SB Nation User Blog: nitlion007

Very morbid viewpoint

nitlion007 — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:55:48 -0000

I've actually said this to many of my Penn State friends, and now it looks as if my morbid theory on why Joe Paterno won't let go of his coaching job might have some truth to it. From a recent posting on deadspin, this is a quote from Brent Musberger talking on the Dan Patrick show:

"This is a tough one for me because I have to say up front that JoePa is a dear friend of mine...I'll tell your listeners the truth as to why he still does it. He is fearful — and he looks back at Bear Bryant as the example — he is fearful that he would not be with us if he stepped away. He is a man that doesn't fish, doesn't play golf...he has no other interest other than his family and football. And he's just afraid what would happen with the rest of his life if he walks away from it."

Yikes! Here's the link to the deadspin story:

http://deadspin.com/5064085/brent-musburger-offers-some-troubling-news-about-joe-paterno

Personally, Joe does eat, breathe and sleep football. I doubt fundraising for the school carries the same thrill of coaching on a Saturday for the school. Bear Bryant did die pretty much right after he left Alabama.

John Sterling's eating habits

nitlion007 — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:08:33 -0000

From Page Six today (so it MUST be true!), an account of John Sterling's table manners. On my serious side, as a journalism major in college, I cringe to see the depths to which our modern journalism has fallen. The whole A-Rod/Madonna thing is pretty pathetic also. But it is the Post, so I guess it's not that big a deal. It's not like the Times is running print on John Sterling's behavior at the free buffet table. The day that happens, I might pick up my gear and move to England. I wonder how Susan Waldman would announce this:

"Oh goodness gracious!! John Sterling's finger is double dipping!"

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07092008/gossip/pagesix/finger_dipping_play_by_play_119038.htm

Shake up the lineup

nitlion007 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:43:12 -0000

It's no secret that the Yankees all of a sudden have problems hitting the ball. I don't think it would be a terrible idea to bat Giambi third in the lineup. He'll have Arod protecting him, ensuring he'll see better pitches and with his plate discipline, he's sure to get walks. Yeah, Abreu has similar discipline, but not to the extent of Giambi. I just think a temporary change would benefit this team. Your thoughts?

Anyone else embarassed by Hank?

nitlion007 — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:03:23 -0000

I never liked Hank Steinbrenner. He strikes me as that privileged kid turned loud obnoxious man who is used to getting everything his way. Say what you will about George, he EARNED the right to say whatever he wanted and usually he had a valid point. When George spoke, people listened and regardless of what they thought of him as a person, they at least respected him. Hank hasn't done anything to earn the vast respect and fear that George's mere presence demanded, yet he talks like his opinion matters. Curt Schilling acts the same way and I think we can all agree he is a douchebag of the highest order.

Now look at the idiot son. He's said some pretty asinine things this year. I thought this comments about Red Sox Nation were naive and stupid. He actually thought that that term meant the nation of the U.S., when it means New England. I just shrugged and ignored it, but now he's said something even dumber:

“My only message is simple. The National League needs to join the 21st century,” Steinbrenner said in Tampa, Fla. “They need to grow up and join the 21st century.

“Am I (mad) about it? Yes,” Steinbrenner added. “I’ve got my pitchers running the bases, and one of them gets hurt. He’s going to be out. I don’t like that, and it’s about time they address it. That was a rule from the 1800s.”

He's blaming the rules of the National League for Wang's injury?! I'm as upset as any other Yankee fan about the injury, but come on! This is a freak injury. Things like this just happen. Remember when Sammy Sosa went on the DL because he threw his back out sneezing? Sometimes, freak injuries just happen. They all suck, but we have to deal with it. And someone has to say it, so it might as well be me. Getting injured from running? Not the greatest statement of the Yankees strength and conditioning regiment. Yeah, Wang is a pitcher and is not accustomed to running bases, but I thought Joe Girardi was supposed to be a drill sergeant type of manager. Didn't he remove all candy from the clubhouse for health reasons? I would think someone who does that would make his players at least run some wind sprints every practice. Bottom line is that this injury is tragic and never should have happened, but blaming the rule and telling another baseball league that the way they do things is wrong? Not the smartest move Hank. He sounds like an immature child playing the blame game. His brain can't seem to comprehend that bad things can happen to him, so he needs to vent against something. At least that's the way he comes off to me. And Hank should know that the DH has only been around since 1972, and National League baseball has been played since the turn of LAST century. Respect that. I like how both leagues differ on this rule. It creates another disparity that helps differentiate the leagues. I personally grew up with the DH and being a Yankee fan, I've never seen it as strange, but I can certainly understand why National League fans and purists object to it.

Now if he wanted to gripe about how interleague play is an abomination, then I'd be with him 100%. If you're going to blame someone or something for the injury, blame interleague play. I think enough time has gone by to show what I've known since 1997: that interleague play is a freak show that has destroyed the integrity of the major leagues. It only matters to TWO fan bases: the Mets and the White Sox. But that's another topic for another time.

Time to seriously consider Cano's future

nitlion007 — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:03:18 -0000

frontpaged by jscape2000

Just like every other Yankee fan this year, I'm starting to get fed up with Robinson Cano's complete inability to hit this year. It wouldn't be that bad if Cano seemed to be making more of a concerted effort, but his stubborn refusal to take pitches is so at odds with the traditional Yankee hitting philosophy of wearing out starting pitchers. How did this guy ever hit .342? Yeah, he's a notorious slow starter, but just look at Jason Giambi. He started this year out just as slow as Cano and look at him now. He's worked himself into becoming a legitimate power threat (not quite the threat he once used to be).

His glove is suspect at best. Whenever Michael Kay says Cano is a gold glover in waiting, I nearly crap myself. But in a world where David Wright has won a gold glove, anything is possible I guess, but Cano is far from a stellar glove. I guess what I'm saying is that if there is an opportunity to trade him for some pitching, I'm all for it! With Alberto Gonzales' major league level glove, he could make the transition to a full-time second baseman. As for his bat, his reputation is that he's all glove and no bat, but he wasn't swinging the stick too badly when he was up subbing for Jeter earlier this year. And his bat can't be worse than Cano's has been this year. Yeah, Cano has great hitting talent, and that's why I think we could score some good young pitching for him. With our offensive lineup, I don't think losing Cano is that significant. We need pitching more than we need hitting from the lower third of the order.

Penn Staters in California?

nitlion007 — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:13:22 -0000

Hey, I'm a PSU alum about to move to the San Francisco bay area in August, just in time for football season. I was wondering if there are any Penn Staters on this blog who live in that area and could tell me which bars in San Fran show PSU football games. There has to be at least one bar. I tried a google search for a PSU chapter in San Francisco of San Jose and couldn't find any. Any help would be appreciated. It's going to suck getting up at 8 AM for noon east coast kickoffs.

Joe Paterno speaks up!

nitlion007 — Fri, 23 May 2008 05:03:15 -0000

In a recent article on espn.com, Joe Paterno spoke out in favor of a college football playoff system, calling the excuses used to defend the BCS "bogus." He's always been in favor of a playoff (can you blame the man? name one other coach who has been screwed over by the polls more than joe), but we can only hope that a man of his stature speaking out against the current regime of college football will inspire others to listen and actually use their brains and support a playoff. Here's what Joe said:

"To be frank with you, I don't know what the reasons are not to have a playoff," Paterno said during a speaking appearance in Pittsburgh. "You can talk about missing class and all that kind of stuff, [yet] you see basketball go on forever. You have a lot of bogus excuses, but obviously the majority of people who have the say don't want it."

Unfortunately, Paterno is now in the unenviable position of having his legs cut out form underneath him with the controversy surrounding his contract extension. I fear that these statements might be viewed by the majority of college football fans as simply the ramblings of a desperate old man who most likely is going to be strong-armed out of his job after next season.

One bit of knowledge in the article that I actually did not know was that Joe has refused to vote in the coach's poll since 2004 because he wanted to award the number 1 ranking to Auburn instead of USC, and the BCS forces the coaches to make the winner of the BCS championship game the automatic number 1. Where was I when this news came out?

Watch this video before every Penn State game and you'll want to put on pads and hit someone. ...

nitlion007 — Mon, 12 May 2008 01:04:24 -0000

Watch this video before every Penn State game and you'll want to put on pads and hit someone. Simply the best Penn State football video I've seen so far!!