Welcome to my weekly sports column, “Random Musings”. In this space, mostly written on Wednesdays, this column will contain my views on something in sports that stays on my mind. If you are reading this, chances are you follow sports in some way, shape, or form. Some of us watch a lot of sports and we get inundated with information, such as scores, stats, streaks, sound bites, and singular performances. As I watch, things strike me and stick in my head. Those are the topics I want to write about.
I will mainly focus on the core sports I talk about on the “Sports With The StatMan” show: baseball, football, and hockey. But, if something catches my eye in a different sport, whether it is Landon Donovan streaking down the field for the United States in the World Cup or a Big East college basketball classic like last year’s Syracuse-Connecticut six-overtime game, I will write about that, too.
Before we get on this ride together, here is something else you should know. I am opinionated, but, in the end, I just love sports. I like to keep my focus of sports on the field, not on guns in locker rooms or athletes that have 13 mistresses sprinkled throughout the globe. Much like our show, as this column progresses, it will take on its own personality. I appreciate all of your comments and your help to make this weekly read the best read it can be.
This week, I want to talk hockey and the New Year’s Day outdoor game that has quickly earned its name, the Winter Classic.
***
The Winter Classic is only three years old, but it is already becoming a staple of the holiday season. The buzz leading up to the event, the pageantry of the festivities, and the games themselves have been great. For a day that has always been associated with college football, hockey has elbowed its way into relevance on January 1st.
Hockey has fallen off the radar in the last few years, thanks in no small part to the season-long lockout of 2004-05 and the termination of the partnership between the NHL and ESPN. Hockey was one of the “major sports” before the lockout and has been reduced to “niche sport” status in the years since. In order for hockey to get back to “big four” status, the NHL will have to lure the disenchanted fan back to the game, nevermind the casual fan. The casual fan helps propel a big sport to greater heights, but if the disenchanted fan comes back, hockey will officially be back.
The NHL has made significant strides in its programming on the NHL Network and has partnered with NBC to give the league some national network exposure. The league website, nhl.com, is a font of information about each game and the league at-large. But, the Winter Classic is the crown jewel.
The Winter Classic serves both masters: the disenchanted fan and the casual fan. It looks great on television, with the backdrop of venerable venues like Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. The game happens on a day when most people are home. The college bowl games have largely left New Year’s Day, so the day became a vulnerable spot in the sports schedule. It has become, by far, the best thing on television in its time slot. This perfect storm can allow hockey to drum up some momentum.
Momentum is key. Momentum can turn an Olympic sport into an American sensation. Momentum can make a memorable performance into a seminal moment, and keep that good feeling going for a long period of time. And, yes, momentum can even propel a sport into the collective conscience of both the disenchanted fan and the casual fan.
The Winter Classic is the NHL’s Daytona, its Super Bowl. There is a lot of potential in there. Not only is it the pomp and circumstance of the game, it is also a great opportunity to shine a light on the local college, high school, and youth ranks. Legends can skate on the ice and take part in the spectacle. The mini-rink behind the main rink, in right field, is a fantastic touch. But, the buy-in from the league is the financial aspect with Winter Classic-themed apparel and collectibles, the larger venue with jacked-up ticket prices, and the heightened television ratings allow the league and NBC to charge more for advertising.
The league’s bean-counters have undoubtedly noticed this and after the drunken haze of their celebration from this year’s edition has worn off, they must realize the only thing better than one Winter Classic is another one. Whether it is a doubleheader on New Year’s Day or a game later in the season, I am sure the wheels are in motion. If it were up to me, and such decisions appropriately are not, I would make another splash with a second Winter Classic later in the season during another vulnerable spot in the sports schedule.
The NFL has helped us out in this case, mandating a week of rest and additional hoopla between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. They have slotted the Pro Bowl for the Sunday before the Super Bowl to kick off the week leading up to the big game. But, the Pro Bowl is the most boring of all-star games, especially when I would assume the teams participating in the Super Bowl would not send any representatives. It would allow hockey to rule the day again.
Canadian fans have complained that this is a showcase for America and that Canada should have a game, too. What about allowing the Canadian team to host the second game and rotating the Canadian cities? Play the game at neutral sites in Canada, where the game is grown and cultivated. They will guarantee a sell-out and a magical event.
If you are worried the league will rifle through its possible locations in a shorter period of time, you may be right. But, if the game is in Boston once every 10 years instead of once every 20 years, does it really matter? If you are worried about the weather, that would be the case with one game, too. Cold and snow short of a blizzard still allow for the game to be played, but rain and warm weather cannot. A game in Canada should never be rained out, but, nevertheless, a second game would be a chance worth taking for the NHL.
This year, the Vancouver Olympics in February will provide the platform for momentum before the stretch drive to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but I think the NHL should seriously consider another classic to remember hockey and bring it back to relevance.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Greatest Hitter Tournament 2010
This blog normally keeps its eye on baseball, football, and hockey. I offer my thoughts on the professional game and players from a fantasy perspective. But, as this blog evolves, so will the content. Enter the wonderful world of simulations and this is an ambitious task for this year. All throughout this year, we are going to hold the Greatest Hitter Tournament, matching up the best hitters of all-time against some of the greatest pitchers in a simulation to see which virtual players rise to the top. I think it will be something interesting to follow and something that might arise some debate as to who belongs in this field and who does not, as well as the seedings and the results. What follows is the idea for the tournament, the timeline, and the format.
Tournament Idea
Who would win in a game with nine Ted Williamses against nine Joe DiMaggios? We might find out in the Greatest Hitter Tournament. This tournament will pit the best hitters of all time in their best single-season performances against each other to see who really is the best of all-time. Throughout this year, the games will be simulated on Out of the Park Baseball X (OOTP X), from the first pitch on New Year’s Day to the Final Round, which is scheduled to be completed in December.
Who would pitch to this Murderers’ Row? There have been seven pitching staffs compiled to make these hitters work for their hits, 77 pitchers in all in their best single-season performances in a major league uniform. With each round of this tournament, the pitching staffs will be tougher and the hits and home runs will be harder to come by. We will find out how pitchers from the present and recent past would have fared against the greatest hitters of all-time.
Tournament Schedule
November 23-December 31, 2009 – Bracket Determination
January 15, 2010 – Tournament First Pitch
January 15-February 25 – First Round (Field of 96) – 6 weeks
February 26-April 8 – Second Round (Field of 64) – 6 weeks
April 9-May 20 – Third Round (Field of 32) – 6 weeks
May 21-July 1 – Fourth Round (Field of 16) – 6 weeks
July 2-August 12 – Quarterfinal Round (Field of 8) – 6 weeks
August 13-September 23 – Semifinal Round (Field of 4) – 6 weeks
September 24-December 16 – Final Round – 12 weeks
Tournament Format
Each tournament “game” will consist of 162 games between two teams in which all hitters on each team are the participant in the Greatest Hitter Tournament. The pitching staffs will be the same for all hitters in a specific round to keep everything else constant, but the pitching will be tougher with each passing round. Each Greatest Hitter Tournament team roster will consist of 14 versions of the same hitter and an 11-man pitching staff, which will have seven starters and three relievers with one wild-card. To neutralize the different eras these hitters and pitchers played in, all players’ statistics will be smoothed out so that a hitter from the Dead Ball Era is not at a disadvantage against a hitter from the Steroids Era or the Expansion Era.
The 162-game schedule will be split between both participant’s home parks and will take place in six months of playing time. For the first six rounds, one month of time will be simulated each week. This means, while the field dwindles from 96 players to two players, each round will take six weeks to complete. In the Final Round, two weeks of time will be simulated each week, which will take 12 weeks of real time to complete. During these simulations, we will stop for major events. Injuries will be turned off and any need for backup players will be handled by creating another version of the player that has to be replaced.
Along the way, a recap of each simulation will be written, covering the results, statistics, and any news that transpired during the simulation.
Stay tuned to this blog for the seedings and pitching staff assignments, which will be reported later this week. For all blog entries about this tournament, search for "Greatest Hitter Tournament 2010".
Sports With The StatMan #40: Show Notes
We had a jam-packed show as always, recorded during the Jets game on Sunday night against the Bengals. Here is the link to the show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-statman/2010/01/04/sports-with-the-statman--no-40.
Timeline
00:00-12:00 Open – NFL Week 17: Jets in action against the Bengals, Patriots: Welker injury
12:00-19:00 NFL Week 17: Playoff Implications
19:00-45:00 NHL Winter Classic with Heather Yunger
45:00-50:00 Hockey: USA and Canadian Olympic Rosters Announced
50:00-55:00 NFL Week 17: Power Poll, Pick Results
55:00-59:00 NFL Week 17: Eagles-Cowboys and Giants-Vikings
59:00-64:30 Hockey: NHL Midseason Grades, World Junior Championships Update, Close
Extra Time: NFL Week 17: Top Performers, Surprises, Injury Watch
Main Points
00:00-07:00 Open – NFL Week 17: Jets in action against the Bengals, Patriots: Welker injury
Based on Sunday night’s result (Jets won, 37-0), we may have three rematches from Week 17 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The Cowboys will host the Eagles, the Cardinals will welcome the Packers, and the Jets will go to Cincinnati to complete the home-and-home in consecutive weeks.
The biggest news today was WR Wes Welker’s injury for the Patriots. The NFL Network reported that Welker blew out his left knee and CBS’s Charlie Casserly offered that QB Tom Brady was playing Sunday with three broken ribs. The other starting WR, Randy Moss, will draw more heat from Baltimore next week.
In baseball…
LF Jason Bay will be signed pending a physical. It was a move the Mets had to make and Bay will probably bat clean-up for the Mets.
12:00-19:00 NFL Week 17: Playoff Implications
Both #1 seeds back in to the playoffs. New Orleans was 13-0 and the Saints have lost three in a row, marking the first time a #1 seed has lost three in a row going into the playoffs. Indianapolis was 14-0 and lost two in a row after falling to Buffalo on Sunday.
Minnesota got well on a flat Giants team, 44-7, to pick up the #2 seed and a bye week. The winner of Philadelphia-Dallas would win the NFC East and Dallas shook their late-season blues at home by whitewashing the Eagles, 24-0. They’ll do it again in Dallas next weekend. Arizona did not show much against Green Bay, who played to win and did so, 33-7. Same time, same place next week.
The bottom four seeds could change in the AFC Playoffs and five teams (New England, Cincinnati, Baltimore, the Jets, and Houston) were alive for the four spots. Obviously, New England and Cincinnati have spots clinched, but they might flip-flop between #3 and #4 (they did and the Patriots have the #3 seed, while the Bengals settle for #4). Baltimore owns one of the Wild Card spots by hanging on against a pesky Oakland team, 21-13. That leaves Houston and the Jets going into the Sunday game with one berth left for grabs.
Denver was alive for a spot, but lost by 20 to Kansas City as Jamaal Charles ran all over Denver. WR Brandon Marshall was benched amid controversy for the Broncos even though WR Jabar Gaffney had 213 receiving yards.
Miami was down to their third quarterback and Pittsburgh held on to defeat the Dolphins, 30-24. Chad Henne (eye) and Pat White (head) were knocked out of the game, forcing the emergency quarterback, Tyler Thigpen, to enter the game for the Dolphins. Pittsburgh was eliminated when Houston defeated the Patriots, 34-27, who are still alive going into the Sunday night game.
Jacksonville had a poor showing against Cleveland, who finished the season winning its last four. Jacksonville needed help if the Jags won, which they did not get anyway, but Jacksonville ended the season on a sour note, falling to Cleveland, 23-17.
