A little bit of everything for my return

My similarities to Brian Scalabrine never stop. Scal was underappreciated while he was with the Celtics, but how many championships have the C’s won since he left? I view myself in a similar light. For years I’ve been talking sports but have always been met with “you don’t know what you’re talking about” and “yeah whatever Steiner.” But wait; now that I haven’t blogged in a while, I’m getting complaints about my lack of writing. Ignore me when I'm around, but complain when I'm not. I feel your pain, Scal. I’ve got your back.

I admit it’s been a while since my last post. Because of that, there have been a variety of occurrences that require my attention as opposed to the typical (and more practical) one topic. So without further ado let’s dive right in.

The Terrelle Pryor scandal:

Let me briefly review this topic before I make my point. Pryor was found guilty, along with a few other teammates at OSU, of selling autographs and other memorabilia while still attending OSU to make some money on the side. The NCAA found that to be wrong and suspended Pryor (and his fellow “dealers”) for the first 5 games of this upcoming NCAA season (but not the Sugar Bowl because the NCAA is trying to make money any way it can…wait, that sounds familiar). Pryor, in an attempt to gain back some level of respect, made the stance that instead of entering the NFL draft, he would stick around and serve his suspension. Then word came down that OSU head coach Jim Tressel had knowledge of these dealings and hadn’t reported it to the NCAA. That’s a severe violation and it ended up costing Tressel his job. Once that bomb was dropped, Pryor decided that it wouldn’t be worth his time to return to OSU, so he decided to go the supplemental draft route. HOLD EVERYTHING! Pryor shouldn’t have been eligible for the supplemental draft because he hadn’t been dismissed from the team; he left under his own power. BUT WAIT. HOLD EVERYTHING…AGAIN. Pryor all of a sudden is willing to admit that in his interview with the higher authorities that decided his fate, he said he did even more illegal activities than what was originally published, which, he claims, would have resulted in his being dismissed from the team. Why is he all of a sudden willing to get everything off his chest? Because the NFL decided it would only allow Pryor to enter the supplemental draft if he were to be suspended the first 5 games of the regular NFL season.

So just to clarify: Pryor was suspended 5 games at OSU after being allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl. He accepted and then bailed on the punishment. He then wasn’t allowed to enter the NFL draft (the main reason he even went to OSU might I remind everyone) but then, only because he admitted to doing even more wrong than initially thought he was allowed to enter the NFL draft, but with the 5 game suspension.

Now, as if to challenge the entire world’s patience, Pryor is appealing the suspension that’s accompanying him to the NFL.

I’m sorry, but there shouldn’t be a team in the NFL that’s willing to take a chance on this kid. He’s been egotistical since day one at OSU, he’s not the kind of quarterback that will translate well to the NFL, he’s been involved in multiple controversies, he gave a million dollar middle finger to the NCAA by committing enough violations to get into the NFL, and now he’s complaining and appealing the fact that he should be suspended at all. I hope he goes undrafted. Or worse, gets drafted by the Raiders.

Patriots Preseason observations:

Like most, I try not to get too heavily excited by what I see in the NFL’s preseason. Any team can beat any team and it very rarely has any type of indication on how either team will perform in the coming season. Having said that though, the reason I DO get excited about preseason is it gives me a chance to see each team’s younger players perform on a real stage.

The Patriots entered the preseason with a lot of hype. Ochocinco, Haynesworth, and a new 4-3 defense were all huge developments to the team. So far, one looks to be wonderful, one is still in progress, and one is still a question mark.

It seems like Belichick finally admitted the Pats’ pass rush needed some revamping after last season as he decided to switch to a 4-3 defensive scheme. So far it’s worked swimmingly. Andre Carter and Jerod Mayo specifically have shown a huge spike in production because of the switch, leading some to believe Mayo will have an even better season than last year when he lead the NFL in tackles by 15 with 175.

