Orioles Magic for Guthrie

Sorry for the delay in posting. I was in Italy and then dealing with jet lag, I get all messed up with daylight savings time so a 6 hour difference really screws with me. And I've been busy sleeping, playing softball and obsessing about and over analyzing things I have no control over. So really I have no good excuse for not writing, but I thought a short explanation was in order.

When I left for my trip the Orioles were 32-33 and had just lost two games to Boston. And that nagging fear that there was an inevitable slump coming started eating at the edges of my mind. So imagine my delight when I came home to find them sitting nicely at 38-35 last Sunday. As of today, they are 39-36. And last night, they faced the team with not only the best record in baseball, but the best home record in baseball, and they won. So in my mind this series has already been a success. If the Orioles have finally decided to score runs for Jeremy Guthrie at the hardest park to win at in baseball then maybe, they'll start scoring runs for him at home as well.

I really feel for Guthrie and am glad the O's decided to preform for him. He leads the team with an ERA of 3.64 and 70 strikeouts. But he also leads the team with 7 losses. Somehow all those amazing come from behind wins just don't seem to happen when he's on the mound. But in what seems to be the fashion of the Orioles this season, maybe they needed the really tough atmosphere to make it happen. Otherwise it would have been too easy. This team seems to thrive during adversity. It truly has captured some Orioles Magic.

Hopefully, this Orioles Magic will stick around and Guthrie will be keep getting support. It's a little embarrassing when your Ace has one of the worst records even with the best ERA. It reminiscent of the no decision and loss streak that Bedard had last year while leading the team in ERA and strike outs. But this year is a totally different team with a totally different dynamic. Suddenly Orioles Magic seems possible again. So Brian Roberts and the rest of the gang need to keep coming through with the hits. And Sherrill has to keep up those great saves. Because our Ace deserves a winning record and some share of the new Orioles Magic.

I've Been a Slacker

The last week has been full of great things to talk about. But I have been super lazy and that combined with celebrating my birthday weekend(yes, my birthday was Sunday, so I celebrated the whole weekend) have left me a little behind with the posts. So to make up for it, I'm going to try to cram everything into one longer than average post. So without further ado, here are the top five sports stories I should have and wanted to talk about.

5. Apparently the NBA finals are going on. I can't get up any enthusiasm to watch them. From the office gossip about them, I believe Boston has the lead in the series. I only feel obliged to mention this story because other people seem to really care about it.

4. Tampa Bay Rays are one game out of first place in the AL East and 12 games over .500. Ok, maybe you think the NBA finals are more exciting than this. But I dare you to find one person who predicted or expected this. Not possible. Not even the people in Tampa Bay were willing to hope to be doing this well (38-26) over a third of the way into the season. While I haven't actually talked to anyone in Tampa, I have talked to a lot of people who root for perennially losing sports teams. If at the beginning of the season someone told me the Orioles would not lose 100 games, I'd have been really happy. (My preseason prediction was that they would struggle to win 50 games, so I'm pretty excited we're hovering around .500 right now.) If the Orioles were to have a .500 or winning season I'd be ecstatic. I have to assume that the Rays, unprecedentedly good season, has fans through the roof. Or maybe it has people actually becoming fans. Either way, it seemed like something worth mentioning. And definetly more interesting to me than the NBA.

3. Big Brown comes in last in the Belmont. WHAT HAPPENED? A horse with 38-1 odds led wire to wire. Was it a conspiracy? Did Big Brown get clipped by another horse when they were so close? Is it all the jockey's fault? Big Brown was just cruising and all of the sudden he's being pulled back. Da'Tara went on to win. Who knew the horse had it in him. I was sure he was going to fade. No one seems to really have any idea what happened to the magnificent horse that was poised and ready to win a Triple Crown for the first time in 30 years. Supposedly the quater crack in his hoof was healing fine and not the source of the problem. I have a theory. Hooters and horse racing shouldn't mix. Yes, I'm for advertising the sport and doing anything to keep it from going under. But the UPS endorsment was the perfect match. How does Hooters relate to Big Brown, horse racing, the Belmont, or the Triple Crown? By messing up the most perfect advertising scheme to ever happen in horse racing, they somehow jinxed Big Brown. Call me crazy, but if somehow a goat can prevent the Cubs from winning a World Series in over a 100 years, why can't a botched advertising scheme prevent a horse from winning a single race. Either that or the Kent Desormeaux bet big on Da'Tara.

