Best wishes to Le Gros Bill for a full and speedy recovery.

LINSANE IN THE MEMBRANE

What do The Grateful Dead, Google and Jeremy Lin all have in common? If you say they are all unexpected success stories you would be right and if you said absolutely nothing you would be even more right. However the one thing that I first noticed about Jeremy Lin when he entered my stream of consciousness earlier this month is that he was born and raised in the hotbed of unconventional yet extreme talent, Palo Alto, California. Jeremy Lin is more than a point guard, more than an overnight success story, more that the cause of Gotham’s Temporary Linsanity and more than a new way to sell jerseys. In short he is the answer to a riddle - Can an unknown and undrafted 23 year old Harvard graduate restore the Knicks into a winning team? Before answering that consider the following. Can an unmotivated jug band formed in Palo Alto define the psychedelic rock movement and create a cult following for half a century? Can two men and a complicated algorithm change the way the world’s population searches for information, books flights, gets directions, keeps in touch with friends, watches videos, reads the news and makes phone calls? The great town of Palo Alto seems to breed these unusual suspects.

After 10 days of Linsanity I finally decided to actually watch a Knick game to see what the hype was all about. I was expecting to see a point guard of back up quality at best hit a few open shots and watch the crowd overreact simply because he does not look like anyone that has ever started in the NBA shorter than 7’6”. At 6’3” I expected to see a kid with no scouting report playing in a soon to end fantasy camp. I expected to see an outside shooting “HORSE” player with IVY league ball handling skills unable to guard the elite point guards of the NBA and unable to feed his co-stars efficiently. To be honest prior to watching him play I never thought of him as anything more than publicity stunt. Even when my wife asked me last week if the Knicks would keep him I answered “of course, he sells merchandise”.

What I actually witnessed in the game blew my mind. I first turned on the game in the second quarter when he was on the bench and had I not known better I would have thought he was the water boy or the trainer’s son sitting in uniform with all the players. Then he re-entered the game and impressed me in a way that the cynic in me didn’t see coming. Just as I predicted he doesn’t have the speed, he doesn’t have the size and he doesn’t have the finesse. He does however have court presence and the ability to distribute the ball efficiently. More importantly he has a skill that Knick point guards have not had for over a decade – he makes the players around him better. Their sudden 9-3 run makes sense to me – when he is on the floor the Knicks are quite simply the better team. Yes he turns the ball over and yes he can’t always go toe-to-toe with his counterparts. The most important thing for a team though is to win and he seems to bring a winning formula to the table. In making the individuals around him better he makes the team at large better and as their starting point guard the Knicks are a force in the East.

AND THATS THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Farewell to The Kid

This blog was created to vent about coaching decisions that I don’t agree with and players who are overrated in their sports. It certainly does not exist to discuss major issues such as illness or death, but every once in a while exceptions need to be made and today is one of those days. Having been born in 1978 I first started to be aware of sports stars some time around circa ’81. Being just 3 years old or so I only knew of one player from each sport that I watched and that player was as big as the game itself. Back then to me anyways, hockey was synonymous with Wayne Gretzky, tennis was John McEnroe, basketball was Dr. J., and baseball meant Gary Carter. As I grew older and realized that there were more than just one player in the league there was still something about The Kid that appealed to me. As I started playing the game myself and watched Major League baseball a little more closely, Carter stuck out among the other major leaguers as having something special that really spoke to me – he played the game like one of us. While the other stars of the era were at the ballpark doing their jobs, Carter was there playing a game with the same boyish exuberance and “its getting dark, next run wins” kind of attitude that was common to me and my inner circle of 6 year olds, but very rare in The Show. Professionals don’t jump up and hug each other the way kids do with each run scored, but as a Major Leaguer playing at the highest level, Gary had a way to celebrate the game in a way that  inspired an entire generation. It is no coincidence that there are a disproportionate number of professional or semi-pro catchers from Montreal that began playing the game in the late 70's and early 80’s, and it is no coincidence that if you Google Image the ’86 Mets, one of the most talked about teams in the history of any sport, the greatest algorithm available to man will undoubtedly return a picture of Carter jumping up and down with an expression of joy that is unusual yet refreshing to see on a grown man’s face.  The Olympic Stadium in Montreal may be one of the greatest architectural disasters in the history of western civilization as we know it, but that notwithstanding it still had its great moments over the years and The Kid was seemingly always in the center of them. From its opening in 1977 when Carter put on a show against the Phillies, to the Expos’ only playoff run in ’81, to his last game's standing ovation in ’92, and finally Gary Carter Day in 2003, Carter always put more asses in the seats than $1 beer night which says a lot in a City whose population remembers the O’keefe brand with more fondness than the Expos, and a stadium that was surprisingly built in an unpopulated, out-of-the-way and generally speaking run down part of town. That Stadium has been nicknamed “The Big Owe” for the financial burden it put on the city, but if anyone ever wanted to put a positive spin on that place they could rightfully and unequivocally dub it “The House The Kid Built”.  Having lived in both Montreal and New York I can tell you first hand that despite their geographical proximity you cannot find two populations more different from each other, yet Carter always related to both crowds.  From his youthful Joie de Vivre that struck similarities to  “the weekend starts on Wednesday” majority in La Belle Province, to his tireless work ethic that was respected by the 16 hour work day folk in The Big Apple, Carter was a fan and media favorite wherever he played. Carter’s passing earlier today is a reminder of the cruel realities that the Expos are gone forever and the Mets’ glory days are long behind them.  More significantly, two cities will mourn one of their favorites, and whether you followed baseball or not, everyone local knew and cheered for #8.

