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.
Friday, September 4, 2009
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.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
ESPN still doesn't get it...
Last year among a sea of backlash and talk of an "east coast bias", ESPN attempted to appease its viewers and sponsors by opening a studio in Los Angeles and telecasting their 10:00 pacific time Sportscenter, live from LA. Some of the anchors even joked on the air that this proved there was no East Coast bias on ESPN (which has been nicknamed the Everything Sox and Pinstripes Network - a pretty fitting moniker). ESPN has certainly done some wonderful things in it's more than 3 decades on the air. It has made sports more accessible to fans. It's spinoffs - ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com are also wonderful mediums for fans to learn about sports. But, like with other things that become popular, ESPN has used its popularity to shove agendas down Americans' collective throats. If you asked 10 people what are the two most annoying sports stories going right now, I would venture to guess that 7 of those 10 people would say Brett Favre and Michael Vick. Yet, Sportscenter (and the dozens of other talking head shows that ESPN telecasts) not only tend to lead with these two stories on a daily basis, but we hear about everything they do. And nobody wants to hear it anymore.
ESPN claims that there is no East Coast Bias, and that they proved as much by broadcasting live from LA now. That's nice window dressing, but let's dig a little deeper. I pulled their TV schedule for the MLB game of the week this season - the game that they broadcast every Sunday night. There are 25 total games of the week - the game that is supposed to feature the most compelling story line. With 25 games, that means that there will be a total of 50 opportunities for teams to get featured. As it turns out, 18 of the 30 MLB teams will appear on Sunday Night Baseball this year. Out of those 18 teams, 8 of them play in the East, 6 in the mid west and 4 out west. Not a horrible imbalance. But it gets worse. The 4 West Coast teams are featured a total of 8 times. The 6 Mid West teams are featured 14 times. And the 8 East Coast teams are featured 28 times. That seems a little skewed. Additionally, ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball only features a west coast team playing another west coast team twice. By comparison, two mid west teams playing each other occurs 5 times and two east coast teams going head to head happens an astonishing 11 times (or 44% of all Sunday Night games feature two east coast teams playing each other). Also, the 28 times that any east coast team is featured on Sunday Night Baseball equates to 56% of the time, you are seeing an east coast team.
The Yankees and Red Sox is a nice rivalry. But as I said in a previous blog, it's hard to convince an intelligent fan that you are the best rivalry in baseball when there was a solid 15 year period that you couldn't sell out games against each other. Also, is it really a rivalry when one team had such dominance over the other for 86 years? A rivalry is when both teams win their fair share of the games, and when the fans show up out of pure hatred for the other team, regardless of win-loss records or who the media tells us is a great rivalry. The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry is older and features a much more deep-seeded hatred. And the Giants-Dodgers rivalry? It is the oldest in all of baseball. It has spanned not one, but two coasts. The only reason the Dodgers even play in LA is because the Giants agreed to move to San Francisco and not Minneapolis in 1958. The Northern California- Southern California rivalry makes the rivalry between the cities of Boston and New York look like clam chowder. At a Giants-Dodgers game in 2005, a local San Francisco news team was interviewing fans gong into the ballpark. They stopped a woman in a Giants hat and asked her if she was a big Giants fan. She replied, "no. Not really. Actually, I hate baseball." The reporter was confused and asked her if she hated baseball why was she there. She quickly said, "Because I hate the Dodgers more." But do these things ever make ESPN? No. Instead, they shove the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry down our throats, much the way they do Favre and Vick. The Giants and Dodgers have yet to play each other on ESPN at all this season - on a Sunday Night game or any other day of the week. Part of this is because ESPN refuses to telecast any baseball games that start at 10:00 eastern time during the week. Meanwhile, the Yankees-Red Sox will appear on ESPN 6 times, including all 3 times they meet on a Sunday. Even the Cubs and Cardinals get 2 games on Sunday Night Baseball. Heck, the Braves and Philles get to renew their long standing rivalry (cough, cough) on three different Sunday Night games, including two times in a three week span. But no, there's no East Coast bias whatsoever.
