NFL Second Quarterly Report

NFL Second Quarterly Report

We are now eight weeks into the 2010 NFL season, here are some second quarter thoughts from my scatterbrained mind.

The Winners

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In a division that used to belong solely to the New Orleans Saints, the Bucs seem to be making a big splash. Despite being in second place in the NFC South, Tampa Bay is tied for the NFC’s best record at 5-2, and doing it with pure heart. Baby face coach Raheem Morris claimed that he had the best team in the NFC while talking at his pregame presser this past Sunday, and even though their depth chart is compiled of rookies and rejects, they have been proving it on the field. The Atlanta Falcons have been the best team in that division all year, but the scrappy Bucs aren’t going away any time soon. On defense, they are led by one of our generation’s most consistent corner backs in Ronde Barber as well as one of the game’s up and coming stars, Aqib Talib. Oh yeah, and don’t think we’ve forgotten about defensive end Stylez G White. With the emergence of LeGarrette Blount as his featured back and a wide receiving corps consisting of Mike Williams and Michael Spurlock, second year quarterback Josh Johnson is quietly leading his team to a possible post season berth.

New England Patriots

I think an overwhelming majority of NFL fans would admit they really don’t like the New England Patriots. It’s hard to like a coach like Bill Belichick, one who likes to make questionable 4^th down calls and win Super Bowls in convincing fashion. Tom Brady? Who likes that guy? Spygate didn’t help either. However, what the Pats have always been particularly good at is winning as a team. Even if they don’t have the most talented group of players, they seem to win big games. The Pats go into Week 9 having won five games in a row, the longest winning streak in the NFL right now, and lead their division with the NFL’s best record at 6-1. Sure, their win over Buffalo was scary close, and they won back to back games by a total of only six points, but wins are wins, and the Pats know how to do it, even without Randy Moss.

Danny Woodhead

He’s more than likely going to be the smallest player on the field every time, but after the Jets cut Danny Woodhead, it was the Patriots who gave the scrappy running back a chance to shine.; and that’s just what he’s done. Bill Belichick has found ways to use him in four wide sets as a wide receiver, I-Form sets as the featured back and even in bunch formations as a screen option. Belichick has allowed Woodhead to become an integral part of the Pats’ goal line offense this season. He has 36 rushes on the season for 178 yards and two touchdowns, which puts his yards per carry at an impressive 4.9. He also has 14 catches for 136 yards and one touchdown. Maybe it’s because he’s taking his release from the Jets personally, or maybe he just fits well into New England’s system, but either way Danny Woodhead is making the most of his playing time and leaving Jets management scratching their heads.

Brandon Lloyd fantasy owners

Brandon Lloyd has been probably the most lethal albeit quiet fantasy threat all season so far. Lloyd, who has been with four different teams over a seven year career, has never really been featured as a team’s top receiving threat, having posted 500 receiving yards or more in only two seasons. This year, however, as the Broncos’ number one guy, he’s amassed 878 receiving yards in just eight games thus far, which is first in the NFL, along with four touchdowns. He is also averaging 109.8 receiving yards per game which is absolutely astounding, even for a receiver in a pass heavy offense. He’s certainly worked for his catches as well, pulling in tough grab after tough grab each week. Anyone who was lucky enough to pick Brandon Lloyd up off waivers within the first week or two of the season certainly found a diamond in the rough.

The Losers

Dallas Cowboys

Things just keep getting worse for America’s team these days. They started out the season 1-3 before going into an early Week 4 bye. Most analysts agreed that Dallas would pull out of it, especially coming out of a bye week. That hasn’t been the case. Embarrassing losses to both Tennessee and Minnesota put any chance of this team making a playoff run in serious doubt. And whatever doubt was there was washed away after Tony Romo broke his clavicle in Week 7 against the Giants. Jon Kitna will be taking the reins of this pitiful team from here on out, so it looks like Dallas fans will have to just hope for the best next season. Who knows? It might turn out to be a blessing in disguise if it means Wade Phillips loses his job.

Brett Favre

Let me preface this by saying that I absolutely hate Brett Favre. Before you read on, I feel it’s important to know that I am completely biased because, to be honest, I think the guy is nothing short of a cry baby and an idiot. He screwed with fans’ heads during three consecutive off seasons and sucked up every piece of media attention he possibly could. I don’t care about his statistics, and I don’t care about his jean commercials. All I want is for him to retire. He isn’t just a loser because of the fact that he’s a complete imbecile, and it’s not only because I hate him. It’s because once again he acts like a complete media whore and fails to do anything positive on the field with his team. Just watching him, anyone can see that his time is up for good. I just hope for the sake of all our summers that this time he actually retires.

Mike Shanahan

Mike Shanahan has long been the enemy of many fantasy owners, such as me. The guy loves multiple back systems, which often doesn’t help teams who own his running backs (ie: the year I drafted Tatum Bell only to see Mike Bell receive all the red zone touches). This time around though, I’m giving him flack for the way he’s handled two specific situations on his team. First, I think he has straight up alienated Albert Haynesworth by putting him through hell in the off season with physicals and then utilizing him the wrong way in their defensive scheme. Something has got to change or else Haynesworth is going to be out of there before they know it. And, secondly, if Shanahan places such a high importance on physical fitness, why did he pull Donovan McNabb last week and replace him with Rex Grossman during their two minute drill, citing McNabb’s lack of physical fitness as a reason? I think it’s completely and utterly ridiculous that he could even think of benching McNabb for a two minute drill like that; and of all people to replace him with, Rex Grossman? I always love a Sexy Rexy sighting, but really? Shanahan has always been known as a coach who has a revolving door of quarterbacks, and this is just his latest way of embarrassing his players. What is he going to have JaMarcus Russell try out next or something? Oh wait…

Most Impressive Single Game Performance (player)

Kenny Britt, Tennessee Titans

7 receptions, 225 yards, 3 receiving touchdowns

Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

16 rushes, 165 yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 2 receptions, 31 yards, 1 receiving touchdown

Most Impressive Single Game Performance (team)

Oakland Raiders, 59 points scored, 8 touchdowns (five rushing, two passing, one defensive) (vs. Denver Broncos)

Power Rankings

1. New England Patriots (6-1)

2. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

4. New York Jets (5-2)

5. Indianapolis Colts (5-2)

6. Atlanta Falcons (5-2)

7. New York Giants (5-2)

8. Green Bay Packers (5-3)

9. Tennessee Titans (5-3)

10. New Orleans Saints (5-3)

11. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)

12. Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2)

14. Houston Texans (4-3)

15. Miami Dolphins (4-3)

16. Oakland Raiders (4-4)

17. Chicago Bears (4-3)

18. Washington Redskins (4-4)

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)

20. St. Louis Rams (4-4)

21. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

22. San Diego Chargers (3-5)

23. Minnesota Vikings (2-5)

24. Arizona Cardinals (3-4)

25. Cleveland Browns (2-5)

26. Cincinnati Bengals (2-5)

27. Detroit Lions (2-5)

28. Denver Broncos (2-6)

29. Dallas Cowboys (1-6)

30. San Francisco 49ers (2-6)

31. Carolina Panthers (1-6)

32. Buffalo Bills (0-7)

SABR Fan vs. Traditional Fan

Ahhhh, how much I love this. Enjoy!

NFL First Quarterly Report

NFL First Quarterly Report

Four weeks into an exciting NFL season and there is an awful lot to talk about. Here is where I will breakdown the winners and losers of the first quarter of the season.

The Winners

Pittsburgh Steelers

How can they not be big winners? Four games without their starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and they go into their bye week at 3-1. I think this is the NFL’s best all around team and they gave me more reasons to believe it each time they took the field. Their defense was incredible, allowing just 12.5 points per game and holding the NFL’s reigning offensive player of the year, Chris Johnson , to 34 yards on 16 carries in week 2. Charlie Batch did a great job at stepping in at quarterback after Dennis Dixon’s injury in week 2. He threw three touchdowns and averaged over 100 yards throwing. The way they played as a team despite not having their leader under center was inspiring, and if anything a message to the rest of the league. The Pittsburgh Steelers are for real this year.

