SPANISH HARLEM – There was one [sports-related] thing that pissed me off this week and another that actually made me happy. Let’s make this easy and call it What I HATE About the Yankees and LOVE About the NBA (Yeah, I’m being lazy). With that, let’s jump right into it…
WHAT I HATE
The New York Yankees Scouting Another Player Coming Off a Serious Injury
It seems like year after year, the Yanks stand pat and go for reclamation projects. Then they sign the best available pitcher. I’m not saying that they have to sign the best pitcher on the market. BUT… How about the best HEALTHY one that fits their system? Last season they signed Corey Kluber, watched him throw his first no-hitter and then go on the DL IL. They didn’t get him back until the end of the season. While he was good at times, he was never as good as he was that one night in Texas (sounds like a Hangover rip-off).
NOW… there is news that the Yankees were scouting a Justin Verlander throwing session the other day. Am I surprised? No. Should I be? No. Crazy does what crazy does and Brian Cashman seems like a crazy man to me (of late). Look, I know Verlander was a great pitcher but if they keep adding “if“ to a team that they expect to win a championship then don’t be surprised IF Verlander doesn’t finish the season. You need horses that will go out there everyday and give you a chance to win. I’m not saying Verlander can’t do that… but how much can you bet on a player coming off an arm injury at the age?
WHAT I LOVE
The New NBA Foul Rule
The one thing you notice watching the NBA this season is the reluctance of NBA officials keeping their whistles to themselves and allowing players to play through contact. I’m sure if you read the news lately, there are certain players complaining about fouls. Most notably, the no-foul call is getting airtime. Guys like James Harden, Trae Young and even our (me and fellow #Knicks fans) very own Immanuel Quickely have gotten the same calls that they got a year ago. The option to lean in on a jumping player – causing contact – has not been called. Moreover, in some instances fouls have been called on the player that has looked for the contact call.
I can’t tell you how happy I am to see this new rule being implemented. Foul calls can slow a game down immensely and up until this season anyone could try to generate a cheap foul on someone playing really good defense. What we have now is that players can no longer can “act” to get a foul call… and we all know what that looks like. Am I right, soccer fans? Flailing arms, a head-snap or my favorite: falling to the ground like they got hit by a Mack truck. It was hard to get your team to play great defense, only to see a player earn a cheap foul. This new keep-the-whistle-quiet movement is how basketball was meant to be played. Points shouldn’t be given to the players that cheat the system. Finally we get to see some really good basketball being played.
That’s it for me. Comment below and come back tomorrow for a really good basketball player, Different Matt, and some pigskin/puck talk.