This Sunday Night, ESPN could have televised a 72-57 team playing at a 70-59 team. Team B is trailing Team A there by 2 games in the Wild Card race. Instead, ESPN in its infinite wisdom will televise a team 74-52 playing a team 67-61. A team 8 games up in their division, playing a team currently sitting 4 1/2 out of the Wild Card race. And this is the second time in three weeks we will get to see the same two teams playing on Sunday Night Baseball. Why subject us to Phillies-Braves again, when the Wild Card's top two teams are going head to head (and if the Giants win on Saturday Night, they will be going for the tie on Sunday)?
ESPN may claim there is no East Coast Bias going on, but actions speak louder than words.
ESPN claims that there is no East Coast Bias, and that they proved as much by broadcasting live from LA now. That's nice window dressing, but let's dig a little deeper. I pulled their TV schedule for the MLB game of the week this season - the game that they broadcast every Sunday night. There are 25 total games of the week - the game that is supposed to feature the most compelling story line. With 25 games, that means that there will be a total of 50 opportunities for teams to get featured. As it turns out, 18 of the 30 MLB teams will appear on Sunday Night Baseball this year. Out of those 18 teams, 8 of them play in the East, 6 in the mid west and 4 out west. Not a horrible imbalance. But it gets worse. The 4 West Coast teams are featured a total of 8 times. The 6 Mid West teams are featured 14 times. And the 8 East Coast teams are featured 28 times. That seems a little skewed. Additionally, ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball only features a west coast team playing another west coast team twice. By comparison, two mid west teams playing each other occurs 5 times and two east coast teams going head to head happens an astonishing 11 times (or 44% of all Sunday Night games feature two east coast teams playing each other). Also, the 28 times that any east coast team is featured on Sunday Night Baseball equates to 56% of the time, you are seeing an east coast team.
The Yankees and Red Sox is a nice rivalry. But as I said in a previous blog, it's hard to convince an intelligent fan that you are the best rivalry in baseball when there was a solid 15 year period that you couldn't sell out games against each other. Also, is it really a rivalry when one team had such dominance over the other for 86 years? A rivalry is when both teams win their fair share of the games, and when the fans show up out of pure hatred for the other team, regardless of win-loss records or who the media tells us is a great rivalry. The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry is older and features a much more deep-seeded hatred. And the Giants-Dodgers rivalry? It is the oldest in all of baseball. It has spanned not one, but two coasts. The only reason the Dodgers even play in LA is because the Giants agreed to move to San Francisco and not Minneapolis in 1958. The Northern California- Southern California rivalry makes the rivalry between the cities of Boston and New York look like clam chowder. At a Giants-Dodgers game in 2005, a local San Francisco news team was interviewing fans gong into the ballpark. They stopped a woman in a Giants hat and asked her if she was a big Giants fan. She replied, "no. Not really. Actually, I hate baseball." The reporter was confused and asked her if she hated baseball why was she there. She quickly said, "Because I hate the Dodgers more." But do these things ever make ESPN? No. Instead, they shove the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry down our throats, much the way they do Favre and Vick. The Giants and Dodgers have yet to play each other on ESPN at all this season - on a Sunday Night game or any other day of the week. Part of this is because ESPN refuses to telecast any baseball games that start at 10:00 eastern time during the week. Meanwhile, the Yankees-Red Sox will appear on ESPN 6 times, including all 3 times they meet on a Sunday. Even the Cubs and Cardinals get 2 games on Sunday Night Baseball. Heck, the Braves and Philles get to renew their long standing rivalry (cough, cough) on three different Sunday Night games, including two times in a three week span. But no, there's no East Coast bias whatsoever.
This Sunday Night, ESPN could have televised a 72-57 team playing at a 70-59 team. Team B is trailing Team A there by 2 games in the Wild Card race. Instead, ESPN in its infinite wisdom will televise a team 74-52 playing a team 67-61. A team 8 games up in their division, playing a team currently sitting 4 1/2 out of the Wild Card race. And this is the second time in three weeks we will get to see the same two teams playing on Sunday Night Baseball. Why subject us to Phillies-Braves again, when the Wild Card's top two teams are going head to head (and if the Giants win on Saturday Night, they will be going for the tie on Sunday)?
ESPN may claim there is no East Coast Bias going on, but actions speak louder than words.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Muchas Gracias, Ochocinco
This morning, Denver Broncos Wide Receiver, Brandon Marshall was suspended by the team for conduct detrimental to the team. Basically, he showed up at practice yesterday, didn't run very hard, picked up a football and punted it across the practice facility and several times batted down balls during practice. If he was a punter or defensive back, these actions may not seem so bad. But he's the team's number 1 Wide Receiver. This is a problem. And it's not the first problem for Marshall, who was suspended for a game last season and has been arrested three times since 2004 for various indiscretions.
