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Pro Sports Wrap - by Sam Ruesler

Pro Sports Wrap - June 2011

6/22 Sports History: Darryl Kile passed away

June 22nd 2011 12:57
2002 Darryl Kile is found dead in his hotel room before a Route 66 rivalry game. The Cardinals pitcher's tragic death still brings a tear to my eyes today.

1926 Grover Cleveland Alexander was picked off of waivers by the Cardinals from the Cubs. The pitcher was 39 at the time.

1930 Lou Gehrig smashes three homers in a game.

1946 Bill Veeck buys the Cleveland Indians.

1958 A game in Kansas City is delayed for 29 minutes because of a tornado. The A's beat the Red Sox in that game 2-1 on their home turf.

1959 Sandy Koufax whiffs 16 hitters on the Phillies.


1982 Pete Rose moves into 2nd place on the all-time list with another hit.

1983 The NHL adds a five minute overtime.

1984 Carl Pohlad is the new CEO of the Minnesota Twins.

1987 Tom Seaver retires.

1990 General Manager Bobby Cox is named the manager of the Atlanta Braves. We can safely say that his reign in Atlanta wasn't bad at all. Russ Nixon was the man who lost his job as manager.

1991 The Quebec Nordiques selected Eric Lindros with the first pick in the NHL Draft. Lindros also had a great career.

1993 Anthony Young went winless in 27 starts, but he actually pitched okay during that span.

1994 The Rockets beat the Knicks in 7 games to win the NBA Finals.

1997 Ernie Els won the Buick Classic.

Happy birthday to Carl Hubbell, Pete Maravich, Clyde Drexler, Kurt Warner, Champ Bailey, Brad Hawpe, and Ian Kinsler. That's a nice list right there.
Happy 33rd Birthday!



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6/22 Daily Rundown: A new proposal

June 22nd 2011 06:13
1. Owners giving a new proposal to players

The players will get 48 percent of the revenue, and it will never go below 46.5 percent. If the salary cap for a year is at 125 million or something like that, a team's payroll must be around that amount. That could be difficult for teams in smaller markets, but it forces owners to actually spend. There is a rookie wage scale in this proposed deal, but it isn't finalized yet. A player must have four years under his belt in order to become a UFA, and tags (such as the franchise tag) are going to be discussed in the next round of player-owner negotiations. Retired NFL players will also get benefits such as improved health care, and I am glad that is in the proposed deal.

2. Dwane Casey hired

Finally. Former Mavericks assistant coach Dwane Casey was hired by the Toronto Raptors to be their new coach. Casey was probably the best assistant coach in the league, and he is finally rewarded with his first head coaching gig. I love this guy, but I don't know if even he can change the mess in Toronto. They have the worst roster in the league, and there isn't a star on this team.

Casey is going to give his offensive players freedom, and he is going to emphasize defense. This is, after all, a defensive-minded coach on a team with absolutely no defense. Have you seen Andrea Bargnani try to play D? He's going to try to bring something to this defense and work with his players to improve their defense.

3. Jose Reyes waiting

Jose Reyes told the Mets that he doesn't want to engage in negotiations during the regular season. He wants to keep playing for the Mets, but he doesn't want any distractions hindering his performance this year. He is easily the team's best player, and he has the highest WAR in the NL. The Mets shouldn't trade him, and they should make every effort to re-sign him in the offseason. This is their star.

4. Thanks Pat

Erik Spoelstra is one of my favorite coaches in the NBA, and he's one of the best coaches out there. He is the reason why Dwayne Wade kept on improving, and he is the reason why the Heat even made it this far. Remember that whole crying episode? Spoelstra had to be Sparky Anderson, and then some. He not only had to manage three superstars with egos of their own, but he also had to coach a team with no bench.

There was a lot of speculation in the beginning of the season that Pat Riley would take the reigns and boot out Spoelstra. I said that was the stupidest thing, and that I would start raging if that ever happened. Like, why would you even consider firing one of the best young coaches in the NBA? Riley also mentored Spoelstra, and I doubt he would oust him. Riley is also content with sticking around in the background.

Well, Pat Riley said that he won't coach again and that Spoelstra is doing a great job. Thanks Pat, that made my day.

“It doesn’t mean that I don’t have the fire,” Riley said. “But we have a great young coach here and I want to support him and hope that he can grow like I did. This is just his third year.”

