Offseason Moves or Mistakes?

Executive VP Dan Duquette is telling other teams that the Orioles want to trade for 1B, LF, and DH. HUH?
Baltimore's best hitter, Chris Davis, is the obvious DH and can play LF and 1B. Hot hitting LF Nolan Reimold will be back, plus they're in talks to resign clutch hitting LF Nate McLouth.
They're not going to find a better hitting or fielding 1B than the guy they already have, Mark Reynolds, whose option they could have picked up, and who they can still offer arbitration to in order to keep for less money.
Duquette made no mention of 2B, even though there's no one in the organization worthy of starting there. Brian Roberts' career has long past away, and Robert Andino, Omar Quitanilla, and Ryan Flaherty will never be more than utility infielders.
Duquette also made no mention of bringing in a veteran starting pitcher to anchor all the uncertain young arms.
The only sensible thing he said was that he's trying to trade for KC's Billy Butler. He'd be a great edition, and the Royals want young pitching, which the Orioles have an abundance of.
Dan Duquette did a great job of piecing together a lineup and rotation in 2012, and hit gold with some longshots, but in order for the Baltimore Orioles to be relevant again in 2013, he needs to make moves that make sense for the ballclub.

© 2012 Denim McDemus

The Seattle Oilers?

Reportedly, representatives from the Edmonton Oilers were in Seattle over the weekend to discuss relocation. Despite the promise of a new arena in Seattle, this is a horrible idea.

Seattle is a terrible sports town, with a disinterested populace. If they can't keep a team in the unfortunately much more popular NBA, or fill the stands for the Mariners & Seahawks, an NHL team is not going to succeed there, unless they find an Ichiro type player to draw in the Asian Community.

The NHL does not want to lose another Canadian franchise in a hockey-loving city with a history of on ice success. Perhaps the Oilers are just trying to force the city of Edmonton to build a new arena?

Honestly, does ANYONE believe Wayne Gretzky that he was only in town to watch the Seahawks game?

© 2012 Denim McDemus

Here We Go Again Brian...

Seriously? After only being back for 17 games, oft injured Orioles 2B Brian Roberts is AGAIN on the DL. He's only played in 115 of the team's 403 games the past 3 seasons. He batted a whopping .182 since being rushed back to the Major Leagues and handed a starting job, despite not having played since May 2011. It's time for the O's to cut ties, and realize Roberts' days as an everyday player are over.

The Battle For 1st Place

A few years ago, if you would have said the battle for 1^st place in the American League East would be between the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays, most people would have laughed in your face. But here we are, in the second month of the 2012 Major League Baseball season, and it’s those two teams, not the Yankees and Red Sox, doing just that in a 3-game series starting tonight.

Both teams are 20-12, tied for first place in the East, two games above Toronto, and one game behind Texas for best record in the AL. The big spending Yankees and Red Sox are in 4^th and 5^th place respectively. After this weekend series in Baltimore, one team will be entrenched at the top. A series sweep would give the winning team a 3-game lead over the other, while a 2-1 series win would only give the victor a single game lead, depending on how Toronto fairs against the Minnesota Twins.

The Tampa Bay Rays were the Cinderella team of the AL East a few years back, and have somehow managed to stay relevant despite having to compete with the free spending Yankees and Red Sox for AL East dominance. They’ve stayed near the top of the standings this season, despite superstar Evan Longoria missing all of May thus far. They caught up to the streaking Orioles thanks to MVP frontrunner Josh Hamilton and AL juggernaut Texas taking 3 of 4 games from the limping O’s the past few nights. The Rays have mostly won on the strength of their pitching staff.       

The surprising Orioles come into the series exhausted after playing 39 innings against Boston in 3 days (13, 9, & 17 innings games) and a 4-game set against the brutal bats of Texas, including last night’s doubleheader (18 innings). This strain has quieted the Orioles bats somewhat, and overextended their pitching staff, resulting in a revolving door of AAA pitchers coming and going the past few days. 

The injury bug has also been biting. Baltimore is without it’s hottest hitter, LF Nolan Reimold (.313, 5hr, 10RBI in 16 games), who is on the DL until 5/16 with a herniated disc in his neck. They are also without their best starting pitcher, Jason Hammel (4-1, 2.09ERA, 38SO in 38.2 innings), who won’t return until Monday due to nagging knee soreness. OF Endy Chavez, who was filling in for Reimold, was put on the DL last night with an oblique strain.

Fortunately, the Orioles are also coming into this important series with something to prove after being mauled by the AL favorite Rangers. The young Baltimore team has gained a lot of confidence so far this season. Veteran Manager Buck Showalter brought a winning/“never quit” attitude to town with him, and it’s really trickled down to his players. For the first time in 14 years, the Orioles are going into each game believing they can win, and keep believing until the final out is recorded, even if they are down on the scoreboard.

Despite only winning 1 of 4 in the Texas series, Baltimore put on a homerun clinic in the 3^rd game, making history by homering in their first 3 at bats of the game, and five times total. Had the O’s played Texas at a point in the season where they weren’t so overextended, things might have turned out differently. The Orioles are coming off a series win over the Yankees and series sweeps over Boston and Toronto, and are still atop the standings. This weekend, they hope to continue their dominance over their AL East foes in their first 2012 series with Tampa.

Outside of the Texas series, with League home run leader Josh Hamilton teeing off on everybody, the Orioles pitching has been excellent. They still have the 2^nd best team ERA and bullpen ERA behind Texas, and a respectable starting rotation ERA as well. The team’s pitching stats were tainted somewhat by facing the hottest hitting team in baseball 4 games in a row, and by having to send quite a few minor league players to the mound in the series due to the two extra innings games against Boston and the injury to Jason Hammel.

Starters Chen and Hammel continue to dominate, while Hunter and Arrieta are hit or miss, while struggling Brian Matusz will most likely be replaced by Zack Britton in early June. Relievers Johnson, Ayala, Lindstrom, Strop, and O’Day continue to be almost unbeatable, Patton is improving, while Kevin Gregg continues to be shaky at best. Just called up reliever Stu Pomeranz has yet to give up a run this season in 19 Minor League and 4 Major League innings.     

The Orioles have the most homeruns in baseball with 50. Adam Jones leads the way with 9, J.J. Hardy has 8, Matt Wieters has 7, and 4 Orioles are tied with with 5. Late inning heroics and a shutdown bullpen have brought Baltimore to the top of the 2012 standings. Just called up infielder Steve Tolleson made some nice plays last night in his Orioles debut, providing some much needed defensive stability at 3B.

To start the 3-game battle for 1^st place, the Rays will send 2011 Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson to the mound, coming off his worst start of the season. Hellickson has pitched well against the O’s last year (4-1, 2.23), but did not pitch well at Camden Yards (1-1, 5.11).

The pitching scrambling Orioles will counter with journeyman Dana Eveland making his Orioles debut. Eveland is 3-2 with a 2.21ERA this Season in 6 starts for AAA Norfolk.

These two overachieving teams split their 18 game series last year. This year it actually means something to both clubs. Hopefully it still will come October.
© 2012 Denim McDemus

Baltimore Orioles 1st Month Report

One month into the MLB season, Baltimore has given their fans a lot to cheer about. The surprising Orioles have started the season with a 19-9 record, are in first place in the tough AL East, and have the best record in baseball. They lead the Majors with a .679 winning percentage. They’ve done well at home and away, with an 8-4 record at Camden Yards and an 11-5 mark on the road. They have a 7-2 series record, including series victories over division rivals New York and Boston, and 2 over Toronto. The O’s are 10-5 against AL East opponents. They’ve won 5 games in a row, and 11 of their last 13.

The Orioles have won a lot of close games, including 4 consecutive extra innings wins on the road. The O’s have a 1.50ERA in extra innings, and lead MLB in hits and runs in extra innings. Their tenacity has kept them in almost every game this season, not giving up until their last out of the game. The Orioles have been winning with solid pitching, power hitting, and a confidence that has long eluded this franchise. This promising young and overachieving team reminds me of the 1989 “Why Not?” Orioles.

Offense:

The Orioles are 2nd in MLB with 41hrs, and 3^rd with 54 doubles. They’re 4^th in the AL in hits. They have 5 players hitting over .300 (Reimold, Wieters, Jones, Andino, Paulino) and one at .299 (Chris Davis). The lineup is filled with homerun threats: Jones 8, Wieters 7, Hardy 6, Reimold & Davis 5. The entire starting lineup has been contributing. Every night someone else comes through in the clutch, showing a true team effort. Hardy and Reynolds’ bats have finally heated up. Robert Andino has been a pleasant surprise offensively and defensively. Nolan Reimold, when healthy, has finally become a Major League power hitter. The starting lineup is really solidifying:

   

LF- N. Reimold (DL) .313, 5HRs, 10RBIs

SS- J.J. Hardy .217, 6HRs, 10RBIs

RF- N. Markakis .236, 3HRs, 11RBIs

CF- A. Jones .304, 8HRs, 17RBIs

C- M. Wieters .301, 7HRs, 18RBIs

1B- C. Davis .299, 5HRs, 14 RBIs, 1-0 & 0.00ERA pitching

3B- M. Reynolds .195, 2HRs, 9RBIs

DH- W. Betemit .262, 3HRs, 13RBIs

2B- R. Andino .309, 2HRs, 10RBIs

Bench:

As great as Baltimore’s starting lineup has been, they’ve received very poor hitting from their bench. They really don’t have anyone to replace Reimold in LF. Veterans Endy Chavez and Nick Johnson have been busts. Rookie Ryan Flaherty is on the team for his defensive versatility, not his anemic bat. Backup catcher Ronnie Paulino has been the one bright spot on the Orioles bench. He only made the Opening Day roster due to an injury to Tayler Teagarden, and Paulino has been pleading his case very well ever since. Third catcher Luis Exposito is only on the team so that Paulino’s hot bat can be used elsewhere in the lineup, such as DH. Exposito will be gone as soon as Reimold returns in 2 weeks.

