Monday, March 22, 2010
Terrible GMs Not the Only Ones to Blame
Dayton Moore, Omar Minaya, and Ed Wade are generally believed to be the game's worst General Managers. However, they have something else in common: the owners of their respective teams extended each one of their contracts at least eight months before it was set to expire.
Were these three really a threat to leave and go elsewhere?
Dayton Moore - signed four-year extension with 13 months still remaining on original deal
Hits- Signed Greinke to a four-year extension; fleeced Omar Minaya by trading Ambiorix Burgos for Brian Bannister
Misses- Everything else.
Omar Minaya - signed three-year extension with 12 months still remaining on original deal
Hits- Johan Santana trade; signing David Wright and Jose Reyes to long-term deals
Misses with Mets- Got fleeced by Moore (see above); traded Heath Bell and Royce Ring for Jon Adkins and Ben Johnson; traded Jason Bay for Lou Collier; signed Luis Castillo to a 4-year, $25m deal; signed Oliver Perez to a 3-year, $36m deal
(Huge) Miss with Expos- In one of the three worst trades of all time, he dealt Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips for Bartolo Colon
Ed Wade - signed two-year extension with eight months still remaining on original deal
Hits with Astros- Selected Jason Castro and Jordan Lyles in the Rule 4 Draft
Hits with Phillies- Picked up Shane Victorino in the Rule 5 Draft; responsible for selecting Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Gavin Floyd, Brett Myers, Marlon Byrd, and Ryan Madson
Misses with Phillies- Traded Scott Rolen for Placido Polanco, Bud Smith, and Mike Timlin; traded Curt Schilling for Travis Lee, Vicente Padilla, Nelson Figueroa, and Omar Daal
Misses with Astros- Every free agent signing he has made
Fun Ed Wade Fact: In his 10 years as a GM (Philadelphia 1998-2005, Houston 2008-9) none of Wade's teams has EVER made the playoffs. This guy should be a scouting director, not a GM.
This should be a lesson to owners: let your GM's contracts play out unless the results have been spectacular.
Were these three really a threat to leave and go elsewhere?
Dayton Moore - signed four-year extension with 13 months still remaining on original deal
Hits- Signed Greinke to a four-year extension; fleeced Omar Minaya by trading Ambiorix Burgos for Brian Bannister
Misses- Everything else.
Omar Minaya - signed three-year extension with 12 months still remaining on original deal
Hits- Johan Santana trade; signing David Wright and Jose Reyes to long-term deals
Misses with Mets- Got fleeced by Moore (see above); traded Heath Bell and Royce Ring for Jon Adkins and Ben Johnson; traded Jason Bay for Lou Collier; signed Luis Castillo to a 4-year, $25m deal; signed Oliver Perez to a 3-year, $36m deal
(Huge) Miss with Expos- In one of the three worst trades of all time, he dealt Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips for Bartolo Colon
Ed Wade - signed two-year extension with eight months still remaining on original deal
Hits with Astros- Selected Jason Castro and Jordan Lyles in the Rule 4 Draft
Hits with Phillies- Picked up Shane Victorino in the Rule 5 Draft; responsible for selecting Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Gavin Floyd, Brett Myers, Marlon Byrd, and Ryan Madson
Misses with Phillies- Traded Scott Rolen for Placido Polanco, Bud Smith, and Mike Timlin; traded Curt Schilling for Travis Lee, Vicente Padilla, Nelson Figueroa, and Omar Daal
Misses with Astros- Every free agent signing he has made
Fun Ed Wade Fact: In his 10 years as a GM (Philadelphia 1998-2005, Houston 2008-9) none of Wade's teams has EVER made the playoffs. This guy should be a scouting director, not a GM.
This should be a lesson to owners: let your GM's contracts play out unless the results have been spectacular.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Interesting Stat
ESPN's Stats and Info Department tells us that only two active players have won both an NBA and an NCAA title: Rip Hamilton and Nazr Mohammed.
Will Melo be added to that list shortly?
Will Melo be added to that list shortly?
Friday, March 12, 2010
College Dunk of the Year
Yesterday it was Chauncey Billups and JR Smith in the NBA; today, it's Gerard Anderson and Ray Miller in college. Enjoy.
No one told me Hugo Chavez played in the NBA...
This is better than any "Separated at Birth" I have ever posted.
Hugo Chavez's dead ringer: Mengke Bateer
Bateer [one letter off from Banter] has more NBA Titles (1) to his credit than Stockton and Malone combined (0).
