Pros Vs. Joes

None of us have talked about SpikeTV's Pros Vs. Joes yet, so let me be the first to say that it is super-duper fantastic. Tonight I caught Episode 4, with ordinary dudes battling against John Rocker, Mort Andersen, Clyde Drexler, Gary Hall Jr. and Rebecca Lobo. The highlight was definitely seeing both the Joes and the Pros on skates. Clyde Drexler went first, and had to be the worst skater I have ever seen in my life (not surprising really, considering he is a 6'7" black man). But he ended up looking like Paul Coffey compared to the rest of the guys. Good God, I never realized how much of a premium skating is in the world of athletics. The other highlight was seeing Hall Jr. pull an Aquaman, holding his breath under water for over three minutes. They should cast that guy as Arthur Curry.

That's all I got. Carry on.

The "Yes, This Blog Is Still Alive" Post

As our faithful readers have probably noticed, productivity here at Sports Matters has been down the past few days. The main culprit for this has been the beginning of the draft for the first season of The Alberta Baseball Confederacy, the fantasy baseball league that five of us are a part of.

It's not so much the draft that has been occupying us as it is the chat room, which as Andy aptly put it on the Battle of Alberta site, is like going down the rabbit hole. We're making good progress, at any rate, and should be ready to rejoin the real work by Opening Day.

As for our resident Calgarian Nathan Muhly, he hasn't been lost to the baseball chatroom, so I can only assume that he has receded to the dark confines of the St. Louis Hotel to drown his sorrows on the heels of his beloved Calgary Flames' embarrassing loss to Columbus on Friday night. I imagine that he'll resurface to post a snarky reply to this, only to dissapear again after I humiliate him in the playoffs of our fantasy hockey league this week.

Anyway, I thought I'd pop in with a few notes on the world of sports. The baseball preview should get going again soon, though between the fantasy draft and an unexpected spell of busyness at work, it's behind schedule.

Karma's a Bitch in the National Football League
Less than a week after an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Minnesota Vikings' poison pill provisions in the Steve Hutchinson case, the Seahawks have shot back. This weekend, theysigned Vikings Wide Receiver Nate Burleson to an offer sheet, containing the following two "poison pill" provisions:

1. All $49 million would become guaranteed if Burleson plays five or more games in the state of Minnesota in any season of the contract. The Vikings, of course, play home games in Minneapolis, at the Metrodome.

2. The second provision would guarantee the full contract if Burleson is paid more on average per year than all of the Minnesota running backs combined. At least for now, the averages of the Vikings' tailbacks fall well shy of the $7 million average of the Burleson offer sheet.

Suffice to say, unless the Vikings have a secret plan to flee the Twin Cities in the next five months, the first provision makes this a guaranteed contract. You have to think that the Vikings are going to challenge this, though the implications of this deal extend beyond the situation with Burleson and the two teams involved. If the arbitrator upholds this deal, it will basically signal the end of restricted free agency, as teams will simply be able put any sort of "poison pill" they want to into a contract to pry a player away. I'll bet Tagliabue's successor will love to have that one to deal with as he or she steps into office.

Just Give Me The Damn Ball!
I recently wrote about Keyshawn Johnson's travels. I should note that he has now officially signed in Carolina. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see how Keyshawn does playing second fiddle to Steve Smith with his new club.

Ring Out a Cheer For Our Alberta

Since all six of us have attended the University of Alberta, we would be remiss in not mentioning that the Golden Bears won a record 12th hockey championship last night, defeating Lakehead University 3-2. It was their second title in a row, both coming on home ice.

Go Bears!

A Little Love for Calgary Too...
Calgarian Stephen Ames won the Players' Championship yesterday, and in the process earned himself a ticket to The Masters in two weeks. Ames' impressive round helped him hold off a strong field, and earn the berth in Augusta and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour. If nothing else, we can look forward to seeing his name next to a Canadian flag on the "didn't make the cut" part of the TSN ticker.

Seriously though, it was a great performance by Ames, and I look forward to following him at Augusta in two weeks.

Patriot Games
Finally, if you're not a student or alumnus of UCLA, LSU, or Florida, and are not on the George Mason bandwagon, then you have no soul. That is all.

Back soon. In the meantime, enjoy your fantasy baseball drafts...or whatever's keeping you busy these days.

The Elite Eight Thread: Day 2

If yesterday's games proved anything, it's that defense wins championships. And that the tournament does not necessarily get better or more exciting as it moves on. I can't imagine a lot of people are anxiously awaiting the LSU/UCLA matchup in the Final Four.

From what I saw from the games, it was the ability to frustrate the opponent, and get (and convert) second chances that was the difference. However, I didn't see a lot of the games, so I could be way off base. With that being said, on to today's games:

How Long Can UConn Play With Fire?
In the first round, they trailed the Great Danes of Albany with ten to go, until they ripped off a 23-5 run to win the game. In Round 2, they led the feisty Kentucky Wildcats most of the way, but could never pull away and put the game out of reach. Friday night against the game Washington Huskies, they trailed most of the way before rallying and pulling out the overtime win. Suffice to say, the #2 team in the country has been anything but dominant.

We're at the halfway point of the tournament, you have to think that there's no way they can win 6 in a row and take the title unless they step up the effort for the entire 40 minutes of the game. One of these games they will be caught napping, and won't be able to catch up and win. Will it be today against the 2006 Cinderella, George Mason? I don't think so, but never say never.

Felines or Amphibians?
The Villanova Wildcats and Florida Gators match up in what should be a great contest. Both of them survived scares in the Sweet 16 round, with 'Nova rallying to beat BC in overtime, and Florida holding off a game Georgetown Hoya squad who led much of the way.

This was the one Elite Eight matchup that I correctly called. Here's what I said about it:

In the Regional Final, I have to go with Villanova. I worry about their ability to guard a talented inside scorer, which Joakim Noah could be for Florida. I think the guard play and shooting ability will balance that out, and allow Villanova to win the Minneapolis region.

I'll stick with that prediction. Enjoy the games everyone!

The Elite Eight Thread

LSU vs. Texas and Memphis vs. UCLA. Having not seen a minute of their Sweet 16 games, I can't add too much. LSU is a good defensive team, which should keep them in the game against the more talented Longhorns squad. UCLA has barely pulled out wins over "Bama and Gonzaga, and didn't look good in the 'Bama game. On the other hand, Memphis hasn't played a top team in the tournament yet, so both teams have question marks. I predict this will be a good night of basketball.

Greg Gumbel just informed us that prior to this year, Oakland has twice hosted an Elite Eight matchup, and both times it has the winner has gone on to take the tournament. Will it be a three-peat or did Gumbel just jinx the Tigers or Bruins?

Stay tuned and enjoy the games!

The Sweet 16 Thread: Day 1

Today marks the first day of the Sweet 16 round, with the Atlanta and Oakland brackets hitting the hardwood. The first thought that jumps into my head is how much I miss the days when the brackets were named by region. Things seemed so much simpler in the days of the 'East' and 'West'. With that being said, here are a few more thoughts on today's games:

• LSU has not been spectacular through two rounds, but has enough talent to give Duke a run for their money. Shelden Williams had a big game in Round 2, which should comfort people who were worried about someone besides J.J. Redick being able to carry the offensive load. On the other hand, matched up against standout Freshman Tyrus Thomas, Williams will probably be less of a factor tonight than he was against G-Dub. If LSU is going to win this one, they need Big Baby Davis to step up his game. The SEC Player of the Year has not stood out through 2 rounds; another average game won't be good enough against the Blue Devils.

• My advice on how to knock off Duke: don't give Redick any space beyond the arc. Make him drive to the hoop and initiate contact. He might pile up the points, and draw a number of fouls early, but he's a small body, and will likely wear down as the game goes on. A tired, ineffective Redick gives LSU their best chance to win.

• The Texas-WVU matchup should be a good one too. The #2 seed Longhorns are long on talent, led by future lottery picks PJ Tucker and LaMarcus Aldridge. On the other hand, the Mountaineers have senior leadership and talent, and made the Elite Eight last year. Texas won their regular season matchup by 1 point, so there's no reason to think this one couldn't go either way. Both teams have looked really good in the tournament too so far, so I'm calling this one a toss-up. I have Texas moving on in my bracket, but a WVU win would not surprise me at all. It wouldn't be too dissapointing either, as I don't think anyone's ready for the Kevin Pittsnogle era to end.

• Memphis has the path of least resistance to the Elite Eight, taking on 13th-seeded Bradley. The Braves are gamers, but the Tigers are head and shoulders above them in talent. Bradley could hang with them for most of the game, but I don't see any reason why Memphis won't be comfortably ahead in the final minutes. Look for a 7-10 point spread, minimum.

• Gonzaga-UCLA is going to be one to watch. The 'Zags struggled in Round 1, eking out a win over Xavier largely on the heroics of Adam Morrison. Conversely, they beat Indiana in Round 2 despite a subpar game for their star player. So which Morrison shows up for the Sweet 16? Also, which UCLA Bruins squad shows up, the one that annihilated Belmont or the one that was lucky to squeak out a win over Alabama? I'm rooting for Gonzaga to win, not just because I like them, but I also need them to move on to have any hope of winning my pool. As for the actual result, I think if the Zags get 25 for Morrison, and double digits from 2 other guys, they're in good shape. If UCLA's defense stifles them, it could get ugly in a hurry.

Final note, props to ESPN for their March Madness page.

If you're an Insider who entered their pool, your Final Four picks show up alongside those of their experts. Seeing my name next to Dick Vitale's was pretty awesome.



