The TCU Horned Frogs will join the Big East Conference in all sports starting in 2012. In light of the success of the football team on the level they have been playing the move would take all the guessing out of being part of a BCS bowl. The Big East has an automatic bid. Of course, qualifying for that bid may be harder as a result of the tougher competition week to week in the league. So whether the move results in the Horn Frogs winning a national championship someday is still a long shot.
The geography of the move is apparently not a problem. Yet, TCU is not just joining in football. All sports will be involved. Some long trips for some teams. But football is the real reason for the move. With TCU the Big East will have nine football playing teams out of it's seventeen team membership. Those two "odd numbers" make it apparent there will be another new member soon. Speculation centers on the University of Houston to give TCU a regional "travel partner" since it has been reported the Cougars have their ears and eyes open although not making any public comments.
Ever since the Southwest Conference was closed down the schools that were not part of the merger with the Big 8 have been wandering...or thinking about it. Houston has been stable in Conference USA for the last 15 years. Rice has been in both the WAC and now C-USA. SMU has been in both the WAC and C-USA, but TCU has not been able to be comfortable anywhere so far. They started in the WAC then bolted to the Mountain West reportedly in part to end the "partnership" with Dallas' SMU. TCU also considered the Mountain West a better option than the WAC which was losing schools.
Now TCU will test itself against many schools they have never played in any sport. Back in the day before jet planes and more importantly big media revenue colleges had to play more regionally. They had to have large crowds to pay the bills (TV has helped some alleviate that need as being crucial) and teams close enough so that bus travel would work. Not anymore. There will be no busses taking any TCU teams to battle in the Big East. (That is NOT the case with many of the partners who still have relatively short distances.)
One thing we shouldn't worry about. Why is the league called The Big East when it stretches all the way to Texas? That name thing has not fit for years ever since the Big 10 started having more teams than that.
There ARE still some usuable names that would fit a conference like the expanded Big East. Big American, Big Nation, Big Country to name a few. Hopefully, it will not be remembered as Big Mistake by TCU fans in a few years if they cannot have the same success or better in football and costs outweigh advantages.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving Starts "Crunch" Time in Football
On this holiday many families gather for the traditional Thanksgiving meal and begin the full holiday season. In sports Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the end of the football season. It is also the period when the wheat separates from the chaff....when the cream rises to the top and when we separate the men from the boys. (Got any other cliches that would fit?)
The teams that will ultimately be playing in BCS games know they absolutely cannot lose another game. In the NFL the clubs that will make the post season are in the same boat. Normally the better teams come through.
There is one major college football game that doesn't quite have the same level of success on the line, but still could wind up as the most entertaining of the weekend. That is Texas A&M at Texas.
The Longhorns who have battled for mythical national championships in recent years are now battling to make a bowl game--any bowl game. If they lose or tie the Aggies their bowl run will be over. They won't qualify with only five victories. In the meantime the Aggies have a chance to finish 9-3. They are all but mathematically eliminated from the Big 12 Championship game due to the tie breaker used. They CAN tie Oklahoma and Oklahoma State for first place, but because both OU and OSU are ranked ahead of the Aggies in the BCS poll and the winner of the OU-OSU game will certainly still be ranked higher no matter how impressive the Aggies might be against Texas, one of the Oklahoma schools will rep the Big 12 South.
So Texas A&M wants to win and get the best bowl they can. Of course, I am assuming something that should never be assumed in the Aggie-Longhorn game. The best--or highest rated-- team does not always win. And even when they do they quite often have quite a struggle. Some say they sense an un-deserved cockiness among some Aggie fans going into the game. Nothing shakier than a club that has struggled for a few years having a good year and automatically thinking they are now among the best in the league or nation.
Sustaining success is what proves a program to be among the elite. The Aggie players and coaches know that. Texas A&M is definitely a stronger club than the Longhorns this season. But that does not guarantee a win today or a run of outstanding seasons after this year. Everything has to be earned...week to week and year to year.
The Longhorns down season this year has shown that to the Texas faithful. Nothing is automatic. The Aggies up season has to do the same at Texas A&M. It is just so hard to do when your team is winning. One loss is all it takes to derail the excitement train.
The teams that will ultimately be playing in BCS games know they absolutely cannot lose another game. In the NFL the clubs that will make the post season are in the same boat. Normally the better teams come through.
