I've been toying with this idea for several days now and I've decided to come out and say it. I officially renounce the Philadelphia Eagles front office. Specifically Joe Banner. Why? Joe Banner was on Howard "The King" Eskin's show last week and stated that he would have loved to bring Dawk back but his agent never gave him a chance to counteroffer. This incensed Dawk to the point where he felt it necessary to contact Derrick Gunn and give him the real story: he had given the Eagles every chance in the world to bring him back and they chose not to. Now, after finding out the terms of his new deal in Denver, it's tough to argue that the Eagles should have brought him back at those numbers but the injustice lies in the lies.
Joe Banner is a scumbag. Jeff Lurie is a scumbag. They knew they were letting the most popular and entrenched Philadelphia athlete in a long time walk away, they knew they weren't going to make any huge free agent acquisitions to quell our tempers, and decided to try and make us believe Dawk didn't want to be here so that we wouldn't call for their heads. Well that obviously backfired. It has become painfully obvious to me that the team that I love most does not love me back. The Eagles are content to always be good. Ever since the TO era backfired, they have refused to take any risks in order to make the team Championship caliber. Sure, they'll do all they can to be a playoff team, but anything beyond that is asking too much. Oh and they jacked up ticket prices again. So here sits a team, 40 MILLION UNDER THE CAP, trying to get more money out of its fans while placing what will in my best estimate be a diminished product on the field, just lining their fat pockets even more. I will always be an Eagles fan, but I will never again side with Jeff Lurie or Joe Banner and if they Eagles fall short of where they were this year, they should send every Birds fan $20 and a handwritten apology for being such arrogant, stingy, backstabbing F-ers.
Now that that is out of my system, the tournament is fast approaching and my mental list of picks is taking shape. I love UNC, Duke, Michigan St., Louisville, Missouri, and Pitt to make solid runs. I can promise you that I will pick against UConn, Oklahoma (something is seriously wrong with Blake Griffin, he jsut isn't his beastly self right now), all Pac-10 teams, and Florida St. if things remain the same in the coming week. Nova will make a Sweet 16 run and Penn St. will be bounced in the second round unless they are a 9 seed in which case I don't see them getting past round 1. Obviously all of these predictions are subject to change with regards to seeding and matchups.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
The Color of Depression is Blue and Orange
Today was going along great. It was Friday, it was relatively warm out, I got a great night's sleep last night, and work was even bearable. Then around 5 pm EST, I received terrible news... Brian Dawkins, aka Weapon X, aka Idiotman, aka the heart and soul of the Philadelphia Eagles, aka the man who revolutionalized the free safety position, had agreed to a deal with the Denver Broncos and, worst of all, it seems the Eagles are content to let him walk. My initial reaction, which is still my prevalent emotion, is that I hate the Eagles for this. How could you let B-Dawk walk?? I understand that the Eagles have a reputation for cutting ties with players, no matter how valuable in the locker room or on the field, just before they crash and burn out into their career's twilight, and most, if not all, of their previous moves of similar ilk have been defensible, but this one burns bridges larger than the Ben Franklin. He is the one player that the fans of this team have been able to identify with for the last decade+ running. He endured the bad times, he was one of those who led us to the good times, and he never once pointed a finger at anyone but himself, and this is how we repay his loyalty?? We let him walk to DENVER? Truthfully, I think I may still be a bit too upset about this to write rationally, but it needs to be said, I think this is where Andy Reid, Jeffrey Lurie, and Joe Banner finally and completely lost the city of Philadelphia. It is going to take a miracle deal along the lines of getting Anquan Boldin for me to be pumped about this team before the season starts. I think I speak for most, if not all, Eagles fans when I say I'm heartbroken. Apparently, Dawk is leaving the door open for the Birds to make a counter offer and keep him around, and my fingers are crossed that this is a bad dream.... but expect a long rant when he finally signs on that dotted line because the Eagles, who whiffed on almost everyone who matters in this free agent market and still have millions and millions available under the cap, are too damn stingy to open their wallets.
