Wow, we are at the end of April, hard to believe it was just January and the winter winds were in full effect. Spring has finally, truly arrived here in the high country. All of the plants and tree are blooming with life, awoken from the long slumber we call winter up here.
The "stache" has been on an academic whirlwind of sorts over the last 48 hours, hence the absence of an edition since Monday. This is is a busy time of the year for us involved in the academic world. It is especially hectic with all of the sporting activities that present themselves in these months. Yesterday I spent 3 hours working on this one problem with two other people, one problem on a take home test for Operations Management. It had to be done in Excel, which is a great program, but it takes awhile to figure out the formulas and numbers to put in the problems. Glad that it is all over now. Yesterday was also Mountain Day, here at school, which is a service project day where we have a day off of school to help out the community. The XC team helped to pick up trash along Elk River, it is amazing the amount of garbage you can find alongside a river. There were 8 of us and each of us had 3 trash bags full worth of stuff. Also that afternoon, I helped clean and clear out the wooded area behind Pinnacle Inn, where the Business Department is located. We had a guy on the chainsaw, as well as many people helping to remove vines, cut down limbs, and pick up any trash on that hillside. The amount of vines, and what they can get tangled on is amazing when it goes unkempt for so long. It looks a lot better than it did before, and was a lot of fun in the process. I like doing productive work, especially outside. My post-running career has definitely had a lot to keep me busy. My brain is in overdrive right now, just waiting for it to completely give out on me, but it has not quite yet. My mental endurance has seemed to improve over the last few days. I guess my physical endurance has shifted a little into my head. Not that running was a burden, but it has definitely freed up some time to get some other things accomplished. I am not hamstrung, so to speak, by the amount of time I have to spend on other activities. I pretty much have all day to do things and not have to wait until nighttime to get my work done, which allows me to rest and get more quality sleep. This is a time of mental cleansing for me, taking things in from a different perspective. I feel like I am more free to do other things, without worrying how it will affect my running. The actual changes are minuscule from an outsiders perspective, but for me it feels a lot different. It feels new and fresh. I do not know if that made sense to anyone, but I think you get the point.
Graduation is a mere 23 days away, school ends a few days before that. All of us seniors here are eagerly awaiting these days. We know there are challenges out there for us to tackle and the goings will be tough early on, but we have the tools necessary to be productive in this world. It is just a matter of finding that right opportunity. Some will find their calling in life sooner than others. It will be interesting to see what happens on this road we call life as we face the cold reality that is the real world. No more college comforts, nothing to fall back upon any more. Time to step out of the shadows and make a name for ourselves. I will probably have more words of wisdom as we get closer to G-Day, so I hope you enjoyed a taste of what is sure to come soon. Take care.
Mb
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Atlanta Sports Weekend
I am going to try and keep it short and sweet this evening. My head hurts from all this learning stuff. My brain can only so much useful and useless information inside it at one time. The artist formerly known as "the stache," will be presenting his thoughts on this weekend Atlanta sports action and so on we go with that...
Atlanta Braves
Finished off the road trip in a somewhat positive note taking 2 out of 3 from the Cincinnati Reds. We finished the trip at 4-5 only 2 games back of the Florida Marlins who have lost 6 straight to bring them back to the pack. The Braves starting pitching continues to be real solid in the top few in the NL in ERA. Kawakami is proving to be a bit of a weak link so far this season. He gave up 8 runs in 4+ innings yesterday, and has been average in his other starts. Hopefully he can figure out this league a little more and make the necessary adjustments to be successful here in the States. The bullpen has been pitching well of late after getting off to a rough start to the season. The roles are starting to be determined and I think that shows in how they have pitched recently. The offense still needs some work and is inconsistent at best. Kelly Johnson is really struggling right now. Brian McCann and Garrett Anderson are on the DL, so there are some noticeable holes, but I think they can do better than what they have showed. David Ross, the backup catcher has been outstanding this year displaying power and defense that just were not there at the position last year. Tonight begins a series with the powerful St. Louis Cardinals who have had a torrid start to the season (13-6). So we will see if this last series means anything.
Atlanta Hawks
Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic performance in Game 3 on Saturday evening. The Heat crushed the Hawks 107-78. No heart and no passion from this team. Where is the defensive effort? Where is Joe Johnson? They need to shut down the Heat's other players, Jermaine O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, and company in order to win or just even be competitive tonight. Very puzzling from a team that has been clutch, and played tough when it matters to come up so small in big moments like these. They need to take this one tonight or they can forget advancing to this next round.
Atlanta Falcons
I liked what Thomas Dimitroff and the boys did this weekend in the Draft. Focused on defense with 7 out the 8 players being on that side of the ball. They heavily addressed the DLine with Peria Jerry, Lawrence Sidbury, and Vance Walker. Jerry should start from Day 1 alongside Jonathon Babineaux at DT. The team will be young on the defensive side of the ball but they will be faster than they were last year. They may struggle initially, but I feel like they will come together by seasons end and be a real force for this team. The offense has the potential to be top 5 next year if everything breaks right for them. The Offensive Lines ability to keep Matt Ryan off the ground will be key. Tony Gonzalez is a huge acquisition that could pay huge dividends for Ryan and be the threat in the read zone that we lacked last year.
Mb
Atlanta Braves
Finished off the road trip in a somewhat positive note taking 2 out of 3 from the Cincinnati Reds. We finished the trip at 4-5 only 2 games back of the Florida Marlins who have lost 6 straight to bring them back to the pack. The Braves starting pitching continues to be real solid in the top few in the NL in ERA. Kawakami is proving to be a bit of a weak link so far this season. He gave up 8 runs in 4+ innings yesterday, and has been average in his other starts. Hopefully he can figure out this league a little more and make the necessary adjustments to be successful here in the States. The bullpen has been pitching well of late after getting off to a rough start to the season. The roles are starting to be determined and I think that shows in how they have pitched recently. The offense still needs some work and is inconsistent at best. Kelly Johnson is really struggling right now. Brian McCann and Garrett Anderson are on the DL, so there are some noticeable holes, but I think they can do better than what they have showed. David Ross, the backup catcher has been outstanding this year displaying power and defense that just were not there at the position last year. Tonight begins a series with the powerful St. Louis Cardinals who have had a torrid start to the season (13-6). So we will see if this last series means anything.
Atlanta Hawks
Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic performance in Game 3 on Saturday evening. The Heat crushed the Hawks 107-78. No heart and no passion from this team. Where is the defensive effort? Where is Joe Johnson? They need to shut down the Heat's other players, Jermaine O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, and company in order to win or just even be competitive tonight. Very puzzling from a team that has been clutch, and played tough when it matters to come up so small in big moments like these. They need to take this one tonight or they can forget advancing to this next round.
Atlanta Falcons
I liked what Thomas Dimitroff and the boys did this weekend in the Draft. Focused on defense with 7 out the 8 players being on that side of the ball. They heavily addressed the DLine with Peria Jerry, Lawrence Sidbury, and Vance Walker. Jerry should start from Day 1 alongside Jonathon Babineaux at DT. The team will be young on the defensive side of the ball but they will be faster than they were last year. They may struggle initially, but I feel like they will come together by seasons end and be a real force for this team. The offense has the potential to be top 5 next year if everything breaks right for them. The Offensive Lines ability to keep Matt Ryan off the ground will be key. Tony Gonzalez is a huge acquisition that could pay huge dividends for Ryan and be the threat in the read zone that we lacked last year.
Mb
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The End Of An Era
I have been asked many times over the last 24-36 hours about what it feels like to run your last college race. Or how does it feel to be done with running or do you plan to continue running in the future? All good questions, and I'd be lying if I said I had not thought about my responses to those questions. At the time of the inquiries I had no solid response. All I had was typical me responses such as "I don't know (as I shrug my shoulders)", "it feels ok (with little enthusiasm", and "it feels good." All response with very little conviction. I guess I had never really put serious thought into it and if I did my feelings on it would change from time to time. I think there were some points where I was really eager to get it all done with and move on to something different in my life. Maybe even consider giving up running all together. Something I strongly considered because of the burnout I was feeling over the many thousands (estimated somewhere around 16,000 in my career) miles of miles I had put into the years. Some with a lot of results to show for and many a time with hardly anything to show for all the work I had put in. Competitive running can be very frustrating and challenging. Good results usually do not come by easily. You see people put it in the same work as you and still be better in races for whatever reasons that may be. Or it can be frustrating as a team when you work so hard to come up just a few measly points from reaching your dreams (2007 XC finishing 22 points out of 2nd place at Regionals). It takes awhile to get over that disappointment and I still feel that carries some weight for me today. Its like you tell yourself that no matter what you do it just is not enough. I realize that it will not always be the case, but its a frustrating disappointment none the less. You will always think that there is something more that you could have done to make it happen.
So my thoughts as I leave the sport of collegiate distance running are not all that clear right now. On one hand there is a little sadness that I won't get to go on any more van or bus rides to all of these different places. The camaraderie of being on a distance running team is unique and can't be replicated. I know its cliche but we do what other sports consider punishment and we do it for fun (for the most part) and we do it to see what our potential is. At least that is why I continued to do it to see if I could squeeze any more times and numbers out of the abilities that God gave me. I was fortunate to be able to squeeze one little second off of my 1500m time this year. It was the only PR I set my last year of college running. Frustrating to say the least as you watch others around you drop times and you feel like you are running in quick sand to try and catch up. I feel that like with everything, everything happens for a reason. There was a reason why I was not able to drop my times like I wanted to. Its not because I did not set goals or work as hard as I had in the past. I feel like I did these things, but still fell short for whatever reason. I feel that reason was that my patience, determination, and will to keep pushing on even when times are not good and things are a struggle. Stuff that is important down the road of life.
Running can be a microcosm of your life. How do you deal with the struggles, how do you deal with pain, injury, and going that extra mile when it may feel uncomfortable or risky. In racing you have to know when to gamble to lay down all the chips and make a run for it. If you do not take that chance you may never what lies behind the other side of that door. Running teaches patience. It is a long-term results focused sport in my mind. You have to be willing to see what a run in mid-July is going to help you to run better in late October. Every run as I like to say serves its purpose, whether you realize it or not. Its like building a pyramid. You have to begin with the base, which takes the most time and is not the most glorious part of your training. Than after the base is in place you get to add some faster stuff and then you get to race and that is the top of the pyramid where all of the sweat and miles will hopefully pay off into a positive result for you. I think one of the things I enjoyed most about running was the process of all the miles you put in to see how all the puzzle pieces fit together. What will this workout do for you in a race, etc.? Running is a blue collar sport, it does not get the national attention, and all the work is usually done out on some isolated roads or trails where very little people have access to. Only you know the work you put in. It used to be high school that in cross country I would look forward to the workouts, but dread the races. In college it became a complete 180 almost as I dreaded having to do an 8 or 10 mile tempo run. I would rather race the 8k or the 10k. I still enjoyed the process but I learned to appreciate more the art of racing. I was never nervous before the start of a college cross country race. Every high school race I wanted to run away from the start line and not have to race. I think the biggest difference between my feelings in high school and college had to with confidence. Confidence that I could run fast because I had done the training. That is where I got my confidence from, the training, the miles put in. For some reason in high school I didn't have that confidence and I probably overachieved as a result of that. Its part of mental maturity I think, not being afraid to take a risk in a race and having no regrets when you crossed the line. As I wound down these last few races of my collegiate career, each race served a greater importance. I would run each race smart and to the best of ability. If the pace for me needed to be quick early on than that's how I approached it. If it needed to be slower than that's how I would race it. I do not know the specific reason why I struggled this last year. I have given it quite a lot of thought and came up with no definitive answer other than this. My body and my mind is telling me, you have already pushed so hard for so many years you just do not have that extra gear that you used to have had in the past. The body is shutting down, so to speak, from competitiveness in running. Its time to compete in something else. Its hard to explain clearly but that is the best response I have to why I struggled this year. My body just was tired and my mind could not overcome this and push to a different level. The runs were not as easy as they used to be, the workouts were a struggle all the time. Its amazing to me how so much changed in such a short period of time. I should've been able to compete better but I did not up to my standards. My body was telling me, no you will not be fast today. I think the carryover from 2007 XC had a lot to do with all this. So much time and effort spent, but with unsatisfactory results to boot. I improved a lot from when I first got here running around 31 minutes for 8k down to around 28 minutes. The 5k dropped from mid-18's to mid-16's. My 1500m time dropped about 10 seconds. So I accomplished many things here and I do not regret the decision I made to be a part of this team (only regret was not realizing how cold it gets here in the winter time). I had many a great memory here and it is a place that allowed me to grow and development at my own pace not someone elses.
Although I did not have quite the finish I wanted to (a 435 1500m and 209 800m on my final day of college running), I hang up the spikes for the final time as a collegiate runner with pride. I have a lot of people to thank for that, too numerous to mention, but thank you to everyone who played a part in my running career. All the way from middle school and beyond, up to the present day. You have helped me to learn so much about this sport and how fortunate I was to be able to do it for so long. Not everyone gets opportunities like this and I am very grateful.
Thanks for reading.
Mb
So my thoughts as I leave the sport of collegiate distance running are not all that clear right now. On one hand there is a little sadness that I won't get to go on any more van or bus rides to all of these different places. The camaraderie of being on a distance running team is unique and can't be replicated. I know its cliche but we do what other sports consider punishment and we do it for fun (for the most part) and we do it to see what our potential is. At least that is why I continued to do it to see if I could squeeze any more times and numbers out of the abilities that God gave me. I was fortunate to be able to squeeze one little second off of my 1500m time this year. It was the only PR I set my last year of college running. Frustrating to say the least as you watch others around you drop times and you feel like you are running in quick sand to try and catch up. I feel that like with everything, everything happens for a reason. There was a reason why I was not able to drop my times like I wanted to. Its not because I did not set goals or work as hard as I had in the past. I feel like I did these things, but still fell short for whatever reason. I feel that reason was that my patience, determination, and will to keep pushing on even when times are not good and things are a struggle. Stuff that is important down the road of life.
