MVP -- a pitcher??

Justin Verlander, starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers has been named the American League MVP, 2011. The question is: is a pitcher worthy of winning an MVP title? This has been a lingering issue since the five-man rotation and introduction of the Cy Young Award. Playing only one out of every five contests has been the Achilles-heel of the pitchers MVP campaign every time. Is this a valid claim?

Well, my philosophical opinion is that a pitcher has to be far and away the best candidate on the ballot - not just a bail-out pick because two other viable options are too close to call. A pitcher’s statistics need to be sound all the way through: WHIP, ERA, W-L, etc. The statistics for a pitcher need to be more scrutinized and validated than any other player to be considered MVP-worthy.

Furthermore, the intangibles need to be considered. While pitchers win games with the help of run support and a solid defense, nothing is more harmful to a pitcher’s confidence than a series of lackluster defensive performances by his teammates, not to mention the disappearing act by the ball club’s offensive presence. There needs to be a critical evaluation of all aspects that determine a pitcher’s value. Who’s to say that other pitchers didn’t perform at the same level but had the misfortunes of being on a less successful team?

It seems to me that the Baseball Writers Association of America has a tough job to go beyond mere due diligence to confidently vote on the MVP. IF they do and ONCE they find the most deserving player TO BE the pitcher, then by all means…

Just Believe.......... Teeeeeeboooooow !!!

Tell me you don’t love him! If you honestly don’t, you don’t love sports. This is the guy who is out there each and every day proving his critics wrong time and time again. With each victory comes new excuses from critics why this happened and why that happened. He only completed 2 passes, they barely won… Coaches, opponents, fans, media all point out the short-comings and reasons why Tim Tebow won’t succeed.
I am here to tell you something. There is no formula. This is sports. There is no right and no wrong. There is winning and losing. Tim Tebow wins. I don’t care if he doesn’t play the quarterback position like YOU think it should be played. Since when have sports been off limits for innovation? Better yet a retroactive blast from the past! Let the man play the position the way he knows how.

John Fox better just step aside and facilitate this awesomeness that we are seeing. If I hear him bad mouth Tebow one more time, I’ll be calling for his job. He should be thanking his lucky stars that Tebow is around otherwise he may not even have a job!


Why does he win? The reason is exactly where the mystery lies. We always have been stubborn when it comes to things that we can’t quite grasp. I will offer you this one bit of information: the guys around him believe they are going to win. Just sit back, watch and enjoy the show. I have a feeling we are in for something special.

To celebrate or not?

Once again, NFL celebrations seem to be a hot topic of discussion. There is no doubt going to be an endless debate regarding the appropriateness of celebrations. When to celebrate? How to dance? Pre-meditated celebrations? Group dances? On and on…. Well, I am here to tell you, dance on! Dance how you want to, and when ever the urge strikes you to celebrate- DO IT.
Agreed, from time to time celebrations can be taunting, in-your-face, disgusting types of displays. Guess what, there is no better judge of that then the public. Trust me, a poor intended celebration will not go unnoticed. With our media coverage today there’s just no chance. I think by now we should understand that all players and people are different. Especially in an egocentric driven stage as the NFL, players are going to try and find ways to stand out- not just with their stats.
The NFL has been trying to control celebrations for years. From Joe Horn on a cell phone to T.O’s river dancing and now the ever so popular “Tebowing.” Let’s not try to contain celebrations- embrace them! Love em- hate em- analyze em. Do we really want to lose this………..?






That just makes you smile and feel all good inside.

CHAMPS

Love affair? Of course! The nature of baseball is a grind out, invested, down right dirty battle. The love a fan has for the team is created in early spring and matriculates for over 6 months - many of us can’t even hold relationships that long. One of the reasons our sports is so beloved is the fact that we live and die for the team - feel their pain, share their joy, and yes - fall in love.

Team of Destiny? I can’t remember the last time a World Series wasn't won by a team who was destined to win. More times than not, the best, most talented team does not win championships. It’s what makes sports, sports! The underdog always has and always will have a chance. Don’t get the words twisted here people...both the Rangers and Cardinals have tremendous talent, but there is no way anyone could have told me half way through the season or even at the start of the playoffs that the Cardinals would beat the Rangers to win the World Series.

Sports can be a wonderful story of bliss and happiness for some and a story of anguish and despair for others. Some may even say "torture." Congratulations to all of you St. Louis Cardinal fans out there who now own bragging-rights for an entire year and have memories for a lifetime!!

Are You Ready ?

It is definitely time for some in-your-face, smash mouth, Tim Tebow football! Whether you are a fan of Tebow or not, admit it – you’re ready. I’m not saying that he is the greatest thing since sliced bread; I am saying he HAS been a better option than Kyle Orton this entire season. His numbers might not be super impressive on paper, neither was Superbowl champion QB Trent Dilfers, but he is a winner. He hasn’t proven that at the NFL level, but he hasn’t gotten the chance. The people of Denver crave a little Tebow and I think it’s about time.

Do the players have alternatives?

Hey there, Steven A. Smith: where do you get off saying you don’t sit on one side or the other? How do you tell players to negotiate when according to you, they have no leverage? “Take it or leave it” is your best advice? You are bad mouthing the stars for staying out of the way of their representatives? Lawyers are better as negotiators; basketball stars are better at scoring points and blocking shots. Then, you tell Amare, Skip and others that they are asinine for trying to come up with alternatives…Agreed, the players have no leverage. This is exactly why it is an excellent idea for the players to create alternative options - to obtain leverage! There WILL probably be a big pay cut for many, but at least they are willing to stand up for their rights! A good old-fashioned revolution! I would love to see the reaction of David Stern if action was taken to start a new league - like watching a worm try to wiggle off a fishing hook.