Imagine yourself having just graduated from college. You've been offered a very lucrative job. It's been your life-long dream to work in this industry. It's what you went to college for. You are about to realize all of your dreams. The only downside is, you have to move 1,000 miles away from where you went to college and roughly 900 miles away from where you grew up. But this is your dream, so you do it. And you wind up doing it very well. Over the next 8 years, you win awards at your job. You are one of the best employees at what you do. During those 8 years, you get married, have kids and begin raising your family in your new environment. And you like it. You are living the fairy tale you always wanted to. Then, one day, out of the blue, your boss calls you into his office and tells you that you've been transferred to another branch, but this one is 3,000 miles away. You were never consulted on this. They didn't ask you if you'd be willing to go. And now, you have to go home and tell your family that either daddy is moving, or the entire family is being uprooted or you have to quit your job. Oh, and you have 5 days to move out there or forfeit your salary. You'd be pretty pissed, wouldn't you? Then why, for the love of God, is Richard Seymour being treated like garbage for having a natural human reaction? The preceding paragraph is exactly what just happened to Seymour when the Patriots traded him to the Raiders this week.
When a player gets traded from one team to another, we tend to only look at the ramifications it will have on that player or the team that traded for him or traded him away. We never take into account the human side of the equation. We only look at the teams involved in the trade, not the cities. We never think of the families. The collateral damage, if you will. When athletes sign free agent contracts, they get to take all of these things into account before signing with a team and a city. But when they are traded, most of them (the ones who don't have no-trade clauses in their contracts) just have to go. They have to leave their families behind or uproot them. And we, as fans, just take this for granted, because most of the time, the athlete does so with nary a peep. And we as fans gripe when a player like Seymour resists, because, well its his job to go....and he makes millions of dollars to do it. But those millions don't make it any easier to have to tell your wife and kids that your new office is 3,000 miles away. And there are other factors that most fans don't see or just turn a blind eye towards. Seymour is not the first athlete to resist a trade, after all.
Terrell Owens once got the NFL to void a trade on a technicality because he didn't want to play in Baltimore. Alonzo Mourning essentially held two NBA franchises hostage because he didn't want to play in Toronto. And Charles Johnson once forced the Colorado Rockies to pay him a $1 million trade fee to accept a trade from the Marlins to the Rockies. Why? Because Johnson would be forced to move from Florida (where there is no state income tax) to Colorado (where they have one of the highest state income taxes). I still consider that to be one of the shrewdest trade negotiation ploys a player has ever used. The point is, players, despite their salaries, still have some of the same worries and concerns that we do. We just tend to scoff at them because of what they do for a living and how much money they make.
Seymour was blindsided by the announcement of his trade to the Raiders. If he doesn't report to the Raiders in 5 days, he will be suspended for the season and lose over $3.6 million in salary. It's an expensive statement to make. But it appears as though it's one Seymour might be willing to make.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
What were the qualifications?
Last night, I took a stroll through MLB.com and stumbled upon the ballot for the 2009 MLB Man of the Year Award. Apparently, each team gets to nominate one player for the award, and then fans vote on the award. Players like Mike Lowell, Roy Halladay, Barry Zito, Albert Pujols and Ted Lilly are up for the award. All these players are great humanitarians and do wonders for their local communities. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees nominated.....wait for it........wait for it........Alex Rodriguez. No, I'm not kidding. The quarter of a billion dollar man is the Yankees choice for Man of the Year. The man who took Performance Enhancing drugs, then lied about it (seemingly multiple times) is the Yankees choice. The Yankees nominated an adulterer who tried to throw his own cousin under the bus as their best humanitarian. Really? This is your choice, Yankees? Not Derek Jeter? What- was he too obvious a choice? What about Mark Texiera? Jorge Posada? Mariano Rivera? What exactly were the qualifications that made ARod your candidate? I really want to know.
So, now Rodriguez gets his name on a ballot with a cancer survivor (Lowell) a well known humanitarian in his community (Dan Haren) and a man who married a woman with a 3-year old who had down syndrome and now donates time and money to that cause (Albert Pujols). What am I missing here? How does Rodriguez even belong in the same sentence as these guys when it comes to anything remotely charitable? And don't tell me about all the money he donated to the University of Miami - he did that for name recognition alone. If ever someone could be selfish while donating money, ARod managed to do it.
My guess is, the qualifications the Yankees thought MLB and its fans were looking for were: overpaid, steroid using, lying, cheating, adulterer. Well, if those are the qualifications, then ARod wins. Hands down.
So, now Rodriguez gets his name on a ballot with a cancer survivor (Lowell) a well known humanitarian in his community (Dan Haren) and a man who married a woman with a 3-year old who had down syndrome and now donates time and money to that cause (Albert Pujols). What am I missing here? How does Rodriguez even belong in the same sentence as these guys when it comes to anything remotely charitable? And don't tell me about all the money he donated to the University of Miami - he did that for name recognition alone. If ever someone could be selfish while donating money, ARod managed to do it.
My guess is, the qualifications the Yankees thought MLB and its fans were looking for were: overpaid, steroid using, lying, cheating, adulterer. Well, if those are the qualifications, then ARod wins. Hands down.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Weekend Review....Jeter & College Football
The 2009 College Football season kicked off this weekend. It began with a punch and ended with a fury. Here are some things we learned in week 1 of College Football....
- Pre-season polls are still as useless as tits on a bull. They are prejudicial, subjective, based off of roughly zero facts in evidence and skew the NCAA landscape for the entire season. Don't believe me? Just ask Missouri, Miami, Michigan and Cincinnati, who were all written off as non-factors before the weekend started. Ask Ohio State and Iowa, who were severely overrated until an Armed Forces School and a Directional school came within a whisker of beating them both.......on their own home turf, no less.
- LeGarrette Blount is nothing more than a thug and a punk. But then again, we knew that before Thursday Night's "punch heard round the world". This guy is going to be earning millions next season in the NFL while honest, hard working Americans struggle to scrape by. A true testament to the ass backwards society we live in.
