Blogcritics Author: The Critic

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

The Rise and Fall of the NFL

The Critic — Wed, 7 Feb 2007 22:39:26 EST

The Roman Empire, viewed firsthand, seemed unbeatable. Likewise, throughout history, those living in the time of great change and riches rarely believe there's ever an end to something glorious. Yet, in very instance we are able to see the decline and eventual failure of great societies, institutions, and peoples.The NFL is successful beyond its wildest imagination. Television, radio, and Internet coverage is vast and the money flowing in is astounding. People tune in at record rates and pay exorbitant prices for tickets and the ability to watch a network devoted to the league. Can it get any better?The answer is yes. Eventually we'll have coverage of each team available to us 365 days a year. For those of us who love the game, it's a dream; football all the time. If it sounds far-fetched, think again. In the last 20 years, the changes were mind-blowing. In the next 20, we'll see football worldwide. Thus, it's reasonable to conclude we are witnessing the peak of the NFL. Why? As more teams are added the league will become average. Right now, with 32 teams the position of quarterback is fragile. Go back to the 28 team league of a decade ago. Despite having four fewer teams there were was still a dearth of talent. Now, with 32, we see a dozen teams with quarterbacks that couldn't hack it in an 18 team league.Big isn't always better. Is it any wonder that we think back to the great quarterbacks of the past and wonder where they've all gone? The answer is simple; we still have great quarterbacks, but the talent is spread thin. The same goes for every position on the field and, as we see clearly each year, on the sidelines.The diluted talent pool is a major problem. Add it to the ever present desire to cut costs while generating more revenue, and NFL fans are looking at what might be the tipping point at which the decline of the NFL begins. Within a decade we may see 34 teams and then 36 -- and that means more teams competing for money and draining a talent pool already shallow.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

Nice Guy Finished First - Who Cares?

The Critic — Tue, 6 Feb 2007 18:45:39 EST

The fixation on nice guys is well past the point of annoyance. As sports fans, the message is clear; nice guys can finish first. The hidden message and reality is nice guys finish first once in a while. Don't expect a change in philosophy for coaches of any sport because Tony Dungy won a Super Bowl.While there's no denying the positive effect of Dungy's accomplishments, let's not forget he's yet to make it to an elite level of two or more Super Bowl victories. Knoll, Landry, Johnson, Shula, Walsh, Flores, Belichick, Lombardi, and Parcells all won multiple Super Bowls and none were what you'd call nice guys; in person perhaps, but not within the scheme of winning.To be fair, Dungy is able to coach the way he does because of Bill Polian. Polian makes tough decisions as the GM/Wonderman. Let's also keep in mind the presence of Peyton Manning who, though a friendly person, is as competitive as anyone else. The Colts possess some tough, mean players.In a sport so violent the nice guy stands out. It's the same in warfare. Eisenhower was a genuinely friendly person but for leading his divisions and armies into war he chose aggressive, tough, and often brutal men because war is brutal. Ike never stood at the front of a division and led them into war. He was a manager and a damned good one. His ability to juggle personalities set him apart.Dungy is set to become a great coach, perhaps one of the best of all time. He's doing it his way and for many it's refreshing. It's a mistake to conclude, however, he'll start a trend. While he and Bears coach Lovie Smith are both quiet it doesn't mean others will follow suit. Aggressive men are drawn to football and the bulk of coaches will be made up of these men, most of who don't care if players' feelings are hurt. In short, Dungy is the exception and not the rule.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

