My Take on PED's and Sports

     Bill Simmons in grantland.com posed the question about two comebacks in football this year.  The first was Ray Lewis coming back from a 6 month injury in about 10 weeks, and the second was Adrian Peterson coming back from a torn ACL in about 9 months.
     The Amazing thing isn't the comeback, its the way they have performed.  Peterson had arguably the best season ever by a running back, and Ray Lewis performing at a high level at age 37 helping the Ravens get to the Super Bowl is unreal. Simmons posed the question about possible performance enhancing drugs by Peterson and/or Lewis.
     Here is my reaction: If so should it be a big deal?  Sports is entertainment.  We need to get off this old belief that sports is a clean and honest game and "cheaters never win." Guess what? They have and they will continue to win.  I was amazed at Peterson's recovery.  I wouldn't touch him at the fantasy draft back in August with a ten foot pole.  My thinking was coming back from an ACL in 9 months? Are you kidding me? Yet there I was amazed all season at his play, and the regular season finale against Green Bay, he had me and my friends out of our chairs watching  that performance.  Was it legit? I would like to believe so.  But if he used say HGH to come back, I think that is fine.  A running back's career is so short, if we get to see more of Adrian Peterson as a result, or one last Superbowl run by Ray Lewis, that is great for the fans, isn't it? 
    When I was 12 one of my favorite running backs was Billy Sims of the Detroit Lions.  His career was cut short by a knee injury in 1984. Imagine if he could have came back from that injury.  Wouldn't it have been great for a kid to see one of his favorite running backs get to perform?  What if there was something for Don Mattingly to help his back he could be in the hall of fame!  (I think if Kirby Puckett is in Mattingly should be too, but that is for another blog.)
     I think there needs to be a distinction in PED's and the media has already set a precedent.  Everyone kills A-Rod and Bonds and Clemens, but Andy Pettite used HGH to recover from an injury once, so that is OK?  I think the leagues should get together and treat PED's this way:  If you are injured and want to get back on the field faster and work with a licensed doctor that should be OK.  If you want to get stronger just to hit more home runs or get more sacks on the QB the answer is no.  The league needs to police this, because I think anytime an amazing athlete can perform a high level at an advanced age, it's a win for fans, the team and the league, but i get the argument you don't want to put pressure on the guys who do it "the right way" to have to use PED's. It should be about recovery from injury, not about boosting performance.
    Medicine has advanced, we had Tommy John surgery to name one to extend careers.  If a doctor gives you medicine to extend careers should it really make a difference?  To say it is not fair to former players? Yes it probably isn't but, diet and nutrition have come a long way, travel time is less, there are so many things today's athlete has as an advantage to past generations, we should get to see today's athletes perform at a high level for a longer period of time.

     Finally I want to touch on the hall of fame voting in major league baseball.  I think its a joke that these sports writers want to play judge and jury over all players who played in the "steroid" era.  Believe me I 100% guarantee in the next 10 years a player will be voted into the hall of fame who everyone assumes is "clean' and then after he is voted in, he will be linked to PED's.  What do you do then? Have him give back his HOF plaque as Reggie Bush did with his Heisman?  Seriously!
Stop acting holier than thou!  It should be on a case by case basis.  Mark Mcguire was a one dimensional player. His numbers might look more like Dave Kingman if he played clean.  So OK don't vote him in.  But Bonds, Clemens? Really?  Sosa? OK. I agree with you.  Mike Piazza?  Why? Because you think he might have done PED's?  That is your argument?  Grow up!  This last hall of fame vote in which no living player was voted in, is a mockery of the system and I think some writers should have their privilege taken away.  But then again that is just me.

Free Speech in America

Ozzie Guillen's comments about liking Fidel Castro and respecting him, brings back something that really bothers me about America.  "Free" Speech.  First of all a baseball manager really doesn't need to be commenting on politics, just like politicians shouldn't comment on sports. (see "Obama, NCAA tournament")  However, just because you do or say something you shouldn't isn't a crime, it should not cost you your job. 
     As an American i love the fact that i can write this blog without fear of being arrested or having the government shut down my blog.  Maybe i don't appreciate what Cuban immigrants living in Miami have gone through.  In my opinion though, most of them probably left to be free.  Yet here they are trying to get a baseball manager fired for something he said.  That's Hypocritical if you ask me. 
Did Guillen kill anybody? Did he commit any crimes?  Did he hurt anybody? If I take a baseball bat to your skull, that will hurt.  If I call you a name or same something you don't like, it only hurts if you let it.  Human beings have an ability to reason, to think for themselves.  Words cannot hurt you, unless you want them to.
     It amazes me two years after Don Imus made his infamous insult to the Rutgers Women's Basketball team that C. Vivian Stringer said she was still hurt by what he said.  Are you kidding me? Really? A Women with a masters degree is going to let an ex drug addict disc jockey get under her skin? I don't get it. I really don't. The guy lost his job was ridiculed and you are still hurt?
     Free speech should be about saying what you want without fear of any retaliation.  You want to disagree with I say? That is fine, but why should I lose my job?  You know why Howard Stern never bothered me? Because I never tuned into 92.3 FM when he was on, and I don't own Sirius Radio in my car.  Say what what you want Howard, I won't hear it, and I don't care. If everyone lost their job for saying something stupid, the unemployment rate would be a lot higher than it is now.
   This is America.  Let people say what they want.  If you don't like it don't listen.  If you want say something to refute what they said, that's fine too.  If it's me though, don't ask for an apology.  I will never apologize for something I said that I believe is true.  That is Free Speech.

No BCS allowed

Here is what would happen in college football if I were the Czar of sports.  16 teams played out over the next 4 weekends with the National championship game to be played at the Sugar Bowl Jan 2nd.

The round of 16 the higher seed is the home team

Saturday Dec 10th

16 West Virginia (automatic Big East)                  13 Michigan
1 LSU                                                                   4 Stanford

9 South Carolina                                                  12 Baylor
8 Kansas State                                                       5 Oregon

15 Clemson                                                         11 Va Tech
2 Alabama                                                             6  Arkansas

10 Wisconsin                                                         14 Oklahoma  
7 Boise State                                                           3 Oklahoma State

Saturday Dec 17th

Fiesta Bowl 1/16 winner vs 8/9 winnner
Cotton Bowl 2/15 winner vs 7/10 winner
Outback Bowl 3/14 winner vs 6/1 winner
Gator Bowl 4/13 winner vs 5/12 winner

Sunday Dec 25th

Rose Bowl: Fiesta Bowl Winner vs. Gator Bowl Winner

Monday Dec 26th

Orange Bowl: Cotton Bowl Winner vs. Outback bowl winner

Monday Jan 2nd

Sugar Bowl - National Championship game

Notes: I will be simulating these games on whatifsports.com  -awesome website -if you haven't been on it and you are a sports fan you are missing a lot.

The bowls will be rotated -next season the sugar bowl woul go to the quarters the fiesta would move the semis and the rose would be national championship.  Only gator bowl and outback bowl are locked into quarterfinals each year.

What do you think? I think its perfect.. let's do it already!

Random Midweek Thoughts

I am listening to Darius Rucker on my MP3 player ( I know, I need to get an Ipod) Is there a better male voice in music today?

I think when there is a sex abuse scandal at a college, the Head coach should just shut up.  Every time he speaks it is Cha-Ching!! for the plaintiffs in any lawsuit.

Two Boston thoughts from a guy sitting in lovely New Jersey right now. 1) Why are the Red Sox players crying about Bobby V?  He is the only manager to lead the Mets to back back playoff appearances.  As big as his ego is, he is a brilliant baseball man and a winner.  Since the players ran Terry Francona out of town, they should shut the hell up and play hard for this guy next year

2)Why are the Celtics looking to trade Rajon Rondo.  Ok for Chris Paul I might get (although reports now are Paul wouldn't sign an extension with the c's)  What is wrong with Rondo? Can't Shoot? Ok that is correctable with mmm... sorry Allen Iverson but PRACTICE!  I mean Jason Kidd his first couple of years in the league was called Ason....(no J)  makes no sense to trade Rondo.

As much as I love the Big East, how do the get an automatic BCS bid?  Cincinnati lost to Tennessee who won only 1 game in the SEC this year.  They really need to overall the system.  But they won't because it makes too much money, and college presidents who should be leaders with a vision for the future, hate change,

If Peyton Manning gets cleared to play, do you think John Elway would make a run for him in Denver next year?  That is of course assuming Tim Tebow loses a game sometime soon. 

Speaking of Tebow, It amazes me how coaches get fired for not winning. Quarterbacks are measured by wins ultimately.  So what is wrong with Tebow?  The team and the coaches have rallied around him, they believe they are going to win and they do.  How is that working for Phillip Rivers? Michael Vick? Winning is the bottom line and  Tebow is 5-1 and he could care less about his stats.  I think John Fox deserves a huge amount of credit for changing his offense to fit Tebow.  He was so conservative in Carolina, he has proved to me what a top flight coach he is.

I think i can't stand Giants fans.  they are moaning about how the Packers are going to kill them.  Watch them win this week beat the Cowboys next week, and all of the sudden. "Tom Coughlin gets the most out of his players, never count them out!" Really? Its a joke

I am praying Texans play the Jets in the playoffs and Kellen Clemens beats Mark Sanchez.

My vote is for Trent Richardson for the Heisman, but how is Montee Ball of Wisconsin not in most people's top 5??  32 TD's., that is unreal.

Finally the best thing the NFL did was have the Flex schedule.  The colts pats game this week would have been a disaster.  Too bad there is no way they could flex the Monday Night games.

The Penn State mess and some random thoughts.

The only thing I can really say about what's going on at Penn State right now is Jerry Sandusky, if what is alleged is true, is an evil man who should be put away.  I think the rest is people's careers being destroyed by failing to act. Whether this failure to act was based on loyalty or they were just plain naive is really not the point.  I think as educators and leaders, the Penn State administration should be expected to do more, including Joe Paterno.  I think there is a lack of loyalty in this country. So called friends will throw you under the bus the first chance they get, to save their skin or for a big payday.  We have become a country of looking out for number one. I think the latter happened here. Nobody cared about stopping a criminal act, or the victims.  Everyone involved cared about saving Penn State Football.  The victims and what they allegedly went through is the story here, but down the road in 2099 when they are doing a 21st "Sports Century" You won't be able to mention Joe Paterno without mentioning these horrible acts.  Its a tragedy.  One that most certainly could have been prevented.

***Some random thoughts***

I think the January 1st Cowboys at the Giants will be a "win and in" game for both teams.

I think if that is the case the Cowboys won't make the playoffs.

I also think if the above 2 statements are true, we could be looking at..gulp.. a Giants Jets Superbowl?? No.. too early to say that... perish the thought.  

I think every time I think I have the NFL figured out, the Rams beat the Saints, the Jags beat the Ravens and Jay Cutler plays mistake free football against an Eagles team that looked ready to go on a huge run after the Cowboys game.

I think LeSean McCoy is the best all around back in the NFL right now.

The one thing i will say is, all I here is how the Giants get to the Quarterback and that makes them so dangerous, yet they have given up 9 more points than the Cowboys.  

I think Jose Reyes is staying in the NL East, but not with the Mets.  (Why am I torturing myself??)

I think the Packers better lose a game, in the regular season, because they will lose a game this year at some point.  better to lose to the Lions on Thanksgiving than a rematch against the Saints in January.

Back to Reyes, I am surprised Derek Jeter hasn't told Brian Cashman he will move to Left Field if the Yankees sign Reyes.

Finally maybe i am in the minority, but i would rather see Boise State LSU, as opposed to an LSU Alabama rematch.

Random thoughts from the weekend

The 2011 World Series was one of the best series i have seen in my 39+ years on the planet.  I will say game 6 was the 2nd greatest game of all time.  I still say nothing beats game 6 of the 1986 NLCS.  The Mets scratching and clawing not wanting to face Mike Scott in Game 7.  The Astros trying to stay alive.  The Mets came back in the ninth down 3-0.  They took the lead in the 14th only to have Billy Hatcher tie it with a dramatic homer.  The Mets finally took the NL pennant... only after Kevin Bass just missed a walk off homer.. you know if the term "walk off homer" actually existed in 1986.
This weekends football games show why you should not bet sports.. if sports betting were actually legal anywhere except Las Vegas. (Delaware doesn't count.  they are nothing more than bookie tickets)
1) USC getting 7.5 lose because Stanford has to go for two in the 3rd OT.  Then USC fumbles into the endzone to end the game after the previous play looked like a USC touchdown, but he stepped out at the 4.
2)The Cardinals up 24-3 at Baltimore? The Ravens should have easily covered the 11.5 spread.
3) The Rams beating the Saints?  I don't care if Babe Ruth was the honorary captain for the Rams. No way the Saints after a 62-7 Whipping of the Colts should lose this game Not to mention the fact no Sam Bradford and had AJ Feely. at QB

Andy Reid is 13-0 after byes.  I think they forgot the one in February 2005, you might remember they played a little game in Jacksonville vs. Tom Brady.
Here is the thing about Reid.  Most players seem to love the guy, his record is way better in November and December than it is in September and October.  Why has this guy only gotten to 1 Super Bowl?  You want to  know why? He is a horrible in game manager.  He has made decisions during games that are just head scratchers.  Also I think I will always remember the way the Eagles just went so casual during the two minute drill in Super Bowl XXXIX.  
I think LeSean McCoy is the best running back in football right now.  I put him ahead of Adrian Peterson because he is a much better receiver.  That is not a slight on Peterson.  I am just saying how much I think McCoy is a beast. As a Cowboys and Pitt Panthers fan, when the Eagles drafted McCoy, I dreaded something happening like last night where he just ran all over the Cowboys.
I think Giants come back down to earth the next few weeks, although I think they have a good shot to beat the Pats this week.  I know Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are hall of fame QB's, but I think the Colts and Patriots both have let their fan base down by relying too much on these guys the last few years building average defenses that are great playing downhill when they have a lead, but ask to make a huge stop... no way.. Just leave enough time on the clock for Brady or Manning to pull it out.  Well we see what happens when Manning went down.  The colts are horrible.  The pats went 11-5 in 2008 when Brady went down, because of Matt Casell and they still had a decent defense, today if Brady went down,  They would be just as bad as the Colts without Manning.  This is what happens when you break the bank for your franchise QB with the salary cap and drafting near the bottom, it is hard to put together a championship defense.
Finally I hope the NBA doesn't settle for another month.  The Celtics are old.  The less games they have to play the better

Random thoughts from the weekend... and looking ahead

Lets start with a non sports thought. 1% of the population owns 40% of the money in the U.S.  Yet only assume 5% of the personal debt.  The 1% also own 50% of all stocks and bonds in this country. This my friends is why they are protesting on wall street.  Nobody is asking for a handout. (OK, I am sure some are.) But most are looking for a chance.  Ever since Reagan took over as President, those chances seem to be less and less.  Unless of course you can sing and appear before 3 judges, or you want to swim in a pool of mud for a couple of weeks.
Sorry had to get that off my chest. Now the fun stuff:  If you read my previous blogs, and judging by the responses, you haven't.  You would know i warned you about the Buffalo Bills.
Calvin Johnson is a great athlete playing Wide Receiver.  Larry Fitzgerald is a great athlete and a great Wide Receiver.  That is why I still think Fitzgerald is better than Johnson.  Although the gap is closing.
Thanks to Nelson Cruz I have to be reminded of the "Grand Single" by Robin Ventura, not because of that moment, but because it reminds me of the next night when the Mets led in the 9th and 10th innings of game 6 and could have erased a three games to none deficit, and done what the 04 Red Sox did 5 years earlier, but alas thank you Kenny Rogers.
I think the Cowboys have a shot to win in Foxboro this week.  Again i have said in previous blogs, I do not like the Pats defense.
I really hope the Redskins put their foot on the Eagles throat this week.  If the Eagles get any momentum, well just look at the 2010 Packers, 2007 Giants and 2005 Steelers.
I think if the only reason the Players haven't made a deal with the owners in the NBA is because the players feel the owners are trying not only to win, but to crush the players.  Then I think the owners have already won.
I think David Stern is an arrogant self centered man who doesn't care about the game of basketball.. only about money.
With that being said, he isn't much different than Roger Goodell Bud Selig, or Gary Bettman.  I think the other 3 commissioners just care about their respective sports a little more than Stern.
Why throw a hot dog at Tiger Woods? I don't get it.
I actually hope the NBA lockout lasts a while.  The Celtics are old.  The less games they have to play the better.
The Cardinals really can't afford to lose Albert Pujols.
I think if they do, Jose Reyes will be a Cardinal next year.
The Phillies are the 21s century vs of the Braves.  A ton of pitching, lots of division titles, only one world series title.
Are Yankees Fans still mad they didn't sign Cliff Lee?
I think its not fair to blame Brian Cashman  for the yankees early exit, he didn't want to sign a-rod to that ridiculous contract.  But if i were him i would try to beat Theo Epstein for the Cubs job.  The Yankees are getting old and Yankee fans are going to realize soon, there is only one Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
Finally I can't believe we are heading to Week 6 of the NFL season.  The season goes way too fast.