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Thursday, May 15, 2008
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Blogging with the stars One opened a recent blog entry by talking about his, uh, main private part, taking readers more inside a drug test than ever before. The other boasts of 50-point games, relives pranks and reveals news. Thanks to Gilbert Arenas and now Chris Cooley, Washington is home to two of the best sports bloggers. Arenas has written his blog since 2006 for NBA.com. Cooley started his own blog recently (chriscooley47.blogspot.com). As expected, it’s hilarious. And insightful. Here are two recent snippets: “How do I end up in a bathroom stall at the Borgata with my pants around my ankles while a man named Bill stares at my [private part]?” And this, from his pre-draft visit with Bill Parcells in Dallas: “... the first words out of his mouth were, ‘I’ll be honest, the reason you’re here is because we like you as a special teams player. I don’t think you’ll ever be a starter in the league. We’re thinking about taking you around the sixth round.’” On Wednesday, Cooley blogged about his recent poker party — which had more than 106,000 hits — saying, “There’s no way to get a good read on someone’s hand when the entire room is screaming the chorus of ‘Livin on a Prayer.’” The blogs make these athletes more real. Arenas spoke in awe of meeting Beyonce. He recalled an incident with rookies Nick Young and Dominic McGuire, “They were in the house looking for me and I was across the street flattening their tires so when they decided to leave they’d be on flats.” And, of course, there were Arenas’ predictions of 50-point games and what he would do to Duke — “probably score 84 or 85.” They’re amusing. They’re fun. Another resident superstar, the Caps’ Alex Ovechkin, also has a blog. When we learn Russian, we’ll let you know what it says. For now, we’ll stick to Cooley and Arenas. And enjoy ourselves. Upon further review: And the offseason winners are … The heavy offseason work is finished. Which leads to a question: what NFL teams have done the best this offseason? CLEVELAND » The Browns added receiver Donte Stallworth and defensive linemen Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers. “It wouldn’t surprise me if they win the division,” said Chris Landry, former scout, current consultant with several teams and co-host on two FOX Sports Radio shows. Not everyone is sold. “He’s a cancer,” one GM said of Rogers. “I’m not sure they’ve helped themselves.” MINNESOTA » The Vikings signed receiver Bernard Berrian and safety Madieu Williams and traded for defensive end Jared Allen. “The job they did defensively, they’re the team that matches up best with Green Bay,” Landry said. “They’re still battling a quarterback issue, but it seems like everyone in that division is.” JACKSONVILLE » The Jags landed defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, rookie ends Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves and veteran wideouts Troy Williamson and Jerry Porter. “Jacksonville is ready to chase Indianapolis,” Landry said. The GM sees their offseason as a risky one. “I like Harvey, but not the other kid,” he said. “They look at themselves as on the threshold, but when you do that it doesn’t always work.” Good idea, bad idea GOOD IDEA » Crossing your fingers if you’re USC. If the NCAA indeed looks into the football or basketball programs after the O.J. Mayo and Reggie Bush messes … hello sanctions? BAD IDEA » Trading for the Knicks’ Stephon Marbury. He’d bring cap relief in one year — at a cost. There’s a reason he’s only played in 18 playoff games in his 11-year career. GOOD IDEA » Trading for ex-Nats Brian Schneider (.321 BA) and Ryan Church (.324 BA, eight homers), as the Mets did. If only Schneider had hit even Felipe Lopez’s weight while he was here. BAD IDEA » Reporting that the Pats had a videotape of a St. Louis Rams walk-through before Super Bowl XXXVI when they didn’t. Ouch, Boston Herald. GOOD IDEA » To watch what you eat at Angel Stadium. According to Portfolio Magazine, they had 732 health code violations, including “major vermin violation” and “cockroach infestation.” Yummy! BAD IDEA » To drag Spygate out three more months only to find at the end … nothing new. Only Geraldo Rivera could build something up bigger and come up with less. GOOD IDEA » For Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher to shut his mouth. Did you not realize your nine-year contract would soon be outdated? Have you not paid attention? BAD IDEA » To think anyone in the American League will hit 50 homers this year. The current leader, Carlos Quentin, is on pace for 39, potentially the lowest total since 1989. Knucklehead of the week: James Hardy » Receiver, Buffalo If allegedly brandishing a weapon in front of his father is his idea of how to spend Mother’s Day, relatives of Buffalo Bills’ receiver James Hardy might want to avoid the next few holidays. Hardy, a 6-foot-6, 217-pounder drafted out of Indiana in the second round of last month’s NFL draft allegedly pulled a gun during an argument with his father this past Sunday, police in Fort Wayne, Ind., said. Hardy, regarded as one of the top players in the draft, no doubt fell from where many pundits had him slotted to be selected because of character issues. At Indiana, he not only was suspended for two games, but he also was arrested in 2006 for his involvement in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend; the charges were later dismissed. On the record “It’s just kind of the environment right now, though. They just say the craziest things. That’s what ESPN has become. ESPN, to me, is like MTV without the videos, ESPN is without the highlights.” — New England quarterback Tom Brady ripping ESPN’s handling of the Spygate affair. “I gave the sport all I could and took everything it could give me. I take this decision without the least bit of regrets. It is my life as a woman that starts now.” — The world’s No. 1 ranked tennis player, Justine Henin, after announcing her retirement, effective immediately. By the numbers 34 » Number of consecutive scoreless innings by Cleveland’s starting pitchers entering last night’s game vs. Oakland. $60K » Value of the Mercedes given to Birmingham City 17-year old “boot boy” James McPike by star midfielder Olivier Kapo. “Boot boys” or trainees, typically get shoes or a signed jersey as a gift at the end of the season. |
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Wednesday, May 14, 2008
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Different, but better? The Redskins have changed coaches, put in a new offense and switched coordinators on defense. They will be different. But are they better? Not really, say experts. The big disclaimer is obvious: it’s only May. And nobody knows what kind of coach Jim Zorn will become. But the Redskins have a couple problems: an aging and brittle defense and the rest of the NFC East. “They’re in major transition,” said Chris Landry, who served as a scout on three teams and remains a consultant to a handful of others. He’s also a co-host of two shows on FOX Sports Radio. “The coaching change put them in that spot. I can’t say they’re better personnel-wise or coaching-wise than at the end of last year. They’re not as good as this time last year. They would be fourth and they’ll have to have something unusual or bad happen to another team in the division to climb up. They’re capable of being .500.” One rival general manager — who liked the receivers they took in the draft — said he doesn’t like the Redskins’ defense. Too many older guys along the line and injury issues at linebacker and in the secondary. “They’re fourth