There is one major college football game that doesn't quite have the same level of success on the line, but still could wind up as the most entertaining of the weekend. That is Texas A&M at Texas.
The Longhorns who have battled for mythical national championships in recent years are now battling to make a bowl game--any bowl game. If they lose or tie the Aggies their bowl run will be over. They won't qualify with only five victories. In the meantime the Aggies have a chance to finish 9-3. They are all but mathematically eliminated from the Big 12 Championship game due to the tie breaker used. They CAN tie Oklahoma and Oklahoma State for first place, but because both OU and OSU are ranked ahead of the Aggies in the BCS poll and the winner of the OU-OSU game will certainly still be ranked higher no matter how impressive the Aggies might be against Texas, one of the Oklahoma schools will rep the Big 12 South.
So Texas A&M wants to win and get the best bowl they can. Of course, I am assuming something that should never be assumed in the Aggie-Longhorn game. The best--or highest rated-- team does not always win. And even when they do they quite often have quite a struggle. Some say they sense an un-deserved cockiness among some Aggie fans going into the game. Nothing shakier than a club that has struggled for a few years having a good year and automatically thinking they are now among the best in the league or nation.
Sustaining success is what proves a program to be among the elite. The Aggie players and coaches know that. Texas A&M is definitely a stronger club than the Longhorns this season. But that does not guarantee a win today or a run of outstanding seasons after this year. Everything has to be earned...week to week and year to year.
The Longhorns down season this year has shown that to the Texas faithful. Nothing is automatic. The Aggies up season has to do the same at Texas A&M. It is just so hard to do when your team is winning. One loss is all it takes to derail the excitement train.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Votto Wins NL MVP But Astros Blanked First Time in 19 Years!
When your team doesn't win...or come close it normally is due to lack of top players. The Astros fell into that spot for the first time in nearly two decades.
Friday, November 19, 2010
The Astros are "FOR SALE"
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
MLB Managers of the Year for 2010- No Surprises
Monday, November 15, 2010
Did You have to Laugh?
When the Texans figured out another way to lose on Sunday were you among those who saw the final pass batted right into the hands of the Jacksonville receiver who stepped into the end zone with the winning score and just had to laugh? I was, while trying to add the word "unbelievable" to top off my astonishment.
These Texans if not good are at least very entertaining. Their games tend to go down to the wire. They don't get blown away for many full games--when they remember to play a full game. It doesn't matter whether they are playing a good team or a bad one, they make things unpredictable.
Well, that is not exactly right. It IS predictable that the Texans defense won't shut anyone down for a whole game. Quarterbacks and receivers have big games against the Texans. Running backs don't do so poorly either. There may be no team in the league whose game films show receivers and defenders further away from each other. Even so, the Texan offense has been good enough to keep things close enough. It is just not good enough to score every time which is almost needed these days.
Hey, don't get me wrong. I want the Texans to win and to be a big success. Fortunately, for me, I don't live and die with each game. I watch 'em all--the only football games I watch start to finish every week. So, I am a follower of the team. However, when I want comedy I will turn my TV to Comedy Central--not the Texans' game.
THINGS ARE LOOKING BETTER IN ROCKETLAND
With two wins in a row on the road (admittedly only against the Pacers and Knicks) the Rockets may be about to put a run of wins together. They are playing much better defense--Chuck Hayes was a major star vs Amare Stoudemire and the Knicks-- while making the extra passes to find open men on offense. Basketball is actually a very simple game. If you pass the ball well you will normally get better shots and make more shots. If you work hard on defense to make it harder for the opponent to do the same it adds to wins.
It doesn't matter who is on the court to make this work. It just matters that this is what is needed to win more consistently. If you don't do it you won't win as much. Just look at the mighty Miami Heat. They don't do either every night and even with the talent level they have they can't win every night.
Talent makes the difference when both teams are making the passes, playing the defense and hustling. When that happens the more talented will win. In the NBA with the long schedule, injuries and fatigue is is just not physically possible every night.
The Rockets team is certainly deep enough when healthy (and yes, I am including Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks, both favorite whipping boys by some fans) as part of this depth. Can coach Rick Adelman mix the different talents from different players into a consistent winning unit? Judging from just what we have seen against the Pacers and Knicks there is now hope. Let us see if that is still the case in a week. In the NBA--like MLB-- things can change greatly in a week.
