Bleacher Report - Articles by M

Five NBA Rookies to Keep an Eye On

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:10:07 -0400

With the 2008-2009 NBA season officially underway, many fans are searching for the impact player that may get their team to the playoffs, or even to the championship.

Baseball fans have seen teams such as the Dodgers and Rays dramatically improve their outlook with the presence of young talent. This NBA season will be no different.

The current NBA season will signal a changing of the guard, where players fresh out of college and from overseas will replace many of the seasoned veterans on the court. With the exposure resulting from the recent Beijing games, the NBA is attracting and accepting talent from far greater horizons.

Without question, the 2008 NBA Draft was a deep one. Talented players were abundant in every position with different backgrounds, skill sets, and levels of experience. Expect this season to be one where the presence of rookies plays a significant role.

Here is a list of the five rookies I expect to make a big splash this season. This is not a list of the five best rookies. Please do not get your panties in bunches because your favorite rookie is not on the list.

These are players who I expect to bring something refreshing and unexpected to the table. These are players whose performances can shake things up a bit, whether they are good or bad.

5. Sun Yue—Point Guard (Los Angeles Lakers)

This 22-year-old rookie will play as the third string point guard for the Lakers, behind Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar. This 6'9" ball handler proved to be the most dominant player on the Chinese Olympic team and has been dubbed as "The Chinese Magic."

It is unlikely that he will soon nab a starting role in the stacked Laker roster, but his unorthodox combination of size and skill will prove valuable. Whether he receives extended minutes from the Lakers or is traded to a team in need of a one-guard, he is sure to bring something refreshing to the table.

In international play, he was more than capable on both sides of the ball and fundamentally sound. His skills are expected to develop quickly and should be a nice surprise for the NBA. He may even be able to play shooting guard or small forward.

4. Greg Oden—Center (Portland Trailblazers)

Last year's No. 1 overall pick finally makes his debut. After leading the Buckeyes to the Final Four in his freshman year, he was drafted just ahead of Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant.

Last year, his surgery to rectify his asymmetrical legs left him out for the entirety of his would-be rookie season. This is no surprise as he played through his lone college season with a broken hand, shooting free throws with his left. He is now out with an injured foot, less than three minutes into his debut.

The Blazers have had their share of misfortune with first round centers, most notably with Sam Bowie and Arvydas Sabonis. They would hope that Oden does not end up in the same boat, whether it is political or health-related.

The Blazers' season can be made or broken by Oden's performance this year. He is currently the most publicized member of his team and his demise could bring the same to his team.

3. Michael Beasley—Forward (Miami Heat)

Kansas State's pride and joy joins the Heat as part of what is widely regarded as one of the best drafts this year. Standing 6'8", he is an athletic beast with scary skill from one end of the court to the other.

The lefty has a clean long-range jumper as well as a powerful inside move. His rebounding is strong on both baskets and his ambidexterity allows even more versatility in his game. He is capable of playing both a quick power and a big small forward.

Following his monstrous debut, he went on to be the scoring leader for the Summer League. Michael Beasley has developed very quickly and should be a great compliment to Dwayne Wade. Watch for the Heat to be a surprise playoff contender in the East this season.

2. Russell Westbrook—Guard (Oklahoma City Thunder)

This UCLA alum and cousin of Eagles' RB Brian Westbrook brings an impressive athletic pedigree with him to the newly-founded Thunder franchise. He joins Kevin Durant in what may shape up to be a powerful duo in years to come. He starts off the season playing backup point guard to fellow UCLA alum Earl Watson.

Westbrook was overshadowed by the likes of Jordan Farmar, Darren Collison, and Aaron Afflalo in his freshman year. Before exploding onto the scene in his second year, no one ever paid attention to him.

He couldn't even dunk until he was a senior in high school. He wasn't even mentioned by draft "experts" until the week preceding it, only to be selected fourth overall ahead of teammate Kevin Love.

Russell Westbrook is the pinnacle of athleticism. He only stands 6'3" but has been known to posterize even the tallest of defenders. His explosive style plays well into the guard position. He played shooting guard for the Bruins, but has expressed that he feels more natural at the point.

It wouldn't be any surprise at all if he becomes the starting one-guard for the Thunder before the end of the season.

1. Jerryd Bayless—Guard (Portland Trailblazers)

We stay in the Pac-10 for the No. 1 on my list, Jerryd Bayless. With all of the abundant talent in this year's draft, the former Arizona Wildcat dropped to a quiet No. 11 spot, drafted by the Pacers and traded to the Blazers.

He has a number of honors to boast, including his selection into the USA Select Team and was named MVP of the Summer League.

Bayless can seemingly score at will and has been known as a tenacious defender. He plays with emotion and persistent effort at all times on the court. Originally intended to compliment Greg Oden, he must now carry a massive load on his shoulders.

Granted that making his debut against the Lakers was no easy task, one has to wonder how many more 20-point thumpings are necessary for the Blazers to get their cards in order.

If Oden does not become a significant factor, Bayless will become the cornerstone of the Portland franchise. If Oden does return, the Blazers will become playoff contenders in the unforgiving West.

Honorable Mentions

Derrick Rose—Point Guard (Chicago Bulls)

Eric Gordon—Shooting Guard (Los Angeles Clippers)

OJ Mayo—Guard (Memphis Grizzlies)

Anthony Randolph—Forward (Golden State Warriors)

Kevin Love—Power Forward/Center (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Jackie Robinson, The Greatest Athlete Ever

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:04:12 -0400

Next Friday will mark 36 years since we lost the greatest athlete, and possibly the greatest man, the world had ever seen—Mr. Jack Roosevelt Robinson.

I don't think anyone has to be reminded of what Mr. Robinson did to integrate baseball and eventually all sports. As a celebrated Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodger and UCLA student-athlete, his story hits especially close to home.

