By Rick Morris
It’s been several weeks now since two sports legends – nay, two AMERICAN legends – passed away. Ernie Harwell and John Wooden both lived long, full lives, but were both brought down in the end by diseases that their aged bodies could no longer fight.
I didn’t know either man personally, but I was fortunate enough to speak to Ernie on-air one night and it is still one of the biggest highlights of my life. He agreed to be the keynote guest on one of the “Up All Night” marathons that we broadcast on SportsTalkNetwork.com as a fundraiser for my mother’s memorial scholarship fund, the Carol Morris Scholarship Fund at Bowling Green State University (with proceeds going to help make possible educations of those who are going into the special education field). He was a class act and a wonderful storyteller. I felt bad, feeling like I was bogarting the interview with my queries, but my two co-hosts, both older than I and therefore guys who had listened to Ernie for far longer than I had, were too starstruck to ask many questions! It was a wonderful experience.
But both men were the type who you felt like you knew even without having conversations with them. Both were modest despite their vast success. Both are on a short list for the greatest of all time in their chosen professions, Ernie behind the mike and John coaching a team. Both preached the really important virtues in life that put sports in their proper perspective. Both were, to paraphrase Vin Scully in one of the videos below, MEN.
RIP Ernie Harwell and Coach John Wooden. We have assembled some videos that show the essence of each man.
Ernie Harwell
John Wooden
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
FDH Fantasy Newsletter: Volume III, Issue XXVII
By Rick Morris
For the most part, we keep our fantasy content on our fantasy website and fantasy blog and keep this site for content on all subjects. It allows our readers to find specific content more easily that way. However, it has come to our attention that because our new fantasy sports newsletter is published on the older Blogger platform that our readers may be limited in their ability to subscribe to it. There does not appear to be a way to have content on the FantasyDrafthelp.com blog forwarded to an aggregate news reader -- however, we know that we have that ability here. So we will link to that newsletter each week right here when it is published. Here is this week's newsletter.
For the most part, we keep our fantasy content on our fantasy website and fantasy blog and keep this site for content on all subjects. It allows our readers to find specific content more easily that way. However, it has come to our attention that because our new fantasy sports newsletter is published on the older Blogger platform that our readers may be limited in their ability to subscribe to it. There does not appear to be a way to have content on the FantasyDrafthelp.com blog forwarded to an aggregate news reader -- however, we know that we have that ability here. So we will link to that newsletter each week right here when it is published. Here is this week's newsletter.
Friday, July 9, 2010
One potential Cavs quick turnaround scenario
By Rick Morris
UPDATE: In this fast-changing world, two big developments happened after this column was posted. The Cavs made a sign'n'trade deal with Miami for LeBron, bringing back draft picks and cap considerations that could perhaps be used in lieu of some of the pieces-parts laid out below. Also, word came out that Chris Paul has signed with LRMR, LeBron's marketing company. Now, this could certainly make CP3 less likely to want to reunite with Byron Scott, but since Dan Gilbert knows where the bodies are buried regarding #23's time in Cleveland, methinks he can send word down south not to even try to poison Paul's mind.
In the past 24 hours, I have joked with FDH Lounge Dignitary Nate Noy that he is still stuck in the bargaining phase of grieving about the LeBron departure, while I passed through to acceptance in May (when I actually wondered to myself if the team could be OK signing Joe Johnson in free agency instead!!!). He has tried to rationalize how the Cavs could get back to legitimate contention (meaning a legitimate chance to go deep into the playoffs every year) quickly, while I have been resigned to the tear-down/rebuild through draft picks and salary cap room.
But ... there is an exception to every rule. I do believe that if you can get players capable of becoming megastars that you have to do so at all costs in the NBA. That is why I defended the Memphis decision to give Rudy Gay a max contract; sure, he's been a tease (I won't say a Gay tease!) pretty much ever since UConn, but we all know the insane upside he possesses at age 23 and he started to flash a bit of that last year. You either acquire such a player or you develop one if you are going to win titles, period.
With word that Minnesota and New Orleans are among the franchises suffering the worst through the financial crunch, rare opportunities could be in place. Sure, the Cavs weren't able to trade for Chris Paul in time to keep LeBron in Cleveland, but CP3 has made no secret of his desire to play for Byron Scott once again and he can leave the Bayou in 2012. If he forces the issue with management, there is no way management lets him play out the string. But it must be strongly emphasized -- this deal does not get done without Paul taking the initiative in that way and forcing his team's hand. The Hornets really want to move Emeka Okafor's monster contract, so Cleveland would have to swallow hard and accept it -- which they almost assuredly would in the overall context of the deal.
Meanwhile in Minnesota, the Wolves are actively dangling Al Jefferson because of their frontcourt logjam and financial situation.
I worked Oklahoma City into the deal, figuring that if they could acquire a talented veteran to add to their core like Antawn Jamison without adding too much salary that they could fill out the multi-team mix.
I ran this scenario through the ESPN Trade Machine and it hung up the few times I tried to enter it -- I did not get a definitive answer. However, it did reject some of my versions that involved teams other than Oklahoma City, so my belief for right now is that the objections were limited to the fourth team being over the cap (which the Thunder is not). Regardless, this structure should serve as the foundation for a possible deal even if a few tweaks would be necessary here and there.
TO CLEVELAND
Al Jefferson (from Minnesota)
Chris Paul (from New Orleans)
Emeka Okafor (from New Orleans)
Nick Collison (from Oklahoma City)
Nenad Krstic (from Oklahoma City)
TO MINNESOTA
2012 #1 pick (from Cleveland)
2014 #1 pick (from Cleveland)
Anthony Parker (from Cleveland)
TO NEW ORLEANS
Delonte West (from Cleveland)
JJ Hickson (from Cleveland)
Mo Williams (from Cleveland)
Anderson Varejao (from Cleveland)
TO OKLAHOMA CITY
Antawn Jamison (from Cleveland)
Leon Powe (from Cleveland)
It should go without saying that the Cavs would be doing sign-and-trade extensions with Paul and Jefferson as a part of this mega-deal.
So if you're the Cavs, here's what the lineup looks like after the wholesale roster reshuffling with this deal.
C - Emeka Okafor
PF - Al Jefferson
SF - Jamario Moon
SG - Rashad McCants (veteran minimum signing, on summer league roster)
PG - Chris Paul
Wow, Jamario Moon as the only player off the '09-10 roster to be a starter -- and he didn't even start last year, backing up #23!
The rest of the rotation would be as follows:
C - Nenad Krstic
PF - Nick Collison
SF/SG - Danny Green
SG/PG - Boobie Gibson
SG/PG - Sebastian Telfair
Remaining roster spots could go to:
C - Nathan Jawai (veteran minimum signing, on summer league roster)
PF - Maciej Lampe (veteran minimum signing, on summer league roster)
Moon and McCants would be fairly marginal starters, with Okafor being fairly functional if (relatively, which may be the best you can expect) healthy. The bench would be decent, with Gibson as a pretty good sleeper scoring option given his sharp-shooting abilities.
But the CP/AJ combo is the centerpiece of this new roster, with Paul clearly one of the five players in the league capable of anchoring a championship roster and Jefferson comprising the best "Pippen" not named LeBron this side of South Beach. Could this team win a title? Realistically, you'd still need at least a year to gel and allow the $12.5 million in merely functional salaries acquired from the Thunder to expire and be used for another upgrade.
But compared to the half-decade at best in the wilderness that faces the Cavaliers otherwise? Get to it, Chris Grant and Dan Gilbert!
UPDATE: In this fast-changing world, two big developments happened after this column was posted. The Cavs made a sign'n'trade deal with Miami for LeBron, bringing back draft picks and cap considerations that could perhaps be used in lieu of some of the pieces-parts laid out below. Also, word came out that Chris Paul has signed with LRMR, LeBron's marketing company. Now, this could certainly make CP3 less likely to want to reunite with Byron Scott, but since Dan Gilbert knows where the bodies are buried regarding #23's time in Cleveland, methinks he can send word down south not to even try to poison Paul's mind.
In the past 24 hours, I have joked with FDH Lounge Dignitary Nate Noy that he is still stuck in the bargaining phase of grieving about the LeBron departure, while I passed through to acceptance in May (when I actually wondered to myself if the team could be OK signing Joe Johnson in free agency instead!!!). He has tried to rationalize how the Cavs could get back to legitimate contention (meaning a legitimate chance to go deep into the playoffs every year) quickly, while I have been resigned to the tear-down/rebuild through draft picks and salary cap room.
But ... there is an exception to every rule. I do believe that if you can get players capable of becoming megastars that you have to do so at all costs in the NBA. That is why I defended the Memphis decision to give Rudy Gay a max contract; sure, he's been a tease (I won't say a Gay tease!) pretty much ever since UConn, but we all know the insane upside he possesses at age 23 and he started to flash a bit of that last year. You either acquire such a player or you develop one if you are going to win titles, period.
