Where does the WBC rank? And a neat chance meeting

Play ball!

Well, sort of.

I’m wondering what the feeling is towards the World Baseball Classic that began on the weekend over in Asia and kicks off in Arizona just after we leave Phoenix this week.

I think it’s big and I’m not sure it gets the attention it probably deserves here in North America – and I can’t speak to Asia or the Caribbean because I’ve never been their to check out the interest.

I understand that it’s relatively new and that the global reach of the game doesn’t come close to matching basketball or soccer but there is enough worldwide talent to make it competitive with a deep field where any number of countries could actually win the thing.

Baseball doesn’t seem to be a game that evokes great levels of patriotism right now, we cheer for teams and perhaps individual players but as country-vs.-country sport it doesn’t create great passion.

Too bad.

I’m of the mind that any time any team puts on a Canadian uniform we should pay attention and get a bit excited; it happens in hockey, of course, and basketball and soccer to a much larger extent than it does for baseball and I hope that can change over the course of this tournament and in the future.

I remember the last one, with the games in Toronto, and Canada was wildly supported and even after they suffered a gut-wrenching loss that knocked them out of the tournament, there was still support for other countries, as there should be.

Super Son and I blew the chance to see Canada because we expected a win that never happened but we did see Italy play someone (and for the life of me I cannot remember which country) and it was a pretty good atmosphere.

So even though there are no “home” games for this version of Team Canada, the fact that it’s Canada, and a pretty darn good Canadian team on paper (check out Griff's preview), I’d expect even casual sports fans to pay close attention when they start playing later this week.

Agree?

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The people you meet!

We’re meeting up with Jack Armstrong for a pre-dinner Irish coffee or four at the Buena Vista coffee house and when we arrive, he’s at the bar in conversation with this young couple he rode over on the cable car with.

Nice couple, Jason and Krista, they’re from Laguna Beach where she runs a fine art gallery, one of the artists – Michael Flohr had a couple of paintings hanging at the Buena Vista – and we’re having a fine chat.

(Yeah, me talking about fine art, odd things happen on the road).

Anyway, we get to talking about families and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And get this.

She’s Dennis Franz’s daughter!!!!

Yes, Andy Sipowicz.

How cool is that?

Seems he’s relaxing being a grandfather and loving life and thee wasn’t a lot of disagreement when I suggested the over-acting red-headed guy Caruso made an odd career choice when he left to fail at movies and Jimmy Smits is a good guy but all accounts.

And if you’re ever in Laguna Beach and don’t stop by the Exclusive Collections gallery and say hello, I’ll be disappointed in you.

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Oh yeah, the Raptors.

Day off for them yesterday after a long overnight flight from Milwaukee (charters go direct, grunts go through Minneapolis the next day) and it was probably much needed for a mental break as much as a physical one.

This has to be an odd time for them with the four losses leaving them where they are and, again, we’ll learn something about them as a collective group when we see how they play in these road game this week.

It’s a hard trip and they have to be a bit down; they also need to suck it up and play hard, win as many games as they can to get used to the feeling and to get used to each other so that any gains made this season aren’t lost.

Luckily, with no need to tank because there’s no draft pick to worry about we won’t be subjected to Justin Dentmon or Ben Uzoh or weeks of regulars nursing suspect injuries and getting days off just because.

There are, what, 22 games left? That’s more than a quarter of the season and there is no time to even think about taking the foot of the pedal.

Let’s see what they’ve got, it might be interesting.

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No, it was not raining hard in ‘Frisco but it got me thinking …

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Scheduling update:

For all you night owls and any western Irregulars we might have, we will be here about 10:30 tonight for an IGBT.

And we’ll still have the usual morning fare, even if it’s a bit later than usual like today.

But with a trip that’s Wisconsin-California-Arizona-California, I have no clue what the sleep patterns will be like so check here regularly, I’ll do what I can when I can.