The Orioles are reportedly in negotiations with former Oriole’s 3B/SS Miguel Tejada, who would add some nice power and defensive versatility to the O’s ineffective bench. Those rumors have also lit a fire under current 3B Mark Reynolds, who has been on a tear the last 3 games. Miggy’s not the player he used to be, but he’d be an immediate improvement to the current bench:  

R. Paulino .300 3RBIs

N. Johnson .128, 5RBIs

E. Chavez .127, 1RBI

R. Flaherty .167, 1RBI

L. Exposito .000 (only 1 AB)

Pitching:

Baltimore has the 2^nd lowest team ERA in baseball at 2.78. The O’s starting rotation is 4^th in the AL with a 3.56ERA and an 11-7 record. In the offseason, the Orioles traded away their most consistent starter, Jeremy Guthrie. In exchange, they received starter Jason Hammel and late reliever Matt Lindstrom. That controversial trade has paid big time dividends. Hammel has been fantastic, leading the team in wins and having the best ERA in the rotation. Lindstrom has yet to surrender an earned run. Jake Arrieta has pitched much better than his record shows. Taiwanese import Wei-Yin Chen has been brilliant in his first month in MLB. Tommy Hunter has pitched well in 4 of his 6 starts. Former 1^st round draft pick Brian Matusz has been shaky at best, still unable to return to his 2010 form. If he doesn’t soon make the transition from “prospect” to “star”, Baltimore will need a different #5 starter. Fortunately, they have young starting pitcher Zach Britton close to returning from injury, making it do or die time for Matusz.    

J. Arrieta 2-2, 3.52

J. Hammel 4-1, 2.09

T. Hunter 2-1 5.00

W. Chen 2-0, 2.76

B. Matusz 1-3, 4.67

Bullpen:

Orioles relievers have MLB’s best bullpen ERA at 1.41 and have an 8-2 record. They’ve given up an MLB lowest 18 runs, only 15 of them earned. Long time setup man Jim Johnson has 8 saves in his new role as closer. Most of the O’s relievers have been completely untouchable, three of them yet to give up a run (Lindstrom, Ayala, Johnson). O’Day and Strop have been near unbeatable too. Patton and Gregg are improving with every appearance, although Gregg eventually needs to be replaced. Even 1B Chris Davis chipped in 2 scoreless innings! The bullpen has been a huge factor in Baltimore’s success, keeping games close so the persistent offense has until the 9^th inning to win games.   

M. Lindstrom 0.00ERA (13 shutout innings)

L. Ayala 1-0, 0.00 (15 2/3 shutout innings)

J. Johnson 0.00 (12 2/3 shutout innings), 8SVs

D. O’Day 2-0, 0.64

P. Strop 3-1, 1.59

T. Patton 1-0, 4.26

K. Gregg 0-1 5.19

Defense:

Defensive struggles and an ineffective bench have been the Orioles only weak spots so far this season. They lead the American League in errors and have 10 at 3B alone. They have the worst fielding percentage in the AL. Baltimore has very poor fielding at 1B, 3B, & LF.

One defensive bright spot is the middle infield duo of 2B Robert Andino and SS J.J. Hardy. That pair have helped the Orioles turn the second most double plays in the Majors.

All Star C Matt Wieters is very hard to run against, throwing out 8 base runners already.

Injuries:

The team has stayed relatively healthy this season, other than multiple injuries to LF Nolan Reimold. He’s on the 15 Day DL and is eligible to return on 5/14.

The O’s had 3 major injuries in Spring Training: Japanese pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada, who was expected to return in May or June, is now out for the season and scheduled for Tommy John surgery on 5/11. Pitching prospect Zach Britton is expected to return in June, and may take a rotation spot from Matusz or Hunter. Backup catcher Taylor Teagarden still has no timetable for returning from lower back stiffness, but may have lost his job to Paulino anyway.

I will put no stake in a Brian Roberts comeback until he proves me wrong. The often-injured 2B only played 59 games in 2010 and 39 in 2011. His days as an everyday MLB player are most likely behind him. Even if Roberts is able to play every day, Robert Andino has earned his spot offensively and defensively. It wouldn’t make sense to waste either of their sure handed gloves at DH, so the most likely scenario would be moving one of them to 3B and DHing poor fielding Mark Reynolds. 

Managing:

Veteran Manager Buck Showalter has brought an attitude of winning and playing hard till the end to a young team that hasn’t had a winning season since 1997. Jim Presley and Bill Castro have done a great job with an underdog pitching staff. Batting Coach Jim Presley also deserves recognition for the hot bats this young team has had so far. Former Boston coach Demarlo Hale is the only negative, often making poor decisions as 3B Coach.      

On the farm:

Top pitching prospect and 2011 1^st rounder Dylan Bundy has given up no runs and struck out 25 in 17 innings at Class A Delmarva, and should be moving up soon. Top position prospect and 2010 1^st rounder SS Manny Machado is still getting used to AA pitching at Bowie, but the 19 year old will probably be moved up to AAA Norfolk at some point. Pitcher Jason Berkin has a 1.23ERA and 15 strikeouts in 5 starts for Norfolk. Some other names to keep an eye on are Nick Delmonico, Xavier Avery, Glynn Davis, Robert Bundy, Gabriel Lino, L.J. Hoes, Eduardo Rodriguez, Joe Mahoney, and Tyler Townsend.    

Going forward:

Baltimore has a tough 4 game series against Texas starting tonight. Many people consider the Rangers to be the best team in baseball, but the Orioles actually have a better record. This will be a true test for this young Orioles team, but they’re going in with the confidence of having just beaten perennial contenders New York and Boston. This O’s team does not quit. They play hard with a “refuse to lose” attitude, never conceding, even if they have to play 17 innings to win. A lot of teams will take the Orioles lightly, and maybe that’s in Baltimore’s favor. If they play the rest of the season with the heart and determination they’ve exhibited in the first month, expect the Baltimore Orioles to still be relevant in October for the first time in 14 years.  

©2012 Denim McDemus

“Defunct NHL Teams: How and Why?” pt. 1

The following is the first in a 4 part series on NHL hockey by Black Out Risk guest hockey analyst Chad McGinn:

In the near-century that the NHL has been in existence, 19 teams have skated off the ice never to return. That may seem like a low number in such a long time frame, but 10 of the 19 were in the last 35 years or so. Like any other business, a franchise can fail for a myriad of reasons:

War: (Hockey is not the most important thing.)

The Brooklyn Americans, already struggling financially for many of their 17 seasons, saw a large portion of their active roster go overseas to fight the Nazis.

Fire: (Irony?)

Prior to their eighth game in the NHL's first season the Montreal Wanderers' (who existed in the NHA for 14 fire-free seasons) arena burned down. The 1-5-0 team was left homeless. With a name like the Wanderers one would think that they'd be okay with playing the rest of the schedule on the road. Not so much, as the team folded in 1918.

Global economic crisis: (Can't see the puck when the power gets shut off.)

The Great Depression claimed not only unsuccessful startup teams such as the Pittsburgh Pirates (who lasted one more season as the Philadelphia Quakers), but also established clubs such as the Montreal Maroons and Ottawa Senators (who spent one more futile season as the St. Louis Eagles).

Labor unrest: (Quitters never win.)

The franchise that began as the Quebec Athletic Club lasted for one season there before becoming the Hamilton Tigers. The Tigers folded when their players went on strike, 42 years before the formation of the NHLPA.

"Financial struggle": (A Chronology of expansion, absorption, relocation, contraction, failure.)

The basic failure to generate revenue is the primary culprit in the modern era.

The tale of expansion is interwoven with the tale of franchise failure.

When the NHL expanded in 1967, potential television sponsors insisted on two west-coast teams. The Chicago Blackhawks franchise insisted on a team in St. Louis. Two teams in Pennsylvania and one in Minnesota seemed logical. Thus were born the "Class of '67," the California Seals, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota North Stars. The League added two more teams in 1970, both of which seemed like logical hockey spots: the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks.

Throughout both of these expansions, several cities were jilted in their bids to secure NHL franchises, and so two gentlemen by the names of Dennis Murphy and Gary Davidson decided to capitalize on that. They formed the World Hockey Association (WHA) as a rival league to put franchises in cities that were not accepted into the NHL and, in some cases, to exist as an alternative in established NHL cities. This prompted the NHL to hastily add two more teams in 1972, essentially to keep the WHA away from large untapped markets. Thus were born the Atlanta Flames and New York Islanders.

The WHA lured star players from the NHL with higher salaries, securing stars like Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe and Gerry Cheevers. Even Wayne Gretzky, at the time not old enough to play in the NHL, got his start in the WHA. For one hot minute it was a real rival to the NHL, far beyond the rivalry today posed by the KHL in Russia.

