I Wanna Dip My Balls In It!

This here is a portrait of no one's main man Trent "I'll Shoot You In Your Mutherfuckin' Face" Tucker.* The walking, stalking definition of "quiet as kept." He'd chill, cop not quite a mill, then, when you least expect, he'd drop a gem on you If Chuck Person was the "Rifleman," then Trent was the "M.F.'n-Mack-10-Man," str8 spraying your shizzy up. The NBA had to change its rules because of the man, and, in keeping with David "Peep the Union I'll Burn, Strokin my beard while my dredyl steady turns" Stern's M.O., no trace of Trent Tucker video highlights may be found.

This season starts in Trent Tucker's spirit. It has come out of nowhere, with no fanfare save a Sports Guy preview not up to his usual caliber, tho he can be forgiven due to his mammoth and eagerly anticipated basketball bible coming out. Much like its sister, the NHL, the baskets campaign is far too long. And by sisters, I mean like the difference between Kim and Khloe Kardashian.
The 1999 50-game season is much-maligned, particularly by the aforementioned Sports Guy. But it was perfect. This time around, the season starts a little sooner than its traditional Halloween start, and for once, I'm glad. Half-speed who-cares October hoops will provide a welcome distraction from the inevitable Yankee onslaught. Plus, no more dreary eastern conference hoops for my tanned ass, strictly exotic west-coast-is-the-best-coast action. I will miss the free 'za and random Smadbeck bros. sightings at Standings during hoops season. In my memories its always pouring buckets outside and I always stop at one slice.

In closing, may we all face life's challenges as hungrily as Rick "The Need for Feed" Mahorn.
*Nickname coined by NedStarr

Terry Francona Once Had Hair on His Head.

"No, no, Terry......it's cool........Weaver's not looking.....just...just move your hand a little to the left. Yeah, that's it. No, no, why are you hesitating? Stop smiling like that you goofball, you're killing the mood. C'mon.....just a little to your left...."

photo throo Uniwatchblog.com

What Price, Victory?

Training camp contract disputes are almost always treated with the same response by the media and fans that Player X is a 'spoiled athlete' and should be 'thankful' they're compensated in the first place. But you have to feel for tail back Leon Washington, who showed up everyday -to be fair, he couldn't afford the fines he'd incur based on his meager rookie contract salary- and received some sympathy from the media, though not enough attention was paid to Jets' general manager Mike Tannenbaum's practice of deceiving and low-balling players -including guard Pete Kendall. But now Leon has a broken leg -after being sandwiched by four Raiders- and can only hope the front office appreciates his contributions to the team, no matter what Shonn Greene -refreshing change of pace from the crappy Shawn and Sean Greens the Mets have trotted out- contributes the rest of the way.

On a happier note, handing the hapless Oakland Raiders their worst home loss in franchise history still feels good, especially coming off the outrageous claim by defensive end Richard Seymour that they were a playoff contender. Giants' linebacker Antonio Pierce was still correct in referring to the Giants 44-7 pasting over Oakland two weeks ago as a 'scrimmage,' and the Raiders merely caught the Philadelphia Eagles in their annual 'throw 50 times when it is wholly unnecessary and have the fans throw Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid under the bus' game. Coach Poppers and Donovan will adjust and do just fine Monday night against the Washington Redskins -former star John Riggins' bashing of the organization was cute at first, but now he's just an attention whore that likes the sound of his own voice. So while the Jets can't strut and beat out their chests after their conquest in Oakland, they can go into the Miami Dolphin rematch with some confidence in both their running game and the emergence of wideout David Clowney -someone's gotta benefit from the attention Braylon Edwards draws. Maybe linebacker Calvin Pace can even make some tackles.

P.S. As much as this perpetuates Rex Ryan's reputation as a loosey-goosey leader more interested in making his players happy than competitive, how great was his assist in the Gatorade shower for assistant head coach/offensive line coach/ex-Raiders head coach Bill Callahan? Total eff you to a brooding Al Davis -what was the towel draped over his lap for?

Et Tu, Magique?

Now Your Name is Just 'Toine.

LEAVE ISIAH ALONE! Jeezo-Peezo I feel like that he-she who defended Britney. Magic "How The Fuck Was A.C. "Never Mean" Green His Roommate?" Johnson is the latest to shit on Isiah, in a new book he sez Isiah questioned his sexuality, the whole world did at the time. Has Magic called Karl Malone out? Charles Barkley? Magic goes on to say that he, along with the rest of the Dream Team, did not want Isiah to play in the Olympics. Truly fucked. I have a hard time believing that Scottie "Oh, the Knicks? Same Shit, Different Season*" Pippen gave two shits. Let's not forget, in some racist-ass nonsense, that Christian Laettner was on that team

Aint it a bitch, to kick a man when he's down. And why the fuck is Magic dropppping a book? He already has a book, a great one, called "My Life." I read it concurrently as Larry Bird's "Drive." Magic's book is far better. Although Larry Bird gets proppps for not fronting by admitting that he is a competitive asshole on every page.

Is dissing Isiah the shit Magic has been waiting 20 years to get off his chest? In a book about the golden age of hoops?

Meanwhile, Isiah's old squidad, the Knicks, begin the season with what Sports Illustrated appropriately calls "an expansion roster." This is not necessarily a bad thing. The team's best three players are Isiah's, Wilson "Chilllll" Chandler, David "Dubbs" Lee and Nate "My resemblance to Tricky is Uncanny" Robinson. All came from Isiah. He did a better job that Scott Layden. And yes, he fucked up, but it's not as if Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni have built anything.

Magic has never been able to find success in basketball since he retired, despite trying several roles. He briefly, disastrously, coached an excellent Lakers team in 1994. It had Sam "I'll Cut You" Bowie, Elden "I'm Big" Campbell, Doug "Yes, Dear" Christie, Vlade "The Sweet Stench of Feta and Marlboros" Divac, Anthony "Sir" Peeler, Danny "Hairy Gams" Schayes, Sedale Threatt "2 Ya Whole Set," Nick "It Aint Hard 2 Tell" Van Exel, and James "Underrated" Worthy.

Stick to lattes and matinees, Magique.

*That is one of Papa Coachie's favorite quotes. And further proof that Pippen, like Worthy, remains supremely underrated.

NL for Naught?

Big-picture, interleague record, statistically speaking, the National League may be worse than the American League. But the NL is 4-9 this decade where it counts, in the World Series. And really, when it comes down to it, there are only three dope teams in the AL, the navy-blue-Devils, the Sawx, and the Halos. no other team impresses.

Certainly, a significant part of the Yanks' postseason success has been beating up on the likes of the Rangers and Twins in the ALDS. While I'm here, let me just say that the baseball rule preventing division winners from playing the wild card if the wild card is from within the same division is asinine. No other sport has this rule. It's a topic/tangent for another time, but baseball once had the most meritorious playoff system in all sport, now it has the most arbitrary and asinine.

Well, a shitty NLCS gives us the Phils. Tough for the boys in blue because there's nowhere for them to go. The team as presently constituted is fine, there are no clear areas for marked improvement. It's just that the Phils are better. And seeing how shook the Blue Crew played, we are better off for it, at least we know the Phils won't be intimidated by the sight of bro'd out brokers, Challenger the Eagle, Kate Hudson (Goldie Hawn is hotter. Now.), pinstripes (they have their own awful version that makes the whole shirt look pink), and Rudy G.

Pheel Our Pain

Bad times to be a member of A.M.F.S.B.T.M.F.Y. Nation these days. That Kazmir-Zambrano trade don't look so bad anymore, eh?

Well, we turn our eyes to the Phightins. They played the Yanks tuff earlier this summer, having taken two of three at New Yankee Stadium. Their lineup can hurt you in many different ways. Ryan Howard is feasting. Citizen Bank Park blasts the rousing theme from The Blues Brothers after big wins. They've been there. They've got, as Tha Uuuuuuuuuuuuu's Jacory Harris' hair would say, 'Swag.'

Then again, Brad Lidge is their closer. And Rudy G's got home field. And the Yanks' pitching is the deepest and thickest (yeah!) it's been since the late 90's. And fucking Mark "Big Fundamentals" Texiera is covering 2nd base.

Anybody got anything, anything, that can cheer up Any Mother Fuckin Squadron But The Mother Fuckin Yanks Nation? I've never wanted Frownie to lose money more.

George Steinbrenner image courtesy of Coachie's personal collection of classic NY Post covers.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

Got a piece up at EPLtalk.

Do It!!!! Eat Me Now!!! I'm Right He-UHHHH!!! EAT ME!

As L.A.'s baseball squadrons struggle to stay alive (do the Phightins represent the best threat based on their strong series at new Yankee Stadium earlier this summer and the fact that they play the Blues Brothers theme after wins?) it's worth remembering that California is facing an even bigger loss, yes, Governor Arnold Schwarzanegger will soon be leaving office.

Many will boo him as he leaves, blaming him for the state's woes in lieu of the 'girly-men' who doze in the state legislature. Far more importantly, many tabloids have attempted to capture unflattering pictures of Arnold aging ungracefully and looking fat. Fuck that noise. Look at the man! He's 62! He looks fantastic!
And peep this picture of a breakfast he was recently served. Healthy....and hilarious!!!
Thankfully, we have Arnold's cameo in T.M.F.A.A.O.A.T.G.M.F.F.I.A.R.C.H.A.T.E. to look forward to. Oh? What is T.M.F.A.A.O.A.T.G.M.F.F.I.A.R.C.H.A.T.E.? The Mother Fuckin Alpha and Omega Aka The Greatest Mother Fuckin Film In All Recorded Cinematic History Aka The Expendables. Or, put another way, The Cannonball Run of action movies. Sadly, it appears this film will now not be coming out until August 2010.
With T4, The Expendables, and the stewardship of the biggest state in the land under his belt, maybe Arnold can get to work on the one movie that could top T.M.F.A.A.O.A.T.G.M.F.F.I.A.R.C.H.A.T.E.............Conan.........the King.

Trim the Fat.

FACT: Fat NFL coaches never win. Ever.

Rex Ryan can keep shoving twinkies down his throat (and stick them where the sun-don't-shine) and watch his defense get gashed on the ground.

And if Woody Johnson has half a brain, he opts out of the new Meadowlands Stadium and builds a retractable roof stadium in Flushing Meadows for his reckless and weak quarterback. Who knew throwing spirals was such a rare skill?

Let It Be

On a blustery January afternoon in Savile Row, the Beatles performed live on top of their Apple Studious building for the first time in four years. Today, on an equally nasty October day, Mike Francesa and Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo will hit the airwaves -the ones people actually listen to- together at 1 PM live from Yankee Stadium.

Only 4 Teams Play in New York City.

New Jerz, so close....yet so far. I aint crossing that river unless there's a damn good reason.

The New York Post's Mike Vaccaro's highlighted the Sporting News' list of the best American sports cities this past Sunday. NYC placed 6th, behind Titsburgh, Ill-Will-y (R.I.P.), Beantown, the Shy, and the City of Compton (it's where it takes place). L.A. should only outrank such sports towns as Hotlanta or the M.I.A. No doubt, this town loves its Lake Show, but when the "low point" over the past 50 years of the Lakers were the highly-entertaining Nick Van Exel-Eddie "Butter"Jones-Cedric "Ball-O" Ceballos-Vlade "Feta+Marlboros" Divac years, well then, they are an easy bunch to love. (I highly recommend peeping the video linked in the previous sentence. Moreover, hard to say which NBA Live 95 team was more G, the Lakers, or the G-State Warriors of Chris 'T.O." Webber, Chris "Oh You Got A" Gatling, Latrell "It Aint Hard to Tell" Sprewell, Chris "Derek Jeter Stole My Haircut" Mullin, Billy "Oh No" Owens, and Tim "Sold My Soul to Pat Riley" Hardaway. Man, you know what, PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO. MORE IMPORTANTLY WATCH THIS ONE.)

So, other than L.A., I can't see much justification for placing New York much higher. Vaccaro deads the Shy and the Detroit (#10 on the list) for including outlying areas like Evanston and Ypsilanti, yet only four of New York's 9 (10 if you include the Red Bulls) play within the city limits. Moreover, Vaccaro contradicts his anti-suburb-inclusive-point when he states that, since 1996, New York teams have won 8 titles versus Boston's 6. First, his math seems off by one. Second, if you subtract the two Cups won by the Jersey Devils and the one Bowl won by the Jersey Giants, we are left with the four titles won by the Yankees.

Nitpicking aside, New York will always suffer on these kind of lists because New Yorkers cannot unite behind any one team in any sport. No team, not even the Yankees, especially the Yankees, can speak for New York. The only team that can come close is the Knicks. They haven't been relevant since 2000. Plus, the Bucktown Nets now seem that much closer to reality.

I suppose a more important question is why we can't support a united New York, as in, why shouldn't we support any New York team when it faces a team from another city? I know my answer, it's because Hov rocks Yankee fitteds aka the Yankees suck. Your answers?

Thanks to sportslogos.net for the source logos.

LazyNDaLaz Dayz

This could be a portrait of any newsprint sports columnist in America. It is Bill Dwyre.

One of the hardest parts of leaving New York is losing access to the New York Post. Now, the LA Times is a perfectly fine newspaper, perhaps even underrated when considering the generally weak state of big city dailies today. The paper does hard news well. But a man cannot exist on trouble in Tehran and investigations into water-main breaks alone. A man needs a lively and light-hearted sports section. Internet sites/blogs cannot compete against the big newspapers in hard news, but it's easy for them to outshine a daily's sports and entertainment sections which are mostly based on opinion and conjecture. As youngster Freddy Coups points out, sports blogs have made sports sections near-irrelevant, and he has since dropped his daily newsprint habit.

Sports Guy has highlighted the reasons why the big papers can't compete, what with their union rules and ties to longstanding writers. Hence, we get the cavalcade of chumps that hog the columnist pages of our nation's dailes. A typical example is Bill Dwyre of the LA Times. This past Friday, in the wake of the Angels' 2nd win against the BoSox he wrote of how the Angels were erasing their hex against Boston's cop-looking corps. Already we have the overdone chump angle of "curses." Not content with this chump point he exhumes poor Donnie Moore to make his belabored point.

"Now, so sadly, figuratively and sordidly, every Red Sox victory since [1986] had seemed like another nail in Moore's coffin."

Figuratively? Thanks, Dwyre, I thought that after Game 1 of last year's ALDS, Yooooouuuuuuullllllk held the flashlight while Tacoby Ellsbury dug up Moore's grave while Terry Francs held the nails betwixt his teeth.

Sordidly? I guess if the above scenario were true then yes, but, well, now I'm just confused. Let's just leave it at that this column is FUCKED, and shows just how awful a sportswriter can be when he tries to get grandiose in illustrating a stupid point.

We can get lazy opinions on any sports blog. What we need is investigative writing, or writers who actually leave their seats to write a story, like Jerry Crowe's column today on Wilt Chamberlain's super-sexy house.

Our sports pages need to change quick. they need to heed the advice of 3-6 Mafia and get "CrazyNDaLazDayz."

That Whiskey Wind......

Our pal, and lover of Gang Green, Al K. Mza checks in with another recipe sure to make your Sunday more sultry:

As the weather gets colder, is there any drink better than a dram of fine whiskey to warm the soul? Only when combined with the greatest of all instant desserts...the poundcake.

Ingredients:
One package Poundcake
Scotch, 2-3 shots to taste
Ice Cream optional
The best scotch to use here would be one with heavy fruit flavors and very little smokiness for a toffee like finish on top of the cake.

Slice and warm the poundcake, splash scotch shots over the top. Let soak. Finish with a scoop of ice cream.
Enjoy the game with the rest of the bottle.

Lessons

You're never too old- or too washed-up- to stop learning. I'm gonna pass on his book, thanks, I'll stick to the wisdom of the Wu-Tang Manual.

Wait, he has another book?!?!

*pic credit to upnorthtrips, a fantastic site best experienced via rss feed.

Robbbbbed

Actual O.G. Tigers Logo

Zoinks!

The Official Rules of Major League Baseball, Rule 5.09(a):
----
The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when --
(a) A pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing, while in his legal batting position; runners, if forced, advance;
----
Would it have been a cheap hit by pitch? Yes. Was Inge's jersey as billowy as the undulating rolls of fat that make up Oprah's thighs? Yes. But without the rule of law then it's all just gussied up "Running Bases" isn't it?

Why am I so worked up about le tigres? Well, as a fervent citizen of the A.M.F.S.B.T.M.F.Y. Nation (Any Motherfuckin Squadron But The Motherfuckin Yanks), I felt that the Tigers represented the bigger threat in the first round than the perennial-pinstripe-punching-bag- Twinkies. Fuck. Yanks-Rocks. Yanks in two. Fuck.

Props to Chris Creamer's Sportslogos.net for the source logos and to the MLB Network for the highlight.

The Annals of ill Design

'Twas peeping the video for Kool G. Rap's "On the Run," as is my wont, when my wig got split by the image of Kool "ridin around with ten kilos inside my trunk G" in an ill pre-radical-mid-1990's-grill-makeover Beamer (possibly an M5) with even iller early 1990's New York State license plates.

Simple. Stark. Iconic. The opposite of the muddled, dull-colored current plates with its cheap attempt to pander to all corners of the state. The kind of plate perfectly appropriate to the anonymous Toyota and Ford sedans of today that makes us all feel like we're traveling businessmen renting from Hertz' economy class.
Both plates, of course, must bow down to the true orange and blue plates of the late 70s/early 80s. The kind of instantly recognizable yet understated plate that suited the era's boss-ass cars.
Have you ever thought that G. Rap is one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time and a pioneer and master of Mafioso rap/street/hardcore content? Not only does DJ Polo know so (when I die bury me in the 'lo!) but you can cold lamp comfortably knowing that such an assertion is backed by 15 Wikipedia citations.

Good Sports All Around

Ushers and fans alike giggled at the poster I brought to yesterday's season finale -a Titanic deck chair victory over the putrid Houston Astros. Of course, a few Daniel Murphy diehards objected to his inclusion, but I expected them. One usher warned me "they (the Coupons) would go crazy if you went behind home plate," but Astros batters were flailing at Nelson Figueroa so quickly the game ended in a blur. The biggest surprise had to be a stadium photographer willing to capture the poster, but I can't imagine the Coupons command much respect or loyalty from even the lowest-level employee.

Further Proof

Further proof that the 1960s Mets uniforms were not cream-colored as sported by Al Jackson. It's like George Costanza's failed scheme with the Yankees, you can't go home again. The only way to truly recreate the old-timey look would be with flannel unis, felt lettering and knee-high knickers.

How to Look Good While Losing.

According to the New York Daily News, the New York Post, and most importantly, Uniwatch, the Mets will adopt a cream tone for their rarely used home pinstriped jerseys. Their uniforms were already scheduled to undergo a major upgrade next year with the removal of the D.O.Z. ads/"Inaugural Season!!!" patch from their sleeves.

Now, while I may be old enough to remember SportsChannel, the bullseye subway token, A&S Plaza, and Abe Hirschfeld's bizarre Post takeover, I'm not old enough to have seen the 1960's uniforms in the flesh. However, a dollop of photo research implies that those uniforms were not cream, but the same stark white the team rocks today.





















What is obvious to us uni-fiends is that no color change can recreate the look of yesteryear, owing both the vast difference in jersey material and photographic technology. We look back on baseball's past through pictures taken on film, which radiate warmth and color's vitality more vividly than digital cameras, as evidenced in Sports Illustrated's vault and excellent sites such as That's My Boy. Coincidentally, Mariano Rivera looks like a robot on this week's SI cover.

Anyhoo, here's my attempt at what next year's unis may look like in cream, using a Pantone shade similar to that used by the San Francisco Giants for their cream home uniforms.
















My two cents is that cream may be better suited to the pinstripe-less jersey. On the broader canvas the cream color would be far more noticeable.





















But what do I know? I think the 1970's era Chicago White Sox shirt-and-shorts look was absolutely brilliant. Well, not necessarily the shorts, but mos def on the shirts. Can't understand for the life of me how pros play everyday in the summer heat in such heavy jerseys.
Thanks to Chris Creamer's Sportslogos.net and Si.com for the source photos.

Facing his Waterloo?

Mangini abdiquant à Cleveland
(Mangini abdicating at Cleveland)

Wellington at Cleveland

With both national and local media banding together like English and Prussian forces at Waterloo, is Mangini facing his last stand at Cleveland Browns Stadium? Can Marvin Lewis and the Cincinnati Bengwads finish off Napoleon Mangini's return from exile? Or will newly promoted field general Derek Anderson fend off the assault and keep Mangini's clandestine regime intact? Tune in this Sunday, 1 PM on CBS!

When's the last straw?

Fred Coupon: Is it Jeff Wilpon and Omar Minaya attaching a congratulatory letter to the pitching rubber from CitiField the night Mariano Rivera got his 500th career save?

Make no mistake, I WILL get ejected from this Sunday's home finale.

Biz: or wheeled off in the Madden ambulance.

I might as well just set up a google news alert right now.

Fred Coupon: another insult:

http://www.stubhub.com/new-york-mets-tickets/mets-vs-astros-10-4-2009-721497/

What happened to the 45 cent tickets? This is a football sunday! There'll be 1500 people there!

Biz: why would a pepsi porch seat cost $125?

Bryan: It comes with a Pepsi

***

Time to cheer ourselves up, and what better way than to relive the magic of Frank Wycheck, Music City Miracle Worker and fantasy stud tight end?

Taste of Leather

Had the super-sexy photoshop of Rex and Sanchez posted at Withleather.com. Try to keep it in your pants upon viewing.

K.o.N.Y.

Schoolly D, with strong support from Larry (aint tryin to hear that laurence noise) Fishburne.

I Used to Get in Ohio

Thought I'd take this opportunity to provide a little consolation for the fans in N.E. Ohio as well as provide a sample of a p-shop project I'm working on. And another great opportunity to link to this.

Rex & Mex: NY's Newest Heartthrobs

You've probably heard how desperate the Titans are for a win after getting nipped by a combined six points in each of their first two contests. You've also no doubt been made aware of the 'swagger' Rex Ryan has brought to a previously vanilla Jet defense. One tidbit that'll be mentioned during the broadcast is the link between the head coaches of both teams, as Jeff Fisher began his coaching career under Buddy Ryan's wing in Chicago and Rex Ryan is, well, Buddy's son.

A quarterback comparison shouldn't be surprising either, as you have seasoned vet Kerry Collins' emotional return to the Meadowlands, where he used to fumble snaps at a record setting pace but enjoyed some great seasons with the G-men and of course, rookie Mark Sanchez's third career start after two solid games. Both quarterbacks will operate under similar gameplans that involve tossing screens to their respective play-making backs, Chris Johnson and Leon Washington, though Kerry still has a cannon and may test the Jets' secondary in one-on-one coverage, especially if the Titans pick up the Jets' blitz. But considering how uncomfortable Tom Brady was in the face of the Jets' myriad of blitzes and coverages -Rex picked up his dad's practice of constantly rotating defensive backs- how will Collins respond, especially after struggling against Rex's Ravens in last year's Divisional Playoff game?

As for Sanchez, can he keep threading needles on third down to tight end Dustin Keller and receivers Jericho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey, often relying on tough YAC to move the chains? It's just two games, but Sanchez has shown the ability to slide around the pocket, much like Ben Roethlisberger -the QB who can make the most out of any broken play- and Tony Romo, but his play fakes need a lot of work -he should practice breaking hearts when he goes out about town.

So will the Rex and Mex train keep rolling or get derailed by they testy Titans? I don't buy the match as a 'letdown' game for the Jets, because as cathartic as last week's victory over New England was, the Titans aren't some chump squad to be overlooked. They were the best team in the AFC last year and still feature plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. They can win on their own merit, but not this week. J! E! T! S! JETS! JETS! JETS!

***Added Bonus*** Our pal Al K. Mza will be checking in from time to time with recipes for treats during Sunday action. If you ask him now, he's starving. Here's his first contribution:

Going with the green theme of green shoots, green economy and gang green. Fall is still around and before we stuff ourselves with wings and beer, the following recipe is a literal gutcheck.

Cucumber sandwich
take cucumber. slice.
place on buttered toast.
eat

fancy version -- add sliced tomatoes.
foodies version -- israeli cucumber and heirloom tomatoes, irish butter, and mint leaves (still can make about 20 sandwiches for less than $10!)

Red Alert! Part II

Sound the air raid siren in Cleveland. Get under the desk, Frowner! If you thought the last Cold War was something, just wait till July 1st!

The United Nations of Baseball.

The International Olympic Committee, in part owing to anti-American attitudes, recently removed Baseball and Softball from the Summer Games. Their main reasoning was that the sports are not 'international' enough and that the sports are dominated by a precious few. Hogwash. Poo-Poo. Pish-Posh. Ridiculoso. Nyet.

Soccer aka Football is often regarded as the most international of sports. It is played by nearly every country on the face of the earf. Yet soccer's champions come from only eastern South America and western Europe. There is no soccer powerhouse in North America (sorry Mexico). There is no soccer powerhouse in Africa. There is no soccer powerhouse in Asia. And, well, the Australian team has a great name, the Socceroos. Teams from North America, Africa and Asia are afterthoughts. Moreover, when you get down to brass tacks, the sport has been largely dominated by teams from just three countries, Brazil, Italy and Germany.

Baseball, like soccer, is played on every continent. At the start of this year's World Baseball Classic, and full credit to Bud Selig for pushing the tourney through, a legitimate case could have been made for Japan, South Korea, the United States, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic or Venezuela winning it all.

While the emergence of the WBC an Olympic baseball tournament becomes unnecessary. Still, Olympic Baseball was taken very seriously by the non-U.S. teams and its loss will be a serious blow to fans and players alike in countries like Cuba, South Korea and Japan. Part of the appeal of the Olympics is watching sports like Field Hockey and Team Handball. Baseball's international development will be hurt by the loss of Olympic exposure. And at a base level, baseball deserves full respect as a true international sport.

Softball loses out on its marquee championship. Softball players, with no real professional league, had only one opportunity every four years to shine. Softball at its highest level is a fierce, entertaining sport and nothing like its slow-pitch after-work cousin. They deserve a chance to get their shine on.

Coachie's Travels

Got a story about watching soccer in Boston up at EPLTalk.

How to Not Celebrate a Goal

Whether you're into soccer or not, this extended highlight reel from this past Sunday's Man United-Man City clash is worth peeping for balls-to-the-wall, end-to-end madness that includes 7 mostly incredible goals, a Man City player smacking down a fan who invaded the pitch and all capped by a controversial winner scored by Michael Owen a minute-and-a-half after the four minutes of allotted extra time expired.

Red Alert!

General quarters! All ticket agents to phone stations!

Not-so-Jolly Jets Preview, by MZA & Fred Coupon

Fred: I love the NY tabloids hype the teams up now
then rip them for sucking
MZA: oh classic trader's mentality -- pump and dump
create "fake value"
build up a bubble
then pop the shit out of it
Fred: best part is rex ryan adding to it
his stupid lines are great ammo
MZA: yeah
i think he will be the first coach to actually explode on the sidelines
he bends light
he's so fat
i think we're looking at a 1-4 start
this season has a SOLID 4-12 feel to it
Fred: maybe 6 tops
they can beat buffalo and miami once each
esp buffalo in toronto - stupid bills killing their home field advantage
MZA: oh right
karma style
Fred: I was curious about making a trip there, but tix are expensive
MZA: broke ass buffalo residents buying seats
then they shaft them
a game
Fred: yup
but even if they go 4-12
would they win in oakland for once
sick of going there and losing every year
at 75% of the time
MZA: no they will lose
i actually think oakland will be better than expected
Fred: richard seymour 5 sacks
only ones of the year
MZA: oh totally
mcfadden monster game
...
MZA: so what do we have beyond bragging rights to the best looking quarterback in NY (vinny notwithstanding) Fred: damn good practice facility
MZA: it's easy to hype this team up
because on paper they don't seem too bad, if you assume sanchez will be decent
and if you assume ryan is a better in game coach than the mangenius
Fred: especially in game defensive adjustments
which was non-existent under mangini
I am worried about lito shepard
the jets blitz a lot
so teams will throw his way and burn him
MZA: it would be nice to have vilma back - i think he would have flourished in ny regardless of system - but this one especially
i guess ty law isnt a phone call away anymore
Fred: the worst part is
calvin pace is out for the hardest part of the schedule
MZA: 0-5 going into the buffalo game?
i think that's doubtful
i think 1-4 with a win at miami
but again
i can't remember being less enthusiastic for the start of a season as i am for this one
ironic considering the sanchez pick was supposed to kickstart the emotions
it's like the mets infection has spread to gangrene
Fred: to be fair now
jets are far below the mets on the ladder
at least the mets have won and competed
gotta take the benigno approach with the jets
always expect the worst
MZA: yes but that leads to the formation of the "maddog" fan
w/r/t the selling of firstborn children
Fred: "I'll leave now! mushnick can be happy! just one time!"
MZA: and speaking of irony what is up with the jets closing out giants stadium.
Fred: that's the best
bet the HOUSE on cincy
thats the last team right
MZA: yeah
Fred: easiest money ever
all the jets have done there is lose
why change it for the last game
MZA: i wonder what their alltime giants stadium record is
Fred: I think it's 101-103
MZA: wow
Fred: read that in a post article about the stadium
at least they won some home playoff games
not many, but still
MZA: check this out
http://www.theredzone.org/strength.asp
Fred: damn
tough 3rd place schedule
MZA: leads to easy last place finish
Fred: hmm
for all the bad vibes about the jets
I hear more about the bills
and their horrific offense
they also have the worst or second worst coach in the league
remember when jauron gave the jets a win last year during the collapse
MZA: yes
that game was a meeting of the minds
Fred: cant wait for the rematch
MZA: wasnt that the same game where mangini almost gave it back
well i agree with you on the toronto angle
in terms of the cover lock
but a win?
i dont know
Fred: do you think TO will demand a trade if the bills start 0-3
or demand to get released
that ship could sink quick
bring him to the jets
MZA: why not
keyshawn part 2
the post would love those headlines
i think if we're lucky we go 3-5 into the break
Fred: I'd run for that
MZA: not sure we can beat oakland
since we never do
and i think theyre going to be better than expected
then maaaybe 2 wins in the second half
Fred: if the jets go 6-10
but somehow beat the dolphins twice
I'd love that
cannot get swept by chad
MZA: why not
i still believe in pennington
Fred: he's the new jeff garcia
MZA: excellent comparison
Fred: will always be better than any qb on your roster
MZA: then who's the new chad?
Fred: but never good enough to win a title
hmm
MZA: carson palmer?
Fred: even chad played more games when he got hurt
I barely remember carson
so sad when that steelers lineman sat on him
killed the whole franchise
MZA: yeah
Fred: I have a question
do those pepsi forever young commercials
have to be run by players and coaches unions
cause they show belichick
he's not part of the coaches assoc
MZA: dont think i've ever seen it -- link?
he would make a good coors light guy but i guess he's have to be in coaches union
Fred: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemMjWSUreM
did you know in madden
he's NE HC
because of that
MZA: i like that
just for the oldschool videogame throwback
like qb eagles
Fred: hehe
MZA: or #23
Fred: it also pays homage to his note with the jets
was it "I resign as HC of NYJ"?
MZA: right
6 words that sent the franchise back to the short bus
Fred: now what was the deal - did leon hess promise him the job before hiring tuna
MZA: it was the sale
according to his press conference
from hess - woody
Fred: the funny thing is
woody isnt that bad compared to his predecessor
MZA: record wise
strike that
i agree, but something always seems missing with this team
it's like ordering a drink with no booze in it
Fred: it's the curse of shea
hit the jets
now the mets
...
I think the last exchange sums up the franchise pretty well.

Diving in Soccer

Had a piece posted at EPLtalk about diving in soccer in general and specifically about an Arsenal player who had his ban for diving overturned.