GIANTS REVIEW: DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE?

According to SF Giants beat writer Andy Baggarly the Giants may assign the following prospects to San Jose to start the season:

Madison Bumgerner, LHP
Tim Alderson, RHP
Buster Posey, C
Angel Villalona, 1B
Nick Noonan, 2B
Conor Gilaspie, 3B

Are you kidding me? That's six of the Giants top ten prospects!! This would make me more interested in the fortunes of the San Jose Giants than the San Francisco Giants, at least for the first month of the year. After that, Alderson, Posey and Gilaspie may be moved up to AA Connecticut.
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RHP Kelvin Pichardo may have committed career suicide with his 50 game suspension. Kelvin was a borderline prospect to begin with so this does not help in any way.
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The Giants acquired RHP Hector Correa from the Marlins for catcher Ronny Paulino who had previously been acquired from the Phillies for LHP Jack Taschner. Good move, Taschner was not going to be on the early roster and there are plenty of lefties especially if Lowry is as sound as he appears so far.

Correa, 21, was the 3rd-best prospect in the New York Penn League in 2007. Originally a 4th round pick in the 2006 Draft by Florida. He is 6-3, 165 and is considered a legitimate prospect, although he has been bothered by some arm injuries in the past.

Baseball America had this to say about Correa, who they ranked as Marlin's 22nd best prospect:

Correa ranked right behind Mike Stanton and Gaby Sanchez at No. 13 on this list a year ago, but he mistakenly tried to extend that momentum by pitching through a shoulder problem that wound up costing him four months of mound time in 2008. His rehab path was bumpy at times, though for the most part he showed the necessary discipline. Team officials believe he learned his lesson after trying to conceal an injury. Correa manged to return for a fall minicamp and showed only slightly diminished velocity. Intead of humming fastballs at 91-94 MPH and touching 95 MPH like he had in 2007, he worked mostly at 90-92. He has a low-80's slider that shows good bite, but he remains more comfortable using a changeup that shows excellent action. The shoulder problems came as a surprise because he has a loose arm and smooth, easily repeatable delivery, which allows him to throw strikes. his frame is lean and projectable. He's a good athlete with plus makeup. Correa will open his third straight season in low Class A, with hopes of finally advancing in 2009.

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Back to the big club. The remaining issues to be ironed out seem to be centered around 2B and the corner positions. Travis Ishakawa seems to have made the most of his opportunity at 1B and Pablo Sandoval continues to hit wherever he goes. Rule 5 3B Jesus Guzman is pushing for a spot on the roster as well with his bat. Manny Burris may be pushing ahead of Kevin Frandsen at 2B. More versatile. This would leave Eugenio Velez's chances of sticking relatively low. Maybe a fifth OF?

Former White Sox 3B-SS Juan Uribe is making a late push and if he does you wonder if that leaves room for Rich Aurilia.

The pitching staff seems set.

Starting Pitchers:
Lincecum
Randy Johnson
Matt Cain
Barry Zito
Sanchez or Lowry

This order would be a plus as well and if that's the case, advantage Sanchez over Lowry. Zito - Lowry back to back is too much of the same kind. Two lefthanded "finesse" pitchers back to back may give the fans whiplash watching all the bombs flying out of the yard.

Finesse is one of the terms for a pitcher where it could be a compliment or a curse.
A compliment is the Jamie Moyer - Greg Maddux examples. A curse when it's a polite way of saying the dude just throws oozing pus.

Here's how the bullpen appears to shake out:

Brian Wilson, Closer
Bobby Howry, RH Set up
Jeremy Affeldt, LH Set Up
Merken Valdez
Alex Hinshaw
Luis Perdomo
Billy Sadler ??? May be odd man out.

Still shapes up as a weak offensive team with potentially solid pitching. A team that may struggle to keep its head above .500 and worst case sinks to the bottom of the division to keep the Padres company.

MARCH MADNESS BACK IN THE PICTURE

Well, after what seemed to be a disaster weekend, Team The Slav is back in the picture. We moved up to 13th out of 42 participants in our pool. Of the players who picked North Carolina to win it all, I have the second highest "Best Score" remaining, so we could place after all.

I have only 42 correct so far, but I have the potential to get the final three games correct and run the table with the UConn-UNC final plus the UNC as champions combo.

Team BHO appears to have hit the skids. Like myself Team BHO has North Carolina going all the way. BHO got hurt by Louisville getting dumped as well as Memphis loss. Missouri I would guess hurt a lot of people. Oklahoma hurt, but was a fairly popular Final Four pick and some even picked them to go all the way.

I still need the UConn-UNC final to elevate, but I'm feeling pretty good about that. Depends on how much Michigan State can harass UConn point guards. If the Huskies get set up, well, drum roll please, Thabeet rolls on!!!!
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Villanova needs to slow down UNC point guard Ty Lawson as well. They should take a look at the model of the Villanova championship year team style. Slow it down, grind it out, milk every possession and hit your shots.

MARCH CANDIDATE(S) FOR COACH OF THE YEAR

I had a really tough time with this one with two great candidates. But the solution was easy, co-winners.

FROM MARCH MADNESS TO FILLING SANDBAGS IN FARGO N.D.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/03/25/sports/BKC-Tim-Dahlberg-032509.php

1st Candidate: Coach Saul Phillips, North Dakota State basketball coach.

Thousands of people from all walks of life, many of them with vivid memories of the disastrous 1997 floods, are racing around the clock to keep the city dry. With school canceled, students are stacking sandbags, while others are taking time off from work to do what they can to help.

