Monday, February 28, 2011

Cam Newton - Future Bust

A lot of hype is coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine about Cam Newton. Interestingly, Newton has managed to bring this buzz to levels that are polar opposites of one another, with analysts saying that the Panthers or the Bills would be insane to pass him up with their first picks (picks one and three, respectively). Meanwhile, other analysts who watched the same workouts and heard the same answers given to questions ask if Newton isn't Akili Smith version 2011. Potential franchise QB to Akili Smith? Why the difference in opinion?

Looking at his time at the combine, we need to begin with a quote he said in an interview with Peter King of Sports Illustrated. When asked himself about how he sees himself, Newton responded with "I see myself not only as a football player, but an entertainer and icon." Interesting choice of words there. Especially since Newton is already going to be highly scrutinized given the off field incidents with his father setting up a 'pay for play' with him during the recruiting process. Yes, Cam was cleared of any knowledge or improper behavior through the situation, but this still deserves to be watched. Patterns can develop from issues such as these.

Then Newton took the field to throw at the combine. One word can describe his performance - disaster. Granted, he was throwing to unfamiliar targets, but everyone else that threw had the same disadvantages. In the end, he finished by completing only 11 of his 21 throws. He was frequently overthrowing his receivers, with the ball sailing on the ten yard out patterns, the fifteen yard in patterns, and the fly patterns specifically. He did hit the turnarounds, but this still raises enough questions about his accuracy and ability to hit a receiver. This dramatically paled in comparison to his performance previously in San Diego when he had a scheduled media workout on his terms. He did show a great arm and a nice spiral in getting the ball through ten to fifteen mile per hour winds, but he made four passes the entire time. One can't really put a lot of stock in four passes, regardless of the conditions.

In the end, Cam Newton seems to be more about concepts such as 'talent', 'potential', and 'size' (6'6", 250 lbs) than he is about his abilities and skills. At this point, Newton seems to be a project, nothing more. Yet, some team will fall in love with his arm, and draft him much higher than he should go, sending him down the Ryan Leaf, Akili Smith, and Art Schlichter. Throw in the possibility of off the field problems, and this quarterback prospect has more red flags than the Chinese government.

In the end, stay away from Cam Newton. Nothing good can come of this.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Card of the Week Part 6 - 2010 Prestige Aaron Hernandez



Above is the 2010 Panini Prestige Aaron Hernandez rookie card. This card was one of 104 rookie cards included in the base set (which included four cards not listed on the main checklist), and one of 26 different short prints. Panini has refused to announce a print run for the short prints in the set, or the odds to gettting one of the short prints in a box, so as to avoid placing an artifical cap on card values. Instead, they are relying on the secondary market and the principles of supply and demand to set prices.

Several of the rookies in the set have both a base card and a short printed draft variation. These include some of the bigger names in the 2010 draft, such as Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, and Ndamukong Suh. Also, Gerald McCoy has two cards, both of which are short printed.

For a first time football set for a company known mainly for producing stickers, this was an excellent debut. Included in the 104 rookie cards were players who started to get more playing time and hobby love throughout the year, such as Blair White and James Starks. The rookies themselves are listed in alphabetical order by first name, with the exception of cards 301 through 304, which were not listed on the checklist that came with the box.

The Hernandez card is a great example for this set for a number of reasons. Not only is it the first rookie card on the checklist, but it is also the first short print. The set has a nice, crisp design, and does an excellent job with getting head shots of the rookies. At approximately $90 per box, with a total of four games used and/or autographs, this was a great product.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The NBA has a looming problem

In the wake of the Carmelo Anthony trade to the Knicks, a pattern has begun to develop. At this point, players have begun colluding amongst themselves, agreeing to play for a specific teams in order to build a few 'super teams'. Now, there is nothing illegal about this on the dies of the players, but if the owners were to get together in order to lower salaries, it would be a severe issue. Nothing quite like a double standard.

When did this all begin? In terms of athletes intentionally creating the 'super team' concept, it leads back to the Boston Celtics in the 2007-08 season, when Ray Allen and Paul Pierce pleaded with Kevin Garnett to join them in Boston. With the formation of the 'Big Three', the die had been cast.