5. Tony Parker for lottery pick?

The San Antonio Spurs have talked to several teams with lottery picks about moving Tony Parker for one of those choices. I wouldn't do this if I were the Spurs because this is such a weak draft. I would never trade a a very good player for a pick that will probably yield a decent borderline starter in the NBA. This seems a little out of character for the Spurs, and it would be a huge mistake if they were to trade Parker for the Raptors' fifth pick- or something like that.
A new proposal
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6/21 NFL News: Newton makes good first step

June 21st 2011 21:00
Jimmy Clausen failed to develop good chemistry with Steve Smith, and it was one of the reasons why he was horrible last year. He got on Smith's nerves by showing hubris during training camp, and that carried over into the regular season. He didn't give the ball to his star, and he threw it far too often to Dante Rosario.

While I have been critical of Cam Newton, I commend him profusely for a move that he recently made. It may seem like a small gesture, but what Newton did may help out this offense more than you would think. He has made it clear that he wants Steve Smith to stick around in Carolina and not leave, and he also tipped his cap and said that Smith is a great receiver. This is exactly the opposite of what Clausen did last year, and I think this move will work out for Newton if Smith indeed does stay. Smith, however, wants to play on a winning team as his storied career winds down to a close. He won the Triple Crown of Receiving and is the best player in Panthers' history.

“I’ve grown maybe a little bit of maturity. So what I’m going to do is keep saying it: It’s between me and my family,” Smith said. “And when we decide what we’re going to do, whether people like it or not, as long as my family is happy, I hope they would understand.”

Steve Smith is one of my favorite players in the NFL, and it makes me mad when people talk crap about him. He has always contemplated retirement because of his family. He doesn't want to sustain an injury that will force his family to pay for the expenses. He also wants to spend time with the people he cares the most about.

“Obviously, skills are diminishing, losing a step. So we’ll see,” Smith said, mocking critics. “We’ll see how many 24-year-olds can cover a 32-year-old, 4.3 runner, wide receiver who wasn’t supposed to be here anyway.”

One of the main reasons why the star receiver contemplated retirement was because his wife may of had lupus. She didn't, and the person Smith cares about the most didn't have a dangerous disease.

“Retiring at that time was one of the things that we were thinking about, because I needed to be home with my wife,” Smith said. “I needed to make sure I didn’t let her down.”

Smith also praised the rookie quarterback. I personally think that character concerns about Newton are overblown now that I have seen his actions in the NFL. He's been nothing but a leader so far, and his work ethic is incredible. Newton has incredible athleticism, but I'm still worried about him busting. The Panthers did a very thorough check up on him, so I am optimistic about Newton's future. Marty Hurney is the last guy in the league to make a rash decision. If Smith says he's good, then he's probably good. Smith doesn't usually dole out praise on young QBs unless if they really are that good.

“His athleticism speaks for itself,” Smith said. “You can see an athlete walk in the door. He doesn’t have to wear a sign or a jersey. You can tell if a guy can play or if he can’t.”
Wants Smith to stay
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6/21 Daily Rundown: Pujols Out 6 Weeks

June 21st 2011 06:20
1. Pujols injury update

Albert Pujols will be out for about six weeks with a fractured left wrist in a season filled with ups and downs for Puj. He sustained this injury after colliding with Wilson Betemit of the Royals in a baseball play gone wrong. The Cards have had to deal with many injuries this season to their stars. Matt Holliday has missed time, David Freese is still out, and Adam Wainwright has missed the entire season.

"You can't replace a player of his magnitude," general manager John Mozeliak said. "It just seems like we've had to deal with one injury after another.

"We still have to find ways to win games, and that's what we'll do."

The Cardinals have found ways to win games thanks to some amazing play by Lance Berkman. I don't see him cooling off. He's hitting line drives, and his BABIP is right where it should be. Detractors will point to a high HR/FB%, but that number is in line with his career numbers. Berkman is healthy, and he's mashing.

2. All Boston does is win, win, win no matter what

I feel bad for the Padres, because they stood no chance. The Red Sox scored ten runs in the seventh inning and won the game 14-6 behind Adrian Gonzalez. The interesting thing is that Orlando Hudson was the only player to hit a homer in this game. He went 3 for 5 with two runs and three RBIs. Chase Headley went 4 for 5 with a double and two runs (he scored on Hudson's dinger).

The Red Sox scored on a double play, twice on an HBP, and twice again on a walk. Evan Scribner gave up four earned runs without getting an out, and Ernesto Frieri gave up four earned runs without even giving up a hit. He walked two and was responsible for the two batters hit by pitches. Adrian Gonzalez went 3 for 5 with a double, two runs, and three steaks.

3. Lidstrom will return

This is great news for hockey fans in general, and it's the best news ever for Red Wings fans. Fellow defenseman Brian Rafalski surprised everyone by retiring when all eyes were on Lidstrom. Much to the relief of GM Ken Holland, Lidstrom will play another season in the NHL. He still hasn't lost it, and he is my pick for the Norris Trophy.A testament to his sportsmanship and leadership, Lidstrom is also a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy and Mark Messier Leadership Award.

4. Tim Hudson

That's all I need as a header for this one, because it was all about Hud in the Braves' 2-0 victory over the Jays. His Game Score of 85 was backed by a remarkable performance through eight innings. Hudson gave up just two hits and a walk while striking out eight. He broke the 1,600 mark in this game. The amazing Craig Kimbrel got his 20th save of the year by striking out the side.

Ricky Romero had a strong outing, but that was overshadowed by the greatness of Hudson. The veteran starter his his second career homer in the seventh inning with two outs. It was a two-run shot to left that was 401 feet out, and it generated the only runs scored in the game. It's safe to say that Hudson didn't have a bad game.

5. Is Jimmer a bust?

Jimmer was great in college, but I don't see him panning out in the NBA. He's a great shooter, he works hard, he's a leader, and he knows how to win games. But there have been tons of guys with those qualities who have busted out. Why? They're not good enough. Jimmer isn't a true point guard because he is only an average passer and he stinks on D. I see him being a below average player in the NBA whose real value is as a scorer off the bench. I love the kid, but I just don't see him as a guy who deserves to be a lottery pick. He should go in the late teens because of his college production.
Can the Cards get a break?
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6/20 NFL Rumors: Ronde Barber will not retire

June 20th 2011 15:04
There is an eighty percent chance that Cedric Benson remains with the Cincinnati Bengals for another season. He showed up at player workouts, he likes Andy Dalton, and he is happy that the playbook contains more running plays than last year. The Bengals passed it way too much last season, and that just doesn't make sense for a team with a running back who is easily better than the quarterback.

"I've been very passive the last three years, almost because I've had to," Benson said to the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I'm not saying I'm a totally different person or I'd be crazy vocal or anything like that. I would be a little bit more expressive. I work hard and am passionate about it. I want the guys I'm playing with to be the same way


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6/20 Daily Rundown: Edwin Rodriguez Resigns

June 20th 2011 06:32
1. Edwin Rodriguez steps down

Marlins fans were shocked when Edwin Rodriguez unexpectedly resigned yesterday (not re-signed). He was frustrated with their current ten game losing streak and 1-18 slump. Rodriguez is the first Puerto-Rican manager in history, and the Marlins had no intention of firing him. He was doing a good job this season, and won the respect of his players. I guess this slump was too much for him, and it's a shame that he quit


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6/19 Red Sox Injury Report

June 19th 2011 14:09
1. Carl Crawford

The star left fielder was put on the disabled list with a Grade 1 strain on his left hamstring. The training staff didn't want to take any risks with a player of his caliber, but I wish they didn't go this far to put him on the DL


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6/19 Daily Rundown: Crawford on DL

June 19th 2011 05:53
1. Hamstring Sends Crawford to DL

Carl Crawford was put on the 15-day DL for a minor hamstring injury. The injury happened in a 10-4 win over the Brewers, and the hamstring was viewed as a Grade 1 strain. The medical staff thought it would be best for him to rest up his hamstring. Crawford was injured after beating it out for an infield single


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6/18 Daily Rundown: Osi vs. LeSean

June 18th 2011 06:13
1. Osi Umenyiora Shoots Back at LeSean McCoy

I think Osi Umenyiora just hurt himself some more in terms of league-wide respect. He once threatened to retire, and now he said that Jerry Reese lied to him. LeSean McCoy called Osi overrated and the third best defensive lineman on the Giants. I don't agree with what McCoy said at all, but it is his opinion. I think that he is the third most important defensive lineman on the defense. Justin Tuck is better, and Barry Cofield is an important leader. Osi is a great player, but he's such a head case


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6/2011 Team Scope: New York Giants

June 17th 2011 13:47
The New York Giants fell apart at the end of what should have been a promising 2010 season. There's quite a bit of uncertainty surrounding this team with Osi Umenyiora not happy again, and there is a laundry list of free agents. Barry Cofield, Kevin Boss, Ahmad Bradshaw, Steve Smith, and Keith Bulluck are the key players among the many that the Giants will have to make a decision on once the lockout is lifted.

