12.31.06
Posted in San Francisco 49ers at 5:13 pm by addisport
The San Francisco 49ers are better than they were last year by three games thanks to Joe Nedney.
Yes, the ever so consistent kicker, pulled through when the 49ers needed it Sunday, draining a 36-yard field goal in overtime.
Of course, it wasn’t the 49ers most important game of the year, but it did keep the team out of double-digit losses and helped round out the NFL’s playoff picture. The 49ers end the season 7-9, compared to 4-12 the last season.
Frank Gore proved to be the x-factor again, rushing 31 times for 153 yards, giving him the NFC rushing title (a first for the 49ers).
Again, 2007 is going to be great, because that’s all you can say about a team that has been dead for two weeks now.
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Posted in Oakland Raiders at 1:00 pm by addisport
The New York Jets have made the Raider Nation nightmare come true: a 2-14 season, which is the worst in Raiders history. Now, can the Raiders’ Al Davis legitimately discuss the prospects of an Art Shell return or dismissal.
NFL writer Jerry McDonald argues both sides of the case in his Inside The Oakland Raiders blog.
I believe we’ll get official word within the next couple of weeks, especially after the issue has been on Al Davis’ mind. I mean, he was actually forced to make a statement after it was initially reported that Art Shell would be canned. Usually, that type of response is only available from Davis in the offseason, period.
Furthermore, as passionate as Davis is about the Raiders, he’ll have to do some spin in order to soothe the Raider nation after the worst season in franchise history. I’m beginning to wonder what his New Year’s resolutions are.
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12.30.06
Posted in Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings at 1:12 am by addisport
Right now the Golden State Warriors have the Sacramento Kings by the short and curlies. In two games played this season so far, the G-men have trumped the Kings 113-105 and 126-113, each time giving Northern California an added bit of tart for its coupled dessert.
Just think, three seasons ago Eric Musselman was leading the Warriors back to competitiveness before being canned for slippery reasons like working his players too hard and pushing them to their limits. It’s made each game against his previous employer that much more interesting to see how the Muss reacts on the sidelines - something widely ignored by larger media. Three seasons ago, the Kings were knee deep in playoff hunts compared to the team’s current fight for scraps at the bottom of the Western Conference at 12-15 (only 6-24 Memphis is really worse).
In addition, the Kings have to own up to letting loose forward Matt Barnes, a Sacramento native, who has been exploding for the Warriors - but particularly against the Kings. Last game against the Kings Barnes dropped a career-high 32 points and 11 rebounds on 13-of-22 field goals and 6-of-9 three pointers. The guy had a little vengence in him after working out with the Kings in the preseason. Now, in his first chance at actual minutes and starter status, Barnes has become the last leg of the tripod for the Warriors averaging 14.6 points per game, all since trouncing the Kings. All this after the guy has been with five different teams, has a career average of 4.7 ppg and has “Sac-Town’s finest” tattooed on his arm.
But he isn’t even the heart of what Kings fans have to worry about tonight as they face the Warriors again.
If Barnes has been on fire (career-wise), Baron Davis has been the ignitor.
Each game Davis shows why he’s constantly mixed up in All-Star talk (possibly the G-men’s only All-Star this year). He dazzled Mike Bibby with 36 points and 18 assists on Nov. 9 then he pulled another double-double with 14 points and 13 assists on Dec. 12. His penetration has been noted as the top reason the Kings have not beaten the Warriors this year.
And then we look around and say, well the Kings have Ron Ron and Bibby and, and K-Mart and …. (this could go on).
The fact is the Kings have little to rely on outside of Bibby and the now emerging Kevin Martin, who has robbed Kenyon Martin of his own nickname. But Ron Artest, the league’s leading stealer at 2.4 per game, is still the X-factor in all of this. Because no matter how much you know about the Kings, and their struggling offensive sets, you never know what you’re going to get out of Artest come crunch time.
In so many ways, you can call the Kings inconsistent, but that title is etched in stone for the Warriors. So without further ado, Northern California can duke it out for best of five tonight and see if the Warriors are thinking playoffs for once.
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12.28.06
Posted in Culture at 3:31 pm by addisport
After dropping rape charges last week against Duke lacrosse players, North Carolina District Attorney Mike Nifong faces possible disbarment, according to the Associated Press.
Nifong, who has been under investigation by the North Carolina Bar since March, came under scrutiny for pursuing the case against Duke lacrosse players while the case was on shaky ground. After making allegedly “misleading” statements to the media and withholding information on negative DNA results, the N.C. Bar has accused Nifong of breaking four rules of professional conduct.
Can we call this one over yet?