Working right alongside them, shovel for shovel, are coach Saul Phillips and the Bison basketball team.

The coaches quote at the end of the story says it all and transcends wins and losses.

"If this is our country's future," Phillips said, "then we're in awfully good shape."

We hear a lot about spoiled, self indulgent, self centered athletes at this level and beyond.

We hear a lot about the missteps and mistakes that go with competing in this type of high stakes, big money atmosphere.

We generally do not hear enough about kids like this, doing things like this. Humble service to their community in its time of need.

The North Dakota State fans provided support to he team in its time of need and the players are now able to return the favor. They will learn more and gain more value out of the work they are doing at home than they could have learned if they were still playing in the tournament.

Great job Coach Phillips.
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KANELAND H.S.(IL) BASEBALL HONORS TEAMMATE:
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=281987

PHOTO GALLERY FROM DAILY HERALD:
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=281983

2nd Candidate: Brian Aversa, Kaneland High School, baseball coach

The sun made an appearance in Maple Park only moments after the Kaneland baseball team honored a fallen son.

"It didn't feel whole out there today," Kaneland coach Brian Aversa said. "We felt like we were missing something."

After a pre-game ceremony in which the Knights retired the No. 41 jersey of Jeff Malewig, Kaneland put on a near-flawless performance against visiting Burlington Central Thursday afternoon.

Jeff Smith and Steve Colombe combined on a 3-hit shutout as the Knights opened the season with a 6-0 victory over the Rockets.

Malewig and fellow senior Blake Denton were killed in car accident last December while on the way to school.

Malewig would have been the starting second baseman for the Knights this spring, and one of many tributes to his memory was the team vacating his position in the top of the first inning.

From my experience as a coach I know that many times you get tunnel vision and so immersed in wins and losses and competing for championships that you forget what is really important in life. The Kaneland baseball family suffered a loss greater than any they will suffer from an opponent this year: the loss of a player.

Kudos to Coach Aversa for allowing his players and school to take the time to honor and remember their teammate.
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So now there are four:

So here we go, the early candidates for Coach of the Year:
January - JEREMY CIVELLO, DALLAS ACADEMY (TX) HS
February - DAVE ROHLMAN, DEKALB (IL) HS
March - SAUL PHILLIPS, NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
March - BRIAN AVERSA, KANELAND (IL) HS

SAD NEWS: ALYSHEBA DIES AT AGE OF 25

ALYSHEBA - 1987 KENTUCKY DERBY WIN

Gallant son of the another all-time great, Alydar out of Bel Sheba. One of the more thrilling Derby finishes in history. Alysheba stumbled down the stretch, was nearly bumped in traffic and yet still thundered down the stretch to take the victory away from Bet Twice. A true champion.

Ranked #42 on the Blood-Horse Magazine Top 100 Horses of the 20th Century

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood-Horse_magazine_List_of_the_Top_100_U.S._Racehorses_of_the_20th_Century

SPEAKING WORDS OF WISDOM.....

It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning. - Henry Ford

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FROM THE MOUTHS OF FORMER COMMUNISTS: (speaking about the US stimulus package and bank bailouts)

"Widening budget deficit and protectionist trade measures — such as the "Buy America" — all of these steps, these combinations and permanency is the way to hell. We need to read the history books and the lessons of history and the biggest success of the (EU) is the refusal to go this way. Americans will need liquidity to finance all their measures and they will balance this with the sale of their bonds but this will undermine the stability of the global financial market" - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country currently holds the EU presidency

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INTERESTING POLL FROM RASMUSSEN REPORTS:

While a great deal of public anger is focused at corporate executives these days, Johnny Depp and the Boys of Summer don’t fare much better. Thirty percent (30%) of Americans believe the government should make it illegal to pay movie stars and athletes more than $1 million per year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 59% oppose government pay limits for film stars and jocks.

There is a more support—but not much more--for capping the pay of corporate executives. Thirty-six percent (36%) say the federal government should make it illegal to pay any executive more than $1 million a year. The majority (54%), however, disagree.

Here you can see where things that happen in the political arena can have a spillover into sports and entertainment. Once the demonization genie is let out of the bottle it is difficult to get him back in or control the future victims he goes after. The Law of Unintended Consequences and all....Is this the type of change we were looking for? Be careful what you wish for.
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JAPAN DEFEATS KOREA; DEFENDS WBC TITLE

Congratulations to Japan for successfully defending their WBC title over Korea.
They now move up in the International rankings posted by the International Baseball Federation. I'm not sure I quite understand how Korea--who lost to Japan--seemingly
leap-frogs ahead of Japan and the USA into second place.

The ultimate hope and expectation from those in MLB's executive suite is that the fan interest and passion exhibited by Korea--whose fans packed an empty stadium to watch a televised game--is passed to mainland China. There is reasonable cause for hope given the level of play demonstrated by Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei.

In addition, we see efforts to at least attempt to introduce the game to the cricket-based India. I'm not sure they will have the same success here as they might in China, but at least they are making the effort.

Japan moves to No. 3 in the IBAF World Rankings following WBC win
Cuba still No. 1; USA falls to fourth
Please follow the link below to view the International Baseball Federation's updated World Rankings, through the 2009 World Baseball Classic (March 24).

http://www.ibaf.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Files_-_world_rankings/2009_IBAF_World_Rankings_March.htm

With Japan's World Baseball Classic victory, it moves to No. 3 in the world. Cuba holds on to the No. 1 position and Korea moves past the USA into second. The new top 10 is as follows:

1. Cuba
2. Korea
3. Japan
4. USA
5. Chinese Taipei
6. Netherlands
7. Mexico
8. Canada
9. Australia
10. Puerto Rico

The IBAF debuted its World Rankings earlier this year in January. Developed in conjunction with Scott Goode, a sports information director from Harding University (Arkansas, USA), the rankings are based on a point total which IBAF member federations (teams) earn from IBAF-sanctioned events in a four-year window, or a period of time that encompasses two IBAF Baseball World Cups.

