To everyone that's supported me over the last year and a half, I wanted to pass along that my articles, from this point forward, can be found over at SI.com. My first article on the Sports Illustrated's site was posted today after this weekend's draft, and I plan to contribute on a more frequent basis.
Many thanks to everyone here in the FOX Blog community for all the support during NGS and beyond. I'll stop by from time to time to see how everyone's doing, as I always do. In the meantime, keep in touch!
As we close out 2006, I just wanted to thank you all for your support. Those who have trolled the blogs for the last year know just how much has transpired, namely two Next Great Sportswriter contests. People have come and gone, but many of the originals remain.
Though I've now officially written 21 columns for FOXSports.com, my favorite piece was posted one year (and one day) ago while attempting to solidify a spot as a top 16 finalist in the first NGS contest. Ahh yes, those were stressful days that I will never ever forget. And I could think of no better way of celebrating the one year anniversary of the Quick Slants blog than re-posting a link to it. Ladies and gents...
This is Part 3 of a 4 part conversation with NGS II runner-up Bri Moore. To see parts 1 & 2, scroll down.
Ty Hildenbrandt: I'm not even going to dignify this Bobby Knight controversy with a response. Something else that's been totally overblown. As I said before, it's not like he threatened Lubbock with mass murder. Let's all agree to move on.
I must say, that's the best (and only) phonetic impersonation of Keith Jackson that I've ever read. If the column-writing thing doesn't work out, you could just as easily launch a career as the Frank Caliendo of print media. Just a thought.
Again, you bring up some great points -- such as how we could have three or four "game of the century"-type matchups within a 14-month span. It's shaping up to be one hell of a century, huh? But more to the point, I agree with your assessment of the remaining one-loss teams. I think the winner of the USC/ND is in the driver's seat, assuming of course that USC takes out Cal this weekend and that ND doesn't lose to Army. Sooner or later, you'd have to think that all of Florida's mistakes would catch up and equate to a loss, whether that's against Florida State or Arkansas in the SEC Championship.
Regardless, I'm sure some controversy will crop up. The whole "time of loss" factor that we've discussed has more to do with the process than it should. Even if we had a playoff, it still would. The current system is so dependent on rankings that it's unavoidable. Hence, at the end of the season when everyone is vying for a spot in the BCS title game, it's like waiting in line at the deli with one of those paper numbers in your hand.
But enough about college football. In some of our conversations since the conclusion of NGS II, I learned that you're an avid Red Sox fan. How does it feel to know that Theo Epstein went all "Tom Hicks" on Daisuke Matsuzaka and outbid the next closest franchise by $12-million? By comparison, the margin between the Red Sox bid and Mets' bid was almost as much as what the Mariners posted to get Ichiro Suzuki ($13.1-million). Are you at all concerned with the franchise's mental state after ponying up $51-million just to talk with him? That's like giving a stripper $10,000 for a lapdance.
Bri Moore: Truthfully, there’s no way anyone could be the Frank Caliendo of print media. How would anyone phonetically do Al Pacino? “Lye-AH, Lye-AH, Ya-OR PhANTS R awn Fy-AH!”? (Don't worry, I just gave myself a sedative, so that’s the last one I promise.)
Before moving on to the Diasuke Matsuzaka situation, here’s a final thought regarding the BCS system that might help, which I never supported until recently: Drop the pre-season rankings. Seriously, just start the polls following Week 2 or 3. Because anyone starting lower than 15th in pre-season has as much chance of winning the national title as Nicole Ritchie has of gaining weight. Maybe doing away with the ridiculous pre-season rankings would eliminate the “Deli Line” theory you mentioned (which was terrific, by the way).
Speaking of food analogies, wasn’t this Matsuzaka thing a little bit like ordering a steak in the most expensive restaurant in town but not knowing how much it really cost because the place is so high class they don’t put prices on the menu?
I may not speak for all Red Sox fans, but here’s my best guess with this: We went 86-years without a taste and now that we’ve got one, we’re as thirsty as Mel Gibson in a whiskey bar. Now, I’m a little curious as to why we couldn’t pony up a little to get something at the trade deadline last year, especially after the whole "We're not the Yankees" speech, but hey, we're the same team that treated Doug Mirabelli like a Russian Imperial Easter Egg after re-acquiring him from San Diego last season.
As for the franchise’s mental state, I’m ALWAYS worried about it. It’s in your blood and after a while it just becomes a part of you. The Yankees have been overpaying players for years, so you guys deal with it a little better than us. So, if Matsuzaka is 2-5 with a 7.43 E.R.A. with two D.L. appearances come the 2007 All-Star break and we’re carrying around hyperventilation bags, just give it a little time. All I know is that this “gyro-ball” Daisuke throws is as nasty as they say.
Let me turn the tables: How does it feel, as a Yankees fan, to be out-bid? Does this have any affect on YOUR mental state? And, most importantly, can we come up with a viable nickname for this guy?
Ty Hildenbrandt: Well first off, I'm glad you brought up the gyroball, because a lot of people have no idea what it is. As of now, Matsuzaka claims that he does not throw one, but that he's trying to learn. There is, however, video evidence that he threw one in a Japanese game, so who knows what the real deal is. All I know is that if this thing catches on, and breaks upwards of three feet, without putting any undue stress on the elbow or shoulder, it could revolutionize the game. In that case, Matsuzaka is worth every penny of that $51-million posting fee.
But this move opens up doors for Yankees fans everywhere who have been pelted by Red Sox fans who claim that the Yankees "buy championships." Even if the Sox don't win it all in '07, Yankees fans can now point to this move and yell "AH HA" with joy.
As I said on my show this past week, Matsuzaka is a guy I wanted badly. I've been studying him for the better part of a year now and could probably tell you more than you ever wanted to know about him. But I am overjoyed that the Yankees didn't go beyond $30-million with their bid. This tells me that Brian Cashman's mental state is just fine, and that maybe -- just maybe -- he's seen the proverbial light and has reverted back to the rational managerial thinking that won the Yanks four championships in five years ('96, '98-'00). Could it be that the Yankees are content with taking a step backwards with their pitching in '07 to take a giant step forward in '08? Keep your eyes peeled for prospects like Philip Hughes, Humberto Sanchez (who they just got from Detroit), Tyler Clippard, and Ian Kennedy to start making an impact in the next couple years. This team could have an entirely home-grown rotation by 2009 when its new stadium is set to open.
