4 Day Draft? Why Not More, Roger?

Accord to reports at NFL.com, Commissioner Roger Goodell is considering changing the NFL Draft process once again.

At one time in the not so distant past, the Draft was held on a Saturday and Sunday, with the first three rounds being Saturday, and rounds 4-7 being Sunday.

Then the league tried putting the first round on prime time on a Thursday, then rounds two and three on Friday, then 4-7 on Saturday. It’s worked great. It’s brought more eyes to the process of building teams.

And now Goodell wants to mess with it once again. During an interview with NFL Media, Goodell said the league was considering changing the draft to cover a four day period, instead of three, although the draft would remain at seven rounds. The league has yet to decide if the draft will remain in May or if it will move back to its more traditional April time slot. I can only assume the new model would put Round One on Thursday, Round 2/3 on Friday, Round(s) 3/4/5 on Saturday, and Round(s)5/6/7 on Sunday.

I don’t understand why Goodell is so intent on this continual tinkering with things that already work great. No one is complaining. No one thinks the Draft needs to be longer except Goodell, who maybe stands to make a few more dollars by usurping even more TV time for his product.

But if that’s the case, then why not petition the governments of the world to extend the month of May to 32 days and hold the first round of the draft over the entire month? I mean, the NFL is basically as stronger or stronger than several third-world nations.

Hold the Draft over the entire month of 32-day-May and hold one pick per day, with that pick receiving a dedicated prime time TV slot thanks to the behemoth that is ESPN. The NFL could then hold the following six rounds over the next eight weeks, making approximately four picks per day (accounting for a few compensatory picks). ESPN could block out one hour per night for the NFL Draft, and each team would have 15 minutes to select a player or make a trade. Save the final pick in the draft for the day of the Hall of Fame Game. Allow the team picking “Mr. Irrelevant” to make their pick at half-time of the Hall of Fame Game and immediately induct that player into the Hall.

Come on, Roger…stop trying to fix something that was never broken to begin with.

F1 & Basketball & Baseball & Football & Soccer

Formula 1

And to think, just last year I was doing nothing but complaining about one team dominating the sport, as Sebastian Vettel simply ran away with the title, winning the constructor’s championship by himself. What a difference an offseason makes, though. After sweeping regulations and technical changes, Red Bull Renault is doing all it can just to stay in arm’s reach of the Mercedes AMG Petronas factory team. Nico Rosberg won the first grand prix of the season, and Lewis Hamilton has won the three grand prix since. Rosberg has finished second in each race. So while Hamilton is capturing the accolades and adoration of the media, Rosberg quietly leads the Driver’s Championship race (4 points ahead of Hamilton) and is having a fairly dominant season himself.

Hamilton and Rosberg driving the Mercedes W04 (2013)

Rosberg has 79 points on the year, while Hamilton has 75. Third place, distantly, is Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, with 41, five points ahead of Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg. Sebastian Vettel currently sits fifth in the points, 46 points adrift of Rosberg’s pace. The Constructor’s Championship is no closer. Mercedes AMG Petronas has so far gathered 154 points. In second place, nearly a full 100 points back, is Red Bull Renault (57).

And we’re not even to the European portion of the calendar, yet. Unless Red Bull and Ferrari make some giant leaps in the coming weeks, Mercedes is probably going to walk away with this season, leaving it to a Driver’s Championship battle between their own drivers. The Constructor’s Championship battle, behind Mercedes, could get very interesting. Currently, only 14 points separate Red Bull, Force India, Ferrari, and McLaren. Just behind them, not even a full race victory out of second place in the points, is Williams. Of the top six constructors, first place, third place, fifth place, and sixth place are all Mercedes powered.

Basketball

The Atlanta Hawks secured the 8th Seed in the Eastern Conference, even though they were well under .500 at season’s end. Their reward for backing into a playoff spot was a series with the #1 Seed Indiana Pacers. Game one of this series was on April 19. If the series goes all seven games, the last game will be played on May 3. That is 15 days to play a seven game series. Baseball also plays a seven game series in the playoff, but they can typically wrap that up in 9 days. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m not really a basketball fan, but it seems like overkill with the NBA. The Hawks-Pacers series began on a Saturday, and game two wasn’t be played until Tuesday. Baseball would’ve played three games of a series in that amount of time.

I just think the NBA needs to revisit its playoff structure. The NHL could take a lesson here, too. Teams under .500 don’t really deserve to be in the postseason, do they? The last few years the 9th and 10th place teams in the West would’ve easily been playoff teams in the East. Some talking heads have mentioned eliminating conferences when it comes to playoff. I would just limit the number of slots available to six. In the first round, the #1 and #2 seeds would get a bye, while #3 played #6 and #4 played #5 in Best-of-3 series. The second round would be a Best-of-5 series and the conference championships would be Best-of-7. Obviously the league finals would be Best-of-7.

This system places emphasis on winning to get a top seed, and it places emphasis on winning in the postseason, as teams have less chance to rebound from a loss. The only drawback, and the primary reason why no sports league would ever institute this system, is a loss of TV revenue from having fewer games.

Baseball

The Atlanta Braves are currently 14-7. The pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation, was feared to be the weak spot on the team, as injury after injury piled up in spring training. But through their first 21 games, the Braves starters have posted a combined ERA of 1.50. The next closest starting staff ERA belongs to St. Louis, a 2.20. The Braves have the most complete games pitched among all teams and no team in the league has more quality starts. The Braves have given up only 44 earned runs as a team. The Oakland A’s are the second best staff at earned runs allowed, and the A's have given up 56 earned runs. Only two teams in the majors have better opponents batting averages than Atlanta (opponents are hitting a paltry .215 against the Braves). So for Atlanta, it’s not the pitching…it’s the offense. When the Braves hitters are awake, they can be devastating. Almost every hitter that steps to the plate can be a threat to produce. But when they slump, they slump hard. And in those times the pitching has to pick them up.

The surprise of the year has to be Aaron Harang. Picked up on a flyer after the Cleveland Indians cut him prior to the start of the season, Harang has twice (in four starts) carried a no-hitter past the sixth inning. He is 3-1 on the year with an ERA of 0.85 in just over 31 innings pitched. If Harang can get his pitch count under control then he’d probably be in the running for staff ace at this point. For a guy who was just supposed to be a placeholder to get through the injuries, I’d say Harang has been one of the best moves the Braves have made in a long while.

The other pitching move the braves made was signing Ervin Santana to a one-year deal. This was seen by some as a knee-jerk reaction to the injuries of spring training, and while that might have been the case, Santana is truly playing himself into a big time deal after this season. He currently has an ERA of 0.86 and has pitched some absolute gems so far. The staff has been so solid this year that the other day Alex Wood pitched a gem, lost (because the Braves refuse to score when he pitches) and his ERA went DOWN.

Football

We’re still counting down the days to the Draft. Jadeveon Clowney has basically taken himself off the market, which likely means the Texans have told him that he will be their selection at #1. That will be just the first of several major dominoes to fall at the Draft. This is a deep class, with loads of talent throughout.

For the hometown Falcons, I would love to see one of these monster defensive ends come to town, but I also know that Matt Ryan needs protection on the O-Line. It’s a tough situation to be in. Hypothetically, what if the sixth pick rolls around and there on the board are Buffalo DE Khalil Mack and Auburn OT Greg Robinson. Who do you take? Mack brings the instant pass rush threat that Atlanta needs. Robinson brings the ability to protect a stud QB and open up passing lanes. Two spots of sore need for Atlanta, and only one pick. It’s a head-scratcher for Thomas Dimitroff, I’m sure. The word on the street is the Falcons have been talking about trading up to ensure they land Mack or Robinson. Staying at #6 would probably net them Texas A&M OT Jake Matthews or, if they felt inclined to reach a bit, Michigan OT Taylor Lewan.

As for the Dawgs going in this draft, all eyes have been on QB Aaron Murray. During his trip to Jon Gruden’s QB Camp, Murray was mightily impressive. Gruden came out of the experience touting Murray as the “diamond in the rough” of this QB class and the “steal of this draft for somebody.” Almost every mock I’ve seen has the Bengals taking Murray in Round 3. Cincinnati has never been afraid to draft Georgia players. Also coming into the league from Georgia is TE Arthur Lynch. The Falcons need a TE, but may not be too concerned about it this year.

Soccer

The City of Atlanta is getting an MLS team. Of course, this has stirred up some debate among Georgians as to the validity of soccer in the American marketplace, especially in the southeastern US, where high school and collegiate football are the second and third largest religions behind Christianity. I cannot stand soccer. But I have reasons for not liking it which I believe are quite valid.

For instance: offside. In American football, “offside” or “offsides” is an easy call. There is an established line of scrimmage and if a defensive player is on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap, the play is offsides. The following image is an example of an NFL play that is "onsides."

The following image is an example of an NFL play that is "offsides."

In hockey, offside is again an easy call. A player cannot cross the blue line marking the boundary of the attacking zone before the puck does, otherwise he is offsides (see below).

In soccer, though, a player is defined as offsides if there are fewer than two opposing players between the designated player and the goal. There is no hard line, nothing denoting where offsides actually occurs, other than the referees prerogative and the placement of the last defenders.

