Many of you have linked to my posts about coaching second-grade basketball, which I did with a friend last year. We had seven boys and two girls on the team, and a majority of the kids had little knowledge of the game -- how to dribble, how to defend, how to crash the boards, how to shoot. The great news was that the kids were enthusiastic, worked hard, and progressed well during the season. We only had one practice per week (if that, as some weeks the gym wasn't available), but we drilled repetitively on some basic skills, tried to have a little fun, and had a good season. You can read about what we did in those practices here.
This year, we've moved up a grade. The league remains non-competitive (that is, the league doesn't keep score, even if the kids do in their heads), and, yes, man-to-man defense is still required (if I only could teach the kids the back-door cut -- which they're slow to grasp, we'd score layups at will all the time, because the kids still tend to crowd and overplay on defense). This year, the league is not co-ed, and we have a mix of third- and fourth-graders. Last year, we only had second-graders, so there is an upgrade in talent.
We've only had two practices, so I'll share with you what we're trying to accomplish in practice. We get about one hour, and we have either a whole "sideways" full court or half of one. Translated, we don't have a ton of space, so we make do with what we have. Here are some suggestions:
1. Make the most out of limited practice time. We only have one practice per week, so don't linger. Get the kids going, be organized, plan every minute.
2. We start with some simple talk about what we're trying to accomplish -- working on the fundamentals, looking to make a good pass, keep your head up when dribbling, sliding on defense, crashing the boards. That takes about 2 minutes.
3. We then spend about 3 minutes on defensive slides. It's a good way to get the kids' juices flowing, and we take them back-and-forth across the floor. We stop and start quickly, so they know that they'll have to move in short spurts and change directions.
4. Then we move into lay-up lines for about 3 minutes. Again, it's a good way to get started, and by this time we're ten minutes into practice and halfway through our first ten-minute segment.
5. We then work on dribbling drills for about 5 minutes. We do two drills, such as the "fingers" drill, where the kids dribble in place and switch hands on command, but they need to look at a coach and shout out the number of fingers he's holding up. This drill encourages the kids to look up and not at the ball. Then we'll do a stop and start drill, where the kids will dribble down the court and stop and throw a pass. We're trying to teach them to pass off the dribble fluidly -- so that they don't pick up their dribbles and hold the ball until the defense swarms.
6. We then working on passing drills for another 5 minutes. So, for example, two kids will make their way down the floor either chest- or bounce-passing the ball to one other. The theme -- make every single pass count. Make sure that the passes hit the kids near the letters, so to speak, so that they don't have to go reaching for the ball.
Then we have a one-minute water break.
The second segment of practice focuses on plays. So, we'll spend say 5 minutes on catch-and-shoot drills, as we try to teach the kids that when they're in close if they put the ball on the floor a defender will probably swipe it away. This drill is especially important for the bigger kids. Then we'll spend about 7 minutes on the give-and-go play and 7 minutes on setting screens. We tried the back-door play, but the kids aren't yet good enough to keep their dribbles on the one hand and do the cut on the other. We might continue to teach it, but at this age, teaching the pick-and-roll or the dribble handoff might be a better use of our time. After this 19-minute segment, it's time for another water break.
After the second water break, we'll spend 16 minutes scrimmaging, either 3 on 3 to emphasize defensive stops or 5 on 5. We can do better on offense in the former, but having 4 kids stand around isn't exactly optimal. We'll stop play to teach, so as to emphasize passing, not picking up the dribble too early, not dribbling into the corner, how to defend properly. After scrimmaging, we'll run a two-minute foul-shooting drill, and wrap up with the kids for another minute and then send them home.
The goal is to teach them more fundamentals, give them a good workout, and get them ready to play at a higher level, all the while having fun, which is the most important thing. This year presents different challenges from last year, as the baseline of experience is much greater than last year's. We're up for the challenge, and it will be interesting to see how well we can teach new concepts and how quickly the kids can grasp them.
I'd appreciate your thoughts on what works and what doesn't. What I just wrote is more in the way of a suggestion than a tried-and-true recipe. Thanks for your insights.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Accomplishing Goals
I travel with a PSP on long-distance business trips. I only use it on airplanes, and it's a good insurance policy in case of a travel delay or getting antsy on a very long flight, packed in coach.
For my latest trip I purchased FIFA Soccer 09, and it's a very complete game. I play at the "beginner" or "amateur" level, and while I sometimes play Arsenal against Tottenham, Lyon against Marseilles or AC Milan against Inter (not to mention Manchester United against Liverpool or Celtic versus Rangers), sometimes I need a break.
We all want to accomplish our professional goals in life. So what better a way than to accomplish goals than to score some!
How do you do that?
It's pretty easy. Take a four-and-a-half or five-star team (like some of the ones mentioned above) and play them against a team from the English Second Division (where the teams have half-star and one-star ratings). Play at the "beginner" or "amateur" level, and find yourself winning 10-0. Talk about accomplishing goals!
Now, it's not always that fun, as the PSP typically lets you run by the defenders in this format (as opposed to scoring dazzling goals with short passes or crosses -- the PlayStation 2 game used to let you do that), but, still, scoring goals is scoring goals, and in this world there's something to be said for having fun playing your games. Now, if you get pretty good at this game, you can tee up Arsenal against Tottenham in this format and win 7-0, too. That is, before your wrists start to get tired.
So, if you want to accomplish some goals, score some! It's good video game therapy from time to time.
For my latest trip I purchased FIFA Soccer 09, and it's a very complete game. I play at the "beginner" or "amateur" level, and while I sometimes play Arsenal against Tottenham, Lyon against Marseilles or AC Milan against Inter (not to mention Manchester United against Liverpool or Celtic versus Rangers), sometimes I need a break.
We all want to accomplish our professional goals in life. So what better a way than to accomplish goals than to score some!
How do you do that?
It's pretty easy. Take a four-and-a-half or five-star team (like some of the ones mentioned above) and play them against a team from the English Second Division (where the teams have half-star and one-star ratings). Play at the "beginner" or "amateur" level, and find yourself winning 10-0. Talk about accomplishing goals!
Now, it's not always that fun, as the PSP typically lets you run by the defenders in this format (as opposed to scoring dazzling goals with short passes or crosses -- the PlayStation 2 game used to let you do that), but, still, scoring goals is scoring goals, and in this world there's something to be said for having fun playing your games. Now, if you get pretty good at this game, you can tee up Arsenal against Tottenham in this format and win 7-0, too. That is, before your wrists start to get tired.
So, if you want to accomplish some goals, score some! It's good video game therapy from time to time.
Tom Coughlin Gets It
It's amazing that there isn't more of a buzz about the coaching of the Giants' Tom Coughlin. Yes, there's a buzz about the Giants' offensive line play and their running game, but not enough in my opinion.
Why?
Because Coughlin saw an ability to innovate in the NFL and he did. And this is the first significant innovation since Bill Walsh determined that with bigger and faster defenses, "three yards and a cloud of dust" and two-back backfields with both backs sharing a rather big rushing load would no longer work. Okay, so Walsh's innovation might be more significant in terms of having created a new football theory, but Coughlin's return to smash-mouth rushing is pretty clever, too.
Why?
Because almost every NFL defense -- even the 3-4 -- has been built to stop West Coast-style offenses and, most certainly, one-back offenses. Which means that there's been a tendency for a while to stop the "death by a thousand cuts" passing offenses over stopping up-the-gut rushing attacks. That tendency gave Coughlin -- a firm believer in the notion that winning the battles in the trenches on both sides of the ball leads to victories -- a chance to take an old-time notion and jam it down the throats of those who like to throw tons of packages at you but don't necessarily have the strength to stop run after run after run.
Is what Coughlin's doing that innovative?
No and yes.
No, because, well, rushing the ball right at the defense has been a part of the game since the beginning of the game. Yes, because it takes courage to go against the grain and emphasize the run when teams obsess over having the perfect quarterback who can work miracles. Make no mistake -- Eli Manning is an excellent quarterback -- but the Giants' ball-control offense tires out defenses and puts tons of points on the board.
Tom Coughlin, whom I criticized in these pages a couple of years ago for failing to control the egos and dissenters in his locker room, has done just that and created an offensive style of football that differs somewhat significantly from those of the rest of the pack and could well lead the Giants to their second straight Super Bowl victory.
Old-time football. It's not exactly "putting on the foil" (for those who might like a Slapshot reference), but it works like a charm.
Why?
Because Coughlin saw an ability to innovate in the NFL and he did. And this is the first significant innovation since Bill Walsh determined that with bigger and faster defenses, "three yards and a cloud of dust" and two-back backfields with both backs sharing a rather big rushing load would no longer work. Okay, so Walsh's innovation might be more significant in terms of having created a new football theory, but Coughlin's return to smash-mouth rushing is pretty clever, too.
Why?
Because almost every NFL defense -- even the 3-4 -- has been built to stop West Coast-style offenses and, most certainly, one-back offenses. Which means that there's been a tendency for a while to stop the "death by a thousand cuts" passing offenses over stopping up-the-gut rushing attacks. That tendency gave Coughlin -- a firm believer in the notion that winning the battles in the trenches on both sides of the ball leads to victories -- a chance to take an old-time notion and jam it down the throats of those who like to throw tons of packages at you but don't necessarily have the strength to stop run after run after run.
Is what Coughlin's doing that innovative?
No and yes.
No, because, well, rushing the ball right at the defense has been a part of the game since the beginning of the game. Yes, because it takes courage to go against the grain and emphasize the run when teams obsess over having the perfect quarterback who can work miracles. Make no mistake -- Eli Manning is an excellent quarterback -- but the Giants' ball-control offense tires out defenses and puts tons of points on the board.
Tom Coughlin, whom I criticized in these pages a couple of years ago for failing to control the egos and dissenters in his locker room, has done just that and created an offensive style of football that differs somewhat significantly from those of the rest of the pack and could well lead the Giants to their second straight Super Bowl victory.
Old-time football. It's not exactly "putting on the foil" (for those who might like a Slapshot reference), but it works like a charm.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The National League MVP Voters Got It Right
Albert Pujols is the best player in the National League, and, yes, in 2008 he was the most valuable, or, at least, deserving of the award. He kept a so-so at best Cardinals team in the hunt for most of the year, and that effort, while playing with a bad elbow, and his numbers, were worthy of the National League's most valuable player award.
Yes, I am a Phillies' partisan, but no Phillies' position player deserved the MVP award this year. While Phillies' fans chanted "MVP" near the end of the season when Ryan Howard came to the plate, the slugging first baseman didn't have the numbers that Pujols did and was not nearly as consistent. But for an awesome September, Howard would have had an average year (for a slugger, and not just for him). That September was memorable and helped propel the Phillies to the NL East title, of that there is little doubt. But Howard's body of work during the year didn't merit the MVP award.
As it was, the Philadelphia chapter of the baseball writers voted Brad Lidge the team's MVP, and they got it right. Going into the 2008 season, I had said that if the Phillies hit the way they did in 2007 and got some better pitching, they could win the division (of course, I said this before the Mets acquired Johan Santana). As it turned out, the team didn't hit the way it did in 2007, but the pitching -- and particularly the bullpen -- was better. The major difference was in the closer position, where Brad Lidge had a perfect game of a year. As for the position players, well, Jimmy Rollins' overall game was in a funk through August, Chase Utley didn't look right after May (although he revived nicely late in the year), Pat Burrell was about even (although he didn't do much from August through year's end, although, yes, he did have a few big hits).
But why digress on the details? Two years ago, Rollins was the MVP, and three years ago it was Howard. Utley was a favorite going into this season, and his torrid early months forecast a third MVP award in a row for the Phillies. But does it really matter? All members of the 2008 Phillies contributed to something much more satisfying -- a championship.
Yes, it's nice to get the hardware, and it's nice to be called a Cy Young Award winner, a Rookie of the Year, an All-Star, an MVP Award winner, a Gold Glover (and, yes, Chase Utley should have won one this year, too).
But it's even better to be called a champion.
Yes, I am a Phillies' partisan, but no Phillies' position player deserved the MVP award this year. While Phillies' fans chanted "MVP" near the end of the season when Ryan Howard came to the plate, the slugging first baseman didn't have the numbers that Pujols did and was not nearly as consistent. But for an awesome September, Howard would have had an average year (for a slugger, and not just for him). That September was memorable and helped propel the Phillies to the NL East title, of that there is little doubt. But Howard's body of work during the year didn't merit the MVP award.
As it was, the Philadelphia chapter of the baseball writers voted Brad Lidge the team's MVP, and they got it right. Going into the 2008 season, I had said that if the Phillies hit the way they did in 2007 and got some better pitching, they could win the division (of course, I said this before the Mets acquired Johan Santana). As it turned out, the team didn't hit the way it did in 2007, but the pitching -- and particularly the bullpen -- was better. The major difference was in the closer position, where Brad Lidge had a perfect game of a year. As for the position players, well, Jimmy Rollins' overall game was in a funk through August, Chase Utley didn't look right after May (although he revived nicely late in the year), Pat Burrell was about even (although he didn't do much from August through year's end, although, yes, he did have a few big hits).
But why digress on the details? Two years ago, Rollins was the MVP, and three years ago it was Howard. Utley was a favorite going into this season, and his torrid early months forecast a third MVP award in a row for the Phillies. But does it really matter? All members of the 2008 Phillies contributed to something much more satisfying -- a championship.
Yes, it's nice to get the hardware, and it's nice to be called a Cy Young Award winner, a Rookie of the Year, an All-Star, an MVP Award winner, a Gold Glover (and, yes, Chase Utley should have won one this year, too).
But it's even better to be called a champion.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Hope for Princeton Basketball
Central Michigan beat Princeton, 55-53, in the Tigers' season opener at Jadwin Gym tonight. And, yes, Central Michigan isn't Michigan State, and a Chippewas fan told me at halftime that his alma mater was missing two of their top players. Still, they had at least one good one left, as 6'8", 235-pound forward Chris Kellerman scored outside and inside, had 28 points and led his team to victory.
So why was there hope?
Was it because the Tigers only lost by two in their home opener? Was it because they started two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior? Was it because they started a front line that goes 6'9", 6'8", 6'7"?
Answer: none of the above. (Click here for the box score).
The answer is that frosh PG Doug Davis scored 25 points, is a great ballhandler, can break the ankles of a defender, can shoot the three and can take over a game. When was the last time a Tiger had 25 points in his first game in a Princeton uniform? Not in the past 30 years, I don't think. When was the last time the Tigers had a player this exciting? And when was the last time the Tigers had a guard this able on offense?
Imagine this: a Philly point guard in a Princeton uniform. Take the the years of wisdom and court savvy handed down from the likes of Sonny Hill, Guy Rodgers, Hal Lear, Earl Monroe, Andre McCarter, Pooh Richardson, Sean "Reds" Smith and many others and send it to Princeton, to be coached by a terrific guard himself in Sydney Johnson, and you could have someone very, very special.
I can't say that a star was born tonight, because Doug Davis came into Princeton with star quality. But a star was launched tonight, and if you're a Princeton basketball fan, you have to be very happy. I'm not sure where this year's team will go, but in Doug Davis you have someone to build around for four years.
And when was the last time a Princeton basketball fan had this much excitement?
Sydney Johnson is onto something in Princeton. The Tiger hoops magic is coming back.
So why was there hope?
Was it because the Tigers only lost by two in their home opener? Was it because they started two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior? Was it because they started a front line that goes 6'9", 6'8", 6'7"?
Answer: none of the above. (Click here for the box score).
The answer is that frosh PG Doug Davis scored 25 points, is a great ballhandler, can break the ankles of a defender, can shoot the three and can take over a game. When was the last time a Tiger had 25 points in his first game in a Princeton uniform? Not in the past 30 years, I don't think. When was the last time the Tigers had a player this exciting? And when was the last time the Tigers had a guard this able on offense?
Imagine this: a Philly point guard in a Princeton uniform. Take the the years of wisdom and court savvy handed down from the likes of Sonny Hill, Guy Rodgers, Hal Lear, Earl Monroe, Andre McCarter, Pooh Richardson, Sean "Reds" Smith and many others and send it to Princeton, to be coached by a terrific guard himself in Sydney Johnson, and you could have someone very, very special.
I can't say that a star was born tonight, because Doug Davis came into Princeton with star quality. But a star was launched tonight, and if you're a Princeton basketball fan, you have to be very happy. I'm not sure where this year's team will go, but in Doug Davis you have someone to build around for four years.
And when was the last time a Princeton basketball fan had this much excitement?
Sydney Johnson is onto something in Princeton. The Tiger hoops magic is coming back.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Charlie Weis to Call the Plays for Notre Dame Against Navy
So touted the headline on cnnsi.com.
Context, though, is hard to discern. My immediate reaction was: "And this is a good thing, why?"
I'm sure some Domers will say that this is great, that Weis is an offensive genius, and that, well, this needed to be done. I'm sure that others will say that this is evidence that Weis really was meant to be a coordinator, and that this is an indication that perhaps he isn't the head coach people thought he would be after his first season in South Bend.
Wise move?
Desperation?
Somewhere in between?
Notre Dame fans, what say you?
Context, though, is hard to discern. My immediate reaction was: "And this is a good thing, why?"
I'm sure some Domers will say that this is great, that Weis is an offensive genius, and that, well, this needed to be done. I'm sure that others will say that this is evidence that Weis really was meant to be a coordinator, and that this is an indication that perhaps he isn't the head coach people thought he would be after his first season in South Bend.
Wise move?
Desperation?
Somewhere in between?
Notre Dame fans, what say you?
Monday, November 10, 2008
Support Princeton Field Hockey!
When: Tuesday, 1 p.m. at Princeton's Class of 1952 Stadium.
What: The Princeton Field Hockey team plays Stanford in a play-in game to determine who goes to the NCAA tournament.
Why: The Princeton Field Hockey team is the Ivy champion, they have excelled in the Ivies for a while, they show great grit and teamwork and are ranked #11 in the country.
If you're a Princeton fan and have some time on Veterans' Day, this is a good way to spend an autumn afternoon, cheering on a great group of young women.
Go Tigers!