Kevin Boss and Steve Smith are the Giants' only true possession receivers, and the Giants would be starved of talent at tight end if Boss were to leave. Smith is the best possession receiver in the NFL, and he's probably going to walk. If the Giants want to avoid a lack of depth at receiver, they will have to bring back either Derek Hagan or Dominik Hixon. I would choose the latter over the former


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6/17 Daily Rundown: Ricky Rubio Officially On Wolves

June 17th 2011 05:39
The Daily Rundown is a new segment I will do that covers the days biggest stories. I will also comment for a paragraph or so on the subject.

1. Vancouver Riots


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2010 PSW Hart Trophy

June 16th 2011 14:48
For me, choosing the player who should get the Hart Trophy was a difficult task for me because there were two guys in the thick of it. Daniel Sedin and Corey Perry were absolutely vital to their respective teams' success this season, and it was difficult to choose between the two. By the way, there may be more typos than usual in this post as I am typing this with a severely sprained finger that literally turned blue. It's basketball related, but nobody really cares about that. What we do care about is some good hockey discussion.

Vancouver Canucks LW Daniel Sedin


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6/2011 Player Profile: Ronnie Brewer

June 15th 2011 15:01
Ronnie Brewer was a key cog for the Chicago Bulls last season, and he was one of the reasons why the Bulls were the best defensive team in the league. However, Brewer is a poor offensive player which is why he will never become a starter in the league. He's still a decent player overall due to his defense, but Brewer just can't shoot or do much else besides defend.

Brewer racks up steals thanks to his long arms, and he has improved his on the ball defense. His quick reflexes and free safety-like feel on defense also help him generate steals. Brewer is tied for the 4th highest steal percentage in the NBA and averages 2.1 steals per 36 minutes


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6/4 Game Previews: Tigers and Indians

June 14th 2011 14:43
The Indians have unsurprisingly cooled off from their very unexpected hot start to the season, and the Detroit Tigers have now caught up with them for the AL Central lead. This game features an interesting pitching duel between two guys who have been doing well so far this season. Justin Verlander has been terrific, as always, and Justin Masterson is having a good year as well.

Although wins are a stupid stat for pitchers, I have a tidbit involving wins that is more of a fun fact. Verlander has not lost a game since April 27th, while Justin Masterson has not won a game since April 26th


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Analysis vs. Correctness

June 13th 2011 14:26
I was having an argument with one of my friends today that started after he was gloating about how he predicted the NBA Finals correctly. He was talking about how wrong John Hollinger, the Truehoop experts, my other friend, and I were. I then went on to explain that analysis is more important on correctly predicting an outcome.

Anybody can guess the outcome of a series or game just by randomly picking. What takes skill is being able to properly analyze two teams and giving legit reasons why you think this team will win and how you think the series will shape up. The experts over at ESPN use complex statistical analysis and look at team strategies when predicting what will happen


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2010 PSW NBA MVP

June 12th 2011 10:18
I told you that I would announce my MVP winner during the NBA Finals. Derrick Rose won the official award, but he was only fourth on my ballot. Dwight Howard, LeBron James, and Chris Paul were my top three picks. For those of you who have been reading this blog, you can tell who my pick is going to be.

SF Miami Heat LeBron James


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6/2011 NHL Forward Rankings

June 9th 2011 14:44
1. Sidney Crosby
2. Alex Ovechkin
3. Daniel Sedin


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6/2011 Team Scope: St. Louis Cardinals

June 8th 2011 15:11
Even without one of the best pitchers in baseball and staff ace Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals are the best team in the NL Central. They are currently two and a half games ahead of the second place Milwaukee Brewers. Albert Pujols has just started to turn up the heat after being in the worst slump of his career since he was a rookie.

