Thursday, March 31, 2011

Not quite April In the D

After the pathetic performances of both the Pistons and Wings last night, the start of the baseball season is most welcome.

The Pistons decided it would be cool to give up 90 points to the hapless Pacers through the first 3 quarters. They let unheralded big men like Josh McRoberts and Jeff Foster eat up the offensive glass to the tune of 22 points, 20 rebounds combined. Both came off the bench. This team has quit. It's ugly. There's not much left to say.

As for the Red Wings, you hope this is a wake-up call. After surprisingly scoring the first goal of the game, the Wings let the Blues completely dominate them. I know sports writers are prone to hyperbole, but "completely dominate" is no understatement. The Blues put TEN pucks in the net. TEN. The Wings yanked their goalie not once but twice! First MacDonald got the hook, more out of anger toward the team than anything else. Then his replacement, McCollum, got yanked after allowing 3 goals on 8 shots. First, the fans booed. Then the fans left. Most of the 3rd period was played in an empty arena.

Who were these guys that skated around so haplessly? Allowing the Blues free-reign? And it's not like the Blues are an elite team. Their the 13th seed in the West. Coach Babcock had a look of scorn that could cut through glass.

In the Wings' defense, their solid play at the start of the season affords them this luxury. They don't have to fight to get into the playoffs. They're just cruising. It's just hard to feel good about their prospects when they get blown out by a shite team like the Blues. And this isn't the first crap performance. They finished their five-game homestand with one win and four losses. This isn't a way to prime for a long playoff run.

The only silver lining is that we've seen this before. Once the playoffs start, something clicks. They play with more focus and determination. They'll need it.

(Kronwall, by the way, wore the "A" last night with Datsyuk and Draper out.)

As for the Tigers, they open up today against the Yanks. It's not a kind schedule to start the season. After the Yankees, they travel to Baltimore. Then they host KC and Texas at home. Then a seven game West Coast trip against Seattle and Oakland. Then back home against the White Sox. Baltimore, Seattle, and KC are lightweights based on last season. Yet, the Tigers seem to struggle against the minnows and raise their game against the titans, so it's impossible to know what to expect. Last season, the Tigers played significantly better at home. Starting the season with 13 of their first 19 on the road does not bode well.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

USA 0 - Paraguay 1

Yuck. It never feels good to lose. Especially after outplaying the opposition. Yet, how much should the result truly matter?

If I'm going to poo-poo friendly wins (like, say, this 3-0 drubbing of Germany a few years prior to losing to them when it really mattered in the World Cup Quarterfinals), then I should also dismiss friendly losses. What matters more than the result is the quality of play on the field and the development of the players. In that light, the game was a moderate success. Coach Bradley successfully integrated newcomers Timothy Chandler, Juan Agudelo, and Tim Ream into the senior national side.

Chandler had the best game of the bunch, regularly beating his man down the right flank, displaying uncommon speed and touch. He was never caught out of position on defense. While he may not immediately supplant Steve Cherundolo at right fullback, he's a capable alternative.

Juan Agudelo also played very well earning his 4th cap and first as a starter. Despite his inexperience, Agudelo caused many more headaches for Paraguay than his strike partner, Jozy Altidore. Agudelo was active and tireless throughout the match. The one knock is that he never sniffed the goal, and scoring is his primary duty. Otherwise, a fine match.

In central defense, Tim Ream took the place of Oguchi Onyewu (who didn't dress) and displayed superior passing and poise. Unlike the Argentina game, the US was able to work the ball out of danger and maintain possession, instead of clearing it into the 34th row. What Ream does not possess is Onyewu's size, and this hurt him in his one crucial mistake. Ream was manhandled on an early corner kick, and he fell to the ground. Jay Demerit also somehow fell. With both central defenders helpless, Paraguay's Cordozo pounced on the loose ball and beat Marcus Hahnemann. Highlights here:



That's the plight of the defender. You can play fine the entire match, but, if you get caught out of position just once, that's what people remember. Ream had a fine night, but he'll have to keep his footing next time. These burly international strikers will do whatever it takes to create space.

A handful of veterans had fine nights as well, specifically Michael Bradley. He was the most active central midfielder, and he also had the best chance at net. He expertly set himself up for a long-range volley that was right on target. The Paraguayan keeper, their captain and no slouch, extended fully and blocked the blistering shot out of bounds. It was a first-rate save. Donovan also had a stellar chance from a sharp angle at close range, but he sent his shot just wide.

Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, and Agudelo did well maintaining possession for long stretches, which was probably the most encouraging part of the game. The least encouraging would be their lack of finishing. To the US's credit, Paraguay is no slouch. They made the World Cup quarterfinals, mostly on the strength of their defense. Talent-wise, they match up favorably against the US. With this game being on US soil, however, you would hope the US wouldn't get shut out.

The US team is off until late May when they return to camp in preparation for the Gold Cup. US Soccer recently announced a Gold Cup warmup friendly with Spain on June 4. Three days later, the US takes on Canada in Detroit - a game I'll be attending with Mrs. Nofrownmotown (and possibly Dr. Rochester). We'll be sitting with Sam's Army. Can't wait.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

State of the Nats

Much has changed with the US National Soccer team since the World Cup last summer. And, yet, little of that change was evident based on the starting lineup last Saturday against Argentina. Coach Bob Bradley opted for the lone striker, 4-5-1 alignment. Ten of the eleven starters were holdovers from the World Cup. The only new face was Jermaine Jones.

Yet, in the past nine months, Coach Bradley introduced a slew of new players, highlighted by striker Juan Agudelo, who made an immediate impression by scoring in his first cap against South Africa late last year.

On Saturday, the US team appeared overmatched against Argentina. The 4-5-1 alignment was meant to clog the middle and stifle Argentina's passing. It backfired. Argentina possessed the ball almost the entire first half, easily stringing together passes and breaking down the United States.


The US rarely crossed into Argentina's end of the field. The fact that Argentina only scored one goal was a testament to incredible goalkeeping by Tim Howard and poor finishing by Argentina.

Like Mexico, the Argentinians get pass-happy and wait for the perfect opportunity. Most of the goals scored against the US during World Cup qualifying were long blasts from outside the 18. Argentina never once shot from distance, and it hurt them. In close quarters, Tim Howard was quick and aggressive enough to smother most attacks.

Despite Howard's heroics, it was hard to feel too great about the US team. It was sheer domination by Argentina. At the half, Bob Bradley opted to switch to the 4-4-2 alignment. He took out Jermaine Jones and inserted striker Juan Agudelo. Bradley also replaced right back Jon Spector with another newcomer, Timothy Chandler. The switch turned an embarrassing game into one that was more end-to-end action, albeit still heavily weighted in Argentina's favor. Regardless, Altidore struggled significantly less with a partner at forward. And Tim Chandler did an excellent job going forward from his fullback spot.

Michael Bradley also seemed more comfortable with only one partner in the middle (Maurice Edu) instead of two. The US equalized after a restart. Donovan sent a curling free kick into the box. Bocanegra won the header and placed it perfectly toward the corner of the goal. The goalie did well to block it, but Agudelo was on the doorstep and put the rebound into the net. No doubt this goal was against the run of play, but that's football.


Argentina had a handful of chances after the US scored, but so did the US to be fair. Edu and Dempsey both had great opportunities to score inside the box. The world's greatest player, Argentina's Lionel Messi, proved a handful the entire match, but he never found net. He repeatedly took on four or five players at once and somehow maintained possession. The skill level of Messi and the rest of Argentina was so significantly higher than the US that it's clear the US is still at least a generation away from truly challenging as a world power. The US has the smarts and technical ability to bunker down and limit damage. They also have the skill and speed to counter-attack and score against the top teams in the world. Yet, that strategy is only going to earn them wins against the minnows and a sporadic result against top competition. It's no path to long-term success. To truly challenge - and string 4-5 wins in a row against the best in the world - they'll have to learn to control the game.

These players just aren't there. But they're getting closer.

Let's take a look at a few of the new faces:

Juan Agudelo - An 18 year old striker for the New York Red Bulls. He's progressed rapidly as he wasn't even a starter for New York last season. Now he's getting capped by the senior national team... and scoring! He's got good pace and skill and a tenacity around the box. What's great about this kid is his fearless ambition. He's not intimidated by the world stage and has confidence to attack people. He partners well with Altidore, much the same way Charlie Davies did. MLS is a good league for Agudelo right now, and he scored his first MLS goal just last week. After overhyping Freddy Adu and Eddie Johnson, US fans are hesitant to get too excited about Agudelo. It's tough to know what the future holds for an 18 year old, but it's clear his ceiling is high.

Timothy Chandler - A 21 year old defender for Nuremberg in the Bundesliga. Like Agudelo, Chandler was hardly on the US's radar a year ago. He was playing for the Nuremberg reserves and performed well enough to get called up to the senior team this season. Former US player Tony Sanneh knew of Chandler and inquired whether he'd be interested in playing for the US. Despite spending most of his life in Germany, Chandler had no qualms about representing the US and eagerly accepted Bob Bradley's first invite for this camp. As a player, I've rarely seen a US player integrate so seamlessly into the US's backline. Unlike his predecessor's at right defense, Chandler has the speed to cover top wingers. Like Agudelo, his ceiling is high, and the US is lucky to have him.

If you have Fox Soccer Channel, you can check out these new faces of the US team tomorrow night when the US takes on Paraguay. After that, it's back to the club teams.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Tiger Notes

Let's assume this was a HR

The Tigers sent Scott Sizemore to Toledo yesterday and named Will Rhymes as the starting second baseman. Carlos Guillen will begin the season on the disabled list. When he returns, Guillen will get the majority of the starts at second base, but Guillen's health is a major concern. My guess is Guillen will be lucky to start half the season at second base. So Rhymes' ability to continue what he started last season is key.

Considering Sizemore was a massive disappoint last season and Rhymes was a pleasant surprise, this decision should not be surprising. Yet, Leyland has shown a penchant for favorites (see: Raburn, Ryan), and I was worried Sizemore might be another Leyland pet. Apparently, it's Rhymes that won Leyland's heart with his .304 average and key hits last year.

Not many folks thought much of Rhymes when he came up. He didn't turn many heads in the '05 draft when he dropped all the way to the 27th round. The Tigers started Rhymes like most rookies in their rookie Single-A team. He hit .328. The next season he was at Single-A West Michigan and hit a disappointing .261, though he did improve his fielding. The next season, Rhymes began in Single-A but worked his way to Double-A Erie. The next year he started at Erie but was promoted to Triple-A Toledo. Sense the trend? Finally, after a season and a half in Toledo, Rhymes broke through to the majors last year. While he's never posted eye-popping numbers, at every level he's hit somewhere between .261 and .307. His ability to raise his game to the level of competition is noteworthy, as he doesn't seem fazed by the bigger names or stronger arms. Yet, focusing solely on stats sells Rhymes a bit short.

In the article, Leyland called Rhymes a "spark plug". In Leyland-speak that's a back-handed compliment. Leyland is saying that Rhymes doesn't have great natural ability but he makes things happen with his slap hits and hustle. In my opinion, Rhymes fit his role quite well last year, picking up where Polanco left off. The gaping Polanco hole was extremely noticeable with Sizemore in the lineup. Yet, Rhymes fared significantly better although he didn't quite match Polanco's defensive acumen. That's where Guillen fits in. For some reason, Guillen earned a reputation among Tiger fans as a poor defensive player. Perhaps it's because he no longer has the physical ability to play shortstop, and the Tiger brass shuttled Guillen around the field trying to find him a position. I thought he did remarkably well at 2nd base last year, especially considering he spent the entire offseason practicing for left field. Guillen had a slightly higher fielding percentage than Rhymes and offers a powerful switch hitting bat. The knock on his health is legit, but he's too valuable a player to write-off yet. With Guillen and Rhymes manning 2nd base, the Tigers should be fine.

They also have Danny Worth and Ramon Santiago who could fill that spot in a pinch, though neither has a reliable bat.

