Stuff On My Mind, Vol II

Last night was a bad sign for the Eagles.  Not because they lost the game, but because it looks like Vick is beginning to regress.  Perhaps it is the long draw of the season that he wasn't prepared for because of the time away from football.  Perhaps it is all the abuse his body takes on each hit he suffers from much larger men.  Or perhaps...he is taking his on field success to the head and having flashbacks of Atlanta.  His primary flaw while on the Falcons was his propensity to run before pass, and over the past few games he has displayed that again.  Even in the fourth quarter comeback against the Giants he showed a lack of confidence in his offensive line and broke the pocket to run down field.  It certainly work in that game, but only for the last eight minutes and with every Giants defender playing undisciplined and losing contain.  He was not so lucky against the Vikings. 
Early in the season, Vick went through his receiver progressions and stood tall in the pocket until he absolutely had to run.  I didn't see that last night.  I saw a guy who, in a five step drop, was looking for a lane to run by the 4th step.  If he did throw the ball, it was never from a passing stance but while he was scrambling in the pocket.  Had the Vikings defenders been capable of holding on to anything (I believe Collinsworth said it best: "Any group of high-schoolers would catch those 99 out of 100 times"), he'd have thrown four picks.  A 10 point loss would have been a moral victory rather than a disappointment.

This is just as much an indictment on Vick as it is the offensive line.  When it falls apart, so does the play.  We all know that some of Vick's greatest plays come when he scrambles, but more often than not lately he gets tackled hard and comes up limping or loses the ball.  I have been afraid of this type of regression from him all season, and maybe it's just an anomaly because of some factor or another, but it's worrisome all the same.  The best thing the coaches can do for Vick at this point is sit him down and show him game tape from one of his more impressive performances like @Jacksonville or @Washington.  Show him what people have lauded him for this season and what has kept him, if only slightly, in the MVP race: Patience.

Let's see what else is on my mind.

1.  Since this round of the baseball HOF vote is coming up very quickly, all of the writers with votes are looking to express their frustration/confusion/final decisions.  For those of you who haven't heard of him, Joe Posnanski at Sports Illustrated is documenting his thinking heading in to the vote and it's a good read.  It's structured creatively by highlighting a few players each day in different categories: should be in, on the bubble, etc.  Joe is one of my favorite writers, but his main idol is Bill James, creator of Sabermetrics(specific statistical analysis).  I don't necessarily agree with looking at sabermetrics to determining Hall of Famers, but it is interesting to see Joe and Bill compare potential HOFers by their sabermetrics.  With my relatively brief exposure to baseball it is shocking to see guys who I thought were legends broken down as just above average guys (see: Mattingly).

2.  LeBron James was wrong when he suggested the NBA would be better of if it got rid of a few teams.  He speculated that the league would be less watered down and the talent level would be higher.  Basketball Final Solution?  Anyway, as much as I think he is a spoiled jerk and needs to shut up, he was right that power teams are a good thing.  In that vein, I want Carmelo Anthony to join A'm'ar'e on the Knicks.  How cool would it be to see the three most historic teams at the top of the power pyramid?  Boston and L.A. are already there and it can only be good for basketball to have the New York market excited again.  I want this despite the most certain further postponement of an 76ers return to prominence.

3.  Roger Goodell has yet again missed the mark.  He's batting worse than Mario Mendoza this year.  I wrote a few weeks ago about the fight and subsequent lack of punishment between Andre Johnson and Courtland Finnegan, but I guess the Comish didn't read my post.  Brett Favre was fined $50,000 today for sending nudie pictures to Jenn Sterger's phone after getting the number from a Jets employee.  Sterger obviously didn't like it and brought it to the attention of the NFL.  Darren Rovell of CNBC said that 50k is roughly 4 1/2 minutes of pay for Favre, which is nothing more than a love tap on the wrist. Goodell waited and waited and waited on the evidence until he was sure that Favre would not play again this year or ever.  He is protecting guys he likes, and punishing the rest.  Roethlisberger was suspended FOUR GAMES for a similar crime with less evidence.  Goodell is delusional if he thinks his regime is a fair one.