Imagine in the NFL is Calvin Johnson beat Richard Sherman on a route, but was called offside simply because he beat the corner on the route. That’s a bit like offsides in soccer. (For the record, yes, I know I’m butchering the rules. I have a hard time getting excited about a game with a rule that silly, especially when it is the same game that considers 3-2 to be a high-scoring affair.

A Wall of Separation Between Church and College Football (A Way Too Early Thought)

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a complaint against Clemson University and head football coach Dabo Swinney and his staff, claiming "unconstitutional behavior." According to the complaint, Swinney organized a means for players and coaches to go to "church days." He also scheduled team devotionals and invited former Clemson player James Trapp to be team chaplain and gave him access to the entire team for Bible studies.

According to the Wisconsin foundation, all of these items are horrifying violations of the Constitution. According to the university, who has not allowed coach Swinney to comment, each item is purely voluntary. No player is forced into taking part in any religious activities. There is obviously more to come from this story, as we're just in the early stages of the complaint.

Now, I'm a pretty religious guy...but these Freedom From Religion people have some ideals that strike me odd. According to their website, they are based in "Freethought Hall." They call themselves "Free Thinkers." I guess they believe anyone who believes in God or any god is a barely-functional simpleton. Only by shirking the shackles of the Lord can someone truly freely think.

Their website has the tag line "Protecting the Constitutional principle of separation of church and state." That's fantastic, except that "separation of church and state" is not a "Constitutional principle." The Constitution's First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." I don't see separating church and state in there.

Actually, the phrase "a wall of separation between church and state" does not appear in any founding documents. Not the Declaration of Independence. Not the Constitution. No, it appears in a series of letters between Thomas Jefferson and the Danbury Baptist Association (Danbury, CT). The letter was sent in October 1801. Going back to the dark days of religion and government in England, the Baptists had long supported separating Church and State. They wanted the separation of church and state to keep the state out of the church as much as to keep the church out of the state. (Does that make sense?)

For years ever since people have tried to make the "separation of church and state" a Constitutional statement. Even as religious as I am, I know it's a bad idea for any religion to run the government. Just look at any theocracy to see how damaging that can be. That said, I just cannot go along with the atheistic idea that any and all government officials must check their religion at the door and never mention or think or rely on their faith during the execution of their duties. If Clemson's counter-claim is correct, and the religious activities were voluntary, then I would say I support Swinney in this. If he forced anyone to attend these events, then my opinion would be different.

The fact that the Freedom From Religion Foundation got involved just shows that they have nothing better to do but sit around and try to find some religious activity to attack. Just check out their website. You'll find out very quickly that they're not really the Freedom From Religion Foundation. They really should be the "Freedom From Christianity" Foundation.

Mocking the 2014 NFL Draft

The 79th version of the NFL Draft comes to us May 8-10, from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Since 2010, the First Round of the Draft has been held on Thursday night, with rounds 2 and 3 on Friday and rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday. The prime time move for the first round really amplified the importance of the Draft.

If you’ve been a reader of my blog for any extended period of time, you’ll already know that I absolutely love the NFL Draft. It’s like a springtime version of Christmas to me. I’ll watch every minute of coverage that I can. I’ll read as many mock drafts as I can find. I know they don’t mean anything, but they’re often closer to the truth than we give them credit for.

And I like to make my own predictions for how I think things will go down once the Draft begins. As such, here’s my prediction for the top ten picks. I’m not mocking any trades in this round of predictions. If I were, I can name at least two teams I think are willing to move up after coveted players.

1. Houston Texans (2-14):

The Texans really need a quarterback. Matt Schaub is gone and there’s not really anyone else on the roster than can serve as a franchise guy. This draft is deep with QBs, but no single quarterback has distanced himself from the pack. Unlike a couple of years ago, when Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were, far and away, the top QBs in the Draft, this year’s class has several QBs that are now almost interchangeable on any team’s depth chart. The Texans have also, apparently, fallen in love with South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney. There really is such an embarrassment of riches in this class that it would be hard for Houston to make a bad pick.

With the first overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select…Jadeveon Clowney, defensive end, South Carolina.

Alternate Pick: Houston could trade out of this spot and gain more picks later. The obvious choice to trade up is probably Atlanta. Rumor is the Falcons could move up by swapping firsts this year, a 2014 3rd Round pick, a 2015 1st Round pick, and maybe a lower pick this year or next. If the Texans decide to pick a QB first overall, the likely target is Central Florida QB Blake Bortles.