That's it from me. I'm away at a conference for the next couple of days, so I'm probably out of commission until the weekend. Enjoy the games everyone!

Yankee Hater

I hate the New York Yankees, and stuff like this is why. I wonder if George even realizes that we all can't be as lucky as him, and have Daddy leave us a fortune.

My favorite part is that there are in fact TWO sites devoted to hating the Yankees. First there is YankeesHater.com, the "original" Yankee Haters page. Then there is Yankee-Hater.com, another fine site. I hope this dude wins his lawsuit, just so I can post on this again.

Baseball Preview: Reviewing the National League Off-Season Moves

We began our 2006 Baseball Preview yesterday with a review of the American League Off-Season. Today, we follow up with a review of the National League's moves.

First, a correction from yesterday. I inadvertanly listed Jeromy Burnitz as an acquisition of the Baltimore Orioles when he actually signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. I apologize for the error, but Burnitz is listed with his proper team today. Now, on to the preview:

Arizona
In: C Johnny Estrada, RHP Orlando Hernandez, RHP Luis Vizcaino, OF Chris Young (prospect), 2B Orlando Hudson, RHP Miguel Batista, OF Eric Byrnes, OF Jeff DaVanon
Out: RHP Lance Cormier, RHP Oscar Villareal, RHP Tim Worrell, LHP Shawn Estes, RHP Javier Vasquez, INF Alex Cintron

Summary: The D-Backs had a quiet start to the off-season, as the new front office settled in. Of course, with the plethora of prospects in the organization, you couldn't blame them for sitting back, but they did end up adding a couple of quality young players and a strong veteran presence to the major league club.

Chris Young was a nice pickup (and Byrnes a great stopgap until he’s ready), while El Duque can mentor the staff, and Vizcaino’s a great addition to the bullpen. Hudson is a Gold Glover at Second, while Batista can be a serviceable member of either the rotation or bullpen. I like the addition of Estrada as well. He was an All-Star two years ago, and is still one of the more productive Catchers in the league.

Grade – B+. They got a good return on Vasquez and Glaus, while made a couple of moves to shore up the major league roster without sacrificing anything from the farm. The Josh Byrnes era in Arizona is off to a good start.

Atlanta
In: SS Edgar Renteria, RHP Oscar Villareal, RHP Lance Cormier, RHP Wes Obermueller, C Todd Pratt
Out: C Johnny Estrada, RHP Kyle Farnsworth, SS Rafael Furcal, 3B Andy Marte, RHP Danny Kolb, 1B Julio Franco

Summary: They traded a former all-star catcher and a reliever who had close to 40 saves in 2004 for three relievers who have ERA’s over 5. Normally, I’d rip these moves to shreds, but John Schuerholz has made enough shrewd moves over the years that I’ll defer passing judgement on these acquisitions until Memorial Day. Ditto with Edgar Renteria. I’m happy he’s out of Boston, but I’ll give him a chance to get on the field before I label him ‘over the hill’. He could very well rebound now that he’s playing in a lower-pressure atmosphere. The loss of Farnsworth should not be overlooked either. He proved last year that he can close, and while Chris Reitsma may have potential as a Closer, his presence means the Atlanta bullpen begins the season as a question mark, much like it has for the past decade and a half.

Grade – C. They didn’t add any impact players, but score points for getting Boston to pick up a decent chunk of Renteria’s salary. I give them a ‘C’ mostly because John Schuerholz is in the rare stratus of Executives to whom I will always give the benefit of the doubt. (The other charter members of the club are Lou Lamoriello, Pierre Lacroix, Scott Pioli, Billy Beane, Pat Riley, and R.C. Buford). Between the losses of Furcal, Farnsworth, and Marte, they would have earned a D+ at best with anyone else as General Manager.

Chicago Cubs
In: LHP Scott Eyre, RHP Bobby Howry, OF Juan Pierre, OF John Mabry, OF Jacque Jones, RHP Wade Miller, OF Marquis Grissom (Minor-League Contract)
Out: LHP Sergio Mitre, OF Jeromy Burnitz, SS Nomar Garciaparra, OF Corey Patterson

Summary: They moved quickly to shore up the bullpen, adding Bobby Howry as the set-up man and Scott Eyre as the left-handed specialist to bridge the gap to Closer Ryan Dempster. The outfield also receives a makeover, as the once-promising Corey Patterson is shuttled out, and Juan Pierre and Jacque Jones come in. John Mabry is nice insurance in case youngster Matt Murton isn’t ready to play full-time. In Wade Miller, the Cubs add a power arm who has a history of getting injured. They already have two players who fit that description, and are far more talented than Miller is. Their names are Mark Prior and Kerry Wood.

Grade – B. I like the bullpen moves a lot, and Pierre should score a lot of runs hitting in front of Ramirez and Lee. I’m not completely sold on Jones, but he adds a much needed left-handed bat to the lineup. Still, I’d feel better if they had added a true left-handed slugger, and a veteran starter (who can stay healthy) to provide depth.

Cincinnati
In: LHP Dave Williams, 2B/OF Tony Womack, RHP Bronson Arroyo, LHP Chris Hammond, RHP Grant Balfour, RHP Rick White, 1B Scott Hatteberg
Out: 1B Sean Casey, OF Wily Mo Pena

Summary: They needed to move an outfielder or first basemen, and ended up moving both. Williams is a decent pitcher, as is Bronson Arroyo, and frankly neither of them can be worse than Eric Milton. Arroyo is moving from one hitter’s park to another, but could see his numbers improve simply because he no longer faces the Designater Hitter on a regular basis.

I wonder if giving up both Casey and Pena was a mistake. This now leaves them with an outfield of Adam Dunn (who can also play First), Austin Kearns, the injury-prone Ken Griffey Jr., with Scott Hatteberg playing First. If someone gets hurt, they’re left with Utility Man Ryan Freel to provide depth. Also, while Arroyo and Williams can be good pitchers, their best served being slotted towards the back end of the rotation. The Reds needed a front of the rotation starter, and failed. Let’s face it, a rotation with Arroyo, Williams, Aaron Harang and Eric Milton isn’t scaring anyone, especially the loaded offenses in the NL Central.

Grade – D+. They added some nice pieces, but cut into their Outfield depth, and didn’t add anyone who figures to make their club appreciably better.

Colorado
In: C Yorvit Torrealba, RHP Jose Mesa, LHP Ray King, INF Jamey Carroll
Out: OF Larry Bigbie, 2B Aaron Miles, RHP Dan Miceli

Summary: They’ve added two veteran arms to their bullpen, but failed to add anyone of significance to the rest of their roster. New acquisition Yorvit Torrealba is penciled in as the every day Catcher, but he’s never played more than 80 games in a season, so it remains to be seen if he can hold up and be even an average performer.

If this team makes even marginal gains in the standings, it will be because of the progression of young players like Clint Barmes, Matt Holliday, Jeff Francis, and Brian Fuentes. They would have been well-served to follow the lead of the Kansas City Royals and invest in short-term, low cost veterans to mentor this group. Instead, they brought in two unproven position players and two relievers who are pushing 40.

Grade – D-. With the young core of players the Rockies have, it’s not inconceivable that they could be a contender in the next couple of years; they missed a chance this off-season to help move that process along.

Florida
In: INF Pokey Reese, RHP Joe Borowski, C Miguel Olivo, 3B Wes Helms, INF Alfredo Amezaga, Prospects – 1B Mike Jacobs, LHP Sergio Mitre, SS Hanley Ramirez, and others
Out: RHP Josh Beckett, RHP Guillermo Mota, 3B Mike Lowell, 2B Luis Castillo, SS Alex Gonzales, RHP AJ Burnett, RHP Todd Jones, OF Juan Encarnacion, 1B/OF Jeff Conine, RHP Antonio Alfonseca, C Paul LoDuca, OF Juan Pierre, the few remaining fans in Miami.

Summary: Where do we start? They began the off-season looking to trim their payroll from $68 million to $55 million by opening day. They pretty much accomplished that by dumping Delgado, Beckett, and Lowell, but while everyone was still figuring out those moves, cutting payroll turned into a full-scale fire sale. They ended up trading all of their regulars except Miguel Cabrera, plus two of their top three starters, their closer, and their main setup man. They did manage to acquire a pretty good haul of prospects in return, but the major league roster is a mess. They figure to start youngsters at every position, with only Wes Helms and Miguel Olivo on the bench to provide depth and veteran leadership. The rotation is just as unproven, and the bullpen is a mixture of inexperienced youngsters and castoffs from other teams.

On the bright side, Right Fielder Jeremy Hermida and First Baseman Mike Jacobs looked good in their late-season call-ups last year.

Grade: F. I might have given them a C for the prospects they acquired in the fire sale, but the fact that they will be fielding a terrible team in 2006 and the likelihood that they’ve killed major league baseball in South Florida for good outweights it all.

Houston
In: OF Preston Wilson,
Out: RHP Roger Clemens, INF Jose Vizcaino

Summary: The Astros made it all the way to the World Series despite an anemic offense; Preston Wilson doesn’t make it any better. They better hope for continued progression from the likes of Willy Tavares and Jason Lane if they’re hoping for an offensive boost.

On the pitching front, the loss of Clemens is huge. They don’t have anyone who is remotely capable of filling the void if he doesn’t return in May, which is looking less likely. There are also questions about Brad Lidge after his shaky performance in the playoffs last year.

Grade: D. They didn’t do anything to make their club better. If Clemens returns, this goes up to a ‘C’.

