Don’t Stray from the Un-Beaten Path

Over the last four weeks, The Washington Redskins have played with a renewed sense of vigor and have salvaged a season which seemed to be all but lost following both the tragedy of Sean Taylor’s murder and a possible season ending injury to starting QB Jason Campbell.

When Campbell was hurt, the Redskins were sitting at 5-7 and were on the outside looking in when it came to the postseason tournament. Most fans felt the prospect of a trip to the playoffs was gone as the team handed over the reins to journeyman signal caller Todd Collins, a 13 year veteran who had not thrown a pass in a game in almost 3 years.

After yesterday’s victory over the Cowboys at Fed Ex Field, Collins is 4-0 as a starter and more importantly the Redskins are in the playoffs. Although Collins is the biggest reason for the Redskins resurgence, it was truly a teamwide effort as both Santana Moss and Clinton Portis stepped up their games and leadership roles and the entire defense has worked very hard to overcome the loss of it’s most talented player and captain. The Redskins are playing their best football as they head into Seattle for a first round matchup and it seems that the only question this team may face is what to do once Jason Campbell is healthy enough to take the field again, a scenario they could be forced to deal with as early as this coming saturday.

Jason Campbell is obviously the future of this franchise at the QB position. Before his injury, he had made huge improvements this season to his overall game and both the fans and organization were excited about his future as the team’s offensive leader. These feelings have not changed even with the emergence of Collins during this playoff push. However, even if Campbell is healthy enough to return this season, the best move for the Redskins is to keep Collins at QB for the remainder of the season. While none of the players would doubt Campbell’s ability to help them to advance to the Super Bowl, making changes to a team that is on such an emotional run right now would be a huge mistake.

This is not the first time that NFL fans have witnessed this scenario. The 1989 New York Giants stuck with relatively unknown backup Jeff Hostetler even after longtime starter and championship winning QB Phil Simms returned from injury and Hostetler repaid their faith in him by delivering a Super Bowl victory over the Bills. The 1997 Chiefs were led by starter Elvis Grbac who was injured after 9 games. Rich Gannon took over and was 5-1 as a starter before Marty Schottenheimer decided Grbac would start the final game of the season and the team’s first playoff game against the Broncos. Grbac played horribly in those games and the Chiefs were eliminated and the decision was roundly criticized as Schottenheimer’s worst coaching decision in a long coaching career.

Joe Gibbs is a Hall of Fame coach who understands his players and the fragile emotional environment that surrounds the Redskins since the death of Taylor earlier this season. It took alot for this team to come back and to rally around Todd Collins and Gibbs has stated his appreciation for this on many occasions. The most important thing the coach must do now is convince his young QB that this is no indictment of him or his ability to lead but that the best interest of the team is to stay the path which has lead them to this position. If all recent indications of the maturity and leadership abilities of Campbell are to believed, this should not be a hard sell for Gibbs at all.

Happy Holidays!

To the loyal readers of this blog (all 5 of you), I would like to, with the help of Rasheed Wallace, wish all of you a happy holiday season and a wonderful, prosperous and safe new year.

The Next One?

No one can argue with the numbers that Pittsburgh Penguins wunderkind Sidney Crosby has put up during his first 2 full seasons in the National Hockey League (75 goals 147 assists 222 points). However, when NHL analysts like ESPN hockey guru and Former NHL coach Barry Melrose refer to Crosby as the “Second Coming of Wayne Gretzky” or “The Next One” in relation to Gretzky’s “The Great One” moniker, it does an injustice to not only Gretzky and his legacy as the sport’s greatest icon but to the young Crosby as well.

In most sports, fans can argue over what player was the most dominant to ever play the game. In the NBA, fans say Michael Jordan but an argument is made by many that Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson could lay claim to the title. The same happens in baseball and football where opinions vary. When it comes to hockey however, the answer to that question seems to breed an almost universal response…Wayne Gretzky. The most dominant player of his or any other era in the sport, Gretzky practically owns the NHL record books (over 40 regular season records, 15 playoff records and 6 all-star marks) with some milestones which have never been achieved by any other player and in the new style of today’s league probably never will. The individual numbers are staggering. 8 Consecutive 50+ goal seasons (4 of which he scored 70+ including his NHL record 92 goals in 1981-82), 14 consecutive 100+ point seasons (including 4 200+ point seasons, a number which no other player has ever reached and an NHL record 215 point season in 1985-86) ,6 consecutive seasons with at least a +70 plus/minus rating and a mind boggling +98 rating in 1984-85. Gretzky won 8 straight MVP awards from 1980-1987 (9 total) and led the NHL in scoring every year from 1981-1987 and a total of 10 times during his carrer while leading the Edmonton Oilers to 4 Stanley Cup Championships during his tenure. No player has been more dominant on the ice and meant more to the NHL than the “Great One”, however, some people have seemed to forget this in the years since he last laced up his skates.

