Now....to Zip Rzeppa for some news from the world of sports...
Auburn University is AWESOME! Especially if you don't want to....er....graduate. And are pretty good at football. (Thanks to deadspin.com)
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If Danny Ainge trades for AI, I am going to hold my breath until I turn blue. Then I am gonna cry. And then I'm gonna get really really mad!
AI is the next Human Highlight Film (10 years too late), Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe (pro, not college), Bob fucking McAdoo, Dino Radja (once he became expensive), X (despite his best efforts), take your pick of too old too selfish talent that the C's have taken on in their (usually) glorious history. AI is, at 31 and still those same 150 lbs, would be an $18m/year mistake.
Now that the C's have signed PP for the next 3 years, the only way to acquire AI is to dump a lot of salary. Like Wally, Big Al (for his talent, not salary), Ratliff, and some other bodies. No way. Too much to give up for a negative impact player (in my opinion, though Iverson has had his moments), much like coach and team-killer Starbury, with a horrible shooting percentage, a huge salary, and a hatrid of practice (though so did Bill Russell which hurt him not atall).
Really, for all his ability and hype, what has Iverson ever won? In two years at G-town no BE championships, no Final Fours. As a pro, largely due to his huge salary as much as the inept Sixer management: one Finals appearance, resulting in a quick exit. Ainge should shoot for a championship, not a 50 win team. That means Gerald Green, Rondo and Bassy, Allen, Big Al, and Perkins, even Gomes possibly are the future. No trades of the core.
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The Nationals steal of a deal with the Reds is the most lopsided trade I can recall since Billy Beane dumped a high salary, broken down Mark Mulder on the Cardinals, getting Dan Haren (very solid starter in '06), Kiko Calero (good relief), and the talented C Daric Barton in return. All low salary, high upside players under the A's control for years. Can anyone seriously argue that Beane is the best GM in baseball, maybe sports?
"Moneyball" may have pissed off a few folks, but Beane, dealing with limited resources, is still working his magic. His team's record this season is so-so, but they are in great position to get to the playoffs, as the AL West kinda sucks. Maybe this is the year for Oakland to return to the Series. It is a crapshoot once teams get to the best of 7's. And the A's have solid pitching and a team that usually gets hot late.
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Still getting over Doug Flutie's retirement. Yeah, he's 42, and yeah, it was months ago. So I like to brood. So what?
After Flutie made a catch (with glove) of a foul ball during a game last summer at Fenway, folks nationally ripped him for being a dork, overgrown boyscout, etc. for bringing a glove to a game.
But anyone who had a chance to live through the 3 1/2 seasons of "Flutie magic" at Boston College grants this guy a wide berth. He MADE BC football, not to mention the college a destination of choice for elite high school students. It was just a four or five year period since BC went winless (despite having nosetackle/freak Fred Smerlas on hand). And Flutie, first by himself, then with a terrific group of teammates, made BC a national power, ultimately winning a major bowl (Cotton over Houston, a team which used to be quite good) and the Heisman.
The rest of his career, to me, was gravy. Hated by the Bears players (who were loyal to professional asshole Jim McMahon for no particular reason), discarded by the Pats (back when they were sometimes good, usually bad), then up to Canada. That first year back in the NFL, in Buffalo, was like travelling in a time machine back to 81-84. If DOUGIE had started, there would have been no "Music City Miracle", and hopefully Kurt Warner would never have had such an audience for his Christian nonsense (God was clearly on his side then. Um, Kurt: what about the six years hence: where is God now, bud?)
Anyway, I will remember Flutie for the pass to Phelan, the wins out at old Foxboro over Bama and JoePa and others, the excruciating bowl losses to Notre Dame and Auburn, the last minute (second?) win over Army that I listened to on the radio, and a whole bunch more stuff.
How did he get to be 42? How did I get to be 40? No clue.
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The Bruins are in the news. Folks in the media are lavishing praise on Boston's NHL gang for signing three big name free agents. I like it, I guess. They needed a #1 defenseman and more scoring. Who doesn't?
But remember that the owner is still the owner. New GM. New coach (what, exactly did Sullivan do wrong?). Some new players. Same owner. The guy from Buffalo.
Recently, ESPN ranked all the owners in the four major US sports. The Patriots Bob Kraft was number one, and deservedly. Through his dozen of so years in charge, the Pats have been to four SB's, winning three. They are the NFL's standard. The Krafts OWN their stadium, which is a big deal is today's sports world, and their Hall of Fame bound coach has, hopefully, a dozen years left in him at the helm, if he chooses. But the key is Kraft, though Belichick is brilliant. If BB leaves, I have faith in the owner to right the ship.
I don't have faith in Jacobs and whoever in hell owns the Celtics. Jacobs has had decades to win, competing in the sixth biggest market in the US and owning the Fleet Center. He hasn't got it done. Why should the future be any different? The C's are hamstrung by the NBA's salary cap combined with small rosters, meaning two great players can win a title (see Shaq and The Mamba) or three.
So go Sox! And Patriots camp is just around the corner.....
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-------------------------------------------------------
If Danny Ainge trades for AI, I am going to hold my breath until I turn blue. Then I am gonna cry. And then I'm gonna get really really mad!
AI is the next Human Highlight Film (10 years too late), Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe (pro, not college), Bob fucking McAdoo, Dino Radja (once he became expensive), X (despite his best efforts), take your pick of too old too selfish talent that the C's have taken on in their (usually) glorious history. AI is, at 31 and still those same 150 lbs, would be an $18m/year mistake.
Now that the C's have signed PP for the next 3 years, the only way to acquire AI is to dump a lot of salary. Like Wally, Big Al (for his talent, not salary), Ratliff, and some other bodies. No way. Too much to give up for a negative impact player (in my opinion, though Iverson has had his moments), much like coach and team-killer Starbury, with a horrible shooting percentage, a huge salary, and a hatrid of practice (though so did Bill Russell which hurt him not atall).
Really, for all his ability and hype, what has Iverson ever won? In two years at G-town no BE championships, no Final Fours. As a pro, largely due to his huge salary as much as the inept Sixer management: one Finals appearance, resulting in a quick exit. Ainge should shoot for a championship, not a 50 win team. That means Gerald Green, Rondo and Bassy, Allen, Big Al, and Perkins, even Gomes possibly are the future. No trades of the core.
--------------------------------------------------------
The Nationals steal of a deal with the Reds is the most lopsided trade I can recall since Billy Beane dumped a high salary, broken down Mark Mulder on the Cardinals, getting Dan Haren (very solid starter in '06), Kiko Calero (good relief), and the talented C Daric Barton in return. All low salary, high upside players under the A's control for years. Can anyone seriously argue that Beane is the best GM in baseball, maybe sports?
"Moneyball" may have pissed off a few folks, but Beane, dealing with limited resources, is still working his magic. His team's record this season is so-so, but they are in great position to get to the playoffs, as the AL West kinda sucks. Maybe this is the year for Oakland to return to the Series. It is a crapshoot once teams get to the best of 7's. And the A's have solid pitching and a team that usually gets hot late.
--------------------------------------------------------
Still getting over Doug Flutie's retirement. Yeah, he's 42, and yeah, it was months ago. So I like to brood. So what?
After Flutie made a catch (with glove) of a foul ball during a game last summer at Fenway, folks nationally ripped him for being a dork, overgrown boyscout, etc. for bringing a glove to a game.
But anyone who had a chance to live through the 3 1/2 seasons of "Flutie magic" at Boston College grants this guy a wide berth. He MADE BC football, not to mention the college a destination of choice for elite high school students. It was just a four or five year period since BC went winless (despite having nosetackle/freak Fred Smerlas on hand). And Flutie, first by himself, then with a terrific group of teammates, made BC a national power, ultimately winning a major bowl (Cotton over Houston, a team which used to be quite good) and the Heisman.
The rest of his career, to me, was gravy. Hated by the Bears players (who were loyal to professional asshole Jim McMahon for no particular reason), discarded by the Pats (back when they were sometimes good, usually bad), then up to Canada. That first year back in the NFL, in Buffalo, was like travelling in a time machine back to 81-84. If DOUGIE had started, there would have been no "Music City Miracle", and hopefully Kurt Warner would never have had such an audience for his Christian nonsense (God was clearly on his side then. Um, Kurt: what about the six years hence: where is God now, bud?)
Anyway, I will remember Flutie for the pass to Phelan, the wins out at old Foxboro over Bama and JoePa and others, the excruciating bowl losses to Notre Dame and Auburn, the last minute (second?) win over Army that I listened to on the radio, and a whole bunch more stuff.
How did he get to be 42? How did I get to be 40? No clue.
-------------------------------------------------------
The Bruins are in the news. Folks in the media are lavishing praise on Boston's NHL gang for signing three big name free agents. I like it, I guess. They needed a #1 defenseman and more scoring. Who doesn't?
But remember that the owner is still the owner. New GM. New coach (what, exactly did Sullivan do wrong?). Some new players. Same owner. The guy from Buffalo.
Recently, ESPN ranked all the owners in the four major US sports. The Patriots Bob Kraft was number one, and deservedly. Through his dozen of so years in charge, the Pats have been to four SB's, winning three. They are the NFL's standard. The Krafts OWN their stadium, which is a big deal is today's sports world, and their Hall of Fame bound coach has, hopefully, a dozen years left in him at the helm, if he chooses. But the key is Kraft, though Belichick is brilliant. If BB leaves, I have faith in the owner to right the ship.
I don't have faith in Jacobs and whoever in hell owns the Celtics. Jacobs has had decades to win, competing in the sixth biggest market in the US and owning the Fleet Center. He hasn't got it done. Why should the future be any different? The C's are hamstrung by the NBA's salary cap combined with small rosters, meaning two great players can win a title (see Shaq and The Mamba) or three.
So go Sox! And Patriots camp is just around the corner.....
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posted by joe sweeney at 7:19 PM
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