Bleacher Report - Articles by Andrew Kaufman

Tennessee Basketball: A Look at the 2009-10 Non-Conference Schedule

Andrew Kaufman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:37:41 -0500

Since Head Coach Bruce Pearl came to Rocky Top in 2005, the Tennessee Volunteers have consistently challenged themselves in nonconference play. The 2009-10 schedule is a bit lighter than in recent years, but Tennessee still has plenty of interesting games on the docket before SEC play begins on Jan. 14.

Below, I discuss the five most intriguing games on Tennessee's 2009-10 nonconference schedule.

5. Tennessee v. Charlotte: Jan. 6, 2010.

One thing that has particularly impressed me about Bruce Pearl's schedules is that the Vols consistently play mid-major programs. This includes games against traditional mid-major powers such as Gonzaga, but also includes games like this one and a December matchup against Wyoming.

The 49ers aren't fielding a particularly strong team this year--they were picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic 10 in the conferences' preseason poll--but it is good for basketball when teams from power conferences are willing to play teams from second-tier conferences.

A game against the Vols will represent a chance for Charlotte to notch a marquee win, no matter how unlikely, so Dijuan Harris and the 49ers will certainly come ready to play. I predicted a trap game when Tennessee played Temple last year, and the timing of this game is similarly precarious, as the Vols play pre-season No. 1 Kansas (more on that in a bit) four days later. Tennessee can't afford to come out flat against an A-10 opponent two years in a row.

4. Tennessee at USC: Dec. 19, 2009.

Another component of Pearl's schedules that has always been impressive is his willingness to take his team on the road. A trip to Southern California is certainly no exception to this rule.

Like the 49ers, the Trojans aren't fielding one of their stronger teams; Senior stalwarts Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett have graduated, and former freshman sensation Demar DeRozan is now a Toronto Raptor. But there is still some talent on this roster, and Dwight Lewis will provide a good early test for the Vols' defensive backcourt.

Regardless of the level of competition, a cross-country trip is always a good experience for a college basketball team; you never know where you will have to travel to during the NCAA Tournament, so it can't hurt to get that first long trip out of the way in December.

3. U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam: Nov. 20-23, 2009.

The Paradise Jam should provide the Vols with a nice mixture of opponents; it represents the first big test (or series of tests) of Tennessee's 2009-10 schedule.

The Vols are the de facto No. 2 seed in the tournament, but there are no truly bad teams (like South Dakota State, who Purdue plays in the first round) on their half of the bracket. That said, the Vols should be able to defeat East Carolina in the first round and the DePaul/Northern Iowa winner in the semfinals, setting up a probable matchup with preseason No. 7 Purdue in the tournament final.

If this final were to take place, it would be one of the biggest games of Thanksgiving week, if not the biggest. The matchup between Tyler Smith and Robbie Hummel would be worth the price of admission alone, and a game against Purdue is probably the only one in which the Vols would be underdogs in 2009.

2. Tennessee at Memphis: Dec. 31, 2009.

Normally, a game against an unranked conference USA team wouldn't be worthy of the second spot on this list. But Memphis isn't just any conference USA team, and Tennessee-Memphis isn't just another game.

Plus, Memphis isn't exactly devoid of talent this year. They may not have a player of the caliber of Derrick Rose or Tyreke Evans, but Willie Kemp, Doneal Mack, and Duke transfer Elliot Williams form a pretty decent nucleus.

Add that the game is in Memphis, on New Year's Eve, and that the games between these two teams the last two years have had a total margin of victory of three points, and this contest will certainly be worth the price of admission.

1. Tennessee v. Kansas: January 10, 2010.

The Vols conclude their nonconference season with a shot at the preseason No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks. At this point, it seems as if there would be no better barometer for Tennessee before they enter conference play.

Kansas, which boasts two legitimate stars in point guard Sherron Collins and big man Cole Aldrich, will test every part of the Vols' roster. Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith must neutralize Aldrich if the Vols are to have a chance to win, as the frontcourt is the strength of the 2009-10 Tennessee team.

But the real key to this matchup--and perhaps to the Vols' season as well--lies in the point guard battle. Bobby Maze had his highs and lows last year, and Tennessee needs to see more highs if they are going to succeed against high-level competition. And there is no better competition than Sherron Collins and the Kansas Jayhawks.

Akinori Iwamura Is More Valuable to the Pirates Than Jesse Chavez Is

Andrew Kaufman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:44:06 -0500

Akinori Iwamura isn't going to make the Pirates a winning baseball team.

He's a nice player and a viable starting second baseman, provided he is healthy. His bat plays well at the position—his .354 career on-base percentage is actually significantly better than Freddy Sanchez', although he does not have as much gap power—and he has an average glove for a second baseman.

But he's not exactly a world-beater. He's 30 years old and coming off ACL surgery, and he has never hit more than seven home runs or driven in 50 runs in a season. Plus he's only under contract for one more year. The Pirates shouldn't trade for players like this when they have to give up younger players whose rights they control.

This, at least, has been the common rationale cited by those who oppose the trade. But what exactly did the Pirates give up?

Jesse Chavez was one of Pittsburgh's better relief pitchers last year, but he is a dime a dozen in the major leagues. He is no better than Matt Capps, or Evan Meek, or likely Victor Black (the Pirates' sandwich-round selection in the 2009 Entry Draft).

Chavez was important to a Pirate team that lost Meek to injury in the middle of 2009. Obviously, Meek's strong return from injury is not guaranteed, so it is true that Chavez provides value in the form of 2010 bullpen depth. But bullpen depth is not something the Pirates can or should actively speak.

In 2010, when Iwamura will definitely be a Pirate, a decent second baseman who can hit in the No. 2 hole behind Andrew McCutchen is a much bigger priority than bullpen depth. In 2011 and beyond, a future in which Iwamura will not necessarily take part, the Pirates don't intend to need Chavez anyway.

This is by no means a groundbreaking deal. It is a marginal upgrade, one that could help Pittsburgh's pitchers sustain confidence with more sound defense behind them and that could help McCutchen develop the belief that, if he hits a lead-off double, the batter behind him will actually move him over to third.

But the marginal upgrade was readily available; the Tampa Bay Rays were actively shopping Iwamura, whose starting position had been taken over by Ben Zobrist. The Pirates took advantage of Tampa's need to make a deal, and all they had to part with was Jesse Chavez.

Will Iwamura make them a winner? No. But that's not a reason to stray from making a sound baseball move.

The Iowa Hawkeyes Are Not the Fourth-Best Team in College Football

Andrew Kaufman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:38:35 -0500

When asked about his team's No. 1 ranking in computer polls last week, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz replied, "Computers have not seen us play. If they had eyes and could see us play, they would say, are you kidding me?"

Anyone who saw Iowa play Indiana this Saturday would agree with Ferentz's assessment.

The Hawkeyes were bad—really, really bad—in the first three quarters of their game against the Hoosiers, who are 1-4 in Big Ten play. They rallied to win in the fourth quarter, maintaining their reputation as a gritty team capable of exciting comebacks, but it's very possible that such a rally never would have happened if not for a fluky, pinball-esque interception which turned what would have likely been a three-score Indiana lead into a 21-14 contest.

Yet despite another poor performance, the Hawkeyes still find themselves ranked No. 4 in the BCS, ahead of fellow undefeated teams Cincinnati, TCU, and Boise State.

There's nothing wrong with rewarding a team for winning. Winning is obviously a team's primary, and essentially its only goal each week, and Iowa has accomplished that goal every week so far during the 2009 season. But so have six other teams, and the notion that Iowa is better than half of them is absurd.

Iowa isn't better than Cincinnati, which traveled across the country to beat Oregon State and has easily dispatched with Big East opponents despite losing star quarterback Tony Pike.

Iowa isn't better than TCU, which beat two ACC teams on the road and defeated then-No. 16 BYU by thirty points on the road two Saturdays ago.

Iowa isn't better than Boise State, which handily defeated Oregon in its season opener and has since only won one game by less than 17 points.

It's not about strength of schedule, either—if anything, Cincy, TCU, and Boise State, have proven they are much more capable of playing consistently than Iowa has. The Hawkeyes have beaten Northern Iowa and Arkansas State by a combined total of four points this year, not exactly an impressive display in non-conference play.

Human voters recognize this, too; there's a reason Iowa is ranked No. 6 in the Coaches' Poll and No. 7 in the Harris Poll. Yet the BCS computers, which for no logical reason are wired to equate a one-point win on a blocked field goal with a 30-point win without a team's starting quarterback, are the Hawkeyes' saving grace yet again: five of the six computers rank Iowa ahead of both Alabama and Texas.

If only they could see the Hawkeyes play.

Scouts Inc. Grades Every New York Jet: Darrelle Revis Underrated

Andrew Kaufman — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:20:09 -0400

ESPN recently published Scouts Inc.'s rating of every veteran NFL player, and the ratings of some Jets were pretty interesting.

Scouts Inc. only ranked those with ample NFL experience, so players Jet fans might be most interested in, such as Mark Sanchez and David Clowney, are not rated by the organization. Yet several other Jets received pretty intriguing scores, especially when compared to other Jets or other members of the league.

Below (and on the next page), I comment on those ratings which were most notable, either because they deviated from my expectations or because of what they say about the Jets' team. The ratings for every Jet, which are only available to ESPN Insiders, can be found here.

The Scouts Inc. grading scale is as follows:

100-90 Elite Player

89-80 Outstanding Player

79-75 Solid Starter

74-70 Good Starter

69-65 Adequate Starter

64-60 Good Backup

59-55 Adequate Backup

54-50 Marginal Backup

49-45 Below Average Backup

20 Developmental Player

Darrelle Revis, CB: 80.

I thought this rating, which, along with the "80" grade received by Kerry Rhodes and Kris Jenkins, was the highest rating awarded to any Jet, was a bit low for Revis. The "80" graded puts Revis in a tie for ninth among NFL cornerbacks, whereas some publications have him listed as high as third.

Revis is also a more effective player than both Rhodes and Jenkins right now (when you consider Jenkins' impact over a whole season and factor in his stamina issues). He should be rated accordingly.

Bart Scott, LB: 78. David Harris, LB: 78.

Given the excitement surrounding Scott's arrival, it's worth noting that the Jets already have a linebacker who grades just as highly. Harris, only two years removed from a monster rookie season, may be just as valuable to the Jets as Scott is.

This isn't a knock on Scott, either: He's still listed as the fourth-best player on the Jets. It's just a reminder that Harris is a very good player too. It will be exciting to see what this tandem in action.

