Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Where was Verlander?

A few thoughts about last night's one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins...

- The Tigers Jim Leyland is one of the better managers in the game...but why did he send Fernando Rodney back on the mound in the 12th...Rodney is a closer and was already extended past his limits...even if Leyland believed that Rodney could still pitch, he should have had someone warming up in the bullpen...and that person should have been Justin Verlander...

Verlander just pitched on Sunday, but there is no doubt that he could have pitched an inning or two in this situation...there was no reason to "save" Verlander for the ALDS because there was no guarantee of making it that far...Leyland should have used his ace once the lead runner got on base...

- Mike Scioscia, Joe Torre, Terry Francona, Tony LaRussa, etc. are all very good managers...but the best manager in baseball is Minnesota's Ron Gardenhire...I have stated this before on this blog...imagine coming into September with a starting staff of a bunch of unknowns and losing your former MVP first baseman for the season...every year, Gardenhire manages to bring the best out of the Twins...

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Daddy pays Josh McDaniel a visit this week

- Who in Denver hates Josh McDaniel now?...the rookie head coach from Canton, Ohio is sitting at 4-0...

- Next Sunday though, daddy comes calling as Bill Belichick pays a visit to Denver...

- The biggest weapon for the New Orleans Saints is not any of their receivers, it's running back Pierre Thomas...this guy is the hammer that the team needs...

- Honestly, I hardly watched last night's Vikings-Packers Monday Night Football Game...I am so freakin sick of Brett Favre that I cannot take it anymore...I just want him to go away...

- Why did Buffalo even bother to sign T.O. if he is only going to catch 3 balls over two games combined?...

- Tennessee needs to consider going with Vince Young as the starting quarterback...Kerry Collins tank is on empty...

- This Sunday, Atlanta goes into San Francisco -- all I can say is strap on the chinstrap real right!!...

- 3-1 Bengals vs. 3-1 Ravens - for the AFC North lead...

Monday, October 05, 2009

The Chicago 2016 debacle

- Maybe the United States came with too much star power...it was nice to see that Oprah Winfrey cared enough about the Chicago bid to take the time to travel to Copenhagen...but I could see some IOC members being turned off by the glitz and glamour of the U.S. contingent...

- Not that it would have made a difference but I was very disappointed that Michael Jordan did not make the trip to Denmark...he played in Chicago and is the greatest basketball player ever...he also participated in two Olympics...Jordan should have been there to help represent Chicago...if Jordan made the trip and if Chicago would have won the bid, there was a very good chance that Jordan would have been seriously considered to have the honor of lighting the Olympic torch...but that is all a moot point now...

- Some people, mostly Republicans, were blasting Obama for making the trip to Denmark...I saw no problem with Obama trying to get the Olympics for the United States...it is an honor to host the Olympics...and if there is solid planning and budgeting, the host city can use it to its economic advantage...

- In the end, I think some IOC members are anti-American...I think they wanted to "stick it" to the U.S. and embarrass us and our president by not only losing the bid, but to get bounced in the first round...because the vote is private, we will never know who voted against the United States...this was a clear shot at the United States...

- The United States should try again for the 2020 games...Chicago would be the logical representative, but other U.S. cities who should consider a bid are New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles...