VERDUCCI-DOM
Biggest siblings of January:
--Is it the Griffin brothers of Oklahoma, Blake and Taylor, who have led the Sooners to an 8-0 record this month?
--The Jonas Brothers, Kevin, Joe and Nick, who played Scavenger Hunt at the White House on the night of the presidential inauguration? Think about it: Historians, decades and centuries hence, who wish to chronicle the first African-American presidency in detail will need to include the tunes "Burnin' Up" and "Pushin' Me Away" and grapple with the question of what ever became of the "g" endin'? I'd like to be the modern-day version of the 5th Beatle with this band...you could call me the--wait for it-- "Bonus Jonas".
--Or is it the Verduccis, Frank and Tom, who, like the Jonas brothers, originally hail from northern New Jersey? Earlier this month, Frank Verducci was hired by Charlie Weis to become the new offensive line coach at Notre Dame. And a little more than a week ago, Tom Verducci, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated (and in my lowly opinion, the most consistently excellent scribe on the staff), made huge headlines with the quasi-release of "The Yankee Years".
Full disclosure: I grew up loving the Yankees--although they've still not learned the lesson of Brosius, Martinez and O'Neill: chemistry trumps star power. I can't remember a moment in Joe Torre's 12 seasons as Yankee manager when he did not act with class, with discretion and with dignity. And in my time at SI I wrote Tom Verducci at least twice to tell him how much I loved a story he'd written (His 1996 World Series wrap-up began, "Destiny ends in NY"). Verducci is smart, he's insightful, he's fair and he's a great-looking guy to boot. The MLB Network has signed him and, like fellow SI'er Josh Elliott, the sky's the limit for him in television.
All of which does not discount the fact that Torre and Verducci, in the name of selling books, seem to have compromised their dignity. First, as Tony Kornheiser said on PTI on Monday, "This is about selling books." After all, the title will not be released until Tuesday, (right after I buy my Springsteen tour tix on Monday, right after the Super Bowl on Sunday...mmm, I love being spoon-fed) and yet look at all the free pub they've received.
Seems a bit disingenuous of Tom V. to grant an interview to SI.com, a site for which he writes, after the initial hysteria of the book, explaining what the New York Post and others don't understand. First, it's just more hype for the book. Second, why all of a sudden do you get to control the message? Do you think you're the first person in the press to have a quote or a photo or a deed taken out of context? You might want to log onto deadspin.com some day.
And as for Torre, obviously there are far, far, far, far, far (times 20) more salacious stories that he could share after 12 seasons with the Yankees. But in a forum where the manager posts the sign, "WHAT YOU SEE HERE, WHAT YOU HEAR HERE, WHAT YOU SAY HERE, LET IT STAY HERE", how hypocritical is it for him to violate that rule?
For what? Money?
Joe Torre is 68 years old. The times I've dealt with him, including a goose-bumpy evening (for me) when I got to go James Lipton for 90 minutes here in front of a packed theater in New York, he has been absolute class. He is 68 years old. He is worth easily eight figures, probably high eight figures. And he was a shoo-in to have his number "6" retired by the Yankees (the only single digit numbers still out there for the Yanks are "6" and "2", the latter worn by Jeter; in other words, there are no single digit jersey numbers left in this franchise).
Is this book, at this time in Torre's life and with no need for the money, worth it? Is he truly that bitter? If Derek Jeter had come out with a similar book after he left the Yankees, would Torre have felt betrayed? Now that it's done, does Torre regret his decision? He'll never say that he does when he hits the talk shows next week, but I'd have to wonder why he does not. Because there's no way to spin this without Torre recognizing the fact that he is a hypocrite.
Halls of Fame
Lot of talk this week about Kurt Warner's HoF-worthiness, as well as that of many others since Saturday is the day when Peter King et al. sit down to discuss this. My feeling, with all Halls of Fame, up to and including the Handball Hall of Fame in Tucson, Arizona (don't laugh, it's there; okay, you can laugh), is this: If you have to debate it, then he shouldn't be in.
