Update 2011

Yes, blogging has been slow......nonexistent to be more exact!  But, after a resounding victory on the golf course on Memorial Day, I feel rejuvinated!  Alive!  Excited.....and $2.00 richer!

Based on the first half of 2011, here are some of my views regarding the sporting world:

1. Jim Tressel should have been fired.....and fired long ago by THEEEE Ohio State University. It's not so much that I have a problem with players selling equipment that has been given to them, but it is clearly against the rules. I could care less if they value their Fiesta Bowl rings so little as to sell for a few bucks, but it's against the rules.....and Tressel knew this.   He knew it when he found out. He knew it when he signed the clear to play form required by every coach before a season starts. He knew it when the story first broke. He knew it when he finally had to come clean before news leaked that he knew it.   The NCAA has a problem with rules and enforcement to begin with...they have a big problem when it come to punishing one of the "big" programs...you know the ones who sell tickets and tv ads.
2. We've all seen athletes take the "juice" and when they go off of it their performance drops as well as their bodies start to break down.  Which leads me to ask the following.......Is Tiger's demise the result of weaning off performance enhancement drugs?????     Let's see,  he's no where near the longest hitter on Tour anymore.....some say he's not even as long as he used to be........two years in a row now his body has broken down to injury.    Just asking........
3. Pro Football is a joke.            As you tremble to open your monthly electric bill, keep in mind that millionaires are fighting billionaires and expect you to suffer.                Do they care that the guy selling beers in the stands during games relies on that job to feed his family?   Answer: NO!           I love college football and quite frankly at this point could care less if the NFL plays or not this year!                Oh and by the way,  if you ever want to take your wife, girlfriend, etc. and kids to a game keep saving!   Tickets $125 each, Parking $25, Gas $40, Hotdogs and sodas for 4 $48.......you get the picture!   Oh don't you just feel sorry for the poor guy unable to make his Bentley payment!
4. The Orioles...............................yes, the record is much better than last year, but here's a few of my observations and suggestions:  I like the rotation of Matusz, Guthrie, Britton, and Arieta.  Glad to see Bergensen and Tillman sent down to Norfolk.  They have got to throw strikes! enuff said!............... The current line-up is too full of streaky hitters with low on-base percentages. We need a couple more players who are consistent, not streaky, and get on base!....................Markakis is drinking the Vlad kool-aid!  He is swinging at way too many 1st and 2nd pitches. He has only 4 doubles and 4 HRs to date, with a .250 average!  He is getting paid superstar money and has underperformed for 2 years now.  He has either to be a singles hitter (see Icharo) batting .300 or develop more power.  Yes. his defense is great, but the bat is a killer in the top of the order.                         Brian Roberts is 32 and looking 42. (Still young to me!)  For two years now he has been out due to injury. Without him the O's have no true leadoff hitter. AND, I don't see the organization developing one to take over anytime soon.   We can't keep floundering around with no leadoff evertime Roberts is out.                          Felix Pie needs more at bats.......Can he play 1st?                 Mark Reynolds......good "D"..........must be because of the all the engery he saves from not having to run around the bases!                          How's Josh Bell doing?  Again, is the organization developing a future 3rd baseman?                At this point Reynolds is well on his way to over 200 strikeouts with only maybe 28 HRs.                  Weiters is the best defensive catcher in the American League.  His average is slowly rising. I do wish he would develop just a tad more power.                         Again, the choice to patch work together a bullpen with castoffs has hurt. Gregg is terrible as a closer.....Mike Gonzalez is awful!   Leaving the O's with no lefthanded specialist.   This has been part of their problem for years.....at what point will they get serious about putting together a solid bullpen?
5. There will be a TOTW Golf Tourney.   Finding a suitable date is impossible!

The shake weight

Mike Gonzalez is a p*ssy!

I will see about scheduling a rematch

Kobe Bryant is a P*ssy

Ok my title has nothing to do with what i want to talk about i just felt it needed to be said. Since the blog seems to be dead and the commish has become a facebook stalker(not my words). I would like to officially ask for a rematch against team FIGJAM. Dont know if everyone will be in that was in the original but im sure we can get enough.

The long awaited "Franks preview of the Orioles"

Good day fellow bloggers,

I know the action has been hot and heavy so far this year on the blog so I figured at the request of some of my fellow bloggers, I would give you my list of Franks 10 bold predictions for the upcoming season.

Let me first start out by saying that I think Dandy Andy has done a pretty tgood job of assembling what has pretty good chance of being a competitive team this year. The additions of guys like Vlad, Lee, and Reynolds adds depth to the lineup as well as some potential pop. The additions also should help players like Jones, Wieters, and Markakis take a step foward this year.

The biggest key to whether or not this team will be competitive or not lies not in the lineup, but the pitching. Will the starters pitch like they did at the beginning of the year or like they did when Buck took over. I would settle for somewhere in between. Also, will the bullpen hold up. Can Koji withstand the heat of summer and stay healthy? Can Berken, Johnson, and Gonzalez put the arm troubles they had last year behind them? Will Gregg be able to close games?

So with all that said, I now presnt to you Frank's 10 bold predictions:

1. Brian Matusz and Jeremy Guthrie will combine to make more starts than Brian Roberts

2. The Orioles, disppointed with Lee's production at first, make a deadline trade with the Pirates for Garret Atkins, Frank's breakout pick from last year.

