IT'S BUCK SHOWALTER'S TIME

 

If Buck Showalter has been a tortured soul, it's certainly easy to understand why. He led
the New York Yankees into the playoffs in 1995, but was fired after losing to the Seattle
Mariners. Joe Torre took over the next season and promptly led the Yankees to four World
Series titles in the next five years.

Showalter was then hired to build the Arizona Diamondbacks from scratch. But after the
2000 season, Showalter was asked to walk away from the organization he had invested
countless hours caring for and raising from birth. The very next year, the Diamondbacks
beat the Yankees, Showalter's former team, to capture the World Series title. Ouch.

I'm sure the pain of watching not one, but two franchises win a total of five World Series
titles without him, was unbearable for Showalter. If you had invested as much time and
been as successful as Showalter had been with the Yankees and Diamondbacks and then
watched them reach the pinnacle of the sport without you, I'm sure there would have a
lot of sleepless nights and trips to the liquor cabinet.

It easily could've been Showalter, and not Joe Torre, who could've guided the Yankees
to all those World Series titles. If George Steinbrenner had not had his usually itchy
finger and pulled the trigger on firing his manager, Torre never would've made the
Hall of Fame nor had his number retired by the Yankees. We could very easily be
talking about Showalter in the same breath that people do with Torre. But it didn't
happen. I'm sure Buck has thought about that more than a million times.

Showalter had another stop in Texas, but that didn't work out so well, either. The
Rangers got to the World Series twice after he was fired, but they didn't win it.

Now, Showalter is on the brink of going to the World Series with his team, the Baltimore
Orioles. He has guided them to the ALCS with the same baseball acumen and drive he
showed with the Yankees, Diamondbacks, and Rangers, but now he's getting the chance
to finish the job. And that's a great thing.

Showalter has long been considered one of the best baseball minds in the game. He
is a great game strategist, knows how to handle a pitching staff, and motivate players.
His downfall in Arizona was that he was a taskmaster, a stickler for players wearing
their uniforms the right way, and playing the game the way it's supposed to be played.

However, the millionaire players in Arizona didn't want to be bothered with all that
and tuned Showalter out like a bad song in the clubhouse. It's much easier to fire 25
highly-paid ballplayers and owner Jerry Colangelo ushered Showalter out the door.

That didn't happen with Baltimore where Showalter got the chance to guide a solid
group of young players who had not yet reached superstar status. He had a team that
would listen instead of tuning them out. However, Showalter also listened to what he
heard from the players he had in Arizona and loosed the reigns a bit and wasn't the
taskmaster so much on the little things and gave the players a chance to be themselves.

After so many near misses and the pain of watching the Yankees and Diamondbacks
put rings on everybody's fingers but his, Showalter is getting the chance to finish the
job in Baltimore and be on top of the baseball world.

I'm not a fan of any team, but it would be a great story if Buck Showalter captured the
World Series title with the Baltimore Orioles doing it his way and to cover-up the bad
stench still lingering in the city still reeling from the Ray Rice scandal.

Go Buck.

THE BEAUTY IN BELICHICK'S UGLINESS

Rude, arrogant, ornery, grumpy, classless, sore loser and a prick. Yep, Bill Belichick
has been called all those and a few other choice words over the years. The head coach
of the New England Patriots has also been referred to as a genius once or twice during
his brilliant career, but when it comes to handling the media, he can get ugly, real ugly.
And sometimes, that can be a beautiful thing.

During Wednesday's press conference the Hoodie emitted some serious repellant to
all those journalists who wanted to re-hash Monday night's massacre,  criticize Tom
Brady, and bury Belichick for giving his franchise quarterback a bunch of receivers
who are has been's, never heard of's, and never will be's.

Nearly every question he received was returned with nearly the same answer
accompanied with the emotion of a mortician.

"We're moving on to Cincinnati."

But Bill, do you think you have given Tom Brady enough offensive weapons to
work with?