- Oklahoma will struggle against good teams without Sam Bradford. Then again so would Florida without Tebow, Texas without McCoy, Ole Miss without Snead, etc... In other words, quit overreacting as though OU was overrated. BYU is a good team and basically every other school in the country would struggle if their #1 QB went down, too.
- Florida, Texas, UNC, USC can all beat teams comprised of players who would be second string......in high school. Congrats, boys!
- Alabama, BYU, Boise State, Oklahoma St. can all beat ranked opponents and should be applauded for scheduling real out of conference games (therefore, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Oregon and Georgia deserve the same applause).
- Rutgers is probably not going to be that sleeper team coming out of the Big East, as all the "experts" had predicted.
- The Big East gets an automatic berth in a BCS game, while BYU, Boise State and Utah will have to go undefeated just to get consideration. Yup, that seems fair.
- Miami and FSU may not be all the way back just yet, but they provided us with the game of the weekend and showed the rest of the ACC that they both play offense this year. Here's hoping for a December rematch in the ACC Title game. Though, UNC, Va Tech and Ga Tech might have something to say about it.
- Missouri was picked to finish 4th in the Big 12 North behind Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado. That seems a bit off now, doesn't it?
- The SEC East just became a 1-horse race. But the SEC West, now that's going to be fun - Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss are three teams all with a viable shot at Atlanta in December.
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In other weekend news, Derek Jeter went 0-8 in the Yankees Double Header yesterday vs. Tampa Bay. Why is this news? Great question. Glad you asked. This is Jeter's 14th major league season. This was the first time in his career that he went hitless in both games of a double header. That is remarkable. So, that got me doing some research on Jeter. And I'll say it - when Jeter retires, he should go down as the second greatest player in New York Yankees history. That's right. I believe when the dust settles and people truly examine his numbers and take everything into account, he should be regarded higher that Mantle and Dimaggio and Gehrig and Berra and all of them, except Ruth. Consider the following - at some point over the next week or so, he will eclipse Gehrig for the most hits in Yankee history. He already has more hits by a shortstop than any other player in Major League history.
When Jeter steals his next base, he will join a very exclusive list in the 200/300/.300 club. He will join Willie Mays, Paul Molitor and Roberto Alomar as the only four players in history to hit 200 home runs, steal 300 bases and have a career batting average over .300. Babe Ruth can't make that claim, neither can Mantle, Dimaggio, Hank Aaron or even Barry Bonds. And, Jeter will have the highest batting average of the 4 players in the club.
Jeter should finish his career with over 3,000 hits and possibly even 3,500 hits. He won the 1996 Rookie of the Year. He is a 4-time World Series Champion. He is a 10-time All Star. He has won 3 gold gloves as well as the 2000 All Star Game and World Series MVP. The sad thing is, the writers who vote for the season MVP rely so heavily on numbers and not intangibles that Jeter has yet to win an AL MVP. That should change this year. But it appears he is behind teammate Mark Texiera (who was MIA in April) and Joe Mauer (who missed 3 weeks of the season and is playing on a team probably not headed for the post season). Jeter deserves the MVP this year. He deserves his place in Yankee lore.
Sure, Jeter's number will be retired one day and he will be enshrined in both Cooperstown (though, apparently he won't be getting Jim Rice's vote) and Monument Park. But Jeter's rightful place is next to Babe Ruth as one of the two greatest Yankees ever to don the Pinstripes.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Eagles will soar in '09
By this time next Sunday, most of America will be sitting around their TV sets, flipping their remotes vigorously to catch every second of every NFL game on. Domino's and Papa Johns delivery drivers will be burning more fuel than Al Gore's Lear jet. Side note- seriously, if Oil companies wanted to make more money and NOT gauge the American Public, here is my suggestion, just raise gas prices on Sundays and Mondays during the NFL season (when I am certain more people order delivery than any other time of the year). This way, the big time corporations who pay for the gas mileage for their drivers get stuck paying the overpriced gas prices, and the rest of us can be sure that we only get gas on Tuesday - Saturday, when it is mandated that gas cannot be over $1.99 a gallon. This wouldn't work? Why not? Since President Obama is losing the Health Care debate worse than Charleston Southern lost last night, I think he should look into this idea. It's a winner.
Ok, back on point, this is the final Sunday of 2009 without NFL football. So, it appears to be the perfect time to unveil my 2009 NFL Predictions, division by division.
AFC EAST
Brady is back. The Dolphins have the toughest schedule in football and history is not on their side. The Bills did not improve by adding T.O. and Lynch is suspended for 4 games. The Jets are starting a rookie QB and his best Wide Receiver is a 2nd string running back. Meanwhile, the Patriots just swindled the Raiders into a 1st Rd pick in 2011 (and it's the Raiders, so let's be real, it's going to be a top-5 pick) for a defensive lineman whose contract is up after 2009. Sometimes, I think the Patriots use the Jedi mind trick on teams when talking trade with them.
Predicted order of finish:
Patriots 11-5
Dolphins 8-8
Bills 7-9
Jets 6-10
AFC NORTH
It's always hard to repeat as Super Bowl Champion. Pittsburgh is going to have an even tougher time doing it in a very competitive division. Baltimore still has a fantastic defense, but questions still loom about their offense. The Browns can't make up their mind on their QBs, and it's not like they are debating between Montana and Marino. Their defense still has swiss cheese-like holes in it. And they have RB issues. This is not a recipe for success on Lake Erie. Meanwhile, in the southern part of Ohio, a sleeper looms. A healthy Carson Palmer. A hungry and oddly overlooked receiving corps. A RB looking for a second chance. A vastly underrated defense. And a maligned head coach with something to prove. Hello 2009 Sleeper!!!