Jadeveon Clowney Delivers a Monster Hit

2. St. Louis Rams (7-9) (*pick from Washington, 3-13)

St. Louis has a lot of power in the Draft this year, seeing as they control a lot of picks. They could move around the Draft almost anywhere they wanted to go. However, they have several areas of need themselves, as evidenced by a 7-9 record. Sam Bradford needs more weapons if he is to ever be an effective quarterback. The defense could always use more strength on the edge. Depending on what Houston does, the Rams could trade out of the second slot. If Houston takes a QB, Atlanta and others may start quickly calling Rams GM Les Snead in an effort to trade up.

With the second overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select…Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson.

Alternate Pick: Barring the Rams trading out of this spot, one of the big Des is the likely pick. Clowney would be great for St. Louis, but the other option in mind here is Khalil Mack, DE, Buffalo. Some mocks have Mack as the actual pick, but I think St. Louis would rather upgrade Sam Bradford’s complement of WRs. 

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)

The options available to Jacksonville at this point are vast. Like Houston or St. Louis, trading down is a big possibility, as the QB Jacksonville reportedly likes will likely be a second rounder anyway. You can always take the best available player in this slot (which is what I’m mocking). Jacksonville needs so much help in so many places…they’re basically Cleveland South. Take the best player on the board and pray your QB is there in round 2, Jags.

With the third overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select…Khalil Mack, DE, Buffalo.

Alternate Pick: A QB has to come off the board at some point. Jacksonville needs to sell tickets. Why not kill two birds with one stone and draft Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel?

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12)

Oh, Cleveland…whatever did you do to deserve such horrid sports history? Here you are picking in the top ten again, as you have every years since 2008. I don’t think the Jets or Falcons will bail you out on a trade this year, unfortunately. The best thing you can do is try to draft a true franchise Quarterback. Of course, you’ve done that very thing twice in the last six years and it’s not really paid off yet. Still, give it another try, Browns. At some point you have to stop being a factory of sadness.

With the fourth overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select…Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida.

Alternate Pick: Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State. Apparently Cleveland is not sold on Manziel or Bridgewater.

5. Oakland Raiders (4-12)

If Al Davis were still with us I would say that Kent State RB Dri Archer would go here, as he ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine and Al Davis loved him some speed. He’s fast. But that’s not happening. No offense to Mr. Archer. Oakland landed former Houston QB Matt Schaub, but that doesn’t mean the Raiders aren’t eyeing a QB at this spot. There are some big name QBs left on the board. The Raiders may just make the move that others are reluctant to make…

With the fifth overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select…Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M.

Alternate Pick: Keeping with the QB theme, Oakland may turn to Louisville signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater.

Johnny Football

6. Atlanta Falcons (4-12)

If ever there was a team with aspirations of moving up in the draft, this is it. Atlanta really loves Jadeveon Clowney, and they’re pretty enamored with Khalil Mack. Both are good choices, but neither looks to be available at #6. That does not mean the world is ending for the Falcons. In fact, it very well may be the best thing that could happen to the birds. Atlanta’s offensive line was terrible at times in 2013. If they can make that line better in one draft pick, why not do it. Word on the street is that they guy they’re getting might be the best all-around athlete in this draft, considering his position and size.

With the sixth overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select…Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn. (NOTE: Mel Kiper now has the Falcons taking Michigan OT Taylor Lewan. I happen to think Lewan has too many off-field issues for Atlanta to take.)

Alternate Pick: Seeing as the big DEs are gone, the alternate pick here becomes Texas A&M OT Jake Matthews.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)

The Bucs traded away one of their better receivers in the offseason. So it’s easy to slot a WR into this pick. The best receiver in the draft, Sammy Watkins, is already off the board in this mock, so Tampa Bay takes the next best thing.

With the seventh overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M.

Alternate Pick: I wouldn’t be shocked if Tamps took a QB at this point, but there are good QBs to be had in almost every round of this draft. Considering what is still on the board in this mock, the QB most likely taken here is probably Teddy Bridgewater, out of Louisville. As the draft wears on, don’t be surprised is someone in the first round stretches for Easter Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo.

8. Minnesota Vikings (5-10-1)

If the draft does in fact shake out the way I’m predicting, then from the moment the commissioner calls out Mike Evans’s name on Tampa Bay’s pick, Minnesota should already be heading to the podium. The Vikes, more than almost anyone else, are dying for a franchise QB. In my mock, they can stand pat and not have to trade up and still land the guy who, just a few months ago, was being projected as the first overall pick.

With the eighth overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select…Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville.

Alternate Pick: If this draft goes as I’m predicting, there isn’t another alternate here. Basically, for Minnesota, the first round pick has to be a QB.

