Role Reversal: The New Yankees (plus my LCS picks)

Deal with it, Red Sox fans. It’s not 2004 anymore. Two World Series titles later, you are far from the lovable losers you once were. Instead you are the NEW New York Yankees.

That’s right. Ridiculous payroll. Overbearing fan base that loves to tell you how great they are. Hated by the rest of the league. Playing into October every season (five out of the past six to be exact).

As an A’s fan first and Yankees hater second, let me take this break before the LCS to officially add Red Sox hater to my baseball fan card. It seems only fitting to complete the trifecta. As a Lakers fan, my Celtics hated has never been higher. As a Raiders fan, I can’t stand the Patriots. Now, my anti-Beantown feelings are complete.

The crazy thing is, four years ago, I never would have seen it coming. I loved watching that 2004 team rally to beat the Yankees. It was a historic series, but ever since the Red Sox won that series, the psyche of the average Boston sports fan has shifted from “we’re never gonna win the big one,” to a sense of entitlement “we have to win the big one.”

Now here come the Tampa Bay Rays. Could the culture clash be any more vast? This is a small payroll team built on homegrown talent, playing in its first postseason under manager Joe Madden. I couldn’t name one player on their team aside from the guy whose name reminds me of Tony Parker’s wife, but that’s the point. No one knows wear this team came from.

Can they win a seven game series against the mighty Red Sox in the ALCS? Why not? They held onto the division in the regular season, so they’ll have home field advantage. It’s what I want, but my gut tells me that Boston’s Yankees impression isn’t over yet. My pick is Red Sox in six games.

Hopefully I’m wrong. In the National League, the Dodgers made my Cubs pick look pretty bad. As I said before, I was expecting heartache for Cubs fans, but I thought it would come in the World Series. Now, I’m convinced that the single most influential player in the National League is former Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez. Sorry Philadelphia, my pick is Dodgers in five.

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back

Rich Rodriguez’s squad played 15 minutes of football on Saturday against Illinois. Unfortunately for Rodriguez and Michigan, games last 60 minutes. Illinois spanked the Wolverines in the Big House 45-20. The loss dropped Michigan to 2-3 on the year, 1-1 in the Big Ten.

The loss wasn’t a shocker. In fact, I had predicted Michigan would start the year 1-4, so they’re ahead of pace. But following the Wolverines’ historic second-half comeback against Wisconsin the previous week, Michigan fans—myself included—were optimistic that this team had turned a corner. Their first quarter performance fueled those feelings even more as quarterback Steven Threet looked sharp, helping lead them to a 14-3 lead.

Illinois scored the final 14 points of the half to lead 17-14 and they never looked back. Michigan’s offense reverted to the team that was shutout for a half versus Wisconsin. That was not entirely surprising. The defense surrendering 45 points and 501 yards? That was not expected, even against a potent Illini offense.

So where do the Wolverines go from here? Well, it starts with a break in the Big Ten schedule as Michigan plays host to Toledo on Saturday. The Wolverines will be favored to win. They’ll have to do so if they want a bowl berth this season.

This is a chance for Michigan to grow as an offense and re-charge on defense. After last year’s Appalachian State experience, the maize and blue no better than to overlook an opponent, but Toledo should signal Hail to the Victors in Ann Arbor.

A win would even their record at 3-3 at the midseason mark. They would then have to go at least 3-3—and maybe 4-2—the rest of the way in the Big Ten to keep their 33-season bowl streak alive.

It’s hardly a given that they’ll make it. Four of the final six will be on the road where the young Wolverines have played just once, losing badly at Notre Dame. Three games are against current unbeatens: Penn State, Michigan State and Northwestern. And the season finale is at Ohio State. Don’t think the Buckeyes wouldn’t love to be the ones ultimately responsible for keeping Michigan at home during bowl season.

Michigan has shown only mild improvement on offense through six games. Steven Threet’s passing accuracy and decision-making is inconsistent. And too often they are losing yardage on first and second down. The defense has bailed them out in their win, but they proved that they’re still vulnerable against mobile quarterbacks.

Rich Rodriguez has his work cut out for him. If he can get this group of players into a bowl game, it’ll be considered a success in my eyes, even if not by Michigan’s usual standards. But if they falter down the stretch and fail to crack .500, watch out. More than anything, this team—especially on offense—needs to show progress through the final six weeks of the season.

2008 MLB Divisional Series Picks

I’m happy to say my all-New York World Series prediction won’t come to fruition. But Chicago and L.A. remain in play for a one city World Series.

Since my regular season predictions were so far off, and I haven’t watched a full game all season, I have no real credentials to pick any series winners. But I’m a fan of playoff baseball, so I’ll give it a shot anyway.

My quick picks are below.

ALDS

Tampa Bay Rays over Chicago White Sox
Rationale: The young Rays never folded under the pressure in the hotly contested AL East and held on to beat the Red Sox for the division title. The White Sox had to win a playoff just to make the playoffs.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim over Boston Red Sox
Rationale: No one has repeated as World Series champions since the Yankees’ three-peat from 1998-2000. Boston will fall short without the likes of Manny Ramirez in the lineup.

NLDS

Chicago Cubs over Los Angeles Dodgers
Rationale: But fear not Red Sox fans, Manny won’t outlast the first round either. Cubs fans can expect heartache, but not in the first round. Let the stakes build a bit first.

Philadelphia Phillies over Milwaukee Brewers
Rationale: The Phillies bounce back from last season’s quick exit. For the Brew Crew, the problem is simple: they can’t clone C.C. Sabathia.

Next Raiders Coach Beware, Al Davis is the Grim Reaper of Death

We live in an instant gratification society, “What have you done for me lately” doesn’t matter. It’s “What are you doing RIGHT NOW?” that counts. I get it. But I don’t think it’s the right way to rebuild a fledgling NFL franchise.

Unfortunately for me, I am not the owner of the Oakland Raiders. That distinction belongs to the artist formerly known as Al Davis.

Earlier today he finally pulled the trigger on a firing gun he’s been aiming at coach Lane Kiffin for months. Did I mention Kiffin has coached just a little over one season with the Raiders? That’s right. Twenty games was plenty enough for Al Davis.

Since the similarly unceremonious departure of Jon Gruden in the aftermath of The Tuck Game in 2001, the Raiders have had four coaches—with a fifth on the way—and just one winning season, in 2002, which ended miserably with a Super Bowl loss against Gruden’s Buccaneers.

Bill Callahan lasted two years. Ditto for Norv Turner. Therebirth of the Art Shell era? That laughable experiment lasted just one season. But Kiffin’s firing establishes a new low by getting axed during the season.

The worst part is Kiffin finally had the Raiders playing respectable football again for the first time in five years. His 1-3 record this season and 5-15 mark overall doesn’t do him justice. Yes, the Raiders blew fourth quarter leads in consecutive games. But the losses came against undefeated Buffalo and the reigning AFC West champion San Diego Chargers.

Raiders fans weren’t happy with the results, but we were encouraged by what we saw on the field. This was a Raiders team with signs of life and a glimmer of hope for the future—something Raiders fans haven’t felt since Chucky and the Bucs stomped on our Super Bowl dreams earlier this decade.

The young quarterback with the cannon arm. The young running back with the best combination of speed and power in silver and black since Bo. And the young coach leading the way. It seemed like the Raiders had something in place that could work, but Al Davis didn’t see it. Kiffin dared to make a power play with Davis, and that was the end of it. The firing happened today, but it became inevitable weeks, if not months ago.

Still, Kiffin had the general support of the Raider Nation and it seemed to be growing despite his record. He was the most popular coach in silver and black since Gruden and, I think, his brash attitude and boyish looks reminded us of our former coach and past success.

In year one, Kiffin had to eradicate all the garbage left over from previous regimes in Oakland. In year two, he was making them competitive. I think it’s very possible they could’ve learned how to win by the end of the year, making 9-7 a realistic goal for 2009 with a full year of experience for quarterback Jamarcus Russell.

Now? Who knows what happens to the franchise. What I do know is they lost a talentd, up ‘n coming coach—again.

Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Lane Kiffin. Brash young coaches, hired and scorned by Al Davis. Shanahan and Gruden have gone on to torture the Raiders and enjoy Super Bowl success elsewhere. Don’t be surprised if Kiffin shows up on an opposing sideline to do the same sometime soon.

Die, Dynasty, Die: The Yankees Miss the Playoffs, But I Won't Miss the Yankees

The last time the New York Yankees failed to qualify for the playoffs, I was 9 years old. I didn’t own a cell phone, check an e-mail address or listen to an iPod. (I taped radio hits on my cassette player.) Chris Webber was preparing for his rookie season in the NBA, the Raiders were playing in L.A., and I had only played one version of John Madden football—Madden 93 for Sega Genesis, which my friend Zach had.

The point is, it's been a LONG time since the Yankees missed the postseason. It's a remarkable feat, especially when you consider baseball's relatively low ratio of teams to postseason berths. In the NBA and NHL, 16 of 30 make the playoffs (53.3 percent). In the NFL, it's a bit more selective at 12 of 32 (37.5 percent). Still, nothing compares to Major League Baseball where just 8 of 30 (26.6 percent) make the playoffs.

Every year, October is a chance fans and non-fans alike to rally in their hatred for the Bronx Bombers. Anti-Yankees-sentiment runs deep and, without it, I'm left wondering what this postseason will bring. Sure, there's Yankees-Lite up in Boston where the Red Sox have gone from the lovable loser to a mirror image of their rivals in a span of just four years. But it's just not the same.

The 2008 Yankees' failure is significant for the same reason their success has been downplayed: their unbelievable payroll. Teams like my Oakland Athletics simply do not have the resources to compete on the same financial playing field. That makes it all the more embarrassing for the pinstripes, who couldn't compete on the actual playing field with the likes of the Tampa Bay Rays this season.

October without the Yankees won't be the same, it's true. And, there may even be a piece of me that misses the opportunity to hate them throughout the postseason run, misses the chance to watch them come up short as they have every year since 2000.

But the absence of the Yankees won't spoil October for me. Oh no, not at all. This is the one time of year that I cannot help but fall in love with America's pastime, even if it's clearly past it's time as the nation's premier sport.

Yes, even in the midst of the NFL and college football seasons, even as NBA training camps get underway and Midnight Madness approaches, October belongs to baseball when every pitch means a little more and every inning builds the suspense. The World Series is not far away, and this season, I'm already guaranteed a happy ending because the Yankees won't be playing in it.

Early Season 3-0 Surprises

No one expected anyone to replicate the Patriots’ 16-0 regular season from a year ago. And after three weeks of football, only six teams remain unbeaten: the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. All are 3-0 with the exception of 2-0 Baltimore.

Are they for real? Is the hot start indication of a playoff push? Only time will tell for sure, but why wait to forecast their fortunes? Here’s an overview of all six undefeated teams.

• New York Giants
  Two of their three wins have come against winless St. Louis and Cincinnati. They’ll be tested throughout the year though, playing in the league’s toughest division along with Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington. Still, it’s probably safe to say the defending champions are a legitimate contender as a 3-0 undefeated team. Their offense looks sharp under a suddenly poised and precise Eli Manning, and the defense is playing strong despite key losses.
  
  
• Dallas Cowboys
  It’d be hard to argue anyone else has looked better against stronger competition in the early part of this season. Dallas won a shootout with Philadelphia on Monday Night Football in week two and bounced back on Sunday night to win with defense against the previously unbeaten Packers. Add in a convincing week one performance against Cleveland, and it becomes clear why many people predict Dallas will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Whereas both NFC unbeatens reside in the rugged NFC East, the AFC has one undefeated team in each of its four divisions.

• Buffalo Bills
  It took fourth quarter comebacks in consecutive weeks, but the Bills are undefeated and atop the AFC East. Second-year QB Trent Edwards is showing signs that he may be the leader the team has searched for since their last playoff appearance in 1999. Running back Marshawn Lynch gives the Bills a consistent ground attack, and their defense, featuring linebacker Paul Posluszny, has been solid. With Tom Brady out of action for New England, this division is wide open. The Bills will contend, but don’t count the Pats out just yet. And Brett Favre and the Jets may have a say in this race before all is said and done.

• Baltimore Ravens
  With rookie quarterback Joe Flacco at the helm, the Ravens may be the most unlikely undefeated team. After Hurricane Ike postponed their game with the Houston Texans, they found out they’d be playing 15 straight weeks, but they won the first of that streak on Sunday against the Browns, improving to 2-0. Flacco has done enough to help the Ravens’ veteran defense shut down the opposition, but he will tested in a divisional showdown next Monday against the Steelers. Expect Pittsburgh to hand him his first professional loss and take control of the AFC North.
  
  
• Tennessee Titans
  In a division that features the Colts and Jaguars, it’s the Titans with a two game lead in the standings and a 2-0 record within the division. Indianapolis and Jacksonville figure to challenge them, but if the Titans’ defense continues to dominate as it has this season and they coninue to run the ball effectively, they will be tough to beat. Expect this team—with or without Vince Young—to qualify for the playoffs this year.

• Denver Broncos
  The Ravens and Bills may be bigger surprises, but no one has had as much early season excitement as Denver. From their opening week dismantling of the hated Raiders to their week two shocker against San Diego to their week three nail biter against New Orleans, the Broncos have made headlines with an offensive attack that features one of the league’s most exciting aerial attacks. If Jay Cutler continues to find Brancon Marshall and Eddie Royal like this all season, Denver will make it tough for the Chargers to repeat in the AFC West.

Just Quit, Baby

In lieu of the news that Al Davis will likely fire Raiders coach Lane Kiffin as soon as Monday, I was compelled to post a column I wrote during my senior year of college in November 2006 for a feature writing class. The words still ring very true today, especially if Davis does indeed fire Kiffin.

Whatever happened to “A Commitment to Excellence”?

And “just win, baby” was much more meaningful when the wins were coming in double digits year after year.

Nowadays you would have to add up the wins from the past three seasons to reach double digits. It is easy to point to the 48-21 shellacking they received in Super Bowl XXXVII or the infamous “Tuck Rule Game” the year before as the turning point for a once proud Oakland Raiders franchise, but is my opinion that owner Al Davis is to blame for their downward spiral from feared franchise to laughingstock of the league.

Don’t get me wrong. I know who Al Davis is. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was commissioner of the American Football League, and his presence had a lot to do with the eventual merger between the AFL and the NFL. He hired the NFL’s first Hispanic American head coach and later the NFL’s first African-American head coach. And he was the first owner to name a woman as CEO of an NFL team. Through it all, Al Davis has been the face of the Oakland Raiders organization.

As coach, general manager, president and majority owner of the Raiders, Al Davis has done everything he possibly could for the silver and black. He has always tried to do what is best for the organization and he needs to continue that tradition now by stepping down and letting someone new breathe fresh air into the lungs of the Raiders.

The facts are simple. Al Davis is 77 years old, and he is simply too stubborn to admit his best decision-making days are gone. Coaches? Since the controversial departure of Jon Gruden, who went 38-26 in four years as head coach of the Raiders, Davis has tried three different coaches in five years. The latest hire, a recycled Art Shell, a man Davis fired in 1994 has produced more punchlines than points and has overseen the Raiders’ abysmal 1-5 start this season.

Players? The Raiders have monopolized the industry on bad acquisitions, doing so in a variety of ways. They have overpaid former stars in the twilight of their careers (see: Warren Sapp, Ted Washington), been fooled into overpaying faux stars (see: Super Bowl MVPs Larry Brown, Desmond Howard), and most recently, overpaid for “potential” stars (see: LaMont Jordan, Aaron Brooks). And when the Raiders have landed a star capable of making an impact, they have failed to use him appropriately (see: Randy Moss). Oh, and don’t forget their slew of draft day decisions that leave their fan base screaming at the screen, including this year’s decision to take a safety over a Heisman trophy-winning quarterback.

Al Davis has a history of moving. He took the team from Oakland to Los Angeles and back to Oakland again. He rotates coaches like tires and has shuffled the roster more than a deck of cards in Las Vegas. He’s made every move possible, except for one. He needs to remove himself from office. It would be his last great move, and the only one left to restore the Raiders legacy in his lifetime.