Unfortunately, in the NFL--especially with the Texans--it seems not much CAN change in a week.
These Texans if not good are at least very entertaining. Their games tend to go down to the wire. They don't get blown away for many full games--when they remember to play a full game. It doesn't matter whether they are playing a good team or a bad one, they make things unpredictable.
Well, that is not exactly right. It IS predictable that the Texans defense won't shut anyone down for a whole game. Quarterbacks and receivers have big games against the Texans. Running backs don't do so poorly either. There may be no team in the league whose game films show receivers and defenders further away from each other. Even so, the Texan offense has been good enough to keep things close enough. It is just not good enough to score every time which is almost needed these days.
Hey, don't get me wrong. I want the Texans to win and to be a big success. Fortunately, for me, I don't live and die with each game. I watch 'em all--the only football games I watch start to finish every week. So, I am a follower of the team. However, when I want comedy I will turn my TV to Comedy Central--not the Texans' game.
THINGS ARE LOOKING BETTER IN ROCKETLAND
With two wins in a row on the road (admittedly only against the Pacers and Knicks) the Rockets may be about to put a run of wins together. They are playing much better defense--Chuck Hayes was a major star vs Amare Stoudemire and the Knicks-- while making the extra passes to find open men on offense. Basketball is actually a very simple game. If you pass the ball well you will normally get better shots and make more shots. If you work hard on defense to make it harder for the opponent to do the same it adds to wins.
It doesn't matter who is on the court to make this work. It just matters that this is what is needed to win more consistently. If you don't do it you won't win as much. Just look at the mighty Miami Heat. They don't do either every night and even with the talent level they have they can't win every night.
Talent makes the difference when both teams are making the passes, playing the defense and hustling. When that happens the more talented will win. In the NBA with the long schedule, injuries and fatigue is is just not physically possible every night.
The Rockets team is certainly deep enough when healthy (and yes, I am including Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks, both favorite whipping boys by some fans) as part of this depth. Can coach Rick Adelman mix the different talents from different players into a consistent winning unit? Judging from just what we have seen against the Pacers and Knicks there is now hope. Let us see if that is still the case in a week. In the NBA--like MLB-- things can change greatly in a week.
Unfortunately, in the NFL--especially with the Texans--it seems not much CAN change in a week.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Is It Good...or Bad?
The Houston Rockets beat the Indiana Pacers on Friday night 102-99. It was only the Rocket's second win of the season, but a nugget buried in the story by the Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen caught my eye. The Rockets have had leads with six or fewer minutes to play in EVERY GAME this season. Yet, they have only won twice.
So what happens to the team down the stretch? Who is to blame? Or is it just another case "proving" the old adage that there is no reason to watch an NBA game till the final minutes because that is when the game will be decided?
Let us start with the positive--maybe not for the Rockets, but for the league in general. NBA games are more often evenly matched far more than their college counterparts. (The same actually also works for the NFL compared to the top college programs for that matter.) There are some blowouts in the NBA, but more often than one would suspect it winds up being the "underdog" team doing the blowing out.
So back to the Rockets...what IS the deal? Anyone who actually has suffered through the unsuccessful finishes sees a pattern emerge. The Rocket offense goes dead. Is it caused by defense now turned on by the foe...or an offense that stops working? Probably a combination of both. Yet, on the other end of the court the Rockets are often done in by one super star player--often a guard--who takes over. The Rockets for all their balance and depth do not have a player like that they can rely on. If the opposition takes away their passing game and forces the wrong players to take the shots before the shot clock runs out they have a great advantage. It has paid off way more than not in the early going this year.
On another topic...I got the feeling spot checking local sports radio this week that fans (and hosts) have finally run out of things to say about the Texans. Even in good times it is hard to come up with new topics revolving around one football team that plays once per week. That is especially tough with the Texans who have the same problems to discuss every week. The only answer is for the Texans to start playing like the team many thought they could be prior to the season. Can they?
The Astros still don't have managers for Corpus Christi or Oklahoma City for 2011. Both are very important jobs since the manager and his coaches will be working with the players closest to the major leagues. They have to work physically harder with the players than on the major league level. Before home games more workouts and instruction is given than on the major league level. That means longer hours on the field. After games they have to file reports on game and player results. It is a hard and often thankless job with the big club calling up players as needed regardless of what they may mean to the minor league team's chances of winning. Fred Nelson is in charge of hiring the new skippers. You can bet he is doing a lot of interviewing and trying to find the right men to speed the development of the system's brightest prospects--and maybe develop a diamond in the rough as well.
