This Is Gonna Be Wild

Twelve teams have finally qualified for chance to win a Championship.  The month of football worth watching is finally here.

I've made no secret that I find the NFL regular season boring, especially compared to the level of effort put into the college game.  When the NFL plays football worth watching, it is usually worth the time.

Saturday, 4:35 pm, Kansas City at Indianapolis-  The Colts have won their week 16 matchup impressively in Kansas City.  I really don't see anything different happening.  Trent Richardson gives the Colts a much needed running game, balancing the strength of Andrew Luck's passing.  What is different about this Colts team is that they play defense.  Gotta wonder how many Super Bowl Rings Peyton Manning would have if he had this kind of defense.  I see the Colts rolling through easily.

Saturday, 8:10 pm, New Orleans at Philadelphia- The Eagles are the last team in, and the Saints come in winning two of their last five after opening 5-0.  This game has all the potential of being the worst played of the Wild Card Weekend.  New Orleans has the experience to go on the road and win.  The true wild card will be the weather.  The Eagles could make things very interesting, but I see a good opportunity for a road team to win.  Saints march on.

Sunday, 1:05 pm, San Diego at Cincinnati-  The Bengals won 17-10 on December 1, and did it by running the ball.  This game will hinge on Andy Dalton: four interceptions, like he had yesterday, and the Bengals exit early again.  If he plays well, the Bengals should win.  A running game will be Dalton's best friend, and would give him a solid base to work.  I can't see the Chargers winning on the road.

Sunday, 4:40 pm, San Francisco at Green Bay- Aaron Rodgers totally changes this game.  He knocked the rust off quickly against Bears and looked like a champion against the Bears. San Francisco won the last two matchups, September 8 and in the playoffs last year.  I think Colin Kaepernick and the read option could be very useful here.  The 49ers are still the NFC Champions until someone beats them.  Maybe it will be the weather.  I like the Packers at home.

So...am I off base?

Random Thoughts-December 28

Some random thoughts while taking the kids to Snow Camp.

-Locals in Northern Indiana, take note.  Something special is happening at Elkhart Christian Academy.  The Boys basketball team owns wins over Elkhart Memorial and Mishawaka this season.  The seven seniors on the roster may be something truly special, worthy of competing at the highest levels of 1A basketball.  I won't drink all the Kool-Aid just yet, but watch their upcoming matchups with Triton, Warsaw and Senior Night with Elkhart Central.  This team could put a State Championship Banner in the rafters.  As eighth graders, some of these kids put a National Championship team together as travel players.

-Watched Once in a Lifetime: The Story of the New York Cosmos last night.  I have seen this movie before and was amazed at how prophetic Dick Young turned out to be.  He denigrated the signing of Pele by the Cosmos saying it would signal the death of his beloved baseball, which he wrote about for 44 years around the New York area.  The murderer was not Pele, it was Baseball itself.  Let's keep paying mediocre top level players exorbitant salaries (can anyone say Shin-Soo Choo?) and the game will swallow itself in a sea of red ink.

-The wrong football replaced baseball.  American (NFL) football has pervaded every level of consciousness.  The NFL did a masterful job of controlling salaries through the collective bargaining agreement, then promoted itself shamelessly.  How the NFL handles concussions and the next collective bargaining agreement will determine it's place in American consciousness.  Baseball could learn a few lessons.

-The NHL prepares for an outdoor game at The Big House in Ann Arbor on Wednesday.  I love the idea of the outdoor series, but find it interesting that they plan to do this in Los Angeles, when the Ducks and the Kings play at Dodger Stadium.  Players around the league complain about the ice in Southern California enough without taking it outside.  I hope the technology is good enough to make this work the way it needs to for a regular season game.

-Thank you, Snow Camp!  Glad to get the kids out of the house for a few days and just be who we are without being parents all the time.  I really admire the parents who will work with these kids over the next four days.  They are incredibly committed to our children.

So...am I off base?

Random Thoughts-Boxing Day, 2013

Some random thoughts while waiting for the kickoff of one of the biggest days of Premier League Action.

-Half of England seems to be waiting for David Moyes to be fired as manager at Manchester United.  Yes, the Reds have struggled, but are still in the upper half of the table.  David Moyes is no Sir Alex Ferguson, but Sir Alex Ferguson is no David Moyes.  The Reds have shown some good form, and it's a change for everyone.  Sir Alex Ferguson was just Alex Ferguson when he first started: David Moyes deserves the same opportunity.

-Big bowl night for the MAC.  Bowling Green takes in Pitt in the Little Casears Bowl.  Northern Illinois faces a slightly lower profile opponent than their last Bowl outing in Utah State at the San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.  Don't be surprised if both MAC teams win tonight, and Jordan Lynch has a huge game for Northern Illinois.  It will be a good football night.  One of my favorite weeks of the year starts today!

-Above all, I hope everyone had a wonderful day yesterday.  It should be a day of peace and goodwill, and I hope it was for all of you.  We had a wonderful day.

-Were there really five NBA games played yesterday.  Sorry, didn't notice.

So...am I off base?

Christmastime Is Here

Yes, I use the C-word.  It's a nasty habit I've had since I was little.  I learned it from my parents, and it has come to be one of the most treasured things I do each and every year.

Christmas is about the greatest gift we could ever be given, and the gifts we give that symbolize what happened in a cave in Bethlehem a couple thousand years ago.  A devout Jewish carpenter gave us a great example of step parenting.

The gifts given are a transport back to a simpler time, when the wonder of Christmas was in the belief that those presents under came from a man living on the North Pole, traveling by reindeer power.  It is a transport back to when you got what you really wanted, even though it wasn't what you told Santa when you were on his lap.  It is transport back to when Mom and Dad showed you how much you were loved, even when they weren't on your personal Nice List.

I still don't know how my parents did it with ten children.  When I was very little, there were college bills.  When the college bills were for me, the grandchildren always got something and seemed to love being with Grandma and Grandpa.  Everybody got a houseful of food, friendship, and love.  Maybe it was like everyday when those kids were growing up, and that's what they lived to do with Christmas.

Christmas Eve has always been the best.  These brothers and sister who lived around the midwest all gathered to relive those days of growing up on 26 acre farm in the country.  The turkey and noodles still taste the same, but something is missing.

It has been 21 years since my mom has been with us for her favorite time of year.  It has been six years since we all hopped in our cars and drove to my brother's home where he was three days from leaving us far too soon.  We still gather on Christmas Eve to exchange gifts, share our lives, and remember the ones we desperately wish were there.

Don't make me say the H-word.  I'll do it at work, because I must to not offend the patient.  It takes away the meaning of this time of year from me.  I just won't do it.

It is Christmas.  It always has been and always will be.

I don't care what you think this time... I'm not off base.

Bowl Season 2013-14

The college bowl season kicks off today with four games.  Seems like a lot of games for the opening day of the bowl season.  But there seem to be a lot of games to be played.

I seem to remember just a modicum of bowl games growing up.  Some have lasted, some have disappeared.  I remember the first Independence Bowl in Shreveport, still around today.  I remember the Garden State Bowl, dumped because it was too cold in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  Funny how a Super Bowl is being played there this season.

I remember when the Holiday Bowl came into being and knowing San Diego would be a big hit.  Two bowl games now populate the San Diego holiday schedule, one sponsored by a local credit union.  The first incarnation of the Tangerine Bowl lasted for many years in Orlando, eventually dying out, replaced by a new version that now seems to be called the Russell Athletic Bowl.

I've seen some great football played in Bowl games.  First one that springs to mind is a shootout between Brigham Young and SMU in the Holiday Bowl.  BYU had Jim McMahon at quarterback, throwing for 446 yard and 4 touchdowns, and making plays all over the place.  Craig James, the less vaunted of the Pony Express backs, ran for 225 yards and two touchdowns, while the "other" back was some guy named Eric Dickerson.  BYU prevailed, 46-45, and the game gained a reputation for high scoring, entertaining football.

A couple of other games come to mind.  How about Boise State showing itself as a big time program against a strong Oklahoma team in the Fiesta Bowl, and a Statue of Liberty play for the ages?  Notre Dame fans will always remember the Chicken Soup game at the Cotton Bowl.  Miami Hurricanes stopping a two point conversion against Nebraska to win a National Championship in the Orange Bowl.  Old time fans will remember Dicky Maegel of TCU running wild in the Cotton Bowl, to be cut down by Tommy Lewis from Alabama: Tommy made a textbook tackle and he did it coming from the bench.  You think Mike Tomlin just thought of this thing?

It's probably as well that there is football today.  It is the Winter Solstice, the day with the least amount of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere.  Cozy up with the TV, put the recliner in L position, and let the slobberknocking begin.

I'll be at my in-laws, opening presents.

So...am I off base?

Seahawks Kool Aid

I'm drinking the Seahawks Kool Aid.

It's easy for me.  I've been a Seahawks fan back to the days when Jack Patera was in charge, and Jim Zorn was doing a passable imitation of Fran Tarkenton.  Steve Largent was the best route runner of the day, a master of coming back to his quarterback.  Of course, Jimmy Carter was in the White House.

This Seahawks team has a lot of ingredients of teams that win the Super Bowl.  Defensively, they have been exceedingly solid.  It is difficult to run against the front seven, showing speed laterally.  They have kept quarterbacks like Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick under wraps, even though Kaepernick picked up a win at his home.  They have been impressive shutting down Drew Brees and Eli Manning, guys who have only won three Super Bowls between them.  Andrew Luck did well, getting the other win at home.

Richard Sherman is the best cover corner in the League right now.  He has been an effective shut down corner, leaving only half the field as an option for any quarterback.  His game is based in film study, knowing where the ball in going to be, and reading the tendencies of the receiver.  Athletically, he is as good as any defensive back in the game today.

