Craig Sager breaks Man Law #16

But it's great entertainment anyway! From Mouthpiece Sports.com...

Shawn Merriman see the fine line, and jumps across

From the Sporting Blog.

There is a fine line between toughness and stupidity.

Some things in this world you simply cannot explain. This is one of them: Shawne Merriman has decided to play this season. As you know, he has two torn ligaments in his knee. Four doctors have told him he needs to have reconstructive surgery, like, yesterday. And despite this, he’s going to risk his entire career and millions of dollars to play football this year.

Don’t get me wrong, I admire the man’s toughness (or whatever) to play through this substantial injury. But the exchange rate on toughness to American dollars is actually nothing. When his numbers inevitably suffer this season, because he’s playing on one leg, the Chargers -- or any other team considering signing Merriman -- are going to obviously use that against him when his rookie contract expires after the ’09 season, assuming they don’t cut him before then.

"I'll deal with it when it's time to get surgery,” Merriman said. Well, um, when exactly does he think that time is, if it’s not now? At the latest, I’d say it’s next offseason, at which point he’ll have to go play his contract year on a rehabilitated knee. Why not have the surgery now and take this season off? Then he can come back in top-condition for the ’09 season, put up huge numbers again, and then sign a free agent deal for more money than God?

Perhaps the worst part of all this is that the team is clearly using Merriman’s pride to their advantage. If they really cared about what’s best for Merriman’s future -- both physically and monetarily -- they’d force him to have the surgery now. But, they have nothing to lose by letting him play this season. If he sucks, they bench him. If he further injuries himself, he has the surgery mid-season. If he, by some miracle, performs well, then great -- he’ll help them win games. Although based on the fact that San Diego signed Merriman’s back-up to a five-year extension on Monday, I’d say they aren’t counting on the end game being a pretty one for Merriman.

Keep bringing the stupid, girls.

From The Week in Quotes over at Football Outsiders,

“New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has won more or less than two Super Bowls?”

– Matt Gallant, host of NFL Cheerleader Playoffs on NFL Network, asking a question during a trivia game

“False.”

– Catherine, Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader, getting the question wrong

Lions go to 3-0 in pre-season

I know, it's preseason. But the Lions are fun to watch right now. Or, they would be if the NFL didn't black out the game 180 miles away from Ford Field in an area that a local station was NOT carrying the game. I got to watch some highlights on NFL.com, but it would have been nice to know that the local Fox station was actually carrying it after that wonderful ChiSux - Rays game. Whoo! I love watching baseball between two teams I couldn't care less about rather than a football game involving a team I do actually care about.

All right, I'm over that. The Lions have some holes that need to be addressed. First of all, the offensive line is still bad. Not average, not below average, but bad. Maybe they will get better as the season progresses, but right now they need help. The other thing that still needs help is their run defense. The defensive line is getting good pressure on the QB, but isn't great at picking up and getting to RB's.

But that run by Smith, with the block by Orlovsky. He took out three defenders with one block! Get your February Tampa hotel rooms booked NOW!!!

Final 2007 College Football Ratings

Because no games have been played, I decided to update last years college football ratings. For the record, Michigan(9-4) was 26th at 71.0 following their beating of #2 Florida. Seeing West F'n Virginia at 5 bodes well for the Maize and Blue, if maybe not for this year.

Final 2007 Ratings

	Team	W-L	Rating	Conf
1	LSU	12-2	94.6	SEC
2	Florida	9-4	90.4	SEC
3	Georgia	11-2	90.3	SEC
4	Southern Cal	11-2	87.8	P10
5	West Virginia	11-2	87.7	BigE
6	Oregon	9-4	85.3	P10
7	Missouri	12-2	85.2	B12
8	Tennessee	10-4	85.0	SEC
9	Oklahoma	11-3	84.6	B12
10	Auburn	9-4	84.2	SEC
11	Ohio State	11-2	83.0	B10
12	Virginia Tech	11-3	82.8	ACC
13	Arizona St	10-3	82.8	P10
14	Kansas	12-1	79.1	B12
15	Kentucky	8-5	78.5	SEC
16	South Florida	9-4	77.6	BigE
17	Oregon St	9-4	77.1	P10
18	Arkansas	8-5	77.0	SEC
19	Clemson	9-4	76.6	ACC
20	Texas	10-3	76.4	B12
21	Cincinnati	10-3	75.1	BigE
22	Boston College	11-3	73.8	ACC
23	Alabama	7-6	72.2	SEC
24	Penn State	9-4	71.9	B10
25	South Carolina	6-6	71.5	SEC

The SEC went 1-2-3, 5 of the top ten, and 9 in the top 25. There is no doubt they are the class of college football right now, and the Big Ten has a way to go to catch up. The Big Ten needs Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa, and Purdue to regain past glory, and for Penn State and Illinois to at least hold serve where they are. Michigan and Ohio State are doing their part, but they need the middle class of the Big Ten to step it back up if they want to make the Big Ten/SEC argument be anything more than a kool-aid party.

How did Florida end up #2, despite a 9-4 record? By beating the hell out of the most difficult schedule in college football. They ranked #1 in strength of schedule, and scored over 18 more points per game than their opponents gave up on average, while giving up almost 4 less points than their opponents scored on average. That's a differential of over 22 points better than average.

Until they met Michigan, that is...

Boom Goes the Dynamite in Waco, Texas

According to the Sporting Blog, Brian Collins has joined the team at KXXV in Waco, TX.

May God have mercy on your souls in Waco.

Dude.

Finally. I have played 9 or 10 games so far, but have avoided the Big House because I wanted to start my Dynasty and go there for the first time. I have been uploading Michigan Band sounds so it sounds realistic as hell. From playing Temptation on 3rd down stops, to Lets go Blue after getting the ball back and the short Victors after TD's and the long version after the PAT. This game is stupid nuts good.

This was the highlight. A Brown 57 yard run in garbage time that sealed it for good.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

Brandon Minor had 2 TD's receiving, and this one running that made it 14-0 in the second.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

Final score 38-8. After taking Western down to Lincoln and losing 38-22, this one felt nice. Like that morning pee after a long night of drinking.

OSU 38, BC 0

My useful existence is over. Now I can post my football pictures and some video.

I took the BC Eagles into C-Bus and got rolled 38-0. Visual proof follows.

Holy crap is this cool.

EA SPORTS World: NCAA Football 09 Video

Top 20 places to see a college football game

I disagree with a couple, including putting Michigan as high as 2, but it's a great list anyway over at Michigan Against the World.

11 days

Dan-o has the NCAA Football 09 warmed up, has played the Maize-Blue game, been practicing the spread offense and is better with Sheridan than Threet, and the team is ready to hit some Ute ass.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Bo Merlot?

Whats next? The Bob Probert ascot?

MLB rankings

Law School, year 1 is in the books. Three weeks off before year 2 begins, and I feel fine.

The updated standings, a day late.

Ratings through games of Sunday, August 17

	Team	Rating	Last Week
1	Chi_Cubs	96.8	1
2	Tampa_Bay	92.4	3
3	Boston	91.5	4
4	LA_Angels	89.7	2
5	Chi_White_Sox	86.2	5
6	Milwaukee	80.3	7
7	Minnesota	75.7	9
8	St_Louis	74.5	10
9	NY_Yankees	73.0	8
10	Philadelphia	71.3	6
11	Toronto	71.2	12
12	NY_Mets	69.2	11
13	LA_Dodgers	63.4	14
14	Arizona	56.7	15
15	Baltimore	50.9	17
16	Houston	49.9	19
17	Detroit	46.9	13
18	Florida	42.6	16
19	Cleveland	37.6	22
20	Texas	35.7	21
21	Oakland	35.7	20
22	Atlanta	34.9	18
23	Pittsburgh	21.9	23
24	Colorado	21.4	25
25	Cincinnati	16.3	26
26	Kansas_City	16.1	24
27	San_Francisco	8.3	27
28	Seattle	5.7	28
29	San_Diego	5.0	29
30	Washington	1.3	30

Two down...

