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How The Mighty Have Fallen...

2009-11-22T09:26:00.005-05:00

by Matt Brannen

This has not been a good year to be a fan of Notre Dame's college football team. In fact, the last couple of seasons won't be remembered as the "good old days" for Golden Dome backers. The school made a big decision several years back to shell up major bucks for a big name coach and now finds itself at another cross-roads with their program. In the end, it might result in the institution having to suck up a huge contract buyout and moving onto the next coaching option. One thing is for sure, the grains in the proverbial hourglass are running out for Charlie Weis.

It should be noted that things started out very promising at Notre Dame for Weis, much as it did for his predecessors Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie. Weis began his Notre Dame head coaching tenure with a strong 19-6 record and two significant bowl appearances. A Super Bowl winning assistant coach that was given a lot of credit for the development of Tom Brady into a top 5 NFL quarterback, Weis was considered by many to be the Bill Parcells, one of his mentors, of the 21st Century. Many believed Weis, a Notre Dame alum, was the school's coach for the foreseeable future and multiple National Championship appearances would be in the offing. After Weis' second very successful season at the helm, Notre Dame gave him a sizeable contract extension and raise, fearing that he might bolt for an NFL sideline. For all intents and purposes, that's when things started to fall apart for the Fighting Irish.

Since the extension, Notre Dame has been 16-19 under Weis' watch and have only 1 bowl game appearance (last year in the well removed from New Year's Eve or Day Hawaii Bowl). This is with college football recruiting pundits stating that Notre Dame had top 10 to 15 recruiting classes the last several off-seasons. Perhaps the final indignity with Weis as head coach came this weekend, when the Fighting Irish lost to UCONN at home in double overtime. The Huskies, a still developing program that hadn't won a game since their defensive back Jasper Howard was tragically murdered earlier in the season, steamrolled the Irish and fought back from a 14-0 first half deficit to win on Notre Dame's "Senior Day" (making it the second consecutive year that the Irish lost to a team with a losing record at its last home game of the season). After the contest, Weis refused to comment on his future, choosing to only discuss the game and his players.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recap?gid=200911210104&prov=ap

However, earlier in the week, Fighting Irish Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick indicated that the decision about Weis' future would come sooner rather than later after the season concluded. Even though this is what Swarbrick said after last season and Weis was retained, the timing of Swarbrick's statement is critical. This announcement came before "Senior Day" and that can't be a good sign for Weis. Some reports have his contractual buyout, should he be let go, at or above $10 million. Many observers believed, until the end of this year, that the Irish would continue to give Weis time to build up his program, if for no other reason because they would rather pay him to coach than pay him not to coach. However, it now seems like things have hit critical mass for Notre Dame and rumors are swirling that they are willing to part ways with the buyout money to close the Charlie Weis chapter in Irish football history.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091120/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_notre_dame_weis
It is intriguing to consider how many big-time coaches have stumbled this year and recognize that Weis is not alone in his travails. Michigan's Rich Rodriguez may well be sitting on the second hottest college football coaching seat in the country at the moment and may be "next year's Charlie Weis," if the Wolverines can't get things righted. Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, beset by injuries to just about everyone in Sooner Nation, has even had his name thrown around a little bit as a possible successor to Weis at Notre Dame. While that seems unlikely to happen for a number of reasons, it is telling that Stoops is getting mentions for other college coaching jobs (when most of all previous rumors had him potentially going to the NFL). As for a possible replacement for Weis, should he be let go, the rumor mill has been grinding out the names of several hot coaches at lesser known programs. Whether or not Notre Dame decides to go that route or try to bring in another big name, it seems more and more likely that the Fighting Irish will not be led into battle next year by Charlie Weis.

Not So Fast, My Friend...

2009-10-25T22:03:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

It wasn't a good end of the week/weekend for ESPN and its analysts, as baseball talking head Steve Phillips found himself engulfed in the public disclosure of a reported extra marital affair with an ESPN female staffer and college football commentator Bob Griese said a potentially offensive comment regarding NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya during a live telecast. What? Did you think I was writing about a sports prediction of some kind? As ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso is so fond of saying on the air: "Not so fast, my friend."

The week of turmoil for "The Worldwide Leader" started with the story breaking that former New York Mets General Manager Steve Phillips allegedly engaged in an extra-marital affair with an ESPN production assistant. The lurid details also came into the light, as the female employee reportedly pursued Phillips and attempted to contact his wife to let her know about the relationship. Now, word late this evening is that the network has fired Phillips for no longer being an "effective representative" for ESPN.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ap-phillips-affair&prov=ap&type=lgns

I would like to write that this is all an unfortunate turn of events and that Phillips and his family should be able to deal with the situation in private. However, this is not the first time that Phillips has been linked to possible professional misconduct. Over 10 years ago, Phillips reportedly settled a sexual harrassment case out of court while he was the Mets GM. Furthermore, this is not the first time that an ESPN analyst has been accused of inappropriate contact with a fellow employee. Long-time analyst Harold Reynolds was let go after he allegedly had an inappropriate encounter with a female intern (It should be noted that Reynolds sued for wrongful termination and later settled on a severance package with ESPN) and there have been anecdotal evidence of other possibly questionable behavior over the years. Now, ESPN finds itself in another embarrassing situation with an on-air talent that they knew had previously had difficulties in this realm.

Compounding things further, former NFL great and current college football analyst Bob Griese finds himself in a maelstrom after comments he made on the air during a game this past weekend. The long-time football analyst, while trying to promote parent company ABC's NASCAR broadcast the following day, attempted to answer a question about where Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya was in the stock car playoffs by stating "(He's) out getting a taco." Later in the same broadcast, Griese apologized for the comments and ESPN aired a taped statement with another apology in its Saturday night game.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=tsn-executivecallsgriese&prov=tsn&type=lgns

Like the Steve Phillips sex scandal, this is not the first time that an ESPN college football analyst was in trouble for a questionable and potentially ethnically insensitive comment. Last year, it was former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz strangely comparing the leadership style of Michigan head football coach Rich Rodriguez with Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. As I have wrote in previous columns about incidents where announcers say incredibly dumb things, what shocks me is that it still continues to happen.

I must admit that it has to be very difficult to run the monstrously huge conglomerate that ESPN has become. However, I find it hard to believe that the network continues to have these unnecessary and concerning controversies come up, seemingly year after year. In the past, some critics have accused ESPN of being a massive ship without a captain. What I have to wonder is how ESPN will respond to the Griese comment, now that they have apparently relieved Phillips of his responsibilities. My concern is that, even if Griese is fired or sanctioned (which is a decision for ESPN to make and should do so considering Griese's long history with them as an announcer apparently without previous incidents): Is it going to make a difference? I mean, am I going to end up writing another column like this in 6, 8, 10, or 12 months from now? I'd like to write that I won't. Yet, as Lee Corso says, I'm not writing that so fast, mis amigos.

The Franchise Must Go Down And Go Down Hard...

2009-10-11T10:41:00.002-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The Oakland Raiders used to be the forerunner of all NFL franchises. Owner Al Davis was considered a maverick genius that not only beat fellow teams on the field, but the league itself in the courtroom. However, since the team's last Super Bowl appearance in 2003, its descent into NFL mediocrity has been swift and without pause. The most recent controversy of current head coach Tom Cable and his alleged assault of a defensive assistant has driven the franchise into greather depths of embarrassment, making one wonder if "Just Win, Baby!" has been replaced by "Just A Loser, Baby!" as the team's official motto.

We don't fully know all the details of the reported altercation between Cable, the team's former offensive line assistant turned head coach, and defensive assistant Randy Hanson back in August. According to an interview that Hanson did recently with Yahoo! Sports NFL columnist Michael Silver, Cable allegedly attacked Hanson after a dispute over Hanson's coaching of the team's defensive backs during training camp. The incident is apparently being investigated by the local authorities and several news reports have stated that Cable might be suspended by the league, pending potential criminal charges.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Aik9lkK3PuXiXZ5xgn3MVX85nYcB?slug=ms-hansonspeaks101009&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

It should be noted that Cable was hired as interim head coach and ultimately promoted to permanent status after Davis jettisoned Lane Kiffin, who Davis claimed had deliberately usurped his contract by not following Davis' edicts (see below for my column on Davis' press conference that announced Kiffin's supposed breach of contract). In this year's NFL draft, the team took Maryland's Darius Heyward-Bey, a wide receiver that most draftniks predicted was a mid to late 1st round pick, at #7 overall and proceeded to give him a contract that completely redid the salary structure for the bottom half of the top 10 (Note: In his first 4 games this year, Heyward-Bey has only 2 catches for a total of 36 yards). This is not to mention that the Raiders gave free agent cornerback DeAngelo Hall a monster contract prior to the 2008 season and then proceeded to cut him halfway into last year, paying him a reported $1 million per game that he was with the franchise.

http://stsn.blogspot.com/2008/09/just-whine-baby.html

One might think that the Raiders are obsessed by their own ineptitutde and attempting to rectify things, but that apparently isn't completely the case. Former quarterback Rich Gannon, now an NFL analyst for CBS, has not been shy with his criticism of the team and the franchise doesn't seem to appreciate his thoughts on their current well-being. In fact, the team has requested that CBS no longer assign Gannon to its Raiders' broadcasts on the network, which CBS has refused, and that Gannon isn't welcome at the team's facilities. Aside: Gannon's pre-game interviews with Raiders players and coaches for a game broadcast must be pretty interesting, huh?

http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2009/09/raiders-are-not-fans-of-rich-gannon.html

Most recently, former Raiders quarterback Jeff Garcia fired a shot across the bow of the organization by questioning the commitment of his ex-teammates. Garcia, who was released before this season started, claimed that many of the current Raiders were simply there to pick up their paychecks on the 1st and the 15th each month and could care less whether or not they actually won. He also "threw" franchise QB JaMarcus Russell "under the bus" by suggesting that Russell wasn't prepared to be playing every week in the NFL. While Raider backers could easily retort that Garcia's flame-thrower blasts are just sour grapes, but everything else around the team makes it possible that Garcia is squarely hitting the hammer on the nail.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=tsn-garciasaysrussellisn&prov=tsn&type=lgns

I am certainly not a Raiders fan, but it is sad to see what has happened to this once-great franchise. Should head coach Tom Cable get suspended due to the Hanson incident, it only adds another black eye to a team that, frankly, has a swelled up face. At this point, it may have to come down to the NFL stepping in and helping Oakland to re-organize. The old story is that Nero "fiddled while Rome burned." Well, here's my question: Does Al Davis know the violin?

Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride...

2009-09-26T08:33:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Last season was the most productive for the men's basketball program at Binghamton University. This upcoming season may well be the hardest. The university's athletic department announced late this week that 6 of its top players have been dismissed from the team for various reasons, resulting in what the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin called "a house cleaning" of the program. The story, while we may never know all the intricate details of the purge, is truly a cautionary tale for institutions of higher learning that want to balance academic and athletic credibility on the grandest post-secondary educational stage.

This week's shocking events at BU began with the arrest of point guard Emmanuel "Tiki" Mayben in his hometown of Troy, New York. News came down mid-week that Mayben had been apprehended for allegedly being in possession of drugs and, according to early reports from the police involved, with the purported intent to sell. Mayben, a former Syracuse University recruit, was permanently expelled from the team and this, apparently, caused a whirlwind of re-evaluation at the institution. On Friday, the BU athletic department announced that 5 more players, including star guard D.J. Rivera and starting forward Malik Alvin among others, were no longer associated with the team for various past and/or current transgressions.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ap-binghamton-playersreleased&prov=ap&type=lgns

The question is: How did it get this far? Unfortunately, the answer is too simple now that the events of this week have unfolded. It may seem like piling on at this point, but some critics of the program have been saying that serious trouble was brewing for some time. In fact, a New York Times college sports blog did an less than flattering expose on the BU men's basketball program and its shortcomings as far back as March during the NCAA basketball tournament, which BU made for the first time this past season. The university, which strongly rallied around the athletic department and basketball team at the time of the spring reports, clearly changed its course this week and has taken a very hard line. This new direction has, potentially, left the BU men's basketball program in a massive rebuilding project and with many unanswered questions.

On one hand, I suppose the university should be applauded for saying "enough is enough" and reaffirming itself to its commitment as an institution of higher learning and athletics. The university, in its edict to the men's basketball team and all other sports, ordered that student-athletes will be held to the university's code of conduct and punishments will be meted out if necessary. However, I must also wonder why BU's athletic department and overall administration continued to allow the alleged off-court problems and self-reported attitude issues to become such a concern that a sizeable chunk of the roster is no longer on the team now. While there will be much speculation as to why that happened, it seems like BU was willing, at least for awhile, to make itself as competitive as possible in Division 1 men's basketball as fast as it could, regardless of the off-court outcome. Head coach Kevin Broadus, a successful Georgetown assistant prior to coming to BU, announced early in his tenure that he believed strongly in giving second chances to student-athletes that played at other schools but didn't pan out for one reason or another. Now, the athletic department has stated that Broadus will not be made available for public statements about this current situation for an indefinite period of time. What appeared to the beginning of Binghamton's ascent to national basketball recognition is now very much in doubt. At the end of this very unfortunate story, it seems like the entire BU men's basketball program is going to need a second chance.

Saving Money In Less Than 15 Minutes...

2009-08-30T17:37:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

There is an insurance company (that has cavemen and lizards as their spokespeople) that claims it can save its customers money in less than 15 minutes. If this is, indeed, true, perhaps the NFL and NBA should find out this formula when it comes to their drafts. This is because teams in both leagues take about 10 to 15 minutes to make their 1st round picks and find themselves this year locked in negotiation battles with their respective picks over rookie contracts. The Minnesota Timberwolves and San Francisco 49ers rolled the dice, literally, by taking Ricky Rubio and Michael Crabtree. Given the public posturing in each case, there is a chance that Rubio may play his pro ball in Europe next year and Crabtree will not be signed prior to the upcoming NFL season. Both situations only underscore the weakness of each league's rookie salary structure and the NBA's relatively new fascination with foreign born players.

Let's start by addressing the Rubio situation first. The slick 18 year old point guard from Spain was the talk of the NBA draft, as much so as #1 overall pick Blake Griffin. However, all the teams in the league knew, going into the draft, that Rubio was signed to play professionally in Europe and that there was a large buyout clause (perhaps as much as $8 million). The week after the draft, rumors started making their way across the Atlantic that Rubio might not want to play right away in the NBA, that he might extend his contract with his European team, and/or that he would not play for the Timberwolves (one of the worst teams in the league last year). The Timberwolves and Rubio's management almost immediately quashed those stories and announced that they would begin talks to bring the teenager to America. Fast forward a few months after the draft...Rubio's contract situation has not been resolved. In fact, Minnesota president David Kahn refuted a report last week that one of his franchise's potential building blocks had not signed an extension in Europe. And to think that the L.A. Clippers are considered the big laughingstock in the NBA!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AhMDBwEvA8DPe3C_fo3O5MS8vLYF?slug=ap-timberwolves-rubio&prov=ap&type=lgns

I should point out, as the T-Wolves did this past week, that they still have plenty of time to resolve the European contract and get Rubio "across the pond." However, the whole sordid mess is proving that NBA teams should be focusing on amateur players from other countries or professional players from other countries that are not currently under contract. Should he not play in the NBA during the 2009-2010 season, Minnesota will undoubtedly spin that Rubio staying in Europe will "season" him more to the pro game and allow him to build up his body further. Yet, what does that do for a Timberwolves season ticket holder right now? Exactly.

The NFL's San Francisco 49ers are dealing with the rookie holdout of Texas Tech star Michael Crabtree. Perhaps best known for his other-worldly game winning touchdown catch to defeat the University of Texas last year, Crabtree was considered the top rookie wide receiver until he revealed at the scouting combine that he had a serious foot injury that would have to be surgically repaired. After watching several teams that needed a wideout pass by Crabtree in the draft, the Niners snagged him at #10 in the 1st round and took the accolades from several draft analysts for a terrific pick. However, the next part (about signing Crabtree), has been a problem area for the team.

It has become an unofficial tradition in the league that first round picks don't sign until just before training camp for their respective teams. Another "unwritten rule" is that players (and, just as importantly, their agents) won't agree to terms until the player selected before and/or after them in the draft is signed. So as you can imagine a single car slamming on its breaks in the middle of a busy highway causing a massive pile-up, there is a chance for a jam-up in contract talks and a group of unsigned rookies if several draft picks are not signed in an orderly fashion. Guess what? That's kind of what happened this year. When training camps opened this summer, just a small handful of selections were signed to deals (including #1 overall pick Matthew Stafford, who agreed to terms at the draft). Not to fear though...As the signings poured in over the last month or so, players' salaries got slotted into place and further agreements were made as we quickly approached the new season. All, that is, except for Crabtree.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=rotowire-ichaelrabtree49erspt&prov=rotowire&type=fantasy

Conventional thinking would be that after the #9 selection (B.J. Raji by Green Bay) signed, then the proper financials would be in place for Crabtree's representation and the 49ers to work out a deal. That has yet to take place. According to reports from those close to Crabtree's camp, the receiver and his advisors want a contract along the lines of what Oakland gave #7 pick and fellow WR Darius Heyward-Bey, an enormous deal that exploded the salary structure for the remaining bottom half of the top 10 (Was that confusing? Sorry). San Francisco has chafed at this option and Crabtree's group has yet to find a number that they like from the team. So, this is where we set with less than 2 weeks before the regular season. A player is gambling that the team will need him enough to give into his demands and the team is hoping that the player will want a six or seven digit payday bad enough to give in. Aren't pro sports fun?

NFL teams are notorious for pre-draft testing (psychology, intelligence, etc), so my question is: Why can't teams also run pre-contract scenarios by prospective draftees? Obviously, it would have to be with the players' agent(s) on hand and I'm not sure that answers could be held as legally binding, but if a team can ask a player "What (his) favorite tree is?" then why can't they ask the likelihood of a holdout given certain circumstances? I don't know how my suggestion might fly with the league's collective bargaining agreement, but it seems like an idea that might benefit teams and players. Think about it: Isn't salary one of the areas that is often discussed amongst potential employers and employers? Why does this have to be any different in the NFL? As a side note, I'll be happy to sell this idea to the NFL (or any pro sports league) for the bargain price of a six figure deal and I promise that I won't hold out.

Final comment...Major League Baseball is not exempt from this discussion either. The Washington Nationals literally made a deadline deal with its #1 overall pick, uber-prospect Stephen Strasburg, within the last 2 weeks. The Nats and Strasburg's representation, headed by super-agent Scott Boras, were down to the last possible day of making an agreement before the flamethrowing right hander's rights went back into the player pool for next year's draft. The situations with Rubio, Crabtree, and Strasburg all show the problems with most pro sports leagues and their draft picks. Rookies get mega-million dollar contracts before they ever walk onto the playing field, while veterans a year or two after their prime are unemployed. With the uncertain economic times that we have in America and many leagues' CBA agreements coming up in the near future, it is time to resolve these issues and close the loopholes. The players will remain millionaires, the owners will stay billionaires, and the fans will have the chance to root for their favorite team's new stars right away. Sounds like a win/win for everyone and it took less than 15 minutes to figure it all out.

And So It Is Done (At Least Until Next Off-Season)...

2009-08-19T00:40:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

In a "breaking news" segment that could only have surprised those misguided folks that still believe the world is flat, the Minnesota Vikings announced today that they have signed Brett Favre to be their quarterback for the 2009-2010 NFL season. This most recent update has broken my unstated and unofficial "Brett Favre No Fly Zone" policy on the column over the last month or so. In what will (hopefully) be the last column about Mr. Favre's "temproary retirements" for awhile, let's dig into the latest and what it might mean...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AhfMqpXMYUf4tUbFrVeR7nM5nYcB?slug=ap-vikings-favre&prov=ap&type=lgns

What is curious about the signing is that NFL on Fox's info guru Jay Glazer reported Monday that several unidentified Vikings players told him that they were certain that Favre would be a part of the team at some point this coming season and, poof, Favre was in Minnesota on Tuesday. Was this the Vikings players forcing the hand of the team? Forcing the hand of Favre? Or, more likely, stating publicly what most people suspected since Favre's "I'm still retired" position from 3 weeks ago. It seems to me, without any evidence except for human nature and logic, that the Vikings players either knew this was coming or they 'let the Favre out of the bag' in an effort to move this charade along. While I am sure that #4 was still legitimately rehabbing from his off-season surgery (more on his health later), there has been on and off speculation from former NFL players turned analysts that Favre wasn't being completely honest about his future plans because, as a more than seasoned veteran, he didn't want any part of a grueling Midwestern training camp. By signing in mid-August, this logic goes that Favre can still get in some practice time to shake off the rust and play in a couple of pre-season games to get himself ready to go full-throttle in week 1. When you consider that many veterans will deliberately hold out of camp and pay heavy fines for pseudo-contract squabbles, this position does have merit. You can only imagine the rolling eyes from NFL cynics when Favre said in his introductory news conference that his signing was a spur of the moment decision based on an 'out of the blue' phone call from Vikings head coach Brad Childress to Favre early this week.

What also seemed disengenous during the signing press conference was Favre's statement that he did not sign with Minnesota with the intent of getting revenge on Green Bay, the team that he led to a Super Bowl victory and another appearance over his historic tenure with the Packers even though they unceremoniously dumped him last summer. It has been widely reported (perhaps incorrectly) on pro-Favre media outlets (cough*ESPN*cough) that Favre targeted Minnesota because it uses the Bill Walsh passing offense that he knows so well from his days in Green Bay, Darrell Bevel (Favre's old QB coach with the Packers) is Minnesota's offensive coordinator, and OH YEAH...The Vikings play the Packers twice during the regular season. As you can imagine, the initial response from Packer fans as to the Favre-Minnesota marriage has not been positive. While Favre can talk about his "legacy" being intact as far as he is concerned, it is going to be hard to recognize that if tens of thousands of "Cheese Heads" boo him mercilessly during his first visit back to Lambeau Field as a Viking.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AuaEk2YLSZEgEKn6X3tyIiw5nYcB?slug=cr-favrereaction081809&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Much like his mentor Andy Reid in Philadelphia bringing in Michael Vick last week, Vikings head coach Brad Childress is making a calculated risk by signing Favre. There is a lot of pressure on Childress to produce a long-run in the playoffs or, possibly, a Super Bowl appearance this season with or without Favre. The one glaring weak spot on the roster is, clearly, quarterback. Now, however, the Vikings have no margin for error with a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer at QB1 on the depth chart. The heat on Childress and his coaching staff went from "broiling" to "scalding." Furthermore, there has been heated debate amongst NFL analysts about how well Favre played last year. Those that defend Favre claim that his late season arm injury was the culprit for his huge drop-off in production with the Jets over the last month or so of the season. Why is this important? Because an initially overlooked aspect of the Favre to Minny story is that it was reported as a side note that while Favre's shoulder is "okay," he is suffering from a "small tear in his rotator cuff." Don't be shocked if, should things somehow go south for Favre in the Land of Lakes, that rotator cuff becomes a much bigger excuse, urr story, as the season goes on. I'm just saying...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AsaOx5KV4DRSbKuGLnh_2Yc5nYcB?slug=jc-favreshoulder081809&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

I guess the closing of the books on this chapter of the Favre "(un)retirement" saga is that he has now achieved a certain level of infamy that few football players reach in today's game. #4 used to be one of the most popular players in the league for well over a decade. From his riverboat gambler decisions on the field, his child-like passion for the game, or his "Aw Shucks" charm, Favre was the 'golden boy' of the NFL for many years. In fact, he was almost universally lauded for his recovery (and rightly so) from his self-confessed addiction to pain-killers many years ago when other players are vilified for substance abuse issues (see Irvin, Michael or Carter, Cris). However, by his constant flip-flopping about retiring, his (almost) yearly team hopping, and the seeming half-truths that come with these changes, Favre has become "the player that you love to hate." If he is on your team, then you love him. If not, you don't seem to mind watching him fall flat on his face. In the end, Terrell Owens may have to make room for Brett on the "Most hated player in the game" bench.

Fear And Loathing In The National Football League

2009-08-15T11:19:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

It should be no surprise that Michael Vick is back in the NFL. However, in what might be characterized as a stunning announcement to its fans by the Philadelphia Eagles, the team announced late this week that it signed the former All-Pro quarterback to, essentially, what is a 1-year contract (apparently, there is an option for a 2nd year at a much higher salary). Now, the "City of Brotherly Love" gets to show how true its reputation is to someone that may be the most villified NFL player in quite some time and, truly, has put head coach Andy Reid on the hottest of seats.

I found the press conference announcing Vick's signing to be fascinating. Vick's mentor, former Super Bowl winning head coach Tony Dungy, talked about how sorry Vick was about his past transgressions against dogs and how #7 paid his debt to society by spending around 2 years in prison. Vick also made a statement echoing this line of contrition that Dungy highlighted and took questions from the assembled press, humbly and candidly answering each one posed to him. While it seemed that Vick and Dungy were looking to emphasize Vick's rehabilitation, Eagles head coach Andy Reid moved from the team's due diligence in signing the quarterback to vague comments about Vick's expected role on the team. Reid refused to publicly state how the Eagles might use one of the most prolific running quarterbacks in the history of the league, instead electing to say that reporters should ask other team's defensive coordinators about how they plan on defending what the Eagles could do offensively with Vick. Reid also stated that he made a "promise" to the people of Philadelphia to bring in the best possible players in an effort to win the ultimate prize: The Super Bowl.

By this single move, the most successful coach in the franchise's history has placed a huge bullsize on his back. Immediate response from Eagles' fans seem to be split. There have been impromptu demonstrations by animal lovers outside of the Eagles' facilities and some Eagles fans rushed to the Internet to sell off their tickets for the upcoming season's home games. With wounds still fresh from its franchise not resigning veteran All-Pro safety Brian Dawkins, its admitted "heart and soul," the move has seemingly divided the fan base into pro-Vick and anti-Vick camps. One can only imagine how Philly fans, notorious for its collective/individual behaviors in various sports over the years, will respond the first time that Vick darts onto the playing surface at Lincoln Financial Field.

However, my guess is that Eagles fans will utlimately accept Vick, if he is productive and helps the team win. Reid's comments make it clear that it is unlikely that Vick will be wearing a headset, holding a clipboard, and charting plays like a normal backup quarterback. Furthermore, this is a city and fan base that loved Terrell Owens, until the Donovan McNabb/T.O./Reid soap opera became absurdist comedy that even Monty Python would have shook their head at. Should #7 prove to be "the ultimate weapon" as a slot receiver/running back or "Wildcat" quarterback and make key plays against hated division rivals like the Cowboys, Redskins, and Giants, chances are very good that the expected boos from Eagles fans will turn into wild cheers.

At the signing press conference, Dungy, Vick, and Reid all talked about Vick getting a second chance and that all parties involved know that a 3rd chance isn't an option for the troubled quarterback. Vick went so far as to say that America was a "country of second chances." I entitled this column "Fear and Loathing in the National Football League" based on the famous novel "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson. For those that haven't read the book, Thompson's literary alter ego takes a near mythical journey "in search of the American dream." For hundreds of years in this country's history, it seemed that the American dream was promoted as the idea that anyone from any background could be successful, if they had talent and got opportunities. If you look at the Vick situation, with what Thompson called "the right kind of eyes," you might wonder if the new American dream is not to get a chance, but to get a 2nd chance at the American dream. Professional sports over the last several years, with all of its various controversies and issues involving players, have become indicative of this possible change. Andy Reid is, potentially, betting his career that Vick can stay trouble-free and help his team win it all. If it works, Reid will look like a genius. If not, Reid's long-standing tenure in Philadelphia may come to an abrupt end. Reid, Vick, and the Eagles are, apparently, willing to take that chance. There is no going back now. As Hunter S. Thompson also wrote, "Buy the ticket, take the ride."

Heeding The Hall Call...

2009-07-26T11:02:00.002-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Stolen base king Rickey Henderson and Boston slugger Jim Rice will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame today in Cooperstown, New York, less than two hours away from STSN's homebase. For Henderson, without question the greatest combo speed and power leadoff hitter in modern baseball history, the Hall's call for inclusion was no surprise. However for Rice, a prodigious run producer during an era when the top home run hitters struggled to muscle 35 to 40 homers a season, it was a much longer wait for an invitation to join the game's best. The election of both seemingly pre-steroid controversy stars into the Hall reminds us of the gulf that exists between baseball, then and now. Just as importantly, the legendary Henry Aaron's call that those in the performance enchancing drug maelstrom have asterisks put on their Hall plaques has brought this issue back into the (at least temporary) spotlight.

The 2009 class of Henderson and Rice is as good as any to bring up the issue of not past, but future Hall classes. While Rice's career didn't make it to the 1990s because of injury, Henderson played into the early 2000s. However, Rice was considered one of the pre-eminent home run hitters of his era (mid-1970s to mid-1980s). With a lifetime batting average of an outstanding .298, the Beantown Basher hit 382 homers and knocked in nearly 1,500 runs in about 14 1/2 seasons in "the bigs." It should be noted that Rice won the AL MVP in 1978 when he hit a career best 46 bombs and knocked in 139. He never would hit 40 homers in a season again (topping out at 39 once before and once after 1978). There is no question that Rice was the cornerstone of a Boston team that never won the World Series, but contended for several during his tenure.

The funny part about Rice's induction into the Hall this year is that it seemed like, for the longest time, that the awe-inspiring numbers players put up since the lockout in 1994 would forestall his Hall call indefinitely. Yet, the continued positive performance enhancing drug test results and confessions of PED users has seemed to change public opinion. Once overlooked greats like Rice have gotten a "second wind," so to write, when it comes to Hall of Fame consideration. Maybe it is that Hall voters now appreciate more what players in the pre-steroids era like Rice accomplished. Perhaps they are trying to "send a message" that previously considered 'automatic induction' statistical accomplishments like 500 home runs, 3,000 hits, and 300 wins will not be necessary for previous generations, but will not guarantee a steroids generation player of making it in. We will only know when the steroid era players, especially those that have been rumored (*cough, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, *cough) or caught/confessed (*sneeze, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez, *sneeze) come up for enshrinement.