3. For the first time in a loing time, the Orioles will have two players in their lineup with 30+ bombs on the year, Vlad and Reynolds

4. Scott, Jones hit 25 HR's a piece, and Kakes and Wieters both break the 20 HR barrier with solo shots in the last game of the year

5. Britton makes his major league debut May 25 against the Royals and and holds them to 0 runs and 4 hits thru 8 but Gregg come on in the 9th and gives up a 2-run homer to Billy Butler and the O's lose 2-1.

6. Brain Matusz comes very close to winning 20 games, he carries a 3-2 lead in the 9th against the Red Sox in his last start but Gregg blows the save in the 9th and the O's lose and down goes Matusz's chances of winning 20

7. Jeremy Guthrie does not finish the year in an Orioles uniform, he gets traded to the Cardinals at the deadline

8. After Britton gets called up in May, he wins 12 games, second most to Matusz

9. Jake Fox leads the league in pinch hit HR's with 8 on the year, 3 of them are walk offs

10. The O's will finish the year with a record of 80-82 after Kevin Gregg blows his league leading 10th save to the Red Sox, who actually need the win to clinch a spot in the playoffs

Wells folks, there you have it, Franks bold predictions guaranteed to go wrong.

Favre: Rise - "What should I do?"

Everything Is Okay

This is a spinoff of The Commish's recent post regarding Thee Ohio State football players getting caught selling their merchandise. When I first saw the report, via ESPN, I was so excited. Of course I only read the initial introduction line stating 5 Ohio State players suspended for the first five games next season. Then I saw who the players were, including Pryor, and I got even more excited. Then I read the whole article and my excitement changed to deranged, out loud laughter. I even threw out a What the Fuck???

It is beyond comprehension, at least mine, that the NCAA has the audacity to assume American college football fans are stupid enough to stomach their absurd punishment and their reasoning for same. Thank God our justice system, however screwed up it is sometimes, doesn't dole out punishment like the NCAA does. Personally I think those convicted of crimes should be allowed to take a 6 month vacation before actually going to prison... NOT!!!

Just like everything else in America. Those in charge, the leading authorities of whatever, think they are so much smarter and that us Peons don't know any better and will just take in the face. I think it is flat out insulting and a slap in the face that the NCAA would even attempt to try and come up with some half ass reason as to why these 5 guys can play in the Sugar Bowl. These guys should Not be playing in the Sugar Bowl more than they should not be playing next season. They were caught for selling bowl game stuff and the NCAA is letting them play in another one? Let's just give the recovering crack addict some more crack for Christmas.

Now the NCAA says that $$$$$ is not the reason why and that playing in a bowl game is separate from regular season NCAA games. They also insinuate that they do not have the authority to impede these guys from playing in bowl game because it is separate from regular NCAA play. I'm sure USC may have a different take on that being they were banned (by who) from bowl game play for 2 years.

With all this being said, I am happy to report, with the help of ESPN, that my frustrations and dismay are no longer. Finally someone has stepped up to the plate and circumvented the NCAA and their terrible handling of this whole incident.

Luckily for us their is someone out there with honor, integrity, and a cardigan sweater made of justice. Thank you Coach Jim Tressel for holding your players accountable and making sure they do the right thing.

Today I am proud to report that Coach Tressel has made his 5 players verbally pledge to him that they Will return to play next season. I am proud to report that these players have pledged to Coach Tressel that they Will return next season. I am proud to report that Coach Tressel is now allowing them to play in the Sugar Bowl as a result of their verbal pledge. Apparently Coach Tressel did not feel it was fair that these players would play in the Sugar Bowl and then leave for the NFL.

Way to go Coach Tressel!!! Just when I thought someone, or some entity, could not be more stupid then the NCAA, you step up and really slap us in the face. I'm sure your verbal pledges are legally binding and you (and the university) would have a legal leg to stand on if one of these players tried to back out after the bowl game and go to the NFL. Good luck with that one in court.

I wonder if all the other underclassmen, who are NFL eligible, had to make the same pledge in order to play in the Sugar Bowl?

What a Joke

Disagree with the NCAA and with Ohio St players

Recently 5 Ohio St. Players, including starting QB Terrell Pryor, were brought up on charges for selling items given to them by the university. The resulting punishment by the NCAA is suspension for the first 5 games of next year's season. However, they can play in this year's Sugar Bowl.  Agree or Disagree?

Specifically, the players sold such items as jersey's, cleats, other uniform parts, Big Ten championship rings, bowl game awards, etc...  Money ranged up to $1,000 and even a trade for free tattoos.  As a result, the NCAA decided to punish for these actions.

Here's some issues with this:

1. Follow the $....if the offenses are so bad then why does the NCAA allow them to play in this year's Sugar Bowl? Why? Because these are 5 starters, a QB, running back, receiver, linebacker. Bowl Games are huge $ for the NCAA and the university playing. Out of the first 5 games next year for OSU, the toughest is an away game at Miami.    The other include such names a Akron and Toledo.

2. What a slap in the face if you're a coach! Players selling their Big Ten championship rings....wow....again, it's clear the games mean more to the coaches than to the players.  The rumors have it that Terell Pryor is a primadonna and Jim Tressel really won't be sad to se him go.

3. The players said they didn't know they couldn't sell these items.  I sort of believe this, but with all the things the NCAA does how can you not suspect you'll get in trouble for selling jerseys and bowl game awards.  The other argument is that these items were given to the players so why shouldn't they be allowed to sell? They are possessions of the player.....

4. Cam Newton is cleared by the NCAA even though his dad admits he tried to extort $150,000 out of Miss. St. in order to get his son.  Of course Cam "claims" he had no idea what his dad did.  Surrreeeeeeeee....i believe he and his dad neeeeever discussed this. And Cam claims he and his dad are very close....