...two to go.

4.0
+4.0
8-0

Patriots nothing. DB is going 16-0 vs. Law School.

Seriously, mom, I CAN'T mow the lawn...

From Every Day Should Be Saturday.

Ole Miss offensive lineman Kermit Tyler, a freshman from New Orleans, has been diagnosed with an allergic reaction to strenuous exercise.

Uh, I think I had this too. When I run or skate too hard, or walk too much, or it's too far to the fridge, I break out in this liquid all over my body, and I start breathing hard and stuff.

Houston Nutt will honor the scholarship because he’s not evil. Bravo for him.

Yup, I agree. Good for Houston Nutt. Ole Miss joins the race for DB's affection to fill the vacuum where Alabama once resided...

UPDATE: DP just reminded that there were not one but two Mannings that quarterbacked the Runnin' Rebs. Ole Miss is out of the running.

Blakeslee Power Rankings

Boston and Los Anaheim switch spots at the 2 and 4 positions. Other than that, not much movement as Oakland is the big loser this week, going from 13 to 20, based on going 3-20 in their last 23 games. So much for their second half run this season.

Ratings through games of Sunday, August 10

	Team	Rating	Last Week
1	Chi_Cubs	95.9	1
2	LA_Angels	93.3	4
3	Tampa_Bay	93.1	3
4	Boston	93.0	2
5	Chi_White_Sox	83.6	5
6	Philadelphia	80.8	6
7	Milwaukee	80.6	9
8	NY_Yankees	74.0	7
9	Minnesota	73.1	8
10	St_Louis	72.6	10
11	NY_Mets	64.2	11
12	Toronto	64.2	12
13	Detroit	54.2	16
14	LA_Dodgers	52.6	14
15	Arizona	50.7	15
16	Florida	47.5	17
17	Baltimore	46.0	19
18	Atlanta	45.0	20
19	Houston	44.8	21
20	Oakland	42.0	13
21	Texas	41.9	18
22	Cleveland	34.6	22
23	Pittsburgh	22.9	23
24	Kansas_City	20.4	24
25	Colorado	15.8	25
26	Cincinnati	13.1	26
27	San_Francisco	8.5	27
28	Seattle	5.5	28
29	San_Diego	3.6	29
30	Washington	2.3	30

PADDY!

Back to back for Paddy Harrington. He won the British for the second straight year, and then wins the PGA in Oakland Hills.

Does this officially make him the next "guy to challenge Tiger?"

So close, and yet...

From EDSBS's countdown...

"Dude, I'd take a pay cut from Tressel to win that thing..."

Someone stand up and restore my faith in humanity, please.

I am a 'Bama fan. Have been for a very long time. That time may be coming to an end.

- They hired Nick Saban
- Dude, no really, THEY HIRED NICK SABAN
- Then, there's this.

No words need be spoken.

I can't bring myself to like Auburn, but maybe I'll start rooting for Georgia.

Reason #63 college football is better than the NFL

From SI.com

The NFL has implemented a new code of conduct for fans:

It includes bans on:

-- Behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or illegal.

-- Drunkenness and signs of alcohol impairment that result in irresponsible behavior.

-- Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures.

-- Interference with the progress of the game, including throwing objects onto the field.

-- Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel.

-- Verbal or physical harassment of fans from the opposing team.

"The in-stadium experience is critically important to the NFL, our clubs and our fans and it will be a major focus this season," Goodell said in a statement. "We are committed to improving the fan experience in every way we can -- from the time fans arrive in the parking lot to when they depart the stadium."

Guys go to football games on Sunday to get away from rules, wives, girlfriends, bosses, and life in general. Guys like to rag the opposition, and their fans. It is part of the unspoken NFL fan code of conduct. I once went into Arrowhead with a Steelers jersey on. I was harassed all game long. So what? Did those people deserve to go to jail? No. I knew what I was doing.

