Bautista Hits 50

(Great discourse by CSzem and TDR in the comments section yesterday. I’m sure it was all great, but the posts were much too long to read in their entirety. However, it certainly looked like a lot of words. Kudos, gentlemen).

For a late September game that has absolutely no impact on the standings or the playoff races, yesterday afternoon’s contest between the Jays and Mariners certainly contained a lot of excitement.

Jose Bautista wasted no time making history, hitting his 50th home run of the season in the first inning off of Seattle’s ace, Felix Hernandez.

It’s a tremendous accomplishment for Bautista and I sincerely hope he stays a Jay for years to come. As I’ve mentioned in this space before, Bautista is the only position player on the roster who encapsulates the ‘heart and hustle’ mantra of the Jays marketing campaign. He’s the only guy not afraid to get dirty, and stick up for himself, not taking crap from any of the big dogs in the league.

I also love how he takes a Ruthian hack every time he takes a swing. Bautista does not get cheated at the plate. He may not hit a dinger each plate appearance, but it’s not for a lack of trying. I take the same, exact philosophy when I try to please a woman.

Ichiro made some headlines as well, getting his 200th hit of the season, which is the tenth consecutive year he has done that. It’s a feat that has never been done before in the history of the game. Does Ichiro deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Discuss amongst yourselves (I say unequivocally yes).

CSzem and I discussed the AL Cy Young race on our last podcast and I was torn between CC Sabbathia and Felix Hernandez. CC has great numbers this year and a gaudy won-loss record, but Hernandez, by every metric except wins, is undoubtedly the best pitcher in the league.

The romantic, old school baseball fan in me wants the big Yankee to win because, at the end of the day, wins are what’s most important. However, the pitcher in me feels for King Felix and his league worst run support. After seeing Hernandez’s dominance against the Jays last night (a complete game two hitter) and his body of work of work throughout the season, it’s hard not see him as the Cy Young winner.

If you gave him even shitty offensive support, instead of downright terrible, he would be threatening twenty wins, instead of languishing at 12-12.

I think it’s the telling that I was openly rooting for Hernandez to win last night to improve his chances at winning the award. That does not bode well for my future as a Jays fans.

Rogers, I will see you in hell.

Bush Forced to Return Heisman

(BOD - Kim Kardashian)

(Quick aside before I get going: I have to address CSzem’s comment from yesterday’s article. I never once blasted the Jays for trying to win games. Of course they should try to win their remaining contests or it would be to disservice to their fans. However, I do have a problem with making a .500 record a goal to attain. Since when should we celebrate mediocrity? Finishing a game or two over .500 is “meaningful”? Where I come from, it’s not impressive to strive to be average. That’s setting yourself up for failure and a lifetime of weakness (a synonym for mediocrity).

Truthfully, what attitude can I really expect from a guy who retires in the third set of a tennis match because it’s too hot and he’s got a trickle of sweat running down his forehead. Against Gretzpo no less. To each his own.)

For the first time in the history of the award, the Heisman committee decided to rescind the trophy given to one of it winners. Reggie Bush, he of the miraculous and gravity-defying college football season while attending USC and playing for the Trojans, was stripped of his trophy because family members took money from some shady people so they could live in a nice, big house.

Now, I don’t want to get into a huge discussion on the unfairness of NCAA football; an institution where schools, broadcasters and everyone else gets ungodly rich except for the players killing themselves on the field. The NCAA model is broke and it needs to be fixed. They can’t fault these guys looking for a little something something on the side where there is zero compensation.

I can almost guarantee that this isn’t the first time that a Heisman Trophy has accepted money other than his scholarship from school. It’s just naïve to think so.

What I can’t understand is why the powers that be are trying to make an example of Reggie Bush. Is it because he nailed Kim Kardashian? At this point, is there anyone in the NFL who hasn’t tapped that massive ass?

The only crime Bush is guilty of is accepting gifts, deemed illegal by the NCAA, on behalf of family members. I could reconcile Bush being stripped of the trophy if his improprieties affected his on field success. For example, if Reggie was implicated for using steroids, which ultimately catalyzed his tremendous performances on the field, then by all means take away the trophy (although I cannot believe that some defences he faced that year weren’t juiced up).

Let’s summarize: Reggie Bush had his Heisman taken away for accepting money. Who gives a shit? I would have done the same thing. Ricky Williams was arrested multiple times for marijuana use. He still has his trophy. OJ Simpson was accused of murdering two people and is currently serving time for armed robbery. He still has his trophy.

Does anyone else see something wrong with that paragraph?

The NCAA: making stupid decisions since 1906.

Sick of the Toronto Sports Scene

(BOD - Chelsie Hightower)

I can’t take it anymore.

Not only do I have to deal with lacklustre teams putting up a woeful lack of W’s on the scoreboard, a television conflict that threatens to crack even the biggest fans’ resolves, but media types and fans, some of whom must be fairly smart people, have lost complete touch with reality.

After my diatribe against the Leafs yesterday, I thought I would be done with the issue. Unfortunately, not being a fan of the team, I had no idea their first exhibition game was yesterday at the ACC versus the Senators.

