I haven't had a chance to post for a while, but I've been pretty busy. I'll keep trying to post when I can. Without further ado...
-- I'm not sure if anyone saw this story a couple days ago about the leaking of information about the admissions by Calvin Johnson, Amobi Okoye, and Gaines Adams to smoking marijuana before. Really, this is a big issue? I'm pretty sure there are lots of NFL hopefuls, not to mention players already in the NFL, who have not only smoked pot before, but have done worse things than that. I wish more players would stand up and admit what they've done like these three guys have. And besides, after the hefty suspensions of Pacman Jones and Chris Henry, it's good to get the overall topic out in the open. Athletes are not perfect; they're only human too. To act shocked about serious topics similar to this one is just stupid. Let's be serious for once.
-- On a similar note, I'm glad to see the Chiefs' Jared Allen, suspended four games for his second DUI of the year, has really been paying attention to some of the problems the NFL has had over the past several years. He must slept through the league finally standing up and punishing repeat offenders like Henry for driving drunk. I've said this before, and I'll say it again -- why can't athletes simply get someone to drive them around or even just get a taxi if they want to go drink? Is that too much to ask for? It just seems like a solution to a surprisingly difficult question. I'm sure Tony La Russa knows what I'm talking about.
-- I don't mean to be picking on the NFL or its players, but here's another odd situation from the past week. Apparently after a raid, police found many neglected dogs in a Virginia home owned by Michael Vick. Now, I'm not going to jump to any conclusions here. Vick has already answered some questions and stated that he never stays in that house and that some of his friends and family take care of it. So, basically, he's placing the blame on them, which is fine if he's never there. However, this is the second major story of Vick in the news for a negative issue, the other being with his strange water bottle with a secret compartment confiscated by police at an airport a few months ago. Sometimes accidents happen and that's fine. But sometimes patterns develop as well, and then someone needs to be held accountable. Is that person Vick? He's certainly been involved in some coincidences, and time will tell what happens with him.
-- To get away from the NFL, I would just like to thank Chris Ray for his special contributions to Orioles fans so early in the season. It takes a tremendous effort from someone with so much talent to give up two game-winning grand slams to the opposition in less than 25 games played. It's one thing to give up a home run to Alex Rodriguez since apparently the whole league has been doing that, but it's another to give up a grand slam to Wily Mo Pena. Keep up the good, I mean bad, work, Mr. Ray. And to think, I had so much hope after that sweep of the Royals. Nice.
-- I'd also like to comment on what I think will happen during the NFL Draft, but I actually have no clue what will happen. Big surprise, right? Take a look for yourself. Go to google and type in 2007 NFL Draft and see how many mock drafts you can find. Just about every sports personality or ego has his or her own opinion on what's going to happen. And you know what? None of them will be right. None will be even close. Putting together mock drafts for the NFL is one of the most useless wastes of time, and after a while, I get tired of reading them. Some people get mad about seeing what amazing analysts, like Mel Kiper Jr., think their team will do. And while he undoubtedly knows more about college prospects and players than any other human ever will, even he misses many of his projections for the first round about every year. My advice? Don't get caught up in the hype. Just try and know some players and try rooting for your team to get a solid player. Enjoy the draft -- people don't need to guess the outcome for it to have meaning. They're wasting their time anyway. But special thanks to ESPN for running their 1,543 part series on the NFL Draft this year. Could we get some more coverage next year? Good.
-- I was going to write more, but I just saw that the Orioles just gave up an inside the park home run. Bring back Sid Fernandez.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
It's More Than Just Winning and Losing
I hate losing.
Just about whenever I play something, I expect to win. It doesn't matter what it is- baseball, basketball, football, poker, board games, whatever. Unless it's something that's naturally non-competitive or just for fun, I give everything I have to do one thing: win.
Today, at my intramural basketball game, this was no different. And today, we lost a tough, close game. Normally, people would say what? Something like "boo-hoo" or "big deal, besides, it's just intramurals anyway." That may be true, but I'm tired of playing that card, and I'm sick of coming up short with things like this.
I'm sure a lot of people feel this way. Everyone is different, and certainly there are tons of people who aren't nearly as competitive as I am and differ in countless other ways. But at some point, everybody comes to realize or wish they could be better at something or even reach a level in anything that they've never been to before.
It's only intramurals. That's fine. But no matter what, and I know I may be in the minority here, but I worry and care just as much about the little and insignificant things just as much as larger things out on the surface. Sometimes when your best just isn't good enough, even for only one day, it's hard to swallow. I realize, now, that is a main reason why I love sports so much and that I need to have competition and give effort, always.
Here was the situation today:
The first round of playoffs started today for basketball, and my team came out pretty much playing terribly. I blame no one for anything; we all looked bad for at least 3/4 of the game.
Down only four points at halftime, our team never got into any sort of rhythms with anything on the court. We missed open shots and layups. We didn't hustle or play good defense. Rebounding was pretty weak too, and for some reason, I had problems even grabbing and holding onto the ball in the first half.
Down about 15 points with around five minutes to go, we finally started to hit shots. But no matter what we did, it seemed like our opponent would hit some crazy fade-away shot or get fouled on an out-of-control shot and hit some free throws. For anyone who has ever played basketball before, even just pick-up games, you know that one guy who looks like he'll never hit any shots. And he usually doesn't. Then one game, he'll hit everything for no reason at all. That's the type of feel this game had.
Still down 13 points with around 3:30 to go, Joe made a good play to hit a quick layup and get fouled. He hit the free throw, and we called timeout. We agreed it was time to press- we went with a man-to-man full-court press instead of a zone. It turned out to be a good idea. The other team was caught completely off guard, for some reason. They still hit some shots, but we forced the tempo and caused them to commit a few turnovers.
For at least the next five or six possessions, it seemed like we scored every single time. Mark had hit some 3s earlier in the game, and Brandon hit one here. I hit a few 3s too, and got a quick layup after a steal.
With 45 seconds left, we got the ball back and needed a 3. I forgot how exactly, but I got a good look and nailed a 3. I felt bad by how poorly I played for most of the game, but the momentum had totally shifted to our side, and we knew we had a real chance to complete the comeback attempt and win. We had the chance to overcome our horrible early play.
The other team immediately threw in a wild pass, but they managed to grab it, so we quickly fouled. Then something completely changed in the game. Apparently citing some rule I had never heard of in ANY LEVEL of organized basketball, our opponent was allowed to CHOOSE whether they wanted to shoot two free throws or simply keep the ball and throw the ball back in. Huh?
It seemed odd at first, but we went with it, trying desperately to get a steal.
After six inbounds passes, I started to feel sick to my stomach. How could the game be going like this? It simply made no sense. Everytime they threw the ball in, we went for a steal. And everytime a foul was called. What exactly was this rule designed to do, turn the game into football for a few passes inbounds?
I won't place all of the blame on the referees here. The team we played took, quite blunty, the sissy way out to win the game. They knew it wasn't fair to win like that, but instead of taking the high road, they took the low, easy one. Gutless.
However, on the last play of the game with 10 seconds left to go, the team got lazy and threw in a weak pass. We had a chance! Anthony raced down the court and managed to get off a contested driving layup as time expired. He was fouled- no question about it.
Do you think there was a call? If you've been reading this whole thing, not only did you see how this would turn out, but you kind of figured it would be a strange ending too. Needless to say, I knew they wouldn't call a foul either, even though during the game, we had been outshot in free throws by no less than 15 shots.
Anyone who knows me knows that I very rarely complain about matters such as these, but I do like to understand the thought process behind them or break them down and just ask questions. How else can you learn? But, obviously angry after the game, and rightly so, I managed to ask one of the coaches reffing the game why that rule was in effect. I asked, "I'm just wondering, but is there a certain reason why that rule is in effect? What's it supposed to do?"
"Not really, it's just been a rule for 12 years since I've been here," she responded.
Wow, what an explanation. That's like saying the cafeteria food at this school has sucked here for 12 years, but hey, that's just the way things are. No reasoning, no nothing.
Hey, it's just for fun. Let it go. Again, things come to this point- it's only intramurals. Well, then why does anyone play at all?
Because they're trying to compete against other people, and they're trying to win. That's why, and thousands of students nationwide play intramurals and assuredly get as angry as I was today.
If people want to be involved with rules in sports that are confusing and make no sense, they should just work real hard to become an NFL ref so they can explain instant replay reviews to fans watching who are instantly puzzled. Just because something is a rule doesn't mean it makes sense.
But what I'm trying to explain isn't really about the rule. It's more than that. Amid this glorified, heightened controversy I've explained here, I really don't have an ending. I won't stop playing intramurals because of one bad experience. Would you quit school because you got one bad test grade?
Just like anything else, you do your best and hope for better next time. Let the chips fall where they may, if you will. No matter how stupid today was, it was a good experience and a very motivating one. It's tough to even win, but it's tougher to lose or keep losing when all you want to do is win.
I just hope next time when someone gets the shaft in intramurals, I'm finally on the winning side.
Just about whenever I play something, I expect to win. It doesn't matter what it is- baseball, basketball, football, poker, board games, whatever. Unless it's something that's naturally non-competitive or just for fun, I give everything I have to do one thing: win.
Today, at my intramural basketball game, this was no different. And today, we lost a tough, close game. Normally, people would say what? Something like "boo-hoo" or "big deal, besides, it's just intramurals anyway." That may be true, but I'm tired of playing that card, and I'm sick of coming up short with things like this.
I'm sure a lot of people feel this way. Everyone is different, and certainly there are tons of people who aren't nearly as competitive as I am and differ in countless other ways. But at some point, everybody comes to realize or wish they could be better at something or even reach a level in anything that they've never been to before.
It's only intramurals. That's fine. But no matter what, and I know I may be in the minority here, but I worry and care just as much about the little and insignificant things just as much as larger things out on the surface. Sometimes when your best just isn't good enough, even for only one day, it's hard to swallow. I realize, now, that is a main reason why I love sports so much and that I need to have competition and give effort, always.
Here was the situation today:
The first round of playoffs started today for basketball, and my team came out pretty much playing terribly. I blame no one for anything; we all looked bad for at least 3/4 of the game.
Down only four points at halftime, our team never got into any sort of rhythms with anything on the court. We missed open shots and layups. We didn't hustle or play good defense. Rebounding was pretty weak too, and for some reason, I had problems even grabbing and holding onto the ball in the first half.
Down about 15 points with around five minutes to go, we finally started to hit shots. But no matter what we did, it seemed like our opponent would hit some crazy fade-away shot or get fouled on an out-of-control shot and hit some free throws. For anyone who has ever played basketball before, even just pick-up games, you know that one guy who looks like he'll never hit any shots. And he usually doesn't. Then one game, he'll hit everything for no reason at all. That's the type of feel this game had.
Still down 13 points with around 3:30 to go, Joe made a good play to hit a quick layup and get fouled. He hit the free throw, and we called timeout. We agreed it was time to press- we went with a man-to-man full-court press instead of a zone. It turned out to be a good idea. The other team was caught completely off guard, for some reason. They still hit some shots, but we forced the tempo and caused them to commit a few turnovers.
For at least the next five or six possessions, it seemed like we scored every single time. Mark had hit some 3s earlier in the game, and Brandon hit one here. I hit a few 3s too, and got a quick layup after a steal.
With 45 seconds left, we got the ball back and needed a 3. I forgot how exactly, but I got a good look and nailed a 3. I felt bad by how poorly I played for most of the game, but the momentum had totally shifted to our side, and we knew we had a real chance to complete the comeback attempt and win. We had the chance to overcome our horrible early play.
The other team immediately threw in a wild pass, but they managed to grab it, so we quickly fouled. Then something completely changed in the game. Apparently citing some rule I had never heard of in ANY LEVEL of organized basketball, our opponent was allowed to CHOOSE whether they wanted to shoot two free throws or simply keep the ball and throw the ball back in. Huh?
It seemed odd at first, but we went with it, trying desperately to get a steal.
After six inbounds passes, I started to feel sick to my stomach. How could the game be going like this? It simply made no sense. Everytime they threw the ball in, we went for a steal. And everytime a foul was called. What exactly was this rule designed to do, turn the game into football for a few passes inbounds?
I won't place all of the blame on the referees here. The team we played took, quite blunty, the sissy way out to win the game. They knew it wasn't fair to win like that, but instead of taking the high road, they took the low, easy one. Gutless.
However, on the last play of the game with 10 seconds left to go, the team got lazy and threw in a weak pass. We had a chance! Anthony raced down the court and managed to get off a contested driving layup as time expired. He was fouled- no question about it.
Do you think there was a call? If you've been reading this whole thing, not only did you see how this would turn out, but you kind of figured it would be a strange ending too. Needless to say, I knew they wouldn't call a foul either, even though during the game, we had been outshot in free throws by no less than 15 shots.
Anyone who knows me knows that I very rarely complain about matters such as these, but I do like to understand the thought process behind them or break them down and just ask questions. How else can you learn? But, obviously angry after the game, and rightly so, I managed to ask one of the coaches reffing the game why that rule was in effect. I asked, "I'm just wondering, but is there a certain reason why that rule is in effect? What's it supposed to do?"
"Not really, it's just been a rule for 12 years since I've been here," she responded.
Wow, what an explanation. That's like saying the cafeteria food at this school has sucked here for 12 years, but hey, that's just the way things are. No reasoning, no nothing.
Hey, it's just for fun. Let it go. Again, things come to this point- it's only intramurals. Well, then why does anyone play at all?
Because they're trying to compete against other people, and they're trying to win. That's why, and thousands of students nationwide play intramurals and assuredly get as angry as I was today.
If people want to be involved with rules in sports that are confusing and make no sense, they should just work real hard to become an NFL ref so they can explain instant replay reviews to fans watching who are instantly puzzled. Just because something is a rule doesn't mean it makes sense.
But what I'm trying to explain isn't really about the rule. It's more than that. Amid this glorified, heightened controversy I've explained here, I really don't have an ending. I won't stop playing intramurals because of one bad experience. Would you quit school because you got one bad test grade?
Just like anything else, you do your best and hope for better next time. Let the chips fall where they may, if you will. No matter how stupid today was, it was a good experience and a very motivating one. It's tough to even win, but it's tougher to lose or keep losing when all you want to do is win.
I just hope next time when someone gets the shaft in intramurals, I'm finally on the winning side.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Exactly What the Wizards Needed
Caron Butler breaks his hand. Arenas tears his meniscus and has season ending knee surgery.
Wizards fans everywhere throw in the towel.
Are their actions wrong? Probably not. I, too, happen to think it would be very unlikely for the Wizards to even win a game let alone get out of the 1st round of the NBA playoffs set to start in a few weeks. No team in the NBA relies on its top 3 scoring threats more than the Wizards.
It won't really matter who they play. Bulls, Cavaliers, Heat, Pistons, Raptors, whatever. Either one of those teams will present a huge mismatch in talent without Arenas and Butler, 2 of the top 3 Wizards players, on the floor.
But let's look at this from another perspective. Were the Wizards going to make it that far in the playoffs this year? Would they have even won a series with everyone healthy? It's possible, but it's not like they've been playing their best basketball for most of the season. There may not be a more inconsistent team in the league that frequently plays down to its competition. Injuries have contributed a lot to that, sure. But it's more than that.
With Arenas and Butler now out, the rotation that Eddie Jordan has to work with is significantly smaller. Jordan has a knack for employing his "small ball" approach when he would play Arenas, Daniels, Butler, Jamison, and Songalia/Ruffin, etc. on the floor together or some type of combination like that. Without his 2 best players to lean on, the lineup Jordan uses will have to be significantly bigger, and possibly, he may be forced to play 2 power forwards or 2 centers together. It will be interesting to see how that works, even though it may not.
This season has been a very strange one. Arenas's blog on nba.com, the feud between Haywood and Thomas, the injuries to all of the big 3, the competition between Stevenson and Arenas, and the numerous close games and crazy finishes have contributed a very different feel to this season. The team just never seemed to get comfortable at any point.
It would seem like the pressure is off. Everyone thinks the Wizards will lose. Every NBA analyst has more than written them off. Maybe they can take some pride and develop a chip on their shoulder.
Because I am a realist, the Wizards probably will lose, but there are things to learn and knowledge to gain about this team before the season is over.
When they get to the playoffs, Jordan will have to rely on guys on the team who he hasn't before. Daniels and Hayes will more than likely start. Songalia has also earned a starting spot with his recent strong play. Daniels is usually a solid guy for this team, but Hayes hasn't and a lot of fans are frustrated with his poor and inconsistent play. Now he gets his time to prove he either deserves minutes on this team or not. He gets to show what he's really got to offer this team.
Will he seize the opportunity? Only time will tell. Will Haywood stop being a baby and realize that he should try playing up to his potential instead of whining whenever he gets taken out of the game? Who knows.
I also hope to see Andray Blatche healthy enough to play during the playoffs as well. He has the chance to be an important piece to this team's future with his versatility and rebounding skills.
More importantly, though, Jordan and GM Ernie Grunfeld get to preview these pieces that they will either choose to keep or get rid of for next season. Can some of these guys really step up when they're needed, or will they just hide behind the shadows of Arenas, Butler, and Jamison while those 3 provide leadership and winning talent next season?
Undoubtedly, there are more questions than answers. Maybe over these next couple of weeks as the season shifts to the playoffs, some important questions will be answered. They need to be.
Wizards fans everywhere throw in the towel.
Are their actions wrong? Probably not. I, too, happen to think it would be very unlikely for the Wizards to even win a game let alone get out of the 1st round of the NBA playoffs set to start in a few weeks. No team in the NBA relies on its top 3 scoring threats more than the Wizards.
It won't really matter who they play. Bulls, Cavaliers, Heat, Pistons, Raptors, whatever. Either one of those teams will present a huge mismatch in talent without Arenas and Butler, 2 of the top 3 Wizards players, on the floor.
But let's look at this from another perspective. Were the Wizards going to make it that far in the playoffs this year? Would they have even won a series with everyone healthy? It's possible, but it's not like they've been playing their best basketball for most of the season. There may not be a more inconsistent team in the league that frequently plays down to its competition. Injuries have contributed a lot to that, sure. But it's more than that.
With Arenas and Butler now out, the rotation that Eddie Jordan has to work with is significantly smaller. Jordan has a knack for employing his "small ball" approach when he would play Arenas, Daniels, Butler, Jamison, and Songalia/Ruffin, etc. on the floor together or some type of combination like that. Without his 2 best players to lean on, the lineup Jordan uses will have to be significantly bigger, and possibly, he may be forced to play 2 power forwards or 2 centers together. It will be interesting to see how that works, even though it may not.
This season has been a very strange one. Arenas's blog on nba.com, the feud between Haywood and Thomas, the injuries to all of the big 3, the competition between Stevenson and Arenas, and the numerous close games and crazy finishes have contributed a very different feel to this season. The team just never seemed to get comfortable at any point.
