What Fernando Valenzuela Meant To Me

Fernando Valenzuela passed away this week.  He was 64 years old.  That’s a fairly young age to have shuffled off this mortal coil. I say this because I’m 56 with creaky knees, a bad back and a permanently receded hairline.  Continue reading What Fernando Valenzuela Meant To Me

The Lost Art of the Start

Major League Baseball once again made history while no one noticed. The Houston Astros had a no-hitter the other night!  In the Game Four of the World Series no less! And we barely celebrated.  Womp womp! There are a few Continue reading The Lost Art of the Start

The Snell Hook and the Cash Bash: How Sabermetrics ruined by World Series

“I’m not dispelling analytics.  I think it’s a great tool… but it shouldn’t be the script.” Former MLB pitcher, AL Leiter You already know where this (bitter, cranky, what-in-the-world-was-he-thinking) post is going, i.e., the inexplicable, premature pulling of Blake Snell Continue reading The Snell Hook and the Cash Bash: How Sabermetrics ruined by World Series

SportsChump’s Long-Awaited Return… to Baseball

One of my best friend’s father passed away not long ago. When you get to be my age, you’ll find there’s a lot of that going around. His, like mine, was a baseball family. Ours from the northeast, his from Continue reading SportsChump’s Long-Awaited Return… to Baseball

Cubbies-Tribe: The Something’s Gotta Give Series

I’ve been watching baseball a long time.  Not so much recently but like every red-blooded American, I grew up in a baseball household. Let’s just say in my lifetime, the Cubs and Indians have never been good.  Don’t get me Continue reading Cubbies-Tribe: The Something’s Gotta Give Series

Delving into my love/hate relationship with the New York Mets

A strange thing happened on the way to growing up.  And it happened on October 25, 1986. It may not have been my first real heartbreak but it sure as hell stung like it. But we have to go farther Continue reading Delving into my love/hate relationship with the New York Mets

The Band Wagon Overfloweth

“Y’know, one day, Tito Puente will be dead, and you’ll say, “Oh, I’ve been listening to him for years, and I think he’s fabulous.” Bill Murray as John Winger in Stripes   Be careful what you wish for, America, because Continue reading The Band Wagon Overfloweth

Book Review: You Can’t Make This Up by Al Michaels and L. Jon Wertheim

Dominique Wilkins recently told of his early days in the NBA and the first time he had to play against Larry Bird.  Laughing as he reminisced, ‘Nique said the trash-talking that came out of Bird was like nothing he had Continue reading Book Review: You Can’t Make This Up by Al Michaels and L. Jon Wertheim

Manti Te’o is a little slow and other reasons we sports fans need to reassess our priorities

“You may have never set foot in McDonald’s but you have your own McDonald’s. Maybe instead of buying a Big Mac, you read Us Weekly.  Hey, that’s still McDonald’s.  It’s just served up a little different.”

Ebbs and woes: Tim Tebow, Tony LaRussa, Kim Kardashian, Eagles, Saints, college football realignment and Big Foot

“We live in a cynical world, filled with tough competitors.” – Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire