You certainly cannot go more than a day or two without new allegations popping up for some major football or basketball program. A sample from the past year:
-UCONN men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun is found guilty of major recruiting violatons
-Former Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez is found guilty of major violatons
-Former Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl is found guilty of multiple major and secondary recruiting violations
-Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton's dad is accused of soliciting almost $200K cash for his son's services during the recruitment process
-Ohio State suspends five players for selling memorabilia for cash and tattoos, and consequently suspends Jim Tressel for covering up the violations
-Oregon's football program is accused of major violations in regards to alleged use of recruiting services
-Four former Auburn football playes accuse multiple schools of offering cash during their recruitment, and indicate Auburn paid them large sums of cash throughout their time at the university.
Again, these are just a sample of the major stories that have broken out over the past year, and has created quite the black eye for not just the individual universities, but for the NCAA as a whole.
HBO ran a piece last week that focused on two central, intertwined issues: alleged recruiting scandals and the pay-for-play issue. It was a fascinating (though highly one-sided) look at both topics, including reporting features as well as a panel of guests for discussion (find the story here: www.hbo.com/#/sports). To be clear, the two sports these discussions always focus on are football and men's basketball, as they are the primary revenue generators for colleges and universities.
The reason these two issues play hand-in-hand with each other is the thought that if players were paid, they may not be accepting 'illegal' benefits. There is basically two schools of thought I have found surrounding the pay-for-play argument:
1) Players are already paid through scholarship and minimal living expenses
2) Players need to be paid due to school's profiting off of services these individuals are providing on the field/court
I'm not sure I have a stance on this that I am ready to take; I see good reasoning for both sides. First of all, a free education is worth a significant amount of money today; not for just the immediate cost, but for the value it allows for future earnings. However, the NCAA is the only organization I can think of that provides zero literal compensation for its 'employees' (which is essentially what these athletes are).
HBO's panelists consisted of former college basketball player/annoucer Billy Packer, former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, former Ivy League commissioner Jeff Orleans, and columnist Jason Whitlock. Of all the fluff that was passed back and forth between this group, I thought Whitlock (for once) had a valid suggestion: in lieu of paying them directly while they play, why not pay those who finish their degree a graduation bonus? This would do two things at once: first and most importantly, it could encourage a larger percentage of these athletes to actually finish school; and second, it will provide those who finish a small cut of the money they assisted in earning that program. While this would not alleviate certain individuals from accepting extra benefits while in school, it should help focus several others on finishing their degrees. Graduation rates are atrocious for these two sports (55% of less for the two, according to HBO); if schools want to consider the 'student' part of student-athlete at all, they need to put some focus back on academics.
While not a perfect plan, this does provide some sort of structure for a type of "revenue-sharing" between schools and their athletes. However, their are some dicey issues that would need to be resolved:
1) How much do you pay them? My thought is you could pay them a small percentage of that sports' profit for the year, therefore allowing small programs to stay afloat (as opposed to a flat amount regardless of school; Duke's football program, which loses money, could not pay the equivalent of Texas). If a sport does not earn a revenue, than the players don't receive a portion (after all, they are still getting the free scholarship).
2) Does this discriminate against females? If you follow the model from my first point, then the answer is no. If Tennessee women's basketball earns a profit, then their playes would be compensated for that.
3) Does this penalize the supreme athletes who leave school early for the pros, who are probably the ones more responsible for the profits? It doesn't necessarily penalize them, since they are freely choosing to leave school early. The hope is that it may encourage a larger percentage of those who do play to stay in school (less than 1% of all college athletes ever play at the professional level).
4) Where does the money come from? This would be my largest concern; college sports that are profitable use that money to pay for better facilities, support non-revenue sports, scholarships, department salaries, etc... My fear would be that schools would end up cutting smaller, non-revenue sports to make up for the shortfall that they may be paying. The fan would also most likely see an increase in ticket prices, as budgets would become more strained.
While I tend to like this solution better than straight up paying college athletes, there really is no one perfect answer. However, something needs to be done to clean up what is creating all the current messes. Too much money is at stake, and with money comes greed from all parties (see: NFL).
I am certainly curious to hear other thoughts - what would work in your opinion?
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Thoughts on the Madness....
I'm back!!! After an 8-month hiatus, it's time to get back into this, especially with so much going on in the world of sports since we last convened here (more Tressel, anyone??). Anyways, time to focus my thoughts on this past college basketball season, starting with the most recent developments and working a bit backwards. Please let me know your thoughts.... hope to continue to get more posts rolled out soon.
Without further ado, let's get going.....
1) What the heck is Matt Painter thinking? Rumor has it the Purdue coach is considering leaving the Boilers for Missouri. Is an extra half-a-million dollars worth a conference about to become extinct; a program that sits second-rate to Purdue (which, by the way, is where Painter attended); a lethargic fan base; and significantly harder recruiting grounds? Mizzou sits in between KC and St Louis; if he thought recruiting against the likes of Ohio State, IU, and Notre Dame was hard, wait until he tries going into KC and pulling someone from the backyard of Kansas (ain't going to happen!). I'm convinced this has to be nothing more than a leverage ploy for more money, but if so, this is the most transparent and ridiculous attempt I can remember. Here's a guy who is obviously a quality coach, who can recruit well, and has built Purdue into a consistent top-15 team over the past 5 years (not to mention again that this is his alma mater). I hope for Purdue's sake this doesn't happen, but a strange story. Interestingly enough, I was talking to my buddy Phil tonight and we both agreed that if Painter does leave, it's too bad for Counzo Martin. He has revived the Missouri State program and is a rising star, and another guy who would love to coach at Purdue..... except for the fact that he just accepted the Tennessee job three days ago to be Bruce Pearl's replacement.
2) Speaking of which, anyone surprised that Bruce Pearl was fired? If so, you should come out from under the rock which you live. It's bad enough that he lied to NCAA investigators, but the truly appalling part was Pearl calling the recruit and his family and asking them to also lie on his behalf. Good luck getting another high-profile job; he is essentially untouchable at this point (just ask Jim O'Brien and Kelvin Sampson).
3) I'm happy for the teams who made the Final Four, but I imagine CBS isn't too pleased. While the four teams there all deserved it, I'm going to guess this is going to be one of the lowest-rated Final Four's in quite a few years. The UCONN/Kentucky game is certainly intriguing (and both bring national cache to the game), but VCU/Butler? Great stories, but blah....
4) Kansas looked completely disinterested the first half against VCU, which is amazing considering a trip to the Final Four was on the line. Bill Self unfairly takes too much criticism (think of how consistently good KU has been over the past 8-10 years; quite amazing!), but he needs to figure out these mid-majors, who they have no business losing to.
5) I feel robbed I'm not getting to watch Ohio State play Kansas in the championship game. In a season full of parity, these two clearly played more consistent good basketball than anyone else. But such is life during the NCAA tournament, where one bad game ends the season. However, Sullinger against the Morris twins and both teams pure athleticism would have been quite the clash.
6) Which segues me into my experience watching the OSU game: is anything more sudden-ending then when your team loses in the tournament? While not the best played, OSU/Kentucky engaged in a highly entertaining game that ended when Brandon Knight hit the game-winner with 5 seconds left. Just like that, ballgame and season over in seconds; took my breath away...
7) Still havan't made up my mind on Jimmer Fredette, BYU's soon to be player-of-the-year. Very creative, unbelievable range....but yet horrible, reckless shot-taker and plays absolutely zero defense. In a clutch situation, I would take Kemba Walker any day over Fredette; not just because I believe he would make the shot, but because I think he would make the better decision.
8) Walker has hands-down been the best basketball player since mid-February. This has been the greatest run of games I have seen since Gerry McNamara from Syracuse saved the Orange's season in 2005-2006 by winning 4 games in 4 days in the Big East tournament.
9) Hate to say it, but Tim Hardaway Jr looks like the real deal at Michigan; great length and athleticism, and lots of time to put muscle on that frame.
10) My 2011-2012 Big Ten breakout players: the aforementioned Hardaway, Purdue's Terone Johnson (the guy just looks the part, and played well in limited minutes); Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas (who will shoot the ball until you notice him); and Michigan State's Keith Appling (should step out of Kalin Lucas' shadow).
11) I feel bad for Indiana-bound Cody Zeller, the Hoosiers' first big-time recruit since Eric Gordon. Too many expectations on him to save IU basketball, who is still a long way from being competitive consistently in the Big Ten.
12) I can't remember two teams who fell harder to start a season than Michigan State and Kansas State, who enetered the season ranked #2 and #3 in the country. K-State doesn't surprise me all that much with the marginal talent they had (I think Jacob Pullen is the most overrated player in the country), but I was stunned to see Tom Izzo's team disintegrate the way they did. Kicking two players off the team didn't help, but they suffered for two reasons: 1) Kalin Lucas did not look fully recovered from his achilles tear until the last month of the season; and 2) they missed Raymar Morgan's toughness and defense on the inside. Didn't think I would come to see the day when a Tom Izzo team would get pushed around by the majority of their schedule.
That's all I have for now..... enjoy the first week of baseball, which is a great time of year (hope literally springs eternal, even for the Indians)!
Without further ado, let's get going.....
1) What the heck is Matt Painter thinking? Rumor has it the Purdue coach is considering leaving the Boilers for Missouri. Is an extra half-a-million dollars worth a conference about to become extinct; a program that sits second-rate to Purdue (which, by the way, is where Painter attended); a lethargic fan base; and significantly harder recruiting grounds? Mizzou sits in between KC and St Louis; if he thought recruiting against the likes of Ohio State, IU, and Notre Dame was hard, wait until he tries going into KC and pulling someone from the backyard of Kansas (ain't going to happen!). I'm convinced this has to be nothing more than a leverage ploy for more money, but if so, this is the most transparent and ridiculous attempt I can remember. Here's a guy who is obviously a quality coach, who can recruit well, and has built Purdue into a consistent top-15 team over the past 5 years (not to mention again that this is his alma mater). I hope for Purdue's sake this doesn't happen, but a strange story. Interestingly enough, I was talking to my buddy Phil tonight and we both agreed that if Painter does leave, it's too bad for Counzo Martin. He has revived the Missouri State program and is a rising star, and another guy who would love to coach at Purdue..... except for the fact that he just accepted the Tennessee job three days ago to be Bruce Pearl's replacement.
