Thursday, January 26, 2012

Sports Blog Net

Sports Blog Net

Tim Thomas Exercises Free-Speech Right, Declines White House Ceremony

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 06:00 AM PST

[caption id="attachment_1884" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The President honored the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Bruins Monday at the White House. Citing political differences, Tim Thomas did not attend. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)"][/caption] President Barack Obama congratulated the Boston Bruins Monday for their 2011 Stanley Cup championship. Citing differences of opinion, Boston Globe hockey writer Fluto Shinzawa reported, Tim Thomas chose not to attend. Good for Thomas.

Thomas Stays True to America and Self

Appearing at the White House, being photographed with the President and handing him an embossed Bruins jersey would make Thomas look aligned with the President. A fake alliance or not, Thomas wanted to avoid such an appearance because he sees his political relationship to the President differently. That shows both political conviction and a savvy understanding of the modern media landscape. What would have been the alternatives? Had Thomas gone to the White House and then voiced his opposition to the President, he'd have been portrayed as hypocritical. "How can you shake hands with the President Monday and bash him Tuesday?" the media would ask. No answer Thomas could give would make him look good, so why bother giving the press the question at all? The issue still comes up by declining the invite, but at least the press can only crucify him for his opinions, not his actions. A third alternative would have been to go, accept the President's congratulations, then go home. Thomas would probably view that option as a wasted opportunity. Athletes are often berated for bringing politics into sports – for expressing any personal opinions, really – but this is a natural intersection of sports and politics. Thomas saw a chance to exercise his constitutional right to free speech, and he took it. President Obama and every other politician champions this right in spirit, if not always in action (pepper spraying peaceful protesters, for example). Additionally, even indirectly using the power of the White House to silence protest is coercion. The truest sign of a free kingdom is a person displaying that freedom even in the presence of the king. Obama is a U.S. citizen (despite whatever Donald Trump incoherently spouts), as is Thomas (one of only two on the Bruins). A president does not enjoy more freedom of speech than a hockey goalie, and Thomas shouldn't feel intimidated just because a powerful man wants him to. Some would argue politics shouldn't factor into an honor for a sports accomplishment. Perhaps, but the trip to the White House is also a professional honor. By not going, Thomas essentially said his values matter more to him than his job. That's a courageous act of self-validation.

Bruins Handling it Properly

General manager Peter Chiarelli has already said Thomas won't be suspended for not attending. He added that "whatever his position is, it isn't reflective of the Boston Bruins nor my own." That's the correct thing to say, and the correct thing to do. Thomas has the constitutional right to speak his mind, but as an employee of the Boston Bruins, Thomas contractually must behave in a way keeping with the team's public image. Thomas might have violated that image by skipping the trip to Washington, D.C., but instead of punishing Thomas – and possibly alienating more conservative Bruins fans – Chiarelli simply said Thomas doesn't speak for the team. That keeps both sides happy and allows both to save face. If only more teams could resolve issues like as maturely as the Bruins did.

Hockey's Odd Place in America

Had this been a basketball or football team, where nearly everyone is American, perhaps this would be a bigger slap in the face. But can anyone really argue hockey is a quintessential American sport? Historically, most of the really great players in the league have come from elsewhere, usually Canada, Scandinavia or Russia. As a simple example, Thomas was only the second American player ever to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. Hockey is by far the least American of the Big 4. Hockey players boast their countries of origin in a way basketball and baseball players don't. Seven Canadian teams play in the NHL, including one that just moved out of a U.S. city where no one cared. Each player's 24 hours with the Stanley Cup takes the trophy all over the world. "O Canada" is sung almost as often in the TD Garden as "The Star Spangled Banner." If a hockey player doesn't feel like going to the White House, the symbolism of the gesture pales in comparison to the reality of hockey's place in the U.S. Now, if Tom Brady skipped the White House... --- Author's note: I originally wrote this Monday afternoon, before Thomas publicly explained himself. I still support the decision, but in light of his comments, I think Thomas botched his opportunity.