The Ochocinco signing was met with a little bit of skepticism but has ultimately proven to be a risk worth making. Sure, he’s only played one game and had two catches for 14 yards (though one was for a touchdown), but what I’ve really taken from Ocho is his willingness to learn and work harder than anyone else. From day one in New England, Ocho was seen stalking Brady around practices and game to get information from him. He’s a workout machine and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to be successful, as shown in the last game when he was hammered going across the middle. He laid out to try to make the catch but was separated from the ball in what was ultimately called a personal foul. Not many perennial Pro Bowl receivers would be willing to do that, in preseason nonetheless.

The Haynesworth signing has yet to come to fruition, but ultimately I’m not worried about it. All reports say that when he practiced, it was very productive. The only problem is he hasn’t practiced in like, 2 weeks. While some are concerned, I’m not convinced this is a problem. He’s working out on his own with trainers (according to reports) and is under a contract that says if there are any problems at all, we can cut him and end payments immediately. With the new emergence of the 4-3 pass rush though, he and Wilfork in the middle, Carter and an end to be named later, and Mayo and Spikes manning the linebacking corps, this defense looks terrifying.

Some other little side notes from preseason: Aaron Hernandez is showing that he might be just as valuable, if not more so, than Gronk. I firmly believe that if not for Gronk, Hernandez would be our Pro Bowl tight end. He has the speed of a receiver but the size of a tight end. Not only that but he’s got great hands and runs good routs. His combination allows the Pats to line him up in something of a slot position and see how the defense reacts. If they put a corner on him, that means one less corner covering our WRs. If they put a linebacker on him it probably means he’s going to get open. I’m expecting big things from him this year.

I’ve become a huge Will Yeatman fan. Undrafted free agent with a lacrosse background means he’s not only willing to do the little things to make the team, but he’s got the footwork to develop into a great third TE. I was all about Lee Smith when we drafted him to replace Alge Crumpler, but with the development of Yeatman, I’m not sure who’s going to make the team as the third TE anymore.

To wrap up the preseason talk, I now fully understand Belichick’s hatred of the new kickoff rules. There were maybe 3-4 returnable kickoffs last game, and that takes away a huge part of the game. I understand the safety precautions behind the decision, but it’s terrible to watch a third string kicker be able to boom one out of the back of the end zone every time.

Red Sox enigma:

The Sox have had quite a rollercoaster season. They started terribly and were deemed out of playoff contention after 20 games, then rattled off a ridiculous record from there on out and were declared contenders to break the single season wins record, and have now come back down to earth and are struggling to score runs. I don’t claim to be an expert on baseball, but I do have a few thoughts.

First, I think the timing of the Youk injury is perfect. That’s not to say an injury is ever a good thing, but after watching Youk for the last few weeks, it’s time for him to sit for a while and reload. He’s been swinging at terrible pitches and has the lowest batting average he’s had since 2004. Youk needs to go back to the basics; taking pitches, working the count, and making pitchers pay for their mistakes. I read in the book “Moneyball” that when Youk was with AA and AAA teams, he would come back to the dugout after a first at-bat strike out and not seem at all upset. When someone asked him about it he told them he had no problem with it because he’d seen every pitch the pitcher had and would be able to crush every one of them in his next at bats. That is no longer the case.

Alfredo Aceves is arguably our third best pitcher. He’s 8-1 (a couple of those wins came from the bullpen) and in 82.1 innings pitched has only given up 28 earned runs. He’s got the flexibility to come in for long relief, which has unfortunately been extremely valuable with Lackey pitching once every five days, but is also available for spot starts. With Buchholz’s return in doubt don’t be surprised to see Aceves penciled into a more prominent role come playoff time. Perhaps not as a rotation starter, but he’ll at least be more relied on.

