The Anchor’s Desk with Scott Reister: Unanswered Questions will Dog ARod’s Image

February 22, 2009 By 3 Comments
Email Post Email Post

The Anchor's Desk with Scott ReisterARod doesn’t appear to be facing any discipline problems from the league or the U.S. government. Even leading baseball writers such as ESPN’s Tim Kurkijan say they’ll still vote him in the Hall of Fame. All that’s left, and all that matters, is the court of public opinion.

Unfortunately, he has thrown his image, and that of his former and current team, into a public relations crisis.

The game’s future homerun king tried to treat this problem like a band-aid: rip it off fast, have it hurt badly now, and get over it. Except that strategy doesn’t work if you leave some unexplained ugliness.

As holes in his Tuesday confession start to pop up, whatever points he scored with the public have vanished. He claimed his cousin got the steroid “boli” legally over the counter in the Dominican Republic. ESPNDeportes recently reported that, whatever “boli” is, nothing of the sort was ever legal for purchase in the Dominican.

Making matters worse, the New York Daily News is reporting that Rodriguez is close friends with Angel Presinal, a personal trainer who was banned from every MLB clubhouse in 2001. A-Rod has some ‘splainin to do.

Predictably, late last week, he declined to talk about all this, saying he’s addressed the steroid issues and is moving on. Problem is, he hasn’t addressed all of it, and the fans aren’t moving on. ARod claimed that he juiced only from 2001-2003, but the public doesn’t believe him.

A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,023 adults shows that 46% of people think he used PEDs in years other than 01-03, compared to 32% that believed his use was just in the years he said he did. 22% had no opinion. In other words, only 1 in 3 people believe he was telling the truth. After being lied to by an endless parade of ball players before him, why would the public believe ARod? Claiming he was naïve about what he took and what he was doing is very convenient. So was the claim that his cousin did the dirty work.

ARod’s not the only one who has gone quiet. The Rangers’ PR department declined my request to comment on how this scandal has affected their image. The ARod news is hardly mentioned on the teams website. If you go to ARod’s personal website, there’s ZERO mention of this story. For ARod and the Rangers, the less this is brought up, the better.

Time heals all wounds, but will the public eventually root for ARod once again? For ARod’s part, he did say he was responsible and he apologized. He did more than any other juiced player has done. With questions still lingering, it’s up to each fan to make their own decision.

If ARod’s story hurt his image, it may have helped the Texas Rangers in weird way. The “culture” of the game that ARod referred to was never more evident during ARod’s ‘roid years in Texas. Jose Canseco, Juan Alex Rodriguez - Texas Rangers - SteroidsGonzalez, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Ivan Rodriguez. The list of those linked to ‘roids is a long one. But on Tuesday, ARod tried to squash any speculation that his mistakes had to do with the Rangers.

“It was a different culture, a different situation,” he said. “There wasn’t as many questions asked. Any product today that is presented to you, you send it to your team trainer and he will fax it to the union. Those types of procedures weren’t in place back than. I certainly didn’t practice that, obviously. My mistake has nothing to do with where I played. My mistake came because I was immature and I was stupid. It wasn’t because of the Rangers or anything to do with Texas. I blame myself. For a week here, I have been looking for people to blame and I keep looking at myself at the end of the day. I never saw any other player do it. I really didn’t get into any other conversations or heard anything. I’m the one that screwed up, no one else.”

Score some points right there for the Rangers’ PR department. On top of that, ARod apologized to owner Tom Hicks. Hicks never said he accepted the apology.

ARod is WAY more admirable than the other cheaters. Look at Mark McGwire. To avoid perjuring himself like Bonds (allegedly), Big Mac just said “We’re not here to talk about the past.” At least ARod had the guts to face the music. We all just wish ARod didn’t leave so many things unsettled. If you’re gonna come clean, come clean all the way. Otherwise the remaining mess may never go away.

Scott Reister is a featured contributor to Midwest Sports Fans. He is a Sports Anchor for the NBC affiliate in the Tri-Cities and Spokane, WA. To learn more about Scott, visit the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Local Sports page on KNDU.com.

To contact Scott: sreister@hotmail.com


Filed Under: Anchor's Desk, Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: alex rodriguez, scott reister, steroids

Minnesota Twins Spring Training | Schedule, Preview, Tickets, and Projections

February 22, 2009 By 4 Comments
Email Post Email Post
joe_mauer_auto_photo2_mid

The Minnesota Twins kick off their 2009 Spring Training campaign this Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox. The Twins will be playing a 35 game ‘preseason’ starting this February 25th with home games based out of Ft. Myers, Florida. If you are in the area and want to catch a game you can get tickets here. If you are like the rest of America freezing up north, you can catch some spring training games live on MLB.TV. The premium package starts at 109.95, while their regular package starts at 79.95. If you’re going to get MLB.TV, you might as well get it now and make that dollar stretch as the price likely won’t go down after Spring Training.

……..

SPRING TRAINING PREVIEW

Here’s a few things to keep your eye on this Spring Training:

1 – Don’t Expect to see much of Joe Mauer
Mauer is still recovering from minor kidney surgery and most likely won’t see much action early in the preseason. The team is optimistic he will return by Opening Day.

2 – Keep an eye on
Joe Crede. The Twins newest and biggest free agent addition this offseason arrived in Ft. Myers late last night after inking a one year $2.5M dollar deal with incentives pushing the contract up to $7M. The world will finally get to see how healthy he really looks and if it appears like the deal was money well spent. Nonetheless, it will be fun watching a fresh face in camp. We will also get to see if the rumors about Buscher ‘crushing’ the ball had any substance behind them, but again, has anyone ever read a report of a guy not crushing the ball in Spring Training?

Bullpen. The Twins finished last season with only one arm really clicking in Jose Mijares. It will be good to see some fresh arms getting some work. Also, keep an eye on guys like Luis Ayala, R.A. Dickey, and hopefully Juan Cruz (if he signs with the Twins this week), to see how our new guys stack up. Also, keep an eye on Boof Bonser’s ailing shoulder as well as Phil Humber’s progress. Both could be looking on the outside in come Opening Day.

3 – Key Battles
Outfield. Denard Span, Carlos Gomez, Delmon Young, and Michael Cuddyer all lay legitimate claim to three outfield spots this Spring Training. Look for them get a lot of looks in the outfield this March. Last season, Cuddyer, a fan favorite, ran into health problems. This allowed the Twins’ three young stars to get serious face time in the Major Leagues, and they outperformed expectations. Denard Span should be a lock to play LF after last seasons success. As for CF and RF: expect Ron Gardenhire’s love affair with Michael Cuddyer and Carlos Gomez to land them spots on the opening day lineup. The organization doesn’t seem to be too high on former #1 overall pick Delmon Young. Ron Gardenhire publicly stated in the winter that he would be out of the Twins’ opening day lineup and trade rumors subsequently swirled. However, Young has more potential than anyone currently wearing a Twins uniform and should see plenty of action this year. If the raw Carlos Gomez doesn’t learn the strike zone early in the season or Michael Cuddyer can’t return to previous form, I would expect to see Delmon Young’s face in the everyday lineup. Scott Ullger, the Twins third base coach said yesterday: “Delmon is locked in. And he’s in great shape” providing even more reason why Delmon should be seeing loads of playing time this season.

Punto – Harris. This is a new battle that arises as a result of the Joe Crede signing. Harris has the ability to play anywhere in the infield and had shown flashes of potential last season. The Twins seem to be looking to crowd their roster with infielders (Casilla, Punto, Crede, Buscher, Harris, and Tolbert) this season. This will put pressure on the recently extended defensive ace Nick Punto.

Relief Pitching. The battle for the 8th inning set-up job will be between Jesse Crain, Luis Ayala, and Juan Cruz (assuming he somehow signs in the coming weeks). If Cruz is in camp, he should be looking to have the job. He’s a bit wild, but had an unbelievable 2008 season. It will be interesting to see how Ayala performs after regaining his health in the offseason. He performed well late in 2007, but ran into trouble last year. If all else fails, Jesse Crain would be a fine plug to fill the void.

4 – Projected 25 Man Roster
Lineup
LF – Span
2B – Casilla
C – Mauer
1B – Morneau
3B – Crede
RF – Cuddyer
DH – Kubel
SS – Punto
CF – Gomez

Bench
OF – Young
IF – Harris
IF – Buscher
IF – Tolbert
C – Redmond

Starting
SP – Liriano
SP – Baker
SP – Slowey
SP – Blackburn
SP – Perkins

Relief
CL – Nathan
SET – Crain
RP – Ayala
RP – Breslow
RP – Guerrier
RP – Humber

On the Outside Looking In
RP – Bonser (Out For Season)
RP – Mijares
RP – Mulvey
RP – Dickey
OF – Pridie


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: minnesota twins, MLB, Spring Training

Crean v Painter I – What We Learned About Purdue’s Present and IU’s Future

February 21, 2009 By 1 Comment
Email Post Email Post
E'Twuan Moore and Matt Painter

E'Twuan Moore and Matt Painter | IU-Purdue box scoreThis morning, because I’m insane, I woke up at 5:30 and went to the office. I did get some actual work done, but quickly decided to pop open the trusty blog and do a preview of today’s Indiana-Purdue game, the first meeting in what should be a great rivalry between Tom Crean and Matt Painter.

