Mentos and Diet Coke, "FU, FSC"

First, since we've posted only URLs for a few days now, I want to post the Mentos/Diet Coke video I loaded onto YouTube. I was swept up in the craze. The video, though, is totally worth it. Seriously.

Secondly, I wanted to post a little Open Letter hate mail to the Fox Soccer Channel:

"Dear FSC,

Thanks for screwing up my weekend. OK, fine, you didn't show the Manchester United - Chelsea match live at 11 a.m. like you promised Saturday. I was pretty pissed off that I skipped a post-church family function to watch the game, but when I realized that you were replaying the game at 11 p.m., I got over my initial anger. I avoided the Internet all day, but it was a small price to pay for England's premier soccer match. You've been a great channel and a reasonable substitute for a friend.

I'll admit I was pretty livid at 11 p.m. though, when, instead of starting the game broadcast with the lineups and whatnot, you instead started the broadcast with highlights from the very game I was preparing to watch. Bastards. You spoiled the surprise of ManU's 37th-minute goal before I was able to run out of the room. Ugh. OK, though. Whatever. I waited in that other room for two minutes so you couldn't spoil the rest. Two years of reasonable soccer coverage can overcome two stupid programming errors in the same day.

But, when I came back at 11:03 p.m., and you weren't showing the ManU-Chelsea match as both your Web site and my cable box promised, but instead you were showing the Fox Weekend Recap, that was it. You are bastard guys. Not only did I miss the game, but I missed the highlights. You wrecked my Saturday — three times. I shall now proceed to actively hate you.

For, like, well, until at least this afternoon, when you're supposed to show the Chelsea-Bolton match.

Asses,
Chris

The Glory Years of SU Basketball Continue

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/tracker/espn150

SU - Holy Cross highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVcLPhxyYIo

Danke, Dubbers.

Bilas on mid-majors

If you're going to argue that a team like Gonzaga is not a mid-major, you have to define the term first.

Here's Jay Bilas:
By the way, I am not particularly interested in the idea that Gonzaga is no longer a mid-major because Mark Few wins so much. Mid-major status has nothing to do with winning. If it did, several schools in the Big East, Big Ten, ACC and Pac-10 would be reclassified. Mid-major status has to do with resources, not wins and losses. Gonzaga is a mid-major.

Exactly. Thanks Jay, the voice of reason as usual.

Cricket

I don't know anything about Cricket, but something tells me that England's loss to Australia by 277 runs was a blowout.


The two countries are playing in the 124-year-old "Ashes" series, a one-on-one battle. It's a big deal. Like the Ohio State-Michigan of cricket.

SU v. Canisius

8-1: Assists-to-Turnover ratio for Josh Wright against Canisius yesterday. Good job by Fyall noting Josh's success here right from the start. Nice to have a true PG.

How about Gorman getting the start? Classic Boeheim. He'd never put Harris in Watkins' slot and go small. Jim always keeps things regular as far as the starting lineup goes. Why do think Craig Forth started every game of his career?

Not too worried about the tough game against Canisius. Their basketball program has been on the rise the past couple years. A 10-point win on the road is good. Survive and advance applies to the regular season too.

Harris on Nichols

"He's the best player on the team and he's got to act like it... He's got to take over when it's time out there. He's got to shoot the ball. He's a great shooter -- just shoot."

Paul Harris talking about Demitris Nichols, who led the Orange with 21 points in their win over Charlotte last night.

Nichols has occaisionally given tantalizing hints at something more. It'd be interesting if Harris can get it out of him. VERY interesting.

Alou to the Mets

I'm a big Alou fan, and 5 years ago I'd be quite enthusiastic about the Mets acquiring Moises, which they did today. But the guy is going to be 41-years-old when the season starts next year. That's a little ridiculous. Still, I actually believe he's an upgrade to Cliff Floyd, even at this age. He could still hit this year, so why can't he be a rich man's Julio Franco for another couple years?

The numbers from last year pretty much tell the story:

Alou: 98 games, 345AB, .301, 22HR, 74RBI, 31K
Floyd: 97 games, 332AB, .244, 11HR, 44RBI, 58K

They're both injury prone. They've both had a career year for power recently (Floyd 34HR, 98RBI in 2005) (Alou 39HR, 106RBI in 2004).

Alou has had a better career, and is actually less injury-prone than Floyd. His HR-to-strikeout ratio is consistently towards the top of the majors, something I love to see.

I've always felt that Alou was a little underappreciated. His great year was, unfortunately, the strike-shortened 1994 season. He had 22 HRs and was hitting .339 through 107 games for a Montreal team that looked headed to the World Series. That would have been his career-defining moment.

Here's hoping he hits his age in HRs over 162 games.

Paul's Dunk

Paul Harris's dunk last Wednesday. Thanks to cousin Mark for sending me the link. Now I know what he looks like.

Ohio State - Michigan

At the end of the game, the guys in the booth were all saying that these were the two best teams in college football. Without having seen anyone else play this year, I believe them for Ohio State, but I'm not convinced about Michigan.

Jim Tressel's greatness was on showcase tonight. First of all, you've got the rehabilitated Troy Smith, who went from early off-field issues to probable Heisman winner. I think that makes up for any of Tressel's mistakes made with Maurice Clarret. Let's face it; Clarret has proven to be a bit more of a headcase than one coach deserves the blame for.

Tressel's offensive gameplan was sensational. Michigan could not cover the Ohio State receivers. They could bring pressure, but not fast enough, except for the one Troy Smith interception. The best drive was the one to end the first half, when they didn't even bother to have a back in the backfield the entire drive, and Michigan could not stop them.

There were two reasons that the game was close. The first was it had to be. It was destiny. Ohio State is better at every single position except one (see below) and more depth of talent everywhere on the field. Didn't matter. This game was going to be close, at least by the scoreboard.

The other reason was Mikey Hart. He had to perform to keep Michigan in the game. Both teams knew that. And he did. The boy looked fabulous. I'm really starting to believe he can make it in the NFL. He's not like Barry Sanders. He's not a juker. He's not super fast either. But he's got amazing acceleration, even better agility, even better vision, and even better leg strength. He hit holes and shook tackles against a team that might be able to beat a couple NFL teams. I was thrilled for the kid.

This game wasn't an all-time classic. But it was a fantastic football game. Even the officials were superb. I've never seen replay handled so quickly! Why can't the NFL do it like that? Some bad tackling, particularly by Michigan. But some great defensive plays mixed with many more great offensive plays. Very entertaining, and more than I could have hoped for from the only football game I'll probably watch in England this year.

Ripple Felt Across the Pond

Apparently there's a big football game tomorrow? I've heard something about that...

I will be watching, courtesy the North American Sports Network at the Gaiton family residence. This is almost a "George Costanza watching Breakfast at Tiffany's with that random family" situation, exept that I do know the son, Michael Gaiton, through Young Life here. Never met the parents. Unlike George, I will be bringing some token of my appreciation. Maybe some chocolate-peanut butter "buckeyes" or some roasted wolverine meat.

Normally, I'm an Ohio State sympathizer. They've been my Big 10 team ever since their hapless John Cooper days. Plus I've always hated Michigan for some reason (I'm not sure if I hate Michigan because I hate their fight song, or I hate their fight song because I hate Michigan, but I've felt strongly about both for as long as I was a college sports fan.)

But Onondaga grad Mike Hart holds a special place in my hart. A few of you remember his unbelievable run in the dome when I was calling the state semifinal for i2sports.com. "And they'll give it to Hart. Hart tries to run outside...breaks one tackle. Still on his feet! He's still on his feet! OH MY GOD! Hart is going into the endzone! That's the most amazing run I've ever seen!" Or something like that, when he broke about 20 tackles (yes, many players had multiple shots at him) and ran almost 70 yards, not including his cut back all the way across the field. Anyway, I can't NOT root for Mike Hart. But it kills me to pull for Michigan. So we'll see.

This is going to be one for the ages, isn't it? I can feel it, even in England. Frankly, there is NO doubt in my mind that I'm more excited for this game than I will be for the national title. It's completely illogical, but thaaaaaat's sports!

SU v. Northeastern

For anyone who has watched a lot of SU games over the past few years, the first 7 minutes of the Northeastern game was nothing new. SU has found itself in early deficits so often against good teams and bad. It's a troubling aspect of Boeheim's teams. But at least it's mainly an early-season phenomenon. Also, this kind of thing happens almost every night in college basketball to good teams, who, like the Orange, usually rally back. I think partly it's my own closeness to the Orange team that gives me a skewed perspective on how big a problem it really is.

Meanwhile, Paul Harris has two double-doubles in four games. That's as good as I hoped, and better than I expected.

Here's a prediction: Demitris Nichols has a late-January shooting slump that brings Paul Harris into the starting lineup. You heard it here, first. I'll even give you a date: January 21 in Madison Square Garden against St. John's will be Paul Harris's first start.

Beginnings

The start of the college basketball season hasn't hit me yet, here across the pond. I'm still catching up with the first couple SU results. I'm planning on listening to the Northeastern game online on Wednesday. That will definitely help make the season seem like a reality.

So far so good for the Orange. Penn and UTEP have been solid mid-major programs recently, so don't fall into the typical SU-fan trap of brushing off the small names. Either or both of those teams could be in the tournament.

Great balance from the Orange. I think that balance is more useful these days with the lack of superstars in the college game. It's no longer true that the best individual in the tournament will carry his team to victory. A team with a nice balance in talent like the Orange have this year could go far. Gerry's departure will help us in that way.

Meanwhile, the glory years roll on with the news that Boeheim's recruiting class for 2007 is rated 2nd in the nation by a couple top recruiting websites. The team ahead of the Orange...Kansas State. The over/under for number of Bobby Huggins' recruits from that class NEVER suiting up for him is 1.5.

The name to remember: Johnny Flynn, Paul Harris's guard from Niagara Falls.

Orange Boxscore Recap #2 - Whooping Patsies

Solid victory to start the season, and a wonderful boxscore to pick highlights from...

Game One: Syracuse beats St. Francis, 83-51.
1. Watkins: 25 min. 11 points, 5 boards, 5 blocks, 5 steals. 3 fouls.
2. Josh Wright: 30 min. 11 points, 9 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers.
3. Demetris Nichols: 21 min. 7-10 FG, 15 points, 0 assists, 0-0 FT.
4. Paul Harris: 22 min. 10 points, 11 boards, 4 fouls, 4 turnovers.
5. Team: 19 assists, 17 steals, 13 blocks, 17 turnovers.

An unbelievable box from Watkins. 5 rebounds is a little low, but only 3 fouls is the most encouraging number of the entire box. Watkins is a force. Wright continuing to look very solid. I think we'd take that game every day from Nichols. Offensively, all he did was shoot and score. We shouldn't be running the offense through him at all. I'd love to see Harris play; his stats are pretty insane for a true freshman. There are still some strong negative stats in Harris's box, but they might wash out by February. All in all, Syracuse was very active. Assists, steals and blocks, oh my!

Seattle Supersonics

Because of a vote yesterday that blocked the city from helping to build a new basketball stadium, the Sonics are leaving Seattle, the mayor and the new owners basically said today.

Good riddance.

The ballot measure didn't explicitly block new construction, but as I understand it, it held that the city could contribute to a stadium only if its contributions were returned in full as part of the stadium revenue sharing arrangement. That's a huge "only."

But a necessary one.

Seattle, a city which has always supported the Sonics, a city which has filled 90 percent of the seats even though the team missed the playoffs a few years in a row and even though most NBA cities don't come close, a city which is the 15th largest market in the country, somehow needed to tell the NBA to go, umm, screw itself.

This ballot measure did that.

Despite Seattle's strong embrace of NBA basketball — it rebuilt a stadium for the team less than 15 years ago — the NBA has been rattling its sabers so loudly that the city is fed up. Me too. I don't live in Seattle so I was unable to vote for the giant 600,000 person middle-finger, but I would have gladly helped flip the bird.

When the city rebuilt Key Arena, it negotiated a lease agreement that gave a chunk of stadium revenues to the Sonics franchise, but which also reserved a sizable revenue stream for the city.

Unfortunately, consecutive Sonics ownership groups have complained that the lease doesn't work for the Sonics. Last spring, NBA commissioner David Stern even called the lease the worst in the NBA. I believe Stern. But, while it might be the worst lease, that does not make it a bad one.

Look at the finances. Since Starbucks' Howard Schultz (and a group of 50 others) purchased the team roughly five years ago, they said they have lost $60M. They blamed the lease.

OK. That's what Schultz says. I hear him. Unfortunately for Schultz's credibility, I also hear him when he admits that he sold the team for $150 million more than he bought it for — $350M this summer from $200M in 2001. Umm.

How does that work, Mr. Schultz?

What sort of lunatic purchases a negative $12M annual cash flow? And, what colossal idiot pays nearly double the price paid only five years earlier? Nobody. No lunatic does that. Regrettably, I am forced into the sort of radical disbelief that I never respect in others. I am forced to conclude, very simply, that Schultz must be lying.

The new ownership group, led by Clay Bennett, took over this summer. Their rhetoric isn't that a new lease must be signed, but that a new building must be built. With a new building, Bennett says, the team will stay.

Unlike most of Seattle, I believe Bennett when he says that he wants to stay in Seattle. I believe him. He purchased the Sonics, I think, with the hope that Seattle would be so afraid of losing the Sonics it would give him a sweetheart deal and he would get to stay in a sweetheart city. Again, the 15th largest market in the country. Oklahoma City, by the way, is 46th, less than a third the size of Seattle.

Bennett hoped Schultz had scared Seattle straight. Sorry, buddy. Schultz scared Seattle furious.

I'm a huge NBA fan. I loved first the Portland Blazers and Clyde Drexler. I grew up in Portland. I have 50 Drexler cards minimum. I loved second, and much more deeply, the Seattle Supersonics. Detlef. George Karl. Vinny Askew! Mac 10. Gary. The Reign Man. Without those guys, I would never be a sports fan. But, I'm fed up.

Seattle deserves to be treated better. That the NBA continues to threaten us makes me furious.

Threaten Atlanta, where nobody attends games. Or New Orleans, where nobody came. Threaten even Portland, which now plays to a third-quarters full stadium on a good day. I don't care. But, to threaten Seattle's loyal fans for a better stadium lease even while the team's financial health flourishes is an abomination.

Ugh.

I need to stop. I'm furious.

You want to allow the franchise to go, David Stern? Fine. At least I can be happy knowing that we refused you publicly before you refused us.

More fun with drugs

Bill Simmons puts the NBA's case for getting in steroid trouble forward...

"I'm just throwing it out there: Out of all the major sports, wouldn't HGH and steroids help basketball players the most? They improve strength and conditioning, help your body recover from injuries (an invaluable edge during an 82-game season), improve your eyesight, give you more of an angry edge ... I mean, what's the downside for a mediocre center or power forward here? You know, other than a bulky forehead, an extra chin, shrunken testicles and possible organ damage? For instance, let's say you're Kurt Thomas right now. You're in a contract year, you're going to be banging bodies in the West all season ... wouldn't an HGH cycle from February to June get you twice as much money in July?"

It's interesting. I have a bias against NBA players as being the least likely of the major sports' athletes to care what goes into their bodies. That's probably ridiculous. I think Simmons is onto something.


P.S. Thanks to Chris for holding down the sauna while I entertained a few gentlemen here in London.

Orange Boxscore Recap #1 - Exhibition Season

So it is pre-season, and hardly worth anything at all, but let me include a few stunning statistics from Syracuse University's basketball exhibition games. I believe the regular season starts this week.

I'm going to pick the five most interesting lines from each game. Perhaps I'll make it a schtick that I'll continue through the season.

Game One: Syracuse over Bryant, 92-86.
1. Matt Gorman: 16 minutes played. 9 blocks. 5 fouls.
2. Eric Devendorf: 25 minutes. 30 points. 6-9 three pointers. 5 fouls.
3. Team. 25-40 free throws. 17 assists, 15 steals. 24 turnovers.
4. Terrance Roberts: 27 minutes. 16 points. 14 rebounds. 4-10 freethrows. 7 turnovers.
5. Demetris Nichols: 31 minutes. 21 points. 1-8 three pointers.

Never good to have two guys foul out in an exhibition game. 24 turnovers is ridiculous. 15 missed free throws is worse. Nichols must hit threes, or we're in trouble. Devendorf did hit from outside, which is also important. Strong double-double from Roberts, but 4-1o and 7 mean he was still getting yelled at in the locker room. Nine blocks from Gorman?!

Game Two: Syracuse over Cal-State Los Angeles, 99-51.
1. Darryl Watkins: 26 minutes. 11 points. 11 boards. 5 blocks. 2 fouls.
2. Paul Harris: 25 minutes. 13 rebounds. 8 points. 5 assists. 4 turnovers.
3. Mike Jones. 18 minutes. 14 points. 2-3 three pointers. 3 turnovers.
4. Andy Rautins. 14 minutes. 13 points. 3-5 three pointers.
5. Eric Devendorf: 21 minutes. 2-11 shooting. 5 points. 5 assists. 1 block. 1 steal.

Watkins with the only rock-solid box score of the preseason. No blemishes there. Rautins looking good, too. Harris and Jones with encouraging efforts, but turnover problem is troubling, especially considering the Game One debacle. Devendorf's shooting percentage quite disconcerting, but he made a strong effort elsewhere in the box. One has to like that.

Overall, two interesting box scores. The storyline this season is pretty obvious to anybody who has been following the team recently: Watkins, Roberts and Nichols must perform. Josh Wright didn't make either Top 5, but he turned in 15 assists versus 3 turnovers in the two games. That is excellent. Keep it up, Utica.

Merriman Update

Today, San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman decided to drop his steroids appeal and begin serving his 4 game suspension. OK, he says, I'm guilty. OK, he in essence admits, I took steroids.

Also today, Guillermo Mota, a free agent reliever (most recently of the New York Mets), tested positive for banned substances and MLB announced he'll serve a 50-game suspension at the beginning of the 2007 season.

So, OK, let's play our game. Let's see what sort of outrage NFL fans express. Who gets more play on ESPN.com at 4:44 p.m. the day of both announcements?

Mota. Obviously.

Let's recap: It's a bigger story when a journeyman relief pitcher who most recently blew two saves in the playoffs tests positive than when a defensive rookie of the year Pro Bowler admits guilt. Mhmm. Geez, the NFL has got it good.

Selena Roberts, NYTimes, covers that angle today. (Requires TimesSelect).

Daisuke Matsuzaka

By now, we've all probably heard of Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Japanese starting pitcher, he of the 95 MPH fastball, he with the W.B.C. MVP award, he with the "I'm excellent and still only 25-years-old" story-line. Matsuzaka is supposed to be good. I want him in Mariner blue. Or, as we sometimes say, I want him grooving to the SoDo mojo. Holla.

This could be fun parlour game: What will Matsuzaka's posting fee be? Newsday reported today that the bidding will start at $20M. I think the winning bid will be $28.5M.

Here's an interesting scenario that Buster Olney highlighted today on ESPN Insider:

The posting system is deeply flawed. For example, here's one sabotage scenario that might interest a team like Baltimore, which is faced with the possibility that Matsuzaka will land with either of the big market monsters in its division, the Yankees or the Red Sox. The Orioles could post a huge bid -- say $50 million -- and blow everybody else out of the water. With exclusive negotiating rights, they then could offer Matsuzaka a take-it-or-leave-it minimum bid, like a six-year, $6 million deal. Matsuzaka and agent Scott Boras, with just 30 days to negotiate and with no ability to generate a competing bid from another major league team, would have the stark choice of taking the Orioles' lowball offer or remaining in Japan. If Matsuzaka came to the U.S. under those circumstances -- and that would seem very unlikely -- the Orioles would have a frontline pitcher for much less than the total package of $80 million that everybody expects it will cost to get Matsuzaka. And if he were to stay in Japan after such a lowball offer, the Orioles would get their posting fee back and would still serve their own purposes, as well, by keeping him out of the hands of the Red Sox and Yankees.

Crazy.