4.  The Winter Classic is coming up!  New Year's Day marks the 4th annual outdoor hockey event and I couldn't be more excited (about a hockey game).  The NHL has done a fantastic job of matching rival teams, pitting top stars against one another, and selecting excellent locations like this year at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.  Occasionally snow flakes sprinkle the ice which is a fun sight to see.  The game is played on NBC and they generally do a good job with highly marketed events like this one.  This is the kind of thing that different leagues can do to garner interest from casual to rare spectators.  Maybe the NBA can take a hint and re-pave Rucker Park for a Streetball Classic*.  Hey, even if it doesn't work, the new court could be promoted as community service.

5.  Every sport is better on an HDTV.  If you are one of the few people left who refuse to switch, shut your stupid mouth.  HDTV's are astonishingly cheap compared to what they were when they first entered the market.  They are affordable and freakin' awesome.

*I fully expect to receive royalties if the Streetball Classic name/idea is ever put in place.

The Only MVP

Tom Brady.  <-- That is what the MVP discussion should look like.  There is no reason for anybody else to be in that sentence.  Yes, Michael Vick is playing out of his mind this season, but we can't let our hometown bias cloud our judgement in the matter.  As much as a Philadelphia fan may hate Brady for the ring on his finger, or because he dates supermodels, or just because he plays in Boston, there is no argument that would give the MVP to another player this season, including Vick.

Vick is greatly exceding any expectations placed upon him this year, primarily because he wasn't even going to be the starter this season.  A two year stint in Leavenworth Prison did nothing to rust his skills, and frankly, he's better than ever.  Paired with the arm strength he showed for many years an Atlanta, a newfound accuracy and patience have shredded defenses who must account for the possibility of scrambling on each play.  He is currently quarterbacking a team that cannot have lower than the 3rd playoff spot, and could possibly have the #1 overall NFC seed.  It is very likely that he will have had thousand yard receivers in Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin (890 yds with 2 games left) at the end of the season.  Vick will lead the NFC in the Pro-Bowl in Hawaii as the starting QB and the top vote getter.  All of those accolades and he can't even hold Brady's jockstrap in this MVP race.

Think about the streak that Brady is currently building.  He hasn't thrown an interception in 9 games.  The streak is actually longer by a few pass attempts starting 10 games ago.  These aren't games where Bill Belichick is calling mostly running plays either.  Brady is averaging 30 pass attempts per game over that time.  What this means is Brady is running a successful offense in a very hard conference without making his defense work harder than needed.  This team is more often than not winning the field position battle every game.  Simply put, Brady is a machine.  He has already clinched the #1 seed and has this team looking like the AFC champions already.  And he's doing it with two rookie tight ends, two undrafted running backs, and an undrafted WR that tore his ACL one calendar year ago.  He lost a HOF receiver in Randy Moss early in the season, but he hasn't slowed stride one bit.

One argument that proponents for Vick are using is that he has played fewer games than Brady.  My counter-argument is: Brady is better at keeping himself healthy.  The most exciting aspect of Vick's game is his ability to break it down field at any point.  But it was exactly a play like that which ended in the unceremonious separation of rib from sternum.  The reward is great with Vick, but the risk is much too high.  Brady scrambles out of bounds, releases the ball very quickly, and generally seems like he is in complete control of every play.  He just doesn't ever put his team in a bad spot.  I guarantee that if you asked any coach in the NFL who their first pick would be if they could re-draft quarterbacks, 31.5 out of 32 say Brady.  He has won multiple championships for a reason, and this is one of his best seasons yet.  I'd almost go so far as to say that he is playing better this season than he did in 2007 when he threw 50 touchdowns.

The funny thing about this argument is that there are no bad answers, just one good one and one really really good one.  Brady will win MVP and there is practically nothing Vick can do in the last two games to change it.