AND THAT'S THE BRUTAL TRUTH

SHORTER SEASONS, LONGER LIVES

In the first week counting down to next year’s NFL season I will discuss a topic that I typically avoid in my football conversations but feel it is an appropriate time to discuss. As a fan part of me wishes that football was played year round and like most of America I would enjoy an 18 game season with two fewer preseason games. That’s the fan in me talking employing the same greed as the owners in their quest for a longer season. Their greed is financially driven and mine is for entertainment but the spirit of the wish is the same – to benefit myself at the health risk of others. In the talk of 16 games or 18 games the most significant number to me is 55. That’s the age at which the average NFL player dies. That’s the average age at which the players we enjoy watching turn their wives into widows and their children into orphans. NFL players are not stupid (ok, some of them are) and just like police officers and fire fighters they understand the danger of their profession before getting into it, but as fans who benefit from their efforts we owe it to them to encourage a safer playing schedule. Fining James Harrison for hard hits will not increase the life of any NFL players but offering them fewer games to play in each year might. I am not a doctor nor do I pretend to be, but it seems to me that a 14 game schedule in the same 17 week season that would provide all teams with a bye week in each third of the season, would somehow reduce players battling through injuries. That would mean that in addition to taking fewer hits in a season they would also have more time to recover before feeling the need to tough it out for another week. Pain numbing drugs that lead to long term kidney and liver problems would be needed on a less frequent basis. Unreported head injuries would have an extra week to heal without being once again subjected to violent hits. Don’t get me wrong, I love the aggressive nature of football but as fans we would have to give up very little for a 14 game season. We would still be able to spend 17 straight Sundays plus playoffs watching football and aside from watching our favorite team less often and altering our fantasy strategy slightly we would for the most part be unaffected. Sure, the owners would each have to give up one home game but with the popularity and growth rate of the league they will undoubtedly find a way to absorb it. I wish I could watch my team play every week but in the end of the day the shorter season means longer lives.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Universe 3 – Boston 0; QB puts the ELI back in ELITE!

In the wake of Superbowl XLVI the most obvious consequence in my mind is that Wes Welker can now take his unwanted place in history along with Asante Samuel and Bill Buckner while Mario Manningham has Joined David Tyree and Mookie Wilson in one of New York’s most distinguished private clubs. All the talk about the two quarterbacks involved is true, that Eli is unquestionably an elite QB in the NFL and Tom Brady is still among the all-time greats but will never be in the class of Joe Montana. However, the outcome of the game was not a result of the two QBs, the defenses or the coaching. The most logical explanation of the outcome is that this result was dictated by the Universe, and more specifically that the Universe will never allow a team from Boston to beat a team from New York in a championship situation. How else can you ever explain what Red Sox fans have been pondering for 26 years of how a slow rolling ball that would be a routine play for any Pee Wee first basemen can roll through the legs of a seasoned veteran, or how floater out of the hands of Eli Manning can sail through the hands of an All Pro Ball Hawk like Asante Samuel, and most recently, how a possession receiver of Wes Welker’s caliber can drop a pass from Tom Brady in the most critical of times that he catches regularly without question.




