Sandberg Rides the Bus

Somewhere, Ryne Sandberg must be wondering whether he caught a break. Passed over by Jim Hendry for the vacant Cubs managerial position, the former hall of famer has spent the season managing the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. While the Cubs have been imploding, Sandberg has been riding busses and throwing batting practice. He, like all of his players, is waiting anxiously for his opportunity at the big league level.

With the recent firing of Jim Hendry, the managerial future of Mike Quade seems ominous at best. One would expect that the next general manager of the Cubs would want to hire his own skipper and Quade wouldn’t fit into those plans. That may open the door for Sandberg, who led the IronPigs to their first playoff appearance. Had Sandberg been given the job this past offseason, he’d probably be facing a similar fate to Mike Quade.

Sandberg represents many of the qualities that Cubs fans would like in their manager; a calm demeanor, a proven ability to teach young players and an intimate understanding of how hungry the fan base is for success. He dazzled the masses at Clark and Addison with his power and consistent production as a player, but whether that translates into managerial success remains to be seen.

Oftentimes, the best managers and coaches are those who had limited, if any, success at the professional level. Hall of Famers sometimes lack the understanding of how to coach someone with moderate talent. Hall of Famers don’t always comprehend the struggles of the average players. Then again, Hall of Famers don’t usually ride busses either.

Darwin Theory

Baseball fans love the undersized guys. They get labeled with terms like scrappy, tough, hard-nosed and other adjectives that describe a player with minimal athletic abilities. As fans, we can relate to the athletes that look more like we do. They’re not the physical specimen that won the genetic lottery, but guys that persevered and found a niche in their sport. They’re supporting cast players who fill a role but don’t make the big bucks or drive the flashy cars. They’re overlooked by scouts for not having flashy tools and ignored by GM’s who are looking for the impact guys. Darwin Barney is one of those players.

Listed at 5’10 and 180 pounds, Barney doesn’t look any different that the average weekend warrior playing in a softball game playing in some part in Chicago. He’s posted a decent season and shown some signs of being an everyday player. Unlike Starlin Casto, however, Barney doesn’t scream All Star or impact player. While you can win with David Eckstein and Craig Counsell, you don’t really win because of them. He’s not really a building block, but more likely a piece in the puzzle.

That being said, it’s nice to have someone you can rely on. With so many big money guys that disappoint and leave you shaking your head about what they should be, it’s not bad having someone who seemingly maximizes their talents. Whether Barney fits prominently in the Cubs future, or he’s just a Ryan Theriot type who’s passing through town temporarily, the Cubs could worse than the diminutive second baseman out of Oregon State.

We won't get fooled again

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Cubs seem to be making a late season run long after the games have become meaningless. They’ve won nine of their last 11 games and have started to look like something other than a horrendous team. That being said, let’s home Cubs owner Tom Ricketts doesn’t get too giddy and this recent string of respectability.

Maybe it’s the pressure being off and the expectations of contention slowly but surely evaporating. Maybe it’s the inevitability that every team going on a decent run of solid baseball at some point the long grind of 162 games. At some point, the line drive outs turn into hits and the bloop singles begin to fall in. As is often the case, players start to reach those famous “back of the baseball card” numbers” despite how bad they looked in the cold days of April.

Regardless of the elusive reasoning, Cubs fans have to hope that Tom Ricketts has learned the lesson of last summer. As you may recall, the Cubs owner and General Manager seemingly got carried away with the solid late season play under interim manager Mike Quade last year. They retained Quade and made minimal and unimpressive moves during the offseason. They made the mistake of overvaluing the strength of their manager and players once the season was already lost. Time will only tell whether the organization makes the same error again.

Show Me State

With the Cubs currently sitting 15.5 games out of first place, there isn’t much excitement or drama left in the season. Their fates have been decided and the only questions that remain are about which players will still be around for next season. With the Cubs unloading Kosuke Fukudome to Cleveland, Tyler Colvin now has a golden opportunity to make management believe that he belongs in the everyday lineup next season.

Colvin, a lanky outfielder from Clemson, was drafted with the 13th pick in the 2006 draft. He was looked at as a solid athlete with the potential to become a power bat from the left side. Some national experts doubted the pick from the beginning and Colvin hasn’t proven any critics wrong to this point. His biggest issue has been the inability to demonstrate any level of patience at the plate. He’s played parts of five seasons in the minors and appeared in almost 500 games but has never posted an on base percentage above .336. His numbers in the big leagues aren’t anything to write home about either. While playing in 185 games, Colvin has a career batting average of .223 and .284 on base percentage.

While 185 games and 534 plate appearances may not be enough time to judge a player, Colvin doesn’t appear to be getting much better. He seems destined to be a non-descript fourth outfielder, never justifying the high draft pick the Cubs used on him. He may just be another underachieving Cubs position player prospect, never realizing the potential that the organization saw in him.

Punching Bag

The Cubs managerial search dominated the discussion of the offseason for fans on the North Side. Some favored bringing in a big name manager with experience while others wanted the team to hire Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. While the Cubs elected remove the interim tag and hire Mike Quade, the decision to bring in a new pitching coach may have been the more impactful decision.

Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild was a frequent target of animosity from Cubs fans. When a Cubs pitcher went down for an injury or failed to come back as quickly from the DL as predicted, fans hurled their frustrations at the long time pitching coach. He survived the constant barrage of criticism outlasting Don Baylor, Dusty Baker and Lou Piniella. Finally, Rothschild had enough and packed his bags for the Big Apple.

Mark Riggins, the rookie pitching coach for the Cubs, has had his hands full this year and the results have been awful. The Cubs currently rank dead last in the National League with an atrocious 4.69 team ERA and a paltry 30 quality starts. While the Cubs have dealt with injuries, there is no excuse for that level of performance.

Meanwhile, Larry Rotchshild seems to be getting the most out of his injury plagued rotation. Former flamethrower Bartolo Colon boasts a solid 3.10 ERA with an impressive 1.07 WHIP. Veteran Freddy Garcia has posted a surprising 3.28 ERA.

While Brian Cashman certainly deserves credit for picking up Colon and Garcia, Kudos must be given to Larry Rothschild. While Mark Riggins seems to be overmatched at the big league level, Larry Rothschild seemingly has found a home.

