New BERNing on Sports Podcast Up

I'm in Hawaii, as many of you know, so Scott and I made due without optimal equipment. That said, check it out, and enjoy!

Click here for newest BERNing On Sports Podcast

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, (Happy Holidays) and a Happy New Year to all our readers.

Slammin' Sammy To Swing Again?

Sammy Sosa says he wants to play again.  Yes, this Sammy Sosa.

The man who holds the major league record for clubbing 60+ home runs in three different seasons.  The man who won the 1998 National League MVP.  The man who, along with Mark McGwire, put on the greatest home run chase between two players in baseball history (never mind the two were "probably" on steroids, and Sosa corked his bat [at least in 2003]).  

But unlike McGwire, Sosa was more the more popular transcendent major league superstar.  McGwire may have set the home run record with 70 dingers in 1998, (which was later broken in 2001 by Barry Bonds who hit 73) but Sosa was the more popular figure throughout his career.  The kisses, the fist pumps, the smile and the sprint out to right field made baseball Sammy Sosa's game in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Granted, he's not what he once was, and didn't even play last season.  But shouldn't a small market team give him a chance?

"I still don't have an offer, and I shouldn't be looking for offers out there,"  Sosa told the Dominican newspaper Listin Diario.  "Any team who wants to sign me should have the initiative to make me an offer."

Arrogant?  Yes.  But off base?  No.

In his last full season, the 2007 campaign, Sosa hit .252 with 21 home runs and 92 RBI for the Texas Rangers.  And he could have done even more damage, had the Rangers not opted to give Jason Botts Sosa's spot in the lineup to see if he was in their future plans late in the year.  That season included Sammy's 600th home run, which he appropriately hit against the club that made him famous, the Cubs.  His 609 career home runs rank him fifth on the all time list, only behind Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Willie Mays.  Even if he's a slight downgrade from those 2007 numbers, he's guaranteed to sell you tickets.

Royals?  Pirates?  Nationals?  Are you listening?

There are those that will make the argument that signing Sosa just retards the development of some prospect for one of these small market teams because a 40-year-old Sosa would be taking his spot.  But couldn't Sosa DH for an American league team?  And, would it be the worst thing to cut playing time from Coco Crisp, Steve Pearce, Brandon Moss, or Elijah Dukes?  

He may be a superstar that has seen his better days.  But he's still a figure who would provide interest to any team that signs him.  He would likely be a cheap financial investment, and the potential reward could be far greater than the risk of losing a few hundred thousand dollars.  He'll sell tickets, at least for a while.  And if he's bad?  Release him.

Does that sound so bad?

The Royals, Pirates and Nationals are going to stink anyways.  And at least if they're going to stink, they should at least stink with some intrigue.  Sosa provides that, and potentially a formidable hitter in the middle of the lineup.  He says he's in good shape, and truly believes he can be a threat.

So take a look at him, token last place teams.  Let Slammin' Sammy Sosa swing again.

What We Learned From an NBA Christmas

(who says the big fundamental doesn't show emotion)

