So, if you're a Yankees fan, go ahead and stop reading now. You won't like what I'm about to write, nor will it be new to you. It is something for me to rant about today, though, so the pinstripes are going to take a beating today.
Rangers at Giants. What a boring interleague series, huh? What? You say this is the World Series? Sweet!
Seriously, if this was an interleague series, I wouldn't do anything more than look at the box scores to see how my fantasy team did. Aubrey Huff went long? Great! (Yes, I did have Aubrey Huff on my team this year, which should garner me some credit!) Beyond that, who cares?
Yet, somehow since this is the World Series, I'm excited. More excited for a World Series than I've been in years! These are two franchises that have struggled for my entire life. Sure, the Giants have been in a handful of playoff series, and have even gotten to the World Series twice in my lifetime (who can forget the earthquake?) but they've never won it. Not since my uncle Howard, the only Giants fan I ever knew until he brainwashed his children, was "in diapers". The Rangers hadn't won a playoff series before this year. That's over 40 years of losing in Arlington.
America loves the underdog.....in everything except sports. In sports, America loves to watch the Lakers, Cowboys, Duke basketball, and yes, the dreaded Yankees. Well, I can't stand any of those teams. I love an underdog, which makes this series extremely fun for me. The Giants' pitching versus the Rangers' lineup. Classic series between two anything but classic teams. Perfect in my mind.
Yet, instead of the massive hype machine we've grown accustomed to, we're hearing very little about this series. Hell, had I not known it was starting tonight, no one would have told me! There's very little on ESPN. Our local stations, despite being a Rangers AAA affiliate for almost two decades, are saying nothing. The silence is deafening.
Can you imagine this silence if the Yankees or Red Sox were in the series? Nah, we'd be hearing all about how the *insert AL East team here* are the best team in history and there's no way that *insert team outside of the east coast* can win. The Yankees have the best lineup we've ever seen. The Red Sox pitching cannot be stopped. Then, the team headquartered west of the original 13 colonies pulls off some sort of a miracle win and the world comes to an end. Right? That's what we're supposed to think, right?
My guess is that this series will be billed as "bad for baseball". The ratings will be down (imagine that....no hype = lower ratings) and there will be a perceived lack of general interest. For baseball fans like myself, though, this is great! These two franchises have built from within. They haven't been tainted as most have with too many high priced free agents. They grow their players, then supplement with free agency to fill holes. This is the way it's supposed to work.
So forgive me if I laughed a bit when the Rangers clinched the series against the Yankees, and again when the Giants finished off the Phillies. I don't want to watch teams that are bought by the highest bidder. It's not good for the sport that Cliff Lee is "destined" for pinstripes because they can pay him the most. It's good for the league to have new winners. This year's series is good for the league.
So, instead of being hampered by excess hype and overblown expectations, sit back, relax and watch some really good baseball by organizations who are doing things the right way! Go Rangers! Go Giants! Whatever. Mostly, Go Baseball!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Initial BCS Standings and the Fake Media Outrage
I thought long and hard about what to write this week. I had a few options. A certain anniversary that every Cubs fan wants to forget forever. A game I attended in Norman, Oklahoma, that started to have a certain feel that Sooner fans are familiar with. I'll save those for some other time, though, because I got what I wanted last night when the BCS rankings were released---something I can rant about!
I found myself watching the BCS show last night. I suppose it's because I had heard that my Sooners were going to be #1 in the standings, and I wanted to get angry with ESPN. I could have told you what was going to be said, and with the exception of Kirk Herbstreit, I would have been correct.
You see, my alma mater, rightfully so, has become a media whipping boy. Losses in three straight BCS Championship games and five straight BCS games will do that to you. So, when the standings were released, the shock and dismay was thick on the air. Even today, there are all kinds of tweets, articles and rants about what a sham it is that Oklahoma is ahead of Boise State and Oregon and how the system is somehow "wrong". One of my favorites was a tweet by Pat Forde saying that he couldn't believe that Oklahoma got so much respect for blowing out Iowa State. Newsflash, Pat, the respect has nothing to do with the Iowa State win and EVERYTHING to do with the Texas and Florida State wins, two teams Oklahoma beat. That's the way the system works.
