Nick Adenhart's six scoreless innings should have been enough to win. He escaped jam after jam, usually of his own making, before leaving after 98 pitches with a 3-0 lead. He allowed seven hits, walked three, and struck out five. He tossed two perfect innings, but I was impressed by how he responded with runners on. Last year, he was a disaster when pitching from the stretch. But last night he had to pitch with runners on in four innings, and three times allowed the lead off runner to reach, but still found a way to escape those jams and leave unscathed.
Unfortunately, his team could not hold the lead, and what should have been a nice night for Adenhart turned into a nightmare for the home team. After a solid seventh inning for Jose Arredondo, a Chone Figgins run pushed the lead to four. Scioscia, who would have turned to Shields in the 8th inning of a three run game, left Arredondo on the mound. He allowed the first two runners to reach before Scioscia went to Shields, who struck out Travis Buck, and induced a ground ball to third base from Mark Ellis. Instead of going to third for the sure out, which is what he undoubtedly should have done with a four run lead, Figgins chose to throw home to cut off Jack Cust at the plate. Napoli couldn't handle the throw, allowing Cust to score and Ellis to reach. A wild pitch and base hit later, and what should have been a three run lead was down to one.
Brian Fuentes, sharp in his debut, walked Giambi to lead off the ninth inning. After retiring Buck and Cust, Kurt Suzuki tapped a ball in front of the mound, and a miscommunication between Napoli and Fuentes turned a close play into no play. Nomar Garciappara's single drove in the tying run, and Matt Holliday gave the A's a two run lead they wouldn't relinquish.
I'm not going to revisit the meltdown thread on Halos Heaven, but personally, I place the blame for this game on Figgins. He made a huge mental error when he tried to cut off Cust at the plate, and it led to two more A's runs in the eighth inning, meaning Fuentes had no margin for error in the ninth. Fuentes failed to deliver, but that's going to happen over the course of a season. Poor performances are unavoidable. Mental errors are unacceptable. Gary Matthews, inserted as a pinch runner and defensive replacement, may have had a play on the Garciappara single in the ninth, but it looked like he lost it in the lights, and I'm not sure he would have gotten to it anyway. Make no mistake, I don't like Gary Matthews, but I don't find him at fault here.
Kendry Morales delivered two hits and is off to a solid start this season. Juan Rivera also delivered two hits, and Mike Napoli had an RBI double and a walk in his season debut.
An early test tonight, as the Angels throw jered Weaver, one of their true starting five against Brett Anderson, who is not the former lead singer of Suede.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
A's 0; Angels 3
1 down, 161 to go. Nice way to start the season as Joe Saunders showed no signs of a dead arm, going 6.2 scoreless innings. He allowed only three hits, while walking and striking out two. He was probably on a pitch count of about 90. He finished with 93 pitches for the game, 56 of them for strikes. He fell behind a number of times, but generally seemed to find a strike when he needed it. He induced three double play balls, although the Angels infield only turned one of them, or else he may have completed the seventh inning. The A's threatened in the third inning, putting two runners on with only one out. But Jeff Mathis made a great throw to third to gun down Mark Ellis, who was the front end of an attempted double steal. Saunders got Orlando Cabrera to pop up, ending the inning.
The bullpen did its job. Jose Arredondo retired the only batter he faced. Scot Shields recorded his first hold of the season with a perfect eighth, and Brian Fuentes worked a perfect ninth for his first save as an Angel.
The offense pounded out nine hits, two each from Howie Kendrick, Vlad Guerrero, and Juan Rivera. One of Kendrick's hits left the yard, an opposite field blast to right center field over the big wall. For a guy who isn't supposed to hit for a lot of power, he hit the ball a long way. His other hit was an RBI single in the third inning. The newly patient offense looked a lot like the old 'not all that patient' offense, drawing only one walk. They did, however, work quite a few deep counts, and A's starter Dallas Braden was at nearly 100 pitches through six innings.
So far so good. Some opening day jitters, but the Angels won the way they're probably going to win this year. Good pitching, timely hitting, and a shut down bullpen. Now we get to see how the rebuilt rotation really works. Dustin Moseley takes the mound tomorrow against Trevor Cahill.
The bullpen did its job. Jose Arredondo retired the only batter he faced. Scot Shields recorded his first hold of the season with a perfect eighth, and Brian Fuentes worked a perfect ninth for his first save as an Angel.
The offense pounded out nine hits, two each from Howie Kendrick, Vlad Guerrero, and Juan Rivera. One of Kendrick's hits left the yard, an opposite field blast to right center field over the big wall. For a guy who isn't supposed to hit for a lot of power, he hit the ball a long way. His other hit was an RBI single in the third inning. The newly patient offense looked a lot like the old 'not all that patient' offense, drawing only one walk. They did, however, work quite a few deep counts, and A's starter Dallas Braden was at nearly 100 pitches through six innings.
So far so good. Some opening day jitters, but the Angels won the way they're probably going to win this year. Good pitching, timely hitting, and a shut down bullpen. Now we get to see how the rebuilt rotation really works. Dustin Moseley takes the mound tomorrow against Trevor Cahill.
I Know It May Not Seem Like It...
...But it's opening day, and yes, I'm pretty excited. And yes, there will be Angels content here again shortly.
And Go Spartans!
And Go Spartans!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Why You Shouldn't Smoke
Let me preface this by saying I love Ian McCulloch. I truly believe that he's probably the coolest person on the planet. And I love the current iteration of Echo and the Bunnymen, mostly because I became a fan after the initial breakup, and the reunion of the band has given me the opportunity to see them live a bunch of times. But Mac's voice is not what it once was. To wit, here are two versions of one of their best songs, 'All That Jazz'. See if you can pick up on the difference.
1983
2006
1983
2006
Friday, March 27, 2009
AC Newman and the Broken West @ Logan Square Auditorium - 3/25/09
So I've come to the conclusion that I'm really a horrible music writer. It actually has nothing to do with my skills (or lack thereof) as a writer. My problem is that I can't really criticize. I only go to shows that I want to see. Which means I only see bands that I know I already like, which means I'm going to like the show. Every review comes off as a fanboy review. So what follows is not a review, but a recap. I'm basically going to tell you why I like the bands I like so much.
This was a smaller crowd than my last Logan Square show. I saw Los Campesinos! with Titus Andronicus as the opener a couple months ago and the place was packed. The Broken West took the stage about ten minutes after 8:00, and the place was still half empty. Truth be told, I love the Broken West, and I think I've seen every show they've played in Chicago since 2007 when I first saw them open for America's finest live act, the Walkmen. They played a sample of the old album, but the bulk of the set came from thenew album and the first album, and it was all well mixed. The list:
Anyway, I'd say they played a typical mix of old and new. When an act is supporting a new album, you expect about 65-35 mix, and that's pretty much what we got. I think they played all but one song from the new album (honestly, at this point, I can't remember if they failed to play 'Elemental' or 'Thunderbolts'. It's been a day or so). And honestly, he played a couple songs from the Slow Wonder that I'm not crazy about (Cloud Prayer and Come Crash). But he hit most of hte highlights, and he closed with the Town Halo, which is still his best song, and is a great song if you have a violin player.
All in all a great show. Great venue, solid set, on-time, no complaints. Two bands that I really love. Hope they come back soon.
Upcoming:
Destroyer (May)
Doves (May)
Art Brut twice (June)
X (June)
Pitchfork Festival (July)
Some samples:
Broken West
AC Newman
AC Newman
This was a smaller crowd than my last Logan Square show. I saw Los Campesinos! with Titus Andronicus as the opener a couple months ago and the place was packed. The Broken West took the stage about ten minutes after 8:00, and the place was still half empty. Truth be told, I love the Broken West, and I think I've seen every show they've played in Chicago since 2007 when I first saw them open for America's finest live act, the Walkmen. They played a sample of the old album, but the bulk of the set came from thenew album and the first album, and it was all well mixed. The list:
- On the Bubble
- So it Goes
- Down in the Valley
- Gwen Now and Then
- Auctioneer
- Ambuscade
- Got It Bad
- Elm City
- House of Lies
- Perfect Games
Anyway, I'd say they played a typical mix of old and new. When an act is supporting a new album, you expect about 65-35 mix, and that's pretty much what we got. I think they played all but one song from the new album (honestly, at this point, I can't remember if they failed to play 'Elemental' or 'Thunderbolts'. It's been a day or so). And honestly, he played a couple songs from the Slow Wonder that I'm not crazy about (Cloud Prayer and Come Crash). But he hit most of hte highlights, and he closed with the Town Halo, which is still his best song, and is a great song if you have a violin player.
All in all a great show. Great venue, solid set, on-time, no complaints. Two bands that I really love. Hope they come back soon.
Upcoming:
Destroyer (May)
Doves (May)
Art Brut twice (June)
X (June)
Pitchfork Festival (July)
Some samples:
Broken West
AC Newman
AC Newman
Monday, March 23, 2009
Another Quick Thought
I'm really starting to sour on John Lackey. I don't know. If he thinks that complaining to the press is going to get him signed quicker, he doesn't know the Angels front office very well. And he's not really endearing himself to his fanbase.
Also, it would help if he knew how arbitration worked. You didn't sign below market on your last deal. You signed for what the market pays guys who can't become free agents. It wasn't a home town discount.
"They got one of those on my last contract," Lackey said. "My performance outweighed that contract. . . . This is kind of my turn. They've had control for six years. Now they have to convince me."
Also, it would help if he knew how arbitration worked. You didn't sign below market on your last deal. You signed for what the market pays guys who can't become free agents. It wasn't a home town discount.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Wildcats Strike - Beat UCLA 89-69
If you set aside two hours of your day to watch this game, I hope you found something to do after about the first five minutes, because the game was essentially over that early. UCLA’s first six points came from the free throw line, but the story was how they got there. Hard, physically punishing fouls sent a message early on that Villanova was going to bully UCLA all over the floor, and the Bruins never really stepped up to the challenge. After Josh Shipp’s fourth free throw gave UCLA a 6-4 lead, the Wildcats went on a 24-5 run from which the Bruins would never recover.
You could look for someone to blame, but this was just a beat-down, plain and simple. Villanova was stronger, quicker, more athletic, and executed better than the Bruins in every aspect of the game. The Villanova back court routinely took the ball to the basket without much trouble. Dante Cunningham dominated the smaller Bruins inside, finishing with 18 and 10. Six Wildcats finished with double figures in scoring, and another finished with 8 points.
The raw numbers don’t look all that awful. Neither team shot over 50% (UCLA finished at 42.6% while Villanova shot 46.3%). UCLA outscored Villanova at the free throw line and the three point line. But two numbers tell the whole story are rebounds and turnovers. Villanova outrebounded the Bruins 39-26, including 15-7 on the offensive glass. The Bruins turned the ball over 20 times compared to only 11 times for the Wildcats. Those numbers translated into 20 more shots for Villanova, and the team with 20 extra shots is usually going to win.