Los Angeles Dodgers
In: SS Rafael Furcal, C Sandy Alomar Jr., 3B Bill Mueller, SS/Util Nomar Garciaparra, OF Kenny Lofton, RHP Brett Tomko, RHP Danys Baez, RHP Lance Carter, RHP Jae Seo, LHP Tim Hamulack
Out: RHP Darren Dreifort, INF Jose Valentin, C Paul Bako, RHP Elmer Dessens, INF Antonio Perez, OF Milton Bradley, RHP Edwin Jackson, RHP Duaner Sanchez, RHP Steven Schmoll, RHP Jeff Weaver

Summary: New Manager Grady Little is hardly the only new face in Los Angeles this spring. The Dodgers added four new regulars, and a handful of new pitchers.

Rafael Furcal adds speed, defense, and hitting prowess to the top of the Dodgers lineup. Mueller is a solid addition to the infield, and will provide stability and leadership. Kenny Lofton still has some gas left in the tank, but should be used as a platoon player, as should the declining Jose Cruz Jr. Unfortunately, both young outfielders on the Dodgers’ roster, Jason Repko and Jayson Werth, failed to hit for average, leading to concern about how much they can contribute. If Nomar stays healthy, he should hit the ball well, and let’s be honest, his defense at First can’t be worse than it was at Short.

On the pitching front, Danys Baez adds even more depth to the bullpen, and has proven himself to be an able Closer; he’ll be a more than adequate replacement if Eric Gagne struggles returning from his injury. Brett Tomko and Jae Seo are nice back of the rotation guys, but don’t figure to be key players.

Grade: B. They might have overpayed, but Furcal is an all-star. While he won’t add much at the plate on in the field, Alomar is a going to be a great presence in the clubhouse, mentoring young backstop Dioner Navarro. Mueller is solid and Nomar should help, offensively at least. They also get points for not breaking up their strong farm system.

Milwaukee
In: RHP Danny Kolb, RHP Dave Bush, OF Gabe Gross, 3B Corey Koskie
Out: RHP Wes Obermueller, 1B Lyle Overbay, 2B Junior Spivey

Summary: They failed to add anyone of consequence for Overbay, and reacquired Danny Kolb in hopes that there’s something about Milwaukee that just makes him a good pitcher. Corey Koskie is a player, and could thrive in Milwaukee.

Grade – C. As much as I like Koskie, I can’t overlook the fact that they received a poor return on Overbay, and haven’t added anyone else to complement their core of young players, unless Danny Kolb returns to his 2004 form.

NY Mets
In: OF Xavier Nady, 1B Carlos Delgado, OF Tike Redman, LHP Billy Wagner, C Paul LoDuca, INF Jose Valentin, 1B Julio Franco, OF Endy Chavez, RHP Chad Bradford, RHP Duaner Sanchez, RHP Steven Schmoll, RHP Jorge Julio, RHP John Maine, RHP Jose Lima and LHP Darren Olver (Minor-League Contracts)
Out: OF Mike Cameron, 1B Mike Jacobs, INF Marlon Anderson, 2B Miguel Cairo, RHP Braden Looper, RHP Roberto Hernandez, C Mike Piazza, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, INF Jose Offerman, LHP Tim Hamulack, RHP Jae Seo, RHP Kris Benson

Summary: Where to start? The Mets were the stars of the off-season, bringing in Wagner and Delgado in high-profile moves. They added complimentary pieces like LoDuca and Nady, then rebuilt the bullpen in front of their new closer by adding Jorge Julio, Chad Bradford, and Duaner Sanchez.

A lineup featuring Beltran, Wright, Delgado, and Floyd in the 3-6 spots is lethal, especially if Jose Reyes can get on base in front of them. With the departure of Kris Benson, the aging of Tom Glavine, and Pedro Martinez’ injury concerns, the rotation looks weaker than it was last year, so they will have to hope that the rebuilt bullpen can pick up the slack.

Grade – B. They’ve made some good moves, but I’m always wary of teams with this much turnover. Their defense looks to have regressed as well, which will be a concern for groundball pitchers like Tom Glavine (to say nothing of the fact that Shea is a pitcher’s park in general). Nonetheless, the addition of Delgado and Wagner earns them a pretty decent grade.

Philadelphia
In: RHP Tom Gordon, OF Aaron Rowand, INF Abraham Nunez, LHP Arthur Rhodes, C Sal Fasano, RHP Ryan Franklin, INF Alex S. Gonzales
Out: LHP Billy Wagner, 1B Jim Thome, OF Kenny Lofton, RHP Ugueth Urbina, RHP Vicente Padilla, OF Endy Chavez, OF Jason Michaels, C Todd Pratt

Summary: They lost Wagner to the Mets, and replaced him by signing 38 year old setup man Tom Gordon to a 3 year deal. They also added Arthur Rhodes to set-up for him. They swapped Thome and got a solid Centerfielder (Rowand) in return, though their outfield depth was hurt with the losses of Lofton, Chavez, and Michaels. I like the Abraham Nunez pickup a lot; I predict that he’ll be starting ahead of David Bell by May at the very latest.

Grade – C-. I would probably have given them a B for the Rowand and Nunez acquisitions, and an F for their bullpen moves, so a C- seems like a nice compromise. I have zero faith in Tom Gordon to make it through even one year of his three-year deal, and I’ve seen Arthur Rhodes blow too many important games to think he can help carry the load.

Pittsburgh
In: 1B Sean Casey, LHP Damaso Marte, RHP Roberto Hernandez, 3B Joe Randa, OF Jeromy Burnitz
Out: RHP Jose Mesa, LHP Dave Williams, LHP Mark Redman, OF Tike Redman, Util Ron Mackowiak, 1B Daryle Ward, RHP Rick White, INF Alfredo Amezaga

Summary: Sean Casey is a talented player who’s a good character as well; he’s exactly the type of player a young team like the Pirates should add. Joe Randa and Jeromy Burnitz are decent placeholders as well, though they could crash and burn at any moment.

Jose Mesa was a good closer in Pittsburgh, and they’re counting on youngster Mike Gonzales to fill the void. They did acquire Hernandez and Marte to add experience and depth to the bullpen, which was a good move.

Grade – C+. This grade is largely because of the Casey acquisition, but also because they managed to find a taker for Mark Redman’s salary, and avoided signing any mediocre veterans to the type of long-term, high-paying contract that has been crippling their payroll (and roster) for the past ten years. If there are any Pirates fans reading this, the name Derek Bell probably jumps to mind. Maybe Pat Meares too.

St. Louis
In: OF Larry Bigbie, 2B Aaron Miles, LHP Ricardo Rincon, RHP Braden Looper, RHP Sidney Ponson, OF Juan Encarnacion, 2B Junior Spivey, C Gary Bennett, INF Deivi Cruz, RHP Jeff Nelson (Minor-League Contract)
Out: LHP Ray King, INF Abraham Nunez, OF John Mabry, OF Larry Walker (retired), RHP Cal Eldred (retired), 2B Mark Grudzielanek, OF Reggie Sanders, RHP Julian Tavarez, RHP Matt Morris

Summary: There was a lot of turnover in St. Louis this off-season, with 3 regulars and 3 key members of the pitching staff moving on. I may be in the minority, but I think they did a good job of replacing these players. The only move I question is letting Mark Grudzielanek go. I’m not sold on Aaron Miles, but he’s still young enough to come around, and Junior Spivey has a history of inconsistency.

I love the addition of Juan Encarnacion. He’s played on championship clubs, and has proven himself to be a nice complementary offensive player. He’ll take over nicely for Reggie Sanders. They’re counting on the combination of Bigbie/So Taguchi and John Rodriguez to make up for the loss of Walker, which is probably a stretch. Nonetheless, a full season of Scott Rolen and progress from the likes of Catcher Yadier Molina could help make up for it as well.

On the pitching front, they let Matt Morris and his Harrison Ford in ‘The Fugitive’ beard walk, and are hoping that reclamation project Sidney Ponson can help fill the void. I like the additions of Braden Looper and Ricardo Rincon in the bullpen. I see them as big improvements over Julian Tavarez and Ray King.

Grade – B. I’m worried about them replacing Walker and Grudzelianek, but that’s it. The Cards did a good job of keeping themselves in contention. If they win 100 games, I may move Walt Jockety into my ‘Benefit of the Doubt’ club.

San Diego
In: 3B Vinny Castilla, INF Geoff Blum, OF Mike Cameron, RHP Dewon Brazelton, C Doug Mirabelli, 2B Mark Bellhorn, RHP Chris Young, OF Termell Sledge, 1B Adrian Gonzales (Prospect), RHP Doug Brocail, LHP Shawn Estes, INF Mark Bellhorn, C Mike Piazza
Out: RHP Brian Lawrence, OF Xavier Nady, 3B Sean Burroughs, 2B Mark Loretta, C Ramon Hernandez, 1B Mark Sweeney, INF Damian Jackson, 3B Joe Randa, RHP Rudy Seanez, C Robert Fick, RHP Adam Eaton, RHP Akinori Otsuka, RHP Rudy Seanez, LHP Chris Hammond, RHP Pedro Astacio

Summary: The Padres did well getting Brian Giles and Trevor Hoffman to resign at a home town discount, but I’m not sure how much their other moves improve the club at all. Swapping Nady for Cameron is an upgrade, as Cameron’s defense makes him a real asset in Petco, but giving up Brian Lawrence and Mark Loretta for an aging third basemen and backup catcher are questionable moves. They won’t see much of a dropoff giving up Adam Eaton in exchange for Chris Young, but their bullpen took a real hit losing Otsuka and Seanez without bringing in any new blood. I also wonder how much Piazza and Bellhorn have left as every day players, and if prospects Adrian Gonzales and Termell Sledge will ever establish themselves in the bigs.

