One of the Original Boys of Summer

 

If you're not supposed to talk bad of the dead then how come every article I read about The Duke of Flatbush discusses tax evasion and his malcontent attitude?  He had one bad day at the dish and proclaimed afterwards that Dodger fans don't deserve a pennant.  Yet, somehow that line has remained a part of his legacy over the years.  Although, most articles do mention some of his memorable moments, including two splendid catches, one of which robbed the Phillies Willie "Puddin Head" Jones of a homerun at the old Connie Mack Stadium, we still don't know much about one of the best centerfielders in the history of baseball.  Even Endy Chavez has one memorable catch in his career that people will talk about forever.  I understand that The Duke takes a backseat to the Say Hey Kid and the Mick, but do sports reporters have to pour salt on his wounds by writing about avocado farming rather than his impact as a baseball player?

Bartolo Pitches Well While Sucking Wind

What's more fascinating - that Bartolo Colon pitches impressively or that he actually impressed the Yankees coaching staff with his first outing of the spring?  This is the 26 time World Champion New York Yankees and they are actually getting excited about a 37 year old pitcher who hasn't pitched in the major leagues in 18 months.  This guy actually lost some weight in the off-season and he still came into camp at a whopping 267 pounds.  Colon has a better chance of opening holes for Brandon Jacobs than he does at pitching effectively at the back end of the Yankees rotation.  Bartolo makes Boomer Wells look thin.  I'm sure he will be a good mentor for Joba Chamberlain, who has no plate discipline of his own at the dinner table.  Joba got big on Nebraska's beef and potatoes.  You can only imagine how big Joba is going to get after Bartolo introduces him to rice and beans.

Maybe I need a better HDTV, but Carmelo Anthony, rocking number 7 and the headband, looks so similar to old-Knick Al Harrington from afar on the court.  Am I the only one who thinks there is a similarity?

Bring It

Charlie Sheen challenged CBS executives to "Bring It" last week on the Dan Patrick Show.  I haven't been more pumped up over a line since Todd Beamer said, "Let's Roll" on Flight 93.  Charlie actually has a very good point that he was trying to get across to Dan Patrick.  As Sarah Palin pointed out during the 2008 campaign, America loves Joe six-pack - the hard working American who kicks his feet up at the end of the day and enjoys a few brewskies.  But, Charlie, with his multi-million dollar salary, is not your average American.  So, instead of a few beers, he tends to relax with some broads and drugs.  He's not the first person in Hollywood to let loose that way.  So, how does Chuck Lorre pull the plug on Charlie simply because he works hard and parties harder?  As long as Charlie is not a train wreck on the set, who is Lorre to police his actions off it.

Chauncey Feeling Melo

How do you feel right now if you are Chauncey Billups?  After struggling early in his career, Billups was able to obtain a ring in Detroit and valiantly return home to Denver with his family when he was traded to the Nuggets. In a league where players are not always able to control their own destiny, Billups had what every player wants - the large contract and the ability to play in a city that is best for his family.  Chauncey was able to spend his morning and afternoon with his wife and kids before playing ball at night at the Pepsi Center.  Now, he is constantly on the road despite playing "home" games at the Garden all because Melo, a disgruntled superstar, twisted the arms of the Denver Nuggets and forced Masai Ujiri to deal him to New  York.  How can Chauncey possibly get along with Melo on the same team after Melo's selfishness lead to his upheaval from Denver?

Balkman is Back!

The Knicks shipped Gallo, Chandler, Felton, Mozgov, and draft picks  in a three team deal to bring back Renaldo Balkman and also receive throw-ins Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Sheldon Williams, Anthony Carter and Corey Brewer.  Isiah Thomas must have been in Jim Dolan's ear trying to get Balkman back in a Knicks uniform to justify taking him with the 20th pick in the 2006 NBA draft.  Balkman, a fan favorite, is a 6'8" stud with a wingspan like a Condor.  Thomas always felt that Balkman could be a Rodman/Artest type player in the NBA and his defensive mindset could prove to be a game changer for the Knicks.

As exciting as the Melo deal is for the Knicks, it seems somewhat bittersweet losing a homegrown product like Gallinari and a tough point guard in Raymond Felton who embraced New York in his short stint here. Maybe if Donnie Walsh was able to actually do his job and not get stepped on by Jim Dolan, the Knicks would not have had to give up so much in the trade for Carmelo. Don't get me wrong, I think that the Knicks are a better team this morning than they were last night, and they are in a much better position to bring in Chris Paul or Deron Williams in 2012, but it would have been nice to see Melo drive the lane and kick out to Gallo for three.  Once Dolan got involved, it became clear that the Knicks were going to get Melo. The only question was how much restraint Dolan could show in not blowing up the whole roster. 

St. John's Returns to Relevance

The Johnnies have earned a spot in the round of sixty-four.  St. John's attracted almost 15,000 fans into Madison Square Garden to cheer them on against the No. 4 Pitt Panthers and they did not disappoint. The win should put St. John's in the top 25 and make them relevant again in college basketball.  Despite wins over  No. 3 Duke, No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 10 UConn and No. 13 Georgetown, St. John's victory over Pitt may have been their most impressive win of the season.

Duke lives and dies with the three ball, so they can be beat when their outside shots are not falling.  Notre Dame plays a great team-oriented style of basketball under Mike Brey, but that win lacks some luster because Notre Dame is not a marque program with  big-time athletes like other major basketball programs.  UConn looks like world-beaters at times and lost at other times.  The Huskies go as Kemba Walker goes, and when he has an off night, UConn can be upset.  The win over Georgetown was great, but the Johnnies were able to surprise the Hoyas with the upset.  Pitt knew St. John's has an impressive track record of knocking off top ranked teams this year, yet the Johnnies were able to hang with them all day and eventually go ahead for good with a Dwight Hardy scoop with 1.2 seconds left.  St. John's is not intimidated by any opponent and are poised to make some noise come March.

Gettin' Miggy With It

Good thing Miguel Cabrera can hit a baseball over 400 feet because the guy does not have a clue.  Judging by the smile on his face, you would think that he just won the lottery, not arrested for driving while drinking a bottle of scotch.  The best part of the story is that even after an officer arrived on the scene, Cabrera decided to take another swig from his bottle.  Maybe he wanted to get one more good sip in for old time sake before he starts rehab.

I understand that alcoholism is a disease, but it is as if he intentionally wants to self-destruct and throw away his incredible talent.  Hearing a story like this gives you the impression that he doesn't even need to work that hard to hit near .340 and belt close to 40 long balls.   At  least when other players, such as Strawberry or Josh Hamilton, battled alcohol and drug addiction, they were only harming themselves.  By getting behind the wheel, Cabrera put a lot of people in jeopardy.  Is he aware that there are individuals who get paid to drive others around?  With a contract that pays him north of $100 million, it's time he stops being so cheap and pays for a taxi when he decides to drink like Frank the Tank.

Collins Drinking the Mets Kool-Aid

Terry Collins is already fired up and its only the first week of spring training.  According to Collins, Jose Reyes looks "terrific" and Johan Santana's "presence in the clubhouse will send shock waves."  This guy is so optimistic that it's killing me.  Has he seen this team play the last three years?  Jose always looks terrific until he breaks down.  Johan's presence isn't going to turn Big Pelf into a legitimate front of the rotation starting pitcher or allow Chris Young and Chris Capuano to find their old form.  The only time I will get excited about Johan's presence is when he can actually take the mound every five days.

And can someone please explain to me why everybody is so optimistic when spring training comes around?  It's as if everybody tosses out reality and puts on their rosy colored glasses.  I remember hearing back in 2003 how Mo Vaughn was going to have a monster year after spending all winter shedding pounds.  Yet, he still managed to show up to camp overweight.  Or what about last year - wasn't a main story how Luis Castillo was poised for a bounce back year?  How did that turn out?  And then I believe the discussion was how Frenchy was going to turn back into the player who initially came up to the big leagues with the Atlanta Braves.  At season end, Frenchy ended up with a batting average similar to Rey Ordonez, although you would never know it by the smile that was permanently on his face from ear to ear.

Well, I'm sick of drinking the Mets Kool-Aid during spring training. I can't read one more article about how Daniel Murphy is finally going to find a position and prove to be an everyday big leaguer.  The kid is everything you want in a ballplayer - he's smart, works hard, and says all the right things, but he can't field a position to save his life and he doesn't hit well enough to validate his pathetic defense.  The Mets need to put an end to the Daniel Murphy experiment.  I could see if he had as much potential as Ryan Thompson, Alex Ochoa, or Butch Huskey, but Murph isn't even that talented.

Early Grumblings from Port St. Lucie

Photo by Adam Rubin

Jose Reyes rolled into Port St. Lucie pimped out like Timo Perez.  I wonder if Jose can rock that space age vest when the Mercury Mets take the field this year? 

Frankie Rodriguez's white lamborghini was towed into camp.  I'm glad Frankie has decided to take a low profile after his assault charge last year.  I'm sure he won't stick out driving around Port St. Lucie in an Italian sports car.

 

In other news at Mets camp, Bill Pulsipher is thinking about a Generation K reunion at Citi Field after learning of the Jason Isringhausen signing.  It's a shame that nobody else other than Pulse, Izzy and Wilson would want to see that reunion.  How about a Rey Ordonez - Luis Lopez reunion?  That reunion is bound to have much more fireworks.

On the Rocks

Mayor Bloomberg prefers his beer on the rocks.  Is he aware that Coors has a cold activated can? You don't need to add any ice when your beer is as cold as the Rockies.  I guess when you're as wealthy as Mayor Bloomberg, you can request your beer any way you want it.  For the rest of us, even a warm beer is delicious, especially if it is the last one left at a tailgate.

Where Have You Gone John Stockton?

The NBA has gone into the toilet.  It's no longer about great coaches, systems, and defense. It's about individual stars and egos. If you're a fan of the Denver Nuggets, how can you possibly root for Carmelo Anthony knowing that he is already searching for a penthouse apartment in Manhattan?  It's the same story with Chris Paul in New Orleans.  He has no intention of resigning with the Hornets when he becomes a free agent in 2012.  Free agency is a right that players have earned, but they seem to be wielding that power over teams like never before.

In an ongoing personality clash between Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan, the Jazz decided to side with their disgruntled superstar or risk losing him to free agency next summer.  Jerry Sloan was one of the best coaches in the history of the NBA and has an enshrinement in Springfield to prove it. Deron Williams hasn't done it long enough to push one of the greats out the door.  It's a sad day when a great coach has to end his career without even being able to finish the season because he can no longer put up with the ego of one player.  This fiasco probably makes Jerry Sloan appreciate John Stockton that much more. You wouldn't even know if Stockton was ever a free agent during his nineteen year NBA career because he never used the back pages to leverage his position of strength.  

Mets Need a Gamer

Michael Young wants out of Texas and there is a great landing spot for him in Queens.  I'm surprised more people have not recommended a Michael Young trade to the Mets. It makes perfect sense for a number of reasons. First, the Mets have been missing a leadership presence in the clubhouse since the departure of Cliff Floyd. Michael Young has been an anchor in the Rangers clubhouse since Arod left and has been nothing less than a consummate pro and a proven winner. The Mets desperately need a Kevin Millar type hard-nose gamer who can be a vocal leader and provide the team with some character and backbone. Michael Young would be that type of player. Second, the Mets have an opening at second base, as Luis Castillo is expected to be released before the Mets head north from Port St. Lucie to begin the season. Young could also easily slide into the number two spot in the order between Reyes and Beltran and help energize the top of the Mets order. Third, and most importantly, it will show that the Mets can win with the current core players of Wright, Reyes, and Beltran. The problem has not been the performance of the Mets core, but the performance of the supporting cast. Neither Wright, Reyes, or Beltran is a vocal leader and there is nothing inherently wrong with that. What is wrong is that the Mets have not brought in a player who can fill that void.  Michael Young can be that player.

We Have a Situation

I understand that Mark Sanchez lives in Jersey and has washboard abs, but does that mean that he has to creep on the ladies like Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino?  Mark Sanchez makes Tiki Barber look classy by hooking up with a 17 year old girl. At least when Broadway Joe posed with his shirt off, he could get any girl he wanted in the Big Apple. Sanchez has to settle for teenie boppers. Next, we will hear that Sanchez is carousing the town with Justin Bieber as his wingman.    

The Lombardi Trophy Returns Home

If Aaron Rodgers was on cloud nine yesterday evening then Brett Favre must have been the saddest guy in America.  Brett's known more for his text messaging ability these days than his football ability while Aaron Rodgers has accomplished something that Brett Favre never did - winning a Super Bowl MVP award. Aaron Rodgers stepped up on the world's biggest  stage and acted as if he always belonged there.  Meanwhile, Big Ben played small in the first half, and couldn't conjure up any magic on the game's final drive.  In some respects, the game had a fitting ending. as Rodgers got to hoist the Lombardi trophy and be celebrated as one of the game's elite passers after spending three humble years sitting on the sidelines in the shadow of Favre. Rodgers is respectful, a student of the game, a hard worker, and beloved by his teammates. In short, he is everything that Ben Roethlisberger is not.  Heck, Ben could not even play nice with the greatest quarterback in the history of the Steelers. He got into public spats with Terry Bradshaw over his off the field issues ranging from his motorcycle accident to his sexual assault incident.

Despite all the drama surrounding Roethlisberger this season and the week leading up to Super Bowl, he actually settled down nicely after his early two picks and played a decent game. But, Aaron Rodgers was great throughout the game, and Mike McCarthy was going to win or lose with the ball in the hands of his best player.  The Packers had only thirteen handoffs in the entire game, which might be plausible if they were down double digits early, but they were the team that jumped out to the early 21-3 lead.  After getting out of the gate early, Mike McCarthy never took his foot off the the throttle.  With Green Bay up 28-25 in the fourth quarter and starting their drive with slightly more than seven minutes on the clock, McCarthy choose to run the ball only twice out of nine plays to eat up the clock. He played to win the game, as Herm Edwards would say, and it paid off.  Fortunately, Aaron Rosgers, unlike Brett Favre, does not make many mistakes.