John Lackey and Erik Bedard have both been pitching extremely well, even though their records might not show it. Lackey has given up five runs or less in every one of his last eight starts. Bedard has given up a total of six earned runs in his three starts since coming over in the trade but his record still reads 1-2 in Boston. Not only has his run prevention been good but his pitch count has gone up every outing as well. While it may not be pretty, they’re both getting the job done. The run support needs to step up to the same level the two pitchers are reaching. 

Why not sign Herzlich?

Like most people, I always hate when I’m forced to bet against what has proven time and time again to be a sure thing. Honestly though, when I logged onto ESPN today and saw that Boston College linebacker and undrafted free agent Mark Herzlich had signed with the Giants, I was very upset.

Let me make one thing clear. My “betting against a sure thing” isn’t in reference to me betting against Herzlich. In fact, this column will be exactly the opposite. Who I am questioning (hold on to your hats) is Bill Belichick.

Herzlich, as I’m sure everyone is aware, was diagnosed with cancer after a 2008 season that saw him emerge as one of, if not the best all-around linebacker in the NCAA. After having to sit out the 2009 season for treatment, he shocked the world and returned to play the 2010 season, albeit understandably slower.

While his production slipped from his All-American season, most observers were surprised when he went undrafted. The thought was that he would be one of the most sought after UDFA’s once the lockout ended.

Throw in the Patriots. One of the worst linebacker groups in the league, and for the last couple years, save Jerod Mayo at middle linebacker, the team has been a carousel of names at the linebacker position. It seemed like a match made in heaven.

Herzlich (in his prime) was an absolute monster at Boston College. With 110 tackles, he obviously had a nose for the ball carrier, but what was most impressive about him was his ability to drop into coverage. At 6-4, he had the size to match up with tight ends, but he also had the quickness to cover running backs out of the backfield, as shown by his six interceptions in 2008, returning two for touchdowns. In addition, he had two sacks and two forced fumbles. A playmaker before cancer, he was able to return and still cause chaos, even while recovering his strength. He returned in 2010 and still had a very respectable four interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Now let me pose the question: why wouldn’t the Patriots do everything they could to sign him? It almost makes too much sense.

The Pats’ defensive scheme puts a lot of pressure on the linebackers to make smart, quick decisions. Herzlich is known for his study habits as well as being a very smart linebacker.

The Patriots current crop of outside linebackers consists of: rookie Markell Carter, Jermaine Cunningham, Dane Fletcher, Rob Ninkovich, Tracy White, and…no wait, that’s it. To make matters worse, they just released the only linebacker with a history of being a pass rusher, Tully Banta-Cain.

            As an undrafted free agent, Herzlich clearly wasn’t looking to break the bank with his rookie salary. This may be the largest “low-risk, high-reward” signing in the history of sports. Unfortunately, if he  doesn’t come back to full strength, you’re talking about a player making a minimum salary. But if he does, you’re talking about the 2008 ACC defensive player of the year and finalist for the Butkus Award, which isgiven to the nation’s top linebacker. He had star potential and at even 80% of what he was, would be a valuable addition to any team. Like I said, little to no risk, very high reward.

            Another factor that bothers me about this is that rosters are expanded to 90 players for preseason. 90 players! Are you telling me the Patriots are going to find many players they feel have more potential than Herzlich to fill out the now expanded roster? I don’t think so.

            Possibly the most overlooked and upsetting fact about this whole thing is his battle with cancer and the connection between the Patriots and cancer. As everyone knows, the NFL lost a wonderful woman in the recently deceased Myra Kraft. Kraft died after a long battle with cancer. Clearly after that loss, the team has a soft spot for anything cancer related. Would it not make sense to sign a player that is trying to battle back from cancer? Especially from a P.R. standpoint, can you imagine the stories that would come out and the good publicity the team would get? Obviously it doesn’t make up for the loss of Kraft, but knowing how good-natured and generous Kraft was in her time, doesn’t it make sense that she would at least want something good to come from her passing like giving a player with cancer a chance?

