I wrote 2275 words on Tuesday night for my weekly column here at SBNation – Dallas. And then, things changed on Wednesday morning. So, with that in mind, let me offer you another few hundred at the very top. And then, starting with the Mike Modano stuff, you will find the originally intended content. That will also explain how World Cup stuff is covered twice. I would apologize to you for too much soccer talk in my column if I was truly sorry. But, I am not. The World Cup has been that good.
USA ------------------------------------------------
I hope you didn’t miss the moment.
By that, I mean, I hope you have been following the entire generation of US Soccer. The moment, was merely a moment. But, the story is really over a decade in the making.
You see, France 1998 was a very humiliating time for US Soccer. We were beaten badly and dismissed as the 32nd best team in a 32 team field. It was clear that while we were now clearly better than our neighbors in Canada and Guatemala, we were not close to being a consistent threat to play with the big boys in the World Cup.
I hope you saw Landon Donovan back in 2000 play in the Summer Olympics and debut with the senior national team as such a young teenager.
I hope you woke up at 3:30 in the morning in 2002 to watch our boys upset Portugal and then ultimately knock our rivals, Mexico, out in the knockout stage. It was wonderful.
I also hope you were excited and then devastated by the 2006 World Cup. We obviously did not finish the Bruce Arena era properly. 1 goal scored? No wins? Surely we were way better than 2006 showed. What happened to the promise of Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley? And who was this new star from Texas, Clint Dempsey?
I hope you have followed the legacy of the US goalkeepers. From Meola to Keller to Friedel to Howard. Somehow, we grow goalies like few other countries. If only we could find defenders of the same quality.
I hope you have followed to qualifiers. All of those amazingly rewarding and gutting nights in El Salvador, Honduras, Chicago, and Salt Lake City. And then another trip to Azteca Stadium where we took the lead last summer, only to concede to the Mexicans in the final moments.
I hope you know about the Davies and Gooch injuries that we thought might derail our train. I hope you know about 5-0 in the Gold Cup Final. I hope you know about the Confederations Cup dream run last summer that started with that miracle against Egypt. I hope you know about the coach’s son who might be the real heart beat of the team.
If you know about all of this, then you fully comprehend why those 11 seconds on Wednesday morning brought tears to our eyes. You understand, and maybe you were right there with us.
This was not about beating Algeria. This was about Bob Bradley’s job. And Landon Donovan’s legacy. And US Soccer’s reputation. For the first time since 1930, the United States put out a soccer team that could win it’s group in the World Cup. For the first time, the US gained a result in the final game of group play.
So, if you are not sure why people are going on and on about the 11 seconds that it took the ball to go from Tim Howard to Landon to Jozy to Clint and back to Landon and into the net, please know this: It was about the decade-long journey. And it cannot be fully explained in an easy sound bite.
The dream may come to a screeching halt very soon, but we will always have the pride of these last 3 matches. The fact is we are not ready to win a World Cup as a nation. But, we have come so far. And you should not miss the rest of the journey.
Mike Modano Vs. The Stars -------------------------------
I must be honest; there are times on a given sports issue where bias seems to take over a bit. I think any journalist who claims that bias does not affect them is delusional or dishonest. Every last one of us has likes and dislikes in every facet of our life – and this forms are bias. We can fight it, and claim we call it like we see it; but, even then, the desire (even if it is subliminal) to cut someone slack or to crack down harder on another is always there.
That entire pretext brings us to the top story on my mind today: The case of Mike Modano vs the Dallas Stars. I hoped for months that a showdown was not going to ensue this summer, but son-of-a-gun, it appears here for all to consider.
So, Mike Modena, the obvious generational face of the franchise (and perhaps eternal face of the franchise) is near the end of his career. In fact, some would argue that the time has already come where it is not necessarily a given that he is an obvious choice to be in the line-up 82 nights a year. I don’t agree, but it is can at least be argued that if Brad Richards is your best center and Mike Ribera is your 2nd best, and Jamie Benn might be your best sooner than you think – well then Mike Modena makes little sense as a 4th line center that is supposed to be there to add physical strength and grit. In theory, he can provide someone fine play as a top 6 forward who gets PP time and plays with skill guys, but the fact is that the Stars greatest strength is his position.
What is interesting to note here is also the fact that the Stars have said that they want to be way tougher to play against down the middle of the ice. That is to mean that even though they have great talent down the middle, they are not exactly the type to physically dominate you. Richards is full of talent but far more offensively minded. Ribeiro is as finesse a center as there is in his own end, and Modano was never too far from being in the Lady Byng hunt himself. Benn, meanwhile, is trying to figure out the position for the first time in his life – but at the NHL level. Imagine his learning curve. And I haven’t even mentioned Tom Wandell.
Again, this all says that Modano might not be a fit.
But, how do you slam the door on your icon? In a public opinion poll, it is clear that Stars fans would side with Modano in any battle between the two sides. But, Joe Nieuwendyk isn’t here to make you feel warm and fuzzy. He is here to attempt to dazzle you with a winning team.
He is also here to not live in the vortex of 1999 where the Stanley Cup memory is this franchise’s greatest strength and greatest weakness. It brings a legacy to build upon, but it also keeps people in a time machine of memories, causing them to want to reassemble that team again. But, you cannot go back to 1999 no matter how bad you want to.
So, enter my bias. I love everything that Mike Modano stands for. I love the fact that he is as down to earth as a millionaire athlete that is married to celebrity wife can be. I love the fact that he has shown class at every turn and played his rear end off.
But, I also appreciate this franchise’s desire to move on. At least, I assume that Nieuwendyk is looking to move on. He cut the cords with Marty Turco last month, and now I am thinking he is planning the same with Modano. Thanks for the memories, but now we are moving along. Could Modano help the team this year? Sure. But, will he be a regular contributor for the next contending Stars’ team? Doubtful.
They want to forge a new identity. So how do they sell this?
They don’t. If they want to move on, they will lose the PR battle at the moment of truth, but then you and I will tune in and wonder if they are any good. If they are, then we will forget the summer that they said goodbye to Turco and Modano. If they are not any good, then the streak grows to 3 years of no playoffs.
Bottom line: this is not a good team. For us to argue hard that they should keep it together is asinine. I am not saying Modano is the problem, of course. But, I cannot with a clean conscience ask Nieuwendyk to rebuild the team – but he has to keep Turco, Modano, and Jere Lehtinen, too. Where do we draw the line on Modano? For those of us who would love to see him again next season, I would have to wonder if you would endorse an arrangement where Mike can play as long as he wants? What if he wants to play 2 or 3 more years? What if he wants to play long after he becomes a very marginal NHL player?
I love Mike. I really do. But, given the obstacles facing the Stars already, (Read: Hicks, Tom) I don’t think it makes any sense for us to put parameters on how Joe figures these problems out.
He already has no money to accomplish this mission ($45m). If he can take 09-10 salaries from Turco ($6m), Modano ($3.5m), and Jere ($2.5m) and use that $12m on younger, newer players, then maybe he has a chance. You cannot possibly be serious about asking him to use 27% of that tiny payroll on players from the past and still ask him to build something out of nothing.
Now, maybe I am reading this all wrong. Maybe Joe is trading Ribeiro this weekend, and Mike is his #3 center. I doubt it, but maybe.
It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.
Too Much Sports? ------------------------------------------
I took my wife on a 15-year anniversary trip last week to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. Now, being married to me for 15 years is surely not a treat for my high-school sweetheart, but since she made it this far, I thought 4 days on the ocean in one of the most beautiful places on earth would be a reasonable milestone reward for her.
