The great point guard debate

Alright, I’ve had enough. I’m sitting here watching the Raptors struggle through a home game with the Seattle Sonics, the NBA’s perennial doormat. T.J. Ford is, of course, struggling while adjusting to his new role of coming off the Toronto bench. Anyway, with the playoffs fast approaching and the Raptors looking like a guaranteed first round loser, I’ve got some advice for head coach Sam Mitchell…

Best time of the year

Well, well, well…my long-awaiting vlogging debut has arrived. Granted, this video is void of Mark Wierzbicki, though it does actually feature me. In this edition, I take a look at the upcoming baseball season and figure where our home team, the Blue Jays, will fit into the picture. Not only that, it’s also fun for baseball fans in general – I make predictions for each division! Anyway, I’d love to hear some responses…let me know who you have coming out on top this season.

When all else fails…

Well, my first attempt at vlogging has come up miserably short. So, what do you do when your iMovie fails you with the assignment deadline mere hours away? You turn to Mark Wierzbicki — arguably the most popular kid in class. In this file video, Mark talks about his Dr. Pepper.

I was planning on talking about my first ever concert experience in my vlog. I saw Angels & Airwaves at Kool Haus on Friday night and had an in-depth commentary in the works before the technology failed me. Hopefully I’ll get another chance to pull this together

The great Jon Levy

Yep, this is what goes on in the newsroom…

Zauns clears the air…sort of…

Jays’ catcher Gregg Zaun finally broke his silence on his inclusion in the Mitchell Report in an exclusive email Q&A session in yesterday’s National Post. His excuse? Well, apparently the $500 cheque he wrote in 2001 to Kirk Radomski was actually a gambling debt paid to then-Kansas City teammate Jason Grimsley, who then forwarded it to Radomski. Zaun claims he left the cheque incomplete (though he can’t recall why), and Grimsley simply filled out Radomski’s name to pay his own debt. Zaun’s dog also proceeded to eat his homework.

I’m surprised that it took Zaun 64 days (since the release of the Mitchell Report) to come up with an excuse. And after all that time, this is the best he can come up with? Regardless of whether there’s any truth to it, nobody is going to buy it, and he’s only embarrassing himself further by trying to sell it. Zaun’s account reeks of instability — his story is full of holes, he expresses no ill will towards Grimsley and at no point asks Grimsley to back up his story. I can’t believe Zaun, of all people, a clubhouse leader, would come out with something like this. Show some integrity, Zaunie.

What’s next? Does Zaun’s legal team release a 20,000 word thesis about other career backup catchers whose production took flight at age 33?

Web 2.0 and beyond

I’d never heard the term “Web 2.o” until our first year Online Journalism course last winter, though looking back on the past couple years, social networking has been a a big part of my online experience. Like most people my age, I was introduced to the phenomenon known as Facebook more than two years ago, and well, the rest is history.

Facebook, in my opinion, is one of the most genius inventions of our lifetime. Who would’ve imagined? Sure, it can be a horrible addiction to some, but personally, I’ve used it to get in touch with hundreds of people that I probably would’ve never seen or spoken to again in my life. How’s that for networking? I realize there were other similar websites prior to it (MySpace, to name one), but I still find Facebook to be the cleanest and most effective form of online networking.

We’ve been introduced to a few new forms of social networking in the past couple weeks, none of which I’ve been able to get a good handle on yet, though I’m looking forward to finding what each has to offer. I think part of the problem, for me at least, was that they were all introduced to me at the same time and I was somewhat overloaded with information. However, as a blogger, I’m interested in finding new ways to get my stuff out there, and I’ve found that these sites (Digg, Twitter, del.icio.us, etc.) are excellent forums. I’ll definitely give them a better look once I get a handle on everything.

Overall, I certainly think Web 2.0 is the way of the future — just look at the way it has grown over the past few years alone. In time, I imagine that it’s only going to expand further, making it even easier for people to stay in touch via the Internet. The question, however, is what comes after Web 2.0? I found this entry on the Internet about the future of Web 2.0, and where it just might find itself in 15 years or so.

Poor little Jason Kidd…

You’re quite the superstar, right Jason Kidd? Well, at least that’s what I used to think…

After about a year of rumours and in the midst of a current nine-game losing streak, Kidd has officially asked out of New Jersey. So, just how great of a leader is this guy? Well, he’s carried the Nets to an impressive 18-26 record, good for ninth in the powerhouse known as the Eastern Conference. Yes, that’s right, the Eastern Conference.

Don’t get me wrong — Kidd coming to New Jersey probably saved the Nets franchise in the early 2000s. But if Kidd is such a great player, then shouldn’t he be able to turn this team around? The answer, of course, is that he’s not a great player anymore. Sure, the rebound and assist numbers are high as usual, but Kidd is shooting a career-low 37% and is averaging almost four turnovers per game.

