Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Coach K Is King
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| Krzyzewski and Knight's relationship goes far beyond the basketball floor. |
Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski surpassed his mentor and the legendary Bob Knight for the most wins in Division I men's basketball history with a 74-69 victory over Michigan State in the Farm Champions Classic Tuesday.
The win was the third in as many games on the year for the No. 6 ranked Blue Devils, while it was the 903rd of Kryzewski's career. With most of his family, friends, former players and Knight, who was broadcasting the game for ESPN, in attendance, it was anything but an emotional night for the man known as "Coach K".
In front of a sold out crowd Madison Square Garden, Krzyzewski had tears in his eyes after embracing Knight post game, thanking him for all he had done for him over the years.
"I just told Coach I love him," Krzyzewski said. "I wouldn't be in this position without him. It's a moment shared. I know he's very proud and I'm proud to have been somebody who's worked under him and studied under him and tried to be like him."
After brief stints at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech, Krzyzewski first came to Duke in 1980 and has never looked back, recording 830 of his 903 victories in Durham.
Along with now becoming the winningest coach in NCAA history, Krzyzewski owns a NCAA-record 79 NCAA tournament victories, is second on the all-time list with 11 Final Four appearances, he has earned 12 Coach of the Year honors, 12 ACC regular season titles and 13 ACC championships.
Let's not forget his four NCAA Tournament Championships, second only to the late John Wooden's ten during his time at UCLA.
If that weren't enough, Krzyzewski enjoyed success in the most recent Summer Olympics, just like Knight once did. Both were able to lead the United States men's national team to a gold medal in 1984 and 2008 respectively. Krzyzewski was also able to capture gold in the 2010 FIBA World Championship and will have another opportunity for his second Olympic gold medal next summer in London.
As for the game, junior guard Andre Dawkins led all scorers with 26 points, 18 of those coming from beyond the arch. Dawkins sparked a 20-1 run late in second half for the Blue Devils, extending their lead, 61-41.
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| Krzyzewski, left, was Knight's starting point guard at West Point. |
Krzyzewski will look to further his legacy in the team's next game when they host Davidson, Nov. 18, but tonight the Knight will now take a bow to the king.
Justin-credible
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| Verlander's 2011 season will go down as one of the best in baseball history. |
In the finest year of his brief, but bright seven-year career, Verlander stated his case as the best pitcher in the game, posting career-bests in wins (24), winning percentage (.828), earned run average (2.40), innings (251), WHIP (0.92) and now has the hardware to prove it.
Verlander becomes only the third pitcher in history to win the award while wearing the Tiger uniform. Right-hander Denny McLain was the first Detroit pitcher to take home the honor way back in 1968. McLain would repeat and win his second the following season in 1969, but had to share the honor with Baltimore's Mike Cuellar.
Fifteen years later, Willie Hernandez became not only the second Tiger in history to be recognized, but the second relief pitcher in history to receive the trophy, going 9-3 with 32 saves and a 1.92 ERA in 1984.
To go along with their Cy Young awards, both McLain and Hernandez are part of a limited class, receiving the AL Most Valuable Player Award in the same season, a feat Verlander hopes to accomplish as well.
Since the award was established in 1956, only nine pitchers in Major League history have been both honored with the Cy Young and MVP in the same season. Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley was the last pitcher to earn both honors as a member of the Oakland Athletics in 1992.
The 28-year-old Verlander becomes only the ninth AL pitcher to win the award by unanimous decision and the 21st overall. Now-New York Mets left-hander Johan Santana was the last AL pitcher to receive a unanimous selection, while pitching for the Minnesota Twins in 2006, oddly enough Verlander's rookie campaign.
Verlander's 24 wins, 2.40 ERA, and 250 strikeouts led the AL this season, becoming the 16th pitcher in AL history to win the pitching Triple Crown and with that, history held true.
The four-time All-Star is the 12th pitcher in Major League history to win the pitching Triple Crown and receive a unanimous selection in the Cy Young voting. Roger Clemens is the only pitcher to win the award and not have his selection unanimous after winning the Triple Crown. That came in 1997, when Clemens was pitching for the last-place Toronto Blue Jays.
