Thursday, August 30, 2007

Bold Prognostications

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS IN '07

With just hours till the kickoff of the 2007 college football season, here are my predictions on what awaits us during the upcoming months…

Games the Irish will win this season? Eight, as Notre Dame shows their "Brut" force down the stretch beating Navy, Air Force, Duke and Stanford grabbing a Sun Bowl win too, the first bowl victory in the Charlie Weis era.

On the Palouse...
At Washington State: Head coach Bill Doba will get himself off the hot seat, following the footsteps of his predecessor Mike Price and have a successful year just as he's about to be sent packing. The Cougs will win eight games including the Armed Forces Bowl.

At Idaho: First-year coach Robb Akey will stick around for his second season at Idaho, marking the first time in a quarter-century that the Vandals will have continuity at the head coaching position.

Dan Hawkins will have his Colorado team playing Division I football this season NOT intramurals! But, redshirt freshman QB Cody Hawkins, the coach's son, and the rest of the Buffs are one year away from actually having an impact.

Bad karma is coming for Alabama and Arizona State. Head coach Nick Saban said he would never take the Alabama job, yet four million reasons a year later, Saban is in Tuscaloosa. The Tide will drop its two biggest games this year losing to LSU and Auburn. Entering last season, coach Dennis Erickson said he was taking a retirement job, ending his career where it all began at Idaho. Eight months later Erickson took another retirement job in the valley of the Sun (I suspect better weather). Expect Rudy Carpenter's sophomore slump to become a permanent slump as the Sun Devils hover around .500.

Hear them meow. The Clemson Tigers will do just enough to keep coach Tommy Bowden around AND on the hot seat. Bowden has won at least eight games in three of the past four seasons; expect four of five.

AP who? That's right Oklahoma fans will forget all about last year's AP (Adrian Peterson), as tailback Allen Patrick runs wild in the Big 12. Sooner Nation will celebrate another conference title.

Hang loose...the Heisman race will come down to a pair of high-octane quarterbacks, Louisville's Brian Brohm and Hawaii's Colt Brennan. Brohm will take home the hardware because of the Island curse of Timmy Chang. Not to mention, the voters won't stay up to watch Brennan play at 3 a.m. on the East coast.

Sophomore QB Tim Tebow, who has only attempted 33 career passes, and the Florida Gators will lose at least three games. There won’t be a repeat-repeat in Gainesville as the year of blue AND orange comes crashing to an end. [see April blog post “Feeling Blue (and Orange)” for more]

Ohio State won’t win the Big Ten title, but they will get close. The Buckeyes will continue to give Michigan fits, stealing a win from the Big House.

AND

USC will lose at least one game and not win the National Championship. I don't believe a quarterback named Booty can win it all. Can you imagine? Booty's self-esteem is probably still affected from grade school.


BCS BOWL PROJECTIONS
Jan.1
Rose Bowl -- USC (Pac-10 champ) over Wisconsin (Big 10 champ)
Sugar Bowl -- Michigan (at-large) over Texas (at-large)

Jan. 2
Fiesta Bowl -- Oklahoma (Big 12 champ) over Hawaii (at-large)

Jan. 3
Orange Bowl -- West Virginia (at-large) over Virginia Tech (ACC champ)

Jan. 7
BCS National Championship -- LSU (BCS No. 1) over Louisville (BCS No. 2)

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Three games in three days

A week ago, I was glowing and it wasn't just because of the California sun. I had completed a baseball pilgrimage attending three games in three days. It was an amazing experience. I watched the Padres, Dodgers and Angels all duel in their respective parks. Little did they know I was taking notes.

Game 1 – Saturday August 18, PETCO Park, San Diego, Calif.

It was a picture perfect day and San Diego was a great place to start.

The seats: Toyota Terrace level, in Section 204

The game: A sellout crowd of 44,272 watched the Houston Astros and their elite pitcher Roy Oswalt start. The game featured defense, defense and more defense. Padres’ outfielder Terrmel Sledge made SportsCenter’s Top 10 for his home run robbing catch in leftfield, but Houston won 3-2.


PETCO’s positives: The environment is a huge plus, there didn’t appear to be a bad seat in the house. The fans were ruckus at times trying to lift their Padres to victory and the fans appreciated the great defensive plays. Going into the bottom of the ninth the Mission Bells appeared, which was a unique symbol to rally behind.