2. Red Wings win the Stanley Cup. I meant to write about this last Thursday. I really did, but I felt compelled by office chatter to instead address my hopes that both teams could lose the NBA finals.(See previous posts) Then my birthday weekend came and all of a sudden its a new week with so much work to do. Congrats, Red Wings, four Stanley Cups in 11 years. That is truely impressive. The Cup is back in Hockeytown. And if the Caps can't have it then I guess I'm glad its you and not the Penguins. You fought a valiant series and let them hang in there a little longer than necessary, but you finally closed it out. With a lot of skill and a little luck you were able to have the first European captained team win a Cup. Hopefully, this will end the debate about American players being better suited for the NHL than Europeans. While this might have been true 20 years ago, and again I stress, might, it definately is no longer the case. I think we should be encouraging more Europeans to come to America for any reason. I personally would like to find an attractive one to help me on my quest to acquire an EU passport.

1. Ken Griffey, Jr. hits his 600th career home run. In the most exciting story this week, "The Natural" has finally reached 600. He joins an elite group of five other player to reach this mark. Yes, it took longer than most people expected, but is an impressive milestone nonetheless. Furthermore, he is the only one in the modern era to do it without being tainted by talk of steriods. Bonds and Sosa both have major credibility problems and might have so problems when it comes time for them to be voted into the Cooperstown. Junior doesn't turn up in the Mitchell Report or on anyone's allegation list. He also is not known just for his slugging ability. Griffey, Jr. is one of the best all around players of all time. If not for an injury plagued career, we might be looking at 700 career home runs right now. But regardless, he'll be a first ballot hall of famer. So take a moment to appreciate the outstanding career of someone who has kept baseball pure and still excelled. America's Pastime is better for him having played.

I will try to be more diligent about posting but I'm going on vacation to Italy Friday and not sure how frequently I will have internet access. Plus, I'll be in Italy, so posting will not be my first priority. So I apologize in advance if I don't update next week.

Is It Possible for Both Teams to Lose?

While I normally try my best to ignore the NBA, it seems that the finals are here are clamoring for attention. I understand the historic rivalry between these two cities. Combined they have won 30 of 61 championships. And there was the whole Bird-Magic rivalry that just intensified the hatred these two teams have for each other. But try as I might I just can't get energized for this match up.

I understand its the finals, which I will usually watch in any sport because the level of play tends to be so much higher. And to be honest, I will probably watch tonight, maybe I'll even enjoy it. But with the NBA, I have a hard time getting excited even when the Wizards are in the playoffs, and they're the team I support. And with these two teams I really can't decide who I want to lose more.

In general, I tend to have an East Coast bias. Which in this case means I should root for the Celtics. But I'm sorry, Boston has just been too good lately. With the Pats and Red Sox recent dominance is it really fair to give the city another championship to inflate their already annoyingly big ego and give the fans another reason to be obnoxious.

However, the Lakers aren't exactly the most lovable team. They also have plenty of championships, and a bunch in recent years. How many rings will Kobe have if they win? 50? I mean, he is really good, but I just have a hard time rooting for him, especially after the whole rape thing. No means no, and yes to one thing does not mean yes to everything. I'd like to believe she just made it all up and it was all consensual, but either way it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Also, like I said earlier, I have a pretty extreme East Coast bias and rooting for a California team, especially and LA team just doesn't sit well with me.

