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.