up in my room as a kid...all the while knowing that he was nowhere near the stature of Aaron and Rose....the other guys I had posters of) I've been attached to Jim Sundberg, and Jim Fregosi. I've been attached to Toby Harrah, and Bump Wills. I was attached to Fergie Jenkins (my Mom bought me an autographed copy of his book for my birthday) and Bert Blyleven. I was attached to Buddy Bell, and Mike Hargrove.
I was attached to Nolan Ryan...
Holy cow, NOLAN RYAN was Texas Ranger!!! After all those names I just mentioned, it still seems like those were dream years. But they weren't. And soon after Nolan came a whole other group of players that I was REALLY attached to. Names of players who will one day be in the Hall of Fame:
Pudge
Raffi
Gonzo
Not only were they great players, they even had real baseball nicknames. They even went to the playoffs. Twice. Lost to the dreaded Yankees. (Yes, I went to those playoff games) And it seemed like the Rangers were finally digging themselves out of a twenty-year hole. They were finally winning. Sure, the pitching sucked. But the HITTING!!! It was amazing. We were so pleased to not be at the bottom of our division that we didn't know to complain about the pitching. It made all those years of being attached to Oddibe McDowell seem like they were somehow worth it. It was as if twenty-years of misery might finally be vanquished forever.
But something about winning a little makes you want to win even more. And so, those two trips to the playoffs simply made us all want for more. But it didn't happen. The club started to fall backward. Free agency meant that there was no way to keep the team's core together (at least, with this owner...). I kept thinking that if they'd just get a pitcher or two, it would all be better.
And every off season, I would chant what became my Ranger-mantra. It was a variant of the old Clinton campaign mantra:
It's the pitching, stupid.
It's not the hitting. It's the pitching. We've got to get us some pitching in here.
So, what do they do? With the core of the Rangers only good team falling apart, the new management signs Alex Rodriguez. I can hardly stand to say the name. I am still so mad at Hicks, still so disgusted that this selfish, conceited player was ever in a Ranger uniform. And even though he's now been gone a few years, we (or better yet, Hicks) are still, literally, paying for it.
So, the point is, sometime these last few years --between the trading/selling off of the incredible core of a good team, and the bonehead signing of A-Rod-- these owners lost me. They just lost me. They needed to take this team in a positive direction. They needed pitching, and they went for hitting. They HAD the core of a good, good team....the thirty-year support of fans like me....and they crapped it away. Just flushed it down the toilet.
So, yes, I cannot love this current team. I really cannot get into Michael Young, and it's totally not his fault. I can't afford to get too excited about Mark Texiera. I'm not even sure I spelled his name right, and I don't care enough to look it up.
The sad thing is? I vaguely realize that these guys play hard. I vaguely realize that they show up each and every game, and work their butts off. It doesn't matter. Because I don't think the owners want to win. I don't think the owners have the heart to win.
And, I've just poured my heart and soul into the Mavericks; and before them, my beloved Texas Longhorns.
Look at Cuban. I used to think the guy was an idiot. Now, I think he's a genius. Cuban knows two things:
1) He wants to win, and
2) He's nothing without the support of the fans.
Cuban may be crazy. But he admits when he's wrong. He'll be honest about when he's made a mistake. And he knows that his fans are everything...and that without them, nothing else matters.
How crazy was it for him, or for Avery Johnson, to say all year "we will not be satisfied until we're in the finals?"
THAT'S what you need from your owners/managers...you need them to believe you can overachieve (the Mavs DID this year...). You need them to help you believe. You need them to help your players believe.
Or, look at Mack Brown. Look how positive he was all season. We will not be satisfied until we are champions, he said. It's not enough to just beat OU this time.
It was GREAT to believe in those guys, wasn't it?! It was a great run with the Mavericks. And yes, they broke my heart. But they did it by breaking their backs. They worked their tails off, and I'm the happiest broken-hearted fan alive.
And now, all that dies down, and all I'm left with is what looks like the same old Texas Rangers.
And I just can't do it anymore.
You want to know how the Rangers can get me back? It's all on the management. There's nothing the players need to do. I am sure they are good players. I'm sure they work hard. But, as I said, it's not the players fault. It's the owners.
So, dear Rangers Management:
The following are my concluding thoughts on what you can do to save this franchise. And I do mean save the franchise, not just the season. I hope you realize how close you are to losing it all...not just this year...but close to losing an entire fan-base. This is the metroplex, remember. There's a lot to do around here. There are movie theaters on every corner. There's Six Flags. Heck, we fans might even go to "The Nasher." Realize, this is about keeping your franchise, not your season.
So, here are my suggestions to you:
1) Call Mark Cuban. Learn from him. He's a master. You don't have to be that over-the-top. But you need to learn how to care, or at least to look like you care. Cuban can help with this. Also, listen very closely when he tells you that the fans mean everything. They do. Think about it. And if you can't bring yourself to care, just find a way not to let us know that. We need to believe you care. We need to see it through not only what you say, but the money you put into the franchise. We need to see a couple of seasons of spectacular spending. That will probably just tick you off to hear me say that. But how you spend your money (or don't spend it) is a symbol for how much you care.
2) Admit when you've screwed up. Admit that A-Rod was a fiasco. Admit that it put this club back five-to-ten years, and that we're still recovering. Cuban would admit it. Cuban would apologize. And Cuban would take all that money that we're still paying to the Yankees each year and add it to the Rangers payroll...a luxury tax on himself to show good faith. We need to see you do something spectacular like that.
3) Pitching, pitching, pitching!!!! I don't care what you have to do. We need pitching. We need NUMBER ONE STARTERS. Two of them. (Yes, you heard me right: two) You keep getting us number two starters. We need TWO number one starters. That's what the great teams always have.
4) Finally, realize the depth of this problem. This is not about this season. This is not about the Mavs winning. (OK, that's part of it...) This like global warming. This is a decades-old problem. You need to recognize just how deep and serious this problem is.
Global warming started years and years ago. My Rangers global warming started about 1979. It was slow at first. It was still fun to love those lovable losers. The two playoff runs almost turned me around. But then, you owners screwed it up again. You traded off/gave away, the core a winning team. Now --and I think I can say this is a distinct possibility-- Pudge may win his SECOND World Championship with a team that's not the Rangers. You know how much that hurts?! That only adds insult to injury.
So, the glaciers are melting faster now. The hurricanes are of greater strength. You inherited a natural spring of goodwill that's now dry. And, like global warming, it's going to take decades to turn it around.
Admit it. Get busy fixing it.
But do it publicly and say it loudly when you do.
Because I'm not paying the close attention I used to these days, and I probably won't hear you otherwise.
I can't afford to love these Rangers anymore.
I can't afford to care.
--30--
Final Thoughts from a "Bitter" P1
Jul/01/2006 05:33 PM | Permalink
Thanks to Gordon Keith and Bob and Dan putting the link on their blogs. Bob and Dan's blog called me a "bitter P1." However, even as they change out much of the other info on their blog, they've kept the link to my post on their main page for well over a week.
Soooo, methinks they doth enjoy it a little more than they let on.
It's fine guys. I'm honored to do your dirty work for you.
And I still really don't think I'm bitter about all this. But I know the more I say that, the worse it looks. So I'm gonna stop saying it now.
Bottom line? I still don't think it's wrong to point out how Wade gets treated differently than other players.
A final special word to all you "bitter" San Antonio fans:
I'll simply ask you to look at the stats....the number of fouls called on Dirk stayed very consistent throughout the Dallas/Spurs series. So, even though you might argue a call here or there, on average it averages out and it's impossible to say that the foul calls given to Dirk made a significant difference overall.
However...
... when a player (Wade) gets 200 and 250 percent more free throw attempts in the final two finals games
... when his finals FTA average is 143 percent higher than his season average...
I think that does make a huge difference. And when some of the calls end up being so ridiculously bad, it just adds to the frustration some of us feel. But I'm over it, really. No, really....swear....
And while I am personally done talking about it, I do hope others keep this issue alive in the future. Because, to my mind, Wade will never be a great player unless the fouls called on him are in line with what others are getting.
Lots of you out there clearly agreed with me. Others of you didn't.
Overall, it's been a fun diversion this past week. But it IS time to move on now.
I've got lots more interesting things to blog about next week. Heck, I might even blog about the Rangers.
I can tell you that I finally have video of the Dan Fogelberg Tribute Show to share with you.
Look forward to that.
--30--
Other Blogs on the Phantom Fouls
Jun/26/2006 12:01 AM | Permalink
Martini Republic
NBA reaches WWF levels of un-credibilty
June 20th, 2006
After deciding game 5 of the NBA finals with a disputed call at the end of the game, the referees decided to end any questions regarding the credibility of the NBA by calling a foul when Dwayne Wade(sic) appeared to throw an arm into Dirk Nowitski.
Of course, they called a foul on Nowitski. And the foul was called with less than a minute to play, and the Heat leading by one point.
To be honest, I didn’t watch most of the game. I stopped watching after the second phantom foul in Wade’s favor (where Marquis Daniels didn’t touch him on a shot). It was just a bit much after the first phantom foul (where Wade flopped untouched after making a jumper) and the play where Devin Harris was whistled after Wade dropped a shoulder into him on a drive. Even Hubie Brown was aghast.