Predicted order of finish:
Bengals 11-5
Steelers 10-6
Ravens 10-6
Browns 4-12
AFC SOUTH
Welcome to this season's most overrated division. The Texans are the chic pick to be this year's sleeper. Does anybody realize that Rex Grossman, REX GROSSMAN, is a Matt Schaub injury away from being their QB. And Schaub gets injured every year. He already sustained an injury in pre-season. The Jags are poised to rebound from their 5-11 season. They are? With what passing game? And what offensive line? The Titans had the league's best record last year. Yeah, and they lost their best defensive player, one of their Wide Receivers, Kerry Collins is another year older. Meanwhile, lying in wait is the team nobody seems to be talking about. This year, things return to their natural order in the south.
Predicted order of finish:
Colts 12-4
Titans 9-7
Texans 8-8
Jaguars 7-9
AFC WEST
Does a pre-season prediction even matter in this division. You could simulate this season 1,000 times and 999 of them, the same outcome will be reached - this division has only one team that will finish over .500 and make the playoffs. It's the same team every time. Try as you might to find a sleeper here and all you find is three teams just flat out sleeping. If San Diego doesn't go 6-0 in divisional play, they should all take handguns to a NYC night club.
Predicted order of finish:
Chargers 13-3
Chiefs 7-9
Raiders 6-10
Broncos 5-11
AFC PLAYOFF TEAMS: Chargers, Colts, Patriots, Bengals, Steelers, Ravens
NFC EAST
Probably the most intriguing division maybe in the history of the NFL. Ask 20 different NFL analysts, and you'll get legitimate arguments as to why all 4 teams can win the division and why all 4 teams can miss the playoffs. It's fantastic. It's the best division in football. All 4 teams can, and very well might, finish over .500. It's the anti-AFC West. I love the Redskins young and fast defense. But I hate their passing offense. I love the Giants rushing attack and their defense. But I hate their Wide Receivers. Oh, and brother Manning is still less than 24 months removed from nearly being run out of town. Now he's a $100 million man. The Cowboys have the flash and the new stadium (with some low-hanging fruit). They also have a dandy running game. But not much else. And the Eagles have a chip on their shoulder. Don't underestimate that chip. Or McNabb. Or Westbrook (if he's healthy). Or their receiving corps (man, is it fast). Or their pass rush.
Predicted order of finish:
Eagles 12-4
Giants 10-6
Redskins 9-7
Cowboys 8-8
NFC NORTH
Brett Favre used to play for the Packers. They hate the Vikings. The Vikings are Favre's new team. Favre's old team now has Aaron Rodgers, maybe the most talented QB in the division. But their biggest rivals are the Bears, who just traded for Jay Cutler, the QB that most people call the next Brett Favre. The Packers have the best set of Wide Receivers in the division. The Vikings have the best running back. The Bears have the best defense (and their running back is pretty good, too). Oh yeah, the Lions play in this division, too, in case anyone forgot.
Predicted order of finish:
Bears 11-5
Packers 10-6
Vikings 8-8
Lions 2-14
NFC SOUTH
The Saints play offense. They play it pretty well. As a matter of fact, I don't think anyone will score as many points as they will. All they need is something that resembles a defense to run away with what will be a very mediocre division. The Falcons, like the Dolphins in the AFC, will come back to Earth a bit - remember for all the hoopla, Matt Ryan only threw 16 TDs last year. The Bucs have a lot of question marks on both sides of the ball. And the Panthers play great defense and can run the ball down your throat. But do you trust Jake Delhomme anymore? Me neither.
Predicted order of finish:
Saints 12-4
Panthers 9-7
Falcons 8-8
Bucs 6-10
NFC WEST
Talk about mediocre. At least the AFC West and NFC South have a bonafide Super Bowl contender in it. What's that? The defending NFC Champions, who came within a whisker of winning last year's Super Bowl reside here? Crazy talk! What I see are three teams that are 8-8 caliber (though one of them will find a way to go 9-7 and win the division because the league mandates somebody has to) and one team that will be lucky to win any games this year. Seriously, other than divisional games, where are the Rams getting a win from? I'll wait. Yeah, exactly. They have a beat up offensive line. Their QB is already hurt. Their Wide Receivers are Donnie Avery and Laurent Robinson (no, that's not a punchline, it's the truth) and their defense will give up 30 points a game. Other than Steven Jackson, what's to like?
Predicted order of finish:
49ers 9-7
Seahawks 8-8
Cardinals 7-9
Rams 3-13
NFC PLAYOFF TEAMS: Eagles, Saints, Bears, 49ers, Giants, Panthers
POSTSEASON
ROUND 1
Patriots over Ravens
Bengals over Steelers
Bears over Panthers
Giants over 49ers
ROUND 2
Chargers over Bengals
Colts over Patriots
Eagles over Giants
Bears over Saints
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
Colts over Chargers
Eagles over Bears
SUPER BOWL XLIV
Eagles over Colts
Of course, there is no chance any of this will prevail. I guess we'll just have to tune in each week to the best reality show on TV - NFL Sundays (and Mondays, and the occasional Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays).
Ok, back on point, this is the final Sunday of 2009 without NFL football. So, it appears to be the perfect time to unveil my 2009 NFL Predictions, division by division.
AFC EAST
Brady is back. The Dolphins have the toughest schedule in football and history is not on their side. The Bills did not improve by adding T.O. and Lynch is suspended for 4 games. The Jets are starting a rookie QB and his best Wide Receiver is a 2nd string running back. Meanwhile, the Patriots just swindled the Raiders into a 1st Rd pick in 2011 (and it's the Raiders, so let's be real, it's going to be a top-5 pick) for a defensive lineman whose contract is up after 2009. Sometimes, I think the Patriots use the Jedi mind trick on teams when talking trade with them.
Predicted order of finish:
Patriots 11-5
Dolphins 8-8
Bills 7-9
Jets 6-10
AFC NORTH
It's always hard to repeat as Super Bowl Champion. Pittsburgh is going to have an even tougher time doing it in a very competitive division. Baltimore still has a fantastic defense, but questions still loom about their offense. The Browns can't make up their mind on their QBs, and it's not like they are debating between Montana and Marino. Their defense still has swiss cheese-like holes in it. And they have RB issues. This is not a recipe for success on Lake Erie. Meanwhile, in the southern part of Ohio, a sleeper looms. A healthy Carson Palmer. A hungry and oddly overlooked receiving corps. A RB looking for a second chance. A vastly underrated defense. And a maligned head coach with something to prove. Hello 2009 Sleeper!!!
Predicted order of finish:
Bengals 11-5
Steelers 10-6
Ravens 10-6
Browns 4-12
AFC SOUTH
Welcome to this season's most overrated division. The Texans are the chic pick to be this year's sleeper. Does anybody realize that Rex Grossman, REX GROSSMAN, is a Matt Schaub injury away from being their QB. And Schaub gets injured every year. He already sustained an injury in pre-season. The Jags are poised to rebound from their 5-11 season. They are? With what passing game? And what offensive line? The Titans had the league's best record last year. Yeah, and they lost their best defensive player, one of their Wide Receivers, Kerry Collins is another year older. Meanwhile, lying in wait is the team nobody seems to be talking about. This year, things return to their natural order in the south.
Predicted order of finish:
Colts 12-4
Titans 9-7
Texans 8-8
Jaguars 7-9
AFC WEST
Does a pre-season prediction even matter in this division. You could simulate this season 1,000 times and 999 of them, the same outcome will be reached - this division has only one team that will finish over .500 and make the playoffs. It's the same team every time. Try as you might to find a sleeper here and all you find is three teams just flat out sleeping. If San Diego doesn't go 6-0 in divisional play, they should all take handguns to a NYC night club.
Predicted order of finish:
Chargers 13-3
Chiefs 7-9
Raiders 6-10
Broncos 5-11
AFC PLAYOFF TEAMS: Chargers, Colts, Patriots, Bengals, Steelers, Ravens
NFC EAST
Probably the most intriguing division maybe in the history of the NFL. Ask 20 different NFL analysts, and you'll get legitimate arguments as to why all 4 teams can win the division and why all 4 teams can miss the playoffs. It's fantastic. It's the best division in football. All 4 teams can, and very well might, finish over .500. It's the anti-AFC West. I love the Redskins young and fast defense. But I hate their passing offense. I love the Giants rushing attack and their defense. But I hate their Wide Receivers. Oh, and brother Manning is still less than 24 months removed from nearly being run out of town. Now he's a $100 million man. The Cowboys have the flash and the new stadium (with some low-hanging fruit). They also have a dandy running game. But not much else. And the Eagles have a chip on their shoulder. Don't underestimate that chip. Or McNabb. Or Westbrook (if he's healthy). Or their receiving corps (man, is it fast). Or their pass rush.
Predicted order of finish:
Eagles 12-4
Giants 10-6
Redskins 9-7
Cowboys 8-8
NFC NORTH
Brett Favre used to play for the Packers. They hate the Vikings. The Vikings are Favre's new team. Favre's old team now has Aaron Rodgers, maybe the most talented QB in the division. But their biggest rivals are the Bears, who just traded for Jay Cutler, the QB that most people call the next Brett Favre. The Packers have the best set of Wide Receivers in the division. The Vikings have the best running back. The Bears have the best defense (and their running back is pretty good, too). Oh yeah, the Lions play in this division, too, in case anyone forgot.
Predicted order of finish:
Bears 11-5
Packers 10-6
Vikings 8-8
Lions 2-14
NFC SOUTH
The Saints play offense. They play it pretty well. As a matter of fact, I don't think anyone will score as many points as they will. All they need is something that resembles a defense to run away with what will be a very mediocre division. The Falcons, like the Dolphins in the AFC, will come back to Earth a bit - remember for all the hoopla, Matt Ryan only threw 16 TDs last year. The Bucs have a lot of question marks on both sides of the ball. And the Panthers play great defense and can run the ball down your throat. But do you trust Jake Delhomme anymore? Me neither.
Predicted order of finish:
Saints 12-4
Panthers 9-7
Falcons 8-8
Bucs 6-10
NFC WEST
Talk about mediocre. At least the AFC West and NFC South have a bonafide Super Bowl contender in it. What's that? The defending NFC Champions, who came within a whisker of winning last year's Super Bowl reside here? Crazy talk! What I see are three teams that are 8-8 caliber (though one of them will find a way to go 9-7 and win the division because the league mandates somebody has to) and one team that will be lucky to win any games this year. Seriously, other than divisional games, where are the Rams getting a win from? I'll wait. Yeah, exactly. They have a beat up offensive line. Their QB is already hurt. Their Wide Receivers are Donnie Avery and Laurent Robinson (no, that's not a punchline, it's the truth) and their defense will give up 30 points a game. Other than Steven Jackson, what's to like?
Predicted order of finish:
49ers 9-7
Seahawks 8-8
Cardinals 7-9
Rams 3-13
NFC PLAYOFF TEAMS: Eagles, Saints, Bears, 49ers, Giants, Panthers
POSTSEASON
ROUND 1
Patriots over Ravens
Bengals over Steelers
Bears over Panthers
Giants over 49ers
ROUND 2
Chargers over Bengals
Colts over Patriots
Eagles over Giants
Bears over Saints
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
Colts over Chargers
Eagles over Bears
SUPER BOWL XLIV
Eagles over Colts
Of course, there is no chance any of this will prevail. I guess we'll just have to tune in each week to the best reality show on TV - NFL Sundays (and Mondays, and the occasional Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays).
Friday, September 4, 2009
A Sad Day at Michigan and Trumbull
When I turned on my computer this morning to ESPN.com, I saw a head line that brought a tear to my eye. As I read the article, the tear slipped out of my eye and down my right cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb but the emotion, the sadness remained. The last time I remember shedding a tear and it having anything to do with sports was in 1993 (but that's a story for another time). This time, I wasn't shedding any tears for my team losing or even a player that I idolized passing away. This had nothing to do with a player. But this had everything to do with baseball.