in the division,” he said. “The [East] has two of the best coaching staffs in football [New York and Philadelphia]. The Eagles have two really special coaches on both sides of the ball. The Redskins had that, but now that’s gone. … And they have a lot of wear and tear on that defense.” Quarterback Jason Campbell, entering his fourth year in Washington and playing in his seventh offensive system in eight years, also remains a question mark. “He’s a very bright guy and works hard, but he has limitations as a passer,” Landry said. “He’s very streaky. He’ll have the bad throw that comes out of nowhere and hurts him. Jim is a really good [quarterbacks] coach, but going through the constant changes can only hurt him.” Acta: Ramirez is one of the league’s best young players While the rest of baseball slowly discovers Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez, Nationals manager Manny Acta knew about his talent long ago. And he’s not surprised at the direction of Ramirez’s career. Ramirez, 24, played for Acta in the Dominican Winter League in 2003-04 as well as 2004-05. “From that moment you could tell he was going to be special,” Acta said. “He was 19, 20 years old and playing winter ball in the Dominican with lots of confidence. He’s special. He’s going to be a superstar in this league for a lot of years. He’s one of the legit five-tool players in the game. There are not that many five-tool guys. This is one.” Ramirez is considered by some as the best young player in baseball. It’s why the notoriously frugal Marlins reportedly signed him to a six-year, $70-million contract. However, The Examiner’s Brian McNally said when Ramirez was asked about it at Nationals Park over the weekend, he laughed and kept yelling “No comment!” and waved off reporters. The Nats wish it was as easy to dismiss Ramirez, who after this past weekend, is now hitting .371 with three homers, eight RBI and 14 runs scored in eight games vs. Washington. For the season, Ramirez is batting .331 with nine homers and 22 RBI. D’Antoni: For love or money? Mark Jackson was headed to the New York Knicks. Mike D’Antoni was going to the Chicago Bulls. And everyone was going to be happy. Until … D’Antoni took the job in New York, leaving Jackson still on TV as an analyst and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf upset. “I’m disappointed in him,” Reinsdorf told the Chicago Tribune. “He chose to go to New York knowing there was a good chance we would make him an offer. If he had really wanted to be in Chicago, he would’ve waited. Instead, he misled us.” A source close to D’Antoni said it came down to simple economics. Reinsdorf would not pay him more than $4 million a year; New York gave him $6 million a year. “He said he wanted a job where he was going to be happiest,” Reinsdorf said. “He said he didn’t want to coach the Knicks.” Column inches Opinions from around the nation on the hottest topics in sports: » Let players on the take jump straight to the NBA, if only so colleges don’t have to deal with the [Rodney] Guillorys of the underworld and the rest of us don’t have to endure the charade of labeling characters like [O.J.] Mayo “student-athletes.” Would there still be kids taking money? … Undoubtedly. But there would be less. — Luke Winn on USC guard O.J. Mayo allegedly being paid $30,000 by Los Angeles event promoter Rodney Guillory. (SI.com) » The series is now best-of-three. One team has LeBron James and one does not. Who you gonna pick? Be afraid, Celtics followers. Be very, very afraid. The Celts and Cavs are now tied at 2 in this best-of-seven affair, and the Cavaliers look far more capable of winning in Boston than the Celtics do in Cleveland. — Tony Massarotti after Cleveland beat Boston 88-77 on Monday night. (Boston Herald) » Every day, the neighborhood looks a little more familiar. Every game, the success looks a little more routine. The Rays have won once again, and what’s the big deal about that? They have knocked around another of baseball’s brand names, and why should anyone be surprised? — Gary Shelton on the unprecedented success of the Tampa Bay Rays (St. Petersburg Times). » Five years is an eternity in the NHL. Just don’t call it a surprise. Because this is what hockey teams do when they plateau. When they’re stuck in the same spot, year after year after year. They change coaches. If the NFL is the Not For Long league, then the NHL is the Not Half-as Long league. — Ann Killion on the San Jose Sharks firing of coach Ron Wilson. (San Jose Mercury News) On the record “I think they’re ridiculous. I think that the noise, the fire, the smoke, is a kind of assault that we should seriously consider reviewing.” — NBA Commissioner David Stern on the over-the-top player introductions around the league. “There’s no place for it in the game. … I love Joba Chamberlain. He’s a great kid, but no one is passing the torch today ... When I broke into the big leagues, I didn’t say two words all year.” — Former Yankee great and closer Goose Gossage on the yelling and on-field antics of current pitcher Joba Chamberlain. By the numbers $96.6 M » Career earnings of Latrell Sprewell, who played in the NBA from 1992-2005 for the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. $320,284 » Amount of money owed by Sprewell on his home in suburban Milwaukee that was foreclosed on Monday. |
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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Nats struggling at the quarter pole Florida is undergoing a rebuilding program, just like the Nationals. The Marlins exited town with a first-place record while the Nats left town in last. Again. The Nationals entered last night with six losses in nine games. These four players were counted on to give more and have flopped. Each has been injured; each has performed poorly. LUIS AYALA. The once-reliable reliever has become the setup guy with Jon Rauch’s ascension to closer and Chad Cordero hurt. The Nats have no one else who can fill Ayala’s role and if he falters, as he has the past couple weeks, it’ll be a real tough year for the ’pen. He’s allowed 35 baserunners in 21 1/3 innings and has a 5.91 ERA. DMITRI YOUNG. His being out of shape and injured could hurt Washington in the future. With Nick Johnson healthy, Young would have come off the bench. But with 18 interleague games upcoming, he’ll have a chance to play some DH — and be showcased for the American League, where he’s a better fit. With Cordero out, he could become one of the best pieces to sell. Right now, the market value he gained last year is gone. PAUL LO DUCA. Signed to start at catcher for $5 million, he’s been a disaster. Lo Duca’s arm is awful; he’s hitting .200 and is not much of a locker room presence thus far, according to those around the club on a regular basis. He needed to serve as a bridge this season, allowing Jesus Flores to develop more in the minors. WILY MO PENA. He has no homers and five RBI. Others — Ryan Zimmerman, Austin Kearns — have struggled, too, but have shown life. And Pena was supposed to provide missing pop. It hasn’t happened. Elijah Dukes will be ready soon. But his off-field issues make him unreliable; Pena needs to take charge of left field. Looking to improve abysmal offense Ravens receiver Mark Clayton says the team’s new offense is coming along. It had better. “Offensively, to take the field and do it fast and know what you are doing is definitely an advantage,” he said. “The offense brings a lot to the table and should present disadvantages to the defense.” The Ravens ranked just 23rd in the league in total offense last season. They averaged just 17.2 points and 302 yards per game and were a league-worst minus-17 in turnover