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Q&A: Kentucky Derby is time for some serious horseplay
Kentucky Derby hopeful Atomic Rain and trainer Kelly Breen cool off Wednesday after a morning workout at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. (AP)
The first leg of the Triple Crown comes Saturday, when 20 horses kick up 1 1/4 miles of dirt at the Kentucky Derby (6 p.m. on NBC).
Lifelong horseplayer Stanley Bavlish, a handicapper and spokesman for the official betting site of Churchill Downs, TwinSpires.com, talked about his passion on Wednesday with amNewYork.
What makes the Triple Crown so hard to achieve?
It’s very stressful. It’s like an athlete running a marathon every two weeks and trying to run at his best. The horses at this time of year — they’re only 3-year-olds. They normally run every four or five weeks. The previous long they would have run is 1 1/8 mile.
What motivation do the horses have to race?
I kind of think it’s inbred. They’re high-spirited animals. They’re bred for speed, for running. It seems to me like they enjoy the competition. I’ve seen horses on the track that just are strutting their stuff not unlike an athlete.
Is I Want Revenge a clear-cut favorite?
The odds are about right. He certainly is legitimate. I’m not convinced that I’ll be betting him at 3-to-1, because I don’t think ... he’d win out one every four times. There are four or five quality horses that could win.
What’s a common mistake made by novice bettors?
In the Derby it would be that they bet the favorites. They’ll go with the crowd. That’s OK. It’s just that opens opportunities for the better bettors to win more money because they have information that the novice player doesn’t.
Do you note who the jockey is on each horse?
The jockey and the trainer are important, but there’s an old saying in racing that “the jockey has never carried the horse across the finish line.” It’s not a situation where a jockey is going to take a bad horse and make him a winner. The best jockey will make the least amount of mistakes and give the horse the best opportunity to win.
Tags: kentucky derby, churchill downs, i want revenge, stanley bavlish, twinspires.com, horse racing
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Special to amNewYork
This weekend’s NFL draft will allow the Jets and Giants to supplement their offseason activity. Both New York teams lack a top-10 pick, however, so it is unlikely that either team will find a franchise player without trading up.
The Jets, having plugged some defensive holes via free agency this offseason, are hunting for offensive help.
Quarterback and wide receiver are Gang Green’s two biggest needs given the departures of QB Brett Favre and WR Laveranues Coles; this year’s draft talent pool favors offensive and defensive linemen, linebackers and wide receivers.
Two quarterbacks should also find their way into the top several picks.
Jets: QBs
While coach Rex Ryan has stated that one of the Jets’ best two current QBs, Kellen Clemens or Brett Ratliff, will be the team’s starter this fall. This could be a smokescreen designed to mask the team’s draft intentions.
The draft’s top two passing prospects — Georgia’s Matthew Stafford and USC’s Mark Sanchez — are expected to be off the board well before the Jets select at No. 17. However, general manager Mike Tannenbaum has a history of making draft-day deals, most notably trading up 10 picks to draft cornerback Darrelle Revis at No. 14 in 2007.
Stafford’s price tag will likely be too high for the Jets, as he is being targeted by Detroit with the first overall pick. But don’t rule out the possibility of a trade-up to acquire Sanchez, who recently worked out for the Jets and possesses leadership traits the team covets. The only other signal-caller who might hear his name called by the Jets in the first round is Kansas State’s Josh Freeman, whose superior arm strength may make him worth the gamble on his mental readiness.
Jets: WRs
The Jets’ scouts may find the first-round talent pool deeper at wide receiver.
Two will likely be gone by No. 17: the tall Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech, and the speedy Jeremy Maclin of Missouri. Given the Jets’ lack of size and speed at the position, either prospect may prompt management to consider trading up.Alternatively, the team could stay put at No. 17 and possibly have its pick among four other worthy wideouts.
Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey ranks as the draft’s fastest receiver, clocking in with a 4.3-second 40-yard dash. Florida’s Percy Harvin uses nifty moves to rack up yards-after-catches, but at under 6-foot, size may prevent Harvin’s skills from transferring to the NFL game. Rutgers’ Kenny Britt possesses the best size/speed combination, but lacks experience against top college defenses. Finally, although he is neither particularly tall nor fast, North Carolina’s Hakeem Nicks is believed by scouts to be the most NFL-ready of the four.
Giants: The view from No. 29
Drafting fourth-to-last in the first round, the Giants will likely focus more on choosing the best player available than on trying to fill a need.
The G-Men may give a serious look to one of the four second-tier wideouts mentioned above. There are also few offensive tackles may also get consideration, including Arizona’s Eben Britton and Connecticut’s William Beatty.
Alternatively, the team may bolster its front seven by tapping into this draft’s surplus of defensive lineman and linebackers. Several defensive lineman are likely to be taken among the first 20 picks, but the Giants may have a shot at Florida State defensive end Everette Brown, Mississippi defensive tackle Peria Jerry or Northern Illinois defensive end Larry English.
At linebacker, top prospect Aaron Curry of Wake Forest will be long gone, but the Giants may have a chance at one of three USC standouts: Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga, and Clay Matthews. Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis may also be in the mix.
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Timely progress: Red Bulls enter tough stretch of schedule looking more fluid
Senegalese star Macoumba Kandji, above, is looking comfortable alongside fellow Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel. (Getty Images)
Special to amNewYork
Beginning Thursday night in Kansas City, the Red Bulls will play two games in four days against Kansas City and D.C. United, two Major League Soccer clubs that sit above them in the Eastern Conference standings.