So the UCLA careers for Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, and Alfred Aboya have come to an end. The trio combined for 11 of the Bruins turnovers and only 10 rebounds. Shockingly, Josh Shipp finished the game without a rebound. It’s their earliest tournament exit since Shipp’s first year loss to Texas Tech. Shipp ends his career with a career record for games started, while Collison and Aboya finish with more games played than other Bruin in team history.
The Bruins will now wait on the decision of freshman J’rue Holiday, who will take over his natural point guard position if he decides to come back. They also add length in a five man freshman class, each of whom stand 6′7″ or taller. But as they learned against Memphis last year, and Villanova this year, talent alone won’t get it done. They need to get tougher and stronger if they’re going to return to national prominence.
You could look for someone to blame, but this was just a beat-down, plain and simple. Villanova was stronger, quicker, more athletic, and executed better than the Bruins in every aspect of the game. The Villanova back court routinely took the ball to the basket without much trouble. Dante Cunningham dominated the smaller Bruins inside, finishing with 18 and 10. Six Wildcats finished with double figures in scoring, and another finished with 8 points.
The raw numbers don’t look all that awful. Neither team shot over 50% (UCLA finished at 42.6% while Villanova shot 46.3%). UCLA outscored Villanova at the free throw line and the three point line. But two numbers tell the whole story are rebounds and turnovers. Villanova outrebounded the Bruins 39-26, including 15-7 on the offensive glass. The Bruins turned the ball over 20 times compared to only 11 times for the Wildcats. Those numbers translated into 20 more shots for Villanova, and the team with 20 extra shots is usually going to win.
So the UCLA careers for Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, and Alfred Aboya have come to an end. The trio combined for 11 of the Bruins turnovers and only 10 rebounds. Shockingly, Josh Shipp finished the game without a rebound. It’s their earliest tournament exit since Shipp’s first year loss to Texas Tech. Shipp ends his career with a career record for games started, while Collison and Aboya finish with more games played than other Bruin in team history.
The Bruins will now wait on the decision of freshman J’rue Holiday, who will take over his natural point guard position if he decides to come back. They also add length in a five man freshman class, each of whom stand 6′7″ or taller. But as they learned against Memphis last year, and Villanova this year, talent alone won’t get it done. They need to get tougher and stronger if they’re going to return to national prominence.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Quick Thought
Arte, sign the checks. Get John Lackey signed. You don't have two guys who can step into his role like you did when you decided to let Frankie walk. You can't sign another starter on the cheap who can replicate his number like you did when signed Fuentes. If you're losing big time cash in the market, then be honest about it and let us know that we're in for some lean years. But if you aren't, then don't dick around with this. Get. It. Done!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
UCLA 65; Virginia Commonwealth 64
It was a struggle over the last ten minutes. UCLA fans were probably flashing back to the ASU debacle from earlier in the season as an 11 point lead was slowly whittled down to one, giving VCU's Eric Maynor a chance to win the game in final seconds. But the Bruins forced VCU to use more clock than they probably would have liked, Maynor mishandled the ball a bit before the final shot, and the ball fell off the front end of the rim, giving the Bruins a one point victory as the clock expired.
This was really kind of a strange game for the Bruins. They struggled to pull away early, but finished the first half on a 13-2 run over the final five minutes to take a 10 point lead into the half. The second half was a bit up and down, with teams trading scores until about the six and a half minute mark. What happened then may have been the turning point in the game had the game ended differently. With an 11 point lead, Jrue Holiday made a nice move to get to the basket, but fumbled the ball a bit on the way to the hoop and blew the lay up. A quick strike by VCU the other way turned what should have been a 13 point lead turned into a 9 point lead, and things continued to tighten until the final buzzer.
Contributions came from many hands tonight. Josh Shipp led the Bruins with 16 points and added 8 rebounds. He had two baskets early in the second half when the Bruins were struggling to make field goals. Nikola Dragovic had average offensive numbers, but his 13 rebounds were key. Jrue Holiday played very well in a key second half stretch after Darren Collison picked up his fourth foul. As for Collison, he struggled with fouls, and did not have a very nice line (2 assists, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls), but finished with ten points. Alfred Aboya grabbed seven boards, but his key numbers were his four steals and 5 free throws made in 5 attempts, including the Bruins' final two points. The surprising number for me was 0. That's the comined number of minutes played by Drew Gordon and Malcolm Lee. With Collison's foul trouble, and the size up front for VCU (mainly Larry Sanders) I expected each of those guys to see the floor, but Ben Howland really shortened the bench. [update: Per Brian Dohn, Drew Gordon did not play because of a concussion he suffered earlier in the week].
As for the Rams, Sanders had 10 points and 11 rebounds to go along with floor blocks. It seemed like altered at least 10 shots, and he was a force inside. Eric Maynor led all scorers with 21 points, 15 of them in the second half. And pardon my subjectivity, but for a good stretch in the second half, it seemed like if a Bruin looked at Maynor, he was going to the line. He only made five of fifteen shots, and that tenth miss was the difference in the game.
UCLA has to get ready for Villanova, who will basically have the home court advantage that the Bruins have enjoyed for the last few years. They struggled mightily against the Eagles from American University until simply dominating the end of the game. It's not an insurmountable task for a team with as much talent as UCLA. They'll play the first game of the day, tipping it off at 10:05 Pacific time. As much as the late start may have benefitted the Bruins tonight, they'll need to be ready for the early tip on Saturday.
This was really kind of a strange game for the Bruins. They struggled to pull away early, but finished the first half on a 13-2 run over the final five minutes to take a 10 point lead into the half. The second half was a bit up and down, with teams trading scores until about the six and a half minute mark. What happened then may have been the turning point in the game had the game ended differently. With an 11 point lead, Jrue Holiday made a nice move to get to the basket, but fumbled the ball a bit on the way to the hoop and blew the lay up. A quick strike by VCU the other way turned what should have been a 13 point lead turned into a 9 point lead, and things continued to tighten until the final buzzer.
Contributions came from many hands tonight. Josh Shipp led the Bruins with 16 points and added 8 rebounds. He had two baskets early in the second half when the Bruins were struggling to make field goals. Nikola Dragovic had average offensive numbers, but his 13 rebounds were key. Jrue Holiday played very well in a key second half stretch after Darren Collison picked up his fourth foul. As for Collison, he struggled with fouls, and did not have a very nice line (2 assists, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls), but finished with ten points. Alfred Aboya grabbed seven boards, but his key numbers were his four steals and 5 free throws made in 5 attempts, including the Bruins' final two points. The surprising number for me was 0. That's the comined number of minutes played by Drew Gordon and Malcolm Lee. With Collison's foul trouble, and the size up front for VCU (mainly Larry Sanders) I expected each of those guys to see the floor, but Ben Howland really shortened the bench. [update: Per Brian Dohn, Drew Gordon did not play because of a concussion he suffered earlier in the week].
As for the Rams, Sanders had 10 points and 11 rebounds to go along with floor blocks. It seemed like altered at least 10 shots, and he was a force inside. Eric Maynor led all scorers with 21 points, 15 of them in the second half. And pardon my subjectivity, but for a good stretch in the second half, it seemed like if a Bruin looked at Maynor, he was going to the line. He only made five of fifteen shots, and that tenth miss was the difference in the game.
UCLA has to get ready for Villanova, who will basically have the home court advantage that the Bruins have enjoyed for the last few years. They struggled mightily against the Eagles from American University until simply dominating the end of the game. It's not an insurmountable task for a team with as much talent as UCLA. They'll play the first game of the day, tipping it off at 10:05 Pacific time. As much as the late start may have benefitted the Bruins tonight, they'll need to be ready for the early tip on Saturday.
Unorganized Thoughts on Illinois and UCLA
Lucky me! Both teams play tonight at the exact goddamn time, which means I'll be watching the Illini on television, and the Bruins on the computer. But the similarities don't end there. They also happened to be the only two teams (that I noticed, anyway) that were called out as immediate first round upsets by first rate douchebag, Seth Davis. That immediately calmed my nerves, safe in the knowledge that Seth Davis picking against a team in the first round is a virtual ticket for that team to the second round. I don't know, I checked his wikipedia page (which is pretty funny) and apparently his basketball expertise is limited to "graduating from Duke". Not playing for Duke, mind you, but simply graduating from Duke. Anyway, I'm totally discounting matchups here, because I've been a little overwhelmed with coverage and other stuff, and I honestly don't care about the matchups. Both the Illini and the Bruins are teams that should enforce their will on weaker opponents, but we shall see.
Illinois
Honestly I'm surprised they got a fifth seed, considering Chester Frazier's injury and their spotty play down the stretch. I'm of two minds about the loss of Frazier. On the one hand, they'll miss his defense, his hustle, and his leadership. But the intangibles are his key contribution, and if I have to loss one guy, well, I'd rather keep all the guys with the tangibles. As a mediocre offensive team, if you're going to lose one guy, it may as well be your worst offensive player.
The main problem I see with the Illini is the inability to get an almost guaranteed basket when they really need one. When your opponent goes on a run, occasionally you need to slow things down, go back to basics, and run a play that has a good chance of either getting a basket, or getting to the line. Illinois simply doesn't have the personnel to do that. You can break a run with jump shots, but you don't want to rely on jump shooting to break a run. We saw it last weekend in both games. A gainst Michigan, after going on a run that turned a one point halftime lead into a 20 point lead, the Illini let Michigan go on a run of their own to cut the lead back to seven. Mike Davis finally made a 15 foot turn around hook shot to stop the bleeding, and that seemed to carry the Illini to the victory. You do not want to rely on 15 foot turn around hook shots when you desperately need a basket, because when those don't fall, you end up missing 16 straight shots like they did against Purdue.
I think their tendency to go into long periods where they fail to execute has kept me from completely buying into this team. I think they're going to win tonight, but admittedly, that's based on nothing but faith and hope. They'll start four guys who can really shoot it if you include Davis and his conscience (i.e., he's not a long range gunner, but he doesn't try to be). I think Mark Tupper is dead right that Demetri McCamey, a.k.a. the Little Sleep, is the key man for Illinois. I really thought he was step up against Purdue and have the type of game that he had against them in the tournament last year (and against Indiana in the regular season), making big shot after big shot. I don't know if he's nursing an injury or recovering from an illness, but he's been quiet, and he needs to play like he's shown he can if the Illini are going to advance past tonight and hopefully into next week.
UCLA
Contra my thoughts on Illinois, I'm surprised they dropped to a six seed. This team has confounded all year, going through stretches where they looked like a top 5 team, and stretches where they looked like a team that wouldn't garner an NIT invite. My hope is that the six seed, and the outpouring of negative feelings about their chances, will serve as a wake up call. I'll be honest, picking with my head, I have them in the final four. I based that on just looking at the brackets game by game. If they get past tonight, they'll have a tough match up with Villanova in Philly, but if they win that game, I think they can beat Duke and Pitt. I think they have the easiest bracket if they get past this weekend, but that's a tall order.