Arian Foster fantasy owners

I speak from a personal level on this one: Arian Foster is a god. He’s led all players in fantasy points and leads the NFL with 537 rushing yards on 85 carries with an unbelievable average of 6.5 yards per carry. He’s also scored five times, including one receiving touchdown. There hasn’t been a more effective back in the league through four weeks, and Foster is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. In an offense that features arguably football’s best wide receiver in Andre Johnson, this gives the Texans a ridiculous amount of options. Opposing defenses have to worry not only about Andre Johnson as a deep threat, but Arian Foster in the backfield. In week 4 against the Raiders, Foster played just one half of football after being benched for missing a team meeting, and yet still finished with 131 yards rushing with a touchdown. I can’t wait to see his production as the season progresses over the next four weeks. Fantasy owners of Arian Foster, I salute you.

Kansas City Chiefs fans

If I had taken a poll before the season and asked how many people thought the Chiefs would be the only undefeated team in football going into week 5, I would be willing to bet that nobody voted yes. It’s no fluke either. They have been playing really good football. They defeated a potent San Diego Chargers at home in week 1, thanks to a potent running attack and a punt return touchdown for rookie Dexter McCluster. Jamal Charles has been on limited duty with fewer than 40 carries through four weeks, yet he is still averaging close to 80 yards rushing per game. Thomas Jones is getting the bulk of the carries, and he hasn’t been a slouch either, averaging just about 72 yards a game rushing. I don’t know if the Chiefs can keep playing the way they have, but in this report, they are big first quarter winners and a pleasant surprise.

St. Louis Rams/Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I lump them together because they are both winners for the same reason: quarterbacks of the future. Sam Bradford has looked fantastic in an exceptionally bad offense in St. Louis. He is completing about 58 percent of his passes and averaging 236 yards throwing per game, with six touchdowns. It’s even more impressive considering his top two receivers are Mark Clayton and Danny Amendola. The Rams organization has to be pleased with what they are seeing from their first overall pick in the 2010 draft. In a similar situation, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to be happy with the production they are getting from second year quarterback Josh Freeman. He has been spreading the ball really well, throwing to eight different receivers, for 544 yards throwing and four touchdowns. Both teams can rest easy knowing the quarterback position is solidified for awhile with two young stars on the rise.

NFC West

Yes, the entire division. Technically they are all losers considering three of the four teams in the division have given up more points than they’ve scored. For the purposes of my report however, they are definitely winners. The NFC West is far and away the weakest division in all of football. I wouldn’t be surprised if a seven or eight win team won the division this year, and after what we have been seeing from these teams, it might actually happen. After coming into the season a favorite to dominate, San Francisco is ironically the only winless team in the division through four weeks. The sad part is that they are still going to win this division pretty easily. There is no questioning that they are the best team on paper, but football games aren’t won on paper. This will be an interesting albeit horrible division to watch as we go forward.

The Losers

Chicago Bears

I promise this is going to be my only homer choice of the report. After a 3-0 start against two tough opponents in Dallas and Green Bay, the Bears entered the new Meadowlands Stadium in New York to face a rather jaded Giants team . The Giants, 2-2, have question marks all over the place. I really expected an old school Chicago beatdown on defense and a fluid and balanced offensive game. In actuality, we got a Giants defense which made the Bears look like Merle Hodge’s son’s pee wee team. Nine sacks, yes, nine sacks in the first half alone. Jay Cutler was a sitting duck the entire night. I can’t say blame is entirely on the offensive line’s shoulders because Jay Cutler made some poor decisions in the pocket which allowed a few of those sacks to happen. The blank stare on offensive line coach Mike Tice’s face said it all. And now Jay Cutler is out with a concussion, leaving the Bears offense in the hands of NFL journeyman Todd Collins. Yikes.

San Francisco 49ers

This was not the team I was promised, and frankly I’m a little surprised. After a winless first four weeks, which included an embarrassing flogging at the hands of an awful Seattle Seahawks team, the 49ers had to make my list of losers. Coming into the season, they were favored to clean house in their division and post a serious playoff threat as a breakout team to keep an eye on. Well, as it turns out, nobody even want to look anymore. It’s been difficult to watch and very frustrating. I can only imagine how Mike Singletary feels. He’s given quarterback Alex Smith a vote of confidence and plans to stick with him through and through. Personally, I think Alex Smith is not very good, but I’m not the head coach of the 49ers, so it doesn’t mean anything in the end. I’m bored with this team already. Big losers in the first four weeks.

