Some quick hits and analysis from week 12 of the NFL.
First things first, my fan level for Andre Johnson climbed a few notches yesterday. Way to get the helmet off and deliver some quality punches. He wasn't on skates, but that's not bad.
I find the first couple of paragraphs here hilarious. I'm also very curious as to what will come out of this new video taping scandal. Though I refuse to use the suffix "gate" to describe it. The apple doesn't fall far from the coaching tree.
It's pretty obvious DeSean Jackson still has the hit he received against Atlanta on his mind. He alligator-armed a potential TD against the Bears yesterday. That has to be difficult to get back to going over the middle. Only human to be a little leery of that situation still. Might take an offseason to feel comfortable with that again.
There is a proper way to still make that catch and protect yourself at the same time though. A speedster like him will learn the subtleties of body positioning with experience. If he turns his body while catching it, he may take a hit, but not to the head. I'm sure his coaches will address that with him.
And the late, great, comedian George Carlin would really appreciate the candor of Stevie Johnson of the Buffalo Bills.
From his twitter feed @steviejohnson13 shortly after dropping what would have been a wide-open, TD reception against the Steelers in OT. "I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO..."
George Carlin wrote and performed these lines, "Can’t we silence these Christian athletes who thank Jesus whenever they win and never mention his name when they lose? You never hear them say, 'Jesus made me drop the ball' or, 'The good Lord tripped me up behind the line of scrimmage.'" Hilarious. Way to break the mold Stevie!
Today Johnson addressed the quote on twitter with the tweet of, "And No I Did Not Blame God People! Seriously??!? CMon! I Simply Cried Out And Asked Why? Jus Like yal did wen sumthin went wrong n ur life!"
I'll say this young man, I've learned to not ask why God would do anything to me, or how he could allow it to happen. It is what it is, and as it should be. Look it in.
http://twitter.com/Timfitz76
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Raiders Offense Will Go As Far As O-Line Takes Them
The changes the Oakland Raiders made in the offseason have gotten a lot of attention from the media and fans.
They traded for quarterback Jason Campbell, ditched Jamarcus Russell, completely re-tooled the defensive front seven, and hired a new offensive coordinator in Hue Jackson.
But the Raiders offensive line remained rather stagnant, and it deserves major scrutiny.
All five current starters on the line were with the team last season. Two mid-round draft picks, two free-agent rookies, a second year free agent, and one veteran back up were added to the roster.
None of those players are expected to be plugged into the lineup for the season opener. They are here to provide depth, or are talented projects who will most likely need some time before they are ready to start.
Last season the Raiders finished 21st in rushing yards gained, and allowed the third most sacks in the NFL. That's a bad combo. Though no Russell should help bring the sack total down.
Most offenses go as far as their offensive line takes them. Only one playoff team from 2009 finished in the bottom half of the league in both rushing yards and sacks allowed. That team was the first-round knockout, Philadelphia Eagles.
The Raiders certainly lack the offensive weapons the 2009 Eagles had, and definitely didn't pressure the QB or force turnovers like them.
It's great to have a new quarterback who can complete almost 65 percent of his passes, and who has had his completion percentage increase each of the past three seasons. The Raiders haven't had a QB start all 16 games and complete over 60 percent of his passes since Rich Gannon in 2002.
But if he can't stay upright, it will be hard for him to complete many passes. Campbell had to deal with poor protection in Washington, which affected his accuracy on down field throws, and it may follow him here.
Let's look at the top eight offensive linemen and what they bring to the table.
Mario Henderson - LT
Hederson came on strong in 2008 after getting out of former head coach Lane Kiffin's dog house. He parlayed that strong finish into an opportunity to start in 2009.
He had a great training camp, which re-assured the coaching staff he could be the starting left tackle. There wasn't much competition to fend off however after Kalif Barnes fractured his foot.
Since becoming the full-time left tackle, Henderson has been inconsistent. His lack of focus appears on the field at times, as he will just flat out miss a pass rusher going by him. Other times he gets in trouble by not moving his feet or leaning too far forward.
Mel Kiper's knock on him coming out of Florida State was that he was very athletic and a great physical specimen, but hadn't put it all together yet. You know, Al Davis' type of guy.
Without being inside the Raiders' facility every day, it's hard to know how that lack of focus or motivation manifests itself. Does he watch as much film as he should? Is he studious when watching the film? Or has he just gotten comfortable knowing there's not much competition for his spot?
Whatever the problem may be, he's shown flashes of great play, is very talented, and is still a young player. The Raiders need him to play more consistently, as left tackle is the most critical to pass protection. Hopefully rookie Jared Veldheer or Barnes can put some pressure on him to play better.
Robert Gallery - LG
It's been a long, strange journey for Gallery as an Oakland Raider. Not that it hasn't been strange for most long-tenured Raiders, but Gallery's has been exceptionally turbulent.
After being considered a bust as the second-overall pick of the 2004 NFL draft at left and right tackle, Gallery has settled into being the team's starting left guard, and its top offensive lineman. He many not be quick enough to play tackle in the NFL, but he is for a guard and is definitely strong enough to handle interior lineman.
Gallery missed 10 contests last season, and tried to play through other games banged up. When he went down, a lot of o-line shuffling occurred and the Raiders offensive-line struggles were magnified.
The Raiders need Gallery to be on the field or they can expect to struggle offensively again.
Samson Satele - C
The Raiders acquired Satele from the Miami Dolphins in 2009 for a fourth and sixth round draft pick, after the Dolphins signed former Raider center Jake Grove in free agency.
The knock on Satele in Miami was that he couldn't handle blocking the big interior lineman of the NFL. Most reviews said he wasn't able to push them, and they could push him.
Well, that evaluation has been true of his time as a Raider too. Satele and the Raiders attributed his problems with moving big lineman to a shoulder injury he suffered in 2008. He had his torn labrum fixed before coming over to the Raiders. One would expect his shoulder to still be weak just months removed from a procedure like that, and he also missed time with a calf injury last season.
However in the preseason opener against Dallas, we saw the same problems again. Satele had trouble pushing the Cowboys lineman backwards on run plays, and would get shoved into the backfield in pass protection. Too often we saw him looking backwards as the player he was blocking made a tackle.
If Satele can't handle the rigors of center in the NFL, he may find himself replaced by young-veteran Chris Morris or rookie Jered Veldheer.
Cooper Carlilse - RG
Former Denver Bronco Cooper Carlisle is the type of lineman Cable, then the offensive line coach, wanted for his zone blocking scheme when he was hired by Kiffin.
Yes, it felt gross mentioning the Broncos and Kiffin in the same sentence.
Carlisle is quick, pulls well, and gets down field. He's light for a modern NFL guard, as he is listed at 295 lbs. Unlike Satele, he is able to push lineman down field on run plays or at least do a good job of turning them to create a seal and an alley to run through. (Picture Vince Lombardi at the chalk board)
But like Satele, he gets pushed backwards by big interior lineman on pass plays. So Carlisle grades out as pretty average. He's steady if unspectacular, fits the system well, and is durable.
The Raiders will hang on to him until his pass-blocking becomes a major liability or they find a top-flight guard or younger player with a higher upside to replace him.
Langston Walker - RT
Where do I begin? First, let's address the obvious question most Raider fans have regarding Walker.
Why is he still here?
Is he back to be our designated field-goal blocker?
What seemed to be just an injury- necessitated, in-season signing last season with a familiar player, turned into a resigning and a starting spot for the 2010 season. I don't get it.
He was deemed not good enough to be resigned after the 2006 season, which he wasn't, and went to Buffalo. He was released by the Bills after two-and-a-half seasons, and was picked up by the Raiders when multiple lineman went down with injuries last year.
Langston is big and strong, but that's about it. He is not mobile enough for offensive tackle or to be in the Raiders zone blocking scheme. And he commits far too many penalties.
My good friend and Raiders season ticket holder, Todd Fournoy, refers to Walker as, "The Stuart Schweigert of the offensive line." As you can imagine, he didn't like Stuart Schweigert.
Walker is obviously someone Davis likes, and is a former second round pick out of Cal Berkeley in 2002.
Even with being a Davis favorite, I don't expect him to remain in the starting line up throughout the season due to his poor play. He could be replaced by Veldheer, Barnes, Henderson if he is moved from left tackle, or several street free agents and UFL players looking for NFL jobs.
Jared Veldheer - T/C
The rookie's name has been mentioned a few times in this article already. Veldheer was drafted in the third round out of football powerhouse, Hillsdale college. I assume it's somewhere near the mall.
Even though he is from a small school in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, he is a big guy with big-time talent. We've already heard from Jerry McDonald that he has done well in one-on-one passing drills and plays from scrimmage.