Running can be a microcosm of your life. How do you deal with the struggles, how do you deal with pain, injury, and going that extra mile when it may feel uncomfortable or risky. In racing you have to know when to gamble to lay down all the chips and make a run for it. If you do not take that chance you may never what lies behind the other side of that door. Running teaches patience. It is a long-term results focused sport in my mind. You have to be willing to see what a run in mid-July is going to help you to run better in late October. Every run as I like to say serves its purpose, whether you realize it or not. Its like building a pyramid. You have to begin with the base, which takes the most time and is not the most glorious part of your training. Than after the base is in place you get to add some faster stuff and then you get to race and that is the top of the pyramid where all of the sweat and miles will hopefully pay off into a positive result for you. I think one of the things I enjoyed most about running was the process of all the miles you put in to see how all the puzzle pieces fit together. What will this workout do for you in a race, etc.? Running is a blue collar sport, it does not get the national attention, and all the work is usually done out on some isolated roads or trails where very little people have access to. Only you know the work you put in. It used to be high school that in cross country I would look forward to the workouts, but dread the races. In college it became a complete 180 almost as I dreaded having to do an 8 or 10 mile tempo run. I would rather race the 8k or the 10k. I still enjoyed the process but I learned to appreciate more the art of racing. I was never nervous before the start of a college cross country race. Every high school race I wanted to run away from the start line and not have to race. I think the biggest difference between my feelings in high school and college had to with confidence. Confidence that I could run fast because I had done the training. That is where I got my confidence from, the training, the miles put in. For some reason in high school I didn't have that confidence and I probably overachieved as a result of that. Its part of mental maturity I think, not being afraid to take a risk in a race and having no regrets when you crossed the line. As I wound down these last few races of my collegiate career, each race served a greater importance. I would run each race smart and to the best of ability. If the pace for me needed to be quick early on than that's how I approached it. If it needed to be slower than that's how I would race it. I do not know the specific reason why I struggled this last year. I have given it quite a lot of thought and came up with no definitive answer other than this. My body and my mind is telling me, you have already pushed so hard for so many years you just do not have that extra gear that you used to have had in the past. The body is shutting down, so to speak, from competitiveness in running. Its time to compete in something else. Its hard to explain clearly but that is the best response I have to why I struggled this year. My body just was tired and my mind could not overcome this and push to a different level. The runs were not as easy as they used to be, the workouts were a struggle all the time. Its amazing to me how so much changed in such a short period of time. I should've been able to compete better but I did not up to my standards. My body was telling me, no you will not be fast today. I think the carryover from 2007 XC had a lot to do with all this. So much time and effort spent, but with unsatisfactory results to boot. I improved a lot from when I first got here running around 31 minutes for 8k down to around 28 minutes. The 5k dropped from mid-18's to mid-16's. My 1500m time dropped about 10 seconds. So I accomplished many things here and I do not regret the decision I made to be a part of this team (only regret was not realizing how cold it gets here in the winter time). I had many a great memory here and it is a place that allowed me to grow and development at my own pace not someone elses.
Although I did not have quite the finish I wanted to (a 435 1500m and 209 800m on my final day of college running), I hang up the spikes for the final time as a collegiate runner with pride. I have a lot of people to thank for that, too numerous to mention, but thank you to everyone who played a part in my running career. All the way from middle school and beyond, up to the present day. You have helped me to learn so much about this sport and how fortunate I was to be able to do it for so long. Not everyone gets opportunities like this and I am very grateful.
Thanks for reading.
Mb
Thursday, April 23, 2009
ATL Sports and My Impending Retirement
A little sports talk for a beautiful Thursday evening in the High Country. The "stache" a.k.a. "the matt in black." That's TMIB for short.
A lot is going on in the ATL sports world this time of year. Its unfortunate the end of the school semester has to conflict with all the sporting events on TV, something has to give here and you know it won't be the sports. First, the Braves, my long time love and passion. I have to be careful watching their games so as to not to get so worked up about them, its difficult but I am trying to mellow out as I get older. Its frustrating when you see a team with all this talent and you feel like they are underachieving. Does it come from the manager? Do we have the wrong mix of players? I think the answer to the first question is yes, I think we need to seriously look at letting Bobby Cox go into retirement. The spark does not seem to be there. Look, to me he is one of the best managers ever in the history of baseball, but the time may be up for the long time skipper of the Bravos. I hope I am wrong on this and the team can turn it around, but I have seen this team go into a precipitous downhill slide the last few years and I do not see much hope for this year other than a .500 record or so. I think we have the right mix of players with some reinforcements on the way in the next year or two to see who fits in well and who does not. We should also just get rid of Terry Pendleton, the hitting coach, because where do guys go when they are struggling with their swing, not him, but Chipper Jones or some guy from another organization. Heck, Jeff Francouer went to Rudy Jaramillo of the Texas Rangers to fix his swing. What does that say about the competence of Pendleton? Chipper talks to his dad, Brian McCann talks to his dad, I don't see many talking to TP. The offense has been too inconsistent this year, while the starters are above average and the bullpen finally seems to be coming around (knock on wood), but we cannot seem to put all phases of the game together for more than a game at a time. The defense has been suspect in some cases as has the baserunning. Something is not clicking, I do not want to begin to seriously talk about football until at least June, they might force that occurrence to happen by mid-May if they do not get it together.
Next team: The Hawks. The series currently sits 1-1 against the Miami Heat with the series heading to Miami for two games this Saturday and Monday evening. The first game we played was fantastic, holding the Heat to a measly 64 points. They basically made them quit and only Dwyane Wade and Micheal Beasley scored in the double figures. A complete team effort by the Hawks on both sides of the floor as we put six guys into double figures in points, while holding the Heat to 25 points in the second half. Outstanding performance followed by a very average performance last night as the Heat lit us up in 108-93 game that saw Miami make 15 three pointers (Dwayne Wade and Daequan Cook with 6 a piece). We could not seem to find the defensive touch that we had in game one as they jumped on us early and never really looked back. They had five guys score in double figures. The key to stopping the Heat is to shut down the other guys and kind of let Wade do his thing. Also knocking down some free throws would be nice as well (19 for 30). Joe Johnson and Al Horford will be the keys in these games in Miami. They need to play big or we are going to be heading home for good sooner than we would like.
Next and final team: Atlanta Falcons. You may ask isn't it a little too early to be talking about football in April. Oh on the contrary my friend, the 2009 NFL Draft is less than 48 hours away. Cannot wait. For a stats and football junkie this is one of the highlights of the sports year for me. For some it is a snoozer, but I enjoy nearly every minute of it. So many intriguing possibilities. Now I will admit that I am not into as much as I was last year when the Falcons set at #3 and we were under our first year with Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith calling the shots for the draft. We were not sure what they would do or who they would select, but I trusted these guys from the start to make the right pick. I never really seriously questioned (my friend did) the selection of Matt Ryan as the QB with the first pick, that has turned out fabulous so far. I am intrigued with what they will do with their 1st pick at #24 this year. I have a feeling it will be a defensive player, whoever their highest rated player is when it is time for them to make their pick. Defense will be the major theme this year, but I do expect them to address the Offensive Line as well sometime in this draft. With the recent addition of Tony Gonzalez at TE, I think we are as close as we can be to be set on the offensive side of the ball for 2009. Gonzalez had a solid year last for the Chiefs, hauling in 10 TDs and racking over 1000 yards in receptions. Good numbers, lets hope he can come close to that this year and become the missing link to our offense.
One last tidbit before I let you go. Tomorrow will be my last practice as a Lees-McRae Bobcats (pause for mourning.............). It just might have to be an all black day tomorrow on the run. This also will probably be my last day running here at school as I plan to take about about a month off from running. This will be the longest time I will go without running, non-injury related, in 8 years. I am looking forward to the break to rest my mind and body and prepare myself for the next phase in my life. As I have mentioned before I plan to continue running on a semi-regular basis, barring anything catastrophic. I have given a lot of thought to this matter and was not sure how seriously I was going to take running in the future. Obviously it will be less serious as I will only have to worry about myself and not my place on a team. I will not over stress trying to squeeze a run in. I will do it more because of a want than a need. I am scheduled to run the Peachtree Road Race(10k) in Atlanta on July 4. So I would like to be in some reasonable kind of fitness for that and plus I have to have something to keep up my appetite and retain my dominance as the most fit member of my family. The rest of the family has started up running, so I can't slack too much. It serves as a lot of my motivation to keep running, can't let the little sister out do me. Be looking for a retirement speech sometime this weekend as I run my last races as a collegian on Saturday. Sorry that was longer than a tidbit, but now I am done so you can stop reading, no seriously you can stop reading I am done for the day. Peace.
Mb
A lot is going on in the ATL sports world this time of year. Its unfortunate the end of the school semester has to conflict with all the sporting events on TV, something has to give here and you know it won't be the sports. First, the Braves, my long time love and passion. I have to be careful watching their games so as to not to get so worked up about them, its difficult but I am trying to mellow out as I get older. Its frustrating when you see a team with all this talent and you feel like they are underachieving. Does it come from the manager? Do we have the wrong mix of players? I think the answer to the first question is yes, I think we need to seriously look at letting Bobby Cox go into retirement. The spark does not seem to be there. Look, to me he is one of the best managers ever in the history of baseball, but the time may be up for the long time skipper of the Bravos. I hope I am wrong on this and the team can turn it around, but I have seen this team go into a precipitous downhill slide the last few years and I do not see much hope for this year other than a .500 record or so. I think we have the right mix of players with some reinforcements on the way in the next year or two to see who fits in well and who does not. We should also just get rid of Terry Pendleton, the hitting coach, because where do guys go when they are struggling with their swing, not him, but Chipper Jones or some guy from another organization. Heck, Jeff Francouer went to Rudy Jaramillo of the Texas Rangers to fix his swing. What does that say about the competence of Pendleton? Chipper talks to his dad, Brian McCann talks to his dad, I don't see many talking to TP. The offense has been too inconsistent this year, while the starters are above average and the bullpen finally seems to be coming around (knock on wood), but we cannot seem to put all phases of the game together for more than a game at a time. The defense has been suspect in some cases as has the baserunning. Something is not clicking, I do not want to begin to seriously talk about football until at least June, they might force that occurrence to happen by mid-May if they do not get it together.
Next team: The Hawks. The series currently sits 1-1 against the Miami Heat with the series heading to Miami for two games this Saturday and Monday evening. The first game we played was fantastic, holding the Heat to a measly 64 points. They basically made them quit and only Dwyane Wade and Micheal Beasley scored in the double figures. A complete team effort by the Hawks on both sides of the floor as we put six guys into double figures in points, while holding the Heat to 25 points in the second half. Outstanding performance followed by a very average performance last night as the Heat lit us up in 108-93 game that saw Miami make 15 three pointers (Dwayne Wade and Daequan Cook with 6 a piece). We could not seem to find the defensive touch that we had in game one as they jumped on us early and never really looked back. They had five guys score in double figures. The key to stopping the Heat is to shut down the other guys and kind of let Wade do his thing. Also knocking down some free throws would be nice as well (19 for 30). Joe Johnson and Al Horford will be the keys in these games in Miami. They need to play big or we are going to be heading home for good sooner than we would like.
Next and final team: Atlanta Falcons. You may ask isn't it a little too early to be talking about football in April. Oh on the contrary my friend, the 2009 NFL Draft is less than 48 hours away. Cannot wait. For a stats and football junkie this is one of the highlights of the sports year for me. For some it is a snoozer, but I enjoy nearly every minute of it. So many intriguing possibilities. Now I will admit that I am not into as much as I was last year when the Falcons set at #3 and we were under our first year with Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith calling the shots for the draft. We were not sure what they would do or who they would select, but I trusted these guys from the start to make the right pick. I never really seriously questioned (my friend did) the selection of Matt Ryan as the QB with the first pick, that has turned out fabulous so far. I am intrigued with what they will do with their 1st pick at #24 this year. I have a feeling it will be a defensive player, whoever their highest rated player is when it is time for them to make their pick. Defense will be the major theme this year, but I do expect them to address the Offensive Line as well sometime in this draft. With the recent addition of Tony Gonzalez at TE, I think we are as close as we can be to be set on the offensive side of the ball for 2009. Gonzalez had a solid year last for the Chiefs, hauling in 10 TDs and racking over 1000 yards in receptions. Good numbers, lets hope he can come close to that this year and become the missing link to our offense.
One last tidbit before I let you go. Tomorrow will be my last practice as a Lees-McRae Bobcats (pause for mourning.............). It just might have to be an all black day tomorrow on the run. This also will probably be my last day running here at school as I plan to take about about a month off from running. This will be the longest time I will go without running, non-injury related, in 8 years. I am looking forward to the break to rest my mind and body and prepare myself for the next phase in my life. As I have mentioned before I plan to continue running on a semi-regular basis, barring anything catastrophic. I have given a lot of thought to this matter and was not sure how seriously I was going to take running in the future. Obviously it will be less serious as I will only have to worry about myself and not my place on a team. I will not over stress trying to squeeze a run in. I will do it more because of a want than a need. I am scheduled to run the Peachtree Road Race(10k) in Atlanta on July 4. So I would like to be in some reasonable kind of fitness for that and plus I have to have something to keep up my appetite and retain my dominance as the most fit member of my family. The rest of the family has started up running, so I can't slack too much. It serves as a lot of my motivation to keep running, can't let the little sister out do me. Be looking for a retirement speech sometime this weekend as I run my last races as a collegian on Saturday. Sorry that was longer than a tidbit, but now I am done so you can stop reading, no seriously you can stop reading I am done for the day. Peace.
Mb
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Why I Run?
So as I wind on down the road towards graduation and the end of my collegiate running career. A lot of thoughts have crossed through my crowded mind. One recently that has, and I am sure one question that has been addressed by many is, Why do I run? Why do we do anything? Is it by choice? Is it by free will? There are a lot of reasons behind why we do certain things. Some of them are more prevalent than others. Some reveal themselves at different times and in different manners. Sometimes you do not know even why you did something to begin with. Sometimes you just get caught up in the moment and before you know it you are acting upon an action.
The question of why do I run or why did I choose running as a sport I wished to pursue competitively. Probably starts like most things, from humble beginnings. I can take this way back to the days and months that I first started walking. You know back in the olden days, the 80's. I do not really remember the 80's, all I know of is the music rocked, the hair was long, and people wore weird looking glasses. I have been told and this story has been confirmed to me that in order to get me to go to sleep at night my uncle, who was babysitting me at the time, would get me to run laps inside the house in the hope that I fould fall asleep. Needless to say, despite the compensation (rumored to be about 25 cents), this tactic rarely worked. Unknown to him, that my endurance was in top form even from a young age. God blessed me with a little something even from the beginning. From running inside the living room to running local fun runs in town or at the elementary schools. I would always do pretty well for my age group, finishing in the top 2-3 in most races. It was just for the pure fun of it I guess. There was no real training involved, other than playing baseball or soccer year round. This probably helped the fitness levels a little bit. My seventh grade year, way back in the spring of 2000, I decided to try out for the track team and to my surprise I did really well as I was one of the top finishers in the 2 mile and 1 mile runs. It was surprising because I had tried and failed to make the teams in football or basketball. It was cool to belong to something meaningful. I ran really well that year, had a mile time somewhere under 5:30, and a 2 mile of 11:38. I won my first races that year in the two mile. It was becoming something that I wanted to do long term and was pretty successful at. My 8th grade year we got some new kids in who were better than I was at the 2 mile. So I retired from that event, never to run that event in track until college. I dropped down to the 800 and ran 2:20 that year as well as running in the low 5:20s for the mile. Cross country was a new and different experience for me, beginning in the summer of 2001. It was a different pain and a different kind of training than anything I had ever done in middle school. Running for 45-50 minutes a day 6 days a week, are you kidding me? What is this? Made a lot of friends during my four years of running. Some I still keep in touch with, others not as much. Nearly all of my friends in high school were on the cross country. It is a unique bond that all of us runners shared together. It is not a sport you do to get the recognition. There are countless amounts of miles you have to put in to be good in this sport. While talent does reveal itself, it usually takes a few miles for that talent to be evident. With running comes a lot of alone time. There is not always someone to go out on a run with, so you have to be willing to put in the miles by yourself. It takes a certain amount of dedication to see the long-term reason behind why you are going to go out for an 80 minute run when the longest amount of time you will do in race is 36 minutes or so. It is all about building that base so you can become stronger and do those workouts at the times you could not do before. I have learned so much about the sport from when I began it 10 years ago. The different ways to approach training. What terms like tempo, fartlek, intervals, really mean and what paces you should be running them at. Learning the meaning behind every workout and what purpose they serve. The amount of mileage you should be doing and the pace that your runs should be at. That so much of running is just based off how you feel. You do not need to go fast on every run, there is a time and a place to go fast. Learning how to approach races from a mental approach is one thing that took a long time for me to completely understand. How much pain and suffering do I want to put myself through on this day? In running there is nowhere to hide, your fitness level and your toughness is evident every time you step out on the course or the track. It is a true individual sport. You do it to see how far your talents will reach and what your potential is. If you do well you get the credit and vice versa. It is a true measure of your competitiveness and your will to push yourself to your limits. I guess these are the reasons I chose to pursue running. There was a many a time I considered quitting running or asked myself why am I out here doing this run? I could be out doing something else. I could be sleeping. I could be having a good ole time doing anything else but this. This sport takes a lot of sacrifice. It has to be something you are willing to do if you want to do well. You do not go out on a Saturday night as much. You have to go to bed at a reasonable time. You have to watch what you eat. You have to do other stuff other than running to be good such as weight room work or core workouts or pool workouts. It is something that I accepted and just realized that that was the deal I got myself into when I accepted this as my part time job in college. I will never forget all of the van rides and places I got to visit over all of my years of running. Being able to run at places such as Charleston, SC, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, to name a few.
These are the experiences I will not soon forget. The things said and done on these trips would not be considered appropriate for most people out there, but it is normal for us. This is why I ran. For the fun of it, for all of the laughs, for all of the good times, and for all of the struggles. It has taught me dedication, accountability, resilience, and most of all gave me a life long activity in which to do for the rest of my life. Thank you running for all of the blessings you have gave me even if it took some soul searching to realize that in the end.
M
The question of why do I run or why did I choose running as a sport I wished to pursue competitively. Probably starts like most things, from humble beginnings. I can take this way back to the days and months that I first started walking. You know back in the olden days, the 80's. I do not really remember the 80's, all I know of is the music rocked, the hair was long, and people wore weird looking glasses. I have been told and this story has been confirmed to me that in order to get me to go to sleep at night my uncle, who was babysitting me at the time, would get me to run laps inside the house in the hope that I fould fall asleep. Needless to say, despite the compensation (rumored to be about 25 cents), this tactic rarely worked. Unknown to him, that my endurance was in top form even from a young age. God blessed me with a little something even from the beginning. From running inside the living room to running local fun runs in town or at the elementary schools. I would always do pretty well for my age group, finishing in the top 2-3 in most races. It was just for the pure fun of it I guess. There was no real training involved, other than playing baseball or soccer year round. This probably helped the fitness levels a little bit. My seventh grade year, way back in the spring of 2000, I decided to try out for the track team and to my surprise I did really well as I was one of the top finishers in the 2 mile and 1 mile runs. It was surprising because I had tried and failed to make the teams in football or basketball. It was cool to belong to something meaningful. I ran really well that year, had a mile time somewhere under 5:30, and a 2 mile of 11:38. I won my first races that year in the two mile. It was becoming something that I wanted to do long term and was pretty successful at. My 8th grade year we got some new kids in who were better than I was at the 2 mile. So I retired from that event, never to run that event in track until college. I dropped down to the 800 and ran 2:20 that year as well as running in the low 5:20s for the mile. Cross country was a new and different experience for me, beginning in the summer of 2001. It was a different pain and a different kind of training than anything I had ever done in middle school. Running for 45-50 minutes a day 6 days a week, are you kidding me? What is this? Made a lot of friends during my four years of running. Some I still keep in touch with, others not as much. Nearly all of my friends in high school were on the cross country. It is a unique bond that all of us runners shared together. It is not a sport you do to get the recognition. There are countless amounts of miles you have to put in to be good in this sport. While talent does reveal itself, it usually takes a few miles for that talent to be evident. With running comes a lot of alone time. There is not always someone to go out on a run with, so you have to be willing to put in the miles by yourself. It takes a certain amount of dedication to see the long-term reason behind why you are going to go out for an 80 minute run when the longest amount of time you will do in race is 36 minutes or so. It is all about building that base so you can become stronger and do those workouts at the times you could not do before. I have learned so much about the sport from when I began it 10 years ago. The different ways to approach training. What terms like tempo, fartlek, intervals, really mean and what paces you should be running them at. Learning the meaning behind every workout and what purpose they serve. The amount of mileage you should be doing and the pace that your runs should be at. That so much of running is just based off how you feel. You do not need to go fast on every run, there is a time and a place to go fast. Learning how to approach races from a mental approach is one thing that took a long time for me to completely understand. How much pain and suffering do I want to put myself through on this day? In running there is nowhere to hide, your fitness level and your toughness is evident every time you step out on the course or the track. It is a true individual sport. You do it to see how far your talents will reach and what your potential is. If you do well you get the credit and vice versa. It is a true measure of your competitiveness and your will to push yourself to your limits. I guess these are the reasons I chose to pursue running. There was a many a time I considered quitting running or asked myself why am I out here doing this run? I could be out doing something else. I could be sleeping. I could be having a good ole time doing anything else but this. This sport takes a lot of sacrifice. It has to be something you are willing to do if you want to do well. You do not go out on a Saturday night as much. You have to go to bed at a reasonable time. You have to watch what you eat. You have to do other stuff other than running to be good such as weight room work or core workouts or pool workouts. It is something that I accepted and just realized that that was the deal I got myself into when I accepted this as my part time job in college. I will never forget all of the van rides and places I got to visit over all of my years of running. Being able to run at places such as Charleston, SC, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, to name a few.
These are the experiences I will not soon forget. The things said and done on these trips would not be considered appropriate for most people out there, but it is normal for us. This is why I ran. For the fun of it, for all of the laughs, for all of the good times, and for all of the struggles. It has taught me dedication, accountability, resilience, and most of all gave me a life long activity in which to do for the rest of my life. Thank you running for all of the blessings you have gave me even if it took some soul searching to realize that in the end.
M
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Weekend of Contrasts
This has been a weekend of contrasts. Began with the excitement of watching some great races this weekend here at school where we hosted the first annual Conference Carolinas Championship track meet. The men won by 117 points, while the women came in third. So, congrats to all those who put in the work to make that happen. That lasted from late Friday evening all the way until about 5pm in the afternoon on Saturday. Pretty much everything after that this weekend has been on the downslope of enthusiasm. The food in the cafeteria that evening was unspeakable, not even worth mentioning. Then that evening, with no Braves game to watch there was not much going on other than watching Star Wars. Which is fine by me, but can bore other people to death, especially those who do not understand what is going on. It is not what most 19-22 year olds want to do on Saturday night. It does not bother me either way, I do not have to go out and party or go out and do stuff. I am just fine sitting contently in my place of residence, chilling and relaxing. I do not like when people say it was or it is a waste of an evening. Find something to do, do not wait for something to come to come to you. I don't like when people complain and then proceed to do nothing about those complaints. If you are bored, I really do not want to hear about it.
There was also a contrast in how the Braves played this weekend against the Pittsburgh Pirates. On Saturday they lost 10-0, but on Sunday somehow they managed to win 11-1 with essentially the same lineup with one notable exception. Chipper Jones made a return to the lineup and suddenly everyone stopped pressing and everyone started to hit. It is weird how that happens, but we need to learn how to win when he is not in the lineup. They have the talent to do so it is just a matter of changing their mental approach at the plate. The last of the weekend contrasts for me this weekend was going from doing no school work on Friday and Saturday to spend nearly three hours working on an Operations Management Excel Project. Tons of fun and tons of frustration. It is not something you want to start your day off with because it will just put you in a bad mood. Which is what happened with me as I worked on it from about 10-11 this morning, got through one problem and had to put it away for fear of my head exploding away. So I put it away and watched the Braves take care of business to put me in a better mood. Than after dinner I got to work with a guy from class and we put our heads together and finished that sucker. Than right after that I got to watch the Hawks completely dismantle the Miami Heat 90-64. A total team effort on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The Hawks got up by 20 at the half and never relented. Hopefully they can keep it up because you know Wade and the Heat will find ways to bother and cause some problem for the Hawks. Oh by the way my NBA Finals pick is the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Los Angeles Lakers.
That is all from "the stache" tonight. Take care and drive home safely.
Mb
There was also a contrast in how the Braves played this weekend against the Pittsburgh Pirates. On Saturday they lost 10-0, but on Sunday somehow they managed to win 11-1 with essentially the same lineup with one notable exception. Chipper Jones made a return to the lineup and suddenly everyone stopped pressing and everyone started to hit. It is weird how that happens, but we need to learn how to win when he is not in the lineup. They have the talent to do so it is just a matter of changing their mental approach at the plate. The last of the weekend contrasts for me this weekend was going from doing no school work on Friday and Saturday to spend nearly three hours working on an Operations Management Excel Project. Tons of fun and tons of frustration. It is not something you want to start your day off with because it will just put you in a bad mood. Which is what happened with me as I worked on it from about 10-11 this morning, got through one problem and had to put it away for fear of my head exploding away. So I put it away and watched the Braves take care of business to put me in a better mood. Than after dinner I got to work with a guy from class and we put our heads together and finished that sucker. Than right after that I got to watch the Hawks completely dismantle the Miami Heat 90-64. A total team effort on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The Hawks got up by 20 at the half and never relented. Hopefully they can keep it up because you know Wade and the Heat will find ways to bother and cause some problem for the Hawks. Oh by the way my NBA Finals pick is the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Los Angeles Lakers.
That is all from "the stache" tonight. Take care and drive home safely.
