- 10:41 PM
- 11/21/09
Interesting study on refereeing in basketball
This is why the huddle is so awesome. Doubtful that this would've ever made an FPP, but I'm a huge fan of anything related to the officials. With this study, I'd definitely need to look more closely at method, but I don't think there's really anything new being said here.
"You never want to be the less aggressive team." Really?
I'm not sure exactly if this is the one that stirred some controversy a while back, but some studies, including those done by Mark Cuban, can be a bit problematic in both assumptions in their premise, and in method/analysis.
Nonetheless, I'm always excited to see officials as worthy of investigation--even if only peripherally, as these researchers indicate is most likely the case when looking for relevance to management strategies.
posted by Spitztengle at 05:48 PM on November 18
I'm a huge Byron Scott fan. I don't think he'll be unemployed long. As Pat Riley used to say, "Shoot 'em up and sleep in the streets, B!"
posted by Spitztengle at 02:46 PM on November 13
I'm trying to find a link for it, but j5v sent me a note yesterday in which the Raiders' GM indicated that Marc Trestman (currently the HC for the Montreal Alouettes, former OC with the Raiders) would be the next head coach.
I'm thinking that puts just that little bit of pressure on him to push the Als to actually win the Grey Cup this year. Couldn't think of a better, more classy replacement for the douchebag presently at the helm.
*please note that I reserve the right to retract the use of "douchebag" (or may substitute with asshat) upon further development of this story.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:56 PM on November 04
That would be hard to do, as he is under contract to the Saskatchewan Roughriders
The 9-game injured list is an unfortunate part of that equation. I'd be happier if he was on the roster, just not taking snaps because the starters are just that much better.
posted by Spitztengle at 04:31 PM on November 02
Sportsnet's self-proclaimed "peerless prognosticator" for CFL games talks about the differences between NFL and the CFL injury reports and how that affects betting habits.
While I'm amused at how Lefko serves as yet another conduit for Randall "The Handle"'s betting information, what I'm more interested in (as an informal survey among SpoFites) is who actually plays real money on the CFL? And who plays real money on the NFL? Other sports?
posted by Spitztengle at 01:50 PM on October 30
While most of the SpoFi folks are likely watching game two of the World Series ... I'm glued to a wild 5-5 draw between the Red Wings and Oilers with 6 minutes to go. I ever used to be a hockey fan ... but this game can really grow on you.
posted by Spitztengle at 11:52 PM on October 29
Ancient Greek athletes performed in the nude, glazed in olive oil and a light dusting of sand. The earliest observed baggataway/tewaarathon games were contested wearing nothing more than a loin cloth. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that some of you arguing in favour of the more streamlined (read: tight-fitting) or performance-enhancing uniforms are longing for those early times and the aesthetic (read: homoerotic) pleasure derived from observing fit bodies in motion. "Get rid of those baggy shorts and put those boys in some spandex!"
I realize this is more "lockerroom" talk than huddle talk, but don't dismiss the idea entirely. There is an aesthetic to sport ... baggy shorts is just one variation.
More on-topic, however ... what fascinates me most is the way in which clothing is becoming increasingly engineered to "enhance" performance, not simply inhibit less.
posted by Spitztengle at 12:05 PM on October 29
So on the video link to goofy hockey commercials, here are a few worth giving your head a shake over. First, we have Pierre the French-Canadian snowman puppet who reportedly spent some time in the Chicoutimi C League. While I found these commercials mildly amusing, and while I'll admit that I'm not all that familiar with Phoenix hockey fan demographic info, I could never understand the relevance of this character to the Coyote fanbase ... let alone the comedy(?) in a mullet-sporting, French-Canadian hockey-never-was as a US Presidential Candidate???
And related to the "Minnesota Wild Things" ... can the NHL teams not afford good costumes for their ad campaigns? This Boston Bruin might have to spend some time in camp with some Alaskan grizzlies to get in shape.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:28 AM on October 29
It's too early in Dwyane Wade's career to start talking Hall of Fame.
