Month: July 2010 (Page 10 of 62)

Terrell Owens to the Jets? Pass.

ATLANTA - DECEMBER 27: Terrell Owens #81 of the Buffalo Bills against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on December 27, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

T.O. to NY? It kind of has a nice ring to it, but that’s about all it has.

With Santonio Holmes set to miss the first four weeks of the season due to a suspension, signing Owens seems like a logical move for the Jets on paper. But in reality, what happens after Holmes returns? Owens goes home?

The pecking order in the Jets’ passing game this year will go a little something like this: Holmes (once he returns), Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, Al Toon. As you can see, there aren’t enough passes to go around if T.O. were thrown into the mix, especially when you consider that Mark Sanchez is still trying to develop as a passer.

Which is another thing: T.O. must be avoided so that Sanchez has room to grow. The Jets’ passing game is a work in progress and Owens would have plenty to groan about if a) he wasn’t getting enough touches and b) Sanchez started to struggle.

The fastest way to stunt a quarterback’s development is to play him before he’s ready. The second fastest is having Terrell Owens on the roster.

Kudos to Mike Tannenbaum for considering all of his options (the Jets were the same team that showed a small interest in JaMarcus Russell before he was busted sippin’ the syruuuup), but in the end there just isn’t enough room for T.O. in the Big Apple.

Does baseball betting need saving?

Chad Millman of ESPN The Magazine certainly thinks so, which is why he came up with this idea:

I hereby propose bookmakers adopt what I call the RHiD line, pronounced rid, which considers runs, hits and defense to create a point spread.

First, we need a new system to create power ratings for each team. In football the difference between two teams’ power ratings is the baseline for creating a point spread. I’m suggesting bookmakers build an MLB version based on this formula: Per-game average of a team’s runs and hits minus the hits and runs it allows. The number created is now big enough to build a spread.

As in football, though, that would be just a starting point for bookmakers. This is where their handicapping comes into play, as they adjust the spread for factors such as starting pitcher, location, injuries, slumps, bullpen strength, etc.

And how do you bet on it? Well, you’re looking at the difference in the total number of runs and hits accrued in the game.

His argument is that the +240 and the -285 that we see next to MLB team names is too confusing for squares, so adopting some sort of a point spread like football would increase interest. (Instead of seeing Yankees -275, we might see Yankees -8.5.) He also believes that awarding points for hits would keep bettors interested into the later innings. The game might be lost, but that doesn’t mean that the trailing team can’t rally to cover the spread.

What do you think?

Kevin Love on “The Decision”

Feb. 17, 2010 - Washington, China - (100218) -- WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2010 (Xinhua) -- Kevin Love (L) of Minnesota Timberwolves vies with James Singleton of Washington Wizards during their NBA games in Washington, Feb. 17, 2010. Wizards won 108-99. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun.

Kevin Love has some experience being hated by his hometown fans. He left Oregon to play for UCLA, and there were plenty of Duck and Beaver fans that were none too happy about it. When asked about LeBron’s decision to form the Super Friends with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, this is what Love had to say:

You can’t blame LeBron for wanting to play with two other superstars and contend for as many titles for as many years that they will be together. I do have some empathy for him for what he went through because people from my state hated me for going to UCLA and going out of state—taking my talents [makes quotation marks with his hands and smiles real big] to UCLA and Los Angeles. I do have empathy for him but at the same time I don’t because he did have an hour-long pay per view press conference to say a few sentences about where he was going. I like what Dwyane and Chris did. They got on Pardon the Interruption and said ‘Hey listen, we’re going to play together and we’re excited.’ Chris said his rap about loving the fans of Toronto and never forgetting what they did. I just thought the hour long press conference was way too much.

It seems like people fall into three groups when it comes to “The Decision”: 1) those that understand/like the move to Miami, and are fine with the special, 2) those that understand/like the move to Miami, but thought the special was inappropriate, and 3) those that hate the special and hate LeBron’s decision to join forces with two other stars.

It seems like most people fall into category #2 or #3. (I’m a member of #2, and it looks like Love is as well.)

In a shocking development, the Rays are involved in a no-hitter

Tampa Bay Rays Matt Garza watches from the dug out in the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York City on July 17, 2010.   UPI/John Angelillo Photo via Newscom

After being on the bitter end of three no-hitters since July of last year, the Rays finally flipped the script on Monday night.

Matt Garza threw the first no-no in Rays history last night as Tampa Bay beat the Tigers 5-0. Garza allowed only one base runner, which came in the form of a walk to Brennan Boesch, but thanks to a double play he only faced the minimum. He threw 80 out of 120 pitches for strikes and K’d six batters, including three in the final two innings.

While David Price receives more attention for his upside, Garza arguably has the best “stuff” of anyone on the Rays’ pitching staff. So it’s only appropriate that he wound up tossing the first no-hitter in club history. There’s no doubt he’s had some mental hurdles to overcome throughout his career, so to see him put it all together was impressive.

In related news, the baseball gods clearly hate the Detroit Tigers. To make them victims to a no-hitter in the same season that a perfect game was taken away from Armando Galarraga (on the final out in the ninth inning, mind you) is just cruel. If I were a Tiger fan, I’d be thinking to myself, “Really? Really, baseball gods? Was that necessary?”

Hang in there, Tiger fans. I’m sure Magglio Ordonez will hit a walk-off for you guys sometime soon…….

………no f&^ing way – really? Six to eight weeks? Jimmy Cricket.

Congrats to Matt Garza on his no-hitter.

Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson agree to fight

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson posing at the photocall for 'The A-Team' held on the Champ-de-Mars, Paris, France, on June 14, 2010. Photo by Nicolas Genin/ABACAPRESS.COM Photo via Newscom

Nate Lawson of Heavy.com (via MMAjunkie.com) is reporting that the rumored fight between former UFC light heavyweight champions Lyoto Machida and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will become a reality as the two have agreed to meet.

Machida will enter this fight coming off a disappointing knockout loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 113 that lost the karate ace his light heavyweight title. The loss was also his first as a professional.

Like his upcoming opponent, Jackson is coming off a loss of his own. At UFC 114, Jackson met longtime nemesis and fellow former champion Rashad Evans in the main event, dropping a unanimous decision. The loss was Jackson’s first since losing the 205-pound title to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86.

The bout between the two former champions is expected to serve as the main event for UFC 123 this November. No bouts have been announced by the promotion as of this date.

For more MMA news from Heavy.com, click here.

« Older posts Newer posts »