Teams earn points based on their finish in an event. A tournament winner takes home 50 points, second place, 40; third place, 30; and fourth place, 15. From there, points are divided evenly among the remaining teams in the event to ensure balance between tournaments that feature different-sized fields.

Once points are rewarded based on a team’s finish, that amount is then multiplied by a number based on the strength of the event. Major world championships, such as an Olympic Games, IBAF Baseball World Cup or World Baseball Classic, all receive 4X multipliers. Minor world championship events (Junior, Youth or FISU University Worlds, or the Honkbol Tournament, for example) have a 1X multiplier, and all other continental championships receive multipliers from 1X-.25X based on how many teams in the top-10 of the current IBAF World Rankings compete in the event.

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MORE MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM IBAF REGARDING THE WBC:

GROWTH AT THE GRASSROOTS: Forbes.com’s Tom VanRiper looked at the growth of grassroots play increasing because of the down economy…”Thanks to the aching economy, the expensive summer vacation is out for many families around the country. A quiet beneficiary: youth baseball, a declining sport now enjoying a recession-induced resurgence. Following years of steady decline, organizations from Little League to Tee Ball USA to the Connie Mack league are generating more sign-ups in 2009, thanks to the financial downturn…Tee Ball leagues, have seen a 10% to 15% surge in inquiries and sign-ups this year...it's the same story for the American Amateur Baseball Congress, which counts Connie Mack, Mickey Mantle and several other youth and adult leagues under its umbrella. After suffering a steady decline in registration over the past 12 years, from 300,000 players in 1997 to 200,000 in 2008…elsewhere, Pony baseball and softball, an independent national affiliation group that organizes local teams around the country, expects a 6% to 8% increase in registrations this year after several down years, according to president Abraham Key….Also spurring more interest around the country: ESPN's increased coverage of the Little League World Series, which now includes a plethora of tournament games (once upon a time, ABC televised only the finals).” (Forbes.com)

APATHY IN THE U.S.? USA TODAY’s Jorge Ortiz notes ESPN’s ratings for the WBC are “about 30% higher than in 2006, and ticket sales for the first round were up 38% compared with the inaugural event.” However, U.S. fans’ “lack of enthusiasm for the WBC, especially in comparison to their counterparts from other countries, has been a running theme.” Members of Team USA are “puzzled by the lack of support," and they hope their 6-5 bottom-of-the-ninth win over Puerto Rico Tuesday at Dolphin Stadium “wins some disbelievers” (USA TODAY, 3/19). ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian said after the U.S.' win over Puerto Rico, “Anyone who wasn’t onboard with the (WBC) is now officially onboard.” Kurkjian said when you “see those guys celebrating like that on the field after the game, please don’t tell me that they don’t care” (“Baseball Tonight,” ESPN, 3/18). ESPN's Jim Rome: “That was the shot of adrenalin that the WBC needed” (“Jim Rome Is Burning,” ESPN, 3/18).

INT'L INTRIGUE: The AP’s Tim Dahlberg wrote under the header, “Some Countries Care More About Outcome Than Others.” Team USA was always going to “have difficulty with teams that really seem to care about whether they win or not,” including Team Cuba and Team Venezuela. Parity “reigns in the WBC," as the “best players play in the U.S. because that’s where the money is, but three out of every 10 of them hail from somewhere else.” To them, the WBC “means something” (AP, 3/18). In Miami, Linda Robertson noted during U.S.-Puerto Rico, “two thirds of the crowd was cheering madly for Puerto Rico, turning it into a road game for the U.S.” The large crowds at Dolphin Stadium during the second-round of the tournament “begs the question that has perplexed the Marlins for years: Why doesn’t South Florida’s heavily Hispanic population support the local team?” Team Puerto Rico fan Miguel Rivera: “With Puerto Rico and Venezuela, it’s different. You like to see the players from your country together on one team. It gets your heart racing” (MIAMI HERALD, 3/17).

CASTRO COMMENTS: “As expected, the Japan defeat elicited an essay from Fidel Castro on a government Web site late Thursday. The ailing, 82-year-old ceded the presidency to his brother Raul 13 months ago, but has written almost daily about the Classic -- previously heaping praise on Japan and Ichiro Suzuki, who went 2-for-5 in the second Cuba game. Castro called the Cuba WBC team "excellent ... made up of young athletes who, without a doubt, are a genuine representation of our country."But he also criticized the coaching staff and island sports officials in general, saying, "we have rested on our laurels and we are paying the price. "We must revolutionize the preparation methods of our athletes, not only in baseball but in all sports disciplines," Castro wrote. (AP)

MORE CALIFORNIA SUPPORT: “Frankly, those who don’t like the World Baseball Classic — those who disapprove of it because it takes players away from spring training and exposes them to injury and time missed from their big league clubs — are missing the point….Baseball needs the kind of boost the WBC provides. The crowds in Miami may have been small (after all, Miami has trouble getting people to even come watch the Marlins), but in San Diego, Petco Park was nearly full to see Mexico, Cuba, Japan and South Korea. Stadiums in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Japan were rocking in the earlier rounds. When the U.S. played Canada in Toronto, Rogers Centre was packed. The public’s imagination was caught when the Netherlands eliminated the Dominican Republic. Baseball needs a shot in the arm globally after being kicked out of the Olympics. The World Baseball Classic shows there is an appetite for the sport so that perhaps it can someday be added again. And cultivating interest worldwide can only help Major League Baseball.” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER)