In apoch's defense, he did qualify him as a "potential" first-ballot hall-of-famer.
posted by Spitztengle at 01:15 PM on October 28
Stephen Brunt does a nice summing up of our discussion of the McGwire story
I'm hard pressed to think of a better sportswriter. I'm a huge fan of Brunt.
posted by Spitztengle at 01:10 PM on October 28
(Minnesota?)
err, Philadelphia.
posted by Spitztengle at 03:27 PM on October 20
Today is the 48th anniversary of an ugly racial event in college football that was news to me -- the Johnny Bright incident.
Is it the 48th or 58th? 1951. Regardless, in some ways, acknowledging the anniversary of this event is important ... it can show how much things can change in approximately a half-century. That is assuming that this type of racially motivated hatred/violence would be inconceivable to people today.
Interestingly, this was also a pivotal incident in Bright's decision to come north and play in the CFL (if I'm not mistaken, he was the first NFL first-round pick (Minnesota?) to decline, or choose the CFL over the NFL). It also marks a real important time in Canada as racial integration in the CFL was really in its infancy. This particular story contributed heavily to the myth that Canada was/is a far more "tolerant" nation.
posted by Spitztengle at 01:51 PM on October 20
FSU should never have a special tutor for athletes. It is a recipe for disaster. They should help fund regular tutoring and help fund the office for students with disabilities. and athletes should just use those services.
bperk, I agree. It would be one more way of reinforcing the student-athlete identity in that order.
posted by Spitztengle at 12:24 PM on October 16
I'm not totally familiar with the "labor" issues that Jack Kramer was involved with, but I do think he might be an icon to revisit in regards to this particular issue. If the players speak loud enough (i.e., get organized and act in solidarity on the issue), change should surely come, no?
posted by Spitztengle at 12:04 PM on October 13
I think the best thing about this article is in challenging the ethical stance against dogfighting while still endorsing contact/collision/combat sports. "Free will" can only take a person so far in this defense.
posted by Spitztengle at 11:55 AM on October 13
Cameron Wake has a great game for the Dolphins (blatantly daring to use the derogatory name in full) ... and it is a moment worth celebrating for CFL fans who do not think that the league is second-rate. Another proving ground, maybe ... but it is nice to see guys who do well in Canada do more than practice reps down south.
posted by Spitztengle at 05:59 PM on October 05
So they not only moved east but also switched sports?
No, these Colorado Rockies. I had forgotten that Don Cherry was bench-boss for this squad one season too.
posted by Spitztengle at 12:48 PM on October 05
Not the best week so far at 7-6 ATS, but if the Packers come through tonight, I'll be laughing all the way to the pay window
I had a pretty good week ATS. Vikes win and cover tonight, I'm a rockin' 13/14 on the week. Why this never happened when I used to actually lay money down each week is beyond me. Something about a fool and his money soon being parted?
posted by Spitztengle at 12:36 PM on October 05
How all 30 NHL teams got their names.
I'm not trying to stir the pot here, (re)igniting the whole mascot issue, but it's reading something like this (interesting as it is, thanks for the post, rcade) that really makes me shake my head at how some folks will fight so passionately to keep "controversial" names and mascots. When you think about how some of these names came to be in the first place, I question how one couldn't think: what's the big deal about a name change?
Looking back at the historical record, one of the most popular team names was the Victorias (obviously, a tribute to the queen). Winnipeg and Montreal (both named Victorias) played off for the Stanley Cup at least once. That name has clearly fallen out of vogue now. I rest my case.
posted by Spitztengle at 10:57 AM on October 05
Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, KG, Rondo ... those are enough suited cards to trump one Rasheed Wallace in the "likeable player" category. Heck, any one of those guys alone can trump Wallace in that category.
I'll stick to my original statement, not a Celtics fan in any way, other than I do like a handful of their players.
posted by Spitztengle at 06:31 PM on October 02
I'm definitely not a "Celtics" fan, but I can't help but really like this team for its assembly of some really likeable players.
I think the blank banner is an outstanding idea. A team "could" print its own banner for a practice facility that actually had the title and date ... but the blank one implies overtly that they have to fill it. It's "possible" ... not guaranteed ... which, to me, is the difference between confident (goal-oriented) and arrogant.
"There is no I in TEAM ... but there is in WIN"
posted by Spitztengle at 10:57 AM on October 02
and then I read owlhouse's link, and am willing to be the first to second that idea ... the 2020 Olympics could look much different than they do today
posted by Spitztengle at 05:54 PM on September 30
anyone else working on a prediction for which city will be awarded the 2016 Olympic Games?
I'm still waiting for the year to come when the Olympic Games will be hosted around the globe simultaneously ... doing away with the colossal overspending and social atrocities. It can still be the Olympics for chrissakes ... and perhaps even somehow better than the current (Modern) version.
think (Post)Modern Olympic Games
posted by Spitztengle at 05:51 PM on September 30
I would definitely not call this "old news" ... rather, I would say that it is a news update in an ongoing and likely long-lasting issue as the NFL, and football writ large, come to terms with the realities (effects and outcomes) of the nature of the game.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:00 AM on September 30
Helluva race it was, too.
One of my longest-standing sport wishes was that cycling was a bit more "television-friendly". Personally, I just cannot get into watching cars drive around and around an oval, but I sure could watch a three-and-a-half-hour bicycle race. This one at just under 7 hours would be a bit much though perhaps.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:41 PM on September 27
He was born for this role.
His girlfriend sure is a pretty thing too.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:24 PM on September 26
Theo Fleury's comeback bid ends (with the Flames at least).
posted by Spitztengle at 01:51 PM on September 25
Not to take away from their athleticism, but Duncan and Shaq are giants--physically marvelous for sure. But Kobe? That man is an athlete.
posted by Spitztengle at 12:55 PM on September 25
What do you do when a teammate wins a scuffle in practice? Why you take after him with a shovel, of course.
posted by Spitztengle at 12:06 PM on September 25
yeah, but did he "steal" any bases?
posted by Spitztengle at 04:17 PM on September 24
Then can he get credit for a double?
If the point is that there this instance is the only way to advance that isn't statistically recorded, then it is a gap in the stats. In some way, being on 2nd instead of 1st (or 3rd, not 2nd) has to make a difference.
However, baseball's (and baseball fans') addiction to stats is something I have no business in even entering the discussion about.
What I can say though, is that just because this is the way it has been for almost a century, doesn't mean it couldn't or shouldn't change now.
Perhaps like the NHL's Plus-Minus, it could be a stat worthy of an award at some point?
posted by Spitztengle at 03:14 PM on September 23
Now, the Under 16s are getting into it.
Does that one kid get in a kick on the guy on the ground and then immediately sock the guy being held by the others? What an asshat.
I'm just wondering what other sports leagues do when it comes to minors and fighting. Junior hockey players in Canada fight, and it's a celebrated part of the game with websites and YouTube clips to rank the fighters, etc.
posted by Spitztengle at 01:48 PM on September 22
Related, I posted this link and comment to in the Saturday huddle. I can't believe that a guy with 5 concussions in a year is even allowed to play, knowing what is starting to be known about CTE, etc. ... let alone "want" to play.
posted by Spitztengle at 12:45 AM on September 20
I'd argue that it's already had its share. Five concussions in 11 months? Would a boxing commission even clear this guy? How can a football league?
posted by Spitztengle at 01:34 PM on September 19
goddam, that is hilarious! Thanks for makin' me hit google with it too, owlhouse. That is definitely a winner ... post of the day!
posted by Spitztengle at 05:30 PM on September 18
LOCKED OUT: NBA to start preseason with replacement officials.
posted by Spitztengle at 05:20 PM on September 18
I realize that this will be like treating the huddle as a link dump, but check out the "good steak" ... it seems to graze him for that good old delayed response.
posted by Spitztengle at 03:56 PM on September 18
There's just something awesome about the one-shot big score (Wendy's Kick for a Million is another example). The rare time I swing a golf club I'm about as excited to par a hole as this guy for sinkin' an ace and winnin' the million though.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:05 PM on September 18
RE: Comment on St. Louis v Washington
The Defendant (hereafter referred to as Racists) shall, according to The Hoser, defeat the Rams of St. Louis 27 to 19.
posted by Spitztengle at 01:56 PM on September 18
The only thing that would make this thread any better at this point is if there was a WNFL team named the Lady Redskins.
posted by Spitztengle at 03:05 PM on September 17
And in the NHL last night, Sheldon Souray's rocket of a ripper from the blue line broke glass not once, but twice. Kinda like when big men in the NBA make it rain with a glass-shattering dunk, this slows the game down ... but man, the guy has got a shot!
posted by Spitztengle at 12:45 PM on September 17
NBA and its referees still haven't reached an agreement, but they're working on it.
posted by Spitztengle at 11:02 AM on September 17
yeah, what rumple said!
posted by Spitztengle at 12:50 AM on September 17
OK, not 100% male, but certainly not a woman
I repeat: this relies on a completely out-of-date and inaccurate definition of what ultimately defines who we are as sexed beings.
To quote Dave Zirin, there are (potentially) more "intersexed" people in the United States than Jews. For context, just try telling a Jewish person that they can't compete in the next ______ event. See what kind of response that gets.
posted by Spitztengle at 06:09 PM on September 16
I guess it is...since I certainly do not equate the *n* word to be even remotely similar to the word redskin. That's why I'm abbreviating one of those words..it's too offensive to even type in a forum.
bdaddy, this is not entirely your own fault. Race relations in America in particular has historically been dominated largely by a binary black-white understanding of race. This also really highlights why this issue is so important today. One of the main effects of the racist imagery of the Native American mascot has been to cast them as a people of the past, not a living, thriving, active culture. Effectively, the "native" is dead. That's what these symbols are saying ... and fuels the belief that deafens the ears that cries of injustice fall on.
posted by Spitztengle at 06:01 PM on September 16
I cannot believe that we are still having this discussion. Quickly, some random points though to feel like I'm in the conversation (although, at this point, I clearly feel defeated):
posted by Spitztengle at 05:54 PM on September 16
It's the IAAF's job to ensure that athletes competing as women are actually women.
dusted, I think the whole part of the argument that you're missing is that what is "actually" a woman (or a man for that matter) is not as clear-cut and binary as has historically been our way of defining it (sex/gender).
Secondly, when it comes to imbalanced hormones in a woman's body, there are incredible risks from an estrogen dominance too.
And finally, if we are going to argue concern for an athlete's (physical) health first ... then we need to REALLY reconsider sport in general.
posted by Spitztengle at 05:24 PM on September 16
I used to own a Wilson "Jack Kramer" when I was in high school.
Me too.
posted by Spitztengle at 04:17 PM on September 15
There is a message here that should not be overlooked, and that is: history should not be forgotten. The Civil Rights Movement and the current world of sport are incredibly interconnected. Foxworthy is worth praising for his commitment to remembering those connections.
However, as some of you have aptly pointed out, it (the article) does exaggerate the criminality (glocks in nightclubs) of the present-day NFL.
posted by Spitztengle at 01:49 PM on September 15
Perhaps we'll start celebrating NBAers who choose life on the hardwood instead of the cotton fields too then, yeah? All in good fun, of course.
I'll admit that I missed the sarcasm, but with recent episodes of sportswriters making fun of things that shouldn't be made fun of, "perhaps" there are some things, even with tongue-in-cheek, that might be out of line.
Clijsters' win alone is worthy of an FPP. The rarity of bein' a mom who did it is worthy of celebration without any "spin" for the sake of a headline grab--in my opinion anyway.
posted by Spitztengle at 04:17 PM on September 14
perhaps Clijsters has her priorities back in the right place.
rcade, by this do you mean to suggest that marriage and child-rearing are somehow less important than playing tennis?
posted by Spitztengle at 11:58 AM on September 14
Three more active NFL players have promised to donate their brains to the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, a brain degeneration syndrome found in football players as young as 18.
This is good news ... I'm glad to see that people are starting to pay attention to this issue.
posted by Spitztengle at 11:53 AM on September 14
All I can say is that I grew up watching (Canadian) football games at Commonwealth Stadium before there were beer sales at the venue. In that time, I saw the real effects of the boot mickey and they weren't always pretty.
Not only are beer/liquor sales at a venue a good source of revenue, they are also part and parcel with crowd control/security measures, which is really what fascinates me.
posted by Spitztengle at 04:30 PM on September 10
posted by Spitztengle at 03:59 PM on September 10
Perry Lefko on the decision facing the CFL commish re: the Als protest.
posted by Spitztengle at 05:41 PM on September 09
It's so rare that CFL news gets FPP status 'round here that this huddle might just give it some room to play.
The Alouettes have filed a formal protest with the league after the debacle that ended up erasing what would have been the game-tying touchdown last Friday against BC.
In short, the new "command centre" decided to have the on-field officials confirm the time on the clock after a play was correctly stopped when a time-out was called. The delay in getting communication to the on-field officials meant whistles didn't blow until after the play started (or as some report, already ended).
What are your thoughts on the options presented:
(a) Replay the final minute.
(b) Issue a tie.
(c) Status Quo: the league already apologized (implying that they will learn from this mistake)
In other CFL news, although locked in a 3-way tie for first place in the western conference, the Edmonton Eskimos fired their offensive co-ordinator, and released DE Kitwana Jones.
posted by Spitztengle at 05:22 PM on September 09
The Redskins have backed off its effort to get $66,364 from the lifelong fan sued for not honoring her season ticket contract.
Thank goodness. I think the spin-doctoring in the aftermath is still pretty hilarious though.
"You should have called me directly."
"I didn't even know you exist!"
posted by Spitztengle at 12:18 PM on September 09
BoDefinitelyKnows An off-the-bounce, over someone standing, between the legs dunk when he posts one! Nice.
posted by Spitztengle at 09:23 PM on September 08
but also I wonder what the fuck it's doing to their bodies.
And we could also add: to their minds as well.
This issue is far from "new" to us here at SpoFi. Doing a quick search, Drood, you posted a story on the physics of a football hit a while back too. And we also discussed the same thing here, when it was a really hot topic.
Not addressing this issue is negligent. It may not be immediate death by contact, but the slow (or "quick" if suicide is the way out for some as has been the case) and agonizing death as a result of cumulative traumas IS a reality for modern NFLers.
Having a sociology background, I find it interesting to ask the question of how history will remember us in this historical moment, especially when we have full knowledge of the risks and impacts of "our" activities. Will "that's just the price to be paid" suffice? Or will it be asked why we didn't do more to change it?
I wouldn't say we all LOVE the savage hit.
And to this point, I agree. I was a bit too general when I said the we do all love them. Your point is right on the money though ... it's the paradox of knowing it's gonna hurt someone, but the thrill of the spectacle still holds (many of) us captive.
posted by Spitztengle at 06:46 PM on September 08
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
We urge all South Africans and other people to respect this professional ethical and moral way of doing things.
Wow! Now if only people were urged to be as respectful and ethical when this firestorm first hit the news. I do think this is a good (and right) decision though.