Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Braun case; Did they get it right?

As for me and most baseball fans we wanted to see the case of Ryan Braun come and go without much scrutiny. I thought that might happen when I found out he was being let off, and maybe in time it will, but the aftermath has been brutal.

What was the first thought when we all found out Ryan Braun tested positive? We couldn’t believe a guy like this would have ever taken steroids. He was labeled as such a good clean guy that would never be involved with a performance enhancing drug. So the fact that Braun won his case wasn’t overly shocking to me. I never thought the guy did it and I still don’t believe he did. 

How he won the case though doesn’t overwhelming prove to the public why his result was so high. Yes it wasn’t immediately taken to the lab for testing and was left in the refrigerator for who knows how long. But there were two other players tested the same day that took the same route to the lab as Braun’s test but only his produced the highest level of testosterone in the history of testing. 

That right off the bat told me that something was fishy about the test, but it still doesn’t ultimately prove why HIS test was the one that had the high result. Could the person who took the test have tampered with it? Possibly, but for what reason? Would a die-hard Cardinals or Reds fan really go that far to ruin the credibility of Ryan Braun? And the names of the players aren’t on the urine samples to keep testers from being prejudice. 

The public may never know, and for that reason there will always be a dark cloud hanging over Braun and his stats. This could untimely affect whether or not he ends up in the Hall of Fame. We just don’t have enough answers. 

Major League Baseball was furious about this outcome and they have every reason to be. This opens up the discussion for the validity of their testing program and will open up future cases against them for players that test positive. 

Not only did someone test positive and win the first case ever for someone who did, but it was the defending National League Most Valuable Player. This has to raise some eyebrows for most baseball fans and casual observers. You mean no other athlete can win a case except for a high profile one.?

Braun was able to bring in a great team of lawyers that were able to find a loophole that kept the judges from having any clear proof as to why his test was so high. This ultimately won Braun the case in court but he has lost the case of the public opinion. 

Fans in Milwaukee are leaping for joy and will welcome him back with open arms, but he will face severe scrutiny as he travels to other major league ballparks because no matter what the courts say we the people will have our own opinion. And while he wasn’t proven guilty, to most he wasn’t proven innocent either. 

The worst part about this whole situation is that we never should have even known about. The secrecy of this process was breached by some reporter trying to make a name for himself. MLB should track down this source and have him reprimanded. This wasn’t public information and with Braun being let off the hook it should have never gotten to the presses or Twitter. 

This is such a sad case for baseball and one that I hope will just go away. Braun could have been the face of baseball and a new era. Hopefully fans will learn to forgive and forget because after all, he wasn’t found guilty. I agree with the outcome but I don’t agree with the way that outcome was determined. We need more evidence as to what caused that test to be so high and until we have that evidence doubts will continue to swirl over Braun’s head, and bat. 

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Thoughts on Moneyball

I had been waiting for Moneyball to come out because I knew I would buy it and didn’t want to waste $10 going to see it in theaters. Finally the movie came out and it was well worth the $15 to be able to watch this classic film for years to come.

This wasn’t a great movie just based on the fact of how moneyball is used in today’s game, it was a classic because it’s about baseball and how this idea shaped the game. The plot line was great for it and the way they told the story of Billy Beane’s life was an unexpected pleasure.  
Of course I knew the ending would be weird and awkward because the Athletics have yet to do anything under Beane’s direction. Yes, they’ve over achieved in a small market several times, but have yet to do anything meaningful in the playoffs.
Now that everyone has caught on to the methods first used by Beane and sabermetrics has become an essential part of the game, the A’s have lost their small advantage they had over every team.
I think that’s why the movie came out now because this idea of moneyball sparked under Beane’s control and now that other teams have implanted it in their system they know Beane and the A’s will never succeed. Basically they had their chance and now it’s over.
I’ve always thought the idea or logic behind moneyball was interesting, and it’s always great to see a small market team like the A’s and Tampa Bay Rays have success. But the fact is you still need money to win in baseball.
At the end of the movie it says something about the Boston Red Sox going on to win two World Championships using the moneyball method. That was a load of garbage to make Beane feel good about himself. The Red Sox won because they have money to get the best players that produce the numbers portrayed in moneyball.
Today’s game has changed and it’s all thanks to Beane and his staff. Small market teams are able to put a decent team on the field at a reasonable cost and if things happen to click the right way they may actually end up in the playoffs. Or hopefully you build enough fan support that you can afford to buy players to help you succeed.
The moneyball method will soon be a thing of the past, as with the Athletics in Oakland. I’m glad this movie came out when it did and I think it was directed in a way that it will be a great baseball movie for generations to come. To me it not only marks the beginning of a new era in baseball, but it also puts an end to the steroid area, which ironically was created by two former A’s players.
This was a great movie and excellent publicity for the sport of baseball.
You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com


