I can't imagine anyone is interested in my personal fantasy football draft, but if you happen to be that person, this is the right place to be.
On Monday my keeper league did its draft, and since then I've been quite excited for the NFL season to start. It's getting underway as I write this, with a great matchup between the Super Bowl champion Packers and the New Orleans Saints.
Type: Head-to-head, Auction
Number of Teams: 10
Categories: Standard (or close enough it's not worth explaining)
Roster Spots: 2 QB, 3 RB, 3 WR, 1 RB/WR, 2 TE, 1 K, 2 DEF, 4 Bench, 2 IR
Keeper Style: Max of 4 at escalating prices, only 1 can be a free agent pickup
--I only had three keepers because you can only keep 4 players if at least one was kept the previous year too. None of the guys I kept last year were worth holding onto at the price I would have had to pay, so it was just Austin Collie, Kenny Britt, and Michael Vick for me. Each of them was only $1. Collie and Britt aren't great value, but obviously Vick is just about as good as it gets. That meant I had $197 to spend in the draft itself, by far the most of any team.
--The draft starts with a kicker nominated. How boring. Next up is Peyton Manning, who's a huge mystery. Given the 2-QB format, quarterbacks generally go for exorbitant prices, but Manning's injury means he goes for a meager $23.
--The next five players nominated are Drew Brees (who goes for a cool $54) and four running backs: AP ($68), CJ2K ($64), MJD ($57), Michael Turner ($44), and Frank Gore ($45). I was planning to grab Adrian Peterson at any cost, since I had lots of money and no running back keepers, but of course I got cold feet and didn't have the guts. Same thing happened with Chris Johnson. Not picking up one of them, or at least Turner, would be the biggest regret of my draft.
--Among the next couple picks, Brady goes for $46 and Greg Jennings goes for $38. Jennings is a good option, but at this point I have my eyes set on Larry Fitzgerald as my top receiver, and I don't think I can afford to grab both.
--With Frank Gore ($45) and Steven Jackson ($47) going off the board, I'm really feeling a sense of urgency in regard to my running back situation. Still, when Matt Forte is nominated, I back away as the price climbs to $29, since I don't think much of him and the Bears as a whole.
--Finally, Larry Fitzgerald is on the board. His price soars to $45 at which point I clicked to bid with 3-4 seconds left. This wasn't like my half-hearted bids on Peterson and Chris Johnson, when there were approximately 0.05 seconds left to bid. Unfortunately ESPN didn't register my bid and Twin #2 got him for what was certainly not a bargain. Still, I definitely wanted him for $46.
--Now I'm really nervous. The one guy I was planning to spend all my money on is gone and I still have $197 to spend. A couple guys are down to double digits and most are at least closing in on it, meaning I've got a lot of money left but not a lot of talent to spend it on. So, not surprisingly, I panic and grab the next player up, Matthew Stafford, for $13. In the end, I actually liked that pick, but it was definitely a panicked decision.
--Jimmy Graham, one of the two tight ends I have penciled into my starting lineup, is nominated next. Antonio Gates and Jason Witten were kept, but after Dallas Clark, Graham is the second TE off the board. I'm surprised but nab him nonetheless for $5. A dollar or two higher than I would have hoped, but at this point, with the excess money I have, that's irrelevant.
--After a few teams grab defenses and Reggie Wayne ($25) leaves the board, I finally win my first running back, DeAngelo Williams for $24. I like that price a lot for him, even if Carolina will likely be a terrible team. I think the new contract shows a commitment to him as the feature back, and he did rush for 1500 yards and 18 touchdowns just three years ago.
--As the price for Jahvid Best rises to $27 I feel even better about the price for Williams. A couple players later, Jermichael Finley is nominated. He might be the guy I want the most in the whole draft, just as he was last season. I got him last year, only to see him get injured in early October, but I'm back for more at a price of $15.
--Cedric Benson is auctioned off for $17. You couldn't pay me to have him on my team. Then Marques Colston comes up, and I'm still feeling the heat of needing to use up all of my money. I don't necessarily like Colston that much but he seems to be one of the few #1 WRs with a chance to score big points remaining, so I blow $23 on him. Although I kept two receivers, both are big question marks, with Manning's situation devaluing Collie greatly (on top of his concussion and injury issues) and Britt's general enigmatic personality and play putting his contributions in question. This was another one I felt like I had to take, and I didn't feel nearly as good about this afterward as I felt about Stafford.
--A couple mediocre running backs, some kickers and tight ends, and Steve Johnson ($21) go off the board before I nominate Brandon Marshall. Him I'm much more excited about, as he's a #1 receiver coming off a down year which, I think, has people devaluing him. Even with Henne at quarterback, I think he's much better than the receivers he's ranked with. I get him for $24.
--I grab Mark Ingram following a bidding war with Twin #2 for $18, immediately after I lose a bidding war with him for Tim Hightower ($20). High for Ingram, for sure, but high-upside rookies always go for a lot in this league. I don't really think he's worth that price, but there's a chance he breaks out and is a solid keeper, and I still have way too much money to spend. I don't know if you've noticed, but that's a theme. I do feel worse that I didn't bid on Ryan Grant ($15) a couple picks before, though.
--The next player nominated is Anquan Boldin. One of the last receivers at the top of their depth chart, and probably the last one with even halfway-decent offense, I round out my starting receiver corps by paying $19 for Boldin. With that, I finally have less money than one other person to spend, though I have way fewer position left to fill, meaning I still have the highest maximum bid.
--Thirteen picks later I grab another player, my longest break since I went the first 18 nominations without winning anybody. In between, Jonathan Stewart goes for $21. I sure hope that guy doesn't get his money's worth, or it's going to be pretty hard for DeAngelo to give me what I think he will. The guy I get now? Reggie Bush. As I said at the time, every year someone gets sucked into the Reggie Bush hype, and this year it's me. Daniel Thomas, Miami's rookie RB, has looked terrible in the preseason and Bush still has all that talent somewhere. Of course, the counter argument is that Bush has been in the NFL for 5 years and has never shown any ability to even be a good change-of-pace back, never mind a starter. Seeing as how I have him on all three teams, I'm looking on the positive side.
--I take some time off again as nobody that interests me comes up. In the meantime, Thomas ($14) goes for the same price as Bush, which makes me feel good, and Tony Gonzalez is won for $2, which makes me feel a little worse about splurging on Graham early. With my top 3 (and only 3) running backs, I feel the necessity to start stockpiling rushers. Mike Tolbert is one of the few remaining backs who might get starters' touches, so I pick him up for what I think is a very affordable $10.
--Julio Jones is auctioned off next. This is another guy I really, really want. I feel more confident in him having a good or great year than Ingram, so this is the rookie I truly want to have. I'm forced, by Twin #1, to spend $15, which is more than I want to. As I said, though, high-upside rookies always go for more than you expect in this league, and I still have more money than I can spend anyways.
--Just a couple picks later, I grab my final skill player, with just a kicker and two defense spots left. It's Michael Bush ($5), another guy who I really liked last year and am returning to this year. It was Darren McFadden who broke out in 2010, as Bush's injury allowed him to get starter's reps and run away with the job. For just $5, though, I can hope that he'll either split enough carries to be relevant or that the injury-prone McFadden will give Bush another chance to rack up big stats.
--To fill out my roster I pick up the Falcons defense ($1), Matt Bryant ($1), and the Chiefs defense ($3). I would never have paid more than $1 for the Chiefs D, but I didn't have any more roster spots to fill after that pick. I had tried to get the Giants defense much earlier, but since someone else upped the bid after I nominated them, I bowed out, as I never pay more than $1 for a defense or a kicker. As it turns out, it wouldn't have mattered, but that was impossible to know mid-draft.
--All in all, I'm not that pleased. I really needed to get a top-tier running back, considering the number of good running backs kept, but I didn't have the guts to spend the money right away. My receivers are okay, and I'm very satisfied with my tight ends, but my running backs look quite weak. As it stands, I'll be starting DeAngelo, Reggie Bush, and Tolbert in Week 1, which isn't exactly inspiring, especially considering my opponent has LeSean McCoy, Rashard Mendenhall, and Maurice Jones-Drew. So, ultimately, my team's fortunes rest on the shoulders of Michael Vick, and whether he can repeat the utterly dominant show he put on in 2011.
Showing posts with label nfl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nfl. Show all posts
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Monday, December 13, 2010
A Recap of a Crazy Sunday
An interesting day to say the least. Some horrible teams playing horribly, some great teams shellacking other teams.
--The Arizona Cardinals, who were utterly embarrassed the past two weeks by stalwarts St. Louis and San Francisco, crushed the Denver Broncos by 30 points. Having not scored an offensive touchdown in the last two weeks, the Cardinals scored put up 43 points. As bad as the Broncos seemed, I thought they were better than Arizona; plus the last two interim coaches got their teams off to fantastic starts. Instead, the Broncos turned the ball over six times and showed themselves to be the worst team in the AFC.
--Sticking with that game, Jay Feely had one of the most amazing kicking games I've ever seen. He kicked 5 field goals, including two in the 40-yard range and one of 50+, and added four extra points. Oh, but wait, he also ran for a 5-yard touchdown, giving him the third-highest fantasy score of the week in standard leagues, at 29.5 points.
--The NFC West remains eminently winnable as the two division leaders (the Seahawks and Rams) both lost. San Francisco, at 5-8, is still very much alive in the division. Meanwhile, the Packers and Buccaneers are both on the outside looking in, despite 8-5 records. Such is life in the NFC West.
--The NFC West isn't the only place where horrible football is being played; the Washington Redskins also had quite the mishap in their game against the Buccaneers. First, Graham Gano missed both a 24 and a 35-yard field goal. Then, after they scored on 4th down with 10 seconds left to get within a point, the Redskins watched the hike sail off the holder's hands and past everybody on the extra point. As the ball rolled back toward the opposite end zone, it reminded me of a more devastating failed extra point: John Carney's miss for the Saints many years ago. Of course, it was certainly not the Redskins' most embarrassing special teams play in the last year. Remember this?
