Category Archives: Uncategorized

Basbeall, Fantasy Baseball, Sports, Uncategorized

Fantasy Busts: We’re Not Talking Big Boobs Here

May 13, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 2 Comments

Well, folks, for those of you that don’t know, I just got back from a long weekend bender in good ol’ Las Vegas. It’s time to put the chips down, step away from the Sports Book, and leave the fruity drinks at the pool and get back to reality. Or fantasy, as this week’s title may suggest.

My view the last 4 days. I hope you understand how important you are to me... — My view the last 4 days. I hope you understand how important you all are to me…

It’s time to catch up on a little Fantasy Baseball. So far this 2014 season I have given you my breakout players as well as some pleasant early surprises. Most of these players have held up thus far like Masahiro Tanaka, Jose Abreau, and Charlie Blackmon. For every great player that a fantasy “expert” finds there is an equal bust. Now, it is entirely too early in the season to deem someone a bust, but it’s never to early to call someone out for pissing me off on my fantasy team.

There are quite a few early season disappointments in 2014 fantasy baseball. What I find most disturbing is that a lot of them are on one of my two fantasy teams. I know what you are thinking: why should I continue reading this guy if he is flat out telling me he can’t draft? Well, put your mind at rest. I’m one game out of first place in both leagues and amongst the top three scorers in both as well. A few bums here and there don’t hurt the overall chemistry of a fantasy genius.

The following is a list of people that most likely have you ripping your hair out as we are just over a month into the season. I’m not focusing on guys you took a gamble on in the 20th round and aren’t panning out. If you really thought Josh Reddick was going to bounce back from his atrocious 2013 and took him any higher than the 20th round, that’s the drafters fault, not the players. I also won’t be touching upon players like CC Sabathia. Is he a tremendous let down thus far in 2014? Absolutley. However, CC was diminishing in velocity and ability last season. If you took him in the first ten rounds, again, you should be looking in the mirror for your blame. This list is composed of players that are keepers or players that are annually drafted in the first 10 rounds. This list is perennial All-Stars and multi-millionaires who are costing us hundredaire fantasy players our hard earned money.

TOP 5 DISAPPOINTING FANTASY BASEBALL PLAYERS IN 2014 SO FAR

5. Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego Padres. (.162, 5 HR, and 19 RBI)

If you're wondering how to pronounce his last name its BUM — If you’re wondering how to pronounce his last name its BUM

Gyorko was my minor league keeper two years ago and came into the 2013 season as my starting fantasy baseball third baseman for The Lammerts. He turned out to be one of the many problems that had my team go from 18-5 and 10 points shy of a championship to missing the playoffs. Gyorko turned it around late last season and hit 23 home runs, but I had already dropped him by then. This season I avoided him altogether and it is looking more like Gyorko, once one of baseball’s top prospects, may be a Quad-A hitter, or for those not versed in baseball lingo, a career-minor leaguer. Gyorko shifted to second base this season, a weaker position than third base, which should have given him a prime opportunity to put up Top 5 stats for his new slot. However, it is now May, and he is barely hitting a 9th grader’s weight. I am no longer a believer in Gyorko and if you have him, it is time to move him.

4. Wil Myers, OF/1B, Tampa Bay Rays (.257, 4 HR, 19 RBI)

Myers isn’t doing absolutely terrible one month into the young season. However, those who drafted him after his astounding 2013 Rookie of the Year campaign invested highly in the sophomore. Last season Myers, once the top prospect in baseball for the Kansas City Royals, came over to the Rays as the center piece in the James Shields trade. He was called up and in just over half a season, he put up the numbers of a superstar in the making. This season, however, he is struggling to live up to the high expectations he set for himself last year. It isn’t time to move on from Myers yet, but you may have to bench him for other options until he escapes his funk.

3. Hunter Pence, OF, San Francisco Giants (.250, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 6 SB)

It seems like for the last decade Hunter Pence is one of the safest plays in fantasy baseball. He consistently bats .280 to .295ish, bashes 25 to 30 HRs, scores about 90 runs, and drives in 90 to 100 runs all while stealing a nice amount of bases EVERY year. I never had the luxury of having Mr. Consistency, so when he was sitting there in the seventh round, I jumped on him. Now, he sucks. Ok, that is a bit harsh as it is only May and if there is one thing Pence doesn’t do, it is suck. He just isn’t performing at the elite level he usually does. Pence, over his 8-year career, has been a second-tier fantasy baseball outfielder, not quite a Jacoby Ellsbury but better than a Nick Swisher. This year, however, he isn’t making the same contact. He is getting on base and scoring a ton of runs though, so right now despite disappointing numbers, that shows he can turn it around. It isn’t worth trading him at this juncture because you won’t get anywhere near the return you invested in him. So you do what I do: sit back and curse him after every at bat until he breaks out of his early slump.

I got two veggie burritos in here. (photo credit: Star-Telegram)

2. Prince Fielder, 1B, Texas Rangers (.236, 3 HR, 14 RBI)

The Son of Cecil has been my fantasy keeper for five years now. People told me I should look to move on after last year’s down year. He still had 25 HRs, 106 RBI, and 82 runs scored in a “down year”, I said. He is going to play at The Ballpark and players have bashed home runs in a Rangers uniform since the mid-90s, I said. Now, Prince is making me look stupid.

The real problem he had last season that I should have noticed was his drop in OBP. On base percentage is the most important stat in real and fantasy baseball because it really determines everything else. If you get on base at a high percentage, it usually is because you can work counts. If you work counts, you either walk or, in Prince’s case, wait it out until you get your home run pitch. Fielder averaged nearly a .410 OBP over his first three seasons as my keeper. Last year, he dropped to .362. That’s a 50 point drop and that should have been a red flag. But I remained loyal to a guy who always produced for me and kept him. 25 home runs is no longer elite at the first baseman position neither, but I thought going to Texas would help him bounce back. Of course, the Rangers don’t have Miguel Cabrera batting in front of him, another red flag I should have noticed. If anyone can turn around a season in a week, it is Prince Fielder. But I think it is time to move him. The only question you have to ask yourself is this: how the hell does a vegetarian get that big?

1. Brian McCann, C, New York Yankees (.213, 4 HR, 12 RBI)

I drank the Kool-Aid. I saw McCann sitting there in the ninth round and though it was an absolute steal. I also thought I was pretty darn good at fantasy baseball, but now I wonder.

I live in Atlanta. I have been telling people this since last season. The second I saw Evan Gattis was a decent enough player for the Braves to move forward with, I knew Brian McCann would be coming to the Yankees. I gushed over how consistent he has been as one of the elite catchers in the league, and how the Little League dimensions of Yankee Stadium would make him the best catcher in baseball. So far, I am a bit off.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. McCann has been facing that pesky infield shift nearly every at bat over the first month. So instead of coming in and posterizing the right field fence as many thought he would, he has been learning how to use the entire field and beat the shift. As opposed to other players (Mark Teixeira, I’m looking at you, sir), McCann is trying to hit to all fields instead of going right at the shift and hitting a home run or bust. He has been coming around and spraying hits up the middle to center and left field. What the shift is doing, however, is making his career monster power numbers practically non-existent. There is no need to panic just yet, though. If he continues to grow and beat the shift, the infield will have to adjust back to normal, and McCann can start unloading on that right field porch. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been throwing stuff at my TV screen when my ninth round pick continues to struggle early on in 2014 though.

There you have it, fellow fantasy baseball friends and geeks. Remember, more than any other fantasy sport, baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. There is plenty of time to turn the season around, but trends may deem otherwise. If you hold on to the wrong guy because of his past you may perish down the stretch.

Until next time, let’s hope Donald Sterling keeps his mouth shut.

Basketball, NBA, Sports, Uncategorized

Sterling Silver Balls

May 4, 2014 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

A few months back amid Michael Sam coming out and Jason Collins officially becoming the first openly gay athlete in the Big Four sports, people asked me to blog about my thoughts on the topic. I refused for two reasons. The first was that I was new to the blog community and didn’t want to go down a controversial road and rub readers the wrong way so early in my young career. Secondly, I didn’t think it was much of a story. Let me explain.

By no means am I a hippy-dippy-let’s-all-be-happy type of person. I am neither a racist nor a homophobe, though. I simply tend to have a general disdain for every walk of life, which I believe was spawned from two things: teaching teenagers and working in the service industry. In both of those professions I have learned one thing. You can be black, brown, yellow, green, purple, gay, straight, or an asexual hermaphrodite, a majority of the time, I am going to assume that you are a douche. And I’m not the greatest person for that, but at least I don’t discriminate. When my good friend asked me recently why I decided to make this blogging thing a long term goal as a profession as opposed to a hobby and get out of the service industry, my answer was simple. I don’t like people. Obviously, that is spoken in hyperbole, because as I sit here with my new fiancé making our wedding invite list, we are freaking out over how many people are on it. All I really mean by it is that the reason I don’t like someone isn’t the color of their skin or who they decide to shack up with at the end of the night. Maybe I’m just old and bitter!

Anyway, I do believe what Michael Sam and Jason Collins did does have some heroism behind it. I think it’s great that now aspiring youngsters don’t need to worry about their sexuality in pursuing their dreams. But what I really think it shows is a disturbing trait in our society that this even matters. Why a gay person has to hide who they are to get ahead in America, the land of the free, the land of opportunity, the land where people can come to from any walk of life and have a chance to turn it around, is disgusting in my opinion. Now, Donald Sterling has poked his warped head and people want to know what I think.

The remarks made by Sterling just ten days after the nation celebrated Jackie Robinson Day are obviously disturbing to me. I have already explained to you that I am not racist, so why waste my time preaching about what everyone else has already said. There is so much more to this story that people don’t want to touch upon because what this story is really about will piss them off.

