Random Thoughts for a Sunday
By now, you should have figured out that I try to use gimmicks to mask the fact that my posts evidence my tendency towards attention deficit disorder. And so it continues...
Next week begins ESPN's annual coverage of the World Series of Poker. I'm not sure when it happened but my interest has clearly waned over the last few years. Maybe it was the influx of successful internet amateurs (Moneymaker), maybe it was the success of Hollywood actors (Affleck and Jennifer Tilley?), maybe it was the overexposure of the product beyond the world series itself (Celebrity Poker, tourneys on the Travel Channel, books, dvds, specials). Bottom line is that the world series has ceased to be a special once-a-year happening. Last year in particular really rubbed me wrong. For example, the delightfully entertaining Sammy Farha (fresh off a runner-up showing the previous year) was continually roused and annoyed at the opening tables by asinine amateurs and internet players. The whole table ganged up on him and tried to be the one who took him out. He was taken out. It was like watching AI lose a one on five game against a bunch of jack knobs from Bucks County. The real problem with poker is that the luck of the draw dictates that a fairly knowledgeable amateur can beat the best in the world if the planets align correctly. It happens, too. Chris Moneymaker was really an awful poker player who won the WSOP after he chased every piece of garbage and somehow kept willing the cards with Jedi mind tricks. This actuality is the very reason why the game needs to be shut off from the internet nerds and amateurs who expose the weaknesses in the game. The bar none best televised poker of 2004 was the table of champions special which featured the 10 most recognizable names of the sport. That was great but that will never happen as long as amateur night continues.
It looks like the NHL is set to return. As this is not really my blog, I should mention that hockey has never been recognized as an official sport in the land of Stu. Notwithstanding, a few sentences won't hurt anyone other than emotionally and psychologically which should be open season anyway. Hockey for me really peaked with the release of NHL '95 for Sega Genesis. It's all been downhill since then. I feel dirty saying this while I live in a huge hockey town like the Illadelph but the game just doesn't appeal to a wide audience. Like most casual observers, I love to watch hockey live and can't stand it on TV which is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. I also have this overriding guilty feeling that Canada's national sport and greatest claim to fame features an NHL where 80% of the teams are American with many teams in ridiculous geographic spots; two Florida teams, Phoenix, Dallas. The pro beach volleyball tour doesn't stop in Winnipeg. I have my doubts that the NHL can achieve the 4th rate status it enjoyed before the last labor stoppage. It's only a matter of time before it's overtaken by soccer, the X-games, rodeo, hackey-sack, boogie boarding, thumb wrestling, and 43 man squamish. (And if anyone can place that last cultural reference, you'll win my undying respect)
I want to talk about the recent free agent signings but I also want to prove to myself that I can post at least once without an extended take on the NBA. Instead, I smell the All-Star break for MLB. First off, screw the game. Don't try to convince me that this means something by putting the world series home field advantage into play. Lame idea. Maybe the team with the better record should have the advantage so that we might justify the 162 game schedule that the teams bother to play every year? It does afford us a breather to reassess for the 2nd half. I won't bother with the NL because it's basically St. Louis and a bunch of bottom feeders. In fact, St. Louis would probably be about the 5th best team in the AL. The most intriguing issue is the AL wildcard which should be a war to the end between the Twins, Yanks, Indians, A's (they'll come back), Tigers (maybe), and Orioles (unlikely). Of the top 3 contenders, the Erie Warriors are at the distinct disadvantage because they've never been in the hunt before and the team is probably a year off from seriously contending. Although, I must say it was probably more fun to be right this season about Grady Sizemore and Jhonny Peralta than it was to be right about Hafner and Martinez last season. I'm rolling. Keep an eye out for Ryan Garko (1B) and Brandon Phillips (2B) for next season.
So, we have Twins and Yankees in a realistic world. My heart says twins while my mind says Yankees especially if NY poneys up for an actual center fielder (which I'm sure they will). Is anyone else concerned that Johan Santana lost his domination elixer? Or that the left side of the Twins infield is manned by Zack and Slater. Too many questions v. too much ego/money equates to yet another year with the Yanks in the playoffs. In the words of Pedro Martinez, "no me gusta."