--While many teams put their worst foot forward, two showed their prowess. The Patriots went into Chicago in a blinding snowstorm, shrugged it off, and went into halftime with a 33-0 lead. That included a 59-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the first half, which underscores both the confidence the Patriots have and a total defensive lapse by the Bears. When it was all said and done, the Patriots had outscored the Bears and Jets, whose combined records are 18-6, 81-10.
In the meantime, the Chargers, in their typical bipolar nature, shellacked the Chiefs. It was a breezy 31-0 victory that featured a defense which held the Chiefs to 67 yards of offense, to 0-of-11 on third downs, and just 1.6 yards per play. Like the Patriots, they also held the ball for two-thirds of the game.
--The level of QB play on this Sunday was, on a whole, atrocious. The list of terrible performances can't be counted on one hand. Some, namely Chad Henne (5-18 for 55 yards, 5 sacks), Drew Stanton (10-22 for 117 yards, 2 interceptions) and John Skelton (15-37 for 146 yards), managed to find themselves in the win column in spite of themselves, but the rest were not so lucky. Kyle Orton, who was a revelation early in the year, threw up a second straight disaster, going 19-41 for 166 yards and 3 picks against the lowly Cardinals. Carson Palmer, another veteran, made it all too easy on the Steelers when his own defense was playing so well, as two of his three interceptions went for touchdowns. Jay Cutler predictably put on a turnover clinic in the snowy Chicago conditions, with 2 interceptions and a lost fumble, along with 12 completions in 26 attempts.
The usual culprit was also at it, as Jake Delhomme didn't crack 100 yards passing and threw yet another interception. Jimmy Clausen, who replaced Delhomme in Carolina, did a great impression, passing for just over 100 yards, taking 5 sacks, and throwing an interception. Mark Sanchez played perhaps even worse than last Monday, going 17-44 with 216 yards, a pick, six sacks, and a fumble lost. And then there was Brodie Croyle, who avoided turnovers, but managed only 11 net yards passing with 7 completions on 17 attempts.
And I didn't even have to mention Matt Hasselbeck, who threw the most interceptions yesterday (4). If your team has a good quarterback, be grateful.
--Last, but certainly not least, the Metrodome literally collapsed yesterday. The video is--there's no better word for it--awesome. I suppose that's what happens when 18 inches of snow fall on an inflatable building.
--The Arizona Cardinals, who were utterly embarrassed the past two weeks by stalwarts St. Louis and San Francisco, crushed the Denver Broncos by 30 points. Having not scored an offensive touchdown in the last two weeks, the Cardinals scored put up 43 points. As bad as the Broncos seemed, I thought they were better than Arizona; plus the last two interim coaches got their teams off to fantastic starts. Instead, the Broncos turned the ball over six times and showed themselves to be the worst team in the AFC.
--Sticking with that game, Jay Feely had one of the most amazing kicking games I've ever seen. He kicked 5 field goals, including two in the 40-yard range and one of 50+, and added four extra points. Oh, but wait, he also ran for a 5-yard touchdown, giving him the third-highest fantasy score of the week in standard leagues, at 29.5 points.
--The NFC West remains eminently winnable as the two division leaders (the Seahawks and Rams) both lost. San Francisco, at 5-8, is still very much alive in the division. Meanwhile, the Packers and Buccaneers are both on the outside looking in, despite 8-5 records. Such is life in the NFC West.
--The NFC West isn't the only place where horrible football is being played; the Washington Redskins also had quite the mishap in their game against the Buccaneers. First, Graham Gano missed both a 24 and a 35-yard field goal. Then, after they scored on 4th down with 10 seconds left to get within a point, the Redskins watched the hike sail off the holder's hands and past everybody on the extra point. As the ball rolled back toward the opposite end zone, it reminded me of a more devastating failed extra point: John Carney's miss for the Saints many years ago. Of course, it was certainly not the Redskins' most embarrassing special teams play in the last year. Remember this?
--While many teams put their worst foot forward, two showed their prowess. The Patriots went into Chicago in a blinding snowstorm, shrugged it off, and went into halftime with a 33-0 lead. That included a 59-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the first half, which underscores both the confidence the Patriots have and a total defensive lapse by the Bears. When it was all said and done, the Patriots had outscored the Bears and Jets, whose combined records are 18-6, 81-10.
In the meantime, the Chargers, in their typical bipolar nature, shellacked the Chiefs. It was a breezy 31-0 victory that featured a defense which held the Chiefs to 67 yards of offense, to 0-of-11 on third downs, and just 1.6 yards per play. Like the Patriots, they also held the ball for two-thirds of the game.
--The level of QB play on this Sunday was, on a whole, atrocious. The list of terrible performances can't be counted on one hand. Some, namely Chad Henne (5-18 for 55 yards, 5 sacks), Drew Stanton (10-22 for 117 yards, 2 interceptions) and John Skelton (15-37 for 146 yards), managed to find themselves in the win column in spite of themselves, but the rest were not so lucky. Kyle Orton, who was a revelation early in the year, threw up a second straight disaster, going 19-41 for 166 yards and 3 picks against the lowly Cardinals. Carson Palmer, another veteran, made it all too easy on the Steelers when his own defense was playing so well, as two of his three interceptions went for touchdowns. Jay Cutler predictably put on a turnover clinic in the snowy Chicago conditions, with 2 interceptions and a lost fumble, along with 12 completions in 26 attempts.
The usual culprit was also at it, as Jake Delhomme didn't crack 100 yards passing and threw yet another interception. Jimmy Clausen, who replaced Delhomme in Carolina, did a great impression, passing for just over 100 yards, taking 5 sacks, and throwing an interception. Mark Sanchez played perhaps even worse than last Monday, going 17-44 with 216 yards, a pick, six sacks, and a fumble lost. And then there was Brodie Croyle, who avoided turnovers, but managed only 11 net yards passing with 7 completions on 17 attempts.
And I didn't even have to mention Matt Hasselbeck, who threw the most interceptions yesterday (4). If your team has a good quarterback, be grateful.
--Last, but certainly not least, the Metrodome literally collapsed yesterday. The video is--there's no better word for it--awesome. I suppose that's what happens when 18 inches of snow fall on an inflatable building.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Offseason Coverage, Football Week 5
With the Twins' season now complete, the blogging here will obviously take a different shape. The posting won't be quite as frequent, but between offseason ideas and news, yearly summaries, and completely unrelated topics, there will still be a good amount of content. Of course, if you've been reading this blog for a while now (okay, that's just one person, Dallas E.), you know the yearly summary content is anything but timely. Keep checking back, however, as we'll have new stuff a few times a week.
And now, my new favorite thing, the horrible fantasy team that smashed yours in week 5 (explanation here):
QB - Carson Palmer, 13.66
RB - Brandon Jackson, 14.00
RB - Willis McGahee, 12.70
WR - Percy Harvin, 21.70
WR - Mike Sims-Walker, 10.60
TE - Marcedes Lewis, 17.40
W/R - Nate Washington, 8.40
K - Jay Feely, 13.00
DEF - Tennessee, 12.00
It beat the following seemingly incredible team by almost 100:
QB - Matt Schaub, 4.74 (16.88)
RB - Arian Foster, 2.70 (18.99)
RB - Maurice Jones-Drew, 9.30 (18.71)
WR - Greg Jennings, 2.20 (11.37)
WR - Anquan Boldin, 0.80 (9.58)
TE - Dallas Clark, 2.00 (10.77)
W/R - Chad Ochocinco, 2.00 (9.48)
K - Neil Rackers, 4.00 (8.38)
DEF - San Diego, 3.00 (10.82)
As always, the point is even the best team can have a horrid week, and even a terrible team can break out for a week. Even if the amazing team lived up to its hype and scored 114.98 points, it would have lost to the top team by nine, 123.46 to 114.98.
Sometimes players play exactly how you expect, though. Take the Carolina-Chicago matchup. I predicted terrible quarterback performances on both sides, and that's exactly what happened:
Todd Collins: 6-16, 32 yards, 4 Int, 2 sacks
Jimmy Clausen: 9-22, 61 yards, 1 Int, 5 sacks, 3 fumbles
It's not just 49ers fans who would like to see David Carr as their quarterback.
And now, my new favorite thing, the horrible fantasy team that smashed yours in week 5 (explanation here):
QB - Carson Palmer, 13.66
RB - Brandon Jackson, 14.00
RB - Willis McGahee, 12.70
WR - Percy Harvin, 21.70
WR - Mike Sims-Walker, 10.60
TE - Marcedes Lewis, 17.40
W/R - Nate Washington, 8.40
K - Jay Feely, 13.00
DEF - Tennessee, 12.00
It beat the following seemingly incredible team by almost 100:
QB - Matt Schaub, 4.74 (16.88)
RB - Arian Foster, 2.70 (18.99)
RB - Maurice Jones-Drew, 9.30 (18.71)
WR - Greg Jennings, 2.20 (11.37)
WR - Anquan Boldin, 0.80 (9.58)
TE - Dallas Clark, 2.00 (10.77)
W/R - Chad Ochocinco, 2.00 (9.48)
K - Neil Rackers, 4.00 (8.38)
DEF - San Diego, 3.00 (10.82)
As always, the point is even the best team can have a horrid week, and even a terrible team can break out for a week. Even if the amazing team lived up to its hype and scored 114.98 points, it would have lost to the top team by nine, 123.46 to 114.98.
Sometimes players play exactly how you expect, though. Take the Carolina-Chicago matchup. I predicted terrible quarterback performances on both sides, and that's exactly what happened:
Todd Collins: 6-16, 32 yards, 4 Int, 2 sacks
Jimmy Clausen: 9-22, 61 yards, 1 Int, 5 sacks, 3 fumbles
It's not just 49ers fans who would like to see David Carr as their quarterback.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Fantasy Football
The Twins start their playoff series against the Yankees Wednesday night at Target Field. Even if you'd rather the Twins play the Rays for strategical reasons, the good thing about the Yankees is that you can be sure the Twins games will be in prime time.
