31 January 2007
Things we unfortunately feel obligated to mention
I was dreading the thought of posting about the sale of the Comets being finalized, since the quality of the WNBA product is something well below even BAD Sports.
Conveniently, Chris Elam tackled this one so I don't have to.
And I do mean TACKLED. Ouch.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/31/07 09:54 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
29 January 2007
Coogs win a slog
The Coogs avenged an earlier loss on the road to the Saint Louis Billikens (love that!) tonight with another nailbiter, holding on for a one-point victory at Hofheinz, 59-58.
The Billikens (again, love that) forced a slow tempo ugly game, but the Coogs' improving defense won the game for 'em.
The game was fun enough, but the best part came AFTER the game. Some of the Chronicle brass were sitting in the courtside seats for the game. When everyone starting doing the wounded-paw Cougar salute, editor Jeff Cohen looked a little confused. But with a little encouragement from reader representative James Campbell, he flashed a passable enough Cougar Paw.
Way for a Longhorn to support the Home Team!
I wish I had gotten a photo.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/29/07 09:31 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
27 January 2007
Houston Baseball Dinner
Last night my husband and I attended the Houston Baseball Dinner at the Hilton Americas, and I was amused at whose table was next to ours -- the Houston Chronicle's. My best friend wasn't there, but David Barron was, Richard Justice was at a front-row table, and Bad Sports' favorite MLB beat reporter Jesus Ortiz was sitting at the presenters' table.
Chron Editor Emeritus Jack Loftis gave a long speech introduction as he presented an award, and in it he credited the Chron's editorial board with helping the baseball stadium referendum eke out a victory in 1989 by 16,000 votes. Maybe the Chron's Glenn Davis can convince the current ed board to cheerlead for a downtown soccer stadium!
Anyway, it was a fine event. The Hilton Americas is a lovely hotel, and the Lanier Grand Ballroom was very attractive. The city of Houston built a very nice hotel!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/27/07 10:19 AM | Technorati | Comments (7)
24 January 2007
Bipolar Coogs pull one out
After the first half of the UH basketball game tonight, I thought I was going to write up an appropriate post here for BAD SPORTS, because that's just about the worse I've seen a UH-Penders team play. They trailed 35-15, and the only reason the score wasn't worse is that they were facing an average team at Hofheinz.
Then all they did was come out, claw their way back into it, take the game to overtime, and win -- 73-70.
This team is wildly inconsistent, but there certainly is some talent, and during the stretches when they put it all together, the team is a lot of fun to watch. They also produce some stretches of truly Bad Sports.
Just to drive those points home -- it was one week ago that the Cougars choked up a lead of 20+ points to lose to Rice. This week, they were the ones overcoming a 20+ point deficit. Crazy.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/24/07 10:11 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
21 January 2007
Richard Justice says that drafting Mario was not a mistake
Sunday proved that Reggie Bush is nothing special. He had one electrifying 88-yard TD reception. So what. One lucky play means nothing. Who can't go 88 once in a game? Look at what he did the 10 other times he touched the ball. Nothing, that's what.
He rushed four times for 19 yards and caught six passes for 45 yards. Those numbers won't win you many games. Let's face it, I'd rather have Mario Williams roaring around the end, making quarterbacks uncomfortable.
Vince Young? Same thing. His 66.7 QB rating was 30th in the NFL. He was way behind 15th-ranked David Carr. He even threw more interceptions than Carr and had almost 100 fewer attempts.
I didn't realize that Vince and Reggie were only playing one season, Richard.
Even if they all were just playing one season, let's see...
Vince helped turn around a struggling team once they got rid of the chump taking snaps.
Reggie took a while to get his bearings and became a serious threat, making other teams adjust.
Mario... well, Patricia Slade needed the money for attorneys.
Posted by Laurence Simon @ 01/21/07 09:24 PM | Technorati | Comments (2)
20 January 2007
Shocker: College football is a business (and a big one!)
All of the local sports media have been caught up in celebrating Rice's new football coach as a great man of character (as opposed to that evil Todd Graham -- who, incidentally, only got a woeful football program to a bowl game AND managed to get people to spend money on a program that a large part of the Rice community would just as soon see terminated). Here's an example of it from the Chronicle wordsmith who covers Rice:
So before he detailed his excitement over the opportunity, shared his offensive and defensive philosophies or revealed his plans for building a staff, Bailiff outlined a difference between his ideology and that of his predecessor, Todd Graham.
"This job is not about me," Bailiff said. "This job will always be about the student-athletes. I have a job because there are players that I'm responsible for. They're not here to serve me; I'm here to serve them."
[snip]
Part of the fallout from Graham's departure for Tulsa on Jan. 11 were the players he abandoned, many of whom felt betrayed by his decision to leave two days after signing a contract extension. Despite acknowledging that holding on to Rice's recruits was his biggest challenge, Bailiff put a priority on mending fences with his new players.