Part of the plan, of course, is that since rarely an hour goes by without a sports thought racing through my head, that maybe, just maybe this trip could be mostly sports free. In fairness to me, when I planned the trip 60 days ago, the prospect of missing this weekend didn’t seem like that big a deal.
At least, not until we found out that we were facing a Game 7 in the NBA Finals on Thursday night. And let’s not forget a whole weekend of US Open Golf. But, since my wife has known me since I was 5 years old, and since we have been “together” since 1989, she could tell that twitch I had during dinner on the ocean on Thursday night. She had no problem assisting me in finding a rare television in Mexico that had that Game 7 on, and we watched that 4th Quarter together (the way any girl wants to celebrate on her vacation). It was very romantic.
However, there was one thing that we never imagined would be the sports highlight of the trip. It was earlier that day at lunch. An innocent pursuit of Fish Tacos on Thursday at the Cabo Marina resulted in us finding an outdoor dining area in the shade with a place that bragged as having “the best fish tacos in Cabo”. And you know something? They were very tasty.
But what really happened next was something special. The place started coming alive because on the two televisions at the restaurant, Mexico was playing France in the World Cup. And if you have never experienced a World Cup Match in a country that truly cares about he result, then I must say you are missing an experience that is singular.
The place was on edge for the entire afternoon. People stopped doing what they were doing. Nobody minded the service being a bit slow because the cooks, the wait staff, the customers, and the people passing by at the marina were too distracted with the fate of their beloved Mexican National team. As a friend of the United States national team, I have often felt that “El Tri” is our enemy (and they are), but for once day, I greatly appreciated my Mexican neighbors and joined their ranks as I was swept away in this amazing experience.
You would look down the marina to other places that were having the same experience. You would see that the non-stop vendors had actually stopped. Traffic had stopped. Radios blared the game. Every television was on the same channel. And every man, woman, boy, and girl was personally invested in the outcome.
Mexico beat France that day, and for the rest of the weekend, when I wanted to work on my Spanish, I simply brought up the result to any person I saw, and it brought a huge smile to their face.
Why did I want to share this with you this week? Well, as a person that has spent my entire life immersed in sports, I often have deep thoughts about how we do things in the USA and how other countries are different. This is not some sermon on why soccer is great, because I realize that people often feel about soccer like they do about religion. They think what they think, and if you try too hard to change their mind they are likely to hold a grudge.
Therefore, I am not here to sell you on soccer. I am here to wonder what the USA sports fan would be like if we put all of our energy into one sport and one team. All they care about is soccer. Seriously. Almost every person I spoke to don’t really have a 2nd favorite sport. It is soccer. Soccer. And, more soccer. Same in England, where I visit periodically, and find their sports section in the newspaper to be roughly 90% soccer.
Meanwhile, in the USA, we have football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf, auto racing, and a dozen other sports. We have a full plate, and every person I know follows 3 or 4 sports fairly closely. In one sense, it gives us something to do at all times. In another sense, we have lost the meaning of being a die-hard fan.
If the Cowboys get eliminated from the playoffs in Minnesota, we are quick to move on because the Mavericks have a game tomorrow, and they are in first place! If the Mavericks get bounced from the playoffs, no problem! – the Rangers are just getting going. And when the Rangers run into a wall in the summer/autumn, the Cowboys are there again to pick up the torch and run. We do not mourn the death of another sports season very long before we latch on to our next “favorite sport”.
This allows for a few things: Constant sports stimulation and No period of sports mourning.
The first element is awesome, the second is unfortunate. You see part of being as obsessed about your team as Mexico is about their team is that this is all they care about. If they lose in this World Cup (and they will), they will want a coach fired and changes to be made and they will stew about this sad result for months and maybe even years. Yes, they also love their club teams, but cheering for Mexico is the ultimate.
Meanwhile, we love our teams – but they compete for our heart. I run into so many people who love the Longhorns or Aggies or Sooners or Red Raiders or Bears or Horned Frogs, AND then the Cowboys, Mavericks and Rangers. They love them all, and the order is based on which one has the best chance of winning it all right now. Deep down inside they likely have a true love (usually the Cowboys), but they now split their heart 4 or 5 different ways.
To achieve full sports happiness, they would have to pull off an amazing year where all 4 or 5 favorite teams won their respective titles at the same time! A completely impossible dream. Meanwhile, it would seem almost impossible to fully feel the depths of despair felt by the 1-sport people. Our allegiances are spread too many directions. We are sports polygamists. We chop our love in 5 directions. There is no way that you can feel the love, joy, despair, or defeat the same way when your heart is split 5 ways.
Listen, I love the USA sports scene. It has made me a fine living and It has made me obsessed with sports every day of the year – and every year of my life. But, for a moment last week, I looked around Mexico and wondered how different everything would be if we all only cared about, say the NFL or MLB. What if every other sport vanished? How would that change your obsession level over every Cowboys win or loss? Every signing and every morsel of news? It would be insane. And when the season ended, it would be like a relative died. You would mourn for months. You would truly know what being a die-hard is all about.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The Morning After: USA 1, Algeria 0
I hope you didn’t miss the moment.
By that, I mean, I hope you have been following the entire generation of US Soccer. The moment, was merely a moment. But, the story is really over a decade in the making.
You see, France 1998 was a very humiliating time for US Soccer. We were beaten badly and dismissed as the 32nd best team in a 32 team field. It was clear that while we were now clearly better than our neighbors in Canada and Guatemala, we were not close to being a consistent threat to play with the big boys in the World Cup.
I hope you saw Landon Donovan back in 2000 play in the Summer Olympics and debut with the senior national team as such a young teenager.
I hope you woke up at 3:30 in the morning in 2002 to watch our boys upset Portugal and then ultimately knock our rivals, Mexico, out in the knockout stage. It was wonderful.
I also hope you were excited and then devastated by the 2006 World Cup. We obviously did not finish the Bruce Arena era properly. 1 goal scored? No wins? Surely we were way better than 2006 showed. What happened to the promise of Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley? And who was this new star from Texas, Clint Dempsey?
I hope you have followed the legacy of the US goalkeepers. From Meola to Keller to Friedel to Howard. Somehow, we grow goalies like few other countries. If only we could find defenders of the same quality.
I hope you have followed the qualifiers. All of those amazingly rewarding and gutting nights in El Salvador, Honduras, Chicago, and Salt Lake City. And then another trip to Azteca Stadium where we took the lead last summer, only to concede to the Mexicans in the final moments.
I hope you know about the Davies and Gooch injuries that we thought might derail our train. I hope you know about 5-0 in the Gold Cup Final. I hope you know about the Confederations Cup dream run last summer that started with that miracle against Egypt. I hope you know about the coach’s son who might be the real heart beat of the team.
If you know about all of this, then you fully comprehend why those 11 seconds on Wednesday morning brought tears to our eyes. You understand, and maybe you were right there with us.
This was not about beating Algeria. This was about Bob Bradley’s job. And Landon Donovan’s legacy. And US Soccer’s reputation. For the first time since 1930, the United States put out a soccer team that could win it’s group in the World Cup. For the first time, the US gained a result in the final game of group play.
So, if you are not sure why people are going on and on about the 11 seconds that it took the ball to go from Tim Howard to Landon to Jozy to Clint and back to Landon and into the net, please know this: It was about the decade-long journey. And it cannot be fully explained in an easy sound bite.