Here's the underlying problem: The formula itself is not broken. It works the way it's supposed to work. That's not to say that I like the system. I don't. In fact, I'd scrap it tomorrow if I could. But, because the media doesn't have complete control of the system, they whine every time it works. They've changed it twice due to the fact that the computers overruled the people. Isn't that what the computers are there for? They're supposed to even out some of the media bias, right? So, when they do, they change it to where the computers hardly even matter anymore. That makes a lot of sense.
Which brings me to the point of my rant. Oklahoma has been #1 in the BCS more often than anyone since the system was implemented. They've been in the top 5 more than anyone since this system was implemented. And, despite what E(SEC)PN might want you to believe, it's not because Oklahoma plays in an inferior conference. It's because they have the system figured out. It's not hard to figure out, but the other schools (ahem...Auburn) would rather whine than do what it takes to put themselves in a position to win it all.
Oklahoma has a strict scheduling policy for non-conference games. They play one major conference "power". That team might not be on top when they play them, but it's a name school. This year it's Florida State. In the future, it's Notre Dame, Tennessee & Ohio State. Oklahoma doesn't duck road games against powerhouses. Next year, Oklahoma goes to Tallahassee. Again, this is all by design. They supplement that game with two mid-major conference games. This year, those were Air Force and Cincinatti. In the past, this game has bitten the Sooners (see BYU last year and TCU a few years back). These games are typically at home. The fourth game (which will go away with the new Big "12") is a weak opponent. This game has hurt OU in the past, but typically can be offset by the other three.
This scheduling system has put Oklahoma in the title game over USC in 2003, Auburn in 2004, and Texas in 2008. It's the schedule that puts Oklahoma, at the angst of the media, ahead of their darlings. In 2003, no one could believe that an SEC team could be left out of the BCS Championship Game without a loss. USC had the biggest beef. Their schedule was respectable. Auburn's non-conference schedule: Louisiana Monroe, The Citadel and Louisiana Tech. Texas in 2008: Florida Atlantic, UTEP, Rice & a bad Arkansas team.
So, for all of those media members who refuse to support a college football playoff, please allow the system to work the way it is built to work. Everything will work itself out in the end, or it won't. Either way, it's the system we have. They act like they don't know it is. I don't buy it. They should be more studied up on the system than anyone.
I'm all for a playoff. Every other sport has one. Every other division in college football has one. There's no reason that the FBS cannot have a playoff, other than peoples' pockets getting lined.....which reminds me, I can't wait to read Dan Wetzel's new book. I was going to save my BCS rant until after I read it, but I'll probably have more to rant about at that point.
In the meantime, enjoy the ride that is the college football regular season!
I found myself watching the BCS show last night. I suppose it's because I had heard that my Sooners were going to be #1 in the standings, and I wanted to get angry with ESPN. I could have told you what was going to be said, and with the exception of Kirk Herbstreit, I would have been correct.
You see, my alma mater, rightfully so, has become a media whipping boy. Losses in three straight BCS Championship games and five straight BCS games will do that to you. So, when the standings were released, the shock and dismay was thick on the air. Even today, there are all kinds of tweets, articles and rants about what a sham it is that Oklahoma is ahead of Boise State and Oregon and how the system is somehow "wrong". One of my favorites was a tweet by Pat Forde saying that he couldn't believe that Oklahoma got so much respect for blowing out Iowa State. Newsflash, Pat, the respect has nothing to do with the Iowa State win and EVERYTHING to do with the Texas and Florida State wins, two teams Oklahoma beat. That's the way the system works.
