In what has to be the funniest video of Toddler violence since the infamous "kid's melon getting obliterated by basketball" video-a young child accidentally wanders in front of an underground Hip Hop breakdance performance and pays the price. (which coincidentally is SYHD founder Mookie's former breakdance troop). Is it safe to say she officially got served?
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Lord, Please Kill These Men
I'll keep this brief, because I know you are all busy. I hope the next story I read about Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Terrell Owens, or Brett Favre is in the obituaries. As you were.
NBA Police, Stern But Unfair
In a classic example of biting off your nose to spite your face, the NBA by suspending Stoudamire and Diaw will have severely damaged its present and future product if the Suns do lose this series. As I alluded to in yesterday's Memo to Stern post, the NBA is a copycat league. The best thing for the league is for one of these run and gun, high scoring teams to win an NBA Championship. Such success will lead other GM's and coaches will emulate that style of play, thus ushering in a new NBA golden age. If San Antonio or Detroit wins, the league will remain in a status quo because nothing will have changed much over the past few years. While the Spurs and Pistons play the game well, they do not have captivating styles of play.
Even if the Suns overcome the 3-2 deficit against the Spurs and beat the Jazz to reach the NBA Finals, the copycat effect will only take place if the Suns win the title. Otherwise their system will be viewed as one that can get you close to the top, but not all the way there and the old adage will continue to hold true- Defense wins championships.
Even if the Suns overcome the 3-2 deficit against the Spurs and beat the Jazz to reach the NBA Finals, the copycat effect will only take place if the Suns win the title. Otherwise their system will be viewed as one that can get you close to the top, but not all the way there and the old adage will continue to hold true- Defense wins championships.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Proof of just how dull the Yankees really are.
For more proof that the Yankee players are a bunch of dull, lifeless robots, look no further than wrestling promoter/Yankees announcer Suzyn Waldman. Towards the end of her painful, over-the-top reaction to Clemens announcing his return, she screams "You should see whats going on in the Yankee dugout!!" You would think the players were dancing around giving eachother chestbumps having a jolly old time. But no, these are the corporate Yankees. What was "going on in the Yankee dugout" was that a few of the guys were sitting there smiling. They weren't even really talking to eachother.
Waldman, who deals with Yankee players on a daily basis, is so used to dealing with these mindlessly boring players that she's lost perspective. To her, that was a CRAZY reaction. And to this Yankee team, that WAS a bonkers reaction. Oh well, at least there's one exciting team in New York.
Thanks David Stern
If the Suns lose a close game tonight and subsequently the series, it will be one of the greatest stains on David Stern's legacy as a commissioner. That a toss-up series that may well decide the NBA Champioinship, may be decided by a few inconsequential steps onto a court is beyond ridiculous. He created a stupid rule in the first place and is compounding his error by not using discretion in enforcing it.
I believe that Stern is so terrified of the "thug" image his league has developed that he lost his mind. He is sabotaging one of the most compelling series his league has had in years, in an effort to preserve the NBA's reputation. However, by suspending star players, he has called further attention to an otherwise completely forgettable minor skirmish. Double whammy: Worse on court product and more negative press.
Coming to the defense of a person you care about is the right thing to do, in just about any other context that I can imagine. I don't mean you should start swinging your arms like a psychopath, but making your presense felt in such a situation is more than appropriate. The fact that they were able to be restrained by a simple nudge from a middle-aged assistant coach shows that their intentions were not to start a brawl.
So what are the lessons learned?
1) If you are losing a game, have a scrub flagrantly foul your opponent in front of their bench and hope to provoke one of their stars to leave the bench.
2) Don't run to the defense of your teammates.
3) If you do impulsively leave the bench, you might as well not restrain yourself, because you are going to get suspended anyway. Jump right into the fray.
Does any of this make sense?
I believe that Stern is so terrified of the "thug" image his league has developed that he lost his mind. He is sabotaging one of the most compelling series his league has had in years, in an effort to preserve the NBA's reputation. However, by suspending star players, he has called further attention to an otherwise completely forgettable minor skirmish. Double whammy: Worse on court product and more negative press.
Coming to the defense of a person you care about is the right thing to do, in just about any other context that I can imagine. I don't mean you should start swinging your arms like a psychopath, but making your presense felt in such a situation is more than appropriate. The fact that they were able to be restrained by a simple nudge from a middle-aged assistant coach shows that their intentions were not to start a brawl.