The dream may come to a screeching halt very soon, but we will always have the pride of these last 3 matches. The fact is we are not ready to win a World Cup as a nation. But, we have come so far. And you should not miss the rest of the journey.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
NHL Draft Column
Click Here to see the Story I wrote this week for DallasStars.com about this weekend's draft.
Or Don't.
Or Don't.
Monday, June 21, 2010
SB Nation Week 2
On Tuesday morning, June 15, the Rangers found themselves both 63 games into the 2010 season, and in 1st Place by the narrowest of 1 game margins. Nevertheless, the team’s mantra of “it’s time” seemed highly debatable at moments. Do the Rangers have the necessary depth and supplies to hold off a hard charging Angels squad that can never be fully counted out? It would seem their bench is extremely thin, their rotation is in need of help, and they still await Nelson Cruz’s health and Ian Kinsler’s bat.
But, through it all, they are 99 games from the finish line, in 1st place in a mediocre AL West, and feeling ok about their position – given the complete and total disconnect with any sort of resources that resemble purse strings or the help of an actual owner who could fix some of the issues that they have. If they only had an owner.
As you look at the Rangers’ season, it is clear what is making this team click. They entered the season with some gigantic question marks from a number of their players, but Colby Lewis, CJ Wilson, and Vladimir Guerrero, who were all thought to be gambles at their positions have paid off in large fashion. All 3 have not only met, but exceeded all reasonable expectations through 10 weeks of the season. If they continue these levels of production, anyone who follows this team will have no choice but to admit extreme delight.
Others, like the aforementioned Kinsler and Scott Feldman were expected to make runs at their 2009 seasons. So far, that looks like an extreme long-shot(although there are many who would suggest Kinsler’s 2009 wasn’t so hot, either – me, I think 30/30 is better than most years from 2B).
JOSH HAMILTON ------------------------------------------
But, I would very much like to visit a bit this week about the curious case of one of the most fascinating stories in 2010 that has perhaps not received the ink it deserves: Josh Hamilton.
Whenever I talk about Josh, I am left without feeling like I have enough evidence to know what he is. But, on Sunday, he surpassed 1500 ABs in his major league career, so it is time that we should feel like we know what to expect, right?
Well, as of about a month ago, it was often being said that the 2008 season of Josh Hamilton (32 HR, 130 RBI) – a season where he appeared to be making a MVP run for much of the summer – might just be a faded memory that will not be indicative of future results. His 2009 was far more pedestrian (10 HR, 54 RBI), and the gulf between those two seasons was the difference between a superstar and a guy.
So which was he? And how do you sign him to a contract? Is he an All-Star CF who can drive in 130 runs? Or is he an average LF who cannot seem to come up with a hit when you need it? Of course, when you add in the off-field adventures of J-Ham, which is certainly eventful enough that you could write a book about it (He did!), you can understand the lack of clarity on the issue of contract extension as it pertains to the Rangers decision which is looming.
Luckily for the Rangers, they always could fall back on the year-to-year arrangement that arbitration provides for those who lack service time. With 3 years of ML service time entering the season, the Rangers could actually do this all the way the 2012 season. They settled on $3.25m in 2010 (year 4) and are tickled with the results so far.
Below are Josh Hamilton’s statistics from Opening Day to June 13th of the last 3 years:
2008: 18 HR, 72 RBI .319/.362/.599 279 ABs
2009: 6 HR, 24 RBI .240/.290/.456 125 ABs
2010: 15 HR, 46 RBI, .309/.357/.576 243 ABs
Understanding that 2008 was insane (Josh had 72 RBI in 67 games), it is easy to wonder why more people are not talking about Josh’s great start to 2010. Especially, if you consider his April was nothing to write home about (.265/.351/.494), but May (.294/.322/.505) saw his HRs start to shoot up and his run production really soared. Then, his first 51 ABs in June (.412/.444/.863) have been positively silly.
The Rangers have problems with their roster and their line-up. But, if Cruz can get and stay healthy, and IF Vladdy and Josh continue what they have started, you can understand why Jon Daniels may feel like he could already have what he needs in the offensive department.
As for the question about what do you do with Josh with regards to an extension, I suppose you just continue to wait. But, if the ownership situation is resolved this season, and if he finishes 2010 with another season where his RBI totals require 3 digits, you might attempt to get some salary certainty for both parties this winter.
And then JD and Nolan can figure out what to do with the other contract issues on the horizon: CJ Wilson, Nelson Cruz, and of course, young Elvis gets closer to scaring Rangers’ fans to death with each tick of the clock on his service time. And if you think I am crazy, check back in 2 years if he is still not extended. But, that is another issue for another day.
NBA FINALS -------------------------------------
Win or Lose, I have come to the conclusion during these NBA Playoffs that the Boston Celtics are certainly worthy of mimicking. What a run they have been on, and the fact that the 2010 Finals so closely resemble the 2008 Finals where they drag the cocky and confident Los Angeles Lakers out into the deep waters and make them fight for every breath just makes you marvel at what their team concept is capable of.
Home Court advantage in Games 6 and 7 could prove to be the saving grace for the Lakers, but if they do pull the rabbit out of the hat, it will still not erase the Celtics imprint on all of our minds about what team basketball and a team attitude can accomplish.
In 2008, they swarmed and frustrated Kobe Bryant and finished a storybook campaign that most thought was far fetched when they assembled various parts from various places the summer before. Then, in a year where LeBron James was pretty much presented with the NBA Title back around Christmas, the Celtics made the Cavs cry for their mommies in 6 brutal games a month ago.
Doc Rivers seems to generally out-coach his opponents with his team that appears to contain 12 mentally-hard, physically-strong soldiers that do his bidding. The players that come off the bench may not possess the talent, but they certainly possess the resolve.
Of course, as a Mavericks’ obsessed observer of the 2010 Playoffs, I continue to look at the current evolution of the Mavericks and wonder how our Mavs could deal with either of these two teams over 2 weeks of fists, knees, collisions, and pain. Actually, I am pretty sure I know how they would deal with it: Not well.
So, is it the coach who puts this mentality in his players? Or is it the players who are just waiting to be assembled in such a way that you might think they are a pack of Dobermans? Of course, the answer is both. It takes both to be able to have the mental and physical resolve to survive this time of year. You cannot have a meek team that can survive the gauntlet. It requires a relentless spirit that will not be denied. And during an NBA Finals where we are wondering whether the Lakers have enough resolve, I fear to think what the Mavericks might do against Doc Rivers and his team.
Watch what the Celtics have done against Kobe Bryant. The greatest competitor in this generation of the NBA, Bryant has spent most of Games 3, 4, and 5 making shots from 20-25 feet away. Now, make no mistake, he has done very well, but this idea that he can get to the rim whenever he feels like it is just not true.
Meanwhile, Pau Gasol has been the real key. The Celtics have known that “Kobe will get his” and that they need to keep another player from dominating. Gasol has been riding shot gun with Kobe for a few years now, and some have mistakenly assumed that Gasol is a superstar. He, is not, of course, and the Celtics have proven this for much of the series. If you pound on him, he will show courage early, but can he stay relentless for 2 weeks? Or, if dealt punishment from Perkins, Garnett, Davis, and Wallace, would Gasol slowly but surely change his game?
Yes, he would. He has meekly faded out of these games. He has been bruised and battered and has changed these games in a negative fashion for the Lakers. At times, Kobe has looked like he is out there by himself. Ron Artest is not capable of helping on offense. Lamar Odom has proven he will disappear when you need him most. But, Gasol was the Lakers hope. And if the Lakers are to pull this trick off in Games 6 and 7 at home, Gasol will have to dig deep and find another performance inside of him that most think might be done for the summer.
