Championship Week = BEST WEEK EVER!!

NCAA basketball’s championship week is underway. It is one of the most exciting weeks in sports and the number one reason that college basketball is superior to college football. That’s right I said it, superior. Three times a day for a week you get to see something amazing. In college football what do you see? The nobody gives a shit bowl.

On Monday you had an opportunity to see Old Dominion punch their ticket to the big dance. They beat a very good basketball team in William & Mary for the Colonial Athletic Association Championship! The student body stormed the court at the Richmond Coliseum and mayhem ensued. Even if you are not a fan of ODU or the CAA you get those goose bumps. That undeniable feeling of “wow that is awesome.”

If that wasn’t enough for one day the St. Mary’s Gaels upset the #14 Gonzaga Bulldogs for the West Coast Conference Championship. St. Mary’s might have been able to get in regardless but none the less they toppled the WCC powerhouse. It’s an accomplishment all to it’s self. If they did lose who knows maybe they don’t get a chance at the National Title you never know.

Some people will read this and say that for example, SEC football is religion down south. Absolutely it is entertaining, but what does an SEC championship mean if it doesn’t give you a chance at a national title? A BCS bowl? what is that? Can the team in the Rose Bowl beat the team in the national championship game? Of course they can but we will never know because…..well nobody knows why there isn’t a playoff.

Meanwhile in college basketball you have a chance to see the newly crowned Southern Conference Men’s champion Wofford take a stab at a national championship. Can they win? Probably not. Will it be freaking awesome to watch them try? YES! I would love to see Old Dominion University beat the 5th team from the Big East and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Then two days later they will play again! That’s right they will keep playing until they lose or win the whole thing.

Schools from these tiny conferences like the MAAC, SC, and the IVY league play their whole seasons for a chance to take home their conference championships. Do you think they would storm the court with such fervor and passion if the PopTart Bowl was what awaited them? I don’t. I know college football fans are passionate and they want their schools to be successful. I know they storm the goal posts after big wins but imagine what they would do if their conference championship gave them an automatic shot to play for a national championship.

Then maybe, just maybe college football bowl month could compare to basketball’s championship week and the NCAA tournament.

Here is to championship week, thank you. Thank you for letting the little guy get a crack at glory. Thank you for not getting me all excited as a fan just to see my school get invited to the “nobody gives  a shit bowl.”

Next up, The Big Dance!!

Redskins in a new direction?

The Washington Redskins took the first step in a new direction today. They cut 10 players in all including Antwaan (big money bust) Randle El, Ladell “injury prone” Betts, Cornelius Griffin, Fred “sex boat” Smoot, and Todd Collins Mix. This is a direct effort to get younger as a team. It’s a major step in the right direction personnel wise.

Next up is free agency at midnight tonight. I have no doubt in my mind that the Redskins will spend big again during this free agency period. The big question that will be answered in the next couple of weeks is who is actually running the franchise? For years Daniel Snyder has had the final say on football decisions. Those decisions have lead to the following: Deion Sanders on a 7 year deal when he was 34 or something stupid like that. I think the Redskins are still paying Prime Time. He signed Bruce Smith when he was 1000 years old. Snyder went after Randle El on a big money deal that he never ever lived up to, and the list goes on and on.

In the next couple of weeks if horrible, big money, bad choices are still being made then I have to assume that Snyder is still running the show. If that is the case Redskins fans (yours truly included) will have no reason to continue their celebration that started with the hiring of Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen. Allen is a former executive of the year in the NFL and Shanahan is a former two-time Super Bowl Champ. They will make better football decisions then a guy whose only experience comes from playing Madden Football on Sony Playstation.

I can only hope that after today’s purging of the roster that times they are a changin in DC. The Redskins are a storied franchise in the NFL and when they are successful the NFL is better off. They are the second highest valued franchise in the league behind the Dallas Cowboys. They spend the most money in free agency every year. With a new general manager who prides himself on the draft and a head coach who likes free agents it should make for an unusual dynamic. The pundits, myself included have questioned how this will work.

Today it worked exactly the way it should. The new leaders of the team got together and made the tough choices that need to be made. These choices are necessary in order to make the Redskins what they are suppose to be, which is one of the best teams in the NFL.

However, there are a couple of things to watch out for Redskins fans. If the Redskins sign a washed up old free agent then you know Daniel Snyder is really running things. If Daniel Snyder shows up at weekly press conferences again then he is really running things. If Mike Shanahan runs out of his office screaming and swearing then it’s apparent that Snyder is running things. So, watch out for those things Skin Fans!

Syracuse #1 “Shut it Down”

Spring Training is upon us!

You couldn’t tell up here in North Jersey but baseball’s spring training is under way down in Florida and Arizona. Baseball is America’s pastime. Kids dream of playing in the big leagues, hell I still dream of playing in the big leagues and rest assured there is and never was any chance of that happening. In the dead of winter things are cold, soaked, and dark. Nothing is very exciting it seems. There are plenty of sports to be had including this years Olympics and college basketball. Oh yeah that’s right there is that junk league called the NBA as well. However, it just never feels like Spring until the players report to their spring training homes. That’s when you know this horrible winter is about to come to and end and finally baseball is back.