19:00-45:00 NHL Winter Classic with Heather Yunger
Our guest, Heather Yunger, remarked about the ambience at Fenway Park, how the game felt live compared to how it looked on television, and the game itself. During play, the late-game heroics by the Bruins to tie the game in the third and win it in overtime. She finds the third-period “Sweet Caroline” singalong led by Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke “embarrassing” and a “missed opportunity” to integrate a signature of the venue and the sport of hockey.
Tim Thomas was named to the United States Olympic team and skated out to the delight of the partisan crowd and we talked about the presentation of the team after the game.
The first fight in Winter Classic history stirred the capacity crowd and there are differing views by the combatants, the Flyers’ Daniel Carcillo and the Bruins’ Shawn Thornton, on how the fisticuffs erupted.
We also look forward to college hockey on Friday at Fenway with Boston University against Boston College, preceded by two top-10 women’s teams in the first game of the college hockey doubleheader, as Northeastern takes on New Hampshire.
The Winter Classic has become must-see TV and commands an audience on a New Year’s Day, which has always been ruled by college football. But, is there value to a second Winter Classic per season? Stay tuned to my sports column this Wednesday for more on that.
If you didn't check out Bruins Coach Claude Julien and his fancy fedora at the Winter Classic, or you did and you liked it, check out his fan page on Facebook.
45:00-50:00 Hockey: USA and Canadian Olympic Rosters Announced
We talked about Tim Thomas (Bruins), who will be part of the American Olympic experience, as will Paul Martin (Devils). A couple of Olympians are locals in Bobby Ryan (Cherry Hill, NJ) and Mike Komisarek (Islip Terrace, NY). Two Rangers, Chris Drury (Trumbull, CT) and Ryan Callahan (Rochester, NY), will be representing the USA in Vancouver. The US team will noticeably be younger in these Olympics compared to past ones with NHL pros.
Kyle Okposo is not much of a snub, as USA Hockey GM Brian Burke said Okposo was considered but did not have the experience yet.
For the Canadian team, Marty Brodeur (Devils) will be in goal and joined by players from the Flyers (Chris Pronger, Mike Richards) and Bruins (Patrice Bergeron).
50:00-55:00 NFL Week 17: Power Poll, Pick Results
Power Poll
#1 Colts (not trying to win at BUF, fans/media very upset over organizational decision not to try for perfect season) (LW: #1)
#2 Chargers (11th win in a row vs WSH) (LW: #2)
#3 Saints (3 losses in a row to back in to playoffs) (LW: #3)
#4 Vikings (tune-up for playoffs against a Giants team that never got involved) (LW: #4)
#5 Packers (into top 5 because strongest 5-loss teams playing at their best right now)
Eagles fall out of the top five. Last week, they were #4.
Pick Results
Entering Week 17:
• 37-23 (Local W-L)
This week: 2-2; NYJ W(W), NYG L(L), NE W(L), PHL W(L)
• 31-28-1 (Local ATS)
This week: 3-1; NYJ (-4) (W), NYG (+9) L(L), NE (+8) W(W), PHL (+3) W(L))
• 34-18 (Big Games W-L)
This week: 3-0; CAR def. NO(W), PIT def. MIA (W), GBY def. ARZ (W))
• 26-24-2 (Big Games ATS)
This week: 3-0; CAR (+2) W(W), PIT (-3) W(W), GBY (+3) W(W))
Knockout Pool (Round 5):
• SFO (W, 28-6 at STL)
Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em:
Entering Week 17, Starts avg 13.43 and Sits avg 8.07 (29-11-1 head-to-head QB/RB/WR)
• QB Henne vs. Flacco (W, 9-4)
• RB Sproles vs. Wells (T, 1-1)
• WR Crabtree vs. Ochocinco (W, 5-0)
55:00-59:00 NFL Week 17: Eagles-Cowboys and Giants-Vikings
The Cowboys ran all over the Eagles, who tried to pass their way out of trouble against Dallas. Sometimes, teams that may face each other again the next week in the playoffs do not show anything the other team can plan against, but I do not think that was the case here. The Cowboys won their season finale for the first time in 10 years.
There has to be changes with the Giants. Could it be the Defensive Coordinator, Bill Sheridan? DE Osi Umenyiora? Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride? The Giants outscored 85-9 in the seven quarters that cover the Carolina game (41-9 loss) and the first three quarters in the 44-7 loss to Minnesota. In the offseason, the Giants need help in the secondary and have to also fill the hole that may be left by LB Antonio Pierce, who may have a career-ending neck injury.
Around the League: Atlanta clinches first back-to-back winning seasons in franchise history, St. Louis clinches the top pick in next year’s draft, Cutler finishes strong, longest current winning streaks in the NFL
59:00-64:30 Hockey: NHL Midseason Grades, World Junior Championships Update, Close
NHL Midseason Grades (based on expectations heading into the season)
New Jersey –Grade: A+
• Plus – Martin Brodeur keeps rolling along and the Devils have seen growth from young players Niclas Bergfors and Andy Greene
• Minus – Zach Parise a little streaky and the decreased workload for Brodeur not happening
Boston – Grade: B+
• Plus – the goaltending has been solid with defending Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas and strong backup Tuukka Rask and the Bruins have found ways to win
• Minus – the injuries to Milan Lucic, Marc Savard, and Tim Thomas have stopped the team from leading the division, as well as scoring issues from their forwards without Phil Kessel
N.Y. Islanders – Grade: B-
• Plus – the growth in young players Kyle Okposo, John Tavares, Josh Bailey, Jack Hillen, and Andrew MacDonald have propelled the team into contention
• Minus – the special teams have been awful and the Islanders lack team toughness
N.Y. Rangers – Grade: C
• Plus – Marian Gaborik is healthy and leading league in goals
• Minus – the Rangers are bad at home (8-10-3), Coach John Tortorella may have gone to the whip too early with this team, and they have secondary scoring issues, as Vinny Prospal and Ryan Callahan have chipped in sometimes, but no one else seems to be scoring consistently besides Gaborik
Philadelphia – Grade: D
• Plus – the Flyers are still in playoff race despite their play in the first half
• Minus – John Stevens was fired and replaced by Peter Laviolette, and the team has not responded all that well since Laviolette took over, Ray Emery wasn’t great when he was healthy
World Junior Championships: USA makes the medal round and still alive for the gold in the semifinals after beating Finland on Sunday. The semifinals are on Monday and the Gold Medal and Bronze Medal games are on Tuesday.
