SB Nation User Blog: PopeFlick

Benson a Bengal

PopeFlick — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:51:30 -0000

It's hard not to laugh, given they've become the gulag of problem children in the north (Dallas has it locked up in the south):

From Bengals public relations:

The Bengals today signed free agent HB Cedric Benson and placed HB DeDe Dorsey on the Reserve/Injured list. Dorsey, a third-year player from Lindenwood College, played in this season's first four games but suffered a hamstring injury last weekend against Cleveland.

Benson (5-11, 220; Texas) is a fourth-year NFL player. He was Chicago's first-round selection in the 2005 draft (fourth overall) after a Texas career that included 5540 rushing yards and the third-most touchdowns (64) in NCAA history.

Benson played in 35 games with 12 starts for the Bears from 2005-07, rushing for 1593 yards on 420 carries (3.8) with 10 TDs. He also had 26 receptions for 180 yards. He had an additional 104 rushing yards with a TD and 24 receiving yards in the 2006 postseason, as Chicago advanced to Super Bowl XLI against Indianapolis.

Last season, though missing five games with an injury, he posted career highs for rushing yards (674), receptions (17) and receiving yards (123). He started Games 1-11, but suffered a season-ending ankle injury on Nov. 25 vs. Denver and was placed Nov. 27 on Chicago's Reserve/Injured list.

Happy Birthday Sweetness!

PopeFlick — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:31:39 -0000

It Bears noting that today the late, great Walter Payton would have turned 54(!) today had he not been cut down all too soon.

Best wishes and prayers to the Payton Family.

From Wiki:

Payton's motto was "Never Die Easy" (also the title of his posthumously published autobiography), a goal which he attributed to his coach at Jackson State, Bob Hill. In practice this meant that he refused to deliberately run out-of-bounds, and always delivered some punishment to his tacklers before being forced off the field or forced down.

One of Payton's signature maneuvers was the "stutter-step", a high-stepping, irregularly-paced run. He developed this as a way to distract his pursuers during long runs, saying that it startled them into thinking and gave him some advantage over players who were actually faster runners. He revived the practice of stiff-arming his tacklers, which had gone out of favor among running backs in the 1970s. At times he used his high school experience as a long jumper to leap over his opponents, landing on his head in the end zone to gain a touchdown in a game against the Buffalo Bills. His running gait was somewhat unusual, as his knees were minimally bent, and the motion was largely powered from the hip. This may have given his knees, a football player's most vulnerable joints, some protection, although he underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees in 1983. He referred to this procedure as an 11,000-yard checkup.

After scoring a touchdown, Payton declined to celebrate; instead, he would often hand the ball to his teammates. He disapproved of the growing practice of touchdown celebrations; he preferred post-game antics such as rushing into the locker room and locking his fellow teammates out in the cold while taking a long shower.

While Payton might have won the respect of his peers and coaches by his running alone, he made 492 receptions over his career and was a consistent threat in the passing game.

Going to the Game....

PopeFlick — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 14:51:55 -0000

....which I have begun calling the No Respect Bowl.

I live in LA and drove down yesterday. You would THINK from all of the write-ups I've read in SoCal that the Bears won 5 games all of last year by beating up on the Lions. No one has given them a shred of a chance.

Well....let's just say I think the QB in question today isn't the one who's going to be chased by Shawn Merriman. Brian Uralcher, meet Phillip Rivers; Phillips Rivers....meet Brian Urlacher.

The Mitchell & Ness Payton jersey is on, the endzone tickets (7 rows up from the field in the endzone that's closest to the action) are warmed up.

Time to show the Chargers that it isn't easy being a successful playoff team.

Also, I've posted these before but here are a few Payton videos to get the juices flowing for 2007.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGXp2ssIWyU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBhaXxGmUho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO2d8aUvHNg

I'm very torn and need serious advice.

PopeFlick — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:19:48 -0000

So the Giants/Dodgers game appears to be wrapping up this evening with Bonds not getting the hit he needs.