Not to take anything away from Eli who has been superb throughout his career and especially in clutch situations and had he played in a different less critical market with a less recognized last name he would have been considered a Top 5 QB for quite some time now. Anyone that can list the best QBs in the game without mentioning Eli’s name is clearly following a different sport than I am. As for Brady, I can’t explain how his receiving core that has been solid all year dropped 4 straight passes in the 4th quarter. I cant’ explain how his “bend but don’t break” defense broke 3 times in the late 4th quarter to arguably cost him 3 Superbowls (in ’06 it broke against the Colts in the AFC Championship Game that would have lead to an easy win over the Bears). And I can’t explain how his supposed mastermind of a coach got out-strategized in 2 straight Superbowls. What I can say about him is that his 2-minute drill to end the first half was one for the ages and with the exception of Joe Montana he is the single greatest QB I ever had the privilege of watching. There was a time four years ago when I felt I would not have to make that distinction between him and Montana, and that sentiment briefly came back early in the 4th Quarter Sunday night, but WR and Defense let downs notwithstanding, number 12 did not pull it off when he needed to despite a great performance and therefore in my mind anyways he needs to settle for #2 of all time.



AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

BIG PLAYERS MAKE BIG PLAYS IN BIG GAMES!

Since Superbowl XLII nearly 4 years ago, Tim Tebow has won more playoff games than Tom Brady. Brady was once thought to be Montana-esque in winning all the big games. However, despite great regular seasons since returning from his knee injury he is 0-2 in the playoffs – the opposing Quarterbacks that engineered these wins against Brady were Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez. Seriously!


Here’s three thing we know about Tebow that have nothing to do with his religious beliefs. 1) He’s a very good QB and getting better with each start, 2) he’s a winner that plays his best when it matters most, and 3) he’s not even close to being as good as Brady. Brady’s legacy right now is still as one of the greatest Quarterbacks of all time highlighted by his clutch playoff performances, but If the Broncos somehow beat the Patriots this weekend, his legacy will take a bigger hit than Ricky Williams in an Amsterdam Café.

On the other hand, Brady has a unique opportunity this year to immortalize himself next to Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only Quarterbacks to ever win four Superbowls. While many think the 15-1 Packers will stand in their way, I think another chapter will be added to the Book of Eli this weekend with what might trump last week’s Pitt-Denver game as the biggest upset of the playoffs. With the way the Giants are playing, they might roll through the Big Easy to set up a rematch of Superbowl XLII.



AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

This One's On Mike!

The Pittsburg Steelers did not need Big Ben to beat the 49ers last night. They went 3-1 without him last year and with all due respect to Jim Harbaugh’s crew and their inflated record, this is not a team capable of winning playoff games. What the Steelers did need was a QB that can plant his back foot while throwing. I have nothing bad to say about Ben, the man is an absolute superhuman that can and will play through anything. However, a week after praising Mike Tomlin's coaching maturity I feel he made a horrendous mistake. What separates the best baseball managers from the average ones is the ability to tell a star pitcher he’s done for the night. That one minute and often overlooked skill is the difference between Grady Little winning a world series and lining up at the unemployment office. Last night Mike Tomlin showed why he would not be a great baseball manager. I didn’t have the luxury of watching Ben in practice all week as he did, but after his first series it was very clear to me that the Steelers would be better off without him. Let Charlie Batch manage the clock a little bit or let Dennis Dixon make things happen with his legs. Not only would that have provided Ben with a better opportunity to play on Saturday, but it would have also given the Steelers a better chance to win on Monday night. You don’t ask Ben if he can play because the answer is always yes – you tell him he's not ready!




AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

James Harrison Suspended! Seriously?

Last Thursday night James Harrison did what has become very popular as of late not to do……his job. In an era where our political leaders are indecisive about every little issue, we outsource all our production and allow our streets to be “occupied” by a militia who’s majority of members aren’t really sure what their cause is other than to inconvenience people more employable than them, we arrived at the point where we punish linebackers for hitting quarterbacks! Seriously? Have we really become that soft? If we are going to take hitting out of football, we might as well take the engines out of our cars, speakers out of our home theatres, and alcohol out of whiskey.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Barry Bonds – A Tragic Figure

I will not debate the character of Barry Bonds but I will say that he is most likely a better human being than Ty Cobb ever was. What I will say however about Bonds is that instead of celebrating what he has done for baseball, he was unfairly singled out in one of the most ridiculous legal investigations that this country has ever seen. We can all safely assume and get over the fact that Bonds took steroids following the 1999 season and was a decade behind 75% of major league baseball in doing so. Bonds did not bring steroids to baseball, on the contrary, by opening everyone’s eyes to the now undeniable truth he actually took steroids out of baseball. He made a clear statement in 2001 and the few years that followed to the league and the country – you want to allow steroids in your pastime, let me show you what real talent can do with it. Throughout the 90’s he was a premier ball player and most likely (though will never be confirmed) led the league in “unjuiced” home runs and slugging percentage during that era. Had he retired prior to the 2000 season having never touched the stuff, he would have retired as an undisputed first ballot hall-of-famer and arguably the best all around player of all time, combining power and speed as the only 400/400 man ever while playing gold glove caliber defense throughout his career. I do not condone steroid use in any sport, but condemning a ball player for using steroids in 2001 is like condemning a bank manager for authorizing a sub prime loan in 2006. While agreed that it was a poor decision it was the norm in the industry at the time. Similarly, perjury is a serious offense in a real court case, but just like the Bill Clinton perjury charge, to hold a man accountable for lying in court over something he never should have been there for in the first place is a clear abuse of the system. As far as his legacy goes, hopefully over time he will be recognized as the greatest player of the era, and the era should be remembered as the period when Major League Baseball unofficially allowed steroid use. As for Cooperstown, if he’s not inducted then the entire concept of the hall is worthless.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Tomlin is Growing Up as a Coach – You Play This Game to Win!

