- The joys of being a fantasy owner: Your quarterback is David Garrard. While David Garrard is a good NFL quarterback, he's a game manager on a team that would prefer to run the ball all day, bad recipe for fantasy success. Since you're in a keeper league, your pickings are a little slim. The best chance for big production out of the QB spot? Matt Schaub, Mr. Pencil me in for 5 missed games due to injury. You decide to roll the dice because he has so many weapons and so much ability. 24 hours later, you sit down to watch some preseason football...and Schaub sprains his ankle.
- Ricky Rubio decides to stay in Spain for at least 2 years. This despite TWolves president David Kahn travelling out to Spain and putting an agreement to buyout Rubio from his club in writing before Rubio himself nixed the deal. Nice to see that diva behavior isn't limited to American teenagers.
- The Seahawks sign Edgerrin James because they realized what everyone else following the league knew: their RB situation stank. Of course, given that James is over 30 and couldn't hack it for the last 3 years in Arizona, their RB situation still stinks. Add in that 2/5 of their starting OLine is out, and that opening game at home versus the St. Louis Rams is looking like a tough win...excuse me while I go throw up.
- The Tampa Rays trade Scott Kazmir to the Angles for a 2 players, a bag of balls, and 4 tickets to Disneyland. This is what happens when your team has finite resources (in other words, you don't root for the Yankees, Mets, or Red Sox), but it's still a crying shame that it makes sense for Tampa to trade one of their top 4 starting pitchers to a team they would face in the first round of the playoffs if they made it. If you're a Red Sox fan, you're especially upset as you are much more likely to be the team that faces the Angles in the first round of the playoffs, and Kazmir owns your guys.
- And finally, Curt Schilling is interested in Ted Kennedy's now-vacant Senate seat. This is clearly a joke, but someone might want to tell Curt that, as I'm not sure he understands it.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
The other story from the Track and Field World Championships
Of course, the #1 story is Usain Bolt ravaging the record books in the 100 and 200 meters for the 2nd year in a row. For Track and Field's sake, I really hope he's clean. Track needs Usain Bolt, and they need him scandal-free. What a talent.
Which brings us to the other sprinting story from Worlds: the US 4x100 relay team, which was disqualified for making one of their 3 baton passes outside of the allowed zone in the semis. Plus, one of their other passes in the race was almost a disaster. All this after the US team was DQd in Beijing for a bad pass.
As a fan of US Track and Field, I'm incredibly disappointed. As a former sprinter (and 4x100 runner), I am absolutely disgusted by the recent US 4x100 performances.
Yes, unlike every other relay, the baton passes are important in the 4x100, as bad passes can ruin the momentum a sprinter has built up and be the difference between 1st and 2nd or 3rd place. However, this isn't rocket science. Most of what goes into baton passing is pretty standard.
1) The hand you carry the baton in is the opposite hand of what the guy before you and the guy after you uses. For example, if the leadoff guy carries the baton in his left hand, the 2nd leg will carry it in his right hand, and so on. Usually, you give the anchor leg the choice, and everyone else falls in line based on that.
2) If you are carrying the baton in your left hand, you move to the right edge of your lane when it's time to make the pass. The next runner stands on the left of the lane. This allows runner 1 to simply extend his arm straight out to make the pass, rather than trying to cross his arm over his body. Interestingly, I saw at least 3 teams in Beijing where this was not done, which defies belief.
3) The runner receiving the baton needs to start moving before his teammate gets to the passing area, which involves turning his back on his teammate coming in. Therefore, the teammate needs to yell at the 2nd guy to extend his hand when he is in range to make the pass. Usually the runner will yell "stick".
4) When the receiver hears the call, he needs to extend his arm back somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees, keeping his hand flat and his thumb out of the way. The flat hand is crucial, as this provides the most margin for error for the pass. It's tempting to cup your hand since you're going to need to grab the baton at the end of the pass, but a cupped hand means the pass placement has to be perfect, or the baton is getting dropped, and you look like idiots. The other usual problem is the thumb tries to close in before the baton has been placed in the outstretched hand, effectively playing defense on the pass.
5) The pass is the responsibility of the runner giving up the baton. What this means is you cannot let go of the baton until you know your teammate has it in his hand. Effectively, he needs to take it out of your hand. This means you need to have a secure grip on the baton, but not a death grip. If the baton his the ground during the pass, 99.9% of the time it's the fault of the guy giving up the baton.
