In ten hours from now, here in Arizona, we'll be ringing in the new year. I can hardly wait. Rarely has a year been so overwhelmingly brutal as this past year has been. I can think of one good thing that happened in the past year, and if you read my blog on a regular basis, you know I am referring to the election of Barack Obama. Everything else has sucked.
I turned 50 this year, a life event that should be joyous and rewarding. I should be basking in my career accomplishments, and saving for a greatly earned retirement. Instead, I am starting over, as financially strapped as I have ever been, a victim of my own arrogance, a putrid economy, and a despicable person who did much harm to me and my family.
Our nation is struggling through what can only be described as a depression, maybe not as enormous as the Great Depression of the '30's, but pretty devestating nevertheless. Thousands of people are losing their jobs every day, homes are being foreclosed at an alarming rate, businesses are failing, banks are closing. It's beyond frightening.
Then there's the ecological crisis our planet is experiencing, whether it's called global warming or not. The ice shelf is melting, the summers are hotter, the oceans are slowly evaporating, the storms/hurricanes/tornadoes/tsunamis are grandiose and murderous. Whether you believe Al Gore or not, it's hard to ignore the hard evidence.
I couldn't even get any enjoyment from sports this year, my favorite diversion. The Mets were in first place late in the season, yet collapsed for the second year in a row, and then watched in horror as the rival Phillies won the World Series. The Jets did a collapse even worse than the Mets, and I won't even waste any more words on that. The Arizona Wildcats basketball team was a soap opera, and the Diamondbacks were pathetic. No, sports provided no refuge from the misery.
There's just no getting around it, 2008 was a crappy year all around.
So here's to the New Year, 2009. May it bring joy and prosperity, may our new President begin the difficult climb out of the financial mess the out-going administration left him. May our economy begin to recover, and our nation get back on its feet. May Obama find a way to honorably bring our boys back home from Iraq, and may we, as a planet, find ways to halt the devestation we have wrought. And may my sports teams find a way to win, and not choke.
Happy New Year, everyone.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Just another collapse by a New York sports team
By now, I'm sure that all you sports fans out there know that the Jets blew their chance at a playoff spot. After 11 games, at 8-3 they had a two game lead in their division. But they went
1-4 down the stretch (and were extremely lucky to even win that one game!), Brett Favre turned into "Bad Brett", Eric Mangini forgot how to coach, the defense forgot how to stop anyone, and the Jets lost to bad teams like the 49'ers and the Seahawks. The front office brass quickly responded by firing Mangini yesterday. They still professed to support Favre as quarterback, but there is strong indication that Favre's shoulder is injured and he may be done for good. I can only hope so.
The foundation is there for a quality football team. And the team did go from four wins last year to nine this year. But nothing can excuse the pitiful and devestating collapse. Wait, didn't I write something to that effect a few months ago when it was the Mets turn to collapse? What is it with New York teams? Are the expectations too high? Is the media too tough? Or do these teams just suck, and if they were in Kansas City, no one would notice or care?
At least the Jets had plenty of company. The Tampa Bay Bucs owned a 9-3 record, and needed only to win one more game to secure their division. They lost their last four in a row. The Denver Broncos seemingly had their division sewn up (after they beat the Jets in the Meadowlands), but they lost their last three in a row and allowed the 8-8 Chargers, who won their last four in a row to go from 4-8 to 8-8, to win their division with a .500 record. And then there's America's Team, the Dallas Cowboys, who many pundits picked for the Super Bowl. They lost their last two games, getting blown out by the Eagles in the season finale, to finish out of the playoffs. And, oh yes, everybody's pick for the team of the decade, the Patriots, somehow managed to win 11 games and still not make the playoffs. Seems like chokers were all over the NFL this season.
But, for me, none stings more than the Jets. It's been 40 long years since Broadway Joe Namath launched himself into immortality and stirred the likes of fans like me. When will it ever end? And did we really have to see Chad Pennington win the division for Miami in the Jets' home stadium? When do pitchers and catchers report for spring training?
1-4 down the stretch (and were extremely lucky to even win that one game!), Brett Favre turned into "Bad Brett", Eric Mangini forgot how to coach, the defense forgot how to stop anyone, and the Jets lost to bad teams like the 49'ers and the Seahawks. The front office brass quickly responded by firing Mangini yesterday. They still professed to support Favre as quarterback, but there is strong indication that Favre's shoulder is injured and he may be done for good. I can only hope so.
The foundation is there for a quality football team. And the team did go from four wins last year to nine this year. But nothing can excuse the pitiful and devestating collapse. Wait, didn't I write something to that effect a few months ago when it was the Mets turn to collapse? What is it with New York teams? Are the expectations too high? Is the media too tough? Or do these teams just suck, and if they were in Kansas City, no one would notice or care?
At least the Jets had plenty of company. The Tampa Bay Bucs owned a 9-3 record, and needed only to win one more game to secure their division. They lost their last four in a row. The Denver Broncos seemingly had their division sewn up (after they beat the Jets in the Meadowlands), but they lost their last three in a row and allowed the 8-8 Chargers, who won their last four in a row to go from 4-8 to 8-8, to win their division with a .500 record. And then there's America's Team, the Dallas Cowboys, who many pundits picked for the Super Bowl. They lost their last two games, getting blown out by the Eagles in the season finale, to finish out of the playoffs. And, oh yes, everybody's pick for the team of the decade, the Patriots, somehow managed to win 11 games and still not make the playoffs. Seems like chokers were all over the NFL this season.
But, for me, none stings more than the Jets. It's been 40 long years since Broadway Joe Namath launched himself into immortality and stirred the likes of fans like me. When will it ever end? And did we really have to see Chad Pennington win the division for Miami in the Jets' home stadium? When do pitchers and catchers report for spring training?
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Why am I not surprised?
Disgusted? Absolutely. Pissed off? You betcha. But surprised? Not in the slightest. Of course, I'm talking about football, my two favorite teams in particular. The Jets and the Cardinals. My own personal house of horrors, my very own torture chamber.
Let's review. Only one month ago, the Jets, led by future Hall of Famer Brett Favre, had beaten the Patriots and then-unbeaten Tennessee in back-to-back games on the road. At 8-3, the Jets looked like the team to beat in the AFC and a possible Super Bowl contender. They led their division by a game over Miami and two games over New England.
The Cardinals stood at 7-4, needing one more win to clinch their hapless division. Kurt Warner was the "comeback kid" of the league, and the front-runner for the MVP. It was a time of giddiness and excitement.
The next weekend, the Jets lost a surprise game at home to Denver, a team that was struggling. No one took it to mean very much, even Favre was entitled to an off game. With Miami also losing, and New England winning, the Jets still owned an 8-4 record and a one game lead on both teams. The Cardinals played host to the Giants that weekend, and gave the best team in the league everything they had, and came oh so close to knocking them off. Instead, they lost, and clinching would have to wait another weekend.
The next weekend saw the Jets fly out to San Francisco to play the woeful 49'ers, one of the stinko teams in the Cards' division. If the Jets could win out, the division was theirs. Ah, but this is the Jets we're talking about, the team that has made its fans suffer for 40 years waiting for another Super Bowl. Sure enough, San Francisco inexplicably knocked them off, and the Jets found themselves now tied with both Miami and New England. Still, at 8-5, they owned the tie-breakers over both teams. All they had to do was win out over their last three games.
And the Cardinals? They played host to the pathetic St. Louis Rams, the team that quarterback Kurt Warner had taken to the Super Bowl, who had won only four games all season. The Cardinals continued to defend their home field, as they had done in every previous game, except the Giants' game. When the smoke cleared, they had beaten the Rams, and clinched their first division crown in decades. The city of Phoenix went nuts. Next up, the goal was strengthening their seed and gearing up for the playoffs.
Last Sunday was just plain ugly. The Jets hosted the Buffalo Bills, and did a great job of playing down to their opponent and making stupid mistakes and keeping the Bills in the game. Buffalo controlled the line of scrimmage, and spent the afternoon running the ball right through the Jets. With a little more than two minutes left, the Bills had the ball and the lead. All they had to do was keep pounding the run, gain a first down, and the Jets were toast. Inexplicably, Bills coach Dick Jauron called a pass play, the quarterback was sacked, fumbled the ball, and the Jets defender ran the fumble in for a game-winning touchdown. The fans went wild, and the Jets, now at 9-5, once more had their destiny in their own hands. Win the last two games, against pathetic Seattle, and then Miami, and the Jets win the AFC east.
The Cardinals played host to Minnesota, which was still fighting for a playoff spot. The game was in Phoenix, where the Cardinals were 5-1. A chance to improve their seed, and show the rest of the league that they were for real, and a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. So, what happened? Adrian Peterson of the Vikings ran at will against the beleaguered Cardinal defense, and the Vikings led 28-0 before halftime. The stunned fans, who had celebrated a division championship only the weekend before, booed the team off the field at the half. It was beyond ugly.
And then came today. The Cardinals started the day playing at New England. The Cardinals had gotten their butts kicked every time they had come east this season (against the Jets, Eagles, and Redskins) and the other time they played in the eastern time zone, they blew a big halftime lead at Carolina, and ended up losing to the Panthers. Now was the time for some redemption, and not only that, by beating New England, they could help out the Jets. Yeah, right. Just to make things more ridiculous for the Cardinals, it was snowing like hell for the entire first half of the game today. It was, without doubt, one of the most embarrassing performances I've ever seen by an NFL team. The Patriots moved the ball at will, while the Cards couldn't even make a first down. It was 31-0 at halftime. To quote Brando in "Apocalypse Now," the horror, the horror.
But if that was bad, what came next was even worse. With the Patriots winning easily over the playoff joke from Phoenix, and Miami pulling out a tough one against Kansas City, the Jets had to win to stay even with them in the AFC east. It was snowing heavily in Seattle, where the Jets were playing the pathetic Seahawks, almost as heavily as it was coming down in New England. Rest easy, the Jets are now led by the great Brett Favre, the legend of all those blizzard-condition games all those years in Green Bay. The Jets moved the ball down the field on their first possession. They were about 18 inches shy of a first down at the Seattle 2, and opted for a field goal. They took the three points, and never got anywhere near the goal line again. To put it bluntly, Favre sucked. He threw interceptions, uncatchable balls, and got sacked. The running game was stymied. And the defense allowed Seattle to run the ball, and put up thirteen points. Not a whole helluva lot, but on this day, it was more than enough. Pathetic Seattle knocked off the Jets 13-3, won for only the third time all season, made Brett Favre look bad in the process, and just about knocked the Jets out of the playoffs. Oh, there's still a mathematical chance for the Jets. If they beat Miami next weekend (fat freaking chance, I predict Chad Pennington will destroy his old team and lay to rest many personal ghosts) and New England loses to Buffalo (sure, like that's going to happen!), the Jets can still win the division. Right, and if you believe all that will occur, there's some beachfront property here in Arizona I'd like to sell you.
