Red Sox over Dodgers in 5
If you don't like baseball, you'll never get how much tension and drama the game creates--even when nothing is happening! If you don't like baseball, you just see nothing; but baseball lovers came away from this World Series with a new admiration of Nathan Eovaldi, a guy that expertly did almost nothing for 9 full innings, and it was a joy to watch (even though he ended up taking the loss).
I thought the Sox's advantage was the weird dimensions of Fenway Park and the frigid temps of New England in October. So when they took the first two games at home I didn't chalk it up to the Sox being wildly better than the Dodgers. Indeed, I was actually pretty impressed with how the Dodgers played in those first two games and thought they had a good chance to sweep the LA games and head back to Fenway looking to close out the Sox (though even then I still would've liked the Red Sox chances of taking the final two games). And when Game Three went an epic 18 innings (normally I pay little/no attention to TV commentators but on this night I kinda pitied how fucking tired they must be just sitting in the same chairs for all that time), I thought it portended well for the Dodgers. Not unlike the NLCS when an extra inning game warped the Brewer bullpen, I thought the Sox that would pay the price for the unexpected time on the field. Nope, not so much. It was the Dodger bullpen that couldn't get it together in the next coupla games.
I'm cool with Steve Pearce being the MVP, he had some big hits and was definitely a major contributor. But really I thought the Sox lineup all played pretty good but not great, including Pearce. I would've gone with David Price as MVP, I just thought his Series was great, he did everything that needed to be done despite his poor playoff history and rocky time in Boston. And given that in the clinching game, he gave up a homer on the first pitch...and then nothing after that...was something special and should've been rewarded. Also, symbolically Price was the guy that has been there the whole time and endured a lot of criticism who shook off his doubts and performed at a high level when no one thought he could, whereas Pearce is a journeyman who just joined the team, might not be back next year. Pearce is a fine choice but I think Price was the better story and I'm surprised the voters missed that.
Obviously the Red Sox were the best team in baseball this year. With 108 regular season wins and relatively easy victories over the Yankees, Astros and Dodgers (*), it seems like the discussion will soon turn to whether this team is one of the best teams ever. I'm not in on that. This team was good but their pitching was hardly one of the greats of all time and the lineup struck me as good but not great, good at getting timely hitting (dare I say 'clutch'?) but not overpowering or unbeatable. This team just had the ability to outlast their opponents. Huzzah for the Red Sox. They won it all and they deserved it. And I enjoyed it every step of the way because I love good baseball and this was good baseball.
(*) The Red Sox became the first team ever to defeat both of the prior World Series participants to win the championship. Weird, that doesn't seem like it would be that uncommon.
Showing posts with label 2018. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2018. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
2018 World Series
I can't help thinking that the Astros were better than the Red Sox but the Red Sox bullpen held up, they got timely hitting and it felt like they got every lucky break and finished off the Astros pretty quick. Likewise, I can't help thinking that the Brewers were better than the Dodgers. But their overuse of the bullpen doomed them once Game Four went to 14 innings (or whatever), you just knew it was over the Brewers right then. It may sound like sour grapes to complain about the winners but 1) I have no rooting interest here (I'm an Indians man, myself) and 2) it's not uncommon for the lesser team to win (check out the World Series from 1987-1997, hard to say the best team won most of those matches).
I think the Red Sox home field advantage will be too much for the Dodgers to keep up with. They both have good lineups, decent starting pitching and so-so bullpens, the only real difference I see is Fenway vs. Dodger Stadium. Fenway is a weird place and it'll be freezing cold there whereas Dodger Stadium is a colossal place where cool breezes will warm the visitors as well as the home team. Otherwise they strike me as pretty similar squads (I think Sox defense and lineup are slightly deeper). I'll take Red Sox in 6.
I think the Red Sox home field advantage will be too much for the Dodgers to keep up with. They both have good lineups, decent starting pitching and so-so bullpens, the only real difference I see is Fenway vs. Dodger Stadium. Fenway is a weird place and it'll be freezing cold there whereas Dodger Stadium is a colossal place where cool breezes will warm the visitors as well as the home team. Otherwise they strike me as pretty similar squads (I think Sox defense and lineup are slightly deeper). I'll take Red Sox in 6.
Friday, October 5, 2018
2018 MLB Post-season
(Uhh, a little late on this one, been a lazy week)
I watch the Indians and nothing but the Indians. I didn't used to be like that, used to watch more baseball and pay more attention to it. (Honestly, I blame the lameness of the baseball writers and coverage, their general old timey cheesiness has made them far less interesting to pay attention to) I still watch the Indians but honestly I have little idea about any of the teams the Indians don't play. I saw a lot of the Red Sox (they're really good) and some of the Yankees (like the Indians, they have highs and lows), didn't see much of the Astros or any of the NL teams. The Indians are good but if they don't score early, they're not gonna win a lot of games, that pitching gets a lot stiffer when they have the lead. Oh well, doesn't stop me from trying to make predictions, so here it is.
I'll take Astros over Indians in 5. Red Sox over Yankees in 5
Astros over Red Sox 6.
I'll take Dodgers over Braves in 4. Brewers over Rockies in 4.
Dodgers over Brewers in 7.
A rematch! I'll take Dodgers over Astros in 7.
I watch the Indians and nothing but the Indians. I didn't used to be like that, used to watch more baseball and pay more attention to it. (Honestly, I blame the lameness of the baseball writers and coverage, their general old timey cheesiness has made them far less interesting to pay attention to) I still watch the Indians but honestly I have little idea about any of the teams the Indians don't play. I saw a lot of the Red Sox (they're really good) and some of the Yankees (like the Indians, they have highs and lows), didn't see much of the Astros or any of the NL teams. The Indians are good but if they don't score early, they're not gonna win a lot of games, that pitching gets a lot stiffer when they have the lead. Oh well, doesn't stop me from trying to make predictions, so here it is.
I'll take Astros over Indians in 5. Red Sox over Yankees in 5
Astros over Red Sox 6.
I'll take Dodgers over Braves in 4. Brewers over Rockies in 4.
Dodgers over Brewers in 7.
A rematch! I'll take Dodgers over Astros in 7.
Friday, August 31, 2018
2018 US Open Tennis
Mmmmm....well, this is weird.
This type of bratty meltdown is par for the course for Kyrgios, a massively talented player but clearly a headcase kinda guy (reminds me of Marat Safin). This may look like a 'feel-good' moment but this isn't cool. For the ref to take an interest in one of the players is not part of his mission. I would be surprised if this umpire isn't suspended for at least the rest of this tourney. As for Kyrgios, he needs to get his head together on his own, I doubt he'll find any chair umpires that take this level of interest in him ever again.
This type of bratty meltdown is par for the course for Kyrgios, a massively talented player but clearly a headcase kinda guy (reminds me of Marat Safin). This may look like a 'feel-good' moment but this isn't cool. For the ref to take an interest in one of the players is not part of his mission. I would be surprised if this umpire isn't suspended for at least the rest of this tourney. As for Kyrgios, he needs to get his head together on his own, I doubt he'll find any chair umpires that take this level of interest in him ever again.
Sunday, July 15, 2018
2018 World Cup (Final)
Croatia - France -- France has glided to this point. Watching that semifinal against Belgium was like watching an inter-squad game, the teams were virtually identical in how they possessed, how they moved forward and how they played D. It was like watching twins fist fight, everybody knew the next move. That was a 50/50 game and France won the coin flip. France has as much talent as anyone but their path to this point is a mixed bag: Peru and Australia were not terribly interesting opponents, that France-Denmark game is officially the most boring of the entire tourney, though France-Argentina is perhaps the most exciting, Uruguay without Cavani was pretty toothless, and they got the one perfect strike against Belgium. They've got the skills, they are absolutely capable of striking once, twice even thrice against anyone anywhere at any time. They've got enough defense to keep feeding that offense all day.
I think it's notable that Croatia scored in Extra Time against Russia and England, I think Croatia's game only kicks in after the first 90 minutes. They need to survive and then outlast the opponent. It's worked so far. In Croatia's run, they outworked Nigeria, had more savvy than Argentina, did what needed to be done against Iceland, then wore down Denmark, Russia and England. They never seem dominant, they just hang around, longer they hang, the more likely they are to find a way. They're not overpowering, they're sneaky, pesky, crafty, gritty, gutty, all those John Wayne-type words. They've got veterans and even though it seems like they ought to be worn out, they may be in better shape than everyone else. They're well-practiced now in leaving it all out on the field.
I gotta go with Croatia. Croatia will play the full 90 minutes and be tough to beat even then. I'd give France more of a chance the earlier they score, if they can get an early goal they can relax and go for another, if they can keep Croatia backpedaling for 90 minutes they've got a better chance to pull it out. But Croatia manages to hang on no matter what happens. And they can score, they've got the guile to get PK's, enough size and strength in the box for corners and crosses, enough teamwork and gumption to make plays in the box. They're a cockroach team, France might squish them, but I'll stick with the Croatians.
