THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

There was a thing called the “Curse of the Bambino”. The Red Sox traded the Babe for cash in order to fund a play out of all things. Because of this the Red Sox didn’t win a world series since 1918 and the Yankees have won 26. BUT in this decade the tides have turned. Since the reverse of the curse the Sox have had the Yanks’ number. They have won two World Series and there continues to be ten year old Yankee fans that haven’t seen a title.

The 2009 season was a little more of the same. The Red Sox won the first 8 meetings of the season, rudely welcoming the Yankees into their new ball park. Since the all-star break however the Bombers are on a roll and clearing the way for an October run. The Red Sox have been more like the Dead Sox the second have of the year relinquishing their division lead to the pinstripes.

This weekend was the killer blow. The Yankees walked off with a sweep in a four game series with the Sox giving themselves a comfortable lead in the division. They have the Sox reeling now losing 6 straight games leaving them tied with the Texas Rangers for the AL Wild Card. With that said the Sox will still be relevant come playoff time as always. And as we have seen in recent years, once you’re in…anything can happen.

Don’t look now but the Dodgers have fallen and the Yanks now hold the league’s best record. This series with the Sox says a lot about this team, they overcame stellar pitching performances from Boston and came out on top. This team is built to win in the postseason with a high-octane offense, a great 1-2-3 punch on the mound and a solid bullpen. They may be the team to beat in the American League come October baseball. But let’s not crown them just yet, there is a lot of baseball to be played until we can go ring fitting for number 27.

Crabby Crabtree

Yesterday, Michael Crabtree’s advisor, and cousin, David Wells, told the press that Crabtree would be willing to sit out the 2009 NFL season and re-enter the draft in 2010 if the 49ers don’t offer him the contract he “deserves”. Wells furthered his argument by saying that Crabtree should be paid like a top 5 pick, since he is top 5 talent, and should make at least what Raiders rookie wide-out Darrius Heyward-Bey is making ($38.25M/5YR). Here are 6 reasons that Crabtree is in the wrong on this one.



1. Crabtree is coming off two of the best college football seasons for a WR that the nation may have ever seen. However, he’s also coming of a hairline fracture in his foot, meaning that the 49ers took a bit of a risk on him, and therefore should not have to pay him as much.

2. His 40-yard dash time is not nearly the same as the lighting quick Heyward-Bey’s. While that does not make Bey a better receiver, speed is a crucial part of NFL evaluations. Crabtree’s speed has always worried some scouts.

3. Wells states that Crabtree is top 5 talent, except that he’s not; because if he was, he would have been taken in the top 5 overall. Crabtree fell to number ten in the draft and therefore should be paid like so.

4. If Crabtree sits out this season, he can do all the weight training he wants, he will never be in the football shape he is now, and that will cost him a more fruitful career perhaps.

5. As a finance minor, I’ve learned the time value of money. Money now, if invested right, could mean even more money later for Crabtree.

6. His agent is named David Wells. Sure, I know it’s his cousin, but the guy shares a name with the drunk pitcher for the Yankees in the late 1990’s. Coincidence?

Sure some of these reasons are better than others, but the main point is that Crabtree needs to sign and get in camp. This is not just to benefit the Niners, but to benefit his career as well. He has to potential to be one of the most electrifying receivers in the game right out of the gate; it would be such a waste to see him sitting in the stands instead.

GIANT MONEY

For the longest time I have considered that Eli Manning is the most overrated quarterback in the NFL and now, as of yesterday he is now the most overpaid. Yes, it is true that he had won a Super Bowl but does that justify the $97.5 million extension that he received on Wednesday. That makes him the third highest player in the NFL and second highest quarterback behind Carson Palmer.

Let's try to rationalize this for a second. I am going to attempt in the next 7 seconds to name all of the quarterbacks that i would want over Eli Manning...Ready, Set, Go! Brady, Peyton Manning, Cutler, McNabb, Roethlisberger, Ryan, Hasselback, Brees, Rivers, DONE! Okay, there may be other QBs that i would still take over him that I couldnt think of in the time but that would at most make him the tenth best quarterback in the league. He is getting paid as the 2nd.

I am not trying to diminish the Giants Super Bowl by the following remarks because their victory was one of the greatest BUT Eli was not the reason they won it. Let's look at it the end of that Super Bowl. Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel drops a gimme interception which would have ended the game. Then the Pats missed another opportunity later in the drive. Kudos to Eli for escaping the pocket but "The Catch" by David Tyree was all Tyree and very little Eli. Eli threw it up blindly into double coverage and if it wasnt for the adhesivness of Tyree's helmet, the Pats go undefeated.

My tirade maybe mean and coming out of bias as an Eagles fan but there is no reason that Eli deserves or needs a million dollars more than his brother Peyton. He hasnt been known to show up in the clutch (reference last years second round exit to the Eagles). I will admit that I dont think McNabb deserved his contract either this offseason. In this economic do we really need to throw around all of this cash. Just read Michael's post from yesterday...

So for now, congratulations Eli on the new deal. Now its time to play to the level of the contract.

It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times...

Last year on September 29, 2008, the White Sox beat the Tigers in Chicago, by a score of 8-2, in the only MLB game played that day. Why bring up this game? Because it occurred on the same day that the DOW fell 777 points, and perhaps changed baseball for the foreseeable future.

This September day kicked off the recession that our nation, and the world, has fallen into. It can be seen on the news daily, in unemployment rates, and in the political realm. However, it can be seen in sports as well, in particularly baseball. Sure, free agents didn’t get the millions they thought they could this past off-season, as front offices became penny-pinchers, but I’m talking about something bigger: the growing discrepancy between teams in baseball based on payroll.

ESPN’s Buster Olney mentioned yesterday in his blog that out of the top 8 teams based on payroll, 7 of them would make the playoffs as off today (sorry Mets). This is a far cry from a few years ago, when small market clubs like the Marlins won the Series, and the A’s and Twins made the playoffs in consecutive years. All the current divisional leaders (again, aside from the Mets) respectively lead their division in payroll, while 4 of the 6 cellar teams (aside from the Nationals and the Royals) are respectively last in payroll for their division.

There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, is the outrageous contracts for drafted players. Currently, first overall pick Stephen Strasburg is looking for a contract of $50M/5yrs. The entire Nationals payroll this season is $61M! Stephen will walk in a few weeks and re-enter the 2010 draft, only to have the same saga next season. So while losing teams do still get first-crack at young talent, they are becoming less and less able to sign their prospects.

Secondly, small market teams have been hit hardest with attendance this season. According to Forbes, eight of last season’s top ten in income are in this season’s top ten in payroll. This discrepancy should expand, as these top teams will continue to make more due to TV contracts, bigger named players, and playoff appearances, while small market teams, who can’t put a competitive team on the field, should see income go down, leading to a bad cycle of lack of talent and money.

There are probably a few other factors that are perpetuating this divide as well, but the message is, until the economy recovers and baseball, in addition, does something more drastic than luxury tax to equal the playing field, the competitiveness in baseball may dwindle.

Many claim that baseball is a business, and that is most definitely true. However, unlike most businesses, you do not compete to drive others out of the market, as one can not survive without the others. So take note Yankees, Cubs, and Red Sox…you need the Marlins, Twins, and A’s of the world. While a cap is too drastic, a payroll discrepancy of $166M (between the Yankees and Marlins) is ludicrous.

So hopefully, the next year or so will provide a turnaround: both for America and the American pastime.

ARENA SET FOR DEMOLITION

I am sorry to interupt Shark Week for all of you but I have to announce that these poor economic times seem to have claimed its next victim. Reports have surfaced that the Arena Football League will fold after 21 seasons of play. The AFL launched in 1987 and have had varying levels of success ending with a contract deal with ESPN and ABC.

The AFL was a really fun league. It was a casual league to follow, in which you are suppose to have fun and a stress-free afternoon. It is the only league in the country in which its owners were more famous than the coaches and players. The owners included Ron Jaworski, Jon Bon Jovi and John Elway. It also had the coolest team monikers such as the VooDoo, Desperados, Sabercats, Blaze, Gladiators and Storm. The AFL featured players that made minor league money and drove to the game in worse cars than the fans. It showcased offense and points and basketball score like outcomes. If a runningback broke off a 60 yard run, he has run too far and will find himself in the seventh row. The shortened field intesified the bone-crunching hits which made for some really fun TV. It even made its own EA Sports video game in the mid 2000s.

The AFL provided me with one of my favorite sporting events that I have ever attended. I went to the divisional round playoff game between the Philadelphia Soul and the New York Dragons. The final three minutes of the game had three touchdowns and a last second win for the Soul. My Soul went on to beat Michael's San Jose Sabercats in the final Arena Bowl. It was the most watched "minor-league" event for television ever.

But since that game the league has had a rough go of it. Two days before the Arena Bowl the commisioner and creater of Arena football David Baker resigned from his post leaving the leauge in confusion. During the next offseason the league decided to close up shop for the 2009 season to redraft the finances. And now when it seemed like 2010 was a possibility the Arena Football League looks like it is closing down for business. Along the way the AFL gave us cheap and affordable entertainment while being exciting on the field. It gave football fans something to do in the NFL offseason to scratch their itch for good ole' gridiron fun.

Hot August Nights

It is now August, probably one of the worst months of the year for most. Millions of kids nationwide will be heading back to school this month. There is no holiday during the month. It is probably one of the hottest months of the year, and there are no really good sporting events either. Football doesn’t kick off until September and baseball doesn’t getting cooking again until then either. So here is a list of the top 3 things in sports to look for during the month of August.

3. European soccer leagues kick off their seasons come mid-August. With big time summer transfers of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, Real Madrid looks to be the clear front runner in La Liga (Spain), however, FC Barcelona is the reigning UEFA Champions League champ. The Premiership is up for grabs after Manchester United lost some talent this off-season; however, Sir Alex Ferguson should have a good lineup on the pitch. Finally, a Beckham-less AC Milan looks poised to capture a Serie A title in Italy.

2. The MLB playoff race should begin to shape up this month. Currently 18 teams are battling it out for a total of 8 spots. By the end of August, roughly four teams should be weeded out of the mix, leaving 14 teams battling in September. My predictions: Tampa Bay (pitching hasn’t been what it was last year), Milwaukee (worst team in July due to many factors), Marlins (won’t be able to keep pace with the Phils), and Minnesota (great young lineup, but not enough pitching).

1. There are still 11 first round draft picks unsigned in the NFL. Hopefully we will see some of these rooks sign soon so that they can get in to camp and start practicing with the team prior to the NFL kickoff the first week of September. Some of the big names remaining unsigned include: Michael Crabtree (San Francisco), Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia), Knowshon Moreno (Denver), Andre Smith (Cincinnati), and Tyson Jackson (Kansas City). All of these guys should provide some spark for their teams this season.

So while you sit around on hot August nights, watch some baseball. During the afternoon, watch some of the NFL camps on NFL network, and if you’re up early, catch the Premiership on Sky Sports. Enjoy the final weeks of the ’09 summer!

THE BEST OF THE REST

Let's be honest, in our quest for some of the best sports movies of all time we have neglected those that dont fall under the shroud of the four major sports. The drama often falls under those sports less thought of. They often feature a man v. man affair in which it is do or die, you win the race or you don't and there is no blaming your teammates, because you are on your own. So here it is the dramatic conclusion of Movie Week here on SportsNight with the Best of the Rest.

SEABISCUIT

This inspiring and moving story tells the Depression Era triumph of the horse Seabiscuit. The movie demonstrates how this one horse not only brings hope to fans in these trying times, but tells how this horse brings together the owner, jockey, trainer and everyone else involved. It has a couple great scenes of Toby McGuire alone riding the horse, and one gets an insight into how important the chemistry between a horse and a jockey truly is. A great movie.

Quote: "You know everyone thinks we got this broken down horse and fixed him. But we didn't. He fixed us. Every one of us. And I guess in a way, we fixed each other, too."

CADDYSHACK

What do you get when you mix, Rodney Dangerfield, Billy Murray, Chevy Chase, a gopher and golf…one heck of a movie. Danny Noonan is a young caddy who tries to sure up his future by getting a caddying scholarship. Al Czervik is a rude, and overly eccentric millionaire who has interests in purchasing Bushwood. Judge Smails shows a quick disliking towards Al and soon there is a conflict between the Judge and Al, the Judge and Danny, and even between the Judge and Ty Webb the charming golfer who is slowly helping Danny figure out his real goals. On the outside of this is Carl Spackler the Golf Course Grounds keeper, who's goal is eliminate a rampaging gopher who is chewing up holes throughout the golf course.

Quote:

---“License to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations. Man, free to kill gophers at will. To kill, you must know your enemy, and in this case my enemy is a varmint. And a varmint will never quit - ever. They're like the Viet Cong - Varmint Cong. So you have to fall back on superior intelligence and superior firepower. And that's all she wrote” Carl Spackler.

---“IT’S IN THE HOLE!!!” Carl Spackler.

COOL RUNNINGS

A movie that combines John Candy, bobsleding, and the word "mon" (man), has to be a hit right? We'll this comedy sure was, and was based on the true story of the Jamaican bobsled team that went to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Will they do not end up winners, the team bonds together as brothers and brings pride and some Winter Olympic glory to island in the caribbean. It combines comedy, pride and sport to make one of the funniest PG movies around!



Quote:

"Our Father, who art in Calgary, Bobsled be thy name. Thy kingdom come, gold medals won, on Earth as it is in Turn Seven. With Liberty and Justice for Jamaica and Haile Selassie. Amen."

ROCKY

In 1975, virtually unknown actor Sylvester Stallone wrote the script for Rocky in three days after going to a boxing match between the underdog Chuck Wepner (Rocky) and the great Muhammad Ali (Creed). Inspired by this unique fight, Stallone captured and created on of the most beloved characters in movie history.

Rocky is the only movie that we have covered this week that won the Oscar for Best Picture. Stallone plays the bum from Philly, Rocky Balboa. The southpaw slugger was at “rock” bottom and was an out of shape club fighter with a dead end career. Then luck finds him when showboat boxing champ Apollo Creed decides to give an unknown a shot at the title. Creed played by former NFL player, Carl Weathers who delivers a great Muhammad Ali impression.

Rocky knows he can’t beat the champ but he declares that winning is taking everything he’s got and going the distance. He has unorthodox training routines such as pounding meat, lifting logs and of course running up the “Rocky Stairs” (Philadelphia Art Museum). But nothing is more inspiring to him than the support of his love interest Adrian. He goes the distance and gives hope to all of the underdogs in the world. He came at the perfect time for the country that was still in despair, he still to this day personifies the city of Philadelphia. Who hasn’t run up the steps?

Quote: “Yo Adrian!”