But today I wanted to write about fantasy football. I liked reading Yahoo's "Terrible team that beat you this week", where they picked out a team of players that were expected to do little or nothing and actually put up big numbers. They no longer do it (at least that I've noticed) so I decided to take matters into my own hands. Here are the guidelines I used in my selections:
1) Standard scoring, non-PPR. That means different things to different people, but it's approximately the same.
2) Players must have actually been started in my Yahoo league. This way it's more like a team you could have actually faced.
3) While Yahoo's projected stat total plays a role, so does the player's draft day value and availability in leagues.
So, the horrible fantasy team that beat your fantasy team this week...
QB - Matt Ryan, 14.42
RB - Peyton Hillis, 17.00
RB - Willis McGahee, 8.10
WR - Braylon Edwards, 14.60
WR - T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 10.90
TE - Zach Miller, 18.20
W/R - Kenneth Darby, 8.00
K - Jay Feely, 6.00
Def - Cleveland, 11.00
And in addition, your awesome fantasy team that totally collapsed (but hey, it would have lost to the above team anyways!).
QB - Eli Manning, 3.60 (12.83)
RB - Chris Johnson, 4.40 (23.43)
RB - Cedric Benson, 6.00 (12.42)
WR - DeSean Jackson, 2.10 (10.77)
WR - Marques Colston, 3.60 (8.97)
TE - Tony Gonzalez, 4.10 (10.10)
W/R - Steve Smith (CAR), 1.10 (6.53)
K - Mason Crosby, 4.00 (10.56)
DEF - Baltimore, 5.00 (11.93)
Seriously, even if this team reached their potential (the Yahoo projected points are in parentheses), they would have lost to the awful-looking team above, 108.22 to 107.54.
But today I wanted to write about fantasy football. I liked reading Yahoo's "Terrible team that beat you this week", where they picked out a team of players that were expected to do little or nothing and actually put up big numbers. They no longer do it (at least that I've noticed) so I decided to take matters into my own hands. Here are the guidelines I used in my selections:
1) Standard scoring, non-PPR. That means different things to different people, but it's approximately the same.
2) Players must have actually been started in my Yahoo league. This way it's more like a team you could have actually faced.
3) While Yahoo's projected stat total plays a role, so does the player's draft day value and availability in leagues.
So, the horrible fantasy team that beat your fantasy team this week...
QB - Matt Ryan, 14.42
RB - Peyton Hillis, 17.00
RB - Willis McGahee, 8.10
WR - Braylon Edwards, 14.60
WR - T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 10.90
TE - Zach Miller, 18.20
W/R - Kenneth Darby, 8.00
K - Jay Feely, 6.00
Def - Cleveland, 11.00
And in addition, your awesome fantasy team that totally collapsed (but hey, it would have lost to the above team anyways!).
QB - Eli Manning, 3.60 (12.83)
RB - Chris Johnson, 4.40 (23.43)
RB - Cedric Benson, 6.00 (12.42)
WR - DeSean Jackson, 2.10 (10.77)
WR - Marques Colston, 3.60 (8.97)
TE - Tony Gonzalez, 4.10 (10.10)
W/R - Steve Smith (CAR), 1.10 (6.53)
K - Mason Crosby, 4.00 (10.56)
DEF - Baltimore, 5.00 (11.93)
Seriously, even if this team reached their potential (the Yahoo projected points are in parentheses), they would have lost to the awful-looking team above, 108.22 to 107.54.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Colts Defeated
New York Jets defeated the Indianapolis Colts yesterday to hand them their first loss and ruin their chances at a perfect record. The final score was 29-15. Of course, however, the Jets were playing the Colts' second-string unit for much of the second half. One question jumps to my mind: why?
To start off, I did not want the Colts to go undefeated. I just enjoy records staying records unless it's someone or some team I really like, and the Colts are not that. But for it to end like this? That's not what I wanted.
Of course, the age old debate will ensue about whether or not it's a good strategy to rest players at all. Are the players rusty or rested? Healthy or out-of-sync? And, to a lesser extent, whether or not resting players is fair to the other teams. Is it fair to the other teams in the AFC playoff hunt that the Jets got to play a team that, for all intents and purposes, apparently couldn't have cared less whether they won or not?
I'm not going to attempt to tackle those here, because there are much bigger things at play in this case, namely the opportunity to go undefeated. [As a side note, though, there is certainly a line that the Colts have passed about trying to win a game. Week 17 of 2007 was the worst instance of this, and I will never forgive them for it. The Colts were playing the Titans, down six points, with under two minutes to go. With a win, the Titans would make the playoffs; a loss and the Browns would make it instead. Yes, I know, it's hard to believe the Browns were almost a playoff team then. The Colts had Jim Sorgi knee the ball rather than attempting to score. It's one thing to rest players, but it's another altogether to essentially forfeit a game, especially one that means so much for the other team. It was a slap in the face to every other team and I think, if it should ever happen again, the team perpetrating it should be barred from the playoffs. It's just completely unfair if one team is not attempting to win their game. If that team was, say, 5-10, wouldn't everyone be up in arms about unfair play? It really bothers me. Whew, long side note.]
Back to the current situation. There is a quote, from Calvin & Hobbes, that comes to mind in regard to the Colts. It goes something like this: "In the short run, it would make me happier to play outside. But in the long run, I know it would make me happier to study. But in the very long run, I know which will make better memories."* To me, that is (correction: was) the Colts' predicament. The short run is the one game--it'd be great to win it, but their real goal is winning the Super Bowl, which is the long run. Therefore, they'll sacrifice the short run fun of winning their week 16 game to accomplish their long run goal (assuming, of course, that that would actually help them do so). But what they don't consider is that, in the very long run, what would matter the most, by far, is going undefeated.
Do you know who won the Super Bowl in 1970? 1971? 73, 74, 75? I'm not sure--maybe the Steelers? I know they were good with Bradshaw and the Steel Curtain back around that time. You probably answered something similar. But if I asked you what happened in 1972, is there a football fan in America who wouldn't know? Would anyone not be able to tell me that the Dolphins won all 14 games in the regular season and then won the Super Bowl that year?
It's not about winning the Super Bowl this year against not winning the Super Bowl this year. It's about making history and being remembered for generations to come as the first team to go 19-0 (and second to go undefeated) against not winning the Super Bowl this year (yet again, assuming that resting players improves a team's chances). Even if the Colts did increase their probability of winning the championship, was it worth their chance at history to do so? If I were a Colts fan, I would have been booing as loud as anyone at the RCA Dome, and I'd be tearing into them to anyone who would listen.
And as a player, how can you allow this to happen? If you're Peyton Manning, don't you walk into Jim Caldwell's office and say, "Hey, don't take me out on Sunday. I don't want to lose this opportunity."? Perhaps he did. But I don't think so. Someone of his importance... I just don't believe for a second that the head coach would turn him down if he told him it was important to him to go undefeated.
Which will you be more likely to remember in 50 years: what happened in Super Bowl XLIV in 2009 or what happened during the 2007 season? No question, you'll remember the Patriots, and the Giants too, for stealing their chance at glory. If the Colts do win the Super Bowl this year, you won't remember them.
And it was all by choice.
*I couldn't find the quote online, so that may not be very close to the real thing, but the meaning of it is definitely the same. It also may not be Calvin & Hobbes, but again, I'm pretty sure it is. If anyone knows exactly where it's from I'd love to know.
To start off, I did not want the Colts to go undefeated. I just enjoy records staying records unless it's someone or some team I really like, and the Colts are not that. But for it to end like this? That's not what I wanted.
Of course, the age old debate will ensue about whether or not it's a good strategy to rest players at all. Are the players rusty or rested? Healthy or out-of-sync? And, to a lesser extent, whether or not resting players is fair to the other teams. Is it fair to the other teams in the AFC playoff hunt that the Jets got to play a team that, for all intents and purposes, apparently couldn't have cared less whether they won or not?
I'm not going to attempt to tackle those here, because there are much bigger things at play in this case, namely the opportunity to go undefeated. [As a side note, though, there is certainly a line that the Colts have passed about trying to win a game. Week 17 of 2007 was the worst instance of this, and I will never forgive them for it. The Colts were playing the Titans, down six points, with under two minutes to go. With a win, the Titans would make the playoffs; a loss and the Browns would make it instead. Yes, I know, it's hard to believe the Browns were almost a playoff team then. The Colts had Jim Sorgi knee the ball rather than attempting to score. It's one thing to rest players, but it's another altogether to essentially forfeit a game, especially one that means so much for the other team. It was a slap in the face to every other team and I think, if it should ever happen again, the team perpetrating it should be barred from the playoffs. It's just completely unfair if one team is not attempting to win their game. If that team was, say, 5-10, wouldn't everyone be up in arms about unfair play? It really bothers me. Whew, long side note.]
Back to the current situation. There is a quote, from Calvin & Hobbes, that comes to mind in regard to the Colts. It goes something like this: "In the short run, it would make me happier to play outside. But in the long run, I know it would make me happier to study. But in the very long run, I know which will make better memories."* To me, that is (correction: was) the Colts' predicament. The short run is the one game--it'd be great to win it, but their real goal is winning the Super Bowl, which is the long run. Therefore, they'll sacrifice the short run fun of winning their week 16 game to accomplish their long run goal (assuming, of course, that that would actually help them do so). But what they don't consider is that, in the very long run, what would matter the most, by far, is going undefeated.
Do you know who won the Super Bowl in 1970? 1971? 73, 74, 75? I'm not sure--maybe the Steelers? I know they were good with Bradshaw and the Steel Curtain back around that time. You probably answered something similar. But if I asked you what happened in 1972, is there a football fan in America who wouldn't know? Would anyone not be able to tell me that the Dolphins won all 14 games in the regular season and then won the Super Bowl that year?
