1. Daunte Culpepper traded to the Dolphins
We all saw Culpepper leaving Minnesota one way or another after demanding a raise despite an injury-marred season, which also happened to be the least productive of his career. With the start of free agency rolling around Culpepper once again made a demand, this one which the Vikings were happy to meet. He demanded to either be traded or released, and he finally got his wish. The three favorites for Culpepper were the Raiders, Dolphins, and Lions. The Raiders couldn't agree on a draft pick and the Lions went out and picked up a veteran QB of their own, thus leaving Miami as the obvious landing spot for Culpepper.
Culpepper is coming off a completely shredded knee, which during rehab has healed slowly and has caused a rather significant weight loss on Culpepper. He may not be fully recovered in time for the start of the 2006 season, and he may never be as mobile as he once was. His arm strength should be normal, but his passing skills are in question after his horrific 2005 season, his first without star wideout Randy Moss. History has shown us Culpepper has been a mediocre QB at best without Moss as his primary target, and even with Moss, has always been high risk, high reward. His inconsistency throughout his career, his recent injury, his 1:2 TD/INT ratio in 2005, and most importantly his massive, elongated contract have caused his trade value to plummet. That said, the Vikings got a very good deal for Culpepper in a 2nd round pick, but will need to find an eventual successor to Brad Johnson next season.
2. Drew Brees signs with the Saints
Moments after Culpepper was traded to the Dolphins, it was inevitable that Brees was bound for New Orleans. Rumors were New Orleans were going to pass on Brees due to his high contract demands and that he was attempting to jack up his price by forcing the Dolphins and the Saints into a bidding war. The Dolphins opted to trade for Culpepper, and the Saints got Brees at a relatively high price still. The Saints signed Brees to a 6-year, $60 million deal with a $10 million signing bonus. While he is coming off an injury, his recovery has been rapid, but Dr. James Andrews reported a slight tear in his rotator cuff. It raises some red flags, but all signs point to Brees being fully healthy and throwing normally in time for the start of the season.
With Brees fully healthy and signed to a lengthy, expensive deal, he will finally be able to be the unqeustionable starter. Aaron Brooks is certain to be given his walking papers, and the Saints, who were the previous favorites to draft Matt Leinart, will obviously in a different direction. This team has quite a few holes and trading down is highly possible. They can always draft another QB in a later round if they're not sold on Adrian McPherson, but to draft Leinart, miss out on filling other holes and acquiring more picks, and to enter Brees into another situation like he faced in San Diego seems totally unnecessary.
3. Jon Kitna signs with Detroit Lions
Despite this quarterback move garnering the least attention, it may be the safest, most efficient move made today. Kitna, who spent the past two seasons backing up Carson Palmer in Cincinnati, will get another chance to start. Kitna, who is already 33, hasn't had a great track record, but in his last full-season starting gig, produced big numbers in Cincinnati before they were a high-powered offensive juggernaut. Kitna is still capable of starting in this league and gives Joey Harrington legitimate veteran competition (unlike Jeff Garcia) and should utlimately win the starting job. Kitna is a not a glamorous QB choice and he doesn't overwhelm scouts in any one particular area, but he knows how to spread the ball out and his veteran experience will be an asset to a young offense. He got a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $3-4 million, very reasonable, for a likely starting QB. This may spell the eventual end to the Joey Harrington saga, and give the Lions the solid quarterback they have sorely lacked for years.
4. Titans sign David Givens, David Thornton and Kevin Mawae
The Titans, who have recently suffered with cap problems were finally able to make additions rather than subtractions. They drafted three wide receivers early on last season, but none proved to be on the verge of being the #1 WR. Along with the three second-year recievers, the Titans also have Drew Bennett, and a strong supporting cast of targets in place. Givens won't put up huge numbers or do the damage Derrick Mason did as the #1 wideout in Tennessee but he brings leadership, consistency, and mostly importantly, winning experience. He should do well as the #1 WR if he stays healthy, but I wouldn't expect for massive production from him. A five-year deal worth $24 million seems about right, but the signing bonus may have been a little excessive.
Thornton gives them a speedy tackler on the opposite side of Keith Bulluck, and helps patch up one of the weakest LB corps in football. Thornton also comes over from the divisional rival Colts and has been a consistent mediocre producer since winning the starting job for the Colts. The Titans could still use an upgrade at MLB, but this is a very good start. Mawae, on the other hand, got a rather lengthy deal for someone considering retirement. At four years for $13 million, he may not be likely to fulfill the entire contract, but is scheduled to be their starting center as Justin Hartwig bid adieu for Carolina. If this team drafts better than they did last year, itcould find itself in the hunt for a wildcard spot.
