Ed The Sports Fan

The Evolution Will Not Be Televised, But it Damn Sure Will Be Live

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:04:00 +0000

*We are now live on The Sports Fan Journal, please click the photo and join the movement!*

Today will be the last post on Ed The Sports Fan, starting at 12:01 am tomorrow the launch of The Sports Fan Journal will begin. For Ken and I, this is the beginning of our evolution into something bigger, bigger than anything we initially thought when we first started blogging back on February 21, 2008...

Where would we be without evolution?

In a literal sense, the world might not exist and we as humans would still exist in the stage of a formative ape. (All the Alphas in the house chill for the present time, thanks)

In the current form with sports, we've seen evolution in many forms:

To create more excitement in the game
To provide more safety (thus providing prolonged opportunity) for the players
To adapt to the preferences of media and the fans who support
To improve gameplay and competition

In the initial phase, the process of growth can be a difficult one. Over time, folks who would complain about the change will inevitably be the biggest apostles for it. (Think Facebook) Evolution can be a necessary evil, but its keyword is that is in fact, necessary.

Three examples to make my point...

#1. Michael Vick

Simple enough, right? The man was one of the most electrifying quarterbacks while a member of the Atlanta Falcons. A running threat with a cannon of an arm, the man's talent was off the charts. Of course, there was one problem...

...Vick had no real idea on how to play the quarterback position.

Now, we don't need to go into detail as to his ordeal with the dogs and going to jail. What we can do is admire the fact that when the Philadelphia Eagles took a flyer on the man, he was more willing to learn, change out of his old ways, and evolve not only as a quarterback...but as a man.

Vick's 2010 season was one that I thought I'd never see. While some of the Vick Stanley's always believed, I hadn't. The man transcended before our very eyes and was becoming the quarterback that we all hoped he would be. Now in 2011, defenses have evolved along with him and learned his new tendencies, Vick's growth as a quarterback will be challenged yet again.

#2. Dirk Nowitzki

Without question the big homie Dirk has been one of the most consistent performers in the league, yet the knock on Dirk was that he couldn't get his team over the hump. It might've been an unjustified knock, but it was on Dirk nonetheless.

People like Ken would tell you that nothing's really changed with Dirk since the debacle versus the Miami Heat in '06 (squandering a 2-0 series lead) or the debacle versus the Golden State Warriors in back in '07. (losing to a #8 seed) To a degree, Dirk's game isn't that different than from previous games, yet I'd argue that the team, the organization and Dirk's mindset is totally different at age 33 versus 28.

Dirk in previous years was fortunate enough to share the leadership role with others (Nash, Finley) in years past. Dirk was also extremely reliant of his jumper, something that you think a 7-footer with range out to 30-feet would be fool-proof. Yet in critical situations, the defense is heightened and the pressure mounts, something that even the big German became fallible to. So what did Dirk do? He worked on his mid-range and post-game, now without the services of his buddy Nash, the job was on him to lead. Cuban shifted the roster to cater to Dirk more, and look....we were blessed with one of the best finals performances in NBA history.

Subtle change was made, which had a monumental impact. All hail #41.

#3. Charles Woodson

There aren't too many players that are held in a higher regard than the man that JAG hates and the man that Ken affectionately calls, "The Heisman." (Due to him being the only one to win it from the defensive side of the ball)

Growing up watching Charles Woodson, he might be the physical specimen one would use to create the ultimate cover cornerback. Capable of running a 4.4, extremely shifty and quick, physically strong with quality measurables...dude was the epitome of the cornerback position as the great Al Davis drafted him out of Michigan and made him a member of the Oakland Raiders.

For years, Woodson was consistently one of the 2-3 best corners out. Yet by the time he turned 29, folks had left Woody for dead in Oakland. He had battled injuries and seemed incapable of covering like he did in his prime. Green Bay picked up Woodson on a flyer, hoping to get a couple of years of service from him before he was finished. That was five years ago.

Watching Woodson now, he looked like he did at 25 even though he's 35 now. The man is out there covering slot receivers, playing a roving linebacker/safety role in Mike McCarthy's defense and dropping back to play safety when needed. Woodson evolved by becoming well-skilled at various positions on the field. His value is his utility, along with being well-skilled. He is the unquestioned leader of that defense (sorry Clay Matthews and Tinsley, I'm not passing that crown to him yet) and they follow the lead of #21.

*****

Like Vick, we've had our good days along with our bad ones. We've learned a ton along the way, and through the tutelage of people like Gotty, Bomani, Tillery, Thornton and others, we realize that we've still got more to learn and that the future is bright for The Sports Fan Journal and everyone involved.

Like Dirk, we're not changing much in who we are. We'll still write the same colorful and engaging articles that we always have. The stage, is bigger. The stakes, are higher. The end result, well...we've already achieved far beyond our expectations, but we realize that there's more to accomplish. That's what The Sports Fan Journal is in place to do.

Like Woodson, we've received our fair bit of accolades (thank you) but to stay relevant you've got to be able to hone your craft. However, the current setup of ETSF is a limited one, and we have invested (literally) to put something better in front of the people.

At one point, I thought I'd use ETSF as a launching point for something bigger and better...some of those dreams were achieved (writing for SLAM) and some of those dreams were ones I'd never even imagined. (Ken, B-Lew and Ed Shocking the World with Nike in NYC, at the ACC Championship, etc.) Yet, we've got more to do. We've got to become better writers, better editors and more knowledgeable. Its a challenge we're ready to accept at The Sports Fan Journal.

Oh, and we've had the livest group of commenters ever. Please take your talents to the new site, your voice is needed too.

It gets real tomorrow, so get ready for the evolution. Because the evolution...will not be televised.

-Ken, B-Lew, Rev, I'm So Hideous, JAG, CK and Ed.
www.thesportsfanjournal.com

The Sad, Troubling End for Joe Paterno and Penn State

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

**By now you've had the opportunity to get to know the third man of the ETSF operation, The Rev. Paul Revere. The man is also an alum of Penn State, and today the floor is his to speak his piece on his school, his coach, and his beloved program.**

I want to preface this by apologizing for the emotional nature and tenor of this piece. As a lifelong Penn State fan and dedicated alum, my emotions are running deep. Many more people out there have covered and are covering the horror in Happy Valley much more eloquently and professionally than I have and am about to, and I feel obligated to share that with you. But as someone who has spent his entire life in admiration of Pennsylvania State University and Joe Paterno, and as someone who became part of the university's family, I feel it is my duty to share what I'm feeling and thinking right now, as my alma mater goes through the single worst scandal in NCAA history. And yes, that includes the troubling murder of Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy and the attempts of cover-up. As terrible as that was, it was a one-time tragedy. Jerry Sandusky's predatory actions on adolescent boys was a disturbing pattern over decades, maybe even longer. This is the reaction of one stunned lifetime member of the Penn State Alumni Association.

As I am writing this, legendary Penn State head coach Joe Paterno, the all-time winningest coach in major college football history and two-time national champion, has not vacated his position as the university's football coach, but he soon will one way or the other. It is going to happen, and it sadly has to happen in light of the horrifying actions of his longtime assistant Jerry Sandusky and the inconceivable inaction of Penn State administrators with information about the alleged abuse, Paterno included.

By now, everyone knows the details. They are heinous. They are unbelievable. And they are unforgivable. Jerry Sandusky should never be allowed to see the sun shine or the stars flicker for the remainder of his miserable life. He is the worst kind of a human being, a sick monster who betrayed the public's trust and preyed on children. He is not worth another thought or ounce of breadth, so I won't even waste any more space on him.

As a community, it was a shock to hear of these alleged crimes. It made everyone from all over the world disgusted and horrified. These children and their families must deal with this the rest of their lives. Their innocence was taken, never to be regained again. And my university had a hand in allowing it all to happen.

I cannot begin to describe how embarrassed and ashamed I am right now that the people who were supposed to have the best interests of the university, its students, its alumni and its community in mind with everything they do have tarnished a school, a reputation, and most vial of all, did nothing to prevent a monster from harming children.

The level of negligence, incompetence and lack of basic human decency is astounding. As someone who takes pride in being a Penn Stater, I didn't even want to read the 23-page grand jury presentment, but when I knew I was going to — had to — share my feelings on the subject, I forced myself through it. Plain and simple, everyone involved needs to go, and that includes the great Joe Paterno.

This is, quite literally, a nightmare. Not the most creative evil genius could have scripted this ending for the architect of the "Grand Experiment." For my entire life and long before it, Joe Paterno and Penn State stood for something more. For the past half-century, the head football coach has done more than anyone in college athletics for young men and women. He has donated millions of dollars to his university, been involved in countless charities, was always swift to take care of any misdeeds by his players, never had a single major NCAA violation and truly meant it when he said his players were students first, athletes second. Penn State has always been among the nation's best in graduation rates under Paterno, and he's run the cleanest program you can imagine.

And yet, when informed that one of his longtime assistants was doing something inappropriate with a child, he did the bare minimum required by law. So did Mike McQueary, the graduate assistant in the presentment. Worse, athletic director Tim Curley and finance officer Gary Schultz didn't even do the bare minimum, failing to notify police of the reported incident, failing to look into past allegations and allowing Sandusky to remain around campus. And president Graham Spanier failed to properly press Curley and Schultz and find out what was really going on, ultimately signing off on nothing but a slap on the wrist for a potential child predator.

Now, I have to admit that it's easy to sit here and cast judgment. When you take a step back and really think about things, you can see the human element of what may have been going through the heads of these men. McQueary was a graduate assistant trying to work his way up the coaching ranks, and he had to fear that bringing on a criminal investigation against a legend in the program could potentially ostracize him from his alma mater. Paterno, who I'm sure thought he knew Sandusky extremely well and considered him a close friend, probably couldn't fathom someone so close to him doing something so horrific, thus he reported what he heard and left it at that, I'm sure hoping it wasn't true. And Curley, Schultz and even Spanier had to imagine the bad PR hit the university would take if a longtime member was suddenly viewed a child predator. You can understand those thoughts if you distance yourself from the actions. But you cannot understand or accept the courses of action all of these men took, because at the end of the day, these actions put children in danger.

Simple human decency trumps all in the welfare of children. McQueary and Paterno should have notified police immediately. Same goes for Curley and Schultz and Spanier. But even with following protocol, you would think McQueary would be uneasy seeing Sandusky around campus, which he undoubtedly had to, after witnessing what he did, and that he would start asking questions and eventually go to police himself since so little was done. The same for Paterno and Spanier for that matter.

I'm appalled that a university that openly displays its almost holier than thou "success with honor" dictum could allow this to happen. When you tout yourself as a coach and an institution entrenched in its morals, you have to be held to that standard. That means doing right, no matter what the consequences. There are few universal truths in the world, but one of them is that preying on children should be prevented at all costs and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. In this instance, that did not happen. Now everyone must be held accountable by losing their jobs and working to do good the rest of their lives in the community they've now helped tarnish in one form or another.

When you look back at all the university has done and all that Joe Paterno has accomplished, we can still be proud. He should be remembered far more the good he has done, however I fear that won't be the case, even in due time. Not when the controversy is so enormous. We won't feel that pride again for a long, long time, and we won't be able to even begin to heal until the university cuts all ties with those involved and wipes the slate clean.

It's a sad, troubling end to what we thought was a near flawless legacy. I hate to see it go this route, but it must be done. We are Penn State, and we are angry. We are upset. We are disgusted. We are heartbroken. We are sick. We are troubled. We are ashamed and embarrassed and outraged and emotional. I've been choking up and near tears reading and watching what's been going on, and the wounds just keep going deeper.

Everything we thought our university stood for was betrayed. Now the end is near. The grand experiment is over. The world really is a cruel place, and for those of us in the Penn State family, it will never be the same again. Sadly, that goes for the Joe Paterno legend as well.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and to them I can only say that my university owed you more. You deserved better. As a society, we all deserve better and we should demand better from the people we trust with the welfare of our communities. Not even Joe Paterno can come away unscathed from this one.

-Rev. Paul Revere
www.edthesportsfan.com

Learn your history

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:27:00 +0000

Last night, while I was finishing up Sweetness, the latest biography about Walter Payton by Jeff Pearlman, I got a message on Facebook about the recent passing of Joe Frazier. After that, I logged onto Twitter and saw a stream of respectful wishes for the man and his family.

What is ironic about the entire thing is, for someone who takes pride in knowing some history, I don’t know much about Smokin’ Joe, and that has to change.

See, it’s one thing to talk about a subject and have another to lean on. That’s something I’m not a fan of. For instance, if someone makes the case that a certain athlete is great, the best, phenomenal, etc., then it should be done without the aid of another athlete.

Basically, if someone says Sir Thomas Brady is the best, a case should be able to be made without mentioning Peyton Manning. If someone says LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, a case should be made highlighting his efforts in that endeavor and not needing to knock someone else to make his case.

When it comes to Joe Frazier, as of today, I know him because of two things: the world-famous “Down goes Frazier” chant, a cry that can be used to describe any shocking moment in history, and one that has even been used on this site to describe a monumental moment, at the time, in the sports world, and for his three legendary bouts with Muhammad Ali.

It's startling that just as I finish a book about Walter Payton, another legend I didn’t know much about prior to reading, another legend comes to the forefront, and there is a duty to be able to tell a quality story without leaning on battle cries or a previous adversary to do so. This post is a small step in that direction.

Sure, Google is my friend and anyone with half a brain can look up numbers, anecdotes and past tales to write a gospel about anyone, but that doesn’t necessarily make it authentic. There should be a pride that comes with learning some history and even though I wish it was sooner, it is now time to learn more about the man who did many great things and lived a singular life of his own.

There will be stories from people who truly know about some Joe Frazier, and with those, you know you’ll get an absolute treat. The theme today on ETSF, though? Learn your history, and respect your roots. Even now, in the world of sports, and especially in boxing, while people are anxiously awaiting a bout that may never come, just remember there was a man, at one time, who did his part to make sure the public got what they wanted, needed, and demanded. For that, and more, Smokin’ Joe Frazier will always be remembered.

Be easy.
-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

What If November 7th, 1991 Never Happened?

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:47:00 +0000

I was 8 years old.

Today you're going to hear poetic wax spit about arguably one of the most shocking press conferences of all-time. The day that Magic Johnson announced to the world that he had contracted the HIV virus, and that he'd be taking his talents...home. My mother openly cried. My Uncle Bill was at a loss for words, which is unfathomable. I remember truly not understanding what was going on, what HIV meant, or the ramifications of the announcement...other than #32 in forum blue and gold wasn't going to be hooping anymore.

To be fair, I was just truly learning about the game of basketball at eight years old. It was the only time I'd ever openly root for the Lakers, outside of the Nick Van Exel/Eddie Jones era, but that interest was rooting in the phenomena that was Showtime. In actuality, I was just learning how to love basketball. Now, one of basketball's greatest curators was being taken away from me.

Its a shame too, because we were ready to see Magic be revered by a generation of players who all wanted to be...him.

So lets just consider this a series of what if's...shall we? Cool.

What If Scenario #1: What if the Lakers retooled instead of rebuilt?

After 11/7/91, the Lakers season was in disarray. With Magic in 1990-91, the Lakers won 58 games and went to the NBA Finals before ultimately falling to the Chicago Bulls. It seemed that the power had officially been shifted from Magic to Jordan.

NBA Finals 1991 Chicago Bulls vs Los Angeles Lakers by Basketevolution
In 1991-92? 43 wins. In just two seasons, Mike Dunleavy was out as coach (replaced by someone named Randy Pfund) even though he was dealt a different set of cards than what he originally expected. The Lakers also drafted at No. 15 and went for a need pick (Anthony Peeler) instead of drafting for value at the bottom of the draft. If they won a similar amount of games, they could've drafted No. 24. You want to know who was sitting there at No. 24?

Latrell Fontaine Sprewell.

With Dunleavy's offense, a young gunner in Sprewell and the veteran wing in James Worthy...could you imagine? Vlade helping out playing point center and Magic still being Magic...Lakers fans heads just melted. I'm sorry.

What If Scenario #2: If Magic doesn't retire, does Larry Bird retire in '92?

In the Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals documentary, once Larry heard that Magic retired he said that his desire to play the game dwindled. Funny, in Larry's final season he put up 20/10/7 in 45 injury-ravaged games. Bird's issues with his back are damn near legendary, dude couldn't even practice in '91-92 and still balled. Couldn't practice with the Dream Team in Barcelona but was still an unquestioned leader.

Bird was 35, but one or two more years with the old grunts Parish and McHale along with the youth movement led by Reggie Lewis (21 ppg in '91-92) they could've been interesting to watch. Knowing Bird, and that talent he might've tried to gut it out until 37 or 38.

What If Scenario #3: Magic vs. Sir Charles for Western Conference supremacy

For the 1991-92 season, Charles Barkley changed his number from No. 34 to No. 32 in honor of Magic. Then in 1992-93 he jumped ship from Philadelphia to Phoenix in the Western Conference. Once Barkley aligned with Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle and the Paul Westphal youth movement the Suns were title contenders. If 11/7/91 never happens, could you imagine the wars between Phoenix and Los Angeles? Everyone remembers the iconic photos of young Jordan checking Magic, could you imagine a crazed Barkley checking Magic? Goosebumps.

What If Scenario #4: Does Magic own the assist record instead of John Stockton?

John Stockton played 18 seasons in the NBA, lasting as an elite point guard until the age of 40. Retiring as the assist king Stockton finished with 15,806 career assists, passing Magic's then-record in the process. Magic played in 11.1 seasons (including the 22 games in 95-96) and finished with 10,141. If Magic plays up until the 1995-96 season uninterrupted and continues on his pace of averaging 11.2 assists/game (no reason to think he wouldn't, he averaged over 11.2 for the past 8 seasons) he finishes up with 14,733 at age 36.

Who knows if he actually plays past 36.

What If Scenario #5: If Magic doesn't leave on 11/7/91, is the influence of Jordan lessened?

Not that Jordan wouldn't still be insanely influential, but players of the 90's had been influenced a ton by the Magic Johnson they grew up watching in the 80's. Big men wanted to handle the rock like never before...Chris Webber truly believed he was Magic. Anfernee Hardaway was billed as the second coming of Magic. Passing the ball was cool, and the point guards of the 90's reflected that mantra. John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Mark Jackson and Rod Strickland are just a few examples.

Does a young Kobe Bryant skew his game a bit more to Magic?

Does a young LeBron wear the No. 32 instead of the No. 23 in Cleveland?

(go get a drink, its only going to get better)

What If Scenario #6: Does Magic Johnson go down as unquestionably the greatest basketball player of all-time?

I'm not even going to write anything about this one, I'll just let you the reader think about it...

Today, the Magic Johnson foundation has declared it Point Forward day. Be enlightened.

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

Three Games That Were Also The "Game of the Century"

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:57:00 +0000

Maybe its just me, but I've taken offense to hearing that this LSU vs. Alabama game is supposed to be the "Game of the Century." Don't get me wrong, I'm as geeked as anyone to see what's going to have in Tuscaloosa as the Mad Hatter takes his Tigers from Baton Rouge down to 'Bama to face Nick Saban's Crimson Tide. However, to hear that this game is the "Game of the Century" almost seems disrespectful (especially when both teams quarterbacks are subpar) towards other phenomenal games that have taken place in the 21st Century.

When you have games of this magnitude that aren't bowl games or conference championships, the buildup of hype and drama becomes unreal. So lets cross our fingers and hope that this LSU vs. Alabama is better than these five games that were pretty damn dope in their own respect.

2006 - #2 Michigan vs. #1 Ohio State "Game of the Century"

In a game that will be remembered for the death of legendary head coach Bo Schembechler a day before the game, both teams played one hell of a game and paid homage to the man who has ties to both schools. Ohio State would prevail over Michigan 42-39 and earn a trip to the national title, while Michigan went to the Rose Bowl. Unfortunately for both, they'd end up getting blown out (Florida, Texas) and put the reputation of the Big Ten right down the toilet.

2002 - #2 Oklahoma vs. #3 Texas "Red River Shootout"

You could argue that the two most consistent teams in this century have been the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns as they've been to 6 national championships since 2000. In 2002, OU and Texas both had national championship aspirations and the game was an exciting one to watch. Ultimately, OU would win and go on to win the Rose Bowl and Texas would beat LSU in the Cotton Bowl.

2006 - #2 Texas vs. #1 Ohio State

While this game was billed as a "Game of the Century" type game, this game ended up being a hazing moment for the young Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. Ohio State pummeled #12 all night while Ted Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez ran wind sprints on the Longhorns' secondary. It'd be the first of three #1 vs. #2 matchups for OSU, that third one (Florida) didn't end so well.

IS THERE A GAME WE LEFT OFF? LET US KNOW AS WE PREPARE FOR LSU VS. ALABAMA!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

ETSF Fan Handbook: Vol. V - the enjoyment of watching teams when you don’t have a dog in the fight

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:30:00 +0000

For the past week, I was in a state of detachment with the world of sports. ESPN hasn’t been able to keep my attention like it usually does. The NFL is the NFL, which means it will always be fun, but the excitement level with them is so-so.

There’s no NBA season right now, which has a particular family member not feeling so hot. As for what transpired last week in the Fall Classic, well, my feelings towards that are clear as day.

So what’s left to do when I, as a fan of the game and an admirer of the culture, felt detached from what was going on? I went to the one place where the competition is at its most pure. Also, it helped that all that was asked for was a good game, for both teams to play hard, and whatever result came about, I’d be cool with it. I went to watch some high school football last night and got all of these things and more.

However, a fan doesn’t have to go to a high school game to get that. To take it a step further, fans BETTER NOT seek out a high school game to find this, due to the alumni element when their team is involved. If their team is playing, then it defeats the whole purpose of going to watch with no ulterior motive.

Simply put, the enjoyment you get from watching sports when you don’t have a dog in the fight can be just as high as when you do have one in it, and that is the theme for volume five of the ETSF Fan Handbook.

Yesterday was only the beginning of my rejuvenation, so to speak. See, for the past five months or so, a great deal of the games I’ve watched have all featured my teams. The Mavericks, Cowboys, Rangers, and the Sooners have brought so many different reactions, emotions, and feelings to the surface (some good, some bad) that, after a while, it feels like it can become hazardous to your health.