It is interesting and honorable that Henry Aaron, the man that many still consider the "legit" home run king, has made a definitive public statement about the Hall of Fame and this recent era of players. At this weekend's induction, Aaron was quoted as saying that there should be special asterisks placed on the plaques of players that tested positive or were suspected of steroid use. "Hammerin' Hank" event went so far as to say that some Hall of Famers may boycott the induction ceremony of suspected/confessed PED users when the time comes. If this is true, then Major League Baseball has a big issue and potential public relations nightmare.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/11986162/rss

I met Henry Aaron at an autograph signing in Central New York when I was a teenager back in the mid to late 1980s. When I asked if he could write "To Matt" on the photo that he was going to sign for me, the assistants at the autograph table jumped in and announced "No personalizations!" before he could answer. Perhaps sensing the unnecessary anger in their voices, he then went out of his way to ask me about my favorite team, who my favorite player was, and why. He seemed like a generally nice man and the positive experience has always stayed with me. Frankly, I rooted against Barry Bonds when he chased Aaron's career home run mark a few years ago. This wasn't necessarily because of the PED allegations against Bonds, but the boyhood memory that I had of Aaron. However, I cannot write that I wasn't somewhat disappointed to learn that he was reportedly compensated for giving a short, taped "Congratulations" speech that played on the videoboard at the Giants' home stadium after Bonds broke the record. Now, Aaron has decided he doesn't want us to forget what players like Bonds and others may have done to become legends themselves.

Major League Baseball will have to face the specter of steroids and PEDs as more and more players from recent decades come up for Hall consideration. Will the MLB heed the advice from its legends and do something drastic like include some sort of note about steroids? Will the league accept steroid-era players into the Hall with no recognition of this special circumstance, the same way it has players from previous generations? Finally, will baseball, as it seemingly did with the issue for over 10 years, turn its collective head to the side and not address it all, hoping it will simply go away? Whatever decision is made and accepted, the 2009 induction of Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice may be one of the final non-steroid controversy Hall of Fame years for a long, long time.

The New Vince McMahon?

2009-07-18T23:31:00.007-04:00

by Matt Brannen

I have a sports-related confession to make: I cannot explain why I am fascinated by mixed martial arts. For years, I didn't take it seriously and would immediately switch the channel if I saw a match on TV. I saw commercials of the barbaric action and figured the combatants to be more like descendents of homo habilis and not homo sapiens. However, the more I talked with MMA fans and recognized their bordering on obsessive passion for the sport, I started to watch a few matches with more of an open-mind. While the overwhelming violence did not make a positive impression on me, I have to admit that I developed a new found respect for the dangers that MMA fighters put themselves in and the skill necessary to be great. However, the recent direction of the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization causes me to pause and wonder if this new "it sport" will ultimately turn into WWE 2.0.

In a very smart promotional strategy, UFC President Dana White long described his organization as one that was authentic and fueled by the competition of its top performers. This helped to emphasize the growing perception (and declining popularity) that professional boxing was somehow less than legitimate and that the best boxers forestalled fighting their top opponents until it brought the biggest payday (or was absolutely necessary). The UFC also seemed to build heated rivalries for its big matches based on not only personality clashes, but the anticipation of differences in fighting styles. White understood that, like pro wrestling, his fighters would be best off to get a reaction from crowds (whether it be positive or negative) but that, ultimately, a cagefighter's spot in the organization would be based on his or her ability in the octagon. With the acension of former pro wrestler Brock Lesnar and the hiring of Internet sensatation Kimbo Slice to the UFC over the last year, one could argue that the "golden era" of UFC authenticity may be coming to an end.

It should be noted here that Lesnar isn't simply a mass of ex-pro wrestling muscle that is looking for an MMA payday. He was an NCAA wrestling champion during his amateur career, so he clearly has some skill. Yet, it also has to be mentioned that he got a shot at the UFC heavyweight title in less than 5 career matches (against, admittedly, two top 10 contenders in those fights). Sound a little like boxing taking advantage of a fighter that might capture the imagination of fans? What is perhaps most concerning is not that Lesnar is the champ, but his on-camera reaction following his victory over Frank Mir on July 11th. In a move that would make Vince McMahon's "good guy/bad guy" factory smile, Lesnar spewed a series of ill-advised comments and then proceeded to regale the less than adoring fans with an obscene gesture. During the post-match press conference, Lesnar apologized for his comments and actions. Yet, the impression had been made and that aspect of the activity was clearly treated as a post-script by the media covering the event. Within a couple of days after the fight and as soon as the interviews could be arranged, Lesnar's next potential opponent was making the media circuit, chastising the champ for his boorish behavior. Whether they planned it or not, the UFC now has their new "love him or hate him" villain and it looks like they don't have a problem with that.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AvRxbccxVAxZbHpLJ5EdW6o9Eo14?slug=dm-lesnar071709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Another UFC concern has to be the disinterest that its biggest superstar, Anderson Silva, has had in fighting the highest quality opponents. The "Spider," which is the Brazilian's awesome nickname, is promoted by White as the top fighter in the world today. However, his last handful of matches have been characterized by MMA media followers as lackluster and White, himself, has acknowledged that he has been at loggerheads at times with Silva's management on getting him to take on top contenders. Could the "talent" finally be getting to a position, like boxers, where they dictate how often and who they fight? The UFC must feel that it has accomplished something when they were able to make the Silva-Forrest Griffin fight for early August, as Griffin is one of the more well-known names in MMA circles.

The final item to think about here regarding the UFC is White's decision to hire brawler Kimbo Slice. One of UFC's main American MMA competitors for the last several years was Elite XC, a promotion which employed Slice and clearly pushed him as their main commodity. It was not a shock that Elite XC attempted to take full advantage of Slice's notoriety as someone that was paid to have street fights with the results posted to much fanfare and popularity on the Internet. When Elite XC disintegrated, White was quoted derisively that he would not offer Slice a full-scale UFC contract (basically indicating that his competitor's top draw wasn't good enough for his organization) and that he would offer Slice a chance to compete on UFC's reality show for a contract (which, more or less, functions like an entry-level position). The almost universal analysis at the time was that Slice would not accept such a "slap in the face" offer and might go overseas. However, much to the MMA community's surprise, the Miami-based fighter took the chance and will unquestionably be the big draw for the next season of "The Ultimate Fighter" program. Once again, a cynic might argue that the UFC has taken a step or so away from its original mission statement and moved closer to a completely commercial sports endeavor.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=ApNRW5psHCXcJcxJNZ7mtDs9Eo14?slug=ki-kimbo071509&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Dana White and the UFC has to be given a lot of credit for staying ahead of the sports-business curve and building one of the most successful sports organizations in the last 20 years. Perhaps the rise of Brock Lesnar and the hiring of Kimbo Slice will turn out to be moves that cement the UFC's place in mainstream American sports, while still keeping the UFC's legitimacy in tact. However, as someone that went from an MMA skeptic to a near-believer, these activities over the last 12 months has undoubtedly soured my interest and begun to turn my opinion back in the other direction. Just like I can't explain why I'm fascinated by MMA fights in the first place, I guess I also don't know if I'll be watching a year from now. I do know that I won't be watching if the UFC's intention is to become a more legitimate version of pro wrestling.

Help Support Southern Tier Sports Network & Get Great STSN Gear!

2009-07-14T17:01:00.002-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Southern Tier Sports Network is proud to partner with Hackerthreads.com to offer STSN related clothing items. You can browse the items available in the STSN online store by logging onto http://www.hackerthreads.com/items.asp?cc=STSN. The best part of this arrangement is that a portion of the proceeds will go to help STSN in its mission of broadcasting the best local sports on the Internet. Thanks to all of STSN's listeners and sponsor-advertisers for their outstanding supporting and we hope you enjoy the great STSN gear from Hackerthreads.com!

Sports News and Notes This July 4th Holiday Weekend

2009-07-05T16:08:00.006-04:00

Several major sports stories this 4th of July holiday weekend that deserve comment. So, here goes...

* Story #1: The Death of Steve McNair

The sports world is still reeling and looking for answers after it was announced on Saturday afternoon that former NFL quarterback Steve McNair had been shot and killed earlier in the day at a residence he co-owned in Nashville. McNair, the #3 overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, came into the league with much fanfare as a high octone passing threat from Alcorn State, but he ultimately developed into a gritty "do anything to win" leader that gutted through a series of injuries until his retirement prior to the 2008 season. McNair will, perhaps, best be remembered for the final play of Super Bowl XXXIV, when his pass to Kevin Dyson ended up at the St. Louis Rams' 1 yard line as his Titans came just 3 feet away from winning the big game. While official details of McNair's death remain less than concrete and the Nashville police are still conducting its investigation, the sports world remains stunned by another NFL player's tragic demise.

* Story #2: Roger Federer, The Greatest Men's Tennis Player Of All-Time

On a far more positive note, Roger Federer won the 2009 men's tennis title today by outlasting American Andy Roddick in a classic 4 hour, 5 set thriller. With the victory, Federer passed tennis Hall of Famer Pete Sampras for his 15th Grand Slam championship, the most in modern tennis history. In my view, Federer is the greatest men's tennis player of all-time because of his tremendous accomplishments. Here's a look at some of what he's done:

With his victory earlier this year in the French Open, he became just the 6th male player in history to achieve a Career Grand Slam, meaning that he has won at least one championship at every Grand Slam event.
As of tomorrow, he will once again become the #1 men's player in the world, usurping Rafael Nadal. Before Nadal emerged on the scene a few years ago, Federer had been the #1 player in the world for a record 237 consecutive weeks (that equates to right around 4 1/2 years in a row as the best, kids).
His victory over Roddick today was in his 7th consecutive Wimbeldon final and 5th consecutive championship at "The Big W."
He will go into the 2009 U.S. Open later this summer defending 5 consecutive championships at that Grand Slam.

In many ways, Federer has "turned back the clock" when it comes to the sport. Not an overpowering player in an era when tennis becomes more and more about hitting the ball as hard as possible, Federer has shown he can play championsip tennis on all surfaces. Tennis legend Jimmy Connors was once quoted as saying, about today's tennis, "In an era of specialists-you're either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist or a hard court specialist...or you're Roger Federer." Perhaps Federer's greatest opponent to him truly getting his just due is the fact that he is not from the United States. If Federer were American and not from Switzerland, he would be one of the top 5 athletes in this country today. If you don't believe it, just think about how popular a guy like Andre Agassi was during his career and Feder has accomplished even more. A final thought on Federer is that he will turn 28 next month and could, if he so chooses, conceivably play for another several years at a very high level.

*Story #3: The Zen Master Returns To La La Land For At Least One More Year

Phil Jackson, a man not unaccustomed to breaking records for winning championships, quietly announced that he will return as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers for next season. In return, the Lakers celebrated Jackson's announcement by reportedly reached agreement with free agent forward Ron Artest. Jackson, known for his ability to handle "high risk" players like Dennis Rodman and others in the past, may well have his greatest challenge in Artest. Jackson will be charged with melding all of the personalities in the lockerroom and keeping the Lakers focused on defending their championship. Only time will tell if Jackson, Artest, Kobe Bryant, and L.A. will be successful in 2009-2010.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July holiday weekend. Southern Tier Sports Network is in the final steps of making available a great new avenue that will allow STSN's listeners and readers to support the website and get stuff in return. We'll have all the exciting news here on "The Sports Guys" blog as soon as it is available. Thanks for your continued support and thanks to all of the American servicemen and women that are defending our country throughout the world.

And the #1 Pick In The 2009 NBA Draft Is...Shaquille O'Neal?

2009-06-25T23:30:00.011-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Blake Griffin may make for a great NBA player. I'll even settle for a "very good" NBA player. However, the main story tonight at the NBA Draft was not Griffin being the first pick in the draft to the Clippers (Aside: Is there some kind of league rule where the moribund Clippers get the #1 pick at least once a decade?), it was the trade of Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland. Hoping to capture the same magic that Shaq had with Penny in Orlando, Kobe in L.A., and D-Wade in Miami, the Cavs made the move that most experts felt they had to: Trade for the future Hall of Fame center and team him with LeBron James.

There is no question that Cleveland General Manager Danny Ferry is feeling the pressure of having James under contract for only 1 more season. The 2009-2010 campaign will be the organization's final chance to win the title with James under his current contract. As I mentioned in a previous post, after the Cavs lost to Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals, rumors swirled that Cleveland would move heaven and earth to bring in a top-flight talent to team with "King James." Now, they have one of the most recognizable names in the game and the initial reaction is that Cleveland is the odds-on favorite to not only win the Eastern Conference, but win the title outright next June.

Being the skeptic that I am, I'm not ready for the basketball "talking heads" to hand Cleveland the title just yet. I mean, isn't this the same Shaquille O'Neal that was supposed to deliver a title to a Phoenix team a couple of years ago that was on the cusp of the championship? Plus, while O'Neal has come a long ways in admitting (whether it be vocally or in his play) that he is not the dominating offensive force that he was in his prime, a true basketball fan has to recognize that the other 3 guys on the floor with James and O'Neal aren't going to see the ball a whole lot of time this coming season. While going to the somewhat slower style of play in the Eastern Conference will probably benefit O'Neal and his power game, that may also create the issue of him expecting more shots. Cleveland head coach Mike Brown must be both ringing his hands in excitement at the prospects of having both superstars, while waiting for his glass of Alka-Seltzer to be ready for consumption. This is because he certainly knows that there are no excuses now. O'Neal will be painted as the "final piece of the puzzle" and it will be Brown's job to make him fit. Ask the Los Angeles Lakers "Dream Team" of Shaq, Kobe, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone how well having so many great players on one team worked out for them in the long run.

The period around the NBA draft saw several blockbusters moves: Vince Carter going to Orlando, Richard Jefferson taking his game to San Antonio, and a reported trade of Amare Stoudamire to Golden State round out the moves that we know or have heard about involving big ticket players. Yet, no one move has captivated the basketball universe like Shaq being traded to Cleveland. Only time will tell if the deal will be ultimately successful. By this time next year, LeBron James may cement his place as the top player in the game by winning an NBA title with O'Neal at his side. However, if that doesn't happen, the questions about James' ability to win the greatest prize will only continue to grow...

Zen & The Mastery Of Coaching

2009-06-14T23:08:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2009 NBA title this evening, solidfying Kobe Bryant's 4th championship and his place as one of the biggest winners (if not the biggest) in basketball of his generation. The title was also Bryant's first without Shaquille O'Neal, worth note only because the accomplishment will hopefully stop all of the insipid "Shaq vs. Kobe feud" hot air from the last several years. However, the Lakers conquest of Orlando also marked the 10th championship for head coach Phil Jackson, who leapfrogged Celtics icon Red Auerbach for the most championships by one coach in NBA history. The point of this column is to focus on the fact that Jackson's 10th title is truly the big story here, regardless of how many pro-Kobe features that will air on TV, be talked about on sports talk radio, or posted on the Internet in the next few days.

Jackson's coaching career has been well chronicled over the years and doesn't need to be rehashed in this space. From his start in the now defunct Continental Basketball Association, an assistant coaching stint with Chicago, and assumption to championship status as head coach with the Bulls (and later Lakers), Jackson has been a lightning rod for controversy and scorn from his coaching brethren and the media that cover his teams. While he may seem to talk in riddles at times during press conferences or act like he is one step ahead of everyone else in the room, there are few NBA coaches that have ever gotten more out of his players than Phil Jackson and did so by emphasizing the team concept. While with the Bulls, Jackson deliberately installed assistant coach Tex Winter's triple post (AKA-"triangle offense") half court system, a motion-passing offense that forces every member on the court to read and react to the entire defense, not just the man guarding them. When you think about what most basketball fans opinions are of how the NBA game has evolved into the "me first, second, and third" credo that has seemingly taken hold in the league, that is an accomplishment worth noting in and of itself.

Jackson has been the leader of two of the most successful NBA dynasties in the last 20 years: Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and Bryant's Lakers. Jordan was the most dominant player in the game when Jackson became his head coach in the late 1980s and he actually became better (and a champion) under Jackson's tutelage. From Chicago, Jackson's next challenge was to harnass the massive ability (and, some would argue, ego) of Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. It did not take long for the Lakers to ascend to the top spot in the league with the trio of Bryant, O'Neal, and Jackson (and champions, without O'Neal, again in 2009). However, "Big Chief Triangle" (as former Knicks and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy used to mockingly call Jackson when he was in the league) has also been the fulcrum of criticism and cheap shots (whether they be warranted or not) from coaches and media types for the entire period. Jackson's open discussion of his unconventional methods (like giving players non-basketball books to read on road trips and organized meditation exercises), especially early in his career, made him an easy target. Other top coaches and some in the media argued that it was superstars like Jordan, Bryant, and O'Neal that were the ones responsible for their team's respective success, not Jackson as coach. However, the sheer amount of championships that "the Zen Master" (another derisive moniker given to Jackson) has skippered shows that sophomoric names truly haven't hurt Jackson or kept him from getting back to the championship.

Beyond the record number of titles, Phil Jackson's legacy may be recorded as the fact that he helped three of the greatest players of the last 20 years in Jordan, Bryant, and O'Neal (and arguably, in Jordan, the greatest player of all-time) to the title when other coaches couldn't/hadn't. His coaching ideology and practices may seem silly to some, but those that buy in have reached heights that they never achieved before and, interestingly enough, almost (besides O'Neal's title in Miami with Riley) never achieved again without him. Whether or not he coaches another game, Jackson has to be considered one of the greatest NBA bench bosses of all time. In fact, he may have put himself in a position where he could be considered the greatest coach in all of pro sports history. A famous Chinese proverb and idea that Jackson has used repeatedly over the years with his teams is "The journey is the reward." For many of today's vagabond coaches and self-aggrandizing players, it is easy to laugh off such a thought while they search for greener (read: cash-laced) pastures or more face time on TV. However, for anyone that is a fan of teams that play hard and unselfishly, our reward has been in Phil Jackson's coaching journey.

The Greatest of All Hype?

2009-05-31T23:05:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The LeBron James love-a-thon that I wrote about in last week's column has come to an abrupt end. Yep, ESPN's NBA icon has been knocked out of the playoffs. I know it seems impossible to believe (I mean, didn't you hear all the NBA analysts talking about LeBron's "will" to win and how this "has to be Cleveland's year"?), but it happened. And, most importantly, in staggeringly uncompetitive fashion. There will be no Michael Jordan-like comeback starring James and his Cleveland Cavaliers this year. The only time that might happen is in a new Nike commercial that gets unveiled during the NBA Finals. However, that has not stopped the pro-James propaganda machine from firing out the "It wasn't LeBron's fault" missiles like T-shirts that are given away to spectators in NBA arenas during TV timeouts.

As I mentioned above, the Cavaliers' loss to Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals was a meltdown of epic proportions. Granted, the Cavs didn't have a big edge and, subsequently, fell apart. No, as a matter of fact, they NEVER had a chance to build a large series lead to watch it eventually crumble. Cleveland was the third team in league history to have won 65 or more games, have the NBA Coach of the Year, and league MVP. What did the other two teams do? Well, they made the NBA Finals. Orlando, a team that seemed to be channeling its inner Fletcher Christian not long ago against Boston during the previous series, provded the necessary united front and did not waver from its goal of reaching the title round. The Magic played through LeBron's runs and the response from Cleveland when the Cavs did the expected to push the series back to Orlando. Should James never achieve NBA champion status (and that is a prediction that I am not stupid enough to make here because he is so good and young), how this series played out and his reaction to its ending will tell us alot about him as an NBA superstar.

As you may know, James did not play a particularly good game 6 (25 points on 20 shots) and did not stick around to answer questions from the media after the game. Even more concerning was the fact that he headed off the court immediately after the final buzzer sounded and did not congratulate any of the Orlando players. It was a move that might have made Randy Moss (who notoriously headed for the lockerroom with time still left on the clock before the end of a half) and the Bad Boy Pistons (who walked off the court without congratulating Chicago after finally being beaten in the playoffs by Michael Jordan's Bulls) cringe. Unfortunately, I haven't seen many that have criticized the move (I'm sure that there have been, but I haven't seen a groundswell of Internet comment on it yet) and it only shows the breakdown of competitive spirit that exists in sports today.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Au4ePfZdPll618AazUfR._I5nYcB?slug=ap-lebronsfuture&prov=ap&type=lgns

What I have noticed, in abundance, have been the writers and analysts that immediately jumped on the "Is LeBron going to stay in Cleveland now?" question (James is a free agent after next season). In fact, TNT analyst Reggie Miller, near the end of game 6, actually questioned "Will he (James) allow the Cleveland front office to increase the parts around him?" What Reggie was, ostensibly, asking was "Will James give the Cavs brass time to get better players before he decides to leave?" I have seen this question posed already in multiple post-series articles from national Internet columnists. How about asking a question like "Why did this guy and his team NOT win this series if we all thought they were so great?" Then again, it would make some look inward and they might not like what they previously said or wrote.

There was a very telling quote from James, when he did finally speak to the media tonight in a separate press conference (Talk about a team player! He waited until the night after the game so he could address the media) was in response to why he didn't stay on the court. James said "It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them. I'm a winner. It's not being a poor spot or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand." That statement, while one can appreciate the desire that James has to be a champion, shows why he and his team couldn't overcome Orlando and reach the NBA Finals. Boxers and MMA fighters exert massive physical violence on each other and, almost universally, hug each other as soon as the contest is over. As I've mentioned in previous columns, one of the best traditions in sports is the handshake lineup at the conclusion of an NHL Stanley Cup playoff series. Players crash into each other while skating upwards of 20 to 30 miles an hour for multiple games and still find it in their hearts to shake hands when things have been decided, win or lose. If it were up to "King James," edict #1 during his "reign" might be that losers slink off silently into the night to maintain what's left of their dignity. There is an old saying: "A cool person is someone that doesn't act like their cool." Well, the same thing is true in sports. A true winner doesn't have to say they are a winner. How many times have you heard Tom Brady talk about how much of a winner that he is? Winners go out and prove it. They win. They don't say it because they don't have to. LeBron may well be at that point someday, whether it be in Cleveland, New York, or somewhere else. Right now, in my book, his career "achievements" remain mostly perpetuated by the almost never-ending media blitz that surrounds him. While that continues to wheel like a centerfuge, Orlando and Los Angeles compete to see who this year's true winner will be. However, it's okay. There is more than enough time now for the league, media, his sponsors, and LeBron to recharge the hype machine before next season begins.

Okay, ESPN. Just Stop. I Surrender...

2009-05-25T22:22:00.006-04:00

by Matt Brannen

I can't escape it, so I guess I have no choice but to give in. ESPN's overwhelming promotion of LeBron James in this year's NBA playoffs has beaten me down to the point of submission. The final blow was ESPN's decision over Memorial Day Weekend to replay and then discuss, ad naseum, James' final second 3 point shot to win game 2 against Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals. ESPN went so far on all of its TV outlets, including ESPN News (which is supposed to be reserved for continously updated sports news and scores), to go into full LeBronathon mode at every turn with no consideration for reporting the live score of other playoff sports (namely, the NHL, which is also in its conference finals too) to get in its LeBron features. While the shot won the game, someone unfamiliar with the series would think that it won the NBA Championship with the significance that ESPN gave it. That, in itself, is the problem.

There is no question that James is currently one of the top two or three NBA players, if not the best player in the league (depending on someone's opinion on the matter). However, the hyperbole under which ESPN showers James with on a regular basis (especially recently) has to make it difficult for any basketball fan under the age of 25 to recognize that there have been other people that have actually accomplished things with a basketball prior to "King James" arrival to "the Association." Almost immediately, the comparison was foisted upon us by "The Worldwide Leader" that James' shot was as important, if not more so, than Michael Jordan's series clinching, last second shot to beat Cleveland back in the late 1980s. ESPN then proceeded to roll out an "expert" panel of its analysts to talk at length about the importance of the shot, both for the series and in NBA history. Such basketball luminaries on the panel like Magic Johnson gushed over the shot and what James had accomplished in his young career. This "report," as it was sometimes described, was run every half hour for nearly an entire afternoon on ESPN News while the channel refused to do audio score updates of other playoff action (Aside: They did have time to do regular baseball updates). This, mind you, was only a few days after ESPN unveiled a new documentary special on LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. It seemed like ESPN was 30 seconds away from unveiling James' bust in the NBA Hall of Fame. Then again, they've already put James on the list for the "Mount Rushmore of (Ohio) Sports," so maybe that is understating things.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/sportscenter/news/story?id=3835108

Someone needs to explain to ESPN that James' shot made the series 1-1 and Orlando could have won both games 1 and 2. Furthermore, the shot lost even more of its significance when Orlando soundly defeated James and his Cavaliers in game 3 to take a 2-1 lead. I'm sure ESPN's army of researchers are pouring over stats in an effort to present the defense that game 3 wasn't James' fault and figuring how to present a potential series loss as not being their NBA icon's responsibility. It's either time that this ends or time for me to stop expecting ESPN to actually report on sports.

ESPN announced earlier in the year that their ombudsman (Le Anne Schreiber), a person whose job it is to study what is reported and reports to the network about their practices, would be replaced because her tenure with the network expired. What was her last message to the network, you ask? "Stop with the overcoverage" (as you can see by clicking on the below weblink). In fact, her last column was entitled "Excess the root of fan frustration" (with ESPN). After this past weekend, it seems like Le Anne Schreiber had as much voice at ESPN as Dick Vitale the day after the NCAA men's basketball tournament ended. None at all.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=3983722

I have mentioned in previous columns that ESPN was headed in a straight line to become the MTV of sports. Given to the degree that the network continues to shamelessly promote LeBron James, it makes me wonder if he is becoming the Britney Spears of sports. Need some kind of connection to make that work? Justin Timberlake was the narrator for the Kobe-LeBron ESPN documentary. Enough said. Enough taken. Message to ESPN: I quit. You've won.

NASCAR's Dirty Little Secret Revealed?

2009-05-17T09:35:00.006-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Much space has been spent in this column over the last year or so writing about the problems that Major League Baseball has had with performance enhancing drugs. However, it seems that MLB is not the only major pro sports league that now finds itself in a quandry over drugs and drug testing. The National Association of Stock Car Racing (AKA-"NASCAR") now stands in the forefront, along with baseball, as a sport where the drug questions outweigh drug answers. Due to NASCAR being one of the most popular fan sports in America and, likewise, a darling of TV networks, it may well be time for NASCAR to admit that it could have a problem, now or in the future, on its hands.

NASCAR has prided itself on having one of the toughest drug punishment policies over the last few years. This makes perfect sense, especially when you consider that drivers race at speeds well over 100 miles per hour on most tracks and regularly at around 200 mph. When you consider that drinking alcohol and driving an automobile at 55 miles per hour as being illegal in the United States, any intake that effects a person's judgment not only could negatively impact them but all the other competitors. The past rhetoric from NASCAR folks, especially when talking about its competitors compared to athletes from other sports that got into trouble, was that drivers understood the dangers that they could create if under the influence. The other argument was that drivers were spokesman for their sponsors and, thus, would not partake in such potentially embarrassing activities for fear that their sponsors would leave them. While this may or may not have been true in the past, the recent spate of events involving drugs in NASCAR cannot be overlooked.

In recent years, a handful of NASCAR affiliated series drivers have been suspended for drug use and/or admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. While the Cup series (the top level of NASCAR racing) was not involved until recently, several lower tier drivers have been suspended for and/or admitted to drugs. Shane Hmiel, a promising young driver in one of NASCAR's developmental leagues, was given a lifetime ban for three failed drug tests in 2006. During the same year in that series, driver Kevin Grubb was suspended for a second positive test. Tragically, Grubb was found dead within the last month, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The truck series that NASCAR supervises has also seen its share of drug concerns. A former driver in that series, Aaron Fike, admitted in 2008 that he used heroin while competing in the series. Reports indicate (you can read a full story on this issue by clicking on the below link) that Fike even claimed to use illegal drugs on race days. Former champion Ron Hornaday Jr. admitted in September 2008 that he used testerone for about a 2 year period and acquired HGH in an effort to treat what was ultimately diagnosed as an overactive thyroid condition. Now, this drug issue has made its way into NASCAR's preeminent series.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-nascar-inthepits&prov=ap&type=lgns

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/truck/news/story?id=3580292

NASCAR veteran driver Jeremy Mayfield was suspended for a failed drug test during preparations for the Cup series race a few weeks ago at Richmond International Speedway. At the time, rumors swirled around NASCAR circles as to what showed up on Mayfield's test. Quickly, NASCAR announced that it was not alcohol, but was a "serious violation." Mayfield continues to contend that this is all a big misunderstanding, because he only took legally prescribed medication (that he has yet to publicly reveal) and an over the counter allergy remedy. NASCAR does not agree with Mayfield's assertions and stands by its initial ruling of an indefinite suspension. The whole situation has brought the same kinds of performance enhancing drug storm clouds over NASCAR that have accumulated to darken Major League Baseball.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AkUfIm5TQv2dv5lQDs0_idHov7YF?slug=ap-nascar-mayfieldsuspension&prov=ap&type=lgns

Three-time defending Cup series champion Jimmie Johnson is leading the call for NASCAR to not only announce what Mayfield apparently tested positive for that led to his suspension, but Johnson also has pointed out that PEDs could be a concern in stock car racing. While race car drivers don't have to worry about who can run faster or who is the strongest in competition, the logic does have merit. Anything that might heighten a driver's awareness, allow him or her to maintain focus/stamina for longer periods of time, or be more fearless in making aggressive racing moves could give drivers under the influence an edge over their clean competitors. When you consider the amount of money that it costs to run a NASCAR team and how much money is out there to get by winning races, it would be foolish to think that there haven't been drivers and teams that have, at the least, thought about what they might do to get an advantage. A humorous old NASCAR axiom is "If you're not cheating, you're not trying." Another example of this reasoning comes from NASCAR's All-Star Race, which was run last night in Charlotte, North Carolina. The winning purse for that 1 race alone was 1 million dollars.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AnIC4EB_KJhflGqTKHqW3Mzov7YF?slug=dw-johnson051409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

The whole importance of this situation is that NASCAR may still have time to close the door firmly on the drug issue, unlike Major League Baseball. NASCAR, being the self-contained world that it is, needs to test for not only drugs and alcohol, but for as many forms of performance enhancing drugs as possible. The recent downturn of the last year or so in the American economy has impacted NASCAR as much, if not more, than most other sports. Because so many teams rely on sponsors that pay upwards of $20 million per car each year, NASCAR cannot afford to alienate major corporations that are dealing with their own problems right now. About 10 years ago, NASCAR was considered the fastest rising sport in America. If it doesn't handle itself well regarding drugs in the near future, racing fans may look back at this period as the modern "Golden Years" of NASCAR.