"I have to regain their trust, and that will be important to me," said Bailiff, who was 21-15 in three years at Texas State.
So, now that just about every single journalist who covered this story had made a big deal of contrasting good-character Bailiff with bad-character Graham, here's a little question:
Didn't good-character Bailiff bail (pun intended) on players he recruited to Texas State -- his alma mater! -- after not quite three years on the job? Indeed he did.
And, here's what he said when introduced by Texas State on February 5, 2004:
“I’ve never been more excited in my life,” Bailiff said Thursday. “I never thought the time was better for this hiring then now. We’re gonna be there for these young men around the clock. We’re going to give them love, and along with that comes tough love. I’m going to work every day like I’m going to spend the rest of my life here.
I'm not posting that to try to embarrass Bailiff (or our intrepid journalists who covered Rice's hire, for that matter). Rather, the point is that Todd Graham left town (and left Rice football in much, much better shape) for what he saw as a better job and better pay. David Bailiff left his alma mater for the same reason. Both of them made it sound as if they could grow old at their former schools. Sensible people who follow college football should have known that such talk coming from ambitious young coaches at dumpy programs is not to be taken too seriously. It's just part of the business of college football (which is a very big business).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/20/07 10:28 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
19 January 2007
McClain: That caller on talk radio was WRONG WRONG WRONG!
The Chronicle sports section today runs a John McClain column with the following headline:
Umm, okay. Presumably someone called talk radio and suggested it as a possibility?
We'll file that one away with the same "obvious" tag we applied to this one.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/19/07 03:57 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
Rice tabs Texas State coach for football
The Chronicle's M.K. Bower notifies, with that extra clumsy prose that is his style, that Rice has a new football head coach:
In one tidy yet hectic week, Rice found a successor to Todd Graham.
Texas State coach David Bailiff will be introduced as the Owls' 18th football coach at 11 a.m. today.
Bailiff, 48, compiled a 21-15 record over three seasons (2004-06) at his alma mater, and he led the Bobcats to the Division I-AA semifinals in '05.
He spent the previous three seasons at TCU, serving as the Horned Frogs' defensive coordinator in 2002-03. TCU ranked first nationally in total defense in '02.
Did anybody see clips of this guy marching around on the sideline at Southwest Texas/Texas State?
He seems a little... guttural and rough around the edges, especially for an academically prestigious school like Rice. But maybe that's just how he is when he's on the field "coaching 'em up." I guess we'll see how he comes off in the television coverage of today's press conference.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/19/07 11:36 AM | Technorati | Comments (0)
17 January 2007
How much more?
Here's the title of an interesting post on Richard Justice's blog today:
Sadly, he does not go on to explain just how much more it took for him to write so many stories from Charley Casserly's perspective.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/17/07 01:56 PM | Technorati | Comments (2)
16 January 2007
Yeah, that's pretty much what he's worth...
The Chronicle reports on how much the Astros are offering the remaining arbitration-eligible players...
The Astros have exchanged contract proposals with their three other arbitration-eligible players: third baseman Morgan Ensberg is asking for $4.9 million and the team is countering with $4 million; shortstop Adam Everett has asked for $3.4 million, well short of the team’s $2.5 million offer; and outfielder Jason Lane is seeking $1.375 while the Astros submitted $900,000.
I hope Drayton's rounding down instead of up.
No way Jason Lane's worth a buck thirty-eight.
Posted by Laurence Simon @ 01/16/07 10:27 PM | Technorati | Comments (1)
14 January 2007
Why must it read like a Features story?
Here's the start of Moisekapenda Bower's Chronicle coverage of the departure of Todd Graham from Rice:
With his usual blend of emotional vulnerability and disarming humor, Rice athletic director Chris Del Conte attempted to put a positive spin on the announcement that Todd Graham had resigned as Rice football coach to take the same position at Tulsa.
Less than 24 hours after absorbing the staggering blow of Graham's unexpected departure, Del Conte joked with the assembled masses and spoke boldly of brighter days ahead.
With his usual blend of emotional vulnerability and disarming humor?
*sigh*
Why not just chop that first paragraph (and definitely that first sentence), and run the second paragraph (slightly edited) as the lede?
Why must so many sports stories read like something assembled by the Chron features staff?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/14/07 12:14 AM | Technorati | Comments (1)
13 January 2007
Texans to boost ticket prices
The Chronicle's John McClain reports that Texans ticket prices are going up:
After not raising ticket prices in 2006, the Texans announced Friday they are increasing the average ticket price by $2.88 this year.
The average ticket price for the 2007 season will be $60.63, an increase of about 5 percent, according to John Schriever, Texans vice president for ticketing and event management.