Onto your most important point, though... Matsuzaka's nickname. First off, let's leave the Hideki Irabu comparisons at the door. This guy is actually in pretty good physical condition and has a bigger arsenal of pitches to draw from. Secondly, I'll say that my natural instinct is to pull a reference from that "Mr. Baseball" movie with Tom Selleck, but I don’t know if any of the material is actually fitting, nor if anyone out there would actually recognize a "Mr. Baseball" reference. Thirdly, I'd say that my next instinct is to pull something old school "Baseball Stars" from the Nintendo gaming console, but I don't know how people would feel about me trotting out a "Japan Robins"-related reference. And fourthly, I'll just say that "D-Mat" is far too bland.
To be honest with you, I'm at a complete loss here. Shame on me
Bri Moore: Ty, I’m going to say this whole Daisuke Matsuzaka or “Gyro-sake” (hey, like you said, anything’s better than D-Mat) situation has either one of two conclusions:
A) A smokescreen to simply block the Yankees from getting another prime pitcher. Now Cashman, Steinbrenner and many fans will play this off as no big deal, but would you rather have Mussina or Matsuzaka going into next season? And thinking long-term, how nasty does a prospective rotation of Hughes, Sanchez (who’s already got a great nick-name waiting for him if he pans out), Clippard, Kennedy, and Matsuzaka look? The Yankees have never been shy about adding loads of talent when they can.
OR
B) The Red Sox simply placed more value, as it related to their team, on Matsuzaka than anyone else did. I certainly think they paid way too much money just to negotiate—it’s like someone playing $1,500 to be in the front of the line to buy a Playstation 3. But it’s as if the Red Sox finally realized that Schilling’s on his farewell tour, Beckett was a train-wreck the second half of ’06 and Papelbon had a sore arm after 65+ innings. So Theo’s thinking, “Our pitching rotation is about as stable as a drunk guy on stilts, I’ve got to do something.”
One clarification is needed: Did you just say that Brian Cashman’s mental state is just fine? He may be making good business decisions, but the man has Jeff Van Gundy Eyes because he works for “The Boss”, so his mental state is anything but “fine.”
The following is Part 2 of a 4 part discussion with Bri Moore, the runner-up of NGS II. For Part 1, click here.
Ty Hildenbrandt: Exaggeration and over-the-top coverage has always been ESPN's trademark. For example, if you were listening this morning to Mike Greenberg's reaction to Bobby Knight's love tap, you would've sworn that Knight pulled out an M-16 and went on a five block shooting spree in downtown Lubbock. So, the overhype for this rivalry game shouldn't be any different, they 'over' do everything -- from laughing on NFL Countdown to reacting anytime T.O. steps out in public. My guess is that the executives looked at this game, put their heads together, and said, "Hey, the first game of the century worked out so well... let's throw another one!" And they went with it. The only thing missing is the pinata. It's the old ESPN - ESPN2 theory. The first worked out pretty well, so... let's just try it again!
Ironically, that's what I love most about Musberger. His voice makes every situation feel more important. Keith Jackson and Pat Summerall are the same way. Some voices are just associated with big events. Musberger could call a dog show and I'd still tune in to hear his comments. "Check out that articulate pooch from Mesquite, Texas! Wow, there's that dog again!"
In all fairness to ESPN, it is partially right; Michigan - Ohio State is, at the very least, THIS MONTH'S Game of the Century. And THAT'S saying something. Who's going to win? Clearly, Ohio State -- I'm thinking in convincing fashion, too. As it stands, OSU is roughly a touchdown favorite. You'd have to go back to last season's game against Penn State (on the road, no less) to find the last time they didn't cover the spread in a big game situation. I think they're the better team here with a more explosive offense and, as you pointed out, the better coach. But I've been wrong before, just look at my predictions for this year's previous "game of the century." Yikes.
It's your loss if you're not willing to front some cash on Musberger-isms. For what it's worth, I'd put $1,000 on Brent saying "You are looking LIVE," even if it meant I'd only win a buck or two. I'm telling you, it's like free money. You could put your kids through college.
I'm glad you bring up that game in '93, because we could be looking at a similar setup here. You'll remember that game as the one where ND slayed the hated 'Noles under the leadership of Kevin McDougle and clutch defensive work of Shawn Wooden. You'll also remember that season as the one that ND gave away the very next week after being upset by Boston College on a last second field goal. Even though ND took out Florida State, it was the 'Noles that ended up with a shot for the Sears Trophy, simply because of WHEN they lost. Didn't matter that ND beat them outright, it was all about timing.
So, what happens this year if Michigan loses to Ohio State and Notre Dame takes out USC and gets some help. Does Notre Dame deserve a shot at Ohio State, even though it got drilled by Michigan earlier this season?
(Oh, and I've always been partial to the Michigan fight song, but Ohio State's is pretty solid as well. However, "Hail to the Victors" is about as overplayed as Kelly Clarkson, so I think it goes without saying that it will be trapped in my head for the remainder of the weekend.)
Bri Moore: What’s funny is when Sports Talk radio hosts hype up something and the guests come on and shoot them down—like this morning with Knight.
A couple shows hammered on the point that Bobby Knight is out-of-control following the face push last night to one of his players. Then, you hear no less than 37 people come on and say it was “no big deal” and we’re over-reacting because it’s Knight. I wonder how many of these radio guys bit off their microphones in a fit of rage upon hearing that.
Blanket coverage becomes so over-the-top dramatic, it becomes laughable. Should we blame ourselves for that, somewhat? After all, we give the TV ratings the boost they need in these situations to make the network execs think we want MORE of the hype. Then again, as sports fans, it’s not like we’re not going to watch a big game—our best entertainment alternative is by attempting to keep a straight face as a bald Howie Mandel gravely asks “Deal, or No Deal?”
(Good point about the ESPN-ESPN 2 theory. It’s like MTV creating MTV 2 so they could actually show music videos again.)
You’re absolutely right, Musberger, Jackson, Albert, McCarver (whoops, that last one was a typo) all make the games they’re calling seem grander than all the rest. Isn’t that the best measure of an announcer? You take Musberger, I’ll take Keith Jackson, who could make a game of Clue! seem like an event: “It’s KEERNAL MUUSS-tarD, ee-NN the LYE-brary with THE LAED pie-pe!”
(By the way, you’ve now convinced me to put some cash down on the Musberger lines because of the investment potential. Just know that if I lose, I’m sending you my kids Christmas wish lists for Santa and it becomes your problem.)
I like your pick of OSU, if only from the standpoint that you threw out a good stat about them covering the spread for over a year—I like numbers. But hey, what do we know? As they say, opinions are like... well, everyone’s got one.
You bring up a terrific point—and in my opinion, one of the biggest problems with the BCS: The “Time of Loss” factor. They say it doesn’t matter when you lose anymore, but it most certainly does. Look at the Top 10 and when those teams lost (obviously unless undefeated) and the majority of the late September-early October losers are back in the top 5-7. It’s fine if the BCS wants to play it like that, but don’t lie to us and proclaim that this system erases the “Time of Loss” factor, because it doesn’t.
The “Time of Loss” factor is painful to stomach to fans because it’s the only sport where the date of a regular season loss makes any difference. The Colts could get beat twice in a row and still make the playoffs. Florida basketball could drop its conference championship to Wake Forest and still get a #1 seed based on its body of work. The Suns can start the year 1-6 and still make the playoffs. A champion is about the team that comes together to achieve their maximum potential when it counts the most, not by winning one big game in late September then resting for 45-50 days before a bowl game.
With this season, there are just too many dangerous scenarios out there to think the BCS can survive any longer. I recently wrote a column about this and called the BCS “pea-pushers” (remember those times as a kid where you moved the peas on your plate around when no one was looking to create the illusion you’d ate some?)—and that’s what’s happening with all the “tweaks” to the BCS over the years, they’re pushing peas around, hoping we don’t notice there’s nothing of substance happening to fix the problems.
Many of the possibilities will be eliminated over the coming weeks, but what if we have an undefeated Ohio State/Michigan and these choices: undefeated Rutgers, one loss Michigan/Ohio State, USC/Notre Dame and Arkansas/Florida? What then? Don’t you think we’ll find that some of it will come back to the time of the year of the loss.
Don’t you think the voters will give someone else the opportunity—unless it’s Rutgers, of course, in which case the BCS fears for it’s safety against the big, bad power schools. (Don’t get me started there. If they go undefeated in one of the BCS power conferences, why can’t they play for it? There are separate rules for the lower-tier, non-traditional football schools. Glad this system isn’t in place for the NCAA Tournament, or George Mason wouldn’t have even sniffed the Final Four, aren’t you?)
Bottom line, we know it won’t be Rutgers and it seems unlikely that Florida will win out with their schedule, and in the end, I don’t think they’ll give the Michigan/Ohio State loser another shot because this showdown is the last game of the season for both teams and this is their one chance. So that leaves you with the Notre Dame/USC winner, which will have an obvious final score of 51-50 in double OT and become the “Game of the Century, Part II”, obviously leading to “Game of the Century, Part III: Date With Destiny In The Desert” on January 7, 2007.
This is the final installment of a four part conversation with NGS II winner Brandon Vogel. To read the rest of the dicussion, check out part 1, part 2, and part 3. Next week, I'll be having a discussion with NGS II runner-up Bri Moore, known formerly as "MooreSports."
Ty Hildenbrandt: Indeed, online anything is a humbling experience. As you said, the concept is perfect, but unless you’ve got the mental toughness to get drilled by a 13-year old and not feel mildly humiliated, it’s probably not a good idea. Due to a glitch in my PS2 console, my Madden game hangs every time I try to play in Franchise Mode, so if I want to play at all, my only option is online. So far, my record is 9-20 this season. Yes, that’s almost 30 games and I’m not ashamed of it. If I can get back to .500, I’ll break out the champagne and celebrate deep into the night.
You mean to tell me that you weren’t more anxious waiting for the cut-down announcements than you were during your brainstorming sessions? I don’t buy it for a second, Vogel! I remember those Sunday afternoons vividly, refreshing the judges’ blog roughly 726 times between 2:00 – 3:00 pm ET in anticipation of the announcement. (And contrary to some misinformed chatterbugs, I DO live on the East Coast.) I think my anxiety on those Sundays affected my weight, and definitely my appearance. Especially during the first contest, when the judges had virtually no say over who would advance and who wouldn’t. Thank God all that’s over with.
Brandon Vogel: Oh no, we’re breaking out the last names! I will admit that I was consistently refreshing on Selection Sundays, but let me tell you something Hildenbrandt, I still felt more pressure on the Mondays or Tuesdays after. By the time we got to Sunday it was out of my hands. Everyone had done everything they could do and all that was left was to let the chips fall where they may.
Yes, that’s a cliché but as a diehard fan of a mid-major basketball program (Creighton) I’ve grown accustomed to having my fate arbitrarily decided by others. Sundays were a breeze compared to trying to decide between a blog on Paul Shirley or Michael Barrett.
Ty Hildenbrandt: Well, we’ve traded nearly 5,300 words now about a hodgepodge of different topics, and you’ve more than established yourself as a stand up guy. But I still can’t believe that Selection Sunday wouldn’t be more nervewracking for you than any other day of the NGS week. I’m not really in a position to dispute you; I can only speak from personal experience. And I’m telling you, I could’ve been shot in the neck with a tranquilizer dart – Frank the Tank-style – and I still would’ve been biting my nails. Kudos to you for getting past that.
