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Monday, April 30, 2012
Brooklyn Nets New Logo
The Nets are moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn, so they obviously need to scrub the stench off the Jerseys years. To help them do that why not bust out a new logo? Looks like the Nets are going Black & White. Like the White Sox? I don't know. I'll have to wait to see the uniforms, but right now, not a fan. Check them out below.
Friday, April 27, 2012
D3 Football Rules!
Monmouth College and 2-time Division 3 All-American QB Alex Tanney probably won't get drafted this weekend, but that doesn't mean he can't impress you with his crazy trick throws. And oh by the way, his 157 career TD passes is the most in NCAA history. Not bad.
-Keefe
-Keefe
Thursday, April 26, 2012
NFL Draft Time
The 2012 NFL Draft kicks off tonight with Round 1. The Jets have been a laughing stock come draft time for years, and this has become a tradition. Classic.
-Keefe
-Keefe
Monday, April 23, 2012
Fighting The Boston Bruins
The Bruins got some tough fellas on their squad. Their physical style of play helped win them the Stanley Cup last year and finish 2nd in the Eastern Conference this year. Now they are waiting to play a Game 7 against the Washington Capitals in their first round series this Wednesday, but the more important question remains... how do you rank the fighters on this team? Rather than going through all the statistics and finding who leads the team in fighting majors this season, career, etc. I'm going to do a much simpler examination. Let's say you had to drop the gloves with these guys, who should you want to avoid at all cost? I broke down the entire team into 5 easy categories.
You Just Might Win The Fight:
David Krejci
Patrice Bergeron
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
Tyler Seguin
Joe Corvo (unless you are that woman he beat up when he was in the AHL)
You Will Get A Few Shots In:
Brad Marchand
Chris Kelly
Rich Peverley
Benoit Pouliot
Mike Mottau
You Sure You Want To Do This?
Brian Rolston (old man strength)
Johnny Boychuk
Dan Paille
Greg Zanon
You Better Have Great Insurance:
Gregory Campbell
Andrew Ference
Nathan Horton
You Might Want To Get That Will Done:
Milan Lucic
Zdeno Chara
Dennis Seidenberg
Shawn Thornton
Adam McQuaid
-Keefe
You Just Might Win The Fight:
David Krejci
Patrice Bergeron
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
Tyler Seguin
Joe Corvo (unless you are that woman he beat up when he was in the AHL)
You Will Get A Few Shots In:
Brad Marchand
Chris Kelly
Rich Peverley
Benoit Pouliot
Mike Mottau
You Sure You Want To Do This?
Brian Rolston (old man strength)
Johnny Boychuk
Dan Paille
Greg Zanon
You Better Have Great Insurance:
Gregory Campbell
Andrew Ference
Nathan Horton
You Might Want To Get That Will Done:
Milan Lucic
Zdeno Chara
Dennis Seidenberg
Shawn Thornton
Adam McQuaid
-Keefe
Later this week I will help you choose a new favorite MLB team, while I also choose a new favorite MLB team.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
UFC 145 has arrived
I'm pretty pumped for tonight's UFC 145 event from Atlanta, GA. And my company, Swirl, was awesome enough to let a few of us MMA junkies at the office use the big screen in the creative lounge to watch the fights together tonight. Should be a great time. We're all bringing our favorite fast food meals to enjoy while we watch some of the best athletes on the planet go toe-to-toe. Oh, the irony.
Tonight's main event is going to have a tremendous ripple effect in the MMA community, regardless of the outcome. I was talking about this with a co-worker yesterday, and the point I made is that the UFC will be in a great place no matter which fighter wins the title bout. If Jones defends successfully, the UFC's decision to sponsor him and essentially put their eggs in the proverbial one basket will be paid off tremendously. Jones will have defeated his rival and biggest test to date, one that was looming in the background the past year since he won the title from Shogun back in March 2011. Evans has always been the guy people wanted to see Jones fight, and it'll finally happen. If he wins, there's Dan Henderson and perhaps Alexander Gustafson down the road, but I think discussions will start to turn to Jones moving up to the heavyweight. He's now walking around at 230 and filling out his frame as he matures. And with Lesnar gone from the heavyweight picture, Jones could fill the void as "the big draw" in that division. And do what Brandon Vera never even came close to doing, despite many, including himself, predicting he would: be the first man to hold both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles at the same time.
On the flip side, if Evans wins, the light heavyweight division will get flipped upside down. Jones invincibility will be gone, the major deals potentially off the table for the time being, and a major rematch will loom. One that will be bigger than the Silva-Sonnen bout later this year. That would be HUGE money, and the UFC would not be in a bad place if that's the case.
The easy money is to bet on Jones tonight. He's a physical freak: the reach, the athleticism, the added strength, and the ability to soak up so much MMA knowledge in only a matter of 4-5 years. He's the best out there. But the smart money is on Evans. He's a 5 to 1 dog in Vegas, and quite frankly, I think that's a bit aggressive. Evans has shown the ability to finish fights on his feet and on the ground, something he was crucified for early in his career. Ever since the brutal Sean Salmon head kick KO, Evans has gone on to finish multiple opponents in exciting fashion: Liddell via one-punch KO, Griffin for the title via vicious ground-and-pound, and Tito Ortiz via knee to the body. And in other fights where he won via decision, he added excitement and overcame adversity in some cases. Against both Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson, he survived late scares, overcoming knockdowns to recover quickly and save the win. And against the latter, he put Jackson on his butt early in the fight, turning the tables on the once feared KO artist. His fight against Phil Davis was a tutorial, a glorified practice - or so it seemed. Davis, a highly touted prospect, had nothing for Evans. Literally. Evans is a stud, and he's got enough tools in his box to dethrone the champ.