Bottoming Out

Bob Verdi, a venerable former Chicago Tribune writer, once proclaimed that “when a team is at the bottom, the problem is usually at the top.” Verdi, was describing the state of the 1970’s Cubs, but it the description certainly fits the current inhabitants of Clark and Addison.

After a disastrous sweep to the last-place Astros and a less than stellar showing against the Pirates, the Cubs find themselves dangerously close to the bottom of the NL Central. The losses featured the usual cavalcade of botched defensive plays, runners being stranded on base and a blown save from the normally reliable but often wild Carlos Marmol. Some local media members have already turned on rookie manager Mike Quade by questioning his loyalty to slumping veteran Aramis Ramirez. Although Quade is still learning on the job and far from perfect, the issue goes beyond the first year skipper.

While Cubs owner Tom Ricketts believes injuries are the culprit, the roster just simply isn’t good enough. Whether Ricketts is prepared to make significant changes in the front office remains to be seen. The Ricketts family has taken a liking to general manager Jim Hendry and don’t appear to be in a hurry to start looking for a replacement. With empty seats piling up at Wrigley Field and seagulls seemingly outnumbering fans late in games, one has to wonder whether the Ricketts family will remain patient.

Falling Short

The Bulls season ended last evening in heartbreaking fashion. A lead which seemed safe evaporated in the blink of an eye. A three here, a foolish foul there and a string of empty possessions left the United Center silent until the next season begins. The broadcasters, those that are paid by the team, urged the fans to be thankful and proud of the season the Bulls had. It’s hard to be thankful when your team blows a 12 point lead with 3 minutes left. The reality, of course, is that unless your team is staging trophy presentations and ticker tape parades through the city, all seasons end in some form of disappointment.

Entering the playoffs, the conventional wisdom was that the Bulls needed their supporting cast to distinguish themselves. Luol Deng needed to be aggressive, Kyle Korver needed to find his shooting touch and Carlos Boozer needed to show explosiveness. Some of those things happened on occasion during the postseason, but not frequently enough. As has been the case for much of the season, the burden fell to MVP Derrick Rose to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, the young star wasn’t up to the challenge.

There will be brighter days for the Bulls. They will find ways to improve, they will find players who better fit the playing style of Rose and they will be back. Sadly, the Heat will too. The Bulls, like many teams, spent last summer looking for a game-changing type player to pair with Derrick. They fell short in those endeavors and may not be able to acquire that impact star any time soon.

Derrick Rose will spend the summer honing his game. There will be long sweltering days in the gym hoisting up countless jump shots and replaying the miscues in his mind. He will remember the missed free throws, the turnovers, the empty possessions and failures in late game situations. The great ones don’t forget about the heartbreak. Instead they heal and use it as motivation for the opportunities that arise in the future.

Slip Slidin' Away

The baseball season has hit the quarter pole and teams are beginning to show their true identities. Some are contenders, some pretenders and others clinging to a distant hope that are being kept alive by weak divisions. Which category the Cubs fit into may still be in question, although many fans may be losing the optimism that the start of baseball season always brings.


During spring training, many media experts praised the enthusiasm that seemingly enveloped the camp in Mesa. Before the Cubs played a game that counted in the standings, Mike Quade was receiving kudos for bringing a new energy to the team that Lou Piniella may have lacked prior to his retirement last season. The drills were being executed with vigor and the team was going to reemphasize fundamentals that were lacking in previous seasons.

Not surprisingly, the results during the regular season have been spotty at best. Thus far, the Cubs have committed 29 errors, the sixth most in the National League. The culprits have been varied with offensive sensation Starlin Castro committing seven of his own. Noted defensive liability Alfonso Soriano has contributed three errors thus far, although that doesn’t reflect how poorly he performs in the field. The Cubs offense has shown sporadic signs of life recently, but they are beating themselves far too frequently. While many hoped that a new manager would bring about a change in defensive execution and fundamentally sound play, the personnel may just simply not be good enough.

Mixed Results

Like any General Manager, Jim Hendry has had hits and misses. The Derrek Lee for Hee-Seop Choi trade and the acquisitions of Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton for the stretch run of 2003 are probably his two biggest successes. Of course, Hendry has also made signings and trades that Cubs fans would like to forget. The signing of Alfonso Soriano has financially hamstrung the Cubs for years to come and the Ricky Nolasco for Juan Pierre trade robbed the Cubs of a promising young arm. This past offseason, Hendry traded a boatload of prospects for Matt Garza. Thus far, the results have been mixed.

Garza, a 27 year old hyperactive right hander, notched his first win at Wrigley Field last evening against the Cardinals. While Garza boasts a pedestrian 44-48 career record, his 3.98 career ERA in the American League is pretty solid. Fans were hoping that Garza would make a seamless transition into the National League and feast on the weaker lineups.

Garza has been inconsistent in the early going, but has shown the propensity to rack up strikeouts at an impressive rate. His 64 strikeouts are the third highest in baseball while pitching fewer innings than league leaders Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum. Opposing hitters are having a difficult time catching up to his fastball and Garza can put them away with a disappearing changeup.

In order to acquire Matt Garza, Jim Hendry dealt highly touted prospects including Chris Archer and Hak-Ju-Lee while also surrendering big league ready talent in Sam Fuld and Brandon Guyer. Whether this trade is closer to the Derrek Lee heist or the Juan Pierre fiasco remains to be seen.

Windows to Win

The NBA and NHL playoffs have gotten underway and the inhabitants of the United Center have already participated in the drama. While the Blackhawks are merely trying to win a game, the Bulls are gearing up for what many expect to be along postseason run. The Bulls won game 1 of their series against the Indiana Pacers despite a lackluster performance for most of the game. From the outset, the Bulls lacked the defensive intensity that been their trademark this season. They neglected to contest shots, lazily fought through screens and feel asleep during long stretches of the game. The Bulls were rescued by their MVP Derrick Rose who carried the team to victory by leading a parade to the free throw line.

Although many observers expected the Bulls to waltz their way into the Eastern Conference finals, game 1 is an example that playoff victories are not handed out but earned. The Bulls, much like the Blackhawks of last season, are trying to overcome youth, playoff inexperience and the incorporation of new pieces on their way to a championship. While many media members are optimistic about the Bulls having many years of title contention, the Blackhawks provide a needed reminder that teams must capitalize on their championship aspirations when they are presented.