Grade - C+. I have a lot of questions about how effective their moves will be. Nonetheless, resigning their key players and adding Cameron is enough to earn a slightly above average grade.

San Francisco
In: RHP Tim Worrell, LHP Steve Kline, 1B Mark Sweeney, RHP Matt Morris, INF Jose Vizcaino, OF Steve Finley
Out: LHP Scott Eyre, RHP LaTroy Hawkins, 1B J.T. Snow, RHP Brett Tomko, 2B/3B Edgardo Alfonzo, OF Marquis Grissom

Summary: They replaced a couple of arms in the bullpen (Worrell, Kline), one to the starting rotation (Morris), swapped one underachieving veteran (Alfonzo) for another (Finley) and added a platoon player (Sweeney), but will otherwise take the field in 2006 with the same lineup they had in 2005 and hope that they can avoid debilitating injuries this time around. They lost Armando Benitez and Barry Bonds for extended periods of time last year, and probably would have won the weak NL West if they had had them full-time. Assuming they stay healthy, and they’re aging lineup doesn’t suddenly collapse, there’s no reason the Giants can’t win the NL West this year.

Grade – C-. I like the addition of Morris, but none of the other moves make the Giants tangibly better.

Washington
In: RHP Brian Lawrence, INF Damian Jackson, 2B/OF Alfonso Soriano, INF Marlon Anderson, LHP Mike Stanton, RHP Ramon Ortiz, RHP Pedro Astacio, C Matthew LeCroy, RHP Felix Rodriguez, 1B Daryle Ward
Out: RHP Esteban Loaiza, 3B Vinny Castilla, OF Brad Wilkerson, OF Termell Sledge, OF Preston Wilson, INF Jamey Carroll, C Gary Bennett, INF Deivi Cruz

Summary: Now that Alfonso Soriano has agreed to play in the Outfield, their off-season moves are looking a lot better. He’ll provide a real boost to the offense, even playing in a pitcher’s park (RFK). Lawrence and Ortiz are decent middle of the rotation pitchers, but the Nats will still miss Esteban Loaiza. Stanton and Rodriguez add depth to the bullpen, while Anderson, LeCroy, and Jackson are depth players at best.

Grade - C. The offense is a bit better, while the rotation is a bit worse. Call it a tradeoff, and give them an average grade.

The best grades go to:
1. Arizona
2. St. Louis
3. NY Mets
4. Chicago
5. Los Angeles

The D-Backs earn a 'B+', while the other 4 earn 'B's. I ranked them from 2-5 in order of likelihood of becoming a playoff team.

While I don't believe they had as strong off-seasons as some of the American League clubs, a number of teams did do a good job of reloading and poising themselves to be contenders in 2006. We'll see how many of them deliver, and how many of them fall short again.

Baseball Preview: Reviewing the American League Off-Season Moves

With Opening Day almost upon us, it’s time to begin the Sports Matters preview of the 2006 Baseball season. Today and tomorrow I will be summarizing, reviewing, and grading the off-season transactions of each team. This post covers the American League, tomorrow’s will cover the National League. Starting next week, we will have division by division previews, culminating in predictions for the coming year. So sit back, enjoy, and get ready for the greatest season of the year, baseball season.

Note: Thanks to Yahoo! Sports for filling me in on a number of the moves that I had missed.

Baltimore Orioles
In: RHP LaTroy Hawkins, C Ramon Hernandez, OF Jeromy Burnitz, 1B Kevin Millar, OF Corey Patterson, RHP Kris Benson, 1B/OF Jeff Conine
Out: LHP Steve Kline, LHP BJ Ryan, OF Sammy Sosa, OF Eli Marerro, OF BJ Surhoff, 1B Rafael Palmeiro, RHP Sidney Ponson, RHP Jorge Julio, RHP John Maine, C Sal Fasano

Summary: They lost closer BJ Ryan, and cleared a lot of older bodies off the roster as well (Surhoff, Sammy, Raffy). In an earlier post, I advocated a full rebuilding process, since they’re not winning anything with their current roster, and I stand by that. Compounding problems is that this year, they seemed unable to attract top free agents (AJ Burnett, Johnny Damon) no matter how much money they throw at them.

Given the above, I see more mediocrity ahead. I can’t see them benefiting from the Hawkins-Kline swap, though Hernandez is a nice pickup, especially if Javy can thrive in the 1B/DH spot. Patterson’s never lived up his potential, and Burnitz and Millar are aging veterans who could end up being as big of busts as Sammy Sosa. On the other hand, I like the addition of Benson; he’s a workhorse in the rotation, and will be a good complement to emerging stars like Daniel Cabrera and Hayden Penn. They also get marks for not panicking and trading star Shortstop Miguel Tejada.

Grade – D. Benson and Hernandez could be players, but they failed to add any impact players. They cleared a lot of dead weight off their roster, but appear to have made minimal gains at best. They weren’t a contender at the end of 2005, and I have no reason to believe that they will be at the beginning of 2006.

**EDIT**: Jeromy Burnitz actually signed in Pittsburgh, so ignore the bit about him here.

Boston Red Sox
In: RHP Josh Beckett, 3B Mike Lowell, 2B Mark Loretta, RHP Jermaine Van Buren, RHP David Riske, C Josh Bard, OF Coco Crisp, OF Wily Mo Pena, RHP Rudy Seanez, 1B J.T. Snow, RHP Julian Tavarez, SS Alex Gonzales
Out: C Doug Mirabelli, SS Edgar Renteria, SS Hanley Ramirez, 1B Kevin Millar, RHP Chad Harville, LHP Mike Myers, 1B John Olerud (retired), 3B Bill Mueller, OF Johnny Damon, LHP Mike Stanton, 3B Andy Marte, C Kelly Shoppach, RHP Guillermo Mota, RHP Bronson Arroyo, C John Flaherty

Summary: The Sox are in the process of a massive turnover on their roster. They’ll begin 2006 with an almost entirely new infield, a reworked bullpen, and a reworked outfield as well. I like the Beckett trade, and think his shoulder will hold up. He should be an All-Star and anchor the rotation. They added a number of arms to the bullpen, but Closer Keith Foulke is still a major question mark, and I’m not convinced that anyone else can close on a regular basis. So while the 6th-8th innings look solid, the 9th is still shaky.

Giving up Andy Marte for Coco Crisp was a steep price to pay, but Marte has yet to prove anything, and Crisp has proven to be a productive hitter. On the other hand, Mike Lowell looks to be past his best before date, and it’s unclear if he can still be an every-day player. I like Alex Gonzales and Mark Loretta as interim measures in the middle infield. Loretta especially should rebound and have a productive year hitting in front of Papi and Manny. As for First Base, Youkilis needs to prove that he can be an every day player, as J.T. Snow is a nice spot starter and defensive substitution at this point in his career, but nothing more. They will be in real trouble if either Youk or Lowell struggles.

The Pena trade adds depth to the Outfield. I’m still not sold on him, but between him and Adam Stern, there’s decent depth.

Grade – C+. They managed to fill all their needs, except finding insurance in case Foulke can’t close. Still, they paid a heavy price to acquire many of their new players, and may soon have a glaring need for a corner infielder as well. The Sox could be really good, or could bust, so I can’t give them anything better than an average grade.

Chicago White Sox
In: 1B/DH Jim Thome, Util Ron Mackowiak, RHP Javier Vasquez, INF Alex Cintron, LHP Matt Thornton
Out: OF Aaron Rowand, LHP Damaso Marte, INF Geoff Blum, DH Frank Thomas, OF/DH Carl Everett, RHP Orlando Hernandez, RHP Luis Vizcaino, OF Chris Young (prospect), OF Joe Borchard

Summary: They swapped clubhouse favorite Rowand for Jim Thome, coming off an injury plagued year. If he can approach his numbers of old, he’ll be an improvement at the DH spot. Vasquez is a nice pickup, and becomes the best 5th starter in the majors. The best move they made was resigning Paul Konerko. They also signed Jon Garland to a three-year extension for just under $10 mil a year, which is a good move in the short-term. Things are looking up in the South Side with two of their best having agreed to short-term extensions.

This team looks ready to defend their title. The only thing they might want to look for is a 4th outfielder to provide some insurance in case Brian Anderson isn’t ready to take over Centerfield.

Grade – A. They had a stellar off-season. They also have the organizational depth to make a trade for a Centerfielder or DH if necessary, so don’t bet against a repeat from the South Side squad.

Cleveland
In: RHP Paul Byrd, RHP Jason Johnson, RHP Danny Graves and RHP Steve Karsay (Minor League Contracts), OF Jason Michaels, RHP Guillermo Mota, C Kelly Shoppach, 3B Andy Marte, 1B Eduardo Perez
Out: RHP Bobby Howry, RHP Scott Elarton, RHP Kevin Millwood, LHP Arthur Rhodes, OF Coco Crisp, RHP David Riske, C Josh Bard

Summary: They resigned closer Bob Wickman after striking out in the Trevor Hoffman sweepstakes. Paul Byrd and Jason Johnson are workhorses who should respectively be an adequate replacement and an upgrade over Kevin Millwood and Scott Elarton.

