Showing posts with label ken griffey jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ken griffey jr.. Show all posts
Good Tuesday to you, as the Mariners head into full crisis mode with their aging legend Ken Griffey, Jr. Next on the schedule is Baltimore, meaning I've got a train ride to take, at least on Thursday, but may tomorrow instead. Need to check the pitching matchups.
For those that missed the story, apparently over the weekend, when the M's were in need of a pinch hitter, the notorious clubhouse sleeper was doing just that, taking a nap in the locker room during the seventh inning. This story obviously blew up, with the main question being asked, "why did he play the next day?" Well, this isn't high school folks. A 40-year old isn't being "rewarded" with playing time. He's Ken Griffey Jr. When it's his time to be in the lineup, he'll be in the lineup. Also, it isn't like it requires a whole lot to wake someone up and tell them to get ready to hit. Count me as one of the people that thinks the sleeping thing is being blown way out of proportion, especially when you need not look past his batting average to find criticism for the guy.
Anyway, like I said (or Jerry Brewer did), it's crisis mode, which is saying something when you are coming off of a win and heading to play a team you swept earlier this season. Come talk to me on Friday.
But before you do, read this. M's beat writer Geoff Baker has some fun with the whole situation.
--
Nothing important happened yesterday, really. Only the first female Solicitor General and first female Dean of Harvard Law School (also, one of the most well-liked in the school's history), was named as the President Barack Obama's second nominee to the Supreme Court.
Both of the nominees have been women and both different in their own way. Justice Sonia Sotomeyor was the first Latina to be nominated. Elena Kagan, the longtime front runner for this nomination, is the first nominee in nearly 40 years with no experience as a judge. All she's done is blaze trails her whole life, working for Thurgood Marshall, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, before becoming the nation's leading lawyer, arguing cases in front of...wait for it...the Supreme Court.
Here is a look at how the confirmation could play out:
Alright, somehow, after posting this, I lost a significant amount of it. Just disappeared. So, I'll add this video. There was some stuff in there about oil, but surely I'll come back to it.
[More]
For those that missed the story, apparently over the weekend, when the M's were in need of a pinch hitter, the notorious clubhouse sleeper was doing just that, taking a nap in the locker room during the seventh inning. This story obviously blew up, with the main question being asked, "why did he play the next day?" Well, this isn't high school folks. A 40-year old isn't being "rewarded" with playing time. He's Ken Griffey Jr. When it's his time to be in the lineup, he'll be in the lineup. Also, it isn't like it requires a whole lot to wake someone up and tell them to get ready to hit. Count me as one of the people that thinks the sleeping thing is being blown way out of proportion, especially when you need not look past his batting average to find criticism for the guy.
Anyway, like I said (or Jerry Brewer did), it's crisis mode, which is saying something when you are coming off of a win and heading to play a team you swept earlier this season. Come talk to me on Friday.
But before you do, read this. M's beat writer Geoff Baker has some fun with the whole situation.
--
Nothing important happened yesterday, really. Only the first female Solicitor General and first female Dean of Harvard Law School (also, one of the most well-liked in the school's history), was named as the President Barack Obama's second nominee to the Supreme Court.
Both of the nominees have been women and both different in their own way. Justice Sonia Sotomeyor was the first Latina to be nominated. Elena Kagan, the longtime front runner for this nomination, is the first nominee in nearly 40 years with no experience as a judge. All she's done is blaze trails her whole life, working for Thurgood Marshall, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, before becoming the nation's leading lawyer, arguing cases in front of...wait for it...the Supreme Court.
