With the incredible move of Carlos Zambrano to the eighth inning role, I figured now would be a good time to look at some of the financial commitments the Cubs have in the years ahead.
Aramis Ramirez
Age: 31
Guaranteed money: $32.35 million from 2010-2011
Ryan Dempster
Age: 32
Guaranteed money: $30 million through 2012 (assuming 2012 player option for $14 million is exercised)
Kosuke Fukudome
Age: 32
Guaranteed money: $26.5 million from 2010-2011
Carlos Silva
Age: 31
Guaranteed money: $25 million from 2010-2011
Alfonso Soriano
Age: 34
Guaranteed money: $90 million from 2010-2014
Carlos Zambrano
Age: 28
Guaranteed money: $53.75 million from 2010-2012
By the way, Ted Lilly and Derrek Lee are both free agents after this season and if they have any sense, they'll leave. If the Cubs have any sense, they won't re-sign them to long-term deals because they are both 34 years old. This is already an old team that is highly overpaid and not very good (the Cubs have started 7-10 despite not facing the Cardinals, Phillies, Marlins or any of the NL West yet).
It's going to get worse before it gets better. Jim Hendry has solidified his candidacy as one of baseball's worst general managers and Lou Piniella, if he's smart, will be managing elsewhere or not managing at all in 2011.
April 24, 2010
How bad can the Orioles be?
After losing to the Red Sox last night, the Orioles are 2-15. Adding to the indignity is that they allowed David Ortiz to finally homer and allowed Boston to score the winning run in the last of the eighth on a bases loaded walk to Adrian Beltre.
I want to know how fan down the Orioles record can sink. Today offers them a chance to win their third game of the season as Brian Matusz is on the mound for them. Matusz is one of the top young pitchers in the game and is 2-0 this season. How good a pitcher do you have to be to have a 2-0 record for a team that is 2-15 overall? Of course, the Red Sox counter with John Lackey. So as winnable as this game is because of Matusz, it's just as losable because of Lackey and the overall quality of the Red Sox (in spite of their early 7-10 start). They finish the series at Fenway tomorrow before coming home for three each with the Yankees and Red Sox, then going on the road for three with the Yankees and four with the Twins. Yikes.
Given that 22 of their first 32 games this season were against the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Twins (four best teams in the American League if you, like me, believe the Red Sox 7-10 start isn't a true reflection of their team), it should come as no surprise that the Orioles are going to escape April with the worst record in baseball. I'm interested to see how good a record they can have this season given the big hole that schedule already has them in and will ultimately leave them in. Is it implausible that a team with the young talent they have--Matusz, Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Jeremy Guthrie, Nick Markakis, Nolan Reimard--could lose 100 games? I guess if Jones and Reimold continue to play as poorly as they have in the season's first month they could, especially given their poor infield hurting the pitchers (Cesar Izturis is the only quality glove they have and his range isn't what it was as recently as two years ago).
April 23, 2010
Thank you, Versus
It's not often that I praise Versus but I want to thank them for televising tonight's Red Wings-Coyotes game in its entirety because it prevents me from having to watching the Red Wings or Coyotes feeds on Fox Sports Net. As good as Dave Strader is on the Coyotes broadcast, Tyson Nash makes one's ears bleed.
April 22, 2010
Pick-by-pick reactions to Round 1
1. Rams: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Did you know the last time the Rams drafted a quarterback in the first round the common draft hadn't even begun yet? Good luck to Bradford, who joins a team with no receivers and a porous offensive line. Jason Smith (last year's No. 1) had better turn into a damn good left tackle and now. At least Bradford gets to play indoors. If the Rams ever get any skill players, that could be fun for him. That all being said, I still think Colt McCoy is going to be better. Call me crazy.
2. Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Best player in the draft. The only way he would fail would be if Matt Millen was the guy making this pick. Still, I can't shake the feeling that the Lions would have been better off with a left tackle to protect Matthew Stafford and a trade for Albert Haynesworth to play Suh's position.
3. Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
Need pick. The Bucs haven't had a disruptive defensive tackle since Warren Sapp last played hard for them in 2000.
4. Redskins: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
If you're Bob Stoops, this draft is the best recruiting tool you have: three of the top four picks in the NFL draft played for Oklahoma. The Redskins have had a rather strong offseason for once. The wonders of what can happen with Dan Snyder isn't making the decisions.
5. Chiefs: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Pretty close to a sure thing, I think, and he gets the Monte Kiffin seal of approval. If only the Chiefs played Cover Two.
6. Seahawks: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
So much for SEC domination in college football: five of the top six picks are from the Big 12. Hope a playmaker falls to Seattle at 14 because they have absolutely none of those. Okung gets to try and fill Walter Jones' enormous shoes.
7. Browns: Joe Haden, CB, Florida
ESPN had a great shot of Haden in tears while on the phone with the Browns. He was in tears. Not sure if that's because he has to go to the Browns (fulfills his NFL dream) or if it's because he has to go to the Browns (the NFL's worst franchise since they re-joined the league in 1999). Never realized he had such big ears before. I guess Mike Holmgren doesn't believe Jimmy Clausen is his long-term quarterback.
8. Raiders: Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
He must have run a 4.3 40, right? Was he arrested recently? Was he somehow belatedly awarded the Heisman Trophy? Those are the only logical explanations I have for Al Davis doing something completely illogical by Raiders standards and drafting someone completely logical for their team. I bet McClain has better hands that last year's No. 1, receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.
9. Bills: C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
No Jimmy Clausen here either. I like Spiller but I see him more as a Reggie Bush type and I think you can find those guys in the second round.
10. Jaguars: Tyson Alualu, DT, California
Sorry for the long delay; I was left speechless with my jaw on the floor with this pick. Seriously, the Jaguars could have traded down 15 spots and still been guaranteed this guy. They probably could have traded out of the first round and still gotten him. Instead, they'll pay him first-round money. And you wonder why the James Harris/Jack Del Rio hasn't succeeeded?
11. 49ers: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
Not sure the 49ers needed to move up from 13 to get Davis but he's a need-pick to play right tackle. Their offensive line has been terrible so addressing it to improve both the pass-protection and the run-blocking makes sense.
12. Chargers: Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
A.J. Smith must really love this kid and as much as I think Smith has an ego run amok, I can't question his eye for talent. I'll be my HD television that Mathews has a greater yards per carry this season than LaDainian Tomlinson. Surprised the Chargers had to trade this far up to get Mathews.
13. Eagles: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
My favorite moment of the draft so far: the Eagles acquiring this pick from Denver (who had previously acquired this pick from San Francisco) and Adam Schefter going on ESPN to boldly declare Philadelphia did so to take Earl Thomas. Oops. Everyone should know by now that Andy Reid almost always uses the first round to build up his lines. Graham's demolition of Bryan Bulaga in the Michigan-Iowa game no doubt aided in this draft position.
Speaking of which, Bulaga is falling and anyone saw what Graham did to him isn't surprised by that. So is Clausen.
14. Seahawks: Earl Thomas, S, Texas
Maybe Schefter meant the Eagles traded up so the Seahawks could take Thomas one pick behind them?
Clausen was seen as a possible Seahawk and they passed on him. Maybe the Broncos will take him.
15. Giants: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
My guess is everyone now assumes the Giants will deal Osi Umenyiora. Not me. I'd be shocked if they traded him. Everyone who has followed the Giants the last four years should know that they invest everything they can in having a deep, productive defensive line. I say Pierre-Paul joins Osi, Justin Tuck and the rest in an effort to recreate the 2007 defensive line rotation.
16. Titans: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
Predictable with Pierre-Paul off the board.