differential en route to a 5-11 season. It was such an abysmal offensive season, quarterback Steve McNair, who was credited greatly for the team’s 13-3 record and AFC North Division title two seasons ago, opted to retire last month and save his body. But the team is making strides. In last week’s mini camp, the team appeared to already have several audibles in place and the wide receivers looked to be in sync with the quarterbacks, especially with Troy Smith and rookie Joe Flacco. Clayton even noted what a catchable ball the first-year player threw. The team’s offensive philosophy still figures to be based heavily on the run under first-year coordinator Cam Cameron. Despite struggling as head coach of the Miami Dolphins last year before ultimately getting fired, Cameron is credited with the development of Pro Bowler quarterback Drew Brees and running back LaDainian Tomlinson when he was in San Diego. The one player who starred last year for the Ravens, Willis McGahee, should again have a big year. McGahee finished last season with 294 carries for 1,207 yards and seven touchdowns. And with a young offensive line having another year to gel and develop, his numbers should reflect their play, even if some spots are up for grabs. “We want to have a set group set,” coach John Harbaugh said. “But not before they determine who they are.” Seabiscuit author helps save horse As the author of “Seabiscuit,” Laura Hillenbrand has a clear connection to horse racing. So it pained her to watch what happened to Eight Belles immediately after the Kentucky Derby. According to Bloodhorse magazine, the Washington, D.C. resident turned a bad week — she’s also dealt recently with death and illnesses in her family — into a good one by contacting a friend at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Sue Finley, hoping she could save a horse. She did: a horse called Rudster who had been purchased for slaughter. But the person who bought him had one too many horses for his truck. He offered the horse to someone else, who agreed to buy Rudster but did not have the $350 and phoned TRF director Diana Pikulski, who told him she didn’t have the money but would figure something out. Two days later, Pikulski learned of Hillenbrand’s wishes. “Thank you, Eight Belles,” Hillenbrand told Bloodhorse. “You saved Rudster’s life.” Second guessing: Uh Tony … don’t quit your day job Flat performance » It was only the seventh-inning stretch and it was a Cubs game. So Tony Romo’s poor rendition — to put it mildly — of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is part of the charm. As is the case with his famous girlfriend, we’re guessing the opposite sex ignored his voice. Love of money » Mike D’Antoni, according to an NBA source, was torn about leaving Phoenix; wanted to sign with Chicago and wound up in ... New York. D’Antoni clashed with Suns management and couldn’t squeeze more than $4 mill a year out of the Bulls, so hello Knicks. Bad sign » Kevin Millwood has a history of pitching well — and being hurt. Still, Texas signed him to a five-year, $60-million contract before the 2006 season. Since then, he’s 28-29 with a 4.84 ERA — and was just placed on the disabled list for the second year in a row and fifth time in four years. Guess again » Based on preseason predictions, St. Louis and Florida were headed toward at least 90-loss seasons. Oakland wasn’t far behind. Look at them now: entering last night, all were in first place or tied for first. Pull the plug » With Dallas receiver Terrell Owens set to guest star in a new comedy series opposite rapper and reality TV star Flavor Flav Wednesday, television might have finally hit its lowest point. Blind eye » Hey, everyone likes sunshine and surfboards, but with O.J. Mayo — the second high-profile student athlete to come out of USC with huge implications about taking gifts and cash — the Trojans might soon need to look in the mirror or the NCAA might do the fixing for them. Gator bait » With Florida safety Jamar Hornsby getting busted for using a deceased woman’s credit card and defensive lineman Matt Patchan getting shot in the shoulder as just the latest incidents, coach Urban Meyer is beginning to let the inmates run the asylum in Gainesville. True Justice » We aren’t ones to condone punishment, but regardless of age or other circumstances, let’s hope the justice system doesn’t drop the ball in punishing the four men charged in the murder of Sean Taylor. In case you missed it Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, the manager of the Midwest League’s Peoria Chiefs, was suspended for three games for his role in bench-clearing incident last week. Sandberg was ejected for the third time this season, and seventh time in two years, when he confronted the opposing team’s manager between the sixth and seventh innings for allowing a player to bunt with a 6-0 lead. Sandberg was ejected only twice during 2,164 games as a player. On the record “I think I’m the best ever to play left field in Boston.” — Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez to the Boston Herald, after initially joking about winning a Gold Glove someday. “I’ve heard about these horror shows as far as international refereeing. I have finally lived through one. … They go upstairs. They look at a replay. What the hell were they looking at?” — U.S. coach John Tortorella after a 3-2 loss to Finland in the world hockey championships. Replays showed that one of Finland’s goals went through the meshing on the side of the net. By the numbers 7 » Number of PGA Tour victories for Sergio Garcia after Sunday’s win in The Players Championship, giving him the most wins of any player under 30 years old. 30 » Stitches required to close the gash on the head of Philadelphia Flyers defender Braydon Coburn, who was hit in the face with a slap shot in a 4-2 loss to the Penguins in Game 2. |
Monday, May 12, 2008
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Looking for a rebound Derrick Frost wasn’t happy about the move. He also knows there’s one person to blame: himself. Had Frost punted better last season, the Redskins would not have needed to draft another punter. Frost, though, says he has a solution. He’s going to do less. He hopes that results in more — yards per punt, that is. Frost said he’s scaling back how much he punts during practices and in the offseason, hoping that keeps his leg fresher for the entire season. He started strong last year — averaging 45.9 yards per punt in the first three games after a strong summer. Then came the bye week. Then came the fall: 39.5 yards on his last 58 punts. “I was smashing the ball, then I took the whole bye week off and that was a mistake,” he said. “I was off when I came back and I pressed to get back into a groove.” During minicamp and the organized team activities, Frost said he averaged around 20 punts a day. That’s about half of what he normally had done in the past. He’ll chart each punt during practices, gauging where his production starts to slip. “I know some guys who kick less than that,” Frost said. “I look at my career and I’ve been through slumps. I’ve always come out of it and last year I didn’t. That concerns people in this building. I looked at it and said why didn’t I? The only thing it comes down to is that my body was tired.” Redskins special teams coach Danny Smith called Frost a “middle-of-the-league punter”, but he likes his competitiveness. Other league evaluators like rookie punter Durant Brooks, the sixth-round pick. “My back is to the wall and that’s usually when my best comes out,” Frost said. “Two years ago I had my best year. I had a rocky start and put it together at the right time. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. I’m looking to prove some people wrong.” Lee looking for a home Xavier Lee’s athleticism made him one of the top quarterback recruits out of the state of Florida four years ago. But now, his athleticism may earn him a spot on the Ravens’ roster — as a tight end. The 6-foot-4, 234-pound Lee was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Florida State, where the junior declared for the NFL draft early after reportedly being told he would have to move to tight end. That move has occurred at the pro level, however. Numerous evaluators projected him as a safety or tight end. And during the second day of minicamp, Lee, clad in his red “non-contact” quarterback jersey, was lining up not under center, but beside a tackle. “I wasn’t exactly sure if it was going to happen or not,” said Lee, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds. “You just have to have fun with it. I haven’t taken too many quarterback snaps, just rotating in at tight end.” But Lee, who threw for 2,323 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and ran for 217 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons in Tallahassee, Fla., has a chance to earn a roster spot at a position of need for Baltimore. “Xavier has a chance to be a quarterback, but you look at that body, he can play a lot of things,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We just want to look at him and see what we’ve got.” Todd Heap and Daniel Wilcox, the top two tight ends on the Ravens’ depth chart, have a long history of injury problems and third-string tight end Quinn Sypniewski is out for the season with surgery on his left knee. The team was working with rookies Joe Reitz and Scott Kuhn during the first day of minicamp, but Kuhn broke his thumb during Saturday’s practice, opening the door for Lee. “Just have fun,” Lee said. “Coach said, ‘Be an athlete out there and try to make a play and catch the ball.’” The NCAA, middle schoolers and Celtics What to look for in the sports world this week: 1. ROADKILL » Boston is 0-4 on the road entering tonight’s Game 4 matchup in Cleveland. Here’s a telling stat: in four postseason home games, Boston has held opponents to 32 percent shooting; in four road games, the Celtics have allowed 49.1 percent shooting. 2. RECRUITMENT OF 7TH GRADERS » Considering the University of Kentucky recently received a commitment from an 8th grader in California, it’s the next logical step. Why did Kentucky coach Billy Gillespie want this child now? USC coach Tim Floyd had snagged two 8th graders last year. Hello, NCAA, anyone home? 3. INTERLEAGUE PLAY » Nothing like a Astros-Rangers matchup in May! But, because the world revolves around New York, there’s the Mets playing the Yankees. Perhaps it’s a preview of ... two teams that will miss the playoffs. 4. NO MAYO, PLEASE » Don’t be surprised if the NCAA does look into USC’s O.J. Mayo after Louis Johnson told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” that Mayo accepted $30,000 in cash and other gifts from Rodney Guillory, a Los Angeles-area event promoter. Consider us shocked. Shocked! 5. I SPY SOMETHING ... » NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet with former Patriots assistant Matt Walsh Tuesday to find out more about Spygate and those infamous tapes. No date on when Walsh and Bill Belichick will break bread. Or each other’s heads. Column inches Opinions from around the nation on the hottest topics in sports: » Both a Tubbo and clueless, which really isn’t a very good combination for the player with the highest annual salary in Dodgers history. I tried to tell him he was taking the wrong approach with the fans here by saying really dumb things and reporting to work fat. — T.J. Simers on struggling Dodgers outfielder Andruw Jones. (Los Angeles Times) » Garden chairman James Dolan ended up paying the great Larry Brown almost $30 million for one year of lousy coaching. Dolan now gets to pay Isiah Thomas $20 million for reporting to Donnie Walsh about the current weather conditions in Antarctica. So when money’s no object, what’s another $24 million for Mike D’Antoni? — Mitch Lawrence on the New York Knicks questionable hiring of coach Mike D’Antoni. (New York Daily News) » Please, let’s put a wrap on this peep show. ... I was ready to pounce on “Belicheat” all over again. If the new allegations had substance, that is. But the tapes of the eight games [Matt] Walsh finally surrendered — after being granted what amounted to legal immunity — tell us nothing we didn’t already know. — Chris Harry on the Spygate scandal and the tapes that were surrendered last week. (Orlando Sentinel) » The Red Wings are doing it all now. They’re winning the big battles and the little battles and the key battles, and they’re on the verge of turning the Western Conference finals into a rout. Oh, and they’re also turning the Stars into a frustrated bunch of mouth-breathers. Dallas is the Big D? Big Dummies, really. — Bob Wojnoski on the Red Wings domination of the Stars in the Western Conference Finals. (Detroit News) Can you believe it? Buffalo Bills rookie Demetrius Bell, a seventh-round draft pick last month, is the son of former NBA All-Star Karl Malone. He’s one of three children Malone had out of wedlock, but Malone is not a part of Bell’s life, telling him once it was too late to be his father. Malone impregnated Bell’s mother when she was 13 and he was a sophomore at Louisiana Tech. On the record “I don’t care. I’m here to win. If I win, it just makes ’em more upset and crying on their way home. By the way, somebody threw a beer can at me. Next time just make sure it’s full so I can enjoy it out there, all right?” — NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, who was booed after winning the Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway. Busch has been the target of criticism after wrecking Dale Earnhardt Jr. last week. “I don’t want to make it out to be nothing, but it is May and we haven’t been playing that good, and you just really want to win for the right reason.” — San Diego Padres pitcher Greg Maddux (3-3), who got his 350th career win this weekend. |
Thursday, May 8, 2008
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Life changes under Zorn They put in the offense, examined the newcomers and started to get a feel for the new head coach. The past week — with three minicamp days and three more organized team activities — gave the Redskins a glimpse of life under Jim Zorn. Three things stood out during this time: PASSING GAME » The passing game will take some time to get going as the receivers learn a new offense. “It’s different,” receiver Antwaan Randle El said. “The terminology is different. Sometimes when they say Z motion, they’re not talking to the Z receiver. Sometimes they’ll say F motion and you think they’re talking about fullback but they’re really not; they’re talking about the Z receiver. You can see how it would be a little confusing.” Said Zorn, “That causes them to be slow. What I want them to do is know and feel the defense, and how to beat the defender. Right now they’re just trying to remember the routes.” DEFENSIVE COMMUNICATION » It’s obvious the defense is more familiar with its scheme. Corner Fred Smoot spotted the offense flooding a particular area with its formation. So he immediately shouted out a warning to the other side. The offense then had to check out of the pattern and dump the ball to the back. It’s a subtle, but telling, thing. INJURIES » Three key players — Randle El (knee), quarterback Jason Campbell (minor hamstring pull) and running back Clinton Portis (minor hip flexor) — have now dealt with some sort of ailment. Randle El had surgery Tuesday, but is expected to return for the next round of OTAs the first week of June. Zorn wasn’t thrilled with Portis’ injury. “I’m wondering if it was that sprint he ran,” he said, referring to the 40-yard dash vs. LaRon Landry on Sunday. But Campbell’s injury represented progress: he said it occurred because, per Zorn’s orders, he’s staying more compact in the pocket and his muscles must adapt. For Zorn that means one thing: he’s doing the right thing. Wieters waits for his chance It won’t be next week. It probably won’t be until the end of next season. But first-round draft pick Matt Wieters is on his way to the majors. “He is either on pace or ahead of schedule right now and he started the season hot,” said Ben Badler, assistant editor of Baseball America. “He is hitting for average and power and doing everything they want him to do. He could be in the majors in a few years, no doubt.” Wieters was selected fifth overall in the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft by the Orioles. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder played winter ball for the Honolulu Sharks, where he hit .283 with 17 RBI, nine doubles and a home run in 31 games. But he has picked up his game since being assigned to Class A Frederick midway through Spring Training. As a Key, he is batting .340 with 18 RBI and five home runs and five doubles in 29 games. When Wieters signed his deal, which included a $6 million bonus, Orioles front office personnel said they wanted to be sure he was being challenged and reached the majors as soon as possible. A promotion to AA Bowie should come sooner than later, but don’t be surprised if Wieters takes a little time to adjust. “It depends on who you talk to, but we find the biggest jump is from High-A to Double-A Frederick to Bowie. It seems like that is the level where a lot of guys get weeded out,” Badler said. At the start of this season, he was ranked 12th on Baseball America’s list of Top 100 prospects. But with 31-year old catcher Ramon Hernandez (.189 BA, 16 RBI) under contract through just next season, Wieters might soon go from prospect to major league starter. A father-son moment for Green, Monk Darrell Green and Art Monk became close as teammates and they’ll enter the NFL Hall of Fame together. So it’s only fitting that both have chosen their sons to present them at the ceremony in August. Green will have his son, Jarrett, 19, present him while Monk’s son, James, 25, will serve as his presenter. The players will be inducted on Aug. 2. The Redskins will play the Indianapolis Colts the following day in Canton, Ohio. “It’s going to be fantastic to have him,” Monk said. “He’s excited about me making the Hall of Fame, but he’s even more excited to participate. It’s an opportunity that most kids don’t have. “It’s very special to have my own flesh and blood stand up and speak on my behalf. It’s going to be a great moment.” Green’s son Jarrett is finishing up his freshman year at the University of Virginia. As a player, Green used to tell stories of playing basketball with his son at their Ashburn home. “My son is my best friend,” Green said. “We talk every day of his life, even in college. He’s my best buddy.” Green said the decision was made at least a year ago. “It was a no-brainer,” he said. “Anyone who knows me knew that it would be him.” Good idea/bad idea Good idea » Naming Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau the Jack Adams trophy winner for NHL coach of the year. Did any coach do a better job this season? Bad idea » Inflatable dolls in the clubhouse. If only Bud Selig had reacted to steroids as fast as he reacted to the White Sox’s stunt. Good idea » Watching HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” which will be at training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys this summer. Let’s hope they hang one night with Pacman Jones. Bad idea » Shooting two for 18 in Tuesday’s playoff game. Not a good opener for LeBron James vs. the Boston Celtics. Ask the Wiz how he responds to bad games. Good idea » Getting hold of Derek Jeter’s black book. Apparently, he’s dated six women on Maxim’s Hot 100 list. Sigh. Bad idea » Taking legal advice from Rusty Hardin. Then again, maybe Roger Clemens is so arrogant and foolish nobody could have steered him from this mess. Good idea » Checking to make sure that the prostitutes you hire are, you know, actually women. How’d that work out Ronaldo? Bad idea » Paying $10 million for one year of Eric Gagne’s services. He’s already blown five saves for Milwaukee this season. Many more to follow. Knucklehead of the week Cedric Benson » Bears RB It was bad enough for Cedric Benson in Chicago. Fans have wanted to get rid of him for a while. Writers view him as a wasted pick by Jerry Angelo. And then the Bears traded Thomas Jones, who helped get them to the Super Bowl, before last season. Benson was ineffective and then eventually broke his leg. The Bears then drafted Matt Forte in the second round. And now this. Benson was arrested over the weekend for boating while drunk and then had to be pepper-sprayed. We must say, Benson and some others on the boat dispute the police account of what happened. But police have pulled over his boat six times in the past year. Are they really targeting him? Oh, yeah, Benson has been arrested two other times (for marijuana possession in 2002; the charges were dropped. And in 2003 for smashing in an apartment door searching for a stolen plasma TV). On the record “My inside tells me that Strahan played his last game with the New York Giants as a champion, and that’s not a bad way to go out.” — New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce on WFAN-AM in New York on teammate and DE Michael Strahan. “If Antawn is not back, then there’s no point in me coming back because he’s part of my success too. If he doesn’t come back, I’m not coming back.” — Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas on his blog talking about unrestricted free agent Antawn Jamison By the numbers 3 » Number of home runs hit yesterday by Cincinnati’s Joey Votto in a 9-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. The second-year player had never hit more than one in a game. 29,035 » Feet to the summit of Mount Everest, the next stop of the Olympic Torch, which is scheduled to reach the top of the mountain in the next few days. |
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
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An impressive opening act Devin Thomas went ahead of him in the draft. Don’t look for that to be the case when the season rolls around, however. At that point, Malcolm Kelly, the Redskins third second-round pick, should surpass Thomas. That’s what those who studied both in college say will happen. And based off minicamp, that’s easy to believe. Thomas’ routes weren’t as sharp as Kelly’s, nor did he make as many plays. He flashed his potential, with some downfield runs. But Kelly, drafted 17 spots lower at 51st overall, is the one who was more impressive. “Thomas has more explosive abilities, but he’s not as polished and more of a project,” said Chris Landry, who served as a scout on three teams and remains a consultant to a handful of teams; he’s also a co-host of two shows on FOX Sports Radio. “Kelly is closer to his potential right now. He’s a big, strong-handed receiver. With his size he can make plays in traffic. His route-running is solid. His ability to line up in the slot or line up wide as a strong receiver in that offense is where he can help immediately.” The Redskins also could use Kelly’s 6-foot-4 frame in the red zone, giving him another chance to help faster. Yes, Thomas has size, too — he’s 6-foot-2. But Kelly is more versatile, right