Some miscellaneous thoughts collected over the last few weeks…

Doug Flutie is the perfect backup quarterback for one game, because he is very effective when the defense is unable to prepare for him. When the opposition is able to game plan, however, he becomes a very unsavory option. The book has been out on Flutie for years, since he led the Buffalo Bills in to a slow death spiral four years ago. I know, I watched it unfold live before me. The similarities between San Diego’s current situation and Flutie’s last year starting in Buffalo are very similar, but sped up tenfold. It all starts with Flutie saving the day, as he did in Buffalo for a solid half-season in his first year, taking over the reigns after Rob Johnson was injured. As the season wore on, Flutie became less and less effective, until eventually he was completely neutralized. Defenses know to surround him – don’t send the ends too far up field, but instead keep him contained in the pocket and obstruct his throwing lanes. To Flutie, it becomes like throwing out of a silo. In addition, defenses don’t have to respect the deep out with Flutie because he lacks arm strength. Sure, he may emerge to win a game here or there with some dynamic play, but the bad times will far outweigh the good. Schottenheimer is wrong to hitch his wagon to Flutie’s star, especially if he thinks a few wins may save his job. As my counterpart Richard Kopp says, it’s all in the coaching in San Diego anyway.

It pains me to say this as I am certainly not a fan of the man, but there was no more worthy recipient of the NL MVP award than Barry Bonds. His numbers are far superior to those of Albert Pujols, who will win multiple MVP awards in his lifetime as well. Hopefully, with age and some revised steroid testing policies this will be Barry’s last hoorah.

It also pains me to admit this, but the luxury tax in baseball is harming more baseball teams than it is helping. And it is actually helping the Yankees win. Those teams that are harmed the most are those in the $100-117.5 million dollar payroll range. The Dodgers, Red Sox, Mets, Braves, Cardinals and others put themselves at a competitive disadvantage by using the $117.5 million luxury tax threshold as a self-imposed salary cap. Steinbrenner has no such self-imposed cap, and is in position to acquire players to fill holes, replace injured players, and snap up “bargain” players when others are too close to the cap to do so. Would the ALCS have ended differently if the Sox had been willing to break the cap by acquiring a stud closer at the deadline as a playoff rental? You betcha’ it could have. The Yankees had no such restrictions and were able to add players they thought would help (Boone, Sierra, etc.). The fact they guessed wrong on those players doesn’t change the crux of the argument. King George is sitting back and laughing at these teams who are willing to spend $117 million on payroll, lose money, and not win when perhaps they could spend $120 million, still lose money, and maybe win it all. I understand the concept of risk / reward, but is no one willing to take the risk?

One of the best examples of this self-imposed sal-cap foolishness is the Los Angeles Dodgers. In desperate need of hitting down the stretch, the Dodgers were unable to acquire anyone of significance due to their aversion of crossing the threshold. So the Dodgers shopped at the discount rack, acquiring Rickey Henderson from the independent Atlantic League, Jeromy Burnitz from the Mets’ financial trainwreck, and Robin Ventura following his swift kick-in-the-ass goodbye from the Yankees. You get what you pay for fellas. The wild card was there for the taking, and you chose to stand pat.

That being said, the Dodgers are not in a bad position entering the free agent period, other than the fact that they still have no owner. The owners vote to approve Frank McCourt as the new Dodger owner has been pushed off until the January owners meeting, although MLB sources say that if he gets his finances in order sooner a vote by telephone would be possible. As a result of this confusion, the jobs of both Dan Evans and Jim Tracy remain up in the air, and Evans is limited in the moves he can make. The Dodgers have shed $21 million in salary by dumping Andy Ashby, Fred McGriff, Brian Jordan and Daryle Ward. The departure of Paul Quantrill at his own option frees up another $3.2 million. That’s $24 million in cash the Dodgers may have available to spend, or they may choose to drift back to fiscal sanity. Cy Young award winning reliever Eric Gagne is arbitration eligible, and will likely break the bank after making $550,000 last year. With gaping holes to fill in left field and first base, and upgrades needed in the infield, the Dodgers will be stretched to the limit to contend next year unless their new owner lets them spend back up to the threshold. I have so much more to say on LA that it screams for another entry.

Nice job Bengals in knocking off the Chiefs. The Bungles are now the darlings of the national media at 5-5. I think Marvin Lewis will do good things in the NFL, but right now I think the Bengals are running on youthful enthusiasm, which can go quite a way, but it cannot be sustained too long. If Lewis can somehow convince Mike Brown (Bengals record with Brown as Owner / GM: 57-141) to change the culture of the organization then they have a chance of being successful in the next 2-3 years. If not, please reference the 2001 Chicago Bears (13-3), the 2001 Arizona Cardinals (7-9), and the 2000 Detroit Lions (9-7). All those teams got a one year prescription of lightning in a bottle, but could not sustain it because their organizations do not have a fundamental commitment to winning.

Some team called D.C. United (what, they once had two soccer teams and now they have one?) who play in something called the MLS signed a fourteen year old to a six year contract. And LeBron James takes how much abuse for skipping college?, I’m no fan of the youngsters skipping school to jump to the NBA either, but why is it OK for baseball, hockey, tennis, golf, and soccer players to miss college and high school but hoopsters get criticized for skipping college? Two possible ideas: basketball is a revenue producer while the others or not, or we can get all Jessie Jackson and consider race.

So Jon Gruden finally had enough of Keyshawn, eh? Tell me, honestly, how many football fans wish that their coach had the cajones to do this to the mouth on your favorite team. I never liked Gruden much before, but I sure do now. Something tells me Warren Sapp will not be a Buc next year. To quote Stitch Jones (The Duke of Cool, the Earl of Funk, the Ayatollah of Rock-and-Rollah): "Don't go away mad...just go away"

What’s that you say? How are the brave ladies from Michigan State faring on the rink this year? Since their two losses to Division I Sacred Heart the Spartans have gone 3-0-1, all in league play, to boost their record to 5-0-1 in the CCWHA. Next up: two against Notre Dame.

From the “duh” department: this THG / BALCO thing is going to blow the doors off pro sports, no matter how hard MLB and the NFL tries to cover it up. And it will be the best thing to happen to baseball in thirty years. With any luck it will destroy the players union in addition to cleaning up the game. This will warrant a long column soon.