Around the League: Andy Murray out as Blues head coach
Extra Time: NFL Week 17: Top Performers, Surprises, Injury Watch
We did not get to our regular installments during our packed show.
Top Performers:
• 300-yard passers – entering Week 17 (64-36 (.640))
o This week: 3-1
o Favre, Romo, Schaub with wins, Orton with loss
• 100-yard rushers – entering Week 17 (72-34 (.679))
o This week: 10-0
o Congratulations to Chris Johnson, who became the 6th RB in history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season
• 100-yard receivers – entering Week 17 (101-57 (.639))
o This week: 2-3
o Malcom Floyd (SDG) and Malcolm Kelly (WSH) played in same game
o Julian Edelman had a good performance and will be leaned on after Welker’s injury
Surprises (players):
• Jamaal Charles (259 rushing yards)
• Jabar Gaffney (213 receiving yards)
• Willis McGahee (167 rushing yards, 3 TDs in 21-13 win, which clinched playoff berth)
Injury Watch
• Out in Week 17 (replacements)
o RB Michael Turner ATL (still ailing with ankle) (RB Snelling 100-yd day, RB Norwood)
o WR Vincent Jackson SDG (Achilles) (WR Craig Davis) (Chargers need Jackson for playoffs)
o RB Laurence Maroney NE (RB Taylor, RB Morris, RB Faulk)
• Injured in Week 17 (replacements, effect on games)
o WR Anquan Boldin ARZ (knee, ankle) (Breaston)
o WR Wes Welker NE (left knee) (Edelman)
o QB Chad Henne MIA (eye)/QB Pat White MIA (head) (Thigpen)
Next Week
Next Sunday night (January 10th), Sports With The StatMan (#41) moves to our new time, 8-9pm Eastern time. We will talk about Wild Card Weekend, which will be almost complete. We will also wrap up our regular season predictions. In hockey, the Bruins and Rangers play twice, Monday in New York and Saturday in Boston, and I’ll be back from my trip to Fenway to witness a little college hockey. Also, if something gets cooking on the Hot Stove, we’ll chat about that, too.
Upcoming Schedule
• Saturday: Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Football Edition – Wild Card Weekend (blog)
• Sunday morning: Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Hockey Edition – Week 15 (blog)
• Sunday, 8-9pm ET: Sports With The StatMan: No. 41 (live show)
* All blogs will be available on our “secondary” blog, which is called “Random Musings from the StatMan” (http://gstatman.blogspot.com). We move our regular Sunday one-hour show to our new time, 8-9pm Eastern time, starting next week (January 10th). You can listen to the show live at our show page (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan) or download the podcast, which is available 15 minutes after the show, either from the show page or from iTunes (search: Sports With The StatMan).
Here are the ways to follow along and get in touch with the show:
• Show Page: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/gstatman
• “Random Musings” blog: http://gstatman.blogspot.com
Be sure to check the show page for times and schedules of our one-hour show and our Fantasy Football and Fantasy Hockey Editions.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Sports With The StatMan for 2010
Happy New Year to you and yours! I started "Sports With The StatMan" last April as a weekly show to discuss the issues of the day in baseball, football, and hockey for the teams in the New York, Boston, and Philadelphia areas. One of the many things I have learned over the last nine months has been how much there truly is to talk about. Most of our shows have been much more than an hour and, for those of you joining us live, after an hour, the feed cuts out and you have to wait a few minutes for the podcast version to be ready. This is one of the things I want to remedy in the New Year.
First of all, we are going to keep our "Sports With The StatMan" show intact, but it will be kept to one hour. I will try my best not to have it flow past the top of the next hour. We are going to keep the same schedule we kept for most of the last year. During football season, the show will be on from 10-11pm Eastern time on Sunday nights. Starting January 10th until the beginning of next football season, we will be on from 8-9pm Eastern time on Sunday nights. But, due to my personal schedule, I may have to reschedule the show once in a while. Keep your eye on the show page for any changes.
We will continue to talk about the same sports on our show, look at the same teams, and talk about the same issues. However, I have noticed that combining talk about fantasy and reality does not make much sense since those that care about one sometimes do not care about the other. If you care about fantasy, do you really want to wait until 40 minutes after the hour to hear the Top Performers or into the podcast-only version to know who the top scorers in hockey were? If you only care about the play on the field, does it matter who the top fantasy players were in a given week? I want to keep the focus on the teams we cover, but I want to keep the fantasy and statistical content you have come to expect from the "Sports With The StatMan" show.
To that end, we are going to add some supplementary programming to "Sports With The StatMan". The extra programming will be a 15-minute show each week for each of the sports we cover: baseball, football, and hockey. If it is in-season, we will have that extra 15-minute show:
First of all, we are going to keep our "Sports With The StatMan" show intact, but it will be kept to one hour. I will try my best not to have it flow past the top of the next hour. We are going to keep the same schedule we kept for most of the last year. During football season, the show will be on from 10-11pm Eastern time on Sunday nights. Starting January 10th until the beginning of next football season, we will be on from 8-9pm Eastern time on Sunday nights. But, due to my personal schedule, I may have to reschedule the show once in a while. Keep your eye on the show page for any changes.
We will continue to talk about the same sports on our show, look at the same teams, and talk about the same issues. However, I have noticed that combining talk about fantasy and reality does not make much sense since those that care about one sometimes do not care about the other. If you care about fantasy, do you really want to wait until 40 minutes after the hour to hear the Top Performers or into the podcast-only version to know who the top scorers in hockey were? If you only care about the play on the field, does it matter who the top fantasy players were in a given week? I want to keep the focus on the teams we cover, but I want to keep the fantasy and statistical content you have come to expect from the "Sports With The StatMan" show.