Unlike the Illini, this team is loaded with offensive talent, which makes games like they played against ASU a couple months ago, and U$C in the conference tournament particularly strange. They start four players who won't just make and take the occasional three pointer, but are legitimate three point threats every time down the floor. And Alfred Aboya has matured into a decent offensive post player, while Nikola Dragovic has recently shown a proclivity for going to the basket. This is a team that should be able to score with anyone in the country.
The defensive side has been even more confounding. A hallmark of Ben Howland's UCLA teams, the '08-'09 Bruins have not covered their end of the floor very well. Maybe it's the lack of multiple big men to cover the middle. Maybe they're a little slow on their hedges. They've been burned on slipped screens numerous times this year. This seems like the worst defensive team they've had over the past few years.
Probably what concerns me most about this team is what I perceive as a lack of heart, for lack of a better word. I hate to criticize 18-22 year old kids with label, but they just don't seem to dig in and find that little something extra when they needed the same way the Bruins have over the past few years. This team would not have erased that deficit against Gonzaga. This team would not have beat Berkeley and Stanford down the stretch the way they did last year. They showed some glimmers in their PTT game against U$C, but there just seems to be a spark missing from this team. A guy who can give them that spark is Drew Gordon, who always seems to be fired up. An unexpected performance from on of their freshman guards, or maybe a big night from James Keefe, could also ignite them.
Still, they start three seniors. They have four players in the rotation who have been a part of three straight final four teams. They are LOADED with experience. That's something you can't put a price on at this time of year. And regardless of the way they've looked at times, they still have a boatload of talent, and they have a world class coach. I'm hoping that their poor seed is a wake up call. They've kind of dicked around all season, and they've had this week to get serious. We'll see what kind of stuff they're made of. I think they have the talent, the bodies, and the coaching to put together another long tournament run. The question is whether they believe that.
Illinois
Honestly I'm surprised they got a fifth seed, considering Chester Frazier's injury and their spotty play down the stretch. I'm of two minds about the loss of Frazier. On the one hand, they'll miss his defense, his hustle, and his leadership. But the intangibles are his key contribution, and if I have to loss one guy, well, I'd rather keep all the guys with the tangibles. As a mediocre offensive team, if you're going to lose one guy, it may as well be your worst offensive player.
The main problem I see with the Illini is the inability to get an almost guaranteed basket when they really need one. When your opponent goes on a run, occasionally you need to slow things down, go back to basics, and run a play that has a good chance of either getting a basket, or getting to the line. Illinois simply doesn't have the personnel to do that. You can break a run with jump shots, but you don't want to rely on jump shooting to break a run. We saw it last weekend in both games. A gainst Michigan, after going on a run that turned a one point halftime lead into a 20 point lead, the Illini let Michigan go on a run of their own to cut the lead back to seven. Mike Davis finally made a 15 foot turn around hook shot to stop the bleeding, and that seemed to carry the Illini to the victory. You do not want to rely on 15 foot turn around hook shots when you desperately need a basket, because when those don't fall, you end up missing 16 straight shots like they did against Purdue.
I think their tendency to go into long periods where they fail to execute has kept me from completely buying into this team. I think they're going to win tonight, but admittedly, that's based on nothing but faith and hope. They'll start four guys who can really shoot it if you include Davis and his conscience (i.e., he's not a long range gunner, but he doesn't try to be). I think Mark Tupper is dead right that Demetri McCamey, a.k.a. the Little Sleep, is the key man for Illinois. I really thought he was step up against Purdue and have the type of game that he had against them in the tournament last year (and against Indiana in the regular season), making big shot after big shot. I don't know if he's nursing an injury or recovering from an illness, but he's been quiet, and he needs to play like he's shown he can if the Illini are going to advance past tonight and hopefully into next week.
UCLA
Contra my thoughts on Illinois, I'm surprised they dropped to a six seed. This team has confounded all year, going through stretches where they looked like a top 5 team, and stretches where they looked like a team that wouldn't garner an NIT invite. My hope is that the six seed, and the outpouring of negative feelings about their chances, will serve as a wake up call. I'll be honest, picking with my head, I have them in the final four. I based that on just looking at the brackets game by game. If they get past tonight, they'll have a tough match up with Villanova in Philly, but if they win that game, I think they can beat Duke and Pitt. I think they have the easiest bracket if they get past this weekend, but that's a tall order.
Unlike the Illini, this team is loaded with offensive talent, which makes games like they played against ASU a couple months ago, and U$C in the conference tournament particularly strange. They start four players who won't just make and take the occasional three pointer, but are legitimate three point threats every time down the floor. And Alfred Aboya has matured into a decent offensive post player, while Nikola Dragovic has recently shown a proclivity for going to the basket. This is a team that should be able to score with anyone in the country.
The defensive side has been even more confounding. A hallmark of Ben Howland's UCLA teams, the '08-'09 Bruins have not covered their end of the floor very well. Maybe it's the lack of multiple big men to cover the middle. Maybe they're a little slow on their hedges. They've been burned on slipped screens numerous times this year. This seems like the worst defensive team they've had over the past few years.
Probably what concerns me most about this team is what I perceive as a lack of heart, for lack of a better word. I hate to criticize 18-22 year old kids with label, but they just don't seem to dig in and find that little something extra when they needed the same way the Bruins have over the past few years. This team would not have erased that deficit against Gonzaga. This team would not have beat Berkeley and Stanford down the stretch the way they did last year. They showed some glimmers in their PTT game against U$C, but there just seems to be a spark missing from this team. A guy who can give them that spark is Drew Gordon, who always seems to be fired up. An unexpected performance from on of their freshman guards, or maybe a big night from James Keefe, could also ignite them.
Still, they start three seniors. They have four players in the rotation who have been a part of three straight final four teams. They are LOADED with experience. That's something you can't put a price on at this time of year. And regardless of the way they've looked at times, they still have a boatload of talent, and they have a world class coach. I'm hoping that their poor seed is a wake up call. They've kind of dicked around all season, and they've had this week to get serious. We'll see what kind of stuff they're made of. I think they have the talent, the bodies, and the coaching to put together another long tournament run. The question is whether they believe that.
Monday, March 16, 2009
I'm Starting My 2009 List Early
I didn't do a 2008 top 10 albums list, but I'll start my 2009 list today. The best album I'll hear this year has already been released, and in a major upset, it's not the new Super Furry Animals album (available via download today).
It took all of six days in 2009 for Animal Collective to release Merriweather Post Pavilion, but it's pure brilliance from start to finish. But don't take my word for it. Sample some of the reviews aggregated by Metacritic:
I tried to get into some of the previous AC albums and couldn't. Too experimental and just plain weird sounding to me. But when Panda Bear released Person Pitch a few years ago, it was full of glorious Brian Wilsonesque melodies, and was a taste of Animal Collective could do if they tried to a mainstream album that still sounded like Animal Collective. They succeeded.
The universally loved tracks are going to be 'My Girls', 'Summertime Clothes', and 'Brother Sport', with 'Lion in a Coma', 'In the Flowers', and 'No More Running' probably in the second tier. But it's really a joy to listen to from start to finish. The middle section, which sometimes feels a little long, is the very slight sour that makes the sweet extra sweet. And like the Beach Boys at their best, the melodies are pure cane sugar. Whether it was a conscious decision to make an album for the masses, or just serendipity, the result is near perfect joyous pop.
Give it a few listens to take effect. It's best to listen to it a few times while you're working. Sooner or later, it will all click.
Here are My Girls and Brother Sport.
It took all of six days in 2009 for Animal Collective to release Merriweather Post Pavilion, but it's pure brilliance from start to finish. But don't take my word for it. Sample some of the reviews aggregated by Metacritic:
Merriweather finds one of the most talented, most creative pop bands finally and gloriously figuring it all out....
What’s more important is that Merriweather Post Pavilion is not just one of the finest things you’re going to hear in 2009 but that it should sit well next to albums like Kid A on lists of the best music made in our time....
Has the album of 2009 been unleashed in January? I can’t see anything else coming near it....
Is Merriweather Post Pavilion the flawless album that it's been willed to be? Taken as a whole I'd say it's pretty damn close....
I tried to get into some of the previous AC albums and couldn't. Too experimental and just plain weird sounding to me. But when Panda Bear released Person Pitch a few years ago, it was full of glorious Brian Wilsonesque melodies, and was a taste of Animal Collective could do if they tried to a mainstream album that still sounded like Animal Collective. They succeeded.
The universally loved tracks are going to be 'My Girls', 'Summertime Clothes', and 'Brother Sport', with 'Lion in a Coma', 'In the Flowers', and 'No More Running' probably in the second tier. But it's really a joy to listen to from start to finish. The middle section, which sometimes feels a little long, is the very slight sour that makes the sweet extra sweet. And like the Beach Boys at their best, the melodies are pure cane sugar. Whether it was a conscious decision to make an album for the masses, or just serendipity, the result is near perfect joyous pop.
Give it a few listens to take effect. It's best to listen to it a few times while you're working. Sooner or later, it will all click.
Here are My Girls and Brother Sport.
Friday, March 13, 2009
UCLA 64; Wazzu 53
On February 21st, Washington State torched the UCLA defense, shooting 59% and scoring 82 points in an 82-81 victory at Pauley Pavilion. Their return trip to L.A. didn't go so well. The Cougars found the going much more difficult tonight, scoring almost 30 fewer points, and shooting only 30% from the field. The Bruins weren't excellent by any means, but they made 43% of their long range shots, and took advantage of poor shooting by the Cougars to avenge last months loss. They will move on to face USC in the tournament semi-final tonight.
The Bruins did the bulk of their damage with an early 21-0 run that turned a 5-4 deficit into a 25-5 advantage. Washington State never got closer than nine points the rest of the way, failing to take advantage of plenty of open looks in the first half, and repeatedly failing to convert offensive rebounds into points. Aron Baynes muscled his way to 22 points, but the trio of Caleb Forest, Taylor Rochestie, and Klay Thompson, who combined for 60 points at Pauley, combined for only 20 in this game.
I'll be honest. I hesitate to give the Bruins a ton of credit for their defense tonight. They didn't force a ton of turnovers, they allowed 12 offensive rebounds to the Cougs, and it generally looked like Wazzu just failed to take advantage of early opportunities before getting into a whole from which they could not extricate themselves. But I do give the Bruins credit for taking advantage of Wazzu mistakes early, going on that early run, and responding to every threat the rest of the way.
Darren Collison had 15 points to lead the Bruins, doing the bulk of that damage from the line (8-10). Josh Shipp (10), Jrue Holiday (10), and Nikola Dragovic (12) also finished in double figures for UCLA. Dragovic may responsible for the night's most surprising line. His 12 points came without a three pointer, and he had eight points in the paint (he was also 4-4 from the line). Holiday in particular rebounded from a horrid defensive effort last month to put the clamps on Klay Thompson. The box score may not tell the whole tale, but Michael Roll deserves some credit as well. He had only four points, both layups, one very tough. But his first bucket ended a 7-0 WSU run at a time when the Bruins were struggling to score, and his second basket ended a 6-0 run. He didn't score a lot, but he picked important moments.