This post is not meant to be a knock on “Sid the Kid” as Crosby has more than shown that he deserves to be considered one of the best players of his generation after only 2 and a half pro seasons. The question is whether Crosby deserves to be mentioned with Wayne Gretzky in the argument of best ever and the answer is NO or at least not yet. Crosby is a world class talent who can not only score but also has impeccable vision and smarts to set up his teammates and make those around him better. Right now, Crosby is the most exciting player to watch on a nightly basis in the NHL and the consensus is he will only get better with time but is he the best player? Throughout Gretzky’s career and especially during his incredible run with the Oilers (1979-1988) there was no one in the NHL who played at a higher level. Superstar talents like Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Denis Savard, Dale Hawerchuk and Joe Nieuwendyk all had tremendous runs during this era but none could even touch Gretzky in terms of sheer talent and dominance. Crosby is a great player but he may not even be the player playing at the highest level right now. Vincent Lecavalier, Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfreddson and Jarome Iginla could all lay claim to the title of the NHL’s best player depending on your selection criteria. Crosby may not even be the most talented player on his own team (a theory I consider to be ludicrous) as some experts have said that gifted russian sniper Evgeni Malkin might mature into the bigger long term star. Crosby won the MVP award last season and led his club to the playoffs but this season may not even be in the conversation when the voting rolls around. I believe Crosby has the talent to dominate this league for a period of time if he were given the opportunity to play with a core group of teammates who could put his talent to use but in this era of free agency and player movement, that scenario seems unlikely. Crosby will never score 92 goals in a season, never win 8 straight MVP awards, never score 100 points in 34 games (another Gretzky record) and most likely never reach the 2000 point plateau which only Gretzky has reached.

Sidney Crosby is exciting. He is amazing. He is super talented. The league is doing the right thing in making him the centerpiece of their campaign to market the sport to a whole new audience. The only mistake they are making is trying to use the name of their greatest icon to help in doing so. Using Wayne Gretzky as a comparison point for a player can only leave the player looking pale as no one can compare and it also hurts the legacy of Gretzky and the young man when each time a truly gifted player enters the NHL he is measured against the singular talent in league history. All you have to do is look at how long it took for Lecavalier himself to get over the stigma of being called “The Next One” upon his entering the league and finally begin to play to his own potential after years of trying way too hard to live up to the lofty and unattainable goals set before him by the league and their P.R. men.

There will never be another Wayne Gretzky to play in the NHL but the league is full of great young players who on any given night can show flashes of the skill and talent that he brought to the rink on a nightly basis throughout his illustrious career. The NHL should capitalize on this bevy of young superstars and help them to build their own legacy while promoting the sport as a whole rather than setting them up for failure by comparing them to a player for whom there is no equal.

“Come on…The guy has a FRIGGIN’ STATUE!!!!”

The Choice is Yours

Each Season, The NFL awards it’s top individual performers with invitations to the Pro Bowl held in Honolulu, Hawaii following the Super Bowl. The participants are determined by a three part voting system (Fans, Coaches,Fellow Players) and the winners will be announced tomorrow. Each year these announcements are met with both approval and scathing criticism by fans, media and players alike and many times it seems that it is all just a popularity contest as many deserving players are left without a free ticket to sunny paradise. This is my list of who I believe deserves recognition this season. I’m sure many of these names will not be the ones announced tomorrow but that is all part of the fun when it comes to the NFL and it’s all-star showcase.

AFC

QB- Tom Brady (NE), Peyton Manning (IND), David Garrard (JAC)
Brady has been the be all, end all of quarterbacks this season. Manning has put up another strong season without the injured Marvin Harrison. David Garrard just edges Ben Roethlisberger and the surprising Derek Anderson for the third spot.

WR- Randy Moss (NE), T.J.Houshmandzadeh (CIN), Reggie Wayne (IND), Braylon Edwards (CLE)
Moss and Houshmandzadeh are easy picks. Wayne stepped it up another level in Harrison’s absence. Braylon Edwards showed the gamebreaking talent that made him a top pick and just edges the reliable Wes Welker and deceptive Derrick Mason who are both having career years.

RB- LaDainian Tomlinson (SD), Willie Parker (PIT), Fred Taylor (JAC)
Taylor edges Joseph Addai based on his 4.0 YPC average and the way he has taken a leadership role on this young surging team.

TE- Tony Gonzalez (KC), Kellen Winslow (CLE)
Antonio Gates has more touchdowns then both but hasn’t had the type of year we are used to seeing from him. Winslow has taken that next step and is ready to join Gonzalez and Gates in the realm of elite AFC tight ends.

OT- Jason Peters (BUF), David Stewart (TEN), Matt Light (NE)
Peters has become a true star in Buffalo. Light is as steady and reliable as it gets in the AFC.

OG- Logan Mankins (NE), Alan Faneca (PIT), Mike Goff (SD)
Cleveland’s Eric Steinbach has put together a terrific season and is just a victim of the numbers game.

C- Jeff Saturday (IND), Kevin Mawae (TEN)
Saturday is the anchor of the Colt’s O-Line. Mawae is having a renaissance season after escaping New York just in time. Pats’ stalwart Dan Koppen also deserves consideration.

FB- Lawrence Vickers (CLE)

K- Shayne Graham (CIN)

DE- Jared Allen (KC), Mario Williams (HOU), Elvis Dumervil (DEN)
Allen leads all DE’s with 11.5 sacks. Williams is living up to the hype after a disappointing ‘06. Dumervil has been the biggest surprise of the year on the defensive side of the ball. Steelers DE Aaron Smith was headed to Hawaii before an injury ended his season last week.

