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I don't know, maybe you should come add us... then, when we confirm (we'll probably hire an intern to handle that bullshit, so not actually "we" but somebody will confirm, we promise)... post on our wall... maybe something like: "thx 4 tha add homey! i luv luv LOVE ur blog so much... i sometymz stay home on tha weekends and just refresh dat shit all nite u kno bc omg u just rock, especially dat Billynho... and The Siets, he's not bad either, but i heard he like likes Johnny Cash and Nicholas Cage movies, so he's so so not my type 'n shit, ya know? but rite hurr r muh digits, call the cell baby, okay? okay!? okay. buh-bye. u better call! mwah"
Yeah, that'd be good. That's how MySpace works right? We're gonna get, like, soooo much new traffic OMG, LOL!
Congratulations to the Utah Utes. Utah handily defeated the Crimson Tide to win the 2009 Sugar Bowl. You finished the football season undefeated (13-0) and if a national title must be handed out to Div-I football then I believe you should receive that honor.
The Alabama Crimson Tide were a quality opponent, finishing the year with only 2 losses (the other coming to Florida in the SEC championship game). Yet this just goes to prove my point that teams from non-BCS conferences can compete with and beat the teams from BCS conferences. This was the 4th time that a team from outside the BCS conferences were allowed to play in a BCS bowl and marks the 3rd victory (.750 winning percentage). Everyone likes to point to Hawaii's embarrassing performance in last year's Sugar Bowl, but why not look at Utah and Boise State's victories?
I realize that many will disagree with my opinion that Utah is the rightful national champion but until college football figures out this BCS nonsense, they shouldn't be removed from consideration. Taking advice from a commenter on my previous BCS article, why do we need to crown a National Champ? My only problem is that either Florida or Oklahoma will be given this honor. The thing that seperates these squads from the Utes? One loss.
Before Billynho and The Siets cruise out for a totally heterosexual night to cruise in the New Year, we thought it'd be apropos to wish you a Happy New Year's and thank you for cruising our site in 2008. Try to find it in your heart to keep cruising back in 2009? We're way down to see you tomorrow and beyond.
GET DRUNK IF YA MUST... but don't if you can help it (yes we mean YOU).
As I watched my Spurs play on Christmas Day, I was distraught as they were down by as many as 13 in the first quarter. Slowly the boys in black were able to battle their way back and found themselves with a lead early in the second half. However, with only 4.3 seconds left in the game, San Antonio was down by 2.
The Spurs had the luxury of being able to run a set play from half court. Sitting in my grandparents' basement, my family and I made various predictions as to who would take the last shot. Many in the room felt that future HOFer Tim Duncan would get the nod. Others felt that sporadic Manu Ginóbili would slash to the hoop. The most vocal opinion came from yours truly. Being the only actual Spurs fan in the room, I shouted "Anybody but Mason!"
Then as the play unfolded, I watched in amazement as Parker passed to a wide open Mason in the corner. The shot was up and in, and I shouted with excitement as the Spurs walked away with a 91-90 victory. Despite the victory for my favorite NBA franchise, I was left with a sour taste in my mouth.
Last season the defending champion San Antonio Spurs made it back to the Western Conference Finals, yet they were clearly overmatched in terms of youth and speed against the Lakers. Spurs fans eagerly looked forward to the offseason and hoped that the team would work towards getting younger and possibly signing another star to complement "The Big 3". Instead, R. C. Buford chose to retain older-than-dirt Michael Finley, keep hope in "World's Largest Ginger" Matt Bonner, and sign/draft Roger Mason and George Hill.
Although Brent Barry and Robert Horry departed (making the team a little younger), I had my reservations about Mason. George Hill looked to be a solid draft pick. He was a standout player at IUPUI and averaged over 21 ppg in his last year with the Jaguars. As a rookie, he is putting up solid numbers even on a team that usually values experience and rarely plays true rookies. Mason, on the other hand, has bothered me since he was signed. Many heralded him as the answer to the Spurs' quickness and shooting issues, but I was highly unimpressed with his stint in Washington. While with the Wiz he did put up 9.1 ppg in '07-'08, but this was the only season he played more than 62 games. Despite his limited résumé, analysts were quick to anoint him as the second coming of Sean Elliott.
Well, let me be the first to admit that Mason has in fact delivered as advertised. He is averaging 12.8 ppg (only 2 behind Manu) and has slid in well as the fourth leading contributor on the team. He also adds 3.4 rebounds and 2 assists a game. Coupled with Hill's 8.8 ppg and 2.7 apg, this duo could prove to be a solid addition to San Antonio's backcourt. They, along with like-clockwork stellar play from Duncan and Parker, have the Spurs in second place in the West. If these two, especially Mason, can continue to improve then the Spurs might be poised for another title run.
With a phenomenal season record like that, you would think that your team would have a shot at playing for the national title. You knocked off several ranked opponents and won not only your conference, but beat your rivals and teams from the power conferences.
Yet the Utah Utes and the Boise State Broncos will not be playing for the crystal football in South Florida on January 8.
Instead, that night college football fans will watch as the Oklahoma Sooners play the Florida Gators in a less than neutral Dolphin Stadium. Their records (12-1 and 12-1) are blemished. I'll be the first to admit that the Big 12 (especially its South Division) and the SEC were the best conferences in college football this year. However, what makes these two one loss teams any better than USC, Penn State, Texas, or Texas Tech (all with 11-1 records)? If these teams had played in conference championships then they too would likely have 12-1 records.
In addition to these snubbed BCS squads, my original point still rings true. Boise State and Utah are UNDEFEATED. I have no reason to root for these squads. I'm a Purdue Boilermaker fan from the Midwest and have never been to Utah or Idaho. Yet I can't help but want to pull my hair out when I see that these two undefeated squads are locked out of the championship. In fact, Boise State will even be locked out of the BCS altogether.
What else can these schools do? They have won every game that they have played this year (something that no other schools can claim). Yet they happen to play in conferences that the NCAA has deemed inferior. To be fair, there are a lot of bad teams in the WAC and MWC. Idaho, New Mexico State, San Diego State, and Wyoming were atrocious. But, schools like TCU, BYU, and Nevada help bring in balance. The SEC and Big 12 are not without their doormats either. Baylor, Iowa State, Mississippi State, Auburn, and even Tennessee were awful as well.
Even if you feel, for some odd reason, that the Utes and Broncos shouldn't be playing for the national title, I think you have to admit that they deserve to be a part of the most prestigious bowls, the BCS. And yet, the Broncos look to be excluded from this group in favor of the ACC and Big East champions. Virginia Tech has an extremely impressive 9-4 record against the stellar ACC this year and the Cincinnatti Bearcats, although 11-2, played in a Big East that was arguably no better than the MWC or WAC this year.
Ultimately it boils down to the same point that I have been making over the last few years. In college football, if the only metric we have for truly comparing teams is wins and losses, then how can teams with better records than those in the championship be denied their shot at glory? To say they can't compete is ludicrous, all you have to do is look at Utah in 2004 and Boise State in 2006. Sadly those two teams won't get a chance to play each other to decide who is the best team in football this year.
Now that college basketball has officially begun, The Siets and the rest of the staff here at the Cartel couldn't be more excited. For one thing, our Boilers are looking sharp in the preseason NIT and are headed to NYC. Secondly, is there a more exhilarating sport to watch than college hoops? About the only way college hoops could get better is if some drastic change were made.
Nonetheless, this week has already caused some interesting basketball news to hit the internet and we're here to show you the best...