(Before I got any further, now might be the right time to recognize my own stupidity. Earlier in this discussion, I incorrectly identified Jeff Bridges as “Harry” from Dumb and Dumber. Obviously, I confused Jeff Bridges with Jeff Daniels, an egregious error on all counts. My deepest apologies.)
Let’s wind this thing down, Vogel. Talk to me about your upcoming columns and what you’ve learned so far in writing for FOXSports.com.
Brandon Vogel: Our conversation here already spurred one column from me, and we’ve sown a lot of other seeds (chicken sandwiches, hate mail, the difference between Jeff Bridges and Jeff Daniels) so who knows what else will sprout up.
I’m don’t have anything in the works right now, but I feel an NBA piece coming once college football breaks for the bowl season. My first ever blog here at FOX was a piece on bowl game storylines, so I’m hoping to celebrate the anniversary by tackling that subject again.
Also, every year around Christmas time my mind reverts to that of a 9-year-old boy and I get all sappy and stupid. While I’m generally skeptical of trying a holiday theme, when it comes to Christmas I’m powerless to stop it.
In closing, congrats Ty on a great year of writing. The one thing I’ve learned in writing my first few pieces is that there might be a little pressure to make your work seem “more professional” when you take it from the blog to the main page, and in a sense that’s a valid concern. However, if you try to walk the line too much, you end up sounding like the standard AP post game piece. Wherever your work appears, I think the challenge is to make it obvious that no one else could’ve have written it but you. While reading your columns, that’s always been evident. I think you’re officially my favorite Yankees fan.
See, the holiday decorations have just started to spring up and already…sappy and stupid.
This is Part 3 of a 4 part conversation with NGS II Winner Brandon Vogel. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 if you haven't already seen them
Ty Hildenbrandt: Wow, it’s possible you have me at a loss for words with that list. You’re right on the money with John Henry Williams. I think Luke Russert is in the hunt for this honor, but as you so aptly pointed out, only time will tell. He’d be one of those guys showing up on an Upper Deck “Future Offenders of the LOTC III” baseball card.
I’m not gonna lie, this is a tough list to crack, but here are a few you left off in no particular order:
Beau Bridges – The son of Lloyd and the brother of “Harry” from Dumb and Dumber. Check out this guy’s filmography if you’re looking for some evidence as to why he’s on my short list. His dad was a huge star. He, on the other hand, starred in the 1998 show Maximum Bob, a show that lasted a whole two months on ABC before it was canceled.
Colin Hanks – Here’s another guy that Upper Deck would put on its “Future Offenders of the LOTC III” baseball card series along with Luke Russert. Obviously, his old man is a legend in Hollywood. And unless Colin gets moving, it doesn’t seem like he’ll ever be able to live up to his dad’s standards, seeing as how he’ll be 29 at the end of the month. To date, his biggest film was Orange County, a movie that was more popular because of the movie poster (with two orange slices over his eyes) than the actual film.
Lisa Marie Pressly – We here at Quick Slants do not discriminate based on age, race, or gender. Hence, Lisa Marie needs to be on this list in some capacity. To form a lame analogy to the BCS, her marriage to Michael Jackson earned her an automatic bid to appear on this list. And, her dad was the King of Pop, so there’s no conceivable way she could ever fill those shoes.
Jay Paterno – See above conversation.
Jeff Bowden – For lack of better terms, he’s “Jay Paterno South.” And also, he’s the butt of this joke, which might just be the most cleverly conceived Photoshop image I’ve ever seen.
Todd Marinovich – Though not technically the son of an “icon,” we heard so much about this guy’s pedigree and, at one time, believed that he’d grow up to be the “perfect quarterback.” Now, six arrests later (four of which have come since 2000), I think it’s pretty clear that things didn’t work out for Todd. At last check, he’s promoting the legalization of marijuana and steadfastly claims that he’ll move to Holland before anyone in the U.S. tells him he can’t smoke it.
Anyway, enough of that for now. Talk to me about your newfound writing career. How did you react when it first hit you that your writing hobby would now be published on the internet and promoted to millions? To be honest, I was deathly afraid of becoming the blogging version of Ryan Leaf, flipping out at a few hecklers, and relegating myself to typing up boxscores for the local paper. Thus far, I don’t think that’s happened, but I suppose I could still go in the tank over the next couple months.
Brandon Vogel: How could I miss Beau Bridges? Jim Rome makes the Bridges-Bill Callahan comparison at least once a week!
As for the writing career, I guess my first actual gig was writing for a small, on-line newspaper while I was still in college. It was called Xpressnews.com and is now defunct (although not my fault, I don’t think) and I was the sports correspondent covering American Legion baseball and high school all-star games, the typical newbie beat. It ended when I went back to school in the fall. I begged my editor to let me do a column and, probably to her and the readers’ benefit, she continually said no. But when I attended the Nebraska – Notre Dame game in 2000 in South Bend, she actually approached me about doing a sort of reaction piece and that’s basically when everything clicked for me.
After that brief stint doing “real” journalism, and a three-year break for graduate school, I started up a site on blogspot, was doing that for about two months and then my friend and sole reader forwarded me along the NGS contest link. The FOXSports blogs provided me with my first real readers who weren’t either a) directly related to me, or b) a college classmate.
But in the moments after my first article for the main site was published, it was a mixture of elation and unease to think that anyone could just be surfing the Internet and come across something I wrote. It was definitely my Navin R. Johnson moment and I’ve been waiting for that for years.
Ty Hildenbrandt: Egregious on all counts for missing Beau Bridges. That one was on a tee and you whiffed. But then again, I never would have thought up John Henry Williams, so I’m willing to call it even.
It sounds like we both were thrown right into the mix after NGS. Personally, my only writing experiences before winning the contest were a few letters to the editor, a few witty emails to my friend Feldman, and a few months of blogging over on AOL. That’s pretty much it. Likewise, I was told about the NGS contest from a good friend, and decided to give it a whirl. I’m thoroughly convinced that my friends still don’t consider me a writer. They still think I’m the guy that plays Madden NFL Football online. (Okay, who am I kidding… I still am that guy.)