So what happens to the team down the stretch? Who is to blame? Or is it just another case "proving" the old adage that there is no reason to watch an NBA game till the final minutes because that is when the game will be decided?
Let us start with the positive--maybe not for the Rockets, but for the league in general. NBA games are more often evenly matched far more than their college counterparts. (The same actually also works for the NFL compared to the top college programs for that matter.) There are some blowouts in the NBA, but more often than one would suspect it winds up being the "underdog" team doing the blowing out.
So back to the Rockets...what IS the deal? Anyone who actually has suffered through the unsuccessful finishes sees a pattern emerge. The Rocket offense goes dead. Is it caused by defense now turned on by the foe...or an offense that stops working? Probably a combination of both. Yet, on the other end of the court the Rockets are often done in by one super star player--often a guard--who takes over. The Rockets for all their balance and depth do not have a player like that they can rely on. If the opposition takes away their passing game and forces the wrong players to take the shots before the shot clock runs out they have a great advantage. It has paid off way more than not in the early going this year.
On another topic...I got the feeling spot checking local sports radio this week that fans (and hosts) have finally run out of things to say about the Texans. Even in good times it is hard to come up with new topics revolving around one football team that plays once per week. That is especially tough with the Texans who have the same problems to discuss every week. The only answer is for the Texans to start playing like the team many thought they could be prior to the season. Can they?
The Astros still don't have managers for Corpus Christi or Oklahoma City for 2011. Both are very important jobs since the manager and his coaches will be working with the players closest to the major leagues. They have to work physically harder with the players than on the major league level. Before home games more workouts and instruction is given than on the major league level. That means longer hours on the field. After games they have to file reports on game and player results. It is a hard and often thankless job with the big club calling up players as needed regardless of what they may mean to the minor league team's chances of winning. Fred Nelson is in charge of hiring the new skippers. You can bet he is doing a lot of interviewing and trying to find the right men to speed the development of the system's brightest prospects--and maybe develop a diamond in the rough as well.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
SABR Keeps Getting Bigger in Houston
In the heart of the football season a hardy group of baseball fans--most card carrying members of SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) convened in a meeting room at one of the local Ragin Cajun restaurants on Tuesday night to talk baseball.
This is a monthly event during the year at chapters all over the country. Many, but not all in or around major league franchises or where baseball is just a good thing to talk about.
This month the guest of the Larry Dierker chapter was the first power hitter in Houston major league baseball history--Jimmy Wynn. Among the members in attendance was regular Larry Miggins who was one of the great power hitters in Houston Buff history. Miggins along with up to 30 other members heard Wynn go over some of the hilights of his career--many related in a new book just out penned by Wynn and Dr. Bill McCurdy--long time baseball fan and president emeritus of the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame.
While it is fashionable to think that baseball has been bypassed severely by football, particularly the professional variety, the facts don't back that up. Groups like SABR prove that baseball will remain very much alive for years to come. There is room for everyone and everyone's preferences. SABR members obviously have a preference for baseball.
One fan even drove in from Austin to be part of the meeting. Baseball fans may be outnumbered by folks who now claim football to be their favorite sport, but the passion for the national past time is still there.
Perhaps part of the lure is that baseball remains the best sport of all for stories. That is why folks who pick up a copy of Jimmy Wynn's new book, "Toy Cannon" will be enthralled. Games are played every day. They come and go. The good and important ones are remembered. The rest just fade into the quilt that is the full season or career.
Jimmy Wynn remembers the big games in his career and key figures with the teams he played with in Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Milwaukee. His big league career ran from 1963 with the old Colt 45 to 1977 with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was a peer with the greats of the game during that period. And during that period he was one of the greats of the game himself.
A good read...published by McFarland. It is "Toy Cannon- The Autobiography of Baseball's Jimmy Wynn"
This is a monthly event during the year at chapters all over the country. Many, but not all in or around major league franchises or where baseball is just a good thing to talk about.