The Bruins will have to find a way to play better defense in the post against USC. Taj Gibson doesn't have Baynes' size, but his athleticism could pose problems for Alfred Aboya, who didn't play his best game tonight.
The teams will tip it off at about 8:30 Pacific Time.
The Bruins did the bulk of their damage with an early 21-0 run that turned a 5-4 deficit into a 25-5 advantage. Washington State never got closer than nine points the rest of the way, failing to take advantage of plenty of open looks in the first half, and repeatedly failing to convert offensive rebounds into points. Aron Baynes muscled his way to 22 points, but the trio of Caleb Forest, Taylor Rochestie, and Klay Thompson, who combined for 60 points at Pauley, combined for only 20 in this game.
I'll be honest. I hesitate to give the Bruins a ton of credit for their defense tonight. They didn't force a ton of turnovers, they allowed 12 offensive rebounds to the Cougs, and it generally looked like Wazzu just failed to take advantage of early opportunities before getting into a whole from which they could not extricate themselves. But I do give the Bruins credit for taking advantage of Wazzu mistakes early, going on that early run, and responding to every threat the rest of the way.
Darren Collison had 15 points to lead the Bruins, doing the bulk of that damage from the line (8-10). Josh Shipp (10), Jrue Holiday (10), and Nikola Dragovic (12) also finished in double figures for UCLA. Dragovic may responsible for the night's most surprising line. His 12 points came without a three pointer, and he had eight points in the paint (he was also 4-4 from the line). Holiday in particular rebounded from a horrid defensive effort last month to put the clamps on Klay Thompson. The box score may not tell the whole tale, but Michael Roll deserves some credit as well. He had only four points, both layups, one very tough. But his first bucket ended a 7-0 WSU run at a time when the Bruins were struggling to score, and his second basket ended a 6-0 run. He didn't score a lot, but he picked important moments.
The Bruins will have to find a way to play better defense in the post against USC. Taj Gibson doesn't have Baynes' size, but his athleticism could pose problems for Alfred Aboya, who didn't play his best game tonight.
The teams will tip it off at about 8:30 Pacific Time.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Matt Greene is Much Touger Than Me
I say that because I probably wouldn't have the stones to do this.
Yes, that was a shot that he blocked....with his freaking face!
I especially like the expression on Jonathan Quick's face in that shot. The Kings are fighting for a playoff spot. They played a great first period, an OK second period, and a poor third period, but they held on for the win, thanks to Matt Greene's very bloody forehead.
Dean Lombardi has taken a lot of heat from fans the past few years, but since arriving, he has rebuilt the farm system, stocked the blue line with young talent, and made a couple great trades. Yes, the Cloutier deal was flat out awful. Yes, Preissing has disappointed, and Nagy, well, let's forget he ever played for the Kings.
But the Handzus signing looks brilliant right now. He's rid the teams of guys who wanted to play in the NHL, but didn't want to play for the Kings (Cammalleri and O'Sullivan). In a widely criticized deal, he traded one of the team's few veteran defensemen in Lubomir Visnovsky for Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll. How'd that work out? Lubo is hurt, Stoll had two power play goals last night, and Greene, well, you saw what he did. If the Sully for Justin Williams deal works out like the Visnovsky-Stoll-Greene deal has worked out, the Kings will be a very good team next season, and may still sneak into the playoffs this year.
I love watching this team. And when I watch guys like Teddy Purcell, Wayne Simmonds (who I think has had a terrific rookie season), Drew Doughty, and Jack Johnson (admittedly probably hitting a bit of mid-season wall after his injury), I can't wait to see what's to come.
Yes, that was a shot that he blocked....with his freaking face!
I especially like the expression on Jonathan Quick's face in that shot. The Kings are fighting for a playoff spot. They played a great first period, an OK second period, and a poor third period, but they held on for the win, thanks to Matt Greene's very bloody forehead.
Dean Lombardi has taken a lot of heat from fans the past few years, but since arriving, he has rebuilt the farm system, stocked the blue line with young talent, and made a couple great trades. Yes, the Cloutier deal was flat out awful. Yes, Preissing has disappointed, and Nagy, well, let's forget he ever played for the Kings.
But the Handzus signing looks brilliant right now. He's rid the teams of guys who wanted to play in the NHL, but didn't want to play for the Kings (Cammalleri and O'Sullivan). In a widely criticized deal, he traded one of the team's few veteran defensemen in Lubomir Visnovsky for Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll. How'd that work out? Lubo is hurt, Stoll had two power play goals last night, and Greene, well, you saw what he did. If the Sully for Justin Williams deal works out like the Visnovsky-Stoll-Greene deal has worked out, the Kings will be a very good team next season, and may still sneak into the playoffs this year.
I love watching this team. And when I watch guys like Teddy Purcell, Wayne Simmonds (who I think has had a terrific rookie season), Drew Doughty, and Jack Johnson (admittedly probably hitting a bit of mid-season wall after his injury), I can't wait to see what's to come.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Color Me Skeptical
A seemingly encouraging report from Bill Shaikin of the LA Times today regarding the Angels' apparently changing attitude about walks. At least the beginning is encouraging:
At the very least, it's nice to see the Angels pay lip service to plate discipline, but the problem can't be attributed to simply having a current group of major leaguers who don't walk very much. Their history of acquisitions shows that plate discipline simply hasn't been a priority, though that may be changing with the addition of Bobby Abreu.
What's more, there hasn't been much organizational turnover at the instructional levels. Maybe I'm wrong, but when the same guys who have told me that walks don't matter suddenly start singing a different tune, well, let's just say actions will speak louder than words. As AAA hitting instructor Jim Eppard said:
You don't just suddenly see old dogs learning new tricks. I'll be watching the minor league numbers this year, and I'll be looking for that light.
The statistics appear to be misprints, at least at first glance: The Angels lead the major leagues in walks this spring. The Angels are the only club with more walks than strikeouts.That is, until you get to this paragraph at the end:
This is not an accident. While Vladimir Guerrero remains the face of a free-swinging offense in Anaheim, the Angels have quietly revamped their minor league instructional program over the last three years to emphasize plate discipline.
"We're starting to get some tendencies with younger guys coming through the system," Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. "We're excited because we're seeing it at the major league level
The Angels, who did not play a game Tuesday, have yet to play their regulars in spring games, and the walk totals assuredly will drop as Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar start to play. Yet the Angels are encouraged with the progress of such young players as infielders Kendry Morales, Brandon Wood and Sean Rodriguez, catchers Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli and outfielder Reggie Willits.In other words, don't expect to see any difference this season. Napoli and Willits have always taken a ton of walks, posting ISO OBPs over .100 every season (almost - Willits was .098 in 2007). Of the other three young players listed, only Morales projects to see a lot of at bats this season, and for his career, he walks about once every fifteen plate appearances. Wood has four walks in 188 PAs for his young career. These are not take and rake hitters. Sean Rodriguez has been a little more patient, walking once every 13 PAs or so at the major league level. He's been much better in the minors, walking once for nine PAs, which is actually pretty good, though those numbers are a bit skewed by two outlier seasons in Provo (1BB/5.4PA) and Cedar Rapids (1BB/6.7PA). And honestly, if Willits and Mathis are going to see a lot of time at the dish, it probably means things aren't going well this season.
At the very least, it's nice to see the Angels pay lip service to plate discipline, but the problem can't be attributed to simply having a current group of major leaguers who don't walk very much. Their history of acquisitions shows that plate discipline simply hasn't been a priority, though that may be changing with the addition of Bobby Abreu.
What's more, there hasn't been much organizational turnover at the instructional levels. Maybe I'm wrong, but when the same guys who have told me that walks don't matter suddenly start singing a different tune, well, let's just say actions will speak louder than words. As AAA hitting instructor Jim Eppard said:
"To have someone be more disciplined at the plate, you can't just push a button. It doesn't happen overnight."And he's right. Unfortunately, he's been there since 2003. Without an infusion of new blood, I'm skeptical that we'll see a real change in organizational philosophy. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the success of this decade, and I'm not calling for anyone's head. I think they're OK the way they are, though they could be better.
You don't just suddenly see old dogs learning new tricks. I'll be watching the minor league numbers this year, and I'll be looking for that light.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Musings on Brandon Wood
Why is Brandon Wood not a candidate for first base? For some reason, I never hear this mentioned. I guess it's because Kendry Morales is a switch hitter, so there's really no need to platoon him, but Wood seems a good fit so long as the Angels have four other players battling for the jobs at third base (Figgins, Izturis), Shortstop (Aybar, Izturis), and second base (Kendrick, Aybar, and Izturis).
I bring this up in reference to Mike DiGiovanna's piece in the LA Times today about Brandon Wood. I still remember seeing Wood play in the only game I've been to in Cedar Rapids, a season in which he didn't really do much. Honestly, I don't recall him doing anything at the plate in that game, but I did see him start two double plays in one inning (the first one was botched by either the second baseman or the first baseman, and the next batter grounded into a proper double play). He looked like a slick fielder at the time. Obviously his power exploded over his next few minor league seasons, but to date, his inability to avoid the punch out has stifled some of his progress. I have a number of thoughts on his situation and what they tell me about the Angels in general, and I'm not really sure how to organize them, so I'm just going kind of go stream of consciousness for the next few paragraphs.
First, and I know this is especially being questioned this year, but it does seem like the Angels have mismanaged some of their offensive prospects. I understand the idea of letting a player work things out for himself. A kid like Wood got to where he was because he was doing it the way that worked for him, and you don't want to mess with that. At the same, a lot of those kids get to where they are because their raw ability and power dominate at the lower levels without the need for fine tuning. A good development program shouldn't be content to let a player dominate at the lower levels. They need to find the flaws that may not hinder a player in double A, but will end his career in the majors. That's how an organization turns a AAAA player into a major leaguer. Either Wood's propensity to strike out hasn't been addressed, or the Angels haven't seen it as an issue.
In a vacuum, strikeouts aren't a big deal. An out is an out, and while strikeouts are never productive (and we know the Angels love their productive outs), they also usually aren't double plays. A strikeout is usually no better or worse than an infield pop-up. But when a player strikes out as often as Wood, it makes it very difficult to reach base at a high rate. Tim Salmon and Troy Glaus could do it because they found a way to walk 90+ times per season while striking out 130+ times. Glaus struck out 163 times in 2000, and still got on base at a .404 clip. Wood hasn't shown the ability to marry a high strike out rate with an acceptable OBP. As the SABR guys like to say, outs are baseball's currency, and while how you make them may not be important, how many you make certainly is. I don't even think this is a problem of organizational philosophy. Sure, the Angels aren't necessarily a take and rake franchise, but they also don't preach a swing for the fences philosophy. This is organizational failure to fine tune a player's weaknesses, which may not affect minor league numbers, in preparation for a major league career. And not every player is the same. Just as Wood and Dallas McPherson should have been drilled on patience and waiting for pitches they can drive instead of swinging hard at everything, a player like Adam Dunn may have benefited from learning a more aggressive approach at the lower levels (not that he hasn't turned out OK). There's no rigid standard. But the Angels have not effectively managed their minor league hitters in this decade. In fact, a player like Glaus may have benefited from spending very little time in the minors.
Getting back to the first base issue, one thing that perplexes me a little bit about the Angels approach to this season is the idea that they're handing the job to Kendry Morales, but Wood will have to earn a job on the left side of the infield. I realize this is a current personnel issue, but Morales has not been much more productive at the major league level. Although the raw numbers are better, the sample sizes are far too small to reach a solid conclusion. Point being, why hand the job to Morales instead of letting him fight it out with Wood. Part of breaking through at the major league level is winning a position battle, and showing the fortitude to do so is something the Angels should be encouraging. I understand that moving a player to the left on the defensive spectrum is a waste of a defensive ability. Brandon Wood is much more valuable as a short stop or third baseman than as a first baseman, but this position battle isn't being waged in a vacuum. The Angels have who they have, and the key right now is getting the best bats in the lineup. And this decade has shown that when the Angels move a player "out of position" to first, they generally get excellent defense at that position (see also: Erstad, Kendrick, and Spiezio). Personally, I think first base defense is an underrated concept, but I'm not here to make that argument.
I'm going to wrap this up by noting that for most of this post, you could replace Wood's name with Sean Rodriguez and have similar arguments. I just hope that the Angels aren't writing their opening day roster in ink. Spring training is a time when players like Wood, Rodriguez, and Morales should feel the pressure to earn everyday at bats. Handing the job to Morales is as much a disservice to him as it is to Wood and Rodriguez. This is another year in which the Angels, barring ill health, should have tremendous depth. At the same time, failure to properly manage that depth could mean giving the lion's share of at bats to the wrong guy. And let me be clear, I'm not arguing that Wood should be given anything. My point is that I want to see these guys battle this spring for regular season at bats. And I'm not quite sure (and maybe it's a media creation) why anyone on that infield should feel entitled to a starting job (except maybe Figgins).
I bring this up in reference to Mike DiGiovanna's piece in the LA Times today about Brandon Wood. I still remember seeing Wood play in the only game I've been to in Cedar Rapids, a season in which he didn't really do much. Honestly, I don't recall him doing anything at the plate in that game, but I did see him start two double plays in one inning (the first one was botched by either the second baseman or the first baseman, and the next batter grounded into a proper double play). He looked like a slick fielder at the time. Obviously his power exploded over his next few minor league seasons, but to date, his inability to avoid the punch out has stifled some of his progress. I have a number of thoughts on his situation and what they tell me about the Angels in general, and I'm not really sure how to organize them, so I'm just going kind of go stream of consciousness for the next few paragraphs.
First, and I know this is especially being questioned this year, but it does seem like the Angels have mismanaged some of their offensive prospects. I understand the idea of letting a player work things out for himself. A kid like Wood got to where he was because he was doing it the way that worked for him, and you don't want to mess with that. At the same, a lot of those kids get to where they are because their raw ability and power dominate at the lower levels without the need for fine tuning. A good development program shouldn't be content to let a player dominate at the lower levels. They need to find the flaws that may not hinder a player in double A, but will end his career in the majors. That's how an organization turns a AAAA player into a major leaguer. Either Wood's propensity to strike out hasn't been addressed, or the Angels haven't seen it as an issue.
In a vacuum, strikeouts aren't a big deal. An out is an out, and while strikeouts are never productive (and we know the Angels love their productive outs), they also usually aren't double plays. A strikeout is usually no better or worse than an infield pop-up. But when a player strikes out as often as Wood, it makes it very difficult to reach base at a high rate. Tim Salmon and Troy Glaus could do it because they found a way to walk 90+ times per season while striking out 130+ times. Glaus struck out 163 times in 2000, and still got on base at a .404 clip. Wood hasn't shown the ability to marry a high strike out rate with an acceptable OBP. As the SABR guys like to say, outs are baseball's currency, and while how you make them may not be important, how many you make certainly is. I don't even think this is a problem of organizational philosophy. Sure, the Angels aren't necessarily a take and rake franchise, but they also don't preach a swing for the fences philosophy. This is organizational failure to fine tune a player's weaknesses, which may not affect minor league numbers, in preparation for a major league career. And not every player is the same. Just as Wood and Dallas McPherson should have been drilled on patience and waiting for pitches they can drive instead of swinging hard at everything, a player like Adam Dunn may have benefited from learning a more aggressive approach at the lower levels (not that he hasn't turned out OK). There's no rigid standard. But the Angels have not effectively managed their minor league hitters in this decade. In fact, a player like Glaus may have benefited from spending very little time in the minors.
Getting back to the first base issue, one thing that perplexes me a little bit about the Angels approach to this season is the idea that they're handing the job to Kendry Morales, but Wood will have to earn a job on the left side of the infield. I realize this is a current personnel issue, but Morales has not been much more productive at the major league level. Although the raw numbers are better, the sample sizes are far too small to reach a solid conclusion. Point being, why hand the job to Morales instead of letting him fight it out with Wood. Part of breaking through at the major league level is winning a position battle, and showing the fortitude to do so is something the Angels should be encouraging. I understand that moving a player to the left on the defensive spectrum is a waste of a defensive ability. Brandon Wood is much more valuable as a short stop or third baseman than as a first baseman, but this position battle isn't being waged in a vacuum. The Angels have who they have, and the key right now is getting the best bats in the lineup. And this decade has shown that when the Angels move a player "out of position" to first, they generally get excellent defense at that position (see also: Erstad, Kendrick, and Spiezio). Personally, I think first base defense is an underrated concept, but I'm not here to make that argument.
I'm going to wrap this up by noting that for most of this post, you could replace Wood's name with Sean Rodriguez and have similar arguments. I just hope that the Angels aren't writing their opening day roster in ink. Spring training is a time when players like Wood, Rodriguez, and Morales should feel the pressure to earn everyday at bats. Handing the job to Morales is as much a disservice to him as it is to Wood and Rodriguez. This is another year in which the Angels, barring ill health, should have tremendous depth. At the same time, failure to properly manage that depth could mean giving the lion's share of at bats to the wrong guy. And let me be clear, I'm not arguing that Wood should be given anything. My point is that I want to see these guys battle this spring for regular season at bats. And I'm not quite sure (and maybe it's a media creation) why anyone on that infield should feel entitled to a starting job (except maybe Figgins).
Saturday, February 28, 2009
UCLA 72; Berkeley 68
I mentioned it the other day following the Stanford game, but there's a reason I think these two wins were better than the four straight routs that UCLA put together a few weeks ago. That reason is heart. For two straight games, the Bruins showed the courage to come back from a second half deficit and pull out a road victory. I'm not convinced that UCLA will put together another long tournament run, but if they do, look no further than the way they rebounded from a very poor performance against Washington State.
The key today was senior leadership. The three senior starters combined for 46 points. Josh Shipp and Alfred Aboya had 12 each, and Darren Collison finished with 22, including 16 in the second half. He was awesome down the stretch, and his finish in the lane with under a minute to play turned out to be a back breaker. Berkeley, choosing not to foul while trailing by four with under a minute left, decided to let the possession play out. They let the Bruins run 30 seconds off the clock and end up with two points after another typically great Collison drive to the hoop. Collison also finished with six assists and one turnover.
Neither Aboya nor Shipp had terrific shooting games, but they both made big shots at big times. Aboya made another clutch free throw, canning the front end of a one and one that made it a full two possession lead with 1:11 to go. Shipp did most of his damage in the first 35 minutes, but he kept the Bruins in the game up to the point where Collison decided to take over. Nikola Dragovic fought off the effects of illnes to finish with 12 points, while Jrue Holliday poured in eight points. Michael Roll rounded out the scoring for the Bruins with six.
Strange play in the first half, which turned out to be key, when Dragovic drove to the basket for a layup. He was held from behind, and the referees ruled that the foul was intentional. UCLA got the two points, two free throws, and the ball. Dragovic made both field goals, and Michael Roll hit a three pointer from the corner for what turned out to be a seven point play. It turned a five point deficit into a two point lead. Honestly, I think it was the right call. Theo Robertson was not attempting to make a play on the ball. He was beat, and he tried to grab Dragovic to prevent the basket. It wasn't flagrant, but it was clearly intentional. That said, I agree with Bobby Knight and Jay Bilas that the rule is poorly worded. Evey foul at the end of the game is intentional, but not called intentional. How about a rule that penalizes intentional fouls so long as they aren't strategic? There's a strategic aspect to fouls at the end of a game. There's nothing strategic about getting beat and pouting by grabbing your opponent.
This keeps the Bruins' hopes for a shot at a fourth straight Pac 10 title (albeit shared) alive. Wazzu needs to beat Washington, a distinct possibility with as well as the Cougars have been playing. UCLA gets the Oregon schools at home, and they should both be fairly easy victories, but you never really know with this team. But I am encouraged by their courage. This was not an easy trip, especially coming off a bad loss, and they responded to the adversity, walking out of Maples and Haas with two victories. Let's hope it's a sign of things to come.
The key today was senior leadership. The three senior starters combined for 46 points. Josh Shipp and Alfred Aboya had 12 each, and Darren Collison finished with 22, including 16 in the second half. He was awesome down the stretch, and his finish in the lane with under a minute to play turned out to be a back breaker. Berkeley, choosing not to foul while trailing by four with under a minute left, decided to let the possession play out. They let the Bruins run 30 seconds off the clock and end up with two points after another typically great Collison drive to the hoop. Collison also finished with six assists and one turnover.
Neither Aboya nor Shipp had terrific shooting games, but they both made big shots at big times. Aboya made another clutch free throw, canning the front end of a one and one that made it a full two possession lead with 1:11 to go. Shipp did most of his damage in the first 35 minutes, but he kept the Bruins in the game up to the point where Collison decided to take over. Nikola Dragovic fought off the effects of illnes to finish with 12 points, while Jrue Holliday poured in eight points. Michael Roll rounded out the scoring for the Bruins with six.
Strange play in the first half, which turned out to be key, when Dragovic drove to the basket for a layup. He was held from behind, and the referees ruled that the foul was intentional. UCLA got the two points, two free throws, and the ball. Dragovic made both field goals, and Michael Roll hit a three pointer from the corner for what turned out to be a seven point play. It turned a five point deficit into a two point lead. Honestly, I think it was the right call. Theo Robertson was not attempting to make a play on the ball. He was beat, and he tried to grab Dragovic to prevent the basket. It wasn't flagrant, but it was clearly intentional. That said, I agree with Bobby Knight and Jay Bilas that the rule is poorly worded. Evey foul at the end of the game is intentional, but not called intentional. How about a rule that penalizes intentional fouls so long as they aren't strategic? There's a strategic aspect to fouls at the end of a game. There's nothing strategic about getting beat and pouting by grabbing your opponent.