Indeed the whole “there-are-people-reading-this-that-I-don’t-know” feeling is pretty momentous. I think that’s what I’ve enjoyed most about the whole experience. I realize people will say “HEY! They told him to say that!” when I bring this up, but that’s the best part about this community on FOXSports.com. Granted, it won’t take you more than five minutes to find a blogger offering critical words about the community, but you really can’t find a setup like this anywhere else. It’s a great place to gain exposure, grow as a writer, and learn how to take negative comments with a grain of salt. And believe me, that’s an important skill.
Since writing my first column back in March, I’ve been continually amazed by the intense hate mail I’ve received. I’m told this comes with the territory. At first, I was taken aback. Now, I’m almost alarmed if I don’t get any. I think it keeps me on my toes. Plus, the creativity is top notch, giving me the chance to learn new curse words everyday! Right now, I am apparently at odds with the token Irrational Drew Bledsoe Supporter, seeing as how I slammed him two columns ago. My letter bomb should be arriving anyday now, postmarked “Irvin, TX.”
The bottom line is that there will always be haters. Doesn’t matter what you write, there’s no way around it. As a normal guy, like me, thrown into the fire, did you have any Roberto Duran moments when you felt like shouting out “no mas!” and throwing in the towel? During NGS I, II, or now?
And all kidding aside, have you gone to your local McDonald’s yet and inquired about receiving free ####y Chicken Sandwiches as part of our loose affiliation with the restaurant chain?
Brandon Vogel: Madden On-line, huh? The concept of on-line video games is perfect. Play against live competition anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own couch. A few months back, I finally took the plunge and linked up the PS2 only to find that playing on-line is one of the most humbling experiences a grown man who should’ve dropped video games years ago can have. A lot of those guys are real pros, and, at least for me, trying to compete with them is like trying to take the Astrophysics category in a Jeopardy match against Stephen Hawking and the ghost of Carl Sagan.
Back to the contest, the only real “no mas” moment I had was immediately after the announcement for NGS II. I think I had written maybe three posts since the end of NGS I and I wasn’t really sure about going through it all again. For at least a few days after the contest opened, I was certain that I’d be sitting this one out.
But then I kind of took a look around and realized I was really excited about some of the major events on tap in the sporting world. Baseball had just started which meant the Cubs were theoretically still alive in the race, the NBA playoffs were forthcoming, which meant it was time to pay serious attention, and, the biggest for me, the Kentucky Derby and my first real World Cup as an avid follower. After all that, I was excited again.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I found the most anxiety inducing moment to be the hours and days following the weekly assignment announcement. As soon as the judges posted the new assignments, the pain began. I would sit and wrack my brain for a unique angle, come up with a few different ideas and look around to see what else was out there, and then finally, with a lot of doubt still in my mind, start on one of them.
Once the writing started, that was the easy part, but I hated the brainstorm part of it.
This is Part II of a 4 part conversation with Brandon Vogel, the winner of NGS II. To view Part I, click here.
Ty Hildenbrandt: Ahh... Did I hear something about a playoff system in college football?
The "should we or shouldn't we" argument over having playoffs in college is a lot like asking if you prefer the pre- or post-Don King version of Mike Tyson. Sounds funny, but it's oh so true. Do you prefer a mix of stability with controversy, or just plain controversy? With a playoff system, I think we'd have the best of both worlds, if implemented correctly -- perhaps a "plus one" format. A four-team system wouldn't render the regular season meaningless and would, mathematically, have a better chance of "getting it right" than the BCS, simply because more teams would be involved. Right now, the system in college football is totally, "post-Don King" Tyson. It's hanging on the coattails of last year, when everyone claimed it "worked," but it's still violently unstable and ready to explode if the wind blows at just the wrong angle. Meanwhile, we've got the Big Ten laughing its way to the bank, the Big East throwing haymakers in broad daylight, and the outside chance that the SEC will start eating children if it gets left out in the cold, yet again. It'll be interesting to see what happens.
In my mind, all of this controversy takes a backseat to what's going on at Rutgers. I mean, we're talking about a team that was Prairie View and Temple for the last decade, and now it's unbeaten? (It's downright egregious that Steve Cyphers hasn't done a human interest spot on the Scarlet Knights.) I think that speaks volumes about what a good leader can do on the college level. It's about changing mentalities and utilizing your resources. That's how you resurrect a dying, or dead, program.
To a degree, I think we've seen that at Nebraska. The "cloud of dust and two yards" offense was buried in a time capsule to make way for a more modern way of thinking. And it's worked. Today's skill players want to play in an offense that can catapult them into the NFL, not a one-dimensional system that only benefits running backs and offensive linemen. I think Nebraska is starting to learn this concept, though it's been a slow and arduous process. Sometimes, "tradition" needs to evolve.
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum is my alma mater, Penn State, which seems more dedicated to maintaining the same coaching staff than any semblance of a top 15 program. Look, I went to school in Happy Valley for four years -- if not for Joe Paterno, the place would be a cow pasture. I shook his hand on my way home from class one day. My friends and I used to drive around on Sunday mornings and see if we could find him during his weekly walk (and not in a crazy, "stab you in the back with a steak knife" stalker kind of way). And I have no problem with him sticking around for as long as he wants. But, the times, they are a'changing, and it's time to re-evaluate the way things work.
Last year's 11-1 finish might've been the worst thing to happen to this program since it created the illusion that all was well and that everything was on the upswing. The real reason PSU did so well last season? The offense was a perfect fit for Michael Robinson. For the first time in his college career, they figured out how to tap into his talent. And that worked.
But now, we're witnessing an ongoing chemistry experiment titled "Run the same Michael Robinson offense with a slow, pocket-passer and see what happens." The result: a 6-4 team that has been as predictable as gravity. Needless to say, this plan is NOT working. And it won't get any better until Penn State learns to fit its offense to its players, not vice-versa.