With word that Minnesota and New Orleans are among the franchises suffering the worst through the financial crunch, rare opportunities could be in place. Sure, the Cavs weren't able to trade for Chris Paul in time to keep LeBron in Cleveland, but CP3 has made no secret of his desire to play for Byron Scott once again and he can leave the Bayou in 2012. If he forces the issue with management, there is no way management lets him play out the string. But it must be strongly emphasized -- this deal does not get done without Paul taking the initiative in that way and forcing his team's hand. The Hornets really want to move Emeka Okafor's monster contract, so Cleveland would have to swallow hard and accept it -- which they almost assuredly would in the overall context of the deal.
Meanwhile in Minnesota, the Wolves are actively dangling Al Jefferson because of their frontcourt logjam and financial situation.
I worked Oklahoma City into the deal, figuring that if they could acquire a talented veteran to add to their core like Antawn Jamison without adding too much salary that they could fill out the multi-team mix.
I ran this scenario through the ESPN Trade Machine and it hung up the few times I tried to enter it -- I did not get a definitive answer. However, it did reject some of my versions that involved teams other than Oklahoma City, so my belief for right now is that the objections were limited to the fourth team being over the cap (which the Thunder is not). Regardless, this structure should serve as the foundation for a possible deal even if a few tweaks would be necessary here and there.
TO CLEVELAND
Al Jefferson (from Minnesota)
Chris Paul (from New Orleans)
Emeka Okafor (from New Orleans)
Nick Collison (from Oklahoma City)
Nenad Krstic (from Oklahoma City)
TO MINNESOTA
2012 #1 pick (from Cleveland)
2014 #1 pick (from Cleveland)
Anthony Parker (from Cleveland)
TO NEW ORLEANS
Delonte West (from Cleveland)
JJ Hickson (from Cleveland)
Mo Williams (from Cleveland)
Anderson Varejao (from Cleveland)
TO OKLAHOMA CITY
Antawn Jamison (from Cleveland)
Leon Powe (from Cleveland)
It should go without saying that the Cavs would be doing sign-and-trade extensions with Paul and Jefferson as a part of this mega-deal.
So if you're the Cavs, here's what the lineup looks like after the wholesale roster reshuffling with this deal.
C - Emeka Okafor
PF - Al Jefferson
SF - Jamario Moon
SG - Rashad McCants (veteran minimum signing, on summer league roster)
PG - Chris Paul
Wow, Jamario Moon as the only player off the '09-10 roster to be a starter -- and he didn't even start last year, backing up #23!
The rest of the rotation would be as follows:
C - Nenad Krstic
PF - Nick Collison
SF/SG - Danny Green
SG/PG - Boobie Gibson
SG/PG - Sebastian Telfair
Remaining roster spots could go to:
C - Nathan Jawai (veteran minimum signing, on summer league roster)
PF - Maciej Lampe (veteran minimum signing, on summer league roster)
Moon and McCants would be fairly marginal starters, with Okafor being fairly functional if (relatively, which may be the best you can expect) healthy. The bench would be decent, with Gibson as a pretty good sleeper scoring option given his sharp-shooting abilities.
But the CP/AJ combo is the centerpiece of this new roster, with Paul clearly one of the five players in the league capable of anchoring a championship roster and Jefferson comprising the best "Pippen" not named LeBron this side of South Beach. Could this team win a title? Realistically, you'd still need at least a year to gel and allow the $12.5 million in merely functional salaries acquired from the Thunder to expire and be used for another upgrade.
But compared to the half-decade at best in the wilderness that faces the Cavaliers otherwise? Get to it, Chris Grant and Dan Gilbert!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
LeBron’s decision: immediate thoughts
By Rick Morris
Just to give my background on the LeBron story before I break it down …
I am a lifelong Cleveland Cavs fan, wearing my old battered Mark Price T-shirt on the day that signifies the end of the team’s most successful era. I remember the old wine and gold from times my parents took me to the now-defunct Richfield Coliseum as a small child. So I’m not one of the bandwagon-jumpers who only got with the Cavs when they were deemed cool by the masses.
To me, LeBron James is the best player in the league, an unprecedented amalgam of skill sets and court vision the likes of which we have never seen before. Depending on the course he sets for himself – more on that below – he has an excellent chance to go down as the greatest player of all time.
Notwithstanding his Akron heritage, I have never looked at him as more than that. He’s the best player in the game, playing for my team, but I never got too invested in him off the court. I didn’t hate on him, I just didn’t idolize him personally. There are a lot of people who foolishly inflated him into more than what he is personally – local boy growing up to save us all – and they are the ones who are the most depressed about this, because it goes against their false worldview. He’s never been my favorite player, Boobie and Z were my favorites.
I never got on LeBron’s case for wearing a Yankees hat or any of the other idiocies people would give him garbage for doing (the one exception is that I did feel that he should set a good example for his fans and marry his baby mama since they were together anyway, but that’s more than a little more important than criticizing him for his team fandom). I thought the hate on him for the Game Five debacle against the Celtics was overblown and said so vociferously on Twitter that night, causing one friend piling on him to resent me to this day. But I saw him as somebody who was more injured than he was letting on and somebody who wasn’t dealing well with the frustration of the game flow and execution not working out, not as a quitter like so many in the “LeBron Messiah” crowd did when they bailed on him.
So I feel that, all in all, while I was never measured in my on-court opinion of him or my insane optimism about what he could deliver for my team, I was more measured than most in what I thought personally. And that is almost definitely helping me to deal with this better than most fellow Cavs fans.
Honestly, I was embarrassed by the banners on the highway overpasses and the “hometown” gaga that was being cited by so many to get him to stay in Northeast Ohio. As I said on our FDH LOUNGE show this past week (Wednesdays, 7-10 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com), I wanted LeBron to re-sign and bring Cleveland championships as badly as anyone, but the community needs to keep its dignity. The fact that LeBron was in position to sign a contract for nine digits is something that I am fairly philosophical about – it is what it is, as far as I’m concerned – but it’s not anything that we as a society should glorify. For people to be lining up to give this guy tongue baths to sign for that much money is something that really rubs me the wrong way.
I don’t feel that LeBron owes Northeast Ohio anything special just because he grew up here – and, notwithstanding his artificial distinctions between “Akron” and “Cleveland,” few in this area consider them completely separate and distinct and even fewer nationally look at it that way. But to cite another team as providing a better chance to win championships is a humungous slap in the face inasmuch as he has been the co-signer for every significant move since he got here in ’03.
[BTW, it’s also 20-20 hindsight to criticize the Cavs for catering to his every whim over these past seven years. He held a gun to their head and they would have had no chance to keep him, maybe not even the time he did re-sign back in 2006, had they not let him have his run of the place. You can hate the reality of modern big-time sports, but it’s displaced aggression to hate on the Cavs for doing what was necessary to even have a chance to keep him.]
If the team doesn’t have as great of a chance to win right now as Chicago or Miami – and I would dispute that premise, given the team’s underachievement in the playoffs and remaining chits that could be used for impactful trades – then LeBron must certainly share in that responsibility. To shrug that off completely is not a sign of great character.
Also, we are “Witnessing” changes throughout this process that led Cleveland Plain Dealer Brian Windhorst (who is, as I have said, the best beat writer in the country regardless of sport) to pronounce on Wednesday that “this LeBron” making these moves is not the guy he knew all these years. He has always struck me as fairly savvy, but I think we have seen erosion there in the form of the constant yes-man conduct from his inner circle. He did not have one person around him with the authority to tell him some obvious truths:
^ That kicking Cleveland (the pathetic mangy dog by the side of the road in the national image) in the nards with a steel-toed boot will damage his national reputation – to say nothing of the forum being chosen, an unprecedented hour of national television to rub additional salt in the wounds.
^ That nobody anywhere buys his artificial distinction between his loyalty to Greater Akron and Greater Cleveland (given that they are connected by highway and only separated by some national park areas) and that he’s digging the PR grave deeper by trying to get people to believe something so disingenuous.
^ That leaving Cleveland after he laid such an egg in the Boston series, coupled with going to a team where he will automatically be viewed as a co-Pippen to a megastar who’s already won a ring will damage his legacy – he should go ask Kobe what it was like dealing with criticism for the THREE rings he won when Shaq was the greatest star on his team, in a situation that pales in comparison to the “big game” questions many have already put on LeBron. And for what it is worth, I will now root against the other co-Pippen, Chris Bosh, very strenuously for providing probably the last nail in the coffin via his petulant refusal to even consider playing on America’s North Coast.
^ That because he is no longer graded on the curve of expectations relative to what was around him in Cleveland that he never wins another MVP award in Miami and will be deemed a failure if he doesn’t win at least four or five titles with that bunch – with one in his first year, of course (my personal prediction would be two titles for that nucleus, given the challenges that a lack of depth will bring and that getting good-to-great teammates to come in and take the league minimum would represent an unprecedented development in the league).
^ That this TV special is almost uniformly viewed as obnoxious by the public at large – with his “charitable efforts” serving as an insulting fig leaf for ego – and that it plays into a disturbing image with the “King James” Twitter account that was just opened.
^ That he transformed himself into an object of widespread derision by the number of teams he ostentatiously flirted with before coming to a decision that reeks to so many as taking the easier path in the end.
I realize that as an admitted lifelong Cavs fan that some of the above points may not seem completely objective, but I believe that they are and I stand by them. I am intellectually honest enough to say that my opinion of him, like that of Windhorst, did change as the process mutated. Had he returned, I would have been overjoyed at the implications for my favorite team, which would avoid the now-obvious need for a complete teardown/rebuild, but I would have been even more wary of him regardless.
[But I do not by any means condone the reactions of this area that I know will be coming, from seeking to burn down murals and billboards with his likeness to any threats that will come to him and his family. It’s a sad commentary on society when you consider the lengths people will go to in a futile attempt to exact “revenge” on “Black Modell.” Having said that, again just to recognize the world for what it is, he’s as naïve as can be if he thinks he’s going to be able to live during his summer and post-hoops career in suburban Akron.]
Speaking of that teardown/rebuild, I’m going to make it a point to go buy some Cavs merchandise very soon. This organization did EVERYTHING they could to be successful in all areas and did not deserve this outcome. If I’m going to criticize the Dolan regime that has run my favorite baseball team squarely into the ground, I have to be consistent and support good ownership when it has tried to do well for me. I can only hope that enough Cavalier fans agree with me on the need to stand by Dan Gilbert for what he has done. The fact that he owns the new casino coming to town and is thus anchored to the community gives me hope that he’s going to have the stomach for the inevitable rebuild.
When the day comes that the Cavs do acquire a new superstar to lead the team back into serious contention, I can only hope that the landscape of the league has changed by then. For while I have anger and disappointment that stems equally from the content of the decision and the manner in which it is delivered, I realize that these issues go far beyond the character and maturity levels of a filthy rich 25 year-old. They stem from the system that has created and nurtured the mania that led him through this process that was degrading to so many. David Stern is obsessed with marketing over substance and thinks any water-cooler talk is inherently good for the league, even if it overshadows a seven-game Finals series between the league’s two most historic franchises. My hope is that one way or another, by the time my team is restored to success years down the road, that the game is not governed by a commissioner who is so determined to aid and abet the culture of self-aggrandizement that leads to moments like this. I hope – in vain, probably – that this moment causes such a backlash that it rolls back this destructive tide once and for all. Characteristically, if it does, it will be too late to help my hometown.
Also, this just in, Dan Gilbert absolutely destroyed LeBron. Good for him.
Just to give my background on the LeBron story before I break it down …
I am a lifelong Cleveland Cavs fan, wearing my old battered Mark Price T-shirt on the day that signifies the end of the team’s most successful era. I remember the old wine and gold from times my parents took me to the now-defunct Richfield Coliseum as a small child. So I’m not one of the bandwagon-jumpers who only got with the Cavs when they were deemed cool by the masses.
To me, LeBron James is the best player in the league, an unprecedented amalgam of skill sets and court vision the likes of which we have never seen before. Depending on the course he sets for himself – more on that below – he has an excellent chance to go down as the greatest player of all time.
Notwithstanding his Akron heritage, I have never looked at him as more than that. He’s the best player in the game, playing for my team, but I never got too invested in him off the court. I didn’t hate on him, I just didn’t idolize him personally. There are a lot of people who foolishly inflated him into more than what he is personally – local boy growing up to save us all – and they are the ones who are the most depressed about this, because it goes against their false worldview. He’s never been my favorite player, Boobie and Z were my favorites.
I never got on LeBron’s case for wearing a Yankees hat or any of the other idiocies people would give him garbage for doing (the one exception is that I did feel that he should set a good example for his fans and marry his baby mama since they were together anyway, but that’s more than a little more important than criticizing him for his team fandom). I thought the hate on him for the Game Five debacle against the Celtics was overblown and said so vociferously on Twitter that night, causing one friend piling on him to resent me to this day. But I saw him as somebody who was more injured than he was letting on and somebody who wasn’t dealing well with the frustration of the game flow and execution not working out, not as a quitter like so many in the “LeBron Messiah” crowd did when they bailed on him.
So I feel that, all in all, while I was never measured in my on-court opinion of him or my insane optimism about what he could deliver for my team, I was more measured than most in what I thought personally. And that is almost definitely helping me to deal with this better than most fellow Cavs fans.
Honestly, I was embarrassed by the banners on the highway overpasses and the “hometown” gaga that was being cited by so many to get him to stay in Northeast Ohio. As I said on our FDH LOUNGE show this past week (Wednesdays, 7-10 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com), I wanted LeBron to re-sign and bring Cleveland championships as badly as anyone, but the community needs to keep its dignity. The fact that LeBron was in position to sign a contract for nine digits is something that I am fairly philosophical about – it is what it is, as far as I’m concerned – but it’s not anything that we as a society should glorify. For people to be lining up to give this guy tongue baths to sign for that much money is something that really rubs me the wrong way.
I don’t feel that LeBron owes Northeast Ohio anything special just because he grew up here – and, notwithstanding his artificial distinctions between “Akron” and “Cleveland,” few in this area consider them completely separate and distinct and even fewer nationally look at it that way. But to cite another team as providing a better chance to win championships is a humungous slap in the face inasmuch as he has been the co-signer for every significant move since he got here in ’03.
[BTW, it’s also 20-20 hindsight to criticize the Cavs for catering to his every whim over these past seven years. He held a gun to their head and they would have had no chance to keep him, maybe not even the time he did re-sign back in 2006, had they not let him have his run of the place. You can hate the reality of modern big-time sports, but it’s displaced aggression to hate on the Cavs for doing what was necessary to even have a chance to keep him.]
If the team doesn’t have as great of a chance to win right now as Chicago or Miami – and I would dispute that premise, given the team’s underachievement in the playoffs and remaining chits that could be used for impactful trades – then LeBron must certainly share in that responsibility. To shrug that off completely is not a sign of great character.
Also, we are “Witnessing” changes throughout this process that led Cleveland Plain Dealer Brian Windhorst (who is, as I have said, the best beat writer in the country regardless of sport) to pronounce on Wednesday that “this LeBron” making these moves is not the guy he knew all these years. He has always struck me as fairly savvy, but I think we have seen erosion there in the form of the constant yes-man conduct from his inner circle. He did not have one person around him with the authority to tell him some obvious truths:
^ That kicking Cleveland (the pathetic mangy dog by the side of the road in the national image) in the nards with a steel-toed boot will damage his national reputation – to say nothing of the forum being chosen, an unprecedented hour of national television to rub additional salt in the wounds.
^ That nobody anywhere buys his artificial distinction between his loyalty to Greater Akron and Greater Cleveland (given that they are connected by highway and only separated by some national park areas) and that he’s digging the PR grave deeper by trying to get people to believe something so disingenuous.
^ That leaving Cleveland after he laid such an egg in the Boston series, coupled with going to a team where he will automatically be viewed as a co-Pippen to a megastar who’s already won a ring will damage his legacy – he should go ask Kobe what it was like dealing with criticism for the THREE rings he won when Shaq was the greatest star on his team, in a situation that pales in comparison to the “big game” questions many have already put on LeBron. And for what it is worth, I will now root against the other co-Pippen, Chris Bosh, very strenuously for providing probably the last nail in the coffin via his petulant refusal to even consider playing on America’s North Coast.
^ That because he is no longer graded on the curve of expectations relative to what was around him in Cleveland that he never wins another MVP award in Miami and will be deemed a failure if he doesn’t win at least four or five titles with that bunch – with one in his first year, of course (my personal prediction would be two titles for that nucleus, given the challenges that a lack of depth will bring and that getting good-to-great teammates to come in and take the league minimum would represent an unprecedented development in the league).
^ That this TV special is almost uniformly viewed as obnoxious by the public at large – with his “charitable efforts” serving as an insulting fig leaf for ego – and that it plays into a disturbing image with the “King James” Twitter account that was just opened.
^ That he transformed himself into an object of widespread derision by the number of teams he ostentatiously flirted with before coming to a decision that reeks to so many as taking the easier path in the end.
I realize that as an admitted lifelong Cavs fan that some of the above points may not seem completely objective, but I believe that they are and I stand by them. I am intellectually honest enough to say that my opinion of him, like that of Windhorst, did change as the process mutated. Had he returned, I would have been overjoyed at the implications for my favorite team, which would avoid the now-obvious need for a complete teardown/rebuild, but I would have been even more wary of him regardless.
[But I do not by any means condone the reactions of this area that I know will be coming, from seeking to burn down murals and billboards with his likeness to any threats that will come to him and his family. It’s a sad commentary on society when you consider the lengths people will go to in a futile attempt to exact “revenge” on “Black Modell.” Having said that, again just to recognize the world for what it is, he’s as naïve as can be if he thinks he’s going to be able to live during his summer and post-hoops career in suburban Akron.]