Fast forward to this past off-season. LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh meet several times, and decide to partner up in Miami to create their own Super Team, only their version is a younger, more dynamic group with three players entering their prime. It doesn't matter that the Heat no longer have anything resembling a surrounding cast to support them, as there was no longer any room under the cap. They have their version of the Big Three scoring roughly 68.6% of the team's points. The fourth leading scorer? Udonis Haslem, who is out for a long time at 8.0 points per game. Behind him? We find Eddie House at 6.9 points per.

Now, the New York Knicks are joining the party. After picking up Amare Stoudemire through free agency, they picked up Carmelo Anthony, who forced the Denver Nuggets to trade him. So who is the third piece? None other than Chris Paul, who joined Carmelo and Amare in toasting to playing together in New York during Carmelo's wedding. Paul happens to be a free agent after next season, so don't expect him to sign an extension in New Orleans.

The NBA is rapidly becoming a collection of the haves against the have nots. Why play in a place like Toronto or Sacramento, when you can force that team to deal you to a team like Miami or New York? Why attempt to build something in an area that truly enjoys basketball, but happens to be in the middle of nowhere? After all, image is so much more important than the game, right?

This is something that David Stern needs to look at during the collective bargaining agreement. The league may become nothing more than six to eight teams loaded with superstars, while the rest of the teams either have to fold or play in obscurity. A hard salary cap would help to fix this issue. So would creating a franchise type tag in the NBA. But regardless of what they determine the answer to be, this needs to be fixed. And soon.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Perhaps this is part of the problem

Following the example of other athletes who spend money like water, or make it rain tens of thousands of dollars (I'm looking at you Pac-Man Jones), Bryant McKinnie managed to run up a $100,000 bar tab over the NBA All-Star weekend. This large sum was apparently spent on 15 bottles of champagne. This averages out to approximately $6666 per bottle. The champagne better contain liquid gold bullion for that money.

Keep in mind, the NFL is facing a potential lockout in the next few weeks. At that point in time, there won't be any paychecks forth coming. Whatever McKinnie has aside has now decreased by that $100,000. Judging by his lack of control with the ol' wallet, I'm guessing that amount isn't really a whole lot.

If he has any financial advisers, they will hopefully yank him aside and let him know that dropping money like that at this time is not a good idea. A lack of forethought on financial matters such as this works as an example as to how so many athletes end up broke within five years of leaving whatever league they're playing in. Just look at Antoine Walker, who is playing in the NBA Development League because he needs the money. He's broke after making over $100 million in his NBA career. In fact, fellow player Nazr Mohammed paid half of the fee for his bankruptcy attorneys. Then again, Mohammed and Walker have a history together, having been robbed together in January 2000 outside a Chicago restaurant, so these decisions seem to run together.

This mindset is why so many athletes struggle with their finances after their playing careers. I realize that they regard college as essentially a minor league for whatever sport they play, but maybe they should pay attention in class for once. It would save them in the long run.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Man up LeBron James

For the third time in as many meetings, the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat yesterday. Despite a game where Paul Pierce scored only one point and missed all of his field goal attempts, the Celtics managed to find a way to win. This follows a pattern that has come into play since the trio of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were put together three years ago, where, despite the situation, they fight and claw to the last moment.

Meanwhile, Miami does not have the same killer, or championship, mentality that the Celtics have. With an opportunity to tie the game, LeBron missed his first free throw. As soon as the pressure was off, he promptly sank the second shot. Granted, it is just one free throw attempt, but this is a microcosm of what LeBron has become. At this point, he looks for excuses as to why the losses happen, instead of taking charge and trying to will his teams to victory.

From the moment LeBron and Chris Bosh signed in Miami, they were anointed as the NBA Champions, even though a game had yet to be played. They staged a 'meeting' with the players, where they came out on a smoke filled stage and preened for the adoring crowds. They expected that all they would have to do would be to show up, and they would win not just one championship, but the multiples that LeBron promised. Well, it's not so easy when other teams stand up.

Thus far, LeBron has claimed that Miami "doesn't have the chemistry that the Celtics have."  When the Big Three in Boston first came together, they won 29 of their first 32 games. They deferred to each other. They worked hard at all aspects of the game. They would not back down to anyone. LeBron and the Heat? It's just excuse after excuse as they try to disguise how mentally soft they really are.

After the game, Dwayne Wade attempted to compare the Heat's struggles against the Celtics to how Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had issues with the Detroit Pistons in the late 1980's. There are, however, several major differences. First, Jordan had nowhere near the supporting cast that LeBron has in Miami. Scottie Pippen was a good player, but he was not in the class of a Dwayne Wade. Those Bulls teams never had a player the caliber of Chris Bosh. They had solid players supporting an all time great, not three perennial All-Stars.

Second, Jordan refused to let up. He would win, or he would go to the last second trying to get that victory. Nothing mattered more to him than to win at everything he tried. With LeBron, it's about image. It's about his brand. It's about having fun. Then maybe basketball factors in after those three things.

Third, Jordan loved the pressure. He created some of the most memorable moments in NBA history during the playoffs. LeBron, meanwhile, shrinks from the pressure. He passes up shots. He commits turnovers he normally wouldn't make. The shots he does take, he misses more than he hits. LeBron simply does not have the mental fortitude required to be the leader of a championship team.

As such, it is time for LeBron James to man up. He needs to realize that nothing is being handed to him in Miami, and that he needs to work at getting championships. Otherwise, his legacy is going to be about unfulfilled potential and all the excuses made for him.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Card of the Week Part 5 - 1972 Topps Joe Morgan Traded



The Topps Traded sets as we have come to know them originally came about in 1981, when a separate boxed set featuring players that were traded during the season, and rookies that did not make the base set, was introduced. Previously, there had been other incarnations of the Traded set, both in 1974 and 1976, as 44 card sets featuring only players that had been traded. However, the origins of this concept trace their way back to 1972.

Included as part of the high numbered section of the set, this seven card subset featured well known players who had been traded during the season. These cards featured those players in their new uniforms, with a facsimile rubber stamp saying 'Traded' angled across the bottom of the card. At the time, this was a novel concept, as it required getting to the player on the new team, getting the photograph, and having the card ready in time for inclusion in that series. Back before the internet, digital photography, and the technology of today, this was a difficult undertaking.

Joe Morgan, who is on the card depicted, was traded from Houston to Cincinnati along with four other players for Lee May, Tommy Helms, and Jimmy Stewart. May was a solid player, coming off of back to back All-Star appearances, while Helms and Stewart were serviceable players at the major league level. Morgan, however, became one of the vital cogs of the Big Red machine of the 1970's, going on to make eight consecutive All-Star Game appearances, win back to back MVP awards, and win four Gold Gloves at second base. He also helped to lead the Reds to the post season five times, winning two World Series.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Ray Allen's Fraudulent Record

Last night, Ray Allen passed Reggie Miller's mark for most three point shots hit in a career, with 2561. Over his illustrious career, Allen has been a remarkable shooter. From pure aesthetics and touch, there have been few equals. For his fifteen year career, he has hit on roughly 40% of his three point attempts, 89% of his free throws, and 45% of his shots in general.

Of the shots taken by Allen over his career thus far, roughly 38% of them have come from beyond the three point arc. This is a player who, despite his obvious skills shooting the ball, has made his livelihood from over twenty feet from the rim. Breaking down his three point attempts per game, Allen averages just a shade under six (5.98) three point attempts per.

Now, he obviously has done his part to reach this record, by not only attempting the second most three point shots in NBA history, but also by hitting at a prodigious rate. His 39.8% success rate ranks 38th all time amongst those with a minimum of 250 three pointers attempted. However, there is a major flaw with this 'record' - namely that the three point shot didn't even exist in the NBA until the 1979-80 season.

For the first few years, the three point shot was not a major staple of a team's offense. From 1979-80 until 1986-87, the most three pointers attempted in a season was 257 by Darrell Griffith in 1984-85. In fact, he also had the second most attempts during that era as well, with 252 the previous season. However, in the late 1980's and the early part of the 1990's, teams began to use the shot with more frequency, leading to a time now where players are routinely taking 500 or more three pointers over a season. In fact, Allen had taken 653 three pointers during the 2005-06 season alone.

Also, the distance of the three point line has been subject to change. From 1994 until 1997, the line was set to be 22' feet from the basket at every point, as opposed to the 22' feet from the corners and 23'9" that it had been previously at the top of the key. The original dimensions were restored during the 1997-98 season, but several 'records' for three point shots had been established by the line change: George McCloud attempted 678 threes during the 1995-96 season, and Dennis Scott hit 267 threes that year as well. Allen broke Scott's record during his 2005-06 year.