"We're moving on to Cincinnati."

It was classic Belichick. Five questions about everything but Cincinnati were
answered with a "we're moving on to Cincinnati." Whether it's SpyGate or the
K.O. in K.C., nobody can stiff arm the media like the Hoodie and he knows it.
He takes as much pride in it as Jim Brown did when he bulldozed opponents
and the media during his amazing career with the Cleveland Browns.

In his 13-plus years in New England, very few members of the media have tried to
challenge Belichick and when they do, they  either get a "it is what it is" or like on
Wednesday, a "we're moving onto Cincinnati" which became the theme of not only
the day, but the week.

Belichick  has the personality of the Grinch after he loses and it's not much
better after a win. He just detests the media. It was that way in Cleveland and it
didn't change much when he got to New England. You get the feeling Belichick
would rather undergo eight hours of waterboarding torture than show up to talk
to the media. He hates it that much, but he certainly knows how to defuse and
use it to his advantage.

I covered the Patriots nearly every day for two years and it became common
knowledge that everything Belichick says in his press conference is received loud
and clear by his players and they usually repeat what the head coach says during
their sessions with the media.

I'm sure if you edited down every interview with the players Wednesday, you
could make quite an  entertaining reel titled, "We're moving on to Cincinnati."

Belichick doesn't care what the media or anyone else thinks. He doesn't care about
the nasty things people say about him. He doesn't care what the media writes about
him, either. He knows he's not getting paid or measured by how he acts with the
media. He doesn't care about popularity contests or "trending" on Twitter.

Belichick is almost always surly but he repels negativity better than any coach in
the game. He knows the way he acted and what he said on Wednesday will be fodder
for all the talk shows, columnists, and social media network. Everybody will be
talking about and criticizing him instead of Brady and the rest of his teammates.
He gave the media absolutely nothing to write and talk about but his surly demeanor
and uncooperative behavior.

That's just another stroke of his genius. There is a method to all of his madness.

Sure, you can talk about his bad draft picks and lack of  offensive weapons for his
franchise quarterbacks. He won't lose sleep over it. Neither should any Patriots fan.
As Bill Parcells famously said, "You are what your record says you are."

11 straight seasons with 10 or more wins, five Super Bowl appearances with three
victories, and a 51-13 record in the last four years. Now, what is wrong with Belichick
again?

All this negativity around the Patriots and Tom Brady is quite comical. One loss and
the sky is falling all around New England. That's in Belichick's rearview mirror and he's
just making sure it's in the player's one, too.

After all, they're "moving on to to Cincinnati."

TOM BRADY GETTING BUCKET TREATMENT

Everybody is dumping on Tom Brady after Monday night's massacre in Kansas City

Rodney Harrison says his former teammate 'looks scared to death' in the pocket.

Tedy Bruschi explains that Brady is 'no longer an elite quarterback.'

The sports talk radio experts who never threw a pass, played a down, or so much as
broke a sweat, say that Brady is a step slower and has lost some velocity off his fastball.

With everybody dumping on the Patriots quarterback this is starting to look like the Ice
Bucket Challenge all over again. It's like everybody is trying to outdo each other to see
how badly they can drench the golden boy quarterback with the near perfect life.

This is comical.

We really shouldn't be surprised at the attacks on Brady's performance should we? As
Derek Jeter was putting the final touches on a brilliant 20-year masterpiece, all the critics
and the sabrematicians tried to point out that Jeter was overrated and not worthy of
all the attention he was getting. 3,400 hits and five World Series rings is enough for me

When Peyton Manning retires it's inevitable that'll he'll get the same kind of treatment.
The critics will say for all his talent and records, he won only one single Super Bowl.

It's long been said that the media builds athletes up only to tear them down. They are
now obsessed with trying to dent Tom Brady's shining armor.

The three Super Bowl titles, two MVP's, and the best winning percentage among
quarterbacks are in the past now that Brady had one of the worst performances of his
career.