17. 49ers: Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
No surprise that the 49ers didn't have any use for Clausen. Two offensive linemen in the first round says what they felt was their greatest weakness. I would have loved to see them take Dez Bryant; imagine him joining Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis, Josh Morgan and Frank Gore?
18. Steelers: Maurkice Pouncey, C/G, Florida
Really fortunate that a Make-A-Wish kid was on the stage to make this pick for the Steelers because it stopped the fans chants of "She Said No!" I hope Ben Roethlisberger is ready for chants like that all season after he returns from his suspension.
19. Falcons: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
Any help in the back-seven was badly needed. Sort of surprised he went ahead of Sergio Kindle.
20. Texans: Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama
Surprised they didn't take Kyle Wilson at this spot. This should close the book on Dunta Robinson's Houston career.
21. Bengals: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
That's four Sooners taken in the first round. I hope Stoops recorded this draft so he can take it on recruiting trips.
22. Broncos: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
Figured New England would take Dez Bryant once they were on the clock. Instead, in Belichickian fashion, they traded down. Denver took Thomas instead of Bryant even though Thomas played in an option offense against defenses geared to stop the run and doesn't know how to run routes.
By the way, the Broncos are another quarterback-needy team that passed on Clausen. The Vikings look like his last hope to stay in the first round. He better be hoping teams are trying to move up for him.
23. Packers: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
Great pick for the Packers. Green Bay has a pair of tackles who combine for an age of about 146 so Bulaga is a nice fit, especially for them getting a guy who a few days ago was seen as a top-10 pick.
24. Cowboys: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
Patriots trade down again, even though I again figured they'd use this pick on Bryant. Jerry Jones gets him instead, a tacit admission that his idiotic trade for Roy Williams failed miserably.
25. Broncos: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Sorry, yet another moment that I'm left speechless. The Broncos trade up, into the latter part of the first round, and give the Ravens second-, third- and fourth-round choices to do it. For a quarterback who can't throw the ball correctly. I guess it's par for the course: Denver has drafted a receiver who doesn't know how to run good routes and a quarterback with poor passing mechanics. And this trade was highway robbery for the Ravens, getting that king's ransom all so Denver could take a guy who is an incredible project and really just a developmental quarterback for the next couple of years.
And how angry is Clausen right about now? And you just know Todd McShay has fumes coming out of his ears given the way he has lambasted Tebow since the Senior Bowl.
26. Cardinals: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
Great pick for Arizona wich needs defensive help. Williams was thought to possibly go as high as ninth in the days leading up to the draft.
27. Patriots: Devin McCourty, CB, Fresno State
The Patriots finally make a pick. They needed a corner although I sort of think Kyle Wilson would have been a better pick. Belichick needs to keep rebuilding that defense.
28. Dolphins: Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State
Whoever could have guessed that Bill Parcells would take a run-stuffing defensive lineman? He's only done that, what, 20 times in the first round before?
29. Jets: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Kyle Wilson. Wow. Pretty loaded at the cornerback position. The Jets have so many good cornerbacks that Cromartie may feel the need to get a few girls pregnant just so that his child-count can keep up. I think the Jets could take a step back offensively next season (Thomas Jones to LaDainian Tomlinson is a downgrade and I still have doubts about Mark Sanchez, in spite of his mistake-free postseason) but that defense is loaded.
30. Lions: Jahvid Best, RB, California
The Vikings trade out of the first round so, Jimmy Clausen, we'll see you tomorrow at round two. On the bright side, you've got Erin Andrews at your house to console you. Life could be worse. What does it say about the Lions that the Vikings are happily trading down with a division rival?
31. Colts: Jerry Hughes, DE, Texas Christian
If the most recent playoffs taught the Colts anything, it's that they probably can't count on Dwight Freeney, entering his 10th season, to continue to stay healthy going forward.
It's up to the Saints to keep Clausen in the first round. It's also up to them to keep USC's streak of No. 1 picks alive.
32. Saints: Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State
No Jimmy Clausen! No Southern California Trojans! No Sergio Kindle! Lots of exclamation points from me!
Did you know the last time the Rams drafted a quarterback in the first round the common draft hadn't even begun yet? Good luck to Bradford, who joins a team with no receivers and a porous offensive line. Jason Smith (last year's No. 1) had better turn into a damn good left tackle and now. At least Bradford gets to play indoors. If the Rams ever get any skill players, that could be fun for him. That all being said, I still think Colt McCoy is going to be better. Call me crazy.
2. Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Best player in the draft. The only way he would fail would be if Matt Millen was the guy making this pick. Still, I can't shake the feeling that the Lions would have been better off with a left tackle to protect Matthew Stafford and a trade for Albert Haynesworth to play Suh's position.
3. Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
Need pick. The Bucs haven't had a disruptive defensive tackle since Warren Sapp last played hard for them in 2000.
4. Redskins: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
If you're Bob Stoops, this draft is the best recruiting tool you have: three of the top four picks in the NFL draft played for Oklahoma. The Redskins have had a rather strong offseason for once. The wonders of what can happen with Dan Snyder isn't making the decisions.
5. Chiefs: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Pretty close to a sure thing, I think, and he gets the Monte Kiffin seal of approval. If only the Chiefs played Cover Two.
6. Seahawks: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
So much for SEC domination in college football: five of the top six picks are from the Big 12. Hope a playmaker falls to Seattle at 14 because they have absolutely none of those. Okung gets to try and fill Walter Jones' enormous shoes.
7. Browns: Joe Haden, CB, Florida
ESPN had a great shot of Haden in tears while on the phone with the Browns. He was in tears. Not sure if that's because he has to go to the Browns (fulfills his NFL dream) or if it's because he has to go to the Browns (the NFL's worst franchise since they re-joined the league in 1999). Never realized he had such big ears before. I guess Mike Holmgren doesn't believe Jimmy Clausen is his long-term quarterback.
8. Raiders: Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
He must have run a 4.3 40, right? Was he arrested recently? Was he somehow belatedly awarded the Heisman Trophy? Those are the only logical explanations I have for Al Davis doing something completely illogical by Raiders standards and drafting someone completely logical for their team. I bet McClain has better hands that last year's No. 1, receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.
9. Bills: C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
No Jimmy Clausen here either. I like Spiller but I see him more as a Reggie Bush type and I think you can find those guys in the second round.
10. Jaguars: Tyson Alualu, DT, California
Sorry for the long delay; I was left speechless with my jaw on the floor with this pick. Seriously, the Jaguars could have traded down 15 spots and still been guaranteed this guy. They probably could have traded out of the first round and still gotten him. Instead, they'll pay him first-round money. And you wonder why the James Harris/Jack Del Rio hasn't succeeeded?
11. 49ers: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
Not sure the 49ers needed to move up from 13 to get Davis but he's a need-pick to play right tackle. Their offensive line has been terrible so addressing it to improve both the pass-protection and the run-blocking makes sense.
12. Chargers: Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
A.J. Smith must really love this kid and as much as I think Smith has an ego run amok, I can't question his eye for talent. I'll be my HD television that Mathews has a greater yards per carry this season than LaDainian Tomlinson. Surprised the Chargers had to trade this far up to get Mathews.
13. Eagles: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
My favorite moment of the draft so far: the Eagles acquiring this pick from Denver (who had previously acquired this pick from San Francisco) and Adam Schefter going on ESPN to boldly declare Philadelphia did so to take Earl Thomas. Oops. Everyone should know by now that Andy Reid almost always uses the first round to build up his lines. Graham's demolition of Bryan Bulaga in the Michigan-Iowa game no doubt aided in this draft position.
