PLAYING THE CARDS HE WAS DEALT

I believe Jack Nicholson said it best in the movie A Few Good Men - the famous line…

“You can’t handle the truth!”

When it comes to baseball, its not that we can’t handle the truth, we may never know the real truth. As an avid baseball fan it’s been tough to swallow the “greats” of the last 25 years as their legitimacy may be far from the truth. Barry Bonds was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career but decided the spotlight in San Francisco wasn’t good enough. He needed the country spotlight on him, and embraced it like he does with everything, arrogance and with an attitude. Barry wanted attention after Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa (less talented players) turned America into home run hungry creatures, as they craved the long ball every time they stepped up the plate. Rafael Palmeiro was Mr. Consistency with 569 career homeruns and 1,835 RBIs, but after taking a “vitamin,” so he claims, turned out to be some sort of performance enhancing drug back in 2005, he has since vanished into thin air. Nowadays two even bigger names as Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez who now have to clear their names. AROD, admitted using during his Texas years, but now it seems it might have been using since he was in high school. How about the ultimate balance machine in Manny Ramirez? Who rarely gets fooled on pitches has now been suspended for 50 games. Whether it was for a legit medical issue or just plain stupidity, some of the biggest names, best hitters of my lifetime are now considered cheaters, frauds and liars. These players we wish we were just for a day, a game, a pitch, an out, will leave this game asking themselves,

“How will I be remembered?”

Unfortunately arrogance and money might reign over a once humbled athlete and turn them into selfish prima donnas. There still some greats out there that haven’t been linked to steroids/PEDs such as Jim Thome, Frank Thomas, and Ken Griffey Jr., but as they wind down their careers we turn to a man, who could, if isn’t already be the face of Major League Baseball. So I turn to you Mr. Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals. You have never been connected to steroids or any other PED that’s out there, and let’s hope it stays that way. From the moment you arrived in the big leagues, you haven’t disappointed and now you’re entering your 9th season and this thing called baseball is all in the sweet spot of your bat. You are 29 years old, with 332 homeruns, over 1,000 RBIs and a staggering career .334 batting average. You have at least 5 to 6 more healthy years of continuing to dominate the competition and cement your legacy of one of the cleanest, greatest baseball players of all time.

We look to you Albert Pujols, not to save baseball, but in the midst of the dark cloud that hangs over the game and certain players, to maintain your elegance and five years after your playing days are over we will be watching give you speech at Cooperstown New York.

DARE TO DREAM

We all do it. Whether you are sitting in your cubicle at work, watching TV, running outside, shopping for clothes, listening to your girlfriend whapping away, and yes of course at night, when our eyes are shut. My Dad claims there are only two certainties in life…
“Death and Taxes…”
Unfortunately he is correct. I’d like to think in this crazy journey we call life, dreams are the only other guarantee we have to escape from reality or prove we all can be “great,” we all can have that one “moment,” that will last a lifetime. That has to be one thrills of being an athlete as they have the opportunity to makes these everlasting memories not only for the fans, but for themselves.
“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self discipline, and effort.” – Jesse Owens
One fan, one athlete (so to speak) wasn’t born with the god given ability to perform at the highest level, but in order for his dream to come true, he had to work harder than anyone and want it more than anyone. Its one of the greatest sports movies ever made… You’ve seen this movie over 100 times, memorized lines from all the memorable scenes it and dream one day in your life to be “carried off the field,” not because you were the greatest, but because you truly deserved it. Any guesses yet? Here is a hint that will give it away…
“You're 5 foot nothin', 100 and nothin', and you have barely a speck of athletic ability.” Got it now? Of course you do. Rudy, Rudy, Rudy! Here was a young man, who wasn’t content with just being average. He wasn’t satisfied with the life that lied ahead of him. He wanted to live his dream and test his limits.
“Ever since I was a kid I wanted to go to school here, and ever since I was a kid everyone said it couldn’t be done. My whole life people have been telling me what I could do and couldn’t do. I’ve always listened to them, believed in what they said. I don’t want to do that anymore.”
Rudy looked at his father, his brothers and saw his life was laid out before him. It wasn’t the life that he wanted, and unlike so many of us, afraid of change, afraid to take the big risk, afraid to be different, Rudy wasn’t going to let his dream slip away. If you haven’t seen this movie in awhile, pop it in, sit back and look at more than just a sports film. It’s about a young man, who defied all odds. Despite his lack of athleticism, he suffered from a learning disability as he proved that with hard work, he could accomplish everything he wanted to at the University of Notre Dame. Watch it. Live it. Take it more than for a football movie; look at it as a guide for your own life. If there was anyone who knew a little something about going after what you want, it was Walt Disney.
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Don’t let anyone stand in your way.

MY KIND OF TOWN

April 18, 2009 was quite a day! Chicago is normally known as the second city, but yesterday in the world of sports it was on top of the world! It sill remains to be seen if this day will be remembered, or just a day that gave Chicagoans a reason to be proud to live in this great city!

It all started around 11:30am central time. The Bulls tipped off their opening round game against the defending World Champs, the Boston Celtics. If anyone had caught a bigger break in the playoffs, it might be the Bulls… so much so; they might make me eat my words. I had the Bulls losing in 5 games, as I thought Kevin Garnett, the Celtics vocal and emotional leader would be lost for the first round, if not the entire playoffs. The young Bulls took full advantage of this absence and decided from opening minute they were going to be able to compete with the Celtics and win. Sure it all started last June when the Bulls landed the 1.7% chance of the number pick which ended up being a franchise point guard in Derrick Rose. On this day, this beautiful Saturday in the city of Chicago all the pieces seemed o fall into place for the Bulls. Of course it just wasn’t Rose, who had 36 points in his very first playoff game and was perfect from the free throw line, but Noah was rebounding and running the floor like a gazelle, not a graceful one, but just one who wanted it more than the Celtics did as he grabbed 17 rebounds. Then there was Tyrus Thomas who had me yelling at the TV…”What are you do…ing” as he shot 15-20 foot jump shots that are not part of his game yet. But again, this was the Bulls day, as he knocked down big jump after big jump shot. Then there was Mr. 4^th quarter, aka, Ben Gordon. If he was 2-3 inches taller would be a top 10 player in this league. He once again came up big and knocked down 4^th quarter shots. This was truly the Bulls day as Paul Pierce had a chance to seal the victory for the Celtics at the end of regulation as he missed the game winning free throw. We aren’t certain how the rest of this series will play out, but one thing we do know now… These Bulls believe.

