Disappointed But It Was The Right Call

Disappointment.

That was the first emotion that came to me as I found out the Atlanta Thrashers had traded all-star forward Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils as part of a five player deal.  The Devils also received defenseman Anssi Salmela.  Atlanta received rookie forward Niclas Bergfors, defenseman Johnny Oduya, prospect Patrice Cormier and a first round pick in the 2010 draft.  The two sides also agreed to swap 2010  second round picks.

Kovalchuk, in his eighth season, has 328 career goals and has never scored fewer than 41 goals in any year since the 2003-2004 season.  He would’ve been the perfect fit for the up and coming Kings who as I write this are on an eight game winning streak and on the verge of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2001-2002 season.

For weeks, much of the hockey media had the Los Angeles Kings as one of the front-runners to land the all-star.  After reading their name so often in various reports, part of me began to believe there was no way they couldn’t acquire him.  Names that were mentioned as part of a potential Kovalchuk to the Kings deal included second year forward Wayne Simmonds, winger Alexander Frolov, defenseman Jack Johnson, number one goaltending prospect Jonathan Bernier and a draft pick.

Although all of them are solid young players for an overall young Kings team, I would’ve traded any of them to land a player of Kovalchuk’s status, if and only if I could have signed him to a contract extension.  New Jersey gave up some nice players in the deal but have no guarantee Kovalchuk will remain with the team past July 1 when he will become an unrestricted  free agent.

I know there are those who will say you have to go for broke when there is an opportunity to win and that past success does not guarantee future results.  I would agree with you if the Kings were one piece away from having a realistic shot to hoist the Stanley Cup.  Despite their recent string of success they are not at that level.  What they are is a playoff team.  Nothing more nothing less.  Considering they haven’t been there since losing to Colorado in the first round in 2002 I think it’s a more than a great position to be in.

The Kings history has been one filled with failed short-term plans.  Having learned from their past failures, Lombardi and the rest of management have installed a long-term plan in place and it’s working.  This year is a shining example of that.

The Kings have drafted well, developed that talent and now it’s starting to come together.  When they have traded, they’ve done so by acquiring proper talent at a fair price.  I applaud Lombardi for knowing that no superstar is worth deviating from his plan.  If he really wants Kovalchuk, he can make a run at him this summer through free agency when there is no addition by subtraction.

I am confident the Kings will be buyers before the trade deadline and that management will give this young team  some help as they enter the postseason.  I look for Lombardi to find some depth both up front and at the blue line.  It seems as though he has made all the right moves planning for tomorrow.  Kings fans should enjoy the ride down the stretch and into the postseason all the while knowing that tomorrow is on the verge of becoming today.

2010 Hits The Ground Running In The World Of Sports

The new year is barely two weeks old and 2010 is already packing quite a punch.  Since the start of the year, we have had two major college programs change head coaches with Lane Kiffin becoming the new head coach at USC and Tennessee naming former Louisiana Tech head coach Derek Dooley replacing Kiffin.  Both of these coaching hires smell of desperation like a bad perfume at a strip club.  If not for the fact that national signing day is right around the corner, I doubt if either of these coaches would have been hired as quickly as they were.

Trojan fans, I know Kiffin is a sexy name.  He was a member of the USC coaching staff during its decade of domination in the 2000’s, but as a head coach what has the guy done?  He was not successful as coach of the Raiders (but then again under Al “The Dictator” Davis how can anyone be?) and in his only season at Tennessee he was  7-6 with nearly as many secondary NCAA violations to boot.

After talking to a couple of Trojan fans I have come to the conclusion that Kiffin was hired not based on his merits, but on who he had the ability to bring with him.  Ed Orgeron and Monte Kiffin are two of the top assistants in the game, no question about it, but if you are using the head coach as simply window dressing then I would take a wait and see approach before getting more giddy than a fat kid in a candy shop over Kiffin’s hiring.

As for Dooley, I must admit that I haven’t followed the Louisiana Tech program very closely but I do know that the Bulldogs always gave a strong effort game in and game out.  I’m sure the fact that Dooley has Athletic Director experience didn’t hurt his cause.  But at the end of the day his record at LA Tech was 17-20 including 4-8 last season.  As far as I’m concerned shouldn’t you have more wins than losses at a little boy conference before getting the opportunity to show what you can do with the big boys?  Go figure.

Also in college football, the Boise State Broncos continue to show why they should be considered a threat to both BCS teams and non-BCS teams alike by defeating TCU in the Fiesta Bowl to finish another season unbeaten.  I know many people will say the Broncos are only good because they play in a weak conference (which they do) and if they played Florida, Alabama, USC, Texas or any top school they would get pounded but to that I ask, why not let them have their chance?  Why not let the Boise’s, BYU’s, Utah’s and TCU’s of the world have the opportunity to prove themselves between the lines?  It’s politics like this against the non-BCS conferences combined with the lack of a playoff system that make me dislike college football.