Speaking of which, Bulaga is falling and anyone saw what Graham did to him isn't surprised by that. So is Clausen.
14. Seahawks: Earl Thomas, S, Texas
Maybe Schefter meant the Eagles traded up so the Seahawks could take Thomas one pick behind them?
Clausen was seen as a possible Seahawk and they passed on him. Maybe the Broncos will take him.
15. Giants: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
My guess is everyone now assumes the Giants will deal Osi Umenyiora. Not me. I'd be shocked if they traded him. Everyone who has followed the Giants the last four years should know that they invest everything they can in having a deep, productive defensive line. I say Pierre-Paul joins Osi, Justin Tuck and the rest in an effort to recreate the 2007 defensive line rotation.
16. Titans: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
Predictable with Pierre-Paul off the board.
17. 49ers: Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
No surprise that the 49ers didn't have any use for Clausen. Two offensive linemen in the first round says what they felt was their greatest weakness. I would have loved to see them take Dez Bryant; imagine him joining Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis, Josh Morgan and Frank Gore?
18. Steelers: Maurkice Pouncey, C/G, Florida
Really fortunate that a Make-A-Wish kid was on the stage to make this pick for the Steelers because it stopped the fans chants of "She Said No!" I hope Ben Roethlisberger is ready for chants like that all season after he returns from his suspension.
19. Falcons: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
Any help in the back-seven was badly needed. Sort of surprised he went ahead of Sergio Kindle.
20. Texans: Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama
Surprised they didn't take Kyle Wilson at this spot. This should close the book on Dunta Robinson's Houston career.
21. Bengals: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
That's four Sooners taken in the first round. I hope Stoops recorded this draft so he can take it on recruiting trips.
22. Broncos: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
Figured New England would take Dez Bryant once they were on the clock. Instead, in Belichickian fashion, they traded down. Denver took Thomas instead of Bryant even though Thomas played in an option offense against defenses geared to stop the run and doesn't know how to run routes.
By the way, the Broncos are another quarterback-needy team that passed on Clausen. The Vikings look like his last hope to stay in the first round. He better be hoping teams are trying to move up for him.
23. Packers: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
Great pick for the Packers. Green Bay has a pair of tackles who combine for an age of about 146 so Bulaga is a nice fit, especially for them getting a guy who a few days ago was seen as a top-10 pick.
24. Cowboys: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
Patriots trade down again, even though I again figured they'd use this pick on Bryant. Jerry Jones gets him instead, a tacit admission that his idiotic trade for Roy Williams failed miserably.
25. Broncos: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Sorry, yet another moment that I'm left speechless. The Broncos trade up, into the latter part of the first round, and give the Ravens second-, third- and fourth-round choices to do it. For a quarterback who can't throw the ball correctly. I guess it's par for the course: Denver has drafted a receiver who doesn't know how to run good routes and a quarterback with poor passing mechanics. And this trade was highway robbery for the Ravens, getting that king's ransom all so Denver could take a guy who is an incredible project and really just a developmental quarterback for the next couple of years.
And how angry is Clausen right about now? And you just know Todd McShay has fumes coming out of his ears given the way he has lambasted Tebow since the Senior Bowl.
26. Cardinals: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
Great pick for Arizona wich needs defensive help. Williams was thought to possibly go as high as ninth in the days leading up to the draft.
27. Patriots: Devin McCourty, CB, Fresno State
The Patriots finally make a pick. They needed a corner although I sort of think Kyle Wilson would have been a better pick. Belichick needs to keep rebuilding that defense.
28. Dolphins: Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State
Whoever could have guessed that Bill Parcells would take a run-stuffing defensive lineman? He's only done that, what, 20 times in the first round before?
29. Jets: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Kyle Wilson. Wow. Pretty loaded at the cornerback position. The Jets have so many good cornerbacks that Cromartie may feel the need to get a few girls pregnant just so that his child-count can keep up. I think the Jets could take a step back offensively next season (Thomas Jones to LaDainian Tomlinson is a downgrade and I still have doubts about Mark Sanchez, in spite of his mistake-free postseason) but that defense is loaded.
30. Lions: Jahvid Best, RB, California
The Vikings trade out of the first round so, Jimmy Clausen, we'll see you tomorrow at round two. On the bright side, you've got Erin Andrews at your house to console you. Life could be worse. What does it say about the Lions that the Vikings are happily trading down with a division rival?
31. Colts: Jerry Hughes, DE, Texas Christian
If the most recent playoffs taught the Colts anything, it's that they probably can't count on Dwight Freeney, entering his 10th season, to continue to stay healthy going forward.
It's up to the Saints to keep Clausen in the first round. It's also up to them to keep USC's streak of No. 1 picks alive.
32. Saints: Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State
No Jimmy Clausen! No Southern California Trojans! No Sergio Kindle! Lots of exclamation points from me!
J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!
With the draft just moments away, I present to you my favorite ESPN montage: the history of the Jets draft day blunders! Enjoy.
March Madness gets it right
How is that the BCS can so consistently get it wrong but March Madness can always get it right? We all spent the last month ripping the idea of expanding the NCAA Tournament to 96 teams. Well guess what? They've decided, pending approval, to expand to only 68. Does anyone really have a problem with four play-in games to decide the four 16-seeds? I know I don't.
Even better, they've agreed to a 14-year television agreement with CBS and Turner which guarantees us more Gus Johnson and freezes ESPN out. Plus, every game will be nationally televised between CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV (ever heard of it?). The four networks will split the the first two rounds which each game airing nationally. CBS and Turner will split the regional semifinals and CBS will retain the regional finals, national semifinals and championship through 2015. Beginning in 2016, CBS and Turner will split the regional finals and the Final Four and championship game will alternate annually between CBS and TBS.
The big loser? DirecTV. Start canceling those Mega March Madness subscriptions.
Even better, they've agreed to a 14-year television agreement with CBS and Turner which guarantees us more Gus Johnson and freezes ESPN out. Plus, every game will be nationally televised between CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV (ever heard of it?). The four networks will split the the first two rounds which each game airing nationally. CBS and Turner will split the regional semifinals and CBS will retain the regional finals, national semifinals and championship through 2015. Beginning in 2016, CBS and Turner will split the regional finals and the Final Four and championship game will alternate annually between CBS and TBS.
The big loser? DirecTV. Start canceling those Mega March Madness subscriptions.
Showing off the Mel Kiper Jr. in me
I feel like my life would somehow be incomplete if I didn't present you a mock first round of the NFL draft. So here it is, complete with projected trades and everything. By the way, I prefer Kiper to McShay.
1. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
2. Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
4. Washington Redskins: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
6. Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
7. Cleveland Browns: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
8. Oakland Raiders: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
9. Buffalo Bills: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
11. Denver Broncos: Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
From Chicago
12. Miami Dolphins: Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas
13. San Francisco 49ers: Joe Haden, CB, Florida
14. Seattle Seahawks: C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
From Denver
15. New England Patriots: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
Projected trade from N.Y. Giants (Giants acquire picks #22 and #53; Patriots acquire picks #15, #115 and #147)
16. Tennessee Titans: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
17. Philadelphia Eagles: Maurkice Pouncey, C/G, Florida
From Carolina, projected trade through San Francisco (49ers acquire picks #24, #87 and #105; Eagles acquire picks #17 and #182)
18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
19. Buffalo Bills: Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
Projected trade from Atlanta (Falcons acquire pick #41 and Buffalo's 2011 first-round pick; Bills acquire pick #19)
20. Houston Texans: Earl Thomas, S, Texas
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
22. New York Giants: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
Projected trade from New England (Giants acquire picks #22 and #53; Patriots acquire picks #15, #115 and #147)
23. Green Bay Packers: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
24. San Francisco 49ers: Charles Brown, OT, Southern California
Projected trade from Philadelphia (49ers acquire picks #24, #87 and #105; Eagles acquire picks #17 and #182)
25. Baltimore Ravens: Taylor Mays, S, Southern California
26. Arizona Cardinals: Brandon Graham, DE/LB, Michigan
27. Dallas Cowboys: Rodger Saffold, OT, Indiana
28. Cleveland Browns: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Projected trade from San Diego (Chargers acquire picks #38 and #85; Browns acquire pick #28)
29. New York Jets: Jerry Hughes, LB, Texas Christian
30. Minnesota Vikings: Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama
31. Indianapolis Colts: Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State
32. New Orleans Saints: Daryl Washington, LB, Texas Christian
BCS sees a problem, has the wrong solution
Buried within this story about the Mountain West Conference potentially getting an automatic bid to a BCS bowl in a couple of years is BCS executive director Bill Hancock's suggestion that future non-championship bowl games need to be held on weekends to avoid sparse crowds, like the paltry 28,000 or so that showed up for the Orange Bowl between Georgia Tech and Iowa this past January.
Perhaps Hancock should acknowledge the two actual problems: the BCS took away the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games and made every bowl except for the championship game irrelevant.
Why would you want to attend a bowl between Georgia Tech and Iowa if neither team is playing for anything but pride? It's like attending a Week 17 NFL game between two teams from opposite conferences that are both out of the playoff picture.
New Year's Day used to be all about college football. I remember waking up at 10 am and putting two televisions next to each other and watching bowl games all day. Now? Well, there's a couple games in the morning, the Rose Bowl in the afternoon and usually another bowl at night. And none of these bowls mean anything. And the coolness of watching all of the bowls together is gone.
Secondly, why would anyone attend, say, the Orange Bowl when the championship game is in the same location a week later? If you live in Miami and you can only go to one, which one are you going to? Of course no one is going to pick the Orange Bowl because it means nothing.
I know the BCS isn't going anywhere so I'm not going to suggest scrapping it as a solution (even though that is the real solution). What they should do is have four or five stand-alone bowls with each rotating as the championship game, as they used to do prior to the creation of the championship game being a second bowl in one location. The Orange, Fiesta, Sugar and Rose would each be one and if a fifth is needed in order to make it more possible for smaller schools to qualify, add the Cotton. Two bowls are played on January 1 with a 4:30/8:30 doubleheader, the next two are played on January 2 with a 4:30/8:30 doubleheader and the championship game is played on January 3 and 8:30.
Problem solved. Spreading these bowls out over a week only kills everyone's interest because it's too many meaningless games spread out over too many days. Plus, with most people having to return to work on January 3 or 4 after their winter holiday break, getting people to travel to a bowl for a January 5 game never had a chance of succeeding.
By the way, this is how the BCS did it from the 1998 season through the 2005 season. Four stand-alone bowls spread out over three days. And people seemed fine with that, even if they didn't like the system as a whole. People actually went to the games. People actually watched on television. Maybe going back to that would solve the problem. Unfortunately, that won't be the case for the near future. According to their website, the championship games will be played on January 10, 9, 7 and 7 the next four seasons. And, of course, one site will host two games. So the problems Hancock have will remain, no matter what day of the week the non-championship games are scheduled.
As always, the BCS has the wrong solution for the problem but why should any of us expect anything different?
April 21, 2010
Whatever happened to the money goalie?
One of the truest statements going into the playoffs every season is that the playoffs come down to goaltending. The team that gets the best goaltending play will usually win. And, honestly, little has happened to refute that.
What has become more difficult in the post-lockout NHL, however, is determining who those money goalies are. In the years before the lockout, it was pretty clear who the top playoff goalies were. Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur were the head of the class. Just a notch below them were Dominik Hasek and Ed Belfour. And after those four, it was a crapshoot. In fact, from 1993-2003, those four goalies won all but three Stanley Cups. Mike Richter won it 1994 and may well have continued to fall into the money goalie class, given his performance for the United States in the 1996 World Cup and 2002 Olympics, but the Rangers were so bad that we didn't get to see it in the playoffs after 1997. Mike Vernon won it for the Red Wings in 1997 but he a well-earned reputation of being a money goalie, having reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1986 with Calgary and 1995 with Detroit and winning the Cup in 1989 with the Flames. Chris Osgood won it in 1998 for the Red Wings and he was probably the great exception to the money goalie rule during this era; the Red Wings benched him for Vernon in 1997 after the two split duties in the regular season, then actively sought Hasek to replace him when Hasek became available in the summer of 2001.
Nikolai Khabibulin won the Cup in 2004 and that was really the beginning of the death of the big-time goalie. The post-lockout era has displayed it even moreso.
Look at this season's playoffs. Where are the great goalies?
Jose Theodore and Jaroslav Halak started the Washington-Montreal series. Both had been replaced by the middle of Game 4 and who knows if we'll see them again in the postseason.
The New Jersey-Philadelphia series features Brodeur and Brian Boucher. Brodeur, for all of the records he continues to set and the three Stanley Cups he won from 1995-2003, has won two playoff series since 2004, hasn't gotten past the second round since 2003, blew a 3-2 series lead to Carolina in the opening round last year by allowed eight goals in the final two games including two in the final two minutes of Game 7 to give away a series the Devils were on the verge of winning, and is down 3-1 this series. This comes on the heels of his being benched during the Olympics. Boucher, who has actually excelled in both of his playoff appearances (a decade apart, mind you, in 2000 and 2010) has been a journeyman backup his entire career, getting a chance in the 2000 and 2010 playoffs only because Philadelphia had no one better.
In Boston-Buffalo, Tuukka Rask has been arguably the best goalie in the playoffs this season. Of course, he is a first-time starter who took the job away from Tim Thomas during the season. This is the same Tim Thomas who won the Vezina Trophy last season as the league's best goaltender. So much for that. Ryan Miller, the presumed favorite to win this year's Vezina and American hero after he stole a win over Canada in the opening round of the Olympics, is down 3-1 and in two of those losses failed to protect two-goal leads. Miller reached the Eastern Conference Final in 2006 and 2007, then failed to even make the playoffs in 2008 and 2009. If the Sabres don't rally to win this series, Miller will have lost his last two playoff series and not won a series since 2007.
The Pittsburgh-Ottawa series certainly hasn't been one filled with great goaltending. Maybe Marc-Andre Fleury deserves to be considered the world's top clutch goalie right now, given that he reached the Final in 2008, won it last year and was absolutely stellar in Game 7 wins last year over Washington and Detroit. Doing so would ignore that Fleury was absolutely dreadful in Game 1 in this series and has allowed 12 goals in four games. Brian Elliott has been bombarded, mercifully being pulled in the middle of Game 4. The Senators have surrendered a whopping 17 goals in four games even though they are known for their defense. Sure, the Penguins have two of th five most skilled offensive players in the world but Elliott has been rather bad for most of the series.
The West has been a little better. San Jose-Colorado has featured Craig Anderson, the star of these playoffs. With the Sharks peppering him to the tune of nearly 50 shots every game, Anderson has kept the Avalanche alive in this series. He has allowed only nine goals in four games, with six of them coming in one performance. He even has a shutout in this series. Had you ever heard of Anderson before these playoffs? You can answer "yes" if you check the transactions everyday because Anderson has been waived by so many teams, so many times, over the course of his career that I've lost count. As for the Sharks, their goalie is Evgeni Nabokov and he has made a career of coming up small in the playoffs. He has been victimized for two fluky goals, one that deflected in off one of his defensemen's skates and another that was actually put in by his own defenseman. These two goals essentially account for both San Jose losses. But the Sharks have been this decade's biggest underachiever. Despite numerous strong seasons, the Sharks have advanced to the Western Conference Final only once. They have been known for underachieving and Nabokov is at the center of that. He hasn't been brutal in this series but neither has he been good.