Brady is 37-years old and according to the experts, he is declining right before our
very eyes. Oh, they're not exactly going out on a limb, since most athletes who reach
that age are not as good, not as fast, and not as durable as they once were.

My suggestion is from a page taken out of the book of Aaron Rodgers: R-E-L-A-X.
Packers Nation was on edge after the team started 1-2 and Rodgers was struggling.
The former NFL MVP then went out and torched the Chicago Bears for four touchdowns
and everything is right again in Green Bay.

I realize Brady is longer in the tooth than Rodgers who is still considered to be the
best quarterback in the league despite his slow start. But he is smart, resilient, and
still talented enough to get the job done.

He has always gotten the job done hasn't he? For some reason, Bill Belichick has
never surrounded Brady the same way the Colts and Broncos comforted Manning
with great receivers. yet Brady has always excelled with never heard of's, has been's,
and never will be's. It's nothing short of remarkable, really.

Brady has made Belichick, Josh McDaniels, Bill O'Brien, and Charlie Weis not only
look good, but very, very rich. Brady's also helped Robert Kraft increase the value
of his franchise to over two billion dollars. Yeah, Brady has been that good working
with very little.

Patriots fans should remember that and shouldn't forget how Brady ALWAYS
bounced back from un-Brady-like performances. He is focused, driven, and a man
of tremendous pride. The fire inside of his still burns brightly and one terrible game
won't define him this year. Most of all, he is a great, great leader and that shouldn't
be underestimated.

Manning's had terrible games, too. So did Elway, Montana, Marino, and Bradshaw.
It happens. This is just a blip in Brady's Hall of Fame career. It was a nightmare
game for Brady and the Patriots, but it is just one game.

So, to the Patriots nation and all the experts, do what Aaron Rodgers told everyone
to do: R-E-L-A-X. After all the Patriots quarterback is still Tom Brady and as you
will see on Sunday night against Cincinnati, that will still mean something.

TOM BRADY AND THE PATRIOTS AREN'T DEAD YET

Hop on board, here we go.

The New England Patriots got embarrassed on Monday Night Football by the Kansas City
Chiefs. They looked more like the Jacksonville Jaguars than a franchise that has won 10 or
more games for 11 consecutive seasons. Now that they are down on the mat, it's time for
everyone to pile on.

Brady is terrible and hasn't won the Super Bowl since he married Gisele, Bill Belichick has
turned into Bobby V, and Logan Mankins, the greatest lineman in team history since John
Hannah, shouldn't have been traded. Blah, blah, blah. Everybody has an opinion why the
Patriots are just 2-2 after four games. 2-2?! That's blasphemous in New England!

Trent Dilfer says the Patriots aren't any good anymore. Ray Lewis said something again
that nobody understands, and everybody on social media is ripping them.
#ThePatriotsRwicked bad.

Stop it.

It is not even October yet. Anyone who has watched a team in red, white, and blue
coached  by Belichick, knows they don't hit their stride until December. People seem to
forget this franchise is  51-13 over the last four years. Hello?

Has Brady lost something off his fastball? Absolutely. Does the offense look like Rich
Kotite is calling the plays? Without a doubt. Is the secondary the primary reason the
defense stinks? You bet.

But Belichick will figure it out. He always has. The hoodie hasn't gone stupid overnight.

Through all the injuries, bad draft picks, and controversy, (remember that Aaron Hernandez
guy?)  Belichick has always found a way to fix all the holes in time to keep the dam from
bursting. Man, he won 11 games with the immortal Matt Cassel when Tom Brady went
down in 2006. Belichick has won with running backs off the scrap heap and receivers
who can't do what they were drafted to do: catch the damn ball.

Brady is hardly done. He's still the smartest quarterback in the league and can throw the
ball. Few quarterbacks can rack up 300 yards a game with a line that can't block, receivers
who can't catch, and a running game that is average at best.