So what are the lessons learned?
1) If you are losing a game, have a scrub flagrantly foul your opponent in front of their bench and hope to provoke one of their stars to leave the bench.
2) Don't run to the defense of your teammates.
3) If you do impulsively leave the bench, you might as well not restrain yourself, because you are going to get suspended anyway. Jump right into the fray.
Does any of this make sense?
Comeback Names
While writing my letter to Charles Barkley, it occured to me that you don't really run it to a lot of guys named Charles/Charlie/Chuck under the age of 40. I find this disappointing, because it is such a solid name. You immediately want to be friends with a fella named Charles. It is long overdue for a big time comeback. Here are my top three names that are more likely belong to your father's friends than your's, and need to be brought back in a big way...
1) Charles/Charlie/Chuck
2) Francis/Frank/Frankie
3) Raymond/Ray
Comments? Any names that I missed?
1) Charles/Charlie/Chuck
2) Francis/Frank/Frankie
3) Raymond/Ray
Comments? Any names that I missed?
Did Horry do it on purpose?
This is a topic that not many people have entertained, but I think its worth discussing. It just doesn't seem feasible to me that Robert Horry had a "meltdown" the other night. The guy is a veteran in the truest sense of the word, and has been in at least the 2nd round of the playoffs every single season of his career. He has also won 19 championships. Why would he suddenly make such a ridiculously short-sighted decision, and shove Steve Nash off the court right at the end of an extremely close playoff game.
This conspiracy theorist feels that Horry realized that he was right by the Phoenix bench, and he would sacrifice himself getting suspended, to get a couple of key Suns players suspended when they would instinctually run out to defend Elizabeth Hurley's former beau.
What it comes down to, is the fact that Robert Horry is either way too smart, fooling just about everyone, or way too dumb, considering that he has more playoff experience than just about everyone in the league. You be the judge.
Newsday Trying to Start Some Trouble
This is the backpage of today's NY Newsday. In case you can't read it, the blurb under "Rocket Strike" states, "Clemens says Yankees need to 'get it together' before he arrives." After reading that I was all prepared to construct a rant about how selfish Clemens is to accept over $1M per start and then say that he is not going to pitch until the Yankees start playing better. The headline proved to be extremely misleading however, as the "get it together" language taken out of context. Here is the entire quote:"I guess all I can tell you is that, when I made the appearance at Yankee Stadium, Derek said it best. I'm not going to be there for two or three weeks, so they have to get it together and get things going."
Nowhere does Clemens gives the ultimatum that Newsday alludes to on the backpage. He simply wants the Yankees to start winning. This is hardly worthy of backpage fodder. It's just a shoddy job by the heads sports editor, but I'm sure it will sell some papers.
Also at the rate NY papers are going, headline writers will run out of Rocket puns by June 1.
Memo To David Stern
The NBA should mandate that pure point guards be the highest paid players in the league. Watching a game involving Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Deron Williams, and even TJ Ford and Chris Paul is infinitely more entertaining than a game involving a lesser point guard. The ball and player movement that takes place on teams featuring these guards is so much more fluid and entertaining than games featuring more shot oriented point guards. If the market significantly rewards the pass first play maker over shoot first pg then younger players will begin to emulate the Nashes and the Kidds rather than the Iversons and the Francises. With more pure point guards, games will be more exciting, the product will be better, and league/team revenues will increase thus negating the increase in pg salaries. It's a no lose scenario.
I understand that perhaps pure point guards can't be manufactured. That there is an inherent skill and talent in seeing the court a certain way that can't be taught. That no matter how hard a talented guard may try, he simply can't duplicate the way Nash weaves in and out of traffic constantly looking for the open cutter. This is certainly an intriguing argument, but I believe (albeit with no empirical or anecdotal evidence to back me up) that players as naturally gifted and talented as a Marbury or an Iverson, if indoctrinated at a young age, could do everything that a Jason Kidd does and more. But the shoot first guards developed their games playing a lot of pick up ball, where a combination of lack of cohesion and their natural talent led them to play one on one basketball, breaking down the defense and generally looking for their own shot because they could get it and make it the vast majority of the time. And they were rewarded by that style of play through accolades, respect, tall tales, recruitment to college, and for the most talented, the NBA. Just as Iverson was hitting college recruitment age, the NBA had moved into a game dominated by isolation offense and individual matchups. Players like him were (and still are) a much sought after commodity, so other players surely couldn't be faulted for developing and patterning their games similar to Iverson or Michael Jordan.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Iverson, or Francis, or Marbury. They have been very good basketball players over their career. Iverson will most likely end up in the Hall of Fame and did lead a marginally talented team to the NBA finals. My point is that those 76er teams were not that much fun. Sure Iverson could put on a show individually, but I did not get the same sense of excitement watching that team as I do watching the Suns, Nets, and yes even the Jazz.