It was late Spring, 1999. I was in my first season in the front office of the Detroit Tigers. I was 24, very green and unbelievably wet behind the ears. I was still awe struck anytime I met a player or anyone famous that worked for the team at the time. So, when my boss asked if anyone wanted to help out the Tigers' radio guys during a game, I volunteered faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100 yard dash. An opportunity to work in the Press Box for a game with Jim Price and Ernie Harwell? Don't mind if I do!
When I got up to the booth, Price, an ex big-league catcher, was less than friendly. He certainly has more charisma than Kirk Gibson, but then again, so does a sloth. But meeting Price and hanging around him was not the highlight of my night. Not even close. Shortly after I set up the radio booth with the requisite visiting team stats, an elderly gentleman walked into the room. He looked like a grandfather. He was unassuming and polite. He took off his cap, smiled and shook my hand as if it were me who was the celebrity in the room. "Hi, I'm Ernie Harwell. Pleasure to meet you." "Yeah, I know," I responded softly. "It's an honor, sir." He laughed, "You're honored to meet an old man? You need to get out more." And that's how the night went. While Price was busy sulking and being crotchety, Harwell and I exchanged barbs and laughed for 3 hours during a Tigers - White Sox game. It just as easily could have been me and my grandfather. It was that comfortable. A kid he'd never met before that night, some punk who sold tickets in the Tigers front office and was running stats for him that night, he opened up to; he chatted with, like we were old buddies that had known each other 20 years. When the game ended, Harwell and I left the booth, still laughing uncontrollably. He patted me on my back, shook my hand and off I went. Off I went, with a memory forever etched into my head of that night. An 81-year old hall of fame broadcaster treated me like family for three hours. Turns out, Harwell is just as famous for his treatment of others as he is for his work on the mic.
Harwell has a very distinguishable voice. It's very soothing. He is one of the few broadcasters that you can listen to on the radio and fully enjoy the game. I know countless Detroiters who will watch a Tigers game on mute and turn up their radio to hear Harwell call the game. He's iconic in that regard. He is also one of a very few broadcasters who work for a team (and not a national channel), but is known throughout the country. The other of course, is Vin Scully (who actually did broadcast nationally for a time when I was a kid). The rest of the great baseball voices have passed on - Harry Caray, Phil Rizzuto, Jack Buck. Today's announcers don't get it. They try to make themselves a part of the game. That's not their job. Their job is to tell a story. They are there to describe the game to us and then stay out of the way and let us enjoy the game. But the arrogance of most of today's broadcasters gets in the way. The proverbial apple fell so far from Jack Buck's tree, that I often wonder if Joe Buck is adopted. I miss great announcing. I miss listening to a great voice tell a great story....without interjecting themselves into it. Harwell did that, masterfully.
Ernie Harwell is a great man, with a great passion for the game, a great voice to tell the story and always told the story in a great way. And his love of people is what made him a great man. I believe that God put him in the spotlight to give him the ability to touch thousands of people...myself included. Ask anyone living in the Detroit area and they will tell you - Ernie Harwell is Detroit Baseball. He spent 31 years covering Tigers baseball at the Corner of Michigan and Trumbull. He spent another three seasons with the team at Comerica Park, before retiring. All told, he spent 42 years broadcasting.
The tears I shed this morning were because ESPN's headline read: Hall of Famer Harwell has incurable cancer. He's 91 years old. He's led a great life. But it didn't make the news any less sad that a revered man like Harwell probably has a year or less to live and there's nothing he or the doctor's can do about it.
Harwell is a one of a kind gentleman. The Tigers once tried to put him out to pasture, but the fans revolted, and in time, the Tigers wisely brought him back. And now cancer is trying to take his life. I don't know if all the fans' voices will make a difference this time. But if this disease was curable simply by all the lives that he touched all banding together, then Harwell would beat this thing without missing a beat. Sadly, that's not the case. And sometime in the not too distant future, I will probably open ESPN.com and shed some more tears for a great man.
It was late Spring, 1999. I was in my first season in the front office of the Detroit Tigers. I was 24, very green and unbelievably wet behind the ears. I was still awe struck anytime I met a player or anyone famous that worked for the team at the time. So, when my boss asked if anyone wanted to help out the Tigers' radio guys during a game, I volunteered faster than Usain Bolt runs the 100 yard dash. An opportunity to work in the Press Box for a game with Jim Price and Ernie Harwell? Don't mind if I do!
When I got up to the booth, Price, an ex big-league catcher, was less than friendly. He certainly has more charisma than Kirk Gibson, but then again, so does a sloth. But meeting Price and hanging around him was not the highlight of my night. Not even close. Shortly after I set up the radio booth with the requisite visiting team stats, an elderly gentleman walked into the room. He looked like a grandfather. He was unassuming and polite. He took off his cap, smiled and shook my hand as if it were me who was the celebrity in the room. "Hi, I'm Ernie Harwell. Pleasure to meet you." "Yeah, I know," I responded softly. "It's an honor, sir." He laughed, "You're honored to meet an old man? You need to get out more." And that's how the night went. While Price was busy sulking and being crotchety, Harwell and I exchanged barbs and laughed for 3 hours during a Tigers - White Sox game. It just as easily could have been me and my grandfather. It was that comfortable. A kid he'd never met before that night, some punk who sold tickets in the Tigers front office and was running stats for him that night, he opened up to; he chatted with, like we were old buddies that had known each other 20 years. When the game ended, Harwell and I left the booth, still laughing uncontrollably. He patted me on my back, shook my hand and off I went. Off I went, with a memory forever etched into my head of that night. An 81-year old hall of fame broadcaster treated me like family for three hours. Turns out, Harwell is just as famous for his treatment of others as he is for his work on the mic.