It's not about winning the Super Bowl this year against not winning the Super Bowl this year. It's about making history and being remembered for generations to come as the first team to go 19-0 (and second to go undefeated) against not winning the Super Bowl this year (yet again, assuming that resting players improves a team's chances). Even if the Colts did increase their probability of winning the championship, was it worth their chance at history to do so? If I were a Colts fan, I would have been booing as loud as anyone at the RCA Dome, and I'd be tearing into them to anyone who would listen.
And as a player, how can you allow this to happen? If you're Peyton Manning, don't you walk into Jim Caldwell's office and say, "Hey, don't take me out on Sunday. I don't want to lose this opportunity."? Perhaps he did. But I don't think so. Someone of his importance... I just don't believe for a second that the head coach would turn him down if he told him it was important to him to go undefeated.
Which will you be more likely to remember in 50 years: what happened in Super Bowl XLIV in 2009 or what happened during the 2007 season? No question, you'll remember the Patriots, and the Giants too, for stealing their chance at glory. If the Colts do win the Super Bowl this year, you won't remember them.
And it was all by choice.
*I couldn't find the quote online, so that may not be very close to the real thing, but the meaning of it is definitely the same. It also may not be Calvin & Hobbes, but again, I'm pretty sure it is. If anyone knows exactly where it's from I'd love to know.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Franchise rankings
[If you missed it, Twin #2 added part 2 of his monthly Minor League summary to the end of his original post. Be sure to check it out!]
ESPN recently released it's annual survey of all the major professional franchises and the Twins ranked a very respectable #23 out of the 122 franchises. That was good enough for fourth among Major League Baseball franchises, behind the Angels (who were first overall), Brewers (7), and Rays (16), and just ahead of the Phillies (24). The Yankees, to my delight, ranked last among baseball teams at #107.
The Twins also placed first among the Minnesota franchises, ranking well ahead of the Wild (66), Vikings (89), and Timberwolves (113). I'd share much more information, but in order to read any more about the Twins, I'd have to sign up for ESPN Insider.
ESPN recently released it's annual survey of all the major professional franchises and the Twins ranked a very respectable #23 out of the 122 franchises. That was good enough for fourth among Major League Baseball franchises, behind the Angels (who were first overall), Brewers (7), and Rays (16), and just ahead of the Phillies (24). The Yankees, to my delight, ranked last among baseball teams at #107.
The Twins also placed first among the Minnesota franchises, ranking well ahead of the Wild (66), Vikings (89), and Timberwolves (113). I'd share much more information, but in order to read any more about the Twins, I'd have to sign up for ESPN Insider.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Lions Go Winless
On Sunday, the Lions completed their winless 2008 regular season, the first 0-16 season ever in the NFL. They came oh-so-close to getting a win, but Buffalo came together and snatched the victory away from them. Skip to 2:20 to watch.
Monday, February 11, 2008
53 for 53
Clemson has now traveled to Chapel Hill, North Carolina 53 times... and lost each and every one of those games. It's not even just 53 games in a row, it's 53 losses in 53 tries. They didn't win a game back in 1837 or something; they've simply never won at North Carolina. They have been a perfect 100% at losing. If only they could have done that at the free throw line, where they were 1-7, that might not be true anymore. North Carolina, conversely, made 31 of 36 free throws. So they took 29 more free throws and still missed fewer than Clemson did. But that's neither here nor there, as this got me to thinking about other long losing streaks in sports. Who has shown ineptitude at its finest?
Well, there's been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who lost 26 games in a row to set the NFL record. But that wasn't just any 26--it was the first 26 games of their existence, including an 0-14 first season. Then there's the Division 1-AA Prairie View A&M Panthers, who managed to pick up right where Columbia had left off. After Columbia finally won in 1988 following a then-record 44 straight losses, Praire View A&M promptly started a losing streak in 1989 that did not end until 1998, adding up to 86 consecutive games. Of course, there is also Cal Tech, whose women's basketball team did not win a conference game for their first five years of existence, and had lost 50 straight overall before winning on January 13th, 2007. However, that was not the longest streak broken at the same school that week; in fact, it wasn't even close. On January 6th, 2007, the men's basketball team won a game over Bard College after 207 consecutive losses! It wasn't all good news, though: the game was non-conference, so their streak of 245 conference losses still stood, as it had for the previous 21 years.
So there are just a few streaks that are glorious for all the wrong reasons. I'm sure there's plenty equally horrific ones I didn't mention, but I just wanted to name a few. Now, imagine you were a fan of one of these teams that went several years without winning a single game.
Well, there's been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who lost 26 games in a row to set the NFL record. But that wasn't just any 26--it was the first 26 games of their existence, including an 0-14 first season. Then there's the Division 1-AA Prairie View A&M Panthers, who managed to pick up right where Columbia had left off. After Columbia finally won in 1988 following a then-record 44 straight losses, Praire View A&M promptly started a losing streak in 1989 that did not end until 1998, adding up to 86 consecutive games. Of course, there is also Cal Tech, whose women's basketball team did not win a conference game for their first five years of existence, and had lost 50 straight overall before winning on January 13th, 2007. However, that was not the longest streak broken at the same school that week; in fact, it wasn't even close. On January 6th, 2007, the men's basketball team won a game over Bard College after 207 consecutive losses! It wasn't all good news, though: the game was non-conference, so their streak of 245 conference losses still stood, as it had for the previous 21 years.
So there are just a few streaks that are glorious for all the wrong reasons. I'm sure there's plenty equally horrific ones I didn't mention, but I just wanted to name a few. Now, imagine you were a fan of one of these teams that went several years without winning a single game.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
No Longer Perfect
UPDATE: Apparently, someone heard my complaints about a lack of criticism for Belichick. This article on Yahoo! is eerily similar to what I wrote below.
Yes, I am incredibly happy that the Patriots lost. This is the happiest I've been in a long, long time. And not only did they lose, but it was one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever (though "One yard short!" might top it for me).
However, I still have to point out another reason why I hate the Patriots: they are so classless, and that is showed most clearly by their head coach. Belichick ran to midfield to congratulate Coughlin with 1 second left in the game, and then didn't even have the class to stay on the field for the kneeldown. He went into the locker room before the game even ended, while his players had to stay on the field for one more play. Remember when Randy Moss did that in a game a few years ago? People were all over him, but for some reason nobody (and none of the media) cares about how classless Belichick is. Finally, the commercials sucked. A lot.
Yes, I am incredibly happy that the Patriots lost. This is the happiest I've been in a long, long time. And not only did they lose, but it was one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever (though "One yard short!" might top it for me).
However, I still have to point out another reason why I hate the Patriots: they are so classless, and that is showed most clearly by their head coach. Belichick ran to midfield to congratulate Coughlin with 1 second left in the game, and then didn't even have the class to stay on the field for the kneeldown. He went into the locker room before the game even ended, while his players had to stay on the field for one more play. Remember when Randy Moss did that in a game a few years ago? People were all over him, but for some reason nobody (and none of the media) cares about how classless Belichick is. Finally, the commercials sucked. A lot.
Super Sunday
It is officially Super Bowl Sunday!
And, on that note, new allegations continue to pop up about the Patriots and their spying tendencies. I really don't know what to think, because I want it to be true so that I can be vindicated in my campaign that the Patriots have been cheating for years (ask my brother- I've been calling them cheaters for 7 years now) and I want to see all their success marred by controversy and scandal. On the other hand, it would be terrible for the NFL, and I love football, and even I have a hard time being convinced that the Patriots are the only ones doing this. Former Patriot QB Drew Bledsoe confirms this suspicion in an ESPN. com article by saying that "that kind of stuff has been going on for as long as there have been video cameras." But then another (anonymous) former Patriot QB fuels the fire by saying that "New England pushes the envelope further than most teams and that the Patriots were doing so long before they were caught in September."
In the end, all I want to know is what really happened, and the NFL hasn't done a good job of that. They apparently didn't contact the former video assistant who claims to have incriminating evidence against the Pats. Today the NFL released a statement that they knew about these rumors months ago, but no evidence was contained in the notes and tapes that the Pats turned over. Here's the exact quote, as reported in the Boston Herald:
Are you kidding me?! Does that really constitute any sort of investigation? Since the Pats, a team that cheated in at least one game for sure, didn't willingly turn over any evidence of further cheating, then there's no need to investigate further? Doesn't make much sense to me.
Anyways, with all that said, let's just look forward to a good old-fashioned Patriots' loss tomorrow, hopefully coming as a result of a crucial Tom Brady mistake.
And, on that note, new allegations continue to pop up about the Patriots and their spying tendencies. I really don't know what to think, because I want it to be true so that I can be vindicated in my campaign that the Patriots have been cheating for years (ask my brother- I've been calling them cheaters for 7 years now) and I want to see all their success marred by controversy and scandal. On the other hand, it would be terrible for the NFL, and I love football, and even I have a hard time being convinced that the Patriots are the only ones doing this. Former Patriot QB Drew Bledsoe confirms this suspicion in an ESPN. com article by saying that "that kind of stuff has been going on for as long as there have been video cameras." But then another (anonymous) former Patriot QB fuels the fire by saying that "New England pushes the envelope further than most teams and that the Patriots were doing so long before they were caught in September."
In the end, all I want to know is what really happened, and the NFL hasn't done a good job of that. They apparently didn't contact the former video assistant who claims to have incriminating evidence against the Pats. Today the NFL released a statement that they knew about these rumors months ago, but no evidence was contained in the notes and tapes that the Pats turned over. Here's the exact quote, as reported in the Boston Herald:
"There was no evidence of it on the tapes or in the notes produced by the
Patriots, and the Patriots told us it was not true." -NFL spokesman Greg Aiello
Are you kidding me?! Does that really constitute any sort of investigation? Since the Pats, a team that cheated in at least one game for sure, didn't willingly turn over any evidence of further cheating, then there's no need to investigate further? Doesn't make much sense to me.