I live in Los Angeles, and have a seat in the right field bleachers for tomorrow night's game. The problem isn't whether or not I'll go - I am. The PROBLEM as I see it, is whether or not to bring a throwback ball or two in the event he goes yard against Hendrickson.

Clearly, it wouldn't be your typical throwback.

Given that most of us are purveyors of Wrigley (or at least are in tune with the happenings there) beyond your standard, SINGLE throwback on a home run throwing things onto the field is a blemish upon the game. It's too bad it doesn't happen less often in Wrigley, but we all know the mob type thinking propensity surely exists.

And given the Giants/Dodgers rivalry is so surly -as nasty as StL.Chi- I'm pretty sure that a throwback ball would start a domino effect whereby trash gets thrown on the field, while Barry makes his trot. I don't want to be a part of starting that, yet find the notion of a throwback on that home run very seductive, to be quite honest.

The question is - do I want to be 'that guy?' Would you want to be 'that guy/girl?'

That's my question, I don't know the answer for myself. I have some time to decide and hopeully hear others out.

My ultimate fear is that my 15 minutes of fame would result in constant replays on ESPN, and be forever linked with Frankenstein's monster.

Happy Birthday Walter Payton!

PopeFlick — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:49:46 -0000

Born July 25, 1954. Died all too young.

The first Bears game my dad took me to was the November 17, 1977 game against the Vikes where he ran for 275 yards. I do distinctly recall at one point in the game I seriously thought the point of the game was to chase #34, not the ball. It was the day before I turned 9.

We moved to Houston a few years later and I saw him play twice in Dallas and once in Houston.

Every cliche has been thrown at him. I made a few youtube videos to celebrate Sweetness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGXp2ssIWyU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBhaXxGmUho

Preparing for the inevitbale - Z leaving.

PopeFlick — Tue, 08 May 2007 16:14:56 -0000

Cnn/Si has an article that is the first hard look at the dissolving of Z's extension in the wake of the sale. Apparently, Hendry wants to get it done but "it's out of his hands."

He's been my favorite Cub since he was a rookie, I knew he was the real deal even as everyone fawned over Wood, then Prior.

The thing to prepare ourselves for is: is he dealt? That would seem to make sense only if we were out of the race which means we're in a catch-22: the more success during the season, the higher the likelihood that he walks, Maddux style after the season because we'd need him for any October push.

About the only mid-season deal that makes sense would be involving A-Rod but that's simply the realm of science fiction.

I guess a WS tophy would be worth it, but that's a long shot as well. I see no good way out of this.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/jon_heyman/05/07/daily.scoop.tuesday/index.html

Ted Lilly

PopeFlick — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 07:11:25 -0000

Well, in the wake of what is turning out to be a confusing outing of Mark Prior's (how fast WERE his pitches? 83-84 or 88-89?) Ted Lilly's presence just became that much more important. As many don't feel he's a legit #2 there appears to be some real concern setting in about this Prior stuff.

Then again, there also seem to be many who keep saying Prior is gravy, we shouldn't count on him, etc. Early optimism seems to be blinding some to trying to have it boths ways: Prior will be gravy for the year, but now that his armor looks chinked again, we're doomed. There's no doubt a 15+ win Mark Prior means we're in the division race. But what about a 15+ win season from Ted Lilly?

A few things put me at ease.

1- It might not seem like much, but I like the fact he was drafted by the Dodgers. They have, simply, one of the best scouting abilities in the majors.

2- He eats innings: 28 GS average over the past 5 seasons, and if you drop 2002 it moves up to an even 30, with a 170 inning avg per year. (his missed time in 2005 resulted in 25/126). Seeing as how the bullpen is strong, this helps tremendously.

3- and this is the tough part, because short of digging back into every game start, there is something important amongst what might look like pedestrian numbers:

2nd 1st
1st, 4th
1st, 2nd
1st, 2nd
9th, 1st

Those numbers are the team batting rankings for the Red Sox and Yankees respectively in ALL of MLB, not just the AL. I don't know HOW many starts had against them during that span, and the 2002 #'s need an asterisk since he went from the Yanks to the A's in 2002, but still had starts against Boston.