Monday, February 20, 2012

Another Jeremy Lin story; Are we too sensitive?

I can’t lie; I’ve yet to watch the NBA’s new sensation play. It’s not because I don’t want to, but every time he’s been on TV I’ve had other obligations. I was hoping to see him play before Carmelo came back but now I don’t think that’s going to happen so I really can’t comment on his abilities.

What I can comment on is the amount of attention he is getting and the latest controversial headlines from ESPN.
Over the weekend a very distasteful headline was posted on EPSN’s mobile website. I won’t repeat the headline but I’m sure you’ve all seen it or heard about it. The employee has since been dismissed from the network even after saying he unknowingly used the racial slur in a headline.
Linsanity is not only causing a stir on the basketball court, it’s even affecting the lives of hard working Americans. I’m not going to try and take up for the guy, but he was a 28 year old editor who may or may not have known what he was doing.
ESPN should punish themselves for allowing such a young kid to have that much so say. As an editor myself, headlines and stories alike are to be read by at least two people before being published. And if something goes wrong the blame should be put on all parties involved.
But that’s beside the point I wanted to make, which is; are athletes and teams too sensitive? I believe we as fans have the right to yell, scream and hold up signs at games. I don’t encourage inappropriate behavior, and in fact I hate sitting beside it, but we pay a good bit of money to watch these athletes play a sport so I think we should be able to let our emotions be heard during and after the game. Whether it’s on Twitter or a blog, we have the right to let our comments be heard.
Just because Lin is a certain race should we have to watch how we criticize him anymore than Tim Tebow or LeBron James? He’s an athlete, getting paid to play a pretty easy sport. When and if the criticism does start to flow his way I hope it’s because of his play on the court and not because of the color of his skin.
Now back to the ESPN situation. People make mistakes. I hear them made all time, but when Jon Gruden or another famous athlete that takes the jobs of hard work communication majors makes a mistake on TV there is nothing more than a quiet apology. But because this was some no-name editor working the night shift you just up and make him unemployed.!?
I’ve made mistakes as an editor, it’s going to happen. But I almost never make the same mistake twice. This kid’s life was ruined because of the insensitivity from ESPN and a FEW people that might have been reading this website at 2 a.m. Yes, it’s the editor’s job to make sure things like this don’t happen and some sort of punishment needed to be put in place. I just think in this instance it was a little too harsh.
I hope the media continues to cover this Lin story with an open mind, but it’s the duty of an editor and company to draw people’s attention to an article. There is a more creative and effective way to do that than by using offensive language.  
You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com

Sunday, February 19, 2012

My first game of the year

This weekend was not only exciting because of pitchers and catchers reporting, but it was also the first weekend for college baseball. The past four or five years I’ve always made it a rule to start out the baseball season by attending my Alma mater’s first game of the season.

Because I now work in the real world I wasn’t unable to attend the very first game on Friday, and due to inclement weather the game on Saturday was cancelled. So; I had wait till Sunday morning before I was able to get my first taste of baseball for the season.

It was everything I thought it would be and was well worth the wait. While the college game is not near as entertaining as the big boys in the majors, it offers a different thrill that you won’t get at an MLB stadium.

Plainsman Park has been ranked as one of the best stadiums in all of college baseball. I love going to games at this field because it is such a beautiful park. It displays a tall green wall in left field similar to the Green Monster and the K Corner in right field gives off a nice appeal for a college game. There really isn’t a bad seat in the park, I’ve tried them all.

Attendance for the game was only around 3,000, but all the usual suspects that are at most college games were still there. You have your group of hecklers in the left field bleachers that yell throughout the entire game. They’ve had their chants together for years and not much has changed. The jokes are the same and they remain funny.

The diamond dolls try their best to entertain the crowd, but on this day with a light rain and a cool breeze the only thing fans got emotional about during the 6-4 loss was the 7th inning stretch.

The great thing about college games is that you can connect with the field so easily. When you yell at an umpire in a major league stadium you just look like an idiot because he’ll never hear you. At a college game he hears you all too well, and when you get that look or sudden reaction from the blue it makes that shouting all worth it.

The college game could be changed for the better in several ways, but it’s still baseball and a great way to get the season started. I hope to attend a few more games before finally getting to walk into Turner Field April 13. The season has begun. 

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com

Friday, February 17, 2012

The influence athletes have on our lives; Gary Carter's passing

Growing up almost every kid has a role model or someone they look up to. Hopefully that someone will be their dad or brother, but for most of us there is that athlete, coach or team that effects the decisions we make in our lives.

You can try and downplay this as much as you want, but the fact is our lives are directly influenced by the actions of athletes, whether they’re good or bad.
After the recent passing of Montreal Expos and New York Mets catcher Gary Carter, the example of how we’re influenced by athletes was never proven better. I listened to MLB Network on my way home from work and heard caller after caller talk about how much Carter influenced their lives. One guy even saying he had to pull over on the side of the road to console himself once he heard the news of Carter’s passing.
Luckily Carter is one of the great examples for how athletes can have a positive influence on our lives, because we all know good and well about the bad ones. I had a similar experience when I went to a Braves game where they “celebrated” Bobby Cox’s retirement. It wasn’t much of a celebration for me. The man who led my favorite team for over two decades and taught me what the game was all about and how to play it the right way was retiring and it was devastating. No one will ever replace him and the childhood memories he provided for me.
I think it’s great that we have these players and coaches that are set on a national stage and are able to mold future generations through their actions. It’s important that these athletes recognize this and know how much their actions mean to the children watching them on TV or in the stands.
In today’s society where bad news and criminals are praised in the mainstream media, we hardly hear the good stories about the positive influences athletes have on people’s lives. And unfortunately as fans we enjoy hearing about the latest arrest or fine that players’ receive instead of focusing on the ones that do good work through charities and other great organizations.
Just think about when you were little. You probably put your hat on backwards for batting practice because you saw Kin Griffey Jr. do it. You probably wiggled your bat a little faster once you saw Gary Sheffield do it. You probably wore a wristband because you saw Derek Jeter wearing. And I know you bought Nikes because Michael Jordan did.
We praise these athletes and look up to them like they were sent straight from Heaven. And I’m not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing, I just think it’s important that we make sure kids choose players that will have a positive influence on their lives.
These athletes are given an unbelievable stage where they are able to touch so many lives. People like me and you, no matter how great of people we might be, will never have that opportunity. That’s why I think it’s great to have people like Gary Carter and Tim Tebow to send a good message to kids of what it takes to be a good person in this world. No matter how popular they may become, keeping their positive influence is of the upmost importance to them.
It’s not always the best player or the most gifted athlete that have the most positive influence, but it would be nice to see the ones that do be recognized more on a national level. When I have a kid, if he doesn’t model himself after me, I hope he picks a great athlete, and I hope that athlete is great because of what he does off the field and not just because of how he performs on the field.
You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com

Thursday, February 16, 2012

It’s time for baseball

This upcoming weekend is one of the biggest weekends of the year for a baseball fan. The words “Pitchers and Catchers” are the most exciting words to a fan that’s been trapped inside for the most grueling parts of the winter waiting to see teams get out in that beautiful Florida or Arizona sunshine.

Sure most players just stretch and play golf the first two weeks and the real action doesn’t pick up for a little while longer. But it’s the excitement of the new season and the feeling of fresh air that makes this time of the year so special.
Also, for MLB fans looking to get their baseball fix a little early, this is also the first weekend of the college baseball season. I know I’ll be attending a game at Auburn University as I’ve done to start off the past five baseball seasons. While it’s still pretty cold out there, just a glimpse of the field and sounds of the game are a thrill to ones’ ear.
These games aren’t as entertaining as when you’re sitting at Fenway Park or Turner Field, but it’s a nice glimpse of what’s to come and a great way of getting the season started.
Many players and coaches are already at their respective camps, and why wouldn’t they be. Spring Training is unlike a training camp for any other sport. It’s not a one month test to weed out the weak individuals. For most of the players it’s fun and somewhat of a vacation.
It’s also a great vacation for fans looking to get away from the cold weather and enjoy some baseball action. While I’ve never had the opportunity, I can’t wait for the chance to sit on the outfield grass and watch a baseball game feeling the wind coming off the beaches and the anticipation of a new season beginning.
Being at Spring Training is a great opportunity to see players up close and obtain autographs. The teams are also close together so in a four or five day trip you could probably visit several different stadiums and teams.
These games are meaningless to some degree, but each at bat is taken very seriously. There are still some roster spots up for grabs and it’s fun to see players fight hard during Spring Training to earn that spot.
It also gives sports fan something to do during this down period. NBA and college basketball are drowning through their seasons and won’t pick up until late March or April. We need something to get excited about and seeing that warm weather and knowing spring is near is enough to get anyone excited at this point.
For baseball fans this marks the beginning of the season of optimism. Every team is 0-0 and has a chance to win it all. We all have our hopes and aspirations for the season and at this point none of them have been erased. Spring is no doubt my favorite part of the year and this weekend is the best way to get it started.  
You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Why NBA’s regular season is irrelevant

The NBA season is about 30 games in but you wouldn’t even know that if it wasn’t for a little Chinese kid Jeremy Shu-How Lin that came out of nowhere to burst on the scene in New York. So why is the NBA’s regular season so irrelevant?

That’s because the games are meaningless. Over half the league makes the playoffs anyway and going into the season you know who the final four or six teams are going to be.
With superstars jumping ship and going to play with their friends, it has created a league of teams that are based on who has the most stars. That made last years’ final that much better because the Mavericks were a team with only one superstar that took down the proverbial giant team of superstars.
The division races have no meaning because you can be the fifth best team in your division and still make the playoffs. It would be better if they just had two leagues and took the best eight teams from each league. That’s essentially what they’re doing now.
Sure there are a few matchups during the regular season that are nice games to watch, like Heat-Lakers because it gets all of the sports’ biggest superstars on one stage at the same time. But who cares what the outcome of the game is. They’re both going to make the playoffs and there is a good chance both teams will at least make it to the conference finals.
The NBA is so predictable. We know it’s going to be Miami, Chicago, Oklahoma City and some wild card team from the Western Conference in the final four. The other teams will just be warm up games as the best teams prepare for the championship.
In baseball and football there is more of an emphasis on winning your division. Only 12 of 32 teams make the playoffs in the NFL and only eight (as of right now) of 30 MLB teams make the playoffs. Both sports get tremendous support throughout the regular season and in the playoffs because the division rivals are important.
A Braves-Phillies matchup in May becomes very important because it could decide who wins the division in September. The Ravens-Steelers rivalry is great for so many reasons, but also because it almost always decides who is going to win that division. Do you think the Heat are going to sweat over a loss to the Hawks in December?
No doubt the NBA playoffs are great to watch and these super teams make it fun to root against them and I think actually make the sport more enjoyable. But the NBA’s regular season is watered down and meaningless to the casual fan.
The same can be said for NCAA basketball. While March Madness is one of the greatest events in sports, 62 teams make the tournament. Is it really necessary for me to watch Duke-Kansas in January? Both of them will make the tournament and this game two months before is not going to change that.
Fans are drawn to games that hold meaning. There are a handful of those types of games during an NBA regular season. If you want to draw interest the whole year through, make winning the division more important and don’t make the entry into the playoffs open to every team that post a .500 record (or below in some cases). That’s just ridiculous.
We want games that matter, and there won’t truly be a game that matters in the NBA until April. Hopefully I’ll see you then, but the Braves will be playing the Phillies so I doubt you get my undivided attention like you could if regular season games meant something.
You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Eli Manning hurt by his lack of character

Since the end of the Super Bowl people have been trying to figure out if Eli Manning should be considered an elite quarterback. I believe if sports weren’t such a popularity contest this wouldn’t even be a question.

If Eli had great hair, perfect bone structure in his face and a super model for a wife he would be mentioned as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the league. Right up there with Tom Brady and Drew Brees, and probably ahead of his brother Peyton.
Let’s start by comparing Eli and Brady since that seems to be the current debate. No doubt Brady is an elite quarterback, one of the best of all time and a future Hall of Famer. In Brady’s first seven years as a full-time quarterback for the New England Patriots he passed for 26,364 yards and 197 touchdowns (50 of those coming in his amazing 2007 campaign).
Comparing that with Eli’s first seven years in the league, he has more passing yards, 26,536, and 18 less touchdown passes, 179. Now you could make the argument that today’s quarterbacks are putting up bigger numbers than they were during Brady’s first seven years. But you could also say that the New York Giant’s offense isn’t one that relies on Eli throwing for 300 yards and four touchdowns a game.
Brady plays in an offense that is built to put up astronomical numbers, like 50 touchdowns in a season, which is ridiculous. Eli plays on a team that is more defensive oriented. While they’re running game wasn’t great this year (last in the league), they are still a team that requires getting the ground game going to set up the pass game.
Comparing the stats you can definitely make the case for why Eli should be considered a top quarterback. So why does the public still view him as mediocre?
His brother is the biggest thing holding him back from being considered elite. Peyton has been labeled for years as the greatest signal caller of this era. No one manages a game from under center, or five feet behind him, better than Peyton.
Living in the shadow of your bigger brother is difficult. Getting out from under that shadow can be even more difficult. The expectations for Eli coming into the league were certainly unattainable. With this latest Super Bowl victory he could now be considered even greater than his brother.
While it will take a few more outstanding seasons and possibly another Super Bowl to establish that feat, he certainly isn’t far behind. It really just depends on how you perceive greatness. If you believe regular season stats are a true testament to a players’ elite status, then Eli may not deserve to be in that discussion. If you believe it’s based on their postseason success, then Eli is at the top of the list. He’s 7-1 in the postseason and has two Super Bowl MVP trophies.
The only thing keeping Eli from being considered an elite quarterback is Eli himself. He doesn’t have the personality of a Tom Brady, Drew Brees or even his brother. He is perceived as a quiet guy that just does his job and does it exceptionally well. He’s not going to put up huge numbers like any of the aforementioned quarterbacks, but as we saw this year he can win a game when it matters.
Eli is an awkward kind of guy. He doesn’t seem to enjoy the spotlight. Watching him say, “I’m going to Disney World,” after this year’s Super Bowl was almost sickening to see because it’s so awkward. He doesn’t seem to know how to let loose and entertain the public, which isn’t his job by the way.
His job is to win Super Bowls, and he’s won two in the past five years. It’s time we take the blinders off and realize he’s for real. As quarterback numbers are increasing because of the new rules that hurt defenses, Eli’s numbers are going up with the rest of them. He was 67 yards away from 5,000 passing yards on the year. And now that he has some great receivers to surround him in Hicks, Cruz and Manningham (Side note: The Giant’s receivers are the reason they won the Super Bowl and the Patriots receivers are the reason they lost) he’ll be even more productive in years to come.
The era of Peyton and Brady are coming to an end. The time for Eli is now. He needs to start dating some hot swim suit model, take on a couple of commercials that show his funny side (if there is one) and maybe get arrested or something. That seems to be what the media view with greatness. Not the fact that he’s a winner and deserves to be at the top of the list of elite quarterbacks in this quarterback league.
You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Keys to preparing for the Super Bowl

It’s that time of the year. I know it may not even feel like there is going to be a game played this weekend as both teams have been silent the past two weeks, but despite all that surrounds the big week there is actually going to be a meaningful game played in Indianapolis Sunday.

This is by far the biggest sporting event in America right now. The entire NFL season comes down to one game and whether you care about football or not, hundreds of millions of families and friends will plop down in front of the TV to watch the Patriots and Giants.
Getting prepared for the Super Bowl is more than just knowing who the players are, how each team got here and what the keys to the game are. You need to know what it’s going to take to make this night one of the most enjoyable nights of the season. Unlike other sports, you only get one shot a year at this. So be prepared to make it count.
1. Make sure you have food
The most important part about football season is food. If you can’t kick back and shove some fatty man-food down your throat, are you really even enjoying the game? Make sure you have the hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, dips and whatever your favorite side dish might be. If you’re looking for the easy way out, order a pizza way in advance of kickoff. If you’re looking to really have a good time, throw some wings in there as well. The game could be 30-0 in the second quarter, but if you’ve got enough food it will carry you the rest of the game.
2. Make sure your throne is prepared
I know it’s very important for most sports fans to make sure they have the best seat in the house to watch the game. Mine would be the recliner right in front of the TV or in a spot where people won’t be walking in front of me during the most important play of the game. Not only is the positioning of your seat essential, but the surroundings are crucial. A sturdy table close enough to hold your food plate and beverage is key, but not too close that you’ll knock it over when you jump up for a big play. If you can sit through the entire game without having to get up, then you deserve to wear the crown that comes with your throne.
3. Scout the pregame show
I don’t usually enjoy the pregame show coverage because I think it’s too extensive and I’m tired of hearing the same thing over and over. But there are some great parts of the pregame show you’re going to want to watch. Make sure you’re there at the beginning when they tell you what will be coming on. Whether it’s the Tom Brady or Eli Manning interview, the emotional story of Robert Kraft’s wife or something else, make sure you know when those are coming on and worry about preparing yourself for the actual game while they’re breaking down Gronkowski’s ankle for the one billionth time.
4. Be prepared for the commercials
Sometimes it’s more important to scout the commercials for the Super Bowl than the actual team’s themselves. Don’t be caught off-guard when a 3D commercial comes on. Have your glasses ready. Do your best to find out who is going to be having a commercial and if there is anything spectacular about it. You know who the usual suspects are. The past few years commercials haven’t been as great, but you don’t want to be that one person that’s reading all your friends’ tweets about that great commercial that you just missed because you were taking a potty break. I’d rather miss a Brandon Jacobs’ two-yard run than the best commercial of the Super Bowl.
5. Don’t waste your time with the halftime performance
These things are never really that great when you watch them on TV. Sure if you’re there on the field watching one of your favorite artists it’s probably the thrill of a lifetime, but more often than not the singer sounds horrible and the performance is too over the top. Madonna is this year’s performer so you shouldn’t be missing much. Unless you’re jam is on, use this time to go to the bathroom, grab some more food or drink and check your social networking websites.
As is the case with most football games, it’s not about the game itself; it’s about what surrounds the game. While this will be an entertaining game between two storied franchises, this is your last chance for a while to sit back and enjoy everything that makes football such a great sport. Make sure you enjoy it no matter what the outcome of the game is; if you’re still awake for the final snap.
You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/