5. Jaguars sign Mike Williams
Former 4th overall pick, Mike Williams, who never fully maintained a starting job on the Bills atrocious offensive lines is being given a second chance with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Williams was released at the end of the season by the Bills, and his slow footwork, weak passing skills and overall inconsistency have labeled him a bust four years removed from being a top five pick. Williams may benefit from a change of scenery, but may benefit even more if he is moved inside to guard. The terms of the contract weren't announced, but it'sassumed he didn't come at a bargain basement price. He'll likely try and push Maurice Williams for the starting job at RT, but could be given a look inside. Bottom line is that he needs to force his way into the starting lineup or at least show an improvement in work ethic. Mike Tice is a very good line coach, and if he cannot get anything out of Williams, this may be his last chance to salvage his career.
6. Team USA in Murky Waters
In the first game of the second round, Japan was given the lead over the US in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly. Tsuyoshi Nishioka tagged up from third and scored to give Japan a 4-3 lead, but the play was appealed, because the US initially thought Nishioka tagged up before the ball was caught. The appeal was upheld by the second base umpire, but Buck Martinez then stormed out onto the field, and home-plate umpire Bob Davidson overturned the call and ruled Nishioka out at home. Upon further review, Nishioka actually did tag up in time and should've been ruled safe, but was too close to call based on the naked eye. What the naked eye could see was a potential controversy brewing about U.S. favoritism in the WBC.
The majority of the umpires in the WBC (22 of 37) are in fact from the United States, including three of the four in the game between the U.S. and Japan. The United States also has played all home games thus far and the set-up of the brackets ensured the U.S. would not have to play one top contending team from the Caribbean or South America. The U.S. was set-up with a cakewalk schedule to glide into the championship, as many feared that an elimination of the U.S. would deem the WBC a complete failure. Bud Selig is the chief engineer behind the project and is aware that without the U.S., the majority of MLB fans would lose complete interest in the tournament. It's not enough to assume that the U.S. is being put on a fast track to the finals, but it makes for a very interesting debate.
Following the controversial call that gave the Americans a 1-0 record in the second round, they would lose the following game to Korea in disappointing fashion. Team USA was defeated 7-3 and Korean pitching seemed to overwhelm even the best U.S. Hitters. A-Rod went 0-5 and the US left eleven men on base. Seung-Yeop Lee, a Korean league all-star and top home run hitter, helped lead the team to victory and has been a monster all tournament long. The Americans now face another potential elimination, but will have to win against a team they already defeated in the first round in Mexico. They're not out yet, but this team has proved they are not the far-and-away best team as everyone expected, and if they do continue to win, if it is not in overwhelming fashion, the controversies and scandal talk will continue to rear its head.
7. MLB Injury Update
Cesar Izturis has begun an unbelievably rapid return after reconstructive surgery on his throwing elbow. He was originally not expected to return before the All-Star break, he now could be back as early as early as the end of March. This creates a logjam in the Dodgers infield as they went out and signed Rafael Furcal, Bill Mueller, and Nomar Garciaparra. Izturis still claims that he is their shortstop, but his best chance to get into the starting lineup will be by moving to second base. The Dodgers schemed plenty of infield movements based on Izturis' injury, but may be forced to make even more with his return. A likely scenario would be returning Garciaparra to third base, moving Kent to first and putting Izturis at second base. Izturis is a solid shortstop defensively, but his elbow may not be 100% and his arm strength could make a move to second base logical. Mueller could be used as more of a utility player and pinch hitter, or could split time with Izturis, by playing 3B and moving Kent back to 2B and Garciaparra to 1B half the time. There are many possible scenarios, including Furcal possibly seeing time at second base, but as long as they all stay healthy and no one demands a trade, this should only be a favorable situation for the Dodgers.
Johnny Damon, the Yankees biggest offseason acquistion, has been shut down by Team USA due to a sore left shoulder. Damon will likely miss the final second round game against Mexico and possibly the semifinals, if the U.S. advances. He could see time at DH, as his shoulder is only affecting his throwing veloctiy and ability, as seen in moving him to left field originally. The injury shouldn't be anything serious and he should recover within the following week or two, but it could raise some lingering questions during the regular season about Damon's arm strength.
Mets also announced that reliever Juan Padilla for the season as he as opted to undergo Tommy John surgery. His elbow injury forced him out the WBC and has affected his control, and plans to begin rehab in about six weeks. Dmitri Young of the Tigers starting hitting off a tee this week and has been kept out of action due to a strained quadricep. He'll likely start the season on the DL, but shouldn't miss more than 15 games to start the regular season. Ben Sheets of the Brewers is overcoming a strained back and has starting to pitch and catch and is likely to still able to start on Opening Day this season. Finally, in Cubs camp, Mark Prior continues to progress, throwing 30-35 pitches in simulated games. Dusty Baker said he is working on getting Prior back on the mound and having him ready for the start of the season.
