Recent Articles
Goodbye Trevor Hoffman
May 19, 2010 MLB Leave a comment
I remember watching the ‘98 Padres and seeing Hoffman trot out of the bullpen during the playoffs. That season he saved 53 games in one of the greatest seasons ever for a reliever.
Trevor Hoffman turned 31 that season.
It’s been a great career, but it’s finally over. Hoffman faced five batters yesterday and he retired none of them. That likely will be the final straw for Brewers’ management, who have rightfully given him time to work through this.
Unfortunately for them, Hoffman’s five blown saves in 10 chances have meant five losses that should have been wins, and perhaps a hole they can’t dig out of.
Today’s Happenings
May 18, 2010 LinkUp, Random Leave a comment
Hanley Ramirez continues to be not helpful. [SunSentinal]
One wonders, after considering comments from other players on the Marlins, how much of a problem Hanley has truly been during his career. An apology, both in public and to the team is badly needed here.
Scientists get some new clues that explain our existence. [NY Times]
Should the federal government get rid of the mortgage interest deduction? [Reuters]
Jason Donald, an important piece of the Cliff Lee trade, is up playing for the Indians today. He got a hit in his first plate appearance. [ESPN]
Anil Dash doesn’t like NDAs. We work for a company that’s been burned, not sure we agree. [Dashes]
Back With A Little Praise
Jan 30, 2010 Random, The Site Leave a comment
So it’s been a while. And I really had no shortage of friends and family who told me that once the baby was born I would be forgetting about my current hobbies. But I still had no idea.
Yeah, listen to your friends and family.
But now, with the babe about to turn nine months old, and with (finally) a bit of downtime at work, I may be able to get back in the saddle around here. Not that there’s anyone left to ride with anyway.
What actually drove me to log back in today was an absolutely fantastic customer service experience I had with a multinational. These seem to be so few and far between I felt compelled to write about it.
I’m a Sprint Wireless customer. I’ve largely been pleased, but not overwhelmed by their wireless service. I switched from Verizon a few years back because I wanted an inexpensive data plan for my Treo. I’m glad I left.
I needed to call into Sprint customer service today because my old Treo 750p is finally biting the dust. I needed to make sure I was eligible for the maximum rebate on a new phone.
The customer service rep informed me that I was. And then she kept talking. And by the time she was done there was no way I could say no to a new 2-year commitment.
She asked me if I was happy with Sprint. I told her I was lukewarm, and that I would at least consider other options. She immediately cut $20 off my monthly bill for the next two years, no questions asked. And if you are familiar with the various carriers’ plans, I was already well below rates for Verizon and AT&T customers with similar plans.
She also reminded me that, as a customer with a 3 year relationship with Sprint, I was a Premier member. So I get a new phone with the maximum rebate every 12 months. She then cut another 10% off my monthly bill because I had an AOL email address.
This is apparently a deal for AOL-TimeWarner employees, but some customer service managers feel comfortable giving it to anyone with an @aol.com address.
I’m usually not much of a corporate cheerleader. And brand allegiance isn’t my thing, either. But if you’re looking for a wireless company that isn’t a draconian bohemoth like Verizon, has good data rates and cheap plans, I think you should give Sprint your business. I’m pretty happy.
Giants Have Question Marks, Too
Jul 29, 2009 Eagles Commentary 1 Comment
While there are some very good reasons to be optimistic about the 2009 Eagles campaign — it doesn’t take much thought to put together some reasons for doubt, either. Will the offensive line gel? Will and how much will the defense suffer after losing Jim Johnson? And perhaps the biggest of all, will Brian Westbrook be healthy and effective?
But the other likely NFC East powerhouse — the Giants — have their share of question marks as well.
- Don’t forget, this team also will have a new, unproven defensive coordinator (Bill Sheridan).
- Eli Manning is playing without Plaxico Burress, and the Giants did not go out and get any of the big name receivers that were rumored available. Whether any of their young crop of receivers is really any good is yet to be determined.
- Gone is one big part of their rushing attack — Derrick Ward. Keeping Jacobs healthy is more vital than ever, as “Ahmad Bradshaw, feature back” has never been tested.
Now, don’t get me wrong. This team will be good. They have an excellent offensive and defensive line — and when you’re team is strong in the trenches you will always be competitive.
The question I see for them is — when they face a tough defense, will they be able to put up points? The passing game is the key to almost every modern and powerful NFL offense. And whether Eli and that group of pass-catchers will be up to the task is an open question.
Giants Still Chasing Edwards?
May 8, 2009 Eagles Rumors, NFC East News Leave a comment
Caught this over at BBI.
The following was provided to me by a legitimate source (not one of the previous Edwards asshats on this site):
“The talks are still on. The Browns are being cheap right now and have no interest in re-signing Edwards to a big deal. They are willing to take low compensation. They are asking for a conditional next year (high as a 3) and Danny Ware and Mario Manningham (who Mangini wanted badly for the Jets). They were asking for these same two players before the draft, but the feeling is they can get NY to bite now that they got Nicks and Brown in the draft.”
“(I do not) know the status of the Giants response to this offer.”
I do find it amusing that at least one of the site admins over there refers to his readers as “asshats”, but beyond that — if his source is real, this sort of sucks.
I think, in the aftermath of the draft, we had all breathed a sigh of relief that the Giants hadn’t pulled off a deal for one of the big time receivers rumored to be available. Hakeem Nicks isn’t scaring the NFC East yet. And Eli Manning playing his first full year without Plaxico Burress is a happy thought for Birds fans.
Rules for the Uncapped Season
Apr 8, 2009 NFL News Leave a comment
Check out our NFL FAQ. I’ve updated it with some what I hope are some easy to understand guidelines for the 2010 uncapped year.
I just started this and expect to have to add and edit it as things become clearer or folks remind me of something I’ve missed.
What is pretty clear — an uncapped year is going to be bad for both sides. The owners have managed to put in some provisions that severely restrict player movement, that will limit salaries from rising to ridiculous levels in the short term.
Hakeem Nicks, UNC Caterers Impress at Pro Day
Mar 24, 2009 Eagles Draft Leave a comment
This is rather interesting — Hakeem Nicks has added 14 pounds since the combine. That’s a lot of weight. He now comes in at nearly 6′1″ and 226.
And I had to share this, from Gil Brandt at NFL.com:
The event was held outdoors on FieldTurf, and players who ran the 40-yard dash ran it twice — once with the wind and once against the wind. The pro day included a nice lunch with soups, salads and sandwiches. Scouts were very impressed with the treatment.
It remains true that I can never get enough NFL related information. That is hilarious.
So… Heyward-Bey
Mar 12, 2009 Eagles Draft, Eagles Rumors 3 Comments
What’s not to like about this guy? Tall, check. Fast, hell yes. Leaping ability, phenomenal. Playmaker, absolutely (he averaged over 15 yards a catch the last two seasons).
So why isn’t this guy a top 10 pick?
Well, they say his hands aren’t that great. That he doesn’t run precise routes and he tends to have alligator arms over the middle. He’s an awful blocker.
Regardless, knowing how the pre-draft buzz works, shouldn’t we expect this guy’s stock to go up? If those are his negatives they aren’t necessarily the sort of things that show up big in workouts. Over the next month he’ll continue to impress scouts with his straight-line speed and leaping ability.
There aren’t any linebackers or safeties lurking during Pro Day.
So with 40 times like that, impressive workouts, etc — this guy will probably shoot up the draft charts, right? Especially without much top-end receiver talent ahead of him.
Wow
Mar 7, 2009 NFL News Leave a comment
Western NY is going to be crazy this fall. Honestly, I’m happy for Bills fans. I wouldn’t be happy for just about any other team, but these poor people needed some excitement.
The last few years have been a disaster, and this off-season has been particularly terrible for them as well — they’ve been losing talent and guys are getting in trouble.
The organization would have had some real trouble filling Ralph Wilson with the status quo. Now that place is going to be rocking. I guarantee you every game is sold out well before the season starts.
Wow. It’s really going to be something.
Here’s Hoping the Streak Continues
Mar 5, 2009 Eagles Commentary Leave a comment
And the Cowboys have the TO hangover the Niners and Eagles went through. Actually, the Niners are still going through.
And with that being said, he’s still good enough that I don’t want the Giants or Redskins signing him.
C’mon Oakland, make him an offer he can’t refuse.
