Friday, October 31, 2008

Getting Ready for the Football Weekend

Both the Badgers and Packers have pretty big games coming up this weekend, and unfortunately, I don't see either one coming away with a win.

Let's start with Saturday, when the Badgers make the trip to East Lansing to face the Michigan State Spartans.

This is just not a good matchup for the Badgers. Sure, their defense kept Illinois in check last week, but that was because Illinois QB Juice Williams helped Wisconsin out with three interceptions. The Badgers won't be as lucky this weekend. Michigan State plays it a lot closer to the vest, and running back Javon Ringer is going to do a lot of damage. Put it this way, if Iowa's Shonn Green can run for over 200 yards against Wisconsin, what do you think a Heisman Trophy candidate like Ringer's going to do?

The Badgers also are without the services of tight end Travis Beckum, whose career as a Badger ended last week. Sure, Dustin Sherer still has Garrett Graham to go to, but opposing defenses know that, and will commit more defenders to shutting him down.

The Badgers running game? Well, it looks like P.J. Hill is no longer the number one back. John Clay, the phenom from Racine, is. That's a situation that bears watching, especially from Hill's standpoint

Cliff's Prediction: Michigan State 30, Badgers 17

Now to the Packers, who have the task of going to Tennessee to face the undefeated Titans.

If Packer fans are looking for some good news, it's simply this. The Titans are coming in to this matchup after a short week (Monday night's win over Indianapolis). They also now have the national spotlight firmly upon them. How will they react?

My guess is they will be just fine. This is a young team, but it has some wily old veterans. Jeff Fisher started coaching the Houston Oilers when Bill Clinton was in his first term as President. Kerry Collins has been around for nearly as long. This team is not going to get a big head after reading the accolades heaped upon them.

I've come to a conclusion about the Titans. They are that good. They aren't going to have much of a problem beating the Packers on Sunday. Firstly, the game is at home.

Secondly, when you talk about the Titans you start with a defense led by DT Albert Haynesworth. Does anyone think Ryan Grant is going to break loose for a big game? He hasn't done it all season, and even though the yardage numbers looked good against Seattle and Indy, but the yards per carry number hasn't looked good at all.

Speaking of running the ball, it's something the Packers have had trouble stopping all season long, and this Sunday, they face the best running game in the NFL. Chris Johnson, the first round pick out of East Carolina, has taken the league by storm. LenDale White, as big as he is, is just as effective. All he does is score touchdowns. It could be a long day at the office for Green Bay's defense.

Cliff's Prediction: Titans 31, Packers 10

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Macha Hire a Home Run

Brewers GM Doug Melvin wanted to hire Ken Macha six years ago. They say good things come to those who wait, and I think that might be happening here in Milwaukee.

The former Oakland Athletics Manager was introduced this afternoon as the Brewers new skipper, replacing Ned Yost (and Dale Sveum). Macha beat out former Mets manager Willie Randolph and Cubs broadcatser Bob Brenly, who owns a World Series ring from the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Brewers hired the right guy. Macha doesn't have the baggage that Randolph does. He didn't preside over a collapse like Randolph did in 2007 with the Mets. His teams played for him, unlike the Mets for Randolph for the sixty-nine games he lasted this past season.

He also didn't watch his team crumble before him like Brenly did a few years ago with Arizona. He hasn't managed in four years, and has spent enough time in the broadcast booth to where I think he's more comfortable there anyway (why leave a cushy gig where you are never second guessed?). Besides, Brenly always looked to me like the kind of guy who was after the BBD (Bigger Better Deal).

Is Macha the perfect hire? No. He did have a somewhat combative relationship with Oakland's Billy Beane, but then again, who doesn't? Beane thinks he invented the game, and his ego got big after the book 'Moneyball' came out.

Has Macha always gotten along with his players? Not necessarily. He told a story during his news conference today about former A's outfielder Jay Payton storming into his office, wanting to know why he wasn't playing. Macha pointed out his shabby On Base Percentage and told Payton to pick his game up and he'd get playing time. Sure enough, Payton hit .300 that year.

That tells me he's going to hold guys accountable. So, if Rickie Weeks isn't hitting, he won't play. The same goes for Billy Hall. If Jeff Suppan is struggling, he'll be pulled from the rotation. That wasn't always the case under Ned Yost (otherwise known as Mr. Patient).

He's holding himself accountable as well. He took a two year deal from the Brewers, which has raised some eyebrows around Milwaukee. Much like Mike McCarthy with the Packers (who took a three year deal when he was hired in 2006, he is confident in his abilities, and looks at his new club as if it's a team that's ready to win right now. And, if he doesn't get the job done, we move on to the next guy.

You have to like someone like that. You have to like the hiring of Ken Macha by the Brewers.

Phillies Need Changes to Repeat

The Phillies closed out the Tampa Bay Rays and won the World Series last night in five games. It was (despite being a Mets fan) fun to watch. After all, Brad Lidge was a guy that was left for dead not so long ago. Carlos Ruiz, Jayson Werth, Pedro Feliz aren't household names. In fact, the Phillies have a mix of stars and journeymen. It all came together for a fabulous run this fall, but for it to happen again, if it is to happen in 2009, changes need to be made.