Harwell has a very distinguishable voice. It's very soothing. He is one of the few broadcasters that you can listen to on the radio and fully enjoy the game. I know countless Detroiters who will watch a Tigers game on mute and turn up their radio to hear Harwell call the game. He's iconic in that regard. He is also one of a very few broadcasters who work for a team (and not a national channel), but is known throughout the country. The other of course, is Vin Scully (who actually did broadcast nationally for a time when I was a kid). The rest of the great baseball voices have passed on - Harry Caray, Phil Rizzuto, Jack Buck. Today's announcers don't get it. They try to make themselves a part of the game. That's not their job. Their job is to tell a story. They are there to describe the game to us and then stay out of the way and let us enjoy the game. But the arrogance of most of today's broadcasters gets in the way. The proverbial apple fell so far from Jack Buck's tree, that I often wonder if Joe Buck is adopted. I miss great announcing. I miss listening to a great voice tell a great story....without interjecting themselves into it. Harwell did that, masterfully.
Ernie Harwell is a great man, with a great passion for the game, a great voice to tell the story and always told the story in a great way. And his love of people is what made him a great man. I believe that God put him in the spotlight to give him the ability to touch thousands of people...myself included. Ask anyone living in the Detroit area and they will tell you - Ernie Harwell is Detroit Baseball. He spent 31 years covering Tigers baseball at the Corner of Michigan and Trumbull. He spent another three seasons with the team at Comerica Park, before retiring. All told, he spent 42 years broadcasting.
The tears I shed this morning were because ESPN's headline read: Hall of Famer Harwell has incurable cancer. He's 91 years old. He's led a great life. But it didn't make the news any less sad that a revered man like Harwell probably has a year or less to live and there's nothing he or the doctor's can do about it.
Harwell is a one of a kind gentleman. The Tigers once tried to put him out to pasture, but the fans revolted, and in time, the Tigers wisely brought him back. And now cancer is trying to take his life. I don't know if all the fans' voices will make a difference this time. But if this disease was curable simply by all the lives that he touched all banding together, then Harwell would beat this thing without missing a beat. Sadly, that's not the case. And sometime in the not too distant future, I will probably open ESPN.com and shed some more tears for a great man.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
A Trip Down Vegas Memory Lane...
I left the shed next to my framer's house with my masterpiece in my right hand. A framed up 1,000 piece puzzle of the Las Vegas Strip at night. And surrounding the puzzle was a $1 chip from every hotel on the strip. Anal and meticulous that I am, I had to ensure that the chips were in the correct order in which they sit on the strip. As I hung the piece over my TV in the living room, I got nostalgic. My last trip to Vegas was in March, 2008. I need to make another trip and soon. And this piece hanging in my living room will be a constant reminder.
My first trip to Vegas was for my 21st birthday. Maybe it was because it was preceded by a 3-day trip to the worst city on earth (Los Angeles), but the anticipation of landing at McCarren Airport can not be overstated. Since, my 21st birthday, I have made the requisite Vegas trips (although, sadly, I have never attended a Las Vegas bachelor party....yet. There is hope finally building for my little brother, and I am certain that's where we're headed). I have done the boys trip. I have done the family trip (yes, with my then-2 year old son). I have done the couples trip. I have run the gamut. And Vegas never disappoints. Even the trip on my 21st birthday when I was sick for a day and a half and lost a few hundred bucks (still, to this day, the only time I went to Vegas and came out a loser), we had a ton of fun.
Each of my Vegas excursions has left me with an unforgettable moment or 10. My first trip was well, my first trip. It was also the first time I ever realized that cocktail waitresses don't actually think you are as cute as they tell you that you are. This lesson has come in handy later in life in other establishments where women rely heavily on tips. That trip was also the trip where my underage brother won $1,000 at Keno. But since he was underage, I had to cash in his ticket. It was the only time that weekend I was actually ahead.
Each trip since, I have actually left Vegas having won money. But the memories and the famous one-liners that come from a Vegas trip are what stick with you. I will keep the authors of the following quotes anonymous, but they are all a reminder of the fun we had each time we went to Vegas...
"Pull your bets back, we're headed to Amen Corner." My 2003 trip. I won a lot of money that week. But one night, in a matter of about 2 hours, me and my buddies managed to lose about $300 each playing craps....and all because the 5 of us kept crapping out and losing everybody at the table money. We never quit, mind you. We just kept rolling 7s, killing everyone's winnings at the table, and made jokes about it. Why didn't we just leave the table???
"I thought you were up $1,800?"
"I was."
"So, how do you only have $800 left?"
"Strip club."
"Oh, you paid for a ----------"
"No."
"Then what did you get for $1,000?"
"We cuddled."
"We're gonna go have a 3some now." Ok, so obviously this didn't happen. But during my 2008 trip this line was uttered in an elevator by a girl who was with a woman and her husband, to a crowded elevator. The elevator's patrons stood silent in sheer shock at the comment. The husband was excited briefly, until he figured out that this wasn't actually going to happen.
Obviously, there are tons of other quotes and memories that stick in my head that I can't mention here. But, it just reminds me how much fun Las Vegas really is and how badly I miss it.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to check Orbitz for flight costs from Ft. Lauderdale to Las Vegas!
My first trip to Vegas was for my 21st birthday. Maybe it was because it was preceded by a 3-day trip to the worst city on earth (Los Angeles), but the anticipation of landing at McCarren Airport can not be overstated. Since, my 21st birthday, I have made the requisite Vegas trips (although, sadly, I have never attended a Las Vegas bachelor party....yet. There is hope finally building for my little brother, and I am certain that's where we're headed). I have done the boys trip. I have done the family trip (yes, with my then-2 year old son). I have done the couples trip. I have run the gamut. And Vegas never disappoints. Even the trip on my 21st birthday when I was sick for a day and a half and lost a few hundred bucks (still, to this day, the only time I went to Vegas and came out a loser), we had a ton of fun.