College football’s coach of the decade left southern California to take on new challenges at the NFL level by becoming the new head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.  I can’t blame Carroll for wanting to take the opportunity to try to once again prove himself on football’s biggest stage.  Combine that with the fact Seattle is paying him a ton of money and giving him the personnel control he has longed for made this decision a no-brainer.  After nine years on the college level in which USC had a record of 97-19 that included two national championships, seven consecutive Pac-10 titles, and three Heisman trophy winners, the man had nothing else left to prove.

Carroll is eager to prove he is a better NFL coach than his 33-31 career record indicates.  Only the passing of time will tell us if he will be successful.  But I will say this, I doubted Carroll once before and he took one of college football’s most historically proud phoenix’s and rose it from the ashes.

Mark McGwire finally admitted to the world he took steroids.  The headline should have read, “McGwire admits to the public what it has already known for at least 10 years”.  I’m glad McGwire finally got that off his chest and came clean.  It’s an obvious step in the right direction for him to try to rebuild his name and image to baseball and its fans.  I grew up a big fan of McGwire since we are both from Claremont, Calif. and attended the same elementary school.

At the end of the day, I feel McGwire is a good person with a great heart.  I believe him when he says that he wanted to come clean five years ago but was not granted immunity before testifying in front of congress back in 2005.  The big problem I have with his apology and his statements in recent interviews with Bob Costas of MLB Network and Bob Ley of ESPN is when he says steroids didn’t help him hit home runs and the only reason he used them was to recover from injury sooner and keep himself on the playing field.  If that’s the case, why did he apologize to the Maris family?  I think those statements are the equivalent of taking intelligence and kicking it square in the groin.

Although the incident took place in December, the fallout from the Gilbert Arenas gun incident in our nation’s capital continues to take place.  It’s still quite early but Arenas is undoubtedly the leader in the clubhouse for the NBA’s Idiot Of The Year Award for his ill-timed humor in a pre-game display at Philadelphia.  The man was the center of a big time investigation by law authorities for bringing a gun to an NBA arena.  The commissioner was debating on whether or not to suspend Arenas and he reacts to the adversity surrounding him by brandishing his hands like two guns during a pre-game huddle.  Not only did Arenas take a stupid pill before that night’s game but he showed he obviously overdosed on said stupid pill.  To the surprise of no one, Arenas was suspended the next day.

In the NFL, wild card weekend was capped off by the most exciting game we have seen in years as the Arizona Cardinals emerged victorious in an overtime thriller over the Green Bay Packers.  My heart feels for the  Packer fans to lose the game they way they did but I feel nothing but happiness for Kurt Warner and the Cardinals.  Warner was simply on fire that game throwing more TD passes (5) than incomplete passes (4).  Considering the odds that he overcame to make it to the NFL, win two MVP’s,  win a Super Bowl and have a rebirth of success at the twilight of his career in Arizona which had been the door mat of NFL franchises for decades, how can you not root for the guy?

On the flip side of that game, I was happy to see Green Bay finish the regular season strong and for Aaron Rodgers to prove to everyone that he has what it takes to lead one of the NFL’s most historically proud franchises for years to come.  Green Bay should be a contender for the next several years and I truly believe that Rodgers will have an MVP season on his resumé before his career is said and done.

If the remaining 50 weeks of 2010 are anything like the first two in the world of sports then I will have plenty to write about.  I want to wish everyone a healthy, happy and prosperous new year.  Thanks for hanging out in the clubhouse.

The Hot Stove Is On Fire

For baseball fans the days between the end of the World Series and the beginning of spring training are highlighted by one rumor after another of a potential trade or a possible free agent signing.  After a certain point you get desensitized to the daily reports of possible destinations for players to stay at or move to.  However when a big domino does fall it still sends a certain shockwave through a fans system.

Today, two of the biggest dominoes fell.  Since last July there have been dozens of reports on potential trade destinations for former AL Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay spanning from the Bronx to southern California and all points in between.  Former Blue Jay General Manager J.P. Ricciardi failed to move Halladay at last years trade deadline because in his eyes potential teams did not “blow him away” with an offer. 

Apparently current Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos has been “blown away” by an offer and according to numerous media outlets has tentatively agreed to move Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies as part of a three team blockbuster trade that involves 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee winding up as a Seattle Mariner.  Toronto would receive top-level prospects from both Seattle and Philadelphia.  In addition to Halladay, the Phillies would end up with a couple of prospects from Seattle for Lee. 

Obviously the trade is a great one for Philadelphia as they’re getting one of the games elite pitchers in Halladay and have reportedly inked him to a three-year extension that will pay him $60 million between 2011-2013.  They did not have the same guarantee Lee would be on their roster past this upcoming season as he is set to become a free agent following 2010. 

Halladay should become even more dominant than he already was in the AL East where he was 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA, 208 strikeouts and nine complete games.  If past trends are any indication of future results (see C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee in 2008 and Lee to Philadelphia in 2009), Halladay should win 20 or more games and the NL Cy Young award next year. 