now, in the scoring area. “In terms of physical gifts there’s not much that Thomas doesn’t have,” said another former scout, Russ Lande, who runs The Sporting News’ War Room. “Kelly doesn’t have Thomas’ explosiveness, but he knows how to use his body. He’s a competitive runner after the catch.” One more area should enable Kelly to play more right away: his blocking. “He’s the most competitive blocker I’ve ever graded,” Lande said. “His routes are so-so; but he has great hands and he knows what he’s doing a little more than Thomas.” O’s future at the plate looks meek The numbers aren’t pretty for the Orioles’ offense this season. Baltimore, which entered Tuesday night’s game in Oakland 16-16, ranks 12th in the American League with a team batting average of just .246 and is 10th in runs scored with 132. Outfielder Luke Scott leads the team’s regulars in hitting with a .283 average and Nick Markakis, who is working his way out of a slump himself, is tops on the club with just six home runs. Pitching, which is ranked in the top half of the American League in nearly every category, has been the Orioles’ strength. And several pitching prospects in the minors may be ready to contribute soon. But there’s less hope for an offensive boost from the farm. Nolan Reimold, a 24-year old outfielder at AA Bowie, has been hampered by injuries, but might be one of the team’s best home-grown offensive options. “When he is healthy he [produces],” said Ben Badler, assistant editor at Baseball America. “If he can stay healthy he could be a nice addition in the outfield with [Adam] Jones and Markakis.” Reimold has played in 31 games this season, batting .257 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI. Another area of concern for the Orioles is shortstop, where Luis Hernandez has been equally inconsistent with his glove and his bat (.234 average). But no immediate options appear to be available. Recently demoted Brandon Fahey is not the answer. And there really isn’t a premiere prospect who could be put on the fast track to Camden Yards. “Since [Cal] Ripken Jr. left, the organization has struggled to find that shortstop to play everyday and Hernandez doesn’t seem to be working out and doesn’t seem to be who they are going to develop in the future,” Badler said. “It’s not clear who it will be, it’s one of their weaker position in the farm system.” Second guessing: A time machine would be helpful Step back » What happened to Eight Belles at last weekend’s Kentucky Derby was a tragedy, but anyone blaming the jockey or owner are simply looking for a scapegoat and a way to rationalize an unfortunate accident. Where’s Santana? » The New York Yankees had a chance to trade for Johan Santana. But they didn’t want to part with their young pitchers. Um, care to reconsider? Phil Hughes is out for two months and Ian Kennedy was sent down to the minors. They were a combined 2-10. Bad strategy » The Detroit Tigers bolstered an already potent offense. But they’re 14-19 because the pitching staff is 28th in the league with a 4.98 ERA. Cleveland, 14-17, didn’t address its inconsistent offense and now it’s 24th in runs scored with 132. Bust-ed » Cedric Benson went from a bust to getting busted. He was the fourth overall pick in 2005 and has done zippy. Now he’s charged with drunken boat operation and resisting arrest. Think they’d still like to have Thomas Jones? It’s 2008 » With the shot clock frozen but the game clock running, Chauncey Billups’ three-pointer at the end of the third quarter Monday should have been waved off for coming too late. But when officials watched the replay, they could not verify the timing. Yet TV replays, which officials could not watch, were able to. Not so easy » It appears that even voters for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award simply don’t take the time to watch New Orleans point guard Chris Paul. Kobe, who had never before won the award, was the easy choice. Paul, who means more to his team than any other player, was the educated one. Honesty Policy » We think it doesn’t get much better than an Ozzie Guillen tirade, but everybody needs a little internal monologue. The White Sox skipper treated us again this weekend, but he might be on thin ice if he keeps it up. Playoffs?? » Let’s have one in major college football. At the end of the day, the reason we don't is the bowl system makes too much money. It’s sad to again see the NCAA choose cash over student athletes and something that fans, alumni and schools have wanted for decades. The Rock is ready to roll It didn’t take long for the news, or, rather, the words to travel. When the Redskins drafted corner/returner Justin Tryon in the fourth round, he guaranteed being able to return kicks to the 50-yard line. Some laughed. Others seethed just a bit. Count Rock Cartwright, the Redskins’ returner, among the latter. “These young guys think they can come in and return the ball to the 50-yard line like they say,” he said, “then we’ll see.” Oh, so you heard? “I definitely heard that,” he said. “We’ll see.” Cartwright, who averaged a career-best 25.8 yards per return last season, re-signed in the offseason. Now he faces much competition — not just from Tryon — this summer. Rookie receiver, and second-round pick, Devin Thomas, returns kickoffs. Washington also signed returner/receiver Jerome Mathis. “I really have no control over that,” Cartwright said. “My stats and production speak for itself.” In case you missed it The Minnesota Vikings continued to move further away from their party boat image last week by putting defensive end Kenechi Udeze, who is undergoing treatment for Leukemia, on the reserve-non-football-illness list. This move makes Udeze ineligible to play next season, but guarantees him his $807,500 salary, so he won’t have to worry about finances during his treatment. Udeze was signed to a five-year deal as a rookie out of Southern California in 2004, but was diagnosed with the disease in February. On the record “It came down to my big [butt] against their little skinny legs. No matter how strong you are, if you [are posting-up a guy with] skinny legs, you have a better center of gravity.” — TNT analyst, and C&J favorite, Charles Barkley on how he excelled against bigger defenders, illustrating how players should approach Orlando’s Dwight Howard. “In between pushing, I am going, ‘Honey, are you OK?’ and ‘Are you breathing? Are you OK?’” — Cynthia Rodriguez on her husband, A-Rod, who passed out during the birth of their daughter four years ago. By the numbers 0 » Second round series won by the New Orleans Hornets. They lead defending champion San Antonio two games to none. The Spurs have never rallied from such a deficit. 8 » Batters walked by Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka in five innings in a 6-3 win over Detroit. He is the first pitcher to walk that many batters and get a win with just five innings pitched since 1997. |
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