When there’s a game on, and neither of the teams that are featured are mine, it allows a sort of relaxation, an ability to exhale, and just enjoy what’s at hand.
This weekend, LSU plays Alabama, and for fans everywhere whose teams aren’t the Tigers or the Crimson Tide, you owe it to yourselves to be locked in on your Hoshitoshi on Saturday night.

Think about it: Carter Shay, Tanisha, and other LSU fans are excited, but they’re nervous as hell, too. They’re the number one team in the country, but they’re traveling to a stadium where the fans that await them are going to be absolutely rabid. On top of that, they’re going against a team that they know, without a shadow of a doubt, is not afraid of them. It makes the elements that surround the game even more interesting.

When it comes to Alabama, the one person who is more fired up than any friend I have is my boy, T-Hall. The man is Alabama, through-and-through. Shoot, he’s either on his way to Tuscaloosa right now, or will leave from Dallas in the morning to get there with plenty of time to spare. His team is number two in the land, at home, with nothing but bad intentions in mind. The man also knows the last time a number one team walked in there, his Tide gave up a 24-point lead and lost the game.

As for me, though? It doesn't make a difference who wins, so it allows me to simply be a fan of the game. A trip to Rudy's will be made to get some of those wings, and then, I'll go to B-Lew's and we'll watch, scream, and cuss at the Hoshitoshi from kickoff to the last whistle. Tomorrow allows folks who aren't fans of LSU or Alabama to watch the two best teams in college football go at it, with absolutely no motive other than seeing a great game.

Sometimes, as fans, we have to remember that the game extends beyond when it’s just our teams playing and, given the particular time, that's exactly this fan needs. There’s a whole lot more going on that can serve as a healthy dose of what we all come to see: exciting play, non-stop action, a tremendous atmosphere, and one team prevailing at the end.

Be easy.
-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

The Only Five Duke Players I've Ever Liked

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:06:00 +0000

Quiet as kept, Tuesday was probably one of the hardest days I've ever experienced as a sports fan. As the (lack of) negotiations continue between the owners and players of the NBA, the sad realization that we as a basketball fan collective would miss out on the opening night of the NBA season.

What makes us as people so awesome is that, in times where we are without, we will evolve and transcend to overcome what we lack. Its an unconscious survival tactic that we as humans deploy. From a basketball fan standpoint, being without the NBA has allowed me to pay more attention to college basketball and the season that lie ahead.

Of course, as soon as we talk about college basketball there inevitably will be a conversation of who you root for and who you can't stand. If you've been reading ETSF long enough, you know my disdain for the Blue Devils. Yet, I do have a ton of admiration for Coach Mike Krzyzwelasdl;fkjasdf (especially after he checked me in NYC for asking an egregiously long question) and there are even a few players I actually like...

...I could only come up with five.

#5. Luol Deng (2003-2004)

I can distinctly remember when SLAM profiled Deng and Charlie Villanueva and hearing their story playing back at Blair Prep. The Sudanese born, London bred player was insanely hyped coming out and seeing him at Duke was mildly refreshing. You could tell he was already pro ready and it was a joy to watch him play smoothly in Coach K's offense. He only did one year, and that was plenty enough. It can be tough to get that Blue Devil stench off of you at times.

#4. Grant Hill (1990-1994)

There are some of you that wonder why Hill isn't #1 on my list. Well, for one...its my list. Two, as much as I loved Grant Hill's game he was always the antagonist versus teams I loved. UNLV, Michigan and Cincinnati were all teams that I rooted for heavy as a child and Grant Hill was on the opposing side. He was definitely the first Duke player that made me appreciate what was going on there, he was a highlight reel any time he stepped on the court.

#3. Corey Maggette (1998-1999)

I can remember Dick Vitale getting up in arms about Maggette being one of the first Duke players to leave early (Along with William Avery and Elton Brand)during the tenure of coach Mike Krzyzwelasdl;fkjasdf. I can remember Maggette being one of the first dude with an edge (what the kids might call "swag" nowadays) and coming out of Chicago. I remember Maggette wearing that got damn #50. I can also remember Elton Brand gassing up Maggette basically daring him to up and slap the top of the backboard and hang on the basketball goal, then Maggette rising up, dunking on the fast break and smacking boards versus Florida. This got me extremely crunk and I instantly became a fan of his. Who knew he'd turn into a plodding, free-throw attempting, no-defense playing cretin who drags down NBA teams in a single bound.

#2. Trajan Langdon (1995-1999)

Arguably my favorite player of all-time at Duke, the man was out here putting on for the Light Skinned Coalition at a time when the LSC was a sparkle in a young ETSF's eye. He had the cool nickname, (The Alaskan Assassin? Too dope) he had insane shooting range and unfortunately he had to carry some crappy Duke teams. It hurt to see him miss free throws in the national title game versus UConn (even though I was rooting for UConn all the way) and it sucked to see him not stick in the NBA. Langdon had his three-point record broken by J.J. Redick back in '06, but there was never a doubt when Trajan put up the rock...it was going in.

#1. Dahntay Jones (2000-2003)

When I first head that Jones was transferring from Rutgers to Duke, I just dismissed it as someone who wanted to walk-on and just be part of "the team." I had no idea how live Dahntay Jones was, as he wasn't the most talented by any means but he was a phenomenal athlete and played like someone with nothing to lose. Out of all the players I've ever seen come out of Duke, he's the only dude I believe would be down to throw hands. He played extremely tough defense, was always (and I mean always) trying to dunk on people and he's borderline insane. I like players like that, and he was the anti-Duke player for that reason. Its the reason why i liked him so much. All hail Dahntay Lavall Jones.

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE DUKE PLAYERS? DO YOU HAVE ANY? LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

Sports is the most addictive drug of all

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:37:00 +0000

To commemorate the 900th post in ETSF history today, it is only appropriate to have a man of The Word (please don't take the capitalization of "The Word" seriously.) come preach the gospel that is the sports world.

Lately, the posts from Kenny and the man who is about to speak have included a myriad of emotions which, coincidentally, sum up today's post. It's been a long road to 900, and it's an honor that this man will be the one to do the honors on this day, as he is, and has been for quite some time, a member of the family.

Without further ado, I present to you and introduce to others, The One and Only...Reverend Paul Revere.

After reading Kenny pour his hear out about the Rangers and his broken heart, I couldn't help but ask myself why we as sports fan do this to ourselves time and time again.

Truthfully, this scenario has been playing out in my head the past couple of weeks. Specifically, it's been due to watching the most aesthetically unpleasing 8-1 college football team in America, week in and week out. Every time I watch my alma mater, Penn State Nittany Lions this year, I ask myself why, because every game has been brutally painful to watch.

If I'm being perfectly honest, I haven't really enjoyed watching any game at all because of how laughable the offensive coaching and quarterback play has been. Yet there I am, Saturday after Saturday, taking in every last second of the game.

The same can be said for any fan of any team. On a nightly or weekly basis, we plan our lives around the teams we root for. Personally, I won't go to a party, event or plan a date when the Eagles or Nittany Lions are playing, or when any big game is on, even if the teams I'm pulling for are practically unwatchable.

There are dedicated Lions fans who watched every play in their 0-16 season. There are Dolphins and Colts fans still planning to attend every home game as their eyes bleed. There are Clippers and Cubs and Pirates and Islanders and Cleveland fans who wouldn't dare a miss game. And the list goes on and on.

No matter how much despair our teams give us, no matter how many times they let us down and break our hearts, sports is the one drug we cannot quit.

Even as I sit here and write this all, I know I'll continue to chase that high. Because no matter how low the lows get, nothing can top the feeling of coming out on top.

I know I could quit coffee, junk food and even alcohol if my life depended on it, but I could not live without sports. In my eyes, it's the most addictive drug of all.

-The Rev
www.edthesportsfan.com

Heartbroken

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:22:00 +0000

When it comes to sports, and the people who eat, breathe, and reside on this particular side of town, we stay in our lane. When we write from the standpoint of a multitude of emotions, we do it in a language, vernacular, and a method that sports fans, fans of the culture, understand.

When you see the word "heartbroken," any fan of any team in any sport understands. That's why even though folks like to say "It's just a game," it's never simply "just" that.

My history with the Texas Rangers goes back to 1990 when, as an eight-year old, I went with my church group to a game at Arlington Stadium. It was my first exposure to being in a setting where a professional sport was played. Friday night, all the kids and adults with red, white, and blue on, and just having the time of our lives.

So while the Cowboys are the most known and most publicized local team, and while the Mavericks are the reigning champs, the Rangers were the first taste of local professional allegiance in my lifetime.

Pictures tend to flash before our eyes of the games we love everyday. Whether we played in the game, or whether we get it from watching others, those pictures always find some sort of trajectory.

Shoot, spend one hour on Twitter (uninterrupted or otherwise) and sports finds a way to take up an ample time of the discourse.

For something that is "Just a game," it has quite the effect of capturing our attention and keeping it for various and consistent amounts of time.

Friday night was the funeral for the Texas Rangers. Yeah, it was Game Seven, and yeah, folk can make the argument that there was still one game to make it right, but the team's season died the night before.

It ended in a way that was unreal, unscripted, and unimaginatively (I know that's not a word, but whatever) painful. It ended in a way that I wouldn't wish upon my worst sports enemy; not on Duke, Texas, the Lakers, the Yankees, anybody.

There's losing and there's dying, and on Thursday night, when the Cards won 10-9 in the 11th inning, after my team had one strike left to put them away (TWICE), the season of the Texas Rangers died. All Friday did was serve as the official service for the demise. It's why this fan, someone whose first exposure to the team was as an eight-year-old third-grader, is heartbroken.

Shedding tears about my team losing is out of the question. Those days are long gone. Shoot, the last time that happened was in the '93 National Championship when the Fab Five lost to UNC. Despite being too old to cry though, there's no age limit when it comes to how you grieve.

Five days, 120 hours later, the grieving process is still prevalent, and if there's one thing that's evident in the way sports fans discuss the game, positives and negatives can, and will, last a lifetime.

The pictures of being in stands during unbearable summer days and nights in undergrad, post-college, and my days of being unemployed, as well as other times, surfaced as my team was down to its last three outs.

Visions of eating hot dogs and chili dogs in the stands, cheering loudly, doing the wave, and singing God Bless America (even though I only know, maybe, 17% of the song) in unison with a stadium at 2/3 capacity, sometimes more or less, came to life, as we only needed two more outs. Remember, there have been plenty of times when the Rangers weren't the hottest ticket in town, but it never stopped the fans at the games from exhibiting copious amounts of enthusiasm.

For Chris Navarre, easily the most loyal and dedicated Rangers fan I know, a fan who attended 67 home games this season, all those games, tailgates, wins, losses, rain-outs, and more were about to receive the ultimate validation with a World Series trophy.

For Mike Taddessee, a fan who watched over 150 Rangers games on TV this season alone, as well as countless more over the years, the thrill of his team being a champion, a world champion, was right there.

Hearing Joe Buck, regardless of what people think of him, say "And the Texas Rangers are your 2011 World Series Champs" was right there...at the final strike. The trophy presentation, Uncle Ron dancing, and the players celebrating while we, at home back in the Metroplex, partied hundreds of miles and hours away, were literally right....there...

....and just like that, the pictures, the visions, the words...were gone.

For reasons that will drive this fan to my own sports-related version of insanity, I'll never understand how we can get so close, SO CLOSE, yet come up short. It's literally the most conflicted and agonizing time I've ever experienced as a sports fan and an admirer of the culture of the game.

