Bleacher Report - Articles by Tien Nguyen

Don't Worry Michigan Fans, Help Is on the Way

Tien Nguyen — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:09:01 -0400

As a diehard and lifelong Michigan Wolverines fan, it pains me to see the state of the program on this day after a shocking 13-10 upset loss to Toledo in front of over 100,000 at the Big House. Appalachian State on opening day last year was more surreal but at least they are three-time national champions (two-time when they beat Michigan last year) and are the best their conference has to offer.

Toledo was 1-4 entering Saturday's matchup, was allowing over 35 points per game, and are one of the worst teams in the MAC. Also, the Wolverines had never lost to a MAC opponent (24-0 until the upset).

The day Rich Rodriguez became head football coach at the University of Michigan marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Maize and Blue. Out with the conventional, pro-style offense of Bo Schembechler/Lloyd Carr, in with the new spread option attack of Rodriguez.

As is the case for any system/philosophy change, it is going to take some time before Michigan fans will see any rewards, but know this: Help is on the way.

Steven Threet and Nick Sheridan are backup quarterbacks at best. Threet has talent and ability, but not in Rodriguez's system. At Tulane and West Virginia, he had mobile QB's (Shaun King and Pat White) who would look to run but could also make plays from the pocket when called upon. King was more successful from the pocket and White was more successful with his legs, but both QBs could improvise when the designed play broke down.

Threet and Sheridan cannot do either right now, which is the biggest problem this team faces. For Rich Rod's system to work, he needs a program-changing QB. That would have been Terrelle Pryor, but we all know where he chose to go to school.

No need to worry, Wolverines fans, reinforcements are on the way. Tate Forcier and Shavodrick Beaver, two four-star recruits out of this year's class, have committed and are a perfect fit for the spread option.

Forcier, whose brother Chris was a backup at UM until he transferred to Stanford, is a mobile passer in the mold of a Jeff Garcia and should be an instant upgrade over the incumbents Threet and Sheridan. He is only 6'1" but is tough as nails and makes up for his size limitations with good pre-snap reads and quick feet.

Beaver is taller (6'3") and much more physically gifted—in the mold of Dennis Dixon—but is raw and needs more polish before he makes an impact at the next level. Look out for him by year three; he will be a force to be reckoned with and could challenge for serious playing time.

Be patient, Wolverines fans. Rodriguez was 3-8 his first year at WVU and was under the same scrutiny there until he recruited players who fit his schemes and philosophy. He silenced those critics with nine wins in his second season and finished in second place in the Big East.

Michigan might win only four or five games this year, but the effort is there. Rodriguez is getting the most out of his players, which is all you can ask for from a coach. He just does not have the proper personnel yet. Within three years, with the right players, he will have Michigan back among college football's elite and restore pride and prestige in a program chock-full of it.

2008 NLCS Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Tien Nguyen — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:46:02 -0400

The Los Angeles Dodgers (84-78, NL West Champions )were a mediocre, underachieving team until a Christmas present arrived early in the form of one LF, Manny Ramirez. The trade-deadline deal gave L.A. arguably the best-right handed hitter in MLB and a dominant force in the middle of their lineup.

Fresh off a sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the division series, Manny and Co. head east to Philadelphia to square off against the N.L. East Champion Phillies (92-70), led by MVP candidate 1B Ryan Howard.

Philly defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in four games, relying on strong starting pitching and timely situational hitting to advance one step closer to the World Series.

LINEUP

Ramirez's presence was immediately felt from the moment he put on Dodger Blue. In 53 games for L.A., Manny batted .396 with 17 HR and 53 RBI, showing a renewed energy and level of commitment that left people in Boston scratching their heads.

The Red Sox's loss has been the Dodger's gain, and he has continued his onslaught against N.L. pitching, batting .500 with two home runs in the NLDS, as well as providing much needed protection for up-and-coming stars 1B James Loney, RF Andre Ethier, and CF Matt Kemp.

Loney led the team with 90 RBI and provided a big grand slam in the NLDS Game One, setting the tempo for the series, while Ethier really came into his own in the second half of the season, making teams pay for pitching around Manny. He posted a team-high .305 batting average and 20 home runs in 2008.

Kemp, possibly the most physically gifted of the three, added 18 HR and 78 RBI to go with 35 SB during the season and is finally showing signs of realizing his enormous potential.

Ex-Cleveland Indian 3B Casey Blake, acquired during the season under the radar, has allowed 3B/2B Blake DeWitt to shift to the right side, where he seems more natural. SS Rafael Furcal returns from a back injury just in time for the playoff run and made his presence felt against the Cubs, collecting four hits and scoring four runs in the sweep.

Russell Martin remains steady as ever behind the plate, as well as a presence at it, batting .280 with 13 HR and 69 RBI. Veterans Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff Kent provide quality depth on the bench.

1B Howard had another monster season for the Phillies, in terms of home runs and RBI, leading the league with 48 HR and 146 RBI. Even though he batted only .251, with nearly 200 strikeouts, the 2006 N.L. MVP continues to be one of baseball's most dangerous hitters, especially in Citizens Bank Park.

Reigning N.L. MVP SS Jimmy Rollins struggled with nagging injuries all season long but is still as clutch as they come and provides a speed/power threat whenever he comes to the plate.

2B Chase Utley completes one of the most talented offensive infields in the majors, leading all second basemen with 33 HR and 104 RBI.

The emergence of CF Shane Victorino this season made the popular Aaron Rowand expendable, and he rewarded the Phillies brass with big plays all season, whether with his bat, feet, glove, or arm. Victorino's grand-slam against Brewers ace CC Sabathia proved to be the biggest hit of the series and a major reason why they are playing in the NLCS.

LF Pat Burrell rebounded nicely this year, hitting 33 HR to go along with 86 RBI after struggling mightily last season. He and RF Jayson Werth are very good against left-handed pitching, with OF Matt Stairs and 3B Geoff Jenkins as good options against righties.

C Carlos Ruiz is in the lineup mainly for his glove and ability to handle the pitchers, so any hit/walk would be a bonus. Utility infielder Tadahito Iguchi rounds out the bench and can play any infield position.

STARTING PITCHING

Derek Lowe (14-11, 3.24 ERA) takes to the hill in Game One and is no stranger to the postseason. Having closed out all of the Boston Red Sox's playoff games in 2004 and handling the media circus in Beantown, D-Lowe is a savvy veteran who will not be rattled by the bright lights and gives L.A. a solid, quality start every time out.

Chad Billingsley (16-10, 3.14 ERA) was the Dodger's best pitcher all year long and followed up his strong regular season with a win in his first postseason start against Chicago. The youngster is brimming with confidence heading into Game Two.

Game Three starter, Hiroki Kuroda (9-10, 3.73 ERA), was signed in the offseason to a multi-year deal and has not disappointed so far.

It will be interesting to see who manager Joe Torre will go with for Game Four, youngster Clayton Kershaw or veteran Greg Maddux. Kershaw, a left-hander with unbelievable stuff, figures to get the call because of Philadelphia's left-handed dominant lineup (Howard and Utley).

Cole Hamels (14-10, 3.09 ERA) is coming off a dominant performance against the Brewers in the division series and is slated to oppose Lowe in Game One. In a 3-1 win, Hamels went eight IP, allowing only two hits while striking out nine batters. His changeup is devastating and his strikeouts to walk ratio (196 K/53 BB) is very impressive.

Game Two starter Brett Myers (10-13, 4.55 ERA) was demoted early in the season after struggling in the bullpen but has found his groove again as a starter. Ageless wonder Jamie Moyer (16-7, 3.71 ERA) continues to prove his doubters wrong and is scheduled for Game Three. Moyer is the ultimate junkballer and relies on changing speeds to keep hitters off balanced.

Joe Blanton, the Game Four starter, was acquired from the Oakland Athletics during the season and has provided a spark at the back end of the rotation. He closed out the Brewers on their home field, going six innings while allowing only one run in a 6-2 Phillies win.

BULLPEN

Jonathon Broxton has made the transition from set-up man to closer a seamless one. The young fireballer took over for Takaishi Saito late in the season and has flourished in the role. Cory Wade has stepped in to fill Broxton's role and Los Angeles has not skipped a beat.

Lefty-specialist Hong Chih Kuo was just added to the roster and will be a key in this series. Kuo is especially tough against lefties, so the key matchup might be him against Howard/Utley with runners on base.

Maddux will serve as the team's long man and emergency spot starter. Chan Ho Park also figures into the mix here.

Brad Lidge was acquired in the offseason to bring stability to the bullpen, and he did not disappoint manager Charlie Manuel. Lidge has been perfect in all save opportunities (41 for 41 regular season, 2-for-2 in NLDS) and has re-established himself as one of baseball's best closers.

Ryan Madson has been improving every year and is a nice bridge to Lidge. J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin fill out the rest of the bullpen and provide Manuel quality arms in waiting.

MANAGERS

Torre's resume is well-documented (four World Series, 13 postseason appearances) and cannot be overstated. His trademark coolness and even keel temperament suits the Dodgers' clubhouse perfectly and allows his players to perform to the best of their ability.

The young players gravitate towards him and see him as a father figure with rings and credibility. With the addition of Ramirez, it gives Torre the presence he needed in the middle of the lineup, taking the pressure off the youngsters Ethier, Kemp, and Loney. Going with Broxton as the closer has been a stroke of genius as well, giving the team something they were sorely lacking with Saito being hurt all season.

Manuel does not have a good track record in the playoffs but he never had as much talent as he has on this team. The Phillies have elite players at all the key positions (1B Howard, 2B Utley, SS Rollins, SP Hamels, Closer Lidge), as well as the home-field advantage.

He will need more production out of Howard, Rollins, and Utley (combined 10-for-42, four RBI in NLDS), if Philadelphia is to advance any further in the postseason.

PREDICTION

On paper, it seems like the advantage goes to the Phillies in every position. They have the better starting pitching, better bullpen, and the deeper, more explosive lineup. But I am picking the Dodgers for one reason and one reason only: Manny Ramirez.