The Super Bowl Was Decided Weeks Ago

The Critic — Mon, 5 Feb 2007 19:16:48 EST

The supremely confident Chicago Bears are no more. Relegated to trivia status as the team Peyton Manning beat, the Monsters of the Midway set themselves up to fail. Whether by virtue of poor leadership on the field, as in Rex Grossman, or comments off the field, the Bears weren't in the game despite the two point differential at the half.The outcome to savvy students of the game was apparent when the conference championship games were decided. Manning, despite being the golden boy and a lighting rod for his advertisements, is unquestionably the leader of his team. The Bears may or may not look to Brian Urlacher -- and if not Brian, no one else stepped up.Leaders don't look at great teams of the past and say, with all certainty, that it's "our" time. Instead they compliment those who came before and set out to talk on the field through play, assuring their own legacy in a legitimate manner. Some of the Bears obviously got sick of the comparisons to the 1985 Super Bowl Champions. Tough. They played together and won a ring.The Colts, despite their Baltimore roots, didn't have the same situation. However, if they were dealing with a previous winner, you can bet it would be handled with class and dignity. The Steelers, Packers, Patriots, Cowboys, and Raiders understand the need to accept past glory and build on it. Chicago didn't and thus, instead of having two titles to celebrate, they are now .500 in Super Bowls. Elite status in the Super Bowl era is out of reach for the foreseeable future.Experts will harp on Grossman and poor offensive play; there's room for that to be sure. Rex played as bad as expected, the offense was at best inept and to be fair the defense looked soft. Having said that, it's my contention the Bears lost this game due to an inability to focus on winning, poor on-field leadership, and a lack of respect, despite the lip service, to the former Bears on whose shoulders this current group stands.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

Saban Will Ruin Alabama Football

The Critic — Fri, 2 Feb 2007 23:05:12 EST

Nick Saban's father might have been a decent coach and a good man, but from the actions of his son, the elder Saban did little to instill inner discipline in his son. Consistently flirting with every open coaching vacancy, telling lies reminiscent of the Iraqi Spokesman, and using slurs with the explanation he was merely passing along a story and that it was off the record shows the duplicity and stupidity of Mr. Saban.Now in his role at Alabama, he is able to instill the positive message of lying and ethnic bashing to high school recruits. There will be no shortage of shortsighted parents who fall for the suave propaganda minister sporting the Alabama logo. He will ingratiate himself long enough to find another job. It's not a stretch to call him Napoleon minus the strategic genius of the French Emperor. They have much in common, though Napoleon's integrity was stronger.After his latest incident, one wonders if the University of Alabama cares who represents them. The answer is a firm and resounding no. Academics? They don't need no stinkin' academics at Alabama. Wins, SEC championships, and a national title; the university laid out their plan for success. The student athletes on the football team are not students under Saban. Like a mafia boss, Saban will reward the earners, those who perform on the field for they are the keys to his success.A failure in the professional game, Saban understands his future is about winning big at Alabama for a future payday. Always the fair-haired lad, Saban will now contend with a hostile media, fans that see him as a liar and moral vacuum, and coaches who will use all of it to recruit against him. Despite that, Saban will win because the college game is much simpler than the NFL. Sadly, the parents of his players, blind in their allegiance to the Alabama myth, will sacrifice their sons for Saban's glory.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

Fire Sean Salisbury

The Critic — Thu, 1 Feb 2007 12:41:37 EST

Socrates is a model for many who yearn to instruct the youth of today. One of the more appealing characteristics of the great man was his willingness to admit he was in error. In our post-modern society, where doublespeak and BS rule, few are willing to admit an error. Instead of "I made an error," we hear a convoluted statement amounting to nothing but a waste of time. Therefore, instead of taking the easy route, The Critic decided to step up and admit his wrongness about Sean Salisbury.Previously I wrote it was up to debate whether Salisbury's slip of the tongue was indicative of some inner anti-Semitism. However, after listening to a cleaned up version and a copy of his radio show I'm more convinced that Sean is a dirt bag.The question of ESPN retaining him is ridiculous. He deserves dismissal and anything short of it is absurd. His alleged foray about sending female co-workers pictures of his penis over his camera phone, over-the-top pronouncements, and slip of the tongue at that precise moment serve to further embarrass ESPN at a time when more and more sports fans are becoming hostile to the company.It also begs the question: What did Harold Reynolds do to deserve being fired, and was the same standard applied to Salisbury? It's difficult to believe that some preferential treatment wasn't given to Salisbury, either because of his race or friendship with ESPN execs. Or, like Matt Millen, perhaps he's rewarded for his massive shortcomings.Let me put it bluntly; fire Sean Salisbury.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

Are Sporting Events Under the Influence?