Anyways, with all that said, let's just look forward to a good old-fashioned Patriots' loss tomorrow, hopefully coming as a result of a crucial Tom Brady mistake.
Friday, February 1, 2008
I'm confused, did the Patriots already win the Super Bowl?
Apparently, the Patriots applied for a trademark for "19-0" last week, before they had even played in the AFC Championship. How arrogant is that?
Meanwhile, NFL Shop has already begun selling 19-0 perfect season apparel online.
I really hate the Patriots. I hope they lose.
Also, as I was typing this, ESPN just broke the news on SportsCenter that Johan has signed with the Mets, so now all that's left are the physicals.
UPDATE: Stephen A. Smith rants against Kwame Brown, claiming that "he can't move even though he's mobile." I'll let the definition of mobile speak for itself: "capable of moving or being moved readily."
Meanwhile, NFL Shop has already begun selling 19-0 perfect season apparel online.
I really hate the Patriots. I hope they lose.
Also, as I was typing this, ESPN just broke the news on SportsCenter that Johan has signed with the Mets, so now all that's left are the physicals.
UPDATE: Stephen A. Smith rants against Kwame Brown, claiming that "he can't move even though he's mobile." I'll let the definition of mobile speak for itself: "capable of moving or being moved readily."
Sunday, November 11, 2007
The Biggest Little Game in America
College Gameday, ESPN's weekly college football preview show, chose to broadcast from the site of a Division III game for the first time in its history. The game was at Weston Field in Williamstown, Massachussets, where Amherst College would take on Williams College for the 122nd time since 1884. It is the oldest college football rivalry, and the analysts repeatedly referred to the game as "The Biggest Little Game in America". The scholarly rivalry between the two schools began all the way back in 1821 when one of the founders of Williams College (in 1818) decided the obsolete location was not ideal and founded a new college in Amherst, Massachusetts and called it Amherst College. The rivalry hasn't looked back since.
On game day, five busloads of students departed (not including myself) for Williams to cheer on their team in the biggest game of the season. The excitement was palpable; McMatty spent about 8 1/2 hours working on a great sign that read: "Eph: It's what's for dinner" (Eph is Williams' nickname and is pronounced like beef). Zoit and Rorogomono found themselves on national TV for a good five seconds after battling an obnoxious Williams fan, a.k.a. Elbowman, for the spot. Meanwhile, I was deciding between wearing my Amherst t-shirt or my "Williams College is a Horrible College" t-shirt. Unfortunately, the game was not as exciting as the build-up, resulting in a 20-0 defeat for the Amherst Lord Jeffs, despite their 1430-1420 advantage in average SAT score. The Amherst defense battled valiantly and was very effective against the #1 offense in the NESCAC conference, even though they spent a large majority of the game on the field.
On a professional note, what happened to the Detroit Lions today? Coming into the game today, the Lions had a 6-2 record and were primed for an easy game against the lowly Arizona Cardinals. Instead, they rushed nine times for -18 yards, and lost 31-21. -18 yards! They had five players with an attempt, and Aveion Cason led the team with 1 yard rushing. Kevin Jones had 4 rushes for -4 yards... and a touchdown. Jon Kitna and TJ Duckett each rushed once for zero yards, and Shaun McDonald had one attempt for -15 yards. It's hard to win when you rush for -18 yards.
And as I type this, Adam Vinatieri just missed a 29-yard field goal with under 2 minutes left in the game versus the Chargers. What a capper to an odd game. The Chargers scored 10 points on offense, were outgained 386-176, and were playing the Colts. And they won. How did they do that? Try two return touchdowns by Darren Sproles, six interceptions by Peyton Manning, and two chip shots missed by Adam Vinatieri.
On the baseball front, only 24 hours remain until free agents are allowed to talk with other teams. That will mark the beginning of a much more exciting time of the offseason. Unless a rash of signings occur on Monday, there seem to be a solid amount of good players available. We'll be watching very closely to see what happens in the next week and beyond.
On game day, five busloads of students departed (not including myself) for Williams to cheer on their team in the biggest game of the season. The excitement was palpable; McMatty spent about 8 1/2 hours working on a great sign that read: "Eph: It's what's for dinner" (Eph is Williams' nickname and is pronounced like beef). Zoit and Rorogomono found themselves on national TV for a good five seconds after battling an obnoxious Williams fan, a.k.a. Elbowman, for the spot. Meanwhile, I was deciding between wearing my Amherst t-shirt or my "Williams College is a Horrible College" t-shirt. Unfortunately, the game was not as exciting as the build-up, resulting in a 20-0 defeat for the Amherst Lord Jeffs, despite their 1430-1420 advantage in average SAT score. The Amherst defense battled valiantly and was very effective against the #1 offense in the NESCAC conference, even though they spent a large majority of the game on the field.
On a professional note, what happened to the Detroit Lions today? Coming into the game today, the Lions had a 6-2 record and were primed for an easy game against the lowly Arizona Cardinals. Instead, they rushed nine times for -18 yards, and lost 31-21. -18 yards! They had five players with an attempt, and Aveion Cason led the team with 1 yard rushing. Kevin Jones had 4 rushes for -4 yards... and a touchdown. Jon Kitna and TJ Duckett each rushed once for zero yards, and Shaun McDonald had one attempt for -15 yards. It's hard to win when you rush for -18 yards.
And as I type this, Adam Vinatieri just missed a 29-yard field goal with under 2 minutes left in the game versus the Chargers. What a capper to an odd game. The Chargers scored 10 points on offense, were outgained 386-176, and were playing the Colts. And they won. How did they do that? Try two return touchdowns by Darren Sproles, six interceptions by Peyton Manning, and two chip shots missed by Adam Vinatieri.
On the baseball front, only 24 hours remain until free agents are allowed to talk with other teams. That will mark the beginning of a much more exciting time of the offseason. Unless a rash of signings occur on Monday, there seem to be a solid amount of good players available. We'll be watching very closely to see what happens in the next week and beyond.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
The Cheaters: Case 2
Growing up in New England, I have been around Patriots fans all my life, and the only NFL game I have ever been to in person was a Patriots game in Foxboro all the way back in 1995 when I was only 6 years old. There, I watched a young Curtis Martin score his first career touchdown against the old Cleveland Browns, before they took a couple year break from having a football team. This early childhood experience, though, did not affect my football allegiance, as I was already a 49ers fan after their recent Super Bowl victory. I will admit it: as a 5-year old kid, I was a bandwagon fan, the worst type of fan in my opinion. However, I give myself a pass on that (and any other 5 year old for that matter) because I absolutely idolized Jerry Rice and I have stuck with the 49ers through the years and will still be rooting for the horrible 2-5 team that takes the field on Sunday against the Falcons. I had never had a problem with the Patriots, though I did of course like to taunt the Patriots fans whenever my 49ers beat them handily.
That all changed, though, on January 19, 2002. On that day, with snow falling heavily and a few inches of it already on the ground, the Patriots took on the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round of the playoffs. I was a 49ers fan, but with Jerry Rice now playing wide receiver for the Raiders, I was definitely rooting for Oakland. Most of you probably already know about the Snow Bowl/Tuck Rule Game (watch highlights here) about which I'm writing, and for some reason that play (and the Raiders' subsequent loss) turned me against the Patriots. Now, that hatred for the Patriots has become as strong as my enmity towards the Yankees and nearly as strong as my love of the Twins. Without Brady's fumble being overturned (which was a fumble by the way, he tucked the ball down with both hands on it before it was knocked out), who knows if the Patriots would have ever become what they have today? Obviously, we'll never know what would have happened to them had they lost that game.
Anyways, since then, the Patriots have, in my eyes, become a classless organization. I wish I could say that they are also a bad team, but, right now, I can't say anything against the quality of this team. Right now, I just have to have faith that Colts can defeat the Patriots on Sunday (or at least stay close). If the Colts get blown away by the Patriots, I don't see what will be able to stop them, and I absolutely hate to admit that. As I described above, don't think that this hatred of the Patriots comes from Bill Belichick's spying controversy in Week 1, as it started during the Snow Bowl and has been growing ever since. The first thing I like to point out is a couple years ago in a regular season game against the Colts (I don't have the time to look up exactly what game it was). The Patriots were up by 4 points, so the Colts needed a touchdown, and in typical Peyton Manning fashion, he drove them quickly down the field in a no-huddle offense. At this point, with the Colts inside the 10-yard line, no timeouts remaining, and less than a minute to go, the Patriots defense was certainly tired, so LB Willie McGinest decided it would be a good time to "injure" his knee. McGinest writhed in pain on the ground, while the clock stopped and the Patriots D got a nice break. McGinest then proceeded to sit out one play before coming back in for 4th-and-goal at the 1 with somewhere around 10-20 seconds left. Manning handed the ball off to Edge, who went left and met up with- guess who- the "injured" Willie McGinest, who made the stop and proceeded to sprint all the way to midfield, despite having suffered an injury just two plays earlier. Another example is the Patriots countless cries that they don't get any respect. Seriously, I think it's time for them to stop playing that card because everyone thinks they're a great team and no one is doubting them. I could add a few more examples, including Rodney Harrison's HGH suspension and obviously Belichick's videotaping scandal (I'm sure everyone has heard enough about that already), but this post could go on forever.
In the end, the Patriots are not the best team because... well... I don't have any support for that. All I can say is that, as much I hate him, at least Tom Brady is on my fantasy team, and let's hope that the Colts can beat the Patriots so that I can actually come up with a reason for them not being the greatest team ever.
That all changed, though, on January 19, 2002. On that day, with snow falling heavily and a few inches of it already on the ground, the Patriots took on the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round of the playoffs. I was a 49ers fan, but with Jerry Rice now playing wide receiver for the Raiders, I was definitely rooting for Oakland. Most of you probably already know about the Snow Bowl/Tuck Rule Game (watch highlights here) about which I'm writing, and for some reason that play (and the Raiders' subsequent loss) turned me against the Patriots. Now, that hatred for the Patriots has become as strong as my enmity towards the Yankees and nearly as strong as my love of the Twins. Without Brady's fumble being overturned (which was a fumble by the way, he tucked the ball down with both hands on it before it was knocked out), who knows if the Patriots would have ever become what they have today? Obviously, we'll never know what would have happened to them had they lost that game.