The Wide Receiver position in the NFL has become quite possibly the biggest prima-donna position in all of sports. Terrell Owens has left a trail of bad blood in each city he played in (don't believe me? Ask any fan of the 49ers, Eagles and Cowboys what they think of him. Heck, ask a Ravens fan - and he never actually even played for the Ravens). He has burned enough bridges to light his way from Philadelphia to San Francisco. Randy Moss, who has admittedly cleaned up his act in New England, walked off a field during a game. He once sprayed a coach with a water bottle. And Moss is no stranger to run-ins with the law, either.
Plaxico Burress (rightly or wrongly) is serving two years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm in a New York nightclub. Donte' Stallworth killed a man while driving drunk (and allegedly high on Marijuana as well). And how can we possibly forget legendary Rae Carruth. This nut job will be in prison for the rest of his life (thank God) for killing his girlfriend and unborn child. And they say the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. Really???
Meanwhile, in the age of Prima-Donna Wide Receivers and ESPN cramming some guys named Vick and Favre down our throats just a little too much, Chad Ochocinco tends to get his share of negative press. And all I have to ask is, why? Is he a little over-the-top arrogant? Sure. Does he have his antics? Absolutely. But through it all, he is a fun-loving, do-my-job, but trash talk when I can Wide Receiver. He has fun when he is on the field. Maybe a little too much fun. But he is getting paid millions, and he is pretty darn good at his job. So, why shouldn't he be happy?
He has his very flamboyant, and pre-meditated touchdown celebrations. And he once made a list of every cornerback on the opposing teams that the Bengals would be playing one year so that he could put a check mark next to each one that he burned. But it's all in good fun. His latest antic was to be a kicker for a night. And you know what? He made the extra point he was asked to kick and he booted a kickoff almost 70 yards in the air. In a pre-season game. So what was the harm?
Ochocinco's most controversial move was to change his last name from Johnson to the Spanish version of his number. He hasn't shot anybody, or run anybody over while drunk driving, or ruined locker rooms and then left. To my knowledge, he has never walked off a field during a game or even punched another teammate during practice (hello Steve Smith). He just enjoys his job more than most. And that is a good thing. Laverneous Coles is considered to be a very nice fantasy sleeper this year. One of the big reasons is because he is playing opposite Ochocinco in the Cincinnati offense. Ochocinco also makes players around him better.
So, he's a good teammate. He's a good Wide Receiver. He doesn't have any off-field problems. So, his biggest drawback is his name? The fact that he celebrates a little too much? Cut the guy some slack. As a 49ers fan still waiting for our Wide Receiver to sign - you know, the rookie who's never played a down in the NFL, but is demanding more money - I would take Ochocinco's antics over Michael Crabtree's any day. And twice on Sundays.
The Wide Receiver position in the NFL has become quite possibly the biggest prima-donna position in all of sports. Terrell Owens has left a trail of bad blood in each city he played in (don't believe me? Ask any fan of the 49ers, Eagles and Cowboys what they think of him. Heck, ask a Ravens fan - and he never actually even played for the Ravens). He has burned enough bridges to light his way from Philadelphia to San Francisco. Randy Moss, who has admittedly cleaned up his act in New England, walked off a field during a game. He once sprayed a coach with a water bottle. And Moss is no stranger to run-ins with the law, either.
Plaxico Burress (rightly or wrongly) is serving two years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm in a New York nightclub. Donte' Stallworth killed a man while driving drunk (and allegedly high on Marijuana as well). And how can we possibly forget legendary Rae Carruth. This nut job will be in prison for the rest of his life (thank God) for killing his girlfriend and unborn child. And they say the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. Really???
Meanwhile, in the age of Prima-Donna Wide Receivers and ESPN cramming some guys named Vick and Favre down our throats just a little too much, Chad Ochocinco tends to get his share of negative press. And all I have to ask is, why? Is he a little over-the-top arrogant? Sure. Does he have his antics? Absolutely. But through it all, he is a fun-loving, do-my-job, but trash talk when I can Wide Receiver. He has fun when he is on the field. Maybe a little too much fun. But he is getting paid millions, and he is pretty darn good at his job. So, why shouldn't he be happy?
