Bleacher Report - Articles by Matt Gard

Falling Out: Denver Must Let Go of Brandon Marshall

Matt Gard — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:06:29 -0400

Brandon Marshall is just the latest receiver in the National Football League to take good character and throw it out the window.

Randy Moss was called a cancer at Minnesota, an underachiever in Oakland, and has since settled down as a Patriot. Terrell Owens has proven himself incompatible with at least three organizations and is hoping to make the best of his fourth chance, this time in a Bills uniform.

Chad Johnson (I refuse to refer to him by the ignorant name which he wishes to go by) is constantly at odds with his quarterback. Dante Stallworth killed an innocent human being while driving drunk.

And today, Marshall is at the forefront of wide receivers who can't seem to stay away from drama and controversy. A quote was recently leaked to media from a confrontation between the Broncos wideout and Denver Police in 2007.

Not only did Marshall plead guilty to driving while impaired, he also said something that should leave no doubt that the Broncos should honor his request to be traded.

He told the officers, "I hate Denver. I hope I get traded. I hate this f******* city."

He also asked police why they weren't looking for former teammate Darrent Williams' killer.

Denver's a pretty big city, Brandon. If every member of the law enforcement community were looking for Williams' killer, the city would be reduced to a state of anarchy and you may have killed someone by being behind the wheel when you shouldn't be, just as Stallworth did.

Marshall isn't the first person to hate the city he lives in. That's fine. But when you are an athlete, a public figure in many ways, it is your obligation as a professional to hold your tongue.

Brandon Marshall is a public relations nightmare. If you are in the Broncos' front office, how can you explain to your fans, the residents of Denver and the state of Colorado, that one of your best players hates the city? It's very much a stab to Denver and that sort of thing could cost you fans.

Marshall is a great receiver, and of that there is no doubt. He would produce a high-value trade, and in return, Josh McDaniels could get a receiver who actually wants to be there and be a member of that team, that family, that city.

The Broncos are rebuilding, and in order to get back to the shape they were in at the end of the John Elway era, they need to start on a clean slate. That means getting rid of everyone who isn't going to give you 100 percent every single practice, every single down.

Can we honestly say that Brandon Marshall, as good as he is, will leave it all on the field to bring glory to a city he hates?

Experts Be Damned, Hansbrough Is What Indiana Is Looking For

Matt Gard — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:40:50 -0400

Just one day after the NBA draft, I flipped to ESPN only to see the Worldwide Leader in Sports and all of its analysts saying that the Indiana Pacers had the worst draft day taking Tyler Hansbrough with the number 13 pick.

They stated that Hansbrough has maxed out his potential, he will not start next year for the Pacers and some "experts" event went as far as saying that he would be a "mediocre basketball player at best."

Some bloggers even have the audacity to claim that the former North Carolina standout will not be able to co-exist with Josh McRoberts and Mike Dunleavy, both former Duke Blue Devils. Hansbrough told Pacer fans in an on line chat via Twitter that the worst that could happen was him teasing them during March Madness when Duke and UNC meet on the court, though any fan with half a brain knew that that was all that it would come to anyway.

The fact still remains, that Hansbrough has a lot of critics to answer when he hits Conseco Fieldhouse in October. That's okay, Hansbrough is used to pressure. After all, his jersey was retired at UNC before his senior season even began. He witnessed his jersey rising to join those of greats such as James Worthy and Michael Jordan at the Smith Center before he even started the season.

The Pacers already have plenty of talent. With Danny Granger, Dunleavy, TJ Ford, Troy Murphy, Marquis Daniels and Jarrett Jack all averaging double figures this past season, it is undeniable that Indiana has the ability to return to the playoffs and beyond. After all, the Pacers were the only team this season to beat the Lakers, Magic, Cavs and Celtics.

But they lost 21 games by a margin of five points or fewer, which alone is more than Cleveland, Boston and the Lakers had all season. That supports the idea what even though the Pacers overall character has improved since the Malice at the Palace in November 2004, leadership and clutch play is still lacking. I would wager to say that the Pacers have not had a true leader since Reggie Miller's 2005 retirement.

Hansbrough has been noted for having impeccable leadership skills. He earns the respect of his teammates and motivates the people around him as witnessed by him leading UNC to a 2009 NCAA Championship. Hansbrough will be the answer to a few of Indiana's problems and with any luck, 2000 will not have been this last season that the Hoosier state, known for its rich basketball tradition, hosted the NBA finals.

Well Said, Papi: David Ortiz Rightfully Calls Out Baseball's Steroid Policy

Matt Gard — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:53:15 -0500

I’m glad that a player finally stepped up to point out Major League Baseball’s need for a new steroid policy, especially when it is someone with the stature and reputation of David Ortiz.

Not too long after Alex Rodriguez’s positive steroid test results were announced to the world, Ortiz made a statement that said the current policy isn’t strict enough. Big Papi’s words shouldn't be taken lightly.

The Boston Red Sox slugger is making a call that needs to be taken seriously by Major League Baseball and the Players’ Association.

"I would suggest everybody get tested, not random, everybody," Ortiz told the Associated Press. "You go team by team. You test everybody three, four times a year and that's about it."

"Ban them for the whole year," he suggested as punishment for a first-time offense.

But a one-season suspension is just the beginning of what should happen. Players busted juicing should have their year of suspension be completely unpaid, throw in a few fines, test them even more upon their returns, and if they don’t get clean, ban them for life.

Baseball doesn’t have room for cheaters anymore.

The issue goes far beyond what is moral, ethical, and healthy for the body.

When I first learned that Rodriguez had been found out, I felt as if a little part of my fanhood died.

Here is a young man who has countless endorsements, who is on pace to pass Hank Aaron on the all-time home runs list, to pass Barry Bonds as well, and ultimately to go down in the history books as the greatest home-run hitter ever.

More importantly than that, we thought that after all of the controversy surrounding human growth hormone in baseball, we had found someone who would break the record as honestly as Hammerin’ Hank himself.

“I knew we weren’t taking Tic Tacs,” Rodriguez said today according to ESPN. “I didn't think they were steroids. That's again part of being young and stupid. It was over the counter. It was pretty simple. All these years I never thought I did anything wrong."

If Rodriguez is telling the truth and he truly didn’t know he was taking a banned substance, then that begs a very serious question.

When are these athletes—being paid millions of dollars while the rest of the country struggles in a sluggish economy—going to start taking responsibility, real responsibility, and start asking up front “What is this that I’m putting in my body?”

It isn’t fair to baseball fans that players are negligent.

I, along with millions of others, had invested a ton of faith in Rodriguez and when the stories of his test results were leaked, it broke my heart. It made me think very hard about baseball and the people that I look up to as a fan.

When I go to Wrigley Field to see my Chicago Cubs play, when I dedicate three hours out of every day in the spring, summer, and fall to watch them, when I spend an insane amount of money on tickets, a train ticket from my South Bend, Ind. home to Chicago, souvenirs and concessions, how many people on the field are cheating me and lying to me?

When I have a son and I take him to his very first ball game, will Major League Baseball have done its part to make sure that he isn’t being cheated?

Will they realize by then it is high time that little children’s heroes should not be cheaters?

There’s also no way that Congress should be involved in a sport right now. We have a struggling economy, an energy crisis, a few wars overseas, and the politicians who have our fate in their hands should not be dealing with a game.

Perhaps if Major League Baseball would successfully govern itself, the government wouldn’t have to take time out of its schedule to intervene.

“This is not a player’s game, this is not a team game. This is a family game,” Ortiz said according to a report from Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald. “We have a lot of families that enjoy this game. We have a lot of families that bring their kids to watch this game and I don’t think this game can take anymore.”

Well put, Papi.

Fans are what keeps baseball running, and we shouldn’t have to take being lied to or cheated anymore.

Top Five Running Backs of the 2009 Draft

Matt Gard — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:11:19 -0500

There are a bevy of good running backs in this year's NFL Draft. Many of them could go in the first or second round. In this slideshow, Matt Gard takes a look at Knowshon Moreno, Chris Wells and the rest of his top five running backs in this year's draft and tells why there may be some surprises in this year's running back class.

