Author Archives: Bobby Roberts

Support Your Local Blogger – August 21st

I started to think, if this Brett Favre experience goes wrong in Minnesota, would he be more viled than Herschel Walker? Walker was a good player for the Vikings, but they gave up an entire team to get him there. I’m just saying…here are some links, go support your local blogger and give them some love.

Is Hibbert Going To Be A Stud in 09-10? [Pacers Place]

Nikita Filatov – NHL prospect or Boy Band Member? [Stingers On Ice]

Cole Hamels Is A Mute [The Big Lead]

Alex Ovehkin – Ladies Man? [Gunaxin]

Randy Wells – NL ROY Candidate? [The Friendly Blogfines]

Brewers Aren’t Looking Like A Playoff Team [The GNC]

Obama Loves NASCAR! [Hugging Harold Reynolds]

Phil Jackson Is Too Sexy! [Ball Don’t Lie]

Don’t Look Directly Into the Boobs [Asylum]

Bras Are Scary! [Manofest]

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Ryan Perrilloux, I Give Up!

Ryan Perrilloux is becoming one of the most tragic figures in college football. The kid was the #1 prospect going into college football a few years ago. He signed with LSU and all was right with the world, but after a string of suspensions and rule violations, the program cut him loose. He ended up on Jacksonville State, a Football Championship Subdivision team (or D-II school for those who were born before 2006). He was able to play immediately, but now it looks like trouble has followed him again.

Perrilloux was suspended today for the team’s first game against Georgia Tech. They did not disclose what the rules violation was, but for a former blue-chipper to be suspended by a D-II school, it had to be bad. With this being his last year of eligibility, he needs as many marquee games as he can get into. Jacksonville State’s schedule isn’t loaded with too many teams that will get national coverage. They only have two games against D-I talent, Georgia Tech being the first game and then the next week they play Florida State. The team did say that Perrilloux will be able to play against the Seminoles, but I’m sure he would have liked a warm up game before facing them.

Many believe that Perrilloux signed with LSU because he was a local kid and he wanted to play for his own state school. I believe that he was talked into signing with LSU by his family, because they knew that he wasn’t mature enough to be away from home. He has proven me right time after time with his immaturity and the inable to stay out of trouble. It may have done him well if he gotten away from some of his “running buddies” and established himself somewhere that he couldn’t get in trouble. I’m sure Nebraska or Iowa would have loved to have him back in 2005, but the 2009 version of Perrilloux is barely able to hold on to a D-II QB position.

Everyone roots for the underdog and they want a feel-good redemption story. Josh Hamilton would be the “best-case” scenario for Perrilloux. If he can make it through this season with good numbers and keep his nose clean, maybe an NFL team would give him a shot. Mark Sanchez was in that class and Perrilloux was thought to be a better prospect than the future #5 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. I doubt he’ll get drafted in fear of a slip-up and the eventual Roger Goodell punishment that would follow, but I’m rooting for the kid. I hope he comes out against Florida State and lights them up, ’cause everyone forgets about a player’s off-the-field issues, when he’s producing on-the-field. It’s a sad realization, but I really think this kid needs a Tony Dungy-like mentor to help him. But, until I see some sort of maturity out of you, I give up!

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Do The Saints Want Derrick Brooks?

I play on Twitter all the time and I message Warren Sapp
(@QBKilla) often. He is quite active and he likes to message people during the day. He was a teammate of Derrick Brooks for many years in Tampa Bay and I know that they are still close. He is still a free-agent and I don’t understand, he has been a great player. I asked Sapp what team would Brooks fit best with and he answered. Sapp said. “Saints! He Wants To Go There. They Playing Around. Quite Me On That!” Well, I guess I am quoting him on that.

The Saints brought Brooks in for a workout, but did not offer him a contract. He has been petitioning himself for an NFL job and thinks the Saints would be a great fit, but do the Saints want him? My feeling is that the Saints are not interested in him right now. A torn ACL or any other injury to their linebacking corps could change their mind.

Let’s look at the Saints linebackers. Scott Fujita is Sean Payton’s pet project from when he was with Dallas. He isn’t going to lose his spot to a veteran looking stay in the NFL. Jonathan Vilma isn’t going anywhere either, he’s a talented player and they need him on the field. Scott Shanle is the weak-side linebacker and really held his own last season at the position. Brooks would probably be best fit for the weak-side position, but it really looks like an injury of a starter or a key reserve would only lead to the signing of Derrick Brooks.

