Thursday, October 30, 2008

First Poll....schmoll......blah

The Powder Blues are the preseason pick for #1 in the first ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll of the 2009 college basketball season. Big SHOCK! Duh! Is there a more worthless poll that means as little as this one anywhere? Well, maybe the AP preseason poll, but that isn't out yet. Dukies are ranked at #5.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Turn out the Lights........

Where "Dandy" Don Meredith when you need him..?

That Rays band wagon is alittle lighter tonight after the Phillies won the 2008 World Series 4-1. Yeah, sure, good season and all, but they won't be as surprising next season. Congratulations to the Phillies for taking the crown.
Now, lets put baseball to bed for the winter and see what Theo comes up with in building the team to compete for next years title.

Oh, and I voted today....have you? If I can do it, I know you can. Go get it done and make your picks.

Hump Day

There's not alot to say when the Bucs laid an egg this past Sunday against the Cowpatties, in a game they really should have won. The Cowpukes offense was pathetic with Brad Johnson at the helm. Of course the Bucs played down to their level and were unable to cash in on red zone chances, settling for field goals which always seems to come back to haunt you. The officials did their part by calling some questionable penalties at the end of the first half, four of them to be exact, that contributed tremendously to the Cowboobs scoring the only TD of the game. That turned out to be enough and the difference. Even so, the Bucs should've played better, but thats how the toilet flushes some times.

Sorry for all of the 'crappy' references this round, but it just makes me sick for the Bucs to lay a turd like this against such an inept team. Now, they face the KC Chiefs this week before the bye week. Sounds like a perfect chance to add to the W column. They've had their share of drama lately like Dallas.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Salute to #40


Courtesy Buccaneers.com

Buccaneers.com has posted the halftime ceremony from Sunday night's game vs. the Seahawks, honoring Mike Alstott #40. He's one of my all-time favorite Bucs, as he is for many other fans. Toasts up to the A-Train! Thanks for the memories, and we miss and love you too!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Crossover Sport Fans

For the first time I can remember, which isn't really saying a whole heck of a lot, I had some clashing of fans rooting for a team I support, but against a team in another sport that I like.

See, last night, I was innocently watching NCLS game 7 on TBS and simulateously following the Bucs-Seahawks NFL game on NBC.com, since Time Warner and our NBC affiliate in Austin can't seem to get along. When the Rays went up 2-1 over the Red Sox, there was a cheer that rippled through the RJS crowd and a "Let's Go, Rays!" chant started. Also, there was a delay in the after game news conferences because the Bucs were watching the Rays win over the Red Sox.

Geez, you want to talk about weird. I had to tell myself that of those 40,000 fans that were there in Tropicana Field, 25K were serious bandwagon jumpers. Talk about hopping on at the last minute. The Bucs still had a full house, so no losses there. Our football fans were accounted for apparently.

With both teams from the same area, I can't fault the Buc fans for rooting. Thats ok Gruden, you can say you wanted to watch them before meeting the media. That's alright. I just despise the sudden 'hopping aboard' that so many Tampa baseball fans are doing now, for a team they showed no interest in less than a month ago.

The Rays are young, and just might be able to pull off a World Series title against the Phillies. I don't really care all that much if they do or not. What will be interesting is to see if the sudden Rays following will stay on to support the team in the regular season next year. AL East rivals have been filling the seats in Tampa for years. We'll see if it changes from here on out.

Not enough magic

The Red Sox were able to make Rays fans cry on Saturday with Beckett and the Sox winning Game 6, but it was tears of joy for them on Sunday night as the Rays won Game 7. It was a good year for the Sox, and it was fun following them through it. This was the first year since I jumped aboard the wagon in 2003 that I've followed pro baseball this closely. In the past, I've coached my son in baseball and had other commitments that took a higher precedence. I guess you could say this was the year I swore true allegiance to the Sox. I floundered for a few years, saying "Yeah, they're my team", and this or that, but this is where I went all in.

I did it with the Blue Devils for a couple of years, volleying back and forth between them and the Tar Heels in the mid/late 80's. That was before I knew it couldn't be both. I just grew to respect what the Dukies had going and through my hat into that ring. That's paid off in spades with three National Championships!

With the Bucs, I waivered after swearing off the Cowboys when Jerry Jones let Jimmy Johnson leave the Pokes. (And hired a Sooner no less in Barry Switzer). It was the mid-90s and the Jaguars and Panthers were just starting out. It seemed like a fresh start could be had. (I still have a Jaguar Football t-shirt). I chose the Bucs as my NFC team, but my love grew for what the Glazers and Tony Dungy were building, that I dropped the Jags altogether a year or so later. Now I've dedicatedly followed them since, and enjoyed the great ride of 2002 with a Super Bowl victory.

Now, with the Red Sox, I had still been in that middle ground. I had always followed the Astros, and my favorite player had always been Craig Biggio. However, a year or so ago, I began to notice that he was the only reason I was rooting for the Astros. Once he retired, there was nothing left. Astros managment was ditching all of the prospects for middling players and what I viewed as basically, crap! The Red Sox were my American League team by that time, and I had rooted for them through the Grady debacle, and the two World Series wins. I didn't consider myself neccessarily a bandwagon jumper, but I guess I am. I officially jumped in with both feet this season with no turning back, and spent evenings on the back patio listening to WRKO radiocasts via MLB.com. They didn't win it all, but they'll be back.

Thanks for a great year!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Ex-Cowpatty steppin' in it

Julius Jones, the former Cowboy no less, opened his trap this week, basically calling the defense old with some smack talk. Even if that's not how he meant it, it was how it was percieved that is ALWAYS the detemining factor. Let's just see where this leads, eh, when they take the field Sunday night. Here's to hoping I'm dealing with some conflict issues regarding ALCS Game 7.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Not Dead Yet!