In 1974, perhaps in another attempt to thwart WHA dominance, the Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts were added. Both leagues battled for a thin dollar for 7 years. The WHA saw numerous clubs fold, relocate and merge in that time, and only 3 of the eventual 30 teams to have a WHA charter existed for the entire 1972-9 run of the league. Four of those teams never even managed to play a single game.

Erstwhile, the NHL wasn't just sitting back and laughing at the misfortunes of their increasingly comedic upstart rival. They had issues of their own. The great idea of having two teams in California turned out to not be so great. The Kings managed to pay the bills, but the Seals did not. Frequently changing arenas and names (at various times being known as the California Seals, Oakland Seals and California Golden Seals), the team eventually left for Ohio and became the Cleveland Barons in 1976. The Barons fared no better, lasting until 1978 when they merged with another struggling expansion team, the Minnesota North Stars. The Barons ceased operations and the North Stars continued on for a while. In the meantime, continued financial failures killed the Kansas City Scouts in 1976, and they relocated to Denver to continue as the Colorado Rockies.

When the WHA finally decided to give up in 1979, they accepted a merger agreement with the NHL. Of the 8 teams to start the last WHA season, the Indianapolis Racers and Houston Aeros packed it in before the season's end. This is significant because the Racers sold (yes, sold) rookie Wayne Gretzky to the Edmonton Oilers. The NHL agreed to absorb 4 of the 6 remaining franchises, contingent at the WHA's insistence that the 3 remaining Canadian franchises be included.

A season removed from the Cleveland Barons failure the NHL dissolved the Cincinnati Stingers. Seeing no point to the continued existence of a team in the hockey hotbed of Alabama, the Birmingham Bulls were also dissolved. As such, the Edmonton Oilers (with that Gretzky guy), Winnipeg Jets and Quebec Nordiques were welcomed into the NHL for the 1980 season, along with the Hartford (nee New England) Whalers.

All was not right with the hockey world just yet though. Prior to that 1980 season the Atlanta Flames burned their way northwest to Calgary, creating an instant rivalry with their fellow new-arrivals in Edmonton. In 1982 the Rockies' mounting financial struggles caught up with them and they became the New Jersey Devils. For the next 7 seasons things went smoothly. All 20 franchises seemed stable.

The Islanders franchise was coming out of the dynasty years and from 1984-1990 a Canadian club won the Stanley Cup every year. From 1983-1990 an Alberta-based team was involved in the Finals every year. Franchises in Los Angeles, Washington and St. Louis were still, to a degree, considered nontraditional markets. Curiosities, even. Nobody dreamed of hockey in swamps (except New Jersey) or deserts.That all changed on August 9, 1988.

It was unprecedented. Unheard of. Unthinkable. Unreasonable. Impossible.

Where were you when JFK was shot? When Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon? What were you doing when the World Trade Center fell? It was one of those moments. Where were you when Wayne Gretzky was traded...to the Los Angeles Kings?

Nearly a quarter-century after the fact it is hard to relate to the significance of that moment, particularly to Canadian hockey fans.

In any other major sport there is debate over who was the best-ever: Babe Ruth or Ted Williams? Joe Montana or Brett Favre? Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant? In hockey there is only one: The Great One. And he was traded. Not only traded, but traded to a team that many felt no business being in the league. Not only in Edmonton, not only in Alberta, but all across Canada there was a sense of shock and a feeling of betrayal. Ask any Canadian old enough to remember. They'll know where they were at that moment, August 9, 1988. Oilers owner Peter

Pocklington was burned in effigy. The Canadian federal government tried to legally intercede and prevent it. But it happened. Suddenly people in Los Angeles knew that they had a hockey team. That moment helped forge the NHL we know today. (continued in part 2)

©2012 Chad McGinn & Black Out Risk.

A True Gamer

If you were one of the best ever at your profession, wouldn’t you expect some type of recognition? If there was a lifetime achievement award given out to people who excelled in you profession, you’d deserve it. If you tried harder than anyone else, and succeeded more than all of your peers in certain aspects of your career, you’d have earned such recognition. Do you think mistakes you made after you retired from your job should prevent recognition of all you achieved during your career? No reasonable person would. Unfortunately, Bud Selig has never been, and will never be a reasonable person.

Today is Pete Rose’s 71st Birthday. Instead of bashing him for his addictions, mistakes, and lifestyle choices, I’m going to celebrate the accomplishments of the most passionate athlete ever to play Major League Baseball.

Rose was a workhorse, playing 24 seasons in 3 decades from 1963-1986, beginning and ending his career with the Cincinnati Reds, and playing in more games and taking more at bats than anyone else in the history of MLB. He played with passion and heart, always giving 100% and going above and beyond on every defensive play, at bat, and base running opportunity. He played harder than anyone else and did whatever it took to win games, earning him the nickname “Charlie Hustle”. Pete Rose was truly a gamer, playing with a love for the game most modern athletes completely lack. He was a loyal player, spending 18 ½ of his 24 seasons with his first love, the Cincinnati Reds, and managing them from 1984-1989. He has a career batting average of .303 and finished 15 seasons with a .300 or better average. He is the all-time Major League Baseball hits leader. He and Hall of Famer Ty Cobb are the only two members of the 4,000 Hit Club.

Pete Rose has quite an impressive baseball resume, holding many MLB records: hits (4,256), games (3,562), at-bats (14,053), singles (3215), runs by a switch hitter (2,165), doubles by a switch hitter (746), walks by a switch hitter (1,566), total bases by a switch hitter (5,752), most seasons with 200+ hits (10 tied), most consecutive seasons with 100+ hits (23), most consecutive seasons with 600+ at bats (17), most seasons with 600+ at bats (17), most seasons with 150+ games played (17), most seasons with 100+ games played (23), and most winning games played in (1,972). Rose is also the only Major League player with 500+ games played at each of 5 different positions. He holds the National League records for years played (24), consecutive years played (24), runs (2,165), doubles (746), games with 5+ hits (10), consecutive games hitting streak (44), and consecutive games hitting streaks of 20+ games (7).

Rose’s trophy case includes 1963 Rookie of the Year, 3 World Series Rings (with the Reds in 1975 and ‘76, and with the Phillies in 1980), 1975 World Series MVP, 3 NL batting titles, 1 NL MVP award, 2 Gold Glove awards, 1 Silver Slugger award, 17 All-Star appearances at 5 different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B, 1B), and being named to the 1999 All-Century Team.

The game winning play of the 1970 All-Star game showcased Pete Rose’s passion for the game. After singling to lead off the 12th inning, Rose advanced to second on a single by Billy Grabarkewitz, then charged home on a Jim Hickman single. The throw to the plate went past catcher Ray Fosse, and Rose barreled him over to score the winning run, playing with heart and putting his body on the line even in a meaningless All-Star game. After the play, the classy Rose checked on the injured Fosse even as his National League teammates ran onto the field to celebrate his winning run.

Pete Rose was one of the key players of Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine dynasty of the 1970’s. In 1973, Rose led the league with 230 hits and a .338 batting average, winning the NL MVP award, and leading the Reds to the 1973 NLCS. Cincinnati lost the series 3–2, despite Rose’s .381 batting average, his game-tying home run in game one, and his 12th-inning game winner in game four.
Rose led the Big Red Machine to back-to-back World Series wins in 1975 and ‘76, with 9 straight playoff wins and going undefeated the entire 1976 post season. Rose won the World Series MVP award in 1975 with a .370 batting average.

In 1979, the Philadelphia Phillies were sick of being perennial bridesmaids by winning the National League East three years in a row, but remaining unable to make the World Series. Believing he was the one player they needed to get over the hump, the Phillies signed Rose to a four-year contract. The decision paid off, as Philadelphia won 3 division titles, won their first ever World Series in 1980 (Rose’s 3rd), and made it back to the World Series in 1983. Rose hit .312, but the Phillies lost the series 4-1. That was also the time period when Pete Rose’s heart, dedication, and love of the game caught the eye of a little boy in Pennsylvania. His heroics with the nearby Philadelphia Phillies in the early 1980’s won Rose a place in my heart as the sports hero of my youth, beating out other greats like Muhammad Ali and Dr. J.

After a brief stint with the Montreal Expos, Pete Rose returned to the Cincinnati Reds as a player/manager, retiring from playing in 1986, and managing until being removed in August of 1989 as a hero fallen from grace.

In February 1989, Rose was questioned by Commissioner Bart Giamatti about betting on baseball, allegations Rose immediately denied. Lawyer John Dowd was hired by MLB to investigate the charges. He documented Rose's alleged gambling activities in 1985 and 1986, and Rose's alleged betting on baseball games in 1987, including 52 Reds games, although there was no evidence that Rose bet against the Reds.

On August 24, 1989, Rose voluntarily accepted a permanent place on baseball’s ineligible list. In return, Major League Baseball agreed to make no formal finding with regard to the gambling allegations. Rose was allowed to apply for reinstatement after one year. In 1992, Rose applied for reinstatement, but Commissioner Fay Vincent never acted on the application. In September 1997, Rose again applied for reinstatement, but controversial Commissioner Bud Selig also took no action, as is the trademark of his regime. Selig said he saw no reason to reconsider Rose's punishment.

The true conflict of interest that did have the ability to affect the outcome of baseball games and front office transactions had nothing to do with Pete Rose. Bud Selig was still the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers while serving as the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Many of Selig’s most controversial decisions benefited the Brewers, while hurting other teams. But Bud only likes to discuss other people’s flaws, being the man who has done the most to keep Pete Rose out of baseball.

