"The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase: if you pursue happiness you'll never find it." - C.P. Snow.
With movies dominating the majority of 2011 on The King of Arguments something had to get left behind. Unfortunately, sports became the victim. It's been more than a year since I last posted about anything related to athletics at all. Some of my newer visitors have no idea that I started this blog so I could do just that ... write about sports.
Who knows if 2012 brings any more or any less sports-related posts. I can't predict the future (even though that's exactly what I attempt to do in this column). What I do know is that 2011 was the year my favorite teams (Irish, Browns, Bulls, Penguins, and Indians) were all on the pursuit of happiness.
Some came closer than others.
2011: Year of The Pursuit of Happiness - Sports Review
6) Cleveland Browns (4-12 record)
Previous Rankings
2008 - 6/6
2007 - 2/6
"This is my "depressed stance." When you're depressed, it makes a lot of difference how you stand. The worst thing you can do is straighten up and hold your head high because then you'll start to feel better. If you're going to get any joy out of being depressed, you've got to stand like this." - Charlie Brown.
The Cleveland Browns and Charlie Brown have a lot in common besides just their last name. They both are classic and habitual losers. They both are involved with dogs. And they both know how to effectively utilize the "depressed stance."
For as long as I can remember the Cleveland Browns were my favorite team, but a series of head-scratching moves and poor play have narrowed the gap between them and the Cleveland Indians. That process began when they completely mis-handled Brady Quinn and subsequently signed Jake Delhomme in 2010. It continued when they fired Eric Mangini and replaced him with Pat Shurmur. It reached a low point when they brought Colt McCoy back into the game with the Pittsburgh Steelers this past season after he had suffered a concussion three plays prior. Just this past weekend they hired Brad Childress as their offensive coordinator because apparently there weren't enough jokes already surrounding the Cleveland Browns organization.
And that's where the problem lies ... with the owner, with the president and with the general manager. These are the people who are picking players, picking coaches, and determining the fate of the Cleveland Browns. The owner, Randy Lerner, inherited the team from his father and has produced nothing but failure. The president of football operations, Mike Holmgren, has done the same. I would be in favor of dumping both of them but I will give them one opportunity to redeem themselves with the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft.
Thanks to the Browns annual unimpressive play, they have two first-round picks (4th and 22nd) at their disposal. The Browns, as has been the case since they originally returned to the league back in 1999 lack GOOD PLAYERS. They need to draft superstars, as they haven't had one since Eric Turner. They'll have a chance to grab one in this upcoming draft, and if they don't, then chances are the Browns will continue to be ... the Browns.
At the end of the day the 2012 NFL Draft is the most important event in determining the success of this organization and if they mess it up, it will set this team back even further than they have already fallen. I don't have a horse in the race, but I hope they pick the best player available and not be locked in to a certain position, because that will narrow the chances of picking that elusive superstar the Browns so desperately need.
Prediction for 2012:
Well, they can't get much worse can they? I honestly don't think Colt McCoy is the answer, but he's definitely not the problem either. With no playmakers on the offensive side of the ball it makes it rather difficult to score points, which last I checked, was how teams won in the NFL. I'd be fine with letting McCoy start in 2012 with a couple of new wide-outs to throw to, say Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd perhaps?
I'll take a wild stab at it and say the Browns take Blackmon and Floyd in the first round, keep McCoy, and go 6-10 the following year ... with one of those six wins coming against the Steelers.
5) Notre Dame Football (8-5 record)
Previous Rankings
2008 - 3/6
2007 - 6/6
"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want." - Margaret Young.
Usually an 8-5 Notre Dame football season would score a lot higher on this list, but 2011 actually treated me quite well in regards to my favorite teams. And to be honest, I had higher expectations for this team, and an 8-5 season left a disappointing taste in my mouth (that's what she said).
Notre Dame entered 2011 with an easier than usual schedule, a 2nd year head coach starting to make his impression with the Irish program, and the return of a majority of players from an 8-5 year that included an impressive season-ending bowl victory over Miami (FL).
The 2011 season fell apart so quickly it was almost as if it never had a chance to be great.
