Sports Ramblings

Brett Favre
The big news in sports this week was Brett Favre not playing this week, ending his consecutive starts streak at 297 games.  This has caused plenty of discussion of which is more impressive, his streak or Cal Ripken’s.  I personally feel that Ripken’s streak is more impressive.  He played in 2632 straight games.  Baseball may not be a contact sport, but you play almost everyday for a long portion of the year.  Football is sixteen games and played one each week (you obviously know this).  Ripken’s record will most likely never be touched.  Aside from injuries, you have to continue to play at a certain level during that time, a very tough thing to do.

The football people kept saying that Favre’s record will never be touched.  Umm, Peyton Manning is at 205 consecutive starts.  Why is it impossible to think that he might not come close?  Also, how come these are the only two streaks in the debate?  What about Doug Jarvis playing 964 hockey games?  That is a contact sport and you play more games per year than football.  To me, it seems more insane that a hockey player could go that long without some kind of game missed.  Maybe some hockey people can weigh in for me.

Baseball
Cliff Lee turned down a bunch of money from the Yankees and Rangers in order to go back to Philadelphia.  As most of you know, I hate Philadelphia, but I am happy for them at the moment.  It will be cool to see Halladay/Lee/Oswalt/Hamels pitch together.  How weird is it that Cole Hamels is now a fourth starter.  A few years ago he was on his way to being an ace, hell is still better than most teams first starter, especially the Pirates.

Speaking of the Pirates, they made huge news today by signing Lyle Overbay!!!  Oh wait, that is not huge news.  My bad.  Offord had some nice things to say about it over at the Pancake.  Overbay is a better option at first than Garrett Jones, but he is pretty bad against LHP.  If they use him in a platoon with Steve Pearce, it might actually work.  Ryan does not like this idea, but then again Ryan usually thinks guys will revert back to their best season ever when they come to the Pirates.

Fantasy Football
Last year I finished in last place of the league I am in with Offord and Ryan.  This year I decided to pay attention more and finish somewhere above last.  I ended up finishing the regular season in third place and took on Ryan in the first round of the playoffs.

My team was on fire.  Greg Jennings, Dwayne Bowe, Brandon Lloyd.  Those three WRs were racking up points every week for me.  Then this week they decided to absolutely suck.  Two QBs get hurt and those guys total for like eight points.  The funny thing is that the majority of my team is made up of guys from trades I made with Ryan.  Throughout the year he gave me Michael Vick, LT, Thomas Jones, and Jennings.  It sucks that I lost, but I am happy with my year.

Speaking of fantasy football.  I challenge you all to a bowl game challenge.

Author: Ngewo

7 thoughts on “Sports Ramblings

  1. You’re right, I do think that most players we sign could revert to the best season of their career. This is not a case of extended reality or delusional circumstance; it is a personal optimism I choose to start the Major League Baseball season with thinking (nay, hoping!) that all teams are 0-0 and have an equal opportunity to achieve greatness by the end of the season, including my beloved Pittsburgh Pirates.

    But, then April rolls around, and all of my optimism is steadily deflated with every 86 mph fastball our staff “ace” Maholm throws to overly salivating right handed hitters of the NL Central.

    So, I thank Neil Huntington for once again bringing some existant light into the dimness that is my baseball fanhood, and igniting my unrealistic December hopes in the form of a flickering flame named Overbay; before it is snuffed out completely by the overly pragmatic (offord) June Pirates fan

  2. hahahha, this is one of the best comments of all time. thank you.

    i used to have that kind of optimism, but it has slowly been chiseled away (thanks Jeromy Burnitz!)

  3. 1. Obviously, playing 964 straight hockey games is a bit more difficult than QB-ing 16 games a season. And, since it is safe to say that you are much more of a “baseball guy” than I, I will agree that Ripken’s streak will not be equaled. (If for no other reason than the economics of modern sports.) That said, I’m sure you’ll agree that the streak went more than a few games longer than it should have been allowed to, to the detriment of the Orioles.

    My biggest fear, though, is that now that egotist jackoff Favre will feel the need to break Manning’s streak (and then his own), thereby never going away.

    2. I don’t share your hatred for Philthydelphia, but I am happy to see an athlete, still with some game left, leaving money on the table to sign with another team. Some rotation that’s going to be.

    3. Overbay!!! Finally THE piece of the puzzle. Hopefully my high hopes and optimism will last until May this season.
    Pride. Passion. Pittsburgh Pirates.

  4. May? Please.

    I almost forgot to mention this… lost in the horrendous Overbay signing – I am reading that Scott F’ing Olsen is all but guaranteed a rotation spot. To quote some 12 year old girl.. “like, OMG!” Couldn’t we have put that 5 million into like.. anyone else? If Scott Olsen is in the opening day rotation I give up.

    I do like the Kevin Korea signing though.

  5. wait! wait! wait! Sooooo, you dislike the overbay signing…someone with a successful track record and gold glove capabilities at his position; but, you like a pitcher for 8 million dollars who has pitched 8 seasons and had 1 decent season as a starter. Let’s rewind that: “…you like a pitcher for 8 million dollars who has pitched 8 seasons and had 1 decent season as a starter.”

    Last year, his ERA was higher than every Pirates starter except for Duke…so ya, there’s some bragging rights. On top of that, he was in the most friendly pitchers ball park in the majors.

    So, look at the bright side, this signing makes perfect sense for the Pirates! Give me a tepid pitcher who can’t pitch himself out of a wet paper bag in a muggy, hot, pitchers friendly environment. But, Booooo!!! on the Gold Glove caliber proven veteran who can hit in the middle of the line up and offer that veteran leadership our young guys need. Boooo!

    So go to hell Overbay! You and that huge mit of yours. That glove that caresses balls in the dirt more lovingly than a nursing baboon mother, who could catch bee-bee’s easier than Ryan “No Mit” Doumit could catch a cold, and who will spank that ball off the Clemente wall harder than a dominatrix! Damn you Overbay! Damn you!

    Instead give the guy Offord thinks is named after a country and an ERA higher than Bill Gates savings account! Woot! Definitely Pirates stategery (that’s right strategery) at its best! WOOT!

  6. He IS named after a country. His parents just got the spelling wrong.

    His TOTAL contract is 8 million, but that is over 3 years. He is make 2 mill less than Overbay for a team that needs pitching a lot more than hitting.

    He explained why he had a tough year last year, some kind of personal stuff I don’t remember, so if he puts it all back together he should be back to his 2009 form. I think we have a lot more mediocre 1B/RF in the system than MLB ready SP. Can you argue that point?

    By the way, how is Nate Mclouth doing?

  7. it was a 2 year contract at 8 million…which is still more money than we will be paying overbay over 2 years…since he is only with us for 1, ha! And I don’t care about McLouth, he’s a brave.

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