I like the acquisition of Guillermo Mota. He was lights out before getting hurt last June, then struggled coming off his injury. With a winter to recover, I see him reverting to previous form, which will more than make up for Bobby Howry’s departure. Mota’s also proven that he can close if Wickman’s struggles.

I like the depth that Jason Michaels adds, and while they will miss Coco Crisp, Andy Marte could be an All-Star.

Grade – B+. The Indians have a lot of great young talent, and they did a good job of building that core and adding supporting players this past off-season. They came close to winning the Wild Card last season, and I think they’ll be right in the thick of it again.

Detroit
In: RHP Todd Jones, LHP Kenny Rogers, RHP Matt Mantei (Minor-League Contract)
Out: RHP Jason Johnson, 2B Fernando Vina, OF/DH Rondell White

Summary: They signed a closer and replaced Johnson in the rotation, though failed to make the big splash they have the past two years (Rodriguez and Ordonez). Do Todd Jones and Kenny Rogers bring them any closer to contention? I don’t think so. On the other hand, Jim Leyland’s a good addition as Manager.

Grade – D+. Would have been a D-minus without Leyland. I don’t think this club will be any better this year than it was last year.

Kansas City
In: LHP Mark Redman, RHP Elmer Dessens, RHP Scott Elarton, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, 2B Mark Grudzielanek, C Paul Bako, RHP Joe Mays, OF Reggie Sanders
Out: RHP Jose Lima, RHP Scott Sullivan

Summary: They added 2 4th starters (Elarton and Redman) and a mediocre reliever (Dessens) to a pitching staff that needs front-line talent. What more can I say? They’ve also upgraded their infield defense (Mientkiewicz and Grudzielanek), but with questionable offensive returns. Reggie Sanders is a great complimentary player, but can’t carry the offensive load on his own. I’d feel a lot better about these additions if they were closer to being a contender, but the good thing is that none of these deals are for the long-term.

Grade – D+. Adding mediocre veterans to an already sub-par squad won’t get them anywhere. The Royals may make slight gains, but won’t come close to contending, especially in the deep AL Central.

Los Angeles Angels
In: RHP Hector Carrasco, LHP JC Romero, RHP Jeff Weaver, 2B/3B Edgardo Alfonzo
Out: RHP Paul Byrd, LHP Jarrod Washburn, C Benjie Molina, OF Steve Finley, OF Jeff DaVanon

Summary: They added a left-handed arm to the pen, and are counting on Jeff Weaver to pick up where Paul Byrd left off in the rotation. They’ll miss Benjie Molina in the short-term, too. If Jeff Mathes can’t step in as they every day catcher, they’ll see a steep drop-off in production with Jose Molina in the lineup.

The underachieving Alfonzo is a nice insurance pickup in case Dallas McPherson struggles, though their outfield depth took a hit with the loss of DaVanon and Finley. But on the pitching front, their already deep bullpen looks much stronger. Weaver was a nice addition, but if Ervin Santana doesn’t become more consistent, their rotation could struggle.

Grade – C. This team has as many question marks now as it did last year.

Minnesota
In: 2B Luis Castillo, OF/DH Rondell White, 3B Tony Batista, OF Ruben Sierra (Minor-League Contract)
Out: RHP Joe Mays, LHP JC Romero, OF Jacque Jones, RHP Grant Balfour, C Matthew LeCroy

Summary: Castillo adds speed at the top of the order, while they’ll be depending on White to increase the power in the middle of their lineup. Batista could crack the starting lineup, but is on the downside of his career.

Grade: D+. They might have overpayed for Castillo, and there were better options than White available on the market. They also failed to replace Romero, the left-handed specialist, in their bullpen. I don’t think they’ve done enough to keep up with the Sox and Indians in this division.

NY Yankees
In: C Kelly Stinnet, RHP Kyle Farnsworth, LHP Mike Myers, OF Johnny Damon, 2B Miguel Cairo, RHP Octavio Dotel
Out: RHP Tom Gordon, 2B/OF Tony Womack, RHP Kevin Brown, LHP Alan Embree, C John Flaherty, 1B Tino Martinez, OF Matt Lawton, OF/DH Ruben Sierra, RHP Felix Rodriguez

Summary: They replaced Flaherty, Gordon, and Embree with Stinnet, Farnsworth, and Myers – respectively a wash, upgrade, and unknown. Johnny Damon can cover more ground than Bernie in Centerfield, but his arm is a liability. In any case, he has at least a couple of more productive offensive years left in him.

The bullpen looks better than it has been in years. Farnsworth is lights out, and Dotel is poised for a comeback. Whether Myers can face more than 1-2 batters at a time (and any Right-Handed hitters) remains to be seen. Damon should help the offense, and Miguel Cairo is nice insurance in the infield.

Grade – A-. It remains to be seen if Damon can handle the New York pressure. The Yanks also failed to add any depth to their injury-prone rotation. Otherwise, I have to hand it to them for a strong off-season.

Oakland
In: RHP Esteban Loaiza, INF Antonio Perez, OF Milton Bradley, 1B/DH Frank Thomas
Out: RHP Octavio Dotel, 1B/DH Scott Hatteberg, 1B/DH Erubiel Durazo, LHP Ricardo Rincon

Summary: The addition of Loaiza gives them a rotation that rivals that of the White Sox as best in the league. Milton Bradley is a talented player who’s been plagued by clubhouse and off-the-field conflicts; if he can get rid of those, he should thrive in Oakland. Frank Thomas still has some pop in his bat, but has struggled with injuries in recent years. He could still be an asset, if they can get at least 300 at bats out of him.

Grade – B+. Loaiza and Bradley – assuming he stays sane – are great additions to a team that’s on the cusp of returning to the playoffs. If they stay healthy, they’ll be right in the thick of the playoff race, and could very well be the favorites to win the AL West. Billy Beane did a great job this off-season.

Seattle
In: C Kenji Johjima, OF/DH Carl Everett, LHP Jarrod Washburn, OF Matt Lawton, OF Joe Borchard
Out: C Yorvit Torrealba, SS Pokey Reese, RHP Shigetoshi Hasegawa, LHP Matt Thornton, RHP Ryan Franklin, RHP Jeff Nelson

Summary: Johjima is a talented catcher who should excel – the M’s aren’t worried about communication problems with him and the staff. Having Ichiro as a teammate should help him transition as well. Carl Everett played well in Chicago last year, and could be a good complimentary player around Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson; as a switch-hitter he also provides a much needed left-handed presence in the middle of the order. On the pitching front, they resigned Jamie Moyer, who’s an excellent mentor for this staff, and added Jarrod Washburn, who could be an asset if he stays healthy.

Grade: B-. It would be higher, but 9 million and change a year for Washburn is too much.

Tampa Bay
In: RHP Chad Harville, 3B Sean Burroughs, RHP Edwin Jackson, C Josh Paul, INF Ty Wiggington, RHP Shinji Mori, RHP Dan Miceli, INF Russell Branyan (Minor-League Contract)
Out: RHP Dewon Brazelton, OF Danny Bautista, RHP Danys Baez, RHP Lance Carter, 1B Eduardo Perez, INF Alex S. Gonzales

Summary: Moving Danys Baez was the only notable move; the rest represent minor changes to the young roster. The Rays resigned Rocco Baldelli to a long-term deal, which is a good move. Edwin Jackson has potential as a starter, if he pans out it will make the Baez trade worthwhile.

Grade – C. A few decent moves, but the Rays didn’t make dramatic upgrades to either their major league roster or their farm system. They didn’t make themselves appreciably worse, either, so an average grade seems in order.

Texas
In: OF Brad Wilkerson, OF Termell Sledge, RHP Vicente Padilla, RHP Adam Eaton, RHP Akinori Otsuka, RHP Kevin Millwood, DH Erubiel Durazo (Minor-League Contract)
Out: 2B Alfonso Soriano, OF Richard Hidalgo, RHP Steve Karsay, LHP Kenny Rogers, C Sandy Alomar Jr., RHP Chris Young, OF Termell Sledge, 1B Adrian Gonzales (Prospect)

Summary: They entered the off-season looking to upgrade their pitching, but instead began by adding 2 more bodies to an already crowded outfield in exchange for their all-star second basemen. Following up on that trade, they swapped a young starter, outfielder, and 1B prospect (who was very expendable because of Teixera), to add a more established starter (one who’s going into his free agent year) and a setup man for the bullpen. They followed that up by paying $60 million for an injury-prone Starter who has just passed the wrong side of 30.

Grade – C. The Eaton swap was questionable, as he does not figure to be a great improvement over Young, but will nonetheless command a much higher salary – assuming he stays in Arlington past next fall. They don’t have a proven Second Baseman, and still need to sort out the crowded outfield. Additionally, there are serious questions about the durability of Millwood and Padilla. However, if these moves pan out, they should be right in the thick of the playoff race; but for now, there are too many question marks.

Toronto
In: LHP BJ Ryan, RHP AJ Burnett, 1B Lyle Overbay, INF John McDonald, 3B Troy Glaus, C Benjie Molina, RHP Ben Weber and C Jason Phillips (Minor-League Contracts)
Out: RHP Dave Bush, OF Gabe Gross, 2B Orlando Hudson, RHP Miguel Batista, 3B Corey Koskie

Summary: They were the movers and shakers in the AL, spending $102 million to lock up a closer and 2nd Starter for the next five years. They also stole Lyle Overbay from Milwaukee for spare parts. Troy Glaus and Benjie Molina are solid pickups that add some more pop to the lineup. They will miss O-Dog’s defense at Second, but their offense should improve by leaps and bounds.