First of all, the Phillies are likely to need a new GM. Pat Gillick has been rumored to retire for about six months now. One of his assistants, likely Ruben Amaro Jr., will take over. Among the things Amaro will have to do:

* Find a new leftfielder: Pat Burrell isn't going to be back. Despite the huge hit that former Brewer Geoff Jenkins had in Game Five last night, he's not the answer on an everyday basis.

* Find a new Third Baseman: Pedro Feliz is just a guy. Greg Dobbs is better off as a pinch hitter than anything else.

* Re-sign Jamie Moyer: He's going to be a free agent. He had sixteen wins in 2008. I know he's close to collecting Social Security, but the Phillies need him back.

* Bolster the rotation: Cole Hamels is one of the best in the game, but after that, the Phillies have question marks. Is Joe Blanton ever going to be the consistent pitcher the Athletics thought they were getting a few years ago? Which Brett Myers will show up next year? If it's the good Myers great. If not, the Phillies need to address that.

The Phillies are a great story. Guys like Jimmy Rollins and especially Brad Lidge are easy to root for. I'm happy for their long suffering fans. But, to stay at the top, they need to shore things up.

I'm not saying it was a fluke, but I am saying this World Champion has holes.

An Open Letter to Danyelle Sargent

Dear Ms. Sargent,

It has come to my attention that your taped gaffe with 49ers Head Coach Mike Singeltary actually made it on to the air, thanks to WFAN's Mike Francesa. It also has come to my attention that you are upset with Mr. Francesa, and that your bosses are upset as well, because this was an 'unauthorized airing.'

My response to the whole thing is simply this. Get over it.

Firstly, if some producer failed to tell Francesa the video was not meant for air, that's on the producer, not the host. Secondly, Francesa didn't even go after you for the mistake. He has been known to do the exact opposite of what he did, which was leave you alone. By all rights, he should have gone after you. That's how bad the mistake was.

Danyelle, it's not like Bill Walsh hadn't been in the news recently. The man passed away just over a year ago. You probably reported it on your FSN Final Score show (if you remember).

The bigger shock to me was that you failed to say Mike Ditka as opposed to Bill Walsh. Singletary played against Walsh and for Ditka. Maybe you would have known that if you had either cared to do your research or were more than just a casual sports fan.

That's the problem these days with too many television anchors. They want in the business so badly, they will take jobs that aren't even their strong suit. Trust me when I say this. There's also the problem of preparation, or the lack thereof. Too many of the people we consider 'talent' would rather do things on the fly than spend the time preparing. I believe both of those factors played into the Sargent/Singletary mess.

My advice to you, Danyelle, is to own the mistake. We all make mistakes. We all mis-speak. Sometimes we even get a hold of bad information and report it as if it were the gospel. But, the difference is most of the other people who make these mistakes take responsibility for it.

Own the mistake Danyelle. I wouldn't say it if I hadn't actually done it before. I have. I know of what I speak.

Sadly though, you have this pattern of making excuses. This isn't the first time you found yourself in hot water. The last time was when you let an f-bomb fly on ESPNEWS, which probably contributed to why you aren't there anymore. You made excuses then. You're making excuses now, like 'That shouldn't have aired,' or 'I'm still waiting for him to apologize.'

Stop the excuses, own the mistake, and move on. It'll take a week, but people forget. Trust me.

Cliff Saunders

Trade Fielder? Yes, I Would

The headlines blared here in Milwaukee on Monday. The New York Post reported the Brewers had let teams know they would be willing to listen to offers for Prince Fielder.

Reaction here was mixed. Some fans thought the Brewers were nuts to consider trading one of their cornerstone players. Some fans thought trading Prince would be the prudent thing to do. You can count me among those fans.

Let's face it. CC Sabathia can talk a good game, and Ben Sheets can cry in the locker room that he wants to remain here in Milwaukee, but when they get better offers (uh, in other words, MORE MONEY), they are gone.

How do you replace them? Well, Yovanni Gallardo's a good start, but the Brewers need to go outside the organization to get that second stud pitcher. You know, the one they don't have right now.

The free agent class appears to be somewhat weak, and that's why the Brewers are playing the trade card. Dangle a guy like Fielder out there, and you never know what teams will do. Would I be stunned if the Yankees decide to bite, and maybe even part with a Phillip Hughes or Ian Kennedy? No I wouldn't

More likely, if the Brewers make a deal involving Fielder, it will be with a team we were not talking about, and for a pitcher we never would have expected to come to Milwaukee.

But, make no mistake. I believe the time to trade Fielder is this off-season. His value might not get any higher than it is right now.

If he doesn't start taking care of his weight, he is going to become an AL DH before his time. He's already on his way there, considering the amount of errors he committed this past season.

