Dom's Dish - Friday, April 25, 2008
"It's the most wonderful time...of the year" - I can't get that song out of my head, and I know that this isn't in fact the most wonderful time in a traditional sense (Christmas / Winter Holiday season) or even the sports sense (early September's start to the NFL season) - but you have to say, we're pretty damn close. We just came off a somewhat predictable, but still fun Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament, the Masters just a few weeks ago, the final pushes for the NBA and NHL playoffs, the start of the MLB season and now, the NFL Draft! No, it's not September, it's April a close second - plus the benefit of the impending summer! No blood brother, it's not over yet.
Breaking News: Tyler Hansbrough is staying at UNC for his senior season. The National Player of the Year wants one more shot at a title with Roy Williams. Unfortunately he may need to do it without Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington - the sophomore back court - who are both declaring for the draft but not yet hiring agents leaving possibility they could return with "Crazy T."
Grandpa Larry Brown resigned yesterday as Executive Vice President of the Sixers of Philly, and according to his agent, he wishes to pursue a coaching position "in the NBA or college". Sixty-seven, Basketball hall of famer, former NBA and NCAA champion, fresh off helping re-build the Sixer franchise, and being forced out by Isiah in NY only 2 seasons ago he wants more?!?! Don't worry Isiah, you'll get yours soon enough. Anyway - I knew a man who used to see Larry Brown at a restaurant outside of Philly around 2000 when he was coaching the Sixers. I remember him telling me that he just exuded passion for the game of basketball. He's the Joe Paterno of basketball, never mind the 15-20 different houses he's lived in across the US. Does he just have Mayflower Moving on speed dial? (The number is 1-800-299-1700 in case you were wondering). Anyway, hopefully Larry heads back to school and coaches there - maybe he can stay there for 4 years and inspire the next generation to feel the love instead of the greed - not that Larry hasn't made a pretty penny (he actually owns the US Mint in Philadelphia - true story).
So, I was wrong. The Devils got spanked by the Rangers like they did all season long and the Flyers did beat Ovechkin. My buddy - let's call him "Boy" - has been on me to provide an update on NHL hockey - I guess "Boy" can't get enough information on the Flyers from the games he goes to, and he doesn't like my annoying text messages: "Puck the Flyers" "Flyers suck" "Nice seats, good to see you'll have a good view of Ovechkin scoring all those goals". Well "Boy", I was wrong please accept my apology. The Flyers are on a roll - the Celtics of Hockey with their amazing turnaround from last year's nightmare-ish season. They put it together the last 2 months of the season and the other "Marty" of the Atlantic Division - Buron -was hot as anything in the net. Breaking news though, they did lose last night to the Montreal Canadiens aka "Habs". And finally after twenty-something years I know what the hell "Habs" means - In French "Les Habitants" as in citizen - Canadiens - get it? Kinda like the Washington Cits of the NL East. Anyway - playoff hockey progresses. I really don't know why people don't watch it - not that no one does, just it's ratings are like half of "How I Met Your Mother" and like 1/100th of American Idol. Oh that's right, people can't follow the puck - I got news for you, the goalie can't always either - that's what's fun about it! So either way, turn it on and watch a game - there's not as much of a difference between East Coast and West Coast like there is in the NBA.
Baseball is back and although all the teams I follow aren't living up to expectations yet: Phillies and Yankees - it is early - another 140 games to go. Obviously, the Phillies are the team better built for the future, but with J-Roll on the DL and Ryan Howard acting more like the paper salesman than the MVP, it's looking kind of bleak...until you look at the rest of the team. Adam Eaton has pitched better and will hopefully pick up a win or at least a decision sometime soon. Cole Hamels' ERA is 2.75. Brad Lidge is 5-for-5 in Save conversions, throwing in the mid-90's. Brad Lidge, JC Romero and Rudy Seanez each have a 0.00 ERA out of the bull pen. And then of course there are the two early MVP candidates. You know you're thinking that. Pat the Bat is back: .355 8 25 RBI's with 18 walks. The nice .750 slugging ain't too bad either. He's no Chase Utley. Considered by almost every writer to be the MVP of last season in August before he went out with the broken hand, the numbers speak for themselves: .385 avg, 10 HR, 21 RBI, and 76 total bases for a .835 slugging percentage. And it gets better, J-Roll was finally convinced by relief pitcher JC Romero to go on the DL (be back after May 5) and Shane Victorino is already making a rehab start. If Howard comes around and J-Roll was their injury for the year, it could spell trouble again for the NL East. Oh, and here's a question for you - who for the SF Giants had the most combined RBI's the last 4 seasons? Barry Bonds? Nope, Phillies current Third Baseman Pedro Feliz whose meager 2.13 average has still produced 8 RBI's in the month with 3 HR's. It would be higher is Pat Burrell stopped clearing the bases in front of him. And I am happy with Feliz's defense thus far - 3 errors in 23 games. Pat the bat's turnaround = "a change in his batting stance" - damn, that's like a golf grip I guess. Maybe he should give Ryan Howard some advice? Maybe he will stop looking like an enormous Offensive Lineman taking a crap sprawled across the batter's box?