The Patriots have long been like an amoeba. They can adapt and adjust to what they have
and don't have and Belichick has always found a way. Always.

The Cincinnati Bengals are headed to Foxboro for a Sunday Night game on national
television. They are undefeated and recognized by many as the best team in football. Don't
bet against the Patriots. When their backs are to the wall and people are doubting them,
they often bounce back with a great performance. It's long been the Belichick way.

The Patriots are far from dead. Don't bury them just yet.

10 THINGS DEREK JETER NEVER DID

Five World Series rings, five gold gloves, more than 3,400 hits, and universal respect.
Yes, Derek Jeter has done just about everything in his 20-year major league career. He
capped his Yankee Stadium life in storybook fashion by ripping a walk-off single to
beat the Baltimore Orioles in his last game in the Bronx.

But there are a few things Jeter never did which is a testament to his character
and remarkable poise under pressure. Here are the Top 10 things Jeter never did in his
illustrious career.

10. Derek Jeter never complained about a scorer's decision and certainly never whined
about it publicly like David Ortiz, who went so far as pointing in the direction of the
official scorer to show his disgust.

9. Derek Jeter never had a tantrum and threw his helmet to the ground in anger. That's
right, the Yankees captain made more than 7,000 outs but never once blamed it on
his head gear.

8. Derek Jeter never had to be retrained by a teammate from going after an umpire or
another player. Seriously, Jeter is just way too cool to look like a buffoon.

7. Derek Jeter was never condescending to the media, had an obnoxious response, or said

anything really, really stupid or controversial. Helloooooooooooo, John Rocker.

6. Derek Jeter never showed up an opponent or teammate. He was the epitome of class

and despite playing in the 'me, me, and more about me' generation, Jeter never took the bait.

5. Derek Jeter never whined, sulked, or put himself before the team. He certainly

never refused to go into a highly-charged rivalry game as Nomar Garciaparra once

did for the Boston Red Sox against the Yankees.

 4. Derek Jeter never showed up his manager or told him what to do despite his great

    baseball I.Q. and experience.

3. Derek Jeter never cheated, got fined, suspended, arrested, or even mentioned as a player

    who pumped his body full of fraud during the Steroid Era.

2. Derek Jeter never got in the face of an umpire nor was ejected in his 20-year career and

    that is close to amazing. In more than 2,900 games never got the heave-ho. If he had a

    gripe with the umpire about a bad pitch or call, Jeter did it oh so quietly.

 1. Derek Jeter never got caught dead sunning himself with his shirt off in Central Park.

     Good, grief! Jeter didn't want any part of the circus  after A-Rod's 

     suspension for PED's ended and left the game well before it arrived. 

     That's what you call a good ending.



THANK YOU, DEREK JETER

Take away the 20 years in pinstripes, 3,453 hits, five World Series rings, five gold glove awards,
and the Rookie of the Year award and what do you have? Derek Jeter, a man of impeccable
character and the single-most respected athlete, including Michael Jordan, over the last two
decades in sports.

Thank you, Derek Jeter.

The sports world today is being defined by the headlines regarding domestic violence, child
abuse, crotch grabs, and cover-ups. Through it all, stands a man who has lived his baseball
and personal life under the most powerful microscope (New York City) while playing the
games most glamorous position, shortstop for the New York Yankees. And no one, as hard
as they tried, could find anything to dirty or stain a man who gained universal respect.

Thank you, Derek Jeter


There has never been a spec of controversy with Jeter. He never cheated the game, pumped
his body full of cheat, appeared on the police blotter, criticized a teammate, stiffed a fan,
thrown a helmet or been ejected from a game. Never. Come to think of it, I've never even
seen the Yankees captain get in an argument with an umpire. Have you?  He's baseball's
snow white, a player so clean he squeaks and role model who was true through and through.

Thank you, Derek Jeter.