For Seattle, they get another ace to go along with Felix Hernandez.  That 1-2 punch will obviously make them a force to be reckoned with in the AL West.  Having already signed Chone Figgins away from the division rival Angels, Seattle is letting it known they plan to be a contender next year.   

As for Toronto, congratulations, your team is officially in the toilet.  I say those words based on my personal belief that teams who are contenders get major leaguers in trades while teams in the toilet get prospects.  Even if they are highly touted prospects, they have not proven themselves on the major league level.  Only with the passage of time can we say if this is a good deal for the Blue Jays.  That being said, I will give them credit for getting something for Halladay instead of the nothing they would have gotten when he walked away as a free agent after 2010. 

The other big shoe to drop today was Boston’s signing of free agent pitcher John Lackey to a five-year deal worth between $80-$85 million.  This gives the Red Sox that all important third arm who they feel can match up with the Yankees big three of Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte.  Personally, I have mixed feelings on this signing.  As someone who roots for anyone to take down the Yankees I am happy to see a top talent stay out of their grasp but as someone who roots for the Angels, I am extremely disappointed at the fact they’ve failed to re-sign both of their top free agents of this offseason. 

I can honestly say this is something I would not have predicted for the reigning AL West champions.  Although the signing of designated hitter Hideki Matsui away from the Yankees is a nice one, it doesn’t even began to cushion the blow of losing not one but two important pieces to their team not to mention the writing is on the wall that fan favorite Vladimir Guerrero will not be back. 

If recent history has shown us anything it’s that Angels owner Arte Moreno will do whatever it takes to put a contender on the field.  I have no doubt he and GM Tony Reagins have a plan in place but until it comes to fruition, today is undoubtedly a day of disappointment for halo fans.

A Mixed Bag From The Clubhouse

After a month in writing exile I decided that it was time to jump back into the clubhouse.  Lots of things have happened since I last posted so I’ll be touching on a few things.

Lots has happened in the world of mixed martial arts.  November has been the busiest month that I can remember.  Strikeforce & M-1 Global got things  kicked off with Fedor Emelianenko making his network TV debut against Brett Rogers and in my opinion the fight lived up to the hype. 

I thought all parties got the best of both worlds in the sense that Fedor’s legend continued to grow with his impressive second round knockout of Rogers.  As for Rogers, I thought he looked as good in defeat as anyone can.  The fight was only a few seconds old before Rogers was able to break Fedor’s nose, he was also able to display some skill on the ground and keep from getting submitted.  Rogers proved that he is a legitimate fighter that will only continue to get better from here on out.

The night was a win all around for Strikeforce and M-1 Global who are continuing to grow their respective brands and try and get a little slice of the pie from the Ultimate Fighting Championship who is far and away still the top dog in the industry.  I’m not saying that every fight was one for the ages but fans were exposed to some very good talent in Gegard Mousasi, Jake Shields, Jason Miller, Fabricio Verdum and Antonio Silva.

At UFC 105 Randy Couture proved that he still has plenty left in the tank with his decision defeat over Brandon Vera.  For Couture, it was his first fight after moving back down to the light heavyweight division and I think the move will serve him well.  Couture was fighting on the lower end of the heavyweight scale and was having to fight at a weight disadvantage.

Dan Hardy looked impressive in his win over Mike Swick.  I thought he showed a great ability to strike and take Swick out of his game plan.  The next fight for Hardy is likely to be a title shot against Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre.   I thought that UFC’s color commentator Joe Rogan had the light of the night when he said, “I think it might be better to lose” when referring to his partner Mike Goldberg’s comment that the winner of the Hardy vs. Swick fight would likely get a shot at GSP.

I’m not the hugest Michael Bisping fan but I have to give the man his credit.  I thought he looked good in his defeat of Dennis Kang.  I had Kang winning the first round but Bisping was able to bounce back and get a TKO victory.

Sunday night’s decision for Patriots head coach Bill Belichek to go for it on fourth and two from his own 28 with 2:08 to go in the game and leading by six is proof that “geniuses” are capable of having moments of stupidity just like the rest of us regular football people. 

There is no shame in losing to a Peyton Manning led offense but if I’m on the head set I’m putting my faith in my punter who had a net average of over 44 yards per punt on the night and my defense.  If Manning and company is going to beat me, I am making them go as many yards as possible to do it.  If nothing else, Belichek gave us all a reminder that the ego of a person is the greatest enemy to their intelligence.

On the ice it’s nice for me to see the LA Kings off to such a good start after struggling for the majority of this decade.  The Ryan Smyth deal that sent Tom Pressing and Kyle Quincey to Colorado along with a draft pick has paid huge dividends.  Immediately you could see Smyth’s worth ethic rub off on the team as players were crashing the net and playing a much more physical brand of hockey.  Although I liked Quincey a lot and hated to see him go, this team would not be where they are without Smyth’s leadership. 

The Smyth effect has trickled down to the rest of the team and the biggest evidence of that is the play of Kopitar.  Don’t get me wrong, Kopitar has been nothing but good since being the Kings top pick in the 2005 draft.  Immediately we saw flashes of brilliance in his first years in the league and knew that he was going to reach an all-star level, but the reason that Kopitar is second in goals, fourth in assists and leading the league in points at age 22 is because Smyth is doing the dirty work in the corners and in front of the net to open up ice for him. 

I thought the biggest question mark coming in was goaltending and Quick has for the most part silenced the doubters.  I say most part, because he has been inconsistent at times.  Allowing three goals on 14 shots in just over 34 minutes in a 7-0 loss to Atlanta one night and then following up with a 2-1 shootout victory at Tampa Bay the next night is an example of that.  Once Quick shows consistency on a regular basis, then he will silence the doubters altogether.

That’s all for now from the clubhouse.  Thanks for stopping by and I promise it won’t be another month before I check in myself.

 

ALCS Preview

Tonight in the Bronx, the ALCS gets underway featuring the clear cut top two seeds in the American League, the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  Not that past performances are any clear indication of future results but these two teams have met twice before in the playoffs with the Angels emerging victorious both times in 2002 and 2005. 

The Yankees have ran through the American League this season like a hot knife through butter.  However since 2002 the Angels are the only team with a winning record against the Bronx Bombers.  This is clearly the best match up that the AL can offer so lets break down the important components.

Lets start with the offense.    The Yankees pack a huge punch to say the least with seven of their nine starting hitters topping the 20 home run mark.  Their first baseman and former Angel Mark Teixeira lead the way with 39 home runs and 122 RBI.  The always dangerous Alex Rodriguez hit 30 home runs and drove in 100 runs despite missing 38 games.  Rodriguez is heating up at the right time after hitting .455 with 2 HR and 6 RBI in the divisional series against Minnesota.  The Yankees are loaded with power featuring seven players that are slugging at .489 or higher.  The Yankees have no easy outs and are a routine nighmare for opposing pitchers.

While the Yankees rely on the long ball, the Angels play more of a national league style of baseball relying on speed and a station to station style of offense.  Their leadoff hitter Figgins stole 42 bases while number two hitter Bobby Abreu stole 30 bases.  Four more Angels players stole 10 or more bases this season.  The Angels mix in a nice balance of power and speed.  Kendry Morales who replace Teixeira at first base lead the Angels with 34 home runs.  Morales and Abreu each topped the 100 RBI mark while Hunter finished with 90 RBI despite playing in only 119 games this season.  Vladimir Guerrero proved in the ALDS that he is still a dangerous hitter while Juan Rivera is also a long ball threat.  Despite the fact that both teams feature dangerous line ups, I give the advantage to the Yankees based on their strength at the bottom of their line up.

As for the starting pitching the Yankees will go with a three man rotation that features 19 game winner CC Sabathia, the proven playoff veteran Andy Pettitte and the always dangerous AJ Burnett.  Sabathia and Burnett were big offseason free agent signings that have proven their worth under baseball’s biggest October stage thus far.  Sabathia would be starting on three days rest in game four and has shown signs of eventually breaking down just as he did with Milwaukee in last years postseason.

The Angels have a deeper starting staff with four pitchers who could possibly start in this series with Jon Lackey, Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders and Scott Kazmir who was acquired from Tampa Bay in August.  I think this factor will serve the Angels well and the depth will keep their starters fresh as the series goes on.  Because of that I give the starting pitching advantage to the Angels.

As for the bullpens, the Angels closer Brian Fuentes lead the major leagues with 48 saves.  Despite that stat, he has been far from consistent and has shown signs of wear and tear with his ERA a full run higher in the second half of the seaason.  Darren Oliver is a solid set up man who looked good in the ALDS. 

The Yankees feature the arguably the best closer in the game in Mariano Rivera who at the age of 39 finished with 44 saves and a 1.76 ERA.  The Yankees have plenty of capable of middle relievers who can get him the ball in the ninth inning led by youngsters Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain.   Because of Rivera and their depth I give the edge to the Yankees.

As for the benches the Angels have plenty of depth with utility infielder Maicer Izturis, back up catcher Mike Napoli and fourth outfielder Gary Matthews Jr.  Yankees back up catcher Jose Molina will catch AJ Burnett and Brett Gardner can provide plenty of speed in key situations.  I give the advantage to the Angels.

This is going to be a hard fought series and could be even better than the World Series.  The Angels will have to get production from their 7-9 hitters to be successful while the Yankees middle relief will face its biggest test to date.  If any team can beat the Yankees, its the Angels.  They are one of the few teams that have a confidence and swagger about them when facing the Yankees.  That being said, I just believe that the Yankees are rolling on all cylinders both offensively and defensively.  My gut tells me that this is their year to once again win it all.

My prediction is Yankees in seven.

NLCS Preview

Tonight in Chavez Ravine two familiar foes get ready to battle it out for the National League’s ultimate prize, a trip to the World Series.  Last year the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers  met in the National League Championship Series with the Phillies emerging victorious in five games.