As you can see, the basics of passing a baton are pretty basic and pretty consistent. The only variable is the receiver figuring out when he needs to start running. Again, after 20-30 minutes, this should be figured out. Assume you need to know this info about 3-4 guys, and that's 2 hours. Add in a little refresher the following day (say another hour, tops) and you should be good.
Look, nobody's perfect, and mistakes will happen, but occasionally. If you screw up the baton pass in 2008, you should NEVER screw it up the following year. The only explanation is guys aren't working on it. Even for the guys who are there to run the 100/200 or both as well, the relay comes later. You should be done with your individual work by the time the relays come around. And even if you're not quite done, it's a couple of hours tops.
The only explanation for the continued problems the US 4x100 relay teams encounter with their baton passing is one of the following: laziness, arrogance, or they just can't handle the pressure. I don't know which it is (I suspect it's parts of all three), but I am sure it's a total embarassment to fans of US Track and Field, as well as anyone who's ever been a sprinter.
Which brings us to the other sprinting story from Worlds: the US 4x100 relay team, which was disqualified for making one of their 3 baton passes outside of the allowed zone in the semis. Plus, one of their other passes in the race was almost a disaster. All this after the US team was DQd in Beijing for a bad pass.
As a fan of US Track and Field, I'm incredibly disappointed. As a former sprinter (and 4x100 runner), I am absolutely disgusted by the recent US 4x100 performances.
Yes, unlike every other relay, the baton passes are important in the 4x100, as bad passes can ruin the momentum a sprinter has built up and be the difference between 1st and 2nd or 3rd place. However, this isn't rocket science. Most of what goes into baton passing is pretty standard.
1) The hand you carry the baton in is the opposite hand of what the guy before you and the guy after you uses. For example, if the leadoff guy carries the baton in his left hand, the 2nd leg will carry it in his right hand, and so on. Usually, you give the anchor leg the choice, and everyone else falls in line based on that.
2) If you are carrying the baton in your left hand, you move to the right edge of your lane when it's time to make the pass. The next runner stands on the left of the lane. This allows runner 1 to simply extend his arm straight out to make the pass, rather than trying to cross his arm over his body. Interestingly, I saw at least 3 teams in Beijing where this was not done, which defies belief.
3) The runner receiving the baton needs to start moving before his teammate gets to the passing area, which involves turning his back on his teammate coming in. Therefore, the teammate needs to yell at the 2nd guy to extend his hand when he is in range to make the pass. Usually the runner will yell "stick".
4) When the receiver hears the call, he needs to extend his arm back somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees, keeping his hand flat and his thumb out of the way. The flat hand is crucial, as this provides the most margin for error for the pass. It's tempting to cup your hand since you're going to need to grab the baton at the end of the pass, but a cupped hand means the pass placement has to be perfect, or the baton is getting dropped, and you look like idiots. The other usual problem is the thumb tries to close in before the baton has been placed in the outstretched hand, effectively playing defense on the pass.
5) The pass is the responsibility of the runner giving up the baton. What this means is you cannot let go of the baton until you know your teammate has it in his hand. Effectively, he needs to take it out of your hand. This means you need to have a secure grip on the baton, but not a death grip. If the baton his the ground during the pass, 99.9% of the time it's the fault of the guy giving up the baton.
As you can see, the basics of passing a baton are pretty basic and pretty consistent. The only variable is the receiver figuring out when he needs to start running. Again, after 20-30 minutes, this should be figured out. Assume you need to know this info about 3-4 guys, and that's 2 hours. Add in a little refresher the following day (say another hour, tops) and you should be good.
Look, nobody's perfect, and mistakes will happen, but occasionally. If you screw up the baton pass in 2008, you should NEVER screw it up the following year. The only explanation is guys aren't working on it. Even for the guys who are there to run the 100/200 or both as well, the relay comes later. You should be done with your individual work by the time the relays come around. And even if you're not quite done, it's a couple of hours tops.
The only explanation for the continued problems the US 4x100 relay teams encounter with their baton passing is one of the following: laziness, arrogance, or they just can't handle the pressure. I don't know which it is (I suspect it's parts of all three), but I am sure it's a total embarassment to fans of US Track and Field, as well as anyone who's ever been a sprinter.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
I am shocked, shocked, to find that...
...Brett Favre changed his mind again.
Yes, that's right, Brett Favre's attempt to pass on the NFL was intercepted. The NFL's master of waffling added yet another flip flop to his legacy, deciding to come out of retirement to play for Minnesota.