The difference in the fight will be the jab and front kick of Jones. He'll need to use those at will to keep Evans at bay and avoid the challenger from closing the gap and dictating the pace and location of the fight. If he doesn't consistently jab and kick, Evans will work his way inside and either land a takedown or put fists to face. And either will be a problem for Jones. But for Evans, that's the rub. If he can't get in tight, he doesn't have a chance. No one in the UFC can win a fight from the outside against Jones simply b/c of his reach. Machida did it for a round, but Jones made the adjustment and was able to clip Machida several times in the 2nd round from the outside, the final one putting Machida on the mat, eventually leading to a nasty gash from a Jones elbow and ultimately ending with a standing guillotine.
I'm picking Jones to win, but if I decide to put money on the fight tonight, I'm taking Evans. The odds are too good not to. As for the action, I see Jones and Evans going toe-to-toe for a battle. It will be the defining fight for both fighters; Jones passes a grueling test against his biggest challenge yet, while Rashad shows the world that he really is one of the best EVER at light heavyweight. This won't be a 5-0 shutout. It'll be a 48-47 type of card, one that will earn a tremendous amount of respect for both fighters, and hopefully put an end to this ridiculous, bitter war of words between the two of them.
Main Event
Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans via UD
Other Main Card fights
Rory MacDonald defeats Che Mills via 2nd round (T)KO
Ben Rothwell defeats Brendan Schaub via UD
Miguel Torres defeats Mike McDonald via 2nd round submission (rear-naked choke)
Mark Hominick defeats Eddie Yagan via 1st round KO (punch)
Tonight's main event is going to have a tremendous ripple effect in the MMA community, regardless of the outcome. I was talking about this with a co-worker yesterday, and the point I made is that the UFC will be in a great place no matter which fighter wins the title bout. If Jones defends successfully, the UFC's decision to sponsor him and essentially put their eggs in the proverbial one basket will be paid off tremendously. Jones will have defeated his rival and biggest test to date, one that was looming in the background the past year since he won the title from Shogun back in March 2011. Evans has always been the guy people wanted to see Jones fight, and it'll finally happen. If he wins, there's Dan Henderson and perhaps Alexander Gustafson down the road, but I think discussions will start to turn to Jones moving up to the heavyweight. He's now walking around at 230 and filling out his frame as he matures. And with Lesnar gone from the heavyweight picture, Jones could fill the void as "the big draw" in that division. And do what Brandon Vera never even came close to doing, despite many, including himself, predicting he would: be the first man to hold both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles at the same time.
On the flip side, if Evans wins, the light heavyweight division will get flipped upside down. Jones invincibility will be gone, the major deals potentially off the table for the time being, and a major rematch will loom. One that will be bigger than the Silva-Sonnen bout later this year. That would be HUGE money, and the UFC would not be in a bad place if that's the case.
The easy money is to bet on Jones tonight. He's a physical freak: the reach, the athleticism, the added strength, and the ability to soak up so much MMA knowledge in only a matter of 4-5 years. He's the best out there. But the smart money is on Evans. He's a 5 to 1 dog in Vegas, and quite frankly, I think that's a bit aggressive. Evans has shown the ability to finish fights on his feet and on the ground, something he was crucified for early in his career. Ever since the brutal Sean Salmon head kick KO, Evans has gone on to finish multiple opponents in exciting fashion: Liddell via one-punch KO, Griffin for the title via vicious ground-and-pound, and Tito Ortiz via knee to the body. And in other fights where he won via decision, he added excitement and overcame adversity in some cases. Against both Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson, he survived late scares, overcoming knockdowns to recover quickly and save the win. And against the latter, he put Jackson on his butt early in the fight, turning the tables on the once feared KO artist. His fight against Phil Davis was a tutorial, a glorified practice - or so it seemed. Davis, a highly touted prospect, had nothing for Evans. Literally. Evans is a stud, and he's got enough tools in his box to dethrone the champ.
The difference in the fight will be the jab and front kick of Jones. He'll need to use those at will to keep Evans at bay and avoid the challenger from closing the gap and dictating the pace and location of the fight. If he doesn't consistently jab and kick, Evans will work his way inside and either land a takedown or put fists to face. And either will be a problem for Jones. But for Evans, that's the rub. If he can't get in tight, he doesn't have a chance. No one in the UFC can win a fight from the outside against Jones simply b/c of his reach. Machida did it for a round, but Jones made the adjustment and was able to clip Machida several times in the 2nd round from the outside, the final one putting Machida on the mat, eventually leading to a nasty gash from a Jones elbow and ultimately ending with a standing guillotine.
I'm picking Jones to win, but if I decide to put money on the fight tonight, I'm taking Evans. The odds are too good not to. As for the action, I see Jones and Evans going toe-to-toe for a battle. It will be the defining fight for both fighters; Jones passes a grueling test against his biggest challenge yet, while Rashad shows the world that he really is one of the best EVER at light heavyweight. This won't be a 5-0 shutout. It'll be a 48-47 type of card, one that will earn a tremendous amount of respect for both fighters, and hopefully put an end to this ridiculous, bitter war of words between the two of them.
