My favorite time of year calls for a RETURN!

Well hello there sports fans....welcome back to Goldy's.  It has been a while since I last gave you sports fodder to discuss, and now I have decided to re-open the doors and make a good run at making this place bigger and more interactive than before! 

With a new re-dedication to talking sports and covering all those important topics (well what we sports junkies consider important) its time to come back during what is always my FAVORITE time of year!  Second only to Opening day of baseball season, this point in the year is great because there is nothing like September baseball and the beginning of the NFL season!!

First September baseball.....I mean come on...if you enjoy baseball even just a little bit this is the month that is the most exciting.  I know...I know..October is what gets the hype machine going, but the fuel for that machine is SEPTEMBER!  Just think back to 2011....there may not have been a better last week in any sport EVER than the last week of the season that September....Epic Collapses (Red Sox fans are still crying in their Fried Chicken and smashing Robert Andino Bobble heads), tremendous comebacks...Late inning magic (Orioles magic to be exact....well Evan Longoria may have had his moment too).  Think back to 2007 and the FREAKIN Colorado Rockies.   Completely out of it at the beginning of August and get close by September to then rattle off 14 wins in their last 15 games to not only get to the playoffs but then advance to the World Series (Seattle is still waiting to get that far)...Here is a few other..maybe a little more historical, September baseball moments...

1) 1961---Roger Maris Ties, and passes a guy, named Babe Ruth for most Home runs in a season by hitting number 61.
2) 1995---Baseball Crowns a New Iron Man as Cal Ripken passes Lou Gehrig for most consecutive games played at 2131.
3) 2001---When baseball finally returns to New York after the horrific 9/11 attacks, Mike Piazza (should be in HOF) came to bat in the bottom of the 8th with the Mets down 2-1 and hit what may be the loudest cheered HR in history!
4) 2011--- Mariano Rivera passes Trevor Hoffman for most career saves....and still ONLY THROWS ONE PITCH!!

Those are just some historical facts....I didnt even cover the 1982 AL race between Milwaukee's Harvey's Wall bangers and the Earl's Baltimore Orioles.....the race in 78 between the Yanks an Red Sox ending in Bucky Dents blast...This year wont be any different, as only 2 division races are locked up and everything else is up for grabs.  Here is how I see it playing out:

American League:
East--Boston
Central--Tigers
West---Oakland
Wildcard 1---Texas
Wildcard 2---TB
ALCS---Detroit Vs Boston

National League:
East---Atlanta
Central---Pittsburgh
West---Dodgers
Wild Card 1---St. Louis
Wild Card 2--- Cincinnati
NLCS---Dodgers Vs Braves

World Series:
Dodgers Vs Tigers------Tigers in 5

Now on to Football....The NFL has had a rocky off season but that may have honestly just added to the lore and raised the excitement level to a new level.  The Baltimore Ravens attempt to become the first team since the '04 Spytriots....I mean Patriots to win back to back Super bowls...

Everyone knows I love the city of Baltimore and all teams that reside...but there will be no repeat...Not this year.  What I love ost about the start is the preseason picks by the "experts"...there isnt a bigger bunch of guessers out there, well other than weather men.  This is pointless to do, because the decision making is done based on whats on paper only (lets face it preseason proves nothing either) and as we all know games are not played on paper but played inside of Televisions (credit:Kenny Mayne)....So I figure why not join in on the fun and make some senseless picks that have as much a chance to be right as experts like Clayton, Schefter and Mortenson....

AFC:
East---Patriots by default---They are a pro team in a division with college Division 2 teams
North---Ravens--Why the hell not?
South---Colts--Andrew Luck is the best QB in this division
West---Denver--Really?
Wildcards---Bengals and Chiefs
AFC Championship---Broncos/Ravens---Broncos win

NFC:
East---Cowboys--Laugh now...but watch
North---Lions--Why Not
South---Saints--Sean Payton equals Wins
West---SF--Just too good
Wildcards---Seahawks/Redskins
NFC Championship---Saints/SF---Saints Win

BRONCOS win the Super Bowl...Peyton Manning retires


Alright now its your turn.....Give me your baseball and NFL picks....tell me what you think of my insanity....and most of all Lets Drink up and TALK SOME SPORTS!!!

GOLDY!

2013 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot

 

Yesterday the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame announced it 's ballot for the potential 2013 class.  This ballot is special because it will be the first real test for the BBWA .  Among many others this ballot includes the faces of the "steroid Era" in Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.  These 2 have been the only players put on trial and have been the faces of EVIL, if you will, when it comes to cheating and using steroids. Add to that Sammy Sosa and this is the most juiced list yet!