Even without this ground-breaking feat, Mr. Robinson would still have been a well-decorated athlete. The civil implications of his feats are only a small part in a life full of unprecedented achievements.

Let's begin in college. In 1940, he became UCLA's first four-sport varsity athlete. He participated in football, basketball and track and field, in addition to baseball.

As a pioneering institution in breaking the color barrier, Mr. Robinson was one of four black players on the UCLA football team in 1939. The game against USC Trojans that year marked the first time where a national championship berth was on the line.

The game ended in a scoreless draw. The Trojans would eventually head into the 1940 Rose Bowl and win a national championship.

After withdrawing from UCLA, Mr. Robinson went on to play semi-professional football in Honolulu. Pearl Harbor was attacked shortly before he returned.

He was drafted into the Army in 1942 and was eventually court-martialed on a number of charges. The court-martial was the result of Mr. Robinson refusing to ride in the back of an non-segregated army bus. He was later cleared of all charges.

In 1946, Mr. Robinson made his debut with the Montreal Royals, a Dodgers AA affiliate. He became the first black player to play AA baseball without attempting to hide his ethnicity. Robinson had a batting average of nearly .350.

In April of the next year, he became the first black player to play major league ball since it was segregated in 1887. He didn't have a single hit in his debut win with the Dodgers, but went on to win the first ever Rookie of the Year Award the year.

He became the first black recipient of the NL MVP Award in 1949, batting .342 with 37 stolen bases. The following year, he would receive the highest salary of any Dodger in history to that point.

In his short ten-year career, Mr. Robinson would go on to claim six World Series titles and six All-Star appearances.

In October of 1972, ten days after making his final public appearance to express his hope for a minority manager in baseball, Mr. Robinson passed away. A heart attack at the age of 53 was the way he went.

The Dodgers retired his number shortly thereafter.

25 years later, the MLB retired his number from every team. Once Mariano Rivera's career is over, no MLB player will ever wear number 42 again.

Posthumously, Mr. Robinson has been inducted into several halls of fame and his image graces countless establishments. Pictures, sculptures and memorials are scattered throughout this great country.

This is only fitting for such a great athlete who was even greater off the field.

Mr. Jackie Robinson, we salute you.

Henry Samueli, Owner of the Anaheim Ducks, Treading in Deep Water

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:43:30 -0400

Henry Samueli.

This name may not be well-known in the realm of sports, but he is a juggernaut in Southern California.

Between 1975 and 1980, he received a bachelor's degree, a master's and a doctorate from UCLA—all in electrical engineering. He eventually went on to become a professor in the same field at UCLA.

In 1991, he and Henry Nicholas, a former student of Samueli, founded Broadcom. Broadcom is a global leader in communications technology, particularly known for its contributions in broadband internet equipment. We might all be using dial-up had they never formed.

The company became public in 1998, allowing Samueli to obtain his current net worth of over $2 billion. He forfeited his tenure at UCLA at the same time in order to pursue the interests of his company.

In 1999, Samueli donated $30 million and $20 million to the engineering schools at UCLA and UC Irvine, respectively. Both institutions were renamed The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences to honor his contributions. To this day, his name remains on the list of faculty at UCLA's engineering school, where I was fortunate enough to attend.

In 2005, the Walt Disney Corporation sold the Anaheim Ducks (then called the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) to Samueli and his wife for $75 million. The Samuelis also own the company in charge of operations at the Honda Center (then called the Arrowhead Pond).

In just his second year as owner, Samueli was the proud holder of the Stanley Cup trophy. This was the Ducks' first championship in franchise history, and it looked as if Henry Samueli was on top of the world.

But this was not so. Like Icarus, Samueli flew far too close to the Sun.

Just a year after the impressive championship, the Ducks' owner found himself in a world of trouble. In May 2008, Samueli resigned as Chairman of the Board of Broadcom, following a lengthy investigation by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A month later, Samueli pled guilty to lying to the SEC about backdating $2.2 billion worth of stock options. Samueli was penalized a quarter-million dollars in criminal penalties, and forced to pay $12 million to the US Treasury. The NHL also suspended him indefinitely.

As if this wasn't bad enough, Nicholas was discovered to be in possession of a ecstasy-distribution warehouse. Allegations were made that he drugged potential investors and partners at meetings and presentations.

The financial fraud aside, the drug charges continued to circulate around Nicholas, Samueli, and Broadcom.

An inmate at Folsom Prison by the name of Randy Lee Soderstrom filed a racketeering lawsuit against the two in early October, as well as against Michael Carona, a former Sheriff of Orange County.

Soderstrom claims that he supplied a variety of drugs to the three men, including cocaine and ecstasy. He further claims that his current 12-year sentence was the result of false testimony given by people closely liked to the three. This may cause Samueli to face charges of perjury and conspiracy.

So what do we make of all this?

As a person who has reveled in Samueli's contributions to society, I don't know what to think. I am connected to the internet with a modem which likely has a number of Broadcom patents. I've been a fan of the Ducks since those Disney movies were released during my childhood. Most of all, I am a graduate of the very school at which Samueli taught and to which he made a very generous donation.

Looking at his pitfalls individually, they are things that are commonplace in the world of business and sports. But when put together, it is a scandal beyond words. So scandalous that both UCLA and UC Irvine are considering renaming their engineering schools. So scandalous that he had to resign from his positions at Broadcom. So scandalous that he was federally indicted on several occasions.

Samueli has given quite a bit to society, but it doesn't mean he is above the law. If this man is allowed to roam the streets, I will have lost all faith in society.

Home Sweet Home: NLCS Preview

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:01:30 -0400

The N.L. Central, the division widely considered the strongest in the National League, has been sent home for the remainder of the season. The Cubbies, with an NL best 97 wins, were swept by the Dodgers and the wild card Brewers only managed to win a single game against the Phillies.

Now, the Central is a mere afterthought for the season as the Phillies and Dodgers must focus on the series ahead. The Phillies have home-field advantage in the series, which could be a critical factor in deciding the winner.

These teams met eight times this season, all in August, for a pair of four-game series. The Dodgers swept the Phils at home and the Phillies returned the favor two weeks thereafter, splitting the season series at four games each.

The Dodgers have shown they can win on the road in the playoffs thus far and in dominating fashion, too. Manny Ramirez has been batting a cool .500, and the fielding has been near perfect. They have been showing tons of confidence and have been producing in key situations. The quality of Dodger baseball has been impressive indeed.

On the other hand, the Phillies have been winning in mundane fashion. The Brewers generally kept it close and even managed to take one out of the four. The only real excitement came when Shane Victorino ripped a grand slam against CC Sabathia.

Both Dodger Stadium and Citizens Bank Park can be considered pitchers' ballparks. The outfields are deep all the way around, with Dodger Stadium being slightly larger all around, except in center field.

On the other side of the plate, both teams have power hitters of immense proportions.

Manny just needs to be Manny. As long as he comes up to the plate and delivers, the Dodgers should be in pretty good shape. His presence has taken a lot of stress off of the young Dodger players and commands respect for anyone else in the lineup.

Ryan Howard should come into a groove with all the right-handed pitching the Dodgers have to offer. Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, Greg Maddux, Jonathan Broxton, and Takashi Saito are all righties. Clayton Kershaw and Joe Beimel are the only lefties on the postseason roster.

Howard has batted .268—which is about .20 higher than his season average—and has 34 home runs against righties this season. He has also struck out 103 times against them.

A left-handed Chase Utley and a switch-hitting Shane Victorino should cause a bit of trouble for the Dodgers as well. They are each batting about .300 and have combined for 25 homers and over 100 RBI against right-handed pitching.

The Phillies have decent pitching; it just isn't outstanding. They will have Cole Hammels facing Derek Lowe in Game One, followed by Brett Myers against Billingsley in Game Two. Kuroda will face Moyer when the series shifts to L.A.

It is pretty safe to say that the Dodgers' bats should have success against the Phillies' pitching. They have a good balance of righties and lefties, as well as guys that hit for average and power.

The Dodgers can run the bases well and should look to exploit the weak right side of the Phillies' defense.

The key to the game is how well the Phillies bat against the Dodgers. Dodger pitching has been good all year. It got even better in September and was scorching hot against the Cubs.

The numbers say that the Phillies' bats will be shut down, but favorable matchups have been drawn for them. Will Chase Utley and Ryan Howard show up, or will they be blown away?

The series starts Thursday in Philadelphia. By my estimation, it will end by the following Wednesday. The Dodgers will take one on the road and win all three at home: Dodgers in five games.

Dodgers Look to Sweep Cubs: Game Three Preview

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:56:46 -0400

To say the Dodgers have dominated the first two games of this year's NLDS is a gross understatement.

They have chewed up and spit out the Cubs as if they were a pack of Big Red.

This series had promised to be one for the ages.

Both teams were looking for redemption and escape from their pathetic playoff reputations. Veteran managers faced off and two of the best pitching staffs in the league were to engage in battle—though only one of them showed up.

Geovany Soto and Russell Martin were the only All Star catchers for the N.L. this season, but both have been relatively quiet thus far.

The Dodgers have posted 17 runs while allowing only five by the Cubs. Manny Ramirez—a.k.a. Dr. October—has homered in each of the two games, and Loney's grand slam will be remembered for a while, especially by those obnoxious fans who were unlucky enough to be in Northern Chicago that evening.

The return of Rafael Furcal and Takashi Saito have only made it worse for these fans.

Ryan Dempster could not find the plate to save his life on Wednesday. Every Dodger got on base and it's surprising that they didn't win by more than five runs.

Carlos Zambrano had a terrible showing last night, getting beat up by five runs in the second inning. Surely the four errors by the Cubs did not help Z.

Like the aroma of cinnamon gum, the sweet taste of victory in the MLB postseason can be very short lived.

As the Dodgers fumble around in the janitorial closets at Chavez Ravine looking for a broom, the Cubs are hanging onto their last thread of hope. They are completely out of options.

They must win these next two games at Dodger Stadium just for a chance to finish the job back home.

The deep pitching rotations of both teams provides us with another great matchup on Saturday. The visiting Cubs will send out Rich Harden and the Dodgers will answer with Hiroki Kuroda.

Kuroda is masterful at home.

He boasts a record of 6-2 while allowing the opposing teams to bat an impressive .241. He has been known to get as hot as a raging inferno at Dodger Stadium, and it is certainly possible for it to happen again in Game Three.

Statistically, Rich Harden is even better away from Wrigley than Kuroda is at home. He has just one less win at 5-2, an ERA of 2.50 and is holding batters right near the Mendoza Line. Clearly a shutdown pitcher, but has he lost confidence after the beatings Dempster, Zambrano, and the bullpen have suffered?

The shift in venue will definitely provide a huge change in game dynamics.

The ball will not get lost in any shrubbery in the outfield, and Wrigley home runs will merely become long flyballs. Neither pitcher gives up many home runs, and it will be emphasized by the field.

Of course, the Dodgers will want to close the series out with a sweep at home, but the Cubs are under immense pressure to win.

They will need Harden to be at his best, and right-handed batters should look to exploit Manny's lack of speed in left field.

It is not asking too much for Manny to homer again—but it is improbable.

If Kuroda brings his "A" game, the Dodgers will win. Even if Kuroda runs into early trouble, Prof. Maddux and young Clayton Kershaw should be able to pick up the slack.

They have a marginally comfortable cushion and must play with the confidence they have been showing lately. Expect Kemp and Ethier to bring their bats and Furcal and Berroa their gloves.

My prediction: The Dodgers will take care of business in front of the home crowd and sweep the Cubs into 2009. They will win a modest, low-scoring game by a score of 3-2.

Five Teams That May Bring the NFL Back To L.A.

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:16:43 -0400

It was 14 years ago that Los Angeles and Orange County boasted two basketball teams, two baseball teams, two hockey teams, and, yes, two professional football teams.

Who would have thought that the Rams and Raiders would both leave L.A., let alone in the same year? Thousands, nay millions of football fans were left in distraught overnight.

Many have tried to substitute the Trojans in their place, but the effort is ultimately futile. The people of Los Angeles have suffered long enough, particularly those of us who support UCLA to the bitter end.

In the midst of these dark and endless nights, there is a single ray of hope: the Los Angeles Stadium.

The idea has been around since 2004 and many strides have since been taken on its behalf. If all goes according to plan, construction may begin before the calendar year is over and it could host an NFL team as early as 2011.

Of course, obtaining an NFL team is no easy task.

With the symmetry of 32 teams in eight divisions, expansion into a single city seems to be out of the question. There are even rumors that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa offered to allow open sports gambling in our city in exchange for the Patriots.

It is pretty unlikely the Patriots will be leaving Boston (or Gillette, to be exact) anytime soon, so I will list the five teams that could potentially make their new home in Los Angeles.

I must warn you that the following analysis is based almost entirely on speculation.

5. New Orleans Saints

Some may argue that it may be in bad taste and reflect poorly on the NFL to strip the city of an organization such as the Saints. They have received much credit for the rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and are held in high regard by football fans and philanthropists alike.

Unfortunately, the business is driven by economics and many signs suggest that New Orleans is not the ideal place to stay.

They sold out their home games for the first time in 2006 and repeated the feat in 2007. Though these are good signs for the franchise, they will likely be better served as leverage for relocation.

The Superdome is a venue with tons of seating and a rich history, but cannot compare to a modern complex, even with its renovations. Reggie Bush has a large fanbase in Los Angeles and the Saints would likely be embraced by Los Angeles fans.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars currently compete in one of the smallest media markets.

At their inception, Jacksonville was not even ranked in the top 50.

As a Florida expansion team, they were left to compete with the Dolphins and Bucs, who have enjoyed the benefits of well-established fan bases for decades. Furthermore, their proximity to Georgia puts them in direct competition with the Falcons as well.

It was reported that the franchise would be for sale as recently as May of this year.

A move from Jacksonville to Los Angeles would certainly make the team much more marketable and drastically increase revenue. Not to mention that Maurice Jones-Drew has a huge fanbase in L.A. and could end up becoming their franchise player.

3. St. Louis Rams

The Rams' original home is in Cleveland, but turbulent times and competition with the Browns warranted a move to Los Angeles in the 1940s.

They called the Memorial Coliseum home for nearly 35 seasons before they left for Anaheim and eventually, St. Louis.

Within three seasons, they were winners of the Super Bowl and it seemed that a new franchise was born. That shining beacon has since faded into darkness.

Much like the Jaguars, reports of a sale have circulated the Rams in recent months. It is rumored that Eddie DeBartolo will purchase the team for just under a billion dollars and move them back to Los Angeles by 2012.

2. San Francisco 49ers

The Niners' lease with Candlestick Park will be over by the end of the 2010 season and a move to Santa Clara, CA is being heavily considered at this point. Not only was the stadium shared with the Giants for a number of years, Candlestick Park is nearing its 40th birthday.

By any measure, a move to a new stadium in Los Angeles would make much more sense than a move to a new stadium in Santa Clara, a city that boasts Steve Nash as its greatest ever athlete.

The citizens of San Francisco are not shy about expressing their resentment for Los Angeles and this can only fuel that fire. A fire that may lead to a rapid growth of Niner fans in L.A.

1. Oakland Raiders

Staying in Northern California for the top spot—the Raiders.

They have once graced our grounds and are likely to come back for a second tour. They moved from Oakland to L.A. in 1982, went back in 1994, and it seems the time has come for the cycle to continue.

The Raiders currently have some of the lowest attendance in the league. In 2007, they only managed to sell 93 percent of the seats to their home games, the lowest in the entire league.

They are forced to share McAfee Coliseum with the Athletics and that dirt diamond has no place on a football field. Like the Niners, their stadium lease expires at the end of the 2010 season.

Even with them gone, an enormous Raider fanbase remains in Los Angeles. Many pro football fans continue to support the Raiders. Along with the Chargers, the Raiders continue to be mentioned in local sports broadcasts in and around the city.

If they were to return, they will likely be treated as if they never left.

Olympic Baseball in London and Beyond

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:38:42 -0400

Baseball was introduced to the international audience when St. Louis hosted the III Olympiad in 1904. Baseball was played six more times after these games before it was made an official Olympic sport in time for the Barcelona games.

In 2005, baseball and its sister sport, softball, were both voted out of the 2012 games in London. They become the only sports to be eliminated from Olympic competition since polo was ousted for the '36 Berlin games. This does not mean that the two sports are gone for good. There is still a possibility that they may return in time for 2016, granted that other sports do not fill the vacancies.

Much speculation has surrounded the decision, although no official reasoning was provided by the IOC. The demographic of the IOC tips the scales in favor of Europeans and anti-American sentiment has been used to make sense of the decision. I think this is an unlikely reason. If it were true, someone should probably be shot.

There is always a scheduling conflict between the MLB and the summer games. There is no possible way that the MLB would alter its season to accommodate the Olympics. The vice-a-versa is also true. Players from the minors and international leagues make for pretty fair competition. It's better off without MLB players.

The most commonly used argument for the decision is the seeming dominance of Cuba and the Unites States. Before the Beijing games, Cuba claimed baseball gold every time except in 2000. The U.S. beat Cuba in Sydney to nab their only gold medal in baseball. As for softball, the American women have dominated, winning gold every time until 2008.

The last argument seems to be the most popular and provides the strongest case for bringing baseball and softball back into Olympic play.

In 2008, an undefeated South Korean team trucked its way through the baseball competition. They won gold with a 9-0 record, defeating Cuba in the final game. The American softball team entered the gold medal match as heavy favorites, only to be upset by Japan.

Arguments for keeping baseball and softball out include the highly variable length of games and limited participation on a global scale. Both sports require large amounts of real estate and equipment. Not to mention that field maintenance is critical. Integration of the game, particularly in underprivileged countries, is no easy task. Eliminating baseball from Olympic competition will only impede this cause.

Whatever their reasoning may be, I hope the IOC rethinks their decision and reinstate baseball and softball for 2016. It was difficult enough for the sports to be integrated into the Olympics. Now they're gone without receiving a fair chance to flourish.

The New and Controversial Yankee Stadium

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:38:24 -0400

For 85 years, the Pinstripe Crew has called Yankee Stadium their home. In this time, countless greats have graced its field and 26 World Series titles have been won. That's a championship every three and quarter seasons (including the '94 season causes a negligible change in this number).

This ten-acre gem in the South Bronx was the first professional sports venue to boast three-tier seating and was the first to be called a stadium. The $2.5 million originally used to build it is equivalent to only $31.2 million in today's dollars. That's about how much they pay A-Rod this season.

Tradition and money aside, it's time for this franchise to find a new pair of shoes.

Across 161st from the current stadium, a $1.3 billion behemoth is being built. The new stadium is due for completion by the beginning of the 2009 season and will feature larger seats for ever-growing Americans. This will result in a decrease of just over 4500 seats.

Additionally, a 3600-space parking garage costing $320 million is in the works. $70 million of that will come from the taxpayers of New York. A Metro-North station and rail system, are also planned, adding $91 million to the total cost.

There are a number of traditionalists who do not want to see the current stadium demolished. But this is only scratching the surface in discussing the complexities of the new stadium.

Community input would have likely been ignored if it even had a chance to be expressed. The transfer of the 22-acre park lands was approved by the state legislature less than a week after the plans were unveiled, without any consent from the public. Other parks are planned to replace it, including ten acres on top of artificial surfaces above parking garages. This will cost another $150 million.

The new stadium will officially be property of the City of New York, but the Yankees will not have to pay any rent or property taxes. Somehow, using public money to build such a structure is inconsistent with minimizing the tax revenue generated from it. This gives even more of a financial advantage to the Yanks, who already boast the highest annual revenues and payroll.

The buck does not stop there, my friends. A number of federal legislators contend that much wrong doing was involved in the planning. Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat in the House and head of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, argues that the value of the property was intentionally misrepresented in order to receive special tax breaks. He added that architects of the new stadium found strong evidence to support the case for fraud.

When all is said and done, the stadium could cost nearly $2 billion to construct and about half of that will be funded by taxpayer dollars. The goings-on of the project indicate that the significant financial obligations will be relieved from the Yankees. Additionally, it seems that very little public revenue will be generated and very much of it will be used.

Ethically, this seems wrong to me. But if this sets a precedent for Los Angeles to get a new football stadium, I might be inclined to look the other way.

What do you think?

Top Five Pitching Staffs in the MLB

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:45:04 -0400

With all of the drama that has filled the MLB season, one thing remains unchanged. The key to winning in the Fall is pitching. Pitching at every point in the game is critical to success and I will rank the top five pitching staffs that will get the job done in September and beyond.

1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (or whatever the hell they call themselves now)

Lackey and Weaver are the poster boys for this pitching squad, and rightfully so. K-Rod, who already broke Bobby Thigpens' single-season save record of 57, will end up with around 65 saves by the end of the regular season.

Only the Rays can even smell them with 47 saves or their own. Santana and Saunders get the job done, even with an injured Escobar. Don't forget about Scot Shields, probably one of the most consistent middle relievers in the game.

They clinched the AL West with nearly a month left to play. Is any more discussion necessary? Hate the name, hate the team, or both. It doesn't really matter because they are clearly the best.

2. Chicago Cubs

If you didn't see, hear or smell about Zambrano's no-no the other day; you haven't been paying much attention to baseball. Not only does this guy throw some serious heat, the man can swing the bat; a factor that often hastily overlooked. Yea, the guy has issues with his temper, but hasn't been involved with much of anything since the break.

Dempster and Lily are strikeout machines. The relief pitchers have been shaky, but consistent enough to win games. Starter turned closer Kerry Wood can definitely close out games with the best of them. And with Geovany Soto behind the plate, the NL Central will fall into the Cubbies' lap.

The Cubbies have given up the fewest hits while recording the most strikeouts in the entire league. Opponents are only batting .240 against them, another league best.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

Along with the Angels, the Dodgers make the Greater Los Angeles area a hotbed for pitching. Let's start with Derek Lowe and the newly returned Brad Penny. Both can be considered as the ace for the team. Lowe is a sinker-ball pitcher with a minuscule ERA and Penny is just an all around machine.

Greg Maddux should be a factor, but at his age he can be exploited too easily. Already known as a pitcher who lacks in the velocity department, his age can only make it worse. Luckily, he still has his steadfast control and should prove valuable in post-season play.

Billingsley can get hot and stay hot. So can Hiroki Kuroda, with all of his innings of perfect work. Big Jon Broxton has emerged as a powerful closer with Takashi Saito injured. His size and pitch velocity will definitely make even the most experienced batter think twice. A veteran Chan Ho Park has returned to the squad and has been reminiscent of his old self. Last, but not least, is Joe Beimel. The guy eats left-handed batters for breakfast with some base runners to wash it all down.

The Dodgers are inching ever-closer to the pennant, and its because of pitching. Not Manny. Okay, maybe just a little bit of Manny.

4. Tampa Bay Rays & Boston Red Sox

The two teams are in a dead heat for the AL East, and the other will most certainly be the Wild Card. Both teams are nearly identical in every statistical category. The Rays have a slight edge in all of them, except for strikeouts and shutouts.

The Rays have had a hot bat since the beginning of the 2007 season, maybe even before that. Their missing link was pitching, and this year things got much more interesting in South Beach (except for Tropicana Field itself). The entire starting rotation was 26 or younger when the season started. Even with injuries to their star players like Crawford and Longoria, the Rays' pitching held it together.

Garza, Shields, and Kazmir all sport ERAs in the mid threes and have a WHIP of 1.5 or lower. The Rays have a an array of middle relievers who share the workload and give up very few runs. The only question is an aging Troy Percival. The closer is critical, particularly late into the season. He's definitely got the experience, but does he have enough body to finish the job?

The Red Sox have always been a team that is just obsessed with pitching, whether it's high prices veterans or products of their own farm system. Their pitching was in question near mid-season, mostly due to the success of the Rays.

Tim Wakefield has a less than spectacular record, but he's always good for some strikeouts and grounders, not to mention the knuckler. Matsusaka sports an ERA of just under three and has 17 wins in just 19 decisions. A young Jon Lester has an ERA of just over thre and has nearly 150 strikeouts. Beckett is giving up more runs than he would like, but he (like the rest of the Boston staff) can throw strikes and get strikeouts.

Okajima and Lopez are the standout middle relievers. They set the stage for Jonathan Papelbon, who has been having a phenomenal year. His WHIP is under one and he has only given up 15 earned runs all season.

5. Toronto Blue Jays

Staying in the AL East, we visit our neighbors to the north. After the Expos became the Nationals, they are the only remaining team in Canada. But they are not out of touch with baseball. They sit third in the AL East, but would be competitive in most other divisions. They would be leading the NL West by two games, but then again who wouldn't. The Jays are destined for an early break, but their pitching has been anything but mundane. They sport the lowest ERA in the league at 3.53 and their starters have recorded more complete games than any other team.

Burnett and Halladay lead the starting rotation with more than 400 combined strikeouts. Accardo's early exit certainly didn't help the bullpen, but BJ Ryan stepped in with respectable numbers. It appears that Jesse Carlson has really come into a groove as their holder. His ERA is just under two and his WHIP is just over one. He's also got 53 K's in just about 55 innings. He is a rookie sleeper and we will probably see much more of him next year.

Too bad the Rays and BoSox are so good this year. The Jays might have had a chance had the situation been different. It looks like they'll sit back and enjoy the playoffs just like the rest of us.

Conclusion

So you got six teams instead of five; two NL teams and four from the AL (including three from the East).

The BoSox and the Rays were too close to separate, but I guess October will tell us which is better. I know many will not agree with Toronto being in the top five, but their numbers cannot be ignored. I am open for comments, questions and suggestions. Feel free to post away.

Edit (9/18/2008, 5 PM)

So, there have been many of you commenting on how the Jays should be number one on the list. Although there was some clown, who shall not be named, who thought the Jays didn't even belong on the list. My sincere apologies for thinking that many would not show them much respect. Statistics dictate that they and the Cubs should be the top two, however I used more than just pitching stats to come to my decisions. I firmly believe that pitching is the ultimate factor that decides wins and losses, regardless of the offense. Most of the time, pitching can compensate for that on any respectable team. Hence, I think that ranking the Jays at the bottom of my list was justified.

Secondly, statistics do not account for the intangibles, mainly the "clutch" factor. ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, etc. do not account for how well a pitcher does in key situations. It does not indicate the composure, ball control, pitch selection and overall pitching strategy of any single player or team.

Lastly, this is a very short list where many decisions were made on personal opinion. Both, total season production and that within the last few months (mainly August and September) were considered. Had the list been longer I would have likely included the White Sox, Athletics, Mets, Brewers and possibly the Astros, Reds and the Phillies.

I am no baseball guru; just a man who enjoys baseball, especially pitching.

UCLA at BYU: A Rivalry In the Making?

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:56:54 -0400

The first two weeks of college football are now behind us, and many exciting matchups are scheduled for the third. There are several games between ranked teams, including Kansas at South Florida, Wisconsin at Fresno State, and, more notably, Ohio State visiting USC at the Coliseum.

These games should provide more than a weekend's worth of viewing excitement, but a fierce rivalry is brewing in the shadows. Saturday afternoon will mark the third meeting between the UCLA Bruins and the BYU Cougars since the beginning of the 2007 season.

It began with BYU falling by 10 to No. 13 UCLA in a regular season game at the Rose Bowl, 27-17. The Bruins looked to be in position to contend for a BCS bid, but suffered a 38-point slaughter at Utah just a week later.

The Bruins began to fishtail as they lost to previously winless Notre Dame at home. Even with victories over Cal and Oregon (a 16-0 shutout), both ranked conference opponents, they could not make a BCS bowl.

However, the Bruins did manage to make it to the Las Vegas Bowl. Their opponent: those same Brigham Young Cougars. The loss earlier in the season must have left a sour taste in the Cougars' mouths, as they completed a nine-game winning streak to finish the season with a 27-21 victory. BYU looked poised and played with tremendous confidence.

The Cougars were up by a single point when UCLA kicker Kai Forbath lined up for a 28-yard field goal with three seconds left in the game.

Surely the Bruins would make a simple field goal to win the game. The kick went up and was deflected by BYU lineman Eathyn Manumaleuna. He got the very tips of his fingers on the ball, and it was still headed for the uprights. An awkwardly spinning ball fell just short.

The final score was 17-16, extending the BYU winning streak to 10 games and forcing UCLA into a losing season (6-7).