For those of you who live under a rock, let’s do a quick recap. TMZ leaked a tape in which he and his fellow waste-of-newsworthy-space mistress, V. Stiviano, got into a lover’s spat over a picture on Instagram with Magic Johnson. What ensued was some incredibly stupid and somewhat racist remarks by Sterling about who his girlfriend was allowed to bring to his Clippers’ games (I wonder who his wife is allowed to bring to Clippers’ games?). Adam Silver quickly stepped in and banned Sterling for life and is currently imploring all NBA owners to unite in forcing Sterling to sell the Clippers.

This is the picture that started it all? Really? Wow, Sterling that is racy... — This is the picture that started it all? Really? Wow, Sterling that is racy…

Racism has always been overtly blatant in European sports, specifically soccer. Many futbol fans have been talking about how small an issue this is compared to what goes on overseas. Barcelona defender, Dani Alves, was the most recent recipient of a banana thrown at him. This disgusting display of racism has happened for awhile in soccer, and now players are standing together and fighting back in a no racism campaign. My favorite Premiere League Team is often the brunt of anti-Semitism. The Tottenham Hotspur players and fans are often attacked and called “Yids” which is a very derogatory term when used incorrectly towards Jewish people. It is so bad that several players have been accused of making the Nazi salute during games against Tottenham. Racism has and always will occur in the world, especially in sports. Sports is where all walks of life come together. It is a powder keg for bigots to self-implode. This stuff is hardcore. This is racism at it’s worst. What Sterling did was plain old ignorant.

A lot of people have commented the last few days that Sterling is simply a product of his time and that most really old, rich, white guys are racist. Sterling just got caught saying what they all think, they’ll tell me. Is this somewhat true? Yes, as an 80-year old man, he grew up in a very different time in America. He witnessed when it was legally acceptable to be separate but equal. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr were at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement while Sterling was in law school planning on how to make his first million. Most people have tried to learn from the actions of that era and have moved on, but for people who were alive before that era, it is simply a way of life. Does that make it right? Is Sterling the victim here? By no means would I defend this swine, his statements in that recording were racist as were his actions several years before this. That’s not the real problem here, however.

Sterling went and said something in private about a race of people that turned him into the magnate he is. Adam Silver took action and delivered a harsh but very just punishment. Sterling is the first owner banned for life by the NBA, but in the end, he still wins. If he is forced to sell the team, he will be awarded billions. If he remains a stubborn old mule, he will still profit greatly, no matter how many sponsors and athletes pull their support. The real problem here is that when you are mega rich, there is little risk in the actions you take.

Sterling is just another example of why it is good to be rich and have celebrity status in America. If someone like you or I, dear reader, would have done something like this, believe me, the results would be much worse. But for Sterling, he stands to profit off of being an ignorant fool and offending an entire race of people along the way SEVERAL times. But since he has money and fame, his only real punishment is that he isn’t allowed to go to NBA games anymore. O.J. Simpson ring a bell, anyone? Go ahead, try it out. Flee a murder scene with two dead bodies on your own property in a Ford Bronco while eluding tons of police officers and resisting arrest all on national television. Then I implore you to use your one phone call and tell me the outcome.

What it really comes down to isn’t race. It is about a stupid man being able to get away with it and most likely not learn a lesson. Have you seen how many more times O.J. has been in court or gone to jail? Sterling got in trouble in the early 2000s for being a racist and he got in trouble again nearly a decade later for the same thing. And, just like last time, the end result is that Sterling is being set up for a huge pay day. Is his image smeared? Absolutely. But he is an 80-year old man, how much do you think he cares what myself or a bunch of millionaire basketball players think of him? Sure, he was fined the maximum amount permissible by NBA rules, but what’s 2.5 million dollars to a man worth billions?

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in an article for Time magazine, summed it up perfectly:

I’m bothered that everyone acts as if it’s a huge surprise. Now there’s all this dramatic and very public rending of clothing about whether they should keep their expensive Clippers season tickets. Really? All this other stuff I listed above has been going on for years and this ridiculous conversation with his girlfriend is what puts you over the edge? That’s the smoking gun?

He was discriminating against black and Hispanic families for years, preventing them from getting housing. It was public record. We did nothing. Suddenly he says he doesn’t want his girlfriend posing with Magic Johnson on Instagram and we bring out the torches and rope. Shouldn’t we have all called for his resignation back then? (Taken from the Washington Post blog.

Kareem is a very outspoken athlete in his beliefs, but it is hard to disagree with him. It wasn’t until it home to millionaire athletes and coaches that something was done. When he was turning away tenants in his housing projects and being sued in courts of law for overt racism, David Stern sat back and did nothing. Sterling screwing over the lower class based on their race was apparently A-Ok then, as long as he wasn’t doing it to his highly paid superstars. (Incidentally, should the players and coaches have truly walked away from the NBA like they threatened, they would still be millionaires. If someone like myself or you, my loyal followers of Wayniac Nation, did the same to our job, we would be in dire straits.) Now, all of a sudden we care. I think Adam Silver was fair and just in his actions, however there is only so much he can do as a commissioner of a sport. But he certainly laid down the law and let the NBA know there is a new sheriff in town. Only time will tell how Sterling responds.

I need to cool off. Until next time folks, we are just days away from the NFL Draft!

Basketball, Entertainment, Movies, NBA, Sports, Sports, Baseball, Uncategorized

Don’t Get Caught Watching the Paint Dry

April 27, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 4 Comments

The 27 months of NBA playoffs are upon us. The twelve year journey to anoint the 2014 NBA Champion started a week ago and I guess it has been entertaining. I haven’t watched a single minute and unless the Spurs make the Finals, I most likely won’t.

What I did watch, however, was a bunch of basketball movies and clips to prepare for this week’s post. Based on the success of my Fantasy Dream Amazeballs All-Hollywood Baseball Team I have put together a hoops’ movie team in honor of the NBA Playoffs. The criteria will be the same. There will be no real players, so that eliminates pretty much the entire cast of Like Mike (thank god) except Bow Wow and Morris Chestnut. Nor will Michael Jordan from Space Jam or Leonardo DiCRAPio’s Jim Carroll from Basketball Diaries be considered for the starting line-up. Earl “The Goat” Manigault is also ineligible, despite the movie rumored being a nearly fictional account of his life. Just like last time, likenesses and characters based on real players are perfectly acceptable. Real players playing fictional characters are also welcome. So, sit back and enjoy your Sunday with the:

THE ALL-TIME FICTIONAL HOOPIDITY DOOPITY ALLY OOPITY BASKETBALL MOVIE TEAM

Point Guard: You would think Wesley Snipes is the greatest athlete of all time! He had TWO characters in consideration for the baseball roster and now makes his case for basketball. Sidney Deane (White Man Can’t Jump) was flashy and loud talking but he had some mad skills to hold his own against anyone. His passing ability was uncanny. Deane’s counterpart, Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson, White Man Can’t Jump) has a deadly three pointer, but he may be too old to contribute to this team. Can he still drive to the hoop and lead this team? Well, if Harrelson can’t cut it as Billy Hoyle, maybe he can as Monix (Semi Pro). Monix was the aged, knee-less, veteran who came in and helped turn around the Flint Tropics dream season. Sure, Calvin Cambridge’s (Lil Bow Wow, Like Mike) entire playing ability was dependent on MJ’s magic shoes, but wasn’t everybody’s back then? Lola Bunny (herself, Space Jam) was bound for WNBA stardom. Despite the MonStars cheap shots and over powering size and demeanor, Lola never backed down and took it right to them.

Starter: I’m going with Lola here. The other guys in this category are good, but they are either hustlers or destined for a bench role. Plus, Lola showed no fear against monsters for crying out loud. That’s who I want manning … er, womanning … er, wasckily wabbiting my team.

Shooting Guard: This category is over flowing with stars. Jesus Shuttleworth (Ray Allen, He Got Game) immediately comes to mind. He is raw, but man can he shoot. He has a jump shot that is strikingly similar to NBA star Ray Allen’s, which I still think is the prettiest natural shot of our generation. Clarence “Coffee Black” Brown (Andre 3000 Benjamin, Semi-Pro) not only gets a look due to his overwhelming basketball skills, but he has the heart of a champion willing to sacrifice everything to play for a loser. The lovable Air Bud (Buddy, Air Bud) gets some love because he’s so damn cute. Plus, like Ed the chimp on my baseball roster… he’s a freaking animal! Tell me you wouldn’t pay some serious duckets to watch a dog break some ankles and drop some dimes. Lewis Scott (Damon Wayans, Celtic Pride) was so good Daniel Stern and Dan Aykroyd had to kidnap him.

Starter: No question it is Shuttleworth. As we learned in Big Lebowski, nobody f’s with da Jesus!

Small Forward: Another position full of elite athletes and superstars. Scott Howard (Michael J. Fox, Teen Wolf) is a mixed bag. If he shows up as Scott Howard, this team is screwed. But if he shows up as The Wolf… look out! Howard turns from a 5-foot, seventh man off the bench type of player to a guy who can dunk like MJ by simply adding some fur. Jimmy Chitwood (Maris Valainis, Hoosiers) is the game changing character based on Bobby Plump. The downside to Chitwood is all that he can do is shoot. As much as he brought to that amazing run, if he goes ice cold, his team is in trouble. Moses Guthrie (Julius “Dr. J” Erving, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh) saved a whole damn city. If you haven’t seen this cult classic go watch it. It is a terribly fun movie about a failing basketball team formed around their star player’s zodiac sign, Pisces (hence the fish), to win basketball games. Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown, Finding Forrester) is one of the more unheralded basketball movie stars due to his youth and raw talent. He was heavily recruited by private schools across New York and showed he’s got serious skills on the floor and in the classroom. Butch McRae (Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, Blue Chips) had it all: ball handling skills, a nice shot, and a beautiful house for his mother.

