Sorry for the late post - Time Warner's internet wasn't cooperating this morning. The Rays demolition of Boston last night was complete enough that Joe Maddon felt comfortable announcing a clever move this morning. Should the ALCS go to a game six, the Rays will now have their beat two starters ready to go in the final two games. Scott Kazmir's struggled lately, but maybe he can end things in game five.
If you've listened to my radio show the last few years, you know I despise the Harris Poll the BCS concocted to replace the AP's involvement after they pulled out. The poll features numerous people whose connection to the game is tenuous at best, and there are no standards of accountability for most of them. That's how we wind up with nonsense like Utah being voted as the number one team by somebody. Anyone who votes in a poll which will determine placement in the national championship should have to go public with their view. If you're not willing to face criticism, don't accept a vote.
If they want to have people who actually know what's going on have a say in the rankings, the BCS should let the Las Vegas Sports Consultants be involved. Last week they had UF rated fifth and LSU number eleven - not quite your typical poll, but absolutely correct on who was the better team. This week's edition has Florida up to number three with Southern Cal number one.
I love Youtube, because you never know what you'll find. Don't ask me how, but last night I wound up getting a look at this McDonald's commercial featuring a singing and dancing future George Costanza. I know that occasionally things are cool at the time but don't hold up well, but there has NEVER been a time where that ad was a good idea. Yikes.
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Couldn't agree more, Heath. Joe Maddon's switch to Kazmir for Game 5 is brilliant, not just for the reason you mentioned. The fact of the matter is that Shields is much better at home than he is on the road, and his history in Fenway has been ugly. Also, because of Shields' involvement in the Coco Crisp knucklehead brawl in June, Shields' presence would give those fans something to get fired up about. When you've taken a crowd out of it as much as the Rays have, to the point where they'd rather read a friggin' book (Stephen King. I'm looking right at you!), don't give them ANYTHING extra, no matter how small, to get worked up over. That was the only thing Francona did wrong back in 2004, when he inexplicably put Pedro Martinez into Game 7 after the Sox had their huge lead, just to see him get the Yankee crowd back into the game and give up a couple of runs. That was just stupid.
This also allows Kazmir to avoid being umped by Darryl Cousins, who would be behind the dish in Game 6. Somehow, I think Cousins would remember Kazmir publicly calling him out back in June for a tight strike zone. Umpires are funny like that.
Hope the Rays can finish them off tomorrow night, because I'm pretty sure Hamels and the Phils finish off the Dodgers tonight, thus setting up a great World Series that the mainstream media will crap all over because it isn't Manny/Nomar/Torre vs the Red Sox.
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