The Biggest Loser(s)...

2009-05-10T09:12:00.003-04:00

by Matt Brannen

For those waiting on the next Major League Baseball superstar to test positive for drugs, the other shoe dropped this week with the news that Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games. Reports are that ManRam, as he is sometimes known, allegedly tested positive for a drug that builds testosterone. Performance Enhancing Drugs experts have claimed that this drug can be used as a masking agent to hide substances like steroids and/or to help one's sex drive (which can be depleted through PED use). Either way, Major League Baseball has taken steps to punish one of its most recognizable faces. However, will it be enough to stem the tsunami that the drug scandal has seemingly become?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AlhcS3vr.eJzeRXwUQ.PPUIRvLYF?slug=ys-ramirezsuspension050709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Back on August 2nd of last year, I wrote a column here about Manny Ramirez and his acrimonious relationship with the Boston Red Sox front office shortly after Ramirez was traded west. In the column, I mentioned the "eccentric" nature of "Manny being Manny" and how the Red Sox had tired of his act. What I and the rest of the baseball world didn't know at the time was the impact that ManRam would have in LA. The Dodgers took off at the end of last season, in large part because Manny gave them the power bat that they lacked in their lineup. Los Angeles eventually made the playoffs and a city starved of current, legitimate baseball superstars became "Mannyland." Now, with Ramirez's suspension, the city has had its baseball hopes damaged significantly, manager Joe Torre has to once again deal with a major drug controversy (Remember, Torre was the manager with the Yankees for the Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte admissions), and Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig must be concerned that every time his phone rings, another superstar might be sitting for the next 50 contests.

http://stsn.blogspot.com/2008/08/manny-can-now-be-mannyin-hollywood.html

The MLB, through Selig, has indicated that it will uncover all the performance enhancing drug users and punish them to "cleanse" the game. Yet, there are stories out there (as evidenced by the Yahoo! sports story linked below) that Major League Baseball suspected Ramirez of possible wrongdoing during Spring Training. In fact, whispers about ManRam's possible performance enhancing drug culpability stem as far back as the 100 plus names from 2004 that resulted in Alex Rodriguez's public admissions during Spring Training. I heard an interview with MLB reporter Seth Everett on Sirius Satellite Radio around the time that the A-Rod controversy exploded regarding that topic. The interviewer asked Everett what other "big name" players might be on the 2004 list. After hesitating for a moment, Everett stated (as part of his comments) that Manny Ramirez, a free agent at the time, should probably take the 1st multi-year contract offer presented to him (perhaps insinuating that Ramirez's name was on the list and/or that he could be suspended for drug use). So if it was known in baseball circles that Ramirez may have been using PEDs, why did it take so long to catch him? An interesting question, indeed.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AvDmcF0WVylaLoXQgvxcYlJDWtAF?slug=ti-mannyspring050709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Whether or not Major League Baseball has a handle on this drug issue or not, the blight of PED use in baseball continues to grow. New York Mets TV play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen made a good point the other night while talking about the Manny controversy with former All-Star turned analyst Keith Hernandez. Cohen basically questioned how the league could expect to address PEDs while it still does not even test for Human Growth Hormone. When the drug testing policy was announced by baseball, it was stated at the time that they only people that would get caught would be those silly enough to, well, get caught. Now, we have Manny Ramirez.

To add to the complete absurdity of this situation and where Major League Baseball finds itself, I heard a report on ESPN News about a day or two after the story broke that indicated Ramirez's suspension will be over before the All-Star Game this summer (Aside: That just shows how darn long the baseball season really is) and that ManRam will still be eligible to play in the game (if elected or chosen by the National League). Alex Rodriguez will most likely, whether it be through fan voting or league choice as well, be on the American League team. Can you imagine if Ramirez or Rodriguez hits the game winning home run for their respective team and, in the process, capturing home field advantage for their league in the World Series? My money is that Bud Selig has woken up in a cold sweat during the middle of the night a few times recently with those nightmares.

My final thought on this issue is that one must seriously wonder whether or not baseball's drug testing policy and punishments are enough to keep players from continuing to use PEDs. Conventional thinking was that superstars wouldn't take drugs, especially after the new testing and punishments, because their natural talent would be enough and any advantage that marginal players had by taking drugs would be eliminated through testing. However, we now find 2 of the top 10 "names" in baseball this season "come clean," voluntarily or not, about possible PED intake. While some are advocating lifetime bans (which I think is too harsh), I do wonder if ramping up the suspensions to a year or more would perhaps somehow make a stronger statement. Then again, a lot of folks thought that 50 and 100 game suspensions would be enough to keep players, stars and non-stars alike, from using. What's the right answer? It's questionable whether or not Major League Baseball has it at the moment. Because this situation seemingly continues on from month to month and season to season without fail, Major League Baseball, Manny Ramirez, and baseball fans (due to their unwavering support for the game) find themselves as the biggest losers of all.

Next Verse, Same As The First...

2009-05-02T10:39:00.003-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The NFL Draft is over, so it's time to write about what has become one of this column's favorite NFL topics: Yep, that's right...Brett Favre. In case you missed it, stories have surfaced this week that the courtship between the erstwhile QB and the Minnesota Vikings may be in the nascent stages. You ask, however, "Isn't Favre retired?" The answer, of course, is, yes. In fact, twice. Yet, that hasn't stopped Favre from reportedly hiring a private trainer and perhaps flying (or having his representatives fly) on a private plane to Minnesota this week from his native Mississippi.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AoGlxR0Yq9fRVeHsFEbyrkE5nYcB?slug=ap-vikings-favre&prov=ap&type=lgns

As you probably well remember, last season's Favre unretirement saga dragged out over late last summer and ended with him being unceremoniously traded to the Jets for a mid-round draft pick. While it looked like the move would work out well for NY, Green Bay, and Favre, the exchange fell apart at the end of the season for the Jets and Favre as injury and poor play marred what was expected to be the "missing piece" for a possible playoff contender. A few of Favre's 2008 teammates, including RB Thomas Jones and WR Lavarenus Coles, criticized the future Hall of Fame QB near the end of the year for his play and relationship with the team. After the season, Favre quickly announced, with only a press release and phone conference, that he was stepping away from the sport yet again. At that point, all the "talking heads" and former players turned analysts stated with great confidence that "this time was the last time." However, now the door is apparently opening for #4 in Minnesota.

Right around the draft last weekend, the Jets quietly announced that Favre was released from his contract and not put on the "Reserved/Retired" list (which is the standard procedure for NFL teams when a player announces his retirement). This movie basically makes Favre available to any team that wants to negotiate with him. Not long after the release, the rumblings started about Favre possibly being interested in another return, this time in the Great White North of Minnesota. Last summer, it was heavily reported that the Vikings were in hot pursuit of Favre and that he was equally intrigued. However, it was easy to understand why Green Bay, Favre's team at the time, didn't want to trade him to one of their main divisional rivals. In fact, the Packers threatened to level "tampering" charges with the league at that point on Minnesota because of alleged phone conversations that Favre had with Vikings head coach Brad Childress. Furthermore, Green Bay placed conditions on the Jets, when they made the trade for Favre near the end of training camp, for additional compensation if Favre was traded from NY to Minnesota.You can only imagine how the Green Bay front office must now feel about this week's news.

Should the Vikings sign Favre, it would seem that everyone got what they wanted, except Green Bay. The Jets took a calculated risk by bringing Favre in last year and it didn't work out in the end. Minnesota may now get a Hall of Fame caliber signal caller to lead a team that some already believe, with a less capable QB, could be a Super Bowl contender. Favre, always characterized as one of the most competitive players in the league, will be on the team that he originally wanted to go to and be determined to prove that the 2nd half of last season was truly due to injury. The Packers? They used last year to get a season's worth of experience under Aaron Rodgers' belt and he proved he can be a very solid NFL QB. However, I think if I were Green Bay, I would be accumulating information right now for the NFL's review about this whole situation. Many pro sports leagues have the phrase "In the best interest of the sport" as part of their rulebooks to cover circumstances that come up that are not commonplace (See: Patriots, New England & Videotaping). I am not here to write that Brett Favre shouldn't sign with Minnesota if that's what both parties want and it is within the rules. However, I do have to wonder if how all of this has developed is really within the spirit of the sport and, perhaps tongue in cheek, if it means that John Madden will unretire shortly after Favre signs with the Vikings.

A Sports Confession...

2009-04-22T22:05:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Every sports fan has their favorite time of the year. Whether it be opening day of the Major League Baseball season, March Madness, the Super Bowl, or other important sporting event, each sports fan has to admit that there is a sporting event that they will not miss. What is mine, you may ask? The Stanley Cup Playoffs. Yep, that's right. Hockey. Playoff hockey. It's awesome.

I feel that every outstanding aspect of all the other major sports can be found in Stanley Cup hockey. You want upsets and "Cinderella" teams like in March Madness? Keep in mind that almost each year, a high seed loses in the first round to a team that had to scrap and claw its way just to get into the playoffs. This year, Western Conference top seed San Jose is down 2-0 to 8th seed Anaheim and those games were IN San Jose.

You want buzzer beaters to decide games like the NBA playoffs? Check out the below video from the Carolina-New Jersey game earlier this week...

http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2009/04/nhl-playoffs-now-with-buzzer-beaters.html

You want tough guys that play injured, like the Super Bowl? Most playoff hockey teams, fearing that their opponents might get an edge, won't even list the details of their players' injuries. The phrase "Lower Body Injury" on the NHL playoff injury report has come to symbolize a player that probably suffered a broken leg or torn knee ligament, but "hasn't been ruled out" for the next game. Need further proof? Read the below story on former NHL winger Brent Gilchrist and what he went through to stay in the lineup for the 1998 Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings...

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009904150371

Pain-killing shots in the groin just to keep playing? Ouch. As ESPN announcer John Buccigross says when he does hockey highlights about a player that gets knocked down and finds his way back to his feet, "That guy's tough. He's a hockey player."

Are you looking for tradition and the culture of the sport, like Major League Baseball? Stanley Cup hockey perhaps some of the best traditions in all the major sports leagues. First, many teams adopt a "no shaving" policy as players grow their "playoff beards" each year at this time. The first and only time that the members of the team shave is either when they get knocked out of the playoffs or after they lift Lord Stanley's Cup as champions. In Detroit (a city that calls itself "Hockey Town"), fans will throw an octopus (Aside: I had to write this sentence in such a way as to not have to worry about what the plural of octopus was and how it was spelled) onto the ice during a break at some point late in a playoff game. This does not happen, mind you, during the regular season. Only the playoffs. While many other sports have these sorts of acts as hooliganism (See: Giants fans, New York Football), it is actually a tradition that goes back to when the NHL, many years ago, had a playoff structure that only necessitated 8 wins for the Stanley Cup (Aside: 8 wins...Octopus....Get it?). Hockey fans not only know their sport and are passionate, they keep tradition and history alive during this time of the year.

There is also nothing like the pomp and circumstance at the end of a Stanley Cup playoff series and/or the end of the season. Unlike playoffs for other sports, where opponents fraternize and talk frequently after every game, hockey's "unwritten rule" is that the players have no contact with each other until after that series is over. Then, regardless of how physical or antagonistic the series might have been, the two teams line up near center ice and every player and coach shakes the hands of their opponent. My guess is that you don't see that at the end of every Daytona 500. Furthermore, the trophy presentation for the Stanley Cup is so much better than any other playoff. Many hockey players preserve a huge superstition that they cannot touch the Stanley Cup until their team wins it or they will be doomed to never win the championship. I haven't heard a story of a golfer indicating that he couldn't touch the green jacket because he wouldn't win it. Furthermore, when a team does win the title, every player gets to skate around the ice while holding the Cup above his head. Normally when the Lombardi trophy is awarded at the Super Bowl, the two or three most well-known players, the head coach, and owner get a chance to "accept" the award from the commissioner on a raised platform that separates them from their teammates, while gobs of confetti fall all around in a huge mess (Aside: Do a Google or Yahoo search for the video of when Indianapolis won the Super Bowl and look at how many of the players, including Peyton Manning, have wet pieces of paper all over their faces). Not so with the Stanley Cup. Beyond that, every player gets possession of the Cup for an entire day and can take it anywhere they want in the entire world. Could you imagine the NCAA allowing the players on the BCS championship team to do with the trophy what they want? Didn't think so. This is why Stanley Cup hockey is so outstanding.

It would be highly unlikely for the NHL to become nearly as popular in the United States as it is in Canada. There are many reasons for this that are well documented and this is not the place for that discussion (Perhaps I'll save that for a post at another time). However, this sports fan is more than willing to admit that, even though I am an American, I am captivated for the 4-6 weeks of the Stanley Cup playoffs each year. I would encourage all sports fans, especially those that are not hockey fans, to watch at least one Stanley Cup Game 7 playoff game this season. If you don't get hooked, then watch another one...Eventually, you will become hooked. You can thank me later.

Pull Up The Madden Cruiser One Final Time...

2009-04-16T22:13:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

An era of the NFL ended today when Hall of Fame coach and larger-than-life figure John Madden announced his retirement from broadcasting. Most well known in recent years for the most popular video game franchise of all time, the 70-plus year old Madden steps away from a game that has made him a household name amongst non-football fans and riches beyond his wildest dreams. While Madden seemed to lose a couple of miles per hour off his analyst "fastball" over the last few seasons, he still should be recognized as someone that helped revolutionize how football is broadcast on TV.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AgsMPIUTBrAf0VaG__TMFOU5nYcB?slug=ap-maddenretires&prov=ap&type=lgns

Few 21st Century NFL fans probably do not realize how successful Madden was as coach of the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s. Not only did Madden win the Super Bowl in 1977, he finished his head coaching career with the envious record of never having a losing season. Madden's accountability based, yet laid-back coaching style allowed owner Al Davis to bring in other team's talented cast-offs with little distraction. Plus, during his tenure with the emerging "Just Win, Baby" franchise, the Raiders became the most feared team in the entire league during a time when Dallas and Pittsburgh also sported legendary squads. John Madden stood toe-to-toe with Hall of Fame coaches like Tom Landry, Don Shula, and Chuck Noll, holding his own with some of the best ever in the business.

After stepping away from the sidelines after the 1978 season, Madden took what appeared to be a fairly low-profile NFL announcing job with CBS. He was paired with a young broadcaster named Bob Costas at the time. While that team didn't last long, CBS recognized that Madden was a budding TV personality and paired him with future long-time partner Pat Summerall in the early 1980s. It was an announcing team that would go down in the annals of TV sports broadcasting history and elevated Madden to "rock star" status. Madden's knowledge of the game was unquestioned, however it was his, to be kind, neighbor down the street appearance and "every man" explanation of football that exploded him into the sports broadcasting stratosphere. The "telestrator" (or ability of the analyst to write on the screen to diagram plays) is a technological feature and catch phrases like "Bam!" that became popularized during the height of Madden's career.

While Madden had terrific careers as a football coach and announcer, it has been his role as a commercial pitch-man that has clearly made him so well known in this country. From his bursting on the scene withe classic late 1970s/early 1980s Miller Lite ads (For anyone under the age of 25, go to a video website and type in "John Madden, Miller Lite"), Madden became the long-time spokesman for such various business entities as Ace Hardware, Tinactin foot spray, Outback Steakhouse, and Sirius Satellite Radio. Of course, no conversation on Madden's pop culture position would be complete with the NFL video game that carries his name. The game has become such a part of every die-hard 15 to 45 year old NFL fan that a TV reality show (called "Madden Nation") was created about the game on ESPN a couple of years ago (The premise of the show is to follow contestants around the country that participate in Madden video game tournaments). In fact, some even claim that a "jinx" exists for those players that are placed on the cover of the video game each year. Because of all this, Madden is even more well known for his off-field endeavors than what he actually did on the field of play.

In a week where we lost legendary Philadelphia Phillies and NFL Films announcer Harry Kalas, it is certainly understandable for Madden to want to enjoy his golden years with his family. While I have used this forum in the past to jostle the legend for his unconditional admiration for Brett Favre, I am the first to admit that Madden has added significantly to the profile of announcers and has more impact on how sports are broadcast than he, himself, may even realize. Here's hoping that the big man has as much fun off the air in retirement as he seemed to have on the air with all of us over the years.

The Better Angels Of Our Nature...

2009-04-05T20:46:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Normally, this space is reserved for my thoughts on the world of sports. However, everyone in the Greater Binghamton area has been jolted to their core in the last few days by the tragic mass shooting that has taken the lives of over 10 members from our community. There is no doubt that Friday's terrible event will leave scars that may never completely heal. It is in times like these when we, as sports fans, turn to our favorite diversion for relief and comfort when answers to life's most difficult questions are impossible to find. This situation is no different. As many around the country have pointed out in our nation's economic crisis, sports can be a great escape from reality's nightmares. Friday's unecessary, inexplicable, and surreal tragedy causes us to now turn to sports as a salve for our collective wounds. On behalf of everyone associated with Southern Tier Sports Network, I send out my most heartfelt condolences to the surviving victims, the families of the victims, and all that have been touched by this tragedy. The victims will not soon be forgotten and let's hope that we, as a community and as a nation, can emerge as a better society from this awful incident. As U.S. President Abraham Lincoln once said, let's hope we can completely release "the better angels of our nature." Let's also hope that next week, I can post about some, by comparison, silly and not nearly as significant controversy about the world of sports.

Mile High Drama... & Oh Yeah, That TO Guy....

2009-03-28T10:44:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

With all the controversial and absurd things that have happened in sports over the last month and the end of an exciting "winter" sports season on the website, your intrepid blogger has yet to weigh in on the long-standing feud between Denver Broncos QB Jay Cutler and new head coach Josh McDaniels and the recent move of WR Terrell Owens from Dallas to Buffalo. Even though it's the off-season, you know the NFL is still good for some juicy issues to chew on.

Let's start with the Cutler controversy. Much ado has been made in league circles since New England traded Matt Cassel to Kansas City and it was leaked that Denver "listened" to a last minute offer for Cutler. Most reports indicate that an unidentified team (many have speculated that it was Tampa Bay) contacted Denver in the hopes of swinging a three-way trade between the Patriots, Broncos, and this 3rd team where Cassel would end up in Denver (to be reunited with former offensive coordinator McDaniels), Cutler would end up with the third team, and New England would receive draft picks for dealing Cassel. None of this ever materialized, beyond the initial presentation stages, because New England more or less had the Cassel for a 2nd round pick deal with Kansas City already worked out. However, the idea that Denver would listen to an offer for Cutler has caused the former Vanderbilt QB to take action.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-broncos-cutlerrift&prov=ap&type=lgns

What is amazing about this is how Cutler and his advisors have so quickly attempted to distance himself from the franchise and their fan base. It is obvious that no player wants to think that he can be traded, but Cutler's actions and comments have continued to paint himself into a dangerous corner. My question is this: Didn't Cutler see what happened with Brett Favre and Green Bay last off-season? Favre kept pushing the issue with the Packers about wanting to return and, ultimately, forced their hand and he was traded to the Jets. While Favre's 1st half of 2008-2009 was fine, the 2nd half of the season turned into a nearly self-admitted train wreck, resulting in him retiring (again). It must be noted here that Cutler is significantly younger and healthy than Favre with many more productive seasons left in the league. Yet, the statements and actions he has been a part of since the non-trade are drawing Denver closer to a position where they may feel that they cannot bring him back, like Favre in Green Bay. With Josh McDaniels in his 1st year as head coach, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen might find himself having to throw his support fully towards his coach and this mean the end of the Jay Cutler era in the Mile High City. If he doesn't play his cards right, Jay Cutler could be the starting QB for the Detroit Lions in 2009-2010 and it was all because he thought he was "disrespected" because the team answered a phone call that they didn't even act on.

There has been no shortage of drama in the AFC East since our last NFL post either. Dallas finally said "bon voyage" to Terrell Owens and decided that his release may well be "addition by subtraction." Quick to react, Buffalo snapped up the mercurial All-Pro WR for what is believed to be a 1 year, $6.5 million contract. What is most surprising about this move is that Buffalo has long been considered a fairly conservative franchise when it comes to player moves. Few NFL insiders saw the Bills as a likely landing spot for Owens and it took less than a week for the signing to be agreed on/announced. Clearly, the Bills have made a calculated gamble by bringing in Owens, hoping that a 1 year contract will keep his attitude in check and that Owens could be the difference in Buffalo winning the competitive but not overwhelming AFC East. However, TO, always looking to establish his autonomy, has already announced that he will eschew voluntary team workouts in favor of his own pre-season training regimen.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-bills-owens&prov=ap&type=lgns

Owens was equally quick to mention that he would not miss any mandatory off-season team activities, but that he wanted to continue with his personal tradition of working out on his own. It shows that Owens has probably not learned the full lesson of his release from Dallas and that his presence in the Buffalo lockerroom could be that of a "wild card" throughout the season. Congratulations, Buffalo and welcome to Terrell Owens' world.

I had e-mail communications with an old friend and co-worker during last football season when the Plaxico Burress self-inflicted gunshot wound scandal first happened. His point was that NFL players would learn from the punishment meted out to players like Michael Vick and Burress for their indiscretions. My position was (and remains) that a good deal of NFL players (and pro athletes for that matter) live in such an isolated world that situations that occur to other athletes are far more secondary than we, outside of that bubble, understand. Part of the reason why these players have become so good is that they focus on their own games and ability. They have not been able to achieve the highest levels of their sport by spending lots of time focusing on what is going on with other players. However, on the other hand, this means that they don't know and/or consider how other players' decisions might impact their own circumstances. To a degree, this is the job of the players' agents. Yet, the agents concern is the player and protecting their spot/salary. In the end, the circle of bad advice and bad decisions continue. Let's hope that there are some athletes and agents out there watching Jay Cutler and Terrell Owens right now and see that their paths might not be the best way for others' careers in the future.

The Madness of March

2009-03-15T12:35:00.006-04:00

by Matt Brannen

While you might think this post is about the NCAA men's and/or women's basketball tournaments, it is actually about Major League Baseball's World Baseball Classic. You see, there are a lot of folks that aren't paying any attention to this event and those in America that are, well, can't be too happy right now. Why? The United States team, considered one of the strongest in the field (due to having every player on its roster currently in the Major Leagues), got pummeled last night by Puerto Rico. In fact, the game was so one-sided that the ten run rule (AKA-"The Mercy Rule" as it is often called in recreational softball) was enacted to end the game early. Yet, the pressing point is, given where Major League Baseball has been with the Peformance Enhancing Drug scandal and spiraling economy, should anyone even care?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-useloses031409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Major League Baseball and its media partners continue to promote the WBC like it is a combination of the NCAA basketball tournament ("Upsets could happen at any moment!") and the Summer Olympics (The U.S. squad as the "Dream Team of Baseball"). However, after one round of play, Panama and the Dominican Republic are the only teams eliminated that were expected to make a potentially large splash in the tournament. Unless the U.S. loses its next game, the Americans remain alive in double-elimination round 2, even with its "embarrassing" loss (Derek Jeter's words, not mine) to Puerto Rico. As to the issue of star power, many Major League baseball stars have decided to not play in this year's tournament (Manny Ramirez, Mark Teixeira, and Cole Hamels just to name a few) or were told by their teams that they couldn't play (for fear of injury or hurting their rehab from injury). Furthermore, some players have chosen which teams they would play on based family ancestry/ethnicity and not the country where they were born. A hot topic of debate and possible controversy, in what seems like a very long, long time ago, was Alex Rodriguez's decision to suit up for the D.R. team, even though Rodriguez was born in New York City and raised in Miami. Of course, Rodriguez's recent steroid admissions and, more importantly, hip surgery has kept him out of the tournament. So, the WBC hasn't been exactly what the MLB has claimed it to be. Given everything else surrounding Major League Baseball, that shouldn't be a real shock.

The idea of having a tournament to determine the best baseball playing country in the world and including Major League Baseball players sounded like a great idea a few years ago when it was first announced. Yet, as we trudge our way through WBC 2.0, it is becoming readily apparent that many involved in the process (especially coaches like the U.S.A.'s Davey Johnson) are treating the event like it is simply an extension of Spring Training. If that is going to be the case, MLB needs to step in and change the event to the end of the regular season in October/November or, even better, late February when the sports landscape is as barren as the winter-laden roads of the Northeast and Midwest. Do I have any faith that anything will be done to improve the issues that I have brought up in the post? My answer to that question is another question: Aren't the people running this event the same people that bring us the possible annual All-Star tie because not enough pitchers are available at the end of tie/extra inning games?

It's The Economy, Stupid...

2009-03-01T18:43:00.005-05:00

by Matt Brannen

As a fan of an NFL franchise that has never won the Super Bowl (you can do the research and figure it out for yourself), the onset of free agency always feels like a chance to get better and maybe, just maybe, make the big breakthrough to a Lombardi trophy. However, with the current state of America's economy, one has to wonder what some NFL owners are thinking with the amazing contracts they have doled out over the last week.

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was the undisputed "crown jewel" of this year's free agent class. The massive former Titan had a dominating season for a team that truly got more out of its talent than any other team in the league last year. Tennessee attempted to sign Haynesworth prior to him becoming a free agent, but the big man and his agent held off and snared a $100 million contract from Washington. Once again, Redskins owner Dan Snyder pulled out the proverbial credit card and attempted to turn his team into a fantasy football franchise.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=An0rxIB0u6bmCC5oZq6yyHJDubYF?slug=ap-redskins-haynesworth&prov=ap&type=lgns

What is most surprising about Haynesworth's signing is the sheer amount of money that was guaranteed. $41 million. That's right, $41 million. NFL analysts have often made fun of the NBA and MLB because those sports guarantee contracts, regardless of future injuries, and an NFL player is literally an irreversible moment from his career and paycheck disappearing forever. Yet, it seems like the NFL is heading down a very slippery slope this off-season.

While Daniel Snyder is one of the owners most responsible for dishing out large signing bonuses and contracts like breath mints, he is not alone. This year's pre-free agency signing period began with Oakland forking out $28 million guaranteed over the next 2 seasons for All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (In total, a 3 year, $45 million pact). On the same day, the Raiders resigned punter Shane Lechler to a 4 year contract for more money than has ever been paid to a punter in the history of the league (Aside: I should have paid more attention during the punt portion of the "Punt, Pass, & Kick" competitions as a kid). These were the first warning signs that things would be skewed financially this year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-raiders-asomugha&prov=ap&type=lgns

Let's be clear here...NFL owners are businesspeople, first and foremost. Many made their fortunes through shrewd investments or the bravado needed to become mega-rich. Yet, some act like the revenues of the league will never run-out. The sad part is that these contracts have been handed out while many teams are laying off employees to save money that is a small percentage of the free agent contracts being handed out everyday. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell even took a 20 percent pay cut, after the league laid off workers and slashed the budgets of certain aspects that the league supports (like legendary NFL Films). Times are, indeed, tough but do the owners really care?

I heard some comments on NFL Radio the other day that were very interesting. The discussion about Haynesworth's contract led, I believe, former NFL personnel director Pat Kirwin to say "You know, the owners sometimes need to be protected from themselves" (when it comes to spending money). If this blizzard of guaranteed money continues and the American economy doesn't rebound as fast as everyone hopes, it isn't absurd to think that the NFL could have to join many of the other major corporations that have had to be "bailed out" by the American government. It would be a massive disappointment if something like that had to happen, especially because owners couldn't hold off their free-spending ways.

Apocalypse Next...Redux

2009-02-11T21:32:00.005-05:00

by Matt Brannen

Major League Baseball has descended into a dark age that few major professional sports leagues have seen in this country during modern times. One of their top marquee stars, Alex Rodriguez, admitted this week that he did, in fact, use steroids. Jose Canseco has once again proved to be correct in his assertions on another player that used performance enhancing drugs. As I wrote on April 6, 2008 on this fair blog when the Canseco allegations first came out, Bud Selig and his key advisors now have to figure out how sports fans will be able to take their sport seriously. This conundrum, in the end, may be the long-term undoing of Major League Baseball.

http://stsn.blogspot.com/2008/04/apocalypse-next.html

I must admit that it was amazing to go back and re-read my post from last April in preparing to write this update. I would not argue here that I had any answers in the post. In fact, I find now that I ended up posing many more questions than I wrote solutions. However, the part that is interesting is that much of the current A-Rod discussion has centered on how he was MLB's top option to, as I wrote in April, "cleanse" the home run record from that dastardly Barry Bonds (As a side note, remember him?). Now, there are questions swirling on how baseball fans and the league should consider an A-Rod chase of Bonds' record.

Another of the key debates right now is whether or not the other 100 or so players that apparently tested positive for performance enhancing drugs around Rodriguez's test should also be disclosed. The argument in favor of disclosure is that every baseball player is now seen as being guilty until proven innocent. Furthermore, if Alex Rodriguez is culpable in this fiasco of epic proportions, it is feasible to think, as I mentioned in April, that more baseball "idols" could fall. Keep in mind that it was a report in Sports Illustrated that initiated Rodriguez's ESPN interview in the first place. Proponents of this name release strategy, like Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, also believe that "coming clean" could be the only way for the league to move forward. Even so, that still may not be enough.