Mb
Friday, April 17, 2009
Talent and Potential
Talent and potential, these are two words that are synonymous with each other and two words that we are all familiar with. We all know of people who have a certain knack for doing certain things very well with what seems to be little effort. Sometimes these people are putting forth a great deal of effort but are just so physically efficient in that particular activity that they make it look it easy. Sometimes it is the hard work that they have put in, so what may seem difficult to you it is really pretty simple or easy for them where they do not appear to be working as hard as you think you are. This is good because it can help to push you to a different level. What I am trying to say is that, especially in running, some people can work equally as hard as another and not produce the same results. It is just a fact of life. They just do not have the talent, the ability to suffer through pain, the ability just to tough it out, the actual natural physical ability that there born with, their genetics, mental toughness. I feel that everyone in this world has the ability to do something really extraordinary. Whether its the ability to run really fast, solve complex math problems, or have an outstanding ability to memorize certain things. We all have a gift or the potential to do something with extraordinary skill in our lives. It takes some of us longer than others to realize or to find that true talent that makes us unique from our neighbor. I also feel that while we may only be limited by what our mind tells us we can or cannot do. I feel that we all have certain limits inside of us. I feel that it is an obligation that he have as human beings to find out what that limit is. To test the boundaries of our potential. Take risks and work as hard as you possibly can at whatever you are doing is how you will realize your true potential. No one really knows what our limits are and it is up to us to find that out. I know for one, that while God gave me the ability to run decently, be duralbe, and be able to handle a lot of the physical stress that comes with the pounding of running, but I realized that no matter how hard I worked or how many miles I put it in. It just was not going to be easy for me to run as fast as others. I have to be flawless in everything I do, I cannot afford to be injured or I will get left behind. I have to be careful in the pacing of my runs so as to not waste any excess energy that I may need at different points in my training. I really cannot afford to not run that extra mile because of my ability. I am not trying to cop out or anything like that or give myself a reason for not running as fast as I probably could have. I always feel like I could go faster. My mental toughness could have been better in many races, but I always tried to give my best in everything that I did. Mental toughness is so important in running and in many things that we do. Some people are just born tougher, some people have to develop that toughness, and others never do. I feel like I got the most out of my ability while competing in college with the tools and the training resources I was provided with. I hope to continue to see how fast I can do in certain things, but you never know what twists life will bring you and I do not know if I will be able to maintain that passion to train and put in the miles to run fast. Sometimes I feel a little jealous of guys who can make it look so easy, but then I realize that these guys put it in the work like I do and I drop my jealousy. I only hope that they can realize their potential and not waste it. That is what angers me, people who half ass it and still do well in whatever it is that they do, not just in running. You eventually get what you deserve and by not working hard, that will eventually catch up to you. I just want people to not waste their time by not putting forth a good faith effort, but in the end it is their decision whether they want to do well or not, not mine or anyone elses.
That is all "the stache" has for tonight. I hope you enjoyed this latest installment. Take care and I will catch you on the flip side.
Mb
That is all "the stache" has for tonight. I hope you enjoyed this latest installment. Take care and I will catch you on the flip side.
Mb
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Randomness
Sorry about not posting recently. I've been caught up watching the Braves get swept by the Florida Marlins and doing some school work. I would like to mention that we here at Lees-McRae are hosting the inaugural Conference Carolina's Track and Field Championships this Friday and Saturday. It should be a good one to see. I would also like to give a shout out to Craig McPhail and the black socks today. You are truly inspiration for all of us out there that sport those fine creations. I do not know where I would be today if I did not have the courage to go public about my fondness for the high black socks. Thank you and I hope that you will inspire more to follow in your footsteps.
As we speak, we sit 37 days from G-Day. The day I finish up with school and go into the cold, harsh reality of the real world. I wonder if there will be any jobs out there for me. If anyone is reading this still, I am still on a search for something to keep me occupied for the next few months at least. At this point I do not care what it is, as long as I am not sitting around being a lazy bum. Which is really tempting to do, after all of this school and running shenanigans, but I need to move on and try to break myself of this laziness streak I have been on recently.
So, my thoughts on the Braves. I agree with what my friend said recently about this club, "Braves look like pretenders." I am hoping that the Marlins are just a really good club, and they probably are, and we just got beat by a superior club. I really like the Marlins pitching staff and if they can keep getting big hits from guys like Hermida and Bonifacio than they will be a formidable club all year long. Josh Johnson may win the Cy Young for them, and win a guy who threw a no hitter a few years ago is your number 5 starter (Anibal Sanchez), than you do not have many things to concern yourself with if you are them. If there defense can hold up, they can make a run deep into the postseason. I think the Braves need Tommy Hanson more than ever right now. I know you do not want to rush a guy, but I think he is ready for the big show. Throw him in the rotation and see what he has. He has the potential to dominate. I see some potential holes on the pitching staff, especially in the bullpen where the only reliable guys right now seem to be Jeff Bennett and Rafael Soriano (we will see how long this lasts with his history for blowing up sometime in the middle of the season). They just are not throwing strikes and locating their fastballs. Blaine Boyer needs to be sent down, a guy with his stuff should not be pitching as poorly as he has been. A guy his age (27), should be figuring it out by now and he looks as clueless as ever. Our starters are not going much past the 6th inning, which is a problem when you have leaks in your pen. We do not have any really truly dominant aces, a lot of solid veterans who will keep you in the ball game. Vazquez had a good game the other night striking out 12 in 6 innings, but because of the amount of pitches he threw and plus giving up six runs he had to relent to a bullpen who could not keep it close. Our offense is good but it cannot keep fighting an uphill battle against a pen that struggles to throw up some zeroes. Speaking of the offense, I like what we are doing for the most part. I would like for certain guys to be a little more selective at the plate (Yunel Escobar) and to be able to stay healthy (Chipper Jones, Garrett Anderson). By the way the Anderson signing is not looking real good right now. He has been plagued by a calf injury over the last month or so. I mean seriously, a calf, come on now. He swings a decent bat, but he is basically a DH playing LF for us. He has become a defensive liability, dropping two foul balls the other night that led to some runs being scored. I really like the way Kelly Johnson has started the season off in the leadoff spot, and Jeff Francouer has shown some positive signs of breaking out of his funk from 2008. He drove in the Braves only 2 runs today with some clutch 2 out hitting. He has looked a lot better in the field and is not as heavy and clumsy as he was last year. Matt Diaz looks trim and is ripping the ball, like always. Taking the most awkward looking swings that a human being can take and still make good contact. Schafer in CF looks like a keeper, if he can just play some solid defense and hit about 15 HR and hit around .270 this year. I think that is all you can ask out of him this year. He reminds me of Steve Finley, for those of you who remember who he was, a pretty darn good ball player.
In the famous words of Bill Simmons, happy halter top day today to you out there. The weather is looking fine and some of the ladies are not too bad either. Peace.
Mb
As we speak, we sit 37 days from G-Day. The day I finish up with school and go into the cold, harsh reality of the real world. I wonder if there will be any jobs out there for me. If anyone is reading this still, I am still on a search for something to keep me occupied for the next few months at least. At this point I do not care what it is, as long as I am not sitting around being a lazy bum. Which is really tempting to do, after all of this school and running shenanigans, but I need to move on and try to break myself of this laziness streak I have been on recently.
So, my thoughts on the Braves. I agree with what my friend said recently about this club, "Braves look like pretenders." I am hoping that the Marlins are just a really good club, and they probably are, and we just got beat by a superior club. I really like the Marlins pitching staff and if they can keep getting big hits from guys like Hermida and Bonifacio than they will be a formidable club all year long. Josh Johnson may win the Cy Young for them, and win a guy who threw a no hitter a few years ago is your number 5 starter (Anibal Sanchez), than you do not have many things to concern yourself with if you are them. If there defense can hold up, they can make a run deep into the postseason. I think the Braves need Tommy Hanson more than ever right now. I know you do not want to rush a guy, but I think he is ready for the big show. Throw him in the rotation and see what he has. He has the potential to dominate. I see some potential holes on the pitching staff, especially in the bullpen where the only reliable guys right now seem to be Jeff Bennett and Rafael Soriano (we will see how long this lasts with his history for blowing up sometime in the middle of the season). They just are not throwing strikes and locating their fastballs. Blaine Boyer needs to be sent down, a guy with his stuff should not be pitching as poorly as he has been. A guy his age (27), should be figuring it out by now and he looks as clueless as ever. Our starters are not going much past the 6th inning, which is a problem when you have leaks in your pen. We do not have any really truly dominant aces, a lot of solid veterans who will keep you in the ball game. Vazquez had a good game the other night striking out 12 in 6 innings, but because of the amount of pitches he threw and plus giving up six runs he had to relent to a bullpen who could not keep it close. Our offense is good but it cannot keep fighting an uphill battle against a pen that struggles to throw up some zeroes. Speaking of the offense, I like what we are doing for the most part. I would like for certain guys to be a little more selective at the plate (Yunel Escobar) and to be able to stay healthy (Chipper Jones, Garrett Anderson). By the way the Anderson signing is not looking real good right now. He has been plagued by a calf injury over the last month or so. I mean seriously, a calf, come on now. He swings a decent bat, but he is basically a DH playing LF for us. He has become a defensive liability, dropping two foul balls the other night that led to some runs being scored. I really like the way Kelly Johnson has started the season off in the leadoff spot, and Jeff Francouer has shown some positive signs of breaking out of his funk from 2008. He drove in the Braves only 2 runs today with some clutch 2 out hitting. He has looked a lot better in the field and is not as heavy and clumsy as he was last year. Matt Diaz looks trim and is ripping the ball, like always. Taking the most awkward looking swings that a human being can take and still make good contact. Schafer in CF looks like a keeper, if he can just play some solid defense and hit about 15 HR and hit around .270 this year. I think that is all you can ask out of him this year. He reminds me of Steve Finley, for those of you who remember who he was, a pretty darn good ball player.
In the famous words of Bill Simmons, happy halter top day today to you out there. The weather is looking fine and some of the ladies are not too bad either. Peace.
Mb
Monday, April 13, 2009
Beauty
(*editors note: there may be some mushiness and tender words in this blog, so proceed with caution)
Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Yeah, that's probably true. There are so many different things that are beautiful to different people. Us, guys know when we see a beautiful looking woman. Some men may favor the blonds, others like myself, favor brunettes in just pure looks and nothing else. We all know the cliche that it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts. That is true for the most part, if you cannot get along with someone and the personalities clash than it will never work out. Physical attractiveness is only a step of many other things that lead to long-term relationships. Although I am far from an expert on this matter, I think most would agree with this sentiment. People can show their beauty through the kind acts and deeds that they perform on a day-to-day basis. Now some people like to tell others that they are doing good things. Others tend to let their actions speak for them, they do not want the recognition that comes along with doing a good deed. I think their mentality is why should I be recognized for something so basic as doing the right thing. It is embarrassing for many of them.
Beauty can come in other forms, such as in nature. For instance, this weekend at The Masters. Most would say this a beautiful place to be this time of year, and I would agree. Something about the flowers blooming, the birds chirping, and golf being played on a big stage is something to be remembered. The mountains are beautiful to look at from both the bottom and the top of them. The view from the top of any mountain is pretty damn cool if I do say so myself. You have that feeling like you are on top of the world and it also gives you a perspective, a peace can settle over you and you realize how small you are compared to everything else. The ocean, a lake, a river, all are nature's beautiful wonders to be appreciated. Going to the beach and just relaxing, listening and watching the waves roll in, puts your mind at ease. Usually when you are at the beach you are on vacation so its twofold in the amount of carelessness that is about. In all of these places it is best to be surrounded by silence, so that it all can be taken in.
Beauty also can take form in athletic performances. A graceful runner, an explosive jumper, a shifty running back, a perfect swing, are all things that people appreciate about sport. For many of us, we can only dream what it would be like to possess that kind of skill and grace. When someone mentions the word graceful in athletics there is usually an image or a person that comes to mind. Some things can look beautiful by accident; someone who is not usually a fluid athlete performing a fluid action that occurred because of either accident or just pure hard work and guts. One of the reasons I watch sports is to witness these kind of performances. The thrill of watching sports is seeing something that you have never seen before on each day. You never know what will happen next.
Thanks for reading and putting up with some of the mushiness today. "The stache" appreciates your support. Tune in later this week because who knows what will come across my desk next.
"Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
"After all... tomorrow is another day."
Mb
Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Yeah, that's probably true. There are so many different things that are beautiful to different people. Us, guys know when we see a beautiful looking woman. Some men may favor the blonds, others like myself, favor brunettes in just pure looks and nothing else. We all know the cliche that it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts. That is true for the most part, if you cannot get along with someone and the personalities clash than it will never work out. Physical attractiveness is only a step of many other things that lead to long-term relationships. Although I am far from an expert on this matter, I think most would agree with this sentiment. People can show their beauty through the kind acts and deeds that they perform on a day-to-day basis. Now some people like to tell others that they are doing good things. Others tend to let their actions speak for them, they do not want the recognition that comes along with doing a good deed. I think their mentality is why should I be recognized for something so basic as doing the right thing. It is embarrassing for many of them.
Beauty can come in other forms, such as in nature. For instance, this weekend at The Masters. Most would say this a beautiful place to be this time of year, and I would agree. Something about the flowers blooming, the birds chirping, and golf being played on a big stage is something to be remembered. The mountains are beautiful to look at from both the bottom and the top of them. The view from the top of any mountain is pretty damn cool if I do say so myself. You have that feeling like you are on top of the world and it also gives you a perspective, a peace can settle over you and you realize how small you are compared to everything else. The ocean, a lake, a river, all are nature's beautiful wonders to be appreciated. Going to the beach and just relaxing, listening and watching the waves roll in, puts your mind at ease. Usually when you are at the beach you are on vacation so its twofold in the amount of carelessness that is about. In all of these places it is best to be surrounded by silence, so that it all can be taken in.
Beauty also can take form in athletic performances. A graceful runner, an explosive jumper, a shifty running back, a perfect swing, are all things that people appreciate about sport. For many of us, we can only dream what it would be like to possess that kind of skill and grace. When someone mentions the word graceful in athletics there is usually an image or a person that comes to mind. Some things can look beautiful by accident; someone who is not usually a fluid athlete performing a fluid action that occurred because of either accident or just pure hard work and guts. One of the reasons I watch sports is to witness these kind of performances. The thrill of watching sports is seeing something that you have never seen before on each day. You never know what will happen next.