In his 2004 autobiography My Prison Without Bars, Rose finally admitted to betting on baseball games. He admitted to betting on Reds games, but said he never bet against his own team. He always bet that they would win, meaning he did not throw games. He did what players and managers are supposed to do, try to win every game. Rose was quoted as saying, “I bet on my team to win every night because I loved my team, I believed in my team. I did everything in my power every night to win that game.”

Despite there being no proof that Pete Rose’s gambling addiction ever compromised his position as Manager of the Cincinnati Reds, he is still banned from Major League Baseball. Despite Rose statically being one of the greatest baseball players of all time, he is still not in the Hall of Fame. I can see banning him from managing again, and keeping him out of the Hall as a manager, but he belongs in Cooperstown based on the on the field accomplishments of his playing career. Along with not being in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Rose's ban has also prevented the Cincinnati Reds from formally retiring his No. 14 jersey. Despite being ostracized by baseball’s Commissioners’ Office and being denied the formal accolades due him, his passion, love of the game, and on the field heroics earned him a place in the heart of most true baseball fans. No hero is perfect, but the exciting memories he provided will last a lifetime.

Pete Rose joined Shoeless Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver of the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, as players banned for life from Major League Baseball and its Hall of Fame, despite their impressive stats making it obvious that none of them never threw a game.

Happy 71st Birthday Pete Rose. For what it’s worth, you’ll always be in the sports hall of fame of my life.

©2012 Denim McDemus

Opening Day 2012

Today is Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles, the start of a new season, and a chance for the team’s loyal fans to hope for a better result than the 14 losing seasons in a row they have suffered through. Opening day is a day of hope, confidence, and bravado. Every team is undefeated. No one is in last place. No batters have struck out, and no pitchers have given up the long ball. The managers’ decisions have yet to be scrutinized, and the batting order has yet to be questioned. It’s the only day of the year that no team is the laughing stock of their division. After surviving the winter by over-analyzing every hot stove roster transaction, and watching this year’s team come together in Spring Training, every baseball fan loves the excitement and anticipation of Opening Day!

The Baltimore Orioles enjoyed a long tradition of success, being one of Major League Baseball’s winningest teams from the 1960’s through the 1980’s, boasting Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Cal Ripken Jr., and legendary manager Earl Weaver, and making the World Series in 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1979, and 1983, winning in ’66, ‘70, and ‘83.

After a dismal 1988 season, an exciting young O’s team in a new uniform design took the league by storm, spending most of the year in first place, just barely losing the AL East Pennant to the Toronto Blue Jays in the final series of the season. In 1992, the Orioles rewarded their loyal fans by opening the beautiful retro ballpark Oriole Park at Camden Yards in the revitalized Inner Harbor area, the standard of excellence many future parks were modeled after. But in 1993 the Peter Angelos ownership regime began, signaling the beginning of the end of The Oriole Way.

The Orioles contended throughout the early 1990’s, achieving 3rd place in ’92 and ’93, 2nd place in ’94, and 3rd again in ’95. Also in 1995, in the team’s last shining moment, Orioles’ great Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak of 2130, reigniting the passion of baseball fans everywhere, bringing them back from the sour aftertaste of the 1994 labor strike.

In 1996, under brilliant manager Davey Johnson, The Birds returned to the Playoffs after a 12-year absence, winning the Wild Card and defeating the Cleveland Indians in the Divisional Series. The O’s lost the ALCS to their Division rival the New York Yankees. The team never seemed to recover from young fan Jeffery Maier’s interference with outfielder Tony Tarasco’s ability to catch a Derek Jeter fly ball that was mistakenly called a homerun, only winning one more game in the series.

In 1997, the Orioles held first place wire to wire, winning the AL East Pennant, and defeating the Seattle Mariners in the Divisional Series. Unfortunately, that was the team’s last moment of success. They lost the ALCS to the underdog Cleveland Indians 4-2, losing each game by only one run. Manager of the Year winner Johnson resigned due to conflict with overbearing owner Angelos and the once proud franchise spiraled into irrelevance.

In the following 14 seasons, Baltimore has had a revolving door of GM’s, managers, and players, never winning more than 79 games in a season, only finishing higher than 4th place once during that time period. Orioles fans are tired of a constantly regressing rebuilding process, lackluster free agent signings, poorly scouted draftees, a ballpark filled with opposing teams’ fans, and uncaring ownership. But those of us who truly love the team will keep watching the games regardless.

This year’s Orioles club is full of question marks and potential. Can young pitcher Jake Arrieta be the team’s ace? Can the other starters and the bullpen pitch consistently enough to keep the O’s promising offense in games? Will prospects like Brad Bergesen, Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, and Nolan Reimold finally translate their potential into Major League success? Can Jim Johnson stay healthy long enough to be the team’s closer? Will 2nd baseman Brian Roberts ever play again? Can Nick Markakis bounce back from last year’s disappointing stats? Will bright spots Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, and J.J. Hardy continue to mature into stars? Is there enough talent on this year’s team to keep the fans hoping for success? Will exciting pitchers Tsuyoshi Wada and Zack Britton return from injury and make the starting rotation? Will the decision to trade away and release their two most consistent pitchers of recent years, Jeremy Guthrie and Alfredo Simon, come back to haunt them? You tell me. Here’s this year’s Opening Day roster:

1B Chris Davis
2B Robert Andino
3B Mark Reynolds
SS J.J. Hardy
C Matt Wieters
RF Nick Markakis
CF Adam Jones
LF Nolan Reimold
DH Wilson Betemit
Bench: Ronny Paulino, Ryan Flaherty, Nick Johnson, Endy Chavez
Rotation: Jake Arrieta, Wei-Yin Chen, Jason Hammel, Tommy Hunter, Brian Matusz
Bullpen: Luis Ayala, Kevin Gregg, Jim Johnson, Matt Lindstrom, Darren O’Day, Troy Patton, Pedro Stropp

Can the 2012 Baltimore Orioles break the franchise’s losing ways? Can they finish above .500 for the first time since 1997? Can this young team last through an entire season of the rigors of the Major Leagues and the warzone of the AL East? Only time will tell, but true fans will have fun watching and hoping, through the wins and losses, the ups and downs.

It’s Opening Day, sit back, root for your favorite team, and enjoy the game, because for this one moment they’re undefeated.

©2012 Denim McDemus

John Elway's Big Risk

I didn't think Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos would end up consummating their courtship. The two sides just don't fit. But even if they did, I never imagined Denver would give a 36 year old QB who missed all of last season and had neck surgery a 5-year $96 million deal. That's a big gamble. Supposedly the contract will have injury waiver clauses, and some of the money will only kick in after passing a physical each season, but Manning will get $18 million guaranteed this season regardless of playing time.

A 5-year deal on an aging player whose health is stil in question is quite a gamble for a young team full of potential who already has a QB that led them to an underdog playoff victory. I'm assuming the driving force in this decision is VP of Operations John Elway, who has yet to prove he knows how to run a team. Elway wants a pure passer in the lineup, not a run threat with questionable accuracy like Tim Tebow. Maybe Elway forgets that he was know to take off running from time to time too, and he himself struggled with accuracy early in his career. Honestly, Tebow and Elway are much more similar than either and Manning.

I still say the two sides don't really fit well together. Peyton isn't what Denver needs, and Denver isn't what Manning needs. I honestly don't see Manning doing very well playing there for several reasons: the altitude, the run first system, a diminished receiving core, an improving division, receivers who are now used to playing Tebow-style ball, a group of mediocre running backs, a domineering VP who used to play his position on that same team, etc. Manning really needed to step into a more established team, and Denver really needs a younger QB that Elway can mould into what he wants. I see the two egos clashing big time, as Elway struggles to realize it's not Peyton's team, and Manning struggles to make the offense his.

If Manning struggles at all, the hardcore Denver faithful, who bought 100% into Tebow Magic and bought up his jersey like it was going out of style, will turn on him like a pack of wild dogs. Just ask Kyle Orton. You'll see signs of "Bring Back Tebow" and even the slightly blasphemous "Tebow's Second Coming".

Manning is missing out on stepping into prefab Super Bowl favorite San Francisco, where he has the best chance to win a second ring. He's straying much further from home than Tennessee, where he already has tons of loyal fans. He's stepping into an organization that isn't quite ready for a Super Bowl run, and will have to completely change the offense that got them to the second round of the playoffs last season, taking a step backwards in the maturity of their young team. He's going to a team he has no ties to, and taking over a spot that was promised to a very popular and much younger QB, where he'll be lorded over by a Hall of Fame QB.

The Broncos reportedly will attempt to trade unseated QB Tim Tebow. Having no better option at QB, the Miami Dolphins would be wise to pony up whatever scant resources it would take to gain Tebow's services, giving their waning fanbase an exciting player to watch, and surely filling the seats with Florida Gators fans. If the Jacksonville Jaguars were smart, they'd take a page from the Denver Broncos' front office playbook, and trade for Tebow, despite already having a young QB they've committed to. Just as Manning is an obvious upgrade from Tebow other than in mobility and age, Tebow would be a huge improvement over Blaine Gabbert. Jacksonville has a new owner and a new head coach, and are desperate for an identity to draw in an uninterested fanbase. I'm not saying Tim Tebow is a guy you build your team around, but he's certainly an exciting player to draw in fans and stir up interest. Plus he's a hometown boy, who'll bring in the same fans who watched his high school and college glory.

People tend to think of Tebow as an 8-8 QB, but remember, Kyle Orton was 1-4 before Tim took over, making him 7-4 and 1-1 in the playoffs. Plus at 28.6%, Tebow had the highest redzone TD percentage of any QB in the past 2 seasons. Wherever Tebow ends up, he will add an exciting flare and late game heroics to the team that gets him, whether they use him as an every down QB or a special weapon.

Peyton Manning and Tim Tebow, a veteran gunslinger and a young sparkplug, are two NFL QB's at opposite ends of their careers, both facing a change of scenery. It'll be fun for us football fans to watch their 2012 seasons, in hopes they'll both dazzle us by continuing to add to their respective legends.

(Kudos to my friend Jarrod, who boldly predicted Manning would sign with Denver.)

©2012 Denim McDemus

Sports Tidbits to Wet Your Appetite

VERY unproven free agent QB Matt Flynn signed with the Seattle Seahawks for a 3 year $26 mil deal. Everyone assumed he'd sign with Miami, but this is a good fit, since he can ease himself into an offense that has a great RB, FB, and O Line.

Disgruntled former-Niner and current free agent QB Alex Smith had a nice long visit with the QB needy Miami Dolphins. I'm sure the two sides enjoyed a nice pity party over both being spurned in the much more interesting Peyton Manning free agency saga. Maybe the two stood up parties will go to the prom together? After not even winning out on unproven QB Matt Flynn, the Dolphins are running out of options, and so is Alex Smith. If I were the Dolphins, I'd wait to see if Tim Tebow gets unseated by Manning. If I was Smith, I'd swallow my pride, admit Manning is a better QB, and wait and for San Fran to come calling if they don't land Peyton.

Apparently new Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson doesn't shy away from doing the taboo. He broke the first unwritten law of celebrities by posting former Texas Rangers teammate Mike Napoli's personal phone number on Twitter, reportedly over some trash talk between the two. The internet has mande sophomoric pranks a dangerous thing...

In injury news, Philadelphia Phillies All-Star second baseman Chase Utley left Phillies camp for the second straight Spring Training due to knee issues. This time he's going to go see a specialist. The team already has a huge void without injured superstar Ryan Howard.

New York Mets principle owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Latz will pay a $162 Million settlement to the victims of Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme. Allegedly, they knew the investments were fraudulent, but stayed involved because they were making money hand over fist.

And in the fun world of hockey violence:
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Mark Stuart was fined $2,500 by the NHL on Saturday for Friday's hit on Washington forward Marcus Johansson.
Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner was suspended for 2 games without pay for kicking St. Louis Blues forward Scott Nichol.
Phoenix Coyotes forward Shane Doan was fined $2,500 for boarding Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano Thursday.
The Philadelphia Flyers ended intrastate and divisional rival Pittsburg Penguins' 11-game win streak with a 3-2 victory Sunday.
And the Columbus Blue Jackets lost starting goalie Curtis Sanford to an apparent leg injury in the first period of Sunday's game.

©2012 Denim McDemus

Alex Smith's Ego is Bruised

Reportedly, QB Alex Smith is "unhappy" that "his team" is talking to Peyton Manning.

1. You're a free agent. You don't currently have a team. Your former team no longer has a starting QB.

2. Manning would be an upgrade from you in every way except age. He has the talent to take them over the hump you never will. If they can sign him, you have no value to them. It's in their best interest to try to improve their team.

Tim Tebow, the current starting QB of the Denver Broncos, has a right to gripe, Alex Smith does not.

©2012 Denim McDemus

The Niners Have Upped The Ante

The San Francisco 49ers fell an overtime field goal shy of making Super Bowl XLVI. They tied for the second best record of the regular season at 13-3. They have an exciting coach, one of the best RB's in the game in Frank Gore, arguably the league's best TE in Vernon Davis, the league's best punter and kicker, and by far the league's best and most feared defense, one running backs have nightmares about. Even with no roster changes, they'd be a Super Bowl favorite for the upcoming season. But the Niners aren't content with just being one of several favorites. They apparently wish to be the undisputed favorite.

The only question marks on their roster were at QB and WR, where their lackluster talent was overshadowed by the skill of the rest of the team. San Fran seems intent of answering those two questions in a big way.

As I've said several times before, if the 49ers seriously pursue prized free agent QB Peyton Manning, they'd be the clear frontrunners. The star gunslinger has been upfront about wanting a second Super Bowl ring to match younger brother Eli. The Niners present the best chance to reach that goal right away. What better situation could there be for an aging star seeking one last shot at glory than stepping into a ready-made Super Bowl favorite? In San Francisco, he'd have Vernon Davis to throw to, Frank Gore to hand off to, and a defense and special teams that will always set him up with great field position. They also face no real challenge within their division. As the Saints and Packers proved, the other top tier NFC teams are vulnerable in the playoffs. And Niners fans are used to adoring Hall of Fame caliber QB's, and would surely embrace Payton Manning. Had the 49ers made no other moves, they'd be the clear favorite. But they didn't just sit still and await Peyton's decision, they upped the ante.

Gone is the question of who would Manning throw to when Vernon Davis is covered. The Niners upgraded their receiving squad by signing former All Pro Randy Moss, who would instantly return to at least a glimmer of his former glory with Peyton Manning throwing to him, and Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham, who would be starting on any team that doesn't have surprising star Victor Cruz. They're also courting free agent Brandon Lloyd. They still have WR Michael Crabtree, who'll thrive as a #2 or #3, and who'd be instantly improved by the addition of Manning. If the 49ers were trying to sweeten the deal for Manning, they succeeded abundantly.

So I ask you, if you were a star QB looking for one more shot at winning a second Super Bowl as soon as possible, where would you go? I'd go to the team that now excels in every area except QB. I'd go to the place where I'd be the last piece of the puzzle of becoming the definitive favorite team to go all the way.

Sure, Peyton could go re-live his college glory in Tennessee, but he's looking for NFL glory. The Titans aren't good enough to make the superbowl, or even win their division, not even with Manning under canter. It's still a possibility, and I'm sure that's where his heart is, and his family's first choice, but Manning wants to win now.
He could go to Denver and play for a team with good young receivers, a good offensive line, and a good defense, but Denver isn't as Super Bowl-ready as San Francisco.
Miami and Arizona have basically been ruled out.

If Peyton Manning follows his heart, he'll end up in a Titans uniform. If he follows logic and his drive to win, he'll sign with the San Francisco 49ers, making them the odds on favorite to win Super Bowl XLVII.

©2012 Denim McDemus

New Manning Development

Apparently the San Francisco 49ers are finally making a run at QB Peyton Manning. As I said in the March 12th blog, if they put in a decent effort, they're by far the favorites.

The Continuing Saga of Peyton Manning

Because the Denver Broncos are watching Peyton Manning work out today, a lot of people seem to think he'll sign with them. I disagree.

First of all, he's not "working out for them". He's just working out at Duke in NC where he's been working out, and they're going there to watch him. He's not going to them. He was actually at the Titans facility for 8 hours Wednesday.
I don't think Manning wants to go as far from home as Denver and play in Denver's high altitude this late in his career. He'd also have to win over a new fanbase, and deal with the controversy of ousting a very popular and much younger QB, who led Broncos to their first playoff victory in quite some time.
There's no doubt Denver is courting him hardcore, but I just don't think it's in either side's best interest to consumate the deal.

I still think Peyton Manning will end up in Tennessee to relive his college glory. He already has a huge fanbase in Tennessee, and is a southern boy through and through. Unless Indy came crawling back to Manning with their tail between their legs, I think he'll choose the Titans.

In a related note, Rick Reilly of ESPN.com in discussing what division Peyton Manning should play in says "Arizona -- even with you and your brother -- is not going to beat the 49ers." He is forgetting that Eli Manning ALREADY beat the 49ers... He also says that Tennessee could beat Houston for the division title if they had Manning. I highly doubt that. ESPN must just pick random people off the street to write for their site like Yahoo does.

©2012 Denim McDemus

Top 13 Places Peyton Manning Should Go

The question on every NFL fan’s mind right now is: Where will superstar QB Peyton Manning end up playing the 2012 season? I present to you what I believe would be his 13 best options, after ruling out teams already having premier quarterbacks that we know for sure he’s not going to.

13. NFL Studios- No one is quite sure about Peyton’s health after a neck injury forced him to miss the entire 2011 season and he went through neck-fusion surgery. Perhaps the soon to be 36 year old should consider retiring, saving his body from receiving any more punishment, and spend his Sundays in a nice warn cushy TV studio? I know this isn’t the climax any sports fan wants at the end of this exciting sweepstakes, but maybe it’s the best option for Manning and his family?

12. Jacksonville Jaguars- Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert may have been the 10th overall pick in last year’s draft, but he looked awful in his first NFL season. Mike Thomas is a nice receiver, but that’s about where the roll call ends. HB Maurice Jones Drew is a stud, but could he and Manning co-exist, each used to being the focal point of the offense? Throw in a foot-in-mouth new owner, AFC South matchups against his former team and the powerhouse Houston Texans, and a stagnant fanbase, and Jacksonville doesn’t look like a very good option.

11. Seattle Seahawks- A receiving core of WR’s Sydney Rice, Mike Williams, Doug Baldwin, and Ben Obomanu, and TE Zack Miller is intriguing. If Tarvaris Jackson can make them look good, imagine what they could achieve with Manning at the helm. HB Marshawn Lynch is a beast and backup Justin Forsett isn’t too shabby either. Coach Pete Carroll would really allow Manning to air it out. But the competition in the NFC West is improving greatly. Facing the dominant Niners defense, the Sam Bradford-led Rams offense, and the Cardinals if they find a decent QB, doesn’t sound like a great way to come back from the rust of a season-long injury. Does anyone really want to play all the way up in Seattle?

10. Miami Dolphins- What could attract a near retirement athlete to sign with a team? Most likely family concerns. Peyton Manning already owns a home in the trendy paradise of Miami Beach. Brandon Marshall is a great WR and Davone Bess isn’t a bad #2. Reggie Bush is finally maturing into an NFL HB. I think Peyton’s competitive nature might actually like going head to head with playoff rival Tom Brady twice each regular season. The problem is, the Dolphins front office/ownership situation has been a mess for quite some time, and always seem to find a way to mess up in big negotiations.

9.New York Jets- Mark Sanchez is never going to be the guy who leads the Jets to much desired success. Rex Ryan is a passionate coach who wants to win almost as much as the Jet’s longsuffering fans. That passion was stoked even more with the Super Bowl win by their roommates the NY Giants. The defense is still pretty solid. The receiving core of WR’s Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress, and great TE Dustin Keller is so-so. Shonn Greene probably shouldn’t be the go-to guy in the running game. The main reason I don’t believe Manning will sign there is the atmosphere. Peyton’s not a fan of media scrutiny, yet he’d be under a microscope in high profile NY. Plus there’s the pressure to win now, without the necessary tools needed to achieve that goal. Plus playing in the same stadium as your kid brother who has one more ring than you wouldn’t ease off that pressure.

8. Tennessee Titans- Peyton Manning enjoyed huge celebrity while starring for the University of Tennessee. He’s still very highly regarded by football fans there. Titans owner Bud Adams has been vocal about wanting to sign Manning, wooing him with those same college memories. Chris Johnson is a stud running back. Kenny Britt, Nate Washinton, Damian Williams, and Jared Cook could potentially be an exciting group of receiving targets. The roster doesn’t have many other bright spots. And again, being in the AFC South would not be a great situation. The fans of his college days would love him for it, but it’s not a great fit for Manning.

7. Oakland Raiders- As far as I know, the Raiders aren’t looking for a QB, content with Carson Palmer for some reason. That being said, this would be a great place for Peyton Manning to sign. He’d have a fresh start out on the West Coast. He’d walk into a great situation, with an impressive young roster competing in a fairly mediocre division. San Diego are chronic underachievers and are watching their window for success fade away. Denver limped into the playoffs and won an impressive victory, before being handed a one-way ticket back to reality by Tom Brady and the Patriots. Kansas City is a joke. A Manning led Raiders team would dominate the AFC West. RB’s Darren McFadden and Michael Bush are spectacular. They have a cadre of speedy young receivers in Darrius Heyward-Bay, Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford, and Louis Murphy. I think Peyton Manning would take this young team over the top, but I don’t think there’s any chance he ends up there.

6. Indianapolis Colts- Yes, I know the Colts officially released Peyton Manning, and their relationship with their franchise QB soured in the months leading up to it. But this is pro sports in 2012. The Colts could easily decide to offer Manning a reasonable, but not exorbitant contract, bringing him back to the team, stadium, teammates, and fans he has grown accustomed to, ending his career with the only NFL team he has ever suited up for. Andrew Luck hasn’t proved himself in the NFL yet, Peyton Manning has. I would not be shocked whatsoever if this happened. If the Colts ownership and front office made it look like they were humbling themselves in the public eye, I think Peyton would come back, rather than uproot himself and his family. There’s a reason he’s played there for as long as he has, and a reason he took the franchise tag last season. Change isn’t always good, especially not late in a career.

5. Atlanta Falcons- All having exciting players such as WR’s Roddy White and Julio Jones, dominate HB Michael Turner, and Hall of Fame bound TE Tony Gonzalez and 50 cents will get you is a cup of coffee if Matt Ryan is your quarterback. Ryan keeps proving he’s an adequate regular season QB, but is not the guy to get them out of the first round of the playoffs. Peyton Manning would certainly take the Falcons much further, but I haven’t heard anything about Atlanta seeking a new quarterback. Playing the Panthers and Bucs twice a year would be great, but who wants to compete for a division title with Drew Brees and the highflying Saints? Plus they might put more bounties on him.

4. Cincinnati Bengals- Andy Dalton had a good rookie season for the Bengals, and I think he’s a good QB. That being said, he’s not Peyton Manning, and never will be. I’m sure Cincinnati is planning on sticking with Dalton, but that’s the fun of the internet, we get to play with hypotheticals. Could you imagine Manning throwing to A.J. Green, Jerome Simpson, Jermaine Gresham, Andre Caldwell, etc, and handing the ball off to beastly Cedric Benson? The Bengals defense is very good as well. Peyton would have the best supporting cast he’d had in many years, if not ever. Cincinnati made the playoff without Manning. Imagine what they could do with him… I don’t see it happening, but I’d sure love to.

3. Arizona Cardinals- You saw the things Kurt Warner was able to do with the Cardinals, so a power QB can succeed in this offense. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the league’s best receivers, and when healthy, Beanie Wells is a great back. The defense isn’t what it used to be. The O-Line is still atrocious. There are the same divisional concerns as with Seattle, having to play the Rams and Niners, and I don’t think even Manning would make the Cardinals the favorite to win the division. I don’t see Manning ending up in Arizona. Kevin Kolb is not the answer for the Cards either, with John Skelton being the best in-house option, and someone like Matt Flynn more on their radar.

2. San Francisco 49ers- The San Francisco 49ers were one of the league’s best teams in 2011, but mostly because of their dominating defense and hardnosed running game. They made it to overtime of the NFC Championship with Alex Smith at QB. Could you imagine how great they’d be with Peyton Manning under center? This was Smith’s only good season statistically, and he’ll never be the guy to get them over the proverbial hump. This would be a great situation for Manning to step into. The defense and Frank Gone make the QB’s job easy. Vernon Davis is one of the best tight ends in the game. Manning would instantly make the Niner’s other receivers better, and maybe even bring back the explosiveness of just signed WR Randy Moss. The divisional concerns I mentioned about the NFC West wouldn’t really apply, since they are the main concern, and their defense can handle Sam Bradford. This would be Peyton’s second best chance at walking into a Super Bowl contender to win his second ring with.

1. Houston Texans- There has been no indication that Houston is looking for a new QB. The Texans were the second most dominate team of the regular season. They would have been one of the favorites to make the Super Bowl had QB Matt Schaub not gotten hurt. They performed admirably with rookie T.J. Yates filling in. All that being said, I refer to my previous argument, neither of those guys are Peyton Manning. With Manning under center, Houston would instantly go from being “a” Super Bowl favorite to “the” Super Bowl favorite. This is a young team with a lot of exciting players. HB Arian Foster is the best player in the league. Backup Ben Tate would be starting for almost any team that didn’t have Foster. Andre Johnson is the best WR in the game. Owen Daniels is one of the better tight ends in the league. They have the most improve defense in the league. Without Manning in Indy, the rest of the AFC South is putrid. With or without Manning on their team, Houston may not lose a game within their division for years to come. While many of the NFL’s other playoff teams are aging rapidly, the Houston Texans are a team on the rise, poised to take over the league. I don’t think Houston is looking to make a change at QB, but if they are, Peyton would be a fool not to answer the call.

Denver Broncos- Despite the opinions of a lot of so-called media experts, I don’t believe Manning will end up in Denver, and that's why I left them off my list. It would be a great fit for Manning. Denver has an excellent defense led by LB Von Miller. They have a speedy pair of young receivers in Eric Decker and Demarius Thomas, and Manning could make Eddie Royal relevant again. They have talented RB's in Willis McGahee, Lance Ball, and Knowshon Moreno, with the O-line to spring them. They have a loyal fanbase desperate for someone to finally fill the shoes of John Elway, and Elway himself running the team, desperate for the great passing game he once gave the team. But the team invested a lot into Tim Tebow, gave him the job, and allowed their fanbase to fall in love with Tebowmania. And Tebow did win them a playoff game. They’d be shooting themselves in the foot by replacing him. He may not be the best passer in the league, but his speedy young receivers make his passing better than it is, and his defense gives him a good shot every time. What Tebow has are intangibles, the magic that allows him to perform miraculous last second drives. He’ll never be as good a passer as Peyton Manning, but I don’t see Denver replacing him with Manning either. If they did though, I see Tebow resurfacing in either Miami or Jacksonville.

All that being said, where do I think highly sought after free agent QB Peyton Manning will end up for the 2012 season?
Peyton Manning will most likely end up in Miami, Arizona, Tennessee, or San Fran, with San Fran being the favorite if they decide to court him, and Tennessee if they don’t, unless of course the way is paved for him to return to Indy…

©2012 Denim McDemus

Let JoePa Rest In Peace...Please

It amazes me that even after Joe Paterno's death, people who ignore the facts of the case against Jerry Sandusky are still ignorantly bashing Paterno for another man's sins. It saddens me that so many people are blind media-fed sheep, who take on a lynch mob mentality at the very mention of certain crimes, stringing up even the innocent in the wake of their pitchfork and torches-carrying tar and featherings.

Today, after 4 months of backlash from students, alumni, fans, former players, anyone who actually read the PA Grand Jury Report, and anyone with common sense criticizing the cowardly Penn State Board of Trustees for firing longtime Head Football Coach Joe Paterno over the phone on November 9th, 2011, despite his being fully cleared of all legal wrongdoing by the State Attorney General, the self-preservation-minded board released a statement citing their reason for firing Paterno, "Lack of leadership".
By releasing this oddly timed press release instead of allowing the man to rest in peace, and allowing his family and friends to remember his legendary coaching career and even more legendary humanitarianism, the board has reignited the debate over Paterno's involvement on message boards, blogs, and social media sites the world over. Can we not let this issue rest? Hasn't enough been said already?

After a 46 year head coaching career in which Coach Paterno was known as a great leader, motivator, and mentor, showed class on the field and off, stressed fairness and academic achievement, and molded young men into future greatness in many fields beyond athletics, to call into question his leadership is a ridiculous smear campaign at best and a boldfaced lie at worst. To have expected a sports coach aged in his 80's to take the lead role in a criminal investigation is absurd. In this situation, how can the board accuse a man of "lack of leadership" who was: A. not in charge of the university or university security, B. barely still running his own team, C. no longer the accused's supervisor or even co-worker, and D. reported to his superior and the head of campus police what was reported to him?
Mike McQueary did NOT report sexual abuse to Paterno, but only a sketchy report of POSSIBLE "horseplay". McQueary didn't call it sexual abuse until he was interviewed by Tim Curley and Gary Schultz. And the very fact that McQueary was interviewed by the AD and Head of Campus Police about the alleged incident is BECAUSE Paterno reported it.

Do you tell your supervisor and the chief of police how to do their jobs? I doubt it. Would you follow up on a situation after being told it was investigated and no crime was committed? Nope.
This was an old man hearing a sketchy report from an intern about a former co-worker. He reported it. Those above him dropped the ball. Stop blaming the ONE person who did the right thing, just because he's the most famous name in firing range. Ever hear the term "scapegoat"? The board was being pressured by the fact-sensationalizing media to take action. Out of self-preservation and blame-skirting, they fed the most famous name they had to the ravenous media lions. Joe Paterno was sacrificed, because his sacrifice would make the biggest splash. The Penn State Board of Trustees distracted attention away from their lack of action about Sandusky, by taking the publicity-ensuring action of firing their legendary head coach. How can anyone trust these "Trustees"?

Child abuse is a horrible crime, and those responsible for perpetrating it and those turning a blind eye to it should be punished severely. Yet those people never seem to be mentioned in this story. People who report allegations, as Joe did, should be commended.
Defending Paterno has nothing to do with money, football wins, or university loyalties. It's about a man's career, reputation, life, and will to live, all being ruined over another man's mistakes. Joe Paterno was not a child molester, nor are his family and supporters, contrary to what can be read in a lot of people's online comments...

The questions that should be asked do not even involve Joe Paterno. Why didn't young athlete Mike McQueary physically stop an elderly man from molesting a child? Why is Tim Curley STILL employed by Penn State University and on PAID administrative leave? Why is the name Jerry Sandusky barely mentioned in the media when reporting on this scandal? Since the same Trustees who decided to fire Paterno were also in charge of hiring his replacement, did they have some personal or financial stake in those decisions?

The Penn State Board of Trustees' statement about Joe Paterno's "lack of leadership" is inaccurate. It is also unnecessary salt poured into not yet healed wounds. The man is dead. Whether his achievements in coaching, his humanitarianism, and his contributions to Penn State Univerisy mean anything to you or not, whether you agree that he did enough with Mike McQueary's allegation or not, whether you feel he should have been fired or not, please let Joe Paterno rest in peace, and allow his family to cherish his memory.

©2012 Denim McDemus

13 Keys to the Baltimore Orioles Season

I’ve been a Baltimore Orioles fan since 1989. I’ve suffered through watching 14 losing seasons in a row. I’ve sat back and watched Peter Angelos allow the team to waste away, not caring about the quality of his product. As long as he can fill the seats of Camden Yards with enough Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies fans to make a profit, he could care less about pleasing loyal Orioles fans.

Here are my 13 keys to the success or failure of the Baltimore Orioles 2012 season:

1. Stop Rebuilding- After 14 losing seasons in a row, the Orioles’ front office is still making “rebuilding” type moves, trading away established players like Jeremy Guthrie for unknown commodities. This has been an all too familiar occurrence since the Tejada and Bedard deals. Most of the prospects received in those trades have also been traded away. When someone gains trade value, that value is exploited. You can’t move forward when you keep moving backwards.

2. Brian Roberts- This season has to be “do or die” time for Brian Roberts. He’s hurt more often than an Orioles fan’s pride. If he can’t get healthy enough by the regular season, and play the majority of the season, his days as an everyday player are over, and the O’s need to move on, and embrace J. J. Hardy as their leadoff man.

3. Young Pitching- This year also has to be “do or die” for the squad of young starting pitchers. Either they can make it in the Big Leagues or they can’t. At some point, for better or for worse, they have to cease being “prospects”. And how are they going to get innings this season, with how many starting rotation candidates are headed to camp? Either you let them be “the guys” or you get rid of them, but squeezing them out and squandering them at Norfolk is not the answer. You rushed them up, so for better or worse, they’re Big Leaguers, and they need to prove it. Sticking them in the bullpen, while you start stopgaps like Tommy Hunter, Jason Hammel, and Dana Eveland is not the answer either. Arrieta has proven himself, but he needs to bounce back physically and stay healthy. Matusz and Britton are young enough to still have growing pains. Bergesen and Tillman are definitely in do or die territory. The real problem is that Norfolk has a pitcher’s park while Camden Yards is a hitters park, so the young guys look great at AAA, then get shelled in Baltimore. They need a AAA ballpark that’s more like the Big League park.

4. Nolan Reimold- Another “do or die” candidate. Either he can stay healthy and consistent in the Big Leagues or he can’t. Either he’s a power hitter or he’s not. Either he’s an everyday player or a pinch hitter. Either he’s an outfielder or an infielder. This guy needs to make a splash or get out of the pool.

5. Jim Johnson- Is finally moving Jim Johnson into the closers role the right move? He’s always flourished as a setup man, but not as much when having to be “the guy”. He also needs to prove he can stay healthy through an entire season, so the team doesn’t have to shuffle a bunch of setup men through a revolving 9th inning door when Johnson goes down for the season as he is known to do.

6. Bullpen- The bullpen actually might be a highlight this season. Ayala, Berken, Lindstrom, Simon, Hammel, Gregg, and whoever doesn’t make the starting rotation will form a solid bridge to Johnson.

7. Alfredo Simon- What do you do with Alfredo Simon? When he’s healthy and out of jail, he’s the Orioles most consistent pitcher. The problem is, he’s never going to give you more than 5 innings per game. Because of that, he’ll probably be used as a long reliever, but I’d rather have him pitch 5 quality innings and then let one of the other rotation candidates take over for 2 or 3 innings than the other way around.

8. Pitching Consistency- A team isn’t likely to win when every year they overhaul their bullpen, have a new closer, and patch together a starting rotation from their own rushed prospects and other team’s discarded garbage.

9. Cleanup Bat- I can’t even remember when the Orioles last had a legitimate cleanup hitter. Tejada, Palmiero, Jones and Scott are #3’s at their best. Vlad is not much of a deep threat anymore. Mark Reynolds strikes out too often and has a horrible on-base percentage. Nick Markakis was even batting cleanup for a while!

10. Offseason moves- This was an offseason of illogical goodbyes and even more confusing hellos. Long gone are sole consistent starter Guthrie and clutch hitting Scott, although I’m sure we’ll still be seeing Luke hitting plenty of homers at Camden Yards this year.
And then there’s all the huge signings…
The front office claims Wilson Betemit (who?) was brought in to be the power-hitting DH. What?! He’s never had more than 18 homers in a season, and that was back in 2007. He only has a total of 63 homeruns in his 9 seasons. That’s an average of 7! He’s had 3 seasons with 0 homers. This is the type of player they bring in.
They’ve also brought in plenty of players to compete for bench spots: Taylor Teagarden, Matt Antonelli, Endy Chavez, Jai Miller. A veritable who’s who of who is that’s?

11. Asian Pitchers- One of the Orioles biggest question marks this season is the unknown commodities they have in several Asian pitchers that have never pitched in the US before. No one is quite sure what we’re going to get out of Wada or Chen, or whether they will make the rotation, which further makes the situation for Baltimore’s young pitching staff even more crowded and murky. There’s also 17 year-old Kim, who the club is in trouble with Korean Baseball officials for signing.

12. Prospects- Most of the Orioles former hot prospects have now been to the Major Leagues and underachieved, with the exception of Matt Wieters and Jake Arrieta. Matusz, Britton, Josh Bell, Ryan Adams, Nolan Reimold, etc.
For those scanning the horizon for hope, I hate to have to tell you, no one of note is even close to being ready. Manny Machado is only 19, starting the year in AA, and isn’t even coming to Big League camp. Dylan Bundy is also only 19, and is only in camp because of signing a Major League contract. We probably won’t be seeing Joe Mahoney until fall callups.