At 6'8" and 315 lbs, he fits the bill to play tackle in the NFL. He is very athletic for his size and seems to be a bright guy, as he is picking up two positions rather quickly.
He didn't just play well against his small school's competition in college, he dominated it. His progress will determine if the Raiders can move one of their problematic, weaker lineman to the bench and replace them with the more talented Veldheer this season.
Bruce Campbell - G/T
Campbell is a Davis type of guy as well. He's big, fast, strong, was a workout warrior, and has a lot of potential. Many draft "experts" expected Davis to take him in the first round. Instead the Raiders took him in the fourth.
Like Veldheer, the Raiders are having Campbell learn two positions to increase his versatility. He's had good moments and bad moments so far in camp. But overall, you can see the potential due to his athletic ability.
He was banged up in his junior season at Maryland, playing in nine games, but only finishing seven of them. He's still raw and inexperienced and will probably take two to three years to develop. But his upside makes him worth keeping an eye on, and keeping hope for him to improve the Raiders o-line down the road.
Chris Morris - C/G
A seventh round draft pick of the Raiders in 2006 out of Michigan State, Morris is versatile and steady, and started 10 games last season after only starting once in his previous three seasons.
It's unclear if Morris can be a starter in the NFL. He did okay filling in for various injured Raiders offensive lineman. He was the starting center for a stretch last year, filling in for Satele while his shoulder was still weak and had an injured calf, and then played guard after Gallery was injured.
He played better than Satele for while last season, and is pressuring him again for playing time. He's best suited for center, is still only 27 years old, and has only started 11 games in his career.
Satele makes more money than Morris, so the Raiders have to start the season with the depth chart at center as it is now. But If Satele continues to get pushed into the backfield, Morris could get another shot to be the Raiders starting center and should hang on to the job this time.
So there they are. The Raiders top eight. One potential pro-bowl caliber guard, and a lot of question marks.
The young Raider lineman are the unknown variables in the offensive line equation. Their progress determines if the Raiders have to stay with the veterans if they struggle and how much the Raiders o-line as a whole can improve from within.
It's important to have skill and speed, but without time or running lanes to use the speed, it's all for naught. The Raiders will have to rely on quick-hitting plays, rather than their beloved deep ball if the offensive line doesn't improve.
If it doesn't improve, the quarterback turnstile, and losing records, will continue.
They traded for quarterback Jason Campbell, ditched Jamarcus Russell, completely re-tooled the defensive front seven, and hired a new offensive coordinator in Hue Jackson.
But the Raiders offensive line remained rather stagnant, and it deserves major scrutiny.
All five current starters on the line were with the team last season. Two mid-round draft picks, two free-agent rookies, a second year free agent, and one veteran back up were added to the roster.
None of those players are expected to be plugged into the lineup for the season opener. They are here to provide depth, or are talented projects who will most likely need some time before they are ready to start.
Last season the Raiders finished 21st in rushing yards gained, and allowed the third most sacks in the NFL. That's a bad combo. Though no Russell should help bring the sack total down.
Most offenses go as far as their offensive line takes them. Only one playoff team from 2009 finished in the bottom half of the league in both rushing yards and sacks allowed. That team was the first-round knockout, Philadelphia Eagles.
The Raiders certainly lack the offensive weapons the 2009 Eagles had, and definitely didn't pressure the QB or force turnovers like them.
It's great to have a new quarterback who can complete almost 65 percent of his passes, and who has had his completion percentage increase each of the past three seasons. The Raiders haven't had a QB start all 16 games and complete over 60 percent of his passes since Rich Gannon in 2002.
But if he can't stay upright, it will be hard for him to complete many passes. Campbell had to deal with poor protection in Washington, which affected his accuracy on down field throws, and it may follow him here.
Let's look at the top eight offensive linemen and what they bring to the table.
Mario Henderson - LT
Hederson came on strong in 2008 after getting out of former head coach Lane Kiffin's dog house. He parlayed that strong finish into an opportunity to start in 2009.
He had a great training camp, which re-assured the coaching staff he could be the starting left tackle. There wasn't much competition to fend off however after Kalif Barnes fractured his foot.
Since becoming the full-time left tackle, Henderson has been inconsistent. His lack of focus appears on the field at times, as he will just flat out miss a pass rusher going by him. Other times he gets in trouble by not moving his feet or leaning too far forward.
Mel Kiper's knock on him coming out of Florida State was that he was very athletic and a great physical specimen, but hadn't put it all together yet. You know, Al Davis' type of guy.
Without being inside the Raiders' facility every day, it's hard to know how that lack of focus or motivation manifests itself. Does he watch as much film as he should? Is he studious when watching the film? Or has he just gotten comfortable knowing there's not much competition for his spot?
Whatever the problem may be, he's shown flashes of great play, is very talented, and is still a young player. The Raiders need him to play more consistently, as left tackle is the most critical to pass protection. Hopefully rookie Jared Veldheer or Barnes can put some pressure on him to play better.
Robert Gallery - LG
It's been a long, strange journey for Gallery as an Oakland Raider. Not that it hasn't been strange for most long-tenured Raiders, but Gallery's has been exceptionally turbulent.
After being considered a bust as the second-overall pick of the 2004 NFL draft at left and right tackle, Gallery has settled into being the team's starting left guard, and its top offensive lineman. He many not be quick enough to play tackle in the NFL, but he is for a guard and is definitely strong enough to handle interior lineman.
Gallery missed 10 contests last season, and tried to play through other games banged up. When he went down, a lot of o-line shuffling occurred and the Raiders offensive-line struggles were magnified.
The Raiders need Gallery to be on the field or they can expect to struggle offensively again.
Samson Satele - C
The Raiders acquired Satele from the Miami Dolphins in 2009 for a fourth and sixth round draft pick, after the Dolphins signed former Raider center Jake Grove in free agency.
The knock on Satele in Miami was that he couldn't handle blocking the big interior lineman of the NFL. Most reviews said he wasn't able to push them, and they could push him.
Well, that evaluation has been true of his time as a Raider too. Satele and the Raiders attributed his problems with moving big lineman to a shoulder injury he suffered in 2008. He had his torn labrum fixed before coming over to the Raiders. One would expect his shoulder to still be weak just months removed from a procedure like that, and he also missed time with a calf injury last season.
However in the preseason opener against Dallas, we saw the same problems again. Satele had trouble pushing the Cowboys lineman backwards on run plays, and would get shoved into the backfield in pass protection. Too often we saw him looking backwards as the player he was blocking made a tackle.
If Satele can't handle the rigors of center in the NFL, he may find himself replaced by young-veteran Chris Morris or rookie Jered Veldheer.
Cooper Carlilse - RG
Former Denver Bronco Cooper Carlisle is the type of lineman Cable, then the offensive line coach, wanted for his zone blocking scheme when he was hired by Kiffin.
Yes, it felt gross mentioning the Broncos and Kiffin in the same sentence.
Carlisle is quick, pulls well, and gets down field. He's light for a modern NFL guard, as he is listed at 295 lbs. Unlike Satele, he is able to push lineman down field on run plays or at least do a good job of turning them to create a seal and an alley to run through. (Picture Vince Lombardi at the chalk board)
But like Satele, he gets pushed backwards by big interior lineman on pass plays. So Carlisle grades out as pretty average. He's steady if unspectacular, fits the system well, and is durable.
The Raiders will hang on to him until his pass-blocking becomes a major liability or they find a top-flight guard or younger player with a higher upside to replace him.
Langston Walker - RT
Where do I begin? First, let's address the obvious question most Raider fans have regarding Walker.
Why is he still here?
Is he back to be our designated field-goal blocker?
What seemed to be just an injury- necessitated, in-season signing last season with a familiar player, turned into a resigning and a starting spot for the 2010 season. I don't get it.
He was deemed not good enough to be resigned after the 2006 season, which he wasn't, and went to Buffalo. He was released by the Bills after two-and-a-half seasons, and was picked up by the Raiders when multiple lineman went down with injuries last year.
Langston is big and strong, but that's about it. He is not mobile enough for offensive tackle or to be in the Raiders zone blocking scheme. And he commits far too many penalties.
My good friend and Raiders season ticket holder, Todd Fournoy, refers to Walker as, "The Stuart Schweigert of the offensive line." As you can imagine, he didn't like Stuart Schweigert.
Walker is obviously someone Davis likes, and is a former second round pick out of Cal Berkeley in 2002.
Even with being a Davis favorite, I don't expect him to remain in the starting line up throughout the season due to his poor play. He could be replaced by Veldheer, Barnes, Henderson if he is moved from left tackle, or several street free agents and UFL players looking for NFL jobs.
Jared Veldheer - T/C
The rookie's name has been mentioned a few times in this article already. Veldheer was drafted in the third round out of football powerhouse, Hillsdale college. I assume it's somewhere near the mall.