The NBA is a copycat league, so the best thing that can happen is for the Suns to win the NBA Championship. Then every team will be looking for their Nash and players realizing that will try to change their games accordingly. Many at higher levels will not be able to do that as it's tough to teach old dogs new tricks, but if more younger talented ball players try to emulate Nash and Kidd the NBA will be much better off in the future. Plus you won't have those cranky blue collar middle aged white guys lamenting over all those selfish thugs playing basketball anymore. That alone is well worth it.
I understand that perhaps pure point guards can't be manufactured. That there is an inherent skill and talent in seeing the court a certain way that can't be taught. That no matter how hard a talented guard may try, he simply can't duplicate the way Nash weaves in and out of traffic constantly looking for the open cutter. This is certainly an intriguing argument, but I believe (albeit with no empirical or anecdotal evidence to back me up) that players as naturally gifted and talented as a Marbury or an Iverson, if indoctrinated at a young age, could do everything that a Jason Kidd does and more. But the shoot first guards developed their games playing a lot of pick up ball, where a combination of lack of cohesion and their natural talent led them to play one on one basketball, breaking down the defense and generally looking for their own shot because they could get it and make it the vast majority of the time. And they were rewarded by that style of play through accolades, respect, tall tales, recruitment to college, and for the most talented, the NBA. Just as Iverson was hitting college recruitment age, the NBA had moved into a game dominated by isolation offense and individual matchups. Players like him were (and still are) a much sought after commodity, so other players surely couldn't be faulted for developing and patterning their games similar to Iverson or Michael Jordan.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Iverson, or Francis, or Marbury. They have been very good basketball players over their career. Iverson will most likely end up in the Hall of Fame and did lead a marginally talented team to the NBA finals. My point is that those 76er teams were not that much fun. Sure Iverson could put on a show individually, but I did not get the same sense of excitement watching that team as I do watching the Suns, Nets, and yes even the Jazz.
The NBA is a copycat league, so the best thing that can happen is for the Suns to win the NBA Championship. Then every team will be looking for their Nash and players realizing that will try to change their games accordingly. Many at higher levels will not be able to do that as it's tough to teach old dogs new tricks, but if more younger talented ball players try to emulate Nash and Kidd the NBA will be much better off in the future. Plus you won't have those cranky blue collar middle aged white guys lamenting over all those selfish thugs playing basketball anymore. That alone is well worth it.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Nightly Wrestling Haiku
Chyna giving X-Pacnaked bucking broncos makes me
want to vomit myself.
*The extra syllable in each line is for Chyna's extra bulbous clitoris.*
The new revolution in pitching.
In a bizarre story, former pitcher Mike Marshall claims to have developed a pitching delivery that will revolutionize the position and eliminate arm injuries. The rotation involves no leg kick and no rotation of the hips. One of his students describes it as "we kinda throw like a girl".
Its fascinating to watch, and at first almost looks like the pitcher will throw it underhand. The article features a video of 35–year-old, former major-league pitcher Jeff Sparks, a Marshall student.
Some say he's nuttier than a fruitcake, but others are realizing that he has something here. It may take years for baseball teams to even consider adopting Marshall's ideas, but whoever decides first may have an advantage. Maybe the Yankees bullpen will give it a whirl.
Random Question of the Day
Am I just a complete weirdo, or has anyone else ever had the undying urge to buy one of those Ron Popeil spray paint cans full of hair and just blast it on Manu Ginobli's bald spot?
The Vin-Sane Asylum
Vince Carter is like that annoying kid you got stuck on the team with in your high school gym class. You know, the one that feels he has to take and miss every single shot, while you can't do anything except watch?