Major League Baseball might have to "bite the bullet" and readily admit that things got away from them with this generation of players. In today's uncertain economy and ever fickle nature of sports fans, Bud Selig may be forced to step to a podium and announce in the near future that no records from this era will be recognized. Sound crazy? Baseball has done it before with the "dead ball" era. There have also been qualifications made about other records, such as when then rules about the height of pitching mounds in the 1960s gave pitchers tremendous advantages over hitters. Historical considerations have created "Old" records and "Modern" records. Major League Baseball's best course of action to show contrition and keep some morsel of credibility might be to create a "PED gap" in its records that skips the last 20 years (1990-2010?). Of course, then there is still the debate about the Hall of Fame but that can be a topic for another day...and another post.

As I suggested back in April, baseball is at a massively important cross-roads now after Alex Rodriguez's admission. How the league chooses to react or, most likely, not react will set its course for the next several years, if not the next decade. Whether Major League Baseball chooses to expose the other players that tested positive or not, the days of turning their head and pretending that there wasn't/isn't a problem has long since passed. It is time for baseball, its players, their union, fans, and everyone involved in the game to recognize and admit their responsibility in what has turned into one of the biggest sports scandals in the last 100 years. If not, people in the future will look back at the history books and talk about the "ancient" sport that so many people of this time seem to care so much about.

Tarnished Gold?

2009-02-07T22:24:00.003-05:00

by Matt Brannen

How quickly it can all turn, huh? Michael Phelps was the darling of the sports world this past summer after breaking every Olympics swimming record known to man in China. It seemed like Phelps, with an abundance of boyish charm and a seemingly pure reputation, was lined up to potentially challenge sports mega-spokesmen Tiger Woods and LeBron James until the next Olympics. However, the disclosure of one photo this past week may have changed everything and shows, once again, that we shouldn't be too quick to annoint our sports heroes as our life role models.

If you are unfamiliar with the story, Phelps was captured utilizing a marijuana pipe in a photo while visiting the University of South Carolina. This photo was released by a London tabloid this past week and created a flurry of condemnations from swimming governing bodies and the corporations that are paying Phelps very well to hawk their products. In the end, Phelps has lost several sponsors and accepted a 3-month suspension from USA Swimming.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ap-phelpssuspended&prov=ap&type=lgns

Apparently, the world's most famous swimmer may not be out of the woods with just the suspension and loss of sponsor opportunities. Authorities in South Carolina have also announced that they might look into whether or not criminal charges can be brought against Phelps. So, it has not been a great week to be this multi-Gold medal winning swimmer.

The far bigger concern for sports fans should be that this is not the first time that Phelps finds himself in a controversy regarding clouded judgment. Shortly after the Athens Olympics, Phelps was charged with drunk driving. At the time, Phelps apologized and claimed that he learned his lesson. This time around, Pehlps said that it was the mistake of a "young" man. I would certainly agree, except if it weren't for the fact that Phelps is 23 years old.

Given the changing society and people's maturity levels, it is very difficult to determine the true minimum age of adulthood these days. However, I present that 23 is as good an age for adulthood as any. I had a couple of long conversations with 18 year old college students in the fall about underage drinking and, almost to a person, they agreed that 18 was not "adult," but 21 was. If you accept this to be the case, then the 'young mistake' explanation may be well-worn out. While I was rooting for Phelps to win every gold medal last summer, I now find myself cheering for him to take full responsibility for his actions and showing young athletes throughout the world that living up to your word makes you a champion away from the field of play.

The Quiet Man

2009-01-18T11:18:00.004-05:00

by Matt Brannen

A not insignificant act occured this week in the NFL when long-time Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy announced his retirement on Monday. The first African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl, Dungy showed over his career that NFL bosses don't need to be drill sergeants in sweat pants and hooded sweatshirts. Dungy made it clear that players would be held accountable for their actions on and off the field, but did it without grandstanding or becoming a "larger than life" figure in the media. With the grace and eloquence that belied his years as the head coach for Tampa Bay and the Colts, Dungy drew to a close one of the most important tenures in NFL history.

A former defensive back with the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Giants during the late 1970s, Dungy set the trail for what would become a legendary coaching career. His later success as head coach cannot be underestimated in the importance of African-American coaches getting opportunities in the NFL. While Dungy was not the first black head coach in the league, he was the first to achieve a high level of success. Tampa Bay was clearly a laughing stock of the NFL before they hired Dungy prior to the 1996 season. However in 6 years with Tampa Bay, Dungy's teams had 4 winning seasons and came ever so close to making it to the Super Bowl (losing to St. Louis in the 1999 NFC Conference Championship Game). After the 2001 season, Dungy was let go and wound up in Indianapolis. A previously moribund franchise that had possessed offensive talent like Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Edgerrin James when he arrived, Dungy brought in his vaunted "Tampa Two" defensive philosophy as the missing piece. In a league where Super Bowl winning coaches are not retained for 1 or 2 bad seasons, it should not be missed that Dungy won at least 10 games a season each year as the Colts' head coach. His crowning achievement as head coach was Super Bowl XLI in rainy Miami, as his team bludgeoned Chicago 29-17. Now, Dungy has decided it is time for him to step aside from football and heed a higher calling.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-colts-dungy&prov=ap&type=lgns

Dungy has never hid his faith nor his emphasis on family while in the NFL. He made it clear in his retirement press conference this week that his decision to leave the Colts was based on the idea that he wanted to now solely focus on social work, particularly assisting young men that have no positive male role models in their lives. Instead of taking a cushy network studio analyst job and coming back a year or two from now for a big contract, Dungy has once again become an example of what the NFL and its coaching fraternity can be. Too often, the NFL headlinemakers are coaches getting fired and players in controversy both on/off the field. Dungy showed that the mainstream isn't the only winning way. Let's hope that the litany of Tony Dungy's former assistants that are now head coaches in the league keep alive Dungy's unique coaching philosophy and, as importantly, classy demeanor.

It's THAT Time Of The Year

2009-01-08T09:42:00.003-05:00

by Matt Brannen

Happy New Year and welcome to 2009! What does the new year immediately mean for sports? More grumbling and frustration about the NCAA induced "Frankenstein's Football Creature," the Bowl Championship Series. As we stand on the envelope of tonight's "BCS National Championship Game" between Oklahoma and Florida, Utah fans sit by and wonder if their undefeated team has even a remote shot at earning the top spot in the polls. Like every year,
the situation of an undefeated team being shut out of the National Championship brings calls for changes to a system that appears far more about making money than it does about crowning the most worthwhile champion.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-t25-bcschampionship&prov=ap&type=lgns

For those new to college football, the BCS system was developed a little over 10 years ago to address the problem of random post-season bowls that were unrelated to each other, leading to the media and coaching fraternity determining the National Champion each year, based on the regular season and bowl games. The idea was that multiple sources of information, including a complex computer ratings system and human polling, would be used throughout the regular season to set up the best possible matchups and insure a #1 vs. #2 title game. On the surface, this seemed like a vast improvement over the old system, which appeared to have no rhyme or reason and only furthered the "Old Boy Network" that permeated college football for decades. However, not long into the BCS' run, it became clear that there were weaknesses in this system as well.

The biggest issue that has come about is the fact that the BCS does not include every conference. Basically, the BCS only covers the "power" conferences (the SEC, PAC-10, Big Ten, Big East, Big Twelve, ACC, etc) and Notre Dame (representing what I like to call the "NDC" or "Notre Dame Conference"). The champions of these conferences clinch a spot in a BCS bowl game, which is then dependent on their ranking and league's bowl affiliation. So, this means that if a team, say like Utah, is in a non-BCS conference, they have to play well through the entire year to score enough BCS standings points and hope they are chosen as an "At Large" team by a BCS bowl game. However, there is no guarantee that this will happen and the BCS Bowls reserve the right to choose a BCS conference school that did not win its conference. This, my friends, leads us to this year's BCS dilemma.

Alabama, who was #1 in the BCS standings until its SEC championship game loss to Florida, was ranked #4 in the BCS and received a Sugar Bowl invite against undefeated Utah (who ranked #6 in the BCS as a non-BCS conference champion). Conventional thinking was that Alabama, seething from their loss to Florida, would crush Utah and end the Utes dream of finishing the season undefeated, also ending any concerns that the BCS/NCAA folks had in crowning their National Champion as the "true" champ. However, something strange happened on the way to ending this year's edition of the never-ending college football champion debate: Utah beat Alabama. Not only did they beat Alabama, they beat the Crimson Tide soundly (by a final score of 31-17). Thus, the debate heats up again and Utah has to hope it is voted as part of a split National Championship. Call this college football's version of "American Idol," perhaps?

Even President-Elect Barack Obama was weighed in with his opinion that the BCS system should be replaced with a more egalitarian playoff tournament structure. President-Elect Obama, after the election, reiterated his strong desire to see things played out on the field and indicated that he would use the power of his office in an effort to make this a reality. While President-Elect Obama has a few other important matters at hand (such as the economy and foreign politics), his desire to respond shows that this is definitely a hot button topic amongst sports fans at the highest levels of society. However, all of this talk is probably just a lot of hot air that is drifting into the sky without making any kind of impact. The BCS is a major money maker for the NCAA and that, it seems, is the bottom line. ESPN/ABC just purchased the broadcast rights for the BCS bowls and jaded sports media observers (such as your's truly) feel that ESPN will use its promotional might to guarantee that its investment doesn't lose its value. Another concern regarding the BCS system (and bowl games in general) is that the selection committee for each bowl weighs the importance of how many tickets they are going to sell for each team (This is often referred to as "how well a team travels") when handing out invites. It should not be forgotten that each bowl is an effort on the part of the locality where that game is played to bring in fans, who in turn spend money for food, lodging, and other tourist type endeavors in that city/region. In essence, a bowl is far less likely to invite a team (deserving or not) that has less of a chance to fill the stadium and local hotel rooms with its fans, in comparison to a far bigger school that is almost assured of selling out its ticket allotment. In the end, this whole issue comes down to straight dollars and cents economics and that is a shame.

Fox Sports Radio host Steve Czaban has long promoted the idea that bowl games are just "exhibitions" and should be called that until a legitimate National Championship playoff system can be developed. What is most disturbing to me is that the NCAA has no problem using a tournament type structure to determine its champion in all of its sub-Division 1-A football levels. In fact, instead of adapting that system to the Division 1-A ranks, the NCAA has undertook some strange and unnecessary name changes for Division 1-A and its lesser levels in distinguishing those levels from each other. To me, this is like building two separate houses and giving them elaborate names to blur the fact that the less significant house has a far better structure than the bigger house. It just doesn't make sense. Until enough fans and, most importantly, the sports media puts pressure on the NCAA to create some kind of National Championship tournament structure for college football, it seems like this debate will pop up again and again around this time of the year. Welcome to 2009...Not much different than 2008, huh?

Playoffs? You Mean We're Talkin' About Practice? Insert Your Favorite Post-Game Press Conference Quote Here...

2008-12-22T23:08:00.005-05:00

by Matt Brannen

I have used this forum during 2008 to skewer players, coaches, front office personnel, and pro and college sports league officials when I felt it was warranted. I have also used this bully pulpit to criticize the sports media too. This column is no exception. The incident at a Detroit Lions post-game NFL press conference this past weekend only further underscores that the sports media is as much to blame as players and coaches when it comes to boorish behavior. This situation also helps to redefine what is acceptable and what is unacceptable in the all too cozy and/or adversarial relationship between the sports media and those indivuals that they cover on a regular basis.

If you are unaware, the Lions are the worst team in the NFL. They are one loss away from becoming the first team in league history to finish winless in a 16 week season. Head coach Rod Marinelli has faced the Detroit media each week, loss after loss, and has become known as an interview subject that does not mind answering tough questions, often times in a very animated fashion. However, he recoiled and became very subdued yesterday after Detroit News columnist Rob Parker asked Marinelli "if he had hoped his (Marinelli's) daughter had married a better defensive coordinator" (Marinelli's daughter is married to Lions' defensive coordinator Joe Barry). A day later, Marinelli was no closer to answering the question than he was the day before. In fact, Marinelli indicated in today's press conference that he was not interested at all in accepting Parker's apology. In his defense, Parker indicated that the question was meant to come off as a joke and a line of questioning that he had pursued regularly in previous press conferences with Marinelli throughout the season. Regardless, Marinelli remains in less than a laughing manner about the whole sordid affair.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ar5ExETXWxmlHpCCUb8g_GI5nYcB?slug=ap-lions-angrymarinelli&prov=ap&type=lgns

In covering local high school and college sports, I have talked with coaches on and off-the-air for about 15 years. I know that there have been times that I asked questions or made comments that were either taken the wrong way and/or made the interview subject unhappy. So, I am not writing here as someone that has not had his uncomfortable moments, like Parker. Fortunately for me, these have normally come in one-on-one situations where I could explain myself or, after the interview, explained why I asked a question/brought up a specific topic. However, I am as concerned about why Parker asked the question he did as much as what he asked. To me, that is where the real story lies.

Here's a shocker: The mainstream commercial sports media is out for the "sexy," headline story. I mean, look at my last post about the apparently now much about nothing "Drama in Dallas"! It seems like many reporters ask questions now that are consciously directed to get a rise out of the interview subject, thus the video clip/sound bite ends up on "Sports Center" and is played endlessly on sports talk radio. So, what does the interviewer get in return? He or she gets more "face/voice time" on TV and radio, possibly selling more papers about the blow-up. Need proof? Parker wrote about the incident in his newspaper column AND apologized today to Marinelli on ESPN. How pervasive has this become in sports culture? Just look at the long-standing Coors Light TV commercial series during NFL games. Clips of former NFL coaches, from press conferences over the years, are intercut with pseudo-reporters asking them questions completely out of context to make their well-known responses seem like they are endorsing the beer. Whether it's Jim Mora's "Playoffs?," Allen Iverson's "Practice?," and Terrell Owens' tearful response in last year's playoffs, it almost seems like as many memorable moments are seared into our recent sports memory now regarding post-game pressers as they are from the actual GAMES themselves. In my view, Parker's line of questioning with Marinelli (whether he realizes it or not) was another effort to become mythologized in the new "sport" of post-game press conference blow-ups. That, if indeed the case, is truly disturbing.

As a final, unrelated note, I would like to "Thank" all of the Southern Tier Sports Network visitors during 2008. Due to the STOP DWI Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament next week, this will probably be my final post this year. However, please know that I (and eveyrone associated with STSN) greatly appreciates all of your support for the website in 2008. As we always like to say during our broadcasts at the end of a sports season, the website would not be possible without all of you. The listeners (and, in this case, readers) have truly made a dream come true and keep that dream alive. Please know that we will be back with more thoughts (whether you agree or disagree) on the world of sports in 2009. We are also very excited about a number of new projects that we are working on to improve STSN for next year as well. Thanks again and Happy Holidays to all of you from everyone at Southern Tier Sports Network!

Do You Like Me? Check Yes Or No...

2008-12-13T09:26:00.005-05:00

by Matt Brannen

Remember being in 2nd and 3rd grade, when you or your friends would pass notes in class? These notes often asked things like "Will you sit next to me at lunch?" or some other tremendously important question of 8 year old social acceptance. Well, it looks like Terrell Owens is using the media to send another of his "Do you really like me?" notes to his QB and his NFL team. As someone that has seen this happen before (and to an NFL team I root for), I hope Jerry Jones and Dallas Cowboys fans truly appreciate what damage Owens can do to their team to satisfy his own personal agenda, whatever that might be.

Owens has been a lightning rod of controversy and, at times, absurdity during the bulk of his NFL career. A 3rd-round pick out of Chattanooga in 1996, Owens proved himself to be one of the top and, at the beginning of his career, most unheralded WRs in the league. However, by the time he became a full-fledged NFL star in 2003, it was clear that Owens was not the most team-oriented player in the league. Owens did everything he could do to alienate 49ers QB Jeff Garcia in his first stop, ultimately causing the team to trade him to Philadelphia. After joining the Eagles during the 2004 off-season, Owens couldn't have been more effusive in his praise for Eagles QB Donovan McNabb. After losing in the Super Bowl but playing the game with a broken bone in his ankle/leg, Owens blasted McNabb in the press the following season about his play in the loss to New England. Things progressed so badly in Philadelphia during 2005 that head coach Andy Reid suspended Owens halfway through the season, Owens did sit ups in his own parking lot, agent Drew Rosenhaus became very familiar with the comment "Next question" as part of an absurd press conference at Owens' house, and #81 never played another game for Philly. The next (and most current) stop for Owens was Dallas. Like the move to the Eagles, Owens couldn't talk more highly about his new QB, Tony Romo. Owens went so far in his support for Romo that he actually broke down in tears during a press conference after the team's playoff loss to the Giants last year in an effort to defend Romo. However, those tears have now apparently dried and Owens would like to know if Romo will be on his kickball team at recess.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AgI.yJTNL4NXIEwNSxcnce85nYcB?slug=ap-cowboys-toturmoil&prov=ap&type=lgns

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has become the modern-day Al Davis. The long-time Raiders owner was known in the 1970s and 1980s to take other team's "problem" players and turn them into contributors to Oakland's success. This has been Jones' modus operandi the last several years (see Johnson, Tank & Jones, Adam "Pac Man"). There have been nascent rumblings from Owens over his time in Dallas, such as criticizing Bill Parcells after "The Big Tuna" left Big D, but now the Cowboys coaching staff are doing everything they can assure themselves and their fanbase that there is no significant crisis, even though players are openly going on record to indicate that there are issues within the lockerroom and with the coaching staff. While there are few WRs in the NFL with the natural talent of Terrell Owens, this "Drama in Dallas" (as ESPN News was calling it the other night) is also the kind of stuff that a team gets with #81 on their roster.

I heard a comment recently from Pat Kirwin, a long-time NFL front office executive and NFL analyst, on the radio about this "controversy." In referring to Owens, Kirwin said "Gravity has an undefeated record," meaning that Owens' age (he turned 35 earlier in the month) and natural drop off in physical skills would eventually cause him to retire at some point in the future. However, the question is: How many more franchises might he help wreck due to his own personal agenda before gravity finally wins? For Dallas fans, they have to hope it does before TO goes about ruining their franchise and/or Owens gets back his "note" from Romo with the answer "Yes, I really, really like you."

Killing The Golden Goose...

2008-12-07T09:49:00.004-05:00

by Matt Brannen

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has a big problem. The National Football League, the most popular of all pro sports leagues in America, is undergoing a crisis of criminality and threats to its players. While Goodell attempts to stave off the public relations nightmare that is Plaxico Burress' gun charge in NYC, the larger question is: Can the NFL keep its players out of the headlines for all the wrong reasons and safe? After the last few years, one truly has to wonder.

The biggest and, most recent, case of alleged NFL criminality and violence involves Burress. As most are aware, the Giants Super Bowl winning WR reportedly shot himself in the leg, with an unlicensed weapon, while at a music club less than 2 weeks ago. The NFL, swift to show that it is not keen on random acts of violence in public places (whether it be to others or not), has suspended Burress for the rest of the season. The NFL Players Association, as Burress' labor representative, is preparing an appeal to the suspension. This is not surprising, nor should it be condemned. Just as Burress has the right to defend himself in a court of law on the legal charges that he now faces, he also has the right to fight for his profession with his employer. Yet, it is what the NFL and Giants might ultimately do that is most concerning.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-burressnight&prov=ap&type=lgns

This has not been a good past couple of years for the NFL, when you consider the legal docket and harm done to NFL players. Most casual fans are fully informed about Michael Vick's dog-fighting plea deal and subsequent time in prison. More recently, Jacksonville WR Matt Jones was arrested on cocaine possession charges and faces a possible suspension from the league, along with any other punishment that most come from the criminal justice system. A series of other incidents of poor and/or possible illegal behavior involve Kansas City Chiefs RB Larry Johnson, who allegedly spit his drink in the face of a woman back in October. Lest we forget, the tribulations of one Adam "Pac Man" Jones in Dallas. Reinstated prior to the 2008 campaign from a season long suspension due to numerous run-ins with the law (including a shooting in a Las Vegas strip club), Jones was again suspended for getting into a physical altercation with his bodyguard in a hotel.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3667069

What do these NFL players, other than Vick, have in common (other than what is mentioned above)? THEY ARE ALL CURRENTLY ACTIVE AND PLAYING IN THE LEAGUE. Johnson and "Pac Man" Jones were suspended for some games during the middle part of the season, but both have since been reinstated and are with their respective teams. Matt Jones is currently appealing his league issued suspension and has yet to miss any time for his case, even though there are only 3 games left in the regular season. So, what is the message the NFL is really sending to its players? There were stories last week that the Giants, even though they have reportedly fined Burress for team related infractions numerous times this year, could potentially bring him back to their roster next season. Reports have also circulated recently that Michael Vick's NFL imposed suspension may possibly be lessened if he is released from prison earlier than expected. In the end, all of these players could again be in the league, at the same time, within the next 2 years.

The greatest NFL-related tragedies over the last couple of seasons are the shooting deaths of Denver Broncos CB Darrent Williams on New Year's Day 2006 and Sean Taylor, a safety with the Washington Redskins, last season. Williams and Taylor don't belong on this list because they weren't accused of any crimes when it comes to the incidents that caused their tragedies. However, their deaths should not be taken in vein by the NFL or its players. I heard an interview recently with head coach Herman Edwards of the Kansas City Chiefs. When asked about the Burress situation and what he would tell his team about players carrying guns, Edwards (a former player in the 1970s and 1980s himself) said that players have to understand that their cars and jewelry can be replaced. According to Edwards, their lives, however, cannot. While attempting to "close the barn door after it has been opened," so to speak, the NFL has done almost nothing to impress upon its players that potentially criminal acts will not be tolerated, not just to save the image of the league but to also protect the players themselves.

Value in Sports

2008-11-25T22:22:00.004-05:00

By Dan Cassavaugh

M.V.P.

The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player has been awarded for nearly 97 years.

But what is it that makes a player "Valuable."

At the beginning of the award, the MVP was the best player in the league. That is still the case.

At the beginning of the award, owners had control of the players because there wasn't free agency as we currently know it. This made the MVP recipient truly valuable in the most literal definition. The player was valuable because he wasn't crippling a franchise with insane contracts. He wasn't paid more than some team's payrolls (i.e, Alex Rodriguez to the Rays).

So assessing the most valuable player in the golden era of baseball was simple. The best player, by numbers, was the MVP. And it usually came from a World Series winner or World Series participant.

Numbers are still the determining factor of the MVP. But it's the contract numbers that are not considered when voting for the Most "Valuable" Player.

Albert Pujols -- The 2008 National League MVP -- earns around $14 million per year. He does this on a team that routinely finishes around .500 each season, including its World Series championship season in 2006.

So how valuable is Pujols? His contract, in a small-market organization, cripples the Cardinals chance at attracting other high-powered players like Rodriguez.

The money these "MVPs" demand inevitably hurts the franchise in the long run. Sure, it's fine for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, etc. But the unequal distribution of money makes a highly talented player in a small markets detrimental to the organization because the franchise can't afford to pay him and other players to keep the team playing at a high level.

A small-market team needs to trade minor-league players away, raise ticket prices and empty their bank accounts just to keep their "MVP" around. It's great for the short term, but if that player doesn't win a championship -- or in Pujols' case not take it to the playoffs -- how much value does he have?

None. He is, instead, a financial cancer.

The Mickey Mantles, Ty Cobbs and Babe Ruths got paid slightly better than the rest of the league, but because free agency didn't exist, their contracts were still under control, making their play that much more valuable.

If an owner truly "owns" a player, as-in pre-1976, then he is very valuable because teams could build around him. He was the anchor of a franchise and didn't financially cripple that team, allowing an organization to develop players in the minors and not be forced to trade future talent away for current talent.

The exploding contracts takes the true value of a players accomplishments on the field away. It makes them the freak on a team of average players instead of the best player on a team years in the making and a solid franchise that is able to build around him without fear of collapse.

Valuable does not describe the best players in MLB. Most Costly Player is a better title.

He may have the best numbers on the field, but at what price?

The American League's Most Valuable Player should have been Evan Longoria. His contract, which is less than $5 million per year for the next nine season, hardly keeps the Rays from building around him. His numbers were among the best in the league and he led a young team to its first playoff berth and first World Series appearance. All that at almost no cost to the franchise, making the Rays a very dangerous team for the next decade.

Tampa Bay is running its baseball franchise how the great dynasties of the past were run: long contracts at minimal COST, getting the most value out of on-field numbers.

The World Champions...Of November

2008-11-13T22:16:00.005-05:00

by Matt Brannen

Major League Baseball's season ended not long ago with the Philadelphia Phillies celebrating a World Series title (By the way, congratulations Andrew). As soon as the final out was recorded, most baseball fans turned their attention to the upcoming free agency period. No team and its fans have zeroed in on free agency like the New York Yankees. After not winning the AL East division and making the playoffs in a generation, the Bronx Bombers are ready to break the bank (again) to restore its place as a pre-imminent baseball franchise. However, my question is: What ever happened to baseball's luxury tax and efforts to keep teams outspending smaller revenue teams? It seems like those ideas somehow got lost along the way.

Rumors began swirling well before the end of this past season that the Yankees were going to pursue just about every big ticket free agent during the off-season. Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, C.C. Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett are just some of the players that the Yankees are allegedly interested in signing. The fascinating part about each of these players is that they are going to command huge contracts and that hasn't seemed to phase NY or its fans. Both Teixeira and Sabathia have reportedly turned down over $100 million offers from teams that they were on and conventional thinking is that ManRam will cost in the $50-60 million range for 3 seasons. So, do you think that the Kansas City Royals has any chance of signing 1 of these guys, nonetheless all of them? The Pittsburgh Pirates? How's Bud Selig's revenue sharing plan working now? As "Bill Lumberg" once said, "Yeah....about that...."

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/Jeter-talks-to-Sabathia-about-coming-to-New-York?urn=mlb,120633

Several years ago, when Major League Baseball unveiled its luxury tax and revenue sharing plan, the idea was that the smaller revenue teams could use the money that the larger revenue teams (like the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, Angels, etc) spent pilfering the smaller revenue teams' best players in free agency or via trade. However, this hasn't seemed to be the case across the board. Granted, this hasn't kept the big budget teams from spending lavishly every year but it also hasn't resulted in most of the small revenue teams in using their money on locking up its own talent and/or recruiting attractive free agents. In the end, teams like the Yankees and Pirates are both to blame on what has happened.

Seemingly, the Yankees have no concern for the luxury tax and may easily approach a $200-250 million payroll in 2009. On the other hand, Pittsburgh may be lucky to push over $50 million in payroll. In the end, it's simple business: The Yankees spend their money on personnel and small revenue teams like Pittsburgh spend it somewhere else (hopefully on scouting and their minor league programs). Of course, after 2008, the prototypical small revenue franchise has become the Tampa Bay Rays. The laughingstock of Major League Baseball since its inception, Tampa continued to build one player after another each season until they shocked the baseball world and got to the World Series this year. The Rays' success this year gives Royals, Pirates, and Florida Marlins fans hope that they will be next to emerge. Yet, for most, that is going to be the same kind of fools gold that the Yankees will be paying out to "insure" a championship team next year. While a team can't win a championship in November, a team could lose one if they can't keep their players.

The Worldwide Leader In Hypocrisy?

2008-10-26T09:11:00.009-04:00

by Matt Brannen

It wasn't a good week to be in the public relations office at ESPN. First, former Notre Dame coach and now ESPN college football analyst Lou Holtz decided to make a very unfortunate historical reference and, then, ESPN's news department decided it wasn't going to report a story that seemed to be gaining more and more traction amongst its competitors. In the end, this week's developments further scuffed the luster eminating from ESPN's quasi-monopolistic grip on sports broadcasting.

Let's begin our post-mordem on the "ESPN Week That Was" with Lou Holtz. Apparently, during a late Saturday night college football studio show, Holtz was commenting on the struggles of new Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez. Attempting to make a point about "good leadership," Holtz made reference and a tenous comparison to the leadership ability of Adolf Hitler. Now, while this was unfortunate, unnecessary, and ill-advised on Holtz's part, it is the aftermath of the comments that is even as concerning to some.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20081019/ca_pr_on_fo/ftbl_ncaa_holtz_apology_3

Within a day or so of making the Hitler reference, Holtz apologized on camera. ESPN announced that no further disciplinary action would be taken against the former National Championship winning coach. Now, here's where ESPN is being criticized. This is not Holtz's first "infraction," nor is it the first incident THIS MONTH. The previous week, Holtz (seemingly fired up during a debate segment with fellow analyst Mark May about Texas quarterback Colt McCoy) used an obscenity on air (granted, while he thought his microphone was not active). Regardless, the obscenity was broadcast. Furthermore, ESPN had previously suspended columnist Jemele Hill for utilizing a Hitler reference in a column that she wrote not long ago. So, many media critics have been asking: Why was Hill suspended and not Holtz? A good question, indeed.

Not long after the Holtz controversy bubbled over, ESPN found itself in another sticky situation this past week. Last weekend, FOX NFL reporter Jay Glazer broke the story that New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre called then Detroit General Manager Matt Millen prior to Green Bay's game earlier this season with the Lions. Glazer stated that Favre gave Millen some thoughts about a few Packers offensive game tendencies during the phone conversation, ostensibly for the purpose of helping the Lions beat Favre's old team. While, if true, this seems a little petty on Favre's behalf, the key is how ESPN chose to handle or, in this case, not handle the story.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.frager24oct24,0,2782638.column?track=rss

In reaction to Glazer's scoop, ESPN initially refused to acknowledge that the story existed and, when they did comment on it, refuted its veracity. However, when Glazer stuck to his report and other Internet sources seemed to back him up, Favre felt pressured to comment on it during a mid-week press session. It was only at the point when Favre admitted to talking with Millen (though he denied giving him any specific information about the Packers prior to the game) that ESPN felt compelled to address the story on air. Almost immediately, many of the same critics that were slamming ESPN for the Holtz mess were back at it, this time claiming that ESPN was catering to everyone's favorite #4.

