Jeremy Lin: Ability Without Care

Photo Courtesy of the AP

Jeremy Lin mania has rocked the NBA like Ozzy Osbourne has shaken up the stage.
He is a marketable monolith both domestically and abroad and has rejuvenated a star-lusted league with unassuming dominance.
As great as his start has been, Lin is mistake prone like an AA member.
For every one-and-a-half flashy passes turned buckets and nearly each made field goal, Lin loses the ball.
Since snatching a starting role in the Knicks' backcourt Feb. 6, Lin has recorded just two games with fewer than four turnovers.
Overall, Lin has scored 246 points, collected 94 assists and produced 67 turnovers in 12 games.
The 20.5 points per game is fantastic. So is the nearly eight assists per tilt.
The 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio is bad for a point guard.
And his 5.6 flubs each time out is downright atrocious.
His play-making abilities have certainly helped the Knicks, which are 9-3 since Lin became a starter.
But the decision-making needs to ameliorate before the value of the player matches the attention he receives.

Moneyball: A Fact-Based Review

Reality is a matter of perception that can vary from individual to individual.

The movie “Moneyball” is a transcription of a new-age idea brought to life by the mind of Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane.

The story is compelling and romantic in the way the game of baseball is, with characters — most notably Beane himself, played by Brad Pitt — learning to accept themselves for who they are while overcoming past demons.

“Moneyball,” teaches — nay — preaches to “be true to thyself and thyself be true.”

The film showed there is anguish and uncertainty in defeat and confidence and triumph in victory.

Nonetheless, “Moneyball” is not without its flaws.

Some crack the very foundation upon which the flick sits.

“Moneyball” is a story about numbers. Numbers are facts. And facts, although sometimes misconstrued, tell the truth.

Ostensibly the Athletics were in a bind prior to the 2002 season because Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Ishringhausen walked for more money. That’s what the movie conveys anyway.

What the movie producers failed to reveal is that the Oakland organization had found, groomed and developed arguably the best front-end starters in baseball.

Barry Zito won the American League’s CY Young Award in 2002. Behind Zito stood Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson.

Miguel Tejada, whose name was only mentioned in passing throughout the film, won AL MVP.

Tejada and Eric Chavez, two players already in the Athletics system before Moneyball techniques were instilled, formed a formidable left side of the infield.

The film isn’t focused on the big picture, though.

Its end aim is to proscribe baseball’s traditions and praise sabermetrics (numbers).

Any other storyline, even if it was a major player behind Oakland’s 103 win season, was omitted from the script.  

Peter Brand (played by Jonah Hill) is brought on to “recreate” (as the movie puts it) the void left by the departure of Giambi and company.

Whom the team acquired, though, is not historically accurate.

In the movie, Jeremy Giambi is said to have been coming from the Yankees, swapping places with his brother.

Chad Bradford, another key 2002 off-season sign in “Moneyball,” is described as a nobody, coming from essentially nowhere.

There’s a scene where he personally thanks Beane for being given a chance to prove himself.

In reality, Giambi and Bradford had already been with the team.

Concerning Bradford, he pitched in 35 games for Oakland the season prior.  

Never mind Beane’s daughter in the movie was singing a Lenka song that released in 2008, when the film was set in 2002.

Other parts of "Moneyball" were just odd.

For some reason, the movie seemed to climax during the game between the Kansas City Royals in which Oakland blew an 11-run lead before winning it courtesy of a walk-off home run from Scott Hatteberg.

During this time, Beane thought back to his failure as a “sure thing” player, which flayed his peace of mind and challenged his resolve.

Sure, the A’s were trying to make history by winning for the 20^th consecutive time.

There’s drama in that.

Had Oakland lost, though, the course of the season would not have changed.  

The real climactic point in the movie seemed to be an afterthought.

The movie scarcely seemed to play up final game of the year, a loss to the Twins in Game 5 of the ALDS after holding a 2-0 series lead.

Oh well.

Overall, “Moneyball” entertained.

Despite its glimpses of magnificence, however, the movie, like the A’s teams under Beane, doesn’t win its last game. 

NBA All-Star Game: Hollywood Hoedown

The NBA All-Star starters were named Thursday and the Western Conference is almost entirely from Los Angeles.
Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum of the Lakers and Chris Paul and Blake Griffin of the Clippers will join Kevin Durant for the West in Orlando Feb. 26.
They will play opposite three-time All-Star and reigning league MVP Derrick Rose, game host and leading vote-getter Dwight Howard, the Heat's Dwyane Wade and LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
The league locked out to start the season has seen marquee players, including three All-Star Game starters (Paul, James and Anthony), move from small markets to big cities in the past year.
It's understandable the game's lesser exposed talents due to their location -- Kevin Love, for one -- would not be voted in to start.
Overall, though, the fans got this one right.
Reserves will be named next Thursday.

