Monday, January 23, 2006
Better Late than Never
I haven't written too much recently, so here are some quick hitters...
1. Kobe scored 81. ESPN loves it, because they have the NBA contract. Just like they loved it when Antonio Davis went into the stands because his wife can't keep her mouth shut or her hands to herself.
Kobe scored 81. Marc Stein called it the most amazing performance in NBA history. Marc, he took 46 shots. His backcourt mate is Smush Parker...a guy who "poured in" 31 points against Iona at the Mulcahy Center but three years ago, in between stints at White Castle and West 4th. Parker and the immortal Chris Mihm were the only other Lakers in double figures.
Kobe scored 81. He had two assists, though. And his team won...against (arguably) the worst team in the Atlantic Division.
Kobe scored 81. And someone asked me if he was "tremendous" or "just a ballhog." I think he's somewhere in the middle. I mean, 81 points in one game is certainly 81 more than I scored in my NBA career. But Kobe? I just think he's a tremendous ballhog.
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2. The Steelers are in the Super Bowl? Yay!!! Seattle's in the Super Bowl? Yay!!!
I couldn't give a rat's ass - shampooing big deal. Besides, I'm still waiting for the NFL to pull a move like the United States Figure Skating Association did with Michelle Kwan, and plug the Indianapolis Colts into the big game.
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3. Theo's back. But the question should really be "did he ever leave?"
He had been with the Red Sox for three years, and by all accounts, never took a day off. Maybe they have comp time at 4 Yawkey Way, maybe they don't. Maybe after three years - with the sick days and vacay time - Epstein had amassed 80 days.
And he wanted to take them all at once. And, this year, the Winter Meetings were in Dallas. Could they pick a shittier town? Theo didn't want to go. Plain and simple.
Nah, Theo wanted to be able to go to Rio...he wanted to see a few shows, grab dinner a few nights, go surfing, whatever. So he cashed in all his vacation time.
Besides, the Red Sox played it perfectly. Theo is a smart baseball mind. The rest of the front office are smart entertainment, television, and PR minds. Look at what happens when they come together like Voltron. "Form arms and legs...form NESN and the Globe..."
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4. I like the Coco Crisp et al moves, though.
It gives the Sox payroll flexibility. It gives the Sox roster flexibility.
And you know what? It give the Sox a pretty good lineup. It makes sense.
Look at the deficiencies last season, where were they? Starting rotation, with no "ace?" Welcome to Beckett. First base, bad average, bad glove. Welcome to Youkilis and JT Snow. Second base, bad defense (playoffs), no bat. Welcome ot Mark Loretta. Shortstop, no defense. Welcome to Alex Gonzalez. Third base, bad knees, no power. Welcome to Mike Lowell.
As for centerfield, Coco Crisp can give you just about everything Johnny Damon did. And Mark Loretta in the two-hole gives you everything Edgar Renteria was supposed to. Toss a Mike Lowell in five or six hole, where Kevin Millar failed miserably...and Youkilis near the bottom of the lineup to knock in some runs or set himself up on base for the top of the order, and...
And not to talk of the bullpen. Arguably the worst among good teams, it's been re-tooled. Maybe Jonathan Papelbon is in the rotation...if he's not, then he's a pretty good setup guy. Along with Rudy Seanez, Julian Tavarez, Mike Timlin, Guillermo Mota (maybe?), David Riske (maybe?), Craig Hansen, Manny Delcarmen, Jon Lester, Lenny DiNardo... Should I continue? And I haven't even mentioned Keith Foulke.
The starting rotation... There's Beckett...a healthy Schilling...Wakefield...Arroyo...Clement...Papelbon (maybe)...Wells (who knows).
I'm confident. And optimistic. Who knew?
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Ok, that's it for now.
One.
1. Kobe scored 81. ESPN loves it, because they have the NBA contract. Just like they loved it when Antonio Davis went into the stands because his wife can't keep her mouth shut or her hands to herself.
Kobe scored 81. Marc Stein called it the most amazing performance in NBA history. Marc, he took 46 shots. His backcourt mate is Smush Parker...a guy who "poured in" 31 points against Iona at the Mulcahy Center but three years ago, in between stints at White Castle and West 4th. Parker and the immortal Chris Mihm were the only other Lakers in double figures.
Kobe scored 81. He had two assists, though. And his team won...against (arguably) the worst team in the Atlantic Division.
Kobe scored 81. And someone asked me if he was "tremendous" or "just a ballhog." I think he's somewhere in the middle. I mean, 81 points in one game is certainly 81 more than I scored in my NBA career. But Kobe? I just think he's a tremendous ballhog.
-----
2. The Steelers are in the Super Bowl? Yay!!! Seattle's in the Super Bowl? Yay!!!
I couldn't give a rat's ass - shampooing big deal. Besides, I'm still waiting for the NFL to pull a move like the United States Figure Skating Association did with Michelle Kwan, and plug the Indianapolis Colts into the big game.
-----
3. Theo's back. But the question should really be "did he ever leave?"
He had been with the Red Sox for three years, and by all accounts, never took a day off. Maybe they have comp time at 4 Yawkey Way, maybe they don't. Maybe after three years - with the sick days and vacay time - Epstein had amassed 80 days.
And he wanted to take them all at once. And, this year, the Winter Meetings were in Dallas. Could they pick a shittier town? Theo didn't want to go. Plain and simple.
Nah, Theo wanted to be able to go to Rio...he wanted to see a few shows, grab dinner a few nights, go surfing, whatever. So he cashed in all his vacation time.
Besides, the Red Sox played it perfectly. Theo is a smart baseball mind. The rest of the front office are smart entertainment, television, and PR minds. Look at what happens when they come together like Voltron. "Form arms and legs...form NESN and the Globe..."
-----
4. I like the Coco Crisp et al moves, though.
It gives the Sox payroll flexibility. It gives the Sox roster flexibility.
And you know what? It give the Sox a pretty good lineup. It makes sense.
Look at the deficiencies last season, where were they? Starting rotation, with no "ace?" Welcome to Beckett. First base, bad average, bad glove. Welcome to Youkilis and JT Snow. Second base, bad defense (playoffs), no bat. Welcome ot Mark Loretta. Shortstop, no defense. Welcome to Alex Gonzalez. Third base, bad knees, no power. Welcome to Mike Lowell.
As for centerfield, Coco Crisp can give you just about everything Johnny Damon did. And Mark Loretta in the two-hole gives you everything Edgar Renteria was supposed to. Toss a Mike Lowell in five or six hole, where Kevin Millar failed miserably...and Youkilis near the bottom of the lineup to knock in some runs or set himself up on base for the top of the order, and...
And not to talk of the bullpen. Arguably the worst among good teams, it's been re-tooled. Maybe Jonathan Papelbon is in the rotation...if he's not, then he's a pretty good setup guy. Along with Rudy Seanez, Julian Tavarez, Mike Timlin, Guillermo Mota (maybe?), David Riske (maybe?), Craig Hansen, Manny Delcarmen, Jon Lester, Lenny DiNardo... Should I continue? And I haven't even mentioned Keith Foulke.
The starting rotation... There's Beckett...a healthy Schilling...Wakefield...Arroyo...Clement...Papelbon (maybe)...Wells (who knows).
I'm confident. And optimistic. Who knew?
-----
Ok, that's it for now.
One.
