Recent Comments by filthyboy

He said it once, he said it twice.

I agree with Carmello. What's wrong with hyping things up a little? These games could use a little energy. Plus, if Mello said it, then it will happen.

posted by filthyboy at 12:37 PM on July 28, 2004

The best part of the year is creeping closer.

It all comes down to Billy Edelin for Syracuse. When that guy's on the court, they win.

posted by filthyboy at 11:43 AM on July 21, 2004

Defcon 2 Jerk Alert

Those first round picks are all in the middle of the round, as they contain protection clauses for picks 1-14. Also, the Nuggets have a ton of 1st round picks in the next few years because of trades they made in the past.

posted by filthyboy at 11:50 AM on July 16, 2004

Defcon 2 Jerk Alert

I'd include Denver in that playoff mix, if they can land KMart.

posted by filthyboy at 02:18 PM on July 15, 2004

Defcon 2 Jerk Alert

All I want for Christmas is Kobe Bryant on the LA Clippers.

posted by filthyboy at 12:25 PM on July 15, 2004

"We're all just guys."

If Mike Ditka runs, will he stop talking about his 4 hour erections?

posted by filthyboy at 02:18 PM on July 13, 2004

Clemens, Johnson -- WHAT ABOUT BENSON!?!??

Jayson Stark says the Yankees don't have the prospects to get Benson, so a 3 way deal might be their only hope to get any front line pitchers this year. IMO, Benson is this year's Jeff Supan...and by that, I mean last year's Jeff Supan.

posted by filthyboy at 01:27 PM on July 09, 2004

Boozer to the Jazz.

Big guys with any ability at all are making out big this off season. Case in point: Adonal Foyle.

posted by filthyboy at 07:39 PM on July 08, 2004

Book deal

I'm impressed she got a deal with Knopf. Move over Bill Clinton and John Updike.

posted by filthyboy at 02:24 PM on July 08, 2004

Book deal

Will the movie also be called Maria Sharapova: Squeals and Sighs?

posted by filthyboy at 02:14 PM on July 08, 2004

Participants in the ASG Homerun Derby announced.

Beware that crisp, clear mountain stream -- it's probably got giardia in it, no lie. Now you tell me.

posted by filthyboy at 02:00 PM on July 07, 2004

What? no Yankee Red Sox thread?

the Red Sox don't just have one or two players showing well in the stats, they're all over those top-n listings. All over them. That's not strictly true. If we're evaluating offense, OPS is probably the best indicator. The Yankee position players are ranked ahead of the Red Sox position players at every position except 2B, LF, CF, and DH. That's 5 for the Yankees against just 4 for the Sox. And in LF, Matsui is not as far back from Ramirez as you might think. And at several positions--SS, 3B, 1B--there isn't even a Red Sox in the top 20. How can the Red Sox possibly be better than the Yankees when they have basically a replacement level player playing RF, 1B, SS, and 3B? Basically, the Yankees have statistically a better team than the Red Sox, not the other way around. And Derek Jeter is outperforming the duo of Pokey Reese and Nomar Garciapara by a far margin...this year. For a career, there's more room for debate. Jeter has the rings, but how many people believe the Yankees wouldn't have won a few titles with Garciapara playing SS instead of Jeter? (I'm not saying the two are interchangeable, I'm just saying...I don't know what I'm saying).

posted by filthyboy at 09:05 PM on July 02, 2004

What? no Yankee Red Sox thread?

I think the Simmons article is interesting in that everybody gives up on sabrmetric baseball as soon as the A's or Red Sox lose a series. I don't like the "A's haven't won a playoff series" argument since they would've dispensed with my Red Sox if Hudson and Mulder hadn't both been hurt. As for the bit about whether Red Sox fans have to read Dan Shaughnessy, visit SoSH or any of that other crap, there comes a point in every season where I just say enough. The great thing about baseball is that you can get swept in June/July and still make the playoffs. There's really no need to obsess. The Yankees are better right now. They will win the AL East, but with the wild card the extra rounds in the playoffs, they are anything but a lock to win the world series. In a short series, a team with 2 dominant starting pitchers could still beat them. THank God there's 3 more months of this.

posted by filthyboy at 01:45 PM on July 02, 2004

Beltran to the Astros.

Dotel is a great pickup for Oakland though. And Oakland gave up nothing it'll ever miss, since the two things they already have are stud starting pitchers and a stud 3B.

posted by filthyboy at 11:51 AM on June 25, 2004

Take the best player

I agree that the reason Bill James-style analysis of basketball (and to a lesser extent, football) rests on the interconnectedness of the players during the game, but that doesn't mean that there isn't some Moneyball-type undervaluing/overvaluing going on in basketball. I'm certain someone smarter than me could use stats to prove that, in general, taller players tend to get rated higher based solely on that. Smaller players are almost certainly undervalued, both at draft time and in the league. This is what leads the Bulls to trade Elton Brand for Tyson Chandler. And there are absolutely statheads in the NBA. The recent vogue of metrics like points-per-shot is evidence of this.

posted by filthyboy at 05:50 PM on June 24, 2004

The NBA Draft is tomorrow night.