So is there any way both teams could lose? I guess it could happen if terrorist were to bomb the arena and blow up both teams. But barring some colossally tragic event, it doesn't seem very feasible. (NOTE: I do not want terrorist to blow up or in any way injure anyone, or for that matter, have anything besides losing befall either of these teams, not even injuries.) Which means I have to pick a side because, lets face it, its more fun to watch sports when you're cheering for someone.

So I'm going with Boston and the East Coast. I'll admit I'd like to see Kevin Garnett win a ring. He seems like a decent guy who has worked his ass off and deserves one. I don't really want to see Kobe win another one. (Let his legacy be tied to Shaq for all time, I'm ok with that.) Plus, when all else fails, I pick the mascot I like better. And being Irish, I like the leprechaun and the shamrock.

So, Go Celtics, I guess.

Daniel Cabrera, I Think I Love You

Daniel, I know what your thinking. What could a Major League starting pitcher who only speaks a little English and a third year law student possibly have in common. Well, more than you might think.

Yes, you were born in the Dominican Republic and I was born here in the US, but that would work out well for us. I love to travel and all things international, and if we got married it would be a lot easier for you to get American citizenship. Also, we're both trying to establish ourselves in our fields. True you look like you have finally turned a corner and are making $1.8 million a season, while I'm interning trying to find a good job doing policy, but by next summer we could both have secure jobs. You'll be a baseball ace and I'll be a policy ace. Also, I will have a law degree, and lets be honest, at some point you will probably need a good lawyer for something. I mean you are a professional athlete with a bit of a temper. (You were once suspended for throwing a pitch at a guys head)

Also, while you are over a foot taller than me, (I'm 5'3" and you're 6'9") thats not a problem. I like tall guys. I'll buy some bigger heels and it'll work out fine. Plus, I'll never have to worry about not being able to reach the stuff on the top shelf again.

Furthermore, you came up through the Orioles farm system. I grew up as an Orioles fan. The O's are the only professional team either of us has ever known. And while I would still root for you if we were dating and you got traded, I think you would understand that the Orioles will always be my team.

Also, I can deal with your inconsistencies. If you approach dating anything like you have played out your career thus far. You started out your career with the Orioles by pitching a one hitter. Then you finished third in votes for rookie of the year. I would compare this to the beginning of a relationship. You'd be awesome and I'd totally fall for you. But then over time you'd drop off. You'd mean well but you wouldn't always show up. Like in your second and third years with the Orioles where sometimes you'd be dominant and strike out 10 but other times you'd walk 9. As long as you throw in that dominant performance from time to time, I, like the Orioles, would be unwilling to give up on you. I know you're trying, you just need some time. I would think back to that wonderful beginning and write off those bad times as not the real you.

And finally you would come around and validate my waiting. This year, you finally seem to have it together. You've pitched great. (Everybody is allowed to have a few bad days.) You seem to have control and poise on the mound. You're calm, you get the outs and you win. And right now it seems like you can only get better. So after all the time waiting and supporting you, you are finally ready to commit and do what it takes to win. And I'm ok with that. I'll give you the time you need. It might take a little while with the language barrier and all.

So, if your interested, let me know. I think it could really be great.

State of Lacrosse

I wanted this post to be about how great the state of Maryland is at lacrosse. We had five local teams in the tournament of 16: Hopkins, Maryland, Navy, Loyola, and UMBC. We had a team that upset higher ranked teams in the first round. (Navy over UNC) And we even had a team beat top ranked Duke to make it to the finals. (Hopkins) All of this led to a final match-up, not of the top two ranked teams, but of two most accomplished teams. Hopkins and Syracuse both had nine national championships heading into the final game. And the obvious end for this story was Johns Hopkins winning and declaring themselves a true lacrosse dynasty by winning three times in the last four years and holding the record for the most national championships

But alas, it was not to be. Instead, Hopkins got outplayed. It was actually hard to watch. Syracuse out ran, out shot and out scored them. Every once in a while Hopkins would rally and the hope would well up. Maybe they would finally start playing the way they had on their eight game run to the championship game. But then Syracuse would come back harder and beat them back down.