13. Manny Rumors- The last thing the Orioles need to do is to bring in a cancer like Manny Ramirez. He’d just be a distraction, a publicity stunt by an owner only interested in ticket sales. He’d be another in a long line of past their prime bats brought in, despite no longer being a legitimate cleanup bat: Glen Davis, Sosa, Tejada, Vlad, etc. Angelos must love history, but the AL East is no place for re-enactments. They never bring in any players who are still relevant.

Projected Batting Order:
1. SS-J.J. Hardy
2. RF-Nick Markakis
3. CF-Adam Jones
4. 3B-Mark Reynolds
5. C-Matt Wieters
6. LF-Nolan Reimold
7. DH-Wilson Betemit
8. 1B-Chris Davis
9. 2B-Robert Andino

Projected Rotation:
1. Wei-Yin Chen
2. Jake Arrieta
3. Tommy Hunter
4. Brian Matusz
5. Zach Britton

Do I think the Orioles will turn the corner this season, finish .500 or better and above last place? No. I won’t be holding my breath. I’ll be watching, cheering, and hoping, but I’m bracing for similar results.

©2012 Denim McDemus

2012's Best Superbowl Ads

(Written 2/6/12)
Superbowl ads have become as much of a highly anticipated spectacle as the big game itself. Here's the list of my favorite Superbowl Commercials from this year:

7. Honda CR-V “Matthew’s Day Off”- Matthew Broderick spoofing his classic role of Ferris Bueller to take a day off from acting.

6. Hulu “Huluboratory”- Will Arnett takes viewers to a secret underground Hulu laboratory in a kitschy way only his comedic brilliance can deliver.

5. Hyundai “Cheetah”- A man releases a cheetah from its cage to prove how fast the test driven car is, but the cheetah attacks the man instead.

4. Sketchers “Bulldog”- A bulldog wearing two pairs of Sketchers sneakers outruns racing dogs, and then moonwalks across the finish line.

3. Doritos “Man’s Best Friend”- A man catches his dog burying a “missing” cat, so the dog buys his silence with a bag of Doritos.

2. Met Life “Snoopy”- The insurance giant cashed in on the nostalgia of the Gen Xers and Baby Boombers watching, by parading an eclectic array of non-Peanuts characters across our screen, including He-Man, Scooby Doo, Fat Albert, The Jetsons, Mr. Magoo, Voltron, Richie Rich, and even Grape Ape.

1. Volkswagon “Dog Strikes Back”- This ad had the greatest combination of things EVER. First in the Shakespeare-like ad within an ad concept, an overweight dog works himself into good enough shape to fit through his doggie dog and chase his owner’s car. It is then revealed that the dog ad is being watched in the Mos Eisley Cantina from Star Wars, where Darth Vader force chokes a guy who says the dog commercial is funnier than last year’s “Vader Kid”.

Some other notes:
The Audi ad is way too Twilightish, but I’m impressed they used Echo & The Bunnymen as the background music. Bud, when I hear the intro to “Fire Woman” by the Cult, but then the vocals I hear are rap, I turn the channel. The Clint Eastwood “Detroit” ad is boring. The Howard Stern ad is stupid. I could do without seeing David Beckham in his undies. There's no politically correct way I can comment on Elton John being a "king"...


©2012 Denim McDemus

The NY Football Giants are Superbowl Champs!

(Written 2/6/12)
Congratulations to Coach Tom Coughlin and the NY Giants on being the 2012 Superbowl Champions, beating New England for the 2nd time in 4 years!
Eli did it again with his 4th quarter magic, this time with Mario Manningham making "the catch". Justin Tuck aslo came up with a key sack on Tom Brady.

It was great to see a jerk like Bill Belichick lose again, and for the media to finally turn on it's darling coach and team.
Not only did Belichick waste a key timeout on an obvious catch and arrogantly concede a touchdown assuming he would win regardless, but he also told his defense to make the Giants throw to Manningham, who made the key play of the game! How great is it when someone so full of himself loses because of his own cockiness?
He assumed a certain player couldn't beat his defense, and that player won the game for the opposition. Bill's own cockiness cost him the game, and it's funny for that to happen to him of Belichick will take any easy way out he can. Remember Spygate? And they hired Denver's former head coach 6 minutes after they found out they were playing them. Also, how can they have both their outgoing AND incoming off coordinators coaching in the game?

It's nice to see McDaniels lose too. He was NE's Off Coord. the year of Spygate, conspired with NE in almost trading away Cutler right when he got to Denver, controversially benched Marshall to blow a game with a playoff spot on the line, and then had a videotaping controversy of his own in Denver.

Tom Brady is also a cocky jerk and a cry baby. It was nice to see how frustrated he was. Since he can't beat Eli, maybe he should concentrate on cleaning up Giselle's foul mouth?

David once again slew Goliath, and it was fun to watch. I knew it would come down to the end, and I knew the Giants would pull it off. The important thing is, the Giants knew it to, and so did Brady...

As for me, I went 8-3 in my playoff picks this year, and 2 of the 3 losses I said could go either way. In the other one I was just being hopeful. Add that to winning my fantasy football league's championship, and I'm doing pretty well this year.

©2012 Denim McDemus

MVP or Superbowl Champion?

(Written 2/4/12)
After the Aaron Rogers was announced as the NFL MVP, everyone seems to be debating whether Rogers or Drew Brees deserved it more. They both have very deserving stats, but Eli Manning and Tom Brady made this year’s Superbowl, while those other two will be watching it on TV.
I think every NFL player would rather win a championship than watch someone else go to Disneyland.
So, talk all you want about Rogers vs. Brees, and Peyton Manning vs. Andy Luck, but I'm gonna focus on Eli Manning vs. Tom Brady.

©2012 Denim McDemus

Belichick=No Class

(Written 2/4/12)
Only Bill Belichick would cut someone the night before the Superbowl, taking away Tiquan Underwood’s chance at playing in the “Big Game”.

©2012 Denim McDemus

Superbowl Pick!

(Written 2/3/12)
The New York Giants will once again slay Goliath by defeating the New England Patriots with a 4th quarter game-winning drive, Eli style! Go Giants!
I can't wait to see the commercials!

(Last week's record 2-0)

©2012 Denim McDemus

ESPN has no class

(Written 1/24/12)
Dear ESPN,
You can't really call a program "Joe Paterno Tribute" when half of the program is about the Sandusky scandal and why you feel Joe handled it wrong. That is not a tribute, that is you cashing in on someone's popularity and recent death to draw in viewers. Tributes don't usually take shots at someone...

©2012 Denim McDemus

Congrats Clint Dempsey!

(Written 1/22/12)
Congrats Clint Dempsey on scoring the 1st hat trick by an American-born player in English Premier League history, on being named US Soccer Male Athlete of the Year, and on now having the most career goals in the English Premier League by an American-born player.

©2012 Denim McDemus

R.I.P Joe Paterno 1926-2012

(Written 1/22/12)
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Joe Paterno, the greatest sports coach of all time, and one of the greatest humanitarians of all time. The passing of a hero and a legend has left a void in the world of sports that no one else will ever be able to fill.

©2012 Denim McDemus

NFL Playoffs Week 3 Picks

(Written 1/20/12)
Here are my playoff picks for week 3:

New England over Baltimore
Giants over San Francisco

(Last week's record 1-3)

©2012 Denim McDemus

NFL Playoffs Week 2 Picks

(Written 1/13/12)
Here are my NFL playoff picks for week 2:

New Orleans over San Francisco
Denver over New England
Houston over Baltimore
Giants over Green Bay

(Last week's record 4-0)

©2012 Denim McDemus

Bill O'Brien named new Penn State Headcoach

(Written 1/7/12)
So apparently head coaching experience was not a quality Penn State was looking for in hiring Joepa's replacement...
Seriously, O'Brien has NEVER been a head coach ANYWHERE. He's been an assistant coach on such football powerhouses as Brown, Georgia Tech, Maryland, and Duke (1-22 with him as Off Coor).
His latest gig my dog could do blindfolded, coaching Tom Brady.
Joe Paterno won 409 more games than this guy. I've won the same amount of games as this guy!
I'm sure there's a head coach at a small school that would jump at the chance to coach Penn State. There has to be someone interested with more experience than this guy.
I'm not saying I won't give the guy a chance. I'm saying I disagree with the committee's choice, based on his lack of experience and success, especially after they said head coaching success was an important quality they were looking for.
And let's not foret Spygate, which he was at New England for...

©2012 Denim McDemus

The Media Crucified Paterno

(Written 1/6/12)
Not only did Joe Paterno lose his job for a crime he did not commit & did reported properly, but now anyone who publicly supports him does too.
The media is so biased & are ignoring the facts of the case, & creating a mob mentality that people are being brainwashed into. Does no one realize that Paterno is NOT up for charges, he hid nothing, did the right thing, and even the PA Attorney General and the victims say he should not have been fired.
Paterno received ONE sketchy accusation with no solid proof from an intern about a FORMER co-worker, who no longer worked under him, about a victim that no one knew the identity of, which Joe REPORTED to his superior AND campus police, as State College Borough Police DO NOT have jurisdiction on campus which is state owned land, and stopped pursuing the matter ONLY after he was told by his boss and the police that they investigated it, and found no crime was committed. This isn't about football, a university, or Paterno. It's about the sick actions of a FORMER university employee that no one is talking about. Are people completely blind to reality? What the heck is wrong with people? Are you really THAT brainwashed by the media?

©2012 Denim McDemus