Anyways, since then, the Patriots have, in my eyes, become a classless organization. I wish I could say that they are also a bad team, but, right now, I can't say anything against the quality of this team. Right now, I just have to have faith that Colts can defeat the Patriots on Sunday (or at least stay close). If the Colts get blown away by the Patriots, I don't see what will be able to stop them, and I absolutely hate to admit that. As I described above, don't think that this hatred of the Patriots comes from Bill Belichick's spying controversy in Week 1, as it started during the Snow Bowl and has been growing ever since. The first thing I like to point out is a couple years ago in a regular season game against the Colts (I don't have the time to look up exactly what game it was). The Patriots were up by 4 points, so the Colts needed a touchdown, and in typical Peyton Manning fashion, he drove them quickly down the field in a no-huddle offense. At this point, with the Colts inside the 10-yard line, no timeouts remaining, and less than a minute to go, the Patriots defense was certainly tired, so LB Willie McGinest decided it would be a good time to "injure" his knee. McGinest writhed in pain on the ground, while the clock stopped and the Patriots D got a nice break. McGinest then proceeded to sit out one play before coming back in for 4th-and-goal at the 1 with somewhere around 10-20 seconds left. Manning handed the ball off to Edge, who went left and met up with- guess who- the "injured" Willie McGinest, who made the stop and proceeded to sprint all the way to midfield, despite having suffered an injury just two plays earlier. Another example is the Patriots countless cries that they don't get any respect. Seriously, I think it's time for them to stop playing that card because everyone thinks they're a great team and no one is doubting them. I could add a few more examples, including Rodney Harrison's HGH suspension and obviously Belichick's videotaping scandal (I'm sure everyone has heard enough about that already), but this post could go on forever.
In the end, the Patriots are not the best team because... well... I don't have any support for that. All I can say is that, as much I hate him, at least Tom Brady is on my fantasy team, and let's hope that the Colts can beat the Patriots so that I can actually come up with a reason for them not being the greatest team ever.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Patriots: Case 1
In lieu of the upcoming Patriots-Colts game this Sunday, we've decided to do a little case study on the Patriots season. So far, it has been one of the most impressive seasons in the history of the league. Will it continue? Can they go undefeated? These and many other questions will likely get much closer to being answered this Sunday. Of course, the same questions may surface in a much larger capacity if the Colts win. There was no way we could resist buying into the hype perpetrated by everyone in the media, especially ESPN, whose analysts, commentators, etc. have begun referring to the game as Super Bowl XLI 1/2. I am, without a doubt, more excited than I've ever been for a regular season football game.
In the next two entries, each of us will look at the Patriots from our views. I have been absolutely amazed by the Patriots season and, more generally, by their recent string of success. Twin #2, however, has viewed the Patriots with contempt since the Tuck Play ruling against Oakland en route to their first Super Bowl because: 1) he disagreed with the call and 2) they eliminated Jerry Rice's chance at another title. So, this will be a sort of debate on what this season means and its place in history. Today will be my side of the story; I'll title it....
Step Aside '72 Dolphins
The New England Patriots 2007 season will go down in the annals of football as the best single season performance by any team in NFL history. This is a bold claim, I know, especially when they've played only half of their regular season games. But take a look at these gaudy numbers: 331 points (41.4 per game), 439.5 yards per game, and 303.8 passing yards per game, all first in the league by large margins. Their pace for points is unprecedented, and not just because they have already outscored 17 teams from the 2006 season; at the current rate, it would break the previous record for points in a season by over 100 (556 by the Vikings in 1998), while also eclipsing any other points per game averages in a season (to compensate for the fourteen game schedule of yesteryear). While the yards per game averages aren't quite as prolific, the current pace for passing yards would be 4th all-time and overall yardage would be 2nd, breaking the 7000 yard mark for only the second time.
Those numbers are astounding. But then combine them with the defensive numbers they have racked up and it just gets better. They are not on a record-setting pace on defense, but have been limiting teams to just 15.9 points per game, 4th in the league, and 268.5 yards per game, 3rd in the league. That means the Patriots are beating their opponents by 25.5 points per game, more points than all but two other teams (the Colts and Cowboys) are scoring per game! And, just when most defenses are being hit with injuries and getting worse, the Patriots get better as Richard Seymour, arguably their best defensive player, comes off the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Now, to have a season this good, obviously individuals have to be having great seasons. To say Tom Brady is having a great season would be an understatement; he has been as close to perfect thus far as any quaterback has ever come. A quaterback rating of 136.2, a completion percentage of 74.2 %, 30 touchdowns: each of these statistics are primed to smash the previous records for a season. Throw in the fact that he has thrown just two picks, passed for 2431 yards (which puts him on pace to be 2nd all-time), and has a 9.1 yards per pass average, and you might have the greatest season of all time for any player. Also, a quick note on someone else: Randy Moss is on pace to tie Jerry Rice's record of 22 receiving touchdowns in a season. As a huge Jerry Rice fan, I hope this one does not go down.
Yes, the Patriots play in a terrible division and quite possibly may have more wins than the rest of their division combined when all is said and done. And yes, they have played mostly bad teams, including three of the four worst defenses as measured by yardage allowed per game. But, at least in part, that is because they played the Patriots. The Redskins, for instance, would be 9th in the league in passing defense if they had given up a similar amount of yardage to what they had averaged in their first six games; but instead, since they were up against New England, they gave up 334 and dropped to 17th in the league. Speaking of which, they are still 12th overall in defense, even after playing New England, so their defense is not a joke. And, in case you forgot, the Patriots scored 52 points against them.
To build off this (and go slightly 0ff-topic), I do not think there is anything wrong with the Patriots running up the score. To be fair, I do understand how people coud view it as unprofessional and as an insult to the opposing team. At the same time, however, it is not often football is played this well and I think the more we get to see, the better. And, as I've heard some people suggest, arguing that this sort of bad sportsmanship is not a good example for kids, while mildly correct, is ridiculous. There are so many worse things that go on that set bad examples, when this one is only debatably unsportsmanlike, the focus does not need to be on it.
If I've correctly persuaded you, you're thinking, "What can stop them? How is this not going to end up being the best team in NFL history?" Well, it's pretty simple as far as I can see. I've heard the talk about various teams that will give them trouble, but it seems to me as if it's the Patriots, the Colts, and the Rest. That's not to say that either the Colts or Pats can't lose to a worse team, just that it's unlikely. If the Patriots beat the Colts, I think the only thing that can stop them from finishing undefeated is themselves, either deliberately by resting players in the final weeks or unintentionally. Neither of them is very likely, although the former has a better chance of happening. They are so focused and want to be perfect at every snap, as evidenced by Brady's visible disgust at a false start in the 4th quarter when leading by 45, that the likelihood of a lapse in play for an entire game, or any significant portion of one, is slim. Also, if the ends of these first eight games are any indication, the possibility of injury will not induce the Patriots to sit any of their starters in the final games.
And that is why this game is so important, why it is one of the most important games in NFL history. It will show us just how good New England is and if they are the best of all time. I've heard plenty of pundits remind us that it's just a regular season game, but if you consider that this may decide who goes undefeated this season, isn't it very important? If, in addition, it decides who gets home field advantage in the playoffs, isn't it very important? For these reasons, I can't help but disagree with the TV personalities who claim it all to be hype. After all, the game has a solid chance to determine whether the Patriots are the best team in NFL history, which, at the end of the season, I think they will be.
Unless the Colts win on Sunday.
In the next two entries, each of us will look at the Patriots from our views. I have been absolutely amazed by the Patriots season and, more generally, by their recent string of success. Twin #2, however, has viewed the Patriots with contempt since the Tuck Play ruling against Oakland en route to their first Super Bowl because: 1) he disagreed with the call and 2) they eliminated Jerry Rice's chance at another title. So, this will be a sort of debate on what this season means and its place in history. Today will be my side of the story; I'll title it....
Step Aside '72 Dolphins
The New England Patriots 2007 season will go down in the annals of football as the best single season performance by any team in NFL history. This is a bold claim, I know, especially when they've played only half of their regular season games. But take a look at these gaudy numbers: 331 points (41.4 per game), 439.5 yards per game, and 303.8 passing yards per game, all first in the league by large margins. Their pace for points is unprecedented, and not just because they have already outscored 17 teams from the 2006 season; at the current rate, it would break the previous record for points in a season by over 100 (556 by the Vikings in 1998), while also eclipsing any other points per game averages in a season (to compensate for the fourteen game schedule of yesteryear). While the yards per game averages aren't quite as prolific, the current pace for passing yards would be 4th all-time and overall yardage would be 2nd, breaking the 7000 yard mark for only the second time.
Those numbers are astounding. But then combine them with the defensive numbers they have racked up and it just gets better. They are not on a record-setting pace on defense, but have been limiting teams to just 15.9 points per game, 4th in the league, and 268.5 yards per game, 3rd in the league. That means the Patriots are beating their opponents by 25.5 points per game, more points than all but two other teams (the Colts and Cowboys) are scoring per game! And, just when most defenses are being hit with injuries and getting worse, the Patriots get better as Richard Seymour, arguably their best defensive player, comes off the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Now, to have a season this good, obviously individuals have to be having great seasons. To say Tom Brady is having a great season would be an understatement; he has been as close to perfect thus far as any quaterback has ever come. A quaterback rating of 136.2, a completion percentage of 74.2 %, 30 touchdowns: each of these statistics are primed to smash the previous records for a season. Throw in the fact that he has thrown just two picks, passed for 2431 yards (which puts him on pace to be 2nd all-time), and has a 9.1 yards per pass average, and you might have the greatest season of all time for any player. Also, a quick note on someone else: Randy Moss is on pace to tie Jerry Rice's record of 22 receiving touchdowns in a season. As a huge Jerry Rice fan, I hope this one does not go down.
