02/23/20
Recent Comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
This is a real thing and apparently Ayers does get a cut of the sales. Not sure if Blackbeard does with his shirt, though.
posted by NoMich at 11:52 PM on February 22
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
If the score remains in favour of Carolina, this will be the Leafiest thing the Maple Leafs have ever Leafed.
posted by tommytrump at 09:18 PM on February 22
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
It's a disaster in the making for the Hurricanes right now. Guys are falling right 'n left tonight
posted by NoMich at 08:48 PM on February 22
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
Emergency Goaltender Alert in Toronto!!
Carolina Hurricanes are using 42 year old David Ayres in net, 8:41 to play in 2nd period. Ayres is normally the Toronto Marlies Zamboni driver.
posted by tommytrump at 08:41 PM on February 22
NBA Pick 'Em Week 18: Elam Ending Edition
Saturday: Bucks by 10
Sunday: Lakers by 12 (SLAM)
posted by Ufez Jones at 06:31 PM on February 22
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
That was fun. What are the odds? Someone here has got to know that
posted by NoMich at 10:50 PM on February 21
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
Mesdames et Messieurs -
On the menu today, we have a Specialite de la Maison:
posted by beaverboard at 10:16 PM on February 21
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
When Vitale lost his voice and Limbaugh lost his hearing, I was able to convince a couple of agnostics that there really is a God.
posted by beaverboard at 01:56 PM on February 21
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
You can't hate the Blue Devils. They're Dick Vitale's favorite team.
Oh yes you can. And Dick only really likes Duke because he's old and has trouble following the quickness of the game. He prefers to watch a team that scores 50% of it's points from the free throw line where he can figure out what is happening out there.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:15 AM on February 21
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
You can't hate the Blue Devils. They're Dick Vitale's favorite team.
posted by beaverboard at 12:50 AM on February 21
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
HA! I'm not aloud to be an overt Carolina hater at home. My wife and her stepfather are alums of the fine university. Although, the stepfather probably has many, many Matt Doherty dolls filled with pins in his special Tar Heels room at home.
Now Dook, on the other hand...
posted by NoMich at 08:42 PM on February 20
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
Two years later the Pacers finished 9th out of 11 in their conference and the Colonels no longer existed.
Maybe the collegiate version is poor old UNC, a #1 seed in the tournament last year and currently in the ACC cellar with a 3-12 conference record. Oh, the woe and widespread anguish over their fate. NoMich is going to have to stop sticking pins into the Matt Doherty doll that he keeps in his corner voodoo shrine.
posted by beaverboard at 06:49 PM on February 20
NBA Pick 'Em Week 18: Elam Ending Edition
Philadelphia by 8 (dunk)
Houston by 10 (dunk)
Oklahoma City by 3
New Orleans by 6
Milwaukee by 8
posted by rcade at 06:19 PM on February 20
NBA Pick 'Em Week 18: Elam Ending Edition
Thursday
Philadelphia by 5
Houston by 7 SLAM
Friday
Denver by 2
Portland by 3 SLAM
Saturday
Milwaukee by 7
Sunday
LA Lakers by 4 SLAM
posted by scooby10672 at 06:11 PM on February 20
NBA Pick 'Em Week 18: Elam Ending Edition
I really need a rally here. The past few weeks have been bad.