 Set the alarm, big guyDuring halftime of a Redskins game several years back, a man stood in line ordering a hot dog. Nothing unusual. The only difference was that this person, Byron Chamberlain, was actually on the Redskins’ roster. He happened to be inactive for that particular game. But a point was made: it was not something a player should be doing. Not so surprisingly, Chamberlain was out of shape with Washington and, despite supposed talent, never did anything here. Which brings us to rookie tight end Fred Davis, who “overslept” Sunday morning and missed the last day of minicamp. Davis was reportedly at the nightclub H2O in the District Saturday night. So draw your own conclusions. It’s not the first time Davis has been late for something or missed it all together. He did not travel with USC to the 2005 National Championship Game because he reportedly was constantly tardy (sometimes in returning from his native Ohio). This is why several talent evaluators and former scouts said to stay away from this guy before the draft. One said Davis would never put in the necessary work to succeed in the NFL. Another questioned his choice of friends. The Redskins clearly had no problems with him. “We checked him out thoroughly and we were fine with everything,” said Vinny Cerrato, Redskins executive vice president of football operations, who used to work with USC coach Pete Carroll and spoke to him about Davis. The Redskins can’t do much but cross their fingers with Davis. After missing the bowl game with USC, he blossomed into one of the country’s best tight ends. “It’s just a maturation process and a learning process,” Cerrato said. “He has to learn from his mistakes.” Davis was impressive in his first two minicamp workouts, showing more of a burst than the normal tight end. Then he displayed his confounding side. He’ll be someone to watch — on and off the field. A king’s feast Maybe now Cleveland Cavalier fans have a reason to like Brendan Haywood. Turns out he indirectly gave them  a chance to have a 23-cent pizza.Here’s how the story unfolded — and it might not have gone anywhere if not for local blogger Jon Eick of sogoodblog.com — in the last few days. First came Haywood’s comment that Cavs forward LeBron James needed to stop being a crybaby about the hard fouls. Then came a local Papa John’s chain — it’s uncertain which one — printing T-shirts with the number 23 and the words, “Crybaby 23” (along with the Papa John’s logo). A very few handful of fans wore them to the game; but one of those fans was shown often on TV. Eick, who says in his blog that he’s a Wizards fan, then blogged about it, igniting a firestorm. (A Wizards spokesman said the team had nothing to do with the T-shirts). Turns out Eick found more than a dozen Papa John’s located within 12 miles of Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena. After receiving threats of boycotts, approximately 40 Cleveland Papa John’s stores will offer 23-cent large one-topping pizzas on Thursday. Plus the company will donate the money from those pies, plus another $10,000 to the Cavaliers Youth Fund. Haywood will patiently await the thank you cards sure to follow. Gooden to the bone  Ravens third round draft pick Tavares Gooden is far removed from his infamous singing career — and that’s fine with him.“It was something that was blown way out of proportion,” the No. 2 ranked outside linebacker in this year’s draft, said. “It was something I did when I was young and we were in our dorm room rapping.” Gooden was a member of the University of Miami’s “7th Floor Crew,” a group of mostly football players who created a song full of offensive lyrics early in his freshman year of 2004. But since then, he’s been hitting nearly all the high notes away from a microphone — and winning over critics and teammates in the process. The 6-foot-2, 238-pound linebacker was such an outstanding talent on and off the field at Miami, he was able to shed the negativity associated with the rapping fiasco and became what could be considered a model for the Hurricanes’ program. Patience and making the most of his opportunities has been the key to his success, a source close to the program said. When he dislocated his shoulder two years ago, it gave him time to get his academics in order. He graduated from Miami with a double-major in liberal arts and criminology. This preseason he demonstrated his unselfishness by switching from outside to middle linebacker after an injury knocked out the projected starter. All Gooden did was lead the team with 119 tackles and get named the team’s defensive Most Valuable Player. This weekend, he had a free barbecue at a football field near his home where he first starred as a youth, handing out T-shirts that read “Education + Sports = Success.” As for if he will make the grade in Baltimore? “Only time will tell,” Scouts Inc. wrote, “if he’s coachable enough, tough enough and instinctive enough to take his game to the next level.” Lo Duca’s horse doesn’t run, but fares well A horse co-owned by Washington Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca didn’t race in the Kentucky Derby. But it still fared well. That’s because horses it either beat or was close to last month had a good showing Saturday. “It feels good to know that our horse was right there with some of these other contenders,” Lo Duca told The Examiner’s Brian McNally. “It’s sort of neat.” Lo Duca’s horse, Golden Spikes, finished second last month in the Illinois Derby behind Recapturetheglory, which finished fifth Saturday. And the Kentucky Derby’s third-place finisher, Denis of Cork, finished behind Golden Spikes in Illinois. “So it’s encouraging,” Lo Duca said. Golden Spikes will not race in the Preakness. Instead, it will run Saturday in the Peter Pan Stakes. Lo Duca said a decision would then be made as to whether or not it will run in the Belmont. Column inches Opinions from around the nation on the hottest topics in sports: “First of all, nobody died. No one was euthanized on the track. There was no tragedy here, just a hockey series lost to a tough team that seemed to get all the breaks. So it goes. You win some, you lose some.” — Jack Todd on fans not overreacting to the Canadiens being eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers (Montreal Gazette). “No signs from Paul Pierce. No crop circles sheared into his hair. No ‘V’ for victory, no foam-finger hoisting, and no ambiguous hand signal that could be mimed by the mayor or sanctioned by the commissioner. No controversy for the captain. And, best of all, no Game 7 loss.” — Dan Shaughnessy on forward Paul Pierce letting his Game 7 performance speak for itself (Boston Globe). “For years, the running joke among rival scouts about the Yankees’ over-hyping of their pitching prospects was, ‘The closer they get to the big leagues, the less they like them.’ Why, just last year, the Yankees went through 14 different starting pitchers in their desperate effort to make it to a 13th straight postseason.” — Bill Madden on the indefinite injury/demotion of top pitching prospects Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy (New York Daily News). “The image of a blind, inebriated Cedric Benson is not a shock to the system, not if you saw him attempt to run the football last season. For the Bears, his arrest Saturday night for boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest pales in comparison to his shortcomings as a running back.” — Rick Morrissey on the failures of running back Cederic Benson (Chicago Tribune). On the record “The Cubs haven’t won in [100] years, and they’re the [bleeping] best. [Bleep] it, we’re good. [Bleep] everybody. We’re horse[bleep], and we’re going to be horse[bleep] the rest of our lives, no matter how many World Series we win.” — White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen after his team’s 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays this weekend. “I’ve always wanted to be in Arizona. I’m happy here.” — Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, disputing reports that he wants out of Arizona. Can you believe it? A woman in Nashua, N.H. was accused of driving her car into a group of people — and killing a man with whom she had an argument about the Red Sox-Yankees at a bar. Ivonne Hernandez, the Yankees fan, was charged with reckless second-degree murder in the death of Matthew Beaudoin. Not surprisingly, Hernandez admitted she had been drinking, though she refused a breath test. |