• You don't need to watch full NBA games. Now, folks like Jordan will automatically reply that the only part of a basketball game, particularly a pro game, that you need to watch is the last three or four minutes. I do agree with that, however, I think in some cases, only the first few minutes are necessary.
• Dwight Howard isn't a great player yet. Watch the man play, you'll see what I mean. He can rack up all the great numbers he wants (and, in some areas, like rebounding on both halves, he is great), but he needs to develop a move down low. Something, anything he can go to on a consistent basis. With Tyson Chandler in trouble, there's no reason he should go 4-15 from the floor.
• The Hornets second most important player on their team is Tyson Chandler. David West is a very good player, he's got that mid-range jumper down pat. But, he doesn't affect things as much as Chandler does. On D, he's the only rebounder and down low defender the Hornets have. On offense, he might not be scoring a ton, but he can set a screen, roll, and catch a lob. Without him in there, defenders can collapse on Chris Paul when he gets into the lane.
• The Suns still can't close out games. Up nearly the whole contest, they even made a late charge (and took the lead on a beautifully designed play). Still, turnovers and bad defense doomed the Suns once again. The Spurs, on the other hand, aren't the title contenders they were a few years ago, but would scare me in a series.
• The Celtics aren't robots.
• The Lakers, if they continue to play hard on both sides of the ball, can (and will) give the Celtics a good run if they get there again in the Finals. Playing in L.A. instead of Boston doesn't hurt either. Celtics go to the line eight times, the Lakers 15. Celtics commit 25 fouls, the Lakers only 18. You've gotta love home cookin' on Christmas Day.
• There's a clear reason why Washington is 4-23. Up 6 with about three minutes and change left, they Wizarded themselves. Turnovers (ahem, Caron Butler), poor shots (ahem, Mike James) and an inability to control tempers (ahem, Antawn Jamison). Oh, and one of the worst play calls to end a game that you'll see. Why teams think that, even down a few points, it's a good idea to sit on the ball, wasting time, and then run a play that involves more waiting and one-on-one basketball, I'll never get. Then again, those teams often don't win. So I guess it makes sense.
• The NBA can be enjoyable. It almost makes you feel like its 1998 all over again...
  

Christmas Day Ballin'

Jordan is right, there are other things to do on Christmas.  You should be thankful.  You should enjoy yourself.  And, if you find yourself not Jewish (or at least with not Jewish relatives--guilty), sit down and watch basketball.  

You've read right--basketball.  National Basketball Association, basketball.  Not college, not high school, not pick up.  But, the seemingly all-but-forgotten art of pro-basketball in this country.

It's not yet January, so these games aren't that important.  But, in some cases, they could be little statement games, call it like a midseason report card.

All day, and all night, great basketball action.  Starting right at noon and straight until past midnight, there's hours of reasons to avoid your family.  Sit right in front of the tube, strap yourself in, grab some egg nog or whatever the hell it is you drink.

Noon Tip:  New Orleans @ Orlando ESPN

Chris Paul and Dwight Howard.  They won't be guarding one another, but expect some fun finishes around the rim.  Paul's in the running for best point guard, ever.  Howard's slowly becoming one of the best big men in the league.  That said, Orlando's off to a great start, the sort of start that New Orleans was supposed to get off to.  Lack of the same sort of play from Tyson Chandler, has really hurt the Hornets this year.  On the other side, additions like Pietrus and the emergence of Jameer Nelson have really helped put the Magic on that next level.  Would be a nice win for the Hornets early on.  

2:30 Tip San Antonio @ Phoenix ABC

The Spurs have rebounded from a poor start, but, don't be fooled by the 18-10 record.  They're not that good.  Most wins have come against bad teams, like the Minnesota's and Oklahoma City's of the world.  Phoenix on the other hand not only isn't that good this year, but, isn't even playing fun basketball under new coach Terry Porter.  Should be a good game, could be a statement game for the Boot Clips on the road, but, should also be one you could miss. 

5:00 Tip Boston @ Los Angeles

It's Christmas Day, the Celtics have lost twice.  If the world seems upside down, that's

 likely because it is.  A few things a Boston hater can take comfort in: 

1. Of the 19 wins in the streak, only 6 were against teams with winning records.  Two games a piece against New York and Indiana don't hurt.
2. There's 3 other teams have 6 or less losses (Orlando, L.A., and Cleveland).

However, on the other hand, the Celtics truly are dominant.  The best start in NBA history, two losses, shooting over 50% in the streak.  The Lake show wants to prove, on a national stage that they are ready to take down the team that beat them in the Finals last year.  Players like Kobe have been way more open than usual about how big this game is.

8:00 Tip Washington @ Cleveland TNT

OK, maybe they're not all good games.

10:30 Tip Dallas @ Portland TNT

Good capper to the evening--if only for Portland's sake.  There's reason to watch this Portland team, if only for Brandon Roy.  Don't expect much out of Greg Oden, he's still slow, surly and not the player he'll be even a year from now.  That's not entirely fair.  If you watch the 75-year old center for long enough, you'll catch a glimpse.  Maybe a hard dunk, a nice block, good back door rotation.  But, soon after, he won't get back on D, mis-dribble.  Something.  In a way, the Blazers desire to give him serious playing time and make him a part of their future, may actually be hurting their chances to compete this year.  And Dallas is always fun to root against so long as Mark Cuban's there, no?

Some Christmas Tips From a Blogging Jew

While many of you are cozying up to your Christmas tree, or watching Miracle on 34th Street (I prefer the 1994 version to the one from the 40s,) or whatever it is you do to ring in some Christmas cheer, here are some tips for how the sports fan in you should enjoy this December 25th:

• Don't watch it!  While there are a couple of compelling match-ups on Christmas day, would it kill you to miss the Suns play the Spurs or the Lakers face the Celtics?  I think not.  Instead of sitting in front of the television watching the games, gather some friends and play a game of snow football.  Or, if you're in a tropical place (like I am right now), relax on the beach, or play some baseball or basketball.  Maybe those of you warm weather people will hit the links or play some tennis, but take advantage of the fact that you don't have to work (unless you work in a Chinese restaurant or in broadcasting.)  And, you'll get a little exercise in the process.
• If you can't get away from your favorite teams for one day, (I know for some of us this is a preposterous thought), write down a list of all the positive moments of your year as a sports fan.  Pour yourself a glass of egg nog, and make a list of five to ten things that make you smile when you see them.  For some of you, that may be difficult.  If you really can't think of anything good that's happened, (Lions fans, I'm talking to you), make a list of your your five to ten all-time favorite sports moments.  If you can't think of ten all-time great moments, (Lions fans, again, take notice) then list the ten reasons why you love sports.
• Call, text or email people wishing them a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, or a happy holiday and a happy new year.  You'll feel better about yourself, and others will feel better about you.  And, they'll also forget about that time you threw their serving dish against the wall and smashed it because your quarterback threw a pick-6.
• Look at the picture at the top of this post and laugh at it.  Have a good laugh at it.  Now that O.J. is heading to the slammer for at least the next decade or so, we don't have to worry about seeing him in the headlines for a while.  As sports fans, we can all rejoice about that!
• Sing some Christmas Carols, or Chanukah songs.  If you must sing about sports, or something sports related, sing your favorite team's anthem or song.  Yankee fans, sing "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio".  If not that, then rock out to the AC/DC hit, "Money Talks".  Cubs fans, sing "Go Cubs Go".  If you're looking for something cooler, try Eddie Vedder's new tune, "All The Way".  Red Sox fans, sing one of the many songs that you've ripped off from either Neil Diamond, or the Standells, or one of those ear piercing tunes written by the Dropkick Murphys.  Belt out whatever you want.  It's the holiday season.  Nobody will give you dirty looks.  Or do what my buddy Andrew does, and take a popular Bruce Springsteen song and sing the names of your favorite athletes over the lyrics.
• Watch your favorite team's championship DVD.  If you don't have one, think about how great it will be when you finally do have one.
• Think about what you might give your favorite teams for the holidays, or what they might give to you.  For most of us, we'd want a championship.  For Bostonians, they have everything they want, so maybe they'll want their teams to get worse to actually provide drama to their sports scene.  Here's what I'd give to my favorite teams:  The Cubs- a lead off hitter, a power hitting left handed bat in the middle of the line up, and a farm system to trade for Jake Peavy.  The Bears- an offensive and defensive coordinator, wide receivers, a free safety, and a cornerback that doesn't suck.  The Bulls-talent to compliment Derrick Rose, a big man, and a team to take Luol Deng.  The Blackhawks- a do-over on the Cristobal Huet contract, another scoring center, and a few wins over Detroit.  Syracuse- a re-do of the last 2.5 seconds against Cleveland State, and a football program.  Try it for yourself.  You'll have fun with it.
• Most importantly, enjoy the day with your friends and family.  Sports happen every day of the year.  Christmas comes only once.