It would seem like the pressure is off. Everyone thinks the Wizards will lose. Every NBA analyst has more than written them off. Maybe they can take some pride and develop a chip on their shoulder.
Because I am a realist, the Wizards probably will lose, but there are things to learn and knowledge to gain about this team before the season is over.
When they get to the playoffs, Jordan will have to rely on guys on the team who he hasn't before. Daniels and Hayes will more than likely start. Songalia has also earned a starting spot with his recent strong play. Daniels is usually a solid guy for this team, but Hayes hasn't and a lot of fans are frustrated with his poor and inconsistent play. Now he gets his time to prove he either deserves minutes on this team or not. He gets to show what he's really got to offer this team.
Will he seize the opportunity? Only time will tell. Will Haywood stop being a baby and realize that he should try playing up to his potential instead of whining whenever he gets taken out of the game? Who knows.
I also hope to see Andray Blatche healthy enough to play during the playoffs as well. He has the chance to be an important piece to this team's future with his versatility and rebounding skills.
More importantly, though, Jordan and GM Ernie Grunfeld get to preview these pieces that they will either choose to keep or get rid of for next season. Can some of these guys really step up when they're needed, or will they just hide behind the shadows of Arenas, Butler, and Jamison while those 3 provide leadership and winning talent next season?
Undoubtedly, there are more questions than answers. Maybe over these next couple of weeks as the season shifts to the playoffs, some important questions will be answered. They need to be.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Orioles Fever, Catch It?
At least at some point before the season started, I planned to write a preview for the Orioles before the opening series against the Twins, but I got a little side-tracked with some work. Anyway, here it is now:
There probably isn't very much you haven't heard about the Orioles if you either read their main site or any local newspapers, watch local TV or Comcast, or listen to local sports radio. The Orioles spent the offseason primarily overhauling an extremely overworked and overmatched bullpen from last season. I believe the front office of GM Mike Flanagan and Vice President Jim Duquette did a pretty good job of that, and it definitely had to be done.
Meanwhile, in addition to the bullpen, the Orioles added Aubrey Huff, Jaret Wright, Steve Trachsel, Paul Bako, Freddie Bynum, and eventual starting LF Jay Payton. Through 3 games, Huff has been the most formidable Orioles hitter, forming a tough combination in the 4-5 spots with Miguel Tejada. But the bench really stinks and Kevin Millar brings very little to the table no matter where he's hitting in the lineup. It'd be nice to see him stop talking so much and getting some hits when they count.
I think I'll really like the lineup when everyone on the team is healthy, but when will that happen? Hernandez may be placed on the DL soon with a strained left oblique muscle. Neither Paul Bako nor Alberto Castillo (WHO??) can replace his offense or defense. Hernandez can't return and get healthy soon enough. Also, Jay Payton is currently headed to the DL with a hamstring injury and may be out for a few more weeks.
I haven't been able to watch any of the first 3 games because Frostburg doesn't get MASN. Great! I don't know what to think about that, but all I know so far is either what my friends who can watch the games tell me or what I see on stat-tracker and box scores. However, when I see- E: Gibbons(1, dropped fly ball in four territory) or hear about Castillo trying to gun runners who fall down midway to 2nd base and they STILL beat the throw, obviously the Orioles don't appear to have changed very much.
Is it really possible to tell that much from just 3 games? Yes and no. Every team has flaws, and it's the job of the coaches to try and hide them while exploiting those flaws of other teams. But whenever the Orioles play, it always seems like they are the ones being exploited. Case and point- with Daniel Cabrera on the mound in the 2nd game against the Twins the other night, the Twins runners were stealing at will. I know that Cabrera is extremely slow to the plate and has a very slow delivery, but have the Orioles ever heard of a pitch out? I'm pretty sure that Castillo didn't even catch 1 runner stealing, and it seemed like every time the Twins got runners on first, they'd steal. Even Joe Mauer got a stolen base! Is the problem mostly Cabrera's fault for being slow to the plate? Sure, the catcher can only do so much. But there are things that can still be done to stop such problems from happening. Either way, getting caught like that is just unacceptable.
Still, though, I believe that the bullpen and lineup will both be improved. The bullpen added Walker, Baez, Bradford, Williamson, and Guthrie to decent lefty Parrish and Ray, a great young closer. The bullpen has looked (or so I've heard) pretty good, and that may even be the strongest part of the team now. As far as the lineup goes, I think it can be decent to good if Hernandez and Payton come back 100% healthy. Here's that lineup:
2b-Brian Roberts
3b- Melvin Mora
RF- Nick Markakis
SS- Miguel Tejada
1b- Aubrey Huff
C- Ramon Hernandez
DH- Jay Gibbons
LF- Jay Payton
CF- Corey Patterson
I think this lineup could be pretty good because it mixes power, speed, and alternating LH and RH bats throughout the lineup. That would be pretty tough for opposing pitchers to face night in and night out. I hope Markakis plays well and improves some from the promise he showed last year, but that's a lot to ask out of a 23 year old player who has only one full year in the league. He has the talent, but the 3 spot holds a lot of responsibility and is demanding. As I said before, Tejada and Huff have been great, Roberts, Mora, and Markakis have not yet. The first 3 games, the Orioles lost to Johan Santana, Boof Bonser, and Ramon Ortiz. Santana I can understand, but they made Bonser and Ortiz look like Cy Young candidates. Anyway, it's very early, and the lineup should be fine.
The starting rotation though, might not be fine. After losing Benson for the year and seeing John Maine pitch well last night for the Mets, it seems like that trade really was a waste. Now, with a rotation of Bedard, Cabrera, Wright, Loewen, and Trachsel, the Orioles have a lot to worry about. The bullpen is very solid behind them, but just getting to the 5th inning may be difficult often. Bedard and Wright looked really bad in their 2007 debuts. The rotation should be decent, but I'd be shocked to see either Wright or Trachsel still in the rotation at the end of the season. Trachsel was a good fill-in for the 5th slot, but Wright looked really bad and didn't even pitch 3 full innings. Loewen is still young, and I think Cabrera can slowly get better and stop walking so many batters. No one knows for sure though.
Is it really that surprising that the O's got swept by the Twins? Losing Hernandez hurts a lot and the Twins took advantage of a lot of little things. I'm unsure of what to think, but I do know that usually the O's have been winning the first game of the season over the past bunch of years.
Does that mean they'll play well later in the season? Maybe. But I do know this: I'm tired of solely blaming Angelos and the front office for the Orioles being so bad. Obviously, they are partly to blame, but the game is played on the field. The Orioles have enough talent to compete with any team, seriously. They have good young pitching talent and a great lineup and bullpen. I'm tired of making excuses, and it would be nice for the team to get their first winning season in the past 10 years or so.
Even though the season may be another disappointment, I'd still be upset if they didn't at least get to .500 this year. That may be a stretch, but who knows. Crazier things have happened. It's time to start winning games, and yes, even in the AL East it can be done. Maybe things will finally click this year.
Or maybe the Orioles won't be one of the laughingstocks of the league this year. That's always something to shoot for too.
There probably isn't very much you haven't heard about the Orioles if you either read their main site or any local newspapers, watch local TV or Comcast, or listen to local sports radio. The Orioles spent the offseason primarily overhauling an extremely overworked and overmatched bullpen from last season. I believe the front office of GM Mike Flanagan and Vice President Jim Duquette did a pretty good job of that, and it definitely had to be done.
Meanwhile, in addition to the bullpen, the Orioles added Aubrey Huff, Jaret Wright, Steve Trachsel, Paul Bako, Freddie Bynum, and eventual starting LF Jay Payton. Through 3 games, Huff has been the most formidable Orioles hitter, forming a tough combination in the 4-5 spots with Miguel Tejada. But the bench really stinks and Kevin Millar brings very little to the table no matter where he's hitting in the lineup. It'd be nice to see him stop talking so much and getting some hits when they count.
I think I'll really like the lineup when everyone on the team is healthy, but when will that happen? Hernandez may be placed on the DL soon with a strained left oblique muscle. Neither Paul Bako nor Alberto Castillo (WHO??) can replace his offense or defense. Hernandez can't return and get healthy soon enough. Also, Jay Payton is currently headed to the DL with a hamstring injury and may be out for a few more weeks.
I haven't been able to watch any of the first 3 games because Frostburg doesn't get MASN. Great! I don't know what to think about that, but all I know so far is either what my friends who can watch the games tell me or what I see on stat-tracker and box scores. However, when I see- E: Gibbons(1, dropped fly ball in four territory) or hear about Castillo trying to gun runners who fall down midway to 2nd base and they STILL beat the throw, obviously the Orioles don't appear to have changed very much.
Is it really possible to tell that much from just 3 games? Yes and no. Every team has flaws, and it's the job of the coaches to try and hide them while exploiting those flaws of other teams. But whenever the Orioles play, it always seems like they are the ones being exploited. Case and point- with Daniel Cabrera on the mound in the 2nd game against the Twins the other night, the Twins runners were stealing at will. I know that Cabrera is extremely slow to the plate and has a very slow delivery, but have the Orioles ever heard of a pitch out? I'm pretty sure that Castillo didn't even catch 1 runner stealing, and it seemed like every time the Twins got runners on first, they'd steal. Even Joe Mauer got a stolen base! Is the problem mostly Cabrera's fault for being slow to the plate? Sure, the catcher can only do so much. But there are things that can still be done to stop such problems from happening. Either way, getting caught like that is just unacceptable.
