The Sports Beagle

The Homeless Rockstar from Palo Alto

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Jesse Pantuosco

Forget Tebow Time … it’s Lin Time.

Well maybe that doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as well as “Tebow Time.” We’ll work on it.

Aside from the lack of alliteration, I think we can all agree that Jeremy Lin has replaced Tim Tebow as sports’ newest phenomenon.

Last February, Carmelo Anthony was sent to the Big Apple to save the Knicks. One year later, Linsanity is sweeping the nation, while Carmelo watches in street clothes.

Lin has been sensational, averaging 28.5 ppg in his last four games

New York’s record in games Carmelo’s started this season: 10-12. Their record when Lin starts at point guard 3-0. Let the Lin Era begin.

Lin’s emergence couldn’t have come at a better time. Perhaps no team in the NBA has been more desperate for good point guard play than the Knicks after they waived Chauncey Billups before the start of the season.

The Knicks have been through point guards this season like Larry King goes through wives. For the first quarter of the season, New York stumbled through one ineffective point guard after another.

First it was Toney Douglas, who was relegated back to the bench after just 12 starts.

Next came ancient Mike Bibby, who was one and done after recording a measly six points on three assists against the Thunder. Iman Shumpert, an impressive young guard out of Georgia Tech, was inserted into the lineup in Bibby’s place. Shumpert’s problem: he’s a born shooting guard. All the while, Baron Davis, a 12-year veteran with a career average of 7.3 assists per contest, has remained firmly implanted on the Knicks bench because of knee and elbow injuries.

The Knicks new point guard isn't just fun to watch: he's having fun too

And just when the Knicks season was beginning to look like a bigger joke than any movie Pauly Shore’s ever been in, there was Lin. A guy who’s bounced around the league more than a beach ball at a Nickelback concert. A guy who doesn’t even have his own bed to sleep on.

How did we not know about this guy until this week? The same way we didn’t believe tiny Wes Welker was worth drafting or that Jose Bautista would ever be any good. The same reason Kurt Warner was stocking shelves in a grocery store before the Rams gave him a chance. Sometimes we’re just plain wrong about these guys.

Lin, the only Asian-American player in the NBA today, is making it fun to be wrong though.

He slices, he dices. He’s a slick passer. He hustles on defense. Though it’s not his strong point, he can drain a three-pointer or two if you need it. And at 6’3 and 200 pounds, he’s strong enough to draw contact and still finish in traffic.

Best of all, just like Tebow (I wonder if Jimmy Fallon will ever dress up as Lin-Bowie), he’s humble.

You probably know at least some of the story by now. Despite being one of the best point guards in California during his high school career, the Palo Alto product couldn’t land a single D-1 scholarship.

So, he went 3,000 miles away to Harvard, a school known more for the invention of Facebook than for its basketball prowess. All he did there was rack up two First-Team all Ivy League selections and impress UConn coach Jim Calhoun, who, last time I checked, isn’t easily impressed.

Then came the 2010 NBA Draft. As Lin probably expected, his name wasn’t called.

Despite dominating the Las Vegas Summer League (where he outperformed Kentucky standout John Wall) and garnering offers from several NBA squads, Lin struggled through an unremarkable rookie season in Golden State.

Lin spent about as much time in 2010-11 in Reno with the Warriors’ Development League team, as he did in the big leagues. He finished the year averaging only 2.6 points in less than 10 minutes a game for the 36-46 Warriors.

It didn't take long for the Harvard grad to become a fan favorite at MSG

The lockout ended and Lin’s future in the NBA became more uncertain than ever. First Golden State dropped him. Then on the eve of Opening Day (also Christmas Eve), Houston, who had just picked Lin up off of waivers, told Lin to hit the road once again.

Luckily New York, a franchise with a history of questionable player signings and acquisitions (Keith Van Horn, Eddy Curry and Stephon Marbury to name a few), was forward-thinking enough to give Lin another trial-run after Iman Shumpert went down with a knee injury against Boston.

During his first month in the Big Apple, it was more of the same for Lin. In January Lin only played in five of New York’s 17 games, totaling 28 points in just 39 minutes of playing time.

With the Knicks in the midst of another skid (1-5 in their previous six games), Lin nearly matched his amount of January playing time in one game. All Jeremy did that night was torch the Nets for 25 points and seven assists.

That game happened one week ago. In one week Lin has gone from benchwarmer to the toast of Manhattan. In a shortened season where a week is an eternity, Lin has kept New York competitive in the absence of its two best players Carmelo Anthony (groin injury) and Amare Stoudemire (at home with his family after the death of his brother).

Lin has saved the Knicks season. He’s revitalized New York’s Asian community. He’s probably saving coach Mike D’Antoni’s job. Now, if only he was able to get NBC to take Whitney off the air (and bring back Community).

Even Kobe didn't have an answer for Lin on Friday night

Twenty-five points against the Nets? Okay. Twenty-eight against Utah. Impressive. Twenty-three and ten assists versus Washington? Not bad. How about a career-high 38 against the Lakers and outdueling Kobe Bryant (34 points) on national television? Jackpot. How many will he score against Minnesota Saturday night … 50?

Have we ever seen someone climb the ladder to superstardom this quickly? Let me answer that: Lin’s 89 points are the most by any player in his first three NBA starts since the NBA/ABA merger. So no, we haven’t.

Lin may have won the starting point guard job in New York but his days of shooting 20 times a game certainly won’t last forever. Amare will return to the lineup soon and so will Carmelo, who’s ball-hogging, isolation-heavy style of play has severely slowed down the Knicks offense at times this year. But with Lin’s added quickness, fearless drives to the basket and his willingness to pass, the Knicks offense, for the first time in a while, is headed in the right direction.

It’s been quite a week for Lin. But when the day is over, after all of the SportsCenter highlights, all the screaming fans, all the tweets, Lin heads home to his brother’s lower-East side apartment (Josh Lin is studying at NYU to become a dentist) to sleep on the couch.

By surviving Tuesday’s “cut day,” Lin’s $762,000 contract is now guaranteed. With that kind of money, Lin should be able to afford his own place next year. But for now, Lin is still the homeless rockstar from Palo Alto.

All photos were taken from ESPN.com.

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Posted in NBA | Tagged Amare Stoudemire, Baron Davis, Boston Celtics, Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Community, Eddy Curry, ESPN, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Golden State Warriors, Harvard Crimson Tide, Houston Rockets, Iman Shumpert, Ivy League, Jeremy Lin, Jim Calhoun, Jimmy Fallon, John Wall, Jose Bautista, Keith Van Horn, Kentucky Wildcats, Kobe Bryant, Kurt Warner, Larry King, Los Angeles Lakers, Madison Square Garden, Mike Bibby, Mike D'Antoni, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NBA Development League, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, New York University, Nickelback, Oklahoma City Thunder, Pauly Shore, Reno Big Horns, SportsCenter, St. Louis Rams, Stephon Marbury, Tim Tebow, Toney Douglas, UConn Huskies, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Wes Welker, Whitney | Leave a comment

Get Out There, Gronk

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Jesse Pantuosco

There was something unsettling about Tuesday’s media day in Indianapolis, home of this year’s Super Bowl.

It wasn’t that Bill Belichick seemed oddly playful and accommodating (though that was weird). It wasn’t even Chad Ochocinco’s whiny, borderline passive aggressive interview answers.

Nope. It was Gronk.

Before you jump down my throat, let me explain.

Gronkowski was noncommittal when asked about his status for Sunday's Super Bowl XLVI

I fully realize that Gronkowski was a six-foot-six Jesus in shoulder pads for the Patriots this season. I know that Gronk shredded the NFL record-book this year like a Rottweiler ripping apart a tennis ball. I know that Gronk has made scoring touchdowns look about as easy as the maze on the back of a Friendly’s kid’s menu. I felt the earth shake after each of his 17 epic touchdown spikes. If they wanted to rename Massachusetts Gronkachusetts, I’d be fine with that. I love lamp … I mean Gronk.

Still, there was something about what Big Rob said on Tuesday that just didn’t sit well with me. It was his answer to the simplest of questions.

“Rob, will you play on Sunday?”

The response: “I don’t know yet.”

WHAT? Come on Gronk, I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. Could you really imagine not playing in the Super Bowl against Eli Manning and the New York Giants?

“Yeah, but I’m not really worried about whether I’m playing or not yet.”

DUDE, ARE YOU INSANE? You’re not worried about whether you’re playing or not? What else on God’s green Earth could you possibly be thinking about? What time IHOP closes? Wondering whether or not BiBi Jones will make an appearance in Indianapolis this week?

What are you holding out for, man? This is it. It’s the damn Super Bowl. It’s what you dream about when you’re a kid throwing the football around in the backyard. It’s the moment you’ve played over and over again in your mind since elementary school, whispering to yourself in your best Al Michaels voice as you think about scoring the winning touchdown in front of 70,000 screaming fans. Except now, it’s real.

At 6'6 and 265 pounds, Gronk has never been an easy man to tackle

I know it’s easy for me to play armchair quarterback and criticize. I’ve never been tackled by an NFL linebacker. I’ve never tried to run for a first down with three Washington Redskins glued to my legs.

Tight end is one of the most punishing positions in football and I’m sure Rob is in plenty of pain right now. But this is the Super Bowl.

This isn’t Week Three against Buffalo. This is Super Bowl XLVI against the team that destroyed your undefeated season. There’s no going half-speed here: this is war. As the great Ari Gold once said, “We’re going to hell, so bring your sunblock.”

A sprained ankle? This is kid’s stuff Gronk. Look at your teammates. Tom Brady’s shoulder x-rays from a few weeks ago came out messier than Katy Perry’s marriage to Russell Brand. Wes Welker has no muscles left in his knee. Aaron Hernandez got a concussion a couple weeks ago that would have made Sidney Crosby cringe. It’s the playoffs: everybody is hurt.

But that’s all of minor importance. The Patriots need Gronk desperately if they want to win on Sunday. Gronkowski is a matchups nightmare. He’s too fast for linebackers and he’s too big for 5’10, 200-pound safeties to tackle by themselves.

Welker may haul in the most catches and Hernandez might be swifter on his feet but Gronkowski is the one who gets into the end zone. In fact, Gronk’s scored as many touchdowns this year as the St. Louis Rams ENTIRE team (18). That’s how valuable this guy is.

Pollard, who caused a season-ending injury to Tom Brady in 2008, injured Gronkowski's ankle on this play

Without Gronk in the lineup, New England will be forced to use Deion Branch (who only plays for the Patriots so he can sit courtside at Celtics games), Julian Edelman (who plays mostly defense nowadays) and Chad Ochocinco (who’d rather cover the game for Ochocinco News Network than play in it) in his place. It might as well be the Jonas Brothers filling in for Gronkowski.

In past years the Brady Bunch could have squeaked by with a patchwork receiving core of Troy Brown, David Givens and David Patten because its defense was so good.

That’s not the case anymore. New England’s defense was scary bad for most of this season and if Bill Belichick thinks that his defense is going to win the game for him on Sunday, he and Owen Wilson have been smoking too much peyote together.

If New England doesn’t score close to its average of 32 points a game Sunday, you might as well already put New York’s name on the trophy. With Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz catching everything in sight, the Giants have plenty of weapons on offense to keep pace with New England. The Patriots won’t have a chance without some weaponry of their own and Gronk is the most dangerous one in their arsenal.

