The Dog Days Are Over

March 12^th, 2011 marked the beginning of the NFL lockout that has drained most news in sports of interesting off-season storylines that do not involve litigation procedures and struggles for leverage. The 132 day journey has seen its shifts in the balance of power between the NFL ownership, led by commissioner Roger Goodell and the former NFLPA (Players Association), represented by executive director DeMaurice Smith. To briefly summarize the issue, NFL teams claim they are losing money and therefore need to increase the percent they take in of the overall yearly league revenue. Think of it as a pie chart in which the players’ piece is lessened to make room for the owners who are allegedly in need. The players, in response, demanded financial transparency and the proof that would lead us to believe the teams are actually in need of an increased percentage. Initially poor communication led to the standstill that fueled the lockout. All communication between players and teams has been forbidden, which prevents any development or progression within the 32 organizations. However, the circumstances that caused the lockout have been beaten to death seeing as there has been nothing else to talk about in the football world and the crisis of missing any regular season games has finally been averted. The effects of the lockout are now most relevant; the situation itself has thankfully been made an issue of the past now that the two sides have reached a long awaited agreement. Some aspects of the lockout were a bit overblown and, in hindsight, the whole thing wasn’t too disastrous. In other aspects, there is some long term damage taken from it all. The current state of the post-lockout NFL may be an extensive summary of an entire summer, but can easily be broken up into three basic categories to describe the labor dispute: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good: Let’s take a good look at what was actually missed as a result of the lockout. OTAs (Organized Team Activities) and voluntary workouts/minicamps were lost; we are without the most insignificant part of the off-season that even most players would probably like to do away with. Brett Favre was most likely wishing the NFL was locked out every year until mid August or so. The veterans really benefit from this; they either have time to heal up for training camps or can be trusted with their own workout schedules. Despite the series of obstacles, the league is right on schedule. Only one or two training camps will be delayed a few days to finalize the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that takes us all the way to 2021 and they get to argue over it all again, this time with more experience on the matter. The only other part of the off-season is what I’ve missed most, but it is actually somewhat of a blessing in disguise. Due to the lack of transactions, free agency has been dead. While this has left NFL rosters stale and with gaping holes that need to be filled, it all set up what will be the most exciting and crazy free agent frenzy in the history of professional sports. Approximately 400 positions are empty on NFL rosters that need to be filled with enough time to assimilate all newly arriving players into their respective systems. ESPN’s Adam Schefter will get less sleep in the next two weeks reporting all the madness than I will tonight after writing this. The bottom line on ESPN will just leave the breaking news banner up, replacing each name with the next big story. Listed below are only some of the players that will either be unrestricted free agents or possibly traded/released by their current teams.

Players who might be on different teams next year: Nnamdi Asomugha, Antonio Cromartie, Ahmad Bradshaw, Osi Umenyiora, Deangelo Williams, Brandon Jacobs, Tiki Barber, Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown, Kevin Kolb, Plaxico Burress, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Chad “Ochocinco”, Carson Palmer, Braylon Edwards, Matt Hasselbeck, Santonio Holmes, Steve Smith, Santana Moss, Steve Breaston, Brad Smith, Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Reggie Bush…What’s even crazier is that teams will have to cut players to clear cap space now that the salary cap has been reinstated, which will create another wave of free agents.

The Bad: By now every undrafted free agent has most likely lost his chance to make a significant impact on a team this year. If there was a lockout during every year, the success of players such as Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, Tony Romo, James Harrison or Antonio Gates would have been either delayed or prevented. Rookies suffer a similar fate; having less time to learn playbooks or work with coaches will hurt even top pick Cam Newton’s chances of making an immediate contribution. Another problem provided by lockout aftermath is the adjusted salary cap, and how many teams are already over it. Despite the need to add free agents, teams like the Giants, Jets, Steelers and Raiders are an average of $10 million over the new cap. Some teams will benefit from the adjustment; for example, the Buccaneers are an alarming $59 million dollars under and can buy essentially anyone they need. The new restrictions provided by the league’s agreement will test the ability of General Managers and how they can choose from what will be a sea of available talent. The lack of preparation this season might hurt the overall level of competition. The stronger and more stable organizations will excel while the majority of the league struggles to pull itself together. The chances of seeing a surprising success story or a variety of championship contenders are unlikely. The NFL has more parody than any other sport because of how quickly a franchise can turn itself around. The source of such improvements is the building of team chemistry, which starts as early as April. The early practices themselves are not very important in the grand scheme of the off-season, but Drew Brees and the Saints would not have exploded onto the NFL scene so quickly a few years ago if they didn’t have the months needed to grow as a team.