[snip]
"I think a lot of our fans believe that we've turned the corner because we won four more games in Gary (Kubiak's) first season," Schriever said.
Right. There's no doubt that's what a lot of fans are thinking (as opposed to, "They drafted WHOM with the first pick last year?").
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/13/07 02:35 PM | Technorati | Comments (2)
12 January 2007
Is his middle name Scoop?
Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls offers this advice today:
Don't be surprised if the Houston Texans trade David Carr and sign Jake Plummer if the Broncos waive him. . . .
Thanks, Kirk. We'll try really hard not to be surprised!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/12/07 09:55 AM | Technorati | Comments (0)
Graham to leave Rice, return to Tulsa
The Chronicle and the Daily Oklahoman both report that Todd Graham will be leaving Rice to take the Tulsa job, which opened when Steve Kragthorpe was hired by Louisville.
Graham has a coaching history in Oklahoma, and Tulsa officials apparently promised him a big raise (right on the heels of his extension at Rice), but I still don't really get this decision. It's probably not a complete lateral move (Tulsa is a slightly better program at this point thanks to Kragthorpe's work, but only slightly), but it may not be a winner for Graham. If he has success, he's just doing what was expected after Kragthorpe. If he doesn't, his career goes in the toilet.
He might have parlayed another successful season at Rice into much bigger things for himself.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/12/07 06:37 AM | Technorati | Comments (4)
11 January 2007
The appetite was the problem
Jesus Ortiz is gushing about former Major Leaguer Richard Hidalgo:
A product of the Astros' famed Venezuelan academy, Hidalgo is hungry again.
Wasn't part of the problem that the guy basically ate himself out of the league?
Overweight guys with bad knees really don't make for the best National League outfielders.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/11/07 05:52 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
10 January 2007
Sherman COULD be Cards' choice
John McClain has this not-so-definitive bit of news tonight:
Texans assistant head coach Mike Sherman could be the leading candidate to become the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
In other news, the Houston Cougars could pull off the upset of Memphis at Hofheinze tomorrow night.
Or they could not.
UPDATE: The story now reads as follows:
Texans assistant head coach Mike Sherman has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Dennis Green as the Arizona Cardinals' head coach.
Nothing like a little editing to focus the lede, eh?
UPDATE (01-14-2007): The Cardinals hired Steelers assistant Ken Whisenhunt, apparently going with a non-leading candidate.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/10/07 08:49 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
09 January 2007
Dan Wheeler back for 2007
The man who should have been closer for 2006 if Phil "Crapiron" Garner had his wits about him will be back, waiting for Garner to pull the trigger on Lidge in 2007:
Right-hander Dan Wheeler, one of the primary setup men in Houston's bullpen, agreed Monday to a $2.1 million, one-year contract with the Astros.
Wheeler was 3-5 with nine saves and a 2.52 ERA in 75 games last season, when he made $950,000. The Astros used him in some save situations last year when closer Brad Lidge struggled, and he shared setup duties with Chad Qualls. Wheeler is 5-8 with a 2.38 ERA and 12 saves in three seasons with Houston.
The 29-year-old held opponents to a .221 batting average, including .184 after the All-Star break. He had a 1.11 ERA after the All-Star break, fifth-best among NL relievers.
As opposed to Lidge, who could have been used by NASA to launch Space Station parts into whatever orbit can be achieved over the Crawford Boxes.
Posted by Laurence Simon @ 01/09/07 04:46 AM | Technorati | Comments (0)
08 January 2007
He apparently just needed "coached up"
Staying with the Peter King theme, note his NFL offensive player of the week:
Offensive Player of the Week
Jabar Gaffney, WR, New England. The Patriots' biggest offensive problem for the first 14 games this year was wide receiver play, or perhaps more specifically the chemistry between Tom Brady and a bunch of receivers not named Deion Branch. In the last two weeks of the season, Pat wideouts caught 25 balls, for 278 yards. And on Sunday, Gaffney was aces, especially on sideline routes. After signing off the street in October and totalling 11 catches for the year, he had eight, for 104 chain-moving yards, in the 37-16 win over the Jets. "He came in here earlier in the season, about a quarter of the way through,'' said Belichick, "and he's learned all of the positions. He's played [split end, flanker] and the slot and he's a smart kid, a good route-runner. He's done a great job of picking up the system. He works as hard as anybody. He's given us some quality plays this year.''
He wasn't good enough to make the Texans or any other team much of the season, but the best coach in football made a contributor of him in a big game.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/08/07 10:32 AM | Technorati | Comments (1)
0 for 28
CNN/SI's Peter King makes his All-Pro NFL picks.
None are Texans.