J.J. Barea: Good Acquisition, Frustrating Results

David Kahn showed some business sense when he went out and acquired insurance for incoming point guard Ricky Rubio.
An altogether new lifestyle and new language faced Rubio when he arrived in Minneapolis prior to the start of the season. To simultaneously help hasten and accommodate the proclaimed point guard of the future, Kahn acquired Spanish-speaking and Puerto Rican-born J.J. Barea.
The 6-foot veteran point guard is a high energy player who was considered to be an x-factor during Dallas' run to a title last season.
If Rubio struggled early, Barea would be a viable option for the Wolves, in addition to the returning Luke Ridnour, at the point.
The team chemistry move for Barea was brilliant on Kahn's part, especially since Rubio has been so fantastic -- he was named Rookie of the Month for January.
When it comes to Barea's own production, however, a lot is amiss.
In fact, the Wolves would quite possibly be better off without him.
Barea has been hampered by various leg injuries for much of the season.
The Wolves are 2-5 in the seven games he has played versus 8-7 in the 15 he has missed.
During his collegiate career at Northeastern, Barea shot anything and everything, en route to leading the country in shot percentage; he took more than 38 percent of his team's attempts.
Relegated to a backup role in the NBA, Barea hasn't had the opportunity to become a full-fledged black hole.
But it's still pretty bad.
Barea settles for a lot of 3s early in the shot clock and is notorious for driving wildly into the teeth of the defense. He often throws up prayers at the rim hoping Newton's laws of motion or the referees and their whistles will bail him out.
Most of the time, they don't.
Overall, he is shooting below 38 percent on the year, yet it is he who leads the team in shots per minute played, at a touch under .5.
Not even the proclaimed ball-hog and inconsistent Michael Beasley shoots at that rate (.454).
There's the defensive woes, too.
Barea has a negative plus/minus when out on the floor because of his small stature, this coming from a guy who has played for good teams throughout his career.
Beside, Minnesota has a lot of depth.
Coach Rick Adelman is admittedly tasked with finding playing time for all of his contributors.
One solution would be to let Barea ride the bench and simply be a cultural mentor to Rubio.

Wisconsin Hockey's Biggest Fan

Montee Ball Ties, Doesn't Top Barry Sanders' Historical Season

Historic season

Touchdown record did not fall

Good news for football

(A Haggy Haiku)

         ======================================================

As much fun it is to see records from seasons and generations past fall, it was extremely gratifying to see that Montee Ball did not overtake Barry Sanders in the history books. 

Oregon limited the Wisconsin running back and Heisman Trophy finalist to one touchdown in its 45-38 Rose Bowl victory Jan. 2. 

Just one more score and Ball would have set the single-season touchdown record, passing Barry Sanders. 

Instead, Ball and Sanders will share the distinction and total (39).

Similar to Roger Maris' home run feat in 1961 to best the Sultan of Swat Babe Ruth's mark of 60 in one season, another score and Ball would have edged Sanders while playing in more games. 

Ruth's 60 dinger effort in 1927 was over a 154 game season. Maris' 61 came during a 162 game schedule.   

Sanders scored 39 touchdowns in 11 games (the five he scored in the 1988 Holiday Bowl were not counted). Ball needed 14. 

Not to take anything away from Ball, Sanders simply put together a better season (and more touchdowns if you include the bowl game). 

As such, it would have been unfair to recognize the Wisconsin back as the single-season touchdown king. 

Matt Millen Broadcasts Fiesta Bowl

Worse than the BCS, which needs to go, failed Detroit Lions executive now ESPN analyst Matt Millen got the nod for Monday night's Fiesta Bowl between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Stanford Cardinal.
The marquee matchup between the No. 3 and 4 team in the country, one which features incredible talent on both sidelines, was underscored by the presence of Millen in the broadcast booth.
Football knowledge he has. But like his days in the corner office of the Lions organization, Millen makes mistakes and personalizes the game in front of him too much to warrant such a billing.
Thank goodness the game lived up to the hype.

Aaron Rodgers v. The Green Bay Packers

Matt Flynn set records for the Green Bay Packer passing attack in his second career start that Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre never achieved.
Rodgers' backup from LSU threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns, including the game-winning strike to Jermichael Finley with 70 seconds remaining to lead Green Bay over Detroit 45-41.
The game meant more to Detroit, who was trying to win for the first time at Lambeau Field since 1991 and avoid having to travel to the Superdome for a first round matchup with the red hot Saints.
Instead Flynn, taking advantage of a rare opportunity to start while Rodgers rested for the postseason, upstaged Matthew Stafford, who amassed 520 yards passing to eclipse 5,000 for the year and five scores of his own.
Flynn, in Rodgers fashion, found Jordy Nelson for three touchdowns of 7, 36 and 58 yards. He hit running back Ryan Grant for an 80-yard score and connected with Donald Driver from 35 yards out in a back-and-forth fourth quarter before finding Finley with the game-winner.
The win did not change Green Bay's postseason outlook; the Packers had already clinched home-field advantage.
It did open up an interesting question about the value of Mr. Rodgers.
With Peyton Manning in 2010 the Indianapolis Colts went 10-6. Without this year: 2-14.
The Packers, on the other hand, won with Flynn against a Lions team with everything to play for.
Rodgers was unstoppable for 13 consecutive weeks. When Greg Jennings went down with a knee injury, he lost to Kansas City.
Now this.
There's no question the defending Super Bowl champ is an elite signal caller. But like the chicken or the egg question, is it the system and personnel of Green Bay that makes Rodgers so good or the other way around? (Or maybe simply the Detroit Lions defense is just that bad.)
Let the debate begin.

Health Escapes Unfaithful

First it was Tiger Woods, now Kobe Bryant.
Woods was an unstoppable force until the media and his wife caught wind of his extra-marital affairs.
Soon after the top blew off on his secrets, injuries and inconsistency beset him.
Now it's Bryant's turn.
In the days following his wife Vanessa's move toward divorce because of unfaithfulness, Bryant plays in Los Angeles' final preseason game and tears ligaments in his wrist.
What's next? Is it to be two years before Bryant shows any sign of recovering?

War Horse: All Quiet on the Western Front Parody

Take the brutality, loss of innocence and violence that took place in the trenches of World War I. Now throw a horse in the middle of it all that runs around and winks at the camera every chance it can and you get War Horse. Watch a show on Hulu to see the 25 second trailer. It's better than the official trailers when it comes to seemingly making a mockery of one of the deadliest wars.
The trailer honestly looks like a parody sketch you'd see on SNL or Family Guy. I mean, come on, it's a horse.
Let me know if I'm wrong.

Stern Rule

Leviathan rule
Small in stature, big with fists
Negates Chris Paul trade

(A Haggy Haiku)

Angels Need Not Apply, Albert Pujols Signs

If today was 1994, young Roger Bomman would not need the service of angels to propel Anaheim's baseball team into pennant contention. Albert Pujols is all the help the currently dubbed Los Angeles Angels require to suddenly be one of the most feared teams in the American League.

Speed and solid defense surround the three-time MVP's bat, who defected from the St. Louis Cardinals and National League for a bigger market and more dollars (10 years and reportedly $254 million). 

Devastating starting pitching talent to boot, cemented by the acquisition of free agent C.J. Wilson, and the Angels should be considered an elite team from the get-go. They were only games away from winning the AL Wild Card.
"Angels in the Outfield" is a feel-good story about a foster boy finding a team and a family to believe in. 

The signing of Pujols is anything but; he abandoned his baseball family of 12 years (since being selected by St. Louis in the 13th round of the 1999 draft) in favor of more green. 

No matter, Pujols remains a model of class on-and-off the field and will give those angels from up above a chance to do what they do best: watch from afar.   

Get to a Better State, Aaron Rodgers Has

Aaron Rodgers is in a better state...
Coming off a stellar 2010 campaign and championship, Rodgers has improved to practically invincible status this go-round, in leading the Packers to a 12-0 start.
Packers included, Wisconsin's sports teams are better than Minnesota's
And Rodgers is a spokesman for State Farm Insurance.
The commercial is pretty great, (unfortunately) just like Rodgers.

Revenge is Bittersweet

The last time Pete Carroll faced Vince Young, the Longhorn burned him for 200 yards and the game-winning score on a fourth down with 19 seconds left in the national championship game.

The heartbreaking 41-38 loss ended a 34 game winning streak for Carroll and would be only the second of his quarterback Matt Leinart's college career. 

It also happened to be the first Rose Bowl loss for the Trojans since 1989. 

Nearly six years removed from that shocking and aggravating defeat, both Young and Carroll were in very different places. 

Young fell out of favor in Tennessee, the team that drafted him following the Rose Bowl triumph, and accepted a backup role in Philadelphia this season. 

Carroll fled USC to coach the Seattle Seahawks last year, amid a recruiting scandal involving Reggie Bush and others.  

Thursday night, their paths crossed and Carroll had another shot to outfox Young, who was starting for the Philadelphia Eagles in place of an injured Michael Vick. 

Carroll's Seahawks forced four Young interceptions and won convincingly, 31-14. 

No doubt winning at the NFL level feels good, especially against a player who single-handedly ended a magical season, but the stakes were much lower and less memorable. 

Young still has the upper-hand in this one.

New Orleans Saints: Big Easy Schedule

On paper, the New Orleans had the 13th-toughest schedule in the league entering the 2011 season.

Quite the contrast from the past two campaigns, including their Super Bowl run, when the schedulers pitted Drew Brees' team against some of the softest teams in the league. 

A closer look shows New Orleans was again blessed by got off easy by the schedule makers once more. 

Outside of divisional games the Saints play 10 times, evenly divided between home and away.

Their road games include Green Bay, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Tennessee and Minnesota. 

Meanwhile at home the Saints got Houston, Indianapolis, Detroit, Chicago and New York (Giants). 

Opponents faced on the road this year combined to go 37-43 last year, while the home ones went 43-37. 

Take away the Peyton Manning-less Colts from the home schedule and the undefeated Packers from the road, and the talent disparity is absurd; 14-33 versus 29-18.
I guess that's why they call New Orleans the Big Easy.