Is Vince Carter a good player? Of course. Is he a very good player? Yes. Is he a great player? No way, Jose Reyes. I said it when he first arrived in New Jersey and i'll say it again - you'll never win with Vince Carter. You're more likely to win a championship with Teen Wolf on the court. Vince is the quintessential ballhog. When he gets control of the ball, the entire offense goes into a standstill. He dribbles it for a decade before shooting, and by that point
Vince is anti-clutch, and the anti-superstar. He insists on taking the game in his own hands as if he's one of the greats in the league. He shot less than 25% last night, but still demanded the ball at the end of the game (not to mention the stomach churning missed free throws). You can't handle this role, Vince.
I understand why the Nets dealt for him a couple of years ago. Rod Thorn admittedly made a mistake letting Kenyon Martin go. This doesn't look as bad because Martin's basically played 9 minutes in the last 3 years, but no one knows if he would have gotten hurt had he stayed in the Garden State. The Kenyon Martin Nets' teams were tremendously fun to watch. They played fluid on offense and defense, and played as a team, with no one insisting on controlling the ball even when he was playing like shite.
Vince is a tough guy to like. He demanded a trade to the Nets, earning him the venom of all Toronto Raptors fans. But the thing that bothers me the most about him is that he ALWAYS seems non-chalant on the court. Always. Vince, you're not Dylan McKay. You're a professional basketball player. It seems like he feels that if he plays well, he plays well, but if he's off that day, so be it. Thats not what you want in your star players. He also seems WAY too concerned with being everyone on the other team's best friend. Have you ever seen him right before the game starts. He's hugging eveyone on the other team like they just met up at the Ghostbar in Vegas. And when he's playing, you almost feel that he'd rather lose and make sure everyone still likes him on the other team, than win and have someone be mad at him.
You're a frustrating player, Vince, and i'm glad you're not a Knick. I get to watch WINNERS play every night - like Marbury, Steve Francis, and Eddy Curry. Its damn great to be a Knicks fan.
A Preemptive Rant
The Suns' season was all but done midway through the fourth quarter in last night's thrilling Western Conference Semifinal game 4 when all of a sudden Timmy, Manu and the rest of the whiners started thinking about who they should knee in the nuts and kick in the achilles next round-Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams, or both (or perhaps have Jacque Vaughn give Andrei Kirilenko the shocker). Then something amazing happened: the Spurs, notorious for closing out games out home, completely folded under the pressure and are now heading back to the valley of the sun tied at 2 games a piece. And in the final moments the Spurs, knowing their fate was sealed handled the loss the way any classy championship veteran team would-by cross-checking the 2-time league MVP into the eighth row in the waining seconds. It was at this point that a minor melee ensued in which Boris Diaw and Amare Stoudemire took 3 steps onto the court from the bench to defend their teammate. And this finally brings me to my point: league rules currently stipulate that leaving the bench during a fight is an automatic one game suspension. Has there ever been a dumber rule in the history of organized sports? Should the outcome of an already great playoff series hinge on whether Diaw and Stoudemire took an extra step over an arbitrary line? Are the bigwigs in Seacaucus thick-headed enough to understand that they will be cheating the players and the fans out of what should be a spectacular game five in Phoenix? For the sake of the fans (a Detroit-San Antonio series has the appeal of watching a rectal exam in HD for three hours), and for the sake of the game, lets hope not.
Monday, May 14, 2007
An Open Letter to Charles Barkley
Charles,
I'm a big fan. I loved you as a player and love you even more on Inside the NBA. I hold you in such high esteem, that I feel bad about criticizing anything you do. I mean, you are a larger than life figure and a fine ambassador for the game of basketball. Who am I to tell you what you are doing wrong?
Sir, with all due respect, please put Dwyane Wade in your Fave 5. Either that or definitively tell the kid that he will never achieve this status. Whichever you choose, he needs some closure and frankly, I do as well. There's a fine line between good-natured ribbing and unnecessary callousness. I believe you may have crossed it. If you continue on this path, you may lose a friend in Dwyane and a fan in me.
Sincerely,
Tremont
I'm a big fan. I loved you as a player and love you even more on Inside the NBA. I hold you in such high esteem, that I feel bad about criticizing anything you do. I mean, you are a larger than life figure and a fine ambassador for the game of basketball. Who am I to tell you what you are doing wrong?
Sir, with all due respect, please put Dwyane Wade in your Fave 5. Either that or definitively tell the kid that he will never achieve this status. Whichever you choose, he needs some closure and frankly, I do as well. There's a fine line between good-natured ribbing and unnecessary callousness. I believe you may have crossed it. If you continue on this path, you may lose a friend in Dwyane and a fan in me.