I think Brooks can still play, he may have lost a step last year, but you can’t overlook his experience. If I were the Cincinnati Bengals, I would sign him. He could help on the field and mentor Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga. It’s a long shot and I doubt Brooks would want to play for a non-contender, but the Bengals should look into it. I hope he can catch on to a team, but if not, he should be in Canton, OH in sometime in the near future.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Song Of The Day – All Time Low (Weightless)

I know what you’re thinking, why I have shirtless boys on my blog? I wouldn’t normally do this, but I probably have a few lady readers out there and they need some eye candy too. Here at “America’s White Boy,” we obide to Title IX and maybe I should make Thursdays Ladies’ Night here. I would need to get a velvet rope, do you think they have them at IKEA?

I’m a big fan of All Time Low, they had an acoustic track on “Punk Goes Acoustic Vol.2, I think it was called “Jasey Rae,” great tune. Anyways, my friend actually has a lyric by All Time Low tattooed on herself, she is a huge fan of music and has other band tattoos. It takes a huge dedication to do that and I think it’s cool, even if it was a band that I didn’t care for, it’s still cool.

“Weightless” is a up-tempo pop-punk track off the album “Nothing Personal.” They have released a few other albums and they have all been good, a rarity for the genre. Usually pop-punk bands have one good album and then the rest are cookie-cutter attempts are re-creating magic. If you are looking for bands that have a similar sound, I would say that Cartel and The Audition are two bands that I would recommend.

Here is the video for “Weightless”

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

NFL – Best Available Free Agents (Offense)

It was a mild off-season free agency period this year, it was filled with Brett Favre, Plaxico Burress, and Michael Vick news. There are still some players out there yet to sign with a team, or are borderline retired that would surely come back if a decent contract or a chance to win a ring came there way.On a side note, it saddens me to see two of Indianapolis “triplets” are on this list. Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James need to be picked up by someone, if not, it’s a travesty. Some of the players may have camp invites, but have yet to sign a contract.

Quarterback
Brooks Bollinger
Gus Frerotte
Quinn Gray (UFL)
J.P. Losman (UFL)
Brett Favre (You Never Know!)

Running Back
Edgerrin James
Tatum Bell
DeShaun Foster
Deuce McAllister
Chris Perry

Wide Receiver/Tight End
Marvin Harrison
Plaxico Burress
Dante Hall
Matt Jones
Ashley Lelie
Jerry Porter
Reggie Williams

This list is subject to change

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Kurt Angle Caught With HGH

1996 Olympic gold medal winner and former WWE star and current TNA wrestler, Kurt Angle, was arrested this morning for possession of HGH and violating court-ordered protection in Pittsburgh, PA. He was driving with his girlfriend at the time he was pulled over. He has came out and said that he has a prescription for the drug, but he was still charged with possession.

The HGH drug in question is Hygetropin, which has 191 residues that lay naturally in the body, which is hard to detect in tests. It is used to treat people who have hormone deficiency or people who have taken HGH for years and don’t naturally produce enough. It is not surprising that Angle was caught with this, since he has been tied to HGH and steroid busts in the past. He has had trouble with pain-killers and has had some personal problems recently with the recent divorce of his wife, Karen Angle (pictured below). She is currently rumored to be dating fellow TNA star, Jeff Jarrett.

Ouch, Angle had a rough year!

It is commonly believed that many WWE stars go to TNA Wrestling, since there are no drug tests. The WWE has instituted a Wellness Policy a few years ago after the sudden deaths of many of their former and current wrestlers. WWE has made it clear that anyone who violates the policy will be suspended and/or terminated from employment. In addition to the suspension and/or termination, the WWE will issue a press release, so your name will be out there for the public to know. Many wrestlers who have been suspended for Wellness violations have found their way to TNA.