NBADraft.net
D-Wade: The Transcendent Super-human
...it's almost tragic that the shoddy officiating will overshadow Wade's truly amazing Finals performance. I want to extend my deepest apologies to Mavericks fans. No fan-base deserves to go though what they did these past four games. I've been a proponent of the "refs don't beat you, quit your whining" perspective, but this was like enduring the Don Denkinger Game from the 1985 World Series, only four times in a row. Unless you're a Miami Heat fan or one of Dwyane Wade's relatives, this is a bad day to be an NBA fan.
Joey Love's Blues & Beyond
What a series.... NOT !
There's probably more footage in the series of bad calls then you could probably gather in the entire season. Come on... Wade himself gets to the line 25 times... more than the entire Mavs team and you don't think the calls were one sided ? I'm trying not to breathe as I write this because I'm afraid I might be called for a foul on Wade ! Was that really a foul when Wade split Dirk and Devin Harris near the end of Game 5, no... Harris has been splitting defenders all season long getting knocked around in the process with no calls and Wade slips through with minimal contact if any and gets a call. This is the frickin' NBA not 4th grade pee-wee basketball !!! Dirk gets pounded all the time... Stackhouse gets a bloody nose... no call, Mavs players flying to the floor... no calls ????
SportsBiz
Cuban Slapped with $250,000 for Truth Talking
The phantom time out and phantom foul on Dwayne(sic) Wade at the end of the last game should have enraged anyone who wasn't a Heat fan. The still inexplicable suspension of Jerry Stackhouse only set Cuban up for the tirade he had in Miami at the end of game 5. It should make for great theatre for the last two games, if there are two and for that i suppose we should thank Stern. Perhaps he should thank Cuban instead of fining him for having an owner who cares enough about the performance of his team to actually argue a call.
The Scores Report
Refs win first title
Miami 95, Dallas 92 (Heat win series, 4-2)
I’ve played basketball for more than 20 years, and one thing is certain: there is nothing more frustrating (from an opponent’s perspective) than a ref giving calls to a good player who repeatedly throws himself into a defensive player. It’s almost like the officials have an incomplete checklist. Was there contact? Check. Is the offensive player a superstar? Check. Let’s send him to the line! Only the refs are forgetting the most important question: does the offensive player create the contact? The officials gave Game 5 to the Heat when, at the end of the game, they rewarded Dwayne(sic) Wade with two free throws on a phantom foul call on Dirk Nowitzki. Fast forward to the end of Game 6, 0:26 to play, Miami leading 91-90, Wade drives the ball, throws his arm out into a retreating Nowitzki, and Wade gets the call. Sure, the Mavs had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but that foul call put Dallas in a bad, bad position.
Selling Waves
More Hate
On the plus side (upside, perhaps, in honor of everybody’s favorite spineless color man?), at least the NBA’s officials for Game 6 maintained consistency in calling fouls against the Mavericks for swiping at the ball in Dwyane Wade’s hands and completely missing everything, for standing there when Wade threw his body into someone and flipped the ball over his head, and for getting in the way of Wade’s forearm. On the down side…well, isn’t the downside pretty obvious? (And that doesn’t even get into the fact that both games 5 and 6 essentially ended on phantom foul calls; whatever happened to letting the players decide the game?)
Seize the Means
The Basketball Blogs: Part II
I'll never watch the NBA again.
I'm a fan of the game--basketball, hoops, the roundball as they say--though I'm not necessarily a fan of the Mavericks or Heat. In truth friends, I'm a Celtics fan--the Celtics who suck a big time mightily, who have driven to near suicidal--so I could give a rat's ass who wins this year's finals. For the love of Pete, just let the games be good. And let Shaq's free-throws resemble tires heaved from a truck.
Yet after watching the refs hand--HAND, I say--Game 5 to the Heat in OT, on a phantom foul that sent D-Wade (who is truly, spectacularly gifted and needs no help) to the line with less than 2 seconds left, where--swish, swish--he calmly stole the game, well...let's just say I'm f*$*& disgusted and driven to drink.
Tomorrow, not a single paper (except maybe the ones in Dallas) will run in its sports pages the headline: The Mavs Were Jobbed! Yet the Mavs were jobbed. Big time. Capital J to the O to the double B, ED. Cheated. Screwed over by the zebras, and on national TV nonetheless. I guess Jesus was out skateboarding.
Unique LIke Everybody
Can a guy get some decent officiating around here?
For everything I said about FIFA officiating, NBA officiating is much, much worse. It got bad enough that I didn't even watch the second half of last night's game.
That upsets me more than it probably should, but sports fans are by nature irrational. See, I loved these playoffs. They made me giddy. I stayed up to watch every Suns game, even when they didn't end until 2am. The Mavericks and Spurs were awesome. The Suns and Mavericks was a non-stop joyfest. Wade, LeBron, and Carmelo were all in the playoffs together for the first time. Elton Brand finally got to play on the big stage. It was amazing.
The NBA Finals destroyed all that.
Look, I love Dwyane Wade. He is my favorite player to enter the league since Allen Iverson. But the Mavericks were utterly and totally jobbed by officials protecting Wade in this series. It was a disgraceful performance by the referees.
In game six, Wade personally shot as many free throws as the Mavs. He set a new Finals record for free throw attempts, which would be one thing if it was just a rough game where everyone was fouling and people went to the line a lot. But in fact, only one team went to the line a lot. Anyone watching that game cannot honestly say that only one team was aggressive, only one team was going to the basket, only one team was playing defense with its feet. After a full season of "the new Mavs," not one announcer claimed they had reverted. So how to explain the disparity?
--30--
Wade was Treated Differently (And it Made a
Difference)
Jun/23/2006 03:37 PM | Permalink
Wow, Did I Touche A Nerve (Thoughts a Day Later)
Jun/22/2006 06:41 PM | Permalink
What a day
for my little blog...
Yesterday, I posted these clips from Game 6 of the Mavs/Heat series. And throughout the day I was inundated with hits to my site. As of this writing, more than 9,300 visted the site yesterday. To put that in some perspective, I usually get between 2,000 and 4,000 visitors in any given month.
Apparently, the main thing that happened is that several blogs linked back to this entry.
The most hits, by a factor of three, came from Gordon Keith's blog. Gordo, of the Morning Musers Show on the ticket, linked to my page early this morning, and I'm pretty sure that's what set all this off. (BTW, if you are not familiar with Gordo's, um, unusual and odd sense of humor, you might want to be careful surfing around his blog. He's a very bright guy....but strange...very, very strange...)
The second-most hits came from a sports site called Deadspin.com, which actually appears to be a really good sports blog that I'd never heard of before.
Then, after this, there seem to be ten or fifteen other blogs that have linked to this entry, adding up to 50 or 100 hits a piece.
Many of you have also left comments about this post. Thanks for that. And, believe it or not, I appreciate almost all of them. You should be aware, however, that I'm deleting anything with profanity.
My blog. My call.
But I'm leaving anything else --positive, or negative-- up there for all to see.
And I must confess to being a little surprised by the strong feelings on all sides. But, then, we are talking about sports...so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
I won't respond to all of the comments that folks have left, individually. (Or, the emails, which tend to be even more strong in tone...) I will say that I hope you got the hint from my original post that I assumed and expected that I'd be called a "whiner." Based on some of your comments, perhaps the fact that I assumed this escaped some of you. Or maybe you just really DO feeling that strongly about it.
Beyond that, I also hope you recognized that I was more than ready to blame the Mavs for much of this series loss. To refresh your memory, among other things I said:
-- Dirk didn't play well,
-- The bench was uneven
-- We couldn't sustain the amazing streaks we had now and then.
Please understand me: I am not blaming all the Mavs misfortunes on this obviously bad officiating. But, I am asking two questions and making one statement:
1) With the stakes this high, shouldn't we expect better officiating? and
2) Why are some incidents that get "missed" by the refs during a game eligible to be upgraded into suspensions and fines, while others (like missed foul calls) are not? That just seems wrong. Either the game should be called and left on the court, or anything that is "missed" by the refs should be fair game for further review or overturning.
Finally, the statement: Dwayne Wade is a tremendous player. But he's also a huge faker. He's got enough unbelievable talent that all of us who appreciate his talent deserve to have him be subject to the same rules everyone else is subject to. His play would still seem spectacular, even if the refs called fouls on him like they do everyone else.
There does seem to be a profile of an NBA star who don't get called like the rest of mere mortals do....or, conversely, who draw more than their share of fouls. As I heard one commentator mention today, what this really leads to is defenders being unable and unwilling to really play the guy tight, because they are constantly worried about being called for these phantom fouls. Wade, it seems to me, realized somewhere in game three that the refs were going to give him more leeway than others mortals. So, he started taking advantage of it...to the point that he carelessly body-checked Dirk at the end of the game.
Well, anyway, those are all my thoughts on this subject. You're free to disagree. It's a free country. But I'm absolutely convinced by the video evidence. And I'm pleased to know so many of you are too (based on your comments and emails....)
My favorite comment came late in the day from Brandon:
The nba wrote a new rule for future games.
RULE XIII. section 4.21: if you breath on, flash a glance, or mention dwyane wades name in vain you will recieve a foul.
Too funny. And too true.
Hey, thanks again for stopping by, everybody!! And if you're looking to read others kinds of controversial stuff (politics, religion, music, life...) and leave more comments, I am sure you will find plenty more to write about by snooping around my blog. Feel free. You might start with the introduction, which will tell you where to look.
If you're looking for other comments about the video clips I posted, they got hotly debated on several internet sites yesterday. And it's interesting to see how folks on other sites are commenting on this issue.
Here are some places you can read more comments:
Deadspin
Dallasbasketball.com
Bob Sturm's blog*
Mark Cuban's blog*
Lone Mavs Fan blog
Lone Star Ball
There are half a dozen more, but most seem to require registration for me to get the link for you, and I'm not that motivated.
* my post gets mentioned down in the comments section...
Yesterday, I posted these clips from Game 6 of the Mavs/Heat series. And throughout the day I was inundated with hits to my site. As of this writing, more than 9,300 visted the site yesterday. To put that in some perspective, I usually get between 2,000 and 4,000 visitors in any given month.
Apparently, the main thing that happened is that several blogs linked back to this entry.
The most hits, by a factor of three, came from Gordon Keith's blog. Gordo, of the Morning Musers Show on the ticket, linked to my page early this morning, and I'm pretty sure that's what set all this off. (BTW, if you are not familiar with Gordo's, um, unusual and odd sense of humor, you might want to be careful surfing around his blog. He's a very bright guy....but strange...very, very strange...)
The second-most hits came from a sports site called Deadspin.com, which actually appears to be a really good sports blog that I'd never heard of before.
Then, after this, there seem to be ten or fifteen other blogs that have linked to this entry, adding up to 50 or 100 hits a piece.
Many of you have also left comments about this post. Thanks for that. And, believe it or not, I appreciate almost all of them. You should be aware, however, that I'm deleting anything with profanity.
My blog. My call.
But I'm leaving anything else --positive, or negative-- up there for all to see.
And I must confess to being a little surprised by the strong feelings on all sides. But, then, we are talking about sports...so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
I won't respond to all of the comments that folks have left, individually. (Or, the emails, which tend to be even more strong in tone...) I will say that I hope you got the hint from my original post that I assumed and expected that I'd be called a "whiner." Based on some of your comments, perhaps the fact that I assumed this escaped some of you. Or maybe you just really DO feeling that strongly about it.
Beyond that, I also hope you recognized that I was more than ready to blame the Mavs for much of this series loss. To refresh your memory, among other things I said:
-- Dirk didn't play well,
-- The bench was uneven
-- We couldn't sustain the amazing streaks we had now and then.
Please understand me: I am not blaming all the Mavs misfortunes on this obviously bad officiating. But, I am asking two questions and making one statement:
1) With the stakes this high, shouldn't we expect better officiating? and
2) Why are some incidents that get "missed" by the refs during a game eligible to be upgraded into suspensions and fines, while others (like missed foul calls) are not? That just seems wrong. Either the game should be called and left on the court, or anything that is "missed" by the refs should be fair game for further review or overturning.
Finally, the statement: Dwayne Wade is a tremendous player. But he's also a huge faker. He's got enough unbelievable talent that all of us who appreciate his talent deserve to have him be subject to the same rules everyone else is subject to. His play would still seem spectacular, even if the refs called fouls on him like they do everyone else.
There does seem to be a profile of an NBA star who don't get called like the rest of mere mortals do....or, conversely, who draw more than their share of fouls. As I heard one commentator mention today, what this really leads to is defenders being unable and unwilling to really play the guy tight, because they are constantly worried about being called for these phantom fouls. Wade, it seems to me, realized somewhere in game three that the refs were going to give him more leeway than others mortals. So, he started taking advantage of it...to the point that he carelessly body-checked Dirk at the end of the game.
Well, anyway, those are all my thoughts on this subject. You're free to disagree. It's a free country. But I'm absolutely convinced by the video evidence. And I'm pleased to know so many of you are too (based on your comments and emails....)
My favorite comment came late in the day from Brandon:
The nba wrote a new rule for future games.
RULE XIII. section 4.21: if you breath on, flash a glance, or mention dwyane wades name in vain you will recieve a foul.
Too funny. And too true.
Hey, thanks again for stopping by, everybody!! And if you're looking to read others kinds of controversial stuff (politics, religion, music, life...) and leave more comments, I am sure you will find plenty more to write about by snooping around my blog. Feel free. You might start with the introduction, which will tell you where to look.
If you're looking for other comments about the video clips I posted, they got hotly debated on several internet sites yesterday. And it's interesting to see how folks on other sites are commenting on this issue.
Here are some places you can read more comments:
Deadspin
Dallasbasketball.com
Bob Sturm's blog*
Mark Cuban's blog*
Lone Mavs Fan blog
Lone Star Ball
There are half a dozen more, but most seem to require registration for me to get the link for you, and I'm not that motivated.
* my post gets mentioned down in the comments section...
--30--
Final Score: Mavs 92 Heat 88 (Or that's what it
should have been, and here's the video to prove it)
Jun/21/2006 05:44 AM | Permalink
Update,
June 23:
OK...another update....
Due to the high traffic caused by these clips, I've moved them over to youtube.com. You can still get to them by clicking on the links below, as before, but you'll be redirected to the clip at youtube. We're just getting dangerously close to our bandwidth capacity for the month, and even with this we may still go over.
youtube.com seems to enlarge the image, which denigrates the quality. But you can rescale it back down to the appropriate size without too much trouble. If you have any trouble getting the video from the individual links, you can find all five clips here .
--------------------------------------------
Three responses to my original post:
My response to your comments here.
The stats for the Finals support the video evidence here. (Wade was treated differently)
Other bloggers agree: Wade was treated differently here.
My final comments on this issue here.
Original post:
Nobody likes a sore loser. And the truth is, the Mavs could have played much better in game six. The bench was way more uneven than it should have been. No question. Dirk could have been more consistent. And, for some reason, we couldn't sustain our hot streaks from the field.
Yes, nobody likes a sore loser. But as I said earlier tonight, Dwyane Wade is the greatest actor since Marlon Brando, and I've got the video evidence to prove it. He has a remarkable ability to get the refs to call fouls in his favor, when no fouls actually exist.
And, in a game when the stakes are this high, pointing this out is not being a sore loser. It's just demanding that the officiating be fairer and more honest when the stakes are this high and the teams this even.
I'll opine about this more later...but let's go to the clips....
The following clearly shows FIVE --count them, five-- phantom fouls that Wade got to break his way, resulting in SEVEN free throw points for the Heat.
Phantom Foul 1: Wade and Jason Terry (48 seconds left in the first)
Wade goes left, shoots the jumper. Fine. But then, watch as he dramatically collapses backwards, as if Terry hit him with a hammer. Watch for the second slower motion close-up that clearly shows no contact between the two...and dramatically shows Wade's fake fall.
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 1 point
Phantom Foul 2: Wade and Devon Harris (16 seconds left in the first)
Less than a minute later, we find phantom foul number two. This time, Wade charges in on Harris, and clearly elbows him. When they saw Harris' reaction to the call, both of the ABC announcers said, and I quote, "Harris has a legitimate beef."
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 2 points
Phantom Foul 3: Wade and Marquis Daniel (2:14 left, second quarter)
Watch as Wade drives on Daniel (number 6) and scores without Daniel ever touching him. The second and third show motion replays show the lack of contact even more clearly.
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 1 point
Phantom Foul 4: Wade and Marquis Daniel (8 seconds left in the third)
This one comes not on a shot, but on a rebound attempt. The three is attempted from crosscourt, and Wade goes up for the rebound. It's his own momentum that throws him out of bounds...but watch again his great acting skills, as he makes it seem that Daniel pushed him.
New information! A reader today encouraged me to look at what happens at the top of the court, once Posey takes the shot. And what happens is amazing. Posey clearly trips Dirk and sends him into the stands. Even if you say that their legs just got tangled, there's a point at which Posey is clearly tripping Dirk.
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 1 point
Phantom Foul 5: Wade and Dirk Nowitski (28 seconds left in the game)
This one, the crowd really reacted to. Wade drives on Dirk, and clearly body checks him with his right arm. It's not even a matter of whether or not Dirk was moving, or was set...it's WADE who crashes into Dirk.
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 2 points
Total phantom points:
Seven
Real final score:
Dallas: 92
Miami: 88
Nobody likes a sore loser. But it's not sore losing to point out such ridiculously obvious calls. And, officiating has clearly been such a key part of this game. When Jason Terry punched Michael Finley, the league had no problem going back and reversing the call on the field, and suspending Terry. When Jerry Stackhouse hit Shaq hard in game five, they had no problem doing exactly the same thing to Stack.
So why is it that THOSE kind of plays are reviewable and have the consequence of a suspension, but THESE bogus foul calls are allowed to stand when the consequence is a bogus championship?
That makes no sense at all.
I'm sorry, it's not being a whiner to say the Mavs were robbed.
Because we were.
l
Due to the high traffic caused by these clips, I've moved them over to youtube.com. You can still get to them by clicking on the links below, as before, but you'll be redirected to the clip at youtube. We're just getting dangerously close to our bandwidth capacity for the month, and even with this we may still go over.
youtube.com seems to enlarge the image, which denigrates the quality. But you can rescale it back down to the appropriate size without too much trouble. If you have any trouble getting the video from the individual links, you can find all five clips here .
--------------------------------------------
Three responses to my original post:
My response to your comments here.
The stats for the Finals support the video evidence here. (Wade was treated differently)
Other bloggers agree: Wade was treated differently here.
My final comments on this issue here.
Original post:
Nobody likes a sore loser. And the truth is, the Mavs could have played much better in game six. The bench was way more uneven than it should have been. No question. Dirk could have been more consistent. And, for some reason, we couldn't sustain our hot streaks from the field.
Yes, nobody likes a sore loser. But as I said earlier tonight, Dwyane Wade is the greatest actor since Marlon Brando, and I've got the video evidence to prove it. He has a remarkable ability to get the refs to call fouls in his favor, when no fouls actually exist.
And, in a game when the stakes are this high, pointing this out is not being a sore loser. It's just demanding that the officiating be fairer and more honest when the stakes are this high and the teams this even.
I'll opine about this more later...but let's go to the clips....
The following clearly shows FIVE --count them, five-- phantom fouls that Wade got to break his way, resulting in SEVEN free throw points for the Heat.
Phantom Foul 1: Wade and Jason Terry (48 seconds left in the first)
Wade goes left, shoots the jumper. Fine. But then, watch as he dramatically collapses backwards, as if Terry hit him with a hammer. Watch for the second slower motion close-up that clearly shows no contact between the two...and dramatically shows Wade's fake fall.
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 1 point
Phantom Foul 2: Wade and Devon Harris (16 seconds left in the first)
Less than a minute later, we find phantom foul number two. This time, Wade charges in on Harris, and clearly elbows him. When they saw Harris' reaction to the call, both of the ABC announcers said, and I quote, "Harris has a legitimate beef."
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 2 points
Phantom Foul 3: Wade and Marquis Daniel (2:14 left, second quarter)
Watch as Wade drives on Daniel (number 6) and scores without Daniel ever touching him. The second and third show motion replays show the lack of contact even more clearly.
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 1 point
Phantom Foul 4: Wade and Marquis Daniel (8 seconds left in the third)
This one comes not on a shot, but on a rebound attempt. The three is attempted from crosscourt, and Wade goes up for the rebound. It's his own momentum that throws him out of bounds...but watch again his great acting skills, as he makes it seem that Daniel pushed him.
New information! A reader today encouraged me to look at what happens at the top of the court, once Posey takes the shot. And what happens is amazing. Posey clearly trips Dirk and sends him into the stands. Even if you say that their legs just got tangled, there's a point at which Posey is clearly tripping Dirk.
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 1 point
Phantom Foul 5: Wade and Dirk Nowitski (28 seconds left in the game)
This one, the crowd really reacted to. Wade drives on Dirk, and clearly body checks him with his right arm. It's not even a matter of whether or not Dirk was moving, or was set...it's WADE who crashes into Dirk.
Free throws made off this phantom foul: 2 points
Total phantom points:
Seven
Real final score:
Dallas: 92
Miami: 88
Nobody likes a sore loser. But it's not sore losing to point out such ridiculously obvious calls. And, officiating has clearly been such a key part of this game. When Jason Terry punched Michael Finley, the league had no problem going back and reversing the call on the field, and suspending Terry. When Jerry Stackhouse hit Shaq hard in game five, they had no problem doing exactly the same thing to Stack.
So why is it that THOSE kind of plays are reviewable and have the consequence of a suspension, but THESE bogus foul calls are allowed to stand when the consequence is a bogus championship?
That makes no sense at all.
I'm sorry, it's not being a whiner to say the Mavs were robbed.
Because we were.
l
We Were Robbed
Jun/20/2006 11:20 PM | Permalink
The NBA
finals have just ended. And the Mavericks were
robbed.
I know, you expect a fan like me to say such things. But it's absolutely true. Dennise and I counted no less than four times when Dwyane Wade drew "phantom fouls" from Maverick players. I'm talking four times when the Mav players didn't even TOUCH him. It wasn't even close. How the officials missed it all is beyond me. But if I can find the video camera, I'll happily digitize and post the evidence later this week.
By our count that's four points, at least, that the Heat shouldn't have had on the board. So, the Mavs win by one.
What's incredibly frustrating is that not one time did the play-by-play guys draw any attention to this....even when they showed the replays, and the replays clearly showed no contact.
Dwyane Wade is a great player. But he's also an very good actor.
And we should be playing game seven on Thursday.
I know, you expect a fan like me to say such things. But it's absolutely true. Dennise and I counted no less than four times when Dwyane Wade drew "phantom fouls" from Maverick players. I'm talking four times when the Mav players didn't even TOUCH him. It wasn't even close. How the officials missed it all is beyond me. But if I can find the video camera, I'll happily digitize and post the evidence later this week.
By our count that's four points, at least, that the Heat shouldn't have had on the board. So, the Mavs win by one.
What's incredibly frustrating is that not one time did the play-by-play guys draw any attention to this....even when they showed the replays, and the replays clearly showed no contact.
Dwyane Wade is a great player. But he's also an very good actor.
And we should be playing game seven on Thursday.
--30--
Finals
Jun/10/2006 09:48 PM | Permalink
I know I said
no more entries until mid-June. However, I THINK I've
got the iBlog situation taken care of. And, by
mid-June, the NBA Finals will be mostly over and I'll
have lost my one chance to lay down my prediction.
Since I've been doing so well in my predictions so far this (NCAA National Championship, Super Bowl) why miss out on the chance to weigh in one this...especically since it involves my Dallas Mavericks.
So, with one game already down, here's how I now see this series unfolding....
-- Miami has Shaq and Wade.
-- Dallas had Dirk and nine other incredible players
-- Contain Shaq and Wade, you shut Miami down
-- Contain Dirk, there are nine other guys that will kill you
-- Shaq can't shoot free throws and neither can his team.
-- Dallas excels at them.
Prediction (and I know this will stun some):
Dallas wins in five games.
I just don't seem Miami being able to contain Dallas. Dallas will adjust to whatever Miami throws out there. Miami can't. Dallas is still being under-rated as the old "soft" team they used to be.
Dallas wins game two. Dallas loses one in Miami.
And that'll be it.
Since I've been doing so well in my predictions so far this (NCAA National Championship, Super Bowl) why miss out on the chance to weigh in one this...especically since it involves my Dallas Mavericks.
So, with one game already down, here's how I now see this series unfolding....
-- Miami has Shaq and Wade.
-- Dallas had Dirk and nine other incredible players
-- Contain Shaq and Wade, you shut Miami down
-- Contain Dirk, there are nine other guys that will kill you
-- Shaq can't shoot free throws and neither can his team.
-- Dallas excels at them.
Prediction (and I know this will stun some):
Dallas wins in five games.
I just don't seem Miami being able to contain Dallas. Dallas will adjust to whatever Miami throws out there. Miami can't. Dallas is still being under-rated as the old "soft" team they used to be.
Dallas wins game two. Dallas loses one in Miami.
And that'll be it.
--30--
Taking Stock of Bonds
Mar/13/2006 07:57 AM | Permalink
Taking
Stock of Bonds
A couple of years back, a funny commercial ran all throughout baseball season. It featured Barry Bonds taking batting practice by himself, in a virtually empty San Francisco ballfield. Between every crack of the bat, you could hear a ghostly voice whisper over the PA system:
Barry...it's time for you to go...it's time for you to retire....
The joke at the end of the spot was that the voice was coming from none other than Hank Aaron, sending not-so-subliminal messages to Bonds from the press box.
Funny joke then.
Not too funny now.
Hank was right: Barry it's time for you to go.
Like everything else I feel passionately about, I am not unbiased in this. And my feeling about Bonds are clearly connected to my feeling about two of the other great players of the modern era: the aforementioned Aaron; and Pete Rose.
I remember vividly the night that Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's home run record. In fact, it's one of the most clear memories of my childhood. I remember watching the game on TV. My parents were out on a date, and we were home with a babysitter. I remember the immediate chill up my spine when Aaron hit it out. I went outside with my bat and ball, and fungoed up and down the front yard, envisioning that it was decades later, and I was surpassing Aaron. I remember every moment of that night. It meant so much to me that a few months later, I put up a full color poster of the scene on my bedroom wall...a poster that stayed up for the rest of my childhood.
I also remember the incredible public debate that had gone on during the entire off-season before. The debate was racially tinged. There were those who didn't want a black man beating the record of the Great Bambino. There can be no denying that ugly side of the debate, as we look back through the lens of twenty-years. But then, there were those who simply didn't want anyone to break Babe Ruth's record...the sentimentalists among us I suppose. The point is, Aaron endured a lot, and sports historians are still writing about it. In fact, it really wasn't until he wrote he autobiography a few years back that we all came to understand the pressure this man was under...the racism he had to endure. (Click the last link, and check out samples of the "hate mail" Aaron got in the boxes on the right side of the page...)
The tension was high during every game in late '73 and early '74. And when Aaron finally broke the record on April 8, 1974 (I know the date without having to look it up...) the one thing you could say about was that it was an historic moment. (Trivia: former Rangers pitching coach, Tom House, caught the ball on the fly, in the Braves' dugout...just beyond the outfield wall...) That moment meant enough to me that when I visited Atlanta a few years back, I made a pilgrimage to the stadium. The Braves have built a new stadium, but the spot where homer 715 landed is still memorialized in the middle of the parking lot.
The truth is Aaron earned it. Aaron had journeyed from being one of the first African-Americans to break the color barrier, to becoming the greatest slugger of all time. He earned it by putting up with death threats and racial slurs. He earned each and every home run. And over the years, it seems to me, he's earned the respect of every fan who ever loved the Babe. He continues to help the game (and the country) by advocating for African-Americans to be hired into baseball's front offices. In short, folks see him as a living hero.
Will anybody ever feel that way about Barry Bonds?
No way. Frankly, the guy's a genuine ass. He always has been. Like the television commercial, Barry Bonds is a lone guy, on a field by himself. Now, he's more lonely than ever. He's not a team player. He's an individual performer. (The great ones are always both, IMHO) Dallas sportswriter, Skip Bayless, writes this column about just how big an ass he is. And now, we find that he's probably been juiced beyond belief for much of these last eight years. And so, when I think of Bonds, I am reminded of another of my favorite players from my childhood: Pete Rose.
Lot's of folks thought Rose was an ass too. But you could always say something about Pete Rose: he loved the game, he played hard, and he earned every single hit.
Rose played for my Dad's hometown team. And every time we found ourselves visiting my grandparent's house during the season, my Dad and I would take in a game. Got to see all the glory years of the "Big Red Machine," arguably the best team of all time. (I will take that argument with anyone who'd care to get into it...) And of all those amazing players, Rose was, and still is, my all time favorite player. Rose, like Aaron, earned each and every hit. Many didn't like him. Many who thought he was too brash...too cocky. Like Bonds, some thought him too full of himself. But Rose was passionate about baseball. He would talk to the media. No one could ever say he didn't love the game. My grandmother stood in the freezing cold one time to get his autograph for me....it's still on a shirt that's still in my clothes drawer right now. Rose loved the game, loved the fans, loved Cincinnatti...loved baseball.
But Rose is banned now. Can't say I disagreed with the ban when it came down. He out and out lied about his gambling addiction. And his rambling book of a few years back was both revealing in how much he confessed, and how much he's still unwilling to fess up to. Personally? I think it's time for him to be reinstated. He made some very heartfelt confessions in that book.
Look, I understand the concern about gambling, I really do. And I'm not trying to minimize its importance, I'm really not. But, like I said, the man played hard every inning. He earned every hit. I think it's time for him to come back...but then, as I said, I'm not unbiased in this.
But the point is, whether I like it or not, he's banned. Pete Rose is banned.
And if Rose --whose crimes never can be said to have affected his play-- can be banned, then why shouldn't Bonds be too? Bonds' crimes clearly affected his performance. At a time of life when most men succumb to the forces of nature --losing testosterone, muscle, and strength-- suddenly, almost overnight, Barry Bonds looked like a behemoth.
I mean, check out these pictures from early in his career and last year, and tell me that he's not on the juice:
I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt before it was discovered that Raffi Palmiero was also lying about steroid use. (Say it ain't so, Raff...say it ain't so....You break my heart...) And so, to my way of thinking, if Raffi's guilty this guy is DEFINITELY guilty. And if he'd never been on the juice, how many home runs would he really have? We'll never know, but we can know this: unlike gambling, steroids are things that definitely enhance performance.
So, the Commissioner should suspend him immediately, before he plays another inning. He should suspend him for as long as it takes to do a full investigation. My hunch is that any full investigation will result in him being banned for life. So, if we know that's probably coming, for the love of the game, why not suspend him now? With all the signs pointing toward rampant steriod abuse, by an unrepentant ass, why allow him to continue toward a goal he clearly hasn't earned? Why even risk him passing Ruth?
Bottom line for me: If Pete can be banned for less, and if Aaron's legacy of hard work and overcoming adversity means anything to anyone, then it's time for Bonds to go.
A couple of years back, a funny commercial ran all throughout baseball season. It featured Barry Bonds taking batting practice by himself, in a virtually empty San Francisco ballfield. Between every crack of the bat, you could hear a ghostly voice whisper over the PA system:
Barry...it's time for you to go...it's time for you to retire....
The joke at the end of the spot was that the voice was coming from none other than Hank Aaron, sending not-so-subliminal messages to Bonds from the press box.
Funny joke then.
Not too funny now.
Hank was right: Barry it's time for you to go.
Like everything else I feel passionately about, I am not unbiased in this. And my feeling about Bonds are clearly connected to my feeling about two of the other great players of the modern era: the aforementioned Aaron; and Pete Rose.
I remember vividly the night that Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's home run record. In fact, it's one of the most clear memories of my childhood. I remember watching the game on TV. My parents were out on a date, and we were home with a babysitter. I remember the immediate chill up my spine when Aaron hit it out. I went outside with my bat and ball, and fungoed up and down the front yard, envisioning that it was decades later, and I was surpassing Aaron. I remember every moment of that night. It meant so much to me that a few months later, I put up a full color poster of the scene on my bedroom wall...a poster that stayed up for the rest of my childhood.
I also remember the incredible public debate that had gone on during the entire off-season before. The debate was racially tinged. There were those who didn't want a black man beating the record of the Great Bambino. There can be no denying that ugly side of the debate, as we look back through the lens of twenty-years. But then, there were those who simply didn't want anyone to break Babe Ruth's record...the sentimentalists among us I suppose. The point is, Aaron endured a lot, and sports historians are still writing about it. In fact, it really wasn't until he wrote he autobiography a few years back that we all came to understand the pressure this man was under...the racism he had to endure. (Click the last link, and check out samples of the "hate mail" Aaron got in the boxes on the right side of the page...)
The tension was high during every game in late '73 and early '74. And when Aaron finally broke the record on April 8, 1974 (I know the date without having to look it up...) the one thing you could say about was that it was an historic moment. (Trivia: former Rangers pitching coach, Tom House, caught the ball on the fly, in the Braves' dugout...just beyond the outfield wall...) That moment meant enough to me that when I visited Atlanta a few years back, I made a pilgrimage to the stadium. The Braves have built a new stadium, but the spot where homer 715 landed is still memorialized in the middle of the parking lot.
The truth is Aaron earned it. Aaron had journeyed from being one of the first African-Americans to break the color barrier, to becoming the greatest slugger of all time. He earned it by putting up with death threats and racial slurs. He earned each and every home run. And over the years, it seems to me, he's earned the respect of every fan who ever loved the Babe. He continues to help the game (and the country) by advocating for African-Americans to be hired into baseball's front offices. In short, folks see him as a living hero.
Will anybody ever feel that way about Barry Bonds?
No way. Frankly, the guy's a genuine ass. He always has been. Like the television commercial, Barry Bonds is a lone guy, on a field by himself. Now, he's more lonely than ever. He's not a team player. He's an individual performer. (The great ones are always both, IMHO) Dallas sportswriter, Skip Bayless, writes this column about just how big an ass he is. And now, we find that he's probably been juiced beyond belief for much of these last eight years. And so, when I think of Bonds, I am reminded of another of my favorite players from my childhood: Pete Rose.
Lot's of folks thought Rose was an ass too. But you could always say something about Pete Rose: he loved the game, he played hard, and he earned every single hit.
Rose played for my Dad's hometown team. And every time we found ourselves visiting my grandparent's house during the season, my Dad and I would take in a game. Got to see all the glory years of the "Big Red Machine," arguably the best team of all time. (I will take that argument with anyone who'd care to get into it...) And of all those amazing players, Rose was, and still is, my all time favorite player. Rose, like Aaron, earned each and every hit. Many didn't like him. Many who thought he was too brash...too cocky. Like Bonds, some thought him too full of himself. But Rose was passionate about baseball. He would talk to the media. No one could ever say he didn't love the game. My grandmother stood in the freezing cold one time to get his autograph for me....it's still on a shirt that's still in my clothes drawer right now. Rose loved the game, loved the fans, loved Cincinnatti...loved baseball.
But Rose is banned now. Can't say I disagreed with the ban when it came down. He out and out lied about his gambling addiction. And his rambling book of a few years back was both revealing in how much he confessed, and how much he's still unwilling to fess up to. Personally? I think it's time for him to be reinstated. He made some very heartfelt confessions in that book.
Look, I understand the concern about gambling, I really do. And I'm not trying to minimize its importance, I'm really not. But, like I said, the man played hard every inning. He earned every hit. I think it's time for him to come back...but then, as I said, I'm not unbiased in this.
But the point is, whether I like it or not, he's banned. Pete Rose is banned.
And if Rose --whose crimes never can be said to have affected his play-- can be banned, then why shouldn't Bonds be too? Bonds' crimes clearly affected his performance. At a time of life when most men succumb to the forces of nature --losing testosterone, muscle, and strength-- suddenly, almost overnight, Barry Bonds looked like a behemoth.
I mean, check out these pictures from early in his career and last year, and tell me that he's not on the juice:
I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt before it was discovered that Raffi Palmiero was also lying about steroid use. (Say it ain't so, Raff...say it ain't so....You break my heart...) And so, to my way of thinking, if Raffi's guilty this guy is DEFINITELY guilty. And if he'd never been on the juice, how many home runs would he really have? We'll never know, but we can know this: unlike gambling, steroids are things that definitely enhance performance.