What: The Princeton Field Hockey team plays Stanford in a play-in game to determine who goes to the NCAA tournament.
Why: The Princeton Field Hockey team is the Ivy champion, they have excelled in the Ivies for a while, they show great grit and teamwork and are ranked #11 in the country.
If you're a Princeton fan and have some time on Veterans' Day, this is a good way to spend an autumn afternoon, cheering on a great group of young women.
Go Tigers!
Holliday No Longer On Ice, But Is He Headed to Siberia?
ESPN.com reports that Matt Holliday, the Rockies' slugging outfielder (who also happens to be an excellent base stealer) is about to be traded to the Oakland A's.
That's probably better news for the Rockies, who are going to get some prospects and, as a result, aren't going to have to face trading Holliday at the trading deadline in a contract year (where reports were that they weren't going to be able to re-sign him) than it is for Holliday. The reason: the A's seem to be the Sisyphus of the Majors, just like the mythological character who kept on pushing the rock up the hill, only never to get to the top. Make no mistake, Billy Beane is an excellent general manager, one of the best in the game. The question is: can the A's win the division and get back to the World Series?
At any rate, Phillies' fans could only dream about the prospect of getting Matt Holliday. It would have been great having a lineup that started with Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard and Holliday, but it's not meant to be. The Phillies need to devote serious resources to offering long-term deals to Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels, among others. Inking Holliday was a luxury that they just couldn't afford.
That's probably better news for the Rockies, who are going to get some prospects and, as a result, aren't going to have to face trading Holliday at the trading deadline in a contract year (where reports were that they weren't going to be able to re-sign him) than it is for Holliday. The reason: the A's seem to be the Sisyphus of the Majors, just like the mythological character who kept on pushing the rock up the hill, only never to get to the top. Make no mistake, Billy Beane is an excellent general manager, one of the best in the game. The question is: can the A's win the division and get back to the World Series?
At any rate, Phillies' fans could only dream about the prospect of getting Matt Holliday. It would have been great having a lineup that started with Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard and Holliday, but it's not meant to be. The Phillies need to devote serious resources to offering long-term deals to Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels, among others. Inking Holliday was a luxury that they just couldn't afford.
College Football: It's Fun to See Different Teams Doing Well
Neighbors and friends went to Penn State, but a close friend grew up in Iowa City, so I witnessed the despair of the Penn State faithful and the joy of my friend at Iowa's last-minute upset of #3 Penn State. I'm also enjoying the run of Texas Tech, which is #2 in the country. After all, many years ago, when people talked of the stalwarts of the then-Southwest Conference, Texas Tech's name did not come up.
What do you attribute the newly found parity to? Is it that all schools are limited to 85 scholarships? Is it that some of the best players at the elite schools don't stay for the full four years (while they might at some of the schools that don't have the recruiting magic of the perenially elites)? I think it would be hard to say injuries and academic woes, because they happen to every school every year.
And then there's a school's commitment to its program. Sometimes schools that have been beaten down renew their commitments in terms of facilities and coaching staffs. There's also innovation. The Texas Tech offense is just hard to stop.
Take a look at these two lists:
Alabama
Texas Tech
Texas
Florida
Oklahoma
USC
Utah
Penn State
Boise State
Georgia
and then this one
Ohio State
Miami (FL)
Notre Dame
Michigan
Tennessee
Nebraska
Florida State
Virginia Tech
Arkansas
Auburn.
Suppose you hadn't watched college football for ten years. Which list would you believe represented the top 10 teams in the country?
Then again, all this raises the question that won't go away: should there be a playoff system?
What do you attribute the newly found parity to? Is it that all schools are limited to 85 scholarships? Is it that some of the best players at the elite schools don't stay for the full four years (while they might at some of the schools that don't have the recruiting magic of the perenially elites)? I think it would be hard to say injuries and academic woes, because they happen to every school every year.
And then there's a school's commitment to its program. Sometimes schools that have been beaten down renew their commitments in terms of facilities and coaching staffs. There's also innovation. The Texas Tech offense is just hard to stop.
Take a look at these two lists:
Alabama
Texas Tech
Texas
Florida
Oklahoma
USC
Utah
Penn State
Boise State
Georgia
and then this one
Ohio State
Miami (FL)
Notre Dame
Michigan
Tennessee
Nebraska
Florida State
Virginia Tech
Arkansas
Auburn.
Suppose you hadn't watched college football for ten years. Which list would you believe represented the top 10 teams in the country?
Then again, all this raises the question that won't go away: should there be a playoff system?
Friday, November 07, 2008
Oregon State Men's Hoops Recruiting
should get a boost from the fact that Barack Obama was elected president. As most readers know, the OSU men's hoops coach, Craig Robinson, is the older brother of Michelle Obama, the first lady-elect.
The Sports Law Blog has a good post and link regarding how Craig Robinson might use this fact to his advantage in rebuilding the OSU program. Most certainly, the relationship between the two should help Craig Robinson a good deal. That said, Craig Robinson is an excellent coach and terrific guy, and high school coaches and parents would be fortunate to have such a good man coach their kids for four years.
Apparently, offering a kid a night in the Lincoln Bedroom is an NCAA no-no. But there's nothing to prevent OSU to schedule a few games in the DC area every year and then make a trip to the White House and a get-together with the leader of the free world.
Now that would be pretty cool.
And it would beat a promise of a trip to the Rainbow Classic any day of the week.
The Sports Law Blog has a good post and link regarding how Craig Robinson might use this fact to his advantage in rebuilding the OSU program. Most certainly, the relationship between the two should help Craig Robinson a good deal. That said, Craig Robinson is an excellent coach and terrific guy, and high school coaches and parents would be fortunate to have such a good man coach their kids for four years.
Apparently, offering a kid a night in the Lincoln Bedroom is an NCAA no-no. But there's nothing to prevent OSU to schedule a few games in the DC area every year and then make a trip to the White House and a get-together with the leader of the free world.
Now that would be pretty cool.
And it would beat a promise of a trip to the Rainbow Classic any day of the week.
Hisses and Boos for Sports Illustrated
Dear Editor:
I just received the edition that should have covered the "Fightin' Phils" win in the World Series over destiny's darlings, the Tampa Bay Rays (whom you predicted would win the Series). I should have read an elegy about all things Phillies, how well they played, how much almost every player contributed, about Charlie Manuel, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton and the rest of the gang.
Instead, we got a thought piece (for the most part) from Tom Verducci about ways to change the World Series. Sure, the Series needs to be changed, but couldn't you have had someone else write that article after you published the huzzahs for the Phillies?
Your coverage wasn't worthy of the great achievement of this team. Perhaps if they played the game wearing skimpy bathing suits you would have done a better job.
I remain
a longtime subscriber who just can't make out the print of ESPN the Magazine.
SportsProf
I just received the edition that should have covered the "Fightin' Phils" win in the World Series over destiny's darlings, the Tampa Bay Rays (whom you predicted would win the Series). I should have read an elegy about all things Phillies, how well they played, how much almost every player contributed, about Charlie Manuel, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton and the rest of the gang.
Instead, we got a thought piece (for the most part) from Tom Verducci about ways to change the World Series. Sure, the Series needs to be changed, but couldn't you have had someone else write that article after you published the huzzahs for the Phillies?
Your coverage wasn't worthy of the great achievement of this team. Perhaps if they played the game wearing skimpy bathing suits you would have done a better job.
I remain
a longtime subscriber who just can't make out the print of ESPN the Magazine.
SportsProf
Mark Cuban Would Be Good for Major League Baseball
Why?
Because apparently Bud Selig doesn't think so.
As the linked post explains, Cuban has expressed interest in owning the Cubs. (Perhaps he'd even shorten his name to Cub as part of the deal). Cuban is a breath of fresh air, generally, and why shouldn't Major League Baseball have an owner in its midst who challenges the status quo (after all, that's particular in vogue right now) and asks some good questions about why MLB works the way it does?
Because, somehow in some way, the Lords of Baseball think that Bud Selig has all the answers, or, put differently, is enough of a stooge that they can vector onto him whatever they want and he'll follow along under the facade of leadership. But the Lords should remember that Bud works for them, not the other way around. Why shouldn't they want Mark Cuban?
Is it because they want to perpetuate the same type of thinking that a) had a World Series game start at 10:00 p.m. and b) had another one played, in part, in a torrential downpour? Is it because they want to overlook the rather pronounced enlargement of the average MLB player, which resulted not from overeating, weightlifting or additional hormones in our food but from syringes?
There have been many worse owners in Major League Baseball, including some who just can't get their teams back on track and win. So, it's okay to let Peter Angelos make a mess out of the once-proud Orioles, David Glass to wreck Kansas City, and the McClatchy family to keep the Pirates in losing fashion? That's fine, but letting Mark Cuban into the owners' club isn't?
C'mon, Bud, share your thoughts with us, just like you did after you suspended Game 5 of the World Series.
The baseball world awaits your wisdom.
Because apparently Bud Selig doesn't think so.
As the linked post explains, Cuban has expressed interest in owning the Cubs. (Perhaps he'd even shorten his name to Cub as part of the deal). Cuban is a breath of fresh air, generally, and why shouldn't Major League Baseball have an owner in its midst who challenges the status quo (after all, that's particular in vogue right now) and asks some good questions about why MLB works the way it does?
Because, somehow in some way, the Lords of Baseball think that Bud Selig has all the answers, or, put differently, is enough of a stooge that they can vector onto him whatever they want and he'll follow along under the facade of leadership. But the Lords should remember that Bud works for them, not the other way around. Why shouldn't they want Mark Cuban?
Is it because they want to perpetuate the same type of thinking that a) had a World Series game start at 10:00 p.m. and b) had another one played, in part, in a torrential downpour? Is it because they want to overlook the rather pronounced enlargement of the average MLB player, which resulted not from overeating, weightlifting or additional hormones in our food but from syringes?
There have been many worse owners in Major League Baseball, including some who just can't get their teams back on track and win. So, it's okay to let Peter Angelos make a mess out of the once-proud Orioles, David Glass to wreck Kansas City, and the McClatchy family to keep the Pirates in losing fashion? That's fine, but letting Mark Cuban into the owners' club isn't?
C'mon, Bud, share your thoughts with us, just like you did after you suspended Game 5 of the World Series.
The baseball world awaits your wisdom.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Early Holliday Season in Philadelphia?
So reports Si.com's Jon Heyman, who reports that the Phillies are aggressively pursuing Matt Holliday, who is eligible to be a free agent after the 2009 season and who, apparently, the Rockies have no chance of retaining.
The article isn't clear as to whom the Phillies would have to trade to land the leftfielder. Shane Victorino's name was mentioned, but the Phillies would be hard-pressed to replace the Gold Glove centerfielder and catalyst. The Phillies have a core crop of minor leaguers, including catcher Lou Marson, shortstop Jason Donald and pitcher Carlos Carrasco, with whom they were unwilling to part in the pursuit of CC Sabathia from the Indians.
But let's suppose they land Holliday. How about this for a lineup:
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Jayson Werth, RF
Chase Utley, 2B
Ryan Howard, 1B
Matt Holliday, LF
Shane Victorino, CF
Pedro Feliz, 3B
Carlos Ruiz, C
pitcher
That's pretty impressive, especially in the first through sixth positions. Holliday is an upgrade over Burrell, whose contributions fell off the cliff starting in August. The Phillies might miss Burrell's on-base percentage, but they won't miss his defense (awful, if not as bad as that of Chris Duncan of the Cardinals) and his streakiness. Reports were that the Phillies had made up their mind at season's end to part with Burrell (he made $14 million this year). The bet here is that some AL team will overpay for him and give him at least 3 years and $10 million per.
But Matt Holliday? In Philadelphia? In that lineup?
Look out!
The article isn't clear as to whom the Phillies would have to trade to land the leftfielder. Shane Victorino's name was mentioned, but the Phillies would be hard-pressed to replace the Gold Glove centerfielder and catalyst. The Phillies have a core crop of minor leaguers, including catcher Lou Marson, shortstop Jason Donald and pitcher Carlos Carrasco, with whom they were unwilling to part in the pursuit of CC Sabathia from the Indians.
But let's suppose they land Holliday. How about this for a lineup:
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Jayson Werth, RF
Chase Utley, 2B
Ryan Howard, 1B
Matt Holliday, LF
Shane Victorino, CF
Pedro Feliz, 3B
Carlos Ruiz, C
pitcher
That's pretty impressive, especially in the first through sixth positions. Holliday is an upgrade over Burrell, whose contributions fell off the cliff starting in August. The Phillies might miss Burrell's on-base percentage, but they won't miss his defense (awful, if not as bad as that of Chris Duncan of the Cardinals) and his streakiness. Reports were that the Phillies had made up their mind at season's end to part with Burrell (he made $14 million this year). The bet here is that some AL team will overpay for him and give him at least 3 years and $10 million per.
But Matt Holliday? In Philadelphia? In that lineup?
Look out!
On Chase Utley's Speech at the Phillies' Parade
Dear Chase:
You're a tremendous player. The fans love watching you play because you play with such even-keel emotions. Most of us get frustrated when our internet connection isn't fast enough, but you are one cool customer. You don't get too high when you get a big hit, and you don't get too low when you strike out more than once in a game.
We do admire you for that, although history in Philadelphia tells us that the most popular player on the 1980 World Series champs was neither of the team's Hall of Famers -- Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt -- but a happy-go-lucky relief pitcher who showed lots of positive energy -- Tug McGraw. We admired Lefty for the precision he brought to the pitching mound, but he was strange. He didn't talk to the Philadelphia media for over a decade. We loved Schmidt's prodigious accomplishments -- he had an outstanding on-base percentage, was the best home run hitter in the game and the best fielding third baseman -- but he was a cool customer, keeping all of his emotions inside. It was hard to warm up to him the way we could McGraw or the easygoing star centerfielder, Garry Maddox.
So, okay, you're not the personality guy on the team, but boy do fans admire you. Jimmy Rollins seems to be the team's leader, Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard seem to be relaxed and happy, Shane Victorino is a prime catalyst, and Jamie Moyer the elder statesman. Which means that you don't really have to say much -- you can let your bat and glove do your talking for you.
Except there's this one thing that we have to discuss -- the day that you decided to open your mouth, wearing your Seattle grunge-rock attire at the parade and say something other than the usual post-game speak about "seeing the ball well" that many players dive into in interviews. Because you don't usually say much, we can all imagine what you might say if we could talk to you in detail about the art of hitting, about fielding your position, and about the mental game of baseball. Because you hardly said much, we envisioned you as a bright UCLA man, a guy we'd want to have over for a meal, shoot the breeze.
And then you opened your mouth and said a bad word. Illusions -- to the extent they remained after your profane utterance within earshot of a microphone at the All-Star Game's home run hitting contest -- were shattered. Many who held you up as the ultimate professional to be admired suddenly found you to be about as thoughtful as the small number of fans who harrassed Tampa Bay fans at Citizens Bank Park during the Series. Parents were shocked, grandparents horrified, young children disappointed.
More so than if you struck out four times looking in Game 7 of the World Series.
Listen, we still like and admire you, we just despise what you said. And for that you owe everyone an apology. You didn't need to tarnish a very happy day by saying what you said. Your overall "rating", as it were, among Phillies' fans is down, not because of your play, but because of this. Do the right thing, offer a sincere, written apology, and get kudos again in our forgiving world for being a stand-up guy and admitting your mistake.
Again, we still love the way you play and are grateful for all your efforts. Thanks for your great play in the 2008 World Series.
Just tweak your overall "game" a little bit.
Thanks.
Sincerely,
SportsProf
You're a tremendous player. The fans love watching you play because you play with such even-keel emotions. Most of us get frustrated when our internet connection isn't fast enough, but you are one cool customer. You don't get too high when you get a big hit, and you don't get too low when you strike out more than once in a game.
We do admire you for that, although history in Philadelphia tells us that the most popular player on the 1980 World Series champs was neither of the team's Hall of Famers -- Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt -- but a happy-go-lucky relief pitcher who showed lots of positive energy -- Tug McGraw. We admired Lefty for the precision he brought to the pitching mound, but he was strange. He didn't talk to the Philadelphia media for over a decade. We loved Schmidt's prodigious accomplishments -- he had an outstanding on-base percentage, was the best home run hitter in the game and the best fielding third baseman -- but he was a cool customer, keeping all of his emotions inside. It was hard to warm up to him the way we could McGraw or the easygoing star centerfielder, Garry Maddox.
So, okay, you're not the personality guy on the team, but boy do fans admire you. Jimmy Rollins seems to be the team's leader, Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard seem to be relaxed and happy, Shane Victorino is a prime catalyst, and Jamie Moyer the elder statesman. Which means that you don't really have to say much -- you can let your bat and glove do your talking for you.
Except there's this one thing that we have to discuss -- the day that you decided to open your mouth, wearing your Seattle grunge-rock attire at the parade and say something other than the usual post-game speak about "seeing the ball well" that many players dive into in interviews. Because you don't usually say much, we can all imagine what you might say if we could talk to you in detail about the art of hitting, about fielding your position, and about the mental game of baseball. Because you hardly said much, we envisioned you as a bright UCLA man, a guy we'd want to have over for a meal, shoot the breeze.
And then you opened your mouth and said a bad word. Illusions -- to the extent they remained after your profane utterance within earshot of a microphone at the All-Star Game's home run hitting contest -- were shattered. Many who held you up as the ultimate professional to be admired suddenly found you to be about as thoughtful as the small number of fans who harrassed Tampa Bay fans at Citizens Bank Park during the Series. Parents were shocked, grandparents horrified, young children disappointed.
More so than if you struck out four times looking in Game 7 of the World Series.
Listen, we still like and admire you, we just despise what you said. And for that you owe everyone an apology. You didn't need to tarnish a very happy day by saying what you said. Your overall "rating", as it were, among Phillies' fans is down, not because of your play, but because of this. Do the right thing, offer a sincere, written apology, and get kudos again in our forgiving world for being a stand-up guy and admitting your mistake.
Again, we still love the way you play and are grateful for all your efforts. Thanks for your great play in the 2008 World Series.
Just tweak your overall "game" a little bit.