2) Speaking of which, anyone surprised that Bruce Pearl was fired? If so, you should come out from under the rock which you live. It's bad enough that he lied to NCAA investigators, but the truly appalling part was Pearl calling the recruit and his family and asking them to also lie on his behalf. Good luck getting another high-profile job; he is essentially untouchable at this point (just ask Jim O'Brien and Kelvin Sampson).
3) I'm happy for the teams who made the Final Four, but I imagine CBS isn't too pleased. While the four teams there all deserved it, I'm going to guess this is going to be one of the lowest-rated Final Four's in quite a few years. The UCONN/Kentucky game is certainly intriguing (and both bring national cache to the game), but VCU/Butler? Great stories, but blah....
4) Kansas looked completely disinterested the first half against VCU, which is amazing considering a trip to the Final Four was on the line. Bill Self unfairly takes too much criticism (think of how consistently good KU has been over the past 8-10 years; quite amazing!), but he needs to figure out these mid-majors, who they have no business losing to.
5) I feel robbed I'm not getting to watch Ohio State play Kansas in the championship game. In a season full of parity, these two clearly played more consistent good basketball than anyone else. But such is life during the NCAA tournament, where one bad game ends the season. However, Sullinger against the Morris twins and both teams pure athleticism would have been quite the clash.
6) Which segues me into my experience watching the OSU game: is anything more sudden-ending then when your team loses in the tournament? While not the best played, OSU/Kentucky engaged in a highly entertaining game that ended when Brandon Knight hit the game-winner with 5 seconds left. Just like that, ballgame and season over in seconds; took my breath away...
7) Still havan't made up my mind on Jimmer Fredette, BYU's soon to be player-of-the-year. Very creative, unbelievable range....but yet horrible, reckless shot-taker and plays absolutely zero defense. In a clutch situation, I would take Kemba Walker any day over Fredette; not just because I believe he would make the shot, but because I think he would make the better decision.
8) Walker has hands-down been the best basketball player since mid-February. This has been the greatest run of games I have seen since Gerry McNamara from Syracuse saved the Orange's season in 2005-2006 by winning 4 games in 4 days in the Big East tournament.
9) Hate to say it, but Tim Hardaway Jr looks like the real deal at Michigan; great length and athleticism, and lots of time to put muscle on that frame.
10) My 2011-2012 Big Ten breakout players: the aforementioned Hardaway, Purdue's Terone Johnson (the guy just looks the part, and played well in limited minutes); Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas (who will shoot the ball until you notice him); and Michigan State's Keith Appling (should step out of Kalin Lucas' shadow).
11) I feel bad for Indiana-bound Cody Zeller, the Hoosiers' first big-time recruit since Eric Gordon. Too many expectations on him to save IU basketball, who is still a long way from being competitive consistently in the Big Ten.
12) I can't remember two teams who fell harder to start a season than Michigan State and Kansas State, who enetered the season ranked #2 and #3 in the country. K-State doesn't surprise me all that much with the marginal talent they had (I think Jacob Pullen is the most overrated player in the country), but I was stunned to see Tom Izzo's team disintegrate the way they did. Kicking two players off the team didn't help, but they suffered for two reasons: 1) Kalin Lucas did not look fully recovered from his achilles tear until the last month of the season; and 2) they missed Raymar Morgan's toughness and defense on the inside. Didn't think I would come to see the day when a Tom Izzo team would get pushed around by the majority of their schedule.
That's all I have for now..... enjoy the first week of baseball, which is a great time of year (hope literally springs eternal, even for the Indians)!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Another Tough Year for Cleveland
It's looking to be another bleak year for Cleveland sports teams: the Indians are again floundering with limited pitching and no hitting, the Browns don't seem to have capable receivers/running backs/defensive backs (you name it, and they are missing it), and of course the Cavs were sent packing by the grandpa-aged Celtics. Not to mention that the city is sitting on the collective edge (and ready to jump) in regards to the LeBron situation.
The Cavs, with the best team-player in the game today, much improved outside shooting, and none other than the Diesel in the middle to stop Dwight Howard, were stopped dead in their tracks by a team that may have a quarter of the roster who usually hits the early-bird buffet at the Golden Corral flashing their AARP cards. As a matter of fact, the Cavs were lucky to even make it to the Eastern conference quarterfinals after making Joakim Noah look like the second coming of Bill Russell (which should be the only time ever those two are mentioned in the same breath). It was a disappointment that only Cleveland fans know how to handle.
Which got me thinking.....as we stand here today (July 1), what are all time kick-in-the-groin moments of Cleveland sports? Quite unbelievable that there were so many "honorable" moments to choose from. The above date is important because this list is subject to change if LBJ spurns the Cavs (because really, when is a quarter of a billion dollars not enough??). I listed them in descending order; feel free to disagree/agree/share your thoughts. First you'll see the "honorable mentions" - tough moments, but not quite gut-wrenching enough to make the top 10.
Just missed the cut:
-2010 Cavs playoff loss (tough moment, but not all that surprising once you saw them perform in the playoffs).
-2007 NBA Finals: Cavs get swept by Spurs (not the greatest Cavs team, and lost to a great Spurs team).
-1990 AFC Championship game: Broncos roll Browns 37-21 (always bad losing to Broncos one game away from the Super Bowl, but this one was a stroll in the park compared to the other two).
#10: The Comeback
One of the most underrated moments, as you don't hear about it all that often. Just two days after Ohio State won the national title in football, the Browns were in the playoffs for the first time since coming back in '99. Playing the Steelers on the road, the Browns built leads of 17-7 at the half, 24-7 in the third, and 33-21 with 10 minutes to go. Kelly Holcombe threw for 429 yards; unfortunately, the Browns had no running game to help grind the clock (William Green led them with 30 yards on 25 carries). Regardless, the Browns had a chance to close the door with less than 2 mninutes to go and leading 33-28. On 3rd and 12, and with Pittsburgh out of timeouts, Holcomb put the ball in stride to Dennis Northcutt, which, if caught, would have allowed the Browns to kneel the ball to run the clock out. Unfortunately, Northcutt "just dropped it" (his words) and Pittsburgh scored with 54 seconds left to win the game. Too bad we didn't have Roethlisberger to kick around after this one.
#9: 2007 ALCS
The Indians entered this series as huge underdogs to the Red Sox, who were in the midst of their great run of this decade. After the Red Sox cruised in the opener, the Indians shocked everyone by winning the next 3 to take a 3-1 series lead with game 5 in Cleveland, one win away from facing the Colorado Rockies in the World Series. Lady luck was not on the Indians side, however, and the Indians would lose the next 3 games by a combined score of 30-5. (Funny side note, though: with a chance to clinch the series in game 5 in Cleveland and Josh Beckett pitching for the Red Sox that night, the Indians brought in Danielle Peck to sing the national anthem. Peck dated Beckett the previous summer, and the Red Sox accused the Indians of trying to distract their pitcher with this stunt. If you're going to go down, might as well go swinging, right??)
#8: Offensive Futility in the 1995 World Series
Playing in the World Series for the first time since 1954, the Indians ran into the pitching buzzsaw that was the Atlanta Braves rotation (Maddux, Glavine, Avery, and Smoltz). The Indians had the best record in baseball and a record-setting offensive season (lineup featured Lofton, Belle, Ramirez, and Thome to name a few), but were not able to produce enough in this series. While the Braves won the Series 4 games to 2, 5 of the 6 games were decided by one run. This was supposed to be the culmination of the baseball renaissance in Cleveland, but alas, the city was left on the outside once more.
#7: Red Right 88
The 1980 season was one of the most memorable for the city of Cleveland, as Sam Rutigliano's Kardiac Kids played in 10 regular season games settled by 7 points or less. On January 4, 1981, the Browns clashed with the Raiders at the old stadium in the first round of the playoofs. Fast forward to late in the final quarter, when the Browns trailed 14-12 but were knocking on the door at the Raiders' 14 yard line. With less than a minute left, Rutigliano decided to gamble and go for a touchdown instead of running down the clock and attempting a field goal (in his defense, Don Cockroft had already missed two kicks in the swirling lakefront winds). Red Right 88 was the play, which called for quarterback Brian Sipe to get the ball to Dave Logan. When the ball was snapped, tight end Ozzie Newsome broke free in the end zone, and Sipe launched the ball Newsome's way. Unfortunately, Raiders cornerback Mike Davis was in between the two and picked the ball off to clinch the victory for Oakland.
#6: The Shot
The deciding game 5 (this was back when the first round was best-of-5, not 7) of the first round of the 1989 NBA playoffs between the Cavs and the Bulls took place at the Richfield Coliseum. This game launched Michael Jordan from star to legend, which is also why it's not higher on this list (as Jordan did this multiple times in the playoffs against multiple teams; hard to fault the Cavs for this). Regardless, it was still a blow to Cleveland. The Cavs had beaten the Bulls in all 6 regular-season meetings, and were clear favorites heading into this series. At the end of game 5, Jordan hit a jumper with 6 seconds left to give the Bulls their first lead. Craig Ehlo followed with a shot of his own with 3 seconds, returning the lead to Cleveland. The rest is legend: Jordan took the ball from left to right, pulled up around the free throw line, and nailed The Shot at the buzzer to give the Bulls the series upset.