This year features my New York Yankees as defending world champions. They have a lot to prove this year as well. Their two biggest stars in Derek Jeter and Mo Rivera are both going to be free agents after this season. Granted, most likely they will re-sign but for how long and how much will be determined by how they play this season.

There are also some new faces in pinstripes this years. Curtis Granderson, Javier Vasquez, Randy Winn, and Marcus Thames, and Chan Ho Park are all new to the team. The Champs will be without Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon from last years championship squad. The Yankees still have the best team on paper and it will be up to skipper Joe Girardi to bring it all together for another World Series win. No pressure for Joe though, who is also in the last year of his deal.

The rest of the league has some very interesting stories as well.

Mark McGwire, fresh off of his steroid admission (wow shocker) is the new hitting coach for a very talented Cardinals team that features a one two punch in Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. Can McGwire help an already talented lineup reach it’s full potential? I think he has a wealth of knowledge to share with the team. Sure, he cheated. He also has learned a ton over the years on how to hit. He helped out Holliday before he was with the Cards and it is only going to carry over for the rest of the guys this year. It’s good for baseball for McGwire to be back in the game.

There are some high profile rookie pitchers that for the first time in a long time could make an impact on their big league clubs this season. Stephen Strasburg, the first overall pick of last years draft could be ready by June of this year. That’s just sick. The kid is 19 years old and ready to pitch in the big leagues already. I can’t wait to watch him pitch.

The Cincinnati Reds acquired Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman. He has never pitched in the big leagues but he was outstanding in the last baseball classic. The Reds are betting on this kids success. They signed him to a 30.25 million dollar deal.  A little crazy for a team that has a total payroll of 70 million but hey what do I know right.

Johnny Damon is the new example of what happens when a player listens to an idiot agent. He wanted to be a Yankee. The Yankees wanted him back at two years 20 million dollars. His agent Scott Boras told him he could get him a 4 year 40 million dollar deal. Of course that was a joke and he is now on the Tigers for 1 year 8 million. Pretty costly mistake if you ask me.

The last thing that interests me is how the blockbuster Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay trade is going to work out in the end. I felt right from the go that the Phillies are actually a worse team now that Lee is gone and Halladay is in. I also feel like the Seattle Mariners will win the AL West with Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins on the team now.

Only time will tell but the season is upon us and winter is almost gone! Thank god because I can’t wait to get to the ball park this year.

LT & Westbrook both cut a good thing?

LaDainian Tomlinson and Brian Westbrook were both cut by their respective teams in the last couple of days. It seems like an easy choice for the organization. The players production goes down, salary goes up, which makes the choice simple.  Emotionally the decision is anything but simple. Relationships are formed and friendships built during these players tenures with their teams. In LT’s case he is the most decorated San Diego Charger that there ever was. To say that AJ Smith, Dean Spanos, and Norv Turner’s hearts were heavy while making this decision has to be an understatement.  Ultimately, it’s a business and it had to be done.

Tomlinson had this to say about being cut lose from the only NFL Team he has played for, “It was a long time coming, but I knew it was coming," Tomlinson said, according to SI.com. "Now that it's official I can kind of look to the next step in my career and playing football for someone else."

That’s what is important for both of these two running backs. They are both 30 years old but can still be productive in a reduced role.

There is nothing better then when a 30 year old running back moves on and is productive some where else. Of course I can’t remember the last time a 30+ running back went to another team and was productive. Oh yea, Marcus Allen did it in Kansas City. He even won comeback player of the year in 1993. Of course that’s the only one I can remember. 

LT' and Westbrook’s situation’s are different then the other running backs who have switched teams after 30. They can both catch passes. It was a huge part of both of their games. Westbrook was basically a better pass catcher then pure runner, and LT could do it all. Other teams value veterans with leadership capabilities that can bring some productivity to their teams.

There are several teams out there that would be much better off if they add either one of these guys.

The Vikings will most likely lose Chester Taylor their pass catching 3rd down back in free agency. In the league today you have to have two solid running backs and wow would either one of these guys compliment Adrian Peterson. I am sure either one would want to play with Favre.

The Saints could use either Westbrook or Tomlinson if Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas depart the team. Brees and the Saints love to pass the ball. It’s a possible fit.

The Eagles could even pick up LT. He would be much cheaper then the 7.5M they were going to have to pay Westbrook and LT could slide right in where Westbrook left off.

These are just a few landing spots for these two fading backs. Of course there is always the possibility that Westbrook may retire. We will just have to wait and see. The bottom line is that there will be some sort of market for these two guys.

Every team needs two solid running backs, preferably one that can play on third down by either blocking, or catching the ball out of the back field. These guys can do that.

Athletes and their second chances

We love to give them. As a matter of fact, we give them all the time to all sorts of famous people. But wow do we love giving them to athletes. By we I am referring to the paying, sport loving public. Just give it some thought, how many athletes have we forgiven? We have forgiven Mike Tyson for raping a woman. We have forgiven Michael Vick for murdering 50 plus dogs. Hell we are chomping at the bit to forgive Tiger Woods and he didn’t even commit a crime. Whether they want to admit it or not, most men sports fans in the world think what Tiger did wrong was get married.

Let’s add Donte Stallworth to the list. In case you forgot Stallworth got drunk, drove his car at 7:00am in Miami and killed a construction worker named Mario Reyes. Yeah, that’s what I said he killed someone. Granted there is a boatload of extenuating circumstances involved, but the bottom line is he committed involuntary manslaughter and was convicted of it. 

Today, Stallworth signed a one year deal worth $900,000 with the Baltimore Ravens. He could pull in 1.2 million with incentives. Not a bad pay day right. I mean he did serve 24 days in jail for his crime in addition to reaching a financial settlement with the family.

I don’t know if his punishment was right, wrong, harsh, or too lenient. He did serve a one year suspension from the NFL and was cut by the Cleveland Browns just one season after signing a 7 year 35 million dollar deal. That’s a pretty big monetary loss. This is what I do know, the Ravens and Commissioner Roger Goodell have forgiven Stallworth. Ravens fans will forgive Stallworth too as long as he plays well. Sports fans can always forgive a player regardless of what he might have done off the field as long as he performs on the field.

Everyone makes mistakes. Some are more terrible then others. A wise man once said “let he who is without sin, cast the first stone” Either way we want to forgive you Star Athlete. We don’t care what you did for the most part, just say you’re sorry, you found the lord, and get back to entertaining us out on that field.

We forgive athletes for everything under the sun. Steroids, Cheating on their wives, slapping their spouses, and yes even killing people. The only athlete we haven’t forgiven is OJ Simpson which makes him the exception that proves the rule.

Why do we forgive them? The answer is simple, because they can help our teams win. Americans love winning more then anything. It’s the reason Congress never gets anything done. They would rather beat the other team then compromise. We feel the same way about our sports teams. If my Redskins would have picked up Stallworth I would have been pumped. He is a solid receiver and would have been a great compliment to the receivers the Redskins already have. The fact that he accidently killed someone wouldn’t have even been the 4th or 5th thing that crossed my mind. Does that make me a terrible person? I don’t think so. I think it makes me a sports fan. We correlate how well our teams do with how well our own lives are. Is that sad, probably. Do I care? No, because my teams winning championships are some of my best memories.

I die a little inside every time the Yankees or Redskins lose a game. I take every single game very seriously even though I have to work in the morning regardless of it’s outcome. To be frank, if that means my team signs a guy who has served his debt to society, regardless of the punishments severity or lack thereof, and we end up winning because of it then I will cheer that move every time. 

Are the Caps a championship team?

As the NHL begins a two week hiatus to allow its stars to participate in the Winter Olympics, the Washington Capitals sit atop the league standings. A recent 14 game win streak has provided the team with a 13 point cushion on their nearest competitor in the East, the New Jersey Devils, all but assuring the Caps of the conference's top playoff seed. Having scored 247 goals while only surrendering 177, they are an astounding +70; the next closest team in the East, the Philadelphia Flyers, enters the break at a +19. What's more, the Caps boast two of the league's top four scorers, the league's leading scorer among defensemen and the league's top four individuals in plus/minus. Clearly, the Caps are turning the Eastern Conference into their own personal playground this season.

Given all of this, why even bother finishing the season and going through the grueling Eastern Conference playoffs? If the Capitals are this much better than everyone else, how could anyone compete with them, let alone outlast them in a best of seven playoff series? To borrow a phrase from Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend." While the Caps are enjoying one of the most dominant regular seasons in recent memory, the fact of the matter is, they really aren't built for playoff success. To win in the postseason, a team needs strong special teams, solid play in their defensive zone and incredible goal tending. While Washington does posses the NHL's most potent power play, their penalty kill ranks 25th out of 30 teams, they have a tendency to play sloppy in their own end for long stretches of time and goal tending is by far their biggest question mark. So as the Capitals march toward the Eastern Conference's top seed for this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, they have just as many question marks as any other team out there.

Often, it is said that a team needs to lose in order to learn how to win. It is widely regarded that the Capitals did just that when they lost Game 7 on home ice in embarrassing fashion to their arch-rivals from Pittsburgh in last year's second round. As a result, many people believe this year's edition of the Washington Capitals is on the verge of Stanley Cup glory. While they surely learned a great deal from last year's disappointment, the Caps are still a piece or two away from being a championship caliber team. Yes, they have clearly excelled and even exceeded expectations this season but the playoffs are a completely different animal. All it takes is one hot goaltender and a team's dream season can coming crashing down around them. And a hot goaltender is one component that Washington isn't likely to possess this spring.

By Sean Griffin