Maybe I’m just sick of these so-called “stars” demanding trades, but to me the mark of a true superstar is his team’s record. Nevertheless, with the remainder of this season and the next still on his contract, the Nets will look to move Kidd before the February 21 trading deadline, with Cleveland, Denver and one of his former teams, Dallas, all reportedly interested.

Ready for some football?

Hoping for another classic Super Bowl? As the Patriots and Giants prepare to do battle, here are five of the greatest games in Super Bowl history:

1. St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16 (Super Bowl XXXIV, 2000)
League MVP Kurt Warner and the Rams, seven-point favourites coming in, looked well on their way to victory after jumping to a 16-point lead midway through the third quarter. The Titans, however, used a pair of Eddie George touchdowns and an Al Del Greco field goal to force a tie with just over three minutes remaining, before Warner hooked up with Isaac Bruce on a 73-yard touchdown on the first play of St. Louis’ ensuing possession. Quarterback Steve McNair and the Titans followed with a furious drive of their own – on the final play of the game, Rams linebacker Mike Jones was able to stop Kevin Dyson a yard short of the end zone, securing a 23-16 St. Louis win. Warner also earned game MVP honours, passing for 414 yards and two touchdowns.

2. New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17 (Super Bowl XXXVI, 2002)
Warner’s Rams were back in the Super Bowl two years later, facing an upstart New England team led by young quarterback Tom Brady. St. Louis, a 14-point favourite, fell behind early and faced a 17-3 deficit entering the fourth quarter. This time it was the Rams playing comeback, as Warner ran for a touchdown and hooked up with Ricky Proehl for another late score to tie the game 17-17. The Patriots, however, got the last laugh, as Brady led them downfield and kicker Adam Vinatieri nailed a 48-year field goal as time expired, handing the Patriots a 20-17 win. Brady’s last minute drive earned him game MVP honours.

3. New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19 (Super Bowl XXV, 1991)
The Giants, eight-point underdogs, used a Matt Bahr field goal to take a 20-19 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Each team followed by trading scoreless possessions before Bills quarterback Jim Kelly led a drive from Buffalo’s own 10-yard line in the final two minutes, setting up a Scott Norwood 47-yard field goal attempt in the waning seconds. Norwood’s attempt sailed wide right as time expired, securing a New York win and handing Buffalo the first of their first of four consecutive Super Bowl defeats. Giants running back Ottis Anderson was the game MVP, rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown.

4. New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29 (Super Bowl XXXVIII, 2004)
Brady’s second Super Bowl was as much as a nail-biter as his first. New England’s Antowain Smith rushed for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to give the Patriots a 21-10 lead, but a pair of quick Carolina touchdowns (and two missed two-point conversions) gave the Panthers their first lead of the game with just under seven minutes to go, 22-21. The teams traded touchdowns and the Patriots added a two-point conversion to tie the game 29-29, setting up another last-minute Brady drive. Like two years earlier, Vinatieri won it as time expired, this time on a 41-yard field goal. Brady won his second Super Bowl MVP, passing for 354 yards and three touchdowns.

5. New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7 (Super Bowl III, 1969)
Think upsets are impossible? If the Giants need any motivation this weekend, they can look at Joe Namath and the Jets, who pulled off one of the greatest upsets in sports history in Super Bowl III. 22-point underdogs coming in, Namath boldly guaranteed victory for his AFL Champion Jets, then went out and made it happen. New York completely shut down Baltimore’s passing game, forcing four interceptions. A late Baltimore touchdown erased a Jets shutout, though they still held on for a 16-7 win. Namath captured MVP honours, completing17-of-28 passes for 206 yards.

For more on the game, check out the Official Super Bowl Website.

For continued Super Bowl blog coverage, stay up-to-date with Deadspin and my other blog, That’s What I’m Saying, Guy… (links also available in blogroll)

Jays trade for Rolen

I remember how naive I was in December 2005 when Toronto acquired Troy Glaus for future All-Star Orlando Hudson. A legitimate power threat! Yeah, right. That was before I realized he struck out once every 1.3 at-bats and moved as though he was wearing bricks for shoes. Well, I got my wish last weekend when we dumped him on the Cardinals for Scott Rolen, a player I’m guessing Cardinals fans are as down on as I am on Glaus.

Overall, I still like the trade a lot. I realize Rolen is coming off a nightmarish season and I’m aware of his ongoing spat with Tony La Russa. Still, he’s a defensive upgrade and should be a solid addition to the middle of the order. I’d grown so fed up with Glaus that you could plug just about anyone into the five hole and I wouldn’t complain.

Having spent his entire career thus far in the National League, I’m not too familiar with Rolen. He was, however, a key pickup on my 1997 ESPN Fantasy Baseball championship team (A team I managed as a 13-year whiz-kid. This was a pre-Yahoo!, pre-head-to-head, rotisserie-style league) and for that I’m forever grateful.

Does this put Toronto in a class with the Yankees and Red Sox? Absolutely not. Nevertheless, we’re just two-and-a-half months from Opening Day — the only day of the season when all 30 teams are tied for first (A day that, as a Blue Jays fan, you learn to cherish).