Offensively, Russell Wilson has been the most successful of the second year quarterbacks, primarily because he has the most accurate arm of that group.  His legs leave the read option a viable alternative that must be accounted in a defensive game plan.  He did not shrink in the playoffs as a rookie, winning a road playoff game and coming up one drive short in Atlanta.

Marshawn Lynch runs with as much heart as anyone in the League, and is complemented by a talented group of wide receivers.  Golden Tate is a star in the making, and Doug Baldwin is almost as good, sometimes better.  They make a lot of sleepless nights for defensive back coaches.  Line play has been solid, but hard to believe they have allowed 36 sacks this year.

They are going to the Super Bowl.  I will call it now.

So...am I off base?

Random Quick Hits- Dec. 16

Some random quick hits while waiting for the dog to relieve herself in the driveway instead of the yard.  Thank you, snow cover.

-I would like to know how Bears fans are feeling after Jay Cutler found a way to win a game yesterday.  A lot of grouching followed the announcement of Cutler starting ahead of Josh McCown.  Generally, a starter doesn't lose his job for injury in the NFL.  Some notable exceptions include Drew Bledsoe giving away to some guy named Brady, Trent Green falling behind some grocery store employee names Kurt Warner, and recently, Kansas City Chief quarterback Alex Smith losing his job to Colin Kaepernick.  Each one ended in a Super Bowl berth.

-Nice week, Notre Dame basketball.  Let lose at home to North Dakota State, then go to a neutral site and beat Indiana.  Consistency is the hallmark of champions.

-Another consistency award to the New Orleans Saints, for playing a huge Sunday night game last week to end the Carolina Panthers winning streak.  They came up small yesterday in St. Louis against the streaky Rams.

-A little baffled why the Cubs would give a second or third starter like Jeff Samardzija the kind of money they did.  Oh, yeah!  Theo Epstein knows all.

-The Kansas City Royals have quietly put together a very solid line up.  They may be one or two starters away from being strong contenders in a weak AL Central.  Not sure it will happen with the ownership.

-Same story in Cleveland where the rumor mill around Justin Masterson started to churn.  Unlike the Cubs, this is a legitimate ace.

So...am I off base?

What? No Dresses?

I apologize for the short hiatus from writing.  My computer had other uses for most of this week.  After all, finals are just around the corner for my kids.

While I was gone, Major League Baseball decided to outlaw collisions at home plate.  Some would say they would match the other levels of baseball, where the rules says to avoid contact. The travel level I coached at says a player can be ejected for making contact at any base.  Safety is important.

Safety is no less important for millionaire playing a little boy's game.  In 2011, Buster Posey's injury effectively ended the season for the San Francisco Giants after winning a World Series.  The injuries around home plate will always happen.  It's where games are won and lost.  The price of winning and losing is much higher.  The desire to get a ring you work your entire lifetime to get leads to the willingness to risk at a higher level.

Consequently, the reactions are much more visceral.  He's got the ball, and he's going to stop me from scoring, which my team needs.  My only hope is to knock out the ball. I might knock him out in the process, I might knock myself out, and injuries could happen. My gut says I've got to get there and score.  His gut says he's got to get the out.

MLB, you got this one wrong.  Your game already enough people wondering if sissies are playing. Baseball fights are the joke of the conflict world.  The Brian McCann/Carlos Gomez incident in September would have no meaning without contact.  The price is high, many people are interested in the outcome, therefore the price the players pay should be high.  People pay to see the best level of play, and the passion it took to get there.  Let the expression of that passion roll.

So...am I off base?

Random Thoughts-December 9

Some random thoughts while waiting for the roads to clear.  It will take to spring.

-Anyone else love to watch football played in the snow?  Several games yesterday featured snow which hampered and changed the way games are played.  I believe those games are won by coaching, making the adjustments to play calling, attitudes, and strategy.  Philadelphia, for example, won yesterday with the changes made by their coaching staff at halftime.  The Eagles have change of direction speed, a game not suited to snow covered fields.  Using the speed in straight lines eventually put the Lions on their heels and put the Eagles in the win column.

-Seattle's run defense was finally exposed by a good San Francisco running game.  Downhill running, combined with great line speed blew open some holes and lead to the 49er win yesterday.  It sure wasn't a dominant performance, but enough to get the win.  While New Orleans looked good last night against a hot Carolina team, Seattle still appears to be the class of the of the NFC.

-Tom Brady and the Patriots pulled out one more win, but the end appears near.  Sooner or later, it's gonna take a new magician, and we'll see what Bill Belichik can do with a lesser product.  They appear to be the class of the AFC, but some of the best competition appears to be weaker than first thought.

-Quite an interesting week in Major League Baseball.  Robinson Canoe's signing in Seattle appears to inject new life into the Mariners.  Second level superstars, like David Freese, changing address. The playoff teams and the ones that finished close seem to be relatively quiet.  I'm looking for some moves from teams like Kansas City and Cleveland.  The Nationals made a couple of moves late in the week to add depth, but still need top line talent to go with Harper and Strasburg.  Wondering how much longer Jeff Samardzija will be a Cub.

-Finally, sending prayers to the Elkhart community.  Sarah Crane, the youngest stage four colon cancer patient in the United States, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday.  One can't look anywhere without seeing purple Sarah Strong signs and merchandise.  It united a community.  She was a friend of several young people that I have coached over the years, and we are praying for a peace beyond understand to all involved.  It covers a lot of people.

No...I'm not off base on the last one.

A Bad Idea Whose Time Has Come

If you read regularly, you know I love college football.  The passion of players fighting to get to the next level, the traditions inspired by overcoming odds, and the things that can happen when one game is played combine to make it irresistible to old, romantic types like me.  The "Old College Try" means you take a shot at it, even if you're not supposed to stand a chance.

Growing up, it eluded my sensibilities that there could be more than one National Champion.  I remember the Miami Hurricanes returning to the national spotlight by beating the unbeatable Nebraska Cornhuskers thirty years ago, stopping a two point conversion in the Orange Bowl's final minutes.  I remember the BYU Cougars winning their championship game almost 10 days before the Number 2 team played and wondering why don't they decide this on the field.

The Fiesta Bowl, a mid level bowl game usually played around Christmas for most of it's existence, took the opportunity presented by independents Penn State and Miami, moving their game to January 2, 1987.  It allowed a match up of #1 and #2 to get a champion on the field.

It eventually gave stillbirth to the BCS, an idea with one too many letters.  While it got the top two teams on the same field, it sometime left you wondering how it picked those teams.  Several deserving, undefeated teams were denied the opportunity to win a championship on the field, and only allowed to win one in their hearts.  A couple of occasions, most notably the Miami blowout of Nebraska in the 2002 Rose Bowl, a team reached the "title game" without even playing for their conference championship.

It's a bad idea to allow players, who shelf life as a player is one play or less, to risk giving everything they have for a denial by a computer.  Sales are won and lost on arbitrary decisions and salemen's personalities.  Football games have millions more interested and the outcome is expected after sixty minutes or more, if needed.

I'm an old romantic, but play the darn thing off.  We have enough bowl games to have a 64 team tournament, allowing sponsors to use their money as they choose, get exposure, and showcase their city.  Should Shreveport have a National Championship Game?  Shouldn't be expected.  Too many games for such a physically demanding sport?  Aren't the Pop Warner Championships just as many games on younger bodies?  Junior hockey players, while a different kind of physical, play on a roughly weekly basis and play from October to April.  The NCAA doesn't seem to mind allowing schools to play games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights when classes are in session, what is the difference in playing extra weeks?

A four team playoff is a step in the right direction, and as we learned with the NCAA basketball tournament, deserving teams will always be left out.  Football's 65th team probably doesn't stand a realistic chance of beating the number one, but in one game anything can happen.  The NFL might even have to deal with the talk THAT could provide.

So...am I off base?

Quick Hits- December 5

Here are some quick questions, some with answers, others rhetorical.  I was never good at rhetoricals, just asking them.

-What is a Niall and the strange power it has over teenage girls?

-Are the Seahawks the best team in the NFL right now?  They sure seem to be filling that role.  Great performance against the Saints Monday night.

-Just heard a local story: A man went to the store and came home with gunshot wounds to his legs.  He's not cooperating with police, either.  Why doesn't that surprise me?

-Russell Wilson seems to be getting a lot of attention at the moment.  He has been a solid performer over the last two seasons and does what needs to be done to win.  Isn't that what a quarterback is supposed to do?

-College Basketball Number 1 goes down at home.  Will the real North Carolina Tar Heels please stand up?

-Some really good football this weekend.  Intriguing championship matchup in the Big 10/11/12 and the SEC.  Nice Michigan State logo produced by Auburn.  Wonder what Nick Saban is doing this weekend...

-When I went to bed last night, it was 60 degrees.  It was 37 degrees when I got up this morning.  Will the real December in Indiana please stand up?  I think it is coming-below zero wind chills on the horizon.

-Pope Francis was a bouncer in his younger days?  Wonder how he dressed.  Did he quote poetry like Patrick Swayze's character in Roadhouse?  Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" might be appropriate.  Or did he just grunt a lot.

-Are professional video games coming?  I have heard it talked about for years, but it never seems to happen.  Not a surprise, really.  Who wants to watch basement dwellers with no real jobs get overpaid for a freakish skill?  Then again...wouldn't that be most professional entertainment, including sports?  The lessons are to apply to real life, not create skills that match nothing usable for real life.

So...am I off base?

Surprise!

Open mouth, insert foot.

Alabama sure looked like an unbeaten National Champion.  In general, they had played like one.  For the most part, they played like one Saturday.  So why does War Eagle own the Iron Bowl?

Two poor decisions by Nick Saban.

Why not kick the 32 yard field goal with five and half minutes to play?  I agree Cade Foster had looked like the last deer that rearranged my Buick.  He seemed truly overwhelmed by the situation, but has been your man all year.  Live with him, die with him.

What was Nick thinking? A ten point lead makes Auburn play with a little bit of desperation instead of confidence.  Maybe another missed field goal seals Alabama's fate, but the odds are almost insurmountable in your favor should he make.  Seems worth the gamble to me.

Why is the 57 yard attempt okay at the end of regulation?  It's possible he could make to win, but the return going all the way could not have been in mind.  "The Book" says you go for the win on the road and play for overtime at home.  While it is a one-in-a-whole-lot situation for the return, it is a possibility.  College football is all about the possibility.  Those possibilities are why I love college football.

These decisions are why college coaches are paid so much.  It has cost Alabama a whole host of outcomes.  I want to give Auburn their due.  They executed well, and made the big plays when they needed them.  They took advantage of what Alabama gave them, which none have been able to accomplish in the last three seasons.  I hope they enjoy the ride.

So...am I off base?

Random Thoughts Nov. 30

Some random thoughts while trying to push the pug out from under the blanket.

-Watched most of the South Florida-Central Florida game last night with a couple of thoughts in mind: Would George O'Leary still be the coach at Notre Dame?  How would the program look now?  Since George was fired for misdeeds involving his resume, the Irish have had Tyrone Willingham, Charlie Weis, and Brian Kelly.  The Irish have had some success, including an undefeated regular season last year, but also suffered a 2-10 season.  The BCS appearances have not gone well for the Irish, either.

Central Florida has built some success, culminating in an 11-1 record this year.  His team played very poorly last night, turning the ball over five times, but showed a lot of resilience.  They are a legitimate BCS team, and can secure their berth with a win next week in the American Conference Championship game next week at SMU.

It is a second line FBS program, but the eight years in Orlando have shown O'Leary was a worthy candidate for the job in South Bend.  I remember when the situation was happening in 2004, a co-worker, named Sean O'Hara, said "They fired an Irishman for getting drunk and telling a lie?  None of us would be employed if everyone did that."

-Alabama-Auburn has the potential to be a great game...if the media hadn't interfered.  The amount of talk about Auburn and their level of competence has me thinking two thoughts: First, is Auburn really that good?  Second: Does the sporting media want Alabama to lose or just be challenged?

Auburn has greatly improved over the last couple of seasons, but they are not in Alabama's league for talent.  A win would probably be a fluke, but a possible fluke when there are 18-22 year-old males involved.   The game being played at Jordan-Hare Stadium is Auburn's best chance.  The way Alabama has been drilled removes most of the possibility.  The Tide doesn't do anything special: they just do it better.

The second question requires a little thought.  Alabama has not been threatened all season.  Even Texas A&M scored points, but the inevitable eventually happened.  The media should be rooting for Alabama, as well as Florida State and Ohio State.  One of the three getting locked out of the National Championship game has been a boost to the media in the past, and would do it again.  People won't watch your business if there's nothing of interest to say:  Alabama is the only team of the three that could remove the interest, by being so much better.

A playoff involving these three and a deserving fourth team would generate incredible interest and hype.

So...am I off base?

Happy Thanksgiving

I really enjoy Thanksgiving.

This day should be filled with thanks, family, food, and football.  I'm going to list a few items for which I am thankful this year.  I hope your list is similar.

-I am thankful to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Whether you personally believe in Him or not, I can attest to the fact that He changes you.  I have a hard time thinking about where I would be without that influence in my life.

-Thankful for my wife and children.  Robby is going through the growing pains of learning to be a man, and I pray God will lead you in the right direction.  You need to be willing to follow.  Heather is finding new ways to blossom as a young woman.  You will go as far as discipline takes you.  Rosie completed our family this year.  You are the canine clown.  LuAnn is the best friend and wife I could ever imagine.  She is a great blessing in my life and the lives of others.

-Thankful that my niece and her husband have a brand new daughter, arriving in the wee hours this morning.  Everyone is fine and doing well.  The Red Sox have another new fan.

-Thankful for the family I had growing up.  Won't get to see them today, but you shaped the basics for where I am today in all areas.  Still wondering how things will come together: the host today took off to see her new granddaughter.

-Thankful for the family I joined by marriage.  We will spend today eating Cracker Barrel supplemented by family favorites, visiting and watching football.  Hope the football is good, because I know the company will be.  I'm pretty sure you didn't know exactly how to take me when LuAnn and I started dating, but you adapted quickly.

-Thankful for those who protect us and defend our freedoms.  Many assume I mean just our military, but police, fire and first responders protects us each day.  We can all do what we do because of you and your willingness to serve.

-Thankful to the Elkhart Titans, St. Joe County Surge, and Cleveland Little League for the opportunity to work with your players and hopefully teach them more than the game.  I have been blessed beyond belief by the players.

My list could go on for a while.  I hope you have a list of your own.  Thank the people who made it possible.

So...wait...I'm not off base on this one.

Oasis of Football

I've found the NFL incredibly boring this season.  Until last night.

Yeah, I'm old when Peyton vs. Tom still gets my attention.  However, they are still two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.  Tom Brady has lead his teams to more victories against Peyton Manning, and last night was no different.  The Patriots' 34-31 overtime win over the Broncos gave Brady 8 wins in 11 outings against Peyton.

It was the way it happened this time.

Peyton had no passing yards and a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.  What?

New England made some second half adjustments to shut down the Denver offense, while the offense increased the pace to score three quick third quarter touchdowns to get back in the game.  Eventually the Patriots ran up a 31-24 lead, when Peyton took the Broncos to a tying touchdown with just over 3 minutes to play.

A bounce, a player in the wrong place, and the Patriots got the win.

New England definitely rode Tom Brady.  Three first half fumbles had the Patriot faithful showing their displeasure.  I wonder if Stevan Ridley will ever be seen alive again.  I had the Patriots going to the Super Bowl, but the balance needed to go all the way appears missing.

It was good to see Denver dominate without huge numbers from Peyton Manning.  Knowshon Moreno ran for over 200 yards to lead the Broncos cause.  Peyton Manning hit the clutch passes, just nothing else.  I believe that balance will be important for the Broncos come playoff time.  They could be a lot more dangerous in January, when a running game is so import.

Maybe it all goes back to boring tonight, but for one evening, it was worth the time.

So...am I off base?

Random Thoughts-November 23

Some random thoughts while waiting to see where the lake effect snow will fly.

-High School basketball is revving up in Indiana.  It's a great place to watch games, and see some fundamental basketball.  I've watched some great games on Friday nights in places like Attica, Delphi, Hamilton, Jamestown, Benton, and Wolcott.  In this type of community, it is more than a game.  It is THE community gathering.  People touch base with each other, share family news, and support their boys and girls, win or lose.  Spending time their over the years sees babies grow to toddlers, then preteens, and eventually on the floor, wearing a uniform they dreamed of from the time they were old enough to realize it.  It's special: go to a game somewhere, even if your kids are grown or you haven't had any yet.  It will make connections!

-Another baseball trade yesterday saw David Freese and Fernando Salas moved to Anaheim, where the Angels gave us Peter Bourjos and prospect Randal Grichuk.  Freese, a World Series MVP, and Salas, a reliever, will help the Angels right away.  Word is Freese needed out of his hometown.  Bourjos is a quiet star, and, when healthy, gives the Cardinals a traditional lead-off hitter and a solid defensive center fielder. Grichuk is a wild card, starting to blossom as a power hitter with 22 home runs last year in AA.

Business wise, Freese's salary was a minor change for the Cardinals, his $3.1 million going to a team that might be able to afford him. The Cardinals may have a huge salary dump with Jake Westbrook and his almost 9 million dollars available on the free agent market.  St. Louis has done a good job of developing talent, and it still strikes me like a salary move. On the field, it still doesn't make a lot of sense now.

-I can't help but laugh at A-Rod.  I give him credit for being coachable: walking out of the meeting puts the burden of proof in public opinion on baseball, not A-Rod.  If baseball has the evidence, now, not later is the time to come out with it.  Otherwise, A-Rod, who says he used legal diet supplements, is still on the other side of the public opinion coin.  Yelling "Witch hunt" and acting like a little child, walking out when things aren't going your way, aren't going to help you.  Be a man, not just a male, for a change.  Your image is gone.

So...am I off base?

Fielder for Kinsler Perspective

Hot stove talk is about a quarter of the fun of baseball.  Primarily because baseball is played spring, summer, and fall, then talked about all winter.

The hot stove got a little kindling last night with the new that the Detroit Tigers traded Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for Ian Kinsler.  I am pretty sure a fair number of Tigers fans freaked out when they heard the news.  Since Prince arrived in Motown, Miguel Cabrera became the most feared hitter in baseball, even winning a Triple Crown.

However, the last we saw Fielder, he was freezing at the plate in the World Series and laying on the ground like Curly Howard to kill a Tiger threat in their Game 5 loss.  His production dipped slightly last season, not an unusual occurrence for a player pushing 30, maybe the most troubling was the lowest slugging percentage of his career.  A man bearing the size of Prince Fielder had better hit the ball a long way.

I believe the Tigers are afraid of his weight at this point.  History has not been kind to oversize sluggers in their 30's.  Even Babe Ruth was done by 34 in the world of offseason jobs.  His best days may very well be behind him.

Ian Kinsler has had a drop in his production, but a smaller percentage that Fielder has seen.  A different kind of hitter, at age 31, he has been a strong secondary producer on a playoff team.  He will shore up the middle infield, and possibly provide some guidance for Jose Iglesias.  He is capable of huge seasons, but aren't his best days behind him, too.

Few moves made in baseball today are about the field.  The Tigers have a chance to lock up Max Scherzer and this move may free the money.  The Rangers received $30 million dollars in the deal to help pay the approximately $160 million owed Fielder.  The Tigers may be feeling it is a bad investment.

By the way, when a team makes moves that are about the field, they are considered aggressively pursuing a pennant at all cost.  It is a big change from the old days of baseball.

So...am I off base?

