Browsing Tag: sports

    Miscellany

    A New Kind of Sunday

    December 6, 2009

    For the first time … I don’t even know how long … I didn’t rush to turn on the early football games when we got home from church. I didn’t fire up the computer to check how my fantasy team was doing and what I’d missed. I didn’t care about anything other than the Seahawks game, and that didn’t start until 1:15 pm.

    Here’s why:

    football

    Cuz my fantasy team is really, really bad. That little red circle means I’m eliminated from playoff contention. I don’t think I’ve ever been out of the playoffs this early. Not sure I’ve ever missed the playoffs, for that matter.

    But dang, what a fun Sunday it’s been! And the Seahawks ended up winning on a last-second FG. Not too happy about the Instant Breakfast being so terrible, but I could get used to Sundays like this.

    Miscellany

    The Case Against Jim Mora Jr.

    November 22, 2009

    Mora-JimAs I sit here watching another unwatchable Seahawks game, I’ve been doing some research to see if my suspicions about head coach Jim Mora Jr. are correct. My suspicion? That he’s not a very good head coach. Turns out, I think I’m right.

    It seems to me that a head coach (and his coordinators) has two main jobs when it comes to what happens on the field every week:

    1. Have his team ready to play at the opening kickoff
    2. Make adjustments during the game to put the team in a position to win

    So, in order to measure #1 above, I decided to look at how many games this season the Seahawks have led after the first quarter. If you prepare well during the week, it should translate into a good start, right? If you’re unprepared, it should translate into a lot of first quarter deficits.

    Games Seahawks led after 1st quarter

    Week 3: 10-0 lead over Chicago; lost 25-19
    Week 5: 3-0 lead over Jacksonville; won 41-0
    Week 10: 7-0 lead over Arizona; lost 31-20

    After 10 weeks of football, the Seahawks have only led three times after the first quarter. (And they ended up losing two of those.)

    FACT: Only once all season have the Seahawks led after the first quarter and won the game.

    There were seven games the Seahawks started poorly — including the two terrible first quarters when the Cardinals and Lions totally outplayed them. The Seahawks weren’t prepared in either of those games.

    So what about in-game adjustments? Good coaches do that and help their teams come from behind to win, or help their team hold on when they have leads.

    Games Seahawks had halftime lead and lost

    Week 3: 13-7 lead over Chicago; lost 25-19
    Week 10: 17-10 lead over Arizona; lost 31-20

    The Hawks have had the lead at halftime four times this season. They beat the Rams and Jaguars, but lost to the Bears and Cardinals. Seems to me that when you have a halftime lead, you need to win a lot more than 50% of the time.

    Games Seahawks trailed at halftime and won

    Week 9: trailed Detroit 17-13; won 32-20

    The Seahawks have trailed at halftime six times, and only came back to win one of those games — this one against the lowly Lions.

    Seems to me that the Seahawks are rarely prepared and able to get out to a good start, and rarely able to make the adjustments to win after they get behind.

    Mora’s history in Atlanta

    In 2004, Mora’s first season as Falcons’ coach, they went to the NFC Championship. In the next two seasons, they got off to good starts and then fell apart. The Falcons went a combined 4-13 during the final two months of those seasons and missed the playoffs both times. The general consensus is that those teams were talented but had underachieved.

    Under Mora, the Falcons were 0-17 when entering the fourth quarter with a deficit. Not a single fourth-quarter comeback.

    My vote? The Seahawks need to find a new coach.

    (They also need better, younger players, but I think change has to start with the coach.)

    Miscellany

    I Like My Fantasy Football Team

    September 8, 2009

    We drafted tonight (Monday) for our SEO fantasy football league and I’m feeling a lot better about the Instant Breakfast this year than I did last season. Here’s my team:

    Picture 1

    If Tomlinson and Portis stay healthy, I think I’ll be in good shape. I drafted Santonio Holmes earlier than Julius Jones, but switched them for week one because I like Jones at home against the Rams more than I like the Steelers taking on Tennessee.

    I haven’t compared my roster to the other teams in our league, but I’m thinking I’ll be right in the hunt at season’s end. And if all goes well, I’ll be winning my 3rd title in 4 years and living up to that Fantasy Football Legend sign that’s hanging on my office wall.

    Miscellany

    Mariners v. Rays in photos

    August 11, 2009

    After the girls got back home last week, Sean and I took off for an overnighter in Seattle — boys night out of sorts, you could call it. It was perfect: 8th row seats at Safeco Field to see the Mariners and Tampa square off, an amazing game that ended with the Mariners winning 7-6 in 11 innings on a 2-run, walk-off HR with 2 outs and 2 strikes on Ryan Langerhans, and even a 4-star hotel room at a 2-star price (thanks to Priceline).

    I’ve put 21 photos on Flickr. I think this one is my favorite because of the 4-level depth of field — from Crawford to Hernandez to the Rays coach to the fans. Pretty cool.

    Felix Hernandez (& Carl Crawford)
    Miscellany

    All is Right with the World

    October 9, 2008

    I know the economy is in trouble (“tanking” seems to be a common description) … and the election has people on edge … things seem to be spinning out of control (they’re really not) … and everyone’s nervous about the general state of the world.

    No worries. All is right with the world. My fantasy football team, the Instant Breakfast, is back in 1st place.

    screenshot

    Rest assured, this is the normal way of events. I’m the two-time defending champ in this fantasy football league, which is made up of my fellow marketing peers. Yep. I’m feeling good. No spinning out of control here. No nerves. Not on edge. Just the usual — including a four-game winning streak after losing in Week One.

    I’m just doing my part to live up to the sign that hangs on my office wall……

    fantasy football legend