Tonight is why as a sports fan you watch sports! Red Sox were dead in the water into the 7th inning, down 7-0. Bing-Bang-BOOM! Drew's single in the bottom of the 9th scores Youk and the Sox win 8-7. Unbelievable! This game was making me sick, although the TBS announcers were alittle better tonight, so I resorted to following along online via Gameday. I was sprinting for the remote in the 7th to catch the comeback. There's nothing like the heart of a champion. Win or Lose this weekend, I was proud that the Red Sox fought for it. They finally showed some life. That's all I ask of the teams I root for. Now the bags are packed so lets make them sweat in Florida with Beckett and Lester. They've got some making up to do, and there's work to be done. Let's make tonight worth it!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Time to re-group

Unless you've been under a rock (or have already shut down baseball for the year and are totally focus on football), the Red Sox are now down 1-3 in the ALCS. There's already plenty of press out there on the game-to-game lowlights, and lack of pitching and hitting by most of the Sox since Game 1, so I'm not going to repeat it here. Why should I contribute input other than to say its sucked. That says it all. Its not over yet thought.

What sickens me the most this Playoff season is the downright blatant disregard by TBS to provide fair and equal coverage to both teams involved in the series they are covering. Never have I seen, or heard, such a wide disparity of attention in any sports coverage slanted towards one side from a supposed national network. Examples are wide ranging from fluff stories in pregame to play-by-play action to color analysis focusing on things positive towards the Rays, and/or minimal and negative towards the Red Sox. It is pathetic! I could see if the Braves were involved, or even some slant against one of their rivals, but they aren't covering the National League at all. This is the ALCS and sure the Rays are a good story, but give me a break. There are two teams showing up, one that still are defending champions and have had a pretty good year themselves. Just sloughing that off that we already know enough about the Sox and the Rays are the only thing is BS of the highest degree.

Eff you, TBS! Chip, you do a dis-service to your Grandfather and Dad (both whom I respected as great baseball press men and broadcasters), with your over-the-top Rays rooting. I know you sucked last year, and other markets noticed, but I didn't think you'd be this awful. Its hard to find quality game announcers these days and that is sad. This time of the year, baseball fans deserve to have more than what FOX and TBS provide us with their broadcast crews. I think I'll just watch the Hot Corner online from now on, so I don't have to hear those mouths. Then again, there's always You Cast.

Oh, and I'm not the only one who feels this way. Believe me, my wife was sick of it before I was and has already sworn off watching the TBS coverage. And she's a Cubs fan! Here's some others who feel the same way:
Bleacher Report and an Open Letter to TBS
Comcastsportsnet
Salon
CamdenChat
I could go on, but why waste more time proving the obvious.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Go BUCS!

Very nice win, and convincing one I must add, by the Bucs over the Pussycats (ok, ok, Panthers) 27-3 on Sunday. It was very sweet to see the team totally dominate in all phases for once and show just how good they are. I felt the Panthers were over rated coming in and they sure did look like it. Garcia showed no ill effects from the calf injury or from splinters while sitting on the bench. It looks like he may be rounding back into form, which seemed to be what Gruden had planned all along. Now, we'll see where we go from here with Seattle coming into town.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Its about that time....

Yeah, its late on a Friday. Planning to get outta here soon. ALCS kicks off at the Trop tonight against the Rays to get the weekend started. Dice-K vs. Shields. Its as it should be. We've got a score to settle. Yeah, the Rays won the season series 10-8 but we outscored them by 20. Here's to the can of whup-ass for the Sox to open up on them tonight.

The Bucs have a rivalry game of their own this week as the Panthers come into town. The pussycats have already had their share of luck scoring on last second plays and the like, ones that put the Bucs close wins to shame. They've got a game up on us in the division and have beaten us at home the last five times, but I think we got this one. Garcia will replace Griese with most of the rust and injured calf now behind him. The defense is playing well, and Davin is back so we should win the trenches. Just another knock-out-drag-out brawl in the NFC South.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

How Divine!


After all of the big plays in the Red Sox 3-2 win over the Angels last night to clinch the ALDS series, you almost have the believe it is so. Lester's strong pitching performance. Sparkling defense. Angels not executing again and the Red Sox taking advantage. Bay's 9th inning double and Lowrie's clutch two out single, Bay sliding in to win. Awesome!
I read about some of the heated moping by the Angels, and their claims of being the better team. Well, small things get accentuated dramatically in the Playoffs. Yeah, the bloop hits and the misplays weren't the best of scenerios, but they were effective and enough to win the series in four games. So, sayonera to the Angels. Enjoy the offseason, and congratulations on a great regular season. The Red Sox are moving on, leaving you in the dust yet again. Take your crybaby asses back on home to Cali.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Seems like forever

After a week of commuting back and forth to San Antonio for training, and following it up with a camping trip on Saturday, its been awhile since I posted. Since then the Red Sox took the first two games in the ALDS over the Angels with some dramatic wins in the wee hours EST. Last night that rose to another level with a 12 inning affair that ended 1:00am EST after about 51/2 of baseball. Unfortunately, the Red Sox couldn't pull it out, although they probably shouldn't have still been in it that late anyway, but thats how it goes. Now tonight Lester is back on the hill to followup his performance against the Angels last Wednesday in win in Game 1. We need to get this West Coast series behind us. PST sucks!

The Bucs fought tough against the Broncos in Denver yesterday, but couldn't stay with the Ponies when Griese got hurt. I haven't checked the wire yet, but lets hope he's not down too long. We've the the Panthers on tap next weekend.