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE: In N.Y., Joel Sherman wrote the "fervor for the WBC is overwhelming in the Far East and Latin America." Fervor "equals dollars via the worldwide appetite for all things baseball," and it "keeps expanding the pipeline of players around the globe." MLB wants to "make 1.2 billion Chinese care," so it is "easy to see why central baseball is so gung-ho about the WBC" (N.Y. POST, 3/14). Also in N.Y., Harvey Araton wrote under the header, "The Classic Is Taking Baseball To Another Level." The WBC offers the opportunity to see MLB players in "home country uniforms." Once every three years, Americans "can afford to view the game through a global lens," and fans "ought to for our own growth, and good" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/15). The N.Y. TIMES' Alan Schwarz writes WBC games are "quickly demonstrating how this tournament exists far less for the United States than for certain ingredients of its melting pot" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/17). YAHOO SPORTS' Jeff Passan writes, "This is what the World Baseball Classic should be." It is "almost as though the tournament prospers without the Americans." Last night's Venezuela-Puerto Rico game drew 25,599 to Dolphin Stadium, showing that the WBC "can succeed, and that was apparent from the voices, the claps, the cheers, the cries and the thank yous, all delivered by a people to whom this tournament really matters" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/17).

ARE THE DOLLAR'S DAYS NUMBERED?

THE FEDERAL RESERVE: DEBASING THE CURRENCY FOR OVER 95 YEARS

It seems like it is based on the following quote. The United Nations floated a similar proposal last week, so it seems like most of the world has been heard from.

Concerned about the role of a shaky U.S. in the global economy, China is calling for the creation of a new currency to replace the dollar as the world's standard. The proposal is unlikely to change the dollar's role in the short term because of enormous technical and political hurdles, but it underscores the increasingly assertive approach China is taking in shaping the global response to the financial crisis. Russia made a similar proposal earlier this month.

I'm not sure where Europe and Japan weigh in on this, however Japan cannot be happy with the Fed's "quantitative easing" policy that is hell bent on turning their considerable Treasury holding into deflated assets. Not a particularly good way to treat an ally or a trading partner.
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One of the themes of the Ron Paul candidacy that made sense was his position on the Federal Reserve. Here are some detail about this organization that should make American shudder.

END THE FED!
Sound Money for America

Positions:
1. The Federal Reserve is part of a PRIVATE BANK CARTEL and is completely
DEFIES U.S. sovereignty and its Constitution!
2. Since the inception of the Federal Reserve in 1913, the value (purchasing power) of the dollar has DROPPED NEARLY 96%!
3. No country in the history of the known world has every successfully used a fiat currency that didn't end in overinflationary dismay!

If we look at these numbers and apply the same type of statistical analysis that won Al Gore a Nobel prize for "proving" the existence of man-made global warming, we could reasonably conclude that the Federal Reserve is on a pace to destroy the dollar within another 5 years or so.

At that point, the dollar will no longer be "worth less" -- two words -- it will be "worthless" -- one word. We have been lulled into such a sense of comfort and complacency that we fail to see what is happening.
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THE MAN WHO PRESIDED OVER THE CREATION OF THE FED HAD IMMEDIATE BUYERS REMORSE:

"I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great
industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of
credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all
our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of
the worst ruled, on of the most completely controlled and dominated
governments in the civilized world. No longer a government by free
opinion, no longer a government by conviction and vote of majority, but
a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant
men."

- President Woodrow Wilson, regretting signing into law the Federal Reserve Act
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Why should these rants be important to Americans today? I don't know maybe the following quotes from the IMF:

The head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, warned that advanced nations will be hit by violent civil unrest if the elite continue to restructure the economy around their own interests while looting the taxpayer. Strauss-Kahn’s comments echo those of others who have cautioned that civil unrest could arise, specifically in the U.S., as a result of the wholesale looting of the taxpayer and the devaluation of the dollar.

How long will it be before Americans realize the looming specter of hyperinflation spells disaster for their life savings? How long will it be before we see rioting in the streets on a par with the scenes witnessed in Iceland over the weekend, where the Icelandic krona has lost half its value in a matter of weeks?

If this happens, make sure you have sufficient stocks of gold, lead (bullets) and Campbell's Soup.

WBC: JAPAN ELIMINATES U.S.A.

I hate to say I told you so but--NO strike that--I actually love to say I told you so. It just pains me to do it under these circumstances. DAVEY JOHNSON, Team USA Manager - This one is for you. I TOLD YOU SO!!!!


I posted this on my Facebook site March 19th. And just about every other non-Yankee acolyte knew that this would be the nail in the coffin for Team USA.

JIMMY ROLLINS SHOULD START AT SHORTSTOP FOR TEAM USA. THIS ISN'T THE YANKEES AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT DEREK'S FEELINGS. THESE GAMES COUNT.

So in the ultimate game that counts--an elimination game--we start Jeter at SS and DH Jimmy Rollins, a much better fielder. And a late Jeter error proves costly in allowing Japan to fend of a late Team USA rally.

The fact that Rollins goes 4-4 vs. Jeter's 1-4 is icing on the cake. I'm OK with both bats being in the lineup.