Philadelphia Eagles

Yeah, I’m going with losers on this one. First of all, they have the worst coach in football in Andy Reid (this is a guy who burns all three of his timeouts before the two minute warning in a close game). Secondly, the quarterback controversy was just one embarrassing press conference after another. First he names Kevin Kolb as his starting quarterback, which I have no issue with. He said that Kolb was his guy, and he stuck to his word. Kolb gets injured, and when he is ready to return, Andy Reid says that he feels like Mike Vick would give the team a better chance to win. I agree with him, but I do think it alienated Kevin Kolb just a little bit. Now both Mike Vick and running back LeSean McCoy are injured, so it’s Kolb’s turn to get back under center. I’m putting the Eagles as a loser simply for the fact that they can’t get their issues straightened out. Andy Reid is an awful human being. Enough said.

John Bonamego/Miami Dolphins Special Teams

I was floored by the way the New England Patriots special teams handled the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen such a horrendous turn of events for a special teams in one night. A blocked punt, a blocked field goal, and a kickoff returned for a touchdown all led to Miami Dophins special teams coordinator John Bonamego’s predictable firing.

The First Quarter MVP’s (three at each position, guys who have had a major impact on their teams in the first four weeks):

QB

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

RB

Arian Foster, Houston Texans

Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

WR

Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons

Austin Collie, Indianapolis Colts

Brandon Lloyd, Denver Broncos

TE

Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers

Dustin Keller, New York Jets

Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders

DE

Mario Williams, Houston Texans

JustinTuck, New York Giants

Trent Cole, Philadelphia Eagles

DT

Haloti Ngata, Baltimore Ravens

Sedrick Ellis, New Orleans Saints

Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions

LB

Clay Mathews, Green Bay Packers

James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers

Curtis Lofton, Atlanta Falcons

CB

Leon Hall, Cincinnati Bengals

Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers

Terrell Thomas, New York Giants

Safety

LaRon Landry, Washington Redskins

Patrick Chung, New England Patriots

Steve Gregory, San Diego Chargers

K

Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons

Josh Scobee, Jacksonville Jaguars

Mike Nugent, Cincinnati Bengals

Most Impressive Single Game Performance (player)

Patrick Chung, New England Patriots

4 tackles, 1 interception, 1 defensive touchdown, blocked kick, blocked punt (vs. Miami Dolphins)

Most Impressive Single Game Performance (team)

New York Giants

50 tackles, 10 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, 3 points allowed (vs. Chicago Bears)

Power Rankings

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)

2. New Orleans Saints (3-1)

3. Green Bay Packers (3-1)

4. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)

5. Atlanta Falcons (3-1)

6. New York Jets (3-1)

7. Houston Texans (3-1)

8. Indianapolis Colts (2-2)

9. New England Patriots (3-1)

10. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)

11. San Diego Chargers (2-2)

12. Chicago Bears (3-1)

13. Miami Dolphins (2-2)

14. Dallas Cowboys (1-2)

15. Minnesota Vikings (1-2)

16. Washington Redskins (2-2)

17. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)

18. Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)

19. Tennessee Titans (2-2)

20. Denver Broncos (2-2)

21. New York Giants (2-2)

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)

23. St. Louis Rams (2-2)

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2)

25. Arizona Cardinals (2-2)

26. Seattle Seahawks (2-2)

27. Cleveland Browns (1-3)

28. Oakland Raiders (1-3)

29. San Francisco 49ers (0-4)

30. Carolina Panthers (0-4)

31. Detroit Lions (0-4)

32. Buffalo Bills (0-4)

The songwriters who have shaped my musical taste

I've thought a lot about the music that has shaped my being. It's difficult to do things like this, but here is where I attempt to list the songwriters whose words have meant more to me than all the others. These are the ten guys that I can turn on and immediately I'm immersed into a world separate from reality. They take me away, even if it's for a few minutes here and there, and allow me to appreciate life in a different way. These are the guys I grew up listening to and appreciating. These are the guys who helped mold my musical taste. These are simply...the guys.

