So Kobe Bryant wants out.
What are the Chicago Bulls’s chances of getting him?
Same as any other interested teams: slim and none.
Slim? Who would it take from the Bulls?
Just one player.
Michael Jordan!
Chicago & Illini Sports
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Keep playing the lefty-righty percentages or play a set lineup?
The issue has now come front and center for the Chicago Cubs. Perplexed manager Sweet Lou/fiery Mount Lou Piniella is now ready to give up the percentages game, also known as musical chairs, and stay with the best performers for the foreseeable future.
We never looked upon Piniella as a magician. But he says of a set lineup, “Maybe we’ll draw the darn thing out of a hat.” Sounds like a plan to us.
Two changes in the new look should come in the outfield. Bring back Felix Pie from Iowa and install him in center. Give right field to Angel Pagan and keep Alfonso Soriano in left.
Also, keep Cesar Izturis at short and lock in Ryan Theriot at second. Stay with Michael Barrett as catcher or bring up the best catcher from the Cub farm teams or try to trade for a catcher.
On another topic, we were surprised by recent remarks of general manager Jim Hendry on improving the ballclub. Hendry indicated that the well is not dry of funds for more acquisitions. Does Hendry have a money printing press in some secret room at Wrigley Field?
Hendry, however, puts conditions for the use of the available funds:
Stay in the race and rise in the standings.
Fortunately for the Central Division Cubs, they could fall in the standings and still stay in the race. So, would new funds be available, or not?
Keep playing the lefty-righty percentages or play a set lineup?
The issue has now come front and center for the Chicago Cubs. Perplexed manager Sweet Lou/fiery Mount Lou Piniella is now ready to give up the percentages game, also known as musical chairs, and stay with the best performers for the foreseeable future.
We never looked upon Piniella as a magician. But he says of a set lineup, “Maybe we’ll draw the darn thing out of a hat.” Sounds like a plan to us.
Two changes in the new look should come in the outfield. Bring back Felix Pie from Iowa and install him in center. Give right field to Angel Pagan and keep Alfonso Soriano in left.
Also, keep Cesar Izturis at short and lock in Ryan Theriot at second. Stay with Michael Barrett as catcher or bring up the best catcher from the Cub farm teams or try to trade for a catcher.
On another topic, we were surprised by recent remarks of general manager Jim Hendry on improving the ballclub. Hendry indicated that the well is not dry of funds for more acquisitions. Does Hendry have a money printing press in some secret room at Wrigley Field?
Hendry, however, puts conditions for the use of the available funds:
Stay in the race and rise in the standings.
Fortunately for the Central Division Cubs, they could fall in the standings and still stay in the race. So, would new funds be available, or not?
The issue has now come front and center for the Chicago Cubs. Perplexed manager Sweet Lou/fiery Mount Lou Piniella is now ready to give up the percentages game, also known as musical chairs, and stay with the best performers for the foreseeable future.
We never looked upon Piniella as a magician. But he says of a set lineup, “Maybe we’ll draw the darn thing out of a hat.” Sounds like a plan to us.
Two changes in the new look should come in the outfield. Bring back Felix Pie from Iowa and install him in center. Give right field to Angel Pagan and keep Alfonso Soriano in left.
Also, keep Cesar Izturis at short and lock in Ryan Theriot at second. Stay with Michael Barrett as catcher or bring up the best catcher from the Cub farm teams or try to trade for a catcher.
On another topic, we were surprised by recent remarks of general manager Jim Hendry on improving the ballclub. Hendry indicated that the well is not dry of funds for more acquisitions. Does Hendry have a money printing press in some secret room at Wrigley Field?
Hendry, however, puts conditions for the use of the available funds:
Stay in the race and rise in the standings.
Fortunately for the Central Division Cubs, they could fall in the standings and still stay in the race. So, would new funds be available, or not?
Keep playing the lefty-righty percentages or play a set lineup?
The issue has now come front and center for the Chicago Cubs. Perplexed manager Sweet Lou/fiery Mount Lou Piniella is now ready to give up the percentages game, also known as musical chairs, and stay with the best performers for the foreseeable future.
We never looked upon Piniella as a magician. But he says of a set lineup, “Maybe we’ll draw the darn thing out of a hat.” Sounds like a plan to us.
Two changes in the new look should come in the outfield. Bring back Felix Pie from Iowa and install him in center. Give right field to Angel Pagan and keep Alfonso Soriano in left.
Also, keep Cesar Izturis at short and lock in Ryan Theriot at second. Stay with Michael Barrett as catcher or bring up the best catcher from the Cub farm teams or try to trade for a catcher.
On another topic, we were surprised by recent remarks of general manager Jim Hendry on improving the ballclub. Hendry indicated that the well is not dry of funds for more acquisitions. Does Hendry have a money printing press in some secret room at Wrigley Field?
Hendry, however, puts conditions for the use of the available funds:
Stay in the race and rise in the standings.
Fortunately for the Central Division Cubs, they could fall in the standings and still stay in the race. So, would new funds be available, or not?
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Revising baseball’s traditions is tricky.
But not for Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who saw his team commit several more baserunning gaffes yesterday in a 9-4 loss to the Florida Marlins.
Since the game of baseball started, managers and coaches have been on the lookout for the five-tool player. Of course, this doesn’t mean they’re looking for handymen wearing a belt with a hammer, wrench, screw driver, knife, and pliers.
It refers to a player who excels at five skills: hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding.
But after listening to Piniella, we clearly need to add another characteristic to those above. Piniella calls it instinct. So there you have it—the birth of a new tradition: the six-tool player.
Huh?
Piniella suggested that a guy has instinct if he knows the arm strength of the opposing outfielders and can read the ball off the bat. Says Piniella, “You have to have those instincts, and if you don’t, you’re going to struggle with it.”
Whew! Glad that’s all cleared up.
Though we always referred to those “instincts” as fundamentals.
But not for Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who saw his team commit several more baserunning gaffes yesterday in a 9-4 loss to the Florida Marlins.
Since the game of baseball started, managers and coaches have been on the lookout for the five-tool player. Of course, this doesn’t mean they’re looking for handymen wearing a belt with a hammer, wrench, screw driver, knife, and pliers.
It refers to a player who excels at five skills: hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding.
But after listening to Piniella, we clearly need to add another characteristic to those above. Piniella calls it instinct. So there you have it—the birth of a new tradition: the six-tool player.
Huh?
Piniella suggested that a guy has instinct if he knows the arm strength of the opposing outfielders and can read the ball off the bat. Says Piniella, “You have to have those instincts, and if you don’t, you’re going to struggle with it.”
Whew! Glad that’s all cleared up.
Though we always referred to those “instincts” as fundamentals.
A visitor reports on Illini football recruiting:
Scout.com's recruiting rankings lists 5 four-star football players in Illinois that are in the Illinois recruiting mix, all being also sought by Michigan, Notre Dame, and other high fliers. We'll see if coach Ron Zook can have a quality followup year. He needs to get most of these prepsters:
Steve Filer, LB Mount Carmel
Jason Ford, RB Belleville
Garrett Goebel, DT Montini Catholic
Mile Leshoure, RB Champaign
Graham Pocic, OT Lemont Township
I gather that Filer is the gem of the lot.
Da Blog: We’ve heard rave reviews about Pocic.
Scout.com's recruiting rankings lists 5 four-star football players in Illinois that are in the Illinois recruiting mix, all being also sought by Michigan, Notre Dame, and other high fliers. We'll see if coach Ron Zook can have a quality followup year. He needs to get most of these prepsters:
Steve Filer, LB Mount Carmel
Jason Ford, RB Belleville
Garrett Goebel, DT Montini Catholic
Mile Leshoure, RB Champaign
Graham Pocic, OT Lemont Township
I gather that Filer is the gem of the lot.
Da Blog: We’ve heard rave reviews about Pocic.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Would we like to see this 2007 NBA draft prediction come true.
One guru has suggested a familiar name for the Chicago Bulls’s 21st pick in the second round.
The choice: 6-7, 235 pound Carl Landry of Purdue. Landry was the best player in the Big Ten. He was a good rebounder, a good shooter from any range, and worked a lot in the low post. Add another 10 pounds, and he could be dynamite with Big Ben and Luol.
Meanwhile, picking draftees, except for the two or three obvious ones—is getting tougher because of the increasing number of foreign players. At one time recently, only a few of these guys could play in the NBA.
That’s no longer the case. Now most foreign players are highly skilled and will shun a possible dunk for a surefire assist. We doubt there’s a team in the league that doesn’t have a foreign player.
So don’t scratch your head if the Bulls draft a foreign player you’ve never heard of.
In fact, clap your hands.
One guru has suggested a familiar name for the Chicago Bulls’s 21st pick in the second round.
The choice: 6-7, 235 pound Carl Landry of Purdue. Landry was the best player in the Big Ten. He was a good rebounder, a good shooter from any range, and worked a lot in the low post. Add another 10 pounds, and he could be dynamite with Big Ben and Luol.
Meanwhile, picking draftees, except for the two or three obvious ones—is getting tougher because of the increasing number of foreign players. At one time recently, only a few of these guys could play in the NBA.
That’s no longer the case. Now most foreign players are highly skilled and will shun a possible dunk for a surefire assist. We doubt there’s a team in the league that doesn’t have a foreign player.
So don’t scratch your head if the Bulls draft a foreign player you’ve never heard of.
In fact, clap your hands.
Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella is still unhappy over the performance and standing of his ballclub.
But he isn’t demoralized to the point of converting from Sweet Lou to Mount Lou—at least not yet.
Now we know why. In an interview with reporters yesterday, Piniella revealed a statistic that he has adopted as the basis of his hopes.
The statistic is the number of games won by the 2006 Central leader, the St. Louis Cardinals.
Remember? Would you say:
95?
93?
89?
85?
83?
83 is correct. That’s all. Just 83. The Cards finished 83-78—and won.
Can the 2007 Cubs do that? You betcha!
Will it be enough to win the division again?
Sure. This year, it might take only 78!
But he isn’t demoralized to the point of converting from Sweet Lou to Mount Lou—at least not yet.
Now we know why. In an interview with reporters yesterday, Piniella revealed a statistic that he has adopted as the basis of his hopes.
The statistic is the number of games won by the 2006 Central leader, the St. Louis Cardinals.
Remember? Would you say:
95?
93?
89?
85?
83?
83 is correct. That’s all. Just 83. The Cards finished 83-78—and won.
Can the 2007 Cubs do that? You betcha!
Will it be enough to win the division again?
Sure. This year, it might take only 78!
Monday, May 28, 2007
An interesting online issue deals with the question: Who are the 10 best players on the Illinois football team? One fan’s ideas go like this:
1. LB J Leman, Sr.
2. QB Juice Williams, Soph.
3. DT Chris Norwell, Sr.
4. DE Derek Walker, Jr.
5. RB Rashard Mendenhall, Jr.
6. WR Arrelious Benn, Fr.
7. LB Martez Wilson, Fr.
8. OT Akim Millington, Sr.
9. DE D'Angelo McCray, Fr.
10. CB Vontae Davis, Soph.
Now this is tricky because some of these guys have yet to suit up. But, what the heck, we’ll join the fun with these differences:
1. Leman, 2. Mendenhall, 3. Benn, 4. Davis, 5. Wilson, 6. Walker, 7. Williams, 8. Millington. 9. Norwell, and, surprise, 10. Jason Reda.
1. LB J Leman, Sr.
2. QB Juice Williams, Soph.
3. DT Chris Norwell, Sr.
4. DE Derek Walker, Jr.
5. RB Rashard Mendenhall, Jr.
6. WR Arrelious Benn, Fr.
7. LB Martez Wilson, Fr.
8. OT Akim Millington, Sr.
9. DE D'Angelo McCray, Fr.
10. CB Vontae Davis, Soph.
Now this is tricky because some of these guys have yet to suit up. But, what the heck, we’ll join the fun with these differences:
1. Leman, 2. Mendenhall, 3. Benn, 4. Davis, 5. Wilson, 6. Walker, 7. Williams, 8. Millington. 9. Norwell, and, surprise, 10. Jason Reda.
“We just didn’t get it done today.”
That was the lament of Chicago Cub manager Lou Piniella as his team opened a homestand today with a 5-3 loss to the Florida Marlins.
However, every team in the hapless Central Division except last-place Cincy could feel the same way. They all lost and so the top three teams—including the second-place Cubs--remained stuck in cement.
Maybe we were wrong yesterday when we speculated that the inept Cubs might reach first place by late June because of the losing tendencies of Milwaukee and Houston.
Make it mid-June!
That was the lament of Chicago Cub manager Lou Piniella as his team opened a homestand today with a 5-3 loss to the Florida Marlins.
However, every team in the hapless Central Division except last-place Cincy could feel the same way. They all lost and so the top three teams—including the second-place Cubs--remained stuck in cement.
Maybe we were wrong yesterday when we speculated that the inept Cubs might reach first place by late June because of the losing tendencies of Milwaukee and Houston.
Make it mid-June!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
The gurus are having a field day over the Chicago Bulls’s strategy to solve their low-post scoring problem.
The chief names to surface recently are Nick Collison of Seattle and Zach Randolph of Portland. Collison averaged about 10 points and Randolph, around 23.
Questions are: Does Collison score enough and is Randolph too much of a head case?
Getting Collison would reunite him with his Kansas pal Kirk Hinrich. Collison is pretty athletic and could do as well as P.J. Brown. But is that the kind of player the Bulls need? However, he probably would contribute more than anyone the Bulls might get in the draft.
Randolph is what the doctor ordered. He’s a scorer and takes up a lot of space under the basket. But his off-court activities signal red alert (at least he’d match the Bulls’s colors, and a doctor would need to be included in the trade). He’d make up a heck of a threesome with Ben Wallace and Luol Deng, so he might be hard to resist. Bulls’s fans still remember the Dennis Rodman days. Still, too risky? We think so. The Bulls should forget him.
And keep looking.
The chief names to surface recently are Nick Collison of Seattle and Zach Randolph of Portland. Collison averaged about 10 points and Randolph, around 23.
Questions are: Does Collison score enough and is Randolph too much of a head case?
Getting Collison would reunite him with his Kansas pal Kirk Hinrich. Collison is pretty athletic and could do as well as P.J. Brown. But is that the kind of player the Bulls need? However, he probably would contribute more than anyone the Bulls might get in the draft.
Randolph is what the doctor ordered. He’s a scorer and takes up a lot of space under the basket. But his off-court activities signal red alert (at least he’d match the Bulls’s colors, and a doctor would need to be included in the trade). He’d make up a heck of a threesome with Ben Wallace and Luol Deng, so he might be hard to resist. Bulls’s fans still remember the Dennis Rodman days. Still, too risky? We think so. The Bulls should forget him.
And keep looking.
Chicago Cubs: 4 games out of first in the division.
Going .500 on the West Coast road trip.
Two game winning streak.
Second straight save for the bullpen.
Rare extra-inning win.
Not. Not. Not. Not. And not.
All these potential yeps were nopes today as the Cubs lost 2-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in an 11-inning game. The game was decided when reliever Carlos Marmol hit Dodger Juan Pierre with the bases loaded.
What boggles the mind is that you figure most teams would score the winning run in this situation on a hit or a walk or an error or a fielder’s choice. But a hit batter?
That’s an outcome reserved for the Cubs.
Anything positive to take home from the trip? How about the Brewers losing five straight and the Astros nine in a row?
If that pattern continues, the Cubs should reach first place by late June.
Going .500 on the West Coast road trip.
Two game winning streak.
Second straight save for the bullpen.
Rare extra-inning win.
Not. Not. Not. Not. And not.
All these potential yeps were nopes today as the Cubs lost 2-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in an 11-inning game. The game was decided when reliever Carlos Marmol hit Dodger Juan Pierre with the bases loaded.
What boggles the mind is that you figure most teams would score the winning run in this situation on a hit or a walk or an error or a fielder’s choice. But a hit batter?
That’s an outcome reserved for the Cubs.
Anything positive to take home from the trip? How about the Brewers losing five straight and the Astros nine in a row?
If that pattern continues, the Cubs should reach first place by late June.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
The Chicago Bears are excited. About the Chicago Bears.
Quarterback coach Pep Hamilton (what a great name for a coach) is excited the way Rex Grossman has learned how to step up in the pocket or take off on a run.
Grossman is excited by Devin Hester.
Grossman is excited by Greg Olsen.
Grossman is excited by Garrett Wolfe.
Grossman is excited by Cedric Benson.
Head coach Lovie Smith is excited by Rex’s work in the new system.
Any excitement left for Chris Leak?
Quarterback coach Pep Hamilton (what a great name for a coach) is excited the way Rex Grossman has learned how to step up in the pocket or take off on a run.
Grossman is excited by Devin Hester.
Grossman is excited by Greg Olsen.
Grossman is excited by Garrett Wolfe.
Grossman is excited by Cedric Benson.
Head coach Lovie Smith is excited by Rex’s work in the new system.
Any excitement left for Chris Leak?
It seems that this captain is going down—or up—with his ship after all. Yesterday, we speculated whether Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella might resign by midseason as his leaky boat gets battered night after night.
But Piniella has assured us that he takes baseball one game at a time and is not giving up. “We’ll get them tomorrow,” he said after his bullpen collapsed again in a heartbreaking 9-8 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The embattled bullpen blew a three-run lead in the eighth following a seven-run Cub comeback in the seventh inning.
Piniella apparently has bigger shoulders than we expected. Earlier, he told the slumping Jacque Jones to maintain his confidence and let Piniella do all the worrying. Nice touch.
Alfonso Soriano showed that he’s not conceding anything either. He went three for five the same day his name turned up on a most overrated list in an article by ESPN baseball writer Jayson Stark.
Hey! Maybe there’s a good idea here.
The Cubs could have a daily list for their bulletin board. The list would have two columns, Overrated and Underrated. All members of the team would be listed in one column or the other. Every day, the names should be either switched from one column to the other or remain unchanged. A representative of Cubs management—not necessarily Piniella—would secretly adjust the lists.
Think that list would get the players's attention?
Sounds like a plan to us.
But Piniella has assured us that he takes baseball one game at a time and is not giving up. “We’ll get them tomorrow,” he said after his bullpen collapsed again in a heartbreaking 9-8 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The embattled bullpen blew a three-run lead in the eighth following a seven-run Cub comeback in the seventh inning.
Piniella apparently has bigger shoulders than we expected. Earlier, he told the slumping Jacque Jones to maintain his confidence and let Piniella do all the worrying. Nice touch.
Alfonso Soriano showed that he’s not conceding anything either. He went three for five the same day his name turned up on a most overrated list in an article by ESPN baseball writer Jayson Stark.
Hey! Maybe there’s a good idea here.
The Cubs could have a daily list for their bulletin board. The list would have two columns, Overrated and Underrated. All members of the team would be listed in one column or the other. Every day, the names should be either switched from one column to the other or remain unchanged. A representative of Cubs management—not necessarily Piniella—would secretly adjust the lists.
Think that list would get the players's attention?
Sounds like a plan to us.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Like all Chicago Cubs fans, we were happy to read about the plan to honor former Cub great Ernie Banks with a statue outside Wrigley Field.
The announcement brought to mind an off-day in 1969 when we met “Mr. Cub” in person. Banks came to our former workplace, an educational publishing firm, to participate in a project to promote reading.
Of course, all us Cub fans assembled around him to express our appreciation for his great performances.
The man couldn’t have been more gracious. He posed for pictures, asked us our names, and answered questions about his career and other Cub players.
You could tell he was someone special. He sincerely enjoyed talking to each of us. In his warm, soft-spoken voice, he constantly responded to our remarks with “Thank you, thank you,” and he remembered our names as he shook our hands. It was quite a thrill for all of us. And a day we’ll always fondly remember.
The announcement brought to mind an off-day in 1969 when we met “Mr. Cub” in person. Banks came to our former workplace, an educational publishing firm, to participate in a project to promote reading.
Of course, all us Cub fans assembled around him to express our appreciation for his great performances.
The man couldn’t have been more gracious. He posed for pictures, asked us our names, and answered questions about his career and other Cub players.
You could tell he was someone special. He sincerely enjoyed talking to each of us. In his warm, soft-spoken voice, he constantly responded to our remarks with “Thank you, thank you,” and he remembered our names as he shook our hands. It was quite a thrill for all of us. And a day we’ll always fondly remember.
Illinois has so many questions about next season’s hoopsters that it’s hard—and fun—to speculate on how good the team will be.
Key questions involve…
Jamar Smith—Is he going to get an okay to play? Some observers say his punishment for the DUI case will include suspension for a semester. That’s a double digit number of games he would miss. Which means it is unlikely he would play at all, and thus might leave school. We feel that would be a shame. Rich McBride was suspended for four games after his DUI case, and that’s what Smith should get.
Brian Carlwell—The lack of any information about his condition is a bad sign. You’d think it would be reported if he was making even minimal progress. But nada? Doesn’t look good. We expected Carlwell to be a starter wth Rodney Alexander and Shaun Pruitt. We wanted coach Bruce Weber to help develop Carlwell more last season, but, even so, we think Carlwell is underrated and could be a monster.
Surprise impact player of the year: Quinton Watkins? Mike Tisdale? Demetri McCamey? Jeff Jordan?
Nah. How about Calvin Brock? Brock is a ferocious rebounder and defender. But he lacked a consistent shooting game. We think Calvin’s time has come and that he’s going to show us the breakout year that we keep expecting from Brian Randle.
Key questions involve…
Jamar Smith—Is he going to get an okay to play? Some observers say his punishment for the DUI case will include suspension for a semester. That’s a double digit number of games he would miss. Which means it is unlikely he would play at all, and thus might leave school. We feel that would be a shame. Rich McBride was suspended for four games after his DUI case, and that’s what Smith should get.
Brian Carlwell—The lack of any information about his condition is a bad sign. You’d think it would be reported if he was making even minimal progress. But nada? Doesn’t look good. We expected Carlwell to be a starter wth Rodney Alexander and Shaun Pruitt. We wanted coach Bruce Weber to help develop Carlwell more last season, but, even so, we think Carlwell is underrated and could be a monster.
Surprise impact player of the year: Quinton Watkins? Mike Tisdale? Demetri McCamey? Jeff Jordan?
Nah. How about Calvin Brock? Brock is a ferocious rebounder and defender. But he lacked a consistent shooting game. We think Calvin’s time has come and that he’s going to show us the breakout year that we keep expecting from Brian Randle.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
We’re starting to get a little worried.
Is Chicago Cub manager Lou Piniella going to make it through the season or will he concede defeat and resign around July 4, when the Cubs will probably be out of the race?
We wonder because he understandably reached a new level of babbletalk in his reaction to the 2-1 loss to San Diego yesterday.
Give Piniella credit for changing the roster, juggling the batting order, and searching for an effective bullpen. He’s clearly trying.
But right now, he’s clueless.
One thing he should know is that he’s facing a tougher challenge than did Dusty Baker. Baker had to deal with only 98 years of disappointment and frustration. Piniella is facing 99 years.
Can he do it?
We’re starting to get a little worried.
Is Chicago Cub manager Lou Piniella going to make it through the season or will he concede defeat and resign around July 4, when the Cubs will probably be out of the race?
We wonder because he understandably reached a new level of babbletalk in his reaction to the 2-1 loss to San Diego yesterday.
Give Piniella credit for changing the roster, juggling the batting order, and searching for an effective bullpen. He’s clearly trying.
But right now, he’s clueless.
One thing he should know is that he’s facing a tougher challenge than did Dusty Baker. Baker had to deal with only 98 years of disappointment and frustration. Piniella is facing 99 years.
Can he do it?
We’re starting to get a little worried.
We were impressed by the statement of Illini basketball player Jamar Smith regarding his DUI case.
Jamar is highly regarded as a person as well as a player and stands to do a lot of good in his plan to speak out against DUI to other young people.
Many observers feel Jamar should not be given jail time and not be classified as a felon.
We disagree.
Jamar is guilty of behaving in a potentially dangerous and tragic way. He should consider himself lucky that no people were killed and should accept jail time. Such a penalty would make his opposition to DUI more valid.
In time, he will realize that his community service program will shape him more positively than jail time will scar him negatively. The lesson here is that wrongful behavior has consequences.
With a continued program of community service in place, Jamar should be welcomed back to where he belongs—on the basketball court.
Jamar is highly regarded as a person as well as a player and stands to do a lot of good in his plan to speak out against DUI to other young people.
Many observers feel Jamar should not be given jail time and not be classified as a felon.
We disagree.
Jamar is guilty of behaving in a potentially dangerous and tragic way. He should consider himself lucky that no people were killed and should accept jail time. Such a penalty would make his opposition to DUI more valid.
In time, he will realize that his community service program will shape him more positively than jail time will scar him negatively. The lesson here is that wrongful behavior has consequences.
With a continued program of community service in place, Jamar should be welcomed back to where he belongs—on the basketball court.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
At least Chicago Bulls fans can feel better about yesterday’s draft lottery than the last-place Memphis Grizzlies. All their worst record got them was the fourth pick in a two-man draft.
The Grizzlies may still get a good player, but no one nearly as good as Greg Oden or Kevin Durant.
Think the Grizzlies might be more interested now in trading Pau Gasol to the Bulls for the Bulls’s draft pick and a package? The players could include some popular Bulls like Andres Noconi or Tyrus Thomas.
We propose another possibility to chew on. There’s a player who signed up for the draft who is not listed on any two-round mock drafts and who fills the needs of the Bulls: a low-post scorer.
We’re talking about agile 6-10 Illinois center Shaun Pruitt. As much as we would hate to see Pruitt leave the Illini, we think he is just what the doctor ordered for the Bulls. Pruitt has steadily improved his low-post skills and has an assortment of medium- and short-range shots. He’s a good passer and has soft hands. All he needs is a little more bulk, and then watch out!
A lineup of Ben Wallace at power forward, Pruitt at center, and Luol Deng at shooting forward would be exciting.
And it wouldn’t cost the Bulls an arm and a leg.
The Grizzlies may still get a good player, but no one nearly as good as Greg Oden or Kevin Durant.
Think the Grizzlies might be more interested now in trading Pau Gasol to the Bulls for the Bulls’s draft pick and a package? The players could include some popular Bulls like Andres Noconi or Tyrus Thomas.
We propose another possibility to chew on. There’s a player who signed up for the draft who is not listed on any two-round mock drafts and who fills the needs of the Bulls: a low-post scorer.
We’re talking about agile 6-10 Illinois center Shaun Pruitt. As much as we would hate to see Pruitt leave the Illini, we think he is just what the doctor ordered for the Bulls. Pruitt has steadily improved his low-post skills and has an assortment of medium- and short-range shots. He’s a good passer and has soft hands. All he needs is a little more bulk, and then watch out!
A lineup of Ben Wallace at power forward, Pruitt at center, and Luol Deng at shooting forward would be exciting.
And it wouldn’t cost the Bulls an arm and a leg.
Biggest surprises about the 2007 Chicago Cubs:
Felix Pie’s failure to make the big league club.
Mark DeRosa’s anemic batting average (.239).
Ryan Theriot’s ability to play almost every position.
Matt Murton’s decline to a reserve status.
The rise of Angel Pagan.
Alfonso Soriano having a mediocre season for a $136 Million Man.
The success of Jason Marquis, Ted Lilly, and Rich Hill.
The unimpressive start of Carlos Zambrano.
The team’s floundering, which hardly reflects the preseason outlay of over $300 million.
Felix Pie’s failure to make the big league club.
Mark DeRosa’s anemic batting average (.239).
Ryan Theriot’s ability to play almost every position.
Matt Murton’s decline to a reserve status.
The rise of Angel Pagan.
Alfonso Soriano having a mediocre season for a $136 Million Man.
The success of Jason Marquis, Ted Lilly, and Rich Hill.
The unimpressive start of Carlos Zambrano.
The team’s floundering, which hardly reflects the preseason outlay of over $300 million.
Biggest surprises about the 2007 Chicago Cubs:
Felix Pie’s failure to make the big league club.
Mark DeRosa’s anemic batting average (.239).
Ryan Theriot’s ability to play almost every position.
Matt Murton’s decline to a reserve status.
The rise of Angel Pagan.
Alfonso Soriano having a mediocre season for a $136 Million Man.
The success of Jason Marquis, Ted Lilly, and Rich Hill.
The disastrous start of Carlos Zambrano.
The team’s floundering, which hardly reflects the preseason outlay of over $300 million.
Felix Pie’s failure to make the big league club.
Mark DeRosa’s anemic batting average (.239).
Ryan Theriot’s ability to play almost every position.
Matt Murton’s decline to a reserve status.
The rise of Angel Pagan.
Alfonso Soriano having a mediocre season for a $136 Million Man.
The success of Jason Marquis, Ted Lilly, and Rich Hill.
The disastrous start of Carlos Zambrano.
The team’s floundering, which hardly reflects the preseason outlay of over $300 million.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
We’re not happy about it, but it could have been worse. The Chicago Bulls could have won 12th place in the 2007 draft lottery tonight, courtesy of the Eddy Curry trade to the New York Knicks. But they wound up with the 9th pick.
Bulls’s player director John Paxson said he will consider packaging the pick and some Bulls players in a trade for a desirable player on another team.
That sounds like a good approach. The Bulls need a veteran low-post scorer, not another rookie. Perhaps their best strategy, however, would be to go after a top-notch free agent.
If the Bulls keep the draft pick, we wouldn’t mind them taking 6-11 power forward Joakim Noah of Florida. Noah’s stock fell during the NCAA tournament. But the guy has a motor that never stops. He’s like Tyrus Thomas and might open the way for Thomas to be included in a multiplayer trade.
In Paxson, we trust.
Bulls’s player director John Paxson said he will consider packaging the pick and some Bulls players in a trade for a desirable player on another team.
That sounds like a good approach. The Bulls need a veteran low-post scorer, not another rookie. Perhaps their best strategy, however, would be to go after a top-notch free agent.
If the Bulls keep the draft pick, we wouldn’t mind them taking 6-11 power forward Joakim Noah of Florida. Noah’s stock fell during the NCAA tournament. But the guy has a motor that never stops. He’s like Tyrus Thomas and might open the way for Thomas to be included in a multiplayer trade.
In Paxson, we trust.
Decisions, decisions. Chicago Cub manager Lou Piniella is still wrestling with what to do about the bullpen and where to bat Alfonso Soriano in the lineup.
Isn’t it rather late in the season to be asking those questions?
Cub fans have widely varying opinions about the $136 Million Man. Soriano himself prefers to lead off. There’s something about hitting a leadoff home run that rings his bell. Trouble is, he doesn’t do it very often, and he’s mainly a power hitter. Power hitters generally hit lower in the order so they can drive in men on base.
Anyway, Ryan Theriot is the team’s best platesetter and so should lead off.
How about 2nd? Soriano strikes out a lot, and his sore hammie slows him down. Not the conditions you want from the second spot. We like Angel Pagan in the second position.
Soriano could hit third, but Derrek Lee, who leads the majors in hitting, can make a good argument to bat third.
Bat Soriano fourth? That’s a possibility although the Lee-Aramis Ramirez combo seems to work well.
But fourth appeals to us. Because Soriano may get better pitches to hit, and he hits a lot of doubles, helping set the table for Ramirez. Opposing pitchers are not going to want to walk Soriano ahead of Ramirez.
In the end, the situation with Soriano is very much like the situation in the bullpen.
That is, it doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter. Soriano is going to strike out just as often wherever he bats, and the bullpen will implode whenever they pitch.
Isn’t it rather late in the season to be asking those questions?
Cub fans have widely varying opinions about the $136 Million Man. Soriano himself prefers to lead off. There’s something about hitting a leadoff home run that rings his bell. Trouble is, he doesn’t do it very often, and he’s mainly a power hitter. Power hitters generally hit lower in the order so they can drive in men on base.
Anyway, Ryan Theriot is the team’s best platesetter and so should lead off.
How about 2nd? Soriano strikes out a lot, and his sore hammie slows him down. Not the conditions you want from the second spot. We like Angel Pagan in the second position.
Soriano could hit third, but Derrek Lee, who leads the majors in hitting, can make a good argument to bat third.
Bat Soriano fourth? That’s a possibility although the Lee-Aramis Ramirez combo seems to work well.
But fourth appeals to us. Because Soriano may get better pitches to hit, and he hits a lot of doubles, helping set the table for Ramirez. Opposing pitchers are not going to want to walk Soriano ahead of Ramirez.
In the end, the situation with Soriano is very much like the situation in the bullpen.
That is, it doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter. Soriano is going to strike out just as often wherever he bats, and the bullpen will implode whenever they pitch.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Beat reporter Carrie Muskat of MLB.com provides some interesting stuff about the Chicago Cubs bullpen, which is already in double-digit losses.
The 2004 Colorado Rockies 'pen holds the record for most losses with 39. The worst the Cubs bullpen has done is a 25-35 record in 2000. The Cubs' 1997 'pen also lost 33 games.
On Sunday, Dempster said he was going back into the rotation, then 20 minutes later, said he's still the closer. The latest storyline has Angel Guzman being groomed as a potential closer.
Last year, the Cubs relievers set a Major League record for most relief appearances with 542. They were 18-27, and totaled 562 innings, the most in the National League and a franchise high, topping the previous mark of 532 innings by the 1983 Cubs 'pen.
The 2004 Colorado Rockies 'pen holds the record for most losses with 39. The worst the Cubs bullpen has done is a 25-35 record in 2000. The Cubs' 1997 'pen also lost 33 games.
On Sunday, Dempster said he was going back into the rotation, then 20 minutes later, said he's still the closer. The latest storyline has Angel Guzman being groomed as a potential closer.
Last year, the Cubs relievers set a Major League record for most relief appearances with 542. They were 18-27, and totaled 562 innings, the most in the National League and a franchise high, topping the previous mark of 532 innings by the 1983 Cubs 'pen.
An incredible act of kindness and thoughtfulness is going on among Chicago Bears players.
The recipient of all this altruistic goodness is rehabbing linebacker Jamar Williams. Williams is getting extra special tips and suggestions on how to play the position currently vacated by Lance Briggs. From whom? Lance Briggs.
Briggs wants Brian Urlacher money. The Bears said no. Then Briggs said he’ll go—to another team that fully appreciates his talent--and has demanded a trade. The Bears really don’t want to lose Briggs and have a contract going out at least to next season.
So general manager Jerry Angelo says let Briggs stew.
But Briggs refuses to stew.
Instead, he’s adopted the extraordinary role of mentor. Mentor to Jamar Williams, the guy who would replace Briggs if he leaves. What magnanimity! Briggs can’t say enough about how great Williams will be. How Williams will easily replace Briggs. Have you ever heard of anyone as high-minded and generous as Briggs?
Talk about character!
Angelo agrees, he’s dealing with a real character.
The recipient of all this altruistic goodness is rehabbing linebacker Jamar Williams. Williams is getting extra special tips and suggestions on how to play the position currently vacated by Lance Briggs. From whom? Lance Briggs.
Briggs wants Brian Urlacher money. The Bears said no. Then Briggs said he’ll go—to another team that fully appreciates his talent--and has demanded a trade. The Bears really don’t want to lose Briggs and have a contract going out at least to next season.
So general manager Jerry Angelo says let Briggs stew.
But Briggs refuses to stew.
Instead, he’s adopted the extraordinary role of mentor. Mentor to Jamar Williams, the guy who would replace Briggs if he leaves. What magnanimity! Briggs can’t say enough about how great Williams will be. How Williams will easily replace Briggs. Have you ever heard of anyone as high-minded and generous as Briggs?
Talk about character!
Angelo agrees, he’s dealing with a real character.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Texas Rangers come into Wrigley late next month, and what a great competition it will be.
Not the one between the Rangers and the Chicago Cubs.
The one between ex-Cub Sammy Sosa and new Cub Alfonso Soriano. Not to see who will hit more home runs. Or get more hits.
But to see who is the better hopper.
Sosa patented his hop after he acknowledged that he had just rocketed a ball over the outfield wall. Cub fans cheered the hop.
But now there’s another hopper in town.
Soriano does his hop when he catches an easy fly ball. It’s pretty cool. He positions himself right below the spot where the ball is descending and at the last second, hops into the area where the ball disappears into his glove.
Now here’s how the contest will work. A nonplaying judge will assess points on a scale of 1-5 on the quality of each hop. The hops will be judged on their height and general appearance.
The judge will decide his or her own standards based on those criteria. For example, if Sosa does a hop and the ball ends up being caught, he gets a zero. If Soriano does a hop but drops the ball, he gets a zero.
The judge provides a visual score with a hop-o-meter, which he shows the fans after each change.
The judge will be Ron Santo.
Not the one between the Rangers and the Chicago Cubs.
The one between ex-Cub Sammy Sosa and new Cub Alfonso Soriano. Not to see who will hit more home runs. Or get more hits.
But to see who is the better hopper.
Sosa patented his hop after he acknowledged that he had just rocketed a ball over the outfield wall. Cub fans cheered the hop.
But now there’s another hopper in town.
Soriano does his hop when he catches an easy fly ball. It’s pretty cool. He positions himself right below the spot where the ball is descending and at the last second, hops into the area where the ball disappears into his glove.
Now here’s how the contest will work. A nonplaying judge will assess points on a scale of 1-5 on the quality of each hop. The hops will be judged on their height and general appearance.
The judge will decide his or her own standards based on those criteria. For example, if Sosa does a hop and the ball ends up being caught, he gets a zero. If Soriano does a hop but drops the ball, he gets a zero.
The judge provides a visual score with a hop-o-meter, which he shows the fans after each change.
The judge will be Ron Santo.
Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith has been singing the song of competition for all positions.
We like that approach. Competition is good. Even though it is obvious that certain players, barring injury, will easily reclaim their starting positions.
A question to mull over, then, is: Does Smith’s comment really apply to the quarterback position?
If it does, the competition could be fierce as rookie Chris Leak joins the qb fight. And when the smoke clears at the end of the preseason, wouldn’t it be almost a certainty that the Bears would have a new starting quarterback--Brian Griese?
We like that approach. Competition is good. Even though it is obvious that certain players, barring injury, will easily reclaim their starting positions.
A question to mull over, then, is: Does Smith’s comment really apply to the quarterback position?
If it does, the competition could be fierce as rookie Chris Leak joins the qb fight. And when the smoke clears at the end of the preseason, wouldn’t it be almost a certainty that the Bears would have a new starting quarterback--Brian Griese?
Friday, May 18, 2007
The Chicago Cubs change rosters more quickly than a chameleon changes color.
That’s a good thing.
The reasons for the changes are that the Cubs are a bad team, and manager Lou Piniella is slowly finding out just how bad.
Mike Fontenot was up for a nanosecond. Guess his .364 batting average at Iowa wasn’t high enough.
The Cubs also have a new center fielder, Angel Pagan. He looks pretty good so far. Wonder whether we’ll ever see Felix Pie again?
Pitcher Carlos Marmol has arrived from Iowa, and can hurler Sean Marshall be far behind? And how about the Notre Dame football star who chose to play baseball and pitch for the Cubs? Wasn’t he throwing 100 mph fastballs during spring training?
And Piniella has announced major “alignments” are coming. Maybe as early as Monday. How’d you like to be a member of the bullpen right now?
One last thought for today: Isn’t baseball great? Last night, the Cubs blew a four-run lead in the ninth, and all Cub fans felt terrible. But today, the Cubs beat the White Sox 6-3, and life is wonderful again. Neat, huh?
That’s a good thing.
The reasons for the changes are that the Cubs are a bad team, and manager Lou Piniella is slowly finding out just how bad.
Mike Fontenot was up for a nanosecond. Guess his .364 batting average at Iowa wasn’t high enough.
The Cubs also have a new center fielder, Angel Pagan. He looks pretty good so far. Wonder whether we’ll ever see Felix Pie again?
Pitcher Carlos Marmol has arrived from Iowa, and can hurler Sean Marshall be far behind? And how about the Notre Dame football star who chose to play baseball and pitch for the Cubs? Wasn’t he throwing 100 mph fastballs during spring training?
And Piniella has announced major “alignments” are coming. Maybe as early as Monday. How’d you like to be a member of the bullpen right now?
One last thought for today: Isn’t baseball great? Last night, the Cubs blew a four-run lead in the ninth, and all Cub fans felt terrible. But today, the Cubs beat the White Sox 6-3, and life is wonderful again. Neat, huh?
The Chicago Bulls: What now?
We assume the young players on all the NBA teams will benefit next year from the experience gained this season. So, more experience is not going to make the Bulls better than other teams.
That means general manager John Paxson and head coach Scott Skiles must come up with another strategy to keep the team moving upward. They did a good job this year although they probably had no effect on one of the main positives: the maturation of Luol Deng.
Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon performed well, as expected, as did Andres Nocioni.
Paxson paid big bucks to get Ben Wallace, who didn’t meet the lofty expectations. Wallace was supposed to lead the team to a high level in the playoffs and possibly to the title. As we all know, that was a big disappointment.
Although rookies Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha showed flashes of brilliance—especially Thomas—neither could replace the aging veteran P. J. Brown. That was also a major disappointment.
But do these two rookies hold greater promise? Maybe? But we have doubts. Thomas is certainly an electrifying player, but he has no shot. Sefolosha looks confused. Do these two bring more to the table than Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler once did?
Thus, the only players the Bulls should keep when making deals are Hinrich, Gordon, and Deng.
The upcoming draft won’t make the Bulls that much better, so the best way to go is to offer Nocioni, Thomas, others, and the high draft choice in a trade or to shell out more big bucks to get a top free agent who can score.
If Paxson can’t find the money, he should apply to Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry for a loan. Immediately.
We assume the young players on all the NBA teams will benefit next year from the experience gained this season. So, more experience is not going to make the Bulls better than other teams.
That means general manager John Paxson and head coach Scott Skiles must come up with another strategy to keep the team moving upward. They did a good job this year although they probably had no effect on one of the main positives: the maturation of Luol Deng.
Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon performed well, as expected, as did Andres Nocioni.
Paxson paid big bucks to get Ben Wallace, who didn’t meet the lofty expectations. Wallace was supposed to lead the team to a high level in the playoffs and possibly to the title. As we all know, that was a big disappointment.
Although rookies Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha showed flashes of brilliance—especially Thomas—neither could replace the aging veteran P. J. Brown. That was also a major disappointment.
But do these two rookies hold greater promise? Maybe? But we have doubts. Thomas is certainly an electrifying player, but he has no shot. Sefolosha looks confused. Do these two bring more to the table than Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler once did?
Thus, the only players the Bulls should keep when making deals are Hinrich, Gordon, and Deng.
The upcoming draft won’t make the Bulls that much better, so the best way to go is to offer Nocioni, Thomas, others, and the high draft choice in a trade or to shell out more big bucks to get a top free agent who can score.
If Paxson can’t find the money, he should apply to Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry for a loan. Immediately.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
What a clunker!
The Chicago Bulls ran out gas tonight and got run over by the team from the Motor City 95-85.
The Bulls tried to stave off inevitability, but few teams ever accomplish that feat. And so the Detroit Pistons, who won the first three games convincingly, won Game 6 unconvincingly, ended the Bull’s season, and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
The Bulls’s blew out all their tires during the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter, when they scored only four points.
The Bulls also got out rebounded by double digits.
Still, the team took us on an exciting ride during the regular season and the first playoff series against the defending champs Miami Heat. Now the Bulls can turn their attention to the 2007 draft. The order of selection in the draft lottery will be announced May 22.
The Chicago Bulls ran out gas tonight and got run over by the team from the Motor City 95-85.
The Bulls tried to stave off inevitability, but few teams ever accomplish that feat. And so the Detroit Pistons, who won the first three games convincingly, won Game 6 unconvincingly, ended the Bull’s season, and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
The Bulls’s blew out all their tires during the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter, when they scored only four points.
The Bulls also got out rebounded by double digits.
Still, the team took us on an exciting ride during the regular season and the first playoff series against the defending champs Miami Heat. Now the Bulls can turn their attention to the 2007 draft. The order of selection in the draft lottery will be announced May 22.
Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith reported lots of good news coming out of recent workouts.
He answered the question: What’s better than having a tight end as good as starter Desmond Clark? Having two Desmond Clarks, or in the Bears’s case, using both Clark and promising rookie tight end Greg Olsen at the same time.
Rehabbing safety Mike Brown and defensive lineman Tommie Harris are making excellent progress and should be ready to play very soon.
Although Devin Hester is moving to slot receiver, let’s not forget two other exciting receiving weapons: Rashied Davis and Mark Bradley.
Defensive end figures to be a hotspot of competition this year, with Mark Anderson and rookie Dan Bazuin challenging veterans Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye. Brown, already feeling the heat, is getting whiny.
And what about Rex Grossman’s spring workouts? He reportedly is still working on fundamentals! Haven’t we heard this song before? Well, one thing’s likely. The Bears will have a starting quarterback who starred at the University of Florida. Except that the new guy, Chris Leak, led his Florida team to the national championship.
Wonder if he’ll need work on his fundamentals?
He answered the question: What’s better than having a tight end as good as starter Desmond Clark? Having two Desmond Clarks, or in the Bears’s case, using both Clark and promising rookie tight end Greg Olsen at the same time.
Rehabbing safety Mike Brown and defensive lineman Tommie Harris are making excellent progress and should be ready to play very soon.
Although Devin Hester is moving to slot receiver, let’s not forget two other exciting receiving weapons: Rashied Davis and Mark Bradley.
Defensive end figures to be a hotspot of competition this year, with Mark Anderson and rookie Dan Bazuin challenging veterans Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye. Brown, already feeling the heat, is getting whiny.
And what about Rex Grossman’s spring workouts? He reportedly is still working on fundamentals! Haven’t we heard this song before? Well, one thing’s likely. The Bears will have a starting quarterback who starred at the University of Florida. Except that the new guy, Chris Leak, led his Florida team to the national championship.
Wonder if he’ll need work on his fundamentals?
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Questions about recent moves of the Chicago Cubs:
With Cliff Floyd and Daryle Ward available, why was Mark DeRosa playing first base?
Why demote Rocky Cherry when other candidates for demotion are so more deserving?
Carlos Zambrano got a tip on how to improve his mechanics. It worked. Apparently, a tip to Jason Marquis helped him. Time to share these tips with the members of the inept bullpen?
What’s your guess on how many of the bullpen pitchers who started the season will end it with the Cubs?
The Cubs have been at the .500 mark six times so far. How many more times will they land there during the season?
Alfonso Soriano batting in the third position? How’d they get him to agree to that?
The Cubs have brought up infielder Mike Fontenot, a player from AAA Iowa who was hitting .364. Do they have any others like him to send up?
How good does Felix Pie have to hit before getting recalled? Last time we looked, he was batting .500.
With Cliff Floyd and Daryle Ward available, why was Mark DeRosa playing first base?
Why demote Rocky Cherry when other candidates for demotion are so more deserving?
Carlos Zambrano got a tip on how to improve his mechanics. It worked. Apparently, a tip to Jason Marquis helped him. Time to share these tips with the members of the inept bullpen?
What’s your guess on how many of the bullpen pitchers who started the season will end it with the Cubs?
The Cubs have been at the .500 mark six times so far. How many more times will they land there during the season?
Alfonso Soriano batting in the third position? How’d they get him to agree to that?
The Cubs have brought up infielder Mike Fontenot, a player from AAA Iowa who was hitting .364. Do they have any others like him to send up?
How good does Felix Pie have to hit before getting recalled? Last time we looked, he was batting .500.
The Chicago Bulls’s rip-roaring, rip-snorting rout of the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 yesterday was a thing of beauty to Bulls fans.
About anything a Bulls optimist could say going into the game was that the Bulls had not yet been eliminated and could still beat incredible odds against such an outcome. But c’mon, you could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of optimists who actually thought the desperate Bulls would win Game 5, which was being played on the Pistons’s home court.
So what happened?
Obviously, the Bulls had their batteries fully charged, while the team from the Motor City did not. It looked like NASCAR versus soap-box derby.
Then there was the sharpshooting Ben Gordon, who scored 28 points. What happened to the strategy that limited Gordon in the first three games? Apparently, Gordon figured it out and developed the mother of all readjustments.
We had suggested that Gordon might be more effective coming off the bench. Sorry. Never mind.
In addition, we had suggested that the dynamic Tyrus Thomas be installed in the starting lineup. When Thomas came in, he sparked the Bulls into another gear, and the Bulls were off to the races.
And they motored across the finish line with no contribution from another main power source, Andres Nocioni. What a shocker!
Maybe Game 3, when the Pistons overcame a 19-point deficit, gave Detroit a false sense of over-confidence. Apparently, as long as it carried three wins onto the court, it also carried on the same false over-confidence. Perhaps Detroit will also play tomorrow's game in the United Center on four flat tires.
If that condition persists, and the Bulls’s electricity output continues to grow—Bulls in seven.
Maybe, after all, the Bulls already are all growed up.
About anything a Bulls optimist could say going into the game was that the Bulls had not yet been eliminated and could still beat incredible odds against such an outcome. But c’mon, you could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of optimists who actually thought the desperate Bulls would win Game 5, which was being played on the Pistons’s home court.
So what happened?
Obviously, the Bulls had their batteries fully charged, while the team from the Motor City did not. It looked like NASCAR versus soap-box derby.
Then there was the sharpshooting Ben Gordon, who scored 28 points. What happened to the strategy that limited Gordon in the first three games? Apparently, Gordon figured it out and developed the mother of all readjustments.
We had suggested that Gordon might be more effective coming off the bench. Sorry. Never mind.
In addition, we had suggested that the dynamic Tyrus Thomas be installed in the starting lineup. When Thomas came in, he sparked the Bulls into another gear, and the Bulls were off to the races.
And they motored across the finish line with no contribution from another main power source, Andres Nocioni. What a shocker!
Maybe Game 3, when the Pistons overcame a 19-point deficit, gave Detroit a false sense of over-confidence. Apparently, as long as it carried three wins onto the court, it also carried on the same false over-confidence. Perhaps Detroit will also play tomorrow's game in the United Center on four flat tires.
If that condition persists, and the Bulls’s electricity output continues to grow—Bulls in seven.
Maybe, after all, the Bulls already are all growed up.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
It was another surprising rout in the NBA playoffs between the Chicago Bulls (2-3) and the Detroit Pistons (3-2). The energized Bulls won Game 5 108-92 on the road and headed home for Game 6 in the United Center on Thursday.
With their backs to the proverbial wall, the battling Bulls once again stayed alive in the best-of-seven series and gained the all-important momentum.
The Bulls led the entire game, and at times ran their lead up to 23 points. With about 5 minutes left in the game, the Detroit fans conceded the loss and began to empty the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Bulls shot a torrid .667 percent on three pointers, or 10 of 15. Feisty Ben Gordon scored 28 points, and smooth Luol Deng added 20. Burly Ben Wallace and Flying Tyrus Thomas played like energizer bunnies. Amazingly, Andres Nocioni , ordinarily a main sparkplug, went scoreless.
The Bulls have not yet won—or lost--the series. But they’ve won the hearts of Bulls’s fans—win or lose.
With their backs to the proverbial wall, the battling Bulls once again stayed alive in the best-of-seven series and gained the all-important momentum.
The Bulls led the entire game, and at times ran their lead up to 23 points. With about 5 minutes left in the game, the Detroit fans conceded the loss and began to empty the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Bulls shot a torrid .667 percent on three pointers, or 10 of 15. Feisty Ben Gordon scored 28 points, and smooth Luol Deng added 20. Burly Ben Wallace and Flying Tyrus Thomas played like energizer bunnies. Amazingly, Andres Nocioni , ordinarily a main sparkplug, went scoreless.
The Bulls have not yet won—or lost--the series. But they’ve won the hearts of Bulls’s fans—win or lose.
Another question regarding the Chicago Bears has been cleared up: the Hesterization of the Bears.
Man of us have been wondering why the Bears did not try to take advantage of the awesome offensive skills of Devin Hester--on offense.
It became increasingly obvious during the season that Hester was the best runner on the team. Yet the Bears restricted his nonreturn duties to cornerback at times.
Now it seems that the Hesterization of the Bears was blocked by Hester himself rather than by the Bears. Guess Hester felt it was more exciting to score touchdowns by running back interceptions than by running in handoffs or passes.
Hester brings to two the number of mighty mice the Bears plan to use to revolutionize the slot position. Draftee Garrett Wolfe will also be Hesterized—that is, used regularly to run or receive out of the slot. We know other teams use runners in the slot, but Hester and Wolfe are going to make it an art form. The Era of Hesterization is about to start in earnest in the NFL.
Now the main remaining question about the Bears is: What kind of defensive scheme does coach Lovie Smith want to install that could not be done by defensive coordinator Ron Rivera?
Man of us have been wondering why the Bears did not try to take advantage of the awesome offensive skills of Devin Hester--on offense.
It became increasingly obvious during the season that Hester was the best runner on the team. Yet the Bears restricted his nonreturn duties to cornerback at times.
Now it seems that the Hesterization of the Bears was blocked by Hester himself rather than by the Bears. Guess Hester felt it was more exciting to score touchdowns by running back interceptions than by running in handoffs or passes.
Hester brings to two the number of mighty mice the Bears plan to use to revolutionize the slot position. Draftee Garrett Wolfe will also be Hesterized—that is, used regularly to run or receive out of the slot. We know other teams use runners in the slot, but Hester and Wolfe are going to make it an art form. The Era of Hesterization is about to start in earnest in the NFL.
Now the main remaining question about the Bears is: What kind of defensive scheme does coach Lovie Smith want to install that could not be done by defensive coordinator Ron Rivera?
Monday, May 14, 2007
Are the Chicago Cubs handling Alfonso Soriano correctly? If he’s got a hammie problem, shouldn’t he be resting it? His base running is becoming a liability. He’s obviously a major investment. Aren’t you supposed to protect your investments?
Reports state that the Cubs are leading the league in batting with men in scoring position, at .290. We don’t believe it.
Surprise, surprise. Outfielder Felix Pie is hitting .500 at AAA Iowa. Bring him up and give him a legitimate chance. Handle him like they’re doing with Rocky Cherry. Accept the fact that Pie may struggle at times, but that he also will shine.
Reports state that the Cubs are leading the league in batting with men in scoring position, at .290. We don’t believe it.
Surprise, surprise. Outfielder Felix Pie is hitting .500 at AAA Iowa. Bring him up and give him a legitimate chance. Handle him like they’re doing with Rocky Cherry. Accept the fact that Pie may struggle at times, but that he also will shine.
Despite the 102-87 Chicago Bulls victory yesterday, we now agree with others on a couple of big problems.
One of these problems is how to use Ben Gordon, the team’s top scorer. The Pistons have pretty much limited his offense, and he’s just ordinary on defense. During the regular season, Gordon was able to escape opposing defenders. But not in the playoffs, where Detroit has exposed Gordon’s weakness. So, use Gordon as the sixth man to allow him to play against weaker defenders.
Start Andres Nocioni with Kirk Hinrich at the guard spots.
Now, the other problem, low-post scoring. The Bulls don’t have any good shooters down low. Luol Deng occasionally scores near the basket but is mainly a perimeter shooter. Ben Wallace is a limited scorer, very limited. Many times, opposing teams hardly guard him. None of the other big men consistently score down low.
For the rest of the playoffs, start Tyrus Thomas at the power forward position.
Then look to the draft or free agency to get Mr. Low Post scorer.
One of these problems is how to use Ben Gordon, the team’s top scorer. The Pistons have pretty much limited his offense, and he’s just ordinary on defense. During the regular season, Gordon was able to escape opposing defenders. But not in the playoffs, where Detroit has exposed Gordon’s weakness. So, use Gordon as the sixth man to allow him to play against weaker defenders.
Start Andres Nocioni with Kirk Hinrich at the guard spots.
Now, the other problem, low-post scoring. The Bulls don’t have any good shooters down low. Luol Deng occasionally scores near the basket but is mainly a perimeter shooter. Ben Wallace is a limited scorer, very limited. Many times, opposing teams hardly guard him. None of the other big men consistently score down low.
For the rest of the playoffs, start Tyrus Thomas at the power forward position.
Then look to the draft or free agency to get Mr. Low Post scorer.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
A visitor raises some interesting questions below this posting.
The thought that Wrigley Field could become another condo development is a stunner. That type of plan depends on whether Wrigley is deemed a historical landmark, in which case it cannot be rehabbed as suggested. Also, we believe Wrigley ranked first among architectural landmarks of the city area, just ahead of the Bahai temple in Wilmette. But the idea about not tearing down a 75,000-seat Olympic stadium makes sense. Make it the home of the new Chicago Sky. As they say, build it and they will come!
The thought that Wrigley Field could become another condo development is a stunner. That type of plan depends on whether Wrigley is deemed a historical landmark, in which case it cannot be rehabbed as suggested. Also, we believe Wrigley ranked first among architectural landmarks of the city area, just ahead of the Bahai temple in Wilmette. But the idea about not tearing down a 75,000-seat Olympic stadium makes sense. Make it the home of the new Chicago Sky. As they say, build it and they will come!
Visitor comments on Wrigley Field and the Chicago Bulls:
With all the fuss made about the Under Armour signs at Wrigley Field, I never heard anything about the Chevy logos on top of both dugouts. By the way, what does Under Armour make?
With the sale of the Tribune Company, I think it's the beginning of the end of Wrigley Field. I'm guessing that Sam Zell, with his background in developing real estate, wants to build condominiums or a commercial building on the Wrigley Field site. One scenario is the Cubs playing in the 2016 Olympic stadium. Can you see Chicago building a 75,000-seat facility and then downsizing it to a neighborhood park? Turner Field in Atlanta, where the Braves play, is the 1996 Olympic stadium.
Even if the Bulls lose Sunday's game, they're not that far away from being a championship team. Why can't Luol Deng develop into the go-to guy and Tyrus Thomas develop into the dependable low-post scorer that they need? I can't disagree with any draft choice, trade, or free agent signing that John Paxson has made since he's been the general manager. The difference between the Bulls and the Pistons is in playoff experience.
With all the fuss made about the Under Armour signs at Wrigley Field, I never heard anything about the Chevy logos on top of both dugouts. By the way, what does Under Armour make?
With the sale of the Tribune Company, I think it's the beginning of the end of Wrigley Field. I'm guessing that Sam Zell, with his background in developing real estate, wants to build condominiums or a commercial building on the Wrigley Field site. One scenario is the Cubs playing in the 2016 Olympic stadium. Can you see Chicago building a 75,000-seat facility and then downsizing it to a neighborhood park? Turner Field in Atlanta, where the Braves play, is the 1996 Olympic stadium.
Even if the Bulls lose Sunday's game, they're not that far away from being a championship team. Why can't Luol Deng develop into the go-to guy and Tyrus Thomas develop into the dependable low-post scorer that they need? I can't disagree with any draft choice, trade, or free agent signing that John Paxson has made since he's been the general manager. The difference between the Bulls and the Pistons is in playoff experience.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
The NBA’s best-of-seven series is inhumane.
Put yourself in the heads of the 0-3 Chicago Bulls, who face the Detroit Pistons tomorrow in Game 4. Pretty ugly in there, huh?
According to tradition, the Bulls are dead men walking.
They’ve got no chance to reverse the inevitability of their defeat and elimination from the playoffs.
Think they’ll sleep much tonight?
So, clearly, the playoffs need reform.
How about this approach: Keep the best-of-seven format for the really competitive matches. But if one team wins the first three games, declare that team the winner of the series. In this way, the losers don’t have to suffer the humiliation of losing four games in a row and another day of vicious press reports.
Think the Bulls would accept it?
Put yourself in the heads of the 0-3 Chicago Bulls, who face the Detroit Pistons tomorrow in Game 4. Pretty ugly in there, huh?
According to tradition, the Bulls are dead men walking.
They’ve got no chance to reverse the inevitability of their defeat and elimination from the playoffs.
Think they’ll sleep much tonight?
So, clearly, the playoffs need reform.
How about this approach: Keep the best-of-seven format for the really competitive matches. But if one team wins the first three games, declare that team the winner of the series. In this way, the losers don’t have to suffer the humiliation of losing four games in a row and another day of vicious press reports.
Think the Bulls would accept it?
Chicago Cubs—are they really eight games behind in the division by mid-May?
Are the Cubs history already?
What happens to general manager Jim Hendry when the Cubs reach last place?
Would you rather be Lou Piniella or Scott Skiles at this time?
Are the Cubs history already?
What happens to general manager Jim Hendry when the Cubs reach last place?
Would you rather be Lou Piniella or Scott Skiles at this time?
Friday, May 11, 2007
A couple of statistics from yesterday’s 81-74 Detroit victory over the Chicago Bulls stand out to us.
The Bulls outrebounded the Pistons 60-43.
The Bulls made 2 of 13 three-pointers, or 15.4 percent. And the Bulls’s shooting failures from the perimeter came when the Pistons were in a zone defense!
The main problem for Chicago in this series? The Bulls are the gang that couldn’t shoot straight?
Nah. It’s just that the Pistons are a better team.
The Bulls outrebounded the Pistons 60-43.
The Bulls made 2 of 13 three-pointers, or 15.4 percent. And the Bulls’s shooting failures from the perimeter came when the Pistons were in a zone defense!
The main problem for Chicago in this series? The Bulls are the gang that couldn’t shoot straight?
Nah. It’s just that the Pistons are a better team.
Comments on Illini basketball from a visitor:
I just looked over the Scout.com top 100 prep basketball players
graduating in 2008 and Illinois has some outstanding talent. If Weber can sign
DeAndre Liggins, Michael Dunigan, and Iman Shumpert, he will have a spectacular
class.
Tracy Webster is obviously the key recruiter. Every kid he talks
to loves him and this is Webster's year to really bring in the bacon. If
we don't sign any of the above three we are doomed to perennial regional
status. The state has never had more quality kids available.
I just looked over the Scout.com top 100 prep basketball players
graduating in 2008 and Illinois has some outstanding talent. If Weber can sign
DeAndre Liggins, Michael Dunigan, and Iman Shumpert, he will have a spectacular
class.
Tracy Webster is obviously the key recruiter. Every kid he talks
to loves him and this is Webster's year to really bring in the bacon. If
we don't sign any of the above three we are doomed to perennial regional
status. The state has never had more quality kids available.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Now, Chicago Bulls fans, you can worry. The Bulls suffered another meltdown against the 3-0 Detroit Pistons. The 81-74 Piston victory at the United Center tonight was the kiss of death.
Can’t the Bulls just forfeit Game 4 to avoid further humiliation?
Many fans and insider types characterize the Bulls as young and playoff inexperienced. NBA commissioner David Stern and others prefer to say the Bulls are “growing.”
The Bulls deserve credit for an entertaining regular season. Their sweep against Miami was exciting. But against Detroit, it was men against boys, and the men understandably won. Expect to see Detroit brooms for Game 4.
With the Bulls’s season nearing a close, fans can look toward another of the most exciting events in the NBA: the draft. Interest will be high this year because the Bulls will get a lottery pick. So help is on the way.
Can’t the Bulls just forfeit Game 4 to avoid further humiliation?
Many fans and insider types characterize the Bulls as young and playoff inexperienced. NBA commissioner David Stern and others prefer to say the Bulls are “growing.”
The Bulls deserve credit for an entertaining regular season. Their sweep against Miami was exciting. But against Detroit, it was men against boys, and the men understandably won. Expect to see Detroit brooms for Game 4.
With the Bulls’s season nearing a close, fans can look toward another of the most exciting events in the NBA: the draft. Interest will be high this year because the Bulls will get a lottery pick. So help is on the way.
Chicago Cub bites…Problem: Carlos Zambrano’s first innings. They’re horrible. Time after time.
Solution: When it is Zambrano’s day to pitch, let one of the relief pitchers throw the first inning and bring in Zambrano in the second inning.
Bye-bye Pie. Struggling rookie Felix Pie has been returned to AAA Iowa. Bad decision. Pie can’t prove anything more in the minors. Even if he hits .400 at Iowa, the only thing that shows is that he can hit .400 in the minors. Pie needs to play center for the Cubs and learn how to hit major league pitchers. Even if he continues to struggle now, his defensive skills in center would probably save more games than he would lose with his weak bat. And with more experience, he might become a major contributor at the plate by midseason.
This year, it seems to be Ted Lilly. A guy who pitches superbly but can’t buy a win. Lilly gave up two runs in his last game and didn’t win. He’s 2-2 with a sterling 2.78 ERA, with 42 strikeouts and only 7 walks in 45.1 innings. Look for Lilly to ask to be traded by the All-Star break.
Solution: When it is Zambrano’s day to pitch, let one of the relief pitchers throw the first inning and bring in Zambrano in the second inning.
Bye-bye Pie. Struggling rookie Felix Pie has been returned to AAA Iowa. Bad decision. Pie can’t prove anything more in the minors. Even if he hits .400 at Iowa, the only thing that shows is that he can hit .400 in the minors. Pie needs to play center for the Cubs and learn how to hit major league pitchers. Even if he continues to struggle now, his defensive skills in center would probably save more games than he would lose with his weak bat. And with more experience, he might become a major contributor at the plate by midseason.
This year, it seems to be Ted Lilly. A guy who pitches superbly but can’t buy a win. Lilly gave up two runs in his last game and didn’t win. He’s 2-2 with a sterling 2.78 ERA, with 42 strikeouts and only 7 walks in 45.1 innings. Look for Lilly to ask to be traded by the All-Star break.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Who said you can’t come home again? Probably some literary type.
But that’s not the case when it comes to basketball, the main sport where the home- court advantage often is a real advantage.
And now the Chicago Bulls are home for the next two games. And the Bulls play well in the United Center. Their home record was 31-10, one of the best home-court records in the NBA.
What adjustments should the Bulls make for Game 3 tomorrow?
None, really. Well, maybe one: Sneak Michael into the starting lineup.
But that’s not the case when it comes to basketball, the main sport where the home- court advantage often is a real advantage.
And now the Chicago Bulls are home for the next two games. And the Bulls play well in the United Center. Their home record was 31-10, one of the best home-court records in the NBA.
What adjustments should the Bulls make for Game 3 tomorrow?
None, really. Well, maybe one: Sneak Michael into the starting lineup.
The AAU basketball programs for outstanding young players are in full swing, and coaches from all over the country are following the travel teams in search of potential recruits. Including Illinois’s Bruce Weber, Tracy Webster, and other Illini recruiters.
Most, but not all, of the players like to get the recruitment stuff done before the fall term starts. Probably the families will make the campus visits in June and July. Weber should know where the Illini stand in the 2008-09 derby by the end of July.
And, hopefully, Illinois will be standing tall. It seems from most of the media reports that many recruits and their parents really like Weber and Webster. And if the desire for playing time is the key factor, Weber and his fellow recruiters can be optimistic. Every position will be open for the taking.
And maybe the recruits will notice where Deron, Luther, and Dee are playing right now.
Most, but not all, of the players like to get the recruitment stuff done before the fall term starts. Probably the families will make the campus visits in June and July. Weber should know where the Illini stand in the 2008-09 derby by the end of July.
And, hopefully, Illinois will be standing tall. It seems from most of the media reports that many recruits and their parents really like Weber and Webster. And if the desire for playing time is the key factor, Weber and his fellow recruiters can be optimistic. Every position will be open for the taking.
And maybe the recruits will notice where Deron, Luther, and Dee are playing right now.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Well, well, well:
Sporting News: Zook one of Top 5 Recruiting Coaches
Five best recruiting coaches
Bobby Bowden, Florida State
Mack Brown, Texas
Pete Carroll, USC
Jim Tressel, Ohio State
Ron Zook, Illinois
Sporting News: Zook one of Top 5 Recruiting Coaches
Five best recruiting coaches
Bobby Bowden, Florida State
Mack Brown, Texas
Pete Carroll, USC
Jim Tressel, Ohio State
Ron Zook, Illinois
Calling all Chicago locksmiths!
The Chicago Bulls desperately need a new set of locks on their skills cabinets.
The 2-0 Detroit Pistons said they thought they had found the main key to the Bulls’s successes against them: Stopping Ben Gordon.
And what do you know? They try the new key, and presto, it works! Shutting down Gordon, usually the Bulls’s high scorer, has shut down the Bulls. There are other keys as well, and so far, they’ve all unlocked cabinets with essential data about the Bulls. As a result, the Pistons have been at least one step ahead of the Bulls in every offensive and defensive category.
The Bulls need to revamp, recast, remodel, redesign, rewrite, and rehash their skills inventory and store them in new cabinets.
With new locks!
The Chicago Bulls desperately need a new set of locks on their skills cabinets.
The 2-0 Detroit Pistons said they thought they had found the main key to the Bulls’s successes against them: Stopping Ben Gordon.
And what do you know? They try the new key, and presto, it works! Shutting down Gordon, usually the Bulls’s high scorer, has shut down the Bulls. There are other keys as well, and so far, they’ve all unlocked cabinets with essential data about the Bulls. As a result, the Pistons have been at least one step ahead of the Bulls in every offensive and defensive category.
The Bulls need to revamp, recast, remodel, redesign, rewrite, and rehash their skills inventory and store them in new cabinets.
With new locks!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Look for the NBA playoffs between Detroit and Chicago to become easier for the Bulls. The Bulls got run over 108-87 tonight in Auburn Hills and fell behind 0-2 in the best of seven series.
Not to worry yet.
The Pistons road their home court advantage to victory, as most fans expected. Now they must face the friendly confines of the United Center, scene of many of the Bull’s best games this season.
Admittedly, the Pistons played better than the Bulls tonight.
But we like those shrinking margins of loss.
Not to worry yet.
The Pistons road their home court advantage to victory, as most fans expected. Now they must face the friendly confines of the United Center, scene of many of the Bull’s best games this season.
Admittedly, the Pistons played better than the Bulls tonight.
But we like those shrinking margins of loss.
Overmanaging? Who? Lou?
Think so? In that case, Lou (The Hook) Piniella, manager of the Chicago Cubs Shuffle, is bound to set a major league record this season. It’s a record set last season by then Cub manager Dusty Baker: most times a manager changed pitchers in a season.
Baker engineered 522 changes to set the mark.
Baker was the only person on the team to change a pitcher, and so when he cruised to the mound, you knew it was the hook for the pitcher.
This is not the approach Piniella uses. He often visits the mound just to ask about the pitcher’s family or pets and lets it go at that. However, we can’t recall The Hook going out twice for the same hurler without changing the pitcher.
But that could happen if the particular pitcher has a large family or a lot of pets.
At his current pace of “hooking.” Piniella is on a course to make 2,345 pitcher changes this season.
(The groundskeeper is a bit perturbed because The Hook is wearing out the grass during his frequent visits to socialize with the pitchers.)
It’s also clear that Sweet Lou likes to move around position players. Many of the players must shutter with suspense when Piniella goes into his musical chairs mode. Alfonso Soriano, who finished yesterday’s game at second base, will probably start taking ground balls at second in pregame warm-ups.
But the guy you’ve got to pity is Ryan Theriot, who already keeps at arms reach gloves for third, short, second, left, center, and right. This poor guy has to get up extra early to get practice time for all these positions. By the time the game starts, he’s already half asleep because of fielding a game’s worth of practice balls.
And you may have seen catcher Henry Blanco sitting near Theriot in the dugout. It’s not because of what you may think: that Piniella told Theriot to start practicing at catcher.
It’s because Blanco is the designated Theriot watcher. He makes sure Theriot knows which position he is supposed to play each inning.
Hey, we could do that!
Think so? In that case, Lou (The Hook) Piniella, manager of the Chicago Cubs Shuffle, is bound to set a major league record this season. It’s a record set last season by then Cub manager Dusty Baker: most times a manager changed pitchers in a season.
Baker engineered 522 changes to set the mark.
Baker was the only person on the team to change a pitcher, and so when he cruised to the mound, you knew it was the hook for the pitcher.
This is not the approach Piniella uses. He often visits the mound just to ask about the pitcher’s family or pets and lets it go at that. However, we can’t recall The Hook going out twice for the same hurler without changing the pitcher.
But that could happen if the particular pitcher has a large family or a lot of pets.
At his current pace of “hooking.” Piniella is on a course to make 2,345 pitcher changes this season.
(The groundskeeper is a bit perturbed because The Hook is wearing out the grass during his frequent visits to socialize with the pitchers.)
It’s also clear that Sweet Lou likes to move around position players. Many of the players must shutter with suspense when Piniella goes into his musical chairs mode. Alfonso Soriano, who finished yesterday’s game at second base, will probably start taking ground balls at second in pregame warm-ups.
But the guy you’ve got to pity is Ryan Theriot, who already keeps at arms reach gloves for third, short, second, left, center, and right. This poor guy has to get up extra early to get practice time for all these positions. By the time the game starts, he’s already half asleep because of fielding a game’s worth of practice balls.
And you may have seen catcher Henry Blanco sitting near Theriot in the dugout. It’s not because of what you may think: that Piniella told Theriot to start practicing at catcher.
It’s because Blanco is the designated Theriot watcher. He makes sure Theriot knows which position he is supposed to play each inning.
Hey, we could do that!
Sunday, May 06, 2007
It seems as if a consensus has formed on which high school players should be the prime 2008-09 recruits of Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber.
The superfans--fans who attend the AAU summer basketball flesh markets—and various members of the sports media have put targets on the backs of:
DeAndre Liggins of Washington, a 6-6 point guard.
Mike Dunigan of Farragut, a 6-10 center/forward.
Iman Shumpert of Oak Park, a 6-3 guard.
Matthew Humphrey of Hales Franciscan, a 6-5 forward.
How many of these players does Weber have to win over to put to rest the “can’t recruit” stigma? One? Three? All of them?
But shouldn’t fans want Weber to use another approach—recruit the best four players in the country?
The superfans--fans who attend the AAU summer basketball flesh markets—and various members of the sports media have put targets on the backs of:
DeAndre Liggins of Washington, a 6-6 point guard.
Mike Dunigan of Farragut, a 6-10 center/forward.
Iman Shumpert of Oak Park, a 6-3 guard.
Matthew Humphrey of Hales Franciscan, a 6-5 forward.
How many of these players does Weber have to win over to put to rest the “can’t recruit” stigma? One? Three? All of them?
But shouldn’t fans want Weber to use another approach—recruit the best four players in the country?
Looks like the Chicago Cubs are certain to get to the World Series this season.
Not because their 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals today was their fifth straight victory. Or their eighth win in the last nine games.
Or even anything to do with Derrek Lee or Alfonso Soriano.
It’s about ERA’s, the standard of pitching. Specifically, it’s about the Cubs’s minor league system.
The Cubs call up pitcher Angel Guzman and his 12.19 ERA, and he pitches five innings against the Nationals, giving up one run and two hits—a super performance.
Get the significance? It means the Cubs have the greatest minor league corps of pitchers in baseball. They bring up a guy with a 12.19 ERA, and he shuts down a major league team. And the Cubs have several minor league teams with pitchers who have much, much lower ERA’s than Guzman’s.
Think of what the franchise’s best minor league hurlers could do for the major league team!
Or does Guzman’s success just reflect how much the Nationals stink?
Not because their 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals today was their fifth straight victory. Or their eighth win in the last nine games.
Or even anything to do with Derrek Lee or Alfonso Soriano.
It’s about ERA’s, the standard of pitching. Specifically, it’s about the Cubs’s minor league system.
The Cubs call up pitcher Angel Guzman and his 12.19 ERA, and he pitches five innings against the Nationals, giving up one run and two hits—a super performance.
Get the significance? It means the Cubs have the greatest minor league corps of pitchers in baseball. They bring up a guy with a 12.19 ERA, and he shuts down a major league team. And the Cubs have several minor league teams with pitchers who have much, much lower ERA’s than Guzman’s.
Think of what the franchise’s best minor league hurlers could do for the major league team!
Or does Guzman’s success just reflect how much the Nationals stink?
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Chicago Cubs minor league pitcher Angel Guzman caught the elevator and went up.
He was late getting to the hotel in Chicago because he was carrying heavy baggage, namely, a 12.19 ERA compiled at AAA Iowa. Not 2.19. But 12.19. Also, three starts, 10 1/3 innings, six walks, seven strikeouts.
What is Cub manager Lou Piniella thinking? That major league hitters will be sympathetic?
Or that the down elevator arrives after the ballgame?
He was late getting to the hotel in Chicago because he was carrying heavy baggage, namely, a 12.19 ERA compiled at AAA Iowa. Not 2.19. But 12.19. Also, three starts, 10 1/3 innings, six walks, seven strikeouts.
What is Cub manager Lou Piniella thinking? That major league hitters will be sympathetic?
Or that the down elevator arrives after the ballgame?
Nobody said it was going to be easy for the Chicago Bulls.
Okay, so the Detroit Pistons took care of business on their home court tonight in a 95-69 rout. No surprise there.
Not to worry yet. The pressure still is on the Pistons because the Bulls have a chance to break serve Monday. Look for Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni to score more than a total of seven points.
Okay, so the Detroit Pistons took care of business on their home court tonight in a 95-69 rout. No surprise there.
Not to worry yet. The pressure still is on the Pistons because the Bulls have a chance to break serve Monday. Look for Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni to score more than a total of seven points.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Why the Chicago Bulls will defeat the Detroit Pistons in their playoff series:
The Bulls have the better starting point guard.
The Bulls have the better starting shooting guard.
The Bulls have the better starting small forward.
The Bulls have the better starting center.
The Bulls have the better head coach.
The Bulls have the better bench.
So, not to worry!
The Bulls have the better starting point guard.
The Bulls have the better starting shooting guard.
The Bulls have the better starting small forward.
The Bulls have the better starting center.
The Bulls have the better head coach.
The Bulls have the better bench.
So, not to worry!
Remember the swagger Chicago Cub manager Lou Piniella was talking about during spring training?
It’s the confidence that falls somewhere between certainty and cockiness. We’ve been looking for it recently and may have seen it.
Of course, with the team under .500, it’s hard to be sure that you’ve seen the same swagger that Sweet Lou has in mind. But here are a few guys who might be sporting the suit of Cub swagger:
Carlos Zambrano—his is a determined swagger.
Alfonso Soriano—his is a type of yes-yes swagger.