The fun continued here in the city as the Cubs and Cardinals got together for game 3 of a 4 game set. It’s still early but all indications have this heated rivalry fighting for a division title till the end of the season. This almost 4 hour, 11 inning game ended pretty much the only way Cubs/Cardinals games should end, with a walk off homer. 12 pitchers, thirty thousand miller lites later, Aramis Ramirez deposited a ball in the left-center field seats for a 7-5 victory and sending Cub fans home happy… or out to the local bars for some celebratory shots as they continue the party till the wee hours of the morning. The Cubs are still the favorite to win the division but they have some questions that need to be answered. Where has Derek Lee’s power gone? I am not sure if that wrist injury he suffered a few years back is the reason for the lack of power, but Lee was never a true power hitter before his 46 in 2005. As long as he hits 25, drives in 90 and hits close to .300 with solid defense, that’s all the Cubs need. Is this really the best rotation? On paper, yes, hands down. On the field, maybe. Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden need to stay healthy and Ryan Dempster needs to duplicate last years magic. Or at least stay healthy enough to pitching longer than 5 innings as the bullpen already has been used quite a bit. Is Milton Bradley the answer? Again, it’s early, but he’s never plays a full season, and his defense is suspect. Cubs should slug their way to a division title, but what excuses will we hear in October?

Sure White Sox/Rays isn’t Red Sox/Yankees, but after the way the Rays dismantled the White Sox last season (regular and playoffs) with speed, pitching and defense it was a bitter sweet victory on Saturday as the Sox outplayed them in all facets of the game for an 8-3 shellacking! The Sox still don’t have the speed of the Rays, but they at least have speed this year. Ozzie has some more versatility with his line-up and bench players. The power is still there, but with decent speed at the top and bottom of the line-up gives the Sox a chance to be more dangerous each night. The Sox went into Tampa and were not be intimidated as this did last year and early on are showing a swagger that will hopefully carry all season long. Their pitching staff is 4^th in the AL with a 3.99 ERA and with some timely hitting this year, could lead to back to back division titles. Can the Sox pull it off again? This year will truly be interesting. Not one team in the AL Central seems to be a pushover as the Royals (at least early on) are proving to be for real. Can Contreras and Colon get it done? That might be the biggest question if these two can sustain consistency and health for 5 more months. If so, the Sox have a legit staff to compete all year as these two veterans can each win 10 games. What does this win mean? I guess we will find out in the coming weeks. However, to go down to Tampa and play on an artificial surface (last year 4-16) against a team that made the Sox look like chumps last year is a huge step in the right direction.

The biggest game of the night was the Blackhawks coming back from 2-0 and winning 3-2 and now 2 wins away from advancing in the playoffs. I am not going to pretend I know hockey and that I know players on the Hawks and follow them religiously as I do some teams, but I did watch the game and found myself yelling at the TV when they were getting sloppy and found myself cheering/fist pumping as they came from behind as they did in the first game. This team was non-existent just a few years ago. People ask where did all these Hawks fans come from? Well, they have always been here and it took an owner to pass on to another life, a new president to run the show, like-able talented players, a no-nonsense coach, coupled with a winning attitude, and soon enough, winning happens. Again, I am not going to pretend to know anything about the Hawks, but I know the United Center was rocking on Saturday night, and it was long over due to for 22,000 fans to be cheering on the Hawks. I am not sure how this season will end, but every team as story, a tale to tell. I might not be knowledgeable to write it but, if a non-hockey fan can get excited and caught up in a fairy tale, then this story will continue… It definitely has a few more chapters to write before it’s finished.

We will never know if April 18, 2009 will be remembered as day Chicago Sports ruled the sports world. There was an overtime thriller, a come from behind tale, the beat down in St. Pete, and the walk off in Wrigley. The passion and love for our sports teams run deep. It’s in our blood. We carry it on our sleeves (or we are more than likely wearing a piece of clothing reppin’ our team) and in our hearts. Saturday, what a day, 4 victories, it sure felt like the 4^th of July!

BUY OR SELL?

We have entered the second week of the 2009 baseball season and thus far it’s been an interesting one. I ask you Bri-Guy Sports (I'm buying this Blahg, and you should too)readers this… Is there parody in baseball(buying parody. Its early but I dont expect any team to win their division by more than 7 games)? I know what you are all thinking?
“Brian, it’s the second week of the season. RELAX!”
Oh, I’m relaxed, but as a big sports fan, and especially of baseball, it’s exciting to see certain teams get off to solid starts when a lot of experts had written them off. No one doubts the Marlins(since every 6 years they win a World Series) but they are showing once again that money doesn’t buy championships; talent, chemistry, and hard nosed baseball does. I'm buying the Marlins. They are 5-1 and loaded with young studs, and if not this year, next year should be a legit threat to do some damage. The only problem with the Marlins is being able to sign and keep these guys after they become All-Stars in the league. Again, I know its early, but congrats to the Padres, Pirates, Mariners, and Blue Jays for getting off to good starts(selling each team, its early as I expect them all to come back down to earth come mid May). It’s a long season and I only expect the Marlins to be fighting for the playoffs come September.