Thursday, Feb. 20:
76ers are tough at home. Philadelphia by 13 SLAM
There is a saying that short people, Napoleon Bonaparte for example, cause a lot of trouble. Rockets seems to fit the profile. Houston by 15 SLAM
Friday, Feb. 21:
Nuggets are not usually found in oil and cattle country. Denver by 8
Lots of aquatic waterfowl on the river in Portland, but Pelicans are rare. New Orleans by 6
Saturday, Feb 22:
This should have been a big time matchup in the East, but 76ers' road record is not good. Milwaukee by 15 SLAM
Sunday, Feb.23:
Celtics destroyed Lakers in Boston when Lakers were at the tail of a long road trip. Now it's time for payback. Los Angeles (purple variety) by 6
posted by Howard_T at 05:44 PM on February 20
NBA Pick 'Em Week 18: Elam Ending Edition
Thursday:
Philly by 13 (SLAM)
Rockets by 11 (SLAM)
Friday:
Thunder by 6
NOP by 9
posted by Ufez Jones at 04:07 PM on February 20
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
I did not know this, but NC State had John Beilein pretty much signed and ready to go until someone at the school saw that they had overlooked the amount of money that they would have to pay to cover Beilein's buyout at the other school he was at. Deal was called off. I think State was then stuck with Mark Gottfried.
posted by NoMich at 04:01 PM on February 20
NBA Pick 'Em Week 18: Elam Ending Edition
THURSDAY
Philadelphia by 7
Houston by 14
FRIDAY
Oklahoma City by 8
Portland by 7
SATURDAY
Milwaukee by 9
SUNDAY
L.A. Lakers by 9
posted by NoMich at 03:31 PM on February 20
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
The closest situation I found, the 74-75 ABA finals saw the Kentucky Colonels beating the Indiana Pacers. Two years later the Pacers finished 9th out of 11 in their conference and the Colonels no longer existed.
posted by tron7 at 02:41 PM on February 20
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
Wonder if there's a prior case in the NBA where the two teams that recently met in the Finals became the two worst teams in the league as quickly as the Warriors and Cavs.
posted by beaverboard at 01:02 PM on February 20
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
"Slugs"?! Are you kidding?!
For the love of god, man, nobody's going to buy that shit. At least come up with "I used the word. I didn't realize that it is considered racially loaded. That's not what I meant. Sorry"
posted by tahoemoj at 12:47 PM on February 20
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by NoMich at 11:39 AM on February 20
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
Most top college coaches have certain styles of play and systems they depend on. They recruit players they think will fit those systems and work hard on developing their skills to achieve success.
The NBA is a different animal. It's largely about being able to mix and manage egos. I would suggest that a college coach from a one and done factory would be a better fit. These folks don't really develop talent to any extent and do focus most of their time getting players to simply mesh together.
To a certain extent Stevens is an exception to this. But as mentioned above he didn't have to deal with Irving and now has the luxury of a selfless on court leader with Walker.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:33 AM on February 20
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
Ryan Newman walked out of Halifax Hospital today hand in hand with his daughters.
posted by rcade at 09:30 PM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
I don't blame Beilein for wanting to give coaching pro ball a shot, and I don't really blame the Cavs for taking a shot on him, but I didn't think his coaching style was the type to translate to the NBA, and there are a lot of good college coaches who fit that description. I'd think that guys that generally depend on teaching solid fundamentals and rely on developing players over the course of their college careers would have a hard time making the jump. Like Izzo, who's pretty loathe to play freshmen too much no matter how highly touted they are, or Bennett - can you imagine him trying to institute the pack line in the NBA, much less the ultra-slow and methodical offense he runs?
posted by LionIndex at 05:57 PM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
An edit to the above. I misused the word "character". What I mean is coaching philosophy and ability to communicate with players and management.
posted by Howard_T at 05:25 PM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
At the time of Bellein's hiring in Cleveland, ESPN published an article praising the hiring. Accompanying the article was a list of college coaches who had made the move and how they have fared. This the link. What is the difference between those who succeed and those who fail? I believe it's a combination of the character of the coach and the circumstances into which he enters, with character having the most weight. Contrast Brad Stevens and Rick Pitino and their results in Boston. It makes for an interesting discussion. One consideration might be how Stevens might have fared had he encountered the Kyrie Irving dilemma in his first year.
posted by Howard_T at 02:57 PM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
So called pundits have already been frantically trying to predict where Beilein will land when he returns to the college game.
It's just a matter of time before his name gets linked to Tom Brady's free agency on a froth factor basis.
