Huston Street's Home Run Patio

Huston Street is not leading the league in saves (22) the easy way. He does not press that obnoxious button from ‘Staples’ when he comes out of the bullpen.

The statistics are the scary part.

The Rockies closer has given up 7 home runs over 35 innings this year. The opposition has hit one out of the park every 5 innings, or more likely 5 appearances. Colorado cannot afford to lose close games in a tough division that they had the lead going into the final frame.

It keeps getting worse. He’s faced 61 batters this year, so he’s given up a mighty blast every 8.5 batters.  The All-Time Home Run king* Barry Bonds hit the little white devil out at a pace of 15.7 at bats per home run. That means that any batter Huston Street faces is almost TWICE as likely to hit a home run as the man that hit the most out EVER.

Like a blind man trying to fly a plane Street is becoming a liability.

This is a complete fluke though. Street does not usually give the long ball as frequently as he’s been doing it this year. He does not usually do this. Over the course of Street’s 7 year career he has allowed 5 home runs per season; he’s already 2 ahead of that number and it’s not even the All-Star break yet.

He may be the best closer in all of baseball. He also may be the best batting practice pitcher when your girlfriend is at the park too. But there is one that’s for certain; he knows how to make a baseball game dramatic.

University of Colorado 32nd Most Profitable School

                In a recent poll published by ‘The Business of College Sports’ the University of Colorado ranks as the 32rd most profitable athletic department in the nation. The Buffaloes pocketed over $13.6 million last year.

This successful collegiate program is also an extremely helpful tool for academics at those same schools. The money the athletic department raises in ticket sales, merchandise and other forms does not remain in the department; rather it is filtered through the universities landscape like a large bag of mulch.

And that amount, that bag of cedar, is only going to get bigger moving into the newly formed PAC-12. The conference signed a network television deal with FOX and ESPN worth $3 billion over the next 12 years. (That’s $250 million a year, split 12 very equal ways.)

Making this type of money is all well in good only if it is put to work. If they update the University, with a strong emphasis on the athletic department, it’s more than worthwhile. Of all the PAC-12 schools CU is the 2^nd most profitable, only Washington is ahead. But, of all the schools again, CU spent the 3^rd least. Only Washington State and Oregon State invested less.

This is a new chapter in the long and historic lineage of the University of Colorado-Boulder. This new foothold, new West-coast perspective, spring-fresh start should make the school want to evolve, expand and push boundaries. CU could look a lot differently in the next decade, both athletically and academically.

http://businessofcollegesports.com/2011/06/20/which-football-and-basketball-programs-produce-the-largest-profits/

Lockout the Heat

Didn’t you just feel the love when the Heat lost in Game 6 of the NBA Finals?

Like a warm plate of old sardines Lebron was getting the royal ‘We told you so’ treatment from the people that are supposed to be objective. That wasn’t even close to what people were saying everywhere else. Church confessionals should look more like a Frozen Yorgurt queue after what people said.

The Mavs played the best series of their lives. They were playing the best NBA (see how I contextualized that) basketball since the Bulls in late 1990’s. They were the YMCA lowering the rims to 8 ½ feet good. And they still should have lost.

So when all the NBA fans come down from that Mark Cuban high they’ll realize that there is no stopping the Miami Heat . Or is there?

Superman has one kyrtonite, Matt has one nemesis; peas. The only way to stop them from reign supreme in the NBA is to lock the doors. Don’t even let them in the building. In essence, pro-long the lock-out.

People would rather not watch than boo their Lebron-hate (very specific rage for #6) invested hearts out.

So lock the doors. Keep the lights out. That’s the only way to keep the Heat down.

[But don’t you sleep on David Stern. He knows how much HATE is worth. He knows he could buy a new island if he makes this bargaining agreement work. He knows that Lebron can pay for his kids to go to college, and then some.

Let the battle of attrition begin.  ]

Denver Broncos Linebackers As Good As They Get

Just a few years ago the Denver Linebackers were about as intimidating as a 3 month old marshmallow. But now they have the pieces to do some damage from the core of the defense.

As Broncos fans, both older and more youthful, were spoiled when it came to big hits. The Orange Crush had the likes of Randy Gradishar. Steve Atwater, Bill Romanowski and John Mobley occupied the Super Bowl era. And now Elvis Dumervil leads a core of the nastiest linebackers in franchise history.

Dumervil led the NFL in sacks 2 years ago (last year he missed the entire season due to an injury) and may not be the best linebacker on the squad. DJ Williams, Joe Mays, Robert Ayers and a few rookies will be looking to be the new and hard-nosed face of John Fox’s 3-4 defense.

Denver was the worst in the NFL in most major defensive categories. They were last in yards per game; they were last in points per game and last in total defense. Their defense had as many holes as a To-be continued episode of Lost. And Coach Fox pinpointed these issues in the Draft.

The Broncos selected 3 linebackers (Von Miller, 1^st Round, Nate Irving, 3^rd Round, Mike Mohamed, 6^th Round) all with real potential to make an impact as a rookie. All 3 newcomers accent the change in philosophy on defense, and all have the potential to be long-time pieces for the team.

This may be the hey-day of Bronco linebackers; linebackers that don’t want you to cheer for them. They want to hear the “Ohhh’s” and “Ahhh’s” from laying hay-makers.

ESPN Ultimate Standings: Denver Sports Snub

Just another Denver snub.

People outside of the Mile High region have no idea what goes on in the beautiful city of Denver. We get stereotyped as ski-bums, granola mountain men, and amateur sports fans. When in truth the people are nothing near those.

And when someone questions our fan-hood, the way ESPN did by ranking the Denver Broncos #86, Denver Nuggets #42, Colorado Rockies #8 and Colorado Avalanche #64 there must be a strong reaction.

The rankings pit the popular teams against the not-so popular teams. It's the third grade grade talent show all over again, where the loudness of crowd determines the winner. Just because you are the loudest, doesn't mean you deserve to win. (That's right Jimmy, I said it. I want that ribbon.)

Also the way the categories are determined and ranked is completely subjective and ludicrous.

For example, there is a section on 'Ownership'. First, how is this in any way important? Secondly, how in the world can you rank owners of franchises? (Is there a fantasy draft I can join?). Yet, the Nuggets are ranked 51st, the Avalanche 72nd and the St. Louis Rams 80th in this bogus sub-sectoin and ALL are owned by the same person, Stan Kroenke.

Obviously the object of winning is going to factor into heavily how well eat team did, because if you are winning everything else doesn't seem so bad. The price of hot dogs appears reasonable, the quality of stadium can be rationalized; there is a general glaze over the fans eyes.

But this doesn't seem to be the case with Denver. This, our city, has one of the richest traditions of success in all of sports. (If not always in the form of Championships.) The Rockies 2007 World Series appearance, Nuggets 50-plus wins the last 4 years, Broncos 2 Super Bowls and Avalanche 2 Stanley Cups.

Most other cities don't win as much as Denver, and then get more publicity than Denver. Just saying.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/teamrankings

Congressional Bed & Breakfast

How do you prepare for the US Open Golf Tournament? Eating a good breakfast.

Or this…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM2NocuEihw&feature=player_embedded#at=71

Our National Championship is not like any other golf tournament. The rough is tougher than a $7.99 T-bone steak. It’s wilder than a mid-Western roller coaster junkie. The greens are quicker than a KY Jelly slip-n-slide. And this week is more of a mental drain on the players than a week long Grey’s Anatomy marathon. 

But of all the things that the players have to focus on; the course, their game, the opponents and the media; the one thing they need to dial in on is ‘recovering’.

This week they are going to make bogeys. It’s how they respond to them. If they can pull an ‘Indian Jones’ on the inevitable boulder rolling down the slope they will have a chance to take home the prize on late Sunday afternoon.

It pushes the best players in the world to their limits. People, like me, are more enthralled with this than a dubbed Asian game show. Non-golf fans don’t understand, but this makes for some great television. 

But for the second year in a row a Brit will take home the most prestigious trophy in all of American sports. There are 6 golfers from across the pond in the top ten in the world rankings, five of which are from the British Isles. Some of them have momentum (Luke Donald), others have been there before (#2 Lee Westwood, #7 Graeme McDowell, #10 Paul Casey) and one has a giant chip on his youthful Irish shoulder (#8 Rory McIlroy).

 

The best players in the world need to survive this week by …. Scrambling and scrambled eggs.

Stanley Cup: Game 7

“Hockey fans rejoice!”

Okay, let’s hold up a second before that gap in your teeth becomes so pronounced you can no longer eat corn on the cob.

The Vancouver Canucks were the best team by far in the NHL during the regular season (117 total point, 10 better than Washington). They have the best man between the pipes in all of hockey (Roberto Luongo has 38 wins which ties for the best). And they should NOT be even close to winning their first ever Stanley Cup.

The Boston Bruins ought to be up 6-0 in the series. This series should be so over that the Bruins should now be getting over their champagne hangover. The B’s should be getting that grisly silver taste out of their mouths. The Chowder Chunkies should be lying on a beach somewhere with their country singing heart-throbs. Boston should have won already.

Tim Thomas has given up a total of 8 goals in the six NHL Finals games. And Boston has scored 19 against Thomas’ opposite number. Vancouver has won 3 games, by 3 goals all coming in the 3^rd period or in overtime.

Boston is clearly the best team in this series. Tim Thomas is clearly the best goalie in the WORLD right now. Boston should be Stanley Cup Champions in only a matter of hours.

But that’s the beauty of sports, the beauty of hockey. It doesn’t matter HOW you win, it’s IF you win that’s all that really matters.

GAME 7:              BOSTON @ VANCOUVER              6:00 PM