Zem's Chicago White Sox fan blog

This will be my one and only post about Brett Favre, I have been intensely sick of the media constantly putting him on a pedestal for the last three years. Now, finally he retired, meaning Aaron Rogers, whose been waiting patiently for the last three years for Favre to retire, gets the chance to start. Instead, Favre teases and prods the media about coming back, and the media drowns him in glory. If Favre comes back, its not just annoying, it is a selfish act on his part. He is one of the few NFL players that has a long career, perhaps too long, seventeen years of injury free football in the NFL is no easy task. Its time for him to step aside and give someone else a chance, just like the Packers did for him. He's making this situation even more difficult for Rogers, who could put up better

Continue reading "The Favre Situation"

75 million, 75 million dollars, a lot to you and me, but not for a group of oil tycoons who shelled out 350 million in the first place. The Sonics are gone, and contrary to the naive viewpoint of the Seattle City Council, a team of that same name will not be playing in Seattle for quite some time. A written contract stating that the NBA constitutes a renovated Key Arena is not even close to a guarantee, especially when dealing with a league notorious for broken promises and crooked politics.  Why would David Stern put a team back in a city that would hang him in effigy if he ever set foot in it again. The Seattle City Council took the money and ran, asking for a few minor antiquities that the NBA and the Pro Basketball Club of Oklahoma City were more than willing to shell out in

Continue reading "Putting a price on memories"

I first heard of the notion of the NBA having its officials influence games fifteen years ago in Sam Smith's legendary book "The Jordan Rules". In the 1990 playoffs the Bulls had taken a 3-0 series lead over the Sixers and Sam Smith alluded to the fact, as if it was an accepted rule of the NBA, that a overcontrolling officiating crew would undoubtedly officiate game 4 so that the series would be extended meaning more money for the NBA. Smith noted the remarkable free throw disparity and moved on. This was before Kings Lakers Game 6, this was even before Game 7 of the Sonics Suns series in 93. This was nearly twenty years ago. Tim Donaghy's letter comes of no surprise, and David Stern's reaction comes as no surprise. Donaghy is detailing things everyone largely assumed to happen.

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The Seahawks defense is based on speed. Blazing, swarming, hard hitting speed. Running wide on this defense is liking wandering, unguided into Dante's Hell. But fast defenses lack size, and against the run their margin for error decreases drastically. Size on the defensive line makes up for a lot of deficiencies. If your linebackers have trouble shedding blocks, two space eaters in the middle will take up blockers and prevent linemen from reaching the second level. With the smallish defense line that the Seahawks have, if Bernard or Terrell or Mebane do not fulfill their assignment, the offensive line moves quickly to Tatupu, Hill and Peterson and within a milisecond the running back has reached our veteran and speed challenged safeties.

Patrick Kearney for all his greatness as a pass rusher is adequate at best against the run. Run right at his edge, have the tackle get him on his outside shoulder and drive him and you do not have to worry about that monster anymore. He has a wiry frame which does not hold up against the run. Their first round pick, Laurence Jackson, has the body of a 3-4 defensive end, short strong and with a wide base. If you want to shut down the run, you draft guys like Jackson.

Continue reading "The first line of defense"

I spent my younger years as a Seahawks fan in the 1990's. I sat through 2-14, I sat through the back to back 6-10 seasons, and I sat through the teams of the late 90's who could never fathom being anything other than mediocre. Winning wasn't expected, losing was. I remember always thinking how great it would be to cheer for a perennial playoff team, winning the Super Bowl was secondary. Just to taste the playoffs, taste the respect and prestige of those playoff teams, is all I wanted. Now a decade later the Seahawks are the four time defending champions of the NFC West. They have made five consecutive playoff appearances and haven't been knocked out in the first round since 2004. They have won playoff games, they have won a conference title and they have played in the Super Bowl. I am not satisfied. The ultimate goal of any professional franchise should be to win the championship. Any other result is nothing but a failure to achieve the goal.

Continue reading "The sun doesn't shine forever."