Much has happened since then. UCLA has a new head coach in Rick Neuheisel, who defeated then-No. 18 Tennessee in overtime to make his debut. Though quarterback Kevin Craft threw four picks in the first half, he regrouped and had a sensational second half. Tennessee missed four field goals; although only three counted toward the difference, that certainly helped UCLA pull off the upset.

Like UCLA, Brigham Young is undefeated in the early 2008 season. Last week, the Cougars extended their winning streak to 12 games, currently the longest such streak in all of college football. They did it by stopping a potentially game-tying drive by Jake Locker and the Washington Huskies offense. Jan Jorgensen blocked the PAT attempt and the Cougars squeaked away with a one-point victory. This marked the second time in three games that BYU blocked a kick to win by a single point.

As of right now, BYU is ranked 18th on the AP poll and 15th on the coaches' poll. UCLA sits just outside of the top 25 in both polls (26th in the AP and 27th in the coaches'). Can the Bruins football squad match East Carolina and begin the season by beating two ranked teams? Or will the Cougars make it 13 straight wins?

Hey NASCAR, Stop Racing around in Circles!

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:50:59 -0400

We all dread making left turns at busy intersections, especially when the signal is unprotected or just takes way too long to turn green. Our good friends at NASCAR don't seem to mind clocking 400+ miles in pure counter-clockwise motion.

We can't blame NASCAR for doing this. After all, it exemplifies the American definition of fast and reaches back into the history books to find its bootlegging roots. Fans understand this, as well as the dynamics involved in ovals of different sizes. The fact remains that these races make up the bulk of the Sprint Cup schedule and this makes it difficult for new fans to really get involved.

Race fans that enjoy the WRC, F1, and even the D1GP realize that racing involves much more than V8's with carburetors screaming at 9000 RPM. It is about balance, engineering advancements, and simply driving the hell out of a car.

Due to the nature of the sport, everything NASCAR does is put under the microscope by fans and competitors alike. We all remember the harsh criticism that continues to be generated regarding the COT. In light of this, taking slow modest steps in progressing the sport is understandable.

Personally, I see the many advantages to the COT that outweigh its downfalls. The car is slower and heavier, a no-no in the classic definition of American speed. But what does this do for competition? It makes the cars more difficult to engineer, in essence increasing the complexity and ingenuity involved prior to the race.

The cars are more reactive in response to disturbances in aerodynamic flow, making them more difficult to drive. Once again, it diminishes speed while increasing the level of competition. The veteran drivers have to make the same adjustments as the rookies. This results in a flatter playing field in a sport where failing to win can obliterate a team.

Safety was the main focus in designing the COT and it has been shown to do just that. Not only was safety improved, so was the competition involved in all aspects. It's only downfall was its slow integration and cost to team owners. In this end, this is only one of the few steps that NASCAR must take to keep up with the times.

Compared to the introduction of the COT, modifying the Cup schedule is relatively easy. Of the 36 races in the Cup season, only a handful are on road courses; the rest on one mile, mile and a half, and two mile ovals. If NASCAR wants to progress the sport, more road course races are needed.

Race fans, especially younger viewers and cross-overs from other forms of auto racing, get tired of circles. Sure, drafting in a slipstream and fuel management are critical in any race, but the ovals lack the excitement of sharp corners and chicanes.

Is this trend due to the lack of road courses in this country, or are track owners and builders simply conforming to the traditional NASCAR culture? We can only speculate as to why, but the solution is to expand beyond American borders. The Nationwide Series frequents tracks in Mexico and Canada, Mexico City and Montreal being two of the more popular destinations.

The Cup Series should learn from its little brother and broaden its horizons. If the organization wants to expand exposure and its demographic of fans, this is the most logical step.

Only Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and a handful of other drivers have proved that they can remain competitive in both ovals and road courses. Fans of oval specialists may see their favorite star fade away, but new faces and teams will rise to the occasion. The move will definitely result in changing dynamics, especially in the bottom 75 percent of the field.

Big open wheel names like Juan Montoya, Dario Franchitti, and Sam Hornish, Jr. will begin to gain more exposure for NASCAR abroad. In the age of instant communication, global expansion should be one of the top priorities.

As it stands today, NASCAR does not do enough to attract such fans. We see how basketball and baseball have penetrated the minds of international sports fans, and stock car racing can do the same. They just haven't been proactive enough to do it.

Is it a pipe dream to think that someday we will see Sprint Cup racing at places like Silverstone Circuit and the Nurburgring? Like I stated earlier, it is perfectly understandable why there are so many oval courses are involved in the schedule. But this hinders the progression of the sport. When all discussion is set and done, tradition absolutely must take a back seat to progress.

Dogfight On The Uneven Bars

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:47:20 -0400

As the second day of the individual gymnastic event finals opened on Monday, the crowd waited in anticipation for the duel that would take place on the uneven bars.

All Around champion Nastia Liukin and many of her followers consider the uneven bars to be her specialty. The only one standing in her way was China's He Kexin, who has arguably redefined excellence on the uneven bars. He performed first and Liukin would follow directly behind.

Before she approached the lower bar, Nastia Liukin looked calm and focused; fully immersed in the "Liukin Zone." Could the reigning queen of gymnastics notch another gold medal under her belt?

No. Liukin had to settle for her first individual silver of these games after posting a phenomenal 16.725; identical to that of He Kexin. Both athletes came into the competition with the identical A scores of 7.7, a number only surpassed by Great Britain's Beth Tweddle.

Tweddle finished fourth after a disappointing routine full of mishaps and disruptions. Her performance was somewhat sloppy and seemed hurried, as if she believed the top score was insurmountable. In the end, Tweddle missed the podium by 0.25 behind Yang Yilin of China.

Liukin and Kexin both made the same errors in their pirouette skills; both failing to stay close to vertical as they spun around. Liukin should be perfect in these skills and has no excuse for being anything less.