Hall of Famer Hal Newhouser was the last Detroit pitcher to earn the Triple Crown. That coming in his 1945 MVP season.
It's a fitting end to a year that didn't start in the right direction. Verlander started off the season rather slow, going 2-3 in his first 7 starts, but after throwing his second career no-hitter on May 7, north of the border, the right-hander went 22-2 in his final 27 starts of the season, helping the Tiger capture their first AL Central division title in franchise history.
With Verlander totaling his maximum 160 points in the voting, Angels pitcher Jered Weaver finished second, tallying 97 points. Tampa Bay's James Shields and New York's CC Sabathia finished third and fourth, respectively.
With his first career Cy Young in the bag, Verlander puts his sights on the MVP, an award announced on Nov. 21.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Papelbon Headed To Philadelphia
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| Papelbon has been one of the game's best relievers since making that transition. |
It's a deal similar to that of the one Francisco Cordero, who is also a free agent this winter, signed with Cincinnati Reds prior to the start of the 2008 season. Cordero's deal was worth $46 million over four years.
The report comes just days after it looked as if Philadelphia was close to retaining the services of Ryan Madson, who saved 32 game for the Phillies in 2011. Apparently those talks broke down with Papelbon reportedly on board.
Papelbon, 30, leaves Fenway Park after six magical season with the Boston Red Sox.
Since making his Major League debut in July of 2005, Papelbon rapidly became one of the games best closers. The Baton Rogue native was a four-time All-Star for the Red Sox and becoming the fastest closer in history to record 200 saves since it was made an official stat in 1969, recording 219 saves since becoming the team's full-time closer in 2006.
His 219 saves are a club record, making his arguably the greatest closer in franchise history. Papelbon also totaled a 23-19 record during his Boston tenure with a 2.33 earned run average and rebounded after a terrible 2010 campaign.
Papelbon posted career-worsts in losses (7), ERA (3.90), blown saves (8), walks (28), WHIP (1.27) and home runs allowed (7) in '10 as his team also missed the postseason. But Papelbon dedicated himself to get better this offseason and was back to his dominant form.
Despite his ERA still being a little high at 2.94, Papelbon was 4-1 and 31-for-34 in save opportunities in for the Sox in '11. Although, two of his three blown saves came in the season's final month, a month Red Sox Nation won't soon forget. Both came at the hands of the never say die Baltimore Orioles, including blowing a one-run lead in the final game of the regular season and surrendering a walk-off base hit to Robert Andino, shattering Boston's playoff hopes.
That loss looks to be the last memory for Red Sox fans of Papelbon in a Boston uniform, not giving him an opportunity to pitch in the postseason, a place he has shined. In his 27 postseason innings, the hard-throwing right-hander has only allowed three earned runs, accumulating to a 1.00 ERA.
Papelbon was on the mound for the final out of the 2007 World Series , bringing home Boston's second World Series title in a four-year span after the club had experienced a 86-year drought prior to their improbable championship run in 2004.
Originally drafted by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2003 draft, Papelbon is a Type A free agent which means newly anointed general manager Ben Cherington and Co. will receive Philadelphia's first round pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft and another supplemental first round selection for compensation if the rules stay the same in baseball's new collective bargaining agreement.
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| Papelbon celebrating the final out of the 2007 World Series, his first championship of his career. |
Set-up man Daniel Bard is only 26 and looked to be the heir apparent in Boston, but a rough September has put that move into question. Bard blew all three of his save opportunities in the season's final month, while going 0-4 with a 10.64 ERA.
Slugger and the face of the franchise for almost a decade, David Ortiz shopping his services in free agencey and with the already sudden departures of manager Terry Francona and GM Theo Epstein, Boston has seen a third key figure walk away from what looks to be a now troublesome organization.
Truly ending an era in Red Sox lore.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Welcome Home, Carson
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| Palmer could help Oakland reach the postseason for the first time since 2002. |
Palmer and his Oakland Raiders seized first place in the AFC West with a convincing 24-17 victory over the high-powered offense of the San Diego Chargers. After losing each of the first two games he appeared in as a Raider, Palmer earned his first career win in the legendary silver and black.
The San Diego native went 14 for 20 while throwing for 299 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the win. Both of his touchdowns came with wideout Denarius Moore on the receiving end of them, doubling the rookie's season total. Despite losing a fumble, Palmer took care of the football, something he hadn't done in his two previous games with the Raiders.
In the six quarters Palmer had played in for Oakland prior to Thursday night's game in San Diego, he turned the ball the same number of times with 6 interceptions.
His 14.95 yards per attempt are also the highest total ever in a single game by a Raider quarterback, surpassing Daryle Lamonica's previous mark at 14.33, a record he set in a game against the Miami Dolphins in 1963, when both teams were members of the AFL.
But it wasn't t just the work of Palmer that handed Oakland their fifth win of the season.
With star running back Darren McFadden out for the second straight week, former Louisville tailback Michael Bush stole the show. Bush rushed for 157 yards, the second highest total of his career and the most for a Raiders running back in a game against the Chargers. The previous mark had been held by Clem Daniels, who rushed for a 144 yards against San Diego in 1964.
Bush also totaled 242 yards from scrimmage, the fourth most in franchise history and the most since Art Powell accumulated 247 total yards from scrimmage in a game against the '63 Houston Oilers.
At one time holding a 24-10 lead in the second half, Oakland had only surrendered a 14-plus lead to San Diego in their long and well documented history. The Raiders have now beaten the Chargers three times in-a-row after losing their previous thirteen meetings.
As for the Bolts, they have now lost four in-a-row, their worst losing streak since they lost nine straight in 2003. Normally notoriously slow starters, San Diego got off to a fast start this season, kicking off the year 4-1. That all has since been erased with Philip Rivers and Co. falling to second in the division and under .500 for the first time all year long, with a trip to Solider Field against the suddenly surging Chicago Bears (5-3) waiting in the wings.
In a division that it still up for grabs, it might be the arm of Palmer that decides the crown rather than Rivers, something nobody saw coming.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Paterno Fired
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| Paterno leaves behind an unfillable legacy, but a tainted one at that. |
The decision comes from Penn State University's Board of Trustees amid the child sexual abuse scandal that has circled the campus for nearly a week, all thanks to former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
Over the weekend Sandusky was charged on 40 criminal counts of sexual abuse, putting a dark cloud over Happy Valley.
This decision closes a chapter in one of the greatest coaching in sports history. Paterno leaves Penn States as the NCAA's all-time leader in wins (409), bowl appearances (37), bowl victories (24) and would have coached the most games in Division I history Saturday, but instead will remain in a tie for the all-time lead with Amos Alonzo Stagg, coaching 548 games in his career.
He remains the only coach in Division I history to total more than 400-plus victories in a career.
Paterno has been the face of the university for over six decades and coached the Nittany Lions for 46 years. 31 of the current coaches in the FBS had yet to be born when the 84-year-old coach begin his tenure in State College. As for Spanier, his 16-year run as university president has come to an end and, just like Paterno, will have to forever live with the information he did nothing with.
Tom Bradley, who oddly enough replaced Sandusky as the team's defensive coordinator following his retirement, was named Penn State's interim head coach.
For a man that has a statue and preached morals, ethics and integrity for more than half of a century, ultimately fell short of his own principles. For Paterno, it's not just an end of an era, but the end of a lifestyle.
Sad Day In Happy Valley
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| Paterno has been the face of Penn State for the last 61 years. |
After six decades of achievement and grace, Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has said he will retire at season's end amid the sexual abuse scandal surrounding a university he has dedicated his life work to.
Paterno first came to Penn State as a 23-year-old kid, being hired as an assistant in 1950. He would serve at that post until 1966, where he was promoted as the head football coach, beginning a 46-year run as the most successful coach in NCAA Division I history.
The 84-year-old coach is the living identify of not only the football program at Penn State, but the university itself, putting State College on the map.
Nearly two week ago, Paterno recorded his 409th win in his illustrious career when his team pulled out an ugly 10-7 victory over conference rival Illinois. The win gave Paterno the most wins in Division I history, surpassing Grambling State legend Eddie Robinson for the all-time mark. Winning the only two national championships in school history in 1982 and '86, Paterno also holds the record for most bowl victories with 24 in his 37 appearances, also a FBS record.
However, all Paterno's victories didn't come on the gridiron.
Penn State has seen 49 academic All-Americans in their history, 47 whom have come under Paterno's tenure, good enough for third all-time among FBS institutions. In 2010, Paterno saw an astonishing 84 percent team graduation rate, second only to Northwestern's 95.
There are so many words to describe Paterno, mentor, educator and pinoeer, but it's what he didn't do that may forever define his legacy in Happy Valley.
Paterno was notified by then-graduate assistant and current receivers coach, Mike McQueary, on an incident he witnessed in the team's football complex in 2002. McQueary saw former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who has been charged with 40 criminal counts of sexual child abuse through his charitable foundation, sodomizing a 10-year-old boy in the shower.
It is unclear what exactly Paterno knew and when he knew it, but nonetheless he failed to follow up on an incident he reportedly discussed with university president Graham Spanier and Athletic Director Tim Curley nearly a decade ago.
Curley, along with vice president Gary Schultz, have stepped down from their respective positions and since have been released on bail after being charged with perjury and failure to report abuse. Curley at one point was Penn State's ball boy, one of the many administrators that have ties to Paterno.
On the other hand, Spanier still remains at his post, but will reportedly resign or be voted out sometime Wednesday, ending his 16 years at the helm.
The Board of Trustees have a meeting scheduled later this week to discuss the future of the university and it's football program. And while Paterno has said he will make his retirement effective at the end of the 2011 football season, the board might not have written the same final chapter in Paterno's tenure.
Paterno addressed his team Wednesday morning in a meeting that saw the iconic coach break into tears and leave the room to a standing ovation after announcing his future plans.
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| Sandusky was arrested over the weekend after reportedly abusing 8 boys in a 15-year span. |
If in fact Paterno is allowed to coach Saturday, he will surpass Amos Alonzo Stagg for the most games coached in Division I history with 549. His team is currently in first place in the Big Ten Conference at 8-1 and hope to play in their conference title game, for a shot to play in the Rose Bowl.
Paterno may have fulfilled his legal requirements, but his moral obligation was not. A legendary coaching career that should be celebrated is now forever tainted.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Haynesworth Out Of A Job
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| Haynesworth struggled in New England's first home loss since 2008 Sunday. |
Teams now have 24 hours to claim Haynesworth off waivers and inherit the reminder of his current contract with the Patriots before New England releases him, giving the 10-year veteran the opportunity to hand pick his next destination, that is anyone that will have him.
Haynesworth played in only six games thus far and on the field for 133 plays of the 561 defensive snaps this season, that includes penalties. The 350-pound lineman only recorded 3 tackles for New England and no sacks.
Ineffective each of the last two and half seasons, Haynesworth was coming off a career year in 2008 when he set career-highs in sacks (8.5), forced fumbles (3) and solo tackles (41). A season that prompted the Washington Redskins to ink the former Tennessee standout to a seven-year $100 million contract. A deal that could have reached as much as $115 million based on performance and gave Haynesworth an NFL-record $41 million.
It was an investment Washington wishes they could have back.
Haynesworth played in 20 games for the Redskins, never forcing a fumble and gathering 6.5 sacks before being traded this summer to Foxborough for a 2013 fifth-round draft pick. Haynesworth was originally scheduled to make $5.4 million this season, but had his base salary reduced to $1.5 million for the chance to play for Bill Belchick and Co.
Belchick also took a gamble on another embattled superstar this summer, when he traded for the outspoken Chad Ochocinco. The former Cincinnati Bengals wideout has caught only 9 passes this season, accumulating to 136 yards and no touchdowns.
This isn't anything new as Ochocinco's numbers have been dropping off for some time, making him go from an elite receiver to subpar at best. Ochocinco averaged almost 80 receptions his first seven years in the NFL, but has yet to catch 80 or more passes since 2007.
In fact, the Los Angeles native has averaged only 50 receptions over the last four years.
While Ochocinco is still a member of the Patriot family, Haynesworth is not, but won't be out of a job for very long. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the market for a defensive tackle after placing former first-round pick Gerald McCoy on injured reserve Monday after tearing his right biceps in the team's 27-16 loss to the division-leading New Orleans Saints Sunday.