Thanks for reading and putting up with some of the mushiness today. "The stache" appreciates your support. Tune in later this week because who knows what will come across my desk next.
"Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
"After all... tomorrow is another day."
Mb
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Top 5 Sports Movies
Good evening from "the stache" on this Easter Saturday. Where the Braves continue to play well, sitting at 4-1 early on in the season. The bats look hot and the starters are doing their job as well. I wish I could see more of the games, Banner Elk does not carry Peachtree TV or pick up the game on the radio, so I have to rely on ESPN Gamecast to get my updates. NBA playoffs start in a week. The Hawks have clinched the 4th spot after a recent 3 game win streak. They will either be taking on the Heat or 76ers in the first round, not sure which is a better matchup, but I like that we have home court advantage on our side. They have really played well at home this year. Also, less I forget, we have the Masters heading into Sunday with Kenny Perry (0 majors won) and Angel Cabrera( 1 U.S. Open won). Also lurking is Chad Cambell and Jim Furyk not too far off the lead. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both sit 7 shots off the lead. While far off, anything can happen on the back 9 on Sunday at the Masters. I am going to temporarily abandon my "word of the day" and return to my Saturday top 5, in hiatus for 2 weeks. It will return and I think it will be something you will enjoy. Again its a subjective list, that is totally biased in favor of moi. Without further ado my top 5 (drumroll please............) Sports Movies of all time.
1. Hoosiers (1986)
2. Rudy (1993)
3. Cinderella Man (2005)
4. Bull Durham (1988)
5. Field of Dreams (1989)
Honorable Mentions: There are a plenty of these. I am a big fan of sports movies so there are a lot of movies I could have strongly considered for these top 5 spots. The Natural, Raging Bull, CaddyShack, Jerry Maguire, and Chariots of Fire.
The Breakdown: Hoosiers is great, I could watch it anytime. Indiana high school basketball based in the 1950s, based on a true story, playing team basketball, the right way. Favorite scene is where they are in the state championship gym the day before the game and they measure the goal to see that it is still 10 feet off the ground. Same game, just a different arena. I love the music that goes along with it to help set the mood for the movie. Rudy is a truly inspirational movie about an underdog, much like Hoosiers. True story on this kid who was too small, too slow, too dumb to make it at Notre Dame. His work ethic is absolutely ridiculous. Love the music in this one as well. Cinderella Man touches my heart in a different way than these other movies I think. I am not one to cry when watching movies, but I have came close in this one. Story of a boxer who starts out well, hits a run of bad luck, the Depression strikes the country and he become dirt poor. Very moving and inspirational how he battles back to the top once again. His humbless throughout is something to marvel at. I love the history aspect of it as well. Good movie. Bull Durham is a classic in every sense of the word. A Kevin Costner flick starring Susan Sarandon among others. A good story about baseball in the minor leagues. Talks about in a unique way the many aspects of the game and what it takes to be successful. A lot of good quotes in this one such as "Charlie hear comes the deuce and when you speak of me, speak well." Field of Dreams is another Costner flick about a man trying to ease the pain of his father in the cornfields of Iowa. Just as a baseball fan this is great because wouldn't it be cool to see old players that are dead come alive on a field in your backyard. James Earl Jones is a great part of this movie. Another classic.
I Hope you enjoyed this list. I am sure that there are many of you who disagree with some of these, but its my list, so there. Take care.
Mb
1. Hoosiers (1986)
2. Rudy (1993)
3. Cinderella Man (2005)
4. Bull Durham (1988)
5. Field of Dreams (1989)
Honorable Mentions: There are a plenty of these. I am a big fan of sports movies so there are a lot of movies I could have strongly considered for these top 5 spots. The Natural, Raging Bull, CaddyShack, Jerry Maguire, and Chariots of Fire.
The Breakdown: Hoosiers is great, I could watch it anytime. Indiana high school basketball based in the 1950s, based on a true story, playing team basketball, the right way. Favorite scene is where they are in the state championship gym the day before the game and they measure the goal to see that it is still 10 feet off the ground. Same game, just a different arena. I love the music that goes along with it to help set the mood for the movie. Rudy is a truly inspirational movie about an underdog, much like Hoosiers. True story on this kid who was too small, too slow, too dumb to make it at Notre Dame. His work ethic is absolutely ridiculous. Love the music in this one as well. Cinderella Man touches my heart in a different way than these other movies I think. I am not one to cry when watching movies, but I have came close in this one. Story of a boxer who starts out well, hits a run of bad luck, the Depression strikes the country and he become dirt poor. Very moving and inspirational how he battles back to the top once again. His humbless throughout is something to marvel at. I love the history aspect of it as well. Good movie. Bull Durham is a classic in every sense of the word. A Kevin Costner flick starring Susan Sarandon among others. A good story about baseball in the minor leagues. Talks about in a unique way the many aspects of the game and what it takes to be successful. A lot of good quotes in this one such as "Charlie hear comes the deuce and when you speak of me, speak well." Field of Dreams is another Costner flick about a man trying to ease the pain of his father in the cornfields of Iowa. Just as a baseball fan this is great because wouldn't it be cool to see old players that are dead come alive on a field in your backyard. James Earl Jones is a great part of this movie. Another classic.
I Hope you enjoyed this list. I am sure that there are many of you who disagree with some of these, but its my list, so there. Take care.
Mb
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The Masters
"The stache" returns with some back-to-back blogs for the first time in awhile. Track workout today has me feeling a little frisky.
You know spring has arrived with you hear the music and see the grounds of the Masters. A tradition like no other. So there we have it, today's "word of the day" is the Masters. If I said that word to just anybody they would know what I was talking about. Everything just feels right in the world when you get to see one of the most beautiful places in the world on your TV screen. The Green Jacket, given to the winner is just a part of the history of this wonderful place. I hope to one day be able to witness this tournament on those hallowed grounds. A place that is so rich and lush with history. I would not even know where to begin. I guess I could start with Bobby Jones, an amateur who was one of the co-founders of this tournament. Originally called the Augusta National Invitation, it debuted in 1934 with Jones coming out of retirement to play. Jones is the only man to this day to have won all four majors in a single calendar year. The Grand Slam is what it is referred as. Quite a feat. By 1938 the tournament came to be known as The Masters and the name as stuck ever since. It is such a prestigious tournament and golf course to be a part of. Only members of the Augusta National Club and certain selected individuals are allowed to play the course.
It can be one of the most challenging courses, especially when the temperatures are up and the winds are howling. The greens become fast and the ball starts doing funny things. The pine trees that line many narrow fairways throughout the course to help to add to the difficulty of the course. You have Amen Corner on holes 11-13 that have given and still give many golfers fits.
My first memories of really watching golf, start at this tournament. In 1997 when a young Tiger Woods completely obliterated the field and laid his claim to the become the best golfer in the world. A global icon who is now one of the most famous athletes in all of the world. He is the reason so many people have been turned on to golf recently. He is a special player who has helped to elevate the game of golf to levels that are unprecedented. Assuming his body holds up he will capture the most majors won all-time. He currently sits at 14, 4 away from Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major tournaments won. He is a larger than life figure. I remember Phil Mickelson's first Masters victory back in 2004. His first major victory that lifted a huge monkey off his back for all the times he had "choked" in previous major tournaments. He has since gone on to win two other majors, a Masters win in 2006 and the PGA Championship in 2005. I remember the joy that was evident in him as he sunk a putt in on the 18th hole to win in 04. He jumped like 2 inches off the ground but the image will always be ingrained in my head. The azaleas in bloom, the Green Jacket, the excitement of the gallery, and the major season is underway. You know spring is here and that summer is not too far away when you see the Masters. The music the networks use is so peaceful and it never gets old, at least not to me. This is one of "the staches" favorite sporting events and one that he wishes he could attend. A tradition like no other.
Thank you Verne Lundquist, Jim Nantz and others for making me feel like I am there with you at The Masters.
Mb
You know spring has arrived with you hear the music and see the grounds of the Masters. A tradition like no other. So there we have it, today's "word of the day" is the Masters. If I said that word to just anybody they would know what I was talking about. Everything just feels right in the world when you get to see one of the most beautiful places in the world on your TV screen. The Green Jacket, given to the winner is just a part of the history of this wonderful place. I hope to one day be able to witness this tournament on those hallowed grounds. A place that is so rich and lush with history. I would not even know where to begin. I guess I could start with Bobby Jones, an amateur who was one of the co-founders of this tournament. Originally called the Augusta National Invitation, it debuted in 1934 with Jones coming out of retirement to play. Jones is the only man to this day to have won all four majors in a single calendar year. The Grand Slam is what it is referred as. Quite a feat. By 1938 the tournament came to be known as The Masters and the name as stuck ever since. It is such a prestigious tournament and golf course to be a part of. Only members of the Augusta National Club and certain selected individuals are allowed to play the course.
It can be one of the most challenging courses, especially when the temperatures are up and the winds are howling. The greens become fast and the ball starts doing funny things. The pine trees that line many narrow fairways throughout the course to help to add to the difficulty of the course. You have Amen Corner on holes 11-13 that have given and still give many golfers fits.
My first memories of really watching golf, start at this tournament. In 1997 when a young Tiger Woods completely obliterated the field and laid his claim to the become the best golfer in the world. A global icon who is now one of the most famous athletes in all of the world. He is the reason so many people have been turned on to golf recently. He is a special player who has helped to elevate the game of golf to levels that are unprecedented. Assuming his body holds up he will capture the most majors won all-time. He currently sits at 14, 4 away from Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major tournaments won. He is a larger than life figure. I remember Phil Mickelson's first Masters victory back in 2004. His first major victory that lifted a huge monkey off his back for all the times he had "choked" in previous major tournaments. He has since gone on to win two other majors, a Masters win in 2006 and the PGA Championship in 2005. I remember the joy that was evident in him as he sunk a putt in on the 18th hole to win in 04. He jumped like 2 inches off the ground but the image will always be ingrained in my head. The azaleas in bloom, the Green Jacket, the excitement of the gallery, and the major season is underway. You know spring is here and that summer is not too far away when you see the Masters. The music the networks use is so peaceful and it never gets old, at least not to me. This is one of "the staches" favorite sporting events and one that he wishes he could attend. A tradition like no other.
Thank you Verne Lundquist, Jim Nantz and others for making me feel like I am there with you at The Masters.
Mb
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Leadership
I have took the last few days off from the blog to recover from my brief illness. I have been pretty tired lately, taking a lot of naps to get my energy levels back up into peak performance. I feel like I am close to being back to old me, not that its much difference from current me, but I digress. So, I have been doing some thinking on what kinds of things I want to talk about. I know I can talk about sports, but that does not interest everyone and thus does not have a wide range of appeal as compared to other topics that I could discuss. So, the idea I came up with is basically a "word of the day." I will choose a word that I feel has some relevant meaning to it and that I can discuss a fair amount about. Some of the discussions will be centered around sports. Others will deal with non-sports related themes and some topics will incorporate both into the discussion.
Tonight's "word of the day" is Leadership. Something that we all have been associated with in some capacity throughout our lives. We all have opinions on what makes a good leader good and what makes a bad leader bad. There are no set criteria that I feel that an individual has to have to become a successful leader. Now I define successful as someone who can manage the people they are leading well by developing a positive, open culture where people feel like they can communicate freely with one another. Meaning that the leader communicates well and encourages that communication on a consistent basis. I think one of the best traits a leader can have is the ability to listen. To listen and be able to understand where people are coming from is crucial for any leader and for any person in general. I think a good leader should be humble and willing to say that they do not know the answer to everything, but that they could go find the answer from somewhere else or that they could trust someone right below them that might have the answer that they do not have. This is tough for many people because you are swallowing some pride. It takes a lot to admit that you do not know the answer to something. A good leader knows how to manage people, knows when to take charge and knows when to step back and let situations resolve themselves. A good leader can delegate responsibility and recognize where people's strengths lie so that things can get done quicker and most importantly more efficiently with good quality. I think leadership requires self-confidence as well. You have to believe in the mission of your organization. If you do not believe in it than how can those underneath believe in it. You have to be constantly aware that people are watching what you are doing all the time. Actions do speak louder than words and it is important to realize that. I think if people see that you are one of them and that you do not expect special treatment, than they will respect you. If they respect you they will trust you. They will trust that you have their best interests at heart. Some of the strongest leaders in the sports arena, are well respected by their teammates and by their opponents. Micheal Jordan, one of the best NBA players of all time, had respect from everyone who played with or against him. How did he do it? He did it with hard work, toughness, delegating responsibility in certain situations, taking the shots when needed, making the pass to get the easy shot, or playing defense on the opponents best player. He was selfless and wanted to win at all costs. I have heard many people say recently, especially in sports, that leadership is not something where you say I am going to be the leader of this team or this organization today, it is something that is earned. People follow leaders they do not follow titles.
In my Business Ethics class we have talked about many companies that have CEO's and CFO's cooking the books and misleading people into believing that they are making profits, when they are really losing serious money. Companies like Enron and WorldCom caused many people to lose large amounts of money. All because they wanted an extra million or two in their accounts each year. They saw the $$ signs, and forgot the reasons why they got into the business in the first place. They forgot their humble beginnings and let the slippery slope continue on until it became something they could not control. This is frustrating for so many of us out here. These companies openly deceived their investors into believing that things were ok and that everything was going just fine. Men that are in charge of these companies and the accounting firms that do their auditing for them are not leaders. They are just empty titles. These people thought they could slide by and that they were exempt from the rules just because they were CEO's of some major corporation. Well guess what, in the end, you lose. Cheaters can only get away with cheating for so long until they get caught. I heard a statistic recently, do not know if its true, that only 37% of the auditing done by companies on organizations is believed to be truly accurate and truly a reflection upon the companies true financial success. So that means that the auditors done by the accountants are inaccurate as well as the companies are being dishonest about how their business is going. How sad is that? Where are all the honest leaders? I know we live in a free market economy, but it is getting a little ridiculous. If these companies would quit trying to cover these things up and came out with the truth. They would save themselves and so many others a lot of money. It is plain irresponsibility and it is good hard-working folks that have to pay for their selfish greediness.