Before that crushing news came, I was planning on spending my next few posts talking about some of the college basketball teams that have risen in the rankings this year and how I think they'll fare in March. Today, I'm talking about the Memphis Tigers, a team that has come out of nowhere to be #4 in the country. In my opinion, before the Sweet 16 starts, they'll be on a speeding bus back to nowhere. I watched Memphis take on UAB last night and they looked like the most athletic, yet undisciplined, team I've seen in a while. The roster is full of great players, but they lack the intangibles that carry a team in March. They are a horrible team shooting from beyond 10 feet, they don't box out, and their defense is a scramble that relies on athleticism, not fundementals. That kind of play will get you a 59 game win streak in Conference USA, where the competition is weaker than a pint of O'Douls, but you won't last a second in any of the more competitive conferences playing like that. Other mid-majors, such as Butler or Xavier, are much more disciplined on the court and, in my opinion, more likely to go further in the tournament. I'll tackle each in the coming days, along with Missouri, Washington, Marquette and others.
Finally, a quick scorecard on the first day of NFL free agency.
Redskins - C+ - Haynesworth is a great pick-up but did you see the money they gave DeAngelo Hall???
Ravens - D - Bart Scott is gone, Ray Lewis is probably gone and all they really have to show for it is Dominque Foxworth... ouch.
Jets - B - Bart Scott is a nice pick up andI've heard their names mentioned to be in the running for a few other stars
Pats - B - Hate to admit it, but that Fred Taylor signing looks pretty good right now... Their running back by committee will keep him healthy and he's a huge upgrade over (plug pretty much any name in here) and he's a great compliment to (plug pretty much any name here)
Eagles - F - See above + signing Stacy Andrews is all we've done. Oh and we got rid of Buck and LJ, with no discernable replacements on the horizon as of now. Sure some holes can be plugged in the draft as well as the coming days, but if all goes as reported, there will be a gaping hole in the defensive backfield next year that just can't be replaced.
Before that crushing news came, I was planning on spending my next few posts talking about some of the college basketball teams that have risen in the rankings this year and how I think they'll fare in March. Today, I'm talking about the Memphis Tigers, a team that has come out of nowhere to be #4 in the country. In my opinion, before the Sweet 16 starts, they'll be on a speeding bus back to nowhere. I watched Memphis take on UAB last night and they looked like the most athletic, yet undisciplined, team I've seen in a while. The roster is full of great players, but they lack the intangibles that carry a team in March. They are a horrible team shooting from beyond 10 feet, they don't box out, and their defense is a scramble that relies on athleticism, not fundementals. That kind of play will get you a 59 game win streak in Conference USA, where the competition is weaker than a pint of O'Douls, but you won't last a second in any of the more competitive conferences playing like that. Other mid-majors, such as Butler or Xavier, are much more disciplined on the court and, in my opinion, more likely to go further in the tournament. I'll tackle each in the coming days, along with Missouri, Washington, Marquette and others.
Finally, a quick scorecard on the first day of NFL free agency.
Redskins - C+ - Haynesworth is a great pick-up but did you see the money they gave DeAngelo Hall???
Ravens - D - Bart Scott is gone, Ray Lewis is probably gone and all they really have to show for it is Dominque Foxworth... ouch.
Jets - B - Bart Scott is a nice pick up andI've heard their names mentioned to be in the running for a few other stars
Pats - B - Hate to admit it, but that Fred Taylor signing looks pretty good right now... Their running back by committee will keep him healthy and he's a huge upgrade over (plug pretty much any name in here) and he's a great compliment to (plug pretty much any name here)
Eagles - F - See above + signing Stacy Andrews is all we've done. Oh and we got rid of Buck and LJ, with no discernable replacements on the horizon as of now. Sure some holes can be plugged in the draft as well as the coming days, but if all goes as reported, there will be a gaping hole in the defensive backfield next year that just can't be replaced.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Champion of the World
Well Sunday FunDay was a great success. Nova won, got pretty hammered, and I proved yet again that I am a beer pong god going a dominate 3-0 in the afternoon session. In the end though, everybody won.
Nova may have won, but I'm not sure I would call it a resounding victory. They had their foot on Cuse's collective throat, yet couldn't come up with that lethal stomp (graphic, I know). Missed free throws down the stretch made a game out of what should have been a comfortable victory. As I mentioned in my previous post, Nova needs to learn to come up with those dagger shots that currently elude them.
Speaking of dagger shots, anyone catch that Devin Harris prayer tonight?? When that left his hands, I felt sick to my stomach. You could see it going in before it went in, if you know what I mean. My question is, how come no call was made in any direction on that play? Shouldn't it have been a self-pass or a travel? I would love to get the true ruling on that. I know you put the whistle away at some point but..... As for the Sixers, where are they headed? I think you're seeing it right now. They are simply a mediocre team. They should have sealed that game a long time before that ball left Harris' hands but, alas, what are you gonna do?
On to A&E. Tonight was the first episode of Intervention that I couldn't bring myself to watch. It was about a girl who's eating disorder revolved around her losing her ability to swallow. This came on while I was chowing down on a delicious sandwich, so realizing that forgetting to swallow was a possibility, I immediately turned it off before I developed something new to stress about.
Finally, happy trails to the Georgetown Hoyas. Losers of 9 out of 11, tonight marked the end of the 2009 season for G'town. This team fell well short of any and all expectations for them this year, and its a shame because I love the way they play. Definitely a March favorite of mine, at least I don't have to agonize over how far to put them in my bracket. Until next time, less than a month to Tourney Time!!
Nova may have won, but I'm not sure I would call it a resounding victory. They had their foot on Cuse's collective throat, yet couldn't come up with that lethal stomp (graphic, I know). Missed free throws down the stretch made a game out of what should have been a comfortable victory. As I mentioned in my previous post, Nova needs to learn to come up with those dagger shots that currently elude them.
Speaking of dagger shots, anyone catch that Devin Harris prayer tonight?? When that left his hands, I felt sick to my stomach. You could see it going in before it went in, if you know what I mean. My question is, how come no call was made in any direction on that play? Shouldn't it have been a self-pass or a travel? I would love to get the true ruling on that. I know you put the whistle away at some point but..... As for the Sixers, where are they headed? I think you're seeing it right now. They are simply a mediocre team. They should have sealed that game a long time before that ball left Harris' hands but, alas, what are you gonna do?
On to A&E. Tonight was the first episode of Intervention that I couldn't bring myself to watch. It was about a girl who's eating disorder revolved around her losing her ability to swallow. This came on while I was chowing down on a delicious sandwich, so realizing that forgetting to swallow was a possibility, I immediately turned it off before I developed something new to stress about.
Finally, happy trails to the Georgetown Hoyas. Losers of 9 out of 11, tonight marked the end of the 2009 season for G'town. This team fell well short of any and all expectations for them this year, and its a shame because I love the way they play. Definitely a March favorite of mine, at least I don't have to agonize over how far to put them in my bracket. Until next time, less than a month to Tourney Time!!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Saturday: the Prequel to Sunday FunDay
Sunday FunDay. The very phrase gets me excited. With a Nova-Cuse clash looming on the horizon, we here in the Hunt Club have decided to make tomorrow a Sunday FunDay. On the menu are Bloody Mary's, Mimosas, Beer Pong, and general mayhem. The best thing about Sunday FunDay is that its a win-win situation. It incorporates day drinking and passing out early, two of my favorite activities. I'll be sure to post a little play by play of the days events....
On to the reason for Sunday FunDay.... Nova-Cuse. Villanova has looked like a legit 3 seed at times this year and then like a bubble team at other times. They seem to lack the killer instinct that the top seeds have. There have been games this year when they've put it all together and looked amazing and then in others they have choked unbelievably... the Louisville game comes to mind here. I think they'll beat Syracuse tomorrow but let's look at the big picture.... How far will Nova go? That's a tough call right now. Jay Wright's teams always seem to peak going into March, which is exactly what you want to do. Having seen this team's good streaks on several occasions this year, if that's what they look like when they are peaking then I think they can make some noise. The offense seems nearly impossible to stop, the defense is swarming, and the hustle plays always seem to go in their favor. I love the way Stokes plays. He reminds me of a better shooting Kyle Lowry. and Scottie Reynolds seems to have a calming effect on the team in these situations. However, when Nova is off, they are wayyyy off. Reynolds seems to be on another planet and the young guys take shots they have no business taking. The defense can't stop anyone and Nova can't seem to help but shoot themselves in the foot at the foul line. That, my friends, spells disaster in March. Final verdict? I think we can expect Nova to make the conference semis in New York, get a 4 seed, and make a run to the Sweet 16, where they will fall to one of the 1 seeds. I know it stinks, but this team has Sweet 16 written all over and nothing more.
On to the reason for Sunday FunDay.... Nova-Cuse. Villanova has looked like a legit 3 seed at times this year and then like a bubble team at other times. They seem to lack the killer instinct that the top seeds have. There have been games this year when they've put it all together and looked amazing and then in others they have choked unbelievably... the Louisville game comes to mind here. I think they'll beat Syracuse tomorrow but let's look at the big picture.... How far will Nova go? That's a tough call right now. Jay Wright's teams always seem to peak going into March, which is exactly what you want to do. Having seen this team's good streaks on several occasions this year, if that's what they look like when they are peaking then I think they can make some noise. The offense seems nearly impossible to stop, the defense is swarming, and the hustle plays always seem to go in their favor. I love the way Stokes plays. He reminds me of a better shooting Kyle Lowry. and Scottie Reynolds seems to have a calming effect on the team in these situations. However, when Nova is off, they are wayyyy off. Reynolds seems to be on another planet and the young guys take shots they have no business taking. The defense can't stop anyone and Nova can't seem to help but shoot themselves in the foot at the foul line. That, my friends, spells disaster in March. Final verdict? I think we can expect Nova to make the conference semis in New York, get a 4 seed, and make a run to the Sweet 16, where they will fall to one of the 1 seeds. I know it stinks, but this team has Sweet 16 written all over and nothing more.
Friday, February 13, 2009
A quickie?
Quick post.... the UNC game lived up to its billing last night... at least my billing. As expected, UNC ran away with it, being the superior team athletically. Duke put on some valiant runs but, in the end, they couldnt keep up with the Heels. Not many teams can. I was most impressed with Ty Lawson. I've always loved his speed and ability to get to the rim but last night he took his game to a new level. He is Iverson-esque in the paint... taking body shots left and right yet somehow finishes. Needless to say, I can't wait til version 2.0.
How about Notre Dame??? For those who missed it, they put on a clinic against what is by all accounts a solid Louisville team, further strengthening my theory that the regular season is really only good for getting a feel for a team's style when it comes to picking them in March. To me, the real test comes conference tournament time. Once those are done, I feel like I have a pretty good handle on which teams to go with and which to stay away from. The only teams for which the regular season is a good measuring stick are the mid-majors. The good mid-majors likely wont face a stiff test in their conference tourneys, so you need to learn as much as possible about them from Nov. through Feb. So far I love Butler, Davidson, and Liberty and a few others that shall remain nameless until I can be sure no one will steal my Cinderellas. Yes, I do have an obvious bias towards the Curry Bros., but how can you not? They are two of the smoothest players I've ever seen play, they make it look so effortless. They learned a lot from their daddy.
Finally, rumors are flying that the Eagles could pursue Anquan Boldin. I can't discuss this too much because I get too pumped but, really, I'm so excited. The thought of Q as an Eagle is just so unbelievably awesome that I cant type much more about it. Keep your fingers crossed, Birds fans!
How about Notre Dame??? For those who missed it, they put on a clinic against what is by all accounts a solid Louisville team, further strengthening my theory that the regular season is really only good for getting a feel for a team's style when it comes to picking them in March. To me, the real test comes conference tournament time. Once those are done, I feel like I have a pretty good handle on which teams to go with and which to stay away from. The only teams for which the regular season is a good measuring stick are the mid-majors. The good mid-majors likely wont face a stiff test in their conference tourneys, so you need to learn as much as possible about them from Nov. through Feb. So far I love Butler, Davidson, and Liberty and a few others that shall remain nameless until I can be sure no one will steal my Cinderellas. Yes, I do have an obvious bias towards the Curry Bros., but how can you not? They are two of the smoothest players I've ever seen play, they make it look so effortless. They learned a lot from their daddy.
Finally, rumors are flying that the Eagles could pursue Anquan Boldin. I can't discuss this too much because I get too pumped but, really, I'm so excited. The thought of Q as an Eagle is just so unbelievably awesome that I cant type much more about it. Keep your fingers crossed, Birds fans!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
He's Back!
Gentlemen!! So during my 3 month move-in process, we missed a lot... an Eagles resurgence and subsequent heartbreaking collapse, the NFL conspiring to keep the fine folks of Pittsburgh from hanging themselves from one of their many bridges by gift-wrapping another championship, a new steroid controversy, numerous college basketball upsets, the major league hot stove getting so hot that I think it qualified as a kiln, Chris Brown beating up Rihanna (motherf***** how could you ever cause harm to such a beautiful specimen), and so much else that I basically have to write for 55 days straight to make up for it all. On the night of the greatest rivalry in all of college basketball, I can at least make an attempt to start.
Duke - UNC. Every sports fan I know has chosen a side to this rivalry, more so than Yankees-Red Sox (alot of people hate both), Eagles - Cowgirls (irrelevant to those outside of the two fan bases), and even Penn State - Michigan St (the Land Grant trophy stays home for another year!). The best part is that every sports fan with any practical sense cheers for UNC! I kid, of course, but now you know where I stand on it. This year's edition version 1.0 has me so pumped up. I am of the belief that UNC is the best team in the country. While Oklahoma has gone a long way in making me doubt who I'm going with come bracket time, I don't think there is a team in the nation that can compete with UNC's talent level. Fortunately for every other decent team out there, you don't win based solely on talent as proven by UNC's 2 loss record. When it comes down to it, however, can you really picture any other team keeping up with UNC in March? While it's fun to look ahead, tonight is not something you can look past. Duke is, admittedly, a pretty good team with an alright coach. Strong perimeter play with a pretty solid inside rotation gives any team a chance to win and Duke has both. Since talking about what makes Duke a good team makes me sick, let's point out their flaws..... Duke lacks toughness. They have white kid toughness which, while it may seem tough to us couch potatoes, isn't very tough at all. Duke gets rattled by the more physical teams in the country, gets shut down inside, and then starts jacking up three's to stay in the game. If they dont hit 50% of those shots, they lose. The key to beating Duke is a rather simple equation... out-muscle them and contest their shots. Execute well on the offensive end and you've got youself a win.
Lets look at how UNC matches up to those keys. First, while we may all dislike him, Hansborough is tougher than anyone on Duke. Else where on the court, Lawson would kill any Blue Devil in a street fight and I think Scheyer and Singler would be hard pressed to beat me up. The only Dookie with any real discernable toughness is Henderson and, let's be real, if this turns into Gerald Henderson Jr. Vs UNC, it could get ugly. The key to this game will be UNC's ability to at least get a hand in the face of Duke's shooters. If Duke can shoot at will tonight, I think they'll pull out the win on their home court. If UNC can make Duke begin to second guess just how open they are, I give this one to the Tar Heels.
So what's my actual prediction? I'm taking UNC 86-79. Bet on it NOW son!
Finally, I'd like to open the forum to suggestions and make a shout out. First, part of the reason it took me so long to get back online is that I had to get a wireless receiver for my desktop. I think I bought a decent one but the connection still kinda sucks. Any suggestions on how to increase my speed? Keep in mind, using a wireless receiver is my only option. Secondly, one of my staunch supporters on here, whom I hope is still a staunch supporter despite his threats during my hiatus, has started his own blog. You can access it by checking out the blogs I follow, it's the only one right now. While the material on there is a little more intelligent than anything I can spit, its an enlightening experience. And when you read his blog about the TV draft, keep in mind that I'm positive the lineup I drafted on the way home from Harrisburg is by far the best ever.
Duke - UNC. Every sports fan I know has chosen a side to this rivalry, more so than Yankees-Red Sox (alot of people hate both), Eagles - Cowgirls (irrelevant to those outside of the two fan bases), and even Penn State - Michigan St (the Land Grant trophy stays home for another year!). The best part is that every sports fan with any practical sense cheers for UNC! I kid, of course, but now you know where I stand on it. This year's edition version 1.0 has me so pumped up. I am of the belief that UNC is the best team in the country. While Oklahoma has gone a long way in making me doubt who I'm going with come bracket time, I don't think there is a team in the nation that can compete with UNC's talent level. Fortunately for every other decent team out there, you don't win based solely on talent as proven by UNC's 2 loss record. When it comes down to it, however, can you really picture any other team keeping up with UNC in March? While it's fun to look ahead, tonight is not something you can look past. Duke is, admittedly, a pretty good team with an alright coach. Strong perimeter play with a pretty solid inside rotation gives any team a chance to win and Duke has both. Since talking about what makes Duke a good team makes me sick, let's point out their flaws..... Duke lacks toughness. They have white kid toughness which, while it may seem tough to us couch potatoes, isn't very tough at all. Duke gets rattled by the more physical teams in the country, gets shut down inside, and then starts jacking up three's to stay in the game. If they dont hit 50% of those shots, they lose. The key to beating Duke is a rather simple equation... out-muscle them and contest their shots. Execute well on the offensive end and you've got youself a win.
Lets look at how UNC matches up to those keys. First, while we may all dislike him, Hansborough is tougher than anyone on Duke. Else where on the court, Lawson would kill any Blue Devil in a street fight and I think Scheyer and Singler would be hard pressed to beat me up. The only Dookie with any real discernable toughness is Henderson and, let's be real, if this turns into Gerald Henderson Jr. Vs UNC, it could get ugly. The key to this game will be UNC's ability to at least get a hand in the face of Duke's shooters. If Duke can shoot at will tonight, I think they'll pull out the win on their home court. If UNC can make Duke begin to second guess just how open they are, I give this one to the Tar Heels.
So what's my actual prediction? I'm taking UNC 86-79. Bet on it NOW son!
Finally, I'd like to open the forum to suggestions and make a shout out. First, part of the reason it took me so long to get back online is that I had to get a wireless receiver for my desktop. I think I bought a decent one but the connection still kinda sucks. Any suggestions on how to increase my speed? Keep in mind, using a wireless receiver is my only option. Secondly, one of my staunch supporters on here, whom I hope is still a staunch supporter despite his threats during my hiatus, has started his own blog. You can access it by checking out the blogs I follow, it's the only one right now. While the material on there is a little more intelligent than anything I can spit, its an enlightening experience. And when you read his blog about the TV draft, keep in mind that I'm positive the lineup I drafted on the way home from Harrisburg is by far the best ever.
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