I’m not surprised that Angle got caught with HGH, not one bit. He seems like a guy who has nothing to lose, so what if he gets caught with HGH, he’s a glorified actor who relies on his physical abilities to put on a show. He isn’t breaking home-run records or scoring touchdowns, he’s grabbing men in tights and throwing them around. I love wrestling and have been watching it since I was old enough to remember. I mean no ill-regard to the industry, but Angle is a grown man and a one-man team. If he takes HGH, no one is getting hurt but himself and possibly his family if he faces a future of former wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero, Rick Rude, The British Bulldog, or Mr. Perfect. They all died far too young and I would hate anyone to see the same fate. Clean up your act, Kurt Angle. I hope they take your gold medal away.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2009 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Team By Team)

It’s about that time of year that you are preparing for your annual fantasy football drafts. Everyone has a good idea of who they want with their first-round picks, but what about the later rounds? Those who are in deeper leagues or “Man’s Leagues” with 20 teams, they need to be aware of sleepers of players that you can pick up later in the draft that may have some fantasy value. A few of the players that I’m about to list should be picked higher than where they are going and a few are possibly injury replacements that you should keep your eyes on.

Arizona Cardinals – Tim Hightower RB – The Cardinals drafted Beanie Wells out of Ohio State, but he has dealt with the injury bug in college and could keep that trend in the NFL. Hightower wasn’t happy when Arizona drafted Wells and worked hard in the off-season.

Atlanta Falcons – Brian Finneran WR – Finneran adds veteran leadership to the wider receiver squad. He should help with the catches if any other receiver goes down with an injury. (I had Harry Douglas here earlier, but I was informed that he tore his ACL a few days ago. Thanks to theGNC for giving me the heads up on this one)

Baltimore Ravens – Ray Rice RB – Even with LeRon McClain and Willis McGahee in the backfield, Rice will get some carries. He has had a great training camp so far and a lot of people are saying good things about his work ethic. He was a beat at Rutgers, where he played top talent, I bet Rice will be a force in the NFL very soon.

Buffalo Bills – Fred Jackson RB – Marshawn Lynch starts the season suspended and they sign Dominic Rhodes, but Jackson has the upper hand in the battle between himself and Rhodes. He will slip into the later rounds and it would be a nice pick in the mid-rounds to secure some #1 running back totals the first few weeks of the season.

Carolina Panthers – Josh McCown – QB – I’m not sold on Jake Delhomme, Carolina should have signed Byron Leftwich when they had the chance, but Josh McCown is their #2 QB right now. McCown will see action this season, so if you are ballsy and pick Delhomme, make sure you snag McCown as insurance.

Chicago Bears – Juaquin Iglesias WR – The Bears have Jay Cutler as QB and he loves speedy and tall receivers, Iglesias is your man. He will not be drafted in most leagues, but he needs to be. Cutler will be throwing the ball all over the place this season, get in early on Iglesias.

Cincinnati Bengals – Chase Coffman TE – Reggie Kelly is out for the year and Coffman will step into the starting role for the Bengals. He was drafted in the third round from Missouri and he was considered one of the best receiving tight ends in the draft. Carson Palmer is back and he needs a short option, since Cedric Benson can’t catch well, Coffman should receive a lot of looks.

Cleveland Browns – Steve Heiden – TE – Brady Quinn looks to be the starter in Cleveland and he loves his tight ends. When Quinn played last season, Kellen Winslow had nice games. Heiden has had a lot of injuries over his career, but he has good hands and will see the end zone this season.

Dallas Cowboys – Sam Hurd – WR – Hurd has been a “player to watch” the last few seasons, but he has dealt with injuries. Terrell Owens is in Buffalo now and Roy Williams is still getting used to Tony Romo, so Hurd may have a chance to gain some playing time this season. He would be an option in deep, deep leagues that need a receiver in later rounds.

Denver Broncos – Jabar Gaffney – WR – Josh McDaniels is the new coach in Denver and he has brought over some of his old New England Patriots receivers. Whomever the starting quarterback will be in Denver, Kyle Orton or Chris Simms, they will need a reliable possession receiver. Gaffney can get open and will receive a good number of chances to earn fantasy points.

Detroit Lions – Bryant Johnson – WR – The Lions need offense to win games this year, since their defense is made of swiss cheese. Calvin Johnson will be doubled often and Bryant Johnson is a capable receiver. Matthew Stafford or Daunte Culpepper will learn to love Bryant Johnson.

Green Bay Packers – Jordy Nelson WR – Nelson had a few flashes last season. Aaron Rodgers makes sure to keep an eye out for him. He could turn into a very good 3rd receiver for Green Bay. If Driver or Jennings goes down, he can pick up the slack.