Here's the underlying problem: The formula itself is not broken. It works the way it's supposed to work. That's not to say that I like the system. I don't. In fact, I'd scrap it tomorrow if I could. But, because the media doesn't have complete control of the system, they whine every time it works. They've changed it twice due to the fact that the computers overruled the people. Isn't that what the computers are there for? They're supposed to even out some of the media bias, right? So, when they do, they change it to where the computers hardly even matter anymore. That makes a lot of sense.
Which brings me to the point of my rant. Oklahoma has been #1 in the BCS more often than anyone since the system was implemented. They've been in the top 5 more than anyone since this system was implemented. And, despite what E(SEC)PN might want you to believe, it's not because Oklahoma plays in an inferior conference. It's because they have the system figured out. It's not hard to figure out, but the other schools (ahem...Auburn) would rather whine than do what it takes to put themselves in a position to win it all.
Oklahoma has a strict scheduling policy for non-conference games. They play one major conference "power". That team might not be on top when they play them, but it's a name school. This year it's Florida State. In the future, it's Notre Dame, Tennessee & Ohio State. Oklahoma doesn't duck road games against powerhouses. Next year, Oklahoma goes to Tallahassee. Again, this is all by design. They supplement that game with two mid-major conference games. This year, those were Air Force and Cincinatti. In the past, this game has bitten the Sooners (see BYU last year and TCU a few years back). These games are typically at home. The fourth game (which will go away with the new Big "12") is a weak opponent. This game has hurt OU in the past, but typically can be offset by the other three.
This scheduling system has put Oklahoma in the title game over USC in 2003, Auburn in 2004, and Texas in 2008. It's the schedule that puts Oklahoma, at the angst of the media, ahead of their darlings. In 2003, no one could believe that an SEC team could be left out of the BCS Championship Game without a loss. USC had the biggest beef. Their schedule was respectable. Auburn's non-conference schedule: Louisiana Monroe, The Citadel and Louisiana Tech. Texas in 2008: Florida Atlantic, UTEP, Rice & a bad Arkansas team.
So, for all of those media members who refuse to support a college football playoff, please allow the system to work the way it is built to work. Everything will work itself out in the end, or it won't. Either way, it's the system we have. They act like they don't know it is. I don't buy it. They should be more studied up on the system than anyone.
I'm all for a playoff. Every other sport has one. Every other division in college football has one. There's no reason that the FBS cannot have a playoff, other than peoples' pockets getting lined.....which reminds me, I can't wait to read Dan Wetzel's new book. I was going to save my BCS rant until after I read it, but I'll probably have more to rant about at that point.
In the meantime, enjoy the ride that is the college football regular season!
Monday, October 11, 2010
ESPN--The Case for Too Much of Anything Can Be Bad......
It is not very often that I get a Saturday to just sit around and do nothing but watch college football. This week, I had that opportunity, and man was it fun! It was so much fun that I woke up Sunday morning wanting more, so I went online and started looking for any college football information that I could find. I looked for articles, commentaries and computer polls. Then it hit me. ESPN is about to ruin college football for me.
ESPN and I have a love/hate relationship already. I can't live without the "four letter" network, but I don't like how they are the spokesperson for anything that makes them money, either. When Duke is playing North Carolina, for example, you'd think there's nothing else going on in the world. According to them, there's no rivalry in baseball that compares to Yankees vs. Red Sox. (Ask a Red Sox or Yankees fan about that rivalry before the hype....not as big as ESPN has made it out to be)
So, this morning, I was looking for the time the BCS standings would be released. For some reason, I had it in my mind that it was this week instead of next week. When FOX had control of the BCS, the new rankings always came out during the NFL coverage. We knew who was there by 5:00 or so my time every week. Now, ESPN is making a "show" out of the release every week. A prime time show. So, instead of seeing the new poll and moving on, they're trying to force football fans to spend half an hour listening to their drivel in order to see the results. They're also making us wait over 2 more hours to see it.