Speaking of that teardown/rebuild, I’m going to make it a point to go buy some Cavs merchandise very soon. This organization did EVERYTHING they could to be successful in all areas and did not deserve this outcome. If I’m going to criticize the Dolan regime that has run my favorite baseball team squarely into the ground, I have to be consistent and support good ownership when it has tried to do well for me. I can only hope that enough Cavalier fans agree with me on the need to stand by Dan Gilbert for what he has done. The fact that he owns the new casino coming to town and is thus anchored to the community gives me hope that he’s going to have the stomach for the inevitable rebuild.
When the day comes that the Cavs do acquire a new superstar to lead the team back into serious contention, I can only hope that the landscape of the league has changed by then. For while I have anger and disappointment that stems equally from the content of the decision and the manner in which it is delivered, I realize that these issues go far beyond the character and maturity levels of a filthy rich 25 year-old. They stem from the system that has created and nurtured the mania that led him through this process that was degrading to so many. David Stern is obsessed with marketing over substance and thinks any water-cooler talk is inherently good for the league, even if it overshadows a seven-game Finals series between the league’s two most historic franchises. My hope is that one way or another, by the time my team is restored to success years down the road, that the game is not governed by a commissioner who is so determined to aid and abet the culture of self-aggrandizement that leads to moments like this. I hope – in vain, probably – that this moment causes such a backlash that it rolls back this destructive tide once and for all. Characteristically, if it does, it will be too late to help my hometown.
Also, this just in, Dan Gilbert absolutely destroyed LeBron. Good for him.
For a good cause ...
By Rick Morris
On our FDH LOUNGE program (Wednesdays, 7-10 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com), we have started every one of our 109 episodes with The Opening Statements of The FDH Lounge Dignitaries -- courtesy of Original Dignitary Chris Galloway, who came up with the idea.
We had one last night that certainly deserved to be amplified further. Dignitary Elaine Tanko had an Opening Statement promoting an event in honor of a good friend of hers, who has survived horrible brain cancer against the odds for several years. The "Teeing Up For Others" event in a suburb of Cleveland will be a great cause. Event info -- and more about the association it benefits -- below. We hope you can support it one way or another, either directly or via donation if you are not in the area.
Friday, July 16th
Emerald Woods
Columbia Station, OH
$90 per person, includes 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch and dinner
Have to enter by July 10th
Questions about Tournament-Contact Linda Rivera at 216-856-0263
Questions about American Brain Tumor Association-call (224)220-2790 or email AAllegretti@abta.org
On our FDH LOUNGE program (Wednesdays, 7-10 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com), we have started every one of our 109 episodes with The Opening Statements of The FDH Lounge Dignitaries -- courtesy of Original Dignitary Chris Galloway, who came up with the idea.
We had one last night that certainly deserved to be amplified further. Dignitary Elaine Tanko had an Opening Statement promoting an event in honor of a good friend of hers, who has survived horrible brain cancer against the odds for several years. The "Teeing Up For Others" event in a suburb of Cleveland will be a great cause. Event info -- and more about the association it benefits -- below. We hope you can support it one way or another, either directly or via donation if you are not in the area.
Friday, July 16th
Emerald Woods
Columbia Station, OH
$90 per person, includes 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch and dinner
Have to enter by July 10th
Questions about Tournament-Contact Linda Rivera at 216-856-0263
Questions about American Brain Tumor Association-call (224)220-2790 or email AAllegretti@abta.org
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
FDH Lounge Show #109: July 7, 2010
By Rick Morris
While THE FDH LOUNGE (Wednesdays, 7-10 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com) is still the show where “nothing is off-topic,” some weeks we will go a bit heavier on sports – and this is one of those weeks.
We open as usual with The Opening Statements of The FDH Lounge Dignitaries and our look at This Week in The FDH Lounge before examining a wild first week of free agency in the NBA. Today’s developments with the Bosh’n’Wade combo platter in Miami are (probably!) the last big shoes to drop before LeBron’s historic announcement tomorrow night. How are our free agency odds stacking up so far? We’ll take a look.
At the top of Hour Two, we’ve got a real treat: longtime Major League outfielder and current author Doug Glanville, whose book The Game From Where I Stand: A Ballplayer’s Inside View draws upon both his lengthy professional experience and also his Ivy League pedigree from Penn. He is also a consultant for the developmental organization The Baseball Factory. We’ll talk about all of his experiences as a player and as an author and how the two were related in terms of drawing upon his on-field experience.
Halfway through the hour, we welcome two MMA experts for their take on last Saturday night’s huge fight: previous guest Jon Lane of MMA Junkie and Brian Fritz of AOL Fanhouse. With Brock Lesnar’s crowning achievement (thus far), where does he go from here? Where does the sport, traditionally anchored by the heavyweight division just like boxing? We’ll explore these topics.
From there, we deal in some real outrages! Fans, players and managers combined to screw the pooch with the Major League Baseball All-Star selections and we’ll examine the specifics – starting with our super-detailed column on the subject. Then, THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER goes over the Buy Low, Sell High candidates in fantasy baseball at the moment.
As always, we urge you to watch the show live (or listen if you’re on dial-up), but if you can’t catch this as it’s happening, you can always catch the FDH archives 24-7 right here or catch us now on iTunes. Also, you can now catch THE FDH LOUNGE VAULT, a compilation of our best interviews and roundtables, now every weeknight from 6-7 PM, also on SportsTalkNetwork.com.
While THE FDH LOUNGE (Wednesdays, 7-10 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com) is still the show where “nothing is off-topic,” some weeks we will go a bit heavier on sports – and this is one of those weeks.
We open as usual with The Opening Statements of The FDH Lounge Dignitaries and our look at This Week in The FDH Lounge before examining a wild first week of free agency in the NBA. Today’s developments with the Bosh’n’Wade combo platter in Miami are (probably!) the last big shoes to drop before LeBron’s historic announcement tomorrow night. How are our free agency odds stacking up so far? We’ll take a look.
At the top of Hour Two, we’ve got a real treat: longtime Major League outfielder and current author Doug Glanville, whose book The Game From Where I Stand: A Ballplayer’s Inside View draws upon both his lengthy professional experience and also his Ivy League pedigree from Penn. He is also a consultant for the developmental organization The Baseball Factory. We’ll talk about all of his experiences as a player and as an author and how the two were related in terms of drawing upon his on-field experience.
Halfway through the hour, we welcome two MMA experts for their take on last Saturday night’s huge fight: previous guest Jon Lane of MMA Junkie and Brian Fritz of AOL Fanhouse. With Brock Lesnar’s crowning achievement (thus far), where does he go from here? Where does the sport, traditionally anchored by the heavyweight division just like boxing? We’ll explore these topics.
From there, we deal in some real outrages! Fans, players and managers combined to screw the pooch with the Major League Baseball All-Star selections and we’ll examine the specifics – starting with our super-detailed column on the subject. Then, THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER goes over the Buy Low, Sell High candidates in fantasy baseball at the moment.
As always, we urge you to watch the show live (or listen if you’re on dial-up), but if you can’t catch this as it’s happening, you can always catch the FDH archives 24-7 right here or catch us now on iTunes. Also, you can now catch THE FDH LOUNGE VAULT, a compilation of our best interviews and roundtables, now every weeknight from 6-7 PM, also on SportsTalkNetwork.com.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Kobe is (still) no Jordan
By Jason Jones (posted by Rick Morris)
Kobe better have won his last title. No disrespect to the Laker fans, I just don't think I can live in a world where Kobe stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Michael Jordan in the title department.
Right, wrong or indifferent, I hold Jordan in a special place. Kobe is arguably one of the top 15 players of all time (I haven't actually thought much about where I'd rank him all-time). The problem I have is that I've seen both play during my adult life. Kobe is no Jordan, but if Kobe wins six titles... massive droves of people are going to try to make the argument that he is as good as, if not better than, Jordan. And that does not sit well with me.
Kobe also hasn't had a "Kobe-like" game. He is on the way down, he's still got another five years in him, but Kobe's played his best ball already. Pau is good but also getting old. I now don't know if Bynum will ever truly arrive. Fisher is the balls but old. Ultimately, as the rest of the league tries to ascend to where the Lakers are, the Lakers are getting older. If Wade and Bosh end up together…if Dirk, Amare, and Johnson end up together..if any number of permutations occur, the Lakers might actually get some legit competition. The 2010 free agency moves will either do nothing or dramatically reshape the entire landscape of the league. When it’s your team, the constant winning is great. When it’s not, it becomes boring and monotonous. Three years ago, Lakers v Celtics was an interesting storyline. Now it’s just played out. Imagine for a second...
^ Keep the Celtics relatively the same (they'll probably let Ray Allen go sign with another team)
^ The Orlando Magic are stuck with who they have
^ Portland stays exactly the same
^ San Antonio stays old and loses one of the Big Three
^ Phoenix is basically a rec team with Steve Nash
^ Houston is a bunch of pieces that don’t fit well together
And so on and so forth.
Now...picture these teams as follows after the result of potential upcoming moves:
New York Knicks
Tony Parker (2011)
Michael Redd
Caron Butler
Danilo Gallinari
Troy Murphy
New Jersey Nets
Devin Harris
Stephen Jackson
Tyrus Thomas
David Lee
Brook Lopez
Cleveland Cavaliers
Mo Williams
Rip Hamilton
LeBron James
Antawn Jamison
Amare Stoudamire (assuming the Knicks deal can still fall through)
Miami Heat
Mario Chalmers
Dwayne Wade
Rudy Gay (assuming a trade)
Michael Beasley
Chris Bosh
Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose
Joe Johnson (assuming a trade by Atlanta)
Tracy McGrady
Dirk Nowitzki
Joakim Noah
Chances are everyone’s beloved Lakers would moonwalk through the Western Conference with little trouble. Maybe somewhere down the line the Trailblazers get to that level as the Lakers fall of into the sunset, but realistically, the Lakers walk through the playoffs. The team that comes out of the East would have been through hell and back and would probably beat the tar out of an aging Lakers squad. The Lakers are a good team. They will go down in history as one of the greatest dynastic teams in NBA history. But realistically, the journey has to end. There is a relative finish line and I think the rest of the world (specifically the non-Laker fans) would invite and encourage such a change.
Literally, for ten years, the Lakers have been a significant threat to win it each and every year. It’s time for someone else to either be that team or start an era of moderate parity in the NBA. I would love to see a situation where Cleveland, Miami, Orlando, Chicago and Portland won titles in the next ten years, with the possibility that teams like New Orleans, New Jersey, New York, Utah, LA Clippers and Atlanta might position themselves to take the baton in the following decade.
Winning is great, but when one team is the prohibitive favorite to win almost all of the time, the rest of us get bored with it. ESPN and sports talk radio tried their damnedest to convince us that this series was compelling. The playoffs as a whole were compelling. This Finals was one of the most overhyped and unimpressive I've series seen in awhile. Yes, there were moments that we will remember. But where was Kobe's 60-point game? Where was the Pau vs KG game? Where was the game that Lamar Odom was supposed to step up to and realize the potential he's always had? Where was the throwback Celtics game where KG/Pierce/Allen go for 100 points divided (almost) equally three ways? Sure, Rondo proved he can play with the big dogs. Artest had a great moment down the stretch, but none of it and I mean none of it, grabbed me. I enjoyed the last few minutes of Game Seven, but it didn't grab me. Not for one second in this NBA Finals was I truly captivated. I watched at least five of the games on DVR delay or on the 3AM replay. And no matter who plays in the Finals, there should be at least a few of those moments.
It’s time for new blood. And yeah, I want LeBron James to be that next elite player and I want it to be done with Cleveland, but at this point any team not named the Lakers, Spurs, or Celtics would work for me. I want to see teams that I have never seen at that level or never expected to see. Imagine a Clippers vs Hawks NBA Final (not as they are currently built, of course), or even a throwback to the 1990s with the Derrick Rose Bulls facing off against the Brandon Roy's Trailblazers. These scenarios are far superior to what is being foisted on us now.
Kobe better have won his last title. No disrespect to the Laker fans, I just don't think I can live in a world where Kobe stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Michael Jordan in the title department.
Right, wrong or indifferent, I hold Jordan in a special place. Kobe is arguably one of the top 15 players of all time (I haven't actually thought much about where I'd rank him all-time). The problem I have is that I've seen both play during my adult life. Kobe is no Jordan, but if Kobe wins six titles... massive droves of people are going to try to make the argument that he is as good as, if not better than, Jordan. And that does not sit well with me.
Kobe also hasn't had a "Kobe-like" game. He is on the way down, he's still got another five years in him, but Kobe's played his best ball already. Pau is good but also getting old. I now don't know if Bynum will ever truly arrive. Fisher is the balls but old. Ultimately, as the rest of the league tries to ascend to where the Lakers are, the Lakers are getting older. If Wade and Bosh end up together…if Dirk, Amare, and Johnson end up together..if any number of permutations occur, the Lakers might actually get some legit competition. The 2010 free agency moves will either do nothing or dramatically reshape the entire landscape of the league. When it’s your team, the constant winning is great. When it’s not, it becomes boring and monotonous. Three years ago, Lakers v Celtics was an interesting storyline. Now it’s just played out. Imagine for a second...
^ Keep the Celtics relatively the same (they'll probably let Ray Allen go sign with another team)
^ The Orlando Magic are stuck with who they have
^ Portland stays exactly the same
^ San Antonio stays old and loses one of the Big Three
^ Phoenix is basically a rec team with Steve Nash
^ Houston is a bunch of pieces that don’t fit well together
And so on and so forth.
Now...picture these teams as follows after the result of potential upcoming moves:
New York Knicks
Tony Parker (2011)
Michael Redd
Caron Butler
Danilo Gallinari
Troy Murphy
New Jersey Nets
Devin Harris
Stephen Jackson
Tyrus Thomas
David Lee
Brook Lopez
Cleveland Cavaliers
Mo Williams
Rip Hamilton
LeBron James
Antawn Jamison
Amare Stoudamire (assuming the Knicks deal can still fall through)
Miami Heat
Mario Chalmers
Dwayne Wade
Rudy Gay (assuming a trade)
Michael Beasley
Chris Bosh
Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose
Joe Johnson (assuming a trade by Atlanta)
Tracy McGrady
Dirk Nowitzki
Joakim Noah
Chances are everyone’s beloved Lakers would moonwalk through the Western Conference with little trouble. Maybe somewhere down the line the Trailblazers get to that level as the Lakers fall of into the sunset, but realistically, the Lakers walk through the playoffs. The team that comes out of the East would have been through hell and back and would probably beat the tar out of an aging Lakers squad. The Lakers are a good team. They will go down in history as one of the greatest dynastic teams in NBA history. But realistically, the journey has to end. There is a relative finish line and I think the rest of the world (specifically the non-Laker fans) would invite and encourage such a change.
Literally, for ten years, the Lakers have been a significant threat to win it each and every year. It’s time for someone else to either be that team or start an era of moderate parity in the NBA. I would love to see a situation where Cleveland, Miami, Orlando, Chicago and Portland won titles in the next ten years, with the possibility that teams like New Orleans, New Jersey, New York, Utah, LA Clippers and Atlanta might position themselves to take the baton in the following decade.
Winning is great, but when one team is the prohibitive favorite to win almost all of the time, the rest of us get bored with it. ESPN and sports talk radio tried their damnedest to convince us that this series was compelling. The playoffs as a whole were compelling. This Finals was one of the most overhyped and unimpressive I've series seen in awhile. Yes, there were moments that we will remember. But where was Kobe's 60-point game? Where was the Pau vs KG game? Where was the game that Lamar Odom was supposed to step up to and realize the potential he's always had? Where was the throwback Celtics game where KG/Pierce/Allen go for 100 points divided (almost) equally three ways? Sure, Rondo proved he can play with the big dogs. Artest had a great moment down the stretch, but none of it and I mean none of it, grabbed me. I enjoyed the last few minutes of Game Seven, but it didn't grab me. Not for one second in this NBA Finals was I truly captivated. I watched at least five of the games on DVR delay or on the 3AM replay. And no matter who plays in the Finals, there should be at least a few of those moments.
It’s time for new blood. And yeah, I want LeBron James to be that next elite player and I want it to be done with Cleveland, but at this point any team not named the Lakers, Spurs, or Celtics would work for me. I want to see teams that I have never seen at that level or never expected to see. Imagine a Clippers vs Hawks NBA Final (not as they are currently built, of course), or even a throwback to the 1990s with the Derrick Rose Bulls facing off against the Brandon Roy's Trailblazers. These scenarios are far superior to what is being foisted on us now.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
MLB All-Star Roster & FDH version
By Rick Morris
Injustices abound every year when the Major League Baseball All-Star Game rosters are unveiled. Part of this sad reality relates to the fact that the unwashed masses often cast wildly uneducated votes (albeit not nearly to the extent of my youth in the 1980s). Part of it relates to the asinine rule that each team must be represented on the All-Star team (if a team has nobody performing up to the level of a “star” but they have a player on the All-Star team, then it isn’t really an All-Star team, is it?). And part of it has to do with managerial politics as the league skippers reserve as many spots as possible for their own teams so as to keep the peace in the clubhouse. No offense to Joe Torre, whom I admire notwithstanding his tenure at the helm of the loathed Yankees, but there were years during the team’s last big run when I half expected him to reach down to the level of Chad Curtis when filling out the AL team.
First, to answer the question that has been on everyone’s lips about whether Stephen Strasburg should be on the All-Star team, consider this a strong vote for “no.” We have taken a back seat to nobody in aiding and abetting the hype about the kid – he is absolutely for real and is a rare one like LeBron James who can hit the big time ready to be a dominator early – but this has been one of the greatest (if not the greatest) years for big-time pitching in the past quarter century and there’s no way to take all of the great producers in the NL as it is. Now, while our good pal Russ Cohen at Sportsology has rightly pointed out that the change in overall pitching production has been overstated – it’s not 1968 all over again, folks – the number of top-level pitchers is indeed mushrooming (as we noted here over a month ago). So could you make a case for him another year? Absolutely. But this ain’t the year.
In addition to telling you how it will be, we’ll also tell you how it should be. First, here are the rosters, released today via MLB.com (and the fans really outdid themselves this year in terms of their idiocy):
AL Starters
C: J. Mauer, MIN – the leading AL vote-getter despite no power numbers, way to go, name-recognition dweebs
1B: J. Morneau, MIN
2B: R. Cano, NYY
SS: D. Jeter, NYY
3B: E. Longoria, TB
OF: J. Hamilton, TEX
OF: I. Suzuki, SEA – the annual selection notwithstanding no power
OF: C. Crawford, TB – first star, but otherwise, see Ichiro
DH: V. Guerrero, TEX
AL Final Vote hopefuls
• P. Konerko, CWS
• N. Swisher, NYY
• D. Young, MIN
• M. Young, TEX
• K. Youkilis, BOS
NL starters
C: Y. Molina, STL – there are not words for how horrible a pick this was
1B: A. Pujols, STL
2B: C. Utley, PHI
SS: H. Ramirez, FLA
3B: D. Wright, NYM
OF: R. Braun, MIL
OF: A. Ethier, LA
OF: J. Heyward, ATL – come on now, the kid is awesome, but this is going overboard
NL Final Vote hopefuls
• H. Bell, SD
• C. Gonzalez, COL
• J. Votto, CIN
• B. Wagner, ATL
• R. Zimmerman, WAS
Also via MLB.com, here’s the breakdown of the rest of the rosters:
“AL Player Ballot pitchers include starting pitchers David Price of the Rays, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester of the Red Sox, Phil Hughes of the Yankees and Cliff Lee of the Mariners, along with relievers Neftali Feliz of the Rangers, Mariano Rivera of the Yankees and Jose Valverde of the Tigers.
AL Player Ballot position players include Miguel Cabrera, second baseman Dustin Pedroia, catcher Victor Martinez and DH David Ortiz of the Red Sox, shortstop Elvis Andrus of the Rangers, and outfielders Vernon Wells and Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays and Torii Hunter of the Angels.
Pedroia and Martinez receive full honors as elected All-Stars, but because they are both injured and unavailable, they are replaced on the roster by second baseman Ian Kinsler of the Rangers and catcher John Buck of the Blue Jays, respectively. Both of them finished second on the Player Ballot at their respective positions.
[AL manager Joe] Girardi, in conjunction with MLB, filled out the AL roster with the following: second baseman Ty Wigginton of the Orioles and third baseman Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees, along with pitchers Matt Thornton of the White Sox, Fausto Carmona of the Indians, Joakim Soria of the Royals, Trevor Cahill of the Athletics and CC Sabathia of the Yankees.
NL Player Ballot position players include catcher Brian McCann of the Braves, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres, shortstops Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies, third baseman Scott Rolen of the Reds, [Atlanta Braves second baseman Martin] Prado, and outfielders Corey Hart of the Brewers, Matt Holliday of the Cardinals and Marlon Byrd of the Cubs. Because Tulowitzki is on the DL and unavailable, he is replaced by Reyes, who was the next choice on the Player Ballot behind him.
NL Player Ballot pitchers include starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez of the Rockies, Roy Halladay of the Phillies, Josh Johnson of the Marlins, Tim Lincecum of the Giants and Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals, along with relievers Matt Capps of the Nationals, Brian Wilson of the Giants and Jonathan Broxton of the Dodgers.
From there, Manuel, in conjunction with MLB, filled out his roster with the following: first baseman Ryan Howard of the Phillies, second baseman Brandon Phillips of the Reds (replacing Utley), infielder/outfielder Omar Infante of the Braves, outfielders Michael Bourn of the Astros and Chris Young of the Padres, and pitchers Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals, Yovani Gallardo of the Brewers, Tim Hudson of the Braves, Evan Meek of the Pirates and Arthur Rhodes of the Reds.”
I don’t even know where to begin with this crapola.
^ Ian Kinsler? Is he at the point where he can make it on reputation already?
^ Elvis Andrus? No pop necessary, apparently.
^ Jose Bautista? That’s a swing and a miss, appropriately.
^ Way to suck up to ARod, Girardi, I guess that is part of your job description, though.
^ Matt Thornton????? Is this really the year to revert to the “let’s take care of the token middle reliever” theory?
^ Byrd aside, the National League player ballots were all decent, especially compared to their AL brethren – who we can assume feel so sorry for them that they’re trying to throw the game this year
^ Lincecum is having a decent year (by his elevated standards), but not a good enough season to marginalize hurlers doing even better
^ Brian Wilson always gets overrated because he delivers saves, but little else
^ Country boy Charlie Manuel made sure to screw the pooch with a bunch of horrid selections, including Infante, Bourn (maybe Charlie got an Ultimatum?), C. Young, Meek and Rhodes
Unsurprisingly, ESPN senior baseball writer and onetime Lounge guest Jayson Stark made many excellent points about the various outrages.
Next, here are the FDH versions of the rosters, the way they would be configured if the decisions were left up to us (as they should be!). These are presented in depth-chart form, with starters in all caps and one player for each league designated as the DH, since the game is in Anaheim. Injured players not actually taking up a roster spot are designated with an asterisk. Since these are just the most deserving 34 players in each league, the aforementioned asinine “all teams represented rule” is not in effect – although we will address below how we would meet that requirement if needed. We have a short “Honorable Mention” list for each league which lists those who just missed the cut and the best player from all teams not represented here. These teams are admittedly weighted heavier in starting pitchers than custom dictates, but as it is because of the landscape of baseball in this season, there are very deserving starting pitchers still missing the cut (especially in the NL).
AL Roster
C: NAPOLI (LAA), Buck (TOR)
1B: M CABRERA (DET), MORNEAU – DH (MIN), Konerko (CWS), Youkilis (BOS)
2B: CANO (NYY), Pedroia* (BOS), Wigginton (BAL)
SS: JETER (NYY), A Gonzalez (TOR)
3B: BELTRE (BOS), Longoria (TB)
OF: V GUERRERO (TEX), HAMILTON (TEX), RIOS (CWS), Boesch (DET), Wells (TOR)
SP: C LEE (SEA), Weaver (LAA), Lester (BOS), Price (TB), Niemann (TB), Pettitte (NYY), Buchholz (BOS), Vargas (SEA), F Hernandez (SEA), Pavano (MIN), Sabathia (NYY), Romero (TOR), Cahill (OAK)
RP: Valverde (DET), Rivera (NYY), Soriano (TB), Bailey (OAK)
AL Honorable Mention
3B: M Young (TEX)
OF: Choo (CLE)*
RP: Soria (KC)
SP: Carmona (CLE)
NL Roster
C: OLIVO (COL), McCann (ATL)
1B: VOTTO (CIN), PUJOLS – DH (STL), Howard (PHI), A Gonzalez (SD)
2B: PRADO (ATL), Phillips (CIN), Utley* (PHI)
SS: H RAMIREZ (FLA), Tulowitzki* (COL), Reyes (NYM)
3B: WRIGHT (NYM), Rolen (CIN), Zimmerman (WAS)
OF: C GONZALEZ (COL), HART (MIL), ETHIER (LAD), Braun (MIL), Rasmus (STL)
SP: JIMENEZ (COL), J Johnson (FLA), Wainwright (STL), Latos (SD), Carpenter (STL), Halladay (PHI), J Garcia (STL), Hudson (ATL), Gallardo (MIL), Silva (CHC), Cain (SF), Richard (SD), Pelfrey (NYM)
RP: Broxton (LAD), Franklin (STL), Wagner (ATL)
NL Honorable Mention
1B: Huff (SF)
2B: K Johnson (ARI)
OF: McCutchen (PIT)
SP: Oswalt (HOU), Myers (HOU), Lincecum (SF), J Sanchez (SF)
Now, with the insipid rule in effect about all teams being represented, we would remove Romero and Cahill from the AL team and insert Carmona and Soria. In the NL, we would remove Franklin, Pelfrey and Richard for K Johnson, McCutchen and Oswalt.
So having compared our rational, reasonable rosters to the piles of bile compiled by the fans, players and managers, the question arises: which players got screwed the worst? In the AL, Napoli, Beltre and Rios should be starting and they’re not even on the team. Boesch, Weaver, Niemann, Petitte, Vargas, King Felix, Pavano and Romero all got done as well. All told, that’s 11 players, or 1/3 of the roster! Additionally, Konerko and Youkilis will be competing with three other less deserving players for a roster spot in the remaining voting. The choice here is Konerko by an eyelash. In the NL, Olivo should be starting but did not make the team. Also, Rasmus, Latos, J Garcia, Silva, Cain, Richard and Pelfrey were treated unfairly. C Gonzalez, Votto and Zimmerman will also be jockeying with two less deserving players for the remaining spot. The pick here is Votto over Gonzalez by a tiny margin.
Wow, “only” about 20 deserving players potentially excluded from this year’s All-Star Game. Way to be, MLB!
Injustices abound every year when the Major League Baseball All-Star Game rosters are unveiled. Part of this sad reality relates to the fact that the unwashed masses often cast wildly uneducated votes (albeit not nearly to the extent of my youth in the 1980s). Part of it relates to the asinine rule that each team must be represented on the All-Star team (if a team has nobody performing up to the level of a “star” but they have a player on the All-Star team, then it isn’t really an All-Star team, is it?). And part of it has to do with managerial politics as the league skippers reserve as many spots as possible for their own teams so as to keep the peace in the clubhouse. No offense to Joe Torre, whom I admire notwithstanding his tenure at the helm of the loathed Yankees, but there were years during the team’s last big run when I half expected him to reach down to the level of Chad Curtis when filling out the AL team.
First, to answer the question that has been on everyone’s lips about whether Stephen Strasburg should be on the All-Star team, consider this a strong vote for “no.” We have taken a back seat to nobody in aiding and abetting the hype about the kid – he is absolutely for real and is a rare one like LeBron James who can hit the big time ready to be a dominator early – but this has been one of the greatest (if not the greatest) years for big-time pitching in the past quarter century and there’s no way to take all of the great producers in the NL as it is. Now, while our good pal Russ Cohen at Sportsology has rightly pointed out that the change in overall pitching production has been overstated – it’s not 1968 all over again, folks – the number of top-level pitchers is indeed mushrooming (as we noted here over a month ago). So could you make a case for him another year? Absolutely. But this ain’t the year.
In addition to telling you how it will be, we’ll also tell you how it should be. First, here are the rosters, released today via MLB.com (and the fans really outdid themselves this year in terms of their idiocy):
AL Starters
C: J. Mauer, MIN – the leading AL vote-getter despite no power numbers, way to go, name-recognition dweebs
1B: J. Morneau, MIN
2B: R. Cano, NYY
SS: D. Jeter, NYY
3B: E. Longoria, TB
OF: J. Hamilton, TEX
OF: I. Suzuki, SEA – the annual selection notwithstanding no power
OF: C. Crawford, TB – first star, but otherwise, see Ichiro
DH: V. Guerrero, TEX
AL Final Vote hopefuls
• P. Konerko, CWS
• N. Swisher, NYY
• D. Young, MIN
• M. Young, TEX
• K. Youkilis, BOS
NL starters
C: Y. Molina, STL – there are not words for how horrible a pick this was
1B: A. Pujols, STL
2B: C. Utley, PHI
SS: H. Ramirez, FLA
3B: D. Wright, NYM
OF: R. Braun, MIL
OF: A. Ethier, LA
OF: J. Heyward, ATL – come on now, the kid is awesome, but this is going overboard
NL Final Vote hopefuls
• H. Bell, SD
• C. Gonzalez, COL
• J. Votto, CIN
• B. Wagner, ATL
• R. Zimmerman, WAS
Also via MLB.com, here’s the breakdown of the rest of the rosters:
“AL Player Ballot pitchers include starting pitchers David Price of the Rays, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester of the Red Sox, Phil Hughes of the Yankees and Cliff Lee of the Mariners, along with relievers Neftali Feliz of the Rangers, Mariano Rivera of the Yankees and Jose Valverde of the Tigers.
AL Player Ballot position players include Miguel Cabrera, second baseman Dustin Pedroia, catcher Victor Martinez and DH David Ortiz of the Red Sox, shortstop Elvis Andrus of the Rangers, and outfielders Vernon Wells and Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays and Torii Hunter of the Angels.
Pedroia and Martinez receive full honors as elected All-Stars, but because they are both injured and unavailable, they are replaced on the roster by second baseman Ian Kinsler of the Rangers and catcher John Buck of the Blue Jays, respectively. Both of them finished second on the Player Ballot at their respective positions.
[AL manager Joe] Girardi, in conjunction with MLB, filled out the AL roster with the following: second baseman Ty Wigginton of the Orioles and third baseman Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees, along with pitchers Matt Thornton of the White Sox, Fausto Carmona of the Indians, Joakim Soria of the Royals, Trevor Cahill of the Athletics and CC Sabathia of the Yankees.
NL Player Ballot position players include catcher Brian McCann of the Braves, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres, shortstops Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies, third baseman Scott Rolen of the Reds, [Atlanta Braves second baseman Martin] Prado, and outfielders Corey Hart of the Brewers, Matt Holliday of the Cardinals and Marlon Byrd of the Cubs. Because Tulowitzki is on the DL and unavailable, he is replaced by Reyes, who was the next choice on the Player Ballot behind him.
NL Player Ballot pitchers include starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez of the Rockies, Roy Halladay of the Phillies, Josh Johnson of the Marlins, Tim Lincecum of the Giants and Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals, along with relievers Matt Capps of the Nationals, Brian Wilson of the Giants and Jonathan Broxton of the Dodgers.
From there, Manuel, in conjunction with MLB, filled out his roster with the following: first baseman Ryan Howard of the Phillies, second baseman Brandon Phillips of the Reds (replacing Utley), infielder/outfielder Omar Infante of the Braves, outfielders Michael Bourn of the Astros and Chris Young of the Padres, and pitchers Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals, Yovani Gallardo of the Brewers, Tim Hudson of the Braves, Evan Meek of the Pirates and Arthur Rhodes of the Reds.”
I don’t even know where to begin with this crapola.
^ Ian Kinsler? Is he at the point where he can make it on reputation already?
^ Elvis Andrus? No pop necessary, apparently.
^ Jose Bautista? That’s a swing and a miss, appropriately.
^ Way to suck up to ARod, Girardi, I guess that is part of your job description, though.
^ Matt Thornton????? Is this really the year to revert to the “let’s take care of the token middle reliever” theory?
^ Byrd aside, the National League player ballots were all decent, especially compared to their AL brethren – who we can assume feel so sorry for them that they’re trying to throw the game this year
^ Lincecum is having a decent year (by his elevated standards), but not a good enough season to marginalize hurlers doing even better
^ Brian Wilson always gets overrated because he delivers saves, but little else
^ Country boy Charlie Manuel made sure to screw the pooch with a bunch of horrid selections, including Infante, Bourn (maybe Charlie got an Ultimatum?), C. Young, Meek and Rhodes
Unsurprisingly, ESPN senior baseball writer and onetime Lounge guest Jayson Stark made many excellent points about the various outrages.
Next, here are the FDH versions of the rosters, the way they would be configured if the decisions were left up to us (as they should be!). These are presented in depth-chart form, with starters in all caps and one player for each league designated as the DH, since the game is in Anaheim. Injured players not actually taking up a roster spot are designated with an asterisk. Since these are just the most deserving 34 players in each league, the aforementioned asinine “all teams represented rule” is not in effect – although we will address below how we would meet that requirement if needed. We have a short “Honorable Mention” list for each league which lists those who just missed the cut and the best player from all teams not represented here. These teams are admittedly weighted heavier in starting pitchers than custom dictates, but as it is because of the landscape of baseball in this season, there are very deserving starting pitchers still missing the cut (especially in the NL).
AL Roster
C: NAPOLI (LAA), Buck (TOR)
1B: M CABRERA (DET), MORNEAU – DH (MIN), Konerko (CWS), Youkilis (BOS)
2B: CANO (NYY), Pedroia* (BOS), Wigginton (BAL)
SS: JETER (NYY), A Gonzalez (TOR)
3B: BELTRE (BOS), Longoria (TB)
OF: V GUERRERO (TEX), HAMILTON (TEX), RIOS (CWS), Boesch (DET), Wells (TOR)
SP: C LEE (SEA), Weaver (LAA), Lester (BOS), Price (TB), Niemann (TB), Pettitte (NYY), Buchholz (BOS), Vargas (SEA), F Hernandez (SEA), Pavano (MIN), Sabathia (NYY), Romero (TOR), Cahill (OAK)
RP: Valverde (DET), Rivera (NYY), Soriano (TB), Bailey (OAK)
AL Honorable Mention
3B: M Young (TEX)
OF: Choo (CLE)*
RP: Soria (KC)
SP: Carmona (CLE)
NL Roster
C: OLIVO (COL), McCann (ATL)
1B: VOTTO (CIN), PUJOLS – DH (STL), Howard (PHI), A Gonzalez (SD)
2B: PRADO (ATL), Phillips (CIN), Utley* (PHI)
SS: H RAMIREZ (FLA), Tulowitzki* (COL), Reyes (NYM)
3B: WRIGHT (NYM), Rolen (CIN), Zimmerman (WAS)
OF: C GONZALEZ (COL), HART (MIL), ETHIER (LAD), Braun (MIL), Rasmus (STL)
SP: JIMENEZ (COL), J Johnson (FLA), Wainwright (STL), Latos (SD), Carpenter (STL), Halladay (PHI), J Garcia (STL), Hudson (ATL), Gallardo (MIL), Silva (CHC), Cain (SF), Richard (SD), Pelfrey (NYM)
RP: Broxton (LAD), Franklin (STL), Wagner (ATL)
NL Honorable Mention
1B: Huff (SF)
2B: K Johnson (ARI)
OF: McCutchen (PIT)
SP: Oswalt (HOU), Myers (HOU), Lincecum (SF), J Sanchez (SF)
Now, with the insipid rule in effect about all teams being represented, we would remove Romero and Cahill from the AL team and insert Carmona and Soria. In the NL, we would remove Franklin, Pelfrey and Richard for K Johnson, McCutchen and Oswalt.
