So, Andre Smith is here and very quickly the question is, who won?
Well, the way I look at it, there are two winners and two losers.
Let's start with the winners.
1. Andre Smith. CTR's Law: When you are guaranteed $21 million, you win. Period.
2. The Brown family. Not in public support, because that's not going to happen. But in their own minds, because they stuck to their guns and got a deal they wanted and didn't compromise. They also did a nice deal chock-full of incentives and an option for after next season that could help motivate a young man that has seemed to need it at times.
And then, there's the losers...
1. Alvin Keels. He looks like he got played. If he did or didn't -- doesn't matter when you're an agent, image is everything. You gonna go with a guy like Alvin Keels or Drew Rosenhaus? Or Scott Boras? Exactly.
2. The Bengals. Their top pick, as offensive line coach Paul Alexander said, has a "looooong way to go." The offensive line needs to play together to be effective -- the line's not going to be able to function correctly with Smith for a while. Remember David Pollack's rookie season? Well, he missed 19 days of camp was never quite in sync. Smith missed 30. Both are switching positions (although Pollack's was more drastic), but both started behind and won't catch up for a while.
* The joys of being a small organization, I'm gonna miss the first Reds-Pirates pregame meeting to be the Bengals locker room and Marvin Lewis press conference, then run over to GABP after that.
* Does anything say "baseball fever" quite like a Reds-Pirates day-night doubleheader on Aug. 31?
Good times.
* Poz hits a walk-off homer in his final column as a full-time columnist at the KC Star -- it's on Chris "Disco" Hayes. Why is he called Disco? Because he throws in the 70s. Just awesome. I linked his blog on Friday, but did I mention Mrs. Disco sometimes writes on the blog too? You gotta check out her mailbag.
* Jeff Passan writes about Ichiro and speculates he could reach 4,000 hits
* Forget Matt Holliday, the Braves may have made the best trade this season, getting Adam LaRoche.
* This is a great concept: fruit stands at ballparks -- hell if anyone had it, I'd think Big Bob would
* David Wright will wear one of the new bulkier helmets that help guard against concussions. Scott Rolen tried one on, but said he wasn't going to wear it.
* Karma?
* MLB.com has an article on the choice between football and baseball for players.
* An interview with former Bearcat and current Texan, Connor Barwin
* Did you know Ted Kennedy had a tryout with the Bears and turned down a tryout with the Packers?
* Inside Bearcat Football with my man Tommy G is on FSN Ohio at 6 tonight and replays at 11.
* Things just aren't going too well at that school up north, are they? Rich Rodriguez's sparkling personality is endearing him to his players -- which is what this is all about. I think it'd be tough to find a successful program that doesn't go over the practice limits.
* Blake Griffin apparently has a certain skill set that will be invaluable to playing for the Clippers -- a wonderful sense of humor
* Forget bloggers getting press credentials, a Tweeter has credentials at one Big East school
* Don Cheadle is producing a TV show about college basketball -- I hope it's better than Blue Chips
* It doesn't look like we're gonna get to see Big Fan around here anytime soon
* For the mountains of crap that ESPN heaps upon us, sometimes they do some seriously great work -- I hope 30 in 30 is one of those times.
* A fascinating article on barefoot runners (I do find it funny that these "minimalist" shoes don't exactly have minimal pricetags.
* A big day for New York Times articles here on TOL -- here's another, on the New Era Cap Company.
* So, some love for the L.A. Times, doing a story on my hometown, Athens, Ga., and the rebuilding of the Georgia Theatre
* It's official: WOXY.com has moved on
* 10 tips for perfect burgers. The size, I find that interesting, I may start weighing my burgers
* Be careful when robbing someone with an iPhone.
* Reno, the city, is trying to save Reno 911!, the show
* The Sopranos is coming to Blu-Ray. We were late to Mad Men, so we watched the first two seasons on Blu-Ray and even the DLP has noted how much it sucks to watch it on regular TV. She's becoming a convert, which is good. Still, there are certain things I want in Blu-Ray, others it's not so important. Plus, when buying DVDs, I have to think if I want to watch it only on the big TV with Blu-Ray, or upstairs on regular TV and DVD too... it's tough sometimes.
* Is Facebook headed the way of MySpace and Friendster? (Yeah, I had Friendster)
Well, the way I look at it, there are two winners and two losers.
Let's start with the winners.
1. Andre Smith. CTR's Law: When you are guaranteed $21 million, you win. Period.
2. The Brown family. Not in public support, because that's not going to happen. But in their own minds, because they stuck to their guns and got a deal they wanted and didn't compromise. They also did a nice deal chock-full of incentives and an option for after next season that could help motivate a young man that has seemed to need it at times.
And then, there's the losers...
1. Alvin Keels. He looks like he got played. If he did or didn't -- doesn't matter when you're an agent, image is everything. You gonna go with a guy like Alvin Keels or Drew Rosenhaus? Or Scott Boras? Exactly.