Given everything that's been said and done over the last couple of months in the Favreverse, it's understandable that some of you might be a bit confused. I figured I'd lend you all my Brett Favre bull**** translator for his press conference:
What Brett said: "We had some great games against this organization. Some we won, some we lost."
What he means: "Yeah, sure we were 6-10 in Minnesota when I played in Green Bay. So what? In all 6 games that I decided to show up and stick to the game plan, we won. If my love of the game overwhelmed my job of not trying to do too much in those other 10 games, well, if that's wrong I don't want to be right."
What Brett said: "But I think that, in time, I've been welcomed today, it feels great."
What he means: "I can honestly say that at this time I have no plans to stab you guys in the back 6 months from now."
What Brett said: "Bottom line, this is football. Once you step into the huddle, I don't look at helmets, I look at faces."
What he means: "If the face looks properly appreciative of being a part of a game with the legendary me, I try to make the experience a little sweeter for that person by tossing him a football. It doesn't matter what helmet he's wearing, I can see how appreciative in his eyes. And let me tell you, sometimes, after a few games, my teammates forget just how appreciative they should be. They take playing a game with me for granted, just because they see me 6 days a week. But my opponents, they know how special it is to play in a game with me, and they know how special it is to catch one of the balls I throw."
What Brett said: "I think all the guys will know that I'm in it for the right reasons. And that's because I still love to play."
What he means: I love to play...as long as the temperature isn't below 55 degrees. Then I might do things that will get the game over with a little sooner so I can go inside and warm up."
What Brett said: "I still feel like I can help this team, or whichever team, that's willing to take a chance"
What he means: "Don't forget, I work for one guy: me. Stay on my good side, or all of a sudden I'll go colorblind out there on the field. And don't tell me to 'stay within the system' or some other garbage. I love Adrian Peterson, he helped me win my fantasy league last year (or so my kid tells me, I don't know how to turn on my computer). But I'm Brett Favre! No one wants to come to a Brett Favre game and see us run it 35 times. That's boring."
What Brett said: "There's people out there taking sides, you know, and whatever."
What he means: "Stop it Peter King, stop telling everyone how this is a mistake. I made you. And I can break you. Get back on the right side, or else..."
What Brett said: "This is not about revenge."
What he means: "This is entirely about revenge. Suck it Ted."
What Brett said: "You can't take away the 16 years in Green Bay, and that will be forever cherished by me."
What he means: "Green Bay loved me and paid attention to me for 16 years, and it ws good. Then they ignored me, so I moved on. The Jets loved me for about a season, then I just ddin't feel properly appreciated, so I moved on. Be warned, Brad. If you so much as look at another quarterback, I'm leaving so fast I'll leave tractor tire tracks on my way back to Mississippi."
What Brett said: "I think it's great for football."
What he means: "I'm a very important person who loves the game of football. You are all blessed to have the chance to watch me for one more season. Love me and shower me with attention!"
I hope this translator helped.
Yes, that's right, Brett Favre's attempt to pass on the NFL was intercepted. The NFL's master of waffling added yet another flip flop to his legacy, deciding to come out of retirement to play for Minnesota.
Given everything that's been said and done over the last couple of months in the Favreverse, it's understandable that some of you might be a bit confused. I figured I'd lend you all my Brett Favre bull**** translator for his press conference:
What Brett said: "We had some great games against this organization. Some we won, some we lost."
What he means: "Yeah, sure we were 6-10 in Minnesota when I played in Green Bay. So what? In all 6 games that I decided to show up and stick to the game plan, we won. If my love of the game overwhelmed my job of not trying to do too much in those other 10 games, well, if that's wrong I don't want to be right."
What Brett said: "But I think that, in time, I've been welcomed today, it feels great."
What he means: "I can honestly say that at this time I have no plans to stab you guys in the back 6 months from now."
What Brett said: "Bottom line, this is football. Once you step into the huddle, I don't look at helmets, I look at faces."
What he means: "If the face looks properly appreciative of being a part of a game with the legendary me, I try to make the experience a little sweeter for that person by tossing him a football. It doesn't matter what helmet he's wearing, I can see how appreciative in his eyes. And let me tell you, sometimes, after a few games, my teammates forget just how appreciative they should be. They take playing a game with me for granted, just because they see me 6 days a week. But my opponents, they know how special it is to play in a game with me, and they know how special it is to catch one of the balls I throw."
What Brett said: "I think all the guys will know that I'm in it for the right reasons. And that's because I still love to play."
What he means: I love to play...as long as the temperature isn't below 55 degrees. Then I might do things that will get the game over with a little sooner so I can go inside and warm up."
What Brett said: "I still feel like I can help this team, or whichever team, that's willing to take a chance"
What he means: "Don't forget, I work for one guy: me. Stay on my good side, or all of a sudden I'll go colorblind out there on the field. And don't tell me to 'stay within the system' or some other garbage. I love Adrian Peterson, he helped me win my fantasy league last year (or so my kid tells me, I don't know how to turn on my computer). But I'm Brett Favre! No one wants to come to a Brett Favre game and see us run it 35 times. That's boring."
What Brett said: "There's people out there taking sides, you know, and whatever."
What he means: "Stop it Peter King, stop telling everyone how this is a mistake. I made you. And I can break you. Get back on the right side, or else..."
What Brett said: "This is not about revenge."
What he means: "This is entirely about revenge. Suck it Ted."
What Brett said: "You can't take away the 16 years in Green Bay, and that will be forever cherished by me."
What he means: "Green Bay loved me and paid attention to me for 16 years, and it ws good. Then they ignored me, so I moved on. The Jets loved me for about a season, then I just ddin't feel properly appreciated, so I moved on. Be warned, Brad. If you so much as look at another quarterback, I'm leaving so fast I'll leave tractor tire tracks on my way back to Mississippi."
What Brett said: "I think it's great for football."
What he means: "I'm a very important person who loves the game of football. You are all blessed to have the chance to watch me for one more season. Love me and shower me with attention!"
I hope this translator helped.
Monday, August 17, 2009
The Raiders are still the Raiders...
...and the inmates still run the asylum. Head coach Tom Cable was supposed to bring stability and passion to the team. He "made the team competitive" after Lane Kiffin was axed last season, so Oakland fans were optimistic. They were also trying to ignore the fact that no one wants to coach for Al Davis except for those who have no other options (like Cable).
And then we get news like this:
The assistant suffered a broken jaw, but didn't want to press charges.
And then we get news like this:
from espn.com:
Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable punched one of his assistants on Aug. 6 at the team's training camp headquarters in Napa, Calif., several media outlets reported on Monday.
The assistant suffered a broken jaw, but didn't want to press charges.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Goodell gets it right where Tagliabue didn't
Donte Stallworth got inebriated, got behind the wheel, then struck and killed a man when the man stepped out in front of his car. For this, Stallworth got 24 days in jail, 2 years of house arrest, 8 years probation, and a box of chocolates.
Roger Goodell determined that Stallworth merited further punishment, and suspended him for a year. This suspension is longer than Michael Vick got on top of his time in prison (minimum 4 games) and longer than Paul Tagliabue suspended Leonard Little for killing a woman as a result of a DUI.
Some people (mostly animal-rights activists) have resisted the arguments that Vick doesn't deserve an extra-long suspension based on the precedent that was set with Little (8 games), saying that Little made a poor choice, and Vick is a poor human being. On one level, they have a point, Vick is likely a worse person than Stallworth*.
However, results matter to a league looking to protect his image. As awful as torturing and killing dogs is, it pales in comparison to killing a human. Stallworth has looked very remorseful, and has taken responsibility from the outset, but at the end of the day, he still killed a human being. Goodell got it right, and if this keeps one NFL player from driving drunk, it's well beyond worth it.
*Note: I don't include Little here because 6 years after he killed someone while driving drunk, he was caught driving drunk again. That is inexcusable and, in my opinion, should have resulted in a year's suspension from the NFL. Since he beat the drunk driving charge, he got nothing.
Roger Goodell determined that Stallworth merited further punishment, and suspended him for a year. This suspension is longer than Michael Vick got on top of his time in prison (minimum 4 games) and longer than Paul Tagliabue suspended Leonard Little for killing a woman as a result of a DUI.
Some people (mostly animal-rights activists) have resisted the arguments that Vick doesn't deserve an extra-long suspension based on the precedent that was set with Little (8 games), saying that Little made a poor choice, and Vick is a poor human being. On one level, they have a point, Vick is likely a worse person than Stallworth*.
However, results matter to a league looking to protect his image. As awful as torturing and killing dogs is, it pales in comparison to killing a human. Stallworth has looked very remorseful, and has taken responsibility from the outset, but at the end of the day, he still killed a human being. Goodell got it right, and if this keeps one NFL player from driving drunk, it's well beyond worth it.
*Note: I don't include Little here because 6 years after he killed someone while driving drunk, he was caught driving drunk again. That is inexcusable and, in my opinion, should have resulted in a year's suspension from the NFL. Since he beat the drunk driving charge, he got nothing.
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