Monday, November 7, 2011
The Smoke Has Settled
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| Frazier handed Ali his first career loss in the 1971 Fight of the Century. |
Born in South Carolina, Frazier took up boxing at a young age and replaced an injured Buster Mathis in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. There Frazier would come home with the heavyweight gold medal, the only boxing gold medal the United States won in '64.
Shortly there after Frazier would turn pro and ascend the heavyweight ranks.
After World Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali refused induction into the military, he was sent into exile and stripped of his title, a title that was later seized by Frazier. Ali would rise from the ashes and come calling for a shot to reclaim a title they both felt they lay claim to, setting up the "Fight of the Century".
In the heart of New York City and in front of a sold out Madison Square Garden in 1971, the fight lived up to the billing. After 15 hard-fought rounds, Frazier finally knocked down the Kentucky native, for only the third time in his career, with his legendary left hook. In a unanimous decision, Frazier would retain his title and hold that crown until 1973.
The Heywood Giant, George Foreman, would be the one to dethrone Frazier after knocking him down six times in only two rounds.
Frazier and Ali would do battle for a second time, this time the bout was a non-title fight, but saw Ali total a unanimous decision in a 12-round dog fight. Shortly there after Ali would capture the title from Foreman and give Frazier one last shot at glory.
In the epic 1975 Thrilla in Manila, Ali put his heavyweight title on the line and would face Frazier for a third time. Both past their primes, Frazier and Ali put on one final gut-wrenching battle, giving the fans one last look at two of the greatest heavyweights in boxing history. The fight would end after Frazier's trainer, Eddie Fudge, would not let him return for the 15th and final round, leaving his eternal opponent the prize he once fought so hard to hold.
He would fight one last time, but ultimately tally the fourth loss of his career, coming at the hands of the hard-hitting Foreman yet again and retire not long after.
Smokin' Joe owned a career record of 32-4-1 during his legendary boxing career with 27 knockouts. He would later be inducted into both the International and World Boxing Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest heavyweights in the sports history.
A man that possessed the most vicious left hook in boxing history and will forever live in Ali's shadow, was a fighter and he died fighting. That's just the way he would have wanted it.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Giants Bigger Than Brady
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| Manning celebrates following his fourth quarter touchdown pass. |
In their first regular-season meeting since Super Bowl XLII, where Manning handed Brady and Co. their first loss of the 2007-'08 football season, scoring in the final minute to seal an improbable Super Bowl win, the New York Giants did more of the same Sunday in New England.
After the first scoreless game at the half so far this year in the NFL and New England being shutout for the first two quarters for the first time in 74 games, the scoring picked up and the Patriots found themselves down 17-13 in the fourth quarter.
Despite the Giants' defensive line dictating much of the game, Brady orchestrated his 35th comeback in the game's final period or overtime with a 14-yard strike to tight end Rob Gronkowski on fourth and eight with 1:36 to play in regulation.
It looked like Brady, who mounted a fourth quarter come from behind win against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6, was going to add to his legend, instead it was Manning furthering his legacy as the last-minute magician against the Pats. The eight-year veteran out of Ole Miss conducted an 8-play, 80-yard drive, capped off by a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ballard, who hauled in a 28-yard pass from Manning earlier in the drive that helped set up his third touchdown reception of the season.
The drive also included a season long 12-yard first down run from Manning.
New York's touchdown was the fourth and final lead change of the quarter, as Brady was unable to do much with the generous 15 seconds Manning left him.
When referring to himself as an elite quarterback at the beginning of the season, many shook their head in disagreement, but Manning has done his best to prove the doubters wrong.
Manning tossed 2 touchdown passes in the game's final three minutes and three seconds, giving him 15 on the season, compared to his 6 interceptions. He has racked up 2,377 yards and a career-high 98.8 quarterback rating through his team's his eight games. The Giants are now 6-2 on the year, tying themselves with the Detroit Lions for the second-best record in the NFC.
Also representing their conference proudly, New York becomes the first NFC since 2002 to win game in Gillette Stadium, ending an 18-game losing streak.