Starter: I’m going Guthrie. He’s Dr. J and that means two things: awesome dunks and an even more awesome ‘fro!

Power Forward/ Center: I’m clumping these two positions together, because let’s face it, that’s how it works these days. Tim Duncan may be the best power forward to ever play the game, but he still has to match-up at center sometimes. I want my big men to have that same ability.

Somehow, the dreadful Flint Tropics send their third candidate to roster consideration in the PF/C category. Team owner, leader, and all around entertainer Jackie Moon (Will Ferrell, Semi Pro) has more dance moves than basketball skills, but he can still ball. Neon Boudeaux (Shaquille O’Neal, Blue Chips) is just as much a beast on the floor as the man who played him. You need a monster dunk or complete domination inside the paint? You simply call on this Neon blue-chip prospect. He may have earned a Razzie Nomination for his acting, but we are judging on ball skills here. One of the many degrees of Kevin Bacon gets the final nod. Saleh (Charles Gitong Maina, The Air Up There) was not only the savior of Jimmy Dolan’s career, but he saved his own tribe with the game winning shot against the evil mining company.

Starters: Neon and Saleh. Talk about Towers of Power. These guys could rival Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Neon, with more natural skills, will probably slide into the four while Saleh will man the center position. Besides, any player that you can mistake for the cartoon MonStar Pound from Space Jam is ok in my books.

The Bench:

Monix gets the nod to back things up at the point guard position. Sure, he’s older than Harrelson’s Hoyle, but all Hoyle has is a sweet shot and that was mainly when he was left wide open. Monix still has the heart to cut to the hole even if he can barely walk. Chitwood makes the squad because as a situational player there will be very few better. Down by three with just seconds left? Run the picket fence and get Jimmy open… just don’t get caught watching the paint dry! Jamal Wallace makes the team as a reserve because of his raw ability to swing from the two to the three and his basketball and regular IQ reign supreme to just about everyone else on the court. Moon merits a roster spot on notoriety alone. If we need a quick promotion, Moon is the man. Scott Howard gets the call, but he is only allowed to play when donned in fur. I want The Wolf. The last guy to round out the bench is someone that wasn’t nominated for a starting role, but he stepped up when the Beavers needed him most. Chubby (Mark Holton, Teen Wolf) turned from zero to hero when he simply crushed the Dragons. How he fit into those 80s shorty short uniforms is amazing in itself.

Head Coach: Edwina “Eddie” Franklin (Whoopi Goldberg) certainly deserves some consideration because she turned around a dismal New York Knicks team after being the female Spike Lee. However, she won’t coach my team simply because I despise the Knicks and rather see them stay in the basement. In fact, I could watch a two hour movie about how bad the Knicks are, but that movie would be called 2013-14 season. The man I want at the helm has a shaky past and an unprecedented way of handling his offense. He found the best ways to utilize each and everyone of his players, even if it was getting Ollie in there for a few under handed free throws. No one was better at motivational speeches and when the team needed a fire lit under it’s ass, he’d go off the deep end and get ejected. Norman Dale (Gene Hackman, Hoosiers) is my guy. He will lead this team to glory.

Did I get it right? Sound off and let me know if I gave the wrong players a start or if I left someone off entirely. Until then, check back in 7.5 million hours when we finally name the 2014 NBA Champion!

Basbeall, Sports, Uncategorized

Living in a House Divided

April 23, 2014 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

Here we are once again, folks. Round 2 of the Red Sox and Yankees rivalry 2014 version. It’s a topic that has been discussed, blogged, and written about for decades yet up until right now I’ve never given my two cents on it. Being that it’s tax season and the IRS once again took about all the money I had in my savings account, I’m lucky to have two cents to give you.

But I do, so you’ll listen. I hate the Red Sox. I hate their players, I hate their stadium, and I despise their fans. These guys are serious jerks. Philly fans are awful, don’t get me wrong, but Red Sox fans… ugh. You see the problem with Red Sox fans is that they have tunnel vision. Nothing is better than the Red Sox and nothing else exists. The Red Sox could finish 32-130 and the Chicago Cubs could go 162-0 and break their World Series curse, and a Red Sox fan would have no idea that it was happening. All they would know is that they finished 100 games under .500 and somehow it would be the Yankees fault. Me, as a Yankee fan, sure I want to see the Red Sox go 0-162, but there are plenty of other teams I loathe. The Mets — screw ’em. The Rays -we can’t beat these bastards. They literally own the Yankees and they aren’t even that great a team. Stay focused, Wayniac… we are talking about Red Sox fans.

I met Golden in 1997. He was a diehard Sox fan from Boston and he quickly became part of my close knit group of friends at University of Delaware. He, however, was unique. He knew everything, I mean everything, about baseball. He actually used the word “respect” when discussing Yankees/Red Sox history. I am still in a fantasy league with Golden 17 years later and I can tell you he was the first Red Sox fan I could talk shop with in my life and would dare call a friend. (I know you’re reading this @bosoxforever, but we went to high school together in New Jersey. @bosoxforever never gloated about the Red Sox, and no one really believed that someone in our high school could actually be a Red Sox fan with how close we lived to Yankee Stadium. So even though we still talk 25 years later, he’s a high school friend, not a Red Sox fan).

Then I moved to Atlanta in 2002 and these guys were everywhere. I mean they were like a virus, infesting every sports bar inside the perimeter. This was when the Sox were getting good and priming up for their current run that has them as the reigning World Champs for the third time in a decade. I was working at Jocks and Jills when I met Orlando and Evan.

These guys were Boston. I don’t mean they lived near Boston and were from the city. I mean these guys pahked their cah in the pahking lot when they came to work. They liked American beer and reeked of baked beans. They didn’t just like the game of baseball, they more importantly knew baseball, and we clicked. I watched Boone go yard standing right next to Orlando. It was glorious: We were at Jocks and Jills watching because both of us had the night off. Boone cranked that pitch and Orlando threw his beer bottle across the bar (through the air not giving a crap who or what he hit, mind you) as soon as Boone made contact. I took a running leap onto Bob’s back, a fellow Yankee fan who happened to be working and had a tray full of drinks in his hands. To this day, I’m not sure what was more amazing, Boone’s home run or Bob’s tray balancing skills. A year later, Orlando sat right next to me during Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS. I stormed out of Benchwarmers because I, to this day, firmly believe if I didn’t see it happen, then it never did. You know, it’s just like Carl Everett’s take on dinosaurs: if Carl Everett never saw a dinosaur, then there must have never been any. These two guys taught me all Sox fans aren’t terrible. Most are, but some pass the test. Orlando and I will always have that tie of where we were when two of the most monumental events in the oldest rivalry in pro sports went down and that forms a kinship, friend or foe. I could sit down with either of them right now and talk shop. Sure, we would rip each other apart and it would get heated, but Yankees and Red Sox debates are not for the faint of heart.

Almost two years ago, I met the love of my life and she was perfect in every way… well, almost. She loves sports, which I think is damn sexy, but she is from New Hampshire. She is a Red Sox fan and it is miserable. Not only did I have to endure a playoff-less 2013 with her as my girlfriend, the Sox had to go and win the freaking title. It was brutal, and because of it, there is now a picture of Fenway Park hanging on the wall of our place. That is just sickening and I am ashamed to admit to it but alas, ’tis true.

Her father is one of the biggest blow hard, Yankee haters I know. I had to sit there and watch the Sox win Game One of the 2013 World Series next to him. I have literally stormed out of the room because he is one of those Sox fans who honestly believe Derek Jeter sucks and is overrated. I mean, come on. I hate, HATE, HATE, David Ortiz. I want him to eat so many cheeseburgers he puts on that 400 pounds that he lost and can never play again. But, if he were to sign with the Yankees tomorrow, I say put him in pinstripes and let him bat third. If he brought the Yankees a title like Johnny Damon did, he would soon become likable.

As it turns out, he gets more of a kick out of pushing my buttons than he cares about my Yankee allegiance. Once I realized that he was riling me up on purpose to get a laugh, we got along fine and I can watch games and talk smack with him now. It’s actually comical how worked up he gets over the Red Sox. If a guy flies out with a runner on first he’s a “loser”. If he hits a home run on the next at bat, he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now, we even talk smack long distance. This is what I got from him the other day:

It doesn’t matter how much you like someone or accept who they are, when it comes to Red Sox and Yankee fans, on game day… it’s war.

So, I had to fight and get around it. Some people don’t understand how hard it is. Some people are like, it’s sports, it shouldn’t effect reality. But it’s more than that. It’s passion, it’s memories, it’s riding the lows to get to the ultimate high. You ever hear of ecstasy? Cocaine? None of those compare to the euphoric feeling that one of my teams winning a title gives me. I get so pumped. Back when I was a Northerner, when the Yankees won a title and hundreds of strangers were in a bar or in the streets or anywhere, we ran around hugging or high-fiving everybody until you got home. That’s an experience I can never have with my girlfriend. She wouldn’t even say congratulations if the Yankees won, and she didn’t get mad at me when I refused her fist pump after the Red Sox did. That’s the way it’s going to be and we are ok with it.

My editor, who is more of a Phillies’ fan sent a text to me while reading over this. He posed a great question. What makes Yankee fans so perfect? If you ask me, you both suck. I get it. Yankee fans have a swagger because of all those trophies we have. We Yankee fans wear those trophies as badge of honor.

Swagger? Varrass asked dumbfounded. It’s kind of lame, no? You’re like the popular high school kid who peaked his senior year. You live off your past achievements. No matter how bad you do, a Yankee fan always brings up the rings. And if you didn’t notice, the Red Sox have more than you do over the last 10 years.

Holy crap… am I Al Bundy?

