John Madden Retiring From The Broadcast Booth

NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol announced today that John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and history, has decided to retire from broadcasting.

Madden has served as the game analyst for “NBC Sunday Night Football” since 2006.Madden has been an NFL broadcaster for 30 years and has won an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Analyst/Personality.

“It’s time. I’m 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall. I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I’m home and, more importantly, when I’m not… It’s been such a great ride… the NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion - it still is. I appreciate all of the people who are and were such an important part of the most enjoyable, most fun anyone could have… that great life with the teams, the players, the coaches, the owners, the League… my broadcasting partners Pat and Al… the production people and the fans …is still great… it’s still fun and that’s what it makes it hard and that’s why it took me a few months to make a decision.

I still love every part of it - the travel, the practices, the game film, the games, seeing old friends and meeting new people… but I know this is the right time.”

Where else but in Fantasy Baseball does the fact that Pablo Sandoval has 3 position eligibility mean anything?

If you know what the hell I’m talking about, you’re in the right place.

We all know the super-studs, your Han-Rams, your Wrights, Reyes’, your Pujolses, your Sabathia’s. But that’s not where you win fantasy baseball leagues. The biggest difference makers are usually rounds 9-14, and I’m gonna help you target guys in those rounds that can help.

I’ve had two drafts this offseason, and here’s who i’ve drafted in 9-14 in each one:

Draft #1 (5X5 roto)
9. Joey Votto
10. Jhonny Peralta
11. Nelson Cruz
12. Javier Vasquez
13. Mark DeRosa
14. Mike Gonzalez

If my projections are correct, i’ve added 90 home runs, 320 RBI’s, 14 wins, 180 k’s, and 30 saves in those rounds.

Draft #2 (5X5 roto)
9. James Shields
10. Jonathan Broxton
11. Joey Votto
12. Jhonny Peralta
13. Bengie Molina
14. Jorge Cantu

Here my predictions are 90 homers, 330 RBI’s, 14 wins, 170 k’s, and 30 saves.

See a trend?

Good hitters are all over. Speed freak Willy Tavares went in the 16th and 18th rounds respectively in those drafts. Him and 2 20-steal guys and you’re set.

Here’s why I like Votto:
Players who are 1b-eligible go 20 deep with players who had 90 or more RBI’s. Sure Ryan Howard topped them all at 146 but he KILLS your batting average. I think Votto can go for .300, 30 homers, and 110 RBI’s, basically somewhere around Kevin Youkilis’s numbers, with lesser batting average. Yet you can get Votto 6 rounds later. According to Yahoo!’s average draft position, I could have Roy Halladay and Joey Votto (4th and 10th round) or Kevin Youkilis and Matt Cain. Who would you rather have?

Quick, who led all shortstops in RBI’s last season? Yeah, it’s Jhonny Peralta. Yet he’s the 11th SS drafted. Everything in his stat-line points to a big season. He turns 27 in May. His hits, homers, RBI’s, and OPS have all increased over the last three seasons and his K’s have dropped the last three seasons. His doubles increased 80%! The curious thing? His home/road splits. Last year he was .232/.308/.729 at home and .318/.354/.876 on the road. He was still one of the best shortstops last year, and if he can increase his home production, .290/25/100 isn’t out of the question. Another 10/11th round steal.

More to come.

Ed Walsh used the spitball. So did Gaylord Perry. Ty Cobb sharpened his metal cleats to cleave skin from bone of unsuspecting infielders. Whitey Ford sharpened his wedding ring to cut the ball. Ford also threw the “gunk ball,” a concoction of baby oil, resin, and turpentine that he kept in a roll-on deodorant bottle. Yogi Berra once came out of the shower with his arms glued to his sides because he had used the wrong deodorant. Pete Rose was a nasty player, but as he’s always maintained, he never bet against his own team, and therefore would never throw a game. Amphetamine “greenies” were a part of the game since World War 2.

Know what all of those guys have in common? They are (or should be, in Rose’s case) in the Hall of Fame. And they all can be called cheaters.

So that brings me to Alex Rodriguez. Last week he admitted to using steroids while with the Texas Rangers, and people suddenly question his Hall-of-Fame status. Yes, he cheated. So did dozens of players in the Hall-of-Fame. The sports media has this “holier than thou” attitude concerning baseball and steroids (see the NFL’s loose enforcement and criticism of steroid abusers) and it’s sickening. A-rod is a HOF player. Right now. I’d vote for him. I’d probably vote for Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro too.

Sure, they lied about it. The Baseball Hall of Fame has a stupid “character” clause in its voting requirements. Wade Boggs had a woman in every road city. Ty Cobb was quite possibly the biggest bigot in baseball history. Babe Ruth was a womanizer. Pete Rose bet on games, but never on his own.

The Hall of Fame should be based on statistics and contributions to baseball. The McGwire/Sosa chase in 1998 brought people back to baseball. Barry Bonds won 3 MVP’s before his 30th birthday. Pete Rose ruined Ray Fosse’s career in a freakin ALL-STAR GAME!!! Rose also played 590 games or more at 5 different positions.

Baseball is a game full of liars, cheaters, bigots, hypocrites, and let’s face it, jackasses. A-rod deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

It’s official, at least at the time of this post.  

Brett Farve is done with football.  Althought, some New York Jets fans might say he was done after game 4.  Favre’s retirement will save the Jets his $13 million salary in salary cap space.  But leaves the Jets with a major hole to fill.

Eitherway, Farve leaves a incredible legacy as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history and a easy Hall of Famer.

Baseball is such a joke, SERIOUSLY! Is this what our world has come to? Does our government not have enuff issues? Can’t Baseball just admit that ALL of the players did roids to enhance play? Why keep lying to everyone?  

Here’s how the economics of steroid use breaks down.  It’s a pretty simple equation.  

1. Shoot your body full of roids.  Seems most baseball players prefer the shot in the ass.

2. Hit the ball harder and longer.

3. Get more home runs.

4. Get a bigger contract.

Ultimately, more people will watch these juiced up monsters hit the ball out of the park.

Which means more ticket sales, more hot dog sales and more beer sales, thus a 1000% increase in revenue.

Major League Baseball has been trying to cover this up forever.  It’s time they just stopped lying to the American People and admit it. They know who juiced.  They did it to drive up revenues.  What’s so wrong with that?  

Alex Rodriguez aka A-rod, who just got done bangin Madonna, admits to sticking a needle in his ass to justify that 200 million dollar contract he got.  What a shock.  Who’s next???  hmmm….

But can ya blame him?  For 200 million i’d let just about anyone juice me in the ass.  

You know you would to….

First, let me get my biases out of the way. I’m a Cowboys fan. I hate both of these teams, so it’s easy for me to look at this strategically instead of with a bias.

How the Cardinals will win:
1. They stop Willie Parker. Big Ben is prone to the sack and the turnover, and if the Cardinals force him to throw 40+ times, the Cards will get a combined 7 sacks/INT’s/Fumbles, and that is not what Pitt wants to do. They shut down the Carolina RB combination and forced Dehlomme into 6 turnovers

2. Todd Haley’s aggressive offense catches Dick LeBeau’s defense off guard, once. We’ve already seen two flea-flickers from the Arizona offense this post-season, and a trick play will be in the works. LeBeau’s defense has been amazing all season, but they only have to miss once.

3. They fall behind early. What? Michael, why are you saying that the cards NEED to fall behind early? See the NFC title game. They’re up 18 and trying to coast and Donovan McNabb leads the Eagles to a slight lead. Kurt Warner led them to a TD drive to take the lead, and the defense made plays on the last drive. The Cardinals NEED to have that intensity.

How the Steelers will win:
1. They’ve been there. Only three Cardinals have won a Super Bowl before, while a large number of Steelers are still there from the 2005 team. Big Ben should play better than his 2005 game (9/21, 123 yards, 2 INT’s) and a healthy Hines Ward should help.

2. They have the best defense in the NFL. Kurt Warner is about as mobile as Larry King in quicksand, and will take a sack. His unorthodox grip of the ball is also prone to fumbles. The Steelers were 2nd in sacks and led the NFL in passing yards allowed per game.

3. The Steeler crowd gets into the game. Those Terrible Towel wavers will be in full force and a home field advantage should not be underestimated.

Prediction: Arizona 31, Pittsburgh 24

Looks like the much hyped bout between Manny Pacquia and Ricky Hatten is a done deal. Slatted for May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The super fight, promises to be one of the best fights in ages.

Both fighters are warriors with no will to surrender.  Hatten didn’t fair to well in his last bout against Mayweather.  Mean while Manny is just relentless with his hand speed.  Should be a great fight.

Auburn Hills, Michigan:  The Dallas Mavericks beat down the Detorit Pistons like a redheaded step child at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Coming off a humiliating defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks (final: 133 - 99), Dirk Nowitzki and crew had a massive game with Nowitzki scoring 26 points.  

Mean while the Pistons struggled with Richard Hamilton coming off the bench.  RIP scored 17 points.  Allen Iverson clearly had an off night only scoring 11 points.  Taysun Prince add 12 points.

Final score:  Mavericks 112  - Pistons 91