This month the guest of the Larry Dierker chapter was the first power hitter in Houston major league baseball history--Jimmy Wynn. Among the members in attendance was regular Larry Miggins who was one of the great power hitters in Houston Buff history. Miggins along with up to 30 other members heard Wynn go over some of the hilights of his career--many related in a new book just out penned by Wynn and Dr. Bill McCurdy--long time baseball fan and president emeritus of the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame.
While it is fashionable to think that baseball has been bypassed severely by football, particularly the professional variety, the facts don't back that up. Groups like SABR prove that baseball will remain very much alive for years to come. There is room for everyone and everyone's preferences. SABR members obviously have a preference for baseball.
One fan even drove in from Austin to be part of the meeting. Baseball fans may be outnumbered by folks who now claim football to be their favorite sport, but the passion for the national past time is still there.
Perhaps part of the lure is that baseball remains the best sport of all for stories. That is why folks who pick up a copy of Jimmy Wynn's new book, "Toy Cannon" will be enthralled. Games are played every day. They come and go. The good and important ones are remembered. The rest just fade into the quilt that is the full season or career.
Jimmy Wynn remembers the big games in his career and key figures with the teams he played with in Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Milwaukee. His big league career ran from 1963 with the old Colt 45 to 1977 with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was a peer with the greats of the game during that period. And during that period he was one of the greats of the game himself.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Astros Go All the Way with Video...Rockets Fail in 4th Again
NO MAJOR LEAGUE ADVANCE SCOUT FOR ASTROS
The Houston Astros have elected to join several other major league clubs and re-assign the person who was given the assignment of advance scout to rely even more on video. The elimination of the advance scout is not unusual in baseball with more and more clubs utilizing the fact that virtually every game played is now available on TV and the camera shots give a very good look at the home plate battle between pitcher and hitter. However, TV does not show everything. How players are shaded or played defensively is usually only shown on telecasts if extreme shifts are being used. Whether fielders "tip off" pitches that may be coming by shifting too soon is not seen on TV. Plus it is rare to see coaches giving signs that may be "stolen" by good advance scouts. Advance scouts have had key roles in past World Series after spending extensive time following likely opponents. By being around a club advance scouts also can pick up items of interest in random conversation that no telecast is likely to have.
Now, it seems at least during the regular season, most teams don't feel the cost is justified. Maybe the teams are correct. If the basic battle in baseball is between the hitter and pitcher there is plenty of information available from the telecast tapes.
Back in the day when I was an NBA announcer advance scouts were key. For one thing there were not as many telecasts and those games that were aired were often on local channels that were not available off satellite or cable connections. After Rudy Tomjanovich retired as a player and starting coaching he was advance scouting for Bill Fitch most of the time. In addition the Rockets had regional scouts around the country whose job was to keep track of the clubs the Rockets would be playing later in the year.
Eventually Fitch started his own early video monitoring set up by finding people who had satellite dishes and could tape games for him to watch. Ed Bernholtz was the club's first video co-ordinator. His job was to find as many people and places he could to get tapes of games. Fitch even used to come over to the Home Sports Entertainment facility on Gulfton to use the satellite dishes and tape games when he had a night off.
Of course, one major difference between scouting off TV in basketball compared to baseball or football. In basketball you can see most of the field of play at all times. That is not the case with the other two sports and makes the need for having a live presence on site more important.
The Astros are cutting back just as many other baseball clubs have done. Yet, you can be sure if the club can get back in contention with a post season appearance likely they will add the human element to their scouting once again. Sometimes it is that little extra that means the difference between winning and losing.
SCOUTING THE ROCKETS
Meanwhile anyone scouting the Houston Rockets...or anyone who has just looked at box scores this year can tell you about the club. They can't play third quarters offensively and they can't play full games in fourth quarters. Every game has had the same pattern. How does Rick Adelman change that?
Does it start with defense? CAN it start with defense? Are the bulk of the players on the roster physically capable of playing much better defense? Or, is the problem caused by poor shot selection and lack of ball movement down the stretch--thus resulting on the weak defense being more obvious?
If the Rockets scored on a few more possessions in the third and fourth quarters the lack of defense would not be so much of a concern. So which comes first?
Judging from the talent level on the club it might seem that the best route is to make sure the offense stays on track for all 48 minutes. The club does not appear to have the type of players that can suddenly start playing "shut down defense". They either lack foot speed (Martin, Yao, Buddinger) or size (Brooks, Hayes) or if they try harder they foul (Scola).