Now, I don't want this column to come off as reading like I am completely bashing ESPN. Believe me, I have some experience with running a sports media organization (albeit, a very, very small one) and the situations that can develop from both saying something potentially offensive to covering/not covering a relevant story. However, the questions are really: Is ESPN really a sports reporting organization any longer? With all of the cross-promotion and mass commercialism that it is involved in (from cell phones, to sports toys, to theme restaurants and more), should it now be considered a sports MARKETING company? Is ESPN more about sports PERSONALITIES and less about sports reporting? My opinion is that ESPN should go the route of MTV and simply admit that it is no longer what it started out as. When MTV first came on the scene in the early 1980s (not long after ESPN's launch), it revolutionized music (just as ESPN helped revolutionize sports broadcasting). However, if you have watched MTV over the last 10 years or so, it becomes readily apparent that the network's biggest consideration is promoting itself and its bevvy of commercial endeavors. So, MTV created different channels for individuals that only wanted to watch music videos. This is what ESPN should do. If people want to watch a Tiger Woods feature nearly everyday on "Sports Center," they watch ESPN but know that if they turn on another ESPN network channel, they are not going to get the crass pandering that seems to permeate most of ESPN's non-game broadcasts. I guess that I am suggesting that ESPN separate the wheat from the chaff. I still watch live sporting events on ESPN. However, I avoid any non-game ESPN show like the plague because it simply seems like a way for the network to promote itself and its agenda (whether that be Brett Favre, Lou Holtz, Dick Vitale, Reggie Bush, or LeBron James amongst others). After this past week, it's clear that it is time ESPN comes to grip with who it is and, most importantly, admits that identity to its viewers.

A Magical Absurdity...

2008-10-12T09:19:00.003-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The saying is that "sports is a microcosm of society." What this means is that whatever society believes or stresses as important at the time can be found somewhere in sports. Sometimes, this can be a harbinger of more positive things to come, like Jackie Robinson breaking the modern "color barrier" in Major League Baseball as a preview of the 1950s and 1960s American Civil Rights Movement. As I reflect back on posting here for several months now, this theme of sports and society seems to keep recurring in the columns that I have posted on this blog. Unfortunately, often times, some incidents show how far sports and society still has to go. Another ugly case this past week, involving basketball legend Magic Johnson, has shown this to be all too true.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson was one of the greatest basketball players I ever have had a chance to observe. I have never seen a player that was more natural on the basketball court than Magic Johnson. He not only help to revolutionize the game, as a big man (6'9) that could handle and pass the basketball like a man a foot shorter, but he was also one of the important "Founding Fathers" that helped popularize basketball into the global sports marketing machine that it has become. I, like everyone else, was shocked to learn in 1991 that Johnson, at age 32 and seemingly in the prime of his career, was diagnosed with HIV (the virus that can lead to AIDS). There is no question that Magic was (and remains) the most significant American athlete to be diagnosed with HIV. It seems like a far distant memory now when Magic made a triumphant "comeback" for the 1992 NBA All-Star game (he attempted another during the season in 1996 as well). It should be noted that several of the players in that game voiced public concerns about potentially being exposed to the HIV virus if Johnson played in the one-off game. In a sense, that atmosphere of fear and ignorance from 1992 has led us to this past week.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081011/ap_on_sp_bk_ne/magic_johnson_9

Two Minnesota radio hosts are being criticized for reportedly saying and/or agreeing on air during their radio program recently that Magic Johnson "faked" AIDS for "sympathy." This topic allegedly came from a line of discussion about health care and how treatment of serious diseases has improved given advances in medications. Given the current economic climate and the medical needs of Americans, the discussion about health care and medical treatment seems very timely (regardless of a person's political views). However, I cannot see how suggesting that Magic Johnson "faked" AIDS adds to this discourse in any way. First, the radio hosts' comments (if they were made as reported in the context that they are alleged) are simply illogical. Why would a multimillionaire NBA star, in the prime of his career as mentioned above, decide that he is going to claim that he has a virus that could ultimately end in his death if he doesn't actually have that virus? In a financial sense, this is like someone that wants sympathy for their financial situation, so they file for bankruptcy and sell off all their possessions, even though they don't need to. Second, the implication of the comments seem to be that because Magic Johnson hasn't died yet, that he somehow can't actually have HIV. This is another major concern because it pulls away the membrane of how some folks think. The first factor that has to be considered here is that Magic Johnson was a world class athlete. A regular comment heard during most broadcasted sporting events is how fast a particular athlete heals from injuries. Much of this is not only associated to the athlete's extremely fine tuned physical condition, but also to the medical access they have available to them (which most ordinary people will never see). Furthermore, Magic Johnson has had resources available to him (as a multimillionaire and internationally known basketball star) that few others with HIV can/could call upon. Undoubtedly, Magic probably has met with the finest doctors in the country and had access to the best medications to treat his condition. However, because a prevailing social notion is that "people with HIV/AIDS die right away," he must somehow be "faking" it. This is not only scary, but it is a very dangerous assertion if left unchallenged.

As mentioned in past columns, the world of sports tells us much about the world around us. This can be good and, unfortunately, it can also be bad. Magic Johnson was forthcoming in 1991, after his HIV diagnosis became public, that his previous lifestyle of unprotected sex with many female partners was probably what caused him to contract the virus. Since then, Johnson has worked to educate people around the world about not only how to treat HIV, but also how to avoid contracting the potentially deadly virus in the first place. While people certainly have the right to judge his lifestyle choice prior to his diagnosis, any claims that Magic "faked AIDS" for "sympathy" is hurtful not only to Johnson, but anyone else that has contracted HIV. Like Arthur Ashe and countless others before him, Magic Johnson is showing that you can make a positive difference for people in society. Let's hope that the two radio hosts in Minnesota decide to follow Johnson's lead and dedicate themselves to positive social causes as well. If so, maybe something good can come out of this after all.

The Price Of Fame...

2008-10-04T23:41:00.003-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Unless there is a major turn in the case, Orenthal James Simpson is going to prison. Those are words that most people expected to hear when the NFL Hall of Famer was on trial for the murder of his wife and a her friend almost 15 years ago in Los Angeles. However, Simpson's "Legal Dream Team" achieved an acquittal in what was then called "The Trial of the Century." Now, 13 years later, Simpson has been found guilty by a jury of his peers in Las Vegas on numerous major counts stemming from an incident with memorabilia dealers in a hotel. The severity of the guilty verdicts could cause the former Monday Night Football announcer, rental car pitchman and "Naked Gun" movie star to spend the rest of his life in the custody of the Nevada Board of Corrections.

I was in college when the Simpson murder trial was front page news. In fact, I was in the middle of a "Beginner's Tennis" class when someone rushed onto the court area and proclaimed to everyone "They found him not guilty!" In one of the most surreal moments that I can remember, everyone just seemed to stand around for a second, not sure what to do or say. Then, a guy about two courts over simply served the ball to his opponent and the rest of us seemed to snap back into our games as well, seemingly oblivious to what we had been told. I guess we weren't sure if we were glad that O.J. wasn't being railroaded by the system or upset that an alleged murderer was walking free. After class, a quick poll of my classmates developed about a 50-50 split on those two ideas. I wasn't sure what to think then and I'm not sure what I believe about that case now.

Nearly 15 years later, those of us old enough to remember the original trial have stood by with distant interest in what was taking place in a Las Vegas courtroom. Simpson and several co-defendants were arrested by Vegas police for reportedly holding 2 memorabilia dealers against their will and using weapons to do so. O.J.'s lawyers have maintained that the case is all a big misunderstanding. The legal eagles have claimed that Simpson wasn't trying to hold people against their will, but was hoping to get back memorabilia that rightfully belonged to him. The authorities didn't see it that way and arrested him. Legal due process brought this to trial and now a jury of 12 men and women have spoken. O.J. Simpson is no longer a free man.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27022386/?GT1=43001

Some will believe that the jury is wrongfully punishing O.J. now for a crime that many feel went unpunished (even though Simpson was found negligent in a civil case brought forward by the victims' families after the criminal trial). Others will believe that O.J. is finally getting what he "deserves," after almost 15 years as a free man for heinous crimes that they are convinced he is responsible for. Unless he can somehow engineer another legal miracle, it appears that Simpson will spend a large portion of his future in prison. For me, I look at this case as another in the long line of Hall of Fame athletes that had far less success in their post-sports lives. When you consider the broken lives, families, and hearts that surround this former football hero, that is the true tragedy.

Just Whine, Baby...

2008-09-30T18:15:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

In what can only be described as one of most surreal press conferences in the history of American pro sports, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis fired head coach Lane Kiffin today. It certainly wasn't a surprise that Kiffin was fired (this had been rumored in the sports press for weeks, if not months), but it was the naked candor that the octogenerian Davis showed in outlining why he fired his young head coach that was so stunning. As importantly, the press conference showed how far Oakland has fallen as an organization, after being the franchise that most others attempted to emulate for the better part of three decades.

This column is not about whether or not the long-time Oakland owner is telling the truth (because we don't know exactly what happened and Kiffin is expected to speak publicly about the firing in the next few days), but the purpose here is to talk about how open and pointed Davis was in his comments about the team's coaching situation. 99% of the time, a pro sports owner or general manager will give the patented "front office talk" about how a change needed to be made, how all the players couldn't be let go, and that the team had run its course with its previous coach. This is not Al Davis' style and it showed in the press conference. Al read a "warning" letter that he claimed that he gave to Kiffin, deliberately outlining all of the things that Kiffin had done to supposedly jeopardize his job. Among other statements, Davis went on to call ESPN's Chris Mortensen a "professional liar" and that Kiffin had lied to the press about some of his interactions with Davis. He also claimed, at one point, that Kiffin wanted out of his Raiders' contract so he could become a head coach at the Division 1 college level. So, why did Davis do this? Other than the fact that his football team isn't very good, it's pretty simple. Money.

Davis has long been rumored around the NFL circles as an owner that has little interest in paying severance wages to fired coaches. The urban NFL legend is that Davis still has not paid Mike Shanahan the balance of his contract for when Shanahan was fired as Raiders coach in 1989, almost 20 years ago. Davis made several references in his press conference tonight that Kiffin was fired "for cause" (not on-field performance) and also briefly mentioned that Kiffin's first question to him, when Davis told him of the firing today, was about whether or not he would be paid the rest of his contract. It should be noted that Davis did not relay to the media what his answer was, but I think a person with a decent education could figure out what Al told him. This is why many that cover the NFL have reported in the past that either former Raider players/loyalists, guys looking for another shot at a head coaching spot, or unproven new coaches are the ones that seem to most actively pursue the head coaching job. Lane Kiffin definitely fell into the former category and now he finds himself along with Art Shell, Norv Turner, and Bill Callahan since the 2002-2003 season.

I remember, as a youngster first growing to love football in the late 1970s and early 1980s, that the Raiders were the team and organization to fear. My favorite team lost to Oakland in the Super Bowl and I remember being awed by how they looked on the field compared to my heroes. Their stars were the players that nobody else wanted. The guys that either "couldn't play anymore" or had personal baggage. However, when they went to Oakland, they somehow found a 2nd life to their careers. This was also the franchise that everyone was scared to take on both on and off the field. To underscore this, Davis even won several court battles with the NFL to move and then relocate his team during the 1980s. However, the glory days of John Madden, Tom Flores, and (more recently) Jon Gruden seem like a distant memory today. Instead of being the franchise that everyone feared, the Raiders have apparently become the Los Angeles Clippers of the NFL. Whether this is because of Al Davis, Lane Kiffin, the players, or a combination of all the above is for NFL fans to decide. What is most significant is that the front office and coaching staff of this team seemed far more interested in how they were going to execute their respective "exit strategies" on each other than how they were going to win football games.

The Fall of the Empire Is Nigh?

2008-09-13T20:01:00.006-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The collective professional football world flinched on Monday when it was announced by the New England Patriots that 2007 NFL MVP Tom Brady had two torn knee ligaments and would miss the rest of the 2008 season. As one can imagine, this was the worst possible news that Patriots fans and the organization could have received. Most importantly, one has to wonder if this injury is another step towards the end of New England's dynasty of the last decade.

There are three big harbingers, not including the Brady injury, that point out that the end may, in fact, be near. First, this is a New England organization that was stripped of its first round pick in this year's draft by the league because of the "Spy Gate" videotaping scandal. During the off-season, some pundits were already openly wondering if New England's tremendous accomplishments over the last 10 years were now tainted. Very few NFL analysts, in large part because of "Spy Gate," now call Bill Bellicheck a "genius" as an NFL coach. Before the scandal became public, I would have loved to have $1 for every time it was mentioned during an NFL TV broadcast.

Second, this is a New England team that could not finish the deal last year with a healthy Tom Brady. Of course, the Patriots made the Super Bowl with an undefeated record and it took a bit of serendipity for the New York Giants to win the game. Yet, it has to be noted that New England achieved the status as the greatest 2nd place team in the history of the NFL. As great as New England was last year, they DIDN'T win the championship. How are they going to do that WITHOUT Tom Brady? A good question, indeed.

Third, the Patriots' defense is old and, by old, I mean ancient. Stalwarts like Richard Seymour, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, and Rodney Harrison were around attacking blocking dummies when people were referring to Samuel Adams regarding revolution, not adult beverages. At some point that happens pretty quickly, "experience" is no longer positive and negatively becomes "age." Without the fear of Tom Brady slinging the ball around the field each week, teams will look to punish the Patriots defense and outscore a less than complete offense.

So, what does this all mean? The signs are that the Patriots are doomed. Then again, many of these same comments were being made when Marvin Jones of the Jets (remember him?) crushed Drew Bledsoe, knocking him out and an unknown named Tom Brady became football's Lou Gehrig to Bledsoe's Wally Pip. Will Matt Cassel be the next Brady and force the Stetson cologne spokesman to another team? That's not likely. However, this team is still very talented and shouldn't be underestimated. Undoubtedly, New England will run the ball more often with Lawrence Maroney and probably rely less on the passing game. It should also be considered here that Bill Bellicheck is one of the best coaches in the league in convincing his team that it is "Us vs. The World," especially when that isn't the case. Well, now, they truly are the underdogs. They won't have to pretend this time around. This will be a team motivated to show that they are not a one man team. Will New England go 19-0 and win the Super Bowl in 2008? That's unlikely because it didn't happen with Tom Brady. However, anyone that writes that the Patriots are done may very well have to swallow their words at the end of the season.

Remember When...Kids Were Just Kids?

2008-09-01T17:42:00.003-04:00

by Matt Brannen

You probably saw this story already (it was being termed an "Internet sensation" a couple of weeks ago), but I've taken a little time to let my thoughts ruminate on the topic and posted on other subjects first. Anyways...apparently, Jericho Scott of New Haven, Connecticut is the best pitcher in his league. Apparently, Jericho Scott throws gas. Apparently, Jericho Scott is so good that his league has told his team that he can't pitch anymore. Apparently, when his team moved to put him on the mound after the league's above decision, Jericho's opponent refused to play and forefited the game. Apparently, the league, in turn, disbanded Jericho's team for refusing to abide by their decision. Apparently, Jericho Scott is NINE YEARS OLD and in LITTLE LEAGUE.

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=427697&Category=16&subCategoryID=

In a story that makes one think of Syd Finch (Do a Google search if you are under the age of 30 and don't remember George Plimpton's last great sports hoax), Scott is a 9 year old Little Leaguer that reportedly throws the ball 40 miles per hour. To catch everyone up to speed...Several parents on opposing teams became overwhelmingly concerned that Scott might hit their children while they were up to bat, possibly injuring them. When they were told that Scott hadn't hit any batters as a pitcher, many of the same parents then argued that Scott's advanced skills might scare their children from wanting to play because he is so good. It appears that enough parents got concerned by Scott's ability that they pushed the Little League that Scott is a member of to make a decision about his eligibility as a pitcher. It is the league's decision and the chaos it has created since where this story really goes sideways.

Now, the issue at hand seems to be the purpose of the league. Scott's family and team claim that he has turned down opportunities to play at higher levels of competition (potentially against kids of older age groups) because he wants to be successful and with his friends. The league's attorney (Aside: I was surprised to find that a Little League even had attorneys) claims that the purpose of that specific league is for developmental players, which Scott (as a pitcher) does not fit. However, he does fit that description at all other positions. Then, of course, there is the "small town" factor to keep in mind. Scott's family and team claim that the decision to bar him as a pitcher is rooted in the fact that the boy turned down a chance to play for the league's defending champion (sponsored by a leaue administrator's employer), while Scott's team was undefeated and almost assured of a playoff spot. In an effort to be fair, the league has also pointed out that Scott was given multiple chances to be "promoted" to a more competitive league and the league's attorney accused Scott's mother of very poor behavior in reaction to their decision.

What does this all mean? Most of us played youth sports when we were children. Personally, I remember most of my times as a Little Leaguer with great fondness. During the early/middle 1980s, I played the first two years of my Little League "career" in a town where one of the fields actually had lights installed (the year after my family moved away), so kids could play games at night. It was a very competitive league with many players and teams. I was lucky enough, during my "rookie" year, to be the starting second baseman on a very good team that made the playoffs. Many of our older players "graduated" to more competitive leagues and our team wasn't as strong during my 2nd year. Then, just before I turned 12, my family moved to a very rural area where the Little League "stadium" was basically a dirt and grass field in the middle of a meadow that doubled as the location for the town's Fireman Field Days. In fact, the Little League was so behind the times that none of the teams had a catcher's glove (My father found one left behind at the boy's camp where he worked that summer and we donated it to the league). It became pretty clear that I would be one of the better players in the league that year and, somehow, my team had all the best players. We ran roughshod on the entire league, not losing a game and barely giving up a run. I remember striking out one 8 year old kid, even though I threw the ball to him underhand. My favorite/worst memory (which is related to the story and not just further nostaglic ramblings) from that season was of, when I was on the mound, a female runner on 2nd base. She took a short lead. I stepped off the pitching rubber and realized that I could pick her off 2nd, if I threw to the bag and the 2nd baseman covered. So, I wheeled and threw towards 2nd on the "daylight" play. The girl immediately returned to the base, but the 2nd baseman stood frozen like he was on Omaha Beach at D-Day and was ordered to hold his ground at all costs. My pickoff throw, which was high, hit the girl right dead center in her batting helmet. Fortunately, after spending a minute on the ground to catch her breath and realize she was okay, she continued and was uninjured. As I went to get back on the mound and focus on retiring the hitter, I could hear murmings within the crowd of about 20 people in the stands. I could clearly hear many of the parents criticizing me for "playing the game like it's the World Series."

So, who's at fault? One thing we know for sure...Just like it wasn't the girl's fault that I hit her in the head, it is not these Little League kids fault at all. No one wants to lose and no one should be told that they can't play because they are "too good." To a certain degree, I can see the argument of both sides (Scott's mother and the League). However, what concerns me is the idea that the best team in the league would have had this kid on their team if he had taken their invitation (if that part of the story is, indeed, true). As someone that grew up as an athlete in a couple of small communities, this story seems to smack of what is wrong with youth sports in America: It is not a matter of how good you are, but who you are playing for. The majority of adults and parents of youth athletes are great. It is the very small percentage that seemingly ruin it for those that do things the right way. Instead of trying to work through the problem as adults, the league simply disbanded the team and reallocated the players onto other teams, while parents were equally angered. For the sake of these kids as athletes, I hope they all get a chance to play and be successful (to whatever degree they earn) on their original teams. I also hope that Jericho Scott gets a chance to pitch as much as he wants (whether it be in that league or a more competitive one). In the end, all kids should be able to look back at their youth sports experiences with positive memories and laughs, much like I have done here. If not, we (as a sports community in this country) are depriving kids of an inalienable right of childhood. It's these kinds of stories that make me wonder less and less why so many kids would rather play video games today.

So, You Can Play Golf...But, As Importantly, Can You Speak English Too?

2008-08-27T18:54:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

In a move that has outraged many foreign born professional women golfers and sports writers alike, the LPGA has announced that they will require all players be able to speak English, starting in 2009. No, you don't have to wonder if this is a bogus story from "The Onion" or a sketch from "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." This is a legitimate story. If you don't believe me, click on the link below and read the story from the ASSOCIATED PRESS (one of the most well-respected news outlets in the world):

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-lpga-english&prov=ap&type=lgns

I will be the first to admit that I don't follow pro golf very much, other than to know the names of some of the top players on the men's and women's tours. Yet, to me, this new rule clearly smacks of discrimination. The LPGA claims that they are instituting this rule for the "professional development" of foreign born players on the tour. However, nothing appears to mention that American born players will have to learn another language for their "professional development." As mentioned in the above article, the LPGA has seen a large number of Asian born players become the most successful on the tour, while the number of American born top flight players is not at an all-time high. So, how might an organization address this: create a situation where the foreign born players have a non-athletic hurdle that they have to overcome.

It states in the above article that current women golfers will have to pass an English speaking exam if they are to stay on the tour in 2009 (new players will have to pass the exam now if they want to get on the tour). Could you imagine this rule for professional baseball or hockey players (sports where a significant portion of the player pool comes from non-English speaking countries)? What would the competition be like in Major League Baseball if players couldn't come from Spanish speaking countries, Japan, or Korea? What would the NHL be like if European born players (from hockey strongholds like Russia, Czechslovakia, Sweden, Norway, and Finland) were no longer allowed (that is, unless they passed an English speaking test first)? In fact, last year's Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings had as many European born players on their roster this past season as they did North American (U.S. & Canada) players. The LPGA has got this wrong and in a big way.

It will be interesting to see if any foreign born women golfers choose to take on the LPGA's intended new rule with a legal challenge. Unless the LPGA has some kind of anti-trust status or other legal protection that I don't know about, I can't imagine that this new rule could or would stand up in a court of law (Then again, I am no lawyer and the system still does baffle me from time to time).

In my view, golf is one of the most backwards of the major sporting events in the world. Almost a decade ago, the PGA tour nearly went to war with Casey Martin over whether or not he could use a cart on the tour. Martin was good enough to play on the tour, but he was disabled and it was impossible for him to play an entire round by walking from hole-to-hole. In the end, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the PGA tour could not deny Martin's use of a cart.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/golf/news/2001/05/29/martin_decision_ap/

The litany of golf's missteps becomes even more of a slippery slope when one adds all of the quasi-racist things that have been said about Tiger Woods in the past by various golf parties. Finally, the hulabaloo over Annika Sorenstam (and, later, Michelle Wie) about playing on the men's tour seemed a little chauvenistic. Now, as Roy S. Johnson mentions in his below column, golf seems to be flying the flag of jingoistic behavior.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/post/LPGA-s-English-only-edict-Dumbest-rule-ever;_ylt=AvG96ru0H6e6usKN.iWgak0ogsUF?urn=top,103680

As I have mentioned in previous columns, the great thing about sports is that people can be successful regardless of their backgrounds. With this new rule, it seems like the LPGA is far more worried about who can give an International Toastmaster's speech compared to who shoots the lowest round. While many might argue that the Western meritocratic society has faded into sundown, sports has remained a beacon of hope for those that believe a person's ability should be determined not by who they are or where they are from, but what they can do. Should this new rule go into effect, the LPGA will have shot a triple bogey.

The REAL Redeem Team

2008-08-24T09:50:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The U.S. Olympic men's basketball team went by the moniker "The Redeem Team" because they were attempting to exorcise the demons of their poor performance in 2004. While the NBA star filled team cruised to their expected gold medal, they ended up not being the team that redeemed itself most in this Olympiad. No, that honor resides with the U.S. Oympic women's soccer team and goalkeeper Hope Solo.

If you're unfamiliar with the story, the U.S. women's soccer team has been rife with controversy and dissension since then head coach Greg Ryan chose to replace Solo, his team's most successful starting goaltender, with longtime team member Brianna Scurry in last year's World Cup semifinal against Brazil. At the time, Ryan used Scurry's strong performances against powerhouse Brazil as his justification for the change. However, the move did not pay off as the U.S. lost and Solo showed her displeasure at the move by harshly criticizing her coach's decision (and her teammate Scurry) in the press.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=txsoloftr&prov=st&type=lgns

It is in the aftermath of that game when this story truly takes off. Many anecdotes have come out since that a large number of Solo's teammates reportedly refused to acknowledge her being on the team and would deliberately ignore her. In fact, the treatment got so intense that other team members were allegedly encouraged by a faction of team leaders to not associate with Solo. In essence, Solo had become persona non grata on her own team and one, as the old Three Dog Night song goes, is the loneliest number.

However, prior to this Olympics, Greg Ryan was removed from his post and replaced by new head coach Pia Sundhage. Recognizing there was a problem within the team, Sundhage met with each team member in an effort to smooth over the past and attempt to move on with a united (no pun intended) front. Like a typical sports movie that builds towards the decisive rematch with redemption on the line, it was Solo and her teammates that had to band together for their mutual goal. In the end, they were able to win a dramatic 1-0 overtime victory over Brazil and reestablish Solo as a top women's soccer goalkeeper in the world.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=txwomenssoccer&prov=st&type=lgns

So, the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team can talk about restoring America's place as the basketball center of the world. Yet, it is very difficult to make a case that Hope Solo and the U.S. Olympic women's soccer team weren't the REAL redeem team of the 2008 Olympics in China. As we can see in this story, sports can bring the best and worst out in people. Ultimately, it is a matter of choosing which path that is the difference. When the U.S. defeated Brazil in the women's soccer gold medal match, true redemption for all involved was truly and finally achieved.

Old Olympians Never Die. They Just Whine...Alot.

2008-08-14T22:16:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

We are in the midst of one of the greatest runs in modern sports. As of the writing of this column, American swimming star Michael Phelps' effort to win 8 gold medals in one Olympiad is still alive and he is only 3 golds away. While most of the Olympics, swimming community, and sports world are celebrating the once-in-a-generation performance of Phelps, the last great American swimming star is seething. Yep, Mark Spitz feels left out, unappreciated, and he wants everyone to know it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=afp-oly2008swimusaspitz&prov=afp&type=lgns

Spitz should be credited for even making swimming a blip on the radar screens for American sports fans (and help develop it to a sport that America apparently competes more than credibly against the world). For the uninitiated, Spitz broke the modern conception of what an Olympic athlete could accomplish and did so with a flair that hadn't been seen before. Spitz may well be characterized as one of the first real "modern" athletes, as he and his handlers recognized his appeal beyond the sports arena (with him attempting not only an acting career, but also taking advantage of his popularity with female fans by playing on his "sex symbol" persona). There is no question that Spitz was Michael Phelps AND Joe Namath, sometime before Phelps was even born and "Broadway Joe" made his poor decision several years ago to talk on camera about wanting to kiss ESPN's Suzy Kolber.

However, Spitz's comments seem like "sour grapes" from a former great that has seen the spotlight shine on the present and not the past. If you need further proof of this assertion, Spitz went so far early in these games to claim that he "probably" would have won 8 gold medals (more than his current record of 7) at the 1972 games in Munich, if the 50 meter freestyle was a competitive event.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=afp-oly2008swimusaspitzphelps&prov=afp&type=lgns

This would be like if Roger Maris survived to see Barry Bonds chase Mark McGwire's single season home run record and Maris saying that he would have hit 85 homers in an expanded 162 game season. Spitz was clearly the greatest swimmer of his generation. Why isn't that enough? I guess a champion never loses the competitive spirit, even long after leaving the pool.

I will agree with one of Spitz's points. He should have been invited to attend this Olympics as a legend. The interesting thing is that other major sporting events/organizations (such as Major League Baseball) relives its past on such a regular (and sometimes maudlin basis) that, if Spitz had been a baseball player, he would appear at EVERY opportunity and be pasted across TV screens throughout the country constantly. The Olympics does not do a good job with this kind of thing. For example, imagine the historic moment if Jesse Owens had survived long enough to have a moment with Carl Lewis at the 1984 Olympiad in Los Angeles. At the end of these Olympiads (whether Phelps wins all the golds or not), Spitz is right that we will be kept from a "passing of the torch" (no pun intended) type meeting between the two greatest American swimmers ever.

Yet, one has to wonder (given Spitz's comments) if this "great moment" would have actually been so great. Sure, it would be a terrific photo-op that could be used for future generations, but one can only hope that both Olympic legends (past and present) would recognize each other's super human athletic accomplishments and share mutual respect. While Michael Phelps looks to finish what might be the greatest single performance in Summer Olympics history, let's hope Mark Spitz can find it in himself to just sit back and enjoy it like everyone else. If he can, that would make him a champion in my book once more.

When Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong...

2008-08-07T17:46:00.003-04:00

by Matt Brannen

I am a big fan of "Chappelle's Show," the sometimes obscene, almost always brilliant, and at times brutally honest Comedy Central TV show from a few years ago that starred host Dave Chappelle. The show's namessake had a segment on from time to time called "When Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong," an ironic play on words to show you foolish people can be when they're trying to "keep it real." Well, after looking back at my column from a few days ago about Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, it looks like Brett, the Pack, and your's truly are all guilty of "When Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong." Here's how:

Case #1) Brett Favre-By the end of this past weekend, it appeared that Favre had achieved everything he hoped for. He had been reinstated by the NFL and the Packers were no longer blocking his reentry onto their team. In fact, most reports indicated that the starting QB job was going to be an "open competition" (a report which is now disputed). However, after a series of meetings with Packer front office brass, it was apparently mutually agreed that a trade was in everyone's best interest. Unless Brett or the Packers reveal what was said in those meetings, we may never know how things went from Favre rejoining the Packers on Monday to Favre being traded to the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets on late Wednesday night. Whatever the case was, it is clear that the Packers didn't feel comfortable with having Favre in camp and on the team (whether it be as a starter or backup), even after they seemingly caved into his demands. Now, Favre goes from being the iconic hero of the Green Bay Packers, beloved by fans, to the largest media capital in the world and a franchise which hasn't won an NFL championship since Richard Nixon was President (Super Bowl III in 1969 for those keeping track). I hope he is ready for the NY media and fans the first time he slings the ball into double coverage against the Patriots late in the 4th quarter and potentially costs his team the game. It may be a very cold winter in NYC for Brett, indeed.