Dustin Keller, TE: 69.

I expected to see the Jets' talented young tight end graded higher, and I expect that after this season he will be. A 535-yard rookie season is very good for a tight end, and it's no surprise that Scouts Inc. reserved all its criticism for Keller's blocking abilities. But Rex Ryan says those blocking abilities have improved dramatically. If he's right, Keller will be one of the best tight ends in the NFL for many years.

Chansi Stuckey, WR: 57.

Yes, David Clowney was not rated, due to his lack of NFL experience. And yes, technically Brad Smith (59) and Aundrae Allison (58) were graded higher than Stuckey. But it's certainly not a good thing when your likely No. 2 receiver is classified as an "Adequate Backup."

Stuckey's Scouts Inc. profile includes the phrase "easily re-routed by physical press corners." No wonder the Jets are trying to add receiving help.

Summer League Success: A Look at the 2009 VSL Pirates

Andrew Kaufman — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:57:01 -0400

The Pirates' successful season came to an end today, as the Bucs failed to muster enough offense, and came up one game short of a league championship.

No, it's not 1992—but unfortunately I'm not talking about the National League either.

The VSL Pirates lost to the VSL Rays 8-2, today, in the final game of the best-of-three Venezuelan Summer League championship series.

Success in the VSL means little for a team's immediate future—nearly all of the players in the league are teenagers who are years away from the majors—but the Pirates' affiliate contains several intriguing prospects.

I have briefly profiled those most likely to compete for a future roster spot below. Some of the prospects made my list due to their performance, others due to their pedigree, but all of the players below are worth keeping an eye on.

Exicardo Cayonez, OF. Cayonez heads this list on both performance and pedigree. His $400,000 bonus, signed in 2008, is the biggest international bonus in Pirate history...so the Bucs were certainly expecting a thing or two from him. He didn't disappoint this year, compiling a .396 OBP, and hitting 18 doubles in 62 games. Not bad for a 17-year-old.

Jonathan Barrios, SS. Barrios, who received a $250,000 bonus in 2008, did not live up to expectations this past year. His OPS was a low .655, and he did play well enough to start on a daily basis.

Barrios is also 17, though, and he will have another year or two in the VSL to work out the larger kinks in his game. At that age, pedigree still outweighs production.

Jorge Bishop, SS. Bishop was by far the more successful middle infielder in 2009, batting .308 with an OPS of .837. He also slugged .470 and hit nine home runs—second-most on the team—even though he only weighs 152 pounds.

If he fills out—and given that he's only 18, there's no reason to believe he won't—he could be a very interesting player to watch, given the Pirates' lack of middle infield prospects.

Michaelangel Trinidad, 1B. Trinidad was by far the best hitter on the VSL Pirates this year, hitting .318/.412/.604 with 14 home runs and 56 RBI to lead the team in every major offensive category.

His otherwise monstrous numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, as he will turn 21 next week, and thus is rather old for the VSL. But power is not a commodity the Pirates should ignore.

Roberto Espinoza, SP. The VSL Pirates' ace turned 17 in May, making him younger than both Cayonez and Barrios by nearly six months. He walked a few too many batters (approximately 3 BB/9), but did not show a consistent lack of control—especially given his age.

He also displayed an ability to pitch deep into games in a scoreless seven-inning outing against the Tigers.

Raul Ruiz, RP. The 18-year-old reliever doesn't have the same pedigree as some of the other names on this list, but he dominated the VSL in 2009, winning seven games in 20 appearances, and posting a 0.53 ERA and a WHIP of 0.77. If Ruiz keeps pitching like this, he will be noticed quickly.

There's a decent chance none of these players will ever play in Pittsburgh, but there's also a chance any one of them could contribute to the Major League club in a big way in five or six years. The Pirates haven't had Latin American prospects like this in a while.

ESPN Predicts Resurgence for Former SEC Giants

Andrew Kaufman — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:01:17 -0400

ESPN has its preseason bowl projections up, and the SEC is getting its fair amount of love.

Nothing at the top of the conference is too contentious. All three analysts, including SEC blogger Chris Low, have the same five SEC teams playing in the five biggest bowls (National Championship, Sugar, Capital One, Cotton, and Outback) and have Florida playing in the National Championship Game.

It's a bit surprising that all three analysts have Ole Miss appearing in the Sugar Bowl, given the recent track record of both the Rebels and coach Houston Nutt. Although given that Ole Miss is No. 10 in the Coaches' Poll, it isn't much of a stretch.

What's more surprising is the predicted success of downtrodden programs Tennessee, Arkansas, and Auburn.

Each makes at least two appearances in the projections, and Low predicts that all three teams will go Bowling, even though none of the three qualified for a bowl in 2008.

Meanwhile, qualifying for a bowl is no certainty for any of these teams.

Tennessee was the lone team of the three to appear in all three projections, but even the Vols have a lot of work to do if they are to qualify for a bowl in Lane Kiffin's first season as head coach.

Predictions on this site have placed the Vols anywhere from 3-9 to 10-2 this upcoming season, and they aren't so far off. Tennessee has one of the best defenses in the country, but questions on offense and poor quarterback play are capable of derailing this team.

The Auburn Tigers, led by new coach Gene Chizik, face similar offensive woes; if they are to succeed in 2009, they will need to rediscover their running game from the earlier parts of the decade. Auburn doesn't have quite as much upside as Tennessee, but their whole team is also less likely to implode.

Arkansas had the worst year of the three schools, but the Razorbacks at least got their growing pains with coach Bobby Petrino out of the way last year. Many are expecting a fair amount of improvement in Fayetteville this year, so the Razorbacks may be the team that's most likely to prove the analysts right.

Then again, going 6-6 or 7-5 isn't all that tough when you play a couple easy nonconference games, as all three of these teams do.

In the end, I say Tennessee and Arkansas take steps forward and qualify for December bowls, while Auburn comes up just short.

A New Era: Pittsburgh Pirates Spend Big on Draft for Second Straight Year

Andrew Kaufman — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:05:54 -0400

As the Pirates have dealt several of their longer-tenured veterans for prospects over the past months, many Bleacher Creatures have shown outrage at the Bucs' moves, calling them "salary dumps."

I have persistently defended Neal Huntington's strategy, contending that the Pirates simply do not have the talent at any level to succeed now and that trading slightly above average Major Leaguers to increase talent and depth at the minor league level is a worthwhile tradeoff.

I have also tried to explain the difference between the trades Huntington is making, which have netted prospects who at least command a fair amount of respect throughout the league, with the trades made by predecessor Dave Littlefield, which often netted no prospects of note.

Even if Huntington chose the wrong players, I argued, he was at least taking his best shot and implementing a real strategy with an eye towards long-term success.

But the easiest way to distinguish Huntington from his predecessors is by looking at their respective performances in the MLB Entry Draft.

Last year, I wrote an article detailing the pain Pirate fans have felt during the draft under Littlefield.

I won't re-state that article too much, but Littlefield's draft strategy made it clear that building a winning team was not his priority; Instead, Littlefield was trying to save money while avoiding any large enough missteps that would cause him to lose his job.

But when Littlefield drafted Danny Moskos over Matt Wieters in 2007, he made his fatal error. It was a move Pirate fans will never forget, and, coupled with the awful Matt Morris trade a month later, it cost Littlefield his job.

Enter Huntington. Nothing the new GM has done has had a greater effect on Pirate fans then drafting and signing Pedro Alvarez for over $6 million in 2008. Six million dollars?! That's a number Bucs fans could never have imagined spending on a draft pick.

Throw in last year's well over slot signings of Robbie Grossman and Quinton Miller, and fans finally had a reason to believe management was willing to spend.

Which is what made the Pirates' selection of Tony Sanchez with the No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft so unnerving. It felt like "Moskos over Wieters" all over again; eschewing the expensive, risky player for the safe one.

But Huntington assured us that this wasn't just another money-saving move. That money would be spent, he promised, just on different players who would help to maximize its value. We listened and believed him, probably because we want to, or because we felt had no other choice.

We watched when the Pirates drafted highly-rated prep pitchers such as Zack Von Rosenberg, Colton Cain, Trent Stevenson, and Zack Dodson, thinking to ourselves, "Man, if we could sign just two or three of these guys, wouldn't that be something?"

It's now August 9, a full week before the signing deadline, and the Bucs have already inked all four of these pitchers. Von Rosenberg and Cain each received over a million dollars to sign, by far the biggest bonuses to be announced for late-round picks thus far.

Given that these large deals were announced more than a week before the signing deadline despite MLB's usual unwillingness to announce such large deals until the last minute, it seems like Huntington always expected to sign all four pitchers, which is pretty exciting for Bucs fans who get to witness yet another massive influx of talent into the organization.

Especially when you consider that the Pirates may very well not be done yet.

The Pirates drafted an incredibly large number of players who fell due to bonus demands, to the point where after having signed their top four targets they still have several remaining.

These include Baseball America Top 200 prospect Michael Heller and highly-rated Florida outfielder Matthew den Dekker, as well as Stanford pitcher Jeffrey Inman and a couple other prep players.

If the Pirates sign none of these players, they will still have had a very impressive draft, with Von Rosenberg and Cain joining Bryan Morris and Jeff Locke in the Bucs' second tier of pitching prospects.

All four of these pitchers are unpolished but possess tremendous potential, and if two of them can join Brad Lincoln and Tim Alderson on the Pirates' staff in 2012 or 2013, they may evolve into a true force to contend with.

But there's no reason to believe Huntington won't sign a couple more players and turn this into a truly outstanding draft.

He has been honest with fans from the outset about his draft strategy and has delivered as advertised so far, and he has another full week to negotiate with players and $2 million dollars to spend on players who will likely not command more than $500-700,000.

For once, Pirate fans can just sit back and enjoy the ride. It should be a fun week in the Steel City.

Ranking the SEC Football Head Coaches

Andrew Kaufman — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:50:37 -0400

From General Robert Neyland to Bear Bryant, coaches have always played an important role in shaping the SEC. Today's coaches are no exception, and they have no trouble staying newsworthy. Whether it's Steve Spurrier famously telling reporters that "You can't spell Citrus with UT," Mark Richt organizing a team celebration after his Georgia Bulldogs' opening score against the Gators, or Lane Kiffin accusing Urban Meyer of cheating, this batch of SEC coaches certainly talks the talk. But they walk the walk, too, to the tune of five national championship rings and the title of nation's best conference. And it's crowded at the top, with four current SEC coaches holding at least one national crown. So who's the best of the best? And who needs to start walking the walk? As always in the SEC, let the debate begin.

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Developing a Core: The Pirates Are Stockpiling High-End Talent

Andrew Kaufman — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:20:39 -0400

Yesterday in Pittsburgh, Lastings Milledge looked like he belonged in the No. 2 spot in the Pirates lineup behind Andrew McCutchen, hitting two RBI singles in the Bucs' victory, his first game in a Pittsburgh uniform.

Elsewhere, Jeff Clement hit two home runs in his debut with the Indianapolis Indians, the Pirates' AAA affiliate.

So far, so good.

Clement, part of the five-player package the Pirates received from the Mariners for Jack Wilson and Ian Snell this week. And Milledge, whom the Bucs acquired with Joel Hanrahan from the Nationals earlier this year in exchange for Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett, are just two of the many high-ceiling prospects that new Pirates general manager has added to the organization over the past two years.

Jose Tabata, Andy LaRoche, and Gorkys Hernandez have joined the Bucs in the past year. As has Time Alderson, whom the Pirates acquired from the Giants for Freddy Sanchez Thursday, only hours after getting Clement from Seattle. These are names baseball fans have been talking about for years, players who in many cases were supposed to be the futures of their respective organizations. And now they're all Pirates.

Neal Huntington was able to acquire a tremendous amount of talent by buying low on each of these former prodigies. Almost every one of the above prospects (Alderson is probably the only exception) had fallen out of favor with their former teams, either due to lack of of early Major League production (LaRoche, Clement) or attitude concerns (Milledge, Tabata).

But there's no reason to believe the talent isn't still there. Throw in first-round draft picks Pedro Alvarez and Brad Lincoln, as well as young pitchers Jeff Locke and Bryan Morris, and the Pirates suddenly boast a formidable collection of 10 young talents. Of the 10, only Lincoln was a member of the club when Huntington took over after the 2007 season.

All 10 of these players have their warts, and it's entirely unrealistic to expect all 10 to have long, productive Major League careers. But they don't need them all to. If just four or five, or even two or three, of these players realize their potential, they will join Andrew McCutchen to give the Bucs a real core to build around.

If that happens, the Pirates have the potential to boast a pretty powerful lineup (imagine a top four of McCutchen, Milledge, Tabata, and Alvarez, all at the peak of their potential) and perhaps a top-of-the-rotation starter such as Lincoln as well. Suddenly the complementary pieces, the Ross Ohlendorfs and Tony Sanchezes and Branden Mosses of the world, start to look pretty useful.

But what if Milledge, Tabata, or Alvarez don't pan out? Maybe Clement rediscovers his "light-tower power," or Hernandez adds more gap power and becomes a reliable No. 2 hitter, or Alderson fills and gives the Pirates a dynamic pitching combination. There's not a lot of margin for error, but there's certainly more than has existed in Pittsburgh in a while.

And yes, there will be growing pains. Just today, for example, the Pirates suspended Morris for "unprofessionalism." It's not going to be easy, and going through a full-fledged rebuilding process after the team has already had 16 straight losing seasons in a row—is not an easy thing for many fans to stomach.

But it's a necessary evil, and if it all works out right, the Pirates will have a serious chance to compete as early as 2011 or 2012.

As sad as it sounds, that's the best future outlook the Pirates have had since Sid Bream crossed home plate in 1992.

For the rest of the season, what happens with the Pirates' many talented young players is much more important to the team's future than its won-loss record, so I plan to spend most of my time covering those young players.

I will take an extensive look at the Pirates' organization, likely on a position-by-position basis, as well as at the 2009 draft signings (August 17, 2009 is a very important day for Pittsburgh) and the prolonged effort to sign Latin American free agent Miguel Angel Sano.

The season may be lost, but there's a lot more to be accomplished in the Steel City this year.

Five Previous Deadline Deals that Define the 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Andrew Kaufman — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:18:30 -0400

As a small market team, the Pirates are constantly wheeling and dealing—usually selling higher-priced players for prospects—and these trades constantly reshape the franchise. Over the past 17 years, not much has gone right in Pittsburgh, including on the trade front. But there have been a couple bright spots, and they have resulted in the Bucs' few post-Barry Bonds stars. This slideshow highlights the five biggest trades that have shaped the 2009 Pittsburgh Pirate franchise. They include an impressive string which began with the acquisition of slugger Brian Giles in 1998. But, as is often the case in Pittsburgh these days, the Pirates are defined more by what has gone wrong then what has gone right, and the lasting impact of a couple infamous salary dumps is represented on this list as well.

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Pittsburgh Pirates Part Ways With Adam LaRoche, Littlefield Era

Andrew Kaufman — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:55:21 -0400

The trade of Adam LaRoche—who was dealt to the Boston Red Sox yesterday for two prospects—might officially mark the end of an era in Pittsburgh.

It was LaRoche more than anyone who was supposed to be the linchpin of former Pirate GM Dave Littlefield's master plan—the power-hitting, left-handed clean-up hitter who would fit in perfectly behind Jason Bay, stroking home runs to PNC Park's power alley in right-center.

When LaRoche was acquired from the Atlanta Braves in 2007 for Mike Gonzalez, optimism was as high as it had been in a while in the Steel City. But two-and-a-half years later, LaRoche is gone. So is Bay, the man he was supposed to protect; and Littlefield, the man whose job he was supposed to save.

Tim Williams at BUCCO Fans has a good post up about the "unreasonable expectations" LaRoche faced during his stint with the Pirates, noting that his performance mirrored that of fan-favorite Nate McLouth.

Yet neither player was the kind of player around which good franchises are built. Both were better suited to play the role of complementary part—the roles they will, and do, now play in Boston and Atlanta, respectively.

Yet the returns for the two players were markedly different; Gorkys Hernandez, Charlie Morton, or Jeff Locke would alone represent a far better haul than Argenis Diaz and Hunter Strickland, the two minor leaguers the Pirates received for LaRoche. Rob Neyer refers to the LaRoche trade as a "salary dump."

And that's fine.

I'm not thrilled about the two players the Pirates received—Just because Diaz, who has an OPS of .619 in AA this year, is known as a slick-fielding, light-hitting shortshop does not mean he projects as an adequate replacement for Jack Wilson, who had an .820 OPS in AA at the same age. And while Strickland has performed pretty well thus far in his career, he projects as a reliever at best.

But the truth is the Pirates didn't give up much. LaRoche is an average first baseman and was going to walk at the end of the year, and the Pirates are currently in last place (and at the moment they are better off with the hot-hitting tandem of Garrett Jones and Delwyn Young in first base and right field, anyway. Steve Pearce is a waste of a starting spot—unless Lastings Milledge is working on one or two specific things, he should have been called up instead, and I assume he will join the big club whenever he's ready—but that's another post for another day).

If anything, the Pirates saved $3 million in this deal, which they can put towards beefing up their offers to either Miguel Angel Sano, Freddy Sanchez, or the legion of bonus-demanding draft picks they aim to sign by August 15; and they opened up more at-bats for players such as Jones, Young, Brandon Moss and Milledge.

All in all, it's a sound baseball move as this team prepares for 2010 and beyond.

I used to be a regular on Bleacher Report, but it's been six months since my last article. I'm glad to be back contributing again. I should have quite a few Pirate articles—and hopefully some other stuff, as well—up in the coming weeks.

SEC Power Rankings: Week Two

Andrew Kaufman — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:26:52 -0500

Another entertaining week in the SEC led to a pretty big shift in the rankings. I’ve added “Team on the Rise,” “Team on the Decline,” and “Games of the Week” (which will list the five biggest SEC games of the upcoming week) features to this week’s edition of the rankings.

1. LSU (19-4, 7-1). Last Week: 1

The Tigers had a pretty uneventful week, comfortably defeating conference bottom-feeders Georgia and Alabama. But taking care of business in this year’s SEC is a cause for celebration.

2. Florida (19-4, 6-2). Last Week: 5

The Gators avenged their earlier loss to South Carolina in their only game of the week. They rise three spots mostly due to attrition, as SEC East rivals Tennessee and Kentucky fell on hard times.

3. South Carolina (17-5, 6-3). Last Week: 2

The Gamecocks competed against Florida, but couldn’t complete a season sweep of the Gators. Still, they find themselves nicely positioned for a run at an NCAA Tournament berth.

4. Mississippi St. (16-7, 6-2). Last Week: 7

The Bulldogs looked impressive in Rupp Arena last Tuesday. They have firmly established themselves as a contender for the conference crown.

5. Tennessee (14-8, 5-3). Last Week: 3

The Vols’ loss to Auburn Saturday was their first real “bad loss” of the season. Tennessee, who also struggled to beat Arkansas earlier in the week, is clearly still a very inconsistent team.

6. Mississippi (13-10, 4-5). Last Week: 6

The Rebels’ three-game winning streak was halted by Vanderbilt Saturday. But Ole Miss still has an outside shot at stealing an NCAA berth if they can get to 10 wins and get to the SEC Tournament finals.

7. Kentucky (16-7, 5-3). Last Week: 4

Kentucky has, without a doubt, been a better team than Mississippi over the course of the year, but they certainly aren’t playing like it right now. They looked helpless against Mississippi St.

8. Vanderbilt (15-8, 4-5). Last Week: 11

The Commodores’ victory over Mississippi Saturday was their best conference result of the year. The season’s not over yet in Nashville.

9. Auburn (14-9, 3-5). Last Week: 9

Ditto for the Tigers, who stunned Tennessee with a last-second layup on Saturday. Auburn showed they can score against the Vols—Now they need to start playing some defense.

10. Alabama (13-10, 3-6). Last Week: 8

Still no road wins for the Crimson Tide, who look to be in the middle of a lost season at this point. They kept it close at Vandy but were easily handled by LSU Sunday.

11. Arkansas (13-8, 1-7). Last Week: 10

Arkansas looked like the Razorbacks of non-conference play against Tennessee, but couldn’t quite pull out the victory. If they can somehow get to .500 or better in conference the wins over Oklahoma and Texas will become relevant again, but it’s hard to see that happening.

12. Georgia (9-14, 0-8). Last Week: 12

The Bulldogs are still searching for that elusive first SEC win. Tennessee and Florida are on the docket for this week, so it may take a while.

Team on the Rise: Vanderbilt

After starting out 1-5 against a very tough portion of their SEC schedule, the Commodores now find themselves back in the middle of the pack in the conference. They will have to beat some of the league’s top teams to establish themselves as a contender, but it no longer seems out of the question.

Honorable Mention: Mississippi St

Team on the Decline: Kentucky

It has now been more than two weeks since the Wildcats’ last victory, and their loss to Mississippi St. last Tuesday was particularly ugly. Given that Kentucky didn’t really beat anybody in non-conference play, they need to turn things around quickly if they are going to get the 10 or 11 SEC wins necessary to make the Big Dance.

Dishonorable Mention: Alabama

Games of the Week

1. LSU at Mississippi State: Wednesday, February 11, 8 PM.
2. Florida at Kentucky: Tuesday, February 10, 9 PM.
3. Mississippi at LSU: Saturday, February 14, 7 PM.
4. Vanderbilt at Tennessee: Saturday, February 14, 3 PM.
5. Kentucky at Arkansas: Saturday, February 14, 1 PM.

End the Witch Hunt: Leave the Other 103 Alone

Andrew Kaufman — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:52:18 -0500

The person who leaked Alex Rodriguez’ positive test broke the law.

Let me repeat that: The person who leaked Alex Rodriguez’ positive test broke the law.

In the rush to indict Alex Rodriguez for his failed 2003 drug test (and—let me make this very clear—I fully do not support steroid use in any way, shape, or form), everyone seems to have forgotten that the Yankees’ third baseman was entitled, both legally and ethically, to the privacy he was guaranteed when he took the test.

So is every other Major League Baseball player.

Yet while baseball fans everywhere seek to impose their morals on players like Rodriguez, claiming they have been lied to and cheated, we forget that Rodriguez was lied to, too.

When Rodriguez and the Players’ Association agreed to be drug tested, they were promised—in writing—the results would not be leaked.

Six years later, the results were leaked. A-Rod was lied to; A-Rod was cheated.

And now we are asked to speculate about the identities of the other 103—those players who are entitled to the very privacy they were promised by Major League Baseball.

I understand and respect the desire to seek the truth.

I understand the desire to seek out those who cheated, to seek out those who broke the law, and to hold them accountable for their actions. I don’t care if Major League Baseball didn’t have a drug testing policy in place, either—I still think the actions of those who took steroids were despicable and indefensible.

But the witch hunt needs to stop.
In an ESPN.com article Monday, Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling suggested that the names of all 104 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for steroids should be revealed. Illegally.

"In my opinion, if you don't do that, then the other 600-700 players are going to be guilty by association, forever," he said.

Why? Why will the other 600-700 players be forever guilty by association? Isn’t there something we can do to prevent this rampant, indiscriminate speculation?

Of course there is. We can stop speculating rampantly and indiscriminately.

It’s not the steroid users who are fueling this media frenzy in which players are seemingly guilty of cheating until proven innocent even though only one in seven or eight actually tested positive back in 2003. For the most part, it’s not their fellow players, or even managers, teams, or the league itself.

It’s us.

We are the ones who talk steroids every day. We are the ones who actively seek to tarnish out heroes’ reputations, accusing them of cheating because they dared to gain 15 pounds or follow a bad season with a good one.

When I say "we," I’m referring to all fans and members of the media. But our beloved Bleacher Report is certainly no exception.

On Monday, members of Bleacher Report’s MLB community—of which there are 5,738 members—received an email encouraging them to speculate on the identities of the “other 103,” as they are now known.

While I mistakenly—since now I can’t quote it directly—deleted the email out of anger, it essentially stated that any form of evidence was an acceptable prerequisite for such speculation.

Is this really what we should be doing? Listing whomever we suspect might have taken steroids despite not really having any evidence? If we care so much about salvaging the reputations of all those who did not take steroids, shouldn’t we refrain from accusing random players of cheating?

Is revealing the names of 103 players who were guaranteed that their positive test results would be kept private really the more ethical solution?

No, but it sure is the more exciting one. And that’s what’s keeping the steroid
scandal going.

Todd Haley the Right Choice for Kansas City Chiefs

Andrew Kaufman — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:10:22 -0500

The Kansas City Chiefs got their man this week, signing Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley to a four-year deal as their next head coach. They couldn’t have made a better choice.

Haley is everything an NFL team needs in a coach—he’s young, passionate, and smart. Really, really smart.

Two minutes away from winning a Super Bowl with the Arizona Cardinals smart.

At just 41 years old, Haley has already proven himself to be one of the game’s top tacticians. The Cardinals were repeatedly effective against top defenses (particularly Carolina and Pittsburgh) throughout the postseason, and Haley’s halftime adjustments helped Arizona come back from a 17-7 deficit to the Steelers, and nearly pull off the victory.

Did Haley have a lot to work with? Yes, but all successful teams have good players. Haley succeeded because he devised a system which best utilized his players’ abilities.

The best, and most extreme, example of Haley’s success in this area is Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is a freak of nature. He’s simply uncoverable, and will win any one-on-one matchup.

Haley understood this. In the NFC Championship game, he called a flea-flicker. Usually, trick players are designed to leave a receiver wide open down the field, but this play was designed merely to get Fitzgerald single coverage down the field, since, after all, it’s essentially the same thing.

The outcome of the play was never in doubt as Fitzgerald easily out-jumped his man to secure the easy touchdown. But it would have never happened if not for Haley’s immense understanding of his player’s talents.

But it’s not just about X’s and O’s. Haley didn’t just understand his player’s abilities, he also put his full faith in his players. In fact, Haley was the ultimate player’s coach.

Yes, the same Todd Haley who famously clashed with both Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin in the second half of the NFC Championship Game is a player’s coach because being a player’s coach is not about coddling your players and granting their every demand.

Haley’s close relationship with Warner has been well-documented, so just because he yells at his quarterback from time to time doesn’t mean the two don’t respect one another. Haley has particularly high expectations, and he makes these expectations known.

But you know what? So far, he’s done a pretty good job of getting his players to meet those expectations, both through motivation and through devising strategies which perfectly conform to his players’ respective skill sets.

That’s exactly what the Chiefs (or any other NFL team) need.

How Eric Hinske Will Help the Pittsburgh Pirates

Andrew Kaufman — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:50:52 -0500

The Pirates made their annual free-agent “splash” last week, when they signed utility man Eric Hinske to a one-year deal.

Shockingly, given that the hometown Steelers were only two days away from laying claim to their NFL-leading sixth Super Bowl title, few Pittsburgh natives noticed. And those who did weren’t exactly floored by the move—many lamented management’s decision to offer Hinske a contract instead of Steel City favorite Doug Mientkiewicz.

But, while he certainly is not the kind of player who can drastically alter a team’s fortunes, Eric Hinske should contribute nicely to the Pirates in 2009. He brings two assets—position versatility and power—which the Buccos sorely lack.

Hinske can play both corner infield and both corner outfield positions, arguably the four positions in which the Pirates need the most offensive help.

Hinske can takeover for the inconsistent Andy LaRoche at third base or the inexperienced Nyjer Morgan in left field when necessary, can fill in for Brandon Moss in right field while Moss recovers from knee surgery, and can give Adam LaRoche a rest at first base if LaRoche’s annual first-half struggles continue.

But what is most significant about Hinske joining the Pirates is his bat. The 2002 American League Rookie of the Year adds some power to a lineup that is sorely lacking in that area.

Hinske’s 20 home runs in limited time with the Tampa Bay Rays last season—he only had 381 at-bats—were third-most by an 2009 Pirate, behind only Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche. In contrast, McLouth hit his 26 home runs in 597 at-bats. His .465 slugging percentage would have ranked fourth on the team, behind McLouth, LaRoche, and team leader Ryan Doumit.

While he won’t play every day, odds are Hinske will have ample opportunity to impact the Pittsburgh line-up. Given the uncertainty at all four positions Hinske plays, his role as the Pirates best and most versatile bench player means he should see at least three or four starts each week, if not more.

Furthermore, Hinske’s presence means Pirate management can take extra care to avoid rushing prospects such as Andrew McCutchen to the big club if it feels they are not yet ready. Instead, Hinske can provide more-than-adequate production while McCutchen and the other youngsters prepare to lead the Pirates of the future. All for $1.5 million.

He’s no Mark Teixeira, but the Pirates got a pretty good deal.

SEC Power Rankings: Inaugural Edition

Andrew Kaufman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:30:41 -0500

It has certainly been a wild year in the SEC, where the conference hierarchy changes night in and night out.

In order to get a better grasp of the power structure of this exciting conference, I’ve decided to start issuing a set of weekly SEC Power Rankings. The rankings will typically be released each Tuesday before the first set of SEC games on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

In future weeks, I will include more features, but since this is the first week I figured it would be best just to focus on where each team stands. The first installment is below.

1. LSU (17-4, 5-1)

The Tigers, who are the only SEC team with less than two conference losses, have earned this spot with their recent hot play. LSU has won its last five SEC games, with a loss to Xavier their only blemish during that stretch. A victory at Tennessee last week helped secure the top spot for the Tigers.

2. South Carolina (16-4, 5-2)

The Gamecocks find themselves ahead of their SEC East rivals after winning in Kentucky Saturday. South Carolina may have defeated both Kentucky and Florida in the game’s final seconds, but they won both contests and that’s what counts.

3. Tennessee (13-7, 4-2)

Despite all that has gone wrong in Knoxville, the Vols still have the best NCAA Tournament résumé in SEC, according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. Tennessee has beaten Florida and South Carolina and its 80-68 defeat of Marquette on Dec. 16 is by far the best nonconference win (the victory over Oklahoma by the enigma that is Arkansas notwithstanding) by an SEC team. The Volunteers could easily find themselves in the No. 1 spot by season’s end.

4. Kentucky (16-6, 5-2)

Yes, I know. They beat Tennessee, at Tennessee, by 18 points. But that’s really all the Wildcats have done in SEC play, as their four other conference wins all come against teams with losing records. Wins against Mississippi State and Florida in the coming weeks would give the Wildcats’ résumé a bit more beef.

5. Florida (18-4, 5-2)

The Gators could easily be higher on this list - frankly, spots one through five are virtually interchangeable right now - but they also lack a marquee conference win. In fact, none of Florida’s five SEC victories has come against an opponent with a winning record.
6. Mississippi (12-9, 3-4)

Mississippi had a huge week last week, defeating Kentucky at home and then beating Mississippi State in Starkville. Their season is still on life support, but the Rebels — who have already played every team above them in these rankings except Tennessee and have yet to face Auburn, Vanderbilt, or Georgia — now have a chance to fight their way back into the SEC race.

7. Mississippi State (14-7, 4-2)

Like Florida, Mississippi State has some work to do to back up its record — the Bulldogs have also failed to defeat an SEC opponent who has a winning conference record. A win at Kentucky tonight would go a long way towards legitimizing this team.

8. Alabama (13-8, 3-4)

The Crimson Tide have been inconsistent at best — they are the only SEC team to defeat LSU this season and yet are the only SEC team to lose to Arkansas this season. Alabama has also yet to win a conference road game.

9. Auburn (13-8, 2-4)

The bottom four of the SEC hasn’t done much right in conference play, and the Auburn Tigers are no exception. They gain the No. 9 spot by virtue of their win over Alabama, but both Arkansas and Vanderbilt could easily be here instead.

10. Arkansas (13-6, 1-5)

Nobody understands the Razorbacks. They are the only team in the country to have defeated Oklahoma, yet hold only a single SEC win. There’s still some time for this team to turn its season around, but Arkansas needs to start winning immediately.

11. Vanderbilt (13-8, 2-5)

The Commodores are a shell of the team they were last season and have really yet to figure out how to replace Shan Foster. In a year with four strong SEC East teams, the Commodores have little margin for error.

12. Georgia (9-12, 0-6)

The Bulldogs are still looking for that elusive first SEC win — and it may not come soon, as their next four games are against LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida. Who knows? Maybe another conference tournament run is in the cards.

B/R College Basketball Top 25: Explaining My Picks

Andrew Kaufman — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:55:39 -0500

But even though Louisville has been hot of late, they must pay for their three losses—at least until some of the teams ahead of them start to slip up.

The recent poor play of Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Villanova has hurt the top Big East clubs, who are seeing the value of some of their victories begin to dwindle.

The winner of Wednesday’s Duke-Wake Forest game will likely earn my No. 1 ranking next week.

Purdue is Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

When so many teams have winless weeks, four straight wins is suddenly enough to vault a team to the cusp of the top-10—and that’s exactly what the Boilermakers have been able to put together since a disappointing loss to Penn State January 6.

Purdue has been solid, if unspectacular—it’s important to remember that two of the Boilermakers’ four losses were to Duke and Oklahoma—whereas teams such as Syracuse and Clemson can’t seem to get out of their own way. Thus, Purdue jumps five spots to No. 11 in this week’s poll.
Texas is still mired in mediocrity

Nothing new to report here. Simply put, a nine-point home victory over Texas A&M isn’t exactly enough to change my view of the Longhorns.

Teams such as Arizona State and St. Mary’s did more to impress me this week, so they leapfrog Texas, which means the Longhorns are one of the few teams who failed to really rise in the polls despite the precipitous falls of teams such as Georgetown.

Is Syracuse really 12 spots better than Georgetown?

So I was wrong—Georgetown isn’t so good after all. Two poor losses to below-average Big East competition dropped the Hoyas 11 spots in my poll, to No. 20.

But Syracuse lost twice last week too. Sure, their losses were against much better competition—both Pittsburgh and Syracuse are in my top-six this week.

The Orange still lost to the Panthers by 18 points. Syracuse’s five Big East wins have come against South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Notre Dame. They don’t deserve to be ranked No. 12.

I learned my lesson with UCLA—now everyone else needs to

I don’t understand how UCLA can be ranked No. 20 while Washington is unranked. I don’t understand it all.

Washington is a game ahead of the Bruins in the Pac-10, just beat UCLA head-to-head, and has lost one game since November 25.

Is that Opening Night loss to Portland really going to haunt the Huskies all season?

Pittsburgh Pirates' Prospect Rankings Released: Musings and Observations

Andrew Kaufman — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:01:12 -0500

When you’re a rebuilding team—which the Pirates finally are—Spring Training has a different kind of buzz. The focus is not on established players, but instead on up-and-coming prospects.

So this week, in a way, was a big one for the Pirates, as Baseball America and ESPN analyst Keith Law both released their top prospect lists. BA issued a list of the Pirates’ top-10 prospects, along with such tidbits as a projected 2012 starting lineup, while Law issued his list of the top 100 overall prospects.

The Baseball America article was written by John Perrotto of the Beaver County Times.

There were quite a few interesting pieces of information in the two different reports. What follows is a summary of the juiciest nuggets for the diehard—and not-so diehard—Pirate fan.

How good is Pedro Alvarez, anyway?

As the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft awaits his professional debut, experts already disagree on where he stands. In Baseball America’s top 100 list, Alvarez was ranked a strong third overall. Yet Keith rated Alvarez No. 38, behind fellow Pirates Andrew McCutchen (No. 18) and Jose Tabata (No. 33).

Law, who only considered Alvarez the fifth-best prospect going into the 2008 Entry Draft, cited Alvarez’ “high-effort swing” and conditioning issues as reasons for the current low ranking, Yet even Law acknowledged that “you can’t teach the kind of power Alvarez has.”

The truth is nobody will be able to get a real handle on Alvarez’ pro potential until he has at least a few months of Minor League ball under his belt. Bucs fans are certainly excited to see that.

A first look at the Bucs’ future rotation

John Perrotto’s Baseball America page included a projection of the Pirates’ 2012 pitching rotation. Pitching prospects Brad Lincoln and Bryan Morris featured prominently, as Perrotto placed them as the future No. 1 and No. 3 starters, respectively.

What was perhaps most surprising about this list was the projection of Paul Maholm as the No. 4 starter. Rating prospects highly is one thing, but Ian Snell is projected as the Pirates’ No. 2 starter in 2012.

Maholm, who many forget was actually a first-round pick in 2003, has both the pedigree and the recent track record to be a future No. 2 starter, and he certainly is more likely to succeed down the road than Snell.

The much-troubled Tom Gorzelanny filled out the rotation, showing Perrotto’s lack of faith in newly-acquired pitchers Jeff Karstens and Ross Ohlendorf.

How the mighty have fallen

Two years ago, Neil Walker was the Pirates’ No. 2 prospect and their third baseman of the future. Now, he might have trouble finding a place to play.

Walker fell to No. 6 in the BA Pirate top 10, and he doesn’t even appear in Perrotto’s projected 2012 starting lineup. There may be room for him on the big club after all, though, according to Keith Law, who fears Alvarez’ conditioning problems will lead to his eventual move to first base, opening up a potential spot for Walker.

Daniel Moskos was never really “mighty,” but he still was the No. 4 overall pick less than two years ago. Yet he doesn’t even make the Bucs’ top 10 prospects and appears neither as a member of their 2012 rotation or as their 2012 closer.

Oh, and Matt Wieters was ranked the No. 1 overall prospect by both Baseball America and ESPN.

Jarek Cunningham gets some love

The rookie shortstop put together a nice debut season, compiling a .892 OPS in 43 Gulf Coast League games. While Cunningham hasn’t yet cracked the Bucs’ top 10 list, Perrotto thought enough of him to project him as the Pirates’ 2012 shortstop.

Cunningham’s selection also shows the Pirates’ lack of depth at the shortstop position. John Perrotto knows something Pirate fans have known all along: Brian Bixler is not the answer.

A Night to Remember: NJIT Wins

Andrew Kaufman — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:48:02 -0500

I’d like to think I have some idea what it felt like to play basketball for the New Jersey Institute of Technology last night.

My senior year of high school—three years ago, now—I was captain of the varsity basketball team. We were pretty undermanned, having graduated 14 seniors over the past two years, and quite frankly were by far the least athletic of the eight teams in our league.

We knew it was going to be a long year. We just weren’t sure quite how tough it was actually going to be. We had some close games early—we blew our home opener and a few other games early in the year—but simply couldn’t compete with three or four teams.

Suddenly, we were 0-12. The season, by the way, was only 16 games. With a couple playoff teams remaining on our schedule, we didn’t exactly have many opportunities to pick up a win. Our next game—at home against fellow cellar-dweller Washington Irving—was almost do-or-die.

It wasn’t my best game. After hitting a three-pointer on our first possession, I got into foul trouble. Quickly. As in, three fouls in the first quarter. Only two left for the other three. As in, sat the whole second quarter and played only 45 seconds in the third after picking up my fourth foul. It was a cheap foul on a ball handler; I hardly even touched the guy and they called me for the block.

We led by six entering the fourth quarter, but they were aggressive from the start and kept it close. Midway through the quarter, I found myself in a position to make a difference—finally. Our small forward drove to the basket, and, upon finding himself cut off by a double-team, kicked the ball out to me for an open three.

I drained it and we never looked back.

My stat line was unimpressive—six points, one rebound, and one assist against a team that ended up going 2-14 in league play. I certainly played much better games throughout the year. But the image of that one three-pointer will never leave my mind.

That’s how it must have felt for the NJIT players Wednesday night. The players who had never won a game in their collegiate careers.

That’s how it must have felt for Jheryl Wilson, whose career-high 26 points couldn’t have come at a better time. That’s how it must have felt for Isaiah Wilkerson, who scored eight points in a row when the game got close late.

Sure the win came against Bryant, a team that, like NJIT, isn’t even technically in Division I yet. Think anybody on the Highlanders (that’s NJIT’s nickname, by the way) cared?

Everyone associated with NJIT will remember Wed., Jan. 21, for only one thing: it’s the day the Highlanders won. Nobody on that team will ever, ever forget.

I’d like to think I have some idea what it felt like to play basketball for the New Jersey Institute of Technology last night, but the truth is my team made it to the playoffs sophomore year and won a respectable six games when I was a junior.

The truth is my team lost 12 games in a row, while NJIT lost 51.

The truth is I have no idea.

Tennessee Volunteers Return To Form Against Vanderbilt

Andrew Kaufman — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:41:42 -0500

That was better.

The Tennessee Volunteers looked much more like the team they need to become, controlling play throughout the first half of Tuesday night’s against Vanderbilt en route to an important road victory.

The result of the game was never really in doubt—Vanderbilt never made a serious run at the lead. And, while Tennessee definitely benefited from some terrible outside shooting from the Commodores, the Vols still showed plenty of signs that they are developing and learning how to best play as a team, especially on offense.

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article outlining the three things Tennessee had to improve upon in order to be a force in the SEC in 2009. They were, in order: get the ball inside, be more aggressive on defense, and understand individual roles on offense.

Tennessee’s pressure defense still isn’t what it used to be, but the Volunteers have done a pretty good job of following my suggestions on offense.

The Vols got the ball inside early and often Tuesday night, and it paid off in a big way—center Wayne Chism scored 16 of Tennessee’s 28 first-half points. By the end of the game, Chism and power forward Tyler Smith had combined for 38 of the Volunteer’s 76 total points, with Chism shooting a stellar 8-11 on the night and Smith adding five assists.

Tennessee’s success in the paint would not have been possible without the improved, intelligent play of their guards. J.P. Prince, whom I have called out in the past for failing to understand his role, specifically for shooting the ball from the perimeter too much. He took advantage of his strength and quickness to supplement Chism and Smith inside, scoring 16 points on only eight shots.

It wasn’t just Prince, though. The Vols took only 13 three-point shots the entire game, which is a large part of the reason they shot 50 percent from the field as a team. Tennessee looked more efficient on offense, recognizing opportunities and moving the ball up the floor quickly.

If the Volunteers can keep it up, they just might be the SEC favorite everyone thought they were in November.

College Basketball: B/R Top 25—Explaining My Picks

Andrew Kaufman — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:48:52 -0500

Each week, Jameson Fleming publishes a weekly college basketball top 25, featuring a variety of voters from throughout the Bleacher Report community.

But great minds do not always think alike, and I have a tendency to disagree with the general consensus. Below, I explain my picks, particularly those which could be considered a bit controversial. My actual top 25 can be found in the comments section.

UConn needs to show me something

Sure, the Huskies have only had one slipup all year—a tough loss to Georgetown to open Big East play. And sure, the Huskies’ early-season performance might have been second-best in the country, behind North Carolina.

But you know what? Connecticut has yet to really accomplish anything in Big East play, despite assembling a 5-1 conference record. The Huskies’ best victory in league play came against West Virginia; Pittsburgh’s road victory over Georgetown was much more impressive.

Louisville and Georgetown have already shown me plenty

Speaking of big conference wins, these two Big East teams’ résumés speak for themselves. Louisville has been extremely hot of late, beating three straight top-25 opponents, including a victory over then-No. 1 Pittsburgh.

Georgetown’s low ranking speaks to people’s obsession with losses. Yes, the Hoyas have four losses. But two of those losses came to top-five opposition (Pittsburgh and Duke), and Georgetown has already beaten UConn and Syracuse.

Thus, the Hoyas join Louisville in the top 10 ahead of conference foes Syracuse and Marquette, who do not have the same level of quality wins.

Texas remains unimpressive

That “low” ranking of No. 19 next to Texas’ name? That was me.

Last week, I pointed out that Texas hadn’t registered a big-time win since beating UCLA and Villanova in early December. They still haven’t, and in a year where there aren’t too many heavyweights in the Big 12 the Longhorns needed to put up a better showing against Oklahoma. A 15-point loss doesn’t cut it.
UCLA isn’t that good, but is better than Arizona State

While UCLA was ranked ahead of Arizona St. in this week’s poll, I figured I would discuss my decision to rank the Bruins a full six spots ahead of the Sun Devils (especially since, had I not voted, Arizona St. actually would be ahead of UCLA in the Bleacher Report poll).

I was wrong about UCLA. They haven’t really beaten anybody, and they lost the benefit of the doubt by blowing this game against the Sun Devils. Thus I dropped them a full eight spots in my rankings, from No. 6 to No. 14.

But Arizona State isn’t very good either. Two days before beating the Bruins, the Sun Devils couldn’t break the 50-point barrier in a loss to USC.

Plus, head-to-head performance isn’t the only factor that should be considered when evaluating teams. Otherwise, Georgetown should certainly be ahead of Syracuse after beating the Orange by 14 points this week (Arizona St. beat UCLA by three, in overtime) So, Sun Devils, enjoy that No. 20 ranking.

Thanks for stopping by, Minnesota

I think the Golden Gophers’ résumé is somewhat misleading, as their victory over Louisville came when the Cardinals weren’t playing very good basketball. When Minnesota faced the cream of the Big Ten, Michigan State, they lost by 12 points at home.

Throw in a defeat at the hands of Northwestern, a team that was previously winless in conference play, and the Golden Gophers find themselves on the outside looking in.

Tennessee Volunteers' Problem Is the Target on Their Backs

Andrew Kaufman — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:41:12 -0500

Remember that slump Tennessee was in last week? Look’s like it’s not over yet.

The Volunteers appeared to have shored some things up during a Saturday victory over Georgia, but an 18-point loss to archrival Kentucky at home has Tennessee fans wondering what’s wrong with their team. It sure is lonely at the top.

Before we look into Tennessee’s problem, though, let’s be clear about one thing: There was almost nothing the Vols could have done Tuesday night. They lost that game because of Jodie Meeks, who set a Kentucky record by scoring 54 of the Wildcats’ 90 points.

That’s right. Meeks score 60 percent of his team’s points. He was absolutely unstoppable, hitting multiple three-pointers with hands in his face and without even needing to set his feet. It was the best game of Meeks’ life and most likely the best game Kentucky has played all season.

But the Vols better get used to it, because Tuesday night won’t be the last time something like this happens in 2009.

They’re the champs now. They won the SEC regular season crown by two games last season with a stellar 14-2 record, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament in the process.

Tennessee’s conference foes are going to be gunning for them all season—every night. The Volunteers are going to get their opponents’ best shot. They better be ready for it.

Some of the Tennessee players are used to this atmosphere by now. Last season, the Vols started the year ranked in the top-10 in the country. They remained their virtually the whole season, and were heavy conference favorites as a result.

The Vols took every team’s best shot then, too. But they had veteran leaders in Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith to guide them through the process. Tennessee didn’t rely on a single freshman to play quality minutes, and they had the poise to withstand rallies and work their way back into games.

And they withstood rallies often. In their two games against Florida, an exciting young team who is one of the Vols’ biggest rivals, Tennessee fell behind by double-digits almost right after the opening tip. They won both games easily.

Sure, they had a couple rough nights—the Volunteers couldn’t recover from their post-Memphis letdown in the first half against Vanderbilt, for example—but, by and large, Tennessee withstood the challenges it faced night in and night out.

This year’s Vols have yet to learn what they have to do to withstand those same challenges. They have yet to learn to hit their foul shots—while Jodie Meeks was busy draining threes from everywhere. Tennessee started the game 5-14 from the free throw line. If they had remained composed and shot at a clip more befitting a conference favorite, the Vols would have been able to keep the game close.

They have yet to learn to take good shots. The Vols are still taking way too many three-pointers, particularly early in the shot clock. They need to get the ball inside more.

They have yet to learn to protect the ball. After a stretch of good play from Tennessee, they cut the Wildcats’ lead to 71-64 late in the game. Meeks hit one of his 10 three-pointers. On the next possession, Scotty Hopson threw a lazy entry pass, which Meeks promptly intercepted. Moments later, Kentucky led by 16.

Tennessee needs to learn all these things, and it needs to learn them quickly. The Vols’ next five conference opponents—South Carolina, Vanderbilt, LSU, Florida, and Arkansas—are all beatable. Every team in the SEC is. But these five teams are also pretty dangerous.

If the Vols don’t right the ship soon, they’ll find themselves looking up at quite a few teams. Given that 2009 is such a down year for the SEC, they would be wise not to fall too far behind the eight-ball.

College Basketball: B/R Top 25—Explaining My Picks

Andrew Kaufman — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:42:44 -0500

This week was the first time I voted in Jameson Fleming’s weekly college basketball top 25. I intend to vote in the poll each week for the rest of the season.

I also plan to publish a column a few hours after each poll is published explaining my own picks; I will focus on the selections that differed from the general consensus. This article is the first edition of that column.

It was a big week in college basketball, with a shakeup near the top of the rankings. My top five looked a little different than most—sorry, Cameron Crazies, you won’t be thrilled—but as is often the case, the biggest differences were at the bottom of the poll.

Below is an explanation of my more controversial picks. My actual top 25 can be found in the comments section. The poll itself can be found here.

North Carolina is still in the top three

Yes, they are winless in the ACC and currently last in the conference. But the Tar Heels can obviously still play.

If voters weren’t willing to punish Carolina much for its loss to BC, why should a loss on the road against a top-five team drop the Tar Heels either? North Carolina proved itself in the non-conference, and one mini-slump isn’t enough to discount what they achieved. One more loss, and things may be different.

UCLA is No. 6?

There was a pretty large gap here, especially for such a highly ranked team—I ranked UCLA No. 6, while the Bruins were ranked No. 11 in the overall poll.

I was impressed by UCLA’s start to Pac-10 play—three road wins to start the conference schedule is not something to take lightly. Oklahoma and Syracuse haven’t been tested much of late (aside from the Sooners’ loss to Arkansas), but if they prove themselves this week, the top 10 could undergo a bit of a shakeup.
Texas falls all the way to No. 13

Sure, Texas’ three losses are all good losses, but they simply haven’t had that many good wins over the past month (since defeating UCLA and Villanova in early December) to effectively offset those losses.

Teams such as Georgetown and Notre Dame—yes, even though Georgetown lost to both Pittsburgh and Notre Dame during the past two weeks—have had more impressive wins lately, so they jump Texas in my poll.

Welcome back, Gonzaga

Considering that Gonzaga only received 24 votes in the entire poll, I’m pretty sure my ranking of No. 17 was a bit on the high side for them.

I was very, very impressed by the way Gonzaga played in the second half against Tennessee Wednesday—Austin Daye looked like a lottery pick again, and the Zags looked like a Final Four contender again. I think this team has found whatever it lost in December.

No SEC shutout

Both Tennessee (No. 21) and Arkansas (No. 23) received berths in my poll. Both teams have been maddeningly inconsistent, but they have amassed enough quality wins to deserve spots in the rankings.

These two teams are the class of the SEC and have the talent to compete at college basketball’s highest level. But they need to show more consistency if they’re going to crack the top 20.

Arizona Cardinals' Success Supports Current NFL Playoff System

Andrew Kaufman — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:55:18 -0500

The NFL’s West coast looks a little more potent now.

When the playoffs began, much of the talk centered around the two No. 4 seeds—the Arizona Cardinals of the NFC and the San Diego Chargers of the AFC. Fans and columnists alike lamented the fact that the 9-7 Cardinals and the 8-8 Chargers would be playing in the postseason while the 11-5 Patriots watched on TV.

Two weeks later, the Cardinals and the Chargers are a combined 3-1, with the lone blemish coming when San Diego fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday afternoon.

The Chargers, a full three games worse than the Patriots during the regular season, proved their playoff worth with a victory over the Indianapolis Colts, who were widely considered a legitimate Super Bowl threat.

The victory was the Chargers’ fifth in a row, completing their transformation from 4-8 disappointment to championship contender. While the Chargers couldn’t overcome a complete Pittsburgh team Sunday, their first-round victory at least proved they belonged.