Main Event
Jon Jones defeats Rashad Evans via UD
Other Main Card fights
Rory MacDonald defeats Che Mills via 2nd round (T)KO
Ben Rothwell defeats Brendan Schaub via UD
Miguel Torres defeats Mike McDonald via 2nd round submission (rear-naked choke)
Mark Hominick defeats Eddie Yagan via 1st round KO (punch)
Thursday, April 19, 2012
5 Questions With DeAndre Liggins
Testing your Basketball IQ here with this one. I talked to Orlando rookie DeAndre Liggins prior to the Celtics 102-98 win over the Magic last night at the TD Garden. Here is what the 1st year man, and 2nd round pick, out of Kentucky had to say.
1. How has the whole Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy situation affected you guys, especially down the stretch of the season?
Liggins: What you talkin about?
1b. You know, that Dwight could pick Stan's fate, and the front office?
Liggins: Pick what? I don't know nothing about that.
1c. You think those two have a good relationship?
Liggins: Yeah they do. From my perspective I would say they do. That other stuff you are talking about I don't know what you are talking about, like Dwight picking. Especially me being a rookie, I definitely don't know.
2. How has Glen Davis been like as a teammate this year?
Liggins: He'd been great man. He's our emotional leader. He's been playing well, he just needs to continue to play well for us.
3. How did Coach Calipari help you get ready for the NBA?
Liggins: Yeah he... I mean he defined my game. That't what got me here, and I'm going to continue to do that.
4. Any regrets at all skipping your senior season after watching them [Kentucky] win it all?
Liggins: No. I mean I knew we had a chance if I came back to win it all. I knew they were going to win it all, so I just made my decision. I don't regret it or anything like that.
5. How would you assess your rookie year?
Liggins: I mean I'm happy even though I ain't playing, but I'm learning. Summer league is coming up so I'm excited about that. Just continue to work hard, that's all I can do.
-Keefe
1. How has the whole Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy situation affected you guys, especially down the stretch of the season?
Liggins: What you talkin about?
1b. You know, that Dwight could pick Stan's fate, and the front office?
Liggins: Pick what? I don't know nothing about that.
1c. You think those two have a good relationship?
Liggins: Yeah they do. From my perspective I would say they do. That other stuff you are talking about I don't know what you are talking about, like Dwight picking. Especially me being a rookie, I definitely don't know.
2. How has Glen Davis been like as a teammate this year?
Liggins: He'd been great man. He's our emotional leader. He's been playing well, he just needs to continue to play well for us.
3. How did Coach Calipari help you get ready for the NBA?
Liggins: Yeah he... I mean he defined my game. That't what got me here, and I'm going to continue to do that.
4. Any regrets at all skipping your senior season after watching them [Kentucky] win it all?
Liggins: No. I mean I knew we had a chance if I came back to win it all. I knew they were going to win it all, so I just made my decision. I don't regret it or anything like that.
5. How would you assess your rookie year?
Liggins: I mean I'm happy even though I ain't playing, but I'm learning. Summer league is coming up so I'm excited about that. Just continue to work hard, that's all I can do.
-Keefe
Monday, April 16, 2012
Rich Reviews: The Cabin in the Woods
Rich Reviews returns with a vengeance this week, with the brand new horror movie to hit theaters. I saw The Cabin in the Woods yesterday at a relatively crowded 5:15pm showing. I was not surprised when I heard that the horror movie finished 3rd at the Box Office this weekend with $14.8 million, behind The Three Stooges (#2, $17.1 million) and The Hunger Games (#1, $21.5 million). For a full review on The Hunger Games just scroll down.
The tagline for The Cabin in the Woods states: "Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods." But perhaps even more fitting was the simpler tagline, "You think you know the story, think again." Nice.
Now I don't want to ruin anything for you, as the main reason I saw it on opening weekend was so that some asshole on twitter didn't spoil it for me before I could see it. So here is my, spoiler avoided, review.
The Cabin in the Woods deserves instant credit for not being a remake or a sequel, which seems to be the only kind of horror movies being made right now. Fun fact, this movie was actually made back in 2009, then they wanted to postpone the thing to make it 3D (really happy that didn't happen). MGM then had financial issues and the film was put on hold and eventually picked up by a new distributor, and bang April 13, 2012 (Friday the 13th of all days).
What's great about Cabin is that it takes a very simple, played out, overdone, idea (college kids stranded somewhere like the woods- see: Friday The 13th(s), Evil Dead(s), Cabin Fever, Wrong Turn(s), Texas Chainsaw Massacre(s), House of 1,000 Corpses, Blair Witch Project, etc., etc., etc., but it introduces elements that aren't tired. Again, I don't want to ruin anything, and simply by saying it's not just a slasher movie may give something away, but it doesn't tell the whole story.
Horror movie fans will really appreciate this film. Knowledge of the genre, which has grown stale for the most part, makes Cabin all the better. It goes in a direction you can not prepare for. As I watched yesterday I couldn't help but think, "smart" the movie was "smart." It is a game-changer. The creators obviously know the genre, and make references to past classics, while completely ripping the lid off a brand new idea. However, only time will tell on how its remembered in horror movie history.
