John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Thinking out loud…while wondering if Ronda Rousey could take Floyd Mayweather, Jr…
- First of all, congratulate yourself. You survived two of the slowest days of the sports calendar year…the day before, and (with all due respect to Triple A baseball and the Pawsox) the day after baseball’s all-star game…
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- New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham became the highest paid at his position in the NFL this week. Four years, $40 million, half of it guaranteed. That’s some deal, even though he’s probably the 2nd best at his position. Trouble is, Rob Gronkowski can’t stay healthy. Gronk’s style of play, while we can all appreciate it, is keeping him from realizing his potential…
- Anyone remember Graham when he played against the Friars for Miami at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament in 2007? That was Tim Welsh’s final season as head coach, and Graham was on the Hurricanes’ team that beat PC 64-58 in the very first PR tourney finals. Athletic? Yup…he sure was…but the Friars’ Geoff McDermott was the MVP. I remember having the conversation on the air with Joe Hassett about the rumors (at the time) that Graham wanted to play football, and what a great defensive end he would make. Right sport, wrong position…
- Tweet of the Week I – from @ESPN_Numbers: “Jimmy Graham & Randy Moss are the only players in NFL history with 300 receptions & 40 TD catches through 4 seasons…”
- In a general sense, I have no problem with NFL Network’s overall #2 ranking tagged onto Detroit WR Calvin “Megatron” Johnson. His talent and ability could be historical. But to me, the top players in the NFL are the guys that not only have talent, but also the ball in their hands more often than anyone else, and make PLAYS. Detroit ain’t exactly a world-beater, partially because they can’t get the ball to Megatron often enough, it seems…
- In that vein, ranking Peyton Manning #1 and TB12 #3 overall is probably right. Although I’d move Brady into the two-spot, for the reason(s) stated previously. And he has a legit shot at #1 before all is said and done this year, provided the Patriots have surrounded him with the kind of ability the Broncos smothered Manning with…
- Perhaps because he doesn’t (or didn’t) have that kind of talent around him, ESPN.com’s Insiders put TB12 at the top of their list. Earlier this spring, the esteemed folks at Pro Football Focus said Brady wasn’t even worthy of Top 5 status…so, take that…
- As long as we’re wishing with training camp’s start upon us…sure, I wish the Patriots could find a way to deal with Houston for WR Andre Johnson. Honestly, how would you defend that offense? Not…gonna…happen, though. Too rich of a contract for NE’s blood, and he’s still good, but I’m not convinced at age 33 Johnson is healthy enough overall to be THAT much of a difference-maker. See: Gronk. And he’s just 25…
- Wish #2…put me in the corner of being IN favor of adding a currently-says-he’s-retired Tony Gonzalez to the Patriots’ roster at some point this summer. If the team is really interested in surrounding TB12 with weapons, one of the all-time greats at TE – who has never won a Super Bowl – would be a nice add until (if?) Gronk returns, and insurance if he’s hurt again. He’s 38, ancient by NFL standards…but relatively healthy. Oh, and probably affordable…
- The final numbers from the month-long World Cup were fairly impressive…at least from a US perspective. All told, there were more than 3 billion social interactions on Facebook…672 million tweets on Twitter…and an estimated 26.5 million Americans watched the final between Germany and Argentina. By comparison, 35.65 million watched in Germany – the most-viewed TV program of all time in that country…
- The numbers that should indicate an increased interest in futbol – viewership was up 39% over the 2010 World Cup TV audience…although the proximity to the eastern time zone (Brazil is just one hour ahead) played a part. Still, it’s a great bump for the world’s game inside of our football-basketball-baseball-hockey-racing borders…
- Tweet of the Week II – from @ESPNStatsInfo: “Derek Jeter now has the 2nd-highest batting average in All-Star Game history (.481) Charlie Gehringer ranks 1st at .500 (Min. 15 PA)…”
- I totally understand the love coming Derek Jeter’s way. His performance at 40 years of age (2-for-2, diving stop at SS) in Tuesday’s MLB All-Star game was worthy of a star player half his age. What I don’t understand is St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright saying he was going to give Jeter “a couple of pipe shots,” meaning he was going to groove a pitch or two his way. To which Jeter promptly said “gee, thanks” and belted a right field double in the first inning…
- No problem with respect being shown. Big problem with the integrity of the game being shown up. This is the entire problem with games like this – the players think it’s a vacation. They don’t realize – still – that MLB has tried to get it to mean something. Ridicule if you must…but hey, it might have cost the National League – and Wainwright’s own team, the Cardinals – LAST year when they didn’t win the game, and lost home field advantage to the Red Sox in the World Series. Which they also lost…