Now I'm not a lacrosse expert. I grew up in Maryland, so I have basic knowledge about the game. Mostly I know that lacrosse players tend to be hot and think they're hot shit. (Lacrosse does keep them in great shape, but I like to stick to runners.) I don't pay much attention to the sport until the tournament. And then mostly just because I like to cheer on University of Maryland in all sports. And because last year the finals were in Baltimore and since Hopkins was able to beat Duke and crush their Cinderella story last year in the finals it was fun. (Yes, I'll admit it, I always want Duke to lose, be it in basketball, lacrosse or synchronized swimming.) But this year the finals were in Foxborough.

Again, I'm not expert. But I'd be willing to bet that most people in Massachusetts have never seen a lacrosse game. Why did the finals move from Baltimore, home to one of the most storied lacrosse teams and several tournament participants. Apparently, Cornell wanted the finals to be closer to them. Unfortunately for them, they lost to a Ohio State in the first round. Now, who knows if the Hopkins-Syracuse game would have turned out differently if the game was played in Hopkins home city. Maybe it would have given them that extra edge they needed to bring home their 10th title, maybe not.

Maybe its unfair to have the championships in the same place every year. But really, with almost a third of the teams coming from that state, shouldn't the NCAA be catering to the place that has arguably the most fans. Shouldn't the championships be held in a place where kids grow up with fiddlesticks in hand? Shouldn't they be at a place where every bar in the area has the lacrosse finals on at least half of their TVs. No one would suggest moving the finals to Ohio because Ohio state made it this year, so why New England. Bring the finals back to their home. Bring them back to Baltimore, or at least Maryland.

Maybe, I'm a little biased and just want them to be close to where I am. And sure, I might just want the Maryland teams to have a better chance of winning in the final rounds. And its possible, I just enjoy having the city overrun with eye candy for a long weekend. But whatever, what fan doesn't want this. I wanted my happy ending for Hopkins. And now, I'll have to wait until next year for them to tie the record again. (unless of court Maryland wins, which would be even better) But personal feelings aside, Maryland is the home of the most lacrosse power houses, bring the finals back.

Seize the Day

Two nights ago the Orioles crushed the Yankees 12-2. They embarrassed Mike Mussina forced him off the mound after just two outs. It's the kind of game where things came together and as a fan you just have to smile.

Later on, while talking to someone about the game, he predicted the Yankees would punish us the next night by a similar score. And I guess he was right. The Orioles lost 8-0.

But thats not the point.

Fans shouldn't be focusing on the next game we might lose. We should be savoring the moments when we win. Especially the big wins like this one. Have O's fans really become so pessamistic that we cannot enjoy a great game without wondering when the other shoe is going to drop. If we keep waiting for the Orioles to implode how can we enjoy the way they are playing now.

I admit, before the season started I thought the O's would struggle to win 50 games. It looks like I was wrong. And I'm happy about it. I'm no longer waiting for my prediction to come true. So what if this batch of youngsters and unheard of players are playing over their heads. We've had so little to celebrate the last 10 years it appears we have forgotten how to take pleasure in winning.

Stop waiting for the "inevitable collapse," if it happens, it happens. But that doesn't mean the level of play right now is bad. We were told this years team was starting to look towards the future. But for right now stop looking ahead. Start looking at now. Don't worry about the standings or the power ranking. Just go to the games and cheer and be happy when the O's win.

We don't know what tomorrow will bring. And time and time again even "experts" predictions have been wrong. Who out there predicted that mid-May the Rays would be this good or the Yankees would be 8 games out of first in last place. So just stop with the predictions.

I know this team has given us a lot of heartbreaks. O's fans have invested a lot of love in this team and have been repeatedly spurned these last 10 years. I know that pessimism is a defense mechanism to avoid getting hurt again. But just stop it. Stop with the what ifs and start enjoying now. Don't think about a collapse and don't think about the playoffs. Don't think about playing above their talent and don't think about finishing above .500.

