In-Game Tweeting on Their Twitters

With the recent comments by Ocho Cinco that he will be twittering in-game this season and a tennis player (whose name I didn't catch) apparently doing just that in a recent match (against Andy Roddick? Thought he was taking time off? This was on at about 7 a.m. on espn, forgive me for being confused)...it begs the question where do we draw the line? Shaq and Vill a no way va apparently tweeted in-game last season as well.

The thing is, to me, the only interesting potential of twitter is just this type of thing. I refuse to admit such a short attention span and look at anyone's, much less get my own twitter...but come on, tell me you really aren't interested in hearing what Ocho Cinco has to tweet in-game. Players obviously don't have the time to blog in-game, but a quick tweet would be possible and I'm sure of much interest to fans.

While I expect the NFL to configure some sort of rule that blocks a player from doing this, it might only be a matter of time before players are tweeting updates in-game. Mildly interesting development to follow I suppose.

Andruw Sighting...?

There was an Andruw Jones sighting last night in a Major League Baseball Game...

The 32 year has not been heard from in some time after eating himself out of the majors, and I suppose performance enhancing drugs could have some play in as well, but I refuse to admit that. Andruw Jones was a brilliant player when he came up during the Braves World Series appearance as a young prospect. He continued to rack up gold glove after gold glove and solidified the braves Center Field position for years. There was nothing better than watching Bravos games with the Jones boys batting back to back bruising the ball over the park. Jones fell, and fell hard and the Braves cut ties with him. He signed a monster 30+ Million dollar deal with the Dodgers and forgot how to play baseball and looked like Mo Vaughn at the plate with the weight he put on.

He is now playing ball for $500K (plus all the money the Dodgers owe him) for the Rangers. Last night the man went old school Andruw J and belted 3 HRs. Granted this could have just been a lucky game, or a fluke...but its promising to see him start to get back on track and get some more confidence at the plate..

Hopefully he can continue to pick it up and get some more starts for this Rangers squad...and return to a respective level. He is only 32 and deserves to resurface so we can all remember what an unreal talent and CF he once was and hopefully can be again.

The Bears are who we thought they were!!!

We are in Summer right now, but come the Fall is the best season of them all. The start of football will begin this Fall, and I am not talking about the NFL. Thats right, fall 2009 will be the inaugural season of the United Football League (UFL). If you are not pumped up for football on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Friday evenings...not to mention a competing league in the NFL that will struggle to stay alive with the UFLs destined greatness, then I don't know whats wrong.
The best part of the UFL? How about a championship game on Thanksgiving weekend. Finally some meaningful Thanksgiving football instead of watching a pathetic Lions organization getting drubbed at Ford Field by whoever they are slated to play.
Here is a quick run-down of the four team league:

UFL Las Vegas:
This Las Vegas squad will be coached by former Giants coach Jim Fassel. Apparently the UFL is where you go after being rejected by Al Davis and the Raiders, though some would say Fassel made out better going to the UFL as opposed to the Raiders' wasteland.
The big story line with this Vegas team is the report stemming from the Olean Times Herald that they have interest in former Bills QB J.P Losman. Other notable players on the Las Vegas team: Adam Archuleta, former first round draft pick Wendall Bryant, and linebacker Brandon Moore formerly of the 49ers. Star Studded team.

UFL New York:
This NY squad will be coached by former defensive coordinator for a numerous amount of teams (Bills, Jets, Chargers, Vikings) Ted Cottrell. They may play some of their home games at Citi Field, so good news there since the Mets are so terrible there actually might be a real professional team getting some action at the new venue. Notable players on the NY team: Ken Dorsey, Cecil Sapp, Lebrandon Toefield, Yuck.

UFL Orlando:
This Orlando squad will be coached by former Saints and Rams head Coach Jim Haslett. Haslett was also a former NFL player for the Buffalo Bills back in the day. Apparently you need to have a tie to Buffalo to have any consideration to coach/play in the UFL. Haslett shouldn't worry much about his future success in the UFL because when you have Brooks Bollinger at the helm, nothing can really go wrong. Other notable players on this Orlando team are RB Chris Perry, TE Jermaine Wiggins, Larry Tripplett, and SS Mike Doss. I believe it is this UFL Orlando Squad who is looking to potentially pick up Mike Vick which would bring some serious credential and hype to the league. UFL commish Michael Huyghue was quoted that Vick had a 98 percent chance to play in this league in 2009.