10. Bjork

I often can't understand what Bjork is even saying, and she may not be a guy, but I do know one thing: her music is always beautiful. I started listening to Bjork about four years ago. I remember hearing so much about her music and her style. She is unique in every outlandish sense of the word. Her Icelandic roots are part of her mystique, her odd dress behavior, and her unique vocal ability. I consider her one of the most peacefully beautiful artists that has ever existed. There is just something special about closing your eyes and listening to a song like "Jóga" where a million different emotions flood your mind. The violins, the sound effects, the echoes, it is all part of something unmatched in music. Homogenic is simply one of the greatest albums that has ever been made in the genre of electronic music.

9. Dallas Green (Alexisonfire, City & Colour)

Forget the fact that he's got the voice of an angel and the tattoo collection of a hardcore biker. Dallas Green writes some of the most beautiful sounding acoustic music I have ever heard. He is one of the few artists who can give me chills when I listen to him. The irony is he was one of the frontmen and vocalists of post-hardcore band Alexisonfire, which I would argue is anything but 'beautiful.' While I enjoy the music of Alexisonfire, I've been more in love with the acoustic side of Dallas Green for awhile now. I can remember the first time I heard "Casey's Song," and even though there weren't many lyrics, the song still had an impact on me. There aren't many artists who can pull of songs with two short verses and make a statement with it. Dallas Green is one of those artists. In a similar situation, "...Off By Heart" was one of those same songs. Even though he didn't tell a story or explain much, you could still understand the mood of the song and why he was writing it. He can even make Alexisonfire songs sound incredible with his own touch, like he did with "Happiness by the Kilowat." All in all, Dallas Green a strong musical love of mine. His voice is incredibly unique and he stands out amongst in a time where distinct voices are few and far between.

8. Tim Kasher (Cursive, The Good Life)

I think what Tim Kasher does is pretty different from a lot of other musicians. His sound is a bit funky, and at times a little obscure. Not just his writing style, but in his vocal technique. Part of what makes a musician great to me is when they are able to stand out and not over do it. Cursive's discography is ridiculously extensive, and I don't pretend to be an expert on each and every song, but to me, The Ugly Organ is one of the greatest indie albums of our generation. I feel like if anyone on this list would be good to listen to while tripped out on acid, it's probably Tim Kasher. His melodies are very trippy. I've found my mind wandering to the oddest places while I listen to Cursive or The Good Life. Some of my favorite Kasher songs include "Lovers Need Lawyers" and "Driftwood: A Fairy Tale."

7. Nick Torres (Northstar, Cassino)

If I were writing this list a couple of years ago, Nick Torres would probably be number one. I can’t think of another band that has shaped my musical tastes in the way that Northstar has. I remember being 14 years old and sitting in my room, listening to Pollyanna. It was new to me, something really fresh and exciting. It was one of the very first stepping stones leading me toward the music I would one day fall in love with and what I ultimately listen to today. Torres’ writing style isn’t unique or different, but it works. It’s the type of music that just makes you nod your head up and down with the beat. It can make you happy, it can make you sad. But in the end, whatever the emotion, I can never forget what Nick Torres’ songs did for me and what they led me to.

6. Jesse Lacey (Brand New)

Brand New was a band I began to enjoy very late in their career. The first album of theirs I listened to and really enjoyed was Your Favorite Weapon, but that was way after its initial release. I was a fan that entered during The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me era, where fans were split between loving it and hating it. Brand New is one of the very few bands that has evolved into a different style of music with each of their albums, but I am definitely not one of the fans who hates on any one particular album. I love them all for different reasons. Jesse Lacey’s writing style has been both revered and mocked by many people, but personally I think Jesse is a solid songwriter. Songs like “You Won’t Know” and “Limousine” are the ones which had me instantly hooked. The melodies, the riffs, the vocals, the actual lyrics themselves were all wonderful to my ears. There is no way I would ever forget to put Jesse Lacey into my list of favorite songwriters.