This keeps the Bruins' hopes for a shot at a fourth straight Pac 10 title (albeit shared) alive. Wazzu needs to beat Washington, a distinct possibility with as well as the Cougars have been playing. UCLA gets the Oregon schools at home, and they should both be fairly easy victories, but you never really know with this team. But I am encouraged by their courage. This was not an easy trip, especially coming off a bad loss, and they responded to the adversity, walking out of Maples and Haas with two victories. Let's hope it's a sign of things to come.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Another Nice Night on the Hardwood
Illinois, UCLA, and UC Riverside all had more points than their opponents at the final horn. I like it when that happens.
Illinois over Minnesota
It wasn't pretty when these teams played the first time, and it wasn't pretty tonight. The teams combined for only 93 points, but Illinois had 52 of them, including the final 10 to avenge their loss in Minneapolis earlier this season. The win puts them in second in the Big Ten, and you have to think their spot in the field of 65 is pretty secure right now.
The best is still yet to come for the Illini, with a young team, and great classes lined up for the next two seasons, but one of the things that makes this team so interesting is the mix of youth and experience. They start three sophomores and two seniors, and the sophomores are their top three scorers. But they wouldn't be where they are right now with the seniors. Trent Meacham had 13 points, including a big three late in the second half, and Chester Frazier has just been phenomenal this year everywhere but on the offensive end. He does everything for this team except score, which is fine, because they don't need him to score, and he's just enough of a threat that teams occasionally still have to respect his offense. Off the bench, Calvin Brock has really had a great season. He's the best athlete on the team, and while he only had two points tonight, he finished with four steals in fourteen minutes.
As for the Sophs, Mike Tisdale didn't have a great game, but Mike Davis had another double-double. This is a kid that was barely recruited, was thisclose to heading to prep school before Bruce Weber swept in and offered him a scholarship, and now he's one of their most important players. Demetri McCamey is really shooting the ball well from long range, and he showed the ability to get in the paint and cause some trouble. He just needs to keep his head in the game on every possession.
Once again, the Illini finished with assists on almost 75% of their field goals. Their not a team that scores in isolation, nor do they put back a lot of offensive rebounds, so they need to work together to get the ball in the basket. It's fun to watch (when they score more than 33 points). I'm astounded that they're as good as they are this year. But I'm really glad they're back.
UCLA over Stanford
Mercifully, Fox College Sports kind of screwed up and didn't show the first 10 minutes of this game. When they finally cut over from the Wazzu-ASU game, UCLA had started to make their comeback, and played fairly well the rest of the way, doing just enough to pull off the victory on the road.
After a rough junior season shooting the ball (43%; 32% from three), Josh Shipp has been very reliable this year. He's up to 49% from the field, and 40% from three. He's had an excellent senior season, and he had a great game tonight, pouring in 24 points on 9/12 shooting, 4/5 from long range. The other surprising senior has been Alfred Aboya. He's stayed in games, his numbers are up in every category, and he hit four clutch free throws tonight to salt the game away.
On the other hand, contrary to what the Illini have seen, the young players have not lived up entirely to expectations. I don't really mean that as a knock, because expectations were REALLY high. Probably unfairly high. I've been impressed with Drew Gordon, and Malcolm Lee plays like a talented freshman, where maybe 3/5 plays are really good, but with a few mistakes mixed in. The jury is still out on Jerime Anderson. And honestly, I kind of feel bad for Jrue Holliday. We were spoiled with Kevin Love's polish last year, and I think we expected great things from Holliday this season. We've gotten inconsistency, which is really what you should get from a freshman. But he needs to defend better. That's where the Bruins are really lacking this season. I'll say right now that if he's a lottery pick, he should go. That's a lot of guaranteed money, with a new CBA looming. But if he does, I suspect that UCLA fans will be a bit disappointed with what they got, and Holliday will be a little disappointed with what he gave. Then again, we're almost to March, and perceptions can change really quickly when the tournament rolls around.
After a lackluster first ten minutes, the Bruins did something we haven't seen much of this year. They showed some heart. They made Stanford play at their tempo in the last ten minutes of the first half, and that got the Bruins back into the game. The squeaked out a lead in the second half, and they hung on, despite, as usual, some questionable road officiating. I loved the series of plays I saw from Aboya late in the game when he tipped in a Josh Shipp miss to give the Bruins a seven point lead at one end (gingerly avoiding an over the back call), then calmly stepped out of the way on a Josh Owens dunk. He realized he wasn't going to stop Owens, he avoided his fifth foul, and he was a critical component of the win down the stretch.
I still think the team that blitzed the Bay schools, U$C, and Notre Dame is out there, lurking. We'll just have to see whether that team shows up down the stretch. Saturday at Berkeley is going to be a big test, and how they respond will tell us a lot about what we can expect the rest of the way. They should sweep the Oregon schools, so a win Saturday keeps them in the hunt for a share of the conference title.
UC Riverside over Cal State Fullerton
Yay! Didn't see it. But they're 16-10, and over .500 in conference. I'm proud of my alma mater.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Got: A follow up post
So back in mid July, I wrote this post about a roller trainer that I was pretty well obsessed with for a while. I'd been riding the cheap mag trainer I got at Costco for about five months at that time as part of a diet and exercise regimen. I was a little leery of the price, and I wanted to make sure that indoor training was going to be something I was going to stick with, and not something I'd do for three weeks and quit. After putting nearly 1,000 miles on the old trainer, I seriously started to consider picking up a new trainer.
Well, in December, I finally broke down and shelled out the $800 for the Inside Ride E-Motion Rollers. I have not been disappointed. My pre-purchase research consisted of reading a bunch of reviews. I found one particular site with reader reviews that was very helpful. You know how when you read reviews on Amazon for a really great product, there's always about 5% of the reviewers who like to be contrarian and rate something a 1 out of 5? Well, I could not for the life of me find a negative review of these rollers. The only cons I came across were 1) price, and 2) portability (they don't fold up).
Some background on rollers for those who didn't click the wikipedia link: Bicycle trainers essentially consist of two types. The first are mag, fluid, or wind trainers, all which provide a different resistance mechanism, but are similar in that they lock a wheel in place, basically turning a regular bike into a stationary bike. The second type are rollers. Rollers consist of a frame surrounding three drums. The back wheel sits between two drums, and the front wheel rests on one (see image). A belt connects the front drum to one of the back drums, so when you pedal, the front wheel spins as well. The catch is that there's nothing holding you up except your balance and the forces that hold you up when riding on the road. What makes rollers difficult is the lack of visual cues that you have on the road. You have to retrain your brain to know that you'll stay upright even when things aren't zooming past you.
Inside Ride's E-Motion rollers differ from regular rollers in that they are "free-floating". The drums are attached to a frame that sits within a second frame (see video - note: that is not me). The frames are attached by rubber bands, which allow the frame with the drums to surge back and forth, simulating the feel of riding on the rode, and making them much easier to manage. In addition, they have bumpers in back and front of the back wheel, which keep you from jumping off the drums when pedaling hard, and they have in-line skate wheels that sit horizontal to the ground on either side of the front wheel. These serve to kick you back on to the drum if you drift to the edge. It's very hard to fall off of these rollers once you get the feel for them, which happens quickly. I've only really fallen once, and that was because the Kings were on, and Raitis Ivanans got in a fight, and I drifted a little too far while I was focused on the game.
But there was a dilemma. My old trainer was set to a very low resistance level. I was going for a spin workout, to get the heart pumping and to burn calories, but I wasn't building leg strength or stamina. When the E-Motion rollers showed up, I couldn't pedal for more than about a minute without being totally gassed. Every stroke feels like the third or fourth stroke you take on the road. A lot of resistance with no momentum. I just didn't have the leg strength. I was afraid I'd just dropped 800 bones on a product I wasn't going to be able to use effectively. Fortunately, within a few weeks, I was building leg strength and stamina, and now I can ride a good 30 minutes+, but I'm doing it in a low gear. In a few weeks, I'll be riding that long in larger gears, but for now, I'm getting a better workout than before, and I'm building leg strength, which will really help when golf season comes around. I stop for occasional breaks, not because my legs dictate it, but because I'm still not comfortable toweling off and drinking water while riding (you can't really coast very long).
So I'd add my review to the ones I read before. This is a great product if you like to train indoors. In the winter, that's almost mandatory here, and in the summer, I like the option because I can watch baseball while working out. And the trails around where I live, particularly the Lakeshore trail, gets very, very busy. But these rollers are awesome.
Well, in December, I finally broke down and shelled out the $800 for the Inside Ride E-Motion Rollers. I have not been disappointed. My pre-purchase research consisted of reading a bunch of reviews. I found one particular site with reader reviews that was very helpful. You know how when you read reviews on Amazon for a really great product, there's always about 5% of the reviewers who like to be contrarian and rate something a 1 out of 5? Well, I could not for the life of me find a negative review of these rollers. The only cons I came across were 1) price, and 2) portability (they don't fold up).
Some background on rollers for those who didn't click the wikipedia link: Bicycle trainers essentially consist of two types. The first are mag, fluid, or wind trainers, all which provide a different resistance mechanism, but are similar in that they lock a wheel in place, basically turning a regular bike into a stationary bike. The second type are rollers. Rollers consist of a frame surrounding three drums. The back wheel sits between two drums, and the front wheel rests on one (see image). A belt connects the front drum to one of the back drums, so when you pedal, the front wheel spins as well. The catch is that there's nothing holding you up except your balance and the forces that hold you up when riding on the road. What makes rollers difficult is the lack of visual cues that you have on the road. You have to retrain your brain to know that you'll stay upright even when things aren't zooming past you.
Inside Ride's E-Motion rollers differ from regular rollers in that they are "free-floating". The drums are attached to a frame that sits within a second frame (see video - note: that is not me). The frames are attached by rubber bands, which allow the frame with the drums to surge back and forth, simulating the feel of riding on the rode, and making them much easier to manage. In addition, they have bumpers in back and front of the back wheel, which keep you from jumping off the drums when pedaling hard, and they have in-line skate wheels that sit horizontal to the ground on either side of the front wheel. These serve to kick you back on to the drum if you drift to the edge. It's very hard to fall off of these rollers once you get the feel for them, which happens quickly. I've only really fallen once, and that was because the Kings were on, and Raitis Ivanans got in a fight, and I drifted a little too far while I was focused on the game.
But there was a dilemma. My old trainer was set to a very low resistance level. I was going for a spin workout, to get the heart pumping and to burn calories, but I wasn't building leg strength or stamina. When the E-Motion rollers showed up, I couldn't pedal for more than about a minute without being totally gassed. Every stroke feels like the third or fourth stroke you take on the road. A lot of resistance with no momentum. I just didn't have the leg strength. I was afraid I'd just dropped 800 bones on a product I wasn't going to be able to use effectively. Fortunately, within a few weeks, I was building leg strength and stamina, and now I can ride a good 30 minutes+, but I'm doing it in a low gear. In a few weeks, I'll be riding that long in larger gears, but for now, I'm getting a better workout than before, and I'm building leg strength, which will really help when golf season comes around. I stop for occasional breaks, not because my legs dictate it, but because I'm still not comfortable toweling off and drinking water while riding (you can't really coast very long).