#5: The Drive
This may have been the official start of Cleveland's inferiority complex. Some may put this higher on the list, but similar to The Shot with Jordan, very few NFL defenders could figure out John Elway, so that knocked it down a peg or two for me. The AFC Championship Game was played on January 11, 1987, at Municipal Stadium. The Browns led 20-13 with just over 5 minutes left and John Elway taking over from their own 2 yard line. Elway led a drive that needed only two third down conversions, and with 39 seconds left, hit a slanting Mark Jackson in the end zone to tie the game. Rich Karlis would kick the winning field goal in overtime to win the game for Denver, and break the hearts of Cleveland fans everywhere.
#4: 1954 Series Sweep
The Indians won a then-American League record 111 games, but managed to get swept by the Giants in the World Series. Of note is the fact that this series produced the most famous catch ever: Willie Mays' over-the-head basket catch (although I would argue that Jim Edmonds' diving overhead catch was significantly harder), robbing Vic Wertz and the Indians' chances of scoring that inning. This would be the last World Series for the Indians until 1995, starting years upon years of futility for the Tribe.
#3: Late Pitching Dooms Cleveland
This version of the Tribe was good, but not nearly as potent as the '95 squad. Many were surprised the Indians made it to the Series, but they actually found themselves in the role of favorites against the Florida Marlins. Great series that went 7 games, with the final played in Miami. The Indians led 2-0 early and 2-1 entering the bottom of th 9th, half-an-inning from a championship. However, Jose Mesa gave up the tying run to send it to extra innings, and Charlie Nagy give up the winning run to Edgar Renteria in the bottom of the 11th. Still trying to figure out how a team with "star" players such as Bobby Bonilla, Edgar Renteria, and Craig Counsell beat them in the Series. I remember watching this game when I was in high school, and at this point I began seriously thinking a Cleveland team might never win a championship; how much closer can you get actually get?
#2: The Fumble
AFC Championship Game, 2 yard-line, 1:12 left. Unfortunately, Earnest Byner found Broncos cornerback Jeremiah Castille before he found the goal line and fumbled the win away. This one is tough, particularly because the Browns controlled their destiny and were just over a minute away from winning this game. As Cleveland luck would have it, the Browns would trade Byner two years later, where he would win a Super Bowl with the Redskins. Meanwhile, the Browns would fire Marty Schottenheimer after this loss and hire Bud Carson, the most indifferent man in the world.
#1: Nov. 6, 1995
The one true day of pure hatred in Cleveland: Satan Modell announces the Browns are leaving Cleveland to play in Baltimore. There is no need to expand on this too much; many sides (the governor, mayor, city and county councils, and the Browns) shoulder the blame for this one. But essentially, it came down to Moddell being greedy. He would never publicly appear in Cleveland again, and Cleveland was without a franchise for three seasons. Luckily, after the Browns came back in '99, they started a string of fantastic draft choices (Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, Gerrard Warren, William Green, Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards, and Brady Quinn), quality coaching hires (Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, etc...), and well-developed quarterbacks (Kelly Holcomb, Spurgeon Wynn, Luke McCown, and Doug Pederson). Meanwhile, the "Ravens" signed a murderous linebacker, an aging quaterback, and a drug-dealing running back and win the Super Bowl within 5 years. This sets the record for the longest hangover ever, which the city is still experiencing.
So that's what I have. LeBron's ordeal can certainly alter this list, but I still don't seem him surpassing the Browns leaving town if he chooses to sign elsewhere. The reason he has all this pressure in Cleveland is because of all the above events; he's carrying all three franchises with him at the moment. Regardless, is there any city more cursed in sports than Cleveland? Very doubtful.
The Cavs, with the best team-player in the game today, much improved outside shooting, and none other than the Diesel in the middle to stop Dwight Howard, were stopped dead in their tracks by a team that may have a quarter of the roster who usually hits the early-bird buffet at the Golden Corral flashing their AARP cards. As a matter of fact, the Cavs were lucky to even make it to the Eastern conference quarterfinals after making Joakim Noah look like the second coming of Bill Russell (which should be the only time ever those two are mentioned in the same breath). It was a disappointment that only Cleveland fans know how to handle.
Which got me thinking.....as we stand here today (July 1), what are all time kick-in-the-groin moments of Cleveland sports? Quite unbelievable that there were so many "honorable" moments to choose from. The above date is important because this list is subject to change if LBJ spurns the Cavs (because really, when is a quarter of a billion dollars not enough??). I listed them in descending order; feel free to disagree/agree/share your thoughts. First you'll see the "honorable mentions" - tough moments, but not quite gut-wrenching enough to make the top 10.
Just missed the cut:
-2010 Cavs playoff loss (tough moment, but not all that surprising once you saw them perform in the playoffs).
-2007 NBA Finals: Cavs get swept by Spurs (not the greatest Cavs team, and lost to a great Spurs team).
-1990 AFC Championship game: Broncos roll Browns 37-21 (always bad losing to Broncos one game away from the Super Bowl, but this one was a stroll in the park compared to the other two).
#10: The Comeback
One of the most underrated moments, as you don't hear about it all that often. Just two days after Ohio State won the national title in football, the Browns were in the playoffs for the first time since coming back in '99. Playing the Steelers on the road, the Browns built leads of 17-7 at the half, 24-7 in the third, and 33-21 with 10 minutes to go. Kelly Holcombe threw for 429 yards; unfortunately, the Browns had no running game to help grind the clock (William Green led them with 30 yards on 25 carries). Regardless, the Browns had a chance to close the door with less than 2 mninutes to go and leading 33-28. On 3rd and 12, and with Pittsburgh out of timeouts, Holcomb put the ball in stride to Dennis Northcutt, which, if caught, would have allowed the Browns to kneel the ball to run the clock out. Unfortunately, Northcutt "just dropped it" (his words) and Pittsburgh scored with 54 seconds left to win the game. Too bad we didn't have Roethlisberger to kick around after this one.
#9: 2007 ALCS
The Indians entered this series as huge underdogs to the Red Sox, who were in the midst of their great run of this decade. After the Red Sox cruised in the opener, the Indians shocked everyone by winning the next 3 to take a 3-1 series lead with game 5 in Cleveland, one win away from facing the Colorado Rockies in the World Series. Lady luck was not on the Indians side, however, and the Indians would lose the next 3 games by a combined score of 30-5. (Funny side note, though: with a chance to clinch the series in game 5 in Cleveland and Josh Beckett pitching for the Red Sox that night, the Indians brought in Danielle Peck to sing the national anthem. Peck dated Beckett the previous summer, and the Red Sox accused the Indians of trying to distract their pitcher with this stunt. If you're going to go down, might as well go swinging, right??)
#8: Offensive Futility in the 1995 World Series
Playing in the World Series for the first time since 1954, the Indians ran into the pitching buzzsaw that was the Atlanta Braves rotation (Maddux, Glavine, Avery, and Smoltz). The Indians had the best record in baseball and a record-setting offensive season (lineup featured Lofton, Belle, Ramirez, and Thome to name a few), but were not able to produce enough in this series. While the Braves won the Series 4 games to 2, 5 of the 6 games were decided by one run. This was supposed to be the culmination of the baseball renaissance in Cleveland, but alas, the city was left on the outside once more.
#7: Red Right 88
The 1980 season was one of the most memorable for the city of Cleveland, as Sam Rutigliano's Kardiac Kids played in 10 regular season games settled by 7 points or less. On January 4, 1981, the Browns clashed with the Raiders at the old stadium in the first round of the playoofs. Fast forward to late in the final quarter, when the Browns trailed 14-12 but were knocking on the door at the Raiders' 14 yard line. With less than a minute left, Rutigliano decided to gamble and go for a touchdown instead of running down the clock and attempting a field goal (in his defense, Don Cockroft had already missed two kicks in the swirling lakefront winds). Red Right 88 was the play, which called for quarterback Brian Sipe to get the ball to Dave Logan. When the ball was snapped, tight end Ozzie Newsome broke free in the end zone, and Sipe launched the ball Newsome's way. Unfortunately, Raiders cornerback Mike Davis was in between the two and picked the ball off to clinch the victory for Oakland.
#6: The Shot
The deciding game 5 (this was back when the first round was best-of-5, not 7) of the first round of the 1989 NBA playoffs between the Cavs and the Bulls took place at the Richfield Coliseum. This game launched Michael Jordan from star to legend, which is also why it's not higher on this list (as Jordan did this multiple times in the playoffs against multiple teams; hard to fault the Cavs for this). Regardless, it was still a blow to Cleveland. The Cavs had beaten the Bulls in all 6 regular-season meetings, and were clear favorites heading into this series. At the end of game 5, Jordan hit a jumper with 6 seconds left to give the Bulls their first lead. Craig Ehlo followed with a shot of his own with 3 seconds, returning the lead to Cleveland. The rest is legend: Jordan took the ball from left to right, pulled up around the free throw line, and nailed The Shot at the buzzer to give the Bulls the series upset.
#5: The Drive
This may have been the official start of Cleveland's inferiority complex. Some may put this higher on the list, but similar to The Shot with Jordan, very few NFL defenders could figure out John Elway, so that knocked it down a peg or two for me. The AFC Championship Game was played on January 11, 1987, at Municipal Stadium. The Browns led 20-13 with just over 5 minutes left and John Elway taking over from their own 2 yard line. Elway led a drive that needed only two third down conversions, and with 39 seconds left, hit a slanting Mark Jackson in the end zone to tie the game. Rich Karlis would kick the winning field goal in overtime to win the game for Denver, and break the hearts of Cleveland fans everywhere.
#4: 1954 Series Sweep
The Indians won a then-American League record 111 games, but managed to get swept by the Giants in the World Series. Of note is the fact that this series produced the most famous catch ever: Willie Mays' over-the-head basket catch (although I would argue that Jim Edmonds' diving overhead catch was significantly harder), robbing Vic Wertz and the Indians' chances of scoring that inning. This would be the last World Series for the Indians until 1995, starting years upon years of futility for the Tribe.
