The coaching carousel has gotten is off to an early start this NFL season. Already Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville, Tony Sparano in Miami, and Todd Haley in Kansas City have lost their jobs and it is unlikely Leslie Frazier in Minnesota or Jeff Spagnuolo in St. Louis will keep theirs. It is not unusual for underachieving coaches to be dismissed, but there is an alarming trend taking place with regards to New England assistants.
The Bill Belichick coaching tree has some weak branches. Over the last 5 years Charlie Weiss, Romeo Crennel, Josh McDaniels, Eric Mangini, and now Todd Haley have all been fired from head coaching positions. Belichick is considered to be the greatest coach of his era and the architect of the New England Patriot dynasty. Much like Bill Walsh and Mike Holmgren (A Walsh protege) it was assumed the Belichick assistants could run a football franchise with the same mindset and results of their mentor. Clearly it has not worked out that way.
Perhaps these disciples of Belichick were thrown into the fire before they were ready. Although they all had impressive resumes and success as either offensive or defensive coordinators implementing the Belichick philosophy has been a struggle. Success as an understudy doesn't always mean you'll have success as the head guy. Sometimes the person delivering the message is more important than the message itself.
In the end what we realize is Bill Belichick has certain intangibles as a coach that are not easily duplicated. It almost gives his coaching legacy more credibility because none of his top assistants have been able to replicate the blueprint for success. Just because you train under a master doesn't make you a master. It has become painfully obvious that Bill Belichick's coaching style is unique and only works for him. No more Belichick assistants please.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Weekend Observations
The fantasy football gods have a cruel and perverse sense of humor. After struggling for credibility for 14 weeks I finally swept all 3 leagues (so long as Brandon Lloyd doesn't score 21 points tonight). Now it looks like I know what the hell I'm doing. In my JV league I won my consolation playoff game thanks to Ahmad Bradshaw breaking curfew to kick it with the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. In my trash talking league I beat up some bum by 50 points after being heckled by one of my league mates on Friday night. Too little too late. In my hurt your feelings league I may miss the playoffs because the Packers benched A-Rod midway through the 3rd quarter against the Raiders. Way to go Carson Palmer. Maybe you should have stayed in retirement. Here are some observations from the weekend.
It looks like Jon Jones doesn't have any equals in the UFC. After pummeling Lyoto Machida on Saturday I don't see anyone that's on his level.
Ryan Braun has proven once again that putting up video game like numbers in baseball usually means you're on drugs.
Lamar Odom is 90% crybaby and 10% professional. After being packaged in a deal that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers (the deal was nixed) Odom demanded a trade to Dallas because his feelings were hurt. He'll regret it.
Tim Tebow must sprinkle pixy dust on his opponents. In the last minutes of the Chicago contest I couldn't tell if I was watching a football game or a Buffalo Wings commercial. Some things are beyond explanation.
The Rivers/Curry back court at Duke has a good pedigree, but they look a little soft to me. Conversely, those guys at Xavier look like they might steal your lunch money and spit in your face. Toughen up Blue Devils!
Kudos to Matt Prater. You know I don't like kickers, but hitting a 59 yard field goal to send the game into overtime followed by a 51 yarder to win it is no joke. Go ahead and bring out the Elway girls for him. Free drinks all around.
It looks like Jon Jones doesn't have any equals in the UFC. After pummeling Lyoto Machida on Saturday I don't see anyone that's on his level.
Ryan Braun has proven once again that putting up video game like numbers in baseball usually means you're on drugs.
Lamar Odom is 90% crybaby and 10% professional. After being packaged in a deal that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers (the deal was nixed) Odom demanded a trade to Dallas because his feelings were hurt. He'll regret it.
Tim Tebow must sprinkle pixy dust on his opponents. In the last minutes of the Chicago contest I couldn't tell if I was watching a football game or a Buffalo Wings commercial. Some things are beyond explanation.
The Rivers/Curry back court at Duke has a good pedigree, but they look a little soft to me. Conversely, those guys at Xavier look like they might steal your lunch money and spit in your face. Toughen up Blue Devils!
Kudos to Matt Prater. You know I don't like kickers, but hitting a 59 yard field goal to send the game into overtime followed by a 51 yarder to win it is no joke. Go ahead and bring out the Elway girls for him. Free drinks all around.
Friday, December 9, 2011
The Chris Paul Saga (David Stern Needs To Go)
I thought the melodrama surrounding the NBA was over when the collective bargaining agreement was signed. Just when I thought I was out they pull me right back in. The NBA has nixed a trade that would have sent New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers. The rationale behind the veto was the Hornets are "more valuable" with Chris Paul on the roster. This is not the NBA's finest hour.
Lord David Stern has always been heavy handed with his complete autonomy of power. Whether it was implementing a dress code, suspensions, or team relocation (yes I'm still bitter he let Oklahoma slime bucket Clay Bennett steal the Seattle Supersonics) Stern has always established his presence of authority. This time he's gone too far.
I'm not sure it's even legal what he's doing. How can someone arbitrarily veto a trade 3 other teams agreed to? Why is his opinion so much more valid than everyone else? He's acting as if there's a buyer in place for the New Orleans Hornets (which is currently owned by the league) that will only purchase the franchise if Chris Paul is still in uniform. Everyone knows Chris Paul is leaving at the end of the season so why not let the Hornets get as much as they can in return before they lose him for nothing?
Maybe Lamar Odom's wife Khloe Kardashian couldn't bear the thought of losing market share on their reality show with a move to New Orleans and promised Stern a date with her newly single sister Kim. Maybe Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert called him in the middle of the night crying like a little girl because small market teams just aren't that glamorous. Maybe the thought of another NBA superstar talent deciding where he will or won't play was just too much for the commissioner to bear. Whatever the case is the decision was legally and morally wrong. David Stern has outlived his usefulness to the NBA. It's time for new leadership.
Lord David Stern has always been heavy handed with his complete autonomy of power. Whether it was implementing a dress code, suspensions, or team relocation (yes I'm still bitter he let Oklahoma slime bucket Clay Bennett steal the Seattle Supersonics) Stern has always established his presence of authority. This time he's gone too far.
I'm not sure it's even legal what he's doing. How can someone arbitrarily veto a trade 3 other teams agreed to? Why is his opinion so much more valid than everyone else? He's acting as if there's a buyer in place for the New Orleans Hornets (which is currently owned by the league) that will only purchase the franchise if Chris Paul is still in uniform. Everyone knows Chris Paul is leaving at the end of the season so why not let the Hornets get as much as they can in return before they lose him for nothing?
Maybe Lamar Odom's wife Khloe Kardashian couldn't bear the thought of losing market share on their reality show with a move to New Orleans and promised Stern a date with her newly single sister Kim. Maybe Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert called him in the middle of the night crying like a little girl because small market teams just aren't that glamorous. Maybe the thought of another NBA superstar talent deciding where he will or won't play was just too much for the commissioner to bear. Whatever the case is the decision was legally and morally wrong. David Stern has outlived his usefulness to the NBA. It's time for new leadership.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Sports in 2012
In response to my blog yesterday about the NBA one of my friends brought up a very interesting point. He said his disinterest in the NBA wasn't so much about talent as it was about the inability of teams to stay together. Teams are built to win today, not tomorrow or the next day. Free agency and blockbuster trades make it difficult for fans to connect with a franchise when they know it won't look the same in 2 or 3 years. I would have to agree.
Gone are the days of the great rivalries and dynasties. Teams don't stay intact long enough to develop bad blood and player movement makes it impossible to sustain greatness. Rivalries and dynasties are what makes sports so compelling. Without that element the fans aren't emotionally invested and the game takes a different meaning. It becomes trendy as opposed to passionate.
The business aspect of sports has made sports more entertaining, but less intense. There is no loyalty from the players or the owners. They are opportunists looking to cash in on their success as quickly as possible. It's a selfish approach, but very lucrative.
This is why players of today are not as beloved as players of the past. Larry Bird was a great Boston Celtic. Isaiah Thomas was a great Detroit Piston. Michael Jordan was a great Chicago Bull. Lebron James is a great player. Chris Paul is a great point guard. Carmelo Anthony is a great scorer. Dwight Howard is a great shot blocker. There's no association with any one particular franchise, only basketball ability.
I understand my friend's point but it's a new day. The alpha dogs and franchise players have been replaced with hired guns and PR campaigns. It's hard to embrace the product on the floor when you're used to something much better, but just like hip-hop you have to work with what you have. This is what sports in 2012 looks like.
Gone are the days of the great rivalries and dynasties. Teams don't stay intact long enough to develop bad blood and player movement makes it impossible to sustain greatness. Rivalries and dynasties are what makes sports so compelling. Without that element the fans aren't emotionally invested and the game takes a different meaning. It becomes trendy as opposed to passionate.
The business aspect of sports has made sports more entertaining, but less intense. There is no loyalty from the players or the owners. They are opportunists looking to cash in on their success as quickly as possible. It's a selfish approach, but very lucrative.