But, despite San Diego’s 8-8 record, their ability to compete in the playoffs wasn’t frequently called into question. They had won four games in a row to close the 2008 season, including a 30-point win over Denver in Week 17 that clinched the division title.

While the Chargers didn’t beat a single playoff team during the regular season, they did beat three teams with winning records, including a 20-point victory against those same 11-5 Patriots.

The 9-7 Cardinals’ resume was not nearly as “impressive.” They were 5-5 after Week Six, but that was only a very small part of the story. Arizona’s 9-7 record included a perfect 6-0 mark against the NFC West. After their Week Six win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Cardinals did not win a single game against a team from outside their division.

This track record—a 3-7 record against non-divisional opponents and a 6-0 mark against inferior divisional foes—is the perfect example for proponents of a seeded postseason tournament. The Cardinals had done nothing to prove that they were actually deserving of a place in the NFL playoffs; they were merely the product of a down year in an already-weak division.

That is, until the playoffs actually started.

Suddenly, the Cardinals don’t look like the Cardinals anymore. They run the ball. They stop the run. They win the turnover battle.

In the Divisional playoffs, the Cardinals were by far—yes, by far—the league’s most impressive team. They went into Carolina, played a team that went 8-0 at home in 2008 and is known for running the ball down the other team’s throat… and won by 26 points. That’s equal to the margin of victory in the other three Divisional round games combined.

Where did this come from? Watching the Cardinals down the stretch, nobody would have predicted that they could compete with the Carolina Panthers. Oh, by the way, the Panthers were the 2008 champions of the NFC South, thought by many to be the best division in the NFL this season.

But that’s the thing. Of course nobody would have seen this coming based on the Cardinals’ December play. All December, the Cardinals essentially had nothing to play for. Their division title and their home playoff game were locked up, and their odds of getting a first-round bye were slim at best.

So the Cardinals coasted. They lost their focus a bit. They rested Edgerrin James and kept him healthy for the playoffs.

Did they earn the right do conduct their season this way? Based on the rules the NFL had in place at the start of the season, they absolutely earned that right.

Should they always have that right, though—should the rules at the start of the 2008 season be the rules in place going forward? There is certainly room for debate here, and the Cardinals’ postseason success does not, in and of itself, mean that the system is working.

But their success does mean the system is a little less flawed than most people thought.

Pirates Strike Out on Baldelli: Early Offseason Review

Andrew Kaufman — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:33:48 -0500

Rocco Baldelli would have looked great in a Pirate uniform. He was the kind of low-cost, high-upside young player a team like the Bucs should be targeting.

But he won’t be playing in Pittsburgh next year.

Instead, Baldelli agreed to a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox. The Pirates’ offer was financially competitive, but they fell short for a variety of reasons, including Baldelli’s preferences to play in the American League and close to his hometown of Cumberland, Rhode Island.

What went unmentioned was Baldelli’s assumed preference to play for a perennial contender as opposed to a team that is in rebuilding mode, even if the Pirates could have offered him more at-bats.

It’s encouraging that the Pirates’ offer was at least financially competitive—that’s the first step towards being a real player in the free agent market.

But, as the case of Baldelli—and earlier, Daniel Cabrera—shows, signing quality free agents isn’t as easy as throwing money at them. The Pirates’ reputation precedes them, and it will be difficult to attract good players to the Steel City until the Bucs either start winning games or showing signs of legitimate progress.

The Bucs’ pursuit of Baldelli was emblematic of the problem Neal Huntington and Frank Coonelly face: They are trying to be proactive and creative in their efforts to improve the Pirates, but they are hindered by limited resources. All moves the Pirates make—or don’t make—must be evaluated within this context.

That said, the Pirates have done some good things this offseason, even if none of them are likely to lead to many more wins in 2009.

Ryan Doumit signs a contract extension.

At this point, the best resource the Pirates do have is their young talent, and locking up a player like Doumit is a big step in the right direction. The Pirates attempted to reach similar agreements with Paul Maholm and Nate McLouth, but could not come to any consensus.

If the Bucs are to be competitive in the future, keeping the players they develop is a critical first step. It is a very good sign that Coonelly and Huntington recognize this fact, as shown by their efforts to lock up all three players.

Jack Wilson is staying put.

If the right offer had been on the table, I would have supported a Jack Wilson trade—he is too old to be a part of the team’s long-term future at this point.

But the right trade wasn’t out there—the one name that was relatively exciting was Matt Joyce, at the time a Tiger, but it is unlikely that he was actually available—so the Pirates were better off keeping what they have instead of making a move just to shake things up.

The Bucs know what they are getting from Wilson. In a year in which they don’t expect to be contenders, the most important thing Wilson can give them is above-average defense and in turn more confidence for their young pitchers. That’s more valuable than anything a below-average prospect can offer.

The Bucs actually have Latin American prospects worth following.

I’m not saying Exciardo Cayones and Yonathan Barrios will amount to anything; they are way too young for anyone to know what will become of them. But it’s nice to know they could become something.

Under the leadership of Rene Gayo, the Pirates have seen a remarkable growth in their Latin American scouting and player development program during a very short period of time.

The Latin American market is one in which the Pirates can legitimately compete, and the Pirates’ work there is an example of the efforts of Huntington and Coonelly to improve the organization using methods that weren’t always considered conventional in Pittsburgh.

None of these moves is going to alter the 2009 NL Central balance of power—in fact, none of them will even affect the Bucs’ 2009 roster. But all three show that, though the climb won’t be easy, the Pirates are slowly, but surely heading in the right direction.

Three Steps To Fix the Tennessee Volunteers Basketball Team

Andrew Kaufman — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:59:32 -0500

For the first time since Bruce Pearl came to Knoxville, the Tennessee basketball team suddenly finds itself in a bit of a slump.

Consecutive losses to Kansas and Gonzaga—two unranked, yet legitimate teams—including the Vols’ first home loss since March 2006, leave Tennessee in a bit of limbo. While Pearl still has a full stable of talented athletes, these clearly aren’t last year’s Tennessee Volunteers.

But that’s fine. The Vols just need to understand this and move on. This year’s Tennessee team has a ton of potential; it probably possesses more overall talent than last year’s edition, which at one point was ranked No. 1 in the country.

If the Volunteers adhere to the following three steps, they will find themselves in the Sweet 16 again in March.

1. Get the ball inside.

Chris Lofton, the superstar shooting guard of Pearl’s first three years, is gone. Bomber JaJuan Smith is gone too. Tennessee simply does not have the same firepower in the backcourt that it is accustomed to having.

What the Vols do have, though, are Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism: two frontcourt players who are capable of dominating any game. Against Gonzaga, Smith and Chism combined for 32 points and 27 rebounds. Chism, who absolutely owned the paint in the second half, had 19 rebounds himself, and there’s a good chance at least half of those came on the offensive end.

But despite the inside presence these two players represent, Pearl’s flex offense rarely runs through them. Sure, they get their chances naturally through the offense, but too many possessions this year have ended with poor three-point shooters taking deep shots.

Smith gets some opportunities to go one-on-one and is usually successful when given the chance. Chism often has very good post position and does not get the ball enough when he does. He has grown a tremendous amount as a player, as shown by big performances against Gonzaga, Marquette, and Kansas (he had six blocks in the loss); now he just needs to get the ball more.

Aside from Cameron Tatum and, on occasion, Scotty Hopson, the Vols simply don’t have the shooters they are accustomed to having. For the first time under Pearl, their strength is in the paint. And that’s where the ball needs to go.

2. Regain their defensive identity.

Pearl’s teams are known for their aggressive, trapping style. Over the years, the Vols have consistently forced a tremendous amount of open-court turnovers, leading to easy baskets and large runs.

This year, not so much. Sure, the aggression is still there at times, and Tennessee is as good as ever at forcing turnovers on inbounds plays. But the intense full-court pressure that last year led to consecutive turnovers and quick 10-point swings isn’t there.

And why not? JaJuan Smith was a great pressure defender, but Lofton wasn’t, and Scotty Hopson and Emmanuel Negedu certainly don’t lack athleticism. If Pearl isn’t letting his team press as much, it’s probably because they lack discipline.

But at this point, the Vols can’t really guard anybody. So it’s worth giving the press a shot.

3. Understand their roles.

The Vols are getting much better at this—Chism, for example is playing inside more, and Hopson is taking fewer bad shots—but they still have a long way to go.

As J.P. Prince showed last night, he should never take deep shots. Ever. Even if the defense leaves him wide open. Sure, that makes him a bit of an offensive liability, and if that’s the case, maybe he shouldn’t be on the floor as much—Hopson is probably a better option now that he has gained more discipline.

Tyler Smith and Bobby Maze are picking their spots more, which is a good thing when the offense is functioning smoothly. When it isn’t, they are probably being a bit too selective.

But what the Vols really need to do is get the ball in Chism’s hands. Not at the three-point line, but in the paint. He doesn’t have to shoot every time; let the defense react, leaving Tatum open for a shot, Smith for a drive, or one of the many other talented Vols close to the basket.

The Volunteers have hit a bit of a rough stretch lately. But conference play hasn’t even started, and Tennessee is a young team that has plenty of time to turn their season around. The signs of improvement are already there, even in defeat—the Vols just have to complete the transformation on offense and get back to their roots on defense.

Wilson Chandler's Improved Jump Shot Makes Him a Consistent Threat

Andrew Kaufman — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:34:38 -0500

As the defending-champion Boston Celtics worked their way back into the game in the fourth quarter, the Knicks could feel their once-large lead slipping away.

Second-year forward Wilson Chandler, on his way to a career-high 31 points, found himself with the ball on the right wing, guarded by Paul Pierce. As has been common practice this season, Pierce was laying off a bit in order to take away the drive, Chandler’s biggest weapon.

Chandler motioned, and power forward David Lee trotted over to the wing and set a high screen. Chandler calmly took one dribble to his left, pulled up one foot inside the three-point line, and swished a jumper.

It was a huge moment in the game, restoring the Knicks’ momentum—they would go on to beat the Celtics, 100-88. It might have been a much bigger moment in the Knicks’ future.

At the beginning of the season, I wrote about Chandler’s expanding role with the Knicks. He was an athletic, versatile player, who could get to the basket and had a nose for the ball. He had the potential to be an important piece of the team’s future.

His one big weakness was his shot. It was inconsistent at best and hindered his offensive game, as defenders could play a step or two off him.

Not anymore.

Chandler’s shooting stroke has undergone a complete renovation over the past two months. In November, he looked like exactly what he was—a lanky, athletic swingman who never devoted too much time to his shot, because he was too busy beating defenders to the hole.

Now, he looks like a shooting guard; his shot has the arc and rotation of the man he is replacing in New York—Jamal Crawford.

Chandler is still a bit inconsistent—as shown by his 41.9 shooting percentage, largely a product of his occasionally poor shot selection. But, other statistics show his improvement. He is averaging 14.6 points per game, which is double his 2007-2008 total. And he is shooting an impressive 82.3 percent from the free-throw line, a near 20 percentage points higher than last season.

Chandler’s improved stroke should benefit his entire offensive game, as defenders now have to defend him on the perimeter, opening up the driving lanes he used to see when nobody knew who he was. He may be quietly evolving into the Knicks’ most complete offensive player.

Fiesta Bowl Insight: The Excessive Celebration Penalty Needs to Go

Andrew Kaufman — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:08:22 -0500

With less than 20 seconds left in the Fiesta Bowl, Texas receiver Quan Cosby caught Colt McCoy’s quick slant, spun away from his defender, and raced towards the end zone with no Buckeye in sight.

Shocked, excited, and jubilant, Cosby dove forward, arms outstretched, and landed in the end zone. He had just scored the game-winning touchdown in the final contest of his collegiate career.

Then the flag fell.

“Unsportsmanlike conduct on the offense, excessive demonstration. Fifteen-yard penalty will be enforced during the kickoff…”

Just another college referee ruining the kids’ fun. But there were only 16 seconds left, so at least the call couldn’t affect the outcome of the game.

Right?

As a result of the penalty, the Longhorns were forced to kick from their own 15-yard line. One average kickoff and one average return later, Ohio State found themselves with the ball on their own 42 with 11 seconds remaining, down by only three.

That’s plenty of time for one 20-yard pass, or two 10-yard passes, followed by a long, but entirely makeable field goal attempt.

All because Quan Cosby dove into the end zone after making the biggest play of his life.

It’s funny that the referees flagged Cosby for “excessive demonstration” not “excessive celebration,” as the penalty is commonly called. Because that’s exactly what Cosby did—he celebrated. Briefly. After making the biggest play of his life. And there was nothing excessive about it.

The NCAA rulebook defines excessive celebration "Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves)."

No part of that definition even touches on what Cosby did. His dive wasn’t delayed—it took about a half-second to execute. It wasn’t excessive—it was one motion and he did nothing else. And it certainly wasn’t prolonged or choreographed.

In fact, Cosby’s dive was the exact opposite. It was a split-second, unplanned reaction to an incredible play that changed the course of his and his teammates’ season. It was a moment if genuine excitement.

And for this, the Fiesta Bowl referees gave the other team a chance to undo everything he had accomplished.

If Ohio State had managed to kick a game-tying field goal, it wouldn’t have been the first team this season that a questionable excessive celebration penalty altered the outcome of a college football game. Just ask Washington quarterback Jake Locker.

In an early-season matchup against BYU, the Huskies found themselves down by seven with under 10 seconds remaining. That is, until Locker scampered into the end zone from three yards out, with a mere two seconds showing on the clock.

Overcome with excitement, Locker quickly flipped the ball up in the air and started jumping around with his teammates. He had scored the game-tying touchdown.

Then the flag fell.

“Unsportsmanlike conduct on the offense, excessive demonstration. Fifteen-yard penalty will be enforced during the point-after try…”

This poor call would have dire effects, as BYU went on to block the ensuing 35-yard “extra point” attempt. Locker didn’t score the game-tying touchdown after all. His team lost, 28-27.

All because Jake Locker threw the football up in the air after making what may very well have been the biggest play of his life.

There’s a problem here. It’s another case of NCAA hypocrisy.

The excessive celebration penalty is supposed to enforce good sportsmanship. It’s supposed to make sure players don’t get out of line. It’s supposed to make sure they treat their opponents with respect.

It doesn’t.

Instead, seasoned coaches like Bob Stoops leave their starters in late in games during blowouts, calling pass plays to intentionally run up the score so that their teams can fare better in the polls. Nobody throws a flag then.

In the meantime, college students like Quan Cosby and Jake Locker get penalized for having genuine moments of excitement.

Why Does College Basketball Bother Having a Coaches' Poll?

Andrew Kaufman — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:14:06 -0500

During what so far has been a hectic college basketball season, it’s hard to tell where any team stands. The only true measure for ranking teams early in the year, the polls, is extremely volatile, as coaches and media members alike struggle to figure out how they really feel about most clubs.

They certainly have no idea how they feel about the Tennessee Volunteers.

This week’s polls show a 10-spot—yes, 10—gap between the Vols’ No. 15 ranking in the Associated Press Poll and their No. 25 ranking in the Coaches’ Poll.

There is usually some difference between the two polls—it’s only natural. But 10 spots? Such a large discrepancy makes it clear that the polls are relatively pointless. In this case, it is particularly clear that the coaches don’t really know what they are doing.

In a week where more than half of the Top 25 lost at least one game, Tennessee fell seven spots in the Coaches’ Poll due to its Saturday loss against Kansas. That is, due to its Saturday loss at Kansas, a team that has won 33 straight home games.

That doesn’t seem like such a bad loss, does it? Depends who you ask. Georgetown, who fell two spots this week for losing to No. 1 Pittsburgh, might disagree with you. By the way, Georgetown also beat then-No. 2 UConn last week.

Not that the coaches are really to blame. They are in the middle of hectic seasons and have much more important things to do than devote hours each week to filling out a poll. So they sift through results as quickly as they can, often unduly penalizing teams for losses, because it’s the easiest way to fill something out in under an hour without it being total rubbish.

But if that’s all we can expect them to do, what’s the point of having a Coaches’ Poll at all?

The Pac-10 Should Cut Ties with the Rose Bowl

Andrew Kaufman — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 03:14:41 -0500

Once again, USC proved that the Rose Bowl is an annual mismatch.

Pundits said that this year was going to different. Penn State wasn’t like the other Big Ten teams the Trojans had easily defeated the past two years. The Nittany Lions were quicker and more potent on offense, and they would give Pete Carroll’s team a run for its money.

Instead, quarterback Mark Sanchez led a monstrous first half for USC, who led 31-7 after 30 minutes and never really looked back en route to a comfortable 38-24 victory.

In his postgame interview, USC coach Pete Carroll said, “I don’t think anyone can beat the Trojans.”

So why not give them the chance to?

No, I’m not talking about a playoff—at least not right now. A playoff would in all likelihood be great for college football, but the odds of one taking place in the next few years are slim to none.

I’m talking about fixing the real biggest problem with the BCS right now: the Rose Bowl.

As part of its storied tradition, the Rose Bowl is designed to annually feature the Big Ten and Pac-10 champions in a classic matchup to determine conference supremacy. There’s only one problem: The Big Ten representative has not won the Rose Bowl since 2000.

Over the past seasons, the Rose Bowl has welcomed a Big Ten representative six times. Those representatives are 0-6, with the last Big Ten victory coming when Wisconsin beat Stanford in the 2000 contest.

But that’s only the beginning of the story. The six Big Ten representatives have been outscored by a combined 85 points (that’s an average of 14 points per game), and only one of the six teams failed to lose by double digits—Michigan, in 2005.

The immediate story is even worse. During the past three Rose Bowls, USC has outscored its Big Ten counterparts 119-59. That’s an average of 20 points per game.

The Big Ten isn’t just losing. It isn’t even competitive.

In College Football Community Leader Lisa Horne’s recent article, “Dear World Wide Leader in Sports: Thanks for Nothing,” she discusses what she perceives as a mainstream media bias against the Pac-10 and its effect on the class of the conference, USC. More generally, she discusses the problem of making generalizations about teams based on conferences.

But in college football, each team plays at least two-thirds of its regular season games against conference opponents. Throw in the fact that most teams play at least two or three “cupcakes” in non-conference competition, and suddenly there are very few interconference matchups by which to judge teams.

What college football does give us is bowl games, and over the past three seasons the bowl games have shown that the Big Ten is clearly inferior. Combine the drubbings in the past two national championship games with the three Rose Bowl losses, and Big Ten representatives have five double-digit losses in their past five BCS bowl appearances.

So how can we not consider conference success in the Big Ten as less impressive than conference success in leagues such as the SEC or Big 12?

The Pac-10 has the exact same problem as the Big Ten: Namely, that the recent failures of the Big Ten have made it harder for Pac-10 teams to earn national respect, just like they have made it harder for Big Ten teams to earn national respect. Which brings me back to the Rose Bowl.

In the current college football environment, bowl games—specifically those on New Year’s Day or later, and even more specifically BCS bowls—are the best way for a conference to assert its supremacy. By sending its champion to the Rose Bowl to slaughter a Big Ten opponent each year, the Pac-10 is missing out on this opportunity.

The problem for the Pac-10 is that, when USC crushes a Big Ten team in the Rose Bowl, USC’s success isn’t the story. The Big Ten’s failure is. The majority of the country considers the outcome a validation of their beliefs about the Big Ten—“Of course USC won easily, they were playing a team with worse athletes"—as opposed to a confirmation of USC as a great football team and of the Pac-10 as a great football league.

If the Pac-10 wants to establish itself as an elite football conference, it needs to break away from the chains of the Rose Bowl and start pitting its top teams against the cream of the SEC and Big 12 in BCS bowls.

Only the Pac-10 can fix this problem. The Rose Bowl has no reason to change its arrangement—it is an extremely well-watched affair and is the only BCS bowl with its own television contract.

The Big Ten is perfectly fine with things as they are: Cutting ties with the Rose Bowl would only mean less prestigious bowl appearances and smaller paychecks for its teams.

It is the Pac-10 that is suffering, and there is only one solution.

The Pac-10 must cut ties with the Rose Bowl.

Breaking with tradition would enable the Pac-10 to prove itself against the nation’s heavyweights. Instead of easily defeating Penn State on Jan. 1, the Trojans could have matched up with Texas in the Fiesta Bowl this season.

Last year, USC could have played a hot Georgia team in the Sugar Bowl instead of annihilating an overmatched Illinois team. These top-five matchups could have gone a long way towards validating the Trojans as an elite team and the Pac-10 as an elite conference.

There is a lot to be said for tradition in college football. But tradition is holding the Pac-10 back right now.

The Pac-10 needs to stop sending its champion to the Rose Bowl. Otherwise, Pete Carroll will once again just be talking about how his team deserves to play against the best teams in the nation next January.