***
I posted this before Tuesday night's game.  My argument has been solidified.

Stuff On My Mind, Vol. I

Coming up with ideas to write about is not difficult for me.  What makes the decision difficult is considering the quotient of information vs. readability.  I may have all sorts of topics running through my mind that I could write a novel about, but my readers may give up reading shortly after the title.  Then there may be popular topics that I may just sound like a dummy writing about.  I am forever torn between my own selfishness and the educational betterment of millions tens of readers.  UNTIL TODAY.  I am introducing Vol. I  in a weekly installment of what will henceforth be known as Stuff On My Mind(please hold all applause until the end).  It will be a comprehensive list of things that I think about during any given week.  However, they will not be full articles, rather a sample of what I would have written.  They are in no order of importance or relevance and you can feel free to skip any without getting lost.  So follow me on this adventure through my thoughts!

1.  Geno Auriemma intimated that his team's winning streak not receiving the press that it should, primarily because it is women's basketball.  Granted, any team winning 89 games in a row in any sport is incredible, but comparing men's to women's college basketball is not apples to apples.  It's more like apples to mushy bananas.  There are roughly three very competitive teams in women's basketball, and UConn has had a streak like this twice.  There just isn't the depth of talent in the women's game.  It seems that Geno is fairly good at recruiting since 89 games is almost more than some college players' careers.  If he wants press, he should step up and take a shot at men's basketball rather than hiding in the minors.

2.  As a Sixers fan, each game is a moral dilemma for me.  Do I want them to play hard against good teams and win?  I am very aware that they can easily make the playoffs in the pathetic east conference, but can't get past any of the powerhouses in a seven game series.  Or do I cheer for a loss with the goal being those extra ping pong balls in what is the most ridiculous draft process?  Then I have to suffer through 82 games of bad basketball.  It seems ownership is in the same position as me, as the Sixers are playing well enough to be .5 games out of the playoffs, but still have a 10-17 record.  I say: try to play spoiler (regular season) for the Heat, Magic, and Boston, but get those extra pong balls anyway.  They jumped up to 2nd overall pick last year, and could find a decent big man in the top 7 or 8 picks this year.

3.  The Eagles are currently playing their way into most analysts Superbowl teams group.  In order to get to that point, they will probably have to get past the Falcons.  The Falcons are very balanced and have all but locked up the #1 spot, so they will have home-field throughout, which makes for an interesting return to the Georgia Dome for Michael Vick.  Local media, with the occasional mention on ESPN, is all over this "emotional" return.  I might be part of the minority, but emotional returns don't do anything for me when watching football.  Whatever conditions exist to make the game more unpredictable, ie inclement weather or a top WR vs excellent DB, I'm all for it.  But there are no mics in the audience, and the camera is on the field most of the time anyway.  The history between team and player is a non-factor when I watch a game.

4.  The Phillies new Mt. Rushmore of pitching is crazy good.  It is already being called the best starting four of all time.  I think it needs to be noted though, that Joe Blanton is a pretty solid 5th starter.  The idea is that Blanton will be traded to free up some money, but I wouldn't mind him sticking around.  He is currently owed $17 million over the next two years and the Phillies would probably have to eat up some of that salary if they traded him anyway.  It seems like Blanton, although inconsistent, can pitch a lot of innings and in the 5th starter spot, could reasonably win 12 or 13 games.  If the Phillies get bit by the injury bug, he could be a valuable replacement, unless Ruben Amaro thinks Kendrick could be that guy.  A potential suitor for Blanton may be the Brewers who are bolstering their staff for the Central title.

5.  Floating advertisements during Flyers games on CSN are out of control.  It's possible that other teams do it as well, but since there are about 7 national games a year who knows?  For those of you who haven't seen them, CSN applies the concept of a green screen to the glass behind each goal.  When the camera pans to either goal...POOF!  Just like the Great Gazoo popping up in between Fred and Barney, an ad for McDonalds or Lumber Liquidators or whomever the sponsor du jour is appears shakily on the glass.  It is distracting, especially on the portion of the ice where the most action happens.  If they must keep doing this, I propose they move it to the area above the benches.

6.  Note to self: DO NOT turn games off before they are over.  I missed the second greatest comeback in NFL history.

7.  Oh how the mighty have fallen.  Because of one foot (appendage, not measurement) Boise St. is playing tonight in the Maaco Bowl.  On a wednesday night.  18 days before the national championship.  Now I'm not sure that the Broncos should be playing in the national championship game, but they certainly shouldn't be in the MAACO bowl.  Maybe the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.

And that is the extent of what is on my mind for this week.

Eagles - Giants Preview Extravaganza!

The Eagles are vying for their sixth straight win against the Giants and potentially their ninth trip to the playoffs under Andy Reid.  This game is crucial in determining the playoff picture for the entire NFC where post-season bound teams' fates are intertwined.  It comes at a time where both the Giants and Eagles are playing strong football.  It seems that Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw run for 100 yards every game.  Vick is throwing more interceptions but still making plays, and is being helped out by a patchwork defense exceeding expectations.  How will this game shake out at New Meadowlands Stadium tomorrow afternoon?  Here's what to look for:

• The weather could be very nasty, which could be the equalizer.  Chances of snow, sleet, or freezing rain will force teams to take the low road and run the ball.  At a glance, the Giants have the advantage here, as they have bigger, more powerful backs and play further north.  With a rookie MLB(Bradley dislocated his elbow) and a less-than-100% corner back who doesn't like to tackle when he's healthy, one hole in the line could lead to big gains for the G-Men.  Reid seems to know how to coach against Tom Coughlin though, and has the ability through line switches to keep a fresh front four (pardon the alliteration) closing the gaps.  If the weather is bad, it will be a running game, but don't expect that to favor the Giants too much.  Look out for Jerome Harrison to get carries for the birds.  He had a strong finish to 2009 in Cleveland.  In December, he rushed for 605 yards on 123 carries (4.9 yards a carry).  4 of those 5 games were in Cleveland, not known particularly for their palm trees.
• Eli Manning might currently be the third best quarterback in his own family.  He has an injured receiving core and can get flustered very easily.  With the addition of Samuel to the secondary, any pressure on Eli can certainly force a bad throw.  He does have the ability to look very poised though, and can orchestrate a drive that will no doubt frustrate Eagles fans as they watch the defense sit on their heels.  The key here will be to get the initial push up front with Dixon and Patterson in the middle.  That will free up the ever-relentless Trent Cole and newly healthy Juqua Thomas Parker on the edge.  Turnovers will no doubt kill momentum for both sides, but historically, this gives the Eagles a slight benefit.
• Desean Jackson is making it clear that, in just his third year, he wants his own reality show on E!.  He is currently struggling with a foot/ankle injury but appears to be ready to go this weekend.  The Giants defense have made D-Jax aware that they will not tolerate celebrations, and will likely shade the safeties to his side of the field.  With all the nonsense on and off the field that Jackson creates, he is still a serious deep threat and will keep the defense busy.  Aside from two dropped touchdowns, Jason Avant has very good hands and with an updated game-plan and inclement weather, he should be targeted often across the middle and in short out routes.
• If Vick takes a lot of hits, it could make the difference in this game.  The Giants' defensive line is very fast and strong, and in a divisional game will be out for blood.  Vick will take late hits.  That is beyond anyone's control.  But if he could just cut back on taking hits during the play, he'll have longevity in this game.

So, if the Adam Samples Stone Cold Lead Pipe Chrysler Jeep Keys To The Game are followed/fall into place, I see the Eagles winning this game.  I won't go so far as a guarantee, but I am confident.

Pick:

Eagles  33-27

You can run and tell that! Homeboy.

Werthless but not Worthless; Mike Vick should invest in band-aids.

From a perennial World Series contender to one of the most boring, irrelevant, and flat out shitty teams in baseball.  But can you blame him?  From here on out, Jayson Werth will include this in his morning routine after breakfast.

The absence of his power from the right batter's box will definitely be noticed.  There is currently only one starter in the lineup that bats righty, assuming Dom Brown moves to the outfield, and his nickname is Polly!  Yes, Rollins and Victorino can switch it up, but is that enough?  It would serve the NL East well to stock up on left handed pitching to face the Phils.  As a starter, Werth provided great power from the right (87 HRs), tore up the base paths (53 sb, 7 cs), but most importantly, he saw a TON of pitches.  Werth was third in baseball and first in the NL at 4.37 pitches per plate appearance.  He was seventh with 2849 pitches thrown.  He wore a lot of pitchers out, and frequently made them pay.  There are not a lot of adequate replacements for what Werth offered.

But he is friggin' loaded now.  He was given a contract so far beyond what people expected that his agent/super villain Scott Boras didn't even ask for other clubs to match it.  There is NO WAY the Phillies would have tried to match it.  Say what you will about him: "He is only about the money", "He is a traitor".  The reality is he is a very rich, above average outfielder with a World Series ring.

So my question is this: is anyone really upset that he's gone?  Did he have the personality, or work ethic, or body language that this city loves?  Because he didn't.  He was always kind of a douche that just happened to be a good fit in the lineup.  Besides, we don't even know whether this team will suffer without him.  It won a world series with Pedro Feliz and Pat Burrell in the lineup AND Adam Eaton tainting the red pinstripes.  It has a significantly better pitching staff, not to mention the recent unmasking of Ruben Amaro in the Cliff Lee bidding war (more to come).  If the Phillies are smart, they won't go after a superstar to fill the hole that Werth is leaving, but a reliable right handed bat that can start 130 games (see: Matt Diaz).

I don't believe in the whole "protection for Ryan Howard" aspect in the equation.  Howard will hit 40 HRs in any spot on any team.  I also don't believe that this team will see a noticeable drop in production from the lineup.  It can't get a whole lot worse than last year anyway.  And I don't believe that anyone will truly miss Werth, and if there is a silver lining, this city could always use another pariah.

So here's to you Werth.  You've accomplished what every kid wishes they could do: win a world series, make a shitload of money, and *giggle* play for the Nationals.  LOL

Speaking of Pariah, has there ever been a reversal of social opinion for an athlete so sudden?  I'm talking about a guy that was universally shunned, then raised to the highest peaks of the sporting world in such a short time.  There was Kobe with the whole unwanted penetration thing.  Ray Lewis stabbed a guy.  And now there is Vick.  Blah blah blah we know the story.  I know that's what you are thinking, so I'll focus on something else.

Vick is taking hits.  Much hits.  And we have to face the facts: Vick is not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.  When Vick takes a hit after the whistle, or going out of bounds, we can not use the Brady/Manning argument for penalties.  Vick is a different type of quarterback and should be looked at differently by the refs.  I'm not saying that all of these hits are clean, because there are dirty hits every game on him.  However, Brady and Manning get calls because they are smart, efficient passers.  The ball is snapped, and is generally out of their hands within seconds.  When Vick gets the ball, he holds it for much longer.  You don't see Brady or Manning tucking the ball and running when there is pressure too much.  Vick makes the defense work hard for an extended period.  And when Vick is running to the sideline, there is a VERY good chance that he'll try to fake out the defender and cut it up field.  When Brady and Manning are hitting the sideline, you know exactly what their motives are.

Vick presents a different sort of circumstances for the refs that already face a challenge in simply keeping track of him.  Perhaps he is taking harder hits, but he is also trying harder to escape the hits and it only makes them worse.  Perhaps there is favoritism in the NFL towards the superstars of the league, but how many primetime games has Vick starred in this year?  He is certainly a superstar.  Sure he was hit arguably late going out of bounds in Dallas, but he was also working for any extra yards the defense would give him.  Theoretically, a blanket set of rules regarding the quarterback's protection would be ideal, but realistically Vick will always suffer these consequences.  Either he turns into a pure pocket passer and gets the calls, or he sucks up a couple of bruises and plays the way that made people forget he spent two years in jail.

Also happening:

• The Sixers are quietly playing very well, and in a weak conference anything is possible.  Willie Green's return to Philadelphia was spoiled when the Hornets shot .304 for the game.  That's a good number in baseball...

• The Phillies are serious contenders in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes.  Remember, Lee liked it in Philly and would likely take less dollars and years, though the Phils will have to come close to what the Rangers and Yankees are offering.  Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels would certainly solve the offensive woes.

• I'm over Chris Berman.

An Open Letter To Mr. Werth

Dear JaYson,

PEACE.

Yours truly,
Someone who thought your beard looked like my ass crack.