Daniel Murphy Sees Beach Balls

October 22, 2015

Daniel Murphy lives in a hitters dream when the baseballs are coming at him like a beach ball being underhanded. He went four for five in game four against the Cubs and has homered in six straight games. The pitchers might get him to wave at an off-speed pitch, but if they dare try to throw a fastball near the strike zone, he is lining it up square on the barrel of the bat. Even the singles he has been hitting are coming off the bat hard. I haven't seen any hitter in the playoffs to be locked in as Barry Bonds in 2002.

There will be a break before the World Series starts next week. Will this affect Murphy's stroke? If he comes into the World Series still crushing the ball, the opposing pitchers will start intentionally unintentionally walking him, basically making him hit their pitches. In-game four against the Cubs, Murphy made an out in the first inning, but surprisingly, Lucas Duda, who had been hitting .165 in the series, smacked a three-run homer to give the Mets a considerable cushion right from the get. That is the story of the Mets this post-season, two-out run-scoring hits and good pitching, which should make them a World Series favorite.

The playoffs and World Series are long and storied of average ball players grabbing the spotlight away from the superstars and delivering amazing production. One of my first recollections of an unknown player grabbing the national spotlight was the Oakland catcher/first baseman Gene Tenace who hit four home runs in the 1972 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. He also was the first player to hit two home runs in his first two at-bats in the World Series. Tenace was a career .241 hitter, played fifteen seasons, and slugged 201 home runs. Then you have the case of Billy Hatcher of the Reds hitting .750 against the same A’s in 1990 to return the favor. Hatcher was a career .264 hitter. Daniel Murphy is a career .288 hitter who is good, but he has hit just 62 home runs in eight seasons.

Murphy is a free agent at the end of this season, and it appears his stock will rise based on his playoff performances. He reminds me a lot of Pablo Sandoval in some regards because he is a slightly above-average player and hitter but elevated his game in the playoffs. Sandoval received a five-year, 96-million-dollar contract from the Boston Red Sox after the 2014 World Series. I wonder if the Cubs will make a play for him since he was a catalyst in beating them. It doesn't hurt that there is a bar behind the left-center wall called Murphy's. Cheers, Daniel Murphy!

The Kansas City Royals not to be Denied

November 3, 2015

Something must be said for coming back to win a World Series after you lose a heartbreaker the year before. It shows impressive perseverance, great leadership, and good fortune when you battle back through another long grueling season to capture the prize. It just appeared that the Royals were not going to be denied no matter how many young fireballers with long hair the Mets threw at them.

The Mets came into this series the favorite based on the pitching staff they possessed and sporting the hottest player on the planet, Daniel Murphy, who was crushing everything thrown his way. Like their opponent the year before, I compare the Royals to the Giants, who seemed to have a certain resiliency to grind out games. The Royals would bend but never break by holding on long enough to pull together that one rally that would put them in the lead. The bullpen would follow up by shutting the opponent down.

The Royals made six come-from-behind victories in these playoffs. A team that can pull off that kind of feat should have been the betting favorite in the playoffs. They have that extra gear and mojo, whatever you want to call it. Players like Lorenzo Cain, Salvador Perez, Mike Moustakis, Kendrys Morales, and Alcides Escobar are not household names. Collectively, they are solid players who are still young and will be back next year. The Royals also had their role players stepping up in critical situations, who surprised the Mets. The starting pitching staff of Edison Volquez, Johnny Cueto, and Yordano Ventura were good enough to hold down the other teams long enough for their great bullpen to put the hammer down. The bullpen of Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera, Ryan Madson, and Franklin Morales were strong throughout the playoff run. Every year, the teams that grind, play small ball, and have shutdown pens are more and more the key to playoff baseball.

I am happy for the Royal fan base that waited thirty years to celebrate another championship. Their parade is on Tuesday, November 3rd, and I hear that most schools are closed. That speaks volumes for the town and the level of excitement that this two-year ride has brought to Missouri. The Royal fan base also extends into Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma, who love their baseball like their other baseball city in Missouri. Salute to the Kansas City Royals, World Champs!

Is Baseball a Tired Sport?

March 14, 2016

Last year's National League MVP, Bryce Harper, was quoted recently saying baseball is a tired sport. He comments about Major League Baseball not condoning more individualism when expressing your emotions on the diamond. Of course, everybody knows Harper is an emotional person and player and has done just that. I don't see Harper as doing anything highly unrespectable to the point that it hasn't been done before. I would take him on my team in a heartbeat because he does play with fire.

The rub is some antics he is accused of doing, such as staring down benches, admiring his home run a little too long, and getting in a dugout altercation last year with his teammate Jason Papelbon. Sometimes I feel embarrassed for him because he can't help himself. I do think he is ultra-competitive and wants to win above everything.

As far as the expression of emotions in MLB, it has always been a fine line. If you show too much glee in your accomplishments, you will be sure to hear about it from the other team. If you stand in the batter's box just a moment too long after hitting a home run, be prepared to hear about it from somebody. I think Harper doesn't understand that as old as baseball is, he can't change the old codes of conduct overnight. The game is so bathed in a tradition that his antics will always appear to be "look at me" and not about team play.

Even though the NFL passed MLB in popularity, it is not because of the expression of individualism. The NFL is a game that translates well to television, especially with our gigantic screens, and then you throw in some gambling, and you have some engaging entertainment. Baseball will never be the most thrilling sport to watch every minute of every game. Most people like it because anybody can play it or played some form of baseball or softball. They want the idea of the laziness of sitting in the stands and enjoying refreshments, and cheering for a bit of excitement. It can be a cerebral process for many and be just background scenery in a bar while chewing the fat with a buddy.