Could Dirk survive a similar onslaught? Especially without Kobe’s help? Forgive me, but this NBA Finals has made me grow a bit more pessimistic on the immediate future of my favorite NBA Franchise.
Only the strong survive in this sport. And, strength might be the Mavs biggest weakness.
NFC EAST -------------------------------------
There are not many things that bring me great sporting joy after the NHL and NBA Finals wrap up in the sports calendar. Sure, the US Open is wonderful and Wimbledon will kill some time, too. The World Cup this year will make time fly, but most late June to Labor Day stretches are not very sports-awesome. I do enjoy baseball, but for me, it is generally contingent on the baseball in question being of great quality, and if you also follow the Rangers, you know how appetizing 14 games back on the 4th of July generally is.
I said all that to say this: There is some joy to be found in various NFL wise-men coming down from on high to share with us their initial thoughts about what teams we should fear when the greatest league in the whole wide world fires up for business in early September to give us roughly 22 straight weeks of pure sports joy.
And this week, the honor went to Rick Gosselin, he of the Dallas Morning News, who offered his first “Power Poll” of 2010. Even he admits it is early and that nobody had the Saints winning the Super Bowl last year (wait a minute, I did!!!), but it is always sure fun to see what the “Goose” thinks.
I invite you to read it all, but a quick look shows that he expects the Super Bowl in Arlington, Texas to contain the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys. That, of course, would be both a rematch of Super Bowl V, and the first time ever that a team has played a Super Bowl in their home stadium. This will make Jerry Jones explode with delight if his master plan actually comes to fruition. Wow, what a day that would be.
Then again, based on the idea that almost none of the June predictions ever come true, I suppose that would make this the ultimate kiss of death. Anyway, if you read on, you see that he has the Saints at #8 (as they will not be able to find the magic again on defense), The Vikings at #6 with all 22 starters back (Favre pending), and the rest of the NFC East looking rather weak: Giants #13, Eagles #16, and Redskins in at #25.
That is the first time in recent memory that I don’t recall seeing 3 NFC East teams in the Top 10, so if he is right, perhaps the Cowboys will be allowed a bit of breathing room as they attempt to get some home-field advantage in January, too; Thus, avoiding the Metrodome this year, and never having to board a plane once in the post season.
You and Jerry surely hope.
But, through it all, they are 99 games from the finish line, in 1st place in a mediocre AL West, and feeling ok about their position – given the complete and total disconnect with any sort of resources that resemble purse strings or the help of an actual owner who could fix some of the issues that they have. If they only had an owner.
As you look at the Rangers’ season, it is clear what is making this team click. They entered the season with some gigantic question marks from a number of their players, but Colby Lewis, CJ Wilson, and Vladimir Guerrero, who were all thought to be gambles at their positions have paid off in large fashion. All 3 have not only met, but exceeded all reasonable expectations through 10 weeks of the season. If they continue these levels of production, anyone who follows this team will have no choice but to admit extreme delight.
Others, like the aforementioned Kinsler and Scott Feldman were expected to make runs at their 2009 seasons. So far, that looks like an extreme long-shot(although there are many who would suggest Kinsler’s 2009 wasn’t so hot, either – me, I think 30/30 is better than most years from 2B).
JOSH HAMILTON ------------------------------------------
But, I would very much like to visit a bit this week about the curious case of one of the most fascinating stories in 2010 that has perhaps not received the ink it deserves: Josh Hamilton.
Whenever I talk about Josh, I am left without feeling like I have enough evidence to know what he is. But, on Sunday, he surpassed 1500 ABs in his major league career, so it is time that we should feel like we know what to expect, right?
Well, as of about a month ago, it was often being said that the 2008 season of Josh Hamilton (32 HR, 130 RBI) – a season where he appeared to be making a MVP run for much of the summer – might just be a faded memory that will not be indicative of future results. His 2009 was far more pedestrian (10 HR, 54 RBI), and the gulf between those two seasons was the difference between a superstar and a guy.
So which was he? And how do you sign him to a contract? Is he an All-Star CF who can drive in 130 runs? Or is he an average LF who cannot seem to come up with a hit when you need it? Of course, when you add in the off-field adventures of J-Ham, which is certainly eventful enough that you could write a book about it (He did!), you can understand the lack of clarity on the issue of contract extension as it pertains to the Rangers decision which is looming.
Luckily for the Rangers, they always could fall back on the year-to-year arrangement that arbitration provides for those who lack service time. With 3 years of ML service time entering the season, the Rangers could actually do this all the way the 2012 season. They settled on $3.25m in 2010 (year 4) and are tickled with the results so far.
Below are Josh Hamilton’s statistics from Opening Day to June 13th of the last 3 years:
2008: 18 HR, 72 RBI .319/.362/.599 279 ABs
2009: 6 HR, 24 RBI .240/.290/.456 125 ABs
2010: 15 HR, 46 RBI, .309/.357/.576 243 ABs
Understanding that 2008 was insane (Josh had 72 RBI in 67 games), it is easy to wonder why more people are not talking about Josh’s great start to 2010. Especially, if you consider his April was nothing to write home about (.265/.351/.494), but May (.294/.322/.505) saw his HRs start to shoot up and his run production really soared. Then, his first 51 ABs in June (.412/.444/.863) have been positively silly.
The Rangers have problems with their roster and their line-up. But, if Cruz can get and stay healthy, and IF Vladdy and Josh continue what they have started, you can understand why Jon Daniels may feel like he could already have what he needs in the offensive department.
As for the question about what do you do with Josh with regards to an extension, I suppose you just continue to wait. But, if the ownership situation is resolved this season, and if he finishes 2010 with another season where his RBI totals require 3 digits, you might attempt to get some salary certainty for both parties this winter.
And then JD and Nolan can figure out what to do with the other contract issues on the horizon: CJ Wilson, Nelson Cruz, and of course, young Elvis gets closer to scaring Rangers’ fans to death with each tick of the clock on his service time. And if you think I am crazy, check back in 2 years if he is still not extended. But, that is another issue for another day.
NBA FINALS -------------------------------------
Win or Lose, I have come to the conclusion during these NBA Playoffs that the Boston Celtics are certainly worthy of mimicking. What a run they have been on, and the fact that the 2010 Finals so closely resemble the 2008 Finals where they drag the cocky and confident Los Angeles Lakers out into the deep waters and make them fight for every breath just makes you marvel at what their team concept is capable of.
Home Court advantage in Games 6 and 7 could prove to be the saving grace for the Lakers, but if they do pull the rabbit out of the hat, it will still not erase the Celtics imprint on all of our minds about what team basketball and a team attitude can accomplish.
In 2008, they swarmed and frustrated Kobe Bryant and finished a storybook campaign that most thought was far fetched when they assembled various parts from various places the summer before. Then, in a year where LeBron James was pretty much presented with the NBA Title back around Christmas, the Celtics made the Cavs cry for their mommies in 6 brutal games a month ago.
Doc Rivers seems to generally out-coach his opponents with his team that appears to contain 12 mentally-hard, physically-strong soldiers that do his bidding. The players that come off the bench may not possess the talent, but they certainly possess the resolve.
Of course, as a Mavericks’ obsessed observer of the 2010 Playoffs, I continue to look at the current evolution of the Mavericks and wonder how our Mavs could deal with either of these two teams over 2 weeks of fists, knees, collisions, and pain. Actually, I am pretty sure I know how they would deal with it: Not well.
