The World Champion San Francisco Giants (48-39) lost tonight for the second straight day to the San Diego Padres (40-47) at AT&T Park. Tonight's game was by a 5-3 score. The Giants have now lost three straight overall, but still hold a one game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks (47-40) in the National League West.
Miguel Tejada seems to be cranking it up for the Giants, having raised his average by roughly 40 points over where it was a couple of months ago. It may not be much to look at statistically right now, but he seems to be playing well. Hopefully Pat Burrell can get over this foot ailment that has been plaguing him the last few days; he's had successful pinch-hit at-bats off the bench in the last two games anyway.
Padres reliever Chad Qualls spiked the ball after tagging out Giants outfielder Andres Torres to end the 7th inning; Torres was attempting to score on a wild pitch. In my book, Qualls made a total bush league move and I hope the Giants can make him pay for it before too long.
It looks like the Diamondbacks may be sticking around for a while, after all. I'm still skeptical of their bullpen, but the longer they stay in the race, the more confidence they will have. They have won in Milwaukee the last two days, which is remarkably the first time the Brewers (45-42) have lost consecutive home games all season. It's an impressive achievement for the Diamondbacks, here's to hoping the Brewers end that losing streak tomorrow.
Speaking of the NL Central, how about the Pittsburgh Pirates (45-41)? They are only 1.5 games behind the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals (47-40). It looks like the Bucs may be over the .500 mark at the All-Star Break for the first time in almost as long as I can remember. Andrew McCutchen is having another strong year and if you ask me, belongs on the All-Star team. I still like the Brewers in that division, but they need to play better on the road, where they are 16-29 (they are a very impressive 29-13 at home).
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Utah basketball may not play Utah State
Utah is all set to join the Pac-12 in just another day or two. There are plans for a Pac-12 Day celebration. However, I find it unfortunate that Athletic Director Chris Hill has apparently decided to put plans on hold to play Utah State regularly in basketball. The two teams have met annually for over a half-century and to me, it's a great rivalry. I know Utah has usually lost up in Logan, but it sure has been a fun atmosphere to play in. I hate to lose that. The home team has usually won and I think Utah could still use the Aggies as a great game on an annual basis. It means a lot to people here and I don't think it would really hurt the Runnin' Utes in the RPI department too much if they lost. I'll still always cheer for Utah. I just hate to see a rivalry like that diminish.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Dirk Nowitzki soaking it all in
Dirk Nowitzki sure seems to be taking well to the role of being an NBA Champion. He and the rest of the Dallas Mavericks made an appearance on David Letterman's Top Ten List which was rather funny, particularly Nowitzki at number one. Then at the championship parade, Nowitzki belted out "We Are the Champions!" by Queen very loudly. And tonight at the Texas Rangers (41-36) game against the New York Mets (37-39), Nowitzki threw out the first pitch, which had a bit too much arm behind it. Undeterred, Nowitzki flexed his muscles for the crowd in Arlington.
The man can do no wrong. He finally captured his first NBA Title and he looks like it. He looks like he is walking on air every time I see him and I really can't blame him. To me, with this playoff run and championship, Nowitzki cemented himself as one of the all-time greats. I like that he is so willing to share himself with public. It's good that he is soaking it all in. He deserves to.
The man can do no wrong. He finally captured his first NBA Title and he looks like it. He looks like he is walking on air every time I see him and I really can't blame him. To me, with this playoff run and championship, Nowitzki cemented himself as one of the all-time greats. I like that he is so willing to share himself with public. It's good that he is soaking it all in. He deserves to.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The difficult issue of MLB realignment
Baseball has been considering the issue of realignment, chiefly because there are 6 teams in the National League Central and 4 teams in the American League West. All the other divisions have 5 teams. So if you go strictly by odds, a team in the AL West has a 1 in 4 shot to make the playoffs, while a team in the NL Central has a 1 in 6 shot to make the playoffs. I get that it doesn't seem fair. However, there is a lot more to it than just moving a team from the NL Central to the AL West.
First, the team that would make the most sense is the Houston Astros (28-48). If they moved to the AL West, no other teams would have to move around. Plus, it would still make some geographic sense, since they would then be in the same division as the Texas Rangers (40-36). Plus, it would clean up a lot of scheduling in interleague play, since divisions could simply be pitted against each other (although there are other issues realignment in general would bring up). Any other scenario, such as the Arizona Diamondbacks (42-34) moving to the American League, would likely require multiple teams switching divisions as a team from the NL Central would have to be shifted to the NL West to get all the divisions to 5 teams each.
However, the biggest issue with this sort of proposed realignment is that it would push both the American and National Leagues to 15 teams each. Since the start of interleague play in the late 1990s, it has been done only for a few weeks of the year. Since baseball is an everyday game, it follows that there would have to be interleague play throughout the season in this format.
There are multiple issues with this. First and foremost to me is the tradition of the game. I don't want my team, the World Champion San Francisco Giants (41-34), playing American League teams in the final week of the season while in the chase for a National League West Division title. It just doesn't seem right. Baseball has always been primarily about league play. When the games are magnified at the end of the regular season they should be at least be played within the same league, preferably within the same division (although this clearly isn't possible for every team in every game with most divisions having 5 teams).
And then there is the issue of the designated hitter. First off, I think the DH is a bad rule. It takes out a lot of strategy from baseball that I feel was meant to be in the game. Everyone in the field should have to hit (or be pinch-hit for) when his spot in the batting order comes up and everyone that hits should have to play the field (or be taken out of the game for a defensive replacement). Baseball should require an all around game, not just a one-dimensional game. Furthermore, it creates more strategic questions for managers, particularly late in close games, which benefits the integrity of the game.
Former Oakland Athletics (34-42) manager Bob Geren, who was recently fired, looked like he had never managed a National League style game before when the A's visited the Giants earlier this season, and yet this rarely would come up in a typical American League game. Like I said, this all should be part of the game, managers should be forced to make big decisions on a nightly basis. Former Chicago Cubs (30-44) and Diamondbacks first baseman and current D-Backs broadcaster Mark Grace put it well when he said the National League is where they play real baseball. I realize the DH may be hard to get rid of since there is a lot of money in that position and a lot of productive players, but it's something that should be done.
