Journalizm Police - 4.24.09

"Journalizm Police is a new segment on the D+B Show Blog where we find glowing examples of the sports media empire's wondrous ineptitude in the field of JOURNALIZM"

Here's some quality journalizm from the Associated Press, via ESPN.COM

In a wide-ranging talk with ESPN's [own] Peter Gammons, [Yankees General Manager Brian] Cashman said he was shocked when he learned that Alex Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids in 2003.

"It caught us all off-guard," Cashman said. "But at the same time I'm not shocked about anything any more."

so....Mr. AP, is Cashman "shocked" or not?

The D&B Show: Where Waiting Until The Playoff Brackets Are Set Happens

Hello fans of The Dick and Bo Show.  We have a new podcast up.  It actually went up yesterday.  I didn't get a chance to let you know...my apologies.  It's an NBA Playoff extravaganza show.  We break down all the playoff matchups, series by series.  If you want to know which series you should mark on your calendar and which you should forget about, you've found the right place.  We go into greater detail on the podcast but, here are a few suggestions: watch Miami vs. Atlanta and avoid (at all costs) Orlando vs. Philly.  You've got to listen to hear the rest of our suggestions.  We'll be back soon with more commentary on the NBA Playoffs.

In other news...The Brett Favre Minute has returned.  One last hurrah.  I know that we've retired The Brett Favre Minute numerous times before but, we mean it this time.  This week legendary NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden retired so, we obviously had to bring out The Brett Favre Minute.  We suspect Madden's retirement had a little bit to do with this.  Don't quote us on that...we weren't on the guest list.  Alright.  That is all for now.  We'll be back soon.

So Bill Simmons just came out with a new "column" today.  It's front page, big-dollar making news down at ESPN.com.  BS also has a fresh new file photo on display, but this isn't TMZ.com, so we won't be talking too much about how fantastic he looks.

Anyway, the column is a discussion of the the NBA's 2009 Most Valuable Player (MVP) race.  Mr. Simmons uses the very effective "countdown" format to list the NBA's best players of 2009, from "Least" valuable to the "Most" valuable.  While normally I find his opinions on sports and pop culture utterly viable, (he lives, breathes, and eats sports/TV/magazines/movies/some literature constantly), there is one topic, rather one NBA player, of which I find his constant ragging on reprehensible.  I'm talking about Yao Ming.

BS had this to say about Yao, ranking him #14 overall in the league as far as MVP candidates go:

"#14.  Yao Ming - The good news? He stayed healthy. The bad news? You're getting a 20-10 and two blocks from him and that's it. He is what he is."

Well Bill i've got a little e-mail for you,

In defense of Dork Elvis,

Yao simply isn't getting enough touches this year to do better than  20ppg.  He averages 13 attempts a game.  On a weaker, less deep team he'd be getting 18 shots a game, and averaging 25+pts.  So he's no Shaq-in-his-prime on the offensive end, but don't penalize him because his teammates are so good. 

In the past, it was Yao/Tracy McGrady taking ~50% of Houston's attempts. Now, they have more talent, with Yao only taking 16% of the team's shots, and Scola/Landry, Lowry/Brooks, and Artest/Wafer combining for 70% of Houston's shot attemps.

If anything, Yao has gotten better, healthier, stronger, his FG% has gone up, he can hit a jump shot, is skilled in the high and low post, makes his free throws, and the most important stat of them all:

Houston is 32-3 this year when Yao scores 20 or more points.  Meaning, Yao doesn't need to do much more than he's doing right now.  The Rockets are winning.  And he consistently plays well against other "great" centers in the league, including his 2-0 record v. Dwight "The Best Center in the League" Howard, not just team, but head to head:

Nov.22 @ORL, Rockets win 100-95

Yao: 22pts, 13rb, 2stl, 1blk, 2a, +13(+/-)

4-4FT, 9-15FG

Howard - 13pts, 9rb, 0stl, 2blk, 0a, -13(+/-)