Brandon Vogel: After seeing the hit Paterno took last week, I’m thinking it’s a good thing you weren’t interested in the “steak-knife-in-the-back” route. This probably only would’ve made JoePa angry, and, as we’ve seen, he will run down anybody when he’s angry.
I think part of the reason I have such difficulty deciding the playoff v. non-playoff question is that it’s tough to imagine college football without the controversy. To your credit, the Tyson-King analogy helps clear thing up a bit, but if college football did become “pre-King Tyson” and started mowing down title hopefuls with cool efficiency, I’m not sure we’d know what to do with ourselves.
But let’s try it out. Give me a season or two to see how it works. I’ve always imagined that sometime in my 80s I’ll relate to the young whipper-snappers how we used to decide the national champion and it will border on the unbelievable. Like hunting whales in rowboats with an iron spear or getting only one NFL game a week on television.
And on the topic of the outmoded, seeing The Option die at Nebraska saddened me greatly but it was a necessary evil. As you noted, if you want blue chip skill players, you have to offer them the chance to move on to the League.
Penn State has those skill players now but they’re struggling under a first-year QB. That’s not shocking to me as I looked at this season as a transition for the Nittany Lions coming in. The bigger question in my mind is what happens after Paterno? (And I agree, let him stay as long as he wants.)
Do you think Penn State will stay “in the family?” Will Paterno have a say in his successor? That happened at Nebraska with the Osborne to Solich torch passing and, well, Nebraska still hasn’t recovered fully. When Joe finally hangs up the high-waters, are you ready to close the book on the Paterno era at Penn State?
Ty Hildenbrandt: I think it’s a foregone conclusion that defensive coordinator Tom Bradley will be taking over when Paterno finally decides to call it quits in 2049 at the youthful age of 143. You can already see the writing on the wall, as Bradley has been giving command on two separate occasions this season when JoePa had health issues to take care of. Plus, he’s been the catalyst behind signing some blue chip recruits like as Justin King and Derrick Williams, and is the logical successor.
To be honest, I think most Penn State fans couldn’t care less about the in-house / out-of-house debate, as long as it’s NOT Jay Paterno. The disdain for Jay Paterno in State College has been one of the best kept secrets in all of college football. People respect him the way the citizens of Rome respected Commodus in Gladiator, and that’s not saying much. Granted, Anthony Morelli is still in his first year as a starter, but fans are questioning whether or not their quarterbacks coach (JayPa) has any idea how to groom him into the five-star player he was supposed to be. So far, they’ve got a pretty strong point.
We see this all the time in sports and politics, though. Why do we inherently assume that the child of an icon will be just as good in the same profession? [Insert obvious George W. Bush joke here.] Why hasn’t anyone done a study on this? Think about all the people who have gotten free boosts of credibility simply because of their heritage. Let’s call this the “Law of Tommy Callahan III’,” in honor of the timeless Tommy Boy movie, from here on out. Somewhere in the fine print, it means that if you’re the child of an icon, you’re more prone to failure, be it because of added exposure, an augmented sense of entitlement, or just lack of actual skills.
On that note, who are you all-time favorite “Law of ‘Tommy Callahan III’” offenders?
Brandon Vogel: Great question and an even better title. Here we go:
5) Luke Russert – The kid is only 21-years-old, still a student at Boston College and he already cohosts a sports talk show on XM Radio with James Carville. (My dream job really, and that has everything to do with indiscernible Cajun accents and nothing to do with political ethos.) But his father is Meet the Press host Tim Russert, and when you have your own show at such a young age, people are always going to wonder if you got there on your own merit. I won’t call him an “offender” just yet, but it’s going to be a while before he escapes the shadow.
4) D.J. Strawberry – Every list needs a sobering reminder, and young Mr. Strawberry is it. D.J.’s made a pretty good name for himself. Earning a basketball scholarship to Maryland is no small feat and that high school game where he held LeBron in check would’ve made the career of a kid whose dad didn’t happen to have one of the sweetest swings in all of history. Instead of being the guy who locked up LeBron James and one of the best defenders in the ACC, he’s still just Darryl Strawberry’s son. Forget Darryl’s problems, that’s the real tragedy.
3) Shooter Jennings – When your dad is Waylon Jennings and your name comes from the fact that you peed on your nurse immediately after birth, you’re already in a pretty deep hole. But Shooter was doing fine when he was an LA rock’n’roller. Then he decided to take up the country mantle. He’s put out two forgettable albums since and not so famously portrayed his father in Walk the Line without changing his appearance at all for the late-60s setting.
2) Emilio Estevez – This is like a Tommy Callahan exacta here, as not only does he have to compete with his dad, he also has to compete with Charlie Sheen. In terms of sports movies alone, the brothers aren’t even close. Eight Men Out and Major League versus the Mighty Ducks franchise? No contest. While Emilio was doing press for Maximum Overdrive, Charlie was getting ready to work with his father and Oliver Stone on Wall Street, resulting in one of the greatest movie names of all time: Bud Fox. We won’t even bring up Martin’s filmography, it just gets uglier. And to think, the future looked so bright after The Outsiders.
1) John Henry Williams – Ummm, he froze the greatest hitter of all time. Can there be any argument?
As I said last week, in honor of the upcoming one year anniversary since the Next Great Sportswriter contest, I'll be trading emails with some of the people that helped make NGS I and NGS II successful. Below is part one of a three-part email discussion I had with NGS II winner Brandon Vogel (otherwise known as "HiPlainsDrifter). Enjoy...
Ty Hildenbrandt: Brandon, let's dive right into it. You've now been the Next Great Sportswriter for a couple of months and I'm guessing you've had ample time to sit down and think through what a remarkable experience it was. As expected, your work has been top-notch, and I thoroughly look forward to your upcoming articles.
So, now that we can both look back and reflect, I'll ask a very obvious, very timely question: Which three letters have caused more controversy within the FOXSports.com community over the last year, 'NGS' or 'BCS'? (I think it's a fair question -- actually, the analogy is so fitting it hurts.) And, in your opinion, if we found some Einsteinian method to retrofit college football with an NGS-like system, would we really be looking at an Ohio State/Michigan vs. Louisville BCS Championship game?