If you think this game means more to the Giants than it does to the Patriots, you’re crazy. If the Giants win again, there will always be a hole in Brady’s legacy. “He and Belichick were good,” they’ll say, “but they could never beat the Giants.”

The country is in a state of full-fledged Gronk-mania right now. You can find little Gronklings in the Boston Public Gardens. Timbaland just made a song about him. Good luck finding his 87 jersey in stores: it’s sold out everywhere. If you’re not a Patriots or Giants fan, he’s the player you’re tuning in to see on Sunday.

Look ... little Gronklings

The game is still four days away and Gronk isn’t using a walking-boot anymore, which should be a good sign for Patriots fans. Maybe Gronk’s “I’m taking it day-by-day” quotes were just more of the secretive, tight-lipped speech we’ve come to expect from Belichick and the Patriots over the years. But if he doesn’t play, Pats fans may always be left to wonder what if.

So take a cortisone shot and get the hell out there Gronk. New England’s counting on you.

Photo of Gronkowski versus Redskins was taken from http://bit.ly/x2hXDO. Photo of Gronklings was taken from http://bit.ly/zup2dT. All other photos were taken from ESPN.com.

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Posted in NFL | Tagged Aaron Hernandez, Al Michaels, Ari Gold, Bibi Jones, Bill Belichick, Boston Public Gardens, Buffalo Bills, Chad Ochocinco, David Givens, David Patten, Deion Branch, Eli Manning, Friendly's, Hakeem Nicks, IHOP, Jonas Brothers, Julian Edelman, Katy Perry, Massachusetts, New England Patriots, New York Giants, NFL, Rob Gronkowski, Russell Brand, Signey Crosby, St. Louis Rams, Super Bowl XLVI, Tom Brady, Troy Brown, Victor Cruz, Washington Redskins, Wes Welker | Leave a comment

Making an All-Star Team … For the Price of Prince Fielder

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Jesse Pantuosco

Don’t be alarmed … well, maybe be a little alarmed. I’m sorry. Prince Fielder brings out the mad scientist in me.

So, in case you’ve been hibernating, Tuesday Prince Fielder agreed to a nine-year deal with the Tigers, a deal that I feel strongly about.

It’s a bold move by the Tigers, especially considering the logjam it creates at first base/DH when Victor Martinez returns from injury.

Take Miguel Cabrera’s recent announcement that he’s moving to third base with a grain of salt. He can barely play first (his 13 errors were the second-most in MLB … ironically Fielder led MLB first basemen with 15 miscues), so what makes him think he’ll be any good at third?

Cabrera had five errors in 14 starts at third in 2008. You multiply that out to a full 162-game season and that’s 58 errors, the most by a position player since the 1940s. If he does move to the hot corner, the Tigers will have the worst defensive infield in the American League. But I digress. Clearly this move was not made to improve the Tigers’ defense: it was made to bulk up Detroit’s offense. And it does just that.

The Fielder signing is also an extremely expensive move for the out-of-nowhere rich Tigers (guess the Yankees and the Sox aren’t the only ones who spend big anymore). The chunky first baseman is commanding $23,777,777 a year (and 78 cents if my math is correct … that’s a lot of veggie burgers).

This whole thing got me thinking (never a good thing) … I bet you could put together a decent major league TEAM for the amount Prince is going to be making next season. So I put on my GM hat, watched inspiring YouTube clips from Moneyball (Jonah Hill better win the damn Oscar) and I went to work to create the best team I could with one rule: I could not exceed a payroll of $23,777,777 (and 78 cents). Remember, major league teams employ a 25-man roster (except for September call-ups when teams are allowed to have 40), usually with 13 position players and 12 pitchers (five starters and seven relievers). I think the results were pretty mind-blowing. Here’s what I came up with:

The 13 position players I selected for my roster:

And now the 12 pitchers:

Just a note, the ages are how old each player will be on April 4th, which is Opening Day for most major league teams (although the first game, Seattle versus Oakland, will actually be held March 28th in Tokyo).

Stanton hit twice as many homers as A-Rod in 2011. And he did it for a fraction of the price.

Not bad, right? This is better than not bad: this is an All-Star team. Okay, maybe there’s no Adrian Gonzalez or Jose Bautista here but this is still a pretty good-looking squad. The team I built here has 10 All-Stars, the last four rookies of the year (Neftali Feliz, Buster Posey, Jeremy Hellickson and Craig Kimbrel), last season’s NL wins leader (Ian Kennedy) and the 2011 NLCS and World Series MVP (David Freese).

Out of the 13 position players, six are righties, six are lefty and there’s one switch hitter (Danny Espinosa). The rotation and bullpen are dominated by right-handers (just two out of the 12 pitchers are left-handed).

Sixteen of the 25 players come from the National League while nine hail from the AL. Three of these 25 play for the Braves, the most of any team (the Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Giants, Marlins, Nationals, Tigers, Rangers and Rays each contributed two players to the team). The team features 20 Americans, four Dominican players (Castro, Feliz, Ogando and Pineda) and one Canadian (John Axford).

To get a better feel for the team, here’s what my starting lineup and bench would look like.

1. Starlin Castro – SS
2. Andrew McCutchen – CF
3. Mike Stanton – RF
4. Buster Posey – DH
5. Eric Hosmer – 1B
6. David Freese – 3B
7. Alex Avila – C
8. Ryan Roberts – 2B
9. Matt Joyce – LF
BENCH
Danny Espinosa, 2B
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Jon Jay, OF
Logan Morrison, OF

The combined average of the 13 players I selected is .275. That would have been good for fifth-best in the majors last year behind only Texas, Boston, Detroit and Kansas City. They also tallied a total of 869 RBI last season, which would have easily eclipsed Boston’s league-leading mark of 842.

Again, this team doesn’t have a Jacoby Ellsbury or Michael Bourne but they do have several guys who can swipe 20 bags a year. If you add it up, these 13 combined for 128 steals in 2011. That would have been good for 10th in the majors, right behind the New York Mets.

As good as this team looks from an offensive standpoint, pitching is definitely my team’s strength. Take a look at my starting rotation and bullpen:

STARTERS
1. Ian Kennedy
2. Doug Fister
3. Michael Pineda
4. Jeremy Hellickson
5. Madison Bumgarner
BULLPEN
Craig Kimbrel (Closer)
John Axford
Neftali Feliz
Alexi Ogando
Drew Storen
Jonny Venters
Jordan Walden

If we go by last year’s stats, this team would have had an ERA of 2.94, even better than Philadelphia’s filthy 3.02 ERA from last season. This team combined for 105 wins in 181 decisions a year ago, a winning percentage of .580, which would have tied them with Arizona for sixth-best in MLB behind Philadelphia, New York (Yankees), Milwaukee, Texas and Detroit. The 85.4% success rate on saves (204 saves converted out of 239 chances) would have led the majors, as would the team’s combined 1,455 strikeouts. My team’s 484 walks would have been the 12th fewest out of 30 teams last year. The team’s strikeout to walk ratio was an impressive 3.01.

If McCutchen had played for a better team, who knows how many runs he could have driven in last season

These stats don’t even tell the whole story though. Buster Posey missed most of the season with a broken leg and was on pace for 14 homers and 76 RBI had he played the full 162-game schedule. Andrew McCutchen knocked in 89 runs despite playing for an anemic offense in Pittsburgh. If he had as many opportunities to knock runners in as a guy like Mark Teixeira or Josh Hamilton, McCutchen’s 89 RBIs could have easily been 100. Doug Fister and Pineda’s records were skewed by the terrible run support they received from the Mariners last season (although Fister was shipped to Detroit before the trade deadline). Both could have been reached 15 wins with a better offense.

Statistics aside, I think we can all agree that this is a team that would compete for a playoff spot in either league and would have a chance to go deep into the postseason if given the opportunity.

But here’s the kicker. Remember my goal was to use Prince’s $23.8 mil as the ceiling? This roster’s payroll is only $10,793,810! With an average salary of $431,752, this is a group of guys that could probably kick Boston and New York’s butts. That’s 25 very good players for about 45.4% of what Prince Fielder, a guy who batted .260 two years ago and can’t catch a baseball to save his life, will be making. That’s insane.

Try this on for size: I counted 58 players in the big leagues right now that are making more than $10,793,810 a year, the cost that it would take to put my proposed team together. Some of these players included Jason Bay (.251 with just 18 homers in his two years with the Mets), Adam Dunn (.159 batting average with 177 strikeouts last season for the White Sox), Barry Zito (43-61 since joining the Giants), Derek Lowe (5.05 ERA with 17 losses in 2011), Vernon Wells (.218 last year), Rafael Furcal (.231, 8 HR last season) and Carlos Zambrano (mental patient).

Kershaw, who is currently seeking arbitration, made only $500,000 last year

Keep in mind I didn’t include any players who were up for salary arbitration or got new deals this winter because I assumed they would all get more than a million dollars in 2012. David Robertson, Elvis Andrus, Ryan Vogelsong, Pablo Sandoval, Gio Gonzalez, Clay Buchholz, Andrew Bailey and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw all made under $600,000 last season before getting big paydays this winter. So if I had included those players, my team really would have been stacked.

If I had wanted to extend myself all the way to Prince’s annual salary I probably would have had room for a few more relatively inexpensive All-Stars like Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Gonzalez, Alex Gordon, Mike Morse and Evan Longoria. All of these players were in the $1-million to $3-million dollar range last year. The possibilities are near endless.

So what can we make of this? Is Prince Fielder making too much? Are the players on my team making too little? And is anything I just did to make this team even faintly realistic?

There’s never a simple answer but I guess I’d say yes, probably and kind of. Yes, Prince is making way too much. So is Pujols. Anybody who’s ever read my baseball economy articles knows my stance on this. Star athletes are all way overpaid and giving a player an extra $10-million DOES NOT and never will give your team a better chance to win. Year after year the best teams on paper don’t make it to the championship and year after year, teams that don’t pay their stars as much as everybody else field good ball clubs. The Tampa Bay Rays are probably the best example of this.

Of course the other extreme exists too when you get a team like the Marlins who will win the World Series and then have a fire sale and have a crappy team for the next 10 years. Billy Beane kind of did that in Oakland too by letting Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson all go. The A’s haven’t been the same since.

I guess I’d favor an approach that combines the best of both worlds: the big market approach and the small market approach. First you have to build a good minor-league system and produce a handful of stars. When it’s contract time and it seems like your players are ready to leave the nest (like Fielder in Milwaukee), I’d let most of them walk. But what I would do is make sure to keep a couple of these guys so your team still has a chance to be competitive in the short-term.

Talented youngsters like Matt Moore have kept Tampa Bay competitive even after losing Crawford and Soriano to big market teams

Tampa Bay has taken this approach. They continue to breed good pitchers in the minor leagues and they’ve held onto their franchise player Evan Longoria. But at the same time, they’ve let guys like Carl Crawford, Rafael Soriano and Matt Garza walk out the door once they’ve become too expensive.

So is it fair that Ian Kennedy can win 21 games and still only get $423,000 a year while Johan Santana made almost $22 million last season without throwing a pitch?