#3: Late Pitching Dooms Cleveland
This version of the Tribe was good, but not nearly as potent as the '95 squad. Many were surprised the Indians made it to the Series, but they actually found themselves in the role of favorites against the Florida Marlins. Great series that went 7 games, with the final played in Miami. The Indians led 2-0 early and 2-1 entering the bottom of th 9th, half-an-inning from a championship. However, Jose Mesa gave up the tying run to send it to extra innings, and Charlie Nagy give up the winning run to Edgar Renteria in the bottom of the 11th. Still trying to figure out how a team with "star" players such as Bobby Bonilla, Edgar Renteria, and Craig Counsell beat them in the Series. I remember watching this game when I was in high school, and at this point I began seriously thinking a Cleveland team might never win a championship; how much closer can you get actually get?
#2: The Fumble
AFC Championship Game, 2 yard-line, 1:12 left. Unfortunately, Earnest Byner found Broncos cornerback Jeremiah Castille before he found the goal line and fumbled the win away. This one is tough, particularly because the Browns controlled their destiny and were just over a minute away from winning this game. As Cleveland luck would have it, the Browns would trade Byner two years later, where he would win a Super Bowl with the Redskins. Meanwhile, the Browns would fire Marty Schottenheimer after this loss and hire Bud Carson, the most indifferent man in the world.
#1: Nov. 6, 1995
The one true day of pure hatred in Cleveland: Satan Modell announces the Browns are leaving Cleveland to play in Baltimore. There is no need to expand on this too much; many sides (the governor, mayor, city and county councils, and the Browns) shoulder the blame for this one. But essentially, it came down to Moddell being greedy. He would never publicly appear in Cleveland again, and Cleveland was without a franchise for three seasons. Luckily, after the Browns came back in '99, they started a string of fantastic draft choices (Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, Gerrard Warren, William Green, Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards, and Brady Quinn), quality coaching hires (Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, etc...), and well-developed quarterbacks (Kelly Holcomb, Spurgeon Wynn, Luke McCown, and Doug Pederson). Meanwhile, the "Ravens" signed a murderous linebacker, an aging quaterback, and a drug-dealing running back and win the Super Bowl within 5 years. This sets the record for the longest hangover ever, which the city is still experiencing.
So that's what I have. LeBron's ordeal can certainly alter this list, but I still don't seem him surpassing the Browns leaving town if he chooses to sign elsewhere. The reason he has all this pressure in Cleveland is because of all the above events; he's carrying all three franchises with him at the moment. Regardless, is there any city more cursed in sports than Cleveland? Very doubtful.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Catching up with Frank Solich
Athens, OH, was an exciting place to be this past year. While the basketball Bobcats grabbed the major headlines by defeating the #3 seed Georgetown Hoyas in one of the tournament's biggest upsets, the football team also turned in one of the best seasons in the program's last 30 years. The 9-5 record included close losses to BCS-conference foes UConn and Tennessee during the regular season, as well as the nail-biting 21-17 loss to Marshall in the Little Ceasar's Pizza Bowl.
Head coach Frank Solich is now entering his 6th season at OU after spending six years at the helm of Nebraska, and has high expectations for this year's Bobcats (who just wrapped up spring practice yesterday with their annual Spring Game). They return veteran quaterback Boo Jackson along with a host of starters, and are again challenging themselves with a difficult non-conference schedule, playing Ohio State and Marshall on the road in back-to-back weeks early in the season.
Coach Solich took some time recently to answer some questions about how he ended up at Nebraska, what he learned from the legendary Tom Osborne, and why he has enjoyed the Athens community.
Mike Seaman: You played high school football up in the Cleveland area. Why did you choose to go to Nebraska and play for coach Bob Devaney?
Frank Solich: Bob Devaney was a great recruiter and sold my parents and me on Nebraska being the right place for me. Nebraska scholarshipped another player from our team, and we decided to attend Nebraska together.
MS: You spent almost 20 years as an assistant to Tom Osborne. What did you learn from him that you still carry with you today at OU?
FS: Coach Osborne always put the program first in his decision-making. That is what I have tried to do in my career. I also learned from Tom that trust between coaches and athletes is critical.
MS: Your first home game as Ohio head coach was a win over the Pitt Panthers on national TV (16-10 win in overtime on a Friday night, ESPN-televised game). What are your memories of that first game in Athens?
FS: I thought it was a great win for our program. I was really proud of the program and the performance and what they did to get the game won. It was a sell-out crowd at Peden Stadium, and I remember the excitement coming down the stretch of that game and us being able to win at the end.
MS: You have had a lot of success at OU, playing in multiple MAC championship games and bowl games. What are your overall expectations for the next 2-3 years for this program?
FS: My expectations for the program is to continue to move the program forward. We have a very good collection of athletes, guys that are dedicated
year round to making themselves better and putting us in position to win football games. I think we have an excellent coaching staff, guys who are excellent teachers as well as recruiters. We are working at winning conference championships, bowl games, and to continue to graduate our players.
MS: What about Athens endears you to the community?
FS: I enjoy Athens. It offers the uniqueness of a small city, but with a large university it gives you a good mixture which benefits both the university and the community.
MS: You have been part of some great rivalries, both as a player and a coach. How do you compare the OU-Miami game to some of the other ones you have experienced?
FS: The Ohio-Miami rivalry is a great rivalry with an excellent tradition at both schools. I have been a part of other great rivalries and know that
these types of games are exciting for everyone involved – players, coaches, fans.
MS: Finally, just out of curiosity, do you still have a copy of the Sports Illustrated of when you appeared on the cover as a Nebraska player? (Quick note: Solich was the first Nebraska football player to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.)
FS: I do have a copy of that Sports Illustrated.
Head coach Frank Solich is now entering his 6th season at OU after spending six years at the helm of Nebraska, and has high expectations for this year's Bobcats (who just wrapped up spring practice yesterday with their annual Spring Game). They return veteran quaterback Boo Jackson along with a host of starters, and are again challenging themselves with a difficult non-conference schedule, playing Ohio State and Marshall on the road in back-to-back weeks early in the season.
Coach Solich took some time recently to answer some questions about how he ended up at Nebraska, what he learned from the legendary Tom Osborne, and why he has enjoyed the Athens community.
Mike Seaman: You played high school football up in the Cleveland area. Why did you choose to go to Nebraska and play for coach Bob Devaney?
Frank Solich: Bob Devaney was a great recruiter and sold my parents and me on Nebraska being the right place for me. Nebraska scholarshipped another player from our team, and we decided to attend Nebraska together.
MS: You spent almost 20 years as an assistant to Tom Osborne. What did you learn from him that you still carry with you today at OU?
FS: Coach Osborne always put the program first in his decision-making. That is what I have tried to do in my career. I also learned from Tom that trust between coaches and athletes is critical.
MS: Your first home game as Ohio head coach was a win over the Pitt Panthers on national TV (16-10 win in overtime on a Friday night, ESPN-televised game). What are your memories of that first game in Athens?
FS: I thought it was a great win for our program. I was really proud of the program and the performance and what they did to get the game won. It was a sell-out crowd at Peden Stadium, and I remember the excitement coming down the stretch of that game and us being able to win at the end.
MS: You have had a lot of success at OU, playing in multiple MAC championship games and bowl games. What are your overall expectations for the next 2-3 years for this program?
FS: My expectations for the program is to continue to move the program forward. We have a very good collection of athletes, guys that are dedicated
year round to making themselves better and putting us in position to win football games. I think we have an excellent coaching staff, guys who are excellent teachers as well as recruiters. We are working at winning conference championships, bowl games, and to continue to graduate our players.
MS: What about Athens endears you to the community?
FS: I enjoy Athens. It offers the uniqueness of a small city, but with a large university it gives you a good mixture which benefits both the university and the community.
MS: You have been part of some great rivalries, both as a player and a coach. How do you compare the OU-Miami game to some of the other ones you have experienced?
FS: The Ohio-Miami rivalry is a great rivalry with an excellent tradition at both schools. I have been a part of other great rivalries and know that
these types of games are exciting for everyone involved – players, coaches, fans.
MS: Finally, just out of curiosity, do you still have a copy of the Sports Illustrated of when you appeared on the cover as a Nebraska player? (Quick note: Solich was the first Nebraska football player to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.)
FS: I do have a copy of that Sports Illustrated.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
NBA Labor Deal Causing More Early Entries
It's a shame what the NBA labor situation is doing to the 2010/2011 college basketball season. Just as a quick back-drop, the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NBA owners and Players' Association is set to expire following the 2010/2011 basketball season, and the current prognosis is that the two sides are extremely far apart on negotiations (Sound familiar? This is the same issue that the NFL is facing after this upcoming season as well. Can you imagine a year without professional football AND basketball? Yikes!).
The threat of this lockout hanging over the NBA has forced a larger-than-normal pool of underclassmen to apply for the NBA draft this year. Of course, you have your usual no-brainers (John Wall, Evan Tuner, DeMarcus Cousins, Wes Johnson, Xavier Henry, etc...), but you also have a slew of players who, under normal circumstances, would have no business leaving school early (Demetri McCamey, Talor Battle, and Alex Tyus, to name a few). Seriously, can anyone out there, without looking it up, tell me who Alex Tyus played for in college?
Consider this: an astonishing 56 underclassmen have currently applied for the NBA draft, although many still have until May 8th to withdraw their names so they can play college ball next season due to the fact that they have not signed with an agent. Keep in mind that there are only 60 draft spots in the NBA though, and those 56 certainly don't count any seniors or players from overseas. Of those 56 early entries, 26 are projected to potentially go undrafted (according to nbadraft.net).