He has his very flamboyant, and pre-meditated touchdown celebrations. And he once made a list of every cornerback on the opposing teams that the Bengals would be playing one year so that he could put a check mark next to each one that he burned. But it's all in good fun. His latest antic was to be a kicker for a night. And you know what? He made the extra point he was asked to kick and he booted a kickoff almost 70 yards in the air. In a pre-season game. So what was the harm?
Ochocinco's most controversial move was to change his last name from Johnson to the Spanish version of his number. He hasn't shot anybody, or run anybody over while drunk driving, or ruined locker rooms and then left. To my knowledge, he has never walked off a field during a game or even punched another teammate during practice (hello Steve Smith). He just enjoys his job more than most. And that is a good thing. Laverneous Coles is considered to be a very nice fantasy sleeper this year. One of the big reasons is because he is playing opposite Ochocinco in the Cincinnati offense. Ochocinco also makes players around him better.
So, he's a good teammate. He's a good Wide Receiver. He doesn't have any off-field problems. So, his biggest drawback is his name? The fact that he celebrates a little too much? Cut the guy some slack. As a 49ers fan still waiting for our Wide Receiver to sign - you know, the rookie who's never played a down in the NFL, but is demanding more money - I would take Ochocinco's antics over Michael Crabtree's any day. And twice on Sundays.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
To Tell The Truth...
They say that a good lie is 80% truth. I don't know who "they" are and I don't know where "they" came up with that percentage. But it seems plausible to me. So let's go with that.
Six years ago Louisville head basketball coach Rick Pitino had sex with Karen Cunigan Sypher. Sometime after the sex, the married Sypher had an abortion. She wasn't the only one having an affair, Pitino was married at the time as well. Pitino and Sypher, like so many others, hid their affair from their families. I am sure that over the course of the six years, they each told lies to their spouses regarding where they were that day. I'm sure there were truths sprinkled in to make the lie believable. Now, some six years later, Sypher is charged with extorting more money from Pitino. She will be going on trial shortly for her alleged crime. Pitino? He'll be coaching the men's basketball team at Louisville again next season. She claims he raped her. He says the sex was consensual. She's going on trial. He'll be earning millions to coach 18-22 year old boys play basketball. The police said they didn't have enough to charge Pitino with rape, despite the alleged victim's statements. Why do we believe him and not her?
Pitino paid this woman $3,000 after having sex with her. According to her it was for an abortion. According to his lawyer, it was to pay for her to get insurance so she could have an abortion. To-may-to, to-mah-to. Either way, he paid $3,000 and all or part of that money went to her abortion. Her accusation was on tape at the local precinct recounting her side of what happened the night that had sex. Why isn't that enough to take to a grand jury?
Yesterday, Pitino blasted the media for playing this tape to the public. And I don't entirely blame him. If he's innocent, this tape sure paints him in a bad light. And if he's guilty, well then, he has a whole other reason for being angry this tape was leaked. But do we believe him? He lied to his own University (his employer) for 6 months after this woman allegedly tried to extort him. Then, when he realized his back was against the wall, he came clean. Isn't that how all criminals and liars behave? Lie, deflect, answer vaguely....right up until you absolutely have to tell the truth and appear contrite. Even yesterday, while blasting the media, he used a very common trick of liars - deflecting the attention off himself and his story onto another ongoing big media event. During his rant, he said, " Everything that's been printed, everything that's been reported, everything that's been breaking in the news on the day Ted Kennedy died is 100 percent a lie, a lie. All of this has been a lie, a total fabrication of the truth." Why bring up Kennedy's death here? How is it at all relevant to what was going on in Louisville, Kentucky?
And more importantly, how does Rick Pitino still have a job? He lied to his employer for over six months and managed to keep his job. He has a morals clause in his contract. I'm pretty sure having an extra-marital affair and paying for the woman's abortion- even if the sex was consensual - probably breaks that morals clause. You know, unless you just took your team to the Elite 8. I guess in the NCAA, winning trumps morality. But hey, at least Pitino's telling the truth.....well 80% of it anyway.