So having compared our rational, reasonable rosters to the piles of bile compiled by the fans, players and managers, the question arises: which players got screwed the worst? In the AL, Napoli, Beltre and Rios should be starting and they’re not even on the team. Boesch, Weaver, Niemann, Petitte, Vargas, King Felix, Pavano and Romero all got done as well. All told, that’s 11 players, or 1/3 of the roster! Additionally, Konerko and Youkilis will be competing with three other less deserving players for a roster spot in the remaining voting. The choice here is Konerko by an eyelash. In the NL, Olivo should be starting but did not make the team. Also, Rasmus, Latos, J Garcia, Silva, Cain, Richard and Pelfrey were treated unfairly. C Gonzalez, Votto and Zimmerman will also be jockeying with two less deserving players for the remaining spot. The pick here is Votto over Gonzalez by a tiny margin.
Wow, “only” about 20 deserving players potentially excluded from this year’s All-Star Game. Way to be, MLB!
MLB power rankings for start of July
By Rick Morris
Start of June power rankings in parentheses.
TOP TIER
1 New York Yankees (2)
2 Boston (9)
3 Texas (15)
4 Atlanta (11)
5 San Diego (4)
6 Tampa Bay (1)
7 Cincinnati (5)
8 Los Angeles Angels (20)
9 New York Mets (17)
10 Minnesota (3)
11 St. Louis (8)
12 Los Angeles Dodgers (10)
13 Detroit (14)
14 Philadelphia (6)
15 Colorado (19)
16 San Francisco (12)
17 Chicago White Sox (22)
18 Toronto (7)
19 Oakland (16)
SECOND TIER
20 Florida (18)
21 Milwaukee (23)
22 Washington (19)
23 Chicago Cubs (21)
24 Kansas City (27)
THIRD TIER
25 Seattle (26)
26 Arizona (25)
27 Houston (29)
28 Cleveland (28)
29 Pittsburgh (24)
30 Baltimore (30)
BIGGEST RISERS: Los Angeles Angels and Texas (12 spots), New York Mets (8 spots), Atlanta and Boston (7 spots), Chicago White Sox (5 spots), Colorado (4 spots), Kansas City (3 spots)
BIGGEST FALLERS: Toronto (11 spots), Philadelphia (8 spots), Minnesota (7 spots), Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay (5 spots), San Francisco (4 spots), Oakland, St. Louis and Washington (3 spots)
Start of June power rankings in parentheses.
TOP TIER
1 New York Yankees (2)
2 Boston (9)
3 Texas (15)
4 Atlanta (11)
5 San Diego (4)
6 Tampa Bay (1)
7 Cincinnati (5)
8 Los Angeles Angels (20)
9 New York Mets (17)
10 Minnesota (3)
11 St. Louis (8)
12 Los Angeles Dodgers (10)
13 Detroit (14)
14 Philadelphia (6)
15 Colorado (19)
16 San Francisco (12)
17 Chicago White Sox (22)
18 Toronto (7)
19 Oakland (16)
SECOND TIER
20 Florida (18)
21 Milwaukee (23)
22 Washington (19)
23 Chicago Cubs (21)
24 Kansas City (27)
THIRD TIER
25 Seattle (26)
26 Arizona (25)
27 Houston (29)
28 Cleveland (28)
29 Pittsburgh (24)
30 Baltimore (30)
BIGGEST RISERS: Los Angeles Angels and Texas (12 spots), New York Mets (8 spots), Atlanta and Boston (7 spots), Chicago White Sox (5 spots), Colorado (4 spots), Kansas City (3 spots)
BIGGEST FALLERS: Toronto (11 spots), Philadelphia (8 spots), Minnesota (7 spots), Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay (5 spots), San Francisco (4 spots), Oakland, St. Louis and Washington (3 spots)
Happy Independence Day
By Rick Morris
We at FDH wish you a very Happy Independence Day. Not a “Happy Fourth” or even a “Happy Fourth of July.” These are greetings that simply water down what gets called at Christmas “the reason for the season.” Today is not a national holiday and celebration because it’s the fourth day of the seventh month of the year. It’s a point of celebration because it marked the beginning of the formation of the greatest country on God’s Green Earth and we would all do well to remember that.
As is often the case on the site, we mark the occasion with some relevant videos. Have a great day with friends and family.
We at FDH wish you a very Happy Independence Day. Not a “Happy Fourth” or even a “Happy Fourth of July.” These are greetings that simply water down what gets called at Christmas “the reason for the season.” Today is not a national holiday and celebration because it’s the fourth day of the seventh month of the year. It’s a point of celebration because it marked the beginning of the formation of the greatest country on God’s Green Earth and we would all do well to remember that.
As is often the case on the site, we mark the occasion with some relevant videos. Have a great day with friends and family.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
2010 NBA free agency odds
By Rick Morris
Now that the greatest summer ever for a bunch of overprivileged jocks has truly begun, we have your odds as to where the top players will land. We have players listed in the order that they appeared on our FDH Top Player Rankings from our NBA Draft guide HOOPS DRAFTOLOGY 2010.
LeBron James
Cavs 5-1
Bulls 6-1
Heat 8-1
Knicks 10-1
Nets 20-1
Field 50-1
Dwyane Wade
Heat 2-1
Bulls 8-1
Knicks 12-1
Field 30-1
Dirk Nowitzki
Mavs 9-5
Heat 12-1
Bulls 15-1
Field 35-1
Chris Bosh
Heat 4-1
Bulls 5-1
Knicks 8-1
Nets 15-1
Raptors 25-1
Field 50-1
Carmelo Anthony
Nuggets 4-1
Knicks 8-1
Heat 12-1
Bulls 15-1
Field 35-1
Amare Stoudemire
Knicks 5-1
Bulls 6-1
Heat 8-1
Suns 12-1
Field 35-1
Joe Johnson
Knicks 5-1
Bulls 6-1
Heat 8-1
Clippers 12-1
Nets 15-1
Hawks 30-1
Field 40-1
Carlos Boozer
Heat 3-1
Knicks 8-1
Nets 10-1
Chicago 18-1
Utah 25-1
Field 40-1
Paul Pierce
Celtics 2-1
Hawks 10-1
Clippers 20-1
Field 50-1
David Lee
Nets 5-1
Thunder 7-1
Knicks 15-1
Hawks 20-1
Field 35-1
Now that the greatest summer ever for a bunch of overprivileged jocks has truly begun, we have your odds as to where the top players will land. We have players listed in the order that they appeared on our FDH Top Player Rankings from our NBA Draft guide HOOPS DRAFTOLOGY 2010.
LeBron James
Cavs 5-1
Bulls 6-1
Heat 8-1
Knicks 10-1
Nets 20-1
Field 50-1
Dwyane Wade
Heat 2-1
Bulls 8-1
Knicks 12-1
Field 30-1
Dirk Nowitzki
Mavs 9-5
Heat 12-1
Bulls 15-1
Field 35-1
Chris Bosh
Heat 4-1
Bulls 5-1
Knicks 8-1
Nets 15-1
Raptors 25-1
Field 50-1
Carmelo Anthony
Nuggets 4-1
Knicks 8-1
Heat 12-1
Bulls 15-1
Field 35-1
Amare Stoudemire
Knicks 5-1
Bulls 6-1
Heat 8-1
Suns 12-1
Field 35-1
Joe Johnson
Knicks 5-1
Bulls 6-1
Heat 8-1
Clippers 12-1
Nets 15-1
Hawks 30-1
Field 40-1
Carlos Boozer
Heat 3-1
Knicks 8-1
Nets 10-1
Chicago 18-1
Utah 25-1
Field 40-1
Paul Pierce
Celtics 2-1
Hawks 10-1
Clippers 20-1
Field 50-1
David Lee
Nets 5-1
Thunder 7-1
Knicks 15-1
Hawks 20-1
Field 35-1
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