DT- Albert Haynesworth (TEN), Vince Wilfork (NE), Kelly Gregg (BAL)
Haynesworth is simply the most dominant defensive lineman in football.

ILB- Ray Lewis (BAL), DeMeco Ryans (HOU), Kirk Morrison (OAK)
Lewis has silenced any critics with a great season. Ryans is an up and coming tackling machine who will be making this trip many times during his career.

OLB- Shawne Merriman (SD), Mike Vrabel (NE), Thomas Howard (OAK)
Howard edges Keith Bulluck who is having a down year from what we’ve come to expect.

CB- Antonio Cromartie (SD), Asante Samuel (NE), Leigh Bodden (CLE)
I can hear the cries for Champ Bailey already…my answer is watch that GB game again and deal with it.

S- Bob Sanders (IND), Ed Reed (BAL), Sean Jones (CLE)
It’s these three and then everybody else.

KR- Leon Washington (NYJ)

P- Shane Lechler (OAK)

ST- Kassim Osgood (SD)
A bonified star on special teams.

NFC

QB- Brett Favre (GB), Tony Romo (DAL), Drew Brees (NO)
Favre and Romo are leading their teams toward an NFC Championship Game collision. Brees edges Hasselbeck in a battle of two QB’s who have been inconsistent all season.

WR- Terrell Owens (DAL), Larry Fitzgerald (ARI), Marques Colston (NO), Greg Jennings (GB)
In probably the deepest group at any position, Jennings and his game-breaking ability edges Torry Holt, Joey Galloway, Bobby Engram and teammate Donald Driver who are all deserving of a berth.

RB- Adrian Peterson (MIN), Brian Westbrook (PHI), Clinton Portis (WAS)
Portis enjoyed a bounce back year. Marion Barber just misses out.

TE- Jason Witten (DAL), Chris Cooley (WAS)
Witten was the easiest choice of all. Cooley edges Shockey and Donald Lee in a dogfight.

OT- Walter Jones (SEA), Flozell Adams (DAL), Chad Clifton (GB)
Jordan Gross also desrves a nod in a weak year for this position.

OG- Steve Hutchinson (MIN), Jahri Evans (NO), Mike Wahle (CAR)
Hutchinson regained his form from his Seatlle days. Evans is a force in his second year. Wahle is a fighter with a mean streak who just produces. Chris Snee (NYG) is having a strong year as well.

C- Andre Gurode (DAL), Shaun O’Hara (NYG)
Gurode is quick and strong and is the key to the Dallas running attack.

FB- Tony Richardson (MIN)

K- Mason Crosby (GB)
Rookie leads NFL in scoring.

DE- Aaron Kampman (GB), Trent Cole (PHI), Patrick Kerney (SEA)
Kampman earns second straight nod with hard work and non stop motor. Cole is a speed rushing force off the right edge. Kerney edges Osi Umenyiora with a consistent campaign.

DT- Darnell Dockett (ARI), Ryan Pickett (GB), Tommie Harris (CHI)
Harris has been a bright spot during a disappointing season for the Bears. Three big men named Williams (Kevin and Pat of Minnesota and Corey of the Pack) could make arguments for inclusion.

ILB- Nick Barnett (GB), Patrick Willis (SF), Lofa Tatupu (SEA)
Barnett is the leader of the Packers rebirth on D. Willis is tackling machine and future superstar. Tatupu is a turnover machine who just edges Barrett Ruud of Tampa.

OLB- DeMarcus Ware (DAL), Ernie Sims (DET), Lance Briggs (CHI)
Ware is a pass rushing force. Sims is a run and chase playmaker. Briggs is enjoying a career season in what will probably be his last in Chicago. Michael Boley also could get the invite.

CB- Charles Woodson (GB), Marcus Trufant (SEA), Al Harris (GB)
Woodson is the best corner in football. Trufant is a ballhawk and playmaker. Harris gets the nod after being passed over the last two years. Dallas’ Anthony Henry could get in if voters decide it’s either Woodson or Harris but not both.

S- O.J. Atogwe (STL), Jermaine Phillips (TB), Deon Grant (SEA)
Another strong position where Ken Hamlin (DAL) and Atari Bigby (GB) could make some noise with the voters.

KR- Devin Hester (CHI)
Who Else?

P- Andy Lee (SF)

ST- Brendan Ayanbadejo (CHI)
The Dallas duo of Keith Davis and Pat Watkins and Washington’s Khary Campbell are also having outstanding seasons.

We will see tomorrow if the players, coaches and fans have been paying attention or if they were just stuffing the ballot box and voting for teammates as has been common practice over the last few seasons. Either way, LET THE DEBATE BEGIN!

Only the Beginning

The defining report on Baseball’s darkest hour since the 1919 Black Sox scandal was released today containing the names of over 80 current and former major league players who have purchased or used performance enhancing drugs to gain an uneven advantage on the playing field and all I can say is…SO WHAT?