Yes, the Patriots play in a terrible division and quite possibly may have more wins than the rest of their division combined when all is said and done. And yes, they have played mostly bad teams, including three of the four worst defenses as measured by yardage allowed per game. But, at least in part, that is because they played the Patriots. The Redskins, for instance, would be 9th in the league in passing defense if they had given up a similar amount of yardage to what they had averaged in their first six games; but instead, since they were up against New England, they gave up 334 and dropped to 17th in the league. Speaking of which, they are still 12th overall in defense, even after playing New England, so their defense is not a joke. And, in case you forgot, the Patriots scored 52 points against them.
To build off this (and go slightly 0ff-topic), I do not think there is anything wrong with the Patriots running up the score. To be fair, I do understand how people coud view it as unprofessional and as an insult to the opposing team. At the same time, however, it is not often football is played this well and I think the more we get to see, the better. And, as I've heard some people suggest, arguing that this sort of bad sportsmanship is not a good example for kids, while mildly correct, is ridiculous. There are so many worse things that go on that set bad examples, when this one is only debatably unsportsmanlike, the focus does not need to be on it.
If I've correctly persuaded you, you're thinking, "What can stop them? How is this not going to end up being the best team in NFL history?" Well, it's pretty simple as far as I can see. I've heard the talk about various teams that will give them trouble, but it seems to me as if it's the Patriots, the Colts, and the Rest. That's not to say that either the Colts or Pats can't lose to a worse team, just that it's unlikely. If the Patriots beat the Colts, I think the only thing that can stop them from finishing undefeated is themselves, either deliberately by resting players in the final weeks or unintentionally. Neither of them is very likely, although the former has a better chance of happening. They are so focused and want to be perfect at every snap, as evidenced by Brady's visible disgust at a false start in the 4th quarter when leading by 45, that the likelihood of a lapse in play for an entire game, or any significant portion of one, is slim. Also, if the ends of these first eight games are any indication, the possibility of injury will not induce the Patriots to sit any of their starters in the final games.
And that is why this game is so important, why it is one of the most important games in NFL history. It will show us just how good New England is and if they are the best of all time. I've heard plenty of pundits remind us that it's just a regular season game, but if you consider that this may decide who goes undefeated this season, isn't it very important? If, in addition, it decides who gets home field advantage in the playoffs, isn't it very important? For these reasons, I can't help but disagree with the TV personalities who claim it all to be hype. After all, the game has a solid chance to determine whether the Patriots are the best team in NFL history, which, at the end of the season, I think they will be.
Unless the Colts win on Sunday.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
How Predictable
If you watch ESPN, as I assume a reader of this blog does, you have probably seen the commercial for the NFL Network featuring John Lynch, since it has been played countless times. If you haven’t, or if you can’t remember what it was about, it goes something like this: a fan is watching John Lynch getting interviewed on TV and the fan answers the reporter’s questions with exactly what Lynch will say. Obviously, the goal of the NFL Network is to advertise how well you can get to know your favorite players, how good their coverage is, etc.; but to me, every time I see it, it exemplifies how every interview is exactly the same. I can predict what Lynch will say, not because I know him so well, but because questions are always answered in the same manner each time. For instance, in response to how long he will be celebrating this victory, Lynch (and the fan) says, “I’m already looking towards next week.” Interviews, at this point, are so pointless and boring I don’t know why anyone bothers to do them. I exaggerate a little bit, but the point I am making is that there is rarely something worth listening to in an interview, because the responses are so clichéd and predictable.
Certainly, there are some players who speak their mind and provide worthy sound bytes, but they are few and far between. Of course, it’s obvious why athletes don’t. If you take a look at the times where they have spoken out and said something not politically correct, the results aren’t pretty. The one specific instance that springs to my mind is Peyton Manning after the Colts’ loss to the Steelers in the 2006 playoffs (2005 season). He mentioned that the team had “protection problems” and was subsequently lambasted. But it’s true! They did have protection problems in that game! And he didn’t say “my offensive line sucked”, he just said “we had some protection problems”. But that simple, and truthful, statement prompted just about every sportswriter, blogger, columnist, etc. in America to make a variation of the “he threw his team/coach/offensive line under the bus” comment. Personally, I like to hear thoughts like Manning’s. When the team goes to review the game, do you think they sit around and have everyone go “Well, I played pretty bad, you guys were all terrific”? No, they objectively review the game and decide where the problems were and work on them. So what’s so bad about Manning telling everyone else, in a relatively unaggressive manner, what they really did wrong and what the team will decide they did wrong upon studying the game later? I’m sure some people will disagree with me, but I would rather hear things like Manning’s comment because it actually gives me information rather than a cliché that I’ve heard hundreds of athletes say before him. After all, if I’m listening to an interview, I want to hear something informative, not something I knew was going to be said an hour before the game started.
Certainly, there are some players who speak their mind and provide worthy sound bytes, but they are few and far between. Of course, it’s obvious why athletes don’t. If you take a look at the times where they have spoken out and said something not politically correct, the results aren’t pretty. The one specific instance that springs to my mind is Peyton Manning after the Colts’ loss to the Steelers in the 2006 playoffs (2005 season). He mentioned that the team had “protection problems” and was subsequently lambasted. But it’s true! They did have protection problems in that game! And he didn’t say “my offensive line sucked”, he just said “we had some protection problems”. But that simple, and truthful, statement prompted just about every sportswriter, blogger, columnist, etc. in America to make a variation of the “he threw his team/coach/offensive line under the bus” comment. Personally, I like to hear thoughts like Manning’s. When the team goes to review the game, do you think they sit around and have everyone go “Well, I played pretty bad, you guys were all terrific”? No, they objectively review the game and decide where the problems were and work on them. So what’s so bad about Manning telling everyone else, in a relatively unaggressive manner, what they really did wrong and what the team will decide they did wrong upon studying the game later? I’m sure some people will disagree with me, but I would rather hear things like Manning’s comment because it actually gives me information rather than a cliché that I’ve heard hundreds of athletes say before him. After all, if I’m listening to an interview, I want to hear something informative, not something I knew was going to be said an hour before the game started.
Monday, October 15, 2007
News and Notes From Everywhere
As the Rockies have jumped out to a 3-0 lead and the Red Sox and Indians are knotted at one game apiece, I figured it was time for an update on the two series and various other things going on in the sports world.
- The sole Minnesota Twins note is that Kevin Slowey won Triple-A Pitcher of the Year honors. He earned the award by going 10-5 in 20 starts, while leading the International League in complete games (5), ERA (1.89), and WHIP (0.96). He also posted a 107 to 18 strikeout to walk ratio and allowed only four home runs in 133 2/3 innings.
- As mentioned before, Arizona faces an insurmountable 3-0 deficit in the NLCS against Colorado. Colorado hasn't been totally dominant, but as they have been doing for the last month, the Rockies have found a way to come out on top. So far, it has been their pitching that has handcuffed the Diamondbacks, giving up just four runs in the first three games and inducing rally-killing double play balls, along with more timely hitting, most notably Yorvit Torrealba's two-out three-run homer yesterday.
- Meanwhile, the Red Sox and Indians are in a much tighter situation. In Game 1, it was a matchup of two Cy Young favorites, but only one looked close to being so. Beckett pitched six solid innings while Sabathia was horrible, giving up 8 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. He has now walked 11 in 9 1/3 innings after leading the majors in K/BB and placing third in BB/9 during the regular season. The second game featured a battle to the end... or almost. The Indians scored seven runs in the 11th inning to win 13-6, as Eric Gagne struggled again and took the loss.
- David Ortiz has been nothing short of spectacular this postseason. After Sunday's game, he was batting .615 (8-13) with nine walks against one strikeout, a .783 OBP, and a 1.154 slugging percentage. He's 1-2 today with a double as I type this, although the Red Sox are down 4-0.
- Also of note to the Boston area especially, the New England Patriots are now 6-0. Tom Brady continued his sheer dominance by throwing for 388 yards and 5 touchdowns, which kept him on pace to break the single season record for touchdowns and quarterback rating. Whether you like them or hate them, you have to admire just how good a team they are (though, if you ask someone who actually hates them, such as Twin #2, you'll probably get a different response). I don't think I've seen a team this masterful since I started following football.
- LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, and Devin Hester all had great individual days. LT looks like the running back he's been in the past couple of years, running all over the Oakland Raiders and tying his career high with four touchdowns. Peterson torched the suddenly lackluster Bears defense with 224 rushing yards and three touchdowns, two of 60+ yards. And Hester countered with a punt return touchdown and an 81-yard receiving TD in the losing effort.
- As quarterbacks continue to drop like flies, some step up and others look atrocious. Vinny Testaverde qualifies as the former, leading Carolina to a victory against Arizona, who had their own issues. Tim Rattay, replacing an injured Kurt Warner in the first quarter, fell into the latter category by throwing three picks and no touchdowns. But St. Louis's Gus Frerotte was even worse; he threw five picks against zero touchdowns. And no, he was no Tony Romo-- they lost 22-3.
- In terms of rankings, college football has become a complete mess this season. Yet again, the #1 team lost this week, this time LSU to Kentucky, 43-37. Ohio State has now moved up to that ranking, while South Florida--South Florida???--has taken over the #2 spot.
And that about wraps up this post, except for one final Twins note. The Arizona Fall League opened its season recently, and the Twins have some minor leaguers worth paying attention to. Hopefully we'll see some good winter ball from the prospects.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Twins Win on Walk-off Error
It was a good start to the homestand as the Twins defeated the Rangers 5-4 on a walk-off error. After Joe Nathan gave up a solo home run in the top of the ninth, Michael Cuddyer knotted it at four with a solo shot of his own in the bottom half. A Lew Ford walk, Brian Buscher sacrifice bunt, and Nick Punto strikeout left Ford on second with two outs and Jason Bartlett batting. Ian Kinsler couldn't handle the ball and the Twins had a walk-off win.