5. Ace Enders (The Early November, I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business)

The Early November is another one of those bands who I unfortunately was introduced to incredibly late. The Room’s Too Cold was released in 2003, but I hadn’t heard it in its entirety until around 2005 or 2006. That album has had a profound impact on me in many ways. It’s one of those pieces of music where every song sounds so depressing, and yet you can’t stop listening. I remember the first time I heard “Everything’s Too Cold...But You’re So Hot,” specifically the part at the end where Ace is screaming. It was like an incredible feeling of empathy came over me, because I have had many situations in my own life where I felt like just screaming and getting it out of my system. The screaming for Ace always came across to me as a release of emotion, a way to get it all out and feel better. His lyrics are some of the most beautiful I have ever read, and his voice is both calming and soothing. I have also had an opportunity to see Ace Enders play in person, and it amazed me how wonderful his voice was live. I felt like if I closed my eyes, I was listening to a recording. It’s that type of genuineness that is so hard to find in many musicians today. In my opinion, the best song he has ever written is “1000 Times a Day.”

4. Anthony Green (Circa Survive)

Like I've mentioned before, a lot of the musicians on this list have some of the most unique voices you will ever hear. Anthony Green might be number one or two if we were going to make a list of most distinguishable voices. He straight up sounds like a girl sometimes, and I won't even say that's a bad thing. What I love most about Anthony Green is that he can make a song sound wonderful on an album, and then sing the same song acoustically and give it a whole other life, as if it is a completely different song. For example, "Dyed In the Wool" is a song on his most recent work with Circa Survive, Blue Sky Noise. The acoustic version of the song has a fundamentally different feel to it. Each song breaths life in a different way, and therein lies the genius of Anthony Green. I find his voice and his lyrics to be enticing to the point where I can't just listen to one Circa Survive song: I have to listen to the entire album from start to finish. It's the type of music that gets into your brain and takes control. There aren't many musicians who make me feel the way Anthony Green does.

3. Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five)

There is a subtlety about the way Ben Folds makes his music. He is never too overbearing or too loud or too obnoxious. He is perfectly quaint in the way you would expect a pianist with thick rimmed glasses to be. He sings because he has stories to tell, not just because he wants to sugarcoat deeper meanings with metaphors. If he has something to say, he says it, and that is why I love Ben Folds. Some of my favorite Ben Folds songs include "Don't Change Your Plans" and "Carrying Cathy," However, Ben may never write a more beautiful song than "The Luckiest." It's just one of those songs that is inexplicable. It can't be described. It has to be felt. After listening to it for the first time, I remember I had a tear in my eye. The beauty of Ben Folds' style is that he isn't singing about sad things, nor is he singing to make us sad. He sings from the heart, and sometimes it is more than we can handle. Ben Folds is quite simply one of the best musicians of our generation.

2. Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate, Jack's Mannequin)

I've been lucky enough to see Andrew McMahon perform three times in person, and each time was more of a treat than the last. His music is the closest I can think of to crack. It's catchy, it's fun, sometimes it's sad, but mostly it's beautiful. Whether he's singing a cute ballad about love like in "MFEO: Part 1 - Made For Each Other, Part 2 - You Can Breathe," or trying to depress us with his woes like in "Walking By," Andrew McMahon is guaranteed to get your emotions going. He has some of the most emotionally driven songs I've ever heard. There was something special about the way he performs on stage, writhing from left to write while never letting his fingers leave the keys of his beloved piano; and the way he closes his eyes as he sings, feeling every word that comes out of his mouth and into his own ears; and the way he still tours despite being a victim (and a conquerer) of Leukemia. His words inspire me. His words touch me. His words have been there for me on a lot of nights where I felt nothing else would suffice. And if I could pick one happy moment in my own life that I could never forget, it would be Andrew McMahon belting out the final words of "Me and the Moon" on a rainy night in New York City, before standing on top of his piano and thanking the fans for being so great; and if I could have, I would have thanked him for the same reason.

