Crackpipe

Irvin's story about patting down a friend (while pretending to be hugging him), taking the crackpipe from his friend, and putting it in his car to keep it away from his family is so absurd that it can't possibly be true, but he's so sincere about it I almost have to believe him.

Wags

Billy Wagner to the Mets for 4 years, $43 Million. That's just too much money for a 34 year-old closer with one pitch. I'm not sure he'll last two years as an effective closer, he certainly won't last four. While it would have been nice to see Wagner stay in Philly for two, maybe three years, it's just not worth spending this much money on him for four seasons. It's been nice to have him and he'll be missed, but a few years down the line, this should look like a good move.

Tom Gordon? I don't think he's the right closer for this team. I'd take him for setup though.

Mooch

Steve Mariucci fired as Lions head coach. I can't say I'm surprised. That team has too much talent to be this bad. But Mooch may have trouble finding a job next year - I don't see many openings coming this offseason. I wouldn't surprised to see Mike Martz out in St. Louis, Dom Capers is probably done in Houston, Norv Turner may be on the hot seat in Oakland, and Mike Mularkey might be in trouble, but it's only his second year on the job. Jim Haslett probably keeps his job due to the intangibles. So barring a surprise, there aren't many openings.

Fundamentals

Quintin Mikell just can't tackle. The issue here, of course, is the lack of depth across the board. So many players were let go this offseason, and most of the backups became starters. These guys were generally drafted well. But the backups to the backups, who are now the backups, are now progressively lower and lower picks, and so the ability just isn't there. Regardless the strength of the system, you can't plug in inferior players and expect it to still function at a high level. Hopefully the team has seen this and is willing to adjust. We've seen some evidence of change, as they resigned Westbrook. Given the turnover on the offensive line (and how awful it's been), hopefully they resign Runyan, and this opens a new era of retaining key players rather than trying to just replace them.

Head-Shot!

Is it really necessary for the umpire to stand there? And why isn't the umpire pick the most common over-the-middle play?

Why are Joe Buck and Troy Aikman in Philadelphia this afternoon? Are they not the number-one FOX crew? The game in Seattle is a much bigger game, and the top crew should be there.

Salary Cap

The easts (NL and AL) are out of control. BJ Ryan, after one good season as a closer (and one as a good setup man) getting $47 Million over 5 years from the Jays is absurd, but that's what it costs to compete against the Yankees and the Red Sox. And it's looking like the Mets and Phillies won't be far behind, and the costs to compete are just too much for the Marlins, who are looking to move and selling off their key players left and right. It's time to put a hard cap on salaries and bring some sanity to the game's finances. Yes, the sport is doing financially well right now, but salaries are spiraling upward as there's nothing to keep teams with the money from buying all the top players. Interestingly enough, it seems like most of the recent champions didn't pursue this strategy, but it's not good for the game.

Bait

MLB.com's story on the Thome trade reports that the first minor league pitcher is Giovanni Gonzalez and that the player to be named later is likely to be Daniel Haigwood. Gonzalez is a lefty who split time at single-A Kannapolis and single-A Winston-Salem. Overall 13-6 in 23 starts with 163 Ks and 47 BBs. 5-3, 1.87 at Kannapolis in 10 starts, 8-3, 3.56 in 13 starts at Winston-Salem. Haigwood is also a lefty, split time between Winston-Salem and double-A Birmingham. 8-2, 3.77, 84/33 at single-A in 15 starts, 6-1, 1.74, 76/31 at double-A in 11 starts.

Ya done good, Pat. Ya done real good.

Judgement

I just read through the entire grievance judgement. I'm rather surprised that the parking space thing never came out (Owens had been parking in handicapped spaces and spaces reserved for coaches). I'm also quite surprised that all of Reid's letters to Owens began "Dear Terrell" and not "Dear Mr. Owens", especially the ones in which suspensions were explained. Then again, maybe he doesn't deserve even a little respect.

Huh?

Maybe I just don't get basketball, but why would you foul somebody with 3.8 seconds left in the game when you're down by 10. What's the point? (For the record, I've just caught the end of Suns v. Rockets on ESPN)

Good Riddance

Goodbye Mr. Owens. I don't think anything more needs to be said.

