Current Sports / Entertainment

I haven't talked about this in a while. so here I am.

Sharks: It's hockey Season! They're coming home after a 2-1-1 trip, and that's not too bad.
On a side note, I wanted to say something to Scott Neidermyer and Teemu Selanne. I think it is a bad choice not to decide if you are going to retire or not. You strung out your team and your fans. It's one thing to hold out during the off-season, but once preseason starts, and regular season starts, it's time to make a decision and give your team the full commitment. Stop dangling your status over them.

49ers: They are really feeling the effects of losing Offensive Coordinator, Norv Turner, The Offense is Offensive. Last year they started to show signs of improvement. Then Turner turned his back on us and left to be Head Coach of San Diego. Jim Hostler comes in, but he has done a horrible job getting this team going. It is a step backwards. The Offense is once again the worst in the league BY FAR. Turner hasn't done much either. Head Coach of one of the best teams, he is already under .500 winning percentage.

Giants: Say goodbye to Barry Bonds. The team needs a new image and new look. I think the first guy they will go after is Alex Rodrigez, who would be stupid if he doesn't get out of New York. New York has not treated Rodrigez with the best support for MLB's best player. He'd fit nicely being the face of the Giants for 5-10 years.

A's: Injuries Injuries, Injuries. Still more Injuries as Chavez has back surgury. If Chavez and Crosby do not come back strong, it won't matter. This team will still struggle to get back to the Playoffs. Same with Harden. It might be time for Beane to shop these players around and replace them with pieces that will produce. I hate saying it. I like these players. But there comes a time when they don't produce, they need to get out and change the scenary.

UFC: BIG BIG BIG NEWS as Randy Couture quits UFC. I was surprised. I thought all was well with him. Randy wanted Fedor. Anyone else would be below his talent. And since Fedor didn't come to UFC, Randy Quit. In addition, Randy claims UFC told him he was #2 paid fighter, which was a lie since others are being paid more. My Advice: Leave it at "No one else to fight" otherwise you sound greedy. Randy has done well and become the best and no one will think of him less. No one thought of him less when he retired. He is still great.

Finally TNA Wrestling: PacMan Jones (the suspended football player) becomes TNA Tag Team Champion. I can only think of one thing: David Arquette, the WCW Heavyweight Champion. I hope this isn't the beginning of the end of TNA (like it was for WCW). There's a line drawn when putting non-experienced celeberties into the ring and give them a belt. Don't ever cross that line. Or you'll end up looking foolish. TNA YOU LOOK FOOLISH.

Lastings Millage is ... still a Met

The Non-Waiver Trading Deadline for Baseball has come and gone. And from the A's and Giants, only 1 trade happen. SF's Morris to Pittsburg. What happened to all the rumors? What happened to both teams being Sellers? The A's trading Blanton, Johnson, Piazza? The Giants trading everyone except the starting Rotation? What about Lastings Millage, Billy Beane's Coveted player??? Another Year, another Lastings Millage rumor, another failed trade.

The A's are in a better position than the Giants. But they didn't make the necessary moves to make them better this year, or help next year. Daric Barton is ready to be a Major League Player. For that to happen Johnson has to go. 1 Year Contracts players are probably be gone too. Stewart and Piazza. Kendall is already gone. So the next Generation is moving in.

The Giants are worse, they are going to scrap more than half the team (aging players). But they got this Davis guy and he seems to be good (at least in the first game). The Rotation is set, Cain, Zito, Lincecum, Lowry, and Sanchez. After that, no job is safe. Gone will be Bonds, Durham, Arillia, Visquel, Roberts, Klesko, Sweeny. I'd keep Winn and Molina. But it doesn't look good. They aren't going to be contenders for 3-5 years. Fortunately Zito will still be there. hahaha.

Neither team are going to make the playoffs this year. The A's have too many injuries and the Giants are too Old. So write off this year. and welcome next year with open arms.

Is it hockey season yet?

The Rocket Clemens returns

So Roger Clemens returns for the ump-tenth time out of retirement and is now pitching for the oft-injured no rotation New York Yankees. Good for them. But Clemens is on his own terms. He doesn't have to be there with the Yankees. and he gets paid a whole lot of $$$ bling bling to pitch every 5 days.
But I must say I lost alot of respect for Clemens years ago. It was the first time Barry Bonds vs Roger Clemens. He came right out into the media and said "I'm gonna hit him in the elbow guard" At the time there was a huge discussion on how the batters are shielded with arm guards, shin guards, toe guards.
Sure enough Clemens hits Bonds in the elbow. Bonds took first.
Here's another thing that I object to. Why was Clemens allowed to do that? Why didn't Baseball penalize this player for premeditated intent to bean someone? If it can be proven that someone planned to murder or rob or break the law, it goes right to the top of severity.
Now those are different things but still why didn't anything happen.
Follow up this with the thrown broken bat at Mike Piazza, and mouthing off to umpires, and the multiple retirement ceremonies turned comeback, Clemens has become a big dick.

But speaking of Mike Piazza, who now plays for the A's. It is possible that Piazza vs Clemens when the A's and Yankees get together in New York on June 29-July 1.

Go A's!

A's are gone

A’s have been eliminated. I was very surprised that the A’s got bounced from the playoffs so easily. Detroit absolutely dominated them. The Pitching made the difference for Detroit. I see them winning the World Series. Neither St. Louis or New York Mets can compete with this pitching staff.

But perhaps the more surprising thing was that Ken Macha was FIRED 2 days later. The rumors started almost immediately after the elimination. Players had told the GM Billy Beane that Macha was not there, was not respectful to the players. That day YOU’RE FIRED, and Macha was gone. Beane says it was a “disconnect” between Beane and Macha. This probably stems from debacle from last offseason, where Macha told them no, then came back with his tail tucked between his legs.

So what now? Gotta find a manager. I personally think it should be Ron Washington. The 3rd base coach is well respected and highly regarded around the league. It should be good to have him as the man. The second choice is Bob Gerent, the bench coach. It is assumed that Beane wants Garen to be the next coach because Garen was promoted against Macha’s wishes.

I’m not one to go outside when an acceptable solution is inside. Either way, they are probably good choices. But if Washington isn’t the manager, there are plenty of openings around the leagues that want his services.

The offseason is off to an interesting roll. and the World Series isn't even over yet

A's Win the Divisional Series!

The A's did it! They FINALLY did it. They pass the Divisional Series in the MLB Playoffs. It was a good game. The real hero is Marco Scutaro. He has been Mr. Clutch (as Swisher calls him). When they need a big hit, Scutaro comes through. And he deserves all 35,000+ people cheering his name. "MARCO" "SCUTARO" "MARCO" "SCUTARO".

But lets' talk about the big event for us. I had bought our tickets, Section 208, Row 3, seats 3-6. Matt his gloves for foul balls, but Dad never thought anyone can get it up there. We had at least 2 or 3 come towards our section, but never made it, one hit right off the end of the 2nd deck and back to the first. Right then I knew, we might catch a foul ball.
So in the 6th Inning, Marco Scutaro is at bat. he's fouling pitches off and such. with a 1-2 count, smack. I see it and I go, "Here it comes!" It's coming straight at me, like I don't see it moving left or right, so I know it's coming right at me. "I got it!" Then I see it curve to my right, "GET IT MATT! GET IT!" I turn and look, and SNAG, Matt catches it in front of his mother. I started jumping up and down, and everyone cheered for him. High-fives all around.

As Dad tells it, I said "Matt Get it!" and I was pushing Dad out of the way. Which I had to say, Yeah, I didn't want you to interfere.

The person behind us said, "You just saved 2 lives, she's pregnaut!"

The elderly couple infront of us were very happy Matt caught the fly ball. thoguh the lady seemed like she was going to ask for the ball. In which case Matt would have said, "No."

This will be a good story to tell. And will be told many, many times. But hey it is well deserved.

Good Catch. Yes, Good catch.

A's Playoffs; East Coast Bias

A's win! up 2-0 over Minnesota coming home. Yeah, we've seen this before, and we all know that the A's can't get out of the first round. So it's not over till its over. Frank Thomas is THE MAN.

Here's the thing we are being hit with the East Coast Bias. Remember the days that the games were shown at the same times, all 2 series. But since the start of Divisional playoffs, the dates and times of the baseball games are screwed up. The East Coast (Yankees) always gets the prime time schedule. The West Coast (A's) get the 1:00PM start time... During the week.
MLB, don't complain that the "A's don't sell out" it's becasue you put the damn game in the middle of the day in the middle of the week.
In addition, you screw up the Game 4 and Game 5 start times. Just set the times so people can schedule their day. because it messes up the fan's schedule.
MLB is holding out for the Yankees. If the Yankee's play then they get the prime time. "otherwise whocares, we'll will just stick whatever there." says the MLB.

Thanks for the East Coast Bias.

Roy Oswalt signs 5yr $73Mil contract. Zito...?

After it was announced that Roy Oswalt signed a 5yr $73,000,000 (million) contract, the A's announcer said, "Barry Zito is the 2nd happiest guy on the planet." Why is that? Because Oswalt is very compairable to Barry Zito. They are both top tier, high-caliber guys. Oswalt is a 2-time 20-game winner. Zito is a Cy Young winner. Oswalt (29) and Zito (28) are close in age, both in the prime of their career.

So what's the big picture? If these 2 pitchers are both the same high-class pitchers, then Zito should be demanding about the same 5yr, $73,000,000 (or approx $13Million/year). Maybe even more. That's more than some team's payrolls. And there is no way that the small-budget Oakland Athletics will be able to pay that much money to keep Barry Zito.

It has been fun Zito, but its time for your Fairwell Tour.

World of Bay Area Sports

From Positive to Negative

San Jose Sharks
- Addressed issues with the penalty kill. Signed Forwards Curtus Brown and Mike Grier. Traded Tom Preissing and Josh Hennessy for Mark Bell. Lost Scott Thornton and Alyn McCauley.
I believe that the Sharks have improved. Thornton and McCauley are class acts, but they did not provide the spark the Sharks Needed. Thornton is aging and McCauley has a history of injury. I am surprised the Preissing was traded, however the Sharks have great depth at D.

Oakland A's
- Injuries to Harden, Watasick, Kennedy, and Bradley. Gaudin has been rock steady. Street has Sophmore Jinx.
- A depressing 4 game series loss to Anaheim into the Allstar break. The bats did a horrible job. No offence. We need a consistant hitter!

Fantasy Team
- My Fantasy team is slowly fading away. Injuries have been healed, but replaced with more injured players. How fustrating.

San Francisco 49ers
- York still owns the team... Nuff said.

A's, Giants Eliminated from Postseason

2 Days ago the A's were eliminated by the Angels (again) in Oakland (again) for the 2nd time in a row. To be honest, I'm NOT surprised the A's didn't make it. There was a certain something that they are missing that makes them from a Contender to a Western Division Champion. I think it is the intangables, the Xfactor, the Leader of the group. In years past they had Giambi, Tejada, and Hudson who were THE team leaders. This year they had an inconsistant Chavez (.200 ba in April), an injured Crosby, and an inconsistant Zito.
But lets look at the positives: Rookies, Swisher, Johnson, Street, and Blanton, were HUGE for this team and will only get better. The starting rotation can only get better with Haren, Blanton, Harden (healthy), and Saarloos. (I still believe they will trade Zito in the offseason). Ellis is a comeback player, even though he won't get it because he's on the west coast. It will be interesting to see what they do... oh by the way, Macha deserves a new contract. we'll see...

As for the Giants. Well, No Bonds and the entire West goes south... If the Giants were .500 they'd be the champs. But San Diego eliminated them too. If Bonds were healthy it'd be a completely different outlook for the Giants. There will be more turn over in SF than Oak. My guess is Durham, Alfonso, and Snow are gone. The Outfield will have Bonds, Winn, and Alou, the Infield will have Feliz, Visquel, (2b) and Niekro. Matheny catching. Maybe the A's will send them one of their 2nd basemen...

Well Baseball in the Bay Area is over... (well 5 more games left, and no playoffs) sooo... HOCKEY SEASON!!! Sharks are 6-0-0 in the Preseason! and look great! so I'm switching to Hockey! Laterz