The game is now over, with the Boilermakers winning 81-67. My prediction was a 4-point win for the Boilers, I think they were favored by 22, and it ended up at 14. I guess that sounds about right. Here is the IU-Purdue box score if you’re interested.

While I am never happy about a loss, especially to Purdue, I think Indiana represented itself it well by playing hard, looking competent for stretches on the offensive end, and not allowing Purdue to ever run away with the game. Until E’Twuan Moore’s three-pointer with about 3:30 minutes left, the Hoosers were hanging around between 6-10 points down, just a few quick threes away from making it a game. But Moore’s three was a dagger that pushed the Purdue lead to 12 and effectively ended IU’s hopes of a comeback.

Here are a few observations and things we learned today:

1 – It is an absolute travesty that IU and Purdue are only playing once this year

This point is really too obvious to spend a lot of time worrying about. Does the Big Ten conference just stick its head up its own rear when it decides on the schedule? Certain rivalries should always be played twice a year, end of story. Indiana should always play Illinois and Purdue twice a season, no questions asked. I’m not even saying anything else because it is the one thing that IU and Purdue fans can agree on. There should be a meeting in Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers might not win, but they certainly could make it a competitive game. Now that this game is over, the fact that IU and Purdue are only playing once this year is really starting to piss me off.

2 – If Purdue shoots well in March (and Hummel is healthy), they can make a tournament run

I am impressed with this Purdue team. They struggled out of the gates in the Big Ten season but are playing really well right now. They play suffocating man-to-man defense and have solid continuity on offense. And when E’Twuan Moore is shooting the ball well from outside they become especially difficult to defend. The big caveat is Robbie Hummel’s health. I don’t think they have enough multi-dimensional players to compete with the top teams in the nation if Hummel is out, as evidenced by their 1-3 Big Ten record without him. With Hummel in the game, however, he provides that one guy with size who can do a little bit of everything. JaJuan Johnson | IU-Purdue Recap and Box Score

3 – JaJuan Johnson is talented, but will never realize his potential until he learns how to focus

Full disclosure: This is the first full Purdue game I have watched this year, so Boiler fans can correct me on this one if I am wrong; but JaJuan Johnson really seems to lack focus. He played a very good game today though. 14 points, 10 boards, and 5 blocks. He showed range on his jumper, obvious athletic ability, and has undeniable talent. Yet, he made some really careless turnovers and got caught out of position a number of times on defense. And while I love Tom Pritchard and Kyle Taber, they are not in the upper echelon of big men that Johnson will have to face come March. If Johnson increases his ability to focus, he could be a monster as a junior and senior. He’s so talented, he may be anyway.

4 – Indiana has a team full of role players, but two guys have emerged as pieces to build around for the future

Nick Williams, Devan Dumes, Matt Roth, and Malik Story all bring unique individual abilities to the floor, and all will be solid players in the cream and crimson for the next year (Dumes) or three (the others, all freshmen). However, on a good team that can contend for a Big Ten title, they should be bench players who fill specific roles playing 10-15 minutes a game. And I don’t think that is a knock on them at all. They are getting tons of playing time as freshman because IU had so little coming back this year, and will be better players because of it. But each has critical deficiencies that put ceilings on their potential:

  • Nick Williams is too short to be a guy who lacks quickness and handle
  • Devan Dumes is not consistent enough as a shooter and plays out of control with the ball
  • Matt Roth is a non-factor if he is not getting open looks from 3, and lacks quickness to get open if defenses focus on him
  • Malik Story is simply average from a skill standpoint and athletic ability standpoint

With all that said, all four of these guys have tremendous heart and because of it they have been more productive than their respective talent and skills would suggest they’d be. They have also continued to fight in the midst of an awful season and will forever have my appreciation and respect, as well as that of Hoosier fans everywhere. And while they will improve moving forward, these are the kind of guys who should be like Pat Graham, Brian Evans, and Todd Leary on the 1993 team: solid role players who are not asked to do more than they are capable of doing and who contribute to a winning team.

There are two guys on this year’s team, however, that are proving to be future starters that IU can build around: Tom Pritchard and Verdell Jones.

Tom Pritchard - Indiana | IU-Purdue Box Score and RecapPritchard has been pretty consistent all season, though his play dipped a bit recently. I thought he played well today though. He was active offensively, made some tough shots, did a solid job on the boards, and played well with fouls in the second half. He finished with 12 points and 8 boards, which I think will be a similar line to what he’ll put up as a senior when he plays Purdue. Pritchard has obvious deficiencies in foot speed, overall athletic ability, and free throw shooting — only one of which he can really do anything about. But he is a physical presence with decent skills and a high basketball IQ. He can be a Matt Nover-type contributor who you can pencil in for 10-14 points and 8-10 boards every night. He is almost that right now as a freshman.

In terms of improvement, no Hoosier has improved more from the beginning of the season to now than Verdell Jones. Honestly, at the beginning of the season I was wondering why we gave him a scholarship and why he was playing so much. He looked scared, he turned the ball over left and right, and had no physical toughness. Over the last few weeks, Jones has shown off his offensive abilities and become a much more poised leader with the ball in his hands. He still does not dribble especially well and makes lazy passes, and he simply has to get stronger, but 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in his first trip to Mackey is nothing sneeze at.

I thought Verdell was outstanding today. For the first time all season I thought he looked completely comfortable on the floor. He made some beautiful passes, did a great job of pulling up for the 10- toVerdell Jones - Indiana | IU-Purdue Recap and Box Score 15-foot jumpshot, and led an IU offensive attack that played pretty well, all things considered, against a team that really knows how to lock down on defense.

Verdell Jones also has one huge advantage that cannot be taught: height. At 6’5, he is a tough matchup for most guards in the Big Ten. He has gotten eaten alive though by shorter, quicker players this season when he is careless with the ball; but as his ball-handling and decision-making improves he is going to become a really tough matchup on a night-in, night-out basis. With talented players Maurice Creek and Christian Watford, among others, coming in at the guard and wing spots next season, this year’s freshmen will have more competition for playing time. Verdell Jones is proving that he has the talent to be a starter on a top-flight Big Ten team. If he can continue grow physically, as a ball-handler, and in the mental aspect of the game, we could be looking at a player who puts up stat lines like today’s on a nightly basis.

5 – The IU-Purdue rivalry is going to be really fun again

In the late 80s and into the mid-90s, the IU-Purdue rivalry was awesome. Calbert Cheaney against Glenn Robinson. Brian Evans against Cuonzo Martin. AJ Guyton against Chad Austin. And of course, Bob Knight against Gene Keady. Over the last decade or so, while the game is always exciting, it has lacked that extra bit of star power and top-level performance. A major part of it has been the two programs’ transition from legendary coaches to the guys at the helm now. Another part of it is a huge lull in the two programs’ ability to keep the top in-state talent at home. And honestly, it has been rare recently for both teams to be really good at the same time.

But I think with Tom Crean and Matt Painter settling in as the long-term stewards of Indiana and Purdue basketball, this rivalry is on the right track towards becoming one of the elite rivalries again on a yearly basis.

Painter has done a great job of building a solid nucleus around in-state players. Tom Crean is bringing some good Indiana kids in next year and supplementing them with top-flight national talents like Creek and Watford. Give IU one more year to settle in next season, and then I think these two programs are poised to be in the upper third of the Big Ten for the next decade. And with these two coaches we know that the games will be extremely physical and hard fought.

For once, I am not completely despondent after a Purdue loss. I have resigned myself to the pitiful fate of seeking moral victories in every loss. The state of our program demands it. Today, the Hoosiers showed that they have two starters and four solid bench players ready to go for next season. Assuming three or four of the new guys are ready to step in and contribute right away, we can look forward to a still young but much more talented team next season that should be ready to compete for a Big Ten title again in 2011.

And hopefully, God willing, moral victories will no longer be an option.


