Sometimes You Just Gotta Sit Back and Enjoy

I used to be a huge NCAA Tournament nut. There would be brackets strewn across the floor of my room in a mad rush to find the perfect one. Drafts and drafts of possible outcomes were constructed in the hopes that one would become prophecy, or close enough to win me $500. Even if the ultimate prize didn't come to fruition, there was always the opportunity to defeat and humiliate my dearest friends; who were, for a week in March, my most hated opponents. And then came the two weeks of gut wrenching drama where curses were voiced in the presence of parents and tears were spilled at lunchroom tables. Then one year, I decided to discard the shackles of ESPN.com's bracket and to enjoy the game as neutral observer with no interest. Ironically enough, it was the best tournament I've engaged in.

Filling out a bracket is akin to setting your future in stone. Once the ink has dried, there are no changes of heart available. Your decisions have been set and your emotional attachment must be unwavering. But how were you supposed to know that Michigan State can't shoot free throws or that Gonzaga can't play defense? As I religiously followed the games on CBS, and cursed the network for not playing the games that mattered to me, I found my allegiances shifting but were restrained due to the commitment I had made with the bracket. To me it was a bond of pride and integrity that could not be violated even in the most dreary of circumstances. The bracket was my legitimacy in the world. It was my deal with the devil. If it went bust, so would my sports soul. And afterwards, nothing I had to say was worth anything in the eyes of anyone.

So what did I do? I quit the game. I took the easy way out and refused to play anymore. Once I had predicted a Syracuse Kansas final in 2003, it was over for me. There was nothing more I could achieve and the path to the perfect bracket wasn't worth the unforgiving ride and stress. And as I watched the tournament from the vantage point of a free man, I reached a higher level of consciousness. I was finally liberated. I could root for one team at the start of the game and the shift to the other team if they were playing better. I had nothing invested in the outcome of second class basketball played by kids my age in a format that decided the luckiest and not the best. And you know what? It was incredible.

Now I can enjoy March Madness with full appreciation for the event. Yeah, I filled out one bracket this year online. But I did very little research and clicked whichever team my mouse pointed to. If I win, fine; if I don't, who cares. I've come to the realization that I don't need artificial incentives such as money or pride to enjoy sporting events that I'm completely neutral to. It's like using drugs to find happiness or a hooker to find sexual fulfillment. Cheap and ultimately empty. But hey, I'm not judging you. If you want to beat that asshole in the office that thinks he knows everything about sports, have at it hoss. Just know that there is a realm of existence higher than the one you're on. Transcend my friends. Transcend.

I went to the Drury and my favorite Briere was a Miller

A delightful little limerick for Buffalonians of all ages circa 2005-2007. Now, however, only one player remains from this once proud triumvirate. Its not just that the Sabres broke the collective hearts of Buffalo by losing two straight Eastern Conference Finals series, but its that even after last seasons gut punch by the Ottawa Senators (insert Danny Heatley murdered someone reference) there was the promise of so much more. With such a strong nucleus of players and speedsters coming up from the affiliate Rochester Americans there was a feeling that the Sabres would be a perennial powerhouse in, not just the East, but the NHL.

The inscrutable loss of Briere and Drury, and the later loss of Brian Campbell (at least they got something in return) has wiped away any sense that the Sabres will challenge for a Stanley Cup. So now there appears to be one man left:

Miller enters the last year of his contract next season. The Sabres must lock him up for the long term this summer. The Sabres forwards and defensemen must make a strong showing to prove to Miller that it is worth it to sign long term. They have to string together some wins and sneak into the playoffs to prove to Miller that this team can win. Otherwise, his long feared return to Michigan (he played college hockey there) to play for the Red Wings might very well come to fruition.

If the Sabres can't re-sign Miller, they may be forced to trade him in March, like Campbell; or worse, watching him walk away in May and gaining nothing in return. Then the last vestiges of a humorous limerick about drinking will be gone, and with it, the identity of the Sabres team as a whole will be lost.

Guarded Optimism

This past weekend was the opening of free agent season in the NFL. And, in keeping with feeding the nation's appetite for football satiated, ESPN had full coverage of the "event". One of the more surprising things to come out of the event was the blitzkrieg launched by Browns GM Phil Savage. In fact, the Browns were so active and apparently productive that ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen decided they are fit enough to make a run for the Super Bowl next season. I talked with my dad over the weekend and he says the same sentiment has, expectedly, permeated the Cleveland talk radio scene.

Has reason been abandoned by everyone? Perhaps Senator Obama's message of hope transcends politics in Ohio and is now lifting everyone's sports aspirations. I'm not trying to make the argument that whatever the Browns have done early is terrible and they'll most certainly flop. What I'm saying is that maybe we should take a step back and look at the road ahead and assess the potential pitfalls the team faces next year.

First, the Browns play in the AFC. I'm sorry NFC fans, but your conference is a stone throws away from being the Eastern Conference in basketball. You know every year who is going to make the playoffs, but after that it's chance. And I'm sorry Giants fans, but you guys benefited from that this year and miraculously pulled off the ultimate win. In the AFC, however, the competition is evenly spread out and there are more good teams to contend with. The entire AFC South had a winning record. The AFC North had two 10 win teams and the East had the Patriots and oppressed Bills (who are good but recently have been at the mercy of the Patriots and quarterback controversies). The point is, no matter what schedule you play in the AFC, a 10-6 season is not easily repeated. Especially if a good number of those 10 wins came down to the wire.

Appropriately, the Browns have one of the more difficult schedules in the AFC next season. They've pulled the NFC East next season which includes the Redskins, the Giants, Cowboys, and the Eagles. The Giants are getting hit hard by free agency but they are the champs and have proven that they can win games. The Cowboys will probably win the division again and will again be the NFC favorites next year. The Eagles are the perennial wildcard team that nobody can predict and the Redskins are always one step away from being above average. They also play the AFC South which, as mentioned above, had a winning record throughout. The Colts, Jags, and Titans made the playoffs last year and the Texans have been improving consistently. Then there's the issue of playing the AFC North teams and the second place teams from every other division. When its all said and done, the road to the playoffs is going to be tough - much less to the Super Bowl.

Third, the Browns were so successful last year on the play of unproven stars. Sure Braylon Edwards had 12 TDs and 1200 yards receiving last year. But nobody thought he would be the receiver he became. Next season, defenses will be looking to shut him down. Jamal Lewis also had a great season, but he was injury free and came into the season with a chip on his shoulder. He wanted to prove he wasn't as washed up as it seemed he was. What's to say that his history of injury doesn't haunt him during summer camp? There is no such guarantee. I will say, though, that the offense is greatly helped by the addition of Dante Stallworth. Although his raw receiving ability is questionable and his contribution may be limited, he is a legitimate threat that may take some pressure off Edwards and provide Anderson with another outlet. Speaking of Derek Anderson...

Does one season make a quarterback? Sure he threw 29 touchdown passes, but he also let loose about 20 interceptions. There is no denying that he has the physical assets to become a top flight quarterback. But top flight quarterbacks have the intelligence and poise to compliment their physical stature. Anderson played well against teams like the Patriots and Steelers in mid season. But when the Browns' playoff life was at stake against the Bengals, he completely broke down and threw 3 interceptions; two of which directly lead to the Bengals scoring. Now, this may seem a bit harsh a criticism for a guy who led an upstart team to 10 wins in the AFC, but it isn't without merit. Anderson has the able Brady Quinn at his heels in the depth chart. If he struggles early on and exhibits no ability to pull it together, his leash will be short. And if Romeo Crennel faces another QB controversy, GM Phil Savage will not be so keen to keep him in the director's chair after spending so exorbitantly this past weekend.

Finally, the Browns defense is terrible as of right now. Sure their pass rush has been significantly upgraded and their linebacker corps is quick to the ball, but their secondary is atrocious. And they just traded their best cornerback in Leigh Bodden. The safety position is solid with Sean Jones, who I think is one of the better safeties in the NFL. However the Browns need to find a cornerback to compliment second year player Eric Wright. The only problem is that they've already spent a ton of money on the defensive front and traded away their first 3 April draft picks. So they have to rely on their depth chart stepping up or a late round gem. Both options are risky and hardly ever pay off in the end.

So, yeah, it is safe to say that the 2008 Cleveland Browns are already a better team than the 2007 version. But their schedule is considerably more difficult this year and their offensive weapons (save Kellen Winslow and Joe Jurevicius) are somewhat unproven. Is the talent enough to overcome the increase in degree of difficulty and can the players maintain the level of play from last year? Those are two big variables that lead me to hold off on my opinion for next season. The Browns could very well end up being the team that makes big offseason moves but flops when the games are played.

One thing I do know though: When the 2008 season kicks off, I'll be looking towards the playoffs no matter what I just wrote. Welcome to Cleveland.

