The Arrival Of a Savior?

As big of a soccer fan as I am, I just couldn’t go any longer without writing on the arrival of David Beckham to the US, and to MLS with the LA Galaxy. Following the love fest that was his official welcoming party at the Home Depot Center on Friday, July 13th, Beckham spent the weekend getting to know his new teammates and adjusting to life on the other side of the pond.

While his wife seems to be doing ok, with a reality show that debuted last night (no, I did not watch it. Something about blatant and inherent self-promotion carried all the way to this point makes me not want anything to do with it), it remains to be seen how David will react and assimilate himself to not just the US culture, but also to the MLS. After all, this is not the Spanish La Liga he has been playing in with Real Madrid in Spain the last few years. As much as the soccer in the MLS has improved in just the last few years, it is still far behind the best leagues in the world.

And the absolute best league in the world is where Beckham just finished up, having helped Real to a late surge and League title. While much has been made of his loss of pace the last two years, or his ability to sustain himself for entire games, Beckham is still instantly one of the top five players in our league, if not top three. His ability to bend the ball on free kicks, as well as his pin-point accuracy on crosses and balls through the air, are breathtaking and unparalleled.

It is this feature which should gain Beckham a following within the US among casual soccer fans, as he can play ‘the beautiful game’ as well as anyone in the world, making it spectacular and fun to watch. I can already picture him making 50 yard through balls to an on-rushing Landon Donovan, perfectly placing the ball at his feet as Donovan breaks away from the defense and slots one in the corner.

Then again, you have the other side of Beckham’s arrival, the variable. Will he be able to make soccer in the US relevant? Will he be able to elevate the play in the MLS, making it a viable league and possibly attract more big name players to come play here? This seems to be the pressure put on Beckham, the expectation. Beckham wasn’t brought here to play in the MLS. He was brought here to save it, and to save soccer in the US.

Then again, I’m not sure I buy the idea that the MLS needs to be saved. The league is in probably the best position of its history. It has major sponsorship and TV deals in place to last many years, and its popularity is at an all-time high, albeit partly because of Beckham’s impending arrival on the scene. The US team is showing signs it could become a powerhouse, with a lot of the young talent trading their wares in MLS. All in all, the league is in a good position.

But it can be better. The MLS’s ultimate goal is to barge its way onto the national scene in the same way the Big Four have done, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and the NHL. It is seeking to become number 5, alongside those other professional leagues. Though the way I see it, they have a chance to flat-out replace hockey on the Big Four list, as Gary Bettman is doing everything in his power to make hockey completely irrelevant. This leaves a large, gaping hole in American sports, one the MLS is attempting to fill.

Personally, I think they have a great chance. With David Beckham comes increased national exposure, and while this exposure is not necessarily geared towards the game but Beckham himself, eventually the soccer story will be told by Beckham. He is a fantastic ambassador for the game, one the likes of which this country has not seen. And he has stated many times, and I believe him, that one of his goals for playing in the US is to increase the awareness of soccer in the US.

It has been said many times, at various points throughout the last 30 years, that soccer in the US was at the brink of becoming a national pastime. I truly believe we are at that brink in the US, and all it will take to overcome that is a few years and some lucky breaks. With another three years until the next World Cup, I believe when we reach South Africa in 2010 soccer will have taken a great hold on the US.

Beckham is one of those lucky breaks we need, coming to America at just the right time to jumpstart the sport here. Combine that with what could be the best 1-2 punch in American soccer history coming up through the youth ranks, Jozy Altidore (who has just started getting national attention) and Freddy Adu (who we have all heard about for several years), and you could really be garnering the attention and coverage needed to push American soccer into the mind’s of Americans once and for all.

As for Beckham, I will be watching intently how he handles the MLS, and also how he handles elevating the awareness of soccer in the US, and the awareness of US soccer to the world. It’s an exciting time to be a US soccer fan, and I can’t wait to see what the next three years bring.

Starting the 2nd Half

And we’re off! The 2nd half of the baseball season is upon us, and the races for division titles, the playoffs, and the wildcard are soon to be heating up. The Dbacks figure to (hopefully) be prominent in all of those races, but need a good start to the 2nd half. What better way to get that start than three games at home against the division leading San Diego Padres.