Of course not. If Ian Kennedy was on the Yankees he’d probably be making $10-million a year (remember these were the same guys who gave Carl Pavano $40-million after he had one good year in Florida).

Let’s go back for a second though. Notice anything about my team? They’re babies. The average age on my team is 25. My three-hitter is 22 years old. Ryan Roberts is the oldest player on the team and he’s only 31.

While almost everything else in major league baseball (especially loyalty) has gone by the wayside, a pecking order still faintly exists when it comes to young guys like Castro and Posey, and I think it’s a good thing.

Castro's had a couple good years but at age 21, should the Cubs be ready to commit to him long-term?

If you’re a rookie you should get paid like a rookie. Enough with all the hype and players like Bryce Harper commanding $10-million before they’ve even seen a pitch in the majors. You’ve got to earn it, baby. You play like an All-Star for three or four years and then you’ll get your big payday.

Craig Kimbrel was a beast last year but does he deserve a huge contract? If I’m the GM, he’s got to prove to me that he can do this for another couple years before I’m giving him the big bucks. And that’s the way it should be.

This leads me to my last question: is the team I made realistic? Obviously these guys are all under contract so no GM can swoop up and grab them. This isn’t fantasy baseball. But sure you can build a team like this and many teams have. It’s called harvesting young talent.

Again, we have to remember the cycle that these young ball players and teams go through. We see it all the time. A guy gets drafted, goes through the minors, makes it big in the majors and then … it’s contract time. That’s when you see guys like Albert Pujols or Jonathan Papelbon say, “Hey it was nice playing for you guys. You gave me a great start, but now this team is giving me more years and more money. So … I’m out.”

Some guys are more loyal than that but this scenario is always the fear when you have a team with a lot of young talent. Do you let them go and keep your identity as a small market team (possibly risking a few years of really bad baseball)? Or do you ante up like the Twins did a couple years ago when they said, “Joe Mauer is staying with us, we’ll pay whatever price”?

It can work both ways. Joe Mauer could lead the league in hitting for five straight years or he could get injured and never be the same two years into an eight-year deal.

Mauer has seen mixed results since signing a huge contract extension with Minnesota back in 2010

So what do you do? It’s complicated and now that I’ve actually put together a team, even if it only took me a few hours and it’s not real, I see how challenging being a GM is. They really are like mad scientists.

I think if you’re going to keep a guy once he’s become a free agent and earned his big payday, my philosophy is sign him for four or five years (and sometimes as the Mets will tell you after signing Jason Bay, even that is too long). Nine and ten-year deals are too risky and there’s just never enough upside to commit to any one player for that long.

I talked about this in one of my past articles when I compared A-Rod’s deal to the one Albert Pujols just signed with the Angels. A-Rod is in his fifth year of a 10-year deal and he’s already a shell of the player he was at the start of the contract. And now the Yankees are probably stuck with him until the day that he retires. Asking a guy to be that good for that long just isn’t reasonable.

Sorry if I fried anybody’s brain. I told you, it’s dangerous when I start thinking. You’ve got to admit though, it’s pretty amazing what kind of team you can put together with only $11-million. Either that or I’m just really a good shopper. Have fun eating your veggie burgers, Prince.

All photos were taken from ESPN.com.

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Posted in MLB | Tagged Adam Dunn, Adrian Gonzalez, Albert Pujols, Alex Avila, Alex Gordon, Alex Rodriguez, Alexi Ogando, American League, Andrew Bailey, Andrew McCutchen, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Barry Zito, Boston Red Sox, Bryce Harper, Buster Posey, Carl Crawford, Carl Pavano, Carlos Gonzalez, Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Clay Buchholz, Clayton Kershaw, Craig Kimbrel, Danny Espinosa, David Freese, David Robertson, Derek Lowe, Detroit Tigers, Doug Fister, Drew Storen, Elvis Andrus, Eric Hosmer, Evan Longoria, Freddie Freeman, Gio Gionzalez, Ian Kennedy, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Bay, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Hellickson, Joe Mauer, Johan Santana, John Axford, Jon Jay, Jonah Hill, Jonathan Papelbon, Jonny Venters, Jordan Walden, Jose Bautista, Josh Hamilton, Kansas City Royals, Logan Morrison, Los Angeles Angels, Madison Bumgarner, Mark Mulder, Mark Teixeira, Matt Garza, Matt Joyce, Matt Moore, Miami Marlins, Michael Bourne, Michael Pineda, Miguel Cabrera, Miguel Tejada, Mike Morse, Mike Stanton, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Moneyball, National League, Neftali Feliz, New York Mets, New York Yankees, NLCS, Oakland A's, Pablo Sandoval, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Prince Fielder, Rafael Furcal, Rafael Soriano, Ryan Roberts, Ryan Vogelsong, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Starlin Castro, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Tim Hudson, Vernon Wells, Victor Martinez, Washington Nationals, World Series | Leave a comment

Choke City, USA

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Jesse Pantuosco

Billy Cundiff, Kyle Williams and Lee Evans have one thing in common: they all need a hug. Sunday wasn’t kind to these NFL stars, who, in the words of Billy Madison “blew it” when their teams needed them most. Against New England, Evans let what was sure to be the game-winning touchdown, fall right through his fingers. Moments later Cundiff officially blew out the candles on Baltimore’s season by missing a cupcake 32-yard field goal that would have sent the game into overtime.

Cundiff blew it on Sunday, but he's not the only one

A few hours later on the left coast, Kyle Williams botched not one, but two punts for the 49ers. Devin Thomas recovered both fumbles for the Giants, allowing New York to punch a ticket to Indianapolis and deprive yet another Harbaugh brother the opportunity for Super Bowl glory.

The big stage isn’t for everyone. I’ve dealt with my fair share of sports tragedies over the years. I’ll admit, senior year of high school I choked in the track conference championships (oh Alex Hula). Heck, I might have even lost to a girl in mini-golf on a date this summer (I’ve been telling people I let her win … I should probably just stick to that story). And we all know how hard it can be to make the last cup in beer pong.

So you’re not alone Billy Cundiff, Kyle Williams and Lee Evans. The sports world is a vast landscape of miscues, screw-ups and blunders. Frankly, Sunday’s gaffes may not even be the worst we’ve seen in the NFL this season.

Phillip Rivers fumbled a snap deep in Kansas City territory late in the game, causing the Chargers to lose in Week 8. In Week 14, Chicago’s Marian Barber inexplicably stepped out of bounds in the final minutes and then fumbled the ball away in overtime; two huge plays that helped Denver escape with the victory. Dallas iced its own kicker against Arizona. And if it hadn’t been for Tim Tebow’s miracle 80-yard game-winner against Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago, Denver fans would probably want Willis McGahee’s (crucial fumble in the fourth quarter) head on a stick. Here’s a list of some other epic sports fails that might make Sunday’s choke-artists feel a little better about themselves (but probably not):

Apparently this is "unsportsmanlike"

1. Adrian Hilburn, Syracuse vs. Kansas State, 2010 Pinstripe Bowl
I still can’t believe Syracuse won a bowl game last year. What’s even more unbelievable is how they won it. Hilburn hauled in a touchdown with 1:13 left in the game to cut Cuse’s lead 36-34 (meaning Kansas State would have to go for two). Hilburn, being the excitable fellow that he is, saluted the crowd at Yankee Stadium after the touchdown. The ref immediately flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct, backing K-State up 15 yards for its two-point conversion try. Going for two isn’t as easy when you’re at the seventeen-yard-line. Most of the blame fell on Hilburn but to me, it was the refs who choked. You’re not allowed to salute after scoring the biggest touchdown of your life? Gimme a break.

2. Boise State kickers
Boise State has lost only two games over the past three seasons, and they’ve both been heartbreakers. Kyle Brotzman spoiled Boise’s shot at a perfect season last year by missing a 26-yarder at the end of regulation against Nevada. He followed that up with a miss from 29 yards out in overtime. Nevada ended up winning 34-31. Dan Goodale was the culprit this season, shanking a 39-yarder in a 36-35 loss to TCU back on November 12th. Recruiting better kickers should be number one on Chris Petersen’s to-do-list this offseason.

3. Brett Favre, Saints vs. Vikings, NFC Championship, January 24, 2010
You’ve got to admire Favre’s toughness. But his ego cost the Vikings a shot at the Super Bowl. With 15 seconds left the Vikings needed about five yards to get into field goal range. A quick scramble to the outside would have done it. Instead Favre tried to be the hero, forcing a pass into Sidney Rice, who was being blanketed by Tracy Porter. Porter swooped in for the easy interception. The Saints would hold on for the overtime win, 31-28.

4. Chicago Cubs, Cubs vs. Marlins, 2003 NLCS Game 6
You remember it. Cubs up 3-0 in the eighth, Mark Prior pitching the game of his life. Chicago was five outs away from going to the World Series for the first time in a half-century. And then … Steve Bartman. Florida won the game 8-3 and I guess the rest is history.

I’ll say it. It doesn’t matter what Cubs fans think, Moises Alou would NOT have caught that ball anyway. Face it Chicago fans: the Cubs just blew it.

5. Chris Webber, Michigan vs. North Carolina, 1993 NCAA National Championship

Webber was an All-Star in the NBA, but he'll always be remembered for his championship gaffe at Michigan

The Michigan Fab Five: maybe the greatest college basketball team to never win the National Championship. In one moment of sheer panic, Chris Webber taught a generation of young basketball players a valuable lesson: always make sure you know how many timeouts you have left. Because calling one when you don’t have any, may cost you the National Championship. That’s why you’ll never ever see me make that mistake … when I’m playing NBA Live on Xbox.

6. Darius Washington, Memphis vs. Louisville, 2005 Conference USA Championship
Watching this one just makes me cringe. With Memphis down by two, Louisville’s Francisco Garcia fouls Washington on a three-pointer at the buzzer. Washington, a 72% free throw shooter sinks the first. He’s the only player left on the court. He needs to make one to keep Memphis’s NCAA tournament hopes alive, or else the Tigers are headed to the NIT. Second shot …. clank. The third … off the front of the iron. What people forget about this game is that without Washington’s 23 points (he was the game’s leading scorer) Memphis wouldn’t have been in a position to beat Louisville in the first place.

Memphis’s free-throw struggles would come back to haunt them again in the 2008 NCAA championship. Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts missed four out of five free throws in the game’s final two minutes, allowing Kansas to send the game into overtime. Kansas won in OT, 75-68.

7. Houston Oilers, Oilers vs. Bills, NFL Playoffs, January 3, 1993
Generally you’d think a 35-3 lead is pretty safe. That’s usually about when most people would think about changing the channel, maybe seeing what’s on Food Network or catching a few minutes of Canadian Parliament on C-SPAN. But then again, logic doesn’t typically play much of a role in the outcome of sporting events. Perhaps that why, somehow, the Bills were able to come back and beat the Oilers 41-38 in overtime. The win was for not though: Buffalo got lit up by the Cowboys in the Super Bowl later in the postseason, 52-17.

8. Jean Van de Velde, 1999 British Open
A rare Sports Beagle golf reference. On the 18th hole at Carnoustie, Van de Velde only needed a six (on a par four) to win the tournament. Long story short, Van de Velde has still never won a major championship. You know you’re having a bad hole when you’re in water up to your shins, pondering what your next shot is going to be. Poor Jean.