Sincerely,
Tremont
Pun of the Day
There is no fair way to deal with golf coach whose behavior was not up to par.
(Now yelling "fore" because this pun is awful and missed its mark)
Actually there is a fair way to deal with him, they fired him, but I didn't want to ruin a perfectly good pun. Apparently University of Georgia women's golf coach Todd McCorkle behaved extremely inappropriately with his players by continually making sexually explicit statements and showing his team the Paris Hilton sex video. This guy is in some deep....rough.
(Now yelling "fore" because this pun is awful and missed its mark)
Actually there is a fair way to deal with him, they fired him, but I didn't want to ruin a perfectly good pun. Apparently University of Georgia women's golf coach Todd McCorkle behaved extremely inappropriately with his players by continually making sexually explicit statements and showing his team the Paris Hilton sex video. This guy is in some deep....rough.
While We Are on the Nostalgia Tip, This Guy Was One Sharp Shooting Mother Tucker
Here is a clip of my all-time favorite basketball player, Trent Tucker, nailing two game winning shots against the Bulls. The second shot was hit on Martin Luther King Day 1990 and still ranks as my favorite moment of in Knicks history. It came with one tenth of a second left on the clock and prompted the NBA to make a rule that no player can catch and shoot a shot with less than .3 left on the clock. How many players can say that they altered the NBA rule book? I truly tried to pattern my own game after Trent by hanging around the 3pt line, shooting as soon as I get the ball, and by never driving to the hole, rebounding, or playing defense.
Tom Chambers Makes Me Smile
I know it has been played a thousand times, but it still never ceases to amaze me. Here is Tom Chambers throwing down from 10 feet away with his entire torso over the rim, Teen Wolf style.
Random Thought From the Weekend of Sports
Sorry, no full fledged weekend wrap-up today because I went on a little getaway and did not catch a lot of the weekend's action. But I was able to catch the moment generating the most water cooler talk this morning-B Diddy absolutely crapping on AK 47 right here:
After the dunk, I began wondering who will get the royalties for the the inevitable posters to be printed of this emphatic posterization. Will the Warriors get the majority of proceeds because Davis is their employee and thus own in game images of him? Can the NBA sell the poster without kicking money back to either Davis or the Warriors? What percentage of the profits will Davis see? After all it was his gravity defying behavior that is responsible for the lasting image. Also Kirilenko should really get something out of being on the receiving end of the facial. AK played a pivotal role in the slam's ascension into NBA folklore. Without his unsuccessful block attempt, the dunk would have just slipped in and out of the public consciousness without nary a second thought. He deserves to be justly compensated as well.
Still this is just the second best playoff dunk shot I've ever seen. Number 1? Well, let's just refer to it as "The Dunk." I think Michael Jordan still wakes up in a cold sweat from this baseline jam, though when he does wake up he is probably comforted that he is a multi-millionaire and the best basketball ever and then goes right back to sleep.
After the dunk, I began wondering who will get the royalties for the the inevitable posters to be printed of this emphatic posterization. Will the Warriors get the majority of proceeds because Davis is their employee and thus own in game images of him? Can the NBA sell the poster without kicking money back to either Davis or the Warriors? What percentage of the profits will Davis see? After all it was his gravity defying behavior that is responsible for the lasting image. Also Kirilenko should really get something out of being on the receiving end of the facial. AK played a pivotal role in the slam's ascension into NBA folklore. Without his unsuccessful block attempt, the dunk would have just slipped in and out of the public consciousness without nary a second thought. He deserves to be justly compensated as well.
Still this is just the second best playoff dunk shot I've ever seen. Number 1? Well, let's just refer to it as "The Dunk." I think Michael Jordan still wakes up in a cold sweat from this baseline jam, though when he does wake up he is probably comforted that he is a multi-millionaire and the best basketball ever and then goes right back to sleep.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
The A-Rod Apologete (Vol. III)
I apologize that my final installment of The A-Rod Apologete is about as timely as the Vatican's admission of the heliocentric nature of the solar system. I have deliberately avoided completing this series for over a month, as presenting the statistical analysis debunking the myth that Rodriguez can't get the job done in the playoffs is by far the most tedious chore of my defense. It is far easier, and more fun, taking pot shots at the common fan.
In his 53 postseason at bats prior to joining the Yankees, A-Rod batted .340, with 3 doubles and 3 HRs. He was good for a .375 OBP/.566 SLG/.941 OPS. His career regular season OPS is .962, which places him among the handful of greatest players in the history of the sport. The difference between .941 and .962 is
a) completely statistically irrelevant based on the number of at bats and
b) less than one would expect given that
1) teams with bad pitching rarely make the playoffs
2) 5th starters never pitch in the playoffs
3) the ass-end of bullpens rarely see the light of day in the postseason
By now, you should be convinced that Rodriguez was an excellent postseason hitter, before becoming a member of the Yankees. But what of his playoff performance in New York?
Alex Rodriguez's was phenomenal in his first Yankees playoff series. In the 2004 ALDS against the Twins, Rodriguez went 8 for 19, with 3 doubles and a home run. For those sabermetrically inclined, he put up a .476 OBP/.737 SLG/1.213 OPS.
"Surely he compiled these numbers in the midst of blowouts, right?"
Not at all, straw man. Allow me to walk you through it.
After losing Game 1, the Yankees were in nearly a must win situation in Game 2. They could not afford to go down 2-0 in a best of 5 series. Alex Rodriguez broke a 3-3 tie in the 5th inning with a home run. He then singled in a run in the 7th to extend the lead to 5-3. The resilient Twins rallied back to tie the game up in the 8th inning. The game remained knotted at 5-5 until the 12th inning, when Rodriguez came up with runners on first and second. He proceded to blast a game-winning ground-rule double into the gap.
A-Rod's Game 2 Numbers: 4 for 6, a double, a HR, 2 Rs, 3 RBI. He was the only player on the team with more than one hit. He put the Yankees ahead twice, including the game winning hit in the 12th inning. Certifiably clutch performance.
Up 2-1, going into Game 4, the Yankees needed a win in order to avoid playing a deciding Game 5 in Minnesota. In the 9th inning of a 5-5 tie, Alex Rodriguez led off the inning with a double. That his teammates couldn't drive him home does not make this hit any less clutch.
Still tied in the 11th, A-Rod ripped a one out double. He then stole third base. He then scored on a wild pitch. So he single-handedly scored the winning run of Game 5. Unquestionably, Alex Rodriguez was the MVP of the 2004 ALDS, saving his best games for the two hard-fought extra-inning affairs.
"Yeah, but he sucked in the next series against the Red Sox!"
Straw man, you are making this far to easy.
The Yankees started off the 2004 ALCS up 3-0, due in no small part to the fact that A-Rod went 6 for 14 with 2 doubles, a HR, 7 runs, and 3 RBI! Then in Game 4, A-Rod hit a 2-run homer to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the game that could easily have been the game that clinched the series for them.
So at this point in his career, Alex Rodriguez had had 88 postseason at bats. All he had done was hit .375, with a .414 OBP/.670 SLG/1.084 OPS. Those numbers are slightly better than Lou f'n Gehrig's career regular season OPS of 1.079. Not too shabby.
"Fine, but he choked in Games 4 through 7".
Straw man, you clearly have shit for brains!
First, like I already said, Rodriguez hit a go-ahead homer in Game 4. Granted, he went 0 for 3 after that at bat, but he still did his part that day.
The next day, A-Rod went 0 for 4 with 2 walks. While obviously not a great performance, Game 5 was only a big game IN HINDSIGHT. The Yankees were up 3-1 in the series, with homefield awaiting in Game 6 and 7. They were still playing with the house's money at this point. You can't decide which at bats are clutch ex post facto. If nobody thought those plate appearances were crucial at the time, it's hard to make the case that Rodriguez crumbled under the pressure.
Rodriguez then went 1 for 4 in Game 6, which while not great, seems highly forgiveable, given his track record to that point. Finally A-Rod went 0 for 4 in Game 7. Not good. But what if you found out the Red Sox won 10-3 and were leading 6-0, by Rodriguez's second at bat. Had he hit 4 home runs, they still would have lost the game. In fact, if he hit a solo homer and a 2 run dinger in said game, they would probably remembered as "more meaningless A-Rod home runs".
This is where he first develops his reputation as a choke artist? In a post season in which he bats .320, with 3 HRs, 11 Rs, 8 RBI in 11 games. Absolutely ridiculous!
