By the way Sportz fans…. I noticed this great advertisement released by ‘John Ricco’ advising that the New York Mets are on the look out for talent of all sorts….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVkalfhzvVA
John…the Professor’s application is in the mail!!
Professor’s Rant #2
I guess there is one thing we can say for the New York Mets management now being led by Sandy Alderson…..they picked a recycled manager in Terry Collins who has a winning record (444-434)!! 
That at least allows me to put a tick in one box for Jeff Wilpon, Alderson & Co (and there haven’t been too many of those handed out by me to the Mets over the last few seasons).
Collins main claim to fame seems to be that he managed teams that finished second…..that’s right, second, in their division five years out of six. I guess that is better than appointing a potential manager from a list that seemed packed with candidates who had losing records and were sacked from their previous roles (Collins, Chip Hale, 
Bob Melvin, Wally Backman, Clint Hurdle, Don Wakamatsu to name but a few). Let’s look at some of the candidates – recently sacked Mariner’s manager Don Wakamatsu for one. The allegations of ‘losing’ the players during a tough season isn’t a great start to a resume, especially when you combine that with a 100+ loss season and you have a recipe for disaster in New York. Let’s also take a look at Wally Backman (currently managing the Mets affiliate the Cyclones). He was sacked as manager of the Diamondbacks in 2004 just four days after starting in the job after not revealing two arrests and ‘financial problems’ to the interview panel. One heck of a stint in the big leagues Wally.
So, my burning questions are these. Weren’t there any potential managers sitting out there with winning records? Weren’t there any that had World Series experience? Why wasn’t Bobby Valentine
at least interviewed? He is curently not managing, having come off a very successful stint in the Japanese league with the Chiba Lotte Marines where he won the Japan Series and the inaugural Asia Series, but perhaps more importantly, has managed successfully before in the heat of the New York sporting spotlight garnering a 536-467 record over seven seasons (which included two 90+ win seasons). Don’t forget he is the last manager to take the Mets to the World Series.
In any event, out of all that, Terry Collins has the job and now gets to confront what to do about closer 
Francisco Rodriguez, the non performing Jason Bay and Luis Castillo and Carlos Beltran in the final year of a seven year contract.
Like the boy with the barrow, Terry has it all in front of him!
21 November 2010 180.1 – The Panel are live at the Bentleigh Festival, Stan gets the show going with another seaching question about the Melboure Tigers. Daniel looks at convincing the Professor to join with him and make a move for the Tigers franchise. There is also a discussion surrounding the ABL’s rules regarding a double header. Daniel has been told the first game is only 7 innings whilst the second game is 9 innings. Why not start the game 45 minutes earlier and play 9 innings? The Panel discusses Chris from Barwon Heads email regarding Shane Warne and they discuss Warne’s contribution to Victorian cricket. The Panel welcomes Bentleigh MLA Rob Hudson to the show and Daniel asks if he recommends use of mints (like Jeff Kennett). Rob outlines the announcements made by the Labor party with respect to upgrades to sports 
venues in his electorate and also building programs in schools. There is no truth in the rumor that Rob had been approached by St Kilda as a specialist kicking coach. The Gelding discusses the horse racing at Moonee Valley and Rosehill. The Gedling and Sydney Colt managed to pick 3 winners and 2 placings from six selections. There is also a discussion about jockeys and trainers being caught gambling and the Federal Court decision handed down during the week in favor of Racing NSW and their 1.5% betting tax per dollar. Daniel talks about the trade of Aussie David Anderson from the Toronto Raptors to the New Orleans Hornets. The move should be good for Anderson as the Raptors are at the bottom of the ladder and the Hornets are at the top. There is also a brief discussion regarding the AFL draft and St Kilda picking up Polo and Gamble from other AFL clubs but Paul Gamble doesn’t think they will make the difference. He won’t say whether he believes the premiership window is still open for the Saints but he does talk about
need for flywire screens on portholes in submarines and we are still trying to work that out. Given it is cricket season the Gambler starts a discussion about England’s Graeme Swann who the Gelding describes as a ‘different unit’.
This is the first in a series to be known as the ‘Professor’s Rant!”
Over the last few weeks on Sportzfan Radio Stan and I have had lengthy discussions with basketball expert and panelist, Daniel Eade. The topic for most of those conversations has been the poor start…no, make that the very poor start to the NBL season by the Melbourne Tigers. Daniel conceded last week that it is quite conceivable that the Tigers could start the season with a 0-8 win/loss total….well, make that loss total.
I was surprised when Daniel told our listening audience (on Sportzfan Radio #179.1) that the Tigers, during the off season, had considered signing Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams (the reigning NBL MVP) and
Julius Hodge (who played with the Tigers in 2009), but in the end Tigers management had elected to go with the cheaper option of an untried paring of TJ Campbell and Eric Devendorf. Needless to say, the cheaper option did not get the job done and, as we all expected, Campbell was cut loose during the week to make way for Williams. Who knows how long Devendorf will last, but given the loss to Perth Wildcats last night, he is possibly one step closer to a ticket home.
Make no mistake, I do not have a problem with NBL teams showing prudent financial management. Signing ‘no name brand’ imports may have been all the Tigers could have afforded. Of course, it doesn’t get fans excited or flocking to the stadium but it hopefully keeps the team in the black. This premise though seems incorrect when the Tigers are eventually forced to admit the mistake in judgment and go with the cheque book to sign Williams in an effort to save their floundering season. Problem is that the ‘momentum train’ has long since left the station and their is now almost no hope that the Tigers can fill their stadium or sign up new members.
Given the NBL is struggling anyway in the crowded summer sports market place, to go with ‘no name brand’ players is a recipe for disaster for both the scoreboard and hip pocket.
14 November 2010 179.2 – Daniel thinks the Melbourne Tigers theme song is very annoying to listen to and believes there should be no basketball theme songs. The Professor wonders whether Daniel was alive when the Leyland Brothers were on television. The ‘F’ word looks at the local A-League scene. Archie Thompson back for Melbourne Victory will be a positive however the Victory have lost one of their other strikers. He doesn’t believe Victory can make the top three given their current ladder position. He is going to see both Melbourne Heart and Victory in the next week but will only be wearing a Heart scarf. Mark also has a quick look at English Premier League and the Socceroos upcoming friendly against Egypt. The Panel discuss IPL’s growing disruption to other forms of cricket with Australia’s test series against Bangladesh needing to be moved as it clashes with IPL matches. Paul Dalligan is stoked about Greg Inglis heading for the Rabbitohs and says it is the biggest signing in his lifetime. He is disppointed that Australia was beaten by the Kiwis in the last minute of last night’s final of the Four Nations Tournament. Social media expert, Sean Callanan believes the Queen has a lot of work to do to catch up to LeBron James on Facebook. He likes people quoting tweets but has a problem with journalists quoting tweets but then not linking back to the original story or using their twitter handle. The NBA and the NHL are always trending on twitter when the games are played which says those Leagues are on the ball with social media.
14 November 2010 179.1 – The Professor starts by asking Daniel whether there should be a “mercy rule’ in basketball like there is in baseball, which then starts a discussion on the Melbourne Aces and whether their double header games are only 7 innings in length. The Gambler gives an update on Danish Rock who has been put out in the paddock for a six week spell. Stan has more basketball questions for Daniel about the Melbourne Tigers including whether an import (or two) will be sacked. Daniel says if the Tigers are 0-6 after the next two games they will both be sacked. Daniel doesn’t think Al Westover will be sacked though. The Gambler complains about the traffic created by the Australian Masters golf. Mordiboy sends a text predicting Tiger Woods not being able to win the tournament and thinks Daniel Gaunt will win by a shot. The Gelding discusses yesterday’s racing at Sandown and Rosehill. He says with the track being a ‘heavy 9’, runners needed some wet weather form to be in with a show. He says that like Danish Rock, Queen Asa is also going out for a spell.