The Ugly: Best personified by Roger Goodell. The relations between players and the governing body turned hostile through this lockout. Players left and right came forward expressing disrespect and even hate towards Goodell, who was already under fire for his harsh punishment against negative off the field behavior and “illegal” hits as the NFL inches closer and closer towards skirts and two hand touch. While an agreement has been reached, the tension will remain between the two sides that went so long without budging, until something had to be done to save the season. The other side of the ugly portion of the lockout is how poorly informed most of the players are on their own situation. As a fan, I and many in my position knew more about the CBA than the players who it directly affected. Twitter has revealed itself as the absolute devil when immaturity and knee-jerk reactions meet technology’s ability to speak to millions in an instant. Whenever players express frustration towards the league in all their free time, it would become news within minutes. In such comments many things were said, few of which were constructive criticisms. DeMaurice Smith may have been a good enough negotiator to protect his players, but he certainly did not keep them well educated. Outside of the ten plaintiffs in the litigation cases, I doubt many NFL players have even read the new deal. Hopefully, everything will settle down now that both sides and the fans can enjoy the collective relief and happiness that comes with the end of the 132 day lockout.

Luckily, the NFL lockout has left the actual league’s schedule unaffected. Pre-season games will begin in August after the free agent frenzy that will leave fans exhausted from trying to keep up after five months of emptiness. I may have to write up another NFL summary just to remind myself and anyone reading what exactly happened between the 32 front offices and the nearly 500 players who were either cut, signed, or traded. One loose end has yet to be tied here and can be done so quickly, seeing as the player in question has totaled more time than his off-season antics have deserved. Brett Favre’s 4-year special The Indecision has followed us for long enough. If there’s one worse way for Mike Vick to hurt society after his scandal, it would be to let the Eagles sign the soap star gunslinger. But I’ll cut my first rant of the season short, and I’m happy to have a season to talk about at all. Happy Football Day everyone.

If I Were a Mets Fan

Being a younger sibling comes with its difficulties. While I cannot speak from experience, the challenges that come with living in the shadow of another are self explanatory. Being a Mets fan is accompanied by the constant struggle of, understandably, being the “other team” in New York. However, the position the Mets find themselves in this year is much more intriguing than their Bronx counterpart. For today I will be a Mets fan to experience the promising signs and questionable directions taken by the team that is forced to live in the biggest shadow of all.

Not so long ago, the Mets were just as competitive as the Yankees. David Wright and Jose Reyes were the future, and in their first four complete seasons together (2005-08) the Mets enjoyed an average of 89 wins. It seems like just yesterday when Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen and the Mets were one swing away from a World Series appearance that Carlos Beltran failed to even attempt. I don’t mean to bring up any painful memories, but the point is that we are not so far removed from the idea of glory for the New York Mets. So what happened in a only a couple of years that led to their more recent loveable loser persona? To put it shortly, the Phillies happened. A number of aggressive transactions and consecutive monumental collapses in Septembers led to the Phillies hurdling both the Mets and Braves to the top of the National League East division. The Mets haven’t been able to fully recover from their late season struggles. While they were tough, it’s about time the Mets were back in the playoff discussion, and this season may be the one to move their organization back in that direction.

The Mets have quietly been very competitive this year, maintaining a .500 record at 48-48. Clearing the realm of pushovers is the first necessary step towards redemption. They remain 9 games out of the wild card race and the playoffs do seem like a long shot, but it is far from impossible and a closer look at some of their individual elements lead me to believe that collective success is on its way. Offensively, their only issue is durability. Despite practically routine injuries and trips to the DL for Wright and Reyes, the Mets are surprisingly 2^nd in the National League in batting average and 5^th in runs scored. If they are capable of such numbers now, there is no reason to believe they cannot be the highest scoring and most efficient offense in the National League if those guys can stay reasonably healthy, and if Jason Bay does anything but remain a corpse. In terms of their pitching, another pleasant surprise makes the Mets a formidable opponent. I watched R.A. Dickey shut down Yankee bats multiple times by throwing wiffle balls. His collective ERA when combined with Dillon Gee and Jonathan Niese is 3.70, which is serviceable if they could only find an anchor to complete the starting rotation. Ideally, that ace will make a return later this summer as Johan Santana returns from yet another shortened season. A few things would have to go their way on the health front, but all the pieces are in place to assemble a championship (yes, championship) season within the next couple of years.

