The World Champion San Francisco Giants (13-13) beat the Washington Nationals (12-14) today at Nationals Park 2-1, but that was not the story of the day. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval (.313 avg., 5 hr, 14 rbi) will be out 4 to 6 weeks with a fractured hamate bone in his right hand. This is really a tough break because Sandoval was off to a great start after working hard in the offseason to get into better shape.
The Giants have been rather putrid on offense lately and this only makes matters more difficult. It's actually pretty remarkable that the Giants are at .500 right now as well as 3-2 on this current road trip with how poorly they have been playing on offense at times. That is once again a testament to the pitching staff. I don't think everyone will stay cold forever, though. Andres Torres will hopefully be off the disabled list before long and Mark DeRosa shouldn't be out too long either. I think the team will be in the race throughout the summer.
Jonathan Sanchez was all over the place today, but only gave up one unearned run in five innings of work. Sanchez surrendered six walks, including four in the first inning, and hit two batters. He only gave up two hits, once again proving that his stuff is electric but that control is the central issue. Hopefully he works on that and is able to more consistently locate pitches.
Brian Wilson sure made things interesting in the bottom of the 9th, walking two and hitting another batter to load the bases. Wilson struck out Adam LaRoche on a 3-2 pitch to end the game. Just another day at the office, I suppose.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Darren Ford uses his wheels to give Giants a win
Darren Ford had a good night tonight. Since I'm tired, here's a link to read about his trip around the bases that may just become legendary.
Canucks beat Blackhawks in thrilling fashion
The (1) Vancouver Canucks defeated the (8) Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in overtime tonight in Game 7 of their first round playoff series. Alex Burrows scored the game-winner less than six minutes into the sudden death overtime period. This series was particularly exciting because the Canucks jumped out to a 3 games to none lead before the Blackhawks won Games 4 and 5 by five goals apiece and Game 6 in Chicago in an overtime thriller.
The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last year and had defeated the Canucks in the playoffs the last two years. It would have been easy for the Canucks to think it was deja vu when the Blackhawks forced Game 7. However, they played hard and showed a lot of grit in getting the win.
The Blackhawks were not without grit themselves as they didn't seem interested in the series at all during the first three games before ratcheting things up and nearly coming up with an incredible series comeback. The Canucks led virtually the entire game tonight as Burrows scored not even three minutes into the game. The Blackhawks netted a pressure-packed goal from captain Jonathan Toews with under two minutes left in regulation to tie it and force overtime. Making it even more remarkable was that the goal was scored shorthanded. Toews' goal was one of the more spectacular hockey plays I've seen in a while, particularly considering the pressure of the circumstances as well as his team being down a man at the time.
This game and this series had everything if you ask me. Seeing how excited the Blackhawks were to tie the game showed how much it meant to them. And then seeing the elation from the Canucks and the entire arena in Vancouver when Burrows' second goal went in was something special. The Canucks had a great regular season but needed to get the Blackhawks monkey off their backs. The Hawks showed a lot of heart in attempting to defend their title. One of the Sedin brothers on the Canucks was asked after the game if it meant more that the win came against the Blackhawks and he admitted it did and that it was big for the team. I was happy to see a player acknowledge that there was a rivalry that had been brewing and that beating a particular team meant a lot to his team. I also enjoyed seeing that a bunch of the Blackhawks players were immediately consoling goalie Corey Crawford after the game-winning goal was scored (although Crawford shouldn't be expected to shoulder a lot of blame for that goal). Those guys showed a lot of character there. Just good stuff all around in Vancouver, really enjoyed watching it go down tonight.
The Canucks take on the (5) Nashville Predators in the second round. Elsewhere in the west the (2) San Jose Sharks will take on the (3) Detroit Red Wings in second round action. In the east, the (2) Philadelphia Flyers (defending Eastern Conference Champions) defeated the (7) Buffalo Sabres tonight 5-2 in Game 7 of their series. The (1) Washington Capitals have already dispatched the (8) New York Rangers 4 games to 1. The (3) Boston Bruins and (6) Montreal Canadiens go to Game 7 tomorrow night at 5 p.m. MT on Versus as do the (4) Pittsburgh Penguins and (5) Tampa Bay Lightning at 6 p.m. MT. I imagine Versus will have some bonus coverage of the Pens and Lightning as well. However, I'd be surprised if either of those Game 7s tops the excitement that was there with the Canucks and Blackhawks tonight.
The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last year and had defeated the Canucks in the playoffs the last two years. It would have been easy for the Canucks to think it was deja vu when the Blackhawks forced Game 7. However, they played hard and showed a lot of grit in getting the win.
The Blackhawks were not without grit themselves as they didn't seem interested in the series at all during the first three games before ratcheting things up and nearly coming up with an incredible series comeback. The Canucks led virtually the entire game tonight as Burrows scored not even three minutes into the game. The Blackhawks netted a pressure-packed goal from captain Jonathan Toews with under two minutes left in regulation to tie it and force overtime. Making it even more remarkable was that the goal was scored shorthanded. Toews' goal was one of the more spectacular hockey plays I've seen in a while, particularly considering the pressure of the circumstances as well as his team being down a man at the time.
This game and this series had everything if you ask me. Seeing how excited the Blackhawks were to tie the game showed how much it meant to them. And then seeing the elation from the Canucks and the entire arena in Vancouver when Burrows' second goal went in was something special. The Canucks had a great regular season but needed to get the Blackhawks monkey off their backs. The Hawks showed a lot of heart in attempting to defend their title. One of the Sedin brothers on the Canucks was asked after the game if it meant more that the win came against the Blackhawks and he admitted it did and that it was big for the team. I was happy to see a player acknowledge that there was a rivalry that had been brewing and that beating a particular team meant a lot to his team. I also enjoyed seeing that a bunch of the Blackhawks players were immediately consoling goalie Corey Crawford after the game-winning goal was scored (although Crawford shouldn't be expected to shoulder a lot of blame for that goal). Those guys showed a lot of character there. Just good stuff all around in Vancouver, really enjoyed watching it go down tonight.
The Canucks take on the (5) Nashville Predators in the second round. Elsewhere in the west the (2) San Jose Sharks will take on the (3) Detroit Red Wings in second round action. In the east, the (2) Philadelphia Flyers (defending Eastern Conference Champions) defeated the (7) Buffalo Sabres tonight 5-2 in Game 7 of their series. The (1) Washington Capitals have already dispatched the (8) New York Rangers 4 games to 1. The (3) Boston Bruins and (6) Montreal Canadiens go to Game 7 tomorrow night at 5 p.m. MT on Versus as do the (4) Pittsburgh Penguins and (5) Tampa Bay Lightning at 6 p.m. MT. I imagine Versus will have some bonus coverage of the Pens and Lightning as well. However, I'd be surprised if either of those Game 7s tops the excitement that was there with the Canucks and Blackhawks tonight.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thoughts on Ryan Braun's new deal
I am pleased to hear that Buster Posey and Tim Lincecum agree with me in that baseball shouldn't expand the playoffs. Good stuff there, worth a read. Expansion just serves to water down the regular season and a play-in round makes the early scheduling of the playoffs weird and if you ask me isn't exactly the true nature of the game because the division winners would be sitting for a long time in between games.
Anyway, I wanted to comment on leftfielder Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers (11-10) signing a five-year contract extension to keep him in Milwaukee through the 2020 season. Braun really is a superstar right now and it is very good for baseball that he will be staying in a smaller market like Milwaukee long-term. I was happy that Joe Mauer signed a long deal with the Twins last year, and I'm glad to see that team loyalty isn't dead. It's just not good when teams like the Yankees and Red Sox soak up all the best players as soon as they're eligible for free agency (or close to it via trade). Braun has always seemed to me like he has a good head on his shoulders and this is just further evidence of that.
Of course, on the other end of the spectrum is Braun's teammate, first baseman Prince Fielder who is in the last year of his contract and unlikely to re-sign with Milwaukee. Fielder is a great player, but he seems to be the type to try and exploit the free agent market and attempt to get a huge contract. Fielder's agent is Scott Boras, who is notorious for getting every last penny he can from the highest bidder for his clients. Boras is not good for baseball, just more of a money guy. Not that I think guys shouldn't get paid, but I think loyalty should play at least some role. Braun is still making more money than he can probably ever spend, but he is also showing loyalty and that he is content and happy in Milwaukee. I like that.
Anyway, I wanted to comment on leftfielder Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers (11-10) signing a five-year contract extension to keep him in Milwaukee through the 2020 season. Braun really is a superstar right now and it is very good for baseball that he will be staying in a smaller market like Milwaukee long-term. I was happy that Joe Mauer signed a long deal with the Twins last year, and I'm glad to see that team loyalty isn't dead. It's just not good when teams like the Yankees and Red Sox soak up all the best players as soon as they're eligible for free agency (or close to it via trade). Braun has always seemed to me like he has a good head on his shoulders and this is just further evidence of that.
Of course, on the other end of the spectrum is Braun's teammate, first baseman Prince Fielder who is in the last year of his contract and unlikely to re-sign with Milwaukee. Fielder is a great player, but he seems to be the type to try and exploit the free agent market and attempt to get a huge contract. Fielder's agent is Scott Boras, who is notorious for getting every last penny he can from the highest bidder for his clients. Boras is not good for baseball, just more of a money guy. Not that I think guys shouldn't get paid, but I think loyalty should play at least some role. Braun is still making more money than he can probably ever spend, but he is also showing loyalty and that he is content and happy in Milwaukee. I like that.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Baseball shouldn't expand playoffs
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig stated this week that it is likely that the playoffs will expand from 8 to 10 teams starting next season. The new format would add an additional Wild Card team to each league. The two Wild Cards in each league would then duke it out for the right to advance on to play one of the division winners in the Division Series. It is unknown how long these play-in series would be.
I am fully against any expansion of the baseball playoffs. I think that expanded playoffs tend to water down the regular season. Just look at the NBA where roughly half the teams qualify, many without any realistic chance of winning the title. Even so, a team should not be able to have mediocre regular season and still have a chance to win it all.
Now, detractors could point to the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals were 83-78 in 2006 and won the World Series. However, they still had to win their division to get in and only eight teams were allowed into the playoffs. The unbalanced schedule with roughly 18 games being played against each divisional opponent is one of the strengths of Major League Baseball. Winning a division title means something in baseball -- particularly as you have to play a great deal of games against teams in your division. It is also hard to accomplish as they are typically more than four good teams in both the AL and NL. Having it be hard to accomplish is also one of the strengths of baseball. I like that good teams are left out, it means that the regular season is relevant.
Last year when the Giants won the World Series, they didn't clinch their division or a playoff spot until the final day of the 162 game regular season. The San Diego Padres had a good season and were a good team, a real rivalry developed throughout the season. To me, that is part of what baseball is all about. You could tell it mattered when the Giants went nuts after the game and celebrated with champagne and loud music in the clubhouse. When is the last time you saw an NBA team do that after clinching a division? That's what I thought. If you're half-decent in the NBA, you're pretty much guaranteed to make the playoffs before the season starts.
Now, do I think this new 10 team proposed playoff format will completely compromise the regular season? Certainly not. But it will devalue it some. And a play-in round would force the division winners to sit it out for a few days before their series started, which I think would hurt the integrity of the game. Baseball is meant to be played every day. That's part of the beauty of it. Managers should have to adjust to pitchers and players fatiguing and getting banged up and then having to play the next day. Even if this change happens, baseball will still have the best regular season out there and qualifying for the playoffs will still be a big deal. It would just be better if it was a more exclusive club.
I am fully against any expansion of the baseball playoffs. I think that expanded playoffs tend to water down the regular season. Just look at the NBA where roughly half the teams qualify, many without any realistic chance of winning the title. Even so, a team should not be able to have mediocre regular season and still have a chance to win it all.
Now, detractors could point to the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals were 83-78 in 2006 and won the World Series. However, they still had to win their division to get in and only eight teams were allowed into the playoffs. The unbalanced schedule with roughly 18 games being played against each divisional opponent is one of the strengths of Major League Baseball. Winning a division title means something in baseball -- particularly as you have to play a great deal of games against teams in your division. It is also hard to accomplish as they are typically more than four good teams in both the AL and NL. Having it be hard to accomplish is also one of the strengths of baseball. I like that good teams are left out, it means that the regular season is relevant.
Last year when the Giants won the World Series, they didn't clinch their division or a playoff spot until the final day of the 162 game regular season. The San Diego Padres had a good season and were a good team, a real rivalry developed throughout the season. To me, that is part of what baseball is all about. You could tell it mattered when the Giants went nuts after the game and celebrated with champagne and loud music in the clubhouse. When is the last time you saw an NBA team do that after clinching a division? That's what I thought. If you're half-decent in the NBA, you're pretty much guaranteed to make the playoffs before the season starts.
Now, do I think this new 10 team proposed playoff format will completely compromise the regular season? Certainly not. But it will devalue it some. And a play-in round would force the division winners to sit it out for a few days before their series started, which I think would hurt the integrity of the game. Baseball is meant to be played every day. That's part of the beauty of it. Managers should have to adjust to pitchers and players fatiguing and getting banged up and then having to play the next day. Even if this change happens, baseball will still have the best regular season out there and qualifying for the playoffs will still be a big deal. It would just be better if it was a more exclusive club.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
World Champion Giants take 2 of 3 in Denver
The World Champion San Francisco Giants (10-8) took 2 of 3 from the Colorado Rockies (13-5) at Coors Field in Denver this week. I was impressed with the way the Giants won the first two games. I still feel good about the series overall, even though they got hammered today -- can't win them all. Matt Cain had an off day today it seemed, but Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez were lights out in their starts. Pablo Sandoval seems to be reverting to his 2009 form, which is a good omen of things to come. I'm excited about this team and still think the Giants should be considered favorites to win the National League West this year.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Musings on the World Champion Giants' recent play
Hasn't been a good month for me on the blogging circuit. Apologies to those of you who check it on a regular basis. I will be better about this in the future. Anyway, the World Champion San Francisco Giants (8-7) lost in 12 innings today to the Arizona Diamondbacks (6-8). It was a tough loss to swallow as the Giants really should have won the game. I'm pleased they won 2 of 3 in the series, but it feels like they let the finale slip away.
Next up is a big series with the Colorado Rockies (12-3). Big for April, anyway. Still, it could kind of serve as a measuring stick for the Giants. The Rockies have been red hot to start the year and look like a very dangerous team, particularly on offense. Troy Tulowitzki has particularly had a strong start and could very well have an MVP caliber season. Fortunately for the Giants, they have the front end of their rotation lined up for the series with Lincecum, Sanchez and Cain schedule to pitch. Game times are 6:40, 6:40 and 1:10 p.m. MT Monday through Wednesday and can be seen on Root Sports in the rocky mountain region. Outside of my region, it's MLB Extra Innings or mlb.tv.
I think the Giants have been playing much better since that first road trip of the year, as is evidenced by having a four game winning streak that was snapped today. I think they will be fine, but I sure hope the Rockies cool down a little bit before too long. I'm excited to see how the Giants handle this road series and I'll be tweeting updates throughout it.
Next up is a big series with the Colorado Rockies (12-3). Big for April, anyway. Still, it could kind of serve as a measuring stick for the Giants. The Rockies have been red hot to start the year and look like a very dangerous team, particularly on offense. Troy Tulowitzki has particularly had a strong start and could very well have an MVP caliber season. Fortunately for the Giants, they have the front end of their rotation lined up for the series with Lincecum, Sanchez and Cain schedule to pitch. Game times are 6:40, 6:40 and 1:10 p.m. MT Monday through Wednesday and can be seen on Root Sports in the rocky mountain region. Outside of my region, it's MLB Extra Innings or mlb.tv.
I think the Giants have been playing much better since that first road trip of the year, as is evidenced by having a four game winning streak that was snapped today. I think they will be fine, but I sure hope the Rockies cool down a little bit before too long. I'm excited to see how the Giants handle this road series and I'll be tweeting updates throughout it.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
World Champion Giants update
At left: A look at what the rings look like that were received by the World Champion San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.The World Champion San Francisco Giants (5-6) have opened up their home schedule by winning 3 of the first 5 games. I was glad they were able to win Friday and Saturday in dramatic fashion against the Cardinals (4-7). It would have been a shame to lose on Opening Day at home after the Giants raised the World Championship banner, it likewise would have been a shame to drop the second game when the players got their rings, which by the way look awesome. Tough loss Monday against the Dodgers (6-5), but I was impressed with their resiliency in overcoming a 3-0 deficit last night to win 5-4.
Aaron Rowand has had a very good start to the year and got a triple in the late innings last night and then scored on a wild pitch to provide for the final margin. If Rowand keeps this up, he could be working himself into the mix for more playing time even when Cody Ross and Andres Torres are fully healthy. Those two are expected back in the near future, which is certainly good news.
Brian Wilson got his first save of the year last night in a lock-down 1-2-3 9th inning. Wilson had been struggling with an injury and it was good to see him look like he was at the top of his game last night. I think he's going to have another good year. I think the Giants will be fine also, hopefully they get back to .500 tonight against the Dodgers (8:15 p.m. MT, MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv).
Friday, April 8, 2011
World Champion Giants to raise banner
The World Champion San Francisco Giants (2-4) will host the St. Louis Cardinals (2-4) Friday afternoon at 2:35 p.m. MT on MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. It will be the home opener for the World Champions and the first time they have played a meaningful game at AT&T Park since the 2010 World Series last fall. I'm told there will be a number of awesome festivities before the game even starts, including the raising of the Giants' World Championship banner, which will be an awesome thing to see.
The game is almost secondary to me at this point, but I do think it would be a real shame if they were to lose their home opener. Jonathan Sanchez (0-1) will start for the World Champions and Jake Westbrook (0-1) will go for the Cardinals. It seems to me that the Giants got hosed by the scheduling process. I don't think they should have had to start out on the road against two division rivals that each were having their home openers. Oh well, I guess. Even Commissioner Bud Selig can't ruin what should be a great Friday in San Francisco. The Giants have started a little slow, but there is a lot of baseball left to be played and I think they will be just fine and be right there when the season winds down. And I think they definitely will benefit from playing at home. Go Giants!
The game is almost secondary to me at this point, but I do think it would be a real shame if they were to lose their home opener. Jonathan Sanchez (0-1) will start for the World Champions and Jake Westbrook (0-1) will go for the Cardinals. It seems to me that the Giants got hosed by the scheduling process. I don't think they should have had to start out on the road against two division rivals that each were having their home openers. Oh well, I guess. Even Commissioner Bud Selig can't ruin what should be a great Friday in San Francisco. The Giants have started a little slow, but there is a lot of baseball left to be played and I think they will be just fine and be right there when the season winds down. And I think they definitely will benefit from playing at home. Go Giants!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
UConn wins National Championship
Connecticut defeated Butler last night to win the National Championship for men's college basketball. It was a pretty ugly game. Here's an article with some thoughts on the whole UConn thing including thoughts on head coach Jim Calhoun.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
MLB predictions
It's that time of the year. Thursday is Opening Day for Major League Baseball, one of the best days of the entire year if you ask me. There's something about baseball that just makes it seem like it's going to be a good summer. Check out ESPN for three games tomorrow and of course MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv all season long. The World Champion San Francisco Giants open up at the hated Los Angeles Dodgers at 6 p.m. MT on ESPN, should be exciting. Okay, so now it's time to give you my picks for the upcoming season, starting with the American League:
AL East:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
AL Central:
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Cleveland Indians
AL West:
1. Oakland Athletics
2. Texas Rangers
3. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
4. Seattle Mariners
AL Wild Card:
1. New York Yankees
2. Texas Rangers
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Detroit Tigers
And now for the National League:
NL East:
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Florida Marlins
4. New York Mets
5. Washington Nationals
NL Central:
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
NL West:
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Colorado Rockies
3. San Diego Padres
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Arizona Diamondbacks
NL Wild Card:
1. Colorado Rockies
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Atlanta Braves
4. St. Louis Cardinals
5. Florida Marlins
In the AL seeding, I predict 1. Red Sox 2. Twins 3. Athletics 4. Yankees and in the NL 1. Phillies 2. Giants 3. Brewers 4. Rockies
And now for the round-by-round playoff predictions (NL winning the All-Star Game to give them home field advantage for World Series):
Division Series:
Red Sox over Athletics
Yankees over Twins
Philies over Rockies
Giants over Brewers
League Championship Series:
Red Sox over Yankees
Giants over Phillies
World Series:
Giants over Red Sox
There you have it, I'm picking my World Champion San Francisco Giants to repeat. How could I not? They do have pretty much the whole team back and the chemistry with this group is unlike just about anything I've ever seen in professional baseball, and there is something to be said about that.
The Phillies are going to miss Chase Utley I think, but they do have that pitching staff. But the Giants have the pitching, too, plus they have all the intangibles. The Red Sox I think are the team to beat in the American League. Carl Crawford is a big addition for them. I think the Athletics are going to make a run in the West this year with their young, talented pitching staff. In another pick that might surprise, I've picked the Brewers to win the NL Central. They've acquired some pitching to go along with that offense, notably Zack Greinke from the Kansas City Royals. Alright, that's all for now. It's time for baseball. All hail the World Champion San Francisco Giants!
AL East:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
AL Central:
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Cleveland Indians
AL West:
1. Oakland Athletics
2. Texas Rangers
3. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
4. Seattle Mariners
AL Wild Card:
1. New York Yankees
2. Texas Rangers
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Detroit Tigers
And now for the National League:
NL East:
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Florida Marlins
4. New York Mets
5. Washington Nationals
NL Central:
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
NL West:
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Colorado Rockies
3. San Diego Padres
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Arizona Diamondbacks
NL Wild Card:
1. Colorado Rockies
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Atlanta Braves
4. St. Louis Cardinals
5. Florida Marlins
In the AL seeding, I predict 1. Red Sox 2. Twins 3. Athletics 4. Yankees and in the NL 1. Phillies 2. Giants 3. Brewers 4. Rockies
And now for the round-by-round playoff predictions (NL winning the All-Star Game to give them home field advantage for World Series):
Division Series:
Red Sox over Athletics
Yankees over Twins
Philies over Rockies
Giants over Brewers
League Championship Series:
Red Sox over Yankees
Giants over Phillies
World Series:
Giants over Red Sox
There you have it, I'm picking my World Champion San Francisco Giants to repeat. How could I not? They do have pretty much the whole team back and the chemistry with this group is unlike just about anything I've ever seen in professional baseball, and there is something to be said about that.
The Phillies are going to miss Chase Utley I think, but they do have that pitching staff. But the Giants have the pitching, too, plus they have all the intangibles. The Red Sox I think are the team to beat in the American League. Carl Crawford is a big addition for them. I think the Athletics are going to make a run in the West this year with their young, talented pitching staff. In another pick that might surprise, I've picked the Brewers to win the NL Central. They've acquired some pitching to go along with that offense, notably Zack Greinke from the Kansas City Royals. Alright, that's all for now. It's time for baseball. All hail the World Champion San Francisco Giants!
Final Four on Saturday
The Final Four gets under way on Saturday at 4 p.m. MT on CBS with (8) Butler vs. (11) VCU in one of the more improbable match-ups ever. It's the one I'm the most excited to see of the two. VCU is playing lights out and I don't know that I see them losing. It should be a good one, though. In the other match-up, it's (3) Connecticut vs. (4) Kentucky. I'll take Kentucky in that one as they have the deeper roster. And then I'll take VCU over Kentucky in the title game on Monday as the Rams have all the momentum in the world right now. I'm excited to check it all out.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Unprofessional media; Sweet 16 gets under way tonight
Some really ridiculous questions were asked at Wednesday's press conference in New Orleans, regarding BYU's honor code, etc. Gary Parrish has some nice thoughts on it. It really is rather ridiculous that the journalists asking these questions are considered professionals. Again, even though I'm not a BYU fan, it makes me very happy to be LDS when I know the school that my church sponsors is willing to stick by its values. And major props to Florida star Chandler Parsons for not taking the bait from the media when asked about the situation.
The Sweet Sixteen gets under way tonight on CBS and TBS. In Anaheim we have (2) San Diego State vs. (3) Connecticut in the early game and (1) Duke vs. (5) Arizona in the night cap. In New Orleans it's (2) Florida vs. (3) BYU in the early game and (4) Wisconsin vs. (8) Butler in the night cap. I anticipate all being good games and I'm excited to see how they turn out. The two early games in particular I anticipate being very close and very exciting all the way down to the closing minutes. In the Florida-BYU game I really don't have a good feel on who will win, so I'll just have to watch and find out.
The Sweet Sixteen gets under way tonight on CBS and TBS. In Anaheim we have (2) San Diego State vs. (3) Connecticut in the early game and (1) Duke vs. (5) Arizona in the night cap. In New Orleans it's (2) Florida vs. (3) BYU in the early game and (4) Wisconsin vs. (8) Butler in the night cap. I anticipate all being good games and I'm excited to see how they turn out. The two early games in particular I anticipate being very close and very exciting all the way down to the closing minutes. In the Florida-BYU game I really don't have a good feel on who will win, so I'll just have to watch and find out.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Opening weekend of Madness
What a weekend of madness it was. I enjoyed it and I guess I enjoyed it so much that I didn't have much time for blogging. Here are some quick hits from the weekend that was in college hoops:
- BYU looked very impressive Saturday and will be tough to beat if they keep shooting like that.
- Butler is at it again, pulling another improbable upset and looking like they could do some more damage. The finish to that game has to be one of the most bizarre I have ever seen; I feel really bad for Pittsburgh, but I'm still happy Butler won.
- Kansas State senior Jacob Pullen was unconscious in the Wildcats' loss to Wisconsin on Saturday, pouring in 38 points and shooting an outstanding percentage. It truly was difficult to see him get very emotional as the game wound down and again during the post-game press conference. I'm a big fan of Pullen's and love watching him play. Him showing so much emotion just says to me that he has a big heart and really does care. I liked that he said he didn't care that he got the K-State scoring record but just wishes they had won. He has nothing to hang his head about and had a great career.
- Ohio State looked very impressive in their blow out of George Mason yesterday. The Buckeyes look to me like the most complete team in the country and if they play like that, I don't think anybody will be able to beat them.
-VCU has looked dominant in their three wins so far and is going to be a tough out. I couldn't believe how easily they handled Purdue yesterday and how many points they were able to put up.
- San Diego State has its first two Tournament wins under its belt and is on to its first Sweet Sixteen. They topped Temple in double overtime on Saturday; I thought the Owls did a really good job of controlling the pace of the game and nearly pulled the upset. The Aztecs should be be playing in front of supportive crowds as their next two games would potentially be in Anaheim.
- Arizona's Derrick Williams is having a huge Tournament so far, getting a game-saving block in the first round against Memphis and following that with a three-point play in the closing seconds against Texas to give the Wildcats a one-point win. Williams is displaying on a national stage that he is one of the best players in the country -- an athletic big man with great low-post moves who is also a tremendous shot-blocker on the defensive end.
- BYU looked very impressive Saturday and will be tough to beat if they keep shooting like that.
- Butler is at it again, pulling another improbable upset and looking like they could do some more damage. The finish to that game has to be one of the most bizarre I have ever seen; I feel really bad for Pittsburgh, but I'm still happy Butler won.
- Kansas State senior Jacob Pullen was unconscious in the Wildcats' loss to Wisconsin on Saturday, pouring in 38 points and shooting an outstanding percentage. It truly was difficult to see him get very emotional as the game wound down and again during the post-game press conference. I'm a big fan of Pullen's and love watching him play. Him showing so much emotion just says to me that he has a big heart and really does care. I liked that he said he didn't care that he got the K-State scoring record but just wishes they had won. He has nothing to hang his head about and had a great career.
- Ohio State looked very impressive in their blow out of George Mason yesterday. The Buckeyes look to me like the most complete team in the country and if they play like that, I don't think anybody will be able to beat them.
-VCU has looked dominant in their three wins so far and is going to be a tough out. I couldn't believe how easily they handled Purdue yesterday and how many points they were able to put up.
- San Diego State has its first two Tournament wins under its belt and is on to its first Sweet Sixteen. They topped Temple in double overtime on Saturday; I thought the Owls did a really good job of controlling the pace of the game and nearly pulled the upset. The Aztecs should be be playing in front of supportive crowds as their next two games would potentially be in Anaheim.
- Arizona's Derrick Williams is having a huge Tournament so far, getting a game-saving block in the first round against Memphis and following that with a three-point play in the closing seconds against Texas to give the Wildcats a one-point win. Williams is displaying on a national stage that he is one of the best players in the country -- an athletic big man with great low-post moves who is also a tremendous shot-blocker on the defensive end.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
NCAA Tournament under way, thoughts on Utah coaching
The NCAA Tournament gets under way in full force starting tomorrow morning at around 10 a.m. MT. It will be televised on CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV and is available to watch online at ncaa.com. I've filled out my bracket and starting at 10 a.m. MT tomorrow you can check it out. Let's just call it the winning bracket. You're welcome. My Final Four is Ohio State, Texas, Kansas and Pittsburgh, with Ohio State topping Kansas in the title game.
There is no other time of year quite like the NCAA Tournament, and the best part if you ask me is the first two full days with upsets, exciting finishes and the like. I like how everyone has a chance to win and to prove it on the floor which is not always the case with college football. It's a great time of year. I'll be tweeting updates throughout the day tomorrow and throughout the Tournament as well. I will attempt to do better with the blogging than I have the last week, especially since it is Spring Break for me at the University of Utah this coming week.
Speaking of the U., basketball coach Jim Boylen was dismissed last Saturday. It wasn't too big of a surprise. I feel bad for the guy, he was classy, passionate and poured his heart into the job. I would have liked to see what he would do with another year at the helm. However, I am anxious to see who Utah will hire as their next basketball coach. I was hoping for Billy Gillespie, but reports have surfaced that he has interviewed at Texas Tech. I think Utah is a better job than Tech, but it looks quite possible that Gillespie will take the job as head coach of the Red Raiders this week. I'm a big fan of Colorado State's Tim Miles who built the Rams into an MWC contender from nothing. However, I think it wouldn't hurt to try and go after some bigger names first.
espn.com's Andy Katz had this to say about the Utah job: "Utah is still a very good basketball job. Rick Majerus wasn't the first to prove this point and he won't be the last. The fan base is extremely passionate about the team, and as the football program has proved, it can compete at a high level for a sustained period." It made me happy to read that and see that someone from the national media recognizes what we are all about at Utah, in particular with our basketball program. It's been a rough week and a rough season, especially with the success of our biggest rival, so it was just something nice to read.
There is no other time of year quite like the NCAA Tournament, and the best part if you ask me is the first two full days with upsets, exciting finishes and the like. I like how everyone has a chance to win and to prove it on the floor which is not always the case with college football. It's a great time of year. I'll be tweeting updates throughout the day tomorrow and throughout the Tournament as well. I will attempt to do better with the blogging than I have the last week, especially since it is Spring Break for me at the University of Utah this coming week.
Speaking of the U., basketball coach Jim Boylen was dismissed last Saturday. It wasn't too big of a surprise. I feel bad for the guy, he was classy, passionate and poured his heart into the job. I would have liked to see what he would do with another year at the helm. However, I am anxious to see who Utah will hire as their next basketball coach. I was hoping for Billy Gillespie, but reports have surfaced that he has interviewed at Texas Tech. I think Utah is a better job than Tech, but it looks quite possible that Gillespie will take the job as head coach of the Red Raiders this week. I'm a big fan of Colorado State's Tim Miles who built the Rams into an MWC contender from nothing. However, I think it wouldn't hurt to try and go after some bigger names first.
espn.com's Andy Katz had this to say about the Utah job: "Utah is still a very good basketball job. Rick Majerus wasn't the first to prove this point and he won't be the last. The fan base is extremely passionate about the team, and as the football program has proved, it can compete at a high level for a sustained period." It made me happy to read that and see that someone from the national media recognizes what we are all about at Utah, in particular with our basketball program. It's been a rough week and a rough season, especially with the success of our biggest rival, so it was just something nice to read.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Too tired
I'm too tired to give a full breakdown of the day's action in the MWC Tournament. Far and away the best game was New Mexico-CSU. The whole thing just reminded me why I love college basketball and why I love the month of March. Both teams played well and played their hearts out with their NCAA Tournament hopes on the line. The Lobos pulled it out and will face BYU Friday night at 7 p.m. MT on CBS College Sports. BYU edged TCU in the day's first game. UNLV topped Air Force and my Runnin' Utes lost to San Diego State. The Aztecs and Rebels play at 9:30 p.m. MT on CBS College Sports.
I'm disappointed Utah lost, but, hey, SDSU is a great team. I'm not one calling for coach Jim Boylen's head; I wouldn't think it was the end of the world if he was brought back for another year. I'm anxious to see how this group of players develops with a full year of playing together now behind them. Anyway, that's all for now.
I'm disappointed Utah lost, but, hey, SDSU is a great team. I'm not one calling for coach Jim Boylen's head; I wouldn't think it was the end of the world if he was brought back for another year. I'm anxious to see how this group of players develops with a full year of playing together now behind them. Anyway, that's all for now.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
MWC Quarters tomorrow
(9) TCU (11-21, 2-15 MWC) topped (8) Wyoming (11-21, 3-14 MWC) in the play-in game today, so the quarterfinals for the Mountain West Tournament are now all set. It will be (1) BYU vs. (9) TCU at 1 p.m. MT, (4) Colorado State vs. (5) New Mexico at 3:30 p.m. MT, (2) San Diego State vs. (7) Utah at 7 p.m. MT and (3) UNLV vs. (6) Air Force at 9:30 p.m. MT. All the games will be televised on The Mtn, with the second and fourth games being simulcast on CBS College Sports. I'll be on the scene in Las Vegas and you can follow me on Twitter throughout the day tomorrow as well as throughout the MWC Tournament. I'll be back on the blog tomorrow night with recap and analysis of the first full day as well as to preview the second day of the proceedings.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Runnin' Utes blown out by UNLV in home finale
Utah (13-17, 6-10 MWC) dropped their final regular season Mountain West Conference game on Saturday at home to UNLV (23-7, 11-5 MWC) by a score of 78-58. The Rebels jumped out to a huge lead early and never looked back. Utah trailed 47-22 at halftime in what was probably the worst half the Runnin' Utes have played all season. Tre'Von Willis, Oscar Bellfield and Quintrell Thomas all had 12 points for UNLV. Jiggy Watkins of Utah led all scorers with 18 points while Jason Washburn had 12 and Chris Hines 10.
It was a disappointing home finale and I don't exactly have a reason for it. Utah just looked bad in all phases of the game for the opening 20 minutes. At least in the first meeting in Las Vegas, both teams seemed to struggle in an ugly game. UNLV came out sharp in this one, shooting well, playing strong defense and doing a good job on the defensive glass. They looked like a team very ready for the NCAA Tournament.
For whatever reason, the Utes just haven't been able to play many complete games this year. I will say they kept playing hard and didn't appear to quit, but UNLV is just too good of a team to give a 27 point lead (they were able to cut it to as low as 16) and expect to win against. I do think it says something about the character of the guys for continuing to play hard, it's just frustrating that they didn't play better to start the game. Again, I think Utah could have given them a competitive game, but the first half doomed the Utes. Utah just didn't come out with the right energy and attitude. It was very frustrating. Utah's loss ensures them the 7-seed in the MWC Tournament in Las Vegas starting Thursday, meaning they get a first round match-up with #9 San Diego State.
Jay Watkins dressed for the game and was able to play one possession toward the end of the game. I went into detail in my post last night about how great J-Wat has been for the program, so I was glad that he was able to get into the game despite his lingering back injury. He was a guy who really got it and was in touch with the fan base. I was among the students he gave a high-five to after the game -- a really classy move after such a tough loss. He also took a sign that said "The MUSS loves Jay Watkins" with him and seemed genuinely touched by it. Really cool stuff.
In other MWC games on Saturday, #3 BYU (28-3, 14-2 MWC) and #9 San Diego State (29-2, 14-2 MWC) both won at home to earn a share of the conference title. The conference tournament field is all set now, with tie-breakers being taken into account. Here's how it sets up for the first round on Thursday, with seedings noted (BYU gets the winner of the play-in game Wednesday):
(1) BYU (28-3, 14-2 MWC) vs. (8) Wyoming (10-20, 3-13 MWC)/(9) TCU (10-21, 1-15 MWC), 1 p.m. MT
(4) Colorado State (19-11, 9-7 MWC) vs. (5) New Mexico (20-11, 8-8 MWC), 3:30 p.m. MT
(2) San Diego State (29-2, 14-2 MWC) vs. (7) Utah (13-17, 6-10 MWC), 7 p.m. MT
(3) UNLV (23-7, 11-5 MWC) vs. (6) Air Force (15-14, 6-10 MWC), 9:30 p.m. MT
The semis are at 7 and 9:30 p.m. MT on Friday and the title game is at 5 p.m. MT on Saturday. Should be an entertaining tournament. Hopefully my Runnin' Utes can at least show decently down there.
It was a disappointing home finale and I don't exactly have a reason for it. Utah just looked bad in all phases of the game for the opening 20 minutes. At least in the first meeting in Las Vegas, both teams seemed to struggle in an ugly game. UNLV came out sharp in this one, shooting well, playing strong defense and doing a good job on the defensive glass. They looked like a team very ready for the NCAA Tournament.
For whatever reason, the Utes just haven't been able to play many complete games this year. I will say they kept playing hard and didn't appear to quit, but UNLV is just too good of a team to give a 27 point lead (they were able to cut it to as low as 16) and expect to win against. I do think it says something about the character of the guys for continuing to play hard, it's just frustrating that they didn't play better to start the game. Again, I think Utah could have given them a competitive game, but the first half doomed the Utes. Utah just didn't come out with the right energy and attitude. It was very frustrating. Utah's loss ensures them the 7-seed in the MWC Tournament in Las Vegas starting Thursday, meaning they get a first round match-up with #9 San Diego State.
Jay Watkins dressed for the game and was able to play one possession toward the end of the game. I went into detail in my post last night about how great J-Wat has been for the program, so I was glad that he was able to get into the game despite his lingering back injury. He was a guy who really got it and was in touch with the fan base. I was among the students he gave a high-five to after the game -- a really classy move after such a tough loss. He also took a sign that said "The MUSS loves Jay Watkins" with him and seemed genuinely touched by it. Really cool stuff.
In other MWC games on Saturday, #3 BYU (28-3, 14-2 MWC) and #9 San Diego State (29-2, 14-2 MWC) both won at home to earn a share of the conference title. The conference tournament field is all set now, with tie-breakers being taken into account. Here's how it sets up for the first round on Thursday, with seedings noted (BYU gets the winner of the play-in game Wednesday):
(1) BYU (28-3, 14-2 MWC) vs. (8) Wyoming (10-20, 3-13 MWC)/(9) TCU (10-21, 1-15 MWC), 1 p.m. MT
(4) Colorado State (19-11, 9-7 MWC) vs. (5) New Mexico (20-11, 8-8 MWC), 3:30 p.m. MT
(2) San Diego State (29-2, 14-2 MWC) vs. (7) Utah (13-17, 6-10 MWC), 7 p.m. MT
(3) UNLV (23-7, 11-5 MWC) vs. (6) Air Force (15-14, 6-10 MWC), 9:30 p.m. MT
The semis are at 7 and 9:30 p.m. MT on Friday and the title game is at 5 p.m. MT on Saturday. Should be an entertaining tournament. Hopefully my Runnin' Utes can at least show decently down there.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Runnin' Utes close out regular season vs. UNLV
Utah (13-16, 6-9 MWC) hosts UNLV (22-7, 10-5 MWC) Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. MT at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. The game will be televised on Versus. It will be Senior Day for the Runnin' Utes' only senior, forward Jay Watkins. J-Wat has been sidelined with a back injury and is unlikely to play in this contest. However, from my experience, he is a really cool guy and seems to be really good for team chemistry. Not to mention being a good rebounder and low-post presence on both ends of the floor. And on top of all that, he came over to the MUSS and gave me a fist bump before a game once this season. So his coolness is off the charts for that. Hopefully people will show up to support J-Wat and the Utes in the last home game of the season.
Utah lost a tough one Wednesday at Colorado State (19-10, 9-6 MWC) to snap the Utes' three-game winning streak. I was hopeful the Runnin' Utes could win that one and finish out the regular season at .500, but it was not to be, as CSU significantly outplayed them in the 2nd half. However, Utah needs to put that behind them and come out ready to go against the Runnin' Rebels. UNLV is a good team, but, if you ask me, not a great team. If Utah plays well, they should have a chance to win the game.
Utah needs to put it together now with focus and effort for a full 40 minutes, the season is running out. If the Utes win and New Mexico (19-11, 7-8 MWC) defeats Air Force (15-13, 6-9 MWC) in Albuquerque (likely) then Utah would get the six-seed in next week's Mountain West Conference Tournament. Any other combination from the two games and it's the seven-seed and a likely first-round match-up with ninth-ranked San Diego State. Of course, the six most likely means a first round match-up with UNLV on their home court. So, it won't be easy. But if Utah is to salvage what has been a rough season, it has to be done. I'll be on the scene tweeting from the UNLV game and back on the blog afterward for recap and analysis.
Utah lost a tough one Wednesday at Colorado State (19-10, 9-6 MWC) to snap the Utes' three-game winning streak. I was hopeful the Runnin' Utes could win that one and finish out the regular season at .500, but it was not to be, as CSU significantly outplayed them in the 2nd half. However, Utah needs to put that behind them and come out ready to go against the Runnin' Rebels. UNLV is a good team, but, if you ask me, not a great team. If Utah plays well, they should have a chance to win the game.
Utah needs to put it together now with focus and effort for a full 40 minutes, the season is running out. If the Utes win and New Mexico (19-11, 7-8 MWC) defeats Air Force (15-13, 6-9 MWC) in Albuquerque (likely) then Utah would get the six-seed in next week's Mountain West Conference Tournament. Any other combination from the two games and it's the seven-seed and a likely first-round match-up with ninth-ranked San Diego State. Of course, the six most likely means a first round match-up with UNLV on their home court. So, it won't be easy. But if Utah is to salvage what has been a rough season, it has to be done. I'll be on the scene tweeting from the UNLV game and back on the blog afterward for recap and analysis.
Jazz struggles continue
The Utah Jazz (32-30) continue to struggle, losing a rough one Thursday night to the Denver Nuggets (37-26) by a score of 103-101. The Jazz have gone 1-7 since Jerry Sloan stepped down as head coach on February 10th including 1-4 since superstar point guard Deron Williams was traded to the New Jersey Nets (18-43) just after the All-Star Game.
I'm encouraged that the Jazz are being competitive and staying in games, but at the same time I'm tired of losing those games. A win is a win and a loss is a loss. Remarkably, the Jazz are still only 1.5 games back of the final playoff spot -- definitely still within striking distance. However, I just don't see it happening. The team has been slumping big time and seems to find ways to lose games at the end, instead of the other way around. I don't think it will be this bad the rest of the season as the new guys will get accustomed to the team and the play-calling system as well as the rest of the guys getting used to playing without D-Will. However, I still don't think they'll win enough games to make it to the postseason, which of course saddens me. The Jazz take on the Sacramento Kings (15-44) Saturday night at 7 p.m. MT on FSN-Utah.
I'm encouraged that the Jazz are being competitive and staying in games, but at the same time I'm tired of losing those games. A win is a win and a loss is a loss. Remarkably, the Jazz are still only 1.5 games back of the final playoff spot -- definitely still within striking distance. However, I just don't see it happening. The team has been slumping big time and seems to find ways to lose games at the end, instead of the other way around. I don't think it will be this bad the rest of the season as the new guys will get accustomed to the team and the play-calling system as well as the rest of the guys getting used to playing without D-Will. However, I still don't think they'll win enough games to make it to the postseason, which of course saddens me. The Jazz take on the Sacramento Kings (15-44) Saturday night at 7 p.m. MT on FSN-Utah.
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