Let the Speculation Begin....

According to this source from the Gray Lady, the bidding for A-Rod is going to start at $35M per season. This was the minimum bid his uber-agent Scott Boras gave to Yankees management at the start of Game Four. It appears that the number one should expect out there is $280M over 8. A new suitor has entered the ring also. The rumor mill is hot that Marlins (yes, the Marlins) will make a play for the all-world third baseman. A-Rod does call Miami his offseason home, but I just can't picture this deal coming into fruition.

One must read this post at AOL Fanhouse, a choose your own adventure story about the offseason choices of A-Rod. Click Here

The Return of NOOCH!

Billionaire owner Clay Bennett has taken the first steps in petitioning the NBA to move the Sonics from Seattle to Oklahoma City. The team has three years on their lease left at decrepit KeyArena, but have an opt-out clause they can exercise after this season with penalty. Civic support for a publicly funded new arena has failed to gain any traction in the state legislature, despite whole-hearted support from the ownership group in Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, a state-of-the-art new arena waits in the booming downtown district of OKC. The eager fans from Oklahoma proved they could support an NBA franchise during the past two seasons as they hosted the New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets (NOOCH! for those in the know), due to the disaster of Hurricane Katrina.

While it is difficult to see the Sonics leave Seattle after 40 years, it is the right of the owners to move teams, especially when they can no longer remain financially viable in their present situation. The time for protest has past. It should have been conducted when the sale was being discussed, especially to OKC businessmen when had previously stated that it was their intention to bring the team to Oklahoma.

Sadly and ironically, the city that is perhaps least financialy able to support an NBA franchise is the New Orleans Hornets, who have already shown as much in five years. That would be the most natural fit, but now post-Katrina, everyone has shown a moral obligation to commit to rebuilding the Crescent City.

Here's a much better read on the issue, from Henry Abbott formerly of TrueHoop, now ESPN.

Thoughts? Is this a done deal?

Bulldogs, New Tricks...

Did anyone else catch the "World Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" this weekend? Florida had won 8 of the past 9 and 15 of the last 17 against the Bulldogs of Georgia.

How about when Georgia scored the first TD against Florida, and the entire team sprinted into the end zone for a celebration? Coach Richt said that it was something he had intentionally implemented during practice, and he would gladly pay the 15 yard excessive celebration penatly to get his team fired up.

A few questions:

1) Was what UGA did an example of poor sportsmanship, good strategy, or (heavens forbid) both?
2) Should officials have discretion to penalize more than 15 yards for certain infractions?
2) Do you see a quick rule change or fines levied by the SEC in response?

Oh, I almost forgot one crucial detail - Georgia snapped the losing streak and beat Floridia soundly, 42-30.

AL Dominance

Sitting here with the Sox up on the Rocks 3-1 in the 7th, and thinking of the recent World Series, I'm amazed at the dominance of the American League over the National League in both the All Star Game and the WS over the past ten years.

The All-Star Game speaks for itself...the AL has won something like 9 in a row (not counting the Marxian/Selig tie a few years back)

However, the World Series has illustrated AL dominance as well. While they have not won every WS over the past ten years, they have been the better team arguably in every series since the Braves of 1995.

07-possible sweep
06-STL (but they only won 83 games and Detroit LOST the series with all the errors)
05-ChiSox Sweep
04-BoSox sweep
03-Marlins (thanks to Steve Bartman) beating a better Yanks team thanks to Beckett
02-Angels (rally monkey outlasting and outclutching the Dusty Baker Giants)
01-Dbacks (beating a better Yanks team thanks to the Big Unit and Schill)
00, 99, 98 Dominant Yanks
97 Miracle Marlins beating the Indians in 7
96 Yanks dominance begins...


Now, why such the dominance?

My opinion is better competition and I'm sad to say...the DH. Pitchers in the AL are forced to face stronger lineups all year and make better pitches due to the top to bottom strength of the AL lineups. NL pitchers are able to pick and choose whom to pitch to due to the weak 8/9 hole in the lineup. This competition and concentration manifested over an entire season makes the pitching better for the AL teams...and we all know good pitching beats good hitting.

You may argue that AL teams have to play the NL rules just as often and that it may hurt the AL teams who don't know how to play NL style small ball, but their teams seem to overcome this problem.

As a purist, I hate the DH and would like it removed...but do you think the DH has made the AL teams stronger thus contributing to the latest AL dominance? Thoughts?