To that end, we are going to add some supplementary programming to "Sports With The StatMan". The extra programming will be a 15-minute show each week for each of the sports we cover: baseball, football, and hockey. If it is in-season, we will have that extra 15-minute show:
- On "Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Football Edition", we will pick the local games and the big games of the week, as well as our "knockout" pick, and who to start and sit in your fantasy football league. We will also look at the fantasy angle, including our weekly look at the Top Performers. We will have 15-minute shows throughout January as the regular season finishes up and the playoffs rage on, closing our 15-minute show schedule during NFC and AFC Championship Weekend (weekend of January 22-24).
- On "Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Hockey Edition", we will discuss the best players from the past week in the NHL at each position, both from our five local teams and around the league. We will also offer some advice on who to start and who to sit for your fantasy hockey lineups. Our 15-minute shows for hockey will start in early January and go through the Stanley Cup Finals in early June.
- On "Sports With The StatMan: Fantasy Baseball Edition", we will break down the past week in baseball to highlight the best statistical performances of the past week. We will also talk about things from a fantasy perspective, offering more advice to who to start, who to sit, who to pick up, and who to drop in your fantasy baseball leagues. We will start the weekend before the season starts (April 4th) and continue through the World Series.
As we introduce more listener interaction, either through live chats, through comments to the show page or the blog, or questions and comments on Twitter, we'll answer the fantasy-related questions during these shows.
We are also going to be more active off-the-air. Every Monday, the show notes from the past show will be up and available on both the show page and the secondary blog, "Random Musings from the StatMan". Also, every Wednesday, I am going to start a sports column to either finish a thought I could not complete on the show, expand on that thought, or talk about something else in the world of sports. This sports column will be available exclusively on the secondary blog.
And, finally, each Wednesday night, I am going to be available for a listener chat on blogtalkradio.com. Check the show notes each week for the details on when the chat will take place.
Here are the important links to find out the latest schedule and blogs:
These shows and the content on this site will only get better with your feedback. Drop me a line and let me know what you like and don't like about the show. I can't guarantee I'll change, but I will try my best to accommodate. If you have any sports questions or sports topics you have a take on, I'd love to hear it. Get involved!
Here are the upcoming episodes for January on Sports With The StatMan:
We are also going to be more active off-the-air. Every Monday, the show notes from the past show will be up and available on both the show page and the secondary blog, "Random Musings from the StatMan". Also, every Wednesday, I am going to start a sports column to either finish a thought I could not complete on the show, expand on that thought, or talk about something else in the world of sports. This sports column will be available exclusively on the secondary blog.
And, finally, each Wednesday night, I am going to be available for a listener chat on blogtalkradio.com. Check the show notes each week for the details on when the chat will take place.
Here are the important links to find out the latest schedule and blogs:
- Show Page: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan (or search "Sports With The StatMan" on iTunes)
- Twitter Feed: http://twitter.com/gstatman
- Secondary Blog ("Random Musings" Blog): http://gstatman.blogspot.com
These shows and the content on this site will only get better with your feedback. Drop me a line and let me know what you like and don't like about the show. I can't guarantee I'll change, but I will try my best to accommodate. If you have any sports questions or sports topics you have a take on, I'd love to hear it. Get involved!
Here are the upcoming episodes for January on Sports With The StatMan:
- Fantasy Football Edition - Week 17 (available now)
- Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 14 (to be recorded on 1/3/10)
- Sports With The StatMan: No. 40 (Sunday, January 3rd, 10-11pm ET)
- Fantasy Football Edition - Wild Card Weekend (to be recorded by 1/9/10)
- Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 15 (to be recorded on 1/10/10)
- Sports With The StatMan: No. 41 (Sunday, January 10th, 8-9pm ET
- Fantasy Football Edition - Divisional Championship (to be recorded by 1/16/10)
- Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 16 (to be recorded on 1/17/10)
- Sports With The StatMan: No. 42 (Sunday, January 17th, 8-9pm ET)
- Fantasy Football Edition - Conference Championship Weekend (to be recorded by 1/23/10)
- Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 17 (to be recorded on 1/24/10)
- Sports With The StatMan: No. 43 (Sunday, January 24th, 8-9pm ET)
- Fantasy Hockey Edition - Week 18 (to be recorded on 1/31/10)
Once again, Happy New Year, and I hope you enjoy the newest offerings from "Sports With The StatMan".
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Week 1 Preview
A little late, but better late than never. I talked about this on my show on BlogTalkRadio, but here is my preview for Week 1 of the NFL.
Week 1 Picks
(spreads courtesy of Sporting News Today - http://today.sportingnews.com/)
Local Picks
* Philadelphia is the road favorite (1) at Carolina: CAR (win and cover)
* N.Y. Giants is the favorite (6.5) at home against Washington: NYG (win and cover)
* N.Y. Jets is a road dog (4.5) at Houston: NYJ (win and cover)
* New England favored by 10.5 points at home against Buffalo (Monday): NE (win), BUF (cover)
Big-Game Picks
* Tennessee-Pittsburgh (Thursday) (PIT -5): PIT (win and cover)
* Chicago-Green Bay (GBY -3.5): GBY (win), CHI (cover)
* Miami-Atlanta (ATL -4): MIA (win and cover)
Knockout Pool Pick - Round 1
Saints (over Lions, Saints are -13)
Game of the Week: Tennessee-Pittsburgh (Thursday)
Right off the bat, the best game of the week is the first game of the week. It will be on NBC on Thursday night. Great running backs seem to do well historically against Pittsburgh, but I am still going with Pittsburgh since they are at home and their defense is better overall.
