Sim-ple-mind-ed

Just a few words as I rail against one of my top sports pet peeves...

As I was watching the end of Maryland's much needed win over the previously unbeaten Clemson Tigers today, I hear the Comcast Center's fans chanting "o-ver-rat-ed". I just want to make sure I am clear on the message here... The team the Terps were about to beat were not as good as everyone thought they were because Maryland could beat them? And furthering that logic, Maryland's victory should be devalued because Clemson just isn't that good? Got it. Good chant.

Congratulations Cal!

Though I am a few days late, I just wanted to take a moment and offer a congratulations to Cal Ripken Jr. on his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Cal's amazing streak and career numbers are even more impressive now considering the revelations of the past few years regarding the widespread use of steroids during his playing career. It is fitting that he will enter the Hall with Tony Gwynn. Ripken and Gwynn are two players whose actions, both on and off the field, indicate they are eligible for induction into the Integrity and Character Hall of Fame as well.

I am still convinced, with all due respect to Brett Favre, that Cal's streak is the most impressive consecutive games streak in sports' history. It is true that the quarterback position takes lots of punishment in a high-contact sport. However, Cal often had about 20 hours to be ready for his next game, played at baseball's 2nd most physically demanding position. To put it in perspective, just think about how you feel the day after a pickup game as compared to how you feel a week later. Then think about how you'd feel after 160 games over 180 days.

Ravens v Colts

In response to a friend's blog post where the opinion is offered that "after this game...it's over. Baltimore has to stop playing the "you stole our team" card. Sure, Baltimore had to sit out for quite a while...but in the long-run, they got a better team... and a Superbowl Championship...that's more than Indy can say! So this game is the final time to play that card. After that...people can still be free to hate the colts...but have to let go of the "they were ours." Because the Ravens ARE yours. And they're better."

I have to respectfully disagree with the opinion that a Ravens' victory puts an end to the "you stole our team" card. The anger is directed toward the Irsays, not Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. The Ravens' recent success has been great for the city of Baltimore, but the wounds of the past are still there.

I think the whole issue comes down to history. As a lifelong "homer", I was a Colts fan and am now a Ravens fan. It still pains me when I see the current commercial on NFL Network for the complete Colts history and see highlights of Johnny U to Lenny Moore spliced with highlights of Manning to Harrison. And I think the NFL Films people see the injustice of it all too. During the commercial, they always refer to it as the complete Colts history. Only at the end when they show you the DVD cover do you see that it is the "Indianapolis Colts" Complete History.

From a Ravens' fan perspective, I would feel uncomfortable if we were cheering our beloved Baltimore Browns on Saturday. I am glad Cleveland kept the name and the history. A Jim Brown ceremony in Baltimore would be a crime. I don't know how the people of Indianapolis feel about it, but I would think they would rather buy a Indianapolis Colts Complete History DVD that began with the story of their inaugural team, led by quarterback Mike Pagel (Arizona State class of '82).

Turkey Bowl 2007 & Ice Bowl 2008

I know that many people are involved in annual Thanksgiving and New Year's Day football games with their friends, so I am going on record now. The idea has always been to have a little fun, but this coming year, I am all about winning. To that end, I have dibs on Boise State head coach Chris Petersen and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin to call my teams' plays in both games. If you call a "hook and ladder," halfback option, and "statue of liberty" in the last few plays of a BCS bowl game, you can be my play caller anytime.

This is all dependent on their bowl schedule of course. If they have a New Year's game again next year, I will be fair and only take one of them. I don't want to come across as unreasonable or anything.

As the Calendar Turns to 2007...

Happy New Year to all, and to all a minimal hangover! One of my myriad of resolutions for the upcoming year is to post more frequently to the blog, so...

Observations on the close of 2006:

