The Papelbon Theory

You have to give the Red Sox some credit, they have established a brand new sports theory that has emerged in just the past couple of years. The Pabelbon theory is a simple one really, a prospect goes in a different direction then what was expected, what do you do? Well, in the case of the Red Sox you have to give them credit because they picked the right option. When young stud Jonathan Pabelbon started to show great promise in a closer role, the Red Sox where given a tough decision in the 2006 offseason. Go with the original plan of making him a starter, or make Papelbon the full time closer? The Red Sox made the right choice to designate him to the full time closer role. Now the Yankees need to make the same decision.

How about Joba Chamberlain? This kid is amazing, and the exact same situation as Pabelbon was in. Last year he excelled out of the bullpen as a Mariano set up man. But this guy has the perfect makeup for a closer. Let's get one thing straight, I will not blame the Yankees if they make Joba a starter, he will be a great starter as well as closer. Now it's a bit different with Joba because he would not be the closer this year, while he might be a better fit then Mariano right now, Moe is the greatest closer in history. No one can deny that, and I think as long as he can he has earned the right to be the closer. But the problem in the past with the Yankees bullpen has been two things.

1: Moe's age. Let's face it, he is not in the prime of his career anymore. While he can prop ably give you 35 saves and below a 3.50 ERA he will blow a couple of saves. He is past the immortal stage of his career and you can't expect a three up three down last inning every time. He is the greatest and has earned himself a spot on the Yanks roster as the starting closer for as long as he wants it.

2: The bridge to Moe. In the championship years the Yankees had someone who could take the ball in the 7^th or 8^th and give it to Mariano in the 9^th. The Yanks have not had that for years and now they do. Joba is as good as you can get when it comes to set up men. He will be a closer eventually, but for now I would love to see him in a set up man role.

So while if Joba was a starter it would not be the worst thing that could happen to the Yankees, I just see him as a future closer as opposed to a starter. He has the intensity of an unmatched human, his stuff screams short term, big out scenarios.

 

Roberto Clemente

This was a paper I had to write for Spanish class in honor of Black History Month, this is about Roberto Clemente and was turned in for a grade.

Class, dignity, grace, all these words can be used to describe the great Roberto Clemente. Little did Melchor and Lucia know that they had created a true legend both on and off the baseball diamond. Roberto Clemente was born on August 18, 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He was the youngest of seven children, born to Melchor Clemente and Lucia Walker. His father was like many Hispanic baseball players' fathers, poor with limited resources, he had to work for every single penny that he earned. The same concept can be used to describe Clemente's career. Nothing was ever given to him, in baseball, or in his childhood.

Roberto's interest in baseball was shown at a very early age, he often played against neighboring barrios, or neighborhoods. His baseball career took of while at Vizcarondo High School in Carolina when he was asked by Roberto Martin to play for the Sello Rijo softball team, from there he joined the Puerto Rico amateur league two years later. At 16 he was considered one of the best young prospects in Puerto Rico.

When you grow up the way Clemente did, money is scarce so you need to take every opportunity that you get. Pedrin Zorilla was the scout who signed him to a contract with the Santurce Crabbers of the not very prestigious LBBPR, but it was money that was coming in and he needed it. He was about to receive the opportunity of his lifetime. While progressing to be in the starting lineup he was noticed by Brooklyn Dodgers and offered a contract. Before he could realize his dream of playing in the Majors he would have to go through the triple-A affiliate of the Dodgers. This team was located in Montreal.

Anyone who understands culture can attest to the extreme differences between the two areas of Puerto Rico and Montreal. Different weather, language, people it all took Clemente by surprise. That was until he was taken under by a new friend. Joe Black was the only Spanish speaking player on the team, or even in the city it seemed, and made the transition easier. That allowed Clemente to get back to what mattered, baseball.