How does this all relate? Well, you have a large pool of players trying to get drafted because they fear if they wait another year, there won't be an NBA season to make any money from. I certainly understand their concerns, as we all have the freedom to chase our professional dream whenever we want. The sad reality of this, though, is that almost half of these kids will go undrafted, while at the same time throwing away their opportunity for a free education (and a chance to potentially better prepare themselves for future drafts). My hope is that the majority left who have not yet signed with an agent will return to college; history has shown us that lockouts are few and far between. However, I believe this black cloud hanging over the 2011 draft will force too many to stay in, where you'll never hear from them again unless you love following European professional leagues.
It's unfortunate how this labor situation has so much control over the next college basketball season. This is why I have a lot of admiration for players like Jacob Pullen, Kyle Singler, Kalin Lucas, and more; they have surrounded themselves with the right kind of people to help them make educated decisions for the long-term. Even if a lockout occurs, basketball is not going away forever, and those who deserve it will have plenty of opportunities to showcase their skills down the line.
The threat of this lockout hanging over the NBA has forced a larger-than-normal pool of underclassmen to apply for the NBA draft this year. Of course, you have your usual no-brainers (John Wall, Evan Tuner, DeMarcus Cousins, Wes Johnson, Xavier Henry, etc...), but you also have a slew of players who, under normal circumstances, would have no business leaving school early (Demetri McCamey, Talor Battle, and Alex Tyus, to name a few). Seriously, can anyone out there, without looking it up, tell me who Alex Tyus played for in college?
Consider this: an astonishing 56 underclassmen have currently applied for the NBA draft, although many still have until May 8th to withdraw their names so they can play college ball next season due to the fact that they have not signed with an agent. Keep in mind that there are only 60 draft spots in the NBA though, and those 56 certainly don't count any seniors or players from overseas. Of those 56 early entries, 26 are projected to potentially go undrafted (according to nbadraft.net).
How does this all relate? Well, you have a large pool of players trying to get drafted because they fear if they wait another year, there won't be an NBA season to make any money from. I certainly understand their concerns, as we all have the freedom to chase our professional dream whenever we want. The sad reality of this, though, is that almost half of these kids will go undrafted, while at the same time throwing away their opportunity for a free education (and a chance to potentially better prepare themselves for future drafts). My hope is that the majority left who have not yet signed with an agent will return to college; history has shown us that lockouts are few and far between. However, I believe this black cloud hanging over the 2011 draft will force too many to stay in, where you'll never hear from them again unless you love following European professional leagues.
It's unfortunate how this labor situation has so much control over the next college basketball season. This is why I have a lot of admiration for players like Jacob Pullen, Kyle Singler, Kalin Lucas, and more; they have surrounded themselves with the right kind of people to help them make educated decisions for the long-term. Even if a lockout occurs, basketball is not going away forever, and those who deserve it will have plenty of opportunities to showcase their skills down the line.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Quick Tourney Thoughts....Then Moving Forward
Been away for a while (life on the road!), but I'm working on additional interviews for the blog. In the meantime, I have to say this goes down as one of the more entertaining yet disappointing tournaments I can remember.
First off, the tournament is exciting regardless of who makes it, and this year's games certainly played out that way (Murray St/Vandy, Purdue/A&M, Xavier/K-State, Butler against anyone). That being said, I certainly found the teams to be relatively "ho-hum" at the Final Four. Of all the great teams during the regular season (Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, WVU, and Purdue before the Hummel injury) and all the great individual talent (Evan Turner, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Wes Johnson), it certainly was disappointing that none of them made it to the biggest stage. While the team's that made it were certainly deserving, I still think it was a little anti-climatic.
Looking at the Final Four pool of teams, Butler had the toughest draw throughout the bracket: they beat Syracuse, K-State, and Michigan State to get to the finals. Duke somehow lucked into the easiest bracket of all the #1 seeds, which was a travesty to Kansas, Kentucky, and Syracuse. They did win the games they were supposed to, which is a credit to them. However, I cannot remember a national championship game with less individual elite talent on the floor at once. As much as everyone wants to say that the best "team" wins, that traditionally has not been the case with the NCAA tournament. If you think back to the last 4 national title games (UNC/MSU, Kansas/Memphis, Ohio State/Florida, and UCLA/Florida), all of those participants had multiple future pros on their rosters. Duke currently has 1-2 pros and Butler probably has none, proving this game was quite the anomaly compared to the last several years.
The good thing is the end of NCAA basketball allows all of us to turn our attention to spring football, the NBA playoffs, and baseball. Plenty of areas to write about in the near future, and excited about what the spring holds for all of us sports fans!
First off, the tournament is exciting regardless of who makes it, and this year's games certainly played out that way (Murray St/Vandy, Purdue/A&M, Xavier/K-State, Butler against anyone). That being said, I certainly found the teams to be relatively "ho-hum" at the Final Four. Of all the great teams during the regular season (Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, WVU, and Purdue before the Hummel injury) and all the great individual talent (Evan Turner, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Wes Johnson), it certainly was disappointing that none of them made it to the biggest stage. While the team's that made it were certainly deserving, I still think it was a little anti-climatic.
Looking at the Final Four pool of teams, Butler had the toughest draw throughout the bracket: they beat Syracuse, K-State, and Michigan State to get to the finals. Duke somehow lucked into the easiest bracket of all the #1 seeds, which was a travesty to Kansas, Kentucky, and Syracuse. They did win the games they were supposed to, which is a credit to them. However, I cannot remember a national championship game with less individual elite talent on the floor at once. As much as everyone wants to say that the best "team" wins, that traditionally has not been the case with the NCAA tournament. If you think back to the last 4 national title games (UNC/MSU, Kansas/Memphis, Ohio State/Florida, and UCLA/Florida), all of those participants had multiple future pros on their rosters. Duke currently has 1-2 pros and Butler probably has none, proving this game was quite the anomaly compared to the last several years.
The good thing is the end of NCAA basketball allows all of us to turn our attention to spring football, the NBA playoffs, and baseball. Plenty of areas to write about in the near future, and excited about what the spring holds for all of us sports fans!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Thoughts from the Road
Lots going on this past week in sports, and I apologize about my delay in commenting on a few important basketball topics (can you believe I actually have to work?!?!).
-Definitely excited for the tournament. This is quite possibly my favorite short-term time of the year: the start of March Madness, Opening Day for baseball is just a couple of weeks away, and the Midwest is finally starting to thaw.
-Kansas and Ohio State both pulled the short straws in regards to this tournament draw. Seven teams from the Midwest bracket are ranked in the final top 25 poll of the regular season (the most of any region). How does KU get named the #1 overall seed in the tournament and not play the winner of the play-in game? On principle alone, that is wrong. And Ohio State being ranked as the last #2 seed? Wow....lots of Big East love from the selection committee. Whoever wins this bracket will earn it the hard way, as after the first round, all the games are legitimate toss-ups. As many as five teams have the talent to get out of this region, although KU still appears to be the clear favorite. Can the best player in the country (Evan Turner) beat the best team? And will he even get a chance?
-I listened to Jim Boeheim on ESPN radio Monday morning discussing his preferance to expand the field for the tournament, and I continue to believe it will probably happen even though I don't agree with it. Lets be honest: this is clearly a position taken by most coaches due to job security. Many of them are judged on whether they make it to the tournament, and expansion would allow more leverage to the coaches (who would have increased odds of being selected). I'm not one to complain about more basketball, but I'm tired of hearing about this, "being for the kids;" I have yet to hear a current or former player (who is not a coach) endorse expansion.
-The game that I predict will be the most entertaining from the first two days should be Mizzou-Clemson. Both teams press for 40 minutes and will push every possession; should be extremely fun to watch.
-Tough weekend for Purdue: first they get blasted by Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament semifinals, only then to find out they have been demoted to a 4-seed while playing upstart Siena in the first round. While this Siena team is missing their top player from last year (Kenny Hasbrouk), they are clearly a dangerous team with lots of tournament experience, having won their opening round games the past two years. Purdue still clearly has the talent advantage, but how fragile is their psyche at this point?
-Finally, great to see my alma mater, little Ohio University, make the Big Dance by winning the MAC tournament (the highest seed ever to win it). OU is a heavy underdog to Georgetown, but maybe Indiana transfer Armon Bassett still has some magic left from Cleveland this past weekend.
-Definitely excited for the tournament. This is quite possibly my favorite short-term time of the year: the start of March Madness, Opening Day for baseball is just a couple of weeks away, and the Midwest is finally starting to thaw.
-Kansas and Ohio State both pulled the short straws in regards to this tournament draw. Seven teams from the Midwest bracket are ranked in the final top 25 poll of the regular season (the most of any region). How does KU get named the #1 overall seed in the tournament and not play the winner of the play-in game? On principle alone, that is wrong. And Ohio State being ranked as the last #2 seed? Wow....lots of Big East love from the selection committee. Whoever wins this bracket will earn it the hard way, as after the first round, all the games are legitimate toss-ups. As many as five teams have the talent to get out of this region, although KU still appears to be the clear favorite. Can the best player in the country (Evan Turner) beat the best team? And will he even get a chance?
-I listened to Jim Boeheim on ESPN radio Monday morning discussing his preferance to expand the field for the tournament, and I continue to believe it will probably happen even though I don't agree with it. Lets be honest: this is clearly a position taken by most coaches due to job security. Many of them are judged on whether they make it to the tournament, and expansion would allow more leverage to the coaches (who would have increased odds of being selected). I'm not one to complain about more basketball, but I'm tired of hearing about this, "being for the kids;" I have yet to hear a current or former player (who is not a coach) endorse expansion.
-The game that I predict will be the most entertaining from the first two days should be Mizzou-Clemson. Both teams press for 40 minutes and will push every possession; should be extremely fun to watch.
-Tough weekend for Purdue: first they get blasted by Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament semifinals, only then to find out they have been demoted to a 4-seed while playing upstart Siena in the first round. While this Siena team is missing their top player from last year (Kenny Hasbrouk), they are clearly a dangerous team with lots of tournament experience, having won their opening round games the past two years. Purdue still clearly has the talent advantage, but how fragile is their psyche at this point?
-Finally, great to see my alma mater, little Ohio University, make the Big Dance by winning the MAC tournament (the highest seed ever to win it). OU is a heavy underdog to Georgetown, but maybe Indiana transfer Armon Bassett still has some magic left from Cleveland this past weekend.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Catching up with Tom Hamilton
As we transition to the end of the college basketball season and into the start of baseball, I was lucky enough to interview veteran play-by-play man Tom Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton is the “Voice of the Indians” during baseball season and also lends his great enthusiasm to the Big Ten Network during basketball season. He currently is out in Arizona with the Indians for spring training now that the basketball season has ended for him, and was gracious enough to grant some time to answer questions over the phone about how he got started, trading off from baseball to basketball, and his famous home run calls.
..................................................................................
Mike Seaman: How did you get your start into sports broadcasting?
Tom Hamilton: Well, I was just like any other kid growing up. I dreamed of playing professional sports but I wasn’t good enough to play at that level, so I thought the next best thing for me was to get involved in broadcasting.
MS: Did you play sports in high school?
TH: Oh yeah, I played the three major sports.
MS: In some of my discussions and reading about other broadcasters, many talk about catching a “big break.” Did you have one of those moments or was yours more of a natural progression?
TH: I worked my way up through the ranks. I started with high school football, basketball, and baseball; worked with Legion ball; then worked with Class A. I was then lucky enough to get into Big Ten football, and when I got to Columbus, I worked with the Triple A team, which I think is a prerequisite for anyone to get to the Major Leagues.
MS: You spend the spring, summer, and early fall calling games for the Indians on the radio, and then switch to TV for the Big Ten basketball season. How hard is the transition from radio to TV?
TH: You need to have the ability to stay flexible, because you never know when any of us are going to be out of work and looking for a job. So the key is to keep yourself flexible. But I really like the college game and it’s fun to be able to do that. It’s definitely different to call games on radio compared to TV. The key in TV is having a good analyst because TV really does the play-by-play with the video, graphics, and scoreboard that are constantly being shown. Radio is a play-by-play medium, and I like it in that aspect because it’s more challenging. But I like doing basketball; it’s a nice change of pace.
MS: When you’re calling baseball games, you are working with the same analyst almost every game, but in basketball, you’re working with someone different each night. Is it hard to develop that rapport with someone you are not as familiar working with?
TH: No question; it’s always easier working with someone that you are familiar with because you develop that familiarity and comfort level with them, so it certainly makes it easier. But it’s also fun to work with different analysts because it’s more of a challenge for me because you’re not working with them on a daily basis. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the same people for several years, and it really helps develop that comfort zone.
MS: Speaking of this time of year, your attention has turned to the Indians. Do you still get a chance to follow what’s left of this basketball season?
TH: Oh yeah, I do. That’s the hard part, though; you spend all this time with basketball and then you have to leave at the most exciting time of the year for the basketball season. But I enjoy being out here for spring training, and that’s the trade-off, knowing you’re going to leave every year at this time. But I certainly do pay attention to what’s going on in basketball in March.
MS: What was your reaction a couple of years ago when they had Tom Hamilton bobblehead night at Jacobs Field (now Progressive field)?
TH: I remember it was a really nice day, very humbling; I was very appreciative. It’s one of those things that just kind of happened; it’s not something that you get into broadcasting for is to have your own bobblehead night. But it was a nice night, and we all had a lot of fun with it.
MS: Did you keep one of your bobbleheads?
TH: My family has one in the house, but it’s not something I want to see above my mirror each day.
MS: I have one last question. You have become known for your famous home run calls; was that something planned or did those calls naturally happen?
TH: I couldn’t tell you when I started calling home runs like that, and I don’t call all home runs the same because quite frankly, I’m surprised when a ball goes out. It’s a disservice to the audience if you’re waiting for a home run to be hit, because then it becomes more about you then the game. But it was probably mostly a by-product of those mid-90’s teams; they hit so many no-doubt-about-it home runs that it probably became so repetitive for me to call them. That was a fun team that hit a lot of long home runs that you were sure were gone right when the ball hit the bat.
..................................................................................
Mike Seaman: How did you get your start into sports broadcasting?
Tom Hamilton: Well, I was just like any other kid growing up. I dreamed of playing professional sports but I wasn’t good enough to play at that level, so I thought the next best thing for me was to get involved in broadcasting.
MS: Did you play sports in high school?
TH: Oh yeah, I played the three major sports.
MS: In some of my discussions and reading about other broadcasters, many talk about catching a “big break.” Did you have one of those moments or was yours more of a natural progression?
TH: I worked my way up through the ranks. I started with high school football, basketball, and baseball; worked with Legion ball; then worked with Class A. I was then lucky enough to get into Big Ten football, and when I got to Columbus, I worked with the Triple A team, which I think is a prerequisite for anyone to get to the Major Leagues.
MS: You spend the spring, summer, and early fall calling games for the Indians on the radio, and then switch to TV for the Big Ten basketball season. How hard is the transition from radio to TV?
TH: You need to have the ability to stay flexible, because you never know when any of us are going to be out of work and looking for a job. So the key is to keep yourself flexible. But I really like the college game and it’s fun to be able to do that. It’s definitely different to call games on radio compared to TV. The key in TV is having a good analyst because TV really does the play-by-play with the video, graphics, and scoreboard that are constantly being shown. Radio is a play-by-play medium, and I like it in that aspect because it’s more challenging. But I like doing basketball; it’s a nice change of pace.
MS: When you’re calling baseball games, you are working with the same analyst almost every game, but in basketball, you’re working with someone different each night. Is it hard to develop that rapport with someone you are not as familiar working with?
TH: No question; it’s always easier working with someone that you are familiar with because you develop that familiarity and comfort level with them, so it certainly makes it easier. But it’s also fun to work with different analysts because it’s more of a challenge for me because you’re not working with them on a daily basis. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the same people for several years, and it really helps develop that comfort zone.
MS: Speaking of this time of year, your attention has turned to the Indians. Do you still get a chance to follow what’s left of this basketball season?
TH: Oh yeah, I do. That’s the hard part, though; you spend all this time with basketball and then you have to leave at the most exciting time of the year for the basketball season. But I enjoy being out here for spring training, and that’s the trade-off, knowing you’re going to leave every year at this time. But I certainly do pay attention to what’s going on in basketball in March.
MS: What was your reaction a couple of years ago when they had Tom Hamilton bobblehead night at Jacobs Field (now Progressive field)?
TH: I remember it was a really nice day, very humbling; I was very appreciative. It’s one of those things that just kind of happened; it’s not something that you get into broadcasting for is to have your own bobblehead night. But it was a nice night, and we all had a lot of fun with it.
MS: Did you keep one of your bobbleheads?
TH: My family has one in the house, but it’s not something I want to see above my mirror each day.
MS: I have one last question. You have become known for your famous home run calls; was that something planned or did those calls naturally happen?
TH: I couldn’t tell you when I started calling home runs like that, and I don’t call all home runs the same because quite frankly, I’m surprised when a ball goes out. It’s a disservice to the audience if you’re waiting for a home run to be hit, because then it becomes more about you then the game. But it was probably mostly a by-product of those mid-90’s teams; they hit so many no-doubt-about-it home runs that it probably became so repetitive for me to call them. That was a fun team that hit a lot of long home runs that you were sure were gone right when the ball hit the bat.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuning In
One of my biggest interests in sports is the broadcasting aspect of them. Many of my favorite memories in sports not only include who won or lost specific games, but the sounds of the announcers who pushed those feelings through the airwaves. Broadcasters have become such an integral part of events, specifically those affiliated with a specific team. At times, these individuals have become just as much a part of a team's history as the players themselves (e.g. Vin Scully with the Dodgers, Harry Kalas with the Phillies and Eagles, and Myron Cope with the Steelers).
In fact, certain announcers have become part of a larger piece of history with the call of a certain play. Who can forget Al Michaels and the Miracle on Ice ("Do you believe in miracles? YESSS!!") or Jack Buck calling Kirk Gibson's home run during the '88 World Series ("hit's a long fly ball to right field....its a gonna be a home run.....unbelievable....and the Dodgers have won the game 5-4....I don't believe what I just saw"). I'm sure we all have our moments as sports fan when we can remember exactly where we were at a certain point when something great happened, and more often than not, you can remember what the broadcaster said that marked that moment for you.
Obviously, the proliferation of television has greatly diminished the quantity listening to radio broadcasts. For comparisons sake, as late as 1990, Ohio State only had 3 games on television that year. Fast-forward to 2009, and there is not a major college football team that does not have every single game broadcast on some station (same with all NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB teams). While this makes it great from a sports-consumer standpoint, I do feel viewers miss out on what radio broadcasts have to offer. Radio announcers have a much different job than TV announcers do, as they have to paint the entire picture for the listener with just their words (I always enjoy hearing a football radio announcer telling me a team is "moving left to right across your radio dial").
I am just as guilty as anyone else in regards to consuming sports more on TV than on radio, but I still make exceptions in certain situations, particularly with baseball. Baseball, in my mind, is truly the one sport where the radio broadcast has so much more to offer than TV. Maybe it's the slower pace of the game, or maybe it's the fact that for someone in a Midwestern state like myself, baseball is the primary season where I want to be away from my TV because of the weather. Regardless, I truly enjoy listening to the Indians on radio much more than watching and listening on TV (maybe it's Tom Hamilton's home run calls?!?).
I'd like to hear your thoughts on this: does anyone still listen to sports on radio outside of when they are driving in their car? And is there any time you choose to listen to the radio over watching TV?
