Author Archive
The Ben Roethlisberger Situation: Not a Race Issue for Goodell
Posted: 27th March 2010 by Bob Warja in NFL
In an article on ESPN.com , Jemele Hill attempts to compare the recent allegations against Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger with those of Pacman Jones and Michael Vick.
Meanwhile, she wonders why NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has failed to act, implying that race is the reason.
Look, that is bull and here is why.
First of all, comparing Roethlisberger's situation with those of repeat offenders like Pacman and the horrendous actions of ...
From the starting rotation to the bullpen, the guys who throw with their arms for a living certainly mean a lot to a ball club.
Sure, offensive run production and run prevention (a.k.a. defense) are critical, too. But as someone once said, pitching is 90 percent of half of the game.
Fuzzy math aside, this just happens to be where the current Cubs appear to fall short, unfortunately.
Question marks in the ...
Alex Brown Departing Chicago: What This Will Mean to the Chicago Bears
Posted: 26th March 2010 by Bob Warja in NFL
ESPNChicago.com is reporting that defensive end Alex Brown is telling teammates he believes the team is going to try to either trade or release him. This is being attributed to "team sources."
When the Bears signed free agent Julius Peppers to take Brown's right end position, it was widely assumed that Brown would move to the left side of the line, but apparently he will be moving right out of town.
Alex ...
Albert Pujols: For Cardinals, Cost of Signing The Machine Goes Beyond Dollars
Posted: 25th March 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
It's the classic dilemma in sports: What do you do when all of your options result in a no-win situation? Well, I don't claim to have the answer, but that is what is facing the Cardinals with Albert Pujols.
My point here is that the cost of signing Albert goes beyond the mere contract numbers. Yes, it will be a lot of money, but it's the potential effect on the ...
The Tyler Colvin Saga: Through the Decade With Cubs Spring Hopefuls
Posted: 25th March 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
The name of the Cubs spring training facility, HoHoKam, literally means "those who vanished". That is appropriate as we embark on a journey of past Cubs spring training stars and "can't miss kids" who did.
The current spring star is Tyler Colvin, who is ranked third in the National League in hitting this spring, at .440. While this is great for the kid, and Paul Sullivan has Colvin making the ...
Why Lovie Smith Needs to Leave the Chicago Bears Offense to Mike Martz
Posted: 25th March 2010 by Bob Warja in NFL
Mike Martz knows how to run an offense. Lovie Smith does not. And while some recent comments may be much ado about nothing, they could also signal Lovie's insecurity rearing its ugly head again.
This insecurity shows itself whenever Lovie feels the need to flex his muscles and declare "I'm in charge." Look, Lovie, we know you're the head coach. We also know that you hired Mike Martz to do a ...
Chicago Cubs May Need To Expedite Changes if Team Struggles This Season
Posted: 20th March 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan wrote an article about how the Cubs' roster may change if they don't win this year. While I usually find Sully's columns to be less than noteworthy, he has hit the nail on the head with this one.
Yes, there seems to be a lot riding on the 2010 season. While new owner Tom Ricketts keeps saying positive things about GM Jim Hendry, you have to ...
How Contract Options Shape The MLB Landscape Going Forward
Posted: 15th March 2010 by Bob Warja in MLB
Contract options—whether they are vesting options or player/team options—present a headache to baseball managers who would rather play the best nine men each day without having to worry about the business side of the game.
Ah, but it matters. In fact, it matters a lot.
For example, there are two vesting options in the AL Central alone worth watching.
The Detroit Tigers, if they're smart, will not repeat the mistake they made in ...
Chicago Blackhawks Defenseman Brian Campbell’s Season Could Be Over
Posted: 14th March 2010 by Bob Warja in NHL
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell was checked by Alex Ovechkin into the end boards during Sunday's overtime loss to the Capitals, resulting in a broken clavicle and ribs.
WGN-AM is reporting that these may be season ending injuries.
So what does this mean for the Hawks? Well, the Hawks were already down two men before the Campbell incident, after finally being at full strength for the first time all season.
Marian Hossa missed Sunday's ...
Bears Free Agent Signings Nice, But There is More Work to be Done
Posted: 13th March 2010 by Bob Warja in NFL
The problem with signing the top free agent is that it puts you in an all-in situation. I mean, it doesn't make sense to guarantee $40 million dollars to one player if it leaves you three or four players away from contention—yet that's exactly where Bears GM Jerry Angelo finds himself after signing Julius Peppers.
Yes, he also added some depth in the backfield with Chester Taylor, and got Mike Martz ...