And here's where my dislike for everything Bristol, CT, comes in. We already know what they're going to say! They're going to have their teams that they want in the BCS Championship game, and that's who will get the air time. This year, count on that being Boise State, TCU & Alabama, even after Bama's loss this week (you could already hear that from Musberger and Herbstreit last night). It's all about the little guy this year, so Boise and TCU will get lots of air time. Then, when you take into account the new multi-million dollar contract between ESPN and the SEC, prepare to be bombarded with pro-SEC propaganda from the boys in Bristol.
I guess where my problem comes in is when an entity advertises itself as a neutral observer and source of "news", yet pays millions of dollars to televise individual conferences in order to make millions of dollars for those contracts. Since ESPN is the sole provider of sports news for millions of sports fans, the are extremely influential on the voting process in the polls, too, which makes ESPN owning the rights to the SEC and the BCS a dangerous situation. Since the polls REALLY control the fate of the BCS Championship Game (http://bcsguru.blogspot.com/2010/09/do-computers-really-even-matter.html), ESPN truly has the potential to not only broadcast the game, but set it up so they can have their ideal matchup in the game. That's a dangerous proposition for sure.
So, just like they've done to the pre-season college basketball tournaments, some of the best sports rivalries and the World Series of Poker, ESPN is in the process of ruining everything college football. Just give them time. Of course, if the "powers-that-be" would wise up and institute a playoff system, this wouldn't be an issue......but that's another topic for another week. For now, tell me how much you love/hate ESPN!
ESPN and I have a love/hate relationship already. I can't live without the "four letter" network, but I don't like how they are the spokesperson for anything that makes them money, either. When Duke is playing North Carolina, for example, you'd think there's nothing else going on in the world. According to them, there's no rivalry in baseball that compares to Yankees vs. Red Sox. (Ask a Red Sox or Yankees fan about that rivalry before the hype....not as big as ESPN has made it out to be)
So, this morning, I was looking for the time the BCS standings would be released. For some reason, I had it in my mind that it was this week instead of next week. When FOX had control of the BCS, the new rankings always came out during the NFL coverage. We knew who was there by 5:00 or so my time every week. Now, ESPN is making a "show" out of the release every week. A prime time show. So, instead of seeing the new poll and moving on, they're trying to force football fans to spend half an hour listening to their drivel in order to see the results. They're also making us wait over 2 more hours to see it.
And here's where my dislike for everything Bristol, CT, comes in. We already know what they're going to say! They're going to have their teams that they want in the BCS Championship game, and that's who will get the air time. This year, count on that being Boise State, TCU & Alabama, even after Bama's loss this week (you could already hear that from Musberger and Herbstreit last night). It's all about the little guy this year, so Boise and TCU will get lots of air time. Then, when you take into account the new multi-million dollar contract between ESPN and the SEC, prepare to be bombarded with pro-SEC propaganda from the boys in Bristol.
I guess where my problem comes in is when an entity advertises itself as a neutral observer and source of "news", yet pays millions of dollars to televise individual conferences in order to make millions of dollars for those contracts. Since ESPN is the sole provider of sports news for millions of sports fans, the are extremely influential on the voting process in the polls, too, which makes ESPN owning the rights to the SEC and the BCS a dangerous situation. Since the polls REALLY control the fate of the BCS Championship Game (http://bcsguru.blogspot.com/2010/09/do-computers-really-even-matter.html), ESPN truly has the potential to not only broadcast the game, but set it up so they can have their ideal matchup in the game. That's a dangerous proposition for sure.
So, just like they've done to the pre-season college basketball tournaments, some of the best sports rivalries and the World Series of Poker, ESPN is in the process of ruining everything college football. Just give them time. Of course, if the "powers-that-be" would wise up and institute a playoff system, this wouldn't be an issue......but that's another topic for another week. For now, tell me how much you love/hate ESPN!
Friday, October 8, 2010
The beginning.....and a baseball replay rant that may surprise you.
So, I went to a Jerry Saltz (http://nymag.com/nymag/jerry-saltz) lecture tonight at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. I went to support my wife, as I'd never heard of Mr. Saltz before watching a couple of episodes of the reality show he was on this summer. I didn't have any expectations, but came away inspired. So, from that lecture on art and art critique comes a blog about--of course--sports!
How did an art critic inspire me to write about sports? Hell, I don't know. I supposed there are many layers to the thoughts and feelings that I walked away with, but the bottom line is, I came away knowing that I needed a forum to rant and rave about sports, and therefore, will start a blog.
This blog has been an idea for many months. I had trouble defining what I truly wanted to discuss. I wanted a niche topic, something I could become an expert on. Mr. Saltz's lecture, however, made me realize I don't need to be an expert, I just need to have a thought. I don't need a narrow subject, I just need to have something to post about. And so, this blog is born....A Blade of Plastic Grass.
So, how did I name this blog? Hell, it was easy. It was the first thing that came to mind. My wife cringed at the name. I think that means I did well. It is, after all, my place to rant and rave about everything sports. Personally, I hate artificial turf. Therefore, it's a controversial name to me, which is what I hope to bring to this blog. I find that I'm often on the opposite side of an argument with most of my friends. Therefore, I'm probably on the opposite side of the majority of the world. Perfect!
I envision, eventually, allowing this to become a forum of debate. I will bring up a topic and the reader/viewer (I see video in my future) can tell me how right/wrong I am. There will be rules. Only debate with me. No debate amongst readers, because unlike today's sports radio and message board crowds, I don't want to stifle good discussion and debate. This is another Jerry Saltz idea that I am stealing.........Thanks Mr. Saltz!
This blog is my opinion. Therefore, there will be a lean toward my teams, and I will not make that a secret. I am a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. I am a Sooner. I have been a Cubs fan since I was about 4 years old and have been a die-hard Colts fan since they moved to Indianapolis. And, though I'm not a big NBA fan, Kevin Durant & Co. have stolen my heart since their arrival in OKC, and I "Thunder Up" every chance I get during the winter. If you're looking for objective writing when discussing those teams, don't read here. You won't find it. I will, however, stick to general sports topics and conversations when possible as to not make this a team specific blog. That's not my vision, nor do I think it's original.
So, without further introduction, my first rant:
Yesterday in Tampa....controversy! A check swing heard around the world. Chants of "replay" heard from the fans at "The Trop". Yes, there were actually "fans" there today. And so, as I'm listening to the talking heads talk about the need for replay, I start to ask myself, "Why"?
Why does baseball need to satisfy the need for non-baseball fans to see the correct calls all of the time? Baseball is a game of human error. The umpires should not be expected to be perfect. The game is imperfect. The game is open for interpretation. The game itself is art.
My wife and I were discussing this earlier. I think the thing that has me hooked on the game of baseball, and has pretty much since birth, is the fact that at any point during the game, the game can be decided. In a big football game, I'll sit on pins and needles for about a quarter. In a big basketball game, the final two minutes are crucial. In baseball, however, it starts from the first pitch. Any of the 27 outs can be the deciding outs and any of the 300 or so pitches can be the crucial pitch. In an important baseball game, you're on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Don't get me wrong, if that were the Cubs, I'd be emotional and ranting the other way. Baseball will break your heart. As a Cubs fan, I know about broken hearts. Walk off home runs, errors, fan interference and yes, blown calls. Anything can be the deciding factor. They're all human error. To take any of the human error out of baseball is to suck the life out of the game. It is not a perfect game. It's not designed to be perfect. It's designed to be human.
So, while I can sympathize with what the twenty-three true Rays fans are feeling, (Lord knows I've been there) it does not change my opinion on instant replay in baseball. There's no place for it. The game does not need to be fixed. It's not supposed to be a perfect game. It's just supposed to be baseball.
..........And there you have it, my first blog post. Please feel free to add your commentary. Tell me what you like. Tell me what you don't like. Tell me my opinion sucks. Whatever. Just be prepared to back up your arguments because I'll be prepared to defend mine!
How did an art critic inspire me to write about sports? Hell, I don't know. I supposed there are many layers to the thoughts and feelings that I walked away with, but the bottom line is, I came away knowing that I needed a forum to rant and rave about sports, and therefore, will start a blog.
This blog has been an idea for many months. I had trouble defining what I truly wanted to discuss. I wanted a niche topic, something I could become an expert on. Mr. Saltz's lecture, however, made me realize I don't need to be an expert, I just need to have a thought. I don't need a narrow subject, I just need to have something to post about. And so, this blog is born....A Blade of Plastic Grass.
So, how did I name this blog? Hell, it was easy. It was the first thing that came to mind. My wife cringed at the name. I think that means I did well. It is, after all, my place to rant and rave about everything sports. Personally, I hate artificial turf. Therefore, it's a controversial name to me, which is what I hope to bring to this blog. I find that I'm often on the opposite side of an argument with most of my friends. Therefore, I'm probably on the opposite side of the majority of the world. Perfect!
I envision, eventually, allowing this to become a forum of debate. I will bring up a topic and the reader/viewer (I see video in my future) can tell me how right/wrong I am. There will be rules. Only debate with me. No debate amongst readers, because unlike today's sports radio and message board crowds, I don't want to stifle good discussion and debate. This is another Jerry Saltz idea that I am stealing.........Thanks Mr. Saltz!
This blog is my opinion. Therefore, there will be a lean toward my teams, and I will not make that a secret. I am a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. I am a Sooner. I have been a Cubs fan since I was about 4 years old and have been a die-hard Colts fan since they moved to Indianapolis. And, though I'm not a big NBA fan, Kevin Durant & Co. have stolen my heart since their arrival in OKC, and I "Thunder Up" every chance I get during the winter. If you're looking for objective writing when discussing those teams, don't read here. You won't find it. I will, however, stick to general sports topics and conversations when possible as to not make this a team specific blog. That's not my vision, nor do I think it's original.
So, without further introduction, my first rant:
Yesterday in Tampa....controversy! A check swing heard around the world. Chants of "replay" heard from the fans at "The Trop". Yes, there were actually "fans" there today. And so, as I'm listening to the talking heads talk about the need for replay, I start to ask myself, "Why"?
Why does baseball need to satisfy the need for non-baseball fans to see the correct calls all of the time? Baseball is a game of human error. The umpires should not be expected to be perfect. The game is imperfect. The game is open for interpretation. The game itself is art.
My wife and I were discussing this earlier. I think the thing that has me hooked on the game of baseball, and has pretty much since birth, is the fact that at any point during the game, the game can be decided. In a big football game, I'll sit on pins and needles for about a quarter. In a big basketball game, the final two minutes are crucial. In baseball, however, it starts from the first pitch. Any of the 27 outs can be the deciding outs and any of the 300 or so pitches can be the crucial pitch. In an important baseball game, you're on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Don't get me wrong, if that were the Cubs, I'd be emotional and ranting the other way. Baseball will break your heart. As a Cubs fan, I know about broken hearts. Walk off home runs, errors, fan interference and yes, blown calls. Anything can be the deciding factor. They're all human error. To take any of the human error out of baseball is to suck the life out of the game. It is not a perfect game. It's not designed to be perfect. It's designed to be human.
So, while I can sympathize with what the twenty-three true Rays fans are feeling, (Lord knows I've been there) it does not change my opinion on instant replay in baseball. There's no place for it. The game does not need to be fixed. It's not supposed to be a perfect game. It's just supposed to be baseball.
..........And there you have it, my first blog post. Please feel free to add your commentary. Tell me what you like. Tell me what you don't like. Tell me my opinion sucks. Whatever. Just be prepared to back up your arguments because I'll be prepared to defend mine!
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