In fact, certain announcers have become part of a larger piece of history with the call of a certain play. Who can forget Al Michaels and the Miracle on Ice ("Do you believe in miracles? YESSS!!") or Jack Buck calling Kirk Gibson's home run during the '88 World Series ("hit's a long fly ball to right field....its a gonna be a home run.....unbelievable....and the Dodgers have won the game 5-4....I don't believe what I just saw"). I'm sure we all have our moments as sports fan when we can remember exactly where we were at a certain point when something great happened, and more often than not, you can remember what the broadcaster said that marked that moment for you.
Obviously, the proliferation of television has greatly diminished the quantity listening to radio broadcasts. For comparisons sake, as late as 1990, Ohio State only had 3 games on television that year. Fast-forward to 2009, and there is not a major college football team that does not have every single game broadcast on some station (same with all NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB teams). While this makes it great from a sports-consumer standpoint, I do feel viewers miss out on what radio broadcasts have to offer. Radio announcers have a much different job than TV announcers do, as they have to paint the entire picture for the listener with just their words (I always enjoy hearing a football radio announcer telling me a team is "moving left to right across your radio dial").
I am just as guilty as anyone else in regards to consuming sports more on TV than on radio, but I still make exceptions in certain situations, particularly with baseball. Baseball, in my mind, is truly the one sport where the radio broadcast has so much more to offer than TV. Maybe it's the slower pace of the game, or maybe it's the fact that for someone in a Midwestern state like myself, baseball is the primary season where I want to be away from my TV because of the weather. Regardless, I truly enjoy listening to the Indians on radio much more than watching and listening on TV (maybe it's Tom Hamilton's home run calls?!?).
I'd like to hear your thoughts on this: does anyone still listen to sports on radio outside of when they are driving in their car? And is there any time you choose to listen to the radio over watching TV?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Musings....
College basketball thoughts as the second-to-last weekend draws near.....
-Tough break for Purdue; they rally to beat Minnesota at the Barn only to come home and find out Robbie Hummel tore his ACL. Still will be a tough out in both the Big 10 and NCAA tournaments, but I doubt they have the pieces now to get to Indy for the Final Four. Gritty win though; I was not expecting them to pull that out once Hummel went down. Things get tougher Saturday as Sparty comes to town.
-This should really open the door for either Ohio State or Michigan State to win the Big Ten tourney and claim a #2 seed in the NCAA's (Purdue is the only Big Ten team with a legitimate shot at a #1 seed). Either team can beat Purdue at their best (these three teams are all pretty even), but I would fully expect they would be favored at this point over the Boilers without Hummel. Ohio State finishes with a much easier schedule (two home games left: Michigan and Illinois), while MSU makes the Saturday trip to West Lafayette. Should be a good game.
-Kansas still is the class of the Big 12 (6 years in a row now); is anyone ever going to challenge them? Texas (along with Carolina) will go down as being one of the most disappointing teams of the year (remember, they were #1 about 6 weeks ago, but for the first time in a month, won back-to-back games just this week). I'm still not sold on K-State; they've never done much damage the few times they've made the tourney, so I'm not expecting much out of them. Kansas clearly should be the #1 team in the country, but I'm not sure if they really are as good as they look or if the rest of the Big 12 just stinks.
-Speaking of the Big 12, from all of the tournament "experts" right now, Mizzou is a lock to be in the tourney. No disagreement here, although as I was thinking about this, I realized I know nothing about this Mizzou team. They rarely have a game or highlights on TV (I've only seen them once this year, playing KU), don't have any superstar players, and have not been ranked this season. Amazing how quiet of a good season they have been having. I even checked the AP and Coaches poll tonight, and they still are several slots away from being ranked. Weird.
-Which leads me to my recommended weekly reading if you love following the upcoming tournament: ESPN.com and SI.com both provide great "Bubble Watch" articles (Mark Schlabach writes it for ESPN, while Andy Glockner takes care of it for SI). Throughout the season they have been weekly, but starting next week, they'll update daily. Great sources of information, and generally both are pretty accurate. Definitely serves as good fodder before the madness (check out espn.com and www.si.com).
Check back soon....big things coming, I promise. Two interviews set up that should be exciting.
-Tough break for Purdue; they rally to beat Minnesota at the Barn only to come home and find out Robbie Hummel tore his ACL. Still will be a tough out in both the Big 10 and NCAA tournaments, but I doubt they have the pieces now to get to Indy for the Final Four. Gritty win though; I was not expecting them to pull that out once Hummel went down. Things get tougher Saturday as Sparty comes to town.
-This should really open the door for either Ohio State or Michigan State to win the Big Ten tourney and claim a #2 seed in the NCAA's (Purdue is the only Big Ten team with a legitimate shot at a #1 seed). Either team can beat Purdue at their best (these three teams are all pretty even), but I would fully expect they would be favored at this point over the Boilers without Hummel. Ohio State finishes with a much easier schedule (two home games left: Michigan and Illinois), while MSU makes the Saturday trip to West Lafayette. Should be a good game.
-Kansas still is the class of the Big 12 (6 years in a row now); is anyone ever going to challenge them? Texas (along with Carolina) will go down as being one of the most disappointing teams of the year (remember, they were #1 about 6 weeks ago, but for the first time in a month, won back-to-back games just this week). I'm still not sold on K-State; they've never done much damage the few times they've made the tourney, so I'm not expecting much out of them. Kansas clearly should be the #1 team in the country, but I'm not sure if they really are as good as they look or if the rest of the Big 12 just stinks.
-Speaking of the Big 12, from all of the tournament "experts" right now, Mizzou is a lock to be in the tourney. No disagreement here, although as I was thinking about this, I realized I know nothing about this Mizzou team. They rarely have a game or highlights on TV (I've only seen them once this year, playing KU), don't have any superstar players, and have not been ranked this season. Amazing how quiet of a good season they have been having. I even checked the AP and Coaches poll tonight, and they still are several slots away from being ranked. Weird.
-Which leads me to my recommended weekly reading if you love following the upcoming tournament: ESPN.com and SI.com both provide great "Bubble Watch" articles (Mark Schlabach writes it for ESPN, while Andy Glockner takes care of it for SI). Throughout the season they have been weekly, but starting next week, they'll update daily. Great sources of information, and generally both are pretty accurate. Definitely serves as good fodder before the madness (check out espn.com and www.si.com).
Check back soon....big things coming, I promise. Two interviews set up that should be exciting.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Baseball is here (really??)
Spring is creeping (literally) nearer, which means baseball is just around the corner. Last week was the official start of spring training, with pitchers and catchers reporting towards the end of it. I can't believe how little fanfare there was for this; while it may not seem like a big deal, this truly marks the start of preparations for the 2010 season. Just another great example showing how far baseball has fallen from the national conscience.
Don't get me wrong; I'm not here to bash baseball. It's a wonderful game that intertwines through history more than any other major sport, and its historical characters are more mythical creatures than athletes. Which is why the current state of the game is a shameful afterthought to it's historical context. No major sport continues to shoot itself in the foot as much as this one, creating this epic fall the sport can't seem to get out of. Just a few of the low-lights from the past two decades:
-cancelling the '94 World Series amidst the longest strike the sport has seen
-casting Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa as the saviors of baseball (which became a fraud)
-creating pieces of the current CBA which called for increased revenue sharing, esentially dooming smaller market teams because they could now profit from the largest-market teams without having to increase their own payroll
-ending the 2002 All-Star game early (creating the first tie in the game's history)
-the 2005 Congressional hearings (creating what may be the lowest point in the sport's long history)
-did I mention steroids (and Barry Bonds, the biggest cloud to hang over baseball for the past 7 years)?
The funny thing is, as crowds continue to dwindle, ticket prices continue to increase, driving fans away from the sport (case-in-point: the average cost of a spring training game has now bypassed what average regular season ticket prices were just 5 years ago, according to the USA Today). Sure, the Cubs, Yankees, and Red Sox will continually fill their parks, but other than those three strong markets, baseball has certainly become an afterthought. All one has to do is look at the popularity of the NFL, which has left baseball in it's dust as "America's sport" (although the NFL faces it's own upcoming labor unrest, and should really take notice from what has happened to baseball).
Sadly, while greed among all principals has driven the current ecnomomy of the sport, it has been performance-enhancing drugs (and the rendering of historical stats as meaningless) that may have put the final nail in the once-interested observer's coffin. Anyone playing baseball has become guilty until proven innocent, and the long list of once-bright stars fading with the sport has created that indifference felt throughout much of the country towards baseball.
Which leads me back to this week: spring training used to be the great period of hope when all 30 teams have dreams of winning the pennant (and more). It signaled a time for renewal; spring was coming, and the boys of summer were right behind it. Don't get me wrong; baseball is still a wonderful game to go to in the summer (if you can afford it, of course). It's just a shame that teams have reported, yet no one seemed to notice.
Don't get me wrong; I'm not here to bash baseball. It's a wonderful game that intertwines through history more than any other major sport, and its historical characters are more mythical creatures than athletes. Which is why the current state of the game is a shameful afterthought to it's historical context. No major sport continues to shoot itself in the foot as much as this one, creating this epic fall the sport can't seem to get out of. Just a few of the low-lights from the past two decades:
-cancelling the '94 World Series amidst the longest strike the sport has seen
-casting Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa as the saviors of baseball (which became a fraud)
-creating pieces of the current CBA which called for increased revenue sharing, esentially dooming smaller market teams because they could now profit from the largest-market teams without having to increase their own payroll
-ending the 2002 All-Star game early (creating the first tie in the game's history)
-the 2005 Congressional hearings (creating what may be the lowest point in the sport's long history)
-did I mention steroids (and Barry Bonds, the biggest cloud to hang over baseball for the past 7 years)?
The funny thing is, as crowds continue to dwindle, ticket prices continue to increase, driving fans away from the sport (case-in-point: the average cost of a spring training game has now bypassed what average regular season ticket prices were just 5 years ago, according to the USA Today). Sure, the Cubs, Yankees, and Red Sox will continually fill their parks, but other than those three strong markets, baseball has certainly become an afterthought. All one has to do is look at the popularity of the NFL, which has left baseball in it's dust as "America's sport" (although the NFL faces it's own upcoming labor unrest, and should really take notice from what has happened to baseball).