3-5FT, 5-10FG

---and---

Apr.7 vsORL, Rockets win 93-83

Yao- 20pts, 16rb, 1stl, 2blks, 1a, +15(+/-), 4-5FT, 8-13FG

Howard- 13pts, 10rb, 1stl, 3blks, 1a,  -1(+/-), 3-9FT, 5-11FG

Frankly, I'm pretty tired of the rampant Asian discrimination not only in the way games are called in this league, but also amongst the sports media.  This country is pretty damn prejudiced. Howard gets lauded with praise because he dunks a lot, swats balls into the stands, and can bench 365. But head to head, this year, it is no contest. Yao SCHOOLED Dwight Howard TWICE in 2008-2009, and NOBODY (in the national media) is talking about it. Look at the stats. Look at the record. D.Ho isn't even DPOY in this man's opinion, Lebron James is. But whatever. Give it to the ball-swatter...but either way, he can't guard Yao one on one.

Yao is a fantastic basketball player, a global ambassador of the sport, unique in his ability to be 7'6'' and not turn into Shawn Bradley or Manute Bol, a veritable All-Star...yet he's the butt of your jokes all the time.  Mr. Simmons, who would you have taken with the 2002 #1? Amare? Boozer? Both headcases, and just as injury prone as anybody.  Who else? Caron Butler? Dunleavy Jr.? Just curious.

He deserves more respect, sir, not just from you, but the American public.  Why are we so anti-Asia? Yea they make cheap plastic crap by the mega-ton-load, but they are generally nice, hard-working people. Ridiculous.  And I'm Puerto Rican, why should I care? I just do. (Go J.J. Barea! Caliente!)

-Dick

Nerd Alert!

As fans of sport, we all like stats.  We enjoy seeing how our team is doing in the standings.  We like to see how many points our favorite player scored in the last game or how close a player will be to batting .400.  To be a fan of sports is to crave stats, at least on some level.  It keeps it all organized.  It allows for arguments over who the greatest player was or which team is the greatest of all time.  Home runs, strikeouts, points per game, triple doubles, touchdowns and interceptions are examples of "fan friendly" stats.  They are the ones that make the highlights.  Check out the videos...full of "fan friendly" stats.  

Yet, recently the media has been harping on how professional teams are using advanced statistical analysis to show who is the better player or help decide who should be resigned or let go.  I am all for teams improving their player tracking.  This could ensure that we get quality players in their prime, instead of overpaying past their prime players based on their name.  These new metrics that teams are using and, for the most part, keeping a secret are good for the overall game.  Anything that cuts down on the potential for human error is a plus when it comes to analysis.  

On the other hand, how can fans get excited about these stats?  Stories about these new stats keep popping up as a great new tool for teams to use.  The Sports Illustrated article (linked above) talks about how in baseball, "There will be...a day when a player's plus/minus carries as much weight in a Rotisserie league as his offensive statistics".  And that may be a true statement...someday.  I have to believe that these statistics are going to appeal to a very small group of fans.  The fans who are in serious fantasy leagues are going to really get into these stats.  And they should.  The stats are interesting...to them.  The majority of fans are still going to follow the "fan friendly" stats and that is it.  Those stats are very measurable and give them instant gratification.  A game winning home run is much more easily viewed than the events that set it up.  That home run, and events like it, are what draw most people to the games.

Another issue I have with this new system is the holier-than-thou impression that I am getting from everything that I read and listen to.  It seems to me, that the people who are developing, deploying, and are excited about this strategy feel that they are in an exclusive fraternity.  True, they are some of the cutting edge developers of these stat metrics but, don't write and talk like these are the last pieces of the puzzle.  These stats, added to the other stats, are not going to make every personnel decision the absolute correct one.  So don't act like they are.  They are an improvement...not the end all be all of player judgement.  Plus, they will never be able to judge what a player has in him.  How would the new stats have measured players like Jerry Rice or Scottie Pippen?  Would they even have been given a shot?  Or would the new stats have eliminated them from getting a chance?  Some will argue that those types of players will be noticed more often when all the stats are factored in.  It just seems nearly impossible to get player evaluation into a perfect little box.

Again, it is great that teams are developing new ways to grade players.  Hopefully this new way of evaluation will improve every professional sports league.  While it's good that this idea continues to get increased media coverage, let's just make sure we keep it in perspective and view it for what it really is...a supplement to the current system.      

  

       

Happy 1st Birthday to The Dick and Bo Show Blog!!!

And now...some self-congratulating for The Dick and Bo Show Blog.  It's been 1 year since it started and it's still going strong.  Click here for a picture of Jason Giambi rockin' out at The Dick and Bo Show 1 Year Anniversary Party.  Just kidding, of course (the date in the corner of the picture gives it away, no?).  This is the only friend that The Dick and Bo Show got to show up at the celebration.  Alright, faithful readers.  We promise to keep coming strong this year.  No fade out during baseball season.  Year two will be bigger and better!!!  

Welcome to the NFL...

here are your flags.  You must have all three flags on you at all times.  One on each hip, where the hip pads used to go, and one covering the tailbone.  If at any time a flag is to fall off during a play, that play will be blown dead by the referee.  The ball will be placed at the spot where the flag fell off.  

Is that about right?  Seems to me that this is where the NFL is headed.  Yesterday they passed this warning (if that is what you'd call it).  Defensive players who get knocked, trip, fall to the ground are no longer allowed to lunge at the quarterback during that same play.  I assume the NFL wants that player to stand up, then continue pursuing the ball.  That is all fine and dandy if things in the NFL didn't happen in split seconds.  It is a very reactionary game.  A defensive guy gets knocked down unexpectedly and years of training and instincts tell him to scramble, in any way possible, to the ball.  If the ball is far away, the player will jump to his feet and pursue.  If it is close, crawling and lunging may be the quickest path.  The NFL is now banning(?) this action.  They did not pass a rule against it, so, it won't be flagged.  I suppose the referee will just tell the player that he can't do that and send him back to the huddle.  

My problem is this.  This exact type of play happens hundreds and hundreds of times in the NFL each year.  Defensive guys are blocked by the offensive players.  Some of them get knocked to the ground, some remain standing.  The quarterback sees his open man and steps up in the pocket to throw the ball to him.  Usually, that is where the play ends.  I take issue with the fact the NFL is worried about the anomaly.  They have focused on the one time last year that it ended a player's season.  It is ridiculous to still be talking about this.  Injuries happen.  That is a fact of life in the NFL.  Deal with it.  Would they still be talking about this play if it happened to him instead of this cool guy?  I highly doubt it.       

Oh, the insanity! It's...it's...madness!!! Pure madness!!!

Just a quick post announcing our new podcast.  We have one.  

Oh...you want more details.  Alright.  We break down the NCAA tournament.  Not pick by pick like many of the so-called experts do, instead, we discuss the advantages that an end of the season tournament has for college basketball.  Pay attention NCAA football.  We comment on how the tournament teams are selected and how there aren't too many teams complaining about not making it.  Of course, there are a few but, all in all, it seemed to be a pretty successful year in quelling all that talk.  Ahem...NCAA football.  Are you listening?  

Anyway, we then throw in a quick discussion about Jay Cutler and his situation with the Denver Broncos.  Incidentally, I bet if Dick were talking about this Jay Cutler, he wouldn't have been so tough.  And, yes, his name really is Jay Cutler.  This is followed by a semi-rant by Dick about the failures of Darko Milicic and the Associated Press' treatment of the former second overall pick in the NBA.  I'm not sure why this bothers Dick so much but, I can't keep up with everything that bothers him.  

On to every one's favorite segment...Separated. At. Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrth.  As a disclaimer for our apologetic behavior during the podcast, I want you all to know that we just call it as we see it.  We mean no disrespect to the people who we compare.  It is what it is.  Without further delay I present our long lost twins.  One of them was just disciplined for using an iPhone to Twitter during halftime of one of his team's games.  The other is more likely to be found banging these together.  That's right.  You guessed it...the Milwaukee Bucks' Charlie Villanueva and the Geico Caveman.

 

 

Like I said...no disrespect to either of those gentlemen.  They just look alike.  I mean, they look so much alike that seeing this is like shooting fish in a barrel.  It's so simple that a baby could see it.  It's so easy that a caveman cou...wait a second.  I'm not getting involved in that lawsuit.  Until next time.