What an exciting time of the year for Sport Fans. NHL & NBA season's are winding down, the playoffs loom in the distance. NFL Free Agency and Draft prep is going on. MLB Opening day is less than a week away. The Masters is less than a week away and The NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four is here.
I can't mention the Men's Basketball tournament without a shot at the BCS. One determines their champion on the court, the other determines theirs by a "computer". When EVERYONE is craving a playoff for football, the fat cats in power, won't give in. And have the audacity to convince us, their system is better.
I digress... In game one, we have the battle of Kentucky, UK and Louisville. The stories for this one are so intriguing. John Calipari trying to win his first championship. Rick Pitino trying to win his first at Louisville. Both teams rich in tradition, but never played in the final four. Kentucky, the best team all year against Louisville, the Big East Champs who are streaking at the right time.
Game 2, Ohio State and Kansas. I am surprised with Kansas, I thought they underachieved all year and I thought they were going to choke in the tournament. Bill Self showed me how great of a motivator he truly is. Thad Motta, all around good guy, gets his second final four appearance in 5 years. What I like about Ohio State, is Jarred Sullinger. I think he's the second best player in the Country and the best players usually play the best on the big stage.
So many stories... If Coach Cal doesn't win with this team, will he be labeled, the best coach never to win one? If he does win one, does he pack up and move back to the NBA? Will Ohio State finally win one?
One last thing, I would love to see the NBA and The NCAA come together and first, lose this stupid, you have can't go straight into the NBA from High School and the NBA Developmental league has to improve, where each NBA franchise gets their own affiliate so if they draft an 18 year old kid out of HS, who isn't quite ready for the NBA, there's a place for them to go to learn and improve their game.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
How Important Is Coaching??
I have this debate all the time with anyone who doesn't share my viewpoint, but I do not feel coaching in sports is as important as most make it out to be. Coaches make great scape goats when teams fail and they are made to be Gods when teams win, but how do they truly affect an outcome of a game? And in some sports, coaches are less important than others. A good coach is like a good official, they are there, but you don't notice because things are going smoothly on the field, court or ice. After each sport, I'll use a scale of 1-10 to determine how the impact of a coach/manager is to winning and losing. 1 being low and 10 being high.
Let's start off with Baseball, A Manager's job is very overrated. Teams are together for 7+ months of a year, traveling together and spending tons of time on and off the field together. It's obvious, not everyone is going to like everyone else, a Manager's job would have to be family/marriage counselor. Manager deals with the press and all clubhouse issues, but that once again is less on the field and more off the field. Teams hire an array of specialty coaches, hitting, pitching, fielding, etc, so a Manager's job is more of making sure his coaches follow his philosophy. As far as on the field decisions, coaches make the line ups, change the line ups, pitching changes and such. But, if a player is slumping, how can you blame the manager for that? I feel a manager can lose games by over managing, but on a day to day basis, I don't feel they have much say in a team hitting the ball, running the bases, making errors, throwing a ball 94 mph, etc. Scale of 5.
Football, A coach's job is more of a manager. He can't really control all 53 guys, but he can control his 10 assistants. He hires people who share his philosophy, but cannot do a thing about what happens on the field, he can only draw up the play and hope to call the right one at the right time. The best coaches are the ones on the field, the "general's" like Peyton Manning or Ray Lewis. Scale of 3.
Basketball, nowadays, NBA players do not even listen to the coaches. Plays might be drawn up and it's 50/50 chance if they follow the play. In fact, coaches spend their days stroking the egos so they feel important. And if things don't go their way and they sulk, coach can't bench them. Since it's a shot first mentality, whomever has the ball pretty much chucks it up.
Scale 1.
Hockey, Probably the best team sport for players to listen to coaches. Schemes are drawn up and are followed as best as possible. Scale 6
I can go into this more and more, but to leave you on this last note, how do you determine the validity of a coach? Record? Championships? Reputation? It's hard to determine who is good and who isn't. Guys like Phil Jackson, take jobs where he knows he will succeed and he succeeds. Other guys take jobs where they know they cannot succeed, lack of talent, support and means to win.