9. John Carney, Saints at Jaguars, December 21, 2003
Down by a touchdown 75 yards away from the end zone and with just six seconds left on the clock, New Orleans needed a miracle. One pass and three laterals later, the Saints were in the end zone. New Orleans was a chip-shot extra-point away from overtime. John Carney only missed 10 extra points during his 22-year NFL career. This was one of them. Final score: Jaguars 20, Saints 19. Ouch.

This is what a champion looks like

10. LeBron James in any playoff series
… except against the Celtics in the second round last year. In that series, LeBron looked like Michael Jordan. In the finals against Dallas, he looked more like Michael Doleac. It’s got to be pretty discouraging for LeBron to wake up every morning knowing that Brian Scalabrine has won more championships than he has.

11. New York Yankees, Yankees vs. Red Sox, 2004 ALCS
This was the choke to end all chokes. The only baseball team to ever lose a series after being ahead three games to none. If you don’t think this was the greatest playoff series ever played you have no soul. And if you’re a Yankees fan it’s a fact that you have no soul. I read it on a Snapple cap so it must be true.

12. The Red Sox on many, many different occasions
We’d definitely be a little remiss not to include the Sox on this list.

First there was 1978, when the Red Sox let their 14-game-lead over the Yankees slip through the cracks (Bucky “Bleeping” Dent).

Hang in there … it gets worse. Fast-forward eight years to the 1986 World Series. Bill Buckner lets the ball go through his legs en route to another crushing defeat for the Red Sox. Luckily for Buck he was able to redeem himself years later on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Then in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, Grady Little decides to leave Pedro Martinez in the game. The result: Pedro comes undone, the Yankees tie the game and eventually Aaron Boone shatters my childhood dreams with one swing of the bat. Good going Grady.

After the Sox won the World Series in 2004 and 2007 with clutch performances all across the diamond, I worried that the Sox may have forgotten how to choke. They didn’t.

2011’s team had a meltdown for the ages. During the September of chicken and beer (also the name of a 2003 rap album by Ludacris. He was obviously foreshadowing the Boston’s collapse eight years in advance.) Boston saw its nine-game lead in the Wild Card vanish. In the end, the Rays were able to capture the Wild Card on the last day of the regular season after a massive comeback against the Yankees (and a torturous Jonathan Papelbon blown save in Baltimore). At least the Sox weren’t alone: Atlanta blew an even bigger lead (ten and a half games) en route to losing the NL Wild Card.

13. Scott Norwood, Bills vs. Giants, Super Bowl XXV
Two words: wide right. The Bills got pretty good at choking during the 90s. Buffalo appeared in the Super Bowl four times in four seasons. They lost every time. Fun fact, New Kids on the Block performed at the Super Bowl XXV halftime show.

14. Stevie Johnson, Steelers at Bills, November 28, 2010
If there’s one thing we know about young Stevie Johnson it’s that he’s got a lot of talent. If there are two things we know about Stevie Johnson it’s that he’s also kind of an idiot (I’ll admit his Plaxico impression was pretty funny though). In overtime against Pittsburgh in 2010, the cocky wide receiver had his hands on a game-winning touchdown pass by Ryan Fitzpatrick but he dropped it. Minutes later the Steelers won on a 41-yard field goal. Johnson, who got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct just about every time he made it into the endzone this season, later went on Twitter and blamed the dropped pass on God. Maybe he should start praying to Joe Pesci (skip ahead to 6:44 in this video and you’ll get the reference).

15. Tony Romo, Cowboys vs. Seahawks, NFL Playoffs, January 6, 2007
Billy Cundiff’s miss on Sunday has to hurt if you’re a Baltimore fan. I’m a glass half-full kind of guy though. I think Ravens fans should take solace in the fact that, despite Cundiff’s horrible kick, punter Sam Koch held that ball down for Cundiff like a champion. See, Tony Romo couldn’t even get that part right.

I'd cry too if I lost a game to the Seahawks

With 1:19 left, Martin Gramatica was on the field waiting to boot a 19-yard-field goal and give Dallas the lead. He never got the chance. Romo bobbled the snap and took off for the end zone. He didn’t make it. Romo tumbled to the turf at Seattle’s two-yard-line. Just awful. It makes you wonder what Jessica Simpson ever saw in him.

Well that about covers it. There’s your tour of Choke City, USA. And remember, only five months until LeBron blows it again in the NBA Finals. As I said, I’m a glass half-full kind of guy.

Photo of Adrian Hilburn was taken from http://bit.ly/xZdsj8. Photo of Chris Webber was taken from http://bit.ly/Adi4Mj. Photo of Brian Scalabrine was taken from http://bit.ly/ww2XFg. Photo of Ludacris was taken from http://bit.ly/zinZVX. Photo of Tony Romo was taken from http://bit.ly/rLXS7M. All other photos were taken from ESPN.com.

Remember to follow The Sports Beagle on Twitter. Also, be sure to “like” The Sports Beagle’s Facebook page

Posted in MLB, NBA, NCAA Basketball, NCAA Football, NFL | Tagged 1993 NCAA National Championship, 1999 British Open, 2003 ALCS, 2004 ALCS, 2008 NCAA Championship, 2010 Pinstripe Bowl, Aaron Boone, Adrian Hilburn, Alex Hula, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Ravens, Bill Buckner, Billy Cundiff, Billy Madison, Boise State Broncos, Brett Favre, Brian Scalabrine, Bucky Dent, Buffalo Bills, C-SPAN, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Chris Petersen, Chris Webber, Conference USA, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, Dan Goodale, Darius Washington, Denver Broncos, Derrick Rose, Devin Thomas, Fab Five, Florida Marlins, Food Network, Francisco Garcia, Grady Little, Houston Oilers, Indianapolis, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jean Van de Velde, Jessica Simpson, Jim Harbaugh, Joe Pesci, John Carney, John Harbaugh, Jonathan Papelbon, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Kyle Brotzman, Kyle Williams, LeBron James, Lee Evans, Louisville Cardinals, Ludacris, Marian Barber, Mark Prior, Martin Gramatica, Memphis Tigers, Michael Doleac, Michael Jordan, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Vikings, Moises Alou, National League, NBA Finals, NBA Live, NCAA Tournament, Nevada Wolf Pack, New England Patriots, New Kids on the Block, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, NFC Championship, NFL, NIT, North Carolina Tar Heels, Pedro Martinez, Phillip Rivers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Plaxico Burress, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Sam Koch, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Scott Norwood, Seattle Seahawks, Sidney Rice, Snapple, Steve Bartman, Stevie Johnson, Super Bowl, Super Bowl XXV, Syracuse Orange, Tampa Bay Rays, TCU Horned Frogs, Tim Tebow, Tony Romo, Tracy Porter, Twitter, Wild Card, Willis McGahee, World Series, Xbox, Yankee Stadium | Leave a comment

NFL’s Passing Explosion Overshadows San Francisco’s Terrific Season

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Jesse Pantuosco

NFL scoreboard operators have been busy this season. 2011 has been the most offensively prolific season in recent memory.

In the year of the quarterback, Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers ate NFL secondaries for breakfast. Passing records fell faster than Kim Kardashian’s marriage.

Brees and the Saints launched an assault on the NFL record books this season

Some of the offensive feats accomplished this season were just astounding. Cam Newton throwing for 422 yards in his NFL debut. Green Bay’s backup QB Matt Flynn torching Detroit for 480 passing yards in the final week of the season. Rob Gronkowski and Calvin Johnson raiding the end zone like a fat kid getting into the cookie jar. It all leads to the same question: WHERE IS THE DEFENSE? Abu Dhabi?

Turns out it’s just past the Golden Gate Bridge. That’s right. The 49ers, the least talked about of the eight remaining playoff teams, own the NFL’s best run-defense. In fact San Francisco was so stingy in 2011, they only allowed three rushing touchdowns all season … and that number had been at zero until Marshawn Lynch broke through for a four-yard score in Week 16. Lynch was also the only back to rush for 100 yards against San Fran this season.

It wasn’t just San Francisco’s run defense that dominated in 2011: their pass defense frustrated opponents too. The Niners intercepted 23 passes this season (second-best in the league) and gave up the second fewest-points per game (only the Steelers allowed fewer points). San Fran also forced 20 fumbles (fourth-best) and recovered 15 of them (tied with Minnesota for most in the league).

While San Fran’s opponents have coughed up turnovers left and right, the Niners offense hasn’t been nearly as generous. San Francisco QB Alex Smith surrendered just five interceptions this season, helping the Niners to a +28 turnover differential, by far the best in pro football. Smith, who’s career has been largely overshadowed by the star quarterback who was drafted 23 picks after him (Aaron Rodgers), is the ultimate game manager, a doctor with a PHD in mistake-free football. His 90.7 QB rating and 3,144 passing yards this year are both career highs.

First in the division, the second-best record in pro football (13-3), eight Pro Bowlers but still, if you asked most experts, they’d tell you the 49ers are the weakest team remaining in the NFC Playoffs. As Justin Timberlake once asked, where is the love?

While Tebow was busy grabbing all the headlines, San Francisco won its first division title since 2002

Defense doesn’t seem to get a lot of love anymore. In this day and age, offense is just sexier. People don’t tune in to watch the Niners force a three-and-out. They watch to see Drew Brees break records or Tim Tebow pull another miracle out of his you know what.

Have you ever seen a fan wearing an Alex Smith number 11 jersey? I doubt it. Handing the ball off and throwing for 200 yards a game doesn’t sell. The fans would rather wear Tom Brady’s number 12 because he throws for 330 yards a game and married a supermodel. Or they’d rather wear Marshawn Lynch’s number 24 because he eats Skittles and likes going to Applebee’s.

Loudmouth coaches like Rex Ryan and showboating players like Jerome Simpson and Stevie Johnson have stolen the spotlight this season. They’re the ones who get on SportsCenter, the ones who get tweeted about, the ones who have turned the NFL into some kind of Entourage-esque HBO dramedy. And where are Ryan, Simpson and Johnson this week? Sitting on the couch, watching, while the anonymous, defense-first 49ers that nobody seems to believe in are still playing football.

The only drama the 49ers have had all season was when head coach Jim Harbaugh shook Jim Schwartz’s hand too hard in Week Six. That’s it. Seriously, this is the most under-the-radar 13-win team you’ll ever see.

Turns out what the 49ers lack in star power, they make up for in strong character.

Willis has had a very successful career despite dealing with family issues off the field

Several players on San Francisco have faced daunting obstacles in the past. Think making the Pro Bowl was easy for Patrick Willis? The 26-year-old has persevered through the death of his brother and grew up with a father who still struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. Kicker David Akers, who led the NFL in just about every kicking category this season, watched his six-year-old daughter battle cancer this year. Running back Frank Gore’s mother Liz, lost her battle with kidney disease during his third season with the 49ers. She was only 46.

These guys have been through a lot but the real question is, can they win against New Orleans on Saturday? The doubters like to point out that playing in the weak NFC West gave the 49ers an inflated record. Still, the Niners managed four wins against teams with winning records. Compare that to the heavily-favored Patriots in the AFC who have beaten just one winning team in 2011 (and that was the 9-8 Denver Broncos who they’ll play again Saturday night). Plus, this is a home game for San Francisco (7-1 at home this year) and the first playoff game at Candlestick Park since January of 2003. The 49ers fans will be more than ready to rock Candlestick come 1:30 tomorrow afternoon.