Posted by Laurence Simon @ 01/08/07 10:14 AM | Technorati | Comments (3)
05 January 2007
Speculation
Now that Nick Saban has bolted Miami for the greener pastures of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, an interesting but unlikely scenario presents itself. Although he is certainly not their number one choice (probably far from it), Dom Capers could conceivably become the new Miami head coach. If that were to happen and if Harrington were to become the Dolphins' starting quarterback we could have to endure watching Capers coach a successful team led by a talented young quarterback who was previously considered a "bust." Maybe they would even play the Titans in the AFC championship game.
Posted by Ethan Glading @ 01/05/07 08:56 AM | Technorati | Comments (1)
03 January 2007
At least we get to see him play once a year at Reliant...
Vince Young is AP's Offensive Rookie of the Year:
The dynamic quarterback for the Tennessee Titans won The Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year Award on Wednesday. He did it in the same fashion he turned around the Titans' season — running away from the rest of the field.
Young, who led Texas to the 2005 national championship and was the third overall pick in last April's draft, overwhelmed one of the strongest rookie classes in NFL history. He received 23 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league.
That easily beat New Orleans wide receiver Marques Colston and Jacksonville running back Maurice Drew, who had nine apiece; San Diego tackle Marcus McNeill (6); and Saints running back Reggie Bush (3).
DeMeco Ryans won Defensive Rookie accolades.
Didn't we use our first round draft pick for a defensive player?
So hard to remember... what was his name...
The linebacker, chosen at the top of the second round of last April's draft _ 32 spots after the Texans made defensive end Mario Williams the first overall selection _ was a runaway winner of the award announced Wednesday. Ryans led the league in solo tackles with 126, and his 156 total tackles were 33 more than the next-best rookie, Detroit linebacker Ernie Sims.
Oh, Right. The guy who bought Slade's house.
Posted by Laurence Simon @ 01/03/07 01:18 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
02 January 2007
Maybe Andre just wasn't paying attention?
The Chronicle's David Barron writes:
Andre Ware had a chance to weigh in Sunday afternoon on David Carr's future with the Texans, and he declined. Texans radio play-by-play voice Marc Vandermeer asked Ware to comment during the Texans' final possession, which ended with Carr losing ground on
an ill-advised bootleg, on whether he thought Carr would return.Ware said he was surprised by the bootleg call and that he doesn't think Carr has ever had the freedom to check in and out of plays at the line. But he didn't go anywhere near commenting, by design or because of time restraints, about Carr's future.
Now, that's being awfully charitable. It's also possible he didn't comment because he's an awful color commentator, and just isn't very good at changing his train of thought on the fly.
In fact, here's kind of a fun question to which there is no obvious answer -- Which is worse, David Carr as the Texans quarterback or Andre Ware as the Texans color commentator?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/02/07 09:19 PM | Technorati | Comments (1)
CNN/SI never got the memo, I guess
CNN/SI has a bunch of questions facing NFL teams not making the playoffs.
Here are the questions for Houston:
Houston -- Whether or not the franchise will extend the David Carr era to a sixth season is the foremost question as 2007 begins. Coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith are undecided if they'll keep Carr or shop him around the league with two years remaining on his contract. Identifying a No. 1 running back amid the crowd of contenders -- Ron Dayne, Wali Lundy, Chris Taylor, Domanick Davis -- is another priority.
Davis? We have no Davis here.
The name is Williams.
(Of course, based on his 2006 ride on the pine, he might as well have changed his name to Bagwell.)
Posted by Laurence Simon @ 01/02/07 12:45 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
A rose by any other name...
Domanick Davis is now Domanick Williams...
When Domanick Davis cleaned out his locker Monday, he had a rare request. He wanted his name plate and number removed also.
The next time the fourth-year running back suits up for the Texans he will be Domanick Williams and wear No. 31. He legally changed his name two months ago to Williams, his mother's maiden name.
He's also changing his number from 37 to 31, not that uniform numbers matter when you're in the stands wearing street clothes, collecting very large paychecks for being professionally injured.
Perhaps CNN/SI will say that David Williams is underpaid like Ow! Ming, too?
Posted by Laurence Simon @ 01/02/07 09:18 AM | Technorati | Comments (0)
01 January 2007
Aubrey Huff gone
Two of Tim Purpura's three big 2006 acquisitions are gone... Aubrey Huff heads to Camden:
Aubrey Huff has reached a preliminary agreement on a three-year, $20 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, who hope the versatile free agent can add punch to a lineup that ranked 11th in the American League in home runs last season.
The agreement was secured over the weekend, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Orioles have not yet announced the deal. The contract will be finalized if Huff passes a physical, which likely will be administered this week in Baltimore.
The third will be letting the Hendricks Brothers pit Steinbrenner against Uncle Drayton for half a season.
So, fans, was it worth renting this dud and losing Zobrist to keep Mike Lamb out of the lineup when Ensberg was lying about how badly he was hurt?
Posted by Laurence Simon @ 01/01/07 07:18 PM | Technorati | Comments (0)
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