So it was a relief for the Red Bulls (1-2-2) that their offense showed certain vital signs in a 2-0 win against Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
The most obvious improvement was in the forward line, where Macoumba Kandji was successfully paired with Juan Pablo Angel.
Angel, the striker, has an illustrious MLS reputation that now precedes his every move. Throughout the game, he used this fact to his advantage, dropping far into the hole, behind his usual advanced position on the field, to open space ahead for Kandji to exploit.
When Kandji established himself as a threat, he was then able to drop back and return the favor to Angel, creating a seesawing dynamism that resulted in a goal for each player.The forwards’ interplay was particularly important because their midfield teammates are still not quite in rhythm.
Jorge Rojas, for example, appears to have the skill, but not the disposition, to play a central attacking role. He shows his qualities in isolated spurts — a flick here, a sly turn there — but these flourishes rarely add to the flow of offense.
Conversely, Dane Richards showed why, despite his many shortcomings, he continues to be picked to play. What the diminutive winger lacks in decision making and on-the-move passing, he makes up for in enthusiasm, kinetic energy and disruptive force; his speed originated the Red Bulls’ first goal on Saturday.
The mild disappointment thus far in midfield, though, has been partially offset by the encouraging defensive play of the Red Bulls’ new fullbacks, rookie Jeremy Hall and recently signed Alfredo Pacheco.
Hall, who is playing in his first season as a professional out of Maryland, is still something of a work in progress. But Pacheco glided easily up and down the sideline and played a few ambitious balls forward in Saturday’s game, his first with the team, showing why he was so coveted in the offseason by Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio. Both are capable defenders who itch to get forward.
The return of goalkeeper Jon Conway further solidified the squad. If the Red Bulls continue to improve from their sluggish start to the year, they could make up some valuable ground in the conference in their next two games.
Red Bulls (1-2-2) at Kansas City Wizards (2-2-1), Thursday, 8 p.m. ESPN2
RBNY outlook: The Red Bulls face a Kansas City team that is unbeaten in its past three games. The Wizards’ attack will run through Argentine playmaker Claudio Lopez and American forward Josh Wolff, who earned MLS Player of the Week honors after a two-goal spurt Saturday in Chicago.
Tags: red bulls, dane richards, major league soccer, claudio lopez, josh wolff, alfredo pacheco, jeremy hall, jorge rojas, juan pablo angel, macoumba kandji, new york red bulls, kansas city wizards, d.c. united, juan carlos osorio
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Mr. Met originates from his own dressing room at Citi Field
Walking through the field-level tunnels of Citi Field on Sunday — the new ballpark's sixth regular-season date — I chanced upon an amusingly labeled room a few hundred feet down the hall from the visiting dugout along the third-base line.
The placard, complete with a Braille translation, read:
1.35.07"
(Photo by Max J. Dickstein)
I asked a nearby attendant why the dressing room's door wasn't higher and wider to fit the Mr. Met's head. Amused, he told me that the team mascot had no room of his own in the Shea Stadium green room. Now a Mascot Hall of Famer, the jolly baseball-headed trickster who was born in the early 1960s has his own digs at Citi Field.
And then, as I returned my attention to the dressing room, Mr. Met and his crew rolled out of the dressing room a few moments later. The game's first pitch was just 45 minutes away, after all.
(Photo by Max J. Dickstein)
From the looks of the Mets mascot's cushy situation (though I did not peek inside the room) it seems this Onion article is further from the truth than you'd think.
Tags: mr. met, citi field, 1.35.07, dressing room, the onion, baseball
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Column: John Madden and his appetite for action
John Madden, pictured at his Hall of Fame induction in 2006, will be missed in retirement. (Getty Images)
Some Sunday night early this fall, it will hit us like a tackle: Boom! Where are John Madden’s excited insights, his deep chuckle, his sledgehammer reactions to hard hits?
The answer: Madden’s five young grandchildren in California, not his loyal viewers, will have exclusive access to the action-loving zest that characterizes the signature voice of American football; Madden said Thursday he is retiring from broadcasting.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, Madden’s “Sunday Night Football” successor as analyst, will make a more-than-adequate team this season for NBC. But the convivial thrill Madden brought to football — deftly mixing depth of knowledge with lightness of spirit — was his unique, irreplaceable contribution to the life of the football fan.
When I met Madden at NBC’s 30 Rock studios last spring, he wanted to talk about food.
“The food that they’re famous for in that city is what I eat when I go there,” he said of his lengthy bus travels each season. “Green Bay brats, Philadelphia cheesesteaks, New York pizza, Chicago deep-dish pizza.”
Beneath his wisp of auburn-gray hair, Madden’s face was friendly, large and animated. He likes to cook, he added brightly, and he even installed a TV-studio-sized, high-tech kitchen at his California home, though its well-stocked wares have been mostly dormant during his busy career.
Shaking the cushions with gestures as he rhapsodized about the virtues of spaghetti made with stew meat, the dark-suited Hall of Famer sitting on the other end of that green-room couch was an impressive force of entertainment, undiminished even when untelevised.
The 73-year-old’s choice to leave the broadcast booth aligns with his stage in life and need not be questioned. But Madden’s infectious, omnivorous joy at watching a football game knows no age.