Sucks that we lost but Thank God Derek F-ing Jeter's feelings were not bruised or otherwise damaged in the playing of this World Baseball Classic.

After all, that should be the important thing. Because what kind of a nation have we become when we hurt the feelings of the face of baseball?

Oh Slav, I'm detecting sarcasm.

Well you should because I'm laying it on a little thick.

THE MADNESS IS SLIPPING AWAY

Not a good weekend in the pool for Team The Slav. Our chances to win are slip sliding away. A 6-4 Saturday followed by a 5-1 Sunday leaves me mired in 28th among 41 in our pool.

Wake and West Virginia were predetermined losers going in. Washington losing to Purdue hurt early. I reached for Michigan over Oklahoma and they gave it a good effort. Wisconsin completed the carnage by realizing where they were.

The Baller in Chief made a startling comeback however. Congrats to Mr. President.
A 14-2 weekend leaves him 2 back. He would place 37th of our 41 bracketologists.

Can he catch Team The Slav? Given our respective remaining brackets, I believe he could tie but not overcome The Slav. It may come down to a tiebreaker. The Prez has Memphis over UConn. I went with the Huskies. I'm a bit worried here. He also has Louisville advancing to the Finals over my UConn. I need a Memphis choke job, I guess.

FIRST ROUND MADNESS

Well, the smoke has cleared a little bit as 1/2 the games are in the books.

We're in a pool where you get only one point and no bonus for the first round. I think it's time for a scoring update. The first round is all about picking the upset. After that it's just win, baby. But the charm of the first round is to be the one who had the stones to pick the potential Cinderella of the tournament. Why should picking a 1 vs. 16 match up give you the same points as going out on a limb and nailing that 5-12 upset or a 4 vs. 13? The first round points should be weighted to the size of the upset (i.e. if you pick a 12 to win over a five you get 7 points - 12 minus 5). If you pick the favorite you get 1 point.

In the subsequent rounds, if you pick that 12 to bounce a four, you get 16 points. The 12 minus 4 multiplied by 2 for Round 2. And so on down the line. If you pick the favorite, you just get 1 point in the 1st Round 2 points in the second round and so on.

Anyway, that's my rant for the day. Let's continue.

Team Obama picked 19 of the first 32 correct according to ESPN. I came in at 24 correct. That puts me in 18th place out of 39 office workers at my wife's firm. The Prognosticator in Chief would be DEAD LAST in my wife's office. This has not been a good week for the Comedian in Chief. First his misspeak on the Tonight Show reveals he would be a mediocre Special Olympics bowler. And now this.

Maybe as Coach Shisshevskivich, Coach Shhiskabob, aw heck Coach K from Duke said, he should concentrate more on the economy than brackets and comedy. I mean, poor Little Timmy Geithner doesn't even have anyone to get him coffee at the Treasury and we are in the middle of an economic meltdown and all. I'm not saying anything, I'm just saying.

The two tools I used to get my bracket right were as follows:

I looked at historical precedent dating back to 1985 and found in the first round teams seed 13-16 were very unlikely to win (39-345 record) and 10-12 seeds were pretty dicey as well (97-191). So there needs to be a compelling reason to pick them.

In the 2nd round same trend, 13-16 came in at (6-33) and 10-12 improved to (45-52). So I didn't go deeper than 13-16 in the first round. I have #12 Wisconsin winning another but that's it for the deep dogs.

In the Regional Round, Teams seeded 9th or higher get the boot. A (13-41) record will do that for you. Everybody else is in play..

In the Regional Finals, same thing. 9's and higher are (2-11) at this point.

In the Semis', anything higher than a #6 seed goes home (1-4). Fourth through six seeds are a combined (4-10) mostly due to the #4 seed (2-7) record. Seeds 1-3 are (41-34) not great, but not bad.

In the title game, 1 seeds are (14-9). After that, (10-15). So the higher seed is a 60-40 chance to win.

For the rest of the coin-toss games or where the historical precedent didn't lead me anywhere, I went with the Sheridan ratings. Dude is a 1970 MIT Mathematics graduate, so if I'm going to let anyone help me with my homework, it's going to be him.

I looked for game where the dog was better than the higher seed and went with it.

Arizona (15)was rated 83.01 vs. Utah (5) 85.38.
Southern Cal (10) was rated better than Boston College (7) by 84.36 to 82.63 plus they finished strong.
Maryland (10) was rated 82.83 vs California (7) 85.21 plus you have tradition and coaching on your side.
Wisconsin (12) was even with Florida State (5) 84.78 to 85.35. Close enough and I like Bo Ryan as a coach.
Michigan (10) was 83.85 vs. Clemson (7) at 87.36, so that was worth the try.

Minnesota (10) vs. Texas (7) didn't some through but Minnesota was 84.52 vs. Texas 85.15. It was worth a try.
Butler was rated higher than LSU by 84.47 - 83.59 and I liked their style of play so it was worth a try even though it didn't work.

Still a basket here or there and maybe I'm questioning the methodology. But it seems like a basket cost me at least two W's.

But that's what makes horse races. And March Madness.

Hopefully the methodology works in the later rounds. I think I went to much with the favorites down the road and that will come back to bite me. No real Cinderellas. I did like North Dakota State but they got a tough draw with Kansas in the Opening Round. Welcome to the NCAA Tournament fellas.

HOW THE GOVERNMENT BALANCES IT'S BUDGET

This is how the Governor balances his budget (on the backs of the taxpayers):

Governor Pat Quinn announced his budget plan for Illinois
yesterday. The plan includes a 50% increase in the state
income tax, a $1-a-pack increase in cigarette taxes, higher
business taxes, and steeper fees for car registrations and
driver's licenses.