UFL SanFranciso:
The Orlando Squad is coached by Dennis "The Bears are who we thought they were" Green. Green may have the worst squad out of any of these disgusting teams as he will rely on QB Tim Rattay, RB Obafemi Ayanbedejo, WR B.J. Sams, and thats pretty much it.

Lets see if the UFL picks up any steam and can hang around and get a little attention. My guess is it going to need Mike Vick join the league to get any play on the airwaves, but god knows I will buy any package that shows games if it means I can watch JP Losman play. Favorite player of all time. UFL Vegas jersey is in the mail.

Here is the sad part, not that these guys are geniuses, or great head coaches, but they aren't shabby. Jim Fassel, Ted Cottrell, Jim Haslett, and Dennis Green actually are a pretty impressive staff of Head Coaches for this league in Year 1.

Air McNair

As details of what appears to be a murder-suicide regarding the death of Steve McNair shake out, lets re-evaluate McNair's on field performance. Granted he was a tough, gritty, competitor and a huge impact on Nashville sports which truly had no iconic sports figures since it is a fairly new city when it comes to professional football (and hockey).

Lets look at the superlatives to start. McNair took his teams to the playoffs five times throughout his career (Titans 4, Ravens 1). He played in one Superbowl, and would have been a SuperBowl winner if it weren't for a one yard stop by the Rams. He was a three time pro-bowler and an All-PRO and Co-MVP with Peyton Manning in 2003.

Forget his stats actually. The year McNair took the Titans to the Superbowl was the year of the Music City Miracle where the infamous no call was made on an illegal forward pass. The Bills would have been sure to go far that year in the playoffs had it not been for a ridiculous, cheating play in the closing seconds. The bills have not been to the playoffs since.

RIP #9

When Pewch Men Travel

Just got off the phone with the Millman, he wanted me to post about his incredibly ominous trip to Vegas. From what I recall of a laundry list of mishaps along the way:

He got to the D.C. airport around 6 p.m. last night for a direct flight to Vegas. They kept delaying the flight a half-hour until finally at 10 canceling it, but trying to find the would-be travelers an alternative flight plan. At 11, they told them to come back 7:30 a.m. the next morning they'd have a flight to Boston to Phoenix and then to Vegas, ETA 3 p.m.

Millman went home (after I believe spending a few hours at the airport bar), steps back in this morning (Thursday) and the flight to Boston is delayed, when they finally get there he missed his connection and they, for some reason, rush him onto a flight to Philly. When he gets there he hops on a flight to Phoenix, though he doesn't have a ticket from Phoenix to Vegas, he feels getting out west is the best play at this point...when he finally arrives in Phoenix he has to order a new ticket from Southwest to get from there to Vegas, 4:45 flight, which he then gets bumped from and is currently waiting to (hopefully) catch a later flight and get in Vegas before tomorrow comes.

Just a pewch man making a pewch trip to do pewch things (I'm sure).

Update** Millman's latest flight experiencing mechanical difficulties. Could God scream at you any louder to stay out of Vegas? Something tells me Millman is too pewchtermined to get to Vegas and fulfill his manipewch destiny of losing a fortune and completing the all-time most miserable Vegas experience by anyone who didn't return home married or dead.

Update Part II** Breaks don't work, flight canceled. I'm assured by him that this is all fact. By the way, it should be mentioned that we had talked about betting on the women's tennis this morning (he was going to lay down some action when he got in last night) and decided the Williams sisters were too strong, but that the bet was actually Venus/Safina under 21 total games. 6-1, 6-0. Would've nailed it.

Update Part III** Mullman has in fact touched down, limo in wait - and I feel I gave him some strong Wimbledon plays to consider at the sports book. Hopefully his luck has turned.

The Best Closer in Baseball?

After Mariano Rivera recently notched his 500th save and with the starting pitcher post, I started to think about who the best Closer in baseball is today. I think we can all agree all-time that Rivera is the best, with Trevor Hoffman ranking second. But let's look at what the best closers in the game have done so far this year:

Heath Bell and Brian Fuentes lead the MLB with 22 saves each. Joe Nathan, Fransisco Rodriguez and Brian Wilson are next with 21. Johnathan Papelbon and Mariano Rivera each have 20.

Heath Bell, Joe Nathan, K-Rod, Papelbon, Fransisco Cordero, Ryan Franklin, Revor Hoffman, David Aardsma all have over 15 saves with an ERA under 2.