I can't defend the 3 for 29, Rodriguez has put up in the past two post seasons. But these things happen, even to great players. He has shown that he is capable of being brilliant in the playoffs before and he will again. Perhaps the only thing stopping him is the utter lack of support from his home fans. After hitting like Paste in Bases Loaded for 8 playoffs games, A-Rod was treated like a bumbling Fredo figure, dropping the revolver and letting the Yankees' World Series hopes get shot to shit in the last three. He must feel that he has to be super-human to please Yankees' fans. That can't be a good thing to have in your head, as you step to the plate in a big spot.
(Check www.baseballreference.com to verify all stats)
In his 53 postseason at bats prior to joining the Yankees, A-Rod batted .340, with 3 doubles and 3 HRs. He was good for a .375 OBP/.566 SLG/.941 OPS. His career regular season OPS is .962, which places him among the handful of greatest players in the history of the sport. The difference between .941 and .962 is
a) completely statistically irrelevant based on the number of at bats and
b) less than one would expect given that
1) teams with bad pitching rarely make the playoffs
2) 5th starters never pitch in the playoffs
3) the ass-end of bullpens rarely see the light of day in the postseason
By now, you should be convinced that Rodriguez was an excellent postseason hitter, before becoming a member of the Yankees. But what of his playoff performance in New York?
Alex Rodriguez's was phenomenal in his first Yankees playoff series. In the 2004 ALDS against the Twins, Rodriguez went 8 for 19, with 3 doubles and a home run. For those sabermetrically inclined, he put up a .476 OBP/.737 SLG/1.213 OPS.
"Surely he compiled these numbers in the midst of blowouts, right?"
Not at all, straw man. Allow me to walk you through it.
After losing Game 1, the Yankees were in nearly a must win situation in Game 2. They could not afford to go down 2-0 in a best of 5 series. Alex Rodriguez broke a 3-3 tie in the 5th inning with a home run. He then singled in a run in the 7th to extend the lead to 5-3. The resilient Twins rallied back to tie the game up in the 8th inning. The game remained knotted at 5-5 until the 12th inning, when Rodriguez came up with runners on first and second. He proceded to blast a game-winning ground-rule double into the gap.
A-Rod's Game 2 Numbers: 4 for 6, a double, a HR, 2 Rs, 3 RBI. He was the only player on the team with more than one hit. He put the Yankees ahead twice, including the game winning hit in the 12th inning. Certifiably clutch performance.
Up 2-1, going into Game 4, the Yankees needed a win in order to avoid playing a deciding Game 5 in Minnesota. In the 9th inning of a 5-5 tie, Alex Rodriguez led off the inning with a double. That his teammates couldn't drive him home does not make this hit any less clutch.
Still tied in the 11th, A-Rod ripped a one out double. He then stole third base. He then scored on a wild pitch. So he single-handedly scored the winning run of Game 5. Unquestionably, Alex Rodriguez was the MVP of the 2004 ALDS, saving his best games for the two hard-fought extra-inning affairs.
"Yeah, but he sucked in the next series against the Red Sox!"
Straw man, you are making this far to easy.
The Yankees started off the 2004 ALCS up 3-0, due in no small part to the fact that A-Rod went 6 for 14 with 2 doubles, a HR, 7 runs, and 3 RBI! Then in Game 4, A-Rod hit a 2-run homer to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the game that could easily have been the game that clinched the series for them.
So at this point in his career, Alex Rodriguez had had 88 postseason at bats. All he had done was hit .375, with a .414 OBP/.670 SLG/1.084 OPS. Those numbers are slightly better than Lou f'n Gehrig's career regular season OPS of 1.079. Not too shabby.
"Fine, but he choked in Games 4 through 7".
Straw man, you clearly have shit for brains!
First, like I already said, Rodriguez hit a go-ahead homer in Game 4. Granted, he went 0 for 3 after that at bat, but he still did his part that day.
The next day, A-Rod went 0 for 4 with 2 walks. While obviously not a great performance, Game 5 was only a big game IN HINDSIGHT. The Yankees were up 3-1 in the series, with homefield awaiting in Game 6 and 7. They were still playing with the house's money at this point. You can't decide which at bats are clutch ex post facto. If nobody thought those plate appearances were crucial at the time, it's hard to make the case that Rodriguez crumbled under the pressure.
Rodriguez then went 1 for 4 in Game 6, which while not great, seems highly forgiveable, given his track record to that point. Finally A-Rod went 0 for 4 in Game 7. Not good. But what if you found out the Red Sox won 10-3 and were leading 6-0, by Rodriguez's second at bat. Had he hit 4 home runs, they still would have lost the game. In fact, if he hit a solo homer and a 2 run dinger in said game, they would probably remembered as "more meaningless A-Rod home runs".