The league also left teams the option of adding additional provisions to the code based on local circumstances. It said the guidelines would be contained in mailings to fans and signs posted at stadiums.

Consider this the 'Pontiac Silverdome Rule.'

Paul Tagliabue never would have gone for this. You know why? He is so smart. S-M-R-T. You want to get rid of the worst of the worst, fine. but most of the stuff they do is already illegal, and they can be taken out back right then and there anyway. Don't put out this happy feely "code of conduct" that makes us all feel like we're back in kindergarten pooping ourselves and getting in trouble for lifting Suzy's skirt to see what's there.

Fire. Leyland. Yesterday.

Unbelievable.

In football, the head coach and his assistants are as important as the players in setting up a game plan for a given opponent, calling plays on the field, making both strategic and tactical decisions at every step of the way. A great coach makes an average team good, and a bad coach makes them the Lions. In basketball, it is similar, but more decisions are made on the fly by the players. The head coach will make tactical decisions in certain situations, but for the most part, they just lay out the strategic plan, and the players execute. In hockey, most of the coaching is done before the players ever hit the ice at gametime. The strategic decisions are already made, the tactical decision making process is in place for the players, it's just a matter of go out and execute.

Which brings us to baseball. Being a baseball manager is more like a babysitter. You make sure everybody is happy, give a guy a lollipop every now and again, but is for the most part, once the game starts, very hands off. There are small things a manager can do to gain a small tactical advantage in certain situations, steal, hit-and-run, and the intentional walk are some examples. But these should be minimized to those situations where the game requires such tactics. A great manager in baseball knows his role is minimal, and he will not elevate his team too much. But a bad manager can sink a team like a stone.

There was one situation late in last night's game that handed the White Sox first place back. Bobby Seay is on the mound with a 6-5 lead with two out in the bottom of the 8th. Bobby Seay, who has been the best reliever all season long. Bobby Seay who has given up 1 run in his last 15 outings over 17 1/3 innings, and had just mowed down three straight easily. He has good stuff tonight. The ChiSox weren't getting good wood on the ball. But a right-hander is coming up in the form of Alexei Ramirex, who had 9 HR's to that point. So Leyland brings in Kyle Farnsworth, who proceeded to leave a 1-2 slider right in the heart of the plate, and ended up bouncing off the Muskegon-Milwaukee ferry in the middle of Lake Michigan.

Let's take a closer look at the decision. Farnsworth has pitched pretty well this season, but has been susceptible to the long ball. Bobby Seay has given up 2 HR's in 37 1/3 innings. You are playing in a band box in Chicago. "But you want the RHP/RHB matchup- it's better." Is it? Farnsworth has pitched (.255/.286/.457) against RHB, and (.282/.387/.628) against LHB, so yeah, there is definitely a split there. Most of his 13 (!) HRs (8) came against LHB in about the same amount of PA's. Now Bobby Seay: Against LHB (.290/.359/.420), and against RHB (.190/.284/.254). Do not adjust your television set, Bobby Seay has been absolutely lights out against RHB. Yes, even when conventional (read: Tony F'n LaRussa baseball) "wisdom" says otherwise. Now, Ramirez has hit much better against LHP (.354/.379/.488) vs. (.290/.307/.459), but the fact remains: Bobby Seay is much stronger against RHB than Kyle Farnsworth. Kyle Farnsworth is susceptible to the HR, in a park that is susceptible to HRs. Bobby Seay is warm, feeling good about himself, had just set down three in a row is very convincing fashion, and is NOT susceptible to the long ball. He had good stuff last night.

This is the kind of managing that loses ball games, and has taken the Tigers out of the AL Central race. Jim Leyland has cost the Tigers upwards of half a dozen to a dozen ball games with this old school RH vs RH, hit-and-run, sacrifice happy, play-for-one-run mentality.

Fire him now. Last night made me literally absolutely sick to my stomach. He cost two games against the Rays, and now one against the ChiSox, and they're done. They could possibly come back from 8 games back against one team, but not two. They are done. and it's against the FUCKING WHITE SOX!