If there is one thing that the Cartel can't stand in sports, it's cheating. After all, we hated Kelvin Sampson long before he started coaching in Bloomington. Dana O'Neil, writing for a site you might have heard of, brings to light how shady and conniving some college coaches have become. My dad always says, "whenever a program starts to win, you don't have to wait long before the evidence starts to prove they were cheating." Looking at some of the teams that Ms. O'Neil cites, it seems like my dad might be right again. [ESPN]
New Jersey Institute of Technology is not a very good basketball program. In fact, they are one of the worst programs ever (at least as of late). Some records should never be broken. [ABC-11 Raleigh/Durham]
Matt Painter proves his genius once again! Only a mastemind of his caliber would have had the foresight to see that stud recruit Tyler Zeller would break his wrist and miss the entire season. I'm glad we got Lew Jack instead. [FOX Sports]
A very bizarre situation occurred the other night during the NIT Season Tip-off. Loyola's coach found a very creative way to avoid ejection, seemingly having to deal with a biased and unprofessional ref (based on Patsos' story). [SportingNews]
It's here. Actually it's been here for awhile now, I just write articles too sporadically. The it that I am referring to? The Fall Classic of course. So in today's installment of the best of the web, we look exclusively to that greatest of pastimes and take one final look at what's being said about baseball on the internet this season.
A Braves' fan rooting for the Phils? Next you'll tell me that Guy Ritchie has season tickets next year for Yankee Stadium along the third base line. Actually this is one extremely well written piece if you are a National League enthusiast, hate indoor ballparks, or just like your franchises to be old enough to vote. [The Launching Pad]
Counter the above article with a Rays' fan who has conceded defeat, but doesn't regret a thing. [DraysBAY]
Could ESPN be breaking up John and Joe on Sunday Night? Whether you love them or hate them (or hate how one always compares every great team to the Big Red Machine), there is no denying that it would be weird to see a change after almost 20 years. [NY Daily News]
It always amazes me how when there is a big name on the market, everybody (and this article proves that I mean everybody) feels they have a shot. Guess what? Johnny Damon wasn't leaving the Red Sox to go to Minnesota, Santana wasn't going to play for the Nationals, and Peavy will not have a KC on his hat come April either. [Royals Mailbag]
The New York Yankees failed to make the postseason for the first time since 1993, which also means that this is the first year in which Derek Jeter will not be playing in October.
Kornheiser's Cartel recently spent a day with the Yankees' shortstop, and we were able to record his routine.
8:00 AM - Wake up after a good night's sleep. Roll over. Shit... Mariah. I've had all of the pressure of not making the playoffs and the closing of the Stadium placed on my exquisitely cut shoulders being the captain and all. I don't know how Varitek was able to handle sitting at home 4 different seasons, but he does have a beard and a "C" on his jersey to get him through the tough times.
8:05 AM - Flip on my XM radio, chug a Gatorade, and head to the bathroom. After a quick shave using my Gillette Fusion, I hop in the ol' shower. When I'm done I throw on my Nike gear and slip on my Jumpman shoes. 8:30 AM - Breakfast Time! Even though I keep trying to tell myself that everything's alright, I can't help but feel a little blue. So, to cheer myself up I think I'll eat Wheaties from my private stash of Yankees World Series Champions boxes. '98 looks good, after all we were the greatest team to ever play baseball (suck on that Varitek). ARod wasn't on the Yanks in '98 as I recall.
9:15 AM - Flip on the tube and watch some SportsCenter. A video montage of great playoff performances? Wow, I was in over half those shots...totally need to fire my agent because I haven't seen a dime from ESPN.
9:30 AM - Phone Call. Bud Selig. Yawn. He wants to make sure that even though I'm not playing right now, I'll still make an appearance in Tampa or something. I tell him sure thing, after all I am the face of the entire league. Plus I know a few Buccaneers cheerleaders.
9:45 AM - Plop down on the couch and bust out my cell phone. I usually play about 2 hours of Derek Jeter Pro Baseball 2008 every morning. Since they named it after me, I get special cheat codes that allow me to unlock historical players. I put my boy Brosius in at 3rd and Bernie back in center. Believe me, they're improvements on the current players.
12:00 PM - Lunch downtown at Masa with The Boss. Seriously, that's what he makes even me call him. Not Mr. Steinbrenner. Not Your Excellency. Not even Papa Georgie (that's what Cashman always calls him).
