Well, the Indians finally made their move, of course it was a very mystifying time. Eric Wedge has been FIRED!!! (Applause heard throughout the entire city) The announcement comes FOUR DAYS before the end of the season, and the guy is such a "great" guy that he's going to stick around and finish it out. So, why make this announcement today? Why not wait until after the Red Sox sweep us in the final series of the season? There are still six games to be played and the guys in the clubhouse know they don't have to listen to the ass-hat making the lineup. It just boggled my mind that this decision was made today. Why not a week ago? A month ago? Before the fire-sale of trades that took place?
The decision making skills of this regime is just one of the reasons that my "To-Do List" is only partially done. GM Mark Shapiro needs to be the next to go. It's doing things like firing the manager half a week before the end of the season that makes me really dislike the front office of the Cleveland Indians. What is the point of having a guy in the clubhouse who the players are looking at knowing that it doesn't matter one lick what he has to say? Somebody is going to come in next season with (hopefully) a COMPLETELY different view on the game of baseball. I have two words for Larry Dolan. "Mike. Hargrove."
More good news from this. I just read the release on the Cleveland Indians website and it also states that his coaches will be let go. That is great because Carl Willis somehow found two needles in the haystack in 2008 and 2009 with C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee. How those guys did so well under Willis' tutelage is beyond me. This news just makes things so much more sweet. Pretty interesting also that the longest tenured coach in Cleveland is one that was a revolving door for a long time: The Cleveland Cavaliers.
Now for something completely different, there is a Quarterback Controversy in Cleveland! Eric Mangini, who is already on the hot seat after only three games coached in Cleveland, has named Derek Anderson the starter for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Again, let me state that I love this move but it should have been made at the beginning of the season. The fact that it is happening now is something I completely disagree with. Mangini had his battle, picked his horse and now he should be running with it unless the horse (Quinn) goes down with an injury. More mystifying decisions by the lead men in C-Town.
Many of you will remember back in 2007, it was Cincinnati where Derek Anderson had his NFL coming out party. In that game he threw five Touchdowns and just one interception. He had 328 yards on 20 of 33 pass attempts, averaging 16.4 yards per completion. You know what helped the passing game be so efficient? THE RUNNING GAME! I know, it's a crazy thought but when your running game is being used, it makes people think you are going to run and then you can...gasp...THROW! Jamal Lewis had over 200 yards that game, by the way. Hopefully Derek can get in a groove on Sunday and show that he never should have been removed as the starting Quarterback of this team.
One more thing before I call it a day, today. Tomorrow is Day 1 of the NHL Regular Season! I love hockey and I hope I can get to a game down in Columbus this year and see them play the Leafs or the Wild. Have I mentioned before that I HATE the Blue Jackets? Well, I hate the Blue Jackets. I'd also like to get to Pittsburgh and see the Stanley Cup Champions play. Wouldn't mind getting to Hockeytown too! We'll see what happens. I was reading ESPN Magazine and my Wild are picked to finish 8th in the West and the Leafs are picked to finish dead last. Sad. Oh well.
Fire Shapiro. Get a New Owner.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Mangenius??? More Like MangIdiot...
Another Sunday of Browns Football, Another Monday of being embarrassed because of the Sunday of Browns Football, or whatever you want to call the display that the Browns put on yesterday in Baltimore. What a letdown this year already is. Many, myself included, expected for Mangini to come in, make the necessary changes in the locker-room and on the field, only to have it all blow up in our optimistic faces. The Browns organization was so eager to make a change that it may have made things ten times worse then they were before.
When the Browns started looking to interview coaches, one name popped into my mind, and it sure as hell wasn't "Eric Mangini." I like Mangini, I really do, but his decision making, play-calling and lack of emotion are making it harder and harder to like him. No, I wanted to see a great, Super Bowl Winning coach, with REAL Head Coaching experience. Mike Shanahan, fired by the Broncos for very questionable reasons, was right there, not ready to retire from the game of football. Did they even interview the guy? Not a chance! On top of that, they hired Mangini before hiring a General Manager. Dumb, dumb, dumb. We were all dooped, sucked into the "Bill Belichick Coaching Tree" when we should have realized he just fired one of those branches!
And now, in the middle of a debacle that saw the Browns execute punt after punt, he pulls Brady Quinn, the man that HE chose to lead this team into the season, puts him on the bench and inserts Derek Anderson who, in my opinion, should have been the opening day starter. Instead, he gets thrust into a fire without so much as a squirt gun, tries to "gun sling" his team back into contention for the game only to be intercepted thrice. Granted, those interceptions guaranteed me victory in my Fantasy Football League, but it was the wrong move. If Quinn is hurt, that's one thing but from the look of disgust on his face, it's clear to me that Brady Quinn is healthy and may not be in Cleveland much longer.
Mangini said he thought that Anderson could "provide a spark" to the offense. If you look at the stats, Brady Quinn is not the one that couldn't get the offense "sparked." In the first half, Quinn was 6 of 8 passing with 34 yards. You're not going to set the world on fire with those numbers by any means, but clearly he was making good throws, save the interception that he threw in the first two minutes. The problem isn't Quinn. It's the running game, and the fact that the Browns were up against the Ravens defense. If you want Brady Quinn to be the leader of this team, you have to let him lead it whether the team is winning or losing. He's not going to learn anything sitting on the bench while Derek Anderson gets thrown to the wolves. Put him back in the fire and let him lead this team the way he was meant to when he was drafted.
It's not just the offense either. This team is bad on defense as well, which is made apparent by the 34 points they gave up to the Ravens. Kamerion Wimbley is looking so much better than he did a year ago but he is really the only bright spot. The secondary is atrocious, the linebackers look slow and the defensive line gets pushed around like little kids. Maybe bringing all those Jets players in wasn't the best idea in the world. I don't know what they should do but something has got to change.
And now, reports are arising that several players are filing grievances against Mangini due to fines he has been handing out. We're barely three weeks into the season and Mangini is already losing his locker room. Mangini claims that all the fines he has given out were addressed in a team handbook he gave to players at the beginning of the season. This is the same thing that happened in the early part of his time as the New York Jets head coach and will hopefully pass just as it did in the big apple.
In the mean-time, the Detroit Lions have ended their losing streak at 19 games and the Browns is slowly climbing towards double-digits with seemingly no end in sight. The Rams losing streak is a little bit longer but they at least have the potential to break their losing streak. The Browns, on the other hand, look like they have way too much to fix before they can even consider leaving the field with a "W" when the clock reaches 00:00. Something has to give. I just don't know when it will be.
When the Browns started looking to interview coaches, one name popped into my mind, and it sure as hell wasn't "Eric Mangini." I like Mangini, I really do, but his decision making, play-calling and lack of emotion are making it harder and harder to like him. No, I wanted to see a great, Super Bowl Winning coach, with REAL Head Coaching experience. Mike Shanahan, fired by the Broncos for very questionable reasons, was right there, not ready to retire from the game of football. Did they even interview the guy? Not a chance! On top of that, they hired Mangini before hiring a General Manager. Dumb, dumb, dumb. We were all dooped, sucked into the "Bill Belichick Coaching Tree" when we should have realized he just fired one of those branches!
And now, in the middle of a debacle that saw the Browns execute punt after punt, he pulls Brady Quinn, the man that HE chose to lead this team into the season, puts him on the bench and inserts Derek Anderson who, in my opinion, should have been the opening day starter. Instead, he gets thrust into a fire without so much as a squirt gun, tries to "gun sling" his team back into contention for the game only to be intercepted thrice. Granted, those interceptions guaranteed me victory in my Fantasy Football League, but it was the wrong move. If Quinn is hurt, that's one thing but from the look of disgust on his face, it's clear to me that Brady Quinn is healthy and may not be in Cleveland much longer.
Mangini said he thought that Anderson could "provide a spark" to the offense. If you look at the stats, Brady Quinn is not the one that couldn't get the offense "sparked." In the first half, Quinn was 6 of 8 passing with 34 yards. You're not going to set the world on fire with those numbers by any means, but clearly he was making good throws, save the interception that he threw in the first two minutes. The problem isn't Quinn. It's the running game, and the fact that the Browns were up against the Ravens defense. If you want Brady Quinn to be the leader of this team, you have to let him lead it whether the team is winning or losing. He's not going to learn anything sitting on the bench while Derek Anderson gets thrown to the wolves. Put him back in the fire and let him lead this team the way he was meant to when he was drafted.
