There's a line in the movie "As Good As It Gets" that comes to mind these days.
Jack Nicholson's character tells someone at his front door with the phrase "Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here..."
That's just what someone needs to tell Scott Boras. This is the guy who is a super-agent to star athletes. Owners and general managers hate him because of his outlandish contract demands. Stud athletes love him because he gets those outlandish, long-term contracts with Monopoly money type dollars.
Just in the last three weeks of 2019 alone, Boras had a billion dollar offseason, getting deals for Mike Moustakas (four years, $64 million), Stephen Strasburg (seven years, $245 million), Garrit Cole (nine years, $324 million), Anthony Rendon (seven years, $245 million), Dallas Keuchel (three years, $55.5 million) and Hyun-Jin Ryo (four years, $80 million). Even if all Boras got was eight percent, that's a cool $80 million in his pocket.
No wonder Boras is worth $450 million. And why he has jumped in to save the day for baseball fans everywhere. Riding in his white charger, Boras, has a plan to rescue baseball with a full 162-game schedule. OR a 140-some-game schedule. Either way, it A) saves the game and B) saves those big, big contracts for his clients (and his cut, but let's not quibble).
His solution? Simply play baseball until late December. His logic? There's plenty of warm-weather cities, along with teams with domed stadiums (are you listening Milwaukee Brewer fans?) to make it happen. And hell, yeah, we can play the World on a neutral site.
Can you picture fans of, say, the New York Yankees getting behind this? Or Chicago Cub fans? Or any fan in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Minnesota. Pretty much any Northern fan is just gonna jump up and down with glee for the right to freeze in November.
As they get the pitchforks and torches ready, I'm sure fans (and teams) would be MORE than happy to give up home field advantage for the playoffs.
I say we tar and feather the doofus and run him out of town on a rail. Who's with me?
Friday, March 27, 2020
Thursday, March 26, 2020
So Much For Opening Day Celebration
It's Thursday, March 26th, 2020.
There should have been a huge party at Miller Park today, celebrating the 50th Opening Day for the Milwaukee Brewers. It would have been the 26th with my oldest son, and probably close to 35 for me.
It would have been a BIG party, too, with over 40,000 of my closest friends. Smoke from hundreds of grills hanging in the air. Team owner Mark Attanasio's sons singing the national anthem, following in the tradition of Mark's father doing the honors (wonder if Mark can sing?). A special celebrity tossing out the first pitch. The teams lining up on the first- and third-base sides to be introduced.
And we would have been there in the log infield box, section 213, row 17, seats 10-11-12. Cheering the Brewers on along with long-time friend (and long-time Opening Day participant Stevie), booing and heckling the hated Chicago Cubs.
Instead, baseball at the major and minor league levels is closed until further notice. That not only sucks for fans, but for all the thousands of stadium workers (not to mention ancillary businesses AROUND those stadiums) that suffer. And while MLB teams have allotted $1 million per team to help out, it still won't be enough.
Let's say baseball shuts down until May 17th (picking an arbitrary date here).
Milwaukee would lose 48 games (23 home, 25 road) from the current schedule. That leaves 114 games to play. Roughly 70% of the schedule. Or say baseball comes back, does a brief "spring training" to get back into shape, and returns with 81 games to play -- 50% of a normal schedule.
Either way, easily enough to determine division winners and wild card teams. Or a revamped, just-once playoff scheme.
Meanwhile, the other city's major professional team, the Milwaukee Bucks, is doing what it can to help. After Giannis and Middleton each donated $100,000 to Firserv Forum employees, the ENTIRE TEAM kicked in money to help them.
There should have been a huge party at Miller Park today, celebrating the 50th Opening Day for the Milwaukee Brewers. It would have been the 26th with my oldest son, and probably close to 35 for me.
It would have been a BIG party, too, with over 40,000 of my closest friends. Smoke from hundreds of grills hanging in the air. Team owner Mark Attanasio's sons singing the national anthem, following in the tradition of Mark's father doing the honors (wonder if Mark can sing?). A special celebrity tossing out the first pitch. The teams lining up on the first- and third-base sides to be introduced.
And we would have been there in the log infield box, section 213, row 17, seats 10-11-12. Cheering the Brewers on along with long-time friend (and long-time Opening Day participant Stevie), booing and heckling the hated Chicago Cubs.
Instead, baseball at the major and minor league levels is closed until further notice. That not only sucks for fans, but for all the thousands of stadium workers (not to mention ancillary businesses AROUND those stadiums) that suffer. And while MLB teams have allotted $1 million per team to help out, it still won't be enough.
Let's say baseball shuts down until May 17th (picking an arbitrary date here).
