Bold moves and boring old ball games

You know, it’s usually players who make their names in the post-season with big games, big plays and big moments.

Think we saw last night a coach do the same thing.

There was something of an ominous feel to the decision by Oklahoma City’s Scott Brooks to stick with four backups and Kevin Durant for the entire fourth quarter of Game 2 against Dallas, wasn’t there?

Especially when the Mavs made that late run, didn’t you keep wondering when he’d at least go back to Westbrook, who may be one of the more polarizing guys in the playoffs this year, but he’s also the started and perceived best point guard on the team?

But you have to give Brooks credit for sticking with his gut and his backups and letting them finish off a rather impressive victory that makes the series a whole lot more compelling now.

Of course, you wonder about fallout as the series progresses – what happens in Game 3 down the stretch, how will Westbrook (who has a tendency to dominate the ball even in the happiest moments) react – and with a team as young and unproven as the Thunder in such circumstances, that has to be an issue to think about.

Coaches, as you know, tend to get too much credit and absorb too much blame in the opinion of some but you have to give Brooks credit for making a somewhat bold statement and putting himself out there to be second-guessed ‘til the cows come home.

If the Thunder go on to win this thing, people may remember the final quarter of Game 2 as the defining moment and it was a coach, rather than a player, who made it happen.

-

Seriously, Five Guys burgers are almost making me forget that we should have an In And Out Burger in one strip mall and a Steak ‘N Shake in one down the street.

-

The news kind of flew under the radar the other night, judging the lack of responses around these parts.

But how about Amir having ankle surgery that might take three or four months to recover from?

Yes, they said he’d be ready for training camp – if it starts in October or late September as it usually does – and that’s good enough, I guess.

But why wouldn’t he have had the work done before next week, or closer to June 1 as it was suggested by someone to me this week?

Why not get it taken care of, say, May 1 after seeing specialists right after the season ended?

I am sure there are people in the organization who are not the happiest of campers about the decision to wait and they will be watching closely to make sure he’s ready to go when the bell rings next fall.

-

A wee digression brought to our attention by a fine Irregular from the left coast yesterday afternoon.

We can all agree that the Olympics are a pretty good TV show, no? At least that’s what I’m told since I’m usually at the Summer Games and don’t see much, and the Winter Games fall during the NBA season and don’t really attract my attention.

Anyway, news yesterday the iconic sports executive Dick Ebersol’s walking away from NBC in an issue of contract talks with the parent company Comcast should be of big note to those who watch at least some of the Games on the various NBC “platforms.”

I wouldn’t be a big fan of the “plausibly live” aspect of the American broadcasts – I’d much rather see the CBC live stuff – but there is no doubt that Ebersol’s fingers were all over it, they shaped the coverage and the Olympics, I don’t think, will never be the same on television again.

Not a bad legacy, is it?

And the other thing that may end up being troubling is big networks seem to be shying away from a lot of sports and any change my lessen the amount of live, big events shown on network TV.

-

Hmm, no games tonight?

Whatever is a fellow to do?

Oh, right.

Inter-league baseball!

The traditional Astros-Jays rivalry is renewed here (wonder if Nolan’s pitching? Or may be Mike Scott) and all kinds of other weird and wonderful matchups begin.

Texas-Philadelphia?

Colorado-Milwaukee?

Seattle-San Diego?

Yes, things like Cubs-Red Sox and Yankees-Mets have some allure but, really, does anyone get excited about inter-league play any more?

Aside from being blatantly unfair since teams in the same division of one league don’t play the same opponents from the other league (and don’t get me started on the whole DH-no DH thing), whatever magic there was when inter-league play first came around is long gone.

Maybe it’s time for the whole thing to be mothballed, or at least cut back to maybe one weekend a summer, two at the most. It seems that every three weeks or so we’ve got these odd series that don’t fit.

-

A bit of a list, a ranking, and a dip into the mail all rolled into one:

Q: Hi Doug - Since people are already showing signs of draft selection fever (DSF), I thought it was a good time to ask this question. Of the North American sports that have entry drafts (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLS), in which sport is it easiest (for lack of a better word) for a #1 draft pick to make an immediate team impact? I know there are all sorts of unknowns associated with this question but thought I would throw it out there.

Andrew S, Toronto

A: Sure, there are all sorts of unknowns thrown into the equation and there are exceptions that pop up every year but let’s talk in basic generalities here.

I’d rank them like this from the top down:

NBA

Maybe because there are so few, and so few players on each team that make impacts, it has to be at the top of the list, no? And it’s why a blown high draft pick is a huge blow.

NFL

I know you can find gems in the 12th round or 9th round or 22nd round (does that Jerry Lewis Telethon of a draft go that deep?) but it strikes me the top half of the first round is dominated by guys who are either great or washouts.

NHL

The impact is probably just at the very top of Round One because they draft pimply-faced 17-year-olds, don’t they?

MLB

It takes forever, doesn’t it, for even the top three or four guys to even get to the bigs?

MLS

They have a draft? Hmm. Who knew?

-

Okay, one more for the seamheads who might not have read this.

If this Griff column on the young man who died yesterday and his impact on the TOD Heroes Of The Night Romero and Arencibia doesn’t get to you, I fear for you.

-

So here’s the deal.

I’ve got a stupid early flight tomorrow (think 6:10 a.m.) and with nothing on tonight I figure tomorrow should be a mail day so we can get all sorts of gems out of Miami tomorrow for Sunday as we get into full-on Eastern Final mode.

That means this is your last kick at the mail bag can.

-

 

 

Comments

[Matt M]

I think MLB should expand interleague play. Maybe Astros-Jays is not have a traditional rivalry but to me it is the same as the Raptors-Timberwolves, Nuggets etc. It is a chance for the fans to see the stars from the other conference/league live and matched against our favorite team. Can you imagine if Nash had never played in T-Dot? How cool would it be if Joey Votto played in the Skydome? Personally, I would love to see a Halladay-Bautista matchup every season over another Yankees-Jays series.

[Dave in BG]

In-N-Out ? Amen to that brother!

Used to be a Steak and Shake fan, their fries are the best going (sorry Wendys). But ehh, the patties are a little too thin for me. And out local joint reminds me a little too much of Waffle House (in the hygiene department).

Anyways, back to BBall!

[David]

How can a guy who just bought himself a barbecue be so excited about restaurant burgers, unless it's -20 and blowing snow. I don't care what kind of magic sauce they use, if you buy fresh meat, and select your own preferred condiments and toppings (also fresh), you can make a better burger at home and it costs less.

Having gotten that out of the way, does Amir's surgery cast a pall over Bryan's trading options re: Bargnani, or cause him to draft a big - Kanter, even Tristan Thompson or Jan Vesely - with the idea that if Amir is healthy, he can deal Bargnani or whomever later on, like at the trade deadline or summer of 2012.

Blogger's note: Doesn't impact the draft but takes Amir out of summer trades I imagine

[chris]

Amir has been a bit of a warrior for us (playing hurt/sick) so I wouldn't question him too much. Who knows what else he had going on in his life, and/or maybe he's waiting on the surgeon.
Either way, there's likely to be a work stoppage and the season will start late.

[Andrew]

If you're ever out in the neigbourhood of Queen East and Coxwell, check out The Burger's Priest. Delicious!

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Morning Doug,
I'd like to take your take on interleague play a step further. I'd like to see the two leagues finally playing the same game of baseball again. But which do you ditch? The pitcher hits, or the designated batter? Tradition says shorten the game with the easy out. But I think the DH makes for the best of both worlds. Discuss?
Cheers. Two great NBA conference finals underway! Go Thunder, Mavs, Bulls, Heat!

[511]

Other than being able to see the Phillies once or twice, I could do with a lot less inter-league play, as well. Btw, you might’ve meant Cubs-White Sox (not Red Sox). Just a guess.

[Lorie]

Hello Doug!
Well, it's time to start planning that extended Friday lunch that's becoming even more extended (Hey, who am I kidding? Turn off the lights and lock the door; we're not coming back to work 'til Tuesday!) thanks to the that GREAT burger outfit "The Works" expanding to my town last week. I can't even begin to tell you how great their food is, (have you ever been to any of their locations when in Ottawa where it all began as they say?) but here's a teaser. Start with an ice-cold Steamwhistle. Followed by "Poutini Martini" (a super-ball - not your industry standard sized ball - of cheese, topped with gravy and chunks of onion rings) and then The Burger. All are wonderful. Best of the best is the one named "Crappy Tire" for which the management accepts payment in Canadian Tire money. Yup. That covers all the food groups. And then some. :) Cheers! Safe Travels. And for the link to Richard Griffin's story? Thank you.

[DannyFromFreddy]

" things like Cubs-Red Sox and Yankees-Mets have some allure".

Doug, I think you meant to say White Sox.

[Mo]

Doug,
Do you think Scott Brooks was also sending a message to Westbrook by sitting him? It was the perfect time/excuse because Maynor was playing so well, that you can roll with him and get the W...

But at the same time.. Maynor was doing well because he was distributing the ball and making sure they were playing like a team (or giving it to durant and getting out of the way when necessary)... Even Durant said that in the post-game.

Do you think Westbrook will take a hint and try to not take over the game? or will it just fuel him to prove himself and show how it's a "mistake" to sit him?

Also, I second Burger's Priest. (Have you ever been?)

By far the best burger I've ever had... and I've been on a rampage going through all the "gourmet" burger joints that are popping up everywhere in Toronto.

@David, trust me... This isn't a burger you can make at home, there's no magic sauce or anything (we're not talking fast food joints). It's very very high quality beef that is ground fresh and put on a flattop grill... Something we don't really have access to!

[chrisd1]

Amir in summer trades??? I thought Amir was for sure part of the future...Do tell..

Blogger's note: This is precisely why I avoid saying things. Nothing. At all. But if there was, it'd have to be on hold. Not that there is, but "if"

[Dave]

For those correcting the Cubs-Red Sox - that is what was meant....The Cubs havn't been to Fenway in something like 92 years....no cross-town rivaly, but they're making a big deal about in MLB circles...