In last years series Cole Hamels and the Phillies pitching staff shut down the Dodgers en route to eventually winning the World Series.  This year the Dodgers pitching staff will have to be up to the task in order to reverse the results.

This years Dodger lineup is very balanced with Matt Kemp, Manny Ramirez and Andre Ethier amongst the many who can beat you on any given night.  For the Dodgers to greatly increase their chances of victory, they’ll need lead off man Rafael Furcal to continue to get on base as well as RBI’s from the bat of first baseman James Loney.  Philadelphia has a very potent lineup of their own lead by slugger Ryan Howard who smacked 45 home runs and drove in 145 runs.  Providing a strong supporting cast for Howard are Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez who each topped the 30 home run mark.   The key for the Phillies offense will be the production of former NL MVP Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino.  Victorino was a big key to the Phillies success last year against the Dodgers. 

Los Angeles topped the NL in batting average with a .270 mark while Philadelphia finished .258 which was good enough for eighth in the league.  This tells me that Philadelphia is a very streaky team that could run into trouble at any given time.  Because of their balance one through nine I give the offensive advantage to the Dodgers. 

Pitching wise Philadelphia tends to have the better arms on paper led by former AL Cy Young award winner Cliff Lee.  Lee is 7-4 with a 3.38 ERA since coming over from Cleveland in July.  The key to the Philadelphia staff is Hamels who has been less than impressive all-year long.  If he can recapture any of the form that made him so effective in last years postseason, the Dodgers are in for a long series.  Joe Blanton had a good second half of the season while J.A. Happ has emerged from the shadows to finish his first full big league season with a 12-4 record to go along with a 2.93 ERA. 

The Dodgers pitching has been a question mark all season with Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw both performing below expectations at times during the season.  However Kershaw has heated up as of late.  His performance in Game two of the NLDS was a huge key to the Dodgers eliminating the Cardinals.  Randy Wolf emerged as the unexpected “ace” down the stretch providing a steady hand when the team has needed it most.  I look for him to do the same this series.  I give the slight pitching advantage to Philadelphia.

As for relief pitchers, the Dodgers acquisition of George Sherrill from Baltimore  at the trade deadline has provided their bullpen with great depth and gives them a great 1-2 punch in the eighth and ninth innings.  Ryan Madson has been solid for Philadelphia all season long with a 3.26 ERA while Brad Lidge has been shaky to say the least.  Because of the inconsistency of Lidge I will give the advantage to the Dodgers.

As for the benches, the Dodgers are loaded with guys like Juan Pierre, Orlando Hudson, Mark Loretta, Juan Castro.  All of these guys are capable of providing production in the late innings or starting games without the Dodgers skipping a beat.  Pierre was a huge reason for the Dodgers success while Ramirez was serving his 50 game suspension.  He completely changes the Dodgers dynamic by providing them with a second lead off man who can steal bases.  Loretta provided the game winning hit in game two of the NLDS.  Let us also not forget about Jim Thome who has 564 career home runs and is capable of breaking out of his pinch hitting slump at any moment.  The Phillies still have last years Dodger killer Matt Stairs as their primary pinch hitter who lead the majors this year with five pinch hit home runs.  Accompanying Stairs off the bench is fourth outfielder Ben Francisco who hit .278 after arriving in Philadelphia in the July Cliff Lee trade.  Due to sheer volume of solid bench guys, I give the advantage to the Dodgers.

My prediction:  Dodgers in six games

A Few Thoughts

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been in the clubhouse so I figured it was time to step back in.  With the MLB playoffs beginning Wednesday, the new NHL season upon us, the NFL season a month old and the NBA season just on the horizon there are many things to be excited about as a sports fan.  Typically I write on one subject but with so much going on I’m going to touch on a few things.  Lets get to it.

As I write this, I’m watching the AL Central Tiebreaker playoff game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins.  The Tigers come into this contest having choked away a seven game lead with 26 to play while the Twins have arrived to this point with all the momentum.  I would take the time to break this down and give you my “in depth” analysis that all of you have come to know and love but I’ll save you the trouble.  Regardless of who wins this game, the Yankess are going to promptly dispatch them right out of the playoffs with what is sure to be a downright thorough butt kicking. 

The American League’s other playoff matchup between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim should be a much more compelling way to spend your playoff viewing time.  It seems as though every year these two teams are battling it out in October.  Every year the result has always been the same with the Red Sox emerging victorious.  I know the recent play of both teams should point to a halo victory this year but an argument could have been made for that to happen last year or the year before that or the year before that, etc.  While I’m rooting for a different result I am having a hard time envisioning how that will happen and once again I see Boston advancing to LCS play.  I need to see something happen for me to believe it can happen again and until the Angels defeat the Red Sox in October I have no reason to pick them.  That being said, go Angels!  Please prove me wrong. 