Here is a look at how the confirmation could play out:
Elena Kagan will be confirmed with 65 votes -- 3 fewer than Justice Sotomayor, and 4 more than Kagan got for solicitor general last year. Here’s the math, from someone smarter than us (we welcome your quibbles/rebuttals): For solicitor general, Kagan got 61 ayes and 31 nays. Safe to assume if you were one of the 31 Republicans voting nay then, you can't vote aye this time? Probably. Of the 61 ayes, seven were Republicans: Collins, Snowe, Gregg, Hatch, Kyl, Lugar and Coburn. After conservatives flexed their muscles in Utah last weekend (the Bennett effect), it’s hard to see Coburn, Hatch or Kyl voting for her this time. So that would theoretically put her at 58. But Specter voted no, and could now be expected to vote yes. So that’s 59. Four Democrats missed the vote. Of these, Boxer, Klobuchar, and Murray would be yes votes. So that’s 62. The fourth missing Democrat was Kennedy. His successor, Brown, might be gettable. (Is the Massachusetts senator really going to vote against the Harvard Law dean?) So that’d be 63. And Franken was not seated yet last time, but would be a yes now. So 64. Three Republicans did not vote: Cochran, Ensign and Graham. Of these, Graham is gettable, but it would be tough to envision either of the other two Republicans voting for her. So that puts her at 65. That's with every Democrat (including Ben Nelson) voting yes, as well as the two Maine-iacs, Scott Brown, Judd Gregg, Lugar and Graham.
Alright, somehow, after posting this, I lost a significant amount of it. Just disappeared. So, I'll add this video. There was some stuff in there about oil, but surely I'll come back to it.
San Francisco's Tim Lincecum (Seattle native and Husky product) got the start in the Cactus League opener against the Mariners today. But it wasn't getting roughed up in the first inning that he'll remember about this day.
Check out what happened to Tim as he was doing his post-game media. Here is the audio of what happened, then see his reaction right after, courtesy of Geoff Baker's blog:
[More]
Check out what happened to Tim as he was doing his post-game media. Here is the audio of what happened, then see his reaction right after, courtesy of Geoff Baker's blog:
Alright, so the title of this post does not scream, "I'm going to talk about Senate majority leader Harry Reid and his apparent forays into racism." Well, that's because I'm not. Trust me, I was just as excited to write about as you probably were to read about it. Admit it. Okay, okay, maybe I overstated.
Anyway, the nice thing about the 24-hour news cycle and media today is that Reid isn't going anywhere. Stories stick around considerably longer in politics than they do in, say, sports. Which is today's topic.
Because I am from Seattle. And that is where now former USC football coach Pete Carroll is headed.
In case you haven't heard, after nine years in Los Angeles, Pete Carroll has taken the Seattle Seahawks head coaching job. Most of the best information from the NFL side can be found on Danny O'Neil's blog. He's updating like it's his job or something.
Carroll has been given the title of head coach and vice president of football operations. It's this thing in the NFL that general managers mean nothing. Coaches do it all these days. Often to their detriment. But that's another post.
While the hiring of Carroll has caused some raised eyebrows, mostly of the confused sort, there is no debating the man's resume over the last 10 years. Sure, he wasn't great as an NFL coach in the 90's, but coaches get better. And the word "arguably" is not necessary here. Pete Carroll was the best coach, in any sport, in the 2000's. Period.
Consider the numbers: 97 wins. Remove his first and last seasons at USC and he was 85-9. He won four Rose Bowls, seven straight Pac-10 titles and two national championships. This was the most dominant stretch of football the Pac-10 has ever seen. During one three-season span from 2003-05, the team went 37-2, won the two titles and lost in a third. You tell me who's been better.
And, the fact is, the Seahawks haven't been winning, as was so gracefully pointed out by CEO Todd Leiweke: ""We won nine games the last two years and with all due respect, four of those were to the St. Louis Rams," Leiweke said, "And that's not acceptable to our fans, it's not acceptable to Mr. Allen, and it certainly isn't acceptable to me."