Now, that simply HAS to play a role in his ERA being 4+. With over 5 of the 6 NL Central teams finishing 22nd or worse in batting last year (and the Cards topping out at 14th) he has to be glad he's come here. Will they all be that bad again? Unlikely. But it is even more unlikely that we'll suddenly find 2 division opponents as strong as the Yankees and Red Sox bat wise. Throw in no DH, and you begin to understand some of Arroyo's success from last year, and he was on the Boston teams during the same span.

So, this might seem a little rambling, but the point is Lilly can and frankly SHOULD find better success with the Cubs than he had with Toronto. Can he clip off 15 wins? If he makes his average number of starts and receives a bounce from changing leagues I think the answer, on March 6 is YES. He can.

And it looks like we are really going to need him to. He has become the biscuit for the gravy. You gotta have it, or the gravy is useless.

John Sickels' Take on the Cubs Farm.....

PopeFlick — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 06:59:35 -0000

I got my copy of "The Baseball Prospect Book 2007" by the esteemed Mr. Sickels. Lots to read, but here's his breakdown of the Cubs.

Atkins C+
Avery C
Ceda C
Cherry C
Clevenger C
Coats C
Colvin B-
Fox C+
Gallagher B
Harben C+
Harvey C
Holliman C
Huseby C
Lansford C
Layden C
Mateo C+
Moore C+
Muldowney C
Papelbon C
Patterson B+
Pawalek B
Pie B+
Pignatello C
Rapada C
Rayborn C
Robinson C
Ryu B-
Samardzija B-
Shaver C
Soto C
Taylor C
Theriot C+
Veal B+

Al - if this violates TOS over copyright, then please delete.

I'm happy to see that he likes Samardzija, because anything above a C needs to be earned by John.

Quotes:

Theriot - "It's a fluke folks....NOT a guy....who will...hit .300+ if you give him enough playing time for his luck to run out."

Ryu (who he termed a major league a-hole over the osprey incident in his 2005 edition) "he has lost some velocity....but it looks faster at times because of the contrast with his curve, change-up and slider....reports indicate he's grown up emotionally."

Samardzija - "The Cubs drafted him, then used some of the money saved by not having 2nd, 3rd and 4th picks to pay....raw for a college pitcher....plus a general lack of polish...could be excellent....could be the pitching version of Joe Borchard."

I usually wouldn't post something like this....

PopeFlick — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 04:12:25 -0000

But it made me laugh hard enough to get tears in my eyes.

I know I haven't posted a diary here in a while, and there are language issues in this clip, but I can't help be reminded of at least a dozen people who I've met here.

The best part is, I couldn't ever make it through the original because it got so boring. This translation takes the cake.

Enjoy!

A Steroid Diary...and an angle that hasn't been explored.

PopeFlick — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 23:57:41 -0000

First:

Home run stats from 2001, the last year before steroid testing.

Now look at this....

Current HR stats, which seem on pace to finish in the same neighborhood.

Now, whatever happened to Jason Grimsley? The pitcher that sang to the Feds? After being a major brouhaha it really has slipped under the radar unless I missed something.

Many stats are out there regarding the % of pitchers that were supposedly juiced. I posted the stats above to illustrate something I think we'll be talking about by the end of the year: pitchers were on steroids so much so, that now that the league is cleaner (I _won't say cleaned because of masking agents and tests that don't exist) due to the increased punishments it's clear that, in fact, with less pitchers on the juice hitting HR's is actually coming easier to many players. Said players are going to be getting a bounce in their totals.

No one will hit that guady 73, but in 2000 only 12 major leaguers clipped 40. This year (and yes there's still a lot to shake out) you right now have over 30 players already at 20, and 20 players are 16 or less away from 40.

Like I said, I don't think it's getting much press now but it's an angle that should begin entering the news soon: less steroids means better hitting numbers in the game. Who would have thunk it?