The way local government is doing it is to smooth the drop in property
values (the basis for the tax) by changing the methodology
from using "most recent sale" (which accelerated
the increase on the way up) to "3-year average"
(to slow the descent on the way down).

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=279203

Borderline Fraudulent? You decide. When property values were skyrocketing
they were able to update value based on most recent sales. Now that
they are sinking like a 401K, they want to keep the higher values in there
as long as possible.

Funny how the lower values were not locked in as long as possible
on the way up, which would have been a tax break to residents.

THE MADNESS BEGINS

We are off to a flying start. At least we beat the Bracketologist in Chief on the first day. President Obama apparently scored only 11 winners on the first day. I had 12. So now, I feel like I want to not just win my pool but to at least do better than the President. Then I'll take on the financial crisis. WTF nobody else seems to be able to solve the crisis.

Anyway, if the Wisconsin Badgers can defeat Florida State, which I feel good about, I'll have nailed the two (5-12) upsets. Arizona over Utah is already in the books.

Also, nailed down three of the four (7-10) splits. Only a razor thin victory by Texas over Minnesota prevented a clean sweep. And I had all four as upsets.

On the pain side of the ledger, West Virginia hurt big (Sweet Sixteen). Kids must want to get away from Huggins by this point in the season. Illinois tanked before Western Kentucky. Come on guys, that is WEAK.

I had Butler over LSU, BYU over Texas A&M and Tennessee over Oklahoma State in a massacre of the (8-9) match ups.

I need Wisconsin to win bad since I have them winning two. And it looks like Wake Forest is going to put Cleveland State back on the map, trailing big early. I have them winning two as well. Way to go Demon Dufuses.

Oh well, it's not like I have any money at risk. This is just for recreational purposes anyway. ; ;

LET THE (MARCH) MADNESS BEGIN

But first a tip of the cap to the under-loved March tournaments.

IN THE WBC:

We're down to the Final Four and my bracket is toast.

Japan finished it's single handed demolition of my tournament favorite Cuba by shutting out the Cigars for the second time in the tournament.

Japan now faces Korea for the right to play second ranked U.S team. Venezuela gets the loser of the Asian World Series having dispatched the U.S. 10-6 in a game played only for seeding purposes.

The U.S. team is battling injuries and showing a Dream Team like tendency to try and turn the effort and intensity on and off like a light switch. This combination is a recipe for elimination. But what do I know, I had them bounced before this.

Japan seems to want to defend their title and culturally they will fall on their sword to win. And according to one senator, they might just do the same with an apology chaser if they lose. Seppuku (切腹, or "stomach-cutting") is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment that used to be performed by their warriors after battlefield losses. So that would be nice theater. Hey, come to the ballpark - see a potential suicide.

So, I guess Japan becomes my new favorite from here on out.
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IN THE NIT:

Baylor has already ruined my NIT bracket by defeating one of my final favorites Georgetown in the FIRST ROUND. Thanks Baylor, good luck the rest of the way you rat bastards. I should have known Georgetown would lay down and not play. Probably disappointed they didn't make the NCAA tournament, which is a vexing problem for the NIT poo-bahs. Maybe the Hoyas should have made sure their opponents didn't out-rebound them over the course of the season. Rebounding and defense are all about work ethic and the Hoyas surprisingly lacked that this season.

Now I have to root on my other final favorite Miami and their NBA-quality long distance sharp-shooter Jack McClinton. Hopefully the 'Canes don't lie down like dogs as well.

My final four was Miami - Notre Dame and Georgetown - St. Mary's so we'll see how it plays out. St. Mary's has to possibly get by Washington State in the first round (no easy deal) and then tournament darling Stephan Curry and Davidson in the second round, so we'll see. My bet was they would play hard. This is their NCAA tournament.

Notre Dame is a threat to puke up a bad game at any time. Miami has a tough road in their bracket with Florida and Penn State as potential later opponents.
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AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST - THE NCAA TOURNAMENT:

Again, as last year, pretty close to the vest.

I have Louisville, UConn, Pitt and North Carolina in the Final Four.

I'm already thinking I made a mistake not advancing Memphis over UConn.

Most of my upsets are in the first round.

I have Wisconsin advancing further than most, winning not just over Florida State in the (5-12) match up but again over Xavier in the second round. I added Arizona over Utah in another (5-12) upset.

I took Butler over LSU in the first round for a mild (8-9) upset. I went Minnesota (10) over Texas (7) as well. And Michigan over Clemson in another (7-10) upset.

And I have Southen Cal over Boston College (7-10) and Maryland over California (7-10) upset.

Marquette and Illinois make me nervous in the first round and I have Syracuse winning three times. That may be a killer as well.

I do have UNC winning it all. So I agree with the President in this important national matter. Hopefully, Lawson's toe holds up.

LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!!!

FROM THE WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP FILES

This is not the way Adam Wadell from Wyoming wanted to get on ESPN but I guess as long as they spell your name right it's all good, right?

Dude picks himself off and blows past his concerned teammate like a cat that falls off the TV. "Yeah, I'm alright dude. I MEANT to do that."

Sure dude, everyone that dunks looks like they almost broke their freaking neck on the landing. The paramedics were racing to the court before you got up.

Of course it has to be a white guy. It's reverse racism, I tell ya. HAHAHAHAHA. Reinforces all those stereotypes about white guys and basketball. Most of them true, by the way.

