Replace the Replacements

I find this whole situation very conflicting. On the one had I have seen two straight weeks of some of the worst calls or no calls in my time watching the NFL. On the other hand I don't know if NFL referees really need to get paid much more than the $100,000+ they make a season, or a better pension plan. Being a 20 something college graduate making crappy money working two jobs, I can't say that I support the refs cries of being screwed. Yet the inability of these replacements to make calls is ruining the game. The Ravens/Eagles game was a collection of blunders. During a catch made by Hakeem Nicks of the Giants, the CB had his hand not only on his jersey but almost wrapped in it, no call was made....thankfully (I am a Giants fan) Nicks made the catch. So far the calls and no calls haven't changed the outcome of a game directly but you would have to believe that sooner or later it has to. Even professional refs make mistakes, its bound to happen, humans err its nature. Believe me when I tell you that I have yelled at the professional refs (actually my TV) as much as any other fan, but so far these replacement refs go to should us once again, you don't know what you have till its gone.

Who Should Get the Heave?

As much as I hate, and I stress HATE Bobby Valentine, I am sad to say that I don't feel like this debacle of season for the Red Sox is his fault. The seemingly we don't give a crap attitude didn't start under his watch, but is a continuation of the "Chicken and Beer" club that went on last season. So last year things get a little too wild, it was fine to be "idiots" when the team wins its first world championship in almost 90 years, but as the years between championships start to distance themselves again, it seems it must be time to tone down the stupidity. Managers can make a major difference in every game, but they cannot make the players make the plays. If Bobby Valentine or any manager make a bad pitching change or defensive alignment so be it. It might cost you a game or two a season. The players playing like hogs isn't the managers fault. Perhaps the team should man up instead of being like elementary school students crying to the principle because the teacher is mean. "He doesn't let us listen to our music loud, and said we can't have chicken", say the whining little kids. Bobby V has not brought the law and order feel that ownership seemed to have in mind, but when you turn over the asylum to the inmates one man isn't going to change things overnight. I would usually wish for him to be fired, but in this one situation I almost feel bad for him...almost. Sometimes people get what they deserve, all the attention he always tries to gain for himself, has come back on him full circle. But to blame him for this season is insane. Perhaps its time to drop some of the players, move on from the early 2000's and look towards a future, even one with Bobby V.

Melk or Juice?

Once again another major league baseball player has tested positive for steroids. This one a career .270's hitter hitting .346 and leading mlb in hits. I had been holding out hope that this was just a younger player finally getting into his "zone" or "prime", but instead was just smacked in the face again with steroids. Ever time I think there might actually be a good story in baseball, it ends up being a sham. Its a shame that no young player turning their career around will ever be looked at the same, but they are the ones that have made the fans doubt. I feel like we as a populous want to believe, but how many times can we be lied to before we just give up hope and turn bitter and jaded. Though steroid use seems to be down, they still have created two of the biggest issues over the last two seasons,the reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun and this years All-Star MVP both being caught with increased testosterone levels. It is a shame whenever something like this happens, but especially today as the news seemed to steal some of the thunder of Felix Hernandez's perfect game for Seattle. The pitchers are winning the battles this season, but steroids always win the headline war.

Shaq, Jr.?

After all the bitching and moaning by Dwight Howard about not wanting to follow in the footsteps Shaq, he seems to be doing just that. It is far from a done deal, but it would appear that there is a 4 team trade in the words that would result in the Magic center heading to the Lakers. Although any team in the NBA would be better with a ligit center, the Lakers would be losing Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in this deal. Both have shown talent, and Bynum is a young, athletic center. He clearly needs to mature before  being made a franchise player, but his talent will help make any team better. It is a big gamble for the Lakers, and I wonder if they have any word on if Howard would sign a new deal with them. I know the organization wants to slap together a championship caliber team for the next year or two before Kobe is just a shadow of his former self, but is trading away two starters for one could be malcontent a good idea? It might work out wonderfully, Howard might be excited and refueled playing with Kobe and Nash, or he could complain all year and end up being the 7 foot headache he has been for two years in Orlando. Hopefully this works out for all sides. The other two teams involved in the trade would be the Nuggets and 76ers.

I hope that if Howard goes to the Lakers he has a better relationship with Kobe than Shaq did, but that maybe he can become more entertaining and seem like he is having a good time like Shaq always did. Only time will tell if this deal even goes down...we shall see.

