Monfort has Lost his Mind

I know that I am not the first person to have this reaction and I know I won't be the last, but Dick Monfort, owner of the Colorado Rockies, has lost his mind.  I don't care that he supports both manager and GM.  I care that he does it publicly and so vehemently.  In a results based industry it isn't possible to be that happy with either guy.

Dan O'Dowd has been with the Rockies for 12 seasons.  In 12 seasons he has put together 4 winning teams.  If he were a player he would be an all-star batting .330, but GM's need to connect more than 33% of the time.  Of the 4 years that he put a good team on the field they only made the playoffs twice.  If the Yankees miss the playoffs just one year, there is a good chance that someone will loose there job.  This guy misses the playoffs 83% of the time and his job is probably the safest in the building at this point.  In what world does that make sense?  Monfort said that O'Dowd is a "tremendous asset."  He either thinks asset means liability or added the et to the end of the appropriate word.  O'Dowd has exhausted or minor league program of quality pitching, allowed inconsistent players to many chances that they are anything but, and has failed in every attempt to build off this franchises successes.  We have a joke of a starting rotation, a gaping hole at third base and a large number of under performing athletes that he won't get rid of.

Now, I like Jim Tracy and of the 2 guys that Monfort supported in his comments earlier this week I believe that Tracy is the one that should keep his job, but he isn't with out fault.  The fact that this team is under performing in the field and at the plate falls on coaching.  Now, a lot of the problems stem from the makeup of the team the lack of pitching, which Tracy has little to do with, but the abundance of errors so far this season and the continued inconsistency at the plate.  I can't remember a team taking so many called third strikes in my life.  I grew up with the understanding that when you have 2 strikes you protect the plate.  These guys will swing at some of the worst pitches a guy can throw and then watch a fast ball on a corner for strike three.  That has to be something that can be taught because it still sticks with me and I haven't played in about a decade.

The Rockies suck and the only thing that I can agree with that Monfort said is that the blame is solely on him.  He is the one that refuses to look at the evidence that is so clearly laid out before him.  He is the one that has allowed this team to go from NL West contenders to a joke.  He is the one that doesn't know baseball and and refuses to admit it.  Colorado loves their Rockies and they love Coors field so he is able to continue his ways with limited draw back, but sooner or later the fans will stop going to watch the embarrassment and maybe then we will get an organization that we can be proud of.

Hockey... The Almost Forgotten Sport

The Stanley Cup Playoffs started this last weekend and to this point it has been a very exciting week.  The Penguins and Flyers are in a very heated battle in which the final favorite Penguins are down 3-1.  The Rangers are tied with Ottawa and Vancouver fought off elimination on Wednesday night.  The playoffs have a way of drawing even non fans to the sport because the play is so high tempo and personal.  Why can't the regular season muster even a little of that excitement?

The biggest problem isn't the games.  Hockey is an amazing sport that requires a lot of skill to play and only a little understanding to enjoy.  Hockey has the worst marketing people in the world working for them, they have very limited exposure during the regular season and there schedules are chaotic for fans to follow.  I think that if Gary Bettman could change at least one of these downfalls then he would see his sport's popularity rise.

The only reason I knew the playoffs were starting in the NHL this year was because of the amount of local sports radio I listen to along with the insane amount of SportsCenter that I watch.  I didn't see one commercial promoting the upcoming games or anything.  The people in charge of marketing for the NHL have to be fired because they received no press and created no buzz prior to or during the the greatest professional championship on the planet.  The NHL used to get it's name out there through endorsement products, but lately  it is rare that you can see anything hockey outside of the arenas that they play in.  The NHL needs to adopt a strategy the spans several networks and multiple medias in order to promote and expand their game.

When and where is hockey on TV these days.  The NHL has 1 nationally televised game a week.  1!  It is played on NBC in the late morning to early afternoon.  Football gets at least 6 games televised a week and  5 of them happen on the same day.  Football only plays on 2 days of the week.  Hockey plays everyday and they can only manage 1 game a week on TV in a lousy time slot that isn't even promoted well.  They show a lot of the same teams playing each other because they want to play the best teams during that time in order to impress potential fans with there product.  It is a bad plan for the smaller markets because they don't get much exposure and it's bad for the sport because if you don't like the Penguins, Rangers, Red Wings, or Bruins then you have no need or desire to watch that one game a week.

Scheduling in the NHL follows the basketball plan.  They play a different team every night that they play and with a season that is as long as the NHL's there is very little importance that can be put on one game.  That is why I feel that hockey should switch to the baseball strategy of scheduling.  Each individual game would still lack importance due to the long season, but loosing 2 in a row would mean loosing a series which in baseball is the bigger issue.  So, while the individual game would remain the same in principal, the way that they are clumped together adds importance to them as a whole in the regular season.  Also, it would add a sense of urgency to games against teams that you know would only face once a year in a series format verses 3 or 4 games spread out throughout a season.

The NHL is hurting and it isn't doing anything at the moment to help itself.  They have major obstacles preventing themselves from increasing their popularity.  Gary Bettman would be wise to make a few changes  in order to improve his sports standing in this country.  If he doesn't then I'm afraid that next year I won't even hear about hockey on the sports networks.

Tracy Called Wrong Player Gutless

A day after Rockies short stop Troy Tulowitzki was plunked by a Ubaldo Jimenez fast ball I heard about the article that caused the event.  Mark Kiszla, of the Denver Post, wrote an article last week about the messy situation that was the Jimenez trade to the Cleveland Indians last season.  The article was Ubaldo's feelings about some of the behind the scene things that were rumored to be happening and his contract situation.  The article also featured Troy Tulowitzki's responses to Jimenez's comments.  Based on Sunday's 1st inning between the 2 teams, I guess Tulo should have kept his mouth shut.

In the article Ubaldo simply talked about how angry he is with the Rockies organization about how he was handled contractually and otherwise by management.  Tuo and CarGo (Carlos Gonzales) were signed to long term deals for a lot of money after a short time in which they had proved their worth.  Jimenez believes that he had proved himself as well when he became the teams ace by winning 19 games in 2010.  He, however, was not signed to an extension and was being paid less than 5 other pitchers on the staff.  I don't know what kind of money he was looking for, but it is safe to say that he was deserving of more than he was making.  There were rumors around Denver last season that Jimenez was sandbagging his season last year and not putting in the work to be what he was the year before.  He had a problem with those whispers and pointed out that he worked hard to get ready for every start and it is insulting to him to be questioned like that.  He had a big issue with the fact that he was forced to pitch on the day he was traded when both he and the organization knew it was going to happen.  He pitched for 1 inning and gave up 5 runs.  He left the bench right after his one inning of work and has been pissed with the organization ever since.

So, after Kiszla talked with Ubaldo he then talked with the Rockies captain and got his take one how Jimenez felt about the situation.  For some reason it appears that Tulowitzki took exception to the things that Jimenez said. Tulo said that he didn't understand the issue with Jimenez not getting a new deal and followed that up with, "He had signed his deal and had years left on it.  Why would we give him something new when we didn't see anything out of him?"  Did Tulo miss the first ever no hitter in club history?  Did he miss the 19 wins which should have been over 20 if the lineup that he was apart of could have delivered some runs later in the season?  Later in the article Tulo says that Ubaldo needs to "put this to an end to this, go pitch and help his team.  Now his new team is questioning him."  Classy, real classy.

I wonder what Tulo would say about Cargo if he ever leaves?

Did I miss the part of the article where Ubaldo ripped into Troy?  Did Jimenez once attack a player on the Rockies squad for anything?  Did he say that Cargo and Tulo didn't deserve the money that they made?  No, not once did he say a negative or throw out an accusation about a player.  Tulo, however, threw Ubaldo under the bus and called him greedy, unprofessional, and questioned his ability to pitch now with his new team.

Jim Tracey called Ubaldo throwing at Tulo gutless, the worst thing he has seen in the majors, and that he lost all respect for Jimenez.  First things first, Tracey had little respect for Ubaldo last year and proved it when he threw him out to pitch the day he was being traded so, it's hard to loose something he really didn't have in the first place.  Second, Troy Tulowitzki is the gutless one in this situation.  Tulo blasted a former teammate in the press for no reason.  Where is the guts in that?  He deserved to get hit by a pitch and he is lucky it wasn't aimed at his head.  Ubaldo may not have done the right thing in handling this situation, but at least he didn't hide in the press.  I just hope that Tulowitzki  learned his lesson and shuts his gutless mouth in the future.

Tiger's Back

This past weekend Tiger Woods did something that he hadn't done in almost 3 years; he won a PGA tour event.  With his win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Woods has added a spark to the question that many people have been asking for the better part of the last 6 months.  Is Tiger Woods back?  The simple answer to this question is no.  He isn't back for 2 reasons which lye on separate sides of the argument.  The most common reason is that he isn't back because he has only won 1 tournament and that isn't good enough to say that he is fully back.  The more unconventional reason is that he isn't back because he hasn't gone anywhere.

3 years ago we saw Tiger's world blow up in his face.  His personal life was riddled with scandal and it all happened in the view of the public.  As often as we all saw Tiger on TV we were never allowed into his personal life before the night of his car accident.  It is the collapse of his personal life that makes people feel that  Tiger collapsed as a golfer as well.  I don't doubt that it had an affect on his game, but the biggest obstacle That Woods had to overcome was his physical health.  So, that mental edge that people said he lost probably never went anywhere, he just couldn't back it up with his performance on the course due to injuries.

Once Tiger Woods was declared fully healthy, meaning that he was able to train instead of rehab, his game seemed to still be a little off and the talk of his continued struggles persisted.  We were then informed that Tiger was in the middle of a swing change.  Whenever Woods had gone through a swing change before he would struggle with winning tournaments for an extended period of time.  He looked off and though he had some really good days he would be unable to put several good rounds together.  That is exactly what we have seen for the last few months.