So maybe the philosphy needs to be to keep the offense running better with some designated players used to cool off the type of "hot" player that has hurt the Rockets late in all of their losses. Maybe that means sacrificing some fouls to playing more aggressively against those hot guys--like Chris Paul on Wednesday--remembering that in the NBA aggresive players always get away with more fouls than are called and often that is enough to throw that hot guy off his game just enough.
Just a thought.
The Houston Astros have elected to join several other major league clubs and re-assign the person who was given the assignment of advance scout to rely even more on video. The elimination of the advance scout is not unusual in baseball with more and more clubs utilizing the fact that virtually every game played is now available on TV and the camera shots give a very good look at the home plate battle between pitcher and hitter. However, TV does not show everything. How players are shaded or played defensively is usually only shown on telecasts if extreme shifts are being used. Whether fielders "tip off" pitches that may be coming by shifting too soon is not seen on TV. Plus it is rare to see coaches giving signs that may be "stolen" by good advance scouts. Advance scouts have had key roles in past World Series after spending extensive time following likely opponents. By being around a club advance scouts also can pick up items of interest in random conversation that no telecast is likely to have.
Now, it seems at least during the regular season, most teams don't feel the cost is justified. Maybe the teams are correct. If the basic battle in baseball is between the hitter and pitcher there is plenty of information available from the telecast tapes.
Back in the day when I was an NBA announcer advance scouts were key. For one thing there were not as many telecasts and those games that were aired were often on local channels that were not available off satellite or cable connections. After Rudy Tomjanovich retired as a player and starting coaching he was advance scouting for Bill Fitch most of the time. In addition the Rockets had regional scouts around the country whose job was to keep track of the clubs the Rockets would be playing later in the year.
Eventually Fitch started his own early video monitoring set up by finding people who had satellite dishes and could tape games for him to watch. Ed Bernholtz was the club's first video co-ordinator. His job was to find as many people and places he could to get tapes of games. Fitch even used to come over to the Home Sports Entertainment facility on Gulfton to use the satellite dishes and tape games when he had a night off.
Of course, one major difference between scouting off TV in basketball compared to baseball or football. In basketball you can see most of the field of play at all times. That is not the case with the other two sports and makes the need for having a live presence on site more important.
The Astros are cutting back just as many other baseball clubs have done. Yet, you can be sure if the club can get back in contention with a post season appearance likely they will add the human element to their scouting once again. Sometimes it is that little extra that means the difference between winning and losing.
SCOUTING THE ROCKETS
Meanwhile anyone scouting the Houston Rockets...or anyone who has just looked at box scores this year can tell you about the club. They can't play third quarters offensively and they can't play full games in fourth quarters. Every game has had the same pattern. How does Rick Adelman change that?
Does it start with defense? CAN it start with defense? Are the bulk of the players on the roster physically capable of playing much better defense? Or, is the problem caused by poor shot selection and lack of ball movement down the stretch--thus resulting on the weak defense being more obvious?
If the Rockets scored on a few more possessions in the third and fourth quarters the lack of defense would not be so much of a concern. So which comes first?
Judging from the talent level on the club it might seem that the best route is to make sure the offense stays on track for all 48 minutes. The club does not appear to have the type of players that can suddenly start playing "shut down defense". They either lack foot speed (Martin, Yao, Buddinger) or size (Brooks, Hayes) or if they try harder they foul (Scola).
So maybe the philosphy needs to be to keep the offense running better with some designated players used to cool off the type of "hot" player that has hurt the Rockets late in all of their losses. Maybe that means sacrificing some fouls to playing more aggressively against those hot guys--like Chris Paul on Wednesday--remembering that in the NBA aggresive players always get away with more fouls than are called and often that is enough to throw that hot guy off his game just enough.
Just a thought.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Baseball is Over. Are the Texans Heading the Same Way?
The Giants are the champions of major league baseball. They were able to beat Cliff Lee twice and that was the bottom line story. Had the roles been reversed the Rangers might be on the verge of winning the championship. But that's baseball. Tim Lincecum was enough better than Lee to make the difference. Sure, he had more offensive help. The Rangers who led the majors in batting average during the regular season hit only .190 in the series with a major dearth of clutch hits. But did they fail...or was the Giants pitching just that successful.