The last obstacle standing is unfortunately a sizeable one. My lingering suspicion is that the entire front office is either completely incapable of winning or is just fundamentally against it. I wont even blame them entirely for investing in Bernie Madoff and being left essentially broke. I understand they are working with limited funds but in a season in which the Pirates are in first place, I have no pity. The Mets have gotten rid of the closing relief pitcher who holds the record for saves in a single season for the foreseeable future and has plenty left in the tank to remain one of the league’s best at finishing games. They are also most likely planning to get rid of their best power hitter who boasts a .293 average, Carlos Beltran. As a Yankee fan, I am now accustomed to my power hitters accumulating terrible batting averages and just swinging for a short right field fence over and over again. I would not let go of a guy who can do that and still play the field. The reason the Mets are clearing financial space like they’re the Knicks is all to keep a table-setter. While he is a great one, Jose Reyes simply isn’t worth getting rid of multiple great players just to maybe keep one. He may even decide after this year to leave because the Mets are a financial mess and they got rid of people just to keep him so the team is collectively less talented than it previously was. He has already refused to renew or even discuss his contract so far during the current season, and I’m sure the stability and promise provided by being Derek Jeter’s successor or a key piece on another contender is pretty tempting. The Mets might lose everyone if they maintain this desperate style of ownership and management. As a temporary Mets fan, I can’t even tell if we’re trying to be a seller that’s building for a distant future or a buyer that’s trying to win now. The mixed signals leave me confused and, most forebodingly, unsure as to whether or not Fred Wilpon and company even know what they’re doing.

When I look at the Mets I see potential that ends in a ring, but the smaller and less evil empire in New York is a fragile one. Too many wrong turns and tough breaks as an organization could leave fans devastated, from rentals like me to the absolute die hards. Potential has its way of never coming to fruition. If I hear the Houston Texans are the NFL’s team of tomorrow one more time, I’ll be forced to point out that they forgot to at some point make themselves the team of today, and I fear the same for the Detroit Lions. On the baseball note, the Mets have to avoid that tomorrow mindset and realize that they have the pieces to win right now. They just need the strong leadership, a consistent pitching ace, and their strength and conditioning guys in charge need to be either improved, fired, or shot.

Born in the USA: 2011 World Cup

Just when you think you’ve seen the most incredible moment in American soccer one year ago, Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach make it look like child’s play in both magnitude and degree of difficulty. While Landon Donovan’s goal was great, it provided a 1-0 win over Algeria to survive the weakest group in the 2010 World Cup and gave us our only win in the tournament. It also never happens if the keeper holds on to Clint Dempsey’s initial attempt. The play made by the American women was a half hour later in its respective game against an international superpower that placed the United States in the semifinals.

Only the golden voice of Ian Darke could do the moment any justice. The USA was facing adversity from every angle; questionable officiating teamed up with one of the most talented teams in the world as Brazil held a 2-1 lead in the stoppage time of extra time. Between a mulligan on a penalty shot, playing man-down for about an hour, and a display of diving that left Italians with their pens and papers out, the world number one women’s soccer team was all but dead in the 122^nd minute of the world cup quarterfinal…and then this happened.

 Abby Wambach’s clutch header leveled the match and erased any tough breaks we were given, setting up the best goalkeeper in the world to bring home the victory. While there is a lot left in our journey through the 2011 World Cup, there is already so much to reflect on.

Our first two games were more or less taking care of business, beating Korea 2-0 and Columbia 3-0. The deadly range displayed in the first couple of games turned out to be a double edged sword, as we became a bit too dependent on low percentage shots against Sweden, who eventually defeated the Americans 2-1. Our offense looked stale and our possessions lacked any rhythm. The defense also looked slow and made some uncharacteristic mistakes that cost us the group, which is what forced the Brazil match in the first place. In response to their issues, team USA made the proper adjustments and become more aggressive and physical, scoring both of their goals inside the box in this last game. We also used Brazil’s sweeper position against them, which makes it nearly impossible to be caught off sides on that final play in extra time. Ideally, both methods of play should come together against our final two opponents. Luckily enough, Germany was ousted early by Japan and, seeing as we took care of Brazil ourselves, we have now become an overwhelming favorite to win it all this year. However, as uncle Ben would say, with great power comes great responsibility, and the pressure to become champions for the first time since 1999 continues to accumulate. I acknowledge this challenge as a tough one, but it’s a problem I’d like to deal with.

In terms of our immediate future, the danger of an emotional hangover is a considerable one. That last game is nearly impossible to follow up well, so Wambach and company need to suppress their memories as strongly as possible and treat this game as an individual event that involves a worthy opponent. While France is not traditionally a superpower in women’s soccer, they did rattle one when they lost 4-2 against Germany in group play. The score was not a good summary of the game; France’s goalie was ejected and Germany was able to prevent what could have easily been a shocking upset. I believe that defeating France and the winner of the Sweden/Japan game will require tapping into the only resource that the Americans have not yet fully used in this tournament. Our superior athleticism needs to manifest itself in the form of Heather O’Reilly or Alex Morgan as a substitute. While good execution alone would be enough to win, keeping France’s defense on their heels and on the run would likely cement our place in the final game.

