College Football: Three Burning Questions

All of my focus and attention is still on baseball (Gooooooo Giants!!!), but as college football commences this Saturday, here are three burning questions of intrigue and interest:

1. Will Alabama repeat?

With the constantly changing landscape of college athletics, it is immensely difficult for a team to win consecutive championships. But this year, it is certainly a possibility for Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide. Last year's Heisman winner Mark Ingram is back, and even though he will miss the season opener against San Jose State with a minor knee injury. he is poised to have another stellar season. 'Bama enters the season as the definite favorite, but they will have to persevere through an incredibly challenging schedule if they are to make it back to the title game. Alabama will face stern tests at home against fourth-ranked Florida, nineteenth-ranked Penn State, and twenty-second-ranked Auburn, and on the road at seventeenth-ranked Arkansas, and twenty-first-ranked LSU. So if Alabama does indeed repeat, it will be a feat of almost unfathomable achievement.

2. Will Brian Kelly bring success and glory back to Notre Dame football?

I was somewhat disgusted by the manner in which Brian Kelly left Cincinnati last year, deserting the Bearcats after their great season and refusing to coach them in the Sugar Bowl. It was a display of stunning selfishness from a man who had heretofore been a classy figure. However, while I still haven't forgiven Kelly for his actions quite yet, I do realize that he is a terrific coach, and I think Notre Dame made a fantastic hire. But just because Kelly is an excellent coach does not mean that he will experience success under the glaring pressure that comes with his current job. Notre Dame hasn't experienced much happiness in quite some time. The Charlie Weis era was an enormous disappointment, and now that Jimmy Clausen has followed in Brady Quinn's footsteps to the NFL, the Fighting Irish are left with untested Dayne Crist at quarterback. Very few positions in sports are as pressure-packed as that of Notre Dame head football coach, and it will be fascinating to see how Kelly fares. For my money, I say he will be successful. His boisterous spirit and energy will lead the Irish to a much-improved season.

3. Will Boise State and TCU finally get the respect they so richly deserve?

The answer, sadly, is likely to be no. The BCS is the most egregious, disgraceful, criminally unfair system in all of sports, and come January, I'm sure we will have another batch of controversy. Here's hoping Boise State and TCU, and all of the non-BCS teams, have outstanding seasons, so we can hopefully convince those in power to change to a much-needed playoff system. Boise State has a huge challenge in their season opener at Virginia Tech. Nothing against Frank Beamer and his Hokies, but I desperately hope Boise State gets the victory. I'm sick and tired of the BCS, and the more the Davids beat the Goliaths, the more likely it is that we will one day see a playoff system in college football.

So there you have it. And just for good measure: Go Cal!!!!! I know Jeff Tedford's Golden Bears are projected to have a rough season, but I stay loyal to my teams, and I remain optimistic. Championship or bust.

Damon to the Sox, Again? I hope so.

Even after his heroic World Series performance with the Yankees last season, Johnny Damon's name was beginning to fade from relevance this season. Damon was having a decent year at the plate, batting a respectable .272, but he was stuck on the Detroit Tigers, a team that is months removed from any sort of serious contention. Many, including myself, were saddened by Damon's fall from grace in Detroit. Here was a guy with lots of productivity left in the tank, who was perhaps bound to end his career with a whimper on a mediocre team. All of this changed yesterday, when the Boston Red Sox claimed Johnny Damon on waivers. Damon, who spent the glory years of his accomplished career as a much-celebrated member of the Sox, left Boston to join the arch-rival Yankees in 2007. When he left, there was acrimony in the streets of Boston. Damon quickly went from hero to villain. The Red Sox did win another World Series in 2007, without Damon. But Damon had the last laugh, playing an integral role on last season's World Series-champion New York Yankees. All of this juicy backstory lends a sense of compelling uncertainty to this current development: Will Johnny Damon say yes to Boston and reunite with his old team?

Here's hoping the answer is yes. Damon, while still a viable threat at the plate, is indeed aging, and he is unlikely to bolster the Red Sox past the Rays in the AL Wild Card standings. However, I hope Damon decides to waive his no-trade clause to Boston simply because it would make for awesome sports drama. Damon, back at Fenway, the place where some of the most cherished memories of his career lie. It would be only fitting for him to end his career in Beantown. So I'm asking Johnny Damon to do the most compelling thing, and say yes to re-joining the Boston Red Sox.

*(Shortly after the completion of this blog post, Johnny Damon said no to Boston and announced that he will be staying in Detroit. Great timing, Tommy, great timing.)

Johnson, Lincecum, Revis, and random observations on the wonderful world of sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---After Dustin Johnson's humiliating mental gaffe on the eighteenth hole "bunker" at Whistling Straits, a gaffe that cost him a chance to win the PGA Championship, he has solidified his name in golf infamy.

---It's not as if Johnson's mistake was inexplicable. Quite the opposite, in fact. That "bunker" on the eighteenth hole didn't really look like anything resembling an actual bunker, so it is understandable to see why Johnson made that mistake. However, the rules were posted clearly and recited clearly to all the golfers at Whistling Straits. As a pro, Johnson should have known better.

---2010 has been a disastrous year for Johnson. First, he crumbled under the pressure at Pebble Beach with an epic collapse at the U.S. Open. Then, he was burned by a mental error on the Whistling Straits 18th that will be remembered forever.

---But, Johnson should be applauded for his classiness. It has been an undeniably rough year for him, but he speaks with an admirable sense of humility and maturity. Here's hoping he makes a full comeback and wins a Major in the near future.

---The guy who has to be feeling lost in the shuffle right now is the guy who actually won the PGA Championship, Martin Kaymer. Unfortunately for Martin, he is about the fifth-most compelling story of the weekend.

---As for Tiger, he showed major strides of improvement over the weekend in Wisconsin. If I'm Cory Pavin, I am definitely selecting Tiger for the Ryder Cup. Without hesitation.

---Overall, a tremendous weekend of golf at Whistling Straits. By far the most exciting PGA major of the year, and one of the most thrilling sports events of the year.

---On to baseball now, where the struggles of Tim Lincecum has me somewhat depressed.

---Number 55 still shows flashes of brilliance on occasion, but his second-straight flop of a start, against the first-place Padres in a huge game, suggest that he has lost a step. I still love Timmy, and I desperately hope that he returns to form down the stretch to help lead my beloved Giants to the playoffs. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried about The Freak.

---Meanwhile, the freakin' Padres continue to annoy the hell out of me. I keep waiting for Bud Black's team to fade, but they just keep on winning. Damn you, Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel Tejada, and Matt Latos! Have a slump, please!!!

---This is the time of year that reminds us why baseball is so awesome. Very few things in sports match the excitement of a tense pennant race, a fact that was evident in last week's Reds-Cardinals brawl. In the wake of the violent, bench-clearing kerfuffle, many people were OUTRAGED! This isn't the type of example we want to be sending to our children!!! Well, sorry folks, but I loved every moment of it.

---Look, do we want to teach our kids to use physical force against the opposition? Of course not. But it was downright exhilarating and refreshing to see Brandon Phillips, Yadier Molina, Dusty Baker, Tony LaRussa, and the gang mix it up. This is pennant-race baseball at its finest.

---Football is fast approaching, and one NFL team with championship aspirations is holding it's collective breath as one of their stars remains unsigned. If the Jets want to contend for a Super Bowl, they must sign Darrelle Revis, A.S.A.P.

---Revis is one of the premier defensive stars in the league, and he is crucial to the success of Rex Ryan's team. Thus, Jets management must swallow their pride and give Revis his money.

---Shameless personal plug: Look for my football preview, college and pro, coming to a computer near you in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

---I'll end this edition of Random Observations with a brand new segment, called "Hero of the Week". This recurring segment will honor a figure in sports whom I feel deserves to be recognized and applauded. This week, the hero is the great Charles Barkley. Kudos to Sir Charles for being outspoken in his criticism of LeBron James. Following LeBron's stupid tweet in which he attempted to intimidate his critics, Sir Charles gave James a much-deserved verbal smackdown. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: There is nobody better than the great Charles Barkley.

Burrell, A-Rod, Favre, and random observations on the wonderful world of sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---I'm back from an amazing weekend in San Francisco, where I attended 2 of the 3 Giants-Dodgers games. My beloved Giants swept away the hated blue in electric, enthralling fashion.