If Beilein's severance from the Cavs is adequate, he should take time off and not be in a hurry to pick a college program to lead. If he wants back in the Big 10 his timing is pretty good, as the conference is currently a bit upside down, with Maryland and PSU up top and typically strong schools like UM and OSU at mid pack or below.
The Pitino move would be to go after the OSU job so he could feel the love every time he went back to Ann Arbor. And so he could torment Cleveland fans visiting Columbus.
posted by beaverboard at 02:35 PM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
does the math change if additional players (or teams) sue the Astros? Also, does it make a difference that he is not looking to be the recipient of the damages, but to punish the team with the money going to charity?
The math definitely changes depending on the quality of the player, the outcome of the action (did the player keep pitching? Can they prove it diminished the contract they got?). Bolsinger is unique in that he never pitched again and was no great shakes to begin with.
As far as the recipient of the damages--no change that I can see. The elements and burden of proof don't change. ALTHOUGH it might actually weaken his case in that it tends to disprove that he suffered compensable damages and is just seeking some sort of punishment in principle.
posted by tahoemoj at 01:36 PM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
I think Bickerstaff makes it 7 coaches in 7 years
Yup.
| Regu | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Coach | From | To |
Yrs | G |
| 1 | John Beilein | 2020 | 2020 | 1 | 54 |
| 2 | Larry Drew | 2019 | 2019 | 1 | 76 |
| 3 | Tyronn Lue | 2016 | 2019 | 4 | 211 |
| 4 | David Blatt | 2015 | 2016 | 2 | 123 |
| 5 | Mike Brown | 2006 | 2014 | 6 | 492 |
| 6 | Byron Scott | 2011 | 2013 | 3 | 230 |
posted by grum@work at 11:21 AM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
He lost the locker room much earlier than that. He was trying to coach NBA players like they were young college kids, and it wasn't working at all.
Wow. He had a good thing going with Michigan, parlayed that into an NBA gig, and now he has none of the above.
posted by NoMich at 11:11 AM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
Overall, I think Bickerstaff makes it 7 coaches in 7 years, with a championship trophy right smack in the middle of it. Instability-fueled triumph was the theme of the day in 2016.
As the Cavaliers have regressed, virtual time as measured by debt processing has sped up exponentially in Cleveland with the team's facility name change from Quicken Loans Arena to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
posted by beaverboard at 11:03 AM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
He lost the locker room much earlier than that. He was trying to coach NBA players like they were young college kids, and it wasn't working at all.
posted by grum@work at 10:55 AM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
I did not know that Beilein was no longer coaching the Cavs. Did he lose the lockerroom after his gaffe a month or two ago?
posted by NoMich at 10:50 AM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
October 27, 2018 - Tyron Lue (fired)
October 28, 2018 to April 11, 2019 - Larry Drew (mutually part ways)
October 23, 2019 to February 12, 2020 - John Beilein (mutually part ways)
February 21, 2020 - JB Bickerstaff (his third time as interim head coach, each for a different team)
That's four head coaches over the span of 132 games.
posted by grum@work at 09:40 AM on February 19
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
Would have been more fitting driving backwards and to the extreme right.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:28 PM on February 18
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
notorious sports figures currently serving time
Jerry Sandusky comes to mind, but he went on Commonwealth of Pennsylvania charges, not federal. Thus, he would not be eligible for either commutation or pardon. Last I heard, he was incarcerated at Rockview State Correctional Institution, which is only a few miles from the Penn State campus.
posted by Howard_T at 09:43 PM on February 18
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
It's Clemency Tuesday at the White House. Blago and Milken, among others, are getting pardons.
As long as they're releasing individuals of that caliber, are there any notorious sports figures currently serving time that they might pardon? Carruth was already released. Schlichter is getting paroled this summer. Urbina doesn't qualify - he's in another country.
Former Cleveland legend and activist Jim Brown added to his collection of improbable DJT White House photo ops, being present (along with Jerry Rice) as clemency was granted to former Niners owner Uncle Eddie DeBartolo.
If Ponzi meister Madoff gets pardoned, the heavily scammed Wilpon family will likely ask former Mets manager Bobby Valentine to form a posse and hunt him down.
posted by beaverboard at 08:38 PM on February 18
Man City Banned from Champions League for Financial Breaches
So the closest American sports equivalent is probably the Joe Smith Timberwolves scandal. The Timberwolves lost 5 (!) first round picks (which was later reduced to four) for circumventing salary cap rules. I didn't remember that punishment being so harsh. Still, being barred from Champions League play seems like an extreme punishment to me. Not that I'm sad about it, I really can't stand Man City.
posted by tron7 at 12:20 PM on February 18
Man City Banned from Champions League for Financial Breaches
I too am happy with the punishment. Lately teams have been punished by being excluded from the player transfer market. This allows players who want to play for a team playing in UEFA to transfer.
posted by prof at 09:56 AM on February 18
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
...with non-life threatening injuries...
That is incredible
posted by NoMich at 10:37 PM on February 17
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
Roush Racing just read a statement that Newman is in "serious condition" at the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
posted by rcade at 10:05 PM on February 17
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
Live broadcast of the end of the race.
posted by rcade at 09:29 PM on February 17
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
I'm listening to NASCAR radio. Joe Gibbs apologized for his team celebrating after Denny Hamlin's win and said they weren't aware of how serious the Ryan Newman crash was. (The celebration's understandable to me because it became muted within a few minutes, but Twitter is raging.)
Newman's on radio now. After expressing concern for Newman, he repeated a metaphor he used on Fox after the win about avoiding wrecks and "living to race another corner." Not the best word choice but I guess the reality of the situation hasn't sunk in yet.
posted by rcade at 08:36 PM on February 17
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
I posted moments after the crash. When I used the word 'spectacular', I was unaware of just how serious the situation may be. Terrifying is right, Ufez, I hope Ryan Newman is okay.
posted by tommytrump at 08:31 PM on February 17
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
The driver's side hit after the car flipped was brutal.
It seems like the rescuers turned the car over with him still in it. I'm hoping that means there weren't head and neck injuries.
posted by rcade at 08:27 PM on February 17
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
Good lord, that's terrifying.
posted by Ufez Jones at 08:20 PM on February 17
Daytona 500 Ends with Horrifying Airborne Crash
Quite the ending to the Daytona 500.
Ryan Newman leading (in overtime), spectacular crash in last seconds of race.
posted by tommytrump at 08:03 PM on February 17
Man City Banned from Champions League for Financial Breaches
In this case, what Man City did was claim that the exorbitant money they received from their shirt sponsorship was all coming from the Emirates airline company, and could thus be counted as revenue. Financial Fair Play rules essentially require you to maintain a reasonable overall profitability, so if your expenditures are very high then your revenues have to be very high to compensate and not create a culture where you're just using your owner's deep pockets to buy a championship.
Except that's what City did, because it turns out that the bulk of the shirt sponsorship money was being paid by the club's owner out of his own pocket, instead of Emirates (which he also owns). There may be some more nuance to in the details, but my understanding is this essentially was the scam which UEFA have charged them for.
I think this is good, and I hope that City fail to get their punishment reduced (but I'm not holding my breath). In this case, any cash penalty would be meaningless. But banning the club from the Champions League not only punishes them financially, it also punishes them competitively. Unlike WADA and their attempts to punish nations for orchestrated doping, this punishment has real teeth that might actually cause other big clubs to take notice and to observe the FFP rules
posted by geneparmesan at 07:02 PM on February 17
Man City Banned from Champions League for Financial Breaches
I am guessing these rulings are coming the Financial Fair Play rules. These rules came into places after some historic clubs went bankrupt trying to make or stay in top flight football. I have never looked into the details, but like salary caps in the US, when and how a team reports revenue and expenses can effect the players they sign.
