Timmy

I'm a few days late on this, but, what a bittersweet day for the NBA on Monday. The Big Fun(damental), my basketball idol, Tim Duncan announced his retirement from the NBA.

I was probably about 13, a big, awkward aspiring power forward who could rebound like a boss and little else. It was during the 8th grade when I had finally managed to crack the school team that I discovered Tim while he was playing college ball at Wake Forest. I was captivated by him, his dominant and fundamentally sound low post game, his defense, even his signature bankshot from the wing. I watched every Wake Forest game I could find that season. He was the player I tried to emulate as best I could. He was the player I wanted to be.

Then everyone else started growing, I stopped, and before I knew it I was a combo guard that couldn't dribble or shoot the ball. So I tried to be more like Jason Kidd, I ended up being more like Charles Barkley and, well, my playing days kinda stagnated for a while. I learned to shoot and dribble just in time for intermurals in university and ever since I've played here and there where I could. Even though I've become more of a perimeter playmaker, defense first, spot up shooter type of player, I still get a bit excited when it turns out I'm one of the two biggest guys on the team.

As a youngster, I admired Tim's basketball skills. His defense, his shot blocking ability, his low post game that few could contain. I admired his accolades on the court, and the fact he is unquestionably one of the greatest basketball players of all time. On top of that is his longevity. He played 19 seasons and retired when he was 40 years old, unheard of for an NBA player, much less a 7 footer. When I broke out my Duncan jersey Monday, I quickly realized that there was no way I could wear it, it was at least two sizes too big. Just goes to show you how long he's been in the league. That jersey once fit pretty well, and it's been a long, long time since I was fat (hard to believe, but I was).

As I got older, I grew to admire the things that truly make Tim great. His selflessness, his unwavering desire to put the team first and do what ever he needed to do in order to win. I admired the way that he led by example, and the fact that he did all of this with a quiet dignity that we may never see again.

There was a story I remembered reading a few years ago that resurfaced on Monday that not only sums up the kind of player Tim was, but the kind of person he was. It comes from Etan Thomas and goes something like this:

"Here is my Tim Duncan story.

So we're playing the Spurs and I get the ball in the post. I inside pivot and sweep to the middle for my jump hook and he blocks it. So as we are running down the court, he says to me, 'That was a good move, but you have to get more into my body so you can either draw the foul or I can't block it.'

So I didn't know if he was talking noise or what so just kind of looked at him confused and said, 'OK'. Then, a few plays later I did it again - got more into his body and he couldn't block it. I missed the shot and he looked at me and said 'Much better,' and kept playing. I remember calling my boy Zee Chilton and telling him this story lol. Tim Duncan is honestly one of the nicest guys in the NBA and one of the best power forwards ever. Respect."

I remember being absolutely dumbfounded when I read this. Giving tips in the heat of competition, to someone you are trying to beat? It is one of those things I think only Tim would do. I can't begin to imagine just how great it must have been to play alongside Tim if he was giving tips to a young opponent as the game is going on. This story is absolutely amazing, and I'm sure there all kinds of others like it.

There was nothing flashy about Tim Duncan or the way he played. He just went and played the game. There was no farewell circus and no big presser to announce it. I'm sure nobody was surprised. Just a statement released by the Spurs as he quietly and fittingly moved on to life after basketball in true Tim Duncan fashion.

So long Timmy, the basketball world will surely miss you.

-matt

Second and Third Thoughts on Slides

During the postseason, I and many others wrote about takeout slides after Chase Utley broke Ruben Tejada's leg. It became a pretty hot topic around baseball. MLB, wisely, sought to protect its players from serious injury and changed the rules governing slides at seconds during double play attempts. On paper it sounded reasonable.

It didn't take long before it turned into something of a nightmare.

In the Blue Jays third game of the season, they were down 3-2 in the top of the 9th. They loaded the bases with one out when Edwin Encarnacion hit a bouncer to third. Even Longoria backed up, took the big hop and fired to second. Logan Forsythe took the throw, stepped to the infield side of second, and turned to fire to first with Jose Bautista bearing down on him. As Bautista slid towards the base, Forsythe uncorked a wild throw that one hopped first after Encarnacion was already across the base, and ended up in the Rays' dugout. The tying run scored on the play, and with the ball out of play, Josh Donaldson who started on second was awarded home. That put the Jays up 4-3 with runners on 2nd and 3rd and two out.

But wait. The Rays challenged the play.

Oh shit, I thought, was Bautista's slide legal? Was this going to be the first time we see someone called out on the new slide rule? Is it going to cost the Blue Jays a chance at winning the game?