Filed Under: Big Ten Basketball, CBB, Featured Column Tagged With: Big Ten Basketball, CBB, christian watford, devan dumes, e'twuan moore, Indiana Hoosiers Basketball, iu-purdue rivalry, jajuan johnson, malik story, matt painter, matt roth, maurice creek, nick williams, purdue boilermakers basketball, Robbie Hummel, tom crean, tom pritchard, verdell jones

Danny Ferry Makes Right Move at Deadline – Again

February 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Email Post Email Post

Danny Ferry - GM - Cleveland CavaliersWhile there is a growing number of sports figures issuing apologies for public missteps with good reason these days, count Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry as one sports figure with nothing to apologize for. As Thursday’s trading deadline came and went, I applaud Ferry for holding serve, and not making a move.

I believe Ferry when he said that a lot of the names (Shaq, Amar’e, Richard Jeffereson, Marcus Camby) people are throwing around “really weren’t available to us.” Of course they weren’t. And by the way, those guys didn’t get traded to anyone either. But besides that, how many GM’s really were looking to actually negotiate with Ferry anyways? Would you want to if you are a GM? The last two trades he made were complete heists. The deadline deal he made last year was a complete roster overhaul, and upgrade, and he did that without ‘re-building’ or mortgaging any financial flexibility in 2010. That move was only bettered by the absolute fleecing of the Bucks for Mo Williams – we’ll take Mo Williams and you can have Damon Jones? Seriously?

In GM circles, I gotta beat, that Danny Ferry has got to be likened to that older cousin who trades baseball cards with you only to rip you off. By the time you are old enough to realize that you’ve traded away your Griffey and Bonds rookie cards for Greg Swindell and Felix Fermin, you just make the decision not trade with that cousin anymore.

But, with all that aside, the general idea that the Cavaliers ‘have’ to add another piece is ridiculous. No, the Clippers need to add another piece. Cleveland, on the other hand, is now 43-11 after beating Milwaukee last night. They’re kinda okay. To say that the Cavaliers have to make a move to win a title means that you are extremely undervaluing chemistry and Delonte West.

The chemistry level on this team is at an all time high during the LBJ era, and with 30 games to go, I am glad that chemistry doesn’t have to be challenged. All season long you have seen the bench on their feet acting like Duke walkons, and on the court everybody is stepping up and contributing. That is worth something. And so is Delonte West. He’ll be coming back from injury within the week, and don’t think that West coming back won’t cure some of what challenges the Cavaliers. Delonte has missed the last 36 games, and before he went down, they were 24-4 with him in the starting line-up. That’s a nice piece to pick up at the deadline – without giving up anything.

———-
Custom Cornhole Boards and Accessories JD Shaver is a featured columnist at Midwest Sports Fans who also runs Shaver Sports, where they discuss everything you ever wanted to know about Cleveland sports.

JD Shaver’s contributions to Midwest Sports Fans are sponsored by BigTimeGameBoards.com, the company that helps you tailgate like a champion with our high quality cornhole boards, sets and accessories. And if you don’t know what cornhole is, you aren’t a Midwesterner.


Filed Under: Featured Column, NBA Tagged With: Cleveland Cavaliers, danny ferry, NBA

A New Era Begins With First Crean-Painter Matchup at Mackey Arena Today

February 21, 2009 By 1 Comment
Email Post Email Post

IU-Purdue Preview - Matt PainterDespite the fact that every rational thought in my head suggests that my beloved Hoosiers are going to get their asses handed to them today in Mackey Arena, I am pumped for today’s game and 1:00 (Dallas time) can’t get here soon enough.

Maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment, and perhaps I’ll feel differently if today’s game goes as every expert predicts it will go (read: blowout), but there is still always something special when Indiana and Purdue take the court together. Today is no different, and in fact is a little extra special because it is the first meeting in what should be a long and competitive rivalry between two outstanding coaches: Tom Crean and Matt Painter.

I am about to do something that I rarely do, and that may shock anyone who knows me. So brace yourselves. But I am about to give someone affiliated with Purdue a compliment.

I really, really like Matt Painter as a coach. Obviously I hate his guts because he coaches for Purdue, and I want to see him lose every game, but I respect what he is building in West Lafayette, and his teams embody what I am optimistic that Tom Crean can build in Bloomington (just better, of course). Painter has produced a team with many home-grown kids from the state of Indiana that protect their home floor, play tough and physical defense, and make every game a battle. They are not flashy, but they are solid and successful. And I can tell you this: I’m already penciling Purdue in for the Sweet 16 and the brackets aren’t even out yet.

(Pause. I am going to wash my hands now because I feel dirty and traitorous for having typed the previous paragraph.)

All that said, I wouldn’t trade Tom Crean for Matt Painter, and even though Purdue is better than Indiana this year, the fact remains that the ceiling for greatness in Bloomington is and always will be higher than in West Lafayette. At the end of the day, while Purdue has us 21-20 in Big Ten titles, the five national championships and 8 Final Four appearances dwarf the modest success that Purdue has had on a national level. Now that we have a coach who can build a winner the right way, and for the long-term, the Hoosiers should be able to elevate to the height of that ceiling once again.

And hopefully today is a step in the right direction.

A lot has been written over the past 36 hours about the frustration that Tom Crean showed after Thursday night’s loss to Wisconsin. He was not particularly amicable with Bo Ryan during the post-game handshake, and did not stay around long to answer questions with the media. Apparently, at least according to this forum thread, such behavior was his M.O. after particularly tough losses while at Marquette. Call me crazy, but I doubt IU fans will hold that against him. We have a little bit of experience with coaches who do not always display the height of their jocularity after losses. Indiana-Purdue Preview - TV, Time, Location | Tom Crean

To be perfectly honest, I felt the same way after the Wisconsin loss. I’ve stayed pretty positive all year, but that second half was pathetic. We looked tired, lacked focus, and did not even play up to our modest capabilities. We were terrible and non-competitive. I don’t think too many people realistically expected victory, but we all certainly expected a better effort than that. Tom Crean has stayed remarkably positive all season long in the face of some of the most dire circumstances and results any big-time college basketball program has ever experienced.

I’ll forgive him if every now and then the frustration boils over.

I hope and expect that the team saw every bit of that frustration in the locker room. If we play against Purdue in Mackey today like we played at home in the second half against Wisconsin, we’ll lose by 30 points. If we bring the effort and intensity we have brought all season long we can make it a semi-competitive game and at the very least not be embarrased. Like many, I will be rooting as hard as I can and hoping for the best, but I’d be shocked if IU pulled off a victory. It sure would be a beautiful thing, but while I hate Purdue with every fabric of my being, I don’t disrespect them enough to predict an IU win on their home floor. Not this season anyway.

I did say at the beginning of the year that if we went 1-15 in the conference, but beat Purdue, that I would consider the season a success. We already got our one win against Iowa and it remains to be seen if this year’s Hoosiers are capable of a second. But if somehow — by some combined stroke of luck, serendipity, and downright divine intervention — the Hoosiers are able to sneak out of West Lafayette with a win, it will erase an entire season of frustrIndiana-Purdue 2:00 ET on Big Ten Networkation and disappointment and make the whole ugly experience just a little more palatable.

I’m not holding my breath, but I’m certainly holding out hope.

Whatever happens today boys, just go out there and play hard and give your best effort. We have known all year as fans that we have to keep our expectations in check; but only for Wins and Losses, not for effort, focus, and heart. We left a lot to be desired in the second half of Thursday, but today presents a great opportunity to attone. Let’s send a message to Purdue and the rest of the Big Ten that we are not years away from competing. Go out there and compete today and show everyone that the pride of the cream and crimson endures, even in the face of tremendous struggle and frustration.

I’ll be in front of my TV cheering for all 40 minutes and believing every second that we’ll find a way to win (rationality goes out the window once the ball is tipped…always). I don’t ask for much, just to see that same effort and belief in you.

Go IU!

Official Game Info:

  • TV: Big Ten Network
  • Time: 2:00 ET
  • Location: Mackey Arena in West Lafayette

Prediction: Purdue wins, but the Hoosiers make it a far more competitive game than anyone expects. 62-58 Boilers


Filed Under: Big Ten Basketball, CBB Tagged With: Big Ten Basketball, Indiana Hoosiers Basketball, mackey arena, matt painter, purdue boilermakers basketball, tom crean

Joe Crede To Sign With Minnesota | Juan Cruz Deal Looming

February 21, 2009 By 1 Comment
Email Post Email Post

The Minnesota Twins have done it.

Reports indicate that the Minnesota Twins have inked a deal with All-Star third basemen Joe Crede. Given that he can stay healthy, Crede provides stability at a position that has been an anomaly for the Twins since the days of Corey Koskie. There have been plenty of debates about whether the Twins should sign the former White Sox third basemen to a deal given his health problems, but no one has doubted the upgrade that he provides when healthy.