He definitely got used to the city in a hurry. So much so that in 1954 a scout from the Pittsburgh Pirates named Clyde Sukeforth. Clyde Sukeforth is a name that people in Pittsburgh should name their kids after because he was the one who opened the greatest era in Pittsburgh sports history till the Steelers dynasty of the 1970's. Roberto Clemente was about to excel into super stardom and wasn't going to stop anytime soon. He made his major league debut on April 17, 1955 against the team that had signed him, the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Clemente came into Pittsburgh during a tough time. They had not had a winning season since 1948, a streak that he helped end in 1959. He opened his career in tough racial times as well, he had racial problems with both teammates and the local media, in his rookie season he only hit for a .225 average but played spectacular defense. It was not till the 1960's that the true Pittsburgh success began. In big liberal cities like Pittsburgh racial tension was beginning to die down , this made it easier for him to concentrate on baseball and he even enlisted in the military during the offseason. This was before his coming out party in 1960, when he truly exploded on the scene hitting over .300 for the first time. 1960 was also the year of a historic upset in the World Series as the Pirates defeated the mighty New York Yankees in one of the best 7 game series that baseball has ever seen, as Bill Mazeroski hit a home run in game 7 to win the Pirates 1^st series since 1925.

After the wear and tear of a title defense that saw Clemente selected to his 1^st All Star game, the rest of the decade went off without much excitement, other then a marriage, four batting championships, and a National League MVP award in 1966. The 1970s [ the last decade of his life] proved to be the most exciting, and shortest. After the 1970 season the famous Forbes Field was going to be shut down. This was an emotional time for Clemente who was quoted as saying that he "spent my life in that Stadium." But the first season in the new stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, was one of the best in Pirate history. In 1971, after a .352 avg. in 1970, he took a back burner to the team aspect. The Pirates theme for the 1971 season was "We Are Family" and the entire city and team responded. This motto gave the team a sense of community, family even. This helped them finish off a good 1970 season with a National League championship in 1971. They faced the powerhouse Baltimore Orioles, who won 100 games in the regular season and where the defending World Champions. Surprisingly to everyone but them, the Pirates won the World Series beating the highly favored Orioles in 7 games. Clemente was the MVP of the series.

The 1970's also saw Roberto Clemente join the baseball gods with his 3,000 hit. The 3,000 hit Club is a free ticket to the hall of fame and hardly anyone has accomplished it. Getting to that special milestone means you will be remembered forever in baseball lore as one of the greatest players in history. His 3,000 hit as certainly his most special, sadly it was also his last.

On December 31, 1972 the plane that Roberto Clemente, overloaded by 5,000 pounds, crashed right after takeoff. Clemente was dead. His body was never found. The saddest part of the story is that Clemente was on his way to Managua, Nicaragua which had just been devastated by a colossal earthquake just weeks before. Clemente was on his way to deliver aid to the tragedy stricken region when his plane crashed into the ocean.

Clemente will be remembered as a true pioneer but also as one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game. His 12 Gold Glove awards ties Willie Mays with the most by an outfielder, he leads the Pittsburgh Pirates all time in hits, total bases, and games. He went to the All-Star game 12 times, and was a two time world champion.

These numbers scream certain 1^st ballot introduction into the hall of fame, which would have taken 5 years. The rule for entry into the hall of fame is that one can not be elected before he has been retired for 5 years. This rule has been lifted once, and this was the time. The writers who he fought with when he came into the league held a special election. The outcome of that election was that there was going to be a bend the rules. In 1973, not even a year after his death, Roberto Walker Clemente was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The perfect trade

Yo, Russ Brandon! How about you put on your G.M hat and listen to me for a couple of seconds? There is a trade that you have the opportunity of making that would propel the Bills to the playoffs. Sound good? Well here is the key to being in the playoffs for the first time this century.

DeAngelo Hall is on the market, yes that DeAngelo Hall. The one who ran something like a 4.2 in the 40,and has been a shut down corner in the league for years. Here is what you also have, an uninspired, washed up, QB that wants to be traded who is a hell of a lot better then whoever they have down there. Also a high 1^st round pick. You seeing this glorious opportunity any better? You need a DB, they need a QB. What about that high 1^st round pick that you where going to use on Malcom Kelly? This is answered easily. Malcom Kelly is not the type of receiver that you need right now with an underdeveloped QB that could not throw the deep ball. Not to say that he can't, because Fairchild was not the most ballsy Offensive coordinator known to man, but he has not proven it yet. The other thing is that you already have two of the top 10 deep threats on your team right now in Roscoe Parish and Lee Evans, to add another would pump up my testosterone level to dangerous highs with all the deep throws. You need a guy who is a big threat and can catch anything thrown his way.

