Some years ago a friend persuaded me to play fantasy football. I love football I figured I'd give it a shot. It took one draft for me to get hooked, I followed everything, every backup running back, third string wide receivers, rookie tight ends. I became a football genius in a matter of weeks. I won the championship in my first year and anticipated every season like it was Christmas. By the third season I started my own league and ran it like a business. Last year the champ of the league was payed out nearly $600, not bad.
I realized though, that I was unbalanced in my sporting knowledge. I realized I knew every aspect of NFL and not a thing when it came it to MLB. But there was a solution to be had, fantasy baseball.
I got my league together, invited a group of people and we had our draft nearly 3 weeks ago. I have learned a lot in the first 2 weeks of the fantasy baseball league, like draft strategy and pitching rotations. But what I really learned so far is that I suck at fantasy baseball. In my first week I was completely killed by a guy who wasn't even there for the draft. His whole team was auto-picked by the computer, and he slaughtered me. I won 1 category out of 10.
With 10 categories to win or lose every week I feel buried already and its only week 1. What's my problem? I have 4 pitchers on the DL, I also have 2 batters on the DL. I only have 2 DL spots. On the plus side I never have to set my lineup because every one who is healthy is automatically in the game, even if they're not playing that day. Now its week 2 and instead of a fresh start I'm already losing 7 categories to nothing with 3 ties.
As a league commissioner I would try and keep people's hopes up in fantasy football, you could really win the whole thing even if you lost the first 4 weeks in a row. I'm in week 2 of baseball and I'm confident there's no hope for me. There's no crying in baseball right? How about fantasy baseball? So this is my fantasy baseball experiment I've learned that I want football back.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
What would Bobby Knight do?
The Big East tournament is turning out to be one of the best conference tournaments in college basketball. Last night the world regrettably watched one of the worst officiating jobs since the Seattle-Pittsburgh SuperBowl. Rutgers was hacked, fouled and shoved repeatedly for the last 3 minutes and the referees turned their backs and called fouls only in favor of St. Johns. As if the missed calls weren't bad enough, with 1.7 seconds remaining Rutgers was pummeled and not called again, lost the ball while St. Johns ran out of bounds with it and launched it into the crowd with 1.7 seconds remaining on the clock.
Turnover, Rutgers ball with 1 shot to win the game, this is gonna be great. Wait...where are the referees going? They're gone? We're trying to play a basketball game here and they just left.
What's really amazing is how cool Rutgers coach Mike Rice was during the postgame interview, he admitted to bad mistakes, no hard feelings, it happens...
Wow. I was ready for chairs to go flying. I was ready for accusations that could draw blood. Instead I saw the book being written, "How to Take the High Road" by Mike Rice. Put that book in Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com and... nobody's buying that crap.
I want Bobby Knight back. What would Bobby have done in that situation? He would tear down the basketball hoop and jam it down someones throat while yelling, "YOU WANNA MAKE SIDE MONEY AGAINST MY TEAM YOU S.O.B.". He would throw every single chair onto the court while causing himself an aneurysm. They would have to restrain him with security guards, place the referees in witness protection and then they would play out the last 1.7 seconds.
He may have been a psycho but he was a champion and there was a method to his madness. The only important difference between Mike Rice and Bobby Knight is that Bobby is gonna see that game finished. They're going to get the ball back, get a shot off with a guaranteed foul called because the referees owed it to him.
The high road is a difficult example to set. I don't mean to take too much away from Mike Rice. It wasn't his fault the refs are dining with Tim Donaghy. But to Rutgers fans, they want to play out the last 1.7 seconds and sometimes the low road can give you that chance. Fans everywhere miss Bobby Knight and we appreciate him even more today then we did yesterday.
Turnover, Rutgers ball with 1 shot to win the game, this is gonna be great. Wait...where are the referees going? They're gone? We're trying to play a basketball game here and they just left.
What's really amazing is how cool Rutgers coach Mike Rice was during the postgame interview, he admitted to bad mistakes, no hard feelings, it happens...