Hump Day Headlines

On today's Hump Day Headlines we discuss winning streaks, big dollars, Plaxico's guns and a match up for the ages...

• The Celtics won their nineteenth straight game last night, walloping the 76ers 110-91.  The win gives Boston, the winningest basketball franchise in history, a new club record with the streak.  The last Celts loss came back on November 14th in a 94-85 loss to Denver at home, and ironically the Nuggets went without Allen Iverson in the lineup.  Thirty-nine days later, Boston heads into a Christmas Day match up with the Lakers still without another loss.   And since you're probably wondering, Boston is now ahead of the pace of the 95-96 Bulls team that went 72-10.  That Chicago club, led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, was 26-3 through its first twenty-nine games.  Boston is 27-2.  We might be watching the greatest team ever this season.  Also, check out my previous post that explores this topic here.  
• Four-hundred thirty-one million dollars.  That number is the amount of cash the Yankees have doled out to four players over the last couple of weeks to overtake the Red Sox and Rays next year in the AL East.  With the acquisitions of C.C. Sabathia ($161 million) and  A.J. Burnett ($85 million), avoiding arbitration with Chien-Ming Wang ($5 million), and inking Mark Teixiera today for $180 million over eight years, the rich are certainly getting richer.  I guess we can throw that whole recession crap out the window, and the notion that the Yankees would try to cut payroll after dumping nearly $80 million off the books this off-season prior to these moves.   What will the Yankees do next year if they don't win it all?  Probably blame A-Rod.  (For more on this, check out Scott's earlier post here.)
• Two guns were found in Plaxico Burress's house yesterday.  Whoops.  I guess whatever story Plax tries to tell to get himself out of this mess is moot at this point.  Then again, he is a professional athlete, so constitutional law only partially applies to him.  And, he'll have a big money lawyer likely representing him in court March 31st.  But while he did bail himself out of jail on $100,000 bond, that money may only buy him three months of freedom...just enough to watch the Giants playoff run while he sits on the non-football injury list.
• Speaking of New York football, what a sweet match up we'll be treated to on Sunday when Miami visits Giants Stadium to take on the Jets.  Yes, it is a match up that will help decide who wins the AFC East.  But what makes this far more intriguing is that former Jet QB Chad Pennington will get to face off with the man that replaced him, in Brett Favre.  Imagine, for the already snake-bit Jets fans, to have to watch ol' Chadwick come back to knock them out of the playoffs on their home turf with a team that was 1-15 a year ago! And consider this, the Jets were 8-3 just five weeks ago, coming off victories over New England and Tennessee on the road.  Now, 1-3 over the last month, New York will need some help to get into the playoffs.  Guess Broadway Brett wasn't the savior after all.

Shaun Ellis Has Class

This may have happened a few days ago, and may not be "news" at this point, but it has to be on here. If you don't know what we're talking about, please watch the whole clip.

Imagine hearing the headline that a player, an NFL player no less, threw a snowball into the stands at fans, after being tired of getting them thrown at him all day.

In an ideal world, one would have to think that by "threw", it was meant, playfully toss, and by "snowball" one might assume a small, maybe golf or baseball-sized object.

In the real world, filled with NFL players that have bodies that should be registered with the NRA, "threw" meant exactly what it's supposed to mean, and "snowball" could more accurately be described as a boulder.

What on Earth goes through Shaun Ellis' mind as he picked up a Brett Favre-sized iceberg and hurled it at the first row in Seattle?

Well, when you consider why else the lineman's been in the news lately, you realize, not much.

All I know is, if I'm starting up a snowball fight, where marijuana and beating up women are going to be involved, I want him on my team.