Grade – A-. They made a lot of great moves, but I’m concerned about how Burnett will hold up, and how they’re going to find Molina at bats, since the pitching staff are big fans of keeping Gregg Zaun on the field. Great job by J.P. Ricciardi, his team is ready to compete for the championship.

To Summarize, the best off-seasons were had by:
1. Chicago
2. Toronto
3. New York
4. Oakland
5. Cleveland

2 of these teams were playoff teams last year, and the other 3 were right on the cusp. I don't think any of the non-contenders from last year did enough to bring themselves into the playoff race, while the aforementioned five are contenders who did the best job of improving their chances at a championship.

Will the same pattern hold for the National League off-season? Tune in tomorrow.

SportsMatters: Proudly Albertan

I am happy to say that SportsMatters is now a member of Alberta Blogs. Welcome to those who may come our way through the blogroll. SportsMatters is owned and operated by six Albertans. In this group you'll find fans of the Oiler, Flames, Stampeders, Eskimos, Golden Bears, Trappers, Drillers, Mark Messier, Jackie Parker, Bret Hart, and Don Getty (both the athlete and the Premier). I should note that none of us like the Dinos (we are all UofA boys), and that I have had a crush on the St. Albert Saints mascot for most of my young life. He's just so husky, and incorrigible to boot. How could I resist? Needless to say, the team's move to Spruce Grove, and the creation of a new team logo, left me bed-ridden for a good three weeks. I was despondent.

As well, here is a link to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. Our province has a long history of athletic success, from the Edmonton Grads to Johnny Bucyk, from John Ducey to the Edmonton Oilers. I hear that they win things occasionally in that town south of Balzac, as well. What's the name of that charming little saloon town, again?

Et tu, Adam?

Adam Viniatieri is set to become an Indianapolis Colt.

This is devastating news, not just because the Patriots are losing a great kicker, but because he's going to the Indianapolis fucking Colts, of all teams. It was bad enough seeing them whip in the Pats in Foxboro this year, but now we get this move as an additional kick in the junk.

I'm just devastated right now. And as upset as I am, I can only imagine what the people calling in to WEEI have to say.

I may crawl into a hole and stay there until Opening Day.

But first...an image of happier times.

ACT-lete

A joke I made in a BoA thread sent me on a wild search of all things Statler & Waldorf. Little did I know, the dynamic duo have a weekly video on Movies.com. Check out the Muppets crew running wild on sports movies. It's Fantastic!

In fact, if you click on the link on the bottom left of the page, the guys riff on a bunch of Sports Movies.

Running The Gauntlet

gauntlet

Function: noun
Etymology: by folk etymology from gantelope

a double file of men facing each other and armed with clubs or other weapons with which to strike at an individual who is made to run between them

The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks face off three times this week, in what are likely be make-or-break games for both sides. The Oilers are currently in 6th place in the Western Conference, one point behind Colorado and five points behind Calgary. In their last 10 games, the Oilers have a record of 4-3-3. The Canucks fell into 9th place in the Western Conference last night, but are still only a point behind Edmonton, two behind Colorado, and six behind Calgary. Key injuries and the total disappearance of Todd Bertuzzi seem to be crushing the Canucks, who are 3-6-1 in their last ten. The Western Conference is still tighter than Bill Wirtz, however, and no team in the Northwest Division is dominating their opponents. Calgary is 5-4-1 in their last ten. Colorado is 5-5-0. If either the Oilers or the Canucks were to win all three games, for example, it would go a long way in solidifying their playoff chances.


Speaking of chances, Tyler at mc79hockey.com has all the odds on each team in the NHL making the playoffs this year. It is to be updated daily, and will remain at the top of his page for the rest of the year. Now if only Tyler were to run the odds of his blog getting a better name than "mc79hockey". This is how I see it breaking down:

Blog Name	Odds
Great Pythagorean Expectations	12.4%
Value Over Jamie Lundmark (VOJL)	37.2%
Sabre-Metrics: The Art of Winning a Fair Game	18.3%
You Down With OBP? Ya, You Know Me!	32.1%

The Oilers and Canuck have played each other five times already this year, with the Oilers winning all five games. One was in a shootout, and the other was won in overtime. I actually had no idea about this statistic until I looked at the schedule, but it warms my Vancouver-hating heart. The first game is Tuesday night in Edmonton, with the second game on Thursday night in Vancouver. The season-series wraps in Vancouver on Saturday night, live on Hockey Night in Canada. Hopefully—and I can't believe I am saying this—Greg Millen will return as the colour man for that game. Hearing Ron Tugnutt sputter through another three hours of inanities is about as pleasurable as, well, having Bill Wirtz tug on my nuts for three hours. Ideally, I’d have Damon Killian call the match, but you can't always get what you want.

Damon Killian: There are still plenty of snipers out there. Who do you think will make the next goal?
Kelly Hrudey: Oh my. That's a tough one.
Damon Killian: Come on, Kelly. You can do it. Who do you think?
Kelly Hrudey: Alright, I think the next goal will be made by... Georges Laraques.
Damon Killian: No, no. Kelly, Laraques is a fighter. You have to pick a scorer.
Kelly Hrudey: I can pick anyone I choose. And I choose... Georges Laraques. That boy is one mean motherfucker.

Canucks and Oiler games are my personal favorites, and I find that unlikely to change this week with the two teams playing three games in five nights, with everything on the line. The Oilers have been playing some particularly uninspired hockey as of late, and my confidence in Sir Dwayne: The Unsound Mound of Rebounds has been rattled. I don't know what I was ever thinking, advocating the Oilers pick up a goaltender whose mug shot is so eerily similar to that bug-eyed lawyer whose infomercial runs on Channel 5 all day long. Here’s hoping the Oilers can run through Captain Freedom (Markus Naslund), Buzzsaw (Todd Bertuzzi), Fireball (Anson Carter), Dynamo (Jarkko Ruutu) and Subzero (Alex Auld) on their way to a 4 or 5 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Not On The Money(ball)

The Red Sox pulled the trigger on a trade today, bringing in Outfielder Wily Mo Pena from Cincinnati in exchange for Bronson Arroyo.

The Red Sox needed to make a move, given their lack of production at most of the corner positions, which is being exasperated by Mike Lowell's struggles in Spring Training. Arroyo was expendable, with the Red Sox having a surplus of Starting Pitchers, but something tells me this was a trade made more out of desperation than anything else.

The acquisition of Pena represents a departure from the kind of acquisitons, and the type of players that have been targetted throughout the Theo Epstein era in Boston. To illustrate my point, all you need to know are two statistics from Pena's 2005 campaign:

Walks: 20
Strikeouts: 116

Something tells me they didn't run this one by Team Consultant Bill James.

Dispatches From Planet Hoth

What the hell happened this weekend? It hasn't snowed as much all winter in Edmonton as it has over the past two days. I actually couldn't get my car out of the underground garage yesterday. And I thought it smelled bad on the outside.

I won't comment on March Madness, as Abboud is doing a bang-up job, and everything that needs to be said is being said in the open threads he is throwing up.

So what else to talk about? Well, the Oilers stole a point from the Red Wings last night, when they really had no business doing so. Thanks to Sir Dwayne: The Unsound Mound of Rebounds, the Oilers gave up a 2-1 lead in the 2nd, and were behind 3-2 until late in the game. Thankfully, the Oilers got a fluky goal late in the 3rd--while shorthanded--and were able to get at least one point. That leaves them in 6th place in the West as of right now, one back of Colorado and three back of Calgary.


How the hell the Oilers have stuck around is beyond me, as they have played relatively uninspired hockey since before the Olympic break. The addition of Sergei Samsonov at the trade deadline has paid off, but the addition of Roloson--at least to me--has been an unmitigated disaster. At least Lowe was wise enough to pick up a goalie he wouldn't need be stuck with after the offseason. At the very worst, Roloson can be ignored after June. Of course by mid-April the Oilers may have failed to make the playoffs, which means that Roloson will be haunting my sleep for at least the next four weeks. Super.

Chuck Klosterman has a new article up on ESPN, which I totally missed seeing until this morning. It's fantastic, Klosterman's best since joining the "Worldwide Leader In Sports." Then again, I may be biased, as Klosterman writes about me in the story:

Have you ever played golf with someone who sliced a drive and threw his club into a tree? If so, I suspect you did not find yourself thinking, "Man, I really respect Andy. He really wants this."

The gist of the article is that you should respect me, as you would respect Michael Jordan if he did the same thing. So this is a heads-up to anyone who ever competes against me, and gets their ass whupped: don't hate the player, baby. Hate yourself.

There is some sort of "poison pill" debate going on in the NFL right now. I don't really care at all, except in this regard: if you were Steve Hutchinson, wouldn't you be embarrassed to make more money than Walter Jones? I sure as hell wouldn't want to walk into the same camp as Jones knowing that he knows I make more than him. It would be like knowing that a buddy of yours knew that you had slept with his wife. Guaranteed drama.

(Speaking of Drama, I must have been the only guy at the V for Vendetta viewing on Thursday night who has ever seen Entourage. I was so excited to see Kevin Dillon in the trailer for Poseidon that I actually yelled out, "Johnny Drama!" in a theatre of about 200 people. The response was absolute silence. Even the two guys I was with looked at me like I was on smack. Cretins.)