Still, though, I believe that the bullpen and lineup will both be improved. The bullpen added Walker, Baez, Bradford, Williamson, and Guthrie to decent lefty Parrish and Ray, a great young closer. The bullpen has looked (or so I've heard) pretty good, and that may even be the strongest part of the team now. As far as the lineup goes, I think it can be decent to good if Hernandez and Payton come back 100% healthy. Here's that lineup:
2b-Brian Roberts
3b- Melvin Mora
RF- Nick Markakis
SS- Miguel Tejada
1b- Aubrey Huff
C- Ramon Hernandez
DH- Jay Gibbons
LF- Jay Payton
CF- Corey Patterson
I think this lineup could be pretty good because it mixes power, speed, and alternating LH and RH bats throughout the lineup. That would be pretty tough for opposing pitchers to face night in and night out. I hope Markakis plays well and improves some from the promise he showed last year, but that's a lot to ask out of a 23 year old player who has only one full year in the league. He has the talent, but the 3 spot holds a lot of responsibility and is demanding. As I said before, Tejada and Huff have been great, Roberts, Mora, and Markakis have not yet. The first 3 games, the Orioles lost to Johan Santana, Boof Bonser, and Ramon Ortiz. Santana I can understand, but they made Bonser and Ortiz look like Cy Young candidates. Anyway, it's very early, and the lineup should be fine.
The starting rotation though, might not be fine. After losing Benson for the year and seeing John Maine pitch well last night for the Mets, it seems like that trade really was a waste. Now, with a rotation of Bedard, Cabrera, Wright, Loewen, and Trachsel, the Orioles have a lot to worry about. The bullpen is very solid behind them, but just getting to the 5th inning may be difficult often. Bedard and Wright looked really bad in their 2007 debuts. The rotation should be decent, but I'd be shocked to see either Wright or Trachsel still in the rotation at the end of the season. Trachsel was a good fill-in for the 5th slot, but Wright looked really bad and didn't even pitch 3 full innings. Loewen is still young, and I think Cabrera can slowly get better and stop walking so many batters. No one knows for sure though.
Is it really that surprising that the O's got swept by the Twins? Losing Hernandez hurts a lot and the Twins took advantage of a lot of little things. I'm unsure of what to think, but I do know that usually the O's have been winning the first game of the season over the past bunch of years.
Does that mean they'll play well later in the season? Maybe. But I do know this: I'm tired of solely blaming Angelos and the front office for the Orioles being so bad. Obviously, they are partly to blame, but the game is played on the field. The Orioles have enough talent to compete with any team, seriously. They have good young pitching talent and a great lineup and bullpen. I'm tired of making excuses, and it would be nice for the team to get their first winning season in the past 10 years or so.
Even though the season may be another disappointment, I'd still be upset if they didn't at least get to .500 this year. That may be a stretch, but who knows. Crazier things have happened. It's time to start winning games, and yes, even in the AL East it can be done. Maybe things will finally click this year.
Or maybe the Orioles won't be one of the laughingstocks of the league this year. That's always something to shoot for too.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
The Final Four and Some Other Notes
-- I figured I'd open up by talking about a commercial that's on all the time during the NCAA Tournament. I'm sure you've seen it; it's that stupid Esurance commercial where the woman or whatever is playing basketball against robots. First of all, I wasn't even aware that robots played basketball, other than Greg Oden of course. But second of all, what exactly is this commercial supposed to be selling? It can't be insurance. Are the people who come up with their ideas sniffing glue? I understand that they wanted to get into the moment of the tournament by making a commercial about basketball. Hey, awesome, but the commercial makes me dumber everytime I see it. This commercial alone is ruining NCAA basketball for me. Thanks a lot Esurance.
-- I read a great article earlier today by Keith Law of ESPN. He usually takes great stances on things, and I completely agree with his point of DUIs vs. steroid usage in baseball. How is one area not ok but the other, which is more dangerous, accepted and brushed under the rug? Definitely worth reading.
-- If you haven't seen the ending to the NCAA Division II National Championship basketball game between Barton College and Winona State, you might want to check that out. It has one of the best finishes I've ever seen. Also, pay attention to the amazing reaction by one of the excited announcers as he screams "GOOOOOOOOOOOD." Great clip.
-- I watched the Ohio State-Georgetown game earlier today. The 1st half wasn't exactly the best basketball I've ever seen, but the 2nd half was great. Once Oden and Hibbert were on the court going head to head, the game started to move along and had a much better feel to it. Even though Hibbert slightly outplayed Oden, at least on offense, Ohio State's guards just dominated Georgetown's. Conley was great and Ohio State kept attacking, especially while Oden was on the bench. I was really impressed with them, and it should be an interesting game no matter who they played in the championship.
-- On a similar note, I felt kind of bad for Georgetown after the game. For some reason, they continue to interview losing coaches right after the game. Why do they do this? What was JT3 going to say, how happy he was and that he was really glad to be in this situation? Maybe they should just leave the coaches alone to go talk to his players in the locker room. Interviewing losing coaches, for all sports, is really stupid and needs to stop. They feel bad enough, and it makes everybody else watching feel worse.
-- I watched the UCLA-Florida game while writing some of this, so I figured I'd leave some of my observations from the game here:
-- I read a great article earlier today by Keith Law of ESPN. He usually takes great stances on things, and I completely agree with his point of DUIs vs. steroid usage in baseball. How is one area not ok but the other, which is more dangerous, accepted and brushed under the rug? Definitely worth reading.
-- If you haven't seen the ending to the NCAA Division II National Championship basketball game between Barton College and Winona State, you might want to check that out. It has one of the best finishes I've ever seen. Also, pay attention to the amazing reaction by one of the excited announcers as he screams "GOOOOOOOOOOOD." Great clip.
-- I watched the Ohio State-Georgetown game earlier today. The 1st half wasn't exactly the best basketball I've ever seen, but the 2nd half was great. Once Oden and Hibbert were on the court going head to head, the game started to move along and had a much better feel to it. Even though Hibbert slightly outplayed Oden, at least on offense, Ohio State's guards just dominated Georgetown's. Conley was great and Ohio State kept attacking, especially while Oden was on the bench. I was really impressed with them, and it should be an interesting game no matter who they played in the championship.
-- On a similar note, I felt kind of bad for Georgetown after the game. For some reason, they continue to interview losing coaches right after the game. Why do they do this? What was JT3 going to say, how happy he was and that he was really glad to be in this situation? Maybe they should just leave the coaches alone to go talk to his players in the locker room. Interviewing losing coaches, for all sports, is really stupid and needs to stop. They feel bad enough, and it makes everybody else watching feel worse.
-- I watched the UCLA-Florida game while writing some of this, so I figured I'd leave some of my observations from the game here:
1st half ramblings:
-- Billy Packer is being really annoying, but I have no other options or choices for what to listen to. They should offer multiple combinations of announcers so you can choose who you want to listen to. And I bet no one would pick Packer.
-- Lorenzo Mata and Joakim Noah are facing off in this game, and they are two of the ugliest/weirdest looking people I’ve ever seen. This has to be the worst combination of basketball players on the court at the same time since Hedo Turkoglu and Tyrone Hill squared off in a battle of ghastliness.
-- UCLA plays probably the best defense in the country. There's been a real slow start to the game, which, I guess, was to be expected
-- You know, I watch CSI occasionally, and not one time did I ever wonder: Wow, wouldn’t the show be so much better if Method Man was in an episode?
-- Seven minutes into the game and Florida has two points. With a score of only 6-2, it's not exactly the most exciting game I’ve ever watched. Seven and a half minutes in and Florida finally has a field goal. Woo!
-- For some reason, Ben Howland leaves Afflalo in the game and he picks up his 3rd foul with 12 minutes left in the 1st half.
-- Noah makes a great anticipation play on a move by Collison and he hustles after the ball to almost get a steal and Packer sums it up by saying “he should have just picked up the ball.” Maybe he should say what he really thinks next time.
-- New rule: You can’t sell Miller High Life if you make customers pay $11.50 for a hamburger. That’s good to know for when I open my own restaurant chain. And also, does anyone watch Survivor? And if so, why?
-- Noah shows another dimension that he brings to the Gators when he grabs a rebound and leads the fastbreak down court. He can handle the ball really well, and he should be a good pickup for someone in the NBA. Very versatile. I also think that if Florida wins this game, that him and Horford will give Oden and Ohio State fits in the paint.
-- I’m convinced that the the guy in the Coke commercial with the ritual for VT sports has some sort of disorder, maybe Obsessive-compulsive. And why does he hate their field hockey program so much? Very mean. Somewhere, Mr. Nick Bennett, VT's field hockey team hates you.
-- I think marketing in sports has gone way too far. I just saw one of Florida’s coaches and he had a notebook/clipboard with Nike written on the cover. Unfortunately, no view of his possible Nike pen was available, though.
2nd half ramblings:
-- Three 3’s in a row by Humphrey, Roll, then Humphrey again. I haven’t been this proud since I last watched Hoosiers.
-- I hate every Chevrolet commercial. I think this is a good time to throw that out there.
-- UCLA is just completely struggling to manage any points in this game. They only have 28 with 13:55 left, and Howland just used his team’s LAST timeout of the 2nd half. This isn’t looking good at all. Looks like a rematch of the NCAA football championship will be coming.
-- Humphrey just broke the all-time NCAA mark for career 3-pointers in the NCAA Tournament. And I think he’d make a better pro than JJ Redick because he can actually play some defense. Just a great player on this team.
