Pretty interesting study of drafting Big Ten backs in the first two rounds, compared to other leagues, at Fanhouse.
It sure sounds like Big Ten backs are over-rated compared to other leagues, especially the SEC.
You’re shocked, I can tell.
The big question for teams and player personnel types looking for running backs — such as, I don’t know, the Chicago Bears? — this year: “is Rashard Mendenhall better than those other guys?”
(cue Jeopardy theme)
The Gear Guy Speaks: Ex-USGA Expert Frank Thomas Says Golfers Pay Too Much for Too Little
He is not a pessimist. “The game will always be here, because it’s the most bewitching and beguiling game that man has ever devised,” he told me during a recent visit to his office and putting studio. “But the thing that concerns me is how commerce now dominates golf and is trying to squeeze the last dollar out of its most avid customers rather than trying to open the game up to more participants. If the goal is to improve the overall health and enjoyment of the game, that’s the wrong direction.”
A big part of the problem, he believes, is the disproportionate attention paid to the tiny percentage of players who compete at elite levels.
[...]
In the last 30 years, Mr. Thomas contends, there have been only three innovations that had a major, beneficial impact on the game. The first, led by Karsten Solheim at Ping, was perimeter weighting on putters, irons and, later, metalwoods, which helps keep shots on line by preventing clubheads from deflecting as much on off-center strikes. The second was graphite shafts, which make clubs lighter and thus easier to swing faster. (He believes that in time graphite shafts will become nearly as common in irons as they now are in woods.)
The third innovation, spring-like effect in driver heads, came about by accident and, in Mr. Thomas’s opinion, was regrettable. “In the 1990s clubmakers started using titanium in drivers because it was lighter and stronger than steel and they could make the clubheads larger. That made them more forgiving, which was the purpose. But then they discovered that the big heads were hitting the ball farther, too, because of the trampoline effect it got from the thinner, bigger clubfaces,” he said. For pros who swing at 115 mph and make perfect contact, the added distance is 8 to 10 yards from increased ball velocity alone.
There’s lots more really good practical advice there; go read the whole thing. And click on his website: www.franklygolf.com
Unless you like spending $1800 on clubs to hit the ball further into the rough than you do now. Totally up to you.
Couldn’t see that coming!
It’s a pity what this guy’s career has turned into, compared to the potential he had. And it’s all Dusty Baker’s fault! Or maybe the Cubs’ medical staff. Or, super bad luck.
But it definitely is not a case of Mark Prior being a tender cha-cha. No way. Uh uh. That we know for sure.
Mike Baumann of mlb.com says “Wood should fit nicely as closer”.
I sincerely hope so, and not just because it would help the Cubs.
I’m also pulling for Kerry Wood the man, who has endured lots of bad luck and injuries, but has always had a great attitude, and has shown himself to be a true team player and an excellent teammate.
Last year he said he thought about hanging it up, but he wanted his young son to remember seeing him play major league baseball, and so he committed himself to working through his rehab — yet again — and he finally made it back to the big league club in mid-summer. He was pretty effective in middle relief the last couple of months of the season.
And now he’s the closer, with two very good setup men and a team that should score some runs.
So I hope he stays healthy, and can enjoy some well-deserved success this year. By every measure I can see, he’s one of the good guys in sports.
At Least, The Stuff I Care About, and Am Too Lazy to Provide Links, Edition
Blackhawks 4, Blues 3
Great game; didn’t see any of it.
Hawks up 2-1 in third period, give up tying goal with 8 minutes left, give up go-ahead goal with 1:18 left, then score tying goal (Wisniewski) with :54 left. Overtime. Patrick Kane scores winner at 1:09 into overtime. No points 1 point 2 points.
Now only 4 points out of playoff hunt, with 6 games left.
This week: at Columbus (Wed. 6:00), at St. Louis (Sat 7:30), Columbus (Sun 6:00)
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Bulls Continue to Give Up 4th Quarter Leads
What can you say? Losing to Indiana, at home, by 8, after leading by 13 in the fourth?
Like Jim Mora said, “PLAYOFFS?! YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT PLAYOFFS?!”
This week: Atlanta (Tue 7:30), at Philly (Wed 6:00), at Atlanta (Fri 6:30), Milwaukee (Sat 7:30)
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Cubs Ready to Break Camp
Seems like they’re getting the rotation in order, though one of Dempster, Lieber, and Marquis is out. Possible trade?