Enter Bernard Berrian. The free agent receiver who is more of a possession guy and perfect for a developing QB. Edwards will benefit greatly from a guy like Berrian because you can usually count on him to be open, kind of like a different version of Wes Welker, a guy who is ALWAYS wide open. You also have a spare $25 Million lying around and not using it would be a crime. Berrian would be the better choice then drafting Kelly because it will take Kelly some time to develop anyway, while Berrian is a veteran that you can plug right into an offensive system without a moment hesitation. Forget the fact that Berrian is just a better fit for the Bills anyway.

I know that Marv Levy always built through the draft instead of free agency and trades, but you my friend are not Marv Levy. Levy could burn down city hall and still be viewed as a hero in Buffalo. I had to look you up on google. My point is that Levy could afford to not use big cap room because he: A: knew what he was doing, B: he knew he would always have the support of the fans because he earned it. You didn't go to four straight Super Bowls so you might have to earn the respect of the fans. Levy would never pull the trigger on this trade and not use the amount of money available except for filling in required roster spots. You can bring up this point: while Levy is the second coming of Moses, he never actually won a Super Bowl. Maybe you could be the one who brings the Lombardi Trophy back to Buffalo. In order to do this you need to pave a new road as the new G.M. a lot of teams would kill for the resources that you have before you.

So a re-cap on the trade: J.P. Losman and a 1^st round pick for DeAngelo Hall. What do you do next? Spend a little of that $25 Million in loose coin on Bears receiver Bernard Berrian. This trade is so perfect, so seamlessly simple to pull off, that it will prop ably never happen. The Bills don't need to "re-build through the draft" because they don't need to freaking re-build! They almost made the playoffs last year! I'm sick of people in the organization acting like they just went 4-12 and need a major overhaul. They are in a perfect spot because they have a 1^st round pick of value and they don't really need it. The Bills are one or two , maybe three if you stretch it, pieces away from going back to the postseason. This offseason mini spree might put them over the top alone, but with $25 Million cap room they can after more then one free agent and there are a ton of good ones out there [ see previous column titled " Off Season Wish List"] and it bothers me that Russ Brandon won't get off his ass and make something happen. Not a good 1^st impression when you have not done a thing as G.M. Ok Brandon, I now feel like an American Idol judge, as Simon would likely say [ I really don't watch the show but I hear things] " Russ! [ cue British accent] That was JUST AWFUL!" Brandon, you do not to be on the Simon crap list, do you?

Just a thought

Note: As I type this, it is coming across the ESPN wire that the Giants and Falcons are close to a deal for the Giants 1^st rounder. The Giants have the 31^st pick. If this trade goes through expect a 2,000 word bashing on Russ Brandon and everyone who has ever come in contact with him.

Anti-Boston News of the Week

David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are in camp on time! What? No! Hold on let me vomit. People continue to talk about this story like Red Sox Nation should be rejoicing, just because two players did what every Yankee has done since 1990. We should not be giving Manny pats on the back just because he did what he was supposed to do.

Did someone say Pats? I just can't get over the fact that the "mighty Patriot dynasty" might just get brought down by a golf pro named Matt Walsh. Belichick said he couldn't pick Walsh out of a crowd, well that's to bad because that guy is about to screw you over. I don't know, for me I always thought it would be a guy like Peyton Manning or Brett Farve that would end the dynasty of the Patriots, not Matt Walsh. What makes me angry though is the response of the NFL. If you have the amount of money that the NFL does you can put forth a pretty good investigation. So you mean to tell me that you can't interview every former or current Patriots employee during the Belichick era? Why did this guy slip through the cracks? It almost looks like the NFL was trying to cover this up. Now I'm not accusing the NFL of doing this, but it has to be considered at least a little bit. Why destroy the evidence so quickly? Why let an employee slip through the investigation process? Why would Walsh have to sign a agreement with the Pats about disclosing information? This screams something bad to me, or good in my case because nothing would give me more satisfaction then seeing this dynasty fall harder then Rome.