I could be wrong, but I think he had a cane with him on draft night. Can anybody produce photographic evidence of said cane?

posted by filthyboy at 03:35 PM on June 23, 2004

The NBA Draft is tomorrow night.

Thank you, corpse, for that picture of Samaki Walker. It brings back many fond memories. I can't wait to see Pavel Podkolzine's suit. It's gonna be slammin!

posted by filthyboy at 02:54 PM on June 23, 2004

Major League Beer.

I was busted for tailgating at Chavez Ravine last year. They've got these roving security carts that cruise around the parking lot. Now I just head to one of the fine houses of spirit that line Sunset Blvd in fabulous Echo Park where a beer can still be had for about 2.50 and where the discerning customer can enjoy a shot of rye before watching the Dodgers lose 2-1.

posted by filthyboy at 02:48 PM on June 23, 2004

T-Mac to Houston?

I agree with Smithers. In two years, this team could very well be the 2000-2002 era Lakers all over again -- the league's premiere one-on-one player coupled with a potentially dominant, singular big man. Find the role players to compliment them (your Derek Fishers, Robert Horrys, and what not) and you've got a team.

posted by filthyboy at 01:02 PM on June 22, 2004

"I'm black. They don't build stuff for blacks."

It's worth noting that the biggest sports stars in Boston now (excepting Curt Schilling) are Pedro, Nomar, Paul Pierce, and Manny Ramirez...all brown fellas. Oh, and Tom Brady. There goes my whole point.

posted by filthyboy at 02:41 PM on June 18, 2004

"I'm black. They don't build stuff for blacks."

From Sports Illustrated article some years ago: "All Bill Russell did was win 2 NCAA championships, an Olympic Gold Medal, and 11 NBA titles in 13 years...and they named the tunnel after Ted Williams."

posted by filthyboy at 12:54 PM on June 18, 2004

'Stros trade Hildago (+$4m) to the Mets for Weathers

Great deal for the Astros. Even though they had to send 4 million with Hidalgo, they unloaded a ton of money.

posted by filthyboy at 02:43 PM on June 17, 2004

Super Headers

I especially like the urban milieu in which Stan gets to ball. Kinda like the beginning of He Got Game...if that were about soccer.

posted by filthyboy at 12:25 PM on June 11, 2004

Do you believe now?

There have been some teams that won without superstars. How about the 78-79 Sonics...Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma, and Paul Silas aren't exactly Magic, Kareem, and Worthy.

posted by filthyboy at 12:20 PM on June 11, 2004

"Old White Guy Makes Racially Insensitive Remark"

"Quatro! Quatro! Quatro!" -- Mad Dog 4ever!

posted by filthyboy at 04:00 PM on June 09, 2004

Padres pass on J.D.'s little brother

Jeff Allison seems a bust since he's allegedly addicted to the OC's. When I first read this, I thought you meant he was addicted to the OC...honestly I don't know which is worse.

posted by filthyboy at 07:00 PM on June 07, 2004

Padres pass on J.D.'s little brother

It's incredible to me that this never comes back to bite guys like Scott Boras, Carl Posten, and Bob Sugar in the ass.

posted by filthyboy at 05:44 PM on June 07, 2004

A Hockey Die-Hard Says the Ice Is No Place for Nice

I'm like a kid that's got a $500 suit on stealing hubcaps. huh?

posted by filthyboy at 01:53 PM on June 07, 2004

The Toughest Things to do in Sports.

Toughest thing to do: drink 78 beers in one cross-country flight. Only man ever to do it-- Wade Boggs.

posted by filthyboy at 01:31 PM on June 04, 2004

Mondesi is California dreamin'.

Of course. I thought there were only Red Sox fans on this site...wait, this isn't the Sons of Sam Horn?

posted by filthyboy at 04:57 PM on May 28, 2004

Mondesi is California dreamin'.

The most amazing thing about this article is that Raul made $13 million last year. Boy have things changed. Still, I think this sets kind of a bad precedent. What's to stop players on bad teams from intentionally breaching their contracts to effectively get a second crack at the free agent market? I'm sure the Pirates anticipated this when they voided his contract, but it still seems fishy to me. Incidentally, I'm glad the Red Sox didn't pick up this hacker.

posted by filthyboy at 04:39 PM on May 28, 2004

Your team logo is a guy asleep in a hammock.

#12 - Your team has Chris Webber on it.

posted by filthyboy at 11:58 AM on May 28, 2004

Is it inappropriate to ask what's his handicap?

posted by filthyboy at 08:06 PM on May 24, 2004

Check out Rob Neyer's piece on Pappas. Sometimes I think Neyer can be a little much, but this is a nice tribute.

posted by filthyboy at 04:18 PM on May 24, 2004

Maybe Sabean and his boys should find a few hitters to surround Bonds. Then we won't have to worry about the intentional walks and the mockery of the game and all that. One rule that's time has definitely come, however, is a limit on the number of throws to first base by the pitcher when holding a runner. Nothing is worse than watching some innings sponge throw to first for the fourth time in the at bat.

posted by filthyboy at 02:02 PM on April 30, 2004

The Prize at the Seventh Fort

This is an awful lot like the book Everything is Illuminated. What a terrible story.

posted by filthyboy at 06:29 PM on April 12, 2004