Belgium 2-0 England. I almost totally forgot about the 3rd place game. Woke up at halftime, caught the 2nd half. Thought Belgium held better possession, looked more dangerous pushing forward, pretty good at keeping England's attack thwarted, not at all surprised they won. My thought going in was that England would be more excited about being there and sneak a W off the Belgians. Belgium is better and they'd already beaten England, they just reminded me of one a those blueblood college football squads that thinks they're gonna get the championship but instead they get shuffled off to the Bluebonnet Bowl and even though they're wildly more talented than their opponent, they end up getting pants-ed by Central Florida because no one gives a fuck about the Bluebonnet Bowl. But once the Belgians got that quick early goal, it gave them the backbone to play hard and just be better than the English, which they were. England had a good run but Croatia and Belgium were better teams, while Sweden and Colombia were not.
I think it's notable that Croatia scored in Extra Time against Russia and England, I think Croatia's game only kicks in after the first 90 minutes. They need to survive and then outlast the opponent. It's worked so far. In Croatia's run, they outworked Nigeria, had more savvy than Argentina, did what needed to be done against Iceland, then wore down Denmark, Russia and England. They never seem dominant, they just hang around, longer they hang, the more likely they are to find a way. They're not overpowering, they're sneaky, pesky, crafty, gritty, gutty, all those John Wayne-type words. They've got veterans and even though it seems like they ought to be worn out, they may be in better shape than everyone else. They're well-practiced now in leaving it all out on the field.
I gotta go with Croatia. Croatia will play the full 90 minutes and be tough to beat even then. I'd give France more of a chance the earlier they score, if they can get an early goal they can relax and go for another, if they can keep Croatia backpedaling for 90 minutes they've got a better chance to pull it out. But Croatia manages to hang on no matter what happens. And they can score, they've got the guile to get PK's, enough size and strength in the box for corners and crosses, enough teamwork and gumption to make plays in the box. They're a cockroach team, France might squish them, but I'll stick with the Croatians.
Belgium 2-0 England. I almost totally forgot about the 3rd place game. Woke up at halftime, caught the 2nd half. Thought Belgium held better possession, looked more dangerous pushing forward, pretty good at keeping England's attack thwarted, not at all surprised they won. My thought going in was that England would be more excited about being there and sneak a W off the Belgians. Belgium is better and they'd already beaten England, they just reminded me of one a those blueblood college football squads that thinks they're gonna get the championship but instead they get shuffled off to the Bluebonnet Bowl and even though they're wildly more talented than their opponent, they end up getting pants-ed by Central Florida because no one gives a fuck about the Bluebonnet Bowl. But once the Belgians got that quick early goal, it gave them the backbone to play hard and just be better than the English, which they were. England had a good run but Croatia and Belgium were better teams, while Sweden and Colombia were not.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
2018 World Cup (Semifinal predictions)
France - Belgium -- Of the four remaining teams Belgium has (to my eye) the best offense and the crappiest defense. If they can push the ball forward they'll crack the French back line but if they get pressed at all, they'll get wrecked. France has a good collection of offensive talent, too, and a stiff back line to go with it. Tough call, the two teams are really similar. Who gets loose? Mbappe or Lukaku? Does de Bryne find Hazard or is it Pogba finding Giroud? And which goalie will make the mistake that gets his team bounced? My gut is Belgium is better...but also worse. I dunno, I'll take Belgium (they've already beaten Brazil and England, there's no one left to scare them).
England - Croatia -- Croatia looked excellent against Nigeria, Argentina and Iceland but then waffled against Denmark and Russia, escaping in shootouts both times. At their best they look like the ideal mix of vets and youth, offense and defense, invention and discipline; at their worst, they look tired and too dependent of Modric (who looks listless on occasion). It feels to me like Croatia should beat England, who are a fine but not superlative side. That said, England has played some crafty football to get to this point and though they don't exactly seem loaded with superstars, well, the World Cup is where superstars get made so it wouldn't be that shocking if two weeks from now this English roster looks like an all-star team. England is smart, they don't mess around and when given the chance, they can make plays up front. But they also seem youthful and perhaps overly exuberant and could be beaten by some veteran linkage. Okay, I'll go with Croatia, it feels like they're gonna have more chances around the goal.
England - Croatia -- Croatia looked excellent against Nigeria, Argentina and Iceland but then waffled against Denmark and Russia, escaping in shootouts both times. At their best they look like the ideal mix of vets and youth, offense and defense, invention and discipline; at their worst, they look tired and too dependent of Modric (who looks listless on occasion). It feels to me like Croatia should beat England, who are a fine but not superlative side. That said, England has played some crafty football to get to this point and though they don't exactly seem loaded with superstars, well, the World Cup is where superstars get made so it wouldn't be that shocking if two weeks from now this English roster looks like an all-star team. England is smart, they don't mess around and when given the chance, they can make plays up front. But they also seem youthful and perhaps overly exuberant and could be beaten by some veteran linkage. Okay, I'll go with Croatia, it feels like they're gonna have more chances around the goal.
Friday, June 22, 2018
2018 NBA Draft Reactions (46-60)
Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State), Malik Newman (Kansas), Shake Milton (SMU), De'Anthony Melton (Southern Cal), Brandon McCoy (UNLV) still out there.
46) Houston Rockets -- PG De'Anthony Melton (Southern Cal)
They need a confident ball handler and passer at this position, if he's reliable with the ball he might catch on for them.
47) LA Lakers -- SG Sviatoslav Mykhailuk (Kansas)
He was streaky at Kansas, if he can settle down he can stick in the NBA (but I'm skeptical).
48) Minnesota Timberwolves -- PF Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State)
Seems like a good pick for the Wolves (except that I don't expect Thibs to play a 2nd round rookie).
49) San Antonio Spurs -- PF Chimezie Metu (Southern Cal)
Good size, if he works hard he can be useful for the Spurs.
50) Indiana Pacers -- PF Alize Johnson (Missouri State)
He was a 1st round prospect in mock drafts all year long, not sure why he slipped recently. Either he was overrated to begin with or the Pacers got themselves a steal.
51) New Orleans Pelicans -- PG Tony Carr (Penn State)
Pelicans need all the wing scoring they can get, if he can score then he can get minutes.
52) Utah Jazz -- SF Vincent Edwards (Purdue)
I don't know Edwards. The only senior drafted?
53) Oklahoma City Thunder -- SG Devon Hall (Virginia)
Virginia players are smart and disciplined, probably G-League filler.
54) Dallas Mavs -- PG Shake Milton (SMU)
I liked Milton, he's a great pick up for the Mavs.
55) Charlotte Hornets -- SF Arnoldas Kubolka (Italy)
Great Euro stash pick.
56) Philadelphia Sixers -- PF Raymond Spalding (Louisville)
Nice player, not a lot of room in Philly, probably a G-Leaguer.
57) Oklahoma City Thunder -- SF Kevin Hervey (UT-Arlington)
Another prospect that had some 1st round buzz throughout the year. Feels like he has a decent shot at catching on with the Thunder.
58) Denver Nuggets -- C Thomas Welsh (UCLA)
Hard to imagine cracking the roster with the Nuggets.
59) Phoenix Suns -- George King (Colorado)
Don't know King. Been a great influx of talent for the Suns, feels like King is a G-Leaguer.
60) Philadelphia Sixers -- PF Kostas Antetokounpo (Dayton)
Yeah, sure, why not? Knicks already whiffed on an Antetokounpo, Sixers got enough talent to give him a shot.
46) Houston Rockets -- PG De'Anthony Melton (Southern Cal)
They need a confident ball handler and passer at this position, if he's reliable with the ball he might catch on for them.
47) LA Lakers -- SG Sviatoslav Mykhailuk (Kansas)
He was streaky at Kansas, if he can settle down he can stick in the NBA (but I'm skeptical).
48) Minnesota Timberwolves -- PF Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State)
Seems like a good pick for the Wolves (except that I don't expect Thibs to play a 2nd round rookie).
49) San Antonio Spurs -- PF Chimezie Metu (Southern Cal)
Good size, if he works hard he can be useful for the Spurs.
50) Indiana Pacers -- PF Alize Johnson (Missouri State)
He was a 1st round prospect in mock drafts all year long, not sure why he slipped recently. Either he was overrated to begin with or the Pacers got themselves a steal.
51) New Orleans Pelicans -- PG Tony Carr (Penn State)
Pelicans need all the wing scoring they can get, if he can score then he can get minutes.
52) Utah Jazz -- SF Vincent Edwards (Purdue)
I don't know Edwards. The only senior drafted?
53) Oklahoma City Thunder -- SG Devon Hall (Virginia)
Virginia players are smart and disciplined, probably G-League filler.
54) Dallas Mavs -- PG Shake Milton (SMU)
I liked Milton, he's a great pick up for the Mavs.
55) Charlotte Hornets -- SF Arnoldas Kubolka (Italy)
Great Euro stash pick.
56) Philadelphia Sixers -- PF Raymond Spalding (Louisville)
Nice player, not a lot of room in Philly, probably a G-Leaguer.
57) Oklahoma City Thunder -- SF Kevin Hervey (UT-Arlington)
Another prospect that had some 1st round buzz throughout the year. Feels like he has a decent shot at catching on with the Thunder.