Since good pitching almost always takes care of good hitters I tend to lean toward the latter. The pitching which was much deeper than just Lincecum, the two time NL Cy Young Award winner. The Giants won thanks to some clutch hits, but mostly thanks to superb pitcher.
That brings up to the home town team. The Astros have the beginnings of a very good pitching staff. Can it be built enough more that the club can overcome offensive problems. Don't kid yourself those offensive problems will be evident again in 2011 even if young players like Tommy Manzella, Jason Castro and Brett Wallace perform much better than they did in 2010. None of them are on track to be all-stars yet. The pitching will have to be almost "Giant strong" to allow the club to contend. Nothing is baseball is impossible otherwise the Giants and Rangers would not have been meeting in the World Series. Still, the Astros will have to do some work.
AS FOR THE TEXANS....
Many of us were able to at least "spot check" the Texans-Colts game on Monday night while focusing on the Series. (Yes, I know many were doing the reverse, but the way things turned out I liked my way.) The Texans--as they have on too many occasions--proved they are not worthy of being considered one of the better teams in the NFL. I did watch the opening series. Passing right off the bat against a team that has not stopped the run? Too often offensive co-ordinators/head coaches think they have to "trick" the opposition. "If they expect us to run let's pass instead." Huh? Why not shove the old Green Bay Packer Lombardi Sweep philosophy? Sure, football is more sophisticated than in was in Lombardi's Green Bay days, but one thing has not changed. If you beat your man and your teammate beats his man the play works. Lombardi preached and practiced over and over and over fewer plays, but had his team perfect them no matter what the opposition defense showed. At the point his players could no longer get the job done he got new players.
All that is likely too simplistic now. For one thing so much more money is invested in players they cannot be discarded like bent playing cards. But something has to be done with the Texans. Everyone says they have talent. Do they really? The same has been said about the Cowboys. Do they really?
If either or both of those teams DO have talent then guess where the finger points? It may be too late for this season, although the Texans at least right now are still over .500 and a post season contender. The way things are going right now new head coaches in both Arlington with the Cowboys and in Houston could very well be in the cards for next year. Alas, there are no Lombardis around. There IS a hard nosed guy who has won named Cowher taking a TV hiatus. Hmm.
Since good pitching almost always takes care of good hitters I tend to lean toward the latter. The pitching which was much deeper than just Lincecum, the two time NL Cy Young Award winner. The Giants won thanks to some clutch hits, but mostly thanks to superb pitcher.
That brings up to the home town team. The Astros have the beginnings of a very good pitching staff. Can it be built enough more that the club can overcome offensive problems. Don't kid yourself those offensive problems will be evident again in 2011 even if young players like Tommy Manzella, Jason Castro and Brett Wallace perform much better than they did in 2010. None of them are on track to be all-stars yet. The pitching will have to be almost "Giant strong" to allow the club to contend. Nothing is baseball is impossible otherwise the Giants and Rangers would not have been meeting in the World Series. Still, the Astros will have to do some work.
AS FOR THE TEXANS....
Many of us were able to at least "spot check" the Texans-Colts game on Monday night while focusing on the Series. (Yes, I know many were doing the reverse, but the way things turned out I liked my way.) The Texans--as they have on too many occasions--proved they are not worthy of being considered one of the better teams in the NFL. I did watch the opening series. Passing right off the bat against a team that has not stopped the run? Too often offensive co-ordinators/head coaches think they have to "trick" the opposition. "If they expect us to run let's pass instead." Huh? Why not shove the old Green Bay Packer Lombardi Sweep philosophy? Sure, football is more sophisticated than in was in Lombardi's Green Bay days, but one thing has not changed. If you beat your man and your teammate beats his man the play works. Lombardi preached and practiced over and over and over fewer plays, but had his team perfect them no matter what the opposition defense showed. At the point his players could no longer get the job done he got new players.
All that is likely too simplistic now. For one thing so much more money is invested in players they cannot be discarded like bent playing cards. But something has to be done with the Texans. Everyone says they have talent. Do they really? The same has been said about the Cowboys. Do they really?
If either or both of those teams DO have talent then guess where the finger points? It may be too late for this season, although the Texans at least right now are still over .500 and a post season contender. The way things are going right now new head coaches in both Arlington with the Cowboys and in Houston could very well be in the cards for next year. Alas, there are no Lombardis around. There IS a hard nosed guy who has won named Cowher taking a TV hiatus. Hmm.
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