Perhaps to make a name for themselves or to become "trending" on Twitter, the detractors
of Jeter have come out as the hour glass winds down on his brilliant career. They scream that
Jeter wasn't the best shortstop to play the game or even in the Top 10 when it comes to all-time
greatest Yankees. Jeter never got caught up in that and never really cared. He didn't need
to be fueled by some hack on sports radio or anyone who never played the game. Jeter's inner
drive burned with ferocity and he minded his own business, taking care of it the right way.

Thank you, Derek Jeter.


Jeter has redefined what it means to be a Yankee and an athlete of great character. Our media
today seemingly wants to reward the 'me' guys, you know, the ones with the colorful quote
and those who think it's cool to call out a teammate or an opponent (Richard Sherman). The
sports world glorified Seattle's all-pro cornerback not because he brings lock down coverage
to every game, but because he called San Francisco's Michael Crabtree mediocre on national
television. Who in their right minds thought that was a classy move?

Do you think Derek Jeter would've ever done that? Never. He showed everyone that a player
can be great and a great gentleman.

Thank you, Derek Jeter.

When he tips his hat for the final time of his career on Sunday, Jeter will ride off into
retirement at age 40 and be enshrined in Cooperstown in five years. Like Cal Ripken
and Ozzie Smith before him, Jeter will be replaced and become far less significant in
the sports world and in our consciousness.

It happens to all the great ones because after all, it is just sports and we live in a world
with a lightning quick news cycle that spits out everything in a matter of days. Derek
Jeter gave the sports world 20 great years of doing things brilliantly and doing them
the right way.

And that still counts for something, even in this scandal-ridden and morally corrupt
world.


Thank you, Derek Jeter. Thank you for being you.

THE CLASS OF PAM OLIVER

The sports television business can be as ruthless and cold as Bill Belichick on cut-down day.

A reporter's skills and credibility can strengthen over a long career, but nobody can outrun

Father Time. If an executive thinks you've racked up more than enough miles, then you can

usually bank on them trading up for a newer model.

The suits at Fox Sports felt it was time for an infusion of youth on the sidelines during the 

coming football season and replaced Pam Oliver, a 53-year old highly-respected veteran

with the "it"girl, Erin Andrews, who is 36-years old, blonde, and a favorite with males in 

just about every demographic in the country.

Oliver isn't the first woman to get bumped for someone younger and she certainly won't be the

last. Television isn't for the faint of heart and change happens--a lot. It often doesn't matter

how talented, credible, or hardworking you are, youth is often served and served first often.

Oliver built a career in which she was universally loved and respected. She did great work,

never complained, and just kept her head down. I had the chance to work with Oliver when

we were both anchors for the upstart Fox regional networks nearly 15 years ago.

As with any new business, starting a new network is tough especially when the support

staff is young, inexperienced, and not quite ready to handle the pressure of big-market live

television. There were some extraordinary painful nights where shows were poorly timed,

information wrong, and studio cameras colliding mid-show. (I kid you not)

Oliver, who was already a big star by then, never got flustered or lost her cool. She went

with the flow even when that flow was filled with landmines and grenades. Perhaps, Oliver

was smart enough to realize that few people were watching the fledgling network or she

didn't feel the horror shows were worth getting all worked up over. Whatever the case, 

Oliver never let her feathers get ruffled.

I vividly remember the time my co-anchor, Matt Morrison, gave me the Heimlech maneuver 

when I was choking in our office. The piece of grapefruit came out like a projectile and nearly
nailed Oliver in the head. Oh, I don't think she was happy when a saliva-draped slice of grapefruit
rested  on her desk like a dead fish, but Oliver didn't vent or come unglued.

Oliver certainly wasn't happy when Fox executives told her that she was being replaced by

Andrews on their 'A' team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. But in true Pam Oliver fashion

she handled it with class and the professionalism that have marked her brilliant career in sports

television.

Life isn't fair, we all know that. But television is much, much worse. Getting replaced is

brutally tough and never easy, but few people have ever handled it much better than Pam Oliver 

who is truly a pro's pro.