People say kids should play sports because it teaches life lessons...Here's quick lesson in math:
The Reds re-signed Matt Belisle today for $1.25 million. Last year he made $390,000. He went 8-9 with a 5.32 ERA. That's a 300% increase.
What other job in the world gives you a 300% raise for what any rational person would describe as a mediocre season at best?
Just askin'...
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Here come the CATS!!!!
Living in Big East country gives me the unique ability to get multiple looks at the Cincinnati Bearcats from many different national and home announcers, translation: no Cincinnati bias. (Can you honestly think of one media outlet or personality outside of Cincinnati who actually likes Cincinnati basketball except for Digger Phelps, is like the anti-Duke) Anyway, what I have found is the ‘Cats are poised to regain their former glory. The only thing against them right now is youth, which has admittedly lost them 8 games this year, but look out.
Here is their case.
1. COACHING: They have an up and coming coach in Mick Cronin, who is from the Huggins and Petino coaching tree. Huggins was great, but everyone knows it was time for a change, and Kennedy was done before he even started. Cronin is just the type of hard nosed, energetic guy that works best in Cincinnati, and he is by far the best recruiter Huggins ever had. He is inexperienced in coaching big games, and the more Big East games he plays, the better he gets.
2. YOUNG TALENT: Their best player (Vaughn) is a sophomore, but not good enough to go pro. They have 5 other Freshmen who all contribute, including a legit scorer in Alvin Mitchell, and a true Center in 6’11” Anthony McClain. And they have a talented power forward and true point guard coming next year.
3. YOUNG MISTAKES: All the mistakes they make are for 2 reasons, either their freshmen are stupid, or their veterans are bad. The amount of lay-ups and open jumpers the veterans have missed is astounding (Hrycaniuk cost us the Uconn and Xavier games) Next year, those are gone…. Theoretically.
4. GOOD HOME FANS: Cincinnati fans know how to cheer, and know how to create a home court advantage. As a visitor, ‘The Shoe’ is one of the worst places to play in the country, and now that the huggins hangover is past, I am positive it will regain its former glory.
5. RECRUITING: Cronin was Huggs best recruiter, and in Cronin’s first real recruiting class he already has 2 top flight recruits coming in, including the top player from Cincinnati, Yancey Gates. One of Huggin’s biggest recruiting strengths was his ability to get the best players from the city and state year in and year out, and since he left Xavier and OSU have been wining. But with the arrival of Gates from Withrow, the flood gates will be reopened. That, coupled with the success of the Football team, and their national TV contract with the Big East, players will want to come to the Queen City again.
I may be a crazy UC supporter, but I have watched 10 games this year, and in every game they have looked better, and every announcer and opposing coach in the conference has had nothing but good things to say. Although I am not sure I will now how to react when my team isn’t the most hated group in the conference. I will just have to call Stan and have him refer to them as the convicts again.
Here is their case.
1. COACHING: They have an up and coming coach in Mick Cronin, who is from the Huggins and Petino coaching tree. Huggins was great, but everyone knows it was time for a change, and Kennedy was done before he even started. Cronin is just the type of hard nosed, energetic guy that works best in Cincinnati, and he is by far the best recruiter Huggins ever had. He is inexperienced in coaching big games, and the more Big East games he plays, the better he gets.
2. YOUNG TALENT: Their best player (Vaughn) is a sophomore, but not good enough to go pro. They have 5 other Freshmen who all contribute, including a legit scorer in Alvin Mitchell, and a true Center in 6’11” Anthony McClain. And they have a talented power forward and true point guard coming next year.
3. YOUNG MISTAKES: All the mistakes they make are for 2 reasons, either their freshmen are stupid, or their veterans are bad. The amount of lay-ups and open jumpers the veterans have missed is astounding (Hrycaniuk cost us the Uconn and Xavier games) Next year, those are gone…. Theoretically.
4. GOOD HOME FANS: Cincinnati fans know how to cheer, and know how to create a home court advantage. As a visitor, ‘The Shoe’ is one of the worst places to play in the country, and now that the huggins hangover is past, I am positive it will regain its former glory.
5. RECRUITING: Cronin was Huggs best recruiter, and in Cronin’s first real recruiting class he already has 2 top flight recruits coming in, including the top player from Cincinnati, Yancey Gates. One of Huggin’s biggest recruiting strengths was his ability to get the best players from the city and state year in and year out, and since he left Xavier and OSU have been wining. But with the arrival of Gates from Withrow, the flood gates will be reopened. That, coupled with the success of the Football team, and their national TV contract with the Big East, players will want to come to the Queen City again.
