Friday, November 13, 2009

Can we get some clarity?

There's a common thought in the world of sports news pundits.

It is this: Defense wins games.

I beg to differ.

Defense, technically, prevents the other team from winning the game. If there's good defense, but little to no offense, then there's often no win for that team.

Occasionally, the defense will score points. Take, for instance, an intercepted pass in the NFL which is then run for a touchdown. But in this case, the defense has become offense because defense, by its very nature, does not score points. It tries to prevent the other team from scoring points.

'Nuff said.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Bah

So the Yankees won #27.

Good for them. Lousy for everyone else.

I don't care for the Yankees. I think it's genetic. I don't hate the players - I don't even know them. You should never hate someone you don't know due to lack of justifiable cause. But I don't like them, will always root against them.

I tend to think their fans are obnoxious. And, yes, they probably say the same thing about Red Sox fans. Their gloating makes me want to block their news feeds on Facebook. I am not a fan of gloating.

So the Yankees won #27.

From what everyone is saying, it sounds like they think that the team as it is currently comprised won all 27 World Series. But that can't be right.

It has been 9 years since their last WS victory. Back then, their starting roster looked like this:

Lineup
Jorge Posada*
Tino Martinez
Chuck Knoblauch
Scott Brosius
Derek Jeter*
Ricky Ledee
Bernie Williams
Paul O'Neill
Shane Spencer

Starting Pitchers
Roger Clemens
David Cone
Orlando Hernandez
Denny Neagle
Andy Pettitte*

Bullpen
Randy Choate
Jason Grimsley
Jeff Nelson
Mike Stanton
Mariano Rivera*

Joe Torre was managing and George Steinbrenner was micromanaging.

So, while the Yankees NAME has won 27 championships, the current Yankees TEAM has only won one. I wouldn't call the current team a dynasty. Nope, not at all.

The General Manager Meetings start Monday in Chicago.