Glad he is all right, otherwise I'd feel bad about showing it and making fun at his expense, but wait until he gets back to campus.

THANK YOU BEN BERNANKE!!!

Why it is OK for Congress to waste taxpayer money at the rate of 1% but when AIG wastes it at the rate of 0.10% the hypocrites on the public payroll get their little panties in a twist? It seems like the crooks at AIG are at least ten times better at avoiding wasteful spending then Congress.

Maybe Congress should learn some lessons here on how to waste less of our money. Another dog and pony show meant to distract attention and confuse the masses about where the blame lies for some of this economic mess we are in.

From Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in the debate about passage of the $787 Billion stimulus package which included approximately $8 Billion in "pork" spending or earmarks.

“And let me say this to all of the chattering class that so much focuses on those little, tiny, yes, porky amendments, the American people really don’t care.”
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These idiots showed the ultimate contempt for the taxpayer as well as no inclination to tighten their belts or balance their budget during a crisis. But it doesn't stop them from asking others to do so.

AIG received about $170 billion in government funds under the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. The company is under fire because of $220 million paid out as retention bonuses, including $165 million recently paid under contracts concluded last year.

From Rep. Paul Kanjosrksi (D-PA):

"Something is seriously out of whack and AIG needs to fix it now. We face the most challenging economy since the Great Depression [of the 1930s]. Many have made personal sacrifices to survive these difficult times. AIG and its employees should do the same," he said.

WORDS TO LIVE BY, PERHAPS CONGRESS SHOULD LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

And it wouldn't hurt for Congress to admit to a mea culpa here and there for their role in getting into this mess. To hear most of them talk, they made absolutely no mistakes. NOT ONE.

Thankfully Ben Bernanke seems to be taking the reins. I'm starting to gain more confidence in him then the numb skulls in Congress and the Administration.

Philosophically, I am nearly violently opposed to the Fed. But in this crisis, it seems like Bernanke is the veteran leader that can steer the ship through these turbulent waters.

GOD BLESS BEN BERNANKE AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Excuse me, the Comedian in Chief is taking credit for Bernanke's aggressive action in response to the crisis. By the way, action that the market immediately saluted.

That's how it works, the stock market looks forward not backward. And it weighs measures without regard to party. Most of these guys would get in bed with either party that could make them money. They don't see red or blue, or black or white. They just see green. And they react accordingly.

I believe John Galt is about to re-enter the building.

JIMMY ROLLINS / DICKS SPORTING GOODS COMMERCIAL

This may be the SECOND best baseball commercial of all-time.

Second only to the "Chicks dig the long ball" commercial. I know, I know. That one is forever stained by the subsequent steroid allegations, but in the context of the time and based on what we knew and believed to be true at the time, CDTLB is still #1.

But this one is pretty good too.

P.S. - I love the "Do not attempt" disclaimer that flashes ever so briefly on the screen. This is for the more "intellectually challenged" among us. Can't say the "R-" word anymore, but if you try this at home you have definitely earned a lifetime free pass on the short bus.

WBC ELITE EIGHT

BRACKET POSTED ON BLOG SITE "MIKE IS BORED"



The final eight teams in the 2009 World Baseball Classic were fairly predictable from the start minus the Dominican debacle. The Dutch play the role of Cinderella which, I suppose, is somewhat appropriate.

Cuba, Japan, Korea and Mexico will do battle in one Pool group.

I like Cuba to defeat Japan and advance to the Finals.

Puerto Rico, United States, Venezeula and the Flying Dutchmen compete in the other Pool.

Here I like Puerto Rico to defeat Venezeula and advance. The U.S. has the strongest team on paper. But as we all know, games are not played on paper--except for the greatest game ever invented, Strat-O-Matic baseball--they are played on grass, or inside domes or something.

Anyway, in a Puerto Rico vs. Cuba final, I would go for the Amazing Castros, plus or minus a defector or two. So the trophy sits on the bus in the seat assigned to the defector, who will be sunning himself on a beach in Nicaragua and listening to Scott Boras whispering sweet dollars in his ear.

SPEAKING WORDS OF WISDOM.....

REMEMBER THIS NEXT TIME YOU PAY YOUR TAXES:

"Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else." - Frederic Bastiat
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AND THIS ONE NEXT TIME AN OMNIBUS SPENDING BILL OR STIMULUS BILL IS IN THE NEWS:

"If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions." - James Madison
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FROM THE MOUTHS OF FORMER COMMUNISTS:

Coming from, first, Europe and, second, from a former communist country.......I almost don't believe my eyes to see how much here you believe in government and how much you don't believe in the market. This is for me a shocking experience and I have to say that very loudly.......It seems to me that the fight for freedom — for free markets — is still the task of the day.....
I don't think that the current problem in the world — in this country — is the example of a market failure. I think it is the example of government failure. I am absolutely sure that the current crisis is the "just" price we all of us have to pay for the attempts of politicians to "play" with the markets. I am not one to say: blame the markets. No. Blame the politicians. - Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic and former economics professor, at the Wall Street Journal's Economics Conference.

THE WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN WHEN THE CURRENT AND FORMER COMMUNISTS TALK A BETTER GAME OF CAPITALISM THAN WE DO.

We have the Chinese Communists lecturing the U.S. about fiscal responsibility. Putin and his cronies talking more free market mantra than our elected leaders. We are living in a topsy-turvy world.

WBC SHOCKER: DAVID SMITES GOLIATH

THE DUTCH WIN!!!! THE DUTCH WIN!!!