So, the Commissioner should suspend him immediately, before he plays another inning. He should suspend him for as long as it takes to do a full investigation. My hunch is that any full investigation will result in him being banned for life. So, if we know that's probably coming, for the love of the game, why not suspend him now? With all the signs pointing toward rampant steriod abuse, by an unrepentant ass, why allow him to continue toward a goal he clearly hasn't earned? Why even risk him passing Ruth?
Bottom line for me: If Pete can be banned for less, and if Aaron's legacy of hard work and overcoming adversity means anything to anyone, then it's time for Bonds to go.
--30--
Buck O'Neil
Mar/01/2006 08:08 AM | Permalink
Like many folks, I didn't really know of Buck before the famous Ken Burn's documentary. But after that aired, it felt like Buck was an old friend. Buck lives in Kansas City, and has been a champion for the players of the old Negro League for decades. In fact, he was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Negro League Hall of Fame. It's arguable that without his tireless challenge to the world to remember the contributions of these forgotten baseball heros, that none of them would have ever been elected to the Hall of Fame. In fact, on the Olbermann show yesterday, Ernie Banks said flatly that HE would not be in the Hall of Fame without Buck O'Neil.
Buck had some spectacular seasons in the Negro Leagues. While his career average was a paltry .288, he averaged .358 one season, and over .340 for two more. He was the batting champ of the league in '40 and '48. After his days as a player for the old Kansas City Monarchs, he became their manager. And, years later, became the first black coach hired by the Chicago Cubs.
The truth is, statistics from the Negro Leagues are inherently unreliable, and it's possible that none of the stats we have of that era are entirely accurate. But the oral accounts are that Buck was a fine player. And, even if his player stats don't blow you away, what he's done as a good will ambassador for the game, over a period of decades, merits his inclusion, it seems to me.
I mean, what an irony...that Buck's ambassadorship for all these old players is probably what gets them in the Hall, but he doesn't?!! Heck, John Madden got in the Football Hall recently, and I guarantee you that half his support came from his ambassadorship for the game, and not just his on-field or coaching stats.
Despite the widespread shock the last few days, Buck is not showing any bitterness. Yes, it looks like that this was it --that there's not going to be another shot for him to get in-- but he's not really showing any anger toward the electors and this obviously poor decision on their part. He's happy to have folks still remember him, and still champion his right to be in the Hall. And, more than anything else, he's still proud of all the old Negro League players, and still willing to do anything to help their memory stay alive in the hearts of fans everwhere.
In fact, as the planning for the induction ceremony for all these new inductees got underway, they apparently found that almost all of them are now dead. And so, guess who has been chosen to speak on their behalf on the day they "go into" the Baseball Hall of Fame?
That's right. Buck O'Neil.
--30--
SBXL
Feb/04/2006 05:05 PM | Permalink
The game
tomorrow is not my game. The teams tomorrow are not
my teams. And yet, riding my high from wise and
prescient pick in the college national championship
game, I feel led to put my .02 cents in here too.
(translation: I don't know how to quit while I'm
ahead...)
So, here goes...
First off, I want to assure the reader that I can be non-biased about this. Really. Even though one of the teams is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and even though there is almost no more hated mortal enemy for a lifetime Cowboys fan. But, let me go on record now. And, Cowboys fans, grab your oxygen tanks, and nitroglycerin tablets...because I like these Pittsburgh Steelers. I really like them.
These are not the Steelers of the Seventies. There's no Terry Bradshaw here (cocky, turncoat Texarkansan...). There's no Lynn Swan (Good luck in the election, btw...). These just aren't the same guys. Those guys always felt like they didn't really belong to Pittsburgh. Sure, they played there. Sure, they made us all some great, er, painful memories along the way. But they just didn't seem like Pittsburgh-kind-of-guys.
Bill Cowher? He's a Pittsburgh kind of guy.
Jerome Bettis? What's more Pittsburgh than this gritty, tried-and-true veteran?
Roethlisberger? What a cool kid. (And I mean cool under pressure...)
What's not to like about these guys? (Even for a die-hard Cowboys fan...) They play hard. They show up each week. They have a kind of gritty, "we're going to find a way to beat you" attitude.
And their defense? Tough. Very, very tough. I love watching Troy Polamahu. That guy flies over the field. You just want to see guys like that win. He makes watching Pro Football fun again.
You see, that's my main problem in watching many pro games...even the Super Bowl. And it's why I LOVE the college game. Pro players, to me, often seem too polished...too perfect...too good. They're like robots, they're so good.
Give me the emotion, the passion, the energy, of the college game over the pros any day. Polamahu plays with that energy. So do the rest of the Steelers. And they're just plain good. Their defense is tough.
The Seahawks? Well, they're not playing at home, so they don't have their "Twelfth Man" mojo to lean on. (They'll be a ton of Steeler fans there...). Mike Holmgren is a master coach. Hasselbeck is a great QB. But, over all, they're small. I mean, literally small. They're just not as physical large a team as the Steelers. It would not surprise me to see them leverage that speed for an early lead. But it will also not surprise me if the Steelers adjust. And, by the end of the night, size, strength and heart will beat out finess and speed....at least in this game. The Steelers will do what they always do...they'll pound it out. And they'll simply wear the Seahawks down.
Here's my ONE caveat to all this....if Hasselbeck can get in a rythym...if he's able to thow without being, ahem, hasseled(sorry), then the Seahawks might pull this out. The Steelers are built to stop a running team, and the Seahawks know how to throw and win. So, if Hasselbeck gets in a sync, then the Seahawks might win, and I'll eat my words.
But, otherwise, I break it down this way:
Speed: Edge Seahawks
Offense: Surprisingly even
Defense: HUGE edge to Steelers
Special Teams: Wash
Intangibles, like "heart," passion, and being on a roll: Steelers.
Prediction:
Pittsburgh: 27
Seattle: 17
Promise not to come back and re-edit this later.
So, here goes...
First off, I want to assure the reader that I can be non-biased about this. Really. Even though one of the teams is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and even though there is almost no more hated mortal enemy for a lifetime Cowboys fan. But, let me go on record now. And, Cowboys fans, grab your oxygen tanks, and nitroglycerin tablets...because I like these Pittsburgh Steelers. I really like them.
These are not the Steelers of the Seventies. There's no Terry Bradshaw here (cocky, turncoat Texarkansan...). There's no Lynn Swan (Good luck in the election, btw...). These just aren't the same guys. Those guys always felt like they didn't really belong to Pittsburgh. Sure, they played there. Sure, they made us all some great, er, painful memories along the way. But they just didn't seem like Pittsburgh-kind-of-guys.
Bill Cowher? He's a Pittsburgh kind of guy.
Jerome Bettis? What's more Pittsburgh than this gritty, tried-and-true veteran?
Roethlisberger? What a cool kid. (And I mean cool under pressure...)
What's not to like about these guys? (Even for a die-hard Cowboys fan...) They play hard. They show up each week. They have a kind of gritty, "we're going to find a way to beat you" attitude.
And their defense? Tough. Very, very tough. I love watching Troy Polamahu. That guy flies over the field. You just want to see guys like that win. He makes watching Pro Football fun again.
You see, that's my main problem in watching many pro games...even the Super Bowl. And it's why I LOVE the college game. Pro players, to me, often seem too polished...too perfect...too good. They're like robots, they're so good.
Give me the emotion, the passion, the energy, of the college game over the pros any day. Polamahu plays with that energy. So do the rest of the Steelers. And they're just plain good. Their defense is tough.
The Seahawks? Well, they're not playing at home, so they don't have their "Twelfth Man" mojo to lean on. (They'll be a ton of Steeler fans there...). Mike Holmgren is a master coach. Hasselbeck is a great QB. But, over all, they're small. I mean, literally small. They're just not as physical large a team as the Steelers. It would not surprise me to see them leverage that speed for an early lead. But it will also not surprise me if the Steelers adjust. And, by the end of the night, size, strength and heart will beat out finess and speed....at least in this game. The Steelers will do what they always do...they'll pound it out. And they'll simply wear the Seahawks down.
Here's my ONE caveat to all this....if Hasselbeck can get in a rythym...if he's able to thow without being, ahem, hasseled(sorry), then the Seahawks might pull this out. The Steelers are built to stop a running team, and the Seahawks know how to throw and win. So, if Hasselbeck gets in a sync, then the Seahawks might win, and I'll eat my words.
But, otherwise, I break it down this way:
Speed: Edge Seahawks
Offense: Surprisingly even
Defense: HUGE edge to Steelers
Special Teams: Wash
Intangibles, like "heart," passion, and being on a roll: Steelers.
Prediction:
Pittsburgh: 27
Seattle: 17
Promise not to come back and re-edit this later.
PS: As I write this, the word has come down that
Aikman and Rayfield Wright have made the Hall of
Fame. Congratulations to both of them...they really
do deserve it!
--30--
Aw Vince...what's your hurry? Couldn't you give us a
week to gloat?
Jan/08/2006 12:05 PM | Permalink
So, the news
comes out this afternoon that Vince Young will go
pro.
I'm already here sick at home with no voice, and so this does not help my mood.
So now, all the Aggies, Sooners, Red Raiders, etc are leaping for joy believing that they'll have a shot next year. Couldn't we have had a whole week to gloat about it?