The visions, pictures, and impending announcement of a championship are dashed for another off-season, vanished for another 162 games, vanquished as the pursuit of a division championship, a pennant, and another trip to the World Series have to be put into action...

...but right now, in this moment, as a fan, it's hard to even think that far in the future, because the present is so painful. For fans of the game, the vast world of sports, and the culture who stay in our respective lane, they know exactly how that feels.

Be easy.

-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

Trick Or Treating With Tim Tebow

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:34:00 +0000

Tonight little boys and little girls will cascade into neighborhoods all across the country on the hunt for glorious candies while dressed up as ghosts, bumblebees and other types of characters befitting of children.

However, there is one young man that I think needs to go trick or treating this Halloween season, and that young man is Timothy Richard Tebow. The young man has been rained upon with more scrutiny and criticism than anything I've seen in recent memory. Sometimes gorging yourself with some of the finest sugar-laden candies and chocolates this side of the Mississippi can be quite the remedy.

So for Halloween, here's how I imagine Tebow's trick or treating experience will go tonight, with a few cameo appearances sprinkled in for good measure.

Mr. Tebow drops Tim off at the corner of a cul-de-sac. The street sign on the corner reads "Retirement Gridiron Circle." Mr. Tebow alerts Tim that he'll wait for him to finish his rounds at the end of the corner. Tim scurries along to the first house in the cul-de-sac. The name on the mailbox reads, "The Irvin's." There seems to be a party of sorts going on.

Tebow: Trick or Treat!

Michael Irvin: Hello little fella, who are you supposed to be?

Tebow: I'm the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, sir!

Irvin: Well ain't that nice. Let me give you some candy.

(Irvin puts a handful of Butterfingers into Tebow's candy bag.)

Tebow: Um, why did you give me Butterfingers?

Irvin: Well, I've watched you and your friends play. Let me tell you something, I'm 45 years old with cervical spinal cord problems and I'm better than any receiver you got son. Did you see me work in the remake of The Longest Yard? Take these Butterfingers and maybe it'll make you feel better about the sorry sack of wideouts you have to throw to on a weekly basis.

Tebow: Thank you sir, have a good one.

(Irvin waves bye to Tebow and shuts the door. As soon as the door shuts music is cut back on and Irvin is heard cackling loudly with an assortment of random women.)

*****
Tebow walks up to the next house on the block. The name on the mailbox reads "Parcells" and an old man is sitting on the porch sipping lemonade.

Tebow: Trick or Treat!

Bill Parcells: Good evening young man, who are you supposed to be?

Tebow: I'm the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, sir!

Parcells: A quarterback, eh? That's a good one.

(Parcells puts a handful of Smarties into Tebow's candy bag.)

Tebow: Sir, why did you give me Smarties?

Parcells: Because evidently someone's got to be pretty damn smart to draft a flawed quarterback in the first round, hire a coach who has 4-18 record in the last year and a half, put together an offensive roster that is devoid of talent and a defense that can't keep other teams from scoring on them at will. They've got to be geniuses. Its not your fault, the only thing you can do is perform to the best of your ability. Being smart is playing within your own capabilities and always being prepared, everything else will work out on its own.

Tebow: Well thanks sir, I appreciate it. Would you ever consider being my coach?

Parcells: Son, I'm retired. Only think I'm coaching is this lemonade.

(Tebow walks away from the home and Parcells gets up to lay in the hammock on his porch as its time for his nap.)

*****
Tebow walks up to the next house on the block. The lawn hasn't been mowed in months and there's a pit bull on a chain loosely tied to a tree. The name on the mailbox reads "Russell" and no lights are on. Tebow hesitates to go up to the door but does so anyway.

(rings doorbell)

(rings doorbell again)

(Tebow begins to walk away before the door begins to slowly open)

Tebow: My apologies sir, I didn't mean to wake you. I'm just out here trick or treating.

Jamarcus Russell: Wake me? I wasn't sleep. (Sips an unknown purple concoction out of a white cup)

Tebow: Uh....trick or treat.

Russell: That's nice.

Tebow: Um....are you going to give me any candy? I'm a quarterback for the Broncos.

(Russell shuts the door slightly and turns on a kitchen light and is actively searching for something. Russell then emerges with an entire case of Payday candy bars and pours them all into his bag and shuts the door.)

Tebow: Oh yeah. Payday.

(Tebow walks away dragging the bag of candy with him as he heads to the final house.)

*****
Tebow walks up to the final house on the block. The name on the mailbox reads "The Elway's" and Tim runs up to the door eager to meet one of his idols.

Tebow: Trick or Treat!

John Elway: Hey there son, who are you supposed to be this Halloween?

Tebow: I'm the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, sir!

Elway: Get out! I used to dress up as the quarterback for the Broncos too! I already like this kid.

(Elway puts a handful of Twix into Tebow's bag.)

Tebow: Twix?

(Elway shows Tebow his left hand which is adorned with two Super Bowl rings. Elway then blows on the ring and buffs them off of his shirt and shows them off to Tebow.)

Elway: Two for me, none for you. Now get off my driveway and get to work.

(Tebow walks off with a stunned look on his face as Elway slams the door.)

*****
Tebow heads to his father's car. Tebow gets in his car and puts his head down.

Mr. Tebow: Son, what's wrong?

Tim: Nothing Dad, I'm ready to go home.

(Mr. Tebow pulls out a Snickers bar and hands it to Tim)

Tim: What's this for Dad?

Mr. Tebow: Son, the man upstairs doesn't put us through anything that we can't handle. I promise you one day you'll laugh about all of this and it'll put a smile on your face. Keep your head up.

(Mr. Tebow begins to drive off and Tim takes a bite of the Snickers bar. Mr. Tebow rubs Tim's head and they start talking about what Mom's cooking for dinner.)

The end.

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

A night to remember

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:47:00 +0000

Usually, when I hear people say "The team who wants it more is the team who wins," I vehemently disagree. If sports were so simplistic, it would lessen one of the biggest elements of the game: suspense. Sometimes, you win and sometimes, you lose.

The only credence I will give to the slogan above is that, in baseball, as The Rev so eloquently stated yesterday, there's no clock in baseball. There's no play clock, no shot clock, nothing. The clock won't save you. As a team, you have to finish the job on your own.

When that doesn't happen, not once, but twice, it's human nature to wonder if it's meant to be. However, there's one more game, and when you feel you're the better team, and you have another chance to win, you have to find a way to get it done, regardless of what transpired previously.

Last night, fans of sports won. If you love suspense, excitement, thrill, or agony, there was plenty of it to go around. It doesn't matter whether it was your first baseball game all season, or if it was your 100th; last night, the world of sports prevailed, and last night, it was great to be a fan.

For fans of the Cardinals, they witnessed the lows and highs in a single game as well. Their team went from playing awful to refusing to lose. When a team wins a must-win, a game for their survival, and in the way they won it, they have every reason to wake up, look at the sky, breathe in some clean, fresh air, and feel like they didn't come this far only to not finish the job. Deservedly so, they, as well as the rest of the St. Louis Cardinals fan base, have all the confidence in the world going into Game Seven.

Now, if you're a fan of the Texas Rangers, as I am, then last night was a nightmare. Last night, I didn't sleep; instead, I rolled around in the bed, and when my alarm went off at 5:20, I ignored it. I woke up an hour later, strolled into work like I owned the place, walked in my office, sat down, and pretended like nothing happened.

Hopefully, no one will ask about the game.

There's no guarantee that tonight will live up to what happened in Busch last night. Shoot, something like that is meant for the movies; it's meant for aspiring filmmakers, screenwriters, and other types to stay up and come up with their best interpretation of Game Six's events.

If this seems like I'm rambling, it's because I am. Tonight, my team has to find a way to win a Game Seven, or risk going down in infamy, and trust, if we lose, it will be infamy. It's partially why The Rev wrote what he wrote yesterday, and part of the reason why I wrote what I wrote on Tuesday. Regardless, people who love sports, and do not have a dog in the fight other than seeing a great atmosphere for some baseball, will be in for a treat tonight.

Be easy.
-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

Chris Johnson Is The Reason Matt Forte Isn't Getting Paid and The Runningback Conundrum

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:56:00 +0000

There's no doubt in my mind that Chris Johnson is the second coming of Gayle Sayers in the....National Football League. Blessed with unreal speed and uncanny vision, the man has set all defenders ablaze since he touched down from East Carolina, back in 2008.

However, what has been chronicled with Chris Johnson and his persistence on getting paid has forever been relegated as background noise, in my opinion. I usually do my best not to worry about contract disputes and financial matters, because like my Uncle Bill would tell me from time to time, "Stay out of grown folk's pockets." So when Johnson became one of the highest paid players in the league, signing an extension with the Titans through 2016, worth up to $53 million with $30 million guaranteed...Johnson is now set for life (deservedly so) and will ball out for the Titans.

There's just one problem...Chris Johnson is a pitiful, pathetic, putrid, and poor excuse of a tailback in the National Football League.

It seems like every year, there's a running back that wants to be paid. Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson, Deangelo Williams and Steven Jackson are all backs that I can remember having contract issues. They eventually get paid, and they continue to perform. In 2011, the man up to the plate that wants to get paid is Matt Forte, the man who has been the life force for the moribund and decrepit Bears offense for the last three-plus years. Forte, who was picked just 20 spots lower than Chris Johnson, is at the end of his four-year rookie contract and wants to get paid. The Bears have said, "We're going to wait until the end of the season. Do well, and we'll pay you."

So what has Forte done? He's balled out. The third-leading rusher coming into Week Eight, along with being number one in total yards from scrimmage, with 1,091. Forte's on pace to gain 2,493 yards from scrimmage this season, which would put him second all-time behind...

Chris Johnson.

*****
Here's the thing about running backs...

...you can find a running back anywhere. If you have the physical tools to play running back in the National Football League, you can go out there and do work at a decent level. The position of running back is one that only truly thrives in a system that is sound. Think about all of the elite teams in the National Football League for a second...

Patriots - Consistently use 3-4 RBs.
Packers - Ryan Grant and James Starks carry the ball equally.
Saints - Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, and Mark "Yeff" Ingram all carry it.

All three of those teams have tailbacks that fit specific roles and, in some ways, they're all interchangeable. It doesn't allow for anyone to truly become superstars, but those three teams have a winning model of success. Moreover, when we do see successful teams that have one main back, it's usually because they've already built a sound team and understand who they are. The Ravens with Ray Rice, Steelers with Rashard Mendenhall and the Chargers with Ryan Mathews all come to mind.

For an offense, getting an elite running back is the icing on the cake. If you can't run block, then you're just wasting precious years off of a runnning back's life (hello, Steven Jackson.) If you can't throw the ball effectively, then you're just wasting even more years off a tailback's life (hello, Adrian Peterson.)

The hope is that you can get an elite tailback in a system where he can truly thrive. A tailback is elite when his physical tools are in line with his instincts and mental capacity. Houston gives Arian Foster the ball plenty, they can run block, and they throw the ball plenty enough to give him room to operate. Same with Adrian Peterson a few years ago when Lorenzo Favre was back there, or when Chris Johnson and Vince Young were cooking together.