But I digress, although it was a fun digression. Not only is the tradition of playing within your league when the games take on more importance a huge deal, there is also the issue of having games being played under different rules down the stretch. What if an AL team had a division title on the line and had to clinch it in an NL park with no DH or vice versa? It just wouldn't seem right to not be playing under ordinary rules. There would likely have to be some uniformity with the rules if interleague play was to be spread out like this or it could cause some chaos. I'd just prefer it if the teams kept to their own leagues late in the season (as well as around the time of Opening Day) as I feel it would benefit the integrity of the game.
As you can see, it's not as simple as some would have you believe it would be to realign. I realize that mathematically, the current system isn't exactly fair to teams in the NL Central. But to fix it would require a major overhaul. I don't know how exactly that would be done or if it should even be attempted.
First, the team that would make the most sense is the Houston Astros (28-48). If they moved to the AL West, no other teams would have to move around. Plus, it would still make some geographic sense, since they would then be in the same division as the Texas Rangers (40-36). Plus, it would clean up a lot of scheduling in interleague play, since divisions could simply be pitted against each other (although there are other issues realignment in general would bring up). Any other scenario, such as the Arizona Diamondbacks (42-34) moving to the American League, would likely require multiple teams switching divisions as a team from the NL Central would have to be shifted to the NL West to get all the divisions to 5 teams each.
However, the biggest issue with this sort of proposed realignment is that it would push both the American and National Leagues to 15 teams each. Since the start of interleague play in the late 1990s, it has been done only for a few weeks of the year. Since baseball is an everyday game, it follows that there would have to be interleague play throughout the season in this format.
There are multiple issues with this. First and foremost to me is the tradition of the game. I don't want my team, the World Champion San Francisco Giants (41-34), playing American League teams in the final week of the season while in the chase for a National League West Division title. It just doesn't seem right. Baseball has always been primarily about league play. When the games are magnified at the end of the regular season they should be at least be played within the same league, preferably within the same division (although this clearly isn't possible for every team in every game with most divisions having 5 teams).
And then there is the issue of the designated hitter. First off, I think the DH is a bad rule. It takes out a lot of strategy from baseball that I feel was meant to be in the game. Everyone in the field should have to hit (or be pinch-hit for) when his spot in the batting order comes up and everyone that hits should have to play the field (or be taken out of the game for a defensive replacement). Baseball should require an all around game, not just a one-dimensional game. Furthermore, it creates more strategic questions for managers, particularly late in close games, which benefits the integrity of the game.
Former Oakland Athletics (34-42) manager Bob Geren, who was recently fired, looked like he had never managed a National League style game before when the A's visited the Giants earlier this season, and yet this rarely would come up in a typical American League game. Like I said, this all should be part of the game, managers should be forced to make big decisions on a nightly basis. Former Chicago Cubs (30-44) and Diamondbacks first baseman and current D-Backs broadcaster Mark Grace put it well when he said the National League is where they play real baseball. I realize the DH may be hard to get rid of since there is a lot of money in that position and a lot of productive players, but it's something that should be done.
But I digress, although it was a fun digression. Not only is the tradition of playing within your league when the games take on more importance a huge deal, there is also the issue of having games being played under different rules down the stretch. What if an AL team had a division title on the line and had to clinch it in an NL park with no DH or vice versa? It just wouldn't seem right to not be playing under ordinary rules. There would likely have to be some uniformity with the rules if interleague play was to be spread out like this or it could cause some chaos. I'd just prefer it if the teams kept to their own leagues late in the season (as well as around the time of Opening Day) as I feel it would benefit the integrity of the game.
As you can see, it's not as simple as some would have you believe it would be to realign. I realize that mathematically, the current system isn't exactly fair to teams in the NL Central. But to fix it would require a major overhaul. I don't know how exactly that would be done or if it should even be attempted.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Alternate jerseys too prevalent in day games
One thing I'm tired of in baseball is teams that always wear their alternate uniforms during day games. I don't get it. I've only noticed two teams that almost always do this and they are the Cincinnati Reds (home only) and Kansas City Royals (home and away with different color jerseys). Both teams have alternate jerseys that look pretty cool if you ask me, but the whole idea of it wrong.
Day baseball is traditional, it what they played when baseball began. And when baseball began, there were no alternate jerseys. It was home whites and road grays. Now, I'm okay with wearing alternate jerseys from time-to-time, and even occasionally during day games, but I think during matinee contests teams should stick to the traditional jerseys most of the time. Alternate jerseys are more of a modern invention and so it follows that they should go more often with the also more modern invention of night games. I just don't get that classic feel from teams when they are always wearing alternate jerseys during day games.
Day baseball is traditional, it what they played when baseball began. And when baseball began, there were no alternate jerseys. It was home whites and road grays. Now, I'm okay with wearing alternate jerseys from time-to-time, and even occasionally during day games, but I think during matinee contests teams should stick to the traditional jerseys most of the time. Alternate jerseys are more of a modern invention and so it follows that they should go more often with the also more modern invention of night games. I just don't get that classic feel from teams when they are always wearing alternate jerseys during day games.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Catching up
Apologies for the lack of blogging the last week and a half. I will be more consistent. As it has been some time since I was on here, I would like to catch up on the developments in sports during that time period.
First off, I was happy to see the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA Finals. Their zone defense seemed to be a riddle that the Heat couldn't solve with enough consistency throughout the series. Dirk Nowitzki was clutch down the stretch of the last few games and put up solid numbers the entire Finals. Jason Terry and the rest of the supporting cast really stepped it up the last three games of the series. I thought that was the key when Miami was up 2-1 and I thought it really swayed the series in Dallas' favor.
Dwyane Wade played outstanding the first three games of the series and played well the rest of the series, but not as well as he did in the 2006 NBA Finals. LeBron James had a poor series, particularly in the fourth quarters of games. He simply was not assertive enough when he had the ball. Chris Bosh played pretty well, but needed more from Wade and James. I think the Heat will be back next year and be a Finals contender again.
The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup Final 4 games to 3 over the Vancouver Canucks, taking Game 7 by a 4-0 score in Vancouver. Before the series, I kind of wanted the Canucks to win, but the biting incident plus the Aaron Rome hit on Nathan Horton kind of pushed me more to the Bruins. Canucks fans booing during the U.S. National Anthem prior to Game 7 didn't help either. I realize there were some cheap plays on the part of the Bruins as well, but it didn't seem nearly as flagrant to me.
Roberto Luongo didn't measure up consistently enough in the Final as goaltender for the Canucks. He was absolutely destroyed all three games in Boston, which put too much pressure on the Canucks going back to home ice in Game 7. It's typically not a recipe for success if you just fall back on the attitude that you play well at home. The Bruins were in every game and looked like they wanted it more. Luongo said he would have made the save on the lone goal scored in Game 5 which was allowed by Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. Maybe he should have been more focused on the three he allowed in the first nine minutes of Game 6 or the three he allowed at home in Game 7.
It was a fun series to watch, but I do wish that Alex Burrows had been punished for his bite. The NHL has sent conflicting messages about these types of matters and needs to make sure this type of unsportsmanlike behavior is outlawed. I did think it was funny that Bruins players were taunting the Burrows and other Canucks by sticking fingers in their faces and asking if they wanted to bite them again.
The World Champion San Francisco Giants (39-30) just took two of three in Phoenix from the Arizona Diamondbacks (38-32) this week and hold a 1.5 game lead over the Snakes in the National League West. I think the Giants have the better team and will win the division. Remember when everyone said the Colorado Rockies (33-35) were going to run away with the division? Looks like that one's not going to happen. The Giants pitching staff will keep them in the race all season long and I believe will be enough to take the division crown for the second consecutive year.
First off, I was happy to see the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA Finals. Their zone defense seemed to be a riddle that the Heat couldn't solve with enough consistency throughout the series. Dirk Nowitzki was clutch down the stretch of the last few games and put up solid numbers the entire Finals. Jason Terry and the rest of the supporting cast really stepped it up the last three games of the series. I thought that was the key when Miami was up 2-1 and I thought it really swayed the series in Dallas' favor.
Dwyane Wade played outstanding the first three games of the series and played well the rest of the series, but not as well as he did in the 2006 NBA Finals. LeBron James had a poor series, particularly in the fourth quarters of games. He simply was not assertive enough when he had the ball. Chris Bosh played pretty well, but needed more from Wade and James. I think the Heat will be back next year and be a Finals contender again.
The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup Final 4 games to 3 over the Vancouver Canucks, taking Game 7 by a 4-0 score in Vancouver. Before the series, I kind of wanted the Canucks to win, but the biting incident plus the Aaron Rome hit on Nathan Horton kind of pushed me more to the Bruins. Canucks fans booing during the U.S. National Anthem prior to Game 7 didn't help either. I realize there were some cheap plays on the part of the Bruins as well, but it didn't seem nearly as flagrant to me.
Roberto Luongo didn't measure up consistently enough in the Final as goaltender for the Canucks. He was absolutely destroyed all three games in Boston, which put too much pressure on the Canucks going back to home ice in Game 7. It's typically not a recipe for success if you just fall back on the attitude that you play well at home. The Bruins were in every game and looked like they wanted it more. Luongo said he would have made the save on the lone goal scored in Game 5 which was allowed by Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. Maybe he should have been more focused on the three he allowed in the first nine minutes of Game 6 or the three he allowed at home in Game 7.
It was a fun series to watch, but I do wish that Alex Burrows had been punished for his bite. The NHL has sent conflicting messages about these types of matters and needs to make sure this type of unsportsmanlike behavior is outlawed. I did think it was funny that Bruins players were taunting the Burrows and other Canucks by sticking fingers in their faces and asking if they wanted to bite them again.
The World Champion San Francisco Giants (39-30) just took two of three in Phoenix from the Arizona Diamondbacks (38-32) this week and hold a 1.5 game lead over the Snakes in the National League West. I think the Giants have the better team and will win the division. Remember when everyone said the Colorado Rockies (33-35) were going to run away with the division? Looks like that one's not going to happen. The Giants pitching staff will keep them in the race all season long and I believe will be enough to take the division crown for the second consecutive year.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Burrows takes bite out of Bruins
At left: Vancouver's Alex Burrows bites Boston's Patrice Bergeron during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Burrows was not suspended for his actions.The Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins resume the Stanley Cup Final tonight at 6 p.m. MT on Versus. The Canucks lead the series 2 games to none. The series has not been a good showing for the NHL so far. During a scrum in Game 1, Canucks forward Alex Burrows bit Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron. It was clearly a bite, I could see that on television. To back that up, it was plain to see that there was blood seeping through Bergeron's glove.
Worst of all, the NHL didn't suspend Burrows, saying there was not conclusive evidence to do so. That whole notion is ridiculous, the entire world could tell it was a bite. Worse yet for the NHL, Burrows scored 2 goals in Game 2, including the game-winner just seconds into overtime. This magnifies the problem. Burrows should not have been out there, he probably should have been suspended for at least the remainder of the series.
People have often considered the NHL less civilized than other sports. Normally, I don't quite buy those arguments because I believe some clean contact is part of the game and that guys typically aren't trying to seriously injure someone else. However, biting is frowned on in every sport. It has no place in hockey, or at least it shouldn't. The NHL failing to take action opens the door for other incidents such as this to occur. It's disgraceful to hockey and the league needs to work on cleaning up its image if it wants to grow in popularity. For an incident like this to be seen on national television and go unpunished is bad news for the NHL.
In fact, in Game 2, Canucks forward Maxim Lapierre taunted Bergeron by sticking his glove in his face, likely asking him if he wanted to take a bite out of it. Also in the game, Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid appeared to ask Burrows during a scrum "You gonna bite me?" The Canucks' image is tarnished, but it also appears that the Bruins may be letting that get into their heads. Even if the Canucks are making light of the situation, the Bruins need to focus on Game 3, which is a must-win game for them. I kind of hope that Boston can pull it out, I was sort of cheering for Vancouver, but the biting incident makes it harder to do so.
Nadal captures French Open
Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in four sets yesterday to capture the French Open championship. Federer played excellent tennis and was right there in the first two sets before winning the third. If he had won either of those, he may have been able to carry that momentum to win the match. As it is, Nadal continued his domination of Federer on clay court. It was fun watching such a great rivalry be renewed, but I was sad Federer couldn't pull this one out.
I stand by what I wrote a couple of days ago, though, in saying that Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time. He has captured the career Grand Slam and has won more major tournaments than anyone in history. I understand that he has an overall losing record to Nadal, but Nadal doesn't have the career numbers that Federer does, at least not yet. Nadal's game has come a long way in recent years, jumping from primarily a clay court specialist to a more complete player on multiple surfaces. I will be open to revisiting this debate if Nadal catches Federer in number of total majors, but for now Federer is still the all-time king in my book.
I stand by what I wrote a couple of days ago, though, in saying that Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time. He has captured the career Grand Slam and has won more major tournaments than anyone in history. I understand that he has an overall losing record to Nadal, but Nadal doesn't have the career numbers that Federer does, at least not yet. Nadal's game has come a long way in recent years, jumping from primarily a clay court specialist to a more complete player on multiple surfaces. I will be open to revisiting this debate if Nadal catches Federer in number of total majors, but for now Federer is still the all-time king in my book.
Wade leads Heat to win in Game 3
Dwyane Wade scored 29 points on 12-21 shooting from the field and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Heat defeated the Mavericks 88-86 last night in Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Dallas. The Heat now lead the series 2 games to 1. LeBron James chipped in 17 points and 9 assists and Chris Bosh had 18 points, including the game-winning jumper with under a minute to go. Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks had 34 points to lead all scorers, but his jumper at the buzzer that would have tied it hit the back rim.
Through the first three games of the NBA Finals, Wade looks like the best player on the floor to me. Having not had the opportunity to watch the 2006 NBA Finals, this is the best basketball I have ever seen Wade play. He looks downright unstoppable most of the time out there and his jump shot is going in at an extraordinary rate. James has done a good job facilitating and I think his presence allows Wade to have a little more freedom.
Right now, Wade is playing too well for the Mavericks to give him space, they probably need to double team him and force someone else to shoot it. That's what happened on the last play when Bosh knocked down the game-winner. The defense was good in forcing the ball out of Wade's hands but needed to be a little better closing on Bosh. Even so, it's better if Bosh is open than Wade, so the only problem is there should have been a little better rotation defensively.
Nowitzki is playing stellar basketball and I honestly thought his shot was going to go in and force overtime, but I guess the percentages say they can't all go in. Nowitzki needs better play around him, particularly from Jason Terry who has faltered somewhat in the Finals after having an outstanding playoffs. It wouldn't hurt for J.J. Barea to be more productive either. The Mavericks have to accomplish these things if they want to have a realistic shot at winning the series. Game 4 is tomorrow night at 7 p.m. MT on ABC.
Through the first three games of the NBA Finals, Wade looks like the best player on the floor to me. Having not had the opportunity to watch the 2006 NBA Finals, this is the best basketball I have ever seen Wade play. He looks downright unstoppable most of the time out there and his jump shot is going in at an extraordinary rate. James has done a good job facilitating and I think his presence allows Wade to have a little more freedom.
Right now, Wade is playing too well for the Mavericks to give him space, they probably need to double team him and force someone else to shoot it. That's what happened on the last play when Bosh knocked down the game-winner. The defense was good in forcing the ball out of Wade's hands but needed to be a little better closing on Bosh. Even so, it's better if Bosh is open than Wade, so the only problem is there should have been a little better rotation defensively.
Nowitzki is playing stellar basketball and I honestly thought his shot was going to go in and force overtime, but I guess the percentages say they can't all go in. Nowitzki needs better play around him, particularly from Jason Terry who has faltered somewhat in the Finals after having an outstanding playoffs. It wouldn't hurt for J.J. Barea to be more productive either. The Mavericks have to accomplish these things if they want to have a realistic shot at winning the series. Game 4 is tomorrow night at 7 p.m. MT on ABC.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Time for NBC to move out of the Dark Ages
Roger Federer defeated Novak Djokovic yesterday in the semifinals of the French Open, marking the end of Djokovic's near-record 40 plus match winning streak. The problem was, much of the United States was unable to see the match live on television. NBC decided to start its coverage at 11 a.m. throughout the nation, which was great for people in the Eastern Time Zone because that's right about the time the match started. As for the rest of us? Well, enjoy it on tape delay.
Tape delay may have been okay in years past (although I still can't remember ever thinking highly of it), but in today's technology-savvy age it is a downright archaic idea. If tennis wants to generate interest, it needs to ensure that its top matches are available live throughout the entire USA. Likewise with NBC, if it wants to get the best ratings, it stands to reason that more people would want to watch live tennis. NBC has also done its tape delay business with the Olympics for many years. It makes a little more sense there, but I still think everyone would be better off if those events were shown live as well.
Federer-Djokovic was one of those big-time matches with lots of anticipation that just don't come along every day. It's a shame that the entire country wasn't able to see it live on television. I had the foresight to be able to watch the match live online on nbcsports.com, but I don't think that the casual fan would go to such lengths to plan to watch such a match, just as I think they wouldn't want to watch a match on television they already knew the result of.
Another thing I'm not too fond of is that it is often ridiculously hard to find out when on earth these matches are scheduled to start. After five or ten minutes of poking around varying websites, I found that the Federer-Djokovic and Rafael Nadal-Andy Murray matches were going to be played on the same court, accompanied by a start time. Nadal-Murray was first, but there was no timetable given for when the second match would start, nor a time between matches given. Furthermore, I'm still not sure if Nadal-Murray was on television or streaming online at all, which is ridiculous for a Grand Slam semifinal. Tennis and NBC need to fix this if they both want to be considered major players among their competitors.
It's a shame that I feel compelled to spend so much time talking about this rather than the actual tennis, but I feel that all helps illustrate my point. If NBC can't show the entire matches live, they should have them start on another network and pick up the coverage throughout the nation at 11. This is still not ideal, but in this scenario, at least the entire country would be able to have the option of watching live on television.
Anyway, Federer looked like a blast from the past on Friday, knocking out Djokovic in four sets. Federer showed once again that he is the greatest tennis player of all time. He's still playing some good tennis, even if he is a bit past his prime. Early tomorrow morning, he faces his long-time rival Nadal for the French Open title. I can tell you with a surety that this match is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. MT and will be available live nationwide on NBC. At least they are doing something sensible for the final, if not for the semis. I, for one, can tell you that I will be getting up to watch.
Tape delay may have been okay in years past (although I still can't remember ever thinking highly of it), but in today's technology-savvy age it is a downright archaic idea. If tennis wants to generate interest, it needs to ensure that its top matches are available live throughout the entire USA. Likewise with NBC, if it wants to get the best ratings, it stands to reason that more people would want to watch live tennis. NBC has also done its tape delay business with the Olympics for many years. It makes a little more sense there, but I still think everyone would be better off if those events were shown live as well.
Federer-Djokovic was one of those big-time matches with lots of anticipation that just don't come along every day. It's a shame that the entire country wasn't able to see it live on television. I had the foresight to be able to watch the match live online on nbcsports.com, but I don't think that the casual fan would go to such lengths to plan to watch such a match, just as I think they wouldn't want to watch a match on television they already knew the result of.
Another thing I'm not too fond of is that it is often ridiculously hard to find out when on earth these matches are scheduled to start. After five or ten minutes of poking around varying websites, I found that the Federer-Djokovic and Rafael Nadal-Andy Murray matches were going to be played on the same court, accompanied by a start time. Nadal-Murray was first, but there was no timetable given for when the second match would start, nor a time between matches given. Furthermore, I'm still not sure if Nadal-Murray was on television or streaming online at all, which is ridiculous for a Grand Slam semifinal. Tennis and NBC need to fix this if they both want to be considered major players among their competitors.
It's a shame that I feel compelled to spend so much time talking about this rather than the actual tennis, but I feel that all helps illustrate my point. If NBC can't show the entire matches live, they should have them start on another network and pick up the coverage throughout the nation at 11. This is still not ideal, but in this scenario, at least the entire country would be able to have the option of watching live on television.
Anyway, Federer looked like a blast from the past on Friday, knocking out Djokovic in four sets. Federer showed once again that he is the greatest tennis player of all time. He's still playing some good tennis, even if he is a bit past his prime. Early tomorrow morning, he faces his long-time rival Nadal for the French Open title. I can tell you with a surety that this match is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. MT and will be available live nationwide on NBC. At least they are doing something sensible for the final, if not for the semis. I, for one, can tell you that I will be getting up to watch.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Big Mavericks comeback ties NBA Finals
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat 95-93 tonight in Game 2 of the NBA Finals from Miami. The Mavericks overcame a 15 point 4th quarter deficit to capture the win. Dirk Nowitzki was clutch again, scoring the final 9 points for Dallas. With some of the celebrating that was going on, I think the Heat thought they had the game won. Dwyane Wade was outstanding and LeBron James was very good. Wade look completely unstoppable at times to be honest. I think there definitely was a mental lapse on the part of the Heat.
However, credit has to be given to the Mavericks for refusing to quit. They looked terrible for much of the second half -- it just seemed like they were completely out of sync, turning the ball over and making poor decisions that led to a lot of easy baskets by the Heat. The Mavericks seemed to take better care of the basketball down the stretch and to calm down when they needed to. Without the turnovers, they were able to defend Miami in more half court sets, allowing their defense to be more effective.
The Mavericks will need to show better focus throughout entire games if they expect to win the series and the Heat will need to maintain the focus they showed throughout the 3rd quarter and first half of the 4th quarter if they expect to win the series. It could very well be a good, long series. It looks like Nowitzki's left hand is healthy enough and that should mean the Mavericks are able to stay competitive in the series. I think this game was a must-win for the Mavericks with the 2-3-2 format of the NBA Finals. It would have been a tall order to ask Dallas to win all three games at home, but now if they take two of the three they can go back to Miami needing just one win to capture the title. Game 3 is Sunday night in Dallas at 6 p.m. MT on ABC.
However, credit has to be given to the Mavericks for refusing to quit. They looked terrible for much of the second half -- it just seemed like they were completely out of sync, turning the ball over and making poor decisions that led to a lot of easy baskets by the Heat. The Mavericks seemed to take better care of the basketball down the stretch and to calm down when they needed to. Without the turnovers, they were able to defend Miami in more half court sets, allowing their defense to be more effective.
The Mavericks will need to show better focus throughout entire games if they expect to win the series and the Heat will need to maintain the focus they showed throughout the 3rd quarter and first half of the 4th quarter if they expect to win the series. It could very well be a good, long series. It looks like Nowitzki's left hand is healthy enough and that should mean the Mavericks are able to stay competitive in the series. I think this game was a must-win for the Mavericks with the 2-3-2 format of the NBA Finals. It would have been a tall order to ask Dallas to win all three games at home, but now if they take two of the three they can go back to Miami needing just one win to capture the title. Game 3 is Sunday night in Dallas at 6 p.m. MT on ABC.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Buster Posey's injury
Buster Posey, catcher for the World Champion San Francisco Giants (27-22), was injured in an ugly collision in the 12th inning of last night's game with the Florida Marlins (29-19). Scott Cousins of the Marlins was attempting to score on a sacrifice fly ahead of the throw from Giants right fielder Nate Schierholtz. Posey couldn't handle the throw on a hop, and Cousins ran over him. Posey suffered a broken fibula as well as strained ligaments in his left ankle. It is estimated he will be out six to eight weeks, and possibly longer.
Posey, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, would be a huge loss for the Giants on a number of different levels. He is a great hitter who is smart and hits for average and has a little pop in his bat. He is also a great catcher, doing a great job of calling pitches and knowing the tendencies of hitters. And as if that wasn't enough, he is a great clubhouse presence and a leader on the team at a young age.
Posey should be able to spend time with the team as he rehabilitates and still contribute in leadership roles, but he will be immensely missed on the field, especially as he was just starting to find his groove offensively and was in the midst of a double digit game hitting streak. Eli Whiteside will take over behind the plate in the interim. Whiteside is a solid catcher defensively and can hit occasionally, but his offensive skills are not that of Posey.
Hopefully the Giants can ride out this injury and stay in the race; I think they are capable of doing this for at least a little while. Despite the Marlins finishing off the three game sweep this afternoon at AT&T Park, the Giants still lead the National League West by 2 games over the Arizona Diamondbacks (25-24) and 2.5 games over the Colorado Rockies (24-24), who are playing right now (the Diamondbacks lead 3-1 in the top of the 6th inning in Denver).
A lot of people were proclaiming that the Rockies were going to run away with the division after they got off to such a hot start, but they have cooled off considerably since then and recently lost starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa for the season to an injury. The Diamondbacks have been playing very well lately, but I still think they lack the pitching depth to stay in the race all year. The Posey injury hurts the Giants' chances, no question about it, but I still think it could be a close race in the West. Hopefully he isn't out for too long. The Giants travel to Milwaukee to face the Brewers (27-23), who are riding a six game winning streak, for three games this weekend.
Posey, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, would be a huge loss for the Giants on a number of different levels. He is a great hitter who is smart and hits for average and has a little pop in his bat. He is also a great catcher, doing a great job of calling pitches and knowing the tendencies of hitters. And as if that wasn't enough, he is a great clubhouse presence and a leader on the team at a young age.
Posey should be able to spend time with the team as he rehabilitates and still contribute in leadership roles, but he will be immensely missed on the field, especially as he was just starting to find his groove offensively and was in the midst of a double digit game hitting streak. Eli Whiteside will take over behind the plate in the interim. Whiteside is a solid catcher defensively and can hit occasionally, but his offensive skills are not that of Posey.
Hopefully the Giants can ride out this injury and stay in the race; I think they are capable of doing this for at least a little while. Despite the Marlins finishing off the three game sweep this afternoon at AT&T Park, the Giants still lead the National League West by 2 games over the Arizona Diamondbacks (25-24) and 2.5 games over the Colorado Rockies (24-24), who are playing right now (the Diamondbacks lead 3-1 in the top of the 6th inning in Denver).
A lot of people were proclaiming that the Rockies were going to run away with the division after they got off to such a hot start, but they have cooled off considerably since then and recently lost starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa for the season to an injury. The Diamondbacks have been playing very well lately, but I still think they lack the pitching depth to stay in the race all year. The Posey injury hurts the Giants' chances, no question about it, but I still think it could be a close race in the West. Hopefully he isn't out for too long. The Giants travel to Milwaukee to face the Brewers (27-23), who are riding a six game winning streak, for three games this weekend.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Mavericks make big comeback, take 3-1 series lead
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-105 in overtime tonight in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals in Oklahoma City. The Thunder led by 15 points with under five minutes to go in regulation, but the Mavericks, who never led in regulation, came back to force overtime. The Mavericks now lead the series 3 games to 1.
Dirk Nowitzki led the charge down the stretch, proving again that he is a big-time, clutch player. He hit some seemingly impossible shots and did so a couple of times despite the Thunder committing to me what looked like blatant fouls (which were not called). Nowitzki was big-time and is starting to cement his legendary status. Nowitzki ended up with 40 points and again had a strong shooting percentage, going 12 for 20 (60 percent).
You just don't see comebacks like the one tonight. When a team is up by 15 points with under five minutes to go, especially at home, it's game over. That's what made all this so impressive. On top of that, this was a game the Thunder absolutely had to have; they should have been the more desperate team. In fact, they looked like their spirit was crushed even before the game ended. After Jason Kidd knocked down a 3 to put Dallas up by 3 late in overtime, Kevin Durant looked like the Thunder had already lost; he looked completely despondent in the time-out huddle. This game is a back-breaker; I don't see the series going back to Oklahoma City. Game 5 is Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Dallas and can be seen on ESPN and espn3.com.
Dirk Nowitzki led the charge down the stretch, proving again that he is a big-time, clutch player. He hit some seemingly impossible shots and did so a couple of times despite the Thunder committing to me what looked like blatant fouls (which were not called). Nowitzki was big-time and is starting to cement his legendary status. Nowitzki ended up with 40 points and again had a strong shooting percentage, going 12 for 20 (60 percent).
You just don't see comebacks like the one tonight. When a team is up by 15 points with under five minutes to go, especially at home, it's game over. That's what made all this so impressive. On top of that, this was a game the Thunder absolutely had to have; they should have been the more desperate team. In fact, they looked like their spirit was crushed even before the game ended. After Jason Kidd knocked down a 3 to put Dallas up by 3 late in overtime, Kevin Durant looked like the Thunder had already lost; he looked completely despondent in the time-out huddle. This game is a back-breaker; I don't see the series going back to Oklahoma City. Game 5 is Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Dallas and can be seen on ESPN and espn3.com.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Lincecum pitches a gem
The World Champion San Francisco Giants (26-19) defeated the Oakland Athletics (22-24) by a score of 3-0 on Saturday afternoon at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Tim Lincecum pitched his fifth career complete-game shutout. Lincecum showed again why he is among the best in the game and why he has won two Cy Young awards. The Giants lead the Colorado Rockies (23-21) by 2.5 games in the National League West.
The Giants are looking good and are playing like the first-place team I expected them to be before the season started. The Rockies have a good team and particularly a couple of really good hitters, but I think the Giants are the better team overall based on their pitching staff from top to bottom. I expect it to be a relatively close race all summer, but I think the Giants will take the division. The Giants wrap up the bay-bridge series at 2:05 p.m. MT on MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv.
The Giants are looking good and are playing like the first-place team I expected them to be before the season started. The Rockies have a good team and particularly a couple of really good hitters, but I think the Giants are the better team overall based on their pitching staff from top to bottom. I expect it to be a relatively close race all summer, but I think the Giants will take the division. The Giants wrap up the bay-bridge series at 2:05 p.m. MT on MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The amazing Dirk Nowitzki
At left: Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks (left) goes up for a shot against the Thunder's Kendrick Perkins in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Nowitzki had 48 points.If you missed Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals last night, well, you missed quite a show. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 121-112. Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks dropped an incredible 48 points on the Thunder. The most amazing part of the whole thing is that he did it on 12-15 shooting from the field, an incredible 80 percent. And these were not only dunks and layups, but also a number of jumpshots, including those of the turnaround, fade-away variety. From the free-throw line, Nowitzki was 24-24, setting an NBA Playoffs record for number of free-throw attempts in a game without a miss.
Usually when a guy approaches 50 points, he takes a lot more than 15 shots from the field, which makes Nowitzki's performance truly one for the ages. I hope people recognize how dialed in he really was last night. Jason Terry continued his torrid postseason with 24 points on 50 percent shooting, including four 3-pointers, the last of which in the final minute put the game out of reach for good. Terry is a clutch player who has a knack for knocking down the big shot and has been referred to by Nowitzki as the team's "closer." Credit Terry for being big, but also Nowitzki for facilitating his teammates. J.J. Barea continued his strong play as well, chipping in 21 points of his own. Jason Kidd had 11 assists.
Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 40 points and had it not been for Nowitzki, he would have been the story of the game. Durant had an outstanding game, shooting 10-18 from the field and 18-19 from the foul line. Russell Westbrook, on the other hand, had a tough night, scoring 20 points, but doing so on just 3-15 shooting from the field. He had only 3 assists as the point guard. The Thunder are going to need improved play from Westbrook if they are going to win this series. The Mavericks guardline was significantly better than the Thunder's in Game 1.
Game 2 of this series is in Dallas tomorrow night at 7 p.m. MT and can be seen on ESPN and espn3.com. Meanwhile, Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals is tonight in Chicago at 6:30 p.m. MT and can be seen on TNT. The Bulls lead the Heat in that series, 1-0.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
National FOX MLB broadcasts; World Champion Giants win in rain
The World Champion San Francisco Giants (22-17) defeated the Chicago Cubs (17-21) Saturday night at Wrigley Field by a score of 3-0 in a rain-shortened game that only got a few pitches into the top of the 7th inning.
Friday and Saturday night games are not allowed at Wrigley Field unless they are requested to be on national TV, as this one was by FOX Sports (allowing for it to be what is being reported as the first Saturday night game at Wrigley Field in 9 years). National TV being relative of course, since I, along with most of the country was force-fed the Red Sox (19-20)-Yankees (20-17) game. And since FOX has exclusive broadcast rights on Saturday, I was forbidden to watch the game live because of where I live. It didn't matter that I subscribe to MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. It seems really ridiculous to me, FOX and MLB should work out a way to let the games be seen out-of-market via subscription services. Anyway, enough of that for now.
In an ironic statistic, Ryan Vogelsong (3-0, 2.36 ERA) picked up his first career complete game shutout in the victory, even though he only pitched six innings. Vogelsong has been very, very solid for the Giants since coming up from Triple-A Fresno and has really been a good story to this point. I'm just glad the Giants got out of this game with a win as the conditions looked absolutely miserable for players and fans alike and clearly affected the fielding in particular on a number of plays. The Giants and Cubs close out this three game weekend series Sunday at 12:20 p.m. MT. The game will be televised nationally on WGN and can also be seen via MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv.
Friday and Saturday night games are not allowed at Wrigley Field unless they are requested to be on national TV, as this one was by FOX Sports (allowing for it to be what is being reported as the first Saturday night game at Wrigley Field in 9 years). National TV being relative of course, since I, along with most of the country was force-fed the Red Sox (19-20)-Yankees (20-17) game. And since FOX has exclusive broadcast rights on Saturday, I was forbidden to watch the game live because of where I live. It didn't matter that I subscribe to MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. It seems really ridiculous to me, FOX and MLB should work out a way to let the games be seen out-of-market via subscription services. Anyway, enough of that for now.
In an ironic statistic, Ryan Vogelsong (3-0, 2.36 ERA) picked up his first career complete game shutout in the victory, even though he only pitched six innings. Vogelsong has been very, very solid for the Giants since coming up from Triple-A Fresno and has really been a good story to this point. I'm just glad the Giants got out of this game with a win as the conditions looked absolutely miserable for players and fans alike and clearly affected the fielding in particular on a number of plays. The Giants and Cubs close out this three game weekend series Sunday at 12:20 p.m. MT. The game will be televised nationally on WGN and can also be seen via MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Thunder, Grizz headed for Game 7
The (4) Oklahoma City Thunder and (8) Memphis Grizzlies are headed for a winner-take-all Game 7 tomorrow afternoon in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. The game is scheduled to tip off at 1:30 p.m. MT in Oklahoma City and will be televised nationally on ABC. This has been the most exciting series of the playoffs thus far, particularly the triple-overtime thriller in Game 4.
As I stated a few days ago, the first couple rounds of the NBA and NHL Playoffs are too drawn out for me, but when there is a Game 7 with everything on the line, it sure does make for an exciting game. We saw that on Thursday night in the NHL when the Sharks topped the Red Wings to advance to the Western Conference Finals. I believe we will see more of the same tomorrow in the NBA.
Kevin Durant had a poor Game 6, but I think he will bounce back at home in Game 7 and lift the Thunder to victory. That is, if his team remembers to get him the ball in key situations. That has been a problem at times in this series for the Thunder and I think it could hurt them in a decisive Game 7. When you have a superstar like Durant, get him the ball in the key spots and let him decide what to do with it from there. If they do that, I think the Thunder win.
The key for the Grizzlies will be Zach Randolph. Who would have thought he would have been the best low post presence in the playoffs so far? Certainly not me. However, that's exactly what he has been and he came up huge for Memphis last night in Game 6. The Thunder need to double-team him more and force the other guys on the floor to make plays because Randolph really has been playing that well. How Randolph performs will be a key for both teams. However, I think the Thunder having Durant and the home-court advantage will be enough to earn them a date with the (3) Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Check me out on Twitter for updates throughout the game tomorrow and I'll have some post-game analysis on here as well.