In other Tiger news, the team must be pleased with the starters this Spring. Those that reguarly read this blog know that the starters make me extremely nervous. Check out these stats:

Verlander - 0.86 ERA, 21.0 IP
Scherzer - 5.40 ERA, 14.2 IP
Porcello - 3.11 ERA, 17.1 IP
Coke - 2.49 ERA, 21.2 IP
Penny - 2.35 ERA, 15.1 IP

Only Scherzer has an ERA north of 3.11. That's a great sign. It's usually a mistake to read too much into Spring training stats - especially for pitchers - but you'd much rather have them doing well than struggling. For the record, the young kids also fared well:

Jacob Turner - 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP
Andy Oliver - 1.80 ERA, 5.0 IP

While he just earned a trip to Toledo (along with Sizemore), I was pleased to see Fu Te Ni pitch 10 innings, allowing just one earned run. He had a disappointing 2010 campaign. With Coke in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future, the Tigers could use more lefties in the bullpen. Schlereth appears to be the frontrunner, but it's nice to know Ni is pitching well just in case.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Worth the price of admission


Thanks to Gary Bettman and his crap schedule, Red Wing fans get to see Eastern Conference teams at the Joe once every other year. So the fact that Alex Ovechkin is coming to town is cause for celebration. Outside of DC, no town pulls for Ovechkin more than the D. And it's all due to the Sidney Crosby vs. Ovechkin debate. We'd pull for Saddam Hussein over Crosby.

On WDFN this morning, they were chatting about players who are "worth the price of admission," with Ovechkin being a player who qualifies. Despite a down year in terms of goals, he's still an electric player and personality. So, with all the negativity lately in sports and on this blog (thanks, NFL) , I thought it would be worthwhile to spread some positivity. What athletes, in my humble opinion, are worth the price of admission?

Let's start with hockey.

Pavel Datsyuk

We're lucky that we get to see Datsyuk and his sublime skill every single game. I've not seen a player in my adult lifetime that can match his sheer trickery. Each time he touches the puck, it's a chance for something special. It's players like Datsyuk that make hockey so much fun. There may be better goal-scorers and passers, but, for entertainment value, Datsyuk is #1.

Kevin Durant

Quietly, this kid has ascended to NBA knighthood. Perhaps it hasn't been that quiet, but he's certainly still in the media shadow of Kobe, the Celtics, and the Big 3. In fact, Blake Griffin probably gets more pub. Yet, all Durant has done this season is average 28 per game with 7 boards. And that's slightly down from last season's 30 and 7.6.

When he came into the league, NBA fans dogged him for being weak. He was the only player who couldn't bench press 185lbs. Perhaps those fans forgot that the game is played on a court, not in a weight room. Shutting those testosterone junkies up forever, Durant proved the stupidity of all those draft camp drills. Can the dude play the game? See for yourself (with or without a shoe):



Or how about this gem from his rookie season (on the now-defunct Supersonics):



In football, the search was a bit tougher. As a fan of the worst franchise in professional sports, my first instinct was Ndamukong Suh. Yet, for every sack and/or fumble recovery, there are countless plays where he ends up in a pile. There's only so much excitement a defensive tackle can really bring to the table.

Since Barry Sanders retired, there just aren't any RBs that can do this:


But, of course, that doesn't mean there's not any excitement. (By the way, watching those clips reminded me how spoiled we all were to have such a dynamic player wear Bubbles the Lion on his helmet. Perhaps the Millen years were our penance for taking Barry for granted?)

We're currently living through the prime of the NFL's greatest quarterback...

Peyton Manning

I've watched this kid carve up defenses like pork chops. He's a popular player, for sure, but it's somewhat shocking to me that rivals like Tom Brady and Brett Favre steal headlines. In Brady's case, he receives the benefit of the Boston (aka ESPN) treatment. Yet, Favre has no place on the front page. This is the best thing that ever happened to football:


Thank you, Corey Wootton. Now, we can move forward and appreciate the brilliance that is Manning. He's 3rd all-time in passing yards, passes completed, and passing TDs. Despite also being 3rd all-time in passing attempts, he's only 28th in interceptions. For his career, Peyton has completed a sterling 65% of his passes. Oh, and, by the way, he's not missed a start since he was drafted. That's 208 games and counting. All told, he's notched a 141-67 record as a pro. As a Lions fan, those are numbers we just drool at. The wins. The consistency. It's incredible. All that, and the dude even helps the kids.

What about baseball? Is there a player worth the price of admission? I suppose there are sluggers like Pujols and Cabrera. But who wants to watch home run after home run? As the mainstay on Sportscenter broadcasts during the Summer, the home run is about as exciting as a new Weezer record. And I can't claim to get overly interested in a pitcher's duel. Sure, I appreciate the ability to throw 95mph and still pick out corners of the strike zone. But I'm not sure it's worth the price of admission (unless, of course, you're sitting in the bleachers... and why wouldn't you?). So who's left? What athlete in baseball performs the unthinkable?

The best fit, I'd say, is:

Ichiro Suzuki

He can throw like Willie Mays: (crowd reaction is the best)


And he's an astounding hitter. He's on pace to get 3,000 hits before his 40th birthday, which is astonishing considering he was 27 when he started in MLB. Oh, and in a pinch, the dude can pitch:


So there you have it. My players who are worth the price of admission. Most fly under the radar. They don't always grab the headlines. But, when folks look back on this era of sports, they'll remember those names.

Monday, March 14, 2011

State of Sports


My apologies for the delayed absence. For us unpaid bloggers, the paid work occasionally intervenes. (How dare they?)

Yet, I admit it's more than just business from the day job. I found myself often uninspired to write about our Detroit-area teams the past few months. When I started this blog a few years ago, the Pistons on solid ground, just a move or two away from contention. Plus, they had cap-space thanks to the Iverson deal. The Red Wings were the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, making yet another run. The Tigers were in 1st place. And the Lions... well, they were 0-16.

Oh, so much has changed. While the Red Wings remain the flag-bearers for sporting excellence, the Pistons are the exact opposite. Since the death of Bill Davidson, the once-proud franchise has become everything that's wrong with modern professional athletics. Bickering millionaire players, corporate greed, inept management. It's a complete and utter mess. There's no joy in following this team. If I wasn't a complete addict, I'd have jettisoned them by now, like the Lions.

As for the Lions, they actually made slight progress since the 0-16 season. Though, it's mathematically impossible to do any worse. Millen's replacement and former employee, Martin Mayhew, continues to make correct, rational decisions, which makes one wonder how he tolerated his former boss. Jim Schwartz and Ndamukong Suh have the team pointed in the right direction, regardless of who's QB. Of course, with the team on the verge of mediocrity, the league is on the brink of canceling the season. Is there a bigger turn-off than two super-rich organizations suing each other? (Well, maybe her.) When ESPN is overrun by lawyers and suits, it's time for Pawn Stars.

Then there's the Tigers. Last year, during a Spring Training radio broadcast, I found myself cursing Brandon Inge's inability to hit a sacrifice fly. As my temper boiled-over, I realized I was in mid-season bitching form... in April! Why was I already so angry at this team? This season, the anger-sickness spread to Mrs. Nofrownmotown, who's still livid at Dombrowski's offseason moves. She's sick to her stomach that Dombrowski spent millions on yet another free agent Victor Martinez, yet opted to let Imperfecto Galarraga walk. In her mind, the team does not have the luxury to let any pitchers walk. I tend to agree. Due to injuries and general inconsistency, the Tigers staff is hanging by a thread. God forbid something happen to Justin Verlander. Porcello and Scherzer are the inked in #2 and #3 starters, but neither made it through last season without getting sent to Triple-A. (And Mrs. Nofrown is still bitter that DD let Polanco go without a fight.)

I'm a little more tolerant of DD than Mrs. Nofrown. Yet, the recent news of Miguel Cabrera has soured any positive Spring vibe. Everybody wanted to believe the feel-good reconstruction of his career. Last year, he was on the verge of an MVP. He was perhaps the most-feared hitter in the American League. Why would he throw that away? What's even more disturbing is his booze-filled "Do you know who I am" behavior. How can we root for such entitlement?

I suppose a contrite Cabrera will still win over fans. And when he hits that next walk-off, all will be forgiven. Yet, is there any joy in rooting for this team? On the surface, they seem to be nice guys. Magglio, Inge, Guillen, and Verlander say the right things. They usually do enough to play .500 baseball. They beat up the National League, lose to the Twins and Sox, and typically stay in contention for a few months. They provide entertainment. Perhaps this season, we'll focus on the positives. One thing is for sure... when the lead story is actually baseball-related (not a police report), it'll be a lot more fun.

It's mid-March, just a few weeks from Fox Sports Detroit's infamous "April in the D" - the supposed Glory Days of Detroit Sports. With the Pistons train-wreck team, there will be no playoffs. The Red Wings may provide some spark, but with a rough opening schedule my guess is the Tigers will begin the season in last place. Maybe it's time I give more love to the Wings - the only team that still puts a smile on our face.

Last weekend, they pulled out a miracle win over the Kings, scoring the game-tying goal with seconds left in regulation, then notching the game-winner in OT. The next day, the beat St. Louis on the road - 5-3. They're in contention for the Cup once again. What's not to love?

Friday, March 4, 2011

($)9 Billion Problems

Poor NFL. What are they going to do with their $9billion?

The NFL is the most popular sport in the country. It's the king of all sports. So why would the owners voluntarily shut down such a lucrative business?

With the profits increasing each year, the owners want more. Yet, with short careers and a shockingly short life-expectancy (55 years), the players want improved post-football benefits... not to mention more money in general.

An even shorter answer is this - greed. It seems crazy that the owners would voluntarily shut down when they're making money hand-over-fist. The owners are committed to fighting for their share. The players are about to file an anti-trust lawsuit. Whoever loses in court will then appeal. And the cycle could result in a lost season.

It's never a good thing when Sportscenter clips take place in an office and not the playing field.

The NHL faced a similar dilemma in 2004. The owners decided to sacrifice the 04-05 season to make their point. The players lost. The fans lost. But most of all, the league lost. Six years later, the NHL still struggles to find a foothold in the sporting landscape. In perhaps the biggest blow, ESPN stopped broadcasting NHL games. Despite a rousing return to the front page during the winter Olympics, hockey remains slightly more popular than soccer - a far cry from the Gretzky years.

Yet, the NFL owners know football is king. Americans are addicted to fantasy football, the draft, the Sunday tailgates. The owners feel they can cancel an entire season, and the fans will come crawling back, like heroine junkies dying for a fix. And I fear they're right. The league could survive a lost season. There would be a backlash from a certain percentage of fans, but the NFL would soldier on as the #1 sport in America.

But only for a time.

My guess is that the lockout would scar the fans in a way that would affect the league slowly over time. There will be small signs of the decline at first... perhaps the Super Bowl ratings will be slightly lower. Fewer teams will sell out. Yet, the proud NFL would refuse to budge on standard practices. Advertising rates would remain absurdly high, as would ticket prices. Advertisers and fans would slowly walk away. The league would suffer. And, like all kings before them, the NFL would die. Not literally, of course, but it would lose it's crown. Perhaps baseball would take over. Perhaps college football. Perhaps MMA. Perhaps Dancing with the Stars. Perhaps something not even on the air yet.

What the NFL owners fail to realize is that fans today are not lemmings. They enjoy the NFL product for the moment, but they don't want to be taken for granted. If a successful business is put to rest for the sole purpose of more money, the fans will feel manipulated. They'll come back at first because it's routine. But the scar would remain. Look no further than the NBA to see a possible scenario. Fans of the NBA suffered through an almost-lost season in 98-99, and the league slowly morphed from a team-game to a focus on individual stars. This empowered the players to the extent that they now dictate where and when they play. Fan animosity is high, and attendance is down.

Next season (if there is one), Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will be 35 and 34, respectively. They're the face of the league. Will we start to look on those guys as the Magic and Bird of the NFL? The popular players during the league's heyday? Who will take over when they retire? Who will represent the league when they retire? (If the league is smart, it'll be this guy.)

Of course, all this negativity can be avoided. If the league and players settle on how best to split up their $9billion, all will be fine. The fans will get their draft and fantasy football. The players will get their benefits. And the owners will get that 2nd yacht. Yet, the chances of this happening are about as good as the Lions winning the Super Bowl.