So I'd add my review to the ones I read before. This is a great product if you like to train indoors. In the winter, that's almost mandatory here, and in the summer, I like the option because I can watch baseball while working out. And the trails around where I live, particularly the Lakeshore trail, gets very, very busy. But these rollers are awesome.
New Song of the Day
Just posted at the appropriately named "Song of the Day" blog, which is really turning into more of a "song of the every couple of weeks or so". It's Neon Beanbag, by Stereolab, and I think I've finally pegged their sound in my own words. But even I couldn't come up with a better description than "Space Age Batchelor Pad Music".
Here's some bonus Stereolab
Here's some bonus Stereolab
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Scheduling
It may be too late to shift things around, but could the Kings just please not play anymore games at home? Pretty please?
Last 10 road games: 8-2; 16 /20 points
Last 10 home games: 3-5-2; 8/20 poins
Don't come home, guys. Seriously.
Money Well Spent
Long time readers know that I don't really "do" political here very often, mostly because I like writing about other stuff, and there are a ton of people who do the political thing much better than I do. But I just read the text of Governor Jindal's response to President Obama's speech, and a few things stood out, both from this paragraph:
And what's with the "something called Volcano monitoring" crap? Umm, yeah, that's what it's called. Do these guys go around talking about "something called neurosurgery" or "something called the auto industry". I mean, it's not like it's some sort of Orwellian doublespeak for a project they're trying to keep secret. It's "something called" volcano monitoring because it consists of monitoring volcanoes. It's not to hard to understand.
I can only conclude that Republicans are either really, really stupid, or they think you are really, really stupid.
But Democratic leaders in Congress rejected this approach. Instead of trusting us to make wise decisions with our own money, they passed the largest government spending bill in history - with a price tag of more than $1 trillion with interest. While some of the projects in the bill make sense, their legislation is larded with wasteful spending. It includes $300 million to buy new cars for the government, $8 billion for high-speed rail projects, such as a ‘magnetic levitation’ line from Las Vegas to Disneyland, and $140 million for something called ‘volcano monitoring.’ Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in Washington, DC.First, high speed rail is actually a really good idea. About five years ago, I worked on a project around Des Moines, and drove back and forth once a week for five straight weeks. I did that because flying was kind of a pain. Driving took five hours, door to door. Flying took nearly as long, and I only live a half hour from O'Hare. But I had to leave about two hours before my flight, the flight was around an hour, and it took a half hour to get to the hotel, which was near the city center. A high speed rail line going from Chicago to Des Moines would have actually gotten me there quicker, all things considered, and been a heck of a lot cheaper. I'll freely admit that the car provided other advantages, like being on my own schedule, not needing to rent in Des Moines, and being able to stop in Cedar Rapids to catch the Kernels. But a network that linked Des Moines, Chicago, St. Louis, Springfield, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, and parts east would be really useful. And I'm not sure why they demagogue Vegas to LA. Maybe the Republicans in congress don't know this, but there are a lot of people in LA. I mean a whole lot. And a lot of them like to go to Vegas. There's a very large segment of the population that a line between those two cities would serve.
Second, seeing as how governments need cars for all sorts of reasons, and seeing as how most government units tend to buy their cars in fleets from American auto companies, companies who are in a bit of trouble if you haven't heard, that actually seems like a good thing to spend money on.
Finally, Volcano monitoring? Are they serious? The western United States kinda has a lot of Volcanoes. There's a whole range of them called the Cascades. One of them is pretty close to Seattle, a metro area of about 3.25 million people. Another has been in the news a lot lately, near Anchorage, a metro area of about 275,000 people. That's about three and a half million people potentially in the path of Volcanoes. This is the result of some quick googling via wikipedia:
Finally, Volcano monitoring? Are they serious? The western United States kinda has a lot of Volcanoes. There's a whole range of them called the Cascades. One of them is pretty close to Seattle, a metro area of about 3.25 million people. Another has been in the news a lot lately, near Anchorage, a metro area of about 275,000 people. That's about three and a half million people potentially in the path of Volcanoes. This is the result of some quick googling via wikipedia:
Mount Rainier is an ACTIVE[7] stratovolcanoAccording to Geoff Clayton, a geologist with RH2, a repeat of the Osceola mudflow would destroy Enumclaw, Kent, Auburn, and most or all of Renton.[13] Such a mudflow might also reach down the Duwamish estuary and destroy parts of downtown Seattle, and cause tsunamis in Puget Sound and Lake Washington. According to USGS, about 150,000 people live on top of old lahar deposits of Rainier.[7] Rainier is also capable of producing pyroclastic flows as well as lava.
That seems like kind of a big deal. A quick back of the envelope calculation tells me that's well over 800 times the number of soldiers we've lost in Iraq, and over 1,000 times the number of people we lost on 9/11. The stimulus bill contains $140 million dollars to monitor and study those volcanoes. Considering we've spent about $600 billion on "Iraq monitoring" a country that hadn't killed any Americans before we invaded, $140 million seems like a small price to pay to monitor volcanoes that potentially threaten 3.5 million people. Honestly, if those are the three most "pork laden" proposals they could find in the bill, it's probably a bill that doesn't contain much pork.
And what's with the "something called Volcano monitoring" crap? Umm, yeah, that's what it's called. Do these guys go around talking about "something called neurosurgery" or "something called the auto industry". I mean, it's not like it's some sort of Orwellian doublespeak for a project they're trying to keep secret. It's "something called" volcano monitoring because it consists of monitoring volcanoes. It's not to hard to understand.
I can only conclude that Republicans are either really, really stupid, or they think you are really, really stupid.
Friday, February 20, 2009
UCLA regroups and beats Washington
I missed the first half of this one. I was on a plane heading to L.A. for part, and was waiting for In-N-Out on the way home for part. But I was mostly impressed with the Bruins in the second half, despite some minor brain cramps.
The Bruins have, at times this year, shown either an inability or an unwillingness to fight through tough times. Twice in the second half they let Washington make runs to either tie the game, or come very close. Both times they regrouped, got baskets, and extended their lead. They haven't responded to a test like that in a while, alternating frustrating losses with blowout wins. They needed a game like this.
All five starters finished in double figures. But special recognition has to go to Alfred Aboya, who scored 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 hole in his arm for an IV after the game. He was apparently still suffering from the flu, but played like a warrior. His big 17 foot jumper down the stretch was a huge basket that helped seal the victory. Josh Shipp added 20 points, giving him 45 in two games against the Huskies. Jrue Holliday showed signs of breaking out of his slump with 10 points. The Bruins stayed hot from long range, making 8-17 three pointers.
Nice win for the Bruins that should lead them into Saturday's tilt with WSU. I'll have to record that one, since I'll be riding in a car in the Temple City Camellia parade (my mom is in charge of it this year).
The Bruins have, at times this year, shown either an inability or an unwillingness to fight through tough times. Twice in the second half they let Washington make runs to either tie the game, or come very close. Both times they regrouped, got baskets, and extended their lead. They haven't responded to a test like that in a while, alternating frustrating losses with blowout wins. They needed a game like this.
All five starters finished in double figures. But special recognition has to go to Alfred Aboya, who scored 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 hole in his arm for an IV after the game. He was apparently still suffering from the flu, but played like a warrior. His big 17 foot jumper down the stretch was a huge basket that helped seal the victory. Josh Shipp added 20 points, giving him 45 in two games against the Huskies. Jrue Holliday showed signs of breaking out of his slump with 10 points. The Bruins stayed hot from long range, making 8-17 three pointers.
Nice win for the Bruins that should lead them into Saturday's tilt with WSU. I'll have to record that one, since I'll be riding in a car in the Temple City Camellia parade (my mom is in charge of it this year).
Sunday, February 15, 2009
New Concept in UCLA Blogging
I'm going to put as much effort into writing about yesterday's game against Arizona as UCLA put into playing it.
Post over.
Post over.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Why even show up?
Once again, the Pac 10 officials embarrass themselves. If I was as incompetent as the pricks who called the UCLA-ASU game tonight and still cashed a paycheck, I'd be arrested for stealing. Why not just give James Harden a whistle and let him call the game?
First half, Harden gets the ball in the lane, makes a move passes the ball to the wing, stays in the lane...
and stays there...
and stays there...
and stays there...
Five seconds later (confirmed via replay) he gets the ball back and scores. Apparently three seconds isn't a rule for the home team in Tempe.
In the second half, Harden gets the ball at the top of the key, throws down Jrue Holliday, barrels over Alfred Aboya, who was set and motionless for at least a half second. No foul up top, no charge, and the Devils get an easy basket after Harden dishes off, primarily because the guy who would have defended the shot was laying on the ground after having been run over.
And the play at the end was so awful that it almost defies description. In the first half, Aboya was called for an offensive foul on a screen when he leaned about five inches to pick Harden, and a Michael Roll 3-pointer was called off. At the end of the game, Darren Collison drove, laid the ball up as he ran into Jeff Pendergraph, who leaned about a foot and a half into Collison's path. Offensive foul. No basket. A five point swing, and that was the game.
Makes you wish they had just stayed home. Why risk the injury? Why risk Collison's health coming off the flu? Maybe the Pac 10 can just let everyone know when they've decided a game's outcome beforehand and save us all a lot of time. I could have spent the evening watching Illinois' thrilling comeback and last second victory over Northwestern (nice job, Trent and McCamey!).
Pac 10 refs have, for the last five or six years at least, been a complete embarrassment to the game, the conference, and themselves. They ought to be ashamed.
First half, Harden gets the ball in the lane, makes a move passes the ball to the wing, stays in the lane...
and stays there...
and stays there...
and stays there...
Five seconds later (confirmed via replay) he gets the ball back and scores. Apparently three seconds isn't a rule for the home team in Tempe.
In the second half, Harden gets the ball at the top of the key, throws down Jrue Holliday, barrels over Alfred Aboya, who was set and motionless for at least a half second. No foul up top, no charge, and the Devils get an easy basket after Harden dishes off, primarily because the guy who would have defended the shot was laying on the ground after having been run over.
And the play at the end was so awful that it almost defies description. In the first half, Aboya was called for an offensive foul on a screen when he leaned about five inches to pick Harden, and a Michael Roll 3-pointer was called off. At the end of the game, Darren Collison drove, laid the ball up as he ran into Jeff Pendergraph, who leaned about a foot and a half into Collison's path. Offensive foul. No basket. A five point swing, and that was the game.
Makes you wish they had just stayed home. Why risk the injury? Why risk Collison's health coming off the flu? Maybe the Pac 10 can just let everyone know when they've decided a game's outcome beforehand and save us all a lot of time. I could have spent the evening watching Illinois' thrilling comeback and last second victory over Northwestern (nice job, Trent and McCamey!).