The obvious answer; hire the winningest coach available. Interestingly, it appears the team went after Tony Dungy to be president of football operations at one point, a job that most certainly would have been his if he had said yes. It appears it wasn't to be head coach, however, meaning the team still could've gone after Carroll. That would have been a very interesting dynamic, but one that I think may have worked given the level of respect everyone in this game has for Dungy, the first black head coach to win a SuperBowl and a known mentor to many players.
On the other side of this token is Jim Mora, the hometown guy who just couldn't win enough football games to keep his job. Mora really believed he was sticking around and really was given no reason not to. But, wins are what matters in college football and he didn't get enough of those apparently. The 'Hawks really cleaned house, GM and coach, and are starting anew, with a new face of the franchise.
Speaking of that face, Mr. Carroll might be getting some mud on it before he even starts his tenure in Seattle. Many speculated that the NCAA would come down on USC with sanctions sometime this spring. Now, I am not one of those. I thought that as long as Carroll was coaching the Trojans, they would continue to skirt sanctions. Having an historic power like the Trojans in a media market like L.A., winning football games like I mentioned, well, let's just say that NCAA was in no hurry to cut off that money flow. And yesterday the big office wasted little time making an announcement about its investigation.
This is not a side story. I'm not sure it speaks to Carroll's character either, however. Many say, "this stuff happens everywhere." Sort of. Some of the stuff, not so much. But what it really speaks to is how ridiculously profitable college athletics has become, yet the most important parts, the players, get nothing. Oh, a free education. Which shouldn't be taken lightly. But it is. Come on. Taylor Mays didn't go to USC to get an education. He went to win championships (which he didn't do).
While there is the argument that it is the player's responsibility to make the best of their situation, and there is some truth to that, football comes first, always. And when you're as good as USC, football is it. To his credit, Carroll sent players to the NFL at a much higher rate than most programs, meaning less of his players stepped away from the game with nothing. But some probably did and that is the business that this sport is today. However, if that means giving players a few bucks or finding a booster to help them out, I'm looking past it. It reminds me of the story from the ESPN 30-for-30 about Miami in the '80's. The white quarterback, from a well off family, saw a few of his teammates walking out of the dorms with paper bags and ski masks. "Where are y'all going?" "To get some car stereos." They had to eat. Yes, when you take your kids from Compton and Shreveport, it's that bad.
There were, however, some other things going on to be sure.
Where this leaves USC, easily college football's most glamorous program, is a complete unknown. One ESPN writer calls it a "crossroads" while another basically calls Carroll a quitter. The recruiting fallout could be widespread, or it could be very little. If any school benefits from this, it is the one led by master recruiter Rick Neuheisal, UCLA.
Whatever happens, whatever the fallout or sanctions or anything else, rest assured of one thing: Pete Carroll will be spared. Because in college athletics it only works one way: coaches are paid lavishly, players are punished no matter whether they were there or not.
Welcome to Seattle, Pete. Just know it isn't Southern California, the school or the region.
---
Other sports news:
For those of you who used to care about baseball back in the day, you may have heard that Mark McGwire admitted to steroid use yesterday. I link Geoff Baker's blog for a reason, instead of some news story about it. I've decided Baker is exactly what is wrong with Hall of Fame voters.
Here's the deal: the Baseball Hall of Fame, or any HOF for that matter, is not the Hall of the Guys that Played the Game Cleanest and Didn't Cheat on Their Wives or Gamble or Kill Someone. You know how I know this? Ty Cobb is in it. In the inaugural HOF ballot, Cobb received a whopping 222 out of 226 votes. Obviously, Cobb's baseball numbers speak for themselves. He was the greatest player of the deadball era, albeit the dirtiest as well. He was also extremely racist and violent. He once stabbed a black man. His temperament is well-documented, in movies such as Cobb and Field of Dreams, where he is mentioned in passing not being well-liked. Yet Cobb is one of the best players in baseball history. Period. Which is why he is in the Hall of Fame.
You know who else is one of the best? Pete Rose. Sure he gambled. He still has over 4,000 hits. Did his gambling make him a worse player? Who knows. If it did then it is even more amazing to look at just how good he was. Rose was a more modern day Cobb. A hard-nosed, sometimes dirty player, that was one of the best of his time.
Finally, to McGwire. And Barry Bonds. And Alex Rodriguez. And many others. No asterisk is needed. People will not ever forget that this was the steroids era. No one will ever forget McGwire, HOF or not. Same with Rose. Same with A-Rod and Bonds. The precious HOF will simply lose some credibility because, well, it doesn't include three of the greatest players of all time. Never was there a more feared power hitter than McGwire, until Bonds. He completely changed the way you pitched to that lineup. He hit more homeruns in a season than any other, before Bonds.
If you're argument is that his career numbers weren't good enough, then fine. But don't you dare say that steroids are the reason Mark McGwire should not be in the HOF. The HOF is not about judging character, it is about judging statistics. If baseball didn't catch him cheating while he was putting up those numbers, then that is there fault. But you know what, maybe these guys, especially the veterans committee, forgot what it was like when they played. Think guys didn't take pills in the '80's? Mickey Mantle is in the HOF, yet his transgressions are legendary. And did they forget that cheating is part of baseball? I've stolen more signs in my time as a player and a coach than probably anything else I did. Oh, but that is "just part of the game." Well, I've got news for you, so were steroids. One guy didn't do this. Huge numbers of guys did. And it wasn't just hitters either. It was part of the game. And these guys were the best at what they did, when they did it. That's what matters here. Not their drug choices.
Which leads me to Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey, Jr. Neither (at least we don't think) did steroids. You might recall that Martinez said he had no idea anyone in the M's locker room was doing them, a bold statement considering they were apparently all over the place in there. I firmly believe that, had Griffey never been injured, he would have 800 homeruns right now. Already. He'd be the greatest player in the history of baseball - at least until Albert Pujols is done obliterating the record books. What happens when his name hits the ballot? First ballot HOFer? Even though it is possible that he took steroids? No one thinks he did, but let's not be naive about this, he played in this era. He had a ton of power. No he didn't look like the Incredible Hulk, but he sure hit a lot of homeruns. More than 600 to date. Where do we draw the line here?
And Edgar. Steroids aren't the question here, but I think the points overlap. Martinez didn't get in the hall this year for one reason: he spent the majority of his career as a DH. How do you punish a guy just because he did his job better than anyone else ever has? People don't forget that he was a DH. On his plaque in Cooperstown it will say he was a DH. What is the Hall protecting itself from? The Designated Hitter of the Year award is named after him for goodness sakes. Isn't that what the HOF is supposed to be about? Recognizing the players who were the best at what they did, when they did it? Not only does Martinez fit that profile, but he was the best at that job, ever.
A person should not be punished for doing their job. Nor should he be compared to someone who "couldn't be a DH because he played in the national league," as Baker said in an earlier post. Free agency existed. They passed on it. Apples and oranges can't be compared.
Nor does that matter. The HOF should be for the best. Not the best that people like a lot. Thanks, Ty Cobb.
Later y'all.
[More]
Anyway, the nice thing about the 24-hour news cycle and media today is that Reid isn't going anywhere. Stories stick around considerably longer in politics than they do in, say, sports. Which is today's topic.
Because I am from Seattle. And that is where now former USC football coach Pete Carroll is headed.
In case you haven't heard, after nine years in Los Angeles, Pete Carroll has taken the Seattle Seahawks head coaching job. Most of the best information from the NFL side can be found on Danny O'Neil's blog. He's updating like it's his job or something.
Carroll has been given the title of head coach and vice president of football operations. It's this thing in the NFL that general managers mean nothing. Coaches do it all these days. Often to their detriment. But that's another post.