It's not just the offense either. This team is bad on defense as well, which is made apparent by the 34 points they gave up to the Ravens. Kamerion Wimbley is looking so much better than he did a year ago but he is really the only bright spot. The secondary is atrocious, the linebackers look slow and the defensive line gets pushed around like little kids. Maybe bringing all those Jets players in wasn't the best idea in the world. I don't know what they should do but something has got to change.
And now, reports are arising that several players are filing grievances against Mangini due to fines he has been handing out. We're barely three weeks into the season and Mangini is already losing his locker room. Mangini claims that all the fines he has given out were addressed in a team handbook he gave to players at the beginning of the season. This is the same thing that happened in the early part of his time as the New York Jets head coach and will hopefully pass just as it did in the big apple.
In the mean-time, the Detroit Lions have ended their losing streak at 19 games and the Browns is slowly climbing towards double-digits with seemingly no end in sight. The Rams losing streak is a little bit longer but they at least have the potential to break their losing streak. The Browns, on the other hand, look like they have way too much to fix before they can even consider leaving the field with a "W" when the clock reaches 00:00. Something has to give. I just don't know when it will be.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Crabtree Still Crabby, Crushers Are Champs!
On August 7th I wrote a blog about Michael Crabtree and his hold out. Then, and now, I feel like this kid needs to do some serious soul-searching, fire his cousin/agent and get on a football team. Am I saying that the 49ers should sign him? Hell no. There is no way that Crabtree would fit in on this team now. He has missed the time that was meant for him to build camaraderie with his teammates, he has missed learning the playbook and he has missed out on a TON of money. Which raises the question, what money is Michael Crabtree surviving on right now? Maybe that's another question for another time.
Mike Singletary, in my honest opinion, couldn't care less if Michael Crabtree shows up, contract in hand, ready to play. This kid is not going to be a 49er. It just can't happen. His potential teammates should be upset because he kind of left them hanging, thinking they would have a stud receiver to help the turnaround of this once proud franchise. Instead, they are 2-0 without him and his value to them drops with every victory. Now, the Niners are accusing other teams of tampering with Crabtree while he holds out.
The biggest loser in all of this is going to end up being Crabtree. He was the tenth overall pick in the 2009 Draft in the class that was mediocre to say the least. Next year, he is looking at being involved in a draft that could be one of the strongest ever, top to bottom. Because of the potential for a lockout for the 2011 NFL Season, many players who would, under normal circumstances, stick around for their Senior season in college, will head for the NFL. Why would they stick around and possibly not have an employer after they graduate? Unless something drastic changes with the Collective Bargaining Agreement between now and the draft, Crabtree could end up being the 5th or 6th best receiver available in the draft, and out of all the players who could come out, he could end up at the bottom of the 1st round or even become a 2nd round pick.
One last thought on this: Mike, your agent/cousin knows that he doesn't get paid unless you do, doesn't he?
Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2009 Frontier League Champions, the Lake Erie Crushers!!! (Applause)
That's right, the season of dreams ended like a true Fantasy. A year ago, this team hadn't even been named. The website was simply "avonprobaseball.com" and they hadn't even started the "Name the Team" competition. Now this group of guys can call themselves Champions. The season ended with a 13-10 victory over the River City Rascals in O'Fallon, Missouri. The game was decided on a 7-run fifth inning in which the Crushers sent 10 men to the plate. The Rascals made it interesting though, scoring two runs in the sixth, three in the seventh and two more in the ninth. But the Crushers did their fair of scoring as well, always answering the Rascals runs.
Paul Fagan ended up being credited with the victory, a fitting player to do so as he dominated the Frontier League all season. The Crushers really utilized their entire pitching staff though, using five arms to get the victory. Eddie Tisdale and Arden McWilliams each had 3-hit nights for the Crushers with McWilliams driving in three runs. Todd Balduf also contributed two hits and three RBI. Andrew Davis was named the Most Valuable Player of the Championship series, as he hit .324 in the post-season. As a team, the Crusher hit .267 in the post season, scoring more runs than anyone (52) and the second most Home Runs (11).
