- 02:34 AM
- 11/21/09
| Member since: | February 23, 2005 |
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| Last visit: | December 15, 2008 |
bluesdog has posted 4 links and 37 comments to SportsFilter and 0 links and 0 comments to the Locker Room.
Change Citi Field to Citi/Taxpayer Field? : Two New York City Council members say that Citigroup should show its thanks for a federal bailout by sharing the naming rights to the new Mets ballpark in Queens.
posted by bluesdog to baseball at 02:55 AM on November 26 - 10 comments
Kerry Wood and Cubs Parting Ways: The Cubs all but said goodbye to their closer Thursday, announcing they wouldn't give him a multiyear contract and wishing him well in his free agency endeavors. He's about to become a much richer man.
posted by bluesdog to baseball at 01:30 AM on November 14 - 6 comments
Giants & Jets Nix Stadium Naming Deal with Nazi-linked Insurance Firm: The NY Giants and NY Jets have ended talks with Allianz, a German insurance company with historical ties to the Nazis.
The New Meadowlands Stadium, LLC is no longer in discussions with Allianz for a naming rights partnership,-- Lampings statement said. We are continuing discussions with other potential partners for the new stadium and look forward to the summer 2010 opening of this new icon for our region.--
posted by bluesdog to football at 02:44 PM on September 12 - 28 comments
Nick Saban to leave Dolphins for Alabama: Nick Saban is 'Bama bound. Ending five weeks of speculation and two days of deliberation, Saban accepted the Alabama coaching job and abandoned his bid to rebuild the Miami Dolphins after only two seasons.
posted by bluesdog to football at 11:25 AM on January 03 - 47 comments
As a lifelong Cub fan I am only sorry to see him go into the HOF as a Brave, which he definitely will and probably should. If there were ever a player who deserved unanimous election, it's Maddux.
posted by bluesdog at 09:47 PM on December 07
You guys are total A-HOLES! I don't where this rumor started.
Greg Maddux has been nothing but a model citizen and a shining example to other would-be prostitute slayers across the nation. All this nasty talk about his "pitching career" is totally unfounded. He's been murdering prostitutes his entire life and has had no time for anything else.
posted by bluesdog at 02:49 AM on December 06
Can someone get Jerry Jones on the phone? He hasn't signed a troubled castoff from another team in nearly 7 weeks.
posted by bluesdog at 02:12 AM on December 01
Beltran Backpay Ballpark
posted by bluesdog at 12:28 PM on November 26
MVP is a bad name for the award in any sports league. Every year the "valuable" topic comes up -- just change the name already. It can mean anything you want to justify your rooting interest in a player. Valuable to what -- the team, the league, the fans, the game of baseball?
A more fitting title would be Outstanding Player, Most Productive or just Player of the Year. There would still be bias toward guys on the best teams but hopefully it would encourage voters to look at individual production.
posted by bluesdog at 11:35 AM on November 19
The right guys got it this year. Pujols's numbers are superior to everyone in the NL. Ryan Howard struck out 199 times and bat .251 and that doesn't cut it. You can't say he totally carried his team on his back. Pujols. Easy.
Pedroia is trickier because Mauer and Morneau had comparable numbers. In that case, tie goes to the guy whose team DOES get in the playoffs (although Twins almost did). Anyway, those two guys cancelled each other out. And with that competition Josh Hamilton didn't have a chance playing on a bad team. Pedroia really did carry the Sox though when the going got tough.
posted by bluesdog at 12:56 AM on November 19
It's great when your team signs an ironman who stays healthy throughout his career but it says a lot when a guy goes through the kind of injuries Wood had and comes back to produce in a totally different role. Wdminott, have you pitched pro ball? Do you know what it's like to throw in the mid 90s with a blister on your throwing hand? He would have been a total liability if they put him back on the mound before it was healed.
Wood is a consummate pro. Read this...
"I just don't think it was the right time for the team and the things they need to address," Wood said. "Obviously, the first choice was to stay here, and I would've done just about anything to stay here. They have other issues and a very capable guy to get the job done."
That's class.
posted by bluesdog at 05:41 PM on November 14
Am I crazy or does Jerry Jones only pick up guys with baggage? Dallas is like the final resting place for extremely talented misfit players.
T.O. and Williams are buddies now. But do you think T.O. will be happy if he only has 7-8 pass targets per game?
Charlatan, how did you end up drafting Romo 4 times? The odds of that are crazy. Unless you only have auction drafts and you went on a Romo binge. Btw, sorry for your loss.
posted by bluesdog at 12:37 AM on October 15
Look everyone's personal opinion about what he said is valid. Not going to debate that. But looking at it from a professional standpoint, he BLEW it! It's not even about being a role model. It's about knowing when your private thoughts (or jokes) might become public fodder. As in ANY TIME YOU ARE IN FRONT OF A CAMERA. My guess is that this will eventually blow over. He will probably make some kind of written public apology through a spokesman that it was meant in jest but that he should have been more sensitive. Unless the people of Dallas demand his head, he'll keep playing for the Mavs. And if he keeps putting up 20 pts a game, it will be forgotten.
posted by bluesdog at 01:07 AM on September 18
Interesting stat, Hal. I'd heard something along those lines as well about managerial impact. Though there's a degree of subjectivity to be sure. I don't think they believe Sveum will ignite the team as much as Yost's absence will make for a more positive clubhouse. It's similar to what the Mets did dropping Willie Randolph and having Jerry Manuel take the helm (at least for this season). They think guys will just feel more comfortable with a less divisive skipper. And at least on paper, it's worked for the Mets. It seems like voodoo science but this is a desperate situation for the Brewers. Getting into the playoffs this year is critical for Milwaukee. They will probably lose Sabbathia and Sheets after the season no matter how well they do so they have to make a run now. As a Cub fan, I pray that doesn't happen.
Side note -- I agree with Qatarian. Having the Cubs come in to Milwaukee and win under those circumstances must suck for the Brewers. I would not be happy about a division rival playing in Wrigley against any team other than the Cubs. Raw deal for Astros and Brewers.
posted by bluesdog at 02:18 AM on September 16
Like it or not, these decisions are always hugely political. No sports organization wants to be affiliated with perceived sketchiness. As kokaku points out, Allianz is not the same company today and has acknowledged its shame for contributing to Nazi atrocities. I've heard that some Jewish organizations consider present day Allianz a friend to the Jewish community. But it doesn't matter because this has become a cause celebre for a lot of people in New York. It's bad for business and good business is all that matters. That's why Enron Field is now Minute Maid Part. With the subprime mess we're in now, I would bet that if Citibank were implicated (unlikely but possible), the Mets organization would consider buying back the naming rights so the new stadium did not bear the name Citi Field.
posted by bluesdog at 02:12 PM on September 13
Like it or not, these decisions are always hugely political. No sports organization wants to be affiliated with perceived sketchiness. As kokaku points out, Allianz is not the same company today and has acknowledged its shame for contributing to Nazi atrocities. I've heard that some Jewish organizations consider present day Allianz a friend to the Jewish community. But it doesn't matter because this has become a cause celebre for a lot of people in New York. It's bad for business and good business is all that matters. That's why Enron Field is now Minute Maid Part. With all subprime mess we're in now, I would bet that if Citibank were implicated (unlikely but possible), the Mets organization would consider buying back the naming rights so the new stadium did not bear the name Citi Field.
posted by bluesdog at 02:11 PM on September 13
Wdminott, I am a Bear fan too and Rex gives me ulcers out there. But unless Rex is tanking beyond belief (possible) I don't think putting Griese in will make a difference. He hasn't had the reps this season to come into a huge game like this and bail them out of a jam. When he has played his numbers have been subpar. Like everyone else who is prescribing the solution to Rex's woes, here is my prescription: 1. Be aware of pressure and take a sack if necessary. Too many times Rex doesn't see defenders bearing down on him and when he does, he doesn't tuck the ball into his body and take a 5 or 10 yard loss to avoid fumbling or throwing a pick. 2. Hit receivers in stride. Did you notice how many balls he threw to a receiver's rear shoulder? 80% of the time, guys had to reach back to make catches. Muhammed coughed up that one ball for an INT but Rex's ball placement did not help. 3. Lean into passes and throw off front foot.. The throwing off his back foot drives me nuts. It automatically puts more loft on the ball and makes it easier for DBs to pick it off. 4. Learn from mistakes. You have to take risks in a game but you can't afford to gamble with field position or turnovers.
posted by bluesdog at 01:35 AM on January 16
If you are an NFL owner you have to learn from recent history -- college coaches who jump straight to the NFL without pro coaching experience don't pan out so well. Steve Spurrier, Butch Davis, Dennis Erickson, Pete Carroll and now Saban. There may be others I'm forgetting. Jimmy Johnson is the exception to the rule. And I guess you could make an argument for Tom Coughlin. It's a different reality in the pro game. Teaching and mentoring is lost on those huge paychecks. Joe Theisman had an interesting observation on ESPNews -- how will Saban talk to recruits about making a commitment to Alabama after this? Probably won't be too hard but it's a fair point.
posted by bluesdog at 11:45 AM on January 03
Walking His Way to Cooperstown.
Great post, Holden! Nice to see some less obvious articles on Sportsfilter, as it was intended.