Until now the BBWA have decided that anyone even remotely implicated in steroid has not gotten in on their first ballot, or at all since.  On a matter of principle, and honestly without much challenge, they have not allowed these so called "cheaters" in to the hallowed halls of Cooperstown.  This same fate will apply to Sammy Sosa....HE just isn't going to get in.  

Sosa is, probably more so than Bonds, the poster child of the Steroid Era.  A skinny outfielder that, in the middle of his mediocre career, switched sides of Chicago, gained 40 lbs of muscle and became the most prolific HR hitter of the late 90's.  Then when the steroid allegations started coming around and he left Chicago for Baltimore he appeared to be 20-25lbs lighter....couldn't hit the ball out of one of the most hitter friendly parks in all of baseball and became injury prone...Some saying about quacking like a duck, walking like a duck.comes to mind.  His case is WAY more open and shut (in my opinion) than Bonds and Clemens.

Let me first be very clear that I have no doubt, regardless of what the judicial system has decided, that after the Bonds watched the McGwire/Sosa HR chase and once Clemens crossed 38 years old, that they used HGH and steroids.  With that said.....BOTH Clemens and Bonds were Hall of fame players prior to those specific incidents and prior to them cheating.  They were.....Bonds had 3 MVP awards...Clemens had 5 CY Young awards....In my mind they are still first ballot Hall of Famer's, and shouldn't be subject to the Principals and high horse the BBWA are riding to keep steroid users out....Remember a couple of things...Prior to BALCO, Game of Shadows and the Mitchell report STEROIDS WEREN'T ILLEGAL IN MLB!  Yes in the country but not in baseball...Two, I am tire of hearing cheaters aren't allowed in the Hall...SPARE ME!  Ty Cobb, Shoeless Joe. Gaylord Perry and John McGraw are all NOTORIOUS cheaters and in the Hall...

Sure Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are 2 incredibly easy to hate human beings, but as ball players they were elite, Hall of Fame Ball Players.  This ballot isn't for the Character hall of fame...It is for the greatest and best ball players ever, which both were even before they cheated.  Just look at the Eligibilty requirements:

     A. A baseball player must have been active as a player in the Major Leagues at some time during a period beginning twenty (20) years before and ending five (5) years prior to election.
     B. Player must have played in each of ten (10) Major League championship seasons, some part of which must have been within the period described in 3 (A).
     C. Player shall have ceased to be an active player in the Major Leagues at least five (5) calendar years preceding the election but may be otherwise connected with baseball.
     D. In case of the death of an active player or a player who has been retired for less than five (5) full years, a candidate who is otherwise eligible shall be eligible in the next regular election held at least six (6) months after the date of death or after the end of the five (5) year period, whichever occurs first.
     E. Any player on Baseball's ineligible list shall not be an eligible candidate.

Doesn't say anywhere they have to have a good moral character....

Here are my thoughts on a few others on the ballot:

1.) Jack Morris-----This generations Bert Blyleven.  The difference is Jack was a better pitcher and a multiple time champion....He deserves to be in more so than Blyleven was.  Jack was the Ace on 3 World Series championship teams and was a durable bulldog on the mound.  IN

2.) Mike Piazza----He is the greatest Offensive catcher in the history of baseball PERIOD.  True no one is ever going to say they won a game because of Piazza behind the plate, but the Mets and Dodgers won a TON of games because of his bat.  In 16 years of NL baseball (no DH...had to play Catcher/1B) he hit 427 HR's and had 1335 RBI's ...Oh by the way...managed to bat .308.  Johnny Bench has long been the man that set the bar for catchers and offense.  In 17 years he only had 389 Hr's and batted .267.  Piazza is the new "Bench" mark, yep Pun intended.  Still the greatest opposite field power I have ever seen.  IN

3.) Craig Biggio----There aren't many Astros in the HOF so there is point number 1...The entire time he played only the Ironman Cal Ripken played more games.  He has over 3000 hits and is one of the only players in history to have a 20/30, 20/40 and 20/50 season in HR/SB.  IN

4.) Jeff Bagwell----Again another Astro.....Bags has never been accused nor linked to steroids, but eh hit a LOT of HR's during that time so suspicion will be there.  He was a ROY and MVP and MLB Player of the year in 94.  His 449 HR's and 1500+ RBI's could help but aren't elite level.  Tough call here... NOT IN

5.) Edgar Martinez----In another year he may make it, but not in this year...too many.  Martinez was the first REAL full time DH and he may have been the best. As clutch as any player I have seen he batted .312 for his career but his durability was a HUGE issue.  NOT IN

6.) Don Mattingly-----Donny baseball!  He was Mr Yankee before Derek Jeter.....He was the Yankees in the 80's and early 90's. He batted .308 for his career, won 1 batting title and was an MVP.  He may also be the greatest fielding 1B I have ever seen.  I just don't think, unfortunately the numbers are there to be Hall worthy.  NOT IN....