No, it looks like the Jets are done. Just another spectacular collapse/choke on their resume. Welcome to the New York Jets, Mr. Favre, looks like you fit in perfectly. The Cardinals? They still get to play a home playoff game. They might even win next weekend against the pathetic Seahawks, it's hard to imagine that Seattle would actually win two in a row. It will be nice to see the Cards charge into the playoffs with an intimidating 9-7 record (he says, sarcastically). Despite being at home in the first round of the playoffs, they will probably be one and done.
In reality, both teams came a long way from last year, especially the Jets. The Jets will win no less than 9 games this year, and maybe 10. They only won four all last year, so it's quite an improvement. But there was so much more that they could have accomplished and had right in their sights. The division was theirs for the taking, and they blew it big time. The improvement over last season will be forgotten, the collapse will not.
The playoffs are a whole new season, and the Cardinals will definitely be there. If they get their act together, and win a game or two, the late-season fade will be forgotten. Realistically, it's hard to imagine that happening. They haven't just lost the last two games, they have thoroughly gotten their asses kicked. They were down 28-0 in the second quarter of BOTH games!! They have looked absolutely hopeless and pathetic.
How many days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training?
Let's review. Only one month ago, the Jets, led by future Hall of Famer Brett Favre, had beaten the Patriots and then-unbeaten Tennessee in back-to-back games on the road. At 8-3, the Jets looked like the team to beat in the AFC and a possible Super Bowl contender. They led their division by a game over Miami and two games over New England.
The Cardinals stood at 7-4, needing one more win to clinch their hapless division. Kurt Warner was the "comeback kid" of the league, and the front-runner for the MVP. It was a time of giddiness and excitement.
The next weekend, the Jets lost a surprise game at home to Denver, a team that was struggling. No one took it to mean very much, even Favre was entitled to an off game. With Miami also losing, and New England winning, the Jets still owned an 8-4 record and a one game lead on both teams. The Cardinals played host to the Giants that weekend, and gave the best team in the league everything they had, and came oh so close to knocking them off. Instead, they lost, and clinching would have to wait another weekend.
The next weekend saw the Jets fly out to San Francisco to play the woeful 49'ers, one of the stinko teams in the Cards' division. If the Jets could win out, the division was theirs. Ah, but this is the Jets we're talking about, the team that has made its fans suffer for 40 years waiting for another Super Bowl. Sure enough, San Francisco inexplicably knocked them off, and the Jets found themselves now tied with both Miami and New England. Still, at 8-5, they owned the tie-breakers over both teams. All they had to do was win out over their last three games.
And the Cardinals? They played host to the pathetic St. Louis Rams, the team that quarterback Kurt Warner had taken to the Super Bowl, who had won only four games all season. The Cardinals continued to defend their home field, as they had done in every previous game, except the Giants' game. When the smoke cleared, they had beaten the Rams, and clinched their first division crown in decades. The city of Phoenix went nuts. Next up, the goal was strengthening their seed and gearing up for the playoffs.
Last Sunday was just plain ugly. The Jets hosted the Buffalo Bills, and did a great job of playing down to their opponent and making stupid mistakes and keeping the Bills in the game. Buffalo controlled the line of scrimmage, and spent the afternoon running the ball right through the Jets. With a little more than two minutes left, the Bills had the ball and the lead. All they had to do was keep pounding the run, gain a first down, and the Jets were toast. Inexplicably, Bills coach Dick Jauron called a pass play, the quarterback was sacked, fumbled the ball, and the Jets defender ran the fumble in for a game-winning touchdown. The fans went wild, and the Jets, now at 9-5, once more had their destiny in their own hands. Win the last two games, against pathetic Seattle, and then Miami, and the Jets win the AFC east.
The Cardinals played host to Minnesota, which was still fighting for a playoff spot. The game was in Phoenix, where the Cardinals were 5-1. A chance to improve their seed, and show the rest of the league that they were for real, and a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. So, what happened? Adrian Peterson of the Vikings ran at will against the beleaguered Cardinal defense, and the Vikings led 28-0 before halftime. The stunned fans, who had celebrated a division championship only the weekend before, booed the team off the field at the half. It was beyond ugly.
And then came today. The Cardinals started the day playing at New England. The Cardinals had gotten their butts kicked every time they had come east this season (against the Jets, Eagles, and Redskins) and the other time they played in the eastern time zone, they blew a big halftime lead at Carolina, and ended up losing to the Panthers. Now was the time for some redemption, and not only that, by beating New England, they could help out the Jets. Yeah, right. Just to make things more ridiculous for the Cardinals, it was snowing like hell for the entire first half of the game today. It was, without doubt, one of the most embarrassing performances I've ever seen by an NFL team. The Patriots moved the ball at will, while the Cards couldn't even make a first down. It was 31-0 at halftime. To quote Brando in "Apocalypse Now," the horror, the horror.