9. Buffalo Bills (6-10)

Buffalo would love for one of the big DEs to fall to them, but that doesn’t look likely. Barring that, they’d love one of the big OTs to fall to them. Also unlikely. So they are stuck looking for the best player available to fit their needs. They could go after the next best OT or they could settle for the draft’s best TE. They needs weapons for QB EJ Manuel, so the TE option looks most likely.

With the ninth overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select…Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina.

Alternate Pick: Should Buffalo decide to take the next best OT, then the name called will be Michigan’s Taylor Lewan.

10. Detroit Lions (7-9)

What in the world is Detroit going to do? Some mocks have them trading up to #2 to land Sammy Watkins (imagine Watkins opposite Calvin Johnson with Matthew Stafford slinging it to them…scary, right?). Now, I’ve seen just about every possible combination of mocks out there, but there is one move I’ve not seen anyone mocking. So I’ll go out on a limb and do it. Detroit needs some help in the defensive secondary. They could take a cornerback here and be happy, as Bradley Roby (Ohio State) and Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State) fit the bill. But what about the Safety position?

With the tenth overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select…Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Safety, Alabama. (NOTE: I honestly have not seen anyone mocking this until the time of this writing, and I've now learned that ESPN's Mel Kiper is making this pick in his latest mock draft.)

Alternate Pick: Detroit supposedly is okay at cornerback. A monster like Clinton-Dix on that defense means good things. If they did go CB, I could only see them taking Okie State’s Justin Gilbert.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Adds Insult to Injury Against Notre Dame

How I Met Your Spoiler Alert

Yes, this is a blog post about the TV show How I Met Your Mother. Yes, it contains spoilers of the series finale. If you haven’t seen it, then stop reading. I don’t want anyone mad at me for something I cannot control.

How I Met Your Mother began in 2005 under the premise of an older man telling his teenage children the story of how he met their mother. Anyone who watched the show for any amount of time realized that entire seasons went by with nary a mention of the Mother. This was never a story about meeting her. This was a story of a lonely guy, Ted Mosby, living in New York and trying his best to find his way in life.

While the show was ultimately extended beyond its reasonable lifespan thanks to a network that had found a cash-cow, the final season seemed to redeem some of the goodwill fans had been losing. The “concept” season, in which the entirety of the ninth season was compressed into the weekend leading up the wedding of Barney and Robin, revived the storytelling style of the first years of this show.

Sprinkled throughout the season were Lost-style flash-forwards and flashbacks, further propping up the story. The series finale featured an even more compressed timeline, covering 2013 to 2030 in the span of an hour. Lily and Marshall have their children. Marshall becomes a judge, then announces his intent to run for the State Supreme Court. Barney and Robin realize, three years into their marriage, that things aren't working out. They divorce. Robin devotes herself fully to her career, distancing herself from the group in the process. Barney goes back to his womanizing ways until he finally gets a girl pregnant. While he had mocked the idea of love (revealing his heartache from the failure with Robin), Barney professes his undying love to his daughter the first time he holds her.

Of all these characters, Robin’s story seems to mirror her introduction to the series. She started out as a career-oriented woman who rarely went for relationships. As her friendship grew with the gang, she became more personable. The hurt from the failure with Barney drove her back into focusing on her work, and lingering feeling (for Barney or Ted?) drove her away from the group.

The constant through it all was Ted Mosby. His desire to find “the one” encapsulates the desire of most people. He was an everyman, but he was such an everyman that he often became a supporting character in his own story. His search for a relationship that would last carried him through a few failed relationships and many straightforward refusals. But he kept going, which is more than can be said for some people.

At Barney and Robin’s wedding, Ted finally sees the Mother for the first time. He later runs into her at a train station, and they begin to discuss the strings connecting them throughout the series (the roommate, the yellow umbrella, etc.). They begin dating and they actually end up having two children before they even get married. The marriage finally happens in 2020. By 2024, the Mother will have fallen ill and died, all of which had received subtle hints this season.

Ted is telling this story to his kids in 2030. His kids, though, realize the truth behind the story. It wasn't about their mother. This story was about Robin. It was always about Robin. While the love Ted and the Mother had was real, and deep, it was also over, thanks to her passing. Like any other person, Ted is basically voicing 25 years’ worth of regrets while masking it as a sweet, nostalgic story. The kids give their blessing to Ted pursuing Robin once more (now as a 50+ year old man). The series ends much as it began, with Ted standing outside Robin’s apartment, holding up a blue French horn.

And it was that ending that basically ripped apart the fan base of How I Met Your Mother. We've seen for nine seasons that Robin and Ted only kind of work. We were forced into some deep emotional investment with Barney and Robin, only to have it all ripped away in the last episode. We were committed to the idea of Ted and Tracy (the Mother) finally getting together and making it work. And it was all taken away from us.