Picking the Winners
Tennessee at Pittsburgh (Thursday): Pittsburgh
Miami at Atlanta: Atlanta
Kansas City at Baltimore: Baltimore
Philadelphia at Carolina: Philadelphia
Minnesota at Cleveland: Minnesota
Jacksonville at Indianapolis: Indianapolis
Dallas at Tampa Bay: Dallas
Detroit at New Orleans: New Orleans
N.Y. Jets at Houston: N.Y. Jets
Denver at Cincinnati: Cincinnati
San Francisco at Arizona: Arizona
Washington at N.Y. Giants: N.Y. Giants
St. Louis at Seattle: Seattle
Chicago at Green Bay (Sunday night): Green Bay
Buffalo at New England (Monday night): New England
San Diego at Oakland (Monday night): San Diego
Picking with the Spread
Minnesota (-3.5): 14 confidence points
Indianapolis (-7): 11 c-pts
Dallas (-6): 10 c-pts
New England (-10.5): 8 c-pts
Arizona (-6): 7 c-pts
N.Y. Jets (+4.5): 6 c-pts
Green Bay (-3.5): 5 c-pts
N.Y. Giants (-6.5): 4 c-pts
Miami (+4): 2 c-pts
Fantasy Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em
Start 'Em:
* Anthony Gonzalez/Pierre Garcon (IND vs. JAX) - Jacksonville has trouble in their secondary
* Reggie Bush (NO vs. DET) - Pierre Thomas will not be 100%
* Eddie Royal (DEN vs. CIN) - Brandon Marshall is not a happy camper
Sit 'Em:
* Mark Bradley/Bobby Engram (KCY vs. BAL) - Kansas City will throw, but Baltimore will shut them down
* Jamal Lewis (CLE vs. MIN) - His big-game ability is long gone and the Vikings defense is excellent
* Laurence Maroney/Fred Taylor (NE vs. BUF) - Brady will throw the ball all over the place in his return
We will analyze these picks on our next show (#24), as well as offer a recap on Week 1 action so far, this Sunday, September 13th, from 8-9pm. Join us live on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan.
Week 1 Picks
(spreads courtesy of Sporting News Today - http://today.sportingnews.com/)
Local Picks
* Philadelphia is the road favorite (1) at Carolina: CAR (win and cover)
* N.Y. Giants is the favorite (6.5) at home against Washington: NYG (win and cover)
* N.Y. Jets is a road dog (4.5) at Houston: NYJ (win and cover)
* New England favored by 10.5 points at home against Buffalo (Monday): NE (win), BUF (cover)
Big-Game Picks
* Tennessee-Pittsburgh (Thursday) (PIT -5): PIT (win and cover)
* Chicago-Green Bay (GBY -3.5): GBY (win), CHI (cover)
* Miami-Atlanta (ATL -4): MIA (win and cover)
Knockout Pool Pick - Round 1
Saints (over Lions, Saints are -13)
Game of the Week: Tennessee-Pittsburgh (Thursday)
Right off the bat, the best game of the week is the first game of the week. It will be on NBC on Thursday night. Great running backs seem to do well historically against Pittsburgh, but I am still going with Pittsburgh since they are at home and their defense is better overall.
Picking the Winners
Tennessee at Pittsburgh (Thursday): Pittsburgh
Miami at Atlanta: Atlanta
Kansas City at Baltimore: Baltimore
Philadelphia at Carolina: Philadelphia
Minnesota at Cleveland: Minnesota
Jacksonville at Indianapolis: Indianapolis
Dallas at Tampa Bay: Dallas
Detroit at New Orleans: New Orleans
N.Y. Jets at Houston: N.Y. Jets
Denver at Cincinnati: Cincinnati
San Francisco at Arizona: Arizona
Washington at N.Y. Giants: N.Y. Giants
St. Louis at Seattle: Seattle
Chicago at Green Bay (Sunday night): Green Bay
Buffalo at New England (Monday night): New England
San Diego at Oakland (Monday night): San Diego
Picking with the Spread
Minnesota (-3.5): 14 confidence points
Indianapolis (-7): 11 c-pts
Dallas (-6): 10 c-pts
New England (-10.5): 8 c-pts
Arizona (-6): 7 c-pts
N.Y. Jets (+4.5): 6 c-pts
Green Bay (-3.5): 5 c-pts
N.Y. Giants (-6.5): 4 c-pts
Miami (+4): 2 c-pts
Fantasy Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em
Start 'Em:
* Anthony Gonzalez/Pierre Garcon (IND vs. JAX) - Jacksonville has trouble in their secondary
* Reggie Bush (NO vs. DET) - Pierre Thomas will not be 100%
* Eddie Royal (DEN vs. CIN) - Brandon Marshall is not a happy camper
Sit 'Em:
* Mark Bradley/Bobby Engram (KCY vs. BAL) - Kansas City will throw, but Baltimore will shut them down
* Jamal Lewis (CLE vs. MIN) - His big-game ability is long gone and the Vikings defense is excellent
* Laurence Maroney/Fred Taylor (NE vs. BUF) - Brady will throw the ball all over the place in his return
We will analyze these picks on our next show (#24), as well as offer a recap on Week 1 action so far, this Sunday, September 13th, from 8-9pm. Join us live on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Long Island Hold 'Em
If you are familiar with Texas Hold 'Em Poker, maybe you can help me with my analogy. Let's pretend the Islanders and the Town of Hempstead are engaged in a game of high-stakes poker because, well, they are. Let's call it: Long Island Hold 'Em. Sitting across the felt table from each other, looking at each other and sizing their opponent up. Just to make help you visualize this a little better, the Islanders are wearing a helmet at the table and the Town of Hempstead has donned a cowboy hat.
The Islanders have been losing for most of the game, but they are starting to gain some chips. They aren't quite what they were in earlier hands, as they had built quite a bankroll, but it was more than what they came to the party with. The Town of Hempstead quickly built up their winnings and burrowed it away. But, for as long as anyone can remember in this tournament, whatever they have won over the past hands has been squandered.