While the hiring of Carroll has caused some raised eyebrows, mostly of the confused sort, there is no debating the man's resume over the last 10 years. Sure, he wasn't great as an NFL coach in the 90's, but coaches get better. And the word "arguably" is not necessary here. Pete Carroll was the best coach, in any sport, in the 2000's. Period.
Consider the numbers: 97 wins. Remove his first and last seasons at USC and he was 85-9. He won four Rose Bowls, seven straight Pac-10 titles and two national championships. This was the most dominant stretch of football the Pac-10 has ever seen. During one three-season span from 2003-05, the team went 37-2, won the two titles and lost in a third. You tell me who's been better.
And, the fact is, the Seahawks haven't been winning, as was so gracefully pointed out by CEO Todd Leiweke: ""We won nine games the last two years and with all due respect, four of those were to the St. Louis Rams," Leiweke said, "And that's not acceptable to our fans, it's not acceptable to Mr. Allen, and it certainly isn't acceptable to me."
The obvious answer; hire the winningest coach available. Interestingly, it appears the team went after Tony Dungy to be president of football operations at one point, a job that most certainly would have been his if he had said yes. It appears it wasn't to be head coach, however, meaning the team still could've gone after Carroll. That would have been a very interesting dynamic, but one that I think may have worked given the level of respect everyone in this game has for Dungy, the first black head coach to win a SuperBowl and a known mentor to many players.
On the other side of this token is Jim Mora, the hometown guy who just couldn't win enough football games to keep his job. Mora really believed he was sticking around and really was given no reason not to. But, wins are what matters in college football and he didn't get enough of those apparently. The 'Hawks really cleaned house, GM and coach, and are starting anew, with a new face of the franchise.
Speaking of that face, Mr. Carroll might be getting some mud on it before he even starts his tenure in Seattle. Many speculated that the NCAA would come down on USC with sanctions sometime this spring. Now, I am not one of those. I thought that as long as Carroll was coaching the Trojans, they would continue to skirt sanctions. Having an historic power like the Trojans in a media market like L.A., winning football games like I mentioned, well, let's just say that NCAA was in no hurry to cut off that money flow. And yesterday the big office wasted little time making an announcement about its investigation.
This is not a side story. I'm not sure it speaks to Carroll's character either, however. Many say, "this stuff happens everywhere." Sort of. Some of the stuff, not so much. But what it really speaks to is how ridiculously profitable college athletics has become, yet the most important parts, the players, get nothing. Oh, a free education. Which shouldn't be taken lightly. But it is. Come on. Taylor Mays didn't go to USC to get an education. He went to win championships (which he didn't do).
While there is the argument that it is the player's responsibility to make the best of their situation, and there is some truth to that, football comes first, always. And when you're as good as USC, football is it. To his credit, Carroll sent players to the NFL at a much higher rate than most programs, meaning less of his players stepped away from the game with nothing. But some probably did and that is the business that this sport is today. However, if that means giving players a few bucks or finding a booster to help them out, I'm looking past it. It reminds me of the story from the ESPN 30-for-30 about Miami in the '80's. The white quarterback, from a well off family, saw a few of his teammates walking out of the dorms with paper bags and ski masks. "Where are y'all going?" "To get some car stereos." They had to eat. Yes, when you take your kids from Compton and Shreveport, it's that bad.
There were, however, some other things going on to be sure.
Where this leaves USC, easily college football's most glamorous program, is a complete unknown. One ESPN writer calls it a "crossroads" while another basically calls Carroll a quitter. The recruiting fallout could be widespread, or it could be very little. If any school benefits from this, it is the one led by master recruiter Rick Neuheisal, UCLA.
Whatever happens, whatever the fallout or sanctions or anything else, rest assured of one thing: Pete Carroll will be spared. Because in college athletics it only works one way: coaches are paid lavishly, players are punished no matter whether they were there or not.
Welcome to Seattle, Pete. Just know it isn't Southern California, the school or the region.
---
Other sports news:
For those of you who used to care about baseball back in the day, you may have heard that Mark McGwire admitted to steroid use yesterday. I link Geoff Baker's blog for a reason, instead of some news story about it. I've decided Baker is exactly what is wrong with Hall of Fame voters.
Here's the deal: the Baseball Hall of Fame, or any HOF for that matter, is not the Hall of the Guys that Played the Game Cleanest and Didn't Cheat on Their Wives or Gamble or Kill Someone. You know how I know this? Ty Cobb is in it. In the inaugural HOF ballot, Cobb received a whopping 222 out of 226 votes. Obviously, Cobb's baseball numbers speak for themselves. He was the greatest player of the deadball era, albeit the dirtiest as well. He was also extremely racist and violent. He once stabbed a black man. His temperament is well-documented, in movies such as Cobb and Field of Dreams, where he is mentioned in passing not being well-liked. Yet Cobb is one of the best players in baseball history. Period. Which is why he is in the Hall of Fame.
You know who else is one of the best? Pete Rose. Sure he gambled. He still has over 4,000 hits. Did his gambling make him a worse player? Who knows. If it did then it is even more amazing to look at just how good he was. Rose was a more modern day Cobb. A hard-nosed, sometimes dirty player, that was one of the best of his time.
Finally, to McGwire. And Barry Bonds. And Alex Rodriguez. And many others. No asterisk is needed. People will not ever forget that this was the steroids era. No one will ever forget McGwire, HOF or not. Same with Rose. Same with A-Rod and Bonds. The precious HOF will simply lose some credibility because, well, it doesn't include three of the greatest players of all time. Never was there a more feared power hitter than McGwire, until Bonds. He completely changed the way you pitched to that lineup. He hit more homeruns in a season than any other, before Bonds.
If you're argument is that his career numbers weren't good enough, then fine. But don't you dare say that steroids are the reason Mark McGwire should not be in the HOF. The HOF is not about judging character, it is about judging statistics. If baseball didn't catch him cheating while he was putting up those numbers, then that is there fault. But you know what, maybe these guys, especially the veterans committee, forgot what it was like when they played. Think guys didn't take pills in the '80's? Mickey Mantle is in the HOF, yet his transgressions are legendary. And did they forget that cheating is part of baseball? I've stolen more signs in my time as a player and a coach than probably anything else I did. Oh, but that is "just part of the game." Well, I've got news for you, so were steroids. One guy didn't do this. Huge numbers of guys did. And it wasn't just hitters either. It was part of the game. And these guys were the best at what they did, when they did it. That's what matters here. Not their drug choices.
Which leads me to Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey, Jr. Neither (at least we don't think) did steroids. You might recall that Martinez said he had no idea anyone in the M's locker room was doing them, a bold statement considering they were apparently all over the place in there. I firmly believe that, had Griffey never been injured, he would have 800 homeruns right now. Already. He'd be the greatest player in the history of baseball - at least until Albert Pujols is done obliterating the record books. What happens when his name hits the ballot? First ballot HOFer? Even though it is possible that he took steroids? No one thinks he did, but let's not be naive about this, he played in this era. He had a ton of power. No he didn't look like the Incredible Hulk, but he sure hit a lot of homeruns. More than 600 to date. Where do we draw the line here?
And Edgar. Steroids aren't the question here, but I think the points overlap. Martinez didn't get in the hall this year for one reason: he spent the majority of his career as a DH. How do you punish a guy just because he did his job better than anyone else ever has? People don't forget that he was a DH. On his plaque in Cooperstown it will say he was a DH. What is the Hall protecting itself from? The Designated Hitter of the Year award is named after him for goodness sakes. Isn't that what the HOF is supposed to be about? Recognizing the players who were the best at what they did, when they did it? Not only does Martinez fit that profile, but he was the best at that job, ever.
A person should not be punished for doing their job. Nor should he be compared to someone who "couldn't be a DH because he played in the national league," as Baker said in an earlier post. Free agency existed. They passed on it. Apples and oranges can't be compared.