Why not just kill the dreams of every Boston sports fan? I have my first ever sports theory, this one is simply called the screwing of cities theory. Take the 2001 Yankees for example. After loosing the 2001 World Series in horrible fashion, notice how the Giants fell apart right after a Super Bowl appearance? That doesn't bother me being a Bills fan, but the Jets where never that relevant either [ even better] , during this time frame the tragedy known as the Knicks also came to be [ the team I sadly call my favorite Basketball team] the Rangers never won anything, the Mets choked away everything that came their way, and the Islanders where horrible. I am not including New Jersey teams because that is a whole different sports area to me. This is where the theory kicks into overdrive. Everyone this side of England knows that New York's major rival is Boston. Notice how after the Yankees lost the 2001 series the Patriots upset the Rams [with a little help from friend of the blog Matt Walsh] and started their "dynasty" . The first Red Sox world title in 86 years would come a few years later and now the Celtics have the best record in the East. Enter the 2008 Super Bowl. The same situation as the 2001 Yanks. A team who is heavily favored but is upset by a team that no one gave a chance, and the balance of power shifts to the rival city. While I would love it if that momentum swung upstate for football, but as long as I can see the Yankees beat the Red Sox in the series I would be more then happy. Maybe a Knicks turnaround into next season? Picking up LeBron when he becomes a free agent? Don't laugh.

So that is my first sports theory, wow I feel like Bill Simmons minus the high voice and wife. It is also 10 degrees outside of my house while I bet it is still sunny and 75 over in L.A where Simmons hangs out. Oh well, he won't be laughing during October. Mission 27!

 

Just a Thought

Off Season Wish List

The Buffalo Bills aren't in the minority when I say this, but they have a ton of cap room. That is not an excuse; they still have $25 Million in cap room and a lot of gaping holes to fill. The following is a top 10 list of free agents, draft targets, or people who want to be traded that the Bills really need.

 

10. Chad Johnson

This one is hard because of the fact that you would have to give up something for him, but this could work. The Bills have a 1^st round pick of immense value, and the Bengals could use another pick at 11. The problem really comes when ocho cinco gets there. If he can't catch passes from Carson Palmer then he will not be able to even look at Trent Edwards, and the fact that no one south of Erie, PA cares about the Bills could also get him going.

9. L.J. Smith

A re- occurring theme will be receivers, because the Bills have a need there that makes me cry. L.J. is a monster Tight End who would be a big target in the red zone, one thing the Bills did not have last season. They had to settle for field goals almost every time they got down there, which will loose you more games then Britney has personalities. [ I know that was a bad joke but I couldn't come up with anything else] Smith did not have a very good statistical year last year, but was also plagued by various injuries.

8. Lance Briggs

The Bears Linebacker would make a great addition to the Bills front four, his passion and raw emotion make me sweat. He may live in Brain Urlacher's shadow but over the past 3 seasons he has surpassed 100 tackles every time, the problem is that Chicago is offering a very good contract and more talent, the likely hood that this would happen is slim, and the Bills like this kid Rivers for a second or third round draft pick.

7. DeAngelo Hall

The Falcons are reportedly shopping him, they also need a QB. J.P Losman anyone? He is certainly an upgrade over whoever is there now, and the Bills need a corner with that speed. He ran a 4.2 in the 40 yard dash. That is unreal , this trade would make so much sense it is unbelievable. They would probably have to throw in a draft pick or two, so here is my proposal: J.P, and then a 3^rd and 5^th round pick. It is perfect. So it probably won't happen.

6. Bernard Berrian

A stupid fast receiver would be perfect for a QB who has a surprisingly strong arm that wasn't showcased because Steve Fairchild didn't have the balls to throw the football more then 10 yards on any given play. With a two of the top deep threats in the NFL, that passing offense could be scary. Especially with great protection, and a physical back for when the weather gets cold.

5. Teddy Bruschi

The man you hate if you're a Bills fan would look great in a Bills uniform. The Bills don't have a gaping hole at Linebacker, but while I think Poz will be great we just don't know. He was hurt and we still need to conclude the test drive on him. Teddy could be a problem because of his age and the fact that I don't think that the pats will let him walk away, but if they do: Teddy: welcome to Buffalo!

4. Ernest Wilford

He is the perfect receiver for Edwards because of his size. He is going to catch anything thrown at him and would be a perfect fit as a 2^nd or 3^rd option at receiver. Edwards is unproven at throwing the deep ball and with Wilford he can always fall back on something over the middle with great hands. He would also be a great red zone threat because of that size.

3. Dan Connor

The other Penn State Linebacker would be a great companion to former teammate Poz. He is just to high of an asking price, it will be him or Malcom Kelly that the Bills take with the 11^th pick, and I think Connor could fall into the second round. If he does, then it will be almost as great of a steal as last years 1^st and 2^nd round picks for the Bills. [ Marshawn Lynch, and Poz]

2. Malcom Kelly

The lilkley number one pick by the Bills is going to be a very good receiver. At first I thought that he would not fit because he is a deep threat and not really a over the middle get a couple of yards kind of guy that I thought would enhance Trent's development. Upon further review it appears that he is perfect for Edwards because while he has not been given the opportunity to prove it yet, Edwards has a strong enough arm to feed it to Kelly and Evans. Kelly also has the strongest hands in the draft which can only help a young QB's development.

1.Asante Samuel

Another guy you proprably hate. He would solve all of the Bills problems at corner. He is physical yet fast, has good hands, [ exept for the Super Bowl] and has the size. I don't think McGee or Greer are going to be anything more then one hit wonders and we need at least one more shut down guy. Samuel is the missing piece, but there is a possibility that he will be re signed by the Pats, but knowing the way the Pats do business he could be on the market soon.

 

The Bills are a team that needs maybe one or two pieces to become a playoff team again. At least a DB and receiver would bring back the memories of the 90s.

Just a Thought

A day to Remember

The atmosphere at the Carrier Dome is one that is truly unmatched in the nation you can't really realize this when your watching them take on USF; however, when the 'Cuse take on a bitter rival like, say, Georgetown you truly realize what it is like to have 30,000 fans screaming at every rebound, foul, basket, it seemed like the building was shaking after every Johnny Flynn dribble. Me and my friend Greg are die hard in all aspects, but our fandom reached new heights on Saturday when we completed the number 10 thing on my "life's to do list" and that was painting our bodies for a game. This was not your little brothers face paint either. We went as an "S" and an "U" [ Greg was the "S" and I was the "U"] but not just our face, not just our stomach, not just our arms, no, we went with a whole body montage that screamed "LOOK AT ME!" and people did. Before I get to the game, it is amazing what going shirtless to a public event will do for you. Me and Greg have been to a couple of games before, here was the difference, both me and him where shirtless to this one, wow. We went from average Joes to Oprah. We had people who didn't know us, recognize us, or live within a 10 mile radius of us or anyone of our family members come up to us and ask for pictures. Why? Just because we where without shirts in upstate New York in the middle of February.

But the real point of this post is to talk about the game. And what a game. The fact that SU was in this game proves the inconsistent nature of this team. The fact that they could lay such a humungous egg against USF and then come back in a couple of days and play as good a game as they possibly could. The start of the game screamed blowout, no one could believe it. These guys couldn't miss if you put a blindfold on them and taped their right hand to their thigh. Donte Greene had such a stroke, but how about Paul Harris? Before today I didn't think he would ever make a field goal from more then 8 feet. He made a 3 point field goal! I turned to Greg and just looked at him stunned and said, what? Harris is of course a sick player in all respects, but can't shoot to save his life. This has been his weakness since he came to the hill. It was a nice change to see him make a three. And it was nice to see him score 22 points [ Georgetown's total in the 1^st half] but we expect that. Syracuse seemed unstoppable in the paint, with Onuaku dominating the "great one" [sarcasm] Roy Hibbert. I thought this kid was good. Just what I herd on the streets, guess whoever said that was wrong. Usually Onuaku has trouble with anyone over 7 feet, take the Uconn game for an example, by the end of the game he didn't want any part of the low post. That is so much unlike him it is not even funny, but today, with the great Hibbert on him, Onuaku scored 13 points and grabbed 4 rebounds while Hibbert scored 11 points and garnered 3 rebounds. You do the math, they occasionally teach that at Georgetown.