The nature of He Kexin's routine can mask these small errors, whereas Nastia's brings even more attention to them. We can only speculate that this is what the Australian judge thought.

An irate Bela Karolyi chastised the FIG for their seemingly ridiculous tiebreak system and commented on the competency of the judges. After all, four of the countries represented by the six judges had never even produced a gymnast capable of making the podium, ever.

"Look, it's tied," said Nastia as she turned toward her father in disbelief. "Why am I second?" Multiple gold medals cannot be awarded, as mandated by the International Olympic Committee. Unfortunately, Nastia got the raw end of the deal.

Both, Kexin and Liukin received 9.3 as their highest B score. As her three lowest scores, Liukin received an 8.8 and a pair of 9.0's. He received a 9.0 and a pair of 8.9's. Once again, the scores were identical. If all six scored were counted, He Kexin would have been the clear cut winner.

But, this is not the case. A simple tiebreak system that only counts the B score would result in another tie, so a more complex approach was employed.

In a non-tiebreak situation, the highest and lowest scores are dropped and the remaining four are averaged. In this situation, the second lowest score is also dropped; leaving the scores ranked two, three and four to decide the winner. This revised tiebreak system gave Kexin the edge and the gold medal by a third of a point. Had the second highest score been dropped, another tie would have resulted.

To add to the controversy, the men's vault experienced the same situation. Leszek Blanik and of Poland and Thomas Bouhail of France both received the top score. Because each competitor takes two vaults and is scored on the average, the tiebreak system is not nearly as complex. The single vault with the highest score wind.

In her short competitive career, He Kexin remains undefeated in the uneven bars. Only Tweddle's release combinations can rival Kexin and less than perfect execution can still earn high marks for both. He Kexin deserved gold for her performance, but so did Liukin.

The gold medal is an achievement to be admired, but for He Kexin it only brings more attention to the Chinese age controversy.

This controversial decision, as fair as it may be, brings us back to Athens and the days of the now defunct 10-point scoring system.

The system was changed to prevent such events from ever occurring again, but more work needs to be done. In my personal opinion, both Liukin and He should have done another routine on the bars.

In such a case, the deciding factor should be the consistency of the athletes, not a mathematical formula. It's like asking the referee to decide the outcome of a game, instead of going into overtime. It simply tarnishes the spirit of competition.

Even with the heartbreaking finish, Liukin, along with fellow American Shawn Johnson, will take the Olympic Green for the third and final day of individual event finals. Like on the floor exercise, the distinctive styles of these young ladies will be showcased on the balance beam.

Johnson must improve her full-twisting flip and land with her chest at high as possible. The dismount must also improve. I don't think she can land her dismount without taking a step, but she must minimize its length. Her full twist is the most difficult and best executed of any competitor. She must continue to perform dynamically and work to minimize her balance checks.

Liukin needs to remain confident and stay in her zone if she wants more gold. This is the event where elegance provides the greatest advantage. She greatly improved her quarter twist flip in the all around competition, but she looked shaky on her signature maneuver. (I think that they should start calling it the Nasti Flip). She has proved she can stick the dismount and in this writer's humble opinion, the balance beam is Liukin's best event.

If Nastia does everything right, no one else will even be able to smell gold, let alone wear it.

More Bling for Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:17:53 -0400

Following their unprecedented one-two finish in the women's all around competition, Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson returned to the Olympic Green on Sunday for the floor exercise final. For fans of American gymnastics, this was the best opportunity for these young ladies to showcase the striking differences in their brilliant styles.

Even as the first competitor, Shawn Johnson nailed absolutely every element in her routine. The only significant flaw was the large step she took at the end of her second tumbling pass. But, the 15.5 she received was good enough to be in gold medal position for the majority of the competition.

Her complex tumbling passes paired with her up-tempo music truly showcased her explosive style. In the end, a powerful routine performed in classic Capricorn fashion.

After nearly the entire field had performed, Liukin took center stage. As the cello music began to play, Liukin began to move in the fluid manner that sets her apart from the competition. She stands six inches taller than Johnson and is noticeably more slender, reminiscent of Shannon Miller and Svetlana Khorkina.

Her graceful and elegant style is what women's artistic gymnastics is all about, and every one of her elements are of textbook quality. But the floor exercise has evolved over the years, and elegance alone is not good enough.

Liukin had arguably the best performance in the event and her execution score reflected this feat. Where she fell short was in the difficulty of her routine—she gave up two-tenths of a point to Johnson and three-tenths of a point to eventual champion Sandra Izbasa of Romania.

Many, including myself, will argue that Izbasa's routine was not nearly as elegant as Nastia's routine and not nearly as powerful as that of Shawn's. But these are merely stylistic criticisms.

Izbasa's routine does not fall short of either American competitor, it is merely more balanced. She combines elements that involve a wide range of skill sets which is quantified with the highest difficulty value in the competition. I believe that the execution of Izbasa's routine was on par with that of Shawn Johnson, and she rightfully won gold. Johnson took silver, finishing 0.15 points behind Izbasa, and Liukin took the bronze, finishing 0.075 points behind Johnson.

Additionally, another disappointment awaited Alicia Sacramone in the vault final.

Sacramone was the first competitor and left the door wide open for her competition by lacking in difficulty. Her first vault only earned her 5.8 difficulty points, whereas many of her competitors were doing both vaults of at least 6.2 or 6.3 difficulty.

Not only did she lose out on those free points, her landings could have been much better. An ambiguous slide on her first attempt and a hop forward on her second likely shut the door for Alicia Sacramone. She had to be perfect, and it wasn't even close.

In the end, Sacramone finished just 0.025 points behind bronze-medalist Cheng Fei, finishing fourth. A disappointing end to a disappointing games for Sacramone. The ever-gracious Alicia Sacramone will take the defeats in stride, but may not be able to avoid being labeled as a choker.