Furthermore, if we were to reverse things and apply BCS-like logic to NGS, which one of us would have the stronger rating and be in better position headed into bowl season? I think you've got me in the Harris Interactive Poll, but I'm told from the powers-that-be that I've got a stranglehold on both the Billingsley and Sagarin computer rankings. If we ran the numbers and discovered identical .9924 ratings, would you be opposed to scheduling a 'Dancing With The Stars'-type referendum contest to settle the score?
Brandon Vogel: Good question, within the FOXSports.com community I would say that NGS probably stirred the greater controversy. Plagiarism, age-verification, ballot-stuffing. The two NGS rounds were political-thrillers/reality shows/sports debates all rolled into one. The BCS is the yearly hot-topic, and the criticism starts as soon as the first poll is released, but the difference is that the users of FOXSports.com had a direct say and, if they were participating, a stake in NGS. I think it's safe to say that neither you nor I will ever win the BCS Title but we, and quite a few others, had a shot in NGS.
If the BCS were to go to the NGS format, either with or without judges, I don't think there's any way that Louisville is getting a shot at the title game. It's mostly an entertainment issue and when we got down to the last week of the season, I don't see the readers of FOXSports choosing to watch Louisville vs. OSU/Michigan. Floriburnsas or Texas is the more intriguing match-up, but I could be wrong. As I look at it right now, Louisville is leading Michigan in the FOXSports Fan Poll. I just hope that the people who are lauding Louisville now will be willing to lobby for Rutgers should they win out. I want the Scarlet Knights in the desert night on January 8th.
Now I hold few firm beliefs when it comes to sports and the Internet, but one of them is that if something can't be researched in under five minutes it is either a) an urban legend, or b) not worth knowing. Finding the methodology for these BCS polls clocked in at 4 minutes 44 seconds. So when you said I was leading the Harris Interactive Poll, I had to look it up and find out exactly what it was and why I might have the advantage in that particular ranking. I found my answer. It turns out that Brad Muster is part of the Harris panel and I always gave him a ton of carries on NES Play Action Football, so I'm not totally surprised. At the age of 11, I was still very much a player's coach.
And since it was the Harris Poll that replaced the AP Poll in the BCS rankings, it's almost like the different judging methods between NGS 1 and 2. But with you taking the Billingsley and Sagarin rankings, I think a rematch is inevitable. As Pat Hill says at Fresno State,"anytime, anywhere." (They're 1-7 right now.) It might be a bit like an OSU-Michigan BCS Championship game should that happen this year as you've already beaten me once, but if extended an invitation I would definitely show up.
Early word out of Vegas is that you're a 1.5 star favorite based on past results. My question is: What's in the mythical NGS Bowl gift bag?
Ty Hildenbrandt: Without question, the inaugural NGS Bowl gift bag would include five free tokens to be the FOXSports.com "Blog of the Day," immunity from negative comments for no less than one (1) calendar year, and a 40% discount on all carpal tunnel surgeries performed by Dr. James Andrews. We'd also need some kind of trophy that is symbolic of our cause. So, perhaps we could contract Rush Limbaugh to find us some under-the-table samples of Lunesta or another such sleeping medication to help us recuperate from the countless hours of rest we missed out on while pursuing blogging superstardom. The winner could hibernate until 2007.
(And for what it's worth, I think Vegas' 1.5-star line will come down once news breaks of your timely Brad Muster / NES Play Action Football reference. That one killed me. Muster ranks right up there with the some of the great, white, video game running backs in history – I'd say right behind Tom Rathman and Merrill Hoge from Tecmo Super Bowl.)
I think you bring up a great point about supporting Rutgers. My question: Would Rutgers be higher in the polls if not for starting out the season unranked? It seems like we put more credence in preseason polls – published before anyone even plays – than we should, and you'd have to think that it hurts some teams more than it helps. It's conceivable that Rutgers could go unbeaten and not crack the top 10. Granted, their out-of-conference opponents have been tomato cans, but still.
And while we're on the topic of teams on the upswing, what's your take on the Bill Callahan Era in Nebraska? I know you hail from the Cornhusker State, so you're probably a good person to ask about this – was I the only one that asked myself, "Why are they hiring Bill Callahan?" when the announcement was made? It just didn't feel right to me. Now, a couple years later, it seems like the Huskers are building a program again, but I'm on the outside looking in.
Brandon Vogel: It would be an honor to be under the knife of the skilled Dr. James Andrews. I've always wondered why he doesn't hold some sort of former patients-only celebrity golf tournament. It would be the biggest thing to hit Birmingham every summer, and I think there's a good chance the current NGS winner could provide the coverage. So we can toss that in the gift bag, and an iPod -- can't have a gift bag without an mp3 player. I think Apple actually invented the celebrity gift bag 20 years ago simply so they would have a platform for the iPod, and it worked.
Now, in terms of the great white video game running backs, I tend to give Rathman the nod, but that's probably because he's a Cornhusker. His high school jersey actually hangs at Fonner Park, the prettiest little horse track in Nebraska, and perhaps the oddest place for an athletic tribute that I've ever seen.