My glee, however, was overshadowed, because at that very moment my fantasy football team suffered a loss at the hands (leg?) of David Akers. Coming into the game, he needed 11 points to tie, 12 to win. Each field goal is worth three points, and he already had three at this point, so one more would win it. The conversation that transpired between myself and Twin #2 can be seen at the bottom of this entry.
But back to the game. Kevin Slowey had a very good start, providing 6 innings of one-run ball and Joe Mauer hit his 6th home run of the year, and his first since July 21st (129 at bats). Juan Rincon unsurprisingly coughed up Slowey's chance for a win in the seventh, but Matt Guerrier did much better by striking out the side in the eighth.
At this point, I want to take a closer look at Guerrier's recent statistics. Over his last five games, he has pitched 4.2 innings and has had 10 strikeouts (19.29 K/9), allowing zero runs in that span. If you ignore one outing where he pitched an inning without a strikeout he has gotten every out but one with a strikeout. In his five outings before that, he pitched 5.2 innings and had 3 strikeouts (4.76 K/9), while allowing one run in each game. I think this just goes to show how streaky and unpredictable relief pitchers can be, but as long as they avoid a blow-up can maintain good stats.
Conversation
Twin #1 (11:22:29 PM): field goal range??JELSFJGSDkga
Twin #1 (11:22:31 PM): fjkgfdhkgjdsjdfgjhksgsHL difuaer yl
Twin #2 (11:22:56 PM): yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Twin #1 (11:22:45 PM): oh, but its 4th down
Twin #2 (11:22:59 PM): twins win
Twin #1 (11:22:47 PM): and theyre going
Twin #1 (11:22:49 PM): yes!!
Twin #2 (11:23:01 PM): walk off
Twin #2 (11:23:18 PM): if they get a td, they'll go for 2 prob
Twin #2 (11:23:25 PM): so then akers wont get anything
Twin #1 (11:23:50 PM): oh darn it went to commercials
Twin #1 (11:23:58 PM): i missed it, i dont know what happened
Twin #1 (11:24:03 PM): did they not make it?
Twin #1 (11:24:12 PM): or did they call a timeout and decide to kick a field goal?
Twin #2 (11:24:29 PM): timeout
Twin #1 (11:24:20 PM): nooooooo
Twin #2 (11:24:36 PM): they won on an error
Twin #2 (11:24:39 PM): lol how twinlike
Twin #1 (11:24:30 PM): please dont make it, pleasssssssssssssssse
Twin #1 (11:24:32 PM): pleassssssssssssssse
Twin #1 (11:24:33 PM): how?
Twin #1 (11:24:39 PM): oh nvm
Twin #1 (11:24:44 PM): i thought you said how UNtwinlike
Twin #1 (11:24:49 PM): but in that case i agree
Twin #1 (11:24:53 PM): time for blog update!!
Twin #1 (11:25:25 PM): ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Twin #1 (11:25:28 PM): noooooooooooooooooasgifsdhuigdafg
Twin #1 (11:25:32 PM): they made it?!?!!!?!?
Twin #2 (11:25:46 PM): they're going for a td
Twin #1 (11:25:37 PM): they better
Twin #1 (11:25:42 PM): if he gets another FG
Twin #1 (11:25:45 PM): ima be mad
Twin #1 (11:26:43 PM): nooooo
Twin #1 (11:26:46 PM): 3rd down
Twin #1 (11:27:02 PM): i need a 2nd opinion on the game ball?
Twin #1 (11:28:45 PM): yes yes yes FIRST DOWN
Twin #1 (11:29:01 PM): freaking throw it in!!!!
Twin #1 (11:29:13 PM): dont let him kick it, dont let him kcik it!!!
Twin #1 (11:30:46 PM): ahhhhhhhhhhharshf;lkjdjlafd jgadiu oiratuioartmfaesjtdoJKLEUFASIGRFHIOAGUIEORFHSGKJAFGFJSGOIRSAGJAOIUROIUTGIFIUOASUIGIUDAF
Twin #1 (11:30:47 PM): I LOST
Twin #1 (11:30:50 PM): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Twin #1 (11:30:55 PM): GOOOOOOO COME ON GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ijDIGFJAKG
Twin #1 (11:30:57 PM): NOAODSFGOIASGFODU
Twin #1 (11:30:59 PM): AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHI
Twin #1 (11:31:02 PM): STUPID DAVID AKERS
Twin #1 (11:31:06 PM): MISS MISS MISS MISS
Twin #2 (11:31:20 PM): go for it
Twin #2 (11:31:23 PM): go for it
Twin #1 (11:31:15 PM): NDSAIGLHDAFRJGTSRPOGSIJASRGKOLDSFKDLSGKJLFDA;JKGKL;DSFG;KIJL;ERDKF
Twin #1 (11:31:20 PM): DARNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN I LOST
Twin #2 (11:31:42 PM): all right
Twin #2 (11:31:46 PM): thats enough now
Twin #1 (11:31:51 PM): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
My glee, however, was overshadowed, because at that very moment my fantasy football team suffered a loss at the hands (leg?) of David Akers. Coming into the game, he needed 11 points to tie, 12 to win. Each field goal is worth three points, and he already had three at this point, so one more would win it. The conversation that transpired between myself and Twin #2 can be seen at the bottom of this entry.
But back to the game. Kevin Slowey had a very good start, providing 6 innings of one-run ball and Joe Mauer hit his 6th home run of the year, and his first since July 21st (129 at bats). Juan Rincon unsurprisingly coughed up Slowey's chance for a win in the seventh, but Matt Guerrier did much better by striking out the side in the eighth.
At this point, I want to take a closer look at Guerrier's recent statistics. Over his last five games, he has pitched 4.2 innings and has had 10 strikeouts (19.29 K/9), allowing zero runs in that span. If you ignore one outing where he pitched an inning without a strikeout he has gotten every out but one with a strikeout. In his five outings before that, he pitched 5.2 innings and had 3 strikeouts (4.76 K/9), while allowing one run in each game. I think this just goes to show how streaky and unpredictable relief pitchers can be, but as long as they avoid a blow-up can maintain good stats.
Conversation
Twin #1 (11:22:29 PM): field goal range??JELSFJGSDkga
Twin #1 (11:22:31 PM): fjkgfdhkgjdsjdfgjhksgsHL difuaer yl
Twin #2 (11:22:56 PM): yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Twin #1 (11:22:45 PM): oh, but its 4th down
Twin #2 (11:22:59 PM): twins win
Twin #1 (11:22:47 PM): and theyre going
Twin #1 (11:22:49 PM): yes!!
Twin #2 (11:23:01 PM): walk off
Twin #2 (11:23:18 PM): if they get a td, they'll go for 2 prob
Twin #2 (11:23:25 PM): so then akers wont get anything
Twin #1 (11:23:50 PM): oh darn it went to commercials
Twin #1 (11:23:58 PM): i missed it, i dont know what happened
Twin #1 (11:24:03 PM): did they not make it?
Twin #1 (11:24:12 PM): or did they call a timeout and decide to kick a field goal?
Twin #2 (11:24:29 PM): timeout
Twin #1 (11:24:20 PM): nooooooo
Twin #2 (11:24:36 PM): they won on an error
Twin #2 (11:24:39 PM): lol how twinlike
Twin #1 (11:24:30 PM): please dont make it, pleasssssssssssssssse
Twin #1 (11:24:32 PM): pleassssssssssssssse
Twin #1 (11:24:33 PM): how?
Twin #1 (11:24:39 PM): oh nvm
Twin #1 (11:24:44 PM): i thought you said how UNtwinlike
Twin #1 (11:24:49 PM): but in that case i agree
Twin #1 (11:24:53 PM): time for blog update!!
Twin #1 (11:25:25 PM): ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Twin #1 (11:25:28 PM): noooooooooooooooooasgifsdhuigdafg
Twin #1 (11:25:32 PM): they made it?!?!!!?!?
Twin #2 (11:25:46 PM): they're going for a td
Twin #1 (11:25:37 PM): they better
Twin #1 (11:25:42 PM): if he gets another FG
Twin #1 (11:25:45 PM): ima be mad
Twin #1 (11:26:43 PM): nooooo
Twin #1 (11:26:46 PM): 3rd down
Twin #1 (11:27:02 PM): i need a 2nd opinion on the game ball?
Twin #1 (11:28:45 PM): yes yes yes FIRST DOWN
Twin #1 (11:29:01 PM): freaking throw it in!!!!
Twin #1 (11:29:13 PM): dont let him kick it, dont let him kcik it!!!
Twin #1 (11:30:46 PM): ahhhhhhhhhhharshf;lkjdjlafd jgadiu oiratuioartmfaesjtdoJKLEUFASIGRFHIOAGUIEORFHSGKJAFGFJSGOIRSAGJAOIUROIUTGIFIUOASUIGIUDAF
Twin #1 (11:30:47 PM): I LOST
Twin #1 (11:30:50 PM): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Twin #1 (11:30:55 PM): GOOOOOOO COME ON GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ijDIGFJAKG
Twin #1 (11:30:57 PM): NOAODSFGOIASGFODU
Twin #1 (11:30:59 PM): AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHI
Twin #1 (11:31:02 PM): STUPID DAVID AKERS
Twin #1 (11:31:06 PM): MISS MISS MISS MISS
Twin #2 (11:31:20 PM): go for it
Twin #2 (11:31:23 PM): go for it
Twin #1 (11:31:15 PM): NDSAIGLHDAFRJGTSRPOGSIJASRGKOLDSFKDLSGKJLFDA;JKGKL;DSFG;KIJL;ERDKF
Twin #1 (11:31:20 PM): DARNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN I LOST
Twin #2 (11:31:42 PM): all right
Twin #2 (11:31:46 PM): thats enough now
Twin #1 (11:31:51 PM): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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