Drinos 4, Dadgers 1

Game Score. For those of you not familiar it's a nouveaux way of measuring a pitcher's performance.

Here's the formula, per ESPN.com: Start with 50 points. Add 1 point for each out recorded, (3 points per inning). Add 2 points for each inning completed after the 4th. Add 1 point for each strikeout. Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed. Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed. Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed. Subtract 1 point for each walk.

After Peavy's dominant performance yesterday I was curious how it would be reflected in Game Score. The answer: 86. The best overall performance - in either league - of this young season.

I'm still not clear how Bard's play in the dugout resulted in an earned run for Peavy but that's a minor point to quibble about after that complete game gem against a division rival.

Wednesday, April 2: 'Stros 9, Drinos 6

Berkman won that game by his lonesome last night. In the first he took second base during a rundown and then scored when Kouz made a 2-out throwing error on the next play. If he's not on second when the error happens he doesn't score that inning.

Then, in the 8th, he sneaky stole third with 1 out and was able to score on a sac fly. If he doesn't get to third he doesn't score that inning.

Then of course the monster bomb. Until that point he had been 0-7 against Trevor with 4 Ks.

3-1. Right down the pipe. Mud tried to be nice and say Trevor was aiming for a location a little more outside but I don't know.

Illini Are Biding Their Time

The Illini have 11 games remaining before the start of the Big Ten Tournament in mid-March. Their conference record right now is 1-6. The last game I discussed, albeit briefly, was the Big Ten opener against Ohio St., a game the Illini lost 74-58 ... at home. Here is a recap of the games since that Big Ten opener:

Sun, Jan 6: Penn St. 68, Illini 64 - Watched this game at Firefly on Spring St. while on most of the other TVs in the bar the Giants were in the process of breaking down the Buccaneers. I was preoccupied with thoughts of the upcoming Bolts-Titans game and, I must admit, thought the Illini would take down the Nittany Lions. I was wrong.

Thu, Jan 10: Wisconsin 70, Illini 60 - The Illini hung tough but lost.

Sun, Jan 13: Indiana 62, Illini 58 - This game started on CBS right after the Bolts victory over the Colts and I was primed for the doubleheader and ready to ride the wave for the Bolt-Illini sweep. But Armon Bassett hit some big shots and Eric Gordon scored most of his points in the second half to help the Hoosiers come back and win. Is there anyone who doubts that it would be the Illini sitting 6-0 and atop the Big Ten standings if Gordon hadn't reneged on his commitment? That was just a huge huge decision.

Wed, Jan 16: Illini 75, Michigan 57 - I got stuck at the office and tried to follow the game on the computer but kept getting distracted by work. So be it. Word has it the Illini were at a tenuous point late in the game but pulled it together and pulled away. Michigan has a few years to go yet.

Sat, Jan 19: Purdue 74, Illini 67 - In Hawaii over the weekend to visit my fiance's family and attend a wedding, I started to watch this game when it aired at 9 a.m Honolulu time. Then I had to leave to go hiking to Makapu'u lighthouse with the future in-laws and, though the Illini led when I left the house, I was not shocked to see the final score when I returned. E'Twaun Moore is just another one of the many recruits who dissed Weber over the last two years for another program and will, it seems, haunt the Illini with regularity. Annoying.

Tue, Jan 22: Ohio St. 64, Illini 58 - These are the kind of losses which make me think, as the title of this post says, that the Illini are biding their time before going on a little streak and putting themselves in a position to be dangerous in the Big Ten Tournament. This team has some heart but they lack a killer instinct and are prone to mistakes. Not to mention at times they can't hit the broad side of a barn with their jump shots or free throws. If they can string together a few games where their shots are falling, and Randle can stay out of foul trouble, and Pruitt gets back in the game (why was he benched by the way?), then by golly they might be able to win the tourney.

Maybe.

But that leads to the following point: seeding will be important. Ideally the Illini can sneak past Minnesota, Penn St. and Iowa and into the six seed in the tournament. To do that may require as many as 3 wins out of the 4 road games at Minnesota, at Michigan, at Iowa and at Penn St., and taking care of business at home against Northwestern (Jan 27), Purdue (Feb 2) and Minnesota (Mar 8). Winning 1 of the 3 home games against Indiana, Michigan St. and Wisconsin would also help, not the least for the boost of confidence it would provide to an Illini team that seems to be sorely lacking in it.

Bottom line is that unless the Illini win out (could it happen? please?) they aren't getting to 20 wins and aren't getting an at-large nomination to the NCAA tourney. So they have to start playing with an eye to the Big Ten Tournament.

Bolts' Playoffs Redux

January 6, 2008: Bolts 17, Titans 6

The Merriman forced fumble, the Bolts' inability to score, Rivers' pick to Finnegan, Kaeding's shank, Bironas' two field goals, Vincent Jackson's 100+ yards receiving, Chris Chambers' 100+ yards receiving, the Kaeding 20-yard field goal, Rivers to Jackson for 25 yards and a score, the Gates injury, the Bironas missed field goal, the LT leap on 4th down, the Castillo salsa sack dance, the Norv Turner salsa celebration.

January 13, 2008: Bolts 28, Colts 24

Manning's opening drive, Rivers' pick to Kelvin Hayden, Marvin Harrison's fumble after the Cromartie hit, Rivers to an injured Gates for 23 yards on third and 8, the LT knee injury?!?, Rivers to Jackson for 14 yards and a score, Kaeding off the upright, Cromartie picks Manning!, the phantom hold on Weddle, Rivers' perfect pass to Chambers down the sideleline 30 yards for a touchdown, Weddle picks Manning with one hand while falling down near the goal line!, Manning to Wayne who cuts in to the end zone and keeps his foot hovered over the sideline, Sproles sprints past linebackers and takes the screen 56 yards down the sideline for the score!, Rivers' hobbled on the play, Rivers walks off the field and says he'll be back, Manning to Gonzalez down the sideline for 55 yards, Volek enters the game, Volek rolls out and hits Chambers for 15 yards, Volek to Naanee for 27 yards, Turner Turner Turner Volek Touchdown!, Manning down the field, 4th down Merriman gets Manning's leg and the pass falls incomplete, Chargers forced to punt, Scifres booms it from the end zone to the Indy 32, Manning overthrows Dallas Clark on 4th down, Volek takes a knee.

January 20, 2008: Pats 21, Bolts 12

Rivers, Gates and LT all to start!, exchanging punts, LT only goes 3 plays, Jammer jumps and picks Brady along the sideline, Bolts get to the Pats' 8, 3rd and 8 Rivers hits Chambers in the back of the end zone but Chambers lands out of bounds!, Kaeding kicks 26-yard field goal, Pats roll down and put it in the end zone, Bolts take it back down inside the Pats' 10, 3rd and 8 Rivers can't wait for Jackson to get open in the end zone and hits Chambers in the flat and he is tripped up after 3 yards!, Kaeding kicks 23-yard field goal, Bolts force a punt, Vrabel kicks Rivers' leg on 2 and 8 and Samuel steps in and takes ball from Chambers!, Pats take two plays to score Brady to Gaffney, Rivers on 1st and 10 from the 42 goes deep but is picked by Hobbs, Bolts force a quick punt, Sproles on a draw for 8!, Sproles on a draw for 26!, Kaeding kicks 40-yard field goal, Drayton picks Brady!, Bolts get to Pats 4, Turner goes left on 3rd and 2 and Seau gets through the line and makes the tackle!, Kaeding kicks a 24-yard field goal, the Pats roll down the field with a new offensive set behind Maroney, 3rd and 2 from the 2 Cromartie picks Brady!, the Bolts punt after 4 plays, Pats roll down and Brady hits Welker for the score, Bolts move to the Pats' 36, 2nd and 10 Wilfork knocks down a pass to Gates!, 3rd and 10 Harrison blitzes and forces a quick incompletion!, Bolts punt, Pats face 3rd and 11 from their own 24, Faulk dives out of the backfield and makes a catch!, Pats face 3rd and 3 from their own 42, Faulk reaches back behind himself and makes the catch!, Pats run out clock, Bolts don't get ball back.

(pause)

(feel your heart sink into the pit of your stomach at the thought of what could have been)

The NFL playoffs aren't at all healthy.

Bolts Recap

The last time I reported on the Bolts was after their 35-17 drubbing at the hands of Adrian Petersen and the Vikings. Now, on the eve of their playoff rematch with the Tennessee Titans, allow me to recap, albeit briefly, the Bolts' season since the Vikings loss.

Bolts 23, Indy 21: Yuck. Thank you Darren Sproles, thank you Antonio Cromartie, thank you Adam Vinatieri.

Jags 24, Bolts 17: That blow up block by Maurice Jones-Drew on Merriman got all the press, but the return of David Garrard was the reason the Jags pulled off this win. The Bolts played uneven but winning at Jacksonville would have been a mini coup so this loss didn't bother me too much.

Bolts 32, Ravens 14: Don't recall much about this game. That's probably a good thing. What happened to the Ravens this season?

Bolts 24, K.C. 10: A win at Arrowhead. Nice. Looking back over the season the home loss to K.C. was the only really embarrassing loss of the season. At New England, at Green Bay, at Minnesota, at Jacksonville were the others. Had Minnesota not slipped up toward the end of the season that amounts to road losses against four playoff teams, including the #1 AFC seed and the #2 NFC seed. Not bad for a team breaking in an entirely new coaching staff.

Bolts 23, Titans 17: The defining win of the season. On the road. A physical game. Rivers gets banged up and then leads the team back from a 14-point 4th quarter deficit. I watched the game from a crowded Time Out (the Pats-Stillers game was on in the afternoon and wasn't showing on regular TV in New York City) and left feeling like this Bolts team might have finally turned a corner.

Bolts 51, Lions 14: Beatdown, '06 style.

Bolts 23, Denver 3: The Christmas Eve game. I watched the first half from Roth's Westside Steakhouse in Manhattan with my mom and stepdad. What was the deal with Denver this year? No heart on that squad.

Bolts 30, Raiders 17: Traveled to the Coliseum for this one. Sat at the 50 yard line in the upper upper deck, in seagull crapping territory. Thankfully the gulls didn't make me a target.

And there you have it. Let's go tomorrow, Bolts.

Bring it home.

Ohio St. 74, Illini 58

Whoa. I'm back.

A lot has happened during my month and a half vacation (the Rose Bowl, the Peavy contract extension, the Bolts make the playoffs) and I'll get to all of that in upcoming posts.

But first I have to turn to last night's hoops debacle.

I watched the game from one of the best bars on the Upper West Side of Manhattan - P.D. O'Hurley's - because the cable was out at my apartment. My night of sitting on the sofa and flipping between the Illini, the Orange Bowl and the Iowa Caucuses swiftly turned into a frigid block and a half walk to P.D.'s, a couple draft Heinekens, and watching some bombed dude get into a screaming match with two attractive girls in woolen caps he relentlessly hit on. Good times, as always, at P.D.'s

The only downside was that P.D.'s, as per usual, was playing music, and not game sound, so I missed the sparkling analysis of Brent Musburger, Steve Lavin and Erin Andrews (I'm not even joking; they're my favorite hoops announcing team by far).

Anyway, all I have to say about the game is two things. One, Jamar Butler was in a zone. His 15-point rampage in the second half was ridiculous but even after he cooled down and the Illini started to shrink the deficit his eyes revealed that he was not going to let Ohio St. lose the game.

And two, at the 6:12 mark with the Illini back to within 8, Chester Frazier made a magnificent steal in the frontcourt, dove for the ball, retrieved it ... and flung it wildly ahead behind Mike Davis and out of bounds. That sums up the Illini hoops season to this point. Along with Randle's foul trouble and the team's inability to knock down threes and free throws, Frazier going wild and tossing the ball away at critical points in the game is now a steady refrain.

If this Illini team is going to improve they must get better guard play.

Maui Invite: Illinois 77, Arizona St. 54

I have a confession.

All my life, when pressed on the issue, I have said that if I could only have ONE championship for ONE of my favorite teams I would take a Padres World Series victory over a Chargers Super Bowl, an Illini BCS title or an Illini NCAA Championship.

But here's the thing: watching Bruce Weber's boys play so well last night in Maui, passing the ball around and getting open shots in a way that - dare I say it - resembled at times the artistry of the '04-'05 team, made me so damn happy that I think I can now say with complete and total confidence that what I want most in sports is an NCAA Championship for the University of Illinois Men's Basketball Team.

There. I said it. And you can't make me take it back.

(Aside to Peavy, LT and Zook: On the million to 1 chance you are reading this please understand this does not absolve you from working your butts off to win a championship. I expect continued greatness from you and will support the championship effort in any way I can ... as if writing this blog wasn't already enough.)

But let's everybody calm down. I'm not saying this Illinois team is as good as the '04-'05 team. What I am saying is that last night the team played with the type of smooth execution that I haven't seen much since the '04-'05 team. It certainly wasn't present with last year's team - a team beset by injuries that clawed its way into the NCAA tourney but couldn't finish off a sneaky Virginia Tech team - and really wasn't there much with Dee and James's '05-'06 squad that never quite got things together without Deron and Luther. But last night it was there.

Specifically, here are a few things I saw that I haven't seen before or haven't seen in awhile:

1. MJ in the orange Illini golf shirt. This has to get a mention. I mean it's MJ. In an Illini shirt.

2. A healthy Brian Randle. To paraphrase Steve Martin in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, 'tis better for Brian Randle to be healthy ... than to not.

3. The long cross-court skip passes. Where were these last year? In the motion offense this is the way to get open looks. Is Pruitt just that much better a passer now? Have Meacham and Frazier finally figured it out?

4. Randle will dunk in your face. When healthy, you can count on one or two ridiculous dunks a game from Randle. I'd almost - almost - forgotten about that.

5. Tisdale and Cole ... Cole and Tisdale. I see opposing coaches starting to agonize about these guys like Jack Palance agonized about Tango and Cash in Tango and Cash (can't you hear Palance wheezing: "Tango and Cash ... Cash and Tango"). Are they the most athletic big men around? No. But they both can shoot, pass, rebound and play a little D. Good luck tonight, Kyle Singler.

6. Frazier shooting. Last year Frazier could not shoot the rock. That's not news. But last night he shot well from beyond the arc. If he hits those shots with a degree of consistency this year ...

So, to sum up, ASU might not be great - Sendek will turn them around - but the Illini never looked this good all last season. Even against the little guys last November and December.

Bring on the Duck Blue Devils.