When motivated, he is the single greatest force in baseball, routinely carrying teams on his back for prolonged periods of time. He is in the process of doing so with L.A., and I think he will carry them to the Series. Dodgers in six games.

NLCS MVP: Manny Ramirez

2008-09 Boston Celtics: Team Overview

Tien Nguyen — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:49:38 -0400

The 2007-08 NBA season was one of redemption for the Boston Celtics and GM Danny Ainge, culminating in their historic seventeenth championship.

The league's best team wire to wire ended the regular season with 66 wins suffocating opposing teams with ballhawking team defense.

Led by Head Coach Doc Rivers, Defensive Player of the Year PF Kevin Garnett,new assistant coach/defensive guru Tom Thibodeau, and an unselfish cast of players both veteran as well as rookies, the Celtics proved yet again that defense wins championships in a dominating 131-92 Game Six win over the offensive-minded Lake Show led by reigning MVP Kobe Bryant.

With the Big Three of Garnett, Finals MVP SF Paul Pierce, and SG Ray Allen back again, can the Celtics become the first team to repeat as champions since the Kobe-Shaq Lakers (2000-2002) earlier in the decade?

FRONTCOURT

KG's impact on the team was immediate. Aside from the 18.8 PPG and 9.2 RPG, he brought a level of intensity the C's were sorely lacking since the Original Big Three.

Chosen to the All-Defensive first team eight times, Garnett anchored the league's second best scoring defense with plenty of help from his frontcourt mates.

Fifth-year C Kendrick Perkins came into his own and became a physical presence in the paint, allowing KG to roam and help teammates while Perk manned down the middle leading the team with 1.46 blocks per game.

Pierce, soon to be team leader in every offensive category in Celtic history, sacrificed his individual statistics for the good of the team. He quickly bought into Rivers philosophy of 'less is more' and had his best all-around season as a pro averaging a team-high 19.6 PPG to go with 4.5 APG.

The Truth turned his attention more to the defensive side in 2007, often going mano e mano with the opposing team's best scorer and more than holding his own.

BACKCOURT

Another key element of Boston's championship was fueled by the emergence of PG Rajon Rondo. Only in his second season, Rondo sets the tempo for the whole offense. In the game-clincher against the Lakers in the Finals, L.A. coach Phil Jackson gave the young point guard the ultimate respect/compliment, citing him as the 'star of the game' and 'the player we had no answer for'.

It is hard to argue with the Hall of Fame coach after Rondo posted 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and six steals in the biggest game of his career.

Allen, coming off two ankle surgeries last year, showed he was healthy all season averaging 17.4 PPG and came up big in the Finals hitting a record 22 3PT FG in the process. Jesus Shuttlesworth showed "He Still Got Game" on the biggest stage, saving his best performances for the Eastern Conference Championship against the Detroit Pistons and in the Finals versus the Lakers after initially struggling in the earlier rounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks.

BENCH

The departure of F James Posey to the New Orleans Hornets is one of the biggest questions the C's have to answer this season. He brought an attitude and toughness off the bench that cannot be explained by points, rebounds, blocks or steals. No one in the league is better at taking a charge and often frustrated opponents with his hard-nosed, physical play.

2008 Draft Picks, first rounder G/F J.R. Giddens and second rounder F Bill Walker were two lottery talents who dropped to the Celtics due to character concerns as well as injury concerns, will get long looks at filling the void along with free agent Darius Miles.

Miles, who last played for Portand in 2005-06, is an intriguing pickup by Ainge. Though not as tough and physical as Posey, he has longer arms and is more athletic with a decent mid-range jumpshot.

Forwards Leon Powe and Glen "Big Baby" Davis are back and much improved after making key contributions down the stretch last season. Both are very good position players and use their bodies very effectively to create space to get off a shot or grab a rebound.

Guards Tony Allen, Eddie House, and Sam Cassell were all re-signed to bring a needed veteran presence. 2007 second-round pick combo guard, Gabe Pruitt, could play a bigger role this year after spending his inaugural season watching and practicing against the best the NBA has to offer.

Backup centers Brian Scalabrine and Patrick O' Bryant round out the bench and have good size. O'Bryant, the eighth overall selection of the Golden State Warriors in the 2006 draft, was signed by Ainge to a two-year deal and could provide a post presence down the road.

COACHING

Rivers answered all of his critics last season, bringing home the first championship to Boston in 22 years and restoring glory to a franchise rich in tradition and prestige.

Adding Thibodeau to his staff was critical, for it was his defensive schemes and philosophies that ultimately led to drastic improvement of the team's defense. From day one, these two and the coaching staff preached to all of the players that it would take tough as nails, unselfish team defense that would lead them to the common goal.

Look for Rivers to push the tempo on offense even more this season with a more confident, more mature core coming back. The key will be keeping the players motivated and not complacent, which tends to happen with veteran players coming off an exhausting championship run.

This will be the biggest challenge for Doc as well as replacing key veterans Posey and PF P.J. Brown (retired), but the pieces are in place for another title run.