            Like I said in the beginning, it’s tough to question the decisions Belichick makes. This one however, I do question. Obviously I don’t know the behind the scenes information. Perhaps Herzlich just really wanted to play for the Giants. Who knows? Going to school at Boston College though, it’s tough to imagine that he wasn’t at least a little bit of a Patriots fan. And with the list of great linebackers past and present to don the Patriots colors under Belichick’s tutelage, (Teddy Bruschi, Ted Johnson, Willie McGinest, Jerod Mayo) it would have also been a good career move.

            I just don’t get it.

Going to the Giants will make it difficult to root for him for obvious reasons, but I speak for all fans of New England areas sports when I say I wish him the best.

What MLS vs The World Really Means

So just to make sure those few people who are interested in my blog never come back, I’m going to commit mainstream blogger suicide and write my second straight piece about soccer, only this time about Wednesday night’s Manchester United vs. New England Revolution game.

For those of you (most of you) who didn’t watch, Man U won 4-1, scoring all four goals in the second half. The score wasn’t really the noteworthy part of the event though (I use the word ‘event’ lightly), it was the amount of “soccer fans” that sprang from the woodwork to come out and see Manchester United It’s no surprise that Man U has a huge following around the world. It’s not even that surprising they have a decent following in Massachusetts.

I do have a problem or question concerning the idea of these top tier teams coming over to the U.S. for friendly matches: how much good does it actually do for a league like MLS?

It’s easy to see the side of the league: any publicity is good publicity. They’re hoping fans come out to games and see the passion around soccer, and it translates into them gaining passion for their local team. At the very least, they’re banking on some extra dough from tickets and concessions.

Here’s my problem though. Do these games do anything except reinforce the notion and fact that MLS, even its finest teams (which the Revs are a far cry from) are still miles behind most of Europe in the talent standpoint? I mean, if you’re trying to convince pessimistic soccer fans (which, I assume, are the people the league is trying to get to come out to these games in addition to their regular fans) MLS games are worth their time and money, are 4-1 losses really what you want being showcased?

Of course, there are Americans making a name for themselves across the pond including Dempsey, Holden, Howard, Bradley, Altidore, just to name a few As noted, however, they are overseas, and it’s because their talents exceed the amount of money MLS is willing to pay to keep them here.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, players that can’t get a starting role in European leagues anymore can still earn a fair living in MLS, but are scrap players really what MLS wants to showcase? Not if we’re trying to compete with the leagues these scraps players can’t get work in anymore.

The real question we have to ask after 51,000 people attended the game, whichnearly tripling a typical Revs game crowd, is how do we get these people to attend Revs games when top-notch teams aren’t in town? If the league answers this question, they will be set.

            Eternal optimists may defend Wednesday night’s game and say, “Yeah, but the score was 0-0 at the end of the first half, and that’s when Man U had their top players in the game!” Yes, this is completely true, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is the exact reason the score was 0-0— because Man U’s top players were in.

            Do you think Wayne Rooney, Nani, and Berbatov need to have a strong showing against New England to secure their spots in the starting eleven? Wayne Rooneyis one of the greatest finishers in the world and owner of the true play of the year with his bicycle goal against Man City. Nani is one of the most creative and skilled midfielders in the league, and Berbatov is the leading goal scorer for the Premier League champions. Do they really have to be at the top of their game? Doubtful. The only thing that could come of them going 100% is risking injury.  The players with something to prove (i.e.: the reserves looking to make a name for themselves) came in with motivation and absolutely crushed the Revs.

            This leads us to a larger, more noticeable problem. While you could make the argument that when both teams’ starters were on, the game was relatively close, but once both teams removed starters, the roof caved in. Four goals in 45 minutes are embarrassing regardless of who you’re playing.

            The reason is the huge disparity in depth between EPL and MLS teams. For a while, people could say that the last man on the bench for any EPL team could start in MLS. It was true. Sure, these days the level of talent and depth has gone up considerably from where it was at the beginning of the league, but it’s still laughably lower than the EPL.

            Now obviously the point of this blog isn’t to point out every embarrassing shortcoming MLS has when compared to the EPL (I seriously don’t even have the time to do that, and I’m still…we’ll call it “self-employed”), but it is notable that playing against teams so vastly superior to MLS talent is only going to hurt the fans. No one wants to go out and see their team lose 4-1.

            “Okay, Mike. You’ve bashed MLS for almost 800 words now. What are your suggestions to up the credibility of the league?”

            Honestly, if I had some foolproof plan to bump MLS onto the next level, I wouldn’t be sharing it on a blog, I’d be calling it into the league. So from a passionate but perhaps not problem-solving fan, here are some suggestions:

1)   Owners need to be willing to spend more money. Call me biased (you wouldn’t be wrong), but Bob Kraft is the main culprit behind this suggestion. For too many years, Kraft has looked at the Revs as something to occupy the stadium in the time the Pats aren’t. That’s not acceptable from a fan standpoint. Not even close. Up until this season, the Revs were the only team in MLS to not have one of the following: a designated player, a soccer specific stadium, or a team sponsor. Guess which one the fans care least about? The sponsor. Guess which one Kraft jumped on? You got it. Fine, bring in more money, but you need to be willing to spend it on the team. There have been rumors of a designated player eventually coming to the Revs ever since the rule was put into writing. Never has it happened, and fans notice that. If you bring in a DP or two, not only will it show the fans you’re willing to spend a little cash in hope of winning more games, but it will bring in tons more attention to the team (can you say David Beckham?)

2)   Once you have good players, spend the money to keep them! Can you imagine a fan’s reaction if their team’s Tom Brady became a free agent and instead of upping the amount of money they were willing to pay him, they allowed him to go play in the CFL instead? Unfortunately it happens time and time again. Once your team has a player they love, the team needs to keep him, because along with an upped level of play that comes along with great players, the player also brings along a following of fans that support him.

3)   The league needs to continue with their youth movement. One of the biggest differences between MLS and other leagues for a long time was the lack of youth academies. These academies allow young players to grow up in a soccer environment and work under the tutelage of professional coaches to help hone their skills. With these academies, players have the opportunity to grow up in the system, which only helps the team in the long run. The best example of this is the next great U.S. striker, Juan Agudelo. He came up through the ranks of the Red Bull system, and now he’s starting for the U.S. With this program, instead of having to go overseas to get aging veterans that who hope for one last team to give them a chance, teams can fill their rosters with young, potential-filled players they already have rights to.

So sure, a job well done by MLS, specifically the Revs, for drawing so many fans to the most underrated sport in America. If only for one night, Gillette Stadium sounded like a legitimate soccer venue. Until they can draw the passion that those extra fans showed Wednesday night though, MLS will continue being Washington Generals to Europe’s Globetrotters.

My first post: Women's World Cup?

So what better of a topic to launch my blog with than...women’s soccer? What can I say? I’ve never been accused of being conventional.

Regardless, today’s U.S.A. vs. Brazil Women’s World Cup Semifinal game will without a doubt go down as one of the most exciting and riveting soccer games (yes, soccer games in general, not just women’s soccer,) in recent memory, if not ever.

Let me first start off with an honest admission of how I came across watching this game: by accident.

Of course I knew the World Cup was on, but to say it was on my list of daily priorities would be a lie. Browsing ESPN.com, I came across a reminder and said, “Oh why not? It’s not like I’m up to anything important.”

Now, as you’ll undoubtedly find out over the course of my blogging “career,” (assuming coming across my blog wasn't some freak accident) I’m a huge fan of soccer. MLS, La Liga, EPL, World Cup, all of it. I love the culture around it and the passion behind it.