Great tailbacks are the icing on the cake. Everyone loves the icing, but you can do without it. The cake is what people came for; the icing puts them over the top.

*****
The Bears face a conundrum, because it seems obvious that they need to pay Forte. Like I said earlier, he's on pace to finish second all-time in all-purpose yards for a single season. They look up and see what's going on with Chris Johnson, and they have to be somewhat concerned. Chris Johnson is known for his speed, running a 4.24 40-time, and what not. Watching Chris this season, he looks like he runs a 4.64 instead of a 4.24. He doesn't look into it this season, is probably out of shape and mentally doesn't seems ready to play.

I blame the Titans all the way on this, but every organization faces the same dilemma.

Chris Johnson is the face of the franchise. If you don't pay Johnson, it's not a good look for the fan base, season ticket purchases and other folks in the locker room who will want to get paid in the future. It's a real conundrum. Yet, the Titans also knew that they have a bevy of other issues on their team. Their defense is a shell of what it used to be. Their offensive line is downright porous, compared to recent years, and they're lacking for playmakers, outside of Kenny Britt. That $30 million in guaranteed money could've been put to good use in solving some of those issues.

The Bears are a good, but not great team. They've got issues. Their secondary is terrible. Their offensive line is terrible. Their wide receivers are average, at best. Their star middle linebacker's getting old, too. Matt Forte is going to command money very close to what Johnson got (Johnson's only out gained Forte by 195 yards from scrimmage in their career), and if he gets that money, great for him.

If I'm the Bears, I make the most financially feasible offer I can make. If Forte doesn't like that, then we have to keep moving. The Bears aren't title contenders right now, but with a few additions and retooling, they could be right there. Forte, without a shadow of a doubt, makes them a MUCH better team, but how much better is that really worth in the National Football League?

I'll guess we'll find out in 2012.

P.S. - If you thought it was annoying how much I used "the National Football League" in the post...good. Irks the hell out of me hearing football analysts saying that all the time. That might be the new drinking game: take a shot every time someone on countdown says, "the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE!"

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

Let The Gospel Of Tebow Begin #theUCshow

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:10:00 +0000

Thank God (or Tim Tebow) that the rain has decided to cascade across the midwest region or we might not have had a show tonight. Game 6 of the World Series has been postponed until Thursday, and that means we have the full attention of Mr. Masenda.

On tonight's show, we pay our proper respect to the Fall Classic. Plus, we talk about what has happened to our national past time that is Monday Night Football. Why is it so terrible lately?

Listen. Share. Discuss.

9:00 - The Texas Rangers are one way from the glory...

9:15 - The NBA players have cancelled their Shock The World Tour...

9:30 - What in the hell happened to Monday Night Football...

9:45 - Giving honor to Tebow, Tim parts the seas against Miami...

Download this episode or subscribe to our show on iTunes!

Haters gon' hate. They'll learn...one day.

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

The World Series is the most agonizing championship of all

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:28:00 +0000

I feel for our very own Kenny Masenda right now because I know even though his Texas Rangers are just one win away from winning their first World Series, he is suffering with every pitch. That’s what watching your favorite team in the Fall Classic is – suffering.

I went through it in 1993 when the Phillies blew two saves to lose to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games and again in 2009 with the loss to the Yankees. I even went through it in 2008, when the Phillies won just their second World Series in franchise history and didn’t even lose more than one game in any postseason series along the way.

The reason is simple: the World Series is the most unpredictable, agonizing championship of all. Each game can turn on one pitch, one steal, one error, one hit, one base-running play, one great defensive play. Hell, the Rangers are here thanks in large part to an incredible, timely steal by Ian Kinsler just a game after he was gunned down trying to do the same thing, an uncharacteristic error by the game’s best player that let Elvis Andrus take an extra base and Mike Napoli doing a little bit of everything in every game.

In this series alone, Jaime Garcia has thrown a seven-inning, three-hit gem, only to see his team lose in the ninth. A player who can barely walk is manning center field and hitting a key sac fly.

Albert Pujols put on an offensive performance never before seen on this stage. A young lefthander who can’t even grow a mustache properly has pitched better than everyone, including a Cy Young counterpart in the other dugout. That type of unpredictability is what makes watching the game so difficult to stomach. At any moment, the game can change. While that is true to a certain extent in other sports, it’s nowhere near to the same degree.

Think about it … in the Super Bowl, you can see how the game is playing out. If it’s tight, you know the team that makes the last big play wins. And if one team gets ahead, the trailing team has to fight against the opposition and the clock. The same holds true for hockey and basketball. Those games have ebbs and flows, and the third element, the clock, is always in play.

Not so in baseball. There is no running out the clock, milking the clock, having the clock as your ally or foe. The game isn’t over until you get that 27th out (at least). You can’t outlast your opponent; you can only outscore them. You have to earn the victory. And until that 27th out is recorded, anything can happen. That magnifies everything to an excruciating degree. The simplest of mistakes or most routine of plays can be the difference between a win and loss, a World Series ring or a choke.

When it’s your team involved, it’s agonizing. More agonizing than just about anything. I’ve seen all my teams in the big game – the Flyers against the Blackhawks and Red Wings; the Eagles against the Patriots; the Sixers against the Lakers – and as difficult and intense as it was to watch them all, nothing was more vomit-inducing, heart-wrenching than the Phillies in the World Series.

The World Series is not for the feint of heart. In fact, you could argue it’s for the masochists of the world. Because the World Series is the most agonizing championship of them all. So say a prayer for Kenny tonight, because he and his fellow Rangers and Cardinals fans will be in agony, all the way through.

-The Rev
www.edthesportsfan.com

The calm before the storm: treat Game Six like it's Game Seven

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Last night, I watched Game Five of the World Series and watched it in its entirety. Now, its one thing for the Fall Classic to be played on the same night as Monday Night Football, and I’d be lying if the sentiment from previous years was watching baseball before football. However, The Texas Rangers, my team, are in the World Series, which pretty much means everything and everybody comes second right now.

Unless you were either (a) not on any social networking site last night, (b) not near a Hoshitoshi at all, or (c) watching football, you missed one of the wildest Game Fives, in any sport, in recent memory. The Rangers took a 4-2 lead in the eighth and Neftali Feliz made the entire damn Texas fan base sweat to death, before FINALLY ending the game with a strikeout of Lance Berkman.

Now that the Rangers are one game away from the World Series, there’s one thing they absolutely have to do:

Win tomorrow night. Do not let this thing go seven.

For selfish reasons, my soul cannot handle another Game Seven. I’ll go to a movie, to the gym, cut the yard, sweep the porch, but I will not watch another Game Seven in my life. No way in hell.

The last time I watched a Game Seven, I almost killed somebody at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was Game Seven of the 2010 NBA Finals; the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers. KG and ‘Sheed are two of my favorite players ever, and seeing them come up short was something I never want to experience again.

I have never been so sad and so furious, simultaneously, in my entire life. The feelings were so raw, so conflicted, so all-over-the-place and, in the end, full of disappointment, that the only thing I could do was walk quietly to the car when the clock hit zero.

Win Game Six.

The Mavericks were in a similar situation a few months ago. After winning Game Five on a Thursday night in Dallas, they headed back to Miami for Game Six. They adopted the “One Shirt, One Suit, One Tie” Philosophy, made famous by, ironically, The Great Pat Riley. That basically meant that they had no intentions of playing in a Game Seven. They had the mindset to beat the Heat on Sunday night, June 12th, and that’s exactly what they did. They beat the piss out of the Heat, won the championship, thus eliminating any plans of a Game Seven.

Too much foolishness can happen when you let a series go to seven. We’ve seen it so much throughout history that any fan knows it’s rarely in a visiting team’s interest to think “Well, if we drop six, no biggie; we’ll just get them in seven.” No, that’s dangerous thinking, crazy thinking, and thinking that will get your championship hopes flushed right down the drain.

The only way a Game Seven is a good thing is when you're down 3-2 and win the sixth to extend it to seven (i.e. Detroit v. San Antonio in the 2005 NBA Finals.) On the other hand, when it's a situation like Kings v. Lakers in the 2002 Western Conference Finals, you have to finish the job in six, like the Kings had the opportunity to do. They didn't, and everyone remembers how that ended up.

There are enough veterans on this team who will make sure the Rangers have the proper mindset going into Wednesday night. They have the manager, the man who knows baseball, to keep it 100 and let them know that they better not even think about giving the Cardinals new life, let alone actually doing it. Most of all, they have the stench of last year’s abrupt ending, an odor that can be erased with the scent of victory. Come Wednesday night, that’s the goal.

Be easy.
-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

The Oklahoma Sooners = The Indianapolis Colts = The Atlanta Braves

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:33:00 +0000

It’s the toughest decision for anyone who’s in charge to make. Ask anyone who’s ever managed large groups of people or had oversight over an organization. Having to let go from someone causes some people to have anxiety attacks, break out into the sweats, and throw up. It’s a serious deal.

Of course, it’s easier to make change when things are in turmoil, or when someone steps out of line. It can be tough to let go of someone you really like, but their performance doesn’t cut the mustard. However, what do you do when someone performs at an extremely high level over an extended period of time, yet when it’s time to claim that ultimate prize…the continually fall short? In the corporate world, you’d simply be transferred or given different responsibility. In football, that’s not really an option.

You either continue to live with what you got, or you move on to find a successor. This is the conundrum that Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione faces with his football coach, Robert “Bob” Anthony Stoops. It’s a conundrum that has plagued other elite teams that, in the grand scheme of the things, weren’t ever really elite.

Let’s be clear about something: I am in no way shape or form saying that we should fire Bob Stoops. As far as I’m concerned, the man has a lifetime contract in Norman, so long as he keeps up his continued success, like he has since 1999. OU has gone to a bowl game in every single season of Stoops’ tenure and have a 135-31 record in his 12th season. The 2000 National Championship will always be one of my proudest moments as a sports fan.

So when I was out at the casino drinking and betting my life away last Saturday night and noticed the bevy of texts and tweets hitting my cell phone, I already knew what it was. The Oklahoma Sooners were going to lose a game they had no business losing; in this particular case, a 41-38 defeat by the hands of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, at home, and in Norman. For the 11th consecutive season, a dream of a national championship was flushed down the drain in a game that Oklahoma was a heavy favorite.

It’s become commonplace, at this point. Fans who mock the Sooners like to call OU “Chokelahoma.” Funny, I’ll admit, partially because anyone whoever calls us that usually has never achieved what OU has. It’s also sadly funny, because it’s true. Outside of the 2004 National Championship vs. Southern California, where OU lost 55-19 in the Rose Bowl, I’d contend that OU had no business losing those games. Some games on the biggest stage, while some, the opponents were laying in the weeds.

So what’s an AD to do?

As much respect and admiration that I have for the great Bobby Cox-led Atlanta Braves of the 90’s and the Tony Dungy/Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts of the 00’s, their label of being all-time elite coaches must come into question, to a certain degree. It’s not that they aren’t elite, but how can that adjective be placed on teams that can’t win games on the biggest stages?

But Ed, the Braves won the World Series in ’95 and the Colts won the Super Bowl in ’07.

Good point…do you mind if I counter? It’s my blog; of course, you don’t.