He starts off by saying that he doesn't blame me at all for our failure to make the playoffs. In fact I'm pretty much the only guy he doesn't blame. He tells me he's fired half of our scouts, sold the Trenton Thunder to some Japanese investment firm, and that the guy who sells hot dogs in Section 126 better watch his back. For some reason he is super pissed at Alex too. I tell him nobody was to blame. Except Alex.
After going over what I want my plaque in Monument Park to read, The Boss says he has to use the restroom.
35 minutes later - Obviously The Boss isn't coming back. He always sticks me with the check. Yogi warned me, but nobody ever listens to that old crackpot. He's such a sellout too. The way he turned his old phrases into an Aflac commercial, not cool. I pay with my Visa card and hop in my Ford.
5:00 PM - I'm a guest on a radio talk show. This show doesn't even begin to compare to the stellar analysis and up-to-the-minute score alerts that can be found on XM radio. But my PR guy says it's good for me to mingle with the people. They ask me my thoughts on offseason moves and I mention that we should look at signing Teixeira and converting him to 3B. The hosts seem perplexed, but I tell them that Posada will likely be moved to 1st, so we don't need anybody at 1B. They still argue that we're set at 3rd as well, but I've tuned them out by now. I plug a charity or two and then I'm gone.
7:30 PM - Dinner with Pettitte, Mariano, and Posada. We reminisce about the good old days and none of us can figure out how Jorge's former backup has become our skipper. We all text Torre saying we miss him and he responds with a huggie bear emoticon. He's so adorable.
9:45 PM - Pettitte knows of a sick party going on, so we all head out, like in Swingers. I'm obviously the Vince Vaughn of the group, since these other guys are super lame and have wives they have to get back to.
11:30 PM - As I'm leaving the party the valet starts riding my ass for not leading the Bombers to another World Series. I run my hand (with those 4 large rings) through my hair, tell him it'll be alright, and help Miss New Jersey into my car. I don't think I'll have as restful a night tonight.
The internet is abuzz with all things sport lately, which makes writing articles like this fairly easy. In fact, I was able to churn this out in about the time it took Kimbo to get knocked out (too soon?).
Read on to see the best the internet has to offer (at least for the time being). Baseball:
The ALCS and NLCS are set! Games will begin on Thursday in Philly. The superbly written and designed Phillies Nation points out that usual stud Chase Utley has been less than stellar so far in the playoffs. For the Phils' sake, I hope he can rebound. [Phillies Nation]
One of the Cartel's favorites, Core-Pat, will be looking for work. [Red Hot Mama]
Apparently it's not just Prince Fielder and CC. Baseball Reference tells us that the big leagues are getting even bigger as of late. [Baseball Reference]
Football:
My buddy pointed out to me that the 'Cats of N'western are undefeated, but only after a cupcake first 5 games. With that said, they may stun the superior Spartans and there is no doubt that they'll knock off my Boilers in Evanston. As for their schedule to date, check it out. [ESPN]
BYU is rolling. But, will the Cougs stumble even before they play their toughest on-paper opponent (not to mention hated rival) in Salt Lake City? [Salt Lake Tribune]
Marvin Lewis may be a bad coach, but this little gem makes us chuckle. [Stripe Hype]
Billynho and I watched the 'Aints lose to the Vikes last night and we couldn't help but slightly disagree with some of the officiating decisions. Looks like the NFL is sending their cleanup crews around to tidy up this mess, including the Saints' homepage. [ProFootballTalk]
On September 21, 2008 Yankees fans witnessed the final Major League Baseball game that will ever be played in the Cathedral known as Yankee Stadium. Despite hosting numerous other tenants over the course of its 85 year history (New York Giants, New York Cosmos, Army/Fordham/NYU College Football), the Stadium was built for and is most famous for its namesake franchise: the New York Yankees.
Much will be written about this period in time due to the changing of venues, but let us not forget that this year also marks the 85th anniversary of the Yankees' first World Series victory which would be the first of a record 26 titles over the 85 year span. So in honor not only of 85 years in the House That Ruth Built, but 85 years of World Championships, I present my personal picks for an 85th Anniversary Team.
