|
Via ESPN: Taylor: Merriman in Pro Bowl sends wrong message
Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor says the candidacy of his likely chief rival for NFL defensive player of the year, Shawne Merriman, was tainted by a four-game steroid suspension in November.
“You really shouldn’t be able to fail a test like that and play in this league, to begin with,” Taylor said Wednesday. “To make the Pro Bowl and all the other awards, I think you’re walking a fine line of sending the wrong message.”
I can’t say as I disagree. However, since Taylor is Merriman’s primary competition for Defensive Player of the Year, this strikes me an an inappropriate thing for Taylor himself to be saying at this point.
Cross-posted at PoliBlog Deportes.
|
 |
Permalink
| Send TrackBack
-
PoliBlog’s Deportes: A PoliBlog Sideblog linked with Taylor Comments on Merriman’s Steroid Use
 |
| Thursday, December 28, 2006 |
NBCSports.com’s John Walters has an amusing column entitled “The Spirit of 7-6” on last night’s Emerald Bowl matchup between FSU and UCLA.
When did college football’s postseason become a walk-a-thon? When did two programs walking the .500 tightrope and with almost no chance of sniffing the final AP top 25 poll become worthy of a post-game podium and a trophy nearly as heavy as a female cheerleader?
Florida State (your ACC Atlantic Division 5th-place finisher) defeated UCLA (your Pacific-10 4th-place squad) 44-27 in the fifth annual Emerald Bowl this evening, thereby sending both teams home for the 2006 season with 7-6 records. There are 32 bowl games dotting your television listings between December 19th and January 8th, and the Emerald Bowl is definitely… one of them.
[...]
[T]he great drama in this evening’s game was whether Seminole head coach Bobby Bowden, now in his 31st season in Tallahassee, would finish the year sub-500 for the first time since his first season in Tallahassee. There’s more than one way to make history in a bowl game.
Indeed. I have, so far, watched zero of the bowl games. The college football season seemingly ended months ago and they’re still playing consolation games. Eventually, they will get around to playing the BCS Championship game, featuring teams that have been idle for weeks.
My Alabama Crimson Tide plays this afternoon in the Independence Bowl against Oklahoma State. Both teams had pathetic 6-6 seasons. Indeed, Alabama’s coach was fired seemingly ages ago and the Tide will be led by Interim Coach for Life Joe Kines.
Birmingham News writer Jon Solomon provides some statistics:
Seven 6-6 teams advanced to bowls this year, and four teams – including Oklahoma State – had only five victories against Division I-A opponents. Alabama and Miami added to their resumes with two victories each against winless teams.
Fifty-four percent of the 119 I-A teams are now in bowls. Television ratings and bowl payouts show there is interest.
One argument made for bowl games is they provide a reward to players for their season. Yet six-win seasons by Alabama and Miami rewarded their coaches with pink slips. “If we come out (today) with a win, I think it will be a mark for this team because we’ve been through it all,” Alabama running back Kenneth Darby said. “This season wasn’t perfect, but at least we come out with a 7-6 record. That would be a winning record, as far as I’m concerned.”
Bear Bryant wouldn’t agree, methinks. I suppose I’ll watch the game but, frankly, who really cares? Finishing 7-6 is hardly anything to cheer about.
|
| Wednesday, December 27, 2006 |
Howard Wasserman thinks George W. Bush is a natural to succeed Bud Selig as Commissioner of Baseball. He makes a compelling case.
Alright Dodger fans, it’s put up or shut up time. For the first time in the “history of sports” the fans can have an impact on a championship. Ok, so I am looking past Jeffery Maier “yanking” Derek Jeter’s routine fly ball out of Tony Tarasco’s glove. Wait a second did I just make reference to the Yanks on a Dodger post? Sorry, my bad. I digressed for a moment; I can’t say it won’t happen again. Excuse me but did somebody say Bartman?
Let me get back to explaining how you can help the Dodgers win a championship. I realize the Boys in Blue have managed only one playoff game victory since 1988, but bare with me. I assure you this championship is something the Dodgers can have wrapped up by January 12.
Ladies and gentleman, grab your mustard! The Dodger Dog has been nominated by AOL City Guide for its City’s Best Hot Dogs 2007 honor for the City of Angels. (And I am not talking about the team down the 5 freeway!)
Head on over to: Best Hot Dogs
The Dodgers have been drawing 3 million fans since 1980 which to me sure appears to be a whole lot of hot dogs chowed down on. With those kind of numbers this championship should be wrapped in relish and onions by the first week of January.
