One thing that you can usually count on each April is one prediction…the New York Yankees being the team to beat in Major League Baseball. 2010 will be no different, with the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays scrambling for second place and hoping for the Yankees to stumble. The likelihood of a stumble this season appears slim, but that is why they play the games.
Jeter Looks For One More Ring
New York Yankees
The reigning World Series champs returned to their late 1990s form and displayed pure dominance during the playoffs as they kicked aside the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies en route to their 27th championship. Last year’s team had very few holes and they left little question as to who was the best team.
During the offseason, they Yankees didn’t sit idly by and revamped their roster for a run at back-to-back titles. Aging All-Stars Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui were bid adieu along with starting CF Melky Cabrera. Replacing these key components are OF Curtis Granderson, DH Nick Johnson and P Javier Vasquez. Within the shakeup, they Yankees placed their left field fortunes in the hands of OF Brett Gardner with veteran free agent signee Randy Winn as a parachute.
No question, the Yankees offensive output will be down, but even with the departures, they’ll likely still put up huge numbers and possibly lead the league in most offensive stat categories. The improvements come in the pitching rotation where they plugged the hole in the fifth starter position and returned Joba Chamberlain to the bullpen where he is better served. Javier Vasquez and Phil Hughes will hold down the 4th and 5th starter spots for the best pitching rotation in baseball. And should they get the expected 7 inning quality start, Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera will combine together again to close the door on any ideas of a late-run rally.
Key Additions: OF Curtis Granderson, 1B/DH Nick Johnson, OF Marcus Thames, P Javier Vazquez, OF Randy Winn
Key Subtractions: Melky Cabrera (OF), Johnny Damon (OF), Hideki Matsui (DH), Xavier Nady (OF), Chien-Ming Wang (P), Phil Coke (P), Brian Bruney (P)
Prediction: 102-60 (World Series Champs)
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox once again were the bridesmaids in the AL East in 2009, assuming their familiar position of watching the Yankees from the hindside. After a strong start to the season led by Jason Bay, the Red Sox fizzled as their starting pitching fell apart and their offense went quiet. Limping into the playoffs, the Los Angeles Angels made quick work of the Sox and sent them home for an early fall vacation.
The Red Sox went to work in the offseason, opening their wallets and spending big to secure free agents that will plug the holes which troubled them in 2009. The big acquisition was John Lackey, whom Red Sox fans hope will be the Yankee killer he was in Los Angeles. Despite recent injury woes, the Red Sox unloaded a huge contract on a pitcher that has flown under the radar for most of his career. In Boston, he will be unable to avoid the spotlight and how he responds to the glare will be the big story in Beantown. A player known to unleash on his teammates that make errors, Lackey will be under a microscope early and often.
Offensively, the Red Sox have major question marks. The loss of Jason Bay is huge, especially when you replace him with journeyman Mike Cameron. Bay was the lifeblood of last year’s offense, carrying the team of his back as David “Big Papi” Ortiz watched his skills evaporate as he came down from his steroids abuse behavior. While Victor Martinez brings some added pop to the lineup, his hitting is already beginning to tail of with age and his ability to call a game behind the plate pales in comparison to Jason Varitek. The left side of the infield is brand new, as Adrian Beltre and Marco Scutaro bring less than adequate pop to a struggling lineup.
The Red Sox changes really came off unbalanced. The pitching staff was less of an issue than the bats in the field and they went for the arms in the free agency. Acquisitions like Cameron and Beltre are unlikely to payoff and the Red Sox will struggle to earn second place in the division.
Key Additions: John Lackey (SP), Mike Cameron (OF), Adrian Beltre (3B), Marco Scutaro (SS)
Key Losses: Jason Bay (OF), Billy Wagner (RP)
Prediction: 90-72
Tampa Bay Rays
The biggest disappointment of 2009 was without a doubt the Tampa Bay Rays. With huge expectations on their shoulders, the team got off to a rocky start and never recovered. The starting pitching was average, the batting was underwhelming and the bullpen was a disaster. It was a fraction of the performance from a team that surprised the baseball world and finally broke through in 2008.
Despite the issues, the Rays held pat during the offseason, being their usually frugal selves. The main move was to secure Rafael Soriano, who will without question help them maintain a few more leads than they did in 2009. But keeping up with the Yankees and Red Sox required more than hoping the young players will improve significantly after a poor campaign. The pitching staff is anchored by Matt Garza and Jamie Shields, but the Rays success will hinge on the growth of Jeff Niemann, David Price and Wade Davis. The offense can plate runs, but they aren’t going to knock the cover off the ball, so their success will ultimately reside on their bullpen delivering, which is unlikely.
Key Additions: Rafael Soriano (RP)
Key Losses: Akinori Iwamura (2B)
Prediction: 85-77
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles finally look to be moving in the right direction in hopes of breaking the annual losing record streak that has stretched now for 13 years. The Orioles made a few nice veteran additions during the offseason that will likely blend well with the stream of young future stars that the Orioles are banking their success upon. The young offensive core is led by Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and Nolan Reimold. On the mound, the Orioles have a legitimate AL Rookie of the Year candidate in Brian Matusz.
For the first time in many years, Orioles fan have some optimism that is well deserved. The team should improve significantly over a lost 2009 campaign and set itself up to be a future contender in the AL East.
Key Additions: Kevin Millwood (SP), Mike Gonzalez (RP), Garrett Atkins (1B), Miguel Tejada (3B)
Key Losses: None
Prediction: 75 – 87
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays cut ties with GM J.P. Ricciardi after a host of awful contract extensions and inability to develop a minor league system to build for the future. Ricciardi’s tenure has likely set this team on a direction to be the cellar dwellars for the next few years as they rebound from his poor decisions.
In the offseason, the big move was sending Roy Halladay on his way to a winning ballclub for minor-league prospect and budding star pitcher Kyle Drabek. Unfortunately for Jays fans, Drabek is at least one, perhaps two years away from making it to the bigs, as is Brett Wallace, the budding third base prospect that was the other keystone of the Halladay trade.
For the Blue Jays just to stay out of the cellar, everything will need to go right. With a below average pitching staff and struggling offensive output, the Jays will find a 4th place AL East finish to be a huge accomplishment.
Key Additions: Alex Gonzalez (SS), Kevin Gregg (RP)
Last week Derek Jeter addressed the media on what he foresees in the future when his contract ends after the 2010 season. He sees himself as being in the pinstripes till he is done playing. In a class act, he told the media that he will not answer anymore questions regarding a new contract until the season is over and never wanted to become a free agent. Jeter has always put his team first and that is one of the reasons he is so loved by Yankee fans…
Jeter is coming off a great season in which he lead the Yankees to another World Series title. He batted .334 to go along with 18 homers and 66 RBI’s. He was the most consistent Yankee all year long and kept them on the positive road when they were not playing at their best to start the season. He personifies the word Captain as he leads by example on and off the field. Jeter was open to discussing a contract extension but team rules prevent negotiating when a contract is current. Jeter will abide by these rules and get ready to defend the World Series title with his teammates. He wants no distractions to effect his team, again team first.
I have watched Derek Jeter since he was a rookie and consider it a real privilege to watch his whole career as a Yankee fan. He was a clutch player from the start as has never stopped being clutch for one minute. He takes his legacy as a Yankee legend very seriously along with being a role model. The youths of America need to look up to someone like Jeter. Sports icons are role models whether they believe it or not.
Will Derek Jeter get a contact extension after the 2010 season?
It would be a devastating thing for Jeter to be in any other uniform other than pinstripes. The Yankees need to reward Derek with a contract extension that will set him up in pinstripes for the rest of his career. Jeter will likely surpass the magically 3000 hit mark in 2011. Could you imagine him doing it in another uniform. Yankee brass, do it for Derek, do it for the fans. I have no doubt that Derek Jeter will be a Yankee Forever.
Kenny Rogers made famous these riveting lyrics many years ago, “You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em. Know when to walk away and know when to run.” Somebody should have played the song for Johnny Damon, as his gamble didn’t pay off today as the New York Yankees signed former San Francisco Giants OF Randy Winn today as his replacement. The signing most likely is the final chapter of Damon’s tenure in New York.
Damon's Days In Pinstripes Appear Over
Winn’s signing comes shortly after Damon’s agent, Scott Boras, rejected the Yankees latest and final offer. Winn’s contract is a one-year deal for $2 million, providing the Yankees with an economical replacement whose fielding capabilities are superior to Damon. Winn will likely platoon in the outfield with Brett Gardner and Nick Swisher. Winn struggled last year, batting just .262 with only 2 home runs and 51 runs batted in.
The decision by the Yankees to go economical signals they will likely be players in the 2011 free agency market for an outfielder. Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth, Brad Hawpe and Magglio Ordonez are all expected to test the waters after the upcoming season. That’s so long as the Yankees still have money left over after unloading their riches on Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer.
As for Damon, he wins this year’s Scott Boras Bonehead Client of The Year. Previous winners of the award are Alex Rodriguez and Bobby Abreu, who earned the same distinctions following the 2007 and 2008 season’s respectively. To earn the award, you must display unshaken faith in your agent, believe all of his shoe shining about how great you are and leave yourself out on the free agency marketing until there are no suitors interested in your services.
The Yankees had offered Damon early in the free agency signing period a two-year deal worth $14 million. Boras directed Damon to request a higher annual salary and three years…call their bluff. Sorry Scotty, they weren’t bluffing.
There aren’t a lot of options out there for Damon, as most teams have addressed their needs and don’t have a budget for Damon. The Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds probably have the inside track, but their offering won’t be nearly as good as the Yankees. Perhaps the Florida Marlins may pursue as well now that they have been mandated to spend more money or feel the wrath of the other MLB owners.
It is disappointing to see this happen to a class act like Johnny Damon. He’s done nothing but play his heart out for every team he’s played for, been loved by the fans in each town and provided a positive influence in the locker room at every stop. Due to his agent’s bad advice, he’ll likely be taking a bargain price 1-year deal on a non-contender team as he fades into the pasture.
The saddest part of this story is that when and if Damon does sign, Boras will actually get paid for his top-shelf services. It is almost criminal.
It’s the end of the year. Its the end of a decade. Nothing great ever ends without a list and a debate over that list. Today, we focus on the 10 best sports stories of the 2000 decade and their impact on sports in America.