Yes, Texas will be a different team without Vince Young. But, two little things to remind you of:
a) you'll be surprised at how good the quarterbacks are that we'll put out there, and
b) just two more little words: Jamaal Charles.
(Remember those words...)
I have to say, for a few hours today I thought Vince Young might come back to Texas. Because the word came out today that Houston really wants Reggie Bush. Personally, I still think that's a mistake for them. I'd ditch David Carr in a moment to have the chance to get a hometown guy who'll probably put tens of thousands of butts more in my stands. Any loss they take on Carr they would more than make up, over the long haul, on Vince Young. But then, maybe that's why I'm not an owner.
So, New Orleans has the second pick, and up to now we've been told they were leaning toward Matt Leinart. The thing is, though, I am sure they assumed there was no Vince Young out there. I'd pick Young over Leinart, if I was them. And if that happens I will be really depressed. I say this in all love and respect for the truly beleaguered Saints --and there is no team more so-- but the Saints are a black hole for famous UT players.
Two words: Ricky Williams.
Jeez, what a horrible situation that was for him and for them. I really don't want to see that happen again. And something tells me that's exactly where we'd end up.
The third pick is Tennessee, and that's a real interesting one. Their current quarterback, Steve McNair, has been a mentor to Young since he was in high school. McNair probably only has a few years left in the NFL, realistically. How cool would it be for Young to go and play for a man he already knows and respects as a mentor? BUT! The Titan's new offensive coordinator is the old coordinator for none other than USC!!
So, the plot there thickens.
I know this will sound horrible for a lot of reason, but it mostly has nothing to do with what's going on in NOLA right now, and everything about who the Saints are and what they've done to former UT greats:
I really hope he doesn't end up there.
Houston or Tennessee...I'd be happy to see either one of those, and even a little glad for Vince's sake.
I'm already here sick at home with no voice, and so this does not help my mood.
So now, all the Aggies, Sooners, Red Raiders, etc are leaping for joy believing that they'll have a shot next year. Couldn't we have had a whole week to gloat about it?
Yes, Texas will be a different team without Vince Young. But, two little things to remind you of:
a) you'll be surprised at how good the quarterbacks are that we'll put out there, and
b) just two more little words: Jamaal Charles.
(Remember those words...)
I have to say, for a few hours today I thought Vince Young might come back to Texas. Because the word came out today that Houston really wants Reggie Bush. Personally, I still think that's a mistake for them. I'd ditch David Carr in a moment to have the chance to get a hometown guy who'll probably put tens of thousands of butts more in my stands. Any loss they take on Carr they would more than make up, over the long haul, on Vince Young. But then, maybe that's why I'm not an owner.
So, New Orleans has the second pick, and up to now we've been told they were leaning toward Matt Leinart. The thing is, though, I am sure they assumed there was no Vince Young out there. I'd pick Young over Leinart, if I was them. And if that happens I will be really depressed. I say this in all love and respect for the truly beleaguered Saints --and there is no team more so-- but the Saints are a black hole for famous UT players.
Two words: Ricky Williams.
Jeez, what a horrible situation that was for him and for them. I really don't want to see that happen again. And something tells me that's exactly where we'd end up.
The third pick is Tennessee, and that's a real interesting one. Their current quarterback, Steve McNair, has been a mentor to Young since he was in high school. McNair probably only has a few years left in the NFL, realistically. How cool would it be for Young to go and play for a man he already knows and respects as a mentor? BUT! The Titan's new offensive coordinator is the old coordinator for none other than USC!!
So, the plot there thickens.
I know this will sound horrible for a lot of reason, but it mostly has nothing to do with what's going on in NOLA right now, and everything about who the Saints are and what they've done to former UT greats:
I really hope he doesn't end up there.
Houston or Tennessee...I'd be happy to see either one of those, and even a little glad for Vince's sake.
Told ya: Time to Gloat a Little Orange
Jan/05/2006 12:04 PM | Permalink
Told
ya: Time to Gloat a Little Orange
Every now and then, a sporting event actually lives up to its hype. Every now and then, you can actually tell that you're watching something historic. Every now and then, there are games that folks will talk about for YEARS. That happened last night.
And if you missed it, I pity you.
I have no voice this morning. Yelled at the TV until about 1:30 am. Listened to sports radio this morning, and everyone is talking about this being...
... the greatest national championship game in history
... the greatest single performance by any player, in Vince Young.
My Longhorns are National Champions. And, like most of us Texas fans, we've been a little cautious about getting too excited until now. But, this morning, it's time for a little gloating....
First personal-gloat of the day: The final score
I will refer you first to yesterday's completely unedited post.
I will remind you that my prediction was:
Texas: 42
USC: 35
I will remind you that, if not for a missed Texas extra-point and an extra USC field goal, I would have nailed the score to the number. As it is, I came just about as close as you could possible come.
Second gloat of the day: Vince Young
Now, they (the national media) are all saying Vince Young should have won the Heisman. Now they are complaining that that voting comes before the bowl games. (I actually agree with this....) But, from a Texas perspective, the media is always an incredible bunch of second-guessers. I mean heck, yesterday on ESPN they were trying to compare the USC offense to great PRO teams of all-time. That's when you know the hype's gotten out of hand. (That's when you know that USC is ready for a fall...)
Third gloat of the day: My three game keys
My three keys of the game were:
-- The depth of both teams: I gave the edge to Texas
-- The fact that both offenses were about even
-- The fact that the Texas defense was better.
When you look at the game as whole, you have to say that all these things bore out. Texas had a deeper team. USC had Leinart and little else. Sure, LenDale White and that one receiver did OK.
But where was Reggie Bush?
Seriously. Where was he? Mr. Heisman? Hello..... 82 yards?
Puleeease...
The offenses WERE about even. And the Texas defense was clearly better than USC's. "Better" means exactly what I told you yesterday it would mean: they would bend, but not break. When it counted, they held USC on that crucial fourth down play.
I actually did expect that we'd see more offense from the rest of the Longhorn team than we actually saw. Jamaal Charles showed a little brilliance, but fumbled twice. But the bottom line is that it really was the Vince Young show. A Rose Bowl record for a single game performance 467 total yards. And now, all the experts are calling him the best player in college football. Maybe the best ever.
Excuse me, but where were all yall when it was time to cast Heisman ballots a few weeks back? Reggie Bush has one amazing 500-yard game against a no-name team, and suddenly you give the trophy to him?!
Puleease...
All apologies, Mr. Young...
So, world, you all owe Vince Young a huge apology. Because Vince Young is capable of the kind of performance he turned in last night in EVERY game. You can't even really write or speak about how he plays, which is part of why I think he lost the Heisman race. The statistics never quite tell you what you need to know about him. You have to actually SEE him do it to believe it. I believe that's one of the huge reasons Vince didn't win the HT...because not enough folks actually saw him play.
And everyone forgets this important factor: in almost half the games this year, Young was sitting on the sideline by the middle of the third quarter. His numbers aren't nearly as impressive as the other finalists, because he didn't get to work as much. USC was falling behind all season, and coming back in the second half. That meant that Leinart, Bush and Co. were bringing them back...they played almost every down of every game.
Vince Young effectively sat out almost a game and a half this year.
But this, and the fact that people just weren't paying enough attention, meant that Young didn't nearly get the press and acolades he richly deserves.
So, I'm telling you the truth here. For any non-Texas fans out there who just saw the guy for the first time yesterday: the dude does that every game. All of it. The running. The passing. The plays. The coming-from-behind. Welcome to Vince Young football.
World: Vince
Vince: World
You're gonna like each other...
By the way, what was Pete Carroll thinking, going for it on fourth down with two minutes left?!!! At least make it a little challenging for Young. Make him drive eighty yards. I mean, Texas had already stopped them on 4th down once in this game. Everyone is defending his call this morning, but I think he lost USC the game in that moment because, again, he underestimated Vince Young. Everyone does.
Please come back, Vince!!! (I know you probably won't...)
And now, the buzz this am is that he won't come back for his senior year. That would be heartbreaking. But given last night's performance, could his pro-stock ever be any higher? So, can you blame him for leaving? Can he afford to take the chance of playing next year? Or, can he skip out on the chance to repeat, and be an absolute football god/legend in the State of Texas?
Well, one consolation thought (and it's a crazy one). If I were the Houston Texans, I seriously consider drafting him. Sound crazy? You kidding me? Hometown boy? State hero? He'd draw 20-30,000 fans each week just from that. That might make you feel a little better. Please, God, just don't let him end up with the Saints, like Ricky....ugh...
"Eric, quit thinking ahead....just enjoy this...."
You're right. I do need to enjoy it. I am enjoying it.
Good Lord, what a game.
What an incredible game.
Every now and then, a sporting event actually lives up to its hype. Every now and then, you can actually tell that you're watching something historic. Every now and then, there are games that folks will talk about for YEARS. That happened last night.
And if you missed it, I pity you.
I have no voice this morning. Yelled at the TV until about 1:30 am. Listened to sports radio this morning, and everyone is talking about this being...
... the greatest national championship game in history
... the greatest single performance by any player, in Vince Young.
My Longhorns are National Champions. And, like most of us Texas fans, we've been a little cautious about getting too excited until now. But, this morning, it's time for a little gloating....