Two games into that series, with the final one getting under way in just a few minutes, and the Dbacks are looking good. With an 8-3 win on Friday, the Dbacks bats came alive again, racking up 15 hits (and a free chalupa for everyone in attendance, something my brother was apparently real excited about). Punishing Greg Maddux, as has become Maddux's custom when he shows up in Chase Field, the Dback offense found it's groove, scoring in 4 of the 8 innings they batted in. The new call-up, Jeff Salazar, led the way with a 3 for 4 night, including one that was about 3 feet from going yard. This coming on the same night he made one of the best catches ever seen at Chase Field, robbing Brian Giles of homerun by leaping about three feet over the fence (See it here - Love listening to Darren Sutton call this...).

Last night the Dbacks showed the ability to come from behind, trailing 4-1 going into the 7th, where a singles parade then ensued. With 5 singles and 2 sac fly's, the Dbacks managed to tie the game, plating three runs. Then in the 8th, Chad Tracy had a hit to center to score Orlando Hudson, giving the Dbacks the go ahead run and the eventual win. Jose Valverde was once again dominant, getting the save by facing the minimum.

While it is only two games, the Dbacks offense has looked better already. How much of that is attributed to the new hitting coach and how much of it is due to the break is hard to say. Either way, it is an encouraging sign to see the bats flying again, especially against the division leaders. It's a good start to the last few months of the season, which should be an interesting race to the finish.

NASCAR – Do The Right Thing!

NASCAR please end all the suspense – what number will Junior race under next year?

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the face of NASCAR. He has been voted NASCAR’s most popular driver four years in a row and his car number 8 apparel and merchandising accounts for 30 percent of all NASCAR merchandise sold. With his leaving DEI Motorsports to join Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) in 2008, many fans are left wondering if Junior will race car number 8 with HMS or will he be issued a new number? There was been much written about DEI being open to discussions with HMS about the rights to the number 8. In fact, it has been reported that HMS has even asked DEI about buying the number 8. But the decision does not rest solely with DEI.

There is a little known yet long-standing numbers policy in NASCAR that NASCAR assigns and owns all the sports car numbers. DEI was assigned the number 8 in 2000 with the arrival of Junior racing in the Cup Series full-time. DEI has the right to keep using the number or relinquish the number back to NASCAR. Now, NASCAR could just end the speculation by working out a deal with DEI and HMS to keep the face of their sport in the sports car number that he requested. The car number 8 is significant to Junior since it is the car number that his grandfather, Ralph Lee Earnhardt, raced under in the early years of NASCAR. As an Earnhardt fan, I cannot imagine any other driver than an Earnhardt driving the number 8 and for that matter the number 3. NASCAR – you have been one sport sanctioning body that not only acknowledges but realizes the sport is about the fans. Do the right thing – let Junior keep the number 8.

Chalupa's For Everyone!

Wow, 15 hits, 8 runs, 5 for 12 with runners in scoring position, 7 runs scored with two outs and the final run on a sacrifice fly by Reynolds that could have left the park. Offense, it makes a team look so good and fun to watch. Without it the Dbacks faltered into the All Star Break, and tonight they look unbeatable. Did you see the catch by Salazar? It was spectacular, taking away a home run by Giles and the Padres. Just an enjoyable game to watch and great to see against the division leaders. I do not expect Schu (new hitting coach) to experience this much success this quickly, but lets hope it continues. Go Dbacks!

Oh for god sake's...

Just when i thought it couldn't get any worse...

ESPN Brings Who's Now in for a tuneup.

The Worldwide Leader is going to make my head explode...

Who's Now? Not ESPN.

I know it's a slow sports month and all, and really a slow sports season, but for the love of all that is holy... Are you kidding me with this 'Who's Now' crap? Are you serious? Is the World Wide Leader really pretending this is something important? This is a joke. A JOKE. I can't capitalize that last statement enough. IT IS A JOKE!!!!!!!