The Braves, under Cox, won 14 consecutive division titles, an MLB record. The Colts, under Dungy, never won less than ten games and made the playoffs every single season. If you were paying attention, the Braves were 1-of-14 in titles under Cox, with arguably one of the greatest pitching rotations of all-time. The Colts were 1-of-7 in titles under Dungy, with arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. Are we, as fans of those teams, not supposed to feel that maybe, just maybe, we left something on the table there? That there was something missing to get the team over the hump? This is where it gets interesting…

See, Cox and Dungy are the perfect controls for this “theory” of mine. Because at what point do you potentially peak as a/an team/coach/organization and quit leaning on the tried-and-true methodology of, “Oh, that’s how the ball bounces sometimes?” Nah, I’m not on that. See, the Braves organization stood by Cox all the way. Hell, he is the greatest manager in the franchise’s history, a history that, outside of the great Hank Aaron, hasn’t had that type of success in ages. ATL stood by Cox, and he did the best he could. Admirable work, really, but ask any Braves fan why we only have one title and their faces will turn sour quickly.

Dungy, on the other hand, had a different set of circumstances. In four seasons of vast improvement of the Tampa Bay Bucs, Dungy had built an all-world defense but struggled to get the offense in order. The Bucs brought in Jon Gruden from the Raiders to get the offense going and jump-start a sometimes inconsistent Bucs squad. The very next season, in 2002, the Bucs went on the warpath and slayed all comers to get their first Super Bowl. The Bucs management had to make a decision: either we can stay “pretty good,” or we can take a chance at being “great”, that chance paid off quite well.

The bigger example is in college football, and Stoops is one of the prime candidates. People forget that, back in 1999, Stoops replaced “Uncle” John Blake, aka Papa Blake at OU. John Blake is arguably one of the best recruiters this nation has ever seen. Unfortunately, he couldn’t coach worth a lick. When Stoops got to Norman, he moved some players to different positions and got a noodle-armed, but smart JUCO quarterback, by the name of Josh Heupel and, in his second year, brought home that crystal ball. That was 2000. But he’s not alone.

In 2001, in Larry Coker’s first season, he led the Butch Davis-built Miami Hurricanes to the title.

In 2002, in Jim Tressel’s second season, he led Ohio State to another title.

In 2003, in Pete Carroll’s third season, USC took home a national title, finishing number one in the AP.

In 2006, in Urban Meyer’s second season, Florida brought home a ring.

In 2007, in Les Miles’ third season, LSU brings another title home, after Nick Saban leaves for the NFL.

In 2009, in Nick Saban’s third season back in college football, he brings Alabama another title.

In 2010, in Gene Chizik’s second season, Auburn wins a national title.

People, that’s just in the last 11 years. There are eight head coaches who, within three seasons, have brought the crystal ball on home to their school. Bob Stoops has been employed at OU longer than any of the other seven coaches. Coker, Tressel, and Meyer don’t even coach anymore. Carroll’s in the NFL. Miles and Saban are now on their third college team.

Old men have been known to say that “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” In life, however, we humans are an evolutionary type of creature. We try to take things that already work well and make them work better. The Oklahoma Sooners are a well-oiled machine with their offense, their defense, their coaches and recruits. OU doesn’t rebuild; they just reload. Yet, OU’s penchant for losing at the worst time has come to rear its head once again. Maybe the machine isn’t as well-oiled as we’d like to believe. At a certain point, you’ve got to have a heart-to-heart and be honest with what’s going on here and what you’re willing to live with.

An “A” on the report card is always dope, until someone else is walking around with an “A+.”

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

Fan's Perspective: Chris Webber Reflects On Dunking On Barkley At The Barbershop

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:05:00 +0000

While doing my morning reading and YouTube viewing, this gem came across my four eyes. The Nike Barbershop Basketball campaign back in 1993 was quite a dope one, featuring a vast array of superstars past and present like George Gervin, David Robinson, Artis Gilmore, Dennis Rodman, Tim Hardaway, Alonzo Mourning, Chris Mullin, Vernon Maxwell and Mitch Richmond.

My personal favorite features Chris Webber and Latrell Sprewell (who was rocking a baldie, so he was clearly there just to be talking crazy) as C-Webb reminisces on when he posterized Charles Barkley. From C-Webb's ridiculous (yet awesome at the time) jump suit, to the theatrics displayed by both characters, this was the gem I needed to get my morning going.

Here are a couple of other favorites from the Nike Barbershop campaign:

George Gervin and "The Finger Roll"

Alonzo Mourning the old man.

Rodman tries to persuade The Admiral to go blonde.

Get to the barbershop gentlemen, get to the salon ladies. Enjoy your Saturday.

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

What does Eli Manning have to do to get some damn respect?

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:35:00 +0000

For the previous “Some Damn Respect” posts, click here, here, and here.

There are quarterbacks in the NFL that are praised to the fullest, and rightfully so. Sir Thomas Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers, and Peyton Manning are the five that people have revered over the past several seasons.

Tony Romo, Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub, Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez are some guys who people respect, on one level or another, even when they are constantly questioned. Michael Vick is playing at a high level, and even though he’s not performing at the renaissance level he did last season, he’s widely respected at his position, with the concerns about what he can’t do being long gone. Philip Rivers is praised as well, probably right below the pantheon of the top five QBs (or right with them, depending on who's asked.) At this point, there's nothing left for him to do except make the Super Bowl.

However, there’s a quarterback that, after careful consideration, kind of slips under the radar. When people speak of him, it’s almost as if it’s with a “Oh yeah, him” tone to it, which is crazy considering the man has a Super Bowl ring and led his team down the field with a game-winning drive to earn it. Of course, that man is none other than Eli Manning.

On this site alone, we have had numerous top ten quarterback lists over the years, and just about every single time, Eli didn’t make the cut (he did here, and even then, he was number ten.)

Post-2008, leaving him off the lists was never anything intentional. I just forgot about him. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the other contributors of our lists said the same thing.

The man plays in New York, undoubtedly one of the biggest markets and some of the brightest lights in the NFL, but he just goes along without people not saying much about his play. Granted, it wouldn’t be wise to speak for NY media, but in the eyes of this site, as well as fans that I know, we don’t talk much about Eli. Even as this article is written, I can’t really put my finger on it.

The man is tough as hell, as evidenced by the fact he hasn’t missed a start since his rookie season, as well as this picture here. Do you remember the shot he took in this game? Good grief, the man got destroyed and was damn near bleeding to death.

It’s not as if he hasn’t put up the numbers over the years. He’s been top ten in passing yards over the last two seasons, as well as touchdowns. Now, the common retort to that, one that I myself use all the time, would be “Who cares about stats? Watch the damn game,” and that retort is fair. Okay, so let’s watch the game.

Let’s watch the man lead his team down the field to tie or win the game in the fourth quarter 20 times in his career. These things have occurred, yet if you ask people to pick a quarterback to lead you down the field to tie or win a game, Eli’s name probably wouldn’t even be one of the first 10-12 that come out.

It’s really strange to comprehend. His Giants are first in an unpredictable, yet entertaining and competitive NFC East, and for all the inconsistency the division has, they just might be the best team there. Shoot, the Redskins are still trying to figure out who they are, as are the Cowboys, and the Eagles? Shoot, they need Jesus, let alone an identity.

The Giants know who they are, and that’s half the battle in itself. The man isn’t the best at taking care of the ball at his position, but we know all about the other QBs in the NFC East. They’re not exactly the greatest in the world at that, either.

So, outside of his formal name being Elisha (good grief), the reasons he doesn’t get love from football fans, on a more wide-spread scale, will continue to confound me. As mentioned earlier, the man has a ring, he played a huge part in getting the ring, and even though it was four years ago, he led his team to a victory over a team who was on the verge of going 19-0.

That act alone should grant a man the utmost respect, but it doesn’t for Eli. All he can do is keep playing, keep winning, and who knows? Maybe one day, the love and respect will come, and the confusion and overall indifference when his name is mentioned will lessen.

Be easy.
-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

ETSF's #NBArank: The 10 Players You'd Never Want On Your Team

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:19:00 +0000

ETSF and the band of hooligans affiliated with this site are ranking every NBA player that you would never, under any circumstance, want on your team. We're counting them down on Twitter (@edthesportsfan), from No. 10 to No. 1.

The conversation and dialogue that has been shared with the people over the last few days in regards to ESPN's #NBArank has been sad, comical, and infuriating. You see, the debate between who the best players are in the league is a truly difficult one. No one will ever agree on hardly anything.

"Kobe's #7? In what lifetime is Kobe the 7th best player in basketball?"

"Chris Paul's #4? He's not even the best point guard in the league!"

"LeBron's #1? Go run into traffic."

So while people may not be able to agree on who's the best, I figured we could all agree on who's the worst...or at least, who are the people you'd NEVER want to see on your basketball team. Some are current players, a few are past players who could think about making a comeback. For the sake of our sanity...please stay away.

Here are the 10 players you'd never want on your basketball team. Ever.

#10. Paul Pierce

No one is ever going to forget that this dude "supposedly" hurt his knee, had to be carried off the court, carted off in a wheelchair, and then 15 minutes later acted like nothing ever happened. That's just plain unacceptable.

Plus, his beard really sucks. Its not even a beard, or a goatee, its just patches of hair that look like the Galapagos Islands or when you open a bag of Skittles and 5 or 6 of 'em just fall out of the bag randomly...that's what Paul Pierce's face looks like. Stay away from my team man, you can't trust people who can't properly grow facial hair.

#9. Mike Bibby

Maybe its because we remember how great you were in Sacramento, but man Mike Bibby is terrible now. Plus, as the homie Darius points out, he kinda reminds us of Keroppi.

#8. Erick Dampier

Three reasons...

One, his middle name is Travez.

Two, Shaq called him Ericka Dampier and I struggle to not call him or any person I know named Eric anything other than Ericka.

Three, at one time this man said he was the best big man in the West behind Shaq. No man....no.

#7. Damien Wilkins

When Damien Wilkins came into the league, I think its safe to say that we were all excited to see a descendant of the Dominique Wilkins gene pool resurfacing in NBA arenas. The only problem is...Damien Wilkins sucks. The homie Trey Kerby pointed out that while in Seattle, he froze out Kevin Durant on numerous occasions. The man has a bald dome, and that looks terrible. He clearly should be rocking a Wilkins-esque box. They're back in style now! Plus, every time I see him I'd get angry because of how much he's not like Dominique. Stay away from my team, you fraud.

#6. (2-way tie) Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter

Just thinking of how much money these two guys have made and how lethargic and pitiful they look on the court would make me want to throw hot dogs at them. Somehow Rashard Lewis is the 2nd-highest paid player in the league ($22M in 2011-12) and he's a poor man's Detlef Schrempf. Vince is infuriating because of that damn beard, he's not cool enough to wear a beard like that.

Of course...when we talk about contracts, beards, and being lethargic...

#5. Gilbert Arenas

There was a time in my life where Gilbert Arenas was my favorite player. Now, I have to worry if he's going to pistol-whip the head coach...drop a deuce in a teammate's Nike's...or if he's going to pay his wager money on a poker game. Nah. He can stay away from my team all day.

#4. Eric Snow

I can't think of one skill that Eric Snow had other than, "being a positive influence in Allen Iverson's life on and off the court." Hell, I think he sucked at that too.

Or as the homie Dragonfly Jonez so eloquently stated, "Back in college we'd turn on the Sixers game and play the 'Let's Get High and laugh at how wack Eric Snow is' game."