Case #2) The Green Bay Packers-The franchise looked like it had scored talent and PR coups at the completion of the weekend with Favre agreeing to return to camp. While they appeared to bend considerably with the "open competition" acknowledgment, the mood amongst the organization seemingly changed back to its hard line stance from the previous week. The Packers held Favre out of practice and conducted several closed door meetings with the QB on Monday, growing more and more disillusioned about Favre's commitment to them. It was this new/old revelation that caused them to change course again, ultimately ending in his trade to NY for a conditional draft pick.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AjvmFnfOYP3OPMkkeVtiQOZDubYF?slug=ap-packreax&prov=ap&type=lgns

I hope Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy are ready for the NFL talking heads and Packer Nation to shower them unmercifully with criticism/disdain should Aaron Rodgers struggle or fail. It would have been difficult to slam the organization for cutting ties with Favre a couple of years ago when #4 was playing poorly and the team was struggling. However, as has been noted in previous columns, Green Bay and Favre had renaissance seasons last year and, with a healthy Favre, the Packers would have been considered a real threat in the NFC this year. When you consider that the Giants won the Super Bowl last season, it would definitely not be out of the question to write that a Brett Favre-led Green Bay team wins Super Bowl XLIII. Can that be written about an Aaron Rodgers-led Packers team? Nope, didn't think so.

Case #3) Me-Okay, I admit it. I fell into the same trap as everyone else. I took the first story I heard coming out of Green Bay on Sunday night and ran with it. I should have waited to see how things played out before cranking out 1980s music references with the belief that Brett Favre was still Packer property for life. Have I learned anything at all? Probably not, but isn't that what this column is all about? Won't it be funny to look back at this column after the season is over with the Packers finishing 12-4, contending in the playoffs, and Aaron Rodgers playing great? In the end, it looks like pride and hubris were the downfall of all involved. Unfortunately for Brett Favre, he now ends up finishing his career on a team that he probably had no real interest in playing for (at least consider the fact that he wasn't enamored about going to the Jets up to this point). Unfortunately for the Packers, they trade off the most popular player with the franchise over the last 30 years when they might contend for a championship. Fortunately for me, I am just a blogger that offers his sometimes wrong analysis in an effort to "keep it real."

So Now I Come To You...With Open Arms...

2008-08-03T19:16:00.006-04:00

by Matt Brannen

A long, long time ago (read: a week ago) in a football galaxy far, far away (read: Green Bay), a star QB (read: Brett Favre) and his team (read: The Packers) had locked themselves into what was going to be a divorce seemingly worse than Manny Ramirez and the Boston Red Sox (In fact, ManRam poked fun at the joint circumstances, holding up a sign for TV cameras on Wednesday , indicating that he was going to be dealt "straight up" for Favre). However, it now appears (less than 7 days later) that Favre and the Packers front office (with some nudging from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell) have found a solution which once appeared impossible: Favre back on the playing field, sporting his Packers green and gold #4 jersey. Like those KFC commercials when the 20 somethings say about spicy, boneless chicken wings and their import on society, "I didn't see that coming." The Packers are even going to welcome Brett back with "open arms" (Aside: I think they should have 1980s rock band Journey there to play the ballad of the same name when Favre takes the training camp field for the 1st time).

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ahj1kYzwE63R4omROxGMM705nYcB?slug=ap-packers-favre&prov=ap&type=lgns

The "Cheese Heads" of Packer Nation must feel like children that are being given a Christmas present in August. The NFL "Civil War" between Favre and Green Bay has been seemingly averted (or resolved as a "separation" and not a "divorce," depending on how you want to look at it) and with their favorite QB under center for their hometown team. In an effort to smooth things out even further, the Packers front office has even indicated that Favre will be involved in an "open competition" with Aaron Rodgers, the guy that was expected to replace Favre at QB up until about 5 minutes ago. This is in stark contrast to the "get tough" message that the Packers were floating out there earlier in the week when a Favre return would mean that he could only come back as a backup. Given that Green Bay was a Favre INT away from the Super Bowl a year ago and the team just resigned emerging RB Ryan Grant to a 4 year contract over the weekend, how long do you think it is going to be before Favre passes Rodgers on the Pack's depth chart? Yep, about as long as it took me to type that last sentence. I give Aaron about a week with the first team before he is getting 2nd team reps and lots of time with the clipboard on the sidelines, if it takes that long (Aside: Rodgers must feel like the ordinary looking guy that somehow stumbled into getting the prettiest girl on the cheerleading squad to agree to go to the prom with him, only to find out later that she dumped him for, well, the star QB a month before the dance).

In the end, Brett Favre has won. He gambled with his legacy in Green Bay and the NFL, staring down an entire organization and got them to blink first (Aside: I like writing mixed metaphors. It is a real skill). Seriously, I wrote a couple of weeks ago that it would be fascinating to see if the Green Bay community would rally around Favre and force the Packers into caving into his demands. While that didn't exactly happen the way that I wrote it (Throngs of fans didn't threaten to burn down Lambeau Field if Favre wasn't brought back), Favre and his advisors did the smart thing by prolonging this controversy until Green Bay had seemingly nothing else to do but accept him back with "open arms." What else do we know? Like I wrote as the headline of my column about Favre's retirement in the Spring, "Somewhere, John Madden Is Weeping." However, this time, they're tears of joy.

Manny Can Now Be Manny...In Hollywood...

2008-08-02T09:11:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The long and twisted Manny Ramirez era of Boston Red Sox history ended on Thursday with the star slugger's deal to Los Angeles at the absolute last minute of the Major League Baseball trade deadline. The trade of ManRam to LA in a 3 team mega-trade which included Pittsburgh and the Dodgers ended a several weeks of open feuding between a player and the team he had won 2 World Series with over the last 5 years. The anger and frustration, at times, appeared to be so palpable that Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers probably cringed at how strained the relationship seemed at the end.

So, what does this mean for all the parties involved? Boston seemingly now has the lockerroom piece of mind it has craved and can focus on trying to defend their World Series title. How do we know that the Red Sox players had tired of Manny's act and wanted him gone? Reports have surfaced since the trade that Boston's veteran leadership met with GM Theo Epstein the night before the deadline to encourage the team to deal ManRam over concerns that he might "pack it in" the rest of the season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-redsox-bay&prov=ap&type=lgns

In return, Boston gets Jason Bay to replace Manny in left field and as a big bat in their lineup. Granted, Bay isn't the second coming of Jim Rice, but he isn't Coco Crisp Jr. either. The All-Star won't be asked to carry the Boston offense single-handidly, but he is a good enough hitter to be a nice complement to David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, J.D. Drew, and the other professional bats that the Red Sox sport in their hometown nine, all the while being a good "soldier" on the field and in the clubhouse. In response, manager Terry Francona's pharmacy bill for new cases of antacid plummeted, sending the stock market scrambling. Verdict: A win for Boston.

How about Manny? Well, conventional thinking is that he will change his tune in LA and play hard the rest of the way because he is clearly in a contract year now (the team has $20 million club options on him over the next two seasons that they are unlikely to invoke, making Ramirez a free agent at year's end). Manny also goes from the pressure cooker of Boston, where his "eccentricities" were well chronicled to a Dodgers team that rarely sees negative press. Along with the less than rabid press corps, ManRam shifts into the "hands off" philosophy of manager Joe Torre, the archetype "player's manager." Given Torre's experience with the many different egos and personalities in the Yankees clubhouse during his 4 championship run in the Bronx, there may be no better professional coach this side of Torre's LA NBA counterpart Phil "Zen Master" Jackson to deal with Manny's brand of 'enthusiasm for the game.' The best part for Ramirez in this trade is that he can now market himself to both the Yankees and Mets, who will each be moving into new stadiums for '09 and expect to probably increase their enormous payrolls even further for the hometown slugger. Verdict: A win for Manny.

So, how about Pittsburgh in all this? They give up their lone star player (Bay), a guy in the prime of his career with a season and a half still on his contract. In return, they get 4 career minor leaguers that most baseball analysts claim are mid-level major league prospects (including a pitcher that throws 97 miles per hour but has never spent significant time in "the bigs"). In the end, it appears that a team like Pittsburgh (and Major League Baseball) ends up becoming the loser here. Boston gets rid of Ramirez and his baggage, getting Bay in return. LA rents Manny for 2 months in an effort to make the playoffs and can dump him if they so choose at the end of the year (giving up two prospects that they had seemingly soured on anyways). ManRam leaves Boston, where he clearly had worn out his welcome, and gets much more control of his contract status heading into next year. What do Pittsburgh fans get? Yep, the shaft. Again.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/The-big-name-in-a-trade-never-lands-in-Pittsburg?urn=mlb,97898

The Manny Ramirez-Red Sox fiasco is now over. The winners and losers appear clear. However, don't fret sports soap opera fans...the Brett Favre-Green Bay Packers mess is still very much the same quagmire that we left it a week or so ago. Perhaps the next column will be decoding the winners and losers in that resolution. It's too bad the NFL doesn't have a franchise in LA right now. The Pack could trade Favre to the City of Angels and Manny and Brett could have hung out on the beach together, comparing strategies on how to pull a "Houdini" and escape their teams.

As The (Favre) Turns...Week Two

2008-07-20T23:01:00.003-04:00

by Matt Brannen

The Brett Favre "unretirement" saga has lasted another week and it does not look like either side is going to budge and end things anytime soon. #4 has given his exclusive interview (not to ESPN as I predicted but to "noted" sports media member Greta van Sustern of Fox News Channel) to outline why he wants back into the game and why it has to be somewhere other than the land of the Cheese Heads. Furthermore, Favre fanned the flames of this controversy by attending the press conference/ceremony of his long-time center Frank "Bag o' Doughnuts" Winters into the Packer Hall of Fame at hallowed Lambeau Field, the site for some of Favre's greatest NFL moments.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AjTgkKmVTpS1BFR1ctvV3glDubYF?slug=ap-packers-favre&prov=ap&type=lgns

Oh yeah...I almost forgot. Favre showed up at the "ESPY" awards show and was mocked by host Justin Timberlake (Aside: Man, that had to hurt. Getting talked down to by "Mr. Sexy Back" is like having Kevin Federline tell you that you aren't a very good rapper). Most importantly, Favre's people also hinted this past week that "the old West QB gunslinger" may just decide to show up uninvited for the Packers' training camp. Wow....talk about playing hard ball. That could be a pretty ugly scene. That is kind of like your ex-girlfriend, who decided to break up with you, now deciding that she needs to come on a date shortly after the breakup to size up how things are going. Okay, kids, repeat after me....AWKWARD.

For all this positioning by Favre and his people, one has to admit that the Packers haven't recoiled in any way or given an indication that Favre is going to get what he wants (apparently, an outright release after he was told that he would not be the starter in Green Bay). The Packers immediately filed a claim of tampering this past week against divisional rival Minnesota, after Vikings head coach allegedly talked at some point to Favre (in what has been characterized as anything but a "Hey, what don't you come play for us?" type call). Then, the Packers team president spoke publicly for the first time about the incident late in the week, fully supporting GM Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy in this burgeoning fiasco. If Favre and his handlers thought they were going to rattle the Packers this past week, that hasn't happened...yet.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Aqmiy8ZiD4G4qeVEEofOkiZDubYF?slug=ap-vikings-favre&prov=ap&type=lgns

This sordid affair started as a disagreement between a star player and a franchise about retirement to an "all in" high stakes game of chicken between two semi-trucks (Aside: Do you like how I mixed my metaphors there? I did). Who will win? No one knows for sure, but it certainly is the Packers that seem to have the advantage...right now. Favre can do nothing in the NFL without their approval and, other than retiring, it doesn't seem like the Packers are going to allow him to do anything. As mentioned above, this scenario could get very ugly if it drags on into training camp. It seems like Favre and his people are trying to make things as untenable as possible now, knowing that #4 showing up to training camp would be the worst thing that could happen to the Packers. If Green Bay might give into Favre's demans, it would have to be as soon as possible to avoid the PR nightmare of Favre literally at the chain link fence, being denied entry by a security guard, with a media horde in tow. On the other hand, I am sure that the Packers understand this and are looking to outlast Favre, hoping that he eventually gives up his interest in returning or they can work out a trade where he goes to an AFC team that Green Bay won't face soon. While no one can say or write for sure what will happen, we do know this: it is probably going to become worse before it becomes better. Writing with tongue planted firmly in cheek, don't you just love it when sports turns into nightly soap operas? The writers of MTV's "The Hills" have nothing on Brett Favre and the Packers. So, we just sit back now and watch how things further unfold. As we mentioned last week, be sure to tune in next week for another dramatic episode of "As the (Favre) Turns"...

As The (Favre) Turns...

2008-07-13T22:32:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

So, what you're telling me is that Brett Favre now wants to play, but not in Green Bay? As Jim Carrey's "Ace Ventura" used to say, "RE-HE-EELY"? No one really knows what has caused this change in heart from #4 or why he no longer wants to suit up and play in Lambeau as a member of the home team, but I have a sneaking suspicion that there is a much-to-be hyped ESPN Sports Center "Sunday Conversation" coming in our future, especially when the Packers franchise doesn't initially cave into Favre's release from contract demands. This is becoming an NFL circus spectacle that might make Terrell Owens, Andy Reid, and Donovan McNabb all cringe in embarrassment.

Back in March, shortly after Favre's tearful "retirement" (quotes added for effect) announcement, I used this forum to speculate about Favre's potential future in TV and how the sports media outlets were overblowing their coverage of his career. I am not hear to argue that I predicted the "unretirement" because I guess I thought #4 was genuine when he talked about losing the fire to play and wanting to spend extra time to his family (That and all the tears seemed pretty genuine too). Apparently, many Packer fans have become so split over the issue to the point where anti-Favre and pro-Favre rallies are being held in Wisconsin on a fairly regular basis.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8341300/Rally-held-to-pressure-Packers-to-reinstate-Favre?MSNHPHMA

What is fascinating about this whole story is, as mentioned in the above article, that technically the Packer fans own their team. So, in essence, they could have some sway (even minimal) in what the overall decision is regarding Favre's future. Granted, most probably couldn't envision a scenario where, say, the franchise chooses to let Favre start playing his home games at Soldier Field in hated Chicago during 2008, but that isn't the point. However, what might this mean to pro sports and to the relationship between players and management if a much beloved player could take his case to the fans (after not getting what he wants from the organization) and wins? In a sense, Favre has to be hoping that he has built up enough "love" (read: popularity) with the Packer faithful for them to somehow influence the final outcome of his request. This is kind of like being the best chef at a fine restaurant in town, indicating that you are retiring, and then wanting to come back to work for another fine restaurant that competes against your old employer....As a final thought, don't you think Barry Sanders now wishes the Lions fans took up his case in Detroit when he was still in his prime? The recent Favre developments are a very intriguing situation, meriting more observation and future comment. As they might say on the daily dramas, "Tune In Tomorrow For Another Exciting Episode Of 'As The Favre Turns'...."

Sports Eras Defined By Great Rivalries

2008-07-09T13:30:00.006-04:00

By Daniel J. Cassavaugh

Be it Federer and Nadal, Lakers and Celtics, Red Sox and Yankees, or Arnie and Jack, the greatest era of a sport is almost always because of a great rivalry.

This year's Wimbeldon final is just the latest chapter in the saga of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Media have been calling it a passing of the torch, but I look at it a different way.

I see it as the climax of one of the best eras in tennis. We've seen the Williams' sisters duel numerous times for championships, but the matchup with Nadal and Federer isn't just with the Wimbledon.

It seems to be in every major championship in tennis that these two square off in the final. When sport historians look back on tennis, this matchup will undoubtedly be up there with the greatest rivalries in sport. Tennis desperately needed it for the sport to garner more attention and new fans.

The media love it.

The 24-hour news cycle, which includes sports, needs something to constantly discuss, report and analyze. If Federer didn't have Nadal, would anyone really have cared or watched the Wimbeldon final like they did?

If Ali didn't have Frazer, would either be as famous? Probably, because one would have dominated the sport to no end.

And now golf, where media rears its ugly head, frothing and drooling for someone to challenge Tiger.

Arnold Palmer battled Jack Nicklaus for years. Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones often found themselves competing against eachother repeatedly for championships.

The new millenium of golf has one name: Tiger Woods. The media doesn't know what to do. It is trying to say Phil Mickelson is the rival and that these two are the best in the world, but can we really call it a rivalry when Mickelson collapses when he is in sniffing distance of Tiger?

I don't think so. The media is trying to shove it down our throat that this is one of the great rivalries in golf. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus should be insulted.

How can it be a rivalry when one team or person always wins? A rivalry is an equal level of play in which both sides compete above and beyond the rest.

The media looks back on the late 70s and 80s as the Celtics/Lakers years. The 90s were the Bulls, and to some extent the rivalry with the Jazz.

It is desperately trying to say this era in golf is that of Tiger and Phil instead of just embracing it as it is: Tiger and then the rest of the world.

More people would enjoy watching golf if they didn't get force-fed rivalry propoganda between Tiger and Phil. The first two rounds of the U.S. Open were disappointing because it was a circus around that pairing because the media presented it as the greatest battle of our time.

Um, No.

Time will pass, and when it does, the 2000's will be the Tiger era. Phil Mickelson will be the Greg Norman of it.

(Sports) Men Behaving Badly

2008-07-02T22:41:00.004-04:00

by Matt Brannen

When we last left you, dear reader, the sports world was clean and clear of bad choices, immoral behavior, and foolish decisions. As Dr. Evil used to say on the "Austin Powers" movies, "Riiiiggghhtt." Unfortunately, that Utopian vision of sports hasn't been true for a long time and certainly won't be true anytime soon. Some selected events over the last couple of weeks only show that assertion to be valid. Let's go to the case files of keeping sports from being the romp in the daisies, love-fest that it should be:

1) Manny Ramirez, OF, Boston Red Sox (AKA-Another case of "Manny Being Manny"?): During an apparent escalation of an argument, Ramirez allegedly pushed a team employee to the floor during a dispute over ticket availability.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-ramirezapology&prov=ap&type=lgns

The stories of Manny's eccentricities on the field and in the clubhouse over the years are legendary, but one has to wonder: "How far is too far?" It is one thing to not bust it completely on a routine ground ball to third base with two outs or stick a water bottle in your back pocket when playing left field at Fenway Park. However, involvement in what has been characterized in the press as a physical altercation might make a reasonable person consider if there should be significant punishment in this case. As concerning as Ramirez's alleged behavior/actions are in this case, the fact that the Boston Red Sox franchise did not indicate any public punishment for what has happened is just as worrisome. Of course, we are only privvy to what has been reported in the media about the incident, but shouldn't the Red Sox seriously think about suspending Ramirez (even for 1 game) for participating in this incident? Just as importantly, what kind of message is this sending to the rest of the Boston players? Where is MLB in all this? Is the MLB front office tied up with figuring out how to get Little League kids' lunch money from them for uniforms?We might assume that Ramirez was given a fine and may have had to apologize to the employee or, perhaps, vice versa. With the Red Sox on the verge of an important mid-season series with Tampa, Boston's front office would have sent a clear and direct message to its players (and made a mark with other players/teams) if they sat Ramirez for a game (if, indeed, it was clear that he was at fault in this case). Unfortunately, it appears that the Red Sox were more worried about that game in the standings than making a statement.

2) Shaquille O'Neal, C, Phoenix Suns (AKA-"My Microphone Is Bigger Than Your's): O'Neal stuck his rather large foot in his mouth at a dance club a couple of weekends ago while doing a "freestyle rap" about former teammate Kobe Bryant. O'Neal apparently commented on the fact that Bryant has not won a championship without "The Big Cactus" (or whatever he is calling himself now) as his teammate, made some comments about his and the Laker guard's personal lives, and then led the crowd in serenading Bryant with a chorus of childish cat-calls.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-shaq-koberap-bedford&prov=ap&type=lgns

And to think...I was just getting used to the idea of Kobe and Shaq being "reconciled"! The NBA press, especially ESPN, inundated us with features for years about the "feud" and "war of words" between O'Neal and Bryant after they split, until the two hugged and shook hands before a game a couple of years ago. What is most fascinating about this story is not, let's hope, O'Neal's unsuccessful attempt at reviving his rap career (As a side note, did you know that Shaq has a "Greatest Hits" rap CD available? You can check it out for yourself on the Internet, but proceed with caution. From what I've heard, the man has 'skillz'). No, what I find interesting is the fact this was the lead story on Yahoo's homepage (Not sports page, mind you) and that two law enforcement organizations (that O'Neal had affiliations with) are demanding that he turn in his badges because of this incident. Wow...one can only wonder what these police agencies might have done if Manny Ramirez was affiliated with them. In the end, this story is going to get so much unnecessary press come next season (I mean, O'Neal and Bryant are in the same division now for crying out loud) that I expect to see them on ESPN as often as Tiger Woods' physical therapist come December.

3) Don Imus, Radio Talk Show Host, WABC (AKA-"There's Still No Country For Old Men")- Imus, most recently nationally known for his ill-advised and inappropriate comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team that cost him his job, found himself on the wrong side of the microphone again not long ago when he attempted to "make a sarcastic point" about Adam "Pacman" Jones' past troubles with the law and Jones' racial background.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-imus-colorcomment&prov=ap&type=lgns

For those with faulty memories, Imus "pledged" to use his radio show for discussing racial issues in an educational and enlightening fashion when he was hired by WABC earlier in the year. Whether Imus was being sarcastic regarding Jones or not, he should have been initially clearer in his comments or simply, as I have written in previous columns on this blog about the sports media, NOT SAID THE COMMENTS AT ALL. I am a huge supporter of having a dialogue, especially in the context of sports, about race and how it divides people in America. However, I wonder how Imus' "Pac Man" comment contributes to that dialogue. It appears that Imus will not be punished in this case, but here's hoping that he will recognize the value of his place in the media and lives up to the promises he has made regarding his program. Whether it is right or Imus likes it, he is correct in his assertion that there are a lot of folks now listening to his radio program that are not all fans.

We quickly are approaching the July 4th holiday and the Summer Olympics, two events meant to celebrate freedom and the spirit of competition. Here's hoping, perhaps with that foolish Utopian vision of sports still firmly in our minds, that the next column on this blog won't be about anything like what has been posted above. Happy July 4th to all and a special thanks to all that are sacrificing (or have sacrificed) for us to enjoy the glorious world of sports.

The REAL National Pastime...Making Money!

2008-06-15T21:48:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

From the "Crushing kids' dreams file," Major League Baseball has swung and missed one more time at trying to make itself more accessible to the same clientele that have admittedly abandoned it in droves: children. You may or may not have seen the story (from about 2 to 3 weeks ago) which indicated that Major League Baseball is considering the possibility of telling amateur youth baseball teams that they have to 'cease and desist' using the nicknames of MLB teams IF the teams do not purchase "authentic" (read: licensed) MLB jerseys for the kids to wear during games. Can you believe this?

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-06-02-mlb-trademarks_N.htm?csp=34

Now, please know that I am sensitive (to a certain degree) that there are some unscrupulous individuals that sell "knock off'" MLB jerseys to youth programs with the promise that these are legitimate or, more importantly, cheaper versions of the real deal. However, the MLB using such a heavy hand here is absurd. Doesn't the league try to paint itself as "kid friendly"? Also, much was made after the recent MLB amateur draft in the press a couple of weeks ago (right about the time when this story first came out) that 3 of the first 33 selections were "graduates" of the league's "RBI Program," an excellent idea created about 10 to 15 years ago to help provide baseball equipment to kids in lower socio-economic settings. What kind of message is this sending to the same kids that the MLB claims it is helping? I can see the conversation now...."Hey kid, here's a glove and bat. I know your family might not be able to afford it, but be ready to fork over $29.99 for a replica jersey or you won't be able to play for the Yankees in Little League. Then, you'll be stuck playing for the Sunflowers in awful looking yellow and brown uniforms that look like the 1970s San Diego Padres."

http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2522711&cp=717873.1671828.1671865

Someone from the MLB league office (Hello, Bud Selig? Anyone home?) needs to step in and stop the madness now.

I have to hand it to the administrators and coaches of youth leagues that are not bending to the pressure put on them by the MLB, choosing to not purchase the league's more expensive jerseys to keep their team names. As mentioned in the article above, many administrators and coaches are choosing names that are not associated with Major League Baseball. Maybe, just maybe, this action of standing up will cause the MLB to recognize how silly all this is and how they are alienating more of their future fan base by such crass "brand protection." Yet, I must show some concern for teams using the nickname "Bulldogs." I hope they don't use red and black as their colors with a "G" on their helmets or perhaps the University of Georgia will take umbrage next. Remember when you were a kid and sports were simply fun? Yeah, it seems like a long time ago for me too. Let's hope our kids, neices, and nephews don't lose the chance to have the same carefree love of sports that we had because they can't be on their favorite team due to a league being most concerned about their bottom line.

Kobe Jumps Over Pool

2008-06-01T12:49:00.002-04:00

The Best (Sports) Week Ever

2008-05-24T12:12:00.006-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Unfortunately, the columns that I post are often times negative in nature and take issue with something that a sports figure has said or done. However, this column is going to focus on the positive and why sports is so fantastic. One only has to look at this week's events in Major League Baseball to understand why this is true and how sports can be a beacon of hope for sports fans.

The week started with Jon Lester, a left-handed starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, throwing a no-hitter. This is the same Jon Lester that missed the entire 2006 season after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. This is also the same Jon Lester that won the deciding game of the World Series last year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-lestersgem&prov=ap&type=lgns

The week continued with Doug Davis, a left-handed starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, reaching his own personal and professional milestone. No, Davis didn't throw a no-hitter or win a World Series game. Yet, his victory is no less impressive than Lester's. Davis won a Major League Baseball game about 6 weeks after having a cancerous gland surgically removed from his body.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=AoXiVDBitkkeTtjFPbs4zSM5nYcB?gid=280523115&prov=ap

Stories like Jon Lester and Doug Davis are what keeps me a sports fan. No one should ever follow sports like it is life or death. However, sports can teach a fan much about what is important: never surrendering to one's circumstances, making the most of life, and enjoying one's family. Lester and Davis have both shown, along with many other athletes that have overcome tremendous obstacles, that sports is more "real" than almost other social diversions. Whether they intended or want to be, Lester and Davis are symbols that sports, even for a brief interlude in the seemingly overwhelming muck of propaganda and controversy, can still be pretty darn fun, inspiring, and hopeful. Happy Memorial Day and thanks to all those who sacrifice so that we can enjoy stories like Jon Lester and Doug Davis.

Matt Walsh is a Dirty Liar

2008-05-08T13:20:00.003-04:00

This is about all I have to say! Go home Matt Walsh.

Matt Walsh Story

A-Rod Story

Dan's Thoughts on Sports

2008-05-07T00:50:00.004-04:00

No Country For Old Men...

2008-05-04T10:54:00.007-04:00

by Matt Brannen

It was an interesting week of "comings and goings" along the coaching sidelines in the National Basketball Association. First, legendary coach Pat Riley retired, this time as the coach of the Miami Heat. Then, Larry Brown resurfaces for another go around in "The Association" as Charlotte's head coach. To me, what these moves underscore are the idea that "Old coaches never die. They just resurface a couple of years later with another team."

It would be hard to argue that a tenure with a team could have ended worse than Larry Brown's in New York. Brown was unceremoniously booted from the organization by then President Isiah Thomas (who has, ironically, found the same thing happening to him after being replaced by former Pacers executive Donnie Walsh), culminating in a long disagreement over the dissolution of Brown's contract. Shortly after the money squabble was resolved, Larry was named to a front office post with Philadelphia. While Larry kept quiet on such things for quite some time, the word started leaking out in the media that he wouldn't mind getting back into the league as a head coach. When Philadelphia had an unexpected strong showing with underrated coach Maurice Cheeks in this year's playoffs, it looked like the door wouldn't re-open for Larry in "the City of Brotherly Love," one of his past stomping grounds. So, Larry went on the media offensive and made himself available for any potential spot (pro or college), just stopping short of indicating his interest in coaching in a pee-wee league. Ultimately, Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats came calling and Larry did what Larry does: go into a press conference and talk about how happy he is to be with (fill in the blank) organization.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=dw-brownbobcats042908&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

On the other side of the proverbial coin, Pat Riley stepped down as head coach of the Miami Heat. Riley's history is no less sordid or controversial than Brown's. A brief coaching career recap: Riley gets elevated to Lakers' head coach after Magic Johnson (allegedly) blows up Paul Westhead's regime and wins a bunch of championships with the "Showtime" Lakers of the 1980s. Tired of the pace and needing to slow down some, "Riles" does a year or two in the NBC studio as an NBA analyst before the emerging Knicks come calling. Over his tenure, Riley gets the Knicks to their (allegedly) thuggish brink of the NBA Finals, never quite able to overcome Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Tired of the pace and needing to slow down some, "Riles" faxes in his letter of resignation to the Knicks organization, taking a front office spot with Miami. After watching Stan Van Gundy build up a championship contender with Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, Riley (allegedly) boots Van Gundy and wins another championship. However, only a few years later, Miami has been unable to keep its core group together and the Heat muster 15 wins in 2007-2008. The next step? Riley announces that he is tired of the pace, needs to slow down, and resigns as head coach. Is the pattern even slighly visable?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=dw-rileyresigns042808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

A friend of mind remarked not long ago, regarding Brown and Riley, that "coaches coach. It's all they know how to do" and I suppose that is true. However, why can't coaches be straight with fans and the media? It seems like Larry Brown and Pat Riley have given the same speech (coming and/or going) for the last 15 years. My money, should Miami get good in the next year or two, is that "Riles" will return himself as head coach or move onto another team that is close to winning a championship. Can I predict where Larry Brown will end up? Nope and I'm not even going to try. What I do know is that Larry will probably tell everyone, if/when things don't work in Charlotte, that he "needs some time with (his) family" and will ultimately resurface in a year or so with another franchise or college program. I just hope that Brown and Riley would be honest and indicate that they won't be coaching for now, but we should expect them to show up somewhere again in the near future. If they did this, I would have more respect for these two obvious basketball lifers.

Pac-Man Fever

2008-04-28T17:41:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

As a child of the 1980s, I have a certain fondness for the decade of my formative years. Whether it was listening to Journey albums (my female cousin, who was my neighbor, had a huge crush on lead singer Steve Perry, okay?) or playing Atari 2600 (come on, "Pitfall" is still a top 10 all time video game, regardless of what system you play), I connected to that decade far more so than my high school years in the early 1990s. How is this connected to sports? Well, not really. Yet, Adam "Pac-Man" Jones was traded to the Dallas Cowboys over the weekend and the move underscored how little leverage pro teams seem to have on their players (Okay, so the 1980s motif wasn't that well connected, but it was fun writing about it anyways).

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-pacmantrade&prov=ap&type=lgns

All NFL fans realize that Jones has been no stranger to American jurisprudence over the last couple of years, ultimately drawing a season long suspension from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. It wasn't long ago that Jones became eligible for reinstatement and the "Pac-Man To Dallas" rumors began heating up. This culminated with Jones granting a rare interview to former Cowboy Michael Irvin on his Dallas radio show, where Jones professed his love for "America's Team." The one sticking point: Tennesee held Jones' contract. So, how could "Pac-Man" gobble his way to the Lone Star State? Simply refuse to file for reinstatement. Yep, that's right. Simply sit out...longer. Prior to the NFL Draft, Jones' representatives told the Titans franchise that he had no interest in being reinstated...unless he was traded to Dallas. Then, he would presumably file the papers to get back into the league. In essence, Jones and his representatives held Tennesee hostage and the ransome payoff was in Big D.

Near the end of this past season, the Titans made it clear to Jones and the rest of the league, through well-respected head coach Jeff Fisher, that the franchise had 'washed' its collective 'hands' with Jones. So, going back to Tennesee wasn't really an option. However, "Pac-Man" was happy to use this as leverage to absolutely obliterate any value he might have by indicating that he wouldn't come back (perhaps planning for another stint in pro wrestling, I don't know), unless he was traded to his team of choice. To a degree, Jones had created his own "no trade clause." While I recognize the ingenius nature of this response, it must be noted that Jones wasn't being vastly underpaid by an organization that refused to rework his contract. This is a guy that has come in front of the legal system numerous times with some of the instances involving alleged violence and gun play, which may be responsible for the serious injury of some in attendance. When Dallas traded for Jones, he got exactly what he wanted and, well, what he may not have deserved.

I find it interesting that more pro sports franchises don't play "hard ball" with malcontent players, like Cincinatti is currently doing with standout WR and "Hall of Fame" motormouth Chad Johnson. Of course, there are cases in the past where teams have refused to back down, like Tampa Bay with Keyshawn Johnson and Philadelphia with Terrell Owens. However, both of those players (and now Jones) got big contracts and all the "love" from their new team (ahem, Dallas) that they felt they weren't getting in their old locales. I guess I am interested in seeing if Cincinatti is successful is forcing Johnson to shut up and play out his contract (or simply trade him to Dallas too). While I think that is unlikely to happen for any number of reasons, it has to give us sports fans hope that players like "Pac-Man" don't have unlimited professional "lives" like video game players tried so hard to achieve with his namesake.

The Golf Guys

2008-04-20T10:02:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Wow...I never would have expected that I would receive such a reply from Dan Cassavaugh (or anyone, for that matter) on my column regarding the sports media's love for Tiger Woods. Given Dan's lengthy response, I think it is necessary to bring up a few counterpoints:

1) I still don't understand why Woods participated in The Masters while injured. As I mentioned in my previous column, if his injury was so significant that surgery was immediately announced THE DAY AFTER THE EVENT, why didn't he sit out this year so he could have the surgery and continue his recovery? Furthermore, would Tiger have even had surgery if he had won? While we will never know the answer, it is an interesting question to pose. Why? He must have known that his knee was bothering him and/or his performance prior to The Masters. Beyond that, the timing of the announcement submarined any additional mainstream media attention that the actual champion (Trevor Immelman) would receive because all the networks were running their obligatory "Can Tiger Come Back?" features. By Monday afternoon following his win Sunday, Immelman must have felt great being asked time after time how it felt to be The Masters champion and then, right after, a series of questions about Tiger Woods and Woods' injury.

2) Dan's golf "challenge".....Um, okay. In return, I challenge readers to throw 3 consecutive strikes in bowling. There. This is the old argument about golf, bowling, billiards, and other activities, for example, compared to basketball, baseball, and football. In my view, there is a definite difference between "skill" and athleticism. Pro golfers, bowlers, and pool players will have skills far beyond anything that I will ever have for their activities. However, in my mind, that does not necessarily make them "athletes." It does make them highly skilled and I mentioned, in my original column, that there is no question that Woods is the #1 golfer in the world. Dan's claim that Tiger Woods is more dominant than Michael Jordan is just absurd to me and I won't comment further except to write that, in my mind, this is like indicating Kobayashi (the long-time Hot Dog eating champion) is more dominant than Tom Brady. Moreover, I took far bigger issue in my original column with the media's outrageous predictions that Woods was going to win every major event and tournament that he entered. I never mentioned anything about Woods having a "bad" or "great" year. Ah, good old misdirection, a classic rhetorical strategy.

3) LeBron James....While I have not written about this at "The Sports Guys" blog prior to this, I actually think James is far more overexposed by the national sports media than Woods. At the least, Woods has been the best performer in his activity and won major championships (as Dan so proudly mentioned in his reply). However, I would argue that James and Woods are both products of the same corporate sponsorship-national sports media alliance. Major multi-national corporations like Nike and Gatorade have invested millions upon millions of dollars in advertising of both spokesman for their products. Major national sports networks, like ESPN, have accepted these large sums in ad revenue. So, do you think we are going to see scads of Tiger Woods and LeBron James in highlights, features, and in every possible way? Absolutely. As much as I would like to think that it is, this isn't rocket science.

So, in summary, my "beef" is not really with Tiger Woods. It is with the sports media that coddles and promotes him, win, lose, or behave boorishly. Pro golfers are highly skilled at their activity and can do many things on the golf course that I cannot do. However, this does not make a golfer more dominant than athletes in pro sports. Most importantly, the sports media needs to do what it is supposed to do: report and not fawn, whether it be Woods, James, or Brett Favre. Is that really too much to ask? You can discuss this while I try to hit a green 180 yards away with an 8 iron.

Re: Tiger Woods, The Greatest Golfer...

2008-04-19T19:03:00.004-04:00

Matt:

Tiger Woods is more dominant in his sport than Michael Jordan was in basketball. He is more dominant than Babe Ruth in baseball and more feared than Barry Bonds in 2001.

The reason why people that don't follow golf unless its a major don't realize this is because they don't understand what it takes to win a PGA tournament or a Major.

A "good year" is getting a couple wins and a few top 10 finishes. A "good year" is making the cut more than you miss it. A "good year" is finishing in the top 20 on the money list.

Tiger Woods secured a "good year" five weeks into this season.

A "great year" is finding yourself with a handful of wins, making nearly every cut, finishing most tournaments in the top 10, gettign in the top 10 on the money list and, now, being in contention for the FedEx cup.

Tiger Woods secured a "great year" five weeks into this season.

He has never blown a lead in a his life and when he is in the hunt, the rest of the field collapses in fear.

I agree that the sport media has overblown the knee injury story, but that's the result of 24 hour sports programming. There has to be something to fill that time. On a slow Monday and start to the week when the only thing happening is April baseball and the end of the NBA season (oh yeah, and the NHL playoffs that no one cares about except the people at NBC), there has to be something to talk about and report.

Tiger Woods saved golf from the purgatory of post-Jack. Between Nicklaus and Woods, can you recall a consistently dominant player? The closest was David Duval.

Historically, the World's No. 1 holds that title for maybe two years and then flip-flops until they fall into relative obscurity. Tiger held that title for the longest time in the history of the tour and when he lost it, it took him three weeks to get it back and pull away.

Sergio? Vijay? Els? Mickelson? Furyk?

Those are the five names that came closest to threatening Tiger's dominance. Vijay took it over for a day. Els was relevant for three weeks. Furyk is consistent but can't take it to the next level and Sergio hasn't been able to find his game since he choked on the 18th at Carnoustie.

How many of those names did you hear on Sunday? Mickelson for two holes until he, too, fell apart.

Media treats Tiger Woods like a God because he is a living legend in golf. Moreover, Tiger never admits to his body ailing. The media, therefor, does that job for him. We all want to know why he wasn't playing his best, or why he looked like he was laboring during the Masters. Tiger never once mentioned his knee, but when he went into surgery, the media went crazy.

I think that people like Matt, our wonderful CEO, wouldn't have a problem if the media frenzy was at the same level if Lebron James shot 10% from the field and then sat out the rest of the playoffs because he was playing with a torn ACL.

The bottom line: people that don't play golf don't respect golf. They do this because they don't understand it.

The people that do play golf regularly on their low-level public courses and still can't break 100, or 90, or 80 understand how difficult and athletic one must be to create shots and pull off some of the feats Tiger Woods and other members of the PGA tour can and do.

Tiger hit a shot out of the trees 181 yards onto the green with an 8-iron.

Those who don't think golf takes skill and it shouldn't be respected, I have a challenge for you.

Place a golf ball on a tee in the middle of the fairway looking at a monster green 180 yards away. Now, take an 8-iron and try to hit that green.

Next, when you realize that you can't do it in perfect conditions, picture Tiger hitting 180 yards off of pine-needles, over a tree and onto a postage-stamp-sized green.

Come back to me and maybe we can have a real discussion.

Sincerely,

Dan Cassavaugh, Sports Guys golf expert

Tiger Woods, The Greatest Golfer, Athlete, And Person Ever?

2008-04-17T21:17:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Okay, so let's get the disclaimer out of the way right up front. I am not a golf fan. I have played golf. Okay, a 9 hole "executive" course but I think that counts. I don't watch golf on TV and no one is going to mistake me for Scott Van Pelt (or Dan Cassavaugh for that matter) when it comes to golf knowledge. However, this I know: The fawning by the media over Tiger Woods has to stop. After the way that Woods' knee injury story has been covered the last few days, you would think that the entire sports world has been brought to its knees. If you don't think so, then you haven't watched "Sports Center" for 3 minutes (ESPN News continually ran the Woods' injury story as "Breaking News" for hours on its crawl during Monday night) or read the newspaper/Internet.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/2008-04-16-tiger_N.htm

Here's a question to think about: If Woods was injured so severely that he needed surgery just days after the event, why did he even compete in the first place? To me, this is not the "gutty" effort that the Tiger sycophants want you to think that it is. More likely, it is Woods and his handlers thinking that he was so much better than the entire field that he could win the most prestigious golf event in the world with a bad wheel. Or, unlike what the Tiger backers want you to think, this is an "excuse" why the great Tiger Woods lost The Masters to a guy (Trevor Immelman) that was significantly ill within the last year and missed a cut, well, in his last tournament prior to "the event with a tradition like no other." So, which is it "Tiger Woods Nation"?

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-woodssurgery-reax&prov=ap&type=lgns

Don't get me wrong...Woods is clearly the #1 golfer in the world. However, this idea that he is somehow the most "dominant athlete" in sports is nonsense. Earlier in the year, golf analysts were running their gums about how Woods would not only win all the majors, but he would win every tournament he entered this year. By the way, just as a point of fact, Woods hadn't won every tournament he entered this year prior to The Masters. Oops. I guess it was the bad knee, huh? Or, like several years ago, the swing and/or the swing coach? Or, when necessary, people taking pictures. There always seems to be some explanation from Woods and, most importantly, his supporters in the media when Tiger doesn't win.

So, the Tiger Woods obsessed sports media will have to sit on the sideline for the next 4 to 6 weeks, drink their Tigerade, and save up all of its pro-Tiger superlatives until Woods comes back. When he does, don't be surprised that it will be portrayed as the biggest thing to happen in golf (and sports) since someone decided to put dimples on a little white ball and smack it around with a flat iron stick. If you're not a golf or Woods fan like me, enjoy the golden sound of silence while it lasts.

Sports Guys Ready for Download

2008-04-15T09:44:00.002-04:00

Dan and Andrew are back with their brand of sports talk on "The Sports Guys" on southerntiersportsnetwork.com.
This week they discuss the Masters, baseball and...

Matt Brannen has all your fantasy issues covered.

That and more on "The Sports Guys" on southerntiersportsnetwork.com. Click here to listen to this week's episode.

Apocalypse Next?

2008-04-06T22:25:00.005-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Regardless of what Major League Baseball and its media partners would like for you to think, the performance enhancing drug story will apparently not go away. Last week, Jose Canseco continued his one man effort to keep the story alive (and sell books) by potentially implicating New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez in what might be called the Salem Witch Trials of 21st Century professionial sports. The real question here, however, is: Can Major League Baseball survive IF A-Rod has any culpability in Canseco's claims?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-yankees-rodriguez&prov=ap&type=lgns

Up to this point, all of the "names" mentioned in the Mitchell Report and rumors involving the performance enhancing drug scandal have either been lesser known players or legends well past their prime (read: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, etc). Yet, Alex Rodriguez is arguably the most important player in the entire league. In fact, it was also released last week that A-Rod's 2008 salary was more than the entire Florida Marlins. While Canseco has not released any definitive proof yet that Rodriguez was "introduced" to a so-called "steroids dealer" by Canseco, one must wonder what the impact would be on the league if Canseco's accusation has any merit. Many baseball experts see Rodriguez as the most serious challenger to Barry Bonds' new career home run record and, the thought was up to this, was that Rodriguez would "cleanse" the record from the questions that currently surround it with Bonds at the top of the list. Think about how tense the Bonds "chase for the record" was with the steroids/HGH scandal hanging over baseball and multiply it by several seasons should the Canseco claims have an ounce of validity.

I must write here that Canseco is in the business now of selling books. It is also a bit curious and concerning that Canseco will not disclose the identity of this man until A-Rod and Major League Baseball responds. However, we now live in the "Steroid Era" when any player could be accused at any time and might be guilty. Whether or not Rodriguez is guilty may not be as important, right now, until evidence is displayed that he is not guilty. Should Rodriguez not be culpable in this case, it is unfortunate that his name has been mentioned. Yet, it appears he and others will be the victim of the entire sordid mess until baseball CAN get its house in order. How many idols will fall? Who knows? The more important question may be: Could baseball survive if one of its most important faces in their prime really have questions to answer regarding steroid accusations?

Stop The (March) Madness......

2008-03-24T21:51:00.006-04:00

by Matt Brannen

So, if you've looked over Dan Cassavaugh's and Andrew Kosinuk's respective brackets (available below this post), you know that "The Sports Guys" (available in the STSN "Archive" in the "Sports Guys" folder ) had a little trouble with some of their picks over the first weekend. However, I give Dan and Andrew "major ups," as the kids say today, for posting their brackets for public consumption. So many of these expert "talking heads" in the sports media talk about who they picked or will make prognistications before games with no comments made after games if the analyst was wrong. I must also admit that I didn't fill out a bracket this year and haven't done so for many tournaments. I got to the point where, every year, I ripped up my brackets after the first weekend and was left with another year's worth of frustration. However, I digress....

The real purpose of this column is to ask these questions: What has happened to Bob Knight and Dick Vitale? Have these two guys gone off the deep end? Over the weekend, each man contributed suggestions that would drastically change the NCAA tournament and/or the game of college basketball. Let's address each of these "improvements" individually:

Suggestion #1-Bob Knight and his never ending tournament:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23740079/

On ESPN TV recently, Knight suggested that the NCAA tournament be expanded from 64 teams to a WHOPPING 128 D1 teams! What? The tournament would have to start in October to get to the "Sweet Sixteen" by March. This is just absurd. What is the meaning of the regular season AND conference tournaments if just about EVERY team makes the field? However, you have to consider the upside...If just about every team makes the tournament, then coaches will be fired less regularly. Disagree? How many times do you see NFL coaches get fired when their team barely makes the Wild Card (see: Coughlin, Tom)? Also, if teams on the bottom rungs of conferences make the tournament and the power teams from power conferences get higher seeds, then the top seeds from power conferences are more likely to last in the tournament longer as they will be playing against theoretically weaker competition than a 64 team field (Duke, ahem). After reading and hearing this suggestion, it is easy to understand that the General is probably the biggest opponent of the BCS (the consortium of college football conferences and bowls that basically run the bowl system like its personal playground, often without crowning a "true" National Champion) and their puny "one off" exhibition games.

Suggestion #2- Dick Vitale & his never ending foul marathon:

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/03/24/dick-vitale-advocates-eliminating-fouling-out/

Even more absurd than Knight's Tournamentpalooza is Vitale's idea, explained recently on ESPN Radio, that players should no longer be subject to fouling out of games. As mentioned above, "What?" One of the fundamental considerations in any basketball game is how many fouls a player has and how that might factor into game strategy. Teams deliberately scheme to get their opponent's key players in foul trouble, if they can, so that key players have to sit the bench for extended stretches. Should this be removed, then that critical element of game strategy is lost forever; basketball becomes far more mindless and about free throw shooting contests. Why would a non-foul out protocol be attractive? Well, for the same reason as above. The predominating logic is that the highest seeded teams say, um, in a tournament, have the best players. So, if they don't have to worry about fouling out, then they can play without fear of being removed against their will and, consequently, it is less likely that so many great upsets would take place. Instead of trying to change the rules to favor the power teams and conferences, shouldn't we celebrate the great strategy and execution of teams like Davidson (that caused Georgetown big man Roy Hibbert to play less than half the game due to fould trouble)? A good question, indeed.

While I am sure that Bob Knight and Dick Vitale are both convinced that their suggestions are "in the best interest of the sport," it comes off far more as pandering to their pals in the D1 upper level coaching fraternity. It has long been argued that the "mid major" conferences and lesser known teams have caught up with their better known foes and a "one and done" tournament allows for the proverbial "any given team on any given night" philosophy to become a factor. Yet, isn't this the reason why we love the tournament in the first place? The "Cinderella" factor of the tournament becomes just about nil if everyone gets in and no one fouls out. If we are going to make such drastic changes as suggested by Knight and Vitale, why don't we raise the basket to 12 feet, allow players to shoot missed foul shots over again, and play a double-elimination tournament? Those suggestions make about as much sense as the ones offered by two basketball Hall of Famers. Here's a real tip for this time of the year...Let's keep the "madness" on the court in March and away from the talking heads on our TV screens.

The Brackets

2008-03-19T23:38:00.004-04:00

Andrew

Geezers, Golfers, and March Gladness

2008-03-15T15:45:00.006-04:00

by Matt Brannen

Several intriguing items in the world of sports this past week, so I thought I would do a Larry King-type column this week on the world o' sports (For those uninitiated, the legendary talk show host/interviewer has done a famous "potpurri" type column in USA TODAY where Larry muses on everything from politics, movies, pop culture, and the merits of grilled tuna over grilled cheese). This week's TSG: The Blog "talking points" include Billy Crystal, John Daly, and the upcoming fantasy baseball season.

Billy Crystal donned the pinstripes this past week, in an effort to "fulfill" a life-long dream of playing in a MLB game for his beloved New York Yankees. In his only at bat, Crystal struck out against Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Maholm. Keep in mind that Crystal jumped out to a 3-1 advantage in the count (including a pretty well hit foul ball down the first base line for the first strike), only to swing over a couple of nearly 90 mph fastballs. Crystal's one-off AB is not the first time that a celebrity has played for a MLB team in a Spring Training game. Country singer Garth Brooks has donned the Padres colors, while Tom Selleck has also apparently played in an exhibition game as well. I do not have an issue here with Billy Crystal or other celebrities wanting to play in a game. My problem with all this is that, in my mind, it cheapens the game and the teams/leagues should know better to let celebrities play in real contests. Granted, the game and stats don't officially count towards a team's regular season record but shouldn't the only people that actually play be baseball players? As I wrote a friend and media colleague this week, do you think the NFL would be okay with Robin Williams signing a one game contract with the New York Football Giants and return an opening kickoff in an exhibition game? The NFL, for liability reasons alone, would say "Thanks, but no thanks" if approached. It would have been interesting to hear the post-AB spinning done by the respective Yankees and MLB officials if Maholm, behind 3-1 in the count, broke off a 90 mph missile headed directly towards Mr. "When Harry Met Sally" in the batter's box (not unlike what happened between the Yankees and Devil Rays THE SAME WEEK). Beyond that, what would it have meant to the integrity of the game (which has been batted around like a wiffle ball in a tornado recently due to the performance enhancing drugs scandal) if Crystal had notched a hit or got on base via a walk or something? I have no problem with famous people throwing out the ceremonial first pitch or taking batting practice with a team before a game. However, when teams and leagues allow non-athletes to take part in actual games (even if they are exhibitions), I draw the line. This is why there is MTV Rock'n'Jock sports. If Billy wants to play baseball, let him hammer a fastball out of the park off Bret Michaels, Scott Baio, or Flavor Flav (aside: these hip pop culture references only shows that Matt watches the promos on VH1 while flipping through the channels). If teams are going to allow celebrities to play in games, then they should allow fans to watch the games for free or donate the gate fee to charity.

Onto other business...pro golfer John Daly was disqualified this past week for not showing up to a pro-am event that he was scheduled to play in (see below link for full story). This came a day or so after his swing coach quit, reportedly indicating that he believed Daly to be less interested in his golf game right now than in enjoying a few adult beverages on at least a semi-regular basis. Stories like these are the problem that I have with golf as a "sport" and golfers as "athletes" (Sorry, Dan). To me, the definition of a sport is when athletes have to run, skate, catch, throw, swing, kick, or put themselves at some level of great physical danger. Now, this is not to write that golfers do not need great SKILL to be good at their activity because they do. However, the recent events involving John Daly show how golf is so much more connected to bowling than it is to the NFL. I get cheezed off every year when Tiger Woods wins any number of "Athlete of the Year" type awards, especially over people (such as tennis player Roger Federer or cyclist Lance Armstrong) that went through great physical exertion and/or needed amazing athleticism to compete at the highest levels. While I have great respect for golfers' SKILLS and I hope John Daly can get his life straightened out (if he, indeed, needs or wants that), I see the Daly story as another example of how golf is not a "sport" in the way that I define athletics.

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-bayhill-daly&prov=ap&type=lgns

March is one of my favorite months of the sports year. The college basketball conference and NCAA tournaments are in full swing. Plus, fantasy baseball is also upon us. For those of you that have listened recently to "The Sports Guys," available in the STSN "Archive" in the "Sports Guys" folder (sorry, cheap plug), you know that Dan and Andrew have asked me to host a new segment called "Fantasy Extra." They refer to me for some reason on the show as a "fantasy expert," which was frankly a bit of a surprise to me and I think only due to the fact that I have played fantasy sports for about as long as Dan and Andrew have been alive. But, I digress. I like March because it is the beginning of the fantasy baseball season. This is an opportunity to read reports of warm weather Spring Training games (sitting in the frigid and snowy Northeast during winter), while finding out which prospects and which "new faces in new places" are worth drafting. The advent of the Internet has changed fantasy sports probably the way Edison's incandescent light bulb changed life for people in the early 20th Century (okay, a bit of a stretch but you know what I mean). Now, any jabroni with computer and a modem or high speed DSL hookup can find out which "hot prospects" he/she should draft and which veterans already look in mid-season form. In "the golden days of fantasy" (pre-Internet when we all received player reports via the Pony Express), owners had to actually read their local daily newspaper, watch "Sports Center" every night to be updated about spring injuries (this was before the onslaught of "Baseball Tonight" specials leading up to the season beginning), wait until "Baseball Weekly" came out from USA TODAY to find out about prospects, and hope that they could get a Cactus or Grapefruit League game on Saturday afternoon local TV for "scouting" purposes. Even though the technological divide has been more than closed for fantasy geeks like myself and casual owners, March always takes me back to the days of feeling pride "discovering" an unheard of guy during Spring Training, picking him late in a fantasy draft, and watching him have a huge year for my team. While this a bit harder today due to everyone having so much information available to them, it doesn't make the satisfaction any less. Rejoice fellow fantasy geeks...March is here.

Sports Guys Ready for Download

2008-03-12T12:26:00.003-04:00

It's the ONE YEAR anniversary of The Sports Guys. In honor of this historic event The Sports Guys is revamped. New segments, new intro, new, new new!

Andrew is happy because he gets 3 minutes to rant on whatever he wants.
Dan is happy because he can nap during those 3 minutes.
Fantasy Sports Expert Matt Brannen begins weekly reports as your leagues prepare for draft day.

Also in this week's episode:
Conference Tournament Talk
Fantasy Sports
Brett Favre is football's Ken Griffey, Jr.?

Click here to listen to The Sports Guys.

Somewhere, John Madden Is Weeping....

2008-03-08T09:01:00.004-05:00

By Matt Brannen

Erstwhile Green Bay QB Brett Favre retired this week. Undoubtedly, this will be a key topic for Dan and Andrew on "The Sports Guys," so "check your local listings" at southerntiersportsnetwork.com (okay, cheap plug). Back to the matters at hand...After several off-seasons of the "Will he or won't he?" tango, #4 finally hung up the cleats for good. Next stop, Canton and the Hall of Fame. I guess what I am most fascinated about this story isn't that Favre has retired (How could it be? The guy has been talking about retirement seemingly since the early 2000s), but the national sports media's onslaught of "All Brett, All The Time." It makes me wonder what the retirements of legendary players like Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, and others would have been if the sports media were so omnipresent then as they are today. I also have come to wonder about how the sports media's view of a player is determined by his/her availability to the media and how this factors into a player's "legendary" status.

As soon as Favre announced his retirement, the networks began falling all over each other to indicate their interest in #4 as the new hottest NFL analyst property. Fox's Terry Bradshaw, not a pedestrian QB himself in his day, said the following on ESPN Radio (courtesy of Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY):
"I love his personality. I love his charm. I love the little boy in him -- all those things that have endeared him to me for so many years. I would like to see that on the air." Jeez, Terry. Make sure you have flowers and the Gertrude Hawk chocolates at the ready when Brett comes over to your house for dinner. In Bradshaw's defense, most of the other NFL TV personalities and administration suits were as effusive in their 'admiration' for Favre as Terry was in his quote. To me, this shows the line between sports broadcasters and fans. The reasons why these groups "love" a player is drastically different.

Here's what I mean: In sports broadcasting, announcers and analysts like or dislike a player as much for what they do off the field (read: make themselves available for interviews and off-air conversations about what is going on) as they do on the field (read: how well they play). Announcers and analysts rely on players and coaches to let them know what is going on inside the lockerroom and with a team because they are not privy to what is going on. Now, mind you, I am not indicating that Favre or any other player that speaks with the media is divulging sensitive information or anything. What I am writing is that the media's view of a player is directly correlated to how available he makes himself or herself to them. If you don't believe me, just ask Steve Carlton or Eddie Murrary (two players who languished getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame because of their supposed "unfriendly" demeanor towards reporters during their careers). Another case in point is Art Monk of the Washington Redskins. By all accounts, Monk was a "pro's pro" as a wide receiver: he did his job, broke receiving records without pounding his chest or making a spectacle of himself, made Pro Bowls, won some Super Bowls with good Washington teams, and was a quiet guy around the media. He was an afterthought for many years after he retired because he wasn't considered "dominant" enough. It took major lobbying on the part of media folks around the Washington area to get Monk, finally, named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

Furthermore, fans are not like analysts. For the most part, fans love players not because they are enthusiastic, controversial, or say provocative things. In fact, many times, this is the furthest thing from the truth. Fans love players because they are GOOD AND WIN GAMES FOR THEIR TEAMS. Do you really think the "Cheese Heads" in Green Bay are crying today because Favre isn't around any longer to display his boyish charm and love for the game? Or, is it because the keys to that franchise have now been turned over to unproven QB Aaron Rodgers? You're welcome. On a more serious note, fans DO want to see their favorite athletes enjoying the game. Why? We, as fans, love(d) playing the game and this is why we are connected to the sport now. However, this is not a prerequisite for the admiration or support of an athlete. How many times during a sports broadcast can you remember a play-by-play announcer or analyst say "Look at (fill in the blank great player). Isn't that refreshing? He/She is out there just having fun."? I can think of John Madden saying this at least 5 times about Brett Favre during Green Bay telecasts this past year on "Sunday Night Football." Now, think about how many times you or your friends have been sitting around watching a game and find yourself saying the same thing? This is the divide that exists between announcers and fans.

As a broadcasting colleague and friend wrote me in an e-mail this week, Brett Favre will probably drive around his farm on a tractor for the next 5 years. If so, good for him. He has earned it. If he chooses to do TV, that is great too. He has earned that spot as well as a "legend of the game." I am sure that Favre will have interesting things to say (sometimes) and probably find himself doing a lot of ex-player/coach-"speak" a lot more times (which is what is expected) for fear of alienating someone or saying something offensive to players/coaches/fans. What is troubling to me is how players become "legendary" not just because of what they accomplish on the field, but also because of who they have supporting them in the media. Until the sports media recognizes that a player's greatness is as much or more determined by what he/she does on the field and not how available they make themselves, then maybe someone will have (what 1980s pro wrestling announcer Gorilla Monsoon referred to as) the "intenstinal fortitude" to admit that Favre's last pass in the NFL gift-wrapped the Giants a spot into the Super Bowl.

Sports Guys Get's a Makeover

2008-03-06T14:17:00.002-05:00

We are rapidly approaching the one-year anniversary of the Sports Guys and it's time to start anew. A new format, new topics, same Andrew... a better Dan.