PETCO’s negatives: The seventh inning stretch was a downer as they played a pre-recorded version with singers that drowned out the crowd. Also, the traditional ballpark hot dogs were just so-so. And too much butt rock was played. Maybe, the San Diego fans have a love affair with the 80s, but in my opinion “butt rock” and baseball don’t go together.

Game 2 – Sunday August 19, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif.

The seats: Infield Lodge Box, Section 140

The game: The division rival Colorado Rockies were in town for the hottest starting temperature of the season. The game felt sleepy, as the two battled for 14 innings the previous night. L.A. coughed up their lead in the top of eighth, only to retake it in the bottom half of the inning. L.A. closer Takashi Saito was the most impressive player, striking out the side with filthy stuff. Dodgers won 4-3.

Dodger Stadium’s positives: The location of the stadium is a huge draw. Dodger Stadium was easy to access and did not feel like it was in the city. The view of the tree-line Elysian hills behind it and San Gabriel Mountains beyond was striking. The fans were very passionate. The crowd of 48,734 was louder and more obnoxious than their San Diego counterparts.

Dodger Stadium’s negatives: The stadium is dated. It was built in 1962 and shows. The main scoreboard needs to be replaced, the seats are noticeably smaller and the men’s restroom had a giant trough. Not to mention the sound from the speakers was muffled. This place needs a facelift desperately.

Game 3 – Monday August 20, Angel Stadium, Anaheim, Calif.

The seats: Field MVP level, Section 125

The game: Another sellout crowd watched as the Angels took on their hated rival from New York, the Yankees. The seesaw game featured lots of offense, but had to be settled in extra innings. Catcher Ryan Budde’s second career hit in the 10th inning earned him his first career RBI as the Angels won 7-6.

Angel Stadium’s positives: The stadium appears to be one of the older parks in professional baseball, but the ten-year-old renovations on the inside are great. One of the nicest features of the stadium is the number of scoreboards, showing everything from pitch counts to out of town scores and player’s stats. The rally monkey commercials were also a bonus.

Angel Stadium’s negatives: The inside of Angel Stadium resembles the outside of a NASCAR racecar. Advertising is plastered everywhere and detracts from the overall experience. You couldn’t even escape the commercial messages between innings as the stadium did an AT&T phone poll giveaway and a Chevy SUV Race on the main scoreboard.

IMPRESSIONS

Again, I had a blast. Baseball is a game for the ages and I would repeat this experience in a heartbeat.

Best Game – This is an easy one, Angels-Yankees. Their rivalry in its current form goes back to the 2002 playoffs, where Anaheim became known as the “Yankee killers.” Watching a walk-off win for the home team is special. Padres-Astros were a close second.

Best Park – This one belongs to the Padres. PETCO Park is in a class of its own in Southern California. The newest baseball stadium in the region provides fans with an intimate experience and showcases the best views of downtown San Diego.

Best Hog Dog – I ate hot dogs at every stadium and surprisingly, the best hot dog I ate was at Angel Stadium. Touted by many as the best hot dog in baseball, the Dodger Dog didn’t live up to all its hype. What made the Angel’s hot dog the best, was the fresh bun.

Best Experience – Even though they sung “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” twice, my best experience was in Angel Stadium. Who doesn’t love extra baseball for free or watching a walk-off win? More importantly who doesn’t love it when the Yankees loose?

Blogger's Note: All photo's are For Pete's Sake originals taken by Pete.

Monday, August 27, 2007

FPS College Football Preview (Part 5)

POTENTIAL CONFERENCE SPOILERS IN '07

ACC - None

It's hard to have a spoiler, when the ACC doesn't even have a clear favorite. The Tech school's (Virginia and Georgia) should finish toward the top of the standings. Aside from them it’s a cluster of mediocrity. One team that might surprise a few people is Maryland. The offensive line should be one of the best in league and the receiving corps might be the fastest in the ACC. The Terps D-line should be improved and they have a plethora of athletic linebackers to play in their 3-4 scheme. Fear the Turtle in ’07.