Tags: john madden, sunday night football, nbc, al michaels, cris collinsworth, green bay brats, philadelphia cheesesteaks, philly cheesesteaks, new york pizza, chicago deep-dish pizza, nfl football
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Throwback Thursday: Yankee Stadium edition
Now that the "new" Yankee Stadium has opened, it's a good time to look back to when the "old" stadium was renovated in 1974-75. Those two seasons, the Yanks actually played in Shea Stadium while their park was essentially gutted and remade.
One can argue that 1973 was the last year of the old park, not last season. There was little left of the original structure after those renovations.
Here's a video, albeit a shaky one, that gives an inside look of the work being done in the stadium back then.
— Pete Catapano
Tags: yankee stadium, yankees
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NBA Playoff Preview 2008-09: Its Lakers, Cavs and the rest
Special to amNewYork
This NBA regular season saw the second straight year of the Eastern Conference’s rebirth, and a Western Conference stacked with fine teams.
But there are some differences from last year. Cleveland has replaced Boston as this year’s East juggernaut, while last year’s NBA Finals runner-up, the L.A. Lakers, is head and shoulders above the rest out West.
Here is our preview of the playoffs, which tip off Saturday.
Front-runners
Kobe Bryant (Getty Images)
L.A. Lakers
The Lakers have the most beautiful passing in the league, and with Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom, they employ three highly skilled big men who often overmatch less athletic opponents. Kobe Bryant is the best big-moment player in the game. If a team doesn’t have an athletic frontcourt, it has no chance against Los Angeles.
LeBron James (Getty Images)
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs have always been disciplined defensively under Mike Brown, but guards Mo Williams and Delonte West give the Cavs two more creative scorers and playmakers to punish teams who load up on LeBron James.
If they can get any post offense from Zydrunas Ilgauskas, they’ll be nearly impossible to defeat. (Cleveland is nearly unbeatable at home, where it was 39-1 entering last night’s finale against Philadelphia.)
Other contenders
Houston Rockets
Shane Battier and Ron Artest give the Rockets the best chance in the league at slowing down the Lakers’ Bryant, while Yao Ming and Luis Scola are excellent help defenders.
The Rockets have developed a rugged defensive identity but their lack of offensive punch (the injured Tracy McGrady’s absence is notable here) makes them a second-tier team.
Boston Celtics
The defending champions never adequately replaced last year’s key playoff reserves, P.J. Brown and James Posey. What’s more, a hobbled Kevin Garnett leaves their frontcourt very short and without a post presence. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen alone can’t beat Cleveland.Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard’s Superman strength, and his ability to cut, seal and dunk, overpower his too-mortal opponents.
However, the best post defenders often keep Howard in check, which is why it’s doubtful that the rest of Orlando’s roster has the firepower to prevail over Boston or Cleveland.
Possible semifinalists
Denver Nuggets
Chauncey Billups has brought the Nuggets stability at point guard, but against defensive pressure they still make too many impulsive mistakes.
Portland Trail Blazers
The young Blazers, led by Brandon Roy, play with a maturity beyond their years. They’re well coached by Nate McMillan and are solid defensively. All the team needs is a post threat — which Greg Oden isn’t right now.
San Antonio Spurs
Time and injuries have hit the Spurs hard, with Tim Duncan less effective and Manu Ginobili out for the season. Their experience and wisdom leave them capable of winning a series or two, but they don’t have the athleticism to go the distance.
Miami Heat
Let’s put it like this: The Heat has Dwyane Wade, a solid defense, Dwyane Wade, a bright rookie head coach in Erik Spoelstra, Dwyane Wade and Dwyane Wade. Miami lacks the supporting cast to advance far, but if Wade goes off in four games against Atlanta, the Heat may see the second round.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks’ home-court prowess is shocking because they often play to sparse crowds, but Joe Johnson and Josh Smith seem to feed off any positive energy directed toward them. If Atlanta contains Wade, they’ll win their first playoff series in a decade.
First-round fodder
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers play hard and excel on the break but they don’t have a halfcourt offense disciplined enough to win in the playoffs.
Chicago Bulls
Rookie point guard Derrick Rose gives the Bulls a bright future, but they don’t have the defense or the post play to win a playoff series.
Detroit Pistons
Midseason acquisition Allen Iverson, now inactive, never bought into Detroit’s team-oriented approach, Rasheed Wallace lacks the guts to post up consistently, and the team lost its leader when Billups was traded for Iverson.
Dallas Mavericks
Good defenses neutralize Dirk Nowitzki and prevent the Mavs from generating easy baskets. Plus, the Mavs have a habit of disappearing under the spotlight.
New Orleans
Despite the leadership of one of the league’s five best players, Chris Paul, the Hornets play with no edge and have really missed Tyson Chandler’s defense and energy.
Utah Jazz
The Lakers have a better chance of winning two games in Utah than the Jazz have of winning one game in Los Angeles. That spells doom when opening a series in Hollywood.
Tags: orlando magic, san antonio spurs, kobe bryant, lebron james, dwyane wade, tim duncan, cleveland cavaliers, l.a. lakers
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NHL playoff preview
The Stanley Cup playoffs start tonight, when the NHL opens its 16-team postseason tournament.
Top contenders Detroit, the defending champion, and Boston, the East’s top seed, will be challenged by the West’s balanced No. 1, San Jose; star-driven teams from the East such as Pittsburgh and Washington; and New York’s two local entries, the
Rangers and Devils.
Here is our preview, with first-round predictions.
(Henrik Lundqvist, AP Photo)
(7) Rangers vs. (2) Washington Game 1: tonight, 7 p.m.