On the opening possession of their first game of the year, against South Florida, the Irish marched right down the field and appeared to be ready to make it a routine day against the Bulls. It all took a turn for the worse when the Irish fumbled at South Florida's one-yard line. The Bulls took it all the way for a touchdown. Notre Dame went on to lose that game, their next one against Michigan (who scored the go-ahead touchdown with less than 10 seconds left), and were 0-2 before you had time to stop and think about what just happened.
Give credit to Brian Kelly however for stopping things before they got really out of hand. Notre Dame had a couple of solid victories in 2011, including against Michigan State and Pittsburgh. For the most part they beat the teams they were supposed to, and lost to the ones they should have lost to. This is what happens when you have a solid team coupled with a below-average quarterback. Dayne Crist started the year, but came down with Tim Couch Disease and never regained any semblance of mental stability after the South Florida disaster. Tommy Rees took over and played his heart out, but Tommy's athletic capability is tailored for the Special Olympics more so than the real deal. He tries hard and you can't help rooting for him, but you would rather have someone else leading the ship at the end of the day.
Brian Kelly's quarterback decision will be his biggest choice of the year and will determine how well or how poor his 2012 season will be. Just like with the Browns potential draft picks, I don't have a horse in this race, but I obviously hope he does a better job with the QB's than he did in 2011.
Prediction for 2012:
Notre Dame has a brutal schedule in 2012, including stops in Dublin, Ireland (vs. Navy), Soldier Field (vs. Miami), and Norman, Oklahoma (vs. Oklahoma). Throw in their regulars (Michigan, MSU, USC, and Stanford) and you have an amazingly difficult schedule. Ohio State President Gordon Gee almost passed out when he saw it.
In order for Kelly to have a successful season he should aim for at least nine wins, which I say he gets ... barely. The Irish will go 9-4 in 2012, with a season-ending bowl win.
4) Pittsburgh Penguins (49-25-8 record)
Previous Rankings
2008 - 1/6
2007 - 5/6
"The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself." - Unknown.
While the Pittsburgh Penguins didn't catch a lot of happiness in 2011, they did catch the injury-bug, which they promptly held on to and refused to let go of.
The Penguins played the majority of the year without the services of their two best players, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby was knocked out of service thanks to a concussion he suffered during the Winter Classic contest in January, which held him out for the entire second half of the year. Malkin played into February until he tore his ACL and MCL, which is always great news for any athlete.
Just like with the Irish, give credit to head coach Dan Bylsma for not packing it in after losing both Sid and Geno. He was able to take the Penguins to a 1st place tie in the Atlantic Division and a 3-1 series lead in their 1st-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Yes, the Penguins lost three in a row to Tampa, which was a tremendous disappointment, but it was a minor miracle to even be in that position in the first place.
Speaking of miracles, it may take a major one to make Sidney Crosby appear in a Penguins uniform any time soon. He missed the entire second half of the 2011 season, and has only been back for a couple of games here in 2012 before having to take a leave of absence a second time due to "concussion-like symptoms." The longer Crosby is absent, the more I begin to think he might never play again ... which would be one of the greater travesties in recent sports-history.
The trio of Crosby-Malkin-Jordan Staal have played so little together that I actually forgot they were all on the same team for a little while. Those three led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup Championship in 2009, and it seemed they were on the brink of a dynasty but things haven't quite gone as planned since that epic victory. Just goes to show how difficult it is to win a professional championship, and how precious those moments truly are.
Prediction for 2012:
More of the same from Pittsburgh. They will continue to tread water until Crosby comes back, if he does at all. Without Crosby they could potentially win a playoff series, but they won't be a championship-caliber team until he finally returns.
I say that doesn't happen in 2012 which will have me really nervous for his immediate future. As for the Penguins, they sneak into the playoffs, make someone nervous for a round or two, and then bow out gracefully.
3) Cleveland Indians (80-82 record)
Previous Rankings
2008 - 4/6
2007 - 1/6
"The happiness of most people is not ruined by great catastrophes or fatal errors, but by the repetition of slowly destructive little things." - Ernest Dimnet.
I wonder if Ernest Dimnet had the Cleveland Indians in mind when he wrote that beautiful line? I wonder if he was referencing trotting out Matt LaPorta every day, or Fausto Carmona for that matter? I wonder if he was thinking about Shin-Soo Choo and Grady Sizemore going down with injuries? Actually, on second thought, I bet he was talking about Travis Hafner ... in general.