The Mitchell Report comes after months of investigation into the steroid problem that has become the biggest detriment to the integrity of the game known as “America’s Pastime”. Today with the announcement implicating such boldfaced names as Roger Clemens, Miguel Tejada, Andy Pettite, Barry Bonds, Troy Glaus, Eric Gagne and Gary Sheffield and the promise of swift punishment which followed in a statement by commisioner Bud Selig, fans of the game should now feel safe in knowing that this is the first step in ensuring that baseball will soon be rid of this kind of implorable behavior and blatant cheating…or should they?

I personally believe that while this report and the bringing to light of these names was a necessary step, it will not have the effect that both Sen. Mitchell and Major League Baseball would like. Selig promises swift justice and these multimillionaire players probably just chuckle and go on with their days. Unless Major League baseball is willing to sacrifice some of it’s on field product by handing out suspensions that will prove to players that breaking the rules will put the remainder of their careers and their ability to earn a living by playing the game in jeopardy, nothing is going to change.

Roger Clemens, arguably one the greatest pitchers ever and the best pitcher of this generation, will now be vilified in the court of public opinion but if he decideds to pitch next season some team will still pay him 20 million plus to wear their uniform and put fans in the seats. Furthermore, when Clemens finally decides to hang up his cleats, does anyone truly believe that the allegations brought forth today will override his achievements (as tainted as they now are) during his career and keep him from entering baseball’s Hall of Fame five years from that day? Will it make any difference in the candidacy of Barry Bonds?

“That way you don’t even have to see the needle in your ass”

Will these allegations keep the current players from signing multimillion dollar contracts in free agency? Do you believe that the Royals who just signed Jose Guillen to a 3 year 36 million dollar pact or the Brewers who inked Gagne to a one year deal worth 10 million will suddenly have a change of heart and look to have these agreements voided now that these players have been branded as “cheaters”? Baseball is like any other business and while integrity is important it is still about the bottom line.

After the strike, MLB was looking for a way to reconnect with the fans. They found that way during the exhilarating assault on history and the home run record that Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa engaged in during the summer of 1998 as the two players battled to see which one would be the first to surpass the record held by Roger Maris. Ultimately McGwire would put up 70 home runs and break the record while capturing the imagination of fans worldwide and bringing baseball back to the forefront of popular sport. Only 2 seasons later, McGwire retired suddenly citing burnout and Sosa was struggling to keep his career going while rampant allegations of steroid use were dogging both of them. Today when the Mitchell Report was released, neither was implicated. Was it that the investigation brought no evidence of foul play by Sosa or McGwire or was this baseball’s way of thanking the two men who together helped to resurrect their sport that summer? What about Rafael Palmeiro, who tested positive shortly after his milestone 500th HR and then was suddenly gone from the game…Did MLB allow him to walk away quietly because up until the failed test he had been one of the “good people” in the game?

MLB and Sen. Mitchell would like to think that this report will be a beginning to the end of the steroid era in baseball but what this report will truly bring about (and already has) is more questions. Questions that may never be answered as long as players who are implicated have no compelling reason to give those answers. Each player who was implicated was given opportunity to meet with Mitchell and tell their side of the story and all but Jason Giambi declined to do so. Who can blame them when they can keep their mouths shut and go on making millions without fear of reprecussions. If baseball truly wants to change the landscape and rid it’s sport of this ugliness than it must begin immediately and hit these offenders where it hurts most, only then will we begin to see a return to the true “america’s game” that we once trusted so unquestionably.

Prior Experience Necessary

It was only 4 years ago that Mark Prior was the future of the Chicago Cubs franchise. He was dominating the National League on his way to posting an 18-6 record with a 2.43 earned run average while striking out 245 batters over 211 innings of work. His performance announced to everyone that he was about to join the upper echelon of major league starters and that the Cubs, thanks to himself and fellow phenom Kerry Wood, were going to be a team to be reckoned with for the years to come. Nobody could’ve expected what would happen over the next 4 seasons with Prior going from cornerstone of a club on the rise to spare part without a team to call his own.

Earlier today when the Cubs decided to non-tender Mark Prior, essentially making him a free agent, it brought an end to one of the most disappointing tenures in the long history of the Cubs franchise. Prior who was at the pinnacle of his sport as the Cubs were only a few outs away from advancing to the World Series, would spend the next 3 seasons unsuccessfully trying to regain his form from that season while battling a myriad of injuries and questions about his toughness. Prior had been a workhorse over his first two seasons in the majors tossing 379 innings during those campaigns (as well as 357 innings at USC before he even joined the Cubs) and in his last 9 starts of the 2003 season in which the Cubs were making their postseason run, he threw 1,126 pitches (an average of 125 per game and four outings with more than 130 pitches) and for the record one seven of those starts. When Prior began experiencing shoulder problems the following season, most observers pointed to his overuse during that period as the probable cause. Even with these problems plaguing him, Prior continued to pitch but it was evident that something was wrong. It had become painfully obvious this was not the same pitcher who tore up the league a year earlier as Prior posted a 6-4 record while only making 21 starts. The next season brought renewed hope as Prior showed flashes of his 2003 form in going 11-7 with 188 K’s in 166.2 innings but also allowed a career high in homeruns (25) and was still surrounded by fans, media and even teammates questioning his toughness.

The question everyone had was what is wrong with Prior. If he was truly injured, shouldn’t he have surgery to fix the problem or was it just that he wasn’t as good as that 2003 season made him out to be and he was having trouble dealing with it. Theories and speculation abounded but what no one could provide, not even Prior himself, was a straight answer or a solution. For most people, the questions were answered in April of this year after Prior, who spent most of 2006 on the disabled list (he did post a 1-6 record with a 7.21 era when he made 9 starts in 2006) had arthroscopic surgery for a torn labrum and would miss the entire 2007 season. It seemed the young man whose heart was questioned by so many could no longer try to prove himself with the ligaments and muscles inside his shoulder decaying with every pitch he threw. It was during this past lost season that Prior’s relationship with the Cubs soured and seemed destined for a parting of ways when Prior was asked about his upcoming contract status and replied with “Don’t ask me, I’m just an employee”. Today that parting of ways became reality and now Prior must decide which road he will take in his quest to resurrect his now uncertain career.

If the Cubs would have made Mark Prior available via trade following his 2003 breakout season, a bidding war comparable to the one now being waged for Minnesota Twins ace Johan Santana would have ensued. After all, no one could argue that when Prior is healthy and at the top of his game he is one of if not the most dominant right handers in the game. While so many teams are willing to give up top prospects and probably 100 million or more dollars to bring Santana into the fold and have an ace to anchor their rotation, it seems odd to me that these same clubs (for whom money is not a consideration) would not take a chance on a player who could be the living embodiment of the term “low risk, high reward”. If a team like the Mets, who due to a dearth of major league ready prospects have been unable to put together a deal strong enough to acquire either Santana or Baltimore’s Erik Bedard were to take a chance on Prior, I think it would be a no lose situation.

The Mets could probably get Prior to join them for 4-5 million for one year plus incentives should he stay healthy and actually make 25+ starts for them. For the Mets, all it would cost them is money (something they have an excess of) and if it didn’t work out they would only be on the hook for one season. For Prior there are a few reasons why coming to Flushing would be a wise decision. First, he would have the opportunity to work with pitching coach Rick Peterson who knows a thing or two about young pitchers (Zito, Hudson, Mulder, Maine) and could probably help him immensely in not only the physical aspect but the mental aspect of reacquiring his game. Second, Prior would not be the main focus of the staff because as long as Pedro Martinez is a Met that title falls on his shoulders. The biggest reason in my mind why Prior should come to New York is because anyone who has seen him pitch knows he is a bulldog on the mound and should he regain his form while playing for a contender like the Mets, he will have the opportunity to go after opposing hitters on the game’s biggest stage during a pennant race and postseason in the world’s biggest city. What more could any pitcher with something to prove ask for?

The Honeymoon Is Over…GET OUT!

Three years ago, Ken Williams built a team that brought a World Series tiltle to Chicago and it’s long suffering fans. Since then he has allowed his cartoon sized ego and his propensity for “fixing what isn’t broke” to turn a championship team into a 90-loss also ran. It seems the only person who doesn’t think this is a problem is Williams himself and he is dead wrong.

Ken Williams helped to bring an end to the dark era of White Sox baseball in 2005 by putting together a team that excelled in three areas (Producing Runs,Pitching and Defense). Williams built a team which executed manager Ozzie Guillen’s style of “Smallball” to perfection. Long gone were the days of the Sox relying on their lumbering sluggers to make up for hit or miss starting pitching and defensive liabilities with big blasts that were timely but few and far between. This team had speed and smarts, got runners on and moved them over and built early leads which they protected with solid pitching, a strong bullpen and a renewed commitment to defense. This team had finally succeeded in bringing hope back to it’s city and it’s fans and was poised to make a run for more than just one title. Ken Williams was on top of the baseball world and for some reason it just wasn’t enough.

That offseason, The Sox re-signed Paul Konerko to a long term deal that meant the team’s star would be back on the south side. Other than a few small moves, most figured the sox would stand pat and return the next season to challenge for another championship, they were wrong. Williams began to tell the media that he felt that the team could not win again because they “won too many close games that could have went either way” the prior year and needed more power. He was falling into the same trap as the Sox GM’s before him. He had just won with a team bereft of big name swing for the fence types but he didn’t care. It shocked just about everyone when he traded starting CF, clubhouse and fan favorite and defensive stalwart Aaron Rowand along with two minor leaguers to Philadelphia for veteran slugger and strikeout machine Jim Thome. He replaced Rowand in center field with prospect Brian Anderson, who was known for his power and not his on base percentage. Williams then did the unthinkable to most Sox fans and decided to not bring back the best player in the team’s history, Frank Thomas citing that Thomas was a distraction in the clubhouse and that with Thome now in the DH spot, there was no need for the “Big Hurt” in Chicago. A long drawn out war of words between Williams and Thomas would ensue (which is nothing new for Williams who also took that approach when discussing perennial all-star and fan favorite Magglio Ordonez a season earlier and with Rowand a few months later) with both men blaming the other for the decision to part ways.