Let's start off with Baseball, A Manager's job is very overrated. Teams are together for 7+ months of a year, traveling together and spending tons of time on and off the field together. It's obvious, not everyone is going to like everyone else, a Manager's job would have to be family/marriage counselor. Manager deals with the press and all clubhouse issues, but that once again is less on the field and more off the field. Teams hire an array of specialty coaches, hitting, pitching, fielding, etc, so a Manager's job is more of making sure his coaches follow his philosophy. As far as on the field decisions, coaches make the line ups, change the line ups, pitching changes and such. But, if a player is slumping, how can you blame the manager for that? I feel a manager can lose games by over managing, but on a day to day basis, I don't feel they have much say in a team hitting the ball, running the bases, making errors, throwing a ball 94 mph, etc. Scale of 5.
Football, A coach's job is more of a manager. He can't really control all 53 guys, but he can control his 10 assistants. He hires people who share his philosophy, but cannot do a thing about what happens on the field, he can only draw up the play and hope to call the right one at the right time. The best coaches are the ones on the field, the "general's" like Peyton Manning or Ray Lewis. Scale of 3.
Basketball, nowadays, NBA players do not even listen to the coaches. Plays might be drawn up and it's 50/50 chance if they follow the play. In fact, coaches spend their days stroking the egos so they feel important. And if things don't go their way and they sulk, coach can't bench them. Since it's a shot first mentality, whomever has the ball pretty much chucks it up.
Scale 1.
Hockey, Probably the best team sport for players to listen to coaches. Schemes are drawn up and are followed as best as possible. Scale 6
I can go into this more and more, but to leave you on this last note, how do you determine the validity of a coach? Record? Championships? Reputation? It's hard to determine who is good and who isn't. Guys like Phil Jackson, take jobs where he knows he will succeed and he succeeds. Other guys take jobs where they know they cannot succeed, lack of talent, support and means to win.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Tebow, Oh Tebow
So Peyton Manning is now a Bronco, The Saints and coach Sean Payton took a butt kicking for bounty-gate, but the biggest news is Tim Tebow going to the New York Jets. I have to say, I am shocked the Jacksonville Jags didn't make the move.
I understand, everyone thinks Tebow is a lost cause as an NFL Quarterback, but I totally disagree with them. Tim Tebow is the poster child for potential. Think Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines all of those years behind Brett Favre. He became more valuable as time went by. The Eagles had the same thing with Kevin Kolb, but Kolb turned out to be not so good.
Tebow wants to be better and with his work ethic and leadership, I have no doubts he will get there. John Elway and the Broncos wanted to win now, they didn't want the project that is Tim Tebow, plus, he didn't want the city of Denver to dictate who he plays and who he benches. I also think there was a little, Tebow didn't have to win a championship and he would still be bigger than John Elway in the that city.
What I don't get is the Jets. They just gave Mark Sanchez an extension, so it's not like they are going to trade him. The brought in Drew Stanton, a capable back up, who according to reports, was told they would not bring in another quarterback. Sanchez will be the starter, but his next bad quarter, the New York faithful will be chanting for Tebow.
I thought the Jags would be a great fit. Blaine Galbert didn't show much last year and I am not sure if he has it in him to be a great QB in the NFL. The Jags rarely sell out their games and I am sure their merchandise sales is at the bottom. Tim Tebow, immediately sells tickets to this franchise, they will not be able to keep merchandise on the shelves. The bring in someone to teach Tebow how to play like an NFL QB and let's face it, win or lose, for the next 3 years, Tebow-mania would be running wild.
The Jags ownership should be in it to win championships, but right now, I don't see them being any better than a .500 team in a small market. So, as joe blogger, if I see this, I am sure rich Billionaire isn't delusional enough to think they will win their conference and represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. So, make the move for Tebow, make lots and lots of money and build the franchise around him. It should have been a win-win.