He also has Scott Boras as an agent, which is the real reason the Brewers want to trade Fielder. He has moaned and groaned about money for two seasons now, and he just turned down a five year deal worth sixty million dollars. The Brewers were ready to make him the highest paid player inf franchise history, but apparently it wasn't enough for Fielder (or more likely Boras).

How do you replace Fielder? The Brewers have options including free agency (Doug Mientkiewicz), and in-house (Corey Hart or young Brad Nelson).

Here's the bottom line. It's easier to replace a first baseman than it is to replace two stud pitchers, which is why Fielder finds himself on the block as we speak.

Only in Baseball

So, you're Bud Selig, and you're probably waking up this morning, checking out the Philly newspapers, and reading how you made a poor decision to even play Game Five of the World Series last night, knowing that rain is coming. And you're just shaking your head in disbelief.

I'm going to defend Bud on this one. The forecast for Philly today is calling for possible snow, so if you're Bud, you have to play the game last night, especially since they were saying the rain would not arrive until after midnight.

But, this is Major League Baseball, the sport that scrapped a World Series because of the strike fourteen years ago, the sport that had to end an All-Star Game in a tie in the Commissioner's hometown because of mismanagement. In other words, Murphy's Law is in effect. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

The real problem here? The TV networks. FOX, to be specific. They are the ones who want these games to start at darned near 9PM in the Eastern time zone. If you started the game at 7 o'clock Eastern, you probably are able to finish last night's game without much of a problem.

But, the networks say they can't start that early because it's not 'pimetime'. Well, to that, I say what a bunch of BS! I live in the Central time zone, where they start primetime television at 7 o'clock. And, when I lived on the East Coast, we always talked about how the games started too late.

It seems so simple, doesn't it? Start the games at seven and go from there. Tell the FOX's of the world, the ESPN's to shut up and deal with it. They'll make their money. People will watch the games.

But, don't expect MLB to be the first to tell the networks where to go and how to get there. They might need someone else, like the NFL, NBA, or NHL to do it first. And, sadly, I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon

The NFL's Top Team? The NY Giants

It has been a wild NFL season so far. A couple of weeks ago, I asked Jim Nantz of CBS who the NFL's best team was. He hemmed and hawed, and then said Tennessee because they don't have a loss.

But that was before the Giants went to Heinz Field and squeaked out a win over the Steelers. I know Pittsburgh was missing Willie Parker, but I also know that going to Pittsburgh and winning isn't an easy thing to do. The Giants didn't look great in doing it, but they are The Champs, and outside of what I believe was a fluky loss to the Browns, they are still at the top of the NFL heap.

I wouldn't be shocked if the Titans either lose, or get everything they can handle from Peyton Manning and the Colts tonight. Sure, Tennessee plays defense, and they run the ball with LenDale White and Chris Johnson, but what happens if they have to have Kerry Collins throw the ball 25-30 times and lead this team from behind? We might find out tonight.

As for the rest of the contenders/pretenders to the throne, the Cowboys looked very ordinary in beating the Bucs, and they have way too many injuries to deal with to be considered anything more than a pretender.

In the AFC you had the Bills losing to the Dolphins, so that takes them out of the contender category. The Steelers are banged up without Santonio Holmes and Parker.

In the NFC, the Giants haven't played the Eagles yet, so that will be interesting. But I'm not buying stock into the 6-2 Redskins just yet. Jason Campbell is their QB. Jim Zorn is their coach. The Panthers are 6-2, but there's something missing there, just as something is missing from the Saints (defense), Bucs (offense), the Bears (experience on offense), the Vikings (a quarterback), and the Packers (an experienced quarterback).

So, for now, if you ask me who the best team in the NFL is, I have to say it's the Giants.

Badgers Impressive, But

The Badgers showed they aren't quite dead yet with their ten point victory over Illinois Saturday.

They might have salvaged their season. Certainly getting to six wins to become bowl eligible, with lightweights Indiana and Cal Poly still in the schedule, is a pretty much foregone conclusion.

However, I would caution Badger Nation from jumping on the 'they're ok' bandwagon. They aren't. They still have problems.

They didn't beat Juice Williams Saturday as much as Juice helped Wisconsin's cause with turnover after turnover. The Illini still made some plays on offense, which tells me that the Badgers still have problems on the defensive side of the ball.

As far as the offense is concerned, let's not crown Dustin Sherer the savior just yet. Yes he had a good game, but if he were really that good we would not have had to wait until last week against Iowa to see him in the starting lineup.

Wisconsin still has a major problem under center. Look at some of the other QB's in the league. Terrelle Pryor and Darryl Clark, for instance. They are both dual threats. They can run and throw. When was the last time Wisconsin had a QB like that? Never.

Redshirt Curt Phillips is said to be the answer to that particular problem. Let's face it. None of us knows if Phillips really is all that. We haven't seen him play. If he pans out like some of the other recent Bret Bielema recruits then he'll fall short of those expectations.

And if that happens, then the firebretbielema.com people really will have a case.