58) Denver Nuggets -- C Thomas Welsh (UCLA)
Hard to imagine cracking the roster with the Nuggets.
59) Phoenix Suns -- George King (Colorado)
Don't know King. Been a great influx of talent for the Suns, feels like King is a G-Leaguer.
60) Philadelphia Sixers -- PF Kostas Antetokounpo (Dayton)
Yeah, sure, why not? Knicks already whiffed on an Antetokounpo, Sixers got enough talent to give him a shot.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
2018 NBA Draft Reactions (15-30)
15) Washington Wizards -- SG Troy Brown (Oregon)
I would've thought a big man like Robert Williams was a better fit here or at least a more defensive minded SG like Zhaire Smith, but if Brown can score he'll get in the rotation.
16) Phoenix Suns -- SG Zhaire Smith (Texas Tech)
Another good addition for the Suns. They needed some defensive toughness and they added that in the front and back court with their first two picks.
17) Milwaukee Bucks -- SG Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova)
Bucks are known for gambling in the draft, I would've thought they'd reach for unknown Anfernee Simmons or a foreigner like Dznan Musa. But they could use wing scoring, I suppose. If he can score off the bench, he'll fit in just fine. (I'm more intrigued by Lonnie Walker, though)
18) San Antonio Spurs -- SG Lonnie Walker (Miami)
Either a complement or replacement for Kawhi. Don't think of the Spurs as a youth movement kinda team but Kawhi's on the table, Rudy Gay is already gone, Tony Parker is probably on the way out and they may be looking to replace Danny Green and/or Pau Gasol, too. The Spurs are in flux for the first time in 20 years, Walker may well get a lot of playing time.
19) Atlanta Hawks -- SG Kevin Huerter (Maryland)
The Hawks have drafted big guys recently, this draft is all about re-working the front court. Trae Young is a smaller guy but Huerter adds size on the wing. The Hawks have two new playmakers to lead them forward (oh, and Dennis Shroeder is definitely available now....for the Knicks?).
20) Minnesota Timberwolves -- SG Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech)
Seems like a reach but if he's the guy they want, then it's a good pick. I thought they might go for a PG here (kinda thought Elie Okobo might be their guy) but if Okogie can score or play hardcore defense, then he'll add to the rotation (if Thibs starts playing rookies).
21) Utah Jazz -- SG Grayson Allen (Duke)
Okay. I thought they might go for size (say, Robert Williams) but adding toughness on the wing is a good move for the Jazz. They're looking for 3-and-D work and Allen is a good choice here.
22) Chicago Bulls -- SF Chandler Hutchinson (Boise State)
I don't know Hutchinson but size-wise he seems a perfect fit for the Bulls youth movement.
23) Indiana Pacers -- PG Aaron Holiday (UCLA)
Pacers are kinda PG-heavy (I would've though Khyri Thomas was the guy here) but I like Holiday's potential so the Pacers probably did well to draft the best available.
24) Portland Trail Blazers -- SG Anfernee Simmons (high school)
I see him listed as an SG but that 3rd string PG slot is open for the Blazers, if Simmons can handle the ball he'll get minutes. I didn't see this experimental pick as the natural move for the Blazers (they could be losing Nurkic and Ed Davis, I expected Robert Williams to go here) but Simmons is intriguing and since they may be parting ways with either Lillard or McCollum (I wouldn't trade either but that's the buzz), seems like they need some front court excitement.
25) LA Lakers -- F Moritz Wagner (Michigan)
I was impressed with Wagner's run in the tournament this season, wondered why the buzz about him wasn't higher. The Lakers have traditionally drafted well in this area of the 1st round, I think this is another good move. The Lakers still have a lot of moves to make but I think Wagner has a good chance of scoring at the next level and working his way into the Laker rotation.
26) Philadelphia Sixers -- PG Landry Shamet (Wichita State)
I like Shamet's potential, though the Sixers are loaded with PG's now (uhhh, Fultz on the way out?).
27) Boston Celtics -- C Robert Williams (Texas A&M)
Williams fell a lot further than I thought he would but the Celtics did well to grab the best available (although I would still expect them to bring back Aron Baynes).
28) Golden State Warriors -- G Jacob Evans (Cincinnati)
I figured this was Gary Trent Jr, but Evans is a great pick here. Watch out, league, I think Evans is gonna be good and in Golden State he'll have plenty of time to develop his game. I thought they might trade this pick for multiple 2nd rounders but I think Evans is exactly the guy they need.
29) Brooklyn Nets -- SF Dzanan Musa (Croatia)
I'm curious to see Musa, he was top ten-ish in last summer's mock drafts, so he must have some skills. The Nets need everything so he'll have plenty of playing time if he's ready now.
30) Atlanta Hawks -- PF Omari Spellman (Hawks)
Another big body to throw in the Hawks youth movement. Villanova doesn't quite have the pedigree of, say, Duke or Kansas, but it's getting there and betting on winners in college is not a bad way to finish off the 1st round. Been a good night for the Hawks.
I would've thought a big man like Robert Williams was a better fit here or at least a more defensive minded SG like Zhaire Smith, but if Brown can score he'll get in the rotation.
16) Phoenix Suns -- SG Zhaire Smith (Texas Tech)
Another good addition for the Suns. They needed some defensive toughness and they added that in the front and back court with their first two picks.
17) Milwaukee Bucks -- SG Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova)
Bucks are known for gambling in the draft, I would've thought they'd reach for unknown Anfernee Simmons or a foreigner like Dznan Musa. But they could use wing scoring, I suppose. If he can score off the bench, he'll fit in just fine. (I'm more intrigued by Lonnie Walker, though)
18) San Antonio Spurs -- SG Lonnie Walker (Miami)
Either a complement or replacement for Kawhi. Don't think of the Spurs as a youth movement kinda team but Kawhi's on the table, Rudy Gay is already gone, Tony Parker is probably on the way out and they may be looking to replace Danny Green and/or Pau Gasol, too. The Spurs are in flux for the first time in 20 years, Walker may well get a lot of playing time.
19) Atlanta Hawks -- SG Kevin Huerter (Maryland)
The Hawks have drafted big guys recently, this draft is all about re-working the front court. Trae Young is a smaller guy but Huerter adds size on the wing. The Hawks have two new playmakers to lead them forward (oh, and Dennis Shroeder is definitely available now....for the Knicks?).
20) Minnesota Timberwolves -- SG Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech)
Seems like a reach but if he's the guy they want, then it's a good pick. I thought they might go for a PG here (kinda thought Elie Okobo might be their guy) but if Okogie can score or play hardcore defense, then he'll add to the rotation (if Thibs starts playing rookies).
21) Utah Jazz -- SG Grayson Allen (Duke)
Okay. I thought they might go for size (say, Robert Williams) but adding toughness on the wing is a good move for the Jazz. They're looking for 3-and-D work and Allen is a good choice here.
22) Chicago Bulls -- SF Chandler Hutchinson (Boise State)
I don't know Hutchinson but size-wise he seems a perfect fit for the Bulls youth movement.
23) Indiana Pacers -- PG Aaron Holiday (UCLA)
Pacers are kinda PG-heavy (I would've though Khyri Thomas was the guy here) but I like Holiday's potential so the Pacers probably did well to draft the best available.
24) Portland Trail Blazers -- SG Anfernee Simmons (high school)
I see him listed as an SG but that 3rd string PG slot is open for the Blazers, if Simmons can handle the ball he'll get minutes. I didn't see this experimental pick as the natural move for the Blazers (they could be losing Nurkic and Ed Davis, I expected Robert Williams to go here) but Simmons is intriguing and since they may be parting ways with either Lillard or McCollum (I wouldn't trade either but that's the buzz), seems like they need some front court excitement.
25) LA Lakers -- F Moritz Wagner (Michigan)
I was impressed with Wagner's run in the tournament this season, wondered why the buzz about him wasn't higher. The Lakers have traditionally drafted well in this area of the 1st round, I think this is another good move. The Lakers still have a lot of moves to make but I think Wagner has a good chance of scoring at the next level and working his way into the Laker rotation.
26) Philadelphia Sixers -- PG Landry Shamet (Wichita State)
I like Shamet's potential, though the Sixers are loaded with PG's now (uhhh, Fultz on the way out?).
27) Boston Celtics -- C Robert Williams (Texas A&M)
Williams fell a lot further than I thought he would but the Celtics did well to grab the best available (although I would still expect them to bring back Aron Baynes).
28) Golden State Warriors -- G Jacob Evans (Cincinnati)
I figured this was Gary Trent Jr, but Evans is a great pick here. Watch out, league, I think Evans is gonna be good and in Golden State he'll have plenty of time to develop his game. I thought they might trade this pick for multiple 2nd rounders but I think Evans is exactly the guy they need.
29) Brooklyn Nets -- SF Dzanan Musa (Croatia)
I'm curious to see Musa, he was top ten-ish in last summer's mock drafts, so he must have some skills. The Nets need everything so he'll have plenty of playing time if he's ready now.
30) Atlanta Hawks -- PF Omari Spellman (Hawks)
Another big body to throw in the Hawks youth movement. Villanova doesn't quite have the pedigree of, say, Duke or Kansas, but it's getting there and betting on winners in college is not a bad way to finish off the 1st round. Been a good night for the Hawks.
2018 NBA Draft Reactions (1-14)
1) Phoenix Suns -- C Deandre Ayton (Arizona)
Considering all the confusion this year, the draft starts off exactly as it seemed like it would. The Suns have one more year of Tyson Chandler at center but Ayton will undoubtedly get plenty of playing time right away. The Suns are now building around Devin Booker and Ayton with two more years of figuring what they've got in Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. Should be fun to watch but I'm guessing the Suns will be in play for #1 again next year.
2) Sacramento Kings -- PF Marvin Bagley (Duke)
I think passing on Doncic was a mistake but the Kings are used to mistakes. I like Bagley and a lineup of De'Aron Fox, Buddy Hield, Justin Jackson/Harry Giles, Willie Cauley-Stein and Bagley will be fun but, like Phoenix, should put them in line for a top five pick again next year (though they don't have any picks next year--doh!). They do still have a ton of money to spend and should have even more next summer, so things are looking up in Sacto (and I'm a sucker for youth movements, so I'll probably be watching a lot of the Kings next year).
3) Atlanta Hawks -- F Luka Doncic (Real Madrid)
They got themselves the best player in the draft, so already a good night for the Hawks. But with two more 1st round picks this night could really take off for them. But, a running theme already, the Hawks are probably the odds-on favorite for the #1 pick next year.
4) Memphis Grizzlies -- PF Jaren Jackson (Michigan State)
Jackson strikes me as a perfectly okay player and while perhaps they could've reached for higher upside at this pick, with Marc Gasol and Mike Conley (and Chandler Parsons, too, right?), the Grizzlies are expecting to be good right away. A solid pro who will contribute right away without pulling focus is probably the right move for them (and clearly no one was biting on that god awful Parsons contract). I'm not sure I'm ready to anoint the Grizzlies a Western playoff team just yet, but they are certainly way ahead of the three previous teams.
5) Dallas Mavericks -- PG Trae Young (Oklahoma)
I wasn't as impressed with Young as most and since they just drafted Dennis Smith last year, I think I would've suggested trading back and aiming for Kevin Knox or Mikal Bridges. I expect the Mavs to make a run at Demarcus Cousins (how about Danny Green and Thaddeus Young instead?), so they'll be a brand new team next year. If Young hits his high end estimate, the Mavs might be in the post-season next year.
6) Orlando Magic -- C Mo Bamba (Texas)
Orlando needs everything and it could be that Bamba is DPOY-kinda talent, but they really could've used a playmaker (like Trae Young). (Hmmmm....since the Mavs were rumored to be in on Bamba, could there be a trade coming up?) The Magic need everything and now...they still do. The Magic still have moves to make this summer but I'd be surprised to see them outside of the top 6 next year.
7) Chicago Bulls -- PF Wendell Carter (Duke)
Figured they'd take Michael Porter here but Carter is a solid down-low presence that they can slot in after Robin Lopez moves on next summer. The Bulls are slowly getting better but they've still got a logjam of guards to sluice through. Carter should fit right into the rotation going forward, not a bad pick.
8) Cleveland Cavs -- PG Collin Sexton (Alabama)
I'm not a huge fan of Sexton (I would've taken a chance on Porter first) but its all about what Lebron wants. I don't know who Lebron likes but I got a feeling that George Hill is someone he does not like, so this is a move away from him. If Sexton can play and put up with Lebron, then he's got a good chance at success.
9) New York Knicks -- SF Kevin Knox (Kentucky)
I watched a lot of Knox last year: pro) a helluva scorer and ballhandler (not unlike Jaysun Tatum); con) he's a bit of a reluctant player, not one to step up and lead. So while I think he'll be a fine scorer in the league, a leaderless dysfunctional squad like the Knicks in one of the planet's largest media markets is probably not the best fit for him. Oh well, I think he'll be a good player (maybe better on his next team).
10) Philadelphia Sixers -- SF Mikal Bridges (Villanova)
If he can score from the wing, he can be a star right away in Philly; if he's a tenacious defender, he can be a star right away in Philly. Either way, if he can play, this is a great pick.
11) Charlotte Hornets -- PS Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
They got rid of Dwight Howard earlier in the week, so it's already time for a celebration in Charlotte. If they move on from Kemba Walker, too (though the rumored move to Cleveland might be off since they took Sexton), then SGA could fit right in as their primary ball handler. I watched a lot of SGA and I gotta say, I found him tentative and kinda uncreative; he gets to the basket well but isn't a great shooter. I'd call him a lesser version of De'Aron Fox or Dennis Shroeder. The Hornets still have a bloated payroll with not enough W's, I expect them to be a lottery team next year outside of serious wheeling and dealing this summer.
12) LA Clippers -- SF Miles Bridges (Michigan State)
13) LA Clippers -- PG Jerome Robinson (Boston College)
Considering Coach Doc isn't likely to give big minutes to rookies, these guys both strike me as long shots to get much run. But both these guys are good young players so they should find their way into the rotation eventually (wouldn't be surprised to see either/both of these guys getting traded).
14) Denver Nuggets -- SF Michael Porter (Missouri)
He probably should've have fallen this far but he has back issues (and is a notorious douchebag), so the Nuggets scored themselves either the steal of the draft or the booby prize. If the Nuggets move on from Faried, Plumlee and/or Wilson Chandler, Porter gets plenty of time (and saves them a ton of money). Everyone is Denver has their fingers crossed, Porter could be the piece that gets them back into the playoffs.
Considering all the confusion this year, the draft starts off exactly as it seemed like it would. The Suns have one more year of Tyson Chandler at center but Ayton will undoubtedly get plenty of playing time right away. The Suns are now building around Devin Booker and Ayton with two more years of figuring what they've got in Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. Should be fun to watch but I'm guessing the Suns will be in play for #1 again next year.
2) Sacramento Kings -- PF Marvin Bagley (Duke)
I think passing on Doncic was a mistake but the Kings are used to mistakes. I like Bagley and a lineup of De'Aron Fox, Buddy Hield, Justin Jackson/Harry Giles, Willie Cauley-Stein and Bagley will be fun but, like Phoenix, should put them in line for a top five pick again next year (though they don't have any picks next year--doh!). They do still have a ton of money to spend and should have even more next summer, so things are looking up in Sacto (and I'm a sucker for youth movements, so I'll probably be watching a lot of the Kings next year).
3) Atlanta Hawks -- F Luka Doncic (Real Madrid)
They got themselves the best player in the draft, so already a good night for the Hawks. But with two more 1st round picks this night could really take off for them. But, a running theme already, the Hawks are probably the odds-on favorite for the #1 pick next year.
4) Memphis Grizzlies -- PF Jaren Jackson (Michigan State)
Jackson strikes me as a perfectly okay player and while perhaps they could've reached for higher upside at this pick, with Marc Gasol and Mike Conley (and Chandler Parsons, too, right?), the Grizzlies are expecting to be good right away. A solid pro who will contribute right away without pulling focus is probably the right move for them (and clearly no one was biting on that god awful Parsons contract). I'm not sure I'm ready to anoint the Grizzlies a Western playoff team just yet, but they are certainly way ahead of the three previous teams.
5) Dallas Mavericks -- PG Trae Young (Oklahoma)
I wasn't as impressed with Young as most and since they just drafted Dennis Smith last year, I think I would've suggested trading back and aiming for Kevin Knox or Mikal Bridges. I expect the Mavs to make a run at Demarcus Cousins (how about Danny Green and Thaddeus Young instead?), so they'll be a brand new team next year. If Young hits his high end estimate, the Mavs might be in the post-season next year.
6) Orlando Magic -- C Mo Bamba (Texas)
Orlando needs everything and it could be that Bamba is DPOY-kinda talent, but they really could've used a playmaker (like Trae Young). (Hmmmm....since the Mavs were rumored to be in on Bamba, could there be a trade coming up?) The Magic need everything and now...they still do. The Magic still have moves to make this summer but I'd be surprised to see them outside of the top 6 next year.
7) Chicago Bulls -- PF Wendell Carter (Duke)
Figured they'd take Michael Porter here but Carter is a solid down-low presence that they can slot in after Robin Lopez moves on next summer. The Bulls are slowly getting better but they've still got a logjam of guards to sluice through. Carter should fit right into the rotation going forward, not a bad pick.
8) Cleveland Cavs -- PG Collin Sexton (Alabama)
I'm not a huge fan of Sexton (I would've taken a chance on Porter first) but its all about what Lebron wants. I don't know who Lebron likes but I got a feeling that George Hill is someone he does not like, so this is a move away from him. If Sexton can play and put up with Lebron, then he's got a good chance at success.
9) New York Knicks -- SF Kevin Knox (Kentucky)
I watched a lot of Knox last year: pro) a helluva scorer and ballhandler (not unlike Jaysun Tatum); con) he's a bit of a reluctant player, not one to step up and lead. So while I think he'll be a fine scorer in the league, a leaderless dysfunctional squad like the Knicks in one of the planet's largest media markets is probably not the best fit for him. Oh well, I think he'll be a good player (maybe better on his next team).
10) Philadelphia Sixers -- SF Mikal Bridges (Villanova)
If he can score from the wing, he can be a star right away in Philly; if he's a tenacious defender, he can be a star right away in Philly. Either way, if he can play, this is a great pick.
11) Charlotte Hornets -- PS Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
They got rid of Dwight Howard earlier in the week, so it's already time for a celebration in Charlotte. If they move on from Kemba Walker, too (though the rumored move to Cleveland might be off since they took Sexton), then SGA could fit right in as their primary ball handler. I watched a lot of SGA and I gotta say, I found him tentative and kinda uncreative; he gets to the basket well but isn't a great shooter. I'd call him a lesser version of De'Aron Fox or Dennis Shroeder. The Hornets still have a bloated payroll with not enough W's, I expect them to be a lottery team next year outside of serious wheeling and dealing this summer.
12) LA Clippers -- SF Miles Bridges (Michigan State)
13) LA Clippers -- PG Jerome Robinson (Boston College)
Considering Coach Doc isn't likely to give big minutes to rookies, these guys both strike me as long shots to get much run. But both these guys are good young players so they should find their way into the rotation eventually (wouldn't be surprised to see either/both of these guys getting traded).
14) Denver Nuggets -- SF Michael Porter (Missouri)
He probably should've have fallen this far but he has back issues (and is a notorious douchebag), so the Nuggets scored themselves either the steal of the draft or the booby prize. If the Nuggets move on from Faried, Plumlee and/or Wilson Chandler, Porter gets plenty of time (and saves them a ton of money). Everyone is Denver has their fingers crossed, Porter could be the piece that gets them back into the playoffs.
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
2018 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
No reason to do this but I just felt like ranking the last 16 teams left in the tourney.
1) Duke
The best collection of talent over all and they're playing well right now, maybe the best they've looked all year. Definite contender for the title.
2) Villanova
Not sure they're actually this good but they've been so good lately, feels like a veteran team that can control a game at will. Love the coach, love the teamwork, they're still really good.
3) (All right, I'll be that guy) Kentucky
This is the best UK has played all season, hard to see where they can go because I haven't seen them be this good yet. They're a good rebounding team, generally a good FT% team, explosive offensively and from a variety of players, if they avoid dumb turnovers they'll be in every game.
4) Kansas
Not a vintage Kansas squad, but plenty talented and savvy enough to get tough wins. Good team. (Winner of Duke/Kansas wins it all?)
5) Purdue
Even with their injuries, they play their game every time out, not a lot of teams get to do that. The inside-out game looks good to me, they handle the ball well and they're monsters on the boards.
6) Loyola-Chicago
Good squad, vets, brotherly atmosphere, I think they are going to be a tough out. Virtually identical scores over Miami and Tennessee indicates they're playing how they want to play. They've got nothing to lose and they're everybody's 2nd favorite (at least) team right now. (I'm not a betting man but Loyola +2.5 feels like easy money to me)
7) Gonzaga
They just know how to win games, they play consistent ball night in, night out. They're not as good as last year but they can still get hot like everybody else.
8) West Virginia
As good as anyone in imposing their style on other teams. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but if they shoot at a good percentage, their defense can carry them a long way.
9) Texas A&M
Pretty good team, they can mix it up and get by on some slop. If they knock down shots, they can beat anybody. Dangerous team.
10) Michigan
I watched them against Purdue in the B10 Champ and I thought Purdue was the better team for most of it; I thought Purdue going cold was why Michigan won. They're good but I don't see a Final Four team (although I did pick them in both brackets).
11) Florida State
Don't know how they beat Xavier, I just kept waiting for X to take over and they never did. Kudos to the Seminoles, they've got veteran presence, could make the difference. If they catch Gonzaga on a bad night, they can advance.
12) Texas Tech
Wasn't impressed with their W over Florida, kinda think they'll get thumped by the consistency of Purdue. These guys are probably the most like Purdue in the country, should be a good match.
13) Clemson
14) Kansas State
I haven't seen them at all this tourney, no real feel for them. UMBC must've looked like a big ol' beach ball to them compared to UVA. Maybe they're really good, I'm just not sure, no idea how they match up to UK, if they shoot well and stay out of foul trouble, they can hang with Kentucky.
15) Nevada
I kinda think Cincy lost more than these guys won but gotta give 'em credit for getting this far. I don't see enough playmaking or scoring to go any further. (That said, they are the one team left that has no fear of Loyola-Chicago)
16) Syracuse
No idea how these guys got this far, guess I shouldn't be surprised, Boeheim has become quite a maestro with so-so teams. They've still got that D that turns the lane to sludge and an offense with just enough starpower to get buckets, maybe they fustigate Duke (but I doubt it).
In the games, I'll take (without the lines):
Kentucky over Kansas St, Loyola-Chicago over Nevada
Gonzaga over Florida State, Texas A&M over Michigan
Villanova over West Virginia, Purdue over Texas Tech
Kansas over Clemson, Duke over Syracuse
A&M/Michigan, Villanova/West Virginia, Purdue/Texas Tech are the most compelling match-ups, the games I'm most looking forward to checking out, the games where I can see an upset.
1) Duke
The best collection of talent over all and they're playing well right now, maybe the best they've looked all year. Definite contender for the title.
2) Villanova
Not sure they're actually this good but they've been so good lately, feels like a veteran team that can control a game at will. Love the coach, love the teamwork, they're still really good.
3) (All right, I'll be that guy) Kentucky
This is the best UK has played all season, hard to see where they can go because I haven't seen them be this good yet. They're a good rebounding team, generally a good FT% team, explosive offensively and from a variety of players, if they avoid dumb turnovers they'll be in every game.
4) Kansas
Not a vintage Kansas squad, but plenty talented and savvy enough to get tough wins. Good team. (Winner of Duke/Kansas wins it all?)
5) Purdue
Even with their injuries, they play their game every time out, not a lot of teams get to do that. The inside-out game looks good to me, they handle the ball well and they're monsters on the boards.
6) Loyola-Chicago
Good squad, vets, brotherly atmosphere, I think they are going to be a tough out. Virtually identical scores over Miami and Tennessee indicates they're playing how they want to play. They've got nothing to lose and they're everybody's 2nd favorite (at least) team right now. (I'm not a betting man but Loyola +2.5 feels like easy money to me)
7) Gonzaga
They just know how to win games, they play consistent ball night in, night out. They're not as good as last year but they can still get hot like everybody else.
8) West Virginia
As good as anyone in imposing their style on other teams. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but if they shoot at a good percentage, their defense can carry them a long way.
9) Texas A&M
Pretty good team, they can mix it up and get by on some slop. If they knock down shots, they can beat anybody. Dangerous team.
10) Michigan
I watched them against Purdue in the B10 Champ and I thought Purdue was the better team for most of it; I thought Purdue going cold was why Michigan won. They're good but I don't see a Final Four team (although I did pick them in both brackets).
11) Florida State
Don't know how they beat Xavier, I just kept waiting for X to take over and they never did. Kudos to the Seminoles, they've got veteran presence, could make the difference. If they catch Gonzaga on a bad night, they can advance.
12) Texas Tech
Wasn't impressed with their W over Florida, kinda think they'll get thumped by the consistency of Purdue. These guys are probably the most like Purdue in the country, should be a good match.
13) Clemson
Haven't seen them at all this tourney, don't know anything about them. I'm just assuming they're not as good as Kansas.
I haven't seen them at all this tourney, no real feel for them. UMBC must've looked like a big ol' beach ball to them compared to UVA. Maybe they're really good, I'm just not sure, no idea how they match up to UK, if they shoot well and stay out of foul trouble, they can hang with Kentucky.
15) Nevada
I kinda think Cincy lost more than these guys won but gotta give 'em credit for getting this far. I don't see enough playmaking or scoring to go any further. (That said, they are the one team left that has no fear of Loyola-Chicago)
16) Syracuse
No idea how these guys got this far, guess I shouldn't be surprised, Boeheim has become quite a maestro with so-so teams. They've still got that D that turns the lane to sludge and an offense with just enough starpower to get buckets, maybe they fustigate Duke (but I doubt it).
In the games, I'll take (without the lines):
Kentucky over Kansas St, Loyola-Chicago over Nevada
Gonzaga over Florida State, Texas A&M over Michigan
Villanova over West Virginia, Purdue over Texas Tech
Kansas over Clemson, Duke over Syracuse
A&M/Michigan, Villanova/West Virginia, Purdue/Texas Tech are the most compelling match-ups, the games I'm most looking forward to checking out, the games where I can see an upset.
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Winter Olympics (update)
Yup, I still don't care about the Winter Olympics. When I want to see rich white kids play around in the snow, I put on The Magnificent Ambersons.
Friday, February 2, 2018
MLB Hall of Fame Voting
Last week Major League Baseball welcomed 4 more members of their Hall of Fame: Chipper Jones, Vlad Guerrero, Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman. I absolutely agree with Chipper and Vlad, two of the best players I ever saw ('eyeball test' being my main criterion, incidentally). I guess I can't argue with Thome or Hoffman, certainly piled up the numbers need to get in (though I'm a little surprised Thome got in on his 1st ballot while Vlad had to wait a year).
Should get in eventually
Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina
Martinez is a bit of a test case, so far DH-only guys have not been admitted but he was one of the best and I think the evolution of the game is worth noting. I'm kinda stunned Mussina is having to wait so long. He was a great pitcher for a long time, played on a lot of good teams, many time all-star and spent his entire career in the toughest division in baseball, should've been in years ago, but he's trending in the right direction and I think he'll get in eventually.
Guys that ought to be in (probably won't get in)
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa
I've said it before and I'll say it again: these are some of the best players of their generation and if the baseball writers don't trust them or just plain don't like them (Schilling, for example) that is immaterial and those writers should be banned from voting again. Bonds is arguably the single greatest player of ALL TIME! How can you have a Hall of Fame that doesn't have him in it? Clemens may be a lying, cheating annoying asshole but he was one of the best I ever saw and for the Hall to ban him is positively foolish. Manny is one of the best right-handed hitters of all time and if he took steroids...I don't care. I do not believe steroids makes anyone good at baseball (and if you think steroid represent the only cheating in the history of the game then you're a damn idiot). Schilling may be an annoying loudmouth jerk but he pitched with men on base as well as anyone I can think of. Sosa was not one of my favorites during his day but his numbers are undeniable--Jim Thome was one of my favorites in his day but clearly Sosa had the better career. (How can you say Jim Thome is worthy and Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are not?)
May not make it but ought to
Gary Sheffield
Hey, man, Sheffield was a really good player for a long time for a lot of good teams. And he got fewer votes than Jeff Kent? (Who da fuq is voting for Jeff Kent?) I think he's deserving, I'd vote for him.
Guys receiving votes that I don't think will make
Omar Vizquel, Larry Walker, Fred McGriff, Jeff Kent, Billy Wagner, Scott Rolen, Andruw Jones
All solid players with great careers, it doesn't look like they'll get in and I guess I agree with that.
Not Enough Votes to Continue
Johan Santana, Jamie Moyer, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Chris Carpenter, Kerry Wood, Carlos Lee, Livan Hernandez, Kevin Millwood, Aubrey Huff, Orlando Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Carlos Zambrano, Brad Lidge
A little surprised Johnny Damon is one-and-done, he was a good player for a long time, played pivotal roles on important teams; I'm not saying he's an HOF-er but I thought he deserved a little more consideration. Also, man, Santana at his best was a bad bad man, too bad he couldn't stay healthy.
Should get in eventually
Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina
Martinez is a bit of a test case, so far DH-only guys have not been admitted but he was one of the best and I think the evolution of the game is worth noting. I'm kinda stunned Mussina is having to wait so long. He was a great pitcher for a long time, played on a lot of good teams, many time all-star and spent his entire career in the toughest division in baseball, should've been in years ago, but he's trending in the right direction and I think he'll get in eventually.
Guys that ought to be in (probably won't get in)
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa
I've said it before and I'll say it again: these are some of the best players of their generation and if the baseball writers don't trust them or just plain don't like them (Schilling, for example) that is immaterial and those writers should be banned from voting again. Bonds is arguably the single greatest player of ALL TIME! How can you have a Hall of Fame that doesn't have him in it? Clemens may be a lying, cheating annoying asshole but he was one of the best I ever saw and for the Hall to ban him is positively foolish. Manny is one of the best right-handed hitters of all time and if he took steroids...I don't care. I do not believe steroids makes anyone good at baseball (and if you think steroid represent the only cheating in the history of the game then you're a damn idiot). Schilling may be an annoying loudmouth jerk but he pitched with men on base as well as anyone I can think of. Sosa was not one of my favorites during his day but his numbers are undeniable--Jim Thome was one of my favorites in his day but clearly Sosa had the better career. (How can you say Jim Thome is worthy and Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are not?)
May not make it but ought to
Gary Sheffield
Hey, man, Sheffield was a really good player for a long time for a lot of good teams. And he got fewer votes than Jeff Kent? (Who da fuq is voting for Jeff Kent?) I think he's deserving, I'd vote for him.
Guys receiving votes that I don't think will make
Omar Vizquel, Larry Walker, Fred McGriff, Jeff Kent, Billy Wagner, Scott Rolen, Andruw Jones
All solid players with great careers, it doesn't look like they'll get in and I guess I agree with that.
Not Enough Votes to Continue
Johan Santana, Jamie Moyer, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Chris Carpenter, Kerry Wood, Carlos Lee, Livan Hernandez, Kevin Millwood, Aubrey Huff, Orlando Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Carlos Zambrano, Brad Lidge
A little surprised Johnny Damon is one-and-done, he was a good player for a long time, played pivotal roles on important teams; I'm not saying he's an HOF-er but I thought he deserved a little more consideration. Also, man, Santana at his best was a bad bad man, too bad he couldn't stay healthy.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
USA Soccer (*sigh* No World Cup)
Trinidad 2-1 USA
That loss sealed the fate for USA last night, as they failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1986. This qualifying season has been one of extreme ups and downs for USA. After losing the first two matches (Mexico 2-1 USA; Costa Rica 4-0 USA), coach Jurgen Klinsmann was fired and former coach Bruce Arena was brought back in to guide the squad through qualification. (I haven't seen the news yet but I assume Arena will be fired today--if 'fire' is even the term, he was simply brought in for this World Cup cycle so his presence is no longer required) At the time I was all for that move: Klinsmann had long shown me that he wasn't the man for the USA job and given the circumstances I thought Arena was the perfect choice. Arena's mission was clear: get the USA back on track, get through the Gold Cup and into the World Cup.
Arena's return to the Hex got off to a good start: USA 6-0 Honduras. This was one of the "ups". Clint Dempsey had a hat trick and USA seemed to have their feet under them again. The 1-1 draw in Panama was a good enough result, and though the defense was wobbly at times, Pulisic and Dempsey had some good interplay up front and it felt like USA finally had some identity to its game going forward. USA 2-0 Trinidad and USA 1-1 Mexico were also positive signs that the team was moving in the right direction. You've got to your win home games and a draw in Mexico City is a notable achievement (Mexico's home field advantage is pretty staggering). Two home wins (and piled up some goal differential) and two road draws are good results.
Then came this past summer's Gold Cup. (Hmmm....why didn't I write about this at the time?) I watched most all of the tourney and I'm pleased to report that USA was clearly the best team from beginning to end. Yes, Mexico didn't bring their top squad nor did Costa Rica, but USA's performance on both sides of the ball and with a wide variety of lineups was impressive throughout. And though it was Jamaica that USA beat in the final, I thought Panama, who tied USA in the first game, was probably the next best team. (Jamaica has a lot of impressive athletes but none seemed particularly good at soccer)
USA was finally ready to dominate, they had their identity, they had their form and they had good depth at all positions. Bring on the Hex!
Unfortunately, their next game was another one of the "downs": Costa Rica 2-0 USA. USA was listless in, couldn't seem to find in shape in the attacking half and were prone to dumb giveaways in the back that led to a disappointing--and shocking!--home defeat. Suddenly the team that had looked so convincing against the same opponents in the Gold Cup was in disarray all over again. This single game as much as any other was the back breaker, a win here would've made everything easy, instead this made everything hard.
The next match (USA 1-1 Honduras) featured another bad giveaway and, frankly, a lucky goal was the only thing that saved any shred of hope for the Americans. Honduras is not an easy place to play and never has been. The idea that this was where USA would right the ship was pretty much always doomed.
USA 4-0 Panama brought back some hope and put USA back into 3rd place in the Hex. Pulisic had a great game and cemented his status as the leader of this team. I was struck by Panama's funky attacking shape: when they pushed forward, they left a huge gaping hole in the middle of the field--dude, you could play Frisbee in the hole at midfield!--that USA was able to counter through again and again. (Kind of felt like Panama had a specific game plan in mind that they abandoned almost immediately because of Pulisic's early goal)
Then came last night's loss at Trinidad. The commentators for the game were quite upbeat about USA's chances (I believe he said USA had a 93% chance of qualifiying going into the game), but I was less sanguine. The nightmare scenario (USA losing, Panama and Honduras both winning) was hanging out there to be had. And it was had. It was another listless performance, another Omar Gonzalez mistake (and, oh man, how he wasn't called for the penalty a few minutes later is a mystery!), no one moved the ball forward, Trinidad stuck with their game plan, bogged down in the middle and road the early goal all the way to a W (only their second win in the Hex).
Okay. Where do we go now? Well, Coach Bruce Arena is not coming back. He was never the man for the future, only for now and...well....now is over. I've said a few times already that Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard have played their final games for USA but this time I have to believe that everyone else agrees with me. To my mind one of the downsides of Arena's "now"-ness was not moving on to Brad Guzan earlier. Personally I've seen enough of Omar Gonzalez, never understood why Arena kept going with him: he doesn't hold the off-side trap well and regularly gets beat when strikers attack him directly.
On defense, I liked the Brooks-Cameron line up the middle, not sure why Arena abandoned that. I kinda liked Villafana and Yedlin on the wings both of whom are young enough to be back around. I'm not sure about Brooks and Cameron coming back (Cameron in particular seemed quite salty about being left out of Arena's plans, not sure he'll want to be back). I like Matt Besler and Tim Ream to provide bench depth. Not sure which youngsters are in the pipeline.
Pulisic and Nagbe are clearly the core of offense for the foreseeable future. I assume Michael Bradley will be too; I've long had that love-hate thing with Bradley: I appreciate that he's confident and sure with the ball, that he's a leader in the middle; but I wish he'd push the ball forward more, he seems intent on settling when getting into the attack is crucial. If he steadily drifts back to a defensive mid, maybe even a sweeper role, I'd be okay with that. I'd like the see more attack in the midfield, let Bradley become a defender if need be. I was generally pleased with Bedoya, Arriola and Kellen Acosta in the midfield. Fabian Johnson is young enough to deserve another shot, I suppose, but I was never blown away by that guy (he doesn't look like his heart in the game). Again, I'm sure the Under-17 team will produce another 4-5 guys to throw in the mix (at least I hope so!).
Altidore and Wood are big strong guys that can rip the ball when they get a chance and they're veterans now I assume those forward spots are theirs to lose. That said, I was never terribly impressed with their ability to create chances and if there's some USA youth out there that can compete, I say bring 'em on.
As for coach, I suggested a while back aiming for Didier Deschamps, who will either be canonized or fired by August 2018. The Klinsmann experience did not turn me off the European coaches, quite the contrary--I think Klinsmann just sucks at being a coach. I watch a lot of soccer but I'm not that immersed in the coaches, the culture, etc., to know who the next coach should be. But my gut is there aren't any South Americans ready for this job. And I don't see any North Americans out there ready to take on this task (unless you want to follow retread Bruce Arena with retread Bob Bradley, which I don't) so I think its back to the continent. Again, Deschamps will either be available or he won't and though USA soccer is itching to move on, we kinda have to wait until the Cup is over to see who the next coach will be.
And what about Sunil Gulati? I don't think he's the problem. His only mistake was sticking with Klinsmann for so long but (arguably) that was a mistake that anyone would've made. I understood bringing Klinsmann in, I understood keeping him through the 2014 Cup, and while doubling down on him after Summer 2014 was not what I wanted, I can understand that within USA Soccer there would've been a faction in favor of it. And I kinda like him in a public persona kinda way. So while Gulati will undoubtedly face more competition the next time his seat is up for election, I don't think getting rid of him now advances anything (or is even possible to do...?).
I am disappointed to not be going to the World Cup. Not because I think we were gonna win this time (ha!) or because its the only thing getting me interested in the Cup (hell, no! I've quit jobs to watch the World Cup before! USA impacts nothing on my interest in the Cup), but because USA's natural progression should include always making the Cup. Dude, our hemisphere gets 3 bids and a chance for a 4th--there's no way USA should ever not be in the top 4! Ever! Under any circumstances! (Mexico, too, should never be out of the top 4)
So how did this come to be? You know my answer: Klinsmann was good at developing the youth game in America but not good at dealing with the players once they got to the national level. Klinsmann set this team back a whole four years, while simultaneously producing a deeper collection of talented players. I thought there was still enough time and talent for Bruce Arena to get it done (kudos for USA's dominating performance in the Gold Cup) but he was never able to fully get a grip on where this team needs to go. Now its up to Gulati (or Gulati's replacement) to get the program back on track.
That loss sealed the fate for USA last night, as they failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1986. This qualifying season has been one of extreme ups and downs for USA. After losing the first two matches (Mexico 2-1 USA; Costa Rica 4-0 USA), coach Jurgen Klinsmann was fired and former coach Bruce Arena was brought back in to guide the squad through qualification. (I haven't seen the news yet but I assume Arena will be fired today--if 'fire' is even the term, he was simply brought in for this World Cup cycle so his presence is no longer required) At the time I was all for that move: Klinsmann had long shown me that he wasn't the man for the USA job and given the circumstances I thought Arena was the perfect choice. Arena's mission was clear: get the USA back on track, get through the Gold Cup and into the World Cup.
Arena's return to the Hex got off to a good start: USA 6-0 Honduras. This was one of the "ups". Clint Dempsey had a hat trick and USA seemed to have their feet under them again. The 1-1 draw in Panama was a good enough result, and though the defense was wobbly at times, Pulisic and Dempsey had some good interplay up front and it felt like USA finally had some identity to its game going forward. USA 2-0 Trinidad and USA 1-1 Mexico were also positive signs that the team was moving in the right direction. You've got to your win home games and a draw in Mexico City is a notable achievement (Mexico's home field advantage is pretty staggering). Two home wins (and piled up some goal differential) and two road draws are good results.
Then came this past summer's Gold Cup. (Hmmm....why didn't I write about this at the time?) I watched most all of the tourney and I'm pleased to report that USA was clearly the best team from beginning to end. Yes, Mexico didn't bring their top squad nor did Costa Rica, but USA's performance on both sides of the ball and with a wide variety of lineups was impressive throughout. And though it was Jamaica that USA beat in the final, I thought Panama, who tied USA in the first game, was probably the next best team. (Jamaica has a lot of impressive athletes but none seemed particularly good at soccer)
USA was finally ready to dominate, they had their identity, they had their form and they had good depth at all positions. Bring on the Hex!
Unfortunately, their next game was another one of the "downs": Costa Rica 2-0 USA. USA was listless in, couldn't seem to find in shape in the attacking half and were prone to dumb giveaways in the back that led to a disappointing--and shocking!--home defeat. Suddenly the team that had looked so convincing against the same opponents in the Gold Cup was in disarray all over again. This single game as much as any other was the back breaker, a win here would've made everything easy, instead this made everything hard.
The next match (USA 1-1 Honduras) featured another bad giveaway and, frankly, a lucky goal was the only thing that saved any shred of hope for the Americans. Honduras is not an easy place to play and never has been. The idea that this was where USA would right the ship was pretty much always doomed.
USA 4-0 Panama brought back some hope and put USA back into 3rd place in the Hex. Pulisic had a great game and cemented his status as the leader of this team. I was struck by Panama's funky attacking shape: when they pushed forward, they left a huge gaping hole in the middle of the field--dude, you could play Frisbee in the hole at midfield!--that USA was able to counter through again and again. (Kind of felt like Panama had a specific game plan in mind that they abandoned almost immediately because of Pulisic's early goal)
Then came last night's loss at Trinidad. The commentators for the game were quite upbeat about USA's chances (I believe he said USA had a 93% chance of qualifiying going into the game), but I was less sanguine. The nightmare scenario (USA losing, Panama and Honduras both winning) was hanging out there to be had. And it was had. It was another listless performance, another Omar Gonzalez mistake (and, oh man, how he wasn't called for the penalty a few minutes later is a mystery!), no one moved the ball forward, Trinidad stuck with their game plan, bogged down in the middle and road the early goal all the way to a W (only their second win in the Hex).
Okay. Where do we go now? Well, Coach Bruce Arena is not coming back. He was never the man for the future, only for now and...well....now is over. I've said a few times already that Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard have played their final games for USA but this time I have to believe that everyone else agrees with me. To my mind one of the downsides of Arena's "now"-ness was not moving on to Brad Guzan earlier. Personally I've seen enough of Omar Gonzalez, never understood why Arena kept going with him: he doesn't hold the off-side trap well and regularly gets beat when strikers attack him directly.
On defense, I liked the Brooks-Cameron line up the middle, not sure why Arena abandoned that. I kinda liked Villafana and Yedlin on the wings both of whom are young enough to be back around. I'm not sure about Brooks and Cameron coming back (Cameron in particular seemed quite salty about being left out of Arena's plans, not sure he'll want to be back). I like Matt Besler and Tim Ream to provide bench depth. Not sure which youngsters are in the pipeline.
Pulisic and Nagbe are clearly the core of offense for the foreseeable future. I assume Michael Bradley will be too; I've long had that love-hate thing with Bradley: I appreciate that he's confident and sure with the ball, that he's a leader in the middle; but I wish he'd push the ball forward more, he seems intent on settling when getting into the attack is crucial. If he steadily drifts back to a defensive mid, maybe even a sweeper role, I'd be okay with that. I'd like the see more attack in the midfield, let Bradley become a defender if need be. I was generally pleased with Bedoya, Arriola and Kellen Acosta in the midfield. Fabian Johnson is young enough to deserve another shot, I suppose, but I was never blown away by that guy (he doesn't look like his heart in the game). Again, I'm sure the Under-17 team will produce another 4-5 guys to throw in the mix (at least I hope so!).
Altidore and Wood are big strong guys that can rip the ball when they get a chance and they're veterans now I assume those forward spots are theirs to lose. That said, I was never terribly impressed with their ability to create chances and if there's some USA youth out there that can compete, I say bring 'em on.