If a fan can't enjoy a good beating of the perpertual bully, the Yankees, without worrying about a black eye tomorrow then why bother even watching. The joy of the game has been lost. Stop predicting, start enjoying, because however the season ends, right now it's good, solid, and fun baseball.

The Blue Collar Jewel

This Saturday is one of my favorite days in sports. Its the day that people from up and down the East Coast come to celebrate horse racing not with big hats and seer sucker suits, but with 30 packs of cheap beer and bikini tops. Yes, this wonderful event is the Preakness, the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

Every year, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, people flock to Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore to see if this year the Derby winner will win again and set up a possible Triple Crown winner. This year Big Brown looks poised to blow away the competition and barring tragedy go onto win the Belmont Stakes in three weeks.

But what really makes the Preakness special is the people on the infield. This is not a high class event reserved for celebrities and red carpets. This is pure Baltimore. We take this high stakes horse race and make it accessible for everyone. You would expect nothing less from a city that celebrates stringing lights from our Washington Monument. The Preakness is an event that people return to year after year. This will be my fourth one. There's something about drinking beer in the sun all day surrounded by tons of other people while occasionally betting on the races and running into people you haven't seen in years thats just irresistible.

Several times I have said I would not go back. That 8 hours of drinking in is just too much for me. That sitting in the crowds is too overwhelming. Or that sitting in the sun for that long is just too draining. But every year some friend suggests that we go and I find myself weakening to the idea. Before I know what's happened I've bought tickets and then I'm waiting in line with beer in hand.

This is the kind of celebration that horse racing should embrace to bring back younger fans. While I know many people who have Derby Day parties, I don't know that many people who actually go to the Derby. However, the Preakness is brimming with a young potential fan base. Horse racing knows it has to change to remain a viable industry. Most people can't even name all three Triple Crown races and would be hard pressed to name a fourth high stakes race. The industry is dying and combined with the recent tragic deaths of Eight Belles and Barbaro, the sport is only looking worse.

There have been several proposals for encouraging the industry. The first big one in Maryland is slots. Yes, they will solve all the problems according the the proponents. They create revenue and will lure people back to the tracks. But racing already has gambling, so is more gambling really the answer. Maybe something fundamental in racing needs to change to bring back the audience.

Another idea that seems to be floating around recently is changing the schedule so that there is more time in between the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont. Horses almost never run races so close together anymore. And some say this is responsible for the lack of a recent Triple Crown winner despite several horses winning the Derby and Preakness. While this idea has many upsides, I don't really think it will help racing that much. Yes, it will probably prevent some of the injuries to the horses. And that should be the reason to make the change, not to save racing. But I don't think spacing out the races is going to create any more enthusiasm for racing, even if it does yield more Triple Crown winners. Most people don't know that horses generally don't run races that close together anymore, so I can't imagine the change would make much difference. However, a change in schedule would show that racing is willing to make changes and good faith efforts to adapt as the sport changes.

I think racing is missing out on something. Once a year they pack the track for a giant party full of young potential fans. But this chance is not capitalized on. There are no ads anywhere I remember for other future races. Even just giving a coupon for a free beer at Pimlico any day after the Preakness would probably draw a few people back. And getting them to come back once on a non Preakness day might be enough to get them excited about watching races. Other than the Preakness infield celebration, there does not seem to be any sort of appeal to young people. But if the sport wants to survive its got to start trying to appeal to us. Maybe its not so much the sport that has to change, but the atmosphere at the track. It has to do something, and getting 121,000 people at the track should be the time to start showing off these plans and changes.

If something doesn't happen soon, the Preakness might be bound for another track. And that would be a great loss for the sport, for Maryland racing, and for anyone who has ever enjoyed the infield. The upper class atmosphere might work for the Derby, but here in Baltimore, they need to make the sport feel more accessible, not more elite. And an image change can do more good than a few slot machines.