High(er) Quality Video of Jordan Crawford Dunking on LeBron

July 22, 2009 By 2 Comments
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Ebaumnation: better quality video of LeBron getting dunked on by Jordan CrawfordIn our post from earlier today regarding TMZ snatching the never-before-seen video of Jordan Crawford dunking on LeBron James, I linked out to Deadspin’s account of how multiple media outlets were given the chance to buy the footage. Daulerio estimated that TMZ paid somewhere between $10K and $50K for the video.

And if you watched the TMZ video, you realized two things:

  1. Jordan Crawford’s dunk on LeBron was nothing all that special, and The King and his Nike cohorts really goofed in making a big deal out of confiscating the footage.
  2. Somehow, TMZ paid a ton of money for a crappy video when a much better version was floating around out there. And that version is below, courtesy of Ebaumnation (via SportsbyBrooks).

Higher Quality Video of LeBron Getting Dunked on by Jordan Crawford

The purpose of me posting this is not even really related to the Dunktapegate story itself.  Now that the video is out, the story is pretty much dead save for the slight tarnish it leaves on LeBron’s rep and increased profile of Jordan Crawford. My purpose in posting is that I find it both surprising and interesting that TMZ made such a big deal out of having the “only” video, and apparently paid so much for it, when the video was out there.

The video at Ebaumnation was just posted today.  Did they simply wait until TMZ started promoting their own video to build the impulse for it?  Were they waiting in the weeds strategically to make a bigger splash after the initial disappointment of the grainy, hard-to-see TMZ video?  Or is this is all just a big meaningless coincidence that simply gives us bloggers something to talk about on a slow sports afternoon?

Who knows, and at the end of the day, I guess, who cares.  Readers may not find this angle all that interesting, but I’m sure my fellow bloggers will.  If anyone knows the backstory, or finds it online, please step up in the comments.

Have a great evening everyone.


Filed Under: Featured Column, NBA Tagged With: ebaumnation.com, Jordan Crawford, lebron james, LeBron James Dunked On by Jordan Crawford, NBA, TMZ, video, video of Jordan Crawford dunk on LeBron James

LOTD: Erin Andrews, Ben Roethlisberger Coverage Choices Has ESPN Under the Microscope

July 22, 2009 By 2 Comments
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ESPN coverage of Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault charge, Erin Andrews secret videoTo be more apt, the title of this post should probably say “non-Coverage” choices, since the WWL has basically refused to cover the Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault story, and has understandably been very brief in its comments and coverage regarding the secret video that was shot of Erin Andrews.

There have been a lot of interesting perspectives about ESPN regarding these stories, and I am beginning to think that is morphing into a quasi-defining moment for the moment, especially with respect to Roethlisberger.  Are they truly holding firm to an internal principle regarding civil lawsuits, or just being hypocritical and trying to protect a star so they can maintain access?  I am beginning to think the latter, and it is not increasing my respect for a network that, for the most part, I obviously love.  

Anyway, I find this story interesting, and hopefully you do too.  If so, here are some good links for you to check out and then some other non-related links that are still worthwhile:

Erin Andrews Coverage

Ben Roethlisberger Sexual Assault Coverage

Update: Can’t forget our good friend John Gonzalez (for the record, I’m not being facetious or sarcastic) at the Philly.com who has a great take on ESPN’s lack of coverage regarding the Roethlisberger story:

Other Links:

 



Filed Under: Featured Column, NFL Tagged With: Ben, ben roethlisberger, Erin Andrews, Erin Andrews secret hotel video, espn, links

TMZ: Video Reportedly Surfaces of Jordan Crawford Dunk on LeBron James (Update: Video Now Available)

July 22, 2009 By 1 Comment
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Jordan Crawford dunk on LeBron James - Video TMZWhile doing a quick check of TMZ for any updates on the Ben Roethlisberger case, I came upon a tasty little nugget for all of the basketball and LeBron James fans (and haters) out there.

Apparently, TMZ has found video of the dunk and plans to air it this evening on their TV show and on their website. According to the post, the video on TMZ.com at 6:45 PM ET this evening. They do include a grainy, almost intelligible picture (left) as proof of the video’s existence.

All I have to say is: finally.

Let’s just get the video out there, watch it, and move on.  That’s what Nike (and LeBron, if he really was involved in “Dunktapegate“) should have done in the first place. They created the controversy.  I don’t think anyone would have thought twice about it if the video had just been shown when it happened.

Anyway, we’ll get to see it tonight. Then we can put this story to bed.

Update: So much for waiting until 6:45 tonight.  The video is now available at TMZ.com, but not in am embeddable format, so click the link.  

My reaction is…that’s it? Looks like a pretty standard in-your-face dunk to me, the kind that can happen to anyone playing helpside defense when the on-the-ball defense is lazy, which is what appears to have happened. Why Nike and/or LeBron would make a big deal out of this is totally beyond me.  I thought maybe he got knocked to the ground, started crying, or had spontaneously morphed into a 5’10 white guy or something. Talk about making something a bigger story than it ever needed to be.

Oh well. At least former Hoosier Jordan Crawford got some nice pub out of it. And if the talented guard can get his head on straight at Xavier, he certainly has NBA potential. I wish him well…and I wish LeBron and Nike and little better sense and foresight next time before overreacting. Geez.

Also, here is Daulerio’s entertaining backstory on how Deadspin, ESPN, and others almost got their hands on the video before being outbid by TMZ.

Another update: WTF? Now another video has emerged of the Jordan Crawford dunk on LeBron James, this one much higher quality than the TMZ version. It is at eBaum Nation, and they actually allowed it to be embedded. Check it out.

* – Photo credit: TMZ


Filed Under: Featured Column, NBA Tagged With: Dunktapegate, Jordan Crawford, lebron james, video of Jordan Crawford dunk on LeBron James

Highlighted By Acoustic Version of Billie Jean, Coldplay Concert Does Not Disappoint

July 22, 2009 By 35 Comments
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I got to the office at 6:40 this morning and have been perusing various sports websites in search of a story to inspire me to write about for my morning post.  Thus far, nothing has really tickled my fancy.  There have not been any more major developments in the Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault case, the White Sox dropped the second game of their series with the Rays 3-2 as Bobby Jenks continues to struggle, and typing up NFL training camp schedules just doesn’t strike me as all that much fun.

So I’m going off topic, but I promise there will be a rich reward at the end.

Coldplay concert review - Dallas, July 2009Last night, as part of a wonderful suite of gifts my girlfriend got me for my recent birthday, I attended my first ever Coldplay concert at the SuperPages.com Center here in Dallas. The headline of this post says that it did not disappoint, but that is a pretty major understatement. One of the first things I said as we walked out of the concert last night was that it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen…and I have not wavered from that feeling with the perspective of a (brief) night’s sleep.

Now, I do not consider myself a huge Coldplay fan (at least, I didn’t before last night).  I used to be a huge fan when their music first arrived in the U.S. (more on that in a bit), and while I still like them and have thrown a decent amount of their songs on various mixed CDs throughout the past decade, I’ve never purchased a CD or bought more than one or two songs off iTunes.  I can tell you that this will change after last night, and in fact already has.  Songs like “Violet Hill,” which I had heard before but not been head over heels about, I now have a new appreciation and affinity for after hearing live.

Isn’t that how it always goes after you see a really good live show? It’s been my experience anyway.

I liked Coldplay a lot when they first came out in the States a decade ago (my sophomore year of college) because my roommate and I stumbled upon them well before we ever heard anyone else talking about them.  We were up really late one night and had MTV on and this really unique video came on the screen with some goofy looking guy just walking along the beach singing in a high pitched voice. It mesmerized us.  The song was incredible and the video was so simple and elegant. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s the video for Yellow.

At the time, my roommate and I were running our own production company (with KVB!) and doing a lot of music video work, so we were into studying and analyzing different directing and visual storytelling styles. For the next month or so we told everyone we could about the song and video, and no one had heard of Coldplay.  I have no way of proving this, but I honestly think that through nothing more than blind serendipity we just happened to be watching MTV the first time they ever showed Coldplay.

We certainly never imagined then that this unknown British band would become one of the biggest and baddest bands in all the world, or that the mysterious guy with the soaring voice in the video would one day marry Gwyneth Paltrow (a HUGE star back then, remember) and become a budding icon of music. But that’s what has happened.

I listened to a lot of Coldplay’s early work from the Parachutes album: Yellow, Trouble, Sparks, etc. With each successive album however, as they became more popular and ubiquitous on the radio, listening to Coldplay lost some of its luster for me.  They went from being that cool, unknown band I enjoyed introducing people to, to just another band that everyone listened to regularly.  The music was still good, but I didn’t feel that same connection to their music that I once did.

After last night’s show, I feel connected again.

It is fitting, I suppose, that we got there a few minutes late and found our seats as Chris Martin and the boys began their second song of the evening.  You’ll never guess it what it was…Yellow.  And I haven’t enjoyed listening to that song more since that first night my roommate and I watched the video in our little house apartment in Bloomington.

Oh, and for the record, for anyone who has not seen Coldplay live and wonders whether Chris Martin’s voice translates well live…I offer up a resounding YES. I saw Jason Mraz live a few months back, and he has one of the most incredible live voices I have ever heard or can imagine.  Coldplay concert review - Dallas, July 2009Mraz actually spent a half hour of the show not even singing words, just using his voice like an instrument.  Martin did not do anything like this, but I got the sense that he could have.  His ability to hold notes and be pitch-perfect every second of the performance is truly remarkable. His voice, which sounds so unbelievable in studio-produced material, translates seamlessly to a live setting.

In addition to Martin’s singing — easily my favorite overall aspect of the show — the production value of the show was fantastic. One example: they had five reflective, rotating spheres that would descend from the ceiling and have either silhouettes of the band members or funky designs on them. The instant editing work on the video screens was also impressive. Each song seemed to feature unique angles, color filters, and pacing of the cuts from shot to shot.  In a big venue such as the one the show was held in, having compelling visuals on the big screens really adds to the overall experience. At one point, they also sent confetti-filled balloons bouncing throughout the masses. That was pretty sweet too.

But the most memorable part of the night for me came about 2/3′s of the way through the show and actually happened when the band left the main stage. (Remember at the top when I told you there would be a rich reward for reading?  It’s coming.)

After listening to four or five songs from our seats, we made a quick jaunt to the restroom and to grab a beverage. When we returned, we noticed that a group of people had collected and were being told they could not proceed to their seats. Once we reached the small mass of people, we learned that a small stage had been set up in front of the fully-packed lawn section and that the band would be coming from the stage through the middle aisle to the back of the arena to play a few songs.

We quickly realized that not being able to go back to our seats would be just fine, as we basically ended up with a front row seat for this little interlude. 

Coldplay concert review - Dallas, July 2009It took about three more songs, but finally the band came jogging back with throngs of screaming fans reaching out and trying to touch Chris Martin (that blur in the picture to the left is him) and the other band members. Cell phone cameras and the flashes from actual cameras were going off at what seemed like the speed of light. Unfortunately, I was unable to get any really great pictures from my iPhone (just the ones you see posted), but the iPhone still came up huge during the ensuing acoustic performance by the band.

As the band hopped up on the tiny stage and grabbed the guitars that had been prepared for them, I heard a guy standing next to us say that he thought they were going to start off with “Billie Jean.” As many of you know, I am a huge Michael Jackson fan, Billie Jean is my favorite song, and I never had the chance to see MJ perform it live. Sure, Coldplay cannot compare to Michael Jackson performing a Michael Jackson song, but I was still instantly excited at the prospect of hearing “Billie Jean” be performed live.

So I was disappointed when I did not recognize the first couple of songs Coldplay played from the lawn stage.

But that disappointment would soon be washed away in the flood of excitement that occurred when I heard the first few unmistakable notes of “Billie Jean.” I quickly pulled out the iPhone and opened up the Voice Memo app that comes standard with the recently updated operating system.  I’d never used it before, but I figured this would be as good a time as any to try it out. I had no clue if it would work, what the sound quality would be, or even if I could listen to it outside of the program once it was recorded.
Coldplay concert review - Dallas, July 2009 - Billie Jean

Well, it worked, the sound quality is phenomenal (all things considered), and I most certainly can listen to it outside of the program…and so can you. A snippet of the 2:30 file of Coldplay performing “Billie Jean” is linked below. I don’t know all the rules about recording something live at a show and then posting it on a website, so I won’t link the whole file, but you’ll get the idea from the snippet.  Email me if you want the full file.  I’ll gladly pass it along. (And considering that the band gave out free CDs after the show, I can’t imagine they’d be too upset with a sterling review of their show and a short clip of them doing a cover).

:30 mp3 of Coldplay performing “Billie Jean” live in Dallas, TX on 7/21/09

And I’ll also quickly pass along a link to where you can get tickets to the rest of Coldplay’s shows on their current tour. There are only a few dates left, but I’d highly suggest going if any of the dates are near you.

Coldplay Concert Tickets from StubHub
Coldplay concert review - Dallas, July 2009
So, in quick conclusion, the Coldplay concert was fantastic and a huge highlight in what has been quite an incredible birthday between a great day with the family, a fun week with KVB in town, and a terrific girlfriend who has gone out of her way to truly make it special with gifts like KVB’s plane ticket and the concert tickets (we’re seeing The Fray on Friday).

