We're Back!

Greensboro, NC -- Apologies for the LONG delay in churning out a new blog. Believe me, the lack of blogs wasn't due to a shortage of stories, more like a shortage of free time. The student loan industry usually has a mini "peak" during this time of year due to the number of students needing cash before they go back for second semester. I hope to have the blog return to its normal daily schedule starting next week when things begin to slow down for me. For now, I'll clean out the sports notebook with some "this and that."

• The Redskins hired a coach! As a diehard fan, I always want this team to succeed, but there's something about Daniel Snyder that makes me want to see them fail until he learns his lesson. By "learning his lesson," I mean hiring a real GM and staying as far away as possible from the football operations. Snyder may be a competent and successful business man, but that doesn't equate to success on the football field. The draft is there for a reason, Danny Boy!
• I like Jim Zorn... as an offensive coordinator. Something scares me about someone who has never called a play before in the NFL becoming a head coach. Spagnuolo was a wise man by taking the Giants' offer of 3 years-$6M to remain their defensive coordinator. Time to start from scratch on implementing a new offensive scheme, considering that worked wonders when Al Saunders came in 2006.
• Still can't believe the Giants won the Super Bowl... are you happy now, Giants fans?
• I set-up my annual fantasy baseball league today, the second sign following the opening of spring training that baseball is right around the corner! For those of you in my league, your $20 donation to my money clip is greatly appreciated!
• It's funny how Angelos is so hands-on about being involved in trades and free agent signings. Every deal has to cross his desk. The Bedard trade moved at a snail's pace because there was a rumor that Adam Jones, the centerpiece of the deal coming to the Orioles, might have had a degenerative hip. Sound familiar? How about Albert Belle and that 5 year-$65M mistake to make-up for the Palmeiro gaffe? And now it's reported that LHP Troy Patton, the crown jewel of the Tejada trade, might need elbow ligament surgery. Is there a pattern here with meddlesome owners?
• Stan Kasten's "The Plan" surely looks good right now. A year ago today, we thought that the Nats would be playing for the worst record in baseball history. What a turnaround... Baseball America has ranked the Nats' farm system 9th this year after finishing 30th last year. The front office has amassed several talented pitching prospects. Dukes, Pena, Milledge, and Kearns vying for 3 spots in th outfield. Young and Johnson fighting it out for first base. Lopez, Guzman, and Belliard for the middle infield. There's talent here, something that you can't say about the team 35 miles to the north. I wouldn't be surprised if the Nats finished above .500 this year.
• The Giants replaced Barry Bonds with Aaron Rowand. Rowand signed a 5 year-$60M contract with the Giants this past offseason. Rowand, considered a tough, crowd pleasing ballplayer, said this this past fall: "I'm all about winning." Sure.
• My sleeper team this year: The Cincinnati Reds. The NL Central is the weakest division in baseball.
• Do you remember the bestseller Moneyball? Here's a classless article from The New York Times' Murray Chass on Jeremy Reed, the misfit catcher and central character of the book, who Billy Beane selected with the A's first pick in the 2002 draft. Speaking of classless articles from The New York Times, what an utter piece of garbage/senseless journalism that the paper produced about John McCain this week.
• There's nothing better than seeing overpaid people going down... Clemens, Boras, Bonds, etc. Boras has been ripped by Gary Sheffield, Kenny Rogers, and A-Rod for his egregious negotiating methods. You know it's bad when the players are complaining, not the GM's. As for Clemens, his fate rests in the hands of his best friend, Andy Pettitte. Bonds is out of work and will probably be for the rest of his life. Signing baseballs at auctions and trade shows do not count. Even with his tax issues, perjury charges, and the like, I think he's ok, considering that he's made $188,245,322 in career earnings.
• Mets, Braves, Phillies, Nats, Marlins in that order for the NL East Standings this year.