OK, I admit this is probably the three most unrelated sports things I could be putting into one post, but it's the three things that caught my attention over the past week.
''I don't want to be the pessimist, but it did not race as good as our
generation five cars. This is more like what the generation five was at
the beginning. The teams hadn't figured out how to get the aero balance right. Right
now, you just run single-file and you cannot get around the guy in front
of you.”
As far as I can tell NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin is getting fined $25k for saying the above quote...are you kidding me? That is what NASCAR feels are "disparaging remarks" or "denigrating the racing?" This is like the fable, The Emperor's New Clothes. Everyone can see the truth, but none of the drivers can say anything about it for fear of being punished.
Continuing with the "what are you thinking" theme...what were the Ravens thinking trading Anquan Boldin to the 49ers for a 6th round pick! All Boldin did was lead the Ravens in receiving for the last 3 seasons. In the Super Bowl, he caught 6 passes for 104 yards, 1 TD and made, what I felt, was one of the biggest plays to save the win...the 3rd and 1 catch when Flacco audibled where Bolden out worked 49er DB Carlos Rogers for a 15 yard "jump ball." While it was just a first down and only led to a FG, it keep the drive alive...a drive that took the clock down from 9:47 to 4:19, giving the 49ers only one chance to win the game.
Compare that to the Percy Harvin deal that sent Harvin to Seattle for the Seahawks' #1, #7 in 2013 and a mid-round pick in 2014. Now Percy's a good WR, so I'm not trying to put him down...most out there feel it was a win-win trade for both clubs, but my point is how was Boldin only worth a #6? How does that make Ravens' management look in the wake of Flacco's $120 million deal?
The other thing that boggles my mind is that no other team made the Ravens a better offer. I can't believe that no one was willing to give up a 4th or 5th round pick to get Boldin.
Unless they pick up someone in the off season, the Ravens top two WRs are Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones. Meanwhile, the 49ers will lineup Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin...I gotta think the Super Bowl out come would have been different if those were the WRs for their respective clubs.
It you follow this blog long enough you'll find out that my favorite College basketball team is the Kansas Jayhawks. The Jayhawks have left me scratching my head. I wasn't sure how this years Jayhawks would fair, but after losing the 2nd game of the season to then #21 Michigan State, I thought, "OK, we're looking at a down year for KU." Then the Jayhawks reel off 18 straight wins, including then #7 Ohio State and #11 Kansas State. Now I'm thinking, "Maybe they can do some damage in March." Then three straight loses, one coming to TCU who has an RPI of 226!!! Thoughts of the Jayhawks going down in flames and leaving the dance early are going through my head. Then six straight wins including then #10 Kansas State and #14 Oklahoma State. But before I could change my mind again, they get blown out this weekend by Baylor. Who are these guys?
I've been screaming about the Bolding deal since it went down. How does no other team offer something better than a sixth round pick? Even a sixth round pick better than the last pick in the round? His salary is reasonable at $6M. I don't get this one and probably never will.
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