The Critic — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:45:11 EST

Skullduggery is always hovering at the edge of athletic events. When sums of money exceeding the GDP of small countries are wagered on sporting events it is not far fetched to expect some nefarious activity. Boxing suffers from the fact that most observers conclude the fix is in on all fights. The upcoming women's fight between Laila Ali and the person paid to lose to her in South Africa is a good example. Ali dodges any opponent put in front of her so she can collect paychecks and keep up the image of her fighting family led of course by her father, the inventor of rap.Men's boxing is dead on arrival. The controversy surrounding the sport is present including the aforementioned founder of rap, Cassius Clay. Remember the phantom punch? It still hasn't landed.The NFL tells us football is safe from gamblers and others looking to influence the outcome of the game. Yet, when you watch someone quit on a play, throw three picks, or suddenly forget he is playing safety, it begs the question: mistakes or rigged? Since the NFL says its safe we can rest easy. They wouldn't lie, would they?Basketball saw its share of scandal, though lately things have simmered down. Still, with only five players from each team on the court at one time, how difficult would it be to go in the tank and cost your team a victory or drop the point spread? Not difficult at all, especially if you play for the Grizzlies.Baseball is not immune from the possibility of undue influence. In fact, baseball has banned players over gambling and fixing a World Series. Would a current player allow greed to get the best of him? You know the answer to that, although it is less likely than in years past.The bottom line is the integrity of sports. It is not as sound as apologists declare but not as dirty as others believe. I will admit, I look for the dropped passes, lack of effort, and the sudden inability to complete a pass or throw a strike with suspicion. Realists are required to view sports with an eye towards the fix.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

Sean Salisbury: Idiot or anti-Semite?

The Critic — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:36:22 EST

The mini drama playing out over the apparent comment by ESPN football analyst Sean Salisbury wherein he may have said "Jew" instead of "chew" is over the top. It is as if he directly offended the sensibilities of a group of people who are looking for any reason to castrate him publicly. The group of people is sports fans.Salisbury generates discussion because he is not well suited for his position. Boisterous and obnoxious, he appears on the verge of a meltdown each time he is asked a question or offers analysis. Few people acknowledge their regard for him and it is doubtful he will win popularity contests. Yet, a slip of the tongue, if that, is not definitive proof of a person being an anti-Semite. Apparently, some people contend the slip is indicative of evil thoughts. If so, every human being is a racist, sexist, and any other 'ist listed in the OED.People need to look at the context of his comments to come to some reasonable decision. If Salisbury is known to have a pattern or displays it in the future then it is rational to conclude he has issues. I will admit to paying little attention to Salisbury except when a digital signal forms a picture of him on my television. From reading posts and articles, one now assumes Salisbury was a member of the Hitler Youth. Is it fair? No. Again, calling someone an anti-Semite is serious and more proof is required to make that statement. If he is, The Critic will join others in attacking him for his misguided views, though I will always refrain from trying to stop someone from expressing their opinions. Everyone deserves the right to state what he or she believes despite our universal loathing of his or her beliefs.Until some other proof arises, Salisbury is just a pompous ass with a predilection for sending pictures of his penis to other people via a mobile phone.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

College Football Recruiting Phrases

The Critic — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:30:17 EST

Recruiting brings out the best and worst in college football. I'll try to focus on the latter because ESPN hypes the recruiting process as if it were a coronation ceremony. Thus, in order to lift the IQ of the average fan, here is a list of phrases you'll hear in the next two weeks with their true meaning listed for your edification:�He's headed to a Prep School: Prospect didn't go to class or, if attending, he assumed Algebra was a protégé of Jay-Z. �He's a man among boys: His real age is closer to Warren Sapp's. Repeated fourth grade so often the school district named a wing of the school in his honor. �He transitions well to the college level: Futile statement; why recruit someone who doesn't transition well to college football. �This kid is all about heart: Dad's a coach or booster. �Can't miss at the next level: In a couple of years he'll be working at Denny's. �He could end up anywhere: This means the kid has yet to receive enough money from a school so he's holding out for Reggie Bush money. �He's a solid verbal commitment for (insert school): He'll change his mind each time a recruiter from a different school calls. �He's a soft verbal commitment for (insert school): He'll change his before a recruiter calls. �He has a solid family: Father left when the recruit was two and mother is currently the town drunk with the town being New York. �He had one off the field incident: Gunned down eight people in a dispute over an X-Box. �He's a workout freak: Doesn't go to class. �His Dad's involved in the recruiting process: Poor kid is subjected to his father's lifelong dream. Will end up like Todd Marinovich. �Has enjoyed the recruiting process: The money and women really made an impression. �Has many admirers around town: He sired 12 kids his senior year. �Has passion for the game: Willing to ingest steroids. �A student of the game: Plays Madden 2007 daily. �This guy is a project and, according to our recruiting experts, he will need a few years to flourish: He'll be a Freshman All-American. �A Receiver with athletic ability: Can't catch the ball. �A Receiver with great hands: Runs a 10.2 forty yard dash. �He can plug a gap: Obese. �He needs to get into the strength program: Anorexic. �His high school coach is excited to see (insert player) move to the next level: Kid drove coach nuts. �His High School coach hates to see him go: No more state championships. �His Dad played in the Pro's: Kid just met him last week. �Wants to stay close to home: Mom refuses to let him get away. �Wants to leave the West Coast to play on the East Coast: Wants to get far away from Mom.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