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Here's a question:

Why in the world would anyone care what Dennis Rodman did or did not do in North Korea and why would an allegedly significant American television Sunday morning "news" show put him on?

All due credit to the show, according to Not Grace in this piece, for not turning it into too much of a circus but, really, isn’t a circus to even put that clown on TV to talk about legitimate global concerns and issues? Why give that guy a platform at all? Why think asking even serious questions will evoke answers that mean anything?

Rodman is a joke and not possibly able to offer any insight into anything to do with North Korea and it speaks sadly of the TV “news” industry that they would put him on.

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About last night, post-Buena Vista.

Of course, we move over to Tommaso’s for some outstanding baby clams and some fine veal parmigiana (they were out of lasagna which is just the best I’ve ever had) and I have to text PJ to tell him thanks for the recommendation.

And since PJ knows every good restaurant in the league it seems I had to ask him for something small and good in Phoenix in case Pizzeria Bianco is just appetizers.

What’s he give me?

Tommaso’s Phoenix.

Maybe they’ll have lasagna.

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Comments

[DaveB]

The Raptors record last year was 22–43. After this road trip it will be interesting to see where they sit. With them playing the Ben Uzoh's of the world to finish the season last year it seems they haven't made great progress. Let's hope they play the rookies to see what they have because that is where their progress for next year will have to come from. Changing pieces in the summer for similar pieces won't put them in a great position.

[Gerry Tanner]

Was wondering why Rodman was getting air time myself. Speaking of air time, why all the "Talk Radio" show clones showing up on TV. Maybe its because I live in Halifax, but I have never heard of any of these guys, and listening to them makes me think there is a reason why.
Gerry T.

[Anthony]

Love the blog. For Phoenix eats, check out ESPN Keith Law personal blog (http://meadowparty.com/blog/). He rates all of the restaurants around the Scottsdale/Phoenix area.

[J]

Oh, but you know if someone didn't cover Rodman, fans would be all up in arms about how the media has been paid off and doesn't ask the tough, important questions. =P

[james]

I'm going to assume the IGBT starts at 7:30.

Blogger's note: Pacific time, yes

[doug]

I am for WBC but i think it's timing isn't the greatest as it truly disrupts spring training...be interesting to see injury factor as season progresses....also it's bizarre that Russell Martin wouldn't play for Canada as he couldn't play shortstop, I don't get that it mystifies me as he is a catcher...Canadian players are just as confused i read....ok cheers...

[GM]

Interesting stats from Memphis, according to their TV crew. Since the Rudy Gay trade, the Grizzlies have been averaging the 4th most assists in the league. Before the trade they were 25th. Coincky-dink? It would be interesting to see what the Raptors have been pre- and post-trade. Anyone want to do the grunt work on that?

Another (possibly) telling stat: Since the trade, the Grizz have been shooting .460 as a team. Before the trade? .440.

[Avinash]

What an exciting life you lead Doug! When I'm done with my midlife crisis, I wanna be just like you! :-)

[Peter]

I will rarely argue with networks airing things, there are enough channels out there that it's not like we only have one news channel and millions of people will miss legitimate news if Rodman goes on the airwaves.

The problem I have is if the people take Rodman's word over the words of their government, or independent reporters who have a much better grasp of the situation.

The slight validity to the news story (the fact that a U.S. citizen spent time with the leader of North Korea) could be vastly outweighed if people begin to take Rodman's words as an unbiased, accurate, and complete view of the situation.

[M]

I have about as much trust in the American government as I do in Dennis Rodman, in fact, I think the Amrican gov't IS the Dennis Rodman of world politics.

[Bruce Clark]

Douglas, you will have to take back all those nasty things you said about Dennis when he wins the Nobel Peace Prize. I can see him now at the award ceremony tails, piercings, tattoos.

[sportschic]

Hi Doug - sorry to hear about the cuts at the Star. I imagine it's a little difficult to be on the road and find out that some of your colleagues have been delivered some bad news.

Blogger's note: Thanks, was a tough day back there