Chicago-Nashville has had the best goaltending of any series thus far with Antti Niemi and Pekka Rinne both playing admirably. Of course it should be noted that neither has ever played in the postseason before. Yes, they're playing well, but they haven't earned a reputation for playoff success yet either. Maybe these guys will turn out to be great but recent history says they're just as likely to be benched in the next round or next season. Ask reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas about that.
Vancouver-Los Angeles has been the most entertaining series thus far. Part of that is because of a lack of goaltending. In the first four games, each team has scored 14 goals. Jonathan Quick, making his postseason debut, is outplaying Roberto Luongo, considered by many the best goalie in the NHL. Of course, it should be noted that Luongo has never gotten to a conference final, got absolutely bombarded in the final three playoff games last season (13 goals allowed), once blew a 3-1 series lead (to the Wild in 2003) and was pulled in Game 3 of this series against the Kings.
Then there is the Phoenix-Detroit series. If you can figure out the goaltending in this series, you're better than I. Both Jimmy Howard and Ilya Bryzgalov have traded off good games and bad. Neither has displayed the sort of goaltending one would expect of a Stanley Cup winner.
So there you have it. Eight playoff series, 16 teams with goaltenders that have either failed to really step up or who have yet to prove their ability to consistently rise to the occassion in the playoffs. And that's been the story of this entire era. Goalies that are good one year are lousy the next. Goalies that excel in the regular season flop in the playoffs. Goalies that excel in the playoffs one year meltdown the next and miss the playoffs. Goalies who are the league's best one year can't keep their job the next.
Osgood has been in the last two Cup Finals and isn't even a starter this year. Many consider Henrik Lundqvist the league's top goalie but he missed the playoffs a year after botching a 3-1 series lead. Cam Ward has won a Conn Smythe Trophy and has a 6-1 record in playoff series. Of course, he has only made the playoffs twice in the five years since the lockout. Tim Thomas won the Vezina last season and isn't even a starter this season. Ray Emery and Jean-Sebastian Giguere were the goalies in the 2007 Cup Final. 2010, Emery is barely even in the NHL anymore and Gigure, having been benched by the Ducks for Jonas Hiller, is now in Toronto, playing for one of the league's worst teams.
If you can tell me who the league's top goalies are, you're lying. You can't. I can't. No one can.
Well, maybe Fleury. Maybe.
What has become more difficult in the post-lockout NHL, however, is determining who those money goalies are. In the years before the lockout, it was pretty clear who the top playoff goalies were. Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur were the head of the class. Just a notch below them were Dominik Hasek and Ed Belfour. And after those four, it was a crapshoot. In fact, from 1993-2003, those four goalies won all but three Stanley Cups. Mike Richter won it 1994 and may well have continued to fall into the money goalie class, given his performance for the United States in the 1996 World Cup and 2002 Olympics, but the Rangers were so bad that we didn't get to see it in the playoffs after 1997. Mike Vernon won it for the Red Wings in 1997 but he a well-earned reputation of being a money goalie, having reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1986 with Calgary and 1995 with Detroit and winning the Cup in 1989 with the Flames. Chris Osgood won it in 1998 for the Red Wings and he was probably the great exception to the money goalie rule during this era; the Red Wings benched him for Vernon in 1997 after the two split duties in the regular season, then actively sought Hasek to replace him when Hasek became available in the summer of 2001.
Nikolai Khabibulin won the Cup in 2004 and that was really the beginning of the death of the big-time goalie. The post-lockout era has displayed it even moreso.
Look at this season's playoffs. Where are the great goalies?
Jose Theodore and Jaroslav Halak started the Washington-Montreal series. Both had been replaced by the middle of Game 4 and who knows if we'll see them again in the postseason.
The New Jersey-Philadelphia series features Brodeur and Brian Boucher. Brodeur, for all of the records he continues to set and the three Stanley Cups he won from 1995-2003, has won two playoff series since 2004, hasn't gotten past the second round since 2003, blew a 3-2 series lead to Carolina in the opening round last year by allowed eight goals in the final two games including two in the final two minutes of Game 7 to give away a series the Devils were on the verge of winning, and is down 3-1 this series. This comes on the heels of his being benched during the Olympics. Boucher, who has actually excelled in both of his playoff appearances (a decade apart, mind you, in 2000 and 2010) has been a journeyman backup his entire career, getting a chance in the 2000 and 2010 playoffs only because Philadelphia had no one better.
In Boston-Buffalo, Tuukka Rask has been arguably the best goalie in the playoffs this season. Of course, he is a first-time starter who took the job away from Tim Thomas during the season. This is the same Tim Thomas who won the Vezina Trophy last season as the league's best goaltender. So much for that. Ryan Miller, the presumed favorite to win this year's Vezina and American hero after he stole a win over Canada in the opening round of the Olympics, is down 3-1 and in two of those losses failed to protect two-goal leads. Miller reached the Eastern Conference Final in 2006 and 2007, then failed to even make the playoffs in 2008 and 2009. If the Sabres don't rally to win this series, Miller will have lost his last two playoff series and not won a series since 2007.
The Pittsburgh-Ottawa series certainly hasn't been one filled with great goaltending. Maybe Marc-Andre Fleury deserves to be considered the world's top clutch goalie right now, given that he reached the Final in 2008, won it last year and was absolutely stellar in Game 7 wins last year over Washington and Detroit. Doing so would ignore that Fleury was absolutely dreadful in Game 1 in this series and has allowed 12 goals in four games. Brian Elliott has been bombarded, mercifully being pulled in the middle of Game 4. The Senators have surrendered a whopping 17 goals in four games even though they are known for their defense. Sure, the Penguins have two of th five most skilled offensive players in the world but Elliott has been rather bad for most of the series.
The West has been a little better. San Jose-Colorado has featured Craig Anderson, the star of these playoffs. With the Sharks peppering him to the tune of nearly 50 shots every game, Anderson has kept the Avalanche alive in this series. He has allowed only nine goals in four games, with six of them coming in one performance. He even has a shutout in this series. Had you ever heard of Anderson before these playoffs? You can answer "yes" if you check the transactions everyday because Anderson has been waived by so many teams, so many times, over the course of his career that I've lost count. As for the Sharks, their goalie is Evgeni Nabokov and he has made a career of coming up small in the playoffs. He has been victimized for two fluky goals, one that deflected in off one of his defensemen's skates and another that was actually put in by his own defenseman. These two goals essentially account for both San Jose losses. But the Sharks have been this decade's biggest underachiever. Despite numerous strong seasons, the Sharks have advanced to the Western Conference Final only once. They have been known for underachieving and Nabokov is at the center of that. He hasn't been brutal in this series but neither has he been good.
Chicago-Nashville has had the best goaltending of any series thus far with Antti Niemi and Pekka Rinne both playing admirably. Of course it should be noted that neither has ever played in the postseason before. Yes, they're playing well, but they haven't earned a reputation for playoff success yet either. Maybe these guys will turn out to be great but recent history says they're just as likely to be benched in the next round or next season. Ask reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas about that.
Vancouver-Los Angeles has been the most entertaining series thus far. Part of that is because of a lack of goaltending. In the first four games, each team has scored 14 goals. Jonathan Quick, making his postseason debut, is outplaying Roberto Luongo, considered by many the best goalie in the NHL. Of course, it should be noted that Luongo has never gotten to a conference final, got absolutely bombarded in the final three playoff games last season (13 goals allowed), once blew a 3-1 series lead (to the Wild in 2003) and was pulled in Game 3 of this series against the Kings.
Then there is the Phoenix-Detroit series. If you can figure out the goaltending in this series, you're better than I. Both Jimmy Howard and Ilya Bryzgalov have traded off good games and bad. Neither has displayed the sort of goaltending one would expect of a Stanley Cup winner.
So there you have it. Eight playoff series, 16 teams with goaltenders that have either failed to really step up or who have yet to prove their ability to consistently rise to the occassion in the playoffs. And that's been the story of this entire era. Goalies that are good one year are lousy the next. Goalies that excel in the regular season flop in the playoffs. Goalies that excel in the playoffs one year meltdown the next and miss the playoffs. Goalies who are the league's best one year can't keep their job the next.
Osgood has been in the last two Cup Finals and isn't even a starter this year. Many consider Henrik Lundqvist the league's top goalie but he missed the playoffs a year after botching a 3-1 series lead. Cam Ward has won a Conn Smythe Trophy and has a 6-1 record in playoff series. Of course, he has only made the playoffs twice in the five years since the lockout. Tim Thomas won the Vezina last season and isn't even a starter this season. Ray Emery and Jean-Sebastian Giguere were the goalies in the 2007 Cup Final. 2010, Emery is barely even in the NHL anymore and Gigure, having been benched by the Ducks for Jonas Hiller, is now in Toronto, playing for one of the league's worst teams.
If you can tell me who the league's top goalies are, you're lying. You can't. I can't. No one can.
Well, maybe Fleury. Maybe.
Eli
I recently have heard some people criticizing Eli Manning, wondering if he was a solid No. 1 overall draft choice. For example, in a column ranking the No. 1 overall picks in NFL history from best to worst, Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ranked Eli 27th and wrote "He's been somewhat disappointing but lived up to the hype in 2007, leading the Giants to four postseason wins including the stunning upset of the Patriots in the Super Bowl."
Amazing. In five seasons as a starter, Eli has never missed a start, made the playoffs four times and never had a losing record. He has always won two division championships and a Super Bowl. Yet he's considered "somewhat disappointing." We should all be so "somewhat disappointing."
And from a statistical standpoint, I would say Eli's 2009 season was pretty impressive. He completed 62% of his passes for 4,021 yards, 27 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions for a passer rating of 93.1. He did this without any established veterans receivers (in fact, Manning himself developed Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks last season) and a terrible running game. He also did it while playing at Giants Stadium, one of the least quarterback-friendly stadiums in the league because of its crazy wind patterns. 2009 was easily Eli's best statistical season.
Truth be told, over his last 38 starts (regular and postseason), Manning has more than lived up to being a No. 1 overall pick, posting a 24-14 record, throwing 58 touchdowns and only 28 interceptions. And I repeat, he's done this despite having a very young receiving core that was completely unestablished prior to 2009, without any sort of running game in 2009 and in a stadium that chews up passing games. Eli has more than lived up to being selected No. 1 overall.
Amazing. In five seasons as a starter, Eli has never missed a start, made the playoffs four times and never had a losing record. He has always won two division championships and a Super Bowl. Yet he's considered "somewhat disappointing." We should all be so "somewhat disappointing."
And from a statistical standpoint, I would say Eli's 2009 season was pretty impressive. He completed 62% of his passes for 4,021 yards, 27 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions for a passer rating of 93.1. He did this without any established veterans receivers (in fact, Manning himself developed Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks last season) and a terrible running game. He also did it while playing at Giants Stadium, one of the least quarterback-friendly stadiums in the league because of its crazy wind patterns. 2009 was easily Eli's best statistical season.
Truth be told, over his last 38 starts (regular and postseason), Manning has more than lived up to being a No. 1 overall pick, posting a 24-14 record, throwing 58 touchdowns and only 28 interceptions. And I repeat, he's done this despite having a very young receiving core that was completely unestablished prior to 2009, without any sort of running game in 2009 and in a stadium that chews up passing games. Eli has more than lived up to being selected No. 1 overall.
ESPN never learns
The Reds have hired Joe Morgan as a special adviser to baseball operations. Given his complete lack of understanding of baseball evaluation, as displayed every single Sunday night on ESPN, it would seem the smartest thing owner Bob Castellini and general manager Walt Jocketty could do would be to listen to what Morgan has to say and then do the complete opposite. Amazing that someone who displays such little knowledge of baseball evaluation could have been the best baseball player of the entire 1970s.
Meanwhile, Morgan will continue his role as booth nitwit on ESPN's Sunday night baseball broadcasts. Um, conflict of interest? Did ESPN not learn with the Craig James-Texas Tech fiasco? How is Morgan supposed to objectively critique and cover the Reds if he's drawing a paycheck from them? Given their decade of mediocrity, I know that the Reds aren't likely to ever be on a Sunday night telecast but that doesn't mean they won't be a discussion point. For example, this week the Sunday night guys may feel it appropriate to discuss the Edinson Volquez suspension. How can Morgan comment on it? Chances are, Castellini would prefer further comment not be made by anyone in his organization. Is Morgan supposed to just say "no comment" when Jon Miller and Orel Hershiser bring it up?
Just as Craig James shouldn't be covering college football for ESPN, Morgan should not be covering baseball for ESPN due to the conflict of interest.
(Morgan shouldn't have been covering baseball anyway, given his horrible performance in the booth, but that's another matter entirely.)
Meanwhile, Morgan will continue his role as booth nitwit on ESPN's Sunday night baseball broadcasts. Um, conflict of interest? Did ESPN not learn with the Craig James-Texas Tech fiasco? How is Morgan supposed to objectively critique and cover the Reds if he's drawing a paycheck from them? Given their decade of mediocrity, I know that the Reds aren't likely to ever be on a Sunday night telecast but that doesn't mean they won't be a discussion point. For example, this week the Sunday night guys may feel it appropriate to discuss the Edinson Volquez suspension. How can Morgan comment on it? Chances are, Castellini would prefer further comment not be made by anyone in his organization. Is Morgan supposed to just say "no comment" when Jon Miller and Orel Hershiser bring it up?
Just as Craig James shouldn't be covering college football for ESPN, Morgan should not be covering baseball for ESPN due to the conflict of interest.
(Morgan shouldn't have been covering baseball anyway, given his horrible performance in the booth, but that's another matter entirely.)
Roethlisberger's road to redemption
Now that Ben Roethlisberger has been suspended for a minimum of four games and a maximum of six to begin the 2010 NFL season, I think it's only fair to offer up a seven-step process for Big Ben to rehab himself and his image in Pittsburgh.
1. Hold a press conference in which he apologizes for his behavior, apologizes to the alleged victim in Georgia, apologizes to the NFL, apologizes to the Steelers (teammates, the Rooneys and Mike Tomlin), apologizes to Roger Goodell and apologizes to the fan, especially the Steelers fans. Announce that he will not challenge the league's suspension and that he will use the time to improve himself as a person and as a player.
2. Sex rehab. It's the cure-all for any celebrity whose sex with lots of partners or in crazy ways goes a little too far. (See: Woods, Eldrick).
3. Donate millions of dollars to women's charities, particularly to those aiding women who have been sexually assaulted.
4. Grant every autograph request. Start turning away the view that so many have that he is a bad guy, under-tipper, un-fan-friendly.
