Halfway through the season, with his team undefeated, Aaron Rodgers has thus far been very nearly perfect, and on a pace to set a handful of records for quarterback rating, completion percentage and a slew of other statistics. He is a quarterback with a ton of weapons who almost never makes mistakes. You won't see him fire into triple coverage, or launch a desperation heave off his back foot under pressure, or try to beat a fast-closing safety and cornerback with a bullet to semi-open receiver. Aaron Rodgers learned not to do these things by watching his predecessor, Brett Favre, do them with fan-infuriating regularity.
Rodgers instead prides himself on his near-perfection, almost to a fault: he recently shouldered part of the blame for the team's high sack count, saying he needed to be willing to throw the ball away rather than take the loss. "There might have been a couple of times when I held on to the ball too long," he said after going 24 of 30 for 355 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions -- a passer rating of 146.5.
Where I will mentally meander across the fields, courts and pitches of American and international sport, focusing primarily on my favorite teams but also discussing any sports-related topic that suits my fancy.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Handshake and the Fighting Jims
Kevin Seifert, the NFC North blogger over at ESPN.com, wrote a post shortly after yesterday's handshake incident between victorious 49ers' coach Jim Harbaugh and defeated Lions' coach Jim Schwartz, arguing that the latter was at fault and that Schwartz's passion for the game "approaches lunacy."
This I could not take, so quickly penned my own response. Here it is, reader, for your delectation:
Kevin -- You've got this one wrong. I'm a Harbaugh fan and I don't really have any feelings for Schwartz either way, but the 49ers coach was in the wrong. He himself admitted it in post-game. He not only shook Schwartz's hand too hard, he was sort of shouting in celebration when the handshake began, and then also gave him a big smack on the back, that may have led to a shove (in the video you can plainly see that when the handshake begins, Harbaugh is on the far side and Schwartz on the near, but when it ends, they've changed places. There's clearly an aggressive pat or push from Harbaugh to Schwartz's back that goes far beyond anything we might call a "handshake."). Regardless of whether Harbaugh cursed -- and I have no idea about this -- if I were Schwartz I would've done the same thing. OK, perhaps I wouldn't have made the whiny grimaces he did -- but the tenor of his reaction is not the issue. Harbaugh went too far, that's the issue, and Schwartz was right to respond defensively.
What it looks like from the video is that Harbaugh hadn't prepared himself for the post-game coaches' handshake. It's a relatively sedate affair -- sometimes brief, sometimes involving a short conversation -- but gamesmanship, celebration and rubbing in the victory have no place there. I don't think he intended to do it, but that's irrelevant -- he did it. And Schwartz reacted with anger, thinking he'd been dissed, defending his coaching ability and his team. He stood up for himself. The strange thing is that it's a win for all involved. I think it was good for the Lions, who know their coach takes no guff and has their back, good for the 49ers, who know their coach is passionate and serious about winning, and good for the league, which could use more characters, more intensity, more anger, animosity and unpredictability.
Best,
DJL
This I could not take, so quickly penned my own response. Here it is, reader, for your delectation:
Kevin -- You've got this one wrong. I'm a Harbaugh fan and I don't really have any feelings for Schwartz either way, but the 49ers coach was in the wrong. He himself admitted it in post-game. He not only shook Schwartz's hand too hard, he was sort of shouting in celebration when the handshake began, and then also gave him a big smack on the back, that may have led to a shove (in the video you can plainly see that when the handshake begins, Harbaugh is on the far side and Schwartz on the near, but when it ends, they've changed places. There's clearly an aggressive pat or push from Harbaugh to Schwartz's back that goes far beyond anything we might call a "handshake."). Regardless of whether Harbaugh cursed -- and I have no idea about this -- if I were Schwartz I would've done the same thing. OK, perhaps I wouldn't have made the whiny grimaces he did -- but the tenor of his reaction is not the issue. Harbaugh went too far, that's the issue, and Schwartz was right to respond defensively.
What it looks like from the video is that Harbaugh hadn't prepared himself for the post-game coaches' handshake. It's a relatively sedate affair -- sometimes brief, sometimes involving a short conversation -- but gamesmanship, celebration and rubbing in the victory have no place there. I don't think he intended to do it, but that's irrelevant -- he did it. And Schwartz reacted with anger, thinking he'd been dissed, defending his coaching ability and his team. He stood up for himself. The strange thing is that it's a win for all involved. I think it was good for the Lions, who know their coach takes no guff and has their back, good for the 49ers, who know their coach is passionate and serious about winning, and good for the league, which could use more characters, more intensity, more anger, animosity and unpredictability.
Best,
DJL
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Rodgers Mastery
It has come to our attention that Aaron Rodgers has achieved near-perfection on the football field, a state of Zen-like mastery over the game, in which he finds a place of near-sartori while surveying a defense and taking the snap. The game slows, the various pieces move like a watch's internal parts or a group of ballroom dancers -- within a second or two one inevitably emerges from the crowd, alone or nearly so, and Rodgers flicks a dart to where he will soon be.
As long as the offensive line and other blockers are able to give Aaron Rodgers two full seconds in the pocket on ninety percent of pass plays, opponents have little chance of victory.
As long as the offensive line and other blockers are able to give Aaron Rodgers two full seconds in the pocket on ninety percent of pass plays, opponents have little chance of victory.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Lovable Crew
With their team riding high on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week, some Brewers fan friends of mine were having an email discussion about their team, including mention of the last Brewer SI cover, in '87, and why they don't love these Brewers as much as they might. A Cubs fan with some affection for our northern rivals, I chimed in with this:
Nobody's hit on the real reason the Brewers aren't as likable as we'd hope. It's the disconnect, the great yawning divide, between these two SI covers, nearly 24 years apart. The same team, but not at all. Look at Rob Deer. Mullet. Knows how to wear a uniform and celebrate like a man. Look at Ryan Braun -- what do you think of when you look at that face, that hair, those eyes? He looks like one of those asshole Cubs fans at Wrigley. Or even better, one of those super prick Wall Street stockbrokers with the insanely hot wife, the hotter girlfriend and five cars in Connecticut. He's way too pretty. The guy is stinking beautiful, like Tom Brady. Most every male Brewer fan's girlfriend/wife likes Ryan Braun better than he does. THAT's a real problem -- and that's why Brewers fans can't love him. Could Packers fans love Tom Brady? OK, I guess, but it wouldn't be like the love we had for Brett. He was folksy, a hick, a risk taker, dangerous, a failure, a drinker -- he was us. Brady? He's way too perfect, from another world. And that's Braun. In his soul he's just not a Brewer. He's a Dodger, or a Yankee. He has a restaurant in fucking Lake Geneva! That's exhibit A right there. Brewers fans go up nort'. Who goes to Lake Geneva?! Chicago people. Cubs fans. What the F?! And yet...he's stayed with the Crew. He likes Milwaukee. Go figure.
Nyjer is that punk kid from the opposing team in Little League. The guy that played outfield and didn't even lead off and yet thought he was the shit, and would talk trash and then late in the game get a meaningless double that he thought proved he was god's gift to the game. If the teams got into a fight, you know that half of your team would go after him and his shit-eating smirk first. This is why I like him. Sometimes.
But how come y'all haven't mentioned the very likable Brewers: Axford? Are you kidding me? He was a bartender a few years ago, now he's a killer closer? He's busted out the Rollie 'stache, the fu-man and the Three Musketeers. Dude's a throwback who relishes every minute of it. Nothing says Brewer like this bad boy. Sign. Him. Up. Gallardo? What the fuck kind of team has a Mexican ace? Can you say Fernando Venezuela for early 80's Dodgers? It's beautiful -- and perfect for MKE's big Mexican community. Lucroy is a hard hat lunch pail Louisiana boy, and there's not much difference between the bayou and Brewer country. Craig Counsell turned 41 a couple days ago, motherfuckers. Two World Series rings. Hitting .172 but still brings it everyday. Casey McGehee -- doesn't really know how to spell his last name, he's closing in on 30 and still looks and feels 23. He still chews -- and it's a big pile in there. And what the hell is wrong with Prince Fielder? Roly poly teddy bear super slugger with a beard? Strikes out a bit but gives you about 40 HRs, 125 RBIs and .285 every year without doing much complaining and generally intimidating his opponents without trying. MVP candidate and all around cool cat. OK, he's a vegetarian, which is a knock against him in MKE, and his name is not Brewer-friendly, but we can only blame his idiot dad for that. Prince is the most likable Brewer, in my view, then Axford.
Nobody's hit on the real reason the Brewers aren't as likable as we'd hope. It's the disconnect, the great yawning divide, between these two SI covers, nearly 24 years apart. The same team, but not at all. Look at Rob Deer. Mullet. Knows how to wear a uniform and celebrate like a man. Look at Ryan Braun -- what do you think of when you look at that face, that hair, those eyes? He looks like one of those asshole Cubs fans at Wrigley. Or even better, one of those super prick Wall Street stockbrokers with the insanely hot wife, the hotter girlfriend and five cars in Connecticut. He's way too pretty. The guy is stinking beautiful, like Tom Brady. Most every male Brewer fan's girlfriend/wife likes Ryan Braun better than he does. THAT's a real problem -- and that's why Brewers fans can't love him. Could Packers fans love Tom Brady? OK, I guess, but it wouldn't be like the love we had for Brett. He was folksy, a hick, a risk taker, dangerous, a failure, a drinker -- he was us. Brady? He's way too perfect, from another world. And that's Braun. In his soul he's just not a Brewer. He's a Dodger, or a Yankee. He has a restaurant in fucking Lake Geneva! That's exhibit A right there. Brewers fans go up nort'. Who goes to Lake Geneva?! Chicago people. Cubs fans. What the F?! And yet...he's stayed with the Crew. He likes Milwaukee. Go figure.
Nyjer is that punk kid from the opposing team in Little League. The guy that played outfield and didn't even lead off and yet thought he was the shit, and would talk trash and then late in the game get a meaningless double that he thought proved he was god's gift to the game. If the teams got into a fight, you know that half of your team would go after him and his shit-eating smirk first. This is why I like him. Sometimes.
But how come y'all haven't mentioned the very likable Brewers: Axford? Are you kidding me? He was a bartender a few years ago, now he's a killer closer? He's busted out the Rollie 'stache, the fu-man and the Three Musketeers. Dude's a throwback who relishes every minute of it. Nothing says Brewer like this bad boy. Sign. Him. Up. Gallardo? What the fuck kind of team has a Mexican ace? Can you say Fernando Venezuela for early 80's Dodgers? It's beautiful -- and perfect for MKE's big Mexican community. Lucroy is a hard hat lunch pail Louisiana boy, and there's not much difference between the bayou and Brewer country. Craig Counsell turned 41 a couple days ago, motherfuckers. Two World Series rings. Hitting .172 but still brings it everyday. Casey McGehee -- doesn't really know how to spell his last name, he's closing in on 30 and still looks and feels 23. He still chews -- and it's a big pile in there. And what the hell is wrong with Prince Fielder? Roly poly teddy bear super slugger with a beard? Strikes out a bit but gives you about 40 HRs, 125 RBIs and .285 every year without doing much complaining and generally intimidating his opponents without trying. MVP candidate and all around cool cat. OK, he's a vegetarian, which is a knock against him in MKE, and his name is not Brewer-friendly, but we can only blame his idiot dad for that. Prince is the most likable Brewer, in my view, then Axford.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Celtics and Lakers Face Oblivion
It happened to the Spurs only a week ago: after years of on-again off-again dominance, an aging team fell to a younger, zippier foe in what, by the end of the series, was no upset. It was, rather, a changing of the guard, as Zach Randolph man-handled the great Tim Duncan, replacing him in a matter of days as one of the best power forwards in the game, and the Memphis Grizzlies pushed Duncan's Spurs into early retirement. Tony Parker, still young, is likely to have another day in the sun, as are Gary Neal and George Hill and DeJuan Blair. But for Duncan, Antonio McDyess, Richard Jefferson and Ginobili, there may not be too many glory days left.
Now comes May and with it more guard-changing, in Los Angeles and Boston. Finals foes last year, these two face defeat before they even get out of the second round. The Lakers, not only down 2-0 to Dallas, but staring at 3 out of the next 4 games in Dallas and also without the services of their talented, tough, mercurial, "small" forward Ron Artest, who had been among the team's most consistent playoff performers this year, for Game 3. In their series first two games in Miami, meanwhile, the Celtics showed all the pep of roadkill. The younger Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and even James Jones and the elderly Mike Bibby, outshot, outran and outdefended the Celts, who've reached the Finals two out of the last three years and won the title in 2008. For their Hall of Fame triumvirate this is likely the last dance. Do they have the fire and the will -- and the energy -- to make this a series?
For the Lakers, reigning two-time champions, the fall is more precipitous. It seems a decade ago now, but only a year ago they battled Boston memorably in the Finals, exchanging body blows for seven games until, without an injured Kendrick Perkins, the Celts fell in the final round. If the Lakers do go down here it's an early exit and an embarrassing end to the Phil Jackson era in Los Angeles. After three championships with Shaq and Kobe, then a few lean years, Lakers brass teamed Phil and Kobe with Pau and Bynum and Odom and started another run. Phil, in what he says will be his final year of coaching, wanted to go into the sunset with his fourth three-peat, an almost unimaginable coaching accomplishment. Now it looks like it won't happen.
Like Duncan and Ginobili before them, Gasol and Kobe look old. So do Garnett and Pierce and Allen. It's one of those years in the NBA, when it's out with the old and in with the new, and everything's a bit topsy-turvy. How did the 8th-seeded Grizzlies knock off the top-seeded Spurs? Have the Atlanta Hawks been resurrected from near-dead to knock out the formerly-contending Orlando Magic and now challenge the top-seeded Bulls? Might we see Oklahoma City in the Finals?
Stay tuned.
Now comes May and with it more guard-changing, in Los Angeles and Boston. Finals foes last year, these two face defeat before they even get out of the second round. The Lakers, not only down 2-0 to Dallas, but staring at 3 out of the next 4 games in Dallas and also without the services of their talented, tough, mercurial, "small" forward Ron Artest, who had been among the team's most consistent playoff performers this year, for Game 3. In their series first two games in Miami, meanwhile, the Celtics showed all the pep of roadkill. The younger Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and even James Jones and the elderly Mike Bibby, outshot, outran and outdefended the Celts, who've reached the Finals two out of the last three years and won the title in 2008. For their Hall of Fame triumvirate this is likely the last dance. Do they have the fire and the will -- and the energy -- to make this a series?
For the Lakers, reigning two-time champions, the fall is more precipitous. It seems a decade ago now, but only a year ago they battled Boston memorably in the Finals, exchanging body blows for seven games until, without an injured Kendrick Perkins, the Celts fell in the final round. If the Lakers do go down here it's an early exit and an embarrassing end to the Phil Jackson era in Los Angeles. After three championships with Shaq and Kobe, then a few lean years, Lakers brass teamed Phil and Kobe with Pau and Bynum and Odom and started another run. Phil, in what he says will be his final year of coaching, wanted to go into the sunset with his fourth three-peat, an almost unimaginable coaching accomplishment. Now it looks like it won't happen.
Like Duncan and Ginobili before them, Gasol and Kobe look old. So do Garnett and Pierce and Allen. It's one of those years in the NBA, when it's out with the old and in with the new, and everything's a bit topsy-turvy. How did the 8th-seeded Grizzlies knock off the top-seeded Spurs? Have the Atlanta Hawks been resurrected from near-dead to knock out the formerly-contending Orlando Magic and now challenge the top-seeded Bulls? Might we see Oklahoma City in the Finals?
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Pack-Falcons Prediction: Five Wides, the 'Bone and the Wall
The Packers' offensive game-plan for the Falcons this week should include a good deal of two things: five wide receiver formations, which we used extensively, and with great success, the last time we played the Falcons; and the wishbone and inverted wishbone. The latter was one of the team's most successful formations against the Eagles last week, in large part due to new featured back James Starks.
Defensively, the key will of course be stopping Jason Snelling, Michael Turner and the Atlanta running game. The Falcons' passing attack is troublesome not because it's so fearsome, but because Atlanta is so dangerous on the ground. While Tony Gonzalez is a superior athlete with excellent hands, Roddy White is no Andre Johnson, nor Desean Jackson or even a Wes Welker. He's just a good, strong receiver, quite stoppable for a fine cover corner like Tramon Williams. If B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Clay Matthews and Cullen Jenkins are stout on the defensive front -- and they have been in recent weeks -- it could be a long day for the Falcons' offense.
Pick: Packers, 24-17
Defensively, the key will of course be stopping Jason Snelling, Michael Turner and the Atlanta running game. The Falcons' passing attack is troublesome not because it's so fearsome, but because Atlanta is so dangerous on the ground. While Tony Gonzalez is a superior athlete with excellent hands, Roddy White is no Andre Johnson, nor Desean Jackson or even a Wes Welker. He's just a good, strong receiver, quite stoppable for a fine cover corner like Tramon Williams. If B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Clay Matthews and Cullen Jenkins are stout on the defensive front -- and they have been in recent weeks -- it could be a long day for the Falcons' offense.
Pick: Packers, 24-17
Monday, January 10, 2011
Aaron Rodgers' Monkey
There's been a lot of silly talk in the press in the last few weeks about how Aaron Rodgers has never won a playoff game, which suggests to these eagle-eyed observers that he may not be an adequate successor to the Packers' "great" Brett Favre.
The truth of the matter is that before yesterday's victory he'd had only had one chance. Let me ask you, if I was trying to do a backflip off the diving board and failed on my first try, would that suggest that I could never do a backflip off the diving board? That I had neither the mental and emotional stability nor the physical gifts to accomplish the feat in my lifetime? No. It's idiotic. And it points up the problem with the media today -- they need so desperately to find a storyline, a narrative for each game, each quarter, each important player, that sometimes they just grab them out of thin air. This week it happened to be: "Despite all the gaudy stats, Aaron Rodgers is a loser."
The Packers' victory over the Eagles should end that discussion. But it should never have reached our ears in the first place. The real story is that Aaron Rodgers is to a large extent the anti-Brett Favre. Just as he may never make the jaw-dropping laser through four DB's for the winning score with three defenders draped on him, he has yet to throw away the game with desperation pass attempts into triple coverage. And this, for my money, is something Aaron Rodgers will never do. He's a talented mofo and a cool customer, comfortable in the pocket and very smart about protecting the ball.
So, yeah, he's no Brett Favre. Thank God.
The truth of the matter is that before yesterday's victory he'd had only had one chance. Let me ask you, if I was trying to do a backflip off the diving board and failed on my first try, would that suggest that I could never do a backflip off the diving board? That I had neither the mental and emotional stability nor the physical gifts to accomplish the feat in my lifetime? No. It's idiotic. And it points up the problem with the media today -- they need so desperately to find a storyline, a narrative for each game, each quarter, each important player, that sometimes they just grab them out of thin air. This week it happened to be: "Despite all the gaudy stats, Aaron Rodgers is a loser."
The Packers' victory over the Eagles should end that discussion. But it should never have reached our ears in the first place. The real story is that Aaron Rodgers is to a large extent the anti-Brett Favre. Just as he may never make the jaw-dropping laser through four DB's for the winning score with three defenders draped on him, he has yet to throw away the game with desperation pass attempts into triple coverage. And this, for my money, is something Aaron Rodgers will never do. He's a talented mofo and a cool customer, comfortable in the pocket and very smart about protecting the ball.
So, yeah, he's no Brett Favre. Thank God.
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