As I stated a few days ago, the first couple rounds of the NBA and NHL Playoffs are too drawn out for me, but when there is a Game 7 with everything on the line, it sure does make for an exciting game. We saw that on Thursday night in the NHL when the Sharks topped the Red Wings to advance to the Western Conference Finals. I believe we will see more of the same tomorrow in the NBA.
Kevin Durant had a poor Game 6, but I think he will bounce back at home in Game 7 and lift the Thunder to victory. That is, if his team remembers to get him the ball in key situations. That has been a problem at times in this series for the Thunder and I think it could hurt them in a decisive Game 7. When you have a superstar like Durant, get him the ball in the key spots and let him decide what to do with it from there. If they do that, I think the Thunder win.
The key for the Grizzlies will be Zach Randolph. Who would have thought he would have been the best low post presence in the playoffs so far? Certainly not me. However, that's exactly what he has been and he came up huge for Memphis last night in Game 6. The Thunder need to double-team him more and force the other guys on the floor to make plays because Randolph really has been playing that well. How Randolph performs will be a key for both teams. However, I think the Thunder having Durant and the home-court advantage will be enough to earn them a date with the (3) Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Check me out on Twitter for updates throughout the game tomorrow and I'll have some post-game analysis on here as well.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Sharks-Red Wings Game 7 tonight
Tonight in the second round of the NHL Playoffs, it's Game 7 between the (2) San Jose Sharks and the (3) Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on Versus. The Sharks captured the first three games of the series, but the Red Wings have come back to force a decisive Game 7. I'm not too big on the early rounds of the NHL or the NBA Playoffs because I think they are way too drawn out and that too many teams qualify. However, when you get a Game 7, it does peak my interest, particularly when it's between two good teams in a winner-take-all scenario. The winner moves on to the Western Conference Finals to face the (1) Vancouver Canucks.
It is clear that the Red Wings have all the momentum in the series right now and from all accounts I've heard, they played with a lot more heart and energy than the Sharks did in Game 6 in Detroit. However, the Sharks can look to the Canucks in the first round to know that it is possible to pull out a Game 7 at home. The Canucks had similarly blown a 3-0 series lead to the (8) Chicago Blackhawks. The Red Wings have been one of the premier teams in the NHL for some time now and I think they will come out hard. I think the Sharks will play better than they did in Game 6, but I think the Red Wings have momentum on their side and will pull it out tonight. Should be a fun one.
It is clear that the Red Wings have all the momentum in the series right now and from all accounts I've heard, they played with a lot more heart and energy than the Sharks did in Game 6 in Detroit. However, the Sharks can look to the Canucks in the first round to know that it is possible to pull out a Game 7 at home. The Canucks had similarly blown a 3-0 series lead to the (8) Chicago Blackhawks. The Red Wings have been one of the premier teams in the NHL for some time now and I think they will come out hard. I think the Sharks will play better than they did in Game 6, but I think the Red Wings have momentum on their side and will pull it out tonight. Should be a fun one.
LeBron James comes up big and silences critics
What a night it was last night for LeBron James. His (2) Miami Heat closed out the (3) Boston Celtics in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, 4 games to 1, winning Game 5, 97-87. James had 33 points, but more importantly than that, hit two huge three-pointers down the stretch to cement the win.
James has taken a lot of criticism this year, particularly for how he handled his decision to leave Cleveland last summer. He was also critiqued for not coming through in the clutch, although I don't think that was an entirely fair rap on him.
I think the doubters can be silenced for now, though, as James hit all the big shots down the stretch in a key playoff game for the Heat. He was the guy they needed him to be. I also thought it was classy that he apologized to Cleveland for how everything went down last summer. James really is a great player and we'll see if he is able to obtain that elusive first championship this year.
I was hoping the Celtics would take this series, but the Heat simply look like a better team right now, particularly looking more poised down the stretch of Games 4 and 5 of the series. The Heat now await the winner of the (1) Bulls and (5) Hawks series, which the Bulls lead 3 games to 2. Game 6 of that series is tonight in Atlanta at 6 p.m. MT and can be seen on ESPN.
James has taken a lot of criticism this year, particularly for how he handled his decision to leave Cleveland last summer. He was also critiqued for not coming through in the clutch, although I don't think that was an entirely fair rap on him.
I think the doubters can be silenced for now, though, as James hit all the big shots down the stretch in a key playoff game for the Heat. He was the guy they needed him to be. I also thought it was classy that he apologized to Cleveland for how everything went down last summer. James really is a great player and we'll see if he is able to obtain that elusive first championship this year.
I was hoping the Celtics would take this series, but the Heat simply look like a better team right now, particularly looking more poised down the stretch of Games 4 and 5 of the series. The Heat now await the winner of the (1) Bulls and (5) Hawks series, which the Bulls lead 3 games to 2. Game 6 of that series is tonight in Atlanta at 6 p.m. MT and can be seen on ESPN.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
MLB and DUIs
There have been six Major League Baseball players this year that have been arrested for DUIs. The latest two have been pitcher Derek Lowe of the Atlanta Braves (20-16) and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo of the Cleveland Indians (22-11). Both were not held for lengthy periods of time. Lowe was allowed by the Braves to make his next start without missing any time. Choo was in the starting line-up for the Indians in their next game.
Both teams said they do not condone these type of actions, but said something like they were waiting for legal decisions before they take any further action. However, it seems to me that getting arrested is enough of a sign that someone is in the wrong. I find it disgraceful that neither of these players missed any time for their foolish and dangerous decisions. The message that is being sent is that winning is more important than public safety and that is just sad.
Both teams said they do not condone these type of actions, but said something like they were waiting for legal decisions before they take any further action. However, it seems to me that getting arrested is enough of a sign that someone is in the wrong. I find it disgraceful that neither of these players missed any time for their foolish and dangerous decisions. The message that is being sent is that winning is more important than public safety and that is just sad.
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