1. Kevin Devine (Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band, Miracle of 86)

Trying to explain why I have come to love this man so much over the past few years is difficult to do. Maybe I'm biased, considering we were both born and raised in Brooklyn, and we both moved to Staten Island as twelve year olds, and we both went to the same high school, and we are both kind of Irish. It's none of that though. It's some inexplicable feeling that I get when I hear his music. He's a real human being, with real issues, and real problems. And he sings about them. I think the special part of Kevin Devine is he lived through personal turmoil for a good portion of his life, and not only did he conquer it, but he found a way to overcome it through music. I saw Kevin Devine perform in Brooklyn two summers ago, and to say it was a wonderful experience does not do it justice. That man stood on stage and performed 24 songs to a crowd of people who were simply in awe. I will never forget the way he stepped out of the shadows on stage right before his first song, “Ballgame” (you can see the actual performance I saw here), with his acoustic guitar in hand. As he sang, the crowd watched with an intense awe that I had never seen in any crowd before. As I stood there, whispering the words to myself, I realized that all musicians sing about their life and their problems, but not many can do it the way that Kevin Devine does it.

More on the AL Cy Young race

It’s no secret that I’ve been one of Felix Hernandez’s biggest supporters in this year’s Cy Young race. I love the guy, and I love the way he pitches. He’s doing something extraordinary this season, and nobody even cares. I get that CC Sabathia has 20 plus wins and both he and David Price are pitching in a pennant race. The fact remains, the award goes to the best pitcher in a given year. Felix deserves it, and there are numerous amounts of evidence to prove it. First, let’s look at the stats as of today:

CC Sabathia: 21-7, 3.18 ERA, 197 K, 74 BB, 1.19 WHIP, .239 BAA, 237.2 IP, 5.5 WAR

Felix Hernandez: 13-12, 2.27 ERA, 232 K, 70 BB, 1.06 WHIP, .212 BAA, 249.2 IP, 6.0 WAR

Now, let’s debunk some myths, shall we?

1. CC Sabathia has 20 wins. Felix Hernandez only has 12.

Well yes, this is statistically true. However, it is also incredibly misleading. Let’s start with the win totals themselves. CC Sabathia has won 21 games and lost seven. Felix Hernandez has won 13 games and lost 12. Let’s look deeper into these numbers. CC Sabathia has just six wins against teams that have an overall record above .500. Felix Hernandez has nine wins against teams with similar records. That means 77% of Sabathia’s wins have come against teams with losing records, while 75% of Hernandez’s wins have come against teams with winning records. Basically, Sabathia has beaten a lot of bad teams and Hernandez has beaten a lot of good teams. Let’s total the statistics:

Teams with losing records

Sabathia: 14-4, 2.77 ERA, 105 K, 43 BB, 1.23 WHIP, .249 BAA

Hernandez: 3-5, 2.36 ERA, 99 K, 35 BB, 1.17 WHIP, .229 BAA

Teams with winning records

Sabathia: 6-3, 3.98 ERA, 84 K, 29 BB, 1.17 WHIP, .234 BAA

Hernandez: 9-7, 2.27 ERA, 128 K, 33 BB, 0.97 WHIP, .200 BAA

Against the bad teams, Sabathia pitched very well. Hernandez pitched well too. Against teams with winning records however, Sabathia is highly average. Hernandez dominated. A WHIP of .97 and an ERA of 2.27 is extremely impressive, especially when you see some of the teams included on the list. In an odd way, one could argue that Sabathia pitched better against worse competition while Hernandez pitched better against tougher opposition.

We also have to take into consideration the anatomy of a win in general. Yes, Sabathia does have 20 plus wins. Then again, he does play for a team that is currently number one in total runs scored with 839 (45 ahead of the second ranked team) while Hernandez plays for a team who has only scored 501 total runs all season. Batting average, slugging, OPS, et cetera. You name it and the Mariners are in last place.

The Yankees score roughly seven a game when CC Sabathia is on the hill (7.31 RS to be exact). Felix Hernandez? Try less than four (3.75 RS). Imagine going out on the mound every fifth day knowing your team is going to score seven runs for you, as opposed to going out on the mount and knowing that if you give up more than two runs, you will probably lose the game. Scary.