This is where he first develops his reputation as a choke artist? In a post season in which he bats .320, with 3 HRs, 11 Rs, 8 RBI in 11 games. Absolutely ridiculous!
I can't defend the 3 for 29, Rodriguez has put up in the past two post seasons. But these things happen, even to great players. He has shown that he is capable of being brilliant in the playoffs before and he will again. Perhaps the only thing stopping him is the utter lack of support from his home fans. After hitting like Paste in Bases Loaded for 8 playoffs games, A-Rod was treated like a bumbling Fredo figure, dropping the revolver and letting the Yankees' World Series hopes get shot to shit in the last three. He must feel that he has to be super-human to please Yankees' fans. That can't be a good thing to have in your head, as you step to the plate in a big spot.
(Check www.baseballreference.com to verify all stats)
Pink Bats Are Gay
I hate to be SYHD's resident insensitive prick, but the shoe fits so well...
Rarely will I use this space to get my Ralph Kramden on, but come on. Can we just let men be men, at least while playing sports? The pink wrist bands and bats on Mothers' Day are really irritating. I can sympathize with anybody who has suffered from, or knows anyone who suffered from "women cancer". My own mother had breast cancer several years ago. Any effort to eradicate this awful disease is noble. However, there has to be a better way to raise awareness than giving the appearance that you have turned over accessorizing duties to a 4 year old girl.
Tremont: Master Prognosticator
I wrote this on April 30; "The Bulls are even better than I thought. I think they will represent the East in the NBA Finals. They don't have any weaknesses and now have a star to carry them in Luol Deng".
On April 21, I opined "Everyone is talking about how Golden State swept the 3 regular season games between these two teams. I don't think this is particularly relevant, because the first game was played during the Mavs' 0-4 start and the last two occured after Dallas had all but locked up the 1 seed... Mavs in 5." And this "I think Houston will make relatively short work of Utah...Houston in 5, with a genuine chance of going all the way."
Had I been around at the time, I probably would have warned Columbus that he was going to sail off the face of the Earth.
On April 21, I opined "Everyone is talking about how Golden State swept the 3 regular season games between these two teams. I don't think this is particularly relevant, because the first game was played during the Mavs' 0-4 start and the last two occured after Dallas had all but locked up the 1 seed... Mavs in 5." And this "I think Houston will make relatively short work of Utah...Houston in 5, with a genuine chance of going all the way."
Had I been around at the time, I probably would have warned Columbus that he was going to sail off the face of the Earth.
Least recognizable president in U.S. History
The award for least recognizable president in U.S. History goes to 15th president James Buchanan. Has anybody heard of this idiot?
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Met-ro Sexuals
Because uniforms were not enough to identify the Mets as teammates, the players collectively decided to shave their heads. I can't decide if this act is more juvenile or gay.
Seriously, if your co-workers approached you with the idea of getting the same haircut as a show of solidarity, the two most appropriate responses would be "What are you 10 years old?" or "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea, but I am heterosexual".
*Seriously, if your co-workers approached you with the idea of getting the same haircut as a show of solidarity, the two most appropriate responses would be "What are you 10 years old?" or "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea, but I am heterosexual".
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I am still waiting for Mike Pelfrey to show even a glimpse that he might one day become a quality Major Leaguer. Even when a future star struggles, you usually at least see SOME flashes of brilliance. Pelfrey doesn't strike anybody and walks a lot of guys. Not a good combination.
Friday, May 11, 2007
And this Ricky just loves that sticky-icky-icky
Can Ricky Williams possibly have ANY desire to play football? I honestly don't think he cares about playing at all. One year after being suspended, and one month from being reinstated, he got busted again for smoking sensimilia.
This is humorous because he was on the Dan Patrick show (ESPN Radio) last month and was asked a series of questions about his marijuana use. He claimed that he had just been tested 5 minutes earlier, and that he hadn't gotten high in 3 years. To quote Lisa Turtle, this might happen "when worms have ears."
Some of us quit our youthful marijuana habits to function better for our $40,000 a year jobs, that might not even test for drugs. This guy couldn't quit his tree habit for a multi-million dollar job that basically offers you a choice of which smoking-hot model you want to take home each night, and one that 100% definitely WILL test for marijuana.
Maybe paranoia and the munchies really are better than fame and fortune.
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