Sports Talk
I'll just dump some disparate sports talk into this one post. I know how you love sports talk.
First, the World Series is shaping up to be as good as I thought it would be. What I love most, though, is that it's the "Jersey Turnpike Series" but none of it actually takes place in NJ. Ah, Jersey.
I'm not a big fan of bringing full replay to baseball, but it's true that the umps are making it very hard to avoid the issue. I'm not sure that last night is the best example of ineptitude this postseason, even though it had a big impact on the game. Ryan Howard's trapped catch was incredibly difficult to see in real time, especially with the ump behind him. And the call on Chase Utley the next half inning was one of those bang-bang plays that happen a million times during a season and only get the Zapruder treatment in the playoffs.
Three quick thoughts on NBA's opening week: It doesn't shock me at all that Cleveland is 0-2. What shocked me was how many games they won last year. The Cavs are still LeBron plus zero.
Everyone figured it would be a long year for the future Brooklyn Nets, but blowing a huge lead to the Timberwolves is extra humiliating.
I had a fantasy basketball draft this week, and with a couple of last-minute no-shows, the league has a grand total of eight owners. That meant much better players for the picking each round, and I think I have a really solid crew. They are: Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Paul Pierce, Baron Davis, Troy Murphy, Russell Westbrook, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Al Horford, Hedo Turkoglu, Mike Conley, John Salmons, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace. Memo to the rest of the league: Bring it.
First, the World Series is shaping up to be as good as I thought it would be. What I love most, though, is that it's the "Jersey Turnpike Series" but none of it actually takes place in NJ. Ah, Jersey.
I'm not a big fan of bringing full replay to baseball, but it's true that the umps are making it very hard to avoid the issue. I'm not sure that last night is the best example of ineptitude this postseason, even though it had a big impact on the game. Ryan Howard's trapped catch was incredibly difficult to see in real time, especially with the ump behind him. And the call on Chase Utley the next half inning was one of those bang-bang plays that happen a million times during a season and only get the Zapruder treatment in the playoffs.
Three quick thoughts on NBA's opening week: It doesn't shock me at all that Cleveland is 0-2. What shocked me was how many games they won last year. The Cavs are still LeBron plus zero.
Everyone figured it would be a long year for the future Brooklyn Nets, but blowing a huge lead to the Timberwolves is extra humiliating.
I had a fantasy basketball draft this week, and with a couple of last-minute no-shows, the league has a grand total of eight owners. That meant much better players for the picking each round, and I think I have a really solid crew. They are: Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Paul Pierce, Baron Davis, Troy Murphy, Russell Westbrook, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Al Horford, Hedo Turkoglu, Mike Conley, John Salmons, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace. Memo to the rest of the league: Bring it.
posted by JMW at 1:15 PM
5 Comments:
The series has started off very well and even though I don't have a dog in the fight, I'm thrilled that the Phillies took game one with Cliff Lee's outstanding performance and glad that the Yanks got a good performance out of A.J. Pedro looked like the Pedro of 1996 for awhile but didn't ya kinda know that the Yankees bats would eventually start catching up to the fastball? Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Cavs add Shaq. Someone explain to me the upside on this?
Great fantasy line-up, by the way. You'll do well.
Watching the umps this postseason miss call after call, I find it impossible to understand how anyone can be against limited replay in baseball. Do it like football--give each team one or two challenges per game with a penalty for a missed challenge. You can't challenge balls and strikes, and maybe you get an extra challenge if the game goes into OT. What's the downside? The purity of the game?
"The human element is part of the experience" argument? What? I don't get it.
If you feel like it would slow down games too much, just limit it to the playoffs. In the course of a regular season one or two bad calls can be overcome. In the course of a seven-game series, they can mean the difference between a trophy and a long plane ride home.
And by the way, I don't think Tim McCarver has been all that bad this post season. Far worse, for me, is Joe Buck. Just terrible. Pompous, humorless, and dull.
Good draft, other than Dwight Howard. Although, I guess it depends on the format you play in. My Fantasy league is an 8-category roto league, therefore Dwight Howard is undraftable in my book (as in, guarantees you last place in free throw % and turnovers).
By the way, did I mention that I am impatiently awaiting your movie list?
"ANCIANT" says "purity of the game" as if that were some sissy dilettante nonsense. It's not. Part of the beauty of baseball is that you NEVER find yourself looking for a flag after a home run, etc. NEVER as in NOT EVER.
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