5. Work his ass off during training camp and the preseason. Improve his game, get into the best shape of his life, get all of his teammates on his side (none of his teammates have really publicly defended him so it's time to get them doing that) and convince Goodell that the suspension should be four games.
6. Hope the Steelers offense sputters out of the gate. And with Charlie Batch, Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon being the quarterbacks on the roster, a slow offensive start is more than possible. Their running game has been in decline, the offensive line is mediocre and the receivers are depleted with Santonio Holmes gone and that was all true with Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh opens at home against Atlanta, then has road games against the Titans and Buccaneers before returning home for a date with the Ravens in what is always a tough game for offenses no matter who the quarterback is. Couldn't you see the Steelers opening 1-3 against those teams? The Titans and Ravens defenses are a handful for teams with well-equipped offenses and the Falcons are a team on the rise right now. Only Tampa Bay seems like a sure win.
A 1-3 start with the offense struggling to move the ball because of inept quarterback play would greatly benefit Roethlisberger because the fans of Pittsburgh that are currently disgusted with him will be reminded of what it's like to not have a good quarterback. From 1983-2003, the Steelers were led by the likes of Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, David Woodley, Bubby Brister, Neil O'Donnell, Mike Tomczak, Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox. This is a fan base that saw below-average quarterback play derail teams with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations for the better part of 20 years. A reminder of what that's like could make fans a little more forgiving of Roethlisberger and could make his teammates long for his return.
7. Come back after the Week 5 bye and dominate. Do the right things. Say the right things. And play the way Roethlisberger has for the majority of his NFL career. The first seven games after the bye are against Cleveland, Miami, New Orleans, Cincinnati, New England, Oakland and Buffalo. The game against the Patriots is in Pittsburgh. It isn't hard to see the Steelers going 6-1 in that stretch if Roethlisberger returns in shape, motivated and prepared (sorry, I don't think the Bengals are all that great and a particularly tough opponent for the Steelers, even though they lost to them twice last season). Take the Steelers back to the playoffs (and from there, who knows how far they can go).
This is how it can fall perfectly for Roethlisberger going forward. This is the way to redeem himself. Step 6 is out of his control but the other six steps are well within his ability. It's up to him to make all of that happen. It's the way to rehabilitate himself in Pittsburgh and it's more than doable, even if Step 6 doesn't go to form.
As to the rumors of Roethlisberger being traded as has been reported by many, most notably Jason La Canfora? Sorry but I just don't believe that is going to happen. The photo atop this post is a reminder of what the Steelers are capable of doing with Roethlisberger as their quarterback. They aren't capable of doing that without him. It's in the best interests of Steelers to work with Roethlisberger and rehabilitate him. That's their meal ticket to more Super Bowls. In the 1983-2003 period outlined above, the Steelers didn't win a Super Bowl. In the 1970-1982 period that preceded it and the 2004-2009 period that followed, the Steelers won six Super Bowls. Their defense and running game was almost always good in that entire 40-year span. The difference is that from 1970-1982 their quarterback was Terry Bradshaw and from 2004-2009 it was Roethlisberger. Elite quarterbacks aren't easy to find and the Steelers know it.
Now that spells relief
The Cubs are moving Carlos Zambrano to the bullpen. On the bright side for the Northsiders, their new eighth inning guy is signed through 2012 and has $53.75 million left on his contract.
April 20, 2010
The Lions lost decade
With the Lions trading away Ernie Sims yesterday, I thought it would be worth looking back at the Lions first-round picks from 2001-2008. Lions fans want to forget those picks as they are otherwise known as the worst collection of first-round picks ever made by an NFL executive. Matt Millen, this is your life!
2001
18. OT Jeff Backus
It's hard to believe but Millen's first pick running the Lions actually was a pretty good one. Backus has started all 144 games for the Lions at left tackle since entering the league. And after a poor first season in which he allowed 12 sacks according to the numbers compiled by STATS, LLC., he had an excellent four-year stretch of pass protection. Unfortunately, Backus has been in severe decline over the last four seasons, allowing 9.5, 16, 9.25 and 9.25 sacks in those seasons. Those numbers represented the eighth most, most, eighth most and fourth most in the league. And you wonder why many have suggested the Lions may take a left tackle second overall on Thursday. Backus should have been replaced three years ago. That being said, you can't say he wasn't a strong choice by Millen. He's been a starter for nine years, half of which were solid.
2002
3. QB Joey Harrington
There was talk at the time that Millen preferred to take cornerback Quentin Jammer third overall (not that he's been all that great) but was forced to take the quarterback by management. Harrington took over starting duties as a rookie and was a starter for four seasons. Unfortunately, he was a ghastly 18-37 as a starter. He completed a mere 54.7 percent of his passes, averaging just 5.68 yards per attempt. His passer rating was a miserable 68.1 despite playing in the passer rating-friendly West Coast Offense under Marty Mornhinweg and Steve Mariucci. Harrington moved on to Miami in 2006 where he performed poorly for Nick Saban before moving on to Atlanta for a season in which he performed poorly as Michael Vick's first season replacement (on the bright side, his and the team's poor performance enabled the Falcons to draft Matt Ryan so there's a bright side). He then surfaced in New Orleans as a third-string quarterback in 2008 but never took the field. He was released right before the 2009 season, missing out on his chance to win a Super Bowl ring as a third-string quarterback. He remains unsigned. Someone has to pick him up as a preseason body, right?
2003
2. WR Charles Rogers
A college stud from Michigan State, everyone and his brother thought Millen should select Rogers. There was too much to like about him, ranging from the team's need for a receiver to team up with Harrington to his incredible college production to his being right in the Lions backyard. After a decent start to his rookie season, a broken collarbone caused him to miss the rest of the year. He again broke his collarbone in the 2004 season opener, causing him to miss the whole year. In 2005, he was suspended for four games for a third violation of the league's substance abuse policy, effectively ending his career in Detroit. It was later revealed that he was serial weed smoker in college, failing drug tests every year. Released at the end of preseason in 2006, Rogers played 15 games for the Lions, catching 36 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns. He tried out for numerous teams after his release from Detroit but all passed on signing him.
On the bright side for the Lions, Rogers last week was ordered by a judge to pay back $6.1 million of his $9.1 million signing bonus because his drug use violated his contract. So they have that going for them.
2004
7. WR Roy Williams
Millen opted to draft another receiver early in the draft in 2004 and for a while, Roy Williams wasn't a complete failure. After showing promise in 2004 and 2005, he broke out in 2006 by catching 82 passes for 1,310 yards and seven touchdowns, all while becoming the first receiver in NFL history to celebrate every first down catch with the emphatic first down signal (and I do mean every, or so it seemed). It looked like Millen had finally hit on a high draft pick in the big way. Williams was even selected to the Pro Bowl that season. Then he fell back a little in 2007, not to the depths of a Rogers but to just average. In 2008, a few weeks after Millen was fired, the Lions took advantage of a foolish Jerry Jones and traded Williams to the Cowboys in-season for first-, third- and sixth-round picks, a sum of which Williams clearly was not worth. Dallas then signed him to six-year, $54 million contract. It hasn't been money well spent. In 20 games with Dallas, Williams has caught 57 passes for 794 yards and eight touchdowns. So basically, he's established himself as a quality No. 3 receiver in Dallas. That qualifies him for the Millen Hall of Fame.
30. RB Kevin Jones
Things started out well for Jones, who rushed for an impressive 1,133 yards as a rookie. But in the next two seasons, he rushed for a combined total of 1,353 yards before suffering a Lisfranc foot injury. He returned to play 13 games in 2007 but rushed for just 581 yards before being release at season's end. He signed with the Bears and in 2008 rushed for just 109 yards. He suffered a season-ending injury in preseason of 2009 and was released last month. His career, for all intents and purposes, is over.
