Bleacher Report - Articles by Sixty Feet, Six Inches

60 Feet, 6 Inches: We'll See You in December

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:43:00 -0500

Alright, so if you're a reader of this blog you know that we haven't been updating recently. The honest truth is that we're busy. Nate and I are both college students and the end of this term is giving us little time to post. Additionally Nate and I both run separate blogs that are getting our attention more than this one. That last fact has us concerned over the future of this blog, so we're going to make some changes.

I know, I know, we've made a lot of them in recent months. Hopefully, these are the last ones.

We love doing the podcast, so that's remaining.

We're also not able to update at the rate we once did and it is unrealistic to believe that we could return to that while trying to do the same on our other blogs and try to work/study.

Therefore we're going to make the shift from a blog with a podcast to a podcast with a blog. The podcast is going to become our primary focus as we try to create a product that will be enjoyable. We're also open to suggestion on how we can better the podcast.

Meanwhile, the blog will be used to share any thoughts we have that we can't cover in our other blogs. We'll try to make it more user friendly with polls and other such things.

If you've stuck with us through our various changes and enjoy what we do, thank you. We're trying to do what makes the most sense and at this point, this seems to be the best choice. Your readership means the world to us because it proves that average dudes can have opinions that matter just as much as the so-called "experts."

We'll begin this revised approach to the blog in December when I don't have 36 pages worth of writing due and therefore more time to focus on Sixty Feet, Six Inches .

Baseball's Parity Problem

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

In the wake of the Yankees' 27th and most recent World Series championship two days ago, we're likely to hear a lot of talk about parity in baseball. The arguments will mostly be divided into two camps.

One side will cry foul. "This is an outrage!" they'll say. "The Yankees bought a World Series for $208 million. I can't believe Major League Baseball would allow this to happen. We need a salary cap!"

The other will defend the current system. "Ridiculous! Look, the system isn't perfect, but this isn't your granddad's Yankee-dominated baseball world. The Yankees have been trying to buy a title every year, and this is the first year it's worked for them. The 2000 Yankees were home-grown talent, and we've seen eight different cities bring home the title since 2000."

The root of this debate is simple: does market size matter in baseball?

Those who say the system is fine love to point out that Arizona, Florida, and St. Louis have all won World Series titles in the past decade, and they love the example of the Rays beating out the mighty Yankees and Red Sox for the AL East title in 2008.

Those who say the system needs an overhaul will point out that, while those things are true, the Yankees and Red Sox are still the only teams with multiple titles this decade. And besides, the Rays lost to the much larger-market Phillies.

Today, I'll examine the root question.

The two factors I'll be using are simple: population of the team's city and attendance.

I would love to use payroll, but it fluctuates too much from year to year and even during seasons. It's just not a consistent enough variable.

So, let's look at how each World Series team of the past decade stacks up in terms of market size. Keep in mind that this is data from the most recent census in 2000. The rankings may have shifted slightly since then, but I doubt there's been anything cataclysmic.

2000 - New York Yankees - No. 1
2001 - Arizona Diamondbacks - No. 20
2002 - Anaheim Angels - No. 2
2003 - Florida Marlins - No. 18
2004 - Boston Red Sox - No. 12
2005 - Chicago White Sox - No. 3
2006 - St. Louis Cardinals - No. 24
2007 - Boston Red Sox - No. 12
2008 - Philadelphia Phillies - No. 11
2009 - New York Yankees - No. 1

Immediately you'll notice that only three teams live outside of the top 15 most populated MLB cities.

Let's take a look at attendance. The data below represents total attendance from between 2000-2009. Now of course, this isn't perfect. There will be jumps in attendance following a World Series win, when a new stadium is built, etc. However, over a 10-year span, those jumps become less statistically significant.

2000 - New York Yankees - No. 1
2001 - Arizona Diamondbacks - No. 14
2002 - Anaheim Angels - No. 7
2003 - Florida Marlins - No. 30
2004 - Boston Red Sox - No. 8
2005 - Chicago White Sox - No. 21
2006 - St. Louis Cardinals - No. 3
2007 - Boston Red Sox - No. 8
2008 - Philadelphia Phillies - No. 12
2009 - New York Yankees - No. 1

Put these two lists together, and you can see that of all the teams to win the World Series from 2000 on, only the Marlins had a small market with low attendance while they did it.

Of course, this leads to a chicken-egg argument. Are the Cardinals, for example, drawing fans because they're good, or are they good because they can draw fans and sign the players they need long-term?

Most likely, it's a circle. Fans keep coming because the team keeps producing. The team keeps producing because fans keep coming. Great.

However, this can also be a vicious cycle. Unless you're the Marlins (who usually aren't very good), you can also be caught in a position where fans don't come because you aren't producing, and you're not producing because fans aren't coming.

The system as it is may give all teams as reasonable a chance as they can to compete while allowing large-market teams to use their market to their advantage, but there has to be another way. It's my firm belief that the Marlins should be able to win the World Series in 2003 and not have to trade Derrek Lee the year after.

Thoughts on the World Series So Far

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:11:00 -0400

While I may hate both teams involved, the World Series this year has provided some very good baseball thus far. The reality is, these teams both legitimately deserve to be there this year.

Some thoughts on the matchup so far:

A split had to be something the Phillies were hoping for coming out of New York. Obviously, 2-0 would be better for them, but with the series tied and heading to Philly, there's a slight edge there.

What the hell is wrong with Derek Jeter? The play where he bunted for a strikeout with two on and no outs, and the Yankees up two...why? Something is all wrong here, and depending on where the call came from, either manager Joe Girardi or Jeter need an explanation for that one.

Despite my hatred of both teams, I've found a way to spin this optimistically. Whereas either team's success will make me sad, the failure of the other team will make me happy. If the Phillies win, it'll be hilarious that the Yankees spent all that money, finally made it to the World Series, and lost. It's not quite 18-1, but it's close. If the Yankees win...well, a team from Philly lost, and I don't usually have a problem with that.

Ryan Howard has been pretty quiet so far. Only two singles and three strikeouts. Big guy needs to pick up his game. Though he did steal a base, which is hilarious. Yes, I know he stole eight in the regular season. All of them were hilarious.

A-Rod's postseason success is not a recent phenomenon. Possibly more on that in a later post, but I've posted about it here ad nauseam before, so maybe not.

Where's all the steroid talk? As Fire Jerry Manuel said on Twitter: "baseball people usually complain about how NFL steroid usage gets glossed over. well, look at pettitte/arod right now. loud silence."

MLB Got the World Series it Wanted, But I Didn't

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:54:00 -0400

Tonight, if the rain lets up, the World Series will begin between the Phillies and the Yankees. While on paper this seems like a great matchup, featuring the teams that have been the best in their respective leagues all season, I'm completely uninterested.

At the risk of sounding like a whiny blogger, this is not a World Series that captivates my interest.

Perhaps it's the story, or lack there of. While A-Rod's rise from a playoff failure to juggernaut has been interesting, I honestly can't get into it.

This is a series between the Yankees and Phillies, two teams with storied traditions and fan bases known for being jackasses, albeit in two completely separate ways. There's no one to root for here besides God, who I hope sends multiple plagues down upon the stadium until both teams are eliminated.

Usually, in a situation like this, I cheer for the team that I think has a more deserving fan base. But alas, we're stuck with the eventual champion's fans being composed of jackasses with a championship to brag about.

Another part of my disinterest in this series is the timing. Game 5 of last year's World Series was on Oct. 27 and, due to rain, finished on the Oct. 29. It wrapped up just as the NBA was starting. Literally, I flipped the channel from the World Series to the Pacers' season opener. The timing was great.

At the same point this year, we're just entering the World Series. The NBA season has begun. With the Pacers and the NHL to distract me, why would I want to watch a series between two teams I hate?

That's been the main problem with the playoffs this season. The series are split up with too many off days that kill a lot of the drama and momentum.

Baseball is played all summer on back-to-back days. Yet, when fall rolls around, it apparently becomes a sport that must have one to two days off in between each game and half-a-week off before beginning the next series. I'd much rather be on the edge of my seat for two weeks than lulled to sleep by a disjointed playoff system that kills the drama of it all.

For the fans of the Phillies and Yankees, enjoy the moment. Try not to wreck your city when you win/lose.

As for me, I'm really pulling for plagues in this one.

ESPN Does Something Involving Hockey That Doesn't Completely Suck

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:51:00 -0400

Recently I came across a video series on ESPN.com entitled, "The State of Play." In this series NHL analysts Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun sit down with Scott Gomez, Mike Komisarek, Paul Martin and Paul Stastny to discuss a wide variety of topics.

Since all the players are both NHLers and members of team USA the questions shift back and forth between NHL-based questions and ones concerning the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

I know to most hockey fans there's an immediate apprehension to even clicking on this due to ESPN's coverage of hockey, but it's actually worth a watch. I'm not saying you should get your popcorn ready and sit down for what is, with advertising before every video, around 40 minutes of interview video.

Yet, if you're a hockey fan, an American or one interested in their national team and looking for something to do, it's worth filling your time. I'll give it three out of five yeahhhh boyeeeees for shits and giggles.

The videos can be viewed here .

Officiating: Suddenly A Hot Topic

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:55:00 -0400

It seems like everyone everywhere is talking about officiating in sports these days. Every baseball fan has had a conversation about how bad the officiating has been in the playoffs. Pat has a post about a replay system he thinks would work in baseball without disrupting the game. Dutch from Post Game Heroes has a post discussing officiating as one of the most important factors in sports.

Interest in officiating has risen steadily since the Tim Donaghy scandal was making the rounds. That was probably the moment that people realized just how important the officiating is to deciding the outcome of a game.

As a guy who rarely criticises officials, even I admit they're far from perfect. Unless we replace all officials with robots, there will always be mistakes when calling a game. But when bad officiating swings a game, there's a problem.

I'm not sure what can or will be done. I have absolutely none of those answers. But I'm glad that this is at least a topic being discussed now. Perhaps this will lead to reforms in sports. Perhaps the only thing it will lead to is new stats based on officiating. Perhaps it will lead to nothing.

But at least we're headed in the right direction.

Steve Phillips's Mistress Can Go to Hell

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0400

For those that don't know, Steve Phillips the former Mets GM and current ESPN analysis has been caught in a love affair with an ESPN employee. Well maybe not caught, perhaps outed is a better phrase. His mistress went public with the affair and not just to the Phillips' family, but she felt the need to inform the New York Post in an exclusive deal.

Normally we would not remark on a story such as this as I try to respect the privacy of personal lives and this blog is about sports, not personal lives (unless it's a really positive story). Yet, this is the exception to that practice, as I am a divorce kid, and I know what it does to a family along with the major factor for my disgust which is the manner in which this was handled.

While my disgust should be directed at Steve Phillips, I find myself harboring just as much, if not more, towards his mistress for the way she has handled everything. There is something inherently wrong in selling a story like this to a newspaper. There are worse things, but it does not change how horrible the situation is that she has helped create.

If you haven't read the letter she sent to Mrs. Philips, and then decided to share with the New York Post , read it before you continue.

Look, Ice Queen, it's bad enough that you engaged in an affair with a man that you knew was married, but it's worse when you write a vengeful letter to that man's wife and send it to a newspaper.

Let's just break this down.

I'm not just some random girl he had sex with in parking lots.

That's really f***ing classy right there. Written like a true idiot. Is this a common occurrence? Have there been multiple times in your life where you've just gotten your f**k on with random dudes in parking lots?

I care about him a lot and I've been asking him to come clean to you about everything, from when we first slept together in St. Louis in his hotel suite (where he assured me I wouldn't have to worry about getting pregnant since his vasectomy)

This is called the too much information portion of this letter. First, you don't need to inform the spouse about when you first slept together, perhaps when it started, but not in these terms. This just seems like an intentional jab at the wife.

Also, the part in parenthesis is completely unneeded, although it appears pretty obvious from this sentence that you were not intending for Mrs. Phillips to be the only reader. The plan to go public was there from the start. This sentence was written to embarrass him.

Mrs. Phillips already knows he had vasectomy, so you're either aiming to shame him or you missed the English class where they explain how to leave out unnecessary information.

Then comes the section where she explains the conversations that they engaged in about Steve's kids and their relationships with each other. I get that you're trying to illustrate that your relationship was more than just f***ing, but given that this letter was intended to go public, it really could have been left out.

Why bring the children into this? They're innocent bystanders, or better yet, why take a private matter public? Oh that's right, you're a stupid 22 year old girl who is engaging in an extramarital affair with a man on TV! You've really made it! Time to cash in for your only shot at 15 minutes of fame!

I was raised Catholic too and while I know our faith dissuades divorce, it also respects it with regards to infidelity because people should have the opportunity to be with whomever makes them happy and can give them what they need.

I am a Catholic who is also a theology student. Either she has a really liberal interpretation of Catholic doctrine or she's a f***ing idiot. I'm going with the latter. God wants you to enjoy life, but not be a f***ing adulterous ass in the process while using "I just want to be happy!" as the backbone of your argument.

...to top it off Steve has a big birthmark on his crotch right above his penis and one on his left inner thigh, so you know I'm not being fake.

This was done to embarrass Steve Phillips. I get why it was done, but again, she intended for this to go public.

Now as for the claims that he's in a loveless marriage, apparently the mistress has fallen for the oldest line in the book. Seriously, every dude engaging in a relationship like that claims that. Also the statement about her being in love with him and that she makes him happier than his wife is a low blow.

I do not care if she claims that she's not trying to hurt Mrs. Phillips, that's bullshit, it was meant to hurt and I'm sure it hit its mark. The mistress was trying to mark her territory and wave her relationship in Mrs. Phillips face.

As I mentioned in the opening of this post, I'm a divorce kid. I know what it does to a family; I know how it hurts. By sending that letter to the New York Post , the mistress showed complete disregard for the feelings to Steve Phillips' wife and children. She acted in self interest to cash in on some fame, and at the expense of the feelings and personal lives of the Phillips family.

Honestly, imagine how it must feel to the children, imagine trying to go through that.

This is not to say that Steve is absolved from his sins here. He's a piece of shit as well, hell, maybe he should run off with his mistress. He has cheated on his wife not once, but twice! Well, that we know of. It's bad enough that a family has to endure this one time, but the fact that this is the second time is horrible. Steve Phillips is at a level below excrement for doing this to his family.

Sure the Post is at fault for publishing filth like this, but what do you expect? There's probably a reason why the newspaper industry is dying. They're trying to sell papers like a broke crackhead tries to get his next fix...any way possible.

Finally, on the topic of love and apparently how the mistress makes Steve happier than his wife does, I can assure you that the mistress has no sense of love with the exception of self-love. She's a 22 year old girl who has been engaging in an affair and apparently cares so deeply about the Phillips' family that she's willing to do something completely self-serving to prove it.

I'm 22, I study a religion dedicated to the concept of love, I'm in a committed relationship that is entering its fourth year. I still don't have a full grasp on what love really is. I have friends that are married and claim that they are still learning about love. This mistress has no idea what love is. I know enough about love to know that.

Love doesn't show complete disregard for the feelings of others. She has only acted in self-interest and it's disgusting. Cash in on your fame, I assure you it's fleeting.

One final thought: Steve, you're a pretty handsome dude, you couldn't do better than her? Raise your standards or be a man and respect the feelings of your family.

On Mariano Rivera's Spit Ball

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:13:00 -0400

So, there's this video making the rounds on the internet that appears to show Mariano Rivera preparing a spitball in Game Three of the ALCS. Since spitballs are illegal, this has become all the rage lately.

For those you living in a cave, here's the video:

Now, a few things must be addressed here.

First, was that a spitball? It certainly appears that way.

Second, did the spit actually land on the ball? It looks like it to me, but there are some people out there with DVRs and HDTVs that zoomed in and say no.

Third, if this is a spitball, does it invalidate everything Mariano Rivera has ever accomplished?

I say no, for one reason. I find it incredibly doubtful that Rivera would be so ignorant of MLB rules. I mean, if that's a spitball, he didn't even try to hide it. He just blatantly spat on the ball. Not even a lick of the fingers or anything. There's no way he does that before every pitch.

For MLB's part, they say they've reviewed the film and that there's no evidence Rivera actually spit on the ball. Therefore, no disciplinary action has been taken.

Regardless, there's now a contingent of fans—right or wrong—that are going to see Rivera as a tainted player, similar to all the players who have used steroids.

Do you still think any starter in MLB is beyond suspicion of cheating?

Five Reasons I Love Hockey

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:42:00 -0400

Instead of writing a weekly series about "Why I Love Hockey," like I did earlier this summer with baseball, I think I'm going to limit myself to one self-indulgent post.

Puck Daddy has been doing this fantastic series on their blog called, "Five Reasons I Love Hockey." Since I know we'll never get asked, I figured I'd make my own list to share. Hopefully, they will not be upset by this, and if you want to share your list, feel free to leave it in the comments.

1. Hockey Sweaters

Readers of this blog know I love uniform aesthetics. When it comes to my personal tastes, nothing beats a hockey sweater. Seriously, even some of the so-so ones are better than the best unis in other sports. It's just something about the tradition of it all, how their look hasn't changed much over time.

Yes, I know RBK did ruin a bit of that a few years ago with the Edge jerseys, but they still reign supreme in my mind when it comes to sports apparel. It's why I have a collection of them.

2. The Stanley Cup

Try to name the championship trophies from the other major professional leagues in North America. Unless you really pay attention, you probably can't. Yet almost everyone, regardless if you like hockey or not, can name the Stanley Cup.

There is something to love about a trophy that spends a day with every member of the team that wins it. Also, if you win it, your name is emblazoned on the side of it forever (or at least until that band is removed).

3. A Clean Hit, Especially in Open Ice

Everything about a solid hit is awesome. The sound, the collision, the crowd's reaction. Everything.

4. The Stanley Cup Playoffs and All the Traditions That Come with Them

There isn't a better time of year for hockey fans. The playoffs come with so much excitement and drama, along with tradition.

I love the handshake line after every series. For four to seven games, these men destroy each other and try desperately to beat each other. Yet when all is said and done, they shake hands and congratulate each other. There is something uniquely awesome about that moment.

The tradition of the team captain not touching the conference champion's trophy because it's considered bad luck. This isn't the trophy they want. They want the cup, and you don't touch it until you win it.

Finally, the playoff beards. Seriously, how much more manly can you get? Players are already playing with broken bones and they have beards? Excellent.