This is why players of today are not as beloved as players of the past. Larry Bird was a great Boston Celtic. Isaiah Thomas was a great Detroit Piston. Michael Jordan was a great Chicago Bull. Lebron James is a great player. Chris Paul is a great point guard. Carmelo Anthony is a great scorer. Dwight Howard is a great shot blocker. There's no association with any one particular franchise, only basketball ability.
I understand my friend's point but it's a new day. The alpha dogs and franchise players have been replaced with hired guns and PR campaigns. It's hard to embrace the product on the floor when you're used to something much better, but just like hip-hop you have to work with what you have. This is what sports in 2012 looks like.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
You Still Love The NBA
Just a few weeks back it was a foregone conclusion there would be no NBA basketball for the 2011-2012 season. Friends and fans chimed in to tell me how much they hated the NBA and how greedy they thought the players were. Some of them even vowed to never watch the NBA again. Then a miracle happened. The owners and players came to an agreement and the season will start on Christmas day. Is it too late to win back the legion of fans that have been turned off by this bitter labor dispute?
Of course not, but first let's get the frustrating parts out of the way. The negotiating tactics of Billy Hunter and Derek Fisher were suspect. They implemented their strategies at the wrong time. David Stern completely underestimated the mindset of the NBA players. It's a weird mix of slightly oversensitive and slightly overconfident that lends itself to conflict. In the end his inability to effectively communicate with a younger generation was is undoing. The past is the past though so let's get back to basketball!
Some of you are stubborn with long memories (Scorpios probably) and think you're done with NBA basketball. You're not. As soon as you see an alley oop dunk from Blake "The Barbarian" Griffin on SportsCenter or catch a glimpse of Carmelo in the garden while channel surfing you'll be hooked again. The bitterness will subside and you'll get back to the way things were before the lockout.
The lockout was bad for the fans and negatively impacted the economy, but it's over now. The NBA is here. It's like having a date with Halle Berry and she shows up 2 months late. Sure she's a little tardy, but she still showed up in her favorite Victoria's Secret ensemble ready to hang out. What are you going to do? Say no, it's loo late? Let your bitterness get in the way of the greater good?
The NBA is still fantastic. Kobe Bryant vs. The MoHeatos is still must see TV. Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant are still filthy and Dirk Nowitzki still has a title to defend. The bad feelings don't go away overnight, but they go away. These are still the greatest athletes on the planet and people still want to be entertained. At least that's what the owners and players are betting on.
Of course not, but first let's get the frustrating parts out of the way. The negotiating tactics of Billy Hunter and Derek Fisher were suspect. They implemented their strategies at the wrong time. David Stern completely underestimated the mindset of the NBA players. It's a weird mix of slightly oversensitive and slightly overconfident that lends itself to conflict. In the end his inability to effectively communicate with a younger generation was is undoing. The past is the past though so let's get back to basketball!
Some of you are stubborn with long memories (Scorpios probably) and think you're done with NBA basketball. You're not. As soon as you see an alley oop dunk from Blake "The Barbarian" Griffin on SportsCenter or catch a glimpse of Carmelo in the garden while channel surfing you'll be hooked again. The bitterness will subside and you'll get back to the way things were before the lockout.
The lockout was bad for the fans and negatively impacted the economy, but it's over now. The NBA is here. It's like having a date with Halle Berry and she shows up 2 months late. Sure she's a little tardy, but she still showed up in her favorite Victoria's Secret ensemble ready to hang out. What are you going to do? Say no, it's loo late? Let your bitterness get in the way of the greater good?
The NBA is still fantastic. Kobe Bryant vs. The MoHeatos is still must see TV. Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant are still filthy and Dirk Nowitzki still has a title to defend. The bad feelings don't go away overnight, but they go away. These are still the greatest athletes on the planet and people still want to be entertained. At least that's what the owners and players are betting on.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Pac 12 Football Is Back
In the past few weeks Pac 12 football has added some high profile coaches to the conference. Mike leach takes over at Washington St., Rich Rodriguez is at the helm at Arizona, and Jim Mora Jr. has been speculated to take the job at UCLA or Arizona St. All three new coaches were unceremoniously fired from their previous job and they all have Stonehenge size chips on their shoulders. Pac 12 football is about to get real interesting.
Oregon and USC have already established themselves as perennial top 10 teams and Stanford has only lost 2 games in the last 2 seasons. Washington is on the rise and California is just a few pieces away from becoming a factor week in and week out. With Leach, Rodriguez, and a possible Mora Jr. on the recruiting trail the competition for top flight players will become more intense.
In the next 5 years two things are certain. The Pac 12 will establish itself as the 2nd best football conference behind the SEC and several of the Pac 12 schools will spend some time on probation. There is no way to avoid sanctions in a conference with 6 potential top 25 teams. Leach and Rodriguez will do everything in their power to turn their programs around quickly putting added pressure on the other schools to keep pace. College football is already a dirty game, but it's about to get real grimy on the west coast.
Even with all the conferences realigning themselves like a big game of musical chairs the Pac 12 will rise to national prominence. Success does come with a price however so all the publicity won't be positive. There will be more stories about fights, DUI's, drugs, and improper benefits, but there will also be more BCS games in the future as well. At any rate the Pac 12 has added excitement and enthusiasm with the new hires. Can't wait to see it.
Oregon and USC have already established themselves as perennial top 10 teams and Stanford has only lost 2 games in the last 2 seasons. Washington is on the rise and California is just a few pieces away from becoming a factor week in and week out. With Leach, Rodriguez, and a possible Mora Jr. on the recruiting trail the competition for top flight players will become more intense.
In the next 5 years two things are certain. The Pac 12 will establish itself as the 2nd best football conference behind the SEC and several of the Pac 12 schools will spend some time on probation. There is no way to avoid sanctions in a conference with 6 potential top 25 teams. Leach and Rodriguez will do everything in their power to turn their programs around quickly putting added pressure on the other schools to keep pace. College football is already a dirty game, but it's about to get real grimy on the west coast.
Even with all the conferences realigning themselves like a big game of musical chairs the Pac 12 will rise to national prominence. Success does come with a price however so all the publicity won't be positive. There will be more stories about fights, DUI's, drugs, and improper benefits, but there will also be more BCS games in the future as well. At any rate the Pac 12 has added excitement and enthusiasm with the new hires. Can't wait to see it.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Cleavie In Cancun
Cleavie Wonder has been on hiatus for the last week in Cancun, but now I'm back. I promised the family I wouldn't blog while on vacation and I thought it would be an easy proposition. To my surprise I found it extremely difficult. I don't think I'll be taking 7 days off ever again. The blog is too therapeutic for me and I miss the interaction with my family, friends, and followers. That being said it was cool to hang out in 90 degree weather sipping Pina Coladas by the pool. My contact with the sports world over the last week has been spotty at best, but I still managed to come up with a few weekend observations.
Mexican Style:
Antonio Margarito is still relevant in his home country. Although Miguel Cotto put a beating on him there were legions of fans in Mexico that gathered to watch the outcome.
The NBA is definitely has a worldwide influence. I got more compliments wearing my Tim Hardaway jersey than I ever thought possible. I even had some people coming up to me doing their killer crossover impersonation. And no, they didn't think I was Tim.
ESPN Deportes is a pretty cool channel. It has all the same shows (Pardon the Interruption, Sportscenter, Around The Horn) as ESPN, just in Spanish. The only problem is all they really talk about is soccer.
US style:
The coaching changes in the Pac 12 will change the power structure in college football over the next 5 years. More on that tomorrow.
It took four games, a lot of luck, extreme circumstances, and some clutch performances, but he finally beat it out of me. I have to relent. Tebow. Tebow. Tebow.
The Seattle Seahawks have played themselves out of a top 10 pick. Although I'm happy to see them competing at a high level and improving with every game their new found success will do more damage than good in the long run.
The Indianaoplis Colts have enough scrap to win a game this year. I thought they were going to mail in the rest of the season, but the way they fought back against New England was encouraging. They can get one.
Mexican Style:
Antonio Margarito is still relevant in his home country. Although Miguel Cotto put a beating on him there were legions of fans in Mexico that gathered to watch the outcome.
The NBA is definitely has a worldwide influence. I got more compliments wearing my Tim Hardaway jersey than I ever thought possible. I even had some people coming up to me doing their killer crossover impersonation. And no, they didn't think I was Tim.
ESPN Deportes is a pretty cool channel. It has all the same shows (Pardon the Interruption, Sportscenter, Around The Horn) as ESPN, just in Spanish. The only problem is all they really talk about is soccer.
US style:
The coaching changes in the Pac 12 will change the power structure in college football over the next 5 years. More on that tomorrow.
It took four games, a lot of luck, extreme circumstances, and some clutch performances, but he finally beat it out of me. I have to relent. Tebow. Tebow. Tebow.
The Seattle Seahawks have played themselves out of a top 10 pick. Although I'm happy to see them competing at a high level and improving with every game their new found success will do more damage than good in the long run.
The Indianaoplis Colts have enough scrap to win a game this year. I thought they were going to mail in the rest of the season, but the way they fought back against New England was encouraging. They can get one.
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