[The J]

Hey Doug, does putting the word "if" in quotations, mean it's only a hypothetical if, and thus an actuality? So there is a trade imminent? Is it for Kobe? It's for Kobe, right? Somehow when you first mentioned summer trades, I just knew we were getting Kobe.

[David in Oakville]

Damn, why do I find the burger talk more interesting than the basketball talk... although I totally agree with you Doug, the decision to sit Westbrook in Q4 last night may have implications later.

Okay, I have to try Five Guys this weekend because you have never been wrong on food ;)

I agree with @David (good name, probably knows his way around a grill) nothing beats a burger fresh off the grill. And @Mo, if you have access to a butcher then you have access to top quality meats, ground or otherwise. And if you are hard core, you can always grind your own... my mom & dad always did!

[Wallace]

I think part of reason no one commented on the news of Amir's surgery is that we are so used to being lied to about injuries and recovery projections. "Flu-like symptoms" and "muscle spasms" alone result in weeks of DNP during the season. Take the recovery projection and multiply by pi.

[The J]

My opinion on interleague games is that it can be great for the fans. One of my best interleague memories (after the Jays-Expos on Canada day) was going down to the Dome to catch the Giants. No, there is no rivalry between the Jays and the Giants, and there is definetly no geograpical connection between Toronto and San Fran. Rather our excitement was to see a superstar we had never seen live before in Barry Bonds. Watching Bonds add another HR to his total in the dome was a great sports memory at the time (now obviously tainted). So that is why I still like inter-league. It's our only opportunity to catch guys like Pujols, Howard, or Votto, and hopefully one day get another chance to see the return of Halladay (damn G20!). In fact, my other great interleague memory was being able to give Carlos Delgado, one of my all-time favourite Jays, a loud welcome back when the Mets came to town. No rivalry or connection between Jays and Mets, but a great game to catch none the less.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Man, you gotta be uber-hungry to take on The Works. Man, I love a challenge! And man, I love their milkshakes! Mmmm, milkshakes! Knock yourself out: http://www.worksburger.com/Menus/OurMenu/tabid/105198/Default.aspx
Cheers. And I'll stick with Animal Kingdom, thanks, with Mucho Macho Man and Sway Away battling to place and show. They're off!

[Johnn19]

Bryan Colangelo in his year end presser, without naming anyone said that there was no player on the Raptors roster who was untradeable, not that he was intending to trade any specific player.

[D-diddy]

Any explanation why the east has a wednesday to sunday layoff whereas the west only get one night off from thursday to saturday in between their games?

Other than ratings of course...Mr Stern sure knows how to print money...

Blogger's note: TV a bit, arena availability a bit, the fact the West series went seven games. If Oklahoma City had beaten Memphis in six, the West would have been Sunday-Tuesday-Saturday.

[John]

Hey Doug, congrats on breaking the Amir + trade exemption for Kobe deal! I am not a huge fan of this trade, I think I would rather have kept Amir. He’s just started to hit his stride and when he’s healthy who knows what he could produce. The only thing that Kobe could do for the Raps in a Raps uniform is lower their Point per Game Allowed average cause he won’t be scoring 80 against them a couple times a year. If the Lakers threw in a couple expiring contracts and a first rounder it may make more sense… Happy Grilling!

[Natalie (Vancouver)]

Cheers for the Ebersol thoughts and hope you're having an exceptional day Doug. At the time I was growing up (most say I still am) he and George Bodenheimer always impressed me in that they transcended the 'behind-the-scenes' aspect of sports media. Any other giants in that field you'd at these names Doug?

Blogger's note: As I recall, there was a guy, Ed Goren?, at Fox who was a leader in the field. Only name that comes quickly to mind although I am sure there are others

[Natalie (Vancouver)]

Pardon, I meant to say 'add to these names'

[jc]

that's why sports is better than any story that can be written. Romero etches the initials into the mound and then he wins the game mostly because of his effort and a late inning blast from the other part of the RML friendship. All we needed was for Arencibia to point his bat to the centre field bleachers before he knocked it out.

[doug]

I always swore I would never pay big bucks for a "gourmet" burger...but one day i was tired just off work, went to the liquor store on Queen St E for a few "pops"...and thought what the heck....went to the Burger Priest and I must say it was the best burger I have ever tasted in my life..which was a good and bad thing, as now I crave them at times, and to pay a few dollars for a burger seems not right for some reason but these babies are the cats pyjamas...it's just a little hole in the wall that has a line up out the door....I admire what Brooks did it took a lot of cajones as Westbrook just isn't getting it,so kudos to Brooks

[S.Cle]

I get very excited for interleague play. Even though the Jays interleague record is horrible in the last few years, I love seeing teams that we're not use to seeing. Honestly, would you rather see Houston and the intrigue that comes from watching a team and players you don't normally see, or another series vs Baltimore?? it should be expanded if anything... but i'd be more in favour of reversing where the DH rule is used. For example, with Houston playing in Toronto, the DH rule should not be used , and when Toronto plays in Philly the DH rule should be used... opposite of what it is now. That way the fans get more of an experience with interleague play in that they get to see a different style of game than normal too.