When The Games Are Done

Careful, kid. Now that the Phillies finished off the Rays last night in dramatic, three-inning fashion, that stove you're about to touch just got hot.

Figuratively speaking, of course.

The League has a ton of big stories this off-season (CC, A.J., Manny, to name just three) but no team sits more at a turning point than the San Diego Padrinos. Will they trade Peavy? Will they re-sign Trevor Hoffman? Will they pick up Brian Giles' option? Will John and Becky Moores cut Petco Park in half forcing the team to play its home games back at the Q? These are all critical questions that will determine the core of the Padres team next year.

With Peavy, Giles and Hoffman they will have, if some of the younger guys make progress, Chris Young regains his 2006-2007 form and the bullpen becomes (once again) a strength, a competitive team. Without those three guys they are looking at 2011 or later for their next winning season. I don't know about you but that's a long time to wait. If would feel like the beginning of this decade all over again. And that was no fun. Might as well sign Klesko and Nevin and see if Bubba Trammell is available.

So here's to hoping the Drinos make some good decisions, and if they do decide to part ways with Peavy, Giles and Trevor, that they make the right moves on the back end to get this team winning again before the 20-teens.

Welcome, Ron Rivera

I have this football card. I have a lot of football cards. I remember opening a pack and finding this card and thinking to myself, wait, who is this guy, isn't this Dan Hampton?

Turns out, as the card says right there on the front, it wasn't Dan Hampton, but rather another stud member of the '85 Bears defense, Ron Rivera. It's been a big week for members of that '85 Bears defense. The Niners promoted Mike Singletary and he promptly used his samurai sword to cleave off the head of Vernon "Brother of Vontae" Davis. Now, a few days later, Norval takes the axe to Teddy Cotts and promotes Rivera to Defensive Coordinator.

Somewhere Buddy Ryan is pleased, except for the fact he probably thinks his own son could outcoach both Singletary and Rivera.

But this is all beside the point. The point is that Ron is now the Bolts' Defensive Coordinator and, with that title, has the responsibility to turn this season around. I'd hope he'd start with simplifying the coverage and blitz schemes, calling more blitzes, giving a refresher course in tackling and reining in Cromartie so he doesn't go for a pick-six on every pass play.

These are just one blogger's humble suggestions.

Good luck, Ron!

Teddy Cottrell

Teddy,

I know that Shawne Merriman really jacked up your plans by refusing to undergo surgery last February and, as a result, is missing this season, but please, for the love of all that is holy, please find a way to put pressure on the quarterback.

I don't care if you gotta send nine guys. Please, please conjure up a scheme to put a few quarterbacks on their back sides.

I ask this of you for the sake of the 2008 Chargers football season.

Best,
Bevormo

Against 'Sconsin

Game started about an hour ago. 'Sconsin leads 3-0 with about 2:58 to go in the first quarter. Juice has thrown a pick and generally looked too amped up. We may need to rely on Arrelious to win this one.

Get r dun, Arrelious.

Ger r dun!

Dairy Tale

That there is a true live Wisconsin dairy farm. Nice, isn't it. Cows and silos and rolling hills. Just like Normy Rockwell would've drawn it up.

Wisconsin isn't a bad state. They've given us Green Bay, Door County, Frank Lloyd Wright and, I bet, a lot of other really cool stuff.

All in all it's not a bad little state.

But let's face facts. Tomorrow the Fighting Illini are going to roll in to Badgertown (aka Madison) and take care of some business. I expect Jason Ford to roll for 150 plus and one Arrelious Benn to snake another 100 yard receiving game.

Let it be done.

Travel Day

Taking the train to D.C. this afternoon for two days of meetings.

Nothing Drino, Bolt or Illini related here but let's be honest, Abe Lincoln was a beast. Is there any question he would have been an Illini fan had there been a team back in the mid-1800s? Of course not. He and a side-burned 1852 version of Bruce Weber would have smoked pipes and discussed agrarian pre-capital issues of the day. He and the 1855 version of Ron Zook would have sipped absinthe and tested each other with feats of strength.

He probably would have also liked the Cubs or Cardinals, and perhaps either the Bears or Rams. He could also have been a Kentucky fan.

No man is perfect.

Jacopo Peavy

Der Peavenstein.

A pretty good pitcher, a pretty good guy (though he talks a bit too much in the press), a fiery competitor (though he gets a bit too fired up at times) and, at least for the moment, a career Padre.

These are all attributes I can respect.

If I were Peavy I would stay in the Diago and play for the Padres and max out my statistics and be the stud guy on a team that, contrary to the belief of some so-called "experts," has a chance to be competitive over the next few years. Granted, if he is traded to Atlanta or Houston or St. Louis he may have a better shot at getting to the playoffs next season (although I'm not sure that's true with the Bravos, they aren't all that great), but with the Drinos he could continue to be the Man and partner with CY and A-Gon to help the rooks learn the ropes.

I like that idea.

But Peav loves the Bravos, and he's buds with Roy Oswalt and he thinks (rightly) that the Cardinals are a bunch of winners. Plus he always has Semmes, Al-a-bama on the mind. He's a Southern boy through and through.

Whatever happens I wish Peav good luck and, if he is traded, that KT fleeces his new team in the transaction.

Yeeee-haw!

Sprolesy?

Sproles only had two touches from scrimmage in the Bolts' 23-14 loss to the Billos last Sunday.

If anyone can explain this I am willing to listen.