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Ranking the Top 10 Senior Quarterbacks in the 2009 NFL Draft

Matt Gard — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 11:37:24 -0500

Clearly the focus for the NFL Draft as far as quarterbacks go is centered around underclassmen at this point. With players such as Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, Matthew Stafford, and Mark Sanchez in the mix, the 2009 NFL Draft could be interesting. But on the other hand, what happens if all of these players stay at their respective schools? It's time for everyone to get acquainted with the senior quarterbacks that will hope to be playing on Sundays this year and see what they have to offer.

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Utah Football In The Pac-10: Why Not?

Matt Gard — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 05:06:57 -0500

Last night's performance in the AllState Sugar Bowl said it all. Utah is ready to be a "big league" college football team.

Defying all odds and critics, the undefeated Utes brought their energy, talent, and a crazy student section, "The Muss," into Louisiana for an upset of epic proportions.

In their way was a colossal Alabama team, a squad with a coach who has won a national title of his own. The Crimson Tide was also a team that finished 2-1 against Top 10 teams, 3-1 against ranked teams, and 5-1 against teams making it to a bowl. Alabama also hails from arguably the best conference in college football: the SEC.

So understandably, when Brandon Godfrey caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Brian Johnson to put Utah up 21-0, it had Alabama fans and people who picked the Crimson Tide at -10 (myself included) a bit concerned. But really, this is a Utes team that deserves to be 13-0. They dominated 'Bama in most aspects of the game, including passing yards, total yards, and turnovers.

After the game, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham told bowl officials that he intended to vote Utah as the number one team in the country, which was a pretty obvious statement, but the fact that he said it spoke volumes, and sparked a debate that I promise you will be on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" and "Around the Horn" on Monday.

But whether or not the Associated Press finds it fit to name Utah the AP National Champion (they won't), this game begs the question: Where do the Utes go from here?

Though I doubt the Pac-10 is going to jump at the chance to admit an eleventh member, like the Big Ten did, I do think the Utes could make the argument that they deserve to be playing at that level.

This is a Utah team that Urban Meyer made famous in 2004 when Alex Smith and the Utes shocked and stomped Pittsburgh 35-7 while finishing as the No. 4 team in the nation in the AP. It is a team that hasn't missed out on bowl season since 2002. It's a team that's 8-0 in bowl play dating back to 1999 and 11-3 overall in NCAA-sanctioned bowls.

This year's Utah team earned a lot of respect from across the nation. They started off by "upsetting" Michigan in the Big House. After a year that Wolverine fans would love to forget, that may seem trivial, but to show up and beat a team as rich in tradition as Michigan in front of a crowd of 108,421 is still an achievement.

The Utes went on beat Mountain West teams such as Colorado State and Air Force—both bowl teams—and an Oregon State team that was still fresh off an upset of then-No. 1 USC.

If that doesn't sell you on Utah, the Utes had a very tough road to plow in November. With TCU, BYU, Boise State, and Ball State all looking like potential BCS busters, the Utes had to put themselves at the forefront of the mid-major pack, and they did just that.

A 13-10 win over the No. 12 Horned Frogs and an epic 48-24 drubbing over No. 14 BYU in the "Holy War" rivalry game gave Utah the No. 6 ranking in the nation and set them up for their second BCS victory in five years, this time against the Tide.

There's no reason why a team like this, a proven winner and a money-maker, should not be able to prove itself at the next level in the Pac-10. I don't think that conference will extend the offer, but I do think it's something the Utah football program is ready for.

A January Without the Pats: Faulty System Leaves Out NFL Giant

Matt Gard — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:48:41 -0500

Pay attention, because as a supporter of the Indianapolis Colts it's typically my policy to not give the New England Patriots credit where it is due. But this is ridiculous.

As we know, my beloved fifth-seeded Colts (12-4) will be traveling to California this weekend to take on the fourth-seeded San Diego Chargers (8-8). Wait a second. What?

I didn't stutter. The Colts, who along with the Pittsburgh Steelers hold the second-best record in the AFC are the fifth seed. The only reason for this is that the Colts are in the same division as the AFC's premier team, the Tennessee Titans.

So basically, because the Colts couldn't trump the team with the best record in the National Football League, they have to accept a fifth seed in the playoffs and give up home field advantage to a Chargers team that shouldn't be remotely close to being a playoff team.

Instead of the Chargers being at home where they should be, our other bitter rivals, the Pats, are the ones that find themselves at home eating bon-bons and watching re-runs of The Days of Our Lives.

The NFL sets up the playoffs so that the champions of each division snag the top four seeds in the playoffs according to their records and the two wild card teams settle for the the five and six seeds respectively according to their records.

The object of the setup is two-fold. It is designed to give every region at least one representative in each conference and to make each division more competitive.

That sure doesn't make sense to me. The Patriots have accomplished so much this season. They played the entire year without four-time pro bowler and 2007 League MVP Tom Brady. They played with a young kid in Matt Cassel who hadn't started a game prior to this season since high school. They played in a division that I would describe as easily the second-best division in the NFL and managed a solid 11-5 season.

So let me get this straight. The NFL wants to make divisions more competitive and then punishes a team in the second-best division for being 11-5 instead of 12-4, while allowing and 8-8 team that comes from arguably the worst division waltz into the playoffs and snag home field advantage against a 12-4 team that has already beaten them this year. Yeah. That's smart.

Give me a break.

The Titans are the only team that are where they should be. They deserve that bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The other bye belongs to the Colts, who have earned a 12-4 mark while beating the Steelers on the road.

The Steelers should then be hosting the Miami Dolphins in the first round while the Patriots battle the Baltimore Ravens.

If you want to make the NFL more competitive, make every game count and don't let an 8-8 team out an 11-5 team and if you want to make it more fair, put the best six teams from each conference in the playoffs.

IU Basketball: Hoosiers Return Home after Unimpressive Showing in Maui

Matt Gard — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:44:19 -0500

After Indiana's big-time loss at the hands of St. Joseph's, the Hoosiers were seen on ESPN observing the semi-finals game between No. 1 North Carolina and Oregon.

Announcers said that Tom Crean had his team there to see a good team play. The Hoosiers, now 3-2, clearly needed the education if they hope to improve this season.

Hoosier fans were not sure what to expect coming into the season, but now Crean's team has indicated that it will indeed be a long season in Bloomington.

Quarterfinals: No. 8 Notre Dame 88, IU 50
The very talented Irish wasted no time in putting away the Hoosiers, going on a 9-0 run near the beginning of the game to take an 11-4 lead.

Notre Dame didn't look back from there as Tory Jackson went on to score 21 points en route to a 38-point Notre Dame victory.

Tom Pritchard led IU with 14 points while Nick Williams and Devan Dumes managed 10 points each. Only six Hoosiers scored during the game while all Irish players that entered the game hit at least one field goal. IU had 20 turnovers on the game.

Consolation Game: St. Joseph's 80, IU 54
The Hoosiers stuck with the Hawks a bit better than they did against the Irish. St. Joe clung to a five-point lead at the half, but outscored IU 46-25 in the second half. Darrin Groves led all scores with 23 points for St. Joe.

The Hoosier bench showed up against the Hawks. Malik Story led the team with nine points. Verdell Jones score eight and Matt Roth, Kyle Taber and Pritchard had seven points each. Turnovers haunted IU once again. This time the Hoosiers put up 23.

Seventh Place Game: IU 81, Chaminade 79
Indiana's offense finally got going against the hosting Silver Swords of Chaminade. The Hoosiers looked much better up until the final seconds of the game when the Swords made a comeback attempt.

IU scored 51 points in the first half, nearly topping their average score at the conclusion of the first two games. They held their biggest lead of the game at 66-51 with 13:30 left in the second half.

Pritchard led the team with 19 points while Dumes posted 14, Jones 13 and Story 12.