As for the National League matchups, I am picking the Cardinals to defeat the Dodgers and the Phillies to get passed the Rockies.  St. Louis clearly has an advantage over the Dodgers in the pitching department with the two headed monster of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.  Combine that with the fact, St. Louis owns the Dodgers in recent years even when they don’t have two pitchers with at least 17 wins and its hard to envision the Dodgers getting past the first round.  Just like with the Angels, I am begging the Dodgers to prove me wrong.

As for the Rockies, I just don’t think they have enough to get by the defending champions.  The Phillies have the pitching and a line up that is as dangerous as any in the game.  As for the Rockies, they showed a lot of heart to get to this point.  They took the Dodgers down to the wire in the NL West race and had to stay sharp to hold off a surging Atlanta Braves team in the wild card race.  I think the Rockies are out of gas and simply don’t have enough to defeat the Phillies. 

As a Raiders fan, I have seen many ups and downs (mostly downs in the past 20 years) but this next sentence should sum up just how down things are for the silver and black.  Since going to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2002 season the Raiders are 25-75 in their last 100 regular season games.  That’s not a typo.  The Raiders have won only 25 percent of their games in recent years.  Not even the lousy Lions who were 0-16 last season can lay claim to that   How Raider fans can not be outraged by winning only 25 of their last 100 regular season games is beyond me.  I don’t want to get into it too much with my feelings about the Raiders.  Lets just say I’m very frustrated and near the end of my rope with this laughing stock of a franchise.  If you want to know more about my feeling’s click here.

The NHL season kicked off last Thursday night and I couldn’t be happier.  Growing up in southern California in the 80’s and 90’s I was able to see the greatest player of all-time on a regular basis in Wayne Gretzky.  My parents had season tickets and took us to many games.  Because of those wonderful experiences I became fan for life.  It’s been real tough to be a Kings fan over the past several years but I’m very optimistic about their plan of going young, developing talent and combining that talent with some key free agent veterans.  I like the veteran additions of Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi and I think this is the year the King’s return to the postseason.  If Los Angeles can get any kind of steady goaltending from Jon Quick or Erik Ersberg then they should be in good shape.  As always, the Kings will live and die with their goaltending.  I know Quick looked less than stellar on opening night allowing six goals on 30 shots to the lowly Phoenix Coyotes but I keep telling myself it’s just one game. 

Of all my teams I root for in each sport, my favorite, the Los Angeles Lakers begin defense of their title at the end of this month.  I am extremely anxious to see how Ron Artest will replace Trevor Ariza in the mix.  Regardless, I know it will be a fun year in the city of angels. 

Last nights football game between Minnesota and Green Bay lived up to the hype.  Favre without a doubt proved that he is still a very capable quarterback in the league.  Despite what some people are saying, I still believe Green Bay did the right thing by going with Aaron Rodgers.  Favre retired and they moved on.  Kudos to them for sticking with their decision.  Rodgers is only going to get better and will be one of the top quarterbacks in the game for several years after Favre eventually calls it quits for good.  Minnesota may be getting the best of things in the short term but I think the long term battle will be won by Green Bay. 

As for my personal affairs, the Jim and Joe MMA Show has been up and rolling for almost two months.  I have really enjoyed being part of the show and believe in it with all my conviction.  I have had more fun building this program over the past two months then I did working in radio full-time the past couple of years.  If you haven’t listened to it, please check it out by clicking on “Listen Now” at www.jjmmashow.com.  If you know someone who likes MMA please pass the word on to them.  Right now we’re just trying to get the word out and grow our audience.  If you have any feedback on the show please let me know. 

Take care everyone and thanks for stepping into the clubhouse with me.

UFC 103 Main Card Predictions

Tonight’s latest installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship will take place in Dallas, Texas.  Although recent past cards have featured bigger names, tonight’s event features a strong lineup that should feature some good fights.

195 pound catch weight contest – Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort

Rich Franklin has been trying to make the move from middleweight to light heavyweight but keeps having to take detours through the 195 pound highway.  His last fight was at this same catch weight when he defeated Wanterlei Silva by unanimous decision at UFC 99 back in June.  In that fight, Franklin showed a patient game plan and improved boxing skills to keep Silva off balance.  Although Silva was able to land a couple of solid shots, Franklin controlled the pace of that standup contest throughout.  Meanwhile, Belfort returns to the Octagon for the first time in over four years.  In his last fight against Matt Lindland back in January, in what turned out to be Affliction’s final event, Belfort scored one of the most devastating knockouts of his career.  No one has ever denied that Belfort is a solid striker but I see this eventually going to the ground where Franklin has the better skill set.  Belfort had trouble making weight initially for the fight and I feel that’s a factor that will eventually show itself in the second or third round.  My prediction is Franklin by split decision.