I have been very critical of Mike Tomlin as a coach ever since he took over as head coach of the Steelers despite his remarkable success in that role. I felt as a rookie he cost the team a playoff win against Jacksonville by misevaluating the importance of a 2 point attempt and then by being afraid to put the ball in the hands of his franchise QB. I felt that in last year’s Superbowl he panicked and started coaching a desperate game early in the first quarter and only down by 7, a decision that resulted in going down by 14 and a tougher hole to climb out of. I felt that over the years he coached soft with a 4th quarter lead allowing for potential comebacks, and I felt that he was slow to make mid game adjustments when the offence had difficulty moving the ball. Theses feelings are not the result of me being a Monday Morning Quarterback as in all these cases I was critical before the snap and the ensuing bad results. Last night however, the coach that took his team to 2 Superbowl in 4 years showed coaching brilliance that only a polished and superb coach can understand. Up by 4 and a 4th and goal from inches away in the later stages of the 4th Quarter, the broadcasters were all over Mike Tomlin for going for 7 when 3 would have all but guaranteed either a win or overtime. Had they been playing in Foxborough I would tend to agree with that logic, but great coaches understand the specific nature of each situation as Mike Tomlin did last night. This game was in Pittsburgh, in prime time, against the Cleveland Browns. You don’t play for worse case overtime at home against the brown to give them an opportunity for a lucky Josh Cribbs return. Conversely, you play for the win against a team who has not won in your house since Bush’s first term. You make it - game over, you miss and you have Colt McCoy (who will one day be a great QB) pinned against his own goal line and having to deal with a Dick Lebeau Defense. Going for it, despite not making it was the right move. I didn’t expect him to go for it in that situation but was proud of him that he did. In his 5th season, I am pleased to say that Tomlin has now graduated into and elite head coach.




AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Antonio…Rhymes With Santonio! (Plays like him too)

Going into last season, Steelers Country was concerned about their wide receiver core in a league becoming more and more about the pass. Santonio Holmes, their big play threat and former Superbowl MVP was gearing up for his first season with the Jets. Hines Ward, the greatest all around wide receiver of an era wasn’t getting any younger. Mike Wallace, their returning second year receiver may have become a victim of the sophomore jinx, and if the name Limas Sweed means anything to you no further comment is necessary. What took place in the wake of this worry was the emergence of the greatest passing attack the Steel City has ever seen, more productive than when Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw was throwing passes to a tandem of hall of famers, more explosive than when Larry Fitzgerald was catching his touch downs as a Pitt Panther. Under the tutelage and mentorship of number 86, Mike Wallace has emerged as one of the most dangerous wide outs in the game, and Antonio Brown in only his second year has emerged as a premier all around wide out combining route running, great hands, speed, separation and above all awareness. His punt returning skills help provide great field position and most of all he is a proven clutch performer. While Mike Wallace creates 60 minutes of deep threat offence each week that this team hasn’t seen since the days of Lynn Swann, there’s a new Santonio in town and his name …Antonio.




AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Brady Has Reached A New High - He's Hate-Worthy!

It has become fashionable this year to refer to Aaron Rodgers as the best quarterback in the game. The media introduced this phenomenon early in the season when the reigning Superbowl MVP picked up where he left off last year and it quickly became an echoed sentiment by the uninformed part-time watching football public. While there is no question that Rodgers is great, and in Manning’s absence he probably took over as the number 2 play caller in the world, it remains an undisputed fact in my mind that Brady is still the best. If you are a Pats fan this reality is great news for you. If however you cheer for a team that was declared “The Dream Team” by the same personalities who anointed Rodgers as the king of the NFL, then this reality might be a little harder to digest. While Eagles fans typically display the highest level of class and sportsmanship (“now that’s sarcasm!” – Homer Simpson), the vengeance that Tom Brady can bestow upon a less than worthy opponent can evoke tears in even the most optimistic of fans. Rodgers is an awesome QB, but to be “Hate-Worthy” … you know, that’s an echelon that Aaron Rodgers has yet to conquer.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

Week 12: The Class of the NFL is Confirmed

This week clearly showed us who the contenders in the NFL are, and conversely who the pretenders are.  So who is not an elite team in the league? Among others, the Chargers, 49ers, Giants, Bills, Lions and the team I described before the season as the most hyped up mediocre team since last year’s Jets, the Philadelphia Eagles. Who has a chance to win it all? The Packers, Saints, Patriots, Steelers, with the Ravens, Raiders and Cowboys looking in as dark horses.

The Lions and Niners will have their time but unfortunately for them their most memorable part of 2011 will be a hand shake gone wrong. The Chargers need a coaching change but don’t know it and The Eagles don’t need one but think they do. The Giants and Bills just can’t seem to play with the big boys on a consistent basis. Should be a great December.

AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

14 Million Americans Are Out Of Work Yet Norv Turner Still Has A Job!

It’s hard to criticize a coach with Norv Turner’s record in San Diego and even harder to diminish the coaching ability of a man to whom Troy Aikman attributes a large portion of his success. Most of all its hardest to validate anything that Rex Ryan has ever said that does not pertain to a pie eating contest. However, if you look beyond the 3 division titles and last year’s top offence and defense, Norv simply isn’t getting it done.


I don’t believe a coach should ever be fired or even criticized simply for not winning a Super Bowl and expecting a coach to win one is flat out preposterous. It took Bill Cowher 13 seasons to win one and Bill Parcells didn’t win any with the last 3 teams he coached. Both men are widely and rightfully considered to be great coaches and there is no way that Norv Turner should ever be held to a higher standard than those men with San Diego or any other team. That notwithstanding, what should be expected from all coaches who were handed a 14-2 team and a young franchise quarterback is to get them to a place where they can win a Super Bowl. While wildcard teams have won Super Bowls in the past, it is much easier with a first round bye and once the talent is aligned the head coach needs to take responsibility for the slow starts and the close losses to less talented teams.

Let’s all look back at the 2006 season in which Marty Schotenheimer, one of the great regular season coaches of a generation, led San Diego to a 14-2 season only to lose their first playoff game to the Pats (who’s leading receiver was Jabbar Gaffney) in typical “Marty-Ball” fashion. After that season which featured Philip Rivers in his first season as a starter, LT still very much in his prime and Shawne Merriman as one of the most intimidating QB hunters in the game, the Bolts were considered the team of the future. Schotenheirmer’s inability to win playoff games ultimately cost him his job, but his successor has since shown the inability to coach a contender from beginning to end. The Super Chargers had two options in looking for a replacement; they could have interviewed young ambitious coordinators who were in other systems or they could have gone for the brand name Head Coach despite a lifetime losing record as a head coach. Unlike the last 3 Super Bowl champions who all replaced their head coach in the past 5 years while employing the first hiring strategy, San Diego chose the latter and went with Norv. Hind sight is always 20/20, but the Norv decision is clearly not working out and if the window of opportunity was getting narrow in San Diego 5 years ago, where does it stand today? Worst of all, I correctly picked the last 3 Super Bowl champions before the seasons began and at 4-5, my streak is very much in danger of ending this year with my San Diego pick. (In case anyone cares I picked them to beat the Cowboys in Indy)

Regardless of how San Diego fares from this point on, anything short of winning a Super Bowl should merit a coaching change. That is not a contradiction to what I said earlier as I think Norv really needs to be replaced regardless, but if he somehow pulls off the improbably I think a stay of execution would be reasonable. Even if they get to the Super Bowl and lose, they would have most likely gotten there the hard way, winning 3 playoff games and 2 on the road in the cold weather that the flip flop wearing team does not like to play in, and in that scenario a Super Bowl loss might be the result of being run down, a state that could have been avoided with a better regular season.



AND THAT’S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!

They Were Who We Thought They Were

Bills, Bengals, Redskins. Before the season started we all expected them to finish in the bottom 2 spots of their respective divisions. Some early success this year against mostly below average teams made some avid fans second guess who these teams were, but this week's games made us all realize while possibly infringing on a Dennis Green copyright that they were who we thought they were. The only difference between week 11 and that infamous press conference is that no one let them off the hook. Those in Western New York, Southern Ohio and the Capital District might beg to differ, but these 3 teams are all bottom feeders and our preseason expectations of them will all come to fruition at season's end.

AND THAT'S THE BRUTAL TRUTH!