The Victoria Times Mailbag

The Victoria Times, as most of you are unaware, has an e-mail address, and even though none of you ever want to drop us a line, sometimes we get e-mail. Somehow, the Times has been added to the "Let's Golf Asia" newsletter. This week? Tagaytay, who's slogan is "Probably the most pleasant city in Asia". A ringing endorsement. For the record, I think that maybe Augusta, Maine should use this, except for New England.
The real question, of course, is why are we getting these? Every once in a while, we'll link to a golf scoreboard during one of the majors, and it's not very often we chat about the comings and goings of Bhutan. Does this have something to do with the fact that we're permitted reading in China?
I guess I don't have an answer to this, so I suppose the only thing to say now is, I suppose, if you're in Indonesia, try out Bandung?

Victoria Times Mailbag

Believe it or not, we don't get a terribly vast amount of e-mail, so when we get some, I like to answer it right away. Today, I got some from my friend AJ, whom you may remember. Anyways, he's in Pittsburgh and asked the following question about the Penguins moves at the deadline:

Alight Ryan, I am depending on you for some good NHL trade deadline analysis. How good is Hossa. I have to admit I have not been very good at following the NHL outside of Pittsburgh lately so I have no idea how good he is. The Pens gave up a ton for him. Erik Christensen was a good young forward who has come up big for us in a lot of shootouts, Colby Armstrong is another good young player who has been on our first line most of the last two years. Colby also happens to be Sid's best friend on the team and one of the most beloved players in the city, he is always out doing PR stuff for the team (like charity events, radio show and tv shows), people know him better then almost anyone on the team. The prospect they gave up Angelo Esposito was suppose to be really good too. Since Hossa's contract is over at the end of this year, it seems like the only reason to bring in Hossa is that they think they can win the cup with him this year. Do they really have a shot with him?

Wow. Wordy. First off, let's take a look at what smarter people tell us. They seem to be pretty ok with the deal. The way I see it, Hossa was the best player available and the Pens went out and did what they had to to get him. Now, there was concern that Hossa will just be a rental, and he likely will be, but the Penguins definitely have the talent to make a run deep into the playoffs. The addition of Hossa gives a veteran presence among the forwards and someone to draw attention while on offense. So, yes. I do think the Pens have a shot with him. I would worry about adding Dupuis, however...

Is It a Blog?: Quick Hits #5

Originally posted on "Is It Sports?," its our 2nd real mailbag, posted in the Is It a Blog conversation format

E-mail from Maria F, Cincinnati, OH:
This is my rant about the general category of interceptions. I think it is unfair to the quarterback for all interceptions to be so labeled as "their fault". For example, most of Drew Brees' interceptions were not direct "passes" to the defense. They were catchable balls that the receiver did not catch. Rather than the stats reflecting this on the receiver, it goes against the QB. Now I don't know anything about baseball, but Jesse says there is some way to differentiate errors. Likewise, I think that football (the NFL especially) should institute some sort of differentiation. There should be two categories of interceptions - QB error and non-QB error. I am all for Brandon Kirsch getting the tick marks when he passes right to Northwestern, but not when some butterfingered receiver lets the ball slip through his fingers into a defender's hands. What do you guys think?