As for New England, the loss snaps at 20-game regular season home winning streaking, dating back to November of 2008 when then-quarterback Matt Cassel, who was filling in for the injured Brady, lost in Foxborough to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 33-10.
It also ends the longest home winning streak by a quarterback in NFL history. Prior to Sunday, Brady had won 31 consecutive regular season games in Foxborough. However, Brady has lost each of his last two postseason games at home.
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| Much like in Super Bowl XLII, Brady found himself pressured and on his back Sunday. |
History repeated itself Sunday like it almost always tends to do, while Manning proved once again he is an elite quarterback in the NFL.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Broyles Out For The Year
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| Broyles, right, is one of the greatest receivers in NCAA history. |
All-American wideout Ryan Broyles suffered a torn ACL Saturday in the Sooners' 41-25 victory over Texas A&M , following a 30-yard third quarter completion from Jones, ending his season and well decorated collegiate career.
Despite the severity of the injury not being immediately disclosed, Broyles face on the sideline told a somber story, breaking out in tears.
Broyles, 23, finishes the season with 83 catches, 1,157 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had been leading the nation in yards per game, averaging 133.8 and second in receptions (10.1). The hometown kid caught 349 passes in his four-year career at Oklahoma, while racking up 4,586 yards and 45 touchdowns. Just three weeks ago Broyles was surpassing former Purdue standout, Taylor Stubblefield's, 316 career receptions, making his 349 a Football Bowl Subdivison record, but now his future is in doubt.
Broyles also finds his name third on the all-time list for receiving yards in NCAA history. It didn't hurt that the 5-foot-10 receiver had the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner and last year's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Sam Bradford, tossing passes his way each of his first two seasons at Oklahoma and another Heisman hopeful in Jones the last two years.
A Bilenitkoff finalist a year ago, arguably the best wide receiver in college football and the 2012 NFL Draft class, Broyles has a long road ahead of him.
As for his team, the Sooners came into the game as ranked as the sixth best team in the nation. With the win, Bob Stoops team's improve to 5-1 in the Big 12 Conference and 8-1 overall.
If Oklahoma is to appear in their fourth BCS title game in the last nine years, Jones and Co. will need to overcome the injuries to Whaley, who had been their leading rusher, and Broyles and continue to play Sooners football.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Quade Out In Chicago
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| With Epstein and Jed Hoyer in, Quade is out in the Windy City. |
Quade was relieved of his managerial duties Wednesday before they really ever got started.
The 54-year-old now former manager replaced the always entertaining Lou Pinella at the end of the 2010 season and was given a 37-game audition to impress Cubs brass, which he did, going 24-13, good enough for a .649 winning percentage.
He would eventually have the"interm" label removed from his job title as he was hired by then general manager John Hendry. Quade was rewarded with a two-year contract with a club option for a third. But after the sudden resignation of Hendry in August and Chicago increasing their infamous Curse of the Billy Goat to 103 years with a fifth place finish in the National League Central, Quade's future was in doubt.
Overall, Quade finishes his stint in Chicago with a 95-104 record in 199 games.
Quade, who had been the third base coach in Chicago the past four seasons, was chosen over Hall of Famer and legendary Cubs player, Ryne Sandberg, for the job. Sandberg was thought to be the heir apparent to Pinella, but instead took a Triple-A managerial position with the Philadelphia Phillies following Quade's official hiring.
Sandberg has reportedly been ruled out by Epstein for the position, but names like Mike Maddux and Terry Francona, who knows Epstein all to well, have surfaced as possible candidates and front-runners for the position.
Whomever takes over in the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field, one thing is clear, they are in for one hell of a ride as Epstein is a man on a mission.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
A BLUEprint For Sale
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| The most recent installment in the McCourt ownership has his wondering where it all went wrong. |
The settlement will end a six-month legal battle with baseball and it's commissioner, Bud Selig.
McCourt purchased the team in February of 2004 from the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, for a sum of $421 million. It's been reported McCourt could now get anywhere from $800 million-$1.2 billion for the club, including the stadium, parking lot and media rights.