Big Ten - Purdue

No one in the Big Ten put up more yards than Purdue last season. But, the Boilermakers struggled to put up points at times last season mustering only a combined 20 in losses to Iowa, Wisconsin and Penn State. Don't expect them to struggle again. The offense should be nearly unstoppable with all the skill players’ back including QB Curtis Painter, wide receivers Dorien Bryant and Greg Orton and RB Kory Sheets. Purdue's defense has to create pressure up front, but the return of all four players in the secondary should help the unit. The Boilermakers host Notre Dame, Ohio State and miss Wisconsin this year. Anything less than eight wins will be a major disappointment.

Big 12 - Oklahoma State

The Cowboys return a wealth of talent, including most of the skill players from an offense that averaged 35 points a game last season. QB Bobby Reid and WR Adarius Bowman are joined by a 1-2 rushing punch of Dantrell Savage (great name) and Keith Toston, who are among the fastest backs in the nation. The defense is lead by a solid group of linebackers and should be good enough to help the offense. Look out as the Horns travel to Stillwater in November.

Big East - Pitt

Dave Wannstedt has produced quality-recruiting classes, enough that Pitt should be contending with other Big East heavyweights. However, they have done anything but contend the past two years. The Panthers suffered a setback losing top wide receiver Derek Kinder to a right ACL tear. The defense should be improved, after giving up 45 or more points in Pitt's final three games last season. If Wannstedt can get this wild-card group off to a 6-1 or 7-0 start, watch out.

Pac 10 - Oregon

Since 2002, Oregon has gone 8-14 after Oct. 31. But there's reason to hope again in Eugene. The last time Oregon lost six games in a season, they responded by going 10-2 the following year. Running back's Jonathan Stewart and Jeremiah Johnson will provide a formidable punch out of the backfield. QB Dennis Dixon must mature, but he's talented enough to lead this team to eight or nine wins. Plus the Ducks get Cal, USC and Arizona State in Autzen. It's hard to phantom they won't win at least one of those games.

SEC - Kentucky

The Wildcats were a surprise team last season, winning eight games and stealing the Music City Bowl from Clemson. QB Andre' Woodson had the skill set to go pro last season, but came back for his senior season. Kentucky's offense averaged 33 points a game last season, minus the three games against SEC elites, Florida, LSU and Tennessee where they put a combined 19 points. The Cats will host get to host those SEC elites this season, which means nine wins might not be out the of question.

Blogger's note: Top photo - Purdue QB Curtis Painter threw for 3,985 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. Painter, who begins the season on the Manning Award watch list, must limit his turnovers in 2007. Bottom photo - University of Oregon’s Autzen Stadium on game day, Autzen is one of the toughest places for visiting teams to play. Photos courtesy of athlonsports.com and uoregon.edu.

Friday, August 24, 2007

FPS College Football Preview (Part 4)

POTENTIAL BCS CRASHERS IN '07

THESE ARE TEAMS FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF UTAH AND BOISE, AWAITING THEIR CHANCE TO SLAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S GIANTS.

TCU -- Had the current BCS rules been in place from the start, TCU would have already made two appearances in 2000 and 2005. However, the Horned Frogs have the team to do it this year.

TCU's defense last year can be summed up with two words, total dominance. TCU was second nationally in total defense (they allowed 12.3 points and 235 yards per game), second in rush defense, third in scoring defense and 15th in sacks. Nine starters are returning including defensive end's Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz. The two should cause offensive lines and quarterbacks all sorts of problems.

Two year's ago the Horned Frogs made a splash by upsetting Oklahoma. They have the speed, athleticism and depth on defense to make even a bigger splash. If TCU goes 11-1, with an early loss at Texas, they still could crash the party.

Key games: Sept. 8 at Texas, Nov. 8 at BYU

Hawaii -- Quarterback Colt Brennan leads a high-octane offense that will score in droves. Hawaii must find a replacement in the backfield at running back to help Brennan. Defensively, the Warriors are reportedly going back to a 4-3 base, but will continue to be aggressive and try to force big plays. With seven starters returning, the D should be more productive than last year.

With that in mind, Hawaii has as good a chance as any to undefeated this season. Yet talk is already beginning that Hawaii's schedule will hold them out of a BCS game. Hang on; if Hawaii goes 12-0 they deserve to go to a BCS bowl here's why...

Last year's party crasher, Boise State, made it to a BCS game with an underwhelming schedule.

The Broncos hosted Sacramento State, a I-AA team, who finished with a 4-7 record and then hosted the Beavers of Oregon State (Pac-10). But, the Oregon State game was deceptively hard.