Six years ago Louisville head basketball coach Rick Pitino had sex with Karen Cunigan Sypher. Sometime after the sex, the married Sypher had an abortion. She wasn't the only one having an affair, Pitino was married at the time as well. Pitino and Sypher, like so many others, hid their affair from their families. I am sure that over the course of the six years, they each told lies to their spouses regarding where they were that day. I'm sure there were truths sprinkled in to make the lie believable. Now, some six years later, Sypher is charged with extorting more money from Pitino. She will be going on trial shortly for her alleged crime. Pitino? He'll be coaching the men's basketball team at Louisville again next season. She claims he raped her. He says the sex was consensual. She's going on trial. He'll be earning millions to coach 18-22 year old boys play basketball. The police said they didn't have enough to charge Pitino with rape, despite the alleged victim's statements. Why do we believe him and not her?
Pitino paid this woman $3,000 after having sex with her. According to her it was for an abortion. According to his lawyer, it was to pay for her to get insurance so she could have an abortion. To-may-to, to-mah-to. Either way, he paid $3,000 and all or part of that money went to her abortion. Her accusation was on tape at the local precinct recounting her side of what happened the night that had sex. Why isn't that enough to take to a grand jury?
Yesterday, Pitino blasted the media for playing this tape to the public. And I don't entirely blame him. If he's innocent, this tape sure paints him in a bad light. And if he's guilty, well then, he has a whole other reason for being angry this tape was leaked. But do we believe him? He lied to his own University (his employer) for 6 months after this woman allegedly tried to extort him. Then, when he realized his back was against the wall, he came clean. Isn't that how all criminals and liars behave? Lie, deflect, answer vaguely....right up until you absolutely have to tell the truth and appear contrite. Even yesterday, while blasting the media, he used a very common trick of liars - deflecting the attention off himself and his story onto another ongoing big media event. During his rant, he said, " Everything that's been printed, everything that's been reported, everything that's been breaking in the news on the day Ted Kennedy died is 100 percent a lie, a lie. All of this has been a lie, a total fabrication of the truth." Why bring up Kennedy's death here? How is it at all relevant to what was going on in Louisville, Kentucky?
And more importantly, how does Rick Pitino still have a job? He lied to his employer for over six months and managed to keep his job. He has a morals clause in his contract. I'm pretty sure having an extra-marital affair and paying for the woman's abortion- even if the sex was consensual - probably breaks that morals clause. You know, unless you just took your team to the Elite 8. I guess in the NCAA, winning trumps morality. But hey, at least Pitino's telling the truth.....well 80% of it anyway.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Surviving the Economy...
Earlier this week, it was reported that Michael Jackson's finances were in ruins at the time of his death. How could that be? He was the biggest Pop Icon of our generation. Maybe ever. Well, other than having to pay off millions to the families of his alleged victims, apparently he was spending billions, even though he was only making millions.
If you're like me, you are not a multi-millionaire. You are also not on welfare, feeding off of my tax dollars. Contrary to popular reports, the middle class in America is alive (albeit not well). There are the super rich and ultra poor. And somewhere in the middle, more than likely, lies you and me. We don't make millions of dollars playing a sport or acting in movies or TV shows for a living. We also don't sit home and let the Gov't take care of us. We go to work everyday, work hard, and try and support a family. Over the past 18 months or so, that has gotten increasingly difficult. Unemployment is way up. The housing crisis has made owning a home a giant risk, from an asset standpoint. Most people's 401Ks are in the toilet. And forget about the stock market. So how is a middle class family supposed to stay afloat without becoming a statistic?
I have developed a few ways that I have been able to not only stay afloat, but actually increase my net worth (albeit, it's peanuts) during these troubled times. My methods won't make me a millionaire, but hopefully, they will keep me and my family afloat and get us through these tough times and set my son up for success down the road. A few tips....
When your child is young, buy them a whole life insurance policy. It costs pennies. And, since it is a whole life policy, it matures and when they are 18, they have themselves a nice little savings for college. If times get really tough, you can even borrow against it.....though I would not recommend this unless it was a dire emergency.
In addition to having a short term savings account and long term savings account (IRA, Retirement Account, 401K, etc...) set up an "untouchable account". A short term account can usually be accessed without penalty and a long term account can be accessed with penalties in times of need. But set up a third account that you do not touch under any circumstances. In a few paragraphs, I will tell you how to build equity in this account.