I am one of the few that say Tiger really hasn't gone anywhere.  I understand that an almost 3 year gap between wins is significant, but it wasn't a collapse of Woods' game that was the culprit, it was his body.  Now that his body is right, and he is more comfortable with his new swing, Tiger has been in contention in the last few tournaments and finally won last weekend.  Is he back to where he was before the injuries?  Probably, but while 1 win is a good, Tiger has a higher standard.  The Masters will be a better display of the state of Tiger's game and if he is in contention then he should be labeled as officially back in everyone's eyes.

Sean Peyton's Suspension is Overkill

The NFL has rendered a verdict and sentence in the Saints "bounty" program case.  Guilty!  Sean Peyton is the sacrificial lamb in this instance with his season being over before it starts.  He has been suspended without pay for the entire 2012 season.  This sentence is more than anyone thought would happen and honestly more than is warranted.

The "bounty" system in New Orleans, though maybe on a grander scale, occurs on every team throughout the league.  Defenses have been targeting positions and players since this game was developed.  Mario Williams was just signed to a huge contact because he is one of the best players in the league at targeting QB's.  The defensive game plan of every team is to eliminate the starting QB of the other team.  Yes, eliminate them as a threat.  That means constantly hitting them and making them uncomfortable in the pocket and all over the field.  The mindset is simple, it is easier to defeat the backup than it is the starter.

Now, with that said, the defenders in the NFL go about this business in a clean fashion for the most part.  The stats on the Saints show that they haven't been dirty over the last 3 seasons.  They rank in the middle of the pack for personal fouls and from what I know they haven't injured more players on average than any other team.  So, if they weren't dirty in their pursuit of winning games and executing their game plan then what is the real issue?

The issue is the deceit of the organization to the league and the issue of non-contractual incentives.  Both are bad and warrant suspensions and/or fines.  I have no problem with the NFL handing down harsh punishment for the "bounty" cover-up, but suspending any one for a year is absurd.  Peyton didn't put any "bounties" on anyone.  Did he know it was going on?  Yes, but like I said earlier, it goes on in every locker room and installed in every game plan.

I understand that Roger Goodell wants to protect players and I respect the efforts he has made in certain areas.  This reaction to the Saints targeting players for big hits is absurd.  The targets are the same for every team and there is no amount of money that will change the intent of the defense.  They want to hurt people and make them want to quit during the game.  1 year is to long for a situation that was blown out of proportion in the media and exacerbated by the league. 

Manning Impressive in First Appearance

Yesterday I watched the press conference that introduced Peyton Manning to Denver.  It was an hour long session that had written statements and an extensive question and answer period for both Manning and John Elway.  At the end of the conference I was more impressed with Manning than I was before he made his way to Denver.

Both Pat Bowlen and John Elway took turns introducing the future Hall of Fame QB and both emphasized the fact that this acquisition put the Broncos in a position to compete for Super Bowls. Manning took to the podium and briefly talked about the process he took to make his decision and thanked all the teams for their interest in him.  He then followed that up by apologizing to the teams that he didn't choose for taking as long as he did to make a decision.  He actually felt bad that he might have caused teams to miss out on potential free agents in the pursuit of him.

When Manning entered the question and answer portion of the press conference he seemed to be genuinely excited to be in Denver and part of the Broncos' organization.  He made his intent clear from the beginning that he was hear to win a Super Bowl and that it would be a team effort.  The effort of winning a Super Bowl starts at the top with Pat Bowlen and John Elway.  Manning said time and time again that the organization was dedicated to winning and that he was proud to be a part of it.

Peyton Manning will be wearing the number 18 in Denver and at first I thought it was a poor move on his part.  I understand that he has always worn 18, but here in Denver that Number had been retired.  With Manning's love of the game and passion for it's history I thought that he would respect that and wear a different number.  Then Manning addressed the issue of his number in the last part of his written statement.  Frank Tripuka, Ring of Famer that wore 18, told Peyton that he would be honored if he wore the 18 jersey and told him that he should wear it.  Manning expressed that when a number is retired it should stay retired, but due to Tripuka's request he would wear it.

Manning is a great player that and no one could ever refute that.  Until today, though most suspected, most people didn't understand how classy he is as well.  He didn't have to mention the teams that didn't get him and certainly didn't have to apologize for any potential losses in free agency.  He did his best to endear himself to his new team and his new city.  He explained to everyone why he was wearing the number 18.  He didn't have to go into detail, but he wanted people to know that he wasn't going to ask for it.  It was offered to him and he felt it would be disrespectful to decline that offer.  Manning is showed Denver what they can look forward to for the next 5 seasons and it was nothing less than great.

Miami's Move is Dumbfounding

I heard today that the Miami Dolphins made a big move on their roster.  They didn't sign Peyton Manning, at least not yet, but rather made it harder for them to get him instead.  The Dolphins traded their best WR, Brandon Marshall, to the Chicago Bears.

Most of the teams in the Manning sweepstakes are doing everything they can to make themselves better.  Teams that aren't in the Manning sweepstakes are using this time to make their teams better.  Miami just took it's biggest threat and shipped him off to another city for nothing.  Yes, they get 2 3rd round draft picks, but compared to a WR that has proven himself to be productive that is nothing.  There is no guarantee that whoever they do draft will be able to produce.  They reduced their talent level and they did it before Manning makes his decision.  Why?

The Dolphins found something near the end of the season that allowed them to win games.  They weren't the best team, but they had heart and played hard every game.  Marshall, from what I can tell, was a part of that.  He wasn't on TV talking down about the people in his locker room or his coaches.  I don't think he has any serious off the field issues since he left Denver.  So, if he wasn't a bad teammate, in trouble off the field, or awful on it then I don't understand why they would give up on him when they had the potential to develop him under Manning.

There are going to be a lot of transaction in the coming weeks.  Most are going to make a lot of sense, some will be insignificant, and a few are going to be dumbfounding.  Marshall's trade to the Bears falls under dumbfounding.  I don't see how it really improved the Dolphins or their chances of getting Manning.  Maybe by the beginning of the regular season we will see what the Dolphins did when making this deal.

Manning to Denver Very Likely

Denver needs this kind of personality in it's locker room

Since yesterday Peyton Manning has been approached by 12 NFL teams that are interested acquiring his services.  The Denver Broncos are one of the teams that have approached him, but have hardly been viewed as a front runner in the eyes of most.  I am looking at the possibility through a different set of eyes and have to say that it looks really good from my perspective.

Through many hours of listening to people talk about the possibilities I have heard many things.  So, lets look at what criteria people are using to figure out where Manning is going.  It has been said that he doesn't want to play in the NFC East at all due to the fact his brother would be in the same division.  They are very close and don't want to play each other very often.  For that very same reason Peyton would rather stay out of the NFC all together and I can respect that.  Manning is also looking for a team that can win immediately and potentially contend for a championship within the next few years.  So, with that in mind, let's take a look at the situation.

I"m assuming the NFC rumor is true and, unless a team is willing to give up the farm, Manning will steer clear of Eli's conference.  That eliminates Washington, Arizona, Seattle, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota.  The AFC teams need to provide evidence that they will be able to compete at a high level and have a good chance of winning their divisions and go deep into the playoffs.  Miami can't say either of those things.  They are in one of the hardest divisions in football with the Patriots, Jets, and emerging Bills.  They have under performing stars and are going through a coaching change. The Jets are a mess in the locker room right now, evident by the fact that Bart Scott has asked for a trade and they also play in the AFC East.
Cleveland sucks and isn't a place anyone wants to be.  Houston has a QB that might have won a Super Bowl this year if he didn't get injured so I don't think they will be willing to bid very long or hard for manning.  The Jaguars are awful, going through a couching change, and under new ownership so, they're out.  The Kansas City is lacking the play makers that would make them a contender, but they may only need a few more pieces if Manning is added to the roster.

That leaves just the Denver Broncos.  The Broncos play in the AFC West, one of the worse divisions in the league.  They won the division last season with an 8-8 record and with one of the worst QB performances I've ever seen.  Not only did they win the division but they managed to get past a devastated Steelers team in the playoffs.  The Broncos have the best running game in the league, 2 legit wide receivers, and a defense that is very good and poised to get better.  Threw free agency and the draft the team will pick up another running back and possibly 2 good receivers along with a few defensive players as well.  I don't see another team being this close to a contender with the addition of just one man.

I like the fit for both Manning and the Broncos.  The Broncos make a real run last year if the had a guy that could complete 55% of his passes.  Manning completes well over 60% of his passes and with the leadership and consistent good play can make the Broncos much better very quickly.  Honestly, I think Manning would be making a mistake going anywhere else.

Duke vs. UNC Came Down to Second Chances

Last night I was all set watch one of the best rivalries in all of sports, Duke vs. UNC.  I bought a pizza, sat myself down, and prepared to watch an epic battle for the ACC title.  10 Minutes into the game I found myself trying to find something else to watch.  Duke was getting blown out and it wasn't pretty to watch.  I did watch most of the game and I noticed one thing that really separated the 2 teams, rebounding.

Basketball is a game that is won and lost on the boards.  Last night the Tar Heels won the battle of the boards and embarrassed the Blue Devils in the process.  UNC had 42 rebounds in last nights game and 13 of them were offensive rebounds.  That is 13 chances to extend a possession and potentially score points.  A better way to look at this stat is to focus on defensive rebounds in which UNC had 29.  That is 29 Duke possessions that ended without a single point.  I don't follow basketball to closely, but I know that is a lot of rebounds.

Duke was not impressive on the boards at all and on a night when they didn't shoot well in the first half that really hurt them.  The Blue Devils came away with only 7 offensive rebounds throughout the game.  UNC had twice as many second chance possessions.  Duke had 15 defensive rebounds so they were only able to keep UNC to half the number of pointless possessions that they were held to.  Dukes 22 rebounds left them short in opportunities and 18 points away form a victory at the end of the game.

18 points sounds like a real beat down, and it was, but let's look at in terms of rebounds.  18 points is 9, 2 point baskets.  So, if Duke could have gotten 9 more rebounds then it is possible the game would have been much different. 9 offensive rebounds could have led to 9 more baskets or a few 3 point baskets and some other misses.  9 defensive rebounds would have lead to at least 18 fewer points scored by UNC.  Any assortment of 9 rebounds could have given Duke a chance to win the game and ACC regular season title last night, but they were unable to come down with them.

Rebounding has always been an important aspect of basketball.  Control of the ball is the name of the game and good rebounding gives you more control over the outcome of a game.  UNC understands that and has become one of the better rebounding teams in the NCAA.  Duke will need to find a way to come away with more rebounds if they plan to win the ACC tournament or go far in the NCAA tournament later this month.

Saints Struggle with Brees Contract

The Saints are a joke.  They are a loosing franchise that will never contend consistently for a playoff birth let alone a Super Bowl.  Do you remember the days when we all heard and said those things about the Saints?  I have an easier time remembering the time those thoughts were thrown away a replaced with talk of the Saints as perennial front runners in their division and the NFC.  That all happened due to the arrival of Drew Brees from San Diego.  Now the Saints are reportedly not close to reaching an agreement with their saving grace.  Give him what he wants and get the deal done.

Drew Brees made headlines earlier this season for breaking Dan Marino's single season passing yardage record.  Since Brees has been in New Orleans he has passed for less than 4,400 just once and he missed it by 12 yards.  He has never thrown for less than 64% completions while wearing a Saints uniform.  With Brees at the helm they have been to the playoffs 4 out of 6 years, been to 2 NFC Championships, and won a Super Bowl.  Archie Manning, regarded as the best Saints QB ever, never made the playoffs.

Brees is more than just the QB of the New Orleans Saints; he is a pillar of that community.  After Katrina, Brees did more than show up for training camp and play football.  He embraced his new home and went out into the neighborhoods and participated in rebuilding the city.  He made himself more than an athlete to that city when he made them a priority in his life.  For that alone he deserves a medal, but it isn't something that he wants.  He did it because that's who he is not because he wants recognition for doing it.

For what Drew Brees has done on, but more importantly, off the field he should be rewarded in this contract.  In my opinion there shouldn't even be a negotiation.  The Saints should simply ask him what he wants and give it to him.  He is the second best QB in the league, one of the best of all time, and one of the few people in the league that deserves to be overpaid.  Make Brees happy or suffer from the consequences of being a joke yet again within the NFL.

Braun Right to Be Cleared

When it comes to baseball and steroids I have been of the attitude that it is what it is and it was what it was.  The game was dirty a decade ago and now, for the most part, it is clean.  We have had several years of players putting up great numbers without the cloud of steroids hanging over them.  Then Ryan Braun, MVP of the National League, tested positive for performance enhancing drugs at the end of the season and was suspended for 50 games.  Over the last day we have found that Braun's suspension has been lifted and his positive test has been thrown out.

When Braun was initially suspended it was due to to much testosterone showing up in his urine test.  It was the first test he had failed in his 7 year career.  As soon as the story was leaked to ESPN Braun went on the offensive.  He claimed that he had never taken anything that could have sparked a positive test.  His denial of wrong doing had little impact on the shelling he took from reporters, analyst, and fans.  MLB's testing had a reputation of never being wrong so it was simple to call Braun a liar.  Then today we found out how hew was able to save the first third of his season, his reputation, and possibly his career.

MLB's drug testing is the best of any professional sports league.  They are able to test for all drugs and they manage to stay on top of the newer hard to detect drugs.  However, in this case none of that matters.  Braun's urine sample was mishandled for the better part of 2 days.  His sample was given to a handler that then took it to a personal residence instead of immediately to a FedEx store.  That information alone should have resulted in a retest, but MLB ran their test and cast Braun as a cheater instead.

The process that MLB uses to test its' players was flawed in this case and MLB has no one to blame but themselves for their embarrassment.  Braun was right to appeal the suspension and the validity of the the test.  The urine sample spent 2 days unsupervised in the home of guy who had specific instructions to drop it off at the closest FedEx store and instead passed 12 location on his way back to his place.  That sounds weird to me and it definitely calls into question whether the sample was tampered with or not.  Why else would someone kidnap urine for 2 days?

I don't care if the sample was tampered with or not.  MLB never should have suspended Braun once they found that the sample taken had been mishandled for 2 days.  Their test's reputation is on the line every time they are administered and an event like this can kill its reputation.  This wasn't a "technicality".  A sample must be handled properly during all phases of the the testing process and if it isn't then it should be redone.  MLB can try and fight this all they want, but in the end it is their fault that they look foolish.  Braun was cleared for the right reasons and now it is up to him to make sure that the rest of his test are clean, like all the others he has taken.

Tiger Woods Not Far From Back

This weekend I watched Tiger woods surge to the top of the leader board at the AT&T Pro/Am at Pebble Beach only to fall short on the final day.  It was a sight that was eerily similar to the last tournament that Tiger played in in which he played well for the first 3 days and had a sub-par Sunday.  Unlike most who saw this weeks tournament, I see the performance by Woods as a step in the right direction.

Last season I saw Woods struggle to put 1 good round of golf together let alone be in contention on the last day of a tournament.  He was dealing with physical problems, mental problems, and family problems.  His private life was being thrown out into the public and his family was dissolving.  He was dealing with a knee injury and rehab for most of the year.  All of that mess lead to the fragile psyche that we saw last year and is still evident on Sundays this year.  The good news is that 75% of his mental toughness has returned.

Physically Tiger has been looking very good on the course so far this year.  He is hitting fairways and greens on a regular basis.  He came out a few weeks ago and said that he is finally back to a place where he can train instead of just rehab.  He is capable of putting in the work that made him the best in the world and once he gets comfortable with his game, it will be fun to watch him on Sundays again.  The question now is how long will it take?

Woods seems to be getting better every week, but the fact is he will probably never be as dominant as he was.  That has more to do with the talented golfers in the game today than Tiger's diminished skills.  Honestly, I'm not sure Tiger's skills have diminished.  We haven't seem him at 100% in last 2-3 years so if he is healthy, then he could be just as good as he was.  What is lost from Tiger's game is the mystique that surrounded him.  He no longer holds that mental edge over other players since they have seen him as an average golfer.  It was that feeling that you couldn't beat him that actually made him unbeatable for at least a decade and though he can still win without that, it might prove to be more difficult.

Tiger will win a tournament this year, probably more than 1.  His game is progressing and with the added time he will put in training I believe that he will get to a point where he is in contention on a regular basis.  The more success he has the better his game will get and if he can continue to put 3 solid rounds together in the next few tournaments then he will get the all important 4th to show up as well.

Giant Contribution

Last night the New York Giants won their second Super Bowl in 4 years and did it by, again, beating the New England Patriots.  It was an exciting game that ended a very exciting season for all fans but especially Giants' fans.  Looking back at the season it is easy to say that Eli Manning stepped into the role or leader and commander of the offense so well as to be named the MVP of the team, however, it is the contributions made by another player that I feel lead to the Giants appearance in the post season and ultimately the Super Bowl.

Chase Blackburn had been a New York Giant backup linebacker and special teams star for several years.  Blackburn was released before the start of the season this year.  Why?  I have no idea, but he was and the Giants went through a large part of the season without him.  After suffering a massive number of injuries on defense and experimenting with different combinations of players to try and find a way to improve a squad that was ranking near the bottom of the league in defense, the Giants needed to look towards an old friend.

Blackburn was asked back to the team in the first week of December to be the starting middle linebacker.  He made his presence felt in his first game back by racking up 7 tackles and intercepting a pass from Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers.  With Chase back on the field the Giants went 7-2 and the their ability to stop the run was greatly improved.  He was always around the ball and the energy he brought to the defensive side of the ball appeared to be contagious.

In the post season Blackburn was steady in his play and critical in the Giants victories against the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers.  Both teams were at the top of the league in rushing offense and, though the 49ers ran for 150 yards, both teams were kept in check and weren't allowed to dominate the games with their ability to rush the ball.  Blackburn's 16 tackles in those 2 games were a big part of helping the Giants get the opposing team off the field without scoring a lot of points.

In the Super Bowl, Blackburn was exposed in the passing game against the Patriots tight ends, but he managed to have a big impact in the game.  On a 1st down play in the second half, Tom Brady was scrambling and spotted Rob Grankowski deep down the field.  Blackburn was in coverage on Grankowski and allowed the tight end to slip behind him.  Brady threw the ball at Grankowski, but left the ball just a little short.  Blackburn was able to recover from his earlier mistake and locate the ball in the air and come down with an impressive interception.  The Giants would end up scoring points on the possession gained from take away.

While Manning had the best year of his career and was no doubt the teams MVP.  Chase Blackburn's contribution during his shortened season where equally as significant and his presence was definitely felt on the defensive side of the ball.  From the time he was injected into the lineup the defense performed better and appeared to have found the leadership outside the defensive line that it was looking for most of the season.  Eli was the MVP, but I think Chase was the catalyst.

Pro Bowl Weekend

A few years ago i came up with an idea to make the NFL Pro Bowl a better draw for the league.  My plan was to move the game from the week after the Super Bowl to the week before.  That way the week before the big game would be filled and there would still be interest in seeing the best in the game play.  The NFL then adopted my method and nothing has changed.  So now I have a new plan.  Scrap the game entirely, but let the weekend go on.

The problem with the Pro Bowl is that it is the dullest game of the year.  QB's are throwing to guys that they never throw to.  Most of the players are running plays that they never ran.  They have one week to prepare for the game, but it doesn't count for anything so the intensity of the preparation is lacking.  Defenses aren't allowed to blitz and there is an unwritten rule to not hit anyone to hard.  So, we are treated to lots of missed plays, blown assignments and unexciting football.  Why bother?  The players are honored for being selected but unless it is their first time they really don't want to play another game.  My solution, don't play the game anymore.

The Pro Bowl should turn into All-Pro Weekend.  The NFL treats the the best in the league to 3 or 4 days in Hawaii and treats us to fun competitions that aren't a football game.  I love things like the QB challenge, lineman challenges, and anything along those lines.  Put microphones on all the players and have them compete against each other in skill competitions.  The banter between players and commentators if fun, the skills shown off are impressive and the events as a whole are entertaining.  Sounds to me like a win/win situation.

The Pro Bowl, as it stands, sucks.  The league knows it sucks, the players know it sucks, and the fans know it sucks.  I feel the league should let it go by the wayside and reward the players with a trip to Hawaii and us to entertaining competition.  Let the players personalities and skills show without boring us to tears with a bad football game.  I'm going to go see a movie this weekend instead of watching the Pro Bowl.  It might be the same with the competitions, but I would at least DVR those.

College Football Looses a Legend

As a football fan that grew up in New Jersey, I loved Penn State football.  I loved how they produced linebackers, how they were always in the mix for conference and national championships, how you never heard about major recruiting violations or a slue of arrest on that campus.  The thing I loved most was Joe Paterno and the loyalty that he showed to the Penn State.

Joe Paterno coached at Penn State for over 60 years.  He owns the record for most years coaching at one institution and it is a record that will never come close to being broken.  During his time as the head coach of Penn State, Paterno has won 2 National Championships and produced countless NFL players.  He preached to young men how to live their lives better and be better people.  He stood up for doing the right thing when college football started to become corrupt and continued that standard up until his last day as the head coach of the Nittany Lions.

Joe Paterno had opportunities to go to the NFL and try his hat at the pro level.  He never took those opportunities and there were 2 reasons why.  First, he has said that he didn't want to leave college football to the Barry Switzers and Jimmy Johnsons of the world.  He felt that coaches needed to set an example for their players and when he saw the up and coming coaches and the way that their programs made the news it upset him and he wanted to make sure that their was always one man dedicated to doing things the right way.  His second reason for staying was his love for Penn State and his players.  You can't stay in one place for 60 years without being in love with it and it loving you back.  The relationship that Joe Paterno had with that campus and that community will never be seen again in college athletics and possibly anywhere ever again.  It is a relationship that I can't understand because I was never a part of it, but like so many others I wish I were.

After 60 years of dedication to Penn State Paterno was fired in the midst of a cover-up scandal that involved  Jerry Sandusky and accusation of child molestation.  Joe Paterno had reported the incident to his superiors and trusted them to handle the situation properly.  That is where Paterno left it and that is ultimately why he was fired unceremoniously.  He expressed remorse for not doing more at the time, but Paterno did testify to a grand jury in order to help investigators with their case.  Paterno didn't do anything wrong.  He followed protocols that were set up by Penn State and the state of Pennsylvania and unfortunately his superiors dropped the ball.  I, like many others, feel that Joe Paterno was wrongly fired and not shown the loyalty or respect from the university that he had shown them for more than 60 years.

Joe Paterno died this weekend due to complications from lung cancer.  He was diagnosed with cancer almost immediately after his firing.  He said once, after being asked why he didn't want to retire, that he was afraid he would end up like Bear Bryant.  He was afraid that not coaching would kill him by not giving him something to live for.  Well, only a few months after leaving coaching Joe Paterno has left this life and I hope that his death will help people remember all the things he did to make the world a better place.  Remember the charitable contributions, the library he built for Penn State, the respect he showed for others, and stories that anyone that was lucky enough to know him have shared.  The likes of Joe Paterno will never be seen in athletics ever again.  Thank you Mr. Paterno for all you did and the role model you were and your legacy can continue to be.

Nuggets Prove Teams Win in NBA

With the Broncos season being over it is now time in Denver to turn our thoughts to basketball.  Last season was filled with drama and fairly high expectations considering the fact that Melo wasn't expected to last the season here.  Throughout the season the Nuggets performed well but it wasn't until after they unloaded Melo that the team really had a chance to gel and show what they would be like in the post diva era.  Well, an offseason later and the Nuggets have found their identity and looking to make a big splash in the West.

With Anthony as the star of the Nuggets we grew accustomed to some fairly impressive offensive showings and very little to cheer about when it comes to defensive efforts.  We were treated to a lot of one on one situations and clear outs which, though exciting on some level, have nothing to do with a team game.  That presence no longer looms over the Pepsi Center or this team.  George Carl has transformed what was a one man show into a collective team effort and the Nuggets seem to be on the right path to another playoff birth.

There are 7 players that are averaging over 20 minutes of playing time a game.  Of those 7 players only 2 aren't averaging 10 or more points per game.  I know that isn't a daunting stat since most teams in the NBA have 5 players in double digit points per game, but accompanied with the depth that the Nuggets have it is a dangerous combination.  The Nuggets bench scores 54 points per game, 4 points more than the starting 5.  That kind of production makes it hard for teams to defend them because it doesn't matter who is on the court, the Nuggets are going to score points.

The other thing that makes the Nuggets so dangerous is there unselfish play.  Denver leads the league in assist and that has contributed a great deal to their 104 points per game (2nd in the NBA).  When you have a team that buys into the coaches plan and buys into each other then you have a team that can play with anyone.  I know that Denver still has some issues to work out.  Their defense ranks among the worst in the league and they same goes for their rebounding, but I see a team that will continue to get better in those areas and potentially get better on offense as well.

The NBA lockout really left a bitter taste in my mouth.  I didn't want to watch any of these spoiled athletes at all this season because the fans were being punished for the crimes of others.  If I had to watch a typical NBA team in my local market then I probably would still feel that way.  Instead I am treated to the team effort of the Denver Nuggets and have a team that I can get behind.  The Nuggets are dangerous with their style of play and I hope that they can continue to improve and show the world that you don't need an overpaid "superstar" in order to win a championship.

Why a Lower Standard?

All season long you have read my articles, either here or at StateoftheSport.com, in which I question the effectiveness of Tim Tebow as a QB in the NFL.  I wrote those articles in the hope that people would learn to look past the hype and see the reality.  The reality is that he isn't very good.  Actually, he is the worst in the league.  I say this not from a position of hatred towards the man but hatred towards the overblown coverage and praise for what is less than average play.

I am not blind to the fact that the Broncos won 7 games while Tebow was the QB.  I watched most of those games and have to say that it was painful doing so.  I watched an offense go from scoring over 20 points a game to barely being able to break into the teens in most games.  The offense was terrible after the switch yet the Broncos won 6 games in a row and 7 games in total.  Tebow was deemed the reason for the turn around and since then I haven't been able to listen to sports radio because it is just infuriating.

When it comes to Tim Tebow all the supporters can talk about are his intangibles and the fact that "he wins games."  The reason that people talk about his intangibles is because every bit of tangible evidence that he has provided as a pro would have seen him bench after 2-3 weeks.  So, lets look at the tangibles that Tebow brings to the table.  In his 11 games as a starter he is passing for 124 yards per game, averages 11 completions per game, and 3 sacks per game.  He doesn't rank higher than 28th in any category and he ranks dead last in completion percentage (just over 46%) and yards per game.  I'm glad he has great intangibles because the work he has done on the field is measurably poor.

Now, the statement that he wins games must be looked at based on performances that can be duplicated and will win most games.  If Tim Tebow is the starter in Denver for the foreseeable future, what have we seen from him that leads us to believe that he can lead a winning team?  The fact that the team has 4 overtime wins, the last minutes "heroics" to win games in regulation?  If he didn't play poorly for the first 3 quarters then the "heroics" wouldn't be needed and maybe those 4 games that went into overtime would have been settled in regulation.  To this point, though, I haven't seen any substantial improvements that you can say prove he will be effective as a starter in the NFL.

So, If Tim Tebow is rated lower than at least 28 other QB's in this league in every category then why are the people in Denver and around the country sold on him being the QB of the future?  Why is the standard of play that is acceptable for a starter lowered for this man?  He doesn't work any harder than any other top quality player does, he doesn't have a greater will to win than a Manning or Brees, and he has proven that he can't produce anywhere near the same level as even average QB's.  Maybe the standard in Denver needs to be just a little bit higher and find a guy that can be talked about tangibly.

Giant Win

Today I watched the New York Giants beat the Atlanta Falcons at home in a blow out.  It was the first home win in the playoffs since 2000 and it was pulled off in impressive fashion.  The Giants ran, passed and played defense like they hadn't in long time.  Their play today sparked memories of the team that made a playoff run to the Super Bowl and upset the New England Patriots.  It is amazing what this team can do when it is healthy.

Ever since the preseason the Giants have been devastated by injuries.  They lost all but 2 of their starting defensive backfield, their starting middle linebacker and the defensive line hasn't been complete all season.  The defensive backfield is still in shambles but they have had an entire season to learn how to play with each other.  They have found ways to create turnovers and don't give up big plays very often.  The middle linebacker position has been filled recently by Chase Blackburn, a former Giant that was resigned and made an immediate impact and solidified the linebacking core.  For the first time all season, it feels like, the defensive line is a full strength.  Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck appear to be healthy and have been getting after the QB like years past.  That coupled with Jason Pierre-Paul's emergence as an elite player is making this defensive line look even better than the one that won a Super Bowl a few years ago.

Health is also the main reason that the Giants offense is clicking on all cylinders right now as well.  Through the season, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs have dealt with several injuries each.  For the most part the were rarely played together this season.  That plus new faces and frequent injuries on the offensive line caused the Giants to have the worst rushing attack in the NFL.  Now the offensive line is stable and the Backs are as healthy as they have been all season long and Brandon Jacobs is running like he was when the Giants won the Super Bowl.

There is one thing about the Giants that isn't looking like it did when they won the Super Bowl.  That would be the play of Eli Manning.  Before the season he was asked if he considered himself an elite QB in the NFL and he answered the only way that a starting QB should, with a yes.  He received quite a bit of criticism for those comments, but throughout the season he has proven to be one of the elite in the game.  He is playing better than he ever has and he is doing it without his 2 favorite targets from the last few seasons.  Victor Cruz has become the big play receiver for Manning and he has come a long way in just his first season as a starter. 

With all the pieces falling into place at the right time I am not reminded of the Super Bowl team of a few years ago.  I see a better team that is finally clicking and capable of beating any team left in the playoffs.  As long as the Giants can rush the passer with just 4 defensive linemen and can rush for over 100 yards a game then this team will be hard to beat.