Thanks.
Sincerely,
SportsProf
Why Signing Pitchers to Long-Term Deals is Risky
Barry Zito.
Kevin Brown.
Darren Dreifort.
Carlos Silva.
Those are just some examples of teams inking free-agent pitchers to long-term deals, only to have them blow up in their faces. John Donovan of Sports Illustrated.com wrote this excellent piece on why it might not be such a good idea for any team to offer CC Sabathia the huge bucks that he's asking. Why? Despite the excellent work of Sabathia during his career and especially this past season, such agreements are more likely to fail than not -- by a two-to-one margin.
The Brewers and Yankees are going to compete for Sabathia. The difference between the two franchises (and, for that matter, the Yankees and everyone else) is, as Mike Francesa has said on WFAN, that the Yankees can take these risks, take a loss on them every now and then, and not have their franchise suffer for years because of a bad investment. The other teams -- with the possible exception of the Boston Red Sox -- cannot suffer such bad investments and have their teams thrive year in and year out.
So, the question is: will Sabathia remain Sabathia the Great, will he turn into Kevin Brown and get hurt, or will he become the Zito of the Midwest or East. Let's re-visit this question in a few years.
Kevin Brown.
Darren Dreifort.
Carlos Silva.
Those are just some examples of teams inking free-agent pitchers to long-term deals, only to have them blow up in their faces. John Donovan of Sports Illustrated.com wrote this excellent piece on why it might not be such a good idea for any team to offer CC Sabathia the huge bucks that he's asking. Why? Despite the excellent work of Sabathia during his career and especially this past season, such agreements are more likely to fail than not -- by a two-to-one margin.
The Brewers and Yankees are going to compete for Sabathia. The difference between the two franchises (and, for that matter, the Yankees and everyone else) is, as Mike Francesa has said on WFAN, that the Yankees can take these risks, take a loss on them every now and then, and not have their franchise suffer for years because of a bad investment. The other teams -- with the possible exception of the Boston Red Sox -- cannot suffer such bad investments and have their teams thrive year in and year out.
So, the question is: will Sabathia remain Sabathia the Great, will he turn into Kevin Brown and get hurt, or will he become the Zito of the Midwest or East. Let's re-visit this question in a few years.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
The Phillies -- My Personal Parade
By now almost everything that could have been written about the Phillies' magical 2008 season has been written. We've read about the strength of the Phillies' bullpen, the sagacity of Jamie Moyer, the personal transformation of Brett Myers, the emergence of Cole Hamels as a national star, the perfect year of Brad Lidge, the monster shots of Ryan Howard, the savvy, excellent play of Chase Utley, the catalytic ability of Shane Victorino, Charlie Manuel, a "players" manager who knows where to draw the line, the Hall of Fame general managership of Pat Gillick, the timeless home run call of Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas and the victory parade to end all victory parades. Lots of great photos and articles, lots of great moments, and a wonderful time for legions of devoted fans who kept the park packed until 2 a.m., stayed steadfastly in a downpour and rooted hard in the cold. The book on 2008 has been written, the t-shirts and hats and collectibles created, and, well, as of Monday the team will announce a new GM to replace the retiring Gillick and talk of rebuilding the roster. The Circle of Baseball Life, as it were.
I've shared with you some of my personal story, but not all of it. You know from previous posts that my father took me to games as early as 1964, that we watched the Hall of Fame performances of Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt, the playoff teams of the late 1970s and the World Series teams of 1980 and 1983. (Dad was at Game 6 of the 1980 Series, when Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson to end the game and clinch the Phillies' Series victory). We watched some great visiting teams and players -- Bench, Seaver, Perez, McCovey, Mays, Winfield, Carter (Gary), Stargell, Parker, and many, many more. We sat in the Sunday heat at Veterans Stadium, once couldn't find our car during a thunderstorm, drank cokes, ate hot dogs and peanuts, and loved talking baseball.
This was the same guy who played wiffle ball with me since I learned to walk, who carried me into our pediatrician's office on several occasions when my congenitally trick knee would pop out on me as a young boy. The same guy who played two major college sports (including baseball) while only being able to see out of one eye, the guy who would pitch to me in the front yard and catch me with his suit and dress shoes on on a hot summer's night. The guy who taught me to love the game of baseball as a hobby and a pastime, even though, I'm sure, was somewhat disappointed that I didn't demonstrate a fraction of his baseball ability (and whose disappointment, though, did not manifest all that much after a (short) while).
The Philies' post-season was rife with emotions for me and many others. Baseball is the game many of my generation shared with their fathers (and grandfathers), and the Phillies hadn't been in the Series in 15 years and hadn't won one in 28. Philadelphia had gone 25 years without winning a championship in a major sport, and, well, we've been disappointed over the years. So much so that there were more than a few of us who saw the suspension of Game 3 on Monday night -- despite the Phillies' being up 3-1 in games and tied with 3 1/2 innings to go -- as an omen of doom, that the baseball gods were going to deny a great group of fans (as the victory parade demonstrated) and a wonderful team a World Series title. Put simply, while we enjoyed every hit, every home run, every great pitch, we weren't going to relax until, well, Brad Lidge struck out Eric Hinske to clinch Game 5 and the world championship for the Phillies.
My eyes welled up at the time, I high-fived my kids and my wife, hugged them, and just sat in my family room with a big smile on my face. Friends from all over emailed me, and I had been emailed my cousin and an old friend constantly during the game, sharing thoughts, emotions and hopes. A good friend called me from Citizens Bank Park (a work commitment compelled me to decline a mid-day offer for 2 tickets to the clincher) to share in the noise and revelry. Boy, it was loud!
It was a great night, and, yes, somewhat hard to get work done the next day. I work in central New Jersey, in a place full of Met and Yankee fans, but my colleagues were waiting to see if I would demonstrate a post-Series glow. I don't have a ton of hobbies, but following the Phillies is one of them. Yes, I smiled, and I bought a celebratory cake for all to share. The victory seemed surreal -- after all, the Phillies have been around since 1883 and had won only one Series before this year. The enormity of the victory had yet to sink in, even as I managed to contribute to the region's retail economy buying shirts, hats and other collectibles for family.
The parade would follow two days later, this past Friday. I managed to get two tickets to Citizens Bank Park to watch the end of the parade. I don't use the words "always" and "never" all that much, but I never want to pick one child over the other. So, we left the decision to my kids. My younger child, my eight year-old son, said my eleven year-old daughter should go because he's gone to more games with me. Moved by her brother's generosity, my daughter said that my son should go because he said she could go. So began an endless loop. In the end, they couldn't decide.
So I started to call friends of mine who might want to go. One had family responsibilities, one was taking his daughter to visit a college, a few others had work commitments. After a short while, I determined that going to the parade wasn't meant to be for me, and that I actually didn't need to go. Instead, we offered the tickets to a family in our community full of diehard fans. The look on their faces was all I needed -- they were thrilled to go.
I watched the parade on my computer at work (sorry, IT colleagues, as I know that streaming slows down the internet for everyone) and called my mother for updates (she was watching on TV at home). I marveled at the sea of red, the large crowd, the reaction of the players to the cheering they received from an entire region. It was great to see, galvanizing what I had always known -- that the Philadelphia fans are as dedicated as they come.
While the parade closed the chapter on the season for many, it hadn't for me. I still kept on thinking of my dad, who died way too young, in his mid-50's, and how great it would have been for him to share it with me and my family. About how we would have gone to games together, how he would have bought all sorts of Phillies stuff for the kids, how we would have talked about Cole Hamels' ability to deceive with his changeup, Ryan Howard's power, Chase Utley's overall excellence, Jimmy Rollins' leadership, and so on. We miss our loved ones for all sorts of reasons -- for their unconditional love, for their wisdom, for their humor and for the things we shared with them the most. For me, baseball was at the top of the list. The Phillies' success once again rekindled my strong, loving memories of my father. I needed to find my own way to close the chapter on the Phillies' season. Somehow, going to a parade with at least a million people in attendance just wasn't going to be it.
So this afternoon, I went to his grave site. I took with me a Phillies' towel and a cigar (he and many of his friends used to light them up on occasion). I placed the towel next to his headstone and started smoking a cigar, just the family plot, his headstone, me, my cigar and my thoughts. I shared with him news of the family and, of course, the Phillies, and how he'd have so much to be proud of. I watched as a few cars with Phillies flags drove by, headed to grave sites perhaps for the same reason I did. That notion, perhaps, might be lost on an entire nation -- that the Phillies' victory evoked so many positive memories and emotions for all of us.
I laughed, and, yes, I cried. I cried for the joy of what we couldn't share together, for the joy of what happened, and for the plain fact that I miss him. I laughed at some of the things we would have thought humorous, but, mostly, I just sat there, puffing this big cigar on a beautiful fall afternoon, alone in my thoughts, being thankful for what I have and for the bond that the Philadelphia Phillies and the game of baseball created between us.
That solitude was my parade, my way to close the chapter, my way to honor the Phillies and my father and to express my gratitude. Not just to a great baseball team, not just to great shared experiences with my family from spring training through Game 5, but also to a good man who gave me a great gift. I needed something less complicated than that -- just my father's memory, a cigar, and a nice fall afternoon.
Thank you, Philadelphia Phillies -- for everything.
I've shared with you some of my personal story, but not all of it. You know from previous posts that my father took me to games as early as 1964, that we watched the Hall of Fame performances of Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt, the playoff teams of the late 1970s and the World Series teams of 1980 and 1983. (Dad was at Game 6 of the 1980 Series, when Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson to end the game and clinch the Phillies' Series victory). We watched some great visiting teams and players -- Bench, Seaver, Perez, McCovey, Mays, Winfield, Carter (Gary), Stargell, Parker, and many, many more. We sat in the Sunday heat at Veterans Stadium, once couldn't find our car during a thunderstorm, drank cokes, ate hot dogs and peanuts, and loved talking baseball.
This was the same guy who played wiffle ball with me since I learned to walk, who carried me into our pediatrician's office on several occasions when my congenitally trick knee would pop out on me as a young boy. The same guy who played two major college sports (including baseball) while only being able to see out of one eye, the guy who would pitch to me in the front yard and catch me with his suit and dress shoes on on a hot summer's night. The guy who taught me to love the game of baseball as a hobby and a pastime, even though, I'm sure, was somewhat disappointed that I didn't demonstrate a fraction of his baseball ability (and whose disappointment, though, did not manifest all that much after a (short) while).
The Philies' post-season was rife with emotions for me and many others. Baseball is the game many of my generation shared with their fathers (and grandfathers), and the Phillies hadn't been in the Series in 15 years and hadn't won one in 28. Philadelphia had gone 25 years without winning a championship in a major sport, and, well, we've been disappointed over the years. So much so that there were more than a few of us who saw the suspension of Game 3 on Monday night -- despite the Phillies' being up 3-1 in games and tied with 3 1/2 innings to go -- as an omen of doom, that the baseball gods were going to deny a great group of fans (as the victory parade demonstrated) and a wonderful team a World Series title. Put simply, while we enjoyed every hit, every home run, every great pitch, we weren't going to relax until, well, Brad Lidge struck out Eric Hinske to clinch Game 5 and the world championship for the Phillies.
My eyes welled up at the time, I high-fived my kids and my wife, hugged them, and just sat in my family room with a big smile on my face. Friends from all over emailed me, and I had been emailed my cousin and an old friend constantly during the game, sharing thoughts, emotions and hopes. A good friend called me from Citizens Bank Park (a work commitment compelled me to decline a mid-day offer for 2 tickets to the clincher) to share in the noise and revelry. Boy, it was loud!
It was a great night, and, yes, somewhat hard to get work done the next day. I work in central New Jersey, in a place full of Met and Yankee fans, but my colleagues were waiting to see if I would demonstrate a post-Series glow. I don't have a ton of hobbies, but following the Phillies is one of them. Yes, I smiled, and I bought a celebratory cake for all to share. The victory seemed surreal -- after all, the Phillies have been around since 1883 and had won only one Series before this year. The enormity of the victory had yet to sink in, even as I managed to contribute to the region's retail economy buying shirts, hats and other collectibles for family.
The parade would follow two days later, this past Friday. I managed to get two tickets to Citizens Bank Park to watch the end of the parade. I don't use the words "always" and "never" all that much, but I never want to pick one child over the other. So, we left the decision to my kids. My younger child, my eight year-old son, said my eleven year-old daughter should go because he's gone to more games with me. Moved by her brother's generosity, my daughter said that my son should go because he said she could go. So began an endless loop. In the end, they couldn't decide.
So I started to call friends of mine who might want to go. One had family responsibilities, one was taking his daughter to visit a college, a few others had work commitments. After a short while, I determined that going to the parade wasn't meant to be for me, and that I actually didn't need to go. Instead, we offered the tickets to a family in our community full of diehard fans. The look on their faces was all I needed -- they were thrilled to go.
I watched the parade on my computer at work (sorry, IT colleagues, as I know that streaming slows down the internet for everyone) and called my mother for updates (she was watching on TV at home). I marveled at the sea of red, the large crowd, the reaction of the players to the cheering they received from an entire region. It was great to see, galvanizing what I had always known -- that the Philadelphia fans are as dedicated as they come.
While the parade closed the chapter on the season for many, it hadn't for me. I still kept on thinking of my dad, who died way too young, in his mid-50's, and how great it would have been for him to share it with me and my family. About how we would have gone to games together, how he would have bought all sorts of Phillies stuff for the kids, how we would have talked about Cole Hamels' ability to deceive with his changeup, Ryan Howard's power, Chase Utley's overall excellence, Jimmy Rollins' leadership, and so on. We miss our loved ones for all sorts of reasons -- for their unconditional love, for their wisdom, for their humor and for the things we shared with them the most. For me, baseball was at the top of the list. The Phillies' success once again rekindled my strong, loving memories of my father. I needed to find my own way to close the chapter on the Phillies' season. Somehow, going to a parade with at least a million people in attendance just wasn't going to be it.
So this afternoon, I went to his grave site. I took with me a Phillies' towel and a cigar (he and many of his friends used to light them up on occasion). I placed the towel next to his headstone and started smoking a cigar, just the family plot, his headstone, me, my cigar and my thoughts. I shared with him news of the family and, of course, the Phillies, and how he'd have so much to be proud of. I watched as a few cars with Phillies flags drove by, headed to grave sites perhaps for the same reason I did. That notion, perhaps, might be lost on an entire nation -- that the Phillies' victory evoked so many positive memories and emotions for all of us.
I laughed, and, yes, I cried. I cried for the joy of what we couldn't share together, for the joy of what happened, and for the plain fact that I miss him. I laughed at some of the things we would have thought humorous, but, mostly, I just sat there, puffing this big cigar on a beautiful fall afternoon, alone in my thoughts, being thankful for what I have and for the bond that the Philadelphia Phillies and the game of baseball created between us.
That solitude was my parade, my way to close the chapter, my way to honor the Phillies and my father and to express my gratitude. Not just to a great baseball team, not just to great shared experiences with my family from spring training through Game 5, but also to a good man who gave me a great gift. I needed something less complicated than that -- just my father's memory, a cigar, and a nice fall afternoon.
Thank you, Philadelphia Phillies -- for everything.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Phils Win! Phils Win! Phils Win!
Phinally!
As a diehard Phillies' fan, I have waited 28 years for this.
As a stalwart Philadelphia fan, I have waited 25 years for another title.
The Phillies picked up where they left off last night. Another of many signature moments was when seldom-used OF Geoff Jenkins, "leading off" in the suspended game, doubled to right centerfield. Somehow, we Phillies fans knew that this was an omen of good things to come.
To the Rays' great credit, they kept battling. A nifty infield play by 2B Chase Utley prevented the Rays from taking the lead, as Utley threw Rays' SS Jason Bartlett out at home. Another signature play, as Utley faked throwing to first, prompting the Rays' 3B coach to send Bartlett home. Carlos Ruiz made the tag, and the game remained tied.
Fittingly, it was the Phillies' closer, "Lights Out" Lidge, who sealed the deal by striking out pinch hitter Eric Hinske to end the game. Controlled pandemonium ensued (the only "scary" moment was when 1B Ryan Howard ran in from his position and plowed into Lidge, but thankfully no one was worse for the wear).
Among the great moments last night, in no particular order of preference:
1. Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins, who said that before the game, he told Jenkins, "Listen, this is the middle of the game. You have to get up there and make something happen."
2. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, whose post-game salute of the fans was memorable in its sincerity and tone.
3. The guy in a Santa Claus suit who held up a sign that said "Phillies fans, I forgive you." Phillies fans were accused of tossing snowballs at Santa in the 1970's. What really happened was that the guy playing Santa was drunk, so they were bombarding him because he was dishonoring Santa, but, naturally, the national media took another opportunity to slam the City of Brotherly Love.
4. The signs that said, "Mitch, we forgive you," as Phillies' fans remember well Mitch Williams, the sometimes wild closer who gave up the Series-ending home run to Joe Carter in the 1993 fall classic. I shrugged; I had never held anything against Williams, who I thought did the best he could. (I thought that the Blue Jays were the better team and that Phillies' manager Jim Fregosi was too stubborn upon insisting that the sometimes struggling Williams always had to pitch the 9th inning). At any rate, when I said all of this to my wife, she said, "Oh my, I didn't forgive him." And she's from Baltimore! Mitch has turned into a wonderful TV commentator.
5. Have a happy retirement, Pat Gillick! You built that Blue Jays' team, you built Seattle several years ago (they won 116 games in the regular season one year you were there) and you helped finish the job in Philadelphia. Great job!
6. Somewhere Ed Wade, Pat Gillick's predecessor, is laughing and smiling. He helped build this team, too, and deserves some of the credit for the team's success.
7. It was great to see the players so happy. To a player, they did their best, picked each other up and did a fantastic job.
8. Lastly, the fans. You stayed to 2 a.m., you got soaked, you froze, and you saw a great triumph!
Onto the parade!
Let's go, Phillies!
As a diehard Phillies' fan, I have waited 28 years for this.
As a stalwart Philadelphia fan, I have waited 25 years for another title.
The Phillies picked up where they left off last night. Another of many signature moments was when seldom-used OF Geoff Jenkins, "leading off" in the suspended game, doubled to right centerfield. Somehow, we Phillies fans knew that this was an omen of good things to come.
To the Rays' great credit, they kept battling. A nifty infield play by 2B Chase Utley prevented the Rays from taking the lead, as Utley threw Rays' SS Jason Bartlett out at home. Another signature play, as Utley faked throwing to first, prompting the Rays' 3B coach to send Bartlett home. Carlos Ruiz made the tag, and the game remained tied.
Fittingly, it was the Phillies' closer, "Lights Out" Lidge, who sealed the deal by striking out pinch hitter Eric Hinske to end the game. Controlled pandemonium ensued (the only "scary" moment was when 1B Ryan Howard ran in from his position and plowed into Lidge, but thankfully no one was worse for the wear).
Among the great moments last night, in no particular order of preference:
1. Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins, who said that before the game, he told Jenkins, "Listen, this is the middle of the game. You have to get up there and make something happen."
2. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, whose post-game salute of the fans was memorable in its sincerity and tone.
3. The guy in a Santa Claus suit who held up a sign that said "Phillies fans, I forgive you." Phillies fans were accused of tossing snowballs at Santa in the 1970's. What really happened was that the guy playing Santa was drunk, so they were bombarding him because he was dishonoring Santa, but, naturally, the national media took another opportunity to slam the City of Brotherly Love.
4. The signs that said, "Mitch, we forgive you," as Phillies' fans remember well Mitch Williams, the sometimes wild closer who gave up the Series-ending home run to Joe Carter in the 1993 fall classic. I shrugged; I had never held anything against Williams, who I thought did the best he could. (I thought that the Blue Jays were the better team and that Phillies' manager Jim Fregosi was too stubborn upon insisting that the sometimes struggling Williams always had to pitch the 9th inning). At any rate, when I said all of this to my wife, she said, "Oh my, I didn't forgive him." And she's from Baltimore! Mitch has turned into a wonderful TV commentator.
5. Have a happy retirement, Pat Gillick! You built that Blue Jays' team, you built Seattle several years ago (they won 116 games in the regular season one year you were there) and you helped finish the job in Philadelphia. Great job!
6. Somewhere Ed Wade, Pat Gillick's predecessor, is laughing and smiling. He helped build this team, too, and deserves some of the credit for the team's success.
7. It was great to see the players so happy. To a player, they did their best, picked each other up and did a fantastic job.
8. Lastly, the fans. You stayed to 2 a.m., you got soaked, you froze, and you saw a great triumph!
Onto the parade!
Let's go, Phillies!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
A Sincere Apology to Tampa Bay Fans
Dear Tampa Bay fans who went to games in Citizens Bank Park:
On behalf of the good fans of the City of Philadelphia (and not the profane, adult-adolescent group who seems to grab all the highlights and actually is small in number), I apologize to you on several accounts.
First, I apologize to you for verbal abuse and threatening behavior that you had to endure because of the particular people who were acting like morons. That behavior is unacceptable, embarrassing, and demeaning. The people who acted badly toward you should be ashamed of themselves, as we, the good fans, are ashamed of them. Believe it when I say that we don't like those bad actors any more than you do. Believe it when we say that we're disappointed in Phillies' management for not giving us the ability to text security (the way fans can do in many NFL stadiums) to alert them to physically menacing and consistently profane behavior, so they can send a team to diffuse a situation and usher the bad actors out. We all deserve better.
Second, I apologize to you for those instances where the good fans didn't take a stand and at least call out to the bad actors to stop. During the rain delay on Saturday night, I witnessed one episode where Tampa Bay fans had trouble getting past a bunch of about-to-be-drunk adult adolescents, some of whom said some very foul things (and, yes, my son and daughter were nearby and had to hear this filth). I shouted to them to stop, told them that kids were nearby. I gripped my umbrella, as did my wife, just in case. They were bullies and cowards, and, chastened, they slinked away. Needless to say, we moved away from them. The good fans who didn't take a stand should think twice about speaking up and out against the small few who can ruin a good time for the rest of us.
Third, I also apologize to you for the below-par job Phillies' management did, especially on Saturday night. They should have been better prepared. Yes, you can yell loudly, call Evan Longoria "Eva", try to boo Matt Garza off the mound, display funny signs and, yes, yell out to the general crowd. But you shouldn't be able to be consistently profane or menacing. Add in a bunch of beers consumed during a rain delay and fans frustrated because they're soggy, and management and Major League Baseball created a dangerous brew. Fortunately, no one got hurt. That said, I'm sorry that you couldn't enjoy yourselves. That's terrible.
So, please accept this heartfelt apology. I walked up to a few groups of Tampa Bay fans, apologize for the behavior that I saw displayed toward them and told them that not all of us go to ball games to drink to excess, act menacingly and shout profanely. Most of us see the same beauty in the game that you do. Most of us like to share our experiences with family members the same way you do. And, believe it or not, most of us admire the story of the Rays' season.
You deserved better at Citizens Bank Park -- from all Philadelphia fans, from Phillies' management, and from ballpark security.
Much better.
On behalf of the good fans of the City of Philadelphia (and not the profane, adult-adolescent group who seems to grab all the highlights and actually is small in number), I apologize to you on several accounts.
First, I apologize to you for verbal abuse and threatening behavior that you had to endure because of the particular people who were acting like morons. That behavior is unacceptable, embarrassing, and demeaning. The people who acted badly toward you should be ashamed of themselves, as we, the good fans, are ashamed of them. Believe it when I say that we don't like those bad actors any more than you do. Believe it when we say that we're disappointed in Phillies' management for not giving us the ability to text security (the way fans can do in many NFL stadiums) to alert them to physically menacing and consistently profane behavior, so they can send a team to diffuse a situation and usher the bad actors out. We all deserve better.
Second, I apologize to you for those instances where the good fans didn't take a stand and at least call out to the bad actors to stop. During the rain delay on Saturday night, I witnessed one episode where Tampa Bay fans had trouble getting past a bunch of about-to-be-drunk adult adolescents, some of whom said some very foul things (and, yes, my son and daughter were nearby and had to hear this filth). I shouted to them to stop, told them that kids were nearby. I gripped my umbrella, as did my wife, just in case. They were bullies and cowards, and, chastened, they slinked away. Needless to say, we moved away from them. The good fans who didn't take a stand should think twice about speaking up and out against the small few who can ruin a good time for the rest of us.
Third, I also apologize to you for the below-par job Phillies' management did, especially on Saturday night. They should have been better prepared. Yes, you can yell loudly, call Evan Longoria "Eva", try to boo Matt Garza off the mound, display funny signs and, yes, yell out to the general crowd. But you shouldn't be able to be consistently profane or menacing. Add in a bunch of beers consumed during a rain delay and fans frustrated because they're soggy, and management and Major League Baseball created a dangerous brew. Fortunately, no one got hurt. That said, I'm sorry that you couldn't enjoy yourselves. That's terrible.
So, please accept this heartfelt apology. I walked up to a few groups of Tampa Bay fans, apologize for the behavior that I saw displayed toward them and told them that not all of us go to ball games to drink to excess, act menacingly and shout profanely. Most of us see the same beauty in the game that you do. Most of us like to share our experiences with family members the same way you do. And, believe it or not, most of us admire the story of the Rays' season.
You deserved better at Citizens Bank Park -- from all Philadelphia fans, from Phillies' management, and from ballpark security.
Much better.
Best Managerial Strategic Thought of the Night
This one came from my eight year-old. Yes, I let him stay up, and in the top of the 6th we both were bothered by how awful the field looked and how hard it was raining. After B.J. Upton reached first on a "hit" (under normal circumstances Jimmy Rollins fields the ball and throws him out), my son watched Cole Hamels move to first to keep Upton close. The rain kept on coming. The basepaths and the entire field were a mess.
So my son observed, "Dad, why doesn't Cole Hamels keep on making his move to first until they call the game?"
Smart kid. The field was a mess, and there's nothing in the rule book that says that Hamels can't move to first, oh, say 50 times until the rain is so bad that the field is such a mess that even Bud Selig would have to call the game. Now, of course they weren't going to end the Series on a suspended game (although I'm not clear that the rules actually provide for any other result when one team is leading), but at least the Phillies would have gone into the suspension with their momentum intact and up 2-1. What was Bud Selig going to do after Hamels moved to first 25 times? Invoke the "best interests in baseball" clause and tell the umpire to tell Hamels he'd get fined and suspended if he didn't start pitching?
Somehow, somewhere, one of the best managers of all-time, John McGraw, is smiling.
Because that's precisely what he would have done.
And with all the statheads and baseball minds in the Phillies' dugout, I'm surprised no one thought of it.
So my son observed, "Dad, why doesn't Cole Hamels keep on making his move to first until they call the game?"
Smart kid. The field was a mess, and there's nothing in the rule book that says that Hamels can't move to first, oh, say 50 times until the rain is so bad that the field is such a mess that even Bud Selig would have to call the game. Now, of course they weren't going to end the Series on a suspended game (although I'm not clear that the rules actually provide for any other result when one team is leading), but at least the Phillies would have gone into the suspension with their momentum intact and up 2-1. What was Bud Selig going to do after Hamels moved to first 25 times? Invoke the "best interests in baseball" clause and tell the umpire to tell Hamels he'd get fined and suspended if he didn't start pitching?
Somehow, somewhere, one of the best managers of all-time, John McGraw, is smiling.
Because that's precisely what he would have done.
And with all the statheads and baseball minds in the Phillies' dugout, I'm surprised no one thought of it.
More Stupidity from Major League Baseball
Where to begin. . .
First, the weather report was horrid and portended exactly what happened. Which meant, of course, that there was now way MLB was going to get this game in last night. So what did they do? Get all the fans down there, compel them to sit in awful weather, and watch only one good product -- the stuff they used to dry the dirt on the infield. The baseball -- including the home plate umpiring that didn't do justice to Scott Kazmir -- was not very good at all.
Second, MLB compelled the nonsense by playing the top of the 6th inning. Cole Hamels actually had water dripping from his hair, you could actually see the drops. Puddles were everywhere, and even diehard Philadelphia fans headed for cover. Yes, I know that this would have meant that the Phillies would have led 2-1 at the time of the suspension, but Commissioner Selig wouldn't have let the Series end on a rainout (even if, in 1994, they let the season end with no Series). So far, Bud let the steroids era go untrammeled, made a mockery of the All-Star game, and now he's dishonored the Philadelphia fans twice in three home games. The Philadelphia fans deserve better than a 10 p.m. start on a Saturday night and sitting in a cold shower last night (yes, arguably, the nitwits who assault Tampa Bay fans deserve to be put in cages, at least for some period of time, but most Philadelphia fans are not like that).
So, MLB whiffs again. They dishonored the Philadelphia fans, all in the name of the Fox TV contract and the ad revenues that go with it. Not that, of course, most fans around the country feel compelled to watch a Philadelphia-Tampa Bay Series (even if the ratings might be better in Hawaii and Seattle because of warm feelings for Shane Victorino, the first Hawaiian to play in the Majors in over 80 years, and Jamie Moyer, who pitched well in Seattle for many seasons).
Yes, I know that Philadelphia fans are on edge because they see this rainout and today's frosty weather (it was snowing on my way in to work today) as an omen of doom, and part of the collective angst is because of the memories of 1977, when Tommy John and the Dodgers beat Steve Carlton and the Phillies in a driving rainstorm to clinch the NLCS (I was there with my father, and it was a brutal night). Still, all fans deserve better from Major League Baseball.
Including, and especially, those in Philadelphia.
Baseball only prevails because it has a monopoly. If any of us treated our customers the way MLB has treated the Philadelphia fans, we'd go out of business.
First, the weather report was horrid and portended exactly what happened. Which meant, of course, that there was now way MLB was going to get this game in last night. So what did they do? Get all the fans down there, compel them to sit in awful weather, and watch only one good product -- the stuff they used to dry the dirt on the infield. The baseball -- including the home plate umpiring that didn't do justice to Scott Kazmir -- was not very good at all.
Second, MLB compelled the nonsense by playing the top of the 6th inning. Cole Hamels actually had water dripping from his hair, you could actually see the drops. Puddles were everywhere, and even diehard Philadelphia fans headed for cover. Yes, I know that this would have meant that the Phillies would have led 2-1 at the time of the suspension, but Commissioner Selig wouldn't have let the Series end on a rainout (even if, in 1994, they let the season end with no Series). So far, Bud let the steroids era go untrammeled, made a mockery of the All-Star game, and now he's dishonored the Philadelphia fans twice in three home games. The Philadelphia fans deserve better than a 10 p.m. start on a Saturday night and sitting in a cold shower last night (yes, arguably, the nitwits who assault Tampa Bay fans deserve to be put in cages, at least for some period of time, but most Philadelphia fans are not like that).
So, MLB whiffs again. They dishonored the Philadelphia fans, all in the name of the Fox TV contract and the ad revenues that go with it. Not that, of course, most fans around the country feel compelled to watch a Philadelphia-Tampa Bay Series (even if the ratings might be better in Hawaii and Seattle because of warm feelings for Shane Victorino, the first Hawaiian to play in the Majors in over 80 years, and Jamie Moyer, who pitched well in Seattle for many seasons).
Yes, I know that Philadelphia fans are on edge because they see this rainout and today's frosty weather (it was snowing on my way in to work today) as an omen of doom, and part of the collective angst is because of the memories of 1977, when Tommy John and the Dodgers beat Steve Carlton and the Phillies in a driving rainstorm to clinch the NLCS (I was there with my father, and it was a brutal night). Still, all fans deserve better from Major League Baseball.
Including, and especially, those in Philadelphia.
Baseball only prevails because it has a monopoly. If any of us treated our customers the way MLB has treated the Philadelphia fans, we'd go out of business.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Emotions in Philadelphia
We've been waiting for this moment since 1983, when Moses Malone led the 76ers to an NBA title over the Los Angeles Lakers. Great team, that '83 team was, with Malone, Dr. J, Andrew "The Boston Strangler" Toney, point guard Mo Cheeks, power forward Marc Iavaroni and invaluable sixth man Bobby Jones.
It's just that we didn't think we'd have to wait a quarter century for another. But now we're there, the city proper, northern Delaware, South Jersey, and all of Southeastern Pennsylvania and somewhat beyond. Waiting for tonight's game, when ace Cole Hamels goes to the mound to try to win Game Four.
It's been a long time.
For me, I get a little choked up, because my father, who died over 20 years ago, used to go to games all the time. We went to Connie Mack Stadium, parking on the street in North Philadelphia and to Veterans Stadium. We watched some woeful teams in the 1960's, teams still under the spectre of the fantastic collapse in 1964. We watched the team crawl out of its misery in the mid-1970's, and he was there for Game 6 of the 1980 World Series, when the Phillies clinched. He had two interesting observations that day. First, when he got into the building, he wondered to himself whether what he was experiencing was real. After all, it was the World Series. Where were the Yankees and the Dodgers? What the heck were the Phillies doing in it, with a chance to win, no less? Second, he pointed out that there was a slight pause from the time when Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson to clinch the series and the time the fans erupted. His view: it took that small pause for the Phillies' fans to realize that they weren't dreaming, that their hometown team actually won the World Series -- for the first time!
I take my family to the games because, well, it's fun, and, also, because it's something that my father shared with me that I cherish and something that I share with my family that I still cherish. I could only imagine what my father would say and do if he were here today. I know that my kids would have every piece of Phillies' wear imaginable, and that he and I would be trading phone calls and e-mails about pitch counts, how hitters fare with men on base and the improbability of Joe the Pitcher's home run. I'd like to think that on Saturday night he blew a strong enough breeze to keep Evan Longoria's long fly ball in Citizens Bank Park, and that he sprinkled magic dust on Joe Blanton's bat before Blanton's home run. He'd be sitting there high-fiving my kids, hugging them, urging his team on.
You can't really find a pinch hitter for loved ones, not every day. Grandparents can enrich kids' lives in a way that parents cannot, as such is the circle of life, to take a page from "The Lion King." But I can try, as much as possible, to replicate the experience, to pass along a warm, fun tradition, and to make sure that the kids realize that what they're viewing is special and that they're enjoying every minute of it. I can tell them about their grandfather, about his knack for counting pitches, about his enthusiasm and his love for the game. How they resemble him at times and share some similar characteristics (the best ones, mostly). In doing so, I tap into some of the deepest parts of my memory, some of the very best moments, something very special.
I'm sure that countless numbers of Philadelphia fans feel the same way. There's some tradition, some ritual, that they replicate that underscores the connectivity from generation to generation. Some people stop at Pat's or Geno's for a pre-game steak sandwich. My great uncle used to show up at family events with a transistor radio earpiece in his ear, as his Phillies were more important to him that most things. My grandmother, who didn't have an athletic bone in her body, watched the Phillies all the time. Most Philadelphians have these rituals and these memories, which is why tonight is such an emotional night.
I cherish the professionalism of Jamie Moyer, the ability of Ryan Howard to strap the team on his back, the hustle of Shane Victorino, the precision of Cole Hamels, the calm of Brad Lidge and the leadership of Carlos Ruiz. I love the way Jimmy Rollins made himself into a tough out, the athleticism of Jayson Werth, the raw talent of Brett Myers and the homespun wisdom of Charlie Manuel. I also love the home run call of Harry Kalas, and I'll never get tired of "That ball is outta here." (I loved hearing the replays of that call last night).
Most of all, though, I love the way that baseball acts as a loving cement that holds generations together and gives them something to share. That's what makes a kids' game played outdoors in the best weather months so darned special for the entire city and its surrounding suburbs.
You'll see that emotion on edge tonight, supportive, nervous and hopeful. And, if the Phillies' win, you'll see it erupt all over the Delaware Valley.
You'll see the collective emotions of generations -- past and present -- reflecting, individually and collectively -- on a triumph that would reflect the shared experiences of millions of lifetimes.
It will be a great thing to witness, but as a native of the Philadelphia area I'll be among the supportive, anxious and hopeful tonight.
After all, the weight of generations is riding upon the outcome.
Go Phillies!