I understand, everyone thinks Tebow is a lost cause as an NFL Quarterback, but I totally disagree with them. Tim Tebow is the poster child for potential. Think Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines all of those years behind Brett Favre. He became more valuable as time went by. The Eagles had the same thing with Kevin Kolb, but Kolb turned out to be not so good.
Tebow wants to be better and with his work ethic and leadership, I have no doubts he will get there. John Elway and the Broncos wanted to win now, they didn't want the project that is Tim Tebow, plus, he didn't want the city of Denver to dictate who he plays and who he benches. I also think there was a little, Tebow didn't have to win a championship and he would still be bigger than John Elway in the that city.
What I don't get is the Jets. They just gave Mark Sanchez an extension, so it's not like they are going to trade him. The brought in Drew Stanton, a capable back up, who according to reports, was told they would not bring in another quarterback. Sanchez will be the starter, but his next bad quarter, the New York faithful will be chanting for Tebow.
I thought the Jags would be a great fit. Blaine Galbert didn't show much last year and I am not sure if he has it in him to be a great QB in the NFL. The Jags rarely sell out their games and I am sure their merchandise sales is at the bottom. Tim Tebow, immediately sells tickets to this franchise, they will not be able to keep merchandise on the shelves. The bring in someone to teach Tebow how to play like an NFL QB and let's face it, win or lose, for the next 3 years, Tebow-mania would be running wild.
The Jags ownership should be in it to win championships, but right now, I don't see them being any better than a .500 team in a small market. So, as joe blogger, if I see this, I am sure rich Billionaire isn't delusional enough to think they will win their conference and represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. So, make the move for Tebow, make lots and lots of money and build the franchise around him. It should have been a win-win.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
oh Nail oh Nails, oh how the mighty have fallen
Lenny Dykstra needs help. He is a sick dude and always has been. Hopefully 3 years in jail it will help him, I kind of doubt it. Dykstra should be a sign of whats wrong/potentially wrong with athletes. I hope this incident serves as a wake up call to others.
I have a problem with this whole bounty gate. I see after every game, guys from both teams join hands and pray in the center of the field and thank God no one was seriously hurt, yet teams are trying to knock out the opponents star player. What a contradiction! I hope Roger Goddell throws the book at Gregg Williams and The New Orleans Saints!
March Madness is here, and I am still not sold on Kentucky winning 6 games in a row to win John Calipari his first National Championship. In fact, here's the Chaney Reports Odds of your soon to be crowned National Champion:
Syracuse 9/2
Kentucky 6/1
North Carolina 7/1
Kansas 9/1
Michigan State 10/1
Duke 12/1
Ohio State 12/1
Missouri 15/1
Marquette 15/1
Michigan 20/1
The Field 8/1
I have a problem with this whole bounty gate. I see after every game, guys from both teams join hands and pray in the center of the field and thank God no one was seriously hurt, yet teams are trying to knock out the opponents star player. What a contradiction! I hope Roger Goddell throws the book at Gregg Williams and The New Orleans Saints!
March Madness is here, and I am still not sold on Kentucky winning 6 games in a row to win John Calipari his first National Championship. In fact, here's the Chaney Reports Odds of your soon to be crowned National Champion:
Syracuse 9/2
Kentucky 6/1
North Carolina 7/1
Kansas 9/1
Michigan State 10/1
Duke 12/1
Ohio State 12/1
Missouri 15/1
Marquette 15/1
Michigan 20/1
The Field 8/1
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Ryan Braun and PED Nation
It has taken me several days to swallow what's been going on with this case. Basically, Braun took a drug test back in October on a Saturday Afternoon before a playoff game. He tested positive for 3x the amount of normal testorone in the body. The sample was not sent to the lab until 44 hours after it was taken.
Braun, who was suspended for 50 games, appealed the decision and won his appeal. MLB is backing the validity of the test, Braun and his teammates and peers are backing the reigning NL MVP. Braun has taken numerous tests and nothing has been reported about any questionable results. Then he tests positive, claims his innocence, was found innocent and is being doubted and persecuted.