The Rangers (43-30-9), whose schizophrenic play led to a coaching change on Feb. 23, were dangerously close to missing the playoffs, but renewed their confidence and energy by closing the season with three wins against playoff teams.
To advance, new coach John Tortorella's team will need to stop Washington’s prolific 23-year-old scorer, Alex Ovechkin (56 goals, 54 assists). In the Blueshirts’ favor is stalwart goalie Henrik Lundqvist and the Capitals’ (50-24-8) mediocre defense.
Forwards Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, who finished with 58 and 56 points, respectively, must provide the Rangers with the leadership necessary to contend with Washington, clearly an offensively superior opponent. Capitals in 7
(Alex Ovechkin, AP Photo)(8) Montreal vs.
(1) Boston
Game 1: tomorrow, 7 p.m.
The Bruins stumbled out of the gate but cruised to the second-best record in the league. Paced by veteran Marc Savard (25G, 63A), Boston (53-19-10) led the conference in scoring and allowed the fewest goals. That’s a challenge for Montreal (41-30-11), facing Boston in the first round for the second straight year, with the seeds reversed.
Montreal won in seven games last spring, but a repeat from the Habs and their captain, Alexei Kovalev (26G, 39A) in unlikely; Montreal goalie Carey Price (23-16, 2.83) has started just 89 career games. Bruins in 5
(Alexei Kovalev, AP Photo)
(6) Carolina vs.
(3) Devils
Game 1: tonight, 7:30 p.m.
The Devils (51-27-4) scared fans with a late-season six-game losing streak. While they recovered with four wins in five games, the slide left Martin Brodeur (31-19, 2.42 goals allowed average) with a tricky matchup against gritty Carolina (45-30-7), which has won two of three playoff matchups against the Devils.
Led by center Eric Staal (40 goals, 35 assists), the ’Canes tout a balanced offense.
Carolina also won nine straight games before ending the season with back-to-back losses.
Brodeur, the NHL’s winningest goalie, may have to stand on his head for the Devils to make it out of this series. Hurricanes in 6
(5) Philadelphia vs. (4) Pittsburgh
Game 1: tonight, 7 p.m.
The bitter interstate rivals are very evenly matched — down to their goals scored and allowed. They meet in a rematch of last year’s conference finals, when the Penguins topped the Flyers in five.
A coaching change, plus some depth-bolstering trades, turned Pittsburgh (45-28-9) from mediocre to dominant this season, while the Flyers (44-27-11), led by centers Jeff Carter (46G, 38A) and Mike Richards (30G, 50A), were consistent until a 5-5 finish. Philly’s top concern will be the Pens’ duo of Evgeni Malkin (35G, 78A) and Sidney Crosby (33G, 70A), who finished first and third in the NHL in scoring, respectively. Expect a tight, gritty series with lots of bad blood to go around. Penguins in 7
Evgeni Malkin (AP Photo)
Western Conference
(8) Anaheim vs.
(1) San Jose
Game 1: tomorrow, 10:30 p.m.
Coming off their best-ever regular season, the Sharks (53-18-11) boast a balanced offense led by center Joe Thornton (25G, 61A), a strong defense that can score and a marquee goalie in Evgeni Nabokov (41-12, 2.44). Their home-ice dominance (32-5-4) is a heavy lift for the Ducks (42-33-7), who hit a late-season stride but will need perfection here. Sharks in 4
(7) Columbus vs. (2) Detroit
Game 1: tomorrow, 7 p.m.
The returning champions take on a team making its first postseason appearance. Deep and experienced, the Red Wings (51-21-10) have eight players with more than 50 points, with Pavel Datsyuk (32G, 65A) at the top of the list. Their offense ranked No. 1 in the NHL, which makes up for the team’s average goaltenders, Ty Conklin and Chris Osgood.
The Blue Jackets (41-31-10) live and die by their star winger, Rick Nash (40G, 39A), but this is too big of an ask for one player. Red Wings in 5
(6) St. Louis vs.
(3) Vancouver
Game 1: tonight, 10 p.m.
The Canucks (45-27-10) were one of the West’s best teams in the second half, losing just six games in February and March despite roster-decimating injuries. Relying heavily on defense — the Canucks were fourth-best in the West in goals allowed — Vancouver has one of the NHL’s top goalies in Roberto Luongo (33-13, 2.34).
The Blues (41-31-10) were equally hot in the second half, going 21-7-6 since Feb. 1. Special teams will be big here, with the Blues third in penalty killing and eighth on the power play. Vancouver, meanwhile, is mediocre in both respects. Blues in 7
(5) Calgary vs.
(4) Chicago
Game 1: tomorrow, 8:30 p.m.
The balanced Blackhawks (46-24-12) were reborn this season after years of floundering. (Chicago has just one playoff victory since 1997.)
Despite having have virtually no star power, the Blackhawks are fundamentally sound, allowing the third-fewest goals in the West.