CONGRATS...
Congrats to the University of North Carolina Men’s Basketball team(buying, I picked them to win it all back in November... if you dont believe me, just ask my roommate) for absolutely destroying anyone in site during the tournament. A few college basketball experts doubted UNCs defense during the regular season, but they turned it on during the “dance,” not to mention having offensive weapons at each position. Those who truly enjoy college basketball can soon get excited for next year. For some teams, well, their seniors are leaving and their time is done, for others, such as sophomore Blake Griffin(I'm buying Blake Griffin as I expect him to jump right in and help whatever NBA team lands on him), the next step is taking your game to the NBA, and more than likely the number one pick and big money. A lot of teams should have or could have key players returning along with top recruiting classes. Expect Kansas(buying the Jayhawks to go to at least the elite 8 if they land one these top recruits) to be preseason number one with Cole Aldridge, Sherron Collins and with top recruits Xavier Henry or John Wall considering offers. UNC has a top 5 class coming in next year (i'm buying that UNC wins another title within the next 4 years) also with the slight possibility of Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington returning for their senior seasons.

UNEMPLOYMENT... (selling unemployment, its exciting for about a week, then you really wonder if your ever going to work again?)
In recent weeks I’ve had sometime to catch up on my TV watching. Sure being unemployed helps, as it gives me time all day to apply for jobs, send emails, gather my thoughts, and just use TV as an escape from reality. This is how my day plays out:
9:56am - just in time for The Price is Right
9:57am - brushing my teeth and using the restroom
10:05am – usually go grab some kind of combination of banana/apple/grapes/pineapple for breakfast (I'm buying this breakfast... Its delicious, refreshing and healthy)
10:08 – 10:59 consist of extreme well thought out bids and guessing as I play along and hope someday to visit San Diego and appear on the show. I could bore you with the rest of my afternoon, but let’s face it, it’s not that exciting. Then 4:00pm rolls around its time for “Around the Horn” on ESPN. Buy or Sell? I am selling this show. It’s hosted by Tony Reali, as he asked the panel of sports writers from across the country the various sports topics that surround the sporting world and gives out points based on their answers, as well as take them away. It reminds me of when my friends and I sit around and debate sports issues/stories without anyone giving out points… well, I take that back, our friend Bob will give out points for quick witted or well thought out facts/opinions. Around the Horn are just a punch of sports guys that state the obvious as this tedious show has 4 guys debating, and more than often a few of them share the same thoughts. It makes the show predictable and boring. I’m all up for debating sports/athletes as its one of my favorite things to do, but with four guys sitting around with egos, trying to be funny while they share the same opinions for TV ratings makes the show tiresome as I normally change the channel and wait for PTI.

Congrats to the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks for making the playoffs. It’s the first time they both have made the playoffs since 1992. Can the Bulls win at least 1 game? Can the Blackhawks keep the exciting season alive? I'm selling the Chicago Bulls. The trade to bring John Salmons to the Bulls as another legit scoring option, Derrick Rose proving his the real deal, Ben Gordon continues to prove he can score with almost anyone will have a tough match-up against either the Orlando Magic or the Boston Celtics. The inside presence of Dwight Howard or the veteran leadership of the Celtics will be too much for the Bulls. As for the Blackhawks... buying! I know, I dont know anything about Hockey or the Hawks, but this town, these fans came back to life as they will propel the Hawks into round #2 as the story book season continues.

Bulls out in 5
Blackhawks advance

The Masters...I'm buying. If anyone saw the intensity in the eyes of Tiger, Phil, Kenny Perry, Angel Cabrera, and Chad Campbell in the last round, doesnt appreciate sports and golf. Its the last round of the Masters and for awhile, all had some kind of chance, even if it was only slim to walk away with the green jacket. CBS definitely made a goof when they seemed to show Tiger and Phil more than Perry, Cabrera, and Campbell, but you know what... ABC does it all the time with showing Lakers, Cavs, Spurs, Celtics and Suns games all the time. Primetime teams, with primetime players. Does anyone really want to watch the Sacramento Kings against the Charlotte Bobcats? Unfortunately no. Well unfortunately CBS took the approach of showing Tiger and Phil as if they were the leaders during the Master, not the others. Regardless of who had more TV time, I am buying the Masters. Every drive, chip and putt was delivered with raw emotion as the crowd is a part of every stroke. Which is the best part of the Masters when watching it from home... Is the fan that yells... "GET IN THE HOLE..." Which I find myself yelling, as I bet some of you do as well!

A NEW SEASON, A NEW HOPE

Three words…. Baseball is back! And it’s about time! This off season was like non-other. We saw the Yankees spend more money than Obama’s stimulus package. In by doing so they locked in the a left handed ace in CC Sabathia, a right handed ace in A.J. Burnett, and swooped in on Mark Teixeira, a switch hitting, slugging first basemen that plays above average defense. The Tribune sold the Cubs, which means more misery, just under new ownership. Many other free agents took awhile before they found homes, as they took “pay-cuts” so they could play this year. (Boo frigging who so those players who felt they deserved more money) We saw Ken Griffey Jr. return to Seattle to cap off a Hall of Fame career. And Manny being Manny, might yet again propel the Dodgers back to the playoffs.

I recently returned from “Spring Break ’09, No Regrets, Wooo” (This was the motto of our trip to Myrtle Beach; the “wooo” represents us lifting up our shirts, flashing people… Kristin, never got into it, I wonder why?) And have now taken the last few days to indulge myself into each team before I picked my division/wild card winners.

AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFF

AL EAST - NEW YORK YANKEES

AL CENTRAL - CHICAGO WHITE SOX

AL WEST - LOS ANGELES ANGELS

WILD CARD - BOSTON RED SOX

NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFF

NL EAST - NEW YORK METS

NL CENTRAL - CHICAGO CUBS

NL WEST - ARIZONA DIAMONBACKS

WILD CARD - LOS ANGELES DODGERS

AL

YANKEES - The Yankees pitching is just plain nasty (it should be after all that money they spent) With the Addition of Mark Teixeira (my pick for AL MVP) and once AROD returns, I expect them to win the toughest division in baseball. Player to watch - Chien Ming Wang

WHITE SOX - I might be a little biased here, but they have a front end rotation that can win anywhere from 13-18 games each. And when Jose Contreras comes back and stays healthy, they have a legit shot of repeating as AL Central Champs. Player to Watch - John Danks

ANGLES - They have a veteran team with a somewhat of a battered pitching staff (Lackey and Ervin Santana coming back from injuries) With Vlad, Torii Hunter, and the Addition of Bobby Abreu, they should be strong enough for another AL West Title. Player to watch - Joe Saunders

RED SOX- Despite not having Manny around they still have a strong line-up and I expect Jason Bay to hit at least 25 homeruns. Beckett, Lester and Dice K (my CY Young pick) to be just fine, as Brad Penny and John Smoltz could be sleepers for this team. Player to watch David Ortiz (can he survive without Manny)

NL
METS - They have speed with Jose Reyes, power with David Wright and now have a bullpen with Putz and KROD. If the rotation can just be good enough, they'll win the division as they enter their new home. Player to watch - Oliver Perez
CUBS - On paper they have the best team in the National League, but games aren't won on paper. If they can stay healthy (Zambrano, Harden, Milton Bradley, Soriano) they should be strong enough to hold on. Player to watch - Ryan Dempster
DBACKS- They have a talented rotation as Webb, Haren, Garland and Doug Davis should be good enough to win the division. Expect young Chris Young, Justin Upton and Stephen Drew to continue to grow. Player to watch - Max Scherzer
DODGERS - He's back! With Manny Ramirez back in the line-up and the addition of Orlando Hudson the Dodgers are good enough to return to the playoffs and compete for a division title. Their staff isnt as good, but should score enough runs to win. Player to watch - Russell Martin

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM EACH TEAM
A's - Have a young pitching staff and might make a run at the playoffs. Will score more runs with Giambi, Orlando Cabrera, and Matt Holliday. Player to watch - Matt Holliday

Texas Rangers - They will score runs, but wont shut anyone out. Players to watch - Josh Hamilton and young SS Elvis Andrus

Seattle Mariners - The return of Junior will spark ticket sales, but not much else. Rotation on paper isnt bad (Felix Hernandez, Silva, Washburn, a healthy Bedard) it will be an interesting year. A healthy Junior will surprise people... (25 or more homers) Player to watch - My boy, Ken Griffey Jr.

Twins - They are a pain in my side every year. They just always get it done. They have speed and a solid rotation once again. Their CF Gomez has the talent to be an All-Star player for years. Player to watch - Carlos Gomez

Indians - If not the White Sox, I expect the Indians to win the division. With last years CY Young winner, in Cliff Lee, Fausto Carmona and a line-up thats filled with speed and power have they could be as good as anyone. Grady Sizemore is a MVP type talent. Players to watch - Sizemore and Chin Soo Choo

Tigers - They as well seem to have the talent in the line-up and if Justin Verlander and Bonderman return to the form from a few years ago, might compete for a division title. Players to watch - Miguel Cabrera and Curtis Granderson

Royals - They wont be push overs this year. Their rotation of Greinke, Meche and Davies might surprise people. Have one of the best shortstops in the league.... Player to watch - Mike Aviles

Rays - They have talent, but dont think they will be able to pull off the magic again. Evan Longoria and BJ Upton are only going to get better, and their rotation is the same. I just dont think they will be able to repeat. Could still win at least 87-90 games. Player to watch - Carl Crawford

Blue Jays - Alex Rois is a must watch and Roy Halladay will win 17 games (at least) again. But have no shot of winning more than 70 games. Player to watch - Roy Halladay

Orioles - They have two young talented outfielders coupled with Brian Roberts, Melvin Mora and Aubrey Huff... But thats about it. Players to watch - Nick Markakis and Adam Jones

Giants - Their rotation has the chance to be absolutely ridiculous. With Tim Lincecum, Randy Johnson, Matt Cain, and hopefully a useful Barry Zito - have a chance to compete every game. Player to watch - Randy Johnson

Rockies - They have come so far from playing in the World Series just two years ago. It will be another long year in the mountains. Player to watch - Troy Tulowitzki

Padres - Thanks for playing! Expect Jake Peavy to be gone by the trade deadline. Player to watch - sweet swinging Adrian Gonzalez

Cardinals - They somehow won 86 games last year without Chris Carpenter. He's feeling good along with Adam wainwright. And they have the best hitter in the league, my NL MVP pick, Albert Pujols. Player to watch - Kyle Lohse

Reds - This is my surprise team. They have Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, Edwin Encarnacion, and Alex Gonzalez. Their rotation includes Aaron Harrang, Bronson Arroyo, Micah Owings, Johnny Cueto and my player to watch - Edison Volquez (NL CY Young pick)

Astros - They have veteran presence with Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada, and Roy Oswalt. But I expect this to be a long season in Houston. Player to watch - Hunter Pence

Brewers - Their line-up should score some runs, but their pitching might allow a few more. They might surprise people if their young staff grows up quickly. Player to watch - Ryan Braun

Pirates - I hear their stadium is beautiful! Player to watch - Nate McLouth

Phillies - They definitely have the talent to win the division again and I wouldnt be surprised if they did. I just closed my eyes and pointed to the Mets to win the NL East. The Phillies line-up is pretty scarey and could go back to the World Series. Player to watch - Raul Ibanez

Braves - Chipper Jones signed a contract to stay and retire a Brave as he finishes off a Hall of Fame career. Derek Lowe, Javy Vazquez and Jair Jurrjens will keep them competitive at the front end of the rotation. Player to watch - Tom Glavine

Marlins - They always seem to retool with solid young players, and hell, might even win the World Series this year (1997 and 2003... 2009?) Ehh, I doubt it, but they have a future MVP on their team. Player to watch - Hanley Ramirez

Nationals - Adam Dunn signed a 2 year contract to play here. Expect a .250 batting average, at least 75 homers and close to 200 RBIs and over 300 strikeouts! Player to watch - I hear the stadium is beautiful

There is nothing like going to a baseball game, getting a bag of peanuts, sitting back and hopefully see something you have never seen before. I will be attending opending day with my dad tomorrow as the White Sox take on the Kansas City Royals. He'll be buying peanuts, we'll grab a few dogs, and freeze our asses off.