But if that was bad, what came next was even worse. With the Patriots winning easily over the playoff joke from Phoenix, and Miami pulling out a tough one against Kansas City, the Jets had to win to stay even with them in the AFC east. It was snowing heavily in Seattle, where the Jets were playing the pathetic Seahawks, almost as heavily as it was coming down in New England. Rest easy, the Jets are now led by the great Brett Favre, the legend of all those blizzard-condition games all those years in Green Bay. The Jets moved the ball down the field on their first possession. They were about 18 inches shy of a first down at the Seattle 2, and opted for a field goal. They took the three points, and never got anywhere near the goal line again. To put it bluntly, Favre sucked. He threw interceptions, uncatchable balls, and got sacked. The running game was stymied. And the defense allowed Seattle to run the ball, and put up thirteen points. Not a whole helluva lot, but on this day, it was more than enough. Pathetic Seattle knocked off the Jets 13-3, won for only the third time all season, made Brett Favre look bad in the process, and just about knocked the Jets out of the playoffs. Oh, there's still a mathematical chance for the Jets. If they beat Miami next weekend (fat freaking chance, I predict Chad Pennington will destroy his old team and lay to rest many personal ghosts) and New England loses to Buffalo (sure, like that's going to happen!), the Jets can still win the division. Right, and if you believe all that will occur, there's some beachfront property here in Arizona I'd like to sell you.
No, it looks like the Jets are done. Just another spectacular collapse/choke on their resume. Welcome to the New York Jets, Mr. Favre, looks like you fit in perfectly. The Cardinals? They still get to play a home playoff game. They might even win next weekend against the pathetic Seahawks, it's hard to imagine that Seattle would actually win two in a row. It will be nice to see the Cards charge into the playoffs with an intimidating 9-7 record (he says, sarcastically). Despite being at home in the first round of the playoffs, they will probably be one and done.
In reality, both teams came a long way from last year, especially the Jets. The Jets will win no less than 9 games this year, and maybe 10. They only won four all last year, so it's quite an improvement. But there was so much more that they could have accomplished and had right in their sights. The division was theirs for the taking, and they blew it big time. The improvement over last season will be forgotten, the collapse will not.
The playoffs are a whole new season, and the Cardinals will definitely be there. If they get their act together, and win a game or two, the late-season fade will be forgotten. Realistically, it's hard to imagine that happening. They haven't just lost the last two games, they have thoroughly gotten their asses kicked. They were down 28-0 in the second quarter of BOTH games!! They have looked absolutely hopeless and pathetic.
How many days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
It's a Wonderful Life
I don't remember the first time I watched "It's a Wonderful Life". I remember my long-ago bachelor days, watching the film on TV by myself in my apartment on Christmas Eve. Back then, the film was shown on different channels, maybe five or six times on Christmas Eve. You could watch it back-to-back. I remember being entranced by the story, and overwhelmed by James Stewart's superlative performance. I didn't really relate to the character of George Bailey at that time, I was too young, carefree, and lacking in responsibility. I just liked the movie, a lot.
Twenty-five years later, "It's a Wonderful Life" has become an undisputed holiday classic. The tradition began in our house about six years ago of watching it on Christmas Eve. The kids fell in love with the movie, and we now watch it every year. Think of that, a black and white movie, made in 1946 by Frank Capra, without any special effects, CGI, violence or sex, has become a tradition in our household and is beloved by a 17 year-old, a 16 year-old, and a 13 year-old. How in the world did that happen?
Not to mention that now, at the ripe old age of 50, I identify whole-heartedly with George Bailey. Like George, I had dreams of travel and success, of making tons of money, and not being tied down. Like George, I find myself in a dreary job doing something I don't particularly care for, responsible for supporting a wife and family. And like George, I sometimes question my worth and value to the world.
I think what truly entrances me about the film is the sequence where George is taken by Clarence back to his home town of Bedford Falls and shown what life would have been like if he had never existed. Until that point, the film is a charming, often amusing, somewhat poignant look at life in a small town and the sacrifices made by a good man. Once Clarence and George go back to the alternate version of Bedford Falls, however, the film turns frightening and almost nightmarish.
George gets to interact with his mother, wife, and numerous friends. None of them know who he is and are fearful of this stranger who insists that he knows them. He gets to see a cemetery on land that should be the housing development he helped create. He is shown the grave of his brother, who died as a child, instead of being saved by twelve year-old George, as shown in an early scene in the film. The town itself is a low-class, run-down place, dominated by sleazy bars and liquor stores, where no regular person can own a home, since there never was a George Bailey to help them out with his "nickel and dime Building and Loan." The Bailey Building and Loan went out of business years before and Uncle Billy went to prison, because there was no George to bail both of them out. George and Mary's home is nothing but an empty, abandoned shell, and Mary is the spinster librarian of the town, who doesn't recognize George and is fearful that he will attack her. By the end of the sequence, George can't help but realize that he really has had a "wonderful life" and has made a difference. By the way, if you really want to study great acting, just watch Jimmy Stewart in this sequence, as well as all the supporting actors playing polar opposites of the characters they have played throughout the rest of the film. In my opinion, it's one of the most superb ten minute sequences of any film, and it is what elevates the movie to its position of greatness.
And yes, I can't get away from this fact, it is the sequence that brings me to tears every time I watch it. I see a lot of myself in George Bailey and I have the same self-doubts and feelings of disappointment he displays in the film. And, like George, ultimately I would like to think that I've made a difference in the lives of some people, not just my family, but the clients I have served over the years, and the people I have helped. I would like to think that in my own way, I have made my little corner of the world a better place, and that I have mattered.