Anyone else reading been to a Coldplay show?  I got two of my best friends tickets for the Indy Coldplay show as an anniversary/birthday present back in June.  She is a huge fan, but he was kind of a peripheral fan like me — but a huge music and concert connoiseur — and they both agreed that their show was amazing. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to go as a true die-hard. If you’ve been to a Coldplay show, what were your thoughts? Please regale us in the comment section.

Enjoy your day everyone.  I’ll be back later with some links.


Filed Under: Featured Column, Music Tagged With: Billie Jean, Coldplay, Coldplay concert review, Coldplay concert review Dallas, concert review, Michael Jackson, Music

Golf Betting – Canadian Open Preview and Top Picks

July 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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The Canadian Open is next up on the PGA Tour menu this week and a lot of golf betting handicappers know that it will have a tough act to follow.

Not only is it tough to follow The British Open on any given year, considering it is the third golf Major of the year, but now the Canadian Open has to follow up an act that included 59-year-old Tom Watson’s classic performance.

The online sportsbook betting public will have an interesting time making their picks this week as the field is fairly thin after the Open. Not many golfers want to fly from Scotland, all the way back to Canada in such a short span as it doesn’t give them enough time to recover.

That being said, there is some real value with certain golfers on the board. Here is a power ranking for this week’s tournament at Glen Abbey:

Camilo Villegas

The Canadian Open odds on favorite is Camilo Villegas, which may surprise a number of bettors. Villegas tied for 13th at the British Open but aside from that, hasn’t finished above 13th since March 15th. His skill fit this course well, particularly his firepower, which is why he’s the favorite.

Retief Goosen

No pundits, handicappers or betting software, could have predicted that Retief Goosen would have such a great British Open but after seeing him perform so well there, don’t be surprised if he carries the confidence over to the Canadian Open.

Anthony Kim

Anthony Kim will be the main sports pick this week as Kim had a really good start in his first attempt at Glen Abbey. The problem was that he shot a horrible 75 in his final round, which ruined his chances. He’s playing much better after a rough spring, which means he should have a good chance to win this weekend. Kim missed the cut at the British Open but prior to that, tied for third, 11th and 16th in the three previous tournaments, which indicates that he’s finding his swing again

Mike Weir

It’s the Canadian Open so a few Canadian are bound to be in contention, right? Weir does a good job on this course since he’s played it so many times. He knows how to play the short par 3’s and there aren’t many par 5’s. He’ll have a good chance this weekend.


Filed Under: Golf, Sports Betting Tagged With: Anthony Kim, Canadian Open, Golf, Mike Weir, Retief Goosen

Specific Details Emerge of Sexual Assault Complaint Against Ben Roethlisberger

July 21, 2009 By 1 Comment
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details of sexual assault complaint, lawsuit filed against ben roethlisberger by andrea mcnultyLate last night, Pro Football Talk broke the story that Ben Roethlisberger was being sued by a woman named Andrea McNulty in Nevada for sexual assault. Most everyone has probably heard the story by now, but here are some background links in case you need to get caught up:

The latest report by PFT contains a recap of the sexual assault complaint filed by McNulty.  As Florio explains, it contains extraordinarily detailed descriptions that prove one of two things: either the event occurred and Roethlisberger in some serious hot water; or, that the accuser has an extremely active imagination.  Numerous blogs I’ve read have compared this case to the Kobe Bryant sexual assault story and trial that broke a few years back, and those comparisons certainly seem apt…whether the outcome is similar remains to be seen.

Here is an excerpt from PFT’s report, detailing the sexual assault complaint that McNulty filed against Roethlisberger:

McNulty claims that, when she arrived at the room, he was wearing a T-shirt and athletic shorts.  She adds, for no apparent reason other than to show the clarity of her recollection, that the room was a mess.

Roethlisberger showed her the television that was malfunctioning, located in suite’s bedroom.  Using the remote, she determined that there was no problem with the television or the sound system.

She claims that, as she tried to leave the room, Roethlisberger blocked her path, and that he “grabbed [her] and started to kiss her.”

She claims that she was “shocked and stunned that this previously friendly man, that appeared to be a gentleman in her previous contacts with him was suddenly preventing her from leaving, was assaulting and battering her.” 

PFT’s report goes on to discuss how McNulty claims she told Roethlisberger that he “did not want to do this” and that she was not on birth control, to which he allegedly replied that he would “pull out”, which she claims he did.  After the altercation, Big Ben allegedly became concerned by the fact that there were cameras in the room, which leads to this statement: “If anyone asks you, you fixed my television,” he allegedly said.  “You fixed my television.  Now go!”

As always, it is important to note in cases like this that Roethlisberger’s representatives have denied the charges wholeheartedly.  Additionally, this is a civil suit and not a criminal investigation.  I’ve seen no report stating that a criminal investigation is impending either.

It is easy to jump to conclusions in cases such as these, but doing so would be wholly inappropriate.  We’ve seen cases such as these where athletes were indeed guilty, and we’ve also seen cases in which athletes are victims of money- and/or fame-hungry women.  So the best bet for everyone, in the interest of fairness, is to consume the information that is being reported but withhold judgment until each party is able to state their case publicly and in a court of law.

And a court of law certainly seems to be the place where this case is headed.

Update: Just caught this post over at TMZ that discusses the fact that Roethlisberger’s accuser has been seeing a psychiatrist recently.  The post includes the following bizarre background information on Andrea McNulty:

Sources connected with the case tell us a former co-worker of McNulty’s at Harrah’s came forward with this incredible story — that around the time McNulty hooked up with Roethlisberger, she was allegedly involved with a married man. The man’s wife, we’re told, created an email account, posing as a U.S. soldier in Iraq. The wife began corresponding with McNulty to gain information. We’re told the former co-worker has said McNulty fell in love with the fictitious soldier and began telling people she was engaged to him. When the wife stopped the correspondence, McNulty then began telling people the soldier was killed in action.

The TMZ report also says that sources have informed them that Roethlisberger has admitted to a “sexual liaison” but that it was consensual.  Here is Florio’s take on the TMZ report.

Update: TMZ has also now posted pictures of Andrea McNulty.


Filed Under: Featured Column, NFL Tagged With: ben roethlisberger, Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault, NFL, pittsburgh steelers

Ownership Turmoil, Drafting & Development Failures Hinder Cubs as Trade Deadline Nears

July 21, 2009 By 1 Comment
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chicago cubs logoGreat article over at ESPN.com today by Baseball Prospectus writer Kevin Goldstein regarding the plight of the Chicago Cubs. While the South Siders have been lauded in recent years for fielding a competitive, veteran-laden team while simultaneously restocking the farm system, the North Siders have seen one draft pick after another fail to live up to expectations.

This failure, combined with the Cubs’ well publicized ownership issues, has created a situation in which the Cubs sit only two games out of first place but do not have the ability to add pieces in their quest to overcome the Cardinals for their third straight NL Central crown.

An excerpt from the Goldstein article:

Selected by most to run away with the National League Central, they’ve instead been treading water this year with a record consistently around the .500 mark…Halladay could be the difference for any team in that division, but the dark cloud hanging over the Cubs’ ownership situation and a current owner spending significant time in bankruptcy court likely prevents them from taking on the Toronto ace’s contract.

Still, even if everything were hunky-dory when it came to ownership, the failure of the organization in the middle years of the decade would keep the team out of contention in trade talks anyway, as the Cubs have done little to help themselves through scouting and player development.

Goldstein goes on to chronicle the colossal failures of draft choices like Corey Patterson and Felix Pie, both of whom have been poster boys for the problems the Cubs have had teaching high-potential bats the ability to be patient at the plate.  He also discusses the Cubs’ signing of former Notre Dame pitcher Jeff Samardzija and the ridiculous $10 million contract the 5th round pick was given.  

If you’re a Cubs fan, this article will give you a keen insight into why your team has been tailing off this season with little hope on the horizon.  Then you can stop blaming this, this, or this for your franchise’s failures and simply blame the party responsible: your inept franchise, which is all too happy to count the gate receipts but all too clueless when it comes to developing homegrown talent.


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: Baseball Prospectus, chicago cubs, jeff samardzija, Kevin Goldstein, MLB

Ohio Baseball Report: Indians Should Keep Cliff Lee, Reds and Dusty Baker Prepare for Key Road Trip

July 21, 2009 By 1 Comment
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With the Indians still playing as poorly as anyone in baseball, this column will now be devoted to the Cincinnati Reds, even as they fade and ponder trading top players despite being just five and a half games back of first-place St. Louis with close to half the season remaining.

But before I leave the Tribe, two points:

Cliff Lee - Cleveland Indians1. Cleveland would be foolish to trade Cliff Lee. He is their only reliable starter. Period. Cliffy won the Cy Young last season, and despite a 5-9 record in 2009, still has a very respectable 3.31 ERA. Only one other pitcher in the majors this season has a better ERA with a losing record:  STL’s Joel Pineiro (8-9, 3.09).

Mark Shapiro, however, seems intent upon not only rebuilding the team for the second time this decade, but perhaps being the first GM to trade THREE former Cy Young winners: Bartolo Colon, C.C. Sabathia and Lee.

2. I should also add that while I was not a fan of Casey Blake during his years in C-town, he has certainly been more than capable out in LA the past calendar year. This is not to say the Tribe shouldn’t have unloaded him, but the third baseman has 22 homers and 80 RBIs during his 146 game Dodger career. His batting average is around .270, for a career .266 hitter.

For the Reds of Cincinnati, they stand in a similar spot in terms of unloading veterans before the July 31 deadline, but considering their steady spot in the standings (even at 44-48, just 5.5 back), one wonders why.

This week’s road trip will tell a lot about whether or not guys like the durable Bronson Arroyo – 16 straight scoreless innings, team leader in victories – will be dealt. And apparently Dusty Baker and GM Walt Jocketty told the team that before last night’s game.

They responded Monday night with three in the first off a rusty Jason Schmidt, despite another  pouting episode by Brandon Phillips. Unfortunately, Micah Owings – whose time in the rotation should thankfully end when Edinson Volquez returns — imploded by allowing four runs back in the bottom frame, then two more in the second and the Reds fell 7-5. Though only five and a half back, the Reds do have four teams — all playing better ball than they this month too – ahead of them in the mediocre central.

Homer Bailey should take Owings spot as, aside from his last outing, has finally been serviceable. Aaron Harang — just 11 wins the past two seasons and none since May — has not. Nor has Johnny Cueto, sporting an ERA over 8 in July.
Dusty Baker - Cincinnati Reds
So, the struggling Reds have two more against the best team in baseball, then a weekend in Chicago. They need to win three of the next five I think, or else the proverbial “bottom might fall out.”

Needless to say, it’ll be players leaving, not skipper Dusty Baker, who’s underachieving again in a weak division. Next year won’t be so easy.

One thing Dusty might want to learn is to play hot hitters with the best stats, rather than the obsessive righty-lefty mentality so prevalent in baseball. Case in point, Dusty continues to play the horrid lefty Laynce Nix against righties, while sitting righty Johnny Gomes, who actually hits righties better as is.

There’s more I could note, but it’s unnecessary until next time…. 

**********

* – Cliff Lee photo credit: Miller Park Drunk

* – Dusty Baker photo credit: Mouthpiece Sports


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: Cincinnati Reds, cleveland indians, Cliff Lee, Dusty Baker, MLB

LOTD: List of 100 Best Sporting Events to See Live

July 21, 2009 By 2 Comments
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100 Sporting Events You Must See Live - Best Sports Events to See LiveToday’s Link of the Day is really a must-view for any die-hard sports fan, and comes courtesy of the president of Premiere Corporate Events Robert Tuchman.  Tuchman is a “sports travel guru” who compiled a definitive list of 100 sporting events that every sports fan should see live.  

Follow the link to head over to the website and learn more about the book: 100 Sports Events You Must See Live.

So far, I have been to only three of his top 100 events: a Cubs game a Wrigley, a Notre Dame football game, and the Little 500.  But certainly I hope to add to that list as time goes on.  Below is Tuchman’s top 10, including a blurb about each one.

1. Masters – “This is the one golf tournament you have to see at least once in your lifetime. Heck, this is the one event you have to see, period. It’s magical, and that’s why it’s Number One.”

2. World Cup – “The entire world stops to watch this one. The passion I witnessed in the streets is unparalleled.”

3. Super Bowl – “The Granddaddy of American sports, the pinnacle of live events.”

4. Summer Olympics – “Countries root for their athletes with nearly as much passion as they root for their World Cup teams. The immersion into the whichever local culture hosts this event every four years makes it truly memorable.”

5. Army vs. Navy Football Game – “They might not be the best teams in the country but they’re some of our best citizens playing one another in a game that oozes with history.”

6. New York City Marathon – “My personal, number one favorite event. There is nothing like the emotion of being part of millions of people cheering on thousands of runners trying to achieve their lifelong dreams.”

7. World Series – “Even today, this event holds a special place for people around the world. There’s nothing like baseball on a crisp October evening and the excitement you feel in the stands.”

8. Winter Olympics – “Another event that the countries stop to watch no matter what is of interest locally. Newer sports, such as snowboarding, make the Winter Olympics increasingly more relevant.”

9. Red Sox vs. Yankees at Yankee Stadium – “You can feel the gravity of this game regardless of how many times they play each other each year and the fact it might just be another game in the standings. As far as rivalries go, nothing tops Yankees versus Red Sox.”

10. UNC vs. Duke Basketball Game at Cameron Indoor Stadium – “If you want to see what hatred and anger look like up close, you only need to sit in the stands at this game and see it in the faces in the crowd. This game means everything to everyone on the court, in the stadium and in the entire state.”

And now some other links to carry you through the day:

Rich Harden Afraid of Sun and/or Wrigley?  – (The Friendly Blogfines)

Chicago MSM kicks Halladay to White Sox into overdrive — (Tremendous Upside Potential)

Phelps Wins Five ESPY Awards, Take That Kellogg’s – (Hail Mary Jane)

Champ and Chump of the Week — (MoonDog)

Rick’s Cabaret Fields America’s Hottest Women’s Softball Team — (Busted Coverage)

Dolphins Looking to Extend Ronnie Brown — (My Sports Rumors)

ESPN May Destroy the Last Vestige of Newspapers – (Rumors and Rants)

Hot Jennie Finch is a MILF — (Spewf)

Which SEC Coach is Most Likely to Bail on his Team — (SEC Rivals)

Worst Fast Food Joints — (Major League Jerk)

Midnight Snack – One More Reason to be Depressed in Pittsburgh — (Sparty and Friends)


Filed Under: Featured Column, Sports Writers and Reporters Tagged With: links, live sports, Robert Tuchman, sports books

Milton Bradley Back to Hitting, Cubs Back to Winning? Not So Fast

July 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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The Cubs looked to be getting well after the All Star break. Winning four games in a row was one shy of the season high of five straight games won.  Don’t get too carried away with the thought of the Cubs having a totally different second half though. The Cubs were playing the worst team in baseball, the Washington Nationals, who are currently on their way to posting the worst record by any baseball team.

Milton Bradley - Chicago CubsRemember when Milton Bradley said “You can mark it down, I’m gonna be hitting for the rest of the year,” just over a week ago? Well, that has not happened. Since the All Start break Bradley has batted a miserable 2-12 with four strikeouts. But don’t worry Cub’s fans! Lou Pinella said he will personally help Bradley.

You could give this guy all the help in the world, and somehow he will not hit.

At some point you have to admit that a player is having a bad, no, a terrible year. Players don’t always have a great year, but Bradley having a terrible year isn’t the worst part. It’s the money he is getting for putting up bad numbers.

While Cub fans are still not happy about Bradley’s performance so far, they have now something else to be mad about.

The Cubs visited Philadelphia and boy did they get murdered by the hottest team in baseball. The Phillies won the game last night 10-1. The game was a one-sided game the whole way. Raul Ibanez started the mayhem in the first inning with a 2-out, 3-run home run off of Ted Lily (who would go 4 innings giving up 7 earned runs on 8 hits), and the beating never stopped.

This series is a chance for the Cubs to prove they can beat good teams, but most importantly, win games and get back on track towards winning the division for the 3rd straight year. So far the Cubs look like fools, but they have two more games to bounce back form such a beating.

It’s pretty funny and sad that a team that is playing mediocre still has a chance to win the division. As of Monday the Cubs are only 2 games behind the 2006 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs need a lot of refining, but it doesn’t seem like they are making any moves before the trade deadline comes and goes. Their overspending on players that are not producing may have forced the Cubs into a corner where they can’t make any big move.

Despite their up and down play the season isn’t over, and no team in the Central Division has run away with the division, so the Cubs still have a good chance of defending their title. It may sound easy and right at their fingertips, but it will still be a long second half of the season for the Cubs, their fans, and their staff.

* – Milton Bradley photo credit: Straight Pinkie


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: baseball, chicago, chicago cubs, Milton Bradley, MLB

White Sox-Roy Halladay Trade Discussion: Danks, Ramirez for Halladay?

July 21, 2009 By 5 Comments
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Roy Halladay - White Sox trade rumorsEarlier this season, the Chicago White Sox made a strong play to trade for San Diego pitcher Jake Peavy.  A deal was reached in principle before being nixed by the Padres ace.  

Naturally, it was assumed that when the Toronto Blue Jays made Roy Halladay available that the White Sox would get involved.

And as team after team has fallen off of the Blue Jays radar screen, gauging the asking price to be too high even for one of the best pitchers of this decade, the White Sox still apparently linger as a potential trade partner for Toronto…at least in one writer’s mind.

In a recent column, Rick Morrisey of the Tribune wrote that the White Sox should do whatever is necessary to pry Halladay away from the Blue Jays, floating a package of John Danks and Alexei Ramirez as a possibility.

So what’s it going to take to get Halladay, the Blue Jays’ star pitcher?

Let’s put on our GM cap and start with shortstop Alexei Ramirez and pitcher John Danks. I know: a steep price. But worth it. Halladay is the overpowering pitcher the Sox haven’t had since Jack McDowell. Last season, he struck out 206 batters and walked 39. So far this year, it’s 106-17.

Admittedly, I’m torn on whether I would pull the trigger on such a deal.  I was all for the Peavy trade because it was based on prospects, guys who had not yet proven their Major League readiness.  John Danks and Alexei Ramirez have already proven to be above average players at their respective positions, and have also proven to be clutch performers in a pennant race (as evidenced by Alexei’s game-winning grand slam down the stretch last year and John Danks’ incredible start in the one-game playoff to propel the White Sox into the postseason).

Of course, Roy Halladay has been one of the best and most consistent starting pitchers in baseball since 2001.

What do you think?  Would you do this deal? My gut reaction is to say no, but part of that may be an attachment to Alexei and Danks, both of whom I love and see as young building blocks for the future of the White Sox. The argument for a Halladay deal is that it gives the White Sox a better chance to win this season. The way I look at that is which combo would you rather have: Halladay pitching with Beckham at short and Fields at third, or Danks pitching with Alexei at short and Beckham at third?

Josh Fields hasn’t proven he can be consistent with the bat or the glove, so our infield would certainly weaken in the field (though perhaps not by much…we can’t get much worse in the field) and at the plate, barring a great Fields turnaround. But does Halladay’s consistent dominance improve the White Sox that much more every fifth day over Danks?  I will say this about Danks: he is a significantly less effective pitcher in July and August during his short career than he’s been in the other months.  However, he’s been solid in September.

The other issue that would have to be taken into account is contracts.  As Morrisey points out:

The financial cost of acquiring Halladay is not prohibitive: about $7 million for the rest of this year and $15.75 million in 2010.

John Danks is approaching his arbitration eligible years (beginning next season) and the White Sox will have to decide whether or not to sign him to a long-term deal.  Certainly any deal with Danks would have to rival what rotation mate Gavin Floyd received this offseason.  Floyd’s deal bought out his arbitration-eligible seasons for four years, $15.5 million.  I would have to assume that as a 25 year old lefty, Danks would be able to command a higher price than Floyd.  

Still, their combined contract would be far less than what the White Sox would have to pony up to lock Halladay up to a long-term deal after his current deal expires in 2010.  Would you rather have Danks and Floyd locked up for the next half decade or Roy Halladay and Floyd for a year and a half, and then only Floyd?

Roy Halladay-White Sox trade rumors | Danks, Alexei RamirezAlexei Ramirez will also have a contract coming up soon, and I’m sure plenty of teams would love a speedy, power-hitting middle infielder in the prime of his career. But I would assume Alexei’s first choice would be to stay on the South Side, in the very Latino-friendly clubhouse managed by Ozzie Guillen.  And if the White Sox could get Floyd, Danks, and Ramirez locked up, then do what the Rays did with Evan Longoria and what the Brewers did with Ryan Braun and sign Gordon Beckham long-term before he becomes arbitration-eligible, as well as lock up Carlos Quentin, then there will be a solid nucleus of young talent to carry the team through the transition years when Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, and others eventually have to exit stage left.

The more I write about this potential deal (which really is just Morrisey’s conjecture as far as I can tell) the less I like it.  Sure, I’d love to have Halladay for this year and next, but not if the price is Danks and Ramirez.  If it’s one of those guys and an unproven minor leaguer, fine. Obviously you have to give up a lot to get a guy like Halladay.  But Danks and Ramirez are building blocks for the future of this team, whereas Halladay would likely be a rental for one season plus a couple of months.

I’ll trust Ken Williams to make the ultimate decision if such a deal ever gets on the table, and there would definitely be an exciting buzz if Halladay came to the South Side; but I’m not holding my breath.  Check out the most recent column at MLB Trade Rumors detailing the Roy Halladay trade rumors and you will see nary a mention of the White Sox.  I know that Ken likes to work in the shadows, but I’ll reserve all future analysis and comment of Roy Halladay until something concrete is actually out there.

Until then, I’m quite happy with the team that we have, and still confident that our 2005 vets have one more strong October run in them…with our without Roy Halladay.

* – Roy Halladay photo credit: Getty Images via SportsNet.ca


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: alexei ramirez, Chicago White Sox, john danks, MLB, Roy Halladay, Roy Halladay trade rumors

Good News on the South Side: Quentin Activated, Thome Honored

July 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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Carlos Quentin activated from DL by White SoxQuick midday update with some good news from the South Side.

First, the much anticipated return of Carlos Quentin is finally here.  The White Sox activated Quentin today from the DL and optioned Brian Anderson to AAA Charlotte.  Ironically, Quentin returns to Chicago in time to help his teammates this week in a big series against the Tampa Bay Rays…the same team the White Sox played in last year’s ALDS without Quentin.  Needless to say, White Sox fans everywhere will hold their collective breath each time Quentin slams a line drive into the gap and rounds first on his way to second…

Also, congratulations to Jim Thome, who was named AL Player of the Week for his impressive surge of power that saw him recently generate 14 RBIs over a three-game span.  As Hawk Harrelson might say, “Hell yes!”


Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: carlos quentin, Carlos Quentin injury, Chicago White Sox, jim thome, MLB

There are Lessons to be Learned Even From the Most Pathetic Corners of the Internet

July 20, 2009 By 2 Comments
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If you know me, and if you read this site regularly, you know that I love the Internet and I love blogging.  My day job revolves around helping businesses shape and promote their online profile, and I spend much of my spare time here at MSF writing about sports and highlighting my favorite corners of the sports blogosphere.

Unfortunately, for all of its virtues and wonderful attributes, the Internet is not a perfect place.  In fact, sometimes it can be quite dark, disturbing, and pathetic.  This fact was hammered home for me this weekend.

First, and most egregiously, was the awful story about the secret video that was taken of ESPN sideline reporter and sports blog princess Erin Andrews.  We haven’t posted about her much here at MSF, mainly because so many other sports blogs do it…and do it better than we would.  But I personally am a big fan of Andrews, for reasons that go far beyond her obvious physical attractiveness.  

She is not perfect as a reporter, but she is very good; and I think that she has done a marvelous job of navigating through the tricky waters of being a confident and competent female reporter in a male-dominated world who has reached cult/celebrity status on the Internet in large part because of her looks and high profile assignments.  Somehow though, she has been able to avoid becoming a caricature or “just another pretty face,” and maintains the professional respect of most of the very same sports bloggers who jump at the chance to post and promote any new picture of her.  

These are among the myriad reasons why the posting of secret video of Andrews nude in a hotel room was so disappointing.  And if you are not familiar with what I am talking about, go to the Deadspin tag page for Erin Andrews and get caught up.  

Most disappointing of all is the fact that it is going to be very, very hard for anyone to be brought to justice in this case.  I unfortunately agree wholeheartedly with Dash when he says the following:

The only truth is that nobody knows anything and we are unlikely to ever know anything about the true original source of the videos. ESPN will continue to play whack-a-mole with bloggers who “discover” the video and try to post it, but it’s hard to imagine it ever getting much beyond that. I would love to be wrong about that, but I’m not holding my breath.

I am holding out hope, however, that with the resources Andrews has at her disposal she can bring whoever is responsible to justice.  Stories like this one are what can give the Internet and blogs a bad name, even though I think the restraint and class shown by the sports blogosphere in covering this story has been both outstanding and reassuring.  

Regardless, whether justice is ultimately done or not, I have to think that the playful, respectful, open, and professional relationship that Andrews has had with her Internet fans will never be the same.  How could it be?  Through no fault of her own she has been completely and unwittingly violated in the most nefarious of ways.  I hope that somehow she is able to emerge from this mess stronger and maintain the open personality that has made her so accessible and successful in eyes of sports fans across the globe.  

In the litany of terrible personal attacks perpetrated by anonymous Internet cowards, the Erin Andrews hotel video has to be right near the top of the list.  Luckily it’s not online anymore in any type of readily accessible way, and hopefully inroads are made into finding out the source.

Which leads me to my next point this morning.

I would like to draw your attention to the most oxy-moronic blog on the Internet: IndyDoucheBags.com, which highlights just how pathetic anonymous and hate-filled blogs can be.  I love the fact that the Internet provides a public voice for anyone who chooses to have one…and as a defender of the 1st Ammendment and the rights of bloggers, I do not deny “The Douche Slayer” his right to say what he chooses…but I also love the fact that I can use my own forum to highlight his hypocricy and utter uselessness.