Milwaukee would lose 48 games (23 home, 25 road) from the current schedule. That leaves 114 games to play. Roughly 70% of the schedule. Or say baseball comes back, does a brief "spring training" to get back into shape, and returns with 81 games to play -- 50% of a normal schedule.
Either way, easily enough to determine division winners and wild card teams. Or a revamped, just-once playoff scheme.
Meanwhile, the other city's major professional team, the Milwaukee Bucks, is doing what it can to help. After Giannis and Middleton each donated $100,000 to Firserv Forum employees, the ENTIRE TEAM kicked in money to help them.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Golf Course Shut Down By Covid-19
Oh, the horror. The horror.
Yesterday, when Gov. Tony Evers announced that we all need to "stay safer" and closed non-essential businesses and activities, golf courses were included.
The move closes golf courses until April 24th.
I can understand shutting down golf course bars and restaurants, in order to keep proper social distancing. And courses can certainly limit contact by getting rid of sand trap rakes, ball washers, limiting passengers in golf carts to one, etc.
But on the course itself, golfers are seldom within six feet of one another, unless it's on the green -- and golfers can police that themselves. Mark Twain once described "golf is a good walk spoiled".
Personally, the governor's move hits me where I live. This is my 14th year in the Gisholt Retirement League (at Odana Hills Golf Course), the oldest golf league in Madison. There are about 30 active members in Gisholt. That's a dozen two-man teams, plus subs. On my two-man team, Gary and I are usually on opposite sides of the fairway (sometimes in different fairways entirely, but that's another story). So we have been practicing proper social distancing for years.
I expect this particular move to be questioned in the courts. For now, we can only hope that we can tee it up come April 24th.
Yesterday, when Gov. Tony Evers announced that we all need to "stay safer" and closed non-essential businesses and activities, golf courses were included.
The move closes golf courses until April 24th.
I can understand shutting down golf course bars and restaurants, in order to keep proper social distancing. And courses can certainly limit contact by getting rid of sand trap rakes, ball washers, limiting passengers in golf carts to one, etc.
But on the course itself, golfers are seldom within six feet of one another, unless it's on the green -- and golfers can police that themselves. Mark Twain once described "golf is a good walk spoiled".
Personally, the governor's move hits me where I live. This is my 14th year in the Gisholt Retirement League (at Odana Hills Golf Course), the oldest golf league in Madison. There are about 30 active members in Gisholt. That's a dozen two-man teams, plus subs. On my two-man team, Gary and I are usually on opposite sides of the fairway (sometimes in different fairways entirely, but that's another story). So we have been practicing proper social distancing for years.
I expect this particular move to be questioned in the courts. For now, we can only hope that we can tee it up come April 24th.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Unbalanced NFL Schedule Can Be Handled
As the NFL owners and players wrangled over the latest CBA -- tossing around a 17-game format with expanded playoffs, I got to thinking.
Didn't I tackle a similar issue, and make suggestions, last August? Sure enough, I blogged about the piss-poor exhibition games and wrote the following:
There has to be a better alternative, one which the players AND the owners can find middle ground and agree. The owners, bless their money-grubbing hearts, want to see an 18-game regular season. The players, concerned about player health, want to stay at 16 but probably wouldn't mind an extra off-week.
So here's what I'm proposing (in my role of NFL Commissioner For A Day)...
The Canadian Football League has been around for a long, long time. Known as the CFL since 1958, it's roots actually go back to the 1800's and rugby. But by 1909, our neighbors to the north had moved away from their rugby roots and more towards American football.
North of the border, the league plays two preseason games, 18 regular season games AND still gives teams three bye weeks during the course of the season. The season starts the end of May, finishes up Thanksgiving weekend. That's six months of play.
The NFL currently starts playing in August, wraps up the first weekend in February -- roughly six months. So, if the league would turn the last two preseason games into regular season tilts (still a home and away format), provide two to three bye weeks, doesn't it seem like a win-win.
I would take it a step farther and eliminate the pathetic Thursday night games. OR assure teams of a bye week going into that Thursday game, thus ensuring a better product on the field.
And here's something the NFL Players Association could go for -- expand game-day rosters from 52 to 58 and the practice squad from 10 to 15 players. That's more jobs, more NFLPA members (and dues) and a few more bodies for Special Teams, etc.
Got a better idea? I'm listening.
MORE SCHEDULE VENTING
Okay, so after venting about the Green Bay Packers' closing schedule, on the road six of the final seven games, I decided to look at a few select NFL teams. How did the schedule makers treat them?
In the NFC North, Green Bay's home, the Chicago Bears match Green Bay's schedule, while the Detroit Lions are away five of the final seven games. Those pesky Minnesota Vikings? Four home games and three road games in the final seven.
Other playoff contenders?
Didn't I tackle a similar issue, and make suggestions, last August? Sure enough, I blogged about the piss-poor exhibition games and wrote the following:
There has to be a better alternative, one which the players AND the owners can find middle ground and agree. The owners, bless their money-grubbing hearts, want to see an 18-game regular season. The players, concerned about player health, want to stay at 16 but probably wouldn't mind an extra off-week.
So here's what I'm proposing (in my role of NFL Commissioner For A Day)...
The Canadian Football League has been around for a long, long time. Known as the CFL since 1958, it's roots actually go back to the 1800's and rugby. But by 1909, our neighbors to the north had moved away from their rugby roots and more towards American football.
North of the border, the league plays two preseason games, 18 regular season games AND still gives teams three bye weeks during the course of the season. The season starts the end of May, finishes up Thanksgiving weekend. That's six months of play.
The NFL currently starts playing in August, wraps up the first weekend in February -- roughly six months. So, if the league would turn the last two preseason games into regular season tilts (still a home and away format), provide two to three bye weeks, doesn't it seem like a win-win.
I would take it a step farther and eliminate the pathetic Thursday night games. OR assure teams of a bye week going into that Thursday game, thus ensuring a better product on the field.
And here's something the NFL Players Association could go for -- expand game-day rosters from 52 to 58 and the practice squad from 10 to 15 players. That's more jobs, more NFLPA members (and dues) and a few more bodies for Special Teams, etc.
Got a better idea? I'm listening.
MORE SCHEDULE VENTING
Okay, so after venting about the Green Bay Packers' closing schedule, on the road six of the final seven games, I decided to look at a few select NFL teams. How did the schedule makers treat them?
In the NFC North, Green Bay's home, the Chicago Bears match Green Bay's schedule, while the Detroit Lions are away five of the final seven games. Those pesky Minnesota Vikings? Four home games and three road games in the final seven.
Other playoff contenders?
- Seattle Seahawks: two road games, five home games
- San Francisco 49ers: two road games, five home games
- New Orleans Saints: three road games, four home games
- Dallas Cowboys: six road games, one home game
Friday, March 13, 2020
We're Living In Strange, Challenging Times
You might say it's only sports, but when we're faced with something dramatic or catastrophic, what do we turn to for distraction? Sports.
That's why the landscape that has been created by the coronavirus is so weird. We're sailing into uncharted waters, folks.
I understand need for safety and caution. I really do. And this week saw the dominoes topple over at an alarming rate. First the NBA suspended the season, and hockey, baseball, soccer, football (the XFL), tennis and golf followed suit. Colleges switched to online classes. College conferences pulled the plug on basketball tournaments, sometimes in the middle of games, while the NCAA tabled March Madness.
The Boston Marathon will not run until September -- breaking a tradition of 124 years!
In Wisconsin, late Thursday night, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA), the governing body of high school sports, stopped the girls' state basketball tournament after one day of play AND ended the boys' state basketball tournament following Thursday's opening round of sectional play.
There will be NO champions crowned this season in Wisconsin high school basketball. The fate of spring sports, at all levels, is in jeopardy. I feel sorry for the seniors at all levels. And locally for the Oregon High School girls' basketball team, who made their first state tournament appearance in 40 years but won't get to go onto the court.
As I write this, am still waiting for the Milwaukee Brewers to come up with a program for those of us who have tickets for Opening Day (and beyond). This would have been the 26th OD game with my oldest son. It's a great tradition, and we look forward to continuing it at some point.
.
Despite all the cancellations and suspensions, one thing's for certain: This Too Will Pass.
That's why the landscape that has been created by the coronavirus is so weird. We're sailing into uncharted waters, folks.
I understand need for safety and caution. I really do. And this week saw the dominoes topple over at an alarming rate. First the NBA suspended the season, and hockey, baseball, soccer, football (the XFL), tennis and golf followed suit. Colleges switched to online classes. College conferences pulled the plug on basketball tournaments, sometimes in the middle of games, while the NCAA tabled March Madness.
The Boston Marathon will not run until September -- breaking a tradition of 124 years!
In Wisconsin, late Thursday night, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA), the governing body of high school sports, stopped the girls' state basketball tournament after one day of play AND ended the boys' state basketball tournament following Thursday's opening round of sectional play.
There will be NO champions crowned this season in Wisconsin high school basketball. The fate of spring sports, at all levels, is in jeopardy. I feel sorry for the seniors at all levels. And locally for the Oregon High School girls' basketball team, who made their first state tournament appearance in 40 years but won't get to go onto the court.