That’s not to say the Saints still aren’t the favorite. New Orleans has been here before. Brees has 18 postseason career touchdown passes to just two interceptions. Meanwhile, Saturday will be a totally new experience for the 49ers. Frank Gore, Alex Smith, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree have never played a single minute of playoff football.

After a week off, Gore and the Niners will be ready to go on Saturday

The Saints are hot too: they put up a bazillion yards against the Lions last week and overall New Orleans hasn’t lost a game since Halloween.

Vegas says pick the Saints and it’s tough to argue. The odds will be stacked against San Francisco Saturday, but haven’t they always been? This team has overcome greater challenges than this. I’m not saying “pick the Niners” … I’m just telling you to give them a chance. They got this far didn’t they?

All photos were taken from ESPN.com.

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Posted in NFL | Tagged Aaron Rodgers, Abu Dhabi, Alex Smith, Applebee's, Calvin Johnson, Cam Newton, Candlestick Park, David Akers, Denver Broncos, Drew Brees, Entourage, Frank Gore, Golden Gate Bridge, HBO, Jerome Simpson, Jim Harbaugh, Justin Timberlake, Kim Kardashian, Marshawn Lynch, Matt Flynn, Michael Crabtree, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, NFL, Patrick Willis, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pro Bowl, Rex Ryan, Rob Gronkowski, San Francisco 49ers, Stevie Johnson, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady, Vernon Davis | Leave a comment

Blowing Out the Candles: My Picks for NFL Wild Card Weekend

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Jesse Pantuosco

Happy January 6th guys! Come on people, get excited. This isn’t a normal Friday. Today is The Sports Beagle’s birthday. One year ago today this website was born. Well, more specifically, the domain name was purchased. In fact, The Sports Beagle was actually supposed to be just SportsBeagle.com, but unfortunately, that domain name was already taken by some bum over at surfbeagle.com (Hell of a website you’ve got over there by the way. I’m sure you get a lot of traffic to your site. Maybe you’ll update your page again in 2012 … but probably not). So I was stuck with “TheSportsBeagle.com.” But I made lemonade out of lemons. Fifty-one articles, 190 Twitter followers and tons of spam later, here we are. Before we blow out the candles, let’s take a look at this week’s NFL Wild Card Matchups.

Bengals at Texans

Not an overly impressive first round matchup. Neither of these teams qualified for the playoffs in 2010 (in fact neither did the Lions, Giants or Broncos, so the first round is full of new faces this year). Cincinnati finished third in the four-team AFC North while Houston was aided by playing in the same division as the putrid Jaguars and Colts. Both teams are led by rookie quarterbacks. To me, neither of these teams look like Super Bowl contenders.

The Texans definitely didn’t finish the season on a high note: they lost their final three games. But they already had the division locked up so Houston didn’t really need to play with a whole lot of urgency. So I’ll disregard their lackluster December. The important thing is that wide receiver Andre Johnson, who has battled hamstring injuries all season, should be healthy and ready to go for Saturday’s game. Arian Foster got last week off so he should be fresh for Saturday as well.

Though most experts would tell you that Andy Dalton is the better quarterback, Houston’s T.J. Yates actually has a slightly higher QB rating than Dalton (80.7 to 80.4). It’s also worth mentioning that Yates’s best game as a pro came against the Bengals (career-high 300 yards passing with two touchdowns), a 20-19 win in Cincinnati earlier this year. And he put up those stats without his best receiver (Johnson was injured for that game).

Houston’s home field advantage is another important factor to consider. This is the Texans’ first-ever playoff appearance so Reliant Stadium should be rocking. It won’t be easy but Houston should come away with its first playoff victory. Expect this one to go right down to the wire.

Texans 23, Bengals 17

Lions at Saints

Get ready for a shootout folks. Saturday’s battle in the Superdome features two of the league’s best passing attacks (New Orleans leads the NFL in passing yards, Detroit is fourth) as well as two of the NFL’s worst pass defenses (New Orleans is 30th in pass defense: Detroit is 22nd). So expect points in bunches.

Stafford enjoyed a breakout season in 2011

Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have grabbed all the headlines but Matt Stafford has had a darn good year airing the ball out for the Lions. Only a handful of quarterbacks have ever reached 5,000 yards passing in a season (Stafford threw for 5,038) and Stafford actually threw for more TDs than Tom Brady did in 2011 (41 to 39).

Part of Stafford’s success, maybe most of it, has to do with Calvin Johnson. Megatron has been the most electrifying receiver in the NFL this season. Only New England’s Rob Gronkowski had more touchdown catches than Johnson (17 to 16) and his 1,681 yards receiving are the most in a season since Torry Holt put up 1,696 for the Rams in ‘03.

The Lions, who are making their first playoff appearance of the millennium, have had a brilliant season and might be one of the NFL’s best feel-good stories this year. But that doesn’t mean they’re ready to stop the Saints’ offense.

The Saints are scorching hot right now: they’ve won eight in a row, outscoring their opponents 287 to 150 in the process. New Orleans just has so many different ways to beat you. Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston are the prime targets but you never know when Lance Moore, Robert Meachem or Devery Henderson could pop off for a touchdown. Detroit can’t just prepare for the pass either: Chris Ivory rushed for over a hundred yards last week against Carolina, Pierre Thomas led the team in rushing touchdowns (five) and Darren Sproles just set the NFL record for most all-purpose yards in a season.

Brees and the Saints were upset by Seattle in the first round last year so expect them to be extra-motivated this time around. Detroit has shown some poise issues this year with Ndamukong Suh’s behavior and a tendency to commit dumb penalties. Plus the game is in New Orleans, where the Saints haven’t lost in over a year. It all adds up to a New Orleans victory.

Saints 42, Lions 28

Falcons at Giants

Cruz (1536 yards, 9 TD) has become Manning's new favorite target

Now that New York is in the playoffs, teams better watch out. I’m sure New Orleans, San Francisco and Green Bay were all rooting for Dallas to win the NFC East last weekend instead of the Giants.

This Giants team reminds me a lot of the one that upset the Patriots in the Super Bowl four years ago. They’re a mess against weaker teams but somehow, they play amazing against teams they have no business beating.

Eli Manning played some terrific football in 2011, finishing the year with just under 5,000 passing yards. Not only did he throw for a ton of yards, but his interception total fell from 25 in 2010, to just 16 this year.

Plus, he’s clutch. You thought Tim Tebow was the king of fourth-quarter comebacks. Eli played out of his mind in the fourth quarter this year. More than half (15) of his 29 TD throws in 2011 came in the game’s final 15 minutes.

It felt like Atlanta took a step back this year (Last season they were 13-3. This year they were just 10-6.) and Matt Ryan hasn’t proven that he can carry his team in the playoffs (four interceptions and a 71.2 QB rating in two career playoff games, both losses). Only Minnesota and Philadelphia recorded more sacks than the Giants did this season so expect Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora to be pressuring Ryan early and often.

The Giants’ lack of a running game may catch up with them in the next round, but it won’t matter this week. Eli and Victor Cruz should have their way against Atlanta’s mediocre pass defense.

Giants 31, Falcons 21

Steelers at Broncos

Clark is one of many Steelers who will be missing in action this weekend

I think we can all agree that this would be a blowout if the Steelers were healthy. That isn’t the case though. Star halfback Rashard Mendenhall is on the shelf for the rest of the season (and maybe next season) after tearing his ACL Sunday in Cleveland. Leading tackler Ryan Clark can’t play because of a sickle-cell trait that could be triggered if he plays in Denver’s high altitude. Super safety Troy Polamalu (calf) and quarterback-devouring linebacker James Harrison (toe) are both listed as questionable on Pittsburgh’s injury report. Ben Roethlisberger is set to play Sunday, but he’s been battling a sprained ankle since mid-December and hasn’t looked very effective playing through the injury so far.

Long story short, the Steelers are beat up. Luckily for Pittsburgh they drew 8-8 Denver in the first round. It looks like whatever magic Tim Tebow was using to propel the Broncos to victory week after week has worn off. The Broncos followed up their impressive (fortunate might actually be the more appropriate adjective) six-game winning streak with a regular-season-ending three-game slide.

Tebow’s looked even shakier than usual during Denver’s recent cold streak. Last week’s line for the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner: 6-22 for 60 yards and an interception. I guess Jason Sudeikis was really snoozing last week.

Another interesting tidbit to consider: Denver actually has a losing record (3-5) at home this season, which is where they’ll be on Sunday. My guess is that Polamalu and Harrison end up playing and that Isaac Redman does a decent job filling in for Mendenhall (he rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown last week after Mendenhall went down). It won’t be a high-scoring affair but in the end, I expect the Steelers to get the job done.

Steelers 24, Broncos 10

Over the last 365 days, the complaint I’ve gotten the most about my site is that I haven’t been true to the site’s name. Up to this point it’s been all sports and no beagles. Well, that’s about to change. I leave you today with these pictures of my 10-year-old beagle Oz, the site’s inspiration and also the world’s laziest and most food-obsessed mammal. Enjoy.

In the kitchen looking for food

He does this pretty often

Looking concerned before a trip to the vet

Getting a little exercise

Doing what he does best

Photo of Uno card was taken from http://bit.ly/zMKzIt. All other photos were taken from ESPN.com.

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Posted in NFL | Tagged Aaron Rodgers, AFC North, Andre Johnson, Andy Dalton, Arian Foster, Atlanta Falcons, Ben Roethlisberger, Calvin Johnson, Chris Ivory, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Darren Sproles, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Devery Henderson, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Green Bay Packers, Heisman Trophy, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Isaac Redman, Jacksonville Jaguars, James Harrison, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jimmy Graham, Lance Moore, Marques Colston, Matt Ryan, Matt Stafford, Megatron, Minnesota Vikings, Ndamukong Suh, New England Patriots, New Jersey, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL Wild Card Weekend, Osi Umenyiora, Philadelphia Eagles, Pierre Thomas, Pittsburgh Steelers, Rashard Mendenhall, Reliant Stadium, Rob Gronkowski, Robert Meachem, Ryan Clark, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl, Superdome, Surf Beagle, T.J. Yates, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady, Torry Holt, Troy Polamalu, Victor Cruz | Leave a comment

Just in Time for Christmas: The Sports Beagle’s 2011-2012 NBA Preview

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Jesse Pantuosco

Man, I love the holidays. You can’t beat a Christmas movie with Joe Pesci getting his head set on fire (personally, I think Gerry Bamman deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of Uncle Frank in Home Alone). This year Christmas will be extra special because it marks the start of the much-anticipated 2011-2012 NBA season.

I always like to say that the season is a marathon, not a sprint. Well, this year it’s a sprint. Each team has to play 66 games … in only 123 days. That’s a lotta hoops. So put on your best running shoes and let’s go. Your 2011-2012 NBA Season Preview coming to you in five, four, three, two, one …

Who is the best point guard in the NBA?

Rose became the NBA's youngest MVP ever when he won the award at the end of last season

Derrick Rose: Rose wasn’t just the best point guard in the league in 2011: he was the best player in basketball. Rondo and Chris Paul might be better distributors but neither of them can take over a game like Rose can. Rose is an expert finisher in traffic (he probably led the league in circus shots last year) and 2011 was his best season as a shooter. He’s young (just turned 23), durable (only missed one game last year), hungry and he’s the best point guard in the game.

Shooting guard?

Dwyane Wade: D-Wade has finally surpassed Kobe as the best two-guard in the association. He’s a lethal scorer, plus he has all the intangibles that you’d want in a veteran leader. Clutch is this dude’s middle name: he was the one keeping Miami’s title hopes alive while LeBron was struggling in the Finals last season. He’s cheetah-fast and at this point, a better option at shooting guard than the aging Kobe Bryant.

Best small forward?

LeBron James: I was tempted to slot Kevin Durant here because he’s such an explosive scorer but Durant just doesn’t offer the complete skill set that LeBron James shows us night in and night out. I always think it’s interesting when people compare LeBron to Michael Jordan because they’re such different players. MJ was more of a finesse scorer: LeBron’s game is all power. LeBron’s strength is incredible: he’s like a slam-dunking rhinoceros with tattoos. He passes well, he shoots threes, he’s a ferocious defender and rumor has it he even developed a post game in the offseason. You don’t have to like him but you have to respect LeBron’s game.

Top power forward?

Look for last season's Rookie of the Year to be even more dominating in 2012

Blake Griffin: Power Forward is a stacked position in the NBA. Dirk, Amare, Pau and Zach Randolph are all playing at a high level right now. But can any of them jump over cars? It’s scary to think about how many defenders Blake Griffin is going to posterize this season with Chris Paul throwing him alley-oops on a nightly basis. Welcome to Lob City everyone.

Best center?

Dwight Howard: There’s no question that Superman is the biggest, baddest center on the planet right now. He’s a shot-blocking machine and an absolutely unstoppable force in the low post. His muscles have muscles. The only question is whether or not Howard will still be in a Magic uniform come March 15th, the date of this season’s trade deadline.

Underrated player to watch for this season?

LaMarcus Aldridge: He’s the best power forward you’ve never heard of. After putting up respectable numbers for the Blazers during the first four years of his career (16 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest), Aldridge blew up in 2011, leading Portland in scoring at just under 22 points a game. He stepped up his game on the rebounding front as well, averaging nearly nine boards per game. He’s tall (6’11), surprisingly mobile and he’s got a sweet midrange game for a player his size. Aldridge was the reason Portland made the playoffs a year ago and with Brandon Roy retiring and Greg Oden still sidelined by injury, this is his team now. Look for the former Texas Longhorn to be even more dominant in 2012.

Overrated?

Carmelo's always known how to fill up a stat sheet but can he lead the Knicks deep into the playoffs?

Carmelo Anthony: Carmelo is a volume scorer, meaning the only reason he was third in the league in scoring a season ago was because he took a TON of shots. Carmelo took an average of 19.5 shots per game in ’10-’11 (only Monta Ellis, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose shot more frequently) and many of these shots were ill advised: that’s why only 45.5% of them went in the hoop. He was making threes at a pretty decent clip with the Knicks last season (a career-best 42.4%) but don’t expect him to keep that up: he’s only a 32% shooter from three-point range in his career. Carmelo also plays NO defense whatsoever but still, the biggest knock on him has to be that he is not a proven winner. His move to NYC was supposed to transform the Knicks to elite status: yet New York’s record was just 13-14 in games he played in last season (13-18 if you count the playoffs). Overall Melo’s been on the winning side of just two of the ten playoff series he’s played in throughout his career and three of those losses were four-game sweeps. Melo’s not the savior New York thinks he is.

Who wins the Eastern Conference?

Miami Heat: I hate these guys … with every fiber of my being. They’re pure evil. But they’re a terrific basketball team. Plus the Heat have two things working in their favor this year that they didn’t have in 2010-11: a healthy Udonis Haslem and the scrappy play and veteran leadership of Shane Battier. This could be LeBron’s year.

Western Conference?

Oklahoma City Thunder: Durant is a leading MVP candidate and Russell Westbrook is right up there with Rose, Paul and Deron Williams in the discussion for best point guard in the league. James Harden was a beast off the bench during the playoffs and Kendrick Perkins provides OKC with some defensive muscle in the low post. After getting their feet wet in the postseason the last two seasons, OKC is finally ready to show the West what it’s really made of. Expect them to edge out Dallas in a conference finals rematch from a year ago.

Dark horse?

Gay's return from injury should give the Grizzlies a lift

Memphis Grizzlies: Memphis has dark horse written all over it. The Grizzlies are quietly loaded. They’ve got stud power forward Zach Randolph (20.1 ppg and 12.2 rpg), freaky athletic swingman Rudy Gay (19.8 ppg), sweet-shooting seven-footer Marc Gasol and one of the best defensive players in the league in Tony Allen. Remember the Grizz took the Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference semi-finals a year ago … and that was without Rudy Gay. If Memphis stays healthy, they’re going to be right in the thick of things out West. These guys are sneaky good and with an average age of less than 26 years old, the Grizzlies could be a contender for years to come.

Team that will disappoint in 2011-2012

Los Angeles Lakers: The offseason was not kind to the Lakers. They failed to land either Chris Paul or Dwight Howard and L.A. also lost coaching legend Phil Jackson to retirement. Lamar Odom was dealt to Dallas a week ago, another crushing blow to L.A.’s thinning roster. Kobe says he’s going to play through his wrist injury but how effective can he be? Ron Artest/Metta World Peace is a year older and a year worse. The stench from last year’s crushing loss to the Mavericks still lingers. There’s a lot of negative energy in Tinseltown right now. With the Clippers on the rise, I’m not sure the Lakers are the best team in Los Angeles anymore.

NBA Champ?

LeBron's been waiting a long time for his first title

Miami Heat: John Elway eventually won his Super Bowl. Kobe finally won his ring without Shaq. Phil Mickelson won the Master’s after years of trying. A-Rod won his title. Heck, even the Red Sox got over the hump at some point (still waiting on the Cubs). This is the year it happens. LeBron finally gets his ring. Seriously though, please just win it so we can stop talking about it already.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy NBA season! Oh yeah, and one more thing … keep the change, ya filthy animal.

All photos were taken from ESPN.com.

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Posted in NBA | Tagged Alex Rodriguez, Amare Stoudemire, Blake Griffin, Boston Red Sox, Brandon Roy, Carmelo Anthony, Chicago Cubs, Chris Paul, Christmas, Deron Williams, Derrick Rose, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Gerry Bamman, Greg Oden, Home Alone, James Harden, Joe Pesci, John Elway, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, LaMarcus Aldridge, LeBron James, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Michael Jordan, Monta Ellis, NBA, NBA Finals, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Phil Jackson, Phil Mickelson, Portland Trail Blazers, Rajon Rondo, Ron Artest, Rudy Gay, Russell Westbrook, Shane Battier, Shaquille O'Neal, Super Bowl, Texas Longhorns, The Master's, Tony Allen, Udonis Haslem, Uncle Frank, Zach Randolph | Leave a comment

Can the Angels Buy Happiness?

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Jesse Pantuosco

Money talks. Admittedly, I don’t know this from personal experience (right now my wallet is drier than the Sahara). But it’s true. Just ask Rod Tidwell. Or Kenny Powers. Or Busta Rhymes. I guess that’s why the sports world can’t stop talking about the Angels (or Tim Tebow … but that’s a blog for another day).

The Angels have made some big moves this offseason but will it be enough to win a title?

In sports we love to anoint the champions before the season even starts. A lot of us still think it’s as simple an equation as dollars = championships. Sometimes this theory holds true but usually it doesn’t. Sure the Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson signings are going to help the Angels next season. I mean, how could they not? Pujols is without question the top slugger of our generation (not to mention that he’s a Gold Glove first baseman) and Wilson was probably the best pitcher on the market this winter. But I’m not ready to give Anaheim (yes, I still call them the Anaheim Angels, enough of this Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim nonsense. That doesn’t even make sense.) the World Series championship … or the AL Championship … or even the division championship just yet.

Why am I betting against the Angels? Let’s start with Pujols. You’re thinking, what negative thing could I possibly say about a three-time NL MVP and a two-time World Series champion? Yes, The Machine’s list of accomplishments is as long as the New Testament, but the fact is, he’s almost 32 years old and last year, though not a bad year, was definitely a down year for Pujols.

2011 marked the first time in Pujols’s career that he finished the year with fewer than 100 RBIs (99) and had a batting average of under .300 (.299). His 37 homers were the fewest he’s hit since 2008 when he also knocked 37 balls out of the park. Pujols’s stats in 2011 were decent but they weren’t the MVP numbers we’re used to seeing from him. Was it simply a down year for Pujols (remember he did miss half of June with a wrist injury) or is his ’11 performance a sign that Albert is on the decline? I guess we’ll find out over the next few years.

Before the start of the 2008 season, Alex Rodriguez agreed to a 10-year contract extension worth a major league record $275 million. Pujols’s deal with the Angels looks pretty similar: 10-years, $254 million. A-Rod was 33 when he signed. Pujols will be 32 in January.

At age 36, it seems like A-Rod's career is winding down

If we use A-Rod as our basis of comparison, the future looks rocky for Pujols in Anaheim. A-Rod was a behemoth: from the time he became an everyday player for Seattle in 1996 until he signed his extension with the Yankees in ‘08, Rodriguez had averaged 43 homers a season with a .306 batting average. But since the new deal, A-Rod just hasn’t been the same player. His batting average the past four seasons is only .284 and his home run production has nose-dived to just under 28 homers a season during that span. Last year he tallied only 16 long balls, the lowest total of his career. True, he only played in 99 games in 2011 but even if he had played in all 162 games, A-Rod was only on pace to hit 26 homers (and remember Yankee Stadium is so small that children can hit home runs there).

Clearly, A-Rod’s age has caught up to him. Before his epic deal, A-Rod had been remarkably durable throughout his career, averaging 153 games played between 1996 and 2007. Post-contract, A-Rod’s health has dropped off considerably. He’s only been able to be on the field for 498 games the past four years, an average of about 125 games a year.

A-Rod’s obvious decline shows that we’re all human: superstars are supposed to experience a decline when they get into their 30s. Yeah Barry Bonds was still playing at an MVP-level into his late 30s but I think we all know how he was able to accomplish that (cough, steroids, cough). I don’t expect Pujols to drop off as quickly as A-Rod has but there’s no way he’ll be able to perform at this high a level for the next 10 years.

People forget that baseball isn’t like basketball where one player can lead the team to a championship a la Michael Jordan in the 90s. Albert Pujols can’t pitch and he only bats four or five times a game. You need a total team effort to win in baseball.

Yes Pujols has two World Series rings, but even if he plays like a god, it doesn’t guarantee the Angels a playoff spot. In fact, St. Louis, even with a healthy Pujols on their roster, has missed the playoffs three out of the past five seasons. In 2006 when the Cardinals somehow won the World Series, they were barely over .500 (83-79) during the regular season. Heck, they needed a massive September collapse from Atlanta to even squeak into the postseason this year.