Rickey Henderson? Hall of Fame.
Jim Rice? If he wasn't a Hall of Famer the past 14 years, what has he done now to merit it? I understand the steroid factor (Jim was clean and look at his numbers), but why should there be borderline HoF members?
Yes, I'm a tough grader.
I love Kurt Warner's story. He's not a Hall of Famer.
Other random Super Bowl thoughts:
1) If I told you, in any Super Bowl year, that one team had the NFL's No. 1 rated defense and the other team's most potent offensive player was the son of a sportswriter, would there be any question in your mind who was going to win?
2) Saw a doc on Super Bowl XIII (the second Cowboy-Steeler contest, in '79) the other day. For as many times that they show Jackie Smith's drop in the endzone (hundreds? thousands?), will someone please acknowledge the outstanding block that Dallas running back Scott Laidlaw makes on Steeler linebacker Jack Lambert (No. 58...gotta love the neckroll) on this play? It's textbook, and if you're under 30, you have to understand, Jack Lambert was THE baddest linebacker in the NFL for about six years. People remember the name "Mean Joe Greene" and maybe Jack Ham was technically better, but nobody embodies the '70s Steelers in my mind moreso than Lambert.
3) My man "Guest List" Markazi makes Deadspin this morning with paramour-or-less Jenn Sterger. You go, Markazi!
Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!
Springsteen will be the first to admit that he doesn't know as much as he should about football ("If there are going to be any questions about football, this is going to be the shortest press conference ever...because I don't know anything about football").
But The Boss does know more about teamwork than a lot of pro athletes. Here's a quote from the latest issue of Rolling Stone, in which Springsteen explains how he came out of the funk of being a solo artist and reconvened the E Street Band in the late Nineties: "The trick in keeping bands together," he says, "is always the same: 'Hey, (a-hole), the guy standing next to you is more important than you think he is."
Earlier this week on SI.com Joe Posnanski penned a story about whether Bruce was selling out by playing this gig, a story so wordy and introspective that I thought I'd written it. I, too, am a devoted fan of Bruce (though not as devoted as my buddy Randy, and nowhere near as obsessed as my friend Barry, who proudly can tell you that he has seen 214 Springsteen concerts). I even grew up in the same county as Bruce, and it wasn't Darlington.
Anyway, I think the answer to Joe's question is found right in the lyrics of Bruce's signature tune:
Someday, girl, I don't know when
We're gonna get to that place,
Where we really, really wanna go,
And we'll walk in the sun...
Bruce got there. He's taking a good, long stroll. And it's awfully sunny in Tampa.
Harangodly
Did you see where Notre Dame hoops coach Mike Brey called a 6 a.m. practice after the Irish lost their fourth straight, to Marquette, on Monday night? I do hope he let Luke Harangody sleep in. The Irish's 12-7 record isn't the 6-7 junior's fault, as he is the only player in the nation in the top five in both scoring (25.0) and rebounding (13.3).
In Notre Dame's past four games, all losses to ranked teams, Harangody has averaged 26.5 points and 15.25 rebounds. Averaged. In losses. To ranked teams.
Now, technically Notre Dame starts two forwards and three guards. But if you think of Harangody as the center, that would make seniors Ryan Ayers and Zach Hillesland the starting forwards. In those same four games that duo, combined, has averaged 8 points and 7.5 rebounds. Again, combined.
Harangody has more than tripled their scoring output, more than doubled their rebounding totals. And that's one big reason the Irish are suffering on the hardwood.
I doubt Harangody will win the Naismith or Wooden, because Blake Griffin, Tyler Hansbrough and even Stephen Curry have led their teams to better records. But I'd argue that Harangodly has the greatest offensive repertoire of anybody in that group, Curry included. Watching him with the ball is like watching a twinkletoes bear. He's ursine, but man does Harangody have amazing footwork. And the softest, softest touch. And, like the true greats, he can get off his shot in a variety of ways, which is something you don't see all that often any more.