As a result of salary cap restrictions, the Hawks had to dismantle their team from a year ago and many of the important role players are playing elsewhere this postseason. With the potential lockout looming after this season and the potential for a hard salary cap, the Bulls may find themselves in similar circumstances when the NBA season gets under way next year. The Bulls may not be able to afford the tenacity of Ronnie Brewer, the shot making of Kyle Korver or understated game of Taj Gibson.

In addition to salary cap implications, the play of Carlos Boozer has left a lot to be desired. Boozer, just 29 years old has lacked lift this entire season and unlike fine wine, athleticism doesn’t get better with age. The Bulls must also capitalize on having Derrick Rose at his peak in terms of explosiveness. As evidenced by Dwayne Wade and Allen Iverson, the pounding of 82 games and long playoff runs can take their toll on the body of smaller players. Watching Derrick Rose fly through the air is a wonderful sight to behold, but verticals and leaping ability decay. While the Bulls may have opportunities in the future, there are no guarantees. Just ask the defending Stanley Cup Champions who are on the verge of elimination.

Final Rounds

Golf is a game that slowly devours the confidence of a player. If an individual is struggling with self assuredness, the sport will expose that lack of belief. Whether it’s a teenager just learning the game on a local par 3, an aging weekend warrior who’s unsure if he still has the game or a professional with the eyes of the sporting world on him, the game will find weakness. On a gorgeous Sunday afternoon at Augusta National, Rory McIlroy was the latest victim of the cruel game.

The 22 year old from Ireland spent the first three days of The Masters taming the course. His stride was confident and his disposition was relaxed. He looked like he was impervious to the pressure associated with trying to capture his first major championship. McIlroy entered the final round leading by four strokes, which guarantees nothing expect expectations.

On Sunday afternoon, everything unraveled for the young man from Ireland. His smooth stride dissipated into a series of frantic steps as his lead began to evaporate. He looked less like a major champion and more like lost kid trying to find his parents in a crowded mall. While everyone watching may not have been rooting for McIlroy to win the fabled green jacket, surely no one wanted to see the disaster that transpired. Of course, that’s the nature of this game. It can beat down a person’s confidence and leave them upon their knees. McIlroy will probably have more opportunities at a major championship. He’s too young and too talented. There are no sure things in golf. The only certainty is that the game will claim more victims in the future.

Aging Gracefully

Grant Hill was once possessed breathtaking athleticism. He seemed to effortlessly glide through the air on his way to the basket. He had that unique combination of body control and explosive leaping ability that all the great ones seem to own. In addition to his athletic prowess, Grant had an ideal family background that many athletes could only dream about. His father, Calvin Hill, was a star running back for the Dallas Cowboys. His mother, Janet, was a highly successful attorney and college roommate of Hilary Clinton. His solid upbringing and well spoken nature made Hill an ideal fit for family friendly endorsement deals with Sprite and McDonald’s. Hill showed tremendous promise early in his career, winning the Rookie of The Year and being selected to the All Star team seven times.

Sadly, his body began to betray him. After signing a lucrative deal with the Orlando Magic, he played in only four games in his first season and a combined 43 games in the subsequent two seasons. The explosiveness he once demonstrated was slowly fading away while the notoriety and popularity began to vanquish. His highlight real dunks became fuzzy memories and folklore.

While some athletes may have thrown in the towel, Grant Hill has persevered. He signed with the Phoenix Suns in 2007 and has seemingly found the fountain of youth. Over his last three seasons, he’s averaged a stunningly impressive 78 games played per season. He only shows flashes of his athletic brilliance, but his tremendous basketball IQ and knowledge of positioning have allowed him to thrive on the defensive end. The endorsements are gone and the comparisons to Michael Jordan are a distant memory. Although his career has been turbulent, his triumphant return has been an absolute joy to watch.

Walking among Giants

Basketball is a game dominated by giants. It’s a game that rewards the sheer power of Shaquille O’Neal, the artistry of Olajuwon and intelligence of Bill Russell. While big men can always impose their will on the game, when the NCAA championship game tips off tonight in Houston, the best player on the floor will be listed at just 6 feet tall. Every so often, a little guy can challenge the conventional structure of the game.

Kemba Walker is the next in a long line of pure shot makers to wear the UCONN uniform. Ray Allen still possesses the purest stroke in the game, Richard Hamilton can run defenders ragged off screens before drilling a mid range jumper and Ben Gordon drain threes with defenders in his face.

Kemba has never been the tallest one on the court. One can just imagine how much that fuels his competitive spirit. He’s the undersized kid at playground who never had the growth spurt, getting his shots blocked by the taller more athletic guys. While lacking height is surely a disadvantage, it also breeds creativity. The diminutive guards are always the most imaginative and most compelling players on the court. They invent floating shots called giant killers. They fire off balanced shots that have coaches reaching for Maalox. They incorporate inspired moves that players of larger stature seemly don’t need to rely upon.

He’s led the Huskies on an inspired run, winning five games in five days during the Big East tournament before escorting them to the title game tonight. Surely, Kemba Walker has been told numerous times by scouts that his size won’t allow him to thrive at the next level. While that may prove to be the case, I’m not going to best bet against him.

Fading Away

This past summer, the free agent frenzy of the NBA swept the nation. Fans had delusions of grandeur believing that stars like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire or Joe Johnson might join their favorite teams. As is often the case, free agency can bring about more disappointment than satisfaction. LeBron, Wade and Bosh all joined forces in Miami, Amare Stoudemire signed with the Knicks and Joe Johnson stayed in Atlanta. The Bulls were left with a seemingly solid consolation prize in Carlos Boozer.

Boozer, an undersized Power Forward, had a reputation as a consistent low post scorer, who had little interest in playing defense. His ability to score in the post would give that the Bulls an element they’ve lacked for the last decade. While he’s lived up to his reputation as a below average defensive player, his low post scoring has been underwhelming at best. Oftentimes, the Bulls will throw an entry pass to Boozer which results in a contested fade away jump shot. When Boozer has had opportunities at the rim he’s lacked explosiveness and is regularly getting his shots blocked.