Williams had his new lineup and looked to return to the top of the standings but something happened along the way. While Thome put up big numbers (.288/42/109) the team still found itself struggling to score runs as it had done with relative ease a year earlier and the Brian Anderson experiment in CF was a total failure (.225/8/33). Everything that had worked for the Sox one year earlier was no longer working and by August it was clear this team had no shot of repeating. What made things worse was castoffs Thomas (.270/39/114 4th in MVP voting) and Rowand were having strong seasons for teams who were actually outplaying the Sox. Williams chalked this up to an “off-year” and counted on his World Series good will from the fans to hope they would overlook this dissapointing season but if they didn’t he wouldn’t care anyway. Williams constantly reminded fans and media that he works for the White Sox and not for them and he only has to answer to himself and his owner.

The next offseason Williams did it again, trading pitcher Freddy Garcia (who was 40-21 in his 2+ seasons in Chicago) to the Phillies for former touted prospect turned bust Gavin Floyd and minor leaguer Gio Gonzalez, whom the Sox sent to Philly in the Thome trade a year earlier. Williams told reporters after the trade that the most important piece was getting Gonzalez back. Why was he traded in the first place if he was so valuable? Williams would never answer that question because he doesn’t need to explain himself to the fans who pay his salary by coming to watch the team.

The White Sox, now a shell of the team which had won it all only two seasons earlier struggled from the get go in 2007. The team went with rookie John Danks as their fifth starter and was plagued by inconsistency which was a staple of their earlier staffs throughout the late 90’s. Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye and A.J.Pierzynski battled nagging injuries that lead to subpar offensive seasons. Joe Crede missed most of the season due to back surgery and Brian Anderson lost his grip on the CF job to upstart Jerry Owens. The bullpen which had been a team strength turned into a revolving door of power pitchers who couldn’t get the big outs (with the exception of closer Jenks, who had arguably his best season). Tadahito Iguchi was traded and replaced with light hitting Danny Richar. By season’s end, The White Sox were fighting to stay out of last place in the AL Central and watching as Magglio Ordonez led the Tigers to the playoffs with an MVP type performance. Once again, Williams blamed the players and told fans to ignore the glaring weaknesses that this team now had at many positions.

Williams went into this offseason with almost no good will remaining in the eyes of fans from his triumph in 2005. He promised a big offseason of change and has simply not delivered. His first attempt at changing the atmosphere in Chicago was met with mixed reviews as he traded Jon Garland (who won 48 games over the last 3 seasons) to the Angels for SS Orlando Cabrera only weeks after giving SS Juan Uribe a one year extension. Williams’ next move was targeting All-Star CF Torii Hunter but lost out when Hunter chose to follow Garland to L.A.. Next, instead of going after free agent former Sox CF Aaron Rowand who was coming off a career season, Williams turned his attention to Japanese OF Kosuke Fukudome (who would later sign with the Cubs) upsetting many fans who had hoped for a return of Rowand to U.S. Cellular Field. The offseason got truly ugly when the most talented team in the Sox division, the Tigers added to their riches and pulled off a blockbuster deal to acquire superstar 3B Miguel Cabrera (whom the Sox also targeted) and Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins that almost ensured them another division title. Williams in his delusional tone offered only this response “That trade only allows the Tigers to better compete with US”…Go ahead read it again. Is this man out of his mind? The Tigers don’t even know the Sox are in their division right now.

“Hmmm…Konerko and Jenks for Guillermo Mota?”

Ken Williams left the Winter Meetings in Nashville without a CF or any significant upgrade to a lineup of a 90 loss team and then called a press conference to tell the media that the reason he was unable to make deals was “other teams executives had loose lips”….WHAT????. Ken Williams blames everyone but himself for the failures of this team but wants all the credit when things go right. Maybe if he didn’t rip every player that leaves the team months later, free agents would want to play for him. Maybe if he didn’t insist on making the “big move” when none are necessary just to prove to everyone that he is willing to pull the trigger this team wouldn’t be in the shambles it is right now. For some unknown reason, Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has allowed Williams to turn his franchise back into the laughingstock it was prior to 2005 and in doing so, alienate his fan base which so proudly supported his team throughout the darkest years. If Williams continues on this path, Reinsdorf will have no team left to salvage once he finally realizes what is going on here. Each time Williams criticizes a player or media member or fellow executive, he reeks of failed baseball player still trying to make up for his unrealized dreams and with each passing day he becomes less and less of the man who brought this organization glory and more and more of an unfunny cartoon. The time is now for Reinsdorf to end this debacle and begin to restore his team’s place in the upper echelon of franchises in this league before it is gone forever.

Hell Freezes Over

Being a Packers fan, It is my sworn duty to defend Brett Favre at the drop of a hat once the topic of his legacy or his place in the pantheon of all time NFL quarterbacks comes up in conversation. I have on many occasions used Favre’s ability to lead his team, play at an MVP level and overcome personal adversity as a basis for my defense so when Sports Illustrated held out these attributes as reasons why they had named Favre their Sportsman of the Year for 2007 I felt vindicated. Unfortunately, I also felt troubled because for the first time I felt Favre wasn’t the right man for the award he had just recieved.

It’s not that Favre isn’t deserving of the award. His inspired play over the second half of last season coupled with his stellar performance leading the mostly inexperienced Packers back to the top of the NFC heap this season while still dealing with personal tragedies off the field more than makes him a solid choice for the honor but I just don’t believe in this case he was the right choice.