This hand will represent a sea change in the match. The winner here has to be able to outlast the other, perhaps call its enemy's bluff. If you followed this analogy so far, September 22nd is the last card to drop (the "river") and October 3rd is the call. The Islanders are going to call no matter what. Most people know they already have three of a kind and the river might give them a full house. No one knows what the Town of Hempstead is holding except the Town of Hempstead. The ToH thinks it has a lot to gain on the river, but it cannot help the ToH as much as it could help the Islanders.
We know the Islanders are all-in. The Islanders would gain more chips in the court of public opinion if the Town of Hempstead folds. If the ToH antes up and moves all of its chips to the middle of the table, it will be time for the Islanders to put up or shut up.
But, here's the dirty little secret: as long as the Islanders stay east of Manhattan, they can't lose.
That's why they are all-in and would call even if they had a pair of eights. The Town of Hempstead thinks they are negotiating with the Isles and making sure they put their money where their mouths are. An honorable request to protect its constituents. But, it would have made more sense to bring this up months ago or, at the very latest, very soon after the public hearing in August. Guess what? The Islanders do not have to. They can accuse the Town of Hempstead of stalling, a very believable accusation, and bide their time until October 3rd, when they would look like scorned lovers jilted at the altar and open their phone lines for outside the 516 area code.
The Town of Hempstead sent this letter to be sure if anything changes from what has been promised, the Town and its residents are not left in the cold. What does that mean? It means what everything else means in politics: money. If anything changes, the Town wants some skin in the game so it can get some of the money changing hands. Change the developer on the property after the shovel is in the ground? Not unless we get some money. We want all of the tax dollars you say we are going to get if this goes through. No problem, but, in Kate Murray's letter to the residents of the Town of Hempstead (thanks, IslandersIndependent.com), this was brought up now because the Town has only had eight-plus months to look at this and these provisions are part of any agreement. Why wait until month nine of this process when you know month ten means the asking price will go up? The only reason I can think of is because of pride. The Town, specifically Kate Murray, wants to set the timetable. The Town wants this to happen on their terms, not the County, and especially not a real estate developer and a sports team owner.
I have repeatedly heard this is moving fast compared to "business as usual" in the Town of Hempstead. Perhaps that is the problem. Also, this is hardly a usual situation. It represents the possible endangerment of the only major-league franchise in either Nassau or Suffolk Counties. It means jobs and fans spending money to ancillary businesses around the Nassau Coliseum would be gone, along with all of those tax dollars. If the Town of Hempstead loses the card game, it will have an empty arena with a barren parking lot around it, which is far worse than the status quo. Nothing could replace that revenue for many years, if not longer.
On October 3rd, the Islanders will surely call and most likely will take their chips and play in a higher-stakes game, a game that will be too rich for the Town of Hempstead. The Town could have made this happen before the final call and could have participated in that high-stakes game if the Town did not squander its chips over the years.
***
As an Islander fan who lives west of Manhattan in New Jersey, a move to Willets Point in Queens makes too much sense. Better infrastructure, (possibly) less politics, and a shorter trip would be something I would sign up for now. For the few thousand fans who drive west to the Coliseum from Eastern Long Island, their trip would be 20-30 minutes longer. The team would be more accessible for Bridgeport Sound Tiger supporters to see their babies play with the big boys.
Though I never lived on Long Island, I spent a lot of weekends there over the years visiting my mother's family and loved the Island. I still do. Most of the family has moved away and, outside of the Islanders, I do not have much of a reason drive past Citi Field. At the start of this latest push to keep the Islanders at the Coliseum, my vote was to keep them in Uniondale. But, my distaste for the constant politicking and blaming that has gone on since the hockey season ended, as well as the shiny new baseball stadium in Shea Stadium's old parking lot has changed my opinion. My vote now is to move the team to Queens.
Queens has made statements to the media that they would welcome them with open arms. Brooklyn's proposed Barclays Center does not seem to be moving in the right direction and may never happen. Queens might be the eventual destination for the Nets, too. Better for the Islanders to get on the ground floor and build the arena primarily with hockey in mind instead of basketball. A beautiful new stadium would not be an inconvenience for fans like a Coliseum would be under re-construction. Plus, with the Mets in town April-October, it would make Flushing a year-round destination.
The time may have come for Nassau County to be the bedroom community the Town of Hempstead and the Village of Garden City seems to wish for. Before the Town pushes all of its chips to the table, it should be careful what it wishes for, because it has a lot more to lose than the Islanders do.
The Islanders have been losing for most of the game, but they are starting to gain some chips. They aren't quite what they were in earlier hands, as they had built quite a bankroll, but it was more than what they came to the party with. The Town of Hempstead quickly built up their winnings and burrowed it away. But, for as long as anyone can remember in this tournament, whatever they have won over the past hands has been squandered.
This hand will represent a sea change in the match. The winner here has to be able to outlast the other, perhaps call its enemy's bluff. If you followed this analogy so far, September 22nd is the last card to drop (the "river") and October 3rd is the call. The Islanders are going to call no matter what. Most people know they already have three of a kind and the river might give them a full house. No one knows what the Town of Hempstead is holding except the Town of Hempstead. The ToH thinks it has a lot to gain on the river, but it cannot help the ToH as much as it could help the Islanders.
We know the Islanders are all-in. The Islanders would gain more chips in the court of public opinion if the Town of Hempstead folds. If the ToH antes up and moves all of its chips to the middle of the table, it will be time for the Islanders to put up or shut up.
But, here's the dirty little secret: as long as the Islanders stay east of Manhattan, they can't lose.
That's why they are all-in and would call even if they had a pair of eights. The Town of Hempstead thinks they are negotiating with the Isles and making sure they put their money where their mouths are. An honorable request to protect its constituents. But, it would have made more sense to bring this up months ago or, at the very latest, very soon after the public hearing in August. Guess what? The Islanders do not have to. They can accuse the Town of Hempstead of stalling, a very believable accusation, and bide their time until October 3rd, when they would look like scorned lovers jilted at the altar and open their phone lines for outside the 516 area code.