Now, if only the other baseball team in the Cleveland area could figure out how to win a game...
Fire Wedge. Fire Shapiro. Get a New Owner.
Mike Singletary, in my honest opinion, couldn't care less if Michael Crabtree shows up, contract in hand, ready to play. This kid is not going to be a 49er. It just can't happen. His potential teammates should be upset because he kind of left them hanging, thinking they would have a stud receiver to help the turnaround of this once proud franchise. Instead, they are 2-0 without him and his value to them drops with every victory. Now, the Niners are accusing other teams of tampering with Crabtree while he holds out.
The biggest loser in all of this is going to end up being Crabtree. He was the tenth overall pick in the 2009 Draft in the class that was mediocre to say the least. Next year, he is looking at being involved in a draft that could be one of the strongest ever, top to bottom. Because of the potential for a lockout for the 2011 NFL Season, many players who would, under normal circumstances, stick around for their Senior season in college, will head for the NFL. Why would they stick around and possibly not have an employer after they graduate? Unless something drastic changes with the Collective Bargaining Agreement between now and the draft, Crabtree could end up being the 5th or 6th best receiver available in the draft, and out of all the players who could come out, he could end up at the bottom of the 1st round or even become a 2nd round pick.
One last thought on this: Mike, your agent/cousin knows that he doesn't get paid unless you do, doesn't he?
Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2009 Frontier League Champions, the Lake Erie Crushers!!! (Applause)
That's right, the season of dreams ended like a true Fantasy. A year ago, this team hadn't even been named. The website was simply "avonprobaseball.com" and they hadn't even started the "Name the Team" competition. Now this group of guys can call themselves Champions. The season ended with a 13-10 victory over the River City Rascals in O'Fallon, Missouri. The game was decided on a 7-run fifth inning in which the Crushers sent 10 men to the plate. The Rascals made it interesting though, scoring two runs in the sixth, three in the seventh and two more in the ninth. But the Crushers did their fair of scoring as well, always answering the Rascals runs.
Paul Fagan ended up being credited with the victory, a fitting player to do so as he dominated the Frontier League all season. The Crushers really utilized their entire pitching staff though, using five arms to get the victory. Eddie Tisdale and Arden McWilliams each had 3-hit nights for the Crushers with McWilliams driving in three runs. Todd Balduf also contributed two hits and three RBI. Andrew Davis was named the Most Valuable Player of the Championship series, as he hit .324 in the post-season. As a team, the Crusher hit .267 in the post season, scoring more runs than anyone (52) and the second most Home Runs (11).
Now, if only the other baseball team in the Cleveland area could figure out how to win a game...
Fire Wedge. Fire Shapiro. Get a New Owner.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Crushers Stay Alive, Browns Go Down in Flames
Last night, facing elimination for the second straight game, the Lake Erie Crushers, led by an Andrew Davis Grand Slam, forced a fifth and deciding game in the Frontier League Championship series. After the River City Rascals pitcher, Stephen Flake, walked the bases loaded with two outs, Andrew Davis came up and delivered not only a bases loaded blast, but the first hit of the game for the Crushers. The Rascals only run came in the 1st inning when Chad Maddox drove in Scott Houin to score River City's only run of the game.
On the mound for the Crushers, no one saw more than four innings of work. Brent Lysander went the first four innings, giving up just the one run on four River City hits. The bullpen of Josh Faiola, Jacinto Gonell, Alberto Rolon and JJ Pacella combined for five innings of 3-hit, no-run baseball. Those three hits were allowed by Faiola in his 2 & 1/3 innings of relief.
Andrew Davis has been a model of consistency for the Crushers in the post-season, putting up a .324 batting average to go along with the one home run, six RBI and five runs scored. Though they didn't do much last night, Eddie Tisdale and Tyler Johnson have also been great in the playoffs. They are batting .344 and .324 respectively, with eight RBI a piece and one and two Home Runs respectively. These three will have to be productive again on Wednesday night for the Crushers to win the Frontier League Championship in just their first season of existence.
