The Commish Online www.thecommishonline.com
HOT CORNER
Sports Talk, Chicago Style
October 25, 2007
The e-mails have been pouring (ok, slowly dripping) in regarding my World Series predictions. Fan, friend, and fellow Chicago sports fan Rob Ruoti had this to say:
Lots of comments & questions...
Nice predictions.
Do you really think the Sox will start Big Papi in Colorado? The dude can't walk, how can he play 1B?? Plus Youk has been hitting great. Papi becomes a pinch hitter in the Mile High.
ALCS Game 7 was not a bore...at least not until the end! Two plays...Lofton being incorrectly called out at second on the Manny throw...and then Lofton being held up at 3B on that base hit that caromed in left field...changed the outcome of that game. After the inning ending double play that stranded Kenny, you could see the mentality of the Indians change - just like after the Cubs Bartman incident. In my opinion the Indians were going to win that game just like in Game 2 of ALCS. Until Lofton got help up at 3rd base. You could see the looks in their eyes afterwards - they had lost faith. Game over.
I'm glad someone thinks Colorado can win the WS. I would love to see that. I am sick of Red Sox Bandwagon Nation.
Onto other sports...
Should the Bulls pick up Kobe?
Could the Bulls win 6 championships with Kobe.
Should the Bulls pick up Kobe and Phil (Jackson)?
Can the Bulls win a ring with the current team?
Will Joakim ever be any good?
Why is nobody excited about Jameson Curry? The dude was unstoppable in college?
Can the Bears make the playoffs this year?
If Griese had been regular QB last year would the Bears have won the Super Bowl?
-R. Ruoti (Chicago, IL)
Yes, I think the Sox will start Papi - it's Big Papi for crying out loud! I think Ortiz will get the start each game and Francona will try to figure out a way to rotate Youk and Lowell at the other spot.
Good points on Game 7. It wasn't a bore, but it just felt like an underwhelming climax. It wasn't the greatest game played in the world, and while the game was much closer than the score indicated, neither starting pitcher's performance was pretty to look at.
The Bulls would love to have Kobe, but not likely at the expense of Hinrich and/or Deng. Making a deal like that would make the Bulls roster look like the current Lakers roster, and that's not good. You need a superstar to win in the NBA, but you also need a strong supporting cast.
Phil's major assets are ego management and motivation, not in-game basketball strategy. Skiles is a talent and never seems to be outcoached. The Bulls roster is filled with players eager to win at any cost, and egos are checked at the door. In other words, Skiles is the perfect fit for this team needing the right combination of teaching, coaching, and discipline.
I didn't give Joakim Noah much of a chance but the early report is that he's a hard worker and his numbers have been solid in the preseason. He will never be a star (not enough offensive potential), but a Brian Grant type of career is possible.
It's unlikely that the Bulls can win a title as they stand now because even a run to the Finals would pit them against a more talented and experienced team, be it San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, or whomever. If they did, though, it would be as sweet as a title could get because the core of the team developed through the system, they play hard (sometimes beyond their talent), and they are a bunch of guys that are really easy to root for, from Paxson to Skiles to the players on the court.
I'm not familiar enough with Curry's game to comment, but with Hinrich and Gordon cemented in the lineup (and a dangerous Sefalosha in the mix), there's not a lot of minutes available for Curry or any new guard in the Bulls organization.
Yes, the Bears can make the playoffs. They are not particularly good, but neither is anyone else in the NFC.
I'll go out on a limb and say yes, the Bears would have won the Super Bowl with Griese. The Colts were the more talented team, but with Griese in the fold, Chicago would have played a more ball-control type offense throughout the season, keeping the defense fresh and less susceptible to wearing down. In the Super Bowl specifically, the longer Manning is on the sideline, the easier it is to beat the Colts, and I think Griese would have done a much better job accomplishing that goal.
Keep the e-mails coming, readers, and continue reading The Commish Online for always fresh content!