The Beavs finished 3rd in a tough conference. However, they started slowly, 2-3 in their first five games. The two wins came over I-AA Eastern Washington and perennial punching bag Idaho. Their losses came at Boise and then they dropped two games at home, a 28-point shellacking by Cal and seven-point loss to Washington State. Boise State played a very different Oregon State team.

The Broncos also visited two Mountain West schools; Wyoming who finished the year 6-6 and Utah finished 7-5 and went on to win in its bowl appearance.

Going back to Hawaii, the WAC should be a better conference top to bottom this year. New Mexico State's offense is for real and San Jose State is improving. Hawaii potentially finishes with four quality opponents in Fresno State, Nevada, Boise State and Washington. People know this is a tough Hawaii squad so don't count out the fact they may not have been able to schedule bigger-name opponents.

The Warriors are for real and hopefully will be given a chance to showcase their talent in a BCS Bowl, if they earn the honors.

Key games: Nov. 16 at Nevada, Nov. 23 vs. Boise State

Blogger's note:
Tommy Blake celebrates after sacking Lobo quarterback Donovan Porterie last season. Blake begins the 2007 season on several award watch lists including Walter Camp, Lombardi and Bednarik. Photo courtesy of The Albuquerque Tribune.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

FPS College Football Preview (Part 3)

TITLE SLEEPERS IN '07

LURKING IN THE SHADOWS OF THE FAVORITES, THESE ARE THE TEAMS POISED WITH AN UPSET TO BECOME THE FAVORITES.

Louisville/West Virginia -- The verdict is still out on the "new" Big East, even after the conference went 5-0 during bowl games last season. Between the two top teams there are three Heisman hopefuls in quarterbacks Brian Brohm (Louisville) and Pat White (WVU) and running back Steve Slaton (WVU). New Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe is a rising star in the coaching world and inherits a fast athletic defense along with a potent offense. West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez has built a program in Morgantown that is beginning to expect championships every year. The Mountaineers were the trendy pick to challenge for the national title in 2006. Expect the winner of this November showdown to challenge for the national title.

Key game: Nov. 8 Louisville at West Virginia

Ohio State -- Just when people write off Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes, they suddenly surprise us. Well, don't be surprised anymore. The Buckeyes will be good again in 2007. All they have done the past five seasons is win 55 games, rack up four bowl victories and play for two national championships. Using what happened in Glendale as motivation, a 41-14 humiliation by Florida, the Buckeyes should be hungrier than ever. The defense is championship caliber and could very well position Ohio State for another title run.

Key games: Oct. 6 at Purdue, Oct. 27 at Penn State, Nov. 3 vs. Wisconsin, Nov. 17 at Michigan

UCLA -- The Bruins ecstasy after upsetting USC was followed up by devastation after a 44-27 thumping by Florida State in the Emerald Bowl. UCLA was scary at times but inconsistent during a mediocre 7-6 campaign in 2006. The 2007 Bruins return ten starters on a defense and 12 players with significant starting experience on offense. If QB Ben Olsen lives up to his pre-college hype, UCLA could turn a few heads on their way to big things.

Key games: Sept. 29 at Oregon State, Oct. 20 vs. Cal, Dec. 1 at USC

Sunday, August 19, 2007

FPS College Football Preview (Part 2)

TITLE CONTENDERS IN '07

USC -- Since 2002, the Trojans have become gold standard of college football programs (two National titles and five consecutive top-five finishes). So, until they fall off the wagon Pete Carroll's teams will always be title contenders. Scouts are saying this is the best, deepest defense USC has had under Carroll. John David Booty doesn't want to be remembered as the quarterback in charge when the dynasty collapsed. Offensively the names aren't there yet, but the skill certainly is.

Key games: Nov. 10 at Cal, Dec. 1 vs. UCLA

LSU -- The Tigers were red-hot at the end of last season, winning seven straight including a bowl thrashing of Notre Dame. Strength defensively will have to carry the Tigers if they hope to reach the National Championship. The offense lost a slew of players, but they have the pieces to remain productive. LSU has won 11 games in each of the past two seasons and anything less than that this year would be a major disappointment on the bayou.

Key games: Nov. 3 at Alabama, Nov. 24 vs. Arkansas

Oklahoma -- Post-season chokes aside, the Sooners have been one of the elite college programs. Just because Boise State pulled something out of their...well we won't go there, people are dismissing Oklahoma. Scouts are saying this is a national title-level Sooner team that arguably has the nation's best o-line and best secondary. A trio of running backs will split time and Oklahoma only needs a quarterback who can take care of the ball. The rest of pieces are there to make a run in 2007.

Key games: Oct. 6 vs. Texas, Nov. 3 vs. Texas A&M

Wisconsin -- The Badgers have grabbed 31 wins the past three years and have 22-4 record in the last two. But Wisconsin has yet to reach superpower status. With 18 starters returning from a 12-1 Badger squad the expectations have never been higher in Madison. This isn't a flashy team with a big-name defense, however RB P.J. Hill has an opportunity to become a household name. Hill is poised for a huge season, running behind a veteran line.

Key games: Oct. 13 at Penn State, Nov. 3 at Ohio State, Nov. 10 vs. Michigan

Michigan -- The Wolverines came one win away from playing in the BCS Championship game last season, but they lost their play-in game at Columbus. QB Chad Henne, RB Mike Hart and WR Mario Manningham form a trio of great skill players, which will need to put up big numbers to help a defense returning only a handful of starters. Head coach Llyod Carr is on the hot seat as Michigan has to prove they belong with the big-boys of college football this season.

Key games: Nov. 10 at Wisconsin, Nov. 17 vs. Ohio State

Texas -- To put it mildly, the Longhorns appearance in the Alamo Bowl last year was a sour experience. QB Colt McCoy will try to make fans forget about Vince and prove he's a big-time player. The offense is loaded with talent with McCoy, WR Limas Sweed and RB Jamaal Charles. The linebackers are deep and very good unit, but Mack Brown has to get the secondary turned around after an awful 2006 season. Texas’ defensive weaknesses put them on the edge, but they should be considered with other pre-season contenders.

Key games: Oct. 6 vs. Oklahoma, Nov. 3 at Oklahoma State, Nov. 23 at Texas A&M

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

FPS College Football Preview (Part 1)

TOP QUARTERBACKS IN '07

ESPN is giving Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford a lot of attention.

In a video for ESPN.com, Scout Inc.'s Todd McShay (also an ESPN analyst) broke down Stafford's progression from high school to college. Among other things Stafford was compared to Brett Farve, he has the ability to drive the ball downfield throwing on the run, shows a lot of touch on underneath routes, but trusts his arm and legs too much not to mention he had a gambling mentality ('aka' he's a chucker).

Last season, Stafford started as a freshman in place of injured senior Joe Tereshinski III, but threw 13 interception to only seven touchdowns with a meager 1,749 yards. With Stafford, came plenty of tough lessons as Georgia lost to Vanderbilt and Kentucky in the same season for the first time since 1973. However, the Bulldogs won each of its last two regular-season games, then rallied from a 21-0 deficit to stun Virginia Tech 31-24 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Head coach Mark Richt, who coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke as an assistant at Florida State, hopes Stafford's second season will be much smoother now that he's been working in the offense for nearly two years. Todd McShay shares Richt's opinion.

McShay gave three reasons why Stafford is primed for a breakout season including working as a starter all last year, plus Stafford's supporting cast can't get worse according to McShay and talent eventually has to take over. All that said McShay thinks Stafford could emerge as a top quarterback in the SEC at the end of 2007, which would also make him an elite quarterback in the nation.

Sorry Todd, here are five quarterbacks who enter the 2007 season better than Stafford and will remain there.

John David Booty, USC - Fifth-year senior John David Booty begins the season as the undisputed leader of the Trojan offense. Scouts say he has a stronger arm than previous USC quarterback Matt Leinart. A year ago, Booty chucked 29 touchdowns with only nine picks and racked up 3,347 yards. The bar has been set high for USC quarterbacks by Carson Palmer (2002 Heisman winner with No. 4 finish) and Leinart (2004 Heisman winner and AP championship in 2003, BCS title 2004 and No. 2 finish in 2005). Booty wants to prove he is not the weak link and has the tools to do so.

Colt Brennan, Hawaii - It's unfortunate that Brennan plays in Hawaii, but he's the real deal. Brennan threw for 5,549 yards and 58 touchdowns last season. His NCAA record-setting statistics were incredible: nine games with 400 yards passing or more, two or more touchdown passes in every game (eight games with five or more) and a 72-completion percentage. Brennan ought to compete for the Heisman this year, but it's unsure whether the voters will stay up and watch.

Brian Brohm, Louisville - Brohm decided to return for his senior season much to the delight of Cardinals fans. He stands fourth all-time at Louisville in career passing yards with 6,751 and 41 touchdowns. Brohm is the school recorder holder in completion percentage, third all-time in school history in total offense and the Big East record holder with eleven 300-yard passing games. He is a legitimate Heisman candidate.

Sam Keller, Nebraska - Keller is back after sitting out a year due to transfer rules and should win the Huskers' starting job. Keller possesses a strong arm and quick release. He threw for more than 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns at Arizona State during 19 games between 2003 and 2005. Keller was a backup for ASU in his first two seasons in the program. Keller owns ASU's second-best career completion percentage and will showcase his talent in the Big 12 this year.

Andre' Woodson, Kentucky - Woodson is the best at his position in the SEC. He boasts a strong, accurate arm and enters 2007 with streak of 162 consecutive passes thrown without an interception, a Kentucky record. Woodson led the SEC last season with 270 passing yards per game. He threw for 3,515 yards, 31 touchdowns while completing 63 percent of his attempts. A surprise name for some to be tossed around with the best quarterbacks, but Woodson should garner a lot more attention this year.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Beckham makes his debut...finally

In front of a sold out RFK Stadium, David Beckham makes his official Major League Soccer debut for the LA Galaxy. His appearance came in the 72nd minute. More later.

------------

The DC crowd went home happy. The diehard fans witnessed a victory, 1-0 United, while everyone else got to see David Beckham on the field.

Beckham entered the game late and had little impact on the outcome. LA was already playing a man down. However, the few touches Beckham had showed he is slowly getting back into soccer form after injuring his ankle.

Beckham displayed his trademark free kick in the 85th minute and sent a ball forward, springing teammate Landon Donovan behind the United defense. But nothing materialized.

It’s probably too late to save the Galaxy’s season this year, but it appears that when Beckham begins to play full-time, he will impact the game. Head coach Frank Yallop will play Beckham where he has wanted to be his entire career, at center midfielder.

Until he is healthy, Beckham’s impact will remain a financial one.

Blogger’s note: LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, center, enters a MLS match for the first time against DC United. Photo courtesy of AP Photo – Haraz N. Ghanbari.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Pro Football's Thorn

Yesterday, Brady Quinn ended an 11-day holdout from Cleveland Browns training camp and agreed to a five-year contract worth $20.2 million. The deal could swell to $30 million over five years.

Quinn's holdout essentially eliminated his chances to begin the season as the team's starter. What's more troubling for the NFL is the growing threats and holdouts from first-round draft picks.

With Quinn signed, two first-round picks -- Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the top overall selection, and cornerback Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets, the No. 14 pick -- were without contracts. It's becoming common practice for NFL teams to start training camp in August without their top draft picks.

Last year, the most notable holdout among first-rounders was Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart. Leinart was involved in a prolonged holdout before he agreed to a six-year $51 million deal. The Cardinals quarterback was the last member of the '06 draft class to sign a contract.

This is becoming an epidemic in the NFL. Teams should not have to fork out veteran money to ink untested rookies. Just because some scouts think so-and-so might be the second coming Dan Marino, he should have to prove himself on the field before demanding fifth-year veteran money.

In Quinn's case, the deal he reached makes sense and he isn't making top ten money. But holding out ultimately hurt Quinn and he has to play catch-up at professions toughest position.

If the current trend continues the league is going to sink itself. The NFL is already beginning to abandon the major television networks which helped propel its popularity and if teams let rookies demand veteran pay, before they ever step on the field things will unravel quickly.

The NFL should follow the NBA's suit and script the first-round salaries for rookies. It would ensure that rookies make into training camp on time benefiting themselves, their new teams and the fans. Not to mention it would stop the escalating salary madness.

Quinn's in, it's time for Revis and Russell to follow.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

No. 756

Photo courtesy of AP Photo - Eric Risberg

Barry Bonds stands alone. The Giants slugger hit his 756 career home run, tonight Aug. 7, off Washington Nationals' pitcher Mike Bacsik. Bonds crushed a 3-2 pitch in fifth inning approximately 435-feet to right-center field.