#3. Andray Blatche

There might not be a more debilitating experience than watching Andray Blatche play basketball. The man plays ball with the same desire as a third-grader has in cleaning his room or taking out the trash. For a man as physically talented as Blatche is, you might as well take an ice pick and shove it in your eyes when watching him play. Cancerous would be an understatement, and yet the Wizards keep giving the man 20-30 minutes a game to prove how utterly terrible he is. Please keep him away from my team.

#2. J.R. Smith

There might not be a more confounding player in the NBA as Earl Smith, III. Per the bearded one Kenny Masenda back in February:

"He’s a man who has enough talent, natural ability, and pure skill to win a three-point contest and a dunk contest during All-Star weekend."

But...

"With all that said, I’ve never seen a player more erratic, more maddening to watch, and more conflicted than J.R. Swish."

You know why J.R. Smith is erratic, maddening, and conflicted? Because he's friggin crazy, that's why. There's no reason in life to ever want this man on your team. He might dunk on an opponent one play, then punch a ref in the face. You don't want that.

#1. Ricky Davis

Well, he was last seen as a member of the Clippers, but his current whereabouts are somewhere in between Death Valley, Parts Unknown, and France. Whatever team Ricky Davis played for ended up dying a slow death like a flower that doesn't get sunlight or water. His talent was all-star worthy, except he had the mental capacity of this paper clip I'm using to clean my nails. Currently, he's in France and honestly...that's where he needs to stay. Learn the land, pillage the townspeople for their life force, and stay away from our teams.

This music is hilarious, by the way.

Okay, so here's our ten. Who did we leave off? Let us know your thoughts!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

God Bless The Pinch-Hitter #theUCshow

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:06:00 +0000

On this edition of The Unsportsmanlike Conduct Show we are faced with multiple conundrums. The World Series is on while our show airs live. Problem. Not one, but two co-hosts are AWOL for the beginning of the show. Problem. Ed has to run the switchboard, chat room, and do the show by himself. Problem.

Thank God there were some homies in the bullpen, as Charles Davis comes in off the bench to tag-team with Ed on this edition of #theUCshow. We chop it up about the struggles and greatness of our fantasy football teams, we break down the future of Carson Palmer in Oakland, then Kenny strolls in fashionably late to discuss ESPN's ranking of the 500 players in the NBA.

Listen. Share. Discuss.

9:00 - Ladies and gentlemen, Charles Davis...the 49ers fan.

9:15 - A candid discussion about Carson Palmer and the Oakland Raiders...

9:30 - Look who decides to stroll in and join the festivities...

9:45 - The debate begins on ESPN's #NBARank

Download this episode or subscribe to the show on iTunes today!

Random...I have never been one to defend a Mr. Kobe Bean Bryant, however, seeing Kobe rank #7 on any NBA list behind the likes of Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, and Dwight Howard is just plain unsettling. There's no way Dwyane Wade should be ahead of Kobe Bryant in anything besides falling down...yeah I said it. We'll discuss this in more detail soon...I promise.

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

California Dreaming in the NFL Today

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:36:00 +0000

Prior to this trade deadline weekend, the talk of the NFL revolved around Tom Brady’s fast start, Aaron Rodgers’ brilliance, Tony Romo’s foibles, the “Dream Team’s” nightmare start and the formerly 5-0 Detroit Lions. What’s been lost in the shuffle, or at least received far less attention, is the resurgence of the AFC and NFC West, namely the teams in California.

Last season, both the AFC and NFC West divisions were not given much respect. Yes, the Chiefs won 10 games and made the playoffs, but they were just 2-4 in their own division and didn’t have many believers, while the Raiders went undefeated in the division yet finished just 8-8.

On the other side, the NFC West became a laughingstock, with Seattle winning the division despite a losing record (7-9). So what has taken place on the West Coast through the first six weeks of the 2011 season is remarkable.

As it stands, the 49ers, who were just 6-10 last year and fired their coach, just handed the Lions their first loss and are tied with the second-best record in the NFL at 5-1. New coach Jim Harbaugh, who did finally give the Niners some pub due to his postgame controversy with Jim Schwartz, has infused new life into a once proud franchise. They’ve beaten the Eagles, a preseason favorite in the NFC. They’ve beaten 4-2 Cincinnati. And they embarrassed the 4-2 Bucs.

Alex Smith suddenly looks like a competent starting NFL quarterback. Frank Gore is healthy and running all over people. Vernon Davis is opening things up for everyone else. And the defense, led by one of the leagues best linebacker duos in Patrick Willis and Navorro Bowman, is intimidating and dominant. The 49ers are for real.

The Raiders, who also got rid of their coach last season, lost their best defensive player to Philadelphia, had question marks at receiver and were breaking in a new coach. All they’ve done is go 4-2, beating the Jets and Texans in the process while hanging with the Bills and Patriots, and established themselves as a contender in the West.

Darren McFadden is proving he’s the back everyone thought he’d be coming out of Arkansas. Denarius Moore has emerged as a deep threat, and Darius Heyward-Bey is even showing signs of life. And it’s all thanks to Jason Campbell’s understated and underrated work under center.

Campbell’s always been a guy who’s never gotten he credit he deserves. This year, he was finally beginning to as the Raiders started to resemble the franchise the late Al Davis created from scratch. Then he goes down with a broken collar bone, seemingly deflating Oakland’s season. But the Raiders see how far this team has come in a short time, see that Richard Seymour is back playing at a high level and that Rolando McClain is bringing the nasty.

So the Raiders are going for it. First they brought in former number four overall pick Aaron Curry to line up next to McClain, and now they’ve added veteran Carson Palmer to take over for Campbell, reuniting him with Hugh Jackson, the man who recruited him and coached him at USC, then again in Cincinnati. The Raiders want to go all in to honor their recently deceased legend of an owner, and I’m not about to doubt them.

And waiting in the wings as always, flying under the radar, are the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers had a disappointing 2010, finishing just 9-7 as they watched the Chiefs pass them. But this year they’re off to a fast start, leading the West with a 4-1 record, the beneficiaries of a generous early-season schedule.

However, we all know how the Chargers have been notoriously slow starters under Norv Turner, something that did them in last season. Not this year. Ryan Mathews is showing he can play, and Mike Tolbert is continuing his high level of play. The defense has held opponents to 17 points or less in three of the five games. And Phillip Rivers hasn’t even hit his stride yet.

Given their track record, you have to think the Chargers are only going to get better. So maybe now is the time to look west and pay attention to what those teams in California are doing.

-The Rev
www.edthesportsfan.com

Ron Washington knows baseball

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:30:00 +0000

There are few coaches and managers in the world of sports that I, as a fan, will never question. Some of them won’t be questioned, because their work, although seen from a distance, shows that they know what they’re doing. Phil Jackson, from the outset, is the coach that, regardless of how lopsided a score would get from a Jackson-coached team, would never get questioned by me.

That’s because the man’s track record is so successful that he’s more than earned the right, respect, and reverence to coach however he wants, use whatever methods he wants, and push whatever buttons he wants to get the job done.

With that said, I’ve never lived in Chicago or Los Angeles, never been exposed to the ins-and-outs, the monotonous routine of the folks who cover him or his teams for years. From a distance, homage has always been paid to Phil, and that’s how it should be.

"But if we don't win, if we don't play to our capabilities," Washington says with a big smile, "my ass is getting fired, anyway." – Ron Washington to Howard Bryant; April 23, 2010, via ESPN.com.

Don’t get it twisted. Ron Washington has not won a World Series as a manager. However, what he was done as the manager of the Texas Rangers is remarkable. Plus, living here has allowed me to be exposed to the ins-and-outs, as well as the monotonous routine of the folks who cover him and his Texas Rangers team.

Whether it’s in print, the radio, or online, I’ve seen plenty when it comes to how Ron goes about his business with the team. Folks stay questioning the man, his methods, and his madness. Through it all, there’s something that folks in this city know and it’s something that Wash continues to reinforce. If there’s one thing that we in the Metroplex have known for years, and if there’s something that anyone else invested in the game knows by now, it’s that Ron Washington knows baseball.

The man makes the necessary adjustments, but it’s also a man who will stick by his players, regardless of how much fans, critics, media, and everyone else in-between says the man has lost his mind. People screamed for him to move Michael Young out of the clean-up spot, due to Young stinking up the joint in the ALDS and stretches of the ALCS.

Imagine telling a friend, or your spouse, or someone you’re kicking it with, that there are certain things you could be doing and that if you would change this or change that, that things would get better. That friend ignores you, because they know their methods and their situation better than you ever could.

That’s Ron Washington. When folks were telling HIM what HE should do with one of HIS players, Uncle Ron kept on spitting his sunflower seeds, eyes fixed on the field, and tuned the masses out.

Folks are telling him to get C.J. Wilson up outta here, due to Wilson getting pounded repeatedly in his postseason starts. Even I, in a brief moment of irresponsibility, asked the rhetorical, “So what are you gonna do, Uncle Ron?” when Wilson was getting knocked around in Game Five of the ALCS.

An apology immediately followed, because even though things looked bad on the surface, Wash knew what he was doing. The man believes in his methods, won’t embarrass any of his players, won’t make a move just to appease the masses, and will undoubtedly continue to put his players in the best position possible to succeed.

The fact, the indisputable fact that the Texas Rangers’ win total has increased each year in Uncle Ron’s tenure, is no accident. They went from winning only 75 games in his first year to 96 this season. Oh, and don't let the fact that St. Louis having home-field, despite not having a better record than the Rangers nor winning their division, have you in fear. Wash will have these boys ready to play, and if they're truly the better team, it won't matter where the series starts. Hell, another local champion, the Dallas Mavericks, just proved that during the Finals.

The fact that the Rangers are about to play in their second consecutive World Series, despite people wondering if they could do so once Clifford Lee walked, is telling. The man manages with what he has, and because of that, fans of the Rangers and sports fans in the Metroplex period, are having some of the most fun we’ve had in quite some time.

Some people won’t admit that getting to the World Series last year was a little overwhelming, but those feelings are gone this year. The goal for an overwhelming feeling this year is to win the whole damn thing, and there’s not a manager in the game of baseball I feel more comfortable getting the Rangers there with than Ron Washington.

Be easy.
-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

Some Teams Just Know How To Win When It Matters

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:47:00 +0000

In the twenty-some odd years that I've been a sports fan, one of the things that I have come to learn is that when you compete at the highest level, the final outcome is rarely ever decided by which team or individual. Instead, big games are won and lost by one's preparation, mental toughness, and a belief...not just a belief in one's self, but a belief in the system.

That system is what elite team's strive for, and what separates contenders from pretenders. As we embark on the 2011 edition of the World Series, seeing the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals meeting up in the Fall Classic just makes sense...even though most pundits and prognosticators never saw this coming.