5. The Flow of the Game

It's just something about the way the game moves. The flow of everything. The movement of players on skates, the way the puck glides.

No sport can copy what hockey has and the fast-paced movement in which everyone seems to know their role within a split second turns the game into poetry in motion; the ice is their canvas, their play pen.

Mike Wallace is having one heck of a rookie year

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Steelers WR Mike Wallace, the team's third round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft, is having the best rookie year of any receiver from the current draft class.

The speedy Wallace has caught at least two passes in every game he's played this season, averaging 48.5 yards per game and 15.4 per catch. He had a 100 yard game against the Cincinnati Bengals, and added his first NFL TD against the Detroit Lions in week five.

Rated the 14th best receiver by most experts going into the draft, Wallace has more receptions so far than all of his draft mates. He has been so solid this season that the Steelers have officially moved him to the No. 3 receiver slot ahead of 2008 second rounder Limas Sweed and free agent acquisition Shaun McDonald.

I'm officially using this time to declare Wallace one of the rookie players to watch this year, and I may even recommend you fantasy football players out there who are hurting for receiver debt to give Wallace a look.

Congratulations Twins: Alexi Casilla's Walk-Off Wins It

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:09:00 -0400

Well, that was probably the craziest one-game playoff ever.

First things first: For all the criticism this game got for not being on prime time TV (including from myself), it may be a good thing that it wasn't. How many people would have stuck around for the conclusion if that game started at eight and ended past midnight?

At any rate, the Twins pulled out a victory over the Detroit Tigers, claiming the AL Central in the process. I'll be rooting for the Twins in this year's postseason, for no reason other than the fact that I like small market teams and Joe Mauer.

Also, big congratulations to Alexi Casilla. It has to feel good to come off the bench and hit a walk-off to win the game for your team—especially when you were hitting below the Mendoza line all season before that moment.

Thank You For The Memories: An Open-Letter to the Rays

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:32:00 -0400

Dear Tampa Bay Rays,

Thanks.

Although the season did not end in the manner I had hoped, I would like to extend a thank you for the efforts you put forth this season. Thanks for the countless hours of entertainment that you provided me with that allowed me to forget my troubles and the temperature outside. Thank you for an amazing nine-game home stand in mid-August that allowed a son to bond with his father over a great set of games. Thank you for the great games, improbable rises to stardom, and a perfect setting for conversation.

I shall miss you, but Opening Day is only six-months away.

Sincerely,

Peter Evans

Pittsburgh Pirates Blog Announcement

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:31:00 -0400

For those of you who enjoy the Pirates coverage provided by myself on this site (a surprisingly large number of our readership, based on the e-mails and tweets we receive), I'm now writing along with Nick DeWitt about the Bucs on a separate blog, Pirates Public.

Pirates Public is part of the new FanHuddle sports blog network. There are blogs there for all major sports teams, as well as college teams and non-major US sports. The main address is www.fanhuddle.com. I'm excited to be working for them.

For those of you who want to read my Pirates coverage, the link to my blog there is http://fanhuddle.com/pittsburghpirates/

What does this mean for SFSI? Well, the posts I write here are likely to be more general in coverage. I tended to focus heavily on the Bucs when I wrote about baseball because they were the team I knew the most about.

Now that I have another outlet to write about Pirates related news that, presumably, people who aren't fans of the team wouldn't care about, I'll be able to focus my energy here on different things.

Please note that the blog there, as well as the site overall, is still under development. The overall look will remain similar to the way it does now, but smaller things like the site banner and blogroll are likely to change in the near future.

Dear Hemant Mehta: Your Being Right Doesn't Make Mike Blowers Less Awesome

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:59:00 -0400

Today's sports story comes from an unlikely domain on the Internet: The Friendly Atheist, a blog by Hemant Mehta.

As you can guess by the title, this blog isn't a sports blog, but a blog related to (usually political) secular issues.

I enjoy the work Hemant does there, but this article on an awesome call Seattle Mariners commentator Mike Blowers made doesn't jive with me.

For those of you who may not have seen or heard about the call, the clip (which is the same one Hemant uses on his blog) is below:

http://www.youtube.com/v/b494dinhd4Y

Totally a lucky call, and judging by the laughs Blowers was getting from his boothmates, probably not the type of call he makes very often. But despite the luck, pretty awesome, right?

Well, not according to Mr. Mehta.

Let's take a look at his rationale and debunk his debunking.

1) He would hit his first major-league home run that day…

Not an unusual prediction to make for a promising rookie. I do wonder if Blowers ever made this prediction anytime before… but let’s give him credit here.

He’s 1 for 1.

I'd also be interested to know if Blowers had ever made that prediction about Tuiasosopo before, because it makes it less impressive if he has. And I'll even agree that it's not exactly uncommon for a commentator to predict a home run for a rookie.

Still, it DID happen on the day Blowers called it, so I'm going to agree with the 1-for-1 score here.

2) … off pitcher Brian Tallet…

Well, Tallet was the starting pitcher. It doesn’t take a baseball expert to know Taller will be pitching for most of the game, barring a really bad day. Blowers doesn’t get credit for this.

He’s 1 for 2.

True, but Blowers also predicted that it would be during Tuiasosopo's second at-bat. Converted reliever Brian Tallet has kind of sucked this year, and his average start length is 4 1/3 innings.

Tuiasosopo, batting eighth in the lineup, didn't get his second at-bat until the fifth inning, meaning it was probable Tallet wouldn't have even been in the game at that point.

Also, it happened and Blowers predicted it would. So, I'm going 2-for-2 here.

3) … during his second at-bat of the game…

A nice, specific prediction, right? Not really. There’s a good reason he made that particular call. Blowers said, “I thought he would take some pitches in his first at-bat, because he’s a rookie.”

Indeed, players are less likely to swing early in the game so they can see more pitches, get a feel for the pitcher’s style, and take advantage of it all later.

He’s 1 for 3. (Though this one is arguable.)

Sure. And Blowers, like many fans, knows this kind of thing about baseball. Never did he claim he was a psychic...he's just using the knowledge associated with his occupation to help guide him in a prediction. Nothing wrong with that.

Hemant says it's arguable, and I'm going to argue it. Blowers predicted it would happen, and it did. 3-for-3.

4) … on a 3-1 count…

Blowers gets no credit for this one. Typically, a pitcher will make difficult pitches early in the count to see if anything works against the batter.

But if the batter doesn’t swing, a 3-1 count (3 balls and 1 strike) isn’t out of the question.

Not only that, but pitcher Tallet was known to be “a little wild” according to Blowers himself. That is to say, he’d work himself into a 3-1 count more often than other pitchers.

When the count gets to 3-1, a batter can expect to see something hittable. You can assume pitchers don’t want to walk a player with a fourth ball, so they try to throw something in the strike zone. Indeed, a 3-1 count is known as a “hitter’s count.”

He’s 1 for 4.

This is all true, but it precludes the idea that Tallet would get the count to 3-1. Against a rookie, no less. The exact type of person most likely to swing at a ball outside the strike zone.

Blowers was predicting not only wildness from Tallet, but discipline from Tuiasosopo. And again, yes, this isn't a shot in the dark; he's using his knowledge of the game - but again, so what?

If it were already a 3-1 count and THEN Blowers said "I smell a home run," yeah, it would be less impressive, because Tuiasosopo is already looking at a hitter's count. But he predicted before it happened that Tuiasosopo would be in that position in the first place and THEN hit a home run.

4-for-4.

5) … it would be a fastball…

On a 3-1 pitch, one would expect to see a fastball. As stated a little bit ago, the pitcher doesn’t want to walk the batter. He’s not going throw a curveball or a slider that could get away from the plate.

A fastball has the best chance of fooling the batter… in fact, the commentators even say right before the pitch “It’s going to be a fastball.”

The upside to this for the batter is that he knows what’s coming and he prepares to swing fast and hard at the ball.

I don’t have the stats in front of me, but I would suspect the number of home-runs hit on 3-1 fastballs are higher than you would find for just about all other pitches and counts.

He’s 1 for 5.

All true, and again, so what? Blowers knows things about baseball. That's his job. The thing that's cool about this is that each of these predictions separately are mundane, but when put together make up a very specific prediction that happened. The odds against Blowers are huge.

Hemant's fallacy here is again in assuming that Tuiasosopo was already in a 3-1 count when this prediction was made.

The prediction so far is actually four predictions rolled into one: Tuiasosopo is going into his second at-bat, he's going to work the count to 3-1, which will force Tallet to throw a fastball, which Tuiasosopo will then hit for a homer.

Several of these steps are based on knowledge of baseball itself rather than, say, psychic ability, but again, Blowers never claimed psychic ability.

Why is it not impressive that his knowledge about baseball could lead him to form a domino-effect prediction that then by mostly luck and part skill happens?

5-for-5.

6) … and the ball would land in the second deck of the Blue Jays’ stadium…

This one just didn’t happen. Rachel Maddow was actually wrong in the clip above when she said Blowers nailed every prediction.

He’s 1 for 6.

OK, that part is true. No disputing that.

5-for-6.

7) … in left center field.

Tuiasosopo is a right-handed batter. Most of his balls are going to be hit toward the left side of the field. Blowers doesn’t get credit for pointing out the obvious.

He’s 1 for 7.

According to the hit data on Baseball Reference, most of Tuiasosopo's batted balls this year have gone either up the middle or to right field. He's actually not a pull hitter.

Conventional baseball knowledge would suggest Hemant is right here, and may have led Blowers to make the into left field prediction, but in the case of Tuiasosopo it's actually less likely for that to happen.

6-for-7.

Of course, I don't think Blowers has any type of divine powers or anything like that. Knowledge of baseball combined with a whole lot of luck is what led to this event happening. But it's still pretty cool, and there's no need to rain on the parade.

Wayne Gretzky's Resignation and What It Means for the Phoenix Coyotes

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:56:00 -0400

On Thursday Coyotes fans finally got the news they've been waiting for all summer, that Wayne Gretzky was no longer their coach. For a very small group of human beings who have been through hell this year, this was a welcome piece of good news.

Gretzky posted a record of 143-161-24 in his four seasons behind the bench in Phoenix and only proved to be another example in the argument that extraordinary talent on the ice/field does not equate to talent behind the bench.

Those who have the ability to see the game on a different level than others often have problems relating to the average player. Meanwhile if one looks at the best coaches/managers currently in sports they were all usually middle of the road players, but have a strong understanding of the game and can teach it to others.

Gretzky became the coach of the Canadian Men's National Team before the 2002 winter olympics and led them to a gold medal. He then became the part-owner of the team and was picked to coach the team before the 2005-06 season.

There has always been a part of me who believed that this was nothing more than a publicity stunt for Gretzky's team, and like most stunts like this, went terribly wrong.

The Coyotes meanwhile face a time of turmoil and what I can only hope is the rebirth of hockey in Phoenix (yes, there was a time when the Yotes could pack the house). I honestly can't help but thinking that Gretzky is somewhat responsible for the dilemma in Phoenix right now.

I'm not claiming his fault is to an extreme extent, but that he slightly played a part in the problems this franchise currently faces. It can be debated the talent the Coyotes actually had in terms of prospects, but with a coach like Gretzky behind the bench, they failed to develop because of his inability to relate.

This led to four seasons in which they didn't see the playoffs and the fans stopped showing up. It's not all his fault, nor is the majority of it his, but one must question if he did play some part.

The Coyotes have since brought in former Dallas Stars coach, Dave Tippett. In Tippett's 6 seasons in Dallas, he led the Stars to five playoff appearances and posted a record of 271-156-28-37.

My hope is that new coach Dave Tippett can turn this franchise's fortunes around and the fans return. As much as I hate Gary Bettman, he's been somewhat accurate about building up fan bases in new, untouched markets. In almost all the Southeastern Division cities, participation youth leagues has risen dramatically and the key to a fan base is the youth.

I honestly believe that Phoenix can be a viable hockey market, it just will take some time to develop. That and keeping Jim Basille's grubby hands away from the team.

Ballpark Review: Durham Bulls Athletic Park

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:00:00 -0400

When most people think the Durham Bulls, they think of the movie Bull Durham and a very famous sign.

In July I was fortunate enough to take in two games at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Let's just say while I had some high hopes for this stadium, some design flaws hindered my visit.

Stadium Design: Overall flow of the stadium, architecture and unique parts of the stadium.

Let's put DBAP in context. The stadium was built in by Populous in the midst of the modern-retro movement in stadium design. In almost every stadium I've set foot in that has been designed by Populous I have been happy with the overall flow of the stadium. This stadium is a testament to ideas that seemed awesome on paper, but really didn't work out too well in execution.

That's not to say this is the worst stadium ever designed, but there are some flaws which did hamper my experience. First off, the concourses are too small. I got to experience this stadium at about 2/3 capacity and at less than half capacity, in both occurrences it seemed that if there was any line it took up over half the concourse and severely limited movement. It should also be added that these lines snaked and were not just straight back, which hopefully will allow the reader to understand just how narrow these concourses are.

Concourse size is always a big deal to me because it really affects the flow of the stadium and ease of moving around.

Another feature of the stadium that created a maneuverability issue was the single staircase that led to the outfield. In order to get to outfield seats, one has to climb a staircase to get there. This wouldn't be a major issue except for the fact that with the lines taking up most of the concourse and the width of the stairs, there is significant congestion with any crowd.

Once you get to the outfield, a person will get to look at the lovely "Blue Monster" in left field. Sadly, that's all you'll get to do as you cannot go witness the view because it's a fenced-in picnic area. It's a negative, but not one that makes me look down on the stadium for. Rather, just something I would have enjoyed.

Finally, the entrance seems a bit problematic. Once you enter (which I believe is the only gate for non-STH), the patron must decide between one of two escalators to actually get up to the concourse. When I went, this was hellish for both entry and exit. Too many people, not enough room.

Despite its flaws, it is a nicely constructed and one must understand this ballpark is basically packed inside of a city block. I shall bestow on this park's design a 2 out of 5 Yeahhhhh Boyeeees.

Game Experience: The experience of enjoying a game at the stadium.

Overall I would describe the game experience at The DBAP as average. Not really much to say here. Although I must add the excitement that comes from watching the Bull's eyes glow with smoke coming out of its nose and the tail moving up and down after a Bulls' home run or win makes up for a lack of stirring events during the game.

The "Hit Bull, Win Steak" sign alone pulls this up to a 4.

Concessions: Overall pricing and convenience of ballpark concessions.

The pricing at this park was insane. I was paying more here that I did at some of the MLB parks I've been to. This is understandable though, the surrounding Triangle Area is a rather high income region of the County, and the prices are gauged toward their spending dollars. Sadly, for a person not from this area like myself I'm stuck paying the high prices.

Another problem I had was how long it seemed to take all of the concession stands. I don't expect breakneck speed, but I was confused as to why it took me almost an inning and a half to get through a 5 person line. I thought this may have been a one time thing, but the next night I decided to try the concessions again and the result was almost exactly the same.

Finally, a major problem I experienced was in the outfield. There is only one full concession stand in the outfield section of the ballpark and it's a Chick-fil-a stand. For those unfamiliar with the business practices of this company, they are closed on Sundays with no exceptions. Unfortunately for me I had the misfortune of sitting in direct sunlight, in the outfield, on a Sunday, in July. This combination was horrible as the only option one has is to go back down the stairs into the main concourse and stand in line. Chick-fil-a is a great option in a stadium, just not a good idea to occupy the ONLY stand for a large portion of the ballpark.

One positive was the team store at the entrance to the park. It had a fantastic selection complete with the greatest souvenir anyone would ever get.

High prices and bad stand placement detract from the score. 2 Yeahhhh Boyeees.

View: View of game play from the seats, along with scenery surrounding the stadium.

I've been going to baseball stadiums my entire life, from Single A to MLB ballparks. I have never seen dead grass on a field...ever. The grass was riddled with dead patches and divots. This honestly was the worst field I've ever seen in a professional baseball stadium.

As for the view from the seats, there doesn't seem to be a bad place to sit in the entire stadium. Every seat has a nice vantage point. Even the standing room above the outfield seats provides a nice view of the field.

The DBAP is built in the middle of the Tobacco District in downtown Durham. It's surrounded by buildings and there's a nice view of the city from the stands down the lines.

The field is the only problem I had with what is otherwise a stadium that is very pleasing on the eyes. 3 Yeahhh Boyees.

Personality: Does the stadium have it's own unique personality and does it capture the personality of the city/team it represents.

Durham Bulls Athletic Park definitely has its own personality. When I think of Durham, I think of tobacco. It's fitting that the stadium is built in the historic Tobacco District, complete with a view of the Lucky Strike Cigarettes water tower from the field.

The concourses are decorated with signs and banners proclaiming the proud heritage of baseball in the Triangle. The scoreboard in Right is hand operated. Downtown Durham is in full view from the park and nothing says minor league personality like this.

For a stadium brimming with personality I must award it a 5.

The Durham Bulls Athletic Park is a great place to see a game, the problem is just getting to your seat, especially if you decide you want something to eat/drink. Final score: 16 out of 25.

Louis Murphy: It Sure Looked Like A Catch To Me

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:10:00 -0400

I hate to feed fans of the Oakland Raiders anything. This is a franchise whose fanbase is already convinced that there's some mass conspiracy in the NFL officiating booths to screw the Raiders over every game. Why? I don't know. What reason would NFL refs have to hate the Raiders? Did Al Davis just take a dump in all of their hats one day? Regardless, there's this perception of the Raiders not actually being a bad team, but getting screwed by the refs every week.

That said, I don't see how Murphy didn't catch that ball

Even as I listen to Mike Pereira explain why it was an incompletion, I don't get it. Not the rule. I get the rule. I just don't get how Murphy didn't do everything Pereira says he has to.

The way that play looked to me, Murphy caught the ball, got both feet down, and THEN started to go to the ground. He wasn't in the act of going to the ground when the catch itself was made. He caught the ball, got the feet down, then got taken to the ground. The TD would and should have occurred before his falling happened.

Even given the rest, after he hit the ground, here's the sequence of the play as I see it:

1. Murphy hits the ground.
2. The ball jiggles a little bit.
3. The ball jiggles a little more.
4. As Murphy starts to get up, he lets go of the ball.

It's entirely possible I'm wrong here. The NFL has access to several different views that we as TV viewers do not. Maybe one of those views had conclusive evidence to overturn the play.

Even in that case, however, this is entirely too complicated of a process. To quote former Raiders coach and retired broadcaster John Madden, "I remember when a catch was a catch."

Mel Simon Passes Away at Age 82

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:09:00 -0400

Pacers co-owner, Mel Simon has died today at age 82. He had been co-owner of the Indiana Pacers with his brother Herb.

I personally would like to take this moment to thank Herb for all he did for my beloved city of Indianapolis.

It was Herb with his brother Mel who saved the Pacers from leaving town in 1983 with a last minute purchase of the team.

Up until that moment it appeared as though the team leaving was a forgone conclusion. If not for their efforts, the city of Indianapolis would be drastically different.

Had the Pacers left, it's pretty safe to assume that we would have never got the Colts.

In the mid-Ninety's they helped in a downtown revitalization effort that brought new life to a previously depressed city/downtown district.

Their company, Simon Property Group, has given jobs to many in the Central Indiana area and they have always spoken highly of the city. Even now as the financial situation of the team doesn't look so great, Mel and his brother have vowed to keep the team in Indianapolis.

So thank you Mel for all you did for a city and a team I both deeply love. You shall be missed.

One Day Away: Phoenix Coyotes Future To Be Decided

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:38:00 -0400

So after all the build-up it's finally here.

I of course am writing about the the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy auction. Since this blog is American and based in the hockey void known as Indianapolis I thought I'd post a few articles to catch you up to speed on the situation.

The hearing will stretch from tomorrow into Friday and by 7 pm on the 11th we will know who are the owners of the Coyotes. We'll keep you posted as we find out more about this, meanwhile I suggest using the return of the NFL season to distract you in this difficult time.

An explanation of what will occur during the auction.

NHL-for-Coyotes-Bettman-says-Ice-?urn=nhl,188140">Puck Daddy post on recent developments involving the bids for the team.

Another Puck Daddy post reflecting on the plight of Coyotes fans (Yes, they exist).

An article detailing Research-in-Motion CEO Jim Balsillie's bid.

Quick Blog-Related News

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:49:00 -0400

I should be back later today with a larger post, but just some news I wanted to pass along to everyone.

—Our friends at Piradical Productions have opened up a sports board on their forums and Nate and I are Admin'ing it up. If you're interested in discussing sports with us on there we'd love to hear from you, especially if you're a web forum junkie like me and love carrying on discussing.

Also if you enjoy Cooking, Movies, Punk Rock and/or Lolcats, then you'll enjoy all of the other sections on the forum as well.

—We're still looking for people to play in our fantasy hockey league. If you're interested just send your email to us via the comments, Twitter or email.

—While I'm on the topic of hockey, if anyone is planning on buying NHL 10 for the PS3 on September 15th and is looking for an EASHL team to join, let me know.

—Finally, because we've heard some people asking about it, we do have a web store if you'd like to purchase a shirt with our logo on it. I'm not sure why you would, but I guess if you like wearing shirts with the logo of obscure sports blogs, then you'll love it.

NFL's Most Shocking Cuts

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:19:00 -0400

The deadline for NFL coaches to announce their final cut list was yesterday, and I've now had time to peruse the list of each team's cuts. Most were routine cuts—players that were on the bubble and knew it, and just couldn't quite make it.

However, there were some pretty big shockers, which is what I'm going to go over today.

Zach Thomas and Bernard Pollard - Kansas City Chiefs

Thomas's presence shouldn't actually be shocking. He's an old guy who's clearly lost a step at this point, and his production has dropped off a cliff in the last few years. It's entirely plausible that younger LBs would be better than him. However, there's always that part of me that remembers Thomas as one of the league's scariest linebackers. Seeing his name on a cut list feels a little surreal.

Pollard was more of a surprise to me. I'm not even going to touch the obvious Tom Brady jokes, but Pollard was actually a pretty good safety. I'm surprised the Chiefs couldn't get any kind of draft picks from him, and I'm surprised they felt he wasn't good enough to play.

Corey Ivy - Cleveland Browns

I'm not so sure a team as thin at CB as the Browns should be cutting a solid contributor like Ivy. At the very least, he could play the nickel/dime role pretty well.

Dominic Rhodes - Buffalo Bills

Rhodes was brought in to come off the bench and spell Marshawn Lynch—a role he's handled well throughout his career. Fred Jackson eliminates that need a little bit, but I would think the Bills would want to have Rhodes as an option as well. What was a strong backfield now looks mediocre with the absence of Rhodes.

Isaac Redman - Pittsburgh Steelers

Redman was an undrafted free agent who emerged as a big-time goal line presence in preseason. His cut isn't overwhelmingly shocking, as Frank Summers was drafted as a goal line back and can also play FB and TE, as well as looking impressive on special teams. However, Redman was much more productive at being a goal line back than Summers was this preseason.

He's eligible for the practice squad, and I can't imagine the Steelers not at least putting him there.

Brian Brohm - Green Bay Packers

It's not that he played well enough to make the roster, but how often does a team really cut its second-round pick? Brohm has a chance at being a productive player in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers has proven more than capable as a starter, but I think Brohm would make a better backup than Matt Flynn.

LeGarrette Blount is Going to Punch That Smile Off Your Face

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:14:00 -0400

If you pay any attention to college football or watch ESPN or follow sports and do not live in a dark void where sports information can never reach your sad existence, you know about the events that occurred last night after Boise State's 19-8 shellacking of Oregon.

Well, just in case you do happen to inhabit that void (seriously, ESPN shows the clip every 15 minutes!) here's the video:

Let's just recap a few things really fast.

1. It was sportsmanship night, and both teams shook hands before the game. (Dear God, I'm choking on the irony.)

2. Blount has been the team's spokesman. He's been the one saying they were going to get revenge for last season's defeat in Eugene.

3. That punch was perfect. He didn't even rear back, and he TKO'd Byron Hout. That's some serious punching power. Hopefully he'll go pro and move on to baby punching.

4. Byron Hout's instigative words led to his own demise.

I'd like to focus on that last one for a second. Everyone seems to be ignoring the fact that Byron Hout was the one who started all of this. Sure, it wasn't the physical violence, but his words were still violent in and of themselves.

Does it make any sense to talk shit to a guy whose team has just been blown out and is still pissed about when your team beat him last season as well? No.

Does it make sense to respond by hitting said dude in the face? No.

It's obvious no one was thinking here. There will be suspensions, but it should be for both parties, not just for Blount.

Sadly, it results in a season-long suspension for Blount, and Hout will look like the innocent victim after acting like a complete jackass.

My final thought: How fucking satisfying was it to watch Blount just wipe that smirk off of Hout's fucking face? I seriously saw that replay about 20 times this morning and every time I saw it I smiled.

You're lying to yourself if you didn't feel just a little bit better watching that smile disappear as he fell to the ground. I mean, how many times have you wanted to do the exact same thing to someone who did that to you?

I'm not saying one should punch the person, but I'm really enjoying living vicariously through him.

Finally, in response your question Jules: yes, yes Hout did look like a bitch. He also acted like one too, along with being punched and falling to the ground like one.*

A special note to Blount: Since you're done playing football this season, you're more than welcome to come help us out on this blog and educate the people on the finer points of jackass punching.

*- Bitch is being used to describe a complete jackass who is a whiny asshole. One can also just simply look like a bitch (See: J.J. Redick) It is not to be conveyed as a derogatory term towards women.

11 Games, 17 Days, Three States: A Baseball Roadtrip

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:00:00 -0400

Aug. 12

I find myself sitting in Indianapolis International Airport waiting to get on a plane for the first time in seven years. To be honest, I'm not thrilled about the mode of travel, but the thought of what awaits me on the other side of the flights makes me get on the plane.

After thinking I'm going to die on a commuter jet, I use up all of my 40 minute layover in O'Hare simply walking to my gate. A flight that never seemed to end later, and I find myself in a city I call home, Bradenton, FL. Actually, it was strange to me that I spent time in all three cities I call home on one day.

Aug. 13

Spend the day playing golf in the Florida heat and resting. Realize that my chance to finally meet family friend Larry Robinson in person has just passed as he left today for a hockey-related trip to L.A.

Aug. 14

Head to Tropicana Field to watch my first of nine games during my stay in Tampa Bay. The Rays fall behind by five runs early and with Halladay on the mound, stand no real chance of getting back in the game. The one bright spot is a Gregg Zaun homer off the right field foul pole.

Aug. 15

This was one of the nights I had circled as a game I was rather interested in, although the reason had nothing to do with the play on the field. The Rays have held a Summer concert series for the last two seasons and this evening will be another concert night. The band: The B-52s. My amount of excitement is only heightened by the fact that it's also Sci-Fi night at the Trop.

I've always loved ballpark/stadium promotions, but this one is by far my favorite of all time. As my father and I walked into the rotunda to enter Tropicana, we're greeted by about 10 Stormtroopers and various other characters from the Star Wars universe.

The whole night was centered around sci-fi and the B-52s. Every usher was in some form of sci-fi gear, and Fred Schneider (B-52s' frontman) was the PA announcer for the first inning. Additionally, Eddie McClintock (Warehouse 13) and Robin Dunne (Sanctuary) from SyFy threw out the first pitches.

The Rays won this game going away, 8-3 and ended all hope of a Toronto rally with a three run seventh.

Aug. 16

Things I distinctly remember about this particular game:

1) If you're going to sing "O Canada", know the lyrics and don't put them out of order.
2) This was a tight game all the way until the bottom of the eighth when Gregg Zaun hit a grand slam to put the Rays up for good.
3) After two home runs in three days, Gregg Zaun became my father's favorite Ray. "He's gritty, I like that."

Aug. 17

Off Day. Spent the middle of the day putting up hurricane shutters on the house with my father. The heat of the day really got to me and I quit with only a few windows left.

Aug. 18

In a bit of a throwback to my youth, my father and I watch this game from the outfield seats. To this day, Tropicana Field is the only stadium I've ever been to where I actually enjoy watching a game from the outfield.

Pat "The Bum" Burrell and B.J. Upton both homer in the sixth. Despite a late rally by Baltimore with included a Matt Wieters homer, the Rays come away with another win, pushing their winning streak to three games.

Aug. 19

Start off the day fishing at the Skyway Fishing Pier as it was something my father and I had always wanted to do, but had never gotten around to doing. Highlights of the excursion were me getting sunburnt, us witnessing a gigantic ray swim by with two remoras on its back, and my father getting his hand bit to hell by a Spanish Mackerel that he caught.

Another game spent in the outfield. Thing that sticks out to me the most is that Ben "Zorilla" Zorbrist hit a solo home run in the sixth on the day I decided to wear my Zorilla shirt to the Trop. Rays win by virtue of a strong start by Jeff Niemann which saw him carry a shutout through seven-and-one-third innings.

Aug. 20

Although I've been to the Trop several times since they've installed the Ray Tank in center field, I had never gone to pet a ray before. On a day where the stadium is rather empty, my father and I decide we should go since neither of us have before. I went into it thinking it would be a waste of time, but the experience was actually pretty awesome. It was interesting to feel the texture of a ray's skin and cool to watch them up close.

As for the game itself, it appeared several times that the Rays would overcome the holes they had been digging for themselves all game, but each time a rally would start it would end with them still trailing by one run. In the end, that one run was difference as they fell to the O's 8-7.

On the ride home, as we do after every Rays game, we listened to Rich Herrera on the post game show. I've always thought highly of him, but on nights after a loss his baseball knowledge shines as he has to fight off all the negative calls from fans expecting a sweep.

Aug. 21

A big series opens for the Rays as they took on the Texas Rangers. At the time the Rays were only two games behind Texas in the chase for the Wild Card with a chance to overtake them with a sweep of the series. Zorilla and Pena hit back to back two-out home runs in the fifth off of starting pitcher, Dustin Nippert.

Meanwhile Kazmir goes seven-and-one-third strong, surrendering only three runs. In the end, the back to back homers are the difference and the Rays beat the Rangers 5-3 on a night where Wildcard leaders, Boston, lose to the Yankees 20-11.

Aug. 22

This game was hands down the most exciting to watch. Carlos Pena was the hero of this contest as he brought in four runs, including two home runs in a game that went into the 10th. A Marlon Byrd two-out ninth-inning homer sent the game into extras, and a Pena line drive up the middle in the 10th brought Longoria around to score on a play at the plate.

Aug. 23

My final game in St. Pete on this road trip. Instead of batting practice, those arriving early were treated to a Buccaneers' wives v. Rays' wives softball game for charity. It was interesting at first, but began to become boring as the game went into extras, much to the dismay of those in charge of the event.

The Rays' wives came away with the win, and I would have much preferred to watch them play in place of their husbands on that day. An overall pitiful performance by the Rays allowed Texas to avoid the sweep and only lose a game to the Rays in the standings. Rangers 4, Tampa Bay 0.

Aug. 24

In a change of plans, my father and I decided to road trip back up to Indianapolis instead of me flying back. That was something I was quite grateful for as I got to spend another day and a half with my father. Made great time and the drive reminded me why Georgia is such a boring state to drive through.

Aug. 25

The original plans for this day were to head up to Milwaukee with some friends and catch a Brewers game; sadly, these plans fell through. The day was not all for naught, as I was able to catch my hometown Indianapolis Indians on a nice evening for baseball. It wasn't the Brewers game, which ended up going 13 innings that night, but it was still baseball.

Aug. 26

I found myself driving out to St. Louis to visit family and see a Cardinals game. I know that St. Louis is a humid city, but I always forget how humid it truly is until I'm there. The humidity makes it hard to see a ball in the night's sky, and I had a long conversation with my sister about how all of that probably creates a pretty decent home field advantage for the Cards.

The game was interesting as the Cardinals scored all three of their runs in the first, while the Astros scraped across their two runs in the fourth. From then on it was a pitcher's duel.

One play that really stands out to me from that night is a failed tag up attempt by Albert Pujols, who thought the outfielders were going to let the ball drop after they had lost it in the haze above the stadium. When it was caught, Pujols basically half-ran to first before stopping completely midway there.

Aug. 27

I figured this would be just a non-baseball related day with family, but my sister took me by a neighborhood called "Ebbets Field." The neighborhood had a ballpark style entrance, with all of the mailboxes and street signs painted Dodger Blue. Every street was named after a former Dodger great and it was cool to see, but I kept finding it odd that a neighborhood dedicated to the Dodgers would be built in the middle of Cardinals country.

I also found out that if you look in the right places, one can find an array of Cardinals shirts for $10 each.

Finally my day concluded with my brother-in-law's brother joining us for dinner. He's a baseball fanatic who is only nine stadiums away from visiting all of the MLB parks. We spent the evening discussing out favorite parks and different road trips we had been on.

Aug. 28

Drove from St. Louis back to Indianapolis. I got home at 9 PM and immediately proceeded to pack for my final year of college. I knew going into this trip I really wouldn't get a lot of rest, but I can honestly say I'm quite tired. Yet, who needs sleep when you have your passions to entertain you?

The End of My Rope

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:10:00 -0400

I've sort of given up on baseball this year. That's a big reason my posts lately have been sparse: with the Mets being so utterly decimated by injury and so bad, and the Red Sox playing largely uninspiring ball (at least it seems that way, what with being perpetually seven games or so behind the Yankees), it's hard for me to have any opinions behind simple depression and malaise.

But I saw something today that annoyed me, and brought me a bit out of my baseball stupor.

Evidently, Omar Minaya has gotten the dreaded "vote of confidence" from Mets ownership. And I'm honestly unsure how I feel about that, though I know for sure that all of my feelings are bad ones.

One one hand, I feel like I would really like to see a change in the front office somewhere. Minaya has, during his tenure, been pretty good at the Big Acquisition. He picked up players like Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran, and Frankie Rodriguez via free agency, and players like Carlos Delgado, Johan Santana, and J.J. Putz via the trade. Most of these acquisitions have worked out well.

The problems have been more with the little pick-ups, primarily with the ones that have not been made. In the past, holes have always appeared on the Met team plan; one year the rotation falls apart, the next it's the bullpen. You get the idea. These holes happen to every team, but the great GMs close them.

Theo Epstein appears to constantly be working to push the Red Sox toward some unknown level of perfection—he adds a piece here, another there, like some kind of benevolent deity. Omar Minaya does not do this.

I'd just like to feel at some point that the Mets have a plan like the Red Sox always seem to have. The difference between the two teams is that of timing: The Red Sox act preemptively, where Minaya and the Mets react.

Sometimes, though, even that doesn't happen. Take this year, for example. With a rash of injuries to key players, the only real new guy to join the team has been Jeff Francoeur (for whom the Mets gave up Ryan Church, not really solving any problems). There have been no other reinforcements.

The Cardinals add Matt Holliday. The Phillies add Cliff Lee. The Red Sox add Victor Martinez. The Mets do nothing. The claim is that the future shouldn't be mortgaged for the present, but considering how badly the present sucks, I think that just a little help wouldn't be too much to ask for.

On the other hand, though, I feel like perhaps an unfair standard is being set. I'm a Red Sox fan as well as a Mets fan, so I compare everyone to Theo Epstein. This maybe isn't right, since Theo Epstein is awesome. Minaya can't keep people from getting hurt (unless it's the fault of the team's trainers, in which case that's his fault too), and he can't replace the whole team in the middle of a season.

But he should do something. He should at the very least make it look like the team is still trying to win. and to this point, he hasn't even done that.

So I come to this decision. Omar Minaya has run out of chances. He's not to blame for this season turning out the way it has, but the last two seasons were his fault. His reaction to the unfolding of this season has been unsatisfactory. And quite honestly, I, for one, am at the end of my rope.

I'm tired of this team looking like a bad AA team. I'm tired of being a joke. I'm tired of wasted money, wasted chances, and wasted years of David Wright's career. I want a new GM. At least then we'll all know that Jeff Wilpon is still paying attention.

Nyjer Morgan: How Valuable Is Defense? (Part Two)

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:11:00 -0400

In my post last Wednesday, I took a look at Nyjer Morgan and how valuable he has been to the Washington Nationals since coming over in a trade.

In this post, I'll take a different path: Was the trade a smart one for the Nationals?

Well, that's a different story.

It all breaks down, simply, to looking at the position the Nationals are in right now.

Nyjer Morgan has been very good this year. However, he is also 29 years old and in the prime of his career. Next year he will be 30, and then it's a safe bet that it's all downhill from there for him.

Now, while it's true that some players have continued success after 30—PEDs not withstanding—those players typically don't have the same skill-set that Morgan does. Almost every tool Morgan has branches from speed, which is the first skill a player has to go.

Of course, that alone doesn't make this a bad trade for the Nationals. If the Nats were in a place where Nyjer Morgan would have put them over the top and vaulted them to contention, then a good case could be made that they'd be foolish NOT to trade for him. But, as we all know, the Nationals are the proud owners of the worst record in Major League Baseball right now.

However, the Nationals will control Morgan's contract for a few more years. He hasn't even approached his first year of arbitration yet. Could it be that the Nats are planning to be in contention next year?

Again, I doubt it. The Nats may have drafted Stephen Strasburg, but they're still a long way away from having one of the Majors' best farm systems. There's a good core of young guys like Ryan and Jordan Zimmerman in the Majors, and there's more talent coming, but they're not exactly a Nyjer Morgan away from contending in the next year or two.

A counter-argument I've heard from Nats fans is that Morgan's defense is invaluable to a young Washington pitching staff. The argument is that Washington's rotation is full of very young pitchers, and having the good defense of Nyjer Morgan behind them gives them confidence and aids their development.

While that may be true, I'm still not convinced Washington couldn't have gotten a good-glove center fielder for a much cheaper price than what they paid to get Morgan from Pittsburgh.

This is, in the short-term, a good trade for Washington. The problem is that this club is not built to win in the short-term. At this moment in time, Washington should be holding on to every young player they have that has even a sliver of a chance at becoming something great. Lastings Milledge certainly fits into that category.

Ballpark Review: U.S. Cellular Field

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:00:00 -0400

U.S. Cellular Field generally gets a bum rap from people who visit the stadium, and I always believe that this isn't completely warranted. Part of this could be from those who immediately compare it to Chicago's other ballpark, the historic Wrigley Field. It could also be attributed to old memories of what "The Cell" was when it was first built in the early '90s. What some South Siders still refer to as Comiskey has come a long way from what it once was thanks primarily to the major renovations of the early 2000s.

Although if you knew some of the other plans that were on the table when the stadium was still in the design phases, it might leave you with a sour taste in your mouth.

Stadium Design: Overall flow of the stadium, architecture and unique parts of the stadium.

When one looks at U.S. Cellular Field, it is obvious the stadium is built to handle large crowds and to provide a general ease of maneuverability around the ballpark. To get to your seat, one has to go up a gigantic ramp until you reach your section. This system actually works quite well for both entry and exit of the stadium as the ramp is quite wide and the fact it's open air allows for a nice breeze.

One of the things I always forget about U.S. Cellular is its open air concourse. It's not rare to see this in most modern stadiums, but with the reputation that The Cell often receives, I tend to blot out this factoid. Overall the concourses are wide enough to accommodate capacity crowds and still allow for a generally quick rate of movement.

Overall the stadium is designed well to handle crowds, but contains little soul. Although statues in the center field concourse and banners showcasing the team's success have been added in recent years, it still does little to show the White Sox strong heritage.

The design is great for maneuverability/efficiency, but some obstructed view seats in the 500 level (upper deck) should just not exist, especially for a modern stadium like The Cell. U.S. Cellular's attempts to show off team history in and around the stadium do add to the stadium, though. For all of this I give U.S. Cellular 4 out of 5 Yeahhh Boyeeeees.

Game Experience: The experience of enjoying a game at the stadium.

I always enjoy games at The Cell. One word of advice for those going to the ballpark is to not wear the colors of that other team in Chicago. Overall there isn't too much going on in between innings, at least not to the point where it's obnoxious. A shirt toss here or a trivia contest there. One thing I've always loved about going to games on the South Side is the 50/50 raffle. Basically you buy a raffle ticket (or 20) and if you win, you get half the pot. People usually bring home upwards of $3,000. Not too shabby.

The fans in Chicago are always fantastic and most of the time the Sox fans you come across know the game quite well. Plenty of support for the hometown team with Sox gear everywhere you look, even if attendance doesn't always show it. This definitely adds to the game experience.

Overall, the South Side of Chicago is a great place to see a game, but there is one HUGE drawback that partially wrecks the experience.

U.S. Cellular is the only stadium I've ever encountered something like this (although I'm pretty sure they're not alone): your ticket can only get you to your portion of the stadium. If you have an upper deck seat, you're stuck in the upper deck, you can't go anywhere else in the stadium. Which means if this is your first time to the ballpark, then you miss out on seeing the whole place.

This is a major detraction for me, especially from this aspect. I understand why this policy is in place, but it hurts the fan. Although each part of the stadium (main concourse, club level, upper deck) has basically the same amenities and kids can still access their special section of the park, but if you're someone who can't afford a lower level seat, then you're essentially a second class citizen.

Without that problem, The Cell would get a perfect 5 out of 5. Yet due to the fact you can't see the whole place, I bestow a 3 out of 5 to the park from the South Side.

Concessions: Overall pricing and convenience of ballpark concessions.

The prices at U.S. Cellular are the prices you'd expect at a major league park, and the concessions are the normal ballpark food with a little bit of Chicago flair. If you want a sausage or a brat, they're all there. If you want a Chicago-style hot dog it is available, but for the love of everything do not put ketchup on that dog. That's a major no-no in Chicago.

Since hot dogs are a big deal in this city, as is beer it's a bit hard to knock the selection, especially considering it's ballpark food to begin with. I'm going to give it a 4 out of 5.

View: View of game play from the seats, along with scenery surrounding the stadium.

As I mentioned earlier in this post there are some obstructed view seats in The Cell that are definitely a detractor. That minor problem aside, the vast majority of seats are great and on the main concourse the field is always in view.

Meanwhile, the scenery surrounding the park, well, there isn't any. The stadium and the scoreboard look nice, but it's in a bad neighborhood surrounded by apartment complexes. One nice view is the skyline of Chicago from the ramps leading to the sections.

This is basically the middle of the road for this category, so the park formerly known as Comiskey gets 3 Yeahhh Boyeeeees.

Personality: Does the stadium have it's own unique personality and does it capture the personality of the city/team it represents.

U.S. Cellular still lacks a lot of soul, but thanks to the renovations it doesn't look as drab as it once did. The stadium does have its share of history displayed throughout the stadium, including tributes to different eras on the various levels of the entry ramp.

With that said, it still isn't enough to really give it a strong personality. I would give The Cell a 3, but the fact that this stadium is built in a neighborhood that basically defines the stereotype of the South Side of Chicago I'm going to up it to a 4.

That gives U.S. Cellular Field a final score of 18 out of 25. The Cell is a good stadium to see a game at and I recommend it, because Obama had it right, the South Side is where real baseball is played.

Michael Vick SIgns with Philadelphia Eagles

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:26:00 -0400

Originally, I was going to write part two of my examination of Nyjer Morgan today, but some actual news happened. So I'm going to go ahead and put that on the back burner for now.

Michael Vick has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

I'll let that sink in for a moment.

Of all the teams you thought of this offseason where Vick would possibly sign (and you know you thought of them), can anyone among us honestly say that Philadelphia topped the list?

Obviously, this raises a few questions.

Do the Eagles plan to adopt a wildcat now? Will Vick and their actual QB—Donovan McNabb—ever be on the field at the same time? Have the Eagles given any thought to some sets with Vick as a WR?

But some more important questions are raised, too. Do the Eagles really only consider Vick a backup? Or is he a successor?

It's a well-established fact that, despite being one of the best QBs in the league, for some reason McNabb is not a popular guy in Philadelphia. McNabb and coach Andy Reid have had their back-and-forths before

Perhaps the Eagles see this as their way to get McNabb out of Philly. After week six, when Vick is eligible to play again, could McNabb possibly be traded? Would the Eagles feel comfortable with Vick as their guy and Kevin Kolb as their backup?

These questions will take some time to answer, but one thing is for sure. Donovan McNabb can't be feeling good about his future in the city of brotherly love right now.

Nyjer Morgan: How Valuable Is Defense? Part One

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:44:00 -0400

I'm going to go out on a limb here and make an assumption. I'll assume for a moment that the majority of our readers have either read or at least understand the premise of the book Moneyball.

However, what a good deal of people don't know is that Billy Beane himself shifted focus shortly after Moneyball was released.

See, the underlying point of that book isn't about stats. It's about a small-market team—in this case the Oakland Athletics—finding a niche that hasn't been exploited by teams with more money yet. In this way, they gain a competitive advantage.

At this point, if all the fans know about the revolution of sabermetrics, you can bet that every front office knows about them, too.

Bill James works for the Boston Red Sox now. The Yankees cite OBP in articles on MLB.com. The competitive edge gained has leveled out.

So what did Beane do?

Simple. He exploited something else that many large-market teams ignored. With the offensive revolution going on, Beane built his teams around defense.

But I'm not here to talk about Billy Beane and what he's done with his teams. Michael Lewis has done that quite well, and hundreds of sports writers have since beaten that dead horse.

This post will instead focus on the premise of a conversation I recently had with the author of Fire Jerry Manuel regarding Nyjer Morgan's impact on the Nationals and their win streak.

This post is annoyingly long and analytical, so I'm going to put a jump here for anyone that wants to skip over it. If this subject interests you, read on.

I'm going to ignore the offensive contributions Morgan has made to the Nationals' lineup. Currently, Morgan is hitting in a very un-Morgan-like fashion.