So, is it the coach who puts this mentality in his players? Or is it the players who are just waiting to be assembled in such a way that you might think they are a pack of Dobermans? Of course, the answer is both. It takes both to be able to have the mental and physical resolve to survive this time of year. You cannot have a meek team that can survive the gauntlet. It requires a relentless spirit that will not be denied. And during an NBA Finals where we are wondering whether the Lakers have enough resolve, I fear to think what the Mavericks might do against Doc Rivers and his team.
Watch what the Celtics have done against Kobe Bryant. The greatest competitor in this generation of the NBA, Bryant has spent most of Games 3, 4, and 5 making shots from 20-25 feet away. Now, make no mistake, he has done very well, but this idea that he can get to the rim whenever he feels like it is just not true.
Meanwhile, Pau Gasol has been the real key. The Celtics have known that “Kobe will get his” and that they need to keep another player from dominating. Gasol has been riding shot gun with Kobe for a few years now, and some have mistakenly assumed that Gasol is a superstar. He, is not, of course, and the Celtics have proven this for much of the series. If you pound on him, he will show courage early, but can he stay relentless for 2 weeks? Or, if dealt punishment from Perkins, Garnett, Davis, and Wallace, would Gasol slowly but surely change his game?
Yes, he would. He has meekly faded out of these games. He has been bruised and battered and has changed these games in a negative fashion for the Lakers. At times, Kobe has looked like he is out there by himself. Ron Artest is not capable of helping on offense. Lamar Odom has proven he will disappear when you need him most. But, Gasol was the Lakers hope. And if the Lakers are to pull this trick off in Games 6 and 7 at home, Gasol will have to dig deep and find another performance inside of him that most think might be done for the summer.
Could Dirk survive a similar onslaught? Especially without Kobe’s help? Forgive me, but this NBA Finals has made me grow a bit more pessimistic on the immediate future of my favorite NBA Franchise.
Only the strong survive in this sport. And, strength might be the Mavs biggest weakness.
NFC EAST -------------------------------------
There are not many things that bring me great sporting joy after the NHL and NBA Finals wrap up in the sports calendar. Sure, the US Open is wonderful and Wimbledon will kill some time, too. The World Cup this year will make time fly, but most late June to Labor Day stretches are not very sports-awesome. I do enjoy baseball, but for me, it is generally contingent on the baseball in question being of great quality, and if you also follow the Rangers, you know how appetizing 14 games back on the 4th of July generally is.
I said all that to say this: There is some joy to be found in various NFL wise-men coming down from on high to share with us their initial thoughts about what teams we should fear when the greatest league in the whole wide world fires up for business in early September to give us roughly 22 straight weeks of pure sports joy.
And this week, the honor went to Rick Gosselin, he of the Dallas Morning News, who offered his first “Power Poll” of 2010. Even he admits it is early and that nobody had the Saints winning the Super Bowl last year (wait a minute, I did!!!), but it is always sure fun to see what the “Goose” thinks.
I invite you to read it all, but a quick look shows that he expects the Super Bowl in Arlington, Texas to contain the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys. That, of course, would be both a rematch of Super Bowl V, and the first time ever that a team has played a Super Bowl in their home stadium. This will make Jerry Jones explode with delight if his master plan actually comes to fruition. Wow, what a day that would be.
Then again, based on the idea that almost none of the June predictions ever come true, I suppose that would make this the ultimate kiss of death. Anyway, if you read on, you see that he has the Saints at #8 (as they will not be able to find the magic again on defense), The Vikings at #6 with all 22 starters back (Favre pending), and the rest of the NFC East looking rather weak: Giants #13, Eagles #16, and Redskins in at #25.
That is the first time in recent memory that I don’t recall seeing 3 NFC East teams in the Top 10, so if he is right, perhaps the Cowboys will be allowed a bit of breathing room as they attempt to get some home-field advantage in January, too; Thus, avoiding the Metrodome this year, and never having to board a plane once in the post season.
You and Jerry surely hope.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Los Angeles Lakers Tattoo Report
Last Tattoo Report of the 2009-10 season takes us to the Los Angeles Lakers. Whether they win the NBA Finals against Boston has yet to be determined, but the defending NBA Champions will certainly not win the Tattoo title. After further review - Thanks to Alex - the Lakers have a respectable, but not special, 8 tattoos.
Unless my research is incorrect, those who I thought may have ink who apparently do not include Fisher (edit! Yes he does), Odom (edit! Yes, he does, too), and Bynum. I suppose they may have that hidden back tattoo, but I couldn't find a trace of it on the net.
As usual, my findings are done in a hasty search through google, so if I have something wrong, help me get it right.
Enjoy. And click on any "Y" to see a picture of their tattoos.
| Los Angeles Lakers Tattoo Roster | |
| Ron Artest | Y |
| Shannon Brown | Y |
| Kobe Bryant | Y |
| Andrew Bynum | N |
| Jordan Farmar | Y |
| Derek Fisher | Y |
| Pau Gasol | N |
| DJ Mbenga | N |
| Adam Morrison | N |
| Lamar Odom | Y |
| Josh Powell | Y |
| Sasha Vujacic | N |
| Luke Walton | Y |
| Totals | 8/13 |
Past Reports:
Boston Celtics 9/15
Phoenix Suns 5/14
San Antonio Spurs 9/15
Oklahoma City Thunder 2/13
Orlando Magic 9/13
Memphis Grizzlies 9/15
Denver Nuggets 9/13
Portland Trailblazers 8/14
Dallas Mavericks 6/13
Guy's Guide Classic: Good Old Days Syndrome - From June, 2000
The following is an essay from the Ticket "Guy's Guide" that I wrote back in June of the year 2000. It is the earliest recorded mention of "Good Ol Days Syndrome" that is in print. Hope you enjoy it, despite the fact that 10 years later, it appears a bit out-dated.
There is a sickness that has been taking over this world of ours. It was a sickness that struck our grandparents, our parents and will ultimately strike us all. G.OD.S. is not fatal, but it will make you bitter. Very bitter. Once G.O.D.S. strikes you, you will find yourself hammered with cynicism and the inner feeling that the happiest days of our planet happened already. In fact, once G.O.D.S. takes over your inner-being, unless you take the antidote--a large dose of reality--you may never be happy again.
For some, it is too late to be rescued from the pits of G.O.D.S. There is no reason for Bill Conlin, Dick Schapp, Mike Rhyner or Ken Burns to check the following list, for they are beyond all repair. But for others (40-somethings and up - Read On!) it is imperative you take the following seriously. Please take the following True/False test-
1. I believe the grass was greener and the sky bluer when I was a kid.
2. I believe that despite the fact all baseball players were white and from the United States, baseball was better in the 1930's than it is now.
3. I believe that despite the fact Babe Ruth was listed at 6' 2, 215, he was bigger than 6'5, 255, Mark McGwire.
4. I believe that despite the fact that it documented that there were very tense contract holdouts in the 1950s and 1960s, they all would have played for free because they loved the game.
5. I believe that despite the fact 5 teams relocated to new cities in 5 years in the 1950's, and despite the fact no team has relocated since your Red Shoed-Rangers in 1972, teams are not as stable as they were back in the Good Ol' Days.
6. I believe that back in the Good Ol' Days (1941-1964) even though the Yankees won 18 pennants in 24 years, baseball was more competitive than it is now when the same teams are in the playoffs every year.