The Bulls, led by their stingy team defense and explosive point guard, have been able to overcome the injuries and inconsistent play of Boozer. They lead the Eastern Conference in wins and may reach 60 victories. Boozer, to his credit, has sensed the fan anxiety over his performance and has requested that the Chicago faithful “stay tuned.” While the Bulls may secure home court advantage in the East, they will need Boozer to play at a level he has yet to demonstrate consistently this season. If the Bulls season ends in disappointing fashion during a shortened playoff run, Boozer will have to play the best defense of his career, handling the criticism of heartbroken Bulls fans.

The Odd Couple

With the Final Four set to tip off this weekend in Houston, the story lines for the games are starting to materialize. The Butler/VCU tilt is about misfits, underdogs and the little engine that could. The Kentucky/UCONN battle is about blue bloods, NBA prospects and a pair of coaches who just don’t like one another. The frosty relationship between Jim Calhoun and John Calipari began when the two were battling for supremacy in the north east. Calhoun had already established a powerful program in Storrs while Calipari was trying to resurrect a fallen program at UMASS. They battled for media attention and players in the region while often taking shots at one another. Calhoun publicly tweaked Calipari by suggesting he wasn’t a true New Englander and scolded him for using a fake Boston accent.

The most famous recruiting battle was over big man Marcus Camby from Hartford, Connecticut. Following the commitment of Camby to UMASS, Calhoun refused to play against the school. Led by the talents off Camby, UMASS made a run to the Final Four in 1996. The appearance was later vacated following the discovery that Camby accepted nearly $30,000 in gift from agents. Trouble always seems to follow Calipari, as his 2008 Final Four run at Memphis was vacated due to allegations that someone else took the SAT test for Derrick Rose. As has always been the case, Coach Cal leaves town just before the sanctions have an impact upon him.

While Jim Calhoun receives mostly positive press and praise from media members and coaches, his infraction record in not unblemished. Following an NCAA investigation into his recruiting of prospect Nate Miles, Calhoun was suspended for the first three Big East games next season for failing to create an atmosphere of compliance. Unlike his coaching rival, Calhoun was punished for his transgressions in the matter. The reality is most of these high profile coaches are guilty of wrongdoing in some form or fashion. The battle for elite players is a cut throat racket and stepping outside of the NCAA rulebook is almost a given. Calhoun, with his thick Boston accent and rough exterior is portrayed as genuine by the media. Calipari, with his designer suits and slick hair is looked as phony. Whether the characterizations are factual doesn’t seemingly matter. Calhoun is still compiling victories at the institution he’s built since 1986. Calipari, has another star studded team at his third coaching stop and on a mission for his first national championship. They’re no longer battling for players and attention in the same region. But, on Saturday night, they’ll renew their rivalry on a much larger stage.

A Long Strange Trip

There is no handbook on how to become an NBA coach. Some, like Pat Riley and Doc Rivers, are former NBA players. Others, like Tom Thibodeau and Eric Spoelstra, never broke a sweat playing in the association. Some, like George Karl and Larry Brown, come from the legendary coaching tree of Dean Smith. While Phil Jackson played for the New York Knicks and developed his basketball philosophies from Red Holtzman, his ascent into coaching was far more circuitous than standardized. Following his retirement in 1980, Jackson began coaching in lower level professional leagues including the CBA and in Puerto Rico. Although he had success, winning a title with the Albany Patroons, Jackson was consistently ignored for NBA coaching jobs. His countercultural attitudes during his playing days and admission of experimental drug use, gave executives trepidation about giving him an opportunity. In 1987, Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause hired Jackson as an assistant coach and promoted him to head coach after two years.

20 seasons and 11 championships later, Phil Jackson is seemingly in his last stand as a coach. He’s always approached the profession from a different angle than his more traditional peers. He doesn’t frantically pace the sidelines or constantly berate officials for the entirety of games. He doesn’t call timeouts during tumultuous stretches of games, opting instead for allowing his players to battle through the adversity. While other coaches sweat through their suits, Jackson often looks like he’s on the verge of falling asleep. He routinely burns incense in the locker room as a form of relaxation while also encouraging meditation sessions among his players. Famously, he hands out books to his players, selecting novels that will appeal to their given personalities, in the hopes that they will find inspiration.

While one can argue about the effectiveness of such practices, no one can dispute the results. Phil, more so than any other coach in professional sports, has been able to convince star players with outsized egos to buy into a system. Persuading Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant to trust their teammates in pressure packed circumstances is no easy feat. It’s often said, that the most difficult challenge in any sport, is to win consecutive championships. Invariably, star players become distracted with more endorsement opportunities while role players seek more recognition and financial compensation. Somehow, Jackson has been able to overcome those issues, leading his teams to three peats on three occasions with an opportunity for a fourth this spring. When the dust settles on the playoffs this year, Jackson will likely coach his last game. His peers will continue marching up and down the sidelines while eviscerating the referees. He’ll spend his time on the beaches of Malibu and open lands of Montana.

It’s Lonely at the Top

In a recent ESPN documentary about the cultural impact of the “Fab Five”, former Michigan player Jalen Rose proclaimed his animosity towards the Duke Basketball program. Rose explained, “I hated Duke, and I hated everything Duke stood for. Schools like Duke didn’t recruit players like me. I felt like they only recruited black players that we Uncle Toms.” The racial reference has created a firestorm that has been analyzed and scrutinized in publications all across the nation. While the debate is certainly fascinating, the focus here is less about the inflammatory remarks and more about the hatred of the Blue Devils that has enveloped that program over the last two decades.

Distaste for successful sports teams is certainly not uncommon. Dynasties are respected, not beloved. Every October, baseball fans of all franchises unite in their hopes that the New York Yankees will end the season without another World Series trophy. What’s odd and unique about the distaste for Duke is that it’s a collection of college kids, not highly paid professionals. College teams, even highly successful ones, normally don’t receive this type of animosity. The UCLA Bruins of the 60’s and 70’s were commended for embodying the purity of basketball, a well oiled, fundamentally sound machine. John Wooden was universally adored for his homespun Midwestern sensibilities and colloquial sayings about life.

Coach K, on the other hand, is reviled. He’ll never be America’s favorite grandpa, the way John Wooden was. Coach K is hated for the way he portrays the Duke program as the symbol of everything that’s right with college athletics. His kids, by and large, stay out of trouble and graduate. He’ll never pass up an opportunity to tell the masses about how special the Duke program is and maybe that’s part of the animosity. It’s that holier than thou attitude that encompases all things Duke. The way national broadcasters depict the Blue Devils also contributes to the hatred. Dick Vitale, the bombastic blowhard, fawns all over Coach K. He spends many broadcasts yelling and screaming about how no teams play as hard as Duke. Even more irritatingly, Vitale often preaching the gospel while Duke isn’t even playing in the game he’s analyzing.

It’s not just about Coach K and the broadcasters though. It’s overly enthusiastic players with limited skills slapping the floor before a big defensive possession, playing defense by falling down underneath driving offensive players and seemingly always getting the beneficial calls. It’s Christian Laetnner stepping on an opposing player’s head and JJ Redick taunting crowds in unsympathetic arenas. The public hostility towards the program can often mask the reality.

The truth is, Coach K does deserve the adulation in the same way that John Wooded did. He’s built a powerhouse of a program at a small private school with high academic standards (although lowered for his players) while competing against in state rival North Carolina. He’s won a gold medal while coaching a team of professional players in the Olympics. He’s set to become the all times wins leader in the history of college basketball. When he does, the national media will extol his virtues and deservedly so. Just don’t expect the American public to join in.

Maddening March

With the NCAA tournament set to tip off on Thursday, office workers around the country are frantically filling out brackets in an attempt to win their respective pools. Fans are learning about schools like Belmont, Moorhead State and Saint Peter’s. Players are gearing up for what may be their last athletic moments that don’t involve pickup games at the local rec center. Meanwhile, national broadcasters are doing their best to spoil the fun by breathlessly admonishing the committee for the inclusion of questionable selections like VCU and UAB.

Even more annoyingly, experts like Jay Bilas are using their national platforms to politic for the restructuring of the NBA rule that allows players to enter the draft after one year of College Basketball. Bilas, like many other college basketball commentators has noticed the slow but steady downturn in talent at the college level. The best prospects leave as quickly as possible, cashing in on their opportunity to make it in the NBA. As a result, aside from the crop of freshman phenoms, the NCAA tournament annually showcases a collection of hard working players that often have limited potential at the next level. The quality of play often suffers, with games featuring plenty of missed open shots, blown layups and stretches without any scoring. However, as long as the games are close and drama ensues, fans don’t really seem to mind the lack of quality.

Commentators like Bias, are worried about the long term health of the game, while also getting tired of having to pretend like watching awful basketball is exciting. As a solution, Bilas had proposed adopting the NFL rule of forcing players to stay in college for at least three years before entering the pros. Bilas, a former Duke player and assistant coach, believes the rule change would improve the NBA and college game simultaneously. While it’s nice to have Jay Bilas around to solve the world’s problems, I don’t think his idea is good for anyone expect those trying to make money off of the backs of mostly impoverished African American college athletes. Additionally, I don’t believe the rule change is necessarily good for the NBA.

Derrick Rose, the star point guard and MVP candidate of the Chicago Bulls, entered the NBA after one spectacular season at the University of Memphis. Had the NBA adopted the Bilas rule, Rose would have spent the last two years playing college basketball, rather than becoming one of the young faces of the NBA. For the last two seasons, Rose has resuscitated the Chicago Bulls, bringing the roar back to the United Center with his astounding athleticism and lighting fast quickness. While Rose certainly would have become star eventually, how is it good for the NBA to have one its brightest and most humble stars playing an extra two years in college instead of the NBA?

What often gets ignored in the conversation, it what’s good for the young athletes. Rose, for example, grew up on the West Side of Chicago, the youngest of four brothers raised by a single mother. While his older brothers are all college graduates with steady jobs, his family and particularly his mother are in need of financial support. Rose, under the Bilas rule, would still eventually become a lottery pick and cash in on his millions, but is it fair to keep him in college for an extra two years when athletes already have limited earning potential? These athletes do their part, by playing their hearts out in front of sold crowds in arenas and massive TV audiences. The players, however, are the only ones not making money off of the product. Conveniently, they’re seemingly always the last people to be considered when anyone discusses how to improve the system.

Commemorations and Coronations

Last Saturday night, a sold out crowd gathered at the United Center to celebrate the first championship team in the history of the Bulls franchise. Bulls players returned to their old stomping grounds, albeit in a different venue, to reflect on their accomplishment from twenty years ago. The members of that team have grown older and so have we. Based on their outside appearance, they are no longer the sporting deities they once were. Their bodies no longer chiseled. Their hairlines receded. Their once confident strides now turned to slower steps. It was a reminder of just how special that team was and just how difficult it is to climb the championship mountain. While the fans and media were expecting a celebration of a title team from 20 years ago, a coronation of this current team was also taking place.

Despite the fact they haven’t won a mere playoff game together, bouquets were being thrown at the feet of this year’s Bulls team. In an interview earlier in the week, the normally conservative Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf boasted that if healthy, the team has an “awfully good chance of winning at least four championships.” Bulls legend Michael Jordan proclaimed that this team may bring six more titles to the city. It’s certainly nice to have MJ heap praise on this current roster, but let’s not kid ourselves.


It just seems like the accolades for the current Bulls are coming a little too quickly. Oftentimes, NBA teams must endure heartache before they experience triumph. They haven’t yet felt the despair of losing a closely contested playoff series. They haven’t spent the offseason wondering if there was anything more they could have done. They haven’t woken up in the middle of the night contemplating the missed shots that would have won games. Maybe this team is good enough and naïve enough to skip those steps. The cold reality is that championship windows close more quickly than one could ever imagine. Players age, bodies decay and title opportunities disintegrate. The 1985 Bears, the 2003 Cubs and countless other teams have had dreams of dynasties turn into disappointments of defeats. No one can be sure if this Bulls team is headed for a title in the near future, but let’s not forget to enjoy watching it unfold.

Augie

Somewhere, on the sun splashed fields of Arizona, Octavio “Augie” Ojeda is wondering whether he still belongs on a Major League Baseball roster. Augie has never quite fit the mold of what a star athlete should look like. He’s listed in the program at 5’9 and 174 pounds while never possessing the flashy tools that make cynical scouts drool on their notebooks. Not surprisingly, he wasn’t drafted until the 13th round and 380 players were selected before they called his name. He’s scratched and clawed his way onto major league rosters for parts of 10 seasons, playing over 500 games in the show. His stats don’t exactly jump off the page at you, unless you favor players who have never had more than 17 RBIs or 2 Home Runs in a season. But here he is, a 36 year old journeyman infielder with a funny name, trying to make another Big League roster.


Players normally get admiration for their production. Fans bowed in the right field bleachers of Wrigley Field for Sluggers like Sammy Sosa and Andre Dawson. Kids hang posters on their bedroom walls for home run kings, 20 game winners and fire breathing closers. Little Leaguers emulate the mannerisms of star players, mimicking the sweet swing of Ken Griffey Jr. or the pre bat routine of Big Papi Ortiz. However, there are exceptions to the rule and Augie Ojeda is one such exception. Despite never hitting more than .221 in a Cubs uniform, he’s always been beloved at Clark and Addison.


While fans tend to worship the stars, they also indentify with the underdogs. Once you reach a certain age, you realize you’re probably not growing to be a 6’4, 220 pound stud athlete. It’s hard to relate to these otherworldly athletic specimens that won the genetic lottery. At a certain point, you realize you look more like the bat boy than the MVP candidate. Maybe that’s why fans love guys like Augie Ojeda. Dads can take their sons to games, point to the diminutive infielder and tell them that anything is possible. You don’t need the blazing speed, superhero muscles, or backbreaking curveball to make it to bigs. It sure helps though. When Ojeda made his debut this spring, Cubs fans were chanting his name as he sauntered to the plate. Whether he plays another game on the lush green grass of Wrigley Field remains to be seen.

The Conundrum of Chemistry

From the moment LeBron James decided to take his immense talents to South Beach, the Miami Heat became a lightning rod all basketball related discussion. James and his posse spent the summer getting wooed by NBA executives, who were all salivating over the prospect of LeBron joining their teams. Countless franchises sacrificed their previous seasons by playing financial gymnastics, doing all they could to clear the necessary cap space to sign his services. There could only be one victor in the LeBron sweepstakes and the Miami Heat won the lottery.

LeBron and his new teammates now carried the burden of amplified expectations. The assumption, made by many observers, was that building a team around three great players would automatically lead to success. Predictions ensued of whether they could win 70 games in their first season and how many titles they would collect over the next five years. Discussions percolated about whether star players uniting on one team was good for the financial health of the NBA. The more interesting discussion, in my mind, is less about business and more about basketball.

Basketball, when played at its best, is a game of athletic brilliance and improvisation within the confines of orchestrated movement. An individual can creatively stray from the structure of the group, but they must remain loyal to the predetermined arrangements of an offense. That in essence, is the tightrope that all basketball players must navigate. Players must resolve the internal struggle of how to demonstrate individual excellence while not alienating the collective.

While the NBA and its television partners market games as a battle between individuals, the sport is more than just a competition amongst stars. Whether it’s being played under the summer sun on the hot pavement of playgrounds, or in an air conditioned gym with a sparse crowd in the stands, the result of a game is often determined by players who aren’t in the spotlight. Its big men who set bone rattling screens, diminutive point guards who collect rebounds in a crowd and unheralded players sacrificing their bodies by taking a charge with the game on the line. In reality, it’s about role players doing uncelebrated things that don’t show up on the evening highlight shows. The stars collect large paychecks and endorsement deals while the glue guys collect bruises from opponents and high fives from teammates.

The lesson is that one can’t build a championship team by simply assembling a few great players without concern for the rest of the roster. There is little doubt in my mind, that Miami will become a force to be reckoned with in the coming years. They will find guys who are willing to sacrifice their bodies and their pride for the success of the group. They will gradually learn the nuances of each other’s games. They will discover how to communicate with head nods and eye contact. For those who love to loathe LeBron, it will be heart wrenching and painstaking. For those who love the artistry and majesty of basketball, it will be beautiful.

The Man With the Golden Arm

After three years away from the team that drafted him, Kerry Wood is making a return to the Chicago Cubs. In many ways, Wood is the symbol of everything that encompasses Cubs baseball. He represents the promise of what might be, what could be, what should be, but ultimately never is. He was drafted by the loveable losers out of high school in 1995 and made his major league debut just a few years later. As a 20 year old flame throwing right hander out of Texas, Wood featured a fastball in the upper 90’s and a breaking ball that defied the laws of physics. Invariably, he was already getting compared to Lonestar legends like Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens.

In a performance that became the gift and curse of his career, Wood struck out 20 Houston Astros during his rookie year. Kid K was a man amongst boys on that dreary April afternoon despite the fact that he couldn’t grow anything more than peach fuzz. The scary thing was just how easy he made it look, seemingly never breaking a sweat. The batters simply stood no chance against a breaking ball that seemed to dance in mid air. From that point on, every Kerry Wood start became an event onto itself. There was an electricity that permeated the Friendly Confines when he took the mound. Fans didn’t want to miss their opportunity to see greatness, wearing their uniform. He went on to win the Rookie of the Year while tallying 13 wins along the way. Despite his unlimited potential, that would be his second highest win total of his career.

Following that magical 1998 season, which saw the Cubs winning the Wild Card, Kerry Wood needed Tommy John surgery and two missed seasons of rehab. The career of Kerry Wood ultimately became a cautionary tale about the dangers of overusing a young pitching phenom. He has made 14 trips to the Disable List in his 13 year career. His golden arm just couldn’t withstand the violent nature of pitching 200 innings a year.

Despite all of the heartache over his unfulfilled potential, Wood gave Cubs fans plenty of thrilling memories; That aforementioned 20 strikeout game, the series clinching performance against the Atlanta Braves in 2003, the home run that rocked the grandstand at Wrigley in the NLCS versus the Florida Marlins. In the end, like most Chicago Cubs stories, the saga of Kerry Wood was more about tragedy than triumph. More about injuries than induction ceremonies.

It’s sad, to see him in Cubs uniform, knowing what might have been. Yet, Wood desperately wanted to come back to Chicago. He took less money to do so. He returns to the city to that embraced him as a 20 year old folk hero while living and dying with every walk, strikeout and injury along the way. One can only hope that a happy ending exists to this story. Maybe, and almost certainly, it won’t be a fairy tale finish with a Word Series title. But I’d settle for a slow walk from the mound, a tip of the hat and a standing ovation from the fans that always believed in him, even when there was no rational reason to do so.