Jarome Iginla (35G, 54A), still starring for the Flames after 12 seasons, is a game-breaker who remains one of the NHL’s best forwards, able to single-handedly change a series. The Flames (46-30-6) have little other firepower; they were shut out three times in their final 10 games, going 4-6. Blackhawks in 6
Tags: henrik lundqvist, martin brodeur, evgeni malkin, sidney crosby, alexei kovalev, alex ovechkin, pavel datsyuk, jarome iginla, marc savard, carey price, eric staal, jeff carter, mike richards, joe thornton, evgeni nabokov, ty conklin, chris osgood, rick nash, roberto luongo, john tortorella, scott gomez, chris drury, new york rangers, new jersey devils, nhl
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Fantasy Baseball: Turn stars' injuries into oportunities to snag beneficiaries
Milwaukee Brewers Carlos Villanueva, above, has the green-light in any save situation until all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman returns from injury. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Special to amNewYork
Instead of cringing at the thought of one of your players getting injured, think of it as an opportunity for another player. Early-season injuries are already accumulating, so snatching injury beneficiaries is key to maintaining team depth. Here are four examples:
Injured: Trevor Hoffman, Relief Pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers
Status: The majors' all-time saves leader hasn't pitched off a mound since March 13 because of a strained rib cage, although he could return to the mound by Wednesday. He's been participating in intensive "catch" sessions to build up the strength to throw off a mound.
Beneficiary: Carlos Villanueva
Value: Villanueva is unquestionably the team's closer, and manager Ken Macha told MLB.com on Sunday that he would go to the pitcher whenever a game is in a save situation. That should be enough to convince you to pluck him from your league's free agent list because saves are saves, no matter how ugly the manner in which they're accrued.
Injured: Mark Teixeira, First Baseman, Yankees
Status: Teixeira could miss his third straight game on Monday with a sore left wrist. Big Tex suspects the wrist became problematic beginning last Wednesday, and It hampers him only when he bats right-handed. Be prepared for the possibility of future days off.
Beneficiary: Nick Swisher
Value: Swish would be a full-time starter on most other teams. He has All-Star power (36 HRs in 2006) and he's adept at reaching base (career .356 on-base percentage). His 8-for-17 (.471) hitting and nine RBIs will likely make manager Joe Girardi more willing to bring back Teixeira at a comfortable pace.
Injured: Brandon Webb, Starting Pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks
Status: The ace was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder soreness on Sunday, retroactive to April 7, meaning Webb could miss only one start before returning. But the sinkerballer has battled shoulder problems since last fall.
Beneficiary: Yusmeiro Petit
Value: Petit isn't officially Webb's replacement (there hasn't been one named yet), but he's an intriguing option. He posted a respectable 6.5 K/9 rate and an ultra-low 1.07 WHIP in eight starts for Arizona last season. His 67-to-8 K-to-BB ratio in 60 innings of Triple-A ball last year supports the belief that his improved control could keep his WHIP down.
Injured: Jose Guillen, Outfielder, Kansas City Royals
Status: The right fielder was dispatched to the 15-day disabled list on April 10 with a grade 2 tear of his right hip flexor. He is expected to be sidelined until the end of the month. Guillen has a lengthy injury history, so his situation is one to watch even after he returns.
Beneficiary: Mark Teahen
Value: Teahen was already getting time at second base, but Guillen's injury means his positional versatility will be stretched to the max. Guillen's absence also means Teahen will move to the middle of the batting order — prime RBI position. A .300 batting average off 6-for-20 hitting and an .817 OPS are good signs that the combo infielder/outfielder could regain his confidence at the plate after a dismal 2008 campaign.
Tags: mark teixeira, trevor hoffman, nick swisher, carlos villanueva, yusmeiro petit, brandon webb, jose guillen, mark teahen, new york yankees, milwaukee brewers, arizona diamondbacks, kansas city royals, fantasy mlb
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Q&A: John Dower, director of HBO's documentary "Thrilla in Manila," dicusses the Joe Frazier Muhammad Ali rivalry
Joe Frazier, the former Heavyweight Champion of the World poses for a portrait at his boxing gym on March 18, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Special to amNewYork
Based solely on their achievements inside the boxing ring, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier should be remembered with equal fondness, having met for three bitterly contested fights from 1971-75 (Ali won the second and third encounters).
Yet much more than professional excellence goes into the creation of a legend. The new documentary “Thrilla in Manila” explores — mostly from Frazier’s point of view — the ways the fighters’ contrasting public images impacted their volatile relationship, their legendary bouts and history’s regard for each man. amNewYork spoke to director John Dower about the film, which premieres Saturday at 8 p.m. on HBO.
What was the impetus for making this film?
We set out from the very beginning to make a film told purely from Joe Frazier’s point of view. It was about his three fights with Muhammad Ali, with the focus on that final, extraordinary fight in Manila. It was a very simple idea. It was a film about the other man in the ring.
Why do you think Ali and Frazier are remembered so differently today?
Television was invented for Muhammad Ali. He was one of the first public figures that really knew how to use the medium of television, and he did it so wonderfully that Frazier sadly never got a look in.
Why did Ali belittle Frazier so viciously and publicly?
Ali was manipulated by [the Nation of Islam]. And that led to some of the racial scorn he poured on Joe. We’ve done Q&As after these screenings and people have been angry about the way I’ve portrayed Muhammad Ali, but it’s there. He called Joe an Uncle Tom. He called Joe a gorilla.
Were you concerned about making the film too critical towards Ali?
We didn’t set out to make a film that would give Ali an absolute kicking. But I do strongly feel that he’s kind of been turned into a benign figure. Part of that’s because he’s ill. I actually think we do him a service in a way. We re-humanize him a bit. He was an extraordinarily complex, contradictory character.
Tags: joe frazier, john dower, muhammad ali, thrilla in manila, hbo, tv sports
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Fantasy Baseball: A Q&A with the Sports Judge, who lays down the fantasy law
The Yankees' injured superstar Alex Rodriguez might figure into trades whose merits could be considered by the Sports Judge. (Getty Images) Special to amNewYork
Fantasy sports leagues no longer have to settle owner disputes with verbal battles rivaling those seen on "The Real World."
SportsJudge.com, founded by Rutgers sports law professor Marc Edelman, operates as a neutral third party to analyze and assess rulings for a broad spectrum of fantasy-related disagreements. Edelman shared his thoughts on the fantasy world with amNewYork.
Who has the greatest need for your web site?
It's geared toward the high-end players [who have entry fees or prizes rewarded]. While we resolve disputes for leagues with small amounts of prize money, we find as the prize money becomes greater, there becomes greater incentives for teams to engage in questionable behavior.
Are there any aspects of fantasy sports that you deal with that are frustrating?
The whole idea of having owners veto or not veto trades seems to be a terrible idea. There is no formal standard as to where a veto should take place. More often than not, owners will veto a trade just because they think they would've made a better offer or they don't like it.Do casual fantasy sports fans tend to skirt the rules?
That is the nature of some people. Most of the leagues we work with involve league constitutions. There are rules to everybody's game. Whether some people choose not to play by the rules, I'm sure some people are always going to. Whether there's no stakes involved or real stakes ... Frankly, Bernie Madoff didn't play by the rules in a real game with real implications.
In one of my fantasy baseball leagues, I agreed to trade Chris Davis for a sixth-round pick prior to the draft. Our commish emailed the owners with a subject line "Veto Kyle's trade." Was this proper judgment?
The first issue is not so much that he's commissioner, but that he's wearing the dual hat as a commissioner and an owner. An email in itself is just an invitation to collude, and [that] is different from collusion. Collusion requires two or more parties to agree. I consider that to be an inappropriate e-mail to go out — not wearing the hat as commissioner, but wearing the hat as an owner/commissioner. This is one reason why the functions should be separated.
In a 10- or 12-team league, should a team be allowed to acquire injured Alex Rodriguez at a discounted price if the team already has another elite third baseman, such as David Wright, Aramis Ramirez or Evan Longoria?
Absolutely. The way I look at it is a trade should be held if it would reasonably benefit both teams. One owner is risk-averse and he doesn't want to take a chance of Alex Rodriguez possibly missing a good part of the season; a different owner is either more of a risk-taker or believes Alex Rodriguez will be back sooner. But if the risk-averse person needs someone to play right away, then the risk-taking person who chooses to take a chance on Rodriguez is fine.
Tags: marc edelman, sports judge, chris davis, alex rodriguez, evan longoria, david wright, aramiz ramirez, bernie madoff, fantasy mlb
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NCAA Women's Preview: UConn on brink of a sixth title
Maya Moore leads UConn with 19.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. (Source: Getty Images)
It’s the first all-Big East women’s NCAA championship game.
It’s the first time in more than 20 years that two male coaches — Louisville’s Jeff Walz and Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma — will meet in an NCAA women’s final.
But tonight’s final (8:30 p.m. on ESPN) has another feature that is relatively common in the women’s game: a dominant team 40 minutes from undefeated coronation.Auriemma, who won his sixth coach of the year award on Sunday, helmed two of the four previous unbeaten NCAA champions. Unless third-seeded Louisville has something to say about it, he’ll run away with a sixth title.
Led by super sophomore Maya Moore, the player of the year, top-seeded Connecticut is the highest-scoring and most offensively efficient team in the country, averaging 84.2 points with a 1.44 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Huskies have also shellacked Louisville twice this season by an average of 33.5 points.
Tags: ncaa, maya moore, uconn, louisville, jeff walz, geno auriemma, college basketball
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Column: Where have all the Sycamores gone?
Thirty years ago, Larry Bird’s undefeated Indiana State Sycamores stormed the NCAAs before running into Magic Johnson’s mighty Michigan State Spartans in the title game.
The professionalized NCAA field of today and undignified “bracketology” atmosphere has its roots in Bird and Magic’s meeting. But our era can’t measure up to that moment.
On March 26, 1979, nearly a quarter of all U.S. televisions were tuned into the championship game, which remains the highest-rated basketball game ever. A classic era of upsets (N.C. State, Villanova) and superstar debuts (Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing) followed, as Seth Davis notes in his thorough new history of that season, “When March Went Mad” (Times Books).
Are we in a time when a man like Bird — a cantankerous fifth-year senior who dropped out at Indiana U. — can lead a nondescript program to a scintillating brink? Probably not. That was 30 years ago.
Tags: ncaa, larry bird, indiana state sycamores, michael jordan, patrick ewing, college basketball
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NCAA Tournament: Challenges for top seeds
The Tar Heels’ Ty Lawson (Source: Getty Images)
Saturday’s two national semifinal games will more than likely pave the way for a high-powered clash between two pro-style college powerhouses, North Carolina and Connecticut, on Monday.
But while the Tar Heels and Huskies are seemingly in their own class, they must first avoid Final Four pitfalls against scrappy, formidable foes.No. 2 Michigan State (30-6) vs. No. 1 UConn (31-4)
CBS Saturday, 6:07 p.m.
As steamroller-like as the Huskies have been in this tournament, they have shown slight vulnerability this season. UConn was shoved around in two regular-season losses to Pittsburgh, and the Huskies’ overcautious play cost them in a six-overtime, Big East tournament loss to Syracuse last month.
The best the Spartans can hope for is a defensive effort like the one that smothered top-ranked Louisville last Sunday, combined with UConn’s weaknesses resurfacing.