It's just that we didn't think we'd have to wait a quarter century for another. But now we're there, the city proper, northern Delaware, South Jersey, and all of Southeastern Pennsylvania and somewhat beyond. Waiting for tonight's game, when ace Cole Hamels goes to the mound to try to win Game Four.
It's been a long time.
For me, I get a little choked up, because my father, who died over 20 years ago, used to go to games all the time. We went to Connie Mack Stadium, parking on the street in North Philadelphia and to Veterans Stadium. We watched some woeful teams in the 1960's, teams still under the spectre of the fantastic collapse in 1964. We watched the team crawl out of its misery in the mid-1970's, and he was there for Game 6 of the 1980 World Series, when the Phillies clinched. He had two interesting observations that day. First, when he got into the building, he wondered to himself whether what he was experiencing was real. After all, it was the World Series. Where were the Yankees and the Dodgers? What the heck were the Phillies doing in it, with a chance to win, no less? Second, he pointed out that there was a slight pause from the time when Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson to clinch the series and the time the fans erupted. His view: it took that small pause for the Phillies' fans to realize that they weren't dreaming, that their hometown team actually won the World Series -- for the first time!
I take my family to the games because, well, it's fun, and, also, because it's something that my father shared with me that I cherish and something that I share with my family that I still cherish. I could only imagine what my father would say and do if he were here today. I know that my kids would have every piece of Phillies' wear imaginable, and that he and I would be trading phone calls and e-mails about pitch counts, how hitters fare with men on base and the improbability of Joe the Pitcher's home run. I'd like to think that on Saturday night he blew a strong enough breeze to keep Evan Longoria's long fly ball in Citizens Bank Park, and that he sprinkled magic dust on Joe Blanton's bat before Blanton's home run. He'd be sitting there high-fiving my kids, hugging them, urging his team on.
You can't really find a pinch hitter for loved ones, not every day. Grandparents can enrich kids' lives in a way that parents cannot, as such is the circle of life, to take a page from "The Lion King." But I can try, as much as possible, to replicate the experience, to pass along a warm, fun tradition, and to make sure that the kids realize that what they're viewing is special and that they're enjoying every minute of it. I can tell them about their grandfather, about his knack for counting pitches, about his enthusiasm and his love for the game. How they resemble him at times and share some similar characteristics (the best ones, mostly). In doing so, I tap into some of the deepest parts of my memory, some of the very best moments, something very special.
I'm sure that countless numbers of Philadelphia fans feel the same way. There's some tradition, some ritual, that they replicate that underscores the connectivity from generation to generation. Some people stop at Pat's or Geno's for a pre-game steak sandwich. My great uncle used to show up at family events with a transistor radio earpiece in his ear, as his Phillies were more important to him that most things. My grandmother, who didn't have an athletic bone in her body, watched the Phillies all the time. Most Philadelphians have these rituals and these memories, which is why tonight is such an emotional night.
I cherish the professionalism of Jamie Moyer, the ability of Ryan Howard to strap the team on his back, the hustle of Shane Victorino, the precision of Cole Hamels, the calm of Brad Lidge and the leadership of Carlos Ruiz. I love the way Jimmy Rollins made himself into a tough out, the athleticism of Jayson Werth, the raw talent of Brett Myers and the homespun wisdom of Charlie Manuel. I also love the home run call of Harry Kalas, and I'll never get tired of "That ball is outta here." (I loved hearing the replays of that call last night).
Most of all, though, I love the way that baseball acts as a loving cement that holds generations together and gives them something to share. That's what makes a kids' game played outdoors in the best weather months so darned special for the entire city and its surrounding suburbs.
You'll see that emotion on edge tonight, supportive, nervous and hopeful. And, if the Phillies' win, you'll see it erupt all over the Delaware Valley.
You'll see the collective emotions of generations -- past and present -- reflecting, individually and collectively -- on a triumph that would reflect the shared experiences of millions of lifetimes.
It will be a great thing to witness, but as a native of the Philadelphia area I'll be among the supportive, anxious and hopeful tonight.
After all, the weight of generations is riding upon the outcome.
Go Phillies!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Game 3 of the World Series -- I Was There
The entire family ventured (and, if you know about last night's game, ventured is the right word) to Citizens Bank Park to watch Game 3 of the World Series between the hometown Philadelphia Phillies and the visiting (and media darlings) Tampa Bay Rays. The game itself was compelling, and, as you know, the Phillies won, 5-4, in the bottom of the ninth. The following are some observations:
1. Major League Baseball dishonored and disserved the Philadelphia fans last night. The Phillies have very devoted fans. The team sold out 50 of its 81 home dates. The Phillies hadn't hosted a World Series game since 1993, and this was the first World Series game at Citizens Bank Park. During the regular season, the home team can call off a game before it starts, and, once the game starts, the crew chief determines when and whether to call a game. Understandably, because it's the World Series, the Commissioner of Baseball makes both calls.
And he blew it last night. The game should have been postponed. Yes, I know that my team won (and I shudder to imagine the mood of the fans upon exiting the stadium had the team lost), but to start a game at 10:05 p.m. or so was wrong. Fans were encouraged to get to the stadium early to avoid parking hassles, and, probably, to eat a pre-game meal at the stadium (regular-season games start at 7:05 p.m., a natural lead-in for dinner, whereas many fans -- we included -- opted to eat at home (and save considerable money and enjoy better nutrition) because of the posted 8:35 p.m. start. So, many fans got to the stadium at 5:30 and got soaked (one fan told me that he and his family got so soaked by 6 p.m. that they left the stadium, went home to change and came back).
Our story was different. We arrived at an overpriced parking lot (I don't see the justification for charging $11 for parking during the regular season and $25 for parking during the post-season. Heck, downtown Philadelphia restaurants suffer because those who own parking garages charge around $25 for an evening's worth of parking -- many opt to dine at fine establishments in the suburbs, where they can park on the street for free). We arrived at 7:10 p.m. and stayed in our car until 8 p.m., at which time we walked toward the stadium. We got inside at around quarter after eight and headed toward our seats.
We stood under an overhang until about 10:00 p.m.
Puddles. Wind. Nowhere to sit and be dry. An edgy group of fans not happy with their circumstances. People with children wondering how long their kids would last. And, of course, up in the upper deck on the leftfield line, we had to endure a group of adult-adolescents who were shouting profanities to Tampa Bay fans who were walking by. Some of it was pretty vulgar, and I did take a stand for dignity and decency by calling them on it and telling them to watch their mouths because children were present. (I also had an umbrella with me that I was prepared to use to defend myself should I need it; thankfully, challenged and somewhat chastened, they retreated, at least for the moment).
Finally, it was 10:00 p.m., and it was time to take our seats.
But, Bud Selig, what you did was not fair. Kids aren't playing baseball in greater numbers. Starting a World Series game at 10:05 p.m. doesn't help your case.
Sponsors or no sponsors. California TV audience or no California TV audience.
2. Tampa Bay fans who came to the game were brave. I talked with several and assured them that not all Philadelphia fans were drunken, profane ignoramuses. They conceded that they had met several dozen, and they agreed that there are probably similar ignoramuses in each stadium in the country. Philadelphia is no different from many places, especially New York. Still, profane and assaulting behavior toward anyone is not acceptable.
3. The sign of the night. Fans in left field unrolled a banner that had a picture of a cow bell (the Tampa Bay trademark noisemaker) with the headline "This Isn't a Bell," right next to a picture of the Liberty Bell with a headline, "This Is a Bell." When that poster was flashed on the big screen at Citizens Bank Park, the fans roared.
4. Philadelphia fans made a statement to the world last night. It might have rained on us, it might have gotten a little chilly by the end of the game, and the late start meant that the game went to almost 2 in the morning, but we sat and stood together, tall, proud and loud, until the wee hours. If anything, we gathered strength toward the game's end, and we told everyone that despite any weather thrown at us, we'll stay, we'll cheer, and we cheer loudly to the very end. Except for the ignoramuses out there, Philadelphia fans did a great job last night (and, by the way, rumors about our throwing snowballs at Santa Clause in the early 1970's are greatly exaggerated; the fans who did so did so because the guy playing Santa was drunk and disgracing the costume -- nothing more).
5. World Series fans are wealthier than the regular-season fans and, as a result, aren't used to sitting in the seats for the Series, or, aren't used to going to the games because they only go when the game is an event. What do I mean? Translated, that the fans aren't as passionate and knowledgeable as the regular-season crowd. They'll cheer for ordinary fly balls because they can't judge them the way regular-season fans can (in determining which will or will not fly out of the park). They also don't seem to cheer as loudly as regular-season fans, which is somewhat hard to believe given how loud CBP was last night.
6. I actually had a guy sitting behind me who was yelling that Grant Balfour had pooped in his pants. Continuously. Okay, Bozo, if you read blogs, you exposed yourself for being a fool last night. The est of the section looked at you with a mixture of contempt and incredulity.
7. I also had a guy sitting behind me who left his seats and must have opted to stand somewhere because he couldn't stand the fans who were waving their towels. Okay, first they were heavier to wave because we used ours to dry our seats. Second, why didn't you mentally prepare for this before you got to the game? Where have you been? We've been waving towels since the end of September? Deal with it.
8. I also had a guy sitting behind who yelled loudly and voiced his displeasure because the fans were unwilling or too chilled to cheer as loudly and frequently as he was. I admired his zeal, but not his profanity. He used the "f" word as creatively as contestants on Food Network's Iron Chef use the ingredient of the show. Our kids weren't thrilled. Thankfully, they're well-versed in dignity and manners not to adopt that behavior. Memo to Hard Case: Chill out and let people enjoy the game the way they want to. If you want to be a cheerleader, get some electrolysis and waxing, a better face, dress in drag and try to become an Eagles' cheerleader.
9. Oh, the Ancient Mariner! We Philadelphia diehards knew that Jamie Moyer had a good game in him for the post-season. There were several reasons for our optimism. First, Moyer had a good season, even if he had two bad starts in the post-season. Second, the Rays are a young team who hit fastballs well, and Moyer relies on command and changing speeds. Third, the Rays hit righties better than lefties. Moyer was masterful last night, and got a huge ovation when he left the game. It was a great moment for a grand guy.
10. Unsung Phillies! Eric Bruntlett. J.C. Romero. Carlos Ruiz. Bruntlett has been a good man off the bench all year. Romero aced his post-season exam last night. And Ruiz has become the master field general, an excellent pitch caller and handler of pitchers who has displayed great offense in the post-season. Rays' skipper Joe Maddon had a five-infielder defense in the bottom of the ninth to create a 1-2-3 double-play situation, and Ruiz chopped one down the third-base line for an infield hit and the Phillies' victory. The place went nuts (as it did on Ruiz's home run), and we couldn't have had a more worthy hero.
11. The "Rocky" theme still resonates. The home club played the theme from Rocky going into the bottom of the ninth. Yes, the movie won an Oscar before the Phillies' only World Series win, but the inspiration of the song pumped the crowd bigtime. Thereafter, the Phillies managed to pulled out the game, a dramatic victory.
12. The Phillies might have had their goats, too. RF Jayson Werth has been inept on the bases in two of the three World Series games. Manager Charlie Manuel has made some questionable calls deploying pinch hitters and in positioning his infield. It was curious that he went with lefty Geoff Jenkins in the seventh instead of Greg Dobbs and Matt Stairs both of whom are better hitters. Also, it was curious that with the Phillies up 4-1 he all but conceded 2 runs to the Rays in the 7th when he kept the infield back with men on second and third and no outs. Still, the home team won, and that's what matters.
13. I was happy to leave the park with a victory. The wet, tired and cold crowd wouldn't have been happy leaving with a loss. That would have been understandable, given how long we stood and waited for the game to start.
14. Going home it was great hearing a replay of Harry Kalas's home run calls on the radio. Thank God for simple joys. Hearing Harry's dulcet tones with his signature cry of "That ball is outta here!" is a real treat. Hearing Larry Andersen's guttural "Get outs" or cheers is a distraction.
All in all, though, a great night. Jamie Moyer was terrific, the bullpen pitched well enough, and we saw home runs from Ruiz, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Yes, we did think that Evan Longoria's long fly to left was going out (only to remain inside the park enough for Pat the Statue Burrell to catch). Yes, we dismayed about the Phillies' inability to hold B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford, and, yes, we were ticked when the 1B umpire missed an "out" call on Carl Crawford's drag bunt. But that's baseball. And all our team needed was one run more than the other guys.
We were there together, as a family, spending good times together at the crowning event of the baseball season, the World Series. It was a priceless evening, all things considered.
1. Major League Baseball dishonored and disserved the Philadelphia fans last night. The Phillies have very devoted fans. The team sold out 50 of its 81 home dates. The Phillies hadn't hosted a World Series game since 1993, and this was the first World Series game at Citizens Bank Park. During the regular season, the home team can call off a game before it starts, and, once the game starts, the crew chief determines when and whether to call a game. Understandably, because it's the World Series, the Commissioner of Baseball makes both calls.
And he blew it last night. The game should have been postponed. Yes, I know that my team won (and I shudder to imagine the mood of the fans upon exiting the stadium had the team lost), but to start a game at 10:05 p.m. or so was wrong. Fans were encouraged to get to the stadium early to avoid parking hassles, and, probably, to eat a pre-game meal at the stadium (regular-season games start at 7:05 p.m., a natural lead-in for dinner, whereas many fans -- we included -- opted to eat at home (and save considerable money and enjoy better nutrition) because of the posted 8:35 p.m. start. So, many fans got to the stadium at 5:30 and got soaked (one fan told me that he and his family got so soaked by 6 p.m. that they left the stadium, went home to change and came back).
Our story was different. We arrived at an overpriced parking lot (I don't see the justification for charging $11 for parking during the regular season and $25 for parking during the post-season. Heck, downtown Philadelphia restaurants suffer because those who own parking garages charge around $25 for an evening's worth of parking -- many opt to dine at fine establishments in the suburbs, where they can park on the street for free). We arrived at 7:10 p.m. and stayed in our car until 8 p.m., at which time we walked toward the stadium. We got inside at around quarter after eight and headed toward our seats.
We stood under an overhang until about 10:00 p.m.
Puddles. Wind. Nowhere to sit and be dry. An edgy group of fans not happy with their circumstances. People with children wondering how long their kids would last. And, of course, up in the upper deck on the leftfield line, we had to endure a group of adult-adolescents who were shouting profanities to Tampa Bay fans who were walking by. Some of it was pretty vulgar, and I did take a stand for dignity and decency by calling them on it and telling them to watch their mouths because children were present. (I also had an umbrella with me that I was prepared to use to defend myself should I need it; thankfully, challenged and somewhat chastened, they retreated, at least for the moment).
Finally, it was 10:00 p.m., and it was time to take our seats.
But, Bud Selig, what you did was not fair. Kids aren't playing baseball in greater numbers. Starting a World Series game at 10:05 p.m. doesn't help your case.
Sponsors or no sponsors. California TV audience or no California TV audience.
2. Tampa Bay fans who came to the game were brave. I talked with several and assured them that not all Philadelphia fans were drunken, profane ignoramuses. They conceded that they had met several dozen, and they agreed that there are probably similar ignoramuses in each stadium in the country. Philadelphia is no different from many places, especially New York. Still, profane and assaulting behavior toward anyone is not acceptable.
3. The sign of the night. Fans in left field unrolled a banner that had a picture of a cow bell (the Tampa Bay trademark noisemaker) with the headline "This Isn't a Bell," right next to a picture of the Liberty Bell with a headline, "This Is a Bell." When that poster was flashed on the big screen at Citizens Bank Park, the fans roared.
4. Philadelphia fans made a statement to the world last night. It might have rained on us, it might have gotten a little chilly by the end of the game, and the late start meant that the game went to almost 2 in the morning, but we sat and stood together, tall, proud and loud, until the wee hours. If anything, we gathered strength toward the game's end, and we told everyone that despite any weather thrown at us, we'll stay, we'll cheer, and we cheer loudly to the very end. Except for the ignoramuses out there, Philadelphia fans did a great job last night (and, by the way, rumors about our throwing snowballs at Santa Clause in the early 1970's are greatly exaggerated; the fans who did so did so because the guy playing Santa was drunk and disgracing the costume -- nothing more).
5. World Series fans are wealthier than the regular-season fans and, as a result, aren't used to sitting in the seats for the Series, or, aren't used to going to the games because they only go when the game is an event. What do I mean? Translated, that the fans aren't as passionate and knowledgeable as the regular-season crowd. They'll cheer for ordinary fly balls because they can't judge them the way regular-season fans can (in determining which will or will not fly out of the park). They also don't seem to cheer as loudly as regular-season fans, which is somewhat hard to believe given how loud CBP was last night.
6. I actually had a guy sitting behind me who was yelling that Grant Balfour had pooped in his pants. Continuously. Okay, Bozo, if you read blogs, you exposed yourself for being a fool last night. The est of the section looked at you with a mixture of contempt and incredulity.
7. I also had a guy sitting behind me who left his seats and must have opted to stand somewhere because he couldn't stand the fans who were waving their towels. Okay, first they were heavier to wave because we used ours to dry our seats. Second, why didn't you mentally prepare for this before you got to the game? Where have you been? We've been waving towels since the end of September? Deal with it.
8. I also had a guy sitting behind who yelled loudly and voiced his displeasure because the fans were unwilling or too chilled to cheer as loudly and frequently as he was. I admired his zeal, but not his profanity. He used the "f" word as creatively as contestants on Food Network's Iron Chef use the ingredient of the show. Our kids weren't thrilled. Thankfully, they're well-versed in dignity and manners not to adopt that behavior. Memo to Hard Case: Chill out and let people enjoy the game the way they want to. If you want to be a cheerleader, get some electrolysis and waxing, a better face, dress in drag and try to become an Eagles' cheerleader.
9. Oh, the Ancient Mariner! We Philadelphia diehards knew that Jamie Moyer had a good game in him for the post-season. There were several reasons for our optimism. First, Moyer had a good season, even if he had two bad starts in the post-season. Second, the Rays are a young team who hit fastballs well, and Moyer relies on command and changing speeds. Third, the Rays hit righties better than lefties. Moyer was masterful last night, and got a huge ovation when he left the game. It was a great moment for a grand guy.
10. Unsung Phillies! Eric Bruntlett. J.C. Romero. Carlos Ruiz. Bruntlett has been a good man off the bench all year. Romero aced his post-season exam last night. And Ruiz has become the master field general, an excellent pitch caller and handler of pitchers who has displayed great offense in the post-season. Rays' skipper Joe Maddon had a five-infielder defense in the bottom of the ninth to create a 1-2-3 double-play situation, and Ruiz chopped one down the third-base line for an infield hit and the Phillies' victory. The place went nuts (as it did on Ruiz's home run), and we couldn't have had a more worthy hero.
11. The "Rocky" theme still resonates. The home club played the theme from Rocky going into the bottom of the ninth. Yes, the movie won an Oscar before the Phillies' only World Series win, but the inspiration of the song pumped the crowd bigtime. Thereafter, the Phillies managed to pulled out the game, a dramatic victory.
12. The Phillies might have had their goats, too. RF Jayson Werth has been inept on the bases in two of the three World Series games. Manager Charlie Manuel has made some questionable calls deploying pinch hitters and in positioning his infield. It was curious that he went with lefty Geoff Jenkins in the seventh instead of Greg Dobbs and Matt Stairs both of whom are better hitters. Also, it was curious that with the Phillies up 4-1 he all but conceded 2 runs to the Rays in the 7th when he kept the infield back with men on second and third and no outs. Still, the home team won, and that's what matters.
13. I was happy to leave the park with a victory. The wet, tired and cold crowd wouldn't have been happy leaving with a loss. That would have been understandable, given how long we stood and waited for the game to start.
14. Going home it was great hearing a replay of Harry Kalas's home run calls on the radio. Thank God for simple joys. Hearing Harry's dulcet tones with his signature cry of "That ball is outta here!" is a real treat. Hearing Larry Andersen's guttural "Get outs" or cheers is a distraction.
All in all, though, a great night. Jamie Moyer was terrific, the bullpen pitched well enough, and we saw home runs from Ruiz, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Yes, we did think that Evan Longoria's long fly to left was going out (only to remain inside the park enough for Pat the Statue Burrell to catch). Yes, we dismayed about the Phillies' inability to hold B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford, and, yes, we were ticked when the 1B umpire missed an "out" call on Carl Crawford's drag bunt. But that's baseball. And all our team needed was one run more than the other guys.
We were there together, as a family, spending good times together at the crowning event of the baseball season, the World Series. It was a priceless evening, all things considered.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Jake Peavy is on the Trading Block, Signed Through 2013
The baseball off-season will prove to be very interesting.
First, it will be interesting to see, as a bigger recession seems to be on the horizon, how much the advertisers and season-ticket holders re-up, and how much merchandise is sold during the holiday season. Those indicators will affect what teams might be willing to pony up both for free agents and on long-term deals for budding stars.
Second, Jake Peavy, the Padres' ace, is on the block. Buster Olney of ESPN.com writes about which teams might be interested in him.
I think he leaves two important teams out.
One is Tampa Bay, an excellent team with so many outstanding prospects that it can't probably bring them all up to the majors at once. Life, after all, is demographics, so if you bring up players who are close to the same age and close to having the same number of years to free agency, you could have numbers problems down the road. Even if you're Tampa Bay, you're well run, and you've signed up some of your stars to long-term deals already. So, you're flush with prospects, you probably could use a bona fide #1 starter (even if you have a few studs in your pipeline -- David Price among them -- who project really well). You might be willing to trade a few prospects -- the Rays also have some good outfielders in the minors -- to get a #1 starter and a real stopper. That trade could make an excellent team even tougher to beat.
The second is the New York Mets, who obviously have chemistry, starting pitching (as in aging) and bullpen issues. There are some in New York who think that the Mets need to reconfigure, and, if the Mets go that route, the Mets and Padres could create a blockbuster that involves Jose Reyes as the big name for the Mets and Peavy as the marquis name for the Padres. Omar Minaya, the Mets' GM, likes to get into the mix and isn't shy in his hunt for excellent players. The Mets' probably need to make some changes, but peddling Reyes or David Wright seems risky to me.
Peavy is an excellent starter, and he could make a team a whole lot better. I like Olney's other suggestions, and it also is most reasonable to see Peavy going up the San Diego Freeway to Los Angeles in exchange for a bunch of prospects.
First, it will be interesting to see, as a bigger recession seems to be on the horizon, how much the advertisers and season-ticket holders re-up, and how much merchandise is sold during the holiday season. Those indicators will affect what teams might be willing to pony up both for free agents and on long-term deals for budding stars.
Second, Jake Peavy, the Padres' ace, is on the block. Buster Olney of ESPN.com writes about which teams might be interested in him.
I think he leaves two important teams out.
One is Tampa Bay, an excellent team with so many outstanding prospects that it can't probably bring them all up to the majors at once. Life, after all, is demographics, so if you bring up players who are close to the same age and close to having the same number of years to free agency, you could have numbers problems down the road. Even if you're Tampa Bay, you're well run, and you've signed up some of your stars to long-term deals already. So, you're flush with prospects, you probably could use a bona fide #1 starter (even if you have a few studs in your pipeline -- David Price among them -- who project really well). You might be willing to trade a few prospects -- the Rays also have some good outfielders in the minors -- to get a #1 starter and a real stopper. That trade could make an excellent team even tougher to beat.
The second is the New York Mets, who obviously have chemistry, starting pitching (as in aging) and bullpen issues. There are some in New York who think that the Mets need to reconfigure, and, if the Mets go that route, the Mets and Padres could create a blockbuster that involves Jose Reyes as the big name for the Mets and Peavy as the marquis name for the Padres. Omar Minaya, the Mets' GM, likes to get into the mix and isn't shy in his hunt for excellent players. The Mets' probably need to make some changes, but peddling Reyes or David Wright seems risky to me.
Peavy is an excellent starter, and he could make a team a whole lot better. I like Olney's other suggestions, and it also is most reasonable to see Peavy going up the San Diego Freeway to Los Angeles in exchange for a bunch of prospects.
What's the Justification for a $110 Game Jersey
I was at my local Dick's Sportings Goods store the other day, and my kids pointed out to me that an Eagles' jersey cost $110. That's right, for this princely sum, you too can get an Brian Westbrook or Donovan McNabb jersey -- the same as those guys wear in a game.
I asked the cashier whether these items were popular, as follows: "Do these jerseys really sell?"
"Oh, yes," she replied. "We sell a lot of them."
And my question is "Why?"
Yes, I buy t-shirts that support my favorite teams, but at a far less tag price than $110. I bought my kids them as gifts, and, yes, we did get my son a Ryan Howard jersey as his main birthday present 3 years ago (big then, it still fits, and it cost far less than $110). So, with that as disclosure, I ask the question again, "Why?"
Is this something each and every Eagles' fan thinks he should have? Can't you go to a game wearing a green sweatshirt, a green coat, something that doesn't even cost the poundage that it does when you purchase a garment with a logo on it? And if that fan does think he has to have that shirt, what other expenditures is he foregoing to make that purchase? And, is this his only game jersey, or does he (or she, for that matter), have others?
I just don't get it and feel happy enough that I don't feel compelled to buy that jersey. But I think that many out there not only think it's a good idea, they think it's a necessity, not a luxury.
And perhaps, as a societal matter, therein lies a problem as to consumer spending and how we prioritize what's important from what's nice.
Sorry to be a grump about an excellent team and it's merchandise sales, but that $110 jersey has stuck in my craw for a while.
I asked the cashier whether these items were popular, as follows: "Do these jerseys really sell?"
"Oh, yes," she replied. "We sell a lot of them."
And my question is "Why?"
Yes, I buy t-shirts that support my favorite teams, but at a far less tag price than $110. I bought my kids them as gifts, and, yes, we did get my son a Ryan Howard jersey as his main birthday present 3 years ago (big then, it still fits, and it cost far less than $110). So, with that as disclosure, I ask the question again, "Why?"
Is this something each and every Eagles' fan thinks he should have? Can't you go to a game wearing a green sweatshirt, a green coat, something that doesn't even cost the poundage that it does when you purchase a garment with a logo on it? And if that fan does think he has to have that shirt, what other expenditures is he foregoing to make that purchase? And, is this his only game jersey, or does he (or she, for that matter), have others?
I just don't get it and feel happy enough that I don't feel compelled to buy that jersey. But I think that many out there not only think it's a good idea, they think it's a necessity, not a luxury.
And perhaps, as a societal matter, therein lies a problem as to consumer spending and how we prioritize what's important from what's nice.
Sorry to be a grump about an excellent team and it's merchandise sales, but that $110 jersey has stuck in my craw for a while.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Great Suggestion Regarding National Broadcasts
Why can't baseball arrange to let a playoff team's local broadcasters do the game for the local audience for the playoff team?
Sure, I'll take the Fox or TBS feeds and their ads, but as a Phillies' fan I feel cheated. While I actually thought that Joe Buck and Tim McCarver were pretty good last night, I'd strongly prefer to have the Phillies' team of Harry Kalas, Chris Wheeler (yes, even Chris Wheeler) and Gary Matthews. I would have relished Harry's "That ball is outta here!" call on both Shane Victorino's and Matt Stairs' home runs last night. That call would have meant so much to the home fans.
Instead, we get the neutral calls of the national announcers (I thought, though, that Dan Shulman's calls on ESPN Radio reflected a proper amount of drama). Those calls take some of the excitement out of the game for any playoff team's fans. I would imagine that Dodger fans would prefer Vin Scully to the Buck/McCarver team too.
Credit where credit is due to former Phillies' reliever Ricky Bottalico, who suggested this on the Phillies' postgame show on Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia after the game last night.
Sure, I'll take the Fox or TBS feeds and their ads, but as a Phillies' fan I feel cheated. While I actually thought that Joe Buck and Tim McCarver were pretty good last night, I'd strongly prefer to have the Phillies' team of Harry Kalas, Chris Wheeler (yes, even Chris Wheeler) and Gary Matthews. I would have relished Harry's "That ball is outta here!" call on both Shane Victorino's and Matt Stairs' home runs last night. That call would have meant so much to the home fans.
Instead, we get the neutral calls of the national announcers (I thought, though, that Dan Shulman's calls on ESPN Radio reflected a proper amount of drama). Those calls take some of the excitement out of the game for any playoff team's fans. I would imagine that Dodger fans would prefer Vin Scully to the Buck/McCarver team too.
Credit where credit is due to former Phillies' reliever Ricky Bottalico, who suggested this on the Phillies' postgame show on Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia after the game last night.
It's a Long NFL Season
Eagles' fans were despairing after the team's 2-3 start, especially the way the team lost to Dallas and Chicago. Going into the weekend, the fans were wondering whether the Donovan McNabb era was over, and why head coach Andy Reid seemingly has blind spots about his team every year. Among the laments this season -- a fullback who can't block, a tight end who can't block, and a defensive line that doesn't get a good push. Oh, yes, throw in the lack of a #1 receiver, a frequently injured quarterback and aging offensive tackels. And, of course, for good measure, include the fact that free agent DE Chris Clemons has been a downer and acquired running back Lorenzo Booker has been a relative no-show. Click here for Reuben Frank's excellent article in Sunday's Bucks County Courier Times about some of the Birds' front-office moves (err, blunders).
But, you see, it's a long football season. I, for one, didn't buy the talk that the Redskins were one of the NFL's top five teams, that Jim Zorn will be a great head coach, or that Jason Campbell has arrived and will rival the Jags' David Garrard for throwing the fewest interceptions. I, also, didn't buy the stability of the Cowboys, was waiting for Adam Jones to regress, and still wonder when the human volcano, Terrell Owens, doing okay in dormant status, will blow. As for the Giants, well, they're an excellent team, but they also stumbled in Cleveland last night, and Eli Manning has a bruised chest. For once, it isn't Donovan McNabb who leads the injured list in the NFL.
So, let's hold the phone before we anoint the Cowboys' Super Bowl champs, before we champion the Giants for a repeat, or before we cede a playoff spot to the Redskins. And, of course, Eagles' fans shouldn't get giddy on their late-game breakthrough against the 49ers. Yes, Juqua Parker did his best Lawrence Taylor imitation in the second half, but the Birds' defense is still leaky, and their play is inconsistent. As I said at the beginning of this post, it's a very long season. Remember this, though, that over the years many a team that's started at 6-2 has failed to make the playoffs, while some that have started more slowly do. (I'm sure the statheads will jump all over me about this).
The NFL East is the best division in pro football, and the remainder of the season should be most exciting.
But, you see, it's a long football season. I, for one, didn't buy the talk that the Redskins were one of the NFL's top five teams, that Jim Zorn will be a great head coach, or that Jason Campbell has arrived and will rival the Jags' David Garrard for throwing the fewest interceptions. I, also, didn't buy the stability of the Cowboys, was waiting for Adam Jones to regress, and still wonder when the human volcano, Terrell Owens, doing okay in dormant status, will blow. As for the Giants, well, they're an excellent team, but they also stumbled in Cleveland last night, and Eli Manning has a bruised chest. For once, it isn't Donovan McNabb who leads the injured list in the NFL.
So, let's hold the phone before we anoint the Cowboys' Super Bowl champs, before we champion the Giants for a repeat, or before we cede a playoff spot to the Redskins. And, of course, Eagles' fans shouldn't get giddy on their late-game breakthrough against the 49ers. Yes, Juqua Parker did his best Lawrence Taylor imitation in the second half, but the Birds' defense is still leaky, and their play is inconsistent. As I said at the beginning of this post, it's a very long season. Remember this, though, that over the years many a team that's started at 6-2 has failed to make the playoffs, while some that have started more slowly do. (I'm sure the statheads will jump all over me about this).
The NFL East is the best division in pro football, and the remainder of the season should be most exciting.
NFL Trading Deadline
The Cowboys paid a steep price for Lions' WR Roy Williams, who seeks a new contract.
The Chiefs held onto future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, in whom the Eagles seem to be interested.
Does this activity underscore the difference between the franchise people suggest will win the Super Bowl versus the one that, while good, might not get their under the combination of owner Jeffrey Lurie and coach/GM Andy Reid? (The Eagles also pursued Williams).
The ESPN article described Terrell Owens as aging. He is getting up there in years, but how many NFL wide receivers look to be in better shape?
The Chiefs held onto future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, in whom the Eagles seem to be interested.
Does this activity underscore the difference between the franchise people suggest will win the Super Bowl versus the one that, while good, might not get their under the combination of owner Jeffrey Lurie and coach/GM Andy Reid? (The Eagles also pursued Williams).
The ESPN article described Terrell Owens as aging. He is getting up there in years, but how many NFL wide receivers look to be in better shape?
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Is Philadelphia a Baseball Town Once Again?
Just asking.
All four of the major sports franchises have frustrated the faithful over the past 25 years, as follows:
1. Phillies. We had to suffer the silliness of the first chapter of the post-Ruly Carpenter ownership era in the form of managing general partner Bill Giles, who once referred to the Phillies as a "small-market" team despite Philadelphia's being, at the time, the fifth largest media market in the country. Small-minded was more like it, and there was a sense that the five wealthy families who owned the team didn't really want to stretch and field a champion. Once the ownership pushed Giles aside in favor of savvy baseball executive Dave Montgomery, things began to change, and the building of Citizens Bank Park must have compelled the ownership group to look in the mirror. Signing Jim Thome sent a signal that they were serious about improving the product, and, well, the product is looking awfully good right now. The Phillies sold out 50 of 81 home games, drew well over 3 million people, and the joint just jumps. They are grabbing the headlines, but. . .
2. Eagles. A good amount, if not the lion's share, of sports talk radio in Cheesesteak City focuses on laments about the 2-3 Eagles. The fun part is that they have been pretty good over the past decade, even if Andy Reid's team has made the playoffs only once since their Super Bowl appearance. The prevalent sense among the faithful is that Reid won't take the team any further, he's stubborn, blind to his flaws as a roster builder, and that owner Jeffrey Lurie should swap horses, rebuild the team, and get a new coach. Why? Because it seems each off-season the team fails to improve on key flaws (despite great defense annually by radio talk show host Howard Eskin that the front office knows what it's doing). Going into this season, they needed a fullback, a tight end who can block, an upgrade at wide receiver, and some help on the offensive line, where two 30+ tackles are relative geriatics in the NFL. They looked better on paper on defense, but the D-line seems undersized, and the linebackers, despite the hype, went into the season untested. Put differently, the Birds are a few french fries short of a Happy Meal, and they also find themselves in the toughest division in football. The embarrassing part -- not that they're behind the Cowboys and the Giants, but that Washington, under first-year head coach Jim Zorn, has surged past them. No, the Eagles will not make the post-season this year.
3. 76ers. Up until last season, they were stuck in the quicksand that was the Allen Iverson era. Great talent, bad team player, didn't set an example, lead or make his teammates better. Shedding Iverson was addition by subtraction, and now the team has added a great talent in Elton Brand. They were 40-42 last season, and 48-34 isn't a crazy prediction. They will be a pretty good team this year, and they could win a series in the playoffs in the East. Still, over the years, they clanked along in mediocrity.
4. Flyers. No one can accuse the Flyers' ownership of failing to spend money. Kill the Phillies on it (especially them), question the 76ers (which for a while have been run by a hockey guy, who is incompetent and directing a hoops franchise), and even ding the Eagles (although they have made big splashes in the free agent market), but be fair to the Flyers. It's not that they didn't spend big bucks -- they did. It's just that for a while they stuck to an anachronistic view of "old time" physical hockey when the rules changed and speed mattered more. They need to get back to the Stanley Cup finals -- and they certainly aren't bashful about spending.
So, I've digressed. Eagles or Phillies? Phillies or Eagles? Which is the favorite franchise in town? Sorry, baseball fans, but the Eagles, despite their frustrating play, still get the nod, because they tend to draw more attention all year round. Yes, the Phillies are having a wonderful season and, yes, many fans prefer them over all the other teams, but somehow, some way, Philadelphia first and foremost is a pro football town.