No seriously, no one saw this coming. Check this out, as back in the beginning of the season ESPN put their top folks together to come up with who would be in the 2011 World Series:

Marty Bernoski, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Aaron Boone, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Steve Berthiaume, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Dave Cameron, FanGraphs – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Jim Caple, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: White Sox over Phillies
Jason Churchill, ESPN Insider – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Tristan Cockcroft, ESPN Fantasy – WORLD SERIES: Phillies over Yankees
Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Braves over Red Sox
Richard Durrett, ESPNDallas.com – WORLD SERIES: Phillies over Red Sox
Gordon Edes, ESPNBoston.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Doug Glanville, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Jason Grey, ESPN Fantasy - WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Giants
Steve Goldman, Baseball Prospectus – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Pedro Gomez, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Orel Hershiser, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Tony Jackson, ESPNLA.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Giants
Eric Karabell, ESPN Fantasy – WORLD SERIES: Phillies over Rays
Jonah Keri, FanGraphs – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Brewers
John Kruk, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
David Kull, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Rockies over Red Sox
Tim Kurkjian, ESPN The Magazine – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Keith Law, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Andrew Marchand, ESPNNY.com – WORLD SERIES: Phillies over Red Sox
Joe McDonald, ESPNBoston.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Matt Meyers, ESPN Insider – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Mark Mulder, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Phillies over Red Sox
Amy K. Nelson, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Braves over Red Sox
Dave O'Brien, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Buster Olney, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Giants over Red Sox
Doug Padilla, ESPNChicago.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Nick Pietruszkiewicz, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Phillies over Red Sox
Karl Ravech, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Nate Ravitz, ESPN Fantasy – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Mark Saxon, ESPNLA.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
David Schoenfield, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Jon Sciambi, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Dan Shulman, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves
Mark Simon, ESPN Research – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Jayson Stark, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Rick Sutcliffe, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Matt Szefc, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Peter Pascarelli, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Giants
Bobby Valentine, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Phillies over Red Sox
Dave Winfield, ESPN – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies
Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com – WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Phillies

Seriously...no one picked the Rangers or the Cardinals? Out of 45 people? Good grief. It should be noted also that when 25 of the same contributors came together at the end of September and the playoff field was finalized that no one thought the Cardinals would get to the Fall Classic. Still no one believed.

Its the trick we all pull on ourselves. We always want our teams to go out there and get the best talent money can buy. The Boston Red Sox tried that this year in acquiring Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, and for what seemed like a blissful relationship for all involved in Beantown ended in one of the most epic collapses by an organization of all-time, players eating chicken and playing Madden in the locker room, and both the manager and GM both chucking the deuces.

Texas and St. Louis followed the same protocol that most successful teams do, they build from within and they have phenomenal chemistry. They make the savvy move, not the grandiose move. Texas had the chance to move Michael Young on countless occasions, but for what? Because there wasn't a position for him on the field in the beginning of the season? Uncle Ron and Nolan knew better, hung onto the all-star and he's thrived for the Rangers all season.

St. Louis knew they'd deal with the future free-agent saga that is José Alberto Pujols Alcántara. What they didn't know is that their ace Adam Wainwright would go down for the season, that Pujols would get hurt, that Matt Holliday would be sidelined in the second half of the season, and that their young talent would have to carry them this season. Fortunately for them, they had the old man Tony LaRussa back there calling the shots...and he's been here before. It been painfully obvious for anyone whose faced the Cards.

Per ESPN's Jayson Stark:

"We remind ourselves of that every day," La Russa said. "Even today, we went around to different players and reminded them it's always about maintaining your edge for that next game you play. So if even for a minute you do either one -- look ahead or look back -- you lose that edge."

So there was no time, even on this day, for them to ask: "How did we get here?" Which means we'll just have to ask it for them.

Its that type of mentality that the Rangers had to grow into (missing the playoffs in '09, losing the World Series in '10) and its the type of mentality that the Cardinals ('06 World Series champs) just take in from LaRussa, Pujols, and Chris Carpenter.

This won't be the most watched World Series at all, actually it won't be close. Not the fault of the two teams or MLB, most baseball fans are leeches to the teams that keep their teams in the headlines by making flashy acquisitions or causing a scuttle butt because one of their pitchers is crappy. Fans, players, and organizations should take note because knowing how to win is the hardest thing to learn.

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

ETSF Fan Handbook: Vol. IV - the role of tailgating

noreply@blogger.com (SoulOnIce) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Recently, I had a discussion with The NFL Chick about our experiences with tailgating. The conversation was lively, exciting, and about as animated as can be. We spent plenty of time talking about our respective encounters with tailgating, how much fun it is, and we agreed on pretty much everything.

However, when it came to where tailgating fits in the scope of game day, disagreement, disharmony, and discontent took over. We couldn't come to an agreement on the exact role of tailgating; whether it's a pre-cursor to the game, or if tailgating can replace being inside the ballpark and/or stadium. With that said, we decided to structure volume four of the soon-to-be-acclaimed ETSF handbook around this particular aspect of the fan experience: tailgating.

No game ticket? No problem. Come tailgate! : by The NFL Chick

As much as I love attending live football games for many, many reasons, I can appreciate a good ol' tailgate party outside the stadium. There are some like Kenny who don't see the point of tailgating if you aren't going to the actual game, but I disagree.

Sometimes, folks aren't able to go to the game, for whatever reason. But that shouldn't stop folks from missing out on the awesome event that is the pregame festivities of tailgating.

I've been to more football games than I can count, but some of my best football memories were hanging out with friends at a tailgate party. Everything you wanted, they had. Food, music, drinks (including alcohol, of course) and last but not least, the football game.

Once the game was over, the tailgate party then became the afterparty, with the DJ cranking up the music as fans slowly made their way back to the parking lot. Some even left early as the game became out of reach, just so they could finish partying with us! Ever seen a bunch of drunk people with no rhythm do the Cupid Shuffle in a stadium parking lot? If your answer is no, you're missing out on life.

I can't speak for everyone's tailgating experience. After all, Baltimore has been voted the Best Tailgating City for years (I'm not kidding, google it!), so maybe I'm spoiled a little. In Charm City, football is more than just a game for us.. it's a celebration of whats to come. People here love the game so much they want to be a part of something... ANYTHING.. that can connect them to their favorite team.

So if you think tailgating without going to the game is lame, that's cool. You just haven't been to the ultimate tailgating party yet.... or to Baltimore.

Tailgating is the appetizer, but the game is the main course: by Kenny

Tailgating plays an integral part in the fan experience. Folks can know a game is days away, but they’re just as excited to pack up some meat, beer, and their grill, throw it in the back of the truck and head onto the stadium. Sure, you can go to the ballpark or the stadium and not engage in tailgating, but there’s nothing like it.

With that said, as great as tailgating is, it’s the appetizer. Going to the game itself will always be the main dish, always the priority. The first time I was involved in a tailgate when the folks I went to the stadium with didn’t go to the game was the Cowboys home opener two years ago at Jerry’s World. My buddies and I got to the stadium at noon, despite the fact that kickoff wasn’t until seven that night.

Upon our arrival, there were already thousands of people out there firing up the grill, drinking beer, taking pictures with other fans, throwing the football around, and just having a great time.

It was a great thing to be a part of, and even with all that fun, there was no way it topped actually being inside of Jerry’s World. However, when it was time to go in, my best friend said he was gonna go ahead and stay outside, chill at the truck, and watch it on the Hoshitoshi we had hooked up to the bed of the truck. The man had money to spend, but he was enjoying the scene and decided to save his money and stay out in the lot.

To this day, that tailgate was dope, but there’s no way in hell it was comparable to being inside the stadium, nor should it be. The same with shocking the world at the Fiesta Bowl a couple of years back. The tailgate was dope and all, but the highlight was being inside the stadium for Boise State and TCU. The game is what brings us together, and while the tailgate aspect is awesome, being inside the stadium will always be priceless.

-K. Masenda and The NFL Chick
www.edthesportsfan.com

The Resurrection Of The Original Steve Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Ed The Sports Fan) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:39:00 +0000

This past Sunday a fight broke out between Carolina Panthers' wideout Steve Smith and New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper after Smith hauled in a jump pass from Cam Newton and took it to the house for a 54-yard touchdown. Smith elevated over Saints’ corner Jabari Greer, who then fell down, thus giving Smith an unabated route to the endzone. Harper then decided to run full speed at Smith as he crossed the goal line and hit the defenseless receiver as he began to celebrate his touchdown.

Three things happened that got me crunk:

Steve Smith, usually the precocious type, instead of engaging in fisticuffs with Harper decided to do the Cris Carter ball spin and celebrate his own personal glory. Why give Harper the time of day when his (lack of) cover skills give him all the attention he needs.
The entire Carolina Panthers offense was ready to ride for Steve Smith. Even Cam Newton ran 65 yards down the field to engage in the fisticuffs, a dope scene indeed.
Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins (stupidly) came to defend his teammate, but once he ran up Steve Smith yoked his ass up and took him to the ground via the facemask…the facemask.

You see, the man wasn’t even looking for the scrap. He was out there having another boss game, just Moss’d the corner, and went to score his touchdown and go about his business. When Harper hit him, he wasn’t even tripping. “Let me celebrate me.” Smith said. (in my mind) Then Jenkins had to run up…and like the old men in our lives would say, “run up, get done up.”

This play was a microcosm of who Stevonne Latrall Smith is, one of the best players in the NFL and a true G among G’s.

There are few things in the NFL that are truly unfair. Quarterbacks who get treated like Faberge eggs, Ed Reed and Ray Lewis getting old, and Randall Gene Moss taking his talents to a creek in West Virginia. For a wideout in the League, the one thing that he needs to ultimately be successful is a competent quarterback. Unfortunately, the men that have been chucking the pill around the field in Charlotte over the last ten years have been retread field generals like Rodney Peete and Vinny Testaverde or wet behind the ears hurlers like (old) Chris Weinke and Jimmy Clausen. However, the mainstay of the 10-year war between the quarterback and #89 has been Jake Delhomme.

*Google’s the amount of money Jake Delhomme has made in his career with the Carolina Panthers*

*waiting…*

*waiting…….*

Delhomme made well over $50 million while tenured as the starting signal caller in Carolina. Of that $50 million, Steve Smith deserved a good 60% of that money. That’s how good Steve Smith is, and Steve knew it. He knew he had a mediocre quarterback on his hands, otherwise he wouldn’t say things like this to man in his face…

Steve Smith Micd Up
So he knew the man was down from another pitiful performance, called the man ugly in his face, told the man he was terrible at his job, but as a man….he still liked the guy.

What more can you ask for from a man? That’s why there is only one Steve Smith. Shame on us for even considering that there was another Steve Smith. (as far as I’m concerned, that other one who played for the Giants and now the Eagles will just have to be Steven Smith. I don’t care if Steve Smith’s real name is Stevonne, he will always be THE Steve Smith)

Here is what is undeniable about #89. He has been one of the elite wideouts in this league, and will go down as one of the best receivers of our generation. His numbers won’t be up to par with guys like Moss, Owens, and Harrison but those numbers don’t make up the total story. Steve Smith is what that is because he’s fearless, he wants to win at all cost, and he’ll even punch his own teammate if he has to.

The fact that Cam Newton is slanging the pigskin at such a high-level for the Panthers, it’s a blessing to see Steve Smith still out there doing his thing. At 5’8” and 185 pounds, he’s not supposed to be able to do the things he does. Go watch that youtube clip again of him rising in the air to get the ball. Unreal.

There’s something special going on in Carolina. If Ron Rivera can coach those boys up, Cam Newton can continue to develop, and the organization can continue to stockpile talent on both sides of the ball…maybe we’ll see #89 get one more shot on the big stage. One can only hope.

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com