In real time, I thought the slide was good, but as soon as they showed the replay from the first base camera I suspected there was going to be trouble as it was clear that Bautista, almost certainly intentionally, stuck his left arm out and made contact with Forsythe's leg.

As I suspected, the call on the field was overturned, and both Bautista and Encarnacion were called out on interference. Game over, 3-2 Rays.

This brings me to my second thought on takeout slides: WHAT THE FUCK? How can you call him out on that? He barely touched him!

I have to admit that had this not prevented the Blue Jays from taking the lead and possibly winning the game, my reaction likely would have been tempered. After some objective thought and looking more carefully at the explanation later given by MLB, I realized and accepted that the call was correct according to the new rules, and even under the old ones. Last year you could barrel roll into a fielder, but I don't think you could stick your arm out.

Just when the backlash died down a few days later, it happened again. Not just the new slide rule being called, but a game ending because of it. The Astros were trailing the Brewers 6-4 in the top of the 9th with one out and threatening to score. On a ground ball up the middle, Colby Rasmus slid well past second base as the Brewers got the force at second, with no attempt to throw to first. The umpire immediately called both him and Jose Altuve out on runner's interference. The Astros challenged, the call was upheld, and the game ended.

Twice. In the first week of the season. Games ended on the so-called Chase Utley rule. Could it have been any worse?

And so here we are, in the midst of a minor crisis. How do they fix this? Do they change it? Do they scrap the new rule entirely and just call the old ones (which they generally didn't)?

For those who are unaware, here is the now infamous Rule 6.01(j):

(j) (7.14) Sliding to Bases on Double Play Attempts
If a runner does not engage in a bona fide slide, and initiates (or attempts to make) contact with the fielder for the purpose of breaking up a double play, he should be called for interference under this Rule 6.01. A “bona fide slide” for purposes of Rule 6.01 occurs when the runner:
(1) begins his slide (i.e., makes contact with the ground) before reaching the base;
(2) is able and attempts to reach the base with his hand or foot;
(3) is able and attempts to remain on the base (except home plate) after completion of the slide; and
(4) slides within reach of the base without changing his pathway for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.

This brings me to my third thought on takeout slides that was very much like my first: if the player is theoretically trying to get to the base before the throw, then MAKE them get to the base. I think the new rule above is good, but the part about remaining on the base, to me anyway, is unnecessary and is the root of the problem. I don't really have a problem with runners sliding past the base as long as they touch it first. In doing that, they risk being tagged out if the fielder drops the ball, so I don't really see a problem with it as long as the other criteria outlined are met.

An alternative is to go to the unwritten softball rule in leagues where sliding is permitted which is to slide straight into the base. I think there is merit in this because the predictable path of the runner makes it easy for middle infielders to avoid contact and easy for the umpires to judge if the runner is intentionally trying to interfere with the fielder turning the double play. This is also in line with my theory that if the runner is trying to get to the base before the throw, then they should actually touch the base.

I doubt MLB will get to this point any time soon. I think there is an appetite to maintain at least some possibility of preserving one of the few physical confrontations possible on the baseball field, but who knows. Maybe the rules will become so murky and difficult to judge that they have to go with what I think is the simplest solution to the problem.

And problems with new rules isn't really new. When MLB introduced new rules attempting to curb collisions on plays at home plate, there were problems with it initially. After the uproar from players and fans and reporters, MLB made the necessary adjustments and clarifications, and the players eventually adjusted.

Two games were prematurely ended on this rule, and MLB is going to have to do something about it. Whether it be changing the rule or simply providing a clearer explanation of what is and isn't a bona fide slide, it is going to be interesting in the next few days to see what happens.

-matt

A New Way to Use Your Head

Now here's one I never thought I would see, someone using their head to block a dunk. It happened, sort of. Jameel McKay of the Iowa State Cyclones, which had already victimized Oklahoma St with a few vicious dunks, cut across the lane past one defender and looked ready to throw down a dunk over the help defender Anthony Allen who was late getting over.



Now I must say, I love this play, it's hilarious, but I do have a few questions:

1. How in the hell is that not goaltending (which was not called by the referees, play continued. No, I'm not making this up)?

2. If it is not goaltending, how in the hell is it not a blocked shot (the Allen was not credited with a block)?

Hey, considering how this college basketball season has gone down, I can't say the weirdness of this play surprises me all that much. It's actually quite fitting.

-matt

Blue Jays Spring Training Day One: The Circus Has Arrived!

Pitchers and catchers report. Music to my ears.

Well, kind of. Generally speaking it means spring is getting close, but not quite there yet. It's kind of a tease. Is it really exciting hearing about how great R.A. Dickey felt after playing catch with Josh Thole? No. Is it really that exciting watching videos of Marcus Stroman doing PFP? No. All the first day of spring training really means is that baseball is almost around the corner.

Well, not this year. There was a lot more to Day One this time around than the flood of photos on twitter of every single one of the Blue Jays pitchers throwing 25 pitches off the mound at about 60% effort. A full blown circus broke out when some reporters decided it was a good idea to ask Jose Bautista about his contract status.

Bautista stated that he and his representatives gave the Blue Jays management, in no uncertain terms, exactly the contract length and money that would be required for him to sign an extension with the Blue Jays, and that those numbers were not negotiable. He went on to state that this meeting took place roughly two weeks ago, presumably when Bautista was in Toronto for the NBA All-Star Game, and that he had not spoken to management about it since. He talked about home town discounts, and budgets, and basically took aim at ownership, challenging them to meet his terms.

In essence, he gave them an ultimatum.

Now I would like to say that even though I've never really liked Bautista as a player, mostly due to his childish antics every time he is called out on strikes and his seemingly arrogant attitude, I do have a lot of respect not only for his skills on the field (if I had a cannon for an arm like his ...) but also because of his smarts on and off the field. He's very involved in the player's union, and when you think about all the endorsement money he's bringing in, it's obvious he is smart and has surrounded himself with smart people. He knows the game and more importantly he knows the business. I have no problem with a smart guy like him sitting down and crunching some numbers, figuring out precisely what he believes he is worth, and I have no doubt that he consulted with people who could corroborate his conclusions. This could be his only chance to go to free agency, so I don't blame him for a second for trying to maximize his return. I don't have a problem with him taking those numbers to Blue Jays management and saying take it or leave it.

The problem I have is his going to the media. Yes, some reporter asked the question, but he didn't have to give all the gory details about what had transpired between himself and management. He easily could have given the cliche "We talked about an extension and had a very good discussion about it, but we aren't really close to anything right now" (you know, the answer that no one wants to hear), but he didn't, he chose to get right into details. Remember how I said Bautista is very smart? That was not a mistake on his part. We can't be certain of his motives, but from my perspective as a fan it seems to me like he's trying to cast ownership as the bad guy here.

I'm 100% convinced that if management met his demands (whatever they may be) tomorrow, he would sign a contract, but I'm also certain that those demands are not something the Blue Jays are going to jump at. I'm sure Bautista knows this, afterall he has been with this organization for a long time and knows how they operate. So now, at season's end, he can shrug his shoulders, say to the fans "Hey I tried. I told management what they needed to do and they chose not to do it", and waltz off into unrestricted free agency where you know someone is going to give him the 5 year $125-$150 million contract I suspect he is looking for, emphasis on suspect. I don't know what he asked for, and I won't pretend, that's just what I think he probably asked for.

And it's working. Peruse message boards, twitter, comment sections and you'll see scores of fans screaming "PAY THE MAN!!!". Like I said, he's a smart guy.

Oh, and then later in the day there was the trade for Jay Bruce that got everyone all riled up and debating about whether he was actually an upgrade over Michael Saunders, only to have the trade fall through. Yeah, that one was kind of weird.

All in all, it was a very eventful and bizarre opening day to Spring Training. I wonder if it's a sign of things to come.

-matt

Oooooooof Award: Joseph Blandisi

I've seen some rather hilarious dives in the NHL, but this is the best one I've seen in a while. It comes courtesy of the New Jersey Devil's Joseph Blandisi who did this after being slashed in the back of the leg:

View post on imgur.com

The amazing thing about this dive is it contains everything. He jumps in the air. He throws his head back. He lays on the ice for a few seconds as though he had been shot.

I give it a 10/10. Well done Joseph, you have earned yourself an...

Oooooooof

Oooooof Award: Blake Griffin

Oh man, you can't make this stuff up.

Blake Griffin, already sidelined with a hamstring injury, has reportedly broken his hand after punching a team equipment manager multiple times. Yes, an equipment manager.

Report: Blake Griffin broke his hand in a fight with a team equipment manager https://t.co/j2dg6jTjOX pic.twitter.com/fYBxjGwNvP

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 26, 2016

I'd love to know what that argument was all about, and the possibilities are hilarious. Hard to say if we will ever know, but of all the ways to injure yourself I'd have to say this is one of the most bizarre I've ever heard. Regardless, with the Clippers sitting 4th in the Western Conference and heading into the home stretch of the season, they definitely need Griffin as they get tuned up for the playoffs, and instead he's going to be out a while longer because for some reason, the equipment manager pissed him off. I believe that qualifies for an ....

Ooooooof.

Appendum: I learned at Hoop Talks the night after writing this blog entry that this incident took place at Sotto Sotto Ristorante right here in Toronto. Yowzers!