The Reggie Bush Saga

The Critic — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:32:26 EST

The bestowing of honors is at best a tricky proposition. From the early Romans to the Downtown Athletic Club, the same issue creeps in; can the recipient represent the award and those who have their names linked with it. Reggie Bush reignited the debate after reports surfaced of tapes implicating Bush in a gifts scandal. The rule is simple by NCAA standards. No player can accept gifts while a student athlete. Yet, it seems the simple rules are most often violated. The Heisman Trophy goes to the most popular player among the voters rather than the best player in all of college football. Traditionally those winning the Heisman have not fared well at the next level but winning it assures a player and his school of tremendous marketing opportunities. USC coveted the award for Bush as much as Bush sought to receive it.Bush is a good professional football player. It is likely, barring injury, he will be great prior to his retirement, but his actions could cost USC. Theoretically, the university can be stripped of its National Titles but that is not going to occur. As the only college on the West Coast with a monster reputation USC is the fair-haired lad among NCAA brass.What about Bush? Little can be done to affect him now except exposing his deceitfulness since he has denied the gifts allegations since the first report surface some time ago. Dullards contend Bush doesn't care because he's getting paid. The problem is how advertisers look at someone caught out as a cheater and liar. The mood is souring over athletes being given preferential treatment and everyday another writer or public figure takes a swipe at professional sports. Advertisers do not like negative images.Finally, and most importantly, we are left with Reggie Bush. As an athlete and performer, he is gifted physically. As a man, or role model for a young boy aspiring to athletic greatness, Bush is on the bubble. Receiving the Heisman was great but at what cost.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.

Bengals Yearn For Discipline

The Critic — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:17:33 EST

Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen, stymied by a war between the Protestants and Catholics, needed a person to step in to restore some measure of order and discipline. Afterwards a powerful Queen, she felt no one capable of carrying out her wishes with respect to the removal of those opposed to the crown. Enter Francis Walsingham. A master at the cunning art of deception, he attacked the undisciplined court vigorously.Upon reading the news of yet another Cincinnati Bengal being arrested, further embarrassing the organization, it became clear Marvin Lewis needs help. He is not capable, or willing, to step up and do the dirty work. Whether he does or not will determine his future because other players are speaking out.Perhaps Lewis could use a Walsingham type figure, minus the torture and murder. A coach or front office person willing to say we will take a cap hit and suffer just to show we are part of the civilized world. Granted, we are talking football here and marijuana charges are minor. However, in the eyes of the fans, the Bengals practices must begin with firing drills.If the Bengals were coming off a 12-4 season, Marvin could say -- smile firmly hidden -- "We'll take care of it." Sadly for the coach, 8-8 with Carson Palmer enrages those who look at the roster and wonder how so much talent could go .500. Enter discipline.Too often, the image of a disciplinarian is Tom Coughlin. He does not fit the mold because discipline in football is telling the players to show up on time and not having to berate them or fine them. Discipline is respect because a player does not wait for you to threaten to cut him or fine him; he knows it is a done deal. The Bengals lack respect for their head coach, or else they would attempt to represent him in public. Step up, Marvin, or say goodbye to your reputation.

The Critic dissects the sports world. He practices the ancient art of BS detection and is a nationally certified curmudgeon. He edits the Critical Sports Blog.