Even then, the Spartans will have to score against an imperious UConn frontline led by 7-foot-3 center Hasheem Thabeet (4.3 blocks per game), who is impassable within five feet of the rim.
No. 3 Villanova (30-7) vs. No. 1 UNC (32-4)
CBS Saturday, 8:47 p.m.
North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson has been the tournament’s best player, averaging 20.3 points, 6.7 assists and 57 percent shooting.
With only two turnovers in three games (Lawson sat out a first-round blowout to rest a sore big toe), his decision making keeps UNC’s 90-point-per-game offense humming, come what may.
Like UNC, Villanova is peaking right now.The Wildcats’ combination of frantic all-court play and a highly tactical game plan gives the seven-point underdogs a shot at an upset.
Tags: tar heels, huskies, hasheem thabeet, ty lawson, villanova, wildcats, uconn, michigan state, college basketball
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MLB Preview: AL East again set to be the American League's premier division
Closer Jonathan Papelbon and the Boston Red Sox ... remember them? (Getty Images)
Special to amNewYork
In the American League, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The league’s premier division, the AL East, will only get stronger in 2009 with the Red Sox overcoming issues, the Yankees adding talent and the Rays gaining much-needed playoff experience. AL Central teams failed to make significant offseason moves, leaving the 2009 pennant up for grabs. In the West, the Angels remain divine in their division despite the loss of slugger Mark Teixeira.
AL East
The Boston Red Sox, despite suffering from injuries (DH David Ortiz, SP Josh Beckett), under-performance (SP Clay Buchholz, C Jason Varitek) and drama (OF Manny Ramirez), posted 95 wins en route to the wild card and ALCS. A clean slate and bill of health make Boston the division favorite.
The New York Yankees saw their historic stadium's run and their 13-year playoff streak come to an end in 2008. In addition to a new ballpark, the Yanks will be sporting a new 1B in Mark Teixeira and much-needed pitching help with SPs CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett.
Make no mistake about it, the AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays are good enough to compete in baseball’s toughest division. However, wild-card contention is much more likely than another 97-win pennant for 3B Evan Longoria and the league’s deepest rotation.
The Toronto Blue Jays rode their solid pitching to an 86-win season, but the loss of Burnett and their sheer lack of bats will drop them below the .500 mark in 2009.
The Baltimore Orioles will remain in the AL East basement because of their abysmal pitching staff, but look for rookie C Matt Wieters to make an immediate impact at and behind the plate.AL Central
The Minnesota Twins are as good a bet as any to eke out a pennant in baseball’s most wide-open division. A young, talented rotation and defense-oriented lineup could be complemented with another bat.
The Detroit Tigers were baseball’s biggest disappointment in 2008, slighted by shoddy defense and pitching injuries. A retooled infield and healthier pitching staff will enable them to contend again in the AL Central, but expectations of 1,000 runs are long gone.
A slow start in 2008 prompted the Cleveland Indians to deal staff ace Sabathia for prospects. If the Tribe’s future stars can arrive by mid-season, Cleveland may find itself in the race.
The Chicago White Sox will have a tough time scrapping out another division title due to a weaker rotation and aging lineup.
The Kansas City Royals may well improve their record for a fourth consecutive season in 2009, but are still several pieces away from making a run. Closer Joakim Soria, the “Mexicutioner,” has emerged as one of the league’s best shut-down men.
AL West
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were weaker than their 100 wins indicated, and that showed in a first round playoff exit. The loss of Teixeira leaves a gaping hole at 1B, but the remainder of the lineup and dependable pitching should carry the Halos to a third straight division title.
GM Billy Beane’s Oakland Athletics finally opened the war chest this offseason to acquire OF Matt Holliday and 1B Jason Giambi. Though Holliday, the former Rockie, won’t post Coors Field numbers, he’ll make the A’s competitive.
Another year goes by and the Texas Rangers still boast a Texas-sized offense with no semblance of a pitching staff. Club president Nolan Ryan’s attempts to address this issue will not bear fruit in 2009.
The Seattle Mariners spent big last offseason but were spent by season’s end, totaling 101 losses. An overhaul of the offense is likely needed to remake the M’s as a competitor.
Tags: new york yankees, boston red sox, mark teixeira, tampa bay rays, baseball
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The Equalizer: Two MLS new clubs fan support in Seattle and Toronto lends hope to Red Bulls
A new stadium in 2010 will help RBNY attract more ardent fans. (Getty)
Special to amNewYork
Looking out from New York, one can catch brief, exciting and increasingly frequent glimpses of what Major League Soccer might one day look like in full bloom.
Swelling crowds of people on their feet with flags and scarves raised high up above their heads, testing the limits of their vocal chords. Thousands of fans traveling with their team to invade the stands of opponents’ stadiums.
In this still-young MLS season, two clubs — the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC — with the support of their fans, have provided these views. Seattle has embraced the Sounders, an old franchise reborn in MLS, and the players have responded, winning their first two games in front of sellout crowds at home without conceding a goal.
Toronto FC, a franchise with a reported 14,000 people on its season ticket waiting list, hit the road for an away match in Columbus, Ohio, last weekend with more than 2,000 die-hard fans in tow. Home advantage is no myth but, until now, few MLS stadiums have ever been considered intimidating venues. Taking some of that home support to away matches is better still.