10. Emergence of Mixed Martial Arts
In January 2001, Zuffa LLC purchased the fledgling, close-to-bankruptcy MMA promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship for $2 million. They then secured state sanctioning with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Zuffa struggled for a few years to emerge from the shadows of the negativity that surrounded MMA until it secured a reality TV show called The Ultimate Fighter which first aired in January 2005 on Spike TV. The sport then exploded with a multitude of competitive promotion both regional and national. The sport is now on the brink of generating near $1 Billion in revenues per year and is on the cusp of mainstream acceptance. Love him or hate, Dana White is responsible for making MMA the sport it is today.
9. Rulon Gardner Upsets Alexander Karelin
Do you believe in miracles? Most fans of the Olympics are familiar with that saying and its forever bond with the 1980 USA Hockey team’s upset of Russia. In the Summer Olympics of 2000, a much more unimaginable upset of a Russian occured when Rulon Gardner shocked the world with his stunning victory over undefeated superstar Alexander Karelin. Coming into the finals, Karelin had not lost a match in 15 years and had not even surrender a point in the last 10 years. Gardner pulled out a 1-0 victory and delivered the most stunning upset in Olympics history against the 3-time gold medal winner that was deemed to be invincible.
8. New England Patriots Near-Perfect Season
The New England Patriots were the darlings of the 2007 NFL season, putting together the first perfect regular season in a dominating fashion never before seen in the sport. One toughed out victory against Baltimore and a valiant effort by the New York Giants in the final game of the season were as close as anyone got during the regular season. The Patriots then carved out two solid, conservative victories in the playoffs, setting up a rematch with the upstart New York Giants to end the season 19-0 and go down in history as the greatest team ever. An Eli Manning circus-like pass to and catch by David Tyree will forever be remembered in NFL lore that drove the nail into the coffin of this special team that was denied greatness. And in the process, the Patriots scored the largest Super Bowl viewing audience in the history of the game.
7. Red Sox Break The Curse
Buck F-ing Dent. Bill Buckner. Aaron Boone. The Red Sox were perhaps the unluckiest team in professional sports. Down 3-0 to their bitter rival New York Yankees in the 2oo4 ALCS, the Red Sox forged the biggest comeback in baseball history to defeat the Yankees and go on to win their first World Series since 1918, the year before they traded Babe Ruth away to those very same Yankees. Curt Schilling pitched one of the most courageous game ever by a pitcher, his bloody sock on display in Cooperstown for all to remember the pivotal moment of that amazing playoff season.
6. Roger Federer Streak at Top Ranking
There having been many great tennis players over the years. Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Bjorg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. Federer did something that none of them ever did, holding the #1 ranking in tennis for almost four and half consecutive years between February 2, 2004 to August 17, 2008. During that span, Federer won 65 straight matches at Wimbeldon and holds a 72-1 record on grass over the past seven years. Federer also holds the record for most Grand Slam titles at 15, while finally earning his first French Open championship this past year. Without question, the greatest tennis player in the history of the game and he still has a lot left in the tank to set records that may never be matched.
5. Tiger Woods Wins Four Straight Majors
Woods made history in April 2001 winning his 2nd Masters championship. With that victory, he became only one of five player in the history of golf to win all four major titles in his career. To one up them, Woods won the championships consecutively, becoming the first ever to hold all four major golf championships at the same time, earning him a pseudo Grand Slam. Woods has gone on since that point to win 8 more majors, bringing his career total to 14, leaving him just four shy of the all-time record of 18 held by Jack Nicklaus.
4. 2001 World Series
With the country reeling from the recent terrorist attacks that had taken over 3,000 lives, Major League Baseball gave grieving Americans an outlet to cope with their losses. The New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks provided perhaps the most exciting World Series in history, filled with riveting National Anthems, seventh-inning stretches echoing to God Bless America and some of the most unbelievable ends to World Series games ever seen. In Game 4, Tino Martinez hit a game-tying two run homer in the bottom of the ninth and Derek Jeter closed the game with an opposite field walk-off homer in the 10th to win the game. The very next night, Scott Brosius hit a game-tying home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth that would lead to another extra inning victory. The magic would fade in Game 7 though, as Mariano Rivera would surrender two runs in the bottom of the ninth to end the Yankees consecutive World Series run. A truly magical World Series for the ages at a time when America needed its pastime the most.
3. Major League Baseball Steroids Scandal
In a sport defined by stats and where Hall of Fame hitters fail 7 out of 10 times, baseball has been defined by its statistical records and comparison of current ballplayers to those in its past. At the end of the last decade, MLB treated its fans to the most compelling drama in years when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa battled it out to surpass Roger Maris’ single season home run record. At the turn of the decade came BALCO, a book by Jose Canseco and revelations that MLB owners and execs turned a blind eye to rampant steroids abuse. After a humiliating Congressional hearing where Mark McGwire pleaded the 5th Amendment so, baseball was forced to implement drug testing. The Mitchell Report would then follow, containing over 100 names that were linked to steroids, many of them the biggest names in the sport. In the end, we are left with era that will forever be scarred and represents some of the darkest hours in the sport’s history.
2. Michael Phelps’ 8 Olympic Gold Medals
The swimming star from Baltimore MD had prepared for this moment all his life, but nobody expected the drama that would go down at the pool in Beijing. Phelps and his relay teammates were heavily favored in six of his eight races. The remaining two races will go down in Olympic history forever. Teammate Jason Lezak would anchor the final leg of the 4 x 100, facing off against Alain Bernard of France, the current world record holder in the 100 freestyle. The Frenchman was provided an ample lead for the final leg, all but assuring Phelps quest being over. But in the final 25 meters Lezek tracked Bernard down for the gold. The drama was even more amazing a few days later, as Phelps dug deep in the final 25 meters of the 100M butterfly to defeat Serbian Milorad Cavic by 1/100 of a second for his seventh gold medal. You can be assured most Americans will not forget that moment as they cheered and screamed in front of their TVs trying to help will Phelps to victory.