The Town of Hempstead sent this letter to be sure if anything changes from what has been promised, the Town and its residents are not left in the cold. What does that mean? It means what everything else means in politics: money. If anything changes, the Town wants some skin in the game so it can get some of the money changing hands. Change the developer on the property after the shovel is in the ground? Not unless we get some money. We want all of the tax dollars you say we are going to get if this goes through. No problem, but, in Kate Murray's letter to the residents of the Town of Hempstead (thanks, IslandersIndependent.com), this was brought up now because the Town has only had eight-plus months to look at this and these provisions are part of any agreement. Why wait until month nine of this process when you know month ten means the asking price will go up? The only reason I can think of is because of pride. The Town, specifically Kate Murray, wants to set the timetable. The Town wants this to happen on their terms, not the County, and especially not a real estate developer and a sports team owner.
I have repeatedly heard this is moving fast compared to "business as usual" in the Town of Hempstead. Perhaps that is the problem. Also, this is hardly a usual situation. It represents the possible endangerment of the only major-league franchise in either Nassau or Suffolk Counties. It means jobs and fans spending money to ancillary businesses around the Nassau Coliseum would be gone, along with all of those tax dollars. If the Town of Hempstead loses the card game, it will have an empty arena with a barren parking lot around it, which is far worse than the status quo. Nothing could replace that revenue for many years, if not longer.
On October 3rd, the Islanders will surely call and most likely will take their chips and play in a higher-stakes game, a game that will be too rich for the Town of Hempstead. The Town could have made this happen before the final call and could have participated in that high-stakes game if the Town did not squander its chips over the years.
***
As an Islander fan who lives west of Manhattan in New Jersey, a move to Willets Point in Queens makes too much sense. Better infrastructure, (possibly) less politics, and a shorter trip would be something I would sign up for now. For the few thousand fans who drive west to the Coliseum from Eastern Long Island, their trip would be 20-30 minutes longer. The team would be more accessible for Bridgeport Sound Tiger supporters to see their babies play with the big boys.
Though I never lived on Long Island, I spent a lot of weekends there over the years visiting my mother's family and loved the Island. I still do. Most of the family has moved away and, outside of the Islanders, I do not have much of a reason drive past Citi Field. At the start of this latest push to keep the Islanders at the Coliseum, my vote was to keep them in Uniondale. But, my distaste for the constant politicking and blaming that has gone on since the hockey season ended, as well as the shiny new baseball stadium in Shea Stadium's old parking lot has changed my opinion. My vote now is to move the team to Queens.
Queens has made statements to the media that they would welcome them with open arms. Brooklyn's proposed Barclays Center does not seem to be moving in the right direction and may never happen. Queens might be the eventual destination for the Nets, too. Better for the Islanders to get on the ground floor and build the arena primarily with hockey in mind instead of basketball. A beautiful new stadium would not be an inconvenience for fans like a Coliseum would be under re-construction. Plus, with the Mets in town April-October, it would make Flushing a year-round destination.
The time may have come for Nassau County to be the bedroom community the Town of Hempstead and the Village of Garden City seems to wish for. Before the Town pushes all of its chips to the table, it should be careful what it wishes for, because it has a lot more to lose than the Islanders do.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
There's a Light...Over at the Frankenstein Place
The naming of David Ortiz to the list of offenders of 2003's Major League Baseball survey testing for steroids shined a brand-new light on the performance enhancing drug controversy. He was not the first to be named, as Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, and Manny Ramirez have been reported by The New York Times to be on the list. In all, there are 104 names on the list and, with 30 teams, that makes an average of 3 players per team. Major League Baseball wanted to get a handle on how rampant the problem was, and the Mitchell Report found the 2003 "hit rate" was about 7.94%, or 104 of the 1310 players that appeared in a game in 2003 (643 hitters, 667 pitchers).
My guess is that every "big-market" team or team that was trying to contend in 2003 probably has more than average. Why? Two reasons are clear as to why players take PEDs: to get to the Show and to stay in the Show. The prospects and players hanging on who felt they had to get to the big leagues through questionable means probably amount to about the same for every franchise. Every farm system has those players trying to do whatever it takes to make the majors. But, big-money veterans are more likely to command big money and the teams in contention want the veteran presence on their ball club and are willing to pay handsomely for those services. So, how many juiced players did the teams in contention average? 4? 5?
One of the great "side effects" for players and an allure for PEDs is the thought of another big free agent payday. When age starts eroding their talents, get another payday by staying in the Show for a few more years. When free agency was still shiny and new, you had two big paydays: one in your late 20's and one in your early 30's. Now, you have three, and don't think that is by accident, as players in the mid-to-late 30s scored big when they peddled their services around the league.
Whether your team is a "big-market" team or not, it is all just speculation anyway. Right now, the whole PED drama is more about the trash talk if you root for one of those teams. If you root for the Red Sox before Thursday, you trash-talked the Yankees and their fans. You laughed about how their fan base was duped and how their numbers are inflated or you would be angry at the shot they cost your team from making the playoffs or winning it all. Their records and titles are tainted, you would say. You could say the same if you root for the Mets now. You could call out the teams and the fans who root for them. But, we all know that it is a matter of time before a big name who played for the Mets in 2003 is "outed". You know what they say about people in glass houses?
If a player you loved has not already been tied to "the list" or failed a test since 2003, just wait. Just about every baseball fan out there has a jersey or a poster or a piece of paraphernalia that touts a player who has or will be tied to performance enhancing drugs. The Ortiz situation has helped me arrive at a (possibly convenient) conclusion. Red Sox fans will most likely offer David Ortiz a pass, not because he may not be guilty, but because they cannot possibly fathom disliking him. We all have players we love and we may hold him up higher than we should. But, what is more important: a clean game or a beloved player? The answer is always "a clean game" until you hear a player you love is on "the list".
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