Wednesday, March 29, 2006
SportsRant.net Archives
Just found this great link that lets you look at all the SportsRant.net archives of the old site. Note the amazing number of front page design changes. This is called overthinking.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Junk Drawer Rants
Sometimes, you just have to take a break from all the CelticsBlogging to look around at the rest of the sporting world and offer a few thoughts. Like these:
NFL Draft Grades:
Hi, I'm a pundit. I need a column to meet my deadline. I will always resort to "draft grades" because the column practically writes itself in a mindless formula and I will never be judged on the value of my work because I'll just throw my hands up in the air and say "its all just projections!"
I need a hug.
Joe Gibbs = Liar?
I have a tremendous amount of respect for this man, as does the whole sporting community. Not only that, but he's a pillar in the Christian community as well.
So what is he thinking by coming out and lying to our faces about trusting Ramsey. I guess the alternative would be to say "We don't have any faith in Patrick and we're just going to showcase him for trade until our draft pick is ready." And that would kibosh the season good. But still, its just unsettling.
All the world is a blog...
...and everyone seems to be a blogger. ESPN wants to stay fresh and cutting edge and they know that Page2 is getting duller by the minute (propped up on the creaky back of Bill Simmons and the Daily Quickie). They look around the web and realize that blogs are where its at. So the pound square pegs (like Chad Ford) into round holes (ESPN's insider blogs) and hope for the best. I don't mind Chad, but he's not a blogger, he's a columnist. Buster Olney, on the other hand, actually works out quite well. He seems to have a blogger's heart (sampling and linking around the net).
So now that this is happening, you have to start wondering, has blogging "jumped the shark?" Blogs started out being amateurish, quickly went cutting edge, then became world changing (Election 04), and now everyone wants one (and can easily enough have one). Still, just cause you format a webpage a certain way and slap the title blog on it, doesn't necessarily mean that it fits the mold of what the blogging phenomenon encapsulates.
Then again, the fact that I'm even discussing this proves two points:
a. it has already jumped the shark
b. I'm a blog snob
NFL Draft Grades:
Hi, I'm a pundit. I need a column to meet my deadline. I will always resort to "draft grades" because the column practically writes itself in a mindless formula and I will never be judged on the value of my work because I'll just throw my hands up in the air and say "its all just projections!"
I need a hug.
Joe Gibbs = Liar?
I have a tremendous amount of respect for this man, as does the whole sporting community. Not only that, but he's a pillar in the Christian community as well.
So what is he thinking by coming out and lying to our faces about trusting Ramsey. I guess the alternative would be to say "We don't have any faith in Patrick and we're just going to showcase him for trade until our draft pick is ready." And that would kibosh the season good. But still, its just unsettling.
All the world is a blog...
...and everyone seems to be a blogger. ESPN wants to stay fresh and cutting edge and they know that Page2 is getting duller by the minute (propped up on the creaky back of Bill Simmons and the Daily Quickie). They look around the web and realize that blogs are where its at. So the pound square pegs (like Chad Ford) into round holes (ESPN's insider blogs) and hope for the best. I don't mind Chad, but he's not a blogger, he's a columnist. Buster Olney, on the other hand, actually works out quite well. He seems to have a blogger's heart (sampling and linking around the net).
So now that this is happening, you have to start wondering, has blogging "jumped the shark?" Blogs started out being amateurish, quickly went cutting edge, then became world changing (Election 04), and now everyone wants one (and can easily enough have one). Still, just cause you format a webpage a certain way and slap the title blog on it, doesn't necessarily mean that it fits the mold of what the blogging phenomenon encapsulates.
Then again, the fact that I'm even discussing this proves two points:
a. it has already jumped the shark
b. I'm a blog snob
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Clement Time
Monday, December 20, 2004
BoSox Rotation Redeux
Before: Schilling, Pedro, Lowe, Arroyo, Wakefield
After: Schilling, Wells, Clement, Arroyo, Wakefield
If you compare Pedro and Lowe at their peaks vs. Wells and Clement, its no contest, we declined. Speaking of decline, I would say that both Pedro and Lowe declined to different degrees in the last couple of years. If that downward trend was going to continue, why not get a place holder like Wells and a guy with some potential like Clement? Plus, in going the FA route, we still have stud prospects to dangle for Sheets if/when he becomes available next season. All in all I like it.