The case currently is sufferring from a suction of credibility, thanks to the rape accuser who cannot remember if she was penetrated or not. Since the accusation of rape surfaced, the lacrosse coach has quit, several players were charged, DNA evidence could not link any of the players on the team, the accuser has become pregnant and her story has changed numerously while the defense attorneys have called for all charges to be dropped. Nifong is currently charging three players with kidnapping and sexual misconduct.
This is a broken case being orchestrated by a broken lawyer.
In his attempt to “follow the course,” Nifong has put himself up for persecution in what he can call an attempt at justice, or we can call an idiotic ploy at getting himself reelected. The racial tension in the Triangle caused by this case is looking like less the fault of a misguided stripper and more the fault of a misguided politician. Now would be a great time for healing. Drop the case.
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Posted in Golden State Warriors at 11:30 am by addisport
Former Golden State Warrior Gilbert Arenas is flourishing in a Washington Wizards uniform - much to this Warriors fan’s chagrin.
You can refer to him now as Agent Zero, Captain Quirk and the World’s greatest Arenas, as Marc Stein does on ESPN, or the Black President as he calls himself on MySpace. Any way you go you’ll still be able to feel the warm sensation of a newly developed superstar in the NBA as he topples every major contender in his path.
But he will always be remembered as the superstar that got away.
In two years with the Golden State Warriors, Arenas was one of the first few players that successfully turned around the culture of losing in the Warriors locker room. In 2002, the Warriors went 38-44. It was the last season Arenas played with the Warriors and is still currently the team’s best season since 1994 (50-32), when current coach Don Nelson took the team to the playoffs for the last time before he left in the ‘94-95 season.
Nowadays, Arenas has bigger fish to fry.
In a two-week span, he’s elevated his stature in the league with big wins (and point totals) against major opponents. In that time he’s downed the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers in three straight games totaling 121 points - the kicker being the 60-point game against the Lakers.
The 60-point drubbing was so brutal it had Kobe Bryant bitter, calling the game “lucky.” Ever since, Agent Zero no longer calls his shots “Hibachi,” they are now all called “quality shots” as he drains them from long range.
He went on to pull the plug on the Western Conference leader Phoenix Suns a few games later with 54 points. The World’s Greatest Arenas has led the Wizards to an 11-3 December record in which he’s averaged 35 points a game - tops in the league.
Oh hum!
I’ll never forget him turning down the Warriors meager offering of $5 million a year - the max price the Warriors could afford at the time without taking the luxury cap hit. Or the rally of fans and media to keep Arenas in town.
There was even a Web site, staygilbert.com (no longer active), in which fans gathered signatures in order to persuade him to stay.
But no, the money was too great. Six years and $60 million was out of the Warriors’ range. Along with the other former Warrior, Antawn Jamison, he took the first opportunity to skip town.
So as much as his quirky antics and point totals are a hit in Washington, instead of calling him Captain Quirk, I’ll just call him a deserter.
Yes, I’m still bitter. No, I wouldn’t be saying this if he were a Warrior. But then again, I don’t have that choice.
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Posted in San Francisco Giants, Oakland A's at 9:57 am by addisport
The San Francisco Giants have reached a preliminary agreement with the free agent Barry Zito for a seven-year $126 million contract, according to the Associated Press.
Sweet music to my ears.
Zito, who already lives in San Francisco, decided to stay in the City by the Bay after an offseason full of rumors about going to the New York Mets and literally every other American league team with dollars to throw. He had spent his first six seasons with the Oakland A’s.
The Giants will now benefit from a proven winner after losing Jason Schmidt to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Zito has a career 102 wins and 63 losses, pitching with a 3.55 ERA. Last season, he went 16-10 with a 3.83 ERA.
He’ll join a lineup of Matt Morris, Matt Cain, Noah Lowry, Brad Hennessy and Jonathan Sanchez where he’ll be the second most tenured player in the league after Morris.
The deal comes after Barry Bonds reportedly was coming to terms with the Giants to agree for less money as long the team pursued high profile free agents. Turns out, Zito was always on the Giants mind.
Now, the Giants can focus on getting one more bat (a young one) in the lineup and we can pretty much declare next season exciting … at least from a fan’s point of view.
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12.27.06
Posted in San Francisco 49ers at 1:21 am by addisport
Mike Nolan actually deserves a pat on the back before this season is over.
When everybody, including myself, counted the San Francisco 49ers out, they competed at a high level till week 15 when the team was finally (mathematically) eliminated from the playoffs. The 49ers can possibly close out the season at best 7-9, at worst 6-10.
And I predicted the 49ers would do no better than 4-12.
It goes a long way to say the 49ers and Nolan have something to be proud of. The didn’t play like the powderpuff team they had been the past few seasons.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals was the first meaningful game with playoff implications for the 49ers since Steve Mariucci was coach in 2002. At that time, the team finished 10-6. It was also the 49ers’ last winning season.