Kerry Wood has all but sewn up the closer role. He has walked nobody this spring; this is a very good sign. But closers have to pitch on consecutive days and stay healthy enough to appear in 50 or 60 games. Good thing they have Howry and Marmol, too.
Lou continues to tinker with the lineup in ways I’m not sure I like. He wants Soriano in the 2 hole to protect his legs, which probably makes some sense, but Soriano seems too undisciplined to hit there; I like him at 3, 4, or 5 better. Plus by putting him there, you can’t put Fukudome in the 2 spot, who seems more suitable (though I haven’t seen him play yet). Lou seems generally too concerned about protecting Ramirez in the lineup by having Fukudome hit behind him. I think it’s much more important to have a top 3 that generate lots of runs on their own, with speed and good baserunning and situational hitting, and I think a Theriot-Fukudome-Soriano (or Lee) lineup might do that.
——–
NCAA March Madness – Round of 16
Yay, Davidson. I’ve always disliked Georgetown. And I generally favor the unknown mid-major type programs over the completely over-exposed, usually over-rated, big conference teams.
I’m in last place in our family pool. Yeah, I’m behind an 8 year old and a 6 year old. What of it? At least I’m ahead of the dog. But she is not technically, you know, “in” the pool.
Categories: Baseball · Basketball · Hockey · Links · Local · Sports
A Rock Star That Supports The Troops — And Not in That Ironic “But I Don’t Support the War” Kind of Way
He started a site about a year ago, called whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com, that was inspired by his pro-troops song “Freedom Never Cries”.
The video for it is called “World”, and was debuted — and this is about the coolest thing I can imagine — at a party for Medal of Honor recipients at the Reagan Library, and Ondrasik sang the song live for them.
The site is intended to raise money for various charities, such as Operation Homefront and Fisher House, among others.
Ondrasik does this good work in spite of a lack of media love for his efforts. Which tells me two things: his sincerity is beyond dispute, and the media only recognizes entertainers who pretend to support the troops.
Categories: Leadership · Links · Media · Military · Music
Couple of notes on the SXSW Music Festival:
That, like, hardly ever happens.
Other number ones: Kansas, UCLA, Memphis.
Eh. Not sure if it’s just me or not …
Categories: Basketball · Links · Sports
Billy Crystal struck out in his only AB with the Yankees.
I was all ready to launch the snark on Billy Crystal, since these guys that show up in training camp and try to hit a baseball always look like dorks. But I like Billy Crystal, and he’s made no secret of his true undying love for baseball over the years.
And tomorrow, he turns 60.
So, hey, so what if he only managed to foul one down the first base line, and then swing over the top of a couple of 88 mph fastballs? Aramis Ramirez of the Cubs did that more than once in the playoffs last October.
Plus, after that big fight the Yankees had yesterday with the Devil Rays, Crystal is probably glad to escape with his life and all limbs intact.
You know, when you’re sitting on your veranda, and a 16 foot python comes right up and snatches away your dog, and eats it while you watch in horror, it might be time to consider moving.
But maybe that’s just me.
A Match Made in … Somewhere
Seems like an odd pairing: hockey and wine?
Bill Daley of the Tribune says the Tony Esposito Cabernet and the Bobby Hull Chardonnay are good, but especially the Hull.
Whose idea was it to pair Bobby Hull with a Chardonnay, anyway? Though I see that noted Philadelphia Flyer bad boy Dave Schultz, and legenday bad-ass Gordie Howe, are also paired with Chardonnay. Perhaps it’s an image-rebuilding tactic. Maybe we’ll start seeing advertisements featuring these guys with voiceovers saying “Yes, I was a bad boy who led the league in penalty minutes multiple times and pulverized a few guys’ faces. But now I’m older, wiser, and mellower. So buy my Chardonnay before I smash your face into the boards.” Cut!
The wines are produced by Ironstone Vineyards in California. Each player picks charities to receive a portion of the proceeds; Bobby Hull picked the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Tony Esposito picked Cougars Selects Youth Hockey. Proceeds also benefit ex-players and other charities picked by team alumni associations.
Other players of note in the series: Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Bobby Clarke, Rod Gilbert, and a bunch of Islanders and Sabers that I don’t remember much about.
No pricing yet — sounds like they might be a bit on the expensive side.
Categories: Food and Wine · Hockey · Links · Sports
Here’s a letter sent to the Attorney General by Reps. Waxman and Davis …
Dear Mr. Attorney General:
We are writing to ask the Justice Department to investigate whether former professional baseball player Roger Clemens committed perjury and made knowingly false statements during the Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s investigation of the use of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs in professional baseball.
We believe that his testimony in a sworn deposition on February 5, 2008, and at a hearing on February 13, 2008, that he never used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone, warrants further investigation.
Apparently, HGH not only makes your head bigger, it makes your brain smaller.
Couldn’t Be Much Worse Than ‘07
MLB.com has a story about Michael Barrett looking forward to 2008 as a new start.
That’s nice. But in the National League, you have to play a defensive position in order to hit, and unfortunately, Barrett has somehow been designated as a catcher, even though he is horrible at that position, which happens to be one of the most important positions on the field. He makes every pitching staff he catches worse.
Catcher is not a position you can hide a good-hit, no-field player. Or, you can, but you’ll pay the price on average runs allowed per game; the guy would have to hit about .500 and drive in like 175 runs to offset all the bad defense and pitching.
Barett may be a good hitter, but he isn’t that good.
I hope I’ve seen the last of his kind in a Cubs uniform.
Last Friday’s Daily Bleat from the incomparable James Lileks:
On the radio today Medved and Hewitt both asked Obama supporters to call and say why they were supporting their man. Specifics, please. The replies were rather indistinct. He would end the division and bring us together by encouraging us all to talk about common problems, after which we would compromise. He will give us hope by giving us hope: for many, the appeal has the magical perfect logic of a tautology. It’s a nice dream. But compromise is impossible when you have a fundamental differences about the proper way to solve a problem. I believe we can achieve a fair society by taking away your house and giving it to someone else. I disagree. It is my house. Then let us agree to give away half of your house. Compromise! But that is not a compromise. You have taken half my house. We have compromised on your behalf with those who would have taken it all. Let us not return to the politics of division. There are strangers living in my spare bedroom. Then we have truly come together. Look, this isn’t a matter on which we can compromise, because we have conflicting premises. You’re pretending matter and anti-matter have the same relationship as Coke and Pepsi. They don’t.
If he wins, I do look forward to dissenting; since it’s been established as the highest form of patriotism, I expect my arguments will be met with grave respect. Shhhh! He’s dissenting.
One thing you’ve got to give Obama credit for is his style.
And by “style”, of course, I mean not just compelling speeches where women faint and scream like little girls, but also a distinctive lack of accomplishment in a very short term of service in the U.S. Senate.
Plus, a firm commitment to vague platitudes, and promises to hike my taxes and waste even more money than the government already wastes today.
His candidacy reminds me of Beatlemania in 1963; except the Beatles had more of a record to run on.
Categories: Leadership · Links · Stupid
Wife to our 8 year old son (in his room): “Don’t play basketball naked!”
Categories: Basketball · Encounters · Kids, Family · Links
But like the old saying goes … when you lie down with dogs, then you’re a cheating lying scumbucket.
Or something like that.
You just know Bobby Knight is laughing his ass off right now. Oh, and a whole bunch of Illini fans, too.
Categories: Basketball · Links · Sports
If you live in certain sections of California or Florida or Arizona or a few other places, well, the sky is falling. Run for the hills.
Your homes are still way, way over-inflated, even after recent price drops: this Wall Street Journal article pegs the ratio of median home price to median personal income level at 11.1. Meaning, I guess, that your house is worth eleven times your annual salary. This is insane.
If you live in the Chicago area, though, hey, guess what? Your home went up (on average) 1.2% last year. Sales went down, but prices went up. Which means, I guess, that demand was still stronger than supply even though sales were down?
Yet more evidence that talk of housing bubbles is regional, and I don’t live in one of those regions.
… but I don’t support radio broadcasters getting suspended for making bad jokes that might offend the easily offended.
Bob Knight retires from coaching
This was a complicated man. His failures are well-documented, but so are his successes. And nearly all of his players swear allegiance to him; how bad could he be? On balance, I admire the man, warts and all. Wiith his retirement, I think college basketball and the sports world in general are the poorer for it.
Categories: Basketball · Leadership · Links · Sports
Seems to me the “hoopla” around Drew Peterson would die down if the media wasn’t constantly reporting stories about Drew Peterson:
Drew Peterson’s old windows on eBay for 99 cents; magazines also up for sale – Thought the hoopla surrounding Drew Peterson was bound to die down? You probably haven’t looked on eBay, where online auctions to purchase Peterson-related paraphernalia have begun.
Do they teach exploitation of tragedy in Journalism schools? Or is it more of an on-the-job training kind of thing?
Categories: "Journalism" · Links · Local · Media · Stupid
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