AND THE WINNER IS:

YANKEES OVER DODGERS IN 5

GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE...

(Aahhh a sigh and grunt of disgust)

Dear Sports Blahg Readers,

I come to as not just your voice of reason, or your chance to escape into glorious, remarkable, sophisticated voice of sports literature, but a man who’s been beaten. Beaten from what you ask? Myself. This has to be the worst bracket I have filled out in years. Seriously, I am almost a shamed of myself as someone you turn to for “expert” opinions on the various sports you watch. I was 11 for 16 on the sweet 16 teams. I was 5 for 8 on the elite 8 teams, and might be 3 out of 4 for the final 4 teams. I lost my championship loser in Memphis, and at this point have said, screw the bracket, as long as UNC wins the whole thing, then that’s all that matters.

Please don’t let my 3 day binge of research to fill out my bracket change your opinion of me, as I failed miserably. WAIT, don’t stop reading. What are you doing? Don’t X me out! Just give me another chance. I promise I will do better. Just relax; we’ll get through this together. We still have my baseball predictions to make…I will make it up to you later on this week with my baseball forecast.

I hope everyone has had a chance to watch these first two weekends of the NCAA tournament. It certainly is something else. There hasn’t been many upset this year, but like I stated in my last post, if you ever get the chance to attend of these opening weekend games in a city near you, it’s well worth it. I hope you watched any of the games Gus Johnson announced, as its unparalleled the level of elegance he possess with each game he calls. I hope at some point you went a bar to watch the games, and felt the intensity and excitement as each fan was fixated into each TV (as the Bulls game played in the corner, and nobody seemed to care). I hope you had a chance to watch Blake Griffin and Tyler Hansbrough as they reveal what’s great about college basketball. As one possesses skill and athleticism, and the other is pure heart and hustle. If you haven’t had a chance to see them play, they face off tomorrow at 3:30 central time, as it should be a game to remember.

I will keep this post short and sweet as we prepare for the final 4 to be set by 6pm tomorrow evening. Please do not judge me on this performance alone as I am just a man, and we all make mistakes. Enjoy the rest of your weekends, and we’ll see you soon.

With love,

Your Bri-Guy Sports Blahgger

Coming real soon:
Final 4 set – Who’s cutting down the nets?
MLB Predictions
Around the Horn = plain awful

LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!

Its Sunday night, I’m kicking back with the roommates watching the selection show for the NCAA tournament and the roommates and I start adding our own criticism, comments, questioning, "expert opinions," and just any reason too take a shot at one another. After the two hour special, some friendly banter, and Dave (my roommate) talk about his alma mater Purdue for the last 5 hours, it was time to open up my laptop and take a closer look at the bracket for myself.

Anyone who watches college basketball and more specifically March Madness appreciates the excitement this tournament brings. Its young men busting their asses all year for the chance to play in March and for most of them it’s the "biggest" game they will ever play in. Not sure if most agree, but watching a college game brings a level of intensity a NBA game just doesn’t have, or at least until the 4th quarter. I am sure we could debate back and forth about college and the NBA, but as Dickey V would say… "It’s March Baby!" Which means, bracket time! I could break down each region, with the best teams, the best players, who’s hot, who’s not, who’s primed for a big upset, which team has the best coach, etc… But let’s face it, there is no right or wrong way to fill this damn bracket out, but everyone does! Everyone enters a work pool, a family/friends pool, a fantasy draft of players, or even a league of 8 participants who draft for all 64 teams in 8 rounds.
Since you don’t have all day to read a break down of each game, nor do I have the time, here are some things that will for sure happen over the next few weekends...

• Someone will fill out a bracket within 5 minutes


• Someone will fill out the bracket starting with their NCAA Championship first, and work backwards


• Someone will take 3 friggin days to fill it out the bracket, because they are busy breaking down teams, conferences, injuries, seeding, who they play, where they play, how many seniors they have, how many offensive rebounds they grab a game (come on people, second chance points), and every stat imaginable, all because they have nothing better to do. (I know, seriously those guys are losers)


• You’ll enter at least 1 pool


• Some chick, whether she’s a friend, or co-worker will fill out a bracket in the same pool as you and do better than you because she likes the colors of their uniforms or because one of the guys on the team is "Hot!"


• You’ll get pissed at this chick, because she doesn’t know anything about sports as you spent 3 days breaking down the bracket


• Someone will throw their bracket away after the first day, because quite frankly, they had no idea what they were doing


• Someone will miss work Thursday and/or Friday to stay home and watch the games (these people are awesome)


• Someone will take a half day to go home and watch the games (these people are not as awesome,… but still awesome)


• Someone will find time during the day to watch games, either a TV in the office, or logging onto CBS Sportsline to watch the games online


• You’ll fill out a bracket against a loved one, thinking you’ll win because you follow college basketball and will lose…. again…. for the 5th year in a row


• You’ll witness a an upset that you never saw coming


• You’ll witness an upset you predicted on your bracket


• You’ll witness a last second shot, which will excite you, or piss you off! Not because you love the school, or have any affiliation with them, but it will either make or break your bracket


• Someone will pick all 4, final four teams but will pick the wrong championship game


• Someone will pick all 4, final four teams, and will pick the championship game, and the winner


• You’ll find the game(s) Gus Johnson is announcing and you will listening intently, because is by far is the best announcer in town (and by town, I mean in the country)


• You should watch Oklahoma because Blake Griffin is absolutely amazing and is by far the best player in college


• You should watch and/or respect Tyler Hansbrough of the Tar Heels (perhaps being biased as I am a Carolina fan) no one works harder than he does; as he is what’s great about college basketball. He returned for his senior season, as he hopes to lead the Heels to a National title


• You should at some point in your life, attend the opening round games in the city closest to you… The Atmosphere is like nothing else


• Do not forget about Baseball. I know spring training is still going on, but April 6, Championship Night, is still opening day for a lot of MLB teams.


• Picking the winner – Avg. Margin of victory 10 + points; 10 game winning streak during the regular season; 20 out of the last 21 Title winners have had 2 players play in the NBA (that eliminates a lot of teams)
  

Sit back, relax, and enjoy some of the most exciting basketball games you’ll witness all year! There will be cursing at your TV, cursing at your bracket, cursing yourself for crossing out Utah St, as they go on to beat Marquette.

Championship Game - Memphis v UNC
Winner - UNC

Unfortunately... Money Talks

Sports are supposed to be about the thrill of the moment… Being the guy standing at the plate in the bottom of the 9th with two outs, a 2 and 2 count with the game winning run standing on second. Or… 5.8 seconds left in the game, you’re trailing by 1, and you have to take the ball the whole length of the court for a game winner. How about…the wind is blowing in your face, the game is tied and you’re about to attempt the longest field goal of your career. These are the moments, the reasons we attend sporting events. We go for the thrill, the excitement; to watch our favorite team(s) bring home the W! Then to come home, walk through the door and look your family and friends in the eye and say…“I was there!” To say “I was there,” is not just a saying, but a state of a euphoria! The feeling that not only you and whoever else was in the stadium mattered that day/night, but ever lasting memories that you will share for years to come.

I read a Buster Olney article a few weeks back, maybe even a month ago, of how in these economic times players need to connect to the fan more than ever. As a fan and a season ticket holder, it’s absolutely ridiculous the amount of money these athletes are making. On my way to work this morning, listening to Mike and Mike in the morning, they were talking about a study/poll that was conducted about fans take on sports and specifically baseball… Those results showed that 40% of fans feel the biggest problem in baseball is the player’s salaries with steroids coming in second at 22%. Which brings me to my question…? Who’s to blame for this problem? The players? The Agents? The Owners? Us… the fans?

I am sure everyone has an opinion on who’s to blame for the outrageous salaries in today’s game, but I will try to offer an expert opinion. (And by expert, I mean someone who just watches a lot of sports) One thing I recall from watching countless hours of ESPN was something the former GM of the Mets Steve Phillips stated on the show months ago was… “The Agent is an extension of the player…” This is was something I always agreed with. The words that come out of the agent’s mouth are some; if not all the words the player is speaking. Some of you may disagree but, remember the player PAYS the agent. He is the boss; he is the one than has the power to fire his agent, therefore in my mind controls the relationship.

Now with that being said, the agent has the opportunity to come back and inform the player… “Hey, the market is set, you are this caliber of player, as a result we can ask for X amount.” So what is the player suppose to do? “No, that’s right. That’s too much money. I can’t accept that” player says with soft sensitive voice. WRONG… The same thing anyone would do… Turn to his agent and say, “I am just as good if not better than player X; go get me a similar contract…” player says in thuggish tough guy voice. With the money teams are offering up these days, a player would be a damn fool not to ask for the same kind of deal. Part of the problem, the player… What happened to just playing baseball/football/basketball? We want to believe the player cares of the team he plays for and the fans that cheer him on. It seems as though they don't realize how good they have it, and how much it time and effort it cost us to go see them play a kids game. If these guys truly love this game, respect this game; the game they have been playing since they were 5, then the money shouldn’t be the deciding factor on where they play or in some cases, (Manny) how hard they play. If they played the game, the same way when they were young…playing hard, playing smart, playing right, and trying to be the greatest there is, then they’ll earn the Quan!

The other answer (the real answer)… The owners! Not sure who started it, who offered the first big contract, but all it took was for one owner to set the market and now guys like AROD, Manny, CC, Johan, Zito, and Zambrano can ask for what the market value is at their position. If the damn market wasn’t set so damn high for guys who throw, catch and hit a ball for a living (not to mention earn hundreds of millions of dollars and can retire from the working world by age 35, while the rest of us work till we are 65) then the rest of America wouldn’t resent these players that we have grown to idolize. The owners have given into the agent/player demands because they didn’t want to miss out on the next big thing. Well teams like the Marlins and Rays of recent years have shown you can win without spending the big bucks on the players listed above. The owners gave it up quicker than a hooker on a Friday night (sorry, that was a bad joke). But nonetheless it’s true. They all gave in, they all want the big star that will drive ticket sales, and merchandise. The "star" will pay for itself. Which is why you can’t blame the fans... can you?

I, the fan, (I voice my opinion and speak for no one else) should not be blamed. I attend games because I am a fan. I have been a fan my whole life and will continue to be one until I no longer walk this earth. I go to sporting events, to cheer my teams, as I have become an extension of them. And when I refer to them, I say we. I have invested time, money, sweat and tears into each team, and therefore have earned the right to say “we” when talking about them. I go to see great players, achieve great things. (And If I had the money would go see a lot more) Just like my Dad went and saw Mickey Mantle and still speaks his graces till this day, I will continue to attend baseball games, and sporting events to witness moments of great magnitude. To hopefully see something I have never seen before. To escape from reality and get caught up in the diving catch, the play at the plate, the game winning shot, and to share high fives with a family member, friend, or even a complete stranger. I go to say… I was there!

Primobolin, boli…who gives a Shit? …I do

One image that will never get old for me is walking into gate 3 of Comiskey Park (Yeah, I still call it Comiskey), take the escalator up to the first level of seats, stop at the ticket checker to make sure I have a ticket for the 100 level, walk through the doorway, the smell of hotdogs, popcorn and nachos fill up my nose as I step onto the concourse. I walk forward about 25 feet and gaze out onto the field and there is never a better site in the world. That is the great thing about baseball. No matter how old you are, staring at that green grass sends chills up my spine.

Baseball is my sport. I pay more attention to the sport, specifically the White Sox than any grown man should. I have been surrounded by it my whole life. My dad has shared stories with me of Aaron, Mays, and his hero, Mickey Mantle.
“You wanted to see a baseball player? Mickey would be out partying the night before, come to the park the next day, hit 500 foot homeruns, diving catches in the outfield, all while he was hung over…” For awhile I had arguments with my dad, about players like AROD, Bonds etc… but now he comes back with…
“They have state of the art weight rooms, the best doctors, the best medicine, personal trainers, the parks are smaller, and they still feel like they need an edge with steroids…” I now have nothing to say back to him and just cross my fingers that Ken Griffey Jr. (chills watching the video) and Frank Thomas’ names never get mentioned in the same sentence as steroids. I have admired these two players for their accomplishments and pure excitement they have given me as a fan of baseball. I have emulated their batting stances, hung their posters, bought their autographs, and even at age 25 want to play CF because that’s where Junior played.

Now baseball has become a joke. Every homerun hit from 1998 – 2004 (if not a few years before, and after) will be questioned from any player, in any stadium, on whether it was legit or some All-Star looking for that big contract. I almost feel cheated at times, as I thought I was witnessing greatness happen before my very eyes. We were awe of Big Mac and Sammy Sosa in 1998. We watched an already great player in Barry Bonds, become greater. We saw Luis Gonzales hit 57 homeruns in 2001. Alex Rodriquez hit 57 in 2003. We couldn’t have said it any better than Elaine Benes said it in Seinfeld, “Fake, Fake,…Fake, Fake…”

We might never know the full truth about steroids. Who took them? When they took them? How they took them? We all know why they took them. To get better, to recover from an injury, to get paid, etc. As a fan of baseball, someone who appreciates the greats of the game, I just hope that baseball will clean its self up and we can move on and truly be grateful for America’s Past time.

Articles to come:
Spring training and Predictions
Bulls gearing up for 2010?
March Madness Baby!

There is more than just Football in America

Football is over, the NBA is approaching the All-Star break, NCAA is a month away from the madness, the NHL is well, I don’t know much about it to say anything, and baseball is just around the corner. One thing I hope to look forward to is Mike and Mike in the morning, which is my mind is turning into one of the worst radio show I have ever heard. Don’t get me wrong, they have great chemistry as a duo, have great guest (well it helps being ESPN Radio) and at times are funny. Since September, when the NFL regular season starts, their 4 hour show consists of nothing but that, the NFL. Greenie, Mike Greenburg, talks about his New York way to much, his nose job, and how he spotted Michael Irvin on the bench in the weight room one time. Mike Golic talks about an overrated Notre Dame program, how he never gets recognized for his NFL career, and how he eats more than the average person. (Great, Mike you are 6’5” and weigh over 225 lbs, you better eat a lot).

Hopefully now with the NFL season over, they will start talking about other the major sports that exist in the world. The NBA has three teams in the East competing for the #1 seed (Celtics, Magic, and Cavaliers). Phil Jackson has a complete team out west with Kobe Bryant leading the way and 8 other teams within 7 games of each other. The NCAA has some major parody, as you could make a case of the top 6 teams in the ESPN/USA Today Poll as potential National Title contenders. Spring training for baseball is 10 days away, as the economy has affected many teams, as many above average players are still looking for jobs. Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003 (his last year with the Rangers, in which he hit 47 HRs and drove in 118 RBIs)… baseball has been tarnished to the point that the players of the past should feel great about the ERA they played in, and the numbers they produced. Guys like Barry Bonds, and now AROD maybe have the big fancy numbers, but it won’t matter when their careers are done. Everyone will still be talking about Ruth, Mays, Aaron, Mantle, etc, as the best players to ever play the game.

Quick Notes:

Chi Sox – Kenny Williams is standing pact. The rumor of signing Bobby Abreu and trading Jermaine Dye make sense for the Sox, but probably won’t happen. Jermaine is owed 11.5 million and if Abreu, Dunn etc are only going to receive contracts of 8-10 million, why trade away prospects and take on Dye’s salary when the other guys are cheaper.

Great Article – Steve Phillips, Jayson Stark, Buster Olney, and Rob Neyer decided to do battle it out of who can create the best MLB team by keeping the team salary under 40 million dollars. Any baseball fan should be interested to see the teams they created, and the great players out there that make well below the numbers they produce. Check out Battle of the Budgets.

Free Agency – Many good/great players still need homes. This economy is taking a big on MLB teams as players like Dunn, Abreu, Manny, Sheets, Griffey, Ray Durham, Garrett Anderson, and many other players search for a job with spring training starting in less than two weeks. Which brings me to a quick article that Buster Olney wrote how players better work harder than ever this year? A quick statement from that article…
“The economy has tanked, millions of people have lost jobs and 401K money and pension funds. There figures to be even less patience than usual for a player who fails to run out a ground ball, because whether you think it's fair or unfair, that player is going to be viewed through this prism: That SOB has a great job and is making great money and he can't even run hard to first base.”

B-PLAYERS = BAD RESULTS

I will be the first to admit when I was wrong. I wanted the Bulls to draft Michael Beasley, instead of Derrick Rose. More so, because a few years back I wanted the Bulls to draft LaMarcus Aldridge, which they did, but traded him two picks later for Tyrus Thomas. LeMarcus has the body frame and the tools of a low post player and at age 23 will continue to develop and build upon 17pts and 7 rebounds he’s averaging this year. Thus far Beasley is having a solid rookie year averaging 13.5 pts a game and around 5 boards a game. He’s shooting 45% from the field, 38% from beyond the arc, and should continue to get better as he plays along side Dwayne Wade and Shawn Marion. If Wade decides to stay in Miami after the 2010 season, he and Beasley should be a nice 1-2 combo for years to come.



