AccuScorn

So, reading tonight's preview of the Reds-Brewers match-up, I took a gander at ESPN's "accuscore" projection, which said that we were 51-49 percentage point favorites, which is essentially a wash, but I couldn't help but think that it made absolutely no sense to call us the favorites.

Much as I want to assume the Reds will always win, the pitching match-up is Ben Sheets (2-0, 1.17 ERA) against Arroyo (0-1, 5.17 ERA).

Going beyond the bare numbers, since we all agree that wins and ERA are augurs of a false baseball god, Sheets has been on a roll this season (20 K's, 0.70 WHIP in 3 starts) while Arroyo has struggled not-so mightily, and had trouble getting very far into games. For now, I'll assume that the bats are roughly equal since both sides have had bumpy seas and struggling stars on the offensive end (I'm looking at YOU Prince Fielder, supposed anchor of my fantasy offense).

My question is, what makes this accuscore machine so accurate. I couldn't find any numbers about its average success rate on the Web site, so why is this damn thing even there if not an effort to cross-pollinate a little Bodog traffic?

Accuscore belongs with "Who's More Now?" in the annals of ESPN crap that needs to be shown the door.

It is now 5:30, and I have successfully killed the last 15 minutes of my work day. Later.

Also, Snoop Dogg Wrote A Song About It...

For the first time in, I believe, the history of the network, three of the 10 top stories on ESPN.com this morning were about Cincinnati sports. Obviously, Web sites do not have Nielson ratings.


Bengals' Henry surrenders to face assault charge


Agitated Ocho Cinco not the Bengals' problem


Encarnacion HR gives Baker first Reds victory

Also, are we 100 percent certain that Chris Henry knows anyone old enough to drink? Because every time he gets arrested he's like, rolling blunts for 8-year-olds or humping kittens or something.

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?

The Grass is ALWAYS Greener

According to recent reports from TWWL, Pete Carroll is seriously considering leaving beautiful Southern California for the head coaching position..... of the Atlanta Falcons! Zuh?!?

Why oh why, would you leave the Trojan Empire you have created to join an organization that has been in a 2007 nightmarish tailspin? He has six straight conference championships, 2 AP National Titles, and first pick on all the nation's West Coast recruits. For what more could you ask??

Apparently, he has that same Billy Donovan, Nick Saban, Rick Pitino, Steve Spurrier- itch that just needs to be scratched. He'll take the job, coach three or four years and take a golden parachute back to some other PAC 10 program. When will these coaches realize that being a king of a collegiate empire is just as good, if not better, than being just another NFL head coach.

I never thought I'd side with the Yankees on anything, but...

This is pretty great.

As I've said, I would almost never condone the way the Yankees operate, because I think they're usually as guilty as ESPN of the "We're the only game in town" line of thinking, but in this case I think it's nice to see someone busting ESPN's chops a little bit.