My point is, he’s already done something Dennis Erickson couldn’t do without even having a winning season. By definition, that’s improvement.
Now, we can look back at Frank Gore’s emergence (1524 yards, 8 touchdowns and counting), smile and wait for next year’s sleeper hype. Alex Smith will be expected to stop playing like a rookie and Nolan will officially be on the hot seat in his third year running the regime. All the cards will be on the table so there’s no reason that anybody on the roster will be able to give excuses - especially Smith.
So while there is comfort in the small fortune of this year’s playoff contention, there is a harsh reality waiting in 2007 when the expectations rise. I can see the ongoing subplot in 2007 already developing. The 49ers will either praise Nolan or fall backward over him. All the while, the organization will be ostracizing its own city and ticket prices will likely climb.
Forget good, 2007 is gonna be great.
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12.25.06
Posted in San Francisco Giants at 8:28 pm by addisport
Days before Christmas, the San Francisco Giants managed to make a hybrid deal of sorts, signing left fielder and first baseman Ryan Klesko.
Let me begin by saying, thank you. This was needed for more reasons than the obvious.
Klesko can immediately be inserted into the now vacant spot at first base, which he has played on and off since his days in Atlanta.
There are positives and negatives that go along with his signing though. He’s not making the Giants any younger at 35 years old, and his production had been on a decline before he missed last season due to injury. But none of that outweighs the unique qualities that the Giants need from him.
He can hit.
Even on the decline, he’s still producing enough to be considered somewhere in the middle of the lineup. In 2005, he batted .248 with a .418 slugging percentage, 18 homers and 58 RBI. In his heyday, he batted as high as .310 (1995) and knocked out 34 homers and 70 RBI (1996).
He’s a good citizen.
In 2001, the San Diego Padres community relations department folks gave him the Chairman’s award, for his active commitment to the San Diego area. Why is that important? Well, Barry Bonds’ steroid allegations don’t necesarilly make him the shining star of community relations. In fact, as I’ve stated before, his attitude regarding the situation (and people in general) actually reflects negative on the Giants and the stigma it comes along with resonates throughout the league. Klesko can possibly change all that, just by providing a different demeanor, and taking Bonds’ spot in left field.
Look, I’m just saying what the Giants should be saying. ‘Maybe, just maybe, we don’t need Barry.’
All I can say, is that from a Giants fan’s point of view, having Ryan Klesko on my team massages a soreness in the roster. That was a smart move.
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12.23.06
Posted in Movies at 6:27 pm by addisport
The hits are the most memorable moments. Every single one of them would take a toll on any actor (or stunt devil).
Mark Wahlberg appears to have taken them all.
On a scale of 1 to 10 for football movies, I give Invincible a 8 for its memorable action clips and easy to follow storyline. There wasn’t much gunk going on in this one.
There was the obvious side romance, played by Elizabeth Banks, coupled with an overall good story based on true-to-life Vince Papale. But after that, the movie didn’t carry much else, which is OK.
Papale was built up as a sort of savior during hard times for working men in the movie. I’m not sure if that was true for the real Papale but regardless the sub-theme carried the character throughout the movie.
The DVD, which dropped Dec. 19, doesn’t offer any real extras worth noting.
If you watch this movie, expect the hits to be hard, but the acting to be limited … Good times.
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Posted in San Francisco Giants, Oakland A's at 5:54 pm by addisport
Barry Bonds is a Giant by many standards, but right now he doesn’t have a contract to make it official.
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting Bonds and the Giants are far apart in negotiating a new contract for next season.
I’m not too fond of making a deal with Bonds by any measure. In fact, I’m (and will always be) on the record as calling him the cancer of the team.
His steroid investigation is too much of a distraction for my personal belief and his slowing game doesn’t help the cap space any. This supposed deal was estimated at $15.5 million or more with another $4 million in incentives before the story broke.
I can hear the argument that he still brings fans to the game, but if you watch the line of events that I’ve seen (steroid allegations, run-in with reporters and fans), it’s not enough for a general manager to justify $10 plus million.
He’s 42-years-old, declining in production (26 homers and 77 rbi in 2006 compared to 45 and 101 two years ago) and has a pissy poor attitude. Yeah 26 and 77 is nice, but not worth $15 million.
I say we dump the guy and chase Barry Zito (16-10 in 2006 with a 3.83 ERA) who’s still on the market. The A’s don’t seem to be interested, and he’s a proven pitcher. One would think the Giants would want to invest in their bullpen with the 28-year-old lefty after the Giants bullpen ranked No. 22 in the league in team ERA (4.63).
And reportedly, Zito is in no rush to make a decision, giving the Giants the proper leverage (dollars and location ) to nab him.
Giants GM Greg Sabean has to be thinking this. I mean, a lot more is at stake than Barry Bonds’ chase for the homerun record.
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