- Wainwright later referred to himself as a “knucklehead” and an “idiot” for saying what he said. Yup, he’s right about that. And then he backed off from saying what he said, starting with a live TV mea culpa to Fox’s Erin Andrews. More on that in a bit. But let’s not let this moment of brilliance go to complete waste…
- Here’s what needs fixing…if the players are picked by fans, and every team – even the crappy ones – gets a representative, then this is an exhibition. If the game is to really MEAN something, then the players should be selected by the players or managers, the best players should play and some teams will be left out of the party. I mean, in a game that counts, where else will you find an MVP like Mike Trout being taken OUT of the game in the sixth inning? Really? You can make an argument that Jeter himself probably should have been left out, based on his seasonal numbers. ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick said it after the game, and I concur – perhaps Wainwright’s faux pas should get baseball to actually DO something about this sham of a game. Stupid is as stupid does…
- You can’t blame John Farrell for his decision to start Felix Hernandez over Jon Lester. But not for nuthin’…if the Red Sox really wanted to keep him around on a hometown discount, wouldn’t starting him in the game have meant at least a lil’ somethin’ somethin’?
- A prediction. Lester does not return. I don’t have the inside knowledge or a little birdie in the clubhouse here…but this is the definite vibe emanating from Fenway. I hope I’m wrong…but management is ready to turn a lot of pages here…and turn future editions of the team over to younger players. Henry Owens? He’s 12-3 at Double A Portland, but still needs to see if he can be at least as effective in Pawtucket, first…
- And the Red Sox’ initial offer to Lester? Still laughable. Embarrassing. Not even worthy of Lester’s apparent gratitude in saying he’d take a hometown discount. $17.5 million per year for a top-of-the-rotation guy doesn’t get it done in this day and age. Get ready for the Kansas City Royals-East with that kind of thinking…
- LOL…at espnboston.com’s mid-season grades for the Red Sox. Not at the reporters’ handiwork, it’s always solid. But that there was anyone who rated higher than a “D.” Which is exactly where this team rates – poorly…
- The overall disappointment of a defending-World Series champ plunging into the abyss of also-randomness completely overshadows the spectacular “find,” if you will, of Brock Holt. The pitching – especially considering the lack of hitting – has been pretty good. Honestly, if we heap praise upon Ben Cherington and the Sox brain trust for drawing aces last year…those folks deserve criticism for coming up with a bum hand this season…
- But take heart, Sox fans. The Yankees, by comparison, keep spending. And failing…
- Sorry…I’m ready to let go of the Home Run Derby. It may now travel the same road I wish the NBA’s Slam Dunk competition would travel…the road to irrelevance, to road to nowhere, the road to been there, done that (over and over and over again)…
- How would I improve this dog-and-ponyless show? Glad you asked. Similar to thoughts on improving the Slam Dunk deal, I’d put a mound of cash – literally, a mound of cash – right in front of those guys swinging for the fences. They can do with it whatever they like…keep it, donate it, throw it out to the crowd…whatever. But stack upon stack of bundled bills in front of you is bound to show a player’s true abilities…
- And, I’d try to get Doc Emrick or Ian Darke to call the HR Derby for ESPN. That would be fresh…and bring instant TV audience success for a tired product…
- Tweet of the Week III – from @awfulannouncing: “Let’s get Ian Darke and Doc Emrick in a room and let them conduct a study on the history of adverbs…”
- Yoenis Cespedes is a stud. The more I watch him, the more I like. That he beat Todd Frazier (who upset Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton in the semis) was a fait-accompli. You want to impress me, Sox brass? Go get either one of Stanton or Cespedes, without rupturing the farm system or breaking the bank…
- How I know Bud Selig is past his prime (if he ever had one) as MLB Grand Poobah – he said this past week to the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) that Tampa Bay has the demographics to succeed even though it’s obvious they need a new park. Don’t those same demographics need to vote for/build the new park, first? Well, we’re waiting…
- Competition makes us better? Makes us great? Not exactly. A well-thought out piece this week says we’re too competitive for our own good, and – surprise! I actually agree. Except for the part where the author says he took his five-year-old son to a bar to watch the World Cup. Hope he went to a friendly bar…
- The Sporting News tried to rank the Top 25 active coaches – in all sports – this week. Not sure how you compare Bill Belichick with Gregg Popovich, but whatever. Btw, Popovich was #1, Belichick 3rd. Tom Coughlin somehow ended up 7th, ahead of Rick Pitino (8th)…Billy Donovan was 10th. The top baseball manager was Bruce Bochy (9th) and hockey coach was Mike Babcock (13th). The common factor among all of them – was championships won. Then why was Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim ranked 24th?
- So the Cleveland Cavaliers talked to John Calipari, Tom Izzo, Billy Donovan AND Bill Self about becoming head coach? Wonder if any of those guys has had 2nd thoughts about climbing onto the Cav bandwagon? Wonder if things start out poorly in Cleveland, if any of those guys will reconsider?
- LeBron James’ estimated economic impact on northeast Ohio is coming in at around $500 million. Before he ever leads them to a potential title. Isn’t too much power a bad thing? Just sayin’…
- Zen question of the week…would James’ talents still be in South Beach if the Heat had beaten the Spurs for the title this year?
- Kiss off the New York Knicks as a contender in the east for at least the next two years. Remember former Knick and SuperSonic Marvin Webster, the Human Eraser? They re-signed Carmelo Anthony, the Human Black Hole. The ball goes into him, and it never leaves…
- Paul Pierce with the Washington Wizards? What happened to finding a title contender? The Truth? Can’t see this working out too well…unless it’s just a paycheck he cares about…
- Concentration. It’s what all good reporters need to have to do their jobs properly when broadcasting live. Awareness. It’s also what all good reporters need to have, especially when NBA world champion basketball players crash your live shot with the Lawrence O’Brien trophy in hand…
- Stu Jackson’s hiring this week as the new Senior Associate Commissioner for Men’s Basketball at the Big East is a big-time move. Forget the fact he spent the past 13 years as the Executive VP for Basketball Operations of the NBA – and of course, the fact he spent a couple of years under Rick Pitino at PC. Jackson follows a list of notable, big-time hires by the league…all in an effort to keep Big East basketball “big…”
- The commissioner, Val Ackerman, is notable for her experience within pro basketball – and she played the game, too. Former NCAA Executive VP Tom Jernstedt (Senior Advisor), former NCAA Final Four official John Cahill (Officials Supervisor) and NCAA Rules Secretary Art Hyland (former BE Supervisor of Officials) are all league staffers. Seems they’re pretty serious about keeping the Big East as a serious player…
- Friar fans, as you might expect, Marquette’s new coach Steve Wojciechowski has hit the ground running in Milwaukee. His staff put out an interesting video on YouTube, depicting the first 90 days of his tenure…
- Best wishes to now-former URI baseball coach Jim Foster, who left this week to accept the associate head coaching position at Boston College. Foster, a former PC Friar catcher, was the winningest coach in URI history after nine seasons…had six straight 30+ win seasons…nine MLB draft picks…and will work specifically with pitchers and catchers as well as head up recruiting at BC. Raphael Cerrato, who has been the top assistant for the past three seasons and was also head coach at New Haven and a former Brown assistant, stays on as the interim head coach through 2015…
- Fed Chair Janet Yellin yelled this week that “too many Americans remain unemployed.” And as many of us know, Rhode Island continues to lead the way with the nation’s highest unemployment rate. Seems to me that maybe…just maybe…the gubernatorial candidate that tackles this issue might get some run as a real difference-maker, rather than all of the good, “touchy-feely” ads we’re seeing right now on TV…
- Or, RI lawmakers…when they return…can make this a more business-friendly state to attract the jobs we don’t have. Which do you think will happen first?
- My buddy Statbeast sez the healthcare service around here is a complete disgrace. His doctor told him to run three miles a day for a month…and he’s now 90 miles from home and completely lost…
- If you need an explanation for the new College Football Playoff and how it should work in deciding a “true” national champion this year, there’s probably no better way to describe it than from the one-and-only Rudy…
- Although, Sean Astin could have lost a little more weight for the spot. I mean, c’mon Rudy. Have a salad…
- The biggest news on the sports media front this week wasn’t former NESN flack Jenny Dell’s engagement to sometimes-Red Sox 3rd baseman Will Middlebrooks. Although, that did happen. Fox announced Pam Oliver is out as the #1 sideline reporter for their NFL coverage, and Erin Andrews is in. Oliver is 53. Andrews is 36. Oliver has dark hair, Andrews is blonde. Oliver hasn’t been on Dancing with the Stars. Andrews has. ‘Nuff said?
- I’ve said it before and I will say it again…sideline reporting is an albatross hanging around the shoulders of broadcast sports. Useless, and largely irrelevant. The networks use these reporters as eye-candy. And there are thousands of female reporters who would love the chance to stand in front of those network cameras, too. The one person who actually got better with each of her previous 19 years at the job, Oliver, is now out because Fox envisioned her in a different role – one that befits her experience (or age, another good word)…
- Having once worked at ESPN with a former sideline reporter, Jack Arute (who was one of the originals on the job in TV, dating back to the ‘70’s on ABC), sideline reporting is getting tougher by the day. Teams are much more guarded in what they’ll say to the media, for fear of not being able to manage their own spin on a story. Unless you are particularly adept at interviewing – and not just asking “how do you feel” or “what were you thinking?” questions – the job of sideline reporter wastes time and adds very little for the discerning viewer. Arute agreed, although he was a pretty good interviewer. He wasn’t a blonde, however…
- This isn’t a knock on Andrews’ abilities. I’ve met her and we’ve spoken during our college football travels (easy, fellas). She is smart. I’ve always had the impression she had her sights set on bigger roles than just sideline reporting…which she’s had with Fox since moving from ESPN. But the chance to work the NFL with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman? That’s a plum role, no matter the real relevancy…
- How did she do with the MLB All-Star Game this week? There won’t be any Pulitzer Prizes won or lost interviewing players in a dugout or on a sideline. Do you really care what players say? But when Adam Wainwright opens his mouth and inserts his foot about giving Derek Jeter a few fat pitches to hit, that’s a story. And Andrews helped soften the blow for him by blaming social media. WEEI’s Kirk Minihane sure didn’t think much of her sideline abilities, ranting on the air Wednesday “what a b****, I hate her!” after her performance…
- Andrews’ job is not to be a hard-hitting reporter in this instance. She’s a “host.” A friendly, pretty face for the players to recognize. It’s all fluff. And that’s the problem with sideline reporting – they aren’t really hired to be journalists. It’s like asking a Boy Scout who knows first-aid to perform heart surgery…
- By the way, I’m sure the feeling is mutual, Kirk. As it probably is for midday hosts Lou Merloni and Tim Benz as well, who also kicked Andrews around in reference to the now-infamous stalking incident of her being secretly videotaped in a hotel. If salaciousness is how WEEI wants to makes waves in the ratings, they succeeded this week…
- Former Channel 10 weekend sports anchor Kathryn Tappen is tapping back into the peacock network, as a sideline reporter for NBC’s coverage of Notre Dame football this fall…and as a contributor for NBCSN’s NHL coverage, as well as Football Night in America reporting and future Olympic stuff. She’ll also keep contributing for the NHL Network. Yes, she’s blonde. What does that have to do with it?
- If you don’t know who Ronda Rousey is, educate yourself and consult your pocket brain. And I’d suggest Floyd Mayweather, Jr. should do the same, and perhaps Google her. Mayweather, considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world right now, caused a little controversy this week over an innocuous question posed (aren’t they all?) during a media stop promoting his rematch this fall with Marcos Maidana. He was asked about Rousey, who is one of UFC’s stars (mixed martial arts) and just happens to be a female fighter…and responded by saying he “didn’t know who he is.” Who HE is. Whoa. Them’s fightin’ words. Some fight folks believe Rousey (5-6, 135 pounds) could take Mayweather (5-8, 151) in a no-holds-barred bout and do some damage. It’ll never happen…it can’t happen. But I think I’d pay to see it…and it’s very possible the fight would be one of the biggest pay-per-view events of all time. Think “Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs’ Battle of the Sexes” for the “Grand Theft Auto” generation…
- From the mailbag this week – Rod from Cranston, RI via Facebook, who never misses the chance to point out an error, on the Big East hiring of “former Friar” Stu Jackson : “Technically, he’s from Seattle U.” Rod: Of course he is. But once a Friar, always a Friar. Just like someone who attended URI at one time (say, like Lamar Odom?) will always be a Ram. I know, I know…just doing your part to stoke the fires of rivalry one more time…
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