Sunday, August 31, 2008
Internet Exile
I'll be without the Internet for the next couple of days, but I should return by Thursday, and I promise to return to a more regular schedule of posting.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Coming Soon To Lifetime
How ironic that in the same week that John McCain announces a female running mate, this story comes out.
I'm sure a Lifetime made-for-television movie is already in the works.
I'm sure a Lifetime made-for-television movie is already in the works.
Badger Game Day
This morning, I woke up to the sounds of some yahoo on bongos, banging away like a 4-year-old, and mixing in some terribly conceived chants. For a minute, I thought I was dreaming that it was a Badger game day, and that I was back on State Street. In actuality, it was just some yahoo cheering on a bunch of runners in a local charity run. Did I mention that he was a YAHOO!
But I was right about one thing: it's BADGER GAME DAY! The 2008 football season starts today for UW, which always brings an exciting mixture of anticipation, hope, and of course, beer.
UW enters the season once again ranked in both preseason Top 25s - 13th in the AP poll, and 12th in the USA Today poll. There are many people out there that believe a Big Ten title is possible this season, but there are a few questions that will need to be answered this year:
-How will Allan Evridge perform? The fifth-year senior, who transferred from Kansas State, won the QB starting position. But from the accounts I've read, it was a fairly close battle. The Badgers don't need Evridge to be a super-star, they just need him to manage games and make the easy plays (how many times has that been said about UW QBs?). Here's hoping Evridge comes out today and gives the Camp Randall faithful a dose of confidence.
-Who will step up from the receiving corps? Travis Beckum is predicted to be an All-American and a future high-draft pick at the tight end position. But the rest of the Badger receivers are less heralded. I'm hoping sophomore David Gilreath will have a break-out season, as he has shown the ability to be explosive with the ball.
-How special will the special teams be? UW lost a senior kicker and a senior punter, and will be breaking in new kids at both positions. Ken DeBauche and Taylor Mehlhaff left some pretty big shoes to fill, and special teams are a crucial part of any college football team.
-Who becomes the man at running back? PJ Hill was not healthy the entire season last year and Lance Smith is off the team. There are two other RBs on the team that will see playing time: Zach Brown and John Clay. If Hill is once again plagued by injuries or is inconsistent, will Brown and Clay be able to carry the Badger offense?
-Who fills the holes in the Badger defense? UW's defense has not been as impressive the past couple of years, and some holes have developed. Cornerback is one spot where there remain question marks. Health will also be an issue for the defense overall, and the defensive line could get thin if injuries crop up.
Will all of these questions be addressed today against Akron? Of course not. But keep in mind that any element that is negative today against a lesser opponent, will only be magnified once the Big Ten season begins.
But I was right about one thing: it's BADGER GAME DAY! The 2008 football season starts today for UW, which always brings an exciting mixture of anticipation, hope, and of course, beer.
UW enters the season once again ranked in both preseason Top 25s - 13th in the AP poll, and 12th in the USA Today poll. There are many people out there that believe a Big Ten title is possible this season, but there are a few questions that will need to be answered this year:
-How will Allan Evridge perform? The fifth-year senior, who transferred from Kansas State, won the QB starting position. But from the accounts I've read, it was a fairly close battle. The Badgers don't need Evridge to be a super-star, they just need him to manage games and make the easy plays (how many times has that been said about UW QBs?). Here's hoping Evridge comes out today and gives the Camp Randall faithful a dose of confidence.
-Who will step up from the receiving corps? Travis Beckum is predicted to be an All-American and a future high-draft pick at the tight end position. But the rest of the Badger receivers are less heralded. I'm hoping sophomore David Gilreath will have a break-out season, as he has shown the ability to be explosive with the ball.
-How special will the special teams be? UW lost a senior kicker and a senior punter, and will be breaking in new kids at both positions. Ken DeBauche and Taylor Mehlhaff left some pretty big shoes to fill, and special teams are a crucial part of any college football team.
-Who becomes the man at running back? PJ Hill was not healthy the entire season last year and Lance Smith is off the team. There are two other RBs on the team that will see playing time: Zach Brown and John Clay. If Hill is once again plagued by injuries or is inconsistent, will Brown and Clay be able to carry the Badger offense?
-Who fills the holes in the Badger defense? UW's defense has not been as impressive the past couple of years, and some holes have developed. Cornerback is one spot where there remain question marks. Health will also be an issue for the defense overall, and the defensive line could get thin if injuries crop up.
Will all of these questions be addressed today against Akron? Of course not. But keep in mind that any element that is negative today against a lesser opponent, will only be magnified once the Big Ten season begins.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Charter Bows To BTN
The mighty cable company has followed in the footsteps of Time Warner, and has agreed to carry the Big Ten Network.
Does this mean that the state's biggest cable companies will soon be offering the NFL Network?
Does this mean that the state's biggest cable companies will soon be offering the NFL Network?
Beer League Softball Glory
My softball team, the Sanders Construction Leprechauns, made it to the championship game of the league tournament Monday. We had to win two games earlier in the night to play for the first place trophy. We ended up losing the championship game, but were still pretty happy about getting the 2nd place trophy. The night was filled with extra-base hits, double plays, cheap beer, and softball glory. Check back later for pictures.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Time Warner Blinks First
Time Warner Cable has agreed to add the Big Ten Network to the expanded basic cable package they offer, which should make a lot of local Badger fans happy. Time Warner had previously stated that they wanted to offer the BTN only as a part of their expanded sports package.
Of course, thousands of Badger fans, including those in Madison and myself up in Eau Claire, will still not be able to watch the regular season opener against Akron this Saturday, because we have Charter cable.
The official Badger football schedule on uwbadgers.com, shows that the first two games of the season will be shown only on the BTN. The third game, at Fresno State, will be shown on ESPN2. All of the remaining games are TBA, but most of those will probably be shown on ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC.
Of course, thousands of Badger fans, including those in Madison and myself up in Eau Claire, will still not be able to watch the regular season opener against Akron this Saturday, because we have Charter cable.
The official Badger football schedule on uwbadgers.com, shows that the first two games of the season will be shown only on the BTN. The third game, at Fresno State, will be shown on ESPN2. All of the remaining games are TBA, but most of those will probably be shown on ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC.
Monday, August 25, 2008
What's Next For Milwaukee?
The Brewers have just 11 more series in the regular season, 5 on the road and 6 at home. Today, Milwaukee stands at 76-55, the leader of the NL Wild Card by 3 1/2 games over divisional foe St. Louis. Philadelphia is third in the Wild Card standings, 1 game behind St. Louis. The Brewers are also 4 1/2 games behind Chicago for the NL Central crown.
Here's a look at the final 11 series of the regular season:
August 26-27
2 games, at St. Louis
The Cardinals are 73-59 overall, and have a 4-9 record against Milwaukee this year
August 29-31
3 games, at Pittsburgh
The Pirates are 57-73 overall, and have a 1-8 record against Mil. this year
September 1-3
3 games, vs. NY Mets
The Mets are 72-59 overall, 1st place in the NL East, and have won 7 of their last 10, and are 1-2 against Mil. this year
September 4-7
4 games, vs. San Diego
The Padres are 48-82, and are 1-2 against Mil. this season
September 8-10
3 games, vs. Cincinnati
The Reds are 57-74, and 6-6 against the Brewers in 2008
September 11-14
4 games, at Philadelphia
The Phillies are 71-59, chasing the Brewers in the Wild Card, and are 1-1 against Mil. this year
September 16-18
3 games, at Chicago cubs
The cubbies are 80-50, have the best record in baseball, and are 6-4 against Mil. this season
September 19-21
3 games, at Cincinnati
The Reds are 32-33 at home in 2008
September 23-25
3 games, vs. Pittsburgh
The Pirates are 23-42 on the road this year
September 26-28
3 games, vs. Chicago cubs
The cubs are 31-31 on the road in 2008, but swept a 4-game series at Miller Park at the end of July
It certainly will be an interesting next couple of weeks, as the Brewers face a few Wild Card foes, some divisional opponents that will be looking to play spoilers, and of course, the dreaded cubbies. With 31 games remaining, I think the Brewers will have to go at least 19-12 to secure a playoff spot.
Here's a look at the final 11 series of the regular season:
August 26-27
2 games, at St. Louis
The Cardinals are 73-59 overall, and have a 4-9 record against Milwaukee this year
August 29-31
3 games, at Pittsburgh
The Pirates are 57-73 overall, and have a 1-8 record against Mil. this year
September 1-3
3 games, vs. NY Mets
The Mets are 72-59 overall, 1st place in the NL East, and have won 7 of their last 10, and are 1-2 against Mil. this year
September 4-7
4 games, vs. San Diego
The Padres are 48-82, and are 1-2 against Mil. this season
September 8-10
3 games, vs. Cincinnati
The Reds are 57-74, and 6-6 against the Brewers in 2008
September 11-14
4 games, at Philadelphia
The Phillies are 71-59, chasing the Brewers in the Wild Card, and are 1-1 against Mil. this year
September 16-18
3 games, at Chicago cubs
The cubbies are 80-50, have the best record in baseball, and are 6-4 against Mil. this season
September 19-21
3 games, at Cincinnati
The Reds are 32-33 at home in 2008
September 23-25
3 games, vs. Pittsburgh
The Pirates are 23-42 on the road this year
September 26-28
3 games, vs. Chicago cubs
The cubs are 31-31 on the road in 2008, but swept a 4-game series at Miller Park at the end of July
It certainly will be an interesting next couple of weeks, as the Brewers face a few Wild Card foes, some divisional opponents that will be looking to play spoilers, and of course, the dreaded cubbies. With 31 games remaining, I think the Brewers will have to go at least 19-12 to secure a playoff spot.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Olympic Notes
A few notes on the Olympics - what I've seen and plan on seeing:
-The USA baseball squad had injury added to insult in their 5-4 loss to Cuba. The game lasted 11 innings, but international baseball adopted a new rule in which a team begins the 11th with runners on first and second, and the hitting team can choose to start anywhere in their batting order. Meanwhile, Jayson Nix, younger brother of current Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Laynce Nix, had to have surgery on his eye after a foul ball struck him. Earlier in the game, Nix hit a game-tying solo home run. USA manager Davey Johnson decided that this game didn't have enough storylines, and afterwards made a few disparaging comments about the Cuban team. Maybe this is why you're no longer a MLB manager, Davey.
-The USA baseball team is now 1-2, with 4 games remaining. They need to be in the top four in the standings to move on to the medal round. Here are their remaining games:
Fri, 9:30 pm (central time) - Canada (1-2 record)
Mon, 6 am - China (1-1)
Tues, 6 am - Chinese Taipei (1-2)
Wed, 6 am - Japan (2-1)
-Brewers draft pick Brett Lawrie is playing for the Canadian squad. So far he is 0-for-5 with a RBI.
-The USA softball team has been enjoying more success. The squad is 4-0, has scored 29 total runs, and has allowed just 1 run. You can check them out tonight on CNBC at 11 pm, as they take on Chinese Taipei. USA then will face the Netherlands on Sunday (6:30 am), and China on Monday (11 pm).
-USA men's and women's basketball is a combined 7-0. The women are 4-0 and are leading Group B, while the men are currently tied with Spain for the best record in Group B. Coming off of a 92-69 beatdown of Greece, the men's team will play Spain tomorrow morning at 9:15 am. The game will be televised live on NBC.
-It has not been a good Olympics for the favorites in the tennis competition. A day after Roger Federer lost to James Blake in the quarterfinals, Blake lost to Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in a match that featured some controversy. Meanwhile, the Williams sisters, favorites to reach the gold medal match, were both ousted yesterday. Federer, Venus, and Serena still all have a shot at gold though, in the doubles competitions. It will be interesting to see what kind of an effect the Games will have on all of these players at the US Open (begins August 25). Rafael Nadal, set to become the world's new number one, is the favorite in the gold medal match against Gonzalez.
-It's a good thing gymnastics takes center stage as a sport only every 4 years. The subjectivity, suspicions, conspiracies, and whining about judges is far too frustrating.
-Michael Phelps goes for gold number 7 tonight. I hear he's some kind of swimmer or something.
-The USA baseball squad had injury added to insult in their 5-4 loss to Cuba. The game lasted 11 innings, but international baseball adopted a new rule in which a team begins the 11th with runners on first and second, and the hitting team can choose to start anywhere in their batting order. Meanwhile, Jayson Nix, younger brother of current Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Laynce Nix, had to have surgery on his eye after a foul ball struck him. Earlier in the game, Nix hit a game-tying solo home run. USA manager Davey Johnson decided that this game didn't have enough storylines, and afterwards made a few disparaging comments about the Cuban team. Maybe this is why you're no longer a MLB manager, Davey.
-The USA baseball team is now 1-2, with 4 games remaining. They need to be in the top four in the standings to move on to the medal round. Here are their remaining games:
Fri, 9:30 pm (central time) - Canada (1-2 record)
Mon, 6 am - China (1-1)
Tues, 6 am - Chinese Taipei (1-2)
Wed, 6 am - Japan (2-1)
-Brewers draft pick Brett Lawrie is playing for the Canadian squad. So far he is 0-for-5 with a RBI.
-The USA softball team has been enjoying more success. The squad is 4-0, has scored 29 total runs, and has allowed just 1 run. You can check them out tonight on CNBC at 11 pm, as they take on Chinese Taipei. USA then will face the Netherlands on Sunday (6:30 am), and China on Monday (11 pm).
-USA men's and women's basketball is a combined 7-0. The women are 4-0 and are leading Group B, while the men are currently tied with Spain for the best record in Group B. Coming off of a 92-69 beatdown of Greece, the men's team will play Spain tomorrow morning at 9:15 am. The game will be televised live on NBC.
-It has not been a good Olympics for the favorites in the tennis competition. A day after Roger Federer lost to James Blake in the quarterfinals, Blake lost to Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in a match that featured some controversy. Meanwhile, the Williams sisters, favorites to reach the gold medal match, were both ousted yesterday. Federer, Venus, and Serena still all have a shot at gold though, in the doubles competitions. It will be interesting to see what kind of an effect the Games will have on all of these players at the US Open (begins August 25). Rafael Nadal, set to become the world's new number one, is the favorite in the gold medal match against Gonzalez.
-It's a good thing gymnastics takes center stage as a sport only every 4 years. The subjectivity, suspicions, conspiracies, and whining about judges is far too frustrating.
-Michael Phelps goes for gold number 7 tonight. I hear he's some kind of swimmer or something.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Mr. T And Snickers
I kept forgetting to post a link to this story. From the A.V. Club, comes a story about how a new ad campaign from Snickers, featuring Mr. T, has come under fire. The story includes the commercials, which have been posted on YouTube. Check them out...they're pretty funny.
Weeks or Belliard?
Ronnie Belliard, a former Milwaukee Brewer, has been back in town recently as his Washington Nationals are visiting the Brewers for a 4-game series (right now, it looks like Milwaukee is going to pull off a sweep). Belliard spent the first 5 years of his career with Milwaukee, and his return got me thinking about whether or not I would want him at second base or Rickie Weeks.
Check out the comparison:
2008
Weeks: .229 Avg, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 70 Runs, 15 SB, .334 OBP, 47 BB, 87 Ks, .980 Fielding %
Belliard: .248 Avg, 10 HR, 33 RBI, 29 Runs, 3 SB, .351 OBP, 31 BB, 43 Ks, .974 Fielding %
Belliard edges Weeks in a few categories (batting average, OBP, strikeouts), but he is also older and actually worse than Weeks defensively. Right now, in 2008, I would stick with Weeks (actually, I would go with a third option, like bringing Escobar up from the minors...or bringing back Trent Durrington).
But Belliard has put up some impressive numbers offensively in his career. His career average is nearly 30 points higher than Weeks', and last season he hit .290. He has never struck out over 100 times in a season (something Weeks can't boast), he was an All-Star in 2004 with Cleveland, and he helped St. Louis in the 2006 postseason - he collected 12 hits in the divisional and league championship series. Defensively, Belliard does have a better career fielding % - .979 for Belliard, compared to .965 for Weeks. Belliard's best seasons are probably behind him now, but he did have a few good seasons while with Cleveland and St. Louis from 2004 to 2006.
It will be interesting to see, when both Belliard's and Weeks' playing days are over, which player has the better numbers.
Check out the comparison:
2008
Weeks: .229 Avg, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 70 Runs, 15 SB, .334 OBP, 47 BB, 87 Ks, .980 Fielding %
Belliard: .248 Avg, 10 HR, 33 RBI, 29 Runs, 3 SB, .351 OBP, 31 BB, 43 Ks, .974 Fielding %
Belliard edges Weeks in a few categories (batting average, OBP, strikeouts), but he is also older and actually worse than Weeks defensively. Right now, in 2008, I would stick with Weeks (actually, I would go with a third option, like bringing Escobar up from the minors...or bringing back Trent Durrington).
But Belliard has put up some impressive numbers offensively in his career. His career average is nearly 30 points higher than Weeks', and last season he hit .290. He has never struck out over 100 times in a season (something Weeks can't boast), he was an All-Star in 2004 with Cleveland, and he helped St. Louis in the 2006 postseason - he collected 12 hits in the divisional and league championship series. Defensively, Belliard does have a better career fielding % - .979 for Belliard, compared to .965 for Weeks. Belliard's best seasons are probably behind him now, but he did have a few good seasons while with Cleveland and St. Louis from 2004 to 2006.
It will be interesting to see, when both Belliard's and Weeks' playing days are over, which player has the better numbers.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Brewers Win, Rivera Likely To Sit Next 3 Weeks
Only the first part of the above statement is absolutely true (the Brewers won on a walk-off homer by Gabe Kapler (after going 0-6 in his previous at-bats)). But I wouldn't be surprised if Ned Yost decides to sit Rivera for another long stretch of games. Why? Because Yost prefers to allow struggling players to continue to struggle. If Rickie Weeks or Jason Kendall were sinking in quicksand, Yost would let at least 2 weeks pass before thinking about tossing a rope to them.
Rivera went 2-for-3 today, with a key 2-out double that drove in 3 RBIs to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Rivera also drew 3 walks in the game. For the season, the seldom used catcher is hitting .333, with 1 HR, 14 RBI, and 8 runs in just 17 games (54 at-bats). Do I think that he should replace Kendall everyday in the starting lineup? Of course not, especially because Kendall has an edge defensively. But Yost has clearly used him not enough, and it would be nice to see him get an increased number of at-bats in the coming weeks.
Kendall's numbers:
.243 Avg., 1 HR, 33 RBI, 35 Runs, 107 Games, 367 at-bats
Rivera went 2-for-3 today, with a key 2-out double that drove in 3 RBIs to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Rivera also drew 3 walks in the game. For the season, the seldom used catcher is hitting .333, with 1 HR, 14 RBI, and 8 runs in just 17 games (54 at-bats). Do I think that he should replace Kendall everyday in the starting lineup? Of course not, especially because Kendall has an edge defensively. But Yost has clearly used him not enough, and it would be nice to see him get an increased number of at-bats in the coming weeks.
Kendall's numbers:
.243 Avg., 1 HR, 33 RBI, 35 Runs, 107 Games, 367 at-bats
USA vs. China, Men's Basketball
I watched the USA men's basketball team, the "Redeem Team," methodically handle the Chinese today and was fairly impressed with what I saw. Here are a few observations:
-I would agree with Doug Collins' comments that the 3 most important keys for this team are 3-point shooting (offensively and defensively), free throw shooting, and what Collins referred to as "slippage." Team USA shot 29.2% from beyond the arc (which is a shorter distance than the NBA line), while Team China went 10-for-27 from three-point land. China also only missed 1 of their 15 free throw attempts, while the Americans went 18-for-25. As for the "slippage," toward the end of the 3rd quarter, some of the players began to force plays, attempting impossible and ill-advised passes. Coach K did a good job of making some substitutions at this point, bringing in Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, and I think that have Coach K will help in this area.
-The defensive effort by the Americans was very good. Team USA collected 14 steals and 4 blocks, forcing 18 turnovers, while only committing 17 fouls. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade all turned in impressive defensive games.
-The announcers during the game underscored the importance of Michael Redd being on the roster. He made 3 three-pointers for the team in 13 minutes of action. Redd will likely see more playing time in closer games when the US will need his shooting expertise.
-Dwyane Wade looked great, and he could go down in history as the greatest sixth man. Coming off the bench, Wade was perfect from the field (7-7) and from the charity stripe (5-5) to collect 19 points (which led all scorers). Wade also had 2 assists and 2 steals in 20 minutes.
-Nice to hear the old "NBA on NBC" theme song once again.
-The funniest moment of the game was probably when the cameras cut to the audience to show a sleeping Henry Kissinger.
-The only holdovers from the 2004 roster for Team USA are LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carlos Boozer, and Carmelo Anthony. Key subtractions (in my opinion) - Emeka Okafor, Lamar Odom, Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, and head coach Larry Brown.
-Team USA received a pretty positive welcome from non-American fans, and the announcers pointed out several times that the Chinese fans cheered loudly for both teams.