But if the Phillies win the World Series. . . who knows?
All four of the major sports franchises have frustrated the faithful over the past 25 years, as follows:
1. Phillies. We had to suffer the silliness of the first chapter of the post-Ruly Carpenter ownership era in the form of managing general partner Bill Giles, who once referred to the Phillies as a "small-market" team despite Philadelphia's being, at the time, the fifth largest media market in the country. Small-minded was more like it, and there was a sense that the five wealthy families who owned the team didn't really want to stretch and field a champion. Once the ownership pushed Giles aside in favor of savvy baseball executive Dave Montgomery, things began to change, and the building of Citizens Bank Park must have compelled the ownership group to look in the mirror. Signing Jim Thome sent a signal that they were serious about improving the product, and, well, the product is looking awfully good right now. The Phillies sold out 50 of 81 home games, drew well over 3 million people, and the joint just jumps. They are grabbing the headlines, but. . .
2. Eagles. A good amount, if not the lion's share, of sports talk radio in Cheesesteak City focuses on laments about the 2-3 Eagles. The fun part is that they have been pretty good over the past decade, even if Andy Reid's team has made the playoffs only once since their Super Bowl appearance. The prevalent sense among the faithful is that Reid won't take the team any further, he's stubborn, blind to his flaws as a roster builder, and that owner Jeffrey Lurie should swap horses, rebuild the team, and get a new coach. Why? Because it seems each off-season the team fails to improve on key flaws (despite great defense annually by radio talk show host Howard Eskin that the front office knows what it's doing). Going into this season, they needed a fullback, a tight end who can block, an upgrade at wide receiver, and some help on the offensive line, where two 30+ tackles are relative geriatics in the NFL. They looked better on paper on defense, but the D-line seems undersized, and the linebackers, despite the hype, went into the season untested. Put differently, the Birds are a few french fries short of a Happy Meal, and they also find themselves in the toughest division in football. The embarrassing part -- not that they're behind the Cowboys and the Giants, but that Washington, under first-year head coach Jim Zorn, has surged past them. No, the Eagles will not make the post-season this year.
3. 76ers. Up until last season, they were stuck in the quicksand that was the Allen Iverson era. Great talent, bad team player, didn't set an example, lead or make his teammates better. Shedding Iverson was addition by subtraction, and now the team has added a great talent in Elton Brand. They were 40-42 last season, and 48-34 isn't a crazy prediction. They will be a pretty good team this year, and they could win a series in the playoffs in the East. Still, over the years, they clanked along in mediocrity.
4. Flyers. No one can accuse the Flyers' ownership of failing to spend money. Kill the Phillies on it (especially them), question the 76ers (which for a while have been run by a hockey guy, who is incompetent and directing a hoops franchise), and even ding the Eagles (although they have made big splashes in the free agent market), but be fair to the Flyers. It's not that they didn't spend big bucks -- they did. It's just that for a while they stuck to an anachronistic view of "old time" physical hockey when the rules changed and speed mattered more. They need to get back to the Stanley Cup finals -- and they certainly aren't bashful about spending.
So, I've digressed. Eagles or Phillies? Phillies or Eagles? Which is the favorite franchise in town? Sorry, baseball fans, but the Eagles, despite their frustrating play, still get the nod, because they tend to draw more attention all year round. Yes, the Phillies are having a wonderful season and, yes, many fans prefer them over all the other teams, but somehow, some way, Philadelphia first and foremost is a pro football town.
But if the Phillies win the World Series. . . who knows?
Monday, October 06, 2008
The Financial Crisis and Pro and College Sports
The positive side to this story is that all of our games provide great distractions from what's been going on in the equity and debt markets. We all have teams to root for -- even if they are the little league teams our kids play for -- and they are a great distraction to things that are well beyond our control.
But how does the turmoil in these markets affect our games? For example, how will these crises affect ticket sales, especially corporate ticket sales? How will this crisis affect sponsorships, naming rights, stadium expansions, donations to major college athletic programs? My guess is that the financial crisis will affect all of these things.
1. Alumni Donations. Yikes. These will drop, as you have to believe that even mega-net worth people will be worried and just won't show sufficient largesse. But let's break that comment down into two parts, one of which is much more troublesome than the other. The easier of the two problems for a university is that it won't receive future gifts or future pledges. The harder problem is where a university has started a project based on the pledge of future gifts, and, all of a sudden, the donor is unable to fulfill the pledge. What does the school do, only half build a natatorium? Booster clubs will suffer, as might season-ticket sales, even at places where you wouldn't think that to be likely. This crisis has hit everyone, and some of the biggest boosters also might be some of the most highly invested and leveraged people on the planet. With the markets the way they are, those monies might not be forthcoming.
2. Sponsorships. Mixed. Most certainly, the sports that depend on the formerly gilt-edged sponsors will suffer. I'm thinking golf, mostly, and even tennis, to a degree (you have to believe that even the luxury goods market might suffer in this environment). But the banks are in bad shape -- commercial and investment alike -- and the millions that they don't spend to put their name on a tournament they could deploy somewhere else. This doesn't mean, however, that all sports advertising goes away. First, check your local sports page -- there are hardly any ads, because mostly men read those pages and men just don't shop the way women do. Second, sports advertising is the lifeblood for certain companies, such as beer companies. So, assuming that those companies are generally healthy, they'll continue to advertise. Those that sell luxury items, though, might be in a pickle.
3. Naming Rights. The names to certain locations will change, but you wonder about new venues and those places where the naming rights might be up for renewal. Again, depending upon the cost, a company might deploy the funds elsewhere.
4. Ticket Sales. Mixed. On the one hand, sports are a distraction, and people might view their expenditure on tickets as sacrosanct. On the other hand, they aren't a necessity, and individuals and businesses alike might cut back on purchases to save an extra dollar. Those cutbacks would hurt teams' revenues two ways. Directly, the team won't make as money. Indirectly, they won't sell as much as the concession stands. Right now, there's a gap in renewals for the major pro sports. People already would have re-upped for pro basketball and hockey tickets, football season is almost one-third of the way gone, and re-upping for baseball won't happen for a while. That said, I would suspect that both companies and individuals will drop all sorts of full and partial season-ticket plans within the next year. Those drops could hurt free agents and a team's ability to sign them (after all, teams have owners, and you just don't know how the financial mess will affect the pocketbooks of those who pump money into teams to enable them to pay big signing bonuses).
5. Merchandise. Yikes, perhaps. The business press already has reported that retailers are expecting a dismal holiday season. The last time I stopped at my local Dick's Sporting Goods, a "real" Philadelphia Eagles game jersey cost $110. I found that hard to believe, so I asked the cashier if people actually bought them. The reply: "we sell a lot of them." That answer reminded me of the back-and-forth between Eddie Murphy and Bronson Pinchot in Beverly Hills Cop about a piece of sculpture Pinchot was trying to sell at an art gallery. When Pinchot told Murphy what the object d'art cost, Murphy replied with a classic, "Get the *&^%#! out of here." Somehow, families will buy holiday presents, but they won't buy as many of them and they won't spend as much. My guess is that Dick's either drops its price on the $110 Brian Westbrook jersey or will have a lot of them left over after the season.
But how does the turmoil in these markets affect our games? For example, how will these crises affect ticket sales, especially corporate ticket sales? How will this crisis affect sponsorships, naming rights, stadium expansions, donations to major college athletic programs? My guess is that the financial crisis will affect all of these things.
1. Alumni Donations. Yikes. These will drop, as you have to believe that even mega-net worth people will be worried and just won't show sufficient largesse. But let's break that comment down into two parts, one of which is much more troublesome than the other. The easier of the two problems for a university is that it won't receive future gifts or future pledges. The harder problem is where a university has started a project based on the pledge of future gifts, and, all of a sudden, the donor is unable to fulfill the pledge. What does the school do, only half build a natatorium? Booster clubs will suffer, as might season-ticket sales, even at places where you wouldn't think that to be likely. This crisis has hit everyone, and some of the biggest boosters also might be some of the most highly invested and leveraged people on the planet. With the markets the way they are, those monies might not be forthcoming.
2. Sponsorships. Mixed. Most certainly, the sports that depend on the formerly gilt-edged sponsors will suffer. I'm thinking golf, mostly, and even tennis, to a degree (you have to believe that even the luxury goods market might suffer in this environment). But the banks are in bad shape -- commercial and investment alike -- and the millions that they don't spend to put their name on a tournament they could deploy somewhere else. This doesn't mean, however, that all sports advertising goes away. First, check your local sports page -- there are hardly any ads, because mostly men read those pages and men just don't shop the way women do. Second, sports advertising is the lifeblood for certain companies, such as beer companies. So, assuming that those companies are generally healthy, they'll continue to advertise. Those that sell luxury items, though, might be in a pickle.
3. Naming Rights. The names to certain locations will change, but you wonder about new venues and those places where the naming rights might be up for renewal. Again, depending upon the cost, a company might deploy the funds elsewhere.
4. Ticket Sales. Mixed. On the one hand, sports are a distraction, and people might view their expenditure on tickets as sacrosanct. On the other hand, they aren't a necessity, and individuals and businesses alike might cut back on purchases to save an extra dollar. Those cutbacks would hurt teams' revenues two ways. Directly, the team won't make as money. Indirectly, they won't sell as much as the concession stands. Right now, there's a gap in renewals for the major pro sports. People already would have re-upped for pro basketball and hockey tickets, football season is almost one-third of the way gone, and re-upping for baseball won't happen for a while. That said, I would suspect that both companies and individuals will drop all sorts of full and partial season-ticket plans within the next year. Those drops could hurt free agents and a team's ability to sign them (after all, teams have owners, and you just don't know how the financial mess will affect the pocketbooks of those who pump money into teams to enable them to pay big signing bonuses).
5. Merchandise. Yikes, perhaps. The business press already has reported that retailers are expecting a dismal holiday season. The last time I stopped at my local Dick's Sporting Goods, a "real" Philadelphia Eagles game jersey cost $110. I found that hard to believe, so I asked the cashier if people actually bought them. The reply: "we sell a lot of them." That answer reminded me of the back-and-forth between Eddie Murphy and Bronson Pinchot in Beverly Hills Cop about a piece of sculpture Pinchot was trying to sell at an art gallery. When Pinchot told Murphy what the object d'art cost, Murphy replied with a classic, "Get the *&^%#! out of here." Somehow, families will buy holiday presents, but they won't buy as many of them and they won't spend as much. My guess is that Dick's either drops its price on the $110 Brian Westbrook jersey or will have a lot of them left over after the season.
Naturally, I hope that none of this will be the case, that colleges will be able to enhance all sorts of programs for students to stay fit and for elite athletes to compete. I also hope that pro sports will remain very vigorous, fully able to compete for free agents and buoyed by solid season-ticket and advertising revenues and revenues from the sale of merchandise. But the ramifications of the financial crisis have yet to fully play out, so universities must be bracing about what their solicitations will yield, and pro teams will be praying that there isn't too big a dropoff in people coming back and buying logo merchandise.
Good luck to everyone -- hang in there!
Sunday, October 05, 2008
The Phillies Are Going to the NLCS!
Yipee! Yee-hah! Yahoo!
The Phillies beat Milwaukee, 6-2, this afternoon to take their NLDS series and head to the NLCS for the first time since 1993. My mother, who is in her 70's, called after the game to remind me that in her lifetime, the Phillies have been in only 3 World Series. Yes, she's a native Philadelphian, as am I, so there are no "Got Titles?" t-shirts in anyone's wardrobe.
Baseball's a funny game, isn't it? Last night, the Phillies stunk the joint out in Milwaukee. They didn't hit with runners in scoring position, Charlie Manuel whiffed by leaving Scott Eyre in to start the eighth and by not starting Greg Dobbs, and Jamie Moyer had trouble finding the strike zone. Still, they battled, and they were in the game until the end. Had pinch-hitter Matt Stairs homered with one man on late in the game, the Phillies would have tied it. Instead, they lost, the Brewers' bullpen pitched well again, and the home team survived to fight another day. Needless to say, perpetually disappointed Phillies' fans -- or at least some of them -- were left wondering whether their team would drop two straight in Milwaukee and come home to play a Series-clinching game with CC Sabathia on the mound for the Brewers.
Their worries were overblown. Jimmy Rollins sent a message with a home run on the first pitch of the game. By the third, the Phillies were up 5-0, thanks to a Pat Burrell home run. (Burrell hit a second dinger later in the game). Ironically, Burrell hit his two homers in a game where Jeff Suppan started for the Brewers; it was a great post-season for the Cards several years ago that yielded a 4-year, $42 million overpayment for the junk-throwing righty. Burrell, in all likelihood, added $10 million to the free-agent contract he'll get from someone (but not the Phillies) after the season. Burrell is 32, and I was thinking a few weeks ago that he'd get a three-year, $30 million deal from someone. With this performance, he may be looking at 4 years and $48 million, perhaps from San Francisco, which overpaid for then-Phillies CF Aaron Rowand last year (5 years, $60 million). Burrell is from Northern California, and the Giants can make it a habit of paying too much for former Phillies on the downside of their careers.
Joe Blanton pitched great for the Phillies, to the great delight of the fans, who were skeptical about how he would perform in the post-season (hint: he outpitched fan favorite Jamie Moyer). "Lights-out" Lidge was lights out again, and the Phillies now go on to face Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. It goes without saying that the Phillies will somehow be the underdog despite having the better record and that the Lords of Baseball and executives at Fox (and Lord help TBS, whose announcing crews displayed all of the passion of Mister Rogers reading an infomercial for adult incontinence aids), who would delight in a Boston-Los Angeles Series (dollar signs and ratings would be dancing in their eyes, but the Phillies also populate one of the nation's largest media markets).
Had I told you that the Phillies would have won in 4 without much production from Ryan Howard (fair at best) and Chase Utley (utterly disappointing, causing me to suspect that he has a sports hernia or damage hip and is in great pain), would you have believed me? I don't think so, but, then again, had I told you that they would have won in four despite their not hitting much and the starting pitchers for the most part pitching great baseball, well, you might have.
This was a great day for Phillies' fans, as they now can celebrate their team's first appearance in a league championship series since 1993, when the fans inexplicably chanted the idiotic song "Whoot There it Is" at anything momentous in the Vet and the team's leaders were referred to as "Macho Row", an actually, and retrospectively, almost unappealing group of players who could hit in the clutch and pitch well enough to win. Today's team, I submit, is better, and, also, thankfully, classier.
The Brewers were gritty all year and showed a lot of inner toughness in winning the Wild Card and surviving the front office's flaky move of canning the manager with twelve games to go. The Mets also were very worthy opponents for the Phillies, and both teams brought out the best in Charlie Manuel's crew. The next series should be a great one.
The Phillies beat Milwaukee, 6-2, this afternoon to take their NLDS series and head to the NLCS for the first time since 1993. My mother, who is in her 70's, called after the game to remind me that in her lifetime, the Phillies have been in only 3 World Series. Yes, she's a native Philadelphian, as am I, so there are no "Got Titles?" t-shirts in anyone's wardrobe.
Baseball's a funny game, isn't it? Last night, the Phillies stunk the joint out in Milwaukee. They didn't hit with runners in scoring position, Charlie Manuel whiffed by leaving Scott Eyre in to start the eighth and by not starting Greg Dobbs, and Jamie Moyer had trouble finding the strike zone. Still, they battled, and they were in the game until the end. Had pinch-hitter Matt Stairs homered with one man on late in the game, the Phillies would have tied it. Instead, they lost, the Brewers' bullpen pitched well again, and the home team survived to fight another day. Needless to say, perpetually disappointed Phillies' fans -- or at least some of them -- were left wondering whether their team would drop two straight in Milwaukee and come home to play a Series-clinching game with CC Sabathia on the mound for the Brewers.
Their worries were overblown. Jimmy Rollins sent a message with a home run on the first pitch of the game. By the third, the Phillies were up 5-0, thanks to a Pat Burrell home run. (Burrell hit a second dinger later in the game). Ironically, Burrell hit his two homers in a game where Jeff Suppan started for the Brewers; it was a great post-season for the Cards several years ago that yielded a 4-year, $42 million overpayment for the junk-throwing righty. Burrell, in all likelihood, added $10 million to the free-agent contract he'll get from someone (but not the Phillies) after the season. Burrell is 32, and I was thinking a few weeks ago that he'd get a three-year, $30 million deal from someone. With this performance, he may be looking at 4 years and $48 million, perhaps from San Francisco, which overpaid for then-Phillies CF Aaron Rowand last year (5 years, $60 million). Burrell is from Northern California, and the Giants can make it a habit of paying too much for former Phillies on the downside of their careers.
Joe Blanton pitched great for the Phillies, to the great delight of the fans, who were skeptical about how he would perform in the post-season (hint: he outpitched fan favorite Jamie Moyer). "Lights-out" Lidge was lights out again, and the Phillies now go on to face Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. It goes without saying that the Phillies will somehow be the underdog despite having the better record and that the Lords of Baseball and executives at Fox (and Lord help TBS, whose announcing crews displayed all of the passion of Mister Rogers reading an infomercial for adult incontinence aids), who would delight in a Boston-Los Angeles Series (dollar signs and ratings would be dancing in their eyes, but the Phillies also populate one of the nation's largest media markets).
Had I told you that the Phillies would have won in 4 without much production from Ryan Howard (fair at best) and Chase Utley (utterly disappointing, causing me to suspect that he has a sports hernia or damage hip and is in great pain), would you have believed me? I don't think so, but, then again, had I told you that they would have won in four despite their not hitting much and the starting pitchers for the most part pitching great baseball, well, you might have.
This was a great day for Phillies' fans, as they now can celebrate their team's first appearance in a league championship series since 1993, when the fans inexplicably chanted the idiotic song "Whoot There it Is" at anything momentous in the Vet and the team's leaders were referred to as "Macho Row", an actually, and retrospectively, almost unappealing group of players who could hit in the clutch and pitch well enough to win. Today's team, I submit, is better, and, also, thankfully, classier.
The Brewers were gritty all year and showed a lot of inner toughness in winning the Wild Card and surviving the front office's flaky move of canning the manager with twelve games to go. The Mets also were very worthy opponents for the Phillies, and both teams brought out the best in Charlie Manuel's crew. The next series should be a great one.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Phillies-Brewers: Line of the Night
My family and I were sitting in left-center field last night. In the fourth inning, Prince Fielder walked to the mound to talk with CC Sabathia.
My eight year-old son turned to me and said: "They're probably talking about where they're going to eat after the game."
I suppose a photo of the meeting would do the line more justice, but restaurants must shudder when guys that big show up on all-you-can-eat night.
My eight year-old son turned to me and said: "They're probably talking about where they're going to eat after the game."
I suppose a photo of the meeting would do the line more justice, but restaurants must shudder when guys that big show up on all-you-can-eat night.
At Citizens Bank Park on Thursday Night: Phils Win!
The entire family ventured to Citizens Bank Park last night to watch the Phillies-Brewers game. Parking was no worse than usual, the stadium no more crowded, as the Phillies sold out 50 of their 81 home games this year (and my guess is that they were pretty close to sold out for the other 31). The long lines at Tony Luke's for the roasted pork sandwiches with broccoli rabe and provolone remained, as did the lines at Chickie's and Pete's for their famous crab fries. At Tony Luke's, the line can be 75 deep and it can take you a half hour to get through; at Chickie's and Pete's, perhaps the same, but you can get through in about 15 minutes or less (it is, after all, easier to scoop fries and sprinkle them with Old Bay seasoning than it is to cook a roasted pork sandwich or a cheesesteak).
Anyway, I digress. (My son and I opted for barbecue sandwiches from Bull's Barbecue, named, quite lovingly, after one-time Phillies' leftfielder Greg Luzinski, a home-run hitter built like a linebacker at a young age, a run-stopping DT in his later years, and who field the position with all the grace of Charlie Manuel sprinting out to the field to check on an injured player).
As we walked in, Phillies' employees handed us the white and red Phillies' towels, which we gladly accepted. We then made our way to our seats in left centerfield, a far different vantage point from the one we had during the regular season (down the first-base line). People were excited and nervous, hopeful but skeptical, wanting the elation of victory but, as Philadelphia fans, bracing themselves for the crushing disappointment of defeat.
And there were signs:
1. Brett Myers was godawful in his last two starts.
2. Brad Lidge was starting to resemble Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams.
3. CC Sabathia, the best starter in the NL, was on the hill for the Brewers.
The game did not get off to a great start. Myers was wild, loaded the bases, walked in a run. The top of the first had "big inning" written all over it, but then the Phillies' starter induced Brewers' RF Corey Hart to hit into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. Suddenly, the fans emerged from their gloomy silence and erupted at the big play. Sitting in the stands, all of us were hoping that the game wouldn't end before the Phillies got to bat. Our prayers were answered.
The Phillies answered in the bottom of the second. Jayson Werth doubled, and then Pedro Feliz doubled him home. Carlos Ruiz grounded out, Feliz moving to third with two outs. And up came Myers, one of the worst-hitting pitchers in baseball. Sabathia was poised for the kill, quickly gettin the count to 0-2. But then the baseball gods visiting Citizens Bank Park. A combination of fouls and balls got the count to 3-2. By this time the crowd was roaring -- how could Sabathia not put away a guy who looked like Ralph Kramden drunk on Trixie's fruit punch at the plate? Sabathia threw his ninth pitch -- Ball 4. The stadium erupted, fans on their feet.
Brett Myers, you see, was, at the moment, the ultimate baseball player. He worked the count, he extended a must-be-tired pitcher's pitch count, and he worked a walk. Somewhere, Phillies' Hall of Fame centerfielder and former broadcaster Richie Ashburn was smiling.
You know the rest of the story. Unnerved, Sabathia walked Phillies' leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins. Then, he hung a 1-2 slider to CF Shane Victorino, who hit a grand slam. All of a sudden, the Phillies were up 5-1. After 3 2/3, Sabathia would be sent to the showers.
The rest of the game was relatively uneventful. The Brewers got a run back, the Phillies ended up leaving 10 men on base, left 3 men on third as an inning ended, and left the bases loaded twice. To those of us in the stands, the 5-1 lead wasn't enough, and we did worry that leaving the bases loaded twice could come back to haunt the team. But the Brewers seemed deflated, seemed to have too many guys who can hit for double-digit power but who don't walk enough or know the strike zone well enough. They just didn't get it done. 5-2, Phillies.
Brad Lidge revived himself after an iffy outing the night before to get the save, and as Shane Victorino caught the last fly ball to seal the victory, the fans erupted once again. The Phillies are up 2-0 on the Brewers, and in 54 division series, a team down 2-0 has only recovered 7 times to win the series. The odds (as well as the quality of the bullpen) favor the Phillies.
Here are a few observations:
1. Would you have predicted a Phillies victory if you were to be told that Ryan Howard and Chase Utley would combine to strike out 5 times, that the Phillies would strike out 10 times, and that they would leave 10 men on base?
2. Myers was awesome at the plate. In his two at-bats against Sabathia, he forced the portly portsider to throw 19 pitches, almost one-fifth of his total pitch count for the night. Myers' efforts at the plate were awesome, especially for him, and underscore the beauty of baseball -- the little things matter, and great contributions can come from the most unexpected sources. After the game, the media wanted to focus almost solely on his batting, especially his second-inning at-bat. Myers was funny, because at one point he offered, "hey, don't you guys know that I pitched tonight too?" The room laughed.
3. Victorino just beats you, an outfielder in the mold of a David Eckstein. Two doubles, a grand slam, and he's making a great case for a big award in arbitration if the Phillies don't sign him to a long-term deal in the off-season.
4. Charlie Manuel did a fine job, too, swapping Victorino and Jayson Werth in the batting order. Victorino shined hitting second.
5. J.C. Romero was great in the eighth. Ryan Madson got derailed, at least in part by Jimmy Rollins' error, and Romero came in with two out, two on and the tying run at the plate, a guy named Prince Fielder. On the first pitch, Romero broke Fielder's bat as Fielder hit a slow roller to Chase Utley. Inning over. Outstanding job.
6. Brad Lidge looked like the Fireman of the Year last night. A four-batter save, good location, and a great effort.
7. The fans were at the top of their game, from cheering loudly and waving their towels collectively to the guy on the first-base line who caught a foul ball with his hat. We saw it from afar, and it was a nifty grab.
All in all, a great night for the fans and home team at Citizens Bank Park. The collective nerves of the fans will remain, but the faithful left knowing that they have a dangerous team, a team that is clutch, and a team that can pitch. Their hoping now to win this series, get some rest, and then have a hard go as an underdog in the NLCS, where there will be hope for them, as some of the favorites at the beginning of the playoffs -- year in and year out -- emerge as also rans (and the Cubs and even the Angels are in that category right now).
Anyway, I digress. (My son and I opted for barbecue sandwiches from Bull's Barbecue, named, quite lovingly, after one-time Phillies' leftfielder Greg Luzinski, a home-run hitter built like a linebacker at a young age, a run-stopping DT in his later years, and who field the position with all the grace of Charlie Manuel sprinting out to the field to check on an injured player).
As we walked in, Phillies' employees handed us the white and red Phillies' towels, which we gladly accepted. We then made our way to our seats in left centerfield, a far different vantage point from the one we had during the regular season (down the first-base line). People were excited and nervous, hopeful but skeptical, wanting the elation of victory but, as Philadelphia fans, bracing themselves for the crushing disappointment of defeat.
And there were signs:
1. Brett Myers was godawful in his last two starts.
2. Brad Lidge was starting to resemble Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams.
3. CC Sabathia, the best starter in the NL, was on the hill for the Brewers.
The game did not get off to a great start. Myers was wild, loaded the bases, walked in a run. The top of the first had "big inning" written all over it, but then the Phillies' starter induced Brewers' RF Corey Hart to hit into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. Suddenly, the fans emerged from their gloomy silence and erupted at the big play. Sitting in the stands, all of us were hoping that the game wouldn't end before the Phillies got to bat. Our prayers were answered.
The Phillies answered in the bottom of the second. Jayson Werth doubled, and then Pedro Feliz doubled him home. Carlos Ruiz grounded out, Feliz moving to third with two outs. And up came Myers, one of the worst-hitting pitchers in baseball. Sabathia was poised for the kill, quickly gettin the count to 0-2. But then the baseball gods visiting Citizens Bank Park. A combination of fouls and balls got the count to 3-2. By this time the crowd was roaring -- how could Sabathia not put away a guy who looked like Ralph Kramden drunk on Trixie's fruit punch at the plate? Sabathia threw his ninth pitch -- Ball 4. The stadium erupted, fans on their feet.
Brett Myers, you see, was, at the moment, the ultimate baseball player. He worked the count, he extended a must-be-tired pitcher's pitch count, and he worked a walk. Somewhere, Phillies' Hall of Fame centerfielder and former broadcaster Richie Ashburn was smiling.
You know the rest of the story. Unnerved, Sabathia walked Phillies' leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins. Then, he hung a 1-2 slider to CF Shane Victorino, who hit a grand slam. All of a sudden, the Phillies were up 5-1. After 3 2/3, Sabathia would be sent to the showers.
The rest of the game was relatively uneventful. The Brewers got a run back, the Phillies ended up leaving 10 men on base, left 3 men on third as an inning ended, and left the bases loaded twice. To those of us in the stands, the 5-1 lead wasn't enough, and we did worry that leaving the bases loaded twice could come back to haunt the team. But the Brewers seemed deflated, seemed to have too many guys who can hit for double-digit power but who don't walk enough or know the strike zone well enough. They just didn't get it done. 5-2, Phillies.
Brad Lidge revived himself after an iffy outing the night before to get the save, and as Shane Victorino caught the last fly ball to seal the victory, the fans erupted once again. The Phillies are up 2-0 on the Brewers, and in 54 division series, a team down 2-0 has only recovered 7 times to win the series. The odds (as well as the quality of the bullpen) favor the Phillies.
Here are a few observations:
1. Would you have predicted a Phillies victory if you were to be told that Ryan Howard and Chase Utley would combine to strike out 5 times, that the Phillies would strike out 10 times, and that they would leave 10 men on base?
2. Myers was awesome at the plate. In his two at-bats against Sabathia, he forced the portly portsider to throw 19 pitches, almost one-fifth of his total pitch count for the night. Myers' efforts at the plate were awesome, especially for him, and underscore the beauty of baseball -- the little things matter, and great contributions can come from the most unexpected sources. After the game, the media wanted to focus almost solely on his batting, especially his second-inning at-bat. Myers was funny, because at one point he offered, "hey, don't you guys know that I pitched tonight too?" The room laughed.
3. Victorino just beats you, an outfielder in the mold of a David Eckstein. Two doubles, a grand slam, and he's making a great case for a big award in arbitration if the Phillies don't sign him to a long-term deal in the off-season.
4. Charlie Manuel did a fine job, too, swapping Victorino and Jayson Werth in the batting order. Victorino shined hitting second.
5. J.C. Romero was great in the eighth. Ryan Madson got derailed, at least in part by Jimmy Rollins' error, and Romero came in with two out, two on and the tying run at the plate, a guy named Prince Fielder. On the first pitch, Romero broke Fielder's bat as Fielder hit a slow roller to Chase Utley. Inning over. Outstanding job.
6. Brad Lidge looked like the Fireman of the Year last night. A four-batter save, good location, and a great effort.
7. The fans were at the top of their game, from cheering loudly and waving their towels collectively to the guy on the first-base line who caught a foul ball with his hat. We saw it from afar, and it was a nifty grab.
All in all, a great night for the fans and home team at Citizens Bank Park. The collective nerves of the fans will remain, but the faithful left knowing that they have a dangerous team, a team that is clutch, and a team that can pitch. Their hoping now to win this series, get some rest, and then have a hard go as an underdog in the NLCS, where there will be hope for them, as some of the favorites at the beginning of the playoffs -- year in and year out -- emerge as also rans (and the Cubs and even the Angels are in that category right now).
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Does Brad Lidge Have a Tired Arm?
Brad Lidge has had a tremendous year for the Phillies. He's been the best closer in the National League, and for most of the season removed all doubts Phillies' fans had about whether he in fact was a bona fide closer or damaged goods.
But recently he's been less than stellar. We all worried about the fiasco that was the All-Star game, with Bud Selig's edict that the teams would finish "no matter what", and with gross mismanagement by National Manager Clint Hurdle, who warmed Lidge up so much that the Phillies' reliever threw at least 100 pitches in the bullpen (he was up 6 times).
Is that worry coming to roost now? Is Lidge spent?
He doesn't look like a lights-out closer right now. He looks more like Mitch Williams, the "Wild Thing", who was the Phillies' closer in the 1993 season (and who gave up only one of two Series-ending walk-off home runs in World Series history) or like Don Stanhouse, the one-time Orioles' closer who made saves an adventure over 25 years ago.
And that concerns the Phillies' faithful, which it should.
Brad Lidge has had a great year, but he threw so many pitches yesterday that it makes fans wonder whether he'll be available to pitch in relief today. The Phillies' bullpen was one of the best in baseball all year. It needs to continue to honor its great season by pitching outstanding baseball in the post-season. The Phillies won't go far if Lidge isn't "Lights Out" Lidge.
And if Brad Lidge is not "Lights Out" Lidge in the post-season, the Phillies' fans will have cause to sing that old Don Meredith favorite, "Turn out the lights, the party's over" earlier than they would hope to.
I still say Phillies in 4.
But recently he's been less than stellar. We all worried about the fiasco that was the All-Star game, with Bud Selig's edict that the teams would finish "no matter what", and with gross mismanagement by National Manager Clint Hurdle, who warmed Lidge up so much that the Phillies' reliever threw at least 100 pitches in the bullpen (he was up 6 times).
Is that worry coming to roost now? Is Lidge spent?
He doesn't look like a lights-out closer right now. He looks more like Mitch Williams, the "Wild Thing", who was the Phillies' closer in the 1993 season (and who gave up only one of two Series-ending walk-off home runs in World Series history) or like Don Stanhouse, the one-time Orioles' closer who made saves an adventure over 25 years ago.
And that concerns the Phillies' faithful, which it should.
Brad Lidge has had a great year, but he threw so many pitches yesterday that it makes fans wonder whether he'll be available to pitch in relief today. The Phillies' bullpen was one of the best in baseball all year. It needs to continue to honor its great season by pitching outstanding baseball in the post-season. The Phillies won't go far if Lidge isn't "Lights Out" Lidge.
And if Brad Lidge is not "Lights Out" Lidge in the post-season, the Phillies' fans will have cause to sing that old Don Meredith favorite, "Turn out the lights, the party's over" earlier than they would hope to.
I still say Phillies in 4.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Has Al Davis Lost It?
Oakland Raiders' owner Al Davis fired head coach Lane Kiffin yesterday. The Raiders now will have their fifth head coach in seven years. Most coaches take at least three years to demonstrate whether they'll succeed. Good luck to anyone who signs on with Davis; he'll get about 17 months.
Make critical comments every now and then, and, well, at worst you're a harping nag but more likely you're providing constructive feedback. I'd give mostly every head of an organization the benefit of the doubt on that score. That said, Davis has been known to be a meddling owner, and over the past several years his actions have been over the top. Did I say that he's now on his fifth head coach in the past seven years? Does he know something that others don't, or is he just an accident waiting to happen these days?
The Raiders' record since 2003 and before this season began is 17-63.
Davis unloaded on Kiffin, making it seem like the young coach infected the vaunted Raiders' organization and was an unmitigated disaster. I would call out Davis and suggested that by now hiring his seventh coach in five years, he should take a long, hard and honest look in the mirror.
Because what's there isn't pretty.
Make critical comments too frequently -- such as shortly after you've hired a key operating officer -- and, well, you could be a harping nag, or, worse, you've lost it. Al Davis once presided -- no, check that, coached, managed and then actively oversaw -- one of the most respected franchises in the National Football League. Today, though, it's an open question whether the Raiders are just one big joke and what the NFL could do about it. It's an even bigger question as to what coach in his right mind would take a job with Oakland. Yes, there are those who would give anything to become head coach of an NFL team, but those might be the guys you'd want to stay away from. Capricious doesn't begin to describe Al Davis.
The whole situation is unfortunate. A promising young coach is out, and a once proud, very successful owner is at the end of his career and his team is failing. Unfortunately, it's all very public and very nasty, and the matter will end up before Commissioner Goodell and perhaps in the courts, where Al Davis has proved as formidable as his teams in the 1960's were on the field.
What a mess.
Make critical comments every now and then, and, well, at worst you're a harping nag but more likely you're providing constructive feedback. I'd give mostly every head of an organization the benefit of the doubt on that score. That said, Davis has been known to be a meddling owner, and over the past several years his actions have been over the top. Did I say that he's now on his fifth head coach in the past seven years? Does he know something that others don't, or is he just an accident waiting to happen these days?
The Raiders' record since 2003 and before this season began is 17-63.
Davis unloaded on Kiffin, making it seem like the young coach infected the vaunted Raiders' organization and was an unmitigated disaster. I would call out Davis and suggested that by now hiring his seventh coach in five years, he should take a long, hard and honest look in the mirror.
Because what's there isn't pretty.
Make critical comments too frequently -- such as shortly after you've hired a key operating officer -- and, well, you could be a harping nag, or, worse, you've lost it. Al Davis once presided -- no, check that, coached, managed and then actively oversaw -- one of the most respected franchises in the National Football League. Today, though, it's an open question whether the Raiders are just one big joke and what the NFL could do about it. It's an even bigger question as to what coach in his right mind would take a job with Oakland. Yes, there are those who would give anything to become head coach of an NFL team, but those might be the guys you'd want to stay away from. Capricious doesn't begin to describe Al Davis.
The whole situation is unfortunate. A promising young coach is out, and a once proud, very successful owner is at the end of his career and his team is failing. Unfortunately, it's all very public and very nasty, and the matter will end up before Commissioner Goodell and perhaps in the courts, where Al Davis has proved as formidable as his teams in the 1960's were on the field.
What a mess.
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