Pujols had one big game in this year's World Series, but that was it

Another misconception most of us have is that Pujols is a clutch player. A closer look shows that Pujols’s playoff resume actually isn’t all that impressive. Believe it or not, despite playing in the World Series three times, Pujols has never won the World Series MVP award. In 2006 when the Cardinals won the title (St. Louis was swept by Boston in Pujols’s first trip to the WS), he batted just .200 for the series. And this year with the exception of Game Three, when Pujols opened fire on Rangers pitching for five hits and three homers, he was a zero (.240 average for the series). When the lights have shined brightest, Pujols has been more like Scottie Pippen than MJ: good but not great.

Of course Pujols wasn’t the only Angel to sign a multimillion-dollar deal last week. Left-handed starter C.J. Wilson joined Anaheim for five years and $77 million just a few hours after Pujols agreed to his decade-long deal. While most see this signing as a slam-dunk for the Angels, I don’t see Wilson as a game-changer.

Wilson is still relatively unproven: 2012 will only be his third season as a starting pitcher and he’s already 31 (he spent the first five years of his career in the Texas bullpen). He’s not an imposing figure on the mound like CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay or Justin Verlander and his fastball isn’t overpowering either (he tops out at about 90 MPH). After an impressive regular season (16-7, 2.94 ERA) Wilson fell apart in the playoffs last season, posting a 0-3 record and a dismal 5.79 ERA in six appearances. That doesn’t exactly scream clutch.

Wilson may be getting paid like an ace, but he isn’t one. If you look at how pitchers have fared after signing big contracts the past few winters, it makes the Wilson signing seem even shakier. Look at the deals John Lackey and A.J. Burnett signed a couple years ago. Both signed for five years, $82-million (eerily similar to Wilson’s deal). Both were 31 when they signed (just like Wilson). And both have been disasters.

Burnett and Lackey haven't lived up to their contracts

Burnett is 34-35 with a 4.79 ERA in his three seasons with the Yankees and is on the trading block (though nobody wants him). Lackey’s gone 26-23 with a 5.25 ERA during his two seasons in Boston and he’ll be sidelined all of next year after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this offseason. If Wilson ages as badly as Burnett and Lackey, Anaheim could be in for a long five years.

There’s one more thing we’re all forgetting: the AL is loaded. Texas, especially if they can grab Prince Fielder during free agency, should be just as good as they were in 2011 when they were one out away from winning the World Series. Detroit, assuming Justin Verlander stays healthy and Miguel Cabrera stays away from binge drinking, should be competitive next year as well. And then there’s the three-headed monster in the AL East. The Yankees and Rays were playoff teams last year and if Boston hadn’t succumbed to clubhouse boozing in September, they could have been in the mix for the pennant as well (not to mention that they were 6-2 against the Angels last season).

The Angels certainly will have their work cut out for them in the ultra-competitive American League. And unlike some of the other teams in the AL, the Angels have no financial flexibility left to make more moves this offseason or at the trade deadline in July. That’s what happens when you commit $331 million to two players.

Money may buy you a wave-runner but it certainly can’t buy you a championship. Titles are won on the field, not on paper. If they were, the Philadelphia Eagles would be 13-0, LeBron would have a championship ring already and none of us would have ever known that Butler University has a basketball team. You never know what the heck is going to happen. That’s what makes sports awesome. So don’t crown the Angels champs just yet. In fact, don’t crown anybody. Just sit back and let the chaos unfold.

Photo of wave-runner was taken from http://bit.ly/vrcytE. All other photos were taken from ESPN.com.

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Posted in MLB | Tagged A.J. Burnett, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, American League, Anaheim, Arab Money, Atlanta Braves, Barry Bonds, Boston Red Sox, Busta Rhymes, Butler University, C.C. Sabathia, C.J. Wilson, Daniel Tosh, Detroit Tigers, Eastbound and Down, Jerry Maguire, John Lackey, Justin Verlander, Kenny Powers, LeBron James, Los Angeles Angels, Michael Jordan, Miguel Cabrera, National League, New Testament, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Eagles, Prince Fielder, Rod Tidwell, Roy Halladay, Sahara Desert, Scottie Pippen, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Tim Tebow, World Series, Yankee Stadium | Leave a comment

Lessons We Can Learn From a Dramatic Month in Sports

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Jesse Pantuosco

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Well, mostly the worst of times … or at least that’s what SportsCenter would have you believe.

Things got out of hand quickly at University Park after Penn State fired Joe Paterno

Their argument is pretty convincing too. Can you remember a month in sports as traumatic as this one? November 2011 in the world of sports has the feel of a post-apocalypse. It’s like sports fans are living inside a Cormac McCarthy novel. Our hearts have been ripped out. The Penn State and Syracuse scandals have shaken us so much that we’ve forgotten how to love sports.

The acts Jerry Sandusky and Bernie Fine are accused of committing are disgusting. The Syracuse story is still developing but Penn State’s staff had known about Sandusky’s situation for years. And the fact that they didn’t act on it is unforgivable. Our culture has taught us that athletes and coaches are supposed to be courageous heroes with the power to inspire generations of kids to work hard and dream big. Forget that: these men are cowards.

And what about the riots? Your school is on CNN 24-hours straight because your former assistant coach is probably a child molester … and your reaction is to create more bad press by drunkenly trashing the campus and knocking over TV vans? Yeah, that’s a pretty good idea.

Joe Paterno this, Joe Paterno that. Sure it’s a big deal that he was fired but that is NOT the story here. The victims are the story. But in the midst of all the rioting, and ESPN camping out outside JoPa’s house waiting for him to say something, I think we forgot that. And we shouldn’t have.

Maybe nothing will come out of these allegations against Bernie Fine. But that doesn’t mean everybody’s innocent. Is the accuser just using the Penn State scandal to try and score settlement money out of Syracuse? That’s pretty twisted.

Boeheim needs to think before he speaks

And what about Jim Boeheim’s comments? “It is a bunch of a thousand lies,” he said to ESPN just hours after the story broke. “You don’t think it is a little funny that his step-brother is coming forward?”

No, Jim. It’s not a little funny. Even in the midst of a huge scandal, where one wrong move could cost him his job, he still can’t keep his mouth shut. Boeheim calls it loyalty. I call it arrogance. You don’t need to be the center of attention all the time big guy. Try and be considerate for once.

And to top it off, NBA player and owner negotiations have completely fallen apart this month. We didn’t think it was possible but now it looks like a bunch of millionaires are stubborn enough to actually deprive us of a whole season of basketball. It’s tough to feel bad for guys like Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, arriving at the player/owner meetings every day in Manhattan in limos with designer sunglasses and ten-thousand-dollar suits.

How’s that for being a role model? Don’t any of these guys remember where they came from? Come on. What would you think if you were a poor inner-city kid with NBA dreams and your favorite player (who’s already a multi-millionaire) decided he wasn’t going to play another game until he gets more money? What happened to playing for the love of the game? I know I’m no businessman but the whole thing seems selfish to me.

Yes it’s frustrating that the players aren’t … you know, playing. But when it comes to the breakdown in negotiations, the owners are as much to blame as the players.

MJ's hard stance against the players certainly hasn't made negotiations any easier

And guess which owner has been the most uncooperative? You betcha: it’s MJ. Michael Jordan, who owns the Bobcats, wants the owners to get at least a 53% stake of the league’s basketball related income, while other owners were content with a 50/50 split. Didn’t this Jordan guy use to play in the league or something? I guess you can understand why his memory is hazy: I mean that was like a million black jack games ago.

The sports universe definitely appears to be in a dark place right now. Or maybe, we’re just not looking in the right places. As discouraging as the Penn State, Syracuse and NBA lockout sagas have been for sports fans, November hasn’t been all bad. I think our Penn State tunnel vision has allowed us to overlook a few very positive stories that have happened this month.

For most people, November 7th came and went without too much fanfare but listening to Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN, I was reminded why November 7, 2011 was such a special day. Twenty years earlier, on November 7, 1991, Magic Johnson, the greatest point guard to ever play the game, made a monumental announcement. He told the world that he was HIV-positive. The illness ended Magic’s career and it was supposed to end his life too.

Nobody thought that Magic would still be alive to give an interview about his courageous battle with HIV in the year 2011. But on November 7th on Mike and Mike in the Morning, he did just that. And we should all be thankful that Magic is alive today to tell his story. Nobody has done more to bring awareness to HIV and AIDS than Magic has. By being the face of this horrible disease, he’s saved countless lives.

Twenty years after being diagnosed with HIV, Magic is still kicking

Ignorant people called Magic gay (back then people thought only gay people could get HIV) and were afraid that by being around him, they too could get infected with the virus. It was a burden that hurt Magic and it was something he had to deal with every day. But he overcame the hurtful words and has had tremendous success as a businessman in the years following his diagnosis. Magic taught us important lessons in tolerance and perseverance. His bravery and strength will always inspire me and I’m glad I was reminded of that earlier this month.

Luckily, Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has never had to face the daunting physical challenges that Magic has had to go through over the past 20 years. But he’s dealt with his fair share of critics. He’s never been afraid to hide his faith, often wearing Bible verses like John 3:16 and Philippians 4:13 on his eye paint in college. Not only has he been criticized for his Christian beliefs, but many have said that his unorthodox style of play would never allow him to be a successful NFL quarterback.

It’s true that Tebow will never be able to fill a stat sheet like Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. Heck, he may never even get to play in a Pro Bowl. But I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a player who can will his team to victory like Tebow can.

He was handed the keys to a dreadful Broncos offense midway through Week 5 this season. All he’s done since then is lead the Broncos to a 4-1 record, turning Denver into a playoff contender for the first time in years.

Against the Dolphins, Denver was losing 15-0 with less than three minutes to play. Somehow Tebow was able to save the day: Denver won 18-15 in overtime.

Tebow's work off the field is just as inspiring as what he's been able to do on it

Denver needed another miracle if they wanted to win Thursday night against the Jets. Tebow’s magical 20-yard dash into the end zone with 58 seconds left was that miracle. Final score: Denver 17, New York 13.

He’s a phenomenon unlike any we’ve ever seen in sports. His numbers are mediocre at best: his season completion percentage is less than 45%. But when it’s two minutes to go in the fourth quarter and the game’s on the line, you know he’s going to get it done, somehow, some way.

Tebow is the role model that you won’t find in any of these Penn State, Syracuse or NBA stories. Just watch this interview he gives with NFL Network after the Jets game last Thursday. He ALWAYS says the right thing, but not in a good for PR kind of way. He really believes what he’s saying. You’ll never hear him criticize someone or toot his own horn. He won’t make any bold predictions. Because for Tebow, it’s so much more than just football.

It was pretty moving to hear him talk about the new hospital that he’s helping to build in the Philippines. “This game means a lot but that hospital means more to me because that’s changing people’s lives.” That’s a guy that has it all in perspective. How many NBA players on lockout are out building hospitals? I think we could all learn a thing or two from this kid.

And what about Coach K? Yeah he coaches Duke, the team America loves to hate. But Krzyzewski has always handled his team with grace and class. He’s always been friendly and professional toward the media, unlike grouchy fellow Hall of Fame coaches Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun. He hasn’t been involved in any sketchy recruiting scandals or violated NCAA rules like John Calipari has in the past at UMass and Memphis. He deserved the Division I wins record and it was nice to see the way Madison Square Garden honored him after he finally passed Bob Knight last Tuesday against Michigan State.