Deep in the Heart of Hamilton

It would seem that the major July slump of Josh Hamilton was not due to pressure to help the team, or the need to impress the league in order to obtain millions of dollars in a free agency bonanza, but might have to do with infidelity or another relapse. I'm sure we all had worries floating around in the back of our minds as to what might be the issue with Hamilton, and instead of leaving it there he made a very ominous statement to the press:
“When the time is right, I’ll be honest with you, you’ll be right in the loop. I’ve been shown a lot of things over the past week. There’s disobedience and there’s obedience to God. I’ve been being disobedient. It may be a small thing to you, but it’s a big thing to him. There’s consequences. It’s like a father and a kid. There are disciplines. You guys can chew on that and think about it.”- http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/01/theres-something-troubling-going-on-with-josh-hamilton/

With all the issues in his past, and with all the scrutiny into his every move you would think Hamilton would keep a comment like that to himself, yet he just casually makes such a statement. Ron Washington didn't help him by making a statement leaving the full explanation up to Hamilton. I don't understand why Hamilton, Washington, or the Ranger's organization would let something like this be said or commented on further. Nolan Ryan has to come down from his office and beat someone like he did Robin Ventura. Even with Hamilton's history of drug and alcohol abuse, I would still like to see him succeed, yet stating things like this make me wonder where his head is at, not only does this put him in an uncomfortable situation, but it also must but the Ranger's in one as well. I guess we will have to wait for Hamilton to release the reasons behind his slump or at least for another cryptic clue.

We say soccer, You say football

About a month has passed following the Euro 2012 tournament, soccer's second largest event, and as the club season begins to commence in Europe, some of biggest clubs in the world our playing pre-season matches here in the United States. For example, tonight ESPN2 is showing a double header beginning with Liverpool vs Roma playing at Fenway Park (Liverpool and the Red Sox share the same owner, John Henry), followed by the Chelsea playing the MLS All Stars outside Philadelphia. Yankee Stadium hosted a match last week featuring Chelsea and will host Real Madrid and A.C. Milan in early August, and I'm told attendance will be spectacular. The MLS has grown in recent years adding a bunch of teams and building stadiums specifically for their clubs.  Soccer has never been more popular in America than it is now.

Still, it lacks something behind the other major sports. Two year ago shortly after the World Cup ended in South Africa, I went to see USA vs Brazil at the Meadowlands. The stadium was almost sold out but to my dismay was filled with at least 75% yellow jersey of the Portugese speaking country. If soccer ever will hold the same place in the hearts of Americans as baseball, football, or yes, even our love-hate relationship with basketball, fans must become more involved in our own league. No one will deny that the Premier League in England or La Liga in Spain is light-years ahead in terms of talent of the MLS, but I've watched a few MLS games that are very entertaining. There is a lot of young homegrown talent, as well as some older European players who still have some left in the tank. I know Americans who will watch the shittiest European game but scoff at the very mention of the MLS. As is proven, the fans will turn out in droves when those clubs come to America, but take a chance at see whats brewing here in America as well. You might be surprised.

An Indictment

In corresponding moves, the Yankees placed Alex Rodriguez on the DL and recalled utility man Ramiro Pena. While I'm glad to see Pena return to the Yankees, this is a clear indictment of Eduardo Nunez. While his bat plays well in the bigs, Nunez just can't defend. His poor (horrific?) infield defense is no good on a team that has several ground ball pitchers, and the Yankees clearly feel more comfortable going with the sure glove and solid arm of Pena as a backup all over the infield and playing former all star and gold glove winner Eric Chavez at third with Rodriguez out. The lineup can handle that. The defense cannot handle Nunez.

Marlins Fish Fry

How does it feel to be Jose Reyes and the other new free agent acquisitions who just joined this terrible franchise? How does it feel to be the city of Miami, paying for a new stadium to watch a supposedly talented team now dumping players in a fire sale. At least the last two times the Marlins did this it followed World Series appearances. Besides the state of Florida being God's waiting room, the fact that the Marlins are an awful team caused their poor attendance. The team tried to buy its way into the hearts of the people and instead over extended themselves, and now will turn into the new version of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Until they bet the house again, and bust.

Pirates Plundering, Not Surrendering

It is good to see the Pirates twelve games over .500 and only two and a half games out of first place in the NL Central. It's even better to see them actually adding a player heading towards the trading deadline instead of dumping players. Although Wandy Rodriguez is not a dominate pitcher he is a veteran that has an ERA under 4.00 and can eat innings. Besides his abilities it seems as if the Astros will eat most of this contract. Its been twenty years since the Pirates have finished over .500 and it looks like history might not repeat itself this year. Good for Pittsburgh.

A Japanese player becomes a Yank

I haven't seen this much excitement about a Japanese player coming to the Yankees since the Rising Sun himself Kei Igawa...hopefully this move works out way better then that did. Even at the age of 38 and coming in with a way below par .261 average Ichiro will bring some speed and solid D to the Yankees. He still has enough range to play left or right field, I'd rather see a 38 year old Ichiro out there then a 40 year old Raul Ibanez any day. I also think that being in a winning atmosphere in a club house of veterans might help reignite a fire to be a better play. It could only be a rental and all the Yankees gave up were a middle reliever and a 25 year old minor league pitcher so its hard to lose here. Hopefully he plays out the rest of the year well and the Yankees seem like the winners of this trade, it might make up for the steal Seattle got in the Pineda deal.