Cheers!
It appears the Feds are doing everything possible to prove what we all feel, Barry Bonds used performance enhancing drugs.
The names and urine samples of about 100 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs three years ago can be used by federal investigators, a court ruled Wednesday — a decision that could have implications for Barry Bonds.
The ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could bolster the government’s perjury case against Bonds if investigators are able to link his name to a positive test from baseball’s anonymous testing in 2003. The San Francisco Giants slugger has been the target of a perjury investigation since he testified before a 2004 grand jury that he didn’t knowingly use illegal drugs.
As the article mentions
Baseball players and owners agreed in their 2002 labor contract that the results would be confidential, and each player was assigned a code number to be matched with his name.
Unfortunately this is an issue that will never die. While I do believe Mark McGwire used performance enhancing drugs (PED), I think it is wrong how he is being made the poster child for all that was wrong. He was obvioulsy one of at least a hundred players who used PED, and unfortunatley the most high profile, and the first to come up for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. But the bottom line is that he should not have to pay the price of Major League Baseball knowingly or unknowingly looking the other way. If I heard whispers about PED while I was senior at UMASS-Amherst, I am sure the powers that be did as well.
Barry Bonds is a jerk, and may have been a HOF before he starting sticking needles in his butt, BUT he should not get a pass while other players are being penalized for doing similar things.
This is a lose-lose situation for everyone in baseball but I guess this is the price the MLB and the players must pay for their action/inaction.
Some would say us Green Bay Packers fans are hooked on our team. A better word would be “obsessed.” It’s true. We love our green and gold through thick and thin–we survived the 1980s always hoping Bart Starr or Forest Gregg would lead the team out of the losing-season wilderness. This week, with the Packers holding a slim chance of making the playoffs with an 8-8 record, and it possibly being Brett Favre’s last game (doubt it!) the NFL moved their game with the Chicago Bears to Sunday night. That throws a wrench in Packers fans’ New Year’s Eve plans. But we’ll do what we have to do even if it includes driving across the country all night, packing a radio inside a sport coat when going out with the wife, or just sitting in front of the television instead of going to the party. It’s the Packers; it must be done.
According to Nick Carfardo of the Boston Globe while the Red Sox and Boras hope to finish this deal soon, there is still nothing to report:
According to Drew’s agent, Scott Boras, his doctors have indicated there’s nothing wrong with Drew’s shoulder. That could be an indication Boras might be balking at revising any of the contract, especially a revision that would take away guaranteed money and replace it with incentives. The Red Sox aren’t placing much stock in second opinions that Drew received because they are only concerned with what they saw in their examination and test results.
As Carfardo points out, the Sox were succesful regarding a similar sitution with Pedro Martinez following the 2004 season. While I am sure the Mets were thrilled with his 2005 season, I doubt the ROI is looking too good now.
Personaly I would love to see the deal fall through. Why a healthy JD Drew is a great player, I just think there are far too many concerns. As I have seen mentioned in other places (sorry could not find them), you could get similar production from Trot Nixon for 25% of the cost.
The Cleveland Browns got blasted yet again this Sunday, this time by the lowly Tampa Bay Buccanears. They are 4-11, have scored less than everyone but the Bucs and the Oakland Raiders (whom they barely defeated earlier in the season), and they lost every single division game they played.
But next year should not be a rebuilding year. As it stands now, a Browns’ road loss this coming Sunday at Houston would give them the second pick in next year’s draft. While they could draft a top player at a “skill position”, they’d be much better off following the pattern of other smart teams and trading that pick down for a number of low first-round and second-round picks – and draft a number of top offensive linemen.
The problems the Browns have are not because of their defense, which has actually played well in most every game this season despite an incredible amount of injuries. It’s not TE Kellen Winslow, who will end up with 80 receptions and 800+ yards after this Sunday. It’s not the wide receivers, though they have dropped a number of balls this season (including some crucial ones) – Braylon Edwards has over 800 yards in his first full season, and Joe Jurevicius should break 500 yards. The problem is not Charlie Frye, either. A 2nd-year quarterback who gets sacked 43 times in 12 games and still manages to complete 63+% of his passes (despite tens of drops over the season) deserves a commendation, not criticism. He does tend to hold onto the ball a bit long sometimes, but other than that has shown that if he has some time in the pocket, he can make plays. Many people point to his 16 picks – well, that’s very nice, but if you watch the Browns, you’ll notice that a number of those were tipped by his own players. It’s also easy to drop extra people into coverage when the running game is completely inept – with a good chunk of the blame falling on the terrible offensive line.