Illinois and Indiana Will Bounce Back

They will bounce back.  Hardworking people always do.

They use sweat, initiative, and blessings after wrath.  They salvage what they can, wipe away the tears and move forward.  It's what you do in the midwest after a tornado, in the Philippines after a typhoon.  It part of all of us.

Various places across Illinois and Indiana were hit by strong thunderstorms yesterday afternoon.  The tornadoes that dropped from the skies were scattered, taken a few lives, and changed others.  In many of the tight knit communities of this region, everyone knows someone affected.

Most people noticed the stoppage of play in the Ravens/Bears game yesterday.  Some even took disparaging tones about the decision.  It pales against real life.

Parts of the entire towns of Washington and Pekin, Illinois are gone.  Kokomo, Indiana took a large hit.

The stories are endless.  I know of a couple involving youth sports.  A former Little League President I served with says the housing development down the road is gone.  Thankfully, he and his family are safe.

A travel hockey family pinned in a Chicago hockey rink while the weather raged, eventually going to Rockford for a second game before coming home.  Two great wins and grateful travel home.

Travel volleyball teammates had a Buffalo Wild Wings they wanted to stop at in Kokomo on the way home, but chose Ruby Tuesday because the weather was getting bad.  The Buffalo Wild Wings is gone, destroyed by a tornado.  The distance was only a couple of blocks, apparently happening while they would have been there.

My in-laws lost one tree, maybe a second.  The church we were married in lost part of it's roof.  My neighborhood lost a couple of small trees, one falling on a couple of cars.  Never minor to the individual, but in the grand scope of things, small losses.

Ten days from now, we celebrate Thanksgiving.  We should give thanks continually.

So...am I off base?

Short Random Thoughts- November 16

Some random thoughts for a gray Saturday morning.

-I wonder why the Jameis Winston possible assault case has sat on a desk for 11 months.  Bottom line: no one wins.  Bringing the story forward when there may be no story is damaging, not only to the player, but the authorities.  If he is proved innocent, as it should be assumed at this point, it could be the fodder for lawsuits.  If he is guilty, Florida State looks like the part of football that is the problem, not the solution.  Fans can be denied the opportunity to watch a great player, but someone is always ready to step in.  A player potentially sacrifices their future, but they have farther to go to come back.  The school, who invested thousands of dollars in player aid, looks bad, but can correct the issue in the future.  The victim has the most to lose, not only living with the incident, but any attention that comes from the situation, all for the possibility of no justice.  No one wins when someone misbehaves.

-Professional golf has reached the point I expected it to reach when The Skins Game debuted in 1983.  The off season became The Silly Season, otherwise known as Fred Couples cashing in on being a good guy.  Now, the competition goes through the calendar.  While someone is playing golf somewhere in the world all the time, is the market saturated?  Are the television numbers really up?  Are the Majors the only really must see golf?  Otherwise, I watch something else until it becomes important.  Some people can't live without it, but too much doesn't make the golf better.  For decades, the problem was exposure for the game. Now we may have seen too much.  Maybe the lords of the feudal kingdom of golf might want to take a look at that.

So...am I off base?

How Do They Do It?

I watched part of an absolute shootout last night that got me wondering about National Signing Day, which was yesterday for every sport except football: Is college coaching a total gamble, or just the prequalifier for the freakishly talented?

The quarterbacks in last night's Ball State-Northern Illinois game were two of the best prepared and solidly talented quarterbacks I've seen in college football.  Keith Wenning of Ball State and Jordan Lynch of Northern Illinois put on a show, something normally not seen in football on a Wednesday night.  Both quarterbacks ran the ball well, threw for over 320 yards, and each team had one turnover, sign of solid play.  Wenning was 35-49, 324 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and ran for a disciplined 9 yards.  Lynch was 26-32, 345 yards, two touchdowns, and broke the game with 120 rushing yards and two more touchdowns.

How did these guys escape the spotlight programs? Wenning, from Coldwater, OH, is 6'3", 220 pounds, an accurate arm and strong decision maker, who has started from the moment he set foot on the campus in Muncie. A senior is winding his career down with a showcase season, last night's 48-27 loss the Cardinals' second of the season.  Is he an NFL quarterback?  Arm strength may be a question, so would the speed of the NFL game to his decision making.

Lynch has a win in a BCS under his belt and looking to bust the money bags one more time. Lynch, a 6'0" 215 pound senior from Chicago, has blossomed during these past two seasons.  He has two wins against Big Ten teams this season, albeit against Iowa and Purdue.  He has shown he can play at a much higher level, especially as a runner.  Is he an NFL quarterback?  Read option has been figured out by NFL defensive coordinators for the most part, so the question is, "Can he play pro style?"  Stay tuned, someone will give him the opportunity.

I am most impressed with Lynch's humility.  ESPN followed him to his classes on gameday: he doesn't own a car, rides a bike to campus, and was actually seen in a classroom.  Maybe it was all staged, but I have a hunch it wasn't an act.

Maybe these people escape because they don't want the spotlight of a high profile program.  Maybe they escape because of size or speed issues.  Maybe they escape because of the amount of talent out there.  Maybe their best isn't good enough to play on Sundays.  Hopefully they are leaving with an education that can change their lives.  After all, isn't that the point of college athletics?

So...am I off base?

Random Thoughts-Veteran's Day

Some random thoughts while forgetting my cup of Joe on the Keurig...

-First and foremost, a heartfelt thanks to all veterans of our military services.  Since the events of September 11, 2001, it has become cool to thank our veterans for their service.  We were way ahead of the curve.  My father served in World War II, an honorable medic who ended up in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France.  He quietly lived out his life raising ten children, burying two, and never talking of his experiences in that hospital.  My brother served two tours of duty as an MP in Vietnam.  At his funeral almost six years ago, pictures of his time there revealed he was the only one to survive the experience.  He threw his Bronze Star and Silver Star in the sea upon his discharge.

In war or not, insuring the American safety is the job of our military.  Whether you agree or not with the current use of military, these men and women selflessly protect us and deserve our appreciation and respect.

-Colts fans suffered through a 1-15 year after Peyton Manning had surgery. They watched the name that has been given to countless boys, girls and pets in Indiana go to Denver and lead them to the best record in the AFC last season.  Now, Peyton is playing superlative football, and awaiting an MRI while the Colts are back leading their division.  They may understand why the paths parted based on the outcome of the medical test.  Will Bob Irsay be vindicated by the fact one good hit could end Peyton's stellar career?  The Colts are in better shape than they would be if Peyton had stayed and had the same situation.  Stay tuned.

-Will anyone stop Alabama?  Their thrashing of LSU Saturday night was impressive, and even the number 2 team in the land, Florida State, pales by comparison.  As much as I enjoy college football, it might be a foregone conclusion.  Auburn might be the best regular season threat.  In a rivalry situation, anything can happen.  It's also a road game for the Tide, a minefield at the easiest.

-Where I live in Northern Indiana, we have 1-2 inches of snow forecasted for tonight and tomorrow.  Some areas, enhance by Lake Michigan, could see as much as 9 inches of white stuff.  No matter when it starts, I'm never quite ready for it.

So...am I off base?

Hey Youth Coaches! Pay Attention!

The following is a fable...or is it...

Hi, I'm Fred, and I'm a T-ball coach.  I've found little kids hard to work with, but there is one great player.  Little Alexander shows great promise.  Mom and Dad have given him all the best t-ball equipment, but unlike a lot of kids, he can actually use it.  He throws from third base to first base on the fly, uses two hands on ground balls, and can catch a ball thrown to him, even a little high and low, and off to the side.  He runs hard and knows exactly what to do when he gets the ball.  He even catches a fly ball if it is hit to him or within a couple of steps.  He can hit the ball over the infield off the tee, and can hit a moving ball even better.

In a group where we are always teaching, it is a pleasure to have someone advanced.  The only problem I have with him is that he doesn't get along with other teammates.  I have Julie, a shy girl, on my team and he treats her poorly, but it's the usual dugout stuff.  A couple of boys laugh with him at her, but boys will be boys. She's willing and learning, but I see her crying and hear Alexander laughing.

Phillip is another quiet boy, who doesn't seem much interested in baseball, but won't say much of anything.  Alexander is mean to him, but it's the usual dugout stuff: dirt in the hat, bubble gum in the hair.  Boys will be boys.

A couple of years later...

I'm Carl and I'm Alexander's 12U travel coach.  He is a five tool player, easily the best I've ever seen.  He's got great equipment, and knows how to use it.  His footwork is solid, he is always in the right place and gets the ball where it needs to go.  He isn't very forgiving of his teammates, and I wonder, if he weren't so good, would anyone talk to him?  He went yard the other day and not one teammate went out to congratulate him.  It put us ahead in a tight game, and I wonder why they weren't excited.

We have this defensive catcher, Fred, who is a little quiet, but always seems to be the butt of Alexander's jokes.  Fred stops everything our other pitchers throw, but seems to have a hard time with Alexander.  He throws upper 70's with a good curve, so I can see where something in the dirt can be tough to stop.  Sometimes, when I call for a curve, Alexander throws a fastball that hits Fred right in the mask.  Probably missed the sign.

Our best centerfielder, Mack, doesn't seem to see eye to eye with Alexander either.  Alexander was pretty tough on him for a while until a shouting match at the June tournament and Mack decked him.  Alexander won't talk to Mack now, even though Mack is about his equal as a player.  Mack's impressive because he's half the size!  Not sure why we didn't do better than .500, and we're breaking up.  A lot of the kids, including Mack and Fred, are going to the Missiles, a new team started by Mack's dad.  They didn't even invite Alexander.  Darn politics.

Further down the road...

I'm Ted, Alexander's high school coach.  College scouts showed up to see Alexander when he was a freshman, the pros started showing up when he was a sophomore.  He throws upper 90's, great change, sick curve ball.  Mom and Dad are around all the time, now, and are taking him off to private lessons and sending him to all the top prospect camps.  He'll probably go pro out of high school, the kid's that good.  I love having a kid that can ice a game before it even starts.

Problems?  He's got a couple of teammates that don't seem to like him, but on the whole, he gets along.  I've got a great centerfielder, Mack, who won't talk to him and a catcher, Fred, who is the only guy who can handle him.  Alexander doesn't like either one and leaves them alone.  I'll bet it's something political because Mack and Fred started a travel team a few years ago that was wildly successful, and they did it without Alexander.  Alexander has been playing for a second rate program since then and won't talk to them.

We have been successful, but because of overwhelming talent.  We don't have a lot of team chemistry, and lost at the local level of the state tournament.  I'm getting some heat for having great regular seasons and limited success in the tournament.  I know Alexander is a future major leaguer, Mack could get there, and Fred could be a useful catcher.  Not sure why we can't do better.

We had nasty things to deal with in school this year.  A girl, Julie, was beaten by Phillip, to the point where she went into a coma.  Phillip committed suicide to stay out of jail.  Phillip lived next door to Alexander.  Guess you get what you get for hanging out in the wrong crowd.

The road ends here...

I'm Chad, manager of a major league team.  I'm losing my job at the end of the season and it's because I lost the clubhouse a long time ago.  My best player, Alexander, has been running wild in the clubhouse.  I tried fining him, suspending him, sitting him.  Nothing gets the message through to Alexander.  It was horrible what he did to his wife at home that got him arrested.  She might lose the baby, and that could make a felony charge.  We built this team around Alexander's talent, and now it is in jail.  And I'm looking for work.  Wish I could have taken control.

Youth coaches: Nip it before it gets out of hand.  The signs are there, pay attention to ALL the kids entrusted to your care.  Don't sacrifice kids to win games. Make the talented kid comply.  Inspire the less talented.  The games are to teach what is need in life, not the reason for living.

Bullying in the NFL?

Let's get one thing straight, as a youth coach, I am against bullying.  I have stood up to bullies in the dugout, on the sideline, in practice.  In a team situation, no place exists for bullying: it destroys team chemistry and discourages the kids on the receiving end.  I've seen players who wanted to quit because of bullying keep trying and become good players.  I've seen the bullies quit and become slugs.

I'm left scratching my head on the Jonathan Martin/Richie Incognito situation on two counts.  First, how do you bully a man whose job is to impose his will on an equally sized individual on the other side of the line?  Second, in the NFL, standard operating procedure includes veterans testing the rookies.

First, linemen in the NFL are large individuals.  The mindset drilled by coaches and perfected by technique required the movement of an equally large individual on the other side of the line.  A weakness in either area usually equals a bad lineman.  A bad lineman usually equals injuries, possibly life threatening.  No place for weakness exists.

Second, If I'm playing, I want that man next to me as sold out as I am.  I want to know I can count on them to sacrifice just like I have.  I want to know they will protect me like I will protect them.  While I don't condone it; hazing plays this role in the NFL.  It is generally harmless, every player knows it coming into the league.  Prepared, it serves it's role well.

If you are willing to take the paycheck, you need to take the rest: responsibility for your teammate, the cheering or lack of cheering, winning and losing.  Responsibility works both ways: if you are hazed, you respond by raising your level of effort.  If you are leading, show mercy.  Coaches monitor and keep it in line.

It sounds like all three levels failed.  Most interesting to me: why are many Dolphin teammates behind Richie Incognito?  Maybe Martin didn't respond: stand up for yourself.  Incognito definitely went over the line: racism never acceptable.  Coaches weren't aware or didn't monitor.  The Dolphins may have overlooked the mental profiles on both players, leading to the conflict.

Bottom line: Bad.

So...am I off base?

Random Thoughts-November 4

Monday morning random thoughts...

-Why did I take a nap yesterday afternoon instead of watching the NFL?  Could it be the options I had to watch: Vikings/Cowboys and Chargers/Redskins?  The best running back in football and the most exciting offensive player couldn't hold my interest.  I tried watching schemes to maximize the talent offensively, but were countered well by defensive coordinators.  It was played woodenly compared to the intense effort on Saturdays.

As a kid, it kept me watching: story goes that the male elementary school teachers gathered around my kindergarten room because I could talk intelligently about the games.  Now I can't even watch them.  The issue could well be the level of play during the regular season.  The level of effort is much greater during the playoffs and the football much more compelling.  Give me college football.  It is the difference between playing for your life and playing for a meal: college kids are playing for the NFL paycheck they could get, the NFL just expects it.  Doesn't matter that the college kids generate huge revenues, they sure can't have any of it.

-I wonder how much effect level of expectation had on coach's health during the weekend.  John Fox and Gary Kubiak are both in the hospital with heart related issues.  Fox's team is reaching expectations in Denver, Kubiak's team failing compared to expectation.  I pray for their condition, and wish them the best.

-Looking forward to the Hot Stove League.  The talk of last year's free agent season was the Toronto Blue Jays.  They picked up a fair amount of pitching: R.A. Dickey being the prize recruit.  They went 74-88.  So much for money spent.  Did the General Manager keep his job? Yes.  Hmmm.  Baseball is a monopoly, and this is how they lose money in a monopoly.

-No, Purdue did not look competitive in their 56-0 loss to Ohio State at home.  Danny Etling looks like a talented young quarterback, showing flashes of capability.  When he and his teammates adjust to the system, they could be a strong force.  Unfortunately, line play has lead to the disappearance of the throwing quarterback's best friend: a running game.  With the way Morgan Burke schedules, it could be a while before "Boiler Up" is heard around a bowl game.

So...am I off base?

Some Random Saturday Thoughts

General random thoughts for a Saturday Morning...

-As a coach, I've got the notion of going back to t-ball.  I'm taking my 15 year-old son with me.  He's thrilled at the idea, thinks it will be a lot of fun.  I agree, but scheduling could be difficult.  He is playing high school baseball, which runs through Memorial Day.  He has also made a mess of his first quarter academically.  Still the idea of teaching some raw kids skills so their older coaches don't have to is appealing.  I may also have to manage a major softball team, providing my daughter doesn't play travel ball.  Lots of decisions, and time to make them.

-Wouldn't mind umpiring more, either.  I have always enjoyed it, tried to do a reasonably good job, and have been told by visiting managers that my job was good.  Maybe getting serious about it would be a next step.  My son has umpired well in the past.  Since he is not playing travel baseball this summer, needs to do something other than the video games that have taken his attention away from the field.

-As a Purdue alum, I am hoping to see a competitive game with fourth ranked Ohio State.  Darrell Hazell had the deck stacked against him by the scheduling to start the season.  Four BCS teams in the first five games?  Nebraska in game six?  Who made this schedule?  Bela Lugosi?  Morgan Burke, time to hand in your cards.  You were the Athletic Director when I was kept around the golf team in the mid-80's.  We'll give you credit for hiring Joe Tiller and changing the culture, but you also hired Fred Akers and Danny Hope.  Understanding that schedules are agreed to in advance, give Darrell Hazell some material to do his job.  He is a good coach.

-Major League Baseball did something right by moving A-Rod's hearing outside the World Series.  In the past, a debacle of major proportions seemed to appear during the biggest event in baseball.  I'm still waiting to see what A-Rod has for his defense in the court case.  They're not talking, and MLB isn't blinking either.  Someone has the smoking gun.  Maybe it is time to man up for a change, A-Rod.  Should be a first time for everything.

-The NBA season supposedly started.  Haven't watched the NBA since the end of the Magic/Bird era.  Maybe it's because of the athletes involved.  LeBron James used the word "I" 14 times as the captain immediately after their championship win.  Patrick Toews used "team" that often in the first interview after winning the Stanley Cup.  I'll watch hockey anytime.

So...am I off base?

Rocky Balboa and the Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are the World Champions, and it reminds me a bit of final movie in the Rocky series.

Playing the part of Rocky Balboa: David Ortiz.  Big Papi, at the right moment, took a reeling Red Sox team, and with one speech, set their thinking in the right direction.  I'm pretty sure the words weren't, "It's not about hard you hit.  It's about how hard you get hit and keep going forward."  I understand it had a lot of expletives, but the point was made.  His speech changed the course and destiny of the Series: Boston won three in a row.  He walked out on the field and performed, showing plenty of skill to go with the will.

Playing the part of Robert Balboa, Jr.: Xander Bogaerts.  He received that speech, and delivered a .296 avg and .412 on base percentage.  Little Rocky may have made some excuses before seeing battle, but he learned from the experience.  Bogaert's arrival, and the exposure to the leadership of Ortiz, opens the door to a long career.  When some top prospects are hated, he is well thought of in the Red Sox organization, and it is easy to see why.  He carries the right attitude.

Playing the part of Mason "The Line" Dixon: the St. Louis Cardinals.  While they weren't the current champs coming in, they played the role of heir apparent.  They were done in by an injury to Allen Craig, and the mistakes made by a team aware of the prize.  Props to Michael Wacha for his performance: he could be one of the best in baseball, and very soon.

Playing the part of Paulie: John Farrell.  While he doesn't quite fit the bill of a boozing ex-meat cutter, Farrell had the right moves at the right time.  Sometimes, leadership is stepping back and sometimes it is stepping up.  He put the right person, Jonny Gomes, in the right place to turn Game Four with his three run homer.  John Lackey pitched well throughout the series, at the right times.  He stepped back and Ortiz lead the clubhouse at the right time.

It comes back to David Ortiz.  If he isn't in Cooperstown when he hangs up the spikes, it is a travesty.  Great leaders should be honored, too.  He has more than earned it.

So...am I off base?

Games 3 and 4-Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts on the World Series while waiting for someone to say something nice about umpires.

-Game Three had an ending never before experienced in a Major League Baseball game- a walk off obstruction call.  It was a heck of a situation to have to make that call, but it was correctly made.  If you're thinking about the manager, when has an umpire cared about what a manager thought of his call?  More interesting is the tweet from Peter Gammons, who sent a picture of Jim Joyce looking at the ball while the obstruction was happening in front of him.  Peter is a tremendous reporter, a respected analyst, but this was a very poor choice on his part.  A couple of frames later would show him doing his job.  Shame on you, Peter Gammons.  Way to add a grain of salt to anything you say.  Hope it was worth it.

-I understand keeping the runner off third base in a key situation, but why throw that ball?  While you probably weren't turning the double play at first with the speedy John Jay, it is still a tag play, and as youth coaches will tell you, throwing the ball always puts it at peril of disappearing beyond the intended fielder.  One out, first and third is better than game over.  A double play could be turned on Pete Kozma, who was on deck, who could be walked to get to Kolten Wong.  Wong had singled in his last at bat, but had played sparingly throughout the postseason.  Patience, usually a Red Sox trait, could have really paid off here.

-Kolten Wong was picked off to end Game Four.  He was thinking about getting into scoring position, and got caught in a hop toward second.  Jonny Gomes wasn't supposed to play, pressed into service when Shane Victorino's back prevented his participation.  Teams that got here by solid play have been less than solid.  It's a sign that this has been a truly strange World Series.

-Game Five is back to the Game One starters, Jon Lester vs. Adam Wainwright.  Wainwright faces the biggest job, straightening the Cardinals' ship.  Momentum has been important and very elusive, probably due to a poor level of play.  My hope is that we have a well played game for a change.

-Understand why the 2-3-2 format is used, but it makes the two most pivotal games, three and five, played at the team without home field advantage.  Maybe this is an equalizer, but it seems these games should be split to maintain home field advantage.

So...am I off base?

Game 3 = Pivotal Baseball

Any seven game series swings on the third game, especially after a split in the first two games.  In this case, the Cardinals have stolen home field advantage, and can win out at home without returning to Fenway.  The Red Sox, sending long time veteran Jake Peavy to the bump,  need this win to get back home one more time where anything can happen with fences reachable by heavy breathing.

If it weren't for the intangibles, I'd say the Red Sox are in trouble.

Something wonderfully determined about the Red Sox makes me favor them.  This series is the third consecutively where their starting pitching has not been favorable, but their depth in the bullpen stellar.  Third consecutive series where their lineup is about even, minus Stephen Drew, who has been biblically lousy with a bat, but exceptional with the glove.  If Xander Bogaerts weren't twenty-one, he'd probably be playing shortstop already, and it might be time to make the change.  Will Middlebrooks will outhit Stephen Drew and play decent third base.  Right now, I might be able to outhit Stephen Drew.

I marvel at how the Cardinal organization, inventors of the farm system, continue to produce young talent from within.  The three pitchers quieting Red Sox bats in Game 2 TOTALED 67 years of age.  I know people with corns that old.  Joe Kelly has been okay in his starts and needs to come up with a good start tonight to give the Cardinals a chance.  After a hiccup in Game 1, the Cardinals looked as solid as they have all year, hitting in timely fashion, and Carlos Beltran earns warrior stripes for playing through injury and producing.  Allen Craig or Matt Adams is a nice problem to have, but the answer could win them a Championship.

If it weren't for the intangibles, I'd say the Red Sox are in trouble.

David Ortiz, forced into the field, and Shane Victorino have been finding a way to get it done.  The bullpen has been solid, Koji Uehara, looking much like a young Trevor Hoffman, could close out the Pacific Ocean if needed.  It's all heart.

So...am I off base?

Game 1: Success and Failure

It has been said of major golf championships that they are not won, they are lost.  Last night, it proved true in baseball.

Many things were to be expected from last night's opening game of the World Series: good baseball, timely hitting, gutsy pitching.  It was not expected that it would come from only one team.

The Cardinals showed a huge case of opening game jitters, from three fielding errors, to one large mental error giving Stephen Drew his first World Series hit, to Carlos Beltran, Mr. October 2013, becoming a spectator.  A first rate catch, even his larceny at the expense of David Ortiz, looked a little shaky.  Maybe the moment was a little too big.

The Red Sox made a couple of timely fielding plays, none bigger than the double play turned on David Freese, and got timely hits and sacrifice flies throughout the game.  They came up big in a big situation.  Jon Lester gets special stars for his strong pitching performance, looking every bit the ace he has been all season.  He has been a special pitcher on what is, indeed, a special team.

I admire their love of the game, their love for each other, and the strong level of skill.  Are they in line with the 1927 Yankees?  No.  But they are a tremendous example of what makes the difference between great and special.  Skills are developed, attitudes are chosen.  They are fun to watch play ball, and should win this World Series.

I think it will take six games.  The Cardinals are a special team, in that they are usually able to execute in big situations, and use timely hitting and solid defense.  It just didn't show up last night.  Mike Matheney's big job is to make sure his players turn a momentary failure into a reminder: Baseball is a game of great one day, failure most of the time.  I expect nothing less.

So...am I off base?

A Few Random Thoughts

Random thoughts while pondering the soccer playoff scenarios...

-The Red Sox have shown some true guts, finding a way to win another game.  It takes an unlikely hero, and, at that point, no one was more unlikely than Shane Victorino.  He had failed at every opportunity in the first five games, even failing to put down a bunt that could have put them on the board earlier in game six.  He is at the twilight of his career, still a capable, productive player.  I expect him to be his usual self in the World Series.

-Quick World Series Breakdown: Starting Pitching-Cardinals. Bullpen-Red Sox.  Offense-Cardinals.  Defense-Even.  Intangibles-Red Sox.  Pretty similar to the ALCS, which puts the Red Sox on top.  Give them six games to do it.

-Red Sox bullpen was incredible against the Tigers.  Koji Uehara reminds me of a cross between Trevor Hoffman and Tim Lincecum.  Hoffman for the speed and placement of pitches, Lincecum for a delivery which seems to jump off the rubber at you as a hitter.  He shows the fire the Red Sox have as a team.

-I would look for an announcement regarding A-Rod, his lawsuit, and the suspension during the World Series.  It seems that baseball has a penchant for the worst thing at the worst time, and this is just another mangled scenario by billionaires who can't run a monopoly profitably.  Shame on you, A-Rod.  Take your punishment: you know what you did.  Take it like a man and do something you've never done in your stellar career: take responsibility for your own failings.

-One thing exceptionally clear about the NFL yesterday: they don't start playing until the playoffs. The portions of games I saw yesterday were like stock footage in a movie studio: it filled your need, but left a lot to be desired.  I understand inspired play is incredibly difficult to maintain over an entire season, but give us something.  Maybe the issue is the games I had to opportunity to view: Bengals-Lions and Broncos-Colts.

-Scott Dixon showed incredible perseverance in winning the Indy Car Season Championship Saturday night.  He had a couple of run-ins with Penske drivers, especially in Baltimore and Detroit, but got the job done.  It is Dixie's third championship, an elite group.  Special thoughts and prayers to Justin Wilson, who took a vicious hit and broke his pelvis in three places.  He faces a long and difficult recovery.

So...am I off base?

Baseball and Traditions

The Cardinals have earned their way to the World Series and now await a partner.  St. Louis rode the arm of Michael Wacha, who I thought would be more likely to fail.  The Dodgers are still looking for Clayton Kershaw, who had given up one earned run since the middle of September.

He was found under a missed third strike call.

Score was 2-0, two on, two out, and a full count to Michael Adams, when Kershaw delivered a a nasty, moving fast ball around the knees.  Adams took the pitch, called ball four by home plate umpire Greg Gibson.  The TBS booth thought it was too close, the Dodgers thought it was too close, even the pitch tracker from TBS, electronic in nature, thought it was too close.

The next batter, Shane Robinson, singled to right, followed by a poorly advised and executed Yasiel Puig throw, and the manageable 2-0 deficit was 4-0 instead at the end of the inning.

I will grant that the first domino to fall was the 11 pitch battle with Matt Carpenter, but the missed third strike opened the flood gates.  Shaken confidence and desperation lead to the five run Cardinal fifth that settled the issue.  The mental battle is as important as the physical one, and everyone, including this year's best pitcher in the National League can be shaken.  Want to give Michael Wacha huge credit for being the first rookie to not allow a run in two League Championship Series starts, winning the biggest game of all against the probable Cy Young winner.

-High School football regular season ended in Indiana last night.  Senior nights at every game, and plenty of tradition to go around.  A little controversy has come to light locally.

Plymouth High School has had recent controversy over the song "Rocky Top".  The school decreed the removal of the song because of it's reference to moonshine.  The band won't play it any more, so the students sing it anyway, emphasizing the evil word within.

I believe an old country song do not mean what politically correct activists think they mean.  Songs like Rocky Top will be remembered long after the games are over, a reminder of home, even if you live in a different country.  If the games are about the kids, leave them alone.

Oh, yeah!  I forgot!  It became about money long ago.

So...am I off base?

Fight To The Finish

Pitching this good, this late in the playoff process is rare.  The amount of pitching depth is incredibly impressive.  The most important games are yet to come.

The Tigers/Red Sox series may have the absolute best pitching I have ever seen in a postseason series.  The Tigers have been the headliners, but the Red Sox pitching, especially Koji Uehara, have been really solid.  With just average hitting, they could have swept this series.  Maybe John Farrell need to shuffle the lineup, or make a couple of changes.  I would have thought an occasional bunt would be in order, even if this is the American League.  Jim Leyland made a couple of lineup moves that paid off last night.  If the Tiger starters keep throwing it the way they have been, it could be really difficult for the Red Sox to score anyway.

Tonight, weather could be a real factor.  Rain is falling currently at Comerica Park, and the forecasts are for rain and showers through at least 10 pm.  A late start could be a real possibility due to the travel day tomorrow.  Look for lots of bleary eyes at work tomorrow.

I actually had someone tell me that he believed Justin Verlander choked in his loss.  By missing one pitch?  By getting no run support?  Yeah, me either.

The Dodgers/Cardinals series should go down to the wire.  Clayton Kershaw should beat Michael Wacha, who has pitched gallantly in the playoffs.  But the Cardinals still have their ace, Adam Wainwright, against a decent second, Hun-Jin Ryu in game seven.  Pitching matchups favor the Cardinals in the pivotal game, should it get there.

I could see an adjustment coming, just not sure which one.  Both teams have started to hit, which is to be expected late in a series.  I believe it will be the big hit, or a little unexpected small ball that could make a huge difference in deciding the series.  Everything else seems equal.

So...am I off base?

Random Mondays Return

I had my headlines all written until the Red Sox ninth...

-It was going to be about Tiger pitching.  So I guess it is now about Tiger STARTING pitching.  Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer were incredible this weekend.  The bullpen was strong Saturday, Sunday...not so much.

Command of the strike zone, incredible change of speed, and late break, all the elements required to get Major League hitter out.  It was a beautiful thing to watch.  The bullpen pulled it off Saturday, but brilliance is difficult to sustain.  They have still stolen home field advantage for the moment.  And Justin Verlander hasn't even mounted the bump, yet.

-David Ortiz cemented his place as the best performer in the biggest situations.  A Grand Slam at the moment your team needs it to get back into a playoff series, especially after entire team looked like a bunch of whiners for most of two games...Priceless.  The Red Sox still need to win one in Detroit, but I know who I would want at the plate when they need the hit to pull it off.

-The Cardinals have been good, but the Dodgers have been worse.  Yasiel Puig has lead the charge of mediocrity.  After looking like a Willie Mays during the regular season, he has played like Rex Mays in the NLCS: 0 for 10, six strikeouts.  And the Dodgers haven't faced the Cardinal Ace, Adam Wainwright, who throws today.  The Dodgers have made a point of looking good when things are bad this year.  Now is definitely the time.

-Hate to write about Tom Brady, but he lead a great comeback at the end of their game against New Orleans yesterday.  Especially after failing TWICE in the final three minutes.  The first situation was Bill Belichick's fault: not trusting a defense that was up to the challenge is poor judgement of a team you chose to take the field.  The fourth down call was downright poor.

-Still waiting for a bombshell announcement involving A-Rod.  It would be the perfect time to insert yourself where it is not welcome.

So...am I off base?

An Absolute Gem

As a sports fan, sometimes it is worth staying up past a bedtime.

Kids know this automatically, but adults, set in their ways or showing their age, respond differently.  

I wish I had last night.

Thanks to ESPN, I saw bits of an absolute gem.  Pitching from all corners was excellent, limiting each team to a couple of timely hits. A couple of defensive gems, one by Yasiel Puig, who came up small otherwise, and one by Carlos Beltran, who drove in all three Cardinal runs.  Double plays to extend the game, even the question of the night, "What is Andre Ethier doing out there?"

Give the Cardinal Bullpen a lot of credit for their work last night.  Seven innings pitched, three hits allowed is very solid work.  The Dodger Bullpen did good work (3.1 IP, 3 hits, 1 run), but a new pitcher, Kenley Jansen, gave up the hit that made Chris Withow the losing pitcher.  

Quick turnaround today as these teams get back on the field at 4 pm today.  Clayton Kershaw vs. Michael Wacha is an intriguing matchup.  Will Kershaw lose some steam pitching on short rest again?  Can Wacha repeat his performance against a lineup that is a little stronger than the one he faced in Pittsburgh?  Will anybody be awake after the late night feast of the night before?

Shifting gears to the American League, a good matchup in Boston tonight.  Anibal Sanchez, less than sparkling against Oakland in his last outing, against Jon Lester, whom nothing seems to fluster.  Of course, after lymphoma, even Miguel Cabrera looks tame.

I would think an important matchup here is Jim Leyland vs. John Farrell.  Leyland is the veteran, and if he is still operating at a high level, can keep the patched up Tigers moving forward.  He is the key until some healthier sluggers can produce like they are capable.  It is important to make some of the moves, like Perralta at short, providing a subtle difference.  Word is he is going back to Iglesias for Game One.

John Farrell has not been stretched as a manager, yet.  His team overpowered the Rays, and should be ready to keep things rolling.  Something to guard against, as we saw from the rested and ready Dodgers last night.

So...am I off base?

Game Five

One game five down, one to go.

The Cardinals were not threatened in Game five last night.  Adam Wainwright was pretty solid, and the Cardinals came up timely hits from David Freese, John Jay, Matt Adams, and Pete Kozma.  They draw a hot Dodger team who has had time to cool off.  We've seen this a couple times in the recent past: one team sweeps, waits for the opponent to battle it out, and they cool off while waiting.  See last year's World Series as a prime example.

I'm not sure the Dodgers are that team.  They clinched the Division early, coasting through the last week of the season.  They things they do to win games, especially the pressure they place defensively on their opponent, don't require the timing and skill that a team reliant on timely hitting or solid pitching need.  Clayton Kershaw on your side isn't bad either.

The Cardinals have momentum on their side, as well as a lot of experience.  I still like Yadier Molina's quiet leadership and their timely hitting.  If this series goes a long way, even the full 7 games, the Cardinals have an advantage.  A sweep is more likely to go to the Dodgers, thanks to their blitzkrieg style.

The Tiger and the A's have a game five of their own tonight with the same intriguing matchup from Saturday night.  Justin Verlander, current King of Pitchers working through an off year, faces Sonny Gray, an heir apparent to  the throne.  The Tigers look like a determined team, but the A's have shown every bit of resolve.  I believe it could be a classic duel.  I'd like to see each starter go deep, another ton of strikeouts, and a hero with a bat.  It could be memorable.

So...am I off base?

All Monday, All the Time

Some random thoughts while waiting for my brain to find my body.

-Yeah, I'm a little surprised at the outcomes of the two Divisional Series games.  The Pirates, riding fan emotion, found a way through the Cardinals, while pitching and defense were suspended in Los Angeles last night.  Today will be a great day of baseball, four games, each meaning a great deal to their respective series.
    -The Tigers appear to have the better of the pitching matchup, but it looked that way Saturday, too.  They really need Miguel Cabrera to start playing like Miggy.  Abdominal strains are hard to play through, and I give him credit for trying.  Not sure Perralta in left field is the answer.

     -Cardinal should have all the advantages, but the Pirates have motivation.  This series is in serious danger of not going back to St. Louis.  Sometimes the better team does not win.  Give the Pirates their due: serious young talent.

     -Clay Buchholz has not been good down the stretch, but he's the best available of the Red Sox starters.  Alex Cobb has been marvelous lately.  This recipe on Saturday lead to a ...Red Sox win.  Hmmm.  That outcome would end the series.  Rays would only have themselves to blame.  Gotta be in the game mentally, too.

     -I thought Braves pitching and leadership would mean something.  This series has played like the Dodgers have played since their strong run began.  Defense, and putting pressure on the other team's defense, are a recipe used on young baseball teams.  The Braves aren't a 14U, but they have been put in those situations by the hustling play.  This one could end today, too.

-Hey, A-Rod, you smell of desperation and Chanel No.5.  Suing Major League Baseball for wanting to get you is the last act of a desperate man.  Maybe you shouldn't have done the wrong thing in the first place.

So...am I off base?

Random Thought Saturday

Random thoughts while waiting for the President's Cup to become a relevant event.

-For the most part, the pitching in the MLB playoffs has been pretty good.  When you pare the generalized mediocrity that 30 teams provide down to the best of the best, it should be pretty good.  The Red Sox made a strong statement yesterday, but I think Joe Maddon is a resourceful manager who can get turnips to bleed.  Looking forward to see what happens today.

-Iowa State, you have reason to be upset.  Two fumbles on the one yard line let Mack Brown keep his job for the moment.  Texas has underachieved, and Iowa State has improved their program.  The Cyclones are a team that needs to be taken seriously the remainder of the season.  The Longhorns need to take a coaching change seriously.

-Morgan Burke, Purdue Athletic Director, what were you thinking?  Darrell Hazell is a good football coach and he is bringing a needed boost of enthusiasm to a program that was headed the wrong way under Danny Hope.  So you schedule four BCS teams in your first five games?  Game six is against Nebraska.  Four of them are at home, but quality is a serious issue.  When it was prepared, I'm sure Cincinnati and Northern Illinois were not the quality programs they are now.  Last minute changes are made all the time, and there are plenty of cupcakes in the cupboard.  Get some momentum in the program!

-Having lived in the South Bend, IN area for 25 years, I'm a little surprised Notre Dame fans aren't up in arms about a little statement Brian Kelly made this week.  The turf in Notre Dame Stadium has been re-sodded after only three home games, due to excessive wear.  Brian Kelly said he didn't like the grass and would prefer field turf in Notre Dame Stadium.  Locals would consider this kin to lowering academic standards to get better athletes.  Red Hen Turf Nursery in Buchanan, MI, I believe your job is safe.

-My daughter's illness is causing her to miss the Indian State Middle School Cross Country Meet, leaving me a day at home.  Threatening weather will keep me inside today, and I am expecting to watch the President's Cup with some football in between.  One Ryder Cup style event is enough, because there just isn't enough rivalry in the President's Cup.  How much camaraderie can Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama have?  It's just not what they were trying to do when the PGA Tour started this competition to try to get some the revenue the PGA of America gets from the Ryder Cup.  This one may have to die a slow death.

So...am I off base?

ALDS/NLDS=Interesting Baseball

The one game Wild Card matchups passed with one emotional home team and a determined bunch of Rays moving on.  What happens now?

Pittsburgh vs. St. Louis- It's a great story that I really enjoy: over two decades with no winning seasons, let alone playoff wins. Heck, the last time the Pirates won in the playoffs, the Wild Card hadn't been invented yet.  The Pirates are a solid team, but the Cardinals are strong and proved it all year.  It may come down to the catcher's position, where there is no answer for Yadier Molina.  It's not necessarily what you do with the bat, it's how you lead.  Give Molina his due, and the Cardinals have been timely all season.  Cardinals in five games.

Los Angeles vs. Atlanta- Could be a war of attrition.  The Dodgers ran away with a weak division, but so did the Braves.  I believed the Braves would be here in October, the Dodgers, not so much.  Might come down to pitching staffs, where the Braves are still very deep.  Timely hitting will be the difference in this one, with an Upton (pick one, not Kate) getting the winner in game seven.

Tampa Bay vs. Boston- Another great story in Boston with the Red Sox going from worst to first.  It would be more intriguing if they hadn't bought the division.  I didn't see the Rays getting this far, winning two road games already in elimination situations, last nights against a team hotter than Phoenix in August. Momentum can be a powerful thing in October.  Do the Rays have enough pitching to start off rotation against Boston?  The answer to this question determines the series.  I believe this is the series most ripe for an upset, but Red Sox nation will live to see another round, in six games.

Oakland vs. Detroit- Underestimating the A's is easy to do.  You generally read the outcome the next day because their games start well after bedtime.  Detroit has enough pitching horses to carry a fleet of stagecoaches, and I believe they will get the job done for now.  Oakland bats vs. Detroit pitching is the key matchup.  We know the Tigers can score runs, the question is, Will the A's score runs?  Tigers in five games.

Should be an interesting round of games.  I can't wait.

So...am I off base?

A Fable From the Not Too Distant Future

While I randomly use through Monday, today will be a little different.  Thanks to a friend, I have something singular to muse over.

http://ht.ly/242X5j

The gist of the story is that a High School football phenom shuns college to work with a quarterback coach and challenge the NFL's draft eligible rule.  Financed by Nike, he can afford to tell the NCAA,  "No Thanks!  I'm good."

Considering the one play or less shelf life of a football player, I'm a little surprised it hasn't happened before.  High School football has received unprecedented coverage on a national level, turning on the marketing machine at that level.  All that seems to be missing is the LeBron James personality that could generate the hype in sufficient quantities.

The NCAA has made the situation plausible by insisting the college "education" received is compensation for the services rendered.  Maybe it was in the days when NFL players worked in the offseason, but those days are long gone.  While I strongly support education, I question the level of education received when the player is required to study film 20-30 hours weekly.  I've heard coaches say, "That's what summer sessions are for."  Isn't that when those "optional workouts" are needed?

The only thing preventing the realization of this fable is the number of all mighty dollars a Nike could be spurning by disconnecting College Football.  The monster is huge, and the interest generated intense.  The swoosh seems to be everywhere, and they had the guts to open a new golf market this way.  Remember, "Hello world"?

Who would challenge the NFL's rule?   Ohio State running back Maurice Clarrett was unsuccessful, last heard from with Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL after a stint in jail.  Supposedly, he is playing rugby now.

For the moment, the price is too high to fail.  It's a matter of time before someone makes it work.  The question is, "Who?"

So...am I off base?

Starting A Trend Doing Things Right

The news out of Roosevelt, Utah this week has given me some encouragement that things are being done the right way.

If you check my blog post of September 7, Do It the Right Way, I encouraged coaches at all levels to cut off the monster.  While it is probably unrelated, I would like to think we have seen evidence of change.

Matt Labrum, head football coach at Union High School, suspended his entire team for acts of bullying, cutting class, and general disrespect of teachers in the school.  He put standards on earning your way back on the field, completed by 33 of the 41 players.  They took the field Friday night in their Homecoming game against Emery.  The final score read Emery 41, Union 21, but the real life scoreboard read Character 1, Poor Behavior (Still too many).

A link to the game's article follows: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865587232/LIVE-STREAM-Union-Cougars-vs-Emery-Spartans-7-pm.html

This brave action is exactly what I wrote about three weeks ago.  If we could find more coaches willing to do these kinds of things, we might have less players getting arrested at higher levels.  We could return to the standards where pride in the football team came for the right reasons.  It's about learning a game and life lessons involved, because the NFL doesn't look for average size individuals to play their game.  Without freakish talent, the play for pay brigade is out of reach.  Learn the important lessons and the character of a nation can change.

I applaud Coach Labrum's efforts, and wish there were more willing to take a stand.  Am I naive enough to believe a total change is coming?  No.  But I am glad to see change in the correct direction for a change.

I hope he doesn't get fired for teams performance on the field.

So...am I off base?

Thank You, Brian McCann

All the way back in March, I thought the Braves would be a World Series team.  After last night's dust up in Atlanta, I like that choice even more.  Brian McCann, a solid catcher in over the past few seasons, took a step up last night by throwing down.

Carlos Gomez, holding a grudge for taking a pitch in the knee from Paul Maholm three months ago, felt no remorse in showing up the left hander after hitting one out of the ballpark.  Slow trot around the bases is disrespect to the opponent.  As someone coaching kids, I believe it is disrespect to the game.  When you take that trot, instead of a solid run, you are making it all about what you just did, not about the team.  Pitchers don't like it, and team leaders won't tolerate it.

Enter Brian McCann.  Supposedly, some pleasantries were exchanged over home plate, ending with McCann laying down the law: "Don't expect to touch home plate when you get back."

He was true to his word.  The scuffle that followed was a typical baseball fight, more testosterone than fight, but it set a tone for a team headed for the postseason.  The Braves still have an opportunity to get home field throughout the playoffs, only a half game behind the Cardinals.  They have been at the top of the East most of the season, and clinched the division early.  It would be easy to cruise the rest of the way through the season and see who you get to play in October.

I like the leadership shown by Brian McCann.  Recent winners have had a strong leadership out of the catcher's spot.  A.J. Pierzynski loud leadership over most of the last decade earned one Ring and two World Series appearances.  Yadier Molina has been a quiet leader in the Cardinals recent success.  Buster Posey has two NL MVP trophies to go with those World Series Rings, a great leadership accomplishment for a young player.

Might be the Braves year after all.

So...am I off base?

Wild Cards and 0-3

Thoughts while waiting for a green banana to ripen.

-The just finished weekend has opened some space in the Wild Card races.  The Texas Rangers have really fallen, going from inside the playoffs to a game and half outside the October fun.  One week of baseball remains, and I see very little changing.  Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have a five game lead over the Nationals, so the NL seems set.  The American League has six teams still with an outside chance, but he Rangers are the only team that seems to have any opportunity to displace Tampa or Cleveland.  Right now, Texas is on the verge of a huge failure.

-I sure didn't see San Francisco, Washington, or the Giants at 0-3, but it has happened.  The Giants coming off a 38-0 drubbing by Carolina looked horribly out of sync.  San Francisco lost to an improving Colts team, and Washington looked the most competitive against Detroit. Tom Coughlin has just about run his course in New York.  The team did not respond at all and Carolina is talented, but not a playoff quality team, yet.  San Francisco looked like they needed a quarterback change, Kaepernick certainly not producing at this point. Washington has a leader in RG III, but the mix is not potent enough to overcome well prepared team.

So...am I off base?

Wild Card Wanderings

Major League Baseball's marathon pulls into Station 162 next Sunday.  In the old days of One League, one team directly to the World Series, the Red Sox would have a three game lead over the A's, 3 1/2 over the Tigers.  The Braves would have game and a half lead over the Cardinals in the National League.  Please mind that tonight's games have not completed, so these numbers might be different when you wake up tomorrow.

The long time status of two Divisions to the League Championship Series would be The Red Sox holding the 3 1/2 game lead over the Tigers in the East, with the A's having already clinched the West.  The National League East would have the Cardinals leading Pittsburgh by 2, and the Braves leading the West by 3 games over the Dodgers.

Even the three Division, one Wild Card scenario would be Boston, Detroit, and Oakland looking good, with Tampa and Cleveland in a dead heat, Texas a half game back of both. Baltimore, Kansas City, and The Evil Empire fading.  National League would be Atlanta, St. Louis and Los Angeles, with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in a dead heat, one of them going home early.  In other words, the same scenario that exists today with two Wild Cards.

My point in all this supposin'?  Baseball actually did something right adding more Wild Card teams.  In a monopoly which, for the most part, loses money, a smart business decision is as hard to come by as a fresh armed pitcher this time of year.  Interest has been stirred in a lot of markets, shown by the increased number of teams mentioned in each paragraph above.  Giving the incentive of October baseball should put more people in the seats...

Tell that to Cleveland where 17,000+ saw the Indians stay in a dead heat with the Rays, winning 2-1 over the Astros.  How about Kansas City, where 21,000+, less than half capacity, saw the Royals stay alive with a 2-1 win on an always exciting bases loaded walk in the eighth.  I might be able to excuse Kansas City: a lot of their fanbase may have believe they were mathematically eliminated in early May.

Every other game drew at least 29,000+, lowest figure being the Cubs and their second division lineup.

What is the issue?

Baseball is still the game it always was, but the heroes speak with a myriad of accents, some of which we cannot understand.  Their questionable muscles bulge in ways God didn't create, questioning the authenticity of the game.  I have trouble with that argument because the words that come out of most football players mouths are sometimes just as difficult to understand.  Maybe the players, awash in cash, have lost sight of the fans.  Maybe the owners forgot a business axiom: you can shear a sheep for a lifetime, but you gotta feed the sheep.

Maybe the bread and butter got lost in the words of a Little League coach that blew the questionable kid out of baseball and into another interest.  The main reason kids quit playing Little League Baseball is rarely the game or the kids: it's the adults.  Little League had the stats to back that number up as recent as two years ago.  Kids are different that they were a generation ago:maybe they'd rather play X-box than spend a night at the ballpark.

Either way, we're all missing a pretty good show.

So...am I off base?