Each of my Vegas excursions has left me with an unforgettable moment or 10. My first trip was well, my first trip. It was also the first time I ever realized that cocktail waitresses don't actually think you are as cute as they tell you that you are. This lesson has come in handy later in life in other establishments where women rely heavily on tips. That trip was also the trip where my underage brother won $1,000 at Keno. But since he was underage, I had to cash in his ticket. It was the only time that weekend I was actually ahead.
Each trip since, I have actually left Vegas having won money. But the memories and the famous one-liners that come from a Vegas trip are what stick with you. I will keep the authors of the following quotes anonymous, but they are all a reminder of the fun we had each time we went to Vegas...
"Pull your bets back, we're headed to Amen Corner." My 2003 trip. I won a lot of money that week. But one night, in a matter of about 2 hours, me and my buddies managed to lose about $300 each playing craps....and all because the 5 of us kept crapping out and losing everybody at the table money. We never quit, mind you. We just kept rolling 7s, killing everyone's winnings at the table, and made jokes about it. Why didn't we just leave the table???
"I thought you were up $1,800?"
"I was."
"So, how do you only have $800 left?"
"Strip club."
"Oh, you paid for a ----------"
"No."
"Then what did you get for $1,000?"
"We cuddled."
"We're gonna go have a 3some now." Ok, so obviously this didn't happen. But during my 2008 trip this line was uttered in an elevator by a girl who was with a woman and her husband, to a crowded elevator. The elevator's patrons stood silent in sheer shock at the comment. The husband was excited briefly, until he figured out that this wasn't actually going to happen.
Obviously, there are tons of other quotes and memories that stick in my head that I can't mention here. But, it just reminds me how much fun Las Vegas really is and how badly I miss it.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to check Orbitz for flight costs from Ft. Lauderdale to Las Vegas!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Bulldogs and Cowboys and Hokies....oh my!
The NCAA Football season begins in two days, and save for a couple of snoozers, opening weekend this year kicks off with a bang. Much like the NFL, the NCAA has expanded its opening weekend from a one-day event on a Saturday, to a Thursday - Monday weekend long extravaganza. Now, Friday and Sunday don't offer much beyond seeing how real Ole Miss is this year, and the battle for supremacy in Colorado (yawn), but Thursday, Saturday and Monday are filled with intrigue.
THURSDAY
The college football season kicks off with the Ole Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks heading north to play NC State. Not a huge game, but a lot of people look at South Carolina as a potential sleeper in the SEC East. If they struggle with NC State, don't look for them to be able to compete with the Gators and Bulldogs.
Thursday does feature a matchup of ranked teams. Oregon travels to Boise State in a very intriguing match up, as Boise State continues to try to prove that they, and other non-BCS schools are just as worthy of a National Title shot. (Let's not forget, the only Division I school to go undefeated last year was not the Florida Gators, but rather the University of Utah) Beating a ranked Oregon team, out of the Pac-10 would be just another step for schools like Boise State, Utah and BYU. And speaking of BYU...
SATURDAY
BYU will get its shot in the spotlight on Saturday, as they take on defending Big 12 Champion and National Championship game loser, Oklahoma in a neutral-site game. The 20th ranked Cougars will try to stifle last year's best offense and Heisman Trophy winner, Sam Bradford. If this game gets into the 30s or higher, OU could make a mess of the Cougars.
Two other games on Saturday feature ranked teams going head to head. A great SEC-Big 12 Battle in Stillwater, Oklahoma, as the Georgia Bulldogs head west to take on Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant and the Oklahoma State Cowboys....the trendy sleeper pick in the Big 12. Georgia's defense will have to try and find a way to slow down OSU's high powered offense. What makes OSU dangerous is their vastly underrated defense, which gave Big 12 QBs, including Chase Daniel and Colt McCoy, fits last year.
In the game of the weekend, 5th ranked Alabama plays 7th ranked Virginia Tech in a battle of two teams who believe that they can get to the National Championship game. Both are veteran teams with veteran head coaches. But Va Tech has already been stung by injuries and I just don't think they are as good as their pre-season ranking, and I believe they will have a hard time keeping up with the athleticism of the Crimson Tide. I think 'Bama rolls the Hokies.
Other games of note on Saturday: Baylor plays at Wake Forest. If you get a chance, watch this game and pay close attention to Baylor Sophomore QB Robert Griffin. It wasn't until the 9th game of the season that then-Freshman Griffin finally threw his first interception of the season, against Missouri. He is poised for a breakout season. He's probably still a year away, but I believe he will be in NYC for the Heisman presentation following the 2010 season. Also Saturday, Missouri and Illinois play their Arch Rivalry game in St. Louis. Mizzou is coming off its most successful back to back seasons in school history, with consecutive 10-win seasons and a top-5 and top-20 finish, respectively. But, Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin and John Mackey Award winner for best college Tight End, Chase Coffman are all gone from the offense. Can Blaine Gabbart (#4 High School QB in the country in 2007) take over the reigns along with outstanding RB Derrick Washington or is it back to the bottom of the Big 12 for Mizzou? Another game of interest on Saturday is the Citadel at North Carolina. Why is this game one I will be paying attention to? Not because I think UNC can be upset (or even that the Citadel can come within 40 points of the Tar Heels) but because UNC is my pick to win the ACC and go undefeated this year, which means they are my dark horse pick to compete for a National Championship. And Roy Williams and Tyler Hansborough aren't even involved.
UPSET ALERT
I have two teams on upset alert on opening weekend. I don't think Wisconsin is going to be all that great this year and Northern Illinois is one of the better MAC teams. I think N. Illinois is going to give Wisconsin all they can handle and may even leave Madison with an upset win. And FAU, the boys from Boca Raton, Florida head into Big 12 country to take on the popular pick to win the Big 12 North, the 24th ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. It will be a sea of red up there in Lincoln, but the Huskers better be ready. Howard Schnellenberger beat the 'Huskers for the 1983 National Championship (albeit with the Miami Hurricanes) so he'll know what to expect and have his boys ready for a fight.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WATCH
The top two teams in the country are also playing on Saturday.....well, sorta. The defending National Champion Gators and 2nd ranked Texas Longhorns get their first tests of the season (cough, cough). The Gators are 73-point favorites against Charleston Southern and Texas is "only" a 43-point favorite against Louisiana-Monroe. Apparently St. Mary's School for the Blind and the Little Sisters of the poor were already booked on Saturday. C'mon fellas, man up and play some real teams.