7. I believe that after further review, Mickey Mantle actually could hit 800 ft home runs, Sany Koufax could throw 200 mile per hour and Cool Papa Bell could flip the light switch and hop in bed before the room went dark.
8. I believe the baselines were straighter back in the Good Ol' Days.
9. I believe that it was a better world when the players had no rights and were bound to the same penny-pinching owners their entire career because then they could live under a bridge after their career instead of being set for life.
10. I believe that every solitary member of the 1951 Yankees should have their own personal wing in Cooperstown.
Bonus Question: I believe that despite the fact the players were clearly slower, weaker and smaller, baseball was better because players knew how to lay down a bunt and hit the cutoff man every time!
How To Score Your Test:
Add up your true answers and refer to the chart below:
0 - 2 You have a firm grasp on life and although you enjoy what happened in the Good Ol' Days, you realize that the baseball that is being played today is both enjoyable and high quality. In fact, you'll go so far as to say the 1999 Yankees could beat the 1951 Yankees.
3 - 5 You are beginning to show signs of G.O.D.S. - You still enjoy sports today, but are starting to whip people around you with stories of the superior athletes from your childhood.
6 - 8 You have full-fledged G.O.D.S. running through your body. You are in serious trouble. You would pay incredible money to see Bob Cousy in his prime play against Gary Payton so that he could teach Gary a lesson. Your only hope is to begin to distance from the people who share your ideals and buy an encyclopedia to compare the heights and weights of the athletes then with the athletes today. One note - a pound is still a pound and an inch is still an inch (just like it was in 1955).
9+ You are either stuck in a time warp or you preside over the 3-7pm time-slot on Sportsradio 1310, the Ticket (or both).
There is a sickness that has been taking over this world of ours. It was a sickness that struck our grandparents, our parents and will ultimately strike us all. G.OD.S. is not fatal, but it will make you bitter. Very bitter. Once G.O.D.S. strikes you, you will find yourself hammered with cynicism and the inner feeling that the happiest days of our planet happened already. In fact, once G.O.D.S. takes over your inner-being, unless you take the antidote--a large dose of reality--you may never be happy again.
For some, it is too late to be rescued from the pits of G.O.D.S. There is no reason for Bill Conlin, Dick Schapp, Mike Rhyner or Ken Burns to check the following list, for they are beyond all repair. But for others (40-somethings and up - Read On!) it is imperative you take the following seriously. Please take the following True/False test-
1. I believe the grass was greener and the sky bluer when I was a kid.
2. I believe that despite the fact all baseball players were white and from the United States, baseball was better in the 1930's than it is now.
3. I believe that despite the fact Babe Ruth was listed at 6' 2, 215, he was bigger than 6'5, 255, Mark McGwire.
4. I believe that despite the fact that it documented that there were very tense contract holdouts in the 1950s and 1960s, they all would have played for free because they loved the game.
5. I believe that despite the fact 5 teams relocated to new cities in 5 years in the 1950's, and despite the fact no team has relocated since your Red Shoed-Rangers in 1972, teams are not as stable as they were back in the Good Ol' Days.
6. I believe that back in the Good Ol' Days (1941-1964) even though the Yankees won 18 pennants in 24 years, baseball was more competitive than it is now when the same teams are in the playoffs every year.
7. I believe that after further review, Mickey Mantle actually could hit 800 ft home runs, Sany Koufax could throw 200 mile per hour and Cool Papa Bell could flip the light switch and hop in bed before the room went dark.
8. I believe the baselines were straighter back in the Good Ol' Days.
9. I believe that it was a better world when the players had no rights and were bound to the same penny-pinching owners their entire career because then they could live under a bridge after their career instead of being set for life.
10. I believe that every solitary member of the 1951 Yankees should have their own personal wing in Cooperstown.
Bonus Question: I believe that despite the fact the players were clearly slower, weaker and smaller, baseball was better because players knew how to lay down a bunt and hit the cutoff man every time!
How To Score Your Test:
Add up your true answers and refer to the chart below:
0 - 2 You have a firm grasp on life and although you enjoy what happened in the Good Ol' Days, you realize that the baseball that is being played today is both enjoyable and high quality. In fact, you'll go so far as to say the 1999 Yankees could beat the 1951 Yankees.
3 - 5 You are beginning to show signs of G.O.D.S. - You still enjoy sports today, but are starting to whip people around you with stories of the superior athletes from your childhood.
6 - 8 You have full-fledged G.O.D.S. running through your body. You are in serious trouble. You would pay incredible money to see Bob Cousy in his prime play against Gary Payton so that he could teach Gary a lesson. Your only hope is to begin to distance from the people who share your ideals and buy an encyclopedia to compare the heights and weights of the athletes then with the athletes today. One note - a pound is still a pound and an inch is still an inch (just like it was in 1955).
9+ You are either stuck in a time warp or you preside over the 3-7pm time-slot on Sportsradio 1310, the Ticket (or both).
Sunday, June 13, 2010
SB Nation Week 1
The following is my first weekly column for SB Nation-Dallas that runs on Thursdays over there. I will archive it here, but you will always be able to check it out first over there, so check them out, too.
I must tell you that I am certainly excited to bring a weekly column to this new venture and to add my 2 cents on as many things as my column will hold every Thursday.
There are so many capable specialists for each of the local teams here, so I have to think that between their diligent hard work and things like this catch-all column, we will have you pretty well covered right here.
Each week, I want to grab 3 or 4 things that are rolling around in my head on the world of sports and put it out there for you. So, let’s get this party started right here:
COWBOYS ----------------------------------
One thing that will be extremely interesting to see this season is how the Cowboys decide to spend most of their snaps on offense based on personnel groupings. I absolutely think the Cowboys had an effective offense in 2009, but there were certain things it did far better than others.
For instance, there is no question that they were a better power running team than they were a wide open “Shotgun 3-wide” passing attack. And they knew it. Take those final 2 games against Philadelphia in consecutive weeks – 1 to win the division title, and 1 more to advance in the playoffs. In those 2 games to finish the season where the Cowboys offense looked wonderful in 2 blowout victories over the hated Eagles, the Cowboys went 3-wide on exactly 37 of 138 plays (26%). That may sound like quite a bit to you, unless you consider that 101 of 138 plays (74%), the Cowboys had only 1 or 2 WR on the field at the same time.
So, with all of this conjecture in the off season about which WR is #2 (Bryant or Williams?) and which is #3 (Bryant or Williams or Crayton?) you can understand a small amount of consternation from the players involved. They know that last year, when the game was in great doubt, aside from the 2-minute offense, Jason Garrett and the offense preferred power-run looks that had both Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett on the field plowing run paths and setting up play-action passes.
And that simply means that many times, WRs were standing on the sideline watching. Based on the numbers from ProFootballFocus.com we see that of the 1247 snaps that the Cowboys took last season, Jason Witten took 99% of the snaps. Roy Williams 73%, Miles Austin 69% (remember his limited role in the first 4 weeks), Patrick Crayton 50%, Sam Hurd 9%, and Kevin Ogletree 5% of the snaps. Martellus Bennett, whose numbers are very important – because when he is on the field, a WR must step off it – was on the field 46% of the time last year because of his ability to run block (Obviously not his ability to make catches last season). And young blocking TE was out there 19% of the time, demonstrating their love for power football.