Houston Texans – Rex Grossman QB – Matt Schaub is a good QB in the NFL, but he misses a few games every year. Dan Orlovsky is the other QB in Houston, but if Grossman can beat him out for the 2nd-string position, he could re-gain some value in the NFL. If only he could grow a few inches…

Indianapolis Colts – Austin Collie WR – Marvin Harrison isn’t in Indianapolis anymore, so all the receivers will be bumped up a spot, which leaves the 3rd receiver open to competition. Collie was a good receiver at BYU and is a much better long-term option than Roy Hall. Expect Collie to see some action early this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars – Chauncey Washington RB – Fred Taylor is in New England and Jacksonville is expecting that Maurice Jones-Drew to be their lone back this year. MJD is a good running back, but it’s a lofty goal for a back that small to last an entire season without missing some action. Washington could get some action when Jones-Drew needs a breather.

Kansas City Chiefs – Bobby Engram WR – Engram has had success wherever he has player and should have a decent year in KC. Matt Cassel proved himself last year and even if he falters, Tyler Thigpen did a good job last season. The ball should be in the air more with Cassel under center and Engram can rack up catches in a hurry.

Miami Dolphins – Patrick Turner WR – Miami’s receiving corps is average at best. Camarillo, Ginn, and Bess will not win any awards, so Turner could see some playing time this year. He’s a big target and Pennington could see a receiver with size.

Minnesota Vikings – Sidney Rice WR – Everyone has been waiting for Rice to have a big year, he probably won’t have one this season, but he’s worth a late-round gamble. The QB situation in Minnesota is bad, but if Sage Rosenfels wins the job, look for the Vikings to throw the ball more. Rice could be the winner in that case, but it is still to be determined.

New England Patriots – Laurence Maroney RB – Maroney was a first-round pick just two seasons ago, but his draft stock took a tumble with injuries and sharing carries with Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk. Don’t count on Fred Taylor doing much, he’s old and fragile. Tom Brady is back and they should be throwing the ball more this year, but Maroney is too good of a back to be wasted. I expect him to see the end zone at least 6 or 7 times this year.

New Orleans Saints – P.J. Hill RB – Reggie Bush is not an every-down back and Pierre Thomas is still unknown. Hill was a great, punishing back at Wisconsin and should add some power in the backfield. He could vulture some touchdowns away at the very least.

New York Giants – Mario Manningham WR – Plaxico Burress was dumb and shot himself in the leg last year and he’s no longer on the Giants. Eli Manning needs a tall, deep threat to spread the defense out for Brandon Jacobs. Manningham can be the receiver they need, since the rest of the receiving corps are smaller possession receivers, Manningham could become a great asset for the Giants.

New York Jets – Brad Smith – WR – Chansi Stuckey and Jericho Cotchery will be catching most of the passes from Mark Sanchez this year, but this team lacks a 3rd receiver. Brad Smith has had limited success as a receiver, but this year could be his breakout season for the Jets.

Oakland Raiders – Johnnie Lee Higgins – WR – Higgins had some highlights last year and he’s very speedy. He could be the recipient of some deep balls from JaMarcus Russell. If Russell gets beat out by Jeff Garcia at any point this season, Higgins value could be hurt, since he doesn’t throw the deep ball much.

Philadelphia Eagles – LeSean McCoy – RB – Correll Buckhalter is no longer with the team and someone has to be there when Bryan Westbrook goes down at some point this year. The NFC East is too tough of a defensive division to think that he can stay healthy all year. McCoy was a stand-out in college and can be a difference maker in the NFL. He could see significant action this year.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Rashard Mendenhall – RB – Mendenhall is the heir apparent to Willie Paker, but he needs a healthy season under his belt before he can become a first or second round fantasy pick. Mendenhall could be a nice insurance pick if you own Parker. Look for him to at least get some scrub time at the end of the season if they are already locked into a playoff spot.

San Diego Chargers – Malcolm Floyd – WR – There aren’t too many fantasy sleeper option in San Diego. They are loaded with guys that deliver every year. Floyd could be a nice third or fourth option for Phillip Rivers. He’s tall and speedy, kind of like Chris Chambers.

San Francisco 49ers – Alex Smith – QB – I know what you’re thinking, c’mon man, Alex Smith?! He needed a change of scenery, he didn’t get it, but now he has Mike Singletary as his head coach. Mike Nolan didn’t have any clue how to groom Smith in his offense. If anyone is going to get through to Smith, Singletary will be the guy. Shaun Hill could end up with the starting job, but it’s a close race right now.