Heavyweight bout – Mirko Cro Cop vs. Junior Dos Santos

Back in his days of competing in the now defunct Pride Fighting Championships Cro Cop earned a reputation of being one of the most feared strikers in the sport.  After making the transition to the cage Cro Cop suffered a devastating KO loss at the hands of Gabriel Gonzaga.  That loss was followed by an uninspiring defeat at the hands of Cheick Kongo.  Even in his most recent fight, which was a win over Mustapha Al-Turk at UFC 99, Cro Cop did not look nearly like his old self and was aided by a controversial non call when he accidentally poked Al-Turk in the eye and the ref did not step in.  Dos Santos is 8-1 overall in his young career and 2-0 in the UFC with two wins coming by TKO.  That tells me that he is a very good striker who is aggressive and likes to finish opponents quickly.  Cro Cop no longer looks like the hungry fighter that he once was.  My prediction is Dos Santos by TKO in the second round

Welterweight bout – Martin Kampmann vs. Paul Daley

This matchup was originally supposed to feature Kampmann taking on Mike Swick but Swick had to withdraw after suffering a training camp injury.  Kampmann is coming off an impressive split decision victory over Carlos Condit.  In that fight Kampmann showed impressive overall skills.  Whether the fight was standing up or on the ground, Kampmann looked very comfortable in his surroundings.  I have not watched Daley fight but from what I’ve read he’s a solid striker.  I look for Kampmann to display his superior ground skills and take Daley out of his comfort zone.  My prediction is Kampmann by second round submission.

Welterweight bout – Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg

At one time Koscheck was considered one of the best young up anc coming fighters.  After going 3-3 in his last six fights including a devastating TKO loss in his most recent fight against Paul Thiago some of that luster has worn off.  Trigg returns to the octagon for the first time in four years.  When looking through his win-loss record I see a reoccurring theme in that Trigg has a tough time against fighters with strong ground skills.  Koscheck falls into that category and as long as he tries to exploit that strength he should be able to win.  If Trigg keeps the fight on its feet I think he stands a good chance of emerging victorious but I see Koscheck learning the lessons from his last fight against Thiago and taking things to the ground.  My prediction is Koscheck by second round submission. 

Lightweight bout – Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca

These two fighters are evenly matched with both of them possessing good striking skills.  Griffin is considered better at taking down his opponents.  Franca will have to display a better takedown defense in this contest to have a good chance.  I look for both guys to keep the fight standing up and trade punches which should make for a good fight.  My prediction is Griffin by split decision.

UFC Fight Night Predictions

For the first time since UFC 4, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the Sooner State for tonights UFC Fight Night.  Here are my predictions for the main card bouts:

Lightweight Bout – Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard

After beginning his UFC career on a five fight win streak,  Diaz enters this contest having lost his last two fights with defeats coming at the hands of Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson.  Meanwhile Guillard has won his last two fights, his last being a split decision win over Gleison Thibeau back in June.  Both fighters have a strong stand up game but the difference in this contest will be on the ground.  Diaz is very good at scoring takedowns as well as defending them.  I have a feeling this fight will start with both fighters looking to finish each other off by KO but when that doesn’t happen, Diaz will take things to the ground where he will be able to show off his superior skill set.  My prediction, Diaz by submission in the second round.

Lightweight Bout – Gray Maynard vs. Roger Huerta

Like the main event fight I see this contest playing out in similar fashion.  Both fighters have strong abilities to score points and defeat their opponents with their striking abilities.  But like in the main event, one of the fighters possesses a stronger ground game and that fighter is Maynard.  While Huerta is a very strong fighter which is evidenced by his 22-2 record, Maynard is 8-0 inside the octagon and is very skilled on the ground.  Huerta has shown that he can be taken down regularly in recent fights against Kenny Florian and Clay Guida.  When the fight is not won standing up, Maynard will go to plan b and take it to the mat where he will be able to out wrestle Huerta and score a victory.  My prediction is Maynard by third round submission. 

Welterweight bout – Carlos Condit vs. Jake Ellenberger

This fight was originally supposed to feature the former WEC Welterweight Champion in Condit taking on Chris Lytle but Lytle was forced to withdraw after suffering a serious knee injury back in August.  Stepping into replace Lytle is Ellenberger who will be making his UFC debut this evening.  Condit’s UFC debut was spoiled after losing by split decision to Martin Kampmann back in April.  I look for Condit to come into this fight very focused and with the mentality that his back’s against the wall and because of that I expect him to be at his most dangerous.   While I commend Ellenberger for taking the fight on late notice, the lack of preparation time will be a big obstacle to overcome against an extremely talented fighter like Condit.  My prediction is Condit by TKO in the first round.

Middleweight bout – Nate Quarry vs. Tim Credeur

Credeur comes into this bout with an unblemished 3-0 record inside the octagon but he will undoubtedly face his toughest opponent to date in Quarry.  Despite the three fight winning streak Credeur has shown that his striking skills are lacking.  If the fight goes to the ground I think it could be anyone’s game but I don’t see it getting that far.  With the advantage in striking I look for Quarry to try and put Credeur early.  My prediction is Quarry by first round KO.