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Dunk of the Year
If this happened in the dunk contest (especially after the one we just saw), no one would be complaining. To do it in a game, is unreal.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Post-Combine NFL Mock Draft - 1st Round
What do St. Louis and The Killers have in common?
1- Connotations of murder &
2- Sam's Town
There has been some change atop the mock draft as Sam Bradford overtakes Ndamukong Suh.
1. Rams: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
2. Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
3. Bucs: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
4. Redskins: Russell Okung, OL, Oklahoma State
5. Chiefs: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
6. Seahawks: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
7. Browns: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
8. Raiders: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
9. Bills: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
10. Jaguars: Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
11. Broncos#: The Amazon Freak, LB/DE, Texas
12. Dolphins: Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
13. 49ers: Joe Haden, CB, Florida
14. Seahawks^: CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson
15. Giants: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
16. Titans: Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
17. 49ers&: Brian Bulaga, OT, Iowa
18. Steelers: Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
19. Falcons: Earl Thomas, S, Texas
20. Texans: Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama
21. Bengals: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
22. Patriots: Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois
23. Packers: Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho
24. Eagles: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
25. Ravens: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
26. Cardinals: Jerry Hughes, DE/LB, TCU
27. Cowboys: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
28. Chargers: Jahvid Best, RB, Cal
29. Jets: Taylor Mays, S, USC
30. Vikings: Jimmy Claussen, QB, Notre Dame
31. Colts: Roger Saffold, OT, Indiana
32. Saints: Everson Griffin, DE, USC
# Acquired from Bears
^ Acquired from Broncos
& Acquired from Panthers
New to the Mock: Graham, Jackson, Iupati, Weatherspoon, Hughes, Best, Saffold
Out of the Mock: Navorro Bowman, Penn State; Jon Dwyer, Georgia Tech; Patrick Robinson, Florida State; Brian Price, UCLA; Tim Tebow, Florida; Terrence Cody, Alabama; Aaron Hernandez, Florida
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Hurt Locker
Three notes before we begin:
Note 1: If you reside in the state of Washington, do not read this post.
Note 2: I am in no way a morbid person. In fact, I think of myself as the complete opposite.
Note 3: I have never seen the movie "The Hurt Locker."
__________________________________________________
While watching the Oscars tonight, I was once again reminded of the terrible decision made by University of Washington QB Jake Locker to return to school for his senior season when a movie called "The Hurt Locker" swept the event.
Can Locker stay healthy behind an offensive line
that surrendered 28 sacks last year?
Why did Locker decide more school would be best for him?
The company line was something like "another year under head coach Steve Sarkisian will prepare Locker for the rigors of NFL life." This might be true, but Locker has put his future and a boatload of guaranteed cash at stake with the decision.
Using history as a guide, we come to the story of Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford.
Last year's consensus top prospect, Bradford found himself in the exact same predicament in which Locker currently sits. Had he declared for the draft, Bradford almost certainly would have been the #1 overall selection. However, Bradford returned to school, got injured in the first quarter of his team's first game against the Cougars of Brigham Young, and missed the rest of the season.
The injury, thankfully, did not ruin his long-term health, and Bradford will probably be chosen in the top 10 this April. All said, Bradford may have cost himself $10m or more in guaranteed money.
Matthew Stafford's contract - #1 overall pick in 2009, $41.7m guaranteed - against Mark Sanchez's contract - #5 overall in 2009, $28m guaranteed.
[Full disclosure: There exists a possibility that Bradford could be drafted #1 overall this year, but just go with me.]
Now, Locker, a sensational athlete (drafted twice in the MLB Rule 4 Draft) who possesses a rifle arm and runs like a "Tebow," takes that same risk.
The St. Louis Rams, a team in desperate need of a franchise signal caller and owners of the first pick in April's NFL Draft, could have certainly used someone with his skill set. He would have made the perfect #1 pick.
Now was the time for him to declare for the draft.
My sincere hope is that the next time we hear the term "The Hurt Locker," it won't be on the cover of the Seattle Times on September 5th, the day after UW's first game.
Oh and who does UW play in their season opener?
None other than BYU.
Please do not let this be an omen.
Follow me on Twitter: @mspici
Note 1: If you reside in the state of Washington, do not read this post.
Note 2: I am in no way a morbid person. In fact, I think of myself as the complete opposite.
Note 3: I have never seen the movie "The Hurt Locker."