Oh that crazy NFL draft! I am gonna go out on a limb here and say Jake Long will be the first pick of the Miami Dolphins, and that there will be a whole lot of wheelin' and dealin' going on. Kansas City, Atlanta, the Eagles - all with multiple picks - expect to hear those names early and often. KC is reportedly looking to trade down for more picks. Atlanta is looking for more picks to build up their decimated franchise. The Eagles have traded up and down in recent years but really are looking for the best player available. With disgruntled Wide Receivers, aging QB's, leftover DB's and Franchise players left without signing their tendered offers, it has the potential to be hard to follow. There's no sense predicting picks - you can't believe a word NFL GM's say - see Jeff Ireland of Miami - but I will make some predictions as to who gets moved. Baltimore will look to move up for Matt Ryan so John Harbaugh can build his franchise around a QB like Andy Reid did in Philly. I think Philly will move up looking for an Offensive Lineman in the first round, then back later on. Chad Johnson will still be in Cincinatti and Shaun Alexander, fresh off his release will talk to Philly, if not sign with them. Jeremy Shockey will be traded, Anquan Boldin will stay, Roy Williams will stay all for now. I say somewhere in the area of 20 total trades in the next 2 days of the draft, if not 25, 30. If Chris Long is on the board still, he'll wind up a Raider. Darren McFadden's mom won't get her wish and he'll wind up in NY as a J-E-T Jet. The Patriots will move down from 7 to acquire picks - LB's and CB's. I say Glenn Dorsey at 2 - either to Atlanta or New Orleans (who would move up from 10). Who knows if I'm right? You gotta watch. Recap early next week.
Around the Balls:
Big-brown-oblong - Oh, the NFL draft is tomorrow. Be there.
Huge-orange - In case you're living in a bubble, the NBA Playoffs started and looks like all of the series that started 2-0 are back to 2-1. I'm looking forward mostly to the Suns being able to do the same tonight against the Spurs - or as we gringos like to call them "Los Suns y Los Spurs." I tell you what though, Tim Duncan and Chris Paul look pretty damn good after only 2 games! My money is on Chris Paul for regular season MVP though, but it's gonna be close. Ok if by "my money" I mean one dollar, and if by Chris Paul, I mean Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett. As for early off season news, Vince Carter of the Nets had minor ankle surgery this week. This can't be good news for the Nets and Jay Z - first you trade Kidd, now this? It's still early - their luck they'll get a top 5 lottery pick and be able to get Derrick Rose to replace JKidd. Beasley will be the number 1 pick though. Two months to the NBA draft on that awesome Wednesday night - they should do a weekend draft like the NFL. Guess it could be worse - a Tuesday or Thursday morning MLB draft?
Small-white-stitched - I've seen and pulled some odd and crazy pranks in my time, but the Boston fan who planted - pretty much literally - David Ortiz's jersey in the new Yankee Stadium, then blabbed it, then got it dug up and now Ortiz is off his slump - that guys got a death wish. One of the most heated rivalries in sports where fans in Boston rioted after their first World Series and the dude's a construction worker? Bet you he doesn't get much work anymore without plastic surgery and an alias. By the way, can someone dig up Ryan Howard's jersey at Citi Field? It's near the concession stand. It must have been that #6 jersey - or maybe it was that Rollins #6 from Reading?
Tiny-white - Well, Tiger tried. He was on a roll, but actually is human. Now after ONLY a second place finish at the Masters, he broke news a few weeks ago that he underwent knee surgery. Now granted, he's not scrambling around a 100-yard field or shooting jump shots from 25 feet, but I'm sure there could be some repurcutions.
Medium-green-fuzzy - Roger Federer finally won his first tournament of the year - it took him 3 1/2 months to do it, and te other dude had to withdraw near the beginning of the second set. Rafael Nadal hasn't made much noise either - guess that means they're waiting to ramp up for the summer tourneys? Guess Federer should stop chilling with Tiger and making those weird Phenom commercials? I'm just saying, I won't use that razor, so stop with the oddity.
Round-rubber-non - Danica Patrick made history last week as the first woman to win an Indy car, Formula 1 or NASCAR race. I was pulling for her and she got robbed a couple times. I wonder what influence this will have on other women in the sport of car racing.
Program Alert:
NBA Playoff Basketball- All weekend long. Suns/ Spurs 10:30pm tonight.
NFL Draft - Saturday 3pm - ??? ; Sunday 10am - ???
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For those new to "the dish", I once dreamed of being a sports-caster having my own column. Let me know if you don't like it, and/or want to be discontinued from the list. If you have another email address to send it to, send that to me also. For older issues of the dish, email me. domsdish@gmail.com or go to http://domsdish.blogspot.com
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