From winners to losers. The Browns look like hell and I don't see it changing anytime soon. Cleveland looked awful in their 24-6 loss to the Broncos on Sunday. It's becoming clearer and clearer that this team does not have the right Quarterback on the field. Is Derek Anderson the right QB to have on the field? I don't know but I want to find out sooner rather than later. There are so many things wrong with this team and I know they can't all be fixed at once, but can we at least make a little progress? The Browns haven't scored a LEGITIMATE touchdown since November of last year. Are you kidding me!?
Our drives get a good head of steam going from the 20 to midfield and then get derailed by dumb penalties or bad execution. The pocket collapses like a cheap card table around Quinn as he tries to throw, and his internal clock ticks for about three seconds too long when he finally decides it's time to get rid of the ball. I know the O-Line isn't helping very much but Brady needs to show a LOT better presence when he's back looking to throw. I feel like he goes through nine or 10 progressions before he decides he better get rid of the ball. Something needs to change, and quick, if the Browns want to avoid an 0-16 season.
The Indians still suck.
Fire Wedge. Fire Shapiro. Get a New Owner.
On the mound for the Crushers, no one saw more than four innings of work. Brent Lysander went the first four innings, giving up just the one run on four River City hits. The bullpen of Josh Faiola, Jacinto Gonell, Alberto Rolon and JJ Pacella combined for five innings of 3-hit, no-run baseball. Those three hits were allowed by Faiola in his 2 & 1/3 innings of relief.
Andrew Davis has been a model of consistency for the Crushers in the post-season, putting up a .324 batting average to go along with the one home run, six RBI and five runs scored. Though they didn't do much last night, Eddie Tisdale and Tyler Johnson have also been great in the playoffs. They are batting .344 and .324 respectively, with eight RBI a piece and one and two Home Runs respectively. These three will have to be productive again on Wednesday night for the Crushers to win the Frontier League Championship in just their first season of existence.
From winners to losers. The Browns look like hell and I don't see it changing anytime soon. Cleveland looked awful in their 24-6 loss to the Broncos on Sunday. It's becoming clearer and clearer that this team does not have the right Quarterback on the field. Is Derek Anderson the right QB to have on the field? I don't know but I want to find out sooner rather than later. There are so many things wrong with this team and I know they can't all be fixed at once, but can we at least make a little progress? The Browns haven't scored a LEGITIMATE touchdown since November of last year. Are you kidding me!?
Our drives get a good head of steam going from the 20 to midfield and then get derailed by dumb penalties or bad execution. The pocket collapses like a cheap card table around Quinn as he tries to throw, and his internal clock ticks for about three seconds too long when he finally decides it's time to get rid of the ball. I know the O-Line isn't helping very much but Brady needs to show a LOT better presence when he's back looking to throw. I feel like he goes through nine or 10 progressions before he decides he better get rid of the ball. Something needs to change, and quick, if the Browns want to avoid an 0-16 season.
The Indians still suck.
Fire Wedge. Fire Shapiro. Get a New Owner.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Quick Hits III
I've been gone for far too long, so let's get caught up on some stuff!!!
First, my Bowling Green Falcons. BGSU started off with a big win over Troy State University, coming back from 14 down to win 31-14. The new season was off to a great start! Our new coaching staff is phenomenal and they have made this team everything they should be! Unfortunately, game two against Missouri ended with a heart-breaking loss, 27-20. The Falcons held a 20-6 lead in the middle of the 3rd quarter but just couldn't hold on. Missouri proved to be a bit too strong for the Falcons. This week, BG travels to West Virginia to take on former MAC Foe, Marshall. I don't see the Falcons having any problems taking down this team. Big win to go home with.
The Browns started the season with a disappointing showing against the Minnesota Vikings. Brady Quinn looked absolutely terrible, except for one drive that saw the Browns FINALLY end their offensive scoring drought. Braylon got called for some dumb penalties, the offensive line couldn't protect Quinn, the defensive line couldn't stop Adrian Peterson and the only bright spot was Josh Cribbs still playing like Josh Cribbs. A buddy of mine said it best, halftime leads are a great indicator of nothing, unless of course you lose by two, or pretty much three touchdowns. Then it's an indicator that you suck indescribably. While I think there is some potential with this team, there is no denying that they suck. But I will root for them all year, because that's what fans do.
The Indians are still playing for another couple weeks. Let's just leave it at that so my head doesn't explode.
In the Frontier League, the Crushers clinched a birth in the Championship Series against the River City Rascals. Last night, Lake Erie beat Kalamazoo, 6-2 in a 10-inning game to win the "Wild Card" series three games to two. What a magical season! In just their first year of existence, they finished the regular season with a GREAT record, won their first playoff series and now have a chance to win the Frontier League Championship. It's awesome to have some good baseball in these parts!
Ohio State lost to USC on Saturday night, everyone knows that. What they don't know is that there is no reason that game should have been that close. I honestly thought that USC was going to come into the Shoe and take the Buckeyes behind the woodshed. I know there is no such thing as a moral victory in college football but the Buckeyes should be proud that they were able to keep up with a USC team that has a ton of returning starters.
Serena Williams is a scary chick when she's pissed off. Did you see the look on that Line Judge's face when Serena said she would "shove a f------ tennis ball down (her) f------ throat?" Damn. There is one woman I never want to see in a dark alley! Granted, the foot fault call was absolutely wrong, but what Serena did was even more wrong. The punishments she may receive could be catastrophic to her career. Stay tuned to this one folks!
Well, I think that covers everything for now. Questions? Comments? Got an idea for something I should write about? Let me know!!!
First, my Bowling Green Falcons. BGSU started off with a big win over Troy State University, coming back from 14 down to win 31-14. The new season was off to a great start! Our new coaching staff is phenomenal and they have made this team everything they should be! Unfortunately, game two against Missouri ended with a heart-breaking loss, 27-20. The Falcons held a 20-6 lead in the middle of the 3rd quarter but just couldn't hold on. Missouri proved to be a bit too strong for the Falcons. This week, BG travels to West Virginia to take on former MAC Foe, Marshall. I don't see the Falcons having any problems taking down this team. Big win to go home with.
The Browns started the season with a disappointing showing against the Minnesota Vikings. Brady Quinn looked absolutely terrible, except for one drive that saw the Browns FINALLY end their offensive scoring drought. Braylon got called for some dumb penalties, the offensive line couldn't protect Quinn, the defensive line couldn't stop Adrian Peterson and the only bright spot was Josh Cribbs still playing like Josh Cribbs. A buddy of mine said it best, halftime leads are a great indicator of nothing, unless of course you lose by two, or pretty much three touchdowns. Then it's an indicator that you suck indescribably. While I think there is some potential with this team, there is no denying that they suck. But I will root for them all year, because that's what fans do.
The Indians are still playing for another couple weeks. Let's just leave it at that so my head doesn't explode.
In the Frontier League, the Crushers clinched a birth in the Championship Series against the River City Rascals. Last night, Lake Erie beat Kalamazoo, 6-2 in a 10-inning game to win the "Wild Card" series three games to two. What a magical season! In just their first year of existence, they finished the regular season with a GREAT record, won their first playoff series and now have a chance to win the Frontier League Championship. It's awesome to have some good baseball in these parts!
Ohio State lost to USC on Saturday night, everyone knows that. What they don't know is that there is no reason that game should have been that close. I honestly thought that USC was going to come into the Shoe and take the Buckeyes behind the woodshed. I know there is no such thing as a moral victory in college football but the Buckeyes should be proud that they were able to keep up with a USC team that has a ton of returning starters.
Serena Williams is a scary chick when she's pissed off. Did you see the look on that Line Judge's face when Serena said she would "shove a f------ tennis ball down (her) f------ throat?" Damn. There is one woman I never want to see in a dark alley! Granted, the foot fault call was absolutely wrong, but what Serena did was even more wrong. The punishments she may receive could be catastrophic to her career. Stay tuned to this one folks!
Well, I think that covers everything for now. Questions? Comments? Got an idea for something I should write about? Let me know!!!
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