Pac 10 refs have, for the last five or six years at least, been a complete embarrassment to the game, the conference, and themselves. They ought to be ashamed.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Good Weekend
In the span of about 30 hours, give or take:
- UCLA destroyed Notre Dame 89-63
- UC Riverside held home court on UC Davis 58-53, getting back to .500 in conference
- Illinois manhandled Purdue (albeit without Robbie Hummel) 66-48
- The Kings went on a 10 minute blitz that took care of the New Jersey Devils, 3-1
- And the Lakers went into Cleveland and showed the Cavs that the best are in the West with a 101-91 victory
UCLA
UCLA has been absolutely rolling since dropping a tough road game in Seattle (which I didn't see, for various reasons). Since that game they've beat Berkeley, Stanford, U$C, and Notre Dame by an average of over 20 points per game, and none by fewer than 16 points. In that stretch, seven different players have scored in double figures, and all but Jerime Anderson have done it multiple times. That's what you call offensive depth. They made over 50% of their shots in three of those games (over 60% against Stanford), and have made almost 50% of their three pointers (27/55). Suddenly there are a lot fewer people complaining that Ben Howland can't coach offense.
This really looks like the Best offensive team the Bruins have had in the Howland era. They have four starters who can shoot from long range with well above average efficiency. They can't just make threes, they're legitimate three point threats every time down the floor. The fifth, Alfred Aboya, has developed a mid-range game seemingly out of nowhere, and now he's a guy that opposing defenses really need to pay attention to. He dropped 19 on ND, making 9 of his 12 shots.
The best thing about the blowouts is that the freshmen have been able to get a lot of game minutes. The trio of Malcolm Lee, Anderson, and Drew Gordon averaged about 12 minutes per game each over that stretch, and looked good doing it. That sort of experience will be important in March. If you go back to November, the conventional wisdom was that this team would not hit its stride until about this time, having dealt with the loss of three NBAers and integrating five freshmen into the rotation. That's happening now, and the Bruins look as good as they've ever looked. They have a go to player in Collison, but the best part about the way this team is playing now is that any player should be able to hit a shot in crunch time. They didn't show that against ASU, but the team that's played the last two weeks in no way resembles the team that couldn't find the basket with a map and compass a few weeks ago.
Illinois
Up and down lately. Home and road. Jekyll and Hyde. But today against Purdue, they led wire to wire against a pretty good team and completed the season sweep. During their rough spots on the road, the Illini have really had trouble executing their offense. This is a team that gets a ton of baskets directly by way of the assist. At last check they led the nation in percentage of baskets on which they were credited with assists. But against Minnesota, they just didn't move the ball at all. The Wisconsin game was better, but they couldn't make shots.
Today they moved the ball very well, and they made their shots. The Illini recorded 21 assists on 25 field goals, and led from wire to wire. Purdue threatened a few times, but the Illini never let the lead get below four, and they put the Boilermakers away with a 23-9 run midway through the second quarter. The best sight today was Trent Meacham making three of five from long range. He's struggled lately, and they need him to produce if they're going to be successful. They're already playing one limited threat guard, and they can't afford to play two.
Speaking of Chester Frazier, he did a marvelous job on E'Twaun Moore. The sophomore averages 14 points per game, and Frazier held him to six points on 2/9 shooting. On the offensive end, Mike Davis had a great game, dropping in 14 for the Illini, and Mike Tisdale's ability to hit the mid-range jumper consistently really made the Boilers pay for hedging on screens up high.
The Illini start three sophomores, and they look like they'll be able to absorb the losses of Frazier and Meacham next season. They're ahead of where we thought they'd be, and the future really looks bright.
Kings
Speaking of bright futures, the Kings have now won six of their last seven games. They had only won 17 of their first 44 games, but they've gotten themselves back into the playoff hunt in the crowded Western Conference.
You build from the net out, and the Kings had stocked the farm with goalie and defense prospects, but couldn't keep the puck out of their own net last year. This year, the kids are paying dividends. Jonathan Quick has been outstanding with a 2.38 GAA, and a .920 save percentage. He's grabbed the number one job, and he doesn't look like he's going anywhere. That's great news for Kings fans waiting on Jonathan Bernier, because if Bernier's going to get the job, he's going to have to be really outstanding. The question is who will still be in the organization next year. Quick's performance has started to make Bernier and Jeff Zatkoff look like very attractive trade bait.
On the defensive end, Drew Doughty has been their best blueliner all year. But the emergence of Kyle Quincy, the tough play of Matt Greene, and the return of Jack Johnson means the Kings have two thirds of their defense of the future playing and winning right now.
It took a while to get them going, but the offense is finally chipping in, and that's why the Kings are winning right now. The Kings average about 2.41 goals per game over their first 44. They've averaged four goals per game over their last seven, and have scored three or more times in all but one of those games. The game in which they scored less than three was a 1-0 win over Ottawa. They're young, they're fun to watch, and they're starting to win again. This is just the beginning for the Kings.
I'm not going to write about the Lakers or UCR, but rest assured, I'm very happy with those wins.
Finally, the inspiration for the title of this post:
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Halosphere
First, I want to thank the Rev for the kind words he threw my way on Jeff Biggs' radio show last night. It was a nice moment for me, and a heck of a leap forward for the Halosphere in general (his whole appearance, I mean), which has really grown over the past few years.
The community at HH has really expanded, and that's a credit not only to Mat, but to the SportsNation brand, which has created go-to communities for tons of teams, both college and pro. Halos Heaven has become the watering hole the Angels community much the way Bruins Nation has done the same for the UCLA community. And the great thing is that they've filled voids without disrupting other great communities. Inside Illini is still the place for Illini fans (or the Illiniboard, depending upon what side of that divide you're on). GoAZCats still seems to be the place to discuss Arizona Basketball. I can't ever see a Los Angeles Kings community that will outdo LetsGoKings.com. But Sportsnation has created a place on the web for fans of teams that didn't have that community before.
When I jumped into the Halosphere, there weren't too many of us. The Rev had his live journal blog. The various Sean Smiths were doing their thing(s). The crew at Pearly Gates were active, and Purgatory Online was still around (read his history of the Halosphere right here). Rob was covering Angels and Dodgers, while the Chronicler was chiming in occasionally. Every so often Matt would pitch in with an Angels post. Everyone kind of had their own schtick, and there was a lot of cross-participation, at least via comment.
Now the sphere has expanded, with a couple of notable retractions. My Angels stuff is less frequent (alright, my everything is less frequent). The Chronicler doesn't post too much anymore. Purgatory and Pearly Gates are gone. But Rob is still at it. The guys at 3 Days of Cryin' update as many times in a week as I do in six months. Both of those sites are great for up the minute news and links, with some great commentary. Gilbert moved his stuff to Bugs and Cranks. Chone Smith is updating frequently, as well as doing some great stuff at the Hardball Times. The list goes on.
In some ways, I think the overall expansion of the community, especially Halos Heaven, has probably led me to dial it back a bit. Don't get me wrong, a lot of it's due to my own laziness. But when I was posting game recaps religiously, I used to try to look for some insight. What could I see a game that didn't get talked about in the local papers? A good example of this is John Lackey and his propensity for turning 0-2 counts into 3-2 counts. It was something that always bugged me, and when a friend of mine, Nate Silver, wrote a post at Baseball Prospectus about how underrated Lackey was, it started a conversation that led to a subsequent post, showing that Lackey has nasty habit of starting guys 0-2, then walking them more often than most other pitchers. I thought it was an interesting discussion, and it was cool to be a part of it.
The thing now is that the community is so large, there's always someone else who's seen the same thing, and probably written about it. I don't sense I provide the same value anymore (if I ever did). It's a great thing overall, because the larger the community gets, the more interesting the discussions can become. More viewpoints, so long as they're valid, is never a bad thing. And I think the Rev deserves a ton of credit for building the site up and making it a real home for Angels fans.
Anyway, this whole post is mostly just a thought piece on where we are as a community, and my place in that community. If you don't see as much from me, it's not because I don't have an opinion, it's probably because some has already expressed it, and judging by my traffic, the people coming here for Angels commentary have probably already read it (or will read it). Trust me, my loss (such as it is) is definitely your gain. I'd much prefer to chime in occasionally as I've done the last year or so than be beholden to a nightly recap, though I may still do a couple days a week at SoCal Sports Hub if asked again. And everything I've said above holds mostly true for my UCLA stuff as well, which has definitely become less frequent.
So I'm not announcing a major shift or anything. This blog will remain essentially what it's been for the last year or so going forward. No one is turning out the lights. I'm just having more fun over at other people's sites.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Classics
Rob already posted this, but a bunch of us got this press release from Fox Sports today. Anyone want to burn these to DVD for me, since I live in a city that doesn't get FSN West? Also, Chuck from Angels win noted that it's not actually 2008 anymore.
-----------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 21, 2008
MONDAY NIGHT IS ANGELS NIGHT ON FOX SPORTS WEST
Angels “Red Monday” Classic Games Prep Angels Fans for the 2009 Season
LOS ANGELES – Beginning Tuesday, February 2, Fox Sports WEST prepares Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fans for the upcoming 2009 MLB season with “Red Monday”. Throughout February and March, the destination for the most comprehensive local Angels coverage in Southern California invites Halo fans to tune-in Monday nights for three full hours of an Angels classic game.
Five classic games make up “Red Mondays” and will celebrate notable moments in Angels franchise history. The first classic game on Fox Sports WEST begins Monday, February 2 at 7PM and features the 2002 Angels in their first playoff series victory.
“Red Monday” programming line-up on Fox Sports WEST is as follows:
DATE TIME CLASSIC GAME
Mon., Feb. 2 7PM 10/5/02 – ALDS, Gm. 4: Angels at Yankees The Angels’ first playoff series win
Mon., Feb. 9 7PM 10/13/02- ALCS, Gm. 5: Twins at Angels The Angels score 10 runs in the 7th inning and win their first AL Pennant. Adam Kennedy hits 3 HRs to become the 5th player in postseason history to hit 3 HR’s in a single game.
Mon., Feb. 23 7PM 10/26/02- World Series, Gm. 6: Giants at Angels Facing elimination and down 5-0 in the 7th, the Angels storm back to score 3 runs in each the 7th and 8th innings to win the game and force Game 7.
Mon., Mar. 2 7PM 10/27/02- World Series, Gm. 7: Giants at Angels The Angels win their first MLB Championship ever. Rookie John Lackey pitches a strong game and Troy Glaus is selected World Series MVP.
Mon., Mar. 30 7PM 10/10/05-ALDS, Gm. 5: Angels at Yankees The Angels win the ALDS 3 games to 2
About Fox Sports WEST
In addition to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Fox Sports WEST is the telecast destination for the most comprehensive coverage of the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Galaxy. Together, Fox Sports WEST and sister network PRIME TICKET present more live, local sports programming than any other network or broadcast system in Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii. For complete national and regional sports news, provocative opinions, telecast schedules and updated statistics, log-on to www.foxsports.com.
-- Fox Sports WEST --
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Heck of a day
It's 85 degrees outside here in L.A. The Kings score a week's worth of goals. The Illini run roughshod over Ohio State. And the nation's biggest d-bag gets on a plane back to Texas, this time for good.
It was a good day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)