1. Lance Armstrong Winning 7 Tour De France Titles
Armstrong lays claims to the greatest story of the decade. In a sport dominated by Europeans, Armstrong did the unthinkable…he dominated them at their own game. Armstrong set the record of seven victories, besting the previous record of five held by Miguel Indurain. A survivor of testicular cancer, Armstrong became an American hero in a sport that most in this country rarely followed or cared much about. With his unbelievable climbing ability in the mountains and untouchable time-trial sprinting, Armstrong dominated the competition like nobody before him. His victories spawned an explosion of interest in cycling in America and his story gave hope to everyone around the world that you can beat cancer and strive forward to be the best in your craft.
It’s the end of the year. Its the end of a decade. Nothing great ever ends without a list and a debate over that list. Today, we focus on the 10 biggest sports villians of the 2000 decade and the behaviors that defined their dastardliness.
10. Alex Rodriguez
Talk about a guy that everywhere he goes, trouble seems to find him. While Rodriguez has not run afoul with the law, his personal indiscretions and smug attitude made him a pariah. C’mon, the guy has paintings of himself in his home as a centaur. Talk about an ego. He became this highest paid athlete in sports and blamed his use of steroids on the pressure he felt for signing that contract. Let me shed a tear for A-Rod. Like we’re supposed to believe it didn’t start until then and the cyst in his hip wasn’t the result of steroid abuse. Rodriquez has assured himself the status of the anti-Derek Jeter in New York, no matter how many home runs he hits or Hollywood starlets he invites to sit along the baselines.
9. Plaxico Burress
Burress proved that one player can bring a team to its knees. His nightclub incident where he accidently shot himself in the leg not only cost the Giants possible back-to-back Super Bowl championships, it landed him in prison for two years. Burress’ trangressions are numerous, including speeding, damaging leased vehicles and not showing up for events while taking fees. He’s just an all around bad dude.
8. Adam “Pacman” Jones
Talk about a waste of talent. Pacman came out of West Virginia with huge expectations for NFL success. Jones was on the verge of greatness after a terrific 2006 season. Then the details hit the police blotters. Assault, vandalism, disorderly conduct, public intoxication, marijuana possession, obstruction of justice, speeding, car seizure for use in drug dealing, and causing a shootout in a Las Vegas nightclub that caused a death. A rap sheet a mile long. The Dallas Cowboys gave him one last chance and he squandered that when he beat up the security guard assigned by the Cowboys to keep him out of trouble. And to think, he was on the college same team with recently deceased Chris Henry and never did we hear about trouble in Morgantown.
7. Allen Iverson
Iverson will never be able to live down his infamous 2002 press conference rant when he repeatedly scorned reporters for questioning him about “practice”. He became the poster child of selfishness and the lack of sportsmanship that exists in American professional sports. He was also a key member of the USA Olympic Basketball teams that fell from grace during the decade due to their inability to play a team sport as a team. Iverson is the epitome of what you should teach children not to become when they get older.
6. Barry Bonds
A sure bet, first ballot Hall Of Famer if not for his refusal to acknowledge his use of steroids. The guy was great even without the juice. Tied to the hip of the BALCO steroids case, Bonds smashed the single season and career home run records during the decade. Fans could have cared less. Bonds stopped endearing himself to the people whose admission price paid his salaries before the decade began, but made matters worse with his anger towards the media for essentially doing their job and fans for their desire for the truth. He now faces prison time for obstruction of justice and non-entry into the Hall Of Fame for simply not telling the truth about something that most everyone already believes he did anyways.
5. Terrell Owens
Who can forget the press conference in his driveway working out while his agent ran at the mouth? Or how about calling his quarterback in San Francisco a homosexual. Or questioning the commitment of his quarterback in Philadelphia after a Super Bowl loss. Or accusing his quarterback and tight end in Dallas of conspiring to not throw him the ball and crafting up their own plays in their hotel room on the road. The guy was a walking highlight real of paranoia that ripped apart every team he has played for from the inside out. Shockingly, his stay in Buffalo thus far has been relatively smooth…but lets give it more time. Owens always seems to be a lightning rod in season two of any stay.
4. Tim Donaghy
Did he make critical calls on games he bet or didn’t he? The FBI says no, but we’ll never truly know unless Donaghy decides to purge himself. Donaghy sticks by his story he made bets based on NBA referees and their known bias against certain players (see Villian #7 above for prime example). He also said he made bets based on how referees reacted to word coming down from headquarters on officiating improvements. Donaghy’s behavior placed a black eye on a sport where one foul call can make the difference in a game’s outcome. His behavior no doubt has contributed to the attendance slide and lack of fan interest in the NBA, even if he stands by his story that he never made a call to help with his bets.