2. The Bengals. Their top pick, as offensive line coach Paul Alexander said, has a "looooong way to go." The offensive line needs to play together to be effective -- the line's not going to be able to function correctly with Smith for a while. Remember David Pollack's rookie season? Well, he missed 19 days of camp was never quite in sync. Smith missed 30. Both are switching positions (although Pollack's was more drastic), but both started behind and won't catch up for a while.
* The joys of being a small organization, I'm gonna miss the first Reds-Pirates pregame meeting to be the Bengals locker room and Marvin Lewis press conference, then run over to GABP after that.
* Does anything say "baseball fever" quite like a Reds-Pirates day-night doubleheader on Aug. 31?
Good times.
* Poz hits a walk-off homer in his final column as a full-time columnist at the KC Star -- it's on Chris "Disco" Hayes. Why is he called Disco? Because he throws in the 70s. Just awesome. I linked his blog on Friday, but did I mention Mrs. Disco sometimes writes on the blog too? You gotta check out her mailbag.
* Jeff Passan writes about Ichiro and speculates he could reach 4,000 hits
* Forget Matt Holliday, the Braves may have made the best trade this season, getting Adam LaRoche.
* This is a great concept: fruit stands at ballparks -- hell if anyone had it, I'd think Big Bob would
* David Wright will wear one of the new bulkier helmets that help guard against concussions. Scott Rolen tried one on, but said he wasn't going to wear it.
* Karma?
* MLB.com has an article on the choice between football and baseball for players.
* An interview with former Bearcat and current Texan, Connor Barwin
* Did you know Ted Kennedy had a tryout with the Bears and turned down a tryout with the Packers?
* Inside Bearcat Football with my man Tommy G is on FSN Ohio at 6 tonight and replays at 11.
* Things just aren't going too well at that school up north, are they? Rich Rodriguez's sparkling personality is endearing him to his players -- which is what this is all about. I think it'd be tough to find a successful program that doesn't go over the practice limits.
* Blake Griffin apparently has a certain skill set that will be invaluable to playing for the Clippers -- a wonderful sense of humor
* Forget bloggers getting press credentials, a Tweeter has credentials at one Big East school
* Don Cheadle is producing a TV show about college basketball -- I hope it's better than Blue Chips
* It doesn't look like we're gonna get to see Big Fan around here anytime soon
* For the mountains of crap that ESPN heaps upon us, sometimes they do some seriously great work -- I hope 30 in 30 is one of those times.
* A fascinating article on barefoot runners (I do find it funny that these "minimalist" shoes don't exactly have minimal pricetags.
* A big day for New York Times articles here on TOL -- here's another, on the New Era Cap Company.
* So, some love for the L.A. Times, doing a story on my hometown, Athens, Ga., and the rebuilding of the Georgia Theatre
* It's official: WOXY.com has moved on
* 10 tips for perfect burgers. The size, I find that interesting, I may start weighing my burgers
* Be careful when robbing someone with an iPhone.
* Reno, the city, is trying to save Reno 911!, the show
* The Sopranos is coming to Blu-Ray. We were late to Mad Men, so we watched the first two seasons on Blu-Ray and even the DLP has noted how much it sucks to watch it on regular TV. She's becoming a convert, which is good. Still, there are certain things I want in Blu-Ray, others it's not so important. Plus, when buying DVDs, I have to think if I want to watch it only on the big TV with Blu-Ray, or upstairs on regular TV and DVD too... it's tough sometimes.
* Is Facebook headed the way of MySpace and Friendster? (Yeah, I had Friendster)
The question I've been asking for the longest is: when s The Wire coming to Blu-Ray???
Also, wonder what iPhone app the guy used to track his phone??
was the wire ever shot in widescreen? or hd?
live the wire, though. re-watching season 3 right now.
to track the iphone, you've got to have mobileme
Not sure about the widescreen/HD, but if Direct Tv can put Major League is HD, it seems like they can do the sameThe Wire.
Was finally able to get the GF to watch. She's now hooked! We're on season4. I think it's funny she seems to have developed quite a soft spot for Omar.
It has taken me all of 3 days to make Disco my new favorite baseball player. Even if it's just a September call up, I sure hope this guy gets his shot. But no doubt, I'll be getting the book he and his wife put out.
Ichiro is amazing, I can't say it enough. It is a shame he doesn't have a few more major leage seasons under his belt because 4,000 hits would have definitely been the reality.
The Michigan situation cracks me up. I don't like Michigan at all, but it just goes to show, Rich Rodriquez has a real mess on his hands. His team is torn apart. The NCAA will not crack down on them, because, it's not like they had a major infraction, but this team is really divided. I can't stand Rodriquez though, I think that's what he gets for shafting WVA and I 'm talking about the money not just leaving the program.
Shame about Big Fan, looking forward to that. Let me know when it hits town, we'll make-up for the missed G.I. Joe outing.
we're there, james, we're there