posted by prof at 04:27 PM on February 17
Man City Banned from Champions League for Financial Breaches
But why would they do that? What makes that important?
posted by tron7 at 12:44 PM on February 17
Man City Banned from Champions League for Financial Breaches
They supplied false data in their own filings, if I had to guess.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:30 AM on February 17
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
President ZoomZoom!
posted by billsaysthis at 11:29 AM on February 17
Man City Banned from Champions League for Financial Breaches
and according to UEFA City overstated sponsorship revenue in accounts submitted between 2012 and 2016.
I don't understand what makes this a two year ban. Can someone explain the why of this?
posted by tron7 at 11:16 AM on February 17
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
It was nice showmanship but his appearance made the interminable prerace even longer than normal. The race ended up getting postponed by rain after a tiny number of laps were completed.
posted by rcade at 07:06 PM on February 16
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
I hate to say it, but the dude has a knack for milking the moment and jacking his base.
posted by beaverboard at 05:35 PM on February 16
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
Tony was one of 'our' 1st real stars. So easy to cheer for, smooth defensively, a terrific hitter. Four different times he wore the Blue Jays uniform. I was so angry when we traded him and Fred McGriff for Carter and Alomar. Turned out okay for Toronto, and Tony returned in the '93 season to be a big part of the World Series championship that year. From everything I've ever heard, or read about him, a better man than a ballplayer. Rest in Peace.
posted by tommytrump at 12:00 PM on February 16
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
What a drag. I heard he was very ill.
I thought the Jays were well set at shortstop with Alfredo Griffin and was stunned when they traded him. Then I got to see Fernandez play and understood.
posted by beaverboard at 11:07 AM on February 16
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
Toronto Blue Jays legend Tony Fernandez dies at 57
posted by tommytrump at 10:57 AM on February 16
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
Tuberville is running for Senate? I thought athletes were supposed to stay out of politics. Kap...
posted by billsaysthis at 10:45 AM on February 16
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
Holy smokes, these Kings/Avs uniforms are uglier than 1990s-era NBA uniforms.
posted by NoMich at 09:16 PM on February 15
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
Hard to know if Tuberville is coming up with this material on his own or is being spoon fed by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who is advising his campaign.
It's a shame that Tuberville is abstinent - there are times when you wish that certain moments and murmurings could be attributed to substance overindulgence.
posted by beaverboard at 06:54 PM on February 15
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
Welp, now we know why Tuberville never scheduled any home and homes against University of Alabama-Najd.
posted by NoMich at 06:14 PM on February 15
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
Report: NHL to announce Stadium Series game in Raleigh today
posted by NoMich at 03:37 PM on February 15
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
Looks like Kassian got a seven game suspension
posted by NoMich at 09:58 PM on February 14
Man City Banned from Champions League for Financial Breaches
Oh so sad for them. But I expect at least some reduction on appeal and any appeal would push the start of the ban out a season.
posted by billsaysthis at 05:22 PM on February 14
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
Cody Bellinger says Astros' Jose Altuve stole MVP from Aaron Judge
posted by BornIcon at 02:41 PM on February 14
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
And though the Sixers screwed up by giving away capital to move up and draft Markelle Fultz ahead of Tatum, the good news on the Fultz front these days is that he's improving and becoming a solid contributor with the Magic.
There are many people whose lot has improved upon leaving Philadelphia, but few of them would likely pick the city of Orlando as a welcome change of scenery.
I look at the 2017 draft as a semi-compensatory re-visitation of the 1986 draft, where Red Auerbach smart talked the Cavaliers into drafting Brad Daugherty at #1 so the Celtics could take their man Len Bias at #2. Bias' death immediately thereafter was a blow that the franchise felt for years to come, only to be compounded by the death of Reggie Lewis a few years later.