There is obviously a flaw in the system and I don't want MLB hiding behind, this is the same process that is done in every sport plus, the union agreed upon it. That's Bush League. Bud Selig has to step up and learn from these hiccups to make things better. If Selig was accused of murder and the smoking gun was found in his possession, but he claims his innocence, according to MLB, Selig would be tossed in jail and no matter what the verdict of the trial was, his "bosses" would still find him guilty of the crime.
I know that's completely extreme, but the point is the system is flawed fix it. I am sure PED use is down considerably in the last 5-10 years, but you have to be naive to think it's not going on. Everyone will always be suspected of taking something whether they did or the did not. All of the results should not be made public, appeals and such all private. MLB needs to do a better job of not leaking this info the press.
Finally, Ryan Bruan won his appeal, end of story. If you think he's doing something illegal, keep testing him, if he is found to be clean, move on to the next issue.
Braun, who was suspended for 50 games, appealed the decision and won his appeal. MLB is backing the validity of the test, Braun and his teammates and peers are backing the reigning NL MVP. Braun has taken numerous tests and nothing has been reported about any questionable results. Then he tests positive, claims his innocence, was found innocent and is being doubted and persecuted.
There is obviously a flaw in the system and I don't want MLB hiding behind, this is the same process that is done in every sport plus, the union agreed upon it. That's Bush League. Bud Selig has to step up and learn from these hiccups to make things better. If Selig was accused of murder and the smoking gun was found in his possession, but he claims his innocence, according to MLB, Selig would be tossed in jail and no matter what the verdict of the trial was, his "bosses" would still find him guilty of the crime.
I know that's completely extreme, but the point is the system is flawed fix it. I am sure PED use is down considerably in the last 5-10 years, but you have to be naive to think it's not going on. Everyone will always be suspected of taking something whether they did or the did not. All of the results should not be made public, appeals and such all private. MLB needs to do a better job of not leaking this info the press.
Finally, Ryan Bruan won his appeal, end of story. If you think he's doing something illegal, keep testing him, if he is found to be clean, move on to the next issue.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Your Philadelphia Flyers
It's safe to say the Ilya Bryzgalov experiment has been a bust in Philadelphia. I can't say I am one bit surprised. He was an outstanding goalie in Phoenix, there was 0 pressure on him to succeed. He could be his quirky self and no one would really care. When he was a free agent, he was the top goal tender available and the Flyers jumped at the chance to sign him. And when they did, it made no sense.
The Flyers are less than 2 years removed from playing for the Stanley Cup finals and they did it behind a bunch of good, but not great goal tenders. Brian Boucher, Michael Leighton and company were able to get the job done and in fact, the reason the Flyers fell apart during the Stanley Cup finals was their Defense was TIRED. So the following year, GM Paul Holmgren invests in upgrading their defense and he found what some think is a gem between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky. But last season ended disappointedly to the Eventual Stanley Cup Champions.
So this past Off season, GM Holmgren, changed his plan and blew up the team to sign the top Free Agent Goal Tender. When I heard it, it didn't make sense. In fact, everything Holmgren has done as GM has been calculated, this sounded like a Bobby Clarke move, lets bring in the big name at any cost. So to make room for Bryzgalov, Holgren traded the cornerstones of the franchise, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. When all was said and done, the Flyers ended up with the likes of Wayne Simmonds, Braydon Schenn, Sean Couturier and Jakob Voracek. They also, didn't trade Bobrovsky. After a ton of injuries, including new captain Chris Pronger done for the season, the Flyers have started 8 rookies this season and incredibly enough, they are in contention.
The Flyers are poised to make a run at the Cup and they picked up a couple of Defense men who will definitely help for a playoff run - Nick Grossman and Pavel Kubina. Kubina, a free agent at the end of the season, could remain a Flyer depending on Pronger's condition, in my opinion. Still the question is goal tending, how do we get out of this Bryzgalov experiment? I have faith in Holgren, all the moves that he has done, have worked out. I just have this funny feeling, the Brygalov move was more of the owner meddling as opposed of a GM wheeling and Dealing.