Who is really having the best season though?
Enter Johnathan Broxton and his 2.15 ERA. 19/21 on save opportunities, he is 6-0 with an astounding 62 strikeouts in 37.2 IP. Allowing just 16 hits, he has walked 13 batters.
Those are some gaudy statistics, and yet Broxton doesn't seem to get as much publicity as some of the other closers. Perhaps that is because, like W/L record for starters, people still overrate save totals for closers. He can't give himself the opportunity to close out a game, he can only do so when he gets the chance.

Heath Bell has a 1.34 ERA, but with 20 hits, 14 BBs, 36 Ks in 33.2 IP, in no way has he been anything but more fortunate than Broxton (Petco Park anyone?)

Rivera, for all the talk of him not being what he once was, is actually turning in a fine season...despite a 2.76 ERA, he is 20/21 in save opportunities, allowing 28 hits in 32.2 IP, but putting up a ridiculous (even for him) 40/3 K/BB rate. His 5 home runs allowed, is likely a bit of a product of Yankee Stadium turning into Coors Field as well.

The other guy having a truly tremendous season is, of course, Joe Nathan. A 1.44 ERA, he has converted 21/23 save opps. In 31.1 IP, he has allowed 18 hits and just 6 walks to 39 Ks.


While we keep hearing about Heath Bell, Brian Fuentes, K-Rod and Papelbon, I dare say Rivera, Nathan and Broxton have been head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the closers in the Majors.

The Best Starting Pitcher in Baseball?

After last night pitching yet another gem, going 7 innings, allowing one run, striking out eight, walking just one, while going 2-2 with a double and a homer (.286 on the season), I got to wondering - is there a better starting pitcher than Dan Haren in baseball? And why do we never hear about him as much as the other big names? He has a .81 WHIP in 115 innings as a starter so far this year, that is absolutely insane.
Zack Greinke: 1.95 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, 6.3 K/BB
Dan Haren: 2.19 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, 7.5 K/BB
Tim Lincecum: 2.37 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 10.4 K/9, 4.7 K/BB
Felix Hernandez:2.54 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, 3.3 K/BB
Roy Halladay: 2.56 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 7.8 K/9, 6.8 K/BB
Matt Cain: 2.57 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 7.5 K/9, 2.1 K/BB
Jered Weaver: 2.65 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 7.3 K/9, 2.6 K/BB
Josh Johnson: 2.76 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 3.4 K/BB
Yovani Gallardo:2.86 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 9.4 K/9, 2.3 K/BB
Javier Vazquez: 3.04 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 10.6 K/9, 5.4 K/BB
Johan Santana: 3.34 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 9.2 K/9, 3.1 K/BB
Justin Verlander:3.4 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 10.8 K/9, 3.7 K/BB
Josh Beckett: 3.48 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, 2.9 K/BB
CC Sabathia: 3.55 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 6.44 K/9, 2.5 K/BB

That is a pretty good lineup of insanely good pitching performances so far this year. I even excluded a number of guys with sparkling ERAs since I am fully confident they are flukes - Edwin Jackson, Kevin Milwood, Jair Jurjjens, Johnny Cueto, Zack Duke, Doug Davis, Nick Blackburn, Joel Piniero to name a bunch. I prefer K/9 and K/BB to the traditional counting statistics because it shows how efficient pitchers are performing, while there is something to be said about eating up innings, for the most part these guys are doing a fairly similar job in IP per start.

Tim Lincecum holds the major league lead with 132 strikeouts, Javier Vazquez is next with 125 strikeouts, ahead of Justin Verlander with 124.

I believe Roy Halladay, 10-2, and Zaxk Greinke, 10-3, are the only pitchers with double-digit wins so far, Matt Cain, Chad Billingsley, Johan Santana and Josh Beckett each have 9.

Interestingly, while Haren has been the best pitcher so far, with a quality start in 15/16 starts, he is only 7-5... and that's after his win last night. A quality start is awarded when a pitcher goes at least 6 innings allowing 3 runs or fewer. Haren leads the majors in Quality Start percentage at 94%. Josh Johnson is next with an 88% (14 QS in 16 starts). Billingsley is 14/17, Lincecum and Greinke are each 13/16, Cliff Lee 13/17.

Alright, so there are a bunch of stats with Haren probably grading out the best, then Greinke, then Halladay, then Vazquez, then Lincecum, then Verlander. But who would you take if you had to win just one game? Would it be Haren? I dare say based on this season's performance (not to mention pitching in a hitter's park), I would take Haren. Roy Halladay, however, has done it for so long now, that I would probably take him, gun to the head. My third choice would probably be Lincecum...and I probably wouldn't take Greinke, Vazquez or Verlander before Johan or CC.