Last night marked the return of the WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event to NBC after 13 years. The highlight was seeing Shawn Michaels get "screwed" by Vince and Shane McMahon. In clear reference, even homage, to the Montreal Screw Job, Michaels was defeated when Shane put him in a sharpshooter and Vince demanded that the bell be rung and Shane declared the winner. Anyone who knows wrestling knows that this is how Bret Hart was defeated at Survivor Series in 1997. Hart will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at Wrestlemania Weekend this year, and the angle on Main Event last night was surely another way for McMahon--and Michaels--to heal the wounds from which Hart, his family, and the business have never fully recovered. I will be watching Wrestlemania 22 this year, that is for sure. I watched the Survivor Series in 1997, and it is truly one of the most memorable moments of my life. I don't want to miss what may be a historic night in sports entertainment. ProWrestling.com is reporting that the WWE has worked out a "huge storyline" involving Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin for Wrestlemania 22, but the link doesn't take you to an actual story. Typical fare for wrestling pages, really. They often act more as adverstising sites than as effective content sites. It should also be noted that the WWE has a headline up about former Demolition manager "Slick" returning to the WWE. Again, I can't read the actual story.

The Sunday March Madness Thread

The last games of the Second Round go today. Tonight, the field for the Sweet 16 will be set, and basketball fans will either be sweating through the week waiting to see how their bracket pans out, or wondering where they went wrong, and how they're out of it already.

If you're curious about who our "experts" picked, and how they're doing, you can see my picks here, Andy's picks here, and the picks from The Battle of Alberta boys, Matt and Sacamano, here.

A few notes from Saturday:

• How about those Gonzaga Bulldogs? They pulled out a win over Indiana last night, despite a subpar performance from Adam Morrison. This was big for the Zags, not just because they moved on, but they proved that they can be more than a one man show. As for Morrison, I've said it's before, and it bears repeating, he needs to spend less time on the perimeter and more time driving to the hoop.

• From what I saw, UCLA didn't look impressive at all. I wonder if this was just an off-game, or if perhaps many people (most of all the Selection Committee) overrated them. Regardless, they'll be a tough matchup for Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.

• Boy was I wrong yesterday about the prospects for each of the #12 seeds in Round 2. In hindsight, I overlooked A&M, who plays the classic style of a sleeper team. They shoot well, play strong defense, and grind out the clock to try and keep the score in the 40s and 50s. Wisconsin has made a couple of Elite Eight runs using that style of play.

On Tap for Today
• Cinderella Watch: Bradley against Pitt (a weak 5 seed in my mind), Northwestern State against West Virginia, and George Mason vs UNC. I listed those games in what I consider to be the likelihood of an upset occurring.

• Arizona looked very good in the first round beating Wisconsin. They have a lot of talent, and tournament experience to boot. They're going to be a handful for Villanova, in what I think will be the best matchup of the day.

• Second best matchup: The Ohio State University vs. Georgetown. If G-Town knocks out the Buckeyes, expect lots of angry posting from Sacamano.

• Biggest blowouts: Either Texas vs. NC State or WVU over Northwestern State.

• Another #1 vs #8 matchup worth watching, UConn vs. Kentucky. The Wildcats have underachieved this year, and still have the nucleus of a team that made it to double overtime of the Regional Final last year. UConn was losing to 16th seeded Albany until they put together a frantic run to pull away in the final 10 minutes. I don't know about you, but that game planted the seed in my mind that UConn isn't as good as we thought, or that at the very least they don't bring their A game every night.

• Who isn't rooting for Bucknell to upset Memphis today?

Enjoy the games, and comment away!

Keyshawn and T.O: Two of a Kind

**To steal a trick from Deadspin, check out our March Madness thread for today here**

On the same day in April of 1996, Keyshawn Johnson and Terrell Owens were drafted into the National Football League. It would have been difficult for them to arrive under more different circumstances. Johnson was the first overall draft pick, a highly touted, accomplished Wide Receiver who had starred at USC, one of the most prominent football programs in the country. Owens was drafted 88 selections later, a third round choice of the San Francisco 49ers. He excelled at Tennessee-Chattanooga, a small 1-AA school, but was unheralded, and was drafted more for his size and potential than because of his accomplishments.

Over the past decade, some interesting symmetry has emerged between the careers of Johnson and Owens. This past Tuesday, another one occurred. On the same day, almost six weeks to the ten year anniversary of their draft day, Keyshawn Johnson and Terrell Owens were released by their clubs. Two players who had at one point been considered the prototype, if not the very best at their position, were cut loose for nothing. In examining the paths of their respective careers, I hoped to learn something about them, and perhaps find evidence that they had learned from their antics, and that the league had learned from them as well.

In an even bigger twist, Terrell Owens appears poised to replace Keyshawn in Dallas. This is the latest intersection of their careers. Already, some interesting parallels emerged between their careers. Let's examine:

The Persona
Keyshawn was a success right from the start, and in his 3rd and 4th years in the league was a Pro Bowl selection with the Jets. From the start, he also established himself as a celebrity, as much for his off-the-field antics as for his on-the-field accomplishments. After his rookie season, he published a book titled Just Give Me The Damn Ball!. He was at the forefront of the new wave of NFL Wide Receivers, all of whom seemed to owe more to the likes of Michael Irvin than to the likes of Jerry Rice. Not only did he have the prototypical size that teams were looking for, but he was also a character both on and off the field. The title of his book says it all, he wanted the ball, he wanted to be the star. Beyond that, it was as if he felt entitled to be the star. Getting Keyshawn the damn ball seemed of greater importance to him than did the Jets getting the damn win.

Terrell Owens did not start out his career as 'T.O.' When they selected him with the 89th pick in the 1996 draft, I doubt that the 49ers brass expected him to develop into one of the elite Receivers in the game. In his rookie year, he saw action in 10 games, and averaged a respectable 3.5 receptions per game. Starting in his second year, he began to blossom into a threat; playing opposite of Jerry Rice, he caught at least 60 balls in his second through fourth seasons. He really came into the public eye in a classic 1998 Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers, when he caught the winning touchdown between two Pack defenders as time expired.

As the 49ers entered a new era, with Owens and Jeff Garcia, not Rice and Steve Young, as the stars, he truly emerged as an elite receiver, garnering over 90 receptions each season between 2000-2002. As Owens's production on the field increased, so did his profile off of it. He became notorious for his touchdown celebrations, and drew a fine for incidents such as pulling a sharpie out of his sock and autographing the ball after one particular score. His me first attitude became a distraction too, as he would argue with coaches and Quarterbacks when the ball wasn't thrown his way.

His numbers dipped in 2003, and following that season it became clear that his days as a Niner were numbered. Owens wanted out, and the Niners were in the midst of a salary cap-induced purging of their roster, meaning it was unlikely they could afford him anyways.

The Trade
After a successful start to his career in New York, things began to go sour. Prior to the 2000 season, Keyshawn was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as the Jets rebuild their squad and headed in a different direction. In Tampa Bay, Keyshawn continued to excel, posting over 100 receptions (but only 1 touchdown) in 2001 and helping his team win the Super Bowl following the 2002 season.

Owens expected to be a free agent in the Winter of 2004, but due to a mixup on the part of his agent, his papers were not filed, and he remained the property of the 49ers. After he voided a trade to Baltimore, a trade to make Owens a Philadelphia Eagle was worked out. He quickly signed a contract extension with the Eagles, making him one of the highest paid receivers in the league.

In his first season, he exploded for 15 touchdown catches, and made a miraculous recovery from a broken leg in December to make a return in the Super Bowl. Owens had a great game, though his Eagles fell short.

The Explosion
In the 2003 regular season, Keyshawn began to clash regularly with Bucs Head Coach Jon Gruden. Tampa was struggling, and Keyshawn became a major distraction for the team. By the end of November, 10 months after he helped his team to a championship, Keyshawn was deactivated for the final four games of the regular season, effectively ending his tenure in Tampa Bay.

Similar to Johnson, Owens' relationship with his team quickly went south after the Super Bowl appearance. Following the Super Bowl, T.O. demanded a renegotiated contract, with a higher salary than what he had agreed to just 12 months before. The Eagles refused to entertain his demands, instead insisting that he abide by the contract he had signed. T.O. disagreed, and was suspended in August for causing problems in camp. Things went downhill when he returned; he called out Donovan McNabb for not playing hard enough in the Super Bowl, and continued to be a divisive figure in the locker room. Seven games into the regular season, the Eagles had had enough. They deactivated T.O. for the rest of the season, clearing the way for him to be traded or released.

The Fallout
After being deactivated, it was clear that Keyshawn would shortly be traded or released. In March of 2004, he was traded to Dallas for Joey Galloway, a former Top 10 draft pick who had underachieved as a Cowboy. Keyshawn would be reunited with his first Head Coach, Bill Parcells.

Keyshawn performed admirably in Dallas, posting 70 receptions in 2004 and 71 receptions in 2005 (along with 6 touchdowns each year). It was clear, though, that he was no longer one of the elite Receivers in the NFL. Always lacking top speed, he was outperformed by a number of younger contemporaries; they may have lacked his size, but they had speed and skill to make up for it.

That Keyshawn's star had faded was cemented this week, when he was released not for salary cap purposes, but to clear room for another addition to the roster.

Owens was released this week as well, a day before he was owed a $5 million roster bonus. He didn't even make it through the second year of his seven-year contract. In his first year, Owens successfully filled the role of Go-To Receiver that the Eagles had lacked for so long - many felt that the lack of this player held them back from previous Super Bowl appearances. Nevertheless, the headaches that he caused made the Eagles believe that they were better to be rid of him than deal with another five years of distractions.