If Fultz turns into a beast of some sort, the Sixers will be able to point to several places along the road where their bandwagon began to lose steering and veer toward the guardrail.
posted by beaverboard at 01:55 PM on February 14
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
Man was I wrong about the Celtics drafting Tatum. I had figured he was essentially a duplicate of Hayward and thought they would be better off drafting a complementary player with better defensive skills. He has really turned into one of the league's premier 2 way players.
posted by cixelsyd at 12:09 PM on February 14
STATEMENT ABOUT THE USWNT 2017-2021 CBA
Ricardo, I don't disagree with you. I do like the strong, supportive language of the press release regardless of the motivation, especially the bit I quoted.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:49 AM on February 14
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
Zack Kassian doing Zach Kassian things....
posted by tommytrump at 09:56 AM on February 14
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
The governor of Almost Heaven decided to see and raise Don Cherry's wager at the Infamy Casino.
posted by beaverboard at 12:28 AM on February 14
NBA Pick 'Em Week 17: 12 Trade Edition
Thu: Clippers by 4
posted by Ufez Jones at 06:43 PM on February 13
STATEMENT ABOUT THE USWNT 2017-2021 CBA
Looks like the men's union understands that everyone benefits when groups in a weaker position (here, financially) are also taken care of.
posted by kokaku at 05:48 PM on February 13
STATEMENT ABOUT THE USWNT 2017-2021 CBA
The USNSTPA is a labor union for the men's team. I think they're using this as a springboard for their own CBA negotiations as opposed to being outright supporting of the USWNT. They've not voiced these concerns until now when there is no CBA in place for the men and it benefits them to paint USSF as greedy (probably correctly).
While the women are most likely woefully underpaid, I also don't understand why anyone thinks their pay should be commiserate with any other group, male or female. Sports are revenue based and players, all players, should be paid based off that.
If the women generate more revenue (wouldn't surprise me), then they should get MORE pay than the men. There's zero logic to it being the same either way.
posted by Ricardo at 02:14 PM on February 13
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
If this is the end of Bouwmeester's career, he's had a hell of a good one.
He's one of the few hockey players to win the grand slam (Olympic gold medal, World Championship gold medal, World/Canada Cup gold medal, Stanley Cup championship), and he also won a silver and a bronze at the World Junior Championship.
That's a successful career.
posted by grum@work at 07:14 PM on February 12
NBA Pick 'Em Week 17: 12 Trade Edition
Wed:
MIL by 7
Denver by 8
posted by Ufez Jones at 06:32 PM on February 12
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
Hoping Bouwmeester is ok. Earlier last year it looked like he was done but sure rediscovered his game and has been a big part of the Blues recent success.
As for Garrett perhaps he has learned a lesson and plays within the bounds of the game. He has generational level talent and I'd hate to see him become the next Burfict.
Jordan is a career scumbag .. and model member of his political party.
posted by cixelsyd at 06:11 PM on February 12
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
Today is kind of a good news / bad news day in Ohio.
- The NFL has reinstated Myles Garrett.
- Rep. Jim Jordan has been more definitively tied to the coverup of the sexual abuse scandal in the Ohio State athletic department.
It is up to the individual to decide which of these is good news and which is bad news.
posted by beaverboard at 04:57 PM on February 12
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
Glad to see he is up and lucid; that shit is scary as hell. Back in high school, one of my teammates collapsed on the bench like that. Turns out he had a collapsed lung. Had there not been several doctors present at the rink (hockey parents tend to have money), he would have likely died on the bench (at 17).