As I write this, am still waiting for the Milwaukee Brewers to come up with a program for those of us who have tickets for Opening Day (and beyond). This would have been the 26th OD game with my oldest son. It's a great tradition, and we look forward to continuing it at some point.
.
Despite all the cancellations and suspensions, one thing's for certain: This Too Will Pass.
Yelich Deal Makes Sense For Long-Term
When the Milwaukee Brewers inked Christian Yelich to a long-term contract, keeping h1,im with the club through 2028 with a mutual option for 2029, it made a great deal of sense.
Over the long term, I think the deal gives Milwaukee flexibility when it comes to adding pieces and staying competitive. And when it comes down to it, you can bet that the MLB Players Association isn't thrilled. Especially in light of the kind of money Yelich could have gotten on the free agent market -- like Bryce Harper, for example.
Yes, the Yelich deal pays out $215 million for one of the best players in Major League Baseball, a player just entering his prime years. It includes salaries of $12.5 million this season and $14 million in 2021. But take a deeper look at the details. The mutual option is for $20 million with a $6.5 million buyout, and $2 million of the buyout is deferred
If the buyout is owed, the $30 million in deferred money would be paid in 12 installments of $2.5 million each July 1st from 2031-2042. IF the buyout is now owed, Yelich would receive $28 million in 11 installments of $2,333,333 each on July 1 from 2031-2041. A final payment of $2,333,337 on July 1, 2042.
Hey, math was never my strong point (ask Mr. Pica!) but I still see this as a bargain. Especially when put up against the deal the New York Mets are STILL stuck with when it comes to Bobby Bonilla.
The Mets owed Bonilla $5.9 million for the the 2000 season and no longer wanted him. So they negotiated (badly) a payout -- started getting $1.19 million every July 1st that year, and will be paid until 2035.
You read that correctly. Instead of coming up with $5.9 million in 2005, the Mets agreed to pay Bonilla what amounts to $29.8 million over the course of 30 years.
Gotta say, it makes the Milwaukee Brewer look like geniuses by comparison.
Over the long term, I think the deal gives Milwaukee flexibility when it comes to adding pieces and staying competitive. And when it comes down to it, you can bet that the MLB Players Association isn't thrilled. Especially in light of the kind of money Yelich could have gotten on the free agent market -- like Bryce Harper, for example.
Yes, the Yelich deal pays out $215 million for one of the best players in Major League Baseball, a player just entering his prime years. It includes salaries of $12.5 million this season and $14 million in 2021. But take a deeper look at the details. The mutual option is for $20 million with a $6.5 million buyout, and $2 million of the buyout is deferred
If the buyout is owed, the $30 million in deferred money would be paid in 12 installments of $2.5 million each July 1st from 2031-2042. IF the buyout is now owed, Yelich would receive $28 million in 11 installments of $2,333,333 each on July 1 from 2031-2041. A final payment of $2,333,337 on July 1, 2042.
Hey, math was never my strong point (ask Mr. Pica!) but I still see this as a bargain. Especially when put up against the deal the New York Mets are STILL stuck with when it comes to Bobby Bonilla.
The Mets owed Bonilla $5.9 million for the the 2000 season and no longer wanted him. So they negotiated (badly) a payout -- started getting $1.19 million every July 1st that year, and will be paid until 2035.
You read that correctly. Instead of coming up with $5.9 million in 2005, the Mets agreed to pay Bonilla what amounts to $29.8 million over the course of 30 years.
Gotta say, it makes the Milwaukee Brewer look like geniuses by comparison.
Monday, March 9, 2020
Time For A Change
So, here we are at another time change, the ol' Spring Forward/Fall Back syndrome.
And it's also the time of year when we get more (and more) folks complaining about it and calling for an out-dated system to end. Maybe it's time we ALL change and drop this Daylight Savings Time thing. Hell, Arizona and Hawaii don't even do the DST dance.
We all LOVE more daylight at the end of the day, don't we? It seems like we can actually accomplish things around the house after the work day ends. And seeing the sun set at 4:30 in the afternoon in December is just plain depressing.
Here's my solution. When it comes time to Fall Back in 2020, let's just fall back a half-hour. AND NEVER DO A TIME CHANGE AGAIN!
We balance the calendar out a year, we ask Arizona and Hawaii to get on board, and off we go.
Yes, a half-hour is an odd thing. But on a trip to Australia, we went back a half hour from Cannes to Alice Springs, then back forward a half hour from Alice Springs to Sydney. So I'm not that crazy to suggest it.
And it's also the time of year when we get more (and more) folks complaining about it and calling for an out-dated system to end. Maybe it's time we ALL change and drop this Daylight Savings Time thing. Hell, Arizona and Hawaii don't even do the DST dance.
We all LOVE more daylight at the end of the day, don't we? It seems like we can actually accomplish things around the house after the work day ends. And seeing the sun set at 4:30 in the afternoon in December is just plain depressing.
Here's my solution. When it comes time to Fall Back in 2020, let's just fall back a half-hour. AND NEVER DO A TIME CHANGE AGAIN!
We balance the calendar out a year, we ask Arizona and Hawaii to get on board, and off we go.
Yes, a half-hour is an odd thing. But on a trip to Australia, we went back a half hour from Cannes to Alice Springs, then back forward a half hour from Alice Springs to Sydney. So I'm not that crazy to suggest it.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Long-Term Deal With Yelich A Big Win
As the Milwaukee Brewers wrap up a seven-year contract extension with Christian Yelich, one of the best players in baseball, things are looking bright.
For Milwaukee to put Yelich in a Brewer uniform until 2028 -- at $215 million -- is a big score for a "small market" club. At 28, Yelich is hitting his peak. He's won the last two batting titles, and was well on his way to a second straight MVP award before he suffered a fractured kneecap in September.
There are those who will balk at the price. But had he gone the free agent route, Yelich might well have commanded nearly twice that total.
It brings to mind the long-term extension that Ryan Braun signed, and is coming to an end this season (though there is a club option for one more season). Seems to me that the deal left Milwaukee with enough room to add players, making the Brewers competitive.
With the Yelich deal, one hopes that GM David Stearns will be given enough room to add more pieces. The playoffs are a reachable target.
For Milwaukee to put Yelich in a Brewer uniform until 2028 -- at $215 million -- is a big score for a "small market" club. At 28, Yelich is hitting his peak. He's won the last two batting titles, and was well on his way to a second straight MVP award before he suffered a fractured kneecap in September.
There are those who will balk at the price. But had he gone the free agent route, Yelich might well have commanded nearly twice that total.
It brings to mind the long-term extension that Ryan Braun signed, and is coming to an end this season (though there is a club option for one more season). Seems to me that the deal left Milwaukee with enough room to add players, making the Brewers competitive.
With the Yelich deal, one hopes that GM David Stearns will be given enough room to add more pieces. The playoffs are a reachable target.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
This Is Not Your Father's High School Basketball!
Once a sportswriter, always a sportswriter.
At least, that's the case with me. I go through the state high school scores on the agate page, or I go online to look over scores, Why? Cuz I like to see what high schools around the state are up to.
So, while looking over the regional boys' basketball scores from Tuesday, the ol' jaw hit the floor. First off, seeing that Sheboygan Lutheran beat University Lake 121-14. Yes, that's not a typo. One hundred and twenty one to fourteen. The winners led 80-5 at halftime, and were led by 6-8 senior Jacob Ognacevic's 38 points. Ognacevic is the top scorer in the state, averaging 38.8 points per game (along with 16.2 rebounds, second in the state).
At what point in this whipping did the Sheboygan Lutheran coach turn to the crowd and ask "anybody here wanna play?"
After spotting that game, I got curious. So after looking over the regional results, I find another five games in which the winning team topped the century mark. And with one exception (HOPE Christian beat Destiny 103-97), the winners all crushed their foes.
Here's an old-guy-on-the-porch-moment: I can only recall ONE game involving my alma mater in which we allowed 100 points. In the 1960s and on, teams rarely got to that magic figure.
At least, that's the case with me. I go through the state high school scores on the agate page, or I go online to look over scores, Why? Cuz I like to see what high schools around the state are up to.
So, while looking over the regional boys' basketball scores from Tuesday, the ol' jaw hit the floor. First off, seeing that Sheboygan Lutheran beat University Lake 121-14. Yes, that's not a typo. One hundred and twenty one to fourteen. The winners led 80-5 at halftime, and were led by 6-8 senior Jacob Ognacevic's 38 points. Ognacevic is the top scorer in the state, averaging 38.8 points per game (along with 16.2 rebounds, second in the state).
At what point in this whipping did the Sheboygan Lutheran coach turn to the crowd and ask "anybody here wanna play?"
After spotting that game, I got curious. So after looking over the regional results, I find another five games in which the winning team topped the century mark. And with one exception (HOPE Christian beat Destiny 103-97), the winners all crushed their foes.
Here's an old-guy-on-the-porch-moment: I can only recall ONE game involving my alma mater in which we allowed 100 points. In the 1960s and on, teams rarely got to that magic figure.
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