It’s true that LeCharles Bentley got hurt to start training camp, and he had been their major signing. But it’s also true that many Browns’ season ticket holders and fans (I am proud to be both) immediately thought, “That’s it. Season’s over.” The offensive line just isn’t all that good – and there was absolutely no depth. Phil Savage is no fool – hopefully, he will continue being a draft guru and make the right moves, establishing an offensive line that can push the opposition around. We haven’t yet seen just how good Edwards and Winslow can be, as the offense isn’t on the field long enough and the line isn’t giving enough time for them to truly get into the open.
The Browns’ special teams is one of the best in the NFL – they have a great kicker, a great punter, and incredible return men. Their defense has been solid even with the backups in, and rookie DE/LB Kamerion Wimbley showed how good he can be, recording 10 sacks. Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 is finally getting the players to fit it. There’s even a nice amount of depth, though a younger starting NT might be nice, as they have been poor against the run.
If the Browns can draft an offensive line, and perhaps pick up a couple of small defensive pieces and a running back, they could not just be an average team, but a strong playoff team. Most importantly, the Browns must draft linemen who can push around their divisional foes. The Browns are 4-5 outside of the division this year, and were 5-5 last year. But they’re 1-11 against the AFC North, and the line is why. Their rushing yards in six division games: 57, 38, 99, 51, 18, and 68. That’s an average of 56 yards a game… and that’s pathetic.
The Browns need an offensive line. It is Phil Savage’s job to make sure they get a good one… and fast. Trade down, Mr. Savage.
The Los Angeles Angels didn’t waste much time finding another hitter after Juan Rivera broke his left leg playing winter ball in Venezuela.
The Angels agreed with free-agent first baseman Shea Hillenbrand on a $6.5 million, one-year contract on Tuesday.
“We’ve always liked Hillenbrand’s bat, and when we got the news that Rivera was injured and that it might cost him some time into the season, that provided impetus to get another bat,” Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said on a conference call.
Rivera, injured Friday when he was running to first base and collided with a pitcher covering the bag, is scheduled to undergo surgery on his left tibia Wednesday in Florida. It’s uncertain how long he will be sidelined.
Hillenbrand, who split last season between Toronto and San Francisco, gets $6 million next year, and the Angels hold a $6.5 million option for 2008 with a $500,000 buyout. The option could become guaranteed based on his plate appearances next season.
Before the deal is finalized, Hillenbrand must pass a physical.
The 31-year-old Hillenbrand hit a combined .277, with a career-high 21 home runs and 68 RBI in 141 games last season. He finished with 73 runs and 27 doubles.
He batted .301 and hit 12 homers for the Blue Jays before being designated for assignment July 19. Hillenbrand had written “play for yourself” on a board the Blue Jays use to post batting practice times and later that the “ship was sinking” before manager John Gibbons challenged him to a fight during a team meeting.
Asked how much he knew about the run-in, Stoneman said, “It wasn’t pleasant, but this is a new start for Shea, who fits nicely into our system. Back when it happened, we had some conversations [with the Blue Jays], but recently, no. That was the past and it’s gone.”
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Hillenbrand should provide some versatility because he could be used at first base, third base or DH.
“His bat is what we need now,” Scioscia said.
Hillenbrand was traded to the Giants on July 21 for pitchers Vinnie Chulk and Jeremy Accardo, and hit .248 with nine homers in 60 games with San Francisco. An All-Star in 2002 and 2005, Hillenbrand has a .287 career average with 104 homers and 459 RBI.
The 28-year-old Rivera had career highs in batting average (.310), runs (65), hits (139), home runs (23) and RBI (85) last season.
This is a great move by the Angels. Not only does he give them a run producing bat but he can fill in at 1B, DH, and 3B (but only in emergency). This move could also lead to the team trading incumbent 1B Casey Kotchman, who still has value, for some bullpen help or as a part of a bigger deal. Kotchman could be to another team what Adrian Gonzalez was to the San Diego Padres. He is a slick fielder with a smooth, compact stroke and an incredible eye and patience.
Great move by the Angels!
Not only is he a great baseball player, he is also a great man.
I would suspect that he is not the only athlete that does these things, but it is good to root for players that do not forget where they came from.
|
|