The last few years have been very tough for me. I have lost dear relatives and friends, I have been forced to re-locate and start over. My financial troubles have been devestating, and I have often thought of myself as a failure. In the back of my mind, however, is the nagging belief that despite all that, I have made a difference, I have mattered to a lot of people, and that I have had "a wonderful life." Maybe somewhere, there's an angel who has gotten their wings because of me. Maybe, just maybe, I really am like George Bailey.
Twenty-five years later, "It's a Wonderful Life" has become an undisputed holiday classic. The tradition began in our house about six years ago of watching it on Christmas Eve. The kids fell in love with the movie, and we now watch it every year. Think of that, a black and white movie, made in 1946 by Frank Capra, without any special effects, CGI, violence or sex, has become a tradition in our household and is beloved by a 17 year-old, a 16 year-old, and a 13 year-old. How in the world did that happen?
Not to mention that now, at the ripe old age of 50, I identify whole-heartedly with George Bailey. Like George, I had dreams of travel and success, of making tons of money, and not being tied down. Like George, I find myself in a dreary job doing something I don't particularly care for, responsible for supporting a wife and family. And like George, I sometimes question my worth and value to the world.
I think what truly entrances me about the film is the sequence where George is taken by Clarence back to his home town of Bedford Falls and shown what life would have been like if he had never existed. Until that point, the film is a charming, often amusing, somewhat poignant look at life in a small town and the sacrifices made by a good man. Once Clarence and George go back to the alternate version of Bedford Falls, however, the film turns frightening and almost nightmarish.
George gets to interact with his mother, wife, and numerous friends. None of them know who he is and are fearful of this stranger who insists that he knows them. He gets to see a cemetery on land that should be the housing development he helped create. He is shown the grave of his brother, who died as a child, instead of being saved by twelve year-old George, as shown in an early scene in the film. The town itself is a low-class, run-down place, dominated by sleazy bars and liquor stores, where no regular person can own a home, since there never was a George Bailey to help them out with his "nickel and dime Building and Loan." The Bailey Building and Loan went out of business years before and Uncle Billy went to prison, because there was no George to bail both of them out. George and Mary's home is nothing but an empty, abandoned shell, and Mary is the spinster librarian of the town, who doesn't recognize George and is fearful that he will attack her. By the end of the sequence, George can't help but realize that he really has had a "wonderful life" and has made a difference. By the way, if you really want to study great acting, just watch Jimmy Stewart in this sequence, as well as all the supporting actors playing polar opposites of the characters they have played throughout the rest of the film. In my opinion, it's one of the most superb ten minute sequences of any film, and it is what elevates the movie to its position of greatness.
And yes, I can't get away from this fact, it is the sequence that brings me to tears every time I watch it. I see a lot of myself in George Bailey and I have the same self-doubts and feelings of disappointment he displays in the film. And, like George, ultimately I would like to think that I've made a difference in the lives of some people, not just my family, but the clients I have served over the years, and the people I have helped. I would like to think that in my own way, I have made my little corner of the world a better place, and that I have mattered.
The last few years have been very tough for me. I have lost dear relatives and friends, I have been forced to re-locate and start over. My financial troubles have been devestating, and I have often thought of myself as a failure. In the back of my mind, however, is the nagging belief that despite all that, I have made a difference, I have mattered to a lot of people, and that I have had "a wonderful life." Maybe somewhere, there's an angel who has gotten their wings because of me. Maybe, just maybe, I really am like George Bailey.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Relief is on the Way
In what is undoubtedly the biggest news to come out of the major league baseball winter meetings so far, the New York Mets have signed free agent relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez to a three year contract. Rodriguez, or K-Rod, as he is known to the baseball world, set a new major league record for saves this past year, with 62 for the Angels.
While there are certainly other holes to fill on the Mets, Omar Minaya in one fell swoop has solved one of the biggest problems facing the Mets this past year. The team was humming along in first place, chugging their way to a division title, when closer Billy Wagner went down with a season-ending injury. The Mets were never the same again, and of course, collapsed down the stretch for the second year in a row. Who knows what would have happened if K-Rod had joined the Mets last August?
Nevertheless, he will be with the team in April when they christen their new stadium, Citi Field, and try one more time to win their division with their talented nucleus of David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, and Johann Santana. Adding K-Rod doesn't automatically make them better than their biggest division rivals, the World Champion Phillies, but it certainly gets them closer. And for every Met fan dreaming of another championship (and anxious to permanently erase the image of Carlos Beltran striking out looking without the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth of game seven of the '06 NLCS), that's a good thing.
While there are certainly other holes to fill on the Mets, Omar Minaya in one fell swoop has solved one of the biggest problems facing the Mets this past year. The team was humming along in first place, chugging their way to a division title, when closer Billy Wagner went down with a season-ending injury. The Mets were never the same again, and of course, collapsed down the stretch for the second year in a row. Who knows what would have happened if K-Rod had joined the Mets last August?
