2011 Chicago White Sox Preview

“All In”. It’s the mantra, marketing slogan, and philosophy the White Sox have been operating under since the start of the offseason. General Manager Kenny Williams has increased the payroll to an all time franchise high of $128 million with some splashy acquisitions and re-signings. While it has never been Kenny Williams M.O. to rebuild, or stand pat, this is still pretty ballsy even for him. Williams has dramatically reshaped the White Sox into a slugging lineup with the acquisition of Adam Dunn. Kenny retooled the bullpen by acquiring Jesse Crain and Will Ohman, while also removing Scott Linebrink and Bobby Jenks from the equation. Williams also did right by re-signing team captain and perennial fan favorite Paul Konerko to a lucrative 3 year contract.


The message from Williams and The Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is loud and clear: “Win Now”. Will it work? In my opinion, it won’t depend on what the new players’ do, but rather what production the certain established veterans already on the team will provide.

The Good –

Good Vibrations: It appears that all of the B.S. drama between Kenny and manager Ozzie Guillen has been buried, or at the very least taken a big back seat to the larger task at hand. Konerko admitted in a radio interview, that the tension between Williams and Guillen last season WAS in fact a distraction that affected the ballclub in a negative way. Kenny and Ozzie seem determined for that to not be the case in 2011, and so far there has been nothing but harmony between the two. That harmony will need to continue for this season to be a success.

Other than the freakish case of Jake Peavy, the White Sox had a very injury free Spring Training. I believe that’s a very positive sign. If you don’t believe that sort of thing is important, go ask the St. Louis Cardinals or Philadelphia Phillies if health in Spring Training matters. The overall team won-loss record of Spring Training doesn’t look good, but I’ll take the relatively dull Disabled List any day.

Balance: While Adam Dunn theoretically gives the Sox tremendous On Base and Slugging Percentages, specifically from the left side of the plate, they still aren’t a one dimensional, station-to-station base running team thanks to players like Juan Pierre, Alexei Ramirez, and Alex Rios. So while they should be able to hit close to 200 home runs again, the lineup will also have the ability to manufacture runs, should the need arise.

The Bad –

Bullpen Questions: For as much affinity that I have for Matt Thornton, he is still an unknown now that he’s the official White Sox closer. He has the stuff to be the closer, but I can’t consider him “bankable” simply because he hasn’t done it full time. I also feel the same way about Chris Sale. While Sale certainly was impressive last season, he’s also far from “bankable” in his role especially since his role has not been clearly defined for him yet. Jesse Crain should be ok, but I’m distrustful of Will Ohman. It will be very interesting to see if this bullpen equation works the way it’s been designed.

Teahen/Morel: The two-headed monster that will occupy third base for the White Sox this season. Morel has been named the starter, and he’s been instructed not to worry about his hitting, but he instead should focus on maintaining his excellent defense. That sounds EXACTLY like what they told Brian “She’s New” Anderson in 2006, and we obviously know that movie didn’t have a happy ending. I’m concerned the same thing will happen with Morel. Teahen has been one of Kenny Williams failures thus far. I didn’t mind that Kenny traded for him, but there was no need to give Teahen a three year extension when he didn’t have to? Teahen can hit, but he’s a butcher in the field, while the opposite appears true for Morel. Personally I think going with Morel is the right way to go, but I’ve been wrong before…

Prediction –

This White Sox team has been predicted by some to win the AL Central this season. I will not be one of them. For the past ten seasons now, the Twins always find a way to make life hell for the Sox. I have no reason to believe that won’t continue in 2011.

Still for the White Sox to get over the hump, I believe it will come down to not only the bullpen performing at a high level, but Gordon Beckham taking the next step and becoming an All-Star this season will need to happen as well. I’m convinced that Beckham is the lynchpin of this team, and it’s not a coincidence in my view that as he struggled in the first two months of last season, so did the White Sox. I’ve got the White Sox down for 85 wins, on the caveat that if Beckham fulfills his promise (and to a lesser degree Carlos Quentin), and the bullpen does what it needs to, I believe the Sox finally win the division for the first time since 2008.

2011 Chicago Cubs Preview

If there is an expression that best encapsulates the 2011 Chicago Cubs for me, it would be "In Between". That's where the Cubs organization and roster stand from my perspective. They still have a pretty big financial hangover to shake off in the form of $92 million dollars still tied up in 6 players this season. They are still being run by a man who is responsible for said financial hangover in Jim Hendry. They have an ownership group that keeps shooting themselves in the foot, public relations wise.


