The New York Mets fired Willie Randolph today, early, early Tuesday morning around 3:00 a.m. eastern time. If you ask me, it was the most pathetic firing I have ever seen. Not even George Steinbrenner would pull this type of stunt. If the Mets were going to fire Randolph, it should have been last season during their historic collapse.
Not only don't I think Randolph is to blame for last year, I don't believe he is the reason for the New York Mets struggles this season. Willie Randolph was managing with the parts the Mets organization gave him. I hear people talk about how the Mets have the highest payroll in the National League, so they should be doing much better, but that is not always the case. Look at their cross-town rivals the New York Yankees. The Yankees have the highest payroll in all of baseball, and they are struggling just to keep themselves in the playoff conversation. The Oakland Atheletics do not spend that much money at all, and they seem to be in the playoff hunt every year.
I believe most, if not all the blame should fall on the shoulders of the New York Mets General Manager Omar Minyaya. He was the one who assembled this disaster they call a baseball team. Bringing in Carlos Beltran who has proven to be a bust, and Carlos Delgado who is playing like he is fifty-five years old, are two of the primary reasons And bringing in Moises Alou, well, he just seems to be injured every week. Not to mention all the back-and-fourth battles in the clubhouse among teammates themselves, mainly the Latin ball players against everyone else. Their is no leader on the team, no one to look up to as an example.
The Mets were one of the view teams I actually cheered for on a daily basis, but now I can't do that anymore. You let Willie Randolph travel across the country to manage against the Anahiem Angels, then you fire him, after the Mets won the game. Not to mention the team being on a little roll, by winning the series at home against the Texas Rangers. Right now the New York Mets are a poor excuse as a oraganization, and if you fire Willie Randolph, you might as well get rid of the General Manager, and the bums they have as players.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Why People Are Watching the NBA Playoffs
I got word that Jason Whitlock said the reason white people are watching the playoffs is because there are fewer guys with tattoos then usual. That is the dumbest statement I have ever heard. The reason noone was watching the playoffs over the past few years is because the boring, dull Spurs and Pistons were the main attractions. The year the Mavericks played the Heat wasn't much different, people weren't really feeling those teams either.
This year? The main reason people are watching the is because many people were intrigued by all the possibilities. With the Western Conference being jammed pack with great teams from one to eight, everyone wanted to know who would win the West. With the East, the question was could Boston re-establish its selve as the best team.
Perhaps white America stopped watching it, and black teens, including myself stopped watching, but the reaaons have nothing to do with what Whitlock contends. Try the same teams winning all the time, in the same business-as-usual kind of way. Now we have new teams in the mix like the Hornets, Warriors, Blazers, Celtics and Lakers renewing their historic rivalry.
If by any chance Whitlock had numerous white people in his ear telling him those reasons why, then it's a shame because tattoos and hairstyles do not make up a persons personality. A person with a nice haircut and no tattoos could be the meanest person in the world, while a person with braids and dozens of tattoos could be the nicest person. See the dangers in stereotypes. Besides how could people stop watching the NBA for those reasons but continue to celebrate the NFL?
This year? The main reason people are watching the is because many people were intrigued by all the possibilities. With the Western Conference being jammed pack with great teams from one to eight, everyone wanted to know who would win the West. With the East, the question was could Boston re-establish its selve as the best team.
Perhaps white America stopped watching it, and black teens, including myself stopped watching, but the reaaons have nothing to do with what Whitlock contends. Try the same teams winning all the time, in the same business-as-usual kind of way. Now we have new teams in the mix like the Hornets, Warriors, Blazers, Celtics and Lakers renewing their historic rivalry.
If by any chance Whitlock had numerous white people in his ear telling him those reasons why, then it's a shame because tattoos and hairstyles do not make up a persons personality. A person with a nice haircut and no tattoos could be the meanest person in the world, while a person with braids and dozens of tattoos could be the nicest person. See the dangers in stereotypes. Besides how could people stop watching the NBA for those reasons but continue to celebrate the NFL?
Vinny Del Negro; Bulls New Coach
A couple of days ago, the Chicago Bulls announced that they will be hiring Vinny Del Negro as their new head coach. I have to admit I did not see that coming. You have Doug Collins waiting in the wings with coaching experience, and John Paxson hires a Del Negro, who I am sure is a nice guy but has never been coach in his life.
I could understand hiring Del Negro in a rebuilding process, but the Bulls were just a playoff team a year ago, and swept the defending NBA champion Miami Heat at the time. The Bulls where also picked by many to win the Eastern Conference.
I am left scratching my head on this one. Expericence might not mean that much, but you have so many other candidates in Avery Johnson, Mark "you're better then that" Jackson, and a hosts of others. I understand that the Bulls did not hire Doug Collins because he might not be there for the long run, but if it is true that the Bulls only signed Del Negro for two years, they must not expect Del Negro to be their for the long run as well.
For John Paxson's sake, he better hope the Vinny Del Negro's hiring works, or he'll be right out the door along with Scott Skiles.
I could understand hiring Del Negro in a rebuilding process, but the Bulls were just a playoff team a year ago, and swept the defending NBA champion Miami Heat at the time. The Bulls where also picked by many to win the Eastern Conference.
I am left scratching my head on this one. Expericence might not mean that much, but you have so many other candidates in Avery Johnson, Mark "you're better then that" Jackson, and a hosts of others. I understand that the Bulls did not hire Doug Collins because he might not be there for the long run, but if it is true that the Bulls only signed Del Negro for two years, they must not expect Del Negro to be their for the long run as well.
For John Paxson's sake, he better hope the Vinny Del Negro's hiring works, or he'll be right out the door along with Scott Skiles.
Tim Donaghy
Yesterday I found out something interesting in the Tim Donaghy case. If you have not heard, Donaghy is the former NBA referee who betted on games he did and did not officate. What I found out was that the NBA I guess ordered referees to officate the games in the playoffs a certain way.
I cannot help but to say I kind of figured that for quite sometime now. The free throw differentials and numerous other questionable calls that occurred while I was watching the playoffs. Donaghy even got specific with some of the games such as the Kings versus the Lakers, and the Rockets versus the Mavericks. This puts a black cloud on the this year's NBA playoffs and finals.
On one hand I understand when people think Donaghy is just a liar. The guy did lie about other things, bet on games he officated, and fixed games as well. Also I understand when people hear this they are probably saying to themselves, if the NBA wanted to fix the games they would not never let the dull and boring San Antonio Spurs ever win a championship. It would just be the big market teams all the time like Chicago, or Los Angeles.
On the other hand however, in sports all it comes down to is wins and money. If game sevens would have occurred in any series, it just gives more ratings and money to the NBA. This case could also be a Brian McNamee and Jose Canseco situation. Each guy was considered a liar, and had a shady history. Once they told their stories, sooner rather than later the truth started to come out.
I understand that Donaghy is trying to lessen his sentence, but if he lied about any of this stuff I am sure the authorities would somehow find out, so why would he lie?
David Stern needs to do something fast, becasue until this whole mess is resolved all anyone is going to think about is which referee is fixing the games. The NBA is partly to blame. For instance putting Joey Crawford in to referee the Spurs vs. Lakers game, knowing the history between Crawford and the Spurs. Also the NBA coming out and admitting to wrong calls being made, how stupid can you get? I love the NBA, and if this is true what Donaghy is saying, I couldn't look at the NBA the same way for quite some time.
I cannot help but to say I kind of figured that for quite sometime now. The free throw differentials and numerous other questionable calls that occurred while I was watching the playoffs. Donaghy even got specific with some of the games such as the Kings versus the Lakers, and the Rockets versus the Mavericks. This puts a black cloud on the this year's NBA playoffs and finals.
On one hand I understand when people think Donaghy is just a liar. The guy did lie about other things, bet on games he officated, and fixed games as well. Also I understand when people hear this they are probably saying to themselves, if the NBA wanted to fix the games they would not never let the dull and boring San Antonio Spurs ever win a championship. It would just be the big market teams all the time like Chicago, or Los Angeles.
On the other hand however, in sports all it comes down to is wins and money. If game sevens would have occurred in any series, it just gives more ratings and money to the NBA. This case could also be a Brian McNamee and Jose Canseco situation. Each guy was considered a liar, and had a shady history. Once they told their stories, sooner rather than later the truth started to come out.
I understand that Donaghy is trying to lessen his sentence, but if he lied about any of this stuff I am sure the authorities would somehow find out, so why would he lie?
David Stern needs to do something fast, becasue until this whole mess is resolved all anyone is going to think about is which referee is fixing the games. The NBA is partly to blame. For instance putting Joey Crawford in to referee the Spurs vs. Lakers game, knowing the history between Crawford and the Spurs. Also the NBA coming out and admitting to wrong calls being made, how stupid can you get? I love the NBA, and if this is true what Donaghy is saying, I couldn't look at the NBA the same way for quite some time.
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