So My ballot is:

Bonds

Clemens

Morris

Piazza

Biggio

Whats your ballot?  Do Bonds and Clemens get in this year?  At all?  Saddle up to the bar and LET's HEAR IT! 

GOLDY  

What SHOULD be a HOF owner passes at 87....

The NFL lost a true pioneer today as Art Modell, former owner of the Cleveland Browns and minority owner of the Baltimore Ravens, passed this morning at 4am of natural causes.  Art's memory will be a looked at differently by 2 cities, which is unfortunate in my opinion because one of those cities is the sole reason one of the MAIN influencers behind making the NFL what it is today is not in the HOF...

In Cleveland Art Modell is still public enemy #1 because he took the team he owned, and the city loved enough to not give them a new stadium, and  moved them from the shores of Lake Erie to the Harbor in Baltimore.  Art Modell did what was best for his family business, and what other owners had done in the past.  He took a team from a city not willing to provide the necessary upgrades and financial support and moved it to another city that was willing to help a man in financial hardship. The Cleveland Browns were ripped from their die hard fans because of a mutual business decision by Modell AND the city of Cleveland, yet somehow Modell is the only one to take blame here.  Modell mentioned time and time again to the city leaders he was going to need financial help to get a new stadium and drive more revenue, but the city ignored it.  So Modell wasnt bluffing...he was gonna leave.  May I also mention that the deal to move to Baltimore was done on a private jet owned by the man who brokered the deal.....Al Lerner.  Yes Cleveland, the same man you praise for bringing football back (the NFL had already assured Cleveland a team with its next expansion when Modell announced he was moving but I am sure that is forgotten in Cleveland to) is the same man that helped it leave...And so Modell brought football back to Baltimore....

Art Modell took the Browns after the 1995 season and moved them to Baltimore to become the Ravens.  He left the Browns name, legacy and  story to the city of Cleveland as a good faith gesture because he knew how important it was to the city.  (something not afforded the city of Baltimore 15 years earlier when Bob Irsay took the Colts and everything with him to Indianapolis, so think about that the next time Browns fans when you hear about a record you got to keep and team name and colors you still keep) In 2000 he won a Super Bowl as Majority owner and struck a deal with local business man Steve Bisciotti to eventually take over as majority owner.  In 2001 Modell was eligible for the NFL Hall Of Fame and was a finalist.  He has never received enough voted to be enshrined due to a ridiculous, subjective and opinionated voting system.

Hall of Fame voting is and should be based simply on merit of the honor.  The NFL Hall of Fame limits the number of members enshrined each year and each player is measured by a 39 member selection committee.  Candidates must then reach 80% of the vote to get in.  Real quickly here is Art Modell's resume:

1. Owned the Cleveland Browns from 1961-1995
2. Negotiated the first LUCRATIVE contracts between the NFL and the TV networks
3. Was NFL league President from 1967-1969
4. Chaired Negotiations in the very FIRST collective bargaining agreement with players in 1968
5. Was THE driving force behind the 1970 contract between the NFL and ABC to start up a little program called Monday Night Football

The NFL as we know it today owes itself to Art Modell and just a very select few other men, yet he isn't in the Hall of Fame because of the way finalists are presented!  Not because he isn't worthy but because of ONE MAN! 

The HOF finalists are reviewed by the committee with a very strange and subjective process.  The player is presented to the committee by the member of that same committee from the city they represent.  Modell was represented by Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Tony Grossi in 2001.  As the story goes, Grossi got up in front of the committee to present and began  not to speak about the above mentioned merits but how awful a person Modell was for taking the Browns from Cleveland (mind you not the first owner to move a team for financial hardship by a long shot) and the pain and misery it caused the city.  Rumor is the Grossi even shed a tear.....that's fine as a fan, as a spectator...but in a process such as this it is completely out of place and unprofessional especially 5 years after the event occurred and you had a team back.  It was unprofessional and just simply unfair because that speech and every year since has kept an unbelievably deserving man out of the HOF because of a broken process. 

Art Modell should have gotten to see his bust in Canton....now that is lost forever.  Cleveland you and Tony Grossi can stay angry if you want, but he did what any business man and NFL Owner would have done.  IT has been 15 years....Pay your respects.....Appreciate what you had and then got returned to you out of good faith by a man who built what you love so dearly. 

Rest in Peace Art...I bet your a HOF next year....


GOLDY