Even though he is from a small school in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, he is a big guy with big-time talent. We've already heard from Jerry McDonald that he has done well in one-on-one passing drills and plays from scrimmage.
At 6'8" and 315 lbs, he fits the bill to play tackle in the NFL. He is very athletic for his size and seems to be a bright guy, as he is picking up two positions rather quickly.
He didn't just play well against his small school's competition in college, he dominated it. His progress will determine if the Raiders can move one of their problematic, weaker lineman to the bench and replace them with the more talented Veldheer this season.
Bruce Campbell - G/T
Campbell is a Davis type of guy as well. He's big, fast, strong, was a workout warrior, and has a lot of potential. Many draft "experts" expected Davis to take him in the first round. Instead the Raiders took him in the fourth.
Like Veldheer, the Raiders are having Campbell learn two positions to increase his versatility. He's had good moments and bad moments so far in camp. But overall, you can see the potential due to his athletic ability.
He was banged up in his junior season at Maryland, playing in nine games, but only finishing seven of them. He's still raw and inexperienced and will probably take two to three years to develop. But his upside makes him worth keeping an eye on, and keeping hope for him to improve the Raiders o-line down the road.
Chris Morris - C/G
A seventh round draft pick of the Raiders in 2006 out of Michigan State, Morris is versatile and steady, and started 10 games last season after only starting once in his previous three seasons.
It's unclear if Morris can be a starter in the NFL. He did okay filling in for various injured Raiders offensive lineman. He was the starting center for a stretch last year, filling in for Satele while his shoulder was still weak and had an injured calf, and then played guard after Gallery was injured.
He played better than Satele for while last season, and is pressuring him again for playing time. He's best suited for center, is still only 27 years old, and has only started 11 games in his career.
Satele makes more money than Morris, so the Raiders have to start the season with the depth chart at center as it is now. But If Satele continues to get pushed into the backfield, Morris could get another shot to be the Raiders starting center and should hang on to the job this time.
So there they are. The Raiders top eight. One potential pro-bowl caliber guard, and a lot of question marks.
The young Raider lineman are the unknown variables in the offensive line equation. Their progress determines if the Raiders have to stay with the veterans if they struggle and how much the Raiders o-line as a whole can improve from within.
It's important to have skill and speed, but without time or running lanes to use the speed, it's all for naught. The Raiders will have to rely on quick-hitting plays, rather than their beloved deep ball if the offensive line doesn't improve.
If it doesn't improve, the quarterback turnstile, and losing records, will continue.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Why Have African Americans Disappeared From Baseball?
Today all of Major League Baseball honors Jackie Robinson. But African Americans currently make up less than 10 percent of MLB rosters.
With any phenomenon in our society, people wonder why it has occurred and share their theories.
Some Black players feel they are still unfairly discriminated against. Torii Hunter recently said he felt MLB GMs weren't making an effort to sign Black players, because Latino players were easier to control.
Hunter would later say his comments were distorted, but it's hard to find a context in his entire statement that makes it seem like that wasn't his point.
Orlando Hudson recently commented that he felt African-American free agents were being excluded while lesser players of other ethnicities were being signed.
But if you look around MLB's free agent list, you'll see players of all races out of work due to Baseball's, and the entire country's, economic situation.
Even if these players' theories are a little off base or lack some proof, their frustration is visible, and understandable. They love baseball, and it pains them to not see their own as involved as they used to be.
But when one steps back, takes out the emotions involved, and looks analytically at the lack of Black players, there are tangible factors that have lead to their reduced percentage of rosters.
The basic socioeconomic issues that affect African Americans in the United States play a major factor.
There are a lot of empty lots and fields in most urban areas of the U.S. with high Black populations. If you have a group of friends and a football, game on.
Same with a park with a hoop. You have a few friends and a basketball, game on.
Baseball, however requires gloves, bats, and balls to be played properly with enough players to cover at least half a field. It's not as easy to put together a baseball game for poor black kids.
Now you may say that poor Latino kids can scrap together a game with sticks and rocks. That's true. But that's a reflection of cultural changes involving baseball's popularity.
Latin countries have their football as well. But baseball is at least number two in most Latin countries, and sometimes still the favorite sport depending on which country you're in.
Where as in the U.S., baseball is probably the third most popular sport, especially for African Americans, depending on what city you're in.
Football and basketball have passed baseball in popularity for Blacks. Not only is that a reflection of the pace of the game not being as satisfying to today's youths' short attention spans, but again the socioeconomic factors play a part.
For a poor Black kid from a rough part of town, spending a few seasons in the minors doesn't sound as cool as playing collegiate ball on a scholarship, and playing in the big leagues right away.
But frustrated African American players, like Hunter and Hudson, do have a point. Major League Baseball didn't do enough for the past couple decades to get Black kids involved in youth baseball.
Several teams have built clinics in Latin countries, and make a concerted effort to recruit Latino players.
Recently baseball has made an effort to fund RBI leagues and other youth leagues in inner cities, but for a long time it was missing. And even now it doesn't seem like the same effort is being made as it is in other Latino or mixed-race communities.
But it all has to start at the top. There are no Black owners in baseball. There is one Black GM, and two Black managers.
People hire who they know and are close with. Whether it be the owner hiring the GM, the GM hiring the manager and players, or the Manager hiring his assistants, who could became mangers down the road.
Until real change is made at the top, we won't see it below. But our sports leagues are a reflection of the country as a whole. Until things even out for African Americans in the rest of the business world, it won't change in baseball.
I hope inroads can be made in baseball for African Americans. I grew up a big fan of Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee and Vince Coleman, and believe in equality for all.
If I could play Branch Rickey today, I would.
With any phenomenon in our society, people wonder why it has occurred and share their theories.
Some Black players feel they are still unfairly discriminated against. Torii Hunter recently said he felt MLB GMs weren't making an effort to sign Black players, because Latino players were easier to control.
Hunter would later say his comments were distorted, but it's hard to find a context in his entire statement that makes it seem like that wasn't his point.
Orlando Hudson recently commented that he felt African-American free agents were being excluded while lesser players of other ethnicities were being signed.
But if you look around MLB's free agent list, you'll see players of all races out of work due to Baseball's, and the entire country's, economic situation.
Even if these players' theories are a little off base or lack some proof, their frustration is visible, and understandable. They love baseball, and it pains them to not see their own as involved as they used to be.
But when one steps back, takes out the emotions involved, and looks analytically at the lack of Black players, there are tangible factors that have lead to their reduced percentage of rosters.
The basic socioeconomic issues that affect African Americans in the United States play a major factor.
There are a lot of empty lots and fields in most urban areas of the U.S. with high Black populations. If you have a group of friends and a football, game on.
Same with a park with a hoop. You have a few friends and a basketball, game on.
Baseball, however requires gloves, bats, and balls to be played properly with enough players to cover at least half a field. It's not as easy to put together a baseball game for poor black kids.
Now you may say that poor Latino kids can scrap together a game with sticks and rocks. That's true. But that's a reflection of cultural changes involving baseball's popularity.
Latin countries have their football as well. But baseball is at least number two in most Latin countries, and sometimes still the favorite sport depending on which country you're in.
Where as in the U.S., baseball is probably the third most popular sport, especially for African Americans, depending on what city you're in.
Football and basketball have passed baseball in popularity for Blacks. Not only is that a reflection of the pace of the game not being as satisfying to today's youths' short attention spans, but again the socioeconomic factors play a part.
For a poor Black kid from a rough part of town, spending a few seasons in the minors doesn't sound as cool as playing collegiate ball on a scholarship, and playing in the big leagues right away.
But frustrated African American players, like Hunter and Hudson, do have a point. Major League Baseball didn't do enough for the past couple decades to get Black kids involved in youth baseball.
Several teams have built clinics in Latin countries, and make a concerted effort to recruit Latino players.
Recently baseball has made an effort to fund RBI leagues and other youth leagues in inner cities, but for a long time it was missing. And even now it doesn't seem like the same effort is being made as it is in other Latino or mixed-race communities.
But it all has to start at the top. There are no Black owners in baseball. There is one Black GM, and two Black managers.
People hire who they know and are close with. Whether it be the owner hiring the GM, the GM hiring the manager and players, or the Manager hiring his assistants, who could became mangers down the road.
Until real change is made at the top, we won't see it below. But our sports leagues are a reflection of the country as a whole. Until things even out for African Americans in the rest of the business world, it won't change in baseball.
I hope inroads can be made in baseball for African Americans. I grew up a big fan of Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee and Vince Coleman, and believe in equality for all.
If I could play Branch Rickey today, I would.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Chicago Blackhawks Are Where the St. Louis Blues Want to Be
The Blackhawks are the NHL’s Central Division Champs and the second seed in the Western Conference.