New episodes will include:

Fantasy Sports Extra with Matt Brannen
Andrew's Rant of the Week
More sports that you care about
Listener e-mail requests

Check back here or at www.southerntiersportsnetwork.com every Tuesday morning for new episodes of the Sports Guys with Dan and Andrew.

Bobby Knight & The Early Bird Special

2008-03-03T22:30:00.005-05:00

by Matt Brannen

A couple of weeks ago, legendary college basketball coach Robert Montgomery Knight (AKA-Bobby Knight) announced his retirement as head coach of Texas Tech after surpassing 900 career Division 1 victories. Immediately, ESPN quickly moved to air an interview with Coach Knight, where he happily recounted a phone conversation with Bill Parcells where "The Tuna" ostensibly convinced Knight to retire and "fish" everyday. Uh huh. This is about like Paris Hilton saying that she is no longer going to act stupid and devote herself to community causes. Oops. Bad example.

Seriously, can you really see Bobby Knight out on a fishing boat in the middle of the Florida keys day after day? Almost as soon as the heat came off the ESPN tape machine that played the interview, the sports reporting monolith announced that Coach Knight would be a studio analyst for their NCAA tournament coverage. Hello? What happened on the way to retirement? I think I may have an answer. All you have to do is ask yourself this question: What is left for Bobby Knight?

I have absolutely no proof to back up this perspective, but I find it tremendously curious that Knight announced his "retirement" from Texas Tech within the same two week period that Kelvin Sampson, then head coach of the Indiana University men's basketball team, became the focus of a recruiting scandal that caused him to eventually resign/have his contract bought out. Is the most legendary coach in the history of IU basketball (Knight) positioning himself for a return? See for yourself.....

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2008-03-02-hiestand-tv_N.htm

The M.O. for coaches as TV analysts is pretty simple: When a job becomes untenable or they are fired, the path is clear...do some TV to keep yourself in the spotlight until a job (or "the job") comes along. If Bill Parcells is advising Knight, then there is no question that Knight will coach again. Just look at Parcells' own resume. The merry-go-round of resignations, TV jobs, new jobs, resignations, and TV jobs is enough to make the head spin of a cotton candy fueled 6 year old on a carousel. So, be prepared now for the press conference in Bloomington about 2 weeks after the Final Four is completed. Everyone on the dias will smile, Bob Knight will put back on the IU sweater, and say something equivalent to "It is like I never left." Why? Because anyone that has observed Bob Knight over the years can't see "The General" heating up a can of creamed corn on his fishing boat while waiting for the fish to bite.

Sports Guys Ready for Download

2008-03-03T09:29:00.004-05:00

This week Dan and Andrew cover all the bases in fantasy sports.

Duke Basketball
NCAA Tournament
Sports and Movies

Check it all out on "The Sports Guys."

Sports Guys Ready for Download

2008-02-26T10:02:00.003-05:00

Dan and Andrew are back with the latest installment of "The Sports Guys."

In this week's episode:
Spring Training Talk
Barry Bonds to the Rays?
College Hoops and Memphis losing
Manatees is Florida... and no not the blubbery sea mammals
Andrew cries about losing at a video game and admits some very embarrassing information about himself.

Listen to this episode of "The Sports Guys" by clicking here.

A Letter to Rick Reilly

2008-02-21T19:27:00.006-05:00

Dear Rick,

I recently tried to contact you through your Web site (http://www.rickreillyonline.com/) because I read a column you wrote September 14, 1998. It is addressed to your future granddaughter telling the tale of Mark McGwire's record breaking home run and the press conference following the game.

You write:

"To my granddaughter,
I write this now, 40 years after the fact, because I want you to know how it really was, not through some yellowed video you play on your contact lenses.... I still think that year in sports, 1998, was the best of my lifetime." - Sports Illustrated: September 14, 1998, Rick Reilly.

Do you look back on these words and feel sadness, disappointment, or do you still defend them?

I am particularly struck by the phrase "I want you to know how it really was." At the time, no one knew what it really was. Many refuse to believe what it really was. Perhaps even you will not accept what it really was, but I am painfully curious to know your current thoughts as we enter the 10-year anniversary of one of the most celebrated baseball seasons of my lifetime. I felt the same way you did when you wrote the column. I have the "yellowed video" in my collection. I can still hear Joe Buck yelling "There it is, 62! Touch first, Mark, you are the new single-season home run king!”

The images, the power of the words and everything is etched in my mind. Then I came, just today, to reading your piece for the first time since 1998. I loved baseball in 1998. I love the game, today, but I do not love Major League Baseball anymore.

Everything I grew up loving was a lie. My heroes, one by one, have fallen.

I had a life-sized Barry Bonds poster in my bedroom when I was little. Lies.
I had a Rafael Palmiero poster. Lies.
I even had a Bash-Brothers poster. Lies.

I can't watch baseball the same way I did in 1998 and I am scared, even terrified, that I will never be able to watch baseball that way again.

The world is cruel place and I accepted the challenges becoming a successful sportswriter would present. I knew that paying taxes would never be fun. I knew that people less talented than me would get into better schools, do more exciting things and be, at least to start, more successful, but I always had baseball. Not anymore.

I read your words, Mr. Reilly, and I wonder if you feel the same way. If you look back on the past 10 years and all the history that occurred in baseball (Red Sox win 2 World Series, 61 Home Runs is eclipsed numerous times, 70 home runs is broken, Barry Bonds passes Hank Aaron, The Yankees Dynasty, Roger's Cy Youngs...) do you think it is all a sham? Is any of it clean anymore? Did I waste my childhood investing in players, in teams, in sports all for nothing?

What is to happen next? In 10 more years will I read an article in which you write "I think that year in sports, 2007, was the worst of my lifetime"? I hope I do because, in my mind, it can only go up from here.

Sincerely,
Dan Cassavaugh

Sports Guys Ready To Download

2008-02-20T01:03:00.004-05:00

The Sports Guys are back with the latest installment of SouthernTierSportsNetwork.com's popular sports talk show. In this episode Dan and Andrew ask you, the listeners, to weigh in on a controversial coach's decision late in a girls basketball playoff game.

Also:
Andy Pettitte
NBA All-Star Recap
How the Slam Dunk competition has changed
Baseball and are high school kids really using HGH and Steroids
Andrew rants "stupid" trades in the NBA

Listen to it all by clicking here

Cheaters Never Win? As Bill Lumberg From "Office Space" Would Say "Um, Yeah. About That..."

2008-02-17T20:34:00.008-05:00

By Matt Brannen

In a stunning move, the National Football League and Major League Baseball today stripped the New England Patriots and New York Yankees of their respective championships over the last 15 years due to evidence that both franchises were guilty of cheating and not acting in the best interest of professional sports.

So, do you think you will ever see such a headline in a real news story? Nope, I didn't think so. With Senator Arlen Specter doing his best Sam Ervin impression on the New England Patriots' "Spy Gate" scandal (for those history impaired, Ervin is a 1970s Watergate reference) and the Roger Clemens-Brian McNamee-Andy Pettitte-Chuck Knoblauch "He said, He said" square dance on Capitol Hill, it got me to wondering about two of the most successful pro sports franchises and whether or not they really deserve to keep all the hardware they have accumulated over the last 15 years. As importantly, the Patriots and Yankees have been heralded by the sports media (read: columnists, sports talk hosts, and analysts) as "the model franchises" that all other franchises should be emulating in their efforts to ascend to the throne of success. What kind of message is this sending to other teams and athletes about winning and winning at all costs? In the end, my position is that the NFL and MLB are as guilty as the Patriots and Yankees for not acting more swiftly in an effort to preserve "the integrity of the game."

When the NFL came out with their "punishment" early this season of a huge fine against Bill Bellicheck and New England's loss of a first round pick, I immediately told anyone willing to listen that this was the league's effort to bury the story during the regular season and keep people from shining the light of inquiry squarely into the eyes of all the teams. Imagine the paralysis of a league where every team had to answer whether or not they videotape opponents' signals from the sideline or other potentially sketchy endeavors. I have only anecdotal evidence to support such a contention, but one could posit that if a team is caught cheating in such a manner, there are probably other teams that have done so. How do I know this to be legit? I read a story quoting Zack Thomas, then of the Miami Dolphins, shortly after "Spy Gate" broke that the Dolphins, under then coach Nick Saban in 2006, secretely wore microphones in their pads during the first time they played New England so that they could record Tom Brady's audible calls at the line of scrimmage. What happened the 2nd time those teams played each other late in the 2006 season? Miami shut out New England. The NFL probably wants an investigation into the "scouting" practices of all their teams as much as Britney Spears' father wants lectures on "effective parenting."

The Yankees shouldn't be omitted in this discussion either. A small handful of reporters and analysts have made the connection that the Yankees were one of the most scrutinized teams during the now famous "Mitchell Report." The monolith in the Bronx, once referred to as the "Evil Empire" by a Red Sox owner, had over 20 players (former and current) named in Senator George Mitchell's investigation into the use of performance enhancing drugs. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has continually announced that the investigation was his obligation to "clean up" the MLB "house" for the history and tradition of the game. However, I find it fascinating that the report itself was released well after the World Series was completed, though it was initially scheduled to come out the week of the World Series was being played. In fact, if it hadn't been for Roger Clemens' continual claims of innocence (whether he is guilty or not is irrelevant here) and Congress intervening with special hearings, many have made the reading that this story would probably have been dead before Spring Training 2008 ensued, save for the upcoming Barry Bonds jurisprudence. As a side note, don't you think it is a little curious that the league's career home run leader (who still hit 28 HRs in less than 350 ABs last year) can't find a job in the Bigs? If Barry is in someone's Spring Training dugout, the story stays alive. Just ask Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, and Raffy Palmeiro.

Please don't get the impression that I am some kind of "sports conspiracy" nut here. What I am stating here is that major pro sports leagues, especially the NFL and MLB, are as invested as the teams and players in not having comprehensive reviews beyond "Spy Gate" and the "Mitchell Report." If they were, the kibosh wouldn't be put on these stories as quickly as possible or information released during a time frame conciously considered for minimum impact. If not, let's change the old Little League axiom to the following: Cheaters never win and winners never cheat. At least, not until they are caught.

Sports Guys Ready for Download

2008-02-12T12:29:00.001-05:00

The Sports Guys is back with the newest episode from Dan and Andrew.

The Diesel heads to the desert.
Kobe has a wingman.
Bloody syringe... sounds like Bloody Glove???
Bobby Knight rides off into the sunset.
Jim Nantz and Andrew's love fest.

To listen to this episode, click here.

Sports Guys Ready for Download

2008-02-05T14:05:00.000-05:00

It's our SUPER BOWL SPECTACULAR! episode of The Sports Guys in which we discuss, you guessed it, THE SUPER BOWL!

Also some Tiger Woods

And Andrew has a three minute rant about Johan Santana.

Check it out by clicking here.

Tiger Woods and the rest of the field

2008-02-01T17:03:00.000-05:00

By Dan Cassavaugh

Who is going to catch Tiger Woods this season, next season, the season after that, or five years from now?

In a game that produces players that get hot for stretches and then fade into oblivion, Tiger Woods has been on top of the golf world for, well, as long as I can remember.

Other than the year Vijay Singh decided to play out of his mind and became number 1 for like a week, we have to trace back nearly a decade to find the last No. 1 before Tiger Woods.

David Duval.

Listeners of "The Sports Guys" know that I love golf and I love David Duval. His golf story is perhaps the saddest and most historic freefall to the bottom of the world rankings after his last winning season in 2001. That year, he won two events: The Open Championship and The Dunlop Pheonix.

Since then Duval has been all but completely off the leaderboard.

Every now and again we get to witness an opening round 66 from Duval which catapults him atop the leaderboard, but by the weekend he manages to miss the cut by shooting 80 on Friday.

Last year, for the first time since 1994, Duval didn't play in a single major. This after a 2006 season where he played in them all, and even finished 16th at the U.S. Open.

Perhaps one of Bobby Jones most famous lines is this: "Golf is played mainly on a six-inch course; the space between your ears."

This is the edge Tiger obviously has over everyone else. Duval appeared to be on the top of his game, but a back injury forced him out of contention in 2002. Since then, it has been Tiger the whole way. Duval hasn't recovered, I feel, because he may still be dealing with a back injury and he doesn't have the mental game anymore.

Clearly by his ability to post a low score here and there that he has the capability. So why doesn't he have the consistency? I think this is because he doesn't truly belive that he has the ability to post those numbers and whenever he does he think it is a fluke.

Another thing working in Tiger's favor: course management.

Why do you think he dominates Torrey Pines?
He doesn't care if he misses fairways because he know that there isn't as much danger lining them and so he lets his driver rip. With his unbelievable short game, he has no problem getting up and down.

Phil Mickelson basically quivers over the ball when he has a lead on the final hole.
Sergio Garcia literally quivers. Remember how Padraig Harrington won the British last year?
I read reports about Sergio muttering to himself on the 17th and 18th, "Not again, not again, not again." Are you kidding me?

Have you ever heard those words out of Tiger's mouth?

The key to golf, once you have the shots down that you are comfortable hitting, is the mental game. Save yourself expensive lessons and reading instruction articles to take five strokes off your game and listen to this.

Once you can hit a golf ball fairly straight or at least have a consistent ball flight, the only thing left to master your game is in the head.

I'm nearly a scratch golfer and unfortunately until college and out of competitive play, I didn't learn this rule. I now play about five times a year and am consistently around 75. Why? I can hit a golf ball straight and I know what my strengths are. I didn't understand that playing to my strengths would drop up to 10 strokes off my game.

On a 330 yard par 4, I used to take driver and blast it out as far as I could. Most of the time this left me with a 40 yard pitch shot. This is a very difficult distance, for even pros, so why would I think I could get up and down everytime from there? I would lose more strokes that way than if I were to take a 3-iron off the tee and have a full wedge in, something that would spin and put me close with a putt for birdie, instead of a tough two-putt or even having to chip to get up and down, like I would from 40 yards out.

Tiger does this masterfully, better than any other player on tour, which is also why he has been No. 1 in the world for so long. As his strengths and weaknesses change, he is able to adjust his game and continue to play to those. Just look at his career path.

Phil Mickelson, for one example, tends to miss to the left off the tee with a driver. So when he is up by a stroke off on the 18th and there is danger to the right, why pull out the big stick? Just take a fairway metal or iron off the tee and be safe. Tiger has the discipline to do this, whereas most other players do not.

The most memorable was the 18th at Pebble Beach a few years ago when Phil attempted to go at the green in two instead of laying up. He had the lead. There was no need, but he didn't have the self control to pull back on the throttle.

Tiger will continue to be competitive late into his 40s and will most certainly surpass Jack and all of his records. He will do this because as his body and game changes, his mind changes as well to maximize the potential. No other player has done it like him and no other player will do it like him.

Jim Furyk is the closest to Tiger's consistency and mental strength, but even the closest will win maybe four events this year. Tiger will win match that mark this year, in Majors alone.

Free Agency and Trades (A Fan's Perspective)

2008-01-30T16:16:00.000-05:00

By Dan Cassavaugh

I was born in Mountain View, California. I lived outside of San Francisco until I was nine. I am a Seattle Mariners fan.

The reason: Ken Griffey, Jr.

Griffey departed Seattle in 1999, requesting a trade. I was 13 and just bought the Triple Threat poster of Jay Buhner, Alex Rodriguez, and Ken Griffey, Jr. Hearing the news of Griffey leaving was devastating and it wasn't until today that I really took a look at trade clauses and free agency as a fan.

Loyalty to a team rarely exists in baseball today. Derek Jeter might be the exception, but for the majority of athletes its only about the ring and money.

I thought, at 12 that Griffey would never leave Seattle; that he would go into the Hall of Fame as a Mariner. At 13, I was angry.

Instead of sticking with Griffey and following his career to Cincinatti and wherever else he might end up once his contract runs out, I decided to stay with Seattle. Griffey broke my heart as a fan.

And he was possibly the most gracious about it, saying that he wanted to be closer to his father and it wasn't about chasing a World Series or wanting more money. This was clear because the Reds team that he entered wasn't very good then, and they aren't too good now. We also aren't hearing about him demanding a contract extension and more money.

It still was hard for a fan of the Mariners.

This week Johan Santana became a Met. We'll see him starting opening day, and no Minnesota Twins fans are happy.

The way Santana asked out of Minnesota was embarassing. There appears to have been little discussion about Santana's future between him and the franchise. He basically said, "I want a trade. Trade me or I'll play one more year and leave anyway."

If he had done the latter, the Twins wouldn't have gotten much of anything for him, other than a couple draft picks. So the Twins had to accept a less than stellar trade in order to appease Santana and make sure they got something for him.

How do you feel if you are a Twins fan?
Your "franchise player" demands to leave. Your team is going to be awful for a while. And you get basically nothing out of it.

I would feel, as I did with the Griffey situation, that my star player cheated me. He was supposed to be the one to bring a championship home. Instead, he is upset he isn't getting enough money and the team isn't good enough. He doesn't care about the city or his teammates, but only about himself.

Free agency has made it so fans can't fully invest in a player or a team. The stories continue to come out and say things like "Will he bring the ring?" and "Will he be the answer?"

I can't put my whole heart into a player anymore. Griffey ruined it for me. I can only root for the team. This is probably why I love college basketball so much. It is known and expected that a player won't stay that long, so I'm not crushed when my star player leaves. In college we all know it is going to happen.

In the pros we all hope it won't and that is why we always get hurt.

An Open Letter To Sports Broadcasters...

2008-01-23T22:13:00.000-05:00

It seems that ESPN's Dana Jacobsen is the latest to be caught up in the recent wave of career endangerment moves by sportcasters trying to be funny or 'cutting edge' in front of an open microphone or the printed page. Apparently, Jacobsen was offensive to many in the audience during a roast sponsored by her employer. Notre Dame (with head football coach Charlie Weis in attendance no less) allegedly received much of her perceived inappropriate comments. Her one week suspension from the morning sports show that she co-hosts on ESPN2 comes on the heels of The Golf Channel's Kelly Tilghman poorly attempting a comedic remark regarding how pro golfers should response to Tiger Woods coming into the new season and the "edgy" move by a Golf magazine editor to put a noose on its front cover as a way to create further debate about the Tilghman controversy (for more details, see the story link below). In the end, what do we know from these circumstances? Jacobsen and Tilghman have been suspended by their respective employers and the Golf magazine editor has lost his job.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-23-espnbritejan23,0,6613456.story?coll=chi-newsap_il-hed

My question is this: At what point did journalism and broadcasting school stop teaching that anything said in front of a microphone or printed may be able to be heard or read? This used to be Golden Rule #1 when it came to broadcasting (and especially sports broadcasting): Don't ever say or write anything that you wouldn't want everyone to hear or read. It seems that both Jacobsen and Tilghman believed their comments were in jest (whether they were or not is for each individual person to determine), but they obviously weren't taken that way by many and that is what is important. What I find interesting about these stories is that many in the sports media were quick to criticize and vilify radio host Don Imus for his inappropriate and insensitively ill-advised "comedy" about the Rutgers women's basketball team last year. Many on the airwaves talked, including ESPN, and those in the print media wrote about how Imus should be punished for his misdeeds (again, up to each reader to determine for himself or herself) and, most importantly for the purpose of this entry, that comedy had little place in sports broadcasting. So, given the Jacobsen/Tilghman/Golf magazine triad of controversies over the last few weeks, I guess I must ask this final question: Has anything been learned after all? My advice to journalism and broadcasting professors is this: How about reinserting a lecture or two into your syllabi about recognizing the power of an open microphone or the printed page? My advice to sports broadcasters is this: If you think what you are about to say or write is funny, think twice. Then, think again and have someone else let you know if you have gone too far BEFORE you put it out there for everyone to digest or, well, return to you. Honestly, I am probably not watching your sports show or reading your sports column for humor. If you are in doubt, use the old broadcasting axiom: Leave it out. Leave comedy to professionals. You may not only be saving me or others from being offended, you may also be saving your own career.

The Blog Is Back....

2008-01-22T22:19:00.000-05:00

Dear "The Sports Guys" blog reader:

I would like to thank Dan and Andrew for the opportunity to post on "The Sports Guys" blog. As President and CEO of Southern Tier Sports Network, I am proud to have Dan and Andrew associated with the website. I think they both do a great job with their show and the blog. Unfortunately, their respective schedules have made it difficult for them to post regularly at the end of 2007 and, because we were getting "buzz" from readers near the end of the year, I felt it would be a good idea in early 2008 to resurrect the blog (with Dan and Andrew's blessing). Hopefully, "The Sports Guys" will be free to post from time to time throughout the year and, when they can't, I and the rest of the STSN announcing group will fill in. So, be sure to check back regularly for new posts on the world of sports from all of us and feel free to post your thoughts (but make it respectful!) on the sports views you read here. Thanks for logging on and reading "The Sports Guys Blog 2.0"!

Thanks for all the support of the site and blog,
Matt Brannen
President & CEO, Southern Tier Sports Network

Sports Guys Ready for Download

2007-11-13T19:02:00.000-05:00

We took a couple of weeks off from posting due to the ridiculousness of Division III college football in the Ithaca region this past week. I, Dan Cassavaugh, had to call the CORTACA JUG game on Ithaca College's radio station. Look it up if you don't know how big the game is. Also, Ithaca managed to secure playoff berth because of the win so I am traveling to Ohio to play Mt. Union this coming weekend. With that said, we apologize for the delay in posting this week's episode. You can listen to it by downloading it here. Enjoy and keep listening!

A-Rod

2007-10-28T23:12:00.000-04:00

So Alex Rodriguez has opted out of his contract with the Yankees/Rangers. So now the question obviously is where A-Rod will end up.

My vote: Chicago Cubs.

Why: Lou Pinella.

A-Rod has been successful with every team he has been on, but he isn't able to handle the New York media. Nor does he have the mental strength to take the constant criticism. This rules out Boston, sort of.

The initial thoughts are Boston because "It would be a perfect fit," because of the potential third base opening with Lowell's contract up. Boston has just about as harsh a media as New York, but since A-Rod is leaving New York to potentially come to Boston I would assume the media and the fans might have a little bit of grace period for him while he adjusts. Then again, A-Rod isn't exactly a team player which is basically exactly what Boston prides themselves on.

As for the Cubs and Lou Pinella. Alex has said that there is no one he would rather play for other than Pinella. Sweet Lou helped him grow up in the bigs and continues to talk with him on an almost daily basis. Perhaps that's the only reason A-Rod didn't completely lose his mind in New York.

Combine that relationship with the fans of Chicago that are as forgiving as any other in all of baseball. Even if he went to the Cubs and was terrible for a month or two, the fans would still love him because they love every one. I want you to give me a player that was brutally pushed out of Chicago because of Cubs fans. I don't think you can.

Even Soriano this year was pretty terrible and the fans still loved him. Lou Pinella couldn't win a game early on, but the Cubs still made the post season. Add an A-Rod and that's a World Series level team.

The only problem is that Alex would probably have to take a slight pay cut to play for a smaller market team because if any of the small market teams have learned from the Rangers, shelling out tons of money for one player still won't win pennants.

I'd just love to see him go back to Seattle and talk Edgar Martinez out of retirement and bring back Griffey. *Oh the memories*

"Rock the Sox" on FOX

2007-10-28T11:41:00.000-04:00

It looks like Colorado fans will be sitting on their hands tonight instead of holding those stupid signs (I tried to find a picture of one, but couldn't). Thank goodness.

I think that might be the most annoying slogan I've ever heard. And considering that there is no hope and was no hope of Colorado actually winning the series, the fans still hold up the signs.

Let's talk about FOX. If any of you watched the seventh inning stretch with one of the members of Earth Wind & Fire, you will fully understand this point.

During the stretch when they sing God Bless America FOX decided to show a little 8-year-old girl belting out the tunes, right at the time the lyrics hit "God Bless America." She was singing with all her might and all her heart. I mean as hard and passionate as Whitney Houston singing the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV.

The only thing missing was FOX to roll an American flag banner across the bottom of the screen, tagging it with a Pepsi logo.

Now I'm not saying that I'm against patriotism and all that, but when a notoriously Republican network shows the "average American family" -- Mommy, Daddy, Girl, Boy (all white) -- I tend to get a little vomit in my mouth. How perfect for FOX to pick that family out, all singing and enjoying a game where the home team was trailing 6-2 at the time.

Lets be a little more realistic. I don't mind seeing fans standing, with their hats off, singing and what have you, but to show Little Miss Sunshine trying to earn her trophy is a bit over the top.

But then again isn't that everything on FOX.

Hip, Hip Horray! Basketball is coming

2007-10-26T21:13:00.001-04:00

After over four hours in a car I made it to Springfield. I know that you were all devastated over this and that you were quite worried about me and my trip. Thank you for the concern.

In those four hours, nothing really happened in the sports world too massive. But I want to discuss the College Basketball preseason top 25 poll, according to espn.com/USA Today poll.

There is no initial surprise on my part that UNC is at the top of the poll, again. I mean they had possibly the best recruiting class in all of Division I, again. They also bring back numerous key players like Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough. Combine that with the sensational bench players from last year getting much more playing time and some starts and the Tar Heels are undoubtedly atop the national rankings.

But no one wants to hear or read about the front-runners, unless you live on Tobacco Road, so let's discuss the surprise teams in the top 25.

Michigan State at number 8. Last year Michigan State made it into the tournament basically on reputation with an overall regular season record of 23-10, before getting bounced in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. I just don't really see how the Spartans are going to remain in the top 10. Are you just going to rely on your recruiting class for all your wins? The Spartans had the 14th ranked recruiting class in the country. If Duke in the recent years hasn't proven that relying on freshman or inexperienced players without a superstar to turn to doesn't get a ton of wins, I don't know who does.

The rest of the Top 25 looks somewhat legit, although Duke won't be ranked in the top 20 for long. McRoberts left for the NBA (good move on his part), Paulus just isn't that good overall. He is almost as overrated as Gerry McNamara. Yes, I said it Syracuse fans.

As for Syracuse, they finished at 27, just missing the list. That's about where they belong because if the Orange can keep winning the games it's supposed to win, then Jimmy B and his boys will move up in the rankings. There is no way that a Michigan State or a Duke will stay in the top 25 for long. Duke has the most potential of falling into the world of the unranked, while teams like Ohio State, Kansas State, and UConn will quickly push for a top 25 ranking.

The first month of basketball is only a few weeks away. I know I will be watching the Maui Invitational and the preseason NIT. I won't be rooting for anyone, just keeping an eye on how things play out. Remember, I think preseason is pointless. In college basketball, unlike any other collegiate sport, preseason definitely gives an idea of how good a team will be in December, January and into February.

The Art of Breaking Even

2007-10-26T00:11:00.001-04:00

I am taking solace tonight in the fact that the curse of Dan didn't take its effect in my prediction of Boston taking the first two at home. Although it was a close game, I thought Boston might be blowing it when Holliday reached first with Helton up. Papelbon then showed why he IS the best closer in all of baseball.

And I can't speak highly enough about Okajima. What a brilliant performance on his part to keep the lead for Boston with Colorado threatening. For the record I'm not a fan of the Boston Red Sox and I was really hoping that Woody Paige was right when he wrote in Wednesday's Denver Post of game one and two, "The Rockies' streak ends tonight, but they'll come back in Game 2. The Rockies will win two out of three in Denver, losing to Beckett."

I was really hoping that he was right. I pray for Rockies Nation that Saturday and Sunday will be victorious. I pray for the overall quality of the series that the Rockies can muster a win in game 3. And lastly I pray for light snow and a heroic walk-off by Helton, Holliday, or Tulowitzki. I pray for the snow so that in twenty years if the Rockies win game 3 some player will be imortalized with the rack-focus shot from snow flakes falling to a player stepping to the bat.

I wish for a new name. Not an Ortiz, a Manny, or more Papelbon. I yearn for a Helton, a Matsui, any one else. Please, please, please let this happen higher being.

I don't even care if the Rockies win it in the end. I just want there to be a spotlight shining on someone else, any one else.

I also feel bad for Cleveland fans, one of whom told me today on instant messenger:

ster125 (12:11:36 AM): my dad is going to go off the deep end

ster125 (12:11:41 AM): we would be up 2 too

Poor, poor Indians fans. Will I have to hear about how the World Series banner should be yours, too? If you didn't choke this wouldn't be an issue.

So please let Saturday be a beautiful day of football and baseball. I don't want blow outs. I want heroics. I want Papelbon to blow a save. Perhaps tonight was my only chance, but then Holliday got picked off.

Is the Curse of Dan Broken? NO!

2007-10-25T22:50:00.000-04:00

Well I didn't get to watch The Office tonight. My prediction for the Virginia Tech game with Boston College was brutally lost in the final seconds. I thought it was in hand. I thought VT couldn't lose a 10 point lead in the 4th. I was wrong and Mr. Anonymous, you, were right.

I am now weeping as I write this post. I am weeping not because VT lost, not because Mr. Anonymous was right, but more because the curse of Dan lives on. I picked VT, I thought for sure it was VT and then my Hokies let me me down and Boston College played one heck of a 4th quarter. What a perfectly executed onside kick. My hat goes off to you, Mr. Anonymous. For those of you unfamiliar read the previous few posts to learn of him and how he will soon contribute to our blog. Perhaps, as I am expecting, he will write how Boston College deserves the number 2 ranking and a shot at a national championship.

I wasn't able to watch The Office because all the games were far too close for me to take time to watch a full episode. The Red Sox are still playing and it's still too close for me to turn off and I don't want to count my chickens before they're hatched. Don't worry faithful fans of The Sports Guys, more will come tonight and more tomorrow.

Tomorrow night I will be on the road in Springfield, Massachusetts, to cover Ithaca College football. Game time is 12:00 noon on Saturday and you can listen to hit by following this link. I will hopefully be able to post from my hotel room, but if I can't the new episode of The Sports Guys is available for download and listen.

Enjoy the rest of the game tonight and check back again.