At first glance there was nothing spectacular about the Cleveland Indians in 2011. They finished with a sub .500 record and were 15 games behind the Detroit Tigers. But that first glance wouldn't tell you how well the Tribe played the first half of the season, or that they were playing meaningful games in September for the first time in four years.
After dropping their opening two games against the White Sox, the Tribe ran off eight in a row, a hot streak that continued all the way until the end of May when they topped out at 30-15. Eventually the Tigers caught up to the Indians and passed them for good with a three game sweep in mid-August. But just like the Penguins, the collapse isn't what will be remembered from the 2011 season, it was the hot start, and the reality that this Indians team could compete ... something that was uncertain before the year started.
But wasn't it a nice feeling for the Indians to be semi-relevant again, at least for a little while? Wasn't it nice to be in the mix at the trade deadline, even pulling a move for Ubaldo Jiminez, which love it or hate it, certainly created a buzz? Wasn't it nice to have meaningful games being played in September, even though the elephant in the room was the fact that the Indians weren't going to catch the Tigers? I loved everything about the 2011 season, especially if the Tribe can parlay that success into 2012.
Prediction for 2012:
Rotation will be Masterson, Jiminez, Tomin, Lowe, and someone not named Fausto Carmona. It's not great, but it's not bad either. A lot of their success will depend on Jiminez's ability to pitch like it's 2010 and not 2011. Their bullpen will be solid, although Chris Perez scares me. It's not Joe Borowski/Bob Wickman-scary, but he's no Mike Jackson either.
The lineup should look something like this: Brantley, Cabrera, Choo, Santana, Hafner, Sizemore, Kipnis, First Base (Laporta/Kotchmann/Lee), and Chisenhall. Again, not a great lineup, but a solid one nonetheless.
Before the Tigers picked up Prince Fielder I thought the Tribe had a small window of getting past Detroit, but after that huge signing (pun intended), I think that window has been slammed shut. The best case scenario is Ubaldo pitches unbelievable, Grady Sizemore becomes Grady Sizemore, and Hafner starts juicing up again. If those three things happen, they could sneak into the playoffs. As it stands, I'll go for a reversal of their 2011 record and end up at 82-80.
2) Notre Dame Basketball (27-7, 14-4 record)
Previous Rankings
2008 - 2/6
2007 - 3/6
"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called." - A.A. Milne.
There's a lot of truth in that quote by A.A. Milne, especially in regards to the NCAA tournament. The build-up right before the tournament starts might actually be the best moment of the entire event. Filling out brackets, thinking about potential match-ups, and discussing the tournament with friends all create an undeniable buzz that outweighs the actual games being played.
If you were to ask me which of my favorite teams has the worst shot of winning a championship I would answer with Notre Dame basketball for a plethora of reasons.
The odds are simply too big. There are too many NCAA teams with championship pedigree. It's hard to get kids to want to come to Notre Dame to play basketball. Even if you have a great team, the NCAA tournament can send you home with one bad game ... or one lucky shot. Either way, I'm fairly certain that I will never see Notre Dame win an NCAA championship in basketball, and I'm okay with that because I've accepted that as truth. But something funny happened last year, something bizarre, something strange.
Notre Dame had a legitimate chance of winning the NCAA men's basketball championship. To this day I'm still not sure how it happened.
Luke Harangody, one of the best Irish basketball players I had the pleasure of watching, graduated in 2010, creating a rather large void. Ben Hansbrough figured to take over the leadership roll, with Tim Abromaitis, Carleton Scott, Tyrone Nash, and Scott Martin playing significant minutes. Expectations heading into the season were small - be in consideration for the NCAA tournament - and honestly, I didn't even think that would happen.
But then Notre Dame won the Old Spice Classic, beating Georgia, California and Wisconsin in the process. And then they dismantled two top-ten teams (Georgetown and UCONN) in route to a 16-4 start. They took the "next-step" by beating #2 ranked Pittsburgh on the road, the first time Mike Brey had ever beaten Pittsburgh in Pitt. By finishing the season winning 11 of their last 12, Notre Dame wound up with a 25-5 record, including 14-4 in the Big East, and were on the precipice of a #1 seed for the NCAA tournament.
In the middle of this unprecedented season, Kevin and myself were constantly sending bewildered texts back-and-forth, because we also couldn't believe what was going on. We were watching the best Notre Dame basketball team either one of us had ever seen, and it had come out of absolute nowhere. The Final Four was a distinct possibility.
But then the bizarre bubble burst. Notre Dame failed to reach their first ever Big East Tournament final when they blew a large lead late against Louisville in the semi-finals. They limped into the NCAA tournament as a #2 seed where they were bounced by 14 against Florida State in a 2nd round game that wasn't even that close.
Despite their late season failings I will never forget this team. I will never forget how good Ben Hansbrough played, as he earned the Big East Player of The Year in the process. I will never forget a season that included road wins against UCONN and Pittsburgh - two places I never thought I'd see an Irish win. I will never forget listening to commentary discussing Notre Dame as a possible championship team. And for all of that I am truly thankful.
Prediction for 2012:
Doesn't look good for the Irish in 2012. They are starting an entire brand new five and have had trouble scoring thus far. They are inexperienced, undersized, and not athletic. Not a winning combination.
However, Mike Brey continues to impress as he has this team battling. They already have an impressive home victory over previously unbeaten and #1 ranked Syracuse. While I don't see them making it to the NCAA tournament, I could see them making a run into Madison Square Garden for the NIT. And if this is as bad as the Notre Dame basketball team can look, then not only is the future bright it may mean that unreachable championship is closer than I had originally thought.
1) Chicago Bulls (62-20 record)
Previous Rankings
2008 - 5/6
2007 - 4/6
"Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." - Joseph Addison.
I love to watch the NBA, in particular the Chicago Bulls, and in doing so I hope for an NBA championship. In my relentless pursuit for happiness in 2011, the Chicago Bulls came the closest to reaching it.
When I last wrote these year-end recaps in 2008 the Chicago Bulls had just lucked into the #1 draft pick and had selected Derrick Rose. In those short three years since, Derrick Rose has gone from #1 draft pick, to Rookie of The Year, to NBA All-Star, to NBA All-Star starter, to MVP. In other words, he hasn't been up to much.
Besides Derrick Rose making the leap from star to superstar status, the Chicago Bulls added depth to their squad with the additions of Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, Taj Gibson, Omer Asik, and CJ Watson. Luol Deng and Joakim Noah both made significant improvements in their game during the past three seasons which set the bar quite high for 2011. Perhaps the biggest addition to the Bulls was their new head coach, Tom Thibodeau. Thibs is a tough, defensive-minded, hard-nosed coach who instilled those qualities with Chicago.
Yes, the depth and the new coach were beneficial to the Bulls successes, but 2011 was Derrick Rose's season. He was absolutely incredible night in and night out. I realize I might be a tad biased, but he deserved the MVP award they gave him after the season was over. No one meant more to his team than Derrick Rose meant to the Bulls. Sometimes I think back to the 2008 NBA Draft when I wanted the Bulls to draft Michael Beasley and I laugh.
Led by Rose's efforts, the Bulls went 62-20 and earned home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs. They got past both the Indiana Pacers and the Atlanta Hawks before eventually being disposed by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. It was a disappointing end to a great year, but at the end of the day, they weren't ready for the NBA Finals. They relied too heavily on Derrick Rose, didn't get enough scoring from their shooting guards, and received a failing performance from Carlos Boozer in the playoffs (shocking right?).
There were several memorable moments from the 2011 season, including sweeping Miami during the regular season, countless number of D-Rose highlights, Gibson's monster dunks during game one against the Heat, and attending game three of the Bulls-Pacers series where Derrick Rose hit the game winning layup. Even though it ended with a heartbreaking loss to the villains from Miami, the Bulls achieved much more happiness than sadness in 2011.
Prediction for 2012:
Can the Chicago Bulls win it all? The addition of Richard Hamilton should help in their inevitable playoff match-up against the Heat, but I just get the feeling that it's Miami's year. A shortened season, the addition of Shane Battier, and a revamped offense that's quicker and more determined to get to the rim than last year all benefit Miami.
I see the Bulls and Heat matching up in the Eastern Conference Finals again in 2012, and again, I see the Heat walking away victorious, although this time around it will go six or seven games. Much like Jordan struggled with the Pistons, Rose will have difficulties getting past the Heat for several years before he gets to the NBA Finals.
Well that wraps it up for my sports review. We have one more 2011 post before February hits and my annual Black History Month List begins.
Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."
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