I don't think the characters will be as iconic as those from Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm St., Evil Dead, Scream, etc., but let's give it some time. And I'm talking about both the villains and the protagonists. It took those movies some time to really take their place in film lour. Although the dude who plays Thor, Chris Hemsworth is in it as the typical jock with the hot girlfriend.
It's not fair to really rank a film after just seeing it once. But I might as well try. I would not put it in my Top 10 Horror all-time, but, how many have been better since 2000? 10? 5? None?
If you like horror movies you will like Cabin in the Woods, if you don't like them, you still might. You will definitely be talking about it for awhile after you see it. Are there plot holes or unanswered questions, you bet, like most scary movies, but it's a fresh take and fun as hell. Like all great films of the genre, there are some laughs combined with a few scares and crazy kills.
In my Theater-Netflix-TV-Don't Bother scale: I have to go with Theater.
Rich Reviews: The Cabin in the Woods = 9/10
-Keefe
Friday, April 13, 2012
Jason's Friday The 13th Kills
This is fine work. Not sure if it includes the remake, but who cares. I believe Jason has 144 confirmed kills. And this beauty of a chart has them all... and how!
Hope you survived Friday the 13th!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Blue Jays & Orioles: Back to Basics
As I watch the Red Sox take on the Blue Jays I can't help but think of those early 90s nasty Toronto teams. Why am I thinking about them now, more than the last 5-10 years? Because they wised up and brought back the old logo, or pretty damn close to it. It's great to see the Jays... looking like Jays.
And they aren't the only AL East team going back to their roots. Check out these good lookin birds...
These two teams may finish behind the Yankees, Sox, and Rays, but at least they will look good doing it.
-Keefe
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Fantasy Baseball: Early Returns
Closers have gotten off to a pretty slow start across the board this year. Mariano Rivera blew his first save opportunity of the year, giving up 2 runs while recording just 1 out against the Rays. After 1.1 innings of work in 2 games, Mo Mo is sporting a 13.50 ERA. He's not alone.
Carlos Marmol, Cubs (20.25 ERA, 3 runs 1.1 IP)
Chris Perez, Indians (10.13 ERA, 3 runs 2.2 IP)
Alfredo Aceves, Red Sox (27.00 ERA, 3 runs, 1 IP)
Heath Bell, Marlins (13.50 ERA, 2 runs, 1.1 IP)
John Axford, Brewers (13.50 ERA, 2 runs, 1.1 IP)
Set up men Mark Melancon, Kerry Wood, Aaron Crow, and George Sherrell have all sucked as well, putting zero pressure on the closer behind them, or in front of them, you know what I mean.
You always take the early part of the season with a grain of salt. It is just 3, 4, or 5 games out of 162, but you can tell that Marmol is still as shaky a 9th inning as there is in the majors. He has great stuff, but he has no clue where the hell it's going. Aceves will NOT be the closer when Bailey comes back and he may lose the job (despite a save last night) even sooner.
Hot Bats:
Corey Hart, Yoenis Cespedes, Jay Bruce, Omar Infante, and Miguel Cabrera all have 3 home runs already to lead the league.
Great sign for Hart who is coming off an injury. Cespedes is the Cuban rookie CF for the A's who has quickly moved into the cleanup spot for Oakland. 3 of his 4 big league hits have left the yard, the other was a double. Infante will probably only hit 3 more the rest of the year, but enjoy it while it lasts. Bruce, if healthy could hit 30, while my man Miguel will contend for the A.L. MVP award this year.
Rafael Furcal (10/23, .435) and David Freese (10/24, .417), Cardinal teammates are tied for the league lead in hits. Freese is picking up where he left off last year as the NLCS and World Series MVP. A healthy Furcal will help St. Louis not miss Albert Pujols... as much.
Matt Kemp is bringing it for Magic Johnson's Dodgers... .412, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 1 SB.
Looking for Steals?
Emilio Bonafacio, Marlins... 4 SB. He is tied with Cubs SS Starlin Castro for the ML lead.
Crap Starts?
Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox: 0-12
James Loney, Dodgers: 0-12
Jamey Carroll, Twins: 0-13
Mark DeRosa, Nationals: 0-11
Alex Gordon, Royals: 0-14
Ike Davis, Mets: 0-15
Jayson Werth(less), Nationals: 1-14
Dan Uggla, Braves: 1-13
Todd Helton, Rockies: 1-12
And the following starting pitchers allowed 5 earned runs or more in their first starts of the year:
Josh Beckett, Red Sox: (7 earned over 4.2)
Clay Buchholz, Red Sox: (7 earned over 4)
James Shields, Rays: (6 earned over 5)
Yovani Gallardo, Brewers: (6 earned over 3.2)
CC Sabathia, Yankees: (6 earned over 5)
Dan Haren, Angels: (5 earned over 5.1)
Tim Lincecum, Giants: (5 earned over 5.1)
Matt Cain, Giants: (5 earned over 6)
Fantasy baseball is a time consuming, aggravating, mind screw. If you are in the top of your league right now, enjoy it while you can, if you're at the bottom just know you got around 5 months to turn things around.
Best of luck to you.
-Keefe
Carlos Marmol, Cubs (20.25 ERA, 3 runs 1.1 IP)
Chris Perez, Indians (10.13 ERA, 3 runs 2.2 IP)
Alfredo Aceves, Red Sox (27.00 ERA, 3 runs, 1 IP)
Heath Bell, Marlins (13.50 ERA, 2 runs, 1.1 IP)
John Axford, Brewers (13.50 ERA, 2 runs, 1.1 IP)
Set up men Mark Melancon, Kerry Wood, Aaron Crow, and George Sherrell have all sucked as well, putting zero pressure on the closer behind them, or in front of them, you know what I mean.
You always take the early part of the season with a grain of salt. It is just 3, 4, or 5 games out of 162, but you can tell that Marmol is still as shaky a 9th inning as there is in the majors. He has great stuff, but he has no clue where the hell it's going. Aceves will NOT be the closer when Bailey comes back and he may lose the job (despite a save last night) even sooner.
Hot Bats:
Corey Hart, Yoenis Cespedes, Jay Bruce, Omar Infante, and Miguel Cabrera all have 3 home runs already to lead the league.
Great sign for Hart who is coming off an injury. Cespedes is the Cuban rookie CF for the A's who has quickly moved into the cleanup spot for Oakland. 3 of his 4 big league hits have left the yard, the other was a double. Infante will probably only hit 3 more the rest of the year, but enjoy it while it lasts. Bruce, if healthy could hit 30, while my man Miguel will contend for the A.L. MVP award this year.
Rafael Furcal (10/23, .435) and David Freese (10/24, .417), Cardinal teammates are tied for the league lead in hits. Freese is picking up where he left off last year as the NLCS and World Series MVP. A healthy Furcal will help St. Louis not miss Albert Pujols... as much.
Matt Kemp is bringing it for Magic Johnson's Dodgers... .412, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 1 SB.
Looking for Steals?
Emilio Bonafacio, Marlins... 4 SB. He is tied with Cubs SS Starlin Castro for the ML lead.
Crap Starts?
Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox: 0-12
James Loney, Dodgers: 0-12
Jamey Carroll, Twins: 0-13
Mark DeRosa, Nationals: 0-11
Alex Gordon, Royals: 0-14
Ike Davis, Mets: 0-15
Jayson Werth(less), Nationals: 1-14
Dan Uggla, Braves: 1-13
Todd Helton, Rockies: 1-12
And the following starting pitchers allowed 5 earned runs or more in their first starts of the year:
Josh Beckett, Red Sox: (7 earned over 4.2)
Clay Buchholz, Red Sox: (7 earned over 4)
James Shields, Rays: (6 earned over 5)
Yovani Gallardo, Brewers: (6 earned over 3.2)
CC Sabathia, Yankees: (6 earned over 5)
Dan Haren, Angels: (5 earned over 5.1)
Tim Lincecum, Giants: (5 earned over 5.1)
Matt Cain, Giants: (5 earned over 6)
Fantasy baseball is a time consuming, aggravating, mind screw. If you are in the top of your league right now, enjoy it while you can, if you're at the bottom just know you got around 5 months to turn things around.
Best of luck to you.
-Keefe
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Brock Lesnar Returns to WWE
This is old news, but in case you missed it Brock Lesnar made his return to the WWE this past Monday on Raw. The rumors had been swirling for sometime that the former WWE Champ & UFC Heavyweight Champ (still ranked in our Top 5 in the weight class... we should edit that.), would be coming back to wrasssling. But after Lesnar said he was retiring from MMA, it appears he wasn't kidding, like so many fighters and boxers and Brett Favre.
Brock returned to the WWE one day after Wresltemania 28. John Cena was closing out the show and wanted The Rock to come out to the ring so the two could shake hands. He did not get The Rock, he got this....
Brock returned to the WWE one day after Wresltemania 28. John Cena was closing out the show and wanted The Rock to come out to the ring so the two could shake hands. He did not get The Rock, he got this....
Pretty good stuff. But it still doesn't compare to this gem from 1999.
-Keefe
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
2012 MLB Predictions
The 2012 Major League Baseball season is already underway (thanks Japan), so The Sports Brief better go on record with their picks. You will find both Besse's (in BLUE) and Keefe's (in RED). We have divisional finish, playoff picks, MVP, Cy Young, Rookie, and Manager of the Year. Also remember Keefe will be Live Tweeting during the Sox opener vs. the Tigers. @Keefe21
AL EAST (Besse)
1. Boston Red Sox
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. NY Yankees
5. Baltimore Orioles
This division might be the toughest to pick. Tampa has the best starting five, but I question their offenseover the course of 162 games. If they make the post-season, they could win it with that staff. NYY isgetting old, and the Pineda shoulder woes lower the stock significantly. Toronto is on the right track, butI’m not convinced they have the pitching yet to compete at the highest level; that offense is somethingspecial, though. I don’t care about Baltimore.
Boston is the most balanced. The offense is loaded with weapons, and A-Gon might be your MVP. Thepitching staff, despite the injury to Bailey, is chock full of arms that can carry a long season. I think theRed Sox figure it out and win the division.
AL EAST (Keefe)
1. New York Yankees
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
All of these teams have flaws. Pineda is already hurt for the Yanks along with Joba. The Sox just named Alfredo Aceves their closer. Tampa can't hit. Toronto is still another couple years away. And Baltimore sucks. I'll take the Yankees here, but I think it will be a good race and I believe the Top 3 will be in the Playoff mix the entire season.