Cut back on expenses. It's easier than you think. If you research certain bills, often times, you can save on simple things like your phone bill, cable, insurance, etc...Clip coupons. There is a lot of money to be saved if you do a little research.
Save in unconventional ways. Bank of America offers a keep the change program. Every time you use your debit card, the leftover change goes into a savings account. If you buy something for $37.28, then $.72 goes into a savings account. It doesn't sound like much....but how often do you use your debit card? It adds up. Trust me. And Bank of America matches your deposit once a year. So, if you have saved up $55.12 over the course of the year in the keep the change program, they deposit $55.12 into your savings account. That's a free $55.
The untouchable account. Making a monthly budget is great. Everyone should do one. But what is the purpose of the budget if you don't do anything with it? Your budget should include all of your monthly expenses, income, spending (fun) money, short term savings and long term savings. And here is where the untouchable account comes into play. Anytime you get unexpected money (the annual match from Bank of America's keep the change account, a reimbursement check, etc...) deposit it into this account. Anytime one of your expenditures comes in under what you budgeted, put the balance into your account (you budget $400 for monthly groceries, and you only spend $375. Put $25 into the account. And so on). ING offers a risk-free account that offers a small interest rate. But, it's better than the mattress.
None of these are get rich quick schemes. But once the dust settles on this crappy economy, hopefully some of these tips will help you and me keep our heads above water and come out better on the other side. Good luck!
If you're like me, you are not a multi-millionaire. You are also not on welfare, feeding off of my tax dollars. Contrary to popular reports, the middle class in America is alive (albeit not well). There are the super rich and ultra poor. And somewhere in the middle, more than likely, lies you and me. We don't make millions of dollars playing a sport or acting in movies or TV shows for a living. We also don't sit home and let the Gov't take care of us. We go to work everyday, work hard, and try and support a family. Over the past 18 months or so, that has gotten increasingly difficult. Unemployment is way up. The housing crisis has made owning a home a giant risk, from an asset standpoint. Most people's 401Ks are in the toilet. And forget about the stock market. So how is a middle class family supposed to stay afloat without becoming a statistic?
I have developed a few ways that I have been able to not only stay afloat, but actually increase my net worth (albeit, it's peanuts) during these troubled times. My methods won't make me a millionaire, but hopefully, they will keep me and my family afloat and get us through these tough times and set my son up for success down the road. A few tips....
When your child is young, buy them a whole life insurance policy. It costs pennies. And, since it is a whole life policy, it matures and when they are 18, they have themselves a nice little savings for college. If times get really tough, you can even borrow against it.....though I would not recommend this unless it was a dire emergency.
In addition to having a short term savings account and long term savings account (IRA, Retirement Account, 401K, etc...) set up an "untouchable account". A short term account can usually be accessed without penalty and a long term account can be accessed with penalties in times of need. But set up a third account that you do not touch under any circumstances. In a few paragraphs, I will tell you how to build equity in this account.
Cut back on expenses. It's easier than you think. If you research certain bills, often times, you can save on simple things like your phone bill, cable, insurance, etc...Clip coupons. There is a lot of money to be saved if you do a little research.
Save in unconventional ways. Bank of America offers a keep the change program. Every time you use your debit card, the leftover change goes into a savings account. If you buy something for $37.28, then $.72 goes into a savings account. It doesn't sound like much....but how often do you use your debit card? It adds up. Trust me. And Bank of America matches your deposit once a year. So, if you have saved up $55.12 over the course of the year in the keep the change program, they deposit $55.12 into your savings account. That's a free $55.
The untouchable account. Making a monthly budget is great. Everyone should do one. But what is the purpose of the budget if you don't do anything with it? Your budget should include all of your monthly expenses, income, spending (fun) money, short term savings and long term savings. And here is where the untouchable account comes into play. Anytime you get unexpected money (the annual match from Bank of America's keep the change account, a reimbursement check, etc...) deposit it into this account. Anytime one of your expenditures comes in under what you budgeted, put the balance into your account (you budget $400 for monthly groceries, and you only spend $375. Put $25 into the account. And so on). ING offers a risk-free account that offers a small interest rate. But, it's better than the mattress.
None of these are get rich quick schemes. But once the dust settles on this crappy economy, hopefully some of these tips will help you and me keep our heads above water and come out better on the other side. Good luck!
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