---I don't know if a sporting event can get any louder than the crowds at AT&T Park over the weekend. The Orange and Black faithful screamed their hearts out for the Giants. After chanting "BEAT L.A.!", "LETS GO GIANTS", and "SWEEP!" at the top of my lungs, I returned home with a hoarse voice and a smile on my face.

---There were several notable storylines over the weekend for San Francisco. There was Tim Lincecum, Aubrey Huff, Edgar Renteria, Buster Posey, Brian Wilson, Chris Ray, Javier Lopez, Juan Uribe, Barry Zito, and Guillermo Mota all delivering in clutch fashion against the hated rivals from down South. There was Matt Cain pitching a masterful game on Sunday Night Baseball to garner his first career win against the Dodgers. But the biggest hero of the weekend was Pat Burrell.

---In the long history of the storied Giants-Dodgers rivalry, Pat the Bat's go-ahead, two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning against Jonathan Broxton deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the famous home runs by Brian Johnson and Joe Morgan, home runs that drove a stake through the heart of the Dodgers. A classic moment.

---In other baseball news, Alex Rodriguez is still stuck at 599 career home runs. Trying desperately to bolster A-Rod out of his current slump, Brain Cashman announced today that the Yankees have re-signed Kate Hudson.

---As the Yankees and Rays continue to play exemplary baseball, the Red Sox keep falling behind the pack. With no move at the trade deadline, Boston is D.O.A.

---Just a thought: The Braves are fantastic, and the surging Phillies just acquired Roy Oswalt. But is it too crazy to think that the Marlins could make a run at the playoffs in the NL East? With Cy Young candidate Josh Johnson, and powerful offensive threats Dan Uggla, Hanley Ramirez, and rookie Mike Stanton, this Florida team is very dangerous.

---On to the NFL now, where Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco are now teammates in Cincinnati. Ummmmmm, don't see how this can possibly work. Can somebody say Clash of the Egos?

---Meanwhile, Brett Favre says that he is going to retire. In other convincing news, Rod Blagojevich says that he is innocent. Believe it when I see it, Brett.

---That's all for today's edition of Random Observations. And remember...............Go Giants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baseball's Golden Voice Headed to Cooperstown

Every time the San Francisco Giants take the field, I tune in to the radio to hear someone give vivid, elegant, pitch-perfect descriptions of the action on the baseball diamond. I tune in to the radio to hear someone with an encyclopedic knowledge of baseball history, an undeniable passion for the game, a wonderful sense of humor, and an irresistibly jovial personality. I tune in to the radio to hear Jon Miller. Miller-----who works Giants games with Dave Flemming, Duane Kuiper, and Mike Krukow, a group that comprises the best broadcast team in baseball-----has been the Voice of the Giants since 1997, following his years with the Orioles, A's, Rangers, and Red Sox. And "The Big Kahuna", the nickname affectionately given to Miller by Mike Krukow, is unparallelled in his greatness. As a diehard Giants fan, it is a great honor and pleasure to listen to his dulcet tones on a nightly basis.

This Sunday in Cooperstown, Miller-----who is known nationally for his exemplary work alongside Joe Morgan and Orel Hershiser as the voice of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, a position he has held for 21 years-----will be enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame. Miller is a class act and a consummate professional, and this honor could not be more well-deserved. Miller has a lot in common with fellow Hall of Fame broadcasters. He has Ernie Harwell's masterful storytelling ability and conversational style. He has Vin Scully's sense of humor. And it is only fitting that Miller is part of the Giants family, because he conjures memories of Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons, two great Giants broadcasters whom Miller listened to as a kid growing up in the Bay Area. However, Miller is also unique in his greatness. No broadcaster expresses a more refreshing display of honesty. During a Giants-Diamondbacks game in 2003, Miller was stunned by the unprecedented baserunning struggles of Ruben Rivera, which led him to famously exclaim: "That was the worst baserunning in the history of the game!". This type of sheer candor makes Miller such a relatable and endearing presence to the fans.

Needless to say, Miller has also been defined by his magnificent calls of baseball's signature moments. Giants fans will always fondly remember his superb calls of Kenny Lofton's pennant-winning base hit against the Cardinals in Game 5 of the 2002 NLCS, and of Barry Bonds' 756th home run. Jon Miller thrives on these historic moments. So as he gets ready to be inducted into Cooperstown this weekend, I would like to say the following: Thank you Jon for the extraordinary grace, class, charm, and intelligence that you bring to the game of baseball. Congratulations. You are the very best.

Major League Baseball Second-Half Predictions

As we get ready for the Midsummer Classic in Anaheim, here are my division-by-division predictions for the second half of the baseball season:

NL WEST: Look for the GIANTS to win this division. Yes, this is a completely biased pick from this lifelong, diehard Giants fan, but I am genuinely optimistic and confident about my team's chances. Tim Lincecum pitched very well in the first-half, but he is capable of pitching much, much better. He will do just that in the second-half of the season. In addition to Lincecum, the Giants have Barry Zito, Matt Cain, and Madison Bumgarner, all terrific starters. Jonathan Sanchez is the only potential concern in the starting rotation, but if he can improve on his control, he too can be a major asset in the San Francisco rotation during the stretch run. The bullpen was once a weakness for Bruce Bochy's team, but in recent weeks, the likes of Sergio Romo, Chris Ray, Santiago Casilla, Guillermo Mota, Jeremy Affeldt, Denny Bautista, and All-Star closer Brian Wilson have pitched beautifully. And the once-stagnant offense has experienced a significant resurgence in recent weeks, thanks to the remarkable play of young catcher Buster Posey, Aubrey Huff (should be an All-Star), Andres Torres, Juan Uribe, Travis Ishikawa, and Freddy Sanchez. If Pablo Sandoval can get his act together at the plate, the Giants will be in business. As you can tell, I am ecstatic about the second-half for my beloved Orange and Black. Let's go Giants!!!!!

NL CENTRAL: This race, between the Reds and Cardinals, could very well go down to the final weekend of play. It is imperative that Cincinnati get off to a fast start after the All-Star break in order to restore their confidence, which has to be wavering after four gut-wrenching losses in Philadelphia to end the first-half of the season. Still, I like Dusty Baker's REDS to win the division, especially if Joey Votto continues to put up monstrous numbers. Also, there is the sentimental factor for Giants fans: Dusty Baker will always retain a fond place in the hearts of Giants fans everywhere. St. Louis has all the big names (Pujols, Carpenter, Molina), but they have performed with an evident lack of chemistry all season. It will take a far more consistent day-to-day effort if Tony LaRussa's team is to find their way back into the postseason.

NL EAST: After sweeping a hotly competitive four-game series against the Reds, the two-time reigning National League-champion Philadelphia Phillies are starting to show signs that they can claw themselves back into postseason contention. With the likes of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Roy Halladay, Philly is going to be in this race the rest of the way. And eventually, I expect them to surpass the overachieving Mets. But when all is said and done, the Atlanta BRAVES will win the division. Bobby Cox' team has been a joy to watch all season long, and if Jason Heyward can stay healthy the rest of the way, they will be playing October baseball.

NL WILD CARD: The PHILLIES are too good to not make the postseason.

AL WEST: I'm sticking with my prediction that the RANGERS will win this division. New acquisitions Bengie Molina and Cliff Lee will, I believe, bolster them into the postseason. But I must admit, getting swept in four games by the god-awful Orioles is an embarrassing way to limp into the All-Star break. Texas is going to have to avoid such lapses in the second-half if they are to hold off the dangerous Angels. Mike Scoissia is one of the best managers in baseball, and his team will be a formidable threat in the second half. One team that will not be a threat is the Seattle Mariners. It is astounding how the Mariners get worse every season, even though they have a seemingly improved roster year-in and year-out. With the extraordinarily talent of Ichiro, Felix Hernandez, and Chone Figgins, there is no excuse for Seattle's ineptitude.

AL CENTRAL: This is going to be one hell of a race the rest of the way. The Tigers and Twins will put up a game effort, but in the end, the division crown will go to the hottest team in baseball right now, the Chicago WHITE SOX. By his standards, Ozzie Guillen has been relatively shy on outbursts this season. Perhaps that's because his team has been playing so incredibly well. Led by All-Star Paul Konerko, the Sox are responsible for the baseball excitement in Chicago this season, as the Cubs are having a down year. The White Sox will have to deal with the absence of Jake Peavy, who is out for the season due to injury. But they have more than enough talent on the pitching side, led by Mark Buerhle, to suffice.

AL EAST: Another magnificent three-team race. Those who expect the Rays to fade just haven't been paying attention. Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, David Price, and company are a legitimate American League contender. The Red Sox enter the All-Star break in remarkably good position for a team that has had to persevere through some truly unfortunate injuries (Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Josh Beckett). However, the YANKEES are just too good. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and company will be familiar faces in October.

AL WILD CARD: You expect Tampa to fade? No way. The RAYS will be back in the postseason.

So there you have it. I like the Giants, Reds, Braves, and Phillies to make the postseason in the National League. In the A.L., I like the Rangers, White Sox, Yankees, and Rays. And remember......................GO GIANTS!!!!!!!

Bad Move, LeBron

Here are my quick takes on LeBron James' decision to join the Miami Heat:

---And just like that, LeBron James ripped the heart out of the city of Cleveland. By announcing that he would jump ship to Miami, where he will play alongside Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh next season, LeBron confirmed our suspicions of him being a quitter. LeBron showed flashes of all-time greatness in the 2007 East Finals against Detroit, but in the last two postseasons, LeBron played with no clutch gene, and at times, he displayed a noticeable lack of effort. Making matters worse, he never expressed any sort of remorse for his poor play. Rather, he adopted the attitude of arrogance and rationalization. LeBron could have shown some admirable class and humility by deciding to return to Cleveland to deliver that elusive championship to the millions of fans that were so good for him. Instead, LeBron took the easy way out, and he will be justifiably hated by sports fans in the state of Ohio for years to come.

---If you think I'm exaggerating the heartbreak that Cleveland is experiencing right now, then how do you explain the videotape of Cavs fans burning LeBron's jersey, or the videotape of Cavs fans breaking down in tears in the aftermath of James' announcement?

---If LeBron was going to jump ship, he should have at least made the announcement in a more tactful, private manner. That was an embarrassment of riches last night. A one-hour, primetime television special for a guy who has never won anything??!! That, my friends, is the epitome of selfishness. You're not that important, LeBron.

---Kudos to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert for expressing such remarkable, unprecedented candor in his jaw-dropping rant against LeBron last night. Was Gilbert an emotionally drunk prisoner of the moment? Of course. But his statement was indeed based in truth, and he deserves credit for showing the type of unbridled honesty that is so rarely seen in sports. Cavs fans should be encouraged by the fact that they have such a passionate owner.

---Meanwhile, there is absolutely no guarantee that the Miami Heat will even be the favorites to win the East next season, let alone the NBA championship. Obviously, a LeBron-Wade-Bosh trio is awfully intimidating, but three great players does not a title make. When Boston won their title in 2008, they had a myriad of productive bench players (Eddie House, P.J. Brown, Leon Powe, James Posey) and a burgeoning young point guard in Rajon Rondo to assist the Big 3 of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. When the Celtics won the East this past season, the Big 3 became the Big 4 as Rondo blossomed into arguably the most exciting Celtic since Larry Bird, and bench players like Rasheed Wallace and Tony Allen were big assets in the playoffs. So besides the Big 3, who does Miami have right now? Mario Chalmers? Danny the Ball Boy? Pat Riley has a lot of work to do.

---The Bulls would have been a much better fit for LeBron.

---Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov (love him) was right when he said that the move to Miami weakens the LeBron brand. By deciding to play alongside two fellow stars in Wade and Bosh, James is essentially admitting that he is unable to lead a team to the promise land. No matter how many championships LeBron wins with the Heat, he should never, ever be mentioned in the same breath as Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, or Kobe Bryant.

---I admit that I was wrong about LeBron. As my blog entries over the years show, I used to view LeBron as the epitome of unselfishness. Boy has that changed.

---However, despite my anger regarding LeBron's decision, I strongly disagree with the notion that this serves as a hit to the NBA's reputation. The NBA remains the best league, with a stunning array of young superstars (Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Derrick Rose) who do indeed symbolize class and unselfishness. The league is in a great place right now.

---And finally, I can't wait until LeBron makes his return to Quicken Loans Arena as a visitor with the Heat. The boos will be music to my ears.