posted by tahoemoj at 02:19 PM on February 12
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
Bouwmeester alert and undergoing tests after collapsing on St. Louis Blues' bench during game vs. Anaheim
posted by tommytrump at 07:53 AM on February 12
NBA Pick 'Em Week 17: 12 Trade Edition
Philadelphia by 6
Boston by 6
Milwaukee by 4
L.A. Lakers by 8
Boston by 6
posted by rcade at 08:12 PM on February 11
MLB Ponders Radical Playoff Changes
Best of 3 is good, as is the addition of a 7th team. I'm not so sure that what will amount to a week of rest will be a good thing for the team getting a bye. Maybe your pitching will benefit, but your hitters might take some time to recover. "Pick your poison" sounds unnecessary to me. You can bet that the 5th, 6th, and 7th place teams are probably somewhat run down after trying to survive long enough to make the playoffs. 2 vs 7 normally is a mismatch, and 3 vs 6 is usually not much better. The 4 vs 5 matchup, if somehow eliminated, would be missed. The best thing about this is that the umpires get a little extra pay.because of the extended first round series.
posted by Howard_T at 06:30 PM on February 11
NBA Pick 'Em Week 17: 12 Trade Edition
Tuesday:
Philly by 4
Boston by 6 (can I just say how much I hate picking Rockets games? There's just no telling which team is going to show up)
posted by Ufez Jones at 06:20 PM on February 11
NBA Pick 'Em Week 17: 12 Trade Edition
I'm just back from casting my vote in the NH Primary. Now I can cast my votes for whom I think will be the winners on the hardwood. My pick 'em game is way off; I've got to get better.
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Things have been said by at least one 76er that all is not sweetness and harmony in the Philadelphia locker room. Nonetheless, there is way too much talent there to dismiss. Los Angeles (Non purple) by 8
Celtics have been battling injury problems, but have persevered, winning 7 straight. Jaylen Brown, for one, was working on an injured ankle, and then rolled the other. He now says that he doesn't know which side to limp on. Meantime, watch to see if Marcus Smart can get inside James Harden's head again. Boston can match Houston's small ball lineup with one of their own, and still have a height advantage at most of the positions. If Celtics want, they can also go big at center with Kanter. This will be a fun one to watch. Boston by 11
Wednesday, Feb. 12:
Pacers have their man back in action, but Bucks have a great road record. Milwaukee by 9
Lakers have been playing below their potential for some time now. Is it pre-All Star game fatigue, or is there a fundamental flaw? Denver by 12
Thursday, Feb. 13:
Doc Rivers returns to the scene of his triumphs, and he will get his usual warm greeting (no kidding, Celtics fans remember the good things and always applaud Doc). He brings with him a very tough team. Both teams will have traveled to this one. I will be there to watch. Boston by 6
posted by Howard_T at 06:18 PM on February 11
NBA Pick 'Em Week 17: 12 Trade Edition
Tuesday
LA Clippers by 2 SLAM
Boston by 4
Wednesday
Milwaukee by 7 SLAM
LA Lakers by 3
Thursday
Boston by 5 SLAM
posted by scooby10672 at 05:44 PM on February 11
NBA Pick 'Em Week 17: 12 Trade Edition
TUESDAY
Philadelphia by 8
Houston by 5
WEDNESDAY
Milwaukee by 12
Denver by 8
THURSDAY
Boston by 7
posted by NoMich at 04:56 PM on February 11
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
Tahoe, does the math change if additional players (or teams) sue the Astros? Also, does it make a difference that he is not looking to be the recipient of the damages, but to punish the team with the money going to charity?
And from a precedent standpoint, while I think you raise a very important point that courts would be reticent to open up the world of suing over the types of things that you have listed, an argument could certainly be made that it is the repeated, long-term nature of the Astros' cheating practices that set them apart.
posted by bender at 02:47 PM on February 11
MLB Ponders Radical Playoff Changes
1. I like moving to best of 3 vs. the current WC sudden death. [And I say that with the caveat that last year's NL WC game (specifically B8/T9) was the greatest sports moment I have ever been present for.]
2. Increase from five to ...seven teams? I would expect to move past five teams sooner or later, but six feels like the right number to me.