First off, I love the euphemism that real fans were in attendance because tickets were free due to a generous donation by Coca-Cola. Those weren’t real fans, those were poor people. I have better things to do with my time than fraternize with the dregs of society. Am I being too harsh? These free ticket games always lead to the most altercations in the stands from morons who drink too much and have no idea how to conduct themselves in a social setting that isn’t a monster truck rally.

The Leafs got smacked around 5-0 by the Sens. Some of you may expect me to gloat that the team is going to be terrible, but I can’t because I’m smart enough to know that exhibition games are meaningless. The knee-jerk reactions around the GTA deriding the club were absolutely incredible. Why does rational thinking go out the window when it comes to this team?

From what I read, there were quite a number of fights, but a pitiful number of scoring chances by Toronto. I guess the old adage rings true, ‘you play like you practice.’ The power play was especially anemic, but that was to be expected because the Leafs ‘haven’t practiced special teams.’

What? Why the hell not?

Someone needs to tell Brian Burke that there is more to the game than fighting. I thought he was a smart guy, but not after the following quote he’s been saying to everyone who will listen: “We think it’s realistic [making the playoffs] based on the fact that from Jan. 31 to the end of the season we were the seventh-best team in the East.”

Talk about grasping at straws.

Onto the Blue Jays. Of course, if I was actually able to watch the team, I would have a lot more things to say. They managed to eke out a win versus the Mariners last night. Afterwards, it became public that Cito is going to stick with his veterans the rest of the year to ensure the club finishes over .500.

Are you kidding me?

The team is sacrificing the opportunity to give their young guns some playing time to prepare for next year in order to have the team work towards complete mediocrity. I am absolutely disgusted.

To paraphrase former Notre Dame Head Coach, Ara Parseghian, “you just summed up your whole sorry franchise here in one second. As it was, you just went from my favourite MLB team to an afterthought. Get out of here. Find me another team to cheer for. Go on, get out of here!”

There must be some benevolent billionaire out there who is willing to save these teams. Please. For the love of God, please.

Leafs Camp in Full Swing

(BOD - Audrina Patridge)

Those of you who read this space consistently over the winter months know that I am not a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Desultory results since the lockout mixed with ownership who seem to have no idea how to run an NHL franchise have all contributed to my apathy.

Plus, baseball is my sport of choice, which is tough to reconcile as a Canadian because all I am forced to hear about literally every month of the year is hockey, hockey, hockey. The main sports networks in this country devote an entire day of television coverage to hockey’s trade deadline. That’s right. Over 12 hours of coverage focused on fourth line bruisers switching teams to the interest of no one except their immediate families. Riveting stuff.

Tewks, if you dislike hockey so much, why are you writing about it in September during training camp?

Excellent question. I’m writing about the Maple Leafs so I can be the voice of reason in a sea of craziness that has people predicting Toronto is poised to make a deep playoff run. The franchise sucks and they will continue to suck for quite a long time.

Brian Burke loves to talk about making his teams a ‘Top 6, Bottom 6’ delineation when it comes to his forwards. Well, Burkey, all I see is Phil Kessel and . . . that’s pretty much it. I don’t think a team has ever competed for a Stanley Cup with a ‘Top 1, Bottom 11’.

I’m fairly positive that the members of the Toronto media are inclined to agree with me, evidenced by the focus of their articles to this point: team toughness.

All I’ve read over the past few days is how much ‘intensity’ the Leafs are showing at camp and that guys are fighting despite being told not to by the coaching staff. However, the coaching staff doesn’t mind since they love players who ‘play with passion.’

Ever since Brian Burke introduced the words truculence, belligerence and pugnacity into this city’s vocabulary, that’s all anyone seems to care about. Newsflash, folks. It takes more than a few knuckle-dragging Neanderthals to make a Stanley Cup contender.

And why the hell would you want players fighting each other during training camp? It just seems stupid. What if someone gets hurt and misses a part of the season for little more than childish fisticuffs?

Michael Liambis, one of the dreamers at the camp, fought Jay Rosehill during the first scrimmage because Rosehill wallpapered Liambis’ teammate, Carl Gunnarson, into the boards. Liambis fought Rosehill because he said he was “protecting his teammate.” So, you’re concerned for the health and well-bring of one teammate and you’re showing going to show that concern by fighting another teammate. Can someone explain to me how that makes sense?

Let’s summarize Maple Leafs training camp thus far, shall we: so, not only are players fighting against the wishes of the coaching staff (which shows they can’t follow orders), they’re fighting each other (doubling the injury risk), and seem more concerned with dropping their gloves showing how tough they are rather than put pucks in the net.

Yikes. It’s going to be a long winter in the GTA.

Talkin' with Tewks Live: Pennant Races

(BOD - Blake Lively)

With the baseball season winding down, CSzem and I discuss the end of the year push into the postseason. Highlights include:

- Jose Bautista
- Pennant Races
- AL and NL Cy Young Front Runners
- Roy Halladay's first postseason

Talkin' with Tewks Live: Pennant Races

Enjoy.