3. Marion Jones
Another BALCO client that made millions through the use of PEDs to earn gold medals and become the darling of the 2000 Summer Olympics. Jones lied both to the public and under oath, sticking to the story that she never used steroids until the evidence mounted too high. Not until her pending court date did Jones finally repent in October 2007, admitting she used steroids prior to her Olympic stardom as part of a plea bargain to avoid a lengthy jail sentence. Jones spent 4 months in prison for perjury in the BALCO case and filed for bankruptcy. Jones’ story shows that cheating holds no gender boundaries and that the consequences can be steep when you refuse to repent.
2. Michael Vick
The behavior of Vick was needless to say despicable. And it goes well beyond his conviction of bankrolling and overseeing a dog fighting operation and personally killing some of losers of the fights. In 2005, Vick got his first taste of public scorn under his pseudonym Ron Mexico, accused of knowingly transmitting genital herpes to an Atlanta woman. Vick was detained and forced to surrender a water bottle with a hidden compartment during a airport security check in 2007. Vick also failed drug test for marijuana use. Given the run-ins, you gotta ask yourself how many chances does on guy get? Even if Tony Dungy vows you are a changed man and PETA cuts you some slack.
1. Bud Selig
The Commissioner of Major League Baseball sewed up his status as the top villain in sports very early in the decade and it was going to take a mass-murderer to knock from the throne. Selig has presided over the darkest days in the sport since 1919m as he looked the other way while baseballs flew out of ballparks and turnstiles were spinning at record levels. Baseball was a sport built on the foundation of stats and its greatest hitters failed 7 out of 10 times. While the owners and players got rich, the fans got the shaft. Selig’s retirement announcement could not have come sooner. Here’s hoping that the next decade will bring baseball back to its brighter days as Selig heads off out to the sunset.
It’s the end of the year. Its the end of a decade. Nothing great ever ends without a list and a debate over that list. Today, we focus on the 10 greatest sports teams of the 2000 decade and the accomplishments that defined their greatness.
10. Penn State Women’s Volleyball (2006-Current)
Penn State’s girl volleyball team is a trendy selection given their recent headlines at the top of the sport section. On December 20th, the Nittany Lions won their 102 consecutive game at the Division I level and won their third national championship in a row. Feeling the pressure, the Nittany Lions went down two sets to #2 ranked Texas and stormed back for a five-set victory. What’s make the accomplishment so special is that women’s volleyball has now become a national sport, thanks in part to Title IX and the Nittany Lions. Dominated by the West Coast, 16 of the first 19 NCAA Champions crowned came from the West Coast, primarily beach locations. The latest decade saw the emergence of the Big Ten and Big 12, led by Penn State. In short, Penn State girls volleyball proves you don’t need the beach for greatness.
9. Boston Celtics (2007-2008)
Danny Ainge was on the hot seat. It was put up or shut up time. He butted heads and pushed head coach Jim O’Brien to resign. He sent popular players such as Antoine Walker, Tony Battie and Eric Williams packing. He brought in recently fired coach Doc Rivers whom tumbled in flames during his first head coaching stint. It all hit rock bottom with coaching Red Auerbach’s death in 2006 and the second-worst record in team history at 24-58, including a franchise record 18-game losing streak. Ainge masterminded the trades which brought in Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo prior to the 2007 season. Alongside Paul Pierce, they would generate one of the greatest turnarounds in sports, improving their won-loss record by 42 games and posting the 6th best single-season record in NBA history at 66-16. The season ended with the Celtics getting their 22nd championship in a 39-point blowout of the rival Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
8. Florida Gators Basketball (2006-2007)
In a rare display of sportsmanship at the college level, the Florida Gators welcomed back its underclassmen that recently won an NCAA championship the previous season. They would leave the NBA’s riches on the table to attempt becoming back-to-back champions. Led by wunderkin coach Billy Donovan, the Gators would finish their regular season stumbling in early February, ending the regular season with a 26-5 record. They would then march through the SEC tournament, earn the top seed for the NCAA tournament and cement their status as one of the decade’s best with a dominating run to the championship.
7. Chinese Olympic Team (2008)
The cold war dominance of the Summer Olympics by the Russians and Americans was put to rest by an upstart Chinese team hosting their first Olympics. Traditionally stereotyped as a power in gymnastics and table tennis, the Chinese arrived in 2008 as the future of Olympic sports. The Chinese won medals in 25 different disciplines, including its first ever gold medals in sailing, beach volleyball and field hockey. With its strong financing and development of Olympic athletes, the showing in Beijing appears to be the beginning of the next era in the Summer Olympics.
6. New York Yankees (2009)
The Yankees shelled out $423 million in contracts prior to the season for Mark Teixiera, C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to win their 27th World Series championship. Based on payroll, they were supposed to win…although the Yankees expenditures had delivered nothing since 2000. After missing the playoffs in 2008 for the first time since 1996, the Yankees re-tooled for a big run. The season got started off with a steroids controversy swirling over Alex Rodriguez. The team stayed focused through a rough April, persevered by posting 103 wins and became the only MLB team in the decade to win over 100 games and capture the World Series title. In a sport that rarely crowns the best team for 162 games as it did in its pastime, the Yankees helped make baseball relevant and exciting again.
5. Miami Hurricanes NCAA Football (2001)
Perhaps the best single season team in NCAA football history, posting a 13-0 record and simply dominating everyone in their path. The Canes’ average margin of victory was 39 points, as they steamrolled over five Top 25 ranked opponentsm including a 37-14 blowout victory over Nebraska in the National Championship game. The roster read like the NFL’s All-Pro starting lineup with standouts that included Clinton Portis, Ed Reed, Andre Johnson, Jeremy Shockey, Jonathon Vilma, Bryant McKinnie and D.J. Williams. An amazing collection of talent that superceded expectations and succeeded in spite of a lack of coaching prowess in Larry Coker after Butch Davis’ departure.
4. Misty May / Kerri Walsh Volleyball
If you told me at the beginning of the decade that this list would contain two volleyball teams, I would have chuckled at the thought that even one would make the list. But how can you look past the accomplishments and dominance of Misty May and Kerri Walsh, the two-time Olympics champions in beach volleyball. Even President Bush specifically sought them out in Beijing for a picture op. Leading up to the 2008 Olympics, they had a 101 match winning streak, rarely losing a set in the process. The streak finally came to an end at 112 shortly after their Olympic repeat.
3. Duke Men’s Basketball (2000-2001)
College basketball’s version of the Miami Hurricanes football team. Led by Shane Battier, this squad developed 6 NBA players and left their collegiate competition in the dust. This team posted a 35-4 record for the season while winning is game’s by an average margin of 20.2 points. While the team stumbled in the rough and tumble ACC during the season, they blossomed at tournament time. They won the ACC Tournament while blowing out #6 ranked rival North Carolina by 26. They then ran the table in the NCAA tournament, defeating opponents by an average of 16.7 points and winning every game in the tournament by double-digits.
2. New England Patriots (2007)
Okay, so they lost the Super Bowl. It doesn’t matter. Even the most hardcore New York Giants fan will tell you that the 18-1 Patriots they defeated were the better team. Head and shoulders better. It was just one game…you can’t win them all. The Pats posted the first undefeated regular season in the NFL since the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Not only did they win, they dominated most everyone they played. This team shattered offensive records across the league with its explosive superstars that included Tom Brady and Randy Moss. Their invincibility was shattered by one circus acrobatic catch by David Tyree from Eli Manning. The rest is history.
1. Connecticut Women’s Basketball (2008-2009)
The last decade ended with the USA Women’s Soccer team displaying “girl power” in the World Cup that would serve to define the next decade. No other team defined excellence in the manner that the UConn women’s basketball team in the 2008-2009 season. A perfect 39-0 season, an average winning margin of 31.5 points and an invincibility that would even make Michael Jordan genuflect. They won the Big East tournament over Louisville by a score of 75-36. Just how much better they were they than every other team? Their NCAA Finals matchup was against that same Louisville team they had pounded into submission just weeks prior. They captured the crown with a 76-54 victory. But what stands out most in their undefeated season, which makes them the team of the decade, is that they won every game they played by double-digits.
After the completion of yesterday’s trade that acquired starting pitcher Javier Vasquez from the Atlanta Braves, I am debating who should be the fifth starter in their rotation. The Yankees have four solid starters in; Andy Pettitte, C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Vasquez. The final pitcher in this rotation brings on the debate on whether it should be Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes.
Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman is set on making Chamberlain the fifth starter as Joba was his number one pick a couple of years ago. Most Yankee fans that I have talked to do not agree with this decision and think Hughes should be the number five starter on this team.
Brian Cahman has it in his head to make Joba Chamberlain the fitth starter over Phil Hughes.
While Chamberlain started 31 games last year and pitched 157.1 innings, his 9-6 record came with a high ERA of 4.75 and a WHIP of 1.54. He did have 133 strikeouts but opponents batted .274 against him. He was used out of the bullpen for the entire playoffs for the Yankee’s run at the World Series title.
In comparison, Hughes started seven games last year, had a 8-3 record in 86 innings. He recorded a impressive 96 strikeouts with a equally impressive 3.03 ERA and 1.12 whip with opponents batting a meager .217 against him. He like Joba, was used entirely out of the bullpen throughout the playoffs.
Even though Joba was far more the starter last year, I agree with most Yankee fans and want to see Chamberlain in the bullpen and Hughes a starter. I think Hughes is more durable and can pitch deeper into the game than Chamberlain. He has explosive stuff like Joba and just seems to have the mind set to be a efficient fifth starter for this ballclub. I think Joba would fit great as a reliever who could get 6 outs in the 7th and 8th inning ala Mariano Rivera did in 1996 to set up John Wetteland. He would be the setup man for the fore mentioned Rivera. It looks right know, Cashman has his mind set on Joba as #5. I think that will not last the season and the Yankee fans will see Phil Hughes step in as the fifth starter. Joba is not durable enough and seems to gas out both physically and mentally after five innings. Let the debate begin.
The New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves completed a trade Tuesday involving Javier Vazquez and Melky Cabrera. The Yankees in hopes of bolstering their starting pitching pick up Vazquez for Center Fielder Melky Cabrera. In addition to Vazquez, the Yanks picked up left handed pitching prospect Boone Logan. The Braves in turn get a couple of pitching prospects in left hander Mike Dunn and Right Hander Arody’s Vizcaino plus 500,00 in cash.
Javier Vazquez becomes a Yankee for the second time.
Cabrera batted .274 with 13 homers and 74 RBI’s. He provided stellar defense at times and was a bit of a fan favorite of the Yankee fans. With the addition of Center Fielder Curtis Granderson from the Detriot Tigers, Cabrera became expendable. As a lifelong Yankee fan, I wish him well in Atlanta.
Vazquez turned a stellar last season with the Braves posting a 15-10 record with a 2.87 ERA. He also posted 238 strikeouts with only 44 base on balls. That equals a impressive 1.03 WHIP. His first stint with the Yankees in 2004 produced his only All-Star appearance. He had a winning record of 14-10 but had a high ERA of 4.91. His last appearance in the pinstripes was less than memorable as he came on in relief trailing the Boston Red Sox in game 7 of the ALCS 2-0 and promptly game up a grand slam to Johnny Damon.
Javier will turn 34 in July and the Yankees hope that he can build on the momentum from last year and make his last outing as a Yankee a distant memory. The American League is a much tougher hitting league thanks to the DH, but you can never have too much pitching. I think Vazquez will be calmer and more mature this time around making his second stint as a New York Yankee better and more memorable than his first.
Hideki Matsui signed a one year contract Wednesday with the Los Angeles Angels worth 6.5 million dollars. Matsui changes coasts from East to West and will take over as the primary DH for the Los Angeles Angels who are in need to replace a injured Vladimir Guerrero. Matsui is 35 and has also been hampered with injuries to his knees. He just completed a 4 year 52 million dollar contract for the defending World Series champion New York Yankees. Hideki could not have left on a higher note.
Matsui hit .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBI this year for the pinstripes. He capped a magical year for the Bronx Bombers
Hideki Matsui changes coasts.
as he became World Series MVP. He hit a incredible .615 as he went 8-13 with three homers and 8 RBI’s. What makes it even a more incredible feat is that he only started in three of the six games. Matsui is deemed a professional hitter and will add some stability to the Angels lineup.
Matsui was in pinstripes for seven seasons, and he is one of the most highly touted and greatest players ever to play baseball in Japan. I remember how excited I was when he came over to be a Yankee. He was a solid player for the Yankees as he drove in 100 runs in four of those seasons. His numbers could of been greater had it not been for injuries to his knees. He was a dependable hitter when he played, and he will be missed by Yankee teammates and fans alike.
I am a lifelong Yankee fan and will miss Godzilla and that sweet swing that brought many hits and memories. I am so happy that he got to go out on top as a World Champion and World Series MVP. I wish him luck on the left coast but not when he faces his former team, the Yankees.
Reports have begun to swirl of an imminent trade that will bring pitcher Roy Halladay to the Philadephia Phillies in a three-team trade that includes both the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. The deal hinges on Halladay signing a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $60 million. The contract is expected to include performance vesting options that can trigger to extend the deal beyond the three years.
To make the deal happen, the Phillies reportedly will trade its pitching ace and postseason stud Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners and send three minor leaguers believed to be catcher Travis d’Arnaud, outfielder Michael Taylor, and top prospect pitcher Kyle Drabek to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Phillies would receive two minor leaguers Phillippe Aumont and Tyson Gillies from the Seattle Mariners farm system.
The deal is a head scratcher. Cliff Lee proved during the postseason he is an ace, someone you hand the ball when you need to win a game. Without Lee, the Phillies get swept by the Yankees in the World Series. While Halladay has an impressive resume, he has pitched in relative obscurity in Toronto without big game pressure and media focus on every pitch. There are huge question marks on Halladay’s mental makeup to handle such pressure, as the New York Yankees and Boston have taken off the table talks of a contract extension until Halladay proves he can pitch on a bigger stage.
The subplot lost in this story are the additional price tags with the prospects. Kyle Drabek was the unquestioned top pitching prospect in minor league baseball in 2009, a guaranteed major leaguer believed to have ace potential. Michael Taylor was to be the guy to take over in left field in Philadelphia after batting .320 with 20 HRs and 21 SBs in 2009. Given Raul Ibanez’s awful decline in the second half of last season, Taylor was the guy to potentially push Ibanez into early retirement. These guys are not prospects, they are major leaguers in waiting.
The details and sensibility of this trade goes beyond just the players being mentioned here, as you have to consider in the equation the cost of the Cliff Lee service rental. To obtain Lee for their unsuccessful World Series run, Philadelphia unloaded half of their minor league system. Included in that deal were Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp. When you add this into the deal, it means the Phillies have given up six of their top eight prospects for Halladay.
The Phillies are clearly gambling for short-term wins and mortgaging their long-term success. With a team that is aging and moving from its prime into sunset years, lets hope for Ruben Amaro Jr’s sake the moves payoff. If they don’t, he’ll be the fall guy and Phillies fans will pay a significant price for years to come.
In January 2001, Zuffa LLC purchased the fledgling, close-to-bankruptcy MMA promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship for $2 million. They then secured state sanctioning with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Zuffa struggled for a few years to emerge from the shadows of the negativity that surrounded MMA until it secured a reality TV show called The Ultimate Fighter which first aired in January 2005 on Spike TV. The sport then exploded with a multitude of competitive promotion both regional and national. The sport is now on the brink of generating near $1 Billion in revenues per year and is on the cusp of mainstream acceptance. Love him or hate, Dana White is responsible for making MMA the sport it is today.
Do you believe in miracles? Most fans of the Olympics are familiar with that saying and its forever bond with the 1980 USA Hockey team’s upset of Russia. In the Summer Olympics of 2000, a much more unimaginable upset of a Russian occured when Rulon Gardner shocked the world with his stunning victory over undefeated superstar Alexander Karelin. Coming into the finals, Karelin had not lost a match in 15 years and had not even surrender a point in the last 10 years. Gardner pulled out a 1-0 victory and delivered the most stunning upset in Olympics history against the 3-time gold medal winner that was deemed to be invincible.
The New England Patriots were the darlings of the 2007 NFL season, putting together the first perfect regular season in a dominating fashion never before seen in the sport. One toughed out victory against Baltimore and a valiant effort by the New York Giants in the final game of the season were as close as anyone got during the regular season. The Patriots then carved out two solid, conservative victories in the playoffs, setting up a rematch with the upstart New York Giants to end the season 19-0 and go down in history as the greatest team ever. An Eli Manning circus-like pass to and catch by David Tyree will forever be remembered in NFL lore that drove the nail into the coffin of this special team that was denied greatness. And in the process, the Patriots scored the largest Super Bowl viewing audience in the history of the game.
Buck F-ing Dent. Bill Buckner. Aaron Boone. The Red Sox were perhaps the unluckiest team in professional sports. Down 3-0 to their bitter rival New York Yankees in the 2oo4 ALCS, the Red Sox forged the biggest comeback in baseball history to defeat the Yankees and go on to win their first World Series since 1918, the year before they traded Babe Ruth away to those very same Yankees. Curt Schilling pitched one of the most courageous game ever by a pitcher, his bloody sock on display in Cooperstown for all to remember the pivotal moment of that amazing playoff season.
There having been many great tennis players over the years. Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Bjorg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. Federer did something that none of them ever did, holding the #1 ranking in tennis for almost four and half consecutive years between February 2, 2004 to August 17, 2008. During that span, Federer won 65 straight matches at Wimbeldon and holds a 72-1 record on grass over the past seven years. Federer also holds the record for most Grand Slam titles at 15, while finally earning his first French Open championship this past year. Without question, the greatest tennis player in the history of the game and he still has a lot left in the tank to set records that may never be matched.
Woods made history in April 2001 winning his 2nd Masters championship. With that victory, he became only one of five player in the history of golf to win all four major titles in his career. To one up them, Woods won the championships consecutively, becoming the first ever to hold all four major golf championships at the same time, earning him a pseudo Grand Slam. Woods has gone on since that point to win 8 more majors, bringing his career total to 14, leaving him just four shy of the all-time record of 18 held by Jack Nicklaus.
With the country reeling from the recent terrorist attacks that had taken over 3,000 lives, Major League Baseball gave grieving Americans an outlet to cope with their losses. The New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks provided perhaps the most exciting World Series in history, filled with riveting National Anthems, seventh-inning stretches echoing to God Bless America and some of the most unbelievable ends to World Series games ever seen. In Game 4, Tino Martinez hit a game-tying two run homer in the bottom of the ninth and Derek Jeter closed the game with an opposite field walk-off homer in the 10th to win the game. The very next night, Scott Brosius hit a game-tying home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth that would lead to another extra inning victory. The magic would fade in Game 7 though, as Mariano Rivera would surrender two runs in the bottom of the ninth to end the Yankees consecutive World Series run. A truly magical World Series for the ages at a time when America needed its pastime the most.
In a sport defined by stats and where Hall of Fame hitters fail 7 out of 10 times, baseball has been defined by its statistical records and comparison of current ballplayers to those in its past. At the end of the last decade, MLB treated its fans to the most compelling drama in years when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa battled it out to surpass Roger Maris’ single season home run record. At the turn of the decade came BALCO, a book by Jose Canseco and revelations that MLB owners and execs turned a blind eye to rampant steroids abuse. After a humiliating Congressional hearing where Mark McGwire pleaded the 5th Amendment so, baseball was forced to implement drug testing. The Mitchell Report would then follow, containing over 100 names that were linked to steroids, many of them the biggest names in the sport. In the end, we are left with era that will forever be scarred and represents some of the darkest hours in the sport’s history.
The swimming star from Baltimore MD had prepared for this moment all his life, but nobody expected the drama that would go down at the pool in Beijing. Phelps and his relay teammates were heavily favored in six of his eight races. The remaining two races will go down in Olympic history forever. Teammate Jason Lezak would anchor the final leg of the 4 x 100, facing off against Alain Bernard of France, the current world record holder in the 100 freestyle. The Frenchman was provided an ample lead for the final leg, all but assuring Phelps quest being over. But in the final 25 meters Lezek tracked Bernard down for the gold. The drama was even more amazing a few days later, as Phelps dug deep in the final 25 meters of the 100M butterfly to defeat Serbian Milorad Cavic by 1/100 of a second for his seventh gold medal. You can be assured most Americans will not forget that moment as they cheered and screamed in front of their TVs trying to help will Phelps to victory.
Armstrong lays claims to the greatest story of the decade. In a sport dominated by Europeans, Armstrong did the unthinkable…he dominated them at their own game. Armstrong set the record of seven victories, besting the previous record of five held by Miguel Indurain. A survivor of testicular cancer, Armstrong became an American hero in a sport that most in this country rarely followed or cared much about. With his unbelievable climbing ability in the mountains and untouchable time-trial sprinting, Armstrong dominated the competition like nobody before him. His victories spawned an explosion of interest in cycling in America and his story gave hope to everyone around the world that you can beat cancer and strive forward to be the best in your craft.