With all that said though, there are some positives with this ballclub, and it would be somewhat foolish to rule this team out as possible division winners.


The Good -


Cupboard Isn't Barren : While the Cubs still have a lot of veterans that are past their primes (Fukudome, Soriano, and Aramis to name a few), they also have some good young players on the roster and a few prospects that show a good degree of promise. Tyler Colvin, Starlin Castro, and Andrew Cashner showed flashes while establishing themselves last season. Colvin continues to be a bit of a hybrid hitter (not quite a slugger, not quite a pure line drive hitter). Cashner has the confidence from management to be the fifth starter in the rotation. The main centerpiece however is Castro.


It was pretty difficult to not be impressed with Castro last season. Still just 21 years old, he showed shades of Shawon Dunston with very good range, strong arm and good plate coverage. Unlike Dunston however, Castro should/will actually improve with time rather than be the perpetual rookie that Dunston was his entire career. Castro also continues to impress the coaching staff that he's ready to work and is very dedicated to improving himself. All-Star considerations should happen this season for him.


Waiting in the wings is blue chip centerfield prospect Brett Jackson, who has been given the dreaded "5 Tool Player" reputation along with promising pitchers Chris Archer, Trey McNutt, and "The Other" Chris Carpenter who have each impressed the scouts.


Pitching : Believe it or not, the Cubs starting rotation might be the best in the division 1-4, but unfortunately two of those pitchers aren't exactly reliable. Matt Garza has been very erratic throughout his career, same for Carlos Zambrano. If those two are throwing well, the Cubs rotation will be lethal. If they continue to regress, it will sink the whole ship. Either way it won't be boring.


The bullpen should be better since they got a big lift from an old friend in Kerry Wood thanks to the hometown discount he gave the Cubs. Carlos Marmol put up a historic strikeout rate (4th highest of all time) last season, and Shawn Marshall finally has found a role as a late inning reliever. Bullpens can carry a team when they're not going well, and the Cubs bullpen should be a vast improvement from where they were going into 2010.


The Bad -


What Did You Buy? - With a payroll stretched thin as it is, and now having to eat Carlos Silva's money...why did they drop $10 million on Carlos Pena? I'm not sure what he will do for the Cubs? Pena is a nice guy by all accounts, and understands his place in baseball, but he's coming off yet another statistically weird season of .196 batting average with 28 home runs. Pena's career has been a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Maybe he'll be great, maybe he won't, but $10 million ($5 mil deffered) is too much money to gamble on a Carlos Pena-even if it is for a year.


"The Other Assholes" -Fukudome, Soriano, and Aramis are still on this team. Do I really need to waste any more words on them? There is nothing I can write about those three that hasn't already been written 8 times over from other people, so I'm not going to bother.


Prediction -


I believe the Cubs will have around 82 wins, which is enough to contend in the NL Central. I'm looking forward to seeing the good young players develop this season, as well as find out what kind of manager Mike Quade ends up being. In the end, I don't think they are balanced enough to win the division. Next season though, the Cubs will have a ton of bad money falling off the books. If they're smart, they won't bother urinating it away on Albert Pujols, but rather spend money on a couple of key players to round out the club...

Dayton's Next Coach by Matthew Rossi

Dayton’s Next Coach


So Flyer Fans, Brian “BG” Gregory is finally gone. We’ve been thinking that this would come for some time, and many of us this season finally were fed up with BG and his so-called “system.” BG’s supporters often pointed to our fantastic record against the Big East and multiple 20 win seasons. During his tenure however, the team struggled to break .500 in the A-10, made only two NCAA tournament appearances (one with Oliver Purnell’s team), and failed to make the NIT a few times. What’s crazy is UD fans seem to be happy BG leaving. Doesn’t it seem a little odd that fans are happy about him leaving look at this article on CBS. I will say BG did represent the University well. He didn’t cheat, graduated all of his players, and was a hard worker. London Warren speaks very high of him and when I met him he was very nice and welcoming. Gregory stopped to talk Flyer hoops any time and even walk to class with you. I have a good story about Coach Gregory. The first time I met him was at the Fieldhouse Bar after a game. “I told him it was my first year and game it was a lot of fun and good win. He asked how I got in when I am freshman. I laughed and said I knew the bouncer, but he responded that I must have a good fake. While I don’t feel that UD’s fans expect to win National Championships, they do expect to challenge for A-10 titles, compete with Xavier and Temple, and make the NCAA’s on a regular basis. So after years of watching the weave offense stumble around the perimeter, seeing a lack of inside post presence, and point guards who have no shooting capabilities whatsoever, UD has the opportunity to hit the reset button. Who will we get?