Sadly, while greed among all principals has driven the current ecnomomy of the sport, it has been performance-enhancing drugs (and the rendering of historical stats as meaningless) that may have put the final nail in the once-interested observer's coffin. Anyone playing baseball has become guilty until proven innocent, and the long list of once-bright stars fading with the sport has created that indifference felt throughout much of the country towards baseball.
Which leads me back to this week: spring training used to be the great period of hope when all 30 teams have dreams of winning the pennant (and more). It signaled a time for renewal; spring was coming, and the boys of summer were right behind it. Don't get me wrong; baseball is still a wonderful game to go to in the summer (if you can afford it, of course). It's just a shame that teams have reported, yet no one seemed to notice.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Big Game in Big 10
I'm trying not to write too much about Ohio sports, but this was a pretty important game tonight between OSU and Purdue from a national perspective. Let me start by saying Purdue deserved to win this. They shot unbelievably well in the first half compared to miserable shooting by the Buckeyes. In fact, for the game, Evan Turner and Jon Diebler were the only OSU players to score in double figures (tough night offensively for William Buford and David Lighty).
What may be even more difficult to fathom is Purdue won with Robbie Hummel only scoring 4 points. The Boilers took control from the beginning, and it was the first half performance that ultimately won the game. I think OSU made some key mistakes defensively, particularly not doubling JaJuan Johnson (who must live to destroy OSU since he does it so effectively). Purdue always has one player on the floor who contributes nothing offensively (either Chris Kramer or Lewis Jackson); however, Ohio State never seemed to compensate for this and Purdue clearly took advantage as the Buckeyes had no one who could handle Johnson one-on-one. Couple that with some untimely Ohio State turnovers and missed free throws, and Purdue came away with a very impressive victory for their first win ever at the Schottenstein Center.
All that being said, these teams are about as even as any two teams can be (remember, OSU won in West Lafayette this year). From my perspective, OSU has the edge of having a better starting unit, but Purdue has a huge edge in depth off the bench. In front of a great environment, this was a great win for Purdue and a very difficult loss for OSU.
Three thoughts to close for the night....
1) Is anyone in the Big Ten more underrated than JaJuan Johnson? Great body control underneath; stronger than he would appear; and a great shot from 15+ feet. He owns Ohio State more than any player I can remember in recent years.
2) Should there be any doubt that Evan Turner is the national player-of-the-year? John Wall may be flashier, but from a pure numbers perspective, Turner averages more points per game, more rebounds per game, and equals Walls on assists per game (all of that in a better conference). Why is this even a debate?
3) Here's to hoping these two teams square off again in the Big Ten tourney; would be a terrfic rubber-match.
What may be even more difficult to fathom is Purdue won with Robbie Hummel only scoring 4 points. The Boilers took control from the beginning, and it was the first half performance that ultimately won the game. I think OSU made some key mistakes defensively, particularly not doubling JaJuan Johnson (who must live to destroy OSU since he does it so effectively). Purdue always has one player on the floor who contributes nothing offensively (either Chris Kramer or Lewis Jackson); however, Ohio State never seemed to compensate for this and Purdue clearly took advantage as the Buckeyes had no one who could handle Johnson one-on-one. Couple that with some untimely Ohio State turnovers and missed free throws, and Purdue came away with a very impressive victory for their first win ever at the Schottenstein Center.
All that being said, these teams are about as even as any two teams can be (remember, OSU won in West Lafayette this year). From my perspective, OSU has the edge of having a better starting unit, but Purdue has a huge edge in depth off the bench. In front of a great environment, this was a great win for Purdue and a very difficult loss for OSU.
Three thoughts to close for the night....
1) Is anyone in the Big Ten more underrated than JaJuan Johnson? Great body control underneath; stronger than he would appear; and a great shot from 15+ feet. He owns Ohio State more than any player I can remember in recent years.
2) Should there be any doubt that Evan Turner is the national player-of-the-year? John Wall may be flashier, but from a pure numbers perspective, Turner averages more points per game, more rebounds per game, and equals Walls on assists per game (all of that in a better conference). Why is this even a debate?
3) Here's to hoping these two teams square off again in the Big Ten tourney; would be a terrfic rubber-match.
Check Back Tonight.....
Heading to the big OSU-Purdue game today.....check back later for my perspective from this top-10 matchup.
Also stay tuned; working on scoring my first interview for this blog. Hoping to have one by some point next week.
Also stay tuned; working on scoring my first interview for this blog. Hoping to have one by some point next week.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Welcome to my World.....
So I've finally decided to pick up on this blogging deal; I'm a writer by nature thanks to OU, so we'll see how this goes. Kudos to Kathryn and Mary Ann for putting the idea back in my head (seriously, can anyone have better in-laws by the way?!?! maybe Joe K, but other than that, I'm golden!). I plan to write about whatever sports (and possibly other) topics come to my mind; feel free to respond, read, or ignore; I'm content with whatever you choose. I'll do my best to update as often as I can and provide good links where applicable. FYI, I'm a bullet-point reader and typer, so many of my posts will come in that form.
Due to my family-friendly weekend spent in KC, I'll dedicate this first post to those topics discussed and viewed out there, keeping in mind they are all Kansas Jayhawk loyalists. So off and running we go.....
-Went to my fifth game ever at Phog Allen Fieldhouse this weekend to see KU play Iowa State (which is one terrible team, by the way). The building seeps with history and sure is one fantastic place to watch a game; one of those "must-see" spots on your sports bucket-list.
-Speaking of KU, Sherron Collins (a.k.a. the Hamburglar) may be the captain and highest-profile player on that team, but they aren't doing any damage come tournament time unless Xavier Henry leads them. When he decides to play hard, he is clearly the best player on that team. Saturday night, KU was muddling around until Henry hit three quick buckets (two threes and a lay-up) in the second half to put the game away. Teams will find a way to limit Collins due to his size and Cole Aldrich due to his lack of athleticism, but Henry can be unstoppable when the effort is there.
-Which leads me to this: one of the hardest things to do as a sports fan is to all-of-a-sudden root for a team you have disliked most of your life. I grew up not liking KU (for no other reason than they won too much), and it's been a real challenge trying to pull for them. But I promise I'm trying, KC family; I even wore a KU polo for the first time this weekend. If they ever play the Buckeyes, though, we'll have to watch separately in our house.
-I'm amazed when I hear that NBC will lose $250 million on these winter olympics....until I watch them. Cross country skiing in prime-time??? I'd almost consider choosing the Bachelor over that. Too bad Michael Phelps can't swim under ice.
-I was at a Presbyterian church this weekend (I promise this will not be a religious blog) and the minister gave a sermon titled, "Frienemies" (apparently someone who you care a lot for but that causes angst for you as well). Which got me to thinking who my "Frienemies" are. I say this out of the most respect, but my biggest "Frienemy" would have to be my cousin-in-law David Jermann, who needles me constantly about his skewed version of sports (in his defense, he is a Royals, Chiefs, and Jayhawks fan, so who can blame him?!?). Maybe some day he'll send me the $1 he skimmed off my college bowl pool winnings. He also thinks Case Keenum from Houston is a better college quaterback than Dan LeFevour from Central Michigan, which is just pure craziness. However, I do enjoy his banter and always look forward to my next Kansas visit(s) so we can antagonize in person.
That's probably enough for post #1.....plenty more to come, so please visit again!
Due to my family-friendly weekend spent in KC, I'll dedicate this first post to those topics discussed and viewed out there, keeping in mind they are all Kansas Jayhawk loyalists. So off and running we go.....
-Went to my fifth game ever at Phog Allen Fieldhouse this weekend to see KU play Iowa State (which is one terrible team, by the way). The building seeps with history and sure is one fantastic place to watch a game; one of those "must-see" spots on your sports bucket-list.
-Speaking of KU, Sherron Collins (a.k.a. the Hamburglar) may be the captain and highest-profile player on that team, but they aren't doing any damage come tournament time unless Xavier Henry leads them. When he decides to play hard, he is clearly the best player on that team. Saturday night, KU was muddling around until Henry hit three quick buckets (two threes and a lay-up) in the second half to put the game away. Teams will find a way to limit Collins due to his size and Cole Aldrich due to his lack of athleticism, but Henry can be unstoppable when the effort is there.
-Which leads me to this: one of the hardest things to do as a sports fan is to all-of-a-sudden root for a team you have disliked most of your life. I grew up not liking KU (for no other reason than they won too much), and it's been a real challenge trying to pull for them. But I promise I'm trying, KC family; I even wore a KU polo for the first time this weekend. If they ever play the Buckeyes, though, we'll have to watch separately in our house.
-I'm amazed when I hear that NBC will lose $250 million on these winter olympics....until I watch them. Cross country skiing in prime-time??? I'd almost consider choosing the Bachelor over that. Too bad Michael Phelps can't swim under ice.
-I was at a Presbyterian church this weekend (I promise this will not be a religious blog) and the minister gave a sermon titled, "Frienemies" (apparently someone who you care a lot for but that causes angst for you as well). Which got me to thinking who my "Frienemies" are. I say this out of the most respect, but my biggest "Frienemy" would have to be my cousin-in-law David Jermann, who needles me constantly about his skewed version of sports (in his defense, he is a Royals, Chiefs, and Jayhawks fan, so who can blame him?!?). Maybe some day he'll send me the $1 he skimmed off my college bowl pool winnings. He also thinks Case Keenum from Houston is a better college quaterback than Dan LeFevour from Central Michigan, which is just pure craziness. However, I do enjoy his banter and always look forward to my next Kansas visit(s) so we can antagonize in person.
That's probably enough for post #1.....plenty more to come, so please visit again!
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