The Blues are fourth in the Central Division and 10th in the Western Conference. They officially had their playoffs hopes dashed last night, as Colorado clinched a spot with a shootout win in Vancouver.
The Blackhawks are further along in their rebuilding process and thus higher in the standings.
Of course, the Blackhawks had only made the playoffs once since the 1997-98 season until last year. After being playoff regulars for the better part of the previous 40 years, their last appearance in the postseason since a 1996-97 run was in 2001-02, where they lost in the first round to the Blues.
So that absence from postseason play will certainly help put them ahead of schedule of the Blues' rebuilding efforts, who were playoff regulars up until the lockout.
Hey, I couldn’t give the Blackhawks props like this without a backhanded compliment or two.
But the Blackhawks have done a good job with that head start. They have drafted very well. Their top picks have not just turned into quality players on their roster, but have surpassed that to become certified NHL stars.
The first pick of the 2007 draft, Patrick Kane, weaves through defenses, deking and dangling. He can set up his teammates or put the biscuit in the basket himself. He is currently ninth in the NHL in points with 85, averaging 1.08 points per game.
The third overall pick of the 2006 draft, Jonathan Toews, is the Blackhawks’ captain and has 65 points in 73 games, good for .89 points per game.
Defenseman Duncan Keith, a second round pick in 2002, has 66 points in 79 games.
Along with top-line offensive stars, the Blackhawks have drafted solid second-line guys and defensive players, such as Troy Brouwer or Brent Seabrook.
The highest a homegrown St. Louis Blue appears on the NHL’s points leader board is T.J. Oshie, with 46 points in 75 games. Andy McDonald leads the Blues with 52, followed by Alex Steen’s 47. Both of those players were acquired by trades.
Which brings us to the Blackhawks' player acquisitions via trade. Players like Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, and Andrew Ladd have panned out for the ‘Hawks.
The Blackhawks can make some of these moves due to their big-market budget—which brings us to their free agent acquisitions. It would be unfair to compare the Blues to this aspect of the Blackhawks’ rebuilding effort.
The biggest contracts the ‘Hawks doled out came after last season’s run to the Western conference finals, so technically, they are post-rebuild and are now part of a big market team’s strategy to win it all.
Even once the Blues do establish themselves as a playoff contender again, you won't see any 12-year, $62.8 million contracts like the one the Blackhawks gave Marian Hossa, nor an eight-year year contract worth $7 million a year like the one given to defenseman Brian Campbell.
But they’ve gotten what they paid for from those pricey free agents, whereas the Blues have gotten injuries from Paul Kariya and bought out the final year of Jay McKee’s four-year deal.
With being further along in rebuilding the team comes being further along in some young veterans' first or second contracts. This will lead to some difficult decisions for the Blackhawks this summer.
They re-upped Duncan Keith this past December with a 13-year, $72 million contract. But Chicago won’t be able to keep all of their young talent with contracts expiring soon, and you can expect some offer sheets to come from other teams.
The Blues wouldn’t mind having that problem eventually. It would most likely mean the Blues’ young players have climbed to a level in performance that commands that type of contract.
But the Blues will certainly welcome some contracts coming off their payroll this year and some budget space to go after some free agents. Perhaps they’ll spend it on some Chicago cap casualties.
To top it all off, the Blackhawks are very well coached. Too bad the Blues didn’t have an offensive mind like Joel Quenneville as their head coach. What NHL owner would fire that guy?
The blueprint is there to follow for the Blues. If they want to be a perennial playoff contender again, all they have to do is look across the ice at tonight’s opponent and upward in the standings.
The Blues are fourth in the Central Division and 10th in the Western Conference. They officially had their playoffs hopes dashed last night, as Colorado clinched a spot with a shootout win in Vancouver.
The Blackhawks are further along in their rebuilding process and thus higher in the standings.
Of course, the Blackhawks had only made the playoffs once since the 1997-98 season until last year. After being playoff regulars for the better part of the previous 40 years, their last appearance in the postseason since a 1996-97 run was in 2001-02, where they lost in the first round to the Blues.
So that absence from postseason play will certainly help put them ahead of schedule of the Blues' rebuilding efforts, who were playoff regulars up until the lockout.
Hey, I couldn’t give the Blackhawks props like this without a backhanded compliment or two.
But the Blackhawks have done a good job with that head start. They have drafted very well. Their top picks have not just turned into quality players on their roster, but have surpassed that to become certified NHL stars.
The first pick of the 2007 draft, Patrick Kane, weaves through defenses, deking and dangling. He can set up his teammates or put the biscuit in the basket himself. He is currently ninth in the NHL in points with 85, averaging 1.08 points per game.
The third overall pick of the 2006 draft, Jonathan Toews, is the Blackhawks’ captain and has 65 points in 73 games, good for .89 points per game.
Defenseman Duncan Keith, a second round pick in 2002, has 66 points in 79 games.
Along with top-line offensive stars, the Blackhawks have drafted solid second-line guys and defensive players, such as Troy Brouwer or Brent Seabrook.
The highest a homegrown St. Louis Blue appears on the NHL’s points leader board is T.J. Oshie, with 46 points in 75 games. Andy McDonald leads the Blues with 52, followed by Alex Steen’s 47. Both of those players were acquired by trades.
Which brings us to the Blackhawks' player acquisitions via trade. Players like Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, and Andrew Ladd have panned out for the ‘Hawks.
The Blackhawks can make some of these moves due to their big-market budget—which brings us to their free agent acquisitions. It would be unfair to compare the Blues to this aspect of the Blackhawks’ rebuilding effort.
The biggest contracts the ‘Hawks doled out came after last season’s run to the Western conference finals, so technically, they are post-rebuild and are now part of a big market team’s strategy to win it all.
Even once the Blues do establish themselves as a playoff contender again, you won't see any 12-year, $62.8 million contracts like the one the Blackhawks gave Marian Hossa, nor an eight-year year contract worth $7 million a year like the one given to defenseman Brian Campbell.
But they’ve gotten what they paid for from those pricey free agents, whereas the Blues have gotten injuries from Paul Kariya and bought out the final year of Jay McKee’s four-year deal.
With being further along in rebuilding the team comes being further along in some young veterans' first or second contracts. This will lead to some difficult decisions for the Blackhawks this summer.
They re-upped Duncan Keith this past December with a 13-year, $72 million contract. But Chicago won’t be able to keep all of their young talent with contracts expiring soon, and you can expect some offer sheets to come from other teams.
The Blues wouldn’t mind having that problem eventually. It would most likely mean the Blues’ young players have climbed to a level in performance that commands that type of contract.
But the Blues will certainly welcome some contracts coming off their payroll this year and some budget space to go after some free agents. Perhaps they’ll spend it on some Chicago cap casualties.
To top it all off, the Blackhawks are very well coached. Too bad the Blues didn’t have an offensive mind like Joel Quenneville as their head coach. What NHL owner would fire that guy?
The blueprint is there to follow for the Blues. If they want to be a perennial playoff contender again, all they have to do is look across the ice at tonight’s opponent and upward in the standings.
Reality Sets In: The St. Louis Blues Are Done
At least we’re no longer in limbo, Blues fans. We know the Blues aren’t making the playoffs.
Maybe it’s best to press the reset button anyway, and wash away the problems of this season, though I’d like to think a postseason would have done that as well.
It will be good to put all of the the issues that plagued this team into the past: The blown third-period leads, the awful home record, the goal-scoring struggles, the tentativeness, hesitancy, and poor decision making, the sophomore slumps and down years, and the losses in game two of back-to-backs.
This team is definitely aptly named beyond St. Louis’ rich tradition in Blues music. I have been feeling blue since Sunday.
Every St. Louis Blues season has an ending, obviously. Historically, every Blues postseason has ended in a loss for our cup-less franchise. Since the lockout, every regular season has been over before the schedule was finished, outside of last year.
My emotional and logical sides have agreed that this season is done. I’ll still be pulling for a miracle. I hope they win every last game and somehow sneak into the eighth seed. And of course I want to at least see a strong finish to carry into next season.
I took a little trip back to St. Louis for a wedding and my birthday a little over a week ago, and I had hoped to be reveling in St. Louis Blues fever.
I had hoped to make a bold prediction after the Colorado game, that the Blues would be playoff-bound. In my opening I said, “I was putting all my chips on the table,” and predicting the Blues were making the postseason.
I had to scrap that for writing an obituary after that home loss to the Avalanche. Last year’s finish wouldn’t be duplicated, though the Blues tried the same pattern.
But then I held off on writing them off. Wins in New York and New Jersey reignited my optimism. So I’ve had a couple of different drafts ready to go as the Blues held us in limbo.
The blown 2-1 lead at home against the Nashville Predators on Sunday officially put the fork in them.
They never got as hot as last year’s team, and several players had a drop in production. I’m of the theory that last season’s team overachieved, and that it really is still a developing franchise.
There’s a lot to look forward to with the Blues, at least. Patrik Berglund, Brad Boyes, and Paul Kariya all played much better in the second half of the season. Perhaps there’s still a spot for them on this team next year, including Kariya.
David Backes has grown into the leader that fans, management, and his teammates thought he would. T.J. Oshie is going to be an All Star someday. Erik Johnson recovered from his knee injury to look very much worth the first overall pick of 2006.
There are two good veteran options in goal. If the Blues can’t keep Chris Mason, they could elevate Ty Conklin and have one of the franchise’s younger goaltenders back him up.
The blue line is deep, and Roman Polak has turned into a solid defenseman. If the Blues are looking to move Eric Brewer, there’s one less year on his contract, making it that much easier.
The Blues were smart to leave the interim tag on Davis Payne, just so they can still look around at who’s available in the offseason. They would probably remove “interim” from his title if the Blues make the playoffs, and he does seem like a good fit for this team, but at least the Blues can still see who’s out there.
Last year’s playoff push gave everyone involved with the Blues false hopes this season, including the Blues themselves. The players felt they could repeat last season’s feat without an improved effort or more focus.
The coaching change brought some improvement in player attitudes and strategy, even though the gain in wins was minimal. But that wasn’t quite enough to spark this team and improve its consistency.
Fans, media, and management also had lofty expectations after last season's frantic finish to the sixth seed in the Western Conference. But we’ve learned this team isn’t ready to put together back-to-back playoff seasons.
There’s some solace in knowing they’re not a playoff team this year, even though it’s not the closure I wanted. It's like getting a break-up over or receiving word from your doctor about a test.
I’m feeling blue like the rest of you Blues fans, but at least now our hearts can move on and management can focus on improving this team in the offseason. Spring is here; it’s time to breath new life into the franchise.
Maybe it’s best to press the reset button anyway, and wash away the problems of this season, though I’d like to think a postseason would have done that as well.
It will be good to put all of the the issues that plagued this team into the past: The blown third-period leads, the awful home record, the goal-scoring struggles, the tentativeness, hesitancy, and poor decision making, the sophomore slumps and down years, and the losses in game two of back-to-backs.
This team is definitely aptly named beyond St. Louis’ rich tradition in Blues music. I have been feeling blue since Sunday.
Every St. Louis Blues season has an ending, obviously. Historically, every Blues postseason has ended in a loss for our cup-less franchise. Since the lockout, every regular season has been over before the schedule was finished, outside of last year.
My emotional and logical sides have agreed that this season is done. I’ll still be pulling for a miracle. I hope they win every last game and somehow sneak into the eighth seed. And of course I want to at least see a strong finish to carry into next season.
I took a little trip back to St. Louis for a wedding and my birthday a little over a week ago, and I had hoped to be reveling in St. Louis Blues fever.
I had hoped to make a bold prediction after the Colorado game, that the Blues would be playoff-bound. In my opening I said, “I was putting all my chips on the table,” and predicting the Blues were making the postseason.
I had to scrap that for writing an obituary after that home loss to the Avalanche. Last year’s finish wouldn’t be duplicated, though the Blues tried the same pattern.
But then I held off on writing them off. Wins in New York and New Jersey reignited my optimism. So I’ve had a couple of different drafts ready to go as the Blues held us in limbo.
The blown 2-1 lead at home against the Nashville Predators on Sunday officially put the fork in them.
They never got as hot as last year’s team, and several players had a drop in production. I’m of the theory that last season’s team overachieved, and that it really is still a developing franchise.
There’s a lot to look forward to with the Blues, at least. Patrik Berglund, Brad Boyes, and Paul Kariya all played much better in the second half of the season. Perhaps there’s still a spot for them on this team next year, including Kariya.
David Backes has grown into the leader that fans, management, and his teammates thought he would. T.J. Oshie is going to be an All Star someday. Erik Johnson recovered from his knee injury to look very much worth the first overall pick of 2006.
There are two good veteran options in goal. If the Blues can’t keep Chris Mason, they could elevate Ty Conklin and have one of the franchise’s younger goaltenders back him up.
The blue line is deep, and Roman Polak has turned into a solid defenseman. If the Blues are looking to move Eric Brewer, there’s one less year on his contract, making it that much easier.
The Blues were smart to leave the interim tag on Davis Payne, just so they can still look around at who’s available in the offseason. They would probably remove “interim” from his title if the Blues make the playoffs, and he does seem like a good fit for this team, but at least the Blues can still see who’s out there.
Last year’s playoff push gave everyone involved with the Blues false hopes this season, including the Blues themselves. The players felt they could repeat last season’s feat without an improved effort or more focus.
The coaching change brought some improvement in player attitudes and strategy, even though the gain in wins was minimal. But that wasn’t quite enough to spark this team and improve its consistency.
Fans, media, and management also had lofty expectations after last season's frantic finish to the sixth seed in the Western Conference. But we’ve learned this team isn’t ready to put together back-to-back playoff seasons.
There’s some solace in knowing they’re not a playoff team this year, even though it’s not the closure I wanted. It's like getting a break-up over or receiving word from your doctor about a test.
I’m feeling blue like the rest of you Blues fans, but at least now our hearts can move on and management can focus on improving this team in the offseason. Spring is here; it’s time to breath new life into the franchise.
Mark McGwire: The Prodigal Son
There's nothing wrong with forgiving Mark McGwire and moving on.
Many media members and former players climbed on their moral high horses to condemn Mark McGwire after his admission of taking steroids.
I figure I might as well offer my own morality-based retort of why Cardinal Nations is willing to forgive him, and move on to the 2010 season.
Regardless of your faith, as I definitely want to be all-inclusive here, there's a parable in the Gospel of Luke that is applicable to the Mark McGwire situation.
Even if you don't believe that Jesus was a deity, which is fine, there's still some good life lessons according to the Gospel authors that the man, Jesus of Nazareth, was trying to convey.
I lost my religion over 15 years ago. But in looking at the Gospels simply as books with some life lessons, you can see the parallels. I'm specifically referring to Luke, Chapter 15, verses 11-24, the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
There's a similar story in Buddhism in Saddharmapundarika (Lotus) Sutra 4. If anyone knows of a similar one in Judaism, Islam, Hindu, etc, please mention it in the comments. It's a story that has been re-told in countless plays, movies and songs.
The story of the Prodigal Son is also referred to as the Parable of the Lost Son. Prodigal probably best describes the father's forgiving, overly generous nature rather than the son's wayward behavior. Either way, it's about forgiveness.
According to Biblical Scholars, the Pharisees were powerful Jewish leaders and referred to as the "interpreters." Many of them had criticized Jesus for taking in sinners and associating with them. They're the sports media in relation to McGwire, especially those with a hall of fame vote.
Jesus told this parable as a response to those accusations. Jesus and the father of the lost son symbolize Cardinal Nation today, from upper management and Tony LaRussa, to long-time fans.
The story is about the younger of two sons, demanding his inheritance early and running off, wastefully burning through the money his father had given him.
Mark McGwire and other players from the steroid era parallel the lost son. They took a shortcut and rushed to fame, money, numbers, and records without thinking of the consequences.
The son was lost and without his family or his fortune. McGwire left his baseball family and became reclusive, disconnecting from baseball until he began privately tutoring hitters who sought his instruction.
Eventually the son decided to come back. He tearfully admitted his mistakes and asked for forgiveness. The father forgave him and welcomed him back. In Jesus' parable, the father clothes the lost son, and throws a feast in his honor.
However, when the eldest son hears of his younger brother's return and his father's celebration, he is very upset. He is disgusted that his brother wasted his inheritance and lived a sinful life, but is still welcomed back with open arms. This obviously parallels the reaction of many retired players, including Jack Clark.
But the father responds, "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found."
I've read several articles, blogs, and comments condemning Cardinal fans for cheering Mark McGwire. But these are Cardinal fans we're talking about. Though other markets may tire of hearing what a special group of fans they are, it's real.
While I think it was wrong to boo Jack Clark, it shows how Cardinal fans treat the Redbirds as family. Family may get upset with one another and show displeasure, whether it be with McGwire or Clark, but they also will love and forgive.
So as spring training gets under way, don't be surprised if Cards fans continue to cheer McGwire and Tony LaRussa continues to support him.
If Yankee fans can forgive A-Rod and Dodger fans can forgive Manny—two players who still took steroids after an actual testing program was being put in place—Cardinal fans and management should be allowed to forgive McGwire and move on.
And if McGwire doesn't feel steroids helped him hit home runs, that's fine. Most athletes who succeed have supreme confidence in their abilities. We can disagree with him on that, and still forgive him and move on.
Because he didn't say exactly what sport writers wanted we can't forgive him and move on? Wouldn't that have devalued his admission of using steroids if he'd have used an even more cookie-cutter set of apologies to appease us? I guess he should have mentioned how "loosey-goosey" baseball was a few times.
And lastly if Hall of Fame Voters want to keep McGwire out because he was a one-dimensional power hitter, or feel his numbers are exaggerated due to his steroid use, that's fine.
But spare us the moral superiority, and be careful up there on that high horse. It's long way down from the top. Just ask Mark McGwire, that is if he'll talk to you anymore.
Many media members and former players climbed on their moral high horses to condemn Mark McGwire after his admission of taking steroids.
I figure I might as well offer my own morality-based retort of why Cardinal Nations is willing to forgive him, and move on to the 2010 season.
Regardless of your faith, as I definitely want to be all-inclusive here, there's a parable in the Gospel of Luke that is applicable to the Mark McGwire situation.
Even if you don't believe that Jesus was a deity, which is fine, there's still some good life lessons according to the Gospel authors that the man, Jesus of Nazareth, was trying to convey.
I lost my religion over 15 years ago. But in looking at the Gospels simply as books with some life lessons, you can see the parallels. I'm specifically referring to Luke, Chapter 15, verses 11-24, the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
There's a similar story in Buddhism in Saddharmapundarika (Lotus) Sutra 4. If anyone knows of a similar one in Judaism, Islam, Hindu, etc, please mention it in the comments. It's a story that has been re-told in countless plays, movies and songs.
The story of the Prodigal Son is also referred to as the Parable of the Lost Son. Prodigal probably best describes the father's forgiving, overly generous nature rather than the son's wayward behavior. Either way, it's about forgiveness.
According to Biblical Scholars, the Pharisees were powerful Jewish leaders and referred to as the "interpreters." Many of them had criticized Jesus for taking in sinners and associating with them. They're the sports media in relation to McGwire, especially those with a hall of fame vote.
Jesus told this parable as a response to those accusations. Jesus and the father of the lost son symbolize Cardinal Nation today, from upper management and Tony LaRussa, to long-time fans.
The story is about the younger of two sons, demanding his inheritance early and running off, wastefully burning through the money his father had given him.
Mark McGwire and other players from the steroid era parallel the lost son. They took a shortcut and rushed to fame, money, numbers, and records without thinking of the consequences.
The son was lost and without his family or his fortune. McGwire left his baseball family and became reclusive, disconnecting from baseball until he began privately tutoring hitters who sought his instruction.
Eventually the son decided to come back. He tearfully admitted his mistakes and asked for forgiveness. The father forgave him and welcomed him back. In Jesus' parable, the father clothes the lost son, and throws a feast in his honor.
However, when the eldest son hears of his younger brother's return and his father's celebration, he is very upset. He is disgusted that his brother wasted his inheritance and lived a sinful life, but is still welcomed back with open arms. This obviously parallels the reaction of many retired players, including Jack Clark.
But the father responds, "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found."
I've read several articles, blogs, and comments condemning Cardinal fans for cheering Mark McGwire. But these are Cardinal fans we're talking about. Though other markets may tire of hearing what a special group of fans they are, it's real.
While I think it was wrong to boo Jack Clark, it shows how Cardinal fans treat the Redbirds as family. Family may get upset with one another and show displeasure, whether it be with McGwire or Clark, but they also will love and forgive.
So as spring training gets under way, don't be surprised if Cards fans continue to cheer McGwire and Tony LaRussa continues to support him.
If Yankee fans can forgive A-Rod and Dodger fans can forgive Manny—two players who still took steroids after an actual testing program was being put in place—Cardinal fans and management should be allowed to forgive McGwire and move on.
And if McGwire doesn't feel steroids helped him hit home runs, that's fine. Most athletes who succeed have supreme confidence in their abilities. We can disagree with him on that, and still forgive him and move on.
Because he didn't say exactly what sport writers wanted we can't forgive him and move on? Wouldn't that have devalued his admission of using steroids if he'd have used an even more cookie-cutter set of apologies to appease us? I guess he should have mentioned how "loosey-goosey" baseball was a few times.
And lastly if Hall of Fame Voters want to keep McGwire out because he was a one-dimensional power hitter, or feel his numbers are exaggerated due to his steroid use, that's fine.
But spare us the moral superiority, and be careful up there on that high horse. It's long way down from the top. Just ask Mark McGwire, that is if he'll talk to you anymore.
St. Louis Blues Struggle in Back-to-Back Games, Hindering Playoff Push
Playing back-to-back games is as much a part of the NHL as the Zamboni machine. They're inevitable with an 82-game season and multi-purpose arenas.
About 25 percent of the NHL's road games are the second half of a back-to-back. This season there is an increase due to the Olympic break.
The Blues will play 17 sets of back-to-back games this season, compared to 14 in 2008-09 and 12 in 2007-08. The Blues have played 11 of those sets as of Feb 9. They will play the second game of a back-to-back tonight at home against Detroit.
The Blues are 25-25-9 overall after last night's ugly loss in Denver. In the first game of a back-to-back, the Blues are 8-3-2. In the second game they are 3-7-2.
One of those three wins was in Sweden against the Detroit Red Wings. That was the second game of the season when Detroit was still working in new parts.
The other two wins were against the Edmonton Oilers, the worst team in the league and a "soft touch" at any point on anyone's schedule. One of those wins against the Oilers was a 7-2 blowout against rookie fill-in goalie Devan Dubnyk.
On average, NHL teams win the second game just under 40 percent of the time. But teams in the playoff hunt find a way to win more of them than they lose.
For example, the division leading Chicago Blackhawks will play 19 sets of back-to-back games before the season ends. So far they are 10-1-2 in the second game of a back-to-back.
The Red Wings are ninth in the Western conference and will have 13 sets of back-to-back games this season. So far they are 5-3-1 in the second game.
It's hard to pinpoint why the Blues struggle to win games on consecutive nights. Playing back-to-back games requires a good goaltending tandem, and the Blues certainly have that. The problem seems to be an amplification of their flaws on normal rest.
Their inability to close out games has led to coughed up leads. Many of the Blues' young players are still adapting to back-to-back games and the length of a grueling NHL season. Collegiate, junior, and European hockey leagues play half as many games.
The Blues' offensive woes this season would certainly be amplified by the physical fatigue of playing games on consecutive nights. The mental fatigue could amplify the hesitation and uncertainty they often display.
They've been turnover prone as well, losing focus at the worst times.
The Blues have six more sets of back-to-back games left this season. If they want to have any shot at the playoffs, they will have focus and conquer their fatigue to buck this trend.
About 25 percent of the NHL's road games are the second half of a back-to-back. This season there is an increase due to the Olympic break.
The Blues will play 17 sets of back-to-back games this season, compared to 14 in 2008-09 and 12 in 2007-08. The Blues have played 11 of those sets as of Feb 9. They will play the second game of a back-to-back tonight at home against Detroit.
The Blues are 25-25-9 overall after last night's ugly loss in Denver. In the first game of a back-to-back, the Blues are 8-3-2. In the second game they are 3-7-2.
One of those three wins was in Sweden against the Detroit Red Wings. That was the second game of the season when Detroit was still working in new parts.
The other two wins were against the Edmonton Oilers, the worst team in the league and a "soft touch" at any point on anyone's schedule. One of those wins against the Oilers was a 7-2 blowout against rookie fill-in goalie Devan Dubnyk.
On average, NHL teams win the second game just under 40 percent of the time. But teams in the playoff hunt find a way to win more of them than they lose.
For example, the division leading Chicago Blackhawks will play 19 sets of back-to-back games before the season ends. So far they are 10-1-2 in the second game of a back-to-back.
The Red Wings are ninth in the Western conference and will have 13 sets of back-to-back games this season. So far they are 5-3-1 in the second game.
It's hard to pinpoint why the Blues struggle to win games on consecutive nights. Playing back-to-back games requires a good goaltending tandem, and the Blues certainly have that. The problem seems to be an amplification of their flaws on normal rest.
Their inability to close out games has led to coughed up leads. Many of the Blues' young players are still adapting to back-to-back games and the length of a grueling NHL season. Collegiate, junior, and European hockey leagues play half as many games.
The Blues' offensive woes this season would certainly be amplified by the physical fatigue of playing games on consecutive nights. The mental fatigue could amplify the hesitation and uncertainty they often display.
They've been turnover prone as well, losing focus at the worst times.
The Blues have six more sets of back-to-back games left this season. If they want to have any shot at the playoffs, they will have focus and conquer their fatigue to buck this trend.
Oakland Raiders: Media Fueling Tom Cable Speculation
Does the national and local sports media really expect the Oakland Raiders to hold a press conference to confirm that they're retaining Head Coach Tom Cable?
Do they want Al Davis to give the dreaded "vote of confidence" for a guy who's under contract for 2010? Does the media need a press release confirming or refuting this speculation, so they can pontificate about what a bad decision it is?
I can tell you, we fans aren't overly concerned with it. The only reason the fans I've spoken with had any concern over whether or not Cable would be fired was that the media told them it was going to happen.
They saw the ESPN scroll that came out immediately after the season saying Al Davis was, "inclined to fire Head Coach Tom Cable." Which might be the most vague and worthless ESPN bottom-line scroll I've ever read.
He's "inclined" to fire Cable? What the hell does that mean? That's a headline you would put up as news, oh mighty, world-wide leader in sports?
I'm inclined to slap Joe Lieberman in the face and eat cereal all day. It doesn't mean I'm going to do it, though.
What's next after running with inclinations? Will ESPN start covering whims? Will their next hot lead be based on what an NFL owner is fancying at the moment?
The mainstream sports media and blogs have assumed there was a rift between Davis and Cable over the benching of JaMarcus Russell. They've assumed Davis would fire Cable after another losing season, and they've assumed Davis was interviewing other head coaches.
Sure, Davis has fired coaches after one season before. But we've known about the special set of circumstances it takes to get Davis to fire a coach after one season.
We know Al Davis is a "player's owner." He takes care of his athletes and puts them first. We know players have gone over the coach's head and come to him in the past with concerns.
Mike White, Joe Bugel, and Art Shell (Part Deux) all lost their player's confidence and thus Davis' as well. Tom Cable still has strong support from his players.
The only coaches exempt from this would be Lane Kiffin and Mike Shanahan. We've learned enough about Kiffin, though, to realize Davis most likely had legitimate reasons to fire him. And Davis and Shanahan had major philosophical and monetary differences.
Raider fans saw the speculations of local scribes that Cable's benching of, and comments about, JaMarcus Russell must be irritating Al Davis. Is this based on the comments by Davis that Lane Kiffin didn't want Russell?
Those comments came before Russell had such terrible performances on the field. Davis' first concern is winning, after all. Even he knows his young QB could benefit from sitting and watching.
And Raider fans figured Davis must be ready to fire Cable due to his legal issues and spousal-abuse accusations. Why? Because the media told them Davis would.
Why are media members still surprised by the way Al Davis operates? Is it still a story? Or does the "Raider way" allow for the creation of stories?
Due to the Silver and Black's secretive style, journalists appear to fill in the blanks or make assumptions based on the past. Don't get me wrong, it's smart to cite precedent when trying to look into the future. But let's not have a blanket approach.
Of course Davis will interview and hire his head coach's assistants. This is news? He does at least give a heads up to the head coach, or informs any non-Kiffin head coach, of a pool of assistants he's looking into so they can have some input.
And yes, Davis talks to current or retired head coaches he's close to for ideas. Is this the first time the national and local media have covered this occurrence?
We've had denials from Jim Harbaugh, Marc Trestman and Jim Fassel that they were contacted about being the head coach, and yet this story persists.
Yes, I would prefer it if Davis and the Raiders were less secretive. It's an out dated way of operating (much like their scouting). I'd prefer it if Davis gave his coaches more autonomy and hired a GM.
But I don't view the Raiders how they should be, or write about what I think they should do. I don't remark how odd they are in comparison to other NFL franchises or expect them operate like other teams.
I'm familiar with how Al Davis operates, and I view the Raiders realistically. I don't just make it up when I don't get the story I assume is there to begin with. After all these years of covering Al Davis' Raiders, you'd think the media would understand that too.
But that doesn't sell as well, does it?
Do they want Al Davis to give the dreaded "vote of confidence" for a guy who's under contract for 2010? Does the media need a press release confirming or refuting this speculation, so they can pontificate about what a bad decision it is?
I can tell you, we fans aren't overly concerned with it. The only reason the fans I've spoken with had any concern over whether or not Cable would be fired was that the media told them it was going to happen.
They saw the ESPN scroll that came out immediately after the season saying Al Davis was, "inclined to fire Head Coach Tom Cable." Which might be the most vague and worthless ESPN bottom-line scroll I've ever read.
He's "inclined" to fire Cable? What the hell does that mean? That's a headline you would put up as news, oh mighty, world-wide leader in sports?
I'm inclined to slap Joe Lieberman in the face and eat cereal all day. It doesn't mean I'm going to do it, though.
What's next after running with inclinations? Will ESPN start covering whims? Will their next hot lead be based on what an NFL owner is fancying at the moment?
The mainstream sports media and blogs have assumed there was a rift between Davis and Cable over the benching of JaMarcus Russell. They've assumed Davis would fire Cable after another losing season, and they've assumed Davis was interviewing other head coaches.
Sure, Davis has fired coaches after one season before. But we've known about the special set of circumstances it takes to get Davis to fire a coach after one season.
We know Al Davis is a "player's owner." He takes care of his athletes and puts them first. We know players have gone over the coach's head and come to him in the past with concerns.
Mike White, Joe Bugel, and Art Shell (Part Deux) all lost their player's confidence and thus Davis' as well. Tom Cable still has strong support from his players.
The only coaches exempt from this would be Lane Kiffin and Mike Shanahan. We've learned enough about Kiffin, though, to realize Davis most likely had legitimate reasons to fire him. And Davis and Shanahan had major philosophical and monetary differences.
Raider fans saw the speculations of local scribes that Cable's benching of, and comments about, JaMarcus Russell must be irritating Al Davis. Is this based on the comments by Davis that Lane Kiffin didn't want Russell?
Those comments came before Russell had such terrible performances on the field. Davis' first concern is winning, after all. Even he knows his young QB could benefit from sitting and watching.
And Raider fans figured Davis must be ready to fire Cable due to his legal issues and spousal-abuse accusations. Why? Because the media told them Davis would.
Why are media members still surprised by the way Al Davis operates? Is it still a story? Or does the "Raider way" allow for the creation of stories?
Due to the Silver and Black's secretive style, journalists appear to fill in the blanks or make assumptions based on the past. Don't get me wrong, it's smart to cite precedent when trying to look into the future. But let's not have a blanket approach.
Of course Davis will interview and hire his head coach's assistants. This is news? He does at least give a heads up to the head coach, or informs any non-Kiffin head coach, of a pool of assistants he's looking into so they can have some input.
And yes, Davis talks to current or retired head coaches he's close to for ideas. Is this the first time the national and local media have covered this occurrence?
We've had denials from Jim Harbaugh, Marc Trestman and Jim Fassel that they were contacted about being the head coach, and yet this story persists.
Yes, I would prefer it if Davis and the Raiders were less secretive. It's an out dated way of operating (much like their scouting). I'd prefer it if Davis gave his coaches more autonomy and hired a GM.
But I don't view the Raiders how they should be, or write about what I think they should do. I don't remark how odd they are in comparison to other NFL franchises or expect them operate like other teams.
I'm familiar with how Al Davis operates, and I view the Raiders realistically. I don't just make it up when I don't get the story I assume is there to begin with. After all these years of covering Al Davis' Raiders, you'd think the media would understand that too.
But that doesn't sell as well, does it?
Al Davis, Raiders Sink To New Low in Response To Gannon
As the House of Usher that is the Oakland Raiders continues to crumble from within, we occasionally get a little peek at the madness. Al Davis is surrounded by yes men and women who continue to tell him how great and right on track he is. They also tell him he doesn't need advice from his former players, so they can continue to have his ear. They keep him walled in, paranoid of the intentions of those outside Raider headquarters.
Former Raider quarterback, and 2002 MVP, Rich Gannon recently reached out to Al Davis to offer his help in tutoring JaMarcus Russell. Gannon wasn't the most talented QB and had the opposite career path from Russell. As Gannon went through the workout process before being drafted, a few teams wanted to convert him to defensive back.
Gannon had to make himself a good QB through film study, fine tuning his technique, and understanding a game plan. He had to learn everything he could from his team's other QBs and the coaching staff.
The Raiders responded to Gannon's offer through team executive John Herrera. From the Oakland Tribune :
"It's Rich that needs the help," Raiders senior executive John Herrera said. "When he goes on a radio show offering Mr. Davis help, Tom Cable help, the Raiders help, maybe it's Rich that needs the help."
What the hell does that even mean? That doesn't even fit as a response. It's like in Dodgeball when Ben Stiller's character responds with "touche" at a completely inappropriate time. Sounds like John Herrera basically just said, "I know you are, but what am I?" or "I'm not a towel, you're a towel." Are they trying to say he's desperate for work?
So this is how you treat the last QB to take you to the playoffs? In previous verbal spats through the media with Rich Gannon, Herrera and the Raiders have said, "He seems to be a guy who can’t get over the fact that he played the worst Super Bowl in the history of the game and he wants to blame everybody but himself. I guess it’s our fault he threw five interceptions.”
That was back in late September when the Raiders tried to get him banned from the facility. They felt his criticism of the Raiders was out of spite rather than concern.
But you know what? Gannon should blame the Raiders and Al Davis for his poor performance in the Super Bowl. He had to face his old coach, who knew everything Gannon was going to do, and who Davis traded away less than a year earlier after Gruden refused to sign the contract Davis altered.
According to Jerry McDonald, Gruden and his agent were ready to sign a new three-year extension (all the negotiating was done) but it was obvious Davis had made changes to it at the last minute when they received the final version. The compromise was supposed to be that Davis would control the draft and free agency while getting Gruden's input, and Gruden would control the final 53-man roster, his coaching staff and get about $3.5 mil per year.
In the final draft, Davis had taken back the control of the final 53-man roster and the coaching staff, and had back loaded a large chunk of the money. And that began the end of his relationship with Gruden. And although Gruden's assistant Bill Callahan would take the Raiders to the Super Bowl with Gruden's players and game plan, that renege by Davis would truly begin the decline the Raiders are still in.
And thus the House of Usher/Davis continues to crumble.
"But evil things, in robes of sorrow,
Assailed the monarch's high estate;
Ah, let us mourn, for never morrow
Shall dawn upon him, desolate!
And, round about his home, the glory
That blushed and bloomed
Is but a dim-remembered story
Of the old time entombed. " -- Edgar Allen Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher
Former Raider quarterback, and 2002 MVP, Rich Gannon recently reached out to Al Davis to offer his help in tutoring JaMarcus Russell. Gannon wasn't the most talented QB and had the opposite career path from Russell. As Gannon went through the workout process before being drafted, a few teams wanted to convert him to defensive back.
Gannon had to make himself a good QB through film study, fine tuning his technique, and understanding a game plan. He had to learn everything he could from his team's other QBs and the coaching staff.
The Raiders responded to Gannon's offer through team executive John Herrera. From the Oakland Tribune :
"It's Rich that needs the help," Raiders senior executive John Herrera said. "When he goes on a radio show offering Mr. Davis help, Tom Cable help, the Raiders help, maybe it's Rich that needs the help."
What the hell does that even mean? That doesn't even fit as a response. It's like in Dodgeball when Ben Stiller's character responds with "touche" at a completely inappropriate time. Sounds like John Herrera basically just said, "I know you are, but what am I?" or "I'm not a towel, you're a towel." Are they trying to say he's desperate for work?
So this is how you treat the last QB to take you to the playoffs? In previous verbal spats through the media with Rich Gannon, Herrera and the Raiders have said, "He seems to be a guy who can’t get over the fact that he played the worst Super Bowl in the history of the game and he wants to blame everybody but himself. I guess it’s our fault he threw five interceptions.”
That was back in late September when the Raiders tried to get him banned from the facility. They felt his criticism of the Raiders was out of spite rather than concern.
But you know what? Gannon should blame the Raiders and Al Davis for his poor performance in the Super Bowl. He had to face his old coach, who knew everything Gannon was going to do, and who Davis traded away less than a year earlier after Gruden refused to sign the contract Davis altered.
According to Jerry McDonald, Gruden and his agent were ready to sign a new three-year extension (all the negotiating was done) but it was obvious Davis had made changes to it at the last minute when they received the final version. The compromise was supposed to be that Davis would control the draft and free agency while getting Gruden's input, and Gruden would control the final 53-man roster, his coaching staff and get about $3.5 mil per year.
In the final draft, Davis had taken back the control of the final 53-man roster and the coaching staff, and had back loaded a large chunk of the money. And that began the end of his relationship with Gruden. And although Gruden's assistant Bill Callahan would take the Raiders to the Super Bowl with Gruden's players and game plan, that renege by Davis would truly begin the decline the Raiders are still in.
And thus the House of Usher/Davis continues to crumble.
"But evil things, in robes of sorrow,
Assailed the monarch's high estate;
Ah, let us mourn, for never morrow
Shall dawn upon him, desolate!
And, round about his home, the glory
That blushed and bloomed
Is but a dim-remembered story
Of the old time entombed. " -- Edgar Allen Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher
St. Louis Cardinals' Contracts of Six-Plus Years Have Been a Success
A big deal has been made about the length of Matt Holliday's contract. There's certainly a risk that his production could decline after age 35 or that a big injury will hit him. But this is something the current Cardinals ownership and management have done when they want to lock down a player to be part of their core.
They've done it with Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, Albert Pujols, and technically, Chris Carpenter. The Cards added five years with an option to the one year with an option remaining on his previous deal.
That's a pretty good track record so far. All of those guys were injured to varying degrees, which comes with the territory of signing someone to a long-term deal. But when healthy, they all have been very productive players, all stars, Cy Young winners and MVPs or MVP candidates.
Some have said the Cards fell for Boras' "mystery team" and bid against themselves. There was a concern for the Cards that Boras would hold out for a short-term, high salary deal. But the Cardinals made their offer and then Boras shopped that around. No one was willing to match.
The Cards added a few years to lock down their guy and to get the process over with so they can fill the rest of their roster. St. Louis doesn't have a $200+ million payroll where they can add pieces to their team, and then if they still feel like it; add a $120 million deal later on.
It's also the nature of free agency. No one's worth that much, but teams spend a little more to land their guy (DeRosa, Lackey, Cameron, Burnett, Burrell etc.) And Holliday turned down $18 million a year with the Rockies before being put on the trade block, so his annual salary is just right considering that and the current market.
I'm not worried about being able to resign Pujos either. He'll be happy with $25 million a year, we'll keep promoting from the farm and new Busch will be paid off soon. Albert's main concern is not money. He's already got a contract paying him deferred money till 2029. Seriously.
I know we keep thinking one contract has to top the next, but inflation can't last forever. Bubbles burst when you keep inflating. I think Pujols wanting $30 million a year isn't going to happen, and he'll re-up after this season before ever hitting the market.
Sure, things could change.
He may want to top A-Rod or want a contract like Mauer will get since this will probably be Pujols' last contract. But after about 10 years of following this guy religiously, it just doesn't seem like his M.O.
I think he'll be happy to top Texeria by a little bit and trade some cash for all the other perks staying in St. Louis can offer him.
Be happy Cardinal fans. Jeff Luhnow and co. will restock the farm, which isn't as bare as Keith Law would have you believe. The Cardinals are trying to win it all and build off of last year's division championship for several years to come.
They've done it with Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, Albert Pujols, and technically, Chris Carpenter. The Cards added five years with an option to the one year with an option remaining on his previous deal.
That's a pretty good track record so far. All of those guys were injured to varying degrees, which comes with the territory of signing someone to a long-term deal. But when healthy, they all have been very productive players, all stars, Cy Young winners and MVPs or MVP candidates.
Some have said the Cards fell for Boras' "mystery team" and bid against themselves. There was a concern for the Cards that Boras would hold out for a short-term, high salary deal. But the Cardinals made their offer and then Boras shopped that around. No one was willing to match.
The Cards added a few years to lock down their guy and to get the process over with so they can fill the rest of their roster. St. Louis doesn't have a $200+ million payroll where they can add pieces to their team, and then if they still feel like it; add a $120 million deal later on.
It's also the nature of free agency. No one's worth that much, but teams spend a little more to land their guy (DeRosa, Lackey, Cameron, Burnett, Burrell etc.) And Holliday turned down $18 million a year with the Rockies before being put on the trade block, so his annual salary is just right considering that and the current market.
I'm not worried about being able to resign Pujos either. He'll be happy with $25 million a year, we'll keep promoting from the farm and new Busch will be paid off soon. Albert's main concern is not money. He's already got a contract paying him deferred money till 2029. Seriously.
I know we keep thinking one contract has to top the next, but inflation can't last forever. Bubbles burst when you keep inflating. I think Pujols wanting $30 million a year isn't going to happen, and he'll re-up after this season before ever hitting the market.
Sure, things could change.
He may want to top A-Rod or want a contract like Mauer will get since this will probably be Pujols' last contract. But after about 10 years of following this guy religiously, it just doesn't seem like his M.O.
I think he'll be happy to top Texeria by a little bit and trade some cash for all the other perks staying in St. Louis can offer him.
Be happy Cardinal fans. Jeff Luhnow and co. will restock the farm, which isn't as bare as Keith Law would have you believe. The Cardinals are trying to win it all and build off of last year's division championship for several years to come.
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