Wishful Thinking – Not A Chance

Shaka Smart, VCU Head Coach – Many people want Smart or Larranaga to leave their posts at CAA institutions, but someone please tell me, why would they? The CAA has sent two teams to the Final Four in the last five years and has been receiving multiple bids regularly. How exactly is the A-10 a step up from the CAA? Reputation only. Some UD fans point to Smart’s experience at Dayton, but he was only the Director of Basketball Operations for three years. That doesn’t scream “I have a love in my heart for Dayton” to me. He’s not going to leave a school with five years of established success and a Final Four appearance to rebuild a program that’s had a less successful run. One thing that could lead him back to UD is he was former Assistant under Purnell.

Jim Larranaga, George Mason Head Coach – Larranaga stayed at George Mason after leading them to a Final Four in 2006. It seems he wants to stay there forever. Why would he leave for Dayton when he’s had more success at George Mason over the past five years than Dayton’s had in the last twenty?

Could Work, But Do We Want Him?

Billy Schmidt, UD Assistant Coach – Pros: Keeping Schmidt may keep UD’s top two recruits (LaDontae Henson and Percy Gibson) from leaving, great recruiter, and keeps stability in the UD program. Cons: Served under BG for the last few years, and keeps stability in the UD program! My thoughts tend to waver on the side that just because he served under BG gives no indication that he will run the program like BG. He was an employee, not the boss. Xavier and Butler have had success churning through top assistants when head coaches leave, so why can’t UD do the same? If Schmidt will just run the damn weave offense and keep the program middling for A-10 respect, I don’t want him. But if he convincingly wants to change the attitude that comes with being a Flyer, keeps recruiting hard, implants a real offense into the system, and keeps the defensive mentality that BG instilled in the program, he may be our guy. It really depends if he runs the same system as BG.

Pat Knight, Ex-Texas Tech Head Coach – I actually tend to think that this could be a great hire. Pat was under a massive amount of pressure by stepping into a BCS program by following in his father’s shadow. No one wants that kind of pressure. He has a 50-61 head coaching record, but Texas Tech is a traditional bottom dweller in the Big 12 (with the exception of his dad’s years at the helm). Maybe he needs a fresh start, and where better than in his home area of the Midwest, and has to have great recruiting ties to the area. UD needs a fresh start, and so does Pat Knight. It could be a match made in heaven.

Love The Idea, But Probably Not Happening

Paul Hewitt, Ex-Georgia Tech Coach. I know, I know, the ole’ coaches’ swap, but look at it this way. Hewitt wore out his welcome at Georgia Tech, but he had limited success there taking the team to the 2004 NCAA Championship game. Coaching the tough ACC, Hewitt never seemed to work out long-term, but I like his style of coaching for our program. He runs a high octane offense with an emphasis on guard play, and loves to press. That style of play suits our players’ skill sets, and may help to ease the transition into the future. I would like to see him get a shot, but I don’t know if UD wants to hire the guy BG is following. I really can’t see this happening just because this guy seemed disinterested at coaching.

Bruce Pearl, Ex-Tennessee Coach – Some people are skeptical of coaches with troubled pasts, but I believe in second chances. Pearl is obviously a fantastic coach, bringing a Tennessee program from obscurity in the SEC into an annual national title contender. For me, the problem hinges on whether Pearl’s transgressions could result in discipline for Dayton (ala the Kelvin Sampson situation at Indiana). If so, I don’t want him. If not, I say give the guy a chance to build back his reputation by bringing some national attention to the UD program. But something tells me that UD’s priority on bringing in upstanding players and coaches will prevent this from going anywhere.

Rick Byrd, Belmont Head Coach – Belmont’s had some success the last few years under Rick Byrd’s helm, with four NCAA appearances in the last six years. He runs a high-octane offense that shoots a lot of threes, so Chris Johnson, Paul Williams, Josh Parker, and Kevin Dillard will love playing for him. But he’s not leaving Belmont. He’s 57 years old, and has been at Belmont since 1986. He grew up in Tennessee, and I just don’t see any reason (other than his and UD’s religious affiliations) for him to uproot after all that time.

Hate The Idea, And I’ll Be Pissed If It Happens

Bobby Knight, ESPN Analyst – Look, a lot of Flyer fans are pushing for Bobby Knight, but why? Sure, he’s one of the greatest coaches of all time, but he would be a temporary solution. He’s too old. And what’s his incentive? UD is a great place to play and coach, but why would a guy with the resume of Bobby come to take over a rebuilding process? He won’t. So forget about it Flyer Fans, Bobby Knight will not be coaching the Red and Blue next year.

The Stop-Gap Solutions – Gone in Three Years

Jeff Capel, Ex-Oklahoma Head Coach – Fired after two consecutive losing seasons at Oklahoma, Capel may be a fantastic solution to the UD coaching quandary. He took Oklahoma to 2 NCAA appearances and an Elite Eight after a successful run at VCU (3rd coach on this list with VCU experience). He has a 61.4 winning percentage, but considering Capel’s reputation as one of the hottest names out there, any semblance of success at UD could see him leave for greener pastures. It’s obvious he can recruit, having gotten Blake Griffin to play for him, as well as McDonald’s All-American Willie Warren. While Capel may be a hot name that could bring short term success to Dayton, the question is whether we want a Mark Few/Brad Stevens long term solution.

Sydney Johnson, Princeton Head Coach – Having coached at Princeton since 2007, a step up to the Atlantic 10 seems to be a logical next move for the coach. I question his desire to leave the East Coast as he grew up in Baltimore, played at Princeton, and assisted at Georgetown. He took the Tigers from a 6-23 record to a 25-7 team that almost beat Final Four participant Kentucky in this year’s NCAA’s. He runs the always dangerous Princeton offense, and the back door cuts and slick passes could fit the athletic, jumping Flyers we have left on board. I like this hire, but if he takes the move to the Midwest he’ll probably be gone within a few years to a BCS program.

Realistic Candidates, And May Stay Awhile

Blaine Taylor, Old Dominion Head Coach – This guy has an established reputation as a solid coach at the NCAA level, taking ODU to a 215-110 record over the past 10 seasons. He only makes $212,000 at ODU, so UD could offer him a substantial increase in salary. Seeing ODU play a few times this year, I really like the hard-nosed, defensive type of basketball that they play, and would love to see UD transition to that type of play. But since he’s 52 and has been at ODU for 10 years, there has to be concerns over whether or not he would leave a very comfortable situation.

Dan Hurley, Wagner Head Coach – Bear with me here. This could be the golden ticket hire to success that UD is looking for. Hurley made the jump to D1 last year at Wagner College, and led the team to a 13-17 record. But looking a little deeper, some things stand out. Dan is the son of legendary high school coach Bob Hurley, and is the brother of NCAA legend Bobby Hurley, who coincidentally serves as Dan’s assistant coach. Having Bobby Hurley on your staff helps with notoriety and recruiting, and Dan obviously knows the X’s and O’s of college basketball with a pedigree like his. Dan is a young coach with a long career ahead of him, and if his background is any indication, loyalty is something that he holds near and dear to his heart. If UD could pry him away, Hurley may be a great hire now and well into the future.

Anthony Grant, Alabama Head Coach – If this was two years ago, Grant would be the clear front runner for the UD job. UD however, headed to the second round of the NCAA’s that year and Grant took the job at Alabama after leading VCU to three straight CAA titles. Grant starred at Dayton, taking them to the Elite Eight as a player. But after taking Alabama to a 12-4 SEC record this year and the semifinals of the NIT tournament, he has the program on the rise. You’re telling me he’s going to leave a BCS program on the rise to rebuild his Alma mater that he hasn’t had relations with since 1987? Answer, yes and probably only UD. Two things it will depend on are money and the contract. I think if we pitch him right we could get him it all depends on the money. Just remember UD is a basketball school not a football school like ‘Bama.

Matt Graves, Assistant Coach at Butler- This would be a perfect fit for UD and it would be an easy transition with the current players. Butler has found a winning formula and taking someone inside their staff might be the answer. Butler, Xavier and VCU have had coaches continue from their current staff time to take someone from the equations. Graves is also the head recruiter building the foundation for Butler such as getting players like Gordon Heyward, Matt Howard, and Salvin Mack. Once you find a system that works go after and get it. Graves has interviewed for the Butler job, but learning under Stevens is good experience. Stevens is known for his calm, focused coaching style. He spends time analyzing opponents using statistical analysis, adding new wrinkles to his teams play each game. His teams put strong emphasis on defensive and team oriented basketball. This would be a perfect fit and could be a cheap possibly as a coach.

Jeff Boals, Ohio State Assistant Coach- Taking a coach from OSU would be a good fit. First, he learned from Thad Matta how to win and coach. His offensive system would be a good fit with the athletes we have currently. Unfortunately, he probably shortens the bench and we would need post players and more shooters something the Flyers lack. I’ve heard he is a hard worker and would be a good fit. Akron posted a 23-13 record (10-6 in the Mid-American Conference), won their first MAC tournament championship and made their second appearance in the NCAA tournament and first since 1986. Over the previous two seasons, Boals aided the Zips in winning a MAC East Division title (2007), making consecutive appearances in the MAC tournament championship game (2007 and 2008) and advancing to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament (2008).

Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s Head Coach- This would be a good fit coming to UD especially with the Catholic school connection. His offense always does well and is pretty average on Defense. Currently, Tim Walber (AD) went out to visit him to lure him away. Now, I do not see him coming because who would want to leave California, however this could be a pay raise for him and could be better facilities along with the WCC adding BYU and Gonzaga having a strong hold on this conference this could be a good time to jump to another program. Recently the WCC has only gotten about 2-3 bids each year. But, the A10 is averaging somewhere 3-4 bids per year. Bennett is known for turning around the St. Mary's program starting 9-20 (his only losing season) and his last 4 years he is averaging 27 wins including a sweet 16 bid in 2009.

Dark Horse Candidate

Steve Wojciechowski, Duke Assistant Coach – I hated this guy when he played for Duke, but I think he could be a hell of a coach. He’s studied under Coach K for 11 years now, and seems to be the frontrunner to take over the Duke program after Coach K retires. But in the off chance that “Wojo” wants to take a head coaching job and then wait for the Duke job to open, why not Dayton? He was intense as a player, and likely is as a head coach and recruiter. I would love to see this guy on Dayton’s sideline, even if it would be temporary until Coach K’s retirement. Tim Wabler would serve well to see if he would even interview.

Damon Goodwin, Capital University Head Coach – While Goodwin played at UD and has ties to the Dayton program, I don’t want to see UD hire a Division III head coach to helm to Flyers. His record is impressive, but if UD hires him, the program could be in for a rough few years.

Ultimate Hire: I have no clue. Many of these people are great selections, and I think the best option listed above is Anthony Grant. Next, I would go after Matthew Graves, Sydney Johnson and Jeff Boals. Either Graves or Johnson would be a perfect fit for our system. We need a coach this will run and good offense and keep the intensity on defense. If Boals is taken by then I would settle with Pat Knight because of his recruiting ties in the Midwest, but how does he relate with his players that will be seen.

Oh Yeah....HIM

In what can only be described as "overdue" at best, the Barry Bonds Perjury Trial got underway last week. There have been numerous delays since the indictment began in 2007, many of which have surrounded Bonds' former trainer Greg Anderson's refusal to cooperate with authorities and testify against his former client. Anderson has done a lot of jail time over the past 5 years, yet is still refusing to talk. The government finally got the hint, but are pressing forward anyway.

It is generally understood amongst most baseball fans that despite Bonds home run totals, Henry Aaron is still the all time home run king. Most baseball fans realize that Barry Bonds was part of something that was way bigger than him, and now view him as just an extreme example of a much larger problem that permeated throughout Major League Baseball for a long time.

As a result, many people are indifferent to this trial. Many people decry the government for "wasting taxpayer money" on this rigorous investigation and indictment. I am not one of those people...

I hate to break it to the stupid and the blind out there, but the government is not going to allow anyone to commit perjury and get away with it-cost be damned. They cannot and will not allow the message that lying under oath is permissible. So please stop with the "wahhhh" routine regarding how much this trial costs because the only reason this trial is taking place at all is because Barry Bonds lied under oath when he didn't have to.

For those that need reminding, when the BALCO trial of Victor Conte was taking place in 2003 the government granted immunity to the athletes that were customers of BALCO for using the illegal drugs BALCO manufactured and distributed. The government told the athletes involved that they were only interested in prosecuting Conte, and that as long as they told the truth in their testimony they would not be prosecuted. Each of the athletes however also received a stern warning from the government prior to testifying. The warning was that their immunity was contingent upon telling the truth, and if the government suspected that anyone withheld even a shred of truth from their testimony, they would be prosecuted lock, stock, and barrel.

The only athletes who didn't take this warning seriously were Marion Jones and (you guessed it) Barry Bonds.

So yes, the only reason this trial is taking place is because unlike his contemporaries, Bonds claimed under oath that he didn't know what he was taking. Bonds claims he thought he was taking "flax seed oil" rather than steroids, and that he was never injected with anything. Obviously that is not consistent with what the other athletes testified to, nor is it consistent with what Victor Conte told the government, hence here we are.

In terms of the trial itself, I believe it's a winner for Bonds simply because the Smoking Gun in this trial isn't talking. Greg Anderson is the smoking gun. Anderson is the one who kept the logs of what Bonds was taking, how often Bonds was taking it, and Anderson was also the only person who injected Bonds with steroids and Human Growth Hormone. Without Anderson's testimony, the government has a lot of juicy hearsay, speculation, smoke and mirrors, but nothing concrete unless they have an ace in the hole somewhere.

Despite how it's likely to end, I'm still very interested in this trial. Like it or not, this is historic. The Home Run Leader is on trial for a crime for goodness sake, even though it was completely avoidable. The only reason Bonds is on trial is because he couldn't admit what everyone else already suspected or knew. Rather than be completely honest as he was required to be by law, Bonds chose to play Jeff Nowitzky, the FBI, the Grand Jury, and everyone else as fools in his game of life. From that perspective, Bonds deserves anything negative that happens to him as a result of his own stupidity in his testimony.

I have no sympathy for "Stupid". Hopefully the jury feels the same way I do.

Fab Five Reaction

I know I'm a week late to the party with regard to the Fab Five documentary that aired on the Boo-Yah Network last Sunday. It turns out however, that being a week late sort of helped guide my reaction to the piece because I got a chance to see the fallout from some of the words that were said in the documentary-in particular the words of Jalen Rose.
The main source of controversy was from this clip of Jalen Rose sharing his thoughts on the Duke basketball program of the early 1990's. Rose states that he felt that the only black players Duke recruited were "Uncle Toms". Teammates Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson echo Rose's disdain for the Duke program at that time, but stop short of claiming any racial bias from Duke. Either way though, Rose caught a lot of heat from people regarding the "Uncle Tom" comment, to the point where Grant Hill decided to write this op-ed piece in the New York Times in which Hill blasts Jalen's choice of words, and pats himself on the back for coming where he came from.

As eloquent, cognizant, and well written as Hill's reaction is, it's clearly misguided and comes off as very childish to me. Grant Hill either doesn't realize, or doesn't care that Jalen Rose was using the past tense when sharing what he thought of Duke at-that-time. If Hill was paying attention he would have heard Rose say he doesn't feel that way now.

Also, if Hill was really interested in a little word called "context" he would have noticed that Rose said he was "jealous" when it came to describing Hill's family and background. Jealousy is just another way of saying there is something that you don't like about yourself, nothing more. To me, all Hill is doing with his grandstanding op-ed piece, is yell at a 18-19 year old kid for things the kid felt 20 years ago. I suppose Grant Hill never said anything or felt anything stupid when he was that age? I know I certainly did. To Jalen Rose's credit, he's not shamed by what he said and still sticks by his feelings at the time along with reiterating that he doesn't feel that way now in this clip. So to Grant Hill I say, "Sticks and Stones lead to career threatening ankle injuries, but words will never hurt me".

As for the rest of the film I thought it was very good. It brought back a lot of memories as I certainly remembered that team quite well. They didn't possess an aura of invincibility like the late 80's/early 90's UNLV teams before them ( no I haven't seen that documentary yet), but they still were a must watch team every time they played. The fact that they were all freshmen, the arrogance they displayed on seemingly every possession, the style they brought to college basketball, and most importantly the fact that they were THIS CLOSE to winning back to back championships are the main reasons why they still resonate 20 years later.

In terms of any negatives there's the obvious Chris Webber Apologist act pulled by Mitch Albom, who apparently thinks Grand Jury's are a bunch of liars for convicting Webber of perjury simply because Albom loaned Webber money for pizza a couple of times. The University itself pulls the "We Didn't Know" act, even though it's obvious they had to know something since they forfeited all their victories and took the banners down when they didn't need to. Webber himself refuses to participate in the documentary, so for as much fun as it is, it still feels incomplete to me.

One fact they point out in the piece that really struck a cord with me had to do with merchandising. They show that Michigan gear never made more money than during the Fab Five Era, and that includes their 1989 championship. It certainly explains why yours truly was guilty of owning a Michigan hat in 1992....

They must have been some basketball team to make that happen...

No, I Don't "Dig" Any Of This

Even though this really shouldn't surprise anyone who's either read this blog regularly, or took notice two years ago when the owners opted out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NFL officially has a work-stoppage.

After meeting for 17 days straight, the NFLPA has decided to De-certify, and will now have to negotiate with the owners through the court system via litigation and/or potential settlement agreements. Essentially this means that there is no bargaining agreement in place, and they cannot negotiate a new agreement at the table anymore. It allows players to file Anti-Trust lawsuits against the NFL - which has already happened - and now the hopes of having a 2011 season will now depend on how long this will remain in the courtrooms.

As for how close the two sides ever got to a deal money wise, I'm not really sure? It depends on who or what you read, but at the end of last Friday the two sides couldn't figure out a way to split up an industry that generates $9.5 billion a year, which is really pathetic in a lot of ways.

Who do I blame? I'm not really sure "blame" is the term I think best fits the events that have happened because I think both sides are acting like complete imbeciles. While generally speaking I tend to favor the players in any of these revenue disputes, particularly when the owners involved try to convince me that people Jerry Jones, Daniel Snyder, Al Davis, Virgina McCaskey, etc. are "victims", or have a gun to their heads financially. With that said though, it's also difficult for me to side with the players when they tell me that they live paycheck to paycheck despite making 8 figures a year.

Don't get me wrong I'm not going to write one of these maudlin "The Fans Are The Biggest Losers" columns, or "How can they act like this when there are teachers in Wisconsin getting dragged out of City Hall?" pieces you've no doubt seen or heard recently. That kind of thinking just isn't productive, and I refuse to take the easy way out by writing something like that.

I'd rather just accept the fact that this is yet another perspective-lacking "Millionaires versus Billionaires" squabble in which both sides will act like they're Nelson Mandela, and instead I'll look for things that I believe will get done. I feel zero sympathy for either side, and I think both sides will ultimately lose if there are any games missed during next season.

My prediction? The players will eventually settle with the owners because the players finances are the weakest between the two. I'll give them a little bit of credit for going for the throat by De-certifying and rolling the dice with Judge David Doty.

I believe it won't be enough to win in the long run. My ultimate hope that comes out of all of this includes:

1. NO on an 18 game schedule
2. A significant Rookie Pay Scale Cap that reduces draft picks compensation, and prevents a third of a teams payroll from going to a player who hasn't played a DOWN in the NFL.
3. Somewhere close to a 50-50 revenue sharing agreement
4. A realistic salary-cap that allows for teams to retain more of their veterans, while still promoting some degree of parity throughout the league.

Will any of that happen? Probably not. Either way, I'll see you in court!

Yet Another Snake Gets His Number Called!

I must have had some foresight into the week ahead last Sunday. No sooner had I completed my roasting of Bruce Pearl to start the week, when suddenly news came out that Ohio State Buckeye Football Coach/Evangelist Jim Tressel was also guilty of lying about something he shouldn't have lied about.

In case you hadn't followed, Ohio State Football Players Terelle Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Solomon Thomas and Mike Adams were caught selling Ohio State memorabilia to Edward Rife the owner of Fine Line Ink Tattoos, for cash and discounted tattoos last season.

Whether or not those players should be allowed to sell their property is another debate for another day. For now I'll just stick to the most significant part of this story which is that Ohio State claimed they first became aware of these possible infractions on December 7, 2010. Afterwards, all five players were suspended for 5 games beginning in 2011, yet (very controversially) were still allowed to play in the 2011 Sugar Bowl against Arkansas.

If the story were to end there, that would be more than enough to be considered shady. Lucky for us however, it doesn't end there because it turns out that Ohio State - specifically Jim Tressel - knew about the infractions WAY before December 7!

Thanks to Yahoo Sports, it was discovered that Jim Tressel wasn't telling the truth when he said he first learned of it on December 7. According to a copy of an email he received, Tressel knew about these acts as of April 2010. Not only did Tressel know these possible infractions took place, he did absolutely nothing about it because he was "scared" for his players. Tressel didn't report any of this information to his superiors which is in violation of not only NCAA Rules, but also HIS OWN CONTRACT.

Ohio State is trying to call off the NCAA by giving Tressel a two game suspension, even though he could/should be fired with cause. It won't work though. The NCAA Infractions Committee will have to come down much harder on Ohio State and Tressel simply because it's one thing to be caught doing something you shouldn't be doing, but it's something else entirely when you LIE to the NCAA about it. The NCAA tends to take exception to that sort of behavior, and likes to make examples of programs that do such things.

As for my take, this has been long overdue despite it's absence of surprise on my part. Tressel is one of the worst types of snake-oil salesman that exists in college sports, because not only does he blatantly break rules to win football games but manages to do so by exploiting peoples' religious beliefs for his own benefit. The picture above is his new book that came out as of last month. It's title:

"Life Promises for Success: Promises from God on Achieving Your Best"

If that book's existence alone wasn't enough to get your blood boiling, I'd ask you to also consider that Tressel has always been dirty going all the way back to his days coaching at Youngstown State. He was caught paying quarterback Ray Issac $10,000 when Tressel was both head coach and Athletic Director at YSU. Not to mention the three highest profile recruits he's had at Ohio State (Maurice Clarett, Troy Smith, and now Terrelle Pryor) have all gotten into trouble in one way or another.

So for Tressel to not only cloak himself in his supposed Christianity, but to also act like this is the first time anything like this has happened to him is extremely insulting. How insulting is it? Let me put it this way: Even the most strident Ohio State fans, alums, and overall Scarlett & Gray Kool-Aid drinkers that I've spoken with won't even deny that Tressel is nothing but a complete turd anymore with this documented fact that he's a liar....and that's from a school that still worships Woody Hayes!

It's Impossible To Hide A Forked Tounge Forever...

Keep it short and sweet this week. This one goes out to my Illini fans and alums. As the week of conference tournaments is about to commence, I find it appropriate to vocalize my gleeful joy of seeing one of the slimiest hypocrites in sports finally have his number called. The slimy hypocrite of which I speak is of course, is University of Tennesee basketball coach Bruce Pearl.

In case you haven't been following, Bruce Pearl was caught having "Impermissible contact" numerous times with a prospective student-athlete. On the surface, it's not really that juicy of a violation. I'm sure it happens all the time in college basketball actually. It's just rarely reported. That's not why this is fun for me though.

What makes this violation fun, is that Bruce Pearl - the same Bruce Pearl who for nearly three decades has comported himself as standing for integrity in college basketball while simultaneously portraying himself as a martyr for ratting out Jimmy Collins and Deon Thomas in 1989 - was given the chance to tell the truth right away about these violations, and Mister Integrity himself chose to lie about them!

Pearl and Tennessee tried to call off the NCAA Watchdogs by having the SEC impose an 8 game suspension earlier this season, but it didn't work. The NCAA has concluded their own investigation and now Pearl will have to report to the Infractions Committee on June 10, where it is presumed that he will be given an even bigger beat-down by the NCAA and should hopefully result in Pearl's firing.

This is a happy time for people like me who know Bullshit Artists when they smell them, Illini fans, Jimmy Collins and Deon Thomas. Don't get me wrong, it's hardly "justice" in any traditional sense. Matter of fact there's still plenty to be outraged about since Pearl has gotten to keep his job so far. Still, the fact that it is now officially on the NCAA record that this man has been exposed (yet again) as a snake, is worth a smile. As Will Leitch so eloquently put it :

"There are Illini fans who found the most satisfying tournament win during the Final Four year not the comeback win over Arizona, but the trouncing of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Bruce Pearl. We watched Pearl's ascension the last few years, the look-at-me faux charm, the ingratiation with ESPN personalities, the car salesman hustler, knowing that eventually, the world would see the real Bruce Pearl, the one we remember from 20-some-odd years ago, the snake. He tried to straighten up and fly right, pretend he was someone other than the slimy bullshi**er he always was, but a man can not change his nature. There's no schadenfreude for Tennessee; I feel bad for them. But we all knew this day was coming. It's Bruce Pearl, after all."

Indeed Will, it IS Bruce Pearl after all...

Got Me Wondering

LSU Cornerback Patrick Peterson ran a staggering 4.32 40 yard dash time at the NFL Draft Combine today. This is really remarkable considering Peterson features a 6'1" 219 lb frame which is very large for a cornerback. Obviously that's a very impressive 40 time. A big corner who can run that fast is more than intriguing to NFL Scouts, but the big question that invariably comes up, is this the mark of a football player or just another workout warrior who can do everything except play football at an NFL level.

Fortunately for Peterson, he has the game tape to back up his impressive Combine workout as he is projected to be a top 5 pick. Still, I couldn't help but wonder about how many workout warriors of Combines Past ended up being worth anything in the NFL. Then as if right on cue, NFL Network in conjunction with Realclearsports.com put together this list of Top Ten Workout Warriors. Click on the picture above to start your walk down memory lane or click here.

Some of the (ahem) highlights besides Mike Mamula, include the player that began my distrust of Lovie Smith....Adam Archuleta (pictured above with his smoking hot wife). ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!!