The shot of Mia Hamm after winning the 1999 World Cup is one of the most famous images in the history of patriotism in American sports. This group of women have the opportunity to become legends of a similar stature. Wednesday morning’s showdown against the French is the next step for team USA, and hopefully not the last.

The Price of Loyalty: Derek Jeter

Very few athletes reach the pinnacle of adoration from their fans and the sports nation as a whole. To do so typically requires at least a decade of personal excellence and collective glory, preferably with one team. No one man today more greatly personifies this than New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter. His career resume includes a 1996 Rookie of the Year award; Jeter wasted no time becoming the heart and soul of the Yankees. Since then, he has accumulated five Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers, twelve All-Star appearances and, most importantly, five World Series championships. What has impressed me the most is that among so many legends, he will become the first Yankee to record 3000 hits. Something tangible will then set him apart from even Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, and countless others. With or without the career summary, it can be agreed that there isn’t much Derek Jeter hasn’t earned. In the past two seasons, however, his public perception has taken a negative turn. As we approach the All-Star break, one of the league’s most prestigious and now problematic players has become a story of his own. From his contract and position with the Yankees to his 2011 All-Star selection, what does Derek Jeter deserve right now?

While his reputation has exceeded his current production, many fans and analysts have gone overboard when critiquing Jeter’s situation. After a first half that rivals last year for the title of worst season ever in his career, Derek Jeter’s numbers are certainly unworthy of being selected for next week’s showcasing of the league’s best players. With that said, I have no problem with him receiving the most votes among shortstops for two simple reasons. First of all, as much as the league tries, this game does not matter. While it does determine home field advantage for the World Series, I cannot fully respect any game that benches all of the best players in the league and lets the reserve players determine the outcome of the game that alters the course of the championship series. If the game really mattered so much, Roy Halladay would end up pitching eight or nine innings, which I currently doubt. I see the All-Star game as a celebration of the players that have grown to or will soon represent this league. Because of the 3000 hit chase, this will most likely be the last time that Derek Jeter is at the forefront of baseball news for a personal accomplishment. What better direction to aim the spotlight? The second and more glaring reason is the overwhelming lack of competition among American League shortstops. In the National League, this would not have happened with Jose Reyes having an MVP season. However, telling me that Cleveland’s Asdrubal Cabrera is really being robbed would be an overstatement. He isn’t young enough to be the next rising star, and hasn’t been good enough in his career to be a well respected veteran. He is just a good player having a good year.

The Yankees issues with Jeter are much more complicated, but I will not tolerate anyone saying that this era’s pride of the Yankees is overpaid. This criticism plays into a natural trend that any athlete undergoes. The truth is that during his early years, Jeter was underpaid. He won two championships before ever making one million dollars in a season. He won five rings before making more than ten million in a season, which is still not in the conversation of league’s highest paid players. A-Rod was making about 25 million per year by the time he teamed up with Mr. November to win one. The key to breaking down athlete contracts is this: rookies make old-man veteran money, and the old guys make rookie money. This isn’t the NFL; rookie money isn’t the best thing in the world. Jeter earned his money, then he made it. Only problem is that his current production matches that of his first contract ($130,000 in 1996), so he is considered grossly overpaid. It is a system of paying one’s dues, and then the dues pay you. It will happen again once Robinson Cano finally makes the money he deserves, and by that time he will be past his prime and will likely be criticized in a similar manor.

I will stick up for Derek Jeter’s paychecks as long as I live, but his role on his team is a very different story, and needs to be seriously re-evaluated. During his time on the DL, Eduardo Nunez showed some promise as a hitter while making some shaky plays in the field. Overall, I believe that Jeter is still a marginally better player. However, we did not rely on Nunez to leadoff the game; Joe Girardi threw him into the seven spot and anything he did was considered a pleasant surprise. Jeter, on the other hand, is killing us as a leadoff man who simply does not get on base enough. In order to be used appropriately, Jeter has to be moved further down in the lineup after he reached 3000 career hits. Then one step further, after Jorge Posada presumably retires in the next year or so, make him the DH and start to groom the next shortstop. Pay the man the money he deserves, but winning is more important than any superstar’s ego.

The main aspect of this complicated situation is the intangible factor of loyalty. Derek Jeter never took fans for a ride by making every expiring contract into an auction; he never even entertained the idea of playing for another team. His leadership and clutch performances are unmatched, reviving a 22 time champion after the 1980s and making it 27. Jeter’s contract calls into question the price of such loyalty. Hank Steinbrenner determined that price to be about $56 million over four years as the captain’s last contract was finalized. I believe such a determination is more than worthy of the last we can squeeze out of the shortstop, numbuh two, Derek…Jeter.