First Team
C
Yogi Berra
Aside from his 3 MVPs, 10 WS titles, and 15 All-Star game selections, Yogi earns this spot for being the face of the franchise for almost 60 years. Even with his own personal issues with The Boss, no other player has had such an association with one team for so long. Ruth will always be king, Gehrig and Munson will always be the fallen heroes, but Yogi embodies the soul of the greatest team in North American sports history.
1B
Lou Gehrig
He will forever be known for his streak, his speech, and sadly his death, but what I think eludes many members of my generation is how great of a player he truly was. 493 HR, .340 BA, 2x MVP (finished 2nd twice) all while sharing the Babe's spotlight for most of his career. Following his death, the distinction of Captain would not be issued for 35 years to honor his memory.
2B
Willie Randolph
Upon researching this article, I couldn't help but notice that this was a somewhat weak position for the Bombers over the years. However for 13 years the Yankees did have a great one in Willie Randolph. A five-time All-Star while wearing pinstripes, Randolph started 1688 games at second base for the Yankees. He later joined the team's coaching staff and during his 11 years as a base and bench coach helped oversee the most recent Yankee dynasty.
3B
Alex Rodriguez
Perhaps one of the more controversial picks on this list, it should be noted that at the end of next season A-Rod could be third amongst Yankees for games started at 3rd base. Despite putting up a majority of his gaudy personal statistics in Seattle and Texas, Rodriguez has the potential to shatter every major hitting record in baseball. Thanks to his massive contract, it looks like he will finish his historic career in pinstripes. He has already won two MVPs while in New York (the first since Mattingly in '85) and could easily win a couple more. Currently he has hit 553 HR, and he's only 32 years old.
SS
Derek Jeter
One of only 4 players to play on all of the most recent dynasty's championship teams and still wear pinstripes. On a team that is often criticized for its lack of a farm system, Jeter is one of the glaring exceptions. Drafted by the Yankees in 1992, he played 15 games in '95 but '96 was his true rookie season. He won the ROY, and in 2006 was narrowly beat out for the MVP. A 4-time world champion and 8-time All-Star, he has risen to not only be the Yankee's captain and leader but has positioned himself as one of the faces of MLB.
OF
Joe DiMaggio
When Paul Simon and Ernest Hemmingway allude to you in their art, chances are you have transcended your sport and you are a national treasure. When he wasn't busy marrying possibly the most famous actress of all time, and despite missing 3 years because of WWII, Joltin' Joe compiled a 56-game hit streak, won 3 MVPs, and 9 world titles. The epitome of grace on the field, it was once said that the only way to get a hit against the Yankees was to "hit 'em where Joe wasn't".
OF
Mickey Mantle
For anyone who had any doubts about his inclusion on this list, I believe that Mickey's wikipedia page says it best:"He played his entire 18-year major-league professional career for the New York Yankees, winning 3 American League MVP titles and playing for 16 All-Star teams. Mantle played on 12 pennant winners and 7 World Championship clubs. He still holds the records for most World Series home runs (18), RBIs (40), runs (42), walks (43), extra-base hits (26), and total bases (123)."
OF
Bernie Williams
His statistical accomplishments speak for themselves, but Bernie's reception at the final game speaks volumes for what he meant to the team during the 90s and into the new millennium. Another home-grown player, Bernie played in 2076 regular season games and 121 playoff games, all of them for the Yankees. He currently hold the record for most postseason games (121), doubles (29), RBI (80) and extra base hits (51). He also is in the top 6 in Yankee all-time categories, such as hits, HR, and RBI. 4 world titles and 5 All-Star selections round out his phenomenal list of accomplishments.
DH
Babe Ruth
I realize that the Babe played pitcher and outfield (with a little 1B), but I have extrapolated this anniversary team to play in the modern era. With that concession, I think everyone knows what position the Bambino would be filling in a modern roster: DH. Since that's clarified, I think the fact that Ruth is the greatest player of all-time is reason enough for inclusion on this list.