3. The live selection idea sounds ridiculous, though I don't necessarily have an argument against tahoemoj's rationale.
posted by bender at 01:20 PM on February 11
MLB Ponders Radical Playoff Changes
My initial reaction was "ha ha ha...fuck no." But there are some elements that might be intriguing. To my knowledge, this would be the first "pick your opponent" format, which I have to admit I kind of like. How many times does a top seed come up against a team that has been essentially playing playoff baseball (or whatever other sport) for a month before entering the playoffs? And how often is that last seed firing on all cylinders at the right time? I think the option to play whoever you want serves as a great reward for finishing on top. But I also see managers getting fired for picking the wrong opponent and bowing out early.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:33 PM on February 11
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
Unfair business practices--[California] law defines unfair business practices as business practices and advertising that are unlawful, unfair, fraudulent, deceptive, untrue, or misleading. The first hurdle they would have to overcome is demonstrating that the cheating system falls within a "business practice." I think that can be done--shit, just point to every single player who gets traded and/or released saying "this is a business." There is nothing "unlawful, fraudulent, deceptive, or untrue" about sign stealing, but I think it certainly qualifies as "unfair." So they might have a prima facie case for it. If I'm defending the suit, I say that there is no proximate cause between the sign stealing and the end of a mediocre-at-best pitcher's career (he would have been signed but for the cheating).
Negligence--someone owes a duty of care, breaches that duty, causing both in-fact and proximate harm to the victim, resulting in damages. One could argue that the Astros owed a duty to the rest of the league and its individual players to play within the rules, and that the duty was breached by the sign stealing practice. I think harm-in-fact can be shown (there is a linear progression from sign stealing--> release), but we go back to the proximate cause element again. If this had been a top-tier pitcher who would undoubtedly have been re-signed but for the sign stealing, it might hold up. Bolsinger...maybe not.
Intentional interference with contractual and economic relations--[Massachusetts law] says a defendant is liable to pay damages in tort for actions intended to interfere with the plaintiff's contractual relations with a third party. The burden is on the plaintiff to prove the following four elements: (1) that a valid contract existed (easy), (2) that defendant had knowledge of the contract (easy), (3) that defendant acted intentionally and improperly (easy), and (4) that plaintiff was injured by the defendant's actions (well...here we are again at "but for"). This sounds like the strongest cause of action, but it will be an uphill battle.
On all of the above claims, I think a court would be very careful about setting precedent. Where does "gamesmanship" end and "unfair" begin? Do we really want every professional athlete who loses a game because of a breach of the rules to have legal recourse against the perpetrator? An uncalled pass interference? Sue the team? The DB? The keeper moves a split second early on a penalty kick? A hockey player gets hooked or interfered with on a breakout? I don't see it happening.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:25 PM on February 11
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
The Bolsinger lawsuit interests me. Not being a lawyer I have no clue if there are any merits to it but should be amusing to follow.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:09 AM on February 11
NBA Pick 'Em Week 17: 12 Trade Edition
You can see the week 15 results here. Ufez held on to first, NoMich narrowed the lead and Scooby won another week with 65.
I didn't really pick New Orleans. I needed at least one pick to make the page layout work, so I made a losing prediction.
posted by rcade at 10:37 AM on February 11
NBA Pick 'Em Week 16: Placeholder Edition
New Orleans by 12
posted by rcade at 10:31 AM on February 11
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
Houston pitchers and catchers report.
posted by beaverboard at 09:58 AM on February 11
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
Crazy! Is there video of the alleged assault?
According to the Oakland police, yes they have video of the assault.
But they don't want to show anyone.
And, they also dropped all criminal charges against Ujiri.
The cop claims he stopped Ujiri because he didn't have his credentials.
It smells like someone is trying to cash out on civil suit, and hoping the NBA/Raptors/Ujiri settle to make it go away.
posted by grum@work at 07:24 AM on February 11
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
Ex-pitcher Bolsinger sues Astros over sign-stealing scandal
posted by tommytrump at 09:46 PM on February 10
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
And indeed Maple Leafs reverted to form and lost, 6-3.