2. CC Sabathia pitches in a tougher division than Felix Hernandez does which makes Sabathia’s numbers more impressive

There is no arguing that the AL East is not better than the AL West, because we all know this to be true. The East features three powerful offenses in New York, Boston, and Toronto, while the West has statistically some of the worst offenses in the American League (for offensive power rankings check out Beyond the Boxscore’s analysis). However, the fact that the division Sabathia pitches in features tougher offenses does not mean that Hernandez’s numbers are not as impressive. Let’s take a look.

AL East opponents

Sabathia: 15 starts, 8-3, 3.46 ERA, 85 K, 33 BB, 1.20 WHIP

Hernandez: 7 starts, 5-1, 0.63 ERA, 58 K, 15 BB, 0.89 WHIP

It is also important to note that five of Sabathia’s wins came against the Orioles and three of Hernandez’s wins came against the Yankees.

I find it incredible that Hernandez dominated the Yankees with three wins, 31 strikeouts, and just one earned run in three starts. People are constantly saying that Sabathia has an advantage by pitching in a tougher division. It becomes a moot point once you realize that Hernandez has even more impressive numbers against the same tough teams and dominated a division Sabathia has been only average against. (I know, I know, but Sabathia has pitched more games against those opponents). It’s also interesting to note that Sabathia has a chunk of wins against a really bad Baltimore Orioles team. In fact, 10 of Sabathia’s 21 wins have come against the Orioles, Mariners, and Royals, arguably the three worst offenses in baseball. Also, he's only faced the Toronto Blue Jays one time all season. Yikes.

3. CC Sabathia pitches in a pennant race, putting him in a higher pressure situation

I never understood this argument, for several reasons. I mean, sure it must be a big responsibility being the ace on a pennant race staff. Isn’t it just as nerve racking being one of the best pitchers in baseball on a team that scores less runs than a pee wee team?

Sabathia goes on the mound every night knowing that even if he screws up a little bit, his offense has his back. Come on, the guy gets seven runs of support per game! Hernandez, not so much. He steps on the rubber knowing that if he gives up two runs, or even one single run, he might not be able to win the game. That’s not considered stressful? He has two complete game losses this year. I don’t know if anyone realizes how stressful it must be to give your best stuff for a complete game, and then to lose the game 1-0 or 3-2. It’s almost as if the stress argument works in favor of Hernandez.

Here are some clutch/pressure stats, for the saber minded people.

2 outs, RISP

Sabathia: 92 PA, 26 K, 9 BB, 26 runs allowed, .313 BAA, .380 OBP, .826 OPS, .436 BAbip,

Hernandez: 92 PA, 23 K, 6 BB, 26 runs allowed, .212 BAA, .272 OBP, .578 OPS, .279 BAbip

Late & Close(7^th inning or later with batting team tied, ahead by one, or tying run at least on deck)

Sabathia: 62 PA, 11 K, 8 BB, 3 runs allowed, .196 BA, .317 OBP, .513 OPS, .250 BAbip

Hernandez: 118 PA, 25 K, 7 BB, 7 runs allowed, .194 BA, .263 OBP, .559 OPS, .225 BAbip

First of all, notice that Hernandez is statistically a much, much better pitcher with runners in scoring position and two outs as well as in late and close situations. Also notice the stark difference in plate appearances between the two pitchers in late and close situations. When you pitch for the 2010 Yankees, there won’t be many close games. When you are the ace of the Mariners, close situations are what you live for.

If we are arguing pressure pitchers here, Hernandez is the winner.

I’m not here to argue that CC Sabathia is having a poor season. Not at all. I think Sabathia has had a really good season. I just don’t think really good (read: average) seasons win the Cy Young Award. Really great seasons win Cy Young Awards, and that is why Felix Hernandez deserves it. He has, on the worst offensive team in the league, pitched the best all around baseball out of any starting pitcher in the American League. He is the leader in every statistical category (sans wins) and has dominated some of the toughest opposition.

The Baseball Writers of America would be doing the game a great dishonor to pass up this chance to give one of the best pitchers in the game today an award he has truly earned.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo! wrote a great article with similar points. You can view it here.