Sorry Nats fans, I know he's been on a tear lately, but he did this in the beginning of the year in Pittsburgh as well. If he doesn't regress, I'll be a blue-nosed gopher. Tony Plush may be good for a .300 average, but that's about it with the bat.

Instead, I'm going to talk (primarily) about Morgan's defense.

The stats I'll be using are Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) and its rate companion, UZR/150. I'll then use Wins Above Replacement (WAR) to illustrate just how valuable Morgan's defense actually is.

For those of you unfamiliar with UZR, it's widely considered to be the best defensive statistic made available to the public. If anyone wants to see all the details of it, Baseball Think Factory did two lengthy posts here and here.

In summary: UZR assigns each fielder multiple zones of responsibility. The zones grow and shrink depending on what type of ball is hit there. For example, a line drive results in a smaller zone of responsibility based on how much more difficult it is to make that play than one on a lazy fly.

In contrast, the lazy fly expands the zone based on how much easier it is to make the play.

UZR is then calculated by measuring how many plays are converted into outs when hit into the fielder's zone. This is compared to a baseline that's calculated according to how many other fielders made the play in the same zone. It's then adjusted for things like park factors and handedness of the fielder.

UZR/150 is just a player's UZR expanded to 150 games.

What we see when we look at Nyjer Morgan's UZR is fantastic.

This year, Morgan's UZR/150 of 27.7 is ranked higher than all outfielders in the major leagues. This includes his time with Pittsburgh when he was playing in the less defensively-challenging left field, however, so it doesn't give a full picture.

Counting only his games in center—where he plays in Washington—Morgan's UZR/150 is 30.4, which is higher than everyone but Chris Dickerson and Andres Torres among players who have played at least 10 games in CF. Considering that Morgan is a regular CF while Dickerson and Torres rarely play there, speaks volumes.

However, we should remember that UZR/150 is a rate stat and thus more likely to be influenced by small sample sizes. Morgan's 44 games in center aren't a sample that one could consider "large."

So, let's take a look at raw UZR. Remember, UZR is a counting stat, not a rate one. Thus, Morgan would actually be at a disadvantage by having less playing time in center.

What we find, however, is that out of all players that have played center this season—even for one game—Morgan ranks second in raw UZR. That's among 122 players that have manned center at least once this year. The only player ranked ahead of Morgan is Franklin Gutierrez, who has a 60-game edge.

So how valuable is Morgan's defense?

I mean, he still can't hit for power, (his three HR this year is a career high, unless we count the year he hit four in A-ball.) and he gets thrown out too much on the base paths—he leads the majors with 16 caught stealing and has a stolen base success rate of just 70 percent. He's just a great defensive sub and fourth OF, right?

Not so fast, my friend. It turns out that a .307/.370/.388 line can be pretty valuable provided the fielding is superb. Even if you DO lead the league in caught stealing.

This is the part where we use wins above replacement (WAR.) for those of you familiar with VORP (value over replacement player), think of it as VORP, only it includes defense and adjusts to fit the "10 runs = 1 win" maxim.

WAR works by taking the amount of runs a player produces with the bat, adding it to the number of runs saved with the glove, and subtracting the performance one could expect from a replacement level player at that position.

It is then adjusted for position (you don't want to value an average-fielding 1B just as heavily as an average-fielding C or SS, for example) and finally multiplied by .10 to conform to the standard of 10 runs = 1 win.

For the more hardcore among you who want to see the exact calculation process of WAR, see this link.

What we find when we look at Morgan's WAR is that, of all MLB players, he is ranked 11th in value. The only OFs who rank higher than him are Ben Zobrist (who plays just about everywhere on the diamond) and Matt Kemp.

Even if we take away Morgan's time in the less defensively-challenging left field and focus solely on his starts in center field, only Kemp ranks higher than him among full-time center fielders. This remains true even if we do what I did earlier with UZR and include anyone that's played even one game in center this season.

I'm not just making this up, folks. Here's the data at FanGraphs.

So...is Nyjer Morgan a big reason for the Nationals' turnaround? Yeah, probably.

Was the Morgan-for-Lastings Milledge deal a good one for the Nationals? That is far less certain. I'll examine that in a post tomorrow. Stick around.

Blackhawks Fans Think Off-Season Can't Get Worse: Patrick Kane Says "Nu Uh"

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:14:00 -0400

As I'm sure you know by now, Blackhawks forward, Patrick Kane was arrested Sunday morning along with his cousin after they allegedly attacked a cab driver who failed to give them change after they paid their fare. According to reports, Kane and his cousin, James Kane gave the cabbie $15 for their $13.80 cab fare. When the driver told them he did not have the twenty cents in change they punched him and took back the money they had paid him.

Now this is Patrick "I will not fight back after Johan Franzen pulls my mouthguard from my mouth when we're down 6-1 in game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Final" Kane we are talking about. He really did this? Honestly I have a hard time believing that he would. I understand when you're drunk you do a lot of things you normally wouldn't, but this doesn't add up. Kane is a professional hockey player, he makes a decent amount of scratch, not to mention this guy is not aggressive. I believe that while Kane is probably guilty of everything he is accused of, the cabbie isn't completely innocent in all of this.

That reason is mainly why I hesitated so long on posting something about this story. I wanted more information to come out and while Kane has remained quiet about all of this, the cab driver's lawyer was on WGNR and has stated that Patrick Kane has not committed a felony. The Blackhawks' star was charged with second-degree robbery, fourth-degree criminal mischief and theft of services, but was not charged with assault or battery. Kane's court date is set for August 17th.

One major issue that has come into question is the cabbie's decision to lock the doors of the cab until payment was rendered. According to the driver's lawyer, this is a common, although admittedly stupid, practice that is used with younger people who are intoxicated. While Kane's side of the story has not come out, the cabbie claims that he was unable to unlock the door for the two in the back seat because at the time he was being attacked. Additionally the lawyer admitted that the driver has a bit of an abrasive personality and that may have played a part in this confrontation.

I have very little experience riding in cabs, but as I've heard from others, the likelihood that the cabbie's personality may have provoked him is rather high. This doesn't excuse Kane and his cousin for what they did, but it may shed light on why a non-aggressive person became so aggressive, also the fact that both men were intoxicated doesn't help matters.

Another interesting part about this story that has not been mentioned much is the fact that Patrick Kane is only 20 years old and intoxicated, yet he was never brought up on underage drinking charges.

Finally for those who don't understand why Kane wouldn't just let him keep the change and insinuate that he's a cheapskate. This story from the Chicago Tribune asserts the complete opposite, which may give credence to the speculation that the cabbie isn't 100% innocent in this situation.

No word yet if this will jeopardize Kane's chances of making the US Olympic Team or result in a potential suspension by the NHL.

This has cash settlement written all over it. The only good thing I can think of that has come from this is it made my decision between a Kane sweater and a Toews sweater a lot easier.

Guest Post: The Importance of Sports in the Life of the Non-sporting

Sixty Feet, Six Inches — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:35:00 -0400

When Peter asked me to write a guest post about sports, I thought that maybe I could focus on the competition at the heart of humanity or the social advantages sports give society. I then realized that all of that is a bunch of overly academic crap that should be saved for college research paper rather than thrown into the endlessly casual conversation that is the blogosphere.

Let me begin with some self-description. You all know me, I’m the guy who you could pass off a baseball team’s name when talking about football and I probably wouldn’t second guess you. I’m the guy who strays away from conversations about ladders, brackets, and anything that digs deeper than the local team winning or losing the week before. I’m the guy that seems like he couldn’t care less about sports.

At first glance, I would agree, but as I really think about the importance of sports in my life, I realize that there is a bit more to the story. I have spent many memorable and great afternoons with friends lounging about Victory Field as the Indians run the bases below the Indianapolis skyline. I took excited trips downtown amidst my youth to watch the Indianapolis Ice and spend quality time with my grandparents. I gathered my friends together throughout the high school years to watch the Super Bowl and party the night away, regardless of who won in the end.

I was raised with the constant reminder that I had an amazing athlete of a great-grandfather who played for the Detroit Red Wings long ago and even won the Stanley Cup twice. I have forever had an undeniable allegiance to the team regardless of how little I follow the sport that year and how many of the players I recognize. Like I always say, "I got blood on dat team."

Sports are so much more than mere competition, than some form of over-stretched and greatly exaggerated display of masculinity and testosterone gone awry. Sports, to the non-sporting, are like art: fascinating, unusual, and wonderfully social. They are intrinsically powerful because, unlike art, so much of their drama, their struggle is raw and unfiltered. The underdog wasn’t fabricated by a group of writer’s in a Hollywood office. The dynasty isn’t painted to act as a symbol of the futility of existence. It is primal, simple and absolutely real.

I know I went a bit down the road that I intended not to from the get go, but it’s how I truly feel. I would never do away with all the world’s sport fanatics and endless stream of live games and re-runs of Sportscenter clogging up my precious television. I wouldn’t wish away the downtown traffic jam before and after the big games or the impossibility of finding a seat at Buffalo Wild Wings on game night. These are the things that shape a great portion of every American’s life, especially mine, and I would argue for the better.

One thing I would do away with though is all those Red Wings haters. Those fools gotta remember, "I got blood on dat team."

When not writing guest posts for blogs dedicated to topics he doesn't follow, Christian Sorrell studies creative writing at Butler University.