Going back to the Big East, I think Rutgers current poll position is entirely a result of starting out unranked. I've always been a bit wary of a playoff system in college football because as it is college football has the best regular season of any of the major sports and the postseason, while not great at crowning an undisputed national champion, is pretty entertaining as well. But as the years of BCS criticism start to build up, my stance is weakening. Pro-bowlers (and I don't mean NFL all-stars or current PBA stars) say that the entire season is a playoff, but if that's true, how can we seed the tournament before it even starts? For example, if Louisville wins the Big East and goes undefeated, they will at least be in the picture for the BCS title game. If Rutgers does the exact same thing, they're not in the picture. What's the difference? Louisville's one big non-conference win over Miami? No, it's the fact that the Cardinals started in the Top 10. Unlike the men's basketball tournament, it doesn't seem like people want to see a Cinderella squad on the gridiron. We want tradition and fightsongs we can actually hum along to and slobberknocking…
...which, incidentally, Nebraska is starting to achieve with a bit more regularity in Callahan's third year. While I could (and actually hope to) write a book on the current state of Nebraska football, I'll give you the condensed version:
In 2003, Frank Solich was fired after going 9-3, Bo Pelini coached Nebraska in the bowl game, got a token interview and then was politely dismissed, a bunch of other candidates turned down the job and Bill Callahan was the first to accept. I was firmly in the Pelini corner, but for the most part I think people were excited by the hire. (Realize that NFL football is about fourth on the sports to pay attention to list in the state, behind 1) Nebraska football, 2) Nebraska recruiting, and 3) the Nebraska Spring Game, so it's entirely possible that a large portion of us had no idea Bill had destroyed the Raiders only one season earlier.)
At this point, I will say this for Callahan, the talent level at Nebraska has improved drastically. They're getting recruits and that's at least 60-70% of college football success. As for the actual play, the jury is still out. Nebraska has had some bad losses under Callahan, but they still don't have that one great win. They haven't beaten an opponent ranked in the Top 20, Callahan is only 11-11 in the Big XII and 2-8 on the road. (Yes, I carry these numbers around in my planner.) At home, the West Coast Offense looks great, mixing the pass and the run, being devious and taking chances. Nebraska motions about four guys per play, but it seems to be working this year so I can finally retire my "Cloud of dust and two yards" nickname for the offense. Nebraska is getting better, but ask me or any other Cornhusker fan this question after a loss and you'll get a much different answer.
Well, since I devoted most of my creative brainpower to the Terrell Owens saga, I'm left without one ounce of originality for my normal Friday blog. So, if it's all the same to you, I'll cut straight to the chase and give you my picks for the weekend.
But since I care so much about your gambling success, I'll give you more winners than normal...
College Football
Oregon (+1.5) at Arizona State
Houston at Miami (-17.5)
Temple at Vanderbilt (-34)
Boise St. (+5.5) at Utah
Purdue at Notre Dame (-14)
LAST WEEK: 0-1-1 ON THE YEAR: 2-2-1
NFL Football
New Orleans at Carolina (-7)
Detroit at St. Louis (-6)
San Francisco (+7) at Kansas City
Seattle at Chicago (-3.5)
*Minnesota (+1) @ Buffalo
*qualifies as the token "What the hell is Vegas thinking?" game for week 4.
Important Link To Be Read Before Your Morning Coffee
Seriously, read this before your morning coffee. I mean it.
Help Him, He’s Talking And He Can’t Shut Up
From the strange world of Alex Rodriguez comes another tantalizing tale that’s sure to ruffle a few feathers. You can read Tom Verducci’s article for yourself, but one thing’s for sure, A-Rod isn’t making any new friends in New York. After subsequently calling out the fans for not being harder on teammates Mike Mussina and Jason Giambi, and referring to himself as “handsome,” there’s a good chance he scared off even more of his precious few supporters.
On some level, A-Rod’s recent comments indicate one thing that we’ve known all along: Texas was the only team bad enough, and only state big enough, to handle his massive ego. You just know that deep down, A-Rod desperately wants to be THE man in New York, but won’t come out and say it. Seriously, man, just be honest with us already. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great player and a future hall of famer, but until he can get over himself, it’s not getting any easier in the Big Apple.
Bottom line: Derek Jeter is, and always will be, the face of the Yankee franchise. And unless A-Rod is planning an intense, Diddy-style, self-promotion campaign, that’s not going to change anytime soon.
Taking Back 'Sunday'
Did I miss a memo, or has ESPN signed a sponsorship agreement with Merriam-Webster to include a blood-rushing adjective before every Saturday and Sunday? Last week, it was "Separation Saturday." This week, it's "Showdown Sunday." If this trend catches on, it could totally ruin the allure of "Thirsty Thursday" and other such gimmicks that have been so successful. Enough with the names, ESPN...
Fun With Photoshop
Being an IT guy by trade, I appreciate the laughs that a nice Photoshop’ed image can generate. You know, put your friend’s face on Katarina Witt’s body and start an inside joke that lasts for weeks. All in good fun, right?
Well, apparently the folks at The Dubliner, an Irish magazine, shared the same sentiments and decided to take shots at Tiger Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren. However, instead of starting an interoffice email chain, the Irish Star took the story and ran with it, subsequently plastering a doctored picture of Nordegren on the front page of its publication, and “satirically” stated that she was tied in with a bunch of adult websites:
"Most American golfers are married to women who cannot keep their clothes on in public," the magazine wrote. "Is it too much to ask that they leave them at home for the Ryder Cup? Consider the evidence. Tiger Woods' wife can be found in a variety of sweaty poses on porn sites."
Umm… yeah. Great idea, guys. Go after the wife of the most popular athlete in the world. Sheer brilliance. After Tiger takes all your worldly possessions in an international lawsuit, he’s going to snap a titanium driver over your heads and beat you into a bloody pulp. And in all honesty, I wouldn’t blame him if he did.
If A Tree Falls In A Forest…
...everyone in the greater Philadelphia metro area would’ve heard it, at least last Sunday evening.
After a fourth quarter gutter ball against the rival New York Giants, the Eagles triggered a kind of eerie pandemonium that’s been native to the Philadelphia region for, well, my entire life. You’d swear an important diplomat was kidnapped by henchmen from Colombia with the somber state of every local news program. The city was socked in the stomach and collectively trying to catch its breath. And I must say, it was pretty funny to witness.
I took three big things away from last Sunday’s Giants-Eagles game:
1) Even though they lost, the Eagles are going to be fine. For the most part, they dominated a tough defense and passed the ball at will against a revamped New York secondary. They’re going to win a lot of games as long as Andy Reid takes his medication and doesn’t turn back into Marty Schottenheimer again for the rest of the season.
referring to himself as “handsome,” there’s a good chance he scared off even more of his precious few supporters. 