But that’s life. In reality, not all stories flow with the same rhythm all the time. Some parts are faster and some parts are slower. Sometimes entire blocks of detail are crammed into a short span of time while other times the storyteller wastes a half-hour of your life on insignificant details. The fans, apparently, wanted perfection from a show that was anything but perfect.

The comments I've read call out the show for creating the investment in the Mother, only to rip her away from us so quickly. But that happens in life all the time. As a kid I remember having friends in school, and suddenly they were gone because their parents moved away. There’s nothing that I or anyone else could do. The decision was made by adults, and we were just kids. I remember being told that loved ones had months to live, and they were gone within weeks. That’s what life does. Life throws events at us; hardships, trials, tribulations, elation, celebrations, and rapturous moments of enlightenment. Each time it throws an event at us we have to keep going. When I graduated college I didn't celebrate for days on end…I pretty much intensified the already on-going job search the next day. Life doesn't slow down. And the best we can do is deal with the hands we’re dealt.

For the fans desiring a perfect ending for all characters…when is the last time that happened? Not just in TV, but in real life. Life is never perfect. Far more often than not we mess up. First impressions are quite often bad. The words never come out as they do in the movies. The first kiss is never as perfect as it is on TV. Life, in all its glory, is a series of missteps and imperfections. We just have to handle it as best we can and see where it takes us.

It would take the better part of nine seasons for Ted to actually meet the Mother. Like any other long-running shows, the series had its ups and its downs. Some seasons were flat-out better than others. Some episodes shown like diamonds in the rough. Some story lines slogged through messy character chemistry.

In short, it was a story about life.

2014 Baseball Preview

It’s Opening Day…or Opening Week…well, the season actually started a week or so ago…you know, I can’t even figure out baseball any longer. The season apparently began when Los Angeles and Arizona faced off in Australia, even though the Diamondbacks had five preseason games remaining. Only in modern day baseball can you start your season before finishing your preseason.

All the confusion aside, I’m actually excited about baseball being back. The long dark days of post-football-pre-baseball, when only basketball is getting national attention, are finally over.

The hometown Atlanta Braves begin this season with a limp in their step. They lost two of their top starting pitchers in the span of a day, as both Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy required Tommy John Surgery to repair damaged elbows. Mike Minor is currently out with injury, meaning the Braves must rely on a young, somewhat inexperienced starting staff to get them through much of the early season. To compensate for the rash of injuries to the rotation, the Braves reached a quick deal with Ervin Santana.

The offense for the Braves should be just as explosive as last season. Catcher Brian McCann departed for the “greener” pastures of Yankee Stadium. Taking his place will be journeyman catcher Evan Gattis. Gattis, otherwise known as El Oso Blanco (The White Bear), was a pleasant surprise last season, proving that he could smash the ball into different zip codes when required.

At first base we have Freddie Freeman. While not as flashy as other first basemen, Freeman is the complete professional. He has power when needed, but is also willing to sacrifice himself to move runners over. Personally, I think Freeman is an MVP candidate in the making.

Second base could be a sore sport for Atlanta once again. A few years back, the Braves pulled off what some writers called a coup by signing Dan Uggla away from the Marlins. Uggla was a power-hitting player better known for his bat than his glove. But once he got to Atlanta, it was as if Uggla forgot how to hit. He became the worst type of streaky player. The streaks he went on were good, but they were far too short compared to his bad-to-mediocre play.

Shortstop may be the brightest point on the Braves roster. The position is held down by Andrelton Simmons. Last season, Simmons turned in what might just be the single best defensive season a player has ever had. He has range and he has a cannon for an arm. His bat is somewhat lacking, but he’s shown improvement. He’s never going to be a 40 home run kind of guy, but if he gives you 15-20 homers and 75+ RBI, on top of his defensive skills, that’s a great season.

Third base looks to be the domain of Chris Johnson once again. Johnson was a “throw-in” on the Justin Upton trade, but he proved just as valuable as Upton. He’s consistent at the plate (lead the team in batting average in 2013) and he’s more than adequate in the field. Don’t look for him to set the world on fire either way, but Johnson’s good enough for an everyday roster spot and his bat produces enough runs to help you win.

The outfield, from left to right, goes like this: Justin Upton, B.J. Upton, Jason Heyward.

Justin Upton patrols left field and was the big news for the Braves prior to 2013. He came to the team in a blockbuster trade (the aforementioned trade in which Chris Johnson was thrown in). Since arriving in Atlanta, Upton has been a streaky player, though better and more consistent than Dan Uggla. He still has a ton of untapped potential, and could easily put on an MVP-type year.