The Flyers are less than 2 years removed from playing for the Stanley Cup finals and they did it behind a bunch of good, but not great goal tenders. Brian Boucher, Michael Leighton and company were able to get the job done and in fact, the reason the Flyers fell apart during the Stanley Cup finals was their Defense was TIRED. So the following year, GM Paul Holmgren invests in upgrading their defense and he found what some think is a gem between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky. But last season ended disappointedly to the Eventual Stanley Cup Champions.
So this past Off season, GM Holmgren, changed his plan and blew up the team to sign the top Free Agent Goal Tender. When I heard it, it didn't make sense. In fact, everything Holmgren has done as GM has been calculated, this sounded like a Bobby Clarke move, lets bring in the big name at any cost. So to make room for Bryzgalov, Holgren traded the cornerstones of the franchise, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. When all was said and done, the Flyers ended up with the likes of Wayne Simmonds, Braydon Schenn, Sean Couturier and Jakob Voracek. They also, didn't trade Bobrovsky. After a ton of injuries, including new captain Chris Pronger done for the season, the Flyers have started 8 rookies this season and incredibly enough, they are in contention.
The Flyers are poised to make a run at the Cup and they picked up a couple of Defense men who will definitely help for a playoff run - Nick Grossman and Pavel Kubina. Kubina, a free agent at the end of the season, could remain a Flyer depending on Pronger's condition, in my opinion. Still the question is goal tending, how do we get out of this Bryzgalov experiment? I have faith in Holgren, all the moves that he has done, have worked out. I just have this funny feeling, the Brygalov move was more of the owner meddling as opposed of a GM wheeling and Dealing.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
What About Temple?
As the landscape of College Sports turns with the emergence of the Super Conference, what about Temple? Every time I turn around another team is getting a big conference affiliation and Temple is stuck in the mid majors. The last 4 years, Temple's Football program has improved significantly. Instead of being a cake walk, they are competition. Just to show how their football team is improving, they have football players being drafted in the top rounds several years in a row.
Nothing against the MAC, but Temple doesn't fit there. They are an Eastern team in the 5th largest television market and if they keep winning, they will fill Lincoln Financial Field on Saturdays. Rumor has it, Villanova is blocking Temple's entrance into the Big East. If not Villanova, then definitely someone. The Big East has chosen Houston, SMU, Memphis, Navy, San Diego State, Boise State just to name a few, yet Temple, the team actually in the East doesn't get an invite.
So if not the Big East, why not the ACC? Think about it, It would open up a huge market for the ACC. Temple's Football beat Maryland last season and I am willing to bet they could beat half the teams in the ACC. How much would the ACC benefit from the Owls playing hoops against UNC, Duke, Maryland, Wake Forest, Florida State and Miami, every year?
This whole thing makes no sense to me. I am a proud Temple alumni and I can't figure it out. All us Temple fans can do is cheer for the Cherry and White and hope they keep making strides in Football and get further in the NCAA tourney. Oh and Villanova, it's time for you to step up and get your football program to become division 1 or be outcasted out of the Big East.
Nothing against the MAC, but Temple doesn't fit there. They are an Eastern team in the 5th largest television market and if they keep winning, they will fill Lincoln Financial Field on Saturdays. Rumor has it, Villanova is blocking Temple's entrance into the Big East. If not Villanova, then definitely someone. The Big East has chosen Houston, SMU, Memphis, Navy, San Diego State, Boise State just to name a few, yet Temple, the team actually in the East doesn't get an invite.
So if not the Big East, why not the ACC? Think about it, It would open up a huge market for the ACC. Temple's Football beat Maryland last season and I am willing to bet they could beat half the teams in the ACC. How much would the ACC benefit from the Owls playing hoops against UNC, Duke, Maryland, Wake Forest, Florida State and Miami, every year?
This whole thing makes no sense to me. I am a proud Temple alumni and I can't figure it out. All us Temple fans can do is cheer for the Cherry and White and hope they keep making strides in Football and get further in the NCAA tourney. Oh and Villanova, it's time for you to step up and get your football program to become division 1 or be outcasted out of the Big East.
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