Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 358 of 1503)

      Brandon Phillips’ comments about the Cardinals refreshing

      August 10, 2010 /
      July 13, 2010; Anaheim, CA, USA; National League infielder Brandon Phillips of the Cincinnati Reds before the 2010 All Star game at Angel Stadium. Photo via Newscom

      Despite it generally being a boring sport to watch, I love baseball. America’s pastime, indeed.

      But players have become too damn nice to each other. How many times do we have to see a runner reach base and watch as a member of the opposing team pats them on the rear, gives them a back rub and straightens out their jock for them? Enough already.

      Heading into a pivotal series against division rival St. Louis on Monday, Reds’ second baseman Brandon Phillips took the opportunity to discuss how much he hated the Cardinals. And dude didn’t hold back.

      “We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little bitches, all of ‘em. I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear – I hate the Cardinals.”

      Finally, a baseball player with a backbone. I don’t care if his comments were justified or not – it’s about time someone stoke the rivalry flames again in baseball. This isn’t a softball beer league or Babe Ruth Baseball – for the love of Pete Rose, it’s Major League Baseball. Where’s the hatred? Where are the division rivalries? Outside of the Red Sox and Yankees, and Giants and Dodgers, there are none.

      Phillips just made this three-game set between the Reds and Cardinals even more interesting than it already was. I’m not suggesting that every player goes out and calls the other team names at the start of a new series, but it’s nice to see some life being breathed into the game again. Did you see that game last night? Chris Carpenter was ready to punch a hole through Brendan Ryan’s esophagus after the shortstop grabbed the wrong mitt in the first inning. Do you think Carpenter wanted to beat the Reds after what Phillips said?

      Good for you, Brandon Phillips. Now try not getting your ass kicked tonight.

      External Sports, MLB

      Need practices closed? Just blame the Internet people.

      August 10, 2010 /
      01 January 2010: Florida head coach Urban Meyer is pictured during Sugar Bowl game against Cincinnati at the SuperDome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Florida defeated Cincinnati, 51-24.

      Urban Meyer is the head coach of the Florida Gators and as the head coach of the Florida Gators, he has the right to have closed practices, open practices or no practices if he wants.

      And Urban gets what Urban wants.

      According to a report by ESPN.com, Meyer has closed Gator practices to the public, citing problems with agents and autograph hounds.

      “We can’t live the players’ lives, but we can certainly do the best we can,” he told the newspaper. “You should have the right as a player to walk from here to there without being bothered.

      “When I tell my colleagues that you get dressed, you walk across and people just maul you and bother you and internet people grabbing helmets, ‘Sign this,’ and we don’t have security saying, ‘Get the heck out of here.’ You’ll see a lot more ‘get the heck out of here’ from now on and let the kids go practice and concentrate on football.”

      He’s right – players should have the opportunity to walk around a practice facility without being bothered by autograph seekers. But this isn’t about agents or those crazy “internet people” bothering players – this is about Meyer’s need to control every situation.

      It’s always to a coach’s benefit to have a closed practice. Players arguably stay focused longer, coaches don’t have to worry about revealing anything (plays, schemes, etc.) and they can scream at the kids without having anyone peering in from the sidelines. Meyer saw an opportunity here to cash in on Nick Saban’s comments about player agents and use it as an excuse to close practice.

      Meyer is arrogant. What happened when he didn’t like how an Orlando Sentinel reporter quoted one of his players? He threatened to kick him out of practice and even deemed him a “bad guy” just for doing his job. This is the same man that also plugged Tim Tebow in the media like he was a bottle of Bud Light and now he wants practices closed because some autograph seekers are bothering the players? Come on.

      I don’t like your article – you’re banned from practice. I don’t like how you asked for autographs – you’re banned from practice. What is he, the “Soup Nazi?”

      I’m not suggesting that Meyer doesn’t care about his players, because he does. But does he really have their best interests at heart here, or is he satisfying his own wants?

      College Football, External Sports

      Owner doesn’t think Darrelle Revis will play for the Jets in 2010

      August 10, 2010 /
      New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) shake hands after they unveil a Welcome to Revis Island sign at a Jets playoff rally at Times Square in New York City on January 21, 2010. UPI /John Angelillo

      Owner Woody Johnson said Monday that he doesn’t believe Darrelle Revis (holdout) will play in 2010.

      From the New York Daily News:

      Asked whether he believed that a new deal could be reached before the start of the season, Johnson simply said: “The answer is no.”

      “My impression is no progress,” the owner said. “(They way) Mike characterized it with me, there’s no movement whatsoever…. Nothing new and different, as they say in marketing.”

      Given how much time there is before the regular season starts, this seems like pasturing on the part of Johnson. Either way, it appears as though the Jets are digging in their heels and taking a more hard-line stance with Revis.

      External Sports, NFL

      2010 NFL Question Marks: Green Bay Packers

      August 9, 2010 /
      GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 10: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers calls a play against the Arizona Cardinals during the first quarter of the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 10, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

      Merry training camp season, everyone. It’s been a long offseason, but football is finally gearing up again and to celebrate I’m rolling out a new series on TSR entitled “2010 NFL Question Marks,” where I discuss one or two of the biggest concerns that teams have heading into the new season. Granted, some teams have more issues than others, but I’ll primarily be focusing on the biggest problem areas. Today I’ll be discussing the Packers and whether or not Green Bay fans can expect the offensive line to keep Aaron Rodgers upright this season.

      You’re dreaming if you don’t think the Packers have what it takes to reach the Super Bowl this year. Aaron Rodgers proved last season that he could play at an elite level and Dom Capers was a miracle worker (he only had one offseason to transform the Packers from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and they finished 2nd in the NFL in total defense) in his first year as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator.

      But even though expectations are high right now in the land of cheese, one question continues to loom large: Can the offensive line keep Rodgers upright?

      I don’t know how Rodgers didn’t wind up breathing out of a tube at some point last year. The amount of blows he took on a weekly basis was flabbergasting, but to his credit he somehow went on to throw for 4,434 yards and 30 touchdowns.

      I don’t think you’re listening: He threw for 4,434 yards and 30 touchdowns with the equivalent of a FINISH LINE ribbon for an offensive line.

      Now, was some of that his fault? Yes. At times, he took far too long to get rid of the ball and he sometimes took sacks that he shouldn’t have. But most of the blame could be laid at the feet of the offensive line.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Good to see an owner have a player’s back – McNair goes to bat for Cushing

      August 9, 2010 /
      HOUSTON - OCTOBER 04: Linebacker Brian Cushing #56 of the Houston Texans delivers a hard hit to tight-end Zach Miller #80 of the Oakland Raiders at Reliant Stadium on October 4, 2009 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

      While I think it’s a fruitless endeavor, you have to admire the way Texans’ owner Bob McNair has decided to go to bat for linebacker Brian Cushing.

      McNair is lobbying the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell to reduce Cushing’s four-game suspension, which the linebacker received for violating the league’s steroid policy. McNair has said that he will present new evidence to Goodell today that he hopes will prove that Cushing has done nothing wrong.

      From USA Today:

      “We’re supportive of the league program and we’re not questioning that he did test positive for HCG,” McNair said. “We’re not questioning that at all.

      “We’re concerned about the athlete and want to make sure that there’s nothing wrong with him and if this was something that was a natural occurrence, we then want to know about it because it could happen again.”

      Now, who knows what McNair’s agenda is. After winning the 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award last season, it’s obvious that Cushing is vital to Houston’s success. Would McNair be going out on a limb for all his players or is he just doing this because Cushing is one of his key defenders?

      Only McNair can answer that question, but the fact that he’s sticking his neck out at all deserves some praise. The owners are about to embark on a nasty battle with the player’s union regarding a new CBA deal, yet here’s McNair going to bat for one of his own. It’s admirable, even if Goodell upholds Cushing’s suspension.

      Again, I think McNair is going to come up empty and it stands to reason that he’s a little naive too (especially when you consider that Cushing has been linked to steroids since he was in high school). Plus, what the hell is Overtrained Athlete Syndrome (the condition Cushing claims led to the positive drug test).

      But what’s the worse that can happen? Goodell doesn’t think the new evidence is worthy enough to reduce Cushing’s suspension? So what – the Texans have already been preparing to be without Cushing for the first four games anyway. It’s not like anything changes if McNair fails.

      But if he succeeds, then not only does Cushing get his suspension reduced but maybe the league will look to address holes in its testing program.

      External Sports, NFL

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