Having said that, women’s soccer has never been something I’ve been able to latch onto. Not because of it being a women’s league, for those sexists out there, or because it’s a slower pace than the men’s game, but because it’s impossible to catch on TV. Aside from replays of the Boston Breakers on some local channel at a ridiculous hour, there are never televised games, thus my lack of passion.

Anyway, I turned the game on approximately 20 minutes in, only to hear that the only goal of the game was an own goal by a defender. Sure, not the prettiest of ways to score, but against a powerhouse like Brazil, the US will take anything they can get.

Now I’ll save the play-by-play analysis for ESPN, but for those who don’t know what happened, here’s an abbreviated version.

Marta and U.S. defender Rachel Buehler were shoulder to shoulder just a couple feet from the goal, Marta leapt awkwardly, swung and missed at the ball, turned to the referee screaming, and ended up getting the penalty kick. An unbelievably bad call but the first in what would prove to be many on the day. In addition, Buehler received a red card for committing a penalty on a goal scoring opportunity.

All-World goalie Hope Solo dove and saved the PK, only to hear the news that she’d moved prior to the shot (which, according to soccer law, is only a no-no if she moved forward, which she did not. Game changing call #2 for those keeping score at home.) Solo was unable to save the second attempt, so the U.S. was tied 1-1 with approximately 25 minutes left while also being down a player.

With the fuel of a bad call flowing through their veins, the U.S. actually played better with 10 players than they did with 11 and were able to finish regulation time still tied 1-1. Unfortunately, that was short-lived because Marta put her second goal of the game shortly into the first extra time period (off a cross from a player who was offside’s, bad call #3).

With talks of controversy already rampant (oh come on, when has FIFA ever been anything but commendable?) Abby Wambach buried a header in the 120^th minute off a beautiful cross from Megan Rapinoe that would have made David Beckham blush to send the team into PK’s.

The U.S. team went on to win in PK’s 5-3, but that’s not the story. Nor is the story the fact that karma came around to bite the Brazilians in the end. The story here is the amount of support gained from an event that the U.S. team never wanted to happen—losing a player and getting the shaft from a referee multiple times in a game.

Brazil travels as well as any national team in the world in terms of fan support due to the type of exciting soccer they play. Up until that red card/pk/pk redo, the neutral Germany crowd were on the fence with who they were showing their allegiances to, but you could bet they would move a little closer to the edge of their seats every time a Brazilian forward got the ball with space. Once the U.S. had the series of terrible calls against them though, it all changed, and for a simple reason—the world loves underdogs. The U.S. weren’t underdogs in terms of their abilities, but underdogs in the sense that they may have been prevented from accomplishing a feat they set out to achieve due to things out of their control. Playing a woman down to one of the best soccer teams in the world, on the sport’s biggest stage, and coming back to win despite the refs continued efforts to make sure that didn’t happen is something fans of all sports can get behind. In fact, it’s the stuff movies are made of.

And get behind the fans did, mercilessly booing and whistling at Marta every time she touched the ball. Seemingly willing the referee to hand a yellow card to a Brazilian who went down with a fantom injury, milked three minutes off the clock waiting for a stretcher, then (literally) hopping off said stretcher and jogging away as soon as she was safely off the field. 

When Wambach put that header in the back of the net, you almost knew the U.S. team was going to come back to win in the end. Not because they were better, but because they had to. They deserved it. I’m a believer in karma and today was a huge indicator that it does exist.

The best part of the day, aside from the U.S. winning obviously, is the change in stance from pessimistic viewers of the game. People were unanimous in thinking that this game was one of the best they’d ever seen. Facebook was filled with celebrations from people whom I didn’t think even knew soccer existed, let alone women’s soccer. Three of the top trending topics on Twitter in the U.S. were women’s soccer related. All of a sudden, this team went from a blip on the radar to something people were excited to rally around, which is going to work wonders for the game in the future.

I, for one, won’t be missing another game of this World Cup, and I sincerely hope others follow.