The Future
I'd like to think that there's some redeeming value in the story, both for the players in questions, but for the league as well. I would hope to see evidence that the players had learned from their punishments, and that teams had learned to be cautious with me first players.

Both Keyshawn and T.O. are phenomenal competitors. They want to win, and they want to be the best. The best example would be Owens' comeback for the Super Bowl last year. Always a fanatic about working out, Owens rehabbed like crazy to come back from a broken leg in only 6 weeks. He gutted through a Super Bowl when he should have arguably been on the bench healing. I have no doubt that his comeback was motivated by the desire to win a championship. However, when the championship didn't pan out, things quickly went south with Owens and the Eagles. While he's definitely a prima donna, perhaps it's his competitiveness that causes as much of his troubles as it is his ego. He doesn't take losing well.

I would hope that the cases of both players being deactivated, and shipped out of town would show that the team concept still rules, that in the NFL, no player is bigger than his team. I hoped for proof that the New England Patriots mentality had taken root league-wide.

I don't see proof of that.

The Philadelphia Eagles understood the risks that came with adding Terrell Owens to their roster. They took a gamble, hoping that the desire to win a championship would help T.O. to buy into the team concept and not become a distraction. It came within 3 points of working. When the Eagles realized it would not work, they cut their losses.

The Dallas Cowboys knew the risks with Keyshawn. They got two productive years out of him, then dumped at the first chance to sign an even greater liability. Further, they appear poised to pay this liability record money, assuming they don't push him out of town before his three-year contract is up. Maybe they think that Bill Parcells can keep him in line, but more likely they think that the potential rewards of having T.O. on the roster outweigh the significant risks.

Keyshawn had a relatively trouble-free stay in Dallas. Who knows where he will end up, but I wonder how many teams will think twice about their team chemistry before they pick him up. Despite being the better team player over the past two years, the line has yet to form for the less-talented Johnson.

What we've learned is that no matter how many problems a player causes off the field, there's likely to be another suitor who will come calling as long as that player has NFL talent. As long as NFL teams are willing to ignore the sideshows that players like T.O. and Keyshawn bring with them, I don't see why the players in question would change their act.

Perhaps this is a problem of the teams tolerating a me first attitude in their locker room. While the T.O.'s and Keyshawn's of the world end up with the criticism, it's the teams who keep giving them chances and letting them get away with it that deserve to be the object of our finger pointing. Until the league as a collective wises up, there's no reason to expect the players to do the same.

After all, T.O. and Keyshawn are only products of the culture that the NFL has created.

The Other Tournament That's Happening This Weekend

After a grueling schedule, and an exciting two weeks, we're finally down to the Final Four.

What's that you say? March Madness just started? Well, you're correct, but today also marks the Semi-Finals of the World Baseball Exhibition/Classic.

The first matchup sees the Cubans face off against the Dominican Republic, with the first pitch coming just after 3pm Eastern - any minute now. Later on tonight, the Koreans and the Japanese meet for the third time in the tournament, with Korea having won the earlier two matchups.

Some things to watch:

Dominican Republic vs. Cuba
How Do You Say Cy Young in Spanish?
The Dominican Republic sends Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon to the hill to face the mighty Cuban lineup. Bartolo has been money in his two previous starts, scattering 7 hits and giving up only 1 run over his 8 innings of work. He's only struck out 3 batters though. If the Cubans put the ball in play, he could get into some trouble.

Arms Shortage in Cuba?
The Cubans have hit 6 home runs in 6 games, have as many runs as the Dominicans, and a slightly higher Team Batting Average (though a lower OBP and OPS). That may not be enough to make up for what has so far been a subpar pitching performance from the Cuban sqaud.

Their 4.17 Team ERA is over a run and a half higher than that of the Dominicans, and their WHIP isn't much better. The Cubans better hope that Yadel Marti continues his lights-out performance from his earlier tournament appearances (0 runs in 9 innings of work). If they have to go to the bullpen early, they could be in serious trouble.

"Which Way to Mr. Steinbrenner's Office?"
It's always worth watching to see if any Cubans try and defect. Watch for camera shots of George Steinbrenner dangling his chequebook in front of the Cuban bullpen.

Forecast: A pitching duel until the enforced pitch count comes into play around the 5th-6th inning. The Dominican bullpen hemmorages less than the Cuban one, and Big Papi comes through with a big hit to win it late. Dominicans 4-3.

Korea vs. Japan
Team of Destiny
The Koreans are a White Sox-esque 3-0 in 1-run games in the tournament. They've been doing all the little things right, and seem to have great chemistry as a team. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that they have the lowest Team ERA and have yet to commit an error. Some say they're due for a bad break, and I've probably just jinxed them with the above paragraph.

Home Crowd Advantage?
Will the crowd give either side a virtual home field advantage? If it happens, my money's on the Koreans getting the advantage. I saw Korea play the United States at the World Junior Baseball Championship in Edmonton 6 years ago, and their fans were incredible. They stood, and cheered, and sang, and chanted all game.

I loved those fans, and will probably be cheering for the Koreans simply because of that.

That being said, I understand that there are sizable contigents of fans for both sides in Southern California, so I don't see the crowd going one way over the other.

Third Time a Charm?
Korea has won both meetings in the tournament, are (on paper superior) Japanese due?

Forecast: The Japanese get even by squeezing out a 3-1 win over the Koreans. Look for Ichiro to break out of his slump and have a big game.

Prediction for Monday's Final: Dominican Republic vs. Japan

The Saturday March Madness Thread

We're into the Second Round today, which means that once we're done with Sunday's games, we can put generic names like "First Round" and "Second Round" away for the next year, and get into the fun terms like "Sweet 16" and "Elite 8". These are the kinds of things you look forward to when you lose 2 Elite Eight teams from your bracket in the opening round.

A few notes from Friday:

• That winning shot by Northwestern State was just a step below Tennessee's winner on the circus shot scale.

• Up until they each collapsed, seeing Oral Roberts and Albany holding leads over #1 seeds were probably the most exciting moments of the tournament so far.

• Next year, the key stat for me in picking teams will be how well they rebound. It seems to me that most collapses, and subsequent comebacks, have been predicated on a team's ability to rebound, especially on the defensive end. This is probably obvious to more astute basketball analysts, but it's really jumped out at me through the first two days.

On Tap For Today
• I'm upset about having Duke and George Washington matched up this early in the tournament. I love the Blue Devils, and want to see them move on, but on the other hand, G-Dub features Pops Mensah-Bonsu. That has to be my favorite tournament name since the immortal God Shammgod graced our brackets almost a decade ago.

• Tennessee barely survived against the 15th-seeded Eagles of Winthrop. How will they do against the 7th-seeded Wichita State Shockers, who looked impressive in dismantling Seton Hall on Thursday. Also, how many people picked Wichita to move on in their bracket simply because of their nickname?

• If they can play anywhere near the level they played on Thursday, don't be surprised if Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Montana make the Sweet 16. I think the Aggies are done, though. LSU looks good, and will be very difficult if Glen "Big Baby" Davis gets going.

• The Indiana-Gonzaga matchup will be huge, and has the potential to trigger a profanity-laden tirade from either myself, Andy, Matt, or Sacamano. So stay tuned for that. Also, is it just me, or does Mike Davis have a permanent "I'm resigned, just let me get out of here" look on his face? I almost want to see them make the Final Four just to see if he cracks.

• My prediction for best game of the day: a toss-up between Indiana-Gonzaga and Washington-Illinois. The worst: UCLA-Alabama. I smell a Bruins blowout in the making.

Enjoy the games!

There's a New Star in Texas

As if we needed another reason to hate the Dallas Cowboys. Well, in any case, we've got one.

In breaking news, Terrell Owens appears to have signed with the Dallas Cowboys.

Owens was released on Tuesday by the rival Philadelphia Eagles; that same day, the Cowboys released Keyshawn Johnson, a move which now clears the way for T.O. to come in.

Everyone knows the risks that come with Owens, so I won't cover them here. I will note that I find it interesting that his two prior stops in the NFL were with two of the Cowboys' biggest rivals (Philadelphia and San Francisco). Perhaps his most famous prima-donna moment occurred in Texas Stadium as well, when he ran to midfield and spiked the ball on the Dallas Star twice after scoring touchdowns.

The second one is famous because of then Cowboys' Safety George Teague's reaction.

You have to think that with Owens' track record in the locker room, a lot of his teammates might want to do the same thing to him before 2006 is done.



I'm sure that this isn't the last that we'll hear about this story...

Éire Go Brách

My last name may not give it away, but I bet you my first and middle names do: Andrew David Michael Francis-Xavier. My sister's name: Erin-Quinn Marie.

Yup. You guessed it. I'm an Irishman. And an Irish Catholic to boot.

Today being an important day and all, I of course forgot to put together a piece on the great Irish tradition in sports. Bone-head move on my part, admittedly. So instead I have gathered a few songs together to help us celebrate this most festive day. On behalf of myself and the other Micks and this site (but not the Prods), Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.

---

Boston Red Sox

Tessie (Original)

Tessie (Dropkick Murphys)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Notre Dame Victory March

When Irish Backs Go Marching By

Down The Line

Hike, Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Our Mother

Rakes of Mellow

Seventy-Six Trombones

The Bells of St. Mary's

Victory Clog

Boston Bruins

Time To Go

Boston College

Boston College Fight Song

House of Pain

Shamrocks And Shenanigans

Top O' The Morning To Ya

Others

Danny Boy

An Irish Lullaby (Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra)

Asshole

Fuck