Sports have been bumming me out. Between the Ducks losing and the Mariners apparently marching towards a miserable season with poor personnel decisions, I haven't had a whole lot to get excited about this week. Three posts from the U.S.S. Mariner blog is the last two days:

Mariners are probably going to bring up Brandon Morrow, a pitcher they drafted last year, to do relief work. Apparently this is a bad idea and may hurt his development as a starter, and that might suck.

A while back they traded away a young, cheap player with great potential for a more expensive, older, less effective player. And now it seems that this new player is basically the sort of player that other teams simply drop from their roster.

And finally, the Mariners got rid of Rivera, a sorry excuse for a backup catcher, but their bench still sucks.


I feel discouraged. But I have a plan! Starting on opening day, I'm going to boycott blogs for a while, just read the Seattle news sites and whatever might be at ESPN or MLB. Because I'm a little tired of the cranky Mariner's nation. And as realistic and statistically reasonable as they may be, I think opening day should be a time for optimism. Blind optimism, even!

On that note (the positive one) my uncle wrote a pretty good column about the Ducks basketball season which helped me put my cranky feelings about that to bed.

re: the Ducks

Ah, well, that's the way sports go. More often than not when you cheer for little guys and little teams and underdogs, you end up cheering for the folks that lose. The Ducks didn't have any quit in them yesterday, which I liked to see, but ultimately they just couldn't get it done.

I go back and forth on the issue of foul trouble and how the game was refereed. It's hard when their big guys seem to get a pass when they throw their weight around the rim, because they're just using their "natural athletic ability" while if your guys show good D in the paint, they get saddled with phantom fouls because how could they stop the unstoppable Gators without fouling?

It's water under the bridge now, but it reminds me why I find basketball so much harder to get into compared to other sports. Basketball has a lot of physical play, and a lot of fouls come on plays where both players are trying to get position and therefore get the foul called on the other. Especially when players are down by the basket, I can never really tell when a foul will be called. When the players don't have the ball there's always plenty of shoving, but who knows when it'll get called. Even when it comes to traveling, a seemingly simple enough rule, there's all the extra steps you can take, the shuffling that sometimes goes unnoticed, and the palming of the ball to consider. It's all very subjective, and since there's very little replay in basketball, the referees just have to go with their guts in a lot of cases.

Football has a lot of physical play and it's share of foul related frustrations, but their implementation of a replay system allows referees to look at some of the closer calls. Which gives fans, coaches, and players a chance at satisfaction, in game, when things are called. That doesn't mean there aren't a few problems: pass interference can be tricky to peg, and it also isn't reviewable; we've all heard that holding could be called on every play; and I still think that if you go up to catch the ball and then someone tackles you so you land out of bounds, you should be out. But because football is a physical game at it's core, you don't get the same trouble that you do in basketball, where referees are trying desperately to draw a line between okay contact and bad contact, and there's a lot of gray area and room for inconsistency.

Baseball doesn't have the problems that come from a contact sport. For the most part, umpires are simply expected to see where the ball goes and tell the players and fans what the call is. The strike zone can change day to day, yes, but the umpires need to be consistent, and the announcers calling the game will generally point out if the umpire has a fluctuating strike zone. So there's consistency and accountability and when I watch the game, there's very few moments where I'm feeling confused and/or angry at the umpires.

In short? I'm glad it's baseball season. I also want to reiterate how pleased I've been with the Ducks this season. It was nice to be able to cheer for a team from my school (I had a hard time cheering for the football team). I also have high expectations for them next year.

Hopefully, Porter will come back more powerful than we could ever imagine. Go little dude--I'll be watching you next year.

I can't stop talking about Tajuan Porter

The headline from the Oregonian reads: Small wonder lifts Ducks.

Yup. Porter got 33 points last night. Oregon was playing sloppy, clearly more able than UNLV but unable to pull away with things. But Porter stepped up and took control of the game just when the team needed him to. He hit eight threes! The little dude was on fire.

Last night's game illustrated why I like this Oregon team so much. I feel like there are a number of players who, when the need arises, can get hot and take over the game. It's not a team with one superstar, it's a team with a lot of solid players who contribute, and several very good players. What this means is that even though the Ducks have failed to blow out their opponents consistently during the tournament, they've still been able to win. They don't need everyone playing perfectly to get things done.