I have not worn my Tigers hat since mid May after he was on about three or four games blown. I always hoped I would have to eat crow and put it back on when they made their run. But its over. This is my last Tigers post this season until a post mortem when I get the gumption to do that. That won't be for a while though.

GRIFFEY!

Polanco hits a soft liner to right-center, which Griffey got a late start on, tried to catch back up to, and missed, turning a single into triple, pulling the infield in and what would have been a soft line out to Ramirez turns into an RBI single for Guillen.

Run-on sentences are my friend. As is Kenny Williams.

Griffey might make it past my 3 game prediction in CF, but he has already shown he isn't a CF any more.

4.13 seconds

That's fast.

Morgan Trent ran a 4.13 forty.

Shouldn't he be in the SEC then?

UPDATE: Turns out it was his shuttle time, not forty time. Reason #4,389 to hate and never trust ESPN.

Blakeslee Power Ratings

A little shake up at the top as both Sox stumble, Minnesota gets a boost from Fransisco Liriano, and the Tigers (boo) and Mets (yes!) had bad weeks.

For the explanation, the post is here.

Through games of Sunday, August 3

	Team	Rating	Last Week
1	Chi_Cubs	95.5	2
2	Boston	93.2	1
3	Tampa_Bay	92.8	4
4	LA_Angels	91.1	5
5	Chi_White_Sox	82.7	3
6	Philadelphia	82.2	8
7	NY_Yankees	81.3	6
8	Minnesota	75.4	10
9	Milwaukee	75.4	7
10	St_Louis	69.5	13
11	NY_Mets	64.8	9
12	Toronto	64.1	12
13	Oakland	56.5	11
14	LA_Dodgers	55.6	16
15	Arizona	53.9	15
16	Detroit	50.9	14
17	Florida	45.1	19
18	Texas	44.4	18
19	Baltimore	43.2	20
20	Atlanta	40.1	17
21	Houston	36.0	23
22	Cleveland	30.0	21
23	Pittsburgh	24.8	25
24	Kansas_City	24.1	26
25	Colorado	22.2	24
26	Cincinnati	19.3	22
27	San_Francisco	7.2	27
28	Seattle	4.8	28
29	San_Diego	2.3	29
30	Washington	2.0	30

The Royals pwn ChiSux

Oh, how do I hate the White Sox, let me count the ways.




Miguel Olivo is hitting under .270, and his OBP is under .300. This guy is not gonna beat you. But he has 3 HBP's this season. All 3 are against the White Sox. It took three pitches for Carrasco hit him yesterday, and this is what he had to say about it.

“Most of the pitchers don’t throw me inside all the time,” Olivo said. “They throw me sliders away or whatever. If he would’ve hit me with the first pitch, I would’ve been happy to take first base. But three times inside? It’s just so obvious.”

In his own defense, Carrasco had this to say:

“I’m coming into the game trying to get a double-play ball,” Carrasco said. “I’m going to throw in using my sinker. I was trying to get a ground ball out of that. It got away from me. I went to pick up the ball, I look up and he’s charging me. Yes, it surprised me.”

It surprised you? You throw at a guy three times, finally actually hitting him on the third pitch, hitting a guy for the third time this season who hasn't been hit by anyone else? This surprised you?

And for good measure, Ozzie added something to the conversation.

“I’m not going to bring in a guy who throws 85 mph to hit somebody,” Guillen said. “I guarantee it. I’d bring in Dotel. I’d bring in (Matt) Thornton. I’d tell them to hit them. That’s the way I do business.”

I would have to respect that, if I could give it an ounce of credibility. Ozzie has none. This, however, I will give it's full credibility.

Guillen was still hot after the game, saying he should’ve ordered Mark Teahen to be beaned for bunting with a six-run lead, admitting to having players hit in the past, and predicting more drama in the future.

“Get ready for the warnings,” he said. “I signed a five-year deal with this organization, and we play Kansas City a lot.”