Nevertheless, he will be with the team in April when they christen their new stadium, Citi Field, and try one more time to win their division with their talented nucleus of David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, and Johann Santana. Adding K-Rod doesn't automatically make them better than their biggest division rivals, the World Champion Phillies, but it certainly gets them closer. And for every Met fan dreaming of another championship (and anxious to permanently erase the image of Carlos Beltran striking out looking without the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth of game seven of the '06 NLCS), that's a good thing.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Football, Football
It was quite the weekend for football, especially if you are a fan of my teams. First, I have to give props to the Arizona Cardinals for clinching their first division championship since 1975, when I was a freshman in college. It's the first division championship in their entire stay in Arizona, only the second time they've made the playoffs while calling Phoenix home, and the first time they will host a playoff game since 1947. That's no typo, 1947, sixty-one years ago. Unbelieveable. The defense looked awesome today against the Rams, the offense was good enough (except for one bone-headed Kurt Warner interception), and as a whole, the team looked like a legit playoff team. It's a big day for Phoenix sports fans.
Yesterday was a big day for Tucson sports fans. The University of Arizona football team had gone ten years without a winning season, ten years without a bowl game, and this year's senior class had never beaten arch-rival Arizona State. That all came to a screaching halt last night at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. Mike Stoops' team came into the game with a 6-5 record, already qualified to go to a bowl game. Dennis Erickson's ASU team had been ranked #15 in the nation pre-season, after last year's ten win team. After winning the first two games this season, the Sun Devils reeled off six losses in a row. They managed to beat the dregs of the Pac-10 conference (Washington, Washington State and UCLA) to come into last night's game with a 5-6 record, a win away from being bowl-eligible. At stake last night was the Las Vegas Bowl to the winner.
The U of A kept shooting itself in the foot in the first half last night. Penalties, dropped passes, missed opportunities, and then one of the biggest bonehead plays I've ever seen led to an ASU 10-7 halftime lead. The bonehead play? The U of A punter dropped down to one knee to catch a low snap from the center, obviously forgetting that by putting a knee on the turf, he was then automatically down, the play was over, and ASU got the ball right there on the UA 19 yard line. Talk about stupid, it looked like once again the U of A would under-achieve and lose to ASU.
The second half, however, was completely different. Arizona dominated the line of scrimmage and scored two touchdowns on long drives in the third quarter. ASU was stopped on a three-and-out on their next possession, punted to wide receiver/kick returner Mike Thomas, who proceeded to run the punt back 60 yards or so for the third Wildcat touchdown of the third quarter. Ballgame over, the first winning season in Mike Stoops' Arizona head coaching career, and a berth in the Las Vegas bowl on Dec. 20th. And, oh yeah, a losing season and no bowl game for the hated Sun Devils. All in all, a very sweet night for the UA football team and their long-suffering fans.
However, it's never totally good news for my football teams. Two weeks ago, the New York Jets had won their fifth in a row, and had beaten the Patriots and Titans in consecutive weekends on the road. For all intents and purposes, they looked like the team to beat in the AFC. Then, they got dominated last Sunday by the Broncos at home, and inexplicably lost to the 4-8 San Francisco 49'ers today. I don't know the details of that game (it was mercifully not broadcast here in Arizona), and I don't want to know, all I know is that the Jets are now tied with both the Patriots and Dolphins (although they do hold the tiebreaker against both teams) and have looked very bad in the last two games. The Jets better put it together real quick if they expect to be successful in the postseason. I want to cash in that bet I made in Vegas, and if that's going to happen, they will probably need to win at least two out of the next three games, and that won't be easy. Seems to me that the Jets have become a victim of their own success. After beating New England and Tennessee and hearing all about how they would meet up with the Giants in the Super Bowl, apparently the Jets felt that all they had to do was show up, and the other team would keel over in deference to their superiority. They obviously forgot all the hard work it took to beat those two elite teams on the road. They need to get back to the work ethic that got them to the top of the division if they still want to be there at the end of the season. If they win out, they win the division. Simple enough. But if they don't, either New England or Miami can take the division (wouldn't it be ironic if Miami, with Chad Pennington at quarterback, beat out the Jets for the division?). The way it looks now, there won't be a wild card from the East, so it's either win the division or stay home. Why do I smell a Jets collapse coming?
And, finally, a few words about the Giants. Before today, the reigning World Champs were the consensus pick as the best team in football, by far. So, what happens? They lose to the Eagles at home, and are thoroughly dominated. If not for a fluke blocked field goal, run back the other way for a touchdown, the Giants would have been shut out until the last minute of the game. Regardless, they looked decidedly mortal and beatable today, and you can't help but wonder if the off-field turmoil created by Plaxico Burress hadn't snakebit the team. The Giants will still win their division, and are still the favorites to reach the Super Bowl from the NFC, but for the first time in a long time, they look beatable. That has to be the biggest surprise of all the games today.
All in all, another fun week in football, both pro and college. I look forward to next Sunday.
Yesterday was a big day for Tucson sports fans. The University of Arizona football team had gone ten years without a winning season, ten years without a bowl game, and this year's senior class had never beaten arch-rival Arizona State. That all came to a screaching halt last night at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. Mike Stoops' team came into the game with a 6-5 record, already qualified to go to a bowl game. Dennis Erickson's ASU team had been ranked #15 in the nation pre-season, after last year's ten win team. After winning the first two games this season, the Sun Devils reeled off six losses in a row. They managed to beat the dregs of the Pac-10 conference (Washington, Washington State and UCLA) to come into last night's game with a 5-6 record, a win away from being bowl-eligible. At stake last night was the Las Vegas Bowl to the winner.
The U of A kept shooting itself in the foot in the first half last night. Penalties, dropped passes, missed opportunities, and then one of the biggest bonehead plays I've ever seen led to an ASU 10-7 halftime lead. The bonehead play? The U of A punter dropped down to one knee to catch a low snap from the center, obviously forgetting that by putting a knee on the turf, he was then automatically down, the play was over, and ASU got the ball right there on the UA 19 yard line. Talk about stupid, it looked like once again the U of A would under-achieve and lose to ASU.
The second half, however, was completely different. Arizona dominated the line of scrimmage and scored two touchdowns on long drives in the third quarter. ASU was stopped on a three-and-out on their next possession, punted to wide receiver/kick returner Mike Thomas, who proceeded to run the punt back 60 yards or so for the third Wildcat touchdown of the third quarter. Ballgame over, the first winning season in Mike Stoops' Arizona head coaching career, and a berth in the Las Vegas bowl on Dec. 20th. And, oh yeah, a losing season and no bowl game for the hated Sun Devils. All in all, a very sweet night for the UA football team and their long-suffering fans.
However, it's never totally good news for my football teams. Two weeks ago, the New York Jets had won their fifth in a row, and had beaten the Patriots and Titans in consecutive weekends on the road. For all intents and purposes, they looked like the team to beat in the AFC. Then, they got dominated last Sunday by the Broncos at home, and inexplicably lost to the 4-8 San Francisco 49'ers today. I don't know the details of that game (it was mercifully not broadcast here in Arizona), and I don't want to know, all I know is that the Jets are now tied with both the Patriots and Dolphins (although they do hold the tiebreaker against both teams) and have looked very bad in the last two games. The Jets better put it together real quick if they expect to be successful in the postseason. I want to cash in that bet I made in Vegas, and if that's going to happen, they will probably need to win at least two out of the next three games, and that won't be easy. Seems to me that the Jets have become a victim of their own success. After beating New England and Tennessee and hearing all about how they would meet up with the Giants in the Super Bowl, apparently the Jets felt that all they had to do was show up, and the other team would keel over in deference to their superiority. They obviously forgot all the hard work it took to beat those two elite teams on the road. They need to get back to the work ethic that got them to the top of the division if they still want to be there at the end of the season. If they win out, they win the division. Simple enough. But if they don't, either New England or Miami can take the division (wouldn't it be ironic if Miami, with Chad Pennington at quarterback, beat out the Jets for the division?). The way it looks now, there won't be a wild card from the East, so it's either win the division or stay home. Why do I smell a Jets collapse coming?
And, finally, a few words about the Giants. Before today, the reigning World Champs were the consensus pick as the best team in football, by far. So, what happens? They lose to the Eagles at home, and are thoroughly dominated. If not for a fluke blocked field goal, run back the other way for a touchdown, the Giants would have been shut out until the last minute of the game. Regardless, they looked decidedly mortal and beatable today, and you can't help but wonder if the off-field turmoil created by Plaxico Burress hadn't snakebit the team. The Giants will still win their division, and are still the favorites to reach the Super Bowl from the NFC, but for the first time in a long time, they look beatable. That has to be the biggest surprise of all the games today.
All in all, another fun week in football, both pro and college. I look forward to next Sunday.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
The Cabinet Ladies
Much has been written lately about President-elect Obama's choices for his Cabinet. I'll leave it to the pundits to talk about the Cabinet in general, but I do have some thoughts about the ladies he has chosen.
I am extremely torn about his choice of Janet Napolitano for Director of Homeland Security. While I have no doubt that she will do a fine job in that position, her vacating the Governor's seat here in Arizona is a serious loss for us. Needless to say, Arizona is about as red as a state can be, and it was quite a coup for us to elect (and re-elect) a Democratic governor. She has been superb at dealing with the legislature, which is solidly Republican, and the electorate. While we are experiencing budget problems (who isn't?) and racial strife, Napolitano has managed to steady what has often been a very rocky ship. She has advocated for children (one of her pet projects from her days as Attorney General) and our state is no longer last in education and children's programs. The State has undergone tremendous growth during her period as governor, and Phoenix has become the fifth-largest city in the nation. The infrastructure is improving, and the city has just finished the very first light rail transportation system in the state. Phoenix remains a destination center for conventions, sports events, and tourism. The economy had enjoyed unprecedented growth until just this last year, and Napolitano especially has made sure to make things palatable for corporate relocation to Arizona. Our state has thrived under this Democratic governor, and she has been the one successful beacon of power the Democratic party has had.
Napolitano will be succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Jan Brewer, a conservative Republican. Brewer does not have anywhere near the influence and popularity that Napolitano enjoys, and the Democrats fear that she will be overwhelmed by the Republican legislature and be merely a rubber stamp. Racial strife will likely increase as the War on Illegal Aliens will result in more abuses against Mexican-American citizens, as they get swept up by the likes of Joe Arpaio. Napolitano had been a voice of reason in this political minefield, while Brewer will certainly not be. And the Democratic Party in Arizona? It will probably be a long time before the party becomes anything more than an afterthought. There is no doubt that the country's gain will be Arizona's loss. I think Obama could have picked someone else for Homeland Security, someone equally competent as Napolitano. We need her here more than in Washington, and her loss will be devestating to our state.
I still haven't decided how I feel about Condoleeza Rice as United Nations Ambassador. While I applaud Obama for being inclusive, I have to wonder about Rice's loyalty to the President-elect. Abraham Lincoln tried to be inclusive with his cabinet choices, and he suffered for it with a cabinet he could not trust and which often vehemently undermined and opposed him. I like Rice and I always felt she was one of the jewels of the W presidency, but I just don't know about her as part of Obama's cabinet. Time will tell.
And that brings me to Hillary Clinton. I can't believe I just typed that name. I don't know, maybe I'm totally off-base here, but if I were Barack Obama, I would want to put as much distance between myself and the Clintons as possible. Whatever political gain is made by putting Hillary in the cabinet is more than off-set by the baggage that Hillary brings with her, the biggest baggage being, of course, Bubba. Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State; is that really reflective of the Obama vision that so captivated this nation? I think Obama blew it big time with that choice.
Oh, I'm not naive, I can understand why Obama would want Hillary right where he could keep an eye on her. And if she implodes, she will no longer pose a threat to an Obama re-election bid. I get all that. But really, doesn't the overwhelming potential for harm greatly outweigh any possible advantages? Does anyone really believe that Hillary can broker anything significant as Secretary of State? And what sort of horror will Bill bring forth, now that he will be (sort of) back in the spotlight? I just think this will be a choice that will backfire on Obama. We shall see.
NOTE TO BLOG: After posting this entry, my good friend, B After the Fact, has pointed out to me that President-elect Obama has nominated Susan Rice, not Condoleezza Rice, as Ambassador to the UN. I don't know if I made the mistake, or the news channel I was watching made the error, but I could have sworn I saw Condoleezza Rice's name listed with other Cabinet nominees. Anyway, sorry about that error. You can ignore everything I wrote in the fourth paragraph of this post. Hey, it could have been worse, I could have said Anne Rice, or Simeon Rice.
I am extremely torn about his choice of Janet Napolitano for Director of Homeland Security. While I have no doubt that she will do a fine job in that position, her vacating the Governor's seat here in Arizona is a serious loss for us. Needless to say, Arizona is about as red as a state can be, and it was quite a coup for us to elect (and re-elect) a Democratic governor. She has been superb at dealing with the legislature, which is solidly Republican, and the electorate. While we are experiencing budget problems (who isn't?) and racial strife, Napolitano has managed to steady what has often been a very rocky ship. She has advocated for children (one of her pet projects from her days as Attorney General) and our state is no longer last in education and children's programs. The State has undergone tremendous growth during her period as governor, and Phoenix has become the fifth-largest city in the nation. The infrastructure is improving, and the city has just finished the very first light rail transportation system in the state. Phoenix remains a destination center for conventions, sports events, and tourism. The economy had enjoyed unprecedented growth until just this last year, and Napolitano especially has made sure to make things palatable for corporate relocation to Arizona. Our state has thrived under this Democratic governor, and she has been the one successful beacon of power the Democratic party has had.
Napolitano will be succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Jan Brewer, a conservative Republican. Brewer does not have anywhere near the influence and popularity that Napolitano enjoys, and the Democrats fear that she will be overwhelmed by the Republican legislature and be merely a rubber stamp. Racial strife will likely increase as the War on Illegal Aliens will result in more abuses against Mexican-American citizens, as they get swept up by the likes of Joe Arpaio. Napolitano had been a voice of reason in this political minefield, while Brewer will certainly not be. And the Democratic Party in Arizona? It will probably be a long time before the party becomes anything more than an afterthought. There is no doubt that the country's gain will be Arizona's loss. I think Obama could have picked someone else for Homeland Security, someone equally competent as Napolitano. We need her here more than in Washington, and her loss will be devestating to our state.
I still haven't decided how I feel about Condoleeza Rice as United Nations Ambassador. While I applaud Obama for being inclusive, I have to wonder about Rice's loyalty to the President-elect. Abraham Lincoln tried to be inclusive with his cabinet choices, and he suffered for it with a cabinet he could not trust and which often vehemently undermined and opposed him. I like Rice and I always felt she was one of the jewels of the W presidency, but I just don't know about her as part of Obama's cabinet. Time will tell.
And that brings me to Hillary Clinton. I can't believe I just typed that name. I don't know, maybe I'm totally off-base here, but if I were Barack Obama, I would want to put as much distance between myself and the Clintons as possible. Whatever political gain is made by putting Hillary in the cabinet is more than off-set by the baggage that Hillary brings with her, the biggest baggage being, of course, Bubba. Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State; is that really reflective of the Obama vision that so captivated this nation? I think Obama blew it big time with that choice.
Oh, I'm not naive, I can understand why Obama would want Hillary right where he could keep an eye on her. And if she implodes, she will no longer pose a threat to an Obama re-election bid. I get all that. But really, doesn't the overwhelming potential for harm greatly outweigh any possible advantages? Does anyone really believe that Hillary can broker anything significant as Secretary of State? And what sort of horror will Bill bring forth, now that he will be (sort of) back in the spotlight? I just think this will be a choice that will backfire on Obama. We shall see.
NOTE TO BLOG: After posting this entry, my good friend, B After the Fact, has pointed out to me that President-elect Obama has nominated Susan Rice, not Condoleezza Rice, as Ambassador to the UN. I don't know if I made the mistake, or the news channel I was watching made the error, but I could have sworn I saw Condoleezza Rice's name listed with other Cabinet nominees. Anyway, sorry about that error. You can ignore everything I wrote in the fourth paragraph of this post. Hey, it could have been worse, I could have said Anne Rice, or Simeon Rice.
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