AL CENTRAL (Besse)
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Kansas City Royals
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Chicago White Sox
It’s not even close. What’s the record for largest margin of victory in a divisional race? Detroit mightbreak it. The MVP of this team won’t even be Verlander, Fielder, or Cabrera. It’ll be Delmon Young, whobenefits from the studs in front of him. Massive 2012 season for the underachiever.
AL CENTRAL (Keefe)
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Cleveland Indians
This division sucks. Tigers should have this clinched by mid-July. KC intrigues me. I like Besse's call of having them 2nd, but I'm still not ready to take them completely seriously. Maybe one of the 4 teams surprises us and makes it a race with Detroit, but that's doubtful. Miguel Cabrera is my pick for AL MVP (spoiler alert!), I expect big numbers at the plate, and not as many blunders in the field as some may expect.
Texas will be a tough out, as that lineup can hit with anyone: Andrus, Kinsler, Hamilton, Beltre, Napoli,Young, Cruz and more. Look at that. Guys like Young and Cruz could be hitting 6 and 7. That’s unreal.,and the starting rotation is solid, but the bullpen concerns me. Oakland will show signs of life again, asthe staff is young but talented and Cespedes will have a fantastic year in the Bay. Seattle has King Felixand Jesus Montero. That’s about it.
AL WEST (Keefe)
1. Los Angeles Angels
2. Texas Rangers
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland Athletics
Just put Moneyball on the Netflix queue. Should be getting that any day now. I'm all for stats and everything, but save to say Billy Beane's antics are old hat. All the teams value On-Base now but just about EVERY team spends more money than the A's. Interesting note however, nearly all the pitchers Beane has dealt away from the A's (Hudson, Mulder, Haren, Harden, Blanton, etc.) have been sent to the NL... not Andrew Bailey! Might say something. Oh I also think the Angels and Rangers are two of the best teams in baseball.
WILDCARD (Besse)
Tampa Bay
Texas
WILDCARD (Keefe)
Boston
Texas
PLAYOFFS (Besse)
Tampa Bay defeats Texas
Detroit defeats Tampa Bay
Los Angeles defeats Boston
Detroit defeats Los Angeles
PLAYOFFS (Keefe)
Boston defeats Texas
Los Angeles defeats Boston
Detroit defeats New York
Los Angeles defeats Detroits
AWARDS (Besse)
AL MVP – A Gon
AL CY Young – Justin Verlander
AL ROY – Lorenzo Cain
AL Manager of the Year – Bobby Valentine (yea, I said it)
AWARDS (Keefe)
AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Tigers
AL Cy Young - Jered Weaver, Angels
AL ROY - Matt Moore, Rays
AL Manager of the Year - Jim Leyland, Tigers
NL EAST (Besse)
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Miami Marlins
3. Washington Nationals
4. Atlanta Braves
5. NY Mets
Despite the rash of injuries the Phillies face – Howard, Utley – the pitching staff is still the best inbaseball. Halladay, Lee, Hamels, and Worley! Papelbon out of the pen. And there’s enough offense toget by. Miami will be a surprise contender – a young team under Ozzie Guillen that is on the cusp ofdoing something special. That offense is sick, but the pitching isn’t deep enough to win a division crown.But don’t sleep, we’re not done with them yet.
Atlanta doesn’t worry me. I think there are now holes in the pitching staff, and the offense, althoughgood, isn’t great enough to carry. Washington is still a couple years away – wait until Harper settles intoCF there – and the Mets suck.
AL EAST (Keefe)
1. Miami Marlins
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets
New name, new uniforms, new ballpark, new manager, new SS.... division champs! I like what the Marlins have done this off season. They have a track record of going after it and getting results. (World Series Champs 1997 & 2003). IF Josh Johnson stays healthy they will be in good shape, but that's a HUGE IF. But Johnson, Nolasco, Buerhle, Sanchez, Zambrano is solid. Toss in an NL lineup that boasts Reyes, Hanley, Gaby Sanchez, and others and they are the team to beat. Philly still has the filthy rotation (Halladay, Lee, Hamels) but have issues in the middle of the order, how many games will Utley and Howard play?
NL CENTRAL (Besse)
Do I have to pick?
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros
Honestly, this is anyone’s race. Even for the Pirates and Astros. The most wide-open division in baseball.But I think the Cardinals pitching is still very good, especially with Wainright on his way back, and theoffense is still tough despite losing Pujols. Beltran helps fill the void, providing protection to Holliday andBerkman, and if David Freese can have a healthy season, he’s going to be good.
The only other thing I’ll say about this division is that Ryan Braun will have a sub-par season. And itwon’t be because he had a lot on his mind. It’ll be because he actually was using PEDs, and he just gotoff on a technicality. Honestly, why aren’t people talking about that more? He got off on a technicality.That didn’t acquit him in the least. It just means his piss was in some dude’s fridge for a couple days.
NL CENTRAL (Keefe)
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Chicago Cubs
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Houston Astros
Move over AL West... this is the worst division in baseball. The losses of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder leave few Stars. Joey Votto has just cashed in like a star, and I know he's very good, but still a notch below those other two guys. Houston will celebrate their final year in the NL with a 6th place finish.
NL WEST (Besse)
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres
Lots of close games, lots of close wins. Starting pitching and Brian Wilson will take this team to a divisiontitle. The offense is still a tad weak, and I’m sad about Pat the Bat hanging em up, but Posey returns andMelky Cabrera WILL replicate 2011. I don’t see Arizona having enough to repeat as champs. The Dodgershave some exciting talent on offense, but outside of Kershaw, I can’t name a good starter. Coloradosucks. San Diego is worse.
NL WEST (Keefe)
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Colorado Rockies
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. San Diego Padres
This division is usually a toss up and this year is no different. Pitching dominates (Linceum, Cain, Bumgardner, Kennedy, Kershaw, etc.) There aren't a ton of big bats, although Matt Kemp and Troy Tulowitzki give this division a pair of studs.
WILDCARD (Besse)
Miami Dolphins Marlins
Arizona Diamondbacks
PLAYOFFS
Miami defeats Arizona
Miami defeats San Francisco
St. Louis defeats Philadelphia
Miami defeats St. Louis
WILDCARD (Keefe)
Philadelphia Phillies
Atlanta Braves
PLAYOFFS
Philadelphia defeats Atlanta
Miami defeats Philadelphia
San Francisco defeats Milwaukee
San Fran defeats Miami
AWARDS (Besse)
NL MVP – Matt Kemp, Dodgers
NL CY Young – Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
NL ROY – Yonder Alonso, Padres
NL Manager of the Year – Ozzie Guillen, Marlins
AWARDS (Keefe)
NL MVP - Hanley Ramirez, 3B, Marlins
NL Cy Young - Cliff Lee, Phillies
NL ROY - Zack Cozart, SS, Reds
NL Manager of the Year - Ozzie Guillen, Marlins
WORLD SERIES (Besse)
Miami defeats Detroit
WORLD SERIES (Keefe)
Los Angeles defeats San Francisco
AL EAST (Besse)
1. Boston Red Sox
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. NY Yankees
5. Baltimore Orioles
This division might be the toughest to pick. Tampa has the best starting five, but I question their offenseover the course of 162 games. If they make the post-season, they could win it with that staff. NYY isgetting old, and the Pineda shoulder woes lower the stock significantly. Toronto is on the right track, butI’m not convinced they have the pitching yet to compete at the highest level; that offense is somethingspecial, though. I don’t care about Baltimore.
Boston is the most balanced. The offense is loaded with weapons, and A-Gon might be your MVP. Thepitching staff, despite the injury to Bailey, is chock full of arms that can carry a long season. I think theRed Sox figure it out and win the division.
AL EAST (Keefe)
1. New York Yankees
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
All of these teams have flaws. Pineda is already hurt for the Yanks along with Joba. The Sox just named Alfredo Aceves their closer. Tampa can't hit. Toronto is still another couple years away. And Baltimore sucks. I'll take the Yankees here, but I think it will be a good race and I believe the Top 3 will be in the Playoff mix the entire season.
AL CENTRAL (Besse)
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Kansas City Royals
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Chicago White Sox
It’s not even close. What’s the record for largest margin of victory in a divisional race? Detroit mightbreak it. The MVP of this team won’t even be Verlander, Fielder, or Cabrera. It’ll be Delmon Young, whobenefits from the studs in front of him. Massive 2012 season for the underachiever.
AL CENTRAL (Keefe)
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Cleveland Indians
This division sucks. Tigers should have this clinched by mid-July. KC intrigues me. I like Besse's call of having them 2nd, but I'm still not ready to take them completely seriously. Maybe one of the 4 teams surprises us and makes it a race with Detroit, but that's doubtful. Miguel Cabrera is my pick for AL MVP (spoiler alert!), I expect big numbers at the plate, and not as many blunders in the field as some may expect.
AL WEST (Besse)
1. Los Angeles
2. Texas Rangers
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners
Texas will be a tough out, as that lineup can hit with anyone: Andrus, Kinsler, Hamilton, Beltre, Napoli,Young, Cruz and more. Look at that. Guys like Young and Cruz could be hitting 6 and 7. That’s unreal.,and the starting rotation is solid, but the bullpen concerns me. Oakland will show signs of life again, asthe staff is young but talented and Cespedes will have a fantastic year in the Bay. Seattle has King Felixand Jesus Montero. That’s about it.
AL WEST (Keefe)
1. Los Angeles Angels
2. Texas Rangers
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland Athletics
Just put Moneyball on the Netflix queue. Should be getting that any day now. I'm all for stats and everything, but save to say Billy Beane's antics are old hat. All the teams value On-Base now but just about EVERY team spends more money than the A's. Interesting note however, nearly all the pitchers Beane has dealt away from the A's (Hudson, Mulder, Haren, Harden, Blanton, etc.) have been sent to the NL... not Andrew Bailey! Might say something. Oh I also think the Angels and Rangers are two of the best teams in baseball.
WILDCARD (Besse)
Tampa Bay
Texas
WILDCARD (Keefe)
Boston
Texas
PLAYOFFS (Besse)
Tampa Bay defeats Texas
Detroit defeats Tampa Bay
Los Angeles defeats Boston
Detroit defeats Los Angeles
PLAYOFFS (Keefe)
Boston defeats Texas
Los Angeles defeats Boston
Detroit defeats New York
Los Angeles defeats Detroits
AWARDS (Besse)
AL MVP – A Gon
AL CY Young – Justin Verlander
AL ROY – Lorenzo Cain
AL Manager of the Year – Bobby Valentine (yea, I said it)
AWARDS (Keefe)
AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Tigers
AL Cy Young - Jered Weaver, Angels
AL ROY - Matt Moore, Rays
AL Manager of the Year - Jim Leyland, Tigers
NL EAST (Besse)
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Miami Marlins
3. Washington Nationals
4. Atlanta Braves
5. NY Mets
Despite the rash of injuries the Phillies face – Howard, Utley – the pitching staff is still the best inbaseball. Halladay, Lee, Hamels, and Worley! Papelbon out of the pen. And there’s enough offense toget by. Miami will be a surprise contender – a young team under Ozzie Guillen that is on the cusp ofdoing something special. That offense is sick, but the pitching isn’t deep enough to win a division crown.But don’t sleep, we’re not done with them yet.
Atlanta doesn’t worry me. I think there are now holes in the pitching staff, and the offense, althoughgood, isn’t great enough to carry. Washington is still a couple years away – wait until Harper settles intoCF there – and the Mets suck.
AL EAST (Keefe)
1. Miami Marlins
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets
New name, new uniforms, new ballpark, new manager, new SS.... division champs! I like what the Marlins have done this off season. They have a track record of going after it and getting results. (World Series Champs 1997 & 2003). IF Josh Johnson stays healthy they will be in good shape, but that's a HUGE IF. But Johnson, Nolasco, Buerhle, Sanchez, Zambrano is solid. Toss in an NL lineup that boasts Reyes, Hanley, Gaby Sanchez, and others and they are the team to beat. Philly still has the filthy rotation (Halladay, Lee, Hamels) but have issues in the middle of the order, how many games will Utley and Howard play?
NL CENTRAL (Besse)
Do I have to pick?
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros
Honestly, this is anyone’s race. Even for the Pirates and Astros. The most wide-open division in baseball.But I think the Cardinals pitching is still very good, especially with Wainright on his way back, and theoffense is still tough despite losing Pujols. Beltran helps fill the void, providing protection to Holliday andBerkman, and if David Freese can have a healthy season, he’s going to be good.
The only other thing I’ll say about this division is that Ryan Braun will have a sub-par season. And itwon’t be because he had a lot on his mind. It’ll be because he actually was using PEDs, and he just gotoff on a technicality. Honestly, why aren’t people talking about that more? He got off on a technicality.That didn’t acquit him in the least. It just means his piss was in some dude’s fridge for a couple days.
NL CENTRAL (Keefe)
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Chicago Cubs
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Houston Astros
Move over AL West... this is the worst division in baseball. The losses of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder leave few Stars. Joey Votto has just cashed in like a star, and I know he's very good, but still a notch below those other two guys. Houston will celebrate their final year in the NL with a 6th place finish.
NL WEST (Besse)
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres
Lots of close games, lots of close wins. Starting pitching and Brian Wilson will take this team to a divisiontitle. The offense is still a tad weak, and I’m sad about Pat the Bat hanging em up, but Posey returns andMelky Cabrera WILL replicate 2011. I don’t see Arizona having enough to repeat as champs. The Dodgershave some exciting talent on offense, but outside of Kershaw, I can’t name a good starter. Coloradosucks. San Diego is worse.
NL WEST (Keefe)
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Colorado Rockies
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. San Diego Padres
This division is usually a toss up and this year is no different. Pitching dominates (Linceum, Cain, Bumgardner, Kennedy, Kershaw, etc.) There aren't a ton of big bats, although Matt Kemp and Troy Tulowitzki give this division a pair of studs.
WILDCARD (Besse)
Miami Dolphins Marlins
Arizona Diamondbacks
PLAYOFFS
Miami defeats Arizona
Miami defeats San Francisco
St. Louis defeats Philadelphia
Miami defeats St. Louis
WILDCARD (Keefe)
Philadelphia Phillies
Atlanta Braves
PLAYOFFS
Philadelphia defeats Atlanta
Miami defeats Philadelphia
San Francisco defeats Milwaukee
San Fran defeats Miami
AWARDS (Besse)
NL MVP – Matt Kemp, Dodgers
NL CY Young – Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
NL ROY – Yonder Alonso, Padres
NL Manager of the Year – Ozzie Guillen, Marlins
AWARDS (Keefe)
NL MVP - Hanley Ramirez, 3B, Marlins
NL Cy Young - Cliff Lee, Phillies
NL ROY - Zack Cozart, SS, Reds
NL Manager of the Year - Ozzie Guillen, Marlins
WORLD SERIES (Besse)
Miami defeats Detroit
WORLD SERIES (Keefe)
Los Angeles defeats San Francisco
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Live Keefe Tweets For Sox Opener
Do you have a 9-5 job? First off, good for you. I mean in this economy, hang on to that as long as you can. But chances are you already used sick days for the first couple days of the NCAA Tournament or whatever else it is you are up to. Well the Red Sox open up the 2012 season this Thursday vs. the Detroit Tigers at.... 1:00pm! (Eastern and 10am Besse time.)
Forget GameCast or refreshing box scores... just follow me on twitter for all the updates you need. Plus you'll be doing me a favor. I have to do something while watching a baseball game these days. So tweet back and forth as we take in America's Past Time together.
Follow along at....
@Keefe21
Forget GameCast or refreshing box scores... just follow me on twitter for all the updates you need. Plus you'll be doing me a favor. I have to do something while watching a baseball game these days. So tweet back and forth as we take in America's Past Time together.
Follow along at....
@Keefe21
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