Felix Pie—his is an increasing excitement swagger.
Ryan Theriot—his is a steadfast, assured swagger.
Ryan Dempster—his is a type of internal, competitive swagger.
Wow! That’s a lot of swagger.
First place, here come the swaggering Cubs.
It’s the confidence that falls somewhere between certainty and cockiness. We’ve been looking for it recently and may have seen it.
Of course, with the team under .500, it’s hard to be sure that you’ve seen the same swagger that Sweet Lou has in mind. But here are a few guys who might be sporting the suit of Cub swagger:
Carlos Zambrano—his is a determined swagger.
Alfonso Soriano—his is a type of yes-yes swagger.
Felix Pie—his is an increasing excitement swagger.
Ryan Theriot—his is a steadfast, assured swagger.
Ryan Dempster—his is a type of internal, competitive swagger.
Wow! That’s a lot of swagger.
First place, here come the swaggering Cubs.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Bulls vs. Pistons! Yikes. This is like Bears vs. Packers. The date is set for the opener—Saturday. The place—The Palace at Auburn Hills. The stakes—win four or go home.
The gloves are on. The trash talk has started. The Pistons see the Bulls as a bunch of upstart punks. The Bulls see the Pistons as a tough, old-man’s-club standing and kneeling in their way.
How many games will the series go? A sweep? Six or seven games? What will be the determining factors?
The home court--+5 points for Detroit
The experience--+5 points for Detroit
The energy level--+5 points for Chicago
The defense--+5 points for Chicago
Ben Wallace’s rebounding--+5 points for Chicago
Ben Wallace’s free-throw shooting—+5 points for Detroit
The refs call the game very tight--+3 points for Chicago
Andres Nocioni’s health--+5 points for Chicago
The season competition—(Bulls won 3 of 4, gaining great confidence): +5 points for Chicago
So, Bulls by an average victory of 13 points on the road and a few more at home. Bulls in six. But, if the Bulls win Game 1, they’ll sweep.
The gloves are on. The trash talk has started. The Pistons see the Bulls as a bunch of upstart punks. The Bulls see the Pistons as a tough, old-man’s-club standing and kneeling in their way.
How many games will the series go? A sweep? Six or seven games? What will be the determining factors?
The home court--+5 points for Detroit
The experience--+5 points for Detroit
The energy level--+5 points for Chicago
The defense--+5 points for Chicago
Ben Wallace’s rebounding--+5 points for Chicago
Ben Wallace’s free-throw shooting—+5 points for Detroit
The refs call the game very tight--+3 points for Chicago
Andres Nocioni’s health--+5 points for Chicago
The season competition—(Bulls won 3 of 4, gaining great confidence): +5 points for Chicago
So, Bulls by an average victory of 13 points on the road and a few more at home. Bulls in six. But, if the Bulls win Game 1, they’ll sweep.
Ever since Jeff Jordan signed up with the Illini hoopsters, there’s been a big debate in IlliniNation about the X Factor of next season’s team.
An X Factor is a player who surprises, a player not expected to contribute in any major way. For example, some fans say the X Factor will be Richard Semrau, who took a medical redshirt in his freshman year last season.
But there are many other candidates.
Many observers feel that surgically repaired Brian Randle will be the man next season.
But we feel that Randle has lost his starting position to blue chipper Rodney Alexander. The other starters will come from among Shaun Pruitt, Quinton Watkins, Jamar Smith, Jeff Jordan (how about him for the X Factor?), and Semrau.
Actually, the X Factor could be the largely unproductive Calvin Brock. Wouldn't that be nice.
And what would be even better is if either Bill Cole or Mike Tisdale becomes the X Factor.
Could Illinois have an X and a Y Factor?
An X Factor is a player who surprises, a player not expected to contribute in any major way. For example, some fans say the X Factor will be Richard Semrau, who took a medical redshirt in his freshman year last season.
But there are many other candidates.
Many observers feel that surgically repaired Brian Randle will be the man next season.
But we feel that Randle has lost his starting position to blue chipper Rodney Alexander. The other starters will come from among Shaun Pruitt, Quinton Watkins, Jamar Smith, Jeff Jordan (how about him for the X Factor?), and Semrau.
Actually, the X Factor could be the largely unproductive Calvin Brock. Wouldn't that be nice.
And what would be even better is if either Bill Cole or Mike Tisdale becomes the X Factor.
Could Illinois have an X and a Y Factor?
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Now that the analysts have weighed in on the Chicago Bear draftees, which draftees will get the most playing time next season?
TE Greg Olsen will beat out Desmond Clark and Gabe Reid.
DL Dan Bazuin will beat out Alex Brown, who should be shifted to tackle. Bazooka and Mark Anderson will lead an improved pass rush.
LB Michael Okwo will start as one of the Three Amigos. Unless the big change forecasted on defense is a switch to a three-man defensive line. Then he’ll start as part of a four-man linebacking crew.
RB Garrett Wolfe will take over the third running back position, replacing Adrian Peterson, who moves up to number two. Wolfe may share kick-return duties with Devin Hester.
G Josh Beekman will beat out Roberto Garza.
That’s at least five new starters out of the draft. Should be enough to help Rex finish the mission.
TE Greg Olsen will beat out Desmond Clark and Gabe Reid.
DL Dan Bazuin will beat out Alex Brown, who should be shifted to tackle. Bazooka and Mark Anderson will lead an improved pass rush.
LB Michael Okwo will start as one of the Three Amigos. Unless the big change forecasted on defense is a switch to a three-man defensive line. Then he’ll start as part of a four-man linebacking crew.
RB Garrett Wolfe will take over the third running back position, replacing Adrian Peterson, who moves up to number two. Wolfe may share kick-return duties with Devin Hester.
G Josh Beekman will beat out Roberto Garza.
That’s at least five new starters out of the draft. Should be enough to help Rex finish the mission.
Do the Chicago Cubs have an outfield problem?
Strengths and liabilities:
Alfonso Soriano—Seems to be getting more comfortable in left, where he played last year. Luckily, his batting average is going up at a time when Aramis Ramirez’s is descending. Keep Soriano in left.
Felix Pie—Great on defense. Probably will struggle at the plate during his rookie year but worth the wait for a breakout year.
Definitely keep him in center with the Cubs this season.
Matt Murton—His best position is left field. Oops, too bad, it’s taken. Keep him on as a regular pinch hitter.
Cliff Floyd—Keep him as a reserve right fielder and pinch hitter.
Jacque Jones—Make him the regular right fielder. Forget about the platooning with Floyd. Jones is far more likely than Floyd to hit for the cycle in any particular game. Platooning is counterproductive for both players. Look for a big year from Jones.
If a position player needs to be cut, ax Ronny Cedeno.
The Chicago Cubs have an outfield problem? Not.
Strengths and liabilities:
Alfonso Soriano—Seems to be getting more comfortable in left, where he played last year. Luckily, his batting average is going up at a time when Aramis Ramirez’s is descending. Keep Soriano in left.
Felix Pie—Great on defense. Probably will struggle at the plate during his rookie year but worth the wait for a breakout year.
Definitely keep him in center with the Cubs this season.
Matt Murton—His best position is left field. Oops, too bad, it’s taken. Keep him on as a regular pinch hitter.
Cliff Floyd—Keep him as a reserve right fielder and pinch hitter.
Jacque Jones—Make him the regular right fielder. Forget about the platooning with Floyd. Jones is far more likely than Floyd to hit for the cycle in any particular game. Platooning is counterproductive for both players. Look for a big year from Jones.
If a position player needs to be cut, ax Ronny Cedeno.
The Chicago Cubs have an outfield problem? Not.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Now that the draft is over, which Chicago Bear will make the most impact next season?
Here are our choices:
Making the 5th most important impact will be Mighty Mouse Garrett Wolfe.
Making the 4th most important impact will be Brian Urlacher.
Making the 3rd most important impact will be Tommie Harris.
Making the 2nd most important impact will be Robbie Gould.
Making the most important impact will be Rex Grossman. Hopefully, a new and improved version.
Here are our choices:
Making the 5th most important impact will be Mighty Mouse Garrett Wolfe.
Making the 4th most important impact will be Brian Urlacher.
Making the 3rd most important impact will be Tommie Harris.
Making the 2nd most important impact will be Robbie Gould.
Making the most important impact will be Rex Grossman. Hopefully, a new and improved version.
The Chicago Bears seem to have made some promising draft picks, and we’re getting great vibes about the team’s prospects.
Let’s review some highlights and see if our enthusiasm is premature.
The schedule is tougher, which is good. You don’t have to worry about getting the players’s attention during practice.
The O-line will get blocking help from the new massive tight end, Greg Olsen. It’s an all-veteran line everywhere else.
Olin Kreutz’s waggle is still banned, but he’s developed a set of secret head twists.
How much better a receiver can Greg Olsen be than Desmond Clark? A lot. Olsen catches passes one-handed.
Is miniature runner Garrett Wolfe--5-7 and 180 pounds--capable of taking an NFL pounding? Probably not. But you need to catch the little waterbug first. Seems his best position is as a kick returner, but the Bears already have a pretty good one. In our book, two is better than one.
Can Cedric Benson put up Thomas Jones numbers? Sure, he’s bigger and more powerful. He’ll break a lot more tackles than Jones did.
When the Bears play the Vikings, the two opposing running backs could both be named Adrian Peterson. Wonder which one is better? The Bears’s Peterson, of course, and he’s also better than the Bears’s Benson? Yikes.
Why do we feel Lance Briggs will not be playing for the Bears next season. Because he’ll be on the bench watching his replacement, draftee Michael Okwo.
Why are Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye happy about a rookie defensive end? They expect immediate help from Dan (the Bazooka) Bazuin.
The Bears’s starting quarterback will be Rex Grossman. This time, we’ll emphasize the “man.” Not the “gross.”
Let’s review some highlights and see if our enthusiasm is premature.
The schedule is tougher, which is good. You don’t have to worry about getting the players’s attention during practice.
The O-line will get blocking help from the new massive tight end, Greg Olsen. It’s an all-veteran line everywhere else.
Olin Kreutz’s waggle is still banned, but he’s developed a set of secret head twists.
How much better a receiver can Greg Olsen be than Desmond Clark? A lot. Olsen catches passes one-handed.
Is miniature runner Garrett Wolfe--5-7 and 180 pounds--capable of taking an NFL pounding? Probably not. But you need to catch the little waterbug first. Seems his best position is as a kick returner, but the Bears already have a pretty good one. In our book, two is better than one.
Can Cedric Benson put up Thomas Jones numbers? Sure, he’s bigger and more powerful. He’ll break a lot more tackles than Jones did.
When the Bears play the Vikings, the two opposing running backs could both be named Adrian Peterson. Wonder which one is better? The Bears’s Peterson, of course, and he’s also better than the Bears’s Benson? Yikes.
Why do we feel Lance Briggs will not be playing for the Bears next season. Because he’ll be on the bench watching his replacement, draftee Michael Okwo.
Why are Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye happy about a rookie defensive end? They expect immediate help from Dan (the Bazooka) Bazuin.
The Bears’s starting quarterback will be Rex Grossman. This time, we’ll emphasize the “man.” Not the “gross.”
By Warren Silver, a lifelong resident of the Chicago area (except when he was attending college at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) and a newcomer to blogging. Comments are welcome at wsilver9735@yahoo.com.
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