Pujols is only going to get better from here on out, and another sign that points to this is his .257 BABIP. He currently has 14 dingers with 43 runs and 39 RBIs. Lance Berkman has been the story of the team so far. Although he has sucked in the field, as expected, he's been mashing it this year. Bekman is a terrible right fielder, but the Cardinals will take it given his great hitting ability


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The Nathan Horton Hit

June 7th 2011 14:48
First Alex Burrows bites Patrice Bergeron, and now it comes to this. Aaron Rome delivered a nasty, blindside hit on Nathan Horton. But this wasn't a good nasty. This hit was an uncalled for cheap shot in a series filled with them from both teams, but more of them from the Canucks. Horton was carried off to the hospital on a stretcher, leaving the crowed at the TD Garden shocked. "Horty" was lying down on the "B" logo in the middle of the rink.

I hope Aaron Rome is suspended for the entire series. That kind of a hit has no place in hockey, and it should never happen on the biggest stage in hockey. More importantly, however, I hope this injury doesn't hurt Horton's hockey career. These injuries don't just disappear, just ask Trent Green and the innumerable amount of athletes who have suffered these types of injuries in their careers. Severe concussions ruin careers, but at least Horton didn't lose movement in his limbs


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6/2011 Player Profile: DeMarcus Cousins

June 6th 2011 14:18
DeMarcus Cousins had a poor season last year. He was bad offensively and should have been a little bit better on defense. Cousins turned the ball over far too much for a power forward. He also led the league in fouls committed. While these are mistakes that can be corrected with experience, I think that Cousins will continue to foul too much.

Throw out the 14.1 points per game because we all know that PPG is a bad stat. Cousins was a terrible offensive player last year, and his mediocre D did not offset his poor offensive play. He was terribly inefficient and has far too high of a usage rate. His usage rate would be about average for a guard, and he also can't play offense. That's a really bad combination, and it led to a 14.6 PER. Cousins also had one of the lowest True Shooting marks in the NBA


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6/2011 Team Scope: San Diego Padres

June 5th 2011 14:51
Last season, the Padres were baseball's surprise story and were in first place in their division for most of the year. Their devastating collapse at the end of the year- and the incredible comeback by the Giants who would eventually win the World Series- has continued on to this season. The Padres are last in the poor but competitive NL West.

It's no surprise that their hitting has been awful, and that's the reason why they are last in their division. Their rotation has been disappointing, especially when you consider that their ballpark is PETCO. The Padres do have one of the best bullpens in baseball with Heath Bell, Mike Adams, Chad Qualls, Luke Gregerson, and Pat Neshek


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6/2 Game Preview: Rays and Mariners

June 2nd 2011 15:26
The Mariners are hanging around in the AL West race thanks to some great starting pitching that has overcome the league's worst offense. The M's simply can't hit. They bring out their ace to face James Shields. Yours truly predicted a huge bounce-back season for Shields after he had a poor 2010. So far, Shields has been lights out, and Felix Hernandez is also pretty good. He only won the Cy Young Award last season.

Among starting pitchers, Felix has the 5th best WAR and Shields the 7th best WAR mark in the Majors, but there are quite a bit of ties. Although Shields has an ERA of 2.15 and King Felix a 3.19 ERA, Hernandez's FIP is 2.78 and Shields' 2.96. This game is in Safeco, which is obviously one of the three best parks in the game for pitchers. This is a pitching matchup through and through. The numbers above show that Shields has been luckier than Hernandez, and Hernandez's numbers will rise while there will be a slight fall in Shields' overall production


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2010 Champions League Final Review

June 1st 2011 14:50
There was a lot of hype going into the game between two teams that were easily the best in soccer. I wrote a post during the middle of the season in which I said that Manchester United and Barcelona were the only two elite teams, and that Barcelona was the only unquestionably elite team. My prediction proved to be right because both of these teams met in the Champions League Finals. It wasn't much of a game though, as Barca outclassed their opponents at Wembley.

From the tenth minute onward, this game was owned by La Blaugrana. They completely overran United in the midfield. Pedro scored a goal that was beautifully set-up by Xavi, and Rooney equalized seven minutes later. People said it was a beautiful one-two with Rooney and Giggs, but the ball sort of dropped at Giggs' feet and it seemed like his reaction was, "Hey look, I have the ball." Rooney took the ensuing pass and made a beautiful shot. Barcelona won it 3-1, but it really could have easily been a 5-0 affair. This was dominance


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