Monday, May 5, 2008
.jpg) Free from friction?The tension last year, at times, filtered down to the players. They felt the chilliness that existed between the offensive and defensive coaching staffs — mostly among men who no longer remain in Washington. Want to know why Gregg Williams didn’t get the head coaching job in Washington? Then listen up. “There was a lot of friction between the staffs because there were two very strong personalities,” one veteran player said. “Coach [Joe] Gibbs was going to do things how he wanted to do them and Gregg knew how he wanted it done and if you didn’t think the way he did, then you were wrong. Not that he went to guys and said we should be doing this or that, but you could tell by what he said and the way he felt, the way he walked around, that there was a disagreement.” The thawing at Redskins Park was evident this weekend. Greg Blache — the guy Gibbs, according to team sources, recommended as his successor — laughed and joked with the media for the first time in two years. He genuinely loves working for Jim Zorn, left. The players spoke highly, privately and publicly, of their new coach, Zorn. They love his sincerity, pointing out how he has worked hard to learn every player’s name and talk to them about things other than football and how he wanders from group to group. They also liked how he chastised corner Shawn Springs on Friday. All of this guarantees nothing. “A lot of things we won’t know until it happens,” one veteran said. “How will he handle Clinton Portis taking off training camp? Those things will test him, but some of those things won’t come up because guys won’t want to take advantage of him.” The friction, for now, is gone. “I don’t think we’ll have that this year,” corner Fred Smoot said. “I don’t know why that happened last year, but everything is in place.” Clinton vs. LaRon  It started innocently enough. Clinton Portis caught a screen to the left, reversed field and tried to turn the corner. However, LaRon Landry, left, took a terrific angle and tracked him down before he could get upfield. Chatter followed. It continued into the locker room.And the next thing the players knew, Landry and Portis were lined up in a far end zone, with another player standing 40 yards away. Approximately 25 players sat on a grassy hill to watch. “I’ve got my money on Landry,” defensive end Chris Wilson said. Smart move. Portis burst to the lead after 20 yards, by a good step. But Landry pulled even and, by most accounts (read: not Portis’) won by a whisker. “CP has burst, but defensive backs are used to chasing,” corner Fred Smoot said. He then tracked down Carlos Rogers, “Hey, ‘Los, pay me!” Said Portis, “Look, I’m 27 in a couple months and he’s 22. What does that tell you? ... If he wants to feel like he won, then he won. ... I hope Jim [Zorn] counts that as one of my OTAs.” Landry then made his way over and said, “Everyone saw it. At the 25-yard mark, I was looking straight up at the sky and you’re looking down [running hard]. I knew I was gonna win.” This isn’t over. Learning curve  If anyone understands where new Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, left, is coming from, it’s fellow Delaware alumnus Rich Gannon.Gannon played quarterback in the NFL from 1987-2004. Now a color commentator for CBS Sports, Gannon told The Examiner’s Ron Snyder that he feels Flacco is far better prepared to jump into the NFL than he was 21 years ago. “I played in the Wing-T and rarely had to throw the ball,” Gannon said. “Joe has played in a pass-heavy offense and has all the tools to play in the NFL.” But that didn’t stop Gannon from picking up the pro game and being named the best at his position and one of the top players in the league, at least for one season. In 2002, he was named the NFL MVP and led the Oakland Raiders to the Super Bowl. That season, Gannon completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 4,689 yards and 26 touchdowns. Gannon added that even though it appears left tackle Jonathan Ogden is going to retire, he feels like Flacco is entering a good situation in Baltimore. The Ravens still tout playmakers at wide receiver (Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason) and have a talented running back in Willis McGahee — all weapons Flacco can put to good use. But some experts aren’t ready to hand him the job just yet. “I don’t think Kyle Boller’s in trouble — yet,” wrote Sports Illustrated’s Paul Zimmerman. “[Flacco] is still too raw, and wild.” As a senior at Delaware, Flacco completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 4,263 yards and 23 touchdowns with five interceptions. He was the unquestioned leader of an offense that returned 10 starters and took the Blue Hens to the FCS national championship game. “Head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron are good people, but even better teachers,” Gannon said. “Joe will learn a lot from them.” A disturbance in the force  When Georgetown center Roy Hibbert participates in the Orlando pre-draft camp later this month, he’ll have to show teams something he didn’t show enough of in college: athletic ability in the paint.And that’s why some view him as a late first-round guy despite being 7-foot-2 and 272 pounds. “He’ll probably go first round,” one NBA executive said, “he’s done enough to go in the 20s. For me, he’s a career backup. What does he do better than anyone else to give him court time?” The executive also called it “disturbing” that Hibbert isn’t more impressive inside. Hibbert, a senior, averaged 13.4 points and 6.4 rebounds a game this past season. But the executive said Hibbert does not always play to his size. “He has long legs, but if you don’t use it, you don’t own it,” he said. In case you missed it Former NBA star Derrick Coleman denied a New York Post report that said he would need a heart transplant come June 21. However, Coleman, who played in the NBA for 10 years, was hospitalized two weeks ago because of an irregular heartbeat, which was first discovered near the end of his career. Coleman’s wife, Gina, told the Post that Coleman might need a transplant “down the road” but the initial plan is to implant a defibrillator. On the record “Everybody probably is racing around the race track scared to death of wrecking Dale Earnhardt Jr., so why wouldn’t I be any different?” — Kyle Busch talking about causing Dale Earnhardt Jr. to crash at the NASCAR Dan Lowry 400, costing Earnhardt a chance to snap a 72-race skid. “We’ve been in that position where everyone is kind of waiting for the wheels to fall off of this thing. But we’re a hungry group of guys.” — New Orleans’ David West after the Hornets Game 1 win over San Antonio. By the numbers 23 » Seasons 49-year-old first baseman Julio Franco spent playing professional baseball in the Dominican Republic, Asia and North America. Franco, the oldest player to hit a home run in Major League Baseball, announced his retirement this weekend. 25,500 » Fans who attended the Major League Soccer match between Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy in Salt Lake City, a record for Rice-Eccles Stadium, to see L.A. star David Beckham. Beckham scored twice in a 2-2 tie. |
Cheers & Jeers
The Baltimore Examiner's Dave Carey and the Washington Examiner's John Keim review the daily buzz around the sports world with their insight and analysis. Feel free to give us your take at caj@examiner.com
The Baltimore Examiner's Dave Carey and the Washington Examiner's John Keim review the daily buzz around the sports world with their insight and analysis. Feel free to give us your take at caj@examiner.com
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