SP
Whitey Ford
The best Yankee pitcher of all-time. He recorded 236 wins for New York, a team record that still stands. The Chairman of the Board won six World Series (he was the MVP of the 1961 WS), was selected to 8 All-Star teams, and won the Cy Young Award in 1961 (25-4 record).
SP
Ron Guidry
Louisiana Lightning not only pitched for the World Championship teams in '77 and '78, but won the Cy Young Award in 1978 (he finished second in the MVP ballot). He won 170 games with a 3.29 ERA, playing his entire career in the Bronx.
SP
Lefty Gomez
Lefty was a 7-time All-Star, won the World Series 5 times, and played for the Yankees for 13 seasons. He pitched in seven World Series games, with a 2.86 ERA, 31K, and 6 Wins. He won the pitching Triple Crown in '34 and '37. The Yankee sluggers may have gotten most of the attention during the 30s and 40s, but together with Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez supplied the high-caliber pitching needed to win championships.
SP
Red Ruffing
Charles Ruffing played 14.5 seasons with the Yankees, and recorded 216 wins while wearing pinstripes. He was a six-time All-Star, six-time World Champion, and led the league in strikeouts in 1932. He won 20+ games 4 times during his career and recorded a 2.63 ERA in World Series play.
RP
Mariano Rivera
481 career saves. 2.29 ERA over 1022+ IP. All while with the Yankees. No one has done so much with only one pitch in the history of the game. His cutter has a legend of its own, rivaling the likes of Nolan Ryan's fastball and Randy Johnson's slider. Arguably the greatest relief pitcher ever.
Second Team
C
Elston Howard
This spot on the roster was without a doubt my hardest decision. Bill Dickey and Thurman Munson deserve to be considered, though I chose to go with the player that combined Munson's explosive statistics with Dickey's longevity. Howard was the 1963 MVP, won 2 Gold Gloves, was named to 9 All-Star teams, and won 4 titles. He broke the Yankee's color barrier and would go on to notch a career fielding percentage .993. Howard still ranks amongst the top 25 all-time for catchers in OPS.
1B
Don Mattingly
1985 MVP. 1984 batting title. 9 Gold Gloves. 14 seasons with the Bombers. Sadly he never played in a World Series, but was the leader of the squad for a decade and a half.
2B
Tony Lazzeri
An All-Star and a 5X World Champion, Lazzeri had seven seasons with 100+ RBI and batted .300+ five different seasons. He started 1441 games for the Bombers at 2B, second to only Willie Randolph.
3B
Graig Nettles
Nettles started 1509 games at 3B for the Yankees, the most in franchise history. He made 5 All-Star teams while with the Yankees and was the 1981 ALCS MVP. He won 2 Gold Gloves and 2 World Series (both in '77 and '78).
SS
Phil Rizzuto
1950 AL MVP, 5x All-Star, he started 1647 games for the Yankees at SS (second only to Jeter). After his stellar playing career, he would continue to be a part of the Yankee family by being a broadcaster for 40 years.
OF
Paul O'Neill
4x All-Star with the Yankees, won 4 rings with the Bombers, and won the 1994 AL batting title. More than his stats, Paulie was one of the leaders and veterans that helped turn the Yankees from mediocre to legendary in the 90s.
OF
Dave Winfield
One of the greatest athletes to ever live, Winfield chose baseball over basketball and football for his career. He played 8.5 years for the Bombers (mostly in RF), making 8 All-Star teams. He batted .340 in 1984 and tallied 226 HR during his time in New York.
OF
Roger Maris
2x MVP, 3x All-Star with the Yankees, and 61 HR in '61. Forever overshadowed by Mantle, but a solid player in his own right.
DH
Reggie Jackson
He was notoriously bad in right, which is why Mr. October would be a perfect fit for a DH spot. His powerful swing helped lead to world titles in '77 and '78. While with the Yankees he hit 144 HR, 461 RBI, and finished 2nd in the 1980 MVP race.
SP
Catfish Hunter
Though he only played 5 seasons in New York, Catfish made the most of them. His record-setting contract ushered in an entirely new era of free agency that has come to be the Yankees' hallmark. On the field he lived up to his hyped billing. With the Yankees, he won 23 games in 1975 (finishing second in the Cy Young race) and won two World Series titles.
SP
Don Larsen
He only played 5 years for the Yankees, but he was able to cement his legacy. He pitched on two World Series championship squads and threw the only perfect game in World Series history.
SP
Andy Pettitte
Pettitte was oh-so-close to making my first team. The only starting pitcher to play on all four of the most recent championship teams, he went on to be known as one of the best lefties to ever play and one of the most feared pickoff men to ever set foot on the mound. ROY, 2nd in Cy Young voting, and ALCS MVP are just some of his career accolades. If not for his stint in Houston, he might not only be a member of my first team, but go down as the greatest pitcher in Yankee history.
SP
Roger Clemens
Won 2001 Cy Young (first Yankee to win Cy Young since Ron Guidry in '78). Key part of pitching rotation for two world championship teams.
RP
Goose Gossage
151 saves while with the Yankees. 4-time All-Star. HOFer. 33 saves in 1980.
Playoffs begin today! Wednesday's games include Boston@Anaheim, Dodgers@Cubs, and Milwaukee@Philadelphia [MLB]
Looks like Charlie Hustle might have been right to always slide head-first. [LiveScience]
Padres say that stud pitcher Jake Peavy could be wearing a new uniform next year, if the price is right. [San Diego Union-Tribune]
Basketball:
It should have probably been expected, given their horrible name, but OKC's unis are awful. [Ball Don't Lie]
A look at the beginning of the Michael Curry era in MoTown, probably the least heralded of all the coaching changes that occurred off-season. [True Blue Pistons]
Dr. J-Water is making me doubt that he actually holds an advanced degree. The reason? He thinks the Nuggets are legit. Maybe one of his fellow Hoop Doctors is a shrink and can hook him up with some meds. If you boys and girls are lucky our own sage, Billynho, might just weigh in on the Nuggets himself. [Hoop Doctors]
Contrary to what another writer on this site has alluded to, people besides Billynho do still contribute to The Cartel.
I present to you some cool stuff living on the interwebs:
Baseball:
Video of a young Jason Giambi swinging for the fences. [Today's Big Thing]
My pick for the NL West, the D'Backs, finally got eliminated, humorous analysis ensues. [AZ Snakepit]
To add further insult to my Yanks not making the postseason, the stud sabermetricians over at Baseball-Reference point out how historically futile the Hughes-Kennedy experiment has been to date. [Baseball-Reference]
Football:
The best take on the awesome upset last night in Corvallis. [MoonDogSports]
In honor of the 2008 Lions and Rams, a look at some of the worst NFL teams ever. [Page 2]
Ty Willingham thinks the Huskies will play in a bowl game?[Seattle Times]
Basketball:
The Cartel's favorite Rocket, Carl Landry, is staying in Houston and getting PAID! We love to see Boilermakers dominating the bigs. [Inside Hoops]
Kornheiser's Cartel loves retro tees (more on this in the future), but until then check out these sweet Grandma-ma shirts. [Breezy Excursion]
1979-Indiana State (current enrollment of 10,568, less in 1979) finishes as national runner-up in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
1985-Old Dominion national champions, winning the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
1988-Louisiana Tech national champions, winning the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
These are 3 examples taken from basketball, where schools from "non-BCS" conferences were able to play in, and often win, the national championship game. Currently in the FBS division of college football, every school (except Southern California) has played at least 3 games. Therefore, most teams are at least a quarter of the way through the season, and I feel we can begin to make some real judgments on the season.
I am a firm believer that, if at all possible, the national championship game should be played between two undefeated teams. However the BCS has screwed this up on several occasions, most notably when undefeated Boise State did not play against undefeated Ohio State in 2007, but finished as the only undefeated team in Div-A football. Were they awarded a national championship trophy or even a share of the prize (like Southern California in 2003-04)? No, because they play in the WAC.
Why does the BCS hate the likes of the WAC, MAC, MWC, C-USA, and Sun Belt so much? Doesn’t college football pride itself on rabid fan bases and intense rivalries? I believe that teams like Boise State, Fresno State, Utah, Tulsa, and Central Florida (as well as others) have rivalries just as intense and fans that are just as energized as the doormats of the BCS conferences (Indiana, Baylor, Stanford, Duke - I’m talking to you).
What brings about my annual anti-BCS tirade? Here’s the reason:
This is a list of all the teams in FBS football that are still undefeated. Teams in black are from BCS conferences and teams in red are from non-BCS conferences.
One of the MWC teams could go undefeated (BYU is my pick) and so could Boise State. When you look at their schedules, you don’t get disappointed.
Both teams play two opponents that are currently ranked (Boise State already defeated Oregon), and they each beat all of their Pac-10 opponents, one of which could upset USC, whom many are calling the best team of this decade, like last season. Speaking of USC, they currently have no more ranked teams left on their schedule and they still have 10 games left. So for those who call WAC/MWC/C-USA/etc. schedules soft, how do they legitimately stack up against “powerhouses”? Will USC beat UCLA by 59 points like the Cougars did? How can anyone imply that these “mid-majors” can’t run with the big boys when we’ve seen Utah and Boise State win their previous BCS games and seen teams like Illinois from BCS conferences get embarrassed on the big stage?
I’m not taking anything away from teams on this list that may finish with a loss or two. I realize that the SEC is tough, as is the Big 12 (don’t count out the Big 10 either). But with college football’s refusal to adopt a playoff system for the FBS (the only NCAA sanctioned sport where this occurs), the one metric that we have to go on is wins and losses. Qualitative issues like strength of schedule and “quality wins” should have no place in the process.
Ultimately the question that I ask is that if at the end of the season only two teams stand undefeated (or one for that matter), will they get a shot at the title like Indiana State or Old Dominion regardless of their conference affiliation, or will they be shut out like every year before?
I realize that this entire argument depends on a great deal of what-ifs and speculation, but no more than the preseason pick of Georgia at #1 simply because they beat Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl; a Hawaii team that by typical BCS standards shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
Here are a few facts about this particular no-hitter:
-Zambrano is the first person whose last name begins with the letter "Z" to throw a no-hitter.
-This is the first no-hitter pitched by a National League pitcher since Florida's Aníbal Sánchez in 2006. Zambrano is also the first Venezuelan since Sánchez to achieve the feat.
-A Cubs pitcher hadn't thrown a no-hitter since Milt Pappas on September 2, 1972.
-This is the 8th no-hitter thrown by the cubs since 1900 and Zambrano is the 7th man to accomplish this (Ken Holtzman threw 2). The Cubs franchise also recorded 5 no-hitters between 1880-1898, however the franchise was known by a different moniker.
-Since Hurricane Ike forced Houston to leave Minute Maid Park and play in Milwaukee, this is the first no-hitter to be pitched in a neutral site.
Quentin definitely didn't hit a wall, just his bat. In addition to shattering his wrist, he may have also shattered the South Siders' chance at playing in October.
ECU looked really good against West Virginia. They were more physical, their offense was more in sync, and it looked like Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was rocking. Hopefully they can continue to have success despite their head coach having some unfortunate ties to an idiot and Rece Davis' stupid nicknames.
Speaking of idiots... Why is the world so afraid to admit that "mighty" Notre Dame is awful. Every program goes through its down periods. Although I am the furthest thing from a Notre Dame fan, even I'll admit that no program can truly match their legacy. However, pieces like this and the comments of former coaches only cheapen that legacy by trying to account for or ignore this current bad team.
When are athletes going to learn that it is their bodies that make them all that fat cash. I get tired of hearing stories like this, when guys like David Teague are struggling to find a gig.
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