Monday, January 03, 2005
Back at it in '05
Here we are - another year. And there are numerous areas that need my observations in the world of sports.
So much so that I don't want to look back at '04 - the Red Sox won and so did Lance. I'll leave the remembering to people who get paid to do that.
Predictions? That's for somebody with a crystal ball. I'm just happy to find a pair of socks in the morning. I don't know what the stock market will do or which football teams will prosper during the '05 college football season.
However, I do think it's going to be a good year for tech stocks and don't bet on the Badgers to be in the Rose Bowl. Too many holes to fill. It'll be a middle to lower Big 10 finish for Bucky next fall. AD Alvarez better make sure Coach Alvarez has a good recruiting class. Yet, the Music City Bowl is okay for us Wisconsin fans whereas it doesn't work for Michigan Blue Blockers.
Now, for the news of the day ...
- The New Orleans Hornets need to move. First off, their team is terrible. Worse than the Bulls post-Pippen and Jordan. Second, the city cannot support a team that has 41+ home games each season. There is no disposable income in the city and it's hard to get that metro area fired up about a regular season game when big events are the norm in the Crescent City. Third, there is no corporate infrastructure in the market to buy the suites, seats, and concessions. I believe only one Fortune 500 company calls the town home. That's not enough to make the economics of sports work in 2005. We'll revisit the Hornets on 2/1/05 and see if they've won 5 games at that point - that's the over/under.
- The Astros have blown their off-season waiting for Boras. Steve Finley was available and playable in center until Willy Taveras was ready for the majors. He's since signed a contract. As have many others. Yet, the Astros played ball with Boras and have nothing to show for it - except the re-upping of Jose Vizcaino. Could be a long year at the juice box.
- I'm not going to comment on the Bobby Petrino contract situation. If you want to move on, don't sign a contract. Plain and simple as that. If it's a recruiting ploy, than it's a recruiting ploy and kids/parents will see through it. But, I do want to give management props to Tom Jurich, the athletic director. He's brought in Rick Pitino, John L. Smith, and Bobby Petrino to helm the ship of his money making sports. He's brought Louisville to a level of prominence in athletics it only expects on the first Saturday in May. That's a management trait that often gets overlooked - hiring talent. Jurich found the right people and deserves credit for that. Now, if he wants to fire Petrino, that's his right, but place your bet on the fact he can find another good coach to run the football program - probably somebody we haven't heard of yet.
- The Les Miles Experiment at LSU. Should be interesting. He's out of Bob Stoops shadow and the Bayou Bengal fans have high expectations - polar opposite from the expectations in Stillwater. LSU football is an experience. Oklahoma State football just fills time between trips to the dentist - at least a few seasons pass between trips to the DDS.
So much so that I don't want to look back at '04 - the Red Sox won and so did Lance. I'll leave the remembering to people who get paid to do that.
Predictions? That's for somebody with a crystal ball. I'm just happy to find a pair of socks in the morning. I don't know what the stock market will do or which football teams will prosper during the '05 college football season.
However, I do think it's going to be a good year for tech stocks and don't bet on the Badgers to be in the Rose Bowl. Too many holes to fill. It'll be a middle to lower Big 10 finish for Bucky next fall. AD Alvarez better make sure Coach Alvarez has a good recruiting class. Yet, the Music City Bowl is okay for us Wisconsin fans whereas it doesn't work for Michigan Blue Blockers.
Now, for the news of the day ...
- The New Orleans Hornets need to move. First off, their team is terrible. Worse than the Bulls post-Pippen and Jordan. Second, the city cannot support a team that has 41+ home games each season. There is no disposable income in the city and it's hard to get that metro area fired up about a regular season game when big events are the norm in the Crescent City. Third, there is no corporate infrastructure in the market to buy the suites, seats, and concessions. I believe only one Fortune 500 company calls the town home. That's not enough to make the economics of sports work in 2005. We'll revisit the Hornets on 2/1/05 and see if they've won 5 games at that point - that's the over/under.
- The Astros have blown their off-season waiting for Boras. Steve Finley was available and playable in center until Willy Taveras was ready for the majors. He's since signed a contract. As have many others. Yet, the Astros played ball with Boras and have nothing to show for it - except the re-upping of Jose Vizcaino. Could be a long year at the juice box.
- I'm not going to comment on the Bobby Petrino contract situation. If you want to move on, don't sign a contract. Plain and simple as that. If it's a recruiting ploy, than it's a recruiting ploy and kids/parents will see through it. But, I do want to give management props to Tom Jurich, the athletic director. He's brought in Rick Pitino, John L. Smith, and Bobby Petrino to helm the ship of his money making sports. He's brought Louisville to a level of prominence in athletics it only expects on the first Saturday in May. That's a management trait that often gets overlooked - hiring talent. Jurich found the right people and deserves credit for that. Now, if he wants to fire Petrino, that's his right, but place your bet on the fact he can find another good coach to run the football program - probably somebody we haven't heard of yet.
- The Les Miles Experiment at LSU. Should be interesting. He's out of Bob Stoops shadow and the Bayou Bengal fans have high expectations - polar opposite from the expectations in Stillwater. LSU football is an experience. Oklahoma State football just fills time between trips to the dentist - at least a few seasons pass between trips to the DDS.