Trades

Trade the First: Thome and $22 Million for Aaron Rowand and maybe a minor leaguer or two
I like this trade. Rowand had a very good 2004, came back to earth a little bit in 2005, but he's a solid player. With Lofton heading out via free agency, he's the everyday centerfielder and the two hitter, with Michaels going back to the bench. Frankly, I think the bench has been one of the team weaknesses over the last few years, and Michaels off the bench every day is a good start. Not to mention clearing the way for Howard to play everyday, which can't be a bad thing. And wait, what's this? There are minor leaguers coming into town, not leaving town? This may take some getting used to.

Trade the Second: Delgado to the Mets for Mike Jacobs and a minor league pitcher
Uh-oh. The Beckett trade made sense to me. For Beckett they got a top prospect and I think I saw somewhere that the pitcher they got was also a top prospect. Plus they got rid of a big contract (admitedly on a good player) in Mike Lowell. But what they're getting for Delgado just doesn't add up. I've seen the word fire sale bandied about over the last few days with regards to the Marlins, and this is the first trade that seems to indicate that this is the case. I also read somewhere that Lo Duca and Pierre are probably also on the block (and that they'd both be good fits in Philly) - Pierre is now not so useful, but I'd love to see Lo Duca in red. I just don't think it's going to happen though - I think what the Marlins will want is more than Lo Duca is worth. The Phillies need a catcher, but no need to break the bank to get one, I don't think.

Flying Fish

There's talk now of the Marlins leaving Florida as soon as their lease is up for Dolphins Stadium in 2007. Portland and Las Vegas are, of course, the two destinations that come to mind.

But I don't think Las Vegas can support a pro sports team. I think the tourist population has other things they'd rather do, but they'll try and fancy up the park and the team to attract tourists, so the locals won't go either.

He's up...and he's good

I like the Powerade 'weird sports' commercial. You know, the human field goals, the big wheels drag racing, and the competitive walking-on-hands-on-treadmills. But what I really want to see is big wheels racing on an ice rink. Those things get very little traction as it is. Don't tell me that wouldn't be fun to watch or do. Yes, they'd tear up the ice, but that's what the zamboni is for.

Jeff Carter

I feel like Crosby and Ovechkin are getting significantly more press as the'big rookies' than Jeff Carter is. Now, maybe this is a bit deserved, but I think OLN's coverage tonight mentioned Crosby and Ovechkin more than Carter, who was playing in the game. That's just not right.

MNF

What an ugly game. Two bad teams here. Which means that guys are running around and hitting like crazy, but nothing else is going on. Games like this are fun to watch.

It's gotten to the point where John and Al are talking about sauerkraut. Ugh, and I was just getting over being sick.

Good job by the officials letting that pick go (right at the end of the first half) and reviewing it - calling that down by contact and killing the return is just poor, especially in the last two minutes when it's not a challenge against either team.

How many?

The network talking heads this afternoon were giving the Eagles 0-3 wins for the rest of the season. Now, maybe I'm an optimist, but I think they beat the Packers, Cardinals, and Rams. They played both the Redskins and Giants close on the road, I think they'll beat at least one of them at home. And given how close the Seattle Choke-jobs came to losing to the Niners...

I know, it just won't happen. But 6-0 puts them on the edge of the playoffs, depending on who else collapses.

Who Dey?

Let the record show that, with the Eagles done for the season, this is a pro-Bengals blog for the rest of the season, barring a miracle at the Linc.

Red Sox trade

Whoa. Beckett and Lowell from the Marlins to the Red Sox for SS prospect Hanley Ramirez and a pitching prospect, possibly Anibal Sanchez. Nice trade for both teams. Makes moneyballer Kevin Youkliss trade bait (unless Lowell's going to get sent somewhere else - unlikely). I like either him or the other ex-Sox 3B Bill Mueller as David Bell's replacement.

Once a Cowboy, always a bum

Michael Irvin is annoying me more and more as a commentator. He has his guys he likes, and he gives them too much credit (like a certain Mr. Owens). Otherwise, he just parrots popular opinion and doesn't add anything. Maybe he'll mellow out and get a brain at some point in the future, but I doubt it.

Quarterbacks

One of the things that makes the NFL these days interesting is that there isn't quite enough talent to go around. This helps parity, as the talented players can follow the money, if they so desire, and it gets more and more expensive to maintain a solid stable of talented players. I assume the top three picks of the draft this year will be Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, and Vince Young. The question is, where are those quarterbacks going?

As I see it, there are ten teams that might look at getting a quarterback. For Arizona, I'd start to question whether Warner or McCown is the answer long term, but I'm not sure they need to make that decision right now. Cleveland is starting Trent Dilfer. Detroit is clearly tired of Harrington, but is Garcia the answer? Miami needs help. New Orleans may be getting weary of Aaron Brooks. The New York Jets probably have questions over Pennington's health. Oakland's starting quarterback is Kerry Collins, who's never been the world's greatest. St. Louis is starting Marc Bulger, who I've never liked. Tennessee has the iron man Steve McNair, but how much longer can he last? Washington's playing Brunell and has Ramsey on the bench - but Brunell can't have much left and Ramsey didn't cut it in the past. But only Miami really needs a quarterback. And remember, the Lions have two (Garcia and Harrington), both of whom will get a job elsewhere if they leave, and the Chargers need to do something with Phillip Rivers (or Drew Brees).

Cleveland, Oakland, St. Louis, and Washington took quarterbacks in the draft. Cleveland and Oakland spent third round picks, Washington a first, and St. Louis a seventh (on a guy from Harvard, so he just doesn't count). Apparently Cleveland's guy, Charlie Frye, played a little bit on Sunday, which irked Dilfer. Since I suspect Cleveland is going to be leery of using the first round pick on a QB (given the Couch disaster), they may try and find a backup (or keep Dilfer) and see if Frye's got anything next season.

Anyway, the worst team in the league is Houston. I've not really seen anything of David Carr, so I can't really say whether he's the answer or not, but that team is so bad that I don't see them taking a quarterback. Besides, Carr's taken a pounding over the last few years - I wouldn't subject another top pick to that - except maybe Vince Young. But they might go Reggie Bush, and I wouldn't blame them. The two-loss teams are the Saints, the Jets, the 49ers, the Packers, and Tennessee. Aaron Brooks signed a six-year contract before the 2002 season, so next year will be year five, and I think he's probably on the hot seat - I think they'll take a quarterback. I could see the Jets taking a quarterback in the middle rounds, just in case Pennington can't come back. But not a first round pick. With Alex Smith signed to a gajillion dollars, the Niners aren't going to sign another quarterback. The Pack still have Favre (more on this later) and they drafted Aaron Rodgers, so unless Rodgers can't play a lick, he'll get a shot when Brett hangs it up before anyone else comes in. Steve McNair has been around a while, and he's also taken a beating for Tennessee. Vince Young is another big, mobile quarterback, and quite possibly a good successor to McNair. This, however, leaves Miami without one of those top two quarterbacks.

I don't really follow college football, but here's what I know. Brady Quinn's stats have gotten better each year and still has one year left, but he's had such a good season he might also come out. Marcus Vick has looked good, and may end up being more successful than his older brother. Michael Robinson at Penn State is probably not a first round pick.

I think what Miami will do depends on who comes out, but I think by the end of the draft, Ricky Williams won't be a Dolphin and Miami will have one of the four college quarterbacks mentioned above. Along with Rivers and Harrington, there may be enough quarterbacks to go around for next year. And that's just not right.

With regards to Brett Favre, the Packers are, well, terrible. You'd think that the QB of the future, Aaron Rodgers, might see a little playing time to see what he's made of. That it's been all Brett, all the time, makes me think that this is the end. He's not going to want to spend his last games on the bench, so watch the next few games. If Aaron Rodgers doesn't get some mop-up duty if the Packers are, heaven forbid, blowing somebody out or, more likely, getting plastered, this is Favre's last stand.