Next Up: Cornell (4-2) at IU
The Hoosiers will return to Assembly Hall to play host to the Cornell Big Red out of the Ivy League. The contest will take place on Sunday at 4 p.m. and it will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Cornell is led by a trio of scorers, including Ryan Wittman who leads the team with 19.8 points per game, Geoff Reeves with 15.8 points per game and Jeff Foote with 14 points per game. The seven-foot Foote also has 7.5 rebounds per game and has 23 blocks on the season.

"Obviously this is a learning process for us and we learned a lot today," Crean said after IU's first loss in Maui to Notre Dame. "Everything is correctable, and we have to continue to grow. We're the youngest team in the country and they're one of the oldest and they played like it.

King James, This Is Treason! LeBron Needs to Respect Cleveland

Matt Gard — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:09:53 -0500

If another East Coast team gives LeBron James attention, I think I'm going to go insane. And if he eats up the attention instead of doing what he's supposed to, I'll be even more upset.

Recently, King James has done everything to disrespect the city of Cleveland outside of telling them directly to buzz off. From palling around from Jay-Z, owner of the New Jersey Nets, to holding press conferences in New York to give Knick fans hope that he will wind up in Madison Square Garden, James is making me sick.

Michael Wilbon put it in a way that I truly agree with on Pardon the Interruption:

"I despise any Midwestern people who gives themselves over to New York City," said the Chicago native.

While I have a significant amount of Midwest bias myself, I mainly can't stand to see a player who isn't playing for his team during the season. James plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers—not the New York Knicks, not the New Jersey Nets, and especially not the Brooklyn Nets.

I recognize that James wants to be the Renaissance Man of that city, but right now King James should be concentrating on bringing an NBA Championship home to Cleveland, to his home state of Ohio.

James is losing my respect rapidly, as Brett Favre did earlier this year, by disgracing his current team in favor of eating up the Big Apple attention. Favre should've either retired and stayed retired or never retired at all instead of whining about how the Packers wouldn't have him back because he left them and they were trying to make a transition.

When Brett Favre gets old(er) and stops succeeding, he will be booed. When LeBron James gets old and loses his swagger in New York, he will be booed. If you don't believe me, just look at how New Yorkers treat Alex Rodriguez, a player who is arguably the best in Major League Baseball today. When you become old news, New York doesn't want you anymore.

Had Favre retired a Packer, he would've been worshipped forever by the state of Wisconsin. Instead, he decided to get back in the game and burn bridges with the organization and some Packers fans. If LeBron brings Cleveland an NBA crown, he'll be worshipped in Ohio forever. If he sells out, who knows?

Stop chumming around with Jay-Z on the camera, stop talking about July 2010, and throw away those Candy "Big" Apple shoes, LeBron. You play for the city of Cleveland.

Kelvin Sampson: Let This Be a Lesson

Matt Gard — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:19:12 -0500

I sincerely hope that universities across the country have learned a valuable lesson from the Indiana Hoosiers and the sanctions that were issued against their athletics department and against former coach Kelvin Sampson.

Now that the NCAA has handed down a decision that puts IU on probation for three years and keeps Sampson out of NCAA coaching for at least five years, it is time to move on.

But it won't be easy for IU, which was a top ten men's team at one point last season. The Hoosiers lost all but two of their players, two of their top recruits, and have started this season 2-2 including two losses by at least thirty points in the last two evenings of the Maui Invitational. The rest of the way won't be easy either as the Hoosiers are projected to continue to struggle before they improve within the next few years.

Sampson, now an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks is to blame for this fiasco. His lack of concern for the rules and his negligence make him single-handedly responsible for the struggles that IU now faces. IU was the laughing stock of Maui because Sampson didn't follow the rules and the program collapsed around him.

It is fair that Sampson will be out of college basketball for five years, but I sincerely hope that this mess will serve as a wake up call to other schools. I hope the National Champion Kansas Jayhawks and the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels are aware that a perennial powerhouse can become a joke overnight because of the activities of one man. I hope they have learned from IU's mistake.

Please athletic departments across the country, do your program, your student body and your alumni a favor. Monitor your coaches and know who you're hiring. And above all, when these five years are up, refrain from even interviewing Kelvin Sampson.

The Big Picture: Bets and Fantasy Game Should Have an Impact on the NFL

Matt Gard — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:24:30 -0500

Whether you agree with gambling or not, you’ve got to admit that all bets that people make should be made fairly.

With that in mind, people who bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend in the spread have a reason to be upset, as do the many people who have Pittsburgh’s smash-mouth defense on their fantasy teams.

On the last play of the game, Steeler defensive back Troy Polamalu picked up a San Diego lateral and ran it in for a touchdown, giving the Steelers a 17-10 advantage at the end of regulation. However, after reviewing the play, the referees determined that there was an illegal forward pass that negated the touchdown run. The game officially ended with Pittsburgh holding onto an 11-10 victory.

The referees later said that an error may have been made in the reviewing of the tapes.

While the touchdown may not have made a difference in the outcome of the football game, it definitely impacted sports bets around the country. Since the Steelers were -5 in the spread, sports fans picking San Diego in the spread won their bets.

Anyone who as ever heard me debate reviewing plays knows that I am all for it. I disagree greatly with Tim Kurkjian, one of my favorite ESPN analysts, on this topic. Kurkjian believes, in the case of baseball, human error is part of the nostalgia of the sport.

I couldn’t beg to differ more. The reason reviews were placed into football was that it would provide fairness to the game. While some say human error is part of the game, I think morality and fairness should be something that is very important, and when we have the technology to provide these two things, we should do it.

That being said, review is only a viable option to add fairness to the game if the officiating crew is competent enough to make a good call. That was certainly not the case here.

There were clearly no forward laterals on this play and in all likelihood, the referee in charge may have figured that the play had no impact on the game and considering the freezing temperatures, he may have thought it best to speed the game along.

He didn’t take into account, though, that someone may have bet thousands of dollars on this game. While it is unlikely, it is a harsh reality that some people do have a gambling problem. If they do, this bet probably isn’t the real issue of their life, but financially it very well could be.

IU-IUPUI: Hoosiers Struggle to Win at Home—Don't Get Excited Just Yet

Matt Gard — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:50:52 -0500

Indiana is 2-0, but Hoosier Nation should not get excited about the basketball season just yet.

Of course, the state of Indiana is always excited about basketball, but this is an Indiana team that certainly showed its weaknesses last evening in a narrow 60-57 victory over in-state rival IUPUI in front of a crowd of 13,174 at Assembly Hall.

The Hoosiers were saved when IUPUI forward Alex Young missed a three and Daniel Moore scored his only two points of the game on ensuing free throws.

Head coach Tom Crean said that the dramatic fashion in which the game was won gave the Hoosiers a positive experience.

“I don’t think you can describe what winning this way does for our confidence,” he said.

“We have to learn from our experiences, and because we don’t have experience we don’t have experience to fall back on. So to find a way to come back when it was not even close to our best night in the second half and to find a way to win the game.”

Although the 1-2 Jaguars out of the Summit Conference may not seem like a formidable opponent, Crean said he was impressed with the IUPUI team that his Hoosiers faced.

“I think we beat a really good basketball team,” he said. “The film doesn’t do justice to how athletic they are, how versatile they are, and how well they move the ball. We beat a good opponent.”

IUPUI, who lost to Northeastern and beat Michigan Tech earlier this season, outscored IU 37-29 in the second half.

“You have to learn how not to lose before you learn how to win,” Crean said.

Tom Pritchard led the Hoosiers with 19 points on the game. Matt Roth added 12 points, all from behind the three-point line, off the bench. Nick Williams and Devan Dumes had 10 points each.

Donovan McNabb: $9.2 Million Says You Were Supposed To Know

Matt Gard — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:13:31 -0500

Nearly every coach for every sport preaches to his or her players that no excuses are allowed for mental errors. Apparently, Andy Reid doesn’t require the same from Donovan McNabb, and the 10-year veteran quarterback doesn’t realize that he’s paid plenty to know the rules of football.