October of 2009 is when McCourt's castle came crashing down. It would be announced that McCourt and his wife of 30 years, Jaime McCourt, were putting their marriage to an end. She was fired as the club's CEO just days later and officially filed for divorce.
Fast-forward nearly two years, McCourt has seen a Giants fan get brutally beaten on his property Opening Night of 2011, put a dark cloud over the historic Los Angeles franchise and put the team in financial instability. In April, Selig and MLB stepped in and seized the day-to-day operations of the club, putting McCourt's ownership of the team further in doubt.
In June, Selig rejected a 17-year TV contract McCourt had arranged with Fox to keep the his team afloat. The deal was worth approximately 3 billion dollars. Weeks later, the New England native would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a final effort to salvage his ownership with the Dodgers.
Most recently, October saw McCourt's ex-wife relinquish her partial ownership in the team after reaching a $130 million settlement. Later that month MLB revealed McCourt had looted $190 million out of the team for personal endeavors.
It has been a long and treacherous journey for McCourt, a journey that has had an entire city rally against him. But it wasn't all bad.
Before McCourt's arrival, Los Angeles had made two postseason appearances in the last 15 years and yet to win a playoff game since Game 5 of the 1988 World Series. McCourt oversaw four playoff teams during his tenure, including three National League West division titles, and back-to-back NLCS appearances, in 2008 and '09, losing both times to the Philadelphia Phillies.
In his seven seasons at the helm, the Dodgers accumulated a .521 winning percentage and even though the Paul DePodesta experiment didn't work out, McCourt pried Ned Colletti away from the division rival San Francisco Giants, naming him the tenth general manager in franchise history on Nov. 17, 2005.
McCourt is also responsible for hiring soon-to-be Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre prior to the '08 season, bringing in slugger Manny Ramirez, who could be look at as a savior or goat by Dodger fans, depending on how you remember his stint in "Mannywood".
Not to mention investing over $150 million in stadium designs and improvements, helping make Dodger Stadium thrive in the modern era.
However one wants to look his stay in on the West Coast, the inevitable has finally happened. McCourt will be portrayed as a villain until the end and an owner that was never fully embraced by his fan base that is getting their wish.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Cashman
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| Cashman has served at the helm for the last 14 years with three years just added on. |
He will also remain at his post as the club's senior vice president.
Cashman is coming a three-year $6 million deal he signed after the 2008 season, despite have New York miss the postseason that year for the first time in his tenure as GM. This contract is said to be worth about $9 million over another three years, a raise he well deserved.
In 2009, he was the architect of the franchise's 27th world championship team after hitting it big in the free-agent market, signing marquee players Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett and Sabathia. In 2010, New York returned to the American League Championship Series, where they would be dethroned by the Texas Rangers in six games.
2011 might have been Cashman's best work, but he won't say that as the Yankees came up short of their ultimate goal, a World Series title.
Even though the 44-year-old GM had to deal with the retirement of old reliable, Andy Pettitte, and watching prized left-hander Cliff Lee ink a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, Cashman was able to mend together an overachieving pitching staff.
Cashman signed veterans Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon to Minor League contracts, both whom made the 25-man roster out of spring training and it didn't stop there. The right-handers played significant roles in New York's success this past season, including Garcia starting Game 2 of the ALDS and them combining for 20 wins during the regular season.
He is also responsible for signing backstop Russell Martin, who might be the steal of last winter, Eric Chavez and Andruw Jones, both whom had fantastic first years in pinstripes.
The Yankees went on to exceeded expectations and win their 17th AL East title, their 11th since Cashman took over as GM. Originally joining the organization as an intern in 1986 for the Minor League and Scouting Department. He was promoted to GM in February of 1998 when his predecessor, Bob Watson, decided to retire and since has been a staple atop the Yankee front office.
During his tenure, New York has made the postseason in 13 out of the last 14 seasons, racked up five 100-win seasons, six AL pennants and four World Series titles. Cashman also holds the highest winning percentage (.605) throughout Major League Baseball since '98, which is the highest of any GM since 1950 with at least five years of experience.
However, in Yankee Universe, those accomplishments are a thing of the past and Cashman is faced the daunting task of rebuilding New York's rotation once again.