• The 'Skins disappointing season was hard to stomach, though I kept consoling myself with a quote from Trent Green in a preseason article about Al Saunders' offense where he said the Chiefs had moments in their first season under Saunders but they really didn't hit their stride until that second season. The statistics seem to back his claims as the Chiefs went from scoring 320 points in 2001 to scoring 467 in 2002. If the 'Skins learning curve can follow a similar arc, the offense shouldn't be a problem next season. The defense, on the other hand... No pass rush, lack of takeaways, and the step backwards taken by Sean Taylor and Carlos Rogers all need to be addressed in the offseason. The 6th pick in the draft will help, especially if someone like Clemson DE Gaines Adams or Ole Miss ILB Patrick Willis is available when the pick comes up. Will they be able to land secondary help in free agency (Nate Clements)? Will Rocky McIntosh be ready to step in at WLB?
• The NFL playoffs begin next weekend and it looks to be wide open, especially in the NFC. The only team I would be shocked to see as the NFC representative in the Super Bowl are the Giants. Saying that, and noting my terrible record with the MLB playoffs, here are my predictions for the NFC... Wild Card: Eagles over Giants, Cowboys over Seahawks. Divisional: Cowboys over Bears, Saints over Eagles. Championship: Saints over Cowboys. In the AFC, I could see any of the division winners making the Super Bowl, but can't imagine the Ravens or Chargers losing at home. My predictions for the AFC... Wild Card: Chiefs over Colts, Patriots over Jets. Divisional: Chargers over Chiefs, Ravens over Patriots. Championship: Chargers over Ravens.
• The Wizards have made a great run to get themselves on top of the division. Although Agent Zero gets most of the credit, the supporting cast should not be overlooked. Caron Butler has been fantastic with his all-around game, DeShawn Stevenson has proven to have some offensive skills to compliment his reputation as a defensive specialist, Brendan Haywood has stepped up his game with the injury to Etan Thomas, and Antawn Jamison is being Antawn Jamison. Two things to watch in the coming year: The Wizards seem to be one of the NBA teams who were comfortable with the synthetic ball. How will the change back to the leather ball affect them? Also, the team talked about a commitment to defense before the season began but seemed to abandon that during the winning streak. If the offense struggles, especially in the postseason, can the Wizards play enough defense to compensate?
• The Capitals have exceeded expectations so far this season, though the recent spate of injuries and illnesses have exposed the lack of depth to the lineup, especially on the blue line. Alexander Ovechkin is following up his Calder Trophy season with a sophomore campaign on pace for 100-plus points. The future looks bright on a team with only one skater over 30, and 10 regulars 25 or younger. Just as Hershey's run to the Calder Cup helped the development of the young players on the Caps farm team last season, battling for a playoff spot this season, whether successful or not, will be invaluable down the road when the team is ready to challenge for the Stanley Cup.
• The University of Maryland football team ended a good season with a 24-7 win over Purdue in the Champs Sports Bowl. Many of the wins in the Terps 9-4 season weren't pretty, but those victories and the extra month's worth of practices before the bowl should help the development of a team with only 12 seniors, including 7 that appeared on the two deep depth chart for the bowl game in Orlando.
• The University of Maryland basketball teams are both off to good starts this season. The defending national champion women's team has run its winning streak to 21 games with a 15-0 start to the season. A team that returned its entire starting lineup from last year has added two transfers and a talented freshman to the rotation. The ACC schedule begins soon and the top-ranked Lady Terrapins will be challenged by two other Top 3 teams in the National Rankings in Duke and UNC. The men's team is off to a 13-2 start with impressive wins on the road over Illinois, Michigan State, and St. John's. This year's team has emphasized improved defense, especially on the perimeter. So far, so good, as teams are shooting only 35% against them from the field, including only 28% from beyond the arc. Offensively, four players are averaging in double figures for a balanced offense, with Mike Jones finally emerging as the outside shooting threat (46.7% from three) he was touted to be as a McDonald's All-American.
• Major League Baseball has been proving again this winter that its owners have no idea how to handle financial success. This offseason they have handed out contracts totaling over 1.5 billion dollars. Such perennial all-stars as Gil Meche, Jeff Suppan, and Ted Lilly (all with career ERAs of 4.60 or more) will be making 10 million dollars per year over the next 4 years. Even a real all-star like Barry Zito, with an ERA hovering around 4.00 in the last 3 years, seems to be overpaid at 18 million per year.
• The Orioles have not been immune to overspending, but they have at least avoided handing out any of the crippling contracts like those mentioned above. After a season undone by relief pitching that ranked next to last in the majors with a 5.27 ERA, they moved quickly to sign 2 of the better free agent relievers on the market. Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford both finished last season with ERAs under 3.00 and WHIPs of 1.15 and 1.16 respectively. They also signed Danys Baez, who never had an ERA above 3.81 in four seasons as a reliever in the American League before he moved on to the Dodgers last year. Baez will provide insurance at closer should anything happen to Chris Ray. In need of starting pitching, the O's made an unsuccessful late run at Jason Schmidt, and will have to rely on a rotation that adds only Jaret Wright as a result of a trade with the Yankees. On offense, they filled holes in left field and first base with productive veterans in Jay Payton and Aubrey Huff... after being spurned by big name free agents Carlos Lee and Luis Gonzalez. The Nationals have been far less busy, but successfully reached their goal of shedding payroll with the trade of Jose Vidro to the Mariners. The plan is to get some of their young players more major league experience in 2007, and then fill holes where needed prior to the opening of the new ballpark in 2008. With the money saved by avoiding the temptation to enter this offseason's sellers' market, the Nationals, and to a lesser extent, the Orioles, are positioning themselves well to be major players in next winter's stellar free agent class.