*Today is the start of interleague play.....which also starts the discussion of interleague play. Let me say this: I hate when people bad mouth interleague play with "it isn’t exiting anymore." That is your argument?? It isn’t exiting?
Does the Royals-Tigers series excite you?? Or the Blue Jays-Devil Rays?? Or the Pirates-Brewers?? Or the Senators-Marlins?? All of those series are DIVISIONAL matchups we must endure all season long. I mean....the Yankees just can’t go around playing everybody!!
So, we get some Senators-Blue Jays matchups [last year it was the Battle Of Canada] in with out Cubs-White Sox series. It happens. I mean, they did play two Hawks-Hornets games in the NBA last year as well.
If I could change this whole flim-flam....I would. I’d make each league 15 teams with 3 divisions of 5 teams. That would force an interleague series twice a week. You’d have ONE rival....and that was the only interleague foe you’d face [or, if you want...have a few more interleague series down the road between divisions]. My ultimate MLB would look like this:
NL EAST: Atlanta, Florida, NY Mets, Philadelphia, Washington
NL CENTRAL: Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, St. Louis
NL WEST: Colorado, Houston, LA Dodgers, San Diego, San Francisco
AL EAST: Baltimore, Boston, NY Yankees, Tampa, Toronto
AL CENTRAL: Chicago WS, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Minnesota
AL WEST: Arizona, LA Angels, Oakland, Seattle, Texas
I know, Astros fans, that sucks. But, you were in the NL West for many years that I think you can hang back there. And I picked Arizona to go to the AL instead of Milwaukee because the AL already has enough Great Lakes teams.
So...here are your rivalry matchups.
Braves-Red Sox, Marlins-Devil Rays , Mets-Yankees , Phillies-Blue Jays, Senators-Orioles , Cubs-White Sox , Reds-Indians, Brewers-Twins, Pirates-Tigers , Cardinals-Royals, Rockies-Mariners , Astros-Rangers, Dodgers-Angels , Padres-Diamondbacks and Giants-Athletics
Just my little shout out on the interleague play.
MORE STUFF....
*Ricky Williams and the Miami Dolphins are apparently speaking to each other about letting the stoner come back to the NFL. I’ve touched on this numerous times....and so have the Dolphins. I see nothing good to come out of any of this for Miami. Nothing. I could see a smidge of allowance during last season when the Dolphins were floundering. But, they drafted their back of the future, Ronnie Brown, with the #2 pick overall. Why do you need Ricky back? If I even let him back to the franchise...it would only be to deal him away for something. Anything. He quit on Miami last year for the hippie lettuce...why wouldn’t he do it again? And with the recent drug issues going around sports...I wouldn’t want any part of this "a soon as the ink dries he’ll be suspended" behind.
*Speaking of the hippie lettuce, Onterrio Smith, the guy who got busted at the airport for having the "Whizzinator", has been suspended for one year by the NFL. I hope it was worth it O. Not only did you get smacked by the NFL and will always be labeled a dope-head....but you are also known as the guy who had a fake crank in your luggage at the airport. Good going!
*Pat Forde writes an interesting article [ESPN.com - NCB - Forde: SECond citizens] about how the SEC has fallen in recent years. Over the last 5 seasons they've had ZERO Final Four appearances [the ACC has had 6] and just 3 appearances in the Elite 8 [two of which were Kentucky]. Yet, 11 underclassmen have left the SEC and none look to be a lottery pick.
*It was a special moment in Conseco Fieldhouse last night as Reggie Miller played his final NBA game. With the Pacers clinging to a thread of hope...Reggie Miller had a look at a 3-pt shot that Ben Wallace got a fingertip on to pretty much seal the game. A few seconds later....Reggie Miller, during a stoppage of play, was subbed for and got a rousing ovation. Pistons coach Larry Brown [a UNC grad who also coached Miller in Indiana], called a time-out and walked his team over to mid-court to give Reggie a standing ovation. When the final horn sounded...opposing players and coaches, his own teammates, and even the officials...came over to give Reggie a hug. We always label people as they retire as "one of the best". But in Reggie’s case...he was one of the classiest. He has some great stats...but he will always be remembered as the guy in the 4th quarter. I doesn’t matter how he played up until that point....he could pull out a victory by running off a screen and popping a three in someone’s grill. He stayed in a small market even as his star grew brighter. And he was a main cog from the Vern Flemming/LaSalle Thompson years....to the Chuck Person years....to the Mark Jackson/Rik Smits years....to the Jermaine O’Neal/Ron Artest years. So long, Reggie!
*Coztanza's Commentary has a great blog entry on the "Balco Brothers"....Barry, Jason and Gary. It follows the story of three brothers who go off on the wrong path of infidelity.
*I'm picking the Pistons to beat the Heat in 6 games.....and the Spurs to beat the Suns in 6 games.
*I'm picking Afleet Alex to win the Preakness Stakes.
*Since I am in the picking mood...the NBA Draft Lottery is held Tuesday. I think that the Charlotte Bobcats will win the top overall selection. The Hawks will secure #2 and the Jazz #3. Hey...it is a lottery!
*Again...there is nothing anyone can possibly say to me that would make me select Dwayne Wade over LeBron James in any draft. Nothing.
*It seems that Jerry Rice’s career may continue. He’s been talking to Denver Broncos’ coach Mike Shanahan about possibly joining the team. Shanahan and Rice worked together in San Francisco from 1992-1994. Denver needs some help in their receiving corps and Rice would most likely be a #3 or #4 wide out.
*NASCAR will be holding it’s version of an All Star Game this weekend in Charlotte. A difference between this and the NBA, NHL and MLB All Star Games is that the NASCAR event may even be more competitive. No points are on the line....just a cool $1,000,000. Stakes like that lead to better racing since no one is just trying to keep a holdof points. So while in the teams sports, defense is limited and everyone wants to put on a good show....there isn’t $1M on the line. One thing that is disappointing is the possibility that the race could move to different sites every year....like the NBA, NHL and MLB All Star Games do. The drivers don’t like it....since most are based in Charlotte, and with the following race [the Coca Cola 600] also in Charlotte...it gives many drivers a chance to enjoy themselves ‘at home’. Even if they weren’t born or raised in the Carolinas....most of their headquarters are based in the Charlotte metro area.
*Sargent Kellen Winslow....you are a freakin’ idiot!!!!
*A few weeks ago....Padres management were blase about giving Bruce Bochey a contract extension. His Pads win 16 or 19....and now they are scurrying to get this guy’s name on a dotted line. Smooth work, Pads!
*Former Utah Utes head b-ball coach Rick Majerus has stated he wants to return to coaching for the 2006-2007 season. He's currently an analyst [not a great one] at ESPN. If you remember, last winter he accepted the head coaching job at USC before quickly resigning...citing that he "wasn't ready". He has lost 60lbs and is said to be taking his new diet and workout regimen seriously. He's been working out the NBA Draft hopefuls and got that coaching bug back again. Coach Majerus...you are missed in basketball. But, you left because ofhealth concerns...not because you couldn't coach. Please take careful consideration to your health when deciding to return to the sidelines.
*So....how is the NBA COACHING JOB SEARCH going?? I think that Flip Saunders will be in Portland since they are offering the most money....Brian Hill in Orlando since they can't get Flip....Phil Jackson in Los Angeles because it is obvious....Nate McMillian in Cleveland where Ray Allen could actually sign there to reunite...Herb Williams in New York despite all the rumors going around...and PJ Carlisemo inMinnesota [g'bye Spree]!!
2 comments:
NEXTEL's sponsoring influence may move the All - Star race.. even though it's only non - LMS entry at Atlanta was a complete disaster.. ( times have changed).. the current thinking seems to be Richmond ( comparative scheduling)... as a "testing of the waters"..not "home" but not so bad as , say , Vegas or Texas.. 80 % of the teams are based in the Charlotte area.. with the other 20 % being based in the surrounding communities, Harrisburg, Huntersville, Concord and Mooresville ( you being from NC, you know those to be basically the Metro Charlotte area).. and it would be a shame to take it from the "home track"... we'll have to wait and see if SMI's clout can stand up to ICS's .. Humpy (Wheeler, LMS CEO) wants to keep his speedweeks set firmly in competition with Indy... so far, no one has challeged that.. but it ain't RJR anymore either. ( times have changed)
Props for the great blog.. I read it daily...
Scotsman
I like your division match up....I would follow the rules in the NCAA, each team would only be allowed to play a certain amount of interleague games and those games must be played within the first 45 games of the season and there after only division games could be played. By the time the World Series appeared, the Rivalry between the American and National league would be more intense. My only other solution would be for the players call another strike, the players give up their huge salaries and get a real job and my guess will be, $10,000 a month playing a game would not be so bad after all !!....millions of factory workers would love that problem !!!
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