Older brother B.J. Upton was one of the biggest free agent signings the Braves have ever made. Now they need B.J. to have a good season and prove that the money wasn’t wasted. B.J. has really been disappointing during his Braves stint so far, but like younger brother Justin, B.J. has loads of potential as a centerfielder…he just needs to put it all together.

Right fielder Jason Heyward is a possible face of the franchise. He has all the potential in the world, but his biggest foe has been his health. No one can stop a case of appendicitis, and it’s hard to avoid having your jaw broken by an errant fastball. If Heyward can stay healthy for an entire season, he could be a 40-50 homer guy, and could easily provide 100+ RBI, given this Braves lineup.

The pitching staff, like I said earlier, is a patchwork in injury replacements. Ervin Santana and Aaron Harang were brought in to salvage depth in the starting rotation. The bullpen likely remains the greatest weapon for the Braves…namely their closer, Craig Kimbrel. There are few pitchers as “lights-out” as Kimbrel. Watching him work is like watching a clinic in how to save a game for your team.

Predictions

American League

East: Tampa Bay Rays
Central: Detroit Tigers
West: Texas Rangers
Wild Cards: Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees

National League

East: Washington Nationals
Central: St Louis Cardinals
West: Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Cards: Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates

World Series:

Detroit Tigers over Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games

Australian Grand Prix 2014: A Race in Review

The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix took place over the weekend. It’s the kick-off to the F1 “season,” although like many other sports, there isn’t much downtime in F1 these days. The Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne is probably my favorite “street” circuit. It’s comprised of the city street around Albert Park Lake, in the heart of downtown Melbourne.

Qualifying

Qualifying was spectacular, as the rains came and went, constantly shifting strategies. Most pundits had pegged the Mercedes AMG Petronas factory works team as the favorite heading into the season, and that form showed true in qualifying, and Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg swapped the top spot back and forth for much of the session. Defending Constructor’s Champion Red Bull Renault was stymied in everything that Sebastian Vettel tried. The reigning Driver’s Champion failed to make Q3.

Anyone following Formula 1 knows that the V8 engines are now relegated to history, and we now have turbo-charged 1.6-liter V6 engines. The noise level difference is appreciable. When Vettel failed to get out of Q2, and was posted in P12 for the start, you could actually hear the crowd cheering for his failure. I think Vettel is falling into the same place that Dale Earnhardt once occupied in NASCAR. Either you love him or you hate him. There is no middle ground. (Personally, I’ve been on the anti-Vettel bandwagon since Brazil 2008, when his actions nearly cost Lewis Hamilton the Driver’s Championship.)

The surprise of qualifying was a toss-up between two drivers: Daniel Ricciardo and Kevin Magnussen. Magnussen is a rookie who was hired on to pilot the second McLaren, behind Jenson Button. He was able to manage a qualifying slot of P4. Ricciardo, as you know, was brought on by Red Bull Renault to replace the retired Mark Webber. The Red Bull RB10 has been notoriously unreliable in testing. So of course it was a huge surprise when Vettel couldn’t get out of Q2 while his teammate not only made Q3, but ended up posting a time good enough for P1…until Lewis Hamilton finished his flying lap about fifteen seconds later.

Race Results

More than anything in 2014, we’re going to see reliability be a huge issue for at least the first few weeks. As the race got underway it was apparent that Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes was lacking power. He drifted further and further back in the field until the call came on lap 6 to retire the car and try to save the engine. Teammate Nico Rosberg, however, had a brilliant day. He would go on to win the grand prix by a margin of 22+ seconds, which could’ve been even worse, considering the race did see an extended safety car period.

Australian Grand Prix Podium

Rosberg was followed across the line by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo. The roar from the crowd was outstanding, as it was the first time in F1 that an Australian driver had reached the podium of the Australian Grand Prix. The excitement, though, was to be short-lived. The FIA called Ricciardo’s RB10 in for inspection, and determined that the car has “consistently exceed” the maximum allowed fuel flow rate. Ricciardo’s P2 was scrubbed from the books. The third place driver, McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen, was moved into P2, and McLaren teammate Jenson Button moved into P3, giving McLaren Mercedes the initial hold on the Constructor’s Championship. As an aside, Magnussen’s podium finish was the first time in F1 history that a Danish driver had finished on the podium.

Red Bull has announced they plan to appeal the decision of the FIA. There is a lot of talk about how the fuel flow sensor the FIA recommends is faulty, but they couch the argument by saying it is “less faulty” than the alternative sensor.