Wow. I was ready for chairs to go flying. I was ready for accusations that could draw blood. Instead I saw the book being written, "How to Take the High Road" by Mike Rice. Put that book in Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com and... nobody's buying that crap.
I want Bobby Knight back. What would Bobby have done in that situation? He would tear down the basketball hoop and jam it down someones throat while yelling, "YOU WANNA MAKE SIDE MONEY AGAINST MY TEAM YOU S.O.B.". He would throw every single chair onto the court while causing himself an aneurysm. They would have to restrain him with security guards, place the referees in witness protection and then they would play out the last 1.7 seconds.
He may have been a psycho but he was a champion and there was a method to his madness. The only important difference between Mike Rice and Bobby Knight is that Bobby is gonna see that game finished. They're going to get the ball back, get a shot off with a guaranteed foul called because the referees owed it to him.
The high road is a difficult example to set. I don't mean to take too much away from Mike Rice. It wasn't his fault the refs are dining with Tim Donaghy. But to Rutgers fans, they want to play out the last 1.7 seconds and sometimes the low road can give you that chance. Fans everywhere miss Bobby Knight and we appreciate him even more today then we did yesterday.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Lets all remember why we HATE the Yankees so much.
As a new resident of New York City I find myself surrounded by fans of the evil empire. At least the Yankee fans here are justified because they live here.
Not like Yankee fans scattered every where else across the globe; those fans have the sporting sense of canned heat. They cheer for the Yankees because they've already won 27 championships, not because they are baseball fans. Its like cheering for Bill Gates to win the publishers clearing house or hoping Justin Bieber can meet a hot girl. These "fans" need to be slapped for jumping on the band wagon. Any real fan knows that the Yankees stand against all things sacred in sports.
And it seems lately that Yankee fans are somewhat discouraged. The Yankees don't have a pitching staff that can hang with the Red Sox and they're not the favorite to win it this year. I almost started feeling sympathetic for them and I thought, "it's OK, they're gonna get Felix Hernandez from Seattle, you're gonna be OK." (sorry Mariner fans but you heard it here first).
I should have slapped my self immediately; pity for the Yankees?... the Yankees are EVIL. They exist to be hated. They will pay an endless number of dollars every year to win the championship.
The real shame of the Yankees is that they don't win it every year. They fired Torre because he lost the 1st round of the playoffs, 4 years in a row. The next year under Girardi they didn't even make the playoffs. Come on man, I could have managed them to the playoffs, seriously with all that talent and money I could manage the Yankees and they would make the playoffs today. I wager that George W. Bush could even manage the Yankees into the playoffs or even, Steven Hawking could be wheeled in and lead the Yankees to the playoffs while speaking through his computer. They should have moved the whole team to Albany for not making the playoffs, New Yorkers deserve better than that. NOT.
Of the many things that make the Yanks so evil is that legitimate teams scout players; they invest millions, they pour time, blood and sweat to make them great. Then the second they become free agents, here come the Yankees. They come blowing their noses with million dollar bills, clean hair cuts and a fresh shave...why so clean-cut you ask? Because that's the way the devil likes them to be.
Remember when Johnny Damon sold his soul? I can still see him sitting in that chair with the cameras rolling as the barber went to town shearing his glorious locks of hair, just like Samson in the hands of Delilah. The devil took his soul that day and it was all captured on camera as one of the most disturbing moments in baseball. I can still see the look on his face... it was as if you could hear the 30 pieces of silver falling to the ground as he realized it was too late, he was officially Yankee, a mercenary, and all things good about Johnny Damon have blown with the wind.
If you look hard you can see that same look in the eyes of Texeira, and A Rod; they look just like Robert the Bruce in Braveheart; you know that scene after William Wallace rips off his helmet to see he's been betrayed. The Yankees will offer players the world but the cost of wearing those pinstripes can cost a man far more than his pride.
A Rod, Tex, if you're reading this there is still dignity to be salvaged, you could pull a Randy Johnson and run. Never look back, just keep running. You could find yourself in a city where baseball dignity is restored and love for the game reigns supreme, a place like Minnesota. A Rod, put the walkman down and stop listening to Madonna tapes, I've got some Purple Rain you need to hear.
With 22 days left until opening day lets all recognize where our allegiance lies. We have not forgotten who the bad guys are... we will all HATE the Yankees.
Hollow Johnny Purpose filled Johnny
(After) (Before)
Not like Yankee fans scattered every where else across the globe; those fans have the sporting sense of canned heat. They cheer for the Yankees because they've already won 27 championships, not because they are baseball fans. Its like cheering for Bill Gates to win the publishers clearing house or hoping Justin Bieber can meet a hot girl. These "fans" need to be slapped for jumping on the band wagon. Any real fan knows that the Yankees stand against all things sacred in sports.
And it seems lately that Yankee fans are somewhat discouraged. The Yankees don't have a pitching staff that can hang with the Red Sox and they're not the favorite to win it this year. I almost started feeling sympathetic for them and I thought, "it's OK, they're gonna get Felix Hernandez from Seattle, you're gonna be OK." (sorry Mariner fans but you heard it here first).
I should have slapped my self immediately; pity for the Yankees?... the Yankees are EVIL. They exist to be hated. They will pay an endless number of dollars every year to win the championship.
The real shame of the Yankees is that they don't win it every year. They fired Torre because he lost the 1st round of the playoffs, 4 years in a row. The next year under Girardi they didn't even make the playoffs. Come on man, I could have managed them to the playoffs, seriously with all that talent and money I could manage the Yankees and they would make the playoffs today. I wager that George W. Bush could even manage the Yankees into the playoffs or even, Steven Hawking could be wheeled in and lead the Yankees to the playoffs while speaking through his computer. They should have moved the whole team to Albany for not making the playoffs, New Yorkers deserve better than that. NOT.
Of the many things that make the Yanks so evil is that legitimate teams scout players; they invest millions, they pour time, blood and sweat to make them great. Then the second they become free agents, here come the Yankees. They come blowing their noses with million dollar bills, clean hair cuts and a fresh shave...why so clean-cut you ask? Because that's the way the devil likes them to be.
Remember when Johnny Damon sold his soul? I can still see him sitting in that chair with the cameras rolling as the barber went to town shearing his glorious locks of hair, just like Samson in the hands of Delilah. The devil took his soul that day and it was all captured on camera as one of the most disturbing moments in baseball. I can still see the look on his face... it was as if you could hear the 30 pieces of silver falling to the ground as he realized it was too late, he was officially Yankee, a mercenary, and all things good about Johnny Damon have blown with the wind.
If you look hard you can see that same look in the eyes of Texeira, and A Rod; they look just like Robert the Bruce in Braveheart; you know that scene after William Wallace rips off his helmet to see he's been betrayed. The Yankees will offer players the world but the cost of wearing those pinstripes can cost a man far more than his pride.
A Rod, Tex, if you're reading this there is still dignity to be salvaged, you could pull a Randy Johnson and run. Never look back, just keep running. You could find yourself in a city where baseball dignity is restored and love for the game reigns supreme, a place like Minnesota. A Rod, put the walkman down and stop listening to Madonna tapes, I've got some Purple Rain you need to hear.
With 22 days left until opening day lets all recognize where our allegiance lies. We have not forgotten who the bad guys are... we will all HATE the Yankees.
(After) (Before)
Monday, March 7, 2011
NL MVP: The Machine...again
I would love to sit here and give you 10 reasons why, beyond any reasonable doubt, Albert Pujols will not win the NL MVP this year. But the bottom line is, I am hard pressed to find even 1 good reason why he won’t.
Of the best reasons I can find why he shouldn’t win this year is a question about his actual birth year. A hypothetical question as to whether or not he was actually born in 1980 is the best reason we can come up with to put a dagger in his MVP hopes.
Hasn’t the man been disrespected enough already? He was drafted in the 13th round of the ’99 draft. As far as I’m concerned all of baseball owes him an overwhelming apology for our failures at evaluating talent.
Last year Pujols hit 42 home runs with a .312 BA and 118 RBI’s. If Pujols may have a 10% increase from last year, which is a conservative estimate considering is has been statistically proven that players have a heightened performance during contract years. If this proves true we can expect 46 homeruns with a .344 batting average and 130 RBI’s with numbers like that he could be chasing the Triple Crown.
I wouldn’t say Pujols is going to win the first Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski but after being snubbed last year and missing the playoffs, ‘The Machine’ will be playing with a vengeance. There is no question Pujols will do his part to win the NL MVP. Now the only question remaining is: will the voters do theirs?
Adrian Gonzalez my pick for AL MVP
Adrian Gonzalez AL MVP
Adrian Gonzalez has spent the last 5 seasons at Petco Park in San Diego. Hitting homeruns at Petco is like bowling a 300 game, it’s not impossible but it’s worth your name on a plaque. Petco Park is the most difficult homerun park in all of baseball. If that didn’t hurt his numbers enough, his supporting cast didn’t help much either. With Eckstein, Headley and Hairston as his supporting cast Pitchers didn’t even have to pitch to him.
Now Gonzalez has moved to Fenway Park where pitchers will be pressured to pitch to him. He will have Ortiz, Crawford and Perdroia next to him in the lineup. Plus Fenway Park is one of the best hitter’s parks in the game, it is built for guys like Gonzalez to thrive. It is such a hitters field Victor Martinez was able to post .335/.389/.562 rates at Fenway last year and just .271/.315/.426 on the road. Fenway is a hitters dream.
What does this mean for Gonzalez? Better pitches and closer fences means his 31 homeruns, .298 avg. and 101 RBI’s will now be more like 42 Homeruns, .330 avg. and 130 RBI’s. Plus the Red Sox have made all the right moves to win the World Series this year. The equation looks something like this; a (great supporting cast) plus a (homerun field) plus (an early favorite to win the World Series) equals an easy pick for AL MVP.
Tampa Bay doesn't deserve the Rays
The last few years baseball fans have been lucky enough to watch a team rise from the ashes and into baseball awesomeness. The Tampa Bay Ray have given fans some of the best games in all of sports. They have battled with Boston and New York and held there ground every step of the way. For Tampa and Baltimore to play against these 2 powerhouses every year makes us all feel like the injustice of the world will never be set right. Somehow though, Tampa Bay has fought hard enough to be beat both Boston and New York.
The tragedy of this resurrection is that nobody ever goes to these games. The old saying is "if a tree falls in the woods and nobody is there to hear it does it make a noise?" Perhaps what we need to ask is, if the best baseball games are played and nobody goes to see it should they stay in that city?
No way... If Tampa Bay won't go to these games then they don't deserve the Rays, give them a AAA team like the Pittsburgh Pirates... oh there not AAA? oh sorry. Seriously there are some great cities within proximity of other AL East teams that would give there full support of the Rays if they would only come. I recommend Raleigh North Carolina, or New Orleans, LA. There is zero reason for the Rays to stay in Tampa, they are doing them selves dirty by staying, and the time to move was yesterday.
The tragedy of this resurrection is that nobody ever goes to these games. The old saying is "if a tree falls in the woods and nobody is there to hear it does it make a noise?" Perhaps what we need to ask is, if the best baseball games are played and nobody goes to see it should they stay in that city?
No way... If Tampa Bay won't go to these games then they don't deserve the Rays, give them a AAA team like the Pittsburgh Pirates... oh there not AAA? oh sorry. Seriously there are some great cities within proximity of other AL East teams that would give there full support of the Rays if they would only come. I recommend Raleigh North Carolina, or New Orleans, LA. There is zero reason for the Rays to stay in Tampa, they are doing them selves dirty by staying, and the time to move was yesterday.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Are there not any good pastors out there?
I know this is a sports blog, so I give a wholehearted apology to all of those who are reading this to see my opinion on NFL labor negotiations or San Francisco Giants repeat chances. This article is in response to an article posted on a the blog at http://nearemmaus.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/are-there-no-good-pastors-out-there/. This blog is an opportunity to show gratitude where it is due.
I have recently left the tutelage of a pastor who has set the bar forever as to what a pastor should be. For me, all pastors will be compared to this man and I know that it’s not fair to the other pastors but that is just the way it is. Unfortunately I have never conveyed to him how much I appreciate him as a pastor and upon seeing this post I was challenged to write an essay about Pastor Jeff in hopes that he will know how much I appreciate him.
Pastor Jeff was a legend in the college I attended. He was a professor there and many tales were told about his spiritual abilities and disciplined pursuit of God, which was nothing short of epic. Some of these stories were far fetched like, if you ever looked him straight in the eyes he would know every moral struggle you had as well as your mother’s maiden name. I even heard he killed a bear with his bare hands to defend a family of helpless squirrels in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Other stories seemed more realistic like his discipline in praying at 4am every morning, fasting 3 days a week and doing a 40 day fast every year was great inspiration for many a bible college student who wanted to do great things for the kingdom of heaven.
I met Pastor Jeff when I was a student at Christian Life College, I had heard about him well before actually meeting him. I decided to go to CLC in response to a call of God on my life. Unfortunately for me, I never felt like I jived well with CLC expectations as to what an aspiring minister should be. I felt like a reject by the faculty because my attitude was bad and my ministerial aspirations were minimal. I feel very fortunate that Pastor Jeff was not swayed where other faculty was.
Pastor Jeff began pastoring a church in San Francisco during my junior year and I joined a group of students who drove to San Francisco every weekend to help out his church, in return Pastor Jeff would take the time to mentor us. I got to know him better than the rumors and epic stories. The amazing thing about him was that he turned out to be a very down to earth guy. As a matter of fact he was very approachable, always saying he wasn’t busy when you knew he was swamped. He was also a regular guy, able to talk about sports and life and you could talk to him about pretty much anything. But what made Pastor Jeff great to me was that he believed in me and trusted me even when most of his peers at the college doubted my sincerity in Christ. He was different than any pastor that I had ever encountered before; he doesn’t pastor with a set of rules or a list of do’s and don’ts. He mentors by example as he follows Christ the best he can. And the result is a desire to also follow Christ and to be a disciple for your self.
After graduating Bible College, I decided to move to San Francisco and I attended the church for the next 5 years. Pastor Jeff taught me much about God and what it means to be a disciple. I was able to find a role in his church, he used me in ministry when I don’t believe other pastors would have.
The church he pastors, San Francisco Lighthouse, has become a place where anyone can go and feel that relationship with God is attainable and that they have come to a sanctuary. Jeff preaches with a passion and love for God that is palpable. The time that he invests in studying the Bible allows him to relay messages with honesty and truth. He does the Word of God justice with his sermons, never trying to add to the word of God in hopes of further proving a point. I have often said that if Jeff pastored in Michigan or Texas instead of San Francisco he would have a mega church in his first year it would be that easy. If you know anything of the culture in SF it is a very hard city to try to reach. But today SFL has become so involved in loving and helping people that if it wasn’t there tomorrow, there would be a gaping hole in the heart of that city.
So in response to the question “are there not any good pastors out there?” There is definitely some, I feel very privileged to have sat under one of the great pastors out there today and I would like to say thank you Pastor Jeff for the many years you invested in my life, you have shown me what it means to be a pastor and a disciple of Jesus. I can easily say my life will always be bettered for the time I spent at SFL.
After knowing Jeff and being in his church all these years now, I’ve had some chances to discover how much truth is behind the legend of Jeff Garner and let me just say, I’ve looked him straight in the eyes and I’m confident he has no clue as to my mothers maiden name.
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