If they do get everyone playing perfectly, well...

Also in the Oregonian, John Canzano directs some of his crankiness towards Florida and the media.

I imagine it's difficult to win a national title, become overnight rock stars and, for an entire calendar year, maintain the same raging intensity it took to get you there. While Florida was playing Butler in one regional semifinal, a UNLV assistant scouting the game, remarked about how difficult it has been to maintain focus with the media and fans bantering about the Rebels' run into the sweet 16 for the last week.

Understand, the Gators have been told how wonderful and imposing and beautiful they are for the past 51 weeks. They've been put on the covers of dozens of magazines. They've been called sure-fire lottery picks. They've been swooned on by cheerleaders, and asked for thousands of autographs, and chased by dozens of salivating agents. And it's become nauseating to everyone, but them.

The Gators have swallowed the thing whole.

Indeed. The Gators looked beatable last night. In fact, all of the higher seeds have looked beatable, in my opinion. And I think the Ducks could be the folks to do the beating.

So come on Gators, bring on the:


because the Ducks have a little bit of:

and they aren't afraid to use it.

Tajuan Porter: the last little guy in the tournament, but first in our hearts

As soon as I saw Tajuan Porter, genuine little guy, go toe to toe with Craig Bradshaw, genuine rugby player, I knew I needed to find a picture of the match-up. Four days later The Register Guard and photographer Thomas Boyd oblige. There's also this excellent article on the little dude.

I may be biased, but I will always find this:


to be more impressive than this:


I have yet to be impressed by any big players. I'm sorry, but if you're made to play basketball, and you earn your bread and butter by backing up into the paint and shooting over people's heads, well, it's good that you stick with what works, but I don't find it exciting and I don't find it impressive. And you sure as heck better make your free throws.

If you've been reading what I've had to say, you know that I love a good story. Porter makes for a great storyline, but he's also a great player. I'll admit, I'd like it if he was short and decent, and only got a little playing time, but the fact that he is so smart on the field, and so capable and such a contributor means he's pretty much my perfect player.

And did I mention he has a twin sister? I'm a twin, so anyone with twins (even the Minnesota Twins) get automatic points with me.

My girlfriend woke up this morning and told me she had a dream where she played for the Knicks with Spike Lee. I told her I've heard that the Knicks are pretty bad, so maybe they'd take her.

Bunch of basketball games today, but we've reached the point in the tournament where there aren't a whole lot of underdogs to cheer for. I'll probably keep cheering for the lower seeds (especially in the Ohio St. game) but ultimately when the teams get to be closely matched, it's not even a matter of who the lower seed is, it's who is actually behind right at this moment. I'm not interested in blowouts, except maybe over number 1 seeds.

An interesting article by Geoff Baker in the Seattle Times today about how tricky it is to evaluate players from their spring training numbers and performance. And an interesting kneejerk response to it at the USS Mariner blog. Apparently those guys can't handle: 1) any use of the word grit in conjunction with the game of baseball 2) any possible suggestion that intangibles might mean something.

Never mind that the article seems to me to be completely in line with the USS Mariner way of thinking, meaning that it takes fans to task for trying to draw ridiculous conclusions based on the small sample of spring training games.

I liked this bit about yesterday's game in particular:

Batista's stats will show he allowed 11 hits and four runs in five innings. They will show how all the runs came in the third inning, along with seven of the hits.

What they won't show is how that inning was prolonged by hit balls, which would have normally resulted in outs, being blown beyond the fielders' reach by the wind. Or accurately portray how Batista somehow adjusted to conditions that initially had his sinker bouncing a foot in front of its target, toughing out two more innings and keeping his team positioned for a comeback.

"It was pretty uncomfortable in the beginning," said Batista, who had to squint to keep the sand from blowing in his eyes.

Hargrove came away impressed by what he won't see in Batista's stats, including an ERA that jumped from 3.00 to 4.50. Plenty of pitchers would not have recovered from Batista's third inning.

It's games and stuff like this that helps make baseball worth watching. Players overcoming difficult situations. Things that have nothing to do with numbers. These things are worth talking about.

One more article: Putz has twins! Just when you think our closer can't get anymore awesome.