What an asshat.

You know why the White Sox has absolutely NO fan base outside the south side of Chicago? Gutless crap like this. AJ Pierzinski, Ozzie Guillen and co. are losing big at the hands of the Royals, so they throw at guys, and then play the "What? Me? Never!" card. Eat it Chicago.

On the field, the Royals took two out of three from the White Sox, taking them out of first place for the first time since May. The White Sox will finish third, and if they get the karma they should get, will finish fourth behind KC. You won't be seeing first place anytime soon. I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted.

R.I.P.

It's over.

Go Twins. Beat Chicago.

Go Sawx.


Bobby Seay. Dude's given up 1 run in his last 14 appearances.

Joe Maddon knows this. Joe Maddon also knows that Jim Leyland refuses to let him face right handers. Joe Maddon brings in a right handed batter off the bench, knowing that Leyland will being in Rodney. Leyland follows suit. Rodney gives up two runs on one hit (ONE HIT!!!!) by walking Carlos Pena (!) with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the tenth. Tigers lose.

Joe Maddon > Jim Leyland

Utah = meat

Because it's still a long way to August 30.

The Godfather Has Spoken

From the Detroit Free Press...

Lions vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. addressed the team briefly after practice this morning and received a round of applause from the players.

It isn’t unusual for Ford Jr. to attend practice. But I can’t remember seeing him speak to the team in recent years. His father, William Clay Ford, has done that occasionally.

According to a couple of veterans, Ford Jr. said it’s time to see results after the team has taken steps to improve – building Ford Field, building a state-of-the-art practice facility, hiring coach Rod Marinelli, bringing in Marinelli’s type of guys.

“They don’t want to win,” left tackle Jeff Backus said. “They expect to win.”

That sounds similar to what Ford Jr. told reporters Monday.

Twice in the past few months – at the NFL owners’ meetings in April, then again Monday – Ford Jr. has expressed publicly his frustration with the Lions’ seven straight losing seasons and his faith in Marinelli.

Ford Jr. knows fans are upset and wants to see progress on the field.

“This is not the time for a lot of hype,” Ford said Monday. “It’s a time to actually go out and prove it.”

What does he mean by prove it?

“We’ve got to win,” Ford said. “That’s the name of the game. I think that the expectations for this team are that they will win.

“Otherwise you might as well … You have to go into each season believing that you’re going to win, and winning the championship is the goal. And it has to be the goal. And Rod absolutely believes that and believes that we’ll contend for it."

Get your airplane and Super Bowl tix and hotel reservations in Tampa today!!!

Tigers-Rays update

The Tigers are in the 5th inning against Scott Kazmir and the Rays. Kazmir is at 100 pitches. Nice what you can do when you dump the windmill known as Pudge.

OH-HOW-WE-HATE ohio state

My buddy DP has a good writeup on the Sporting News article on Justin F'n Boren.

I have a real problem calling this asshat Benedict Arnold. For those of us who are students of history, we know that the war would have been lost if not for the leadership and direction of Benedict Arnold at battles like Syracuse, the first major victory for the young American Army, before he, you know, went all Benedict Arnold on us.

So yeah,I'm citing to a blog who is citing to a news article. Nice.

Manny is a Dodger; 2009 Stanley Cup Finals planned in Hell's outdoor rink

I never thought It'd happen. But now that it has, Manny Ramirez is no longer a BoSox. He's a Dodger. And Jason Bay is a Red Sox.

For the Sawx, it is a good move. They get rid of an aging not-so-fleet-of-foot left fielder for a younger, cheaper just as good at the plate left fielder. It's a push for this season, win for the future. Grade: B+

For the Bucs, they give up a very good left fielder for some good prospects in areas they needed help. Bull pen and bench support. Grade B

For the Dodgers, they give up prospects for Manny. Hopefully for them, Manny stays healthy/happy. Otherwise this could be a complete disaster. Grade: Inc. We'll know more later. It all depends on Manny. (Yes, DB is now playing the part of master of the Obvious.)