Here is a quick excerpt from his site:

HUGE ego with miniscule pecker, no humility or self awareness, acts hard but couldn’t fight his way outta a wet paper sack and walks around Indy like he’s king turd of shit island.

Now, you may assume — as I would — that this is taken from The Douche Slayer’s About Me page.  Ironically, however, it is not.  (And he has no About Me page, because he is anonymous.) It is taken from the page entitled Indy Douche Bag Hall of Fame, which features the man I have been told was the “inspiration” for the website in the first place: Nate Davis.

Allow me to engage in some quick full disclosure.  I know Nate Davis relatively well from my time living in Indy and from working on some different creative projects with him.  He is decidedly not a douche bag, but rather a guy who busts his ass every day to move forward in a career he loves, is passionate about, and in which he has many, many chips stacked against him.  Far from a douche bag, I think it makes Nate a pretty damn admirable guy.  Being a white MC is not the easiest thing to do and opens you up to a lot of preconceived notions and unfair judgments.  But see he and The Franchize (link NSFW) perform live one time and you’ll quickly have any prejudices turned on their heads — at least I did — because he’s really good.

Update: Nate actually has a response song to the website.  You can listen using the mp3 player below.  (Warning: very NSFW).

[mp3_embed blog_plyrs="2"]

But that’s beside the point.  Nate Davis is not the only entrant in the “Indy Douche Bag Hall of Fame” because of how he raps or acts, or because he wears a “cocked cap.”  He is there because the owner of the site has a personal vendetta against him which I am told, naturally, involves a girl, among other things.  I’ve never met the guy who writes this pathetic website, but I’ve talked to enough people who do know him to not take one word he writes or says seriously.  Apparently if this guy had 1/1000th of the stage presence of Nate Davis, he might actually have some potential to succeed in achieving his own goals.  He does not, so he’s taken to the Internet to dedicate his life to the altruistic pursuit of…what, exactly?

Look, we all know that there are plenty of douchy people out there, and definitely lots of pictures of people looking douchy.  And, as guys, we all get a kick out of calling eachother out for our douchy moments.  HotChicksWithDouchebags.com is actually a pretty damn funny site that I’ve linked to before.  But there are three significant differences between that site and the rubbish of IndyDouchebags.com.

First, the guy who runs Hot Chicks With Douchebags is not trying to stand above the fray like he’s some paragon of cool himself.  From his FAQ page:

Q: Why do you call yourself “douchebag1″? 

A: Because I’m a drunk and angry scrote myself, and I have to double fist bottles of tasty Night Train wine when I realize how many sweet, innocent young beauties are being groped by pathetic, greased up knobs as we speak.  

Second, his personal mission is not about attacking one individual, nor is he out to specifically harm anyone’s reputation:

Q: I’m in a picture and upset and would like you to remove it. How can I do that?

A: If you’re spiritually weak and cannot sustain the verbal beating you or your loved one morally deserves, simply email me at douchebag1@hotchickswithdouchebags.com, specify that it is you in the pic and you’d like it removed, and I will remove it. Or if a comment in the comments thread relays any personal information and I missed it (I don’t check all comments), email me and I will delete the comment. 

Third, Hot Chicks with Douchebags is actually clever and pretty funny.  Indy Douchebags only proves that its site owner knows lots of derogatory words and how to upload pictures to his server.  Congrats.

But, once again, even all of that is beside the point.  The truly sad and pathetic thing about IndyDoucheBags.com, and what makes it more of a personal mirror for the site owner than anything else, is that it is just another in a long line of anonymous, venom-spewing websites that serve no real purpose other than making one individual person feel a little better about themselves by unnecessarily tearing someone else down.  His personal obsession with Nate Davis individually just makes it pathetic.  And the fact that he edits or omits dissenting comments, or alters dissenting letters written to him before posting them, just adds another utterly lame layer to the story.

We are no strangers to calling people out for douchiness here at Midwest Sports Fans.  My own personal disdain for the work and personality of Jay Mariotti are well documented, as are similar sentiments of other bloggers and his former colleagues in numerous places elsewhere online. However, I don’t hide behind a pseudonym (JRod is my well-established nickname and the MSF About page provides my full name), nor do I edit or alter any dissenting comments, and I certainly do not shy away from criticism or for standing up for what I write.  And I’ll admit when I’m wrong, or feel like I may have overstated something, or when I’ve been too harsh or out of line.  I’m not perfect, nor is this blog…but at least we don’t hide behind a computer and spew nothing but hate day after day in some lame quest to fulfill a childish personal vendetta or feel better ourselves.

But any reader of this blog post right now would not be out of line to ask what is the difference between what Indy Douchebags does to Nate Davis and what I’ve written about Jay Mariotti. And the truth is that there is probably not a whole lot, and the fact that I’ve written about Mariotti multiple times and attacked him personally is actually pretty lame on my own part.  Criticizing his work is one thing, but actively engaging in a “douche-hunt” is, admittedly, a little much.  So I have to thank Indy Douchebags for helping me to take a closer look at myself and analyze my own actions.  As Pete Bell, played by Nick Nolte, said at the end of Blue Chips: “I’ve become what I despise.” Unlike Bell, I’m not quitting my position anytime soon, but I am happy to leave lame pursuits like personal douche attacks in the past.  This site will be better for it.

Posting a picture of a douchy guy and having fun with it by making a clever and non-personal descriptive observation is funny, entertaining, and one of the millions of avenues down which blogs can and should travel to entertain their readers if that is what their target market finds entertaining.  But becoming fixated on one person and calling them out personally for being a douche actually reflects worse on the person doing the attacking, rather than the other way around.  And making such attacks anonymously makes it even worse.

I’m glad I was referred to Indy Douchebags to make such a realization, and as I said, I feel that it will make this site better for our readers in the long run.  I wonder if The Douche Slayer is capable of such introspection, or if he’d even care.  I didn’t start MSF to call out Jay Mariotti, so it will be easy to leave that in the past.  The Douche Slayer had one person in mind when he started his site, and that is the only voice he knows.  Kudos to him for building up a reader base of other people who enjoy reveling in that sort of thing, but how long before his readers catch on to the unintentional autobiographical undertones in his rants?

But he’s really just an insecure worm who treats the people of Indy like sniveling peasants who owe him something.

The above quote is, once again, taken from the Hall of Fame page. But the more I look at his site, the more I begin to wonder how much of The Douche Slayer’s ranting is genuinely intended for comedy and/or mockery, and how much of it is intended as a personal distraction from his own self-loathing. Perhaps The Douche Slayer is just a sad and unhappy person with a heart filled with hate and lined with vitriol, in which case I just feel sorry for him.