In January of 2002 after his sixth year as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tony Dungy was fired. The next season he had to sit and watch as the team which he built was guided to a Super Bowl victory by Jon Gruden. Gruden was lauded as a great coach and motivator for helping the Bucs reach the pinnacle of their sport and Dungy, whose players Gruden essentially won with was almost universally ignored for his part in their success. Most people figured Dungy had missed out on his chance at winning the big game and might even look to return to his roots as a defensive coordinator or maybe even hit the college sidelines, but Dungy had other plans.

Dungy took the job as head coach of the Indiannapolis Colts in 2002. The Colts were a team that was potent offensively with the three headed monster of Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James putting up huge numbers on that side of the ball but lacked a defensive identity. Tony Dungy was determined to give them that identity. Over the next 4 years the team experienced varying degrees of success with the offense running on overdrive and the defense being the reason for the team’s inevitable letdown once the postseason would arrive. It had become the exact opposite scenario of Dungy’s teams in Tampa Bay and many began to wonder if the coach would ever be able to put together two strong units simultaneously to lead a team to the ultimate prize. Finally in 2006, that question was answered.

After dealing with the grief from losing his son James in 2005, Dungy refocused himself and his team and finally was able to put it all together. With Manning and Harrison along with speedy WR Reggie Wayne and rookie RB Joseph Addai taking over for the now departed James, the offense was once again business as usual but now the Colts had a defensive group which was just as daunting to gameplan for as their explosive offense. The emergence of safety Bob Sanders and LB Cato June to complement pro bowler Dwight Freeney on the defensive side of the ball allowed Dungy to finally coach up to his abilities without having to worry about one unit or the other being the weakness his team would have to overcome. The Colts 2006 playoff run was characterized by a marked improvement in defensive play, as the Colts defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, holding one of the NFL’s best running backs (Larry Johnson) to less than 50 yards, and upset the favored Ravens in the divisional round. In the AFC Championship Game, after trailing 21-3, the Colts defeated the New England Patriots and advanced to Super Bowl XLI. This was the largest comeback in the conference-title game history and Dungy was one win away from becoming the first african-american coach in history to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. Two weeks later, The Colts defeated the Bears 29-17 in SB XLI and his dream was finally realized.

Dungy perservered through professional disappointment and personal tragedy to not only achieve a personal goal but also in doing so by becoming the first african-american coach to win a super bowl, Dungy established himself as a role model for not only african-american youth but for all youth in proving that if you work hard enough and believe in your abilities you too can achieve success in your chosen path. Tony Dungy recieved his vindication from his critics when he lifted the Lombardi Trophy and although a man with his strength and resolve doesn’t need awards and honors to measure his worth, the 2007 Sportsman of the Year award was one accolade that he truly deserved.

Tis’ The Season….

While everyone watching baseball’s Winter Meetings were waiting for word of a deal for Johan Santana to be finalized, The Florida Marlins decided to get into the spirit of giving a little early this holiday season by giftwrapping two of the game’s best young players and sending them off to the Detroit Tigers for a plethora of prospects in a blockbuster swap that nobody saw coming.

Miguel Cabrera was on the trading block for a month prior to this week’s GM hoedown in Nashville but a deal rumored to be close to completion that would send him to the Angels for Howie Kendrick, Jered Weaver and Jeff Mathis never materialized. Over the past few days, other suitors (White Sox and Dodgers) began to kick the tires and check in with Florida GM Larry Beinfest about his prized third baseman (The Sox even went as far as to offer 3B Josh Fields, CF Jerry Owens and P John Danks only to be rebuffed) leading some to believe that a deal might get done sooner rather than later but nobody expected what would come next. The news broke around 5 P.M. that the Marlins were not only trading Cabrera but also star lefty Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski solidified both his already imposing lineup (insert Cabrera into the 3 spot in front of AL MVP runner-up Magglio Ordonez and DH Gary Sheffield and you may have the best 3-4-5 hitters in baseball) and his young but talented rotation (Willis becomes the No. 3 starter behind Bonderman and Verlander) with one daring move. The Tigers gave up some top ranked prospects in OF Cameron Maybin and LHP Andrew Miller who will by all accounts be mainstays for the Marlins for years to come and who both have potential to become franchise cornerstones but in return recieved two players who have already realized their potential and could be the missing pieces to a championship run this season or next. As for the Marlins, acquiring Maybin and Miller along with C Mike Rabelo and three minor leaguers (none of whom are considered top prospects) signals that the club has decided to forgo winning now and build for the future with these young chips and talented young holdovers Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. Whether this turns out to be the right move probably won’t be decided for a few years or until the team, which has been trying to angle for a new ballpark for some time, has to convince the taxpayers that this team can be competitive enough to fill the seats should a new building be approved.

Marlins 2008 Slogan “Plenty of Good Seats Available”

No new news to report in the ongoing Santana talks, The Red Sox offers are still on the table (Either Jon Lester or Jacoby Ellsbury along with SS prospect Jed Lowrie and P Justin Matheson) but it seems the Twins are waiting for the Red Sox to sweeten the pot by adding another player (possibly Clay Bucholz) or hoping that by stalling that another team will enter the mix. Obviously the Yankees offer of Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and a prospect was the stronger offer talent-wise but it seems that the Bombers have now moved on. If the Twins do make the deal with the Red Sox, the opinion here is they should acquire Ellsbury (whom ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian calls a “Grady Sizemore clone”) to fill the hole left by the departure of Torii Hunter.

