The Problem with Playoffs

April 8, 2009May 23, 2010Danny Vinik Leave a comment

As I watch the NBA and NHL seasons winding down, I have been thinking about how many teams have stopped caring about winning, and instead are just trying to avoid injuries. So many teams in both leagues clinch a playoff berth or home field advantage and immediately rest their players. Now, if you’re a team ranked around 4-6 in each conference, I can understand resting players. Those teams have no shot at winning the league and thus have nothing really to play for, but for teams ranked above them that do have a chance to have the best record in their sport, why are you resting players?

The most underrated part of American Sports is the idea of how much more important the playoffs are than the regular season. Why is a team that does well during a 3-week stretch deemed the champion over a team that does well during a 5-month stretch? Why does a team that gets a couple lucky bounces in 15 games in the playoffs “better” than a team that is the best over the course of an entire season? The champion of soccer leagues throughout the rest of the world is considered to be the team who accumulates the most points (best record) throughout the entire season.

Now, like the metric system, doesn’t that make a lot more sense? Continue reading “The Problem with Playoffs” →

Problems with Plaxico

April 7, 2009May 23, 2010Danny Vinik Leave a comment

Plaxico Bur plaxico-burress ress, what is wrong with you? Just listen to this statement:

In the last month, Burress has received 5 traffic violations in Florida while he is under arrest in New York for carrying an unregistered firearm after shooting himself in the leg.

Wow. He is without an NFL team after the New York Giants cut him last week and yet he continues to act immaturely. In his most recent traffic stop, Burress cursed out the officer, told him that he knew the sheriff personally and swore at the arresting officer multiple times.

Plaxico Burress, what is wrong with you?

As your NFL career hangs in the balance, all you are doing is making it harder and harder for you to return to the NFL. You are trying to avoid jail time for a charge that carries a three and a half year sentence. Your lawyers are working constantly, appealing to the district attorney for a plea bargain that keeps you out of prison. How exactly are these traffic violations going to help? How is cursing out a police officer, who was doing his job, going to help? Continue reading “Problems with Plaxico” →

Concern in New York

April 6, 2009May 23, 2010Danny Vinik 1 Comment

The Yankees faced the Orioles in Baltimore today and they sent C.C. Sabathia, their superstar offseason signing, to the hill. The most coveted free agent, Sabathiaarrived in New York to high expectations and in his first game of the spring, Sabathia struggled. He last just 4 1/3 innings Yankees Orioles Baseball , giving up 8 hits, 5 walks, and 6 runs (all earned) without a strikeout. That’s what the Yankees wanted.

The biggest concern for any star coming to New York is adjustment. How well will they handle the big city? The constant scrutiny? Well Sabathia better get ready for some criticism, because after that opening start, he deserves it. The New York media will jump on Sabathia about not living up to his contract. They will attack him saying, “He’s not ready for New York. Sure, he can play fine in a small city like Milwaukee, but New York is a whole different ballgame” Continue reading “Concern in New York” →