My posts about Jay Mariotti may have gotten me laughs, but they did not earn me any respect, nor did they make me feel better about myself. That’s why they will stop. Perhaps The Douche Slayer’s personal quest to insult Nate Davis in every way possible will stop at some point too. Maybe, maybe not. But if it doesn’t, I’ll know exactly how to view The Douche Slayer and his website: much less with the simple lack of respect I have for it now, and much moreso with a level of sympathy and pity reserved for people whose happiness is predicated on the destruction and exploitation of others.

There is nothing sadder than seeing someone revel in the hate and destruction of others, because it is a manifestation of who and what the person doing the hating is. The Douche Slayer, as well as whoever is responsible for the Erin Andrews video, have given us an all-to-revealing look into who they are while trying to reveal who others are.  They’ve also offered up a few of the worst examples of what the Internet has to offer.  

Luckily, there are lessons to be learned from these two stories and I am happy to have learned one myself.


Filed Under: Featured Column, Random Thoughts Tagged With: Erin Andrews, Erin Andrews secret hotel video, Indy Douchebags, Jay Marriotti

Monday Morning Non-Sports Laughter: Glenn Beck Goes Nuts and a Rick Astley-Nirvana Mashup

July 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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Rick Astley - Nirvana Mashup Video | Audio of Glenn Beck Going Off on CallerBeen a busy morning. Up at 5:20 to get a few things out of the way for work, then a vet appointment for the pup (he’s doing great since the surgery…everything back to normal — other than the removed gall bladder of course), and now back to the office with a to-do list that just might stretch from here to Indiana if I laid it out flat.

But because I love you all, my first stop is here with a few videos that are sure to brighten your Monday morning. My apologies in advance for them not being specifically sports related, but I think you’ll forgive me after watching them.

The first video is actually just an audio clip from a recent edition of the Glenn Beck radio program. Now, I am not posting this to make any kind of political statement. Healthcare is an important debate, but Midwest Sports Fans is not the forum to have it. This is, however, the forum for listening to and laughing at radio hosts going completely off their rockers. Click here to jump right to best part (3:30). Otherwise, listen to the entire exchange so you get the context. Things start to heat up around the 1:30 mark.

Audio: Glenn Beck Screams and Goes Off on Radio Show Caller


Next, we go back to the world of music. Last week, I pitted two of the greatest 80s music videos ever — “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey — against eachother in a mano-a-mano battle for cheesiness supremacy. Today, we get to see Rick Astley in an entirely new light with the following mashup of “Never Gonna Give You Up” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. The mashup was created by German mashup artist DJ Morgoth (via Sports Rubbish) and I found it during my daily perusal of Hot Clicks. Enjoy.

Video: Rick Astley – Nirvana Mashup


Ever since hearing the acoustic version of Outkast’s “Hey Ya” by Obidiah Parker, I have long thought that it would be great for more such juxtapositions of musical genres. This Rick Astley-Nirvana mashup is further proof of just how great this can be.

And since I probably won’t be able to write a whole lot more today, here are some other mostly-sports-related links from around the blogosphere and web to get you through the day:

Freddy Garcia to throw bullpen session Monday for White Sox; Ozzie Guillen channels his inner Denny Green — (Tribune)

Unlikely Giant makes steroid confession — (Extra Baggs)

Awesome uniforms at a minor league game — (Big League Stew)

The Indians suck in most ways, but they get bobbleheads right – (The Slanch Report)

Happy Birthday Gisele Photo Gallery — (Moondog)

GREAT new Cleveland Indians T-Shirt: Regressive Field — (Waiting For Next Year)

Strong Opinions from John Lynch — (My Sports Rumors)

Top 10 Ways the KC Chiefs Offseason could have been worse — (Arrowhead Addict)

Celebrating the 15th anniversary of Pulp Fiction, NFL-style — (FanSided)

ESPYs: Samuel L. disappoints and Tim Tebow looks like “Jim Tressel’s gay son” — (Detroit4Lyfe)

So, about Joe Mauer hitting .400... — (Babes Love Baseball)

**********

* – Glenn Beck photo credit: Roger Gray Blog

* – Rick Astley photo credit: Dishiness.com


Filed Under: Featured Column, Random Thoughts Tagged With: Glenn Beck, links, Rick Astley Nirvana mashup, videos

Firing Dale Tallon Might Backfire on the Blackhawks

July 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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Chicago Blackhawks upset with firing of Dale TallonThe firing of Dale Tallon was a surprise to me and many, if not all, other Hawks fans alike. How could you fire the man who brought a team from last place to the Western Conference Finals in just 3 years?

At first, not many people knew. A lot were thinking that it had something to do with the Hawks not sending out the letters to the unrestricted agents in time, a move that could have lost all players but that didn’t end up bad as the Hawks signed all of them. Tallon took all the responsibility for the mistake, which probably wasn’t even his fault.

Just a couple days later the Hawks and Tallon split ways. It sent a shock wave all around the NHL. Hawks players were surprised, fans were surprised, and even sports writers were surprised.

The firing left one question: Why?

A lot of people first said that he was fired because of the letters getting there late, but after further investigation that is not the case. Turns out John Mcdonough never did like Dale Tallon. Tallon was not signed by Mcdonough, who wanted to bring in his own guys, and once he could he pounced on it. He fired Tallon and assigned Stan Bowman as the new GM. Stan Bowman is the son of Scotty Bowman, the Hall of Famer and a senior adviser for the Hawks.

The players loved Tallon. Havlat said that many players saw him as a father figure. While I think the Hawks will be fine with Bowman as GM, I still can’t help but think that the players are a little mad. It should not affect their playing, but the players have the right to be a little upset.

“McDonough couldn’t stand that Dale was so successful and getting the credit for building the Hawks from a last place team to making the Conference Final in three short years. Remember, we were also the youngest team in the NHL last year. I was too closely identified with Dale. McDonough knew long ago he was going to fire Dale. He wanted someone he could claim as his own He wanted to stand up at the convention and claim credit for signing this guy or that guy,” said Havlat on the Tallon firing.

Fans don’t seem to be happy either. They booed Mcdonough at the second annual Hawks convention. Mcdonough knew there was going to be some trouble after the firing, but his face showed he didn’t expect to be booed.

Bowman has pretty much the same plans for the Hawks, and is very aware of the salary cap problem they will have face, but he still stayed positive that the Hawks will deal with them the right way. Hawks fans can only hope so. They don’t want to see what could be a great franchise years down the road have to give away most of their key players that could make them a Cup contender.

On other news the 2009-2010 schedule has been released. you can see it here.


Filed Under: Featured Column, NHL Tagged With: chicago, Chicago Blackhawks, hocley, NHL
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