Well that is all I have to rant and rave about tonight. Let me know what you think of this new format and if you have things you would like for me to discuss. Please feel free to share them with me.
Thanks.
Mb
Tonight's "word of the day" is Leadership. Something that we all have been associated with in some capacity throughout our lives. We all have opinions on what makes a good leader good and what makes a bad leader bad. There are no set criteria that I feel that an individual has to have to become a successful leader. Now I define successful as someone who can manage the people they are leading well by developing a positive, open culture where people feel like they can communicate freely with one another. Meaning that the leader communicates well and encourages that communication on a consistent basis. I think one of the best traits a leader can have is the ability to listen. To listen and be able to understand where people are coming from is crucial for any leader and for any person in general. I think a good leader should be humble and willing to say that they do not know the answer to everything, but that they could go find the answer from somewhere else or that they could trust someone right below them that might have the answer that they do not have. This is tough for many people because you are swallowing some pride. It takes a lot to admit that you do not know the answer to something. A good leader knows how to manage people, knows when to take charge and knows when to step back and let situations resolve themselves. A good leader can delegate responsibility and recognize where people's strengths lie so that things can get done quicker and most importantly more efficiently with good quality. I think leadership requires self-confidence as well. You have to believe in the mission of your organization. If you do not believe in it than how can those underneath believe in it. You have to be constantly aware that people are watching what you are doing all the time. Actions do speak louder than words and it is important to realize that. I think if people see that you are one of them and that you do not expect special treatment, than they will respect you. If they respect you they will trust you. They will trust that you have their best interests at heart. Some of the strongest leaders in the sports arena, are well respected by their teammates and by their opponents. Micheal Jordan, one of the best NBA players of all time, had respect from everyone who played with or against him. How did he do it? He did it with hard work, toughness, delegating responsibility in certain situations, taking the shots when needed, making the pass to get the easy shot, or playing defense on the opponents best player. He was selfless and wanted to win at all costs. I have heard many people say recently, especially in sports, that leadership is not something where you say I am going to be the leader of this team or this organization today, it is something that is earned. People follow leaders they do not follow titles.
In my Business Ethics class we have talked about many companies that have CEO's and CFO's cooking the books and misleading people into believing that they are making profits, when they are really losing serious money. Companies like Enron and WorldCom caused many people to lose large amounts of money. All because they wanted an extra million or two in their accounts each year. They saw the $$ signs, and forgot the reasons why they got into the business in the first place. They forgot their humble beginnings and let the slippery slope continue on until it became something they could not control. This is frustrating for so many of us out here. These companies openly deceived their investors into believing that things were ok and that everything was going just fine. Men that are in charge of these companies and the accounting firms that do their auditing for them are not leaders. They are just empty titles. These people thought they could slide by and that they were exempt from the rules just because they were CEO's of some major corporation. Well guess what, in the end, you lose. Cheaters can only get away with cheating for so long until they get caught. I heard a statistic recently, do not know if its true, that only 37% of the auditing done by companies on organizations is believed to be truly accurate and truly a reflection upon the companies true financial success. So that means that the auditors done by the accountants are inaccurate as well as the companies are being dishonest about how their business is going. How sad is that? Where are all the honest leaders? I know we live in a free market economy, but it is getting a little ridiculous. If these companies would quit trying to cover these things up and came out with the truth. They would save themselves and so many others a lot of money. It is plain irresponsibility and it is good hard-working folks that have to pay for their selfish greediness.
Well that is all I have to rant and rave about tonight. Let me know what you think of this new format and if you have things you would like for me to discuss. Please feel free to share them with me.
Thanks.
Mb
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Recap
Opening night was a good sign of things to come for the Atlanta Braves. Welcome to the Monday night edition of "the stache" where the weather is frightful, I am still a little under the weather, and where Derek Lowe proves to be huge against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Up here in the high country of North Carolina, we have experienced a 40 degree drop in temperature in a 24 hour time span. It is just a reminder of how far summer is away up here and around the southeast. Weather likes to tease us this time of year with warm, sunny days one day and cold, blustery days the next.
As stated above I am still a little under the weather as I am battling a combination of a cold/allergies. The nose is no longer running as much as it did the day before, but my energy has been completely sapped out of my system all day today. In my 10 o'clock class this morning I nearly dozed off as my droopy eyelids made it hard for me to concentrate on what was going on in class. I had plenty of sleep last night, but I think some of the pills I have been popping have made me a little drowsy today. Which is fine cause that means I am on the right track to full health again. I took two separate 30-40 minute naps during the day today to help rest my weary body. I hardly ever take naps so I know this is the most tired I have felt in quite awhile. This afternoon's run was very slow even by my standards. It was hard enough to just lift my feet off the ground, much less establish any kind of pace or rhythm on the run. Any hill I approached sapped what little energy I had left in my body. Not to mention the 30-40mph wind gusts that were blowing frozen precipitation all over the place. I hope for tomorrow to be a better day, energy wise, this was a rough start to this week.
Onto bigger and better news. The Braves defeated the Phillies 4-1 last night in a contest that wasn't really much of contest until the very end. Derek Lowe pitched a dominant 8 innings, not allowing a single run, and only surrendering 2 hits with no walks and 4 strikeouts. It was vintage Lowe. His sinker and breaking pitches were left down in the strike zone and when he missed his target, he missed low and out of harm for the batters. He had multiple 1-2-3 innings and made many a batter look silly and unable to get good wood on the ball. Helped by some early offense, Lowe and the Braves never looked back until the 9th inning when things got interesting. Mike Gonzalez, the Braves closer for this season, had trouble finding the strike zone early on and throughout his outing as he allowed 1 run to come across the plate as well as bringing the tying runs up to the plate with Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez coming up to the plate. The powerful, Texas native southpaw mowed down the two slugging lefties with fastballs in the mid to low 90s up in the zone to retire the side and win the ball game for the Bravos. I hope this is not a sign of things to come with Gonzalez as he could provide many a heartache for Braves fans across the land, especially yours truly. Its nice that we got the win but I'd like a little less drama in the 9th, in a game where you had dominated all the way through.
My three stars for the Braves in this game are:
Derek Lowe
Jordan Schafer
Brian McCann
After every Braves ballgame I will list my top 3 stars whether in a winning or losing effort. It's exactly like what the NHL does with their games, except I am going to give the kudos all to one team. Schafer had an outstanding debut, knocking a homer to deep centerfield in his first major league at-bat. Becoming the 99th player to accomplish that feat and the first Braves since Jermaine Dye in 1996. He also had a single and a walk in his debut for the Braves. Expect him to move towards the top of the lineup shortly for this club as he becomes more familiar with the pitching in this league. McCann provided the Braves with their first two runs of the season with a bomb hit into the second deck in right field in the first inning of the game. It set the tone right for this season and gave Lowe some room to work with. Mac also called a good game as he and Lowe seemed to be in sync with the flow of the game.
Some other tidbits from the game. Kelly Johnson looked uncomfortable in the leadoff spot as he seemed to passive in his approach at the plate. Kelly is a player, and the stats prove it, that needs to be aggressive early in the count and look for a pitch to drive into the right-centerfield gap. He is a pull hitter and he needs to recognize this to have a good season this year. He belongs in the 6/7 spot not the leadoff spot for this club. That part of the order fits his aggressive style better than the top of the order. Yunel Escobar looked solid at the plate and in the field as did Chipper Jones who got a hold of a Brett Myers pitch and lined into the gap for a double. This man could roll out the bed and go 2-4 with a 2B. He can flat out rake.
Well that's it for tonight's blog. I hope you enjoyed it and once again if you have any suggestions or recommendations of things you want me to talk about. Feel free to give me a shout. Thanks.
Mb
Up here in the high country of North Carolina, we have experienced a 40 degree drop in temperature in a 24 hour time span. It is just a reminder of how far summer is away up here and around the southeast. Weather likes to tease us this time of year with warm, sunny days one day and cold, blustery days the next.
As stated above I am still a little under the weather as I am battling a combination of a cold/allergies. The nose is no longer running as much as it did the day before, but my energy has been completely sapped out of my system all day today. In my 10 o'clock class this morning I nearly dozed off as my droopy eyelids made it hard for me to concentrate on what was going on in class. I had plenty of sleep last night, but I think some of the pills I have been popping have made me a little drowsy today. Which is fine cause that means I am on the right track to full health again. I took two separate 30-40 minute naps during the day today to help rest my weary body. I hardly ever take naps so I know this is the most tired I have felt in quite awhile. This afternoon's run was very slow even by my standards. It was hard enough to just lift my feet off the ground, much less establish any kind of pace or rhythm on the run. Any hill I approached sapped what little energy I had left in my body. Not to mention the 30-40mph wind gusts that were blowing frozen precipitation all over the place. I hope for tomorrow to be a better day, energy wise, this was a rough start to this week.
Onto bigger and better news. The Braves defeated the Phillies 4-1 last night in a contest that wasn't really much of contest until the very end. Derek Lowe pitched a dominant 8 innings, not allowing a single run, and only surrendering 2 hits with no walks and 4 strikeouts. It was vintage Lowe. His sinker and breaking pitches were left down in the strike zone and when he missed his target, he missed low and out of harm for the batters. He had multiple 1-2-3 innings and made many a batter look silly and unable to get good wood on the ball. Helped by some early offense, Lowe and the Braves never looked back until the 9th inning when things got interesting. Mike Gonzalez, the Braves closer for this season, had trouble finding the strike zone early on and throughout his outing as he allowed 1 run to come across the plate as well as bringing the tying runs up to the plate with Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez coming up to the plate. The powerful, Texas native southpaw mowed down the two slugging lefties with fastballs in the mid to low 90s up in the zone to retire the side and win the ball game for the Bravos. I hope this is not a sign of things to come with Gonzalez as he could provide many a heartache for Braves fans across the land, especially yours truly. Its nice that we got the win but I'd like a little less drama in the 9th, in a game where you had dominated all the way through.
My three stars for the Braves in this game are:
Derek Lowe
Jordan Schafer
Brian McCann
After every Braves ballgame I will list my top 3 stars whether in a winning or losing effort. It's exactly like what the NHL does with their games, except I am going to give the kudos all to one team. Schafer had an outstanding debut, knocking a homer to deep centerfield in his first major league at-bat. Becoming the 99th player to accomplish that feat and the first Braves since Jermaine Dye in 1996. He also had a single and a walk in his debut for the Braves. Expect him to move towards the top of the lineup shortly for this club as he becomes more familiar with the pitching in this league. McCann provided the Braves with their first two runs of the season with a bomb hit into the second deck in right field in the first inning of the game. It set the tone right for this season and gave Lowe some room to work with. Mac also called a good game as he and Lowe seemed to be in sync with the flow of the game.
Some other tidbits from the game. Kelly Johnson looked uncomfortable in the leadoff spot as he seemed to passive in his approach at the plate. Kelly is a player, and the stats prove it, that needs to be aggressive early in the count and look for a pitch to drive into the right-centerfield gap. He is a pull hitter and he needs to recognize this to have a good season this year. He belongs in the 6/7 spot not the leadoff spot for this club. That part of the order fits his aggressive style better than the top of the order. Yunel Escobar looked solid at the plate and in the field as did Chipper Jones who got a hold of a Brett Myers pitch and lined into the gap for a double. This man could roll out the bed and go 2-4 with a 2B. He can flat out rake.
Well that's it for tonight's blog. I hope you enjoyed it and once again if you have any suggestions or recommendations of things you want me to talk about. Feel free to give me a shout. Thanks.
Mb
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Opening Night
Ah, the first day of baseball season is upon us. Welcome to the Sunday night edition of "the stache," where allergies, track meets, Doc Watson concerts, and naps live. If you did not guess it, that is what has occupied me the last few days.
Yes indeed it is Opening Night for the Atlanta Braves as they take on the Philadelphia Phillies tonight at 8pm. So much to look forward to, what lineup will we use tonight? How will Derek Lowe do against this vaunted Phillies lineup. One that he is all to familiar with after having last faced them in the playoffs last year as a member of the Dodgers. Crucial to keep that sinker down, because not only is the lineup powerful and explosive for the Phillies, but it is the small ballpark in Philadelphia that can also be a problem. So we'll see how it goes. I have a group that I am meeting with at 8pm so I will miss the first few innings, but not much more I hope.
Allergies are the one bummer about spring time. The team went down to Duke this weekend for a track meet and I think that is what a few of us on the team have acquired. Stuffy, running noses, snot, and mucus, lovely things to deal with this time of year. Duke was very successful for the Lees-McRae distant squad as several personal records were attained over the weekend. Micheal Davis put up a 4:08(1500M) and a 2:00(800m). Luke Anton ran 4:09(1500m) and 2:02(800m), pretty much equaling his season best in that 2 lap event. Yours truly, had a personal best in the 1500m at 4:21, first PR in about a year. Craig Simpkins ran an easy 15:31 in the 5000m and Nate Trimble lowered his best in the 5000m to 15:54.
Took a pretty epic nap this afternoon, about 2 hours worth. Did some volunteering early this morning for a cycling race and I needed to catch up on some sleep. The Lees-McRae cycling team represented itself well this morning in the road race.
The Doc Watson concert last night was truly special in my mind. This mid 80's aged man played a wide variety of notes on the guitar. Ranging from bluegrass, country, and all the stuff in between. Not to mention his stories on his life and the way that effected the songs that he wrote and the rhythm in which he played those notes on the guitar. Truly amazing talent and gift that he has to pic on those strings. I will keep this one short tonight as to keep my nose from running away from me and to get on with some homework for this evening. Tomorrow I will give my thoughts on the Braves game tonight as well as reveal my thoughts on my fantasy team, I know you cannot wait for that. Until then, keep it classy San Diego.
Mb
Yes indeed it is Opening Night for the Atlanta Braves as they take on the Philadelphia Phillies tonight at 8pm. So much to look forward to, what lineup will we use tonight? How will Derek Lowe do against this vaunted Phillies lineup. One that he is all to familiar with after having last faced them in the playoffs last year as a member of the Dodgers. Crucial to keep that sinker down, because not only is the lineup powerful and explosive for the Phillies, but it is the small ballpark in Philadelphia that can also be a problem. So we'll see how it goes. I have a group that I am meeting with at 8pm so I will miss the first few innings, but not much more I hope.
Allergies are the one bummer about spring time. The team went down to Duke this weekend for a track meet and I think that is what a few of us on the team have acquired. Stuffy, running noses, snot, and mucus, lovely things to deal with this time of year. Duke was very successful for the Lees-McRae distant squad as several personal records were attained over the weekend. Micheal Davis put up a 4:08(1500M) and a 2:00(800m). Luke Anton ran 4:09(1500m) and 2:02(800m), pretty much equaling his season best in that 2 lap event. Yours truly, had a personal best in the 1500m at 4:21, first PR in about a year. Craig Simpkins ran an easy 15:31 in the 5000m and Nate Trimble lowered his best in the 5000m to 15:54.
Took a pretty epic nap this afternoon, about 2 hours worth. Did some volunteering early this morning for a cycling race and I needed to catch up on some sleep. The Lees-McRae cycling team represented itself well this morning in the road race.
The Doc Watson concert last night was truly special in my mind. This mid 80's aged man played a wide variety of notes on the guitar. Ranging from bluegrass, country, and all the stuff in between. Not to mention his stories on his life and the way that effected the songs that he wrote and the rhythm in which he played those notes on the guitar. Truly amazing talent and gift that he has to pic on those strings. I will keep this one short tonight as to keep my nose from running away from me and to get on with some homework for this evening. Tomorrow I will give my thoughts on the Braves game tonight as well as reveal my thoughts on my fantasy team, I know you cannot wait for that. Until then, keep it classy San Diego.
Mb
Thursday, April 2, 2009
American League Preview
As promised, here is my 2009 American League Preview. Same things apply from yesterdays preview. Once again, I will be available to sign copies of this preview in 6 months, so if you want to go ahead and print out a copy for yourself. I can accommodate you so you can post it on your fridge at home. Without further ado....
"Tales from the stache" Americann League Preview 2009
East
1. Boston Red Sox 94-68
2. Tampa Bay Rays 92-70
3. New York Yankees 90-72
4. Toronto Blue Jays 77-85
5. Baltimore Orioles 69-93
Comments: The best 3 teams in baseball are in this division. If these teams were in 3separate divisions they would all have close to 100 wins but since they aren't one will miss out on the playoffs. The Red Sox have too many good pitchers and hitters to fail. Good balance and young veteran mix with Pedroia, Youkilis, Bay, David Ortiz and Co. on offense. I love their top 3 pitchers in Beckett, Lester, and Daisuke. Papplebon at the back end is just electric. Tampa will not slide back. Their pitching and defense are just too good for them to drop off. Plus the addition of David Price in the middle of the year will only boost a strong rotation headed by Kazmir, Shields, and Garza. Their bullpen is where I worry the most with them, but the talent is there to get it done. Plus a full season of Evan Longoria at 3B will help tremendously. They have speed and power with guys such as Upton, Crawford, Carlos Pena, and the addition of Pat Burrell at DH. The Yankees loaded up in the offseason with a lot of big names. I just don't think it will be enough in the end. I think they are too old and do not have the depth that the other 2 teams do. Burnett will breakdown at some point. Jeter, Damon, Matsui, ARod, all have age and some health concerns to be worried about. They will be in it to the end, but they lack that spark that can get them over the hump when you bring in guys from your own organization instead from the outside. Toronto lacks the pitching behind Halladay to make much of a challenge. They have a lot of unproven guys in both their rotation and their lineup after guys like Vernon Wells and Alex Rios, who are good players not great ones. Baltimore is heading in the right direction, they have some good young players out on the field (Markakis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters). Their pitching is going to be a big problem this year.
Central
1. Minnesota Twins 85-77
2. Cleveland Indians 83-79
3. Detroit Tigers 79-83
4. Chicago White Sox 78-84
5. Kansas City Royals 77-85
Comments: Very balanced, very average division. Minnesota gets the slight nod because they play solid in all facets of the game and do not make many mistakes to beat themselves. Solid rotation, good speed and a little bit of power in Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Carlos Gomez, and co. Joe Nathan is one of the best closers in the game. Cleveland bounces back a little from a disappointing 2008, but I think some concerns in the back end of their rotation are pause for concern. If you are relying on Carl Pavano to give you quality innings, you could be in for some trouble. I like the edition of Mark DeRosa to their lineup. Peralta at SS is a good SS, and Grady Sizemore is a dynamite player in all facets of the game (power, speed, and defense). He needs some help and I think he will get a little more than he did last year. Detroit is an enigma to me, they could win this division with close to 90 wins or they could tank it and get old really fast and win about 70 games, so I will go the middle route and figure them for about 80 wins. Verlander needs to bounce back to form for them to seriously contend. I do not trust the back end of their bullpen. The top of their lineup is really good, Granderson, Polanco, Magglio Ordonez, and Miguel Cabrera are dynamite offensive players. They need some support and if they get it they could easily win this division. The White Sox will take a slight step back this year as I think some of their offensive players will began to show their age. Guys such as Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, and A.J. Pierzynski will determine the outcome for their season I feel. They are another team that has a high ceiling, but something just does not feel right with this crew. Their starting rotation does not have any guys that really wow you, but they have some innings eaters who can keep you in the ball game. Kansas City is a favorite by many to do some damage this year, much like Tampa Bay last year. I think they lack depth in the starting rotation to contend much past midseason. Kyle Davies needs to pitch well for them to be successful. I like their bullpen and some parts of their offense. Alex Gordon and Billy Butler are keys to their turnaround from the offensive standpoint. They have been solid but need to get a little better for this team to reach .500. They are heading in the right direction, but I think next year will be a breakout year for them.
West
1. Los Angeles Angels 87-75
2. Oakland Athletics 80-82
3. Texas Rangers 74-88
4. Seattle Mariners 69-93
Comments: Not quite the 21 game runaway like last year, but the Angels are the class of the division. That is assuming all of their pitching can stay healthy which it is not right now. They play the game the right way and are always there when it counts, so I do not discredit their chances. Oakland is young and intriguing this year. Their pitching is inexperienced but has the potential to do some damage this year. The A's made solid additions in Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi to along with a healthy Eric Chavez (asking a lot here), and a few other pieces this team will be a contender late into the season. I could envision a scenario where they beat the Angels but it is remote and unlikely. The Rangers have one of the best farm systems in the game, thanks largely to John Schuerholz's(Former Braves GM) trade to acquire Mark Teixeira a couple of years ago. They do not have quite the pitching this year(as always it seems), but help is on the way soon. I like their offense (as usual), with "The Natural" a.k.a. Josh Hamilton patrolling CF. Micheal Young, Ian Kinsler are also studs for this club. Jarrod Saltalamacchia at Catcher (switch-hitting catcher from the Braves), Elvis Andrus (a dazzling SS from the Braves) are young players to look for with this squad. Seattle may be slightly better than last year, but there is not much talent on this squad. After Ichiro and Felix Hernandez, there is not much to get excited about with this squad. Erik Bedard, Jose Lopez, and Adrian Beltre are keys for this team to have any kind of success this year.
A.L. MVP: Miguel Cabrera(Det)
A.L. Cy Young: Jon Lester(Bos)
A.L. Rookie: Matt Wieters(Balt)
Playoffs: Boston over Minnesota
L.A. Angels over Tampa Bay
Boston over L.A. Angels
World Series: Boston over Arizona
Boston has too much of everything to not get it done this year. As much as it pains me to say this John Smoltz will play a huge part in this team's success in the second half of 2009. That's it for my season previews. Tune back later in the season as I will give continual observations and opinions on the happenings in MLB, especially the Atlanta Braves.
Nice job by the U.S. team in its 3-0 win over hapless Trinidad and Tobago. Jozy Altidore, the 19 year sensation scored all three goals to give him a total of 4 in the last two World Cup Qualifiers. He is the dynamic presence up front that the U.S. has been searching for forever to find. If Donovan can keep feeding in great balls and play with some toughness this team can make some noise in South Africa
2010. Tim Howard looks like a major improvement in goal over Kasey Keller, who is simply too old to play against top international competition. The squad is off for 2 months until they take on Costa Rica on June 3.
Mb
"Tales from the stache" Americann League Preview 2009
East
1. Boston Red Sox 94-68
2. Tampa Bay Rays 92-70
3. New York Yankees 90-72
4. Toronto Blue Jays 77-85
5. Baltimore Orioles 69-93
Comments: The best 3 teams in baseball are in this division. If these teams were in 3separate divisions they would all have close to 100 wins but since they aren't one will miss out on the playoffs. The Red Sox have too many good pitchers and hitters to fail. Good balance and young veteran mix with Pedroia, Youkilis, Bay, David Ortiz and Co. on offense. I love their top 3 pitchers in Beckett, Lester, and Daisuke. Papplebon at the back end is just electric. Tampa will not slide back. Their pitching and defense are just too good for them to drop off. Plus the addition of David Price in the middle of the year will only boost a strong rotation headed by Kazmir, Shields, and Garza. Their bullpen is where I worry the most with them, but the talent is there to get it done. Plus a full season of Evan Longoria at 3B will help tremendously. They have speed and power with guys such as Upton, Crawford, Carlos Pena, and the addition of Pat Burrell at DH. The Yankees loaded up in the offseason with a lot of big names. I just don't think it will be enough in the end. I think they are too old and do not have the depth that the other 2 teams do. Burnett will breakdown at some point. Jeter, Damon, Matsui, ARod, all have age and some health concerns to be worried about. They will be in it to the end, but they lack that spark that can get them over the hump when you bring in guys from your own organization instead from the outside. Toronto lacks the pitching behind Halladay to make much of a challenge. They have a lot of unproven guys in both their rotation and their lineup after guys like Vernon Wells and Alex Rios, who are good players not great ones. Baltimore is heading in the right direction, they have some good young players out on the field (Markakis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters). Their pitching is going to be a big problem this year.
Central
1. Minnesota Twins 85-77
2. Cleveland Indians 83-79
3. Detroit Tigers 79-83
4. Chicago White Sox 78-84
5. Kansas City Royals 77-85
Comments: Very balanced, very average division. Minnesota gets the slight nod because they play solid in all facets of the game and do not make many mistakes to beat themselves. Solid rotation, good speed and a little bit of power in Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Carlos Gomez, and co. Joe Nathan is one of the best closers in the game. Cleveland bounces back a little from a disappointing 2008, but I think some concerns in the back end of their rotation are pause for concern. If you are relying on Carl Pavano to give you quality innings, you could be in for some trouble. I like the edition of Mark DeRosa to their lineup. Peralta at SS is a good SS, and Grady Sizemore is a dynamite player in all facets of the game (power, speed, and defense). He needs some help and I think he will get a little more than he did last year. Detroit is an enigma to me, they could win this division with close to 90 wins or they could tank it and get old really fast and win about 70 games, so I will go the middle route and figure them for about 80 wins. Verlander needs to bounce back to form for them to seriously contend. I do not trust the back end of their bullpen. The top of their lineup is really good, Granderson, Polanco, Magglio Ordonez, and Miguel Cabrera are dynamite offensive players. They need some support and if they get it they could easily win this division. The White Sox will take a slight step back this year as I think some of their offensive players will began to show their age. Guys such as Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, and A.J. Pierzynski will determine the outcome for their season I feel. They are another team that has a high ceiling, but something just does not feel right with this crew. Their starting rotation does not have any guys that really wow you, but they have some innings eaters who can keep you in the ball game. Kansas City is a favorite by many to do some damage this year, much like Tampa Bay last year. I think they lack depth in the starting rotation to contend much past midseason. Kyle Davies needs to pitch well for them to be successful. I like their bullpen and some parts of their offense. Alex Gordon and Billy Butler are keys to their turnaround from the offensive standpoint. They have been solid but need to get a little better for this team to reach .500. They are heading in the right direction, but I think next year will be a breakout year for them.
West
1. Los Angeles Angels 87-75
2. Oakland Athletics 80-82
3. Texas Rangers 74-88
4. Seattle Mariners 69-93
Comments: Not quite the 21 game runaway like last year, but the Angels are the class of the division. That is assuming all of their pitching can stay healthy which it is not right now. They play the game the right way and are always there when it counts, so I do not discredit their chances. Oakland is young and intriguing this year. Their pitching is inexperienced but has the potential to do some damage this year. The A's made solid additions in Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi to along with a healthy Eric Chavez (asking a lot here), and a few other pieces this team will be a contender late into the season. I could envision a scenario where they beat the Angels but it is remote and unlikely. The Rangers have one of the best farm systems in the game, thanks largely to John Schuerholz's(Former Braves GM) trade to acquire Mark Teixeira a couple of years ago. They do not have quite the pitching this year(as always it seems), but help is on the way soon. I like their offense (as usual), with "The Natural" a.k.a. Josh Hamilton patrolling CF. Micheal Young, Ian Kinsler are also studs for this club. Jarrod Saltalamacchia at Catcher (switch-hitting catcher from the Braves), Elvis Andrus (a dazzling SS from the Braves) are young players to look for with this squad. Seattle may be slightly better than last year, but there is not much talent on this squad. After Ichiro and Felix Hernandez, there is not much to get excited about with this squad. Erik Bedard, Jose Lopez, and Adrian Beltre are keys for this team to have any kind of success this year.
A.L. MVP: Miguel Cabrera(Det)
A.L. Cy Young: Jon Lester(Bos)
A.L. Rookie: Matt Wieters(Balt)
Playoffs: Boston over Minnesota
L.A. Angels over Tampa Bay
Boston over L.A. Angels
World Series: Boston over Arizona
Boston has too much of everything to not get it done this year. As much as it pains me to say this John Smoltz will play a huge part in this team's success in the second half of 2009. That's it for my season previews. Tune back later in the season as I will give continual observations and opinions on the happenings in MLB, especially the Atlanta Braves.
Nice job by the U.S. team in its 3-0 win over hapless Trinidad and Tobago. Jozy Altidore, the 19 year sensation scored all three goals to give him a total of 4 in the last two World Cup Qualifiers. He is the dynamic presence up front that the U.S. has been searching for forever to find. If Donovan can keep feeding in great balls and play with some toughness this team can make some noise in South Africa
2010. Tim Howard looks like a major improvement in goal over Kasey Keller, who is simply too old to play against top international competition. The squad is off for 2 months until they take on Costa Rica on June 3.
Mb
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
National League Preview
As previously promised, today will be my 2009 National League preview. You can hold me accountable for all the picks I miss now, 6 months from now. I will give a divisional standings prediction, followed with a win/loss projection, also I will be picking a few players to look out for and I will have all of my playoff picks as well as the individual awards for the league. I tried to keep bias out of the equation, as I feel this is an accurate representation of how things will unfold by season's end based upon the research I have done. Without further ado, here is the "Tales from the stache" National League preview. (editor's note: at seasons end "the stache" will be available to sign copies of this season preview so you can frame it on your wall and admire it.)
National League East
1. Philadelphia Phillies 91-71
2. Atlanta Braves 88-74
3. New York Mets 86-76
4. Florida Marlins 80-82
5. Washington Nationals 76-86
Comments: The National League East will be a dogfight this year, with as many as 4 teams having a shot at the division if things break the right way. Philadelphia needs for Hamels to be healthy and pitch 200 innings this year. They need to hope he does not run into having a dead arm this year after pitching into October last year. Their offense and veteran leadership is almost too much to overcome. The Braves made a lot of moves this offseason, lets hope for my sake that they lead to a return to the playoffs. I like the depth they have established with a lot of young guys, especially on the pitching staff, waiting in the wings in case a veteran player declines or gets injured. I think a bounce back season for Jeff Francouer will be the key for Atlanta this year. The Mets I anticipate some slippage because of the age of some of their key players, most notably Carlos Delgado and Luis Castillo. I do think they have some of the most dynamic players in the game in David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Johan Santana, but the mental approach with this team is what I worry about as well. The depth in their pitching staff does not leave much room for error, there is not a lot of help on the way from their minor league system. The Marlins are many peoples out there pick to be a sleeper this year, I am not feeling it. Although they may have one of the best starting rotations in the game, I do not trust the rest of this team. After Hanley Ramirez and the streaky Dan Uggla, there is not much in the offense. Cameron Maybin could be huge for them this year, Jeremy Hermida is needed to fulfill his promise of being a 1st round draft pick back in 2002. Their bullpen is unproven, but talented. Defense was shaky last year, they need that to contend for the playoffs this year. The Nationals are still a year or two away I believe. Not enough talent yet, especially in the starting rotation. They have a lot of corner outfielders with not enough spots to fill out a team. If you filled an outfield with two LF and a RF they would be set. I like Adam Dunn for their offense, boy do they need his pop. Zimmerman the 3B is a solid player, but I am searching for much more with them from an offensive standpoint. Lastings Millege is a key to their success this year.
National League Central
1. Chicago Cubs 95-67
2. St. Louis Cardinals 83-79
3. Milwaukee Brewers 82-80
4. Cincinnati Reds 78-84
5. Houston Astros 77-85
6. Pittsburgh Pirates 67-95
Comments: Average division that should easily go to the Cubs. It is hard to envision a scenario where this team does not make the playoffs this year. Too much talent and balance in every aspect of their game. Their rotation is real solid, but has some health concerns with Rich Harden. I like their bullpen with Gregg and Marmol at the back end with some veterans in support roles. Their offense will lose a little by sending Mark DeRosa over to the Indians, he could play a variety of positions and he could flat out rake. I like the addition of Milton Bradley to the middle of their order, a good compliment to Lee, Ramirez, and Soriano at the top of the lineup. The one concern I do have with them is their defense in the outfield and the health of players such as Bradley and Lee. Is Soto the real deal at catcher? We will see. I like the Cardinals to max out at about 83 wins because of two people Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa, the manager. Pujols is the best hitter in the game. I like Wainwright to provide a solid presence at the top of the rotation. I just think they play the game the right way and do not beat themselves with dumb mistakes. The Brewers are a potential sleeper if they can get some of their pitchers to step up, mainly Yovanni Gallardo as a potential ace of the staff. They have the offense in J.J. Hardy, Ryan Braun, and Prince Fielder to do some damage in this division. Cincinnati is a lot of peoples pick to rise high this year. While I do think that it is possible. I do not see it likely that they can put it together, too many things have to happen for them to do well. I do not feel their is much depth if their regulars fail. Good young talent, we'll see what they can do. Their is some hope for the Reds. The Astros may have one of the worst starting rotations in baseball after Roy Oswalt their are a bunch of #4 and 5 starters. Their offense, while good, has some holes in it after Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee. I expect a struggle for them. The Pirates are a dysfunctional organization and have been for over a decade now. They just can't seem to put things together. I thought they had some promising young pitchers a couple years ago, but they have dropped off big time in recent years. They could surprise, but I doubt it.
National League West
1. Arizona Diamondbacks 90-72
2. Los Angeles Dodgers 88-74
3. San Francisco Giants 78-84
4. Colorado Rockies 77-85
5. San Diego Padres 60-102
Comments: Two horse race here that will come down to starting pitching and I feel the D'backs have a little more of it than the Dodgers. The Manny Ramirez factor is huge for the Dodgers, but I do not think it will be enough to over come their pitching depth issues. Arizona has one of the top 3 rotations in the National League, along with the Marlins and Cubs. I like the youth of that team to really come to the forefront and help out their offense in a big way. Most notably Justin Upton and Stephen Drew. I like the Dodgers young veterans, Andre Either, Matt Kemp, James Loney, and Russell Martin. It will an interesting division to watch. If the Giants had any hitting they would be a horse in this race, but alas they do not have enough to make up for a very solid rotation led by the Cy Young winner from last year Tim Lincecum. The Rockies lost too much with Matt Holliday going to the Athletics in a trade and Jeff Francis going down to season ending surgery earlier this year. The Padres are going to have the worst record in baseball, they are horrific. Jake Peavy, Chris Young, and Adrian Gonzalez at 1B are the only players you should really worry about with them this year.
N.L. MVP- Albert Pujols(Stl)
N.L. Cy Young- Brandon Webb(Arz)
N.L. Rookie of the Year- Tommy Hanson(Atl)
Playoffs: Chicago over Atlanta
Arizona over Philadelphia
Arizona over Chicago
Arizona has the pitching and the balance in the offense to take the Pennant this year. Cubs have the best team, but they underachieve come playoff time.
Take care, so long for now until tomorrow when I preview the American League.
Go USA beat Trinidad & Tobago tonight.
Mb
National League East
1. Philadelphia Phillies 91-71
2. Atlanta Braves 88-74
3. New York Mets 86-76
4. Florida Marlins 80-82
5. Washington Nationals 76-86
Comments: The National League East will be a dogfight this year, with as many as 4 teams having a shot at the division if things break the right way. Philadelphia needs for Hamels to be healthy and pitch 200 innings this year. They need to hope he does not run into having a dead arm this year after pitching into October last year. Their offense and veteran leadership is almost too much to overcome. The Braves made a lot of moves this offseason, lets hope for my sake that they lead to a return to the playoffs. I like the depth they have established with a lot of young guys, especially on the pitching staff, waiting in the wings in case a veteran player declines or gets injured. I think a bounce back season for Jeff Francouer will be the key for Atlanta this year. The Mets I anticipate some slippage because of the age of some of their key players, most notably Carlos Delgado and Luis Castillo. I do think they have some of the most dynamic players in the game in David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Johan Santana, but the mental approach with this team is what I worry about as well. The depth in their pitching staff does not leave much room for error, there is not a lot of help on the way from their minor league system. The Marlins are many peoples out there pick to be a sleeper this year, I am not feeling it. Although they may have one of the best starting rotations in the game, I do not trust the rest of this team. After Hanley Ramirez and the streaky Dan Uggla, there is not much in the offense. Cameron Maybin could be huge for them this year, Jeremy Hermida is needed to fulfill his promise of being a 1st round draft pick back in 2002. Their bullpen is unproven, but talented. Defense was shaky last year, they need that to contend for the playoffs this year. The Nationals are still a year or two away I believe. Not enough talent yet, especially in the starting rotation. They have a lot of corner outfielders with not enough spots to fill out a team. If you filled an outfield with two LF and a RF they would be set. I like Adam Dunn for their offense, boy do they need his pop. Zimmerman the 3B is a solid player, but I am searching for much more with them from an offensive standpoint. Lastings Millege is a key to their success this year.
National League Central
1. Chicago Cubs 95-67
2. St. Louis Cardinals 83-79
3. Milwaukee Brewers 82-80
4. Cincinnati Reds 78-84
5. Houston Astros 77-85
6. Pittsburgh Pirates 67-95
Comments: Average division that should easily go to the Cubs. It is hard to envision a scenario where this team does not make the playoffs this year. Too much talent and balance in every aspect of their game. Their rotation is real solid, but has some health concerns with Rich Harden. I like their bullpen with Gregg and Marmol at the back end with some veterans in support roles. Their offense will lose a little by sending Mark DeRosa over to the Indians, he could play a variety of positions and he could flat out rake. I like the addition of Milton Bradley to the middle of their order, a good compliment to Lee, Ramirez, and Soriano at the top of the lineup. The one concern I do have with them is their defense in the outfield and the health of players such as Bradley and Lee. Is Soto the real deal at catcher? We will see. I like the Cardinals to max out at about 83 wins because of two people Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa, the manager. Pujols is the best hitter in the game. I like Wainwright to provide a solid presence at the top of the rotation. I just think they play the game the right way and do not beat themselves with dumb mistakes. The Brewers are a potential sleeper if they can get some of their pitchers to step up, mainly Yovanni Gallardo as a potential ace of the staff. They have the offense in J.J. Hardy, Ryan Braun, and Prince Fielder to do some damage in this division. Cincinnati is a lot of peoples pick to rise high this year. While I do think that it is possible. I do not see it likely that they can put it together, too many things have to happen for them to do well. I do not feel their is much depth if their regulars fail. Good young talent, we'll see what they can do. Their is some hope for the Reds. The Astros may have one of the worst starting rotations in baseball after Roy Oswalt their are a bunch of #4 and 5 starters. Their offense, while good, has some holes in it after Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee. I expect a struggle for them. The Pirates are a dysfunctional organization and have been for over a decade now. They just can't seem to put things together. I thought they had some promising young pitchers a couple years ago, but they have dropped off big time in recent years. They could surprise, but I doubt it.
National League West
1. Arizona Diamondbacks 90-72
2. Los Angeles Dodgers 88-74
3. San Francisco Giants 78-84
4. Colorado Rockies 77-85
5. San Diego Padres 60-102
Comments: Two horse race here that will come down to starting pitching and I feel the D'backs have a little more of it than the Dodgers. The Manny Ramirez factor is huge for the Dodgers, but I do not think it will be enough to over come their pitching depth issues. Arizona has one of the top 3 rotations in the National League, along with the Marlins and Cubs. I like the youth of that team to really come to the forefront and help out their offense in a big way. Most notably Justin Upton and Stephen Drew. I like the Dodgers young veterans, Andre Either, Matt Kemp, James Loney, and Russell Martin. It will an interesting division to watch. If the Giants had any hitting they would be a horse in this race, but alas they do not have enough to make up for a very solid rotation led by the Cy Young winner from last year Tim Lincecum. The Rockies lost too much with Matt Holliday going to the Athletics in a trade and Jeff Francis going down to season ending surgery earlier this year. The Padres are going to have the worst record in baseball, they are horrific. Jake Peavy, Chris Young, and Adrian Gonzalez at 1B are the only players you should really worry about with them this year.
N.L. MVP- Albert Pujols(Stl)
N.L. Cy Young- Brandon Webb(Arz)
N.L. Rookie of the Year- Tommy Hanson(Atl)
Playoffs: Chicago over Atlanta
Arizona over Philadelphia
Arizona over Chicago
Arizona has the pitching and the balance in the offense to take the Pennant this year. Cubs have the best team, but they underachieve come playoff time.
Take care, so long for now until tomorrow when I preview the American League.
Go USA beat Trinidad & Tobago tonight.
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