That's Just Not Cricket.
Warning to all non-sports fans, keep scrolling down your friends list because I'm about to set off a long-winded sports-related post.
Let's see what's going on in the wide world of Bobbo's favorite teams...
*We always start off with my favorite team, no matter what the sport, the Yankees. And let me tell you, things certainly could be better for the Bronx Bombers. July was a great month which saw the Yanks run off with a nice winning streak. But so far, August has not been as nice. So far, they're 4-5 in the month, losing series to Cleveland and most recently to Chicago. It was a really tough series loss to the White Sox, though, considering how well the Yankees' pitching staff played. All three of the series were close games. 3-2 win, 2-1 loss, and a 2-1 extra-inning loss. This month can end up being a godsend at the end of the month, though. On the schedule are series with teams the Yankees should beat, including Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Toronto... also sprinkled in are series with the Rangers and a rematch with the White Sox.
None the matter, the Yankees to win early and often. Right now, they find themselves down in the AL East race by 5.5 to Boston, which is quite ugly to look at. And it's really awkward as a Yankee fan to be looking at the Wild Card standings after spending the last 7 years looking down on the rest of the AL. The times, they are a-changin'. It doesn't help that Boston's on a hot streak of their own. I can only hope that the tides shift for a 7+ game winning streak for New York, and a 5+ game losing streak for Boston.
I blame the downfall on the inconsistency and ghastly number of injuries to the starting rotation as the problem with the Yankees this year. And news didn't get any better. Carl Pavano has rotator cuff tendonitis, meaning he's probably out for the rest of the year. Randy Johnson has his back acting up. He's not going on the DL, but he is forcing Scott Proctor to start for him tonight. Chien-Ming Wang, who was a savior to the staff and a legit rookie of the year contender until his injury, is still out with no signs of him coming back any time soon, if at all. Jaret Wright looks to rejoin the team soon, but does the team really want him? I mean, in 4 starts he was torn to shreds by the opposition, save for one decent outing against the Orioles early in the season. Of course, the Yanks need as much help as they can. Hell, I wouldn't be opposed to an 8-man starting rotation should all the starters come back.
I mention the battered rotation, and I hear it every day on ESPN. But you really have to give props to the pitchers who have stepped up and have blown everyone away, leaving analysts scratching their heads saying "Who knew?". I talking about Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon. Small was a career minor-leaguer until this year. Over 10 years in the minors, finally gets a call up from the Yanks. And damn, he has not disappointed. In 4 starts (and 1 relief appearance), he's 3-0 with a 2.67 ERA. Shawn Chacon was acquired from the Rockies at the trade deadline. And in 3 starts for the Yanks, he has 2 no-decisions and a loss, but he's pitched so much better than that. Only 6 earned runs since joining the Yanks. He's striking out 175% more batters in New York than he did in Colorado, turning him from a ground-ball pitcher into a legit ground-ball/strikeout pitcher. Don't sleep on these guys. They're really holding the rotation together.
*And now for the info on the other team from New York, the Mets. It looks like the NL East title is just about out of reach for the Mets, seeing them 8 games back. But thank god for the wild card. Mets are more than in it, standing only 3.5 back, even with the loss today. I still have high hopes that the Mets can bag a playoff berth, especially with the Nats playing like crap, the Phillies overachieving, and the Marlins ultimately not a playoff threat. The only real problem separating the Mets from the Wild Card is the Houston Astros. That's why it's going to be important for the Mets to get streaky, rapping off several wins in a row and hope to gain ground on the 'Stros.
But what could really hurt is the potential for injury to Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran after their collision in today's game. Man, it gives me a headache just watching that video of it. I can already make an assumption that neither will be in the starting line up tomorrow, and who knows how long afterward. And the Mets offense will take a huge hit with their absence.
I'm still driving the Pedro Martinez for Cy Young Award fan bus. Look at those numbers. 12-4, 3.00 ERA, 167 strikeouts. He's a true leader and a versatile ace of the rotation. You can make arguments for Roger Clemens and Chris Carpenter, but you have to go to the person who truly is the most valuable pitcher on the squad. The Stros have Oswalt and Pettitte, the Cards have .. basically everyone. Yes, the Mets have Kris Benson and Tom Glavine, but they aren't nearly the caliber of pitcher Pedro is.
*NFL Kickoff: T-minus 20 days, 1 hour, 13 minutes.
*I am stoked for the NFL Season to get underway. Here are some reports on how I think, and hope, my teams will fair this year:
-New York Giants: I have high hopes for the G-men this year. Eli showed signs of greatness at the end of last year, and then they signed a big game receiver in Plaxico Burress for Manning to throw to. Plax has had some offseason injuries, but I expect him to be healthy this year. Even if Plax goes down, the WR is a very versatile position for the Giants. Amani Toomer, Tim Carter, David Tyree, Willie Ponder. They all have shown signs of being great in the past. I look for Tim Carter to be a household name by the end of this season. Oh, and let's get started talking defense too. Micheal Strahan is making his comeback this year. So all you QBs out there, beware of him exploding off that right side. Also, some key pick ups during the offseason really bolster the defense, in Kareem McKenzie and Antonio Pierce. And I personally believe that the Giants have the best secondary in the game. Gibril Wilson, Shaun Williams, and Will Allen are all completely underrated secondary defenders.
As for expectations, I don't know what to think. I know this year's Giants are more than capable of acquiring a playoff berth, but I honestly think they have a legitimate shot of stealing the NFC East division title from the Eagles this year. The Eagles are under so much turmoil and injuries that they won't come close to repeating the season they had last year. They're defense is still tough, but their offense is in BIG trouble. TO will probably not play, and even if he does, won't give the Eagles 100%. The rest of their wide receiver core has blown up with Freddie Mitchell getting traded, Todd Pinkston rupturing his achilles tendon, and the rest of the wide receivers vastly unknown. That, and the Redskins will suck again this year. The only team that'll compete with the G-Men for the division this year is going to be the Cowboys, just like the good old days.
-St. Louis Rams: Last year was pretty lackluster, despite a share of the NFC West title. But they proved they were unfit for that playoff berth as they were shilacked by the far superior Falcons. But there have been some changes this year from last year. Steven Jackson will take the starting role from Marshall Faulk. I like this move. Marshall has lost a step or two in recent years, and Jackson can be explosive in the backfield. I smell another star in the making. Also, don't sleep on Tory Holt, still one of the best wide receivers in the game today. And that O-line is still top notch with Orlando Pace. The defense is nothing to sneeze at either, what with Aeneas Williams still patrolling the left CB position. I don't see a Super Bowl run, maybe not even a playoff berth, but with the switch to start Stephen Jackson over Marshall Faulk, I think the Rams can build and have a good '05-'06 season. If Bulger can recapture the '03 glory, I'd say the Rams win the NFC West again.
-Seattle Seahawks: They managed to keep Shawn Alexander another year. Excellent. This is going to be simple and not as long-winded, Alexander simply makes Seattle a better team. All the Hawks need is Hasselback, Alexander, Robinson, and their two phenom corners on defense, and they'll be nearly automatic contenders. I can see them fighting the Rams for the NFC West title again.
-Buffalo Bills: Laugh if you want, I really think the Bills have a legit shot at winning the AFC East-- the very same division as the Patriots. How do I justify my thinking? The Pats lost a lot of personel that helped make them winners. They've lost a real emotional leader in Tedy Bruschi. And several Patriots have had their egos inflated, including now common Hollywood red-carpet arm man Tom Brady and defensive end Richard Seymour, who's demanding a raise and threatening to hold out. And with the Pats loss comes the Bills gain. They released Bledsoe who was holding them back and have a fresh arm in JP Losman. McGahee will have another stellar year. And Eric Moulds is still an excellent wide-out. I feel this is the Bills' season.
*I'm also up to my arms in Fantasy Football again. I'm in 3 leauges, though only the CoN league has drafted so far. I feel real good about my team this year. Take a gander:
QB - Drew Brees, QB - JP Losman, WR - Tory Holt, WR - Drew Bennett, WR - Plaxico Burress, WR - Amani Toomer, WR - Antwaan Randle-El RB - Steven Jackson, RB - Ronnie Brown, RB - Travis Henry*, RB - Jerome Bettis, TE - Alge Crumpler, TE - Jeremy Shockey*, K - Ryan Longwell, K - Jay Feely, DEF - New England, and DEF - Houston
(*-pending trade with Gabe)
Now that team is stacked. I like my odds with this team. Rage Bombers III taking it all the way again, suckers.
*I'm also getting pretty stoked about the upcoming NBA season. Here's some analysis on my pair of favorite teams ...
-Sacramento Kings: The Kings recently completed a three-way trade, acquiring Bonzi Wells from Memphis, and shipping out Greg Ostertag to Utah and Bobby Jackson to Memphis. I like this move. Bonzi is a lot of trouble, but the Kings did themselves a favor by getting rid of two albatrosses in the aged Ostertag and the oft-injured reserve guard Jackson. Bonzi will take C-Web's spot in the lineup. Next step for the Kings is lock up Peja for the next 5 or 6 years. It's his team now.
-Boston Celtics: How excited am I about this upcoming Boston season? Very. So much so that I am calling that the C's will be the #2 seed in the East playoffs this year. They drafted the most athletic kid in the draft in Gerald Green, and have a magnificent trio of young guys in Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Kendrell Perkins, who all work with such great chemistry. And last I checked, the C's still have Paul Pierce too. The Celtics didn't re-sign Gary Payton or Antoine Walker, but that's ok. Jefferson and West would have rendered them obsolete in a couple year anyway. I'm kind of concerned how the Celtics' brass is treating Paul Pierce. He's been a superstar in the leauge for years now and he's not even 30 yet, so he's still in his prime. The GM, president, and whoever else needs to start kissing some serious booty and pray to the god of basketball that Paul Pierce doesn't walk after this year.
*Am I the only one stoked that hockey is back? I honestly think I am. But I am stoked it's back. I have some serious plans of getting up to Montreal to watch the Habs again. Speaking of the Habs, they made one hell of a smart move recently. While it seems a lot of teams are making big time roster moves, it's the move that the Canadiens didn't make that rocks the hardest. They re-signed a key piece of their team in Alexei Kovolov. He, Saiku Kovu, and Jose Theodore together make the Habs a threat to the Atlantic Division. I can't wait for this season to begin. :)
Let's see what's going on in the wide world of Bobbo's favorite teams...
*We always start off with my favorite team, no matter what the sport, the Yankees. And let me tell you, things certainly could be better for the Bronx Bombers. July was a great month which saw the Yanks run off with a nice winning streak. But so far, August has not been as nice. So far, they're 4-5 in the month, losing series to Cleveland and most recently to Chicago. It was a really tough series loss to the White Sox, though, considering how well the Yankees' pitching staff played. All three of the series were close games. 3-2 win, 2-1 loss, and a 2-1 extra-inning loss. This month can end up being a godsend at the end of the month, though. On the schedule are series with teams the Yankees should beat, including Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Toronto... also sprinkled in are series with the Rangers and a rematch with the White Sox.
None the matter, the Yankees to win early and often. Right now, they find themselves down in the AL East race by 5.5 to Boston, which is quite ugly to look at. And it's really awkward as a Yankee fan to be looking at the Wild Card standings after spending the last 7 years looking down on the rest of the AL. The times, they are a-changin'. It doesn't help that Boston's on a hot streak of their own. I can only hope that the tides shift for a 7+ game winning streak for New York, and a 5+ game losing streak for Boston.
I blame the downfall on the inconsistency and ghastly number of injuries to the starting rotation as the problem with the Yankees this year. And news didn't get any better. Carl Pavano has rotator cuff tendonitis, meaning he's probably out for the rest of the year. Randy Johnson has his back acting up. He's not going on the DL, but he is forcing Scott Proctor to start for him tonight. Chien-Ming Wang, who was a savior to the staff and a legit rookie of the year contender until his injury, is still out with no signs of him coming back any time soon, if at all. Jaret Wright looks to rejoin the team soon, but does the team really want him? I mean, in 4 starts he was torn to shreds by the opposition, save for one decent outing against the Orioles early in the season. Of course, the Yanks need as much help as they can. Hell, I wouldn't be opposed to an 8-man starting rotation should all the starters come back.
I mention the battered rotation, and I hear it every day on ESPN. But you really have to give props to the pitchers who have stepped up and have blown everyone away, leaving analysts scratching their heads saying "Who knew?". I talking about Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon. Small was a career minor-leaguer until this year. Over 10 years in the minors, finally gets a call up from the Yanks. And damn, he has not disappointed. In 4 starts (and 1 relief appearance), he's 3-0 with a 2.67 ERA. Shawn Chacon was acquired from the Rockies at the trade deadline. And in 3 starts for the Yanks, he has 2 no-decisions and a loss, but he's pitched so much better than that. Only 6 earned runs since joining the Yanks. He's striking out 175% more batters in New York than he did in Colorado, turning him from a ground-ball pitcher into a legit ground-ball/strikeout pitcher. Don't sleep on these guys. They're really holding the rotation together.
*And now for the info on the other team from New York, the Mets. It looks like the NL East title is just about out of reach for the Mets, seeing them 8 games back. But thank god for the wild card. Mets are more than in it, standing only 3.5 back, even with the loss today. I still have high hopes that the Mets can bag a playoff berth, especially with the Nats playing like crap, the Phillies overachieving, and the Marlins ultimately not a playoff threat. The only real problem separating the Mets from the Wild Card is the Houston Astros. That's why it's going to be important for the Mets to get streaky, rapping off several wins in a row and hope to gain ground on the 'Stros.
But what could really hurt is the potential for injury to Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran after their collision in today's game. Man, it gives me a headache just watching that video of it. I can already make an assumption that neither will be in the starting line up tomorrow, and who knows how long afterward. And the Mets offense will take a huge hit with their absence.
I'm still driving the Pedro Martinez for Cy Young Award fan bus. Look at those numbers. 12-4, 3.00 ERA, 167 strikeouts. He's a true leader and a versatile ace of the rotation. You can make arguments for Roger Clemens and Chris Carpenter, but you have to go to the person who truly is the most valuable pitcher on the squad. The Stros have Oswalt and Pettitte, the Cards have .. basically everyone. Yes, the Mets have Kris Benson and Tom Glavine, but they aren't nearly the caliber of pitcher Pedro is.
*NFL Kickoff: T-minus 20 days, 1 hour, 13 minutes.
*I am stoked for the NFL Season to get underway. Here are some reports on how I think, and hope, my teams will fair this year:
-New York Giants: I have high hopes for the G-men this year. Eli showed signs of greatness at the end of last year, and then they signed a big game receiver in Plaxico Burress for Manning to throw to. Plax has had some offseason injuries, but I expect him to be healthy this year. Even if Plax goes down, the WR is a very versatile position for the Giants. Amani Toomer, Tim Carter, David Tyree, Willie Ponder. They all have shown signs of being great in the past. I look for Tim Carter to be a household name by the end of this season. Oh, and let's get started talking defense too. Micheal Strahan is making his comeback this year. So all you QBs out there, beware of him exploding off that right side. Also, some key pick ups during the offseason really bolster the defense, in Kareem McKenzie and Antonio Pierce. And I personally believe that the Giants have the best secondary in the game. Gibril Wilson, Shaun Williams, and Will Allen are all completely underrated secondary defenders.
As for expectations, I don't know what to think. I know this year's Giants are more than capable of acquiring a playoff berth, but I honestly think they have a legitimate shot of stealing the NFC East division title from the Eagles this year. The Eagles are under so much turmoil and injuries that they won't come close to repeating the season they had last year. They're defense is still tough, but their offense is in BIG trouble. TO will probably not play, and even if he does, won't give the Eagles 100%. The rest of their wide receiver core has blown up with Freddie Mitchell getting traded, Todd Pinkston rupturing his achilles tendon, and the rest of the wide receivers vastly unknown. That, and the Redskins will suck again this year. The only team that'll compete with the G-Men for the division this year is going to be the Cowboys, just like the good old days.
-St. Louis Rams: Last year was pretty lackluster, despite a share of the NFC West title. But they proved they were unfit for that playoff berth as they were shilacked by the far superior Falcons. But there have been some changes this year from last year. Steven Jackson will take the starting role from Marshall Faulk. I like this move. Marshall has lost a step or two in recent years, and Jackson can be explosive in the backfield. I smell another star in the making. Also, don't sleep on Tory Holt, still one of the best wide receivers in the game today. And that O-line is still top notch with Orlando Pace. The defense is nothing to sneeze at either, what with Aeneas Williams still patrolling the left CB position. I don't see a Super Bowl run, maybe not even a playoff berth, but with the switch to start Stephen Jackson over Marshall Faulk, I think the Rams can build and have a good '05-'06 season. If Bulger can recapture the '03 glory, I'd say the Rams win the NFC West again.
-Seattle Seahawks: They managed to keep Shawn Alexander another year. Excellent. This is going to be simple and not as long-winded, Alexander simply makes Seattle a better team. All the Hawks need is Hasselback, Alexander, Robinson, and their two phenom corners on defense, and they'll be nearly automatic contenders. I can see them fighting the Rams for the NFC West title again.
-Buffalo Bills: Laugh if you want, I really think the Bills have a legit shot at winning the AFC East-- the very same division as the Patriots. How do I justify my thinking? The Pats lost a lot of personel that helped make them winners. They've lost a real emotional leader in Tedy Bruschi. And several Patriots have had their egos inflated, including now common Hollywood red-carpet arm man Tom Brady and defensive end Richard Seymour, who's demanding a raise and threatening to hold out. And with the Pats loss comes the Bills gain. They released Bledsoe who was holding them back and have a fresh arm in JP Losman. McGahee will have another stellar year. And Eric Moulds is still an excellent wide-out. I feel this is the Bills' season.
*I'm also up to my arms in Fantasy Football again. I'm in 3 leauges, though only the CoN league has drafted so far. I feel real good about my team this year. Take a gander:
QB - Drew Brees, QB - JP Losman, WR - Tory Holt, WR - Drew Bennett, WR - Plaxico Burress, WR - Amani Toomer, WR - Antwaan Randle-El RB - Steven Jackson, RB - Ronnie Brown, RB - Travis Henry*, RB - Jerome Bettis, TE - Alge Crumpler, TE - Jeremy Shockey*, K - Ryan Longwell, K - Jay Feely, DEF - New England, and DEF - Houston
(*-pending trade with Gabe)
Now that team is stacked. I like my odds with this team. Rage Bombers III taking it all the way again, suckers.
*I'm also getting pretty stoked about the upcoming NBA season. Here's some analysis on my pair of favorite teams ...
-Sacramento Kings: The Kings recently completed a three-way trade, acquiring Bonzi Wells from Memphis, and shipping out Greg Ostertag to Utah and Bobby Jackson to Memphis. I like this move. Bonzi is a lot of trouble, but the Kings did themselves a favor by getting rid of two albatrosses in the aged Ostertag and the oft-injured reserve guard Jackson. Bonzi will take C-Web's spot in the lineup. Next step for the Kings is lock up Peja for the next 5 or 6 years. It's his team now.
-Boston Celtics: How excited am I about this upcoming Boston season? Very. So much so that I am calling that the C's will be the #2 seed in the East playoffs this year. They drafted the most athletic kid in the draft in Gerald Green, and have a magnificent trio of young guys in Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Kendrell Perkins, who all work with such great chemistry. And last I checked, the C's still have Paul Pierce too. The Celtics didn't re-sign Gary Payton or Antoine Walker, but that's ok. Jefferson and West would have rendered them obsolete in a couple year anyway. I'm kind of concerned how the Celtics' brass is treating Paul Pierce. He's been a superstar in the leauge for years now and he's not even 30 yet, so he's still in his prime. The GM, president, and whoever else needs to start kissing some serious booty and pray to the god of basketball that Paul Pierce doesn't walk after this year.
*Am I the only one stoked that hockey is back? I honestly think I am. But I am stoked it's back. I have some serious plans of getting up to Montreal to watch the Habs again. Speaking of the Habs, they made one hell of a smart move recently. While it seems a lot of teams are making big time roster moves, it's the move that the Canadiens didn't make that rocks the hardest. They re-signed a key piece of their team in Alexei Kovolov. He, Saiku Kovu, and Jose Theodore together make the Habs a threat to the Atlantic Division. I can't wait for this season to begin. :)