Are Yankee fans the reason behind the Red Sox fans’ bitterness? Did the arrogance we call swagger divide two cities because of baseball? This bothered me, because until right there, I never thought a Yankee fan to be at fault. I thought about all those people who wear the NY on their head because the Yankees are the best and they don’t know a single player on the roster. I think about those fans who desecrate the logo in camouflage or pink or any other stupid color and then I start getting mad at my own. Then I thought about last season.

Don't you shake that hand, Mo... it's a trap... (Credit: Boston Globe) — Don’t you shake that hand, Mo… it’s a trap…
(Credit: Boston Globe)

The Red Sox team and fan base gave The Sandman the warmest sendoff of all the teams on his Farewell Tour last season. Red Sox fans actually stood and applauded for the man who gave them trouble for nearly two decades. They were genuinely cheering the retirement of one of their greatest enemies of all time. I wondered if there was a single Red Sox in all my life that I would have ever felt that way for and the answer is no. Is Varrass right? Are Yankee fans really the scourge of the earth? Are Red Sox fans… nice?

Who the hell cares if we are? I will continue to prejudge anyone in a Red Sox hat as a Masshole and they will continue to hate me for being a Yankee fan. Through that hatred, the greatest love is born. The Red Sox Yankees rivalry transcends baseball. It’s life. And I wouldn’t live mine any other way!

Football, Sports, Uncategorized

STOP MOCKING ME!

April 20, 2014 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

Wayniac Nation is proud to introduce to you our newest edition. Tim “Saucy T” Mason is part of “The Thread”, the legendary group text message that started my wheels turning, my gears grinding, and provided a lot of the fodder that motivated me to create The Wayniac blog. Tim, a die hard Falcons’, was simply miserable this past NFL season. I know because I sat through several tough ones next to him. When the Falcons were 2-9 in November, Tim started talking about the draft. No lie, November. With not an inkling of a clue of how the last five games would turn out or what draft pick the Falcons would snag, this guy turned his attention to scouting what the Falcons needed with an early pick in the draft. He and Sperry would spit out different options at different draft picks on a weekly basis. Once I realized I didn’t know half the offensive lineman or tight ends or linebackers they were taking about, it only seemed right that I ask Saucy T to join Wayniac Nation as our Draft Expert. So, without further ado:

MASON’S MOCK 2014 NFL DRAFT:

When I started preparing for my 1st annual NFL mock draft, I started thinking about how amazing the NFL is. What other sport draws 7.7 MILLION viewers for the first round of its amateur draft… on a Thursday. In total, almost 20 million viewers tuned in to watch the 3-day event. I started to wonder what made the NFL Draft so great, and then it all clicked.

A rumor began to circulate about a possible Goonies’ sequel. Stay with me here and let me explain. Growing up I, like many children of the 80’s, loved The Goonies. The Truffle Shuffle hit the mainstream months before the famous Super Bowl Shuffle. When I heard that there might be a sequel I began to think of all the possibilities, and I was both anxious and filled with hope. They may never make a Goonies’ sequel, or they might make a terrible Goonies’ sequel, but there is a chance that they make something great. Richard Donner may just give us the perfect blend of humor, adventure and nostalgia to create another classic piece of cinema. Similarly, guys like Jadeveon Clowney, Mike Evans, and Johnny Manziel could end up as busts, but maybe, just maybe they are the perfect blend of size, speed, and heart that makes a great NFL player. The NFL Draft gives us a sense of hope. In a league filled with parity, one great draft could change any team’s fate. The Dog Pound in Cleveland, The Hoggettes in D.C., and The Flock in Atlanta all believe that their teams are just one great draft away from hoisting that Lombardi Trophy, and they all tune in anxiously waiting to see the next jersey they will buy. I’m sure my mock draft won’t be perfect (nobody is), but I’m trying to balance what I think each team’s needs are with the best available players and I’ve thrown in a few trades for fun. And just remember if this year’s draft doesn’t work out for your team, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are only a year away, and “GOONIES NEVER SAY DIE”.

1. Houston Texans – Jadeveon Clowney (DE/South Carolina)
12 years ago the Houston Texans were a newborn NFL franchise and had the number one overall pick in the NFL draft. They had to make a decision between a small school quarterback (David Carr) and a once in a generation talent at defensive end (Julius Peppers). Sound familiar? I think the Texans learn from their rookie mistake and take the best player in this draft.
Trade… Minnesota Vikings trade pick 8, pick 40, and 2015 second round pick to St. Louis Rams for pick 2

2. Minnesota Vikings – Teddy Bridgewater (QB/Louisville)
Some quick facts about the Vikings:

1. They are only one year removed from being a playoff team.
2. They have a running back who is 29 years old (I know how great AP is, but LT was great, too, and his wheel’s still came off at the dreaded age of 29).
3. They need a quarterback. Teddy Bridgewater is the most NFL ready QB in this draft and can help the Vikings contend immediately.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars – Sammy Watkins (WR/Clemson)
The Jaguars miss out on Teddy Bridgewater and will wait until round two to find their signal caller. Justin Blackmon will probably never put on the hideous Jaguars helmet again, which means Jacksonville will be looking for some playmakers to help whoever is under center. Sammy Watkins is the best receiver in this class, and will help give Jacksonville fans something exciting to watch when the games aren’t blacked out.

4. Cleveland Browns – Derek Carr (QB/Fresno State)
Many believe that the Browns will wait until pick 26 to take their next quarterback, but then they have to worry about those pesky teams trading back into round two to hop them. Although they may look at one of tackles, I think they decide to take “their guy” at the most important position in the NFL. (But they’ll probably change their mind next year and draft Mariota) Nothing will ever surprise me with the Browns.

5. Oakland Raiders – Khalil Mack (OLB/Buffalo)
Khalil Mack plays with a violence on the football field that I’m sure Raiders fans in the Black Hole will fall in love with, and playing in a division with guys like Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers you had better be able to get pressure on the QB. Khalil Mack will add some much needed youth to a newly signed veteran linebacking group.

6. Atlanta Falcons – Greg Robinson (OT/Auburn)
Atlanta was hoping to land one of the premier pass rushers in this draft (Clowney or Mack) but getting a true mauler like Greg Robinson will instantly help keep Arthur Blank’s $103 million investment, Matty Ice, off his back, and that’s a pretty nice consolation prize. Robinson can slide right in at RT and slide to LT after new O Line coach Mike Tice helps him with his pass blocking.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mike Evans (WR/Texas A&M)

After trading away Mike Williams and all of his off-field issues, the Buccaneers are left with Vincent Jackson at wide receiver and … Skye Dawson? Tommy Streeter? Exactly. The Buccaneers probably need to find two wide receivers in this draft and would do well to draft the first one here.

8. St. Louis Rams – Jake Matthews (OT/Texas A&M)
Back to back Aggies coming off the board. Although the Rams didn’t get an RGIII type of haul in their trade back, they still get a guy they may have considered at pick 2 plus a couple of second round picks. Jeff Fisher coached Jake’s dad, Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, with the Oilers/Titans organization and has seen Jake grow up from a small boy (if he was ever “small”) into possibly the most NFL ready tackle in this class.

9. Buffalo Bills – Taylor Lewan (OT/Michigan)
The Bills would love if Matthews slid one more spot to them, but since he is already gone they may reach slightly to take a player at a position of need. Last year the Bills shocked everyone by drafting E.J. Manuel extremely high due to his “lunchpail” mentality. Lewan has that same blue collar attitude and plays with a mean streak that will endear him to the diehard fans in Toronto, err… uh.. I mean Buffalo. The Toronto Bills won’t be on the clock until 2016.

10. Detroit Lions – Justin Gilbert (CB/Oklahoma St.)
There is a lot of chatter about the Lions moving up for Sammy Watkins, but Detroit has plenty of weapons. When you have to line up against Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery twice a year it will be nice to have a 6’0/202 lb CB with 4.37 speed like Gilbert.

Trade… St. Louis Rams trade pick 13 and pick 110 to Tennessee Titans for pick 11

11. St. Louis Rams – Ha’sean Clinton-Dix (S/Alabama)
The value of a great safety is increasing in the NFL. Look no further than the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks. If you need to look further, just look at the contracts that guys like Jarius Byrd and TJ Ward got in free agency. That kind of money is no joke. Ha Ha will definitely provide the coaching staff in St. Louis with a defensive playmaker in the back half of their defense.
12. New York Giants – Aaron Donald (DT/Pitt)
After losing Linval Joseph in free agency the Giants are left looking for a DT in the draft and they get the best one here at twelve. Aaron Donald may be slightly undersized, but he plays much bigger than his 285 lbs. Donald will help the Giants defensive line get back to their Super Bowl winning ways when they wreaked havoc on quarterbacks throughout the NFL.

13. Tennessee Titans – Darqueze Dennard (CB/Michigan St.)
Darqueze Dennard will help the Titans ease the loss of Alterraun Verner to the Buccaneers. Many experts believe Dennard is the best CB in this class and he will be able to step in and start right away. Dennard will go through growing pains just like most rookie CBs, but he has all the tools to succeed in the long run.

Thank you SNL for Da Bears, Da Bears, Da Bears... — Thank you SNL for Da Bears, Da Bears, Da Bears…

14. Chicago Bears – C.J. Mosley (ILB/Alabama)
The Chicago Bears and middle linebackers go together like John Hughes’ movies and teen angst. The middle linebacker position has long been the anchor of great defenses in Chicago, and their defense last year was anything but great (ranked 31st in points allowed). Although they need help along the defensive line and in the secondary, Mosley is the best defensive player available here and will hope to patrol Soldier field as well as Butkus, Singletary, and Urlacher did before him.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers – Louis Nix III (NT/Notre Dame)
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the few teams that have been running the 3-4 defense longer than I can remember. They certainly understand that without a big body in the middle to eat up blockers, their playmaking linebackers will not be able to make plays. Louis Nix III definitely fills that void. At 6’2/331 lbs Nix will be able to anchor the middle of the defense and allow young guys like last years first round pick Jarvis Jones run free and make plays.