Opportunity Knocks

At the age of 23, Jon Scheyer has already accomplished more than most aspiring athletes could ever hope for; A state championship while starring for Glenbrook North, a legendary performance of scoring 21 points in 75 seconds and being awarded Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois. Scheyer parlayed his prolific high school career into a full ride at Duke University, where he continued to play out every kid’s dreams. Playing in front the most frenzied fans in college basketball, he excelled for one the elite programs in the country. Before finishing his college career, Scheyer led Duke to a national championship while also being selected as a Second Team All American. While he had a highly decorated college career, questions remained about whether his success at Duke would translate to the pros. As is often the case, NBA scouts salivate over potential rather than production. The whispers began to circulate. Was he athletic enough to play at the next level? Did he have the quickness to defend point guards? Was he strong enough to withstand the pounding of an 82 game season?

When the last name was called on draft night, Scheyer remained undrafted. We’ve all probably had that feeling of waiting patiently and anxiously as we hope to get selected. For most of us though, it happens on a middle school playground. For Scheyer, it played out on national television with friends, family and fans watching. One can only imagine the empty feeling of going to bed that night, knowing that all he accomplished in college wasn’t enough to convince teams around the NBA. He became just another prospect, battling for a training camp invitation and the last spot on an NBA roster. While playing in Las Vegas with the Heat Summer League team, Scheyer took a hellacious elbow to the eye. He suffered nerve damage to his retina which required surgery and his summer league audition had ended. Perhaps the only worse than not being drafted, is never having a chance to prove you belong. Once he recovered from the surgery, Scheyer signed with LA Clippers and appeared in a few preseason games before being cut.

One week ago, Scheyer signed with the D-League affiliate of the Houston Rockets. So, the next stage in his NBA journey begins. The NBA Developmental league is all about hope. Young players hoping to prove themselves to the doubters that left them on the draft boards, former NBA players hoping to get back to the league they once experienced firsthand, and older guys just hanging onto lifelong aspirations while hoping their aging bodies have a little more left to give.

D Leaguers aren’t in it for the paycheck. If they cared about cash, they would sign lucrative deals to play internationally which would pay them more in one month than a full year in the D league. They aren’t in it for the glamour either. They play in cities like Fort Wayne, Baskersfield and Reno. They travel on busses rather instead of private jets.

Yet, for Scheyer, it has to feel pretty damn good just to be back. A gym can get awfully lonely when it’s just you and the buzzing sound of the lights. It can get pretty monotonous doing the same drill without the adrenaline and pressure of having the game on line. When he takes the floor for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, there won’t be any Cameron Crazies bouncing up and down or national broadcasters convulsing with every made basket. But there will be an opportunity. And sometimes, an opportunity is all you can really hope for.

Kobe's Beef

Last night in Los Angeles, the best basketball players in the world took the floor for a meaningless annual exhibition known as the NBA All Star game. Per usual, most players looked disinterested from the outset, probably still recovering from a night out on the town the previous evening. Little defense was played, sloppy turnovers ensued and players showboated by attempting shots they would never dare to take in an actual game.(See Dwight Howard 20 foot jumper) One man, though, looked like he was on a mission from the jump. Playing in his home arena, Kobe Bean Bryant clearly wanted to give the fans a show while also reminding his fellow ballers that he’s not ready to ride off into the sunset just yet. Kobe flashed some reminders of his athletic explosiveness that won him a dunk contest in 1997. He demonstrated his vast offensive repertoire when he banked in a fade away jumper off the glass. He exhibited his Jordanesque competitive nature by outworking every player on the floor as evidenced by collecting 10 offensive rebounds. Simply put, Kobe Bryant cared about that game more than anyone else on the planet.

From the beginning of his career, Kobe seemingly wrestled with gaining acceptance from his peers and the public as a whole. Kobe just always seemed different. He grew up the son of an NBA player. He spent his formative years in Italy rather than an impoverished inner city like so many of his peers. He skipped the college experience for the bright lights of the NBA right out of high school. He never sported cornrows and didn’t get a single tattoo until the later part of his career. More than anything, he just never seemed like one of the guys. He tried to joke around with his teammates, but it just never seemed genuine and his personality as a whole just always felt contrived. When being interviewed it always seemed like he was trying to impersonate Michael Jordan rather than revealing his own personality.

While it’s a shame we may never get to know the real Kobe, that shouldn’t prevent us from appreciating the artistry of his game. He clearly studied the on court moves of Michael Jordan and has mastered many of those skills. It’s nearly impossible to watch Kobe without thinking of MJ-The follow through on the jump shot, the post up game, the fade away jumper and the desire to take the last second shot with the game hanging in the balance. He’s still playing at high level while many of his contemporaries have fallen off the map. Allen Iverson is playing in Turkey. Tracy McGrady is getting limited minutes in Detroit. Vince Carter is simply an afterthought. And there was Kobe, after 14 years in the league and countless minutes under his belt, he’s still one of the premier players in the game. Still trying to fight off the next generation of young guns looking to steal his crown.
Kobe may never get the acceptance that he’s been looking for. His peers may never embrace him as one of their own and the public may never view him in the same light as other beloved athletes. You don’t have to like him, but at least respect him. I sure do.

Longevity loses

Sporting heroes rarely make perfect exits. They may walk away too soon, leaving the fans wanting more and wishing for one last special performance. When Lions Running Back Barry Sanders retired, many questioned why he left so early and pondered whether he ever truly loved the game of football. Other legends, don’t know when to call it quits and our last memories of them are those we’d prefer to forget. It’s Michael Jordan missing a wide open dunk in a Washington Wizards uniform, Willie Mays stumbling around the outfield for the New York Mets and Brett Farve enduring a career ending sack. We wish Jordan could have walked away following his game winning shot that buried the Utah Jazz. While we admire the tenacity of these stars, we also would prefer that they leave on our terms. College coaching legends often deal with the same issues. There are annual calls for Joe Paterno to finally retire and constant speculation about when he’ll pass along the program to a successor.

Coaches in professional sports rarely have to worry about overstaying their welcome. Teams change coaches so frequently, it’s often hard to keep track of who’s coaching which franchise. Maybe it’s the negativity that festers on blogs and sports radio. Maybe it’s the unfair expectations of fans thinking that teams can turn things around overnight. Maybe it’s athletes that want to flex their muscles by having more input in who coaches their team. When turmoil hits, firing the coach is the easy way out. With star athletes making humongous salaries, owners can changes coaches far more cheaply than finding new players.

For the last 23 years, Jerry Sloan was the exception to the rule. He didn’t wear flashy Armani suits like Pat Riley and he never utilized meditation like Phil Jackson. The hardnosed Sloan brought the same intensity and ferocity to the bench that carried him during his playing career. He stayed true to his offensive principles of ball movement and defensive philosophy of tough man to man defense. He coached hall of famers like Stockton and Malone while overseeing the development of Deron Williams in recent years. Speculation has already begun that Williams and Sloan clashed this season which may be the cause of the divorce. In the end, there was no farewell tour for Sloan. There was no final speech to the Utah fans at center court in Salt Lake City. Sloan held a short, emotional press conference announcing his resignation. Sloan never was a quitter and to walk away in mid season had to be a bitter pill to swallow. This couldn’t be the exit that fans, media or Sloan had envisioned. But, for sports legends, perfect exits seemingly don’t exist.

Dirty Laundry

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, a long suffering New York Mets fan, once famously proclaimed that modern sports fans really are just rooting for laundry. In his mind, due to the proliferation of free agency and the resulting player movement, fans could no longer get a sense of comfort with players. The moment you get a handle on the roster of your favorite team, the offseason hits and countless new players are added. Consequently, when fans are conjuring up images of their favorite teams, it’s often not about the current players. It’s the historic stadiums, the classic looking jerseys and announcers who’ve spent decades broadcasting games. While Seinfeld had free agency in mind when he made this statement, rooting for laundry also helps sports fans reconcile their difficulty in supporting players with checkered pasts and lingering legal issues. The Super Bowl featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers is a perfect example of this trend.

In case you haven’t heard, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is no stranger to accusations of sexual assault. Big Ben was not charged in either case, but the details were enough to make anyone cringe. While some Pittsburgh fans were outraged for the shame that Roethlisberger brought upon their beloved franchise, the indignation has seemingly subsided. A few playoff wins and a Super Bowl trip your favorite team tend to do that. For those fans that haven’t resolved their hostility towards Roethlisberger, the rooting for laundry theory probably holds true. While they may not forgive him for his alleged indiscretions, they can hold their nose and still support their team they’ve spent decades cheering for. After all, fandom is generational and the people of Pittsburgh were fans of the franchise before Roethlisberger arrived and they’ll still be there after he’s long retired.

Throughout Super Bowl week, many members of the pen and mic club have been proclaiming that Roethlisberger is a changed man and this game is his shot at redemption. As is often the case, redemption is defined by wins and losses rather than behavior. Will sponsors be as quick to forgive Big Ben? If the Steelers win, will Disney use the star QB in their annual Disneyland Super Bowl commercials? I think it’s fair to say that the sponsors, will be more careful about hitching their wagons to the beleaguered QB than fans and media have been. The endorsement deals probably won’t be coming in for Roesthisberger until the American public, rather than just Steeler nation, buys into the entire redemption angle and I believe we’re still a long way away from that.

The Birth of Cool

Reflecting on our high school experiences conjures up all sorts of images and feelings. The nervousness we felt deciding where to sit in the cafeteria, the anxiety of trying out for the team and the butterflies in our stomachs before asking a girl to the dance. So much of the high school experience is trying to figure out what’s cool and doing whatever possible to attain that elusive label. Often times, it’s as arbitrary as the brand of jeans you wear or the haircut you sport. Shop at the wrong store and that girl from your biology class is now out of reach. When the previous fad dissipates and the new trend surfaces, it’s time to go shopping.(Hopefully alone because nothing screams cool like trying on clothes under the watchful eye of your mom, right?) While the focus on outside appearances is concerning, it’s certainly not as troubling as the current trend percolating in some high schools around the country.

As you may have heard, 90 students at Frayser High School in Memphis are either currently or recently pregnant. It’s unclear, at least to this point, whether there was some sort of pregnancy pact among students. The Frayser High School story is certainly not the first of its kind. In 2009, 115 students at Robeson High School in Chicago were either expecting or already had children.

So how did we arrive at a place where teen pregnancy became as trendy as Abercrombie jeans and North Face jackets? I’ll do my best to refrain from sounding like an old fogy that longs for the days of sock hops and drive in movies(Although, admittedly those do sound fun). That being said, I do think shows like Teen Mom on MTV are, at least, part of the problem. Can a teenager really comprehend the drastic effect that a pregnancy has on a family after watching a one hour show? Clearly, not everything can be blamed on pop culture. Are these girls at Frayser getting pregnant as a means of rebellion? Are their own fathers absent and are they desperate for some sort of attention from any male figure? There are no easy answers, but here’s to hoping that, in the future, the biggest casualty of being cool is being seen at the mall with our moms rather than crib shopping for adolescent parents.

The Battle of Brands

Last month in Glendale, Arizona, the two best college football teams (as determined by computers) met in the BCS National Championship game. The contest featured a fake punt, a fake extra point, a safety, a premature touchdown call by Brent Musberger(we weren’t looking live at a touchdown) and a last second field goal with time expiring which gave the Auburn Tigers their first national title in 53 years. With the confetti falling on Auburn players and coaches, you may have noticed a logo on their jerseys that didn’t immediately register in your mind. It wasn’t the ubiquitous Nike Swoosh adorned by the Oregon Ducks or the three stripes of Adidas.

For the first time in the history of the BCS championship game, one of the participants was sponsored by Under Armour. The company, founded in 1996 by a former Maryland football player, has had an increasing presence among weekend warriors and gym rats in recent years due to the form fitting, moisture resistant nature of the gear.
Nike chairman and Oregon grad Phil Knight was surely disappointed with the outcome of the game, but it’s safe to say he’s not shaking in his Nikes just yet. Under Armour doesn’t have sponsorship deals with athletes recognized only by one name(Kobe, Lebron, Tiger) or controversial commercials that generate talk around water coolers and dinner tables.

That being said, the company is certainly on the move. Earlier this year, they inked a multi-year deal with Tom Brady and their shoes are being worn by NBA player Brandon Jennings. Can they capitalize on the momentum that’s being built by these recent successes and what’s the best path for doing so? While Nike still reigns supreme over all other brands in sports, Under Armour, on a national stage, won the battle of brands on the scoreboard. The battle for supremacy in the marketplace, however, is a story that is still being written.