LaVelle Neal also reports that Minnesota is preparing to do a sign and trade with Arizona for reliever Juan Cruz, speculating that it could happen within the next 24 hours. Maybe Boof Bonser’s shoulder is worse than management thought. It’ll be interesting to see what names get tossed on the table to get Cruz.

I don’t know what you guys did with the Minnesota Twins front office, but I’m loving it.

…

Quick preview of the new batting order with the addition of Crede:

Order:
Span
Casilla
Mauer
Morneau
Crede
Kubel
Cuddyer
Punto
Gomez

Bench:
Young/Harris/Buscher/Redmond…

Rotation
Liriano/Baker/Slowey/Blackburn/Perkins

Relief:
Nathan/Cruz/Crain/Ayala/Breslow/Guerrier/Mijares/Bonser/Humber

Of course, the Twins are going to have to make some decisions on their 40-man shortly, but I think that Twins Nation will be more than willing to have to make those choices given the circumstance.

It’s a great evening to be a Twins fan!


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: Joe Crede, minnesota twins, MLB, Twins

Trade Winds Blow at Combine: Will, and Should, the Browns Trade Derek Anderson?

February 20, 2009 By 2 Comments
Email Post Email Post

Trade Rumors: Browns to Trade Derek Anderson to Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe latest and most significant Cleveland Browns rumor coming out of the scouting combine in Indianapolis is the possibility that the Browns could trade quarterback Derek Anderson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for as little as a 3rd round pick.

If the season were to start today, the Buccaneers would most likely be taking the field with Luke McCown under center, a new head coach roaming the sidelines in Raheem Morris. And while Luke McCown has a few physical tools, it does not take a genius to figure out that the Bucs are looking to upgrade at that position this offseason.

A report yesterday in the Bucs Report at TBO.com by Roy Cummings says that the possibility of a Derek Anderson-to-the-Bucs trade is very real; and that Anderson apparently can be had for as little as a third round pick:

Anderson has one of the strongest arms in the league as well as just about every physical tool you need to be a difference maker at his position. What he doesn’t have is a great understanding of defenses or the game’s nuances.

With a little work and a bit of a push he could be developed into one of the game’s better quarterbacks and word is the Brown might take as little as a third-round pick for him.

When you consider that he’s younger than Luke McCown but has more experience than McCown it doesn’t sound like a bad option for the Bucs to consider, especially with Jeff Jagodzinski running the offense.

Sounds like a pretty good and accurate assessment of Anderson: great physically, lost mentally. One of my first thoughts when Eric Mangini took over the team was that Derek Anderson just is not going to be a good fit. Mangini seems like a very cerebral coach who would want his quarterback to share the same advantage that Mangini must exploit for success: intelligence. And while Brady Quinn is not anywhere near a Peyton Manning-level understanding of the game, the nuances of football seem to come easier for him and he has better instincts that the oft-plodding and perpetually confounded Anderson.

From Anderson’s perspective, this would probably be a great move. Browns fans have soured on him quickly after the surprise Pro Bowl appearance in 2007. Derek Anderson could lead the team to the playoffs, cure cancer, and discover an elixer that would allow Jim Brown to reverse age back to his 50s and 60s self…and Browns fans would still clamor for Brady Quinn to be the starter. In Tampa Bay, Derek would only have to beat out Luke McCown and would have a chance to grow with a new coach in a new system. If I’m Derek Anderson, I’m having my agent stay on this one and help push it along however possible.

From the Browns’ perspective, the obvious first thought is: a third round pick for Anderson? I guess it makes perfect sense after last season’s debacle; it is just obviously disappointing considering how high D.A.’s value was after 2007. But such is the NFL. We rolled the dice on having two above-average quarterbacks heading into 2008 and realized that all we had was wishful thinking and a still-muddled QB picture. Does anyone have 100% confidence in our QDerek Anderson to Tampa Bay Bucs Trade RumorB situation heading into next season? Hardly.

Either way, the Browns should certainly look into getting what they can for Derek Anderson. The team claimed Anderson off waivers from Baltimore and, assuming the hypothetical that they can trade him, would have turned a waiver claim into 18 starts, one magical run to the doorstep of the playoffs, 34 TDs, and a 3rd round draft pick in return. All in all, that’s not too shabby.

At the end of the day, if you think you’ve seen the best that Derek Anderson can offer (and I think 2007 was exactly that), you might as well cash in now while there is a buyer in need and add another draft pick to improve other areas of the team.

Then we could just get on with the Brady Quinn era and see if it will be a two-year disappointment (that makes us all what to skydive without a parachute) or a ten-year run of success. I love the Browns and I think they have a chance to rebound in a big way next season, but a lot of it will be up to Brady Quinn — who still has plenty to prove.

What do you think?

Should the Browns get what they can in a trade for Derek Anderson and move forward with Brady Quinn as the QB?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Filed Under: Featured Column, NFL Tagged With: brady quinn, Cleveland Browns, derek anderson, eric mangini, nfl offseason, nfl scouting combine, nfl trade rumors, tampa bay buccaneers

UFC 95 Preview, Predictions, and Odds

February 19, 2009 By 1 Comment
Email Post Email Post

Another UFC card is just days away and, as we all get set for a cup of tea and fish ‘n’ chips in London, let’s do a quick preview of the date, time, and TV schedule and then do some UFC 95 picks:

UFC 95 Quick Preview:

  • Date: February 21, 2009
  • Time: 9:00 PM ET
  • TV: Spike TV
  • Event Type: International Event
  • Location: O2 Arena in London, England

Dan Hardy vs Rory Markham
UFC 95 odds: -115 both ways

Markham and Hardy will go toe to toe on Saturday as both fighters are big boppers. It doesn’t figure to last long, though, since they like to fight on their feet and swing for the fences.

Hardy will be the hometown favorite as UFC 95 is in London and Hardy is from Nottingham. Look for him to use the crowd momentum and get the win.

UFC 95 picks: Hardy -115

Chael Sonnen vs Demian Maia
UFC 95 odds: Maia -280

Chael Sonnen is in tough against Brazilian up-and-comer Demian Maia. Sonnen doesn’t have the power to knock Maia out, which means he doesn’t have much of a shot winning this fight standing.

Sonnen is known as a wrestler, but Maia is known as an even better submissions specialist. That means that Sonnen doesn’t have an advantage on the ground either.

Maia is just perfectly tailored to beat Sonnen, which means he has to be the pick here.

UFC 95 picks: Maia -280UFC 95 Preview, Predictions, Odds, Lines, Date, Time, TV

Nathan Marquardt vs Wilson Gouveia
UFC 95 odds: Marquardt -280

This bout figures to be an entertaining one as Marquardt and Gouveia are both big finishers. Marquardt has an edge in experience and he’s stepped up his training this year, which might make you want to lean with him.

But at the end of the day, there isn’t a whole lot between these two fighters except for the odds. For a fight that might be a coin toss – or where Marquardt has a small edge – I wouldn’t want to lay nearly 3-to-1. For value, I’ll take a shot with Gouveia.

UFC 95 picks: Gouveia +220

Josh Koscheck vs Paulo Thiago
UFC 95 odds: Koscheck -550

Josh Koscheck is the biggest favorite on the UFC 95 card and that’s not because Paulo Thiago is a bad fighter; he’s just an unknown commodity. Thiago is actually 10-0 but this will be his first UFC fight and he’s going up against a very seasoned veteran.

Seven of Thiago’s 10 wins have been by submission but, as long as Koscheck stays on his feet, he should take care of business. It’s hard to lay -550, though, especially when we don’t know a whole lot about what Thiago is capable of.

UFC 95 picks: Koscheck -550

Diego Sanchez vs Joe Stevenson
UFC 95 odds: Sanchez -300

“Daddy” Joe Stevenson has been pummeled in his last couple of fights but it’s not like he’s lost to losers. He lost to Kenny Florian and B.J. Penn. Stevenson comes into this fight as a fairly big underdog but the public shouldn’t be this down on him.

Sanchez presents a very big challenge for Stevenson but it’s nothing he isn’t capable of handling. Stevenson is the more experienced fighter here and Sanchez is dropping a weight class, which could have an unexpected effect.

The value on Stevenson is just too good to pass up considering this fight could be a tossup.

UFC 95 picks: Stevenson +240


Filed Under: MMA, Sports Betting Tagged With: MMA, ufc 95

Play Cornhole and Tailgate like a Champion

February 19, 2009 By 6 Comments
Email Post Email Post

Custom Cornhole Boards As you may or may not have noticed, Midwest Sports Fans recently signed up a new sponsor: Big Time Game Boards. As many sponsors do, BTGB and its owner Kyle Whitling paid for a banner advertisement, which you can see over in the sidebar. And if BTGB was a company that produced something boring like internal audit software or Tim Duncan’s biography, I probably would have just left it that.

But you see, Big Time Game Boards actually produces a product that is exciting, that brings back very fond memories for me of my glorious college days in Bloomington, and that truly makes the world a better and more enjoyable place. So I’m dedicating a whole post to it.

So what is it that Big Time Game Boards does? (In case you couldn’t tell from the picture…)

Custom cornhole boards. Hell yeah.

Big Time Game Boards is an Ohio-based producer and seller of customized cornhole boards. Here is their official description from the website:

Big Time Game Boards was founded in 2003 by Kyle Whitling. The company was founded after tailgating at a Browns vs. Bengals game in Cincinnati. After one tailgate party where many beers were quaffed and many bags were thrown, the desire to supply the northeast ohio area with quality corn hole games was born. BTGB is one of the pioneers of custom logo and personalized corn hole sets. BTGB operates under Whitling Engineered Products, LLC.

Follow the link to learn more about the custom cornhole boards sold at Big Time Game Boards.

So you see, not only does Big Time Game Boards help Americans throughout the country tailgate like champions, but the company was born after a Browns game. This confluence of greatness was just too much pass up.

And really, don’t you think a game as great as cornhole deserves its own post on a blog for sports fans from the Midwest? Because to be honest, if you claim to be a Midwestern sports fan but have not played cornhole, we implore you to stop claiming the Midwest. You’re a fraud.

Hey, it is what it is.

For anyone unfamiliar with the great game of cornhole, here is handy YouTube video that includes footage of a tournament in Cincinnati and an explanation of cornhole rules to get you up to speed:

And, just for fun, here is another cornhole video of a game passing itself off as “Extreme Cornhole”. I am posting this video for two reasons. #1 – the stairwell they are throwing from looks frighteningly familiar to the one at the house I lived in my last two years of college; and #2 – they are obviously in need of a custom cornhole board. Anyway, here is the cornhole video:

And just in case you have never played cornhole, but are so inspired by the post that you are going to go to BTGB, buy a custom cornhole board, and then round up the neighbors for some good ‘ol drunken fun, here is a breakdown of the cornhole scoring rules, from BTGB:

6 Scoring
6.1 The score shall be taken after all bags have been thrown for a round.
6.2 Points shall be given as follows.
6.2.1 Three points for a bag that goes through the hole.
6.2.2 One point for a bag that is on the playing surface.
6.2.3 One point for a bag that is hanging into the hole.
6.2.4 One point for a bag that is hanging off the edge but not touching the ground.
6.2.5 Zero points for a bag that is on the playing surface, but also touching the ground.
6.2.6 Zero points for a bag that is hanging off the front edge and is resting on a bag that is on the ground, unless the bag on the ground can be removed without making the hanging bag fall to the ground, then one point is given.
6.3 Each team is given a round score according to section 6.2. The team with the highest round score, adds the difference of the two scores to their game score.
6.4 The team who wins the round is given honors to throw first in the next round.
6.5 If both teams have the same round score then the game score stays the same and honors stays with the team who had it the previous round.
6.6 The following is a possible scoring turn:
1st throw: Team A throws and it lands on the ramp, team B throws and it goes through the hole.
2nd throw: A goes through hole, B lands on ramp.
3rd throw: A lands on ramp knocking team B’s 2nd throw into hole, B lands on the ground. 4th throw: A lands on ramp, B lands on ramp knocking A’s 1st throw onto ground. A gets 5 pts and B gets 7 for the round, so B adds
7-5 = 2 pts to their game score and has honors for the next round.

Go to BTGB’s Playing the Game page for the complete rules to cornhole.

And finally, if you need a few more reasons to hop on over to BTGB and join the cornhole craze, here you go:

Custom Cornhole Game Boards - Tools from Michigan

If you ever go to Ann Arbor, you can pad your cornhole victory totals by beating tools like these guys.

Custom Cornhole Boards | Brutus the Buckeye

However, unlike at Michigan, if you travel to Columbus you might actually have some real competition from non-tools; namely Brutus.

Cornhole Game Boards | Hot Chick at Ohio State

But you’ll have to deal with the pressure of hot girls watching you. Did I mention that chicks dig cornhole? (Get your minds out of the gutters…I’m talking about the game, and you know it.)

And last but not least…

Custom Cornhole Game Boards | Peyton Manning

…because Peyton Manning lets himself go in the offseason and relaxes by playing cornhole. Don’t you think you should too?

KVB…the potshots at Michigan were for you buddy.

In all seriousness, cornhole is a great game. It’s perfect for college, for family gatherings, for tailgating, and even for wedding receptions…or hell, even at the wedding itself. What better way to test the bonds of matrimony than with a game of cornhole right there at the alter? Bride and groom against the best man and maid of honor. Or maybe guys versus girls would be better. I’ll let you decide.

But whatever you do, go check out Big Time Game Boards. Learn the game, find out where there are cornhole tournaments in Ohio, and customize a cool cornhole board for yourself or for a gift.

Custom Cornhole Boards - Big Time Game Boards


Filed Under: Random Thoughts Tagged With: cornhole, peyton manning, tailgating

LOTD: Could Prized Recruit Bryce Brown End Up in Knoxville With Lane Kiffin, Tennessee?

February 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Email Post Email Post

Bryce Brown to Tennessee, Lane Kiffin?The recruiting sage of top-rated Class of 2009 recruit Bryce Brown continues.

Apparently, according the Devin’s Landing where today’s Link of the Day is located, Wichita, Kansas high school senior RB Bryce Brown has had his scholarship offer rescinded by Randy Shannon and the University of Miami.

To give you some background, Brown originally committed to the U and Coach Shannon, but has been playing games over the last two months. He did not sign an official Letter of Intent and there was speculation that he could wind up taking a detour to the CFL instead of going to college. There are some other pretty ridiculous stories too, which you can find linked to from the article I’m about about to send you to.

As we have documented here at MSF, and as has been documented all over the Internet for the past month, Lane Kiffin is proving that even douche bags can get head coaching jobs in the SEC. I realize that Bobby Petrino proved this last year, but now that we have a second occurrence we can officially call it a trend.

Since being named head coach at the University of Tennessee, Kiffin has accused Urban Meyer of recruiting violations that weren’t recruiting violations, has disparaged his 2009 recruiting class by saying they aren’t up to the standards of Tennessee, and has had three recruiting violations of his own self-reported by the university. Great start Lane. You know you are a true artist of douchebaggery when you can make Al Davis appear lucid, cogent, and forthright.

Here is an excerpt and your Link of the Day:

LOTD: In Which Little Lane Becomes Aroused — (Devin’s Landing)

Now taking bets on how long it will take Lane Kiffin to commit (known) recruiting violation #4 by FedEx’ing butthole recruit Bryce Brown a Cadillac Escalade. Bring your stopwatch, we need NFL combine-like technology to measure how quickly this could happen down the the 1/100th of a second.

…

For our money this is match made in heaven between the greedy Brown/Butler duo (who have already teased about taking CFL money rather than playing college ball) and the flagrantly insecure Kiffin, who wants ALL THE TOYS, DADDY! ALLALLALL OF THEM! We can totally see him promising Brown a spaceship fully equipped with unicorn pilot if it will get him to sign.

And some others. Enjoy, and go Hoosiers! For the record, I have a great feeling about tonight’s game against Wisconsin. We’re at home, Devan Dumes is back, and the karma gods of basketball owe us one of the banked in 3 at the buzzer that Wisconsin used to beat us last year. Let’s get win #2 tonight guys. You deserve it.

Devan Dumes back in actions — (FortWayne.com)

Hoosier fan support shocks, pleases Crean — (Evansville Courier & Press)

Could high school sports be cut in Orange County, Florida? — (Sparty & Friends)

Marvin Harrison’s days in Indy are done — (Adam Schefter NFL.com blog)

Trade finalized between Bulls and Kings — (ESPN.com)

If that was Kirk Hinrich’s last game as a Bull, at least it was a good one — (Tremendous Upside Potential)

2010 and the great free agent myth — (Hoops Addict)

An APB On A-Rod’s Cousin — (The Money Shot)

There’s Just Something About Dallas — (No Guts, No Glory)

Ken Griffey Jr. headed back to Seattle — (MLB Trade Rumors)

Albert Haynesworth to test free agency — (ESPN.com)

Browns probably not on Julius Peppers’ trade list — (Dawg Pound Daily)

Trying to find some humor in steroids — (Kornheiser’s Cartel)

Defense Lives Here — (Off the Tracks)


Filed Under: CFB, Featured Column Tagged With: bryce brown, college football recruiting, devan dumes, Lane Kiffin, links, Tennessee Volunteers Football

“The Cuban Pimp” Dayan Viciedo Shows up to White Sox Spring Training in Shape and in Style

February 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Email Post Email Post

Dayan Viciedo - The Cuban PimpDayan Viciedo has yet to have an official at bat in a White Sox uniform, not in a regular season game nor a Spring Training game.  Yet, the 19-year old phenom from the Cuba, who is part of the White Sox Cuban Trifectors that will help dictate how far the team goes this season, is already causing quite a stir throughout White Sox camp in Glendale, Arizona.