Next week begins ESPN's annual coverage of the World Series of Poker. I'm not sure when it happened but my interest has clearly waned over the last few years. Maybe it was the influx of successful internet amateurs (Moneymaker), maybe it was the success of Hollywood actors (Affleck and Jennifer Tilley?), maybe it was the overexposure of the product beyond the world series itself (Celebrity Poker, tourneys on the Travel Channel, books, dvds, specials). Bottom line is that the world series has ceased to be a special once-a-year happening. Last year in particular really rubbed me wrong. For example, the delightfully entertaining Sammy Farha (fresh off a runner-up showing the previous year) was continually roused and annoyed at the opening tables by asinine amateurs and internet players. The whole table ganged up on him and tried to be the one who took him out. He was taken out. It was like watching AI lose a one on five game against a bunch of jack knobs from Bucks County. The real problem with poker is that the luck of the draw dictates that a fairly knowledgeable amateur can beat the best in the world if the planets align correctly. It happens, too. Chris Moneymaker was really an awful poker player who won the WSOP after he chased every piece of garbage and somehow kept willing the cards with Jedi mind tricks. This actuality is the very reason why the game needs to be shut off from the internet nerds and amateurs who expose the weaknesses in the game. The bar none best televised poker of 2004 was the table of champions special which featured the 10 most recognizable names of the sport. That was great but that will never happen as long as amateur night continues.
It looks like the NHL is set to return. As this is not really my blog, I should mention that hockey has never been recognized as an official sport in the land of Stu. Notwithstanding, a few sentences won't hurt anyone other than emotionally and psychologically which should be open season anyway. Hockey for me really peaked with the release of NHL '95 for Sega Genesis. It's all been downhill since then. I feel dirty saying this while I live in a huge hockey town like the Illadelph but the game just doesn't appeal to a wide audience. Like most casual observers, I love to watch hockey live and can't stand it on TV which is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. I also have this overriding guilty feeling that Canada's national sport and greatest claim to fame features an NHL where 80% of the teams are American with many teams in ridiculous geographic spots; two Florida teams, Phoenix, Dallas. The pro beach volleyball tour doesn't stop in Winnipeg. I have my doubts that the NHL can achieve the 4th rate status it enjoyed before the last labor stoppage. It's only a matter of time before it's overtaken by soccer, the X-games, rodeo, hackey-sack, boogie boarding, thumb wrestling, and 43 man squamish. (And if anyone can place that last cultural reference, you'll win my undying respect)
I want to talk about the recent free agent signings but I also want to prove to myself that I can post at least once without an extended take on the NBA. Instead, I smell the All-Star break for MLB. First off, screw the game. Don't try to convince me that this means something by putting the world series home field advantage into play. Lame idea. Maybe the team with the better record should have the advantage so that we might justify the 162 game schedule that the teams bother to play every year? It does afford us a breather to reassess for the 2nd half. I won't bother with the NL because it's basically St. Louis and a bunch of bottom feeders. In fact, St. Louis would probably be about the 5th best team in the AL. The most intriguing issue is the AL wildcard which should be a war to the end between the Twins, Yanks, Indians, A's (they'll come back), Tigers (maybe), and Orioles (unlikely). Of the top 3 contenders, the Erie Warriors are at the distinct disadvantage because they've never been in the hunt before and the team is probably a year off from seriously contending. Although, I must say it was probably more fun to be right this season about Grady Sizemore and Jhonny Peralta than it was to be right about Hafner and Martinez last season. I'm rolling. Keep an eye out for Ryan Garko (1B) and Brandon Phillips (2B) for next season.
So, we have Twins and Yankees in a realistic world. My heart says twins while my mind says Yankees especially if NY poneys up for an actual center fielder (which I'm sure they will). Is anyone else concerned that Johan Santana lost his domination elixer? Or that the left side of the Twins infield is manned by Zack and Slater. Too many questions v. too much ego/money equates to yet another year with the Yanks in the playoffs. In the words of Pedro Martinez, "no me gusta."
posted by Mister Cleveland Sports at 8:50 AM
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