Seattle Seahawks – Seneca Wallace – QB – I think it’s the area of this post where I like back-up quarterback, due to starting QB injury concerns. Hasselbeck has had a good NFL career, but he is nearing the end. A smart bet would to have sign Michael Vick, but I doubt Jim Mora Jr. would have wanted him again. Wallace did a nice job filling in for Hasselbeck over the last few seasons.

St. Louis Rams – Kyle Boller – QB – I’m not sold on Marc Bulger anymore. He had two good seasons and he has hit a wall. Steve Spagnuolo will preach defense and ball-control, so the Rams offense should see better starting field position this year. Boller has been known to throw interceptions, but Bulger has been just as bad.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Michael Clayton – WR – Clayton isn’t really a traditional “sleeper,” but I expect him to have a great season this year. If Josh Freeman is the QB in Tampa Bay, Clayton will see a lot of looks. I predict a 1,000 yard receiving season for Clayton. Make sure you draft him in the mid-late rounds, if he’s still there.

Tenneessee Titans – Nate Washington – WR – All Tennessee needed last year was a dynamic receiver, Washington could be that player. He can stretch defenses with his deep threat ability, something they missed last year. Kerry Collins could fall in love with him by mid-season.

Washington Redskins – D.J. Hackett – WR – Santana Moss and Antwan Randle-EL are speed guys, but Hackett has both speed and better hands than either of them. He did a great job in Seattle and could end up being a nice pick up for Washington.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Rick Pitino, You Got Some Explaining To Do

Rick Pitino has found himself in some hot water, boiling hot water. A few months ago, Karen Cunagin Sypher tried to extort $10 million from Rick Pitino and she was charged with a crime. In the process of investigating her, the police department interviewed Pitino and he sang like a cardinal.Apparently he did have an affair with her in 2003, even allegedly having sex at a bar. He then tried to shut her up by paying her $3,000 to get an abortion. It is pretty easy to imagine the backlash that he is about to receive, since he coaches in the Big East, but the university lies within SEC/Big Ten country, aka The Bible Belt.

Cunagin Sypher, who claimed that Pitino sexually assualted her, tried to extort money from Pitino. First she allegedly ask for $3,000 a month, but increased all the way up to paying for her kid’s tuition, two cars, house paid off, and $10 million. I thinks she missed a few steps in there. Pitino has been married since 1993 and I would assume that he wanted to keep this quiet. When Cunagin Sypher wanted to talk to Pitino back in 2003, they actually met at a strength and conditioning coach’s house. She didn’t know that person at the time, but she would later marry him. Really?! I think that is the strangest part of the whole story. They met because Pitino had an affair with her and in the process of trying to cover it up, they fell in love? Sounds like a really bad movie pitch.

I’m a Kentucky Wildcats basketball fan, I’m still a big Pitino fan, even though he’s coaching at Louisville. I’m far enough away from that area that I’ve never really had any beef with the Lou, my beef mostly lies with Indiana University. That’s beside the point, Pitino is going to get grilled when he plays out of conference games in the South.I can only imagine the type of security that they will need to confiscate signs when they playing UK.

Pitino is a grown man and is capable of mistakes. Everyone should know that who watched him coach the Celtics and aptly signed guys like Walter McCardy and Ron Mercer hoping that they would lead them to an NBA Championship. This will blow over once the news cycle ends, but he probably needs to come out and apologize and be done with it.

Here is my solution to the problem. Louisville get with the University of Florida and get Tim Tebow to go counsel Pitino, like Tony Dungy is counseling Michael Vick. I think it would be a good PR move, even though outrageous, it would work.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Song Of The Day – The Arcade Fire (Wake Up)

I am bringing back an oldie with this post. I used to post a different “Song Of The Day” everyday and I got a good response. I am not a huge fan of the band The Arcade Fire, but I do love this song. I didn’t hear of the song until about a year ago, I actually heard it on The Dan Patrick Show. They sing the yelling part at the beginning of the song every Friday to close out the show.

I was turned off by The Arcade Fire for awhile, because I knew a girl who liked crappy art-rock and she loved them. I hated about 95% of the bands that she liked, the only one that I remember liking was Interpol. I was surprised when I found out that “Wake Up” was by The Arcade Fire, I had to re-think my stance on hating that girl’s favorite bands. I listened to some their other stuff, but I’m still not a huge fan.

Well, here’s the video for The Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up.” As a tribute to the Dan Patrick Show, please all sing along to the beginning. 1, 2, 3, Go!

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Fire Dusty Baker

I am finally going to take part in the whole blog stereotype by calling for someone’s job. I have yet to do it in all of my time as a blogger, but it needs to be done. Dusty Baker, the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, needs to be fired. To make it even more clear, I’m not even a Reds fan, not at all. I live in Columbus, OH, so I get every Reds game on Fox Sports Ohio, but I usually just watch them if they are playing the Cubs or I see a guy on my fantasy baseball team up to bat.

Dusty Baker is like Godzilla destroying the Reds, one pitcher at a time. Last season, a lot of the experts expected the Reds to have a good season. Their pitching staff was rated as one of the best, since they had young arms like Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto. The mood was high and every Reds fan was excited about the young arms and guys like Jay Bruce waiting in the minors waiting to be called up. Baker had success with the Giants and Cubs as the manager, even making it deep in the playoffs with both teams. After Baker left, it looked like a 100-foot lizard destroyed the entire franchise.

Let’s start with Baker’s destruction of young pitching. I would like to coin a word and say the “Bakerification” of a pitcher, which would be the utter and total annihilation of a young pitcher’s career. In San Francisco, Baker the only elite pitching prospect that the Giants had while he was manager was Shawn Estes. He was teh 11th overall pick in the 1991 MLB amateur draft. He made his pro debut in ’95, and had a great year in ’97 (19-5 3.18 ERA). He had a good 2 1/2 year run as an elite pitcher, but he fell off the face of the earth. Except one decent year in Colorado, he has bounced around as a 5th or spot starter. Baker used him and pushed him over 200 innings and kept him in games in which they were behind by a large number of runs.

In Chicago he had a full plate of young pitching prospects. Kerry Wood and Mark Prior being the best two young pitchers the Cubs had seen since Greg Maddux. They had high expectations and were going to be a great #1 and #2 starters for a long time. After the 2003 season, both pitchers were never the same. They have missed complete seasons each and have had a laundry list of arm problems. Prior hasn’t really pitched in the big leagues since and Wood was converted to a closer, but not as dominant as he once was (he is a closer for Cleveland and has a 4.72 ERA this season). The lone young pitcher that seems to be standing after the Baker era in Chicago is Carlos Zambrano. I think there must be some truth to the rumors that he is actually a zombie.

This all circles back to the present-day Cincinnati Reds. It was announced last week that Edinson Volquez underwent Tommy John surgery and could miss the entire next season, as well as the rest of this season. To add more fuel to the fire, Johnny Cueto has had arm troubles this season and he’s now injured with a hip injury. Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang both had great season a few seasons before Baker became skipper, but the last two years they have been horrible. You can’t blame run support for their losses, since they have been sporting ERA around 5.00. So it’s not only the young pitchers who are prone to “Bakerification.”

You can’t blame GM Walk Jocketty for sticking with Dusty Baker. He was the man who hired Tony LaRussa in St. Louis, so he likes guys with winning experience. I think it’s time to let Baker go and find a man himself. The former GM Wayne Krivsky hired Baker as a last-ditch effort to save his job, kind of a desperate man’s final meal. He needed to make a splash, but he clearly had no plan for the future of the club. He was hoping that Baker could catch lightning in a bottle, but I think he more or less caught something else that needs some penicillin to clear up.

Once again, I would like to reiterate that I am not a Reds fan, I’m a Cubs fan, but I would like to see them competitive again. I have the same feeling about the Pirates too, but if both of those franchises ever get to a point where they are actually contending for the NL Central, I may not be too pleased. The Reds need to be blown up and get rid of guys like Harang and Arroya and build around some guys like Bruce, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and future-star Yonder Alonso. The start this process, fire Dusty Baker!

Are The Cubs Finally Making A Run?

The Cubs may not be making any huge trades over the next 24-hour period, but their current players have finally started to hit. What would happen if Milton Bradley actually starts to produce for the Cubs? Can they keep pace with the Cardinals, who added Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday over the past couple weeks? Geovany Soto and Ted Lilly are both on the DL, but with Ryan Dempster and Aramis Ramirez coming off, this could be the beginning of a nice second-half of the season.

Alfonso Soriano, who has battled a leg injury for most of the season, has finally started to swing the bat well. They moved him down to the sixth spot, and since then, he has been hitting .383 with 5 homers and 15 RBI. I’m not sure if the move down in the order sparked this offense, but resting during the All-Star break could have added to his numbers. I like him hitting behind Ramirez, Fox/Hoffpauer platoon, and Bradley, they have all found their numbers have increased. Ramirez has had an extra base-hit in 9 straight games and Bradley hit is eight homer of the season this afternoon. If they get their pitching in order, maybe they can keep pace with the Cardinals. Adam Wainwright and Cris Carpenter are the only Cardinals who has pitched well after the All-Star break, with Ryan Franklin finally looking human. If the Cubs can get a mid-level bat or someone like John Grabow over the next day, it could help their cause.

Geovany Soto has not had a great season this year, but he is expected back in a couple weeks from an oblique injury. He started to hit well before his trip to the DL, but I like the way Koyie Hill has called games for the pitching staff. Randy Wells has looked great and even Kevin Hart has looked like a professional over the last two weeks. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if Soto is out longer than expected, but I would like him to get a couple weeks of regular season activity at the end of the season, if the Cubs make the playoffs, I don’t want him rusty.

The rest of the league are scouring the league for trades, but the Cubs can’t afford to do that, nor should they do so. If their line-up starts to hit to their potential and Zambrano doesn’t eat someone’s face off, they will be in the race. The Cubs don’t have any blue-chip prospects other than Josh Vitters, who they hope will develop into something great. He’s a third-baseman, so he’ll either be an insurance policy for Aramis Ramirez, or a possible position change to first base, if Derrek Lee’s performance begins to decline.

I have really turned the wagons around the last few days concerning the Cubs season. If the Brewers get desparate and trade their lot of prospects away for Roy Halladay, I could head back the other way, but it looks like Doc Halladay isn’t headed into these parts anytime soon.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Ohio State Football – Rebuilding Year?

I have lived in Columbus, OH for three years and this will be my fourth football season that I will experience here. My first year here was when Ohio State played Michigan as the #1 vs. #2 teams in the country. Since it was a home game, this town was completely nuts. I couldn’t even use my cell phone, since so many people crammed into the city for the game. This year’s team is by far the worst Ohio State team in the last four season, even if die-hard Buckeye fans won’t admit it.

A lot of hype will surround Columbus on September 12th. The USC Trojans come here to play Ohio State, but both teams will only be a skeleton of themselves. USC and OSU lost most of their starters and will still be getting used to each other by the time they play. Ohio State is expecting a break-out season from Terelle Pryor, but they will definitely miss Chris Wells. Boom Herron and Brandon Saine will do their best to duplicate the impact Beanie had on move the chains, but it will be a huge task. Pryor may have to use his feet to gain yards, even more than last year. They also lose Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline to graduation/draft, two veteran targets will be missed. Dan Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey will be the go-to receivers and if Ray Small can develop any offensive game, they may start to click by the time Big Ten season begins.

The defensive side of the ball could be the Buckeyes best attribute. I am looking for a big year from safety Kyle Coleman. I’m not saying that ’cause I’m friends with his brother and have met him on many occassions, he’s a great safety and is a playmaker. He will have to make plays in the secondary, since Malcolm Jenkins is no longer out there to intercept passes. They won’t miss Donald Washington, since he didn’t do much in college, but was still drafted early in the NFL Draft. They will miss James Laurenitis and Marcus Freeman from their linebacking corpse. Tyler Moeller, Ross Homan, and Austin Spitler will have to mature in a hurry. Luckily for them, when they play USC, they will be breaking in a new QB.

Ohio State is either a 10-2 or a 9-3 team this year. Their losses will be at the hands of USC and Penn State. The bubble loss could come against Illinois, they had a bad year last season, but Ron Zook has recruited well the last two seasons. You would think that those players will have to mature this season. The Big Ten is down again this year and a 10-2 or 9-3 season could land them in the Rose Bowl, if Penn State is playing for the National Championship. I think Penn State will have a good team, it just depends how down the Big Ten really is. If they lose one game this year, it could knock them down pretty far in the polls and a weak Big Ten schedule would make it hard to make a jump up.

I know that I am going to get grilled by Ohio State fans, since they are extremely rabid and passionate. A 10-2 or 9-3 season wouldn’t be a bad season for this team. They are very young and it is something that they could build upon for the 2010-11 season. If Ohio State could pull off a win against USC, then the season could change and they could yet again be vying for a spot in the BCS Championship game. A lot will be determined by the game on September 12th, but which team will fall down to normal expectations and which team will be catapulted into the elite.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.