Is Harangody the most talented scorer at Notre Dame since Adrian Dantley? With apologies to Troy Murphy (but not ardent ones), I'd say yes.
By the way, the Irish play their fifth consecutive ranked opponent Saturday when they visit Pittsburgh. It's amazing, because this is such an experienced starting five, but ND is in danger of being an NIT team.
By the way by the way: Stephen Curry leads the nation in scoring (29.5) despite being held to zero points in a game in November when he was double-teamed the entire contest (by Loyola of Maryland). When is the last time a player led the nation in scoring while having a goose egg game on his blotter?
Sun Set
Watched the Suns lose at home, again, to the San Antonio last night. Phoenix has lost six of their last eight games against Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker played at the U.S. Airways Arena.
Most topical was the halftime chat on TNT between Ernie, Kenny the Jet, GP and the "Watch out for your job, Charles"-good C-Webb. The point is that the Suns have two offensive options: lobbing it into Shaq, and then four guys sit around and watch; or the pick-and-roll game between a rapidly declining Steve Nash and an invisible-when-it-matters Amare Stoudemire.
And, as for the other two players, it would really help if the Suns had someone who could bury a three. A guy like, I dunno, Raja Bell. But they don't. Sad to see, but the Nash era is basically over.
Red Dresses
Yes, I saw Lorelai Gilmore on Letterman the other night. Yes, I realize she's now on this little island of ours starring in "Guys and Dolls" beginning March 1st. No, I haven't bought tix yet. Lorelai was followed the next night by the utterly charming, bee sting-eyed Renee Zellweger, (she's my new favorite celeb after this inaugural story). I've spotted Miss You-Had-Me-At-Hello working out in my gym. By "spotted" I mean "seen", although I'm happy to help out if she wants to bench-press.
Both were wearing red dresses. I believe they were attempting to cheer up Dave.
Quote du Semaine
Comes from my friends' Mike and Katie, whose son, when they wanted to show him an old movie, asked, "Is it one of those gray ones?"
Gasp!-arino
On the mornings that I blog, CNBC is often on in the background (lot of good that does me), but I try to finish typing before 11:30 a.m., because that's when Charlie Gasparino comes on air for a "debate" with Larry Kudlow and Dennis Kneale, and if this were a conversation, and not a blog, Charlie would have already interrupted me four times. I don't know if he's actually come right out and called Kneale a nancyboy yet, but you can hear it in his tone.
He's probably an excellent reporter, but Gasparino, CNBC's on-air editor, is also the No. 1 bully on television. Someone really needs to teach him some manners.
Old Teen Movie Quote of the Week (courtesy of "The Breakfast Club")
Brian (pre-steroidal Anthony Michael Hall): "I'm a (bleepin') idiot because I can't make a lamp?!?"
Generational Bad Boy Jonathan Bender (Judd Nelson): "No. You're a genius because you can't make a lamp."
Seriously, we need to go back and give this film an Oscar either for best original screenplay or Judd Nelson one for Best Supporting Actor. If only the MTV Movie Awards had existed then, this would have cleaned up.
Headline of the Week
Sent in courtesy of loyal Johntourager "An Inconvenient Ruth": This.
I've read of cougar attacks, but never that.
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I hate to rain on the Boss' parade, but according to my sources it's been pouring in Tampa. And I strenuously object to all MILF and cougar references next to my name. What's up with that? Last, I prefer to think anyone wearing a red dress is flaunting their solidarity with Arizona. May a win on Sunday be in the Cards!
Sources? I'm in Tampa. Rained from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning. Otherwise sunny, and should be good weather Sunday night ...
Got to sit in on Springsteen presser on Thursday -- easily 800 or more journalists packed in to see him. First press conference since 1987. Funny, candid, like the little comments between songs, but for a half-hour. If you can find the video, you'll like him even more having seen it ...