As for coach, I suggested a while back aiming for Didier Deschamps, who will either be canonized or fired by August 2018. The Klinsmann experience did not turn me off the European coaches, quite the contrary--I think Klinsmann just sucks at being a coach. I watch a lot of soccer but I'm not that immersed in the coaches, the culture, etc., to know who the next coach should be. But my gut is there aren't any South Americans ready for this job. And I don't see any North Americans out there ready to take on this task (unless you want to follow retread Bruce Arena with retread Bob Bradley, which I don't) so I think its back to the continent. Again, Deschamps will either be available or he won't and though USA soccer is itching to move on, we kinda have to wait until the Cup is over to see who the next coach will be.
And what about Sunil Gulati? I don't think he's the problem. His only mistake was sticking with Klinsmann for so long but (arguably) that was a mistake that anyone would've made. I understood bringing Klinsmann in, I understood keeping him through the 2014 Cup, and while doubling down on him after Summer 2014 was not what I wanted, I can understand that within USA Soccer there would've been a faction in favor of it. And I kinda like him in a public persona kinda way. So while Gulati will undoubtedly face more competition the next time his seat is up for election, I don't think getting rid of him now advances anything (or is even possible to do...?).
I am disappointed to not be going to the World Cup. Not because I think we were gonna win this time (ha!) or because its the only thing getting me interested in the Cup (hell, no! I've quit jobs to watch the World Cup before! USA impacts nothing on my interest in the Cup), but because USA's natural progression should include always making the Cup. Dude, our hemisphere gets 3 bids and a chance for a 4th--there's no way USA should ever not be in the top 4! Ever! Under any circumstances! (Mexico, too, should never be out of the top 4)
So how did this come to be? You know my answer: Klinsmann was good at developing the youth game in America but not good at dealing with the players once they got to the national level. Klinsmann set this team back a whole four years, while simultaneously producing a deeper collection of talented players. I thought there was still enough time and talent for Bruce Arena to get it done (kudos for USA's dominating performance in the Gold Cup) but he was never able to fully get a grip on where this team needs to go. Now its up to Gulati (or Gulati's replacement) to get the program back on track.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
USA Soccer
USA Soccer made news this week but suddenly cutting ties with coach Jurgen Klinsmann and bringing back previous USA coach Bruce Arena. I applaud both moves: the first was long overdue, the second is the right move right now
I understand the initial interest in Klinsmann but I never understood the continued interest. He's been showing for a long time that he's not the right coach for this program. Honestly the fact that he came in 3rd with Germany in 2006 was kinda suspect to me. He looked like a guy that could motivational speeches but wasn't gonna be much of a tactician. And that's what he was at USA: in all the time he's been here, he's never had a coherent game plan and he's never shown any acumen at adjusting at halftime, and he's kind of a petulant punk-ass at the post-game presser. He just yells at players and throws them under the bus, I thought that act was tired a long time ago.
I understood the commitment it took to bring him in--and he was a good get for USA Soccer at the time--but that was sunk cost. I would've canned him after the 2014 World Cup. I was not moved by USA's performance and specifically I blamed Klinsmann for not making the most of the talent he had. He just looks at these players and thinks, 'They're not German, they can't be any good.' He doesn't know how to coach them (probably because he's just not a very good coach) and he should've been gone before the 2015 Gold Cup or the 2016 Copa America, neither of which were grand successes, I would've canned him after each of those tourneys too.
Is Bruce Arena the right guy? Short term: yes; long term: probably not. What USA needs right now is a sturdy hand that's gonna tell everybody what to do and then mold a game plan that utilizes each player's strengths, which is something Klinsmann never showed any aptitude for. Things aren't good but it isn't yet dire, we just need to straighten up and play right and we'll be fine. I think Arena can do that and I can't think of anyone else who could. Far from thinking of Arena as a hack or a retread I'd say he's the #1 contender. He's as worthy of the job as anyone in the world. He needs to get this team into the Cup and get them to play with some gusto while they're there. Klinsmann wasn't gonna get that but I think there are coaches that could get that of this USA team. All a matter of economy of scale: Klinsmann doesn't see enough talent, plenty of coaches see more talent than they've ever had before.
Arena is the man for now, is he the guy for the future? Probably not. I'm ready to go back to Europe. Klinsmann was a dud but there are plenty of Europeans that could elevate this squad, don't let Klinsmann spoil that. And don't let the Klinsmann episode make you think that are a ton of Americans ready for this job, Arena is one of the few. (I could be talked into Jason Kries but I haven't been yet)
My vote for next coach is Didier Deschamps. After 2018 he and France will likely be ready to part ways: the World Cup cycle is so long and over so suddenly, that hardly anyone lasts for two Cups. Either a coach does great and gets a better job or he does terrible and gets fired. So don't be surprised if Deschamps is job hunting in a coupla years. Would he want the USA gig? I have no idea. Are there better candidates? Surely they are, I just don't know them. Deschamps may be a ridiculous suggestion but Team USA could use some ridiculous. If Gulati wins re-election (I believe he's still unopposed), he'd probably have the mandate for one last crazy move. Maybe it's a do-able thing. Sounds good to me anyway.
Incidentally, I think Arena will accomplish the task of settling USA down and getting some W's. I am confident that actually we have more talent than we've ever had and Arena will recognize that and guide them wisely. He'll also be a prickly pear that rubs the media the wrong way and wins him no friends outside of the locker room....and will eventually cost him in the locker room too. I don't think he lasts longer than 2018 but I think til then he'll put on a good show, he'll get 'em playing like they ought to and we'll be primed for a nice Cup. And good riddance to Klinsmann; honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he never coach again, the England job was open twice this summer and he couldn't move the needle there. So where does he go? I'm guessing either he gets paid by Sky Sports or maybe BBC (his English is excellent) or else he just moves off to play golf for the rest of his life or something.
USA is moving in the right direction again. Time to make USA great again!
I understand the initial interest in Klinsmann but I never understood the continued interest. He's been showing for a long time that he's not the right coach for this program. Honestly the fact that he came in 3rd with Germany in 2006 was kinda suspect to me. He looked like a guy that could motivational speeches but wasn't gonna be much of a tactician. And that's what he was at USA: in all the time he's been here, he's never had a coherent game plan and he's never shown any acumen at adjusting at halftime, and he's kind of a petulant punk-ass at the post-game presser. He just yells at players and throws them under the bus, I thought that act was tired a long time ago.
I understood the commitment it took to bring him in--and he was a good get for USA Soccer at the time--but that was sunk cost. I would've canned him after the 2014 World Cup. I was not moved by USA's performance and specifically I blamed Klinsmann for not making the most of the talent he had. He just looks at these players and thinks, 'They're not German, they can't be any good.' He doesn't know how to coach them (probably because he's just not a very good coach) and he should've been gone before the 2015 Gold Cup or the 2016 Copa America, neither of which were grand successes, I would've canned him after each of those tourneys too.
Is Bruce Arena the right guy? Short term: yes; long term: probably not. What USA needs right now is a sturdy hand that's gonna tell everybody what to do and then mold a game plan that utilizes each player's strengths, which is something Klinsmann never showed any aptitude for. Things aren't good but it isn't yet dire, we just need to straighten up and play right and we'll be fine. I think Arena can do that and I can't think of anyone else who could. Far from thinking of Arena as a hack or a retread I'd say he's the #1 contender. He's as worthy of the job as anyone in the world. He needs to get this team into the Cup and get them to play with some gusto while they're there. Klinsmann wasn't gonna get that but I think there are coaches that could get that of this USA team. All a matter of economy of scale: Klinsmann doesn't see enough talent, plenty of coaches see more talent than they've ever had before.
Arena is the man for now, is he the guy for the future? Probably not. I'm ready to go back to Europe. Klinsmann was a dud but there are plenty of Europeans that could elevate this squad, don't let Klinsmann spoil that. And don't let the Klinsmann episode make you think that are a ton of Americans ready for this job, Arena is one of the few. (I could be talked into Jason Kries but I haven't been yet)
My vote for next coach is Didier Deschamps. After 2018 he and France will likely be ready to part ways: the World Cup cycle is so long and over so suddenly, that hardly anyone lasts for two Cups. Either a coach does great and gets a better job or he does terrible and gets fired. So don't be surprised if Deschamps is job hunting in a coupla years. Would he want the USA gig? I have no idea. Are there better candidates? Surely they are, I just don't know them. Deschamps may be a ridiculous suggestion but Team USA could use some ridiculous. If Gulati wins re-election (I believe he's still unopposed), he'd probably have the mandate for one last crazy move. Maybe it's a do-able thing. Sounds good to me anyway.
Incidentally, I think Arena will accomplish the task of settling USA down and getting some W's. I am confident that actually we have more talent than we've ever had and Arena will recognize that and guide them wisely. He'll also be a prickly pear that rubs the media the wrong way and wins him no friends outside of the locker room....and will eventually cost him in the locker room too. I don't think he lasts longer than 2018 but I think til then he'll put on a good show, he'll get 'em playing like they ought to and we'll be primed for a nice Cup. And good riddance to Klinsmann; honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he never coach again, the England job was open twice this summer and he couldn't move the needle there. So where does he go? I'm guessing either he gets paid by Sky Sports or maybe BBC (his English is excellent) or else he just moves off to play golf for the rest of his life or something.
USA is moving in the right direction again. Time to make USA great again!
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