If Bryce Harper wants to dye his hair purple, then go ahead. You will look like a fool to your opponents and fans who will give him grief. Maybe Harper needs to play on a championship team to be humbled to the point where he won't feel the "game is tired." I believe baseball changed a lot since I was a kid. Players are sporting hillbilly beards and long greasy hair, there are fewer and fewer Afro-American players, and everybody shows up to a game with a phone. Beer cost over ten dollars for twenty-five cents worth, and a really good hot dog is over six dollars. To me, these concession prices are what needs changing, not the fact Bryce Harper wants to be able to flip his bat any damn time he pleases. Baseball needs to realize that every game could be sold out if made affordable for a whole family, and hot dogs should only be $2. That will never get tired.

Ah Baseball Season is Finally Here

April 2, 2016

Baseball season always comes in quietly because it gets sandwiched every year between the March Madness Final 4, NBA and NHL playoff drive, the Master's Golf Tournament, and doing your income taxes. For those who like their sports played outside, baseball delivers in a big way when April comes around. There's beautiful green grass, the threat of torrential ice storms has passed, and the appearance of sunshine daily puts spring in your step. As a fan, you feel hopeful for your team that is looking improved, and there is no need to boo the new free agent with the hefty salary, and lighting the bbq signals the end to all misery.

Professional baseball has plenty to whine about with its obnoxious economics and the inevitable path to fan revolt. Right now, the price of everything related to MLB hasn't reached its tipping point, but it will come. Case in point, Zack Grienke’s contract, the pitcher who walked away from 70 million dollars of guaranteed money from the Los Angeles Dodgers to sign a $205,000,000, seven-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Yes, that is 205K. Here is the breakdown; this year, he will make $34,000,000. Based on 30 starts, that's $1,133,333.30 per.  Based on 100 pitches a game, that's $11,333.33 per. Based on 225 innings for the year, that's $283,000 per inning. I hated seeing those numbers because it's out of touch with the rest of the teams and not good for the long-term financial health of the league. You don't need me to tell you that this is nuts, but I can't see how this can sustain itself in ten years.

That is bad news for baseball; the good news is that the current champion, the Kansas City Royals, is considered a small market team that won the World Series with a lot of internally developed talent. They did pick up a few free agents but didn't have a Zack Grienke type contract on the team. Greinke's team, the Dodgers, didn't get out of the first-round playoffs, so it goes to show you, money is not the end to the means. The Royals played a fundamental type of baseball versus sluggers mashing home runs and pitchers throwing complete-game shutouts. The New York Mets had both stellar pitching and big hitters but were no match for the Royals in the World Series.

The consensus around MLB baseball this year is the formable squad that the Cubs have in place. They look good on paper and have oddsmakers convinced, but in reality, the season is a marathon, and good fortune will be rewarded to one lucky team. There are also teams with many young budding stars like those in Houston and Cleveland who will be fun to watch. I am personally looking for a year of unknowns and dark horses. It seems like you can never write off Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and St Louis, for they are the benchmarks for well-run organizations.

As far as things that will take a while to change are the All-Star Game and its emphasis on making it a game with significance other than a fan appreciation exhibition. In addition, please, Mr. Commissioner do not change the National league into a Designated Hitting league. You can throw in all of the stats in the world about run production and how it would make the NL game more compelling, but it would take away the late-game maneuvering and strategy.  Also, if salaries will rise faster than the rest of the world's wages, at least give us a break in the concession line. A hot dog and a soda should never be ten dollars. Costco knows this and offers a dog and soda for $1.50. Lastly, don't try to make baseball into an arena football game. If you have ever been to an arena football game, it is a bombardment of loudness and a constant need to stimulant your senses. Sometimes basking in the sun with your friends and family and enjoying the experience is enough. I don't need heavy metal, and rap music blasted between innings and when every batter comes to the batter's box to get excited. A home run and strikeout is the excitement. I am not looking for animated racing dachshunds on the scoreboard.  I guess I sound like a grumpy old guy, but old guys know the difference between style and substance.

The Big Sexy is Big Fun

May 28, 2016

The story of Bartolo Colon makes everybody smile because it presents an aspect that is sorely missing in Major League Baseball. The long history of baseball is filled with characters and stories that go on and on, and now Colon is the man for our times. If you don't know by now, Colon is a pitcher for the New York Mets who just turned 43 in May and is on record to be the oldest player to hit a home run. After nineteen seasons and nine teams, he hit a ball into the stands. This is not just another story about an athlete beating Father Time and can still compete with the youngsters. He should have been done a long time ago, but something inside of him keeps him competing. Money and glory are indeed a motivating force but he appears to have something that not all players possess, a joy for the game.

Bryce Harper bellowed about baseball as not being as fun as it should be. Bryce Harper always looks wrapped up pretty tight as a player with an abundance of scowls to offer. I then saw him on the Tonight Show, and he appeared to be amenable with good humor. It seems he needs to eat some cherry pie and crack a smile on the field once in a while. Bartolo Colon's nickname is "Big Sexy" because once you see him on TV or a real game, you get it. His teammates pinned that name on him, but they also love him for it. He is a great teammate that shares his insights and demonstrates excellent poise on the mound.

Aside from the fact that Colon is older and appears to be thirty to forty pounds overweight, he is part of a really good New York Met pitching staff. He is still thriving because he throws a lot of strikes and doesn't walk hitters very often, which is a testament to his remarkable control. He has a good command of his off-speed pitches, which allows him to throw a deceiving fastball in the high 80's and low 90's MPH.

Colon has endured the trials and tribulations of professional baseball, including blown-out arms and being traded or released. He is a journeyman pitcher who knows how to extend games into the late innings and pitch out of challenging situations. Pitchers like him are never the first to get the fanfare, but they are crucial to staff in these days of huge payrolls. The fantastic thing about Colon is that he is still a reliable pitcher that puts up good numbers. It's so easy to blow him off as a retread and not understand how he gets batters out. Nineteen seasons give him wisdom that will pay off as long as his body and arm withstand the physical toll. For some reason, I don't see Colon hanging up the cleats for a few more seasons. Go "Big Sexy!"

Stop Saying Old School

September 14, 2017

When "old school" or "throwback" is used, I want to wince and projectile vomit. When I hear those terms, it is usually said by somebody who didn't live in the era they are referring to. Suppose they notice a player wearing their socks high or baggy that is called old school. This moniker is often placed on an individual who isn't flashy and not trashy. Old school and throwbacks might be thought of as boring because they use the tired clichés during interviews. They are considered team players. Throwback athletes are rigid and don't reveal their injuries. Throwback guys and gals can play multiple positions and don't wear gloves for every task on the field. Old school is playing with an injury and diving for a ball near the end of a game. Old school is running every play out, even a dribbler to the pitcher.

Do you understand my point? Why are there such terms, and why do we need to label somebody something not required? Why not call them hard workers, no-nonsense types, team players, and respectful. Since when are traditional values old school? What is new school, not hard workers, shortcuts, boastful, lazy, slackers, followers, and crybabies and thick in the head?

I watched the Forty Niners play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The first-round draft pick for the Panthers is Christian McCaffrey, a multipurpose player. At Stanford, he was a running back, punt, and kickoff returner. Now he is in the pros, so he gets called old school. Projectile vomit. He is unique and multi-talented. I agree that few players can play all of those positions, but not for qualified athletes. You don't find coaches who use their players for multiple duties because of injury risk. McCaffrey is talented, not just a throwback. The All-American USC running back, Reggie Bush, could play the same positions and did in the pros. Sadly, Bush was besieged by injuries.

Not all things were so great in the old days of sports so when the terms start getting thrown around, listen if the announcer clarifies his position. "Look at Joe Blow. He hustles on every play, and he is old school." I want to reach through the television screen and strangle the moron. The reason people want to use the label because they see a player who is not a carbon copy of every other.

What I do know is that the floods of money in professional sports make almost every athlete a slave to the dollar. They cannot be as risk-averse, so everybody starts to act and look the same. I am not sure when the stupid terms will go away, probably never. It's a shame we have to use labels to recognize what is not unique at all.

Foul Play in the NBA

May 18, 2017

After watching the first game of the NBA playoff round between the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs, I thought about the foul-calling criteria and how it ruins the whole experience for many fans. Sure, the referees will call fouls which is part of the game, but now it's becoming an essential factor that influences victory. The officials are dictating flow by how much contact they allow. Plain and simple.

Referees monitor and control the speed in any sport where officiating involves a lot of objective calls. In baseball, an umpire needs to call balls and strikes; 95% of the time, they make the right decision. They are allowed more scrutiny in hockey and soccer, but football and basketball are reaching new levels of highly technical and nitpicky rulings of plays. They constantly stop the game to look at something and throw on headphones while looking at a television monitor. Then we wait as fans until some guy in New York makes a decision.

So back to the Warrior and Spur game. The whole situation of Kawhi Leonard and Zaza Pachulia is enough to throw your TV out the window. The crux of the discussion involves; is a player dirty because he might have intently stepped on another player's shoe is stuff for tabloids. If you watch the replay over a million times, you will never know what this guy was thinking. He stepped on the guy's foot, so a foul should be called. So, now can we move on? Basketball is a contact sport, and expecting huge men not to bump into each other is fruitless. There must be some give and take on this contact thing.

This year, in particular, I notice more and more players throw their bodies into a defender to shoot a foul shot. It is getting to the point where defenders have to act like statues and only put their arms up. Even that is exploited by the likes of James Harden, who initiates all the contact but gets to shoot free throws. The NBA better handle this quickly because it is becoming embarrassing for the sport.

With foul calling being so scrutinized in the NBA, a summit should be called this off-season. One set of rules needs to be established that are consistent throughout the league. The James Hardin style of play must be changed. If anything, make it a one-shot foul. My pet peeve has always been the leniency of traveling calls. Players are carrying the ball with them all over the court. What happened to one and a half steps? Lastly, all the begging and pleading needs to be reined in. Players who complain and moan to the refs should be called for more technical fouls and fined. Displeasure is one thing but acting like a spoiled baby is irritating for all to see. Are we as fans happy about the current state of the officiating in the NBA? I have heard the gripes all season which is getting louder.

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Who are the Best Athletes in The World?

May 5, 2017

Who is the best athlete in the world? What are the metrics? Is the second question one must ask? CrossFit Games, Tough Mudder, the Decathlon, the Highland Games, and the list goes on for events that have their version of the best athlete. The first thing to look at is to separate all of the contests and agree on the criteria.

We start with basic categories; Speed, endurance, strength, power, and hand-eye coordination. Then you might want to add flexibility, stamina, balance, quickness, and skill.

Let's start with speed. Fairly simple? Who runs the fastest? The 100-meter dash gives us a clear winner. Unfortunately, those are track stars that perform that race all year. Let's say you put all of the candidates on a starting line without those starting blocks, and they race 200 meters or 150 meters. I think that gives all of the non-track athletes a chance.

Endurance is a solid test for how well conditioned an athlete is. I think a 1600 or one mile test is too short. A 5k race is just short and long enough to see how well a runner can pace themselves. If you start too quickly, you will crash and burn before you get to the last kick of the race.

Strength is wide open because it can be measured in many ways. Most think that weightlifting is pretty evident as the test that can be accurately measured. If you have ever seen the World's Strongest Man competition, you know that they have a good cross-section of events that display strength. I always thought that athletes pulling trucks and heavy objects showed how much lower body and core strength one person could muster.

 Another strength test I see that blows me away is the gymnast that fully extends their arms in midair using the rings. That's some crazy strength that also requires balance, endurance, and mental toughness.

Power is the combination of speed and strength. In the decathlon, this appears in the discus throw and shot put. Any event that combines the ability to generate a burst of energy at the same time while moving heavy objects is a good barometer of power. Football defensive linemen are measured on power. They use their speed, power, and technique to blast past the offensive lineman to force their will against the opponent.

Elite athletes can have great speed, power, and endurance, but their hand eye coordination can separate the good from the average. What is hand eye coordination?  The definition says it is the coordinated control of eye movement with hand movement and the processing of visual input to guide reaching and grasping, along with the use of proprioception of the hands to show the eyes. In short, athletes with excellent eyesight have an advantage in having better eye-hand coordination. If you mix that with power and strength, then you have an advanced package of skills. The decathlon comes close to combining all attributes, but it would need some fine-tuning to find the best athlete.

Jack Lalanne, Where Are You?

April 19, 2017

We are confronted by all the experts telling us we need to do this and eat this and stay fit and live a long and happy life. Choices and more choices and decisions and more confusion.   I heard on the radio today a doctor telling me his secret to working out. He is saying you should work out with a friend for encouragement. It would help if you also changed up your exercise routine every so often to keep it fresh. It goes on and on. It doesn't stick in my head because it all becomes noise after all these years.

I am no doctor, or physical trainer, professional athlete, but I have been exercising for my whole life. I have also had stretches where I have done no exercise except maybe push a lawnmower which I considered physical activity. Does going to the grocery store count?  I know it does on my Fitbit. I have tried so many different routines and purchased a plethora of equipment that could outfit a gym.

I saw an advertisement for an exercise program for 8 minutes a day. I have to laugh because there seems to be a race to develop the shortest routine. We are getting close to the five-minute work out. Just purchase the DVDs for $49.99 and the dieting guide to own a killer body in two weeks. It's coming, trust me, so is the one-minute workout.

I have thought long and hard about this so-called fitness noise. Like most people, you want to feel good, strong, and flexible and have good health. Simple enough. The real secret is that it doesn't take hours of torture and ways to trick yourself into working out. You can do fifteen minutes of old-fashioned calisthenics like Jack Lalanne used to do every day on his television programs. You don't need to pump endless iron and do an hour of the Daily Method. If you like it, then good for you. Suppose you want to spend hours every week doing yoga in a hot room with dozens of other people, great for you. But never try to convince yourself that you need to do it to survive and be in good physical health.

I see ads for the ultimate torture-type exercise program that will make you into a rock-hard muscle machine. Great, do it.  But can you consistently do it for very long? Probably not. Once you stop, you have to get back on that program and start at the bottom rung again. It's like yo-yo dieting. Best that you do a moderate to easy routine daily or every other day and keep it going. The dividends will pay off higher in the long run.

You ever see those older Asian people doing Tai Chi in the park. It looks simple, right? Well, it's supposed to be. They are performing consistent movements with their body that keeps them strong and limber. Look up Jack Lalanne and see what he has to offer. It’s a beautiful thing to see the simplicity of his message.

Redemption and Sergio Garcia

April 12, 2017

Sergio Garcia sinks the final putt at the Masters and ends his long wait to win a major golf tournament. So, it took seventy-something tries at toiling and hitting shots in the bunker before the golf gods rewarded him an ugly green jacket. Okay, it's not ugly to him, but I don't see too many of those around town. So, I hear a lot of pundits calling this redemption. I have always been confused when I hear the redemption word. What makes Sergio Garcia's victory redemption? Webster dictionary says this:

Noun

1.       An act of redeeming or atoning for a fault or mistake, or the state of being redeemed.

2.       Deliverance; rescue.

3.       Theology. Deliverance from sin; salvation.

4.       Atonement for guilt.

5.       Repurchase, as of something sold.

6.       Paying off as a mortgage, bond, or note.

7.       Recovery by payment, as of something pledged.

            Do you think Garcia's victory can best be described with any of these definitions? If Garcia had gained deliverance or rescued from despair, then he got off relatively cheap. I am not buying any of it. That's just cheapens his victory. I tend to think of this as perseverance through an incredible commitment to craft. Garcia has always had sponsorship and been on tour. He came close to winning, but he was never wrongfully kept from winning. If he was unlucky and now he was lucky is a better argument. The difference between winning in golf is so tiny that sometimes bad fortune is part of it. Your putt might hit a dimple in the grass and make you miss. Did Garcia not have any misfortune in this tourney? I saw him miss some shots, but so did everybody else. And when Justin Rose missed his putt on the 18th green, that was misfortune and his attempt to win the thing. He missed a shot that he usually makes. That's the beauty of golf. There is no redemption, just fewer bad breaks, and most of all, it's about better consistency in shot-making.

            Like I said before, Garcia persevered to hang around long enough to win a major. I am sure he had to overcome bad stretches of putting or driving. Like any athlete, he has had to deal with injuries, some so nagging that no one knows except him and his circle of people around him. When Garcia was younger, he was brass and confident, and it rubbed some people the wrong way.  His long path to winning the Masters has appeared to humble him. You can see it in his interviews since. This has made him more human and a people’s champion. This doesn’t sound like redemption.

            This is just another chapter in the long history of any sport. If you stay true and work hard, your time comes. When you reach victory lane, never take it for granted and thank those who believed in you. I hope Garcia doesn't have to play another seventy-three tournament before he wins again. It would be great for all of us golf hackers to see Garcia find the winning formula, and then he can share with us what he did to get better. If he never wins again, then it goes to show you that Garcia is just like the rest of us. Once in a while, you get the breaks, and you persevere to win.

2017 World Baseball Classic is a Winner

March 27, 2017

The United States won the World Baseball Classic, but the real winner is the whole sport of professional baseball. The last classic held in 2013 kept the interest moving forward. The sixteen-nation tournament with its elimination format that most of us don’t understand didn’t distract too much. For even the casual fan to see baseball in February and March is a welcome sight. You even got to see teams from odd locations such as the Netherlands and Israel. Until then, I didn’t know they even played it in those countries.

The WBC was entertaining because you can see the gap in talent from an international standpoint has closed significantly. Baseball is growing in popularity globally, just like basketball. The United States has done well in promoting its sports with a lot of money pumped into scouting the world for the best of the best. The best players in baseball still flock to the US A to compete, but the WBC allows them to compete for their home countries, just like the World Cup in soccer.

I enjoyed seeing the pitching styles of the various teams. Of course, there were many pitchers from the teams that you see in the Major Leagues, but the majority don't play in the MLB because of the eligibility criteria. It was fun to see the Japan team pitch because every one of their pitchers has deception in their delivery. You saw this in some of the other squads as well, except for the US team.

The one thing that everybody saw was the joy that most of the players were showing. Rarely did you see demonstrative displays of anger and embarrassing moments of outlandish showmanship. There was a good spirit to the games that players showed to each other. The winners were the fans. There was a total of forty games that almost drew a million fans. Not bad for games that weren’t overloaded with name stars.

Baseball is still king in my book, even though it has taken its share of hits in popularity in the last fifteen years. With the steroid era a thing of the past, baseball is on the upswing, and attendance is up. The salaries are climbing way past the point where a salary cap is needed. Baseball better try to put in a realistic salary structure our they will see the upswing take a turn for the worse. But when you eliminate that money albatross, the game is rising with the younger fans because it's still cheaper to see a game than football, basketball, and hockey. It is still the game of the summer and sunshine and laziness and slow play. The World Baseball Classic will grow in stature, and the stakes will rise. Let's hope the positive vibes keep the game moving forward.

The Culture of Winning and Losing

March 20, 2017

"One of the most basic factors in sports is that winning becomes a habit and losing is the same way. When failure starts to feel normal in your life, work, or even your darkest vices, you won't have to go for trouble because trouble will find you. Count on it" Hunter S. Thompson

A winning culture and a losing one are spread over franchises, and both are in unison in trying to build something and not getting anywhere. Not to pick on the Cleveland Browns, but the consistency they display for losing and starting over is impressive. How many quarterbacks rolled through this town before they finally nailed it? Being very apparent, the NFL is all about the quarterback. You can win in some cases with a stout defense, but in the end, year after year, solid quarterback play is the ticket to winning.

When you see the New England Patriots being victorious year and year and out, finding themselves in the playoffs, you ponder it is more than just Tom Brady pulling out miracles? Many football fans are tired of the New England Patriots story and the constant reminders of their greatness, sometimes controversial and dramatic. And dammit, when is Tom Brady going to retire? Wouldn't every team want this problem? They win and win, and our teams don't most of the time.

In today's professional sports world, the modus operandi is about the deep pockets and the fleeting chance to land a couple of blue-chip athletes. In the NFL, there is the quarterback and wide receivers. In MLB, the pitching and the NBA looking like having two talented ballers to build around. It is also about having a good core of players in other team sports, but your superstar is not necessarily the most critical position on the team. The next level down is your healthy guys that produce with average statistics. You also throw in a few "glue guys, character guys, and old pros and you have the typical make-up of a winning team on the court, rink, and field.

Professional sports have become increasingly win first, ask questions later. Teams will overlook flaws in players, coaches, management as long as they can deliver a winner. The organizations that avoid scandals are so often the same ones who win more. The culture of winning consistently will often contain unique and groundbreaking ways of setting up a culture. The days of Vince Lombardi running a team with rigid discipline and my way or the highway leadership are gone. Coaching is more about building trust and team-building and less authoritarian.

A winning culture has been cultivated over the years. The franchises may not always win and move into a playoff situation, but next year will be their time in the sunshine. They built a foundation of well-run farm systems, practice squads, and year-round training facilities. If you are not doing this and executing efficiently, your organization cannot keep up. The stakes are high, and teams will look under every rock worldwide to find the best athletes. Professional franchises are going international and going to recruit poor kids into their dream.

Most of us don't or haven't played at the pro level but still recognize what a winning and losing culture feels like. Either it is sports, or at a company, it's all the same. When companies are primarily bottom-line motivated, you know this is a defeatist mentality. If a business gets to a point where the slowdown of dollars coming in takes away from innovation and the ability to reinvent, they are doomed. Employees become expendable and are no longer considered assets, turnover sets in, and the culture suffers. Hope will always exist in Cleveland for their Browns, but until they get a change in philosophy and culture established, their seasons will be long and fruitless.

Baseball Catching …The Toughest Gig in Team Sports

March 13, 2017

I am sure I will get some rebuttal on this but let me give you good reasons why catchers need more love. You might say the hockey goaltenders, football offensive linemen, or rugby players got it tougher. Sure they have to be talented and physical, but a good baseball catcher also has those qualities. It separates the argument, and comparison is the game management element essential to every baseball contest.

The physical aspects of baseball catching are not typical to the human body. Sitting in a squat for inning after inning, game after game, and season after season takes its toll that manifests into "catcher's legs," which impede a catcher's ability to run no faster than my thirteen-year Labrador. It looks like running, and the legs are moving, but the distance covered should never be timed. Catchers take tremendous blows to the body, arms, head, and everywhere the padding doesn't protect.

When a team gets their hands on a good catcher, not just a physically gifted guy but one that can influence a game with his mind, they tend to hang around. The above-average-rated catchers know how to settle their pitcher's nerves. They work the targeting and zone to maximize the results of the pitcher's best pitches. The catcher is a psychologist for the pitching staff, and if you heed his advice, their level of success increases. Behind every great pitcher is his catcher that makes him shine.

The catchers throwing arm, if strong and accurate, can be the difference in most games.  Limiting runners to advance by stealing is one of the telling distinctions of catcher that can have a longer career. Their solid defensive skills will ensure him that he will be in the game in the late innings. You have catchers that have the duo talents of both offensive and defensive, but that is a small group comprised of the best.

Is it any wonder why catchers make good managers? The list is a long of former catchers that have gone on to be successful managers. They have cerebral skills that include calm behavior when it appears the wheels are falling off the wagon. They also have the benefit of having the experience of handling a pitching staff. Ten to twelve different personalities need to work in cohesion to get through a long grueling season. The aged catcher may look a little haggard and world-weary, but that is the cost of caring the load for years. The next time you see a pitcher skip a 90mph sinker in the dirt and the catcher contorts his body in an attempt to stop it, and he does stop it, that's athleticism at its finest.

The Oakland Raiders Shuffle

March 6, 2017

The current misdeeds of the Oakland Raiders are void of player and coach’s involvement. They have done everything to uphold the "Just Win Baby" mantra. After the long losing spell of thirteen years, the franchise is experiencing a rebirth and winning ways. The loyal fans of the Raiders, ever so bold, are over the top excited about the future of their beloved team. After years of downward spiraling and revolving doors for coaches and quarterbacks, they finally found their leaders.

The proposed move to Las Vegas is about as shameful as an organization can be. The league owners haven't approved the move yet, and the financing hasn't been settled. If the league supports the move, they don't want to keep any team from moving; look at San Diego. Fans do not factor in any equation. It's about luxury corporate suites, the big prize that the owners say is key to their survival. It appears owner Mark Davis was never serious about keeping the team in Oakland. The play to get the city of Oakland to develop a plan for a new stadium was a sham.

I am sure Mr. Davis would deny any such accusation about his real desire to move the team to anywhere except Oakland. You can bet that Davis wants Las Vegas so bad because he will have the loyal Raider fan base that will travel to Vegas along with the local population and the tourist factor. He will get a chunk of money from the NFL to build the stadium along with local financing. The financing will be his only hurdle to overcome. I cannot see a situation where financing wouldn’t be made available.

Oakland will lose their team for the second time in its history. Mark Davis will follow in the footsteps of his dad as being a franchise mover. Davis is wrong to do this, but I am not sure what is driving him to move. If the bottom line is only money, he would be better off just selling the team for a billion dollars and riding off into the sunset. He could quickly sell it to an investor who would keep the team in Oakland. It must be about keeping his dad's legacy going. When this does go down, it will be a sad day for the NFL to do this to a city. Oakland is an original AFL franchise with a storied past that will be sent packing to Las Vegas, the most soulless town in America. I can't see the Raiders having an identity there. They will be just another attraction like Wayne Newton. Good Luck, Mr. Davis. Your haircut is ridiculous, and karma will haunt you.

Mike Wardian, The Ultimate Running Man

February 27, 2017

Forrest Gump was one of my favorite movies of all time. Now a real Forrest Gump-like man is the king of long-distance running. His name is Mike Wardian from Arlington, Virginia, and he even has the Gump look. Mr. Wardian ran and won seven marathons on seven continents in seven days with little or no news coverage. When I heard about this, I had no idea that would be even possible when you think of seven days and seven continents. Did he have a Lear jet?  How did he sleep? And how does a guy stay in a plane for hours and get off and run a marathon? Crazy stuff. His wins came in Antarctica, Chile, Miami, Madrid, Dubai, Sydney, and Marrakech. During that worldwide race, he averaged a 2:45:56 time for the seven races beating a field of twenty-three men and women. On day eight, he ran another 16.6 to get to 200 miles.

Wardian is no youngster, but at 42 years old, he is the most diverse long-distance runner in the world. That is amazing in itself when you think of all the thousands of runners he competes against. He ran over 4500 miles in 2016, which is enormous, but Wardian plans on running more this year. In addition, he is looking to run the Panama Canal and Pilgrim's Trail in England in the future. He is always looking to find unique races like the Marathon Des Sables, where he carried all of his food and gear on his back across the Sahara Desert and a race across the North Pole.

Wardian is one of those guys that keeps pushing the envelope in his sport. For years, he held the records for running a marathon while pushing a baby stroller and on a treadmill. He has won so many races, indoor and outdoor, that he constantly gets asked to run less and work to bring his times down. He could be one of those guys who can run a marathon in 2:14, but that would not be like Mike. He feels if he only ran two races a year, he could get hurt then not run at all. Those guys who run those unbelievable times are the gazelles, and Wadian is the camel that can run forever.

Wardian has set the new standard for endurance excellence, and it is a testament to recovery. He is a quick healer and maintains a vegan lifestyle, and is more of a foam roller guy to work out his tightness than stretching. He is drug-free and won't take any pain medicine because he won't risk testing. Mike Wardian will be doing this type of stuff for the rest of his life, kind of like the Jack LaLanne of running. A workhorse of an athlete that inspires others.  Run Mike, Run!

The Winter X Games are Flipping Out

February 22, 2017

During the winter months, as you filter through the sports landscape on the television, you are going to find a lot of lame stuff like a college hoops game between Ball State and Bonaventure University. Occasionally, you will come across something that at first you were going to pass on until you see the most unbelievably athletic feats that the human body can perform. I just came across the Winter X Games in late January from Aspen, Colorado. Most of us have seen the various sports showcased in the X Games, but the Winter X games enlightened me on all kinds of things you can do in the snow to endanger your well-being.

The Winter X Games began in 1997, an offshoot of the X Games, which started in 1995. As I landed on ESPN and the games, I caught some of the Freestyle Snowmobile. As much as I wanted to move on from the acrobatic act on a snowmobile, I didn't turn the channel. I have never seen this before, and I wonder how this became a sport. I’m sure after a bit of research, I  can get the lowdown. All of the research will not answer how and why one finds themselves doing this type of feat. Of course, when if you live in snow country, this type of activity can happen. It is probably no different from a motorcycle or BMX rider when performing flips and landing them. I also wonder how the early practice sessions went when they were working on a new maneuver. What happens when they don't square up the jump, and the landing is off?

Suppose you have never watched these games before. In that case, I will tell you that almost all of the events involve the ability to manipulate your equipment, project your body under challenging maneuvers, and land in an upright position. This as entertainment cannot be denied when you think about everything it offers. These games provide the danger of spectacular wipeouts, incredible acts of athletic ability, and young people having a great time. If any of this is your cup of tea, then you will not be disappointed.

The rise of the X Games in popularity makes sense because not every kid growing up doesn't fit into the team sports box. So many kids get thrown into soccer because it is easy for them to grasp. Just run, kick the ball, and for God's sake, don't use your hands. If the kids like it, and it's more of a social thing, and they excel, then, by all means, keep them in it. So many kids come out of the soccer and Little League thing bored but find more joy in the individuality of skateboards, snowboards, and bikes. Nowadays, the equipment has advanced and is more affordable than it has opened the door for these young daredevils. Most parents are mortified to see their kids trying out this stuff, but they cannot stop their child’s interest.

I am not sure how much farther they can take these maneuvers on snowboards, skis, and a snowmobile. There will be a point when the jumps and heights are so high and complex that it becomes more of a circus show. I don't know how big this audience can grow because the average sports fan cannot relate. The Winter X Games will slowly evolve and probably stay a secondary choice on a cold wintery day. I think the sport needs a decathlon event that crowns the world's greatest X gamer. There you have it, and the couch potatoes view of the X games that admire the skills and awesomeness but want more. Just a few more ideas: demolition snowboarding, half- pike and rifle shooting, snowmobile dodge ball. Okay, I will stop.

Speed Where Art Thou?

February 13, 2017

You can't help noticing the athletes on the field or court running around like their hair was on fire. Those are the energy guys, the hustlers not stopping until they are removed from the game. Those are the players whose bodies run a little hot and need to let loose on the other team. Can you imagine having a whole squad of these types of athletes? Two things would either happen, the team would implode from chaos, or the opposition would drop from exhaustion. From a marketing standpoint, it would put people in their seats, but in all seriousness, this experiment doesn't usually work.

Not a day goes by when a coach doesn't talk about speed. The Italian physicist Galileo Galilei is credited with measuring speed by considering the distance covered and the time it takes. The opposite of speed is the resistance of any physical object to any change in its state of motion. Speed will always be a go-to strategy for all sports but can never be the means to all ends. The slower teams will always try to impede and send the energetic ones into a spastic frenzy. On the other side of the coin, the methodical teams will dictate game flow often but can be exposed when high wire acts rattle their cages. The best teams that win championships are the ones who can adapt to either style and can turn on the switch when needed. This is more prevalent in the playoff rounds of sports when the winner dictates the game flow.

Fleetness without precision and inertia is reckless and worthless. Show me an athlete who is quick and skilled, and you will notice a player worthy of a lot of playing time. It doesn't matter if he weighs 350 pounds. If he can outmaneuver his opponent with his speed, you will look at a highly desirable performer.

In the NFL, the two-minute and the hurry-up offense are used almost every game. There is a reason they only play this way for only two minutes or limited plays. In the world of football, you can only ride your players so long before you wear them down. Sometimes you will find experiments in high school and college football where quick play calling is utilized and has been successful. Unfortunately, it can only be counted on for a while before they either sustain too many injuries or get out-strategized by superior talent.

In most team sports, the accelerated mode gets used as much as the ability level allows them to. If you have a group of gazelles, why wouldn't you try to tire out the other team? It can make for a good contest when you see them playing against the methodical taskmasters. In the NBA, all the rage is the "Small Ball Offense," which pits your guards and smaller forwards against the teams with the big front-court presence. What is driving a lot of the older NBA player's nuts is seeing small guys against small guys. They cry, "Where's the Beef?" Where are the dunks? Why all the three-point shots? Owners are saying, "Why do I need to sign a bunch of big men always getting hurt, and they're not easy to find?"

In baseball, it's hard to think of a game being accelerated, but there are plenty of teams in history that utilized speed as their biggest weapon. When teams don't have the big home run hitters, they need to rely on small ball. (Here is that term again) Give me a squad with guys who can steal bases regularly, and I will show you a group that scores runs. Ricky Henderson, the best base stealer of all-time, stole so often that I consider him the greatest leadoff hitter and one of the best players of all time.

Lastly, when it comes to our mundane daily lives, we seem to avoid resisting our forward-motion desires. Everybody wants speed. When we can harness our swiftness and fly, great things happen. Just try to use it wisely and not become the rabbit in Aesop's fables.

When Your Team Loses…Poor Falcons

February 6, 2017

After the remarkable comeback by the Patriots, I was sad. Sure, Brady and company pulled off one the greatest victories of all time, all at the expense of the poor Falcons. I am not a fan of either, but I felt that was one of the biggest gut punches any team could take. New England wanted that victory more than anything. It preserves their place in the annals of NFL football history. Their fans are euphoric, while the remake of Gone with the Wind was airing over in Atlanta.

When you see the opposing team storm the field after they won the big game, it feels like someone either threw rubbing alcohol on an open wound, or you sit dumbfounded by the turn of events. I acknowledge the bitter taste of defeat, which then turns into anger and manifests into a dumb stupor. The next day, I try to blurt it out of my brain and focus on positive things like puppies and strawberry shortcakes. In reality, I try to ask myself why I did spend so much damn time getting wrapped up in the lives of millionaires while I watch their games in my underwear eating a bowl of cereal. After much introspection, I realize I put up with the silliness of being a loyal fan because the team I follow is part of me.

As much as I don't want to get emotionally sucked in my favorite teams' daily ups and downs, I eventually come around and get concerned if things are not going so well. Hey!  They lost five games in a row; I better listen to sports talk radio and find out what the hell is going on.  The worst roller coaster rides are the NBA and MLB seasons because they drone on forever, and there are mini-seasons that happen within the big season. First, your team starts, guns a blazing, winning and getting everybody excited, then about halfway through the season, they hit a roadblock and skid off the tracks. Players become injured, and now the team has to trade a bundle of young prospects to get a player who might come in and save the day. Sound familiar?   That's the MLB every year, and the NBA is almost the same, except they devote most of their torture for the end at the playoffs. The NBA and the NHL have piled on four rounds of playoffs that they make you endure for three months.

As a loyal fan, if you have lasted through the marathon season and managed to give a damn to the end, you know you get to bite your nails down to the nubs and watch the playoff rounds. If your team manages to move forward into another tier of the playoffs, you get to change your life and normal behavior into the scheduled time of the games. You make arrangements for food choices and who you will watch the game with. If you fly solo and want to be left alone in your living room while you sweat it out, you get the luxury of talking to yourself. I have done this plenty of times and find it liberating to cuss, burp, and yell in privacy. I like to be around a gathering of people during a big sporting event because it distracts you from having to watch every single minute of every single play.

If your team is fortunate to win the big game, you walk on cloud nine for a brief moment in time. You gloat and talk trash against all of the naysayers, and best yet, you get to buy clothing that says your team won the championship. If your team loses the championship game, you have mixed emotions. Those mixed emotions are cross between anger, sadness, despair, and denial. I deny that it happened and try to act as if it was no big deal. But in reality, it hurts, and you first want to blame those athletes and coaches who blew it and choked, and sometimes it's the referees and umpires' faults. This is all part of the deal when you become a loyal fan, and if you are a Cleveland Indian fan, you have endured more abuse than usual. Maybe it's their year, but if it doesn't happen, I suggest you do not watch professional team sports. Decompress and watch another sport, perhaps the X games, but just in case you are interested, spring training is only weeks away.

The New England Patriot Way

January 29, 2017

The New England Patriots are again in the Super Bowl, and we all have to sit and watch them. We love our football and must watch the Super Bowl whoever is in it. You will have to pick a side, eat your cocktail wieners, and hopefully, your football poll numbers cash in. Okay, some of you want the Patriots to win, and some of you like Tom Brady. I would say most of you will pull for Atlanta just because they haven't won the big one.

Everybody loves a winner; nobody loves a constant winner unless you have a connection. If you are a gambler, you love the Patriots. Now for the rest of us who acknowledge the winning ways of the Pats but are tired of their greatness, enough already. Tom Brady is great, no-brainer, Bill Belichick is great, but the rest of the team is a constant shuffling of pieces. How do they do it?  How can two guys keep this team so good for so long?

While throwing away any consideration of luck, statistics, and analytics, the cast of great players, all you have left to consider is a system. The Patriots do have away if you haven't noticed by now. The number one thing I can say why they win is that they don't beat themselves. Rarely do you see them losing the turnover battle or being besieged by mindless penalties. There will be ways to beat them, and if you can out hustle, out coach, are healthier, don't make mistakes, make great plays, then you have a chance.

Of course, having a quarterback that is one of the best of all time under center is a massive part of the equation. Brady is deadly accurate and audibles at the line in a masterful way. On the contrary, he rarely has the same receiver core from season to season and sometimes game to game. They don't have league leaders in running yardage or the league leaders in receptions. He did have the best tight end in Rob Gronkowski, but he is out for the season.

This year they have the number one rated defense in the league, led by a group of I-don't- knows. They will face their biggest challenge of the year against the explosive Atlanta offense. The Patriot's defense typically has an approach to most big games, as witnessed many times. They try to take away the biggest offensive threat and challenge you to beat them in other ways.  Julio Jones is the biggest threat the Falcons have, so look for the Patriots to throw a lot of double coverage his way. Fortunate for the Falcons, they are talented in the running game and have the high-level play of quarterback Matt Ryan, probably the league MVP.

Back to the winning ways of the Patriots and the big question of how do they do it. I think of it as a "way of doing things." Just like successful companies have specific business acumen, culture, and environment, the Patriots have that in place. Players go to New England to be part of that winning culture and sometimes take a cut in pay to do so. I don't know the Belichick creed per se, but obviously, it is a code of excellence that permeates the team. If you are underperforming due to a lack of preparation and hard work, you will be sent packing. I see the brunt and bland Belichick as a no-nonsense presence and not a warm fuzzy ego builder. If you need constant reinforcement of your worthiness as a player, you probably won't last on his team.

The Great Divide…Athletes and the Public

January 25, 2017

When you give millions of dollars to a young athlete in the world of professional sports, please don't be shocked when you hear about them getting caught doing ridiculous activities. Money, fame, idolization, special privileges are the age-old recipe for a spiral down the hole of shame. As much as all of this frivolity gets reported, the more it keeps happening. There are endless amounts of TMZ type reporting just waiting for these athletes to misstep so that they can fill their pages with juicy slander. The cycle stays in motion as long as new material exists to feed it.

I can't imagine someone giving me a million dollars when I was young. When you grow up in a situation where money is scarce and then all of a sudden you are surrounded by a posse of friends, what do you think could happen? On the contrary, you have the opposite effect: kids who grew up with a lot of wealth and privilege. This upbringing can manifest into spoiled brat syndrome, and the young person becomes an unleashed monster. The team management must send in their handlers to help reign in the malcontents before the situations implode into a quagmire.

I can understand professional athletes needing to shield themselves from an overzealous clamoring fan base and their attempt to ask for their time. Professional athletes are working in a high-pressure situation in which most of them can be replaced very suddenly. Injuries and a few subpar performances can send guys and girls packing.

Social media and the twenty-four-seven press can push a lot of the pro athletes into hiding. The last thing an athlete wants is to be seen in a bar drinking a beer with his mug shot on Facebook. These athletes also have endorsement deals that can't show them in a bad light. The advertising money is thrown around in bunches, and with it comes the expectation of representing the products with dignity. The days of seeing your favorite athletes signing autographs at the shopping mall or a car lot are few and far between.

The more popular the athlete doesn't mean they receive more news. Bad boys and girls will garner more attention because of the gossipy nature of their lifestyle. Young kids want to wear the clothing styles that some of these athletes represent and wear their jerseys.

Not all professional athletes feel they owe nothing to society and don't care about being role models. The ones who do a lot of charity work and do wonderful things for their community are rarely mentioned. As long as some player gets pulled over for drunk driving, the story to report a great deed will be put into the backseat. It's sad, but it is no different from all society. Good news will receive the five-minute mention at the end of newscasts. Oh well, enjoy those five minutes of good news cause this might be all you will see.