Where do you go in 2010? Dez Bryant has everyone so excited with the options and the possibilities. But, in 2009, the bread and butter of the team in base down and distance situations was to only have 2 Wideouts on the field at the same time. Remember, in 2008, the Cowboys had so many weapons and so many possibilities that during the week, we all wondered what aerial attack was going to have the opponent begging for mercy on Sunday. But, when the game arrived, Garrett, Tony Romo, and the gang could not figure out how to use Terrell Owens, Williams, Witten, Crayton, and the gang all together. It just didn’t compute to moving the ball.
So, slowly, the transition to “Romo-Friendly” began. That was code for “more run plays out of more run-based formations”. And, it worked. The Cowboys had a progress-filled 2009. They showed that simplifying was the key to their success. Create confusion for the defense about whether the play was a run or a pass. This will allow more room in the secondary.
With Dez Bryant, it appears the idea is to go back to 2008. More WRs on the field. More pass declarations before the snap. More aerial attack! Will it work? They have plenty of work to do.
And now, you can understand why the Cowboys take work in May and June so seriously. I suspect the offense is attempting to figure this riddle out now so it makes sense in September.
WORLD CUP --------------------------
Yes, I am going to write about the biggest sporting event on the planet. And, I am going to challenge you to get up to speed with this American squad before Saturday’s blastoff with England.
This could be a historic tournament for the USA squad, and it is based on a few things; the timing of the tournament hits in the prime of the single greatest soccer player in this country’s history, Landon Donovan. Donovan is now 28 years old, and is coming off a successful loan at Everton in the spring where he gained all sorts of confidence. Many people always thought he didn’t have the quality for Europe because his trips to Germany were so underwhelming. But, he certainly proved those ideas wrong and seems to have set the table for a permanent move to Everton in August if he so desires.
Donovan is in his prime as is Texas product, Clint Dempsey. Dempsey, a product of Fulham himself, is coming off a season where he made another big mark in the Premiership, and is a guy who certainly knows what he can do at the top level. He scored the only goal for the USA in the 2006 World Cup, and now with 4 more years of European experience under his belt will not be intimidated by seeing John Terry (Chelsea) trying to mark him.
With those two players in the midfield and being counted on to push forward and handle much of the offense, the team looks threatening when they have the ball. Trouble is, that won’t always be the case against some of the quality they are slated to run up against. The biggest concern for the USA as they prepare to play England, Algeria, and Slovenia is the back line. Just like in hockey, if the back line of defenders is weak, the goalie will have almost no chance. And here, the quality of the back 4 defenders for the Americans has been under a great spotlight. There have been too many times in the friendlies where the opposition ran free in the penalty area with no USA defenders in sight. This will be the death of a team in the World Cup. The strikers are too precise, and all they need is an inch. Wayne Rooney scores at every level of world football, so he will not be impressed with the rather so-so group of defenders he will face on Saturday.
So, what is the level of success for the USA? I am asked all of the time where the bar is. Can we win the World Cup? Well, no. The idea of the USA winning the World Cup seems about as far-fetched as Butler winning the NCAA Tournament (oh, wait).
Only 7 nations have ever won the World Cup (Italy, Brazil, France, Germany, England, Argentina, and Uruguay) and of those, only Italy, Brazil, Germany, and Argentina have won more than once since World War 2. These are the usual suspects, and if you are trying to sound smart around the office, the safe bets. Personally, I am taking the extremely risky bet of believing that Maradona won’t screw up Argentina.
But, for the United States, success lies in advancing out of their group. You must show well in the first 3 matches to force a 4th. In 2006, our boys scored exactly 1 goal and did not get out of its group. A similar showing would be very disheartening. Finish 1st or 2nd in Group C and advance to the knockout stage of 16. There, assuming you finish 2nd in Group C, you most likely play Germany (winner of Group D) in the round of 16, where you would be expected to lose. However, in 1 match, who knows?
I believe in Bob Bradley and his squad. Injuries haven’t helped and as a nation, we still seem a few players short of being a real threat, but I think we are ready to make a little more noise than we did in ’06. Matching ‘02’s run to the Quarterfinals would be so wonderful.
STARS --------------------------------------
My final topic for this week is going to touch on the quietest topic in the area right now, the Dallas Stars. Like the Rangers, everything still revolves around the business transaction that is hopefully going down behind the scenes right now to get the franchise to new owners who have the resources to properly run an NHL Franchise going forward.
I believe that the sale of the Stars will go much quicker and quieter than the Rangers (how could it not?) and will hopefully be done by the start of 2010-11’s season. However, my optimism does not allow me to believe that this will be done in time for July 1, when the Stars desperately need money to upgrade a squad that was several pieces short last year.
I hate to complain about new ownership – since that will be great for the franchise, but for me to get too optimistic, I need this offseason to count. If new owners don’t get the keys until opening night, that means the Stars will start the season again by being about $12 million under the cap again. Not a great spot to start the season.
So, I am anticipating that Joe Nieuwendyk and his crew have other plans to work within the budget, and still get that #1 defenseman that they so desperately need.
That means that the plan must be to work a trade this summer that reallocates where you are aiming your resources.
As I said all season, this team does not have a top defenseman, and that makes everyone else move up the ladder to a point where they are over-exposed. By getting a true #1 (or at least something much closer than Stephane Robidas), it allows, Robidas to move back down the depth chart to where he can play good minutes, but not so many that he is spent by St Patrick’s Day.
To get this guy, the Stars will look to flip one of their top 3 centers. If you watch the team at all, it is not hard to figure out which one. They would love to flip Mike Ribeiro now that they know Jamie Benn can play center at the NHL level. If you have $45 million dollars, you cannot put $35m on your forwards, $7m on defense, and $3m in Goal and wonder why your defense isn’t good enough.
So, you have very little money to work with, and you have Mike Ribeiro to deal. The landscape for big defenseman is not very impressive at that price range, but if anything makes sense, it would seem to be a deal that gets Sheldon Souray to Dallas. Souray is not just what the doctor ordered, but he is way closer to being that veteran defenseman back there than anything you presently have at the price you have to pay. Souray also has a monster gun from the point on the Power Play which would really change things.
Riberio for Souray would not set the NHL on fire, but it might be the move the Stars are looking to make in a summer with a lot of problems to address and no money with which to address them. With the Draft about 2 weeks away, I believe you can expect that this is the type of deal that would happen then. Maybe they have a better idea up their sleeve, but that is the one that makes some sense to me.
I must tell you that I am certainly excited to bring a weekly column to this new venture and to add my 2 cents on as many things as my column will hold every Thursday.
There are so many capable specialists for each of the local teams here, so I have to think that between their diligent hard work and things like this catch-all column, we will have you pretty well covered right here.
Each week, I want to grab 3 or 4 things that are rolling around in my head on the world of sports and put it out there for you. So, let’s get this party started right here:
COWBOYS ----------------------------------
One thing that will be extremely interesting to see this season is how the Cowboys decide to spend most of their snaps on offense based on personnel groupings. I absolutely think the Cowboys had an effective offense in 2009, but there were certain things it did far better than others.
For instance, there is no question that they were a better power running team than they were a wide open “Shotgun 3-wide” passing attack. And they knew it. Take those final 2 games against Philadelphia in consecutive weeks – 1 to win the division title, and 1 more to advance in the playoffs. In those 2 games to finish the season where the Cowboys offense looked wonderful in 2 blowout victories over the hated Eagles, the Cowboys went 3-wide on exactly 37 of 138 plays (26%). That may sound like quite a bit to you, unless you consider that 101 of 138 plays (74%), the Cowboys had only 1 or 2 WR on the field at the same time.