After the Philadelphia Eagles’ 13-13 overtime tie with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, McNabb said that he did not realize that an NFL game could end in a tie if no winner has been decided after one overtime.

“I've never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book,” McNabb said.

“In college, there are multiple overtimes, and in high school and Pop Warner. I never knew in the pro ranks it would end that way. I hate to see what would happen in the Super Bowl and in the playoffs.”

Sorry Donovan. It doesn’t work that way. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and even if you disagree with a rule, it’s still a rule.

In my best estimation, Reid didn’t make his situation in Philadelphia either by saying many players probably don’t know about the rule, which is probably something Reid should have addressed with about five minutes left in the game if he had any doubt. He didn’t stop there, however.

He claimed that not knowing whether or not there was another overtime would have no impact on how hard teams play.

“I'm sure there are plenty of rules that guys don't understand, but I don't think that has any factor whatsoever to do with the outcome of this game and how they played in the overtime," he said.

"I think that's absurd. You play to win in that time, whether you think you have another overtime period or you don't. And you play your heart out to win it in that time, and that's how we approached it and that's how the players approached it.”

If that set of mind were true, an offense would aggressively try to force a score at the end of the third quarter instead of waiting for the fourth.

I don’t buy what McNabb is saying. I don’t buy what Reid is saying.

The last tie game in the NFL came six years ago, in 2002, when the Falcons and Steelers finished 34-34. I guarantee there are some six-year-olds who have been born in that time and have played Madden long enough to know that if you don’t decide a winner in overtime, it’s a tie.

Although it isn’t common that a game ends in a tie, it has happened before, and it is a player’s responsibility to know what’s going on.

McNabb then played the sympathy card saying that everyone expects a quarterback to know everything.

Well, yeah. The quarterback is the guy with the earpiece. He’s the guy that hears the play, relays the play to his teammates, has the ability and the jurisdiction to change the play, reads the defense and makes adjustments. The quarterback is expected to be the smartest player on the field.

McNabb is expected to be paid $9.2 million to do his job. Most of us get paid much less to know how to do our jobs, and I can safely say that although not many of us have the athletic ability to do McNabb’s, the vast majority of us knew that an NFL game can end in a tie.

I don’t often agree with the patience shortage amongst most Philadelphia fans, but right now, the Eagles are a half game out of the final playoff spot. If they finish a half game out of the playoffs because of McNabb’s ignorance of the rules, I would expect to see Reid and McNabb on their way out of Philly.

Switching Consoles: A Review Of EA's NCAA Football 09

Matt Gard — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:41:47 -0400

Far be it from me to turn down a great sports video game, but after awhile I realized that the NCAA Football series for Playstation 2 wasn't getting any better due to the development of the PS3, and it was time for me to upgrade.

I opted to go for the XBox 360 over the PS3 and, yes, the Wii, which wasn't even in my thoughts because of the Nintendo system's undesirable concept and complete lack of attention to graphics.

I am obsessed with graphics, which is why you can imagine that NCAA 09 for the 360 was a good purchase for me.

The Positives As I just stated, the graphics are amazing, incredible even. The players look real, their moves look real, the equipment and everything in between is amazing. Quite possibly the most impressive aspect though, I think, are the stadiums.

I'm an Indiana football fan, so you can imagine I play a lot of games at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. With the PS2 version, you have just the basics of the stadium. You're lucky that they even put the giant banners on the stadium walls.

On XBox 360, however, Memorial Stadium features everything from the pathway that the players come out of before each game to monument busts on the side of the field, to The Rock, which lies beyond the North end zone and is touched by players before each game.

To me, though, the most unbelievable part is a church steeple which appears on the game. The church actually exists about three blocks from the stadium. That kind of care to detail is simply amazing.

While we're on the subject of Memorial Stadium, I'd like to point out that every third down, IU plays "Welcome to the Jungle" and the crowd goes wild. What could be better than that kind of atmosphere?

NCAA 09 for the 360 makes it possible to do so with the Stadium Sounds feature. Users can rip their CDs to the 360 and hear them over the stadium PA in a number of different situations.

Another thing I've always loved is the recruiting in dynasty mode. The new and improved dynasty mode allows the player to recruit up to 35 players at a time, giving him the capability to call each player during the season. During that time, the player learns how their recruit feels about 15 different aspects of heading to college as an athlete. It is much more in-depth than the last version.

Negatives When I was still in high school, I loved putting my New Prairie High School Cougars on NCAA 09 against the rival La Porte High School Slicers. It was one of my favorite parts of the game every year.

Such a thing is no longer possible as the 360 version does not have the Create-A-Team feature. To be honest, it was obvious that EA was going to phase this out. They never really added anything new to the feature every year, including their use of the same old created logos over and over. Still, I'll really miss this feature.

I also don't enjoy that EA discontinued the use of FCS teams. Come on, how are the Appalachian State Mountaineers supposed to upset their second consecutive FBS opponent if LSU actually plays host to the "FCS Southeast Lizards" in the game?

It's very upsetting to me, especially considering IU plays host to the "FCS Southeast Lizards" as well in 2009. In IU's case, they're actually the Murray State Racers.

Indiana Football: Kellen Lewis's Reinstatement Could Bode Well for Hoosiers

Matt Gard — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:53:28 -0400

Hoosier football fans can now let out a sigh of relief—their star quarterback will be in uniform this season.

USA Today recently reported that Kellen Lewis—who is not only Indiana's returning starter, but also their leading rusher—will be reinstated to the team and will join the team at camp in August.

Lewis was suspended earlier this year for undisclosed reasons, although IU head coach Bill Lynch said that academics had nothing to do with his suspension. The only information that the IU athletic department disclosed was that Lewis violated team rules.

Lynch said that he is excited for his starter's return.

"(Lewis) is committed to this football program and is excited to rejoin his teammates. We are happy to welcome him back," he said in a press release.

Athlon Sports publication College Football 2008 predicted the Hoosiers will be number 10 of 11 in the Big Ten this year.

With the junior's reinstatement, the Hoosiers could be looking at a much brighter season. Lewis accounted for most of IU's rushing yards last year, putting up 746 yards on the ground last year.

If senior running back Marcus Thigpen can put up the type of numbers he did in the season finale against Purdue every game this season, the duo could be a headache for defenses.

Lewis also put up 3,043 yards through the air last season, almost 700 more than Ohio State's Todd Boeckman, the very player that Athlon Sports predicts to be the top quarterback in the Big Ten this season.

However, Lewis will be without receiver James Hardy, who was taken in the second round of the NFL Draft this year.

In addition, the Hoosiers plan to move to a no-huddle offense this season, which will further put Lewis's speed to good use.

Chicago Cubs: Rich Harden Missing Ingredient, Better Than CC Sabathia

Matt Gard — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:58:59 -0400

Earlier this season I wrote an opinion piece listing the players within the Cubs organization that I thought could possibly fill the fifth spot in the starting rotation, a position that seems to have been the missing piece to the North Side roster all season.

Two months, 27 Bleacher Report articles, and countless headaches every fifth game later, I can finally relax knowing that the spot has been filled with quality.

By now, Wrigley Field is buzzing about Chicago’s most recent trade, which brought Oakland’s number two starter, Rich Harden, and reliever Chad Gaudin to Wrigley Field in exchange for Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, Eric Patterson, and catcher Josh Donaldson of Single-A Peoria.

This has the potential to be the best trade for the Cubs in a long while and is exactly what Chicago needed to assure that they will successfully defend their National League Central crown this year. Probably the best aspect of the trade is that the Cubs didn’t take any sort of hit in the transaction.

Gallagher was disappointing with a 3-4 record and a 4.45 earned run average and the only other spots for him were either in the Cub bullpen or in Triple-A Iowa.

Murton and Patterson each got a bit of action this summer in the absence of Alfonso Soriano. However, when Soriano gets healthy, the Cubs will have an outfield that will feature him, Kosuke Fukudome, Jim Edmonds, Reed Johnson, and possibly Mark DeRosa or Daryle Ward to cover days off.

The Cubs outfield right now is too competitive for either Murton or Patterson to be consistent starters anytime soon.

Donaldson won’t make too much a move. He will likely stay in Single-A. If he does, he will probably still play in the same state, Illinois, and the same league, the Midwest League, playing for Oakland’s Single-A Kane County Cougars. Kane County and Peoria will meet at Wrigley Field later this year.

In return, the Cubs will receive a 5-1 starter with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts in Harden and a reliever with a 3.59 ERA in 26 games in Gaudin.

What’s more, Harden will be the youngest player in the Cub rotation. At 26, he is five months younger than Carlos Zambrano.

"We felt this guy is a legitimate high, high-end starter, and will add to the ball club we have,” general manager Jim Hendry told Major League Baseball. “It's not any secret that when he's out there, he's as good as it gets. There's certainly some risks, but very, very high reward.”

This deal drew a lot of hype as some suspect that the Cubs made the trade in response to the Brewers’ trade for CC Sabathia, who was pulled in the sixth inning of tonight’s game against Colorado with a 4-3 lead. Hendry said that the deal had been under discussion for weeks, but comparing Harden and Sabathia still makes for great conversation.

Harden, in terms of this year’s statistics, seems to be the obvious choice over Sabathia in every facet of the game except for how long he can stay in the game, which is something Lou Piniella has focused on all year. Harden averages 5.9 innings per start while Sabathia has gone 6.7 innings per start. Sabathia has three complete games this year.

Sabathia has a 3.83 ERA, 1.49 higher than Harden’s. Harden has given up less than half of the runs and hits that Sabathia has in only five fewer starts. He has also walked fewer batters.

MLB All-Star Countdown: AL Outfielders

Matt Gard — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:51:34 -0400

Selecting the top outfielders in the American League was a difficult process. I just ranked the top fifteen outfielders, regardless of where in the outfield they usually play, and took the top three as my All Stars.

15. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox
Red Sox Nation has not gotten Ellsbury in the top 15 amongst outfielders so far, but I think he deserves it. Ellsbury is third on this list in runs with 52, and he leads this group in steals with 34.

14. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays
B.J. Upton has been a big part of Tampa Bay’s success this season. The fourth-year player has a .399 on-base percentage, thanks in part to his ability to draw walks. He has 51 free bases this year.

13. Vladimir Guerrero, Los Angeles Angels
"Vlad the Impaler" is a player who you would really expect to see higher on this list. However, Guerrero hasn’t had as great of a season this year. Guerrero is a power hitter with 13 home runs and 42 runs batted in.

12. Bobby Abreu, New York Yankees
Bobby Abreu, like Guerrero, has been an RBI machine this year. Abreu has 44 runs batted in to complement his 79 hits and 16 doubles this season for the Bronx Bombers and All-Star hosts.

11. Jose Guillen, Kansas City Royals
Jose Guillen may come as a surprise to some as a member of this list. Guillen is not in the top-15 vote getters amongst outfielders, but he should be. Guillen is batting .291 with 12 home runs.

10. Carlos Quinten, Chicago White Sox
Carlos Quinten has been a valuable addition to the South-Side lineup this year. He is second on this list in home runs with 17. He also has batted in a total of 56 runs this season.

9. Nick Markakis, Balitmore Orioles
With a .283 average, Nick Markakis has been a bright spot in the Orioles' lineup. He has 79 hits and has been walked 46 times this season, leading to an impressive .387 on-base percentage.

8. J.D. Drew, Boston Red Sox
J.D. Drew has been stellar for the World Series champions this year. Drew, in the 10th year of his career, has a .318 average and leads AL outfielders with 54 runs this season.

7. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
All is not well in Seattle, but you wouldn’t know it from seeing Ichiro’s stats. A native of Japan, Ichiro has 53 runs on 90 hits this year, and also he has stolen an amazing 32 bases, second on this list.

6. Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox
When it comes to hitting the cover off of the ball, it’s just Manny being Manny. Ramirez has 15 runs and 49 runs batted in this season. He is posting a .295 batting average with 78 hits.

5. Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians
Grady Sizemore is having a whale of a season for the Tribe this year. He only has 41 runs batted in, but has posted 17 home runs. He also has 17 stolen bases this year to go along with his power.

4. Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox
With a .297 average, Jermaine Dye has been brilliant for the southsiders this season. He has 16 home runs and 42 runs batted in on 80 hits. He is also the only player in the top five with a perfect fielding percentage.

3. Magglio Ordonez, Detroit Tigers
Magglio has been the diamond in the rough for the Detriot Tigers this season. Maggs has a .302 batting average with 85 hits. He also has 48 runs batted in while only striking out 40 times.

2. Johnny Damon, New York Yankees
Johnny Damon could arguably be the best outfielder in the American League this year. He has the best batting average amongst regular players, hitting .323. He also has 91 hits and 20 doubles.

1. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
Josh Hamilton, to me, is easily the best outfielder in the AL. He leads the league outfielders in hits (97), home runs (19), and runs batted in (76). Hamilton is the real deal and joins two other Rangers on my list of All-Stars.

American League
C          AJ Pierzynskyi, Chicago White Sox
1B        Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
2B        Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
3B        Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
SS        Michael Young, Texas Rangers
OF        Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
OF        Johnny Damon, New York Yankees
OF        Magglio Ordonez, Detroit Tigers
P

National League
C         Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
1B        Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
2B        Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
3B        Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
SS        Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
OF       (Next
OF       up
OF       TBA)
P

MLB All-Star Countdown: NL Shortstops

Matt Gard — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:07:09 -0400

The list of potential shortstops who could represent the National League in the All-Star Game is exceptional, but there are vast differences between what kind of shortstops these players are.

In fact, the top two shortstops on this list are neck-and-neck in my eyes. One is a pure shortstop and one is a home run-hitting crowd pleaser. Yunel Escobar and Jimmy Rollins did not make this list but deserve recognition for their great seasons.

5. Ryan Theriot, Chicago Cubs
The man that they call “The Riot” in Chicago hasn’t been in the league for very long. The fourth-year Cub from LSU is tied with Carlos Guzman for the highest batting average on this list, hitting .310. He finds his pit fall in the area of power hitting. Theriot has only 11 doubles, one home run and 22 runs batted in.

4. Miguel Tejada, Houston Astros
Miguel Tejada leads the shortstops in All-Star voting and it is easy to see why. The veteran isn’t putting up the numbers he once did, but he is still exciting to watch. He has 10 home runs and 43 runs batted in this season. Tejada is not a very patient hitter, drawing only 14 walks this season, but he has a good .294 batting average.

3. Cristian Guzman, Washington Nationals
Did Washington fans start a movement to boycott the All-Star game? They must have, because Guzman has not cracked the top five in All-Star voting, and he is very deserving. Guzman has a .310 average with 45 runs on an astounding 102 hits. He only has three stolen bases but has also only struck out 22 times.

2. Jose Reyes, New York Mets
Jose Reyes continues to be an impressive player and deserves to be an All-Star this season. In addition to his .294 average, he has 90 hits, 20 doubles, eight triples, eight home runs and 31 runs batted in. He also has shown his speed, leading this list in stolen bases with 26.

1. Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
Hanley Ramirez has to be the most exciting player to watch on this list. Not only can he hit, but he is speedy too. Ramirez has a .295 average, 64 runs, 86 hits, 12 doubles, 16 home runs, 33 runs batted in, 40 walks and 19 stolen bases. His only downfall is that he whiffs in excess. He has struck out 70 times this year.

American League
C         A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
1B        Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
2B        Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
3B        Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
SS        Michael Young, Texas Rangers
OF      (Next up
OF      Tentatively scheduled
OF      for tomorrow)
P

MLB All-Star Countdown: AL Shortstop

Matt Gard — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:18:07 -0400

The best shortstop in the American League is currently 700,000 votes behind the All-Star leader. It makes sense when you look at the fan base of the leader’s team and all of the celebrity recognition he’s gotten for his successful career, but he’s definitely not the best choice.

5. Edgar Renteria, Detroit Tigers
Though the Tigers aren’t having a great season, Edgar Renteria is still top notch. He is a power hitter on this list. He has five home runs and 32 runs batted in. He also has scored 30 times on 65 hits. With a .982 fielding percentage, he also is having a decent season on defense.

4. Yuniesky Betancourt, Seattle Mariners
A native of Cuba, Yuniesky Betancourt is doing very well this year for the Mariners, and may be one of the most underrated players in the American League. Betancourt has only struck out 17 times this year, and he leads this list with 18 doubles. He has three home runs and 22 runs batted in.

3. Orlando Cabrera, Chicago White Sox
An 11-year veteran in his first year in Chicago, Orlando Cabrera is having a good season for the South Siders. Cabrera has 75 hits along with four home runs and 23 runs batted in. Cabrera leads this list with nine stolen bases and a .994 fielding percentage, committing only two errors.

2. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
Yankee Nation has Jeter leading all American League shortstops in votes and is a shoo-in for the All-Star Game. Jeter has only four home runs this season, but he has 36 runs on 70 hits. Jeter, who will be celebrating his 34th birthday this year, and he also has four stolen bases and three triples.

1. Michael Young, Texas Rangers
Michael Young is hands down the best shortstop in the American League thus far this season. Young leads this list in many stats including runs (51), hits (82), home runs (6), runs batted in (33), walks drawn (26), and batting average (.290). Young should join a Ranger-dominated middle infield with Ian Kinsler.

American League
C          A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
1B        Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
2B        Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
3B        Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
SS        Michael Young, Texas Rangers
OF
OF
OF
P

National League
C         Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
1B       Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
2B       Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
3B       Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
SS       Next Up (Tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 19)
OF
OF
OF
P

MLB All-Star Countdown: NL Third Basemen

Matt Gard — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:25:21 -0400

You can’t quite argue against someone who is still over .400 and chasing Ted Williams nearing midseason. That’s why there’s one clear-cut choice as to who should represent the National League amongst third basemen. This list shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

5. Troy Glaus, St. Louis Cardinals
Troy Glaus has had a good season in his first year in St. Louis. Glaus has only managed a .267 average this season, but has excelled in other areas. He has 16 doubles, nine home runs, and 43 runs batted in. Glaus has drawn 39 walks while striking out 42 times this season. Glaus has the highest fielding-percentage this year with only three errors.

4. Garrett Atkins, Colorado Rockies
Garrett Atkins has an amazing 80 hits this season. He also has 38 runs scored this season, tho go along with a .304 batting average. He also has nine home runs and 38 runs batted in. Atkins is not very patient at the plate. He has only 13 bases on balls this year, while striking out 37 times. Atkins also has the most errors of these players with 12.

3. David Wright, New York Mets
David Wright is an RBI machine. The Mets right hander has been the bright spot of an underachieving New York lineup, driving in 50 runs, with 12 long balls. Wright also brings speed to the plate. Wright has hit 18 doubles and a triple this year while stealing five bags. Wright is only hitting .276 this season.

2. Aramis Ramirez, Chicago Cubs
Aramis Ramirez has again been a gem of a player for the Northsiders. He leads National League third basemen with 19 doubles, while hitting 10 home runs and driving in 45 runners. Ramirez is hitting .300 while posting an impressive 73 hits for the Cubs this season.

1. Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
As I said, this one was really a no-brainer. Chipper Jones is the real deal for Atlanta this year. Earlier this week he had a .420 batting average. That average has since dropped to .402, but Jones is still doing a great job. He has blasted 15 home runs and batted in 42 runs while only striking out 27 times.

American League
C         A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
1B        Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
2B        Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
3B        Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
SS        Next Up (Tentatively scheduled for tomorrow)
OF
OF
OF
P

National League
C         Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
1B        Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
2B        Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
3B        Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

MLB All-Star Countdown: AL Third Basemen

Matt Gard — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:16:29 -0400

Not many American League third basemen have put up numbers that constitute All-Star status. Compared to the rest of the positions in this countdown, this list is less than impressive. Carlos Guillen could not be included because he is not on the ballot under third basemen.

5. Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox
Mike Lowell has had a decent season for the defending champion Red Sox. Lowell has only a .270 average, but he has also batted in 35 runs while hitting 14 doubles and blasting 10 home runs. Lowell has only struck out 27 times this year, the lowest amount on this list, but has been walked even less, only 14 times.

4. Joe Crede, Chicago White Sox
Joe Crede has done very well this year for the first-place White Sox. He has a .283 batting average and has put up 60 hits. He is the power hitter of this list, boasting 14 hits and 41 runs batted in. Crede has only struck out 31 times this years. Crede hasn’t had a very good season on defense, posting 12 errors.

3. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals
A second-year player in Kansas City, Alex Gordon is an up-and-coming player in Major League Baseball. He doesn’t have All-Star numbers yet, but there is statistical evidence that he is on his way. Gordon leads this list in hits, runs, and doubles with 16.

2. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
Like Gordon, Evan Longoria is also an up-and-coming player. The Tampa Bay rookie has 31 runs on 52 hits. He also has 15 doubles, a triple, 10 home runs, and 32 runs batted in. He has the best fielding percentage on this list. Longoria and Gordon also find their pitfalls in the same category. They have the two worst averages on this list.

1.Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
Alex Rodriguez is not having an amazing season compared to his typical numbers. However, Rodriguez is going to the All-Star Game for two reasons. No. 1 is the wide Yankees' fanbase. No. 2 is the fact that American League third basemen are down this year. Rodriguez has 15 doubles, 10 home runs, 32 runs batted in, and a .316 average, the best on this list.

American League
C         A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
1B        Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
2B        Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
3B        Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

National League
C         Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
1B        Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
2B        Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
3B        Next up (Tentatively scheduled for tomorrow)
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

MLB All-Star Countdown: NL Second Basemen

Matt Gard — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:48:48 -0400

There are two second basemen in the National League that stand out from the crowd, but only one of them can truly say that he is the best that the NL has to offer. The battle for National League first-base supremecy is barely a two-horse race.

5. Mark DeRosa, Chicago Cubs
I’ll admit, a little bit of Chicago bias got DeRosa in over Atlanta’s Kelly Johnson, but still, DeRosa has put up some numbers that definitely qualify him for this list. For example, DeRosa has 32 runs batted in on seven home runs, and he has a .296 batting average for the best team in Major League Baseball.

4. Orlando Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks
Orlando Hudson is no stranger to my admiration. This guy is a ball player. He has 14 doubles, six home runs, and three triples, for a total of 31 runs batted in to compliment his .294 batting average. Hudson has struck out 27 times this season compared to DeRosa’s 45.

3. Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds
Brandon Phillips does not have the most impressive batting average on this list by any stretch of the imagination, hitting only .270, but he makes up for it in other areas. He has 34 runs batted in on 11 home runs, and is second amongst National League second basemen in stolen bases, only trailing to Kaz Matsui. He also has only committed one error.

2. Dan Uggla, Florida Marlins
Dan Uggla has had a fantastic season. He has 70 hits, 44 runs batted in, 23 doubles, 18 home runs, and a stellar .310 batting average. Uggla’s only downfall is the amount of times that he strikes out. The Louisville native has whiffed 69 times, the most of any second baseman in the National League.

1. Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
No one can argue that Chase Utley is the best second baseman in the National League. No one. Not even a Floridian. He has 51 runs on 78 hits. He has 18 doubles and has driven in 56 runs. Moreover, he leads all of Major League Baseball in home runs with 21.

American League
C         A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
1B        Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
2B        Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
3B        (Next up, tentatively schedule for Wednesday June 11)
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

National League
C         Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
1B        Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
2B        Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
3B
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

Chicago Bears: Time To Drop Cedric Benson

Matt Gard — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:14:15 -0400

In an era when character issues have made certain National Football League organizations look awful, the benefits of Cedric Benson's presence don't make up for the downfalls for the Chicago Bears.