The “Raider Way” Has Become Old And Tiresome

As a sports fan, we are taught that if you are a real fan of a team you stick with them through thick and thin.  I’ve had more than my fair share of good times rooting for the LA Lakers.  They’ve won nine of their 15 championships in my lifetime and have only missed the playoffs twice during that time. 

Although its been over 20 years since the Dodgers last tasted October glory, they have made several playoff appearances to at least wet the palette. 

This brings me to the other side of my sports fan spectrum.  When it comes to the ice, I am a life long LA Kings fan.  Outside of the Wayne Gretzky era from the late 80’s to the mid 90’s when they were in the playoffs every season including a run all the way to the finals in 1993, there have been a lot of lean years to suffer through. 

The Kings have not made the playoffs since 2002 and that’s saying something when over half the teams make the playoffs in the NHL.  What keeps me coming back to drink from the Kings trough in recent years is it seems they have a plan in place and are sticking to it and with young talent like Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty their future is definitely a bright one.

The second team in my life who rears their head on the “bad” side of my sports fan spectrum is the Oakland Raiders.  Anyone who’s familiar with the history of the league knows the Raiders were once a proud franchise.  From the beginning of the Super Bowl era to the end of the 80’s they had the best winning percentage in all of football, were the only team to make a Super Bowl appearance in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s winning three championships in that time and were a trend setter by hiring the first Hispanic head coach in Tom Flores and the first African-American head coach in Art Shell.

Growing up in southern California in the mid 80’s there were two teams playing in the LA/Orange County area and the Rams did nothing for me.  As a boy, I loved the silver & black, bad boy image the Raiders offered.  They most certainly had an outlaw feel to them and most importantly were winning games. 

Since 1990 when Bo Jackson played his last NFL game, the Raiders have only four double digit win seasons.  In the 1990’s they were at least competitive finishing with eight wins or more seven times.  Since their Super Bowl run to complete the 2002 season the Raiders have finished with double digit losses every year.  That’s six straight years with 10 or more losses, which unfortunately for fans of the silver and black, is a NFL record. 

Just when I think it can’t get any worse as a Raider fan, signings and trades that turn out to be abject failures rear their ugly head.  DeAngelo Hall and Randy Moss anyone?  Hall was a pro bowler with Atlanta.  Moss a perennial all-pro with both Minnesota and New England. 

The following draft picks in this decade have come nowhere close to fulfilling their potential:  Derrick Gibson, Phillip Buchanon (as a return man I will give him credit), Robert Gallery (yes he starts but is nowhere near the franchise type offensive lineman he was projected to be), Fabian Washington, Michael Huff.  These were all first round draft picks.  I just don’t understand how a team can miss the boat that many times.

As all of us know, everything with the Raiders points to one person, Al Davis.  Historically, he has been a maverick owner who has done a lot of good for the game and that’s proven by the fact he is in the hall of fame.  Three Super Bowls wins (albeit the last one came 25 years ago) is something that any owner would love to have on their resume. 

All that said, the game has passed him by.  Because he runs the Raiders like a dictator along with the fact he employs no one who is in charge of player personnel means that the end of gloomy days is not expected to come anytime soon.  I’m sorry fellow Raider fans but the “Raider way” has gotten old and tiresome.  The only time the Raiders enjoyed a nice string of success was during the four years Jon Gruden was the head coach.  Guess what?  He didn’t do things the Raider way.  Gruden’s tenure was the only time I can remember the Raiders not being amongst the league leaders in penalties.  Much like the first round draft picks of this decade, trading Gruden to Tampa Bay for draft picks was a mistake. 

The bottom line for me is that I’m ok with suffering through some lean years if I feel there’s some kind of plan in place.  If there was one, the Raiders wouldn’t be one of the jokes of the league for six years running.  The NFL is the ultimate parody league.  Every year it seems as though a team goes from missing the playoffs the previous year to playing in the postseason the next.  For a team to be this bad in today’s NFL is inexcusable. 

I’ve always contended that the most successful teams are where the owners get out-of-the-way and let the people they hired do their jobs.  Jerry Buss of the Lakers and Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots are two owners who are shining examples of this. 

In the end, I don’t see the Raiders having any type of success let alone being able to win a Super Bowl as long as Al Davis is running the team in a dictator like fashion.  Until he hands over the reigns the team will always be stuck in the past, failing to catch up to the present.  The only way I see that happening is when Davis’ time on earth here is done.  

Never in my life have I thought about jumping ship from a team I consider myself a fan of but with the Raiders I’m closer than I ever have been.  As fans of any team I think we need to ask ourselves how long  can we take an owner continuing to make one poor decision after another thus creating a losing product on the field year after year. 

All I ask for from my teams is to have some kind of a plan in place.  I understand sports is very cyclical and it’s unrealistic to expect my team to be on top every year but if there’s no clear vision on the future, a team will be on the bottom for a longer period of time than they should.  Even though we might be in the middle of a storm, I don’t think it’s too much to ask to see the sun off in the distance. 

The Raiders are operating with no plan and because of that I don’t know how much longer they’ll be in mine.