Eli Manning chats to his team about preparing for the super bowl

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 09:04 PM PST

Yesterday, Giants QB Eli Manning chated with his team on how to prepare for the super bowl rematch versus the Patriots. Everybody was hearing him out clearly on how to handle the big game and don't be stressed out about it that much. He also did intrust his teammates who have never been to a super bowl on to handle the pressure and the week leading up to the game. A lot of the teammates said it was an excellent message they have heard yet from Eli Manning and they do feel good heading into the super bowl. Yet, everybody in the national media is saying Tom Brady and the Patriots will get their revenge on the Giants in a week 1.5 from now. Although, I think the Giants to best suited team to beat the Patriots and I believe the Giants can beat them again in the super bowl.    

A batting lineup of pitchers

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 07:54 PM PST

1.) George Uhle: Uhle might have played an everyday position had he not pitched so well, inventing the slider, once walking a batter to strike out Babe Ruth, and winning 200 games lifetime. One of a handful of pitchers with more than 10 offensive WAR for his career, Uhle hit .289 in his career with a .339 on-base percentage and 21 triples. His speed and contact hitting earns him the lead-off spot. 2.) Red Ruffing: Hall of Fame pitcher Ruffing hit at least .300 eight of his 22 seasons and topped out at .364 in 1930. Projecting his numbers that year to a 500 at-bat season, Ruffing would have had 182 hits with 18 homers, 100 RBI and a .984 OPS. Better, Ruffing went 15-8 on the hill in 1930 after consecutive 20-loss seasons. 3.) Wes Ferrell: I've said this before here, though it bears repeating. When people knock Rick Ferrell's 1987 Hall of Fame induction, they sometimes note he wasn't the best player in his own family. Rick doesn't even have the best OPS+ despite playing catcher while Wes served primarily as a rotation-anchoring pitcher, winning 20 games six times. Wes bests Rick for OPS+ (100 to 95), home runs (38 to 28) and slugging percentage (.446 to .378) among other offensive categories. Fittingly, he fronts a 1979 SABR book, Great Hitting Pitchers. 4.) Earl Wilson: Wilson's 35 home runs aren't tops for pitchers, but his one homer every 21.14 at-bats might be. It trumps Ferrell, who went yard once every 30.9 at-bats (and hit a record 37 homers as a pitcher and one more as a pinch hitter.) Wilson played just 11 seasons, being stuck much of the 1950s in the minors with the Boston Red Sox, who waited until 1959 to integrate. He also mostly played in the 1960s, one of the worst offensive periods in baseball history. Imagine Wilson's hitting stats for a longer career in a better offensive era. 5.) Don Drysdale: Like a few of the men here, Drysdale's career hitting stats are non-imposing:  .186 lifetime batting average with an OPS+ of 45 and a 162-game average of 110 strikeouts. He rates a mention for his one sensational offensive year, 1965, when he was the Dodgers' only .300 hitter and had seven homers, 19 RBI, and an OPS+ of 140. He also went 23-12 on the mound, helping Los Angeles to a World Series crown. 6.) Carlos Zambrano: For his epic 2011 meltdown in Chicago, Big Z hit .318 with a career-high 130 OPS+ in 44 at-bats. He hit better still in 2008, .337 with four home runs, 14 RBI, and a 122 OPS+ in 83 at-bats. It'll be interesting to see how he fares in Miami, given that Zambrano had a lower batting average but better slugging numbers in Wrigley than elsewhere. 7.) C.C. Sabathia: Sabathia might be the hitting king of American League pitchers, batting .269 in interleague play lifetime. His .250 career batting average overall pales in comparison to many other pitchers, even active ones, though like Wilson, I wonder what Sabathia could do with more at-bats. 8.) Bob Gibson: Gibson, like Drysdale, is considered one of the best-hitting pitchers of the 1960s and had better peak offensive value than longevity, batting .303 in 1970 and .206 lifetime. Gibson and Drysdale share another thing in common: Each owned the other man at the plate, with Gibson going 2-20 and Drysdale 1-23, though surprisingly, neither hit the other with a pitch despite their reputations as brushback artists. 9.) Walter Johnson: The Big Train had incredible durability, placing third in baseball history with 5,914 innings pitched, though when his skills went, they went fast. Johnson had his last great year at 37 in 1925 when he went 20-7 for the AL champion Washington Senators and hit .433 with two homers, 20 RBI, and a 162 OPS+ in 97 at-bats. He even smacked a triple, his 41st and final. As a man of surprises, he makes a perfect ninth hitter.
Posted by at 5:05 PM

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