7 November 2010 178.2 – The Panel welcome the return of John O’Callaghan and reveals he is a Green Bay Packer fan. The Panel talk about athletes who keep on getting into the news for all the wrong reasons – Favre, Fevola, Warne, Newman. Nicole thinks it is “younger man approaching middle age trying to hold on to youth”. John discusses the AFL Grand Final and thinks it now should be an extra time game and not a replay. The Panel again take Mark Fiorenti to task again about the FFA bidding for the 2022 World Cup and the money that looks like it is wasted on a probable failed bid. Nicole thinks Ricky Ponting needs to get some emotion back into his captaincy of the Australian cricket side as he is too full of management speak. The Panel aren’t excited about the coming Ashes series. The Panel ask Paul Dalligan what Joel Monaghan’s scene is… Paul is enraged about the response and believes people shouldn’t be blaming social media. Paul breaks that Greg Inglis may be going to the Rabbitohs instead of the Broncos. Sean Callanan comes on to talk social media who thinks it was apt that his lead in was the theme from Minder as some pro athletes need minders. He says social media is ubiquitous.
7 November 2010 178.1 – Stan doesn’t take long to take Daniel to task about the performance on the Melbourne Tigers and queries whether the Tigers, Tiger Woods or the Australian cricket team will be the next to win. Daniel hints that one of the Tigers imports could be cut very soon. Stan wonders whether the Tigers should bring back Lindsay Gaze. One of our twitterers says bring back Andrew Gaze or the Tigers will remain a mess. Dan Butterly talks US sport including NFL with the Randy Moss/Minnesota Vikings/Brad Childress/Brett Favre debacle and the will she or won’t she tell the NFL. He also discusses the quarter back ‘controversy’ at the Washington Redskins with Mike Shanahan benching Donovan McNabb at the end of a game. MLB is wrapped up with the San Francisco Giants overcoming the Texas Rangers in five games. In College football, the Air Force Academy defeats Army to take the Commander in Chief’s trophy. The Panel talks with the Gelding and JC about JC’s horse ‘It’ll Be Fantastic’ then goes on to discuss the Emirates Stakes day and the winners and losers at the track.
31 October 2010 177.2 – The Panel give their Melbourne Cup selections. The ‘F’ word starts talking racing instead of soccer. He was in a marquee in the car park at Flemington yesterday and didn’t see one live race. He says it is all about the fillies! On a soccer note he talks A League soccer and thinks Melbourne Victory’s season is getting back on track after a slow start. He says the Melbourne Heart have a travel nightmare with a trip to Port Macquarie and then Perth within a week. Paul Dalligan talks Four Nations Rugby League and is expecting a much closer game against England than expected with Australia at AAMI stadium. Gambler talks cricket and wonders whether it is over exposed. The Panel talks to social media guru, Sean Callanan about what cricket can do, social media wise to improve things. The Gelding believes the 50 over form of the game is in trouble and maybe there should only be 20/20 matches. Sean thinks the fifty over version is too drawn out today and the state competition seems to be onto something with the two innings version of the fifty over game. Daniel talks about a Sydney Kings player tweeting that women shouldn’t be NBL referees. Sean thinks it is a cheap shot. Not surprisingly it has now been deleted. Daniel wants to know if he can pick four horses for the Cup like the Gelding. He likes half Shoot Out and half Harris Tweed and thinks it would be good if it was a tie so they can come back next week for a re-run.
31 October 2010 177.1 – Paul Gamble hosts this weeks show – can he fill the Professor’s shoes? The Gelding is brought onto the Panel at the last moment as the race meeting at Kilmore that Queen Asa was running in was washed out. Daniel observes that Gambler is dressed more suitably than the Professor was last week – “He was dressed like a 16 year old thug – an American football jumper with his hat on backwards!”. Even though the Professor had a week off, he was still on the phone talking the AFL draw, the Spring Carnival as Kelly Osbourne or Scary Spice wouldn’t add to his enjoyment of the races – they’re going because it is a party. He tells Daniel he hadn’t spoken to the VRC to arrange a million dollar appearance fee for him at the Cup and he wants to know when Southern FM are going to have their own celebrity tent at the Spring carnival. The future of cricket is a worry due to poor participation rates and probably of more concern, they are falling. The Gelding talks Derby day races and sums up the Flemington meeting. By the end of the meeting, the track was heavily affected by rain. So You Think had a comfortable win in the conditions and now has five Group 1 wins. The Sydney Colt’s tip, Skilled did not perform as expected even though he thought it would win.