The Mariners blog Lookout Landing has the most pessimistic outlook possible regarding the upcoming baseball season. That sound you hear while reading is all the hope you have exiting your body at a high velocity. Thankfully they promise that four more optimistic predictions are upcoming.

To continue with the pessimism: my hero, Kenji Johjima, can't throw people out at second. He is also the subject of this hilarious and unfortunate picture from Monday's game.

Seattle Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima can't handle a bop foul off the bat of Arizona Diamondbacks' Chad Tracy in the second of their spring training baseball game in Peoria, Ariz., Monday, March 19, 2007. Tracy then reached base on an error by Seattle's first baseman Richie Sexson.
(AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

There's also been much worry about ace closer Putz and some strange arm stiffness, but so far it seems like there's no need to panic, and that he'll be okay.

I'm learning that a lot of time being a sports fan means choosing between a constant feeling of dread or blind Pollyannaism. It's hard to take the middle of the road and still be passionate and involved. There's no such thing as looking at a team and letting out an enthusiastic "hmm." What's interesting is that a lot of blogs I've been reading lately--particularly those that seem to be particularly interested in statistical analysis--seem in general to take the pessimistic road. I get the sense that they feel that they have a responsibility to be the voice of reason against the eternally optimistic mainstream media.

While on the subject of sports media and what I'm reading lately: I've been reading a lot of Geoff Baker's articles for the Seattle Times as well as his blog on the paper's website. It's interesting to see what a regular reporter does with the blogging media, and what he chooses to talk about in his blog and what he talks about in print. One of the things that I enjoy is the fact that he writes about the spring training games as they happen, meaning I can check in on how the Mariners are doing as soon as I remember that they're playing. He also provides up to the minute info on developing issues, like Putz and his stiff elbow.

Besides the promptness of the updates, the blog also allows Baker to discuss certain issues in more detail then he might in print. Yesterday he wrote this fascinating article about up and coming pitcher Brandon Morrow, and the possibility of using him in the bullpen this year. Baker discusses what he has personally seen in similar situations with other clubs. It's interesting and really helped me understand the Morrow issue in a way that a brief blurb in the paper would not. Baker even edited the article to respond to a user comment.

Basically, Baker uses the blog to give readers more information, faster, in a more informal environment. It's awesome.

Ok, that's enough baseball blather for now. 12 days until the first real live official game of the season.

Upcoming posts I'm planning: more talk about what makes me like teams--particularly what sort of strategies and tactics I find appealing in all sports; talk about the sweet sixteen in NCAA basketball; and photographic proof that my house has been infiltrated by Yankees fans.

I've learned a couple things the last couple of days:

1. Brackets are stupid. I stopped caring about my brackets as soon as Friday came along I started to think that North Texas could beat Memphis and Texas A&M Corpus Christi could beat Wisconsin. When I saw that the Miami (Ohio) coach was a wearing an ill-fitting turtle neck and was losing his hair I found myself halfway rooting for them against the Ducks. And yesterday, well, almost every single game yesterday had moments where it seemed that the higher seed might pull off an upset, and believe me, I was cheering for the little bracket busters every time.

2. I think my dad is right when he calls me an albatross for teams (meaning I cheer for losers). I don't know if they lose because I cheer for them, or if some sad little part of me cheers for them because I know they'll lose. But oh, did yesterday hurt. Xavier, VCU, MSU, Boston College? You guys broke my heart. The one game where I wasn't cheering for the upset (WSU vs. Vanderbilt) I still ended up cheering for the loser!


2. a) Hey, how cool is it that CBS is posting highlights of the games on YouTube? It's a good way to generate interest and it means I get to link you all to some video content. We're working with all media here! How fancy.

3. Ducks are playing this afternoon, and even though they looked a little sluggish in the first round, I'm hopeful that they can get their stuff together for the game today. The optimist in me thinks that it was a good sign that they could grind out a game against a tough lower seed, even though they never caught fire and pulled away. It shows maturity and a willingness to suck it up and deal even if the shots aren't falling at first. Of course, I expect the most likely way of things today will be a big Winthrop upset (which I can't really enjoy because I'm cheering for Oregon) and a sweep of the underdogs in the other games.

Hopefully the underdogs will at least get my hopes up by playing tough. That way it will be more discouraging when they blow it in the end. Woohoo! Let the Madness continue!