__________________________________________________
While watching the Oscars tonight, I was once again reminded of the terrible decision made by University of Washington QB Jake Locker to return to school for his senior season when a movie called "The Hurt Locker" swept the event.
Can Locker stay healthy behind an offensive line
that surrendered 28 sacks last year?
Why did Locker decide more school would be best for him?
The company line was something like "another year under head coach Steve Sarkisian will prepare Locker for the rigors of NFL life." This might be true, but Locker has put his future and a boatload of guaranteed cash at stake with the decision.
Using history as a guide, we come to the story of Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford.
Last year's consensus top prospect, Bradford found himself in the exact same predicament in which Locker currently sits. Had he declared for the draft, Bradford almost certainly would have been the #1 overall selection. However, Bradford returned to school, got injured in the first quarter of his team's first game against the Cougars of Brigham Young, and missed the rest of the season.
The injury, thankfully, did not ruin his long-term health, and Bradford will probably be chosen in the top 10 this April. All said, Bradford may have cost himself $10m or more in guaranteed money.
Matthew Stafford's contract - #1 overall pick in 2009, $41.7m guaranteed - against Mark Sanchez's contract - #5 overall in 2009, $28m guaranteed.
[Full disclosure: There exists a possibility that Bradford could be drafted #1 overall this year, but just go with me.]
Now, Locker, a sensational athlete (drafted twice in the MLB Rule 4 Draft) who possesses a rifle arm and runs like a "Tebow," takes that same risk.
The St. Louis Rams, a team in desperate need of a franchise signal caller and owners of the first pick in April's NFL Draft, could have certainly used someone with his skill set. He would have made the perfect #1 pick.
Now was the time for him to declare for the draft.
My sincere hope is that the next time we hear the term "The Hurt Locker," it won't be on the cover of the Seattle Times on September 5th, the day after UW's first game.
Oh and who does UW play in their season opener?
None other than BYU.
Please do not let this be an omen.
Follow me on Twitter: @mspici
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Wonderlic Misunderstanding
I think Orlando Ledbetter and the three professors who performed the research missed the point in this article.
The end goal of the Wonderlic test is to alert teams of any cognitive red flags, not to find a correlation between high scores and great performance on the field.
Players that score above 15 are intelligent enough to play in the NFL. Guys who score less than that need to be tested further.
The end goal of the Wonderlic test is to alert teams of any cognitive red flags, not to find a correlation between high scores and great performance on the field.
Players that score above 15 are intelligent enough to play in the NFL. Guys who score less than that need to be tested further.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Linkage on a Slow Friday
*The winner of this trophy gets a few extra Bengals scouts at their Pro Day.
*I can't believe I missed this story seven years ago. Very sad story but the writing is impeccable.
*First, Miss Elizabeth. Now, the Big Boss Man. Say it ain't so.
*This one goes out to loyal reader RyMac. I like the coach's explanation for the name of the play best.
*PhotoShop is great.
*I'm waaaay late to the party on this one as well: Johan, impressive.
*Loyal reader georgekaplan sent this along.
*Has U2 figured out how to count to four in Spanish or are they still singing "uno, dos, tres, catorce?"
*Just a great pitcure all around assuming you aren't a Jets fan (D'oh). Is that a young Mike Holmgren in the background?
*This could be useful for anyone filling out a bracket this year...which I assume is everyone reading this post.
*Here's a saber-friendly approach to quantifying the abilities of NFL defenders. Pretty interesting stuff.
*I can't believe I missed this story seven years ago. Very sad story but the writing is impeccable.
*First, Miss Elizabeth. Now, the Big Boss Man. Say it ain't so.
*This one goes out to loyal reader RyMac. I like the coach's explanation for the name of the play best.
*PhotoShop is great.
*I'm waaaay late to the party on this one as well: Johan, impressive.
*Loyal reader georgekaplan sent this along.
*Has U2 figured out how to count to four in Spanish or are they still singing "uno, dos, tres, catorce?"
*Just a great pitcure all around assuming you aren't a Jets fan (D'oh). Is that a young Mike Holmgren in the background?
*This could be useful for anyone filling out a bracket this year...which I assume is everyone reading this post.
*Here's a saber-friendly approach to quantifying the abilities of NFL defenders. Pretty interesting stuff.
Don't Want to Jinx It, But...
...it looks like I got this one right as Antonio Cromartie appears headed for the Jets. I told you the deal made sense.
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