-I would agree with Doug Collins' comments that the 3 most important keys for this team are 3-point shooting (offensively and defensively), free throw shooting, and what Collins referred to as "slippage." Team USA shot 29.2% from beyond the arc (which is a shorter distance than the NBA line), while Team China went 10-for-27 from three-point land. China also only missed 1 of their 15 free throw attempts, while the Americans went 18-for-25. As for the "slippage," toward the end of the 3rd quarter, some of the players began to force plays, attempting impossible and ill-advised passes. Coach K did a good job of making some substitutions at this point, bringing in Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, and I think that have Coach K will help in this area.
-The defensive effort by the Americans was very good. Team USA collected 14 steals and 4 blocks, forcing 18 turnovers, while only committing 17 fouls. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade all turned in impressive defensive games.
-The announcers during the game underscored the importance of Michael Redd being on the roster. He made 3 three-pointers for the team in 13 minutes of action. Redd will likely see more playing time in closer games when the US will need his shooting expertise.
-Dwyane Wade looked great, and he could go down in history as the greatest sixth man. Coming off the bench, Wade was perfect from the field (7-7) and from the charity stripe (5-5) to collect 19 points (which led all scorers). Wade also had 2 assists and 2 steals in 20 minutes.
-Nice to hear the old "NBA on NBC" theme song once again.
-The funniest moment of the game was probably when the cameras cut to the audience to show a sleeping Henry Kissinger.
-The only holdovers from the 2004 roster for Team USA are LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carlos Boozer, and Carmelo Anthony. Key subtractions (in my opinion) - Emeka Okafor, Lamar Odom, Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, and head coach Larry Brown.
-Team USA received a pretty positive welcome from non-American fans, and the announcers pointed out several times that the Chinese fans cheered loudly for both teams.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
2008 Summer Olympics
Before I get to some notes about the Beijing Olympics, let me just say that I know I've been slacking in my blogging efforts lately. I have a new work schedule now, and as summer winds down I should be able to do some more consistent posting. Now to the Olympics.
I watched a good portion of the Opening Ceremony last night, and felt that China put on a fairly decent show. Some portions of the ceremony were definitely more spectacular than others - the drummers, fireworks, and torch lighting were probably the three most memorable aspects for me. And I thought NBC did a fine job covering the event. The announcers regularly mixed in comments pertaining to political issues with more lighthearted fare - at one point, Bob Costas reminded viewers that the Central African Republic was located in central Africa. But Costas also had some chastising words for the Chinese revoking Joey Cheek's visa. It will be interesting to watch, as the Games continue the next two weeks, how NBC chooses to mix in political discussions with their coverage of the sporting events.
There are several other story-lines that I will be paying attention to during the Beijing Games. One is certainly the medal count competition between the US and China. A lot of analysts have predicted that the Chinese will win more medals than the American delegation. The Chinese team contains 639 athletes compared to the US' 595, and many believe that the homefield advantage will push China past the US. Here are the medal counts from the 4 previous Summer Olympics:
2004 - Athens
US - 102 Medals (36 Gold, 39 Silver, 27 Bronze)
Russia - 92 Medals (27 Gold, 27 Silver, 38 Bronze)
China - 63 Medals (32 Gold, 17 Silver, 14 Bronze)
2000 - Sydney
US - 97 Medals (40 G, 24 S, 33 B)
Russia - 88 Medals (32 G, 28 S, 28 B)
China - 59 Medals (28 G, 16 S, 15 B)
1996 - Atlanta
US - 101 Medals (44 G, 32 S, 25 B)
Germany - 65 Medals (20 G, 18 S, 27 B)
Russia - 63 Medals (26 G, 21 S, 16 B)
1992 - Barcelona
Unified Team (ex-Soviet Union countries) - 112 Medals (45 G, 38 S, 29 B)
US - 108 Medals (37 G, 34 S, 37 B)
Germany - 82 Medals (33 G, 21 S, 28 B)
So far, 12 countries have already won at least one medal. The US women swept the first fencing event, and the Americans have their first gold, silver, and bronze medals.
One of the bigger themes for the US team will be redemption. The US men's basketball team has dubbed themselves the "Redeem Team" as they seek a gold medal in Beijing to erase the disappointments of past world competitions. And recent doping scandals and suspicions have plagued a number of American athletes, in events such as track and field and swimming.
The events I'm most looking forward to watching are baseball, men's basketball, softball, tennis, and track and field. And table tennis - the event that defines the Summer Olympics.
I watched a good portion of the Opening Ceremony last night, and felt that China put on a fairly decent show. Some portions of the ceremony were definitely more spectacular than others - the drummers, fireworks, and torch lighting were probably the three most memorable aspects for me. And I thought NBC did a fine job covering the event. The announcers regularly mixed in comments pertaining to political issues with more lighthearted fare - at one point, Bob Costas reminded viewers that the Central African Republic was located in central Africa. But Costas also had some chastising words for the Chinese revoking Joey Cheek's visa. It will be interesting to watch, as the Games continue the next two weeks, how NBC chooses to mix in political discussions with their coverage of the sporting events.
There are several other story-lines that I will be paying attention to during the Beijing Games. One is certainly the medal count competition between the US and China. A lot of analysts have predicted that the Chinese will win more medals than the American delegation. The Chinese team contains 639 athletes compared to the US' 595, and many believe that the homefield advantage will push China past the US. Here are the medal counts from the 4 previous Summer Olympics:
2004 - Athens
US - 102 Medals (36 Gold, 39 Silver, 27 Bronze)
Russia - 92 Medals (27 Gold, 27 Silver, 38 Bronze)
China - 63 Medals (32 Gold, 17 Silver, 14 Bronze)
2000 - Sydney
US - 97 Medals (40 G, 24 S, 33 B)
Russia - 88 Medals (32 G, 28 S, 28 B)
China - 59 Medals (28 G, 16 S, 15 B)
1996 - Atlanta
US - 101 Medals (44 G, 32 S, 25 B)
Germany - 65 Medals (20 G, 18 S, 27 B)
Russia - 63 Medals (26 G, 21 S, 16 B)
1992 - Barcelona
Unified Team (ex-Soviet Union countries) - 112 Medals (45 G, 38 S, 29 B)
US - 108 Medals (37 G, 34 S, 37 B)
Germany - 82 Medals (33 G, 21 S, 28 B)
So far, 12 countries have already won at least one medal. The US women swept the first fencing event, and the Americans have their first gold, silver, and bronze medals.
One of the bigger themes for the US team will be redemption. The US men's basketball team has dubbed themselves the "Redeem Team" as they seek a gold medal in Beijing to erase the disappointments of past world competitions. And recent doping scandals and suspicions have plagued a number of American athletes, in events such as track and field and swimming.
The events I'm most looking forward to watching are baseball, men's basketball, softball, tennis, and track and field. And table tennis - the event that defines the Summer Olympics.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Quick Brewers Notes
-Here's hoping Ray Durham hits 3 home runs today and forces Dead Head Ned to play him instead of Rickie Weeks. Meanwhile, what is going to take for Yost to give Kendall a day off? The Brewers' starting catcher is now hitting .246. Keep in mind that his career average is .294.
-The Dave Bush/Seth McClung home and away experiment is done. This was one of those ideas that looks good in theory, but you knew that it wouldn't work out in practice. Especially when both Bush and McClung expressed concerns about it. Hopefully McClung will be able to add some depth to the bullpen now.
-The Brewers have now won 9 in a row on the road. Even though the competition hasn't been that tough (Atlanta is practically a AAA team right now), considering the woes MLB road teams have experienced this season, it is still quite impressive.
-I thought it was a good idea to put in Torres yesterday to finish the game. With 2 months left in the season, there's no sense in squeezing as many innings out of Sabathia as you can right now. Who knows what will happen come September...there may come a time when you need CC to pitch on 3 days' rest. It was also good for Torres to get some work in, as he had not worked since the first game of the cubs' series.
-Have you read about the problems Prince Fielder and CC Sabathia are having concentrating when they are in the field together?
-The Dave Bush/Seth McClung home and away experiment is done. This was one of those ideas that looks good in theory, but you knew that it wouldn't work out in practice. Especially when both Bush and McClung expressed concerns about it. Hopefully McClung will be able to add some depth to the bullpen now.
-The Brewers have now won 9 in a row on the road. Even though the competition hasn't been that tough (Atlanta is practically a AAA team right now), considering the woes MLB road teams have experienced this season, it is still quite impressive.
-I thought it was a good idea to put in Torres yesterday to finish the game. With 2 months left in the season, there's no sense in squeezing as many innings out of Sabathia as you can right now. Who knows what will happen come September...there may come a time when you need CC to pitch on 3 days' rest. It was also good for Torres to get some work in, as he had not worked since the first game of the cubs' series.
-Have you read about the problems Prince Fielder and CC Sabathia are having concentrating when they are in the field together?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