Trade… Green Bay Packers trade pick 21, pick 85, and pick 121 to Dallas Cowboys for pick 16 and pick 158.

16. Green Bay Packers – Calvin Pryor (S/Louisville)
The Packers need help in the back half of their defense. The fear that Baltimore will be looking for a safety at 17 will leave Green Bay no alternative to pay the price and jump in front of the Ravens to take Pryor. Pryor is a big hitter and will help the Packers bolster their 25th ranked rush defense.

17. Baltimore Ravens – Brandin Cooks (WR/Oregon St.)
Baltimore’s offense lacked playmakers last year as they went through a Super Bowl hangover season. They’ve brought in Steve Smith in free agency, but at 34 years old he isn’t the playmaker he once was. Brandin Cooks is only 5’10, but who better to help him develop into a true NFL weapon than Steve Smith, who is only 5’9 himself.

18. New York Jets – Eric Ebron (TE/UNC)
Eric Ebron fits the mold of the new pass catching tight end in the NFL. The Jets would love for him to slide all the way to 18 and be able to give Geno Smith a real weapon and security blanket to help him cut down on the 21 interceptions he threw in his rookie year.

19. Miami Dolphins – Zack Martin (G,T/Notre Dame)
The Miami Dolphins offensive line issues in 2013 extended far beyond play on the field. With Richie Incognito and Jonathon Martin gone from the team and the locker room, the Dolphins will look to rebuild their offensive line from the ground up. Martin gives them a tough, gritty player that can play all over the line. Definitely a luxury to have when rebuilding.

20. Arizona Cardinals – Ra’Shede Hageman (DT/Minnesota)
In order to compete with San Francisco and Seattle, the Cardinals look to strengthen their defense by bringing in what could turn out to be the steal of the first round. Hageman has the physical tools to be a top ten pick, but has never put it all together. If Bruce Arians and the Arizona coaching staff can find a way to keep Hageman motivated, it might just be enough to help the Cardinals leap frog the 49ers in the NFL’s new black and blue division.

Trade… San Francisco 49ers trade pick 30 and pick 61 to Dallas Cowboys for pick 21.

I'm a super hero biatch (courtesy of uclabruins.com) — I’m a super hero biatch (courtesy of uclabruins.com)

21. San Francisco 49ers- Anthony Barr (OLB/UCLA)
The 49ers have three picks in the first two rounds and a roster without many holes. These two things allow them the luxury of slightly overpaying to move up and get a pass rusher who was once considered to be a top ten pick. With Aldon Smith’s future in San Francisco in doubt, Barr will be able to help fill that void. Although Barr is very raw his ceiling is as high as any pass rusher in this class.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Odell Beckham Jr. (WR/LSU)
The Philadelphia Eagles released Desean Jackson this offseason, and will look to add more weapons to Chip Kelly’s fast paced offense to replace him. Beckham Jr. will probably be third on the depth chart as a rookie, behind Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin, but in that offense you can never have too many weapons.

23. Kansas City Chiefs – Marqise Lee (WR/USC)
Marqise Lee was once considered to be the top wide receiver in the 2014 draft class and a sure fire top ten pick. A down 2013 season for Lee and USC along with some of the other wideouts breaking out led to Lee sliding down most draft boards. The Chiefs will gladly end Lee’s slide as they look to strengthen an offense looking for more weapons beyond Jamal Charles and Dwayne Bowe.

Trade… New England Patriots trade pick 29, pick 130, and pick 198 to Cincinnati Bengals for pick 24.

24. New England Patriots – Cody Latimer (WR/Indiana)
With a run on wide recievers beginning, and a few wideout needy teams (Carolina, New Orleans) in front of them, the Patriots pull the trigger and move up to get Tom Brady the big outside target he has been lacking since Randy Moss left. At 6’3 and 215 lbs, Latimer will provide a big body on the outside to help give guys like Amendola and Edelman room to run free underneath.
25. San Diego Chargers – Bradley Roby (CB/Ohio State)
Roby is another player with all the physical tools to be a top 15-20 pick, but his off the field issues may be enough to make some teams shy away. Roby may start as a nickel back his rookie year, but having to go up against Peyton Manning twice, the Chargers will look to have a strong nickel defense.

Trade… Oakland Raiders trade pick 36 and pick 67 to Cleveland Browns for pick 26.

Lindsey Duke (Bortles' girlfriend)... the next Raiderette? — Lindsey Duke (Bortles’ girlfriend)… the next Raiderette?

26. Oakland Raiders – Blake Bortles (QB/UCF)
The Oakland Raiders traded for Matt Schaub for their short term answer at QB, and move back into the first round to get their long term answer at the position. Many have Bortles going in the top ten picks, but once he makes it past the QB needy teams, his tumble down the board begins. Bortles will have time in Oakland to learn under Schaub for a year or two before he takes over.

27. New Orleans Saints – Kony Ealy (DE/Missouri)
Rob Ryan helped transform the Saints defense from a laughing stock into a serviceable unit in just one year. The front office gave him a new piece to help the secondary in Jarius Byrd, and now they will add another pass rusher to help the defense take the next step.

28. Carolina Panthers – Morgan Moses (OT/Virginia)

Jordan Gross chose to retire at age 33, leaving a hole on the Carolina Panthers offensive line. Morgan Moses is a raw athlete, but possesses all the physical tools to turn into a great tackle in the NFL.

29. Cincinnati Bengals – Ryan Shazier (OLB/Ohio State)
The Bengals don’t have many positions of need, but Shazier will be able to add depth to a great defense and can play inside and outside linebacker.

30. Dallas Cowboys – Timmy Jernigan (DT/FSU)
The Cowboys switch to a Tampa 2 defense last year didn’t quite go as planned. Monte Kiffin is out as defensive coordinator, but his replacement Rod Marinelli also runs the Tampa 2 and will be looking for a defensive tackle to play the Warren Sapp role in his defense and help apply pressure from the interior of the line. Jernigan would be a perfect fit in that role and will help make the Cowboys defense look a little more like those great Bucs and Bears teams running the Tampa 2.

31. Denver Broncos – Kyle Fuller (CB/Virginia Tech)
Adding Aqib Talib in free agency will help bolster the Denver secondary, but Talib has a history of not playing in all 16 games, so adding another CB in the draft will provide the Broncos with depth and insurance.

32. Seattle Seahawks – Kelvin Benjamin (WR/FSU)
The Seahawks will continue to be a team that wins by running the ball and playing great defense, but adding Kelvin Benjamin will help give them a true red zone threat at the receiver position that could take their offense to the next level.

You can follow Tim at @TheSportsBard on Twitter.

Basbeall, Sports, Sports, Baseball, Uncategorized

MY FIRST INTERVIEW!!!

April 19, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 7 Comments

Usually I spend quite a few minutes each week before my posts to think of a witty title for each one. I try to find something that is relevant and hopefully tickles your funny bone. This title took less time to think of than it did to type. That’s because I’m just so darn tootin’ excited!

Aside from writing and running the Wayniac Nation, I write for the Sports Illustrated affiliated Yankees’ site called Yanks Go Yard. My first article published in early February so, much like the real Yankees, I was starting my Spring Training, too. It has been an interesting ride as I went from an unexperienced blogger to a guy who would write about the prospects that no one heard of, to having my own Monday feature column called The Bronx is Boiling where I tell Yankee fans what grinds my gears about the squad, and now I head up the minor league coverage team.

I really like minor league baseball. For one, nobody knows who these kids are. You can go to any newspaper, Yankee site, or blog and find a readily available article about Jeter, Tanaka, or CC. But I get to provide you daily with information about the Charleston RiverDogs and Mike Ford. I write about the Trenton Thunder and bring you updates on Mason Williams and Tyler Austin. I watch the Tampa Yankees and get excited when Rafael De Paula blows one by more of the opposition. I also keep tabs on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders because at the Triple A level, they have the future Baby Bombers most ready to be in pinstripes.

Courtesy of ESPN. Sadak is the one on the left labeled John Sadak.

John Sadak is the RailRiders play-by-play man and watches a heck of a lot more minor league baseball than I do. That’s why it was perfect that he was my first interview on my long journey towards establishing myself in this sports writing game. Sadak is a pretty highly decorated announcer twice winning the the Delaware Sportscaster of the Year, then adding the Carolina League Announcer of the Year award 2012, and last season with the RailRiders he took home Ballpark Digests’ Broadcaster of the Year. Plus, for nearly a decade, he was the voice of my alma mater’s women’s basketball team. GO BLUE HENS!!!

When my editor at Yanks Go Yard, Billy Brost, asked if I could jump on this Q & A for him, I did not hesitate… and I’m glad I didn’t. Sadak was the perfect first interview and gave me insight as to how these should go in the future. That is, in hopes that there are many more in the future!

Enough of me. Let’s get right to it. Due to certain legalities I can only provide you with the link to my article at Yanks Go Yard, so enjoy this Q & A with John Sadak!

Basbeall, Fantasy Baseball, Sports, Sports, Baseball, Uncategorized

Fantasy-holics Anonymous

April 13, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 1 Comment

Well, folks, it was quite the weekend in Augusta. Bubba Watson sure came to play, didn’t he? There was also a lot of baseball going on, which means us fantasy geeks are trying to figure out who is for real and who is about to fall apart. It is still early but thus far there have been some pleasant surprises.

No, no, no... not this kind of Fantasy Baseball. — No, no, no… not this kind of Fantasy Baseball.

Take, for example, Giancarlo Mike Stanton. I had a chance to make him one of my keepers entering the 2014 season but I passed for two reasons. He burned me bad last season and every fantasy junkie has “The List”: a group of players that no matter how good they are will never appear on your team again because they were a bust for you the one time you had them. I was also worried about the lingering injuries that slowed him last season. Boy, was I wrong. He is the top scoring player in most fantasy formats right now and he is absolutely smashing home runs. I’m talking about moonshots here, folks.

Enough about Stanton and how he continues to find ways to screw my fantasy team without even being on it. Let’s take a look at a few guys that came out of the gate on fire and are still under owned in many fantasy leagues.

5 BIG SURPRISES IN THE 2014 FANTASY BASEBALL SEASON:

5. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Colorado Rockies.

From that point on... I was runnin — From that point on… I was runnin

I have followed Blackmon for awhile because my friend Ariel, aka Earl, grew up with him. He has never been a big power bat but he can hit and hit at a high average. Any player who is good at making contact and has the luxury of playing at Coors Field definitely deserves a look. He’s currently batting .488 and getting on base nearly half the time he comes to the plate. He only has one homer, but again, he plays in Colorado. The air there can make me a double-digit home run guy, so as long as Blackmon keeps putting that bat on the ball, he has a chance for a few dingers. His speed also helps as he already has registered three stolen bases. That speed also helps him leg out extra bases turning singles into doubles.

BUY IT? In some leagues, he is still a free agent. If you are in one of these leagues, again, please leave me an invite in the comment section below. There is no question that he should be on your fantasy team. He has simply been waiting for the chance to be an everyday player and now he has it. No matter how much the Rockies struggle, it is most often due to their pitching, not their offense. Blackmon bats leadoff in a line-up that features Michael Cuddyer, CarGo, and Tulo hitting right behind him. He will continue to hit right around .300 all season which means he will continue to get on base for the big boppers in Denver and score tons of runs. If you are in a standard three outfield league, he is a fringe starter right now depending on your options. If you are in a four outfielder league, however, get him into your lineup now.

4. Scott Feldman, SP, Houston Astros.

This hot start truly came out of no where. I mean, seriously, let’s face reality. He hasn’t had any fantasy value since his fluke 2009 17-win season. His surprising start isn’t just based on his sexy 2-0 record, 0.44 ERA, or 7 Ks. The real shock comes when you see who he has done it against. All three of his 2014 starts are quality starts and he has pulled it off against the Yankees, Angels, and Rangers. Allowing one total run to those powerful lineups make you start to wonder. Maybe Feldman has turned the corner.

BUY IT? No shot. Despite this hot start, he has three factors against him. One, he plays for the Houston Astros. Unless Feldman continues to hurl shutout innings, the losses will begin mounting behind that offense. Two, he has 8 walks over those three starts. He is getting bailed out for now, but control like that comes back to haunt you. Three, he’s Scott Feldman people. There is a reason that he, in his tenth year in the league, has soared to the great heights of being the “ace” of the Astros staff.

3. Francisco Rodriguez, RP, Milwaukee Brewers.

K-Rod is about six years removed from being the best closer in the game. Here’s the thing though. He “busted” out with teams like the bottom-of-the-barrell New York Mets. Then he came to Milwaukee and was relegated to the set-up man role because John Axford was already the closer. Now, he has been given the opportunity once again to close and he is taking full advantage of it: 4 saves, 11 Ks, 1 BB, and ZERO runs.

BUY IT? No question. In my CBS league, only 82% of teams own K-Rod and a mere 75% start him. That is outlandish. His only competition is Jim Henderson, whom, much like Brewers’ skipper Ron Roenicke, I have no faith in whatsoever. Plus, many casual fantasy players think in his 13th season that he’s a weathered veteran. Remember, K-Rod came into this league at the young age of 20 and is only 32 right now. That cannon has a lot of ammo left in the tank and this Brewers team is going to rack up wins. K-Rod is a must start right now.

2. Scott Kazmir, SP, Oakland As.

I remember drafting Scott Kazmir in my Donkey League draft to man the bench for The Lammerts. Shortly after we drafted him, my teammate J.D. asked me if he was injured yet. Well, it is halfway through April and the oft-injured lefty is on fire and not the DL. He threw yet another gem today as he took a no decision after six shutout innings against the Mariners. Kazmir currently sits at 2-0 with 19 Ks and just four walks to go along with a dazzling 1.40 ERA. All three of his starts have been quality starts as well. He is the number two in a solid Oakland As rotation.

BUY IT? For now. Talent has never been the issue for the former first-round draft pick. His fragile body has always held Kazmir back. He is very rarely going to go more than seven innings and may never see 30 starts in a season again. That being said he is in a great situation. The As are really good. There is a chance that if Kazmir is healthy he could be sitting at 8-2 at the All-Star break. If that’s the case then you need to move him, maybe even before that if he has two more amazing starts. There is a sucker in every league, find the one in yours who will take him for a high price early so you don’t get burned later.

1. Jose Abreau, 1B, Chicago White Sox.

Here’s another guy on The Lammerts current 2-0 fantasy squad. He was actually an accidental pick. Our draft room froze (I know, I know, you’re thinking, “You had problems with the CBS Sportsline Draft Room? That never happens“) and we “auto-picked” Abreau. Instead of complaining we rolled with it and I’m thankful that we did. Yes, much was expected of the highly touted Cuban import, but I don’t think people saw it coming this quickly. He isn’t simply mashing homers but, more importantly, hitting them when runners are aboard. His low .255 batting average isn’t much of a surprise as an adjustment period was expected but he is getting on base at a high .351 tick. Abreau has already been intentionally walked three times on the young season so clearly pitchers are fearing him. His four homers and 14 RBI are only going to grow.

BUY IT? Does a bear use rabbits for toilet paper? We are looking at the AL Rookie of the Year here. I personally expected a Rob Deer (or for you younger folks, Mark Reynolds) type season with a ton of home runs and a low batting average and very little RBI. This hot start, however, is frightening for other teams. He is seeing the ball extremely well and appears to be making a seamless transition to stateside baseball. It is going to be exciting to watch him unload all season long.

It is only two weeks in, but hopefully you are beginning to make minor tweaks to your lineups. These surprising stars are still out there on waivers in quite a few leagues so if you have a shot at them, grab one and roll the dice. Until next time, enjoy watching the last game of this wonderful Red Sox/Yankees opening bout!

Golf, Sports, The Masters, Uncategorized

Biggest Balls Wins the Green

April 9, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 5 Comments

Hey there readers! Please welcome back featured columnist, Mike Dunton with his Masters’ Prediction Special!

As we head to Augusta for The 2014 Masters, the course will be missing a few of it’s biggest stars. Thanks to a February ice storm, Augusta is missing the famous Eisenhower Tree, named for our Commander-in-Chief himself because he would hit the damn thing countless times. Instead of improving his golf play, he begged and plead the Augusta National Board of Governors to take it down but was repeatedly denied. Just think about that for a second. The President of the freaking United States of America requested the removal of a tree and he was denied. Talk about a tough room to crack! Now, thanks to Mother Nature, the tree is gone and the look of 17 is a lot different from the tee box and the fairway.

Also absent in 2014 is this guy named Tiger. Eldrick’s back has gotten the best of him and golf’s biggest star is missing golf’s biggest weekend. This is a tough one for me to swallow. Tiger is the reason I am a golf fan. The Masters without Tiger is like the Heat in the NBA Finals with Lebron on the shelf due to injury. Golf will survive this period, it has before, but there is something weird about this one. Tiger is exactly 12 days older than me so knowing that he can’t play because of a sore back makes me start to think, “Maybe I am not as young as I think I am”.

Not to worry, golf fans! Remember the true stars of the Masters is Augusta National and that green jacket. Those who dare to take on the course are almost a side story to the beauty of Amen Corner, Hogan Bridge, Magnolia Lane, and all of the architectural wonder.

I have run my own Masters’ Pool for ten years now, so The Wayniac feels I am somewhat the golf expert (even though The Wayniac is reigning champ of the 2013 Masters Pool). As we prepare for this year’s Masters, I have compiled a list of 9 players to know for 2014. Three are my favorites to win, three are some under the radar guys to keep an eye on, and three are going to disappoint you. (Side note: if you have never done a Masters pool, do one. It makes the weekend so much more fun to watch. As I said earlier, ask the owner of this blog himself. He and I have had some intense head-to-head match-ups the past few years and it’s because of our involvement in my pool, not to mention the growing number of side bets we have had going over the years.)

My 3 Favorites:

I am a Tiger fan. I started following his rise in ‘96, then became a Tiger-holic in ‘97 and have stuck by him for the long haul. I may not agree with his personal decisions but what athlete hasn’t let fans down because of decisions they have made off the field of play? So, without my standard “Tiger Woods to win the Masters” pick, I think these three guys are next in line to put on the enamored green jacket.

Adam Scott:

It ain't easy being green — It ain’t easy being green

The defending champ has a great chance to repeat this year. Scott’s past four years at Augusta have been an amazing run: he has finished in the Top 20, including a Top 5, a Top 10, and finally his first major. Scott not only knows the course, he now knows how to win here. His game is perfect for Augusta. He’s a steady ball striker who can hit it long but always seems to find the fairway. What propelled Adam to victory last year was his putting. Remember the two putts from that amazing finish last year? The green Jacket propelled Scott’s whole ‘13 tour: he finished 3rd at the Open Championship, 5th at the PGA Championship, won the Barclays, and finished in the top 15 at the Tour Championship. His mojo has continued right on into 2014, as Scott is most recently coming off a 3rd place finish at the Honda Classic. Scott is rolling and there is no reason to believe he won’t be in contention to repeat when Sunday arrives. That’s why he’s my favorite. Vegas agrees posting Scott as the odds on favorite at 10-1 to win it all.

Jason Day:

Jason’s game is perfectly suited for Augusta. He goes long off the tee, has a solid short game, and is fabulous with the putter. Day’s 2014 season has been quite impressive. He won the World Cup of Golf in November (which counts for this season under the new PGA schedule), then finished 2nd at the Farmers Insurance, and won the WGC Accenture Match Play. He recently had a cortisone shot in his thumb, which could explain his 64th place finish at the AT+T Pro Am. There is not much reason to worry, however. Day does not have to hit his driver to handle Augusta. He is long enough off the tee that many times he can hit a 3 Wood or even a big iron and be just fine. That may help the thumb throughout the weekend and give Jason a true chance at winning. Vegas has him sitting at 12-1, but if not for his thumb, he’d probably be at 10-1 with Scott.

Matt Kuchar:

Tiger’s new go to partner in team events is coming off of back-to-back Top 10 finishes at Augusta. He needs to eliminate his inconsistency to make a legitimate run for the title. Last year’s up and down rounds of 68, 75, 69, 73 kept him from claiming the jacket. If he can get those two big numbers down, then we may be looking at Kuch’s first major victory. What a story it would make, don’t you think? The Georgia Tech alumni and the local boy makes good story of the weekend as “Koooooooch” resonates throughout the galleries. Kuchar has had a strong start to his 2014 season. Had it not been for two sick shots by Matt Jones this past weekend, Kuchar would have a win under his belt, but he settled for second. He has 8 top 10 finishes in his first 12 events including a victory at the Franklin Templeton Shootout. Kuchar’s game is steady, which is why Tiger enjoys playing with him so much. He is not going to get too up or too down and that will help at Augusta where every hole is as much a mental grind as a physical one. Kuchar’s previous 2 years of success may be helpful enough to get him on top of the leaderboard on Sunday. Then it is just a matter of him staying there long enough so he can sit down with Jim Nantz in Butler Cabin. Vegas has Kuchar at 12-1 odds so maybe they think it’s his year, too.

Watch out for these 3:

I don’t think any of these next three are going to win this year but it would not be altogether shocking if they did.

Zach Johnson:

Sure, the guy already has a green jacket. Yes, his spot in the champions locker room is secure. Yet, people always seem to forget about him. Johnson’s 2014 season has been up and down, highlighted by one of the most amazing hole outs I have ever seen against Tiger at the Northwestern Mutual Open. What Johnson loses on his driving distance he makes up for in his short game. Perfection around the nightmarish greens is a necessity at Augusta and anything else could eat you alive. Johnson possesses that capability with his short game. It seems odd for me to have him here, especially with his past two performances at Augusta (T32, T35) but that was then and Johnson is in the now. His game is peaking just in time for Augusta and the weather appears to be dry which helps Johnson off the tee with more roll out for his shorter drives. Watch out for Zach Johnson to bring back that 2007 form and contend throughout the weekend. Vegas will pay you well with his 25-1 odds.

Sergio Garcia:

Ready for a magic trick... follow the ball... — Ready for a magic trick… follow the ball…

This guy is the Duke to my UNC. I have never really been a big fan of Sergio and the 2013 Players Championship did nothing to help him. In reality, unfortunately, the “Bull” has some mojo going at Augusta. The past two years he has a T12 and an 8th place finish. Sergio has played in six 2014 events with a finish of no worse than 16th. His physical game has it all to win Augusta. The big question that surrounds him is if he can get his putter rolling. Pay attention to Sergio in the early holes on Thursday. If he makes some lengthy birdie/par putts it may be the confidence he needs to contend on the weekend. Of course, you always have to watch out for the one bad shot that sends his round into a downward spiral and Augusta has plenty opportunities for those. Somehow, Vegas has Sergio with the same odds as Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson, and Brandt Snedeker at 25-1 — that’s some good company.

Henrik Stenson:

Here’s a name that you will probably hear a lot this weekend and rightfully so. The guy had a tremendous 2013 season with victories at the Deutsche Bank Championship and the Tour Championship. He also had Top 5 finishes at the Players Championship, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship. There were some inconsistencies that left him off my favorites to win, especially the missed cut at the Honda Classic and a 54th finish at the Shell Houston Open. But I think Augusta suits his game. He is a big game player. His ball striking ability is a point of jealousy with other players on the tour but what draws me to him most is the way he zones in on the golf course. I feel like nothing distracts this guy and that is huge at Augusta National. The roars echo through the pines and if you can block everything out around you and focus on your next shot, it’s a huge advantage to your game. Stenson has had some difficulties here in the past and has never finished higher than 17th but I expect a top 10 finish this year. That merits him some conversation as a potential winner. Vegas lumps him in there with Sergio and Zach Johnson at 25-1 odds.

3 Guys who will disappoint you:

If I am betting on this tournament (and who isn’t?) I am staying away from these three despite their World Golf Ranking or recent play.

Justin Rose:

“Dude, what are you talking about? This guy won the US Open on one of the toughest courses we have seen.” So what? It’s a pretty simple analysis really. Rose plays well at Augusta but never great. His best finish is 5th and that was 8 years ago. I am not saying he is going to miss the cut but I bet that a lot of people have him finishing a lot higher than he will. Rose has a great game (honestly, he always has) but I just don’t have confidence in him winning this major this year. I may be wrong but I am here to give you my opinion on this year’s Masters. Rose is also not lighting the world on fire in 2014. He most recently missed the cut at the Arnold Palmer invitational. If he is wearing the green jacket on Sunday night I will be shocked. Vegas has him at 25-1 odds which are too high in my book.

Ian Poulter:

I swear, I don’t hate England or her golfers. In fact, behind Tiger, Ian Poulter is probably my favorite on the tour. But we are talking about The Masters, folks, and his play at Augusta is not the same as his play at the Ryder Cup. Ian missed the cut last year and his highest finish ever at Augusta is 7th in 2012. For some reason Poulter has a hard time mustering that Ryder Cup magic on the Augusta greens. Maybe it’s the fact that the crowd is a little too stuffy for his electric personality. Perhaps he is playing against a course and not against the USA. Whatever the reason may be, Poulter has a hard time managing the Masters. I would love for Poulter’s first major to be a green jacket. (Can you imagine the matching pants he wears next year?) I also wanted my Delaware Blue Hens to win the NCAA Tournament, but some players are just out of their realm on bigger stages. One additional thing against Poulty here is the fact that every year in the Master’s pool I run, my father-in-law picks him on his foursome. He’s like the SI jinx: every year without fail his big name pick misses the cut or does not play to his potential. Poulter has been that guy the past three years. Not sure who my father-in-law has chosen yet but if Poulter is on his team count him out. Vegas must know this little fact as well. They have him at 50-1.

Phil Mickelson:

Whatever you say Dunton... I still got this — Whatever you say Dunton… I still got this

Listen carefully: Phil is no longer the Phil we have come to love. Unfortunately, he is old. He recently withdrew from the Valero Texas Open with a pulled muscle, his second of the year after he pulled out of the Farmers Insurance Open. Phil has played in 9 tournaments on the 2014 season and his highest finish is 12th this past weekend at the Shell Houston Open. More glaring to me is last year’s Masters finish, T54th. Phil has always played well in even years at Augusta. All three of his green jackets were in 2004, 2006, and 2010 — even years. He has 3 other top 5 finishes, all in even years. But, I am not buying into it this year. The pulled muscle scares me but Phil’s inconsistency scares me more. Most of all I just don’t buy he has that Phil magic anymore. He may shock me and get Phil’s Phriends amped up on Sunday at the turn. Until I see it I am not putting any stock in him or his shaky putter. The boys in Vegas and I are at opposite ends as they have him at 12-1.

So there you have it. There is really no telling what is going to happen when this kicks off on Thursday or who will be clearing space in their closet on Sunday. We do have some certainties though that will happen. Arnie, Jack, and Gary will be hitting ceremonial first tee shots early Thursday morning. Jim Nantz will reference Tiger at least 5 times during the broadcast. We will need a ruling on a drop or an entry point to a hazard. Wind will change club selection at 12. And, the winner will receive a green jacket. Certainly, we will all enjoy the first major of the year. After all, it is a tradition like no other.

Basketball, College Basketball, March Madness, Sports, Uncategorized

#SHABAZZKETBALL

April 7, 2014 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

Well, folks, it all ends tonight. What started out as 68 teams is now down to the last two standing. The number seven seed UConn Huskies will take the court against the number eight Kentucky Wildcats to see who becomes the highlight of One Shining Moment. The greatest tournament to date should end with a memorable match from North Dallas this evening as both teams are evenly matched in talent.

Where they are even in talent, they are world’s apart in team philosophy. Kentucky is a cast of the most athletic freshman in the land while UConn is a veteran team. The raw youth of Kentucky forms an offensive juggernaut with high flying dunks and timely three point shooting while UConn paved their road to the finals with shut-down defense led by a feisty team general always in command. The Wildcats played close games against tough competition all the way throughout while UConn has had most of their games in hand, blowing out the one and two seeds.

So who do I have winning this game?

3 REASON THAT UCONN BASKETBALL WILL WIN THE 2014 TOURNAMENT

3. Veteran leadership.

The Huskies have three players on this team who have cut down the nets before and are poised to do it again. Shabazz Napier, Niels Giffey, and Tyler Olander all won a championship in 2011 against Butler. The three were merely freshman themselves that season, yet they all played an integral part in the championship run. This season, Olander’s role has diminished with Philip Nolan, Ryan Boatright, and DeAndre Daniels really coming into their own, but Napier and Giffey are huge cogs in the Huskies scheme.

2. That defense is suffocating.

Did you know that since Jim Calhoun took over the UConn Huskies that they still do that zig-zag drill at the onset of practice? You know, that drill you did in high school where one guy dribbles diagonally back and forth down the court and the other guy shifts his feet and smothers him the whole way down? That’s probably why they have shut down every elite team they have faced thus far.

What UConn did to Florida was simply remarkable. They took Scottie Wilbekin out of the game and, in doing so, they completely shut down an offensive power that had won 30 straight games rather easily. They completely disrupted Michigan State’s offense in the Elite 8 by taking away their ability to slice the lane. They also made them settle for jump shots and I’m not talking about those wide open, set threes Adreian Payne was drilling because people were worried about Keith Appling. I’m talking about forced jump shots. Kentucky is young, very good, and extremely athletic. They are also, however, very raw and depend greatly on the sharp shooting of the Harrisons. Napier and Boatright could feast on this type of offense.

The real key will be keeping Julius Randle at bay. Even if UConn does what they have done thus far and shuts down the guards, Randle can dominate on the boards and create second chance shots. He is good enough to keep Kentucky in the game, but I don’t think it will be enough to win the game by himself.

1. SHABAZZKETBALL.

DeAndre Daniels had an absolutely monster game against Florida (20 points and 10 rebounds), but this team lives and dies with their leader. Shabazz Napier is the most valuable player in this tournament. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. There hasn’t been a better or more important player on the floor in their five games leading up to tonight. Daniels and Boatright have become household names in this tourney, but that is because of the attention which is paid to Napier. He creates points. When he isn’t creating them, he scores them. What he and Boatright have done to opposing guards on defense is what has put UConn in the finals. He smothers ball handlers and isn’t afraid of anyone. He has the star-power and ability to win it all.

There you have it, folks. My last prediction of the college basketball season. Man, I hope I am right because I really can’t stand Calipari. Until next time, remember, the ball is tipped…

Basketball, NBA, Sports, Uncategorized

The Greatest Dynasty No One Gives a Crap About

April 6, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 1 Comment

What a great night for March Madness, huh, folks? As predicted right here on Wayniac Nation yesterday, the #7 seed UConn Huskies will face off against the #8 seed Kentucky Wildcats. Two legendary programs will be going for the National Championship and all of the glory of cutting down the nets in North Texas.

Speaking of legendary programs, I’m shifting gears to the NBA for this Sunday’s blog post. My brother text me a question that I have been pondering since he asked it of me a month ago. He still lives in Manhattan, pretty close to Madison Square Garden. He asked, “Why does no one give a crap about the San Antonio Spurs, yet MSG is overflowing every night that the Knicks and Rangers play who are beloved for pretty much never winning anything?” It’s a great question.

Gregg Popovich took over a San Antonio Spurs team a third of the way through the 1996 season that had pretty much been irrelevant since their heydays in the ABA. Sure, they had The Iceman crushing everybody in scoring in the late-70s and early 80s. Yes, they made some noise in the 1989-90 season when rookie David Robinson lead them to the then biggest turnaround in NBA history as they from 21-61 to 56-26 in a single season. They had never won anything significant though until they drafted Tim Duncan. That is when they became arguably one of the greatest franchises in the history of sports.

5 REASONS THAT THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS ARE THE MOST UNDERRATED DYNASTY OF ALL-TIME

You can NOT argue against assess chaps...ever — You can NOT argue against assless chaps…ever

5. The 50 Win Seasons: Earlier this season, the Spurs once again broke their own record with their 15th consecutive season with 50 or more wins. What people sometimes overlook is that they finished the strike-shortened 1998-99 season at 37-13. If that was a full season, the Spurs would have 17 consecutive seasons of winning 50 games or more.

That is simply remarkable. They have averaged 56 wins a year over those 17 seasons for a .683 winning percentage. That is the equivalent of a Major League Baseball team going 111-51 for 17 straight seasons or an NFL team going 11-5 for the same amount of time.

Here is what is even more remarkable. If a team’s greatness is judged by championships the only franchises more successful than the Spurs are the Celtics, the Lakers, and the Bulls. Over the same 17 year period, the Lakers have ten 50-plus-win seasons, the Celtics have four, and the Bulls have two. The New York Knicks, who are in the news all of the time and are still highly rated in both attendance and viewing audiences, have two.

4. Gregg Popovich is one of the three greatest coaches ever… end of story.

Since the Spurs Dynasty began with their first 1998-99 World Championship, Gregg Popovich has gone 891-367. Excluding the 1996-97 season in which he took over during the season, he has never had a losing record. His 964 career wins rank him 9th all-time in only 17 and a half seasons (that is 1404 career games which ranks 15th all-time) while everyone above him has or had coached for 20 or more seasons. He owns a 4-1 career record in the NBA Championship series and is a two-time Coach of the Year. The Spurs have won at the highest level consistently under his reign with unselfish, team centered basketball with very little mega-stars along the way. The debate for greatest NBA Head Coach of all-time starts with Phil Jackson, mentions Red Auerbach, and ends with Gregg Popovich. No one else comes close.

They win a trophy about once every four years... and have no fans — They win a trophy about once every four years… and have no fans

3. The Longevity. You would think once, just ONCE, in 17 consecutive dominating seasons, the San Antonio Spurs would have accumulated a fair-weather fan base. You know, like those d-bags who have never been to Yankee Stadium and wear those pink or camouflage Yankee hats and claim that they are Yankee fans? Or those morons who are “die-hard” Red Sox Nation fans because they hate the Yankees and don’t even know who Bucky Dent or Aaron Boone are? It just doesn’t make sense.

The Popovich/Duncan Era of Spurs basketball is one of the greatest eras in all of sports history. In the 16 years that Popovich and Duncan have been united, the Spurs have gone from having zero NBA Championships to having the 4th most all-time. The Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Chicago Bulls are the only three teams to surpass them. And yet if they aren’t playing the Knicks or King James in the Finals, no one watches. How has the NBA not figured out a way to market one of the top ten franchises in all of sports history to a larger fan base?

2. The Real Big Three

Before The Three Amigos in Boston and way before the Big Three in Miami, the Spurs quietly put together the biggest three of them all. They have no ESPN commercials together, they have no national endorsements, and a lot of average fans probably don’t know who that Argentinian guy is. The one thing Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan do have together is two more championships than The Three Amigos (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce) or The Big Three (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh) have won in their overhyped tenures together.

I get that the New York media is a maelstrom of overhype and chatty Cathys wanting to make any story a headline, but think about how much attention the Core Four has gotten over the years for the New York Yankees. Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and of course, Derek Jeter, won 5 championships over 17 years together. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili have won 3 championships throughout their 12 year reign. For all of the hype and women that Derek Jeter has snagged, Tony Parker was married to this:

If that didn’t put the Spurs on the map, then it truly is a helpless cause.

1. Tim Duncan is one of the best players to ever suit up.

This is the truly amazing aspect that I can’t figure out. The NBA, more than any other sport, is a star-driven sport. When LeBron finally leaves Miami, the Heat will lose a huge chunk of their fan base. My friend Benny Smalls is a die-hard Bulls fan to this day simply because he loved Michael Jordan at North Carolina and followed him up through his career. The San Antonio Spurs have one of the best players IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME and no one watches.

I’m well aware why. The Big Fundamental simply does everything you are supposed to do and he does it better than almost everybody else. What he doesn’t do is flashy dunks. He doesn’t make ESPN’s top ten lists and he doesn’t tweet about nonsense or other players that he is jealous about. All he does do is win trophies. Yet more people idolized that punk Allen Iverson than ever tuned into one of the 3 NBA Finals MVP performances Duncan has thrown together.

Let’s just look at the resume, shall we?

The 1998 Rookie of the Year
The NBA MVP in both 2002 and 2003
The NBA Finals MVP in 1999, 2003, and 2005
The All-Star Game MVP in 2000
14 All-Star appearances (he missed one in 1999 because there was no All Star game and the other in 2012 because of injuries)
10 All-NBA First Team appearances including 8 in a row
8 Defensive All-NBA First Team appearances
5th all time in defensive rebounds (10,344)
12th all time in total rebounds (13,905)
24th all time in total points (24,849)

Yet no one is walking around the streets in the black and silver 21 jerseys. More people own Derrick Rose jerseys than Duncan jerseys and Rose hasn’t played in a century. Jason Collins’ Brooklyn Nets’ jersey is a bigger seller than the 4-time champ’s. Paul George and Kyrie Irving both have higher selling jerseys than Tim Duncan and they haven’t even been to an NBA Finals. While the Spurs just rattled off 19 consecutive wins, Michael Carter-Williams’ jersey outsold Tim Duncan’s amid his 76ers’ 26-game losing streak. If that isn’t the definition of absurd, I’m not really sure what is.

2014 is no different. Once again, the Spurs are currently not just the best team in the West, but the entire NBA, standing at 59-17. The only thing anyone can talk about is if Kevin Durant will finally win an MVP over LeBron James. What the heck do these guys have to do to get some notoriety? Even if there is a rematch in the 2014 NBA Finals and even if the Spurs sweep the Miami Heat to win their fifth NBA Championship in less than 20 years, more people will talk about how LeBron failed to win a title more than about how dominating a season the Spurs put forth. And quite frankly, it’s sickening.

Wow. I haven’t gotten that worked up in awhile, folks. I need to go cool off. Until next time, enjoy your first full Sunday of MLB action!

Don’t forget, loyal readers: Wayniac Nation is growing faster each day in the Twitterverse as well. Join along for my daily rants and Saved By the Bell memories at @UofDWayne.

Wayne Cavadi's Online Portfolio

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Fantasy Busts: We’re Not Talking Big Boobs Here

Sterling Silver Balls

Don’t Get Caught Watching the Paint Dry

Living in a House Divided

STOP MOCKING ME!

MY FIRST INTERVIEW!!!

Fantasy-holics Anonymous

Biggest Balls Wins the Green

#SHABAZZKETBALL

The Greatest Dynasty No One Gives a Crap About

Welcome to my website. Here you can get an idea of my work and find writing samples as well as the DII Nation Podcast.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Welcome to my website. Here you can get an idea of my work and find writing samples as well as the DII Nation Podcast.