-- Remember that GM Super Bowl commercial from earlier this year with the robot that gets laid off? You probably don't, so here it is. Well, they just showed a version completely different than that one. In the newer one, the robot only works other various stupid jobs and never goes to a bridge and ponders committing “suicide.” Whoever thought of that first idea was a complete idiot and should have been fired. Just think about it. The robot is supposed to be like a laid off worker who is destroyed enough to almost commit suicide because he/she can’t find a good job. What could be less funny and more offensive than that? Great idea, let’s use it!
-- There’s about nine minutes left in this game and it’s pretty much over. This just seems like a JV team playing against Varsity. UCLA is a great team, but they just seem to be one scorer short. Maybe they’ll be back next year. That’s enough writing about this game. Ohio State-Florida should be pretty entertaining...
Friday, March 23, 2007
What Being a Writer Means to Me
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
--- Bill Cosby
Everybody, no matter what they do, has to start from somewhere. Every good sportswriter has to start writing and developing his or her own voice at some point. This blog is the forum where I plan to develop my own thoughts about different things and my own ways to express them.
I read sports columns everyday. I like to see what people are talking about in sports and I like to know what happens. I can't remember a day in the past several years where I didn't at least play a sport, read something about sports, or have any kind of discussion about sports in general. Baseball, basketball, and football; they are my main interests. That's what is interesting and fun for me to do. Everything I read influences me, but I am a combination of everything that I see, read, and experience. I like to read columns by Bill Simmons, Tom Friend, Chuck Klosterman, DJ Gallo, Gene Wojciechowski, and others on ESPN. I enjoy reading just about every article that Rick Reilly does for Sports Illustrated. I could name countless other sportswriters that I enjoy, but I can never be them. I look at what they write and develop my own opinions of what they think and say. I am my own person, and therefore, my own writer. It's hard to compare myself to them seeing the little amount that I have accomplished so far, but they all had to start somewhere too.
I'm pretty sure that no one else besides Ian reads anything that I write in this blog. After thinking about that for a little while today, that doesn't bother me anymore. There's no doubt that the advice and input from Ian will make me a better writer, and I really appreciate that, but I shouldn't be writing this for other people, and I'm not. I'm writing this blog for myself, to improve my skills and practice for the future. Will I make it to that point for sure? I hope so, but I don't really know where the world of sportswriting will take me. I have to figure that out for myself, and one day I believe I will. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't appreciate more people reading what I've done so far, but of course, that comes with improving my skills and coming up with things for myself. No one can do that for me.
When I was in elementary and middle school, I really had no idea what I wanted to do as far as a future career went. I don't even remember caring what I wanted to be. In high school, I still had no idea what to do. I didn't even know where I wanted to go to college or what I wanted to do when I got there. Is that a bad thing? I didn't think so, and I still don't. To this day I still think it's unfair to try and make young kids choose the direction they want to go in for the rest of their lives. It's hard to make choices though, no matter what age a person is. I think I'm just rambling now though.
Anyway, when I was in high school, I never thought in a million years that I'd be majoring in English. I didn't necessarily hate English, but I didn't like all of the literature and poetry, though I could write a decent amount. I guess that's how I got to where I am today. When I got to college, I had a choice to make. I had to pick a major. I also remember how little my advisor could really help me. It was time for a decision. I liked sports and was good at writing, so naturally, I guess, I took this path. In hindsight, going to Frostburg probably wasn't the smartest choice for my direction in journalism and writing, but now I'm making the most of it.
After looking over the first ten or so entries in this blog, I realized that aside from the entry on intramurals, I never write about myself. I think that's good though because I like to stay focused on the topic at hand and look at it from different perspectives. It might be a better idea for future material to look at things through my eyes and try to combine that with things I've seen or done. It's important to have a good mix of things to write about, and I think I can do that. As long as I work at my craft, what I learn from education in college only goes so far. The rest is on my shoulders. I can read and think for myself, so I can improve.
I hope to one day achieve my goals and find some place where I can do what I enjoy. I don't know where that is yet, but I have to work hard no matter what I do or where I end up.
I do know one thing though. No matter what anyone does, there are others who do the same thing, and it's hard not to compare yourself to what others have done. That's not a bad thing either. But just like I can't be another writer, someone who does a certain job can't be that other person. They can strive to be great, but everyone has to find his or her own place. During my time finding my voice here, I hope that I can do just that and have some fun while doing it. If no one ever reads what I write, that's fine. It's my job to make them want to.
--- Bill Cosby
Everybody, no matter what they do, has to start from somewhere. Every good sportswriter has to start writing and developing his or her own voice at some point. This blog is the forum where I plan to develop my own thoughts about different things and my own ways to express them.
I read sports columns everyday. I like to see what people are talking about in sports and I like to know what happens. I can't remember a day in the past several years where I didn't at least play a sport, read something about sports, or have any kind of discussion about sports in general. Baseball, basketball, and football; they are my main interests. That's what is interesting and fun for me to do. Everything I read influences me, but I am a combination of everything that I see, read, and experience. I like to read columns by Bill Simmons, Tom Friend, Chuck Klosterman, DJ Gallo, Gene Wojciechowski, and others on ESPN. I enjoy reading just about every article that Rick Reilly does for Sports Illustrated. I could name countless other sportswriters that I enjoy, but I can never be them. I look at what they write and develop my own opinions of what they think and say. I am my own person, and therefore, my own writer. It's hard to compare myself to them seeing the little amount that I have accomplished so far, but they all had to start somewhere too.
I'm pretty sure that no one else besides Ian reads anything that I write in this blog. After thinking about that for a little while today, that doesn't bother me anymore. There's no doubt that the advice and input from Ian will make me a better writer, and I really appreciate that, but I shouldn't be writing this for other people, and I'm not. I'm writing this blog for myself, to improve my skills and practice for the future. Will I make it to that point for sure? I hope so, but I don't really know where the world of sportswriting will take me. I have to figure that out for myself, and one day I believe I will. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't appreciate more people reading what I've done so far, but of course, that comes with improving my skills and coming up with things for myself. No one can do that for me.
When I was in elementary and middle school, I really had no idea what I wanted to do as far as a future career went. I don't even remember caring what I wanted to be. In high school, I still had no idea what to do. I didn't even know where I wanted to go to college or what I wanted to do when I got there. Is that a bad thing? I didn't think so, and I still don't. To this day I still think it's unfair to try and make young kids choose the direction they want to go in for the rest of their lives. It's hard to make choices though, no matter what age a person is. I think I'm just rambling now though.
Anyway, when I was in high school, I never thought in a million years that I'd be majoring in English. I didn't necessarily hate English, but I didn't like all of the literature and poetry, though I could write a decent amount. I guess that's how I got to where I am today. When I got to college, I had a choice to make. I had to pick a major. I also remember how little my advisor could really help me. It was time for a decision. I liked sports and was good at writing, so naturally, I guess, I took this path. In hindsight, going to Frostburg probably wasn't the smartest choice for my direction in journalism and writing, but now I'm making the most of it.
After looking over the first ten or so entries in this blog, I realized that aside from the entry on intramurals, I never write about myself. I think that's good though because I like to stay focused on the topic at hand and look at it from different perspectives. It might be a better idea for future material to look at things through my eyes and try to combine that with things I've seen or done. It's important to have a good mix of things to write about, and I think I can do that. As long as I work at my craft, what I learn from education in college only goes so far. The rest is on my shoulders. I can read and think for myself, so I can improve.
I hope to one day achieve my goals and find some place where I can do what I enjoy. I don't know where that is yet, but I have to work hard no matter what I do or where I end up.
I do know one thing though. No matter what anyone does, there are others who do the same thing, and it's hard not to compare yourself to what others have done. That's not a bad thing either. But just like I can't be another writer, someone who does a certain job can't be that other person. They can strive to be great, but everyone has to find his or her own place. During my time finding my voice here, I hope that I can do just that and have some fun while doing it. If no one ever reads what I write, that's fine. It's my job to make them want to.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Some Issues on Thursday
Schaub with the Texans
In the midst of March Madness, it seems like the Texans have been going through their own kind of madness. I'm sure you've seen by now that the Texans traded for the former Falcons backup QB Matt Schaub and then signed him to a 6-year, $48 million dollar contract.
I know I wrote about this earlier, but let me spell this out: The Texans swapped 1st round picks this year with the Falcons, gave up their 2nd round picks for this year and next, and then gave Schaub this huge deal when he has yet to even win ONE GAME as an NFL starter. Unbelieveable.
I know David Carr didn't exactly set the world on fire, but it's kind of hard to complete passes when you're on your back. Does it really matter who the QB is if they have no offensive line? Who is running things down there? First they pass on Bush and now they're banking on a completely unproven quarterback? I'm confused. I'm really curious to see how the Texans handle the draft this year. You'd think they would want to address the offensive line now. They signed Ahman Green a few weeks ago and now they have Schaub. I question the direction they're going in when they sign an unproven QB and a quickly aging RB.
Maybe they know something I don't. Especially since they shocked everyone by drafting Mario Williams last year.
Papelbon Back in at Closer
I found it very surprising to see that after basically a whole offseason where Papelbon demanded the chance to start again, he finally admitted a few weeks before the season is to start that he wants to close for the "rest of his career."
This is great news for the Red Sox and their fans. Not only does his return to the closer's role fill a huge gap in the bullpen, but he seems as determined as ever to repeat his awesome 2006 season. To show just how great of a season he had, Papelbon finished with 35 saves, 75 Ks, a 0.92 ERA, and opposing batters only hit .167 combined against him. After putting up those numbers, why wouldn't he welcome the return to being closer.
With the improvement the Red Sox already added to the rotation with Dice-K to combine with Beckett, Schilling, Wakefield, and possibly Jon Lester, the Red Sox entire pitching staff should be pretty good top to bottom. Closer is the place where Papelbon should be at.