And the tragedy of it all is that it is ruining the credibility of two of my favorite personalities on ESPN: Kirk Herbstreit and Michael Wilbon. I have always enjoyed Herbie's take on College Football, unbiased and very informed. (And it doesn't hurt that he always shows respect to my Hawkeye's). And Wilbon has always been the voice of reason to Tony Kornheiser's sensationalism on PTI.

The sad thing is that you know they were roped into it. Nobody in their right mind would jump at the chance to marginalize themselves on something so completely contrived, overdone, and reeking of self-importance. ESPN has taken a lot of flack in some outlets for being too self-indulgent and pompous. I have always enjoyed their take on sports, and have been a defender in the past.

No more. I can't for one second defend the tragedy that is 'Who's Now'. It is a TRAINWRECK. It is everything that is wrong with sports and ESPN, all wrapped up in one conveniently digested 5 minute blurb on Sportscenter every night. And therein lies the problem ESPN, and sports highlighting/reporting in general, have come to represent. They are insulting our intelligence as sports fans.

I love sports. I watch almost nothing but sports on tv. I listen to sports talk radio, and sports websites are the first places i visit each day. But i am not a moron. I want the highlights. I want the stats. I want the story of the game. What i don't want is pop culture infused with my sports. What i don't want is someone being trumpeted because they are sexy, or popular off the field (Leinart and Beckham, i'm looking in your direction...). What i don't want is the cheapening of sports.

Sports is about the competition, the athleticism, and the fun. The almost political-type importance placed on sports these days is ridiculous. It is A GAME. It is entertainment. It is fun. It is not meant to be a barometer of the world in general, nor of democracy or world peace.

It is not important. It is not seminal to the world, or capitalism, or democracy, or anything else you can think of that doesn't involve your fantasy team. And that is where ESPN, and honestly most other sports reporting agencies, have gone wrong. They are placing far too much importance on sports. And it has culminated with the travesty that is 'Who's Now'.

Memo to ESPN: We as sports fans are not retarded. The sooner you figure this out, the better. Until then, don't expect me to be watching any time soon...

Going, Going Gone Kevin Seitzer

Kevin Seitzer, the hitting coach for the Dbacks, has been fired. I take this as great news and am very excited for the future. I am not here to bitch about KS, but I will, who had this talent laden team batting near the bottom of every major offensive statistic. KS was hired last October after running a very successful batting cage facility in Kansas City. With no major league baseball experience he was the new Dbacks hitting coach. In the spring, when KS has very little chance to impact the current Dbacks, they were leading spring training in most all offensive stats. As the season(April) began we started to hit less but we were still getting key hits to win many games and still managed to lead the ML in hitting % with runners in scoring position. KS has said many times that his hitting theory would not fit on paper, so as this long drawn out theory started to permeate the brains of our young hitters, the production steadily declined. The Dbacks started May in a hitting slump and struggled until a new double A hitter arrived and instantly brought his bat, and offense, with him. Mark Reynolds carried this team on a winning streak and vaulted the Dbacks into first place in late May and early June. Then KS started working on 'The Sheriff' with his biblical length hitting instructions and thus ruined him. KS has lowered the offensive stats for every single young hitter that the Dbacks have. They are currently hitting only .248 and getting lower by the week.

Que the music of the heavens opening - AhhhhLAAAhhhhhh

Let Rick Schu at them, the new hitting coach and the 2004 Dbacks hitting coach. Now that team will not be mistaken for the '27 Yankees, but at least he has some experience. The '04 team also had no talent, and I mean no talent. Payback for the '01 World Series. Anyway, Rick go get the hitters and do your magic. And by Magic, I mean vacuum every young hitters brain of any and all evidence of Kevin Seitzer. Let these kids hit, not think. They have consistently gotten worse throughout the year because they are thinking way to much. Let the talent flow. Tracy, Jackson, Young, Quentin, Drew, Hairston, and Callaspo all hit well over .300 in the minors and some in the majors. Do not let them think anymore, let them do. They have the know how, just let them hit. Rick Schu should have the easiest job of the year. The rest of the year we should see a gradual comeback of the offensive stats hopefully ending in a red hot September which would lead to an interesting October. Good riddance to Kevin and here's to Rick saying nothing but 'nice home run kid'.