Danny Ferry's Trade Deadline Mea Culpa

Wow. Finally a trade deadline that really causes a flurry of activity and actually sees players move from one team to another. Unlike baseball where the talks of A-Rod going to the Cubs actually translates into a prospects for utility infielder named Cabrera deal. Anyway, the most talked about deal was the 11 player exchange that took place between the Cavaliers, Sonics, and Bulls which saw the Cavs receive Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith, Ben Wallace, and Delonte West, the Bulls get Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, and Shannon Brown, and the Sonics get Donyell Marshall, Ira Newble, and Adrian Griffin. There's also a Bulls 2009 second round pick that went to the Cavs.

Now, this is a pretty good deal in terms of contract management. The Cavs are now over the salary cap and paying a pretty hefty luxury tax for it. There's also the possibility of earning the dubious distinction of being the highest paid club in the league next year. However, they unloaded a couple of expiring contracts and Larry Hughes' monster deal which seemed immovable a few weeks ago.

What this also does is give the Cavs expiring contracts for the 2010 season when Lebron becomes a free agent therefore freeing up potential resources to re-sign the superstar. I guess Dan Gilbert wanted to convey the message that ownership is dedicated to winning now and not in some foreseeable future

From a pure basketball standpoint, this trade seems to make sense. I will qualify that statement by adding the caveat that trades sometimes look great on paper but don't live up to their potential on the court. Wallace gives the Cavs a great interior defensive presence for shot blocking and defense. However, his offensive repertoire is famously limited and his defensive abilities can be neutralized by a power forward who likes to play outside, such as Rasheed Wallace or Dirk Nowitski. However, depending on Coach Brown's offensive schemes (which are notoriously bland), Wallace may see some more open dunks due to teams double teaming Z and Lebron as well as help that comes in from possible penetration by Delonte West.

Joe Smith is a solid overall player that may not match the production of Drew Gooden, but won't match Gooden's propensity to stop thinking at crucial moments. He has composure that can only be taught with with age and experience. He also gives the Cavs 4 decent to good big men in the game at any time, which is a great defensive asset in playoff basketball.

Delonte West is my favorite piece of this deal. He finally gives the Cavs a solid option at point guard who can run the fast break and has tremendous court vision and poise. All he needs to do is take care of the ball and compliment Lebron. He's also a decent outside shooter who gives the Cavs another three point option after Boobie Gibson. West has the potential to make the Cavs offense more dynamic with his penetration ability and ball handling skills; something the Cavs lack when Eric Snow is on the floor.

Overall, this deal looks like a mea culpa for Danny Ferry. He had to do something to keep Lebron happy for not obtaining top flight point guard (Jason Kidd) and for signing Larry Hughes to a terrible contract. Somehow he convinced the Bulls to take that Hughes and it worked. However, the Cavaliers shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place. What good is a slasher on offense when all Mike Brown runs are pick and roll plays for Lebron? This deal wouldn't have been necessary had Ferry put the appropriate parts together 3 years ago. So is a deal novel if it could have been rendered superfluous by correct past decisions? Probably not, but at least the Cavs made moves to keep Lebron happy. And in the end, that might be the best thing to result from this "blockbuster".

Completely Unbiased 2008 Baseball Predictions

Spring training is here and that means a couple things are about to happen. The weather is going to get warmer, the chicas are going to bust out the smooth legs, and the greatest sport ever will be starting up soon. Yeah I said it. Greatest. Sport. Ever. You know why the first fiscal quarter is projected to be so horrible? Probably because everyone is researching fantasy sleepers and putting together draft strategies. On top of that, they are probably watching free spring training games on MLBTv. That's what Philly QB and I did during law school. Look at us now. We're not deadbeats or anything. Anyway, lets see how things will go down this baseball season.

AL Central

The Cleveland Indians are the team to beat this season in all of baseball. Two Cy Young candidates and a lineup that underachieved last year due to the statistical absence of Travis Hafner will break out this year to create baseball's best run differential in 2008. They should win about 100 games and cruise into the playoffs by early September.

The rest of the division is complete garbage. The White Sox have nothing but bums in their starting rotation and had the worse offensive output last year. So forget them. The Twins have nothing without Santana and Torii Hunter. They're pretty much fighting off contraction again until they inexplicably rattle off 3 division championships in about 5-6 years. The Tigers are afflicted with Mets syndrome. The more money they spend and big name players they get, the worse they perform. Its a sad thing but the Tigers will probably end up losing 110 games this year due to the "star power" they attained in the offseason.

The AL East

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will rise to the top of the East with 94 wins this season due to an influx of excellent young pitching and position players. Seriously, the Red Sox will break down because they are all on roids and old. I'm looking at you David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Dustin Pedroia. But through sheer shittiness by the Yankees and Orioles, the Red Sox should still get the Wild Card.

The Yankees are overpaying for untested arms, an aging captain, and possibly one of the most reviled superstars in recent history. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Posada and the rest of the deadbeats who put up mediocre numbers and get paid all star salaries. I say 79 wins for the Yanks this year. I'm just going to pretend that the Orioles moved to Japan and not talk about them.

The AL West

The Angels will win the West. I think thats all that needs to be said. They can probably get into the playoffs with about 69 wins from this shit shack of division. Even if Torii Hunter crashes into those rocks in center field and gets killed - not a problem.

The NL East

This division is fucking awesome. Last year's collapse by the other New York team really caught the attention of...well...ESPN...I guess. Anyway the Mets Syndrome will strike again. They'll overpay for another superstar and somehow manage to get worse. Santana will get the Mets to be within minutes of reaching the playoffs instead of hours. But in the end the Phillies with superman Jimmy Rollins will prevail because thats what they do. Entice their fans with an exciting late run and flop in the playoffs. Usual Philly fare. Braves suck, Marlins suck, and Nationals are total shit.

The NL Central

I really don't know much about this division except that I drafted Brandon Phillips in my fantasy leagues last year and kicked some ass. But the Reds sucked and there isn't much going on in Cinci to make that change. The Cubs are eternally awful and suffer from the Mets Syndrome. It could honestly be called the Cubs Syndrome but I hate New York sports teams more than Shit-cago's. Who else is even in this division? Oh yeah, the Brewers. They are my pick. They just have too much pedigree in Prince Fielder and Tony Gwynn Jr. to be bad. Throw in some Rickie Weeks and decent starting pitching and welcome to October! What about the Astros, Cards, and Pirates? Yeah, what about them?

The NL West

Picking a team to win this division is like trying to pick the prettiest chick from a group of beat up uglies. I mean, there isn't much here. Traditional logic would say that the Dodgers pay too much to suck, but they continually underachieve. The Rockies went on a historic tear to get into the playoffs last year and there's no way they can keep that pace for a 162 game season so lets throw them out. The Padres play in a park that is a hitters graveyard/Cy Young factory. No Bonds means no wins for San Fransisco. So I guess I'll go with the Diamondbacks. They had a negative run differential last year but still managed to put up 90 wins. How the fuck does that happen? Who knows, but it did and all that matters is that the youngsters can win.

Note: There will probably be actual division by division breakdowns coming incrementally as spring training progresses.

Day of Reckoning

Today is the day the Buffalo Sabres have grown to dread, the trade deadline. Last year at this time, the Sabres were whistling Dixie, with the leagues best record the Sabres cruised to the President's Trophy having the league's best record.

At the trade deadline last year they had Danny Briere and Chris Drury headed to free agency. The Sabes did not think twice about trading two of their best players. They thought a run to the Cup might be enough to convince both guys to take a bit of the ol' hometown discount.

Sadly, the Senators, featuring a murderer (Heatley), and Daniel Alfredson (no man can call him "Alfie" unless they openly want to get in his pants) knocked the Sabres out of the playoffs and into a topsy turvey tailspin. The rest of the story. Drury signs with the hated Rangers, Briere to the despised Flyers. The Sabres struggle without their leaders, and are now in a dog fight to even make the playoffs.

This brings us back to Campbell. If the Sabres trade him it will likely drop them out of the playoff race entirely incensing an already battered fan base who despite the frugality of management have shown up for every game (the Sabres have the second best attendance average in the NHL---I know helped by the Winter Classic). If they do not trade him then he could eschew a long-term contract and leave Buffalo this summer for nothing.

Ryan Miller is also an important player in this whole mess. Miller's contract is up after the 2008-2009 season. If the Sabres don't sign Campbell that might send him the message that the Sabres are not dedicated to winning a championship. However, if they do sign Campbell then the team might not have enough in the coffers to make Miller an offer that pays him market value.

It looks like either way the Sabres will lose.

Experience Only Counts When Judgement is Sound

Ah, the much anticipated Hilary bashing article. If I had any influence on anyone's opinion other than the 5 people that read this blog, this would be my coup de grace for the Clinton campaign. It is incredible to note the astonishing fall from inevitability that Senator Clinton has experienced. She was touted merely 4 months ago as the next president of the United States. People and pundits were already swearing her into the Oval Office. Now, after a surge by Senator Obama, continual miscalculations on the part of her campaign, and a generally dismal performance in debates on and the stump, Senator Clinton seems to have conceded the race to her rival.

All of the factors that have contributed to her downfall are reasons not to vote for her. She entered the primary season as the clear cut favorite for the Democratic nomination. She led her nearest competitor by millions of dollars in campaign financing and purportedly had the establishment in her corner. Only to lose Iowa and fight to a draw on Super Tuesday. Although Senator Obama's rhetoric and charisma resonates with the Democratic base, much of the failure has to be put on Clinton's awful management of her campaign.

First, she relied completely on the pocketbooks of high end donors to graciously offer money before the primaries and throughout. She went the traditional route of courting corporations and holding galas where donors spent thousands of dollars on dinner. This is, appropriately, the traditional method of getting funds. The only problem is, not everyone can afford thousand dollar dinners or maximum donations. Further, when she flailed in January, those donors questioned her viability as a candidate and she did not have the charm nor personality to keep them aboard her sinking ship.

Obama, on the other hand, embraced the technology of the 21st century and launched a grassroots campaign. Obviously he took money from corporate donors and probably held those dinners as well, but he recognized that if ordinary people were encouraged to donate small amounts, he could raise more money more frequently. And it worked. He has raised a considerable amount of money soliciting $25 online donations from ordinary people. This shows that the Clinton machine is indeed mired in the politics of the past and has failed to step into today's world. Do we really want a candidate who cannot effectively use modern communication mediums and who is so disconnected from the information age? Clinton represents the the archaic divide that exists between today's politicians and their political base. She is a personification of the disconnect that has existed in our politics since the advent of mass media and corporate sponsorship. She's just more of the same and doesn't have the foresight to change.


Second, her callous spending this primary season is an omen for potential tenure in the White house. The New York Time reported today that Clinton's financial backers are presently petrified of her campaign spending. According to her campaign's expenditure report, she spent exorbitant amounts of money in Nevada on hotels. Apparently members of her campaign committee stayed at the Bellagio, Planet Hollywood and the Four Seasons hotels totaling $30,000. The campaign also spent $94,000 in Iowa ordering sandwiches for pre-caucus parties and shovels for voters in case it snowed. A magnanimous gesture, but rife with folly in the end (it did not snow).

And apparently, Clinton insiders expected this to happen! She spent ridiculous amounts of money to secure her Senatorial bid in New York as well. And that was against candidates that, fairly enough, had no shot at defeating her. She has spent only 42% of her contributions on political outreach, whereas Obama has spent half. Although this may seem like a small difference, we are talking about millions of dollars in advertising that the Clinton campaign squandered on expensive hotel rooms and sandwiches. Do we really want someone in the White House that cannot even financially manage her campaign? This shows a lack of fiscal judgment on her part as well as a tendency to use resources in an inefficient manner.

Finally, her arrogance this primary season is completely unflattering. Her campaign did almost no grassroots campaigning and has been continually out hustled on the ground by Obama's supporters. They rarely installed any type of political infrastructure to garner support at the individual level. This oversight shows that even she was victim to the myth of her inevitability. Do we need more arrogance and elitism in the White House? Does America need a leader who is too good for the world?

There are some other points I'd like to make about Senator Clinton that are disconcerting. Her supporters always cheer when her travails in her husband's White House are brought up. They are proud of the fact that she stood up to the people and supporter her husband, the President of the United States, even though he cheated on her multiple times. Is it real strength and courage to do what you are expected to do? Would anyone in their right mind stay with someone like Bill Clinton if he weren't president? Probably not. Hillary did what she did because she knew that any other course of action would have been suicide for her political career. If she showed independence and left Bill, then her chances of being president may have been affected negatively. Instead she really took the easy way out, stuck with Bill and used his name to propel herself into this position.

That brings me to my next point: How is Hillary Clinton the champion of women in America? Are women in this country so oppressed and denied opportunity that they blindly vote for any of their gender running for president so they can say they are equal to men? It is an interesting quandary. This is a woman who is trying to ride the coattails of her husband's success into Washington. I do not dispute the fact that she is incredibly intelligent or able, but I dispute the fact that she is doing this on her own. Don't women want a candidate who can become President on her own merits without the meddling or efficacious support of her husband?

And if Hillary wins, her legacy will always be tainted by her husband. Questions will continually rise about how much influence Bill has and if Hillary is indeed making important decisions on her own. And remember, in today's world the facts don't matter, only the perception. Hillary really represents the archaic notion that women can't get anywhere without their husbands. Is that what the women of America want? How about a woman (or minority) with no political connections who pulls herself into the White House? That's the real champion that women should wait to support.

Editor's Note: I found an excellent editorial in the February 24th edition of the New York Times titled "The Audacity of Hopelessness" by Frank Rich that echoes the very sentiments expressed in this post. Obviously Rich's writing is more cohesive and eloquent than this crude banter.