Now this win looks cute on a resume, but is it enough? The 8^th ranked team went down but then again, USF just beat them. Right now I think that this team's status has not changed since a week ago. They got both the back breaker and the rousing win, now the 'Cuse can officially play their way into the tourney, they have a huge game with Pittsburgh coming up, and a win there would help immensely. Now it is up to the 'Cuse crew.

Just a Thought

bobby knight

I know he was a bad man, I know he never granted interviews, I nkow he threw things across the floor, but Bob Knight should be remembered for more then his antics. The bottom line is that Bob Knight was a amazing coach and should be remembered as that. I quite frankly don't care if he threw a chair across the floor, or gave a player a little smack on the cheek when the time was right. He is not a saint. No one is. He won 902 games. 902! That in itself needs to be reconized. So many people have been asking about Bob Knight's "legacy" what more can a legacy be? He won more games then any coach in history. I know Pat Summit counts to. Fine. Let me rephrase, the winngest MENS coach. That better? Anyway, I don't care if he was fiery, had passion. Oh no! Bob Knight had passion? Now my life dosnt make any sense! Give me a break, the guy had passion and we are punishing him? So sometimes he took it a bit to far, to me he will go down as the greatest until Jim Boehiem passes him. Hey I can dream right?

Just a thought

Super Bowl

Geoff onSports

You know I was expecting to complain about how the Patriots won a tainted championship. But now, Spygate could not matter less. The fact is, The Pats pulled a old school Boston and choked it away. People talk to me about how my team [The Bills] didn't even make the playoffs. I can exept that to a extent. My team didn't have the "greatest' offense in history in the first 18 games, then in the biggest game of them all score a mere 14 points. My team didn't go 18-0 while killing teams just because they could, then loose to the Giants. A quick pause. Almost every Pats fan I have talked to has said that in fact the Patriots did beat the Giants. You know what? Week 17 really dosn't mean much in this case, as a matter of fact, it means nothing at all. Neither do Brady's 50 TD's or Moss's 23. They don't matter. And i'm not the first to say that. But I will say it the loudest. Where was I? Oh yeah, bashing the Pats, this is fun.
My loyalties have not, and never will, change. I am a Bills fan till I die. But seeing the Pats loose that Super Bowl was proprably the second greatest Super Bowl moment I will ever experiance. This has a lot of implications if you are a superstitious fellow like myself. Who else noticed a New York team beat a Boston team? That might have been the thing that gave me the most joy.I am not a paticular fan of the Giants, but if a New York goes against a Boston then I will always pull for the New York. Even if it is the Jets. Yes the Jets. The reason for this is my baseball loyalty. If you cut open my veins, you will get a knife full of pinstripes. I live, eat, breathe, and die with the Yankees during baseball season. I'm rambling. The point is, with one New York vs. Boston loss should come another, maybe a big one in October? Anyone else see this? If you belive in karma then you should have noticed that ever since the 2004 ALCS collapse Boston sports have been on a uncanny roll? Like, historiclly uncanny? Like, 4 or 5 straight weeks on the cover of Sports Illustrated? Well, maybe their time is up. The 2004 ALCS was arguably the fall of the Yankee dynasty. Super Bowl 42 [I'm not into the roman numerals] could be the fall of the Patriot dynasty. With Moss, Stallworth, and Samuel all up for free agency the Pats won't be anywhere near perfection next year. What could be next? A celtics playoff collapse? Maybe a Yankees- Red Sox ALCS re-match where the Yanks get what they deserve? The New England sports mini dynasty could be over. If the Pats beat the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl this would not be that big of a deal. But the interlocking NY on the helment of the World Champs could have just made October fun for the first time in years.

Just a thought