8. War of Words between Littlepage, CBS
Craig Littlepage came out an returned criticism after this year's tournament field was met by the annual groans from Billy Packer and Jim Nantz during the CBS selection show. Littlepage said that he wanted a better working relationship with its $6 billion broadcast partner, and likely expected his decision to be supported by the network, who thrives in ratings due to being the exclusive basic cable home of the NCAA Tournament. Littlepage also questioned Billy Packer specifically in regards to his complaints about the Missouri Valley Conference receiving the same number of NCAA Tournament bids as the ACC and Big Ten. Littlepage criticized Packer for initially saying that he didn't watch many MVC games, but Littlepage asked how he had the right to pass judgment on the conference then.
Littlepage provided very good points about Packer's statements, as well as the difficulty of selecting teams and the cases he made for each team that was considered a questionable call. Littlepage putting through four Missouri Valley Conference teams, that were well-earned, also didn't equate to him saying that the division was equal to a powerhouse like the ACC. Just because two conference received the same number of bids doesn't make them equal. Look at the ACC's bids, a #1 seed, two #3 seeds, and a #7 seed. Far superior than the seeds given to the MVC teams. Packer's statements were inaccurate and unsubstantial as usual, but Littlepage is at fault for this situation as well.
The Missouri Valley teams may have deserved to get in, but to keep out Florida State and Cincinnati and to put through an Air Force team with zero wins against top 50 teams, is a slap in the face to strength of schedule. Both Cincinnati and FSU finished one win short of 20, and although they had disappoint conference tournament showings, both teams put together challenging out-of-conference schedules and were in two of the strongest conferences in the NCAA. Air Force meanwhile disappointed in their conference tournament, but got through on a sexy 24-6 record, despite not beating a single top 50 team. Littlepage should be held accountable for this error, and Littlepage reacting to an analyst questioning the seeds seems unnecessary at best. Packer is just generating more conversation leading up to tournament time, as will many other sports analysts and avid basketball fans. Questioning the seedings is the biggest topic in sports up until tournament time and makes for a good compliment discussion to everyone's guaranteed "sleeper" picks. Questioning the seedings are just as much a part of March Madness as the games themselves, Littlepage was right in his defense, but wrong in his approach.
9. Temple coach John Chaney retires
After 24 seasons as Temple's head coach, and 34 seasons as an NCAA coach, well-publicized John Chaney stepped down after Temple missed the NCAA Tournament, despite defeating George Washington in the A10 tournament. Chaney will most likely be remembered for his controversial statements about officiating, his run-in with John Calipari, and sending in a "goon" to excessively foul St. Joseph's players. His career was winding down as his success began to diminish and Temple became a perennial NIT team. He finished with an amazing 741 career victories, but at age 74, and continued malcontent, his retirement wasn't much of a surprise. He was a great coach and put Temple on the map, but for all of his great achievements, he has had his share of controversy and inappropiate conduct. Bottom line is he ran a clean program, was successful over three decades, and was one of the most passionate coaches and a father-figure to his players.
10. Bill Lester makes Nextel Cup History
Bill Lester will become the first African-American driver in Nextel Cup history and attempts to be the first to qualify for Cup race in twenty years. Lester will drive the #23 car, a waste management sponspor for Bill Davis. Lester has said all the right things in interviews and knows the importance of his race can't be overlooked. He wants to focus on winning and be just your everyday NASCAR driver, but understands the significance of his achievement and wants to send a message of pride. Lester has said he has run well in practices, and has looked faster than numerous drivers on the Atlanta Motor Speedway. His car is backed by an unintriguing Waste Management company, but aesthetics aside, this should be seen as a great story in all aspects. The next big question is not only how he will fare, but how he will be recepted by the majority white crowd. Many NASCAR fans have spoken out against integrating drivers of other races for a long time now, but the majority of sports fans see this for what it's worth, a proud pioneer making strides through hard work and integrity.
Interesting Article of the Day:
With the blending of cultures at the World Baseball Classic, the U.S. may be introduced to a new, highly-cntroversial pitch, know as the gyroball. Here are some excerpts from the article by Yahoo! Baseball writer Jeff Passan:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-gyro031306&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
The gyroball is baseball's version of alien life. No one knows if they've seen it. No one knows what it looks like. No one knows much about it. Except there's a small pocket of American fans who graze the Internet champing to see Matsuzaka, because they're all convinced that he throws a gyroball and they're all convinced it will revolutionize the sport.
In the minds of the gyro-obsessed, Matsuzaka is their 24-karat answer. So when he heard the gyroball question, chuckled and started talking, it was obvious he did know the pitch, and that maybe, just maybe, it existed after all.
The concept of the gyroball was perfected in a supercomputer by two Japanese scientists named Ryutaro Himeno and Kazushi Tezuka. In simulations, they showed how a pitcher with good mechanics could throw the baseball in a way that it spun like a bullet – or, in sporting sense, like a perfect football spiral – and broke like nothing anyone has ever seen. Roughly translated, the title of their book is "The Secret of the Miracle Pitch," and it's loaded with anime cartoons and mathematical formulas that attempt to explain how to throw a gyroball.
"A good gyro is impossible to hit," Carroll said. "Even if you did hit it, you can't do anything with it. If you're lucky you're going to aim the sweet spot of the bat on it and hit it off the end." To throw a gyroball, a pitcher holds the side of the ball with a fastball grip. The pitcher's hips and throwing shoulder must be in near-perfect sync, something the book refers to as "double-spin mechanics." As the pitcher rotates his shoulder, he snaps his wrist and pulls down his fingers rather than flipping them over the ball, as happens with curveballs. The rotation is side over side. When the pitcher lets go, he must pronate his wrist, or turn it so the palm faces third base. It's like a right-hander throwing a screwball, only instead of the ball last touching the middle finger, it spins off the index finger.
Ideally thrown, the gyroball should resemble a fat pitch, then take a sweeping turn away from a right-handed hitter. It's a slider on steroids, a cut fastball with science behind it, a testament to the aerodynamics of a baseball.
When video of Matsuzaka surfaced on the Internet, gyroball denizens were convinced they'd trapped Bigfoot. The footage was grainy, and it was from an angle that made the gyro look no different than a regular breaking pitch. For some time, they weren't sure if there was a difference between a shuuto – the "shootball," a reverse slider thrown by Japanese pitchers – and a gyroball.
Turns out Daisuke Matsuzaka, the pitcher who would come to the United States and cause a revolution with his gyroball, doesn't throw one. He throws a fastball, a sinker, a changeup, a splitter and a filthy slider. He'd like to teach himself how to throw a gyroball, and Matsuzaka said he may trot it out Tuesday when he starts for Japan against Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
Whatever Happened To...?
All-American and National Championship winning quarterback, Tommy Frazier.
http://www.doane.edu/AthleticPages/Football/home.asp
Frazier Named Doane College Head Football Coach (6/15/05) Doane College has selected Tommie Frazier as its 31st head football coach. Frazier is a former University of Nebraska All-America quarterback and Baylor assistant football coach.
Frazier, who is currently assistant director of athletic development at the University of Nebraska, was chosen from a pool of more than 70 candidates for the Doane position. Doane is a member of the NAIA and Great Plains Athletic Conference, and has one of the most successful athletics programs in the nation.
Frazier graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1996 with a degree in communication studies. The starting quarterback for the Nebraska Huskers for the 1994 and 1995 National Championship teams, Frazier played in four consecutive bowl games. He received numerous awards for his leadership and efforts, including the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Sporting News Offensive Player of the Year, the Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player of the Year in 1994 and 1995, and Sport magazine Top 10 player of the Century.
"Tommie is an excellent football coach who understands the role of student-athletes at a liberal arts college," President Fred Brown noted. "He has numerous contacts in the state and across the country, and he has a reputation as an extremely hard worker and an articulate spokesperson for college athletics."
At Baylor University, Frazier coached the running backs for four years, and helped develop play books, and coordinated offensive schemes, player development and recruiting. He also worked with football coaches throughout the region and nationally.
"His energy and enthusiasm for coaching and for developing the full student athlete is a terrific opportunity for our players and for the college," incoming president Jonathan Brand said. "He knows what successful football programs look like."
Frazier replaces Fran Schwenk, who served as head coach for 21 years, as well as athletic director for several years. Frazier will begin developing his coaching staff and working with the current students and new freshmen this summer, as well as begin recruiting for next year.
Frazier has since completed his first season as head coach at Doane College, going 2-8, but winning their season finale over Briar Cliff University, 28-13.
Random Sports Musing of the Day:
Coolest Names in the NCAA Tournament:
1) A Terrapin Trio: D.J. Strawberry, (Who) Mike Jones, and the unforgettable Nick Caner-Medley.
2) Indiana & San Diego State First Round matchup at Center: Marcus Slaughter vs. Marco Killingsworth
3) If healthy, the fan-favorite George Washington center: Pops Mensah-Bonsu
4) UCLA Freshman forward: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
5) Pacfic Tigers Center: Wolfgang Raffety