Nor does that matter. The HOF should be for the best. Not the best that people like a lot. Thanks, Ty Cobb.
Later y'all.
Until College football season starts. Now see, you were looking for something more exciting. But really could be more exciting than this. That video is the best because Rondeau uses the word "scamper". Okay, so those were the glory days. This is the now:
You liked the gold endzones you say? They're back. And Steve Sarkisian just picked up a HUGE commitment out of California. Can that Skyline-Oaks Christian game on ESPNU get any bigger? By the way, awesome that he loves our classic dept. That was the dept that my Latin class, my last obstacle on the way to graduation, was in. Oh man, should've seen me when I got that final back...
More solid stuff from Bob Condotta's blog, actually by way of Percy Allen.
This story about the Pac-10's agreement with the Las Vegas bowl is interesting from the MWC side. You'll recall that the MWC was something like 5-1 against the Pac-10 last year, including BYU's 59-0 embarrassment of UCLA (couldn't resist, Rick). Anyway, the MWC is playing to receive an automatic bid to the BCS sometime in the next couple of years, as part of the four-year cycle. Obviously a twice-undefeated Utah team has proven its worthiness.
But, as I was saying, if you are hyped for football, how can you not be excited for this:
"There's no one that's gonna outwork us this year. You better get up early and go to bed late."
Can't get into SEC football? Don't worry. This year LSU travels to Seattle, ASU goes to Georgia and UCLA pays a visit to Neyland. You have to feel bad for Rick Neuheisal on this one. The Bruins first road trip is to Tennessee where they will lineup against a guy named Eric Berry. Never heard of him? That link is to his Heisman website. Also, he was the one in the video above making just about every defensive play, including flattening Knowshon Moreno at the end. Then UCLA ends it's season on the other side of town at the Coliseum where not only are they gonna get drilled by the SC, they will go up against another likely top-10 pick in Taylor Mays. And it very well could happen with a freshman quarterback on the field, that, wait for it, Neuheisal stole from UW (we're doin' alright though, some guy named Montana is coming...). Ouch.
In case you didn't notice, I am pretty hyped for football.
On other thing, for you Jim, on your argument about the SEC vs. Pac-10. Check out the stat about halfway down.
Couple other sports links:
The Rockies are making life pretty tough for San Fran. Seems like there is a wild finish everyday in the bigs.
Think Griffey wasn't a good pickup for the M's? I was there on opening day when he was announced. You couldn't hear the next three names the P.A. announcer said. And it seems like some young kid says stuff like this about him everyday. There are also his numbers, which, will some may argue the Mariners can't afford those as a DH, he projects to 20 homers and 60 RBI in limited playing time and for only $2 million. Given his presence and the fact that teams still pitch around him (he has 52 walks and has shown that he can still hit for some power), hard to argue that is a bad move. Not mention, come on, he's Ken Griffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey Junior. Get real.
ESPN makes fun of itself for all the coverage of the guy that won't retire.
I've actually given this story a lot of thought over the last 12 hours or so. People tend to not cut athletes any slack. Ever. "What do they have to be depressed about. Multimillionaires with everything that are just corrupt," and on and on. That is why I like one line in this column, "Beasley, a second-year forward, is only 20 -- he could be your son or mine..." Sometimes we forget that athletes are human beings. Constantly we tell our kids that, "money can't buy you happiness," yet we look at athletes and expect them to be perfect and content all the time. If you've been paying attention to the recent town hall forums where Congressman have been getting grilled by the public, imagine being an athlete. That is a daily thing for them. Watch the movie "61" where they talk about Roger Maris losing his hair from the stress. And drug addiction is very real. A lot of athletes come from homes with addicted parents or family members. This issues are human and they are serious, and Cote is right. Give the man credit for checking himself in. And don't blame the Heat for taking him because they did know. And now they are both protecting their multimillion dollar investment and the man. Give them credit too.