And luckily for the White Sox and their fans, the stir has so far been all positive.

Viciedo, who was playing professionally in Cuba by the age of 15, is renowned for his prodigious power with the bat.  He is also renowned for his prodigious ability to pack on the pounds, ballooning up to 260 pounds according to reports after defecting from Cuba and settling for a short time in Miami.

The White Sox signed Viciedo to a 4-year, $10 million in the offseason convinced that the potential of his bat outweight that the potential of gut.

So far so good.

According to Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times:

Viciedo, 19, was off to a good start Wednesday, showing up a day early and — more important — in shape.

”It’s our policy that you don’t show up to spring training to get in shape,” Guillen said. ”Show up ready to go. He’s in great shape. A lot of people are going to be impressed with the way he’s going to swing the bat. I’m glad he showed up in good condition.”

It sounds like a lot of the White Sox players stayed pretty motivated during the offseason and reported to Glendale in good shape.  A few days ago, Ozzie Guillen answered questions regarding the weight of projected #4 starter Bartolo Colon.  While the delivering the hilarious line “He’s not a jockey,” Guillen explained that Colon will always be heavy but that even Big Bartolo was in good shape.  And the shape of Jose Contreras has been one of the stories of Spring Training so far.  Contreras showed up 30 pounds lighter as he rehabs from a ruptured achilles.

Back to Dayan Viciedo.

According to Ozzie, the White Sox still aren’t sure exactly what they have in the newcomer.  Everyone is hoping that he can have the same kind of impact as Alexei Ramirez last year, but Ramirez is seven years older.

Viciedo will be afforded an opportunity to compete with projected starter Josh Fields at 3B.  How he hits and fields during the Spring will dictate whether he breaks camp with the big league club.

One thing is for sure though: While we cannot be certain yet about the substance of his game, Dayan Viciedo is already playing the part of a seasoned vet, at least in style.

According to the same Sun-Times article by Cowley:

Maybe by the end of spring training, Viciedo also will get a different nickname from his manager, but for now — thanks in part to a tricked-out ”$150,000 car that looks like something [Jermaine Dye] would drive” — Guillen is calling Viciedo ”The Cuban Pimp.”

Let’s see…last season began with Ozzie Guillen giving a rookie Cuban defector a nickname that involved the word “Cuban” when he dubbed Alexei Ramirez the “Cuban Missile”.  Ramirez finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting and the White Sox won the AL Central.

This season, Ozzie Guillen has begun by giving a rookie Cuban defector a nickname that involves the word “Cuban” by dubbing Dayan Viciedo “The Cuban Pimp”.  Perhaps Viciedo can follow Ramirez’s lead and make a push for Rookie of the Year while the White Sox win the AL Central.

Ahh, the beauty of Spring Training.  When everyone is in shape, in a good mood, and hope springs eternal.  Now let’s hope that Dayan Viciedo can get off to a hot start with the bat.  The Cuban Pimp versus the Hot Corner Cowboy could be the most exciting battle of the Spring.

Other White Sox links:

Masset Theory in Practice – 2009 Edition — (South Side Sox)

FIELDS CAN SEE FOR MILES, BUT HOW ABOUT 60 FEET, 6 INCHES? — (Sox Machine)

No clear 1st for 2nd — (Sun-Times)


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: bartolo colon, dayan viciedo, ozzie guillen

LOTD: The Real Alex Rodriguez Press Conference Transcript

February 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Email Post Email Post

We’ll be short and sweet this afternoon. After the tome I wrote this morning about IU basketball, I’m a little behind on the other more serious duties of my work day.

Wait, what am I saying? There is nothing more serious that defending the pride of Indiana basketball when it is under attack.

Alex Rodriguez Press Conference TranscriptAnd I digress…

Today’s Link of the Day comes to use from the good folks over at Sparty and Friends, who were nice enough to share the real press conference transcript from the trainwreck that was Alex Rodiguez’s Tampa presser yesterday. I chose not to write about a post about ARod today because, well, I’m sick of his lies and utter disingenuousness. There is a great baseball season about to occur and I’d rather just move on and forget about AFraud and his childish lack of accountability.

But, if I were going to write a post about ARod today, I would hope that it was imbued with the creativity and style of today’s post over at S&F. Here is the link for your viewing pleasure, and a quick taste of the goodness:

LOTD: A-Rod Press Conference: The Unrated Director’s Cut – Complete with Deleted Scenes — (Sparty and Friends)

Q. Who transported the substance from the Dominican Republic to the United States?

A. You still really believe I got this shit from the DR!? Look who my teammates were with the Rangers. George Damn Bush once gave me a cycle the month after Tom Hicks’ turn!

Q. You touched on the fact that some people might refer to this as cheating. How do you address parents now how to talk to their kids about the fact that you profited from this?

A. I’m not talking to the parents. Obviously, if they’ve paid attention to my social life and my skeletal choice for a mistress, I’m the last person they need to take parenting advice from. As for the kids…look where I am. I’m sitting at a podium with the NY Yankees, making a shit-ton of money with every breath I take, and never bothered with college. But, I’m now also tainted for the rest of my life and legacy. So, to the kids, I say to weigh your priorities. If integrity and honest success weigh more than the size of a paycheck, put my actions out of mind. If the latter weighs more than the former? Well…you know what to do.

And now some other good ones you should definitely check out:

The last IU coach, a year later: at ESPN the Mag — (Inside the Hall)

Deadspin’s Chandler explains: he just really, really loved Bob Knight — (Inside the Hall)

The Mike Davis of Deadspin — (Hoosier Report)

The Rising NBA Team/TV Show Parallel — (First Cuts)

NBA Trade Deadline Tidbits: Follow the Money Trail — (SportingNews.com)

White Sox Spring Training Roundup — (South Side Sox)

The short list of possibilities for who ARod’s infamous “cousin” might be — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)

Charles Barkley to star in golf-themed reality show — (The World According to MoonDog)

If LeBron is going to be in dunk contest, he wants other stars to follow suit — (Cleveland.com)

New Bulls trade rumors involving crappier players — (Not Qualified to Comment)

Fab Five to reunite at Final Four in Detroit — (MLive)

Cole Hamels’ wife might want to be a little more PC — (Deadspin)

Would you pay to read Rick Reilly and Bill Simmons? — (The Big Lead)

Have a great afternoon.


Filed Under: MLB Tagged With: alex rodriguez, links, steroids

2009 Tour de France Route, Schedule, Dates, and Television Coverage

February 18, 2009 By 1 Comment
Email Post Email Post

The 2009 Tour de France will mark the return of 7-Time Tour Champion Lance Armstrong. Armstrong will be riding alongside Alberto Contador, who has won the Giro, Vuelta, and Tour de France and is undoubtedly the best stage race cyclist on the planet. Other notable riders will include Carlos Sastre, Cadel Evans, Christian Vande Velde, Danilo Di Luca, Ivan Basso, Mark Cavendish, Tom Boonen, and Thor Hushovd.

Note: The television schedule has not yet been released, however Versus will be picking up every stage live and have highlights following the stages. Cycling.tv will have highlights after the stages completion. The TV Start column will be updated once the schedules are released.

—————


2009 Tour de France Schedule, Route, and Dates

Stage Date Type Distance Profile Where TV Start
Stage 1 7/4 TT 15K Link Monaco -> Monaco
Stage 2 7/5 FLAT 182K Link Monaco -> Brignoles
Stage 3 7/6 FLAT 196K Link Marseille -> La Grande-Motte
Stage 4 7/7 TTT 38K Link Montpellier -> Montpellier
Stage 5 7/8 FLAT 197K Link Le Cap d’Agde -> Perpignan
Stage 6 7/9 FLAT 175K Link Girona -> Barcelona
Stage 7 7/10 MT 224K Link Barcelona -> Arcalis
Stage 8 7/11 MT 176K Link Andorra-la-Vella -> Saint-Girons
Stage 9 7/12 MT 160K Link Saint-Gaudens -> Tarbes
Rest Day 7/13 Rest 0K Rest Rest day in Limoges
Stage 10 7/14 FLAT 193K Link Limoges -> Issoudun
Stage 11 7/15 FLAT 192K Link Vatan -> Saint Fargeau
Stage 12 7/16 FLAT 200K Link Tonnerre -> Vittel
Stage 13 7/17 FLAT 200K Link Vittel -> Colmar
Stage 14 7/18 FLAT 199K Link Colmar -> Besancon
Stage 15 7/19 MT 207K Link Pontarlier -> Verbier
Rest Day 7/20 Rest 0K Rest Rest day in Verbier
Stage 16 7/21 MT 160K Link Martigny -> Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Stage 17 7/22 MT 169K Link Bourg-Saint-Maurice -> Le Grand-Bornand
Stage 18 7/23 TT 40K Link Annecy -> Annecy
Stage 19 7/24 FLAT 195K Link Bougoin-Jallieu -> Aubenas
Stage 20 7/25 MT 167K Link Montelimar -> Mont Ventoux
Stage 21 7/26 FLAT 160K Link Montereau-Fault-Yonne -> Paris

Filed Under: Olympic Sports Tagged With: Cycling, Lance Armstrong, Tour de France

2009 Giro d’Italia Route, Schedule, and Television Coverage – Lance Armstrong’s Return to the Grand Tours

February 18, 2009 By 4 Comments
Email Post Email Post
official-2009-route-map

Official Race Map - 2009 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2009 Giro d’Italia will mark Lance Armstrong’s return to grand tour stage racing and it will mark his first appearance at Italy’s premier cycling stage race. Armstrong will have to fight the likes of Ivan Basso, Carlos Sastre, Gilberto Simoni, Danilo Di Luca, and Denis Menchov to earn the right to wear the Maglia Rosa (The Giro’s version of the Yellow Jersey). Below is a schedule of the race along with elevation profiles for each stage:

Unfortunately, no television schedule has officially been released. Cycling.tv will cover all of the stages live for a fee, while Versus will be picking up coverage of the race sporadically.

Update 4/30: Sorry for the lack of info below. The profile links Tyler used have since been removed, and cycling.tv still hasn’t announced the TV schedule yet. We’ll update this post when there is more information, or hop over to cycling.tv to see if they have it update.

—————

Click on the ad below for some great deals on racing gear from Nashbar.
Giro d'Italia TV coverage and route schedule

—————


2009 Giro d’Italia Route, Schedule and Dates

Stage Date Type Distance Profile Where TV Start
Stage 1 5/9 TTT 20.5K Link Lido Di Venzia
Stage 2 5/10 FLAT 156K Link Jesolo -> Trieste
Stage 3 5/11 FLAT 200K Link Grado -> Valdobbiadene
Stage 4 5/12 MT 165K Link Padova -> San Martino di Castrozza
Stage 5 5/13 MT 125K Link San Martino di Castrozza -> Alpe di Siusi
Stage 6 5/14 FLAT 242K Link Bressanone -> Mayrhofen
Stage 7 5/15 FLAT 244K Link Innsbruck -> Chiavenna
Stage 8 5/16 FLAT 208K Link Morbegno -> Bergamo
Stage 9 5/17 FLAT 155K Link Milan Circuit Race
Rest Day 5/18 REST 0K Rest Rest Day
Stage 10 5/19 MT 250K Link Cuneo -> Pinerolo
Stage 11 5/20 FLAT 206K Link Torino -> Arenzno
Stage 12 5/21 TT 61.7K Link Sestri Levante -> Riomaggiore
Stage 13 5/22 FLAT 150K Link Lido di Camaiore -> Firenze
Stage 14 5/23 FLAT 174K Link Campi Bisenzio -> San Luca
Stage 15 5/24 FLAT 159K Link Foli – Faenza
Stage 16 5/25 MT 237K Link Pergola -> Monte Petrano
Rest Day 5/26 REST 0K Rest Rest Day
Stage 17 5/27 MT 79K Link Chieti -> Blockhaus
Stage 18 5/28 FLAT 181K Link Sulmona -> Benevento
Stage 19 5/29 FLAT 164K Link Avellino -> Monte Vesuvio
Stage 20 5/30 FLAT 203K Link Napoli -> Anagni
Stage 21 5/31 TT 15.3K Link Roma -> Roma

Filed Under: Olympic Sports Tagged With: Cycling, Giro, Giro d'Italia, Lance Armstrong

History Suggests That Indiana Basketball Should Be Elite Again “Sooner” Than Some Think

February 18, 2009 By 14 Comments
Email Post Email Post
most-ncaa-mens-basketball-tournament-titles-championships

IU Championship Banners at Assembly HallThe Internet has not been kind to the Indiana Hoosiers over the last couple of days.

On Monday, Ryan over at Inside the Hall encapsulated the Hoosier bashing that permeated the sports blogosphere that day. He cites FOMSF Josh Q. Public’s article about Indiana basketball, as well as the initial Deadspin take on the issue from Rick Chandler. As you can see in the comments section of the Josh Q. Public post, I took exception to points being made by both.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am like a papa bear protecting his cub when people pile on Indiana basketball. I realize that a certain amount of piling on is warranted right now given the way our administration has allowed the IU basketball program to sink to the depths it has fallen to this season. But when you start unnecessarily disparaging Bloomington, or making claims that IU basketball is finished as a national powerhouse, I feel the need to stand up and lend some perspective.

The greatest memories of my childhood involve going to IU games at Assembly Hall with my dad, and then heading right out to the driveway afterwards to pretend that I was Calbert Cheaney or Damon Bailey or Brian Evans. You mess with IU basketball and you’re messing with me. As Colin Cowherd likes to say, “fan is short for fanatic.” Well, that is definitely true in this case.

Rick Chandler, mentioned above, posted about Indiana basketball again yesterday. It took the form of a response to the criticism that he received in many corners of the sports blogosphere. And while I did enjoy the post for reasons I will get to in a second, I wholeheartedly disagree with the following assertion that Rick made in his original post and reiterated yesterday:

Oh, Bloomington will still be a great basketball town, but what I mean by basketball backwater is that the Hoosiers will always take a back seat to Duke and North Carolina and UCLA and even Wake Forest and UConn. They’re no longer special. Email me the next time Indiana reaches the Elite Eight. I’ll be waiting.

He frames this point with a terrifically entertaining anecdote of himself as a young reporter getting a surprising 20-minute interview with Bob Knight. He also describes what must have been a surreal scene in Bedford watching Damon Bailey play in high school. While I obviously do not endorse his pessimistic view of the future of IU basketball, I highly recommend reading the post for an entertaining journey back to, admittedly, the old glory days of IU basketball and Coach Knight.Bob Knight - Indiana Hoosiers

After reading the article, I decided that if Coach Knight had seen enough of the young Rick Chandler to grant him an interview that surprised everyone Rick told the story to later, I could at least offer up the respect of considering his arguments. Maybe he is onto something, and Indiana basketball as I once knew it is like a dinosaur: legendary and powerful in its day, and still worthy of remembering and appreciating with both fondness and awe; but extinct and no longer relevant for contemporary purposes.

I fully realize that I am supremely biased when it comes to IU basketball. I feel like I can rationally analyze the team’s performance and not make predictions or statements that are too outlandish and blinded by fanaticism, but I know that what I consider to be objectivity can sometimes be imbued with the conflict between head and heart that all die-hard fans experience.

So after reading Rick’s article yesterday I decided that for once I would make my best effort to analyze the current state of IU basketball solely with my head, while fully knowing that it would be impossible to totally remove my heart from the proceedings.

Let’s get a few things out of the way that are and have been well established:

  1. Indiana basketball still has amazing fan support. I moved from Indianapolis to Dallas last April, so I have to watch IU from afar this year, but the crowds at Assembly Hall have been outstanding this season. I knew that IU fans would rally around this year’s team if they played hard and showed heart. They have.
  2. Tom Crean is the right man to get IU basketball headed in the right direction. When a program has sunk to the depressing depths that IU currently wallows in, you need a coach who is pathologically optimistic and positive, almost bordering on irrationality. Tom Crean’s boundless energy and enthusiasm, and his belief in IU basketball, are exactly what we needed in the aftermatch of the coach who will not be named.
  3. You can still recruit to Indiana. Considering his late start, I think Tom Crean did an amazing job of bringing in the freshman class that he did this year. Nick Williams was the Player of the Year in Alabama last year, and came with Crean to IU after committing to Marquette. Sure, he mainly followed the man that recruited him, but the idea of playing for a program as historically prestigious as Indiana had to have a little something to do with it. Even Verdell Jones, while not a superstar by any means, was a top-150 recruit who decided to come to Bloomington late in the recruiting season. And we know about Indiana’s outstanding recruiting class coming next year, led by Christian Watford and Maurice Creek. Any rating service you find has it rated in the top-10. And this is a brand new coach recruiting to a school mired in recruiting violations, probation, and very little tournament success since 2002. The Indiana brand must not be completely dead yet.