Benson was arrested for the second time in a little over a month this morning on drunk driving charges after failing a sobriety test and refusing to submit to a breath test.

The DWI was Benson's second such incident after being arrested for operating a boat while intoxicated in early May.

The 25-year-old running back reported to voluntary team workouts in the last month, but Benson has yet to prove that he is worth keeping. The former first-round draft pick finished near the back of the pack in rushing categories last season.

Benson ran for just 674 yards in 2008, a total of 3.4 yards per carry. He put up only four touchdowns while recording three fumbles, two of them for losses.

The Bears have a number of other running backs who could put up Benson's numbers, or better, without the off-the-field problems.

Adrian Peterson also averaged 3.4 yards per carry in 2008 on 151 carries. At 5-foot-7, Garrett Wolfe only got 31 carries last year, but did put up 117 yards on nine receptions out of the backfield.

The Bears also have two rookies that could potentially carry the load. Matt Forte, a 6-foot-2, 216-pound back out of Tulane, is the more likely of the two to get playing time.

Forte wasn't one of the more well-known backs in the NFL Draft this year, but is very elusive and was taken in the second round. The other back is Matt Lawrence, a 6-foot-1, 205-pounder out of UMass.

MLB All-Star Countdown: AL First Basemen

Matt Gard — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:06:32 -0400

The American League first basemen are a unique group. A few underachievers made the list. Three players stand out from the crowd, and two of them in particular have dominated the position this season.

5. Kevin Millar, Baltimore Orioles
Kevin Millar has had a decent season with the Orioles. The 10-year veteran has nine home runs and 29 runs batted in. He has been walked 28 times, arguably making him the most patient player on this list. Millar’s downfall though, is his average. He is hitting a mediocre .243.

4. Carlos Guillen, Detroit Tigers
Miguel Cabrera is actually the current first basemen for the Tigers. However, the All-Star ballots still have Carlos Guillen as the Detroit nominee for first basemen. Guillen has a .293 average while posting five home runs and 26 runs batted in. He has also put up 16 doubles this season.

3. Casey Kotchman, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Casey Kotchman has the best average amongst American League first basemen, currently hitting .319, with 66 hits and 12 doubles. He has six home runs and 30 runs batted in. He’s also struck out the least amount of times of anyone on this list. Kotchman has only whiffed 13 times this season.

2. Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
Justin Morneau is the power hitter of this group. In his fifth year with the Twins, Morneau has put up 10 long balls and has driven in 42 base runners. He has a .302 average and has been walked 24 times. However, Morneau leads this group in strikeouts, having been punched out 40 times.

1. Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
Kevin Youkilis has had an amazing season with the defending champion Red Sox. He leads American League first basemen in runs, doubles, and triples. He has a .305 batting average, nine home runs, and 35 runs batted in. Most impressively, though, Youkilis has yet to commit an error this season.

American League
C         A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
1B       Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
2B
3B
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

National League
C         Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
1B       Next Up (Tentatively scheduled for today)
2B
3B
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

Chicago Cubs: Looking Back to 1908

Matt Gard — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:04:00 -0400

Words cannot express how excited I get watching the Chicago Cubs right now, and it's no surprise why.

With roughly three months left to go in the 2008 Major League Baseball season, the Cubs have won eight straight games. They are 26-8 at home. They hold a 3.5-game lead for first place over the Cardinals in the National League Central Division.

More exciting than that, though, is the fact that the Cubs boast a 37-21 record—the best in Major League Baseball. The last time the North Siders had the best record in the Major Leagues coming into June was 100 years ago in 1908—the last year the Cubs won the World Series.

This has many Cubs fans excited, and it has many more worried. Some superstitous Cubs fans are concerned that the success in Chicago might just be a prelude to a huge choke.

Who could blame a Cubs fan for being nervous, right?

Luckily for North Siders, though, there is plenty of statistical evidence that suggests this year's Cubs success is no fluke. Some of this season's earlier concerns have gone away.

Alfonso Soriano, for example, is hitting .280 with 13 home runs and 36 runs batted in, only three less that team leader Aramis Ramirez.

The outfield problems may have been solved. In addition to the acquisition of All-Star Jim Edmonds, Michael Hoffpauir has seen action in 11 games, in which time he has put up a .421 batting average.

The Cubs may have also found their fifth starter. Sean Gallagher has started five games so far this season. He has a 3-1 record and a decent 4.55 ERA.

Hang in there, Cubs fans. It may be nerve-racking to be the best team in baseball—but if there's one thing being a Cubs fan has taught me, it's to enjoy success while you can.

Marc Lindsey to Be All-Star, Not ORWBL Bust

Matt Gard — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:50:48 -0400

I learned one thing from watching an Opening Day ORWBL series between the New Carlisle Newts and the Lil' Saints.

Marc Lindsey is good. Scary good.

The left-hander boasted only the third-best batting average on the Newts roster, a .474 mark behind Matt Flagg (.722) and Kaylor Keck (.588). However, Lindsey's clutch hitting, power and pitching ability is making everyone in the Newts' front office look like a genius.

Lindsey was acquired at the beginning of this season in what some are calling the biggest signing in ORWBL history.

In the first game, Lindsey went 4-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored, and one run batted in. He followed that up by going 4-for-9 in the second game with two home runs, seven runs batted in and four runs.

In the third game, his numbers weren't incredible, going 2-for-5 with a run, but what he didn't achieve at the plate, he made up for on the mound.

Lindsey (1-0, 0.00) ERA threw a complete game shut out against a disheartened Saints team. He gave up only three hits and struck out three Saints.

Lindsey was a big part of New Carlisle's success today and if he keeps putting up these sorts of numbers, he is a shoo-in for the All-Star game.

Open-Mic: Time For Replay In Major League Baseball

Matt Gard — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:42:49 -0400

Picture your favorite team down 1-0 in the ninth inning of game seven in the World Series.

Your slugger is coming up to the plate to face a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher, who to this point has put up a complete shut out. There is one man on base with two outs.

Your slugger cranks a fat pitch down the left field line. It’s fair. It’s foul. It’s fair. It’s foul. It’s…up for discussion?

The four umpires gather to discuss what they saw.

“You had the best angle. What do you think?” One umpire asks another.

While they’re chatting, you’re at home watching replay after replay and they all indicate your slugger just pulled off one of the most remarkable, clutch home runs in baseball history. You scream at the television.

Finally, the umpires break and the head umpire gives a signal indicating the ball went foul. The home crowd boos and hisses wildly as your manager trots out to home plate to voice his concerns with no regard to his vocal chords.

He gets tossed, and on the next pitch your slugger whiffs and your team has lost in one of the most exciting and angering finishes of all time.

The next day, after intense criticism, the umpires release a statement saying they made a mistake and it’s in the past. There’s nothing they can do.

There’s nothing you can do? It’s the World Series! And if you’re a Cubs fan like myself, winning a World Series could literally be something you only get to see once in a lifetime or two.

While this scenario is unlikely, it is entirely possible. If something like that would happen, it would be the end of baseball as we know it.

Think of the consequences. Major League Baseball is an organization already riddled with steroid scandals. Parents are asking themselves if baseball players like Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens are the kinds of people their kids should be looking up as heroes.

Imagine if the officials couldn’t call something as simple, yet as crucial, as a game-winning home run correctly.

People who are occasional spectators would watch even less. I personally would feel as if Major League Baseball didn’t care enough to take the time to make sure its calls are accurate. Attendance would decrease and so would the number of viewers who tune in.

While many people think baseball games last long enough and Major League Baseball has placed a ton of emphasis on speeding the games up, baseball games last no longer than football games do normally.

More importantly than that, taking the time to review plays has proven itself necessary recently.

This week alone there have been three instances where umpires made the wrong call on home runs, and it’s really hurting the credibility of baseball. It’s time for replay.

Major League Baseball announced its intention to experiment with replay in the Arizona Fall League this year, according to ESPN. However, they have yet to announce what their experiment will consist of.

The National Football League’s system for review works very well. Each coach has an opportunity to review two plays each half, with the booth having the go-ahead to review either when a team is out of review opportunities or when the clock reaches under two minutes.

Major League Baseball should model its system after the NFL’s.

One review per team in a game is sufficient and wouldn’t slow the game down too much. Teams should be able to review whatever play, other than balls and strikes, they feel necessary.

These could be questionable home runs, close base running decisions, and whether a ball hit to the outfield was caught or trapped.

A review booth, similar to the one in the NFL, should also be able to deem a play reviewable if they feel it is necessary.

ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian said Thursday night he would not be in favor of instant replay unless it was used only to determine home runs, fair or foul. He cited the human element being a part of baseball as one of his arguments.

The human element was part of the NFL before Roger Goodell and company determined fairness and accuracy is much more important than the nostalgia of the human element.

The NFL got it right, and now it’s time for baseball to step up and follow suit.

MLB All-Star Countdown: NL Catchers

Matt Gard — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:02:39 -0400

The American League list of catchers featured very experienced veterans for the most part. The same cannot be said for the National League’s catchers. Young players highlight the National League's game callers. In fact, only one player on the following list has more than four years of catching experience.

5. Ryan Doumit, Pittsburgh Pirates
A fourth-year player, Ryan Doumit is one of the best catcher you’ve never heard of. Doumit has only played in 29 games for the Pirates this season, four of them being pinch-hitting appearances. However, Doumit has put up significant numbers this season, which indicates that he deserves to be on this list.

Doumit’s .350 batting average leads the National League amongst catchers who have played in over 20 games. He also has 15 runs batted in, with five home runs and 36 hits.

4. Russell Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers
Canadian-born Russell Martin is in his third year playing for the Dodgers. All signs indicate that Martin’s future is bright. He doesn’t have the stuff to make the All-Star game this year, but his time will come.

Martin has a .419 on-base percentage, the highest amongst these catchers. He has shown that he is a very patient hitter, drawing 31 walks this season. He also has three home runs and 18 runs batted in.

3. Benjie Molina, San Francisco Giants
Benjie Molina, the oldest of these five catchers, has let his experience show this season. The 10-year veteran is on pace to have a pretty good season from behind the plate.

Molina is hitting .294 on the season, with four home runs and 24 runs batted in. He has only struck out nine times this year in 153 plate appearances.

Defensively, Molina is solid. He has not made a single error this season.

2. Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs
Geovany Soto is the least experienced catcher on this list, but you wouldn’t know it by the way he hits. Soto won Rookie of the Month honors in April, and is set to have a stellar career behind the plate in Chicago.

Soto has nine home runs and 34 runs batted in, both statistics that lead the National League amongst catchers. He has a .314 batting average and a .997 fielding percentage on defense.

1. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
Another fourth-year player, Brian McCann is making things happen for the Braves. The Georgia native has proven to be very productive on both sides of the ball in his home state.

McCann has 294 putouts, the most amongst National League catchers, and has yet to make an error. McCann also boasts a .324 batting average, with 54 hits, eight home runs, and 31 runs batted in.

McCann’s significant offensive advantage over Soto is his paltry 16 strikeouts. Soto has struck out 41 times this season.

American League
C         A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox
1B       Next Up (Tentatively scheduled for Monday, May 26)
2B
3B
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

National League
C         Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
OF
OF
P

Alfonso Soriano: Shutting Up the Critics with Incredible Numbers

Matt Gard — Sun, 18 May 2008 18:30:16 -0400

For the first quarter of this season, I’ve had to put up with a whole lot of my fellow die-hard Cub fans talking about how much money the Cubs’ management wasted on Alfonso Soriano.

They talked about what a big disappointment he has been this season. Regulars at greasy spoon restaurants all over the upper Midwest mindlessly criticized him every morning when sports came up over coffee.

Oh, how sweet silence can sound sometimes.

That’s because for the last few days, my ears have been able to rest. I can finally eat my biscuits and gravy without the guy next to me at the counter telling me how big of a bum he thinks Soriano is.

People are finally realizing that he is the same player Cubs recruiters saw hit 46 home runs in 2006 with the Nationals, the same player that batted in 104 runs in 2005 with the Rangers and the same player that hit 51 doubles in 2002 with the Yankees. The man’s a proven All-Star.

But Soriano began the season with only two home runs and five runs batted in before getting injured in a 9-5 win over Cincinnati on April 15. He had a miserable .175 batting average in those first 52 plate appearances.

So what has Soriano done for the Cubs lately?

Oh, nothing much. Unless, of course, eight home runs and 21 runs batted in only 18 days sounds good to you. He is also responsible for 27 hits, 15 runs and five doubles since being activated on May 1.

And that .175 batting average? He’s turned that into an impressive .293 average. Not only that, but his average was .191 only nine games ago. I don’t care how early in the season it is. If you improved your batting average by .102 in a little over a week, you’re doing the right things.

He’s only getting hotter, too. Soriano has hit seven long balls in as many games. In that time he’s batted in 14 of the Cubs’ 44 runs. That’s 31 percent of the Cubs’ offensive production in the last week, folks.

Soriano is playing good baseball, and if these types of numbers keep coming from his bat, he will be an All-Star and an MVP candidate and the criticism of April will be long forgotten.

Now let’s just hope he doesn’t hurt himself doing his signature hop-catch again.

Alfonso Soriano, Mark DeRosa Come Up Big; Cubs Finish Off 8-2 Home Stand

Matt Gard — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:48:09 -0400

What a way to eliminate a drought.

Following a recent slump, all the Cubs did on their recent home stand was put up an 8-2 mark while sweeping a team that boasts the best record in baseball.

Not too shabby.

Chicago finished up the week at Wrigley Field with a weekend series against Pittsburgh, which the Cubs triumphed in, winning two of the three games.

The Cubs (27-17) maintained their two-game lead over St. Louis in the National League Central Division, and are only one game behind Arizona for the best record in the Major Leagues. The Pirates (21-23) are now tied for fourth in the NL Central with Cincinnati, winners of six straight.

Alfonso Soriano was a big reason for the Cubs’ success in this series, as he continued his recent hot streak at the plate. The left fielder had two multi-home run games this weekend while batting in eight runs. He hit 8-12 (.750) in the series, including going 5-5 on Saturday.

Mark DeRosa also had a good weekend for the Cubs, going 5-11 (.454). He had one long ball and scored four times against the Pirates.

Sean Gallagher (1-0, 4.40 ERA) picked up his first decision of the year in Friday’s 7-4 win. The winning pitcher went six innings while giving up only one earned run on four hits. Kerry Wood pulled in his ninth save on the day.

Carlos Marmol (1-1, 1.67 ERA) got his first loss of the season in Saturday’s 7-6 setback. Marmol gave up a game winning home run to Nate McLouth in the top of the ninth inning, giving the Pirates the win.

Marmol wasn’t the only pitcher that struggled on the mound, as Carlos Zambrano (6-1, 2.45 ERA) lasted only four innings, giving up five runs on seven hits. Michael Wuertz was the bright spot for the Cub pitching staff, giving up only one hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Jason Marquis (2-3, 4.96 ERA) recovered after a loss earlier this week with a 4-3 win on Sunday. Marquis went six innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits and walking only one batter. Wood picked up save number 10 in relief.

The Cubs will now head to Houston to take on the Astros in a three-game set. Ted Lilly (4-4, 5.33 ERA) is expected to start the Monday game against Brian Moehler (1-0, 4.58 ERA). Ryan Dempster (6-1, 2.35 ERA) will take on Chris Sampson (2-3, 6.46 ERA) on Tuesday, while Gallagher will face Shawn Chacon (4.14 ERA) in the Wednesday finale.

Lance Berkman, a National League MVP frontrunner, will be a predominant Astro threat. Berkman boasts the most home runs in the Major Leagues (16), the second best batting average (.399) and the second most runs batted in (44).