First personal-gloat of the day: The final score
I will refer you first to yesterday's completely unedited post.
I will remind you that my prediction was:
Texas: 42
USC: 35
I will remind you that, if not for a missed Texas extra-point and an extra USC field goal, I would have nailed the score to the number. As it is, I came just about as close as you could possible come.
Second gloat of the day: Vince Young
Now, they (the national media) are all saying Vince Young should have won the Heisman. Now they are complaining that that voting comes before the bowl games. (I actually agree with this....) But, from a Texas perspective, the media is always an incredible bunch of second-guessers. I mean heck, yesterday on ESPN they were trying to compare the USC offense to great PRO teams of all-time. That's when you know the hype's gotten out of hand. (That's when you know that USC is ready for a fall...)
Third gloat of the day: My three game keys
My three keys of the game were:
-- The depth of both teams: I gave the edge to Texas
-- The fact that both offenses were about even
-- The fact that the Texas defense was better.
When you look at the game as whole, you have to say that all these things bore out. Texas had a deeper team. USC had Leinart and little else. Sure, LenDale White and that one receiver did OK.
But where was Reggie Bush?
Seriously. Where was he? Mr. Heisman? Hello..... 82 yards?
Puleeease...
The offenses WERE about even. And the Texas defense was clearly better than USC's. "Better" means exactly what I told you yesterday it would mean: they would bend, but not break. When it counted, they held USC on that crucial fourth down play.
I actually did expect that we'd see more offense from the rest of the Longhorn team than we actually saw. Jamaal Charles showed a little brilliance, but fumbled twice. But the bottom line is that it really was the Vince Young show. A Rose Bowl record for a single game performance 467 total yards. And now, all the experts are calling him the best player in college football. Maybe the best ever.
Excuse me, but where were all yall when it was time to cast Heisman ballots a few weeks back? Reggie Bush has one amazing 500-yard game against a no-name team, and suddenly you give the trophy to him?!
Puleease...
All apologies, Mr. Young...
So, world, you all owe Vince Young a huge apology. Because Vince Young is capable of the kind of performance he turned in last night in EVERY game. You can't even really write or speak about how he plays, which is part of why I think he lost the Heisman race. The statistics never quite tell you what you need to know about him. You have to actually SEE him do it to believe it. I believe that's one of the huge reasons Vince didn't win the HT...because not enough folks actually saw him play.
And everyone forgets this important factor: in almost half the games this year, Young was sitting on the sideline by the middle of the third quarter. His numbers aren't nearly as impressive as the other finalists, because he didn't get to work as much. USC was falling behind all season, and coming back in the second half. That meant that Leinart, Bush and Co. were bringing them back...they played almost every down of every game.
Vince Young effectively sat out almost a game and a half this year.
But this, and the fact that people just weren't paying enough attention, meant that Young didn't nearly get the press and acolades he richly deserves.
So, I'm telling you the truth here. For any non-Texas fans out there who just saw the guy for the first time yesterday: the dude does that every game. All of it. The running. The passing. The plays. The coming-from-behind. Welcome to Vince Young football.
World: Vince
Vince: World
You're gonna like each other...
By the way, what was Pete Carroll thinking, going for it on fourth down with two minutes left?!!! At least make it a little challenging for Young. Make him drive eighty yards. I mean, Texas had already stopped them on 4th down once in this game. Everyone is defending his call this morning, but I think he lost USC the game in that moment because, again, he underestimated Vince Young. Everyone does.
Please come back, Vince!!! (I know you probably won't...)
And now, the buzz this am is that he won't come back for his senior year. That would be heartbreaking. But given last night's performance, could his pro-stock ever be any higher? So, can you blame him for leaving? Can he afford to take the chance of playing next year? Or, can he skip out on the chance to repeat, and be an absolute football god/legend in the State of Texas?
Well, one consolation thought (and it's a crazy one). If I were the Houston Texans, I seriously consider drafting him. Sound crazy? You kidding me? Hometown boy? State hero? He'd draw 20-30,000 fans each week just from that. That might make you feel a little better. Please, God, just don't let him end up with the Saints, like Ricky....ugh...
"Eric, quit thinking ahead....just enjoy this...."
You're right. I do need to enjoy it. I am enjoying it.
Good Lord, what a game.
What an incredible game.
Go Mavs (My head makes it's national TV debut...)
May/20/2005 06:33 PM | Permalink
Go Mavs
Eric's head makes it's national TV debut...
Wow. How can it be two months since I've blogged anything? As America once said,
"I've been one poor correspondent." And this is even with some of you writing me to tell me how much you like them....ah well, life gets in the way. For the past several years, I've made the vow to put real-life ahead of digital life. That means I just don't find myself in front of the keyboard that much....
So, lot's to catch up on. And I will not try to do it in one post. I still hope to blog about my trip to El Salvador in April. I think that was really the time my blogging fell off...just never got back in the habit afterwards.
I also want to tell yall about the great NDSM Benefit Show from back in April, and the great time I had at Northaven's "Feast of Friendship."
Of course, it's also time to get pumped about Kerrville again. And, hopefully, sometime during the next week, I'll post a little about that too. (For now, let me give you the url for what I wrote last year. At least two of you have written to ask if it's still available somewhere. And it is. Just click here.
I also want to talk about the new Star Wars movie, which Dennise and I went to see yesterday afternoon. Yes, we're geeks. I've seen every movie since the second one on the day it opened.
So has Dennise. Geeks attract, I suppose....
The movie was GREAT. Dennise and I both agree that it's one of our favorites of all six....
certainly MUCH better than either Episode One, or Episode Two. But, as I said, more on this later.
What I REALLY wanted to blog about today is the Dallas Mavericks. Somehow, this season, we got reintroduced to basketball in a big way. Our friend from church, Joy Nelson, invited us to sit with her for one game about mid-season. As you might imagine, she can get GREAT seats, and we found ourselves right behind the Mavs bench. I kid you not. I wish I had video to prove it.
Then, Dennise found that our friends, Charles and Mary, ALSO have killer tickets...on the other side of the floor, on the fourth row. So, they invited us to the Mavs/Heat game about midseason.
Again, a KILLER game. Shaq called out Damp...Damp made Shaq look foolish. Shaq's been mad ever since. Again, they were awesome seats. And, had I been thinking, I would have TIVOed the game so I'd have the video evidence for you...at least you would have been able to see the bald spot on the back of my head.
BUT, low and behold, the Mavs make the playoffs. And so, Charles and Mary invite us out once again for game three, last Friday at the AAC. Dennise and I were 2-0 in Mavs games to that point. But, alas, the Suns ran away with it. HOWEVER, I am happy to say that there IS one thing different about this third set of incredible seats that we had: I have the video evidence .
Thanks again to Joy, Mary, and Charles, for the incredible invitations this year.
And GO MAVS!!!
Eric's head makes it's national TV debut...
Wow. How can it be two months since I've blogged anything? As America once said,
"I've been one poor correspondent." And this is even with some of you writing me to tell me how much you like them....ah well, life gets in the way. For the past several years, I've made the vow to put real-life ahead of digital life. That means I just don't find myself in front of the keyboard that much....
So, lot's to catch up on. And I will not try to do it in one post. I still hope to blog about my trip to El Salvador in April. I think that was really the time my blogging fell off...just never got back in the habit afterwards.
I also want to tell yall about the great NDSM Benefit Show from back in April, and the great time I had at Northaven's "Feast of Friendship."
Of course, it's also time to get pumped about Kerrville again. And, hopefully, sometime during the next week, I'll post a little about that too. (For now, let me give you the url for what I wrote last year. At least two of you have written to ask if it's still available somewhere. And it is. Just click here.
I also want to talk about the new Star Wars movie, which Dennise and I went to see yesterday afternoon. Yes, we're geeks. I've seen every movie since the second one on the day it opened.
So has Dennise. Geeks attract, I suppose....
The movie was GREAT. Dennise and I both agree that it's one of our favorites of all six....
certainly MUCH better than either Episode One, or Episode Two. But, as I said, more on this later.
What I REALLY wanted to blog about today is the Dallas Mavericks. Somehow, this season, we got reintroduced to basketball in a big way. Our friend from church, Joy Nelson, invited us to sit with her for one game about mid-season. As you might imagine, she can get GREAT seats, and we found ourselves right behind the Mavs bench. I kid you not. I wish I had video to prove it.
Then, Dennise found that our friends, Charles and Mary, ALSO have killer tickets...on the other side of the floor, on the fourth row. So, they invited us to the Mavs/Heat game about midseason.
Again, a KILLER game. Shaq called out Damp...Damp made Shaq look foolish. Shaq's been mad ever since. Again, they were awesome seats. And, had I been thinking, I would have TIVOed the game so I'd have the video evidence for you...at least you would have been able to see the bald spot on the back of my head.
BUT, low and behold, the Mavs make the playoffs. And so, Charles and Mary invite us out once again for game three, last Friday at the AAC. Dennise and I were 2-0 in Mavs games to that point. But, alas, the Suns ran away with it. HOWEVER, I am happy to say that there IS one thing different about this third set of incredible seats that we had: I have the video evidence .
Thanks again to Joy, Mary, and Charles, for the incredible invitations this year.
And GO MAVS!!!
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