When thinking back on some of the players who were in the NBA prior to the three point shot, it's interesting to think what they would have done had it existed. For example, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Elvin Hayes, and Pete Maravich didn't get to play their entire careers with this shot, and all were excellent shooters. Would the record be the same if they had the three point line back then?

Yes, this is a great feat that Ray Allen has accomplished. But it cannot truly be considered a record without having everyone on the same playing field.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Not-so-lovable losers

With their 103-94 loss to the Detroit Pistons last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers matched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers mark with 26 consecutive losses. As horrible as that mark is, there are certain things to remember here. First, the Bucs were an expansion franchise when they lost their 26 in a row. The first ever draft choice of their franchise became a Hall of Fame player in Lee Roy Selmon. The Cavs have been around since the 1970-71 season, so they definitely do not have 'expansion franchise' as an excuse.

Second, the Cavs have a legitimately good head coach in Byron Scott. Scott led the New Jersey Nets to back-to-back finals appearances, and led the New Orleans Hornets to the playoffs twice. After the 2007-08 season, he was voted as the Coach of the Year. This is not some clueless excuse wearing a suit who is manning the sidelines in Cleveland. The situation, and losing streak, cannot be placed solely on him. He did not just wake up one day and forget how to be an effective head coach.

Third, the continued struggles of the Cavs actually make LeBron James look better. One of LeBron's chief complaints was that the Cavs front office was not putting enough talent around him to permit a legitimate shot at a championship. Jordan had Pippen. Kobe had Shaq and Pau Gasol. Bird had McHale and Parrish. Every star needs that second option. Cleveland gave LeBron a washed up Shaq, Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, and J.J. Hickson. No one on that list is going to be the second option for a title contending team. The fact that LeBron even got them to the finals once is looking more and more amazing as this season unfolds.

Going forward, the Cavs are not going to have an easy time of it. To quote Tracy McGrady: "You don't want to be the team that loses to them." Every team that goes out there and has the Cavs on their schedule is going to give them their best shot. Nothing will come easy for this squad.

Looking at the upcoming schedule, Friday night the Cavs face the Clippers. LA has played well as of late, and with the right moves, could end up being a playoff team in the next couple of years. This will probably be a loss, and set the record at 27 games straight. However, on Sunday, they face the Washington Wizards, who have not won on the road. If they are going to end this run of futility, this is where it will happen. One way or another, one of these streaks will come to an end.

As bad as this losing streak has been, the Cavs are not at an all-time worst record level. Presently, they sit on eight victories. One more lets them be no worse than the 9-73 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers. At least they are not in jeopardy of reaching that mark. Yet.

In the end, it's going to be a long painful journey for any fans of the Cavs. This mess is going to take a long time to dig out from.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The baseball season is almost upon us

Over the next few days, the equipment trucks of the various major league baseball teams will head towards their Spring Training compounds. Loaded up with bats, balls, uniforms, and other gear, each truck carries with them the promise of a new season. There is a clean slate, and each team believes (unless you're the Pirates or the Indians) that they can compete and make the playoffs.

In a way, the baseball season is a lot like a relationship. At the start of each year, like at the beginning of a new relationship, there is hope - hope that this is finally the time it all comes together. Spring training is a lot like the getting to know you phase, where you learn the flaws of the team, and try to make adjustments. Then the season hits. As the season continues, expectations increase and decrease, depending on how the team performs. Like a relationship, as it stretches on, expectations flucuate based on the compatability with the other person. Finally, in the end, all but one team and fanbase is left disappointed, which is akin to how difficult it is to find a viable relationship.

Baseball is, in a lot of ways, a fitting metaphor for life. Think of how many times you attempt something, only to have it not work out. Then realize that a .300 batting average is the same as a 30% success rate. This is why baseball is so ingrained into the national conciousness, because it is a game predicated on failure with occassional successes. It speaks to how life works, and reminds us that no matter how many times we fail, eventually we will find success.

So here's to a new season. If nothing else, it should be an interesting ride.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Things really aren't so bad.

These days, in the realm of sensationalization in the media, there is a tendency to regard any potentially controversal story as a scandal. Yes, PEDs, the NFL concussion problem, and the Mitchell Report were all valid news items, and should have been brought to the attention of the fans. However, that does not mean that, years later, they are still relevant. One should not crucify, or doubt the accomplishments of, someone who is not responcible for these events, and did not cause any of the problems. These are in the past, and until they become relevant to the present, should be left there.

When one looks at some of the people and incidents that have occurred in the past, these things seem minor. Yes, the Black Sox scandal and the NCAA point shaving situations deserve the publicity that they received, but that does not mean that everything else is on par with thosse situations. Below are five random events that transpired that are relatively unknown, and would provide fodder for the press for months if they occurred now.

1. Marty Bergen.
Marty Bergen was a catcher for the Boston Beaneaters (now the Atlanta Braves) from 1896 until 1899. Known for his strong throwing arm and hustling play, he was a fan favorite. However, Bergen also had a lot of personal demons. During a team dinner, he slapped ace pitcher Vic Willis for no reason while he was eating breakfast. He had hallucinations that people were trying to poison him, and refused to take his medication for it because assassins discovered who his doctor was. He would sit in peculiar positions and walk sideways, so as to spot these assassins. During a road trip in mid-1899, he walked off the train and vanished, leaving the team with just the backup catcher. He then reappeared several games later, only to disappear again in September. This time, he reappeared just before first pitch, put on his gear, and went behind the plate without speaking to anyone. On October 9, 1899, he had to be removed from a game when he dodged pitches as opposed to catching them, because he was too busy trying to avoid knife thrusts from an invisble assassin.
Bergen's tale ended tragically, as in January of 1900, he murdered his wife and two kids with an axe, then killed himself by slitting his throat with a straight razor. He used enough force in committing suicide that he almost decapitated himself. A snippet of an article from the New York Times gives a description of the scene: "The little boy (Bergen's 3-year-old son) was lying on the floor with a large wound in the head. Mrs. Bergen's skull was terribly crushed, having evidently been struck more than one blow by the infuriated husband. The appearance of the little girl (his 6-year-old daughter found on the kitchen floor next to Bergen) also showed that a number of savage blows had been rained upon the top and side of her head. Bergen's throat had been cut with a razor, and the head was nearly severed."

2. Charlie Sweeney and Old Hoss Radbourn
Sweeney was another player from the 1800's (I notice a theme here). He, along with Old Hoss Radbourn, pitched for the Providence Greys in 1884. Both pitchers legitimately hated one another, with tensions reaching their boiling point when they got into a fight in the clubhouse. Radbourn left the team, leaving Sweeney as their only pitcher. However, Sweeney eventually missed a morning practice after an exibition game (during which it was reported that he was drinking heavily), and showed up tot he park completely drunk. He pitched for five innings, after which the manager tried to remove him from the mound, but Sweeney refused. He pitched two more innings, then, when the manager attempted to remove him from the game again (and threatened a $50 fine if he did not leave the mound), Sweeney walked off the field, changed into street clothes, and watched the remainder of the game in the stands while in the company of two known prostitutes. At that point, Sweeney's career was practically over, although he did pitch in the California League for a while. In 1894, he killed a person in a saloon, and died in prison in 1902 after being convicted of homicide.

3. Paul Hornung and Alex Karras
Gambling is considered to be the ultimate sin in sports. The Black Sox and Pete Rose are still banned for their involvement in gambling. However, back in 1963, both Hornung and Karras were suspended indefinately by then-commissioner Pete Rozelle for betting on football games and their own teams. Five other members of the Detroit Lions were fined $2000 each for placing a wager on a game that they did not play in. However, since both Hornung and Karras were considered to be forthright in their guilt and showed what was felt to be legitimate remorse, Rozelle re-evaluted them before the 1964 season, and reinstated them both to the NFL.

4. Ugueth Urbina
This story occurred in 2005, but somehow did not receive a lot of attention. On October 16, 2005, Urbina and several other men attacked farm workers at his family ranch in a dispute over a gun that was alledgely stolen. The farm workers were attacked with machetes, and had gasoline poured over them as Urbina and the people he was with attempted to light them on fire. On March 28, 2007, Urbina was sentanced to 14 years and 7 months in prison in Venezuela for attempted murder, illegal deprivation of liberty, and for violating a prohibition against vigilante justice. Despite his continual insistance that he was asleep during the confrontation, no appeals were ever filed on his behalf.

5. Rube Waddell
Rube Waddell was someone that would not be permitted to exist as he did back then. A strikeout pitcher on the Louisville Colonels, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Orphans (Cubs),Philadelhia Athletics, and the St. Louis Browns, Waddell was an extremely unpredictable being. He would leave the ballpark to chase fire trucks if they passed by. Fans of opposing teams would hold up shiny objects and puppies when he pitched, since they put him in a trance like state. He constantly fought with teammates that he felt were 'ill-tempered'. He performed as an alligator wrestler during one offseason. During exhibition games, he would wave his team off the field, then proceed to strikeout the side.
To best sum up the life of Rube Waddell, here is an account of what happened during 1903 by Cooperstown historian Lee Allen: "He began that year (1903) sleeping in a firehouse in Camden, New Jersey, and ended it tending bar in a saloon in Wheeling, West Virginia. In between those events he won 22 games for the Philadelphia Athletics, played left end for the Business Men's Rugby Football Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan, toured the nation in a melodrama called The Stain of Guilt, courted, married and became separated from May Wynne Skinner of Lynn, Massachusetts, saved a woman from drowning, accidentally shot a friend through the hand, and was bitten by a lion." Waddell died in 1914 on April Fool's Day from tuberculosis, which he caught while helping to save the city of Hickman, Kentucky from a flood in 1912.

These five people and incidents, if the events were to have happened today, would be considered far worse than anything that has happened recently. Sometimes, perspective is needed when looking at the 'scandals' in sports.

What is the worst that can happen if we put a Super Bowl in Dallas?

As part of the payoff for Jerry Jones building his grand monument to himself, his ego, and the Dallas Cowboys, a Super Bowl was promised to Dallas. Typically, the same few cities keep getting the Super Bowl, mainly due to weather and that they have proven to be able to handle the event. As such, this was Dallas's first foray into hosting the championship. What was the worst that could happen?

First, the weather all week did not cooperate. A major part of the Super Bowl is the week leading up to the game, where people wander about the city, enjoy different fan experiences, and have a good time. This year, most people were stuck indoors, and were not able to spend the type of money that typically comes into the community during these events. This helps to disguise the fact that there were severe lacks of various items available in Dallas, such as taxis and strippers.

Then, on Friday, ice and snow fell from the roof of Jerry's Monument, injuring six people. This caused the NFL to decide on Sunday to close down four of the entrances, due to concerns about falling snow. Coupled with ticket scanners not working, and a plethora of fans having no idea where they needed to go when their entrances were closed, this rapidly became a farce.

Then, 1250 fans were displaced due to the temporary seats that needed to be installed not being ready in time. Plus, as an added bonus, these seats were not able to code requirements on game day. Why open the stadium when all the seats were not installed? How could the seats not pass inspection on game day? This speaks to the short sightedness of the people running the operation.

And those fans that were affected? Well, 850 of them were moved to a club area behind the Pittsburgh bench to watch the game on television. In standing room only areas. This was not what those people purchased tickets for. And the other 400? Well, there wasn't enough room for them, so they had to leave the stadium. But, the NFL *did* offer three times the face value of the tickets to those affected. Too bad that doesn't factor in how much was spent on hotel rooms, travel to and from the Dallas area, and that these tickets were probably purchased for far more than the face value. But the NFL and Roger Goodell are concerned with what the fans want, right?

As a fitting final chapter, Roger Staubach said that the Super Bowl would be considered a success if the NFL brought the game back to Dallas. Based on what transpired leading up to game time, I wouldn't be holding my breath.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Card of the Week - Part 4



This week's Card of the Week features Jim Brown's 1964 Philadelphia card. This set came about when, in 1964, Topps decided to print cards exclusively of players from the AFL, due to the large television contract they had signed. As such, there were no cards of the NFL, and the popular Giants, Browns, and Bears. However, the Philadelphia Gum Company quickly stepped in, and began producing cards for the NFL.

For the most part, the cards in the set are incredibly well done, with photos of the players without their helmets on (aside from Y.A. Tittle and Erich Barnes) against a clear blue sky. However, twelve members of the Cleveland Browns had their photos taken in a parking lot, with Jim Brown's brand new white Cadillac as the backdrop. Why? Well, it is a cool car.

Looking at this card, it's obvious as to why Brown would want to be photographed with it. He appears to truly have a lot of pride in this possession, and it almost seems as if he was using the card as a way of promoting what he owned (sort of like a very early version of MTV Cribs or something of that ilk). Why the other 11 members of the Browns were posed near that car is entirely beyond me however. Maybe Brown talked them into it to help promote the car. Maybe Philadelphia was rushed for time due to a deadline to produce the cards. Or maybe they ran out of money for the budget, and slammed them out as quickly as possible. Either way, it is a strange background for a football card.

This is, all in all, a very nice football set, featuring 30 different Hall of Famers, 12 different rookies, and, interestingly enough, three different players who ended up with an acting career. The set has 198 cards, and is very affordable, with the most valuable card presently booking for $90, which is the Jim Brown card. Should one be looking to build a smaller vintage football set, 1964 Philadelphia is definitely one to consider.

On a personal level, this card has always reminded me of my father. Back in 1964, he was 10 years old. He played football in high school, taught my brother and I thinks like how to catch a football and how to tackle, and is a major car guy. This card, combining football and classic cars, always brings him to mind.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

National Signing Day

Today is considered to be National Signing Day, which is the day that most of the heavily touted high school football players declare which schools they will be attending. lately, such entities as ESPN have been trying to hype this day, even going as far as to televise these kids as they announce which school will get their services.

As with anything of a similar nature, people attempt to determine who the 'winners' and 'losers' are. For instance, Florida State and Auburn are considered to have two of the strongest recruiting classes of the year. Such projections are not only meaningless, but completely asinine. To state that one schools 17 to 18 year old kids are going to outperform another schools' kids is ridiculous. How is this determined? By seeing which schools got more of the players ranked within a specific criteria? Just because pundits happen to think that certain kids make up the 150 best high school football players in the country doesn't mean that A. They will be productive in college or B. That they will considered in the top 150 from that class later when they graduate, or even next year.

Also, televising these kids as they put on the hat of whatever school that are going to attend is utterly ridiculous. People continually act surprised when big time recruits walk around and act as though everything should be handed to them. Or that their egos are incredibly inflated. Well, televising their decisions on which school to attend or discussing it in detail does not help. In fact, it just further fans the flames. Continually discussing their thought process, poring over anything said prior to their decision to try to guess where they end up, and trying to make this the biggest sports story of the day only furthers the sense of entitlement.

Yes, this is a big deal - to those kids and the schools they choose. It just shouldn't be a televised event. And it definitely should not come with a list of who 'won' and 'lost' the recruiting war.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Is this the end for Marc Savard?

After experiencing his fourth concussion, and dealing with the symptoms thereof, the Boston Bruins have begun to discuss the possibility of shutting Marc Savard down for the remainder of the season. This is going to be determined after he is re-evaluated on Wednesday, to see how he is progressing in regards to his most recent concussion.

Due to symptoms from post concussion syndrome due to a hit from Matt Cooke of the Penguins, Savard had played in only 25 games this season. Thus far, he has totalled 10 points (2 goals and 8 assists) with a rating of -7. At this juncture, losing Savard for the season would not be thought of as a major loss to the Bruins, since they had managed to start well without him.

However, the long term ramifications of these concussions do have to be considered with Savard. He has had four concussions over his career, including two in the past ten months. Each subsequent concussions makes it easier to get another one, leading to a vicious circle, especially in a sport such as hockey. At this point, the Bruins are looking to get him healthy for the 2011-2012 season, but perhaps the outlook should be beyond that point.

Considering the length of time it took Savard to fully recover from the Matt Cooke hit, the focus should be on getting Savard healthy. Brain injuries are a very delicate matter, and something that is not even close to being fully understood. As such, Savard should be asking himself whether or not he is willing to risk taking another hit that may result in long lasting, or permanent, damage. If the answer is no, then he should retire.

Playing so as to avoid injury is the quickest way to ensure that one does become injured. Savard is, by no stretch of the imagination, someone that is considered tough. Regardless, he has been a very gifted scorer in the NHL, and his skills on offense will eventually be missed by the Bruins. However, Savard needs to look at himself and his situation, and ask as to whether or not playing hockey is that important to him.