Looking on in the picture is home plate umpire John Hirschbeck and Washington catcher Brian Schneider. Bonds' home run stood to be a potential game winner, but the Nationals rallied in the latter innings and won the game 8-6.

"I would like to offer my congratulations to Barry Bonds on becoming baseball's career home run leader. It is a great accomplishment which requires skill, longevity and determination. Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historical achievement. My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams."
~Hank Aaron

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Something ended a week ago?

A couple blinks and you missed it last weekend.

Lacking fanfare, the 2007 Tour de France came to a quiet end. Spaniard Alberto Contador, a rider for the American Discovery Team, won the race by the narrowest of margins 23 seconds becoming the youngest champion since 1997.

Contador would likely have not reached the top podium spot, but the demons of doping returned to cycling's premiere race during its second week.

First, Patrik Sinkewitz of Germany tested positive for testosterone in a sample taken while he was training. Then, during a 48-hour span, Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for a banned blood transfusion and withdrew along with his entire Astana team. Cristian Moreni, an Italian rider, tested positive test for testosterone and then came the ousting of Tour leader Michael Rasmussen by his team.

With Rasmussen gone, the door was opened for Contador. However, the doping drama continues.

This past Wednesday, a report surfaced that German authorities have received documents from doping expert Werner Franke claiming this year's Tour winner, Contador, was involved in doping.

Also this past week, Spanish rider Iban Mayo, one of the sport’s mountain specialists, tested positive for the blood-boosting hormone erythropoietin (known as EPO). And the general director of Rabobank cycling team (Rasmussen's team), Theo de Rooij resigned Friday. De Rooij was the one who dismissed Rasmussen during the Tour for allegedly lying about his whereabouts to evade doping tests.


Don't forget about last year, when Floyd Landis the winner of the Tour was found days later to have failed a drug test near the end of the race. Landis continues to fight the charges.

So, what does all this mean?

Basically, cycling has self destructed.

By the look of it, things are probably going to get worse before they get better for the sport. Even the Tour director said the suspicion of doping hangs over all riders.

Fans are not going to remain loyal to a sport where cheating has skewed results for more than a decade. Cheaters are running rampant. As the Tour continued this year and the scandals started to emerge, several European media outlets dropped their coverage of the event.

Cycling is not bleeding, it's hemorrhaging. And if drastic steps are not taken soon, the Tour, if it exists will continue largely unnoticed.

Friday, August 3, 2007

The Return of A-Fraud

If being mired in a career-worst slump wasn't bad enough, the New York tabloids jumped all over slugger Alex Rodriguez for failing for days to hit his 500th career home. The tabloids were especially harsh after the Yankees 16-3 rout of the White Sox, when the rest of A-Rod's teammates slugged eight home runs and he had zero.

One headline from the Post read "Homer Party Skips A-Rod."

Rodriguez has not homered in eight games now, but does he deserve the criticism from the press?
Absolutely.

A-Rod is putting up MVP-esque numbers this year, batting around .300, with 35 home runs, 105 RBIs and 98 runs. Not to mention he's getting paid more than $25 million this year and he's talking about opting out to possibly get paid $30 million next year.

So, when your star goes into a 0-for slump, it's a fine time to criticize. When the team this star is on plays sub-500 baseball, it's fine to criticize the star who's supposed to be leading them. The Yankees went 3-4 during A-Rod's slump. Finally, when you are paying one player a quarter-of-a billion dollars and he ties his shoes wrong, it's OK to criticize him.

Rodriguez and the Yankees are having a paradoxical season. Typically the Yankees lose when A-Rod is going home run ballistic, but when the Yankees win, it usually comes without a long bomb from the third base star.


So far in July and now the beginning of August, the Yankees have slugged their way back into contention. But in New York, individual achievements are not judged on their own. Individuals are judged through championships lens and how many they can help win. That title will continue to allude A-Rod.

Blogger's Note: On Aug. 4, Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 500 home runs, sending the first pitch he saw from Kansas City's Kyle Davies past the foul pole in left field.
Photo courtesy of AP - Kathy Willens -- Rodriguez, tosses his bat after striking out in the eighth inning of the Yankees' 13-9 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, Aug. 2.