After: Schilling, Wells, Clement, Arroyo, Wakefield
If you compare Pedro and Lowe at their peaks vs. Wells and Clement, its no contest, we declined. Speaking of decline, I would say that both Pedro and Lowe declined to different degrees in the last couple of years. If that downward trend was going to continue, why not get a place holder like Wells and a guy with some potential like Clement? Plus, in going the FA route, we still have stud prospects to dangle for Sheets if/when he becomes available next season. All in all I like it.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
RJ NY Bound
allow me to save us all a lot of time...
Yankee Fan: "how ya like me NOW?"
Red Sox Fan: "scoreboard"
YF: "You only need a few dozen to catch up"
RSF: "You bought them all and you're doing the same again"
YF: "Mr. Pot, I know I'm black, look in the mirror"
RSF: "You choked and you'll choke again"
YF: "We learned from the best, you'll show us how its really done"
RSF: "In Theo we trust"
YF: "We trust putting the top 25 players in the game all on one team"
and so on and so on and so on...
Yankee Fan: "how ya like me NOW?"
Red Sox Fan: "scoreboard"
YF: "You only need a few dozen to catch up"
RSF: "You bought them all and you're doing the same again"
YF: "Mr. Pot, I know I'm black, look in the mirror"
RSF: "You choked and you'll choke again"
YF: "We learned from the best, you'll show us how its really done"
RSF: "In Theo we trust"
YF: "We trust putting the top 25 players in the game all on one team"
and so on and so on and so on...
Thursday, October 28, 2004
YES!
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Wonder Years
Is there a better time to be a Boston fan? I can think of only one point in my life where it rivaled this and it just so happened to coincide with the formative years of my sports obsession. 1985 – 86.
The Pats lost (in epic fashion) in the Super Bowl. The Red Sox lost (in tragic fashion) in the World Series. But it was the Celtics that took home the title with perhaps the best team put together in the big 3 years.
This year, the Celtics have been somewhat left behind by the other clubs, but I’m still as excited about their future as I’ve been in many years. The Pats have established themselves as the standard bearers of the NFL and now the “Idiots” have already made history and are angling to end “the Curse.” I’ll take that.
People wonder out loud what identity Red Sox fans would have if the team won the Series. To that I respond, “who cares?” We’re itching to get rid of this lovable loser identity. Its not as though we’ll become some overconfident pompous front-runners. We would just be so ecstatic, relieved, drained, bleary eyed, and downright happy, that we won’t care a lick what “identity” others associate with us.
So pour it on, give us the title we fans have been (annoyingly) pining for and that the Sox owners have been paying for. We are getting a pass for spending like the Yanks because we haven’t enjoyed the success that they have. A title might change all that, but that’s worth it too. Change the rules next year if you have to. Take all our money and players away this offseason if you must. Just let us have this one title. We’re ready to keep these wonder years going.
The Pats lost (in epic fashion) in the Super Bowl. The Red Sox lost (in tragic fashion) in the World Series. But it was the Celtics that took home the title with perhaps the best team put together in the big 3 years.
This year, the Celtics have been somewhat left behind by the other clubs, but I’m still as excited about their future as I’ve been in many years. The Pats have established themselves as the standard bearers of the NFL and now the “Idiots” have already made history and are angling to end “the Curse.” I’ll take that.
People wonder out loud what identity Red Sox fans would have if the team won the Series. To that I respond, “who cares?” We’re itching to get rid of this lovable loser identity. Its not as though we’ll become some overconfident pompous front-runners. We would just be so ecstatic, relieved, drained, bleary eyed, and downright happy, that we won’t care a lick what “identity” others associate with us.
So pour it on, give us the title we fans have been (annoyingly) pining for and that the Sox owners have been paying for. We are getting a pass for spending like the Yanks because we haven’t enjoyed the success that they have. A title might change all that, but that’s worth it too. Change the rules next year if you have to. Take all our money and players away this offseason if you must. Just let us have this one title. We’re ready to keep these wonder years going.