So, with all of this conjecture in the off season about which WR is #2 (Bryant or Williams?) and which is #3 (Bryant or Williams or Crayton?) you can understand a small amount of consternation from the players involved. They know that last year, when the game was in great doubt, aside from the 2-minute offense, Jason Garrett and the offense preferred power-run looks that had both Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett on the field plowing run paths and setting up play-action passes.
And that simply means that many times, WRs were standing on the sideline watching. Based on the numbers from ProFootballFocus.com we see that of the 1247 snaps that the Cowboys took last season, Jason Witten took 99% of the snaps. Roy Williams 73%, Miles Austin 69% (remember his limited role in the first 4 weeks), Patrick Crayton 50%, Sam Hurd 9%, and Kevin Ogletree 5% of the snaps. Martellus Bennett, whose numbers are very important – because when he is on the field, a WR must step off it – was on the field 46% of the time last year because of his ability to run block (Obviously not his ability to make catches last season). And young blocking TE was out there 19% of the time, demonstrating their love for power football.
Where do you go in 2010? Dez Bryant has everyone so excited with the options and the possibilities. But, in 2009, the bread and butter of the team in base down and distance situations was to only have 2 Wideouts on the field at the same time. Remember, in 2008, the Cowboys had so many weapons and so many possibilities that during the week, we all wondered what aerial attack was going to have the opponent begging for mercy on Sunday. But, when the game arrived, Garrett, Tony Romo, and the gang could not figure out how to use Terrell Owens, Williams, Witten, Crayton, and the gang all together. It just didn’t compute to moving the ball.
So, slowly, the transition to “Romo-Friendly” began. That was code for “more run plays out of more run-based formations”. And, it worked. The Cowboys had a progress-filled 2009. They showed that simplifying was the key to their success. Create confusion for the defense about whether the play was a run or a pass. This will allow more room in the secondary.
With Dez Bryant, it appears the idea is to go back to 2008. More WRs on the field. More pass declarations before the snap. More aerial attack! Will it work? They have plenty of work to do.
And now, you can understand why the Cowboys take work in May and June so seriously. I suspect the offense is attempting to figure this riddle out now so it makes sense in September.
WORLD CUP --------------------------
Yes, I am going to write about the biggest sporting event on the planet. And, I am going to challenge you to get up to speed with this American squad before Saturday’s blastoff with England.
This could be a historic tournament for the USA squad, and it is based on a few things; the timing of the tournament hits in the prime of the single greatest soccer player in this country’s history, Landon Donovan. Donovan is now 28 years old, and is coming off a successful loan at Everton in the spring where he gained all sorts of confidence. Many people always thought he didn’t have the quality for Europe because his trips to Germany were so underwhelming. But, he certainly proved those ideas wrong and seems to have set the table for a permanent move to Everton in August if he so desires.
Donovan is in his prime as is Texas product, Clint Dempsey. Dempsey, a product of Fulham himself, is coming off a season where he made another big mark in the Premiership, and is a guy who certainly knows what he can do at the top level. He scored the only goal for the USA in the 2006 World Cup, and now with 4 more years of European experience under his belt will not be intimidated by seeing John Terry (Chelsea) trying to mark him.
With those two players in the midfield and being counted on to push forward and handle much of the offense, the team looks threatening when they have the ball. Trouble is, that won’t always be the case against some of the quality they are slated to run up against. The biggest concern for the USA as they prepare to play England, Algeria, and Slovenia is the back line. Just like in hockey, if the back line of defenders is weak, the goalie will have almost no chance. And here, the quality of the back 4 defenders for the Americans has been under a great spotlight. There have been too many times in the friendlies where the opposition ran free in the penalty area with no USA defenders in sight. This will be the death of a team in the World Cup. The strikers are too precise, and all they need is an inch. Wayne Rooney scores at every level of world football, so he will not be impressed with the rather so-so group of defenders he will face on Saturday.
So, what is the level of success for the USA? I am asked all of the time where the bar is. Can we win the World Cup? Well, no. The idea of the USA winning the World Cup seems about as far-fetched as Butler winning the NCAA Tournament (oh, wait).
Only 7 nations have ever won the World Cup (Italy, Brazil, France, Germany, England, Argentina, and Uruguay) and of those, only Italy, Brazil, Germany, and Argentina have won more than once since World War 2. These are the usual suspects, and if you are trying to sound smart around the office, the safe bets. Personally, I am taking the extremely risky bet of believing that Maradona won’t screw up Argentina.
But, for the United States, success lies in advancing out of their group. You must show well in the first 3 matches to force a 4th. In 2006, our boys scored exactly 1 goal and did not get out of its group. A similar showing would be very disheartening. Finish 1st or 2nd in Group C and advance to the knockout stage of 16. There, assuming you finish 2nd in Group C, you most likely play Germany (winner of Group D) in the round of 16, where you would be expected to lose. However, in 1 match, who knows?
I believe in Bob Bradley and his squad. Injuries haven’t helped and as a nation, we still seem a few players short of being a real threat, but I think we are ready to make a little more noise than we did in ’06. Matching ‘02’s run to the Quarterfinals would be so wonderful.
STARS --------------------------------------
My final topic for this week is going to touch on the quietest topic in the area right now, the Dallas Stars. Like the Rangers, everything still revolves around the business transaction that is hopefully going down behind the scenes right now to get the franchise to new owners who have the resources to properly run an NHL Franchise going forward.
I believe that the sale of the Stars will go much quicker and quieter than the Rangers (how could it not?) and will hopefully be done by the start of 2010-11’s season. However, my optimism does not allow me to believe that this will be done in time for July 1, when the Stars desperately need money to upgrade a squad that was several pieces short last year.
I hate to complain about new ownership – since that will be great for the franchise, but for me to get too optimistic, I need this offseason to count. If new owners don’t get the keys until opening night, that means the Stars will start the season again by being about $12 million under the cap again. Not a great spot to start the season.
So, I am anticipating that Joe Nieuwendyk and his crew have other plans to work within the budget, and still get that #1 defenseman that they so desperately need.
That means that the plan must be to work a trade this summer that reallocates where you are aiming your resources.
As I said all season, this team does not have a top defenseman, and that makes everyone else move up the ladder to a point where they are over-exposed. By getting a true #1 (or at least something much closer than Stephane Robidas), it allows, Robidas to move back down the depth chart to where he can play good minutes, but not so many that he is spent by St Patrick’s Day.
To get this guy, the Stars will look to flip one of their top 3 centers. If you watch the team at all, it is not hard to figure out which one. They would love to flip Mike Ribeiro now that they know Jamie Benn can play center at the NHL level. If you have $45 million dollars, you cannot put $35m on your forwards, $7m on defense, and $3m in Goal and wonder why your defense isn’t good enough.
So, you have very little money to work with, and you have Mike Ribeiro to deal. The landscape for big defenseman is not very impressive at that price range, but if anything makes sense, it would seem to be a deal that gets Sheldon Souray to Dallas. Souray is not just what the doctor ordered, but he is way closer to being that veteran defenseman back there than anything you presently have at the price you have to pay. Souray also has a monster gun from the point on the Power Play which would really change things.
Riberio for Souray would not set the NHL on fire, but it might be the move the Stars are looking to make in a summer with a lot of problems to address and no money with which to address them. With the Draft about 2 weeks away, I believe you can expect that this is the type of deal that would happen then. Maybe they have a better idea up their sleeve, but that is the one that makes some sense to me.
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