Dave G's Dugout

Maybe the Best Article Ever?

Check out this brilliant piece on Pete Carroll. It's a little old but last night's 60 Minutes feature on him reminded me of it.

Dave G's Random Thoughts

On Sabathia Joining the Yankees:

    I have been lukewarm about this for years. The guy is young and is already a very large man. It is not too far a stretch to think he will one day weigh 400 pounds. But here's the thing: he's the best RIGHT NOW and the Yankees can afford the risk. Even if in four years Sabathia blows up to 400 and can't climb the mound, the second half of his contract will hopefully pay for the championships won during the first half. Bottom line is that we just snatched the best pitcher in the game. In a month when one of the best athletes in New York shot himself and another was sent away from his basketball team, this is certainly cause to rejoice.

On Plaxico Burress:

    At first, I was actually in his corner. I had just read ESPN's great article about player security in the wake of Sean Taylor's death and I understand the importance of protection and the reasoning behind players wanting to carry a gun. I can support that decision, I suppose, if the player takes the responsibility seriously. Plax did not take it seriously. He brought a loaded weapon into a public place and used only the band of his sweatpants to protect the world from a bullet. He's lucky it landed in his thigh. It could just as easily have severed an artery or - infinitely worse - struck a bystander. I understand why a multimillion dollar athlete would carry a gun, but I have no earthly idea why he didn't understand the pretty simple idea that guns can shoot and require a greater holster than one's sweatpants.

On Sean Avery:

    Really? We're suspending a guy for talking about his ex-girlfriend? Really? Should we put him on the blacklist while we're at it?

On Stephon Marbury:

    Look, Marbury might have been a model citizen this year. He might have shown up in top shape, kept his mouth shut, and might genuinely have been a mature guy. But this is STEPHON MARBURY. He's not exactly the model of credibility, folks. If anyone has earned his own banishment, it's Steph.

Knicks fans are so despondent from the Isiah era that we're clinging to hope for the future and ready to shed the baggage of the past. Steph is a huge part of that baggage. Yeah, Steph's probably right when he says Mike D treated him unfairly and that his teammates turned their back on him this year. But even if he did genuinely want to turn things around, it was just too late. The bridge had been burned. Marbury has absolutely no credibility in New York. He has been a cancer on this team since he got here and has helped destroy a once proud franchise. Walsh and D'Antoni have been working to restore what Isiah (and the evil Mr. Dolan) lost and Marbury rightfully fits nowhere in that plan.

    And if you don't agree with me, I have just two words for you: truck party.

On Lebron and Free Agency:

    I have a problem when an entire city (NY) bases it's happiness on the whims of a 23-year old kid. Maybe LeBron will come to New York. Maybe not. Either way, we have two years to worry about it. Right now, the Knicks are putting themselves in the best position to contend for free agents in 2010. That's all we can ask. Even if we don't nail LeBron, there's a great chance we'll sign at least one big free agent. Combine that chance with two more lottery picks and things look a lot brighter, with or without LeBron.

    And by the way, this kid is handling it pretty maturely. Yes, he might have gone a little overboard strutting into New York like the great savior, but he is doing what we can expect of someone with his intelligence and savvy: he's putting himself in the best possible bargaining position. LeBron is a phenomenal athlete, but we forget that he is also a superb businessman. He's getting New York excited and Cleveland nervous, all the while playing the best he ever has and turning the Cavs into legitimate contenders.

    The only bit of criticism I have for the kid is that Charles Barkley is a giant of the game and someone who deserves more respect than to be called "stupid".