Felipe Massa, Kamui Kobayashi, and Crashing

Felipe Massa’s career at Williams got off to a shaky start, through no fault of his own. Massa held a good line going in to turn 1 on the first lap of the race. From behind him a puff of white smoke indicated that someone had forgotten how a brake pedal works. That someone was Kamui Kobayashi. Within a split second, Kobayashi’s Caterham had plowed into the back of Massa’s beautifully-colored Williams, sending both drivers spiraling into the gravel trap and ending their respective races early.

Crashing in the First Curve at Melbourne

Massa called for Kobayashi to receive a grid penalty akin to the one handed to Romain Grosjean after the Belgian Grand Prix in 2012 (when Grosjean took out roughly half the field at the La Source hairpin). 

Kobayashi took to Twitter and accepted blame, apologizing to Massa and Williams. However, the FIA and the race stewards determined that Kobayashi’s Caterham suffered a KERS failure that led to the car losing all rear brakes. They further determined that no one was at fault on track, and Kobayashi’s Twitter page withdrew the apology. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out over the rest of the year.

Coming Up Next…

In a little less than two weeks time we’ll see the Malaysian Grand Prix from the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur. I personally really enjoy this circuit…especially driving it in any one of the Formula 1 video games in which it appears. I’m not a huge fan of the slow-as-Christmas turn complex at the beginning of the lap, but otherwise there is just enough elevation change to keep things interesting. As we get closer to race day I’ll offer up a more in-depth preview of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Rapid Deterioration of Commercial Weather Forecasting Outlets

**Author's Note: I really thought I had already posted this, but apparently not. The image is from Wednesday, March 5. In fact, this whole article is from Wednesday, March 5. Don't ask me, I just work here.**

I don’t know what it is, but it seems like the weather becomes more and more important to a man as he grows older. We know roughly when the weather is coming on the local news shows, and we can readily change from Channel A to Channel B in time to catch the weather on both networks. Then we contrast and compare.

Channel A never calls for rain or snow. Channel B always acts like any form of precipitation will instigate Armageddon in the city. Channel C just hired a really pretty lady to act as their weather reporter, so we might flip over there and see what’s going on. Hey, we’re men. Unless we’re of an alternative lifestyle then it’s kinda what we do.

We’ll watch the Weather Channel for long blocks of time, even though we’ve already seen the local forecast. Weather Channel, at one time, had taken the pretty-lady-weather-reporter idea and multiplied it by a thousand. I don’t know if they still do, as now that I have U-Verse, the Weather Channel has become this interactive demon of television that makes it difficult even to change channels.

But my question now is this: What, in the name of all that is good and holy, has happened to Weather.com?

The Weather Channel’s website, once a bastion of information about local and regional weather, and once pretty good at forecasting said weather, is nothing but a shadow of its former self. While the page was once very informative, easy to navigate, and easy on the eyes, it is now inundated with ads, Recommended Videos, and horribly titled side-stories that are incredibly distracting. Take this picture for example. This is a screen capture I made a little after 10:00 am EST today.

Look at the titles of the videos along the top.

What March Has In Store For You! Okay, so this is a basic monthly forecast. Why is there an exclamation point on this title? Who is that excited about a single monthly forecast? Moving on…

He Thought He Was Safe. WRONG. If any video title should have an exclamation point, it’s this one. Instead, the headline writer appears to have struggled to get the title written before he yawned himself to sleep. It appears to me that the video is about a weather reporter or traffic report from some metropolitan area in the northeast US, and he’s probably going to get buried in snow kicked up by a snow plow. What does that have to do with the weather forecast?

Next Picture Even WILDER! Well, I imagine so, considering that the man and the bear in this picture are just lying on the ground. It’s hard to get less exciting than that. Again, though, what does this have to do with the forecast?

6 Months of Agony. Then DEATH! A basic understanding of punctuation would be greatly appreciated here. Also, that’s a freakin’ brown recluse spider, isn’t it?! Why? And what does the agony and death of whoever or whatever have to do with the weather?

Asteroid Headed Toward Earth Today! Okay, this is a justifiable use of an exclamation point. That said, the asteroid in question is projected to pass by just inside the moon’s orbital path, about 217,000 miles from Earth. I know that sensationalism helps to get hits on a website, but come on, man.

Honestly, I’m waiting on weather.com to post up some video title Language Professors Hate Her (if you get the reference, then you've been on the internet before). It just seems like a once respectable institution has fallen into the trap of using ploys to bring in viewers or readers.

Anyone going to the Weather Channel or to Weather.com probably already knows what they’re getting into. They’re not looking for goofy videos about snow plows and polar bears and venomous spawns of Satan. They’re looking for the forecast for their town, or for somewhere they’re going. If you guys would stop this nonsense, your website would be far more palatable for the casual user.