2005
10. WR Mike Williams
Millen's weird wide receiver fetish continued into 2005 with the selection of Williams, who missed the 2004 college season when he attempted to enter the 2004 draft after his sophomore season at Southern Cal. Still, everyone was enamored with him because of his size and incredible hands. Immediately upon showing up in Detroit, he questioned his coaches, showed up late to practice and grew grossly out of shape. He managed to catch a touchdown in his first career game but that was the high point of his career. As immature as a young player could be, Williams managed 37 catches in two seasons before being shipped off to the Raiders in a draft-day trade. Not even Al Davis had the patience for Williams, who was cut in the middle of the 2007 season. The Titans gave him a shot to complete the season even though he reportedly weighed approximately 437 pounds. He did little for them. Between Oakland and Tennessee, he caught seven passes for 90 yards. After the season, Tennessee cut him. After sitting out the last two years, he is attempting a comeback with the Seahawks, who are now coached by his college coach, Pete Carroll.
2006
9. LB Ernie Sims
Sims gave the Lions three good seasons, starting all 48 games from 2006-2008 and even being named a team captain for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Head coach Rod Marinelli said Sims reminded him of future Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks, whom Marinelli had coached with Tampa Bay. Of course, Marinelli then proceeded to lead Detroit to an 0-16 record in 2008 and was fired. Sims played in 11 games in 2009, starting eight of them. This week he was traded to the Eagles in a three-team deal that netted Detroit tight end Tony Scheffler and a seventh-round pick.
2007
2. WR Calvin Johnsdon
Millen's weird sexual fantasies about wide receivers returned in 2007 when he took Calvin Johnson, only this time everyone was in agreement that Johnson was the right choice. In three seasons, Johnson has demonstrated the potential to be by far the most successful pick of the Millen era and, in fact, the potential to be among the league's best receivers. In the lost 2008 winless season, Johnson was the one (and only) bright spot, catching 78 passes for 1,331 yards and a league-high 12 touchdowns. Last season, despite playing through injuries that caused him to miss two games entirely, he caught 67 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns.
2008
17. OT Gosder Cherilus
Can't be classified as a failure yet as Cherilus started 13 games in 2008 and 15 in 2009 at right tackle. However, according to the numbers compiled by STATS, LLC., he allowed 8 3/4 sacks last season, 10th most in the league. Bad? Not necessarily. Good? Absolutely not.
Only three of Millen's nine first-rounders remain on the team. One of them hasn't been a worthy starter in four years. Three of them were among the biggest busts of this decade with two of them being about as unproductive as a top-10 pick could possibly be. At least Michigan State basketball went to four Final Fours and won a national championship in the decade. And the Red Wings won two Stanley Cups. And the Pistons won an NBA championship. And Michigan football went to four BCS games. And the Tigers won an American League pennant. Because in what was otherwise a prosperous decade for sports in the state of Michigan, Millen managed to make the Lions the black sheep of the state.
April 19, 2010
Duke: Preseason #1?
NCAA Tournament Outstanding Player Kyle Singler has decided to return to Duke for his senior year. Good move by him, good news for Duke. The Blue Devils look to me like the preseason No. 1 going into next season with Singler, Nolan Smith, the Plumlee twins and Andre Dawkins returning and highly-rated incoming freshman Kyrie Irving and highly-antipicated transfer Seth "Stephen's little brother" Curry joining the team next season.
At least it wasn't by the Yankees
Panic button being pushed in Boston? Just got swept four games—at home—by the Rays and have opened the season 4-9.
At least he has a Super Bowl ring
Best team in the AL
The Rays are loaded. The Red Sox look helpless, again, today. We’re a couple of hours away from Tampa Bay having swept four games at Fenway Park.
False advertising
Just saw an opening ID on Fox Sports prior to today’s Texas NASCAR race which shows all of their networks. Speed, FSN, Big 10 Network and whatever else they have and then they cap it with “The greatest collection of sports networks.”
ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Classic, ESPNews and ESPN 8—The Ocho have nothing on Fox!
(Seriously, who do they think they’re kidding?)
April 18, 2010
Only 9 innings tonight
After last night's 20-inning marathon that saw the Mets use a starting pitcher in relief and the Cardinals use two position players to pitch three innings, the teams played a nine-inning game tonight. Adam Wainwright gave his bullpen a night off. John Maine was over 100 pitches in the fifth inning.
Wainwright allowed three runs in the second inning and nothing more, not allowing a hit after the fifth inning, scoring the go-ahead run after doubling in the eighth and going the distance in a 5-3 Cardinals win. That's the way to pick up your teammates after yesterday's game. He threw just 107 pitches in striking out nine and improving his personal record to 3-0. The Cardinals bullpen will now have a full day of rest heading into their series in Arizona, beginning tomorrow night.
Maine, meanwhile, threw a whopping 115 pitches in five innings of work, forcing in-over-his-head manager Jerry Manuel to use Tobi Stoner for 2 1/3 innings of relif. Stoner, recalled after the bullpen was used up yesterday, actually pitched reasonably well despite getting charged with the loss. The Mets bullpen should be ready to go when they return home tomorrow night for a series with the Cubs.
Well, other than Francisco Rodriguez, who after throwing over 100 pitches in the bullpen yesterday, blew the save in the last of the 19th and may need a full rotation cycle to recover.
Also, if yesterday's game dropped my baseball IQ 50 points, listening to Joe Morgan on ESPN for three hours tonight dropped it by at least another 25.
Not to make light of it but...
With airports throughout Europe being closed due to the Icelandic volcano, I wish I had gone on a weeklong vacation to Spain last week and been stuck there. Being stuck in Madrid! Missing work! The horror!
Wonder what excuses Jason Marquis will make
Jason Marquis retired no one and allowed seven runs. Nice outing for the Nationals All-Star last season. The Brewers put up a 10-spot in the first inning with Craig Counsell scoring twice, driving in four and having two hits, including a homer.
So, after half an inning of play, it’s the Brewers 10 and the Nationals coming to bat.
So, after half an inning of play, it’s the Brewers 10 and the Nationals coming to bat.
The best of the bunch
After two weeks of baseball, it’s pretty clear to me who the best three teams in the AL are: Tampa Bay, New York, Minnesota. In the NL, it’s Philadelphia, St. Louis and…I have no idea. But it’s early.
Rain, rain go away
Pouring in Fort Worth. Chances of today’s NASCAR race getting in? Zero. Chances of Chris Myers trying to be funny but failing? 100%.
How about another 20?
So, who’s ready for Mets-Cards? 5 pm tonight on ESPN. Apparently Francisco Rodriguez warmed up at some point in every inning from the 8th until his appearance in the 19th last night and estimated that he threw over 100 pitches in the bullpen Jerry Manuel really doesn’t have any clue.
John Maine against Adam Wainwright today. The Cardinals are really fortunate to have such a workhorse pitching today because they’re going to need it. Maine, meanwhile, well, he’s a six-inning guy and one can’t imagine K-Rod will be available after he threw so many pitches between bullpen sessions and his appearance. The Cardinals have to score a lot of runs today, right?
John Maine against Adam Wainwright today. The Cardinals are really fortunate to have such a workhorse pitching today because they’re going to need it. Maine, meanwhile, well, he’s a six-inning guy and one can’t imagine K-Rod will be available after he threw so many pitches between bullpen sessions and his appearance. The Cardinals have to score a lot of runs today, right?
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