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
The long weekend concludes with the much-ballyhooed Miami-FSU rivalry on Monday Night Football. The 18th ranked Seminoles have the more veteran team and the more seasoned head coach (even if he has been much maligned lately). They also have the home field advantage this year. But the young Canes have the better athletes and if they can keep it close late, may have an opportunity for the upset. But if the Canes struggle early, look for their youth to show through and for FSU to take advantage. The Canes will need to protect QB Jacory Harris on offense while pressuring FSU QB Christian Ponder, in order to have a real chance.
However the first weekend shakes out, it promises to be an entertaining weekend and an unpredictable season.
THURSDAY
The college football season kicks off with the Ole Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks heading north to play NC State. Not a huge game, but a lot of people look at South Carolina as a potential sleeper in the SEC East. If they struggle with NC State, don't look for them to be able to compete with the Gators and Bulldogs.
Thursday does feature a matchup of ranked teams. Oregon travels to Boise State in a very intriguing match up, as Boise State continues to try to prove that they, and other non-BCS schools are just as worthy of a National Title shot. (Let's not forget, the only Division I school to go undefeated last year was not the Florida Gators, but rather the University of Utah) Beating a ranked Oregon team, out of the Pac-10 would be just another step for schools like Boise State, Utah and BYU. And speaking of BYU...
SATURDAY
BYU will get its shot in the spotlight on Saturday, as they take on defending Big 12 Champion and National Championship game loser, Oklahoma in a neutral-site game. The 20th ranked Cougars will try to stifle last year's best offense and Heisman Trophy winner, Sam Bradford. If this game gets into the 30s or higher, OU could make a mess of the Cougars.
Two other games on Saturday feature ranked teams going head to head. A great SEC-Big 12 Battle in Stillwater, Oklahoma, as the Georgia Bulldogs head west to take on Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant and the Oklahoma State Cowboys....the trendy sleeper pick in the Big 12. Georgia's defense will have to try and find a way to slow down OSU's high powered offense. What makes OSU dangerous is their vastly underrated defense, which gave Big 12 QBs, including Chase Daniel and Colt McCoy, fits last year.
In the game of the weekend, 5th ranked Alabama plays 7th ranked Virginia Tech in a battle of two teams who believe that they can get to the National Championship game. Both are veteran teams with veteran head coaches. But Va Tech has already been stung by injuries and I just don't think they are as good as their pre-season ranking, and I believe they will have a hard time keeping up with the athleticism of the Crimson Tide. I think 'Bama rolls the Hokies.
Other games of note on Saturday: Baylor plays at Wake Forest. If you get a chance, watch this game and pay close attention to Baylor Sophomore QB Robert Griffin. It wasn't until the 9th game of the season that then-Freshman Griffin finally threw his first interception of the season, against Missouri. He is poised for a breakout season. He's probably still a year away, but I believe he will be in NYC for the Heisman presentation following the 2010 season. Also Saturday, Missouri and Illinois play their Arch Rivalry game in St. Louis. Mizzou is coming off its most successful back to back seasons in school history, with consecutive 10-win seasons and a top-5 and top-20 finish, respectively. But, Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin and John Mackey Award winner for best college Tight End, Chase Coffman are all gone from the offense. Can Blaine Gabbart (#4 High School QB in the country in 2007) take over the reigns along with outstanding RB Derrick Washington or is it back to the bottom of the Big 12 for Mizzou? Another game of interest on Saturday is the Citadel at North Carolina. Why is this game one I will be paying attention to? Not because I think UNC can be upset (or even that the Citadel can come within 40 points of the Tar Heels) but because UNC is my pick to win the ACC and go undefeated this year, which means they are my dark horse pick to compete for a National Championship. And Roy Williams and Tyler Hansborough aren't even involved.
UPSET ALERT
I have two teams on upset alert on opening weekend. I don't think Wisconsin is going to be all that great this year and Northern Illinois is one of the better MAC teams. I think N. Illinois is going to give Wisconsin all they can handle and may even leave Madison with an upset win. And FAU, the boys from Boca Raton, Florida head into Big 12 country to take on the popular pick to win the Big 12 North, the 24th ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. It will be a sea of red up there in Lincoln, but the Huskers better be ready. Howard Schnellenberger beat the 'Huskers for the 1983 National Championship (albeit with the Miami Hurricanes) so he'll know what to expect and have his boys ready for a fight.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WATCH
The top two teams in the country are also playing on Saturday.....well, sorta. The defending National Champion Gators and 2nd ranked Texas Longhorns get their first tests of the season (cough, cough). The Gators are 73-point favorites against Charleston Southern and Texas is "only" a 43-point favorite against Louisiana-Monroe. Apparently St. Mary's School for the Blind and the Little Sisters of the poor were already booked on Saturday. C'mon fellas, man up and play some real teams.
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
The long weekend concludes with the much-ballyhooed Miami-FSU rivalry on Monday Night Football. The 18th ranked Seminoles have the more veteran team and the more seasoned head coach (even if he has been much maligned lately). They also have the home field advantage this year. But the young Canes have the better athletes and if they can keep it close late, may have an opportunity for the upset. But if the Canes struggle early, look for their youth to show through and for FSU to take advantage. The Canes will need to protect QB Jacory Harris on offense while pressuring FSU QB Christian Ponder, in order to have a real chance.
However the first weekend shakes out, it promises to be an entertaining weekend and an unpredictable season.
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