Steve: I think Maria makes a pretty good point and I think it would definitely be an interesting stat to track
Steve: the one problem I have with it not counting against the QB is that he is still the one that throws the pass, and maybe if he had thrown it at a different speed or to a different location the reciever would have caught it
Ryan: The point about baseball, she means E-6 for an error for the shortstop, etc. makes me think that baseball isnt the only sport that assigns blame statistically, like soccer keeping track of own goals, or basketball keeping track of fouls
Ryan: The NFL does keep track of dropped passes though, so if a throw is counted as a drop, and it's intercepted, I guess that would be a convenient way to adjust interception statistics
Steve: yeah that's a good point
Steve: I think it definitely could be something that could be talked about on TV to defend a QB/bash a receiving crew
Steve: maybe they could even rate interceptions in some way based on the situation they happened in
Ryan: I think Matt Hasselbeck would have been helped a lot by that last year... I think on the same note, you could introduce an "accuracy" rating along with the completion percentage, combining drops and completions versus total passes
Steve: like a ball thrown right to a guy or one in the clutch could be more hurtful to the stats, but maybe a receiver tip or a hail mary at the end of a half wouldn't be too bad
Ryan: yeah
Ryan: statisticians would love that
Steve: yeah the one thing that really surprises me about football is there aren't more stats like that
Steve: baseball can have stats about the craziest stuff you'd ever imagine and they get talked about like they mean something, but in football you could have stats like this to better describe a team's situation but they aren't kept
Ryan: well, in baseball, there is a lot more cut and dry fact, where as, what is and is not a drop? what is and is not clutch? Football has a lot more gray area
Steve: yeah it does
Steve: and maybe the fact its much more of a team sport hurts the validity of any individual stat
Ryan: I think that's what it all comes down to
Steve: like in baseball home runs are the hitter's doing, but in football, rushing yards aren't a RB's doing completely because they need the line to accomplish anything
Ryan: exactly. I think, we can both agree that interceptions will probably remain categorized as they are because football, in general, is a very difficult sport to quantify with any validity
Steve: yeah
Steve: you can even factor in that teams pass more than others, so the offensive strategy can effect the totals too
Ryan: So, basically, we just pointed out that Dan Dierdorf may actually play an important role in today's game
Steve: how is that?
Ryan: as a color commentator... you cant just rely on stats, you have to UNDERSTAND the game, the flow, the way things go, etc.
Steve: definitely
Steve: its not a stat geek sport, and that's why football fans always win the bar fights over baseball fans

Our First Real Mailbag

Originally posted on Is It Sports? Yes, we finally got an e-mail to answer as a mail bag question, and yes, it was from our friend Jesse, who happened to be my roommate at the time, but he still at least read the site! I'll put my horrible comments in blue. I would have killed for the Niners to have gotten Rivers looking back at things, and Ryan nailed the Bears taking Orton. I don't know why we talked about Braylon Edwards so much back then...

Q: Do Steve or Ryan honestly believe that Brees is a "franchise player"? What team do you guys think he will be playing for next year? What NFL QB is Brees most comparable to? Just lookin for your guys' opinions

- Jesse B, Ann Arbor, MI

A: Steve: Well the Chargers franchised him so they would get a compensatory draft pick if they traded him Steve: now its looking like they're going to try to trade Rivers to the 49ers for the first overall draft pick so they will most likely be keeping Brees
Ryan: I think he is a franchise type player, I just don't think he's the answer for the Chargers, and I dont think they are going to trade Rivers to the 49ers
Steve: I'd rather see the 49ers get Alex Smith from Utah with that first pick, but I'm pretty sure Rivers will be going somewhere for a first rounder pretty soon
Ryan: ere is my logic for both parts a) the team effectively gave up on him already. I see him moving on with experience and the ability to lead as a veteran for a team that desperately needs a veteran quarterback (Washington)? and b) the Chargers arent trading Rivers, the 4th pick last year, unless they get quality now (which the 49ers dont have) or assurances that they get someone quality in the draft this year (which this year's draft doesnt have)
Steve: I'm still willing to bet Rivers goes and they stick with Brees
Ryan: if rivers goes its not until next year
Steve: the Chargers don't operate with a whole lot of logic though Steve: so who knows
Ryan: and i bet the 49ers take Braylon Edwards
Ryan: as for what quarterback he reminds me of... Drew Bledsoe
Ryan: just the sluggish start to his career, and then after another crappy start he throws 70 passes (70!) and then leads the Pats on a 7 game winning streak.. a year later they are playing the Packers in New Orleans
Ryan: so, the sudden turn around, i think is what reminds me most of Bledsoe
Ryan: the 70 was in one game, against the vikings, and the pats won
Ryan: to clarify
Steve: I think as an NFL quarterback he reminds me most of the final years of John Elway's career Steve: The focus of the offense is mostly on the run, but he's a quarterback that can still get the job very effectively done if you focus too much on stopping the run
Ryan: changing gears ever so slightly.... has there ever been a more inevitable pick than Kyle Orton going to the Bears in the coming draft?
Steve: well it would be a really good pick for the Bears, so I have doubts that it will happen for that reason alone
Ryan: now, Orton hasnt really proven himself to be a pressure QB, so I think a quarterback who cracks under pressure and fumbles like its his job belongs on the Bears of the past 15 years
Steve: yeah even longer than that probably...haha Steve: actually.... Steve: Jim McMahon is a good comparison for Brees too