I may be a crazy UC supporter, but I have watched 10 games this year, and in every game they have looked better, and every announcer and opposing coach in the conference has had nothing but good things to say. Although I am not sure I will now how to react when my team isn’t the most hated group in the conference. I will just have to call Stan and have him refer to them as the convicts again.
The Perils of Live TV
I realize that this clip is all over the Internet, but it must be shared here.
As Berm can attest, it's hard to find good help.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
This Is Why You Don't have A Week Off Before The Game.
From ESPN's Media Day blog:
"In the quest to find the inner Belichick, the Pats coach was asked to tick off a series of favorites. For the record, the winning TV show is Planet Earth and movie is Gone With the Wind -- though he quickly amended that to Bourne Identity."
1) Why do I care what Belichick's favorite movie is?
2) He said Gone With the Wind "— though he quickly amended that to Bourne Identity." SERIOUSLY? From a sweeping civil war era-epic romance starring two screen icons...to a Matt Damon vehicle with that weird-looking chick from Run Lola Run? I honestly thought the man was a genius, now I'm just puzzled. This is like the football equivalent of hearing Patton say his favorite movie is Lawrence of Arabia, then switching and saying he actually likes Meatballs.
EDIT: I realize that by using his favorite movie to analyze his genius makes point 1 seem irrelevant, but I'm sticking with my original layout.
EDIT 2: What are the odds that Simmons makes a similar mention of the Gone With the Wind-Bourne Identity issue in his next mailbag/column? 4-1? 3-1?
"In the quest to find the inner Belichick, the Pats coach was asked to tick off a series of favorites. For the record, the winning TV show is Planet Earth and movie is Gone With the Wind -- though he quickly amended that to Bourne Identity."
1) Why do I care what Belichick's favorite movie is?
2) He said Gone With the Wind "— though he quickly amended that to Bourne Identity." SERIOUSLY? From a sweeping civil war era-epic romance starring two screen icons...to a Matt Damon vehicle with that weird-looking chick from Run Lola Run? I honestly thought the man was a genius, now I'm just puzzled. This is like the football equivalent of hearing Patton say his favorite movie is Lawrence of Arabia, then switching and saying he actually likes Meatballs.
EDIT: I realize that by using his favorite movie to analyze his genius makes point 1 seem irrelevant, but I'm sticking with my original layout.
EDIT 2: What are the odds that Simmons makes a similar mention of the Gone With the Wind-Bourne Identity issue in his next mailbag/column? 4-1? 3-1?
Super Bowl Parties
Super Bowl Week is all about the parties. From the (relatively) tame soirée held at our place, to the most decadent onsite adventures. In many ways, the game itself is an afterthought. Check out this list of all the different parties as compiled by the Boston Herald. If you had one ticket per day and one per night, where would you go??
Click through to this link to find out...
Monday, January 28, 2008
Vegas Conspiracy
From Mike:
I believe Tom Brady's boot and ankle injury is a hoax. Brady is not hurt, but has been paid by Las Vegas, to wear this boot to raise questions about his health. Vegas and the odds makers want to stay away from the largest line in SB History and do not want everyone and their mother to take the Pats to cover.
Thus Brady is wearing the boot and not practicing when the media covers practice...the longer this farce continues, the more the line continues to drop, the more Vegas relaxes.
Did you really think Vegas is going to take a bath on the largest sports event in the world? It is a shame to what extent money influences American sports and an even bigger shame that Brady and Belichick would buy into it.
The PATS will cover, will go undefeated, but at a lesser line causing all those NYG supporters to lose money and like Jerry Seinfeld, Vegas will continue to break even.
Slip of the Tongue
Duke Alum Jim Spanarkel, a classmate of Magister from MHS, had an unfortunate slip of the tongue when interviewing the Seton Hall coach. Good stuff!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Possible Business Venture...
Check out this article in The Enquirer this morning:
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080127/COL03/801270389/-1/CINCI
Basically, you pay $20, and you own a share of a minor league player. If that player makes it big, you get big return on your investment. Like fantasy baseball, but for real.
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080127/COL03/801270389/-1/CINCI
Basically, you pay $20, and you own a share of a minor league player. If that player makes it big, you get big return on your investment. Like fantasy baseball, but for real.
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