All of this being said, I am not foolish enough to think that Indiana is still currently on the same level as UCLA, North Carolina, or even Duke, which itself has played below its previously established standards in recent seasons. Even in the Big Ten, Michigan State is now the alpha dog. While teams like Purdue, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Illinois have joined Indiana in a rotating wheel of top-level Big Ten competitiveness this decade, Michigan State is always at or near the top.

But we all know that Indiana basketball once was among the elite of the elite. Between 1975 and 1987, Indiana won three natCalbert Cheaney and Bob Knightional championships, made eight Sweet 16s, had two undefeated regular seasons, and won six Big Ten titles. Expand that to 1993, the last truly great Indiana team, and there were twelve Sweet 16 appearances, seven Elite 8 appearances, and nine Big Ten titles.

Since 1993? The Hoosiers had a magical run to the National Championship game in 2002, and “only” missed the NCAA tournament twice, but only got to the Sweet 16 one other time (1994) and tied for a Big Ten championship in 2002. That’s it. Considering the greatness that IU fans had become accustomed to, the last 15 and now going on 16 years have been pretty down.

So what basis, if any, is there for IU fans to say that Rick Chandler or any number of other non-believers is wrong to say that Indiana basketball as we once knew it is essentially dead? Is there another college basketball program out there that fell on comparably hard times but was rejuvenated?

Let’s consider UCLA as an example. We know about their greatness under John Wooden, but the last season of Steve Lavin’s tenure and the first season of Ben Howland’s tenure produced a record of 29-36. Over the last three seasons, UCLA has been rejuvenated and reached the Final Four every time. But between 1993 and 2002, the Bruins won a National Title, and played in six Sweet 16s. So while they had a momentary blip of failure, there was not such a systematic and consistent decline as we have experienced in Bloomington. Plus, I don’t think even Rick Chandler would consider UCLA’s campus to be “backwater”, thus rendering UCLA moot for purposes of this comparison.

Kentucky is a proud basketball powerhouse that has fallen on more modest times recently, finishing the last three seasons unranked. But before that Kentucky finished #1, #2, and #7 from 2003-2005. There is not really a comparison to be made here, as Kentucky is currently mediocre but certainly not at the depths of Indiana.

Admittedly, I have not dug as far as I could, but I do not have a perfect college basketball comparison to make that suggests Indiana can reclaim its pre-1994 stature among the elite. Perhaps this absence of a direct comparitive college basketball argument to Rick Chandler’s article can be seen as implicit acknowledgment of the validity of his point; but I ask you to hold on for just a minute. While there is a not an obviously perfect basketball comparison to make (at least that I can find), there could be a pretty solid comparison to make from the world of college football.

The program I will reference and explore is Oklahoma. Let’s do some quick analysis:

National Championships:

Conference Championships:

All-Time Wins

Legendary Coaches

  • Bud Wilkinson followed up a very good coach in Bennie Owen and established Oklahoma as a true national power with 145 wins and 3 National Titles between 1947 and 1963. Barry Switzer continued the tradition with 157 wins and 3 more National Titles between 1973 and 1988.
  • Branch McCracken followed up a very good coach in Everett Dean and established Indiana as a true national power 364 victories and 2 National Titles between 1938 and 1965. Bob Knight continued the tradition with 661 wins and and 3 National Titles between 1971 and 2000.

Just looking at these raw numbers, there is certainly a comparison to be made. Yes, Oklahoma has theOklahoma Sooners Logo advantage in each category, other than the striking similarities in coaching history, and if you were comparing Oklahoma football to Indiana basketball, the edge would be to Oklahoma; but that is not the goal here. The goal is to establish the comparison of a national powerhouse, located in a so-called “backwater” college town, that has experienced great success, then fell on hard times, but the resurrected itself back to national prominence.

Consider the performance of Oklahoma in the aftermath of the controversial final few years of Barry Switzer’s tenure. Gary Gibbs took over and won 65% of his games, going to 3 bowl games over half a decade. Howard Schnellenberger coached one disastrous season in which he went 5-5-1. Then John Blake coached the team for two years, going 12-22 and Oklahoma fell off the national radar. Then the Sooners hired Bob Stoops away from Florida, everyone hailed him as the perfect fit for Oklahoma, and the program did a complete 180. Stoops has won 82% of his games, brought another National Title to Norman, and has Oklahoma among the nation’s elite again.

Now consider the performance of Indiana in the aftermath of the controversial final few years of Bob Knight’s tenure. Mike Davis took over and won 59% of his games, reaching four NCAA tournaments and had the one magical run to the title game during his half decade. Then the lying snake who shall not be named coached the team to a 43-15 record over two seasons, but was fired in the middle of last season, after which Dan Dakich coached the team to a disastrous 3-4 finish. Now Tom Crean has taken over, and everyone has hailed him as the perfect fit for Indiana. The team is still struggling with the disaster left behind by the coach who shall not be named however, so the 180 has not been as immediate for Crean and IU as it was for OU under Bob Stoops.

Tom Crean and 2008-09 Indiana HoosiersThe way I see it, the years after the departure of Bob Knight in Bloomington are following a very similar path to the years after the departure of Barry Switzer in Norman. Right now, Indiana is in the midst of its “John Blake years”, so to speak; with the obvious difference being that Blake was not the long-term answer, but Tom Crean is. Crean has taken over a once elite program that returned all of 30 points last season. This year’s Hoosiers are one of the youngest and least experienced teams in college basketball history. The Hoosiers’ performance this year certainly is not an indictment of Tom Crean, and he should not really be judged by wins and losses until probably two seasons from now, next year at the absolute earliest.

So why can’t Indiana experience the same phenomenal resurrection that Oklahoma has experienced? The fan support of the two school is similar, the strength of the historical brand is similar, and both schools’ administrations are committed to fielding elite-level basketball and football programs, respectively. Plus, Oklahoma’s turnaround was marked by the arrival of a high-energy, high-enthusiasm coach known to be a good recruiter. Tom Crean has arrived in Bloomington with obvious energy and enthusiasm, and is also known as a good recruiter. Plus, unlike Stoops when he came to OU, Crean has head coaching experience and has been to a Final Four. You don’t think the status that comes with being Dwyane Wade’s college coach and having a Final Four on your resume won’t help him on the recruiting trail? Look at next year’s class; it already has.

Plus, if Bloomington is “backwater” then what, exactly, is Norman? As referenced by Ryan over at Inside the Hall, Forbes recently rated Bloomington as one of the top-10 college towns in America. (As an alum, I wholeheartedly concur.) And while no one is claiming that the Forbes list is the be-all end-all, I don’t see Norman on there. Yet Bob Stoops consistently signs top-10 recruiting classes. Additionally, Tom Crean has the opportunity to recruit to a “better” academic institution than Bob Stoops, at least according to the prestigious U.S. News and World Report rankings. Indiana was rated #71 out of all U.S. universities while Oklahoma came in at #108.

Again, let me reiterate: my purpose here is not to try to say that Indiana basketball is better than Oklahoma football, and I’m not trying to tell you that Bloomington and Indiana University are necessarily better than Norman and Oklahoma University. The entire purpose of this breakdown of the two programs and the schools is to show you the similarities, and is my best effort to provide solid evidence that Rick Chandler is wrong to believe that my beloved Indiana Hoosiers basketball program can no longer reach elite levels.

After going through this entire exercise (and completely blowing off work this morninTom Crean - Indianag), I feel confident in asking Rick Chandler and any other IU basketball non-believers one very simple question:

If Oklahoma could do it, why can’t IU?

I do not dismiss offhand the possibility that there could be compelling counter-arguments to what I have presented today. But, what I can say is that the process of writing this post has made me even more excited about the Tom Crean era of IU basketball and even more fervent in my belief that the Hoosiers can once again become a consistent national contender. At the very least, the story of Oklahoma football has given me a legitimate and very comparative example to grasp onto as I search for reasons to believe as much in the block IU, the candy-stripe warmups, the banners, and the cream & crimson as I did back in 1993.

Who knows, maybe cream & crimson just happen to be the official colors of college sports powerhouse resurrection? Bob Stoops did it in Norman and I see no reason why Tom Crean cannot do it in Bloomington.

You can assess for yourself whether I am making that judgment more with my heart or with my head. I feel pretty good that it’s a healthy combination of both.

And despite all the naysaying, I feel great about future of the Crean & Crimson.Crean and Crimson

What do you think?

Can Indiana become an elite college basketball powerhouse again?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Filed Under: CBB, Featured Column Tagged With: bob knight, bob stoops, CBB, deadspin, indiana basketball, nick williams, oklahoma football, tom crean, verdell jones
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »