Monday, March 2, 2009

The F'n Souldja comes to Tampa - yippee

Another Florida Tennessee basketball game, another Gator loss. If we still had records, this would be a broken one. Yet again a Volunteer team which has been erratic on offense all season came out and drained three point shots all through the first half while Florida imploded. UF fought back valiantly, but you can't let that happen in the first place. Too many missed layups, rebounds, and wide open looks allowed for the Gators to make up for it. Now they go on the road to face a Mississippi State team which just got their clock cleaned by Auburn and depends on outside shooting from a four guard lineup. Win there and you somewhat atone for this. Otherwise, the Kentucky game next weekend is an NCAA elimination game, with there being no guaruntee that the winner gets in either.

Tampa Bay began the free agency period by giving up multiple draft picks for a player who's a proven attitude problem as well as an irresponsible jerk off the field. They needed to get younger and more athletic at the skill positions, but trading this year's second rounder and a fifth next year for Kellen Winslow Jr was not what I had in mind. Couple that with a guy who's been a train wreck most of his career in Antonio Bryant as the featured receiver. There's no established quarterback to keep these guys in line either, which means I'm not liking what new GM Mark Dominik's doing with personnel so far very much.

Even more galling than the idea of giving up second and fifth round picks for Winslow is the notion that New England gave up Matt Cassel and a good quality defensive player in Mike Vrabel for just a second rounder from Kansas City. Lito Sheppard became a Jet for a fifth rounder and a conditional 2010 pick. Those are great deals for the teams that got the players, who the dealing teams needed to move for salary cap reasons.

Curt Schilling needs some attention, so he says he may return to pitch for the Cubs or the Rays. He's not ready to make a decision right now, of course, and he won't be on a roster opening day but keep checking in with him. Curt gets lonely if he doesn't get to spout off about smething once in while. As for the idea of Schlling pitching for the Rays, the last time I checked finding another starter wasn't a real concern for them. Don't wait by the phone for them to call, Curt, but I'm sure media guys still will.

I've mentioned before on the blog that I'm fascinated with the disaster that is the city of Detroit. Unemployment is rampant, the housing market has deteriorated to the point they will literally give you a house for a dollar if you're willing to maintain it, the most recent elected mayor wound up in jail and a massive public corruption investigation is ongoing, and the city's financial status is abysmal. Now a preacher is demanding action to solve a problem, and a city councilwoman is as well. What vital issue has finally moved them to speak out and do something? They think a casino billboard looks creepy. It's important to keep up appearances, you know.

1 comment:

Jeremiah said...

Yeah, the team that made the World Series last year that has enough starting pitching to trade a 15-game winner (Edwin Jackson) in the offseason and probably send the next big phenom (David Price) to AAA to start this season, because of Jason Hammel being out of options and pitching well enough this spring to earn the No. 5 starting spot, needs Curt Schilling and his leadership. Uh-huh, sure they do. The guy was a gamer for most of his career, but a me-first, aging blowhard is exactly the type of guy the Rays don't need.
If he wants attention, he should just call ESPN. I'm sure they could use somebody to yell at Skip Bayless and vice versa on First Take to see who can out-Soap Box each other. Wouldn't that be Must See TV??