Derrick Rose is the lone bright spot for the Bulls, as their roster is full of B players. They have a talented team as some players would be solid starters (granted if they are surrounded by All-Stars) while others would be key members off the bench, but collectively as a group, they aren’t getting the job done. Currently the Bulls are 18-27 and until they trade for some All-Stars, sign some All-Stars, or somehow fall into more Derrick Roses, (perhaps Blake Griffin of Oklahoma) the mediocrity will continue. Here is a look at some of those B players:

Kirk Hinrich – A good defender, can play both guard positions, but plays neither one very well. Kirk, can knock down the open shot, can handle the ball, knock down free throws, but isn’t great at any one thing. He would benefit from a stellar front court or back up guard, on a team like the Spurs.

Larry Hughes – Makes too much money, doesn’t defend, and I am sure the Bulls would love to get rid of him as soon as they can.

Andres Nocioni – In my opinion, Noc’ has over stayed his welcome. Granted he works hard on both ends, but like Hinrich, doesn’t do anything particularly well. He shoots the ball from the outside well (37% from 3’s), but on a team already full of guards, and outside shooting, there is no need for him. He would be better served coming off the bench for a team like Cavaliers.

Aaron Gray – I have nothing to say. He should be the back up of the back up.

Tryus Thomas – He is definitely the most athletic forward on the team, but that’s about it. He can jump, he can block, and he can rebound. Will have games of 20 points and 10 rebounds, but has to develop a lot more before he can consistently be that guy. Could be a starter, but the other starting forward better be a Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, or someone who will demand double teams.

Joakim Noah – Heart and Hustle. Which he brings every night and are great qualities to possess. He could be a starter if the other starting big men were All-Stars. He works hard, but would be served coming off the bench as back up.

Drew Gooden – He definitely brings a big mans body, and has the skills to be a starter, but again, when he’s teamed up with Noah, and Thomas, there is no threat down low.

Luol Deng – The upside is there, but everyone is still waiting for it to arrive. He’s not as quick as I originally thought, but at the height and length to be an All-Star. He still needs to put on a few more pounds of muscle so he can become a true lost post player. To be honest, 4 years later, we are waiting for all the hoop-la to take over. He’s locked up with a big contract, now its time for him to perform.

Ben Gordon – He can flat out shoot the rock and score. It’s a shame he is so small. If he was 2 inches taller, would be a legit All-Star every year… (That and if he could play defense) Could definitely be a starter, or more so, the 6th man off the bench for most teams. He won’t get the contract he wants, and will be interesting to see where he ends up next year.

Derrick Rose needs help. His points and field goal % have dropped each month and he may be beginning to wear down. This is his rookie season and has already played more games than he would have in college. Rose has already cemented his name as a top point guard in this league and he should only continue to get better. It will be amazing to see how much more scary good he could get, if the Bulls decided to actually get some A-players around him.

I predicted the Bulls to win 33 games this year. Perhaps they will fall into luck again and somehow land the #1 pick… Blake Griffin

FINAL FOUR!

Okay, fine. My playoff predictions were way off. But like I said before, I’m know expert, just a regular guy who watches football every Sunday (usually with fantasy implications) and thought I knew enough to chose the correct winners for most of the games. And I doubt ANY of you had the Cardinals hosting the NFC championship against the Eagles. If you did, then good for you… write your own blahg!

Kurt Warner has the opportunity to not only prove something to the league, the fans, and the Eagles, but how about those Hall of Fame voters? Though his overall numbers aren’t staggering, he has two MVP awards (1999 & 2001) with 1999 Super Bowl MVP has he lead the St. Louis Rams to a win over Tennessee Titans with two touchdowns and 414 passing Yards (a Super Bowl Record). If he were to take the Arizona Cardinals to Tampa, and somehow orchestrate another win, consideration for the Hall of Fame must be looked at.

The Eagles may turn out to be the Giants of last year. Played solid football to end the regular season, and went on the road to Minnesota and NY, and controlled both games most of the way, especially the 4th quarter. Their defense has been stellar and McNabb has been, well, McNabb. He gets a bad wrap for some reason, but when it’s all said it done, may turn out to be a Hall of Fame QB. If the Eagles keep him and surround him with a better core of WRs, expect the Eagles to compete for the next 3 years.

I wasn’t going to predictions, but what the hell, it’s my blahg! Eagles 27 Cardinals 30

No Average Joe? Actually, yes he is! Like I stated in my last blahg, Joe Flacco will only have to make a few big plays as the defense will take care of the rest. The Ravens took the Dolphins to pound-town, and forced three fumbles against the Titans. The injury to Chris Johnson helped, but Flacco has done just enough to put the Ravens one win away from going back to the Super Bowl since 2000. Flacco is the only rookie QB to win his first 2 playoff games… can he make it 3? The defense will be the answer, Joe just needs to be average and not turn the ball over.

Ben Roethlisberger, 26, already has one Super Bowl title and is looking for his second in four years. That “Steel Curtain” proved to be true once again, as the Charger, other than scoring a touchdown on their first possession, proved to be no match for one of the top ranked defenses. The Steelers are finally healthy. Willie Parker will be the key to sending the Steelers back to the Super Bowl. If he can stay healthy, (unlike Chris Johnson was able to do against the Ravens) Parker will open up the pass game and keep the Ravens D on the field and hopefully wear them out. I expect this game to be a close game. You could go either way… but will go with my roommate on this one… Ravens 24 Steelers 20

No Super Bowl prediction yet - let’s see how I do Championship weekend!

Articles to come:
-Super Bowl Sunday
-What in the world are the Chi Sox doing?
-Bulls – Won’t win with this bunch

Mickey Rourke: Quote from golden globes
“I want to thank all my dogs, because sometimes when a man is along, sometimes all you have is your dog”

Though it might seem silly, a man can share a special connection with his dog. When nothing seems to make sense, and you can’t find the answers, you can always count on your dog for love and comfort. To my dog Kramer, I love you and will miss you dearly.