The Next Grady Sizemore?

The big rumor today is the the SF Giants are talking to the Blue Jays about Alex Rios in an attempt to replace some of the power they will lose from the departure of Barry Bonds. The big surprise here is not they want Rios but rather the player they are offering Toronto for his services…phenom Tim Lincecum. Lincecum burst on the scene last season and used his fastball and knee-buckling curve to make some hitters look like little leaguers waving at heat from Danny Almonte. The league is full of outfielders who can put up power numbers and can be had for alot less. This would be a bad move for the Giants should they see it through.

Speaking of Bonds, it has been weird to not hear any rumblings about his future during these meetings and the only talk of steroids has been the report that the much anticipated Mitchell Report will be released sometime before the Christmas holiday. The Royals got an early gift when they agreed to a 3 year $36 million dollar pact with Jose Guillen on tuesday then found out he will be suspended for the first 10-15 games of next season for buying HGH from 2003-2005. Maybe the spectre of a long suspension for Bonds once the Mitchell Report is released is keeping teams away or maybe it’s just that teams are finally ready to admit that where there is smoke there must be fire and when it comes to Bonds, the risk is no longer worth the reward.

Exile On Broad Street

Before the season began, The Philadelphia Flyers announced to anyone that would listen that team was making an attempt to “return to their roots”. Most observers figured this would mean a return to the hard edged physical style of play that fans of all the other NHL franchises have grown to expect whenever the Flyers faced off against their teams (a style which seemed to be lacking last season when they experienced one of the most disappointing campaigns in team history). However, no one expected a full on return to the goon tactics made famous during the “frontier justice” era of 70’s NHL and practiced fervently by the Flyers during their “Broad Street Bullies” heyday.
As a diehard fan of the New York Rangers, I look forward to the games against the Flyers knowing that at some point during the game that tensions will become high and eventually emotions will boil over leading to an exchange of pleasantries and more than likely fisticuffs. It is one of the reasons that rivalries such as this one make for such exciting theater. Every sport has that team that everyone loves to hate. Most of the time that hate is born of jealousy for the success of another team like the Yankees in baseball or Duke in college basketball. Other times it is because of a percieved favoritism of the league or it’s officials towards a certain team like the Bulls during the Jordan Era or once again Duke under Coach K (Come on, they get every call!!!!). In Hockey, that team is the Flyers, not because of success or favoritism or a disdain for obnoxious fans (Cowboys, Raiders, Yankees and Duke again…big surprise!!!) but because the Flyers continually play right on the edge of being dirty without crossing the boundary but being close enough to infuriate both fans and players from opposing teams on a nightly basis. That had been the case…until this season.

Along with their newly revitalized physical style that has propelled them to near the top of the standings, The Flyers have also brought a dirty and illegal type of headhunting to the forefront in the minds of fans and more importantly (and potentially more damaging to the sport) to the minds of critics of the NHL and the sport itself. Beginning in the preseason with Steve Downie’s vicious hit on Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond and continuing with fine and suspension drawing acts by Jesse Boulerice, Scott Hartnell and Randy Jones all the way up to the latest offence yesterday when Riley Cote received a match penalty for intent to injure (and most likely a suspension to follow) for taking a run at a player against the Stars, The Flyers have crossed the line over and over and put the futures of not only fellow players but of the league in jeopardy by doing so.

One of the most appealing aspects of the NHL is that while it is a very physical game, for the most part the players are respectful of both their teammates and opposing players and are concerned for their long term welfare realizing that at the heart of things, it is still just a game, not personal. The Flyers have seemed to forget this principle so far this season playing with an abandon and a disregard for others that goes way beyond normal competitive fire. So far, The NHL’s disciplinarians have done an adequate job of policing these incidents, handing out fines and lengthy suspensions but the message doesn’t seem to be getting through and it may be time to step up the punishment to the form of team sanctions such as loss of draft picks or in an extreme case, banning the team from postseason play. (It would never come to this but imagine it got that far).

The NHL has to do something now to change this philosophy that it is alright to put the careers of it’s players in jeopardy in the name of physical play and it has to do this before tragedy strikes and it becomes too little to late. Imagine if as a result of one of these illegal hits, a player were to be killed (let’s hope we never have to see this scenario play out), the mainstream media and the sports world in general (which already considers Hockey nothing more than a fringe sport due to the inept leadership and marketing techniques of Gary Bettman and his Park Ave. cronies) would crucify the sport as dangerous and barbaric and would probably go the distance in ensuring that hockey never regains it’s pre-lockout popularity (something the league is in danger of even without a catastrophic event occuring).

The Flyers bring something to the table that every sport needs…a villian….and that has been their identity and calling card since the days of the in your face never back down “Bullies” of the 70’s but this is a different time and a different NHL. This NHL is in need of all the good publicity and goodwill it can get and the Flyers and their ownership, coaches and players need to recognize this immediately and change their ways. If they won’t, the league will have to do whatever it takes to make sure that they have no other choice but to comply before hockey falls any further behind the “Big 3″ in the race for the attention of the sports world at large.

Here is a clip of the Boulerice cross check of Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler: