December 2008
The Worst Losses in the Last Week of the NFL... →
The Dolphins are the leading candidate for a Week 17 choke this season, if only because how angry it will make America. Brett Favre victory + Patriots playoff berth = National heartbreak, especially on a day when the Dallas Cowboys might also clinch.
Doctors recommend surgery for Lakers guard Jordan... →
skeetonmischa:
If Farmar has the surgery, he’ll be out for a couple of months. The only queston that I have is this: “Is Mitch’s assistant working overtime this holiday season? Is she listening in on calls that would make her the coolest person on Club Lakers?” Okay, that’s two questions, but let’s find that new point guard, dudes. What can we get for Sasha and Vladimir?
Normally, this is the...
Yankees Ensure 2003 Pennant By Signing Every... →
The Yankees are following the same approach this offseason, now that they’ve signed Sabathia, Burnett, and now Teixeira. While they didn’t win the World Series in 2003, they did in fact ensure the pennant with those moves. I fully expect to see Andy Pettitte, Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe, Brian Fuentes, Ken Griffey, Jr., Randy Johnson, Barry Bonds, David Justice, and Tino Martinez in...
My first podcast with Lil Wayne (via espn.com) →
(via mollyknight)
First blogging, and now Weezy is podcasting. I thought that the walkup music jukebox was Molly Knight’s greatest contribution to sports fans in 2008, but her work in facilitating Lil Wayne’s blogging is a very close second. He’s got “ESPN” tattoed on his arm! That’s how seriously he’s gonna take this.
Worst of the Night, December 17, 2008 →
The best take on Corey Maggette’s illustrious Warriors career yet:
I read in the AP game notes that Maggette is still out with that strained right hamstring and that he’s played in only 16 of the Warriors’ 25 games. This reminded me of an email I recently received from Basketbawful reader Mark L, who claimed to have a new nickname for Mags: “They’ve started to call...
September predictions revisted
Rajiv: this season is gonna be really good
Omar: for the nfl?
Omar: it's going to be the cowboys killing everyone
Omar: unless mcnabb and westbrook get healthy
Rajiv: which is possible
Rajiv: giants are in the mix again
Omar: true
Omar: ok
Omar: nfc east champ wins it all.
Omar: colts and pats are down
Omar: norv turner will never win anything
Omar: maybe the broncos?
Omar: yeah
Omar: but yeah - it should be a good season
Rajiv: colts and chargers can still turn things around - chargers did this same slow start thing last season
Rajiv: bills and broncos are each at least good enough to play spoiler
Omar: but they're still coached by norv turner
:
:
Omar is still probably right about the NFC East champ; if Denver wins the Chargers-Broncos showdown next weekend, I think Rajiv owes him a beer for being such a good prognosticator.
Lincecum Wins Cy Young Award →
Old news, but it bears repeating. Lincecum is the first Giant to win since 1967, and the first Filipino-American pitcher to win a major postseason award. Lincecum’s win, followed by Manny Pacquaio’s dismantling of Oscar De La Hoya, represents the all-time high-water mark for Filipino athletics.
The Giants are ahead of the curve on this trend, promoting lefty Geno Espineli, the first...
“I can only remember bits and pieces of the game. I was psyched. I had a feeling...”
– Dock Ellis, the only pitcher in baseball history to throw a no-hitter while taking LSD, died this morning at the age of 63. I think someone tossing a no-hitter on acid is one of the 10 most amazing things that have ever happened in baseball, or on earth. (via leitch)
The Red Sox Make Me Evil
omar: beckett's health is always tenuous
sean: and lester might get cancer again
More Thoughts on Chase Daniel
Another reason that Chase Daniel is such a popular magazine subject is due to his evocative name. If a player’s first name is an action verb, that guy is going to sound exciting. If his last name is a common first name, even better. It also helps if you have the same name as an animal, or if your first name is more commonly seen as a surname. Calling your child “Chase...
Most Likely To Succeed →
Missouri QB Chase Daniel has now been the subject of two major magazine articles about the unpredictability of findinging future NFL quarterbacks. That’s probably not a good indicator of his pro prospects. Any thoughts, Vamsi?
Watchcaffeinated:
I don’t care about the analysis in this video (I didn’t actually listen to it). I want to bring up a more pressing question: has Ivan Maisel become a zombie? He sure looks way more undead than he used to. And … is this something we’re OK with? Can creatures of the night be ESPN pundits? Is that acceptable now?
I think I’d be more comfortable with it if he was paired with Holtz...
Indians rout Pirates, sweep series →
caffeinated:
Still not baseball.
idea
unnamedplayer:
a comic, with brian sabean appearing before congress, and barry zito standing behind him.
sabean is asking for bailout money.
I think the Zito contract is somewhat convenient for the Giants ownership right now. Clearly, Zito is horribly overpaid, but there is a perception that his contract is holding the team back from spending freely. It’s an onerous contract, but not...
it's official: auburn is stupid →
unnamedplayer:
so, while i totally didn’t agree with it, i could see the perspective that auburn could improve on tommy tuberville. i kind of buy the “program builders aren’t necessarily program sustainers or guys who get you to the next level” argument - i kind of thought it was applicable to monty back when he was at stanford.
that said. GENE CHIZIK!?!?!?!?!!!! 5-19 as a head coach?...
Reggie Theus fired; Dick Butkus to succeed him →
indian:
Remember Hang Time?
This was apparently a pivotal episode.
Lessons from Hang Time:
The season is over for the Kings; why not add one of the Monarchs to the squad? Julie Connor made the boys varsity team in “Hang Time”; why couldn’t Ticha Penicheiro be the 12th man player for the Kings? As an added benefit, I think the lesbian community would really rally around...
"I'm going to get you pregnant. I don't know how...
alexbalk:
Even better: “That is a scenario that can only come from someone from Buffalo’s mind.”
“Telling a guy you are mad at that you are going to get him pregnant—the ultimate act of love, some might argue—is telling him that you are pretty certain that a very intimate moment with him (in this case, um, a fighting moment?) would make you orgasm. And the ultimate impossibility...
“Dick Tidrow, a scout for the Giants, talked his way into our locker room early...”
– Ned Colletti, on Greg Maddux. More great Maddux quotes here, courtesy Alex Carnevale.
Box Score - Game 1, 1989 NLCS →
Game 1 of the Cubs-Giants National League Championship Series is my favorite game that Greg Maddux ever pitched. (Of course, I’m a Giants fan.) Maddux gave up eight runs in four innings, including two home runs to Will Clark, the second one a grand slam.
There was no shame in that, as no one could get Clark out in that series, even the great Maddux, who went 19-12 that year. ...
Greg Maddux Discusses LASIK Surgery →
Midway through the 1999 season, Greg Maddux got LASIK surgery on his eyes. Many pitchers would justify the procedure as helping their baseball skills. Maddux didn’t bother.
SI: How has the surgery affected your pitching?
Maddux: I don’t believe for one second that the eye surgery has helped me on the mound. I don’t believe that for one second. I think it’s helped me...
More on Defense and Championships
this conversation is based upon my distaste for playing defense, and vamsi's quote / sean's reblog:
Vamsi: peanus = offense, vagina = defense
Sean: defense wins championships
------------------------------------
Rajiv: so
Rajiv: about how you don't play defense
Rajiv: are you trying to tell us all something?
me: ........
me: i don't even know what sean means there
Rajiv: yeah neither do I
Rajiv: but
me: i don't have a vagina?
Rajiv: no, I don't think he's saying that
me: i'm perfectly fine with playing against defense
Rajiv: just
me: i just don't like being on defense
Rajiv: ....
me: penetrating the defense
me: sure
me: that's an offensive move
Rajiv: there ya go
me: shooting over the defense
me: works fine too
Rajiv: hahahahaha
me: but when you're on defense
me: and you ahve to stare at offense
me: that's no good
Rajiv: getting past the defense to get into the backfield?
me: yeah, you always want to play in the defensive secondary
me: but you can't get there on every play
Rajiv: sharing the ball with 4 other dudes to try to beat the defense
me: ...
me: taking the handoff and playing straight ahead into the teeth of the defense?
Rajiv: overpowering the defense at the line and imposing your will
Rajiv: (taking the handoff is good)
Rajiv: avoiding turnovers?
me: yes
Rajiv: how do you feel about the new schemes designed to spread the defense?
Rajiv: they allow you to score more, but you use less clock
me: true
me: i think this is worth tumbling
:
SportsCentr comment:
1. The spread is revolutionary
2. Switching sports, taking it hard to the hole is another effective offensive move.
3. A good defense will dictate what you can do on offense. Much a like Bill Belichick-coached team, the most effective vagina will control the tempo, and take away what the peanus wants to do.
4. Even the best defense is vulnerable when you go long.
5. While offensive weapons get more hype, quality defense invariably comes out on top.
“peanus = offense, vagina = defense”
– vamsi adusumilli (via unnamedplayer)
Defense wins championships.
(via seankeane)
“peanus = offense, vagina = defense”
– vamsi adusumilli (via unnamedplayer)
Florida vs. Oklahoma in the BCS Championship
Can we start referring to this matchup as the Trail Of Tears Bowl?
Watching the Eagles
The Eagles dominated the Giants today, making them 7-5-1, and ensuring that Philadelphiaans will be tormented until the very end of the season, when the Eagles barely miss the playoffs. While the 49ers are terrible, they aren’t particularly stressful to fans, as they are safely out of playoff contention by Halloween. The Eagles are much worse to root for. They’re often dominant, but...
Barry Zito's Nasty Hook →
Video and analysis from Zito’s former pitching coach Rick Peterson, who thinks that Zito has a confidence problem. So far, the only Zito-related “nasty hook” is when Bruce Bochy yanks Barry from the game, when he can’t make it through the sixth inning. Again.
Plaxico Burress Accidentally Shoots Himself in the... →
Plax brought a gun to a nightclub, and accidentally shot himself with it. You might ask, Why wasn’t the safety on? Have you watched the New York Giants play before? A safety can’t defend Plaxico Burress!