In a baseball shocker of biblical proportions, The Netherlands ousts the Dominican Republic from the World Baseball Classic by defeating the Dominicans not once, but twice, last week.

Are you kidding me? Once was a shocker. Everyone was scurrying to find out who was on the Netherlands roster? How could they do this? But I don't think anybody would have given the Dutch a snowballs chance in hell of accomplishing what they did in eliminating one of the tournament favorites.

Think about it, this is like the gym weenie going up to the gym muscle-head and punching him square in the face and knocking him down. I guess you could do that once and live to tell about it, provided you never went back to the gym or ever faced the victim again. But the Dutch had to face the Dominicans again, IN AN ELIMINATION GAME.

No excuses for the Dominicans. This is not on the level of the Miracle in Lake Placid, or the Puerto Rican basketball team beating the Americans a few years back as the hyperventilators at ESPN would lead you to believe. Sadly the WBC is not considered that big of a stage yet. I will give you that generally speaking it does seem as if the Latin American countries DO take the event more seriously than the Americans, which adds to the shock factor.

There goes my WBC tournament bracket. I had the Dominicans advancing further.

Netherlands coach Rod Delmonico sprints to the front as an early March candidate for coach of the year.

DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH

MY SECOND CANDIDATE FOR COACH OF THE YEAR

Dakalb (IL) HS coach Dave Rohlman now becomes February's candidate for Coach of the Year after demonstrating that he gets it. That being a coach is about more than wins and losses. It once again demonstrates the power of sports to offer opportunities to teach important life lessons that transfer beyond the field of play. We need more coaches like Coach Rohlman that are able to recognize those opportunities and have the strength of character to do the right thing.

So here we go, the early candidates for Coach of the Year:
January - JEREMY CIVELLO, DALLAS ACADEMY (TX)
February - DAVE ROHLMAN, DEKALB (IL) HS
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http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/basketball/boys/news/story?id=3914375

Two missed free throws, ordinarily the cause of a coach's headache, became the symbol of sportsmanship in a Milwaukee boys' basketball game earlier this month.

Milwaukee Madison senior Johntell Franklin, who lost his mother, Carlitha, to cancer on Saturday, Feb. 7, decided he wanted to play in that night's game against DeKalb (Ill.) High School after previously indicating he would sit out.

He arrived at the gym in the second quarter, but Franklin's name was not in the scorebook because his coach, Aaron Womack Jr., didn't expect him to be there.

Rules dictated Womack would have to be assessed a technical, but he was prepared to put Franklin in the game anyway. DeKalb coach Dave Rohlman and his players knew of the situation, and told the referees they did not want the call.

(click link to read the rest of the story)

GOD BLESS JAMIE DIMON....AND GOD BLESS AMERICA

DIMON SPEECH TO U.S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN WASHINGTON D.C MARCH 12, 2009.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1058977582&play=1

In a strong speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Jamie Dimon, Chairman & CEO of JP Morgan Chase & Co., gave a primer on how we got into the economic maelstrom we are currently facing and how we might get out.

Why do I believe we would be better off if Mr. Dimon was in fact the Secretary of the Treasury instead of Little Timmy ("Talk to the Box") Geithner?

Why do I see so many parallels between the development of the financial crisis and the steroid crisis in baseball?

I guess Mr. Dimon would be a good candidate for next Commissioner of Baseball as well.

He states the problems eloquently and believably.
He admits to personal missteps he made along the way.
He has the best interests of the industry and the country at large as well as his own constituency (company).

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke made a similar speech to the Council on Foreign Relations yesterday, laced with mea culpas, but also filled with an understanding of how we got into the mess and a template for getting out.

It's time we hear more from the guys with grey hair or no hair and less from the children who would lead us. They need to go back to the sandbox where they belong.

I hope the Congress listened to both Dimon and Bernanke and will act on the template they provided. The sooner the better. Then perhaps we can convince Jamie Dimon to be the next Commish of Baseball.

That would be a HUUUUGE improvement.
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Some of the highlights of Dimon's speech included:

On the need for the country to pull together begin working together Dimon delivered a very impassioned defense of his firm and his industry's behavior.

Dimon noted his employees worked 24/7 with the Paulson people during the initial stages of the crisis Lehman and Bear Stearns went down and Washington Mutual, Wachovia and IndyMac followed. Clearly he is tired of the Congressional vilification, the grand-standing and the bashing of Wall Street.

“When I hear the constant vilification of corporate America, I personally don’t understand it.I would ask a lot of our folks in government to stop doing it because I think it’s hurting our country.”

On his personal mistakes that added to the problem:

“My biggest mistake, probably of my whole career, was not closing down our mortgage broker business sooner,” Dimon said, citing a loss rate two to three times higher on loans not originated by the bank.

On the need for further regulation in the industry:
“We need to regulate the entire mortgage industry” and also stressed that “JUST BECAUSE REGULATORS LET YOU DO SOMETHING DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD DO IT.”

He noted that bad regulation drives out good regulation, and Basel II allowed companies to become over-leveraged. Excess leverage was in the entire system.

We need to get accounting under control, mark to market accounting is fine but it has come to a ridiculous point....Certain marks create too much volatility.....too much flexibility in accounting that is not accurate.

He thinks that there are too many regulators with overlapping responsibilities and with no real authority. Dimon actually feels that the regulators need more authority.

On the need for us to pull together and pull through this:

“If we act like a dysfunctional family and we don’t finish these things and we’re forever debating them, I think this will go on for several year. It’s completely up to us at this point.”

To those who are worried about losing money due to write-downs or cram-downs: “GET OVER IT