Toronto and Seattle operate now in a bubble of enthusiasm that other teams can only hope to replicate in the coming years. The Red Bulls, more than any of their counterparts, have that chance. To date, the franchise has failed to truly capture the heart of a New York market that could reasonably boast more soccer fans than Seattle and Toronto combined.
The problem has always been turning those soccer fans into Red Bull fans. Next season, the team will open a stadium that, by all indications, will be the premier venue for soccer in the country.
It will sit by the water, surrounded by new commercial spaces, and will be easily accessible by public transportation. The physical structures will be in place. The pressure is on the club and the fans to bring along the grassroots enthusiasm, the spirit of unconditional support for a home team.
The Red Bulls are no fresh-faced expansion club; they have led a turbulent existence since the league’s 1996 inception. But 2010 represents their chance for new life.
Andrew Keh is amNewYork’s soccer columnist.
Tags: new york red bulls, seattle sounders, toronto fc, major league soccer, stadium
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NY to add 7 major pro teams
By Avril Fou
Seven new professional sports teams will begin play in the New York area in 2010, the New York City Sports Commission announced today.
Citing a major-league sports entertainment void “beyond the limited Yankees-Mets-Giants-Jets-Knicks-Nets-Rangers-Islanders-Devils orbit,” commissioner Kenneth J. Podziba said the metropolitan area would soon field four franchises each in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB.
A floating island sports complex containing two stadiums and two arenas would accommodate six of the new teams, including the NFL’s Gravesend Diggers, he added.
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MLB Preview: Who will be the next unexpected National League World Series representative?
New closer Francisco Rodriguez should help get the Mets an NL East title. (Getty Images)
Special to amNewYork
National League baseball has seen a trend of unexpected World Series representatives over the past several seasons, with Philadelphia, Colorado, St. Louis and Houston being the last four.
Gone are the days of perennial contenders of the Atlanta Braves variety. The new model for NL success is short-term focused: assemble a good team on paper, make mid-season trades if in contention and hope for a hot streak in October.
With more talent flowing out of the NL than into it this past offseason, expect to see similar playoff races to 2008. However, don’t be surprised if the best team isn’t the one that ultimately competes in the World Series.
NL East
The New York Mets should finally close out a division championship thanks to their new late-inning stoppers, Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz. However, holes in production need to be filled at second base, corner outfield, and the back-end of the rotation.
The Philadelphia Phillies rode a power-laden lineup and flawless bullpen to a World Series victory. But the loss of RF Pat Burrell, a shallow rotation and more realistic expectations of the relief corps downgrade Philly down to a wild-card contender.
The Atlanta Braves lost 2008 to pitching injuries and let 1B Mark Teixeira go at the trade deadline. Improved health, the addition of SP Javier Vazquez and some young batting talent will put the Braves back above .500 in 2009.
The Florida Marlins, led by the game’s best-hitting shortstop, Hanley Ramirez, are building a speedy, defense-geared squad that’s probably a year away from playoff contention.
The Washington Nationals upgraded offensively by adding 1B Adam Dunn, but the hacking slugger won’t be enough to overcome Washington's utter lack of pitching talent.NL Central
The Chicago Cubs posted an NL-best 855 runs last regular season before running out of gas in October. The addition of breakout OF Milton Bradley and a potential full season from ace SP Rich Harden will get the Cubs back into the playoffs, but whether they can overcome their 100-year championship drought remains to be seen.
The St. Louis Cardinals, carried on the shoulders of MVP 1B Albert Pujols, disproved skeptics with 86 wins. The Cards’ pitching is sound with the return of SP Chris Carpenter and a young core of skilled relievers, but Pujols’ infieldmates lack the talent needed for a playoff run.
The Milwaukee Brewers will miss SP CC Sabathia’s 11-2 record and 1.65 ERA in 17 starts. His departure to the Yankees leaves a rotation in search of an ace and a bullpen still in shambles, but the Brew Crew’s bats should serve up enough offense for a .500 finish.
The Cincinnati Reds are in the midst of a youth movement, with second-year GM Walt Jocketty having dealt fixtures Ken Griffey Jr. (OF) and Adam Dunn (1B). Starting pitchers Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto, and OF Jay Bruce and 1B Joey Votto — all 25 or younger — are the new faces of a franchise that’s still a year away from contention.
The Houston Astros failed to add any quality arms to help 17-game-winner Roy Oswalt, a managerial lapse that won’t be compensated for by a productive ’Stros offense.
The Pittsburgh Pirates will likely set a new MLB record in futility 2009 with their 17th consecutive losing season. Last July’s trade of OF Jason Bay to Boston leaves the Bucs with no All-Star talent.
NL West
The Los Angeles Dodgers were smart to re-sign colorful OF Manny Ramirez, whose .396 avg and .743 slg in 53 games helped clinch the West for the Dodgers. With Joe Torre managing a talented roster and few threats in their division, a return to the playoffs is likely for L.A.
The Arizona Diamondbacks boast one of the NL’s best pitching staffs, but the Snakes’ young offensive core is still a year away from playoff-level hitting.
The San Francisco Giants changed the face of their franchise last year from the controversial Barry Bonds to the diminutive Tim Lincecum, and the 25-year old responded with a Cy Young performance. An inexperienced offense will keep the Giants from contending in 2009.
The Colorado Rockies further distanced themselves from their 2007 World Series appearance by trading their franchise player, OF Matt Holliday.
The San Diego Padres began a rebuilding phase in 2008 but made very little progress during the offseason, with ownership changes dominating the headlines.
Tags: national league, new york mets, philadelphia phillies, baseball