When did Bob Knight start going soft on us?

And did you see Bob Knight Tuesday? Hugging and congratulating Coach K after the win … it almost makes you forget about all the temper tantrums and chairs Knight used to throw while he was coaching at Indiana for 30 years. Since leaving coaching it seems like Knight’s anger has completely evaporated. Knight’s time at ESPN over the past few college basketball seasons has definitely shaped him into a kinder, gentler person. I guess even at age 71, you never stop growing up.

Those of you who read my blog a lot probably know that I’m a big fan of the show Community on NBC. Two years ago during Season 1, there was an episode of Community where the Greendale debate team had to answer the following question: is man inherently good or evil? I don’t think there’s a concrete answer to this question. But I think there’s a lot more good in the world (and in sports) than we all think. You’ve just got to know where to look for it.

All photos were taken from ESPN.com.

Remember to follow The Sports Beagle on Twitter. Also, be sure to “like” The Sports Beagle’s Facebook page.

Posted in MLB, NBA, NCAA Basketball, NFL | Tagged Aaron Rodgers, Bernie Fine, Bob Knight, Carmelo Anthony, Charlotte Bobcats, CNN, Coach K, Community, Cormac McCarthy, Denver Broncos, Duke Blue Devils, ESPN, Hall of Fame, HIV, Indiana Hoosiers, Jerry Sandusky, Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Joe Paterno, John 3:16, John Calipari, Kobe Bryant, Madison Square Garden, Magic Johnson, Manhattan, Memphis Tigers, Miami Dolphins, Michael Jordan, Mike and Mike in the Morning, NBA Lockout, New York Jets, November, Penn State, Penn State Nittany Lions, Philippians 4:13, Pro Bowl, SportsCenter, Syracuse Orange, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady, UMass Minutemen | Leave a comment

Hey Guys … There’s a World Series Going on

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Jesse Pantuosco

It’s been three weeks. Heck, the World Series is starting tonight. You’d think we’d have all moved on by now.

We haven’t. We still can’t look away. And we probably won’t anytime soon. The Red Sox train-wreck is that compelling.

After nine seasons, it looks like Ortiz has finally had enough of playing in Boston

Let’s look at the damage. Terry Francona has left for greener pastures (aka Fox’s broadcast booth). Theo Epstein, Boston’s Jimmy Neutron-esque boy wonder, has left the nest too. David Ortiz has packed his bags and seems to be on the way out as well, possibly to New York to play for the archrival Yankees.

Even Jon Lester, the Red Sox’s heroic cancer survivor and former World Series hero, has had his image tarnished. His involvement in BeerGate, along with the already unlikable veterans Josh Beckett and John Lackey, has been stealing headlines on ESPN.com for over a week now.

Slowly but surely, the story of the Red Sox collapse has unfolded. The details are grim. Francona was on pain meds. It sounds like Lackey and his wife are getting a divorce. Jacoby Ellsbury felt alone and friendless in the clubhouse. You almost forget that Atlanta blew a September lead just as big as Boston’s.

I’m not sure we’ve ever seen anything quite like this. Ten months ago, it looked like the Red Sox were the next Miami Heat. Now, Charlie Sheen’s meltdown looks like nothing. Maybe Comedy Central’s next celebrity roast should feature the 2011 Red Sox.

Boston’s wild September has MTV reality show written all over it (too bad nobody on the Red Sox looks like Pauly D). Sure it’s entertained us for a few weeks, but it’s time for it to stop.

I’m not saying that as a bitter Red Sox fan either. I’ve been following this story just as closely and eagerly as all of you. But it isn’t fair to the Cardinals and the Rangers. These are two terrific teams that deserve a little attention: but we’re not giving them any.

Cruz dominated the Tigers ... but does anybody really care?

Nelson Cruz just had an ALCS for the ages. He absolutely pulverized Detroit’s pitching staff (a pitching staff that includes borderline-super hero Justin Verlander). But does anybody care?

No. All anybody wants to know about is how many Miller Lites Lester and the boys were throwing back in the clubhouse (or the dugout) while the Red Sox were tanking in September.

Small market teams always say that big spenders like Boston steal their players. Well now, they’re stealing the media attention that we should be devoting to the Cardinals and Rangers.

St. Louis overcame a massive deficit in the Wild Card race to get where they are today. The Rangers have never won a World Series title. A win would not only give Dallas its second major sports championship in a row (Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks topped Miami for their first NBA title back in June) but it would be the ultimate redemption for Josh Hamilton, who has battled drug addiction and countless other obstacles on his way to becoming one of the best players in MLB.

There’s a great story here but we’re all ignoring it. Don’t the Red Sox already get enough attention when they’re in season … why should we ever reward them with more?

What’s fueling this obsession? Are media outlets like ESPN and The Boston Globe the ones fanning the flames? Or did Lackey, Beckett and company bring this all on themselves?

Few people would ever have expected Lester to be involved in Boston's most recent controversy

It’s a pretty slippery slope. Players like Jon Lester and David Ortiz have said that this loose atmosphere in the clubhouse with chicken, video games and drinking has been a part of the culture in Boston since before the Red Sox won the 2007 World Series. Ex-Sox and ESPN analysts Nomar Garciaparra and Curt Schilling have both said that the media is blowing things out of proportion.

Garciaparra doubted the accuracy of reports about drinking and fooling around in the clubhouse, citing the leadership of Sox veterans Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield, “these guys are too good of leaders and respect the game too much to see this happen around them.”

What should be the prevailing argument? Could Nomar and Schilling be right: are the Sox easy targets because they were an overwhelming favorite from a big media market (aka, the team everyone loves to hate)? Or is there something to all these Boston Globe and ESPN reports? As they say, where there’s smoke there’s fire.

Lester, Ortiz and Varitek have all admitted that the Red Sox were drinking in the clubhouse, so that much we know is true. On ESPN yesterday I heard a few panelists voice their opinion on the subject of consuming alcohol in the clubhouse. Lester, Lackey and Beckett are all of legal age: they’re entitled to a beer every now and then. I saw beer in the fridges of both the home and visiting locker rooms when I was working with the Syracuse Chiefs (Triple-A team of the Washington Nationals) so Fenway Park certainly isn’t the only place where people drink.

Would you let your son or daughter wear a John Lackey shirt after hearing about his drinking in the clubhouse?

But as a Red Sox fan, do you really want to hear that the team’s starting pitchers are drinking beer in the clubhouse? Michael Wilbon made a valid point when he asked, “In how many other professions are you allowed to drink while you’re working?” No, Beckett, Lackey and Lester may not have been pitching on days that they were drinking. But it’s still not very professional. Even when you’re not playing, you’re still part of a team: you’re supposed to be watching and caring about what your teammates are doing.

Can you imagine Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee throwing back beer during a game? Never. Both players are intensely focused on winning (to the point where Halladay won’t even talk to anybody in the dugout on days that he pitches). That’s the whole point. The specific act of consuming beer during a game isn’t that unforgivable: what’s unforgivable is Lackey, Lester and Beckett’s “I don’t give a damn” attitude.

Fans pay $30 a pop to sit in the bleachers at Fenway Park … they could probably do the same thing for $5 at a stadium like Camden Yards or PNC Park. Lester, Lackey and Beckett are all making more than $5 million a year. The least these overpaid jerks could do is act like they care. Boston is NOT the place you want to be if you aren’t going to give it 100%. The fan base takes this team WAY too seriously for that to ever be acceptable.

Red Sox fans deserve better than this

And what about all the seven and eight year olds who watch these pitchers on TV or wear their t-shirts to school? Jon Lester used to be a role model. Now he’s making it seem like it’s okay to drink and party on the job. That’s not what I want my kid to be thinking … isn’t it already hard enough to get an eight-year old to do his homework without his favorite pitchers setting a bad example?

These guys had to be bribed with $300 headphones just to play a late season doubleheader against Oakland (ironically Boston won both games … the last time they would win two games in a row all season). Are you kidding me? Playing baseball is your JOB. People would kill to be in your position.

You feel bad for a guy like Francona, who received the brunt of the blame for Boston’s unprecedented September spiral. Sure Francona wasn’t at his best in 2011. He stuck with Wakefield and Lackey in the rotation for way too long when he should have been using Alfredo Aceves, who had a terrific season as a long reliever. But he’s not the one who suits up and plays for nine innings everyday.

Francona was never “big city” material either. He’s always been a down to earth guy from rural Pennsylvania. Seriously, can you get any more blue collar than Tito? For a while he was single-handedly keeping the chewing tobacco industry afloat.

Francona had a great run in Beantown but he was burnt out after 2011

Somehow, with all of Francona’s patience, he was able to make it work in a big city for eight seasons. He won two world championships and was able to remove the word “curse” from Boston’s vocabulary.

But things changed this year. This wasn’t the lovable group of idiots that used to parade around Boston back when Johnny Damon, Pedro Martinez and Kevin Millar were on the team. The players on this year’s roster seemed cold and distant.

They used to say about the Red Sox, “25 players, 25 cabs.” This year it was more like “25 players, 25 Hummers” rolling out of the Fenway players lot. The Sox just weren’t a united group in 2011.

It’s tough to tell what’s going to happen with the Red Sox from here on out … or even what should be done. Should there be a roster overhaul or will this same team come back in February as a more focused ballclub, ready to put its miserable 2011 season behind them?

Kevin Youkilis made Jacoby Ellsbury’s life Hell in 2010 when he criticized him for not playing through a painful rib injury that kept him out for most of the season. Ellsbury responded by having a terrific season but after Youkilis berated him publicly, he hasn’t felt comfortable with anyone on the team except for his good friend Jed Lowrie. If the team knows what’s good for them, they’ll clean house and create an environment where Ellsbury can be happy. Ellsbury was far and away Boston’s best player this season: he NEEDS to re-sign for this team to be successful going forward. Maybe Youkilis should be the next Sox to go.

While the Red Sox remain in turmoil, Pujols has a chance to cement his place in history with a second World Series win

Trading Youkilis would certainly be a bold move but it wouldn’t be any bigger than what’s already taken place so far this offseason.

Will Youkilis be the next domino to fall? Who knows, but I think the answer can wait until after the World Series. Let’s give Texas and St. Louis our attention this week. They deserve it. Boston’s brats certainly don’t.

All photos were taken from ESPN.com.

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Posted in MLB | Tagged Albert Pujols, ALCS, Alfredo Aceves, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Camden Yards, Charlie Sheen, Cliff Lee, Comedy Central, Curt Schilling, Dallas Mavericks, David Ortiz, Detroit Tigers, Dirk Nowitzki, ESPN, Fenway Park, Fox, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Varitek, Jed Lowrie, Jimmy Neutron, John Lackey, Johnny Damon, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Josh Hamilton, Justin Verlander, Kevin Millar, Kevin Youkilis, Miami Heat, Michael Wilbon, Miller Lite, MTV, Nelson Cruz, New York Yankees, Nomar Garciaparra, Oakland A's, Pauly D, Pedro Martinez, PNC Park, Roy Halladay, St. Louis Cardinals, Syracuse Chiefs, Terry Francona, Texas Rangers, The Boston Globe, Theo Epstein, Tim Wakefield, Triple-A, Washington Nationals, Wild Card, World Series | Comments Off

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