Finally, I'll have some more politically-minded stuff later today, I think. But I wanted to leave you with these ads, released today.
[More]
You liked the gold endzones you say? They're back. And Steve Sarkisian just picked up a HUGE commitment out of California. Can that Skyline-Oaks Christian game on ESPNU get any bigger? By the way, awesome that he loves our classic dept. That was the dept that my Latin class, my last obstacle on the way to graduation, was in. Oh man, should've seen me when I got that final back...
More solid stuff from Bob Condotta's blog, actually by way of Percy Allen.
This story about the Pac-10's agreement with the Las Vegas bowl is interesting from the MWC side. You'll recall that the MWC was something like 5-1 against the Pac-10 last year, including BYU's 59-0 embarrassment of UCLA (couldn't resist, Rick). Anyway, the MWC is playing to receive an automatic bid to the BCS sometime in the next couple of years, as part of the four-year cycle. Obviously a twice-undefeated Utah team has proven its worthiness.
But, as I was saying, if you are hyped for football, how can you not be excited for this:
"There's no one that's gonna outwork us this year. You better get up early and go to bed late."
Can't get into SEC football? Don't worry. This year LSU travels to Seattle, ASU goes to Georgia and UCLA pays a visit to Neyland. You have to feel bad for Rick Neuheisal on this one. The Bruins first road trip is to Tennessee where they will lineup against a guy named Eric Berry. Never heard of him? That link is to his Heisman website. Also, he was the one in the video above making just about every defensive play, including flattening Knowshon Moreno at the end. Then UCLA ends it's season on the other side of town at the Coliseum where not only are they gonna get drilled by the SC, they will go up against another likely top-10 pick in Taylor Mays. And it very well could happen with a freshman quarterback on the field, that, wait for it, Neuheisal stole from UW (we're doin' alright though, some guy named Montana is coming...). Ouch.
In case you didn't notice, I am pretty hyped for football.
On other thing, for you Jim, on your argument about the SEC vs. Pac-10. Check out the stat about halfway down.
Couple other sports links:
The Rockies are making life pretty tough for San Fran. Seems like there is a wild finish everyday in the bigs.
Think Griffey wasn't a good pickup for the M's? I was there on opening day when he was announced. You couldn't hear the next three names the P.A. announcer said. And it seems like some young kid says stuff like this about him everyday. There are also his numbers, which, will some may argue the Mariners can't afford those as a DH, he projects to 20 homers and 60 RBI in limited playing time and for only $2 million. Given his presence and the fact that teams still pitch around him (he has 52 walks and has shown that he can still hit for some power), hard to argue that is a bad move. Not mention, come on, he's Ken Griffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey Junior. Get real.
ESPN makes fun of itself for all the coverage of the guy that won't retire.
I've actually given this story a lot of thought over the last 12 hours or so. People tend to not cut athletes any slack. Ever. "What do they have to be depressed about. Multimillionaires with everything that are just corrupt," and on and on. That is why I like one line in this column, "Beasley, a second-year forward, is only 20 -- he could be your son or mine..." Sometimes we forget that athletes are human beings. Constantly we tell our kids that, "money can't buy you happiness," yet we look at athletes and expect them to be perfect and content all the time. If you've been paying attention to the recent town hall forums where Congressman have been getting grilled by the public, imagine being an athlete. That is a daily thing for them. Watch the movie "61" where they talk about Roger Maris losing his hair from the stress. And drug addiction is very real. A lot of athletes come from homes with addicted parents or family members. This issues are human and they are serious, and Cote is right. Give the man credit for checking himself in. And don't blame the Heat for taking him because they did know. And now they are both protecting their multimillion dollar investment and the man. Give them credit too.
Finally, I'll have some more politically-minded stuff later today, I think. But I wanted to leave you with these ads, released today.