All Over the Place

I was surprised how quickly the David Jacobs' story died. Jacobs, a convicted steroids dealer claimed to have sold drugs to NFL players, was found shot to death. Police ruled the death a suicide. Jacobs also murdered another woman. Jacobs had met twice with NFL officials, submitting to them names of NFL players he alleges purchased steroids from him. Here's an official story on the matter. This story seems so suspect to me. Why is this man dead? He's just "dangerous," so he offed himself and another woman? No one in the media thinks that this man was under tremendous pressure to no give up names of NFL players who had purchased steroids from him? Another example of the media ignoring or at least brushing aside the steroid problem in professional football, while baseball remains under tight scrutiny. I will quickly remind our readers that when Pro Bowl LB Shawne Merriman was suspended for steroids, I heard almost no discussion of the potential steroids culture in the NFL. No, the only discussion heard concerned how his drug suspension might lead to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell prohibiting steroid abusers from participating in the Pro Bowl. Way to put your foot down, no one wants to play in that game anyway.

In the AL East, last place Baltimore is only 8 games behind the first place Red Sox. In the NL Central, the cellar dwellers are the Cincinatti Reds at 11.5 behind the Cubs. These don't appear to be huge deficits, and in numbers alone, they aren't. But, in both relatively tight divisions, I cannot see anyone winning those divisions except for the top-2 teams. In the AL East, the Rays are 2.5 GB on the Sox, and the third place Yankees are 4.5 back of the Rays. In the NL Central, the Cardinals are 3.5 back of the Cubs, and the Brewers are 4 games behind the Cards. I say the Sox and the Cubs hold their ground and win their respective divisions. I am willing to pencil in the Cardinals as the NL Wild Card team, because of the lack of competence in the NL West, and the maddening, underachieving NL East. The Rays currently lead the AL Wild Card race by 3 games, and they seem likely to hold off a feisty Oakland A's team. It's hard to count out the Yankees this early, and the pitching of the Blue Jays will keep them in the race.

This limited instant replay idea has me intrigued. Anyone have any predictions on what this will entail? It should be instituted sometime in August. I assume it will be used intially to judge home run calls.

I am currently watching the Astros-Yankees game (Pratt's liveblogging it), Minute Maid Park has got to be one of the strangest ballparks in the game. The constantly askew home-run line; the hill in center field; and the dimensions of the outfield (Left Field - 315 ft, Left-Center - 362 ft, Left-Center (deep) - 404 ft, Center Field - 435 ft, Right-Center - 373 ft, Right Field - 326 ft). The field also used to be called "Enron Field." That has to be a good shit-talking point if you're dealing with an Astros fan.

What can I say about the Celtics that hasn't already been said? I'll just say this: James Posey almost signed with the Nets in the offseason, before Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers made a late, impassioned push to get him to sign with the Celtics. And after his 18 point effort last night, it cannot be understated, the impact he has had on this team. 6th man of the year in the NBA will always go to a Manu Ginobli or a Ben Gordon, a starter who rests for the first six minutes of the game. But, if you look at "real" bench players in the leagues: guys whose job it is to come in and provide a spark off the bench playing twenty minutes. There may not be a better guy than Posey. I know, I just made up a title for him, but, man, he knows his role, never tries to over-extend himself, and he came up big on the biggest stage. I hate resorting to cliches, but are the Celtics, 24-58 a year ago, really one game away from clinching a title?

Some awesome bands I have been listening to on my Pandora station "Disarm Radio": Saosin, Morning Runner and The Mountain Goats.

Lastly, a few words about Tim Russert. During my junior year of college, my Political Science professor and mentor Mike Brown introduced me to "Meet the Press" with a fall 2004 interview he did with John Kerry. Russert did a great job dissecting Kerry. Kerry clearly cracked under the pressure. After the video ended, Brown asked me, "Now do you see why Kerry didn't win the election?" I was hooked, and I have rarely missed a show since. I am not good with this type of stuff, and I have gotten more emails, text messages and phone calls concerning Russert's death than I did when Red Auerbach died. He will be missed.

How'd this first post go? Let me know.