The NBA lockout has officially caused the cancellation of the first 100 games of the upcoming season. I’m pissed and hopefully all the basketball fans out there are too. If we make enough noise, you have to believe that it will all get settled sooner rather than later. Of course, that’s assuming that the owners and players are rational, which they rarely are. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo wrote a good article about Commissioner Stern’s role in the proceedings. It’s worth a read.
The lockout of 1998-99 also sucked but the shortened season resulted in the Knicks going on one of the wildest playoff runs ever. With last second heroics ranging from improbable to miraculous, it was the one good thing to come out of the lockout. Here’s hoping something similar happens this time.
Totally unacceptable. A football team is like a car. If one part of it isn’t working, the entire car has a problem. This week, the tires were popped, the oil was low, even the windshield wipers weren’t working. The Giants’ offensive line is already shaky enough at full strength, but the loss of David Baas and then Chris Snee turned it into a sieve which was exacerbated by the fact that Brandon Jacobs was also out. But Seattle is a really, really bad football team. That doesn’t play well on the road. And has a shitty quarterback. And a backup QB that looks like Jared Leto.
There’s no way in hell the Giants should have lost unless they completely gave it away. That’s exactly what they did. I love Cruz and he made an amazing play on his touchdown but there’s no way you can fumble deep in your own territory. The Seahawks were mentally on the plane home already. That play gave them new life along with the safety (barely) of D.J. Ware. Missing Tuck again, the quarterbacks were given waaaaaaaaaaay too much time to operate. Also, how many times are the opponents going to go no huddle before we stop it?
It’s frustrating that Eli can move the ball so effortlessly at times when he really needs to but not when it’s the second quarter. I don’t know if it’s him, the entire team, or the playcalling, but they need to play like every drive is a game-winning drive. It’s OK to play one bad game, but I’m afraid it’s becoming a trend and that’s a problem. It’s a problem when you barely beat shitty teams and it’s a major problem when you lose to them.
The Yankees are now 0-2 since Kate Hudson and A-Rod broke up. You can’t blame Alex for striking out the bases loaded or for striking out to end both of the last two seasons. He’s a dependent fuck. I blame Kate Hudson. So what if all the tabloids said he broke up with her? Maybe it’s up to the Yankees Universe to get them back together. It’ll be like a metrosexual Latino version of The Parent Trap.
I mean, come one! Really, Kate? You were the MVP of the 2009 World Series (sorry, Matsui). I don’t care that you have a new guy. Muse sucks anyway. A-Rod cannot survive without you. Cameron Diaz is not a suitable replacement. I’m sure that’s what he was thinking with two outs in the ninth, “Boy, I sure miss Kate.” A-ROD DOESN’T HIT IN THE CLUTCH WITHOUT YOU!
Please come back, Kate. You would be the Yankees’ most valuable free agent signing. Brian Cashman should take a big bouquet of flowers to the set of whatever crappy rom-com you’re filming and refuse to leave until you agree to get back with A-Rod. It doesn’t even have to be now. You can wait till August or September or whenever he gets off his inevitable stint on the DL. Don’t tell me you don’t miss those blue lips just a little. I just can’t take losing to another random team before the World Series anymore. I better see you at the Stadium in 2012, Kate. Until then, you’re a jabroni, brother.
It’s WEEK 5 and our lines have shrunk like LeAnn Rimes. Maybe it’s fortuitous scheduling or parity, but this week you just have to go with your gut. For the most part, stick to the teams you like and don’t get too fancy and worry about the points. In sad news, Rodave was ironically crushed to death by a marshmallow truck. Luckily, his twin brother Slumdeezy has taken his place and since they’re twins, they know everything about each other! And no I didn’t steal this idea from Beerfest. Onto the picks:
CHIEFS AT COLTS (-2.5) Stone: Chiefs I think I just peed my pants.
Slumdeezy: Colts
Rory: Chiefs Bill Walton predicted that this will be the greatest human football game ever performed on Earth by humans.
DP Animal: Colts
Phanatic: Chiefs
CARDINALS AT VIKINGS (-2.5) Stone: Cardinals
Slumdeezy: Vikings
Rory: Cardinals As explained last week, I’m semi-rooting for the Cardinals this season because of my girlfriend. I’ll tell you, I’ve followed the Nets for over 15 years, and I’ve followed the Cardinals for four weeks – it’s much tougher being a Cardinals fan.
It’s an old adage in sports that the worst place to be is in the middle. You’re not competing for a Title but your team isn’t bad enough to accumulate enough talent through the draft to move up in the world. You get stuck in purgatory. Judging from the Rangers’ last six seasons and their extremely disappointing exit in the 2011 Playoffs, it wouldn’t be a shock to see them back in the middling morass of the Eastern Conference. Despite this, there’s an optimism around the team that things may be different this year.
Of course, the Rangers have never been afraid to spend a little cash and they did so this summer, signing top free agent Brad Richards. His pairing with Marian Gaborik on the top line should open up the ice for the once-prodigious scorer, who can concentrate on putting the puck in the net instead of handling it. Gaborik’s 22 goals in 2010-11 was a major letdown and his scoring above all may be the difference between being a contender and a pretender.
The foundation of the Rangers has been solidifying for the past few seasons and it’s finally time to judge whether the young guys have what it takes to make a serious run for the Stanley Cup. New Captain Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky lead this faction that also includes Brian Boyle, Artem Anisimov, and Derek Stepan. Callahan and Dubinsky both scored 20 goals last year but will be expected to increase their production and must avoid injuries, as both have missed significant time over the past two seasons.
Along the blue line, all seemed well but star Marc Staal has still been suffering from a concussion suffered last February and is out indefinitely. While it seems he may be back sooner rather than later, the defense will now be a huge storyline to follow especially in the beginning of the season. Dan Girardi is a stud, but Michael Sauer needs to step up and afterthoughts like Michael Del Zotto and Tim Erixon will now be pressed into important roles. How will they handle it?
Last and certainly not least, the King Henrik Lundqvist is back in net for the Blueshirts. He was as great as ever last year and continues to be one of the top goaltenders in the NHL. His work is what makes the Rangers competitive in nearly every game. With Martin Biron serving as a capable backup, the King was fresh down the stretch for the first time in his career and his 68 games played was his least since his rookie campaign. The team was fifth overall in goals against last year but with the lack of scoring, it didn’t show in the standings.
With Sidney Crosby’s future unknown in Pittsburgh and the Flyers making wholesale changes in the offseason, it would seem that the Atlantic Division is up for grabs. If the Rangers can continue their physical, gritty style of play that was so successful in the later part of last season, avoid the injury bug, and get a big year from Marian Gaborik, they should be right there. Hopefully, King Henrik and the kids will put them over the top.
Projected finish: 45-26-11, 101 points, 1st place in Atlantic Divison, 3rd place in Eastern Conference
During Game 5, I was sitting behind a guy who was wearing a rabbit sock puppet and would make it jump around with the music. The rabbit was wearing glasses and a Yankees hat. Surprisingly, the guy was there alone. When the Yankees went down 3-0, he switched over to a squirrel, then went back to the rabbit for the later innings. He should have stayed with the squirrel.
Sometimes you just have a bad day and can’t get over the hump. That’s what happened to the Yanks. You can’t dwell on it. From the collective failures of A-Rod, Teixeira, and Nick Swisher to Nova’s injury, Girardi’s overmanaging, and eventually CC’s vincibility out of the bullpen, it just wasn’t our year. I’m blaming the sock puppet.
*****
The problem with the Yankees is that, with the exception of Robbie Cano, there just isn’t anybody with any huevos. We need guys with big, hairy huevos. When everyone is hitting, it’s all sunshine and gumdrops, but when the team is in a jam, it gets tighter than Sean Penn’s butthole. Of course the problem is that especially in the Division Series, one or two bad pitches can put the entire season in a precarious position. We learned that before Ivan Nova had thrown 10 pitches.
Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill, and Bernie Williams didn’t have the natural talent like the guys on this year’s squad but when the going got tough, you know you could always count on them to get a big hit or even just draw a walk. I can’t even imagine them leaving this many guys on base or striking out with the bases loaded during a do-or-die game. For all the talk about baseball being a stats game, real fans know there’s a lot more that goes into a Championship team.
The 2012 Yankees will be bringing back most of this team. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing. They won 97 games with their cleanup hitter missing a signifant amount of time. Despite the fact that he was anti-clutch in the playoffs, A-Rod did have an injury excuse. He was battling knee and finger issues at the end of the season, and still managed to get good wood on a few balls against the Tigers. If a few drop, we’re not talking about him as a goat.
The pitching rotation was also a huge question mark during the season and should be Brian Cashman’s #1 priority. CC Sabathia will likely opt out of his current contract, but will stay with the team for a bigger deal. Nova is fine, but is young and shouldn’t be relied upon as the Yankees’ second starter. Matt Cain has been mentioned as a possible target and the Giants might be willing to give him up since they scored about 38 runs this season.
The most likely change to the lineup will come in right field. Nick Swisher has a reasonable option for 2012 but hasn’t shown up in the playoffs for each of the past three years. Might he be a possible trade chip? Not to say that he’s overvalued, but I think the spotlight of New York raises his demand more than if he played in Kansas City.
Jorge Posada is also a probable goner although he played valiantly in October. Jesus Montero should handle DH duties but could serve as trade bait along with pitching prospects Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances. Cashman has shown to be patient in recent years, holding onto Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain (remember him?) but dealing Ian Kennedy, who is now one of the best pitchers in the Majors.
The 2011 Yankees were a disappointment and a failure, but that’s obviously not a reason to blow up this team. With a bounce here or there, a little luck on the injury front, and an addition or two to the pitching staff, they will no doubt be contenders for the 2012 Crown. However, as we learned, you never know what exactly will be the tipping point. Or maybe it’s all on the rabbit.
On a cold night in Saskatoon in 1992, Bret Hart defeated Ric Flair for his first WWF Championship. The Title was well-deserved; Bret was one of the hardest workers in the company for a number of years and had finally earned the prize. It wasn’t easy, however. In reality, he had badly dislocated his finger escaping from a figure-four leglock earlier in the match. The win propelled the Hitman into greatness and he eventually became one of the most popular wrestlers of all-time.
This is it! Eminem can’t save Detroit. A government bailout can’t save Detroit. Al Albuquerque can’t save Detroit. Mike Francesa doesn’t even know who he is. This is the Bronx. This is tradition. This is Mystique and Aura. Supernova may be a rook but he’s like Andy Pettitte reincarnate. Doug Fister’s not going to even know what fisted him. The momentum is on the Yankees’ side. All they have to do is deliver.
Rainman Suite 