Tubby Smith Leaves Kentucky
I had to do a double-take at my computer screen when I saw this article on ESPN.com earlier today. I thought, at the very least, that if Smith was going to leave Kentucky, he'd be fired. But he wasn't fired, and he chose to leave and take the job at Minnesota. Wait, Minnesota?
Why did he go there to coach? I haven't read anything yet that says why exactly he went there. I can't even name any players on the Gophers. Maybe there will be less expectations on him and he won't have nearly as much pressure coming down on him from all angles.
I always thought he was a good coach, so I'm wondering to see what he can do with Minnesota. I'm sure in a year or two they'll be pretty competitive.
The other side to this story is the question of who Kentucky will pursue to coach the team now. I'm sure they'll be looking at a bunch of high profile guys since the job at Kentucky is one of the best in the nation. Should be interesting. They could go in a number of directions.
McRoberts Turns Pro
And finally, in one of the more uninteresting stories of the day, Josh McRoberts of Duke announced he's turning pro a year too late. Never really much of a scorer, he only averaged 13 points a game at Duke but did manage almost 8 rebounds.
Purely from a fan's perspective, I never really feared McRoberts when they played against Maryland. Duke's team this past year wasn't really that scary at all, even though they're a relatively young team. He didn't seem to have any great post moves other than a lefty hook that seemed to be just oddly thrown at the basket.
His best attribute is that he can handle the ball pretty well for his size. But other than that, I don't know how excited NBA scouts are going to be when looking at him. I'd be surprised if he was drafted in the top 20, and I don't know if he's anyone that fans would get excited about either. He seems more like Shavlik Randolph than Carlos Boozer.
In the midst of March Madness, it seems like the Texans have been going through their own kind of madness. I'm sure you've seen by now that the Texans traded for the former Falcons backup QB Matt Schaub and then signed him to a 6-year, $48 million dollar contract.
I know I wrote about this earlier, but let me spell this out: The Texans swapped 1st round picks this year with the Falcons, gave up their 2nd round picks for this year and next, and then gave Schaub this huge deal when he has yet to even win ONE GAME as an NFL starter. Unbelieveable.
I know David Carr didn't exactly set the world on fire, but it's kind of hard to complete passes when you're on your back. Does it really matter who the QB is if they have no offensive line? Who is running things down there? First they pass on Bush and now they're banking on a completely unproven quarterback? I'm confused. I'm really curious to see how the Texans handle the draft this year. You'd think they would want to address the offensive line now. They signed Ahman Green a few weeks ago and now they have Schaub. I question the direction they're going in when they sign an unproven QB and a quickly aging RB.
Maybe they know something I don't. Especially since they shocked everyone by drafting Mario Williams last year.
Papelbon Back in at Closer
I found it very surprising to see that after basically a whole offseason where Papelbon demanded the chance to start again, he finally admitted a few weeks before the season is to start that he wants to close for the "rest of his career."
This is great news for the Red Sox and their fans. Not only does his return to the closer's role fill a huge gap in the bullpen, but he seems as determined as ever to repeat his awesome 2006 season. To show just how great of a season he had, Papelbon finished with 35 saves, 75 Ks, a 0.92 ERA, and opposing batters only hit .167 combined against him. After putting up those numbers, why wouldn't he welcome the return to being closer.
With the improvement the Red Sox already added to the rotation with Dice-K to combine with Beckett, Schilling, Wakefield, and possibly Jon Lester, the Red Sox entire pitching staff should be pretty good top to bottom. Closer is the place where Papelbon should be at.
Tubby Smith Leaves Kentucky
I had to do a double-take at my computer screen when I saw this article on ESPN.com earlier today. I thought, at the very least, that if Smith was going to leave Kentucky, he'd be fired. But he wasn't fired, and he chose to leave and take the job at Minnesota. Wait, Minnesota?
Why did he go there to coach? I haven't read anything yet that says why exactly he went there. I can't even name any players on the Gophers. Maybe there will be less expectations on him and he won't have nearly as much pressure coming down on him from all angles.
I always thought he was a good coach, so I'm wondering to see what he can do with Minnesota. I'm sure in a year or two they'll be pretty competitive.
The other side to this story is the question of who Kentucky will pursue to coach the team now. I'm sure they'll be looking at a bunch of high profile guys since the job at Kentucky is one of the best in the nation. Should be interesting. They could go in a number of directions.
McRoberts Turns Pro
And finally, in one of the more uninteresting stories of the day, Josh McRoberts of Duke announced he's turning pro a year too late. Never really much of a scorer, he only averaged 13 points a game at Duke but did manage almost 8 rebounds.
Purely from a fan's perspective, I never really feared McRoberts when they played against Maryland. Duke's team this past year wasn't really that scary at all, even though they're a relatively young team. He didn't seem to have any great post moves other than a lefty hook that seemed to be just oddly thrown at the basket.
His best attribute is that he can handle the ball pretty well for his size. But other than that, I don't know how excited NBA scouts are going to be when looking at him. I'd be surprised if he was drafted in the top 20, and I don't know if he's anyone that fans would get excited about either. He seems more like Shavlik Randolph than Carlos Boozer.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Wizards vs. Sonics - First Installment of my Running Blog
It's about 10 pm right now, and the game should be starting in a few minutes. So before I get started, I'd just like to encourage everyone to go see the new movie "Pride" starring Bernie Mac and Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. I don't plan on seeing it, but it looks like it should be a phenomenal movie. Any movie with Tom Arnold playing the role of the coach of an evil/rival white swim team should be amazing.
Pre-Game
Apparently Ray Allen isn't playing because of an ankle injury, which means that the Wizards have no excuse to lose this game. And yes, by saying that, I realize that they just might lose. Great. At least I get to enjoy another quality performance from the dynamic announcing duo that is Buckhantz and Chenier. I'm hoping for at least three daggers today, so maybe I'm being optimistic. Even a backbreaker or two would be more than acceptable.
It's also a good thing that Arenas isn't doing a missed shots for schools donation program. Now that would be something.
First Quarter
10:13- Buckhantz mentions that Jarvis Hayes may have gotten hurt again. And yes, there's a shot of Hayes in his tan suit. Good to see that his ability to be injury prone isn't affecting his style.
9:06- The Wizards appear to actually be playing defense. I don't think I'm watching the same team I saw yesterday.
8:45- Nevermind. They just gave a wide open layup to Luke Ridnour. On a different note, how about Oregon? They're in the Sweet 16, Fred Jones got some minutes for the amazing Blazers yesterday and apparently now is known as "Freddy." But does anyone know where Luke Jackson is?
7:23- While Chris Wilcox is shooting two free throws, I'd probably say that he's been the most productive former Maryland basketball player this year. Where are all of the former Terps players at? Blake and Dixon have been ok this year, but Francis has really gone downhill. Weird. You can't tell me that a healthy and energetic Mike Mardesich wouldn't be able to help the Wizards. OK, maybe not.
5:33- On the same play, Damien Wilkins runs over Arenas and then Jamison. He finally gets the charge call on the 2nd. Just an amazing play by Wilkins. He's really using his head out there. He also manages to get T'd up for his actions. Quality NBA basketball. Get excited all you Sonics fans!
Does anyone watch the Best Damn Sports Show Period? What makes it so damn good anyway? I know it's not Rob Dibble or John Salley.
4:03- Great drive by Arenas. I wish he'd drive the lane more rather than settling for 3s.
2:51- Anyway, Arenas hits a 3. I must not know what I'm talking about. But he does seem more in rhythm tonight. A good sign.
:50- The Wizards are really playing well right now. They are running the offense now and getting open looks. Maybe the game last night was just a fluke. Also, I like when Songalia's on the floor. I think he can really help this team , and I'd rather have him in there than Hayes anyday. Maybe this will be the game where he gets more minutes and shows what he can do.
26-19 Wizards at the end of the 1st
Second Quarter
Somehow the Sonics get 9 offensive rebounds in the FIRST QUARTER and are still down by 7. That's strange.
10:58- Michael Ruffin enters the game. Or as I prefer to call him, The Skull. How can anyone score on him without being completely afraid? I guess Wilcox doesn't care, and he just made a hook shot over him.
10:15- Some guy named Mickael Gelabale just entered the game for the Sonics. I'm sure several hundred fans just looked at their programs in confusion.
8:57- The Wizards haven't scored this quarter, and I'm going to take a guess here, but maybe that's because neither Jamison nor Arenas are in the game. That's always a good strategy Mr. Jordan. A little less acting, a little more coaching please.
While watching another Geico commercial for the 80 millionth time, I figured it would be a good time to question how a caveman and a gecko could have such a stranglehold over the insurance commercial world.
8:22- Songalia ends the drought with a jumper from the top of the key. That's what I like to see. He's the best white Wizards player since Steve Blake. Go Darius.
6:49- The only thing funnier than watching this Gelabale guy play, as he runs over Michael Ruffin, is listening to Buchhantz and Chenier trying to pronounce his name. They're saying it like they both have a mouthful of peanut butter.
5:10- Songalia hits another jumper. Also, I know I'm not at the game, but just by listening on TV, the atmosphere at the game seems terrible. There's almost no noise and no one seems excited at all. Playing for the Sonics seems really boring.
3:18- Wilcox just threw down a slam off a rebound. That's at least 3 dunks for him so far. He's really outworking Haywood, and he's already got 10 rebounds. It would be nice to get that kind of effort on the glass from someone on the Wiz. And I think Blatche should be that guy who can do it.
I just saw a commercial for Wendy's. Now don't get me wrong, I like Wendy's every now and then, but when was the last time you actually ate there? Be honest. 1 month ago? 2 months, longer? I'm disappointed in you Wendy's. Get your act together.
2:13- Wilcox dunks again. It sure would be nice to have someone play defense. 41-40 Sonics.
1:17- The refs call a carry on Luke Ridnour. I have nothing else to add, that should be surprising enough.
:51- Buckhantz has been surprisingly normal so far in the telecast. Kind of disappointing. Arenas just hit a 3 and has 18 points. A good performance so far.
Halftime... Wizards lead 47-43 despite Wilcox going for 16 and 11 in the first half. I'll be back in 15 minutes for the second half.
Third Quarter
They keep showing replays of one of Wilcox's dunks from the first half. Just an amazing play. But would I say it's more amazing than Billy Hoyle's miraculous half-court hook shot in "White Men Can't Jump" to get Gloria onto Jeopardy? Definitely not.
10:45- Arenas hits his third 3 of the game. Pretty good. The Sonics are playing hard, but maybe it's their coach's fault. He never looks overly concerned. Maybe it's a bad sign when your coach looks like a rocket scientist or college math professor.
9:13- Arenas picks up his 3rd foul, and of course, he goes over to talk to the ref. There's no way anyone in the league annoys the referees more than Arenas does. No way.
8:52- After Haywood commits a foul, he stomps his foot like a 5 year old boy who just got told by his mother that she won't buy him a firetruck. The Wizards, always a classy team.
8:10- Arenas hits his 5th 3-pointer. Maybe he's onto something here. Anyway, I think I'm already tired of Buckhantz saying "Hibachi" and "Gilbertology." These phrases are reaching the same annoying level as "Manny being Manny." They've got to stop.
7:55- Wilcox dunks again. You'd think this was slamball or something.
7:10- I think I actually heard some fans booing after a bad call. It's good to see that they're alive.
There usually comes a time in every Wizards game where they let the other team back in the game and they either get within 3 or take the lead. I'll go ahead and make the prediction that the Wizards will still hold onto win this game. Mark it down.
5:45- Wow Lorenzo Romar was just shown to be in the stands. He's the coach of the team at the University of Washington. It looks like he stole Fonzie's leather jacket. Well done sir.
4:35- Arenas gets called for his 4th foul, but it's not like he's arguing with the refs or anything like that. He goes to the bench and seeks comfort from Darvin Ham. I mean, Michael Ruffin.
3:55- Both Collison and Wilcox have double-doubles already, and the game is tied 66-66.
3:08- In the same sequence, Wilcox grabs on offensive board and then scores on a shot where he didn't dunk. Apparently he can do it all, but only when playing against the Wizards. This is the same team that made Sergio Rodriguez look like John Stockton.
2:02- Andray Blatche comes back into the game and quickly grabs a rebound. He looks like a mix of Kevin Garnett and Bugs Bunny.
1:32- Bob Hill actually shows some emotion. Wow, he gets a T. See, the Sonics really do care.
:55- Buckhantz refers to Luke Ridnour as "amazing." It's a good thing he's not easily impressed.
:05- Blatche misses a wide open layup and the Sonics hurry to get the ball down and Wilcox hits a buzzer-beater near the free throw line. Normally I'd be surprised, but I'm a Wizards fan. Very interesting quarter...
Fourth Quarter
The Sonics are out-rebounding the Wiz 44-28 but the Wiz are still up 77-76. Should be a good quarter.
11:11- Daniels scores without falling on the ground. Good play.
9:54- Ever watch someone's home video of a rec or high school basketball game? You know how there's usually 1 or 2 people clapping in the background? That's the same feel I get from watching this game. Meanwhile, Arenas picks up his 5th foul. I'm worried.
9:23- Arenas hits his 6th 3-pointer and obviously is mad, but shockingly, Jordan leaves him in the game. I wonder what's going to happen now.
8:24- Is it just me or does Earl Watson look like one of the Mexican thugs who throw Ethan Hawke in the bathtub in "Training Day"?
This might be a good time to note that Wilcox has 23 points and 18 rebounds with 8 minutes to play. I'm shocked at how well he's playing.
7:35- Great play by Arenas- he gets fouled on the drive and still makes the layup. He makes the free throw for the 3 point play. He now has 38.
6:40- Watson drives the lane as if no one is there to stop him. I'm used to seeing this now.
6:16- Blatche gets a tip-in and is really playing hard. Wilcox also dunks again 10 seconds later. It's like someone using Shaq in NBA Live. Somehow this doesn't seem fair.
After seeing the Best Damn Sports Show commercial again for probably the fifth time, I still have no idea why John Salley is spinning around the camera. I need some answers.
5:35- Watson hits his 4th 3-pointer. The Wizards are up 98-93.
5:03- Lewis hits a 3-pointer. I have no idea why the Sonics don't play the lineup of Ridnour, Watson, Lewis, Wilcox, and Collison more often. It's obviously their best tonight. When Allen is healthy, why isn't this team better? This doesn't make sense to me. Maybe Bob Hill can come up with a math equation to make this easier to understand.
4:17- Daniels almost loses the ball but quickly calls a timeout in the corner. But he is close to the top of the league in assist to turnover ratio, and he's obviously a professional, so he can do what he wants. What a guy.
4:07- Great hustle by Blatche to grab a loose ball and then he gets tackled and loses the ball. Somehow in a scrum, the refs manage to give Seattle a timeout. How'd that happen?
3:49- In probably the best defensive sequence I've seen from the Wizards this year, Blatche blocks Lewis's shot, and then Arenas reads Watson's move and takes the ball from him.
3:39- In quality Buckhantz form, he praises the refs for calling a blocking foul instead of a charge on a play where Arenas drives to the hoop. But he's not a complete homer or anything. Not him.
3:14- I must be dreaming because it's been two great defensive series in a row for the Wiz. 100-96 Wiz.
2:48- That's more like it. Wilkins hits a wide open 3 for the Sonics.
2:20- Fans are actually cheering. It's almost like a real basketball atmosphere. This game will have a great finish.
1:30- Sonics up 1 after getting 2 offensive boards in a row. That's really the stat of the game.
1:13- Buckhantz gets amped for the first time after Jamison hits a 3. Then Lewis answers with another 3. Sonics up 1, 104-103.
:48- Arenas misses a layup. This is coming down to the wire. Need a stop, so it's not looking good.
:22- That's the Daniels I know. He's fouled pretty hard on a layup attempt and hits the ground hard. He hits the first. He makes the second- Wiz up 105-104. That's what I've been waiting for... Buckhantz tells fans to "hang onto their Chuck Taylor's." This guy is money.
Not feeling too confident about the Wizards chance to get a stop here. Should be interesting to say the least. But at least Michael Ruffin is in the game now. I feel so much better...
:14- I feel bad now. The Skull makes a great block on Rashard Lewis and the Wiz get the ball back. Sorry Mr. Ruffin. No more jokes about you today. I'm proud.
Songalia is fouled with about 14 seconds left. He hasn't been under this kind of pressure since dealing with Skip Prosser at Wake Forest.
He promptly bricks the first shot. He nails the second. Timeout Seattle. 106-104 Wiz.
:10- Ruffin called for a blocking foul. Two shots for Lewis. He hits both. Tie game.
WOW. As time expires, Arenas drives the lane and throws up a floater. I don't know how, but it managed to get in there. What a shot! Way to go Arenas.
Actually a really exciting game. Chenier was right, the team with the ball last would win the game. Good call by him.
Great win Wizards and good work Arenas. Take that Billy Hoyle...
Pre-Game
Apparently Ray Allen isn't playing because of an ankle injury, which means that the Wizards have no excuse to lose this game. And yes, by saying that, I realize that they just might lose. Great. At least I get to enjoy another quality performance from the dynamic announcing duo that is Buckhantz and Chenier. I'm hoping for at least three daggers today, so maybe I'm being optimistic. Even a backbreaker or two would be more than acceptable.
It's also a good thing that Arenas isn't doing a missed shots for schools donation program. Now that would be something.
First Quarter
10:13- Buckhantz mentions that Jarvis Hayes may have gotten hurt again. And yes, there's a shot of Hayes in his tan suit. Good to see that his ability to be injury prone isn't affecting his style.
9:06- The Wizards appear to actually be playing defense. I don't think I'm watching the same team I saw yesterday.
8:45- Nevermind. They just gave a wide open layup to Luke Ridnour. On a different note, how about Oregon? They're in the Sweet 16, Fred Jones got some minutes for the amazing Blazers yesterday and apparently now is known as "Freddy." But does anyone know where Luke Jackson is?
7:23- While Chris Wilcox is shooting two free throws, I'd probably say that he's been the most productive former Maryland basketball player this year. Where are all of the former Terps players at? Blake and Dixon have been ok this year, but Francis has really gone downhill. Weird. You can't tell me that a healthy and energetic Mike Mardesich wouldn't be able to help the Wizards. OK, maybe not.
5:33- On the same play, Damien Wilkins runs over Arenas and then Jamison. He finally gets the charge call on the 2nd. Just an amazing play by Wilkins. He's really using his head out there. He also manages to get T'd up for his actions. Quality NBA basketball. Get excited all you Sonics fans!
Does anyone watch the Best Damn Sports Show Period? What makes it so damn good anyway? I know it's not Rob Dibble or John Salley.
4:03- Great drive by Arenas. I wish he'd drive the lane more rather than settling for 3s.
2:51- Anyway, Arenas hits a 3. I must not know what I'm talking about. But he does seem more in rhythm tonight. A good sign.
:50- The Wizards are really playing well right now. They are running the offense now and getting open looks. Maybe the game last night was just a fluke. Also, I like when Songalia's on the floor. I think he can really help this team , and I'd rather have him in there than Hayes anyday. Maybe this will be the game where he gets more minutes and shows what he can do.
26-19 Wizards at the end of the 1st
Second Quarter
Somehow the Sonics get 9 offensive rebounds in the FIRST QUARTER and are still down by 7. That's strange.
10:58- Michael Ruffin enters the game. Or as I prefer to call him, The Skull. How can anyone score on him without being completely afraid? I guess Wilcox doesn't care, and he just made a hook shot over him.
10:15- Some guy named Mickael Gelabale just entered the game for the Sonics. I'm sure several hundred fans just looked at their programs in confusion.
8:57- The Wizards haven't scored this quarter, and I'm going to take a guess here, but maybe that's because neither Jamison nor Arenas are in the game. That's always a good strategy Mr. Jordan. A little less acting, a little more coaching please.
While watching another Geico commercial for the 80 millionth time, I figured it would be a good time to question how a caveman and a gecko could have such a stranglehold over the insurance commercial world.
8:22- Songalia ends the drought with a jumper from the top of the key. That's what I like to see. He's the best white Wizards player since Steve Blake. Go Darius.
6:49- The only thing funnier than watching this Gelabale guy play, as he runs over Michael Ruffin, is listening to Buchhantz and Chenier trying to pronounce his name. They're saying it like they both have a mouthful of peanut butter.
5:10- Songalia hits another jumper. Also, I know I'm not at the game, but just by listening on TV, the atmosphere at the game seems terrible. There's almost no noise and no one seems excited at all. Playing for the Sonics seems really boring.
3:18- Wilcox just threw down a slam off a rebound. That's at least 3 dunks for him so far. He's really outworking Haywood, and he's already got 10 rebounds. It would be nice to get that kind of effort on the glass from someone on the Wiz. And I think Blatche should be that guy who can do it.
I just saw a commercial for Wendy's. Now don't get me wrong, I like Wendy's every now and then, but when was the last time you actually ate there? Be honest. 1 month ago? 2 months, longer? I'm disappointed in you Wendy's. Get your act together.
2:13- Wilcox dunks again. It sure would be nice to have someone play defense. 41-40 Sonics.
1:17- The refs call a carry on Luke Ridnour. I have nothing else to add, that should be surprising enough.
:51- Buckhantz has been surprisingly normal so far in the telecast. Kind of disappointing. Arenas just hit a 3 and has 18 points. A good performance so far.
Halftime... Wizards lead 47-43 despite Wilcox going for 16 and 11 in the first half. I'll be back in 15 minutes for the second half.
Third Quarter
They keep showing replays of one of Wilcox's dunks from the first half. Just an amazing play. But would I say it's more amazing than Billy Hoyle's miraculous half-court hook shot in "White Men Can't Jump" to get Gloria onto Jeopardy? Definitely not.
10:45- Arenas hits his third 3 of the game. Pretty good. The Sonics are playing hard, but maybe it's their coach's fault. He never looks overly concerned. Maybe it's a bad sign when your coach looks like a rocket scientist or college math professor.
9:13- Arenas picks up his 3rd foul, and of course, he goes over to talk to the ref. There's no way anyone in the league annoys the referees more than Arenas does. No way.
8:52- After Haywood commits a foul, he stomps his foot like a 5 year old boy who just got told by his mother that she won't buy him a firetruck. The Wizards, always a classy team.
8:10- Arenas hits his 5th 3-pointer. Maybe he's onto something here. Anyway, I think I'm already tired of Buckhantz saying "Hibachi" and "Gilbertology." These phrases are reaching the same annoying level as "Manny being Manny." They've got to stop.
7:55- Wilcox dunks again. You'd think this was slamball or something.
7:10- I think I actually heard some fans booing after a bad call. It's good to see that they're alive.
There usually comes a time in every Wizards game where they let the other team back in the game and they either get within 3 or take the lead. I'll go ahead and make the prediction that the Wizards will still hold onto win this game. Mark it down.
5:45- Wow Lorenzo Romar was just shown to be in the stands. He's the coach of the team at the University of Washington. It looks like he stole Fonzie's leather jacket. Well done sir.
4:35- Arenas gets called for his 4th foul, but it's not like he's arguing with the refs or anything like that. He goes to the bench and seeks comfort from Darvin Ham. I mean, Michael Ruffin.
3:55- Both Collison and Wilcox have double-doubles already, and the game is tied 66-66.
3:08- In the same sequence, Wilcox grabs on offensive board and then scores on a shot where he didn't dunk. Apparently he can do it all, but only when playing against the Wizards. This is the same team that made Sergio Rodriguez look like John Stockton.
2:02- Andray Blatche comes back into the game and quickly grabs a rebound. He looks like a mix of Kevin Garnett and Bugs Bunny.
1:32- Bob Hill actually shows some emotion. Wow, he gets a T. See, the Sonics really do care.
:55- Buckhantz refers to Luke Ridnour as "amazing." It's a good thing he's not easily impressed.
:05- Blatche misses a wide open layup and the Sonics hurry to get the ball down and Wilcox hits a buzzer-beater near the free throw line. Normally I'd be surprised, but I'm a Wizards fan. Very interesting quarter...
Fourth Quarter
The Sonics are out-rebounding the Wiz 44-28 but the Wiz are still up 77-76. Should be a good quarter.
11:11- Daniels scores without falling on the ground. Good play.
9:54- Ever watch someone's home video of a rec or high school basketball game? You know how there's usually 1 or 2 people clapping in the background? That's the same feel I get from watching this game. Meanwhile, Arenas picks up his 5th foul. I'm worried.
9:23- Arenas hits his 6th 3-pointer and obviously is mad, but shockingly, Jordan leaves him in the game. I wonder what's going to happen now.
8:24- Is it just me or does Earl Watson look like one of the Mexican thugs who throw Ethan Hawke in the bathtub in "Training Day"?
This might be a good time to note that Wilcox has 23 points and 18 rebounds with 8 minutes to play. I'm shocked at how well he's playing.
7:35- Great play by Arenas- he gets fouled on the drive and still makes the layup. He makes the free throw for the 3 point play. He now has 38.
6:40- Watson drives the lane as if no one is there to stop him. I'm used to seeing this now.
6:16- Blatche gets a tip-in and is really playing hard. Wilcox also dunks again 10 seconds later. It's like someone using Shaq in NBA Live. Somehow this doesn't seem fair.
After seeing the Best Damn Sports Show commercial again for probably the fifth time, I still have no idea why John Salley is spinning around the camera. I need some answers.
5:35- Watson hits his 4th 3-pointer. The Wizards are up 98-93.
5:03- Lewis hits a 3-pointer. I have no idea why the Sonics don't play the lineup of Ridnour, Watson, Lewis, Wilcox, and Collison more often. It's obviously their best tonight. When Allen is healthy, why isn't this team better? This doesn't make sense to me. Maybe Bob Hill can come up with a math equation to make this easier to understand.
4:17- Daniels almost loses the ball but quickly calls a timeout in the corner. But he is close to the top of the league in assist to turnover ratio, and he's obviously a professional, so he can do what he wants. What a guy.
4:07- Great hustle by Blatche to grab a loose ball and then he gets tackled and loses the ball. Somehow in a scrum, the refs manage to give Seattle a timeout. How'd that happen?
3:49- In probably the best defensive sequence I've seen from the Wizards this year, Blatche blocks Lewis's shot, and then Arenas reads Watson's move and takes the ball from him.
3:39- In quality Buckhantz form, he praises the refs for calling a blocking foul instead of a charge on a play where Arenas drives to the hoop. But he's not a complete homer or anything. Not him.
3:14- I must be dreaming because it's been two great defensive series in a row for the Wiz. 100-96 Wiz.
2:48- That's more like it. Wilkins hits a wide open 3 for the Sonics.
2:20- Fans are actually cheering. It's almost like a real basketball atmosphere. This game will have a great finish.
1:30- Sonics up 1 after getting 2 offensive boards in a row. That's really the stat of the game.
1:13- Buckhantz gets amped for the first time after Jamison hits a 3. Then Lewis answers with another 3. Sonics up 1, 104-103.
:48- Arenas misses a layup. This is coming down to the wire. Need a stop, so it's not looking good.
:22- That's the Daniels I know. He's fouled pretty hard on a layup attempt and hits the ground hard. He hits the first. He makes the second- Wiz up 105-104. That's what I've been waiting for... Buckhantz tells fans to "hang onto their Chuck Taylor's." This guy is money.
Not feeling too confident about the Wizards chance to get a stop here. Should be interesting to say the least. But at least Michael Ruffin is in the game now. I feel so much better...
:14- I feel bad now. The Skull makes a great block on Rashard Lewis and the Wiz get the ball back. Sorry Mr. Ruffin. No more jokes about you today. I'm proud.
Songalia is fouled with about 14 seconds left. He hasn't been under this kind of pressure since dealing with Skip Prosser at Wake Forest.
He promptly bricks the first shot. He nails the second. Timeout Seattle. 106-104 Wiz.
:10- Ruffin called for a blocking foul. Two shots for Lewis. He hits both. Tie game.
